Have no fear for Fallen is here with another update! :D. This morning was horribly tradgic. I'm waiting for the bus to come, and I see this squirrel running across the road. Then bam! A car comes out of literally nowhere and takes it out D: . I was freaking out. And all these cars were zooming by and I was like 'Don't hit it. Don't hit it Don't hit - Damn it!' because another car hit it and the squirrel flew, did 360, then fell.

So yeah, I'm pretty much scarred for life.

Thank you guys for your reviews! I replied to all of them. You guys keep me going and going :D.

Now on to the warning and Disclaimer! :D

Warning: Kiba will be an asshole for the majority of this story. There is a reason for that. So for all Kiba fans out there... don't come and torch me v.v! You've been warned! And there's some major angsty/drama going down.

Disclaimer: Sometimes I get the feeling I own Naruto, only to have it stripped away. So sadly, I do not own such a wonderful thing v.v.

Enjoy :]

Chapter Five: Rumors

"I'll change the way people look at me. Once I'm king, then they'll have to respect me!" – Naruto Uzumaki, age 13.

"Naruto Uzumaki come back here right now, damn it!"

"Like hell I will, Iruka!" Naruto jumped on his hover board, zooming out of the room like a golden streak of lightning. "Classes are officially over!"

In no time at all he was out of the palace gates and merging in with the city. The colors were vibrant, matching people's lively expressions. Everything was bright and sunny, it could make the grouchiest man want to jump and shout for joy. This was the kingdom Naruto wished to be a part of. A kingdom where there was no sadness or anger. Where he wouldn't have to fear that people hated him or looked down on him because of what he was…

'What am I?'

That was the certain question that would float through his mind from time to time. There had to be a reason why his people looked at him so… coldly. He was a prankster by nature – he'd admit to that. He was loud and obnoxious – he'd comply with that too. He could even be slow and stupid – he'd begrudgingly acknowledge that as well. But his pranks weren't that much of a big deal.

The only time they ever caused a huge ruckus was when he decided it was a brilliant idea to deface the statue of his father's face in the King's Square. But that was only because he was pissed off at his dad for grounding him over something 'stupid' and the act was out of retaliation. Besides, the paint was washable.

Naruto snickered at the memories. Although his dad seriously flipped over the act, he could tell his dad found it amusing. 'And why wouldn't he? Our sense of humor is pretty much the same.' The blonde was in such a good mood, just taking the time to waste his day hovering around the city. 'Maybe I'll visit Deidara later.' He thought, casually clasping his hands behind his back as he hummed a little tune.

His thoughts started to drift back to Sasuke after a few minutes of just wondering around.

'I wonder what he's doing right now. Is he thinking of me?' Naruto scoffed at his thoughts that were becoming more and more common everyday. At random times of the day he would find his mind drifting back to their annual ball a year ago. How it felt good to be lead by Sasuke in their version of the Waltz. 'I probably haven't even crossed his mind once…'

The blonde let out a deflated sigh. How come just thinking about the raven prince could bring him to incredible highs and horrible lows within a few seconds? It was getting ridiculous how much of his time and energy he spent thinking about a guy who was in a whole other country!

"Damn it… What the hell is wrong with me?"

"You're a demon. That's what's wrong."

'W-What?' It was as if someone had just walked up to Naruto and slapped him right across the cheek. The words stung, like a million tiny needles being poked into his skin simultaneously. He didn't want to believe that those words were real. That someone had actually spat them out venomously with every intention to wound him. Accepting that would be like accepting the fact that he was different. That he harbored more than glares full of hatred from his people.

'Maybe there really is something wrong with me…' Naruto hung his head low, blonde bangs covering shining blue eyes. He wouldn't cry on the streets, damn it! Not in front of these people who were whispering… pointing… glaring…

"Look, it's the demon child!"

"Why is our land cursed with such a horrible thing?"

"How can the king act so proud about the abomination? If it were me I would have killed the boy."

"He brings shame to our land! Yet he's royalty. What a joke."

Naruto zoomed off for the nearest safe haven he could find, eyes closed shut trying to suppress his tears. He wouldn't listen to them. He wouldn't let those words affect him. They were poison to his mind and heart. If he started to accept those words as true, then he'd lose all the faith he'd put in himself that he was normal…

"Deidara!" he barged into the local weapons shop, toppling over display objects and people as he collided into the chest of the owner. Deidara was like the older brother he never got to have. And not just because they both had blonde hair and blue eyes – that was just a plus. They both had the same love for pulling pranks. And, although Deidara was wildly known for his craftsmanship with weapons (especially explosives), his reputation would never be the same after his affair with Sasori the Demon Puppet Master.

It was all thanks to Naruto's dad that Deidara was able to make a fresh start, although the people of this kingdom were still weary of him; some even ridiculed.

