Chapter Four: By Dawn's Early Light
Sasuke decided that Naruto had fallen asleep, if the deep even breathes and fast heartbeat were any indication. They were comforting sounds, soothing sounds, and lulled the kitten almost back to sleep. Instead he yawned and stuck his head out of his new home, a home-made pouch lined with something soft that hung from Naruto's neck. Considering that his caregiver was slumped to one side with his head on the table next to one hand and the other hand lost to sight as it hung limply at his side, the young Uchiha considered his new home a wonderful- and surprising- bit of forethought on Naruto's part. From the looks of it, the blonde had been up for most of the night, nodding off when exhaustion finally succeeding in sucking him under.
The sun would be up soon Sasuke noted with a yawn, the grey light of dawn chasing back the night. Morning fog hid most of the city from view, creating the illusion that Naruto's mundane apartment floated above the clouds like some fantasy castle in old stories. The image was pretty, the kitten admitted, and part of him wondered if –assuming he got up in time- he'd be able to see a similar view from his own home. On the heels of that thought was an odd curiosity, and Sasuke sadly wondered if anyone had noticed he was missing yet. Surely someone had noticed and told the Hokage.
Right?
It's only been a day. He reminded himself sternly, mentally shoving away his moment of self pity. It'll take a while for your disappearance to register with everything going on. Wait, why the hell do I care?
Still though, it was a bit depressing to think he could be so inconsequential. The kitten sighed unhappily, idly wondering if he would be able to make the leap from his perch to the table. He needed to stretch in the worst way; his leg muscles were beginning to twitch as they cramped and it would only get worse the longer he stayed immobile.
"You're looking better." Hinata's voice, though a whisper, startled him, making him withdraw back into his pouch like some furry turtle. His heart pounding in his throat, Sasuke poked his head out again cautiously and wondered how the hell she was always able to approach without someone noticing.
She smiled up at him as she knelt on the floor, lowering the large metal box she carried to the wooden boards. It settled with a quiet thud, which seemed loud in the predawn period but then again, the act of breathing seemed loud too. Hinata set the box as she wanted, lifted the lid soundlessly, and began sorting through its contents.
It was a medicine chest, Sasuke realized, surprised at how well stocked and organized the paraphernalia was. Hinata seemed to be impressed as well, making little appreciative sounds as she read the labels on some of the bottles. She fished out gauze and antiseptic, silently setting the items down on the floor for usage. Curious, Sasuke leaned further and further out of his pouch as he watched her, letting out a startled hiss when his weight made the pouch he sat in tip forward alarmingly. The strap of the pouch snapped, sending it to the floor for parts unknown. Sasuke was dumped out and the kitten fell several inches before pale hands stopped his decent.
The Hyuuga heir shushed him as she caught him, setting Sasuke on the floor gently and petting him, paying special attention to his head and ears before pulling her hands away. Puzzled, the young Uchiha sat beside Hinata, awkwardly stretching out his back legs as he watched the girl.
Biting her bottom lip, her eyes narrowed in concentration, Hinata gave Naruto's limp hand an experimental stroke with a shaking finger. She glanced nervously up at his face, relaxing when he continued to sleep peacefully, right cheek against the table. Shooting Sasuke a conspiratory look, Hinata inhaled deeply and took Naruto's hand between hers, running her fingers gently over the blonde's palm. The corners of her mouth turned down, but Sasuke didn't think she was unhappy exactly, more like she was worried about something.
Sasuke watched her prepare several pads of gauze, the antiseptic smeared on the material sharp in the kitten's nose. Hinata began dabbing at Naruto's hand, pausing guiltily every now and then when his fingers twitched in response. Taking a firmer grip on his wrist, her thumb resting lightly on the pulse point, the Hyuga heir continued to treat whatever ailment she had found on the blonde's hand. Eventually Hinata, satisfied with ministrations, finished by liberally spreading salve over Naruto's hand and wrapping it in bandages.
The kitten took a few experimental steps around Hinata, actually managing to make it all the way to Naruto's medicine chest positioned several feet away from him. The short trip was surprisingly tiring, and Sasuke let himself slide down to lay on the floor beside the box, propping his head on a corner of the cool object. He was thirsty, he realized, and wondered how he could get Hinata to get him some water, or even that milk concoction Naruto had been feeding him thus far.
Thankfully, he didn't need to think very hard; Hinata seemed to have a sixth sense about the needs of others. Sasuke was scooped up and set on the table near Naruto's hand, left to wait while she disappeared into the kitchen. For several minutes, the kitten heard only the sounds of cabinets being opened and closed. Then the wonderful sound of water running from a tap could be heard, cut off just before Hinata reappeared carrying a shallow bowl between her hands. She set it on the table near him, muffling a laugh as Sasuke very nearly shoved his head under the liquid's surface in his eagerness to slack his thirst.
While drinking, the Uchiha heir was at an ideal vantage point to watch Hinata explore Naruto's fingers and knuckles, finally able to see what injury she was dressing- he didn't smell blood and if the blonde was indeed injured, Sasuke figured that, of any of them, he with his new sharp senses would be the first to know. He peered close then dismissed the cracked skin of Naruto's hands as a minor injury and walked away to shake the water off his fur; if his blonde idiot teammate couldn't remember to ice his swollen knuckles after training then that was Naruto's problem.
Though, the swelling was odd since Naruto always seemed to heal so fast no matter how many times Sasuke pounded him.
The kitten licked his lips clean of water and sat, sniffing the air. He caught the scent of something and began tracking it, crawling across the table slowly. Hinata had brought more supplies with her, but he tried hard to ignored the antiseptic smell pervading the air, instead concentrating on the scent he wanted.
