Precious Treasure of the Uchiha
Summary: For centuries, a child Madara took in lived with the Uchiha clan and was loved above all treasures. But in this day and time,the clan is wiped out, only one remaining. Read on as Naruto tries to solve the murder of the clan and the disappearance of Itachi all the while protecting the last living Uchiha. How will Sasuke cope in the world of immortals?
Naruto had been managing to elude Sasuke during their breaks in between classes, but not in the classes themselves. Sasuke had even managed to convince Sakura in trading seats with the blond so that he could bother him more in class about it and for once, Kiba was helping him. Of course, it would all prove futile as soon as Naruto all but ran out of the room to get away from them and their annoying pestering and he seemed to have used his disappearing act when lunch break came around.
But Sasuke didn't mind. In fact, this was perfect since Jiraiya had warned him last night that he'll drop by during lunch to check up on Sasuke, although the Uchiha knew he just wanted to perve at some of the girls in the school. That guy really was a first class pervert.
"Yo, Sasuke. How's it been going?" A voice behind him on the rooftop said and Sasuke turned from where he had been observing the school grounds to face the white haired man. Jiraiya happily plopped down beside him and moved to take on of Sasuke's onigiri but the raven slapped his hand away. Jiraiya pouted but noticed the gleam in Sasuke's eyes immediately and sighed. "Okay, what do you want to know?"
"How did Naruto get involved with my family?" Sasuke asked right off the bat and Jiraiya rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was hoping that would at least come later and not as the first thing he would have to explain.
He sighed. "Naruto's father was an orphan." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the prologe but kept quiet, wondering where this was going. "He spent five years of his life at an orphanage until he met his first friend, Uchiha Madara, the oldest son of that Uchiha generation. They were both training to be ninjas and they met during one of Minato's - that's Naruto's father - training sessions. They sparred, they talked, they trained and Madara took a great liking to Minato. They spent five years as friends until the orphanage Minato lived in was burned to the ground during the raid to the little village he lived in by some bandits. Minato had no where else to go and no one would adopt an orphan from literally birth; it was considered a bad omen. So Minato spent a month in the streets until Madara finally found him, near death with malnourishment and exhaustion and he and his four younger brothers dragged him home. Later that year, the Second Ninja War started and ended two years later. Minato fought with the Uchiha but he fell in love with the last surviving Uzumaki of the head family, Kushina-hime, who had just recently been taken in by her uncle, Senju Hashirama. They courted each other and eventually married and then during the Third Ninja War, Kushina became a Jinchuuriki. Most of the Senju were very much against their marriage and that had resulted in Kushina leaving to live with the Uchiha-"
"Wait, why were they against it? Naruto's father was a Namikaze, what did they have against that?"
"Oh, sorry, I forgot. Madara insisted that Minato be adopted and recognized as his fifth brother and since Minato was a genius to rival both Madara and Hashirama, the Uchiha were more than happy to accept him. Basically, until Minato found out he was actually from the Namikaze Clan, he bore the name Uchiha." Jiraiya chuckled at the slack jawed expression on Sasuke's face and took this opportunity to snatch up an onigiri and lick it in a childish display of ownership so Sasuke wouldn't take it away. That snapped Sasuke out of his shock and he glared in disgust at the Sannin. "Anyway, the Senji didn't like the union, even after Minato proved his heritage as the last Namikaze - like, the really last Namikaze. No one else but him. Hashirama approved it, as Kushina was his late wife's niece and goddaughter-"
"Wait, Madara and Hashirama were the same age and Minato was at least near that same ageN, tok, right?" Jiraiya nodded, not understanding where the Uchiha was going with this. "Naruto told me his mother became a Jinchuuriki because the last one got really old."
"Oh, no. She got sick. Deathly sick. There was no cure, not even with healing ninjutsu. They had to seal the Kyuubi away in someone else or else he'd break free and do who knows what."
"Oh." So she got sick. Maybe Naruto heard a different story? Or maybe he jusz considered her old since he called Tsunade an old granny. Not that she wasn't, but she didn't look or act like it.
