Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!
Sky-eyed Kitsune: Oi…it's been a rough week…. Pleaz 'scuse the lack of update. I was havin some writer's block, and when I got over it, my lappy 'sploded, and then internet decided to totally shut down! .
Gomi-kun: -.-
Reviewer Replies-
To Catat: Arigatou! ;3
To kimidori1015450: I know! Sasuke you jerk! You sooo mean to Naru! T.T Lol, un, me likie than angst!
To BitterSweet27: Lol! I'm sorry you were almost screaming when Gaara did Naruto T.T I was debating with myself for like a week on whether or not I would have Gaara and Naruto do that, and I'm still not so sure of how I came to my conclusion O.o Expect more drama and problems!
To Dreamergirl667: I kno! Everyone is so angsty! T.T
To Asian Tinkerbell: How do you think I feel!? I wrote it!! T.T Waaaahh!
To moonlit dew: Hm, I will have to listen to that song! I luv music, both Japanese and American and even French, and I will listen to whatever you suggest for me! Luvs ya! ;3
To no name: So do I T.T
To Sutzina Zion: I kno, poor Gaara!
To cluelessninja65: I kno, Gaara luuuv! Poor Gaara! I soo sry!!! T.T
To looking-to-the-sky: Naruto was just really hurt and needed to forget everything…but that definitely was just a quick fix and nothing more! X(
To Gosangoku: Ah! Arigatou Gozaimasu! Thank you soooo much for reading all of my stories! It makes me so happy! I cry TEARS OF YOUTH!!! T.T Gomen…Lee moment. Hehe…thank you sooo much! I hope to see more lovely reviews from you! ;3
To NiChee: Un, I tried to make Itachi a bit…gay…lol
Inspiring Songs:
"From the inside" by Linkin Park
I Don't know who to trust
No surprise
Everyone feels so far away from me
Heavy thoughts sift through dust
And the lies
Trying not to break
But I'm so tired of this deceit
Every time I try to make myself
Get back up on my feet
All I ever think about is this
All the tiring time between
And how trying to put my trust in you
Just takes so much out of me
Take everything from the inside
And throw it all away
'Cause I swear
For the last time
I won't trust myself with you
Tension is building inside
Steadily
Everyone feel so far away from me
Heavy thoughts forcing their way
Out of me
Take everything from the inside
And throw it all away
'Cause I swear
For the last time
I won't trust myself with you
I won't trust myself with you
I won't waste myself on you
Waste myself on you
You
Chapter Seven: Transparent
Gaara slowly opened his eyes, the weight of the previous night riding heavily on his shoulders. He felt the space next to him to find it cold and empty.
He turned to look at the side of the bed where Naruto had previously laid, the sound of his scream of agony fresh in his mind.
Gaara sat up, the covers falling down his bare chest.
He felt a breeze rustle through his hair and his looked to the left wall to find the window open.
He knew exactly where Naruto was.
Naruto watched the sunlight spill over the horizon, the rifts cascading over his face and trying to spread warmth through his cold body.
But it was futile. Not even the sun could warm the blonde now, as much as it tried. It might burn him, sear him, but it would never warm his frigid heart now.
Naruto didn't look up from his splayed position on the roof as he heard footsteps near him.
Gaara sat beside Naruto, his eyes fixed on the rising sun.
"What will you do?" he asked quietly.
"This changes nothing," Naruto said, and Gaara flinched at how unfeeling his tone was, even more than after Haku had died.
"It'll be just like it always was; only this time…Naruto doesn't exist."
Gaara looked at Naruto who met him with a crimson gaze.
"It's just Kyuubi now."
Sasuke sat in English with his head slammed down on his desk, the look on Naruto's face when he had he called him a demon never leaving him.
"It's his fault," Sasuke told himself. "It's his fault for lying! For just being with me to make sure he gets his pay…"
"Alright class. I have some very bad news…" Iruka said quietly, pausing. "But some good as well."
The class leaned forward a bit except for Sasuke.
"Uzumaki Naruto will no longer be attending Konoha High Boy's Academy."