His legs aching slightly, Sasuke lay on his belly and crawled forward toward the source of the odor. His lips were pulled back, his mouth half open with his tongue curled back against his tiny front teeth, inhaling the air deeply and analyzing it. He continued forward until he was nose to nose with his sleeping teammate. Sasuke frowned; surely he had to have made a mistake because Naruto couldn't possibly be the source of the scent- the young Uchiha would have noticed it long ago even with his normal sense of smell.
The kitten sat on his haunches, frowning, with his head tilted to the side in confusion. He shut his eyes, closed his mouth and stuck his nose in the air. For several minutes he simply breathed and listened to the almost inaudible sounds Hinata made as she finished wrapping the blonde's other hand.
He could smell her, Sasuke realized for the first time, Hinata's scent seeming to breathe calm and gentleness into the room. He could also smell hints of baking in the air as restaurants all over the city began preparing for the day, mixed in with remnants of the meal Naruto had cooked the night before. Scents of earth and grass from the blonde's plants peppered the patina his new enhanced senses painted of his surroundings, his ears flicking and tracking the noises of his comrades.
Okay, Sasuke thought, focusing his ears and nose on the blonde sleeping inches away. He concentrated and slowly the other distractions fell away, receding into the background.
Now, let's find out what's going on. Sasuke inhaled deeply, bringing his nose down close to Naruto's skin and analyzing his findings.
Underneath the slightly acrid scent of sweat and irritating smell of antiseptic, Naruto's scent was a difficult combination to describe. It confused the young Uchiha, and annoyed him beyond reason mainly because it kept conjuring conflicting images in the kitten's mind. Sasuke frowned, realizing that there was a new issue he had to address.
It seemed that felines associated scents with concepts, not only physical objects or tastes. For example, take an orange in the middle of a table. On one side of the table is a human. Now, let's say someone comes along and cuts open the orange, sending the scent into the air. For the human, the smell of that orange may be a reminder of summer or perhaps cleaning fluid, depending on the person. That human may also admire attributes of the orange; its color, size, or texture. For the sake of relevance, let's replace the human with a cat in this scenario. In the cat's mind, a new third connection is made, one linking to a more amorphous concept. This wasn't exactly a problem for Sasuke; just an unexpected and strange hurdle he was forced to jump over before being able to reach any conclusions.
Naruto's normal scent, in Sasuke's mind, had become connected with concepts like safety and comfort. The blonde was warm, the heat sensed easily via Sasuke's whiskers, and that too in its own way had a scent, one that was mixed in with comfort and oddly danger. The last made him blink in pause until he figured it out- too much warmth and one could pass out from heat stroke and, in some cases, die.
Sasuke sniffed delicately, the cold moist skin of his nose one sharp inhale above the blonde's skin. But underneath the smells of sweat, antiseptic, and concepts, there was something else, something… other. Neither side of Sasuke could figure out what it was exactly but his human side expressed distinct unease over it. The indefinable scent was there under the others, a part of the collage yet standing out enough to catch the attention of his sensitive nose. There was a bitter quality to it but that was all Sasuke could pin down.
Frustrated, Sasuke sat back and put a paw to his head as a headache formed in his temple.
From behind him, there was a soft 'Oh!' of surprise from Hinata followed by an odd drumming noise that made the young Uchiha whip his head in that direction to find out what was going on.
Naruto's hand was twitching. That wouldn't have been noteworthy in and of itself except that it was twitching violently, newly wrapped fingers convulsing painfully against the unforgiving wood of the kitchen table until Hinata took his hand between her own to protect it from further injury. Sasuke bounded over, nearly skidding over the table edge in his haste to investigate as Hinata, face set in determined lines, hung on to Naruto's hand even after the episode had finished.
…The hell? The young Uchiha wondered, putting a cautious paw on top of Hinata's hands. He sniffed Naruto's wrist, surprised when he realized that the odd bitter scent was gone but the warmth radiated by the blonde had increased. A worried meow escaped from him, surprising the Uchiha and Hyuga both.
"He's sick." Hinata explained in a whisper, putting a light hand on the blonde's forehead. Sasuke watched as she held her breath, her eyes wide, as Naruto stirred enough to shift his position, folding both arms on the table and resting his head on his forearms. To the kitten's surprise and annoyance he found himself mimicking Hinata's tense actions, watching her hand as it hovered over the blonde's head while the latter changed position.
A clock that the kitten couldn't see ticked off several minutes in the silence of the room. Hinata, biting her lower lip, her cheeks bright red, placed her hand hesitantly back atop Naruto's blonde head again. She remained tense, ready to move if he showed signs of waking though Sasuke wondered how she intended to deny touching him, what with Naruto's hands wrapped so neatly in gauze and so obviously by someone else. Her hand relaxed, inch by inch, and she experimentally teased her fingers in his hair, blush flaring when Naruto unexpectedly made an appreciative noise.
Sasuke watched the girl worry her lower lip as she hesitantly petted Naruto, her pale fingers seeming even paler as they threaded through the blonde locks. The kitten's teammate continued to sleep, letting out a soft sigh as Hinata's hand moved. With the birds beginning to chirp outside and dawn's light filtering through the drawn shades, it was a like some scene out of a heartwarming novel and, bizarrely, Sasuke felt a rare moment of peace with the world, a feeling compounded when Hinata's free hand began petting his head as well.
