Greetings everyone!
I apologize for the wait, UPS kinda sucks for me right now in addition to getting sucked back into Skyrim. Seriously; the game is addicting as hell when you really want to reach 81! Worst part about that is I still have yet to reach that level; and it's pissing me off to no end. Thankfully though, the PS3 version now has all three of its DLC, so I now have some new things to explore once I have the free time to work on it. Believe me, I had to tear myself away from it just to work on this, so I hope you all are happy. Ah, who am I kidding, of course your happy; you wouldn't be reading this if you weren't. Anyway, enough crap from me, here's the fifth chapter of Three Strings of a Shamisen!
UPDATED AS OF 8/18/2017
I don't own Naruto: If I did, Yugito would still be alive and fornicating with him by now...
Stress, no matter the lifestyle or career-path, was an issue that every person was expected to experience.
Whether it is in a day-to-day activity or having to go about your duties in the workplace, the fact was that anxiety, pressure, nervousness, anger, and even depression were to be expected at some point in time. It was inevitable especially for those who chose to pursue a career as a shinobi. While such things can become hazardous to the individual's health if left alone too long, there were ways to cope with said issues. In many ways, it was largely considered similar to how one may handle with grief, as alcohol tended to do wonders to relieve one's troubles if only for a time.
Alcohol wasn't the only method to relieve one of stress, in fact everyone had their own ways to dealing with their troubles. Some being more active while others performing a more subtle actions to install some sort of tranquility within them. Then there were those who performed different tasks dependent on their level of stress; which was understandable as sewing was not a very wise activity when angry.
Yugito was no different when it came to the matter of stress despite her admirable effort to maintain an air of professionalism about her. Normally playing her shamisen would put her mind at ease, the music that she could thoughtlessly play being more than enough to sooth her uneasy mind. Unfortunately even she was capable of accumulating enough stress to warrant a different means of relief that were much more suitable than her favorite pastime. This was one such time where utilizing the instrument would ultimately inflict more harm than good on her overtly stressed and frustrated mind.
She was angry, righteously infuriated in fact, and as much as she wished to be ignorant in regards to why she felt that way she regretfully was not. Carelessness was the initial cause of her self-ire, the same carelessness that had led to her nearly exposing herself entirely to a young man who had only known her for four months and sixteen days.
How did she allow herself to be caught off guard like that for something as ridiculous as observing her own appearance?
When did she grow so sloppy, so unguarded, and when did she allow the petty remarks of a young Chuunin get under her skin?
What was most predominant in her mind was the reaction to being discovered in such a vulnerable state of being; a reaction that was very uncharacteristic coming from her. She didn't scream, she didn't act like some blushing girl with a crush, and she sure as shit didn't get embarrassed over being seen in her undergarments. Having said this, she had every right to be upset; although her irritation was centered more so at herself rather than at her caretaker. Some would argue that her anger should have been directed at Naruto as well due to invading her privacy.
To which she would then draw the metaphorical line in the dirt and, with the subtly of a tactless drunkard, regard that as the complete and utter bullshit that it was.
A broadened perspective of both their combined living situations is what served to keep her from being as narrow-minded as most young women her age.
The apartment had been Naruto's long before she took residence there and throughout that time he had been the sole resident prior to her arrival. Anyone who lived alone for as long as he apparently had would know that there is an adjustment period once there is another occupant. Henceforth he hadn't been accustomed to taking caution whenever he stepped into a room. That much Yugito had quickly come to understand within the first couple weeks; having accidentally interrupted her on a few occasions within that time. Even then she had to add that the blonde male had done a commendable job at improving himself on that matter.
So yes, she never had a reason to feel considerably irked in that aspect and she was well aware of the fact that her privacy was not being disrespected. That being the case, she had long since concluded that there was no logical reason to be upset with him as he had done nothing to warrant it. However, in regards to her violent reaction...well that could be interpreted more as an instinctual reflex rather than a hostile reaction to his intrusion. Naruto still needed to count his blessings for the lack of more appropriate throwing utensils within her reach at that time.
Potted plants were much heavier to pick up and throw than, say, a kunai was.
But disregarding the above factor for a moment, her reaction to this intrusion was something noticeably different compared to other instances. Truthfully the only person who would be able to distinguish it aside from Yugito was Naruto himself; which was something she was mildly thankful for. During that adjustment period, within those few disturbances in the first couple weeks, she maintained her composure to adjust herself accordingly as well as relay information quickly enough to avoid any...awkward incidences from occurring. Yugito's professional attitude did not waver like it had this time, which was precisely the reason why it troubled her immensely.
In this instance there was a more distinctive difference when it concerned her emotions as well as the sudden lack of awareness that she had previously.
For the first time since she arrived here, Yugito had displayed a set of emotions to which her caretaker had not been privy to witnessing very often: dismay and embarrassment. If one had asked the blonde what else he may had seen, in terms of emotions, he would likely have only admitted to seeing the most obvious of the two. Although in the back of his mind he could swear there was something else, something more, than what he could see. And yet, if he were to be pressed for an answer, he would be unable to place what that something was. Asking Yugito would not yield any results as she was not against the notion of lying even if it was to herself.
There was, however, someone who she couldn't lie to who knew exactly what that 'something' was and that someone was Matatabi. That 'something' was shame: shame of the scars which she never desired to reveal to the person she was secretly smitten with.
