Disclaimers: The standard ones apply =____=………
Author's Ramble: I've been wondering, who reads the author's ramble anyway? But oh well, I can still hope can't I? It's probably the fastest update I've ever done, because I wanted it out of my system as fast as possible. I know the previous chapter was, well….not exactly going anywhere, so I wanted to hasten things abit. It'll probably slow down from now on though, though I hope I can at least manage updates once every week. ^__^
Talais: Thank you, thank you THANK YOU!!! For being my first reviewer, for offering to beta read my stuff, and showing support and commenting constructively XD! Can I take you up on your offer? Can I? XDXD *bouce* How should I contact you about the details? In any case, my icq number's available on my FF.net profile page ^^
Ayako: Glad to know you're not bored, even though that chapter wasn't too developed for a fact ___
It isn't going to be a case of Kakashi hitting on Naruto though, I'm hoping to make it more realistic than that =)
Remorseful Youth: Haha! Glad you agree with me! There aren't enough KakaNaru fics out there! There's a whole load of SasuNaru already in almost all possible scenarios (though I DO love that pairing too) but why not explore other possibilities?? Fic writers!! I challenge you!!
ibichan: Ibiiiiiiichan!! I never got round to telling you how MUCH I appreciate your comments and support! I actually feel a lot better about myself and my writings after finding out that I've managed to convince at least one person to feel passionate enough about my work to say the things you did. Thank you!! *cries*
Sonha: Arigatou!! I'll be working hard from now on to bring you the dreams I hold for this fic! *laughs at own corniness* Stay tuned alright? ^___~
Bishiehuggler: *glomps* Hahaha, thanks for the poms poms! Yeah I'm having abit of trouble finding the right words to describe the emotions, the narration and all that to convey what I really have in mind, but thanks for encouraging me!
: erm, never got round to finding out what your name was, but thanks for reviewing! Haha, yeah JiraNaru's a little over the top, but really! Not what you think at all, it's hmm, well, I do have plans for that, at least a little bit, but trust me, it won't be as bad as it sounds. Don't want to have let any spoilers out here ^__^; so if you can, read on and find out k?
Once again, thanks to all my reviewers, I appreciate it a lot! On the topic of reviews, I do, DO feel more encouraged and inspired to write faster when I get reviews, so if you're reading this, try to review alright? So at least I know people are reading what I put effort in to write. It's probably too shameless to ask for reviews like that, and I clearly recall the disgust I feel when seeing some fic writers say things like "If I don't get ?? reviews, I won't write chapter ?? !" I'm not trying to do that ^___^;; just that I feel discouraged with lack of reviews. I'll still keep writing though, if there aren't any, haha~
Alright, that said, on to chapter 2!
Catharsis
Chapter Two: Initiation
"Oi Sakura! You gotta build up on that stamina of yours!" Naruto taunted as he laughed and ran faster, widening the gap between them.
"Shut …." Sakura began, but thought better of it, refusing to be baited into the childish squabble that would have ensued. Hell, she's having enough trouble keeping her breath steady already, why waste all the effort on meaningless speech. She gritted her teeth and tried to catch up.
Naruto ran up the steps down the corridor where the jounins quarters were. Seeing Kakashi's door open, ran right into it unthinkingly.
"Yo, Kakash-- !!"
"Shhhh!!"
Naruto struggled against the hand that appeared out of nowhere to clamp itself over his face. As Gai's face loomed over his Naruto couldn't keep in the shriek that would have rivalled a woman's if it wasn't muffled by the hand.
Sakura caught up a few seconds later, catching her breath before she noticed the still-struggling Naruto and Gai sensei.
"W-what?"
"This idiot needs to learn some sort of common sense! Kakashi's resting!" Gai hissed.
Sakura threw Naruto a dirty look, before noticing he was turning rather pale in the face.
"Gai-sensei!!" Sakura cried out frantically.
Gai turned back to look at Naruto who'd started to go rather slack in his hands before realising with horror that he's been suffocating him. He released his grip immediately and Naruto fell forwards on his hands and knees gasping while he took in great gulps of air.
"S-some….some….co-common….sense….you ..have too….." Naruto wheezed out in between breaths.
Gai could only look sheepish while putting his hand behind his head in an apologetic manner.
Sakura looked at them, before turning her head away to the side, not wanting to witness further the impressive display of idiocy before her.
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It was a full minute later before Naruto could fully collect himself. He looked around and noticed Kakashi's bed. Quickly he scrambled to his feet and started towards the bed before he came to an abrupt stop.
That's…..Kakashi?
Sakura came up before him walked past him to pull Kakashi's blankets up further to cover him.
Naruto could hardly process the scene before him. Sure, Naruto was no stranger to blood, gore, corpses, injury, suffering and agony. He's seen enough to make him almost indifferent when faced with situations that involved some, if not all of the described. He could face them down without so much as a flinch or frown, only…. Only when it concerned the ones he loved.
