Title: Wishes Are Free
Author: Cheza-chan
Rating: R
Pairing: KakaIru, SasuNaru
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto—oh, I wish I did—but I own Kan'you, all the characters of the Hidden Wave Village. I own the Hidden Wave Village because I created it! I own the Hidden Wave Village's special jutsus, etc.
Chapter Eighteen - Pieces Fall Apart and Into Place
Iruka, now cleansed and refreshed, made his way back to the lake minutes before the opening ceremony. He landed silently amongst the other Jounin and Chuunin and made his way up front to join May.
The special Jounin smiled brightly, squeezing the young man's hand for her own reassurance, then faced the crowd. "I would like to thank all of you here today for coming out to support my—" She spread her arms, laughing. "—Our festival. Now, I want you to have fun, and leave your worries and troubles at this bridge!"
Cheers went up from in front and behind of the woman as she used a kunai to cut the blue ribbon that was stretched tight. Jounins disappeared to take up their posts and Chuunins tried not to get bowled over by the squealing children-that's where Iruka was separated from May.
The Water Festival had been underway for a few hours now and was going great. Fire, water, earth; all were being manipulated by skilled Genins. Even wind. The Chuunin smiled at the power of Naruto's Rasengan as the boy used it to send logs spiraling into the evening sky. From there, Kaoru proceeded to slice them into shapes or cut designs that the children shouted to him into the wood while perched on the blonde's shoulders.
Shikyo, a crowd of children, and a few Chuunins were across the lake. Iruka was unsure of what they were doing, but from the looks of things, everyone was having fun. He sighed, smiling, and walked through the raining embers Sasuke created to the booths; even the Uchiha youth wore a pleasant smirk on his face as the children he entertained tried to catch the sparks. Halfway along, the young man stopped as he spotted his favorite brunette child running a jewelry booth with her older sister.
"Iruka-sensei!" Risa squealed. The dolphin smiled, stopping before them.
"Hand-made," the older girl told him, brown eyes sparkling. "Surely you have someone... special."
"Iya," the brunet chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "But I could buy one for Risa-chan."
"No." The young woman shook her head, ignoring her sister's pout. "You've spoiled her enough."
"Mai-oneechan."
"Hush."
"I'll buy two."
Iruka blushed at the husky voice beside his ear. "Really?" Mai laughed, clasping her hands together. Kakashi nodded, curved eye revealing his hidden smile. "Which caught your eye? Ah! Sumimasen." The young woman flushed in embarrassment , head bowed.
"Ah. Daijoubu. There's actually something under here."
"Like Kaoru-kun! So, which do you like?"
'Kaoru?' Iruka shifted his gaze to the laughing boy sitting atop the kyuubi's shoulders. The flat side of his blade rested on Naruto's head as they waited for their next group to entertain. The Chuunin gasped, jumping slightly as his left hand was taken and at the cold feeling moving down his ring finger.
"Risa said she made it especially for you," Mai explained, patting her beaming sister on the head.
"Risa-chan... you made it?" Iruka murmured incredulously. Kakashi—still holding the other's hand—spun the ring slowly so the design could be seen. Intricately carved into the smooth metal were leaping dolphins. Mai was still going on about how Risa refused to leave the family alone, insisting she needed to make a ring especially for her favorite "dolphin".
"It's... it's..."
"Amazing," the Jounin whispered. He turned Iruka's hand over, placing another identical ring into it. "I'll see you." He left the stunned dolphin. Iruka closed his hand around the object and finally became aware of the dreamy sighs and stares from the sisters. He sweatdropped and continued on in his surveillance.
§§§
Naruto let Kaoru down and both boys joined the villagers and ninjas gathering around the lake. "Has it been that long?" the blonde groaned, wringing out his shoulders. It was the ending ceremony. Kaoru tilted his head, counting fifteen stars in a single glance. "Pay attention," Naruto hissed, elbowing the boy as the lights surrounding the lake became brighter while the other lanterns dimmed.
Soft drumming began and the boys eased their way to the front of the group. Pristine blue water ripped and a large wave surged forth, breaking against the bank without splashing anyone and causing excited murmurs. The murmurs grew in volume at the line of kimono-clad girls standing atop the liquid surface, heads bowed. Sasuke joined Naruto just as the blonde was pointing out Sakura to Kaoru, who had also spotted his cousin.
There was a smaller wave and Shikyo stood from her kneeled position in front of the line. Her white kimono sparkled against the water as she began the dance, the other girls following suit. All moved with such grace that nary a ripple formed in their wake as the swayed and shifted to the beat of the ceremonial drums being played on the platform behind the lake.
Miayko's three-toned hair almost seemed fit for her red and gold kimono. It hung at mid-back length, the colors blending almost exotically. Sasuke couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips.