Deidara wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the little blonde and scooping him up in his arms. Naruto was a trooper, strong willed and resilient. It took a lot to make the blonde cry as he was. Sobbing into his shirt like there was no tomorrow. Whoever brought him to this state was going to receive one serious ass whooping from Deidara personally.

"Oi quit cryin', you're getting snot all over my shirt." When the only reply he got was a sniffle and even more crying, Deidara ran a hand through the little blonde's hair; taking a more considerate and softer tone to his voice. "Whose ass am I blowin' up for makin' yah cry?"

"I don't think you have enough explosives for these guys…" Naruto mumbled into the older blonde's tear stained shirt. He felt utterly disgusted with himself for breaking down like that. 'Aren't I stronger than this?' the words his people said skittered across his mind again, their poison causing a horrible sting to erupt through out his body. Their words caused him so much pain… so much… anger!

'Why am I a demon anyways? I didn't do anything to those people yet they treat me like some monster… what the hell!"

And before he could stop himself, Naruto was crying into Deidara's shirt again.

"Trust me, Kid, I always have enough dynamites. Did that little raven do this to yah? 'Cause I've got a big stick to shove up his ass if he did anythin' to hurt yah."

"It wasn't Sasuke…"

"… It was those fuckin' village idiots, huh?" at Naruto's slow, but reluctant, head nod Deidara clucked his tongue and shook his head. Same old bastards trying to act like they're holier-than-thou by alienated others that were different. Half of those people weren't even alive during the Kyuubi outbreak yet they act like Naruto had personally attacked each and everyone on of them. "No worries Kid. Just gimme the word and I'll level those creeps' houses for yah, un."

Naruto chuckled despite the raw scratchiness in his throat from crying so much. Deidara always had a funny way with words. Whenever the older blonde was truly ticked off Naruto swore every other word was about how much damage he could do with one explosion. And if the older blonde was happy then he'd go rambling on and on about his artwork. That's why he liked Deidara so much; he was a time bomb of randomness ready to explode at any moment.

"You don't have to go that far…" his people were mean to him, and maybe a small part of him was whispering all the ways he could get back at them for such rudeness, but he wasn't a baby anymore. Crying and acting out in retaliation would only get people even angrier at him. Right now it was like he was being pulled in opposite directions.

"Naruto, those creeps made you cry. Like, bawl on Deidara's shirt and permanently ingrain your tear stains cry. If you think I'm just going to sit here and do shit than you're fucking crazy." Deidara ruffled the blonde's hair affectionately, pulling him by the hair – gently of course – so Naruto could see his goofy smile. "You know what'll make everythin' better?"

Naruto perked up at this. Blue eyes that were rimmed red and moist with tears were now sparkling with anticipation from the older blonde's words. "Two scoops of ice cream topped with whip cream and sprinkles?"

Deidara shot the younger blonde on his lap a look of disbelief. "Are you fucking serious? Hell no. The only thing that'll make everythin' better is blowin' the shit out of stuff." Naruto pouted. Of course Deidara had to take the destructive route to make things better. At the blonde's sour look, Deidara let loose a hyena's cackle and ruffled Naruto's hair some more.

"God, you're such a fun brat to tease. C'mon, I've got your ice cream in the fridge for yah."

+Eclipse: Comfort food is the way to go+

"Ne… Deidara…"

"Yes, Blondie?" Using the pliers, Deidara took up the sword from the oven, inspecting the brilliant silver metal in the sunlight. It shone with elegance and fighting spirit; a blade ready to be wielded by a competent master. 'This'll be one hell of a sword to fight against in battle.' Proud of his work, Deidara placed the sword in a bath of water, watching in amusement as the water boiled at the contact of hot and cold coming together.

Naruto swirled his spoon around his now empty bowl of ice cream. It really had helped to make things everything better. A pinch of sweetness could make anyone smile from a depressing cry. His mind still played horrible tricks, replying those words over and over again, but the sugary sweetness of a buzzed teenager's mind kept the pain at bay.

Thoughts of a certain raven coming and going through his mind helped as well…

"What do you think about Sasuke?"

Deidara pulled back his glasses, the ones he used whenever he was crafting new weapons, making new artwork, or flirting, and cocked an eyebrow Naruto's way. He didn't miss the faraway look that was shining in those blue eyes and chuckled. Someone had Cupid's arrow lodged in his butt cheek today. 'I wonder if Blondie even knows what he's feelin' yet.'

"You mean before or after he spilt punch on my costume?"

"I told you that was my fault! Next time I won't launch a sneak attack on him when he has punch in his hands."