"Yes, well... When Kushina got pregnant and went into labor, someone came to steal away the Kyuubi and the process killed her. The Kyuubi went on a rampage and Minato had to stop it by sealing it into the best container he could find on as short a notice as possible. Naruto was the only choice. And after sealing the beast away, he went to search for Madara, whom he still considered an older brother. He begged Madara to look after Naruto, even if from afar before he died. The Senju came and thought that Madara had been behind the Kyuubi attack and so they attacked him. In his grief, while holding the little Naruto close to protect him from both the cold and the attacks, Madara summoned the Kyuubi and nearly wiped out the entire Senju Clan. Hashirama managed to repress the Kyuubi's powers with his own and pushed it back inside the seal Naruto has at his navel. Madara calmed down and took off with baby Naruto and Minato's body, returning later for Kushina's. By then, the remaining Senju had seen that they had wrongly accused Madara and tried to make amends, but Madara kept a distance from them for four years. That's when the Fourth War started and in the meantime, he had been raising Naruto. That should answer your question how Naruto got involved with your clan. Madara adopted him as his second son, having gotten one of his own only six months earlier."
Sasuke stared off into space in shock for about a minute before shaking his head and looking at Jiraiya. "So he is practically an Uchiha, right? Then why did my father chase him away and why did he leave? Sounds to me like he has as much claim to the uchiha name as I do."
"Fugaku didn't chase Naruto away. Naruto left because Fugaku asked him." Jiraya said with a sigh, finishing off his onigiri and lying down on the cold, hard concrete. "I don't really know what happened. That's between Fugaku and Naruto, I'm afraid. However, I do know that it was partially because Fugaku feared for Naruto's safety while the other part was because the Council - more like the advisors, but you know what they're like - demanded it."
"It doesn't sound like my otou-san to give up so easily and do as someone else says." The raven haired boy mused, remembering the naturally scowling face of his father and the mulish attitude he had. It was something Sasuke was sure he inherited from his father and okaa-san had told him it was a purely Uchiha trait to be as stubborn as that. "He didn't strike me as that type of person."
Jiraiya shrugged, observing the clouds. "I already told you that I don't really know his reasons behind doing it. All I know is that Fugaku became incredibly cold afterwards and only you, Itachi and Mikoto-chan could wring out a smile out of him. A lot of bad things were going on in those years. The Council had started breathing down their necks and Fugaku was worried that they might try something with the clan. He was especially always worried about you. You would be the first generation-" The white haired Sannin seemed to catch himself and shook his head. Sasuke was about to ask him what he meant when the bell rang to signal he had five minutes to get back to class. The frog hermit seemed to deflate in relief, which caused Sasuke to frown. Why were these talks always interrupted just when he was getting to something important?
"Well, it would seem that education calls." Jiraiya said as he jumped to his feet, getting ready to leave before the kid wrung out even more information from him that Naruto didn't want Sasuke to know quite yet. "So, if that's everything, I'll be go-"
"Wait, just one more question." Sasuke called out as he, too, jumped to his feet. The Immortal sighed and turned to face the last Uchiha. "Naruto said he won't be the lead singer for this new band we're making for the upcoming festival. He said he only sang for two people and that they're dead. Who are they and why?"
"That's all?"
"Yes," the boy said with a determined look on his face. Jiraiya sighed yet again before answering.
"He didn't quite tell you the truth. He sings for every Uchiha. When they're young, he sings them to sleep with old lullabies." He explained when Sasuke gave him a puzzled look. "But he stops after they reach a certain age. The last Uchiha to hear him sing was Itachi, though not how you would have thought. Itachi made him go to the concert of his favorite band, made arrangements that they'd be escorted to the stage and Uchiha Itachi, one of the stoic bastards of the most stoic clan in the world, sang before millions of people. Then he handed the microphone to Naruto and told him that one of the band's newest songs was actually written specifically for Naruto. Naruto sang to a grown up - Itachi was, like, twelve then - Uchiha for the first time in four hundred years."
Sasuke's eyes widened as he absorbed all of this information, staring at Jiraiya with a slightly opened mouth. His nii-san ... went to all those lengths just so Naruto would sing for him?
"As for whom the two people he only sang for ... That would be Uchiha Madara and his younger brother Izuna. The two of them were the ones who raised Naruto for the most part. It's his way of showing his respect and gratitude to them for them to be the only two people who really actually knew how he sounded when he sang." Jiraiya said in a low voice before lifting a hand and giving a small wave and just like that, in a whirlwind of leaves, he was gone.
And Sasuke was left with even more questions now. Sure, he found out about the connection between Naruto and his clan but he didn't quite find out why his father asked Naruto to leave. He learned just how far his brother had been willing to go to get Naruto to sing for him and he realized just how ... little he knew about all of this. Sure, he now knew a part of Naruto's story, but he was far from knowing everything and very, very far from knowing Naruto. And just what had Jiraiya meant by Madara and Izuna being the ones who raised Naruto 'for the most part'? Sasuke ft like tearing his hair out. He really had only ended up with more questions than answers.