The beat increased and so did the girls' pace. They had everyone enraptured for twenty-plus minutes and barely seemed to notice. The drums stopped abruptly and there was an echoing silence for several moments. Shikyo stared out at the crowd, chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. She smiled and placed her arms out beside her; a signal. The drums began beating rapidly and the young girl spun atop the water's surface.
Naruto had never noticed how long her hair was because she always wore it in a bun, but the honey-golden locks now spun around her, catching the sparkling droplets. Spectators exclaimed in delight as a tower of water shot up under the girl, lifting her. The lines of dancers behind her took their bows.
"Yatta! Shikyo, sugei!" Naruto's loud praise above others made Shikyo blush from her high perch, but she bowed also, waiting to be let down.
The girls stepped lightly and formed a circle around the base of the tower, and grasped hands. The pillar was lowered slowly, disappearing into a whirlpool. Sasuke noticed Chigiri's faint foot movements where she stood on the water's surface, and tilted his head with another smirk.
The surrounding girls moved forward, forming a tight circle, then separated, showing Shikyo's disappearance and taking another bow. Each, smiling or smirking, made their way off of the water and into the cheering crowd of villagers.
Miayko skipped over the low fence and into Sasuke's arms, even though they hadn't been open for her. "What'd you think?" she laughed breathlessly.
"It was nice."
"Nice? Baka." The girl smiled even after her playful insult, hugging him tightly even though he hadn't asked to be touched.
Kaoru turned away to find Naruto; the blonde had suddenly disappeared.
Shikyo exhaled softly but deeply, wiping stray water droplets from her clothes. A route of escape had been worked out. The girls had asked a request of one of the Jounins; they needed a canal dug out that the Hitsu heir could be transported through, where she would come out in a well created just for her a good distance away.
"Shikyo-chan!"
She squealed in surprise at the arms lifting her high and stared down into bright cerulean orbs. "You were great!" Naruto laughed, spinning with her. Shikyo giggled, holding back her hair with both hands. "When did you find time to practice?"
"We've been doing it throughout the week," the girl replied. "Today was the last day and Sakura-san was our fastest learner." She pressed her hands lightly against his shoulders to balance herself, but he put her down. Naruto's grin relaxed into a wide smile and they ended up staring at each other intensely, Shikyo blushing.
Kaoru came from one end, and Sasuke the other, both walking onto the scene of a tentative, chaste kiss. The Uchiha's eyes widened. He stopped dead in his tracks, then turned, running off. Naruto and Shikyo pulled apart, both flustered, and the blonde caught sight of Kaoru's green shirt disappearing into the darkness.
"Naruto-kun..."
He grinned, taking the girl's hand. "Let's go back."
"I can't run well in a kimono," Shikyo rushed out, pulling back on his arm.
"Then I'll carry you!"
She squealed again as he picked her up once more, but wrapped her arms around his neck with a shy smile as he began running back to the festival sight.
Haka ran her hand through her short hair with a sigh. She had been drafted to dance, but felt better working the water jutsus with Oyasa, who had rushed off to immediately congratulate Sakura. An eyebrow rose at the sight of Naruto's running brother. 'Where's he going in such a hurry?' "Oi, Umino!"
Sasuke stopped, glared at the girl, then disappeared, dust lingering in his last current spot. Haka's eyes narrowed and she scoffed, turning around. 'What's his problem?' She went off to find herself something to eat that didn't consist of ingredients used in making ramen.
§§§
Iruka wearily pushed open the door to the house, positive the sun would rise as soon as his head touched the pillow. He closed the door, leaning against it, and raised his hand to see the second ring Kakashi had given him. The Jounin hadn't returned and Iruka didn't want to wait for him. The Chuunin sighed and pushed away from the door, heading down the halls and up to his room. His hand over the doorknob stopped because of the muffled sounds coming from the far end of the hall.
Naruto's bedroom door hung wide open, but Sasuke's was shut; not that it was ever open. 'Wouldn't they come back together?' Iruka sighed and made his way further down the hall, knocking lightly on the door. "Sasuke?"
"What?" came the snappy reply.
"Is everything all right?"
'No. Everything is not all right!' The brunet Genin sat at his window, a deep scowl etched into his hard face. "Go away," he muttered.
Iruka did as he was told without fuss, returning to his room and closing the door.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, forcing back rage at having witnessed the kyuubi child kissing another. There was nothing else left in his room to destroy that would help curb his anger. Just about everything had a kunai or shuriken embedded in it, even the walls and closet doors; the dresser drawers and his clothes were strewn about and the dresser itself lay on its side; the mirror was shattered, and his bed had been torn to shreds. The brunet battled out his remaining rage internally—mentally.
