Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Familiar Stranger..
Chapter: The Kid.
Sasuke walked through the corridor silently. The peace of early mornings lingered around him, the sun's rays crawling under the closed doors and invading the darkness. The faint noise of birds chirping reached his ears and also the creaking of floorboards.
The Uchiha frowned; his feet weren't making the sound. With the sense of a ninja, Sasuke carefully examined each room searching for the noise until he came upon the room where his Naruto slept. There were muted, cautious footsteps coming from the room. By the noise the floorboards made he could tell that the invader was deliberately trying to be as quiet as possible, not that he was succeeding.
He concentrated, trying to detect the intruder's chakra. He could sense a trace of Naruto's unique chakra unmoving, it served to confirm his suspicion that someone with good chakra control was trying to sneak up on the unsuspecting blond. He could barely sense the other chakra, it was too low, which indicated that this person might suck at stealth but his chakra control was very good.
His fingers found his ever-present kunai and he slowly grabbed the door handle. Making as little sound as possible he slipped the door open only to stare blankly at the scene before him.
A small boy, who looked around four to five years old, was walking cautiously towards Naruto's sleeping form on the bed. Small feet moved across the room with extraordinary care. Huge obsidian eyes were fixed on the blond, a frown of concentration forming between well-defined brows. Chubby hands were spread out on both sides as though the boy was trying to balance himself.
With a look of irritation, he shook of a lock of gleaming blue-black hair out of those innocent eyes, a small pout forming on his lips.
Sasuke, even though confused, could feel his lips twitch at the sight. 'This explains the low chakra and the lighter than light footsteps.' he thought. He decided to silently observe the proceedings.
Naruto let out a fake sound of surprise as the weight of the child hit him. Cracking his eyes open he peered dangerously at the boy who was straddling his waist and asked, "What are you doing here?" in a mock angry tone. The child's grin faltered at seeing Naruto's anger causing the blond to laugh softly.
Ruffling the child's hair he asked, "Where is Jiraiya-sensei? He was supposed to keep you away from Konoha." Naruto chuckled again when the boy before him pouted and said, "Oji-san said something 'bout me spoiling his research! He searched allll over the village for you. We couldn't find you nowhere, so then oji-san said something like 'That damned Uchiha must've taken the brat'" The child said in perfect imitation of the man. "Who is 'That damned Uchiha'?"
Naruto twitched and growled at the back of his throat, "Its not damned Uchiha. It's just Uchiha; remember I told you about my old genin team. Uchiha Sasuke was my rival and best friend. And do not use the word damned. It is a bad word, I forbid you to use it." The boy nodded vigorously at that, seeing the serious expression on the blond's face.
"Where is Jiraiya-sensei now? How did you get here?" Naruto asked, frowning slightly.
The black haired boy shrugged expressively tilting his head to the side. "I don't know where he is. He left me here in your room and said something about not wanting to hear your bitchin' so early in the morning. What is bitchin' 'tousan?"
"Another word you shouldn't use." Naruto said sharply as his eyes narrowed in annoyance, "Remind me to kill a certain Toad-senin as soon as I get my hands on him." The child in front of him beamed and asked, "You'll beat him like the last time 'tousan? Like when he went all blue and black!" the child questioned excitedly. Big ebony eyes were shining with something akin to pride at the thought of his father beating up Jiraiya, who was much bigger than him.
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head from side to side. He brought the bouncing boy closer to allow the little head to settle under his chin and said, "Oh no, something much worse. How about we have breakfast and I'll take you to see Tsunade-baachan. She has been itching to see you ever since you were born. Then we can go visit grandfather's grave. How does that sound? You want to see him right?"
"Uh huh! Kyuubi-chan said that he was the only one who could defeat him in the entire village at that time. He sealed Kyuubi-chan inside you and now he can't get out. Was grandfather as strong as you 'tousan?" Naruto raised an eyebrow and said, "No Daisuke, your grandfather was much, much stronger. He was the strongest Hokage ever. He gave up his life to seal Kyuu-chan inside me. He made a great sacrifice as a leader and as a father."
He kissed the little boy's head and said softly, "Something I am certain I could never do to you." Daisuke looked up, his gaze questioning, "Why? If I had someone like Kyuu-chan inside me, I'd also have his power! It's like grandpa gave you a birthday gift that would last you forever and ever. Ne 'tousan?"
