AN: -keeps eyes shut tight and waits for UFO's to be hurtled my way- please, just don't make it hurt TOO much…
Found Out?
Hanzo craned his sword arm back and smashed it into the ground, a mass of earth corroding beneath the feet of the shinobi. The blond looked from left to right, expecting an attack to come but nothing happened. There was a few seconds' wait before Hanzo began to chuckle almost inaudibly.
"What's so funny-"
Naruto was cut from his sentence, feeling the ground begin to shake again. He didn't have time to react as the earth rose up in dangerous earth spikes. There was a follow up attack that blended with the last—a crescent of a blade broke up from the crevices, threatening to hit anyone in it's path. Naruto's eyes widened. His legs carried themselves dumbly without a mind, trying to escape the threat.
"This is what's so funny, boy. Watching you dance around like a bear on hot metal being forced to learn how to dance. You pick up your paws one after another, trying to escape the heat…humorous."
Naruto tried to dodge more of the spikes, hoping that his chest wouldn't begin to pain him again. His eyes widened as he felt the impact of something his shoulder.
"N-Naruto!"
Hinata called out his name, watching as his figure was sent soaring through the air. Blood splattered against the earth spike and on Hanzo's mask, a smile gracing his lips under the mask.
"What a beautiful sight."
Hanzo jumped into the air, ready to attack the blond. Naruto's eyes widened, making him recompose himself and catch the enemy's blade. Blood began to pour from his hands, the two beginning their descent back towards the ground. Naruto waited until the last moment to pull away, Hanzo smashing into the ground unceremoniously. Naruto was panting heavily, grasping his shoulder. Shino recognized symptoms of another episode that was visible on Naruto's features.
'Not now…'
He thought quickly, raising his arms as more bugs began to swarm out from under his coat and towards Hanzo. Naruto ran towards the rogue ninja, stopping dead in his tracks. Blood seeped through his lips, he began coughing up blood. Kiba forced himself up, clutching his stomach wound.
"Akamaru!"
The dog barked, running to help his master stand up. He grasped a fistful of his fur and stood, mounting his canine companion and running over to Naruto's side.
"Oi, snap out of it, idiot!"
Akamaru dashed over to Naruto, Kiba sticking out an arm, ready to grab the blond into his arms and pulled out of harm's way. Naruto's eyes widened as he finally caught on to what was happening. Kiba was swifter and managed to have his arm wrapped around Naruto, the blood having more blood being sprayed out of his mouth from the impact of the dog tamer's arm. He was placed on the back of the canine, rushing away from the other ninja.
"Idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing!? We told you to go home!"
Naruto didn't reply. He was trying to assess the situation as best as he could but found it exceedingly difficult to even concentrate on Kiba's voice. Hanzo seemed to be strong, but he had to be stronger. He had to overcome this foe with too much on the line to risk losing.
"Kiba…I have an idea….I n-need your help."
He forced the pain to bay and spoke as best as he could. They dismounted Akamaru, Kiba about to tell Naruto off once again.
"Just listen... you have to take Hinata and hide. Shino no doubt will take over any moment soon, and when that happens I'll go in and attack him at an angle. Use dynamic marking on him with Akamaru and have Hinata attack him from behind…"
"Have you mentally lost it!? You're not-"
"Just do it! If the mission fails, I promise to go back to the village! I promise you!"
He yelled, sweat drops sliding down his face. Reluctantly, Kiba nodded and began his dash over to Hinata with Akamaru, jumping on his back as he went. As he anticipated, Shino had already begun his counterattack on Hanzo. Naruto needed to wait a few more seconds so the others could get the distance that they needed. The time came when he could no longer hear the overgrown dog cracking the foliage as he ran. He closed his eyes, his chakra flaring up in an instant. It took only a second for Hanzo to realize that Naruto had begun his attack on him, raising up his arm in defense as Naruto made a swipe for him. The blond had already predicted him to perform the block and decided to counter against that with a swift knee jab using his foot, hearing a dull crack. More blood leaked from Naruto's mouth, he made no attempt to wipe it away. His plan had to be perfectly executed before he could really do anything. In a flash, he saw a hand come in from the left side, coming into contact with Hanzo's shoulder. The hand belonged to none other than Hyuuga Hinata. She began to perform a series of gentle fist moves, only nbarely hitting her target. Naruto heard cracking behind him and backed away, Kiba and Akamaru coming into view as they preformed their dynamic marking followed by gatsuuga. The others shielded their eyes from the debris, removing it to bare witness to a huge crater with Hanzo embedded in the middle. They stood around the hole, watching as Hanzo tried to stand once again. Hinata jumped down and hit his heart, the man dying instantly. Kiba turned towards Naruto and furrowed his eyebrows together, making an approach to him.
"You MORON!"
He yelled, throwing a fist into his face. Naruto held his cheek, staring at Kiba. Shino held his comrade's shoulder, making sure he wouldn't damage Naruto further than he had already been.
"Instead of trying to do everything yourself like you always do, this team I saw you explain to Kiba should have been commanded to the entire team. You wouldn't have become in the state you are in."