Practice and missions resumed the following week after humans had returned the land to its right owner, Mother Nature—all man-made objects concerning the festival had been taken down—and yet several people had yet to cross paths since the large event. Sasuke had purposely avoided Naruto; Sakura continued avoiding them both; and neither Kakashi or Iruka could be found in the same place at the same time, leaving the Chuunin with an extra ring that he took everywhere.
The Jounins were the first to notice the one he couldn't bring himself to remove—the ones turning in missions reports, that is. Tenko gasped, taking the young man's hand in her own. Iruka blushed, being uprooted from his chair. "Tenko-sensei..." He sweatdropped.
"I know this ring. This is Risa-chan's handiwork." The redhead leaned closer, their noses mere centimeters apart. "Who has the matching one?" she whispered, emerald eyes sparkling as if the jewel itself had been implanted into her sockets. "Risa-chan always makes rings in pairs."
"It's in my pocket," the dolphin replied brokenly, wanting his hand back.
"Can I have it?"
A throat being cleared made both freeze and drew their attention to the nonchalant male Jounin behind the woman. Kentan waved. "My turn," he mumbled.
Tenko giggled, releasing Iruka's hand, and bowed, walking out. The blonde watched as the Chuunin took his seat once more while smoothing a hand over chocolate-colored hair. Iruka looked up, smiling.
"Here." Kentan held out a scroll. The brunet reached up to take it and gasped as his wrist was grabbed when he tried to pull away. "You have something of mine," the Jounin stated dully.
"Do I?" Iruka scoffed, snatching his hand away.
"I'll be waiting for you." With that said, the disguised Copy Ninja left the reports room. The dolphin placed a hand against his pocket and quickly looked around. No one seemed wise to the conversations that had taken place. He sighed and opened the scroll to review the report.
Kentan had waited for him, just as he said he would've. The Chuunin sighed, not raising his head as the second man joined him, and continued walking. The streets were empty and quiet, for Iruka had tried to find any kind of work to preoccupy him. He kept himself well past midnight, practically locking up the school himself. The Jounin took the dolphin's elbow, pulling him into a darkened alley.
"Kakashi! What do you think you're doing?" Iruka hissed, glaring at the man.
Kentan transformed back into Kakashi, the scarecrow's head tilted. "I want it back."
"Want what?" Iruka sighed, dragging both himself and the other man back into the street. He wrenched his arm free then reached into his pocket, producing the matching ring to the one on his finger. "Here," he said curtly, holding it out. Kakashi's eye curved and he raised his left hand, removing the metal-plated, fingerless glove. Iruka shook his head and tried to place the ring in the bare hand, but the Jounin wouldn't have it.
"Put it on," he whispered.
"Kakashi..." The dolphin looked away as his own left hand was raised.
"Put it on."
Iruka splayed open his fingers, causing the other's to do the same, and slid the object onto Kakashi's ring finger. He gasped, opening his mouth under the scarecrow's sudden attack. The kiss was rough and oddly left him craving more. What he really and truly craved was Hatake Kakashi—the complete being, devoid of secrets. But he knew to get that, he would have to relinquish his own past. Iruka wrapped his arms around the Jounin's neck, putting forth some of his body weight.
Kakashi chuckled softly, pressing the side of his face against the younger man's so it wouldn't be seen. "Not tonight. There's trouble brewing in your 'family' that should be fixed." He slid his mask back in place and pulled away.
Iruka's red and swollen lips were parted as he inhaled softly. "I'm sure it can fix itself," he mumbled.
"Maybe you have another fever..." Kakashi placed a hand to the dolphin's forehead. "You are hot. You look a little flustered."
The Chuunin swatted the hand away with a soft scoff and composed himself. "Bastard. I gave you back your ring," he sighed. "Come tomorrow, I'll give you the longest, most boring mission possible."
"That's mean," the Jounin almost whined, but his eye curved in a smile. The brunet crossed his arms and stormed ahead through the dark to his house. Kakashi laughed, rushing after him.
May stared at the many kunai she had lodged into the ceiling, thick swarthy hair loosed from its braid and ghosting the floor. She groaned; ever since Hitsu Sendo's disappearance and those children's murders, she was becoming suspicious of everything in her Hidden Village.
The Jounin tilted further back into her chair, toes caught on the edge of the desk to keep from toppling over. She glanced to the side and out of the large window to notice the sun just peeking through the buildings in her line of vision. She sighed. There was a soft rap to the door. "What?" May drawled.
"It's Ayaki."
"Enter."
Tenko walked in, head bowed. "Shuku-san. I think there's something you should see. It..." Green eyes darkened as the redhead continued staring at the ground. "It concerns the Hitsu family."
The village founder snapped her chair back into position, eyes wide.
"It's Hitsu Sendo..." Tenko whispered, raising her hand unconsciously to her throat.
"Show me," May ordered.
The redhead straightened her posture and waited for the older woman to join her so they could be on their way.