"I am fairly certain that Naruto-kun will not find your visage unappealing, Yugito." The Jounin could still remember those words escaping the Nibi's lips shortly after the incident as well as the words that followed. "There is no need to feel ashamed for bearing a few scars; you know this just as well as I do."
Remembering and acknowledging were two entirely different things and Yugito had no intention to admit the modest words of the beast within her. So, in her efforts to abolish those petty concerns she chose to train somewhere far enough away from that place as possible. The greater the distance, the less her mind wondered back to those thoughts and by extension her caretaker. She had to have a distraction, she needed to regain some peace of mind so as to relieve herself of all the pent up stress that accumulated since. She couldn't do that with him around which was why she took to avoiding him as much as she possibly could. It was perturbing him, of this she knew, and yet he never spoke about it; the subject had remained untouched and would likely remain that way for the days to come.
Perhaps it was for the best that it remained that way, less likely for her to inadvertently display needless hostility towards him.
Unknowingly, the area in which Yugito staked a claim on already had a occupant who frequently visited the area on a regular basis. Fortunate enough for her they were more than happy to share it, hell they even offered to act as a training partner to which she graciously accepted. Naruto was a good training partner but verity was never a bad thing and the differences were quite distinct when she sparred with the regular. It helped considerably in alleviating her from her overtly taxed mind as she let the adrenaline rush of combat with a generally unknown party overtake her.
From there her professionalism began to return to her, back to the way she used to be. All that did was further demonstrate how far she had strayed from her old self and further emphasize that Konoha had undoubtedly changed her.
By the end of that day both parties had gained a mutual respect for one another, respect born from bruised skin, tense muscles, and sweaty brows. There was no victor to be had then, but all the same the conclusion did not leave a bitter taste in either party's mouths. Prior to parting ways for that particular evening, the duo had concluded that it had been an experience worth repeating. People could say whatever they wanted but on that day Nii Yugito had grown to respect the 'Youthful Spirit' which Rock Lee continued to preach about these past few days.
Unfortunately, despite the lengthy distraction Rock Lee provided, it nonetheless served as only a temporary solution to the issue at hand.
When the spars and training concluded and the two parted ways, Yugito would inevitably be forced to return to the apartment from whence she came. In the time it took to get there, the adrenaline would leave her and the troublesome thoughts she wished to ignore would return again. Again, she took to avoiding Naruto as much as possible, even when at home. Clearly that concerned him, of this she knew, but perhaps her desire to isolate herself from him had reached a boundary that she had unknowingly crossed. As of late he had neglected to even speak with her unless it was in passing which, in her mind, implied that he was doing onto her as she was to him.
A fair response that she would normally come to understand given her own wishes to avoid interacting with her roommate.
Normally: that was the key word here.
There was nothing remotely normal about her behavior as of late.
All Naruto had done was perpetuate the cycle of uneasy thoughts that further weighed down on her.
There was no denying that she was agitated about being ignored by someone who, up until just recently, openly considered her as a cherished friend. The two shared stories about past missions, people they had met in their careers, moments deemed as precious that had occurred in their respected lives. She had spoken about more things than she ever would have dared to tell anyone who wasn't native to Kumo. They trained together, did chores together, traversed the village, shopped, ate, and many other things together.
Yet now...now there was nothing but a stained silence whenever the two were together in that place and it was unnerving compared to how much life was there before.
Was he upset about her trying to ignore him or was he just being respectful with his silence?
Yugito wasn't certain, she never could be given Naruto's impulsive nature, but what was certain was that she did not like idea of things remaining as they currently were. A talkative Naruto was several times more pleasant and tolerable than a silent one; although that was purely her opinion. What made the whole thing worse was that, at the heart of it all, she knew that the cause of his change in attitude was her own doing. She had come to blame Sakura for making her question her femininity, as that was something Nii Yugito would not claim as a fault of her own making. Even so, as far as facts went, there was no other person aside from herself that could be held accountable for the current state of their relationship.
Which brings us to the present in which Nii Yugito was once again found at that training area in wait for her training partner to arrive. The state of the weather was ideal, immaculate some would say, to be outdoors as the afternoon sun hung overhead without obstruction from the nearby clouds. The winds were cool with its steady breeze, the wildlife active and abundant in the wilderness surrounding her; a truly ideal day that many could classify as being cereal. Yet none of these things were of importance, the Kumo kunoichi barely took notice to any of this as her thoughts were still set on the issues still in play.
She acknowledged that she was at fault for the decline in her relationship with the orange clad youth.
She also acknowledged that she was lost in regards to amending the issue so that things could go back to the way they used to be.
"You know how to amend the issue Yugito, overstressing on a matter that is otherwise trivial is quite unusual coming from you."
"...Matatabi." These words were spoken aloud, but the scenery surrounding her darkened until only the flames produced by the Nekomata herself illuminated the two parties. "I mean no offence, but please stay out of my personal affairs."
All that did was amuse and annoy the twin-tails as her mismatched eyes narrowed despite the lighthearted chuckle that rumbled from the beasts throat.
"Quite the difficult feat to accomplish given the state of turmoil your mind has been in the most recent days. Tell me, how long do you propose I maintain my silence before you finally seek my council?"
