A/N: Blah =] Very sorry for the late update! But I'm just getting so busy now...I don't think I'm gonna have enough time to finish this fic :P But I guess we'll see ;/ Oh, and big thanks to Conspiratorial Omen (my beloved onee-chan! XD and a truly wonderful CCS author) for helping me with the title :P But I can't forget you guys! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING TO READ & REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: I don't own it yet...WE'RE DOOMED! DOOOOOMED!!!!!
Warning: Yaoi and swearing! That means little kids shouldn't read this =] that's right, I'm looking at you :[
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"..." normal speech
'...' thoughts
Dobe = dead last
Baka = idiot
Itai = Ow/Ouch
Daijoubu = Are you okay
Bolded text – setting
Italics – emphasized thoughts or words; can also be flashbacks
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Chapter 11 – Nandemonai
Konoha – Hospital
Sasuke's footsteps echoed down the empty hallway, a freshly washed orange jumpsuit in hand. He had figured that he had given the two enough time to talk things over. After all, retrieving a new change of clothes and washing it for his kitsune wasn't a quick and easy task. As he approached Naruto's hospital room, a piercing CLANG! accompanied his footstep's ricochets.
His eyes widened and he hastily flung open the door, ready for anything. But what he saw was far from remote danger.
"Itai! That hurts!" Naruto yelled as he rubbed his arm, face flushed and hair tousled.
Shizune was on the floor picking up a tray that had apparently been knocked over. Meanwhile, Iruka was in hysterics.
"Naruto! Daijoubu ka!? What's wrong Shizune? Is it really supposed to hurt this much!?" the man said as he clutched his head in panic. "Does it still hurt? Are you feeling dizzy? Sick? Nauseous?"
Shizune stood up again and let out a small resigned sigh, "Yes, Iruka. It was just a needle shot. They're supposed to hurt only a little bit for a short time."
Beads of sweat continued to drip down the sides of Iruka's face, which was contorted in worry. Naruto had stopped rubbing his arm in pain by now, and he was giving Iruka a puzzled look.
"I'm feeling okay now, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said as he gave a small tug at Iruka's sleeve. "It doesn't hurt for long."
The Chuunin stopped his crazed rambling and looked down at the blonde sitting before him. He moved Naruto's forehead protector upwards and put a hand cautiously on his forehead. "Are you sure? You feel slightly feverish."
Naruto gave a wide smile that devoured most of his face and replied, "Yea, I'm sure! I can't get sick now; I have to begin training as soon as possible!"
Iruka removed his hand away with amazing speed before bellowing, "WHAT!?"
The kitsune covered his ears at Iruka's loud yell. Sasuke had thankfully closed the door quietly by then.
His faced flushed, Iruka began a long-winded lecture about Naruto's well being. "You can't start training so soon! You still need rest! Training's very hard on your body, and you're not fully recovered yet. You don't even know how to take care of yourself right now!" Iruka yelled savagely. His wrath turned on to the medic-nin standing beside him. "I'm surprised at you Shizune! You can't allow Naruto to start fighting right after he just got out of the hospital!"
Sasuke had taken a seat at the foot of Naruto's bed, staring moodily at the ground. 'Can we leave yet?'
Shizune glanced at Sasuke before giving Iruka an assuring smile and explained gently, "You don't have to worry, Iruka. Naruto is staying with Sasuke after he leaves. I don't think their sensei will give Naruto intense training so soon, anyway."
"Yea, Iruka-sensei! I feel like I can do anything right now!" Naruto said excitedly.
The man looked at Sasuke, who stared back indifferently. Iruka sighed with his apprehensive expression still on, but did not say anything.
Shizune turned to Naruto. "I think it's alright for you to go now, Naruto- kun. Don't work yourself too hard."
"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed as he jumped out of bed in his shorts and t-shirt, casting his sheets onto the floor. "Here, dobe," Sasuke said as he threw the jumpsuit roughly at the ecstatic boy.
Naruto caught it clumsily and spat mockingly, "Thanks for nothing, baka."
The Uchiha only scoffed in reply, as Naruto struggled into his jumpsuit, looking just like Sasuke remembered him. When Naruto was done, he proclaimed loudly, "Alright, lets get some training done!"
As the blonde prepared to make a dash out the door, a sudden rumbling stopped him. Rubbing his stomach sheepishly, Naruto said with a nervous smile, "Heh...after I get something to eat."
