DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Webs of Deception

Chapter Eighteen

Crash and Rebuild

Shikamaru was sitting at the dining table. Which recently, was absolutely no big surprise. He has gone as far as practically moving into the Uchiha house. Since he's spends most of his time--for the past five days--in it's walls. Variety of books and scrolls littering the table top and retaining a look that said he's gone through mental war in the small room of the dining room.

His hair was still tied back but many stray hairs were sticking out like a weeds in a garden. He had dark circles under his eyes and it looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days. The clothes he was wearing were the same ones he wore four days ago. All in all, you could easily mistaken him for a bum.

But it didn't matter to him. All that mattered right now was solving this complex puzzle that has been plaguing him since Naruto appointed him the--oh so lucky--person who would look through the medical research files. That was the start of his little obsession.

It was all fine and dandy in the beginning. The files were a little more detailed than he would of liked but nothing he couldn't force himself through. But when he got to these boxes that held folders labeled, The B9 Project. That's when his obsession went into full swing. Because every little piece of information in these boxes were encoded.

Now to him, when information is encoded, it means that it's important enough where this Ouroboros group didn't want anyone else to be able to read it and gather whatever was within all the pages. Though, that brings another problem that he quickly figured out. Actually decoding them.

Normally he would of sent this to the Cryptography Department but Naruto wanted as little people to know about this as possible. Which meant that he was stuck with the agonizing process of decoding it. And that has become a bigger obstacle to jump over than he originally expected.

So far, he's compared the text and numeral encoding with codes from all the shinobi villages. But none of the ones he examined matched or was even close with the one he wanted to decode. Which led him to examine the codes used by Lords of the lands and then to examine codes used by past organizations that are extincted now. Though that required restricted books and scrolls that only the Hokage can give permission to look through.

Which basically put him at a stand still. For now that is.

He rubbed his right eye as he examined the papers lying in front of him to see if he recognizes any sequence that might have been used. Doing this, so maybe--just maybe--that he might suddenly gain some luck while he waited for Neji to return to him with the restricted books and scrolls that he sent the brunette after. And he had no doubts that he would get the material that he requested. Because once Neji mentions that it's for Naruto's little project, the material was as good as there's.

A groan involuntarily escaped his mouth as his eyes began to see all the letters and numbers all the same. This little lack of differential had him so tempted to just slam his head against the table below him. 'God, how troublesome this is....'

Miki and Kyoko chose that moment to enter the dining room. Kyoko stopping at the end of the table while Miki continued on into the kitchen. She walked on the other side of the table, opposite of Shikamaru, and picked up a scroll that was slightly unrolled from the table's surface. "No luck?" she asked as she skimmed unthinkingly over the text.

Shikamaru's bloodshot eyes glared at her figure for a long moment. And when she looked up from her scroll, his glare silently said, Of course I haven't you idiot. She meekly smiled at him and gently placed the scroll back on the table. Knowing in the condition that he was in, that it wouldn't be wise to tick him off. So, she pulled out a chair and sat herself down. Asking while doing so, "Has Sasu-chan come down yet?"

The Nara sighed when he found her getting herself comfortable at the table that he silently claimed as his work station. And when he really gets exhausted, his bed. "Not that I've noticed." he answered in a tone that didn't want to be bothered.

"Which probably wasn't much!" yelled Miki from the kitchen as he fixed himself a quick sandwich.

Shikamaru felt indignant at the implication. But before he could retort to the comment, Miki came out of the kitchen with a sandwich in his hand and his mouth chewing the chuck he bit off. Mumbling something incoherent with the food still present in his mouth.

Kyoko grimaced, then re-grabbed the scroll she was looking at before and threw it at Miki. Yelling as the object hit him square in the face, "Don't try to talk with your mouth full! It's disgusting!"

Though Miki didn't retort right away like he would of liked. Because he was currently trying not to choke on the food that was within his mouth. After a couple more moments of choking, without dropping his sandwich, he said between gasp of breath, "Woman, are you trying to kill me?!"

She crossed her arms, huffed and cocked her to the side. "It would serve you right. Eating like some kind of barbaric or mangy animal."