Yugito, situated upon the Nibi's brow, released a sigh of exasperation much to the added amusement of the great beast in question. It was no secret that the blonde had little interest for matters regarding the opposite sex; although her reasons differed from what many would initially believe. She didn't despise men or any other form of such nonsense. Truthfully she just put her duty as a kunoichi above her personal life; such was the way she had been raised as a child. It wasn't her fault, not anyone's fault, she had every opportunity to live the way she wanted and she made her choice. While that choice may have cheated her of a proper childhood, she was nonetheless grateful with the results that made her who she was today.
Even if that meant she had to endure the occasional chide or quip from Matatabi about how she had the personality of a brick.
"I'm refusing to grace that question with an answer, although you do bring up an interesting point. " Retorted the woman whilst her dark spheres glanced down inquisitively at the mismatched eyes of her Biju. "You have been relatively quiet for some time now, is there any particular reason for this behavior?"
"Is that an implication that you beginning to miss me? I am touched Yugito, I was not aware that you valued my verbal contributions so highly." The inquisitive gaze in Yugito's eyes gave way to mild irritation at that remark, inclining the Nekomata to answer sincerely. "You have been developing, growing, changing in a way that differs from how you act whilst within your home country. I had no desire to interfere as I wished to witness how drastic these alternations would become without my influence. Simply put, I wanted to observe things as they progressed."
There was nothing in what she said that could be taken as a lie, truly Matatabi wanted nothing more than to sit and just watch. The satisfaction felt from watching her container's dull professional mindset gradually being chipped away piece by piece could not be exaggerated. Overjoyed would have sufficed as a term to be used to describe how Matatabi felt about the matter. Having grown disinterested in the lifestyle of her host for as far back as she could remember, the change invoked by the orange clad youth had been a welcome one.
A Biju she may be but that did not make her a creature incapable of empathy; as she did come to appreciate and care for the wellbeing of her host to some degree. She might not have cared for the instrument the blonde frequently played but nonetheless Matatabi was concerned about her in her own ways. Sadly the Nibi had not given Yugito the full truth in regards to her question.
In all truth what the Nekomata had neglected to mention was that she had started to grow impatient with the young woman's behavior.
"You wanted to observe things as they progressed...forgive me but I don't follow you train of thought." Well, after a momentary pause, Yugito clarified. "I will not deny that Konoha is different and my mannerisms are...altering slightly by comparison to how I act in Kumo. However I fail to see how such a change is relevant enough to warrant your lack of input over these past couple months."
Specifically in the matter of what, or rather who, served to be the true cause of her steady change in character.
To that end, the Nekomata's head dipped down slightly as the only outward display of exasperation she could perform at that moment.
"I believe you do know what I am referring to, as I doubt that you truly believe this village is the culprit behind your change." Matatabi didn't need to meet Yugito's gaze to know that there was a degree of intensity being directed at her. "You are much smarter than that, of this we are in agreement, so please do not insult me or yourself with such tired excuses."
Matatabi's patience with the Kumo kunoichi was thinning and she was making sure that her container was aware of that. She may not be willing to accept the truth for what it was but the Biju in question was not feigning ignorance. She knew, both of them knew, but one of them was unwilling to admit that truth. Granted Yugito was justified in her reasoning but that mattered little in the grand scheme of things. Denial was not the answer, if anything it only made matters needlessly harder for the Jinchuuriki, and yet she persisted regardless.
Stubborn was what she was, more so than most gave her credit for, but to be this pigheaded over a particular subject was grating on the Biju's nerves. Both of them knew that this could only continue for so long and the sooner she confessed to her own feelings the better off she would eventually be.
"As I said before, stay out of my personal affairs."
"And I have respected your wishes but, as I too have stated, you are making it increasingly difficult for me not to."
Sentimental as it may sound, Matatabi did want Yugito to be happy. She had associates, comrades, family in Kumo but those bonds were kept at arm's length. From her youth to her early adulthood Yugito never gave herself a chance to attain genuine happiness and at the end of the day everyone deserved that. Again, Matatabi was not a creature devoid of empathy, and she did not regard Yugito with contempt. The respect they shared with one another was authentic, just as the Nekomata's efforts to help her through this difficult stage in life was authentic.
A wise man said 'even soldiers needed more to live for than just fighting' and Jinchuuriki or not Yugito was no exception to that.
"I am not going to lecture you on what should or must be done, it is your prerogative to decide what is best for you. What I will say is that, eventually, you will inevitably be presented with an opportunity. When that time comes you will either admit to the truth you already know or continue to delude yourself. Regardless of which option you choose, for better or worse, it is you who will ultimately have to live with the choice that you make."
Yugito couldn't tell, too frustrated with the Biju to bother deciphering the underlining factors in play, but her tenant was sympathetic about her plight. Matters of personal feelings were lost on her, which is what made this such a difficult and delicate matter to approach.
"Ah, Yugito-san!" Speaking of approach, one Rock Lee was quickly making his own as he arrived to the training area in which the two shared. "I'm looking forward to seeing how brightly our combined flames of youth will burn today!"
One would think that someone as loud and energetic as Lee would have caught her attention immediately. Such was not the case as she was far too absorbed in her conversation with Nibi to take in all of her surroundings. Credit, however, had to be given to Lee for realizing something was amiss when the woman was unresponsive to his call. The once grinning face of the lad soon shifted into that of curiosity along with healthy amount of concern as his approach went from a light sprint to a casual walk. By that point he was well within arm's-length of her yet she still had her back to him while the rest of her form remained unmoving. The movement he noted was the clinching of her fists on either side of her person; indicating...something.