Cerulean eyes glittered with pain, before they closed and said, "Hai little one. It is a birthday gift. However, not all demons are as nice as Kyuu-chan. Remember I told you about Gaara-san's demon after you met him for the first time?" Daisuke nodded, "You said that it was a bad demon and it always troubles Gaara-san! Oji-san said that Gaara-san is a bad person. 'Tousan, Gaara-san isn't a bad person, right? After all he brings me a lot of treats every time he comes to see us."
Naruto cocked one eye open and chuckled, "Oh, so just because Gaara brings you treats and gifts he is a good man? I should tell him about that."
"Ne 'tousan? Whose house is this? It is sooo big!" Daisuke whispered in awe. Wide ebony eyes gazed up at his father questioningly. "Oh, this is Sasuke's house. Speaking of which, I want you to be as quiet as possible. We have to leave here before he sees you little one."
Daisuke sat up and looked down at his father questioningly and asked, "Why?" Naruto sighed as he lifted his son by his waist and placed him on the other side of the bed. "Because, I don't want him to worry. It will just be another scar on his already battered heart. Alright?" Daisuke nodded.
'It will just be another scar on his already battered heart...' Sasuke repeated those words in his mind again and again. His gaze was trained on the blond as he spoke to his supposed son. Had Naruto gotten married? Is that why he thought the news of his son would hurt him? 'But I have the right to know. If he is married, I have every right to know! Who is the girl? Why did he get married so young? Was it because of the child?' Various questions flew through his head.
His eyes were wide and clouded with confusion as he silently walked away, half in daze. He slipped into his room and quickly changed into his day clothes, coming to a decision. He had to find out more about Naruto and what he had done for the past few years.
As the blond readied himself and slipped out of the house with his son, Sasuke followed. Haunting questions in his mind accompanied the dull throb of his heart. Naruto was right; this was another scar on his heart, to know that his blond was no longer his. There was some girl out there that had ensnared the heart of his former teammate. Why were the things he wanted always out of reach? He had desired Naruto more than anything in his life, even more than the revenge he sought.
Naruto had been his anchor to sanity. All he wanted was to get lost in the warmth that seemed to cling to the blond. He wanted to leave everything open, the pain, the hatred, and the anguish. He knew Naruto was the only one who could understand. Naruto had been his companion in darkness. When he had betrayed Konoha to gain power, it was Naruto who brought him back. Unlike others, the blond understood, he didn't like it, but he understood.
Naruto was the only one who didn't point accusing fingers at him. He was the only one who understood his desire for power and his foolishness. To lose Naruto now...
To lose Naruto now would be like losing everything he ever had.
With expert ease he followed the blond who was too focused on smiling and laughing with his son to notice him. Naruto's speed was incredible and he wasn't even trying. He gracefully jumped from rooftop to rooftop without missing a beat, all while listening to his son talking animatedly. From what Sasuke could tell, they were heading towards the Hokage tower. He tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, the blond was very skilled and he didn't want to get caught.
It didn't take long to arrive at the Hokage tower. The Guards looked at Naruto and smiled, surprising Sasuke. "Ohayou Uzumaki-san." Naruto just smiled at them and walked in.
Sasuke was confused, ever since he could remember the guards had treated Naruto like crap. Now all of a sudden they were treating him with respect. Shaking his head he focused on the voices coming from inside the room.
"So this is your son huh?" Tsunade said with a wide smile. The little child was just too cute, even though he looked nothing like Naruto. Large eyes peered at her in wonder and awe. Little hands were clutching Naruto's shirt in a death grip. The father absently ran his fingers through ebony hair and said, "Daisuke, this is the Hokage. Say hello."
The boy looked at his father then her and said in a small voice, "Hello." It was obvious that the kid was intimidated. She gave Daisuke a small comforting smile and reached forward to ruffle his hair. "He looks nothing like you." she whispered in fascination.
Yes, the kid looked nothing like Naruto but he was the spitting image of his other parent. She could see it and it pained her. She could only imagine the kind of pain Naruto went through. The little boy was so innocent and yet like Naruto he was cursed right from his birth. She lifted her head to look into somber blue eyes. "I thought you didn't want him here so soon."
"I didn't want him here, period. Jiraiya-sensei really dug his grave this time. How many times do I have to tell you that I cannot stay Tsunade?" Naruto said icily. Tsunade glared at the blond while Daisuke flinched at his tone. Naruto dropped a kiss on the little boy's head and whispered, "Why don't you go play with Aunt Shizune for a while little one? I need to talk to the Hokage."
Daisuke nodded and slid off Naruto's lap. He walked towards Shizune who took him to another room.