A tick appeared on the older male's head. "What exactly are you trying to say, Kyoko?" he asked with annoyed narrowed eyes.

Her head turned back forward and gave him a mischievous expression. The glint in her eyes showing that she was about to say something that was going to send Miki off. It was just so much fun to get him angry. She giggled like a schoolgirl flirting with a handsome guy. "You know what they say? You are how you act."

His teeth gritted together. His forgotten sandwich being squished in his clenched hand. "Then I guess I know what you are!" he yelled at her.

And from then on Shikamaru blocked there banter out. 'They argue like an old married couple.' he thought as he rubbed his temples. The exhaustion from the past few days finally catching up now that he had time for his body and mind to wander from the task at hand. His head began to droop toward his chest. His eyes closed and his mind slipping into unconsciousness.

That is until the slamming of something on the table caused him to snapped his head up and to attention. His head turning to the sudden noise. And there standing at the end of the table and behind a pile of books and scrolls was Neji with a glare directed at him. "The material you requested." he stated, still annoyed with how the brunette demanded for the material.

He gave a weak smile and rose from his seat. "Thanks. It's everything I asked for, right?" When tense silence was the only thing that followed, he knew that it was. And more actually. There were even books on codes used before Konoha was even built. 'Perfect.' Bringing new adrenaline to his veins. He grabbed his coffee cup from the table and headed to the kitchen to retrieve himself a much needed refill. Leaving Neji alone with the still bickering Miki and Kyoko.

Neji sighed and glanced between the two. Wondering when or if they would ever notice. 'Doubt it.' he thought when Miki said something especially mean. Which in turn resulted in Kyoko smacking him up side his head. He cleared his throat loudly in hopes to catch their attentions. But it was a futile attempt, since they continued on like they were the only two within the room.

Shikamaru returned back into the room with a steaming cup of fresh coffee in his hold. Taking a sip before placing it on the table. Then he moved around the arguing Miki and grabbed all the books and scrolls into his hands before going back to his position at the table. He began to look through one of the scrolls but quickly got aggravated when the bickering didn't stop. "Will you two shut the fuck up!" he snapped at them.

Which immediately shut them up with an audible click of their mouths. Neither of them used to a snappy Shikamaru. Who turned his complete attention back into his work. He was going to figure out this code if it's the last thing he does. And it just might be if he continues to live on coffee.

Neji tilted his head toward the exit, indicating to the other two to follow him. They took the silent message and left the dining room quietly. Kyoko sticking her tongue out at Miki as she followed Neji into the living room.

Once all three were safely in the living room and hopefully out the earshot of the wrath of Shikamaru, Neji asked, "Where's Naruto?"

Miki leaned against the arm of the couch located in the middle and answered the brunette. "He's somewhere in the training grounds, training Jun. Why?"

"Hmn. Hokage-sama wants to speak with him."

"About?"

Neji shook his had absentmindedly, "I wasn't told. But she appeared solemn about whatever the subject matter was." Contemplating silence followed for a couple of moments before Neji spoke again. "I'll see you later." He turned and headed toward the repaired front door. Remembering something just before he reached the door. "Oh, if Uchiha ever reemerges from his room. Tell him to get his act together......He still has a job to do." And with that said, he exited the house once again.

Miki sighed deeply, glancing over at the younger girl. Forgetting about why they were arguing to begin with and saying, "Hmmmm.....you think we should force Uchiha out or wait until Naruto grows some balls?"

The girl giggled and interlaced her arm with the white haired male's. Pulling him along with her to toward the front door. "Naru-chan has testicles or I don't think Sasu-chan would even be interested." Miki gave a look that said, 'You are dense.' But she paid no mind as she continued, "I wonder if Naru-chan read that book yet? It has some interesting positions they should try."

A girlish squeal came from her mouth when an idea popped into her head and jumped on the balls of her feet as she looked up at Miki. Who had an apprehensive expression about whatever was running through that strange head of hers. "We can buy them some toys to play with! You know, to get them started!"

'Toys?' he repeated over in his mind. Wondering why that one word sounded more disturbing than it should. And then it dawned on him why it was disturbing. 'Oh god.' His face turned a beet red when mental images unwillingly flashed in his mind. "Idiot! What's wrong with you! Don't you dare drag me into your yaoi freak-ism!"

