Disclaimer:

Police: Step forward if you own Naruto

Me: *Lifts foot to step*

­Police: Not so fast Efflorescent…

Warning: This chapter contains light self-loathing and biting remarks.


Chapter Recap:

And to make the matter worse, Kakashi was staring at him with obvious suspicion in his eyes. How much did he know? How did he even get that stupid thing? Does he even know, or is he playing a mind trick on me? He couldn't look anymore. He cast his look back toward his desk, defeated but not submissively. He heard the interest in Kakashi-sensei's voice as he said that the poem was anonymous and was going to receive no points. He knew whose it was. He was just mocking him. Naruto ignored the curious look Hinata was shooting him.

He couldn't tell if she was worried or just plain curious.

Why should he worry though? It wasn't as though he knew it was his. The best thing-no, the smartest thing to do would to act as though nothing happened.


Behind This Mask

Chapter 9: He May Not Want It

Naruto all but sprinted for the classroom door as soon as the bell was heard. His reaction time was apparently all for naught, because Kakashi seemed to have acted quicker.

"Excuse me, Naruto. I would like to see you at my desk." He said with his usual tone of disinterest. Naruto's head remained straight as he clenched his jaw and made his way to the desk of his teacher.

Only a few students glanced back in mild curiosity as most of them were more concerned with their next classes. Hinata hung in the back of the class, pretending to rummage around in her book bag for something, more focused on listening in on the conversation than feigning a search party for an object in her bag. She didn't know why she even cared. Something about Naruto made her want to save him, to want him to be safe. To know he was safe.

"Yes Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked as he stalked toward the desk, trying to remain indifferent to the suspicious man sitting across from him.

"I would like to speak to you about your poem, or lack thereof. Everyone turned one in, with the exception of you and Mr. anonymous." He said in a low voice. Book posed in hands.

"I figured you might..." Naruto trailed off, leaving the topic open, neither claiming, nor denying the work.

Kakashi turned a page to his book, hinting at him to continue further.

"I meant to turn in a poem, but I just forgot to write one. Slipped my mind I guess." Naruto said, smiling his trademark wide-toothed grin.

"Really now? I figured myself a competent enough teacher to send a clear enough message as to the due date of a paper. Are you insinuating that it is my fault that you didn't turn your paper in, Uzumaki-san?" Kakashi questioned, temporarily setting aside his book and looking Naruto straight in the eyes, making perfect contact.

Hinata leaned forward, listening to the best of her ability. She picked up her book bag. It would be too obvious that she was eavesdropping if she continued to pretend to look for something. She made her way to the door, making sure that she was within earshot of the conversation.

"No sensei. I apologize. After I wrote it, I simply left it at home." Naruto's response came rushed as he stared into his teacher's eyes, begging for a reason to break eye contact. He felt like he was talking to Mizuki for some reason, like he couldn't think.

"I was under the impression that you had forgotten to write it, what with what you had said earlier." Kakashi tilted his head in mock confusion, casting a side-glance at Hinata as she left the room.

Naruto had no response for that. Did he really just slip up on a simple lie? That was so dumb of him. If he couldn't manage to keep up a white lie, how could he EVER think that he would be able to put a stop to Mizuki's actions? He should always know that whatever he does is wrong. Mizuki is right. He shouldn't have looked him in the eyes. A dog like him doesn't deserve that luxury. Another foolish move.

Kakashi stared deep into his student's eyes. He looked far away, and Kakashi found that that had worried him.

"Naruto, why are you looking at me like that? Are you alright?" Kakashi attempted to snap the boy out of his reverie.

"I apologize Mizuki." Naruto replied robotically, his head snapping downward.

Kakashi tilted his head in actual confusion. Had he just misheard him, or did Naruto just call him Mizuki?

"Naruto. Who do you think I am?" Kakashi asked. Rising out of his seat, he made his way around his desk and stood before Naruto, who appeared as though he were miles away.

"Are you okay?" He asked in genuine concern as he placed a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Flinching at the sudden contact, Naruto tightened his muscles, bracing for impact. Crap. He must have pissed Mizuki off again. He really didn't mean to mess up again, he just can't help that he is a failure, and that's all that he will ever succeed in. Failure. At that moment some voice weaseled its' way into his thoughts and demanded it make itself known.

"Can someone succeed in failing?" The voice asked with the wonderment of a child.

What? That doesn't even make sense. It's just a paradox. Who asked that question? The conversation sounded so familiar that it sparked a sense of nostalgia as Naruto recalled a talk that he had with his father.

"Can someone succeed in failing?"

"I wouldn't know, son. I have never failed at anything. I have a job I am passionate about, a wife I love, and a son that is not only strong and smart, but is also the spitting image of his father. Nothing can be a failure unless you deem it as such and you MAKE it a failure. Remember that, Naruto."

"Yes father!"

He remembered that so vividly now. The simplest detail like how excitedly he had nodded his head, eager to be seen in the positive glow of his father's approval. Why can he remember a trivial conversation such as that, but not the last words that his parents had spoken to him or even their faces? His father must have been wrong. He was neither strong, nor smart. He was a failure. He might as well have a sign on his forehead stating so.

Kakashi noted the flinch with a keen eye as he lightly shook his pupil in an attempt to grab his attention.

