Ummm - update! Weeeeee!
Beta-read version by V-chan! Mwah! Sankyuu!
Uh, I really have nothing to say to this. Someone asked why Naruto was mad at Kakashi. You'll find out in this chapter. If it's still not clear, tell me and I'll leave an end-note explanation in the end of the next chapter.
Enjoy.
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNEW 13Kakashi did not have time to react. In a blinding speed, the door was shut firmly with a loud bang and his back was pressed against the hard and heavy wood harshly. His bones made cracking noises at the sudden impact and stars danced in front of his eyes. Fingers that were gripping his collar now shifted and were around his neck.
Squeezing.
He gasped for breath, too stunned to even fight back against his ex-student. Choking noises bubbled at the back of his throat and he was starting to see black spots from the lack of air. If Naruto had gripped him any tighter, his windpipe would have been human caviar.
"Why didn't you fucking tell me?" He shouted, squeezing tighter.
"Naruto!" Tsunade said, too shocked to even stop him from the beginning.
"You gave him a chance! He was alive! You all knew! You all fucking knew and you never fucking told me! You bastard!" Naruto pushed him further up against the wall. Out of desperation, Kakashi gripped his wrists, trying to breathe, but couldn't. Naruto's eyes were a hellish red color, with slits running down the center of it. "Bastard!" Naruto yelled and squeezed harder.
Recovering from shock, Jiraiya moved fast and gave Naruto's neck a firm hand chop, making him lose consciousness immediately. Naruto slumped to one side, fingers dropping free from Kakashi's neck. Kakashi slid down the door, fingers going around his neck as he gasped and wheezed for breath. He stared at Naruto's unconscious form, his single eye wide at what just happened.
"W-What -?" He asked, rattled and utterly confused. He felt Naruto's anger dripping like venom and for a few seconds, he felt afraid. He thought for a moment that Naruto was really going to kill him.
"Take him with you Jiraiya." Tsunade said. "Take him home."
Jiraiya didn't even wait to be told again and disappeared in a swirl of chakra, Naruto vanishing with him. Kakashi regained some of his composure and stood up on his feet. Sadness washed over him like a huge tidal wave. The mere idea that Naruto would not hesitate to kill him and the fact that he was angry at him for reasons that he did not know rattled him. For once, all logical thought fled from his mind for that brief five minutes while he tried to pull himself together. He felt the intense hatred; the venomous anger and overwhelming intent to kill slap him hard that he was too shocked to even put up a fight.
Not with Naruto.
Never with Naruto.
"Naruto." He whispered, chest starting to ache.
"I cannot offer you any words of comfort Kakashi. But for now, I suggest you stay out of his way. He's been reminded of a few incidents during his travel with Jiraiya that made him lose his temper." Tsunade said and the excuse had an indirect truth in it. It was a good thing Jiraiya stopped Naruto in time before any further damage came around.
Kakashi nodded and left.
There really wasn't anything he could say.
XXX
Naruto opened his eyes and his ceiling came to view. He sat up and faced Jiraiya sitting on one of the chairs in his living room. He glared at the man, gritting his teeth in anger.
"How long did they know that he was alive?" He bit out.
Jiraiya looked up at him and his lips thinned. "Kakashi knew from the beginning obviously. Sasuke, I heard, found out two years later, and Sakura about four months later after Sasuke found out." Naruto was seeing everything in red. He was so angry that he stood up and began pacing. "You know why they never told you?"
"They should have!" Naruto snapped. "I had every right to know!"
"They knew you'd react like this." Jiraiya said. He was used to Naruto's hot temper and he knew very well how to handle it. He was probably the only one other than Gaara who did anyway. Not even Tsunade knew how to tackle the boy's temper. "You could have gone mad."
"That's not the point!" Naruto yelled, staring at Jiraiya with anger blazing in his blue eyes that there were slits in the sapphire orbs.
"It is the point." Jiraiya said calmly. "They hid the fact from you because you'd flip, throw a crazy tantrum. Heaven knows what could have happened if you went mad. It was the safest thing to do. Plus, Kakashi thought it would be safer for your sake if you didn't know!"
