A\N: Thanx to anyone who commented, I wish I could be more specific, but I don't have internet access at home, so my father posts for me.. long story. Please try to enjoy this next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, if I did you'd be the first to know.
Eye of the wolf
Beep-Beep-Beep-Crash. "Sakura-Chan! I'm coming! Huh?" Naruto blinked as he looked around his room, how did he end up on the floor and why is his sheet and pillow at the opposite side of the room?
He looked in his hand he was hugging a slipper wrapped in a navy-blue underwear. He threw the evil combination far from him with terror. He yawned then turned off the alarm clock that he just noticed, he stretched and got up, and elegantly scratched his butt, as he gracefully stumbled over to the toilet.
He stood in the street in front of the apartment building, mornings like this are the ones he hates the most. He remembered the girl from yesterday; maybe he could visit her and check how she's doing. He thought it over then shrugged, it seems like a good idea to him.
"Room 15"
"Arigato"
He dragged his feet down the white hall that reeked of disinfectants, he never liked the hospital, it reminded him of some painful memories. He reached the room, he paused then knocked softly, he got no answer so he opened the door slightly and peeked in.
A nurse with short brown hair was standing next to the girl, as she fixed her top. "Well everything looks alright; your wound is healing well, I'll check on you later" then she smiled at Naruto as she left the room with a nod.
As the door closed behind her Naruto sat at the chair next to the bed, he smiled but the girl just gave him a blank stare.
"H-Hi I'm Uzumaki Naruto"
"…."
"…. Well…"
"…"
Naruto didn't know what to say, and that doesn't happen very often.
"Arigato" he heard her say in a low voice.
"Huh?"
"You're the one who brought me here yesterday right?"
"Hai" he answered scratching the back of his head, smiling.
She nodded and smiled back faintly. There was silence again.
"Well, I hope you get better soon" Naruto said as he stood up.
The girl looked up at him and opened her lips a bit, as if about to say something, but then lowered her eyes and nodded. Naruto left. As he walked out into the street he replayed the look in his mind, he could almost swear that there was hidden disappointment in it. He shook his head why would she be disappointed, he must be imagining.
The rest of the day proceeded as usual, he got a simple C mission, it was easy, but it was in the far end of the fire country. He was home at 3 in the morning, he decided to give his report tomorrow. Naruto dragged his legs as he walked into the room and dropped his backpack on top of something, he threw his head onto his pillow, and he was sound asleep.
"He came back again" a young women said.
"Who?"
"The Genin who brought her in before yesterday"
"And did you detain him?"
"On what grounds? Visiting a patient? We can't do that, you know that, it's not illegal to be anonymous"
"Well we don't need to detain him anyways, but if he comes again be sure to keep a close eye on him, if he does anything fishy I want to catch him red handed"
"Hai"
"Naruto…. Naruto…. NArutooo…. NARUTOoo!"
"Huh? What?" *crash* Naruto opened his eyes to find himself on the floor again. He looked around, then his eyes locked on the open window. "Huh? Sakura-Chan? What…." Then he realized that he was in his pajamas. "Sakura-Chan!" he squealed grabbing his sheet and covering his embarrassing teddy bear pajamas.
Sakura rolled her eyes, "C'mon get up, it 12 noon, why are you still asleep? Never mind, Tsunade-Sama wants the reports for your mission from yesterday, and I'll get yelled at if she doesn't get it. So get up get dressed and get on with the report"
Naruto yawned as the information slowly registered in his brain, but apparently, it wasn't fast enough, Sakura's temper was being tested as Naruto lazily stretched then yawned, and rubbed his eyes and yawned -Twitch- and scratched his head and yawned -grip- then stretched again and yawned -pulse- and…..
"Get the hell on with it already! Cha!" Sakura screamed punching Naruto awake.
"Thank you Naruto, for the detailed report, oh and by the way, what's with the black eye?" Tsunade asked staring at the pathetically disheveled boy.
"Sa hmm ba ru a shi" he mumbled his eyes to the ground.
"Huh?"
Naruto just walked out of her office without answering. He stood in front of the Hokage mansion; he looked up staring at the bright sun. suddenly he heard something, and before he could move his eyes from the sky a big shadow covered it.
"Wahooo"
"Ooof"
"Hey Naruto"
"Kiba get your dog off of me… I can't breathe," Naruto begged gasping for air.
Akamaru stepped to the side, Naruto wheezed as the air slowly seeped into his lunges.
"Long time no see, Naruto" said Kiba getting off his dog and towering over him.
Naruto struggled to get up then said, "Hi Kiba, where've you been, I stopped seeing you around"
Kiba put his hand on Akamaru's head, "That's because Hokage-Sama has been bombarding me with missions, in fact I'm coming here straight from one," he answered. "Hey how about we go grab a bite after I give Tsunade-Sama the report"
"Sure" Naruto shrugged as Kiba walked into the Hokage mansion.
