He Sees Darkness, But Smiles Like The Light

By The Un-Wanted Angel

Everyone, the chapter you have been waiting for has arrived! The Chunin exams are here and I hope everyone is bursting with excitement! Please note that there are some differences and some similarities to both the anime and manga and since this is fanfiction I had made a few corks myself regarding characters. But anywho, please sit back and enjoy this chapter :) Sorry it took forever to upload.

-The Un-Wanted Angel.

CHAPTER 21

"Naruto! Hurry, pumpkin or we'll be late!" Minato called up to his son. It was nearing the time for the exams and Minato wanted to get there early so he could go over some ground rules he had for Naruto. He wasn't going to let Naruto fight "to the death" without first establishing some rules.

Naruto glumly walked down the steps, facing his father.

Minato didn't notice this at first as he began sprouting out rules.

"Naruto, today is the Chunnin exams. Now, typically it's a fight to the death, but you're my son. And there will not be any of that, got me?" Minato crossed his arms.

Naruto sighed, ready to go into auto-pilot mode and tune out anything his father said to him.

"If I see one drop of blood from any part of you, I'm personally pulling you out of the arena myself-do you understand me?" Minato spoke, Naruto rolled his eyes and Minato became cross.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Naruto. I'm serious." Minato placed his hands on his hips. "I'm not liking your attitude, young man!"

"Can we just go?" Naruto whined.

Minato bit his bottom lip. He had no idea what was up with Naruto today, he hoped it would go away soon. Still, he managed to lay down ground rules for Naruto, but he was pretty sure it was in one ear and out the other with Naruto. The walk over was just as bad, Naruto was completely silent, slightly alarming Minato. He was sure Naruto would be bursting with joy about the exams.

"Naruto? Is everything alright?" Minato asked, once they were in a private area where they could talk.

Naruto clutched his arm, feeling the sting but trying not to show it on his face. "Yeah, just trying to remember what I learned."

Minato smirked, "Wanna' have a go with your ol' man before a real match?" Minato became into position and Naruto shook his head.

"Nah, Dad we gotta' get ready. I'm sure you have duties." Naruto muttered, trying to walk away, but Minato reached out and grabbed his arm, trying to get his attention but he grabbed the wrong one and Naruto hissed in pain. Minato gasped.

"Naruto? What's wrong?"

"Nothing! It was from training with Ero-sensei" Naruto felt sick inside. A nervous, guilty, nauseous feeling. The feeling of being caught. A little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar, would be the best way to describe it.

"Naruto. . .What is wrong?" Minato pleaded almost.

"Nothing! Leave me alone!"

Naruto booked off leaving his father alone. Worried and confused.

"Naruto. . ."

Sakura gulped. There were no sign of Naruto, nor of Sasuke. She was worried, clutching the letter in the palms of her hands. She was shaking, but she hid it well.

"Alright, groups get ready! We will begin in ten minutes!"

She gulped. She was was paired with Naruto and Sasuke and she couldn't find either of them. She spotted Ino, Kiba and Lee. Tenten, Neji, Hinata, and Shino. But no Naruto nor Sasuke. She sighed, sitting on a bench, she knew she messed up, royally.

"Sakura-san." She gasped-

"Sasu-"

"Sakura, we need to talk. About last night." Sasuke was serious. She nodded, knowing where this was going. "Sakura, I hope you know I only see you as a friend, nothing more" Sasuke started "And if I had known you were with Naruto, or that he liked you, then last night. . . would have never happened. But please, I still want to be friends."

Sakura nodded, her heart breaking.

"O. . .k"

Sasuke smiled, nodding. "Now. I think Naruto needs an apology."

Sakura knew that he did deserve one, but the thing was she couldn't find him. "He's not here yet, I figured he'd be with you."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "He's not with me, he and Mina-san left together. They should be here, unless Mina-kun is giving Naruto a list of moves he's forbidden to do" Sasuke mumbled that last part to himself. But from away from every body, Naruto stood alone in the dark, alone to his own thoughts.

"What are you doing, Kit?" Kyuubi demanded to know, "Is this as low as you go? Cutting yourself?"

Naruto didn't reply.

"Maybe I won't heal your next wound." The fox threatened. "In fact I'll make it worse, see how Blondie will react to that!"

Naruto smirked. "You know if I die, then you die too."

Kyuubi snarled. "you're a real smart-ass you know that?!"

Naruto ignored the fox and left the shadows. He spotted Sasuke and Sakura right away, he felt himself snarl. Sakura turned around, spotting Naruto walking toward them. She took a big breath and Sasuke felt the room become oddly cold.

"Sasuke!" Naruto smiled. "You left without eating breakfast this morning."

Sasuke blushed a little. "Sorry, Naru-chan, I wanted to do some training before the exams." Naruto nodded as he began blabbering on and on about his own training, somewhere along the line Sakura found the courage to speak up.

"Naruto- I want to talk to you."

Naruto stopped talking to Sasuke and gave Sakura one of his stink-eyes.

"Sakura. . ." Naruto started.

"Naruto, I'm so-"

"Don't let your fat-ass slow us down." His voice was chilled and sharp. It could stab Sakura right in the heart. Sasuke flinched a little, that was brutal.

"N-Naruto!" Sakura gasped, she wanted to hit him, but she was too upset and shocked.

"Tiny-tits, do me a favor and go away. I'm talking to Sasuke." Naruto growled.

Sakura felt tears fall from her eyes as she ripped up the letter Minato wrote earlier and and stormed away.

Sasuke sighed.

This wasn't good.

"Kakashi." Minato whispered. Kakashi, who stood next to Minato while the blonde-Hokage sat in his chair, his hat covering his face and his robes, long and slimming.

"Yes?"

"You know the drill."

Kakashi nodded.

"Do whatever seems necessary, but if things get out of hand, I'll protect my son to the grave. "

Something was up with Naruto. And Minato had a pretty good guess why.

Review please :)

-The Un-wanted Angel