Byakuya
Chapter 27
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"Would you mind accompanying me to a friendly spar?" Naruto looked up from his bowl of ramen to see Neji standing beside him. The white eyes looked at the blonde closely, searching for a confirmation of some kind. Whatever it was Neji was searching for, he found it as he nodded to himself. "It has been suggested to me by my head of clan that I should take the advantage of knowing someone with such an impressive taijutsu technique" Neji explained, the edge of his mouth forming into a smirk. Naruto blushed slightly at the toning, while Lee and Kakashi, whom Naruto had been eating lunch with laughed slightly, both having had experience with the Fuketsu koodori.
"Umm… what? You mean like now?" Naruto asked hesitantly. Even though he acted very friendly with Neji, he had actually never trained with the Hyuuga. Neji tilted his head slightly.
"Unless you're busy." The brunette said with his eyes sparkling slightly with mirth. Naruto frowned at the joke that apparently both Kakashi and Lee got when the blonde didn't. Naruto nodded shakily, wiping his chin.
"Sure, I was done here anyway." Naruto agreed, sliding down from the Ichiraku bar chair he had been sitting on. Neji let the edge of his mouth twist before walking off, expecting Naruto to follow. Naruto threw a confused glance at Neji, before locking eyes with Lee.
"Don't worry about it, Naruto-kun. He's always like that. The only boy who hides his spirit of youth as skilfully as Neji is the Uchiha himself." Lee explained, encouraging Naruto. Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not quite being able to force himself to jump about and grin at the prospect of training with Hyuuga Neji. His mind was still trying to cope with the fact that his awakening had begun. Naruto gave Kakashi a small, sad, smile which made the white haired teacher to frown.
"Ah. All right. See you later, Lee-kun, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto nodded, before bowing respectfully, only to notice that not only Kakashi and Lee were looking absolutely shocked, but the ramen man and his daughter, Ayame, as well. Naruto suppressed a flinch. Having his mind in turmoil like this was no good, as he was starting to forget how to act in Konoha.
At the Coven bowing was expected and strictly advised if one didn't want to insult somebody, but in Konoha, the bower being Uzumaki Naruto, it was exceptionally strange. Naruto shrugged his head out of the deep thoughts they had been, and offered an apologizing smile to his worried teacher before running after Neji.
"Hey! Wait up, Hyuuga-teme!"
Kakashi watched Naruto go, worry plastered on his light features.
Something's wrong with Naruto. Iruka was right, after all. Somebody needs to talk with him.
And I think I know just the person.
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Sasuke watched from across the distance at the blurry shapes of Neji and Naruto, his dark brows furrowed in a frown. He didn't know why Kakashi had insisted he go and find Naruto, but he felt a burning hot sensation spread into his stomach as he watched Neji correct Naruto's stance as he gave the other a crash course in the simpler points of the gentle fist.
Sasuke didn't bother to activate his Sharingan; after all, he didn't want to use the Hyuuga's moves.
Sasuke clenched his fist as he saw Neji correct Naruto's stance again, though this time his hands stayed a bit too long on Naruto's hips. Sasuke jumped off the branch he had been sitting on, and was just about to run across the field to have a talk with the Hyuuga about proper ways to teach people, Naruto namely, when a thought so shocking entered into his brain that he froze over.
I'm jealous.
I'm jealous.
Of Neji.
Training with Naruto.
"Gods…" Sasuke muttered to himself as he buried his face into his hands. What's wrong with me? Why on earth am I so damn jealous, even though Naruto should be training with ME and not HIM…?
With a small groan Sasuke tried to clear his face of any emotions and set along the field with an easy stalk.
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"…You really twist your hips like that?" Naruto asked incredulously.
"It gives the strongest possible force into the punch while holding your chakra ways straighter, which makes chakra travel faster onto your hands." Neji explained as he showed the stance to Naruto again. Naruto frowned slightly, looking at the way Neji's hips were straight in the movement.
"Seriously, Fuketsu Koodori is a lot easier than this gentle fist stuff. Thank god I'm not a Hyuuga."
"Oh? Really? Feel free to explain." Neji snorted, and Naruto smirked while settling into a position where his hands were placed a bit from his body, his elbows bended with his palms facing outwards, before he kicked off the air and made a swift kick in the air on head height.
"I don't see the difference," Neji dead-banned. Naruto growled.
"It's really simple, look, here in the middle of the movement; instead of just rolling in the air you get into chocolate-fetch position."
"Do I want to know what chocolate-fetch position is?" Neji asked dubiously. Naruto gave an easy smile.
"Probably not. Anyway, imagine fucking somebody on the kitchen table with yourself on top. Now let's presume you're not all perfect Hyuuga, and this happened to be a dude and you forgot the lube…" Naruto began, and Neji let out a small groan before spotting Sasuke nearing from behind Naruto's back.