"Smart choice," Deidara smirked, removing his gloves one by one and joining his little friend at the counter. He gazed at the blonde from the corner of his eye. This would be the time where he'd act like the responsible adult he was supposed to be and give Naruto advice.

Of course, that's not the sort of person Deidara was.

"I honestly think he's a prick." He deadpanned; not missing the glare Naruto shot him but chose to ignore it. "What? You asked, so I'm gonna tell it to yah straight. He's an Uchiha, and my passed experiences with an Uchiha aren't very pleasant—"

"When did you meet up with an Uchiha?" Naruto interrupted which resulted in Deidara smacking him upside the head.

"I'm speakin' right now, Blondie. Show some fuckin' courtesy." Dramatically rolling his eyes, Deidara placed both his elbows on the counter and leaned on the palms of his hands, puffing away a few blonde bangs from out of his face. "Anywho, where was I? Oh yeah, Uchihas and me, bad stuff. But from what I saw at the ball, he seems like he's a cool kid. He doesn't treat you half as bad as the pricks in this kingdom do. And he even stood up for yah when that douche bag – what was his name again?"

"Kiba," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, that's who I meant. When Kiba stole your mask and was being a total asshole about it; I was cheering that little raven on when he personally punched that kid's lights out."

"So you think Sasuke's okay?" the blonde stood up a little straighter, eagerness flowing through him awaiting Deidara's response. He already thought of Sasuke as a friend. Even more so, going as far as calling him his best friend, and that took a lot considering Naruto didn't have many friends he could trust. If Deidara gave Sasuke the okay, then Naruto could take the next step and ask why the raven was always on his mind.

Deidara scratched his chin thoughtfully, mostly to get a rise out of the younger blonde. Smirking when he saw Naruto scowl in awaiting anticipation, Deidara threw his hands in the air dramatically with a loud groan. "I guess he's alright… for an Uchiha prick."

Naruto beamed with happiness. Throwing his arms around Deidara's neck, Naruto pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "Thanks, Deidara!"

"Why do you even need my opinion anyways, Blondie?" Deidara had finally pried the blonde off of him long enough to get his next question in – and sweet, precious, air into his lungs.

"Well… you see…"

"I thought I smelled something foul in here. Who would have thought the stenches belonged to the demon and the whore?" the voice cackled, along with its lackeys at the lame joke. Naruto's eyes shifted to the floor. There was that word again: demon. It seemed like any sentence that involved him had that heinous word following after it.

Deidara growled low in his throat. He had just gotten the blonde happen and now these bastards were ruining the damn moment! He didn't care what the hell these people thought of him, half of them he couldn't stand and he was only staying in this country because of the king and prince. But when they started to attack Naruto – still a freaking kid – that's when the claws came out; and a couple of sticks of dynamite.

"If you're not here to buy a weapon then I suggest you get the hell out of my shop." If glares could be weapons, Deidara's cold blue eyes would have sliced these three boys to ribbons.

"What are you gonna do if we don't, huh?" the obvious ring leader – because he was the only one with balls big enough to stand up to Deidara after that – stepped up with a cocky grin plastered on his face. "Are you gonna call your boyfriend here to fuck us up? Oh right, you can't because he's currently rotting in our jail right now isn't he?"

Deidara bit his tongue, holding back every curse word he'd picked up over the years. 'They're just kids. Brats with the idea that they're balls are big enough that they can act arrogant…' he threw a sideways glance at Naruto. The small boy was shaking badly, spoon gripped in his hand. Naruto was going to explode soon, Deidara could see it coming.

He couldn't say he would feel too bad about the aftershocks it would cause for the three boys.

"Kiba…" Naruto started out slowly, grip on the spoon tightened. "I was easy on you at the ball. But if you think you can just fucking come in here and insult us both then you are really stupid! I don't care what the hell you have to say about me, but if you say one, more bad thing about Deidara I will personally kick your ass!"

Blue eyes shown with determination and anger; they were the eyes of a king ready to protect his own people from the enemy. Kiba gulped. He had just come into the shop noticing both blondes in there, thinking he could get a few laughs here and there. You could say he didn't hate them, but found it his duty to make cracks at their expense whenever the need arose.

When you grow up in an environment where you're trained to hate a certain someone, you feel compelled to do it.

"You sure got a lot of lip, Uzumaki." Kiba spat out. "You weren't this talkative at the ball. Why? Is it because your boyfriend Uchiha was there?"

"Sasuke is not my boyfriend!" Naruto snapped, fighting back the blush that was trying to imperialize his face at the words.

"Of course he's not your boyfriend! That's why you guys were dancing like two lovers at the ball." The brunette pretended to gag, getting another round of laughs from his two cronies. "It was sickening to watch because all the girls wouldn't stop squealing about how cute you two were."