The nervous Iruka looked up and came to the blonde's rescue. "How about I treat you and Sasuke for lunch then, Naruto?"
The kitsune cocked his head and scrunched his face up in confusion. "Ra- men?"
Iruka looked at the blonde, eyes widened in faint surprise. "You forgot what ramen was, Naruto?"
"I think so, Iruka-sensei," Naruto replied as he scratched his head, puzzled. The Chuunin gave Naruto a smile, "Well, I'll help you remember then. Come on, Sasuke-kun." The three walked out of the room after giving Shizune a small bow. "Thank you for everything, Shizune-san," Iruka said.
"It was nothing, Iruka-sensei," Shizune answered. "I'll see you all around then."
With a smile, the three of them departed. Shizune's eyes followed Naruto all the way.
'Stay safe, Naruto-kun,' she thought as he turned the corner, 'for Iruka's sake.'
Konoha – Border
"Gaara?" Temari called as she gazed at her brother's turned back.
Hate and vengeance pulsed through his veins. His blackened and nonexistent heart beat at each turn only to see his face again. He had so many questions, and he hoped to have them answered in time, but his patience was only answered with despair and infringement.
As he gazed at Naruto's village, Temari approached him cautiously from behind.
"Gaara?" she said as loudly as she dared. There was no answer, except for a sudden wave of sand that knocked her over to the side like she was a tattered rag doll. A tree broke her fall painfully and she landed on her front, a cloud of dust unfurling from the ground as she did so.
She looked up and saw Gaara walking past her as if nothing had happened. Temari stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. Her back ached from the rough collision, but she was unharmed overall.
When she caught up with the rest of her team, Kankuro matched her pace and asked softly, "You okay?"
She nodded and the three continued on their way home. "Hurry up," Baki said loudly up ahead. "It's about a 2 day journey back to the Sand."
Kankuro inclined his head slightly to look at his little brother. His murderous mood hadn't changed; if anything, it only got worse. After giving the demon a heated glare, Kankuro turned back to the road ahead.
Gaara felt his foolish brother's glare. His hands tightened into fists as he resisted the overpowering urge to wipe that look off Kankuro's face. That purple-faced freak didn't know what he was getting into.
'Soon...they will all pay, soon...'
Konoha – Market
Naruto's bright gleaming smile had long since faded away. Instead, a look of nervous confusion consumed the vulpine face.
"Damned fox..."
"Nothing but a demon and a drop out..."
"There he is again..."
As Naruto walked down the street, Iruka and Sasuke on either side of him, the buzzing murmur continued. Naruto had thought nothing of it at first, but the ever-growing voices of treason, seething with hate, persisted. Naruto tried to look around Iruka's tall form to see who the villagers were looking at, but Iruka shifted so that he could see nothing. With a small frown, he turned to Sasuke, and tried to look around him. But Sasuke turned to Naruto with a cool expression.
"What, dobe?" he asked, giving Naruto the cut eye. Naruto glared back at the onyx eyes before turning his head and replying, "Nothing, baka."
As Sasuke looked forward again and Naruto stared at the ground, Iruka peeked at the blonde's expression. 'He doesn't know about the Kyuubi yet...'
"Demon boy..."
"He should be dead with all the others..."
"Quiet! They'll hear you..."
'Stop it...stop it...' Iruka chanted as he willed the whispers away. 'Stop-'
"Ne, Iruka-sensei," Naruto's voice cut through Iruka's thoughts. "Who are they talking to?"
Iruka looked down at him, his mind desperately thinking of an answer. "Uh...they're not talking to anyone, Naruto."
Sasuke looked at his former sensei, suspicious of his seemingly normal and nonchalant answer. He had often heard the whispers and murmurs surround him whenever he was with Naruto. But he never knew why. He had taken the liberty to ask Kakashi after a long day's work, but Kakashi told him that it was nothing and should forget it. Now the question had come back to haunt him once more.
'What's going on here?'
Naruto's and Sasuke's relationship was ordinary, and Sasuke expected it to be treated as so. Their friends knew about it, but other than that, the villagers had no need to know or care about it. But as the citizens witnessed the two seen together more than on training sessions, it was Sasuke's turn to bear the hate. The treatment had been very mild, seeing as he was the prodigy survivor of Konoha, but on rare occasions when the villagers spoke to the Uchiha, their words harboured an icy edge to it. To him, their words were nothing to him, so he never gave the matter a second thought until now.