"Aaaaa....but Miki....." she whined and pouted as she tugged on his arm. "It might help them. And besides, there's a nice shop nearby that sells some nice products. So it won't take that much time."

A completely horrified expression formed on his features at the prospect of going into one of those kind of shops. "Are you crazy! They have communication problems and emotional, not sexual! Hell, they don't even have a sex life!" His voice becoming more frantic as he felt himself being dragged closer to the front door.

"Ahhhh, no! You're not getting me to that store! Ahhhh.....heeelp!!!"


Sun filtered through the window and landed on the figure sitting on the windowsill. His head leaned up against the glass as his onyx eyes stared aimlessly outside. This was the third day. The third day he's hidden himself in his room. Not wanting to see anyone. He was still trying to digest everything. To get used to the facts that he's been told instead of the lies he's lived with for years. And it wasn't an easy feat.

It just didn't seem to want to sink in. He felt like he was walking through a fog. Moving slowly through the days. But he wasn't sure if he wanted the fog to lift, when it only was going to flood with the pain that was laying underneath. Increasing the pain he was already feeling by tenfold.

But even with the prospect of the pain increasing, it didn't stop the memories from flooding his mind. The memories he chose a long time ago never to think of. Of the days where he had nothing but his sibling rivalry and the courting of a young blond boy to worry about.

A small laugh echoed from his throat when he remembered his brother's reaction when he asked about courting a person. A boy no less.

It was priceless really. A rare occasion when he actually showed shock and embarrassment all in one day.

His eyes began to brim with hot tears. The corners stinging as his memories relentlessly assaulting his mind. Memories of his caring older brother, his loving mother and his strict father(Even if he was the one that agreed to kill him. He was still his father). His family.

He choked down a sob that threatened to break him down. That was pulling him closer to the edge, to make him fall farther into his own despair. Then the memories of a blond boy mixed with the ones of his family. The boy that he fell in love with unconditionally. The one that willingly broke the last of his heart.

That was the end. The end of his self-restraint. His tears flowed freely down his face as he cried out his pain with no incentive on stopping. Right now he had no care about how weak he looked. He just wanted everything to stop. But this desire didn't stop the emotions racking his body or the tears that were falling.

His legs unconsciously lifted and pressed themselves against the raven's chest. His arms encircling the limbs and bringing them closer to his being. As he lowered his head toward his folded arms, his blurry vision caught sight of one of his scars on his arm. And lifting that same arm, he was tempted to take the pain away for the moment. But unexpectedly, the image of Naruto popped into his head. Stopping his other arm from reaching out and grabbing anything that was sharp.

"Naruto found you in the forest behind your house........"

Miki's voice echoed in his mind. Reminding him that Naruto was the first one to see him in such a pathetic state. And he wasn't about to make a repeat of that kind of situation. He needed to deal with his emotions without causing harm to himself. He just needed to deal. Deal with the pain and continue living......

Could he ever get his life back? Even if he had a real life to begin with.....

Then would his world ever stop spinning on it's axles? So, maybe he can stop feeling like he's falling. The feeling of free falling through thin air that causes you to lose your breath. He wanted that breath back. He wanted to breathe.

'Let me breathe.....'


A breeze blew past the still Naruto standing in a middle of a training ground. His cloak moving with the movement of the wind as he waited for his student to attack. His body language appeared to be lax and underestimating his opponent. But he was actually slightly tense and anticipating what he would do. Because he had personal experience of what Jun was capable of.

Though, of course, that didn't make his inner demon shut up.

'Kyuu can't you be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate.'

'You can concentrate perfectly fine with me talking so don't try and get out of what I have to say with that.'

Naruto sighed and shifted his weight to his other foot. Vaguely wondering what was taking the kid so long to attack. At least maybe then he could easily ignore the fox. When no argument came from the blond, Kyuubi continued what he had to say. 'Why haven't you talked to that man of yours?'

A blush dusted his cheeks at the comment. 'He's not......you know what, never mind. Why are you so concern about it anyway?'

'Now you're trying to change this around. Answer the question?!'

