Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!

Sky-eyed Kitsune: Gonbawa! Nice long chappie for everyone! ;)

Anon Reviewer Replies since there's a new "Reply to Review" button:D

To nanamen: O.o Arigatou!!! I'm so happy that you and all other reviewers like it! T.T I'm not worthy!!!

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Chapter Dedication:

T.T –sniff— I feel so grateful and unworthy of all of your amazing splendeferous reviews! Seriously, I do!!! What did I do to deserve so much praise? And not just this, but for ALL my fanfics! T.T This one is for HoshitheHorse, scoggzie, and nanamen…--sniff-- I NOT WORTHY!!!

By the way, YEPPERS, KYUU IS NARUTO IN DISGUISE!!!! XD

Chapter Four: Break Me Down

"AH!" Naruto shouted as Jiraiya gave him a hard kick in the stomach, sending him backward so that his back hit the wall and his arm crashed into a nearby vase, shattering it against his skin.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU!?" Jiraiya yelled, standing in front of Naruto.

"I-I was being tutored in math," Naruto croaked, holding his bloody arm. He gasped as Jiraiya suddenly held him up by his throat and smashed him against the wall again.

"Don't give me that shit," he said dangerously, the alcohol on his breath rippling across Naruto's face and causing the blonde to cringe in disgust.

"Jiraiya…" Naruto gasped. "Y-you're drunk." He knew that it was futile, but he could try. Jiraiya would have kicked him even if he wasn't drunk, but when he was, it was just worse.

"I know that you damn brat!" Jiraiya shouted, tightening his grip on Naruto's throat. Naruto winced as he felt Jiraiya's nails dig into the soft flesh there, drawing hot blood.

"You were with your shitty friends in that Kurochi gang, weren't you!?"

"No Jiraiya…I wasn't….I-I swear…"

Jiraiya released Naruto who fell to the ground shakily, coughing.

He slowly got up, holding his arm close as blood dripped down his neck. He could fight back if he wanted to, beat the crap out of Jiraiya, but he wouldn't. Even if the man was a terrible father figure, he was still the closest thing Naruto had to a family at this point.

"YOU FREAKING LIAR!" Jiraiya suddenly shouted, and punched Naruto in the gut. Naruto hit the wall again, struggling to keep himself up as he choked and coughed up blood.

"You're always such a little shit to take care of, you know that brat!?" Jiraiya screamed. "You can't do anything right! You can't even lie the right way, and now you need freaking tutoring!? You worthless piece of-"

"Shit?" Naruto finished, looking up at Jiraiya. "Is that what you were going to say?" Naruto laughed a bit. "Yea, I guess I am. But I'm only a shitty kid because I have a shitty guardian."

Jiraiya whipped out his hand a slapped Naruto hard across the face, a sickening smack reverberating through the silent house.

Naruto winced, but he didn't cry out even if he wanted to. No, he was stronger than that. His body hurt like hell at this point, but he wouldn't show it.

"You little bastard!" Jiraiya shouted, kicking Naruto's side and sending him to the floor.

"I took you in! I gave you a home! You! You're just some SICK DEMON!"

Naruto struggled up. C'mon, get up. Kyuubi would get up again, he wouldn't falter.

"You're the reason that your parents are gone!" Jiraiya continued. "Your mother died spawning a demon like you, and your father was killed by his rival company! He wouldn't have been shot if his company hadn't grown so large! And who was that because of? YOU!!! You were his 'inspiration' to work harder! YOU DEMON BASTARD! GOT TO HELL!"

Naruto felt his eyes burn as he walked to his room, Jiraiya ranting in the living room as he trudged up the stairs.

Naruto locked the door and let himself collapse against it, his body too sore to walk to his bed.

Jiraiya did this regularly when he was home, but he had been extra pissed tonight…

Naruto crawled over to his desk and rummaged through the top drawer until he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He placed a smoke in his mouth and lit the end, breathing in and letting it out slowly as he removed the cigarette from his mouth between his middle and index finger. Naruto only smoked when he was VERY upset or aggravated, just to get his mind off of things. Somehow he couldn't get addicted to smoking, most likely because of his superhuman immune system.

