Disclaimer: -sighs- oh if only…

Thanks to all my ever so lovely reviewers :3

Ah yes, I know this is a little late, but I've been incredibly busy these past few weeks and haven't really had as much time to spend on it as I wanted.

So, without further ado, enjoy

Chapter 7: Reception Fades

It's raining….

They slid down his face in fat, heavy drops, stirring and mixing with the slim, twin streams of blood that dripped from his face. His headband felt heavy on his forehead, and with a trembling hand he dragged it down until it hung around his neck, the wet weight pressing uncomfortably close.

The dull thud of a blade sinking into the mushy ground sounded agonizingly close, and the slight turn of his head revealed that it was mere inches from his cheek. A joyless grin tugged at the corners of his lips and he turned his face skyward. The rain stung his eyes as it fell unbidden into his open lids before sliding slickly down his face.

"Gonna kill me now?"

The other didn't reply, merely continued forward until they were kneeling down beside him, their hand coming to rest over his heart.

The rain that fell on his lips tasted like salt.

Gaara's eyes felt heavy. So terribly heavy. The want for sleep crawled over him, battling with his natural compulsion to resist such a need, and seemed to melt into his skin like his own layer of sand. The ground seemed impossibly soft, and the dewy canopies above them seemed to give off a heady scent that thickened the air around them. The barrier pressed against him like an itch he couldn't scratch, and he turned sluggishly to Neji, the tall Hyuuga in a similar state of sleepiness. He stood slowly, legs shaking from the exertion. His eyes twitched, his hands curling into tight fists. Neji stood up next to him, the blazing, pulsing veins around his eyes coming to life. Both their chests heaved, feeling as though the air they breathed was made of thick, viscous honey. Neji's head turned to him languidly, before nodding slightly to the left of them.

"Leave one alive."

Gaara nodded, and he raised his open hand before clenching it into a tight, trembling fist.

"Sabuka Kyuu."

He sighed as he rested his head against the warm glass of the window, watching with longing as the unknowing Muggles down on the street went on with their daily lives. The sun shone cheerily, surrounded by fat, water-filled clouds that drifted lazily through the sky. He longed to simply lay spread out on the grass, to feel the sunlight caress his skin, to smell the proverbial roses. But no, it seemed he was permanently confined to this dreary house, and it was slowly driving him crazy.

His clothes rustled as he moved, and a small, thankful smile lit his face as he gazed down at his new clothes. During the meeting with Dumbly, the old man had presented him with a very familiar scroll. He'd stared at in shock and embarrassment. The scroll! The same one he'd taken from the base he'd been imprisoned at during his less than savory stay with the minions that the wizards had called Death Eaters. How he didn't even register its absence was mortifying. It was the same scroll he'd been captured with, holding a small but generous amount of supplies including extra clothes, food, kunai and shuriken, along with the two prized items he'd risked his entire rescue to find. His hand came up gently taking the turquoise colored gem into his tanned hands. It glimmered in the light, sparkling dazzlingly. The weight around his neck was comfortingly familiar, along with the long used to feeling of a headband around his neck. A kunai holster was securely strapped to his thigh.

The extra clothes however, were not in his favorite color. He cursed himself for letting Sakura help him pack, knowing he shouldn't have left her alone with his wardrobe. She'd packed him several of the standard blue jumpsuits that most Chunin or Jounin wore, along with his vest and extra sandals. He looked at it disdainfully, mourning for the bright splashes of orange from his original clothing, before sliding the vest back off, setting it onto the bed. A slight rustling sound from the pockets made him pause, and he reached into one of the many pockets, his hand coming into contact with paper. Unfolding it, the familiar loopy writing that Sakura always used greeted his eyes.

I know you're already complaining about the lack of orange Naruto, but suck it up. One of these days, that jumpsuit is going to get you killed. So please, you knucklehead, wear these or I'll pound you into the dirt. Come back safely baka, and I'll treat you to ramen.

Love,

Sakura

The note crinkled in his fist, and he felt the sharp prick of homesickness ring through him. Sakura, his teammate, one of his best friends, and he wasn't even sure when he'd ever see her again. The thought made his chest ache, and he reverently smoothed the note out, before delicately folding it back up and storing it back into his vest.

A sudden knocking at the door made him jump, and he spun around the door opening and a whiff of wet dog and oddly enough, honey and grass, reached his nose. The haggard face of Remus Lupin gave him a strained grin, the man's face, which was usually drawn and pale, was ashen and almost bloodless, his entire lanky frame hunched over and fragile looking. It seemed the full moon was drawing ever closer. He himself, while not suffering as Lupin was, could feel a deep-seeded unrest taking root inside, lacing through his body like ivy spreading up a wall.

The man moved forward stiffly, and Naruto felt a twinge of pity sweep through him at the exhausted man. He joined Naruto at the window, settling on the somewhat musty window seat cushions beside him. His pinched face was serious and uncomfortable.

"The full moon is only a week away now. Soon, you will have to be moved to another safe-house for you to safely undergo your transformation, assuming you have one. In the following week, as a precaution, once a day you will drink a potion known as Wolfsbane, which will allow you to keep your mind during the transformation. I will be with you the entire time to ensure your safety."

