Sorry it's taken me so long. I'm terribly lazy (and occupied with other writings, hee hee). Please pardon this crappy excuse for an update.

Chapter 11

Crimson Flow

"Naruto!" Master Iruka shouted for the thousandth time.

"Where is he?" Kyote hissed, his dark eyes scanning the green landscape.

Iruka scowled suddenly, glancing at the younger shinobi. "Why'd he run off, anyway?"

"Because of what happened at the tournament," Kyote replied shortly.

"Naruto's recovered from worse than that," the chunin told him. "Are you sure there wasn't anything else that happened there?"

"Yes," the teenager lied. But he knew full well why. Cupping his hands around his mouth, Kyote bellowed, "Uzumaki Naruto! Where are you?"

There was no reply. The shinobi exchanged questioning glances.

"Let's split up," Iruka said finally. "Call me if you find him."

"You got it!" With little sound, the two shinobi parted ways, leaping in opposite directions.

Naruto drew a knife from his shuriken holster. He held the shuriken in sweating, shaking hands, taking a moment to steady his breathing. The boy was sitting against a tree and he leaned back, closing his eyes tightly.

Maybe this is wrong, he was thinking. What if I just let the fox take over...and let him take my revenge on the village? Cerulean eyes narrowed as he pressed the blade against a wrist. No. I'd rather die and let the fox spirit go to hell...

Maybe then someone would miss me. The boy thought of Kyote and clenched his teeth.

He held the knife firmly, dragging it across his wrist. Blood appeared in little streaks at first, but quickly increased to a thick stream. Naruto did it again and again, his anger growing with each new slash. The red liquid gushed over his hands, staining his clothes badly. Tears sprang to the boy's eyes at the fierce pain that welled up¡ªthe pain he was almost too enraged to feel. Yet the burning torment was small compared to the sudden relief he felt.

It's finally going to be over, Naruto told himself as he did the same for his other wrist, tearing through the tender veins He suddenly felt dizzy and a little sick with the knowledge that so much blood was spilling from him.

Crap. On a wild impulse, the boy jumped to his feet. He threw knife after knife, striking the trunk of the nearest tree until it bristled with shuriken.

Then he ran out of blades.

With a shout of anger, Naruto moved like a madman, picking up rocks, grass, leaves, anything on hand...and throwing it at the tree. He thought of what Shinzuko had done, what the other villagers had done, what his own teammates had done, and he wanted to burst. Sweat poured from a thousand openings as he wasted the last of his strength.

Then his legs gave out and he toppled to his hands and knees on the grass. Blood flooded from his wrists, drenching the ground in red. It was almost too much for Naruto. When he realized what he had done to himself and that he was about to die, a horrible panic seized him and he screamed.

Short of breath, Iruka forced himself to stop running, although worry for Naruto nearly compelled him to keep on. The black haired man tipped his head to one side, listening for any unusual sounds. All he heard were the birds and an occasional cricket.

Cricket? It must have been getting late. And very quiet.

A sudden scream splintered the evening calm. Iruka almost jumped out of his skin at the whimper that followed. The voice sounded very familiar and very near.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" he yelled. The only response was the chunin's own voice, returning in echo. Turning slowly, Iruka caught sight of orange by a tree. "Ne?" Running to investigate, he found Naruto slumped against the trunk.

"Naruto!" Iruka exclaimed, pulling the boy towards him. "Are...you all right?"

The young shinobi opened his eyes with a faint moan. "M-Master Iruka?" he gasped.

"Yes, Naruto." Iruka nodded gravely. His face darkened. "Why'd you run off? A-and I heard screaming. Are you all right?" he repeated.

"I-I..." Suddenly, Naruto burst into tears. He threw himself against the elder ninja. "Why?" he sobbed. "Why the hell did you come, Iruka-sensei? Y-you should've let me die and rest in peace...just like them in Konohagakure..."

Iruka was momentarily stunned. It wasn't like prankster Uzumaki Naruto to cry. But then again, Naruto hadn't been his usual jocular self since returning from the tournament last week...

The black haired shinobi held the boy at arm's length. "What is it, Naruto? What's¡ªwhat's...wrong?"

The boy only sobbed harder, shaking his head.