Chou Shin, Tenko's partner during the hours of patrol, bowed as the women landed before him. He averted his crimson orbs as the small bloodied hand came back into his line of vision, feeling queasy once more.
May clenched her left hand into a tight fist, feeling her nails dig into the skin. She stepped ahead of Tenko and eased herself to one knee, reaching out with her right to slide the boy's wide eyes shut and close his mouth. The golden orbs had seemed even more devoid of life than normal. "Do you have any idea who did this?" she whispered in a strained voice.
Tenko and Shin shook their heads, the man's still lowered; even though he was a higher-level shinobi, he was unused to this sort of work.
May folded Sendo's arms over his chest and stood with a deep sigh. "Chou. Inform the family later today," she instructed. "Imploring they don't tell Shikyo is impossible, so, Ayaki, after today, don't expect her to participate in any more missions. At least not for a while. In fact..." The village founder scratched her head. "Ayaki, you tell Shikyo in person." The redhead nodded.
The male Jounin disappeared, leaving the women with the body.
Tenko brushed back her lengthy hair with a silent sigh, waiting for some sort of sign from the special Jounin beside her. May knelt once again, noticing something out-of-place sticking out from under the boy. She wrapped her fingers around a black piece of cloth and pulled.
The redhead bit her lip as the body was shifted, but leaned closer as her supervising ninja held up a hitai-ate headband with a blank slate. "What is it?" she asked in a soft voice.
"A lead, hopefully. Take it to Ruka, then bring him back with you."
Tenko opened her hand, allowing the object to be placed in it, then closed her fingers around it. With a short bow, she disappeared also. The special Jounin left behind stayed kneeling, eyes wandering over the body that looked to have been dead for quite some time. Her mask of indifference shattered , revealing a pained expression, and a strangled cry made its way by her lips as she punched the ground. The soft earth became concave from the force.
Kakashi sat up drowsily from the couch, hair in a much worse disarray than normal. Having waited for the Chuunin so long, and after a tiresome mission and practice, he had had absolutely no energy to make it to his room and—literally—crashed. And now the incessant banging on the front door was giving him homicidal tendencies.
Sakura appeared at the top of the stairs, hand covering her mouth as she yawned. "Are you...?"
"In a minute," Kakashi grumbled, scratching his chest absently. The girl took a seat on the top stair, waiting. The Jounin climbed over the back of the couch, stumbling to the door, and yanked it open. "What do you want?" he rumbled.
Takai stared in mild shock at the man in the doorway. His train of thoughts had fallen from its track; Sakura was supposed to answer the door. "Uh..." His mouth remained open as he tried to remember what he wanted.
Kakashi rolled his visible eye, leaning against the doorframe. "Sakura," he sighed. "I think there's someone here to see you."
"Boy or girl?" the pink-haired Genin questioned loudly so she could be heard from where she sat.
"Boy."
"Coming!" Sakura stood and hurried down the stairs to the front door. Her face lit up as she spotted said boy and hurriedly tried to make herself look decent. The girl pushed the scarecrow back into the house, glaring at the high curve of his eye. Sakura smiled shyly at the dumbfounded boy, folding her arms behind her head. Takai's gaze automatically shifted to stare at his teammate's bare midriff. Both blushed lightly at this, the young girl dropping her arms to wring the ends of her shirt between her fingers.
Takai cleared his throat, slowly returning his gaze to her face. "Ano... the lake froze over."
The female Genin blinked a few times, then laughed, her cheeks gaining more color. "Honto ga?"
"Aa. So...?" The brunet shrugged his shoulders, still not comfortable with the prospect that this might actually be considered a "date".
"Give me a few minutes to get ready."
A few minutes. From the way Oyasa used to complain about his older sister taking up her new residence in the bathroom, he assumed he'd be waiting much longer. Sakura stepped aside, holding open the door as an invite. Takai entered. Kakashi was there, leaning against the back of the couch with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Is he...?" the boy muttered.
"Don't mind him. He's my guardian," the girl stressed. "Take a seat. Kakashi-sensei, be nice." She give him a solid glare then rushed off upstairs. The young boy stood idly by the closed door, shifting his feet uncomfortably.
'This is going to be fun.' Kakashi gave a hidden grin then cleared his throat to gain some attention. "So... Takai, is it?"
"H-Hai..."
"What are your intentions when it comes to my daughter—I like to think of her as my daughter. Hm?"
"I was going to take her ice-skating," the Genin mumbled, avoiding the man's gaze. "She said she'd never done it—ice skate! She never ice-skated." He squeezed his eyes shut.
"And after that?"
"I'd take her for something warm... to drink," Takai added quickly, mentally berating himself.
Kakashi snorted and stood on his own two feet, heading for the kitchen. "Take a seat," he chuckled. "It'll be a while before Sakura-chan is ready. I'll make us something warm... to drink."
