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.

A/N: .:chews on her bottom lip:. I feel like it started out good and went downhill somewhere… I can never please myself—when it comes to writing…! .:still thinks that statement sounded wrong.: x-x Guh… Everything in this chapter takes place in one day. Why do I do that? And also, this is a short chapter. It doesn't even reach 3,000 words.


Chapter Twenty – The Calm Before the Storm

A shinobi never really slept, and with years of special training on Hatake Kakashi's side, a fly couldn't pass overhead without him knowing. But he remained still, with his eyes closed—getting up was far from his mind. The other man across from him shifted as he woke and Kakashi slowly realized that all good things do eventually come to an end. His eyes slid open, curving with his hidden smile, and he reached out to take Iruka's hand. "Ohayou," he sighed softly.

Having his hitai-ate off for long was beginning to take a toll on him from reading so many simple moves. Kakashi slowly pushed himself into a kneeling position and searched with his free hand fro his missing headband.

"What is it?" Iruka asked.

"Most of our clothes are in the bathroom, right?" Kakashi mumbled, lowering and scratching a part of face hidden by the mask. He just figured out another reason why his feelings for Iruka were growing; no other person in their right mind would put up with a ninja that would never remove his mask, or simply, put up with him.

"Kakashi, are you listening to me?"

The mismatched orbs blinked several times and the Jounin stammered incoherently as the hand he held was pulled away. "Iruka…" he whined.

"I was telling you that the bathroom is where everything is," Iruka sighed as he sat up. "And that we should leave this bed because we have to round up Genins, but you were obviously off somewhere else." He scratched his head, shaking out his hair, and began looking for the hair tie he knew he had in.

"I was thinking about you," Kakashi said cheerfully, eyes curved in a high arch. "That's the God's honest truth."

"My good or bad qualities?"

Kakashi knew if he said "good" alone, he'd be punished for thinking the dolphin also had "bad" qualities. "You think like a woman," he sighed.

"I'm sure that would be one of my bad qualities," Iruka muttered as he stood. "Let's get that hitai-ate for you now." His hair still loosed, he disappeared into the bathroom where his grumbling traveled back out to the man sitting on the bed.

Kakashi groaned, scratching his scalp, and looked toward the window. He chewed lightly on his bottom lip as he thought of the girl he was housing and how she pushed herself to grow so quickly. She had dropped anchor in the new Hidden Village when she knew setting sail again was inevitable.

Kakashi's head snapped up and he snatched the projectile headband out of the air.

"Get up," Iruka ordered. "You're supposed to come in today for missions."

"Today?" Kakashi groaned. "We don't even get to be here for New Years?"

The Chuunin scoffed as he moved about his bedroom to pick up the clothes that had managed to make it that far. "I doubt many of you will even be in this country to see the fireworks. Missions are now C- and B-rank."

"I know Naruto's going to love that," Kakashi said softly. Iruka froze, brown eyes wide. "I completely forgot to tell you." He dropped the handful of clothes and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Remember that day at Kan'you, when Tenko-sensei came in?"

"Vaguely. It was about a week ago."

"Shikyo vanished."

The red and dark blue eyes widened, the Jounin's hands halting with his hitai-ate above his head. "Do you know that for a fact?"

"I'm not sure," Iruka sighed, lowering his head. "But it seems like fact because Tenko-sensei and others don't gossip. No one can get near the Hitsu mansion, though, so nothing can be confirmed. I really hope she's okay, even if she was kidnapped."

Kakashi placed a hand to the young man's shoulder, squeezing. He hated seeing Iruka beat himself up like this. "I'm sure it'll all turn out for the better," he said softly. He pulled Iruka forward only to have his actions halted by the door opening downstairs. "Time to go?" the scarecrow asked.

Iruka nodded. "Time to go," he said.