"I did not ask for your input on the matter Matatabi."
Lee, while maybe an overly passionate person, was still generally a nice guy once you able to look passed the external oddities. That being said his concern was visible on his face as she heard the woman muttering to herself and seemingly disregarding his presence entirely. Curious and mildly apprehensive about the woman's state of being, he reached out to her in the hopes of gartering her attention. Mind that his intentions were good in that he was hoping he could perhaps lend an ear to whatever it was that troubled her.
"Um, Yugito-sa-"
The moment his hand touched down on her right shoulder, Yugito reacted in a manner that was befitting to someone of her rank. In the seconds that followed the contact, the blonde Jinchuuriki had whirled around in place, pushing the offending limb that had initiated contact away with her forearm as she turned, whilst four razor sharp claws whistled through the air as she swept them in a wide arc with her left hand. Lee, even if caught off guard, was still a Taijutsu expert and thus had the proper reaction time to not just avoid the attack but also retreat back enough to gain some distance between himself and his aggressive sparring partner.
Now Lee could be dense at times, sometimes he was as bad or worse than Naruto, but even he had seen how the woman's eyes seemed different than they had been in the past few days. The calculating and unfaltering visage that was usually present within those dark sphere's was absent, leaving them vacant and unfocused. To someone like Lee it just showed that she wasn't acting intentionally and was instead moving on instincts born through vigorous training and experience. One could question how exactly he knew this while others could trust in his judgment when it concerned matters like these. Lee was the same person who could fight while asleep, drunk, or unconscious; so a reaction like Yugito's wasn't as far-fetched by comparison to the more unusual things he himself had done.
Whatever concerns he had regarding her reaction dissipated when the woman didn't follow up on her initial attack. Shortly after Lee's retreat Yugito's eyes had regained focus, only to be filled with puzzlement shortly thereafter. To her gaze taking in Lee's distant form to them shifting back to her own slowly retracting claws. Such was all the time it took her bewilderment to fritter away into familiar passiveness once her bearings had been restored. Having concluded what had transpired in that brief moment in time, Yugito couldn't suppress the urge and massaged the bridge of her nose in clear frustration.
"Damn it." It was uttered in a hushed and harsh tone, obviously directed at herself and was made more evident by the apologetic look she directed at the green-clad Taijutsu expert. "My apologies, Lee-san, it seems that my mind is elsewhere."
"Is everything alright?" In that time, Lee relaxed his guard and, with a bit of caution mind you, re-approach the woman and hopefully discover the reason for her irritation. "You can talk to me about it if you like; maybe I can help."
Generous as the offer was, Yugito had no desire to seek any more council from others for the time being. Matatabi's words had been vexing enough on her so the last thing she wanted to deal with was more of the same topic. Add to the fact that she wasn't too keen on the notion of letting her training partner know any more of her private life in Konoha than she was comfortable with. It was less about trust and more about wishing to keep her personal life out of everyone's eye; same as it was in her own country. As likable and dependable as Lee was she didn't want him sticking his nose in her business.
"Your concern is appreciated, really it is, but there's no need to concern yourself with-"
"Is it about Naruto-kun?"
Curious as he was, Lee was not prone to prodding someone for answers if they did not want to disclose anything. He knew there was something wrong with her, something she did not want to share. But in light of this minor incident he felt it only right to at least breach the subject, if nothing else than to have some awareness about the situation. Lee wasn't about to force answers out of her, he'd only take what she felt like sharing and nothing more or less than that. Besides he had been also been curious as to why a Jounin of Kumogakure remained out here training with a Chuunin until the early evening hours. She had skill, experience, and as far as he could gather she really didn't require any refinement in terms of combat readiness.
So what was the real reason for her being here?
That was a question he had asked himself many times since their first meeting.
Lo and behold his first guess turned out to be the correct one. She knew that she had given herself away when her breath hitched, quite loudly in fact, the moment Lee mentioned her caretaker's name. There was no point in trying to save face here, not after that and certainly now that the Taijutsu expert's eyes gleamed from his successful assumption. Yugito could have tried to keep her expression as uniform as possible, but the light burning sensation from her reddened cheeks would have made that effort pointless. On that note, for someone who was raised without having any interest in the opposite sex, it was very hard to conceal embarrassment.
Anyone who said otherwise could go fuck themselves.
"….I-I suppose there's no denying it at this point." To this day Yugito cursed this reoccurring stammering bullshit to deepest pits of hell. After closing her eyes and clearing her throat in an effort to be rid of that ridiculous speech impediment, she continued on with her train of thought. "It isn't but so imperative Lee-san, so please do not become overly zealous in regards to what is to be said here."
She was surprised to find that, when her eyes opened again, Lee had chosen to seat himself down on the grass with his legs crossed in front of her. Judging by the intensity of his gaze she severely doubted that he would let her abruptly drop the subject without some form of explanation. A low groan left her lips as she followed his example until both of them were sitting across from one another on the grass, her right knee being used to prop her head up with her hand.
A brief moment of silence was shared between the two before Yugito's sigh effectively broke it.
"So, shall I get started?"
"Yosh, please begin!"
Unsurprisingly enough, Yugito's thoughts shifted into something along the lines of 'Kill me now!' just as her lips began to part.