"…So you have to reach for the lube with your left hand, and once you get the lube, the tube, of course already half-used, is sticky with the stuff, and hence it slips between your fingers. Now imagine doing like this with your hand…." Naruto continued, while making a flicking movement with his wrist. Neji started to fight a smile as he saw Sasuke's face twist into confusion and morbid shock as he listened to Naruto.
"…and you throw it into the air like this so as not to lose it, because you really need the lube now, so you throw it into the air a bit too fast, and you have to move your hand like this to catch it….get it now?" Naruto demanded as he explained how the twist and bend his arm. Neji raised an eyebrow.
"…And were talking about lube…" Neji stated, and Sasuke's eyes widened a bit at the strange tone Neji had in his voice.
"Ah, and I know you're wondering why this is called the chocolate-fetching position. It's really simple actually, as you are in the kitchen having hot steamy sex for hours, you get hungry. And besides strawberry lube tastes like crap, AND instead of the lube you can use chocolate sauce." Naruto explained, while Neji tried to figure out a way to tell that no, that wasn't what he had wondered.
"…And the whole stickiness on the tube theory? So fits with chocolate sauce as well." Naruto concluded, and Neji's eyes glazed over before he made a choking noise.
"Dear god, I'm never going to be able to look at chocolate sauce the same way ever again." Neji groaned. Naruto smirked.
"Oh come on, I know for a fact you don't even like sweet stuff, so no damage done, really…"
"Oh, poor Uchiha then… He'll never be able to look at chocolate sauce in the same way again." Neji sighed, drawing a nervous laugh from Naruto.
"Naaah, Sasuke-bastard isn't even here, then why---"Sasuke cleared his throat.
"Kyaaaaaah! Naruto yelled as he jumped around, shocked. Spotting Sasuke behind him with a look of shock on his face, Naruto instinctively reacted the only way he could. He blushed furiously before yelling at the Uchiha.
"Sasuke-teme! What are you doing here!" Naruto wailed while moving his arms around wildly, his voice filled with panic. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"I was looking for you, dobe. We need to talk about yesterday." Sasuke said and Naruto let his arms fall limply on his sides. The blue eyes filled with melancholy and a bit of fear, Neji noticed, and couldn't help but to wonder what had happened for the blonde to lose his energy so fast.
"…can't we talk later?" Naruto asked hesitantly, flinching when he realized he had let his hurt slip through his voice. Sasuke's eyes hardened and Naruto looked down.
"We have to talk about Sakura." Sasuke said, and Naruto turned to look at the Uchiha incredulously.
"Are you kidding me? You saw her face! God damn it, she isn't even capable of being in the same room with me without looking at me with… the eyes."
"You mean you're afraid she's going to look at you like the villagers do." Neji said, and Sasuke nodded, agreeing for once with the Hyuuga. Naruto's eyes widened and Sasuke could practically see the blonde start to retreat into his shell. Sasuke stepped forward, and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder, which the Uchiha knew meant more to Naruto than it did to him, considering that the only time Sasuke touched Naruto was when they sparred and his fist met Naruto's face.
The skin to skin contact, as Naruto was only wearing a black wife beater, shocked the blonde out of his retreat, and his eyes started to shine with confusion.
Sasuke regarded the slightly smaller ninja, who, according to Kakashi had been made chuunin only the day before. Sasuke snorted softly.
"Did you really think we haven't noticed? Not all have of course, but the smartest of us have known since the first time we've walked with you on the streets. What surprised me is that they don't even try to hide it." Sasuke's voice was filled with scorn and he really wanted to punch Sakura right then for putting Naruto into this state. Of course he knew Sakura hadn't probably done it in order to hurt Naruto, but the girl was still stupid.
Of all reactions to Naruto, she just had to show fear.
"The Uchiha is right. It has been oblivious from the beginning that for some reason the villagers both hate and fear you, along with forbidding their children from interacting with you." Neji spoke, moving closer to Naruto. The blonde regarded the Hyuuga, suddenly afraid.
Oh god, does everybody know? What do they know? How much do they know? Do they know the whole story? Or do they just know I have something to do with the kyuubi? Or do they only know the village for some reason hates me? Do they know?
"Naruto, look, I don't care whatever this power of yours is. All I know is that it saved my life in the forest of death." Sasuke began, still remembering as the power simply seemed to seep out of the blonde as he fought against Orochimaru's snake. And he remembered the burning jealousy that had filled him when Naruto, and not him, had been the one to finish off Gaara. "…and Sakura's as well. Obliviously if it was too dangerous you wouldn't be allowed in a team. And our team works well, and we can't let our team to break because of something utterly stupid like this. Hence, we need to talk with Sakura." Sasuke finished, inside nodding to himself and making a note not to speak too much for the rest of the week with how much he just said.
Naruto was silent for a moment before nodding hesitantly.
"Can… can you go see Sakura first…? Like say something to her so that she doesn't scream? I… I don't think I can take that anymore…" Naruto said hesitantly, before turning to look at the ground again. "…you should take her to the Hokage tower. Maybe I can… show you there or something." Naruto added, hoping that Tsunade would have some way he could get out of this.