But, like most good things, the moment didn't last as a scream tore through the apartment, shattering the homey moment and making Sasuke's fur stand on end in alarm. Hissing, he reared away from Hinata, immediately looking for the source of the scream and for the threat causing it. The Hyuuga heiress was already moving, drawing a kunai knife from Naruto's barrowed pajamas. She made it several steps toward Naruto's bedroom before Moegi, the female of Konahamaru's little gang of misfits, came barreling down the hall and ran full into her.
An instant later, with a sound like a whip cracking, what appeared to be electricity ran over the walls of the apartment. It ran over the kitchen's windows and the front door, making all the portals flash blindingly before disappearing into the walls again, presumably to give the same treatment to Naruto's bedroom. There was a brief moment of stunned silence in which both the girls and the kitten stared at each other before the ceiling rippled with the same energy previously displayed.
The two thumps that followed sounded loud in the small room, making everyone jump as Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame literally dropped into the apartment. Both were tied up- with an astonishing amount of rope- and gagged, each guarded by an irritated looking Naruto clone.
"Never figured you two for perverts." The one beside Kiba remarked in disgust, ignoring Kiba's muffled protests and murderous glare.
"Peeping in on little girls!" The other said in the same tone. "For shame!"
Sasuke swore he felt his jaw drop to the table, too shocked to even back away from the awful odor coming from the captive pair. The smell of burnt hair and wet dog quickly pervaded the apartment, making Hinata and Moegi gag and rush to cover their noses, the younger of the pair not bothering to be discrete like the Hyuuga heir, instead making a big show of holding her throat as if choking. The kitten followed suit, turning and nearly tripping over his blonde teammate who had not moved during the commotion.
The young Uchiha stared at Naruto who continued to sleep peacefully. Sasuke had always suspected that the blonde could sleep through anything and now here was the proof. It should have been funny but the kitten felt no desire to laugh as worry crept through him, weighing heavy on his heart as he stalked closer to the blonde's nose and pawed at it gently.
"Kiba! Shino!" Hinata was saying, clearly surprised to meet her teammates in such a fashion. "What are you doing here?!"
"Why were you peeping?" Moegi asked, yelling, her cheeks flushed in outrage.
Sasuke pawed with more force at Naruto's nose.
"What's going on?" Konahamaru sat up, rubbing his eyes to wake up. Beside him, Udon emerged from the pile of blankets that had served as their bed and yawned.
"Whoa! Thieves!" Udon said, getting up and coming over to get a better look at Kiba and Shino. Naruto's clones kept the child from getting too close.
"They're Peeping Toms!" Moegi screeched. She stalked over, kunai knife in hand and looking angry as hell.
"No!" Hinata said, rushing between her friends and the girl. "They're my teammates! I'm sure they meant no harm!" She turned toward the two tied up teens and began pulling at a corner of the tape sealing Shino's mouth.
"I bet they have a valid reason for being here..." She continued, now peeling the tape away from Kiba's lips with care. She was kneeling close to the table and so Sasuke raced over and snagged her pajama collar with his teeth, pulling it sharply to get her attention.
Though her hand was gentle in pushing him away, her words stung. "I don't have time to play right now." Hinata said, reaching up and giving Sasuke a light shove across the table before turning back to untie her teammates.
-That's not fair!- Sasuke tried again, swatting at her head with his paw. -Forget those idiots and help me!-
The Naruto doubles, in unison, looked toward the door of the now crowded apartment and stilled before maneuvering themselves opposite the portal. They tried to be casual about it but Sasuke noticed the tenseness throughout their forms. He gave up on Hinata and raced back over to Naruto, rearing up on his hind legs then bringing his front paws down on the blonde's shoulder.
-Wake up!- The Uchiha growled, his ears tracking the movements of the clones. -Of all the times to sleep, you pick NOW?! Moron!-
"Uzumaki, you bastard!" Kiba shouted, kicking the table roughly and jostling both the blonde and the kitten. Sasuke's forgotten water dish sloshed, creating a puddle as it moved. "What kind of jutsu was that? You nearly killed us!"
"You shouldn't have been peeping!" Moegi roared, jumping to her hero's defense.
"Maybe you were here to peep on Naruto?" Konahamaru offered, an evil smile on his face. "Is that it? Did you want to catch him asleep and confess your feelings?"
Kiba sputtered, incoherent in his rage, and beside him Hinata turned a never before seen shade of red. A grinning Moegi helped matters by making kissing motions, hands clasped romantically beside her cheek while Konahamaru and Udon added their two cents by taking each other's hands and gazing into one another's eyes. They began passionately confessing their undying love for each other, further enraging Kiba.
We're not getting anywhere. Sasuke thought in disgust, turning his attention back to his teammate. About to resume pouncing, the kitten halted when he realized that the blonde was actually awake, blue eyes at half mast. Relief coursed through the feline and, before he could stop himself, Sasuke began rubbing his head against Naruto's face, nearly grinding his cheek into the other boy's. Letting out a soft snort and smiling, the blonde freed one wrapped hand and stroked it down Sasuke's back before yawning, and sitting back in his chair. He brought the kitten with him and cuddled it between his hands, making Sasuke stretch and hook his front paws in his teammate's shirt, firmly pushing his head against Naruto's chin.
"Hello." The blonde whispered, lips moving against the kitten's fur. He laid a light kiss on the top of Sasuke's head and exhaled heavily, making the scandalized kitten's fur ruffle.
-I was worried!- Sasuke raged at him, shaking his head irritably at his own behavior. -Idiot!- He belatedly realized that he was making a noise, a chuffing sound, as he rubbed harder against his teammate, ludicrously happy that Naruto was awake and seemed normal. He tried to tame the feeling, tried to regain his usual calm demeanor, and failed miserably.