He first acquainted the unfamiliar feel of having his heart constricted in a tight grip that pulled fiercely towards his feet, the immediate drain of blood from his face, body and the shock of the icy coldness that subsequently followed, and last but not least, the deafening pounding of his struggling heart, beating fast and hard, fit enough to burst. All that happening in that one, devastatingly dragged out second.
Mind you., Uzumaki Naruto is not one easy to shock, scare, threaten or put down. It is not easy to make him to feel helpless, small and all round vulnerable. And the number of times that has happened since he became a gennin, could be counted with one hand with fingers left to spare.
Iruka.
Sasuke.
And now, to add to that list, Kakashi.
Granted, the effects weren't as pronounced, and was slightly different….his heart didn't feel like it was being wrenched but it did encounter a sharp jolting pain that Naruto flinched and his hand reached quickly to grab the front of his jacket over his heart in a claw-like grip. And what's that white static roaring in his ears anyway? Sakura's saying something, I can't hear……
"…..Huh?"
Sakura her hand under his elbow, as if to steady him while her face wore a worried expression as she repeated, "I asked if you were okay…..you suddenly went pale and grabbed you chest as if it hurt."
Naruto looked at her while his brain tried to process her words, and clear the static jumble that had collected there previously. When it finally did, he laughed "Oh, must have been tired from the trip and all, hahahhaha!" and cringed inwardly as he noted how shaky he sounded even to himself.
Seeing the look of worry still on Sakura's face, he tried again "Ne, Sakura-chan, you really must be falling in love with me to be this worried over nothing! So, wanna go out on a date?"
It worked, and Sakura's expression shifted from worry to surprise to indignant before she hissed, "You idiot!" and whacked him on the head for good measure before turning around to fuss over Kakashi sensei to hide her embarrassment.
Gai just looked on at them in amusement, thinking to himself about youngsters, budding loves and teenage wiles.
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Naruto sat in his apartment slurping ramen listlessly as he thought about the happenings during the day. Truthfully, he had no clue what exactly happened back there, why'd he felt so lost all of a sudden upon seeing Kakashi?
He frowned as he felt a jab of pain in his chest when he recalled Kakashi's pale, sick face. In the weeks he'd left, Kakashi had grown rather thin and sallow, his brows settling in a frown even in his rest, speaking of unseen nightmares unseen, unheard and unfelt by anyone of them. Naruto had never seen Kakashi-sensei as he did this afternoon. Kakashi sensei was always laid back….well, too laid back sometimes, and in control of whatever situation that they may find themselves in. He acted as if he didn't have a care in the world, most evident in the way he doesn't even bother coming up with a valid excuse for his lack of punctuality.
Naruto respected the man for his strength and abilities, and seeing him as hapless and vulnerable as he was a big blow to him.
Maybe that's why I felt so shocked. I never thought he'd be one to fall from anything, Naruto thought, slumping on the table and resting his chin on the cold surface as he stared morosely at the scratches and lines etched into the old table. Naruto reached into his back pocket and drew out a kunai and proceeded to scratch the surface even further. When he was done, he gave a sigh as if recognising the sheer pointlessness of damaging his furniture further, picked up his ramen bowl and went to wash the dishes.
On the worn wooden table, freshly scratched was the name "Kakashi".
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Naruto woke up and blearily rubbed his eyes. He turned to look at the clock before bolting out of bed to quickly change into his usual gear. Tsunade had arranged to see Sasuke, Kakashi and Lee today and he wanted to be there.
As he ran down the cobbled pavements in the village to the village administration office, he caught sight of several people walking out of that place. Closer scrutiny told him that it was the old hag, pervert sennin, Shizune and Gai sensei. Relieved, he quickly ran up to them and as he drew closer, he heard the distinct sounds of two people bickering.
"…….well, I've said it before haven't I? It's the bloody brat Kakashi, Uchiha's kid and ---"
"Lee! My student!" Gai sensei quickly finished for the pervert.
"Yeah, Tsunade, you've got to do something about that head of yours, you're getting old and forgetf---OWWWW!!!"
Tsunade had flicked a finger across his nose and now Jiraiya was howling in agony as he clamped both his hands across his face and Naruto could see a trickle of blood seeping from between those fingers.
"YUU FWADDY BWEECH! YUU PWOKE MY NOSH!!!"
Tsunade smiled nastily and replied "No, I did not. I merely triggered one of the arteries there to bleed and sent an electric signal to you nerves to grace you with agony comparable to a broken nose. You should be grateful I didn't really break it though for all the annoyance you've caused me all day."
Jiraiya removed his hands and sneered, or rather, tried to, with a bleeding nose.
"And you know what I say is true. I speak for all men, you most certainly have recognised the truth in my words judging from that huge chest of yours. If I hadn't pointed out to you that you were a flat-chested bitch---"
"Tsunade-sama!!"
Jiraiya moved in time to avoid the leg that aimed at his crotch. He stared aghast at Tsunade.