When Haruno Sakura heard someone knocking on the front door, she didn't precisely know who to have been expecting to find waiting behind it.
Perhaps the likes of Ino, Shizune, maybe Yamato, possibly Kakashi, or even—though admittedly a far more obscure possibility—Yugito; but none of them had been correct.
"Naruto?"
"Yo, Sakura-chan!" Instead she found the grinning face of her teammate standing at her doorway. "Do ya got a minute?"
Admittedly the blonde was the last person she expected to see here, although she supposed this was bound to happen at some point. As far as she recalled, her orange clad teammate never actually visited her at home like this, even back when they were all Genin. It was with some measure of guilt that she also admitted that she probably would have slammed the door on his face back then or just wouldn't have answered it. Disregarding that, it was strange to see him here of all places and perhaps he felt strange about it as well. He looked relieved to see her yet, at the same time, uncomfortable being there. And the longer she observed him, standing there with his one functional hand rubbing at the back of his neck, the clearer it became for his surprise visit to the Haruno household.
Emerald eyes narrowed as she huffed audibly, her arms crossing over her chest as she gazed at the blonde in a manner similar to how her own mother did when scolding her or her father.
"...what did you do?"
"W-wha-what're you talkin' about, I was 'round and just felt like stoppin' by to say hello!"
When Sakura's penetrating glare didn't waver Naruto's posture sunk just as his grin fell into a pout after being found out at the get-go. Typically speaking, as far as him getting into trouble, Sakura was often the one who delivered the appropriate punishment. So it went without saying that she knew him best, although Naruto wasn't the most difficult person to figure out once someone spent a significant amount of time with him. And while he didn't want to face the feminine wrath of his pink haired teammate he was also left with few alternatives when it came to advice. She would have eventually found out anyway, she always did, so he figured that he might as well treat it like a band-aid and get it over with.
"Okay, okay, that's not what I came here for." Confessed the blond, noting how the girl had rolled her eyes as he stated what was painfully obvious. "I, uh, need your help with somethin'."
"With what?" Her tone did not suggest that she was liking where he was going with this. "Spill it Naruto, what did you do."
Despite the level of common sense Naruto had, even he wasn't dull enough to figure out the reason why his current house-guest was avoiding him. Hard not to when the image of Yugito with so much exposed skin still embedded so deep in his psyche that the teen couldn't close his eyes without seeing it. To that he could blame Jiraiya for corrupting him with all his perverted antics in addition to his own teenage hormones kicking into overdrive. While an issue in itself, the real problem that Naruto was facing was his charge's queer behavior; by which it was how little she had done after that incident that had him bothered. Granted she threw one his plants at him, that much was expected, but after that she did nothing, not a single thing, in retaliation or to reprimand him.
He of course apologized afterwards, as expected of him, but her response had given him no relief and instead filled him with dread.
Yugito, in her own words, had told him something along the lines of 'It was nothing.' and 'Not to concern himself with the matter'.
That evening marked the beginning of this long stretch of days where nothing but silence was shared between the two of them.
Note that Naruto was not above owning up to his lack of understanding, hence why he sought Sakura's guidance. Kakashi had been his first choice of council, chances were that the Jounin would know a thing or two on how he could make amends. However, upon recalling some—surprisingly accurate—words of wisdom from Jiraiya, the Uzumaki had a change of plans on who to speak to. Women were not as easy to understand as men were and trying to understand women as a man was a fool's errand. If that one bit of 'sagely' advice was to be true then he just needed to get some advice from another woman. And it wasn't like Sakura wasn't his only choice, he knew of a quite a few ladies who could help, it was just that Sakura was the first one that came to mind.
It wasn't until she answered the door that he realized that maaaybe he could have asked someone who wouldn't hit him for doing something stupid. Too late now, though, so all that was left to do was wait for Sakura to dish out the proper punishment and get it over with. Like ripping off a band-aid, once everything was said and done he was sure she give him the sort of help he was looking for.
"I, ah, think Yugito-chan's mad at me." Responded the blonde, a few forced chuckles escaping from him as he spoke. Knowing what would inevitably come, he chose to try and get to the point now before she could deck him right then in there. "I was gonna see if you could help me find a way to apologize to her."
Sakura's face momentarily lost its ire and shifted that that of surprise once she absorbed what the blonde had said. Which in turn left Naruto in a state puzzlement as, from his standpoint, Yugito being upset was not as odd as he had made it sound. Sure his charge wasn't the most expressive person in the world, but she was still human and prone to anger just like everyone else.
"Why is Yugito-san's mad at you?"
Here it comes.
"'Cause I, uh, accidently walked in on her why she was changing?"
A few seconds later, Naruto was sporting a new lump that had risen from within the mop of his blonde hair whilst Sakura appeared to be seething where she stood; fist raised with steam rolling off of it in waves.
"You idiot!" Yup, he saw that coming. "Of course she's going to be mad at you when it's something like that!"
"L-Like I said, it was an accident!" Now he was pleading in his efforts to make a case so as not to be unfairly labeled as a pervert by his friend and teammate. "I was just checkin' up on her since I heard her talking in the other room. I didn't know she was undressed or anything!"
"Your roommate is a woman you moron! You don't just waltz in when you live with a woman, at least pretend you respect her privacy!"
"But I do, if I didn't, she's kick the crap out of me or worse!"