Gods what the Hell am I doing!? Sasuke wondered, the thought making him freeze uncertainly.
"I'm okay." Naruto said quietly, flashing a quick smile that didn't reach his eyes. He set the kitten in his lap, unhooking Sasuke's tiny claws gently while silently raising an eyebrow at his bandaged hands. He sighed and straightened, frowning as he surveyed his suddenly crowded apartment full of bickering people. Wanting a better vantage point, Sasuke propped his front paws on the edge of the table and watched the blonde watch his uninvited guests.
Kiba was arguing with the three members of Naruto's fan club. They were getting so loud and so agitated that none of them were listening to Hinata who was trying to act as peacemaker. Shino was the only quiet one but the kitten couldn't be sure if it was because of his silent nature or if he was unconscious. Sasuke thought that Naruto's first priority would be to leap in and help Hinata but instead the blonde turned to his two clones that still were focused on the door.
Naruto stood, drawing everyone's attention for a moment before the sound of something heavy hitting the door startled them all silent. The blonde set the kitten on the table and wandered over to the door, ignoring Kiba's shouting and threats.
Neji could not make the batty old lady leave him alone. It was true that without her help the young Hyuga would still be trying to find a way inside the building, preferably something aside from breaking and entering, but this was getting a bit bothersome. She had allowed him entrance, much to Neji's relief, but then she had followed him all the way up to Naruto's apartment. The entire time the woman had been raving about the fox demon, and kidnapping, and confessing her relief that someone had come to the rescue.
The Hyuuga male had no idea what the woman was talking about and, frankly, didn't want to know, considering the heavy scent of alcohol surrounding the shorter lady.
"There it is!" She said, pointing at a door not far from the top floor stairway landing. "That's its lair!" She ducked behind Neji, using him as a shield.
Eyebrows very much under his forehead protector, Neji eyed the woman warily, putting space between his body and hers. If Naruto had to put up with this woman on a constant basis, no wonder the blonde could be such an oddball!
Neji began to seriously worry about what may have befallen Hinata during the night in the building and approached the door purposefully. He knocked, wincing at the sound as he belatedly realized that he had used far too much force to be polite. There was a shifting behind him just as the door opened, and sensing an imminent threat from behind, the pale boy whirled in time to see the inebriated woman raise a long carving knife, a mad look on her face.
He brought his arms up to defend himself, knowing that it wasn't going to be in time to dodge the blow completely but, before the blade could touch him, a hand fisted itself in the material of his shirt and Neji was unceremoniously hauled into Naruto's apartment. He fell backwards, off balance and disoriented, and crashed into another body, watching in confusion as two Narutos shut the wooden door and held it there while the insane woman screeched on the other side.
"Been drinking again." One Naruto growled, putting his shoulder against the wood.
"Going over there and dumping the bottles!" The other one exclaimed, putting his back against the door as the heavy pounding continued.
"Hi Neji." Came a muffled greeting from the body sprawled under the Hyuuga. Blinking, trying to reengage his brain, Neji pulled himself together and got to his feet. He looked around, eyebrows climbing at the surprised crowd staring back at him. He shook himself and extended a hand to the blonde on the floor.
"Big brother!" Hinata said, her surprise and bewilderment evident. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to find you." Neji said slowly, shaking himself and resettling his mental feathers. "I followed them." His gaze flicked to indicate Hinata's teammates. He frowned, taking in Hinata's and Moegi's state of dress. "Whose pajamas are those?"
"Mine." Naruto said, running a hand through his blonde hair, making it tumble into his eyes as he accepted Neji's offer of help and stood. At Neji's frown he added, "She and Moegi needed something to sleep in."
The Hyuga male's eyes narrowed considerably. "Where did they sleep?"
"In my bed." Naruto's irritated tone added an unspoken 'duh' to the statement.
Neji's eye twitched but he wasn't the one who lost his composure.
"Kiba no!" But Hinata's command was already too late in warning. Face nearly purple, the dog lover leapt over the table and onto the blonde's back, fists flying. The blonde was caught off guard but he managed to turn under the other boy so that Naruto took the brunt of the impact on his back, ignoring the pain as the back of his head bounced off the hard floor while Kiba's fists pummeled his face.
"Hey!" Konahamaru and Udon jumped on Kiba, trying to help the blonde but inadvertently hindering Naruto's efforts to fight back. The pair pulled at the bigger brunette, pushing when that failed, all the while trying to avoid stepping on their friend. With them in the way, Naruto couldn't land a decent punch.
Abruptly, a grey and black furball entered the fray. Fluffed up to twice his size, the kitten raced across the floor and leapt square onto Kiba's face, back claws digging into the boy's flesh and teeth biting. Naruto seized the opportunity and took a firm hold on Konahamaru and Udon, flinging them to either side and out of the way. He couldn't punch Kiba in the nose but he could incapacitate him in another way- while Kiba yelled and tried to pull the kitten off, Naruto clapped his hands over the dog lover's ears as hard as he could, then sat up and hit Kiba in the chest with an open palm strike.
The brunette tumbled backwards into the table, impact shoving the piece of furniture away into the far wall. The kitten jumped off Kiba and ran back to Naruto, the blonde holding a hand to the back of his head as he sat huffing, blood dripping from his nose, his jaw already showing signs of swelling. He looked around, dazed, suppressing the slight feeling of hurt as he wondered where everyone else had gone and why no one else had tried to help him.
