-Hides-

Oh my god.

I could tell you about exams, about cruel heartless teachers piling on the work, about my hard drive failing and losing everything, but none of that can make up for me delaying three months to update.

It is unforgivable.

So, I'm just going to hide behind this table and hope you don't throw too many tomatoes at me.

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The next morning, Naruto was up early, and Kiba... Well, it was saying something that Kiba had actually gotten up. Iruka knocked on both teens' doors are eight o'clock sharp, and they were kneeling in front of the large breakfast table by ten past eight.

"Did you sleep well?" Fugaku asked politely as they sat down, but Naruto could tell that he really did not care. He peeked at Sasuke who had not yet acknowledged his presence, and was glaring down at his lap with a scowl. Naruto furrowed his eyes momentarily, confused, before answering Fugaku's question.

"Great, thanks."

A maid walked into the room, arms laden down with platters of dumplings, sticky rice, thinly sliced vegetables, scrambled eggs and fava beans, fruit, among other things. He forgot everything in that moment, and stared at the woman with an overwhelming look of bliss. He could hardly contain himself, and before the woman had finished laying out the food, was digging into whatever was closest to him with his chopsticks and piling it on the plate in front of him.

He promptly began to stuff his face. The remaining members of the table looked at him in shock. Well, Kiba in mild annoyance, Sasuke in a mixture of amusement and disgust, Itachi in carefully concealed nothingness. It was really only Mikkoku and Fugaku who looked at him in shock.

Kiba tried to turn the attention off of Naruto and began to serve food onto his own dish. As everyone gradually recovered, conversation started to flow again.

"So, Naruto-kun, I haven't seen you since your late arrival two nights ago, how are you liking your stay so far?" Fugaku asked. The blonde finished chewing his particularly large bite. "I know Konoha is rather different from your country."

"Yeah, everything's great. Thanks."

"I hear you are a prodigal swordsman, Naruto-kun." Came Mikkoku's shy voice. "Have you had a chance to practice with my brothers yet?"

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke for a fraction of a second, but he simply sat there, an annoyed scowl on his face, glaring at his plate of food. The blonde had noticed that the pale boy didn't eat much.

Sasuke was tense. His fingers clutched his chopsticks until his knuckles turned white, and his jaw was clenched. If anyone happened to turn their eyes in his direction, he would give them a violent glare until they turned their gaze back to their plates.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't yet had the chance." He replied. Silence reigned over the table.

"So..." Naruto said loudly, attempting to break the awkward silence. "Um... Your garden is… Particularly stunning… I have a great view of it from my window."

"Thank you. Its original creation was during the Ching dynasty. It has, of course, been modified since, but it has generally kept its overall appearance. Perhaps you would like a tour of it today? My sons can show you around it – it was like a second home to them before-" He froze, and several things happened at once. Sasuke's eyes burned with fury, and the fragile chopsticks in his hands broke. Itachi sent a warning look at Fugaku, a look of utmost threat and a terrible promise. Lesser men than the King of Konoha would quail beneath it. Mikkoku sent a fear-ridden glance at Itachi, before quickly jerking her gaze at Naruto - anxiety clearly written in her eyes.

"Ehem… Before… Before… They grew up… and… and became the strong men they are today," Fugaku finished lamely, his eyes downcast. The tension, if it was not already high enough as it was, became intolerable. "Right. Well. I have a… a great deal of paperwork I must… must deal with. Enjoy your tour, Naruto-kun."

Fugaku left the room quickly, and the remaining teens were left in utter silence.

"Well… As fun as this little, ah, 'encounter' was, I have much to do as well. Do excuse me." Itachi rose, and headed out of the room. "And, as our father said, enjoy the tour, Naruto-kun."

"What?!" Sasuke exploded, speaking for the first time that morning. His voice came out rough and brutal. "You're leaving me to take care of this PEST by myself? No! No, you heard father, you have to do this too. Do you know what will happen if you disobey him again?" The raven's voice was venomous and dangerously low.

And, to Naruto's utmost surprise, the older brother laughed. Tossing his head back, laughter peeling from his parted lips, he let out an awful, chilling sound of twisted amusement.

In an instant his demeanor had changed completely. He was leaning into Sasuke's hateful face, and his voice was cold as ice. "Do you think I care what Father tries to do?"

Itachi recovered, smiling menacingly, and said in a louder voice: "In any case, what father doesn't know can't hurt him." He turned on his heel and with a twirl of dark clothing, was striding out of the room. Sasuke growled.