(A/N: I HATE SMOKING! NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL!!!)

Naruto closed his eyes and listened to his breathing for a few moments.

"Hey Miss Murder can I, hey Miss Murder can I, make beauty stay if I take my life? Whoa oh oh…"

Naruto blinked. How long had his cell phone been ringing?

"Dreams of his crash won't pass. Oh, how they all adored him. Beauty will last when spiraled down."

Naruto rummaged into his pocket and flipped open the phone.

"Hello?" he said, letting out a stream of smoke.

"Hey Naruto," Temari said over the line. "How's it going?"

"Fine," Naruto lied.

"Ok, we've got to work on your fibbing skills," Temari said, laughing a bit. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I said I'm fine," Naruto said, wincing as he felt his chest throb.

"You're smoking aren't you?"

"No," Naruto said, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Yes you are. You only smoke when you're really upset. What happened?"

Naruto paused.

"Jiraiya," he said, and he heard Temari gasp.

"He's back early? Are you ok? What'd he do!? Did he hurt you again!?"

"Calm down," Naruto said, letting out another billow of smoke. "You shouldn't be so surprised. He's been doing this for two years."

"Naruto, are you bleeding? Are you hurt badly!?"

Naruto looked down at his crimson arm and battered body, and he stayed silent.

"I'm coming over in five minutes," Temari said, and hung up the phone.

"Temari, don't-" Naruto cursed as he heard the click of the line and the call ended.

Naruto sat up from his bloodstained bed and looked out his window when he heard a car engine, and he saw Temari outside in her silver 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage waiting for him.

Naruto limped over to his door and pressed his ear against it. He heard what sounded like a lion roar on crack and knew that Jiraiya was snoring and asleep.

He unlocked the door and quietly slipped out. Before he left he stopped by his bathroom and grabbed his red hair dye, just in case he needed Kyuubi.

Temari chewed nervously on her fingernail as she sat in the front seat of her car, waiting for Naruto.

Jiraiya had been physically abusing Naruto for two years already, and the beatings steadily got worse as the blonde grew older. Naruto wouldn't hear of reporting Jiraiya, as it would only land him in a foster home, and mostly because in his father's will, he had asked that Naruto be taken care of by Jiraiya until he was eighteen.

Naruto wouldn't disappoint his father, where ever he was up there.

Temari's head shot up as she heard a door close and footsteps hit dry pavement.

Her eyes widened as Naruto limped down to the car, his arm bloody and hanging limply by his side. His hair was ruffled, his left cheek bruised, a slight spray of crimson stained his shirt.

Temari rushed out of her car and ran to Naruto, and when she was close enough she could hear his heavy and hindered breath.

Naruto grinned at Temari, who had tears starting to form in her eyes as she looked at the broken boy in front of her.

"Hey, " Naruto breathed, still smiling. "Thanks…"

Naruto's eyes closed and he suddenly threatened to fall backward when Temari grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him against her. She raised an eyebrow at how easy he was to maneuver, seeming to weigh less than a sack of flour.

"Naruto, have you been eating at all?" Temari asked, and Naruto gripped her jacket.

"Temari…" he breathed. "Thank you….…thank you……thank you…"

"Baka, it's fine," Temari said softly, running a hand through Naruto's golden locks soothingly to calm him. Naruto was like another younger brother to her.

"I would have taken you with me kicking and screaming anyways."

There was a long pause before Naruto whispered,

"I'm sorry…"

Tears finally made their way to Temari's eyes as she held Naruto even closer in an embrace at those words.

"Don't say that," she said strongly. "You didn't do anything! I don't even know why you're saying sorry!"

Naruto coughed more blood, turning his head away so that it splattered onto the pavement instead of Temari's shirt as he leaned his head against her shoulder.

"I-I'm causing you all this t-trouble," he choked out.

"It's not trouble!" Temari said forcefully as her tears continued to spill and mixed with Naruto's blood on the cement below. "It never was, isn't now, and never will be. Anything relating to you will never be trouble, Naruto…"

Temari cradled Naruto in her arms and buried her face in Naruto's golden mane.