But the thing with Itachi stood out the most to him. Hadn't Tsunade said that Itachi had tried to bring Naruto back to the Uchiha? Now here he learns just how much Itachi was willing to go through for just one song sang by Naruto. Did his brother really care that much about Naruto? It must have been reciprocated, what with how Naruto had reacted to Orochimaru's implication yesterday morning.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the one minute warning bell and he sprinted off of the roof top at full speed so he wouldn't be late for his next class. As he entered the classroom just before the teacher, he saw the object of his musings staring worriedly outside of a window. Upon his entrance, Naruto looked over and seemed to relax when he saw him. He even gave a small smile that he tried to hide by looking away.
It was then that Sasuke decided. Be it for the stupid concert or not, Sasuke was going to get close enough to Naruto for the blond to trust him. He knew it was definitely going to be tough but Uchihas don't quit easily and as he was the last one, he will need to make sure he does this right. Naruto had obviously been with the clan for the past four hundred years, so he probably knows every Uchiha trick in the book. Sasuke will just have to make sure he invents a few new ones.
And so, unknowingly, as he sat next to the blond and the class began, Sasuke set himself on a path many of his ancestors had already walked, trying to catch and hold on to the blond's heart.
00000
He was enjoying this. And judging from the twitching of that blond eyebrow, Naruto knew he was enjoying this. Sasuke couldn't quite hold in the smirk that stretched across his lips as Kiba, Sai and Lee talked poor Naruto's ears off, the ever loyally waiting Akamaru following after his owner and adding a comment or two in the form of a bark as they, Sasuke and Sakura followed Naruto as the blond was walking home.
It wasn't planned. Far from it, actually. They had just kind of silently decided to find where Naruto stays and bore him to death until he decided to either knock them out and then throw them out of his home or he accepts to be the lead singer. Shino would have joined them - read, Kiba would have dragged him along - but he had some family matters that he had to take care of and they hadn't bothered to wait for Neji or send the silent message to him.
And for once, Lee hadn't thought to bring it up to the long haired genius' notice. He had been too busy trying to apologize and then make friends with Naruto. Apparently, his family was a close ally with the Hyuuga and they had the clan's protection and support if they fought for them should an enemy attack. It wasn't unheard of, as the Hatake and the Uzumaki were like that with the Uchiha while the Sarutobi are like that with the Senju. It was more common than not that a bunch of smaller families gathered around strong clans so they would be protected from other strong clans.
"So how are you connected to the Uchiha?"
"Are you and Sasuke-kun close, youthful friends?"
"Why do you look so girly that you don't seem to have a penis?"
"What's up with the whisker?"
"Would you like to spar with me please?"
"Do you have a penis?"
"Woof!"
The questions went on and on and on until Naruto finally snapped and whirled around on the one Immortal and two mortals, deadly intent seeming to radiate off of him in waves as he cracked his knuckles. "If you don't shut up right now, I will kick your asses all the way to the Moon and wait for you to crash back down." Lee backed off, not wanting to offend the angry blond while Sakura shook her head when Sai followed Kiba's lead and kept pestering the blond. When a moment later Naruto really did punch the daylights out of them, neither Sasuke nor Sakura felt sorry for the two. Lee looked worriedly from the dog boy to the artist while Akamaru tried to lick his master awake. The blond Immortal just turned around and kept walking home with a childish pout on his lips, his arms crossed over his chest and muttering under his breath about bastards and the such.
Sakura and Sasuke caught up to him, Sasuke on his right and the pink haired girl on his left. "So, how old are you?" She asked. Blue eyes glanced at her and his sour mood seemed to go away after he realized he had gotten a normal question to answer.
"I'm four hundred and fifteen years old."
"But how old were you when you became an Immortal?" The kunoichi corrected her question and Naruto blinked at her. "You don't have to answer if you don't feel comfortable talking about it."
"No, it's fine." He reassured with a goofy grin, his mood lifting completely. "I was fifteen, almost sixteen when I became an Immortal."
"So you're younger than me and supposed to be my sensei?" Sasuke asked with an arched brow and Kiba snickered at him. "Are you sure you can even do it, dobe."
Naruto twitched at the insult but kept his voice as calm as he could. Everyone, except the oblivious Lee, could still tell that he was rather annoyed. "I will have you know that I have raised, trained and taught over two hundred and fifty Uchiha since I became an Immortal." Everyone's eyes widened at this and their (except Sasuke's) jaws dropped. Naruto suddenly growled to himself. He could not believe he had just told them that. "Damn it."