"What is wrong with you?!" Naruto screamed. A 'pest'? Is that what he was to Sasuke? "This whole morning you have been acting like such a prick! I tried to be nice to you, but no. You just keep glaring at me and acting like someone shoved that pair of chopsticks you broke up your ass! What the hell did I do to make you hate me so much?!"

The dark haired boy gazed at him with eyes filled with fury and hatred. "You existed." He said in a low voice before storming out of the room.

"Ugh! I don't get him!" Naruto moaned as he flopped down on the floor again, not even conscious that he'd stood up in the first place. "First I find him half-dead in the training yard, then he starts screaming at me, then I manage to calm him down and he starts bawling on my shoulder, and now he's a complete bastard? What the fuck?"

"Well, if this was a girl… I would know exactly what the problem was." Kiba spoke, with and intense look in his eyes. He leaned closer to his blonde friend and looked as if he were about to tell him the meaning of life.

"P.M.S."

Naruto blinked, and found the edges of his mouth turning upwards slightly.

"Buuuuut… Since he's a guy, maybe that's not it," Kiba continued, a deep, pensive look on his face. Naruto burst out laughing, holding his sides as he tried to calm down.

"Yeah, guess not," he smiled, mirth still transforming his face.

"Although, Sasuke does look kind of feminine. He balances that hard masculine and delicate feminine look quite well, actually." Kiba gasped in sudden realization. "Maybe… Maybe… Sasuke is a girl!"

Naruto laughed and punched his brunette friend's shoulder. "Okay, that's enough Kiba. You can stop kidding around now." He paused and stared at his empty plate. "But… I wonder what really is his problem."

"P.M.S. dude, P.M.S." His tone was completely serious.

"Excuse me, Naruto-kun for interrupting your conversation, but…" It was Mikkoku who spoke, her voice timid. Both boys had almost completely forgotten her presence. "Well, Sasuke hasn't ever really shown… emotion since our mother's death. When she passed away, he became cold, and hard, and closed up. But now… Well, this is the most emotion he's shown in years. It's as if… You elicit emotions in him that no one else can."

Naruto stared at her in shock. Maybe, maybe Mikkoku wasn't as screwed up and strange as he thought she was. Maybe she was just shy.

"R-really?" Naruto stuttered, dumbfounded. He collected himself. "Do you think it would be possible for him to… Well, for us, to at least get on speaking terms?"

"It… might be possible… But, knowing my brother, not very probable." Mikkoku said with a sigh.

Naruto smiled, and seeming not to have heard the second part of her sentence, said: "I'm going to go up and try to talk to him now. I hope it works."

"Yeah… Wouldn't count on it, Naruto," Kiba said, yawning.

"Good luck," came Mikkoku's shy, quiet voice.

"You'll need it," Kiba muttered under his breath. Naruto pursed his lips and sighed.

"Kiba-kun and I will wait for you outside, if that is agreeable to you, lord Naruto-kun?"

"Sure, sure," The blonde muttered distractedly. He left the room, and began up the grand staircase. So… he 'elicited Sasuke's feelings' huh? How bizarre. He imagined his cold impenetrable face, and felt even more confused. He seemed like the type whom no one could draw out a reaction from.

But it was he, Naruto, who caused a reaction. Sasuke must have had an extremely close bond with his mother to become so closed in on himself after her death, Naruto found himself thinking. An image came to him, of a miniature Sasuke, sobbing over his mother's dead body. He felt a tightening in his chest and dispelled the image immediately.

And before he knew it, he was standing directly in front of the room belonging to the dark-haired boy who had invaded his thoughts. He jumped in surprise. Okay – just, apologize for breakfast; ask him what's wrong… And ask him to… go on the tour with us? Ugh. Whatever, Naruto. Just do it.

"Ehem… Sasuke?"

He received no answer.

"Sasuke, look, I know you're in there. I… I'm sorry about breakfast – I just…" Even as he said it his blood began to boil. Why should he be apologizing for the idiot on the other side of the wall being a bastard? It wasn't his fault that Sasuke acted the way he did! It wasn't his fault that Sasuke decided to be a complete prick, insult him, and ignore him. But I should at least try to get on good terms with him. Naruto thought, forcing himself to calm down. "Anyway, please, just come out and at least talk to me."

Nothing happened.

"Ugh!! Get out here right now Sasuke or I'm going to-"

The door slammed open.

"Go. Away." Naruto started. The raven's face was completely controlled. His black hair hung, silky smooth, against his forehead. His jaw was clenched, and no tears, wrinkles, or other weaknesses marred his smooth, perfect face.

It was his eyes. Charcoal black, burning with so much rage and hatred such that Naruto had never seen in any other creature before, Sasuke's eyes tore through his face, his mind, his soul, until the blonde felt he was a child, cowering in the corner of a room in the darkness.