The moment the boy left the room all hell broke loose. Tsunade slammed her palm on the desk and glared openly at Naruto and said, "You are a ninja of Konoha Naruto. You are a valuable asset to the village and I am not letting you go." Yondaime's son raised one regal eyebrow at her and asked, "Asset Tsunade? I have a son to raise and I will not let him be a target for the village's maliciousness towards me. My son will grow up without the hatred and loneliness that I suffered."
Tsunade flinched. She hated to do this. She hated this job because of this but when the council head, Hyuuga Hiashi, found documents identifying Naruto as Yondaime's son, the whole council was outraged.
They wanted the Uzumaki heir back in the village. It didn't matter whether he was the Kyuubi's carrier or not. All that mattered was that the boy was Yondaime's son and he needed to be in the village. Determination seeped into her gaze as she glared at the man in front of her once again and said, "Naruto, you are the Uzumaki heir. Your son has both Uzumaki and Uchiha blood running through his veins. I am not letting that go!"
Naruto stood up and brought his face close to hers and said in a cold and angry tone, "Don't you dare! Don't you dare to turn my son into some commodity for the village. Daisuke will not be a ninja." Tsunade's jaw dropped at that declaration. The man she considered her younger brother looked her straight in the eyes and said, "If you touch him Tsunade, if anyone, and I mean anyone knows that he is an Uchiha, I will pull at all of my clans power."
Tsunade stumbled back in shock. Her eyes widened. "Nani!"
Naruto sat down calmly and said, "You know as well as I that the Uzumaki clan is not confined to Konoha. As the clan heir I can reside in any village I wish, any village where the Uzumaki clan resides. If I am not mistaken, Hidden Pearl is one of those villages with an Uzumaki stronghold."
"Naruto you cannot do this!" Tsunade looked at him with desperate eyes. "You are my successor. How can you think of giving up so easily?" Naruto looked at her with narrowed eyes and then sighed sadly, "Please understand Tsunade. If Uzumaki bloodline is not enough, he also has the Uchiha bloodline. Didn't you and the Third hide the fact that I was Yondaime's son because of this? Because of my bloodline? If they catch hold of my son Tsunade... I cannot live without him, I'll die."
Running his fingers through his unruly hair he said, "Is it so wrong for me to want my son to be safe?" Tsunade's eyes softened as he spoke. "Naruto, we are all here to keep him safe. And I am sure Sasuke wouldn't let anything happen to him, even if Itachi is his father."
Naruto groaned and shook his head and said, his voice quivering slightly, "If you couldn't keep me safe Tsunade, how can I expect my son to be safe? Can you guarantee that no one in Konoha would glare at him just because he is my son, born from my body? They'd probably start thinking that he has a part of Kyuubi in him." He looked up at her with solemn eyes. "I cannot subject him to that kind of life. Staying in Konoha is very risky, if Itachi found out... I can't Tsunade."
He stood up and walked towards the window. Placing a hand on the cool glass he said, "People will know when his Sharingan awakens. He is already showing signs of the awakening of my bloodline. The silver rings are appearing randomly these days, when he is angry or startled. And it is very clear in black eyes Tsunade. In my eyes one can hardly notice the change, in his eyes it is visible. Itachi will know when he sees my bloodline with his looks that he has unknowingly sired a son."
Tsunade rubbed her temples. Naruto had a valid point. The blond was already in lot of danger just for having the Uzumaki bloodline and Kyuubi inside him. Having a son with both Sharingan and Mejiro (Silvereye) put Naruto in even more danger. Itachi wouldn't hesitate to use Daisuke against him; the man had no sense of love.
Daisuke would become Naruto's greatest weakness if anyone found out about him but Tsunade couldn't bring herself to separate father and son. She came to a decision. Looking Naruto straight in the eye she said, "Naruto, if you leave Konoha now I'll declare you as a missing-nin. This is your home. Believe it or not, Konoha is the safest place for you to be for now."
Naruto turned to gaze at her with wild silver eyes. "Tsunade..." he growled in warning.
The Hokage just shook her head and avoided looking into those silver rings. "Listen to me for once. I let you leave because Kyuubi threatened me. I agree that at that point you needed to get away, but you can't keep running with a child. Let him grow up here, in your village, in your father's village. He is Uzumaki Naruto's son and Uzumaki Arashi's grandson, two of the strongest people Konoha has ever seen."
Tsunade looked at Naruto and said, "Please Naruto. I cannot lose you. Think of your father. He wanted you to protect this village. He wanted you to be the hero of this village." Naruto closed his eyes and sat down heavily on the couch.