"Naruto…my little brother…it'll be alright," she said, her voice soft and caressing. "You'll be alright. Don't say you're sorry, it wasn't your fault…"

Naruto shut his eyes firmly and gripped Temari's shirt tighter as if clinging for dear life.

"Shh, I'm here otouto. I've got you, nothing can hurt you now. Shh…"

Naruto felt himself fade as Temari spoke sweet nothings softly, her voice weaving through the chilly autumn wind to reach his ears as everything died away to inky blackness.

Temari pulled into the garage that she and her brothers Kankuro and Gaara shared together. They lived on their own after their uncle died, moving out and finding their own home. It was a little larger than Naruto's, and much more comfy and home-like.

Temari sighed as she shut off the engine and looked at Naruto, unconscious next to her. She felt tears well up in her eyes again as she brushed his blond hair up from his face, letting it slide over her fingertips and fall back over his closed eyes.

She shook them off and stepped out of the car, going around to the passenger side. She pulled out Naruto, carrying him delicately to the garage door, and noticed how light he was.

If he wasn't eating again he was in BIG trouble!

Kankuro lifted his head from his puppet that he had names Karasu, his favorite hobby, and gasped.

"What the hell!?" he cried, dropping the wooden figure onto the living room table as he rushed over to Temari, holding an unconscious and bloody and bruised Naruto.

"What happened to Naruto!?" Kankuro said.

"Jiraiya happened," Temari answered.

"Gods! Why won't he ever call the cops or somethin' on the guy! Just because he's his freakin 'adoptive father'!"

Temari rolled her eyes as Kankuro ranted on, waving his arms fanatically and spilling out a cuss word here and there for emphasis.

"Jiraiya came back early?"

Kankuro yelped as Gaara appeared from no where beside him, his face devoid of emotion.

"Yea. Naruto wouldn't tell me the details," Temari said, and Gaara blinked. Anyone else would have thought that the boy didn't care, but Temari knew her brother better than that. She saw the evident fear and anxiety reflected in his eyes, and she smiled a bit. She always knew that Gaara had a "thing" for Naruto. Whether or not it was beyond being just friends was none of Temari's business. (Juicy gossip as it was.)

"Gaara, Kankuro is kind of out of it…" Temari flicked her gaze to her other now hyperventilating brother. "…and I think Naruto would feel more comfortable having another guy clean up his wounds since he's not awake to tell us where they are, so why don't you take him to the guest room and grab the first aid kit?"

Gaara nodded, and Temari transferred the bundle of crimson gold carefully over to Gaara.

Gaara laid Naruto out on the large queen-sized guest bed carefully and examined him.

His arm was cut and bleeding with some glass shards stuck in his skin, and there was a bruise on his left whiskered cheek. At least, this was all that was visible at the moment with his clothes on.

Gaara decided to clean and wrap up Naruto's arm first, carefully disposing of the stubborn fragment in his sun-kissed skin. It had obviously bled much more prior since there was now a minimal amount of blood seeping through the white bandages, despite the gash and various cuts.

Gaara then retrieved a cold wash cloth and placed it over Naruto's cheek, the blonde cringing a bit from the chill.

Gaara removed Naruto's bloodstained jacket, noticing he was still in his Konoha Academy uniform of a black jacket, white button up shirt underneath, and black pants. He placed the jacket on his dresser, and caught his breath when he turned back.

There was no blood on Naruto's shirt, stark white against his skin and making it glow. His hair was splayed over his face, his eyes just barely visible through the shards of gold. His firm but slender chest was outlined under the whiteness of the shirt, his whisker-like scars predominant against the light colors.

Gaara's eyes widened as Naruto groaned and shifted in his sleep.

Gaara ran a hand through his crimson hair, letting out a sigh to relax himself.

"You can handle this," he told himself. "It's just Naruto…the guy you like…on your bed…groaning…"

Gaara did a face-palm and shook his head as he kneeled back over Naruto to start unbuttoning his shirt.

Suddenly Naruto lifted his chest up, his hips in turn and threw his head back as he let out the most erotic moan Gaara thought he would ever hear in his life, his breath rippling across the redhead's pale face.

Gaara gulped and covered his nose as he felt the blood rush to his face. Speaking of their faces…

Gaara blinked as he realized that his eyes were inches from the blonde. More importantly, so were his lips.