Yet another sigh from him escaped his mouth. The hot breath flooding in the close space behind his mask. 'He.....H-He has enough to absorb without me adding onto it.' He could literally feel Kyuubi rolling his eyes. 'You're just trying to stall. You might want to talk to him while he's still susceptible to not killing you. Cause if you haven't noticed, Itachi's not dead. And that's a miracle in and of itself.'

'Kyuu.....why can't you just let me do this in my own time?' he asked just as he took a couple of steps to his left to avoid the kunai's aimed at his back. The same kunai were redirected by chakra strings and were aimed at him from different angles. He jumped and flipped out of the range of getting struck as Kyuubi responded, 'Now if I did that, it wouldn't be any fun. Plus nothing would ever get done.'

It wasn't like he didn't want to talk to Sasuke. God, after seeing the sight of Sasuke looking like he was dead, that's all he's been wanting to do. His eyes darkened when he remembered the sight of him. That sight will permanently be embedded into his mind. It was like the Wave mission was happening all over again. He never thought he would ever feel that scared again.

But even with wanting, he still didn't know how to begin to talk to Sasuke. They never actually talked before, even when they were younger. They always fought. It was like a natural mechanism with the two. But that one night change that natural ability to beat the crap out of each other. Though that didn't stop his mind from wondering if that strategy could work.....

Naruto's ears picked up Jun's voice yelling out a jutsu. Which caused him to curse at his little oversight of the wire that was connected to several trees around him.

A second later, a large explosion resounded through the area. A dust cloud flooding throughout the area and high into the sky. Jun didn't wait for the dust to clear and charged at Naruto. Who was calmly still standing in the clearing without any burns or seared edges. 'See what you almost got me caught in.'

Kyuubi huffed, 'That was your own fault brat. Now pay attention, your brat's coming.'

Naruto rolled his eyes and easily blocked Jun's kick with a slight tilt of his arm. The boy twisted his body and used his other leg to direct another kick at the older male. When that kick was also blocked, he landed nimbly back on his feet. Then immediately attack Naruto with variations of hand and foot attacks.

"Come on, Jun! Attack like your life depends on it! Because if you don't land at least one hit, it will!" Naruto threatened, wanting Jun to push himself to the limit.

Jun growled at the other, annoyed at the other for unintentionally--or it could have been intentionally--mocking him. He pushed his body harder. His movements barely visible as his sempai began to attack back. 'Dammit!' he cursed when he was forced completely on the defense.

He jumped away from the mask man and landed in a crouch, breathing heavily. Hoping to take a short breather but his sempai had other plans. Naruto slammed his fist where Jun stood a moment ago. "Your enemies are not going to give you time to rest! That one moment can be your ticket to death's door! So do you want to die Jun?! Do you?!"

The boy sloppily dodged powerful attacks, his voice unwillingly coming out a little nervous, "No!"

"Then push past your limit! Get a hit on me or I'll be the one to kill you!"

Jun's steps falter for half a second. He wasn't exactly sure if he was serious or not. 'Would he actually kill me?' he questioned himself. It's pretty bad when you have to question if your teacher would actually kill you or not.

He gripped one of Naruto's wrist when he went to punch him, bringing him close and then attempted his own punch. But Naruto leaned his head back just enough for the punch to skim right in front of his chin. Now it was the blond's turn to grab the boy's wrist and using the other's stance, he flipped him through the air.

With a 'ompf', Jun landed on his back roughly on the ground. And ignoring the pain shooting through his back, he snapped his legs up. Only an inch from hitting Naruto directly in his face. If only he stop moving.

The boy rolled back on his feet and once on them, he jump to the side to avoid an attack from his sempai. And while he jump away, he threw a handful of shurikens at the other. Causing Naruto to smirked underneath his mask when one of the shurikens ripped his cloak. 'Good boy. I know you're capable in getting a hit on me at this level. Just one more push.'

In a flash he appeared in front of Jun and punched him in his gut, sending him flying several yards. "It's kill or be killed, brat! You want to keep your life, then come at me to kill!"