Neji and Shino were holding the apartment door shut, straight-arming the wood closed and putting as much distance between their torsos and it. The clones were no where in sight and light from the stair landing was filtering into the room via large slits in the wood that hadn't been there before. Hinata, armed with Naruto's First Aid kit, was seeing to Kiba and comforting the trio of kids. Of the two of them, Naruto was the worse for wear and the feeling of hurt resurfaced seeing that no one seemed to care.
There was a meow from his lap and a cold nose sniffed at his face delicately, one paw resting on Naruto's chest for leverage.
Well, the blonde thought, running a hand down the kitten's back reassuringly. At least this little guy does. Picking the tabby up, Naruto got to his feet, listing dizzily to one side. He swallowed convulsively, trying to fight down the sudden urge to be sick, and worked his jaw experimentally.
"Get away from the door." He commanded roughly, pushing the kitten into Neji's hands. Shino complied and moved away, silently setting himself instead as a physical barrier behind Naruto. Frowning, looking like he wanted to toss the kitten to the floor, Neji put his back to the wall beside the doorway.
"What was she saying earlier?" Naruto asked the Hyuuga in a whisper, blue eyes watching more slits pepper his door as his mad landlady- because who else would it be?- drove her weapon into the wood over and over again.
"She thought I was here to rescue them." Neji replied, pale eyes also on the door and the blade that appeared and disappeared. "She's been drinking."
"If she's up here willingly, then she must be drunk." The blonde muttered, making Neji's eyebrows rise. Naruto ignored the look and cleared his throat, banging a fist high on the door frame, far above her short height.
"Landlady! Does your family know you've been drinking again?" Naruto called loudly. "Your daughter's gonna be mad!" There was an inarticulate reply from the other side. "You better replace the door after the festival, you know, since you're the one who damaged it. If you think this is coming out of my pocket, think again!"
Come on. Naruto mentally willed the woman to explode. She should be ready to do so; all he needed was the right trigger.
"The rescuer you sent failed!" Naruto called tauntingly, ignoring the glare Neji sent him. "You up to the task?"
"MURDERER!" The howl came clearly through the wood, nearly as cleanly as the blade that followed the remark did as the mad woman attacked again. A good six inches of steel thrust through the tortured door, stopping just shy of Naruto's nose, and, quick as a flash, the blonde struck the blade, open palmed, with enough force that it flattened the metal against the door at a right angle, effectively nullifying the threat from the weapon.
She must have jumped to get it that high. Swallowing to fight down nausea, Naruto jerked open the door, surprising the now disarmed woman. The blonde stepped forward, filling the doorway and forcing her to retreat several steps if she wanted to stay out of reach. She panted, wheezing in fear like some trapped animal.
"You…!" She spat hatefully, watching as Naruto folded his arms and leaned against the doorjamb casually.
"Your daughter's probably worried about you." Naruto said calmly and quietly.
"That poor boy!" She said.
Neji, complete with kitten, stepped into view, plainly unharmed.
"Those children!"
From behind Naruto, the three young gennin peeked their heads out, looking at her as if she was some sort of monster.
Before the woman could ask, Hinata appeared, Shino and Kiba right behind her.
"You better go back downstairs." Naruto said into the silence that followed. He inhaled, the action noisy as a slight whistling from his broken nose joined in for accompaniment. "I can smell baking. Fresh bread and cookies. Your family's going all out!"
Confused by the odd topic and by Naruto's lack of action, intimidated by everyone staring at her, the lady stood there gaping. "Don't you comment on my family! Don't you dare, demon!"
"I wouldn't except that you need to be reminded." Naruto said evenly, clenching his jaw in his attempt to remain impassive. He could feel the others staring at him, gazes flicking between him and his land lord in confusion.
The woman frowned briefly before her face contorted into an expression of horror. "ARE YOU THREATENING ME? MY FAMILY?" She screamed, raising her arms as if to attack.
"Actually," said a voice from the stairway. "Your daughter is looking for you downstairs. She says your breakfast is getting cold."
Senseis Iruka and Kakashi climbed the last stair and stood surveying the odd scene. Both teachers quirked a brow, neither missing the knife embedded in the door not far from Naruto's head.
"My daughter?" The woman said, head cocking to one side. "Breakfast?"
"You're supposed to eat with her this morning." Iruka said gently, pointing downstairs with a somewhat strained smile.
"Smells good." Naruto said with a sigh, sniffing loudly again. "Say, if you don't want any, I'll eat it."
"NO!" The woman jumped, startled, as if she had forgotten Naruto was still there. Keeping her eyes on Naruto she began to head for the stair way. "You'll never get to eat her cooking!"
Iruka and Kakashi parted to let her pass, listening to her grumble to herself as she left. When her foot steps had faded away, the teachers walked over to the young shinobi gathered in the door way of Naruto's apartment.
"So you two slept in Naruto's room." Iruka asked, taking a sip from his cup of coffee. The kids had already given a synopsis about the previous day's events, informing their elders about running across the wounded kitten and fetching Naruto for help. The disagreement with the vet was glossed over, told only because that was when Hinata had joined the group. The trio recounted the evening, from dinner to fable reenactment, and had just explained the sleeping arrangements.
They were all inside the apartment, sitting around on the floor wherever there was room. The scent of the caffeinated liquid pervaded the enclosed space, mixing well with the smells of the warm muffins Iruka had brought. The slightly open windows let in sunlight, illuminating the little gathering and allowing the morning sounds of the city to join in; birds twittering, people calling, a wind chime somewhere singing in the breeze.
"Yes!" Moegi said, gesturing with her fork in annoyance and threatening to send her food flying. "Hinata and I slept in there while the boys slept out here! What, you think we slept with Naruto?!" Her face turned bright red as she realized exactly what her words implied. "I mean-"
"We know what you mean." Kakashi assured her. "And this is the kitten that started it all?"