"No! Don't take advantage of this!"

Gaara swung his head around and looked left and right as he heard a small voice, but saw no one.

"Over here! To your right!"

Gaara swiveled his head right to see a tiny version of himself standing on his shoulder wearing a white robe with white angel wings and a gold shining halo.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Gaara said to the mini him. Mini angel Gaara crossed his arms.

"What the hell does it look like? I'm you!" he said.

"I do not sound like that. That voice is way too high to be mine."

"Oh fine! If you want to get all technical on my ass. I'm your shoulder angel!"

"I don't have shoulder angels."

"Everyone does you moron."

"Then where were you when my dad abandoned me and my siblings?"

"Um…"

"Or the time my uncle tried to kill me?"

"Er, you see…"

"Or how about when-"

"Alright already! I get it, sheesh! Look, everyone's shoulder angels show up when their sense of right and wrong for a situation is equally balanced. EQUALLY! That doesn't happen a lot! You're always inclined more to one side even if it doesn't seem like it! But now you're not! Geez, I've got enough work on my shoulders and I've still gotta deal with you. This is important, so grab that stick out of your ass and listen up!"

Well, he definitely had Gaara's attitude.

"Ok, don't kiss Naruto or do anything else but bandage him up! This could mess up your friendship with him. And more importantly, if you want a relationship with him, don't let him see that you'll take advantage of him! He'll feel uncomfortable around you and it'll ruin everything!"

"Pfft, don't listen to the white fluff ball. Go on, go for it!"

Gaara and mini angel Gaara turned their heads to the right only too see another shoulder angel.

On Gaara's left shoulder perched another mini version of himself. He was lying on his side, propping his head up with his palm a bit lazily. He wore a tight blood red halter top that stopped at his chest, showing his firm stomach, and skin tight black leather pants. Out of the back of his pants a red-forked tail swished back and forth, tiny fragile wings black and ripped sprouted from his back, and from the top of his head grew two wine red horns, outlined with black. He smirked at Gaara's unusually expressive face.

"Don't look so surprised. You're evil side is also your more flirtatious and naughty one," he said, grinning.

The mini Gaara angel flew up to the larger redhead's face and gave him a smack on the forehead.

"Ouch," Gaara said, glaring at him.

"Pay attention! Don't make a move on Naruto!" it said.

"Are you kidding me?" the devil scoffed. "You'll never get another opportunity like this! He's out cold and probably wouldn't even wake up if you did anything!"

The devil gave his wings a little pulse, and he easily flew down from Gaara's shoulder to flutter over Naruto.

"I mean c'mon! Look at this guy! I get hard just looking at him…" the devil Gaara said, licking his lips. He looked up at Gaara.

"I personally know that you have a burning desire to-oof!" the devil was pushed out of the way by the angel, who fluttered on front of Gaara and clasped his hands together.

"I'm begging you! Don't listen to him!" he cried, his eyes going big and glassy.

The angel was shoved back by the devil.

"That's all bull! Everyone knows that the evil guys always have more fun! Naruto won't wake up, so just give in!"

"No! Don't!"

"Do!"

"Don't!"

"Do!"

"Don't!"

"Come here you bastard pansy!"

Gaara blinked as the mini versions of himself lunged at each other and grappled, punching, kicking, and releasing a quite colorful rainbow of cuss words.

Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Enough," he said, quickly grabbing the two shoulder angels, the devil by the tail and the angel by the collar.

"Ha! See, he chose me!" the angel cried victoriously.

"Keep dreamin' fluffy!"

"I know he did!"

"Hn, you wanna bet on that?"

"Betting is a sin!"

"I put down sixty on myself."

"Seventy on me!"

"SHUT UP."

The two looked at their larger self, killing intent evident in his aquamarine eyes.

"Leave. NOW."

The angel nodded and grabbed the devil by the tail as Gaara released him.

"Nuuu! I wanna watch!" the devil cried, wriggling.

The angel rolled his eyes as he disappeared in a poof and the devil in a burst of flames.

Gaara rubbed his temple and sighed deeply.

"I've gotta stop watching "Fallen," he groaned to himself before turning his eyes back onto the situation at hand- Naruto.