Blue eyes clashed with yellow flecked amber, and a tense silence followed his words.

"Thank you Loopy-san." The corners of the ragged man's lips quirked, amusement sparkling in his tired eyes.

"You're welcome Hisoka."

The steady drip of blood sinking into his sand was a welcome feeling. It slithered across the ground, soaking up the carnage, mindlessly snapping wands and crushing bones. The cut off screams of his victims barely registered in his mind and with an uncaring flick of his wrist the sand curled around the ankles of the last man, dragging him toward them. His face was stark white with terror, the broken remains of his wand clutched desperately in his sweaty, blood-slicked hands. His long blonde hair was littered with sticks and dirt, his pale, aristocratic features twisted in anger and fear, mouth set in a snarl of disgust.

Neji glided forward, eyes calm and the veins of the Byakugan receding, kneeling before the restrained man. He idly twirled a kunai on one finger, before throwing it, the knife embedding itself mere inches above the man's forehead, nestling in his hair. He let out an undignified squawk, body twisting and jerking in the sand's hold. The sand rose, carrying him over to a nearby tree stump, its surface wide enough to sit comfortably sit two people. It bound him there, sliding around his wrists and ankles like shackles. They stood before him, eyes cold and impassionate, and Neji reactivated the Byakugan, the bloodline blazing and causing the blonde to flinch back. The man's circulatory system came into focus, and he raised his hand, lightly tapping the man's chest.

A group of birds erupted from the trees at the sound of a high-pitched scream.

Neither man batted an eyelash.

He was thankful that this was the last day he had to drink this. The potion tasted like absolute crap. It smoked blue mist, and was as delicious as a cooked shoe. And he couldn't even add sugar to it. An entire week drinking this and he was sure that it had melted all the taste buds right off his tongue. Lupin had given him a sympathetic look after his first swallow on Monday and almost immediate gagging, making a futile attempt to placate him by telling him that after a while he'd get used to it. He would have rather lived off of ration bars and soldier pills then this.

'If it weren't for the fact that you will possibly prevent me from going on a killing spree, I'd dump you down the damn drain.' Unfortunately, one cannot easily intimidate a cup.

Not that Naruto wouldn't try anyway.

Sniggers reached his ears, and he looked up from the evil concoction steaming in his hand to meet two pairs of devilish blue eyes and matching red hair.

"You look a little down there mate, wanna help wash that down with some chocolates?" One of them held out a box of seemingly harmless chocolates, and Naruto reached out a hand before abruptly stopping. He sniffed, and a foreign smell invaded his nose wafting up from the box. Definitely not chocolate. The twins looked at him expectantly, looks of innocence plastered on their identical faces. Naruto barely bit back the urge to snort, recognizing at once the signs of someone up to no good. He'd worn the look many times himself. He arched his eyebrows at the conniving twins, plucking two chocolates between his fingers and bringing them to his mouth. As he expected, theirs eyes widened in anticipation for whatever the unknown sweets were laced with would do. A barely there smirk etched itself on his face, and quick as lightning his hands snapped forward, and the two chocolates suddenly found themselves mashed into the mouths of two incredibly startled redheads.

Immediately, bright, canary yellow feathers burst into life on their arms, beaks sprouting in place of their noses, and squeaky, chicken-like cries erupted from the pair. Naruto had to lean onto the counter for support he was laughing so hard, tears of mirth slipping down his face.

"You-ha ha- Kami…!" He doubled over, hands braced on his knees. The sound of garbled, laughing chicken noises joined his own laughter and he looked up to see the twins clinging to each other, laughing uproariously. They shared a look, a glint entering their eyes, before turning to the gasping blonde.

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into the kitchen only to be greeted with the sight of what looked like a wrestling match taking place on the counter between what looked like two redheaded birds and a blonde with chocolate smeared on his face, they seriously considered going back upstairs.

"What are you doing?" The somewhat shrill voice of Mrs. Weasley caused everyone to freeze, the twins scrambling off the counter, dragging the rather ruffled looking blonde with them, settling him between them on the floor.

"Fred, George! I can't believe the two of you! Rough housing with this poor boy while he's still recovering for Merlin's sake! And WHY on Earth are you covered in feathers? If you've been experimenting again, I swear I'm raiding your room again!" The rant was cut short by a soft laugh coming from the blonde boy in the middle, and Mrs. Weasley gaped, never having had that reaction to her shouting before. His blue eyes sparkled in mirth, and he grabbed onto the twins to support him in his laughter. The incredulous looks everyone was sending him went ignored as he continued, doubling over once more, tears actually gathering in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he cackled, "you just reminded me of someone for a second." Everyone stared at the still giggling blonde.

His laughing tirade was interrupted by the amused clearing of someone's throat.

Remus watched with confused delight at the sight of the Fred and George covered in feathers, a terror-stricken trio, a somewhat fuming Molly, and a chocolate covered Hisoka who seemed to be struggling for air as he continued to snicker.