He knew he could pull on all his clans' power but then that could create unnecessary trouble for Konoha. Moreover, the news of him being of that blood and possessing the Mejiro would spread. He didn't want that but he knew if Tsunade carried out her threat he would need his clan support.
"Give me the keys to the Uzumaki estate." Naruto said blandly. Tsunade protested, "But Naruto... everybody will know!"
He nodded saying with the authority of an Uzumaki clan heir, "Let them know. I don't care what they say or do to me. However, let it be clear that they'll have hell to pay if they even glance at my child the wrong way." He stood up and straightened his back; "I want the keys to my home, all the Uzumaki scrolls and the sword. Inform the council." He turned and called, "Shizune."
The girl came back with a sleeping Daisuke in her arms. Naruto walked over and took his son, but his stern expression didn't change any as he said, "If he is to grow up in Konoha, he will grow up as an Uzumaki, not as an Uchiha. He is Uzumaki Daisuke Tsunade, remember that." Turning to her he held his hand out. "The keys please."
Tsunade sighed in resignation and took the keys from a hidden cabinet in her desk and handed them to Naruto. The blond took them and said, "Have the scrolls and the sword delivered to my house."
That is all he said as he walked out of the room and exited the tower in a blur of motion.
Shizune looked at Tsunade with concerned eyes. "Tsunade-sama?" The Hokage shook her head and said, "That's all I can do to keep him in the village Shizune. I cannot overrule the Uzumaki clan simply because the clan belongs to no particular village. We should be thankful that Arashi was and Naruto continues to be loyal to Konoha."
Shizune tilted her head to the side and asked, "Why are you so reluctant to let Naruto-kun have his heritage?" Tsunade looked at Shizune and then out of the window, "Arashi wanted him to know. His last request to the Third before he died was for Naruto to know everything, but Sandaime was uncertain. He didn't want Naruto to grow up fearing his own bloodline."
Shizune sighed. "Yes, but he grew up with even worse fears. Had the villagers known that he was of that blood, they'd have treated him better."
"I know." Tsunade sighed. "But sensei acted selfishly. He didn't want to lose another Uzumaki."
Sasuke slowly slid down the wall, his eyes wide and his skin deathly pale. Shivering fingers buried themselves deep into ebony hair. The enormity of what he just heard hit him from all sides. It made sense, the fact that the boy so resembled the Uchihas. He couldn't even comprehend what had happened, what Naruto had gone through. He couldn't comprehend the fact that Naruto's body could go beyond its natural function. To create the little life he now so proudly called his son.
But he couldn't deny the truth of it. He couldn't deny the fact that the boy unmistakably looked like him, like his brother. He looked like an Uchiha.
He shot up when Naruto zipped past him with blinding speed to reach his house. Sasuke did not wait to follow. Before he could lose sight of the blond his arm shot out and caught a slender wrist and he pulled Naruto to his chest.
"Why! Why do you insist on keeping secrets from me?" Sasuke growled looking down at the face of the person he loved so dearly. Naruto blinked a few times to get rid of the surprise of someone interrupting his speed and then frowned, "What are you talking about? Let go of my arm!" Naruto hissed. Sasuke brought his face close to the blond, oblivious to the child sleeping in his father's embrace and said, "When were you going to tell me that you had Itachi's son?"
Naruto's eyes widened in surprised before he pushed Sasuke away and growled, "You heard? You followed me, you bastard!"
Sasuke's vice like grip on Naruto's wrist didn't loosen. Naruto felt the familiar burn of a bruise forming. The Uchiha leaned forward and met the blond eye to eye, "How long were you planning on keeping this from me? Until the boy got his Sharingan? Or were you going to forever hide the fact that he is an Uchiha?"
"Uchiha?" Naruto sneered. "Daisuke is not an Uchiha. He is an Uzumaki and will always be. I gave birth to him and I raised him, he has my and my father's blood running through his veins."
Sasuke's gaze softened as he brought his hand up to caress a smooth cheek. "Why won't you let me help you? Please trust me Naruto. We can raise him together, protect him together." His gaze fell on the child for a moment before he raised it to meet the distraught cerulean eyes again. He strengthened his resolve and dared to venture into feelings he had kept inside for quite some time. Wasn't he the one who had wanted a second chance? This was his second chance.
"Just give me a chance, itoshii. I promise nothing and no one will hurt you or your son."
AN: Sorry I took so long to update but I had my midterms to consider. I'll try updating sooner.