The boy swallowed hard and inched along, sinking into the single chair. He glanced at the stairs, sighing deeply. 'Sakura, hurry, please.'
Sakura contemplated swapping rooms with the Jounin as she hurried from the bathroom to her own room, closing the door quickly and locking it. She sighed and picked up the second towel she'd left on her bed, using it to dry out her soft pink hair. The Genin stood before the mirror, smiling faintly at the growth of her locks. A blush covered her cheeks as she slowly turned to survey the growth of her chest. She shook her head vehemently and moved to the closet, pushing the door open.
'Ice-skating... what to wear...' Sakura unconsciously tightened the knot on the towel she wore before reaching in and sorting clothes. After teen minutes, she decided to go for an entirely different look, one she would stick with for a while. She reached into her top drawer for wraps when her fingers brushed a black cloth.
Green eyes widened and the young Genin removed the hitai-ate delicately. She back up toward the bed and sat, smoothing it out in her lap. She had tried to put it out of her mind—that horrid afternoon encounter, but whenever alone with her thoughts, the points the man made were true. Kakashi never visited her—not once—when she pushed herself too hard, but now she still wasn't good enough to join him on patrols like the one that had kept him away.
Iruka. The girl's hands tightened into fists on her bare thighs. He only came around when something went wrong; she only began seeing him recently, and that was probably because Kakashi had been home so often. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip. 'How long were they sleeping together? Wouldn't that jeopardize the mission?'
Then there was Sasuke and Naruto—The blank hitai-ate fell with a dull clatter as she stood abruptly. There was nothing left down those paths; there was nothing left for her in Konoha. It was time for her to move on. Inner Sakura vanished with two thumbs-up and a broad grin, leaving the Hidden Wave mindset room to grow and expand.
The girl picked up the headband and placed it on her dresser next to the one with the Wave emblem and returned to the task she had started.
"Kakashi-sensei! What're you doing to Takai?"
The male Genin sprang to his feet at the female voice, glad that she was ready—forty minutes later—because he was now terrified of the silver-haired man.
Kakashi sighed contently, stretching his legs out. He looked over his shoulder and his eyebrow rose. "Sakura-chan, my how you've changed. Where did you get those clothes from?"
"The back of my closet," Sakura admitted, spreading her arms so they could see. She wore loose, knee-length black shorts, her left leg wrapped from the ankle up to her thigh with white bandages, with her shuriken holster attached to her right thigh. The neck of a white shirt was visible under a closed red jacket both males knew had some form of writing on the back due to the golden lines designing the front. The hitai-ate was still in the same place as always: the top of her head.
Takai smirked, thinking she somehow looked better this way; off the top of his head, he knew she looked more like a shinobi now. Sakura rushed over and opened the door, pushing the boy out.
"Ja ne!" she giggled, waving over her shoulder.
"Have fun," Kakashi said, eye curved in a smile. The back of the jacket had characters reading "tora". The Jounin shook his head and stretched back out on the couch to catch up on more sleep.
Sakura smiled to herself as she kept Takai's hand clenched tightly in her own as they walked through Hidden Wave. She wanted people to see them as a couple, even if the boy continued to steadfastly refuse the feelings he had for her. The pair left the town and moved through the thinly wooded area, crossing two bridges—one was where Team 5 had met for a get together of their own. Starting over the final one, laughter became audible, growing louder with every step they took.
The pink-haired girl finally released Takai's hand and ran forward, laughing at the sight before her. The frozen lake sparkled from the bright afternoon sun and shinobi and regular villagers alike—and of all ages—slid over its glassy surface.
Sakura looked back at the boy that had joined her, cheeks flushed from the sudden chill and with excitement, and took his hand once again. She smiled as his fingers voluntarily closed around hers and they both headed out onto the ice.
§§§
Oyasa had no idea how he'd gotten conned into going shopping with Miyako, yet here he was, trying to look interested as she tried on another outfit that would never be suitable for a shinobi. He'd told her that too, but she countered with "I'm also a young woman, not just a ninja." The oak-haired boy sighed and shifted his gaze—that's when he saw them.
His companion did also as she twisted and turned for him to continue admiring her. "Is that... Sakura and Takai?"
Oyasa nodded slowly, feeling his heart tighten in his chest. 'So they're now an official couple. I congratulate them.' He smiled sadly. Nothing would change between the team because the Genin knew how to manage his pain and make it useful.
"That's the kind of pupil I'm looking for."
Oyasa spun, looking back and forth for the source of the voice. Miyako looked at the boy with a pout and hurried off to remove the clothing since he was no loner paying attention to her. The boy's aqua eyes narrowed and he lowered his head with a sigh.
"You need me."
He looked over his shoulder; the scowl he wore was a rarity, but only because there was still no one there. The oak-haired youth made his way outside, glancing up the street where his teammates continued along. He looked back at the clothing store and figured the other Genin could handle herself.
