Thanks to DesperateLoveKoi for the review!
Onward ho!!!
Chapter 2
The elite shinobi of Konoha were on high alert. They weren't on edge from nukenin nor was there further threat of war. They were waiting for one of their own.
Each day the gates of Konoha were mobbed by excited hopefuls who were more than happy to have Naruto come home. Four in particular were haunting each entrance at regular intervals. The guards could only shake their heads as they continued to meet with one of the following: a dark but worried glare from the Sharingan heir; an excitable yet anxious Kiba; a worried mother-henning Iruka and a pink haired shinobi carrying an armful of medical supplies.
There were a lot of speculations circulating in the village, even from those who hated him. How Naruto must have changed physically. Would his hair still be short and spiky? Would he still be short? Did he maintain his tan? All of this were noted by the Rookie 9 with some amusement. To them, Naruto's biological change was inevitable and it wasn't really their main concern as of the moment. What was more important was that HE WAS COMING HOME.
With this particular mindset, nobody could blame anyone for missing the fox's actual arrival.
Naruto was expected to wear orange. He was supposed to be loud and attention seeking. He was happy. His blue eyes were said to sparkle with that mischievous light.
The slender aristocrat-looking male (at least they assumed that he was male), clad in delicate white silks was none of the above. This visitor arrived sometime just after noon, accompanied by an equally dashing redhead, with piercing green eyes that had females swooning.
Kiba, who had just arrived there from his route, frowned at the blond and the redhead. The taller redhead even more so, because he smelled unnatural. He took a whiff of the small blond and lost his mind altogether. He asked Akamaru to double check what his nose was telling him.
The posted guards, after the initial flustering, were at a loss. The blond with his hair in a rather long plait thrown over one shoulder was claiming to be a shinobi returning from a succesful mission. His Konoha hitai-ate was slung on his chest loosely. He had the necessary papers, but what perplexed the guards were the manacles-cum-bracelets on his arms. While the pseudo-handcuffs looked ornamental, and there was no chain in between them (not one that they could see anyway), they were similar to the ones Konoha shinobi used to detain prisoners.
Now, Kotetsu was at his wits end. How was he suppose to politely refuse a Konoha ninja because he assumed that those ... bracelet thingies were shackles?
"Do you refuse me entry?" the blond suddenly asked. His voice soft. Eyes as pale as washed out sapphire regarded the ninja intently.
The image proved to be a little provocative as evidenced by the flush on Kotetsu's cheeks. The white sleeveless robes, slit at the sides to reveal the loose white pants of the guest was not helping either. It only served to hi-light his lithe figure and the pretense of helplessness.
Kotetsu licked his dry lips.
The redhead behind the blond lifted a bland brow. Then he leaned to whisper in his companion's ear. "She comes."
And like divine intervention, Haruno Sakura swooped down to demand what was going on. One of the other guards explained the situation to her.
"There is no problem here, Kotetsu-san, we can take them to see Tsunade-sama and..." Sakura's brows came together. She peered at the elfin blond intently. He turned an interesting pasty white color before the taller redhead placed a calming hand on his shoulder. Coughing away his unease, the blond stood firm again.
The pink haired medic's own emerald eyes widened. "Naruto?!!!"
Uttering his name seemed to have inspired several coughing fits and crows of disbelief. One of the nameless guards even had the audacity to mutter, "Next you'll be telling me that redhead is really Sabaku no Gaara." Kiba beaned the guard on his head, but that did not ease the ball of devastation that dropped all the way to his toes.
"While we may both have red hair and green eyes, that's where all similarities end. I assure you I am not Gaara." commented the man, behind quirked lips. That little smile vanished in the instant the medic-nin rounded on him in fury.
The canine-like ninja ran toward the blond. "Naruto... Naruto... I... can I please talk to you? Naruto. It was wrong what I did... please Naruto."
His words, laced with guilt and emotion diverted everyone's attention to himself. "I didn't want Hinata to take that mission. I mean... those men would be pawing at her and I..." He swallowed. "I was her boyfriend, man. I wanted to save her from the pain..." He was openly crying now. "And I was too afraid to do it myself. That's why I... you... I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter, Kiba." The fox replied, not looking at his fellow Konoha nin. "Nothing much matters anymore."
Putting two and two together, Sakura glared at Kiba, who only bowed his head. He would wring the confession out of dog boy's neck some other time. Right now, they had more pressing matters to attend to. "What the hell did you do to Naruto?!!!" she demanded of the redhead, chucking out senbon. "Why is he wearing those specialized manacles? RELEASE HIM RIGHT NOW!!!" The medic box was lobbed on target with his feminine face too.
The redhead didn't even bother with evading the projectiles, a white blur intercepted them, kicking them away. He caught the chest of medicines and set them aside.
"Naruto get away from him! Those chains are being controlled by his chakra!!! He's the one who binds you."
Seeing that the blond was not processing her words and the guards immobilized with the turn of events, she set about to attack the redhead on her own, intent on releasing her friend herself. She came to an abrupt halt when a shoe sole appeared in front of her nose.
Naruto stood there calmly, one leg extended in Sakura's face. "Calm down, Sakura-san. Kurama is no threat to Konoha. I am not bound. I am owned."
At his words, the medic nin fumed even more.