Sasuke sat on his haunches at attention. He looked at Kakashi steadily, trying to will the Jounin to realize who he was. Instead, the elder shinobi reached out a hand and stroked a finger over the kitten's head to which the young Uchiha didn't react. Come on, you idiot pervert… The kitten thought furiously.
"Yup!" Konahamaru answered happily. "Hard to believe that the vet was so ready to kill him."
Iruka's eye brows rose at that but he decided to keep the conversation on track. "So how did you three come to be here?" He asked, looking at Kiba, Shino and Neji.
"They came to our house to pick Hinata up for some early morning training." Neji supplied, sipping his tea cautiously from the chipped blue cup it was contained in. "I informed them that she hadn't come home and we split up to find her."
"One of Shino's friends found her." Kiba added, frowning into his nearly empty cup. He finished his muffin and downed the dregs before continuing, face slowly turning red. "We followed it here and peeked in the first window we came across."
"Which turned out to be Naruto's bed room." Shino added, empty cup stacked neatly on his clean plate. "We're sorry we frightened her." He nodded marginally in Moegi's direction, Kiba doing the same beside him.
"But you two appeared in the kitchen, tied up and gagged." Hinata frowned, taking another bite of her pancakes and chewing thoughtfully. Konahamaru and Udon nodded in agreement, their mouths full from trying to finish their own plates of the fluffy confection.
Since Naruto had officially invited them over as guests, he had cooked them a breakfast of pancakes to go with the muffins Iruka sensei had brought over. In the time it took for everyone to find a comfortable seat (and for Moegi and Hinata to change into the clothes they had been wearing yesterday), the blonde had already put the kettle on for tea, made coffee and had almost finished his self imposed chore. Even Kiba had been impressed with his speed, adding a comment about how he would take his share, at which point Naruto had gruffly informed him that, since he had not been invited in, the blonde felt no need to feed him.
Kiba slammed his cup down. "Damn Naruto! What the hell jutsu does he have on this place?!"
"You triggered the alarm." Iruka said blandly, sipping from his cup. The others stared at him, including Kakashi.
"He has an alarm?" The Jounin asked, eye brow arching.
A corner of Iruka's mouth quirked up before returning to a serious expression. "This neighborhood can be dangerous at night. If you were all here as late as you say, then it would have been treacherous to try and walk all of you home. So, Naruto did the next best thing and kept everyone here where he could protect you. I'm not sure how he came up with it, but the alarm jutsu on the apartment is something Naruto designed. When he activates it, this place becomes one of the safest in the village."
Kakashi arched a brow at his fellow teacher at which Iruka just smiled and sipped his coffee. They both ignored the surprised and amazed looks on the other's faces. Silence reigned since no one seemed able to really form a coherent question or intelligent response.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Hinata blinked, looking in the direction from where the sound originated from. She was on the far side of the room, closest to the door and in perfect position to see out the windows on the other side of the room. A large sand colored hawk of some sort was using its beak to knock on the window pane. It was large, one of the largest birds she had ever seen, and certainly not from the area.
The bird cocked its head, looking at the room's occupants as they all looked back at it.
Please don't tell me that thing is Naruto's pet! Sasuke thought, a spurt of panic running through him. Unable to stop himself, the kitten felt his fur puff out in an effort to look bigger as he backed slowly away and hid behind Hinata.
"Does Naruto own that bird?" Beside his cousin, Neji frowned, eyes narrowed as he watched the feathered trespasser who stared just as intensely back at him.
"Not that I know of…" Iruka stood and walked over to the window, sliding the pane upward slowly until the opening was big enough to accommodate the fowl.
The bird waited until he had backed sufficiently away before sticking its head just inside the opening. It gave them all the once over, turning its head this way and that to inspect them all.
"Isn't very bright." Kiba remarked, frowning at the bird. "C'mon stupid! Get in here all ready."
Sasuke, peeking around Hinata, got the distinct impression that the massive bird was unhappy. It looked over them all again, pulled its head back outside and took off.
"That's a…" Kakashi trailed off.
"I know." Iruka shut the window again and retook his seat. "But what's it doing here?"
Distantly, the squeak of a water faucet could be heard. Sasuke looked down the hall, watching the bathroom door. Above him, he felt more than saw the Hyuga heiress discretely lean back so she could do the same.
If he could have, Sasuke would have smiled. I bet that moron has no idea…
But then the Uchiha's thoughts derailed as the bathroom door opened and Naruto stepped out into the hall. The blonde had a towel over his head and was vigorously rubbing it against his wet hair as he stood clad only in the towel that was knotted at his waist. Flashing a lot of thigh, he turned and headed down toward the door at the end of the short hallway.
It wasn't Naruto's lack of decency that caught the Uchiha's attention or made both Hinata and Neji sputter; it was the blonde's figure. Sasuke had always thought his teammate soft and still childlike in his physique but that illusion was very much gone now. Puberty had not only made Naruto shoot up several inches but had also made him muscular in all the right places, too. As he continued to towel his hair, muscles in the blonde's shoulders, arms and back worked, standing out even more as rivulets of water flowed around them.
I wonder if he's that defined all over. Sasuke thought inanely, feeling himself blush. Gods, what am I saying?!
Pushing the door open with his foot, Naruto stepped inside his room and shut the door behind him.
Grateful that the blonde was hidden from view and disturbed by his own behavior, Sasuke slumped against Hinata. He looked up at her and watched her shoot glances in the direction the blonde had gone, a dark blush gracing her cheeks.