Oyasa ran off in the direction of the lake, remaining out of sight once there, watching the new couple have fun along with everyone else. His bottom lip trembled. 'He doesn't deserve her... He didn't even care about her until her life was in danger!' Takai would always remain his friend, yes; love was another matter. It couldn't be erased with just a slight of hand. Sakura should've been his.
"She should have been, shouldn't she?" a male voice sighed.
"You again!" Oyasa turned sharply and his aqua eyes narrowed at the figure actually standing behind him. "What do you want?" he snapped.
White orbs disappeared as the man smiled, eyes curving. "I can right what was wrong."
"Wha...?" The boy blinked, relaxing slightly. "What are you talking about? And who are you?"
"My name, Atsuko. And what I'm saying is, Sakura-kun can be yours."
"Honto?" Oyasa murmured, lowering his eyes and sneaking a peek back at the lake. He raised a hand to his pained chest. Everyone was heading for the large fire to warm up now, and his friend's arms were wrapped around the girl. 'That's not what I want... She chose him.'
"It is what you want," Atsuko sighed, sliding a warm hand along the side of the boy's face. The Genin unconsciously leaned into the touch, turning to clutch fiercely at the man's dark shirt. "My students, though, call me... Atsuko-sama." The smiling male slid his free arm around Oyasa's waist, using the other hand to tilt the boy's head as he leaned down.
No matter their gender, a child's mind was the most delicious thing, especially when accessed through an intimate touch. Aqua eyes fluttered close and the oak-haired boy went limp in the man's arms. The gently claimed lips were released and the body lifted from the ground. Atsuko spared another glance at the villagers surrounding the fire and smirked, chuckling softly. He disappeared without stirring up so much as a dust cloud.
§§§
No one was home when Sakura returned that early evening. She stood with her teammate before the open door, both knowing what awaited them if she didn't step inside the house and close the door. Takai smoothed his unusually clammy hands over his sleeveless green jacket, taking a small step forward. He tilted his head and quickly placed a chaste kiss to the girl's lips.
"Haruno Sakura!"
The girl jumped, bumping their noses, and her hands flew to her erratically beating heart. Takai rubbed his nose, gray eyes wide with raw fear. Kakashi didn't have the will power to hold in his laughter at the petrified looks on the children's faces. He crossed over to his house, shaking his head with a sigh, "Sakura-chan, you should know better than doing that in public." The Jounin glanced at the boy, eye widening more than its normal state. "And you... Is this what you meant by "something warm"? I knew you were up to no good. I forbid you—Ah! Ah, ah, ah... Sakura-chan, that does hurt."
The pink-haired Genin had snatched the skin of the scarecrow's arm between her fingers and remained squeezing, green eyes now slits. "You have no right," she started in a snarl. "To forbid anything."
"Hai, hai, Sakura-sama," Kakashi whimpered, hand hovering over the girl's. Every time he'd move to pull hers away, the pain increased, causing him to draw back. Sakura finally released him and he shuffled inside, head hanging low as he rubbed his sore arm. An occasional sniffle was heard before he disappeared upstairs.
The pink-haired girl sighed, then faced the silent boy, cheeks flushed in utter embarrassment. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she laughed nervously, wringing her hands.
Takai shook his head, letting his fingers ghost lightly over his lips as he dropped his hand from his nose. "It was no problem. It was kind of interesting to see who was really in charge." A small grin broke out onto his face and Sakura laughed, tucking her hair behind her ear. The boy cleared his throat then sighed, turning away slightly. "I'll see you at our next practice—"
"Tomorrow!"
The brunet stared at the fingers clutching his shirt then up at the girl's blushing face. "Tomorrow? Did Hizaku-sensei tell you something?"
"Let's go out again... tomorrow," Sakura suggested softly, averting her eyes from his. "That is, like you said... if Hizaku-sensei doesn't want us to practice." She uncurled her fingers from the dark material of his shirt and backed up, blindly searching for the doorknob. "Oyasumi!" she cried, closing it a little too harshly. The Genin left outside smirked, sticking his hands in his pockets, and continued back to his own house.
Sakura exhaled deeply, sagging against the door and sliding to the floor. Her cheeks still burned, the blush unable to be eradicated. Kakashi stared from the top of the stairs, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he smiled. 'Be careful, Sakura. Please.'
The girl squealed suddenly, throwing her arms high above her head in extreme jubilation. The Jounin chuckled and turned away down the hall, disappearing into his room.
Not everyone was having a pleasant time, though. Sasuke made the mistake of assuming Naruto had already left the morning. He made his way downstairs, running a hand through his unruly ebony hair. He froze, eyes narrowed into slits as the blonde crossed before him.
"Sasuke!" Naruto laughed. "We stay in the same house, but I haven't seen you in days."