Jun pushed himself up slowly, gasping for breath that was punch out of him. A scowl was set on his features but doubt was still seen in his orange-red eyes. "I'm not your teacher anymore! I'm your opponent! An opponent that will have no problem killing an arrogant brat like you!" And that was the last thing that was said before Naruto began to attack his student once again.

Which had the boy barely evading the hits directed at him. He gritted his teeth as he tried to come up with something that might get at least one hit on his sempai. Right about now he was cursing the other's ability to hide his features behind a mask. At least when they trained in other countries, he didn't have to wear the damn thing and he could see if his teacher was kidding or dead serious. But if he had to go by his tone, he would have to choose the latter.

Once again his colorful language was shouting through his mind as he flipped his body horizontally. And as he was upside down, he twisted his body just so. Using his right leg to fake a kick, hopefully distracting his sempai from his true aim. He landed (upside down) on his hands and turned his body so his right leg swung low and connected--barely--with Naruto's side.

He let his lower half back in its rightful position and stood straight with his hands on his hips. Sweat particularly pouring off of him with his breath coming out in heavy pants. A satisfied smirk on his features, "Hmpf.....see......got a hit.......on you.......you--" He was abruptly cut off from a brutal hit to his face.

Jun collided with the ground a couple of yards away flat of his back. Spread eagle. His head was spinning from the sudden impact with said ground but non the less, his ears picked up his sempai saying, "Last lesson for today. Don't assume you won unless you make sure your opponent is dead. And I didn't say this training session was over." There was a long pause. "Yup. Now it's over."

"Goooood." groaned Jun before he mumbled, "I probably couldn't get up away." And he seriously didn't think he could. There was no energy left in his body.

Naruto moved over to his student and plopped himself on the ground near him. Positioning his arms on his bent knees and staring at nothing in front of him. "You've improved since the last time I've trained you. Tomorrow we're focus on ninjutsu." he glanced over at the boy who hasn't moved once since he landed there. "That is, if you can get out of bed in the morning." A grin forming underneath his mask as he watch the boy turn his head and glare at him.

"Screw you, dickhead." he grumbled as he turned his head back upright and closed his eyes. After a short second, he reopened one of his eyes and glanced at Naruto. "Were you really going to kill me?" It was bugging him. He had to know.

The mask man silently cocked his head to the younger male and deadpanned, "If you irritated me enough......probably." Nah, he wouldn't of. But the other didn't need to know that. He's found out over the years, that the worst or best things can come out of people when there life is in danger. And luckily for him, Jun was the kind of person that the best things come out of.

By the way he said it, Jun suspected that he wouldn't have. But now he has put some serious doubt about it into his mind though. "You're an asshole you know that." he stated, what he thought, was the most obvious fact.

This caused Naruto to chuckle. It was short lived though and a long sigh followed when the two settle into comfortable silence. His mind began to wonder back to his inability to talk to Sasuke. 'Why does my mind always has to go back to him?' he asked himself without actually expecting his inner demon to respond. But why not. He was probably going to hear something from him anyway. On one thing or another.

'Because everything that is you wants him. Period.'

'Is that suppose to encourage me to talk to him? Because I don't feel any less of a coward.'

'Well it's a good thing you notice that.' Kyuubi muttered lowly before continuing, 'No but you don't want another finding him almost dead situations, now do you?'

Naruto remained quiet. Which gave Kyuubi his answer. 'Then you might want to get your ass in gear brat and stop waisting so much time. Because it's really starting to annoy me.'

"So--" began Jun, effectively bringing Naruto out from his conversation with the fox. "--are you and that stoic-ass going to get together?"

Naruto almost choked on his own spit while Kyuubi snickered in his mind. "Wh-Why would you ask that?" Damning his stuttering to hell as he stared down at the boy.

The latter huffed indignantly, 'Like it's not common knowledge.' "Don't act stupid sempai. It's aggravating. And really not worth the time to humor." A yawn escaped the boy's mouth, interrupting what he was saying. "But what I heard--"

"What you heard?" Naruto said shortly. But the other pretended that there was no interruption. "--was that you and that guy were......something to each other. I'm guessed that you two were fuck buddies but nobody would verbally confirm it......" He trailed off a moment, internally disappointed that he couldn't get that info out of any of the Akuma members. Though the various of reactions he received when he asked, it technically did confirm it.