Shino pushed his glasses further up on his nose, watching Hinata drag Hanzo's body out of the crater. She didn't seem to be struggling too much.
"We'll continue this discussion another time. Be warned, however. It will be known to me if your condition is getting better or worsening."
Naruto made an angry noise escape his throat. He hated the feeling of being mistrusted. It made him feel useless. The illness that he had wasn't his fault and they're treating it like it is.
"Come on. Let's go rest back at the village. We'll set out for home tomorrow morning."
Shino explained, Kiba placing the rogue ninja's body on the back of Akamaru, setting off towards the village. Naruto kept his eyes downcast. Indeed, he knew, that his condition had been worsening. It was most likely because he was forcing his body to perform when it obviously couldn't.
"Hinata, do you…have any sleeping pills…?"
Naruto swallowed his pride as he pulled to the back of the group where Hinata was. She gave him a weird look but nodded nonetheless.
"Is there something wrong with your sleeping?"
"Aha…you could say that…I'm just….restless. Probably because I don't want to chase Sasuke again if he leaves the village another time."
He laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, trying to think up of another excuse. It was unusual for Naruto to be asking for sleeping pills after all. Wasn't he supposed to be the loudest ninja in the village?
"They're back at the village. I'll give them to you when we get there. I don't especially like using them because they can get addicting and you'll depend on them if you use them too often."
Naruto nodded, accepting her words of wisdom. It shouldn't have to come down to that, after all.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"Oh ho! So the villagers were right! There was a rogue ninja wandering around aimlessly!"
Shino nodded, presenting Hanzo to the Lord of the village.
"We shall celebr-"
"Not necessary. We were only doing our job. One more night, however, would be of some help."
"Of course, of course! I shall allow you to rest for the rest of the evening! Ooh, that sentence didn't make much sense, did it!? Rest for the rest of the evening, how silly of me!"
He giggled, twirling around out of sheer giddiness. It showed and smelled that he was, in fact, drunk as a skunk. Why? Well, the list could go on forever why, and Shino wasn't one who would really care why. They bowed and took their leave, three beautifully dressed women adorned in faux jewels and clad in barely anything but thin veils entered the room. The others were leaving faster this time, in hopes of avoiding unnecessary sights.
"I'm going to go find a place to eat."
Kiba announced, Shino heading another direction instead of heading back towards the room. Hinata and Naruto were the only ones who where going back for the sleeping drugs.
"Naruto-kun…what's wrong with you…?"
Hinata asked in a small voice, trying to cover up her face from the horrible blush that was beginning to form on her face. In haste Naruto began a series of exaggerated hand movements, trying to speak to her but coming out as nothing but gibberish. She chuckled and gave him a soft look.
"N-nothing's wrong! Honest! I just can't sleep properly because that damn Sasuke is on my mind and I'm wondering if he's going to run away from us again!"
He lied in a heartbeat. He was going to have to more often now, seeing as in he couldn't let her know of his condition. Also, ninjas are supposed to have a swift mind and quick tongue if they were caught and had to lie to the foe. She frowned, looking down this time.
"Naruto-kun, you shouldn't let him bother you anymore. He's in the village with Sakura…"
"I know…still…"
They approached their destination, Naruto walking into Hinata's room. She rummaged through her bag, finding many bottles of pills labeled as different pain reducers and whatnot. Finally, she pulled out a bottle with the tiniest of pills imaginable inside.
"Here-"
Naruto's eyes rolled to the back of his head, beginning to fall forwards. Instantly, the Hyuuga dropped the bottle and barely caught him.
"N-Naruto-kun!"
She exclaimed, feeling his cheeks. His head was boiling and had sweat beading down his face.
'Oh my god…why didn't I notice this…!'
Her eyes widened as she came to a realization. She never once looked at him on the walk to the room. He had enough time to develop symptoms!
'It shouldn't have developed this fast unless…he was already experiencing this prior to now…oh my god…Naurto-kun…what's going on..?'
She laid him down on the ground and began rummaging through her bag again, finding some fever and pain reducer. She took out a bowl and pounding stick, crushing them into powder. She took out a cup and poured water in it, mixing in the powder. Her hand slipped under his neck and raised him up, pouring the water into his mouth. A bit leaked from the corners, but she made sure that he drank the majority of it. Her other hand traveled over to his headband and untied it, placing it beside him. In her efforts, she had awoken him, his eyes opening half way.
"Hinata…"
"Shh…why didn't you tell me…?"
Naruto closed his eyes, mentally kicking himself in the head. He never wanted her to find out…he never wanted anyone to find out…
"Sorry…"
He breathed slowly. Tears sprung into the lavender-eyed girls eyes. Why did he want to suffer alone…? Why did he do this…? She didn't want him to be sorry…she wanted him to feel better.
"Don't…be mad…please don't…"
He tailed off, falling into a deep sleep, finding salvation after the day's torment.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
AN: -falling asleep with drool covering the desk- wha…it's morning….12:19….I'm updating this….at 12:20…..-time just changed- dammit…..for an update….ALLLLLL for an update…this is what I….-loud snoring- ENJOY! –last spazz before lights turn off magically-