"Are you for real?" Kiba asked with awe in his voice as he jumped in front of Naruto, causing the shorter teen to stop. "Dude, you have got to teach me some of their techniques!"
"Does he even know their techniques?" Sakura asked sceptically, one eyebrow arched. Naruto frowned at her before sticking his tongue out at her in a great show of his maturity when not dealing with serious matters. "No offense, Naruto, but I always heard that the Uchiha Clan hid their secrets from outdiders."
"He's not an outsider." Sasuke surprised them by saying and Naruto looked over at him. The others stopped to look at them as the blond and the raven met their eyes in a strange stare off. "I already told you he was my clan's guardian of sorts. He must have been very close to them. Especially if what he says is true. So he's not an outsider. He must have been like family."
The blue eyes widened and a blush spread across tanned cheeks before Naruto turned back around to walk towards his house again. Sasuke wordlessly fell in step with him again and the others scrambled after them, Sai now on Naruto's left and Sakura on Sasuke's right. Lee and Kiba soon joined them as they finally entered a certain part of New Konoha meant especially for the bigger clans' compounds. The younger Immortals and the mortals raised their eyebrows as Naruto continued walking through the district, closer and closer towards the Uchiha Compound. Though, after what they just learned, they wouldn't be surprised if the blond lived in the Compound grounds without Sasuke even noticing. The compound was big and Sasuke only used the main house and the road between the gates and said house. It would be no surprise if he didn't notice that one of the houses that weren't on that main road was suddenly being used again.
But no. Naruto lived in one of the smaller houses just off of the street that held most of the big clan's entrences, somewhere between the Hyuuga Compound and the Uchiha Compound. It was, of course, closer to the Sharingan users but the teens still arched their eyebrows when they saw the quaint looking house with warm cream walls and a small garden in his front yard with tulips and and sunflowers. There was a waist high fence surrounding the house but they could feel a strong barrier, probably both a genjutsu and a security measure when they walked through the little doors. They were a bit surprised that Naruto was going to invite them in despite him being so against them following him.
However, when Naruto finally opened his front door, they all almost had a heart attack when something orange and furry flung itself at Naruto, knocking the blond back and almost to the ground with an "Uff!", had it not been for Sasuke behind him to stop his fall. The group looked over and around the Uchiha's shoulder at the (far smaller than Kiba and Lee remembered) nine tailed fox that was clutching at Naruto's shirt in something akin to panic.
"Never, ever, ever leave me alone again! I was fucking bored! I nearly died of boredom!" The mighty Kyuubi complained to his host, making quite the comical sight. Blue eyes rolled as the Jinchuuriki regained his footing and uttered a "thanks, teme," to Sasuke before prying the biju from his person and letting Kurama fall to the ground. Kurama landed on his feet and glared up at his unimpressed host.
"You said you wanted nothing to do with 'that hell hole disguised as a learning center of doom and boredom that sucks the very life out of you' ever again after the time I joined Baru in high school last century. And you repeated that same sentence this morning, which is why you stayed here." The fox rubbed the back of his head sheepishly when he remembered that little fact but then he shook his head.
"Yes, well, in school I can at least talk with you and laugh at the poor idiots that do something stupid. Here, I can't do anything fun! No one walks the streets so I can make fun of them and the rare few that do happen to pass by are stoic bastards from high tanking clans, so they act like they have pine trees up their asses and are no fun. I tried watching TV but there's nothing interesting on this early in the day and even the reality and talk shows get boring after five minutes!" The Kyuubi smacked his tails into the doorway to show his displeasure. "Tomorrow, I'm going with you. I'd rather risk it going to a school with horny, stupid teenagers and stuck up, arrogant teachers than allow myself to die of boredom here." And that's when Kurama finally took notice of the people behind his Jinchuuriki. "Hey, aren't those two some of the guys who we beat up the other night and the other two those dudes we saved at the same time? Why are they here? Sasuke, I can understand, but these brats? Hell no."
Just as Kiba and Sakura opened their mouths to argue the comment, a male voice behind them caught their attention. "Naruto-sama." The group turned around to the shocking sight of a kneeling Neji and Hinata, both Hyuugas' foreheads touching the ground in a traditional way of showing respect or true and deep apology. "We beg for your forgiveness for what we have wronged two nights ago. I am sorry for disappointing you."
"Huh!?" Was the only noise heard, made by Kiba, Lee and Sakura while blue eyes regarded the two kneeling forms.
This had definitely not been planned.