Sasuke's head shot up and Neji's jaw dropped. Other guys in the class groaned and cursed under their breaths, missing the shy and gorgeous blonde already.
"But, on a lighter note, his brother Kyuubi Uzumaki will be taking his place."
The class gasped and Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat.
"Kyuubi, you may come in."
Whistles filled the air and jaws dropped open as Kyuubi strode into the room, his red hair gleaming against his black uniform and his crimson eyes burning. Others slumped in their seats and avoided eye contact with the gang lord. His black whisker marks seemed even more defined than Sasuke remembered as he smirked, showing off sharper than average white canines, his overall appearance similar to that of a red fox.
"Please make Kyuubi feel welcome," Iruka said a bit shakily, standing away from Kyuubi. "Sit anywhere Kyuubi-kun."
Kyuubi walked down the row of desks in what appeared to Sasuke slow motion, his eyes scanning over hopeful, seductive, and terrified faces.
Sasuke held his breath as Kyuubi swept by him, not even giving him a two second glance as he passed him and sat next to another senior with blonde hair tied back into a short ponytail, eyeing the redhead like a piece of meat.
"Naruto…" Sasuke thought, his heart plummeting and rising to his throat in anger at the same time.
"You bastard."
Sasuke felt his insides lurch as he watched the blonde next to Naru- er, Kyuubi slide a hand up his thigh and whisper to him seductively.
Kyuubi neither pushed him away nor spurred him forward, his eyes glued ahead to the board. Sasuke could tell he was thinking hard.
The bell rang and everyone stood up, scrambling out the door to their next class.
Kyuubi stood up slowly, slinging his black bag over his shoulder silently.
He walked down the row of desks, ignoring Sasuke yet again, and was about to go through the door when the blonde blocked him.
"Hey Kyuu," he said, and Sasuke saw Naruto's eyes flash dangerously. "Let's say you and I have some fun after-URG!"
The blonde cried in pain as Kyuubi whipped his fist forward and punched him in the gut, hooking his leg with the senior's right foot and flipping him around so that he was pinned against the wall by his throat.
"Touch me again and I won't hesitate to slit your throat," Kyuubi said, his voice amazingly level as if he were talking about the weather, despite his iron grip.
The blonde nodded vigorously, scuttling away with his tail between his legs as he was released.
Kyuubi turned back towards the door, his eyes finally meeting Sasuke's for a split second before he walked down the hall.
Sasuke felt his heart clench as he saw how cold and unfeeling those crimson eyes were.
Temari paced nervously, checking the time on her cell phone every fifteen seconds.
But then again, no one blamed her.
After hearing about Naruto's terrible predicament, they didn't want him to be alone for more time than he had to, in case he ran off or tried to hurt himself in an attempt to wash away the pain.
"Temari," Ino said quietly. "Are you…are you sad that Naruto and Gaara…you know…"
"No," Temari said almost instantly. "Gaara is in love with Naruto. Naruto needed to think of someone else's face, and he asked Gaara for help. Gaara made his decision and helped Naruto. Even though it didn't mean anything, Gaara will always be there for Naruto, no matter what. In a way Gaara got what he always wished for…just under the wrong circumstances."
"Dammit," Kiba cursed. "I wanna kill that Uchiha bastard!"
"Naruto has forbid any of us from laying a finger on him," Tenten said, sighing sadly.
"Why the hell would he say that!? Kiba cried. "I don't care if he loved the guy! I'd get my friends to send him to a hand basket to hell if I were him!"
"But you're not," Sai said. "Naruto is different. He only opens up his heart once in a blue moon, and if someone can wiggle their way into it, then it's a bond too strong for Naruto to ever completely break."
"You do crazy things when you love somebody…" Ino whispered, looking to the ground.
"What is this, a pity party?"
Kurochi looked up as Kyuubi spoke, Gaara flagging his right.
"Kyuubi-kun…" Ino said softly, her normal vigor to greet him faded as she stood up and gave him a hesitant and light embrace.
Kyuubi didn't flinch.
"Zaku's gang has challenged us," he said monotonously. "Tomorrow night at ten. It's your choice to whether or not you come."
"Naruto, you're in no mood to-"
Kiba shut his mouth as blood red eyes fixed on him, dilating dangerously.