"It's not what you think." came the shake of a blond head. The slender appendage was put down, but Sakura noted that it was flexing in readiness to attack again. "When I am owned, it means I belong to someone completely."
That left a host of unsaid things in the air.
A puff of smoke displaced the uncomfortable silence. Kakashi stood there, smiling. "Naruto, looking hotter than you ever did." he jibed. His easy banter belied that sharp glance that he directed at Kurama. "The Godaime wants to see you and your guest, immediately. Be seeing you in her office."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The meeting with the Hokage had been "interesting". Her office had been cramped with Naruto's friends. Even the Uchiha has secured a place for himself, heart thundering with hope and amazement. They had been hoping to be regaled with a Naruto tale, only to be sorely disappointed. And no amount of being told off by their Hokage could discourage them from seeing their friend, who had left rather abruptly.
The fox had given his report in a brief and concise summary. He sounded like an encyclopedia, distant and cool. In the middle of his report, the Rookie 9, and Kakashi reeled back from the changes. Kurama stood resolutely. Iruka's expression could not be determined.
Who was this Naruto?
May did not know the answers and they were too heartbroken to investigate further. Even Shikamaru's already shuffling steps dragged even more so.
Tsunade, left in alone her office, sat down and wept bitter tears. She had lost her little brother.
Only Hinata and Sasuke had been willing to take matters further, trailing after the blond and his companion. Kiba had slunk after them, telling them what had happened at the gates and about his crime. The female Hyuuga already in the know, stiffened slightly yet sent a compassionate smile toward the devastated boy. While this ignited the flames within the Uchiha, it was not his place to conflagrate the penitent nin. This spurred him to catch the blond and to talk with him, however.
"Do-... Naruto. Wait! Can I talk to you?!" he shouted, when he spotted the duo about to enter an apartment complex. The organ that pumped his blood hitched. Naruto's back was turned to him. It bled green when the tall male beside him reassured him with a gentle hand before going on ahead.
There was a tasteless chuckle. "I seem to be quite popular these days. You are the second person who wishes to speak with me... What can I do for you Uchiha-san?"
Black eyes widened. Uchiha-san? Never in his entire life had Naruto spoken to anyone in proper, respectful tones. He lost his momentum and in doing so became unsure on how to proceed. What was the proper way of apologizing to someone who had been your lover; the one who caught you sleeping with another man? Tentatively, he tried. "Naruto, I'm sorry. I know I betrayed you and you didn't deserve that. I know I may never apologize to you enough and I'm willing to accept the fact that you may never forgive me... but I wanted to try. Naruto. I'm truly sorry for hurting you."
The blond turned to look at him then, his secure hands clinking together. " And that's the second apology since I got back." the corner of his mouth lifted. "No need to be sorry, Uchiha-san. You were well within your right. Good day."
Taken aback, he never even noticed that Naruto had turned on his heel and went to follow Kurama no-doubt. Confused and apalled, he trudged around the Konoha village until he literally bumped into Iruka and Kakashi.
"Sasuke... Sasuke. Is something the matter?" the teacher with the scar across his nose inquired.
He mutely looked up to warm brown eyes.
Sensing his distress, Iruka shooed Kakashi off, who protested, saying that Sasuke was his student too. But the silver haired jounin obeyed the man anyway.
The Uchiha could probably have been led to a a pit ful of poisonous snakes and he would never have found out until the last second. Lucky for him, he was steered into a cozy house, made to sit down in an oaken chair with a steaming mug of tea set down for him.
Iruka sat down beside him, sipping his own mug of tea. "Chamomile. Soothes the nerves. I gather it's the change in Naruto that's bothering you?"
"I talked to him. I said I was sorry and I wanted to tell him ..." a blush gathered on his cheeks. "But he told me that I was 'well within my rights'... I don't understand."
"He was telling you had that it was ok to hurt him, Sasuke."
A flash of the Sharingan. "But nobody deserves that!! Nobody deserves to be hurt like that."
"And you forgot that, didn't you? You either forgot or didn't care about who you were hurting when you bedded Genma." Iruka said neutrally. This actually made Sasuke flinch. "You didn't bother to think about the consequences: hurting Naruto and hurting me as well."
"You! You were Genma's!!!"
A hand was raised to quell the impending apologies. "Forgiven and forgotten Sasuke. We all make mistakes. Besides I'm glad that he betrayed me. I would never have discovered Kakashi, if he hadn't... Besides, shit happens." He shrugged. "Sure, it will cause pain and scar, but life moves on."
"Naruto, obviously hasn't."
Iruka nodded. "No, he has not. Truth to be told, I was expecting this to happen." he stood up and stared out the window. "The things Naruto has gone through has worn his optimism. Because, he thinks that he is unloveable, he is to be abused. And he expects to be hurt because he cannot find it in himself to love who he is. So he accepts what he thinks is the inevitable."
His companion continued to absorb this information.
"He began to redeem himself when you were his lover, since he thought 'here is person who loves me, perhaps I can be loved'. Haven't you noticed how Naruto defined himself with you? He cannot be Naruto without Sasuke. This burden was shifted on your shoulders. A burden you shouldn't have carried. But nonetheless, you were ill equipped to have a lover." Iruka's eyes moistened. "And I was too late in noticing these things."
Yup. Psychobabble more evident. -grin- Please read and review!