Iruka was about to pull Naruto to the side and tell him about the Kyuubi residing in him, but something bright and neon in front of him caught his eye.
The three of them stared at the balloon floating towards them, going up in a steady descent into the blue sky. In the background, a small child ran after the balloon in front of them, his tiny arms outstretched and desperately reaching for the string. But the boy's tiny steps didn't bring him closer to the floating ball of helium.
"Come back!" the child blubbered out through his mounting tears. After a few more steps, the kid tripped on his own feet and cried in despair as he balloon continued to float away.
Naruto, feeling sympathy for the poor kid, took a few steps and jumped up just in time to grab the end of the string entailing the balloon.
As Naruto landed, he gave a gloating smile, happy at his accomplishment and heroic feat. He walked towards the little boy who was dusting himself off and smiling through his tears.
Naruto bent down and handed it to him, and the child's hands reached for the string. But just as the kid's tiny hands were about to touch the string, another pair of hands smacked the small hands away.
The blonde looked up to see the angry face of a woman, most undoubtedly the child's mother. "Stay away from my son," the woman spat, venom coating her words. "We don't need your help."
With that, the woman grabbed her child by the arm and dragged the crying boy away from Naruto, who was still holding the balloon in his hand.
Iruka ran up behind Naruto as he remained crouching on one knee. Timidly, Iruka put his hand gently on the blonde's shoulder.
"Naruto..." Iruka began gently, but stopped when the blonde didn't move or bat an eyelid.
That woman had made her point and hatred clear. The words bit at Naruto's heart, ripping it and feasting on the despair that poured out like blood. His emotions were nothing but livestock, brought up only to be eaten and devoured in the mouths of the villagers.
The fist closed tightly around the string of the balloon began to tremble. Slowly, his fingers opened and his arm fell limp by his side, as the balloon once again began its journey to freedom above.
The blonde's eyes, alive with only the life of colour, remained unblinking and empty. His pupils were contracted in shock, and there was nothing but still acres of blue surrounding it. There were no tears overflowing from his eyes, and there were no words from his slightly agape mouth.
Sasuke stood in the background, rooted to the spot. He had witnessed the village's obvious distaste for the kitsune's presence, but never this blatantly. Their hatred had always been kept behind the walls of undertones, their true intentions disrupting nothing but fluttering the easy-going atmosphere of the area.
'What just happened?' he thought, his eyes narrowed in concentration. There was no reason for the village to hate a common citizen like Naruto...right?
"Naruto, we need to talk," Iruka said as he helped the limp teen up. The Chuunin turned to Sasuke with a distressed expression. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. But I think lunch has to be called off for today. Maybe we'll go some other time."
Sasuke didn't answer; his eyes didn't even leave the back of Naruto's head.
"Sasuke-kun?" Iruka's voice sounded again. Sasuke tore his eyes away from Naruto to look at Iruka. "I think it's best if we leave here for today."
Ignoring Iruka's suggestion, Sasuke replied simply, "What's wrong with Naruto?"
The Chuunin looked lightly taken aback for a moment before answering, "Nothing's wrong, Sasuke. You should get going. I'll bring Naruto to your apartment later. But I have some urgent matters to discuss with Naruto and the Hokage. I'm sorry about lunch today, Sasuke-kun."
With a bow, Iruka and Naruto turned the other way and walked towards the Hokage's office.
The Uchiha didn't want to leave the Naruto's side. As much as he tried to get Naruto angry with his words, he was always only joking. But to see his kitsune in this unfamiliar, broken state, it was unacceptable for one such as him to let it go that easily.
He knew that he should heed Iruka's words, and he knew that he could do nothing about Naruto's broken spirit, seeing as Sasuke didn't know anything about the village's hate towards the blonde. But Sasuke had to do something to bring Naruto's fading sanity back to reality. He needed to knock some sense into Naruto, without using violence again. His mind was blank and devoid of ideas; he was on his own for this endeavour.
Sasuke caught up with them and grabbed Naruto's shoulder and turned him so that they faced each other, even though Naruto was still looking at the ground.
"Naruto, I'll wait for you at my place," Sasuke said coollyas he looked at the blonde, willing him to say something. After a long moment of thought, the Uchiha hesitantly muttered three words that were alien to him. It was uncharacteristic for Sasuke to say something like that, and he felt stupid and exceedingly disgraced for saying them, but he managed to mutter it coherently and quietly enough for only Naruto to understand:
"I'll be there."