The brunet scowled harshly, turning away to head back upstairs.
"Hey, wait—"
"Don't touch me!" Sasuke yelled, wrenching his arm free. He ran back up to his room, slamming the door.
Iruka stepped out into the hall, looking up and down it. He sighed and headed down the stairs, only to find the blonde figure at the bottom. The young man sat beside the boy, placing a hand to his head. "What happened?"
"Sasuke's mad at me..."
"Isn't he always?" Iruka sighed, smiling.
Naruto raised a hand, dragging it down his face, and stood. "Not like this," he mumbled, running up to his room.
The Chuunin winced as the door slammed, then leaned his head against the wall. "If you knew, Kakashi... couldn't you have stopped it before it got this far? You didn't even have to tell me—they're your students." He closed weary eyes as the Jounin stepped into the hall.
Kakashi shook his head. "I say we do nothing. Whatever spat they're having, they can work it out. If they don't..."
"You'll use them as bait."
"That is what they're here for," the scarecrow muttered, scratching his head. "Only I think I might have to train my team from scratch once this is over."
Iruka sat up, bracing himself with a hand to the wall. He stared at the silver-haired shinobi and managed a small smile. "Make me some coffee. I have to get ready."
"Do I look like your servant?"
"Yes," the dolphin chuckled, rushing back to his room. Kakashi scoffed but headed into the kitchen to do as he'd been asked.
Sasuke sat on the floor of his room, back to the bed. He stared at the arm where Naruto grabbed him, body trembling with suppressed anger. 'How could he?! After everything... We even slept together!'
Kakashi's eyes widened at the surge of chakra and he made his way upstairs after abruptly shutting off the coffee pot, joining Iruka in Sasuke's room. The ebony-haired youth was kneeling on the floor, right arm held away from his body and against the wall, the solid structure supporting his Chidori. Blood red eyes glared at the men.
"Sasuke," Kakashi started in a warning tone.
The boy flexed his fingers, the visible blue chakra surrounding his hand flaring and cracking the wall more, then clenched them into a fist. Sharingan Kakashi's sole original attack disappeared and he pounded his hand into the floor with not so much as a grunt.
"I'll repair the wall," Iruka sighed, relaxing. "But you have to tell me what's wrong." He ignored the glare he felt Kakashi shoot him and stepped towards Sasuke. The Uchiha's frame turned rigid, his shoulders hunched, and he scowled. "Sasuke..." The brown-haired Chuunin knelt, placing hand to the boy's shoulder.
"It's nothing," Sasuke snapped, but didn't pull away.
"I think he needs practice," Kakashi cut in. "I'll contact Yoku and Chigiri. We'll meet at the town bench and go on from there." Iruka glared at the Jounin, now unimpressed at how quickly they went from agreeing to completely disagreeing and overstepping boundaries.
Noticing the young man's unbridled concern for him and irritation toward the other man, Sasuke slowly stood, brushing his fingers reassuringly over the dolphin's. "I'm fine," he whispered. 'For now...'
The Chuunin smiled, the corners of his mouth remaining curved upwards even as he stared at the damage done to the house. The thing that made his smile falter was Naruto. He stood—Sasuke and Kakashi had already left, his coffee going unmade—and walked down the hall to the kyuubi's room, knocking at the door.
Naruto raised his arm, fingers grasping the doorknob, and pulled it open. He'd also been concerned, but all movement had ended at Sasuke's room and he was not welcomed there. Iruka blinked, staring down at the boy sitting on the floor by his door. "Iruka-sensei," Naruto groaned, interrupting the man before he could even start. "I think everyone hates me..."
"I don't," the brunet said quickly, not wanting the boy to relive being shunned his entire life as he had been in Konoha.
"Sasuke does!" the blonde cried, dropping his head onto his upraised knees. "And I haven't seen Hotaru at all since the festival—Oh... Oh, no..." Blue eyes widened and he pressed his head further onto his knees. "The festival," he whimpered. "Hotaru saw me that night. After the dance, I kissed Shikyo."
Iruka sighed, slowly lowering himself to his knees. The problem had surfaced and there was nothing he could do to help solve it because it was between the children.
The kyuubi-carrying teenager gripped his head, yelling. "Wait." He straightened up, grinning hopefully. "Sasuke hates Hotaru, so it could be that—they don't even speak! I still have a chance."
Iruka stood once again and crossed the hall to his room.
"Thanks for listening, Iruka-sensei!"
That he had done. "You're welcome." The door to his room closed and the young dolphin groaned, pressing the palm of his hands into his sockets. His patience was wearing thin—too many complaints came in about a blonde-haired Genin—and he just wanted to get back to Konoha. Angry was never something that stayed long when Naruto was concerned, but being annoyed and irritated was different.
'Someone like Asuma-sensei or Kurenai-sensei would've been better suited for this,' he thought to himself as he hurried into the bathroom to get ready for work.