Before he could go on, Naruto asked with slight annoyance lacing his tone. "What are you trying to get at, Jun?"

'That you're a complete idiot and seriously needs to get your shit together!' He ignored the fox's comment as he tried to wait patiently for the younger boy to go on.

"I'm not trying to get at anything." his voice smug with a smirk plastered on his face. "Unless you two were more than just fuck buddies." He opened his eyes lazily and tilted his head to Naruto. "Were you?"

"Why are you suddenly so interested in what my relationship with Sasuke is?"

"So it's a relationship?"

Naruto growled and narrowed his eyes, "That's not the point! The point is, you don't take interest in my problems. Other people's yes, mine never. Which makes me wonder what you're up to."

Jun turned his head back upward and said in a matter of fact tone, "I take interest, I just make sure I don't show it to your oblivious ass. And I'm not up to anything."

The older male scoffed and muttered, "Bullshit."

"It's just....." he began in an uncharacteristic manner. "......you're not acting like yourself." Naruto had to blink to make sure he heard what the other said. Because this couldn't really be Jun saying something so full of concern for his well being. Is he sick? Though this was completely throw out with the next thing that came out of his mouth. "I don't even get a good comeback when I insult you. It's quite sad really."

"You just had to keep on going didn't you." he said with a mock disappointed shake of his head.

He chuckled, "Yeah well, I didn't want you think I was going soft. It would ruin my image."

The two settled into silence again until Jun, with a exhausted groan, pushed his sore body into a sitting position. "Now I'm about to say something mushy and you better keep your mouth shut about it."

This caught Naruto's attention. 'Mushy? Does he even know what the word means?'

"But....." he stalled. He wasn't one for being sentimental. He wasn't even sure if he could actually get it past his lips. ".....you deserve to be happy. And I'm guessing that guy does that. So tell him what......EVER happened and......that you love him and get over with it. Because you're no fun when you can't even pretend that you're happy." saying most of that fast so he could get it out while his head proceeded to lower the farther he went. Hopefully to hide the blush that kept growing the more he talked.

'I'm starting to like that brat more. Wait, no.....it passed.'

"Aaaa....Jun. I didn't know there was any semblance to caring for me in there." he said sarcastically. But truly he appreciated the act from the boy. It meant that he did care a little.

Jun glared at him with fire in his eyes. "What part of keep you mouth shut don't you understand?"

"The part where I actually do it." he reply without even thinking. Naruto smiled softly underneath his mask and then brought his hand toward the boy. Ruffling his hair once he was close enough.

The other growled and pulled his head away from the offending hand. Using one of his own hands to fix what his sempai messed up. "That's it. Now we're going over that very fine line that I worked my ass off in forming. We have an insult and retort relationship, let's keep it that way. It's definitely more interesting that way."

Naruto's soft smile suddenly turned mischievous and he sensual moved forward and cupped Jun's cheek. "Jun, honey, did you think I was flirting?" he asked in his most sexy voice that he could muster to the poor victim--he meant boy.

Jun's horrified expression was priceless. Naruto was thankful for his mask or the boy would see his struggle to keep his laughing in. He moved closer, making sure not to let the other hear him snicker. "If you want something to happen between us...."

That was it.

Regaining new strength, Jun jumped away a good distance from the older male. This sudden movement caused Naruto to lose his control and burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Jun's left eye twitched, now figuring out that the other did it on purpose to get under his skin. 'Fucker!' he screamed in his mind and his mouth shouted the same thing.

But before he would extract revenge on the still laughing fool, Neji poof-ed onto the scene. "Tatsuo." he announced so his presence was made known. Though his announcement didn't stop Naruto. Who merely struggled to the direction where he thought he heard the voice come from. He was panting heavily as he tried to get his laughter under control. "Yo Neji.....what's.....you doing.....here?"

A smile and a lifted eyebrow was on Neji's features at Naruto laughing. It was a rarity to actually see--well hear--him really laughing. "Hokage-sama wants to see you."