Kiba smirked at a cute waitress as she walked past their table.
"Remind me again, why aren't we at Ichiraku ramen?" Naruto asked leaning on his palm.
Kiba took a ferocious bite of the stake in front of him, "Because I'm buying, and I prefer meat to soup." He answered with a mouth full of food.
Naruto frowned as he pushed his plate away, he wasn't a squirmy person, but something about the way Kiba ate took his appetite away.
Kiba smiled at Akamaru then took a long sip of water, and then took another big bite of his stake, "So, What've you been up to lately?" he spat between bites.
Naruto peered at Kiba, for some reason it seemed like he was unable to speak unless his mouth was full. He sighed, Kiba lifted an eyebrow, "Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Iie-No-, it's nothing" Naruto quickly answered with a smile, turning away.
Kiba shrugged, "So how are things going between you and Sakura?"
Naruto shook his head "They're not"
"Still stuck on Sasuke eh?"
Naruto shook his head, "How about you and Hinata? You hang around with her a lot, are you two together?" he asked pushing around a pea with the tip of his fork.
Kiba looked mortified, "No No, Hinata is not my kind of girl, she's more like a sister to me, besides lately I started to think that she has a crush on you"
There was a brief moment of total silence, before the two teenagers burst into laughter. "Imagine that, Me and Hinata together?" Naruto said whipping a tier.
"Yeah, that would be so wrong"
"Why's that?"
"Well nothing really, but I can't see her putting up with you weird habits."
Naruto gave his friend a confused look, but then he shrugged and looked out of the window, watching some birds fly.
For some reason he remembered the girl at the hospital, he probably should visit her again, she looked very lonely the last time he saw her.
"I've gotta go" Naruto said, standing up.
Kiba stood up and reached into his pocket, "What's the matter?"
"It's nothing, just a friend I need to visit in the hospital"
"Anyone I know?" Kiba asked fumbling through his wallet.
"Iie" Naruto answered simply starting to walk away. "See ya la….."
"Uh Naruto?" Kiba called from behind him.
Naruto turned around a questioning look on his face, he saw Kiba smiling embarrassedly. "Do you…. Do you have any money on you, I'm kinda… broke"
Naruto corked a brow, "What about all the missions Tsunade has been giving you? Didn't you get paid?"
Kiba seemed to be blushing as he took a step back and his nervous smile widened, "A-Aah, but I… well, already spent that money" he answered sheepishly.
"Naniii?" -What?-
"Well it was more like I never had the money, 'cause you see, I owed Tsunade-Sama some money, and when I couldn't pay it back, she made me work until I paid her back" he explained looking away, scratching his cheek.
"And how much did you owe her?"
"Well… 1300 ryo, but.. but that's beside the point" he waved his hands in front of his chest.
"What did you need all that money for?" Naruto yelled shocked by the big number.
"So, which one of you two boys is going to be paying?" a big guy from the restaurant staff glared.
"Gulp" the two-gasped enveloped in the guy's shadow.
"Stupid Kiba and his stupid big appetite" Naruto murmured, staring at his empty froggy-wallet. "Dammit Kiba! I worked hard for that money" he yelled to his friend.
"Uh well… I'll pay you back… Maybe" he answered smiling slightly. "Yeah well see you around Naruto" he added riding off on Akamaru, after walking Naruto to the hospital gates.
Naruto sulked, and mumbled something as he put his hands in his pockets and turned to the hospital.
Knock-Knock, Naruto peeked into the room, there was the same nurse doing a quick checkup on the girl, Naruto turned away blushing. Why is it always when he comes, that the nurse is doing a checkup.
"You can come in" he heard the nurse call from the room.
Naruto walked in still blushing. "You're wound seems to be healing properly" the nurse noted to the girl with a smile.
"Can I leave yet?" the girl asked in a low voice, a tired look in her dull eyes.
There was a brief awkward silence, and then the nurse answered with a weird look on her face, and a sudden coldness about her, "…..Not…. yet" and with that she left the room in a haste.
The girl turned her cold eyes to Naruto, he stepped towards her, and sat near her bed, there was an awkward silence that was only disturbed by the birds' chirps.
"So…" Naruto started.
"Hmm?" she turned to him.
"I uhh… I see you're getting better, that's good"
"Hmm" she looked at her clinched fists in her lap.
"I guess you're not from the village, are you?" he said with a wide smile, turning back to the normal Naruto.
"What makes you say that?" she asked turning to look at him. But her eyes met his kind blue eyes, she quickly turned away, "Hai" she said after a moment of silence.
"So why did you come to Konoha?" he asked leaning back.
She hesitated then answered, "Just… for the sake of visiting"
He turned to give her a brief stare, "yeah well, Kanoha is a beautiful place" he turned away.