"Iruka-sensei," Sasuke called out. He knew Naruto wasn't here and Kakashi just left. He was also eager to return to missions once more, hopefully away from the snow-covered island; Sasuke had been ambushed one too many times with snowballs, that he was still shaking the freezing wet substance from his shirt. "Iruka-sensei!" Sasuke yelled again. "Pay attention to your own kid for Kami's sake," he muttered under his breath.

"It's too late for father-son bonding," Iruka said with a smile as he stepped into the dining room. He raised his hands defensively at the boy's glare then passed by him to get to the kitchen. "Oh. Thanks for the presents."

"It was no problem. Miyako and the others cornered me," Sasuke scoffed. "So it wasn't like I had a choice."

"Uh-huh. Sure."

He blushed faintly, looking away.

"Come on," Iruka chuckled. "Let's get a decent breakfast in your stomach before you set out for a mission."

"Un." Sasuke took a seat at the table, running a hand through his ebony hair. At least with a mission, he'd be able to keep his mind from a certain loudmouthed blonde that had yet to officially light up the house once more. He clenched a fist on the table, hardening his heart against feeling anything for the boy that betrayed him for a girl. Emotions were for weaklings.

"Ohayou, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura giggled, throwing open the man's bedroom door. She didn't mind candidly expressing her current feelings, and paid no attention to the fact that the man was still dressing. She practically glided to the window, and yanked the curtains apart to let in the bright morning sun.

Kakashi snapped them close and placed a hand to the girl's shoulder to lead her out.

"But I have to make… your bed?" Sakura smiled slyly at the bed not slept in then up at her Konoha team leader. "You haven't slept in your bed for how long now, sensei?"

"I could say the same about you," Kakashi scoffed. "Now leave your old man his privacy so he can get ready. God forbid I should walk in on you."

"You wouldn't dare!" Sakura screeched. "Although as an old man, you have nothing left to do but be perverted, and I guess that would include peeping at innocent young girls. And I have slept in my bed!"

"Goodbye," Kakashi huffed, slamming the door behind her. He shook his head with a sigh, but smiled under his mask as he finished pulling on his shirt.

Sakura smiled also. She couldn't have asked for anything more than what she had—blinded she was by the faux-life she was living, she didn't realize she had even less than she had started out with.

§§§

Iruka was given a hearty "welcome back" as were the others who had returned to the reports room before him. He smiled sheepishly, scratching the bridge of his nose at the lavish attention.

"How was your Christmas, Iruka-sensei?"

"What did you get?"

"Did you spend time with your significant other?"

The blushing dolphin pulled his left hand free of a fellow Chuunin's grasp—his ring finger being scrutinized—and removed his black scarf. "I had a fine Christmas," he mumbled. "But now I've come to work, as have all of you."

"You're no fun."

As everything was in humor, Iruka smiled as he shook his head, then took his seat at the main desk. He stared at the empty chair beside him then raised his head up as the door slid open.

May's face glowed brightly as it broke it with a grin, and she rushed to the desk, throwing her arms around the man's neck as he stood. "I haven't seen you in forever," she cried.

"One week and a few days," Iruka corrected with a smile. "But it is good to see you again."

"Who's coming in first?" the woman sighed deeply, moving around the desk to take her seat. Her smile remained.

"Team 1," Iruka said.

"Give them something from the B scroll."

"Understood."

And as simple as that, things fell back into a comfortable and familiar rhythm.


"You can't hide here forever," Miyako sighed as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She groaned as she continued combing through strands of hair to separate the colors. She glanced at the boys' reflections for a brief moment, then back to her own. "Especially with your—quote—brother—unquote—out there."

Naruto stiffened, his mouth turning down in a scowl. "Sasuke doesn't care about anything or anybody," he spat. "The only thing he cares about is…"

Kaoru raised his head as the other trailed off. "About?" he probed.

'Itachi,' Naruto said mentally to himself as he shook his head.