§§§
Kentan wondered if letting Sasuke practice was the right thing to do. This was the third time he had to intervene and Chigiri was actually showing fear. The young girl stood behind Yoku and Kentan, hand to her faintly heaving chest; the brunet came after her the most. Sasuke stepped back, kunai still clenched tightly in his hand. They had been out here for a mere thirty minutes and he'd only succeeded in getting angrier.
Kentan sighed. 'Maybe Iruka was right.' "Sasuke, I think you should go back home."
The Uchiha snarled and flung the blades into the nearest tree and disappeared. Yoku placed his hand over his girlfriend's trembling ones.
Sasuke needed desperately to release this rage before he exploded, and he crossed paths with the worst person possible. Kaoru stopped, eye narrowing at the sight of the brunet across from him. He could actually feel the chakra waves and pushed back with his own. The Uchiha's scowl deepened, but neither advanced. He raised a hand to touched his shoulder, remembering Orochimaru's curse mark; in times like this, he almost wished it was still there.
Kaoru raised his own hand but to pushed the Shuuha hitai-ate aside. His eyelid slowly rose to reveal a pitch-black orb. Sasuke grunted, eyes wide, and his body shuddered involuntarily. He reached up and grabbed his chest, gasping.
Kaoru pulled the headband back down, sighing as the ebony-haired youth across from him fell to his knees. It was a standoff and he'd won. Had the other boy been weaker, he'd be dead. He walked over and pulled Sasuke to his feet, helping the staggering brunet to find a seat.
Kaoru called it a curse that only a select few knew about. Most thought he'd gotten a transplant, but it was an ability that a select few males of the Hotaru house were born with. It was a void that fed on chakra. The women of the bloodline had only one problem to worry about: they were used as "snacks" for when the void's host felt no desire to hurt someone for the sake of staying sane. Because the blood flowing through them is of the same source of the voice, the women would never die, but indefinite unconsciousness was a possibility.
Sasuke pulled his arm away, scoffing, and glared at the other boy. They sat outside of the grocery, life passing before them. "What was that?"
"Nothing. Now I have a question for you."
"I won't answer it."
Kaoru smirked and leaned forward. "You saw it, didn't you? That's the only thing that could rile you up so much. What's going on between you and Naru—" The boy grunted as he fell from his seat. The life that passed now faltered, watching the scuffle.
Sasuke stood over Kaoru, breathing heavily. "It's none of your business!"
Kaoru chuckled, rubbing his hand across his bruised and bleeding lip. "Shikyo's my friend and I don't want to see her hurt. She's been hurt enough!"
The Uchiha raised his head sharply, eyes narrowed, and the blue-haired boy followed his gaze.
Naruto stood several yards away, his hopes shattered as he stared at the two Genins. He became visible whenever the crowd parted or shifted, blue eyes wide with tears threatening to spill free of them. Shikyo. He had to find Shikyo. Turning, he staggered a bit before running off down the street. Naruto didn't care what the other two did, but he wanted to set things straight with the Hitsu girl.
After just about circling the entire village, she was spotted at the flower shop. He saw Tenko coming from the other direction and rushed to his teammate, gently grabbing her arm.
"Naruto-kun," the girl gasped, startled. She blushed, instantly remembering the kiss.
"I need to talk," Naruto said breathlessly. "We do."
"Okay." Shikyo waved to Risa and her mother before she pulled along behind the blonde. They somehow found their way to Tenko's secret garden where the kyuubi paced back and forth, unsure of how to broach the subject.
"Does this have to do with your brother?"
"Yes!" Naruto cried.
"And the kiss?"
"Yes!"
Shikyo nodded, clasping her hands together. "I understand." He stopped and stared at the young girl, eyes wide. Shikyo smiled, "Haka warned me the first night all of us met in Kan'you. She noticed how Sasuke kept watching you."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, sighing. "I'm sorry. I like you as a friend—a really close friend!" She smiled once more. "I didn't mean to lead you on," the blonde murmured apologetically.
Shikyo shook her head vehemently. "You didn't. Don't worry."
"Thank you," Naruto sighed. "Thank you so much!" Shikyo laughed and wrapped her arms lightly around the boy's neck as he snatched her up into a fierce hug.
Tenko smiled sadly, unable to break the news to the girl, but knew she would have to. She'd wait until they got back into town, though. And with that, the young woman disappeared.
A/N: Hello, hello—hola! So... Sendo is no longer considered missing, but has falling into that "deceased" category. ::bows her head:: Gomen nasai! My Iruka and Kakashi are so... spontaneous is the only word that came to mind XD They fall in and out of love/heat so quick, then back again. Hopefully that little Sakura bit helped clear up things that the last chapter left out...I guess? ::shrugs then sighs and heads off to bed::