"Tell me what's been bothering you, Naruto," Iruka said levelly. "Because if you don't¡ª" He suddenly broke off. "Naruto!"

The boy's hands and jacket were soaking with his blood, which was streaming from the gashes in his wrists Iruka cursed himself over and over for not noticing this earlier. He met the younger one's swollen, tear-filled eyes and immediately felt the younger one's sorrow and pain; something that Naruto had kept well-hidden for the greater part of his life.

He tried to kill himself.

Iruka was still in disbelief.

"What did you do...?"

Naruto finally spoke, his words coming in shuddering gasps. He weakly motioned to towards the bloody knife on the ground. "I-I'm...sorry, Iruka-sensei. I-I didn't mean...to do it...b-but I was scared and mad and-and the knife was just there...and so I-I..." His voice dissolved into sobs and he doubled over, coughing harshly.

Iruka grit his teeth, feeling an atypical urge to cry himself. The way Naruto was acting¡ªwhat he did¡ªit reminded him of his own turbulent childhood...too much. "Naruto..."

"Don't say anything...please..." the blond haired boy pleaded.

With great difficulty, Iruka controlled his galloping emotions and raised his voice. "Kyote!" he shouted. "Kyote, I've found him!"

"N-no...Naruto managed through clenched teeth, gripping the crimson tear in his chest. "Don't call Kyote...please!"

But it was too late. There was a sharp rustle in the treetops above, and the young jounin landed expertly before them.

"Kami!" he gasped. "What did...what happened?!"

Naruto's fingers closed around the knife. "I tried to kill myself, that's what," he panted huskily, staggering to his feet.

Kyote stepped forward, grabbing for the knife. "Give me that," he growled, his hands seizing the double blade. Naruto pulled the shuriken back, cutting the teenager's palms and adding Kyote's blood to Naruto's. Then, without thinking, Kyote reached out, gripping Naruto's wrists painfully tight.

"Listen, Naruto," he hissed. "You can't keep going on like this. You're going to bleed to death if you don't let us help you." There was a pause, in which Kyote swallowed back tears. "You know I don't want you to die...Naru-kun."

The blond haired boy's skin had faded to a sickly shade of white. His vision was clouding over, and it took several tries to force up the words stuck in his throat.

"If I...if I died..." he rasped in agony. "I wouldn't bother you anymore. I'd make you...sorry you ever knew me. I'd get what I deserve...wouldn't I?" Kyote couldn't reply. "That would make you and the rest of those Konohagakure bastards happy..." Weak from blood loss and pain, Naruto collapsed to his knees. "Y-you'd finally be happy." The boy's eyes rolled back into his head and he would have fallen if Kyote hadn't caught hi,. The bloody shuriken fell from unfeeling hands.

Iruka finally spoke after a long moment of silence. "Let's get him home," he whispered. Kyote nodded, pulling the unconscious Naruto into his arms. The teenager couldn't look into the boy's face.

You were right, Naruto. This is my fault.

Naruto awakened as soon as water spilled over his face. He jerked upright, choking and coughing but flinched at the uncomfortable tightness and pain around his torso. Glancing down, the boy realized that his chest had been bandaged. He touched the cloth lightly with a hand, still feeling dizzy and confused. His jacket and shirt were gone.

"Sorry," Kyote said softly. He was holding a cup half-filled with water.

"What was that for?" Naruto tensed as he glanced up. "Wh-what're you doing in my house?" he whispered.

"Don't you remember?" Iruka asked.

Before the blond haired boy could reply, the door to his room opened and in walked Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and Shinzuko. Kyote scowled as he saw his twin brother.

This is all your fault... he thought, enraged at what he knew Shinzuko had done.

"So you're awake, Naruto," Kakashi said when no one else spoke. "Feeling any better?"

"Some," Naruto replied hoarsely. He sank back in bed, his pale face screwed up with pain.

"Why'd you do that?" Kyote demanded with little hesitation. "Why the hell did you try killing yourself? When I first met you, I didn't think you were the type to feel sorry for yourself and want to die. Guess I was wrong."

"Kyote...!" Sakura pleaded.

The young jounin was clearly angry, but when Naruto met his eyes, he was surprised to see tears.

"Tell me why, Naruto." The teenager's voice was no less biting.