"What the hell does he know?" Naruto roared, his angered fueled even more.
"I personally think that he made a wise decision. Also, neither Kakashi nor your teammates knew what happened to Haku after that." Naruto growled and clenched his fists. "Your anger is uncalled for. In fact, it's not even on Haku's behalf."
"What the hell would you know?" Naruto yelled, clearly forgetting his manners.
"It was never about Haku." Jiraiya pressed on. "This whole issue is more to do with Kakashi rather than Haku himself." Naruto's eyes turned red towards Jiraiya, and his teeth flashed. "It's always about Kakashi. You don't hate him like you show you do. I doubt you ever did anyway."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Naruto said, narrowing his eyes some more.
"Is this how it's going to be?" Jiraiya asked, quite annoyed by how Naruto was reacting.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" He said stubbornly, shouting again.
"Calm down!" Jiraiya finally snapped. "This is not a behavior for a Hunter. This is not a behavior for a shinobi! For crying out loud, you nearly killed him! What is the matter with you? You should be ashamed of yourself! He was your father's prized student!"
"Goddamnit!" Naruto yelled and punched the nearest wall. The cement cracked and his hand went through, a hole easily made in the light yellow painted wall that separated Gaara's room from the living room.
Jiraiya said nothing as drops of red trickled down Naruto's arm and fell onto the clean floor. "Naruto." He said tiredly. "We shinobis live in a world of death. It's practically waiting just around the corner. You once said that you'd walk down a path with no regrets." Naruto shut his eyes tightly at his words. "But you're walking on one now that's filled with them. You have a chance for happiness and for something that you've been looking for blindly in the dark. Don't throw it away." Jiraiya turned towards the front door, taking the knob in his hand. "There is nothing wrong with your teammates or Kakashi. It's just you who is trying to hate all of them."
Without another word, Jiraiya left the apartment.
Naruto wrenched his hand from the wall and punched it again, successfully making a second hole. Frustration and hidden desperation overwhelmed him, making his knees buck as he knelt on the floor, his head touching the dusty wall. He shut his eyes, gritting his teeth and trying desperately to control his feelings.
"Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!" He hissed, thumping his fist on the wall, voice cracking as he continued repeating the word.
Gaara came out from the room, and stood beside Naruto, looking down at him. There was no pity, or anger or annoyance but understanding glowing in the surface of his green eyes. Gaara offered Naruto a hand, and Naruto looked up at him, unshed tears gathering and making the blue orbs look glassy.
"All you can do when you fall down is stand up again." Gaara said quietly, and the barest hint of a smile graced his serious and thin lips.
And like always, Naruto took his hand and stood up.
XXX
Naruto was sitting on the couch, Gaara opposite him watching the night sky from the window. Neither needed to talk. Just the presence of each other was comforting enough. The sound of one of the doors opening from the hallway made the both of them look up and find Haku walking down the hall. His injuries were already long gone due to advanced healing and the fact that Tsunade passed by a few days ago after that incident in her office to take a look at him. Also. Tsunade spent a good time grilling him with psychological questions that after her 'sessions' Haku fell asleep from the throbbing headache he got.
But all in all, he'd been very helpful. As promised to Tsunade, nobody knew that he was around until all papers became official. Haku had grown to look slightly manlier rather than feminine. His eyes were more of an almond shape rather than the wide girly look he had when he was younger. His hair was still long but he tied it in a high ponytail rather than the bun he used to when he was younger. His build was no longer thin, but more lean in a very manly way. His movements remained graceful and although his voice was only slightly a few decibels lower, it was manly enough. He'd also been very helpful in the house.
"Have you two eaten yet?" He asked, looking at the both of them, smiling. He no longer wore any bandages in his body and had his hair tied back at the nape of his neck, and wore a pair of loose gray pants and green shirt.
"Not yet." Naruto answered, while Gaara continued to look at him.