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A/N: Yay! Finally got this chapter done :P I'm really sorry for the late update! I just simply don't have any time to write chapters anymore ;/ Like I said, I might have to take this story down soon, or put it on one hell of a hiatus :P Anywhos, I hoped you liked this chapter, even though in my opinion, it's kind of a disappointment after a long wait :P It wasn't particularly bad I guess, except for the last line of Sasuke...I tried to have him portray a little love without making him too OOC! I promise to never do it again! XO Anydangway, on with the responses! :D
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Review Responses:
tracy-kin: Nooo! :P I'll take the duffle-baggies, thank you very much :D But I'm going to have to somehow learn to become a contortionist...and get past the x-ray thingies...and so on and so forth :P Yep, I just saw episode 93! Finally! Tsunade gets hit! –evil cackle- It's nice to see she's not as scary as the anime makes her out to be! She's killable :D –brings a butcher knife and a pot lid- Just in case :] Well, Iruka's comfort was short lived :P But he's gonna make Naruto moronic again XD This update was about the length of the last chapter, or even shorter o.O Does that at least upgrade me one class up? :P Oh well, at least I got 2nd class! –dances around waving her suitcase ticket around while ignoring the screams of horror-
izumi: Hah, more Iruka torturing in this chapter :P Or at least I got to make him sad =] –smacks Kakashi too- Yea! Go comfort him! :P
Jaded Truth: -looks around nervously- Don't...tell...anyone o.O –gives you a cookie- Bribery works wonders...when it actually works that it is :P I'm glad you liked that chapter! Anywhos, if my impaired memory serves me correctly, this should take place after they rescue Sasuke :P It makes all the more meaningful that way –inspirational, romantic music comes on- And if I got my characterization right, Shikamaru will say something along the lines of "I love this fic, Tsuki is the supreme ruler of the universe." :D
kashisenshey: I got so tired of coffee after a really bad coffee experience involving coffee-stained pants, an angry friend, and an angry clerk making us work the day in her shop washing cups and dishes :S Anyhow, I know I didn't update exactly soon, but I hope you liked this somewhat pointless chapter nonetheless XD
Kisu: Yep, some loving Iruka-sweetness! –awww's in the background- I'm really sorry for the lack of Gaara-ness :( But maybe after a couple chapters or two :P But Gaara's gonna see his Naruto soon =] –hugs Gaara and Naruto plushie-
lalala: It's supposed to be GaaNaruSasu, which means Naruto's supposed to be choosing between Gaara and Sasuke. At least that's what I meant it to be :P anywhos, at this point, I'm still not sure about whether it's going to end as a SasuNaru or a GaaNaru =] Oh, the mysteries that be...:P But I'll decide when I hit that chapter =] too lazy right now =)
Kamikakushi: -dances around as plushies fall- Wah, thank you! I'm glad Iruka was believable in this story :P And coming from the authoress of the greatest AU fic in the Naruto section too! Of course you're a genius! At least for me (a fellow psychotic nutcase! :D) you are =) But I have to agree on the happy-story thing ;/ Happy stories with bunnies, rainbows, unicorns and hearts! Grr :[ Must kill! But I guess my story's a bit of a romantic comedy...a little, itty, bitty, teensy bit :D The Sasuke torturing will come in time :) Well, a little bit, anyway =] I'm so bad at writing angst and metaphors and such :P Anywhos, I'll need luck in writing them! I've discovered I don't have a poetic side ;/
Cat: I'm glad the cookie didn't kill you o.O I baked it myself XP Anywhos, I'm so glad I got to put an Iruka-Naruto moment! I love them to death! This one didn't have as much, but I hope you liked them anyway :D
Iceheart19: Wah! Was the last chapter really that good? I'm glad that my story had an emotional, character-devloping tribute in it :D Some stories out there are mostly action, action, action ;/ But my ficcy has one chapter that's not! :D I really had to elaborate on the Iruka thing :D He's just so sweet to Naruto! XD There wasn't as much Iruka-Naruto moments here, but I hope you liked it anyway =)
Ramen-sama: -ducks behind potlid- Spare me! O.O Blahhh, this story's so bad and simple :P It doesn't take much to write it actually! I bet you could do it better than I can! –feels like a newbie- So, in a way, you're the king of the world right now! HAHA XD Sure, you can marry me, but we just have to somehow make some changes on the illegal marriage laws :P I say we assassinate someone :D –grabs some bleach and steel wool-
