It Will Never be Mine

'Is it Mine, Lord?' by Supertramp

I know that there's a reason why I need to be alone

I need to find a silent place that I can call my own

Is it mine, Lord, is it mine?

You know I get so weary from the battles in this life

And many times it seems like you're the only hope in sight

Is it mine, Lord, is it mine?

"There he is again."

"Damn little monster."

"When will he leave?"

"I thought for sure he would die in the trials- what a shame that he made it!"

"I'm so sick of that little shit."

Naruto felt the familiar, dull ache in his chest as he forced himself to ignore the villager's ill-concealed whispers. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he continued on, until a rock struck him in the head. Head hanging, his hair shielded his eyes as well-tuned ears listened to the malicious laughter.

"Stupid monster. He deserved that."

"Twenty points for the person that did that, I say. Whoever can make him cry gets thirty more!"

"Ha, that's a good one. But I don't think he can cry. It's not like he's human or anything."

"You're right. It's not like he has feelings or anything."

He suddenly felt a pang in his heart, and he instinctively reached up to clutch his chest.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

He spun around, to see Hinata standing behind him, concern in her eyes. "A-are you o-okay, N-naruto-kun?" she asked.

Naruto dropped his hand and forced a grin onto his face. "Yeah, I'm fine! Just a bump! I was just taking a walk," he added, turning around. Although his voice was cheerful and energetic, Hinata caught the pain in his eyes. 'Hinata, you shouldn't hang out with me,' Naruto thought ruefully. 'No one should. I don't deserve friends.'

When everything's dark and nothing seems right

There's nothing to win and there's no need to fight

"Yo, Sasuke." The black haired boy turned around, slightly annoyed. Standing behind him was a confused looking Kiba. "What's wrong with Naruto?"

Sasuke snorted. "Hn. Like I know or care."

Kiba ignored him. "I mean, he's been acting really weird lately. He won't fight with me. And he looks thinner. I asked Sakura, and she has no clue. She even invited him out to ramen and he said no. Naruto, saying no to Sakura and ramen?"

"As I said, like I know or care," Sasuke retorted, although he was getting a little curious himself.

Kiba glared at Sasuke. "Fine then." Turning, he walked over to Hinata and Shino. As they left, Sasuke overheard Ino and Shikamaru conversing.

"Shikamaru, you're a guy- you talk to him!"

"Ino, stop acting like such a girl. I can't just walk up to him and ask, 'Hey, Uzumaki, I notice that you've been acting like a wuss lately. Care to talk about your feelings?'"

"I'm not asking you to do that! Just...well, I don't know, but try to find out what's wrong, please? Sakura-chan is seriously worried, and so is almost everyone else. But when they ask him, he just puts this fake smile on and says that he's fine. Please? You're the only one that hasn't asked him yet!"

"What about the Uchiha? He seems to be the closest thing Naruto has to a friend."

"Sasuke? Please. Like he cares about what happens to Naruto."

Sasuke blinked. He didn't loathe the blonde boy, but the tone in which Ino said it made it sound like he hated Naruto. He didn't hate Naruto. 'If you don't hate him, why don't you care what happens to him?' a voice in his head argued. Sasuke couldn't answer.

I never cease to wonder at the cruelty of this land

But it seems a time of sadness is a time to understand

Is it mine, Lord, is it mine?

Lee walked down the street, whistling cheerfully, when he saw a small, battered figure in the alley. Stopping in his tracks, he was about to go down to help the person when they walked into a beam of light. Instinctively, he ducked behind a trash can, and his jaw dropped open at what he saw. Standing in the light, his face bruised and cut, was Naruto. Two other figures came out behind Naruto, grinning evilly.

"What? C'mon, Kyuubi, let's see your awesome power!"

Kick,

"I think widdle demon child is weady for a bweak, guys! He looks so tired!"

Punch.

"And don't show your face around here again, you got it, monster? Ha, let's go, guys."

Lee glared at the boys, who couldn't see him. They would get theirs in a little while. But right now he should concentrate on Naruto. The boys had disappeared, and right when Lee was about to get up Naruto dropped to his knees. The way the light fell on his golden hair gave him the impression of a halo-like ring of light around his head. Blood seeped from a cut over his forehead, and his left eye was purple and swollen shut. Lifting a hand to his forehead, Naruto touched the blood with his fingers and brought it back down to look at. Lee chose that moment to come out of hiding.

At that moment Naruto wouldn't have cared if it had been an enemy nin to kill him. Gazing up at Lee, he smiled a smile of emptiness, sorrow, and pain. "I-I don't deserve this," he said softly to Lee, who held out a hand to help Naruto up. "I don't deserve your help.

When everything's dark and nothing seems right

There's nothing to win and there's nothing to fight

"What, Naruto got beat up?!"

"Yeah, by some village punks."

Kiba growled. "Why didn't Naruto fight back? No, why did they beat him in the first place?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Naruto isn't talking."

"Who were those jerks? When I find them, I'm gonna-"

"No need to. Lee paid them back ten times worse, apparently." The lazy mastermind informed him. "If you ask me, this is all so troublesome. Why doesn't Naruto just tell us what's wrong?"

Kiba shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I'm really beginning to miss the old Naruto."

If only I could find a way

To feel your sweetness through the day

The love that shines around me could be mine

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura ran up to Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, have you seen Naruto?"

Sasuke glared at her. "No. He's in the hospital."

"No, no he's not! He's gone! They can't find him!"

His head shot up. "What?!"

"I already told Ino, Lee, Shikamaru, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino, but they don't know where he is either! They're all out looking for him right now!"

So give us an answer, won't you

We know what we have to do

There must be a thousand voices trying to get through

"Naruto! Naruto, what are you doing?!" Sasuke yelled. "Get your ass down here!" The black haired boy had found Naruto- standing on the highest point on the cliff with the faces of the Hokages.

Naruto turned and looked at Sasuke. "Why?" he answered simply. When Sasuke struggled with the reply, Naruto grinned at Sasuke and stuck his tongue out. "Bye, Sasuke. Have a nice life. It sure will be more enjoyable without a cursed monster like me around." And with that, ignoring Sasuke's screams, Naruto stepped off the cliff- and entered his paradise.