"Well, there's nothing in the fridge. One of you should restock. I can prepare a proper meal instead of you guys getting take out again." He smiled, corner of his eyes crinkling at the gesture.
Naruto was about to stand and restock as Haku suggested, but Gaara beat him to it. "I'll go." He said. "Anything you need in specific?"
"No bitter gourds!" Naruto said, wincing. He hated that vegetable and couldn't stand eating it.
Gaara didn't even bother to reply. "Any greens are fine. Some meat maybe, like beef or fish." Haku suggested.
Gaara nodded and pulled on a jacket, took some money and left the apartment.
XXX
Since the market was no longer open, he opted for the superstore that was open twenty-four hours called the Seven-Leaves. He was glad the place was empty, save for a few late shoppers buying small things like ketchup or a can of beans. He walked down every isle, and told himself that they need detergent powder. Being a Hunter meant too much laundry. Plus it consumed too much soap to wash blood off their clothes. He picked a plain yellow packaged detergent powder and made his way to the canned section. He took a few things, before making his way to the fresh food section.
He scanned the shelves and picked out random things that he knew Naruto ate, and some things that he could digest. Carrots, potatoes, celery, bean sprouts and red cabbage found their way to his basket, as he continued scouting for more greens. He caught sight of the radishes and took a while to decide whether he should get one or not, and got caught up staring at it from all angles.
"Gaara."
He flicked his eyes to his left and found Kakashi standing with a basket filled with instant foodstuff. "Hatake-san." He greeted, dipping his head a bit.
"You shop?" Kakashi asked, slightly surprised at the idea of the 'sand freak' carrying a basket filled with food.
"I eat. So does Naruto." He said, and decided not to add the radishes to his basket and moved on to the eggplants, examining them.
Kakashi didn't say anything for a moment. When he did, Gaara faced him. "How is he?"
"He's fine." Gaara said, eyeing him from head to toe.
"I haven't seen him for almost a week."
"He's taken a holiday."
"You too?"
"Report filing is a lot more tiresome that you think it is." Gaara answered, before turning back to the eggplants.
"How is he?" Kakashi asked again.
"I said he's fine." Gaara answered and took three plump eggplants. He then found a bunch of nice cauliflowers and took a medium sized one.
"That's not what I meant." Kakashi said, following Gaara to the fruits section.
"I can't say anything." Gaara said, taking some oranges and apples and placing them in to his basket. "If there's anything you want to know, then go face him. I'm not a bridge."
Kakashi gave a nervous laugh. "Of course. Of course." Gaara debated whether to get some grapes or cherries. He didn't know which one to get because he wasn't sure which one Naruto liked. "Cherries." Kakashi said, picking a nice plastic bag with plump and juicy looking ones. "Naruto loves cherries." Gaara turned to look at Kakashi, and for a moment they just stared at each other. "Ah, sorry." Gaara merely shook his head, and then stopped to stare at the fresh kiwis. Haku liked them very much, but the price was leering at him. It was too expensive. "Naruto doesn't like kiwis. He says they look like donkey shit."
The answer was automatic. "I like them."
"Ah, of course. I forgot for a moment that you two live together." Kakashi forced a smile under his mask, and took some pears, placing a small plastic bag into his basket.
Gaara turned to give him a long blank look, debating whether to kick the man in the shins or just grab one of the nice big pineapples and smack him the face with it. "Don't like the idea, do you?"
"Never did." Kakashi said, staring back at him with a bored yet angry expression. Gaara was very tempted to punch the jounin in the face. Or maybe he'd let Shukaku loose one night and just swallow him up. The guy was thick! "His safety comes first."
"When he's with me, he is safe. Safer than he'll ever be when he's with you." Gaara said, narrowing his eyes at Kakashi. "Let me tell you something, Hatake-san." Gaara shifted and narrowed his eyes even more. "I would happily give my life for Naruto. I would follow him wherever he went, and I will protect him, even from you. If I ever find out that you are the cause of his pain, I will not hesitate to rip you to shreds. And that counts for anybody else in this village." Kakashi blinked. To say that he was shocked at Gaara's sudden speech was a mellow way of putting it.