-I'm- I acted like her!- The Uchiha smacked himself with a paw, hating the confusion he felt. -What the hell…? Why did I…?-
He shook his head until his neck hurt. Steadying himself, the kitten ran through a quick breathing exercise until he felt more like himself. He found himself rubbing the top of his head against Hinata's back, making that odd chuffing noise. Surprisingly, it was Neji who reached out and picked him up, placing the kitten in his lap for cuddles.
"YUMI!" Naruto's bellow startled them all. "OUT! No, OUT!" The door to the bedroom opened and Naruto stomped down the hall toward them all. He wore a pair of grey sweatpants and was fighting with a long sleeved oversized blue shirt, trying to get his hands through the sleeves while at the same time pulling it over his head.
For several seconds, Hinata got a very nice view of Naruto's lovely six-pack but then the blond won the struggle with his shirt and pulled the fabric down firmly, hiding his body completely from view again beneath the too large shirt and completing the illusion that he was smaller and softer than he really was.
Oh Naruto. She thought sympathetically as she realized that that was the point, that Naruto was hiding himself away.
Again.
He strode past her looking annoyed, and picked his way around his guests toward the window.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Sasuke froze, head shooting up in alarm as he realized that the hawk had returned. He began backing out of Neji's lap, ignoring the Hyuuga's hands as they tried to calm him down and keep him in place. He slinked away, hiding behind Neji and mentally willing Naruto to not open the window!
But, as usual, the blonde ignored his teammate's silent pleading and slid open the window. He still looked angry, his irritation reflected in the way he impatiently rapped his knuckles against his kitchen table. To make room for everyone to sit down it had been pushed completely against the wall, fitting perfectly under the window sill. As such it was in an ideal position for the bird to simply hop down onto as it ducked through the small gateway, pushing a large box in prior to its entrance.
The package was good sized and had been tied with thick rope. From the glimpses Sasuke got of the brown paper surrounding the box proper, it was anything but plain; scrawled in multicolored ink seemed to be more messages but the kitten couldn't see enough to make them out. The bird pushed the package inside with its beak then sat on top of it, flaring its wings a bit and hissing at them all.
Though he wasn't sure, Sasuke was betting the package was a present, if the colorful kanji were any indication. He assumed that, in typical Naruto fashion, the blonde would seize the parcel heedless of what ever animal guarded it and rip it apart until its contents were bared to the light of day.
None of that happened. Naruto let the bird in, closed the window and walked away. The blonde's attention was diverted to pawing through the refrigerator for food.
"Hey Boss!" Konahamaru said. "Don't you want to know who it's from?"
"I know who it's from." Came Naruto's muffled reply, his upper body hidden in the depth of the appliance.
"So," Kiba began petulantly. "Who is it from and what's with the bird?!" He shot a dark look at the sandy colored fowl who was busy hissing at him. It could have been that the hawk didn't seem to like Kiba because he was the closest to the table, but it was doubtful- Kiba just seemed to be giving off an unfriendly vibe that morning.
Naruto withdrew from the fridge and shut the door behind him with his foot, his hands preoccupied with working the lid off the container he held. A spoon dangled from his mouth making speech impossible as he circled the group until he could find a comfortable seat between Hinata and Neji.
"Who I receive mail from is none of your business." Naruto ground out around his aching jaw. "Neither is how it is delivered."
Sasuke read the label on the container of yogurt, finding it odd that he and Naruto both ate the same brand. Personally he preferred strawberry flavored; how on earth could the blonde eat anything plain? The Uchiha heir stuck his tongue out in disgust and jumped into his teammate's lap, watching as his friend applied more force than necessary to mix his breakfast.
"That thing isn't from around here." Kiba was saying, gesturing a finger at the bird. He nearly lost the digit as the hawk snapped its beak at it.
"Naruto's got connections." Moegi said proudly, her classmates nodding sagely in agreement.
Sasuke snorted and turned his attention back to the blonde. The kitten inspected Naruto's shirt with a paw then sank his claws into the fabric carefully. He scaled up the blonde's chest like some determined- and lost- mountain climber, working hard to not sink his needle sharp claws into the blonde's skin. He ignored the snorts of laughter his journey caused, stalwartly continuing upward even when his own weight began to tip him backwards. Just when he was wondering if he was going to have to use his claws after all to prevent his imminent fall, Naruto leaned backwards far enough to allow Sasuke to walk up with relative ease.
Disgruntled, Sasuke, perched on the blonde's shoulder, noted that his teammate had never stopped eating his awful yogurt.
Abruptly Naruto, spoon in his mouth, jerked his head toward Sasuke, his whole body following the movement. He made a pain sound as he moved away, nearly colliding with Neji sitting beside him, and Sasuke dug his nails into the blonde's shoulder to avoid falling off.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Hinata' voice quavered in panic, her hands making placating motions as Naruto, Sasuke and Neji stared at her. She began turning red and looked on the verge of tears. "I j-just… You're j-jaw!"
Sasuke felt but did not hear Naruto sigh, the action conveyed through the movement of the shoulder underneath his paws.
"I-I w-was…" Hinata began wringing her hands so hard it looked as if she had a grudge against them.
Naruto straightened up completely and snatched her hands out of the air with his free hand. His hand almost engulfed her two, and he squeezed them reassuringly before bringing her hands up to his jaw, turning to face her and removing the spoon still held between his teeth. He waited patiently until Hinata's brain engaged enough for her to continue her examination.
Part of Sasuke could only smirk at the scene. The two were so obviously in their own world at the moment that the rest of the room's occupants may as well have ceased to exist. The Uchiha heir looked over at Kiba and Shino to see if they were going to make trouble.