Which, with this announcement, put a slight damper on his mood. He took a few deep breaths to calm down his breathing. And once it was down enough when he didn't have to pause every other word to breath, he said, "Tell her I'll see her tomorrow. I have something I need to do today."

"Finally going to talk to the Uchiha?" Neji asked like he could see it written on his face.

"Nahhh...." chimed in Jun, "He's too much of a coward to do something like that."

Now all humor was gone from the atmosphere as Naruto glanced back and forth between the two, who were giving him an unintentional hard time. Well, one was unintentional. 'Coward I may be in this situation......but I refuse to let him go this time.'


Miki was currently in the middle of an aisle of the store that Kyoko practically dragged him to. His eyes blinked blankly with his mouth partly agape at the store's selves. 'What the.....' he thought as his hand twitched.

Kyoko was browsing the selves with great enthusiasm. Her hands grabbing anything that she thought was gush worthy. She grabbed an item that caught her golden eyes attention. She turned, "Isn't this so cute!" she exclaimed as she displayed the sparkling pink and red teddy bear that she grabbed from the self in front of Miki's face.

The latter's eye twitched at the fuzzy thing. "Hikko......" he began calmly, "Why are we in a toy store?!" his voice much higher, almost yelling, when he finished.

She tilted her head to show her mock confusion. "Didn't I say that I wanted to get the two some toys?" Though underneath her mask a wicked smile was present. Knowing exactly what he thought she really meant. It was always so much fun to mess with the other.

"I thought you were buying them sex toys!!" his loud voice flowing throughout the store. Which caused the people with children nearby to gasp and mutter things about Akuma's lack of this and that. He didn't bother to pay much attention because he was too busy scowling at the younger girl.

"But--" she said as she pointed her finger almost up the other's nostril. "--I never said that I was specifically buying sex toys. You just assumed you big pervert."

His scowl only deepened while his cheeks heated up when he knew she was right. Which made him more aggravated with her, because he now realized that she did all this on purpose. 'Women!' he growled in his mind as his body did a complete u-turn and began walking away from the low snickering Kyoko. Who reluctantly followed the simmering man.

As he continued to walk toward the exit of the store, his ears kept picking up what other people were 'trying' to say in a whisper. There mutterings were grating on Miki's already frying nerves to the point where he snapped, "What the fuck are you looking at?!" at the next woman who gave the two of them disgusted looks.


The sun was setting on the horizon. With Sasuke still sitting in the same position as he watched the colors of yellow, pink, and red dance across the once blue sky. The tears that had fallen, long since dried.

He watched as the light of the day died down, silently inviting the night of darkness to come. It was a beautiful sight. It just reminded the raven that there's another day where the light will rise again. Another day where maybe the pain will lesson.

That maybe he'll get his 'light' back shining in his own 'darkness'.

An all too familiar chakra signature standing in front of his door caught his attention away from the natural beauty from outside. He turned his head slowly and stared at the wooden door. Waiting for what he thought would be a knock coming. But one never came. He gave a small snort, figuring that the blond wouldn't talk to him. And he WASN'T about to make the first move to do so either.

He was just about to turn his attention back to the outside world when his ears heard something like a paper being slipped under his door and the chakra signature disappearing.

For a second, he was going to intentionally peg it to his imagination. But that curiosity of his, even in his state of mind, moved his body off the windowsill and in the direction of the door. When he could see the floor before the door, he saw a small piece of folded white paper that contrasted with the hard wooden floors.

His feet padded softly on the wood as he approached the folded paper carefully. Slightly apprehensive about what was written. He bent down, grabbed the paper and stood back straight. Staring at it blankly for a long moment before tentatively unfolding it to read what was within it's confines.

Upon reading it, he was positive that Naruto was the one that wrote it by the handwriting. Even after six years the handwriting was still the same. No emotion passed over his face as he read the note over and over again for the next ten minutes. Feelings a keen anxiousness and dread overshadowed his other emotions for the time being.

He unconsciously took steps backward and sat on his bed. His elbows resting on his knees as he continued to gaze flicked over to the clock for a second before it rested back down at the piece of paper. The words going through his mind.

'Meet me at that hidden field where we used to spar privately when we were younger at 11:00 pm. Naruto.'