Tears rimmed Naruto's eyes. The boy stared at his hands, twisting and untwisting the bedsheets. "I-it..." He swallowed and tried again, fully aware that the others were listening closely.

"Well?" Shinzuko's voice held a mocking tone. "Why'd you do it?"

"Because of you!" the blond haired boy blurted suddenly, sitting upright as tears streamed down his face. "Because of all of you! Everyone I know...even those who are nice to me...they all hate me! Especially all of you here! Even though it was twelve years ago, you still fucking blame me for the demon fox's attack!" He was about to say more, but his voice gave out and he fell back against the pillows, coughing for breath..

Sakura stepped forward. "Naruto¡ª"

"Leave me alone," Naruto rasped. He drew his sheets up around him, burying his head in the pillows where he shed a few angry tears. "It would have been better...if none of you cared." The blond haired boy would say nothing more.

Iruka sighed and turned to the others. "Let's go," he said.

And so they quietly left.

In the Ryuuchi twins' apartment, tempers were rising.

"This is your damned fault, Shinzuko," Kyote muttered as he untied his headband.

The elder twin arched a perfect black eyebrow. "Care to explain, my dear brother?"

Kyote began unbuckling his shirt. "This isn't funny! That boy in there...who is supposed to be your student just tried to kill himself because...because you raped him!"

"And just what makes you think I care?" Shinzuko's emerald eyes darkened.

"You're a jounin!" Kyote hissed. "We both are! We're supposed to teach and protect our students, not molest them!"

Shinzuko grabbed the front of his twin's shirt. "Say that one more time," he growled in his low, harsh voice. Kyote couldn't speak; his brother was dangerous when he was in his moods. "Say it!"

Kyote lowered his head and didn't reply.

He came back to Naruto's house the next day, feeling guilty for being so harsh with the one who had been his friend. But before he entered, the teenager pounded a fist into the wall, letting a single tear slip from one eye. He was still frustrated that Shinzuko still saw Naruto as their nemesis rather as a friend.

To tell the truth, Shinzuko poses more of a threat to Naruto than Naruto does to Shinzuko.

Taking a deep breath, Kyote opened the door. Once in the room, he closed the door softly behind him. Naruto looked asleep, but his eyes snapped open at the sound of the teenager's footsteps.

"Naruto..." Kyote clenched his fists to harden his nerves. "I know you're really mad at me...but please listen."

The blond haired boy slowly moved into a sitting position. "I'm tired, Kyote," he said coldly. "Leave me alone."

"But¨D" The opening door interrupted the brewing argument. In walked Master Iruka, who froze when he saw Kyote.

"I've interrupted something," he said quickly, noting the expressions on the boys' faces. "I'll come back later." Sensing that there was more between the two boys than that of which he was aware, Iruka quietly retreated, knowing that whatever conflict the young shinobi had between them was to be resolved between them alone.

"You've been crying," Naruto noted blandly. "I heard you." There was an oddly triumphant tone in his hoarse voice.

Kyote scowled. "You have been, too," he shot back.

Suddenly, the younger boy sniffed. He looked away. Neither boy spoke for some time. "Why were you crying? A-and did you tell anyone about¡ª"

"No." Kyote met Naruto's eyes. "I couldn't. What Shinzuko did to you...that happened to me when I was younger, you know. I didn't want to subject you to anymore humiliation than...you know."

Naruto reached out and squeezed Kyote's hand. "Domo," he rasped awkwardly.

The black haired teenager grinned. "And I cried because you scared the hell out of me," he added, gently squeezing back. Bending over, he lightly kissed Naruto on the lips. "D¨¦j¨ vu, Naru-kun?" he said gently as he pulled away.

Naruto reddened. Admittedly, he enjoyed the shock that ran through him from Kyote's gently kisses but he wasn't about to tell the teenager that. "Yeah," he replied softly.

Kyote smiled again. Sitting on the boy's bed, he kissed Naruto again. This time the younger one opened his mouth, kissing back awkwardly.

The kiss lasted long, but since both boys were tired, they didn't go any further. Kyote didn't mind. Glancing down at the blond haired shinobi who had somehow fallen asleep on his chest as the two lay on Naruto's bed, Kyote reflected that it would do well to be patient.