"And rightfully so if you ask me you dumb perv!"
Naruto did indeed respect Yugito's privacy more than either woman realized. A sad fact that Sakura would not understand anytime soon.
"Oi, oi, what's all the ruckus about?"
Both present youths were startled when a voice of a third party member sudden entered the conversation. Without missing a beat both of the youth present shifted their respected attentions towards the source, with Naruto peering passed Sakura while the pinkette herself turned her full profile around to face the individual. Said individual was a man, a man with blue eyes and dull pink hair styled in a rather odd manor. To Naruto, it reminded him of a cherry-blossom and looked rather strange considering that it stuck out more than his own hair color did in a crowd. Still, even with the man's sudden interjection, he didn't seem all that upset with the racket they were admittedly making outside the house. Quite the opposite really, he looked more amused than anything. In fact everything about his character from what could be seen just screamed upbeat.
With the presence of this man now known and within the household, it didn't take much for Naruto to deduce who he was; though Sakura did a good job at confirming it.
"S-sorry dad, were we being too loud?"
"Hmm." Haruno Kizashi didn't immediately answer, instead his eyes shifted from his daughter, to the boy outside, then back to his daughter before answering with a small knowing smile. "Not at all, I've gotten an idea of what's going on and I completely understand."
Two sets of eyes unknowingly blinked thrice in unison.
"You do?" Was the statement both youths currently present voiced at the same time.
"Of course, a good father understands these sorts of things." At that a single hand rose to pat the top of his daughters head. The annoyed huff from the girl in question as she tried to swat the hand away only served to make him chuckle. "Although, I have to say Sakura-chan, I wish you would have introduced me sooner. Nevertheless, I'm giving my approval, so you have nothing to be worried about my boy."
"Huh?"
That too was a statement that was voiced by both youths currently present at the same time. Their synchronized response that clearly indicated their baffled state of mind had alas went completely over the jovial man's head. In spite of both their words and mirrored confusion, Kizashi's quiet laughter persisted as if recalling a joke he had heard from a collogue. Of course this scenario was kind of taken as a joke to him, seeing the two teammates bickering out in public; heavily reminding him of how he and his own wife would sometimes act similarly to how these two were. Which is why he decided to let the two in on what he had found to be so humorous about this who spectacle.
"There's no need to be coy about it, couples are bound to have more than a few lover's quarrels during the course of a relationship."
It took three seconds for what the older man had said to be absorbed by the two teens.
From there it two seconds after that for both of the youth's present to develop a healthy blush on their cheeks.
And it took one extra second after that for Sakura's instincts to take over and cry out the first thing that came to mind.
"W-wh-where the hell did you get that idea from!?" The massive misunderstanding needed to be quelled...like right now before things escalated beyond her control. "Don't just say things like that out in the open like that dad, a-and besides that's not what this is!"
Being her father, the younger Haruno knew that he would likely get her mother involved in this, which would then spread to Ino's parents, then spread from there like a wildfire. Failure to clarify or defuse this situation was out of the question, less she be forced to endure the humiliation that would undoubtedly follow. Honestly though, how in the world could her father come to such a bold conclusion with only one wrongly timed appearance was beyond her understanding. For fucks sake this was the first time he had even met her orange clad teammate in person and she herself hadn't made it a point to mention him at home. Maybe in passing, such as when news of Naruto's return cropped up, but outside of that she couldn't recall excessively speaking about him that often.
Internally, the more assertive aspect of her was screaming at Kizashi for not playing the role of Scary Father like he was supposed to.
Wasn't that, like, an unspoken rule in the father's guidebook when meeting boy in the company of their daughter? If so then Kizashi skipped over that rule because all he seemed to think was that his daughter's expression was the cutest thing he had ever seen. And amusing, oh most certainly amusing, evident by his quiet laughter increasing in volume.
"Now, now Sakura-chan, there's nothing to be embarrassed about it, besides he seems like a pretty capable young man."
"Why aren't you listening!? I'm telling you that it's not-"
"I'm, ah, not her boyfriend Haruno-ji-san."
Naruto's thoughts, unfortunately, had went down different path that he truly didn't want them to. He stood there with cheeks dusted red with embarrassment, grinning and sheepish as he was when faced with misunderstandings. At face value he looked fine, but his real emotions still spilled out in some way, shape, or form. He knew that to be the case, saw the dispirited look in Sakura's eyes once her attention had returned back to him. She knew how hard it was for him to admit what he did just now and to some degree her father did too. Although it was vastly overshadowed by his confusion there was a hint of somberness there that served as enough proof for the blonde to know that Kizashi understood at least partially.
At a different time, in another life, Naruto would have been overjoyed to heard Sakura's father say and assume those things. Kind as those words had been they also served to rub salt in a opened wound that refused to heal. Nobody could say that Naruto stopped caring about Sakura, to this day that old crush he had for her still lingered in his heart. Deep down he knew better, knew who it was that Sakura loved the most, and he was not that person. Accepting that grim reality was hard, just as hard as it was to know that it was the person he had let slip away his twice in a row to whom her heart belonged to. A bitter pill to swallow, if he were to be honest, knowing that his feelings would not go beyond the threshold close friends.
He had come accept it, he had no choice but to accept it, and yet that didn't lessen the feeling of being stabbed to the chest.
Said sensation was what drove Naruto's want to be anywhere but here to increase.