Sasuke nodded, and with a last slightly worried look walked away, leaving Naruto and Neji to stand in silence.
And damn Sakura, if you hurt him now, you are going to pay, Sasuke scornfully brooded.
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Tsunade regarded the stranger in front of her closely. The figure was apparently seventeen years old and was wearing an outfit made of completely white leather, something that stood out quite starkly. The only things not white were the silver buckles and clasps along with the blue inside of the long leather coat that nearly touched the ground. Dark purple eyes regarded her silently from under pink bangs as Yuki waited for Tsunade's response.
"And you say you are from… the Coven?" The Gondaime asked. Yuki nodded.
"Yes. But I am here not in Coven, but in family business. I am here to request that you release one Uzumaki Naruto from his ninja duties for a month so that he may visit his family." Yuki said calmly, while steaming inside at the stupid blonde woman who should grant his wish immediately.
"You do realize that a month is a long time. A lot could happen in that time, and every ninja is valuable, considering our status with several countries that have decided to join Orochimaru and the sound. Uzumaki Naruto especially is an asset we cannot afford to lose. He is, after all, our Fuketsu koodori expert." Tsunade answered strictly, before changing her tone threatening. "And whatever disillusions you have, you are not Uzumaki Naruto's family."
"We may not be Naruto's blood family, but we are the closest thing he has for a family at least! I don't know what you have been informed of, but I assume Naruto would very much prefer to see his brother before he draws his last breath. And about Naruto being an asset? That's all he is to you isn't he! I've heard of you, oh yes, the Gondaime, one of the three sennin! I've heard of you of course from Naruto, where he called you as the closest thing he has for a grand-mother. Well apparently that trust was misplaced as all Naruto seems to be to you is a whore you can use to do your dirty work!" Yuki yelled enraged, feeling extremely gleeful when Tsunade's eyes opened in shock.
"...No, that isn't what-"Tsunade began.
"Oh that's exactly it! Naruto is your little whore, sleeping with people so that your village may collect the money! You are aware of what the missions detail? Don't you Hokage! You're supposed to bloody care for him, and yet you send him to FUCK people! You do realize that he is letting dirty, filthy, sick men to touch and fuck him up the ass because YOU DEMANDED IT FROM HIM!" Yuki was raging and he was aware of some of his dark blue demon chakra escaping, but he was too far gone to care.
"—listen…!" Tsunade tried to cut in.
"You filthy piece of shit! Rokudaime has suffered so much already, and you aren't even going to allow him to be there when his brother dies!" Yuki raged, his eyes becoming slitter and his claws starting to grow.
"You're a Jinchuuriki, aren't you!" Tsunade gasped shocked. Yuki looked at the Hokage in distaste.
"So what if I am! So is Naruto! Is this how you treat him? Every time his name leaves your lips, do you really inside your head think, 'the jinchuuriki'!" Yuki snapped, trying to calm himself.
"No! That isn't it at all! Will you listen to me god damn it?" Tsunade finally snapped, cracking the edge of her desk as she buried her nails into it.
"Oh, be my guest," Yuki said politely, slipping into his chair, all traces of his previous anger erased away. Tsunade looked dumbfounded for a moment before regaining her thoughts.
"I won't have you say such things in my office. I'll have you know that I love Naruto very, very much. But this is out of my hands. The council has never liked Naruto and more than once a year a suggestion to exterminate the demon are put on the move. I'm not going to be able to take Naruto off active duty just like that." Tsunade sighted. Yuki threw a sharp look at the Hokage before taking some pity on her.
"Well, we are not in burning hurry. I give you two days to talk the council over. After which Naruto and I will leave the village, permission or no permission." Yuki stated, before standing up from his chair.
"Where can I find Rokudaime?" Yuki asked tiredly, the dark rings around his eyes even darker than before. Watching over Drake was draining business.
"I've heard that name before. Why are you referring to Naruto as the Rokudaime?" Tsunade asked confused. Yuki smirked.
"Oh, the story behind that is long…and I'm afraid I got better things to do than delay it to you. Ask Naruto sometime." Tsunade threw him a dubious look before nodding to Yuki, accepting the crappy answer for what it was.
"I suppose you would probably find Naruto best if you went to his apartment. He's probably training now, but he could be anywhere doing that, really." Tsunade told Yuki, and Yuki nodded before turning to leave.
"Oh, and Yuki, is it? If you want to avoid attention, you really should consider changing attire." Tsunade smirked, running her eyes over Yuki's leather pants and the small top which left his taunt stomach for everyone to see. His collarbones were also left for show, brought out by the necklace that seemed to have a fang hanging on it. Yuki looked at Tsunade amusedly.
"And who ever said I didn't want to attract attention?" Yuki said before pulling out an orange book from his back pocket and starting to walk towards Naruto's apartment.
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