Miyako started on her other pigtail, hopping from foot to foot; she had five minutes left before meeting the rest of her team in front of the Academy. Snapping the band in place, she looked around for her katana. Kaoru held them up with a sigh. "Thanks," Miyako laughed. "I'm really sorry about your teams, but don't sit around and do nothing all day, or, if you decide to do something, don't do something you might end up regretting." She placed a kiss to the top of each glaring boy's head then hurried out.

Naruto scoffed then stretched languidly out on Miyako's bed. He sat up slowly then stood with a grin. "I have a plan. The Forrest Bookstore clerk—"

"Nuri," Kaoru interjected.

"Whatever. He's terrified of being in the adult section of his own store. Care to read a little?"

"If it'll keep me occupied," Kaoru scoffed. He stood and followed the blonde. They exited the house, locking it behind them, and set out in Shuuha's first snow.

Naruto had left with a few days' worth of clothes after dropping off of his set of presents and now donned his complete orange jumpsuit—save for the Konoha symbols, hands stuffed deep in his pockets. Kaoru had switched from shorts to long pants that disappeared into the bandages wrapped around his calves, and a black coat. They kicked up the snow under their feet, avoiding the little children tobogganing and sledding down the streets, and finally made it to the bookstore, only to find it closed.

"He came down with a cold," Naruto read from the note. "Stupid bastard," he scoffed. The blonde continued ranting silently off to the side about his plan being ruined while Kaoru fiddled with the hilt of his katana.

"Naruto," the brunet started.

The undercover Genin turned from the door to face his friend.

"If you weren't so obviously in love with Sasuke—let me finish," Kaoru said quickly, covering Naruto's mouth with his hands. He sighed. "Do you think… maybe something could have worked out between us?"

The bright blue eyes blinked a few times and Naruto gave a shrug. He pulled away Kaoru's hands with a sigh. "Probably," he mumbled. "You're a great guy, I guess." Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, and nodded firmly. "Yeah," he drawled, grin brightening as he became more confident about his answer. "I don't see any problem having a relationship with you." The blonde had found that wedge to slip between the chasm forming in his heart after Sasuke refused to acknowledge him any longer.

Kaoru smiled. Whenever he was around Naruto, he never needed the mask of indifference he showed the others. "Let's go find Haka," he suggested "Maybe she'll let us into the bar."

"Or we could torture her!" the blonde cackled, turning the other boy; he jumped onto his back. "With ramen."

"Baka," Kaoru scoffed. He shifted the other into a better position, and trudged ahead.


Sakura gave Iruka a quick wave before following the rest of her team; they'd just left with a mission that would take place in Konoha and she was more than excited. She edged closer to Takai, smiling shyly at him. He returned her smile with a smirk of his own. Oyasa walked on his teacher's other side, eyes locked on the path he traveled down the hall.

Hizaku knew he had to do something now before it was too late; his student—possibly all three of them—would be handing his soul to the devil on a silver platter in the blink of an eye. "Eye," the man gasped, his own green orbs widening as he remembered something May had informed them while they were still learning to become Jounin.

"Did you say something?" Sakura asked, looking up at the Jounin.

Hizaku shook his head. "Just an eyelash in my eye," he replied.

She smiled then returned her attention to Takai.

The man sighed to himself then glanced at the silent boy to his right.

Oyasa turned up the collar of his jacket as they left the Academy building, a smirk playing at his lips; Atsuko's feelings were coming through the boy.

"Oyasa."

"Sensei?" Oyasa looked up at Hizaku with innocent aqua eyes. Sakura and Takai stopped also, the pink-haired girl waving to her other teammate as if it was her first time seeing him. Oyasa smiled warmly then returned his attention to his team leader.

"Sakura and Takai," Hizaku sighed. "You go on ahead to the benches."

"Hai." The couple walked off together.

Oyasa stared after them, flexing his fingers slightly. He started as Hizaku grabbed his shoulder, but had little time to continue reaction because they were no longer in the Academy's yard. The young Genin pulled away with a soft growl and began a set of hand seals, ordered to be on the offensive by Atsuko. He found himself sprawled along the snow-covered ground, anguished screams coming as he writhed in pain.