The blonde froze. He could not move. It was only unconsciously that he took a step backwards, roiling in fear, and… confusion? What was wrong with him? Why had such a simple gesture as comforting someone, and helping them back home again, caused such a violent, terrible reaction?

Okay, so what if Mikkoku was right, and he did elicit Sasuke's emotions – actually, he had no doubt of that now. Sasuke certainly wasn't bored and passive now – why on Earth did the dark haired boy hate him so much for it?!

So immersed was he in these musings, that he didn't notice that Sasuke had slammed the door again until the huge slab of wood had crashed against its retainer, an inch from Naruto's nose. He blinked.

Well, that was close, He noted, detached. He raised his hand to pound on the door again: wrist delicately twisted, fingers curled, hand poised to rouse the raven, but suddenly thought better of it. Sasuke's intense look of deepest hatred haunted him, and he knew, right here, right now, that if he were to try to knock on the black door that loomed in front of him, the same situation would happen over again.

Also, he had to admit, he was a little freaked out.

Sighing, Naruto turned down the corridor and began to walk down the grand stairwell with a dejected feeling weighing heavily on his shoulders. He was wrapped up in thoughts of the Uchiha, wondering… Wondering… Why, and what had really caused him to end up that way. Was it really, as Mikkoku had said, because of his mother's death? They must have been extremely close for Sasuke to completely close himself off like that, and, when someone finally caused him to… feel emotion again… to feel hate so strongly was… Well, a bit disturbing.

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"So… Ah… You… Like roses, do you?"

Mikkoku gave him a strange look. "No."

"Oh – it's just, what with all the… Roses… here, I would have thought…" Kiba sighed and didn't even bother finishing his sentence. The girl was so strange, he didn't know what to think. The awkward silence was pressing down on them, and Kiba suddenly had the horrible image of himself being squished under it and turning into a puddle of black tar.

He shuddered and tried to think of something else to say. This was how it had been ever since Naruto had left to go make amends with Sasuke. They had walked out of the castle calmly, Kiba trying to think of something to say, and were now standing in the garden, in the middle of fifty rosebushes. There were fifty fucking rose bushes, and the girl doesn't like roses?! Every girl liked roses. It was part of human nature. Girls liked roses and shopping. Guys liked girls and fighting.

Actually, Mikkoku did seem different without Naruto around. Less… Shy maybe? Yes, she was definitely bolder, and didn't stutter. Well, it wasn't like Kiba could tell, really. Conversation wasn't exactly this girl's strong point. Which brought him back to his original problem. What to talk about? He examined her dress. It was a silk kimono, and – well would you look at that. What did it have on it?

Roses.

Kiba almost groaned out loud. Okay, that was it. Silence was officially cool. And even if it wasn't, the boy really couldn't be bothered anymore.

And so they stood, waiting for Naruto, the roses enveloping them in their sweet, heady perfume, the poplar trees swaying lightly in the morning breeze, sunlight washing over them, wandering through the cool spring air. Kiba almost didn't hear Naruto's silent footsteps as he approached them, but Mikkoku did.

"Naruto-kun. Did…?" But the blonde boy just shook his head, almost sadly, Kiba noticed.

"So… What about this famous tour we were supposed to get?" Naruto asked, his voice cheery.

"U-um, yes, of course." Mikkoku replied, voice returning to its quiet, uncertain tone, eyes averting themselves carefully, hands folding demurely. "Shall we begin with the garden?"

"Sure, sounds great!" Naruto smiled, and Kiba was relieved to see it was his usual great smile. He seemed to have forgotten all about Sasuke and whatever it was that was happening with him.

"Well… This is the main garden – as you can see, there are many different varieties of flowers, probably very different from what you would find in your home country, I suppose?"

"Umm… Yeah. I wouldn't really know, actually." Naruto smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Do you like flowers? I think they are divine. The scents, the colors, the shapes… They are just so beautiful… Don't you think, Naruto-kun?" She smiled, parting her red-lacquered lips. Her tone was much more confident.

"Um, sure, I guess…" Naruto muttered, slightly annoyed by her overly sweet voice.

"I think Naruto really only likes roses, don't you?" Kiba said loudly, grinning at a confused Naruto. Mikkoku pursed her lips and glared at Kiba when their blonde companion wasn't looking.

"Uhh… You know… Anything floats my boat…" They were now wandering about the extensive grounds, Mikkoku pointing out various species of flowers, a certain tree, a koi pond.

"This is lake Kosui, which has been here for as far as our historians can remember," Mikkoku was saying, gazing out at the flat expanse of blue liquid, calm and peaceful but for a heron which stood in its shallow water, cleaning its feathers.