"Haha, sorry for the mix-up, I'm just Sakura-chan's teammate is all." His usual mannerisms tried to belie the truth of what he felt in that moment. It would have worked too if he hadn't been in the presence of one who knew him best. "Anyways I think, um, I'mma go ahead n' be on my way. I still got stuff I need to take care of so I'll see you later Sakura-chan. Oh and, um, it was nice meetin' you Haruno-Ji-san."
Having cleared the air and signaled his departure Naruto gave the two Haruno's a final wave before departing from the scene at a brisk pace. Alas his facade crumbled the further he got from the two, indicated by the sagging shoulders and slight decline of his head. He came here seeking some advice and ended up leaving with empty hands and a heavy heart. He could have done without having to endure that but all the same he was glad to have at least stopped by and see his friend. That in itself took some of the sting out of it but not enough to lift his spirits back up to his usual standards. Because that was all they were and all they would ever be, the two of them would always just be friends. It may not have been how he wanted their relationship to be but in the same vein it was never about what he wanted.
Sakura loved Sasuke, he had promised to bring him back, and in both cases where the two met he failed to deliver on that promise. If he couldn't fulfill that pledge, if he couldn't save a single friend, then he didn't deserve to have her or the title of Hokage. That was his view on the matter and why he believed Haruno Sakura deserved so much better than what he could ever hope to give her.
And as Sakura looked on at his retreating back from the doorway of her home, she couldn't help but fight the urge to go chasing after him. Confliction raged in those emerald eyes of hers, her instinct to go to the aid of boy who had done the same for her more times than she cared to count. She wanted to help him, truly she did, but going after him would do more harm than good. This incident had been a painful one for him as it was no secret that Naruto cared deeply for her. More than a few times she could honestly admit that the image of the two of them together wasn't so bad. But no matter how much time passed it was always Sasuke who's face she saw in her dreams. It was always him, he was the one her heart went to the most and such strong emotions hadn't wavered since the evening he had left.
While many in Konoha had given up on the Uchiha survivor, neither she nor Naruto had given up on the belief that their friend was worth saving. Thankful didn't even begin to describe how grateful she was for the blonde's commitment towards bringing their wayward teammate back home. Sadly, no matter how much she cared and cherished her friendship with the orange clad idiot she could not bring herself to be with him so long as Sasuke remained in her heart. Doing so just didn't sit right with her, you can't have another person on your mind more so than the person you were with. She could not and would not put him through that sort of pain, not after she had done that to him once before. The memory of her sobbing and pleading Naruto to bring him back the first time still haunted her in more ways than just one.
And to this very day Sakura still wished she could have taken that moment back, having realized far too late how severe those wounds would be.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Sakura-chan." Broken from her musings, the young Haruno's attention was drawn to the form of her father as his hand fell onto her shoulder. She saw his reassurance in both his weary smile and the gentle eyes as they crossed paths with her own. "Time heals all wounds eventually and all we can do is be patient; no matter how frustrating it gets."
That was the sort of person her dad was, reassuring and kind regardless of the situation. As much as she wanted to return the comforting gesture she couldn't bring herself to as her gaze went back to the departing blonde.
Deep down Sakura believed that, after all the grief she had put him through, she didn't deserve him; plain and simple.
That was what spurred her belief that, if she couldn't give Naruto the happiness he sought, then she would help him find someone who could take her place. Someone who cared for him just as well or more so than she ever could, someone who could come to understand him better than her. Initially Hyuuga Hinata was the one the Haruno believed to be the best choice considering how long the shy girl had an attraction to him. Few others came close to her in regards to how long and how genuinely that girl cared about the blonde ninja. At least that was until Nii Yugito stepped into the frame, having been inserted into their lives and eventually being accepted into her teammate's heart as a cherished friend.
Sakura's belief in Yugito wasn't immediate, it took time for that concept to surface in her thoughts. Only after noting the gradual change in the Kumo kunoichi's attitude did the idea fully take root. No one but her understood what it meant to be a Jinchuuriki nor could anyone dare admit to knowing what it is like to live with such a burden. None of their friends knew or could relate to what that was like, none of them except Yugito, Kirabi, and Gaara knew of those sorts of hardships that Naruto had to endure. And all of them bonded, some more than others, with the proof of that being Gaara; who had changed from a sociopath to becoming the protector of his people. So if one major incident could entice such a great change like that, who was to say that Yugito wouldn't change in a positive way as well?
But the Nibi Jinchuuriki was stubborn, more so than Naruto was, in her unwillingness to admit to what the Haruno already knew. Why though, what her reason to not accept it despite knowing how much good it would do the both of them? Denial wasn't the cause of her reluctance, the cause of that was fear; even though the fear of what remained elusive.
"Your right about one thing; it is frustrating." Retorted Sakura, though her voice was stable her eyes held a degree of conviction in them that her father couldn't see. "But patience isn't his strongest suit and he's been patient enough as it is."
Haruno Kizashi's own eyes followed his daughter's back to the orange clad youth just as he had rounded the corner and fell out of his sight. It was quite a shame that the boy didn't stay longer to converse, by all accounts he had a lot of good things to say to him. Many times he wanted to give thanks to that boy, for keeping his little girl safe and for all the good he had done for the whole of the village. Perhaps someday he would be given the chance to do so, to give thanks properly as father should, but Kizashi was patient and was more than willing to wait. Besides, even if he had misinterpreted what was taking place, he still meant what he had said. He accepted the Uzumaki for who he was, Jinchuuriki or not he approved of him wearing that headband and would be proud to fight alongside him should the time ever call for it.