"Naruto's not here anymore," Kyuubi said, unconsciously clenching his hand into a fist.
"Sorry…Kyuubi, you're in no mood to fight," Kiba said, fixing his quick mess up.
"I think the only one to say that would be me," Kyuubi said, and Kiba averted his gaze to the ground.
2 weeks later…
Sasuke tapped his pencil against the top of his desk in homeroom, flicking his eyes from the clock to Naruto's empty seat.
Sasuke shook his head.
Why should he care? It wasn't like Naruto had said anything to him in the past two weeks; quite the contrary. It was avoidance central everyday, save for an empty glance or two.
Kyuubi had still also shown up for his bodyguard job at Otogakure, but disappeared into oblivion afterwards.
Sasuke lifted his head when the door creaked open, and Kyuubi walked in.
He commuted to a seat in the back as usual, and Sasuke watched from the corner of his eye as he passed. His black orbs ran over a few cuts and bruises on Kyuubi's skin before he turned his gaze forward again.
It seemed like everyday Naruto came in with a new injury, and there had been reports of many more gang fights taking place in which some people even had to be sent to the hospital.
Sasuke clenched his fist.
He shouldn't care! He shouldn't feel the need to talk to Naruto! He shouldn't still be…in love with him…
Sasuke buried his head in his arms as the first bell chimed for class.
Sasuke dropped his book bag underneath the coat hanger in the front room of his house, stretching out as he walked towards the stairs.
"Sasuke."
Sasuke stopped halfway up the steps and looked down to see his brother staring up at him with hardened maroon eyes.
"What?" Sasuke said impatiently, and Itachi's glare turned even colder.
"I thought you'd be mature enough to actually realize why you need to apologize to Naruto, but I guess I need to show you."
Sasuke growled as his brother grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the front door.
"Why the hell should I be the one to apologize!?" Sasuke shouted, wriggling in Itachi's iron grip. "He's the one who lied to me! Nothing you can ever show me will change that!"
"True," Itachi said, striding out the door to the car in the circle driveway. "But he had a good reason for it."
Sasuke glared at his brother as he was thrown into the vehicle and Itachi started the engine beside him.
Gaara lifted his head and yawned as a knock reverberated from the door.
Rubbing his eyes, he stood up from the couch and opened the door…then slammed it shut as he saw two Uchihas standing outside of it.
Itachi sighed from the other side of the door and knocked again.
"Gaara, who's there?" Temari said, walking into the room. Gaara didn't answer, but instead shoved his hands into pockets and went upstairs.
Temari sighed and opened the door, unsurprised when she saw Sasuke and Itachi.
"Hello Temari," Itachi said. "I brought Sasuke."
Temari nodded sadly and opened the door, letting them both in and shutting out the fall chill.
"What do you mean you 'brought' me?" Sasuke said coldly. "Did you plan this?"
"Yes," Itachi said, hanging his coat in the closet by the door. "I came by two weeks ago to ask about Naruto and his relationship with Kyuubi."
Sasuke snorted as Temari led them to the living room, and ushered them to sit on the plush tan couch as she went to the nearby bookshelf.
"What's there to know? They're the same person," Sasuke scoffed, crossing his arms stubbornly.
Itachi sighed and shook his head.
"Here we go," Temari said, placing a thin and dusty photo album on the coffee table in front of the brothers. She opened up the first page, and Sasuke leaned forward as he saw a newspaper clipping next to two pictures.
Sasuke glanced at Itachi, who nodded, and Sasuke read the article.
"December 22, 2003- Another gang fight struck just outside of Otogakure high school, terrible consequences following. Numbers and sides were unclear, but authorities recovered six bodies. Two young men were unconscious and heavily injured, three dead, and one still on the brink. Zabuza Momochi, 18, Haku Momochi, 15, and Yoshuri Kasagawa, 16, were all found dead at the scene. Zabuza was found to have died from massive blood loss due to his many serious injuries, and the younger sibling Haku was killed by one bullet in the back. Kasagawa's death cause was also due to heavy blood loss, andhe last victim still fighting for his life is Naruto Uzumaki, 14."