The blow to the side of his face came halfway through his water-based jutsu and there had been blinding pain and a white light, then darkness.

The Jounin stared at the drops of blood tainting the metal plate of his fingerless gloves and clenched his hand into a tight fist. Hizaku stepped forward and picked up the sobbing Oyasa to take him to the hospital; he had had no other choice but to cause damage to the boy's optic nerves, and could only hope and pray the damage wasn't permanent.

§§§

Hizaku had refused to leave the room his student was appointed, and stayed through the entire operation. He stared down at the sleeping Oyasa, his gaze inadvertently drawn to the bandages covering the boy's eyes. "Please forgive me," he sighed. "But it was for you own sake."

As desperately as he wanted to though, the Jounin wouldn't be able to save Sakura—she was the prime target; Oyasa had just been a stepping-stone.

Hizaku rubbed the back of his neck with a groan and sank into the chair beside the bed; he was determined not to leave.


Atsuko rubbed at his right temple with a deep sigh. "So there was something he could've done. Looks like I'll have to take matters into my own hands." He would have a headache for several hours all because of one useless man. Several figures bowed as Atsuko stood and stepped down from his platform.

Hizaku's heroic actions had left him something good, though: Team 5 prohibited from accepting any mission, let alone those that would keep them within Hidden Wave. This kept his prey near. Atsuko pushed open the door to his hidden base with a smirk and inhaled deeply the scents of winter. He laughed softly, remembering his first kill had been on a night like this.

Moving silently through the dead forest, the man performed a Henge no Jutsu, his smirk still remaining, but on a much younger face. He picked up his pace and was soon running toward the town.

Iruka gasped at the body flying by him and turned to follow them with his eyes. 'Oyasa…? Team 5 should have been gone hours ago.' He shook his head with a sigh and continued onward with completing the little mission May had appointed him.

'I have to get there before he does.' Oyasa grunted softly as he tried to increase his speed in the powdery substance under his feet. As nostalgic as it was, snow could be a pain at times. But Lady Luck was on his side, and walking toward him with sparkling pink hair.

"Oyasa-kun?" Sakura said questioningly as she hugged herself against the cold. "Hizaku-sensei just told us you came down with the flu and couldn't do the mission. You were in the hospital…?" She stared at the panting boy before her.

Oyasa winced and raised a hand to his throbbing head. "Sensei lied," he forced out. "Sakura-chan, there's a lot you don't know about this village." He was laying it on a little thick, but time was becoming something that couldn't be spared.

Sakura smiled nervously, covering the hand he held against his head with her own. "Oyasa-kun. Maybe you should go back to the hospi—"

"I know your secrets," Oyasa whispered, eyes narrowing. He had planned to have the boy suddenly profess his love, but this seemed to have a better effect.

A group of laughing a group of squealing children ran by the pair, but the Konoha Genin was too shocked to even glance at them. Sakura suddenly felt colder than anyone else ever living, even with her coat.

"I know about your past, and I'm going to be the one to shape your future… Sakura-kun."

Sakura gasped, pulling away sharply.

A hand snapped out from the smoke created from the transformation being undone to snatch her wrist. "Join me," Atsuko said softly. "I'll help rid you of all your pain and the people that caused it."

The young girl shook her head frantically, pulling her hand away. With a whimper, she stumbled by the man and began running.

Takai blinked a few times as his girlfriend bumped shoulders with him.

Sakura stared up at the boy from where she'd fallen in the snow. Nothing was different. Her green eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Kakashi had been right—she only learned new tricks. And those would be of no use to her against the man that was their enemy. Sakura's shoulders shook and she began silently crying.

Takai dropped the cups of hot chocolate he'd bought for them, and fell to his knees so he could pull the girl into his arms. He looked around to try and find what had been the cause of the girl's distress, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for the people gathering around.

"'Come into my parlor,' said the spider to the fly," Atsuko chuckled from where he was now standing in the middle of the Academy yard. This village would be his no matter what.