"It's hard to trust a killer." Kakashi asked.
"You're a ninja. That automatically makes you just as bad." Gaara replied, and walked past Kakashi towards the meat section, asking for boneless salmon and some beef cubes. Kakashi did not follow him anymore, but went to the pasta section of the superstore.
Once Gaara had everything he needed, he grabbed a pack of orange juice and some milk powder before heading to the counter. Kakashi was already exiting the store by the time all his goods were packed. He paid the lady, dipped his head in thanks and carried the two bags in his arms, heading for the direction of home. He found Kakashi standing before him as he took a turn towards the block Naruto's apartment was in.
"You say you'd protect him." Kakashi said quietly. "Can you protect him from yourself?"
Gaara looked at him directly in the eye, piercing him with his intense gaze. He then merely gave Kakashi a dark smile. "You should worry about yourself Hatake-san. You're not the only one interested in Naruto." He then continued walking down the street. "Uchiha is too."
XXX
Gaara entered the house to find Haku in an apron, chipping ice off the freezer, while Naruto collected it in a bucket.
"You could just melt it." Gaara said, setting the grocery bags on the counter.
"Naruto suggested the same thing, but any fire element jutsu could cause the freezer to malfunction." Haku said, smiling at Gaara. "We're nearly done anyway." Haku said, and chipped the last chunk of ice from the corner with a thick knife.
Minutes later, once the freezer was clean, Naruto began to stock the frozen goods in it, leaving some of the salmon out for Haku to cook. Haku was already cutting up some of the vegetables and preparing the broth.
"I'm going for a walk." Naruto said, washing his hands and drying them with a kitchen towel.
"Be back in an hour. Dinner will be ready by then." Haku said, smiling at him as Naruto saluted him with a finger and left.
Gaara began to wash the small plates and other things that Haku no longer needed. While he was drying the place, he spoke up. "How did you get to know Naruto?"
"Long time ago. He was a newly graduated genin at that time. His duties as a leaf shinobi made us face off. He had a mission then and my - my master had his. It was a clash, a fight broke out, but it the end, he couldn't kill me. Kakashi was about to though, but in the end, he gave me a chance." Haku said, eyes misting over as he remembered the fight a long time ago.
"In battle huh?"
"Yes. I heard of your fight with Naruto. Akatsuki knows about it." Haku said, turning to smile at him. "Looks like he got you too, huh?"
"Yeah." Gaara said, drying a plate while a small smile came to his lips.
"He is such a person that would make heads turn, and just fall in love with him." Haku said.
"That makes it three then." Gaara said.
"Three?" Haku blinked.
"Three competing for his heart."
Haku gave out a hearty laugh. "No, no. I love him as a friend, or maybe a younger brother." He then chuckled. "Who's the other two?"
"Hatake. Uchiha." Gaara said, shrugging.
"Do you love him, Gaara?" Haku asked.
"I don't know what love is." Gaara said. "But I'd like to think that maybe this fondness I have for him is not what couples share."
"A friend then." Haku said, smiling. "He is lucky to have a friend like you. Someone who understands him."
Gaara shrugged. "I am grateful to be called his friend. I don't need anything more."
Haku appeared beside him, spoon in hand with some brown colored sauce in it. "Tell me if there's enough salt."
Gaara stared at the spoon then at Haku's smiling face. He took the spoon and tried the broth, wincing because it was slightly hot, but otherwise it tasted fine. "It's good." Haku nodded and went back to finishing off the broth. "It's good to have you around."
"Because I'm a good cook?" Haku asked, smiling at him, cheeks slightly pink.
"That and because Naruto can actually get proper nutrition. I don't mind ramen, but an overdose of it is too much to handle." Gaara said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Haku could only laugh while Gaara gave him a smirk.
TBC
I really think these three "outcasts" would make the perfect family. Well, that's just me. Plus, I'm not making Haku girly. There's a reason to why he knows so much household work.
Will reveal later.
Ja!