Sasuke paused and looked up at his brother.
Itachi looked away, and Sasuke swallowed hard as he continued on.
"Young Uzumaki was found hunched over the body of Haku, a switchblade jammed heavily into his shoulder and a bullet hole almost directly in the middle of his chest. Uzumaki has a 1 to 10 chance of surviving, since the bullet was so close to his heart and he had lost a great amount of blood before authorities found him. Uzumaki is currently at the Konoha Emergency Medical Center, all living relatives dead and his guardian out of town. Gang wars seem to be currently progressing to the lowest level possible, and soon more young lives may be taken as a result. –Shelly Karor, the associated press."
Sasuke's breathing began to accelerate as he read the clipping over and over again, when his eyes caught the nearby pictures.
One was from the newspaper, a picture of what Sasuke presumed to be the scene upon the arrival of the authorities, the bodies were scattered and blood stained the snow beneath them. In a zoomed in picture, Sasuke saw Naruto's half frozen and bloody body wilted over another boy's with long dark hair and pale skin that Sasuke could only assume was Haku.
Sasuke felt his insides tighten as he turned the page and was met with another picture of a young Naruto in the hospital, an oxygen mask on his face and many wires attached to his skin. Lower down the page was yet another one of Naruto sitting up in bed, the mask gone but wires still attached, as Gaara sat beside him and chatted with the blonde. Sasuke looked at Naruto's eyes in the picture, cold and lifeless.
On the next page were more pictures of Naruto in the hospital with Gaara, Temari, or Kankuro, and others of him with Kurochi.
Sasuke turned another page and saw what he knew as the Naruto today, standing outside in the snow by the hospital with his gaze to the white ground. Next to the picture was one of a younger, what appeared to be 12 year-old Naruto playing tag with Kiba, Gaara, Kankuro, Ino, and Tenten, his eyes bright and happy and a wide grin upon his face.
Sasuke compared the two Naruto's he saw side by side in bewilderment. Itachi didn't say a word as a he watched the emotions flutter across his brother's face, and he could tell that he was fighting to keep them restrained as much as possible.
Sasuke closed the album and looked to the floor, his elbows resting on his knees.
"That's who Naruto was talking about…" he thought. "After he woke up…Haku…it was that boy…"
Flashback—
"HAKU!"
Naruto bolted upright where he lay in Sasuke's bed, panting quickly.
Sasuke turned abruptly from where he sat scribbling at his desk when he heard Naruto's cry shatter the silence in his room.
"Naruto, what's wrong?" Sasuke said, sitting down beside the blonde on his bed. He gasped a bit as Naruto tugged him forward by his shirt and began crying into it.
Sasuke blinked down at the bundle of gold clinging to him, and he cautiously placed his arms around Naruto, embracing him tightly when the blonde pressed into Sasuke's warmth at the touch even more.
"S-Sasuke!" Naruto cried. "H-Haku, he's….the gun….I couldn't protect him!"
"Shhh," Sasuke hushed, rubbing Naruto's back up and down with his hand comfortingly. "It was probably just a nightmare Naru-"
"It wasn't! It really happened…all those years ago……it happened…"
---End flashback
"Haku was Naruto's best friend," Temari said quietly. "After Haku was killed and Naruto escaped by a thread, Naruto blamed himself for Haku's death. He said that it's because he wasn't able to protect him…that he wasn't strong enough to save him. After Naruto left the hospital, he promised Kurochi, all of his closest friends, that he would protect us no matter what."
Temari paused and took a breath.
"That's how Kyuubi was created. Naruto's alter ego formed after he made his promise. Kyuubi is the opposite of Naruto; he's reckless, brash, and cold. In the beginning Kyuubi only appeared when Naruto felt like we were being threatened, and he called on him for help. As years passed, Kyuubi became a separate person as people began to call him a gang lord, even though they're the same person.
"Zaku became friends with Naruto when he was sixteen, and slowly Naruto opened up to him. A few months later Zaku brought his gang and attacked Naruto. The only reason he ever made friends with Naruto was to find a weakness of Kyuubi's and take him down. Naruto shut himself off from everyone else after that betrayal, tired of having his emotions slashed every time he opened up to someone.