"Kiba, I don't care what the hell you think but Sasuke and I are nothing more than friends. Just because the girls wouldn't pay any attention to your sorry ass doesn't mean you have to take it out on us." Naruto dropped his spoon in the bowl, picked the empty bowl, and turned his back on the three. "If all the best you can do is come in here and crack lame jokes, point out your jealous insecurities, for the hell of it then leave. Because Deidara isn't the type of man you want to piss off; especially since he knows how to use every single one of these weapons."

"C'mon Kiba, I'd kinda like to walk out of here with all my body parts in place, yah know?" crony number one spoke timidly, placing a hand on Kiba's shoulder.

"Dude, let's go! I don't want to get my ass kicked by a mental whore and a monster!"

"Tch, whatever," Kiba brushed off the shoulder and turned to stomp towards the door. Before he left though, he threw a glance over his shoulder. A sneer was painted on his face. "FYI, Uzumaki, I'll never recognize a monster as king."

After the boys left, Deidara turned his attention back on Naruto. It had taken every chunk of his willpower not to kill those boys where they stood. Damn it all to hell if he got sent to prison for it, Minato would understand that those boys' death was because they were bullying Naruto. And well hell, he's always thought jail would be a fun place to go anyways.

"Blondie…"

"I'm fine, Deidara." Naruto said with a smile; a fake smile. It never reached to his eyes. Those eyes were tainted with hurt and misunderstanding. It was right then that Deidara wished he could have told Naruto everything. Why the people of Soleil were cruel to him. Why he was always being called a monster. Why he was cursed with such a wretched fate since birth. But he couldn't… It wasn't his place, and if Naruto learned from him Minato would personally hunt the older blonde done as repercussion.

"Don't you fucking lie to me, Blondie."

Naruto went for his hover board, activating the device and jumped on it. He threw a smile over his shoulder, a slight wave, and then he was off. A trail of tears followed behind him after his departure.

Deidara groaned heavily, dropping his face into the palm of his hands. 'One day I'm seriously going to blow this place up sky high.' He pushed back from the counter and opened a drawer. Picking out around five sticks of dynamite, he made his way to the backyard. There stood about four of vie pieces of incomplete artwork that he swore he was going to finish one day but was now used for venting.

Deidara placed a stick of dynamite at the base of a headless statue. Lit the end of it, and started a silent countdown in his head.

'3…2…1… KABOOM!'

"Alright, who pissed you off this time?"

Deidara barely passed a glance at the red head behind him, simply allowing those strong arms to wrap around his torso as he relaxed into the embrace.

"Fuckin' brats… always doin' the same shit. They know absolutely nothin' about Naruto yet they go around like it's their freakin' duty to make his life miserable!" Deidara let out a sigh of annoyance, resting his head on his love's strong shoulders. "It pisses me off…"

"Immaturity is a phase," the red head chuckled, placing his chin on top of Deidara's head. "So, do you want me to go out and kill them?"

Deidara shook his head albeit reluctantly. "Nah, I wouldn't want to give people a reason to suspect you've 'escaped from prison'."

"Fine… I won't kill them. Is torturing alright?"

Deidara smirked, "Oh yes. Torturing is always alright."

+Eclipse: Am I a monster+

Minato was reading over documents one final time before he called it a day. He was both mentally and physically tired from yet another day of kingly duties. If it weren't court cases he had to deal with, it was trying to form alliances with the neighboring countries. And if it weren't all of that, it was him trying to help out the Luna Empire with their rebellion issues.

'A vacation would be so nice right now…' he thought with a sigh. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Minato finally decided to call it a night. He snapped his holo-reader shut and made his way out of his study. The sweet calling of a fluffy bed with fresh washed sheets and plump pillows were calling out to him and it would be rude to refuse.

Opening his door, he toed off his shoes and made his way to the bed. He came to a halt, though, when he saw his son clutching onto a pillow and biting on his lip till it drew blood.

"Naruto, what are you doing up so late?" Minato's eyes flashed with concern for his son. Naruto never bit on his lips unless something was truly bothering him. And he'd never pass up precious moments of sleep either for the same reason. "Is something wrong?"

The blonde was silent for a few moments, but Minato didn't miss how Naruto's nails dug into the pillow and how his body was trembling. Naruto swallowed by a thick coat of weakness that was bubbling up his throat. He would get his answers… He needed to know a damn good reason why people hated him so much!

"Dad… what's wrong with me?"

It's a horrible thing when your kid has to ask you what's wrong with them... Once again, I'm sorry that Kiba turned out like this, but he won't stay like a prick forever :D. I promise!

I hope you all enjoyed chapter give! I have chapter six all typed up and raring to go for next Friday.

Reviews would be absolutely lovely :]. I'm always waiting eagerly to hear your opinions.

Till next time :D