Naruto felt his shoulder being shaken as he looked up in confusion. Mizuki usually has more painful methods of grasping his attention. This isn't Mizuki, is it? He hesitantly lifted his gaze to find himself looking at his teacher. That's right. He was in school. With Kakashi-sensei. Had he seriously just thought that he was back at Mizuki's home?

"Yes Kakashi-sensei? You don't have to shake me so hard with your kung-fu grip, there are simpler ways of getting my attention, y'know." Naruto attempted to feign innocence as he rubbed the nape of his neck with his free arm.

"You seemed like you were pretty out of it there. What were thinking about just now? Who did you think I was? You know that you can come to me if you need help, right?" Kakashi's eyes held their piercing, unyielding stare with Naruto's.

Silence descended upon the small room.

He can't help me. No one can help me. I can't even help myself.

A loud ringing noise broke the silence, signifying that there was one minute left of passing time, and students began to file into the classroom bringing their chatter in with them.

Naruto and Kakashi both tried to hide their shock by the bell. Kakashi's grip on Naruto loosened enough for the boy to slip through his fingers and back away from arms length.

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei, I have to go to class. Wouldn't want me to forgetabout another assignment, now would we?" Naruto chided. Placing emphasis on 'forget' as though the word would have magical powers and wipe the conversation from his teacher's memory.

Naruto's reaction time exceeded Kakashi's in this round, because as Naruto was making his swift exit, Kakashi's reflexes had only just kicked in enough to make a failed reach and try and call out his name. Needless to say, his efforts were met with the aggressive slamming of a door.

Kakashi gave a defeated sigh as he picked up his book, having been previously forgotten on the desk. He read through half a page, his thoughts wandering back to Naruto and what he had said. He had read the same sentence over six times before he sourly realized that he wasn't in the mood to read anymore. He opened his side drawer and replaced the book in his hand with the photograph of him and the taller, blonde man.

"Oh Minato." Kakashi audibly sighed.

"Your son is in trouble. And he needs more help then I am able to provide." Kakashi thought as he replaced the photograph just as the bell rang and began to teach his class.


[With Naruto]

He had slammed the door a little too eagerly as he looked at the few students whom seemed interested in what he was doing, but lost interest just as quickly. He got less than two feet away from the door when he saw Hinata leaning up against the wall.

"Hinata? What are you doing here? I thought you left the classroom a while ago." Naruto said. Not breaking his stride, knowing, for some reason, that Hinata would follow him.

"I-I just wanted to walk with you." Hinata inwardly hated herself for having stammered. She planned the conversation and still hesitated.

"Uh. That's very nice of you, but your class is in the other building, and mine is on the other side of this one." Naruto reasoned. He didn't want someone forcing themselves to be in his presence.

"I really don't mind. It's just…" She began, trying to find the right words.

"I wanted to make sure that you were okay. You looked upset when Kakashi-sensei was reading the poems and even more so when he asked you to speak with him at the end of class." Hinata said, loud enough for only Naruto to hear. The bell rang, alerting any hall lurkers that they were tardy. It was ignored by both Naruto and Hinata, whom hadn't realized that they were the only ones in the hallway.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm just fine. I forgot to turn in the assignment, and he lectured me about it. 'Try more' this and 'rise to your potential' that. I've heard it all." Naruto attempted to brush off her comment, but what she said kind of bothered him. Why does she act like she cares? Why does Kakashi-sensei act like he cares? It doesn't make sense to him.

"But I am worried about you. I know that I have not known you long, but I feel as though if you found yourself in need of help, you could rely on me as a friend and-"she was cut off rather abruptly by an angered Naruto.

"You know what?" Naruto hissed.

"You're right. You DON'T know me, so do not presume that we are friends. And what is this about me needing help? Why are people insisting I need help? Do I have a sign on my back saying 'Please help me', or something?! I don't want your help, and I don't need it." He bit back harshly. Disregarding her feelings and stalking off into the direction of his class room.

"… and I feel that I am able to rely on you for help…" She finished quietly to herself as she watched Naruto's retreating back.

He didn't need a sign on his back to make it obvious that he needed help. Hinata just didn't know how to help him. She sighed sadly and walked away. Naruto was right in one thing that he had said. He may not want her help, but he was going to get it.


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A/N:

Thank you to all of you committed readers. A special thank you to Steveshakespere for his lovely review. I would like to gush about how grateful I am to have readers that not only like my story, but are willing to threaten me if I don't update. *Cough*funda-mental-*cough* and *cough again*mykeyo10*cough* I really should get that looked at.

Yes friends. My computer crapped out on me again. And in less than a month! That is why I am up at five in the morning stealing my father's laptop from his bedroom in order to make this update. He believes that fanfiction is what is causing our computers to explode and refused to let me on the site. With comments like "Don't let him stop you." From various fans (Who knew I would pluralize that!) I have been persuaded to do a naughty and take the computer for him (You guys are negative influences! :o). I had to write this in one night, for I feared I might not have this opportunity. I am not sure how I feel about this chapter at this point. I feel as though I might have lost my stride with the story, but persevere I shall! My true hope it that you like this chapter. R&R please. I hope you don't all hate me. Again, all of this is right off the top of my head and I make it up as I go, so criticism is welcome and logical. That is all