"That's why Kyuubi exists; for our protection, and now for Naruto's as well. Kyuubi is Naruto's way of putting up a shield around his emotions so that he can't get hurt anymore. Naruto lies and calls Kyuubi his brother because of the reputation Kyuubi has gained. Naruto didn't want you to look at him the same way everyone else did…like he was a monster."
Sasuke bit his lip hard, tasting blood as his teeth sunk into the tender flesh there.
"I…I looked at him like that…right after I found out. I called him a demon…Naruto…."
"No," Sasuke suddenly said. "If he trusted me he would have told me all of this!"
Itachi was taken aback a bit when he still saw anger flash in his brother's eyes as it fought an inner battle with sorrow.
"He didn't want to get hurt again," Temari said a bit more forcefully. "Don't you get it? He was afraid, Sasuke! Afraid of everyone! But more than anyone he was afraid of you! How the hell do you think you'd feel if the person you loved found out you were a monster!?"
Sasuke's eyes widened a bit and Temari cursed silently.
"Love…?" Sasuke said carefully, making sure he heard right.
Temari looked away.
"Why do you think he let you be near him so closely? Touch him so familiarly?" she said softly, and Sasuke felt his pulse accelerate a bit, his mind spiraling with all of the new information he received in what felt like mere seconds.
"Where…is Naruto now?" Sasuke asked, his voice quiet and deprived of emotion.
"He's with Jiraiya," Temari said.
Sasuke curled his fist.
"Tell me…Jiraiya isn't just loud and annoying to Naruto, is he?" he asked.
Temari shook her head.
"Naruto's parents are both dead, and Jiraiya is his godfather. Jiraiya and Naruto's father were very close, and Jiraiya blames Naruto for his death. He's been physically abusing Naruto since he was fifteen."
Sasuke clenched his fist.
"All those bruises…those cuts…"
"Aren't from gang wars," Temari finished sadly, her eyes glassy. "They're all from Jiraiya."
"Why doesn't Naruto do something about it?" Sasuke said.
"Naruto considers Jiraiya as the only family he's ever had. If he reports Jiraiya, he'll be taken away from him. Naruto doesn't want to be apart from any member of what's left of his family, no matter what the price."
Sasuke stood and walked to the door, grabbing his coat.
"Sasuke!" Itachi said. "Where are you going?"
"To find Naruto," Sasuke said, not looking back at his sibling.
"Wait, Sasuke! You can't!" Temari said, running to him and grabbing his arm just as he swung open the door. "There's something else you need to know first…"
Naruto winced as Jiraiya punched him hard in the gut for the hundredth time that week, and he coughed as he steadied himself.
"YOU INGRATE!" Jiraiya hollered.
Naruto wiped some blood from his lip as he moved to the door and stood beside his suitcase once more.
"You bastard demon! You can't leave, you're not old enough!" Jiraiya cried, stomping toward Naruto.
"I can," Naruto said. He held up a copy of his birth certificate. "I turned eighteen four days ago, which means that I can finally get out of this house and away from you!"
Naruto winced as Jiraiya slapped his hand hard across his face.
Naruto's red eyes dilated, but he let no single ripple of pain pass across his façade.
"I could have you in jail for this," he hissed. "I have enough bruises to prove what you've been doing to me for the past three years. You'd be locked up and left to rot away for child abuse. But I never ratted you out because I thought you were my family…but families don't hurt each other!"
Jiraiya gasped as Naruto flung out his fist and hit Jiraiya hard across the face, throwing him halfway across the room.
Naruto panted shakily, his legs weak beneath him.
"If I had known that that would feel this good, I would have punched you a long time ago."
Will Sasuke find Naruto? Will Sasuke apologize or continue to be a bastard? Oh teh drama! T.T You will be up to your neck in angst the next chapter!!! Oh, and for people who have read more than one of my fics, please visit my profile and vote in the poll for which of my stories you'd like to see updated ASAP, because I don't know which one you want updated first! Please vote minna-san!
Sky-eyed Kitsune
Translated by Gomi-kun