"I can't believe you tried to do that, that's hitting below the belt literally!"
"Yeah, you better believe that and more too!" Tsunade gritted as she swung another fist in his direction.
Naruto just stared, he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. He wasn't big into the whole "Sennin-sama" crap, and he's easily the worst candidate to talk on the subject of public etiquette but this was way to bizarre. They certainly had not behaved this badly when Naruto was travelling back with them to the Leaf. A little insulting here and there but they got along fine mostly. In any case, that's the new Hokage and another of the legendary sennins for crying out loud.
Tsunade stopped her fist in mid-swing as she noticed Naruto standing before her.
"Hey Naruto!" She called out cheerily.
At this, a very distressed Shizune, a flabbergast Gai and Jiraiya who was caught in mid-jump whipped their heads around to look at him.
What?! What's that supposed to mean? Am I expected to do something?? WHAT?!! Naruto thought in stunned panic as he looked at the faces before him. And he still couldn't quite cope with the change in old-ha…er…Tsunade from raving to cheerful in an instant. And now they're all looking at him, it's becoming too weird.
Gai saved the day.
"Hey Naruto, we thought you weren't coming!" he said as he flashed one of his flashy grins and gave a thumbs up. "Glad you made it!"
"Y-yeah! Um, must have been t-too tired from the trip, almost couldn't wake up, heh heh!" Naruto laughed nervously.
Tsunade noticed his discomfort and guessed what was the cause. She couldn't help snickering as she explained "It's been too long since both of us came back to the leaf together, and this is where we grew up and trained. It brings back memories and …. Old habits."
Jiraiya looked at her incredulously for a moment before grudgingly saying " Yeah. The good old days." with barely concealed sarcasm, wiping away another trickle of blood from his nose.
Shizune hurried over to fix his nose, and Naruto decided he's not going to question the situation, and asked "Who are we seeing first?"
"Hmmm, Uchiha, brat Kakashi then Gai's protégé judging from where their houses are.."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Hurry up already!" Naruto called out as he started towards where Sasuke lived.
"Tsk…. Always the impatient one." Tsunade said smilingly.
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They arrived to find Sakura waiting for them outside the door to his apartment. And after the healing process, Sasuke came round, looking much better than he did before. Sakura broke down in relief as she flung herself onto Sasuke. Naruto smiled wistfully before quietly drawing the curtains around Sasuke's bed to give them more privacy.
At Kakashi's, once Tsunade had assured everyone that he was going to be alright, Naruto felt most of the tension leave him, and looking around , saw that Gai-sensei looks visibly relieved at the fact that his life-long rival was going to survive too. Tsunade had to perform a jutsu to keep Kakashi asleep for the next two weeks though, for him to fully recover. But other than that, Kakashi's fine, and shouldn't need someone to watch over him for all hours of the day.
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"Hey Sasuke!! How are ---- EWW!!"
Naruto shielded his eyes with his hands at what seems like two people entwined on the bed.
"Well, uh excuse me…" He said rapidly and backed out of the room.
"N…Naruto, ..wait….you idiot…" came the breathless, tired voice of Sakura.
"Uh, don't worry, I didn't see anything!"
"No, look properly!" she snapped
Naruto slowly parted his fingers to clear some space for him to look through them and saw Sakura settled on the seat beside the bed, and Sasuke scowling darkly.
"Sasuke-kun was trying to get out of the bed by himself when he's not allowed and too weak to, and made it as far as the door before he collapsed. Good thing I arrived to carry him back to bed." Sakura finished slightly breathlessly.
"You?" Naruto looked incredulous.
"Yes, me! That's why I'm so tired, it wasn't exactly easy you know! And I accidentally fell when helping him on the bed, that's when you came in."
"Oh."
"No one asked for your help." Sasuke grunted
"Yes, and I was just asking for it. Now keep quiet and rest!"
Naruto watched amusedly as Sakura mothered an extremely reluctant Sasuke who looked as if he wanted nothing more than Sakura to leave him alone. He suddenly thought the whole scene to be endearingly… cute, and couldn't hold in a chuckle.
Sasuke glared at him, which made Naruto laugh even harder.
"Well, I came by to see how you're doing Sasuke, and I see you're in good hands. Be a good boy for Sakura alright, Sasuke-chan? Seeya!" Naruto was still laughing as he walked out of the place, dismissing Sasuke's snarls and Sakura's screaming at him to stop making things worse.
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Once out of the building Naruto yawned and stretched lazily as he thought of where he should go.
Hmmm, I'll just go see how sensei's doing. With that, Naruto made his way to said destination.
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Author's Ending Ramble:
The story's progressing in movie-format in my head, complete with sound effects and color, and a lot more expression, but trying to pen that down, is so much harder! And seems so much dragged out and pointless too ___ Tell me if anyone feels so? I'm tempted to draw it out as a doujin or something, haha~ XD