Gaara held his breath as he reached out and brushed his hand against Naruto's unharmed cheek, and he felt a tingle run up his spine.

Gaara rested the rest of his palm against the blonde's cheek closed his eyes at the feeling of the warmth creeping up his skin and spreading throughout his body.

Gaara leaned over more and nuzzled Naruto's neck, previously bleeding, which he had patched up quickly. Naruto groaned and turned his head, exposing more of his neck to the warmth he felt. Gaara carefully moved over Naruto, the bed creaking slightly as he looked down at the blonde from his hands-and-knees position overtop him.

He buried his face in Naruto's neck again, rubbing against it affectionately. Naruto's nose twitched as Gaara's hair tickled it.

Gaara made his way down, snuggling and nuzzling over Naruto's collar and his shirt. Suddenly Naruto winced and he gasped a bit as Gaara placed his hand on his left side and pressed his head against his stomach gently.

Gaara lifted back up, lifting an eyebrow, and smacked himself.

No, really! He literally smacked himself right across the face!

What the hell was he doing!? Naruto was injured and he was completely taking advantage of it!

Gaara moved off of Naruto, and in the parallel universe of Gaara's mind, a little red-haired angel was seventy bucks richer.

Gaara unbuttoned Naruto's shirt, and his eyes widened a bit.

Naruto had a dark bruise on his side, and another large purplish-blue one right over his stomach.

Gaara sighed as he went to retrieve two other cold washcloths.

He returned one minute later to find the beautiful blonde staring up at the ceiling. He turned his head when he heard footsteps.

"Gaara…" he said softly, using his uninjured arm to try to prop himself up, but wincing and falling back onto the bed a moment later.

Gaara shook his head as he walked over to Naruto.

"You always have too much energy. For once you have too many bruises to use it," he said. He placed the cold wash clothes over Naruto's beaten skin, and the blonde winced and shivered.

Gaara took the warmer washcloth from Naruto's cheek to find that the swelling had reduced to a slight reddish tint. Naruto always was a crazy fast healer.

"You should rest," Gaara said, moving back to the door. "Temari said that you can sleep over."

Naruto nodded, and then a flicker of worry passed his eyes.

"But this is your room," he said. "Where will you sleep?"

"Since you don't seem to be able to move anytime soon, I'll sleep in the guest room," Gaara said.

Naruto nodded, and gasped as Gaara suddenly appeared right in front of him. How the heck did he do that teleportation thingy!?

Gaara closed the space between them, pressing his lips against Naruto's. Naruto's eyes widened momentarily, and as Gaara requested entrance to his mouth…Naruto pushed him away.

"Gaara," Naruto said, looking down. "I can't…I just can't see you as more than a best friend. And it's not about Haku. You and I have been best friends since freshman year. I love you as that same best friend…but nothing else. I'm sorry Gaara."

Gaara blinked, and then nodded, hiding the hurt in his eyes.

"I understand," he said truthfully, walking to the door.

"Gaara."

Gaara turned as he stood in the doorway and his eyes met Naruto's. That dazzling sky blue seemed so drained and helpless…

"I haven't loved anyone as more than a close friend in my entire life," he said, and laughed a bit. "In fact, compared to most people our age, I've barely been loved at all."

Gaara's eyes widened momentarily, and he felt a twinge of pain for the beautiful blonde across from him.

Gaara like Naruto had never known the love of parents or a guardian, but Gaara at least had his siblings to love and care for him everyday, and his first love was also Naruto. Even though Naruto was hurting him now, it couldn't compare to the feeling of the love he held for him. It was an amazing feeling of hope and joy…something Naruto hadn't felt in years since his best friend was murdered.

Gaara's eyes softened, and unable to find any words to say, he quietly closed the door.

Naruto turned over to his unharmed side and closed his eyes.

Love…he had watched movies about it, read books about it, and he's seen it in the eyes of lovers he passed in the Falling Leaf Café, but he could never relate.

And at this point, he thought that he never would.

T.T Soooo cruel! I updated quickly with a bribe of cake! O.o Gimme cookies and I'll update soon again!!! Lol!

Sky-eyed Kitsune

Translated by Gomi-kun