Shino, as always, was silent, letting his gaze wander around the room. Kiba on the other hand looked murderous, his face near apoplectic in color as he watched Hinata run her hands over Naruto's bruised jaw- over the damage Kiba himself had done.
Oh, that must hurt! Sasuke wanted to laugh out loud at the irony that Kiba's actions were bringing the couple closer together. He looked over at Kakashi and Iruka and noted similar expressions on their faces. Naruto's little fan club were looking from the couple to Kiba, back and forth blankly until the light bulb of recognition went on in their heads. Then they just grinned at one another and nudged their shoulders together knowingly.
"Will you quit pawing him?!" Kiba shouted suddenly when Hinata shifted her focus to Naruto's nose, tilting the blonde's head forward to do so. They were nearly touching foreheads and the girl seemed to be having some difficulty keeping a straight face since the object of her affection kept crossing his eyes and wiggling his eye brows at her.
At the sound of her teammate's angry voice, the Hyuga heiress jumped, startled, and Naruto let out a hiss of pain because she had pressed too hard on his aching sinuses. The blonde pulled away from her and leveled an unfriendly glare at the uninvited brunette.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Naruto asked, trying his best to ignore the funny tones his voice had taken on thanks to the damage from Kiba's fists. "You've done nothing but bitch since you got here!"
"I am not bitching!" Kiba growled. "I'm annoyed because Hinata ditched a training session to come play house with you!"
Naruto frowned, glancing at Hinata who was working herself into another distressed state. He put an arm around her and pulled her against him, startling her and everyone else with his behavior. He rested his head on top of hers.
"That wasn't playing house." Naruto said, blue eyes like chips of ice. "This is playing house." He tightened his arm around her possessively, pulling her almost flush against him, and rubbed his chin against her hair.
Sasuke snuck a look at Neji, blinking at the Hyuuga male's apparent lack of interest in Naruto's little display.
He's extremely calm about this, considering that Naruto is nearly pawing Hinata. Sasuke frowned, looking the Hyuga male over again.
He knew of course that Neji's and Naruto's relationship had undergone drastic changes over the past two years, a shift caused by the Chunnin exams. Against all odds, the blonde had surprised everyone and beaten Neji in their match, after having pledged to do so after the Hyuuga male had nearly killed his cousin. Shockingly, the blonde had not only knocked Neji off his pedestal of arrogance but had also managed to pound some humility into him. Since then, the Hyuuga male had become easier to be around, especially if Naruto happened to be in the vicinity.
A thought formed in Sasuke's mind about this but the kitten quickly stuffed it back into the hole it had crawled out of because it was just so not possible.
"Fuck you, Uzumaki!" Kiba roared, bolting to his feet angrily, ignoring Iruka's shouted scolding. The dog lover turned his furious gaze on Hinata, and Sasuke felt Naruto tense beneath him.
"You wanna fool around with him, fine, but don't do it on my time!" Kiba growled at her. "You missed training and I expect you to make it up. I won't let anyone be weak on my team!" He headed for the door and yanked it open with enough force to make the blade embedded in it sway from side to side.
"Come on, Shino!" Kiba stepped through the door, clearly expecting to be followed. He left the door open, his heavy footsteps fading away as he went down the stairs.
Konahamaru got up and slammed the door shut when Shino made no move to leave. "What a jerk!" The boy said as he sat back down.
"He's a good ninja," Naruto said unexpectedly, loosening his hold on Hinata. "His people skills just suck."
Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke thought he saw Shino nod in agreement.
"Did you guys really have training this morning?" The blonde asked, looking at a crimson-faced Hinata for confirmation. He blinked at her dazed expression, noting the slightly vacant look in her eyes. Alarmed, Naruto gave her a small shake.
"Hinata, you in there?" He said in a light voice, nudging her again. "Does she normally do this when hugged?" He asked, looking between Shino and Neji for help.
"Overload." Moegi murmured.
Naruto raised his eyes at that, leaning around Hinata to look at the little girl. The blonde blinked and looked back at the Hyuuga heiress before scooting away to put several inches between them, encroaching on Neji's personal space.
"May I have more tea?" Shino asked suddenly, startling Naruto into his host duties.
"Um…Sure," Puzzled, the blonde rose to fetch the teapot. "Anyone else want anything?"
After he had disappeared into the kitchen with the dirty dishes, Hinata seemed to snap back to reality. She flushed redder than ever and seemed near tears as the kids told her about her odd behavior.
"Don't worry too much, Hinata." Iruka said, making calming motions and smiling. "You just gave him a bit of a scare, is all. No harm done."
But when Naruto returned and finished refilling the cups of his guests, he took Kiba's vacated seat, as far as he physically could get from Hinata.
More's Moment:
Hi all! Sorry about the delay but I hope you enjoyed the story and find that the wait was worth it. I'm still not sure about the pairings in this story- as it unfolds, it's possible that there won't be any though that doesn't mean I can't have some fun laying the ground work. Expect more cutsey moments though they will become few and far between as things heat up all over Konoha- I'm trying not to make this just another 'Behind the Mask' story as one reviewer put it. There is more going on than meets the eye and in the next chapter, Neji and Hinata are going to find this out the hard way.
Ah! I almost forgot- before anyone asks, assume that, since it is two years later, Akamaru is no longer a small puppy easily carriable inside Kiba's jacket. The dog has grown up to a as yet undisclosed size, so assume he's just been left to sit outside and has not been burnt to a crisp or something.
Happy tales everybody! Please review since feedback really encourages me.