Their eyes met across the room, and finally the laughter died, a silence descending onto the blonde, whose face hardened the slightest bit in resolve. It was the moment neither of them had wanted to face. Naruto turned and looked at the window, the sun sinking bloody red onto the horizon. A look of understanding fluttered onto Mrs. Weasley's face, and her eyes softened. Turning to the others in the room, she briskly began ordering them about in preparation for dinner, distracting them as Lupin and Hisoka slinked out of the room unnoticed.

It was the first time he'd been outside since his rescue; he just wished it could have been on a happier occasion. The potion sloshed in his stomach, and he reached up a hand to rub it soothingly, heat radiating in an attempt at comfort from the seal.

Lupin must have noticed his obvious discomfort, for he reached out a hand, laying it on his arm in a gentle guide as they reached an abandoned park. The swing sets creaked and swung with the wind, creating an eerie, empty feeling to settle over them like a blanket. Wordlessly, Lupin pulled out a worn and wrinkled newspaper from his robes, holding it out for him to take. Naruto hesitantly took a corner between his fingers, his last experience at this method of traveling forefront in his mind. The unwelcome jerk behind his naval began the beginning of what he already knew would be a complicated night.

He hit the ground unsteadily, knees buckling from the force of his landing. Lupin helped him to his feet, dusting dirt and grass from his clothes. Once finished Naruto took in his surroundings. They were on what looked like an abandoned road; a small, comfy looking village shining with welcoming yellow lights glowed in the distance. He turned around coming into a contact with a spindly fence that surrounded a small, almost hut-like house that made Grimwauld Place look positively cheery. It was clearly condemned, the windows boarded up along with the door, bricks and roof shingles littered the ground, random, open spaces in the structure completing its poor, broken body.

He turned to Lupin, his face painted with doubt. "I really hope that's not where we're going." Lupin only nodded grimly, taking his shoulder and steering him toward the gloomy building. They climbed over the fence, tracking through the grass, dew soaking the bottoms of their pants, before stopping at the door. With a wave of his wand, it creaked open forebodingly, the unpleasant, moldy smell of water damage and dust left unchecked for years attacking their noses.

Around them, the sun sank completely, casting shadows around them. His face grave, Lupin led him down into the house. If he'd thought the outside was bad, the inside was even worse. Chunks of furniture and walls had been gouged out, gashes and tears ran through the flimsy curtains, and old, red-brown stains of blood littered the floor in dried out splotches.

The sound of clothes rustling snapped his attention back to the older man who was sliding off his cloak and robes, folding them neatly and storing them on the torn and stained mattress on the floor. He turned back to him, a beam of moonlight illuminating his features through the cracks in the boarded-up window.

His face widened, mouth expanding as it suddenly had to accommodate jaws. Hair sprouted everywhere, and the clothes he'd left on stretched and tore with the strain of a new, larger physique. The horrifying crunch of bones snapping out of place and growing longer filled the cabin, and his once soft amber eyes enlarged turning a wicked, beastly yellow. A fierce, deafening howl sprang from his throat, and he crouched down, eyes fixed unerringly on Naruto.

His back hit the wall before he even realized he'd been backing up. The wolf gazed at him intently; the eyes that had seemed so wild and terrifying a moment ago were now filled with a steady intelligence and calm. He trotted forward, teeth gently tugging on Naruto's sleeve, dragging him toward the window. Toward the moonlight.

His pupils dilated, and suddenly he surged forward, hands gripping at the wood separating him from the full beams of light. The wood splintered, his fingers bleeding as he tore it away and found himself bathed in moonlight. It washed over him completely, and he felt his body thrum. The sharp piercing crack of his bones was insanely loud, the shredding of his clothes ignored. He felt his teethe lengthening, slicing his lips and scratching his gums, dribbling blood into his mouth. His nails grew rapidly, and he could feel them curling into sharpened, deadly points, scraping the floor and leaving long, violent gashes. Fur sprouted along his back, down his arms, over his face, and his ears elongated, picking up every single sound in the room. The smell of his own blood was deliciously tangy to his nose, and his tongue lolled out, strips of spit falling to the floor. A deep growl rumbled in his throat.

He collapsed into a shuddering, furry mass on the floor. The feel of a tongue gently licking at his face caused him to crack an eye open, coming face to face with a lean, tawny colored wolf. The other nuzzled his face, silently urging him to his feet. Legs shaking like a newborn foal, he rose, limbs awkward and unsteady. He leaned heavily on the other wolf, and then looked down. He wheeled back in surprise, stumbling over his paws, and he felt his tails, oh dear lord tails, drag on the floor. The two furry appendages twitched and he yelped.

A breathy, bark-like laugh rang in his ears, and he looked to the other wolf, another growl rising in his throat as he lunged forward, jaws snapping at the other. An even fiercer growl boomed from the other, and he suddenly found himself under the other, sharp teeth digging into the flesh of his neck. He slumped back, and the other moved away tails slashing the air in agitation. It seemed that despite the potions effect, natural wolf nature would plow through regardless.

Lupin barked, jerking his head toward the door they'd entered through, and Naruto followed him out into the night.

In the very recesses of his mind the Kyuubi snarled and bellowed as an empty cage appeared next to his own.

Reviews are as always incredibly loved and rewarded with baking delights :3-Cherry