As the blue haired girl continued spurting out information, Naruto found his mind wandering once more. He didn't want Sasuke to hate him. In fact, he almost found himself attracted to him. Not in the whole, boy likes girl attraction, of course. Well, in this case it would be boy-boy attraction, but that was beside the point. There was something mysterious about the dark haired boy. Beneath his cold, perfect face, and his burning obsidian eyes, there lay a secret, a depth that Naruto had never seen before. And the blonde wanted to find out what it was.

"…And this is the tea garden. My father had it build for mother many years ago." She sighed and they gazed at the clear-cut stones leading a path over the river which wove itself across the garden. A table, large rocks, a cherry blossom tree and other peaceful elements blended together to give the tea garden a tranquil, serene atmosphere. "Anyway, I think that's about all I can show you in the garden. There is of course the forest at the edge of the garden," she pointed at the plethora of thick, luscious trees that crowded around the edges of groomed garden. "But now for the inside."

As they re-entered the castle, Mikkoku pointed out dining halls, lounges, various guest rooms, meditation rooms, an indoor training room, and more. By the end of it, all three teens were tired and bored, the only thing keeping them from snapping at each other being courtesy and political consideration.

"Uzumaki-san?" A clear, distinctly male voice boomed down the hallway. The blonde in question jerked his lethargic head up to find the speaker, not having noticed his presence. A man was walking down the hallway they were currently residing in, clad in black pants, and a green vest over a dark, long sleeved shirt. He held a small book loosely in one hand, a finger marking his page. But what really surprised Naruto was the premature gray hair, standing up in distinct spikes on the stranger's head, and the mask that covered his face but for one eye.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi."

"Pleased to meet you." Naruto smiled hesitantly.

"I have heard that you are a good fighter. I'm on my way to the training yard right now, actually, why don't you join me?" The tan boy glanced back at his brown and red-eyed counterparts searchingly, but they simply smiled and nodded.

"Um, okay, sure."

Kakashi was already striding down the hall. He rushed to catch up with him.

"I am the Uchihas' martial arts trainer," the taller man said as he lifted the orange book up to his face, opened it at the saved page, and proceeded to ignore Naruto completely. The cerulean-eyed boy felt slightly miffed. If the man was just going to read his book the whole time, why did he bother asking him to join him?

They walked down a myriad of hallways and staircases, Kakashi managing to direct them perfectly without once lifting his eyes from the all-consuming book. Naruto scrutinized the orange cover carefully. A red cross was on the back of the book, and, though he couldn't see the title, he could deduce that it was probably a porn novel. Rather disturbed, the blonde tried not to think about the fact that he'd accepted an invitation from a stranger who was ignoring him to read porn.

As they crossed the garden, heading towards the training year, Kakashi glanced up for the first time, and made a satisfied sound from the back of his throat.

"Good, he's here."

"Who's here?" The blonde asked, raising his eyes in the direction Kakashi was looking. A dark figure stood in the middle of the training yard, going through complicated forms and stances. He watched, entranced by the grace and fluidity with which the figure twisted, turned, lunged, and pulled back.

"Sasuke. I'm training him this morning." Naruto froze.

"S-sasuke?! What? Why didn't you tell me before? I thought you'd asked me to train with you! There is no way-" Naruto's voice was desperate and colored with anger.

Kakashi looked down at him, amused.

"I intended for you two to train together. There is a rather limited resource of people educated in the art of fighting here. Well…" he seemed to reconsider. "Let's just say, there is a limited resource of people who are good."

Naruto was about to bite out another retort when he was interrupted by the dark-haired boy who seemed to have noticed their presence.

"You're late, Kakashi!" His voice sounded annoyed. The man in question closed his eyes and scratched the back of his neck in a guilty manner. He let out a nervous laugh.

"Well, you know, actually…" He glanced down and seemed to remember Naruto's presence. "I had to find a partner for you to train with! So, I found Naruto-san here!" They were drawing closer, and the blonde could see his pale, emotionless face.

"What did you say?" The raven's voice was low and dangerous – they were mere feet from him now.

"You'll be training with Naruto-san." He turned towards the blue-eyed boy and smiled. "You're known for your fighting skills, you know?"

Sasuke's face was now livid, his eyes smoldering with the deepest hatred.

"There is no way I am ever training with him."

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AN: Dun dun dun! Finally, something happens. I was originally going to cut it off after the tour, but then the plot bunnies attacked - and who am I to say no to them?

Hope you like it! Have any constructive criticism? If so, send it on. I really appreciate it so I can try and improve.