RuByMoOn17: -screams bloody murder- Mistake! The cursed word! It burnses us! –sizzles- Anywho :P I'm really sorry for the mistakes! I usually proof read, but I skim because I'm lazy :D But I'm really sorry! I'll try to look for a beta-reader =] But I hope this chapter was okay! :D I'll proof read closer now =) Thanks for your help!!!! It really makes me happy, in the sunshine-lollipops-rainbows-way :P
Anime Ambreen and Poke' Manic: YA! It wasn't boring! –does the chicken dance- Anywhos, there's some definite Sasuke-OOCness in this chapter :P Especially the last part, but I couldn't help it XD –grabs a gun from the X- files- The OOC must die :D But don't worry, you shouldn't be ashamed :D Every author's done it once! Just blame it on the...er...damn bunnies in the world :P
icyflamer 007: THANK YOUU!!!! I dunno, I guess I like to nitpick, especially at my own story ;/ I just find all these weird mistakes and happenings, but I'm way too lazy to do something about it XP But I'm glad you like it! At least it didn't earn me a flame :D Thanks! I guess it's not as bad as I thought it was XD Hope you like this chapter =] Even though it wasn't exactly a quick update :P
Ayri Yu: Woah, fankies o.O My writing's average in my opinion, but it's great knowing that someone else thinks I'm great :D I might keep it up, but I'm not so sure :P So little time these days!
ayame0: Bah, I thought the last chapter was coma-inducing :P But I don't think I'll have Naruto all that happy anymore :P It's so fun torturing characters and such...but I don't think I can write it good enough to make someone cry! So no worries :D I expect the ninja organization's gonna be at my door (hopefully they'll use the door o.O) soon :P This update was probably the latest one so far! But don't worry about the tears, Yaoi fans are safe ;P This atrocious writer –points to meself- can't write tragedy to save her life. Anywhos, I can't stop the Sasuke ass kicking yet :D It's so nice to see his ass handed to him on a silver platter for once :D
Kutsu: Aw shucks :P I didn't really think the chapter was all that great, but I'm happy you liked it! This wasn't exactly the fastest update, but I got it done! –waves a 'I love me' flag, but it gets burned after 5 seconds- Hmm ;/
Ria Sakazaki: Blah, continuing this story seems like a little problem right now, but I'll keep trying if I decide to write a few chapters more! :D But at least you liked this chapter =)
Tipsy-Dragon: Haha, I see you got through your little dilemma from your last review :D –looks at seto- Poor guy :P But who can blame ya!? –dances in confetti with Tipsy-Dragon- I love confetti! –pours a bucket of confetti over Seto- CONFETTI FOREVER!!! :D
Psycho Rooster: Ha XP I really don't know about the final pairings right now, but GaaNeji sounds so cute! Both quiet, mysterious guys :P I can only imagine the interesting conversations they have :P Gaara says, "..." Neji says "...?" in return! But they look so cute together! I gotta put a GaaNeji moment somewhere :D Such a cute couple! WAHHhhhh –fangirls over the thought- Kawaiii! :D
mooneyoukai: Ya!!! You like it :D That's good XP took a great number of sacrificed brain cells to think of it! :P
Crystal-Chan2: Heh, this wasn't the fastest update ever, but I hope you liked it :P I'm thinking that this might be a GaaNaru after all! But there's so many other cute pairings that could happen! SasuNaru and NejiGaa sounds nice :P You really do have a point there though :D But I think I'm going to use Gaara's kindness for something else –evil cackle- I just need to think of it right now XP Poor leaf Jounins indeed...-pokes a Leaf Jounin voodoo doll with a needle-
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A/N: WOAH, that was a huge number of reviews! I can't believe it! They're still coming in! I can't thank you guys enough! –wears a 'I love my reviewers' t-shirt- My motivation has been really low lately, with all that's been going on...but THANK YOU ALL MY READERS AND REVIEWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for giving me a reason to write! –blows on a party blower as confetti flies everywhere- Anydangway, I'm gonna try to get the next chapter up soon, which won't be hard cuz I took so long to write this one XP So much to write, so little time! I might have to go on hiatus or ditch this thing altogether! I really don't, honest, but there's so much going on :P But I'll try my best! That's a promise! Ooo! And in case some of you are wondering, "nandemonai" means "it's nothing" in japanese =] -feels samrt now- XP
Tsuki