She stared deeper into her lap then whispered, "Hai"
There was another moment of silence, "So how did you get that wound?" he asked looking up at her, but he instantly received a fierce glare.
The girl quickly looked away; Naruto stared at her for a few more seconds surprised at murderess look she had. He soon stood up and was about to leave when…
"Naruto?" the girl whispered without looking at him.
He was surprised, "Ha-hai?" he answered hesitantly.
She turned around to him with a very red apple in her hand, "Would you like to split this with me?" she asked in a low voice.
He hesitated again, but she had a sad guilty look on her face, she couldn't lift her eyes. He paused again then said with a smile, "Sure"
She handed him half of the apple and smiled, was that actually the first time he saw her smile? He took a bite, and thought about what to say. "Do you have any friends or family?"
"Ette!" she gasped dropping the metal knife onto the hospital flour. -I think that's Ow or how they say pain or something along those lines-
"What?" he quickly turned to her.
"I um…" she started. She had cut her finger while cutting the apple; the white sheet was soiled with blood that was constantly dripping from her middle finger.
"Here show me that," Naruto said pulling her hand to him. "You should be more careful, you don't want to bleed after getting a wound like yours."
She stared at him blankly as he wrapped her finger. "There, that's better, I didn't think you were such a careless person, cutting your self while cutting an apple" he smiled.
….
"Ume"
"Huh?" he looked up at her.
"My name is Ume, I never told you." She repeated, staring at him.
He paused not knowing how to respond, "You don't have to say anything" she said looking at her lap, as if she could read his mind.
He stared her in the eye, she quickly turned away, but she could still see them, his Blue Blue eyes.
"We're going to have trouble," a nervous woman said.
"Why?"
"Because we're not going to be able to keep her here much longer, plus it seems like that Genin became friends with her"
"So?"
"So eventually he'll start wondering why she isn't allowed to leave"
"Hmm, well do you have any information about who that Genin is?"
*The sound of ruffling papers* "… Um his name is Uzumaki Naruto"
"Well, maybe it's a good idea to have her befriend one of our shinobies"
"Sensei?"
"This way we'll always have someone to keep an eye on her, someone we trust"
"…."
"I'll check with Hokage-Sama, and do a background check on this Genin, Tsunande-Sama will probably agree with me, but until then stall for a little longer, try to keep her here until I can sort things out"
"Hai"
Knock-Knock, "Enter"
"Hokage-Sama, you asked for me?"
"Come in Kakashi, there is something important I need to tell you, it's concerning Naruto"
"Tsunade-Sama that's….."
"I know Kakashi, but I already made my decision" Tsunade replayed knotting her fingers as she rested her elbows on her desk.
"I understand, but I don't think you should put Naruto in a situation like this" Kakashi argued.
Shizune stood to the side quietly, following the conversation without interfering. Although she agreed with Kakashi, she trusted that her mentor knew what she was doing.
Tsunade closed her eyes, "I know what I'm doing Kakashi, I am more worried about Naruto's reaction when he finds out"
Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes; he crossed his arms and leaned onto a desk. He understands why the Hokage wants to do it, but yet it might put Naruto in serious danger.
"So, Kakashi you didn't answer my question"
"Well, he will probably get very defensive; you know how he is about his friends" Kakashi said calmly.
Sasuke's image instantly popped into Tsunade's mind upon hearing Kakashis' comment. She quickly shook it off as Kakashi continued, "Naruto is a very loyal person, but he managed to get him self into a mess he didn't need"
Tsunade nodded at that in agreement so Kakashi continued, "But I think you'll be able to use him to your advantage without him knowing, although I'm not very comfortable with that."
Tsunade sighed, she wasn't any more comfortable about it then he was, but a Hokage has to do what's better for the people, despite their personal preferences.
She sighed again, "Also, you can expect a major tantrum from Naruto when he learns about all of this, and eventually he will have to. I'm not trying to make your job difficult, but I'm merely stating the facts." Kakashi pointed out.
Tsunade nodded her head in understanding, "I wish Naruto would just act like a normal shinobi and accept his orders."
There was a smile like twinkle in Kakashi's eye after she said that, but although they both wished it, they knew that would never happen.
A\N: I realize that this chapter is mostly just a filler, the next chapter will probably have more action in it. Until then please enjoy.. and comment.
I hope my chapters aren't too long or short for your liking. If it is please let me know and I'll try to get it fixed. I also have comments\questions: 1. I have nothing against NaruHina pairing, but I have to stay true to character, and Naruto likes Sakura, and she likes Sasuke. 2. I have nothing against NaruKiba, but again, I have to stay true to character. 3. Do you think 1300 ryo is too much? too little? or enough? Because I really don't know how money works in Naruto world.
Please comment and criticize okay?