Granted, some may still regard him contempt but the shinobi and kunoichi of Konoha were different. Naruto had proven his worth, had earned their respect, their trust, and in return they were all ready and willing to stand right there beside him. Just as it should be and just as he would be for any one of them.
"You never know, isn't he supposed to be the village's most surprising ninja? "
The older Haruno was satisfied to note the corners of his daughter's lips twitch upwards at those words as she leaned bit into his touch.
"Well, you're not wrong."
Post departure from the Haruno residence, Naruto didn't have the immediate desire to return home. Not that there was much to do anyway since there was only a short list of activities he could perform in his current state. So he took his time, took detours, roamed around to let his thoughts settle until finally reaching his apartment complex. The prolonged trek home didn't make a huge impact on his mood, he still wasn't back to his usual lively self, but at the very least it wasn't as bad as it was before. But that was like coming indoors just after a storm rolled in; even if it wasn't much but you were still wet from the rain. Maybe some food would help, perhaps a shower to help him relax, or a nap to sleep some of the depression off?
Whatever, he'd find something, as long as it got his mind off things then he would consider it to be a small victory.
Sometimes, it seemed, as thought life liked to throw a water balloon at him when he least expected it. It was still bright outdoors but the sun was rapidly making its decent and evening was making its approach. In the past couple days he had spent most of his time in the afternoons alone due to his roommate's abrupt desire to be outdoors until sun went down. With that being the case Naruto could be forgiven feeling surprised to find a set of footwear at the front door when he opened it. Adding further to it was the familiar sound of a particular instrument being strummed further inside the abode. The music died shortly after he had opened the door but it still confirmed that Yugito was in fact home much earlier than he had expected her to.
Odd was what that was, at least odd enough by comparison to her behavior as of late.
"...sorry, didn't know you were home already."
Yugito, for her part, didn't say a word in response as her caretaker stepped into the apartment and into her line of visibility. The lack of enthusiasm was indeed noticeable, though she took it as a sign of displeasure rather than that of depression. Rather than address it, or speak in general, she kept to herself and took to tuning her shamisen instead. Her lack of response prompted Naruto to believe that she was still upset with him based on her unwillingness to even spare him a fleeting glance. Going with that assumption the teen simply sighed, far too downtrodden to even consider concealing it from her, as he walked past the sofa where she was situated and towards the kitchen area.
A brief glance at his passing form was all that was necessary for the fellow Jinchuuriki to gather all the information she needed. Naruto's gloominess was not a difficult thing to take note of even when it was being subverted by his usually vibrant personality. He did tend to wear his heart on his sleeve most of the time after all, a trait among many that Yugito had initially detested about him. Although, here in the present, she didn't know for certain if she disliked that aspect of him more or less than her own keen observation skills. She may not have been the cause behind melancholy, but in contrast her presence was not helping to alleviate the problem either.
The conversation she had with Lee didn't help either, despite his efforts to provide input on how to amend the issue at hand. Granted it was apparent that he had only good intensions at heart, but some of the suggestions were not satisfactory enough for her to be considered valid solutions. Not all of them were innately bad, they just were not inherently good either. Taking into account that Lee was left without some other—more critical—details and it would, of course, be more difficult to provide worth-wild advice. Which, in all honesty, was entirely Yugito's fault due to her reluctance to divulge her personal life to those outside of her own social circle.
Trust was not the issue here, all-in-all Lee was one of Naruto's close friends, it's just that he wasn't considered to be one of hers yet.
Whether or not he would reach that point was debatable.
"You, uh, eat anythin' yet?" A tentative nod served as the response to which Naruto had taken in kind. "Then, I guess, I'll just make something for myself."
Which was what he proceeded to do.
In silence.
Foreign was what this atmosphere felt like by comparison to the usual setting that made up the apartment. This stagnating stillness that lingered in the air, the lack of social engagement with one another, it felt so off-putting and unnatural. In the space in which they shared they were close yet so distant from one other. Not every evening was filled with conversation, sure they had their quiet nights and that was normal. But the air surrounding them was rarely this sullen, even rarer was it for a spell of silence to last longer than an evening at most. But this had been going on for three days now, seventy-two plus hours with little indication that it was going to end any time soon.
Naruto hated the silence—the social isolation—that nestled its way into their apartment and with a very good reason too. There had been too many memories than he cared to count in this quiet, vacant, and lonely place he called home for the past sixteen years of his life. It brought back the memories that he didn't want to recall of things he didn't have the luxury to have growing up. For a long time he had been accustomed to that, the sense of disappointment to have no one seeing him off every morning or waiting for him every evening when he stepped through that doorway. Not that he liked it, rather he was just so used to it that it no longer bothered him as deeply as it used to.
Indifferent was the term that best described how the blonde teen felt about the subject regarding his private life; at least that's how it used to be. Yugito's arrival had, unknowingly, spoiled him and he himself had been left largely unaware of that fact until recently. It was a much more welcome change in his private life compared to being perpetually left alone with nothing but his thoughts to pass the time. Her presence here, within the comforts of his own home, was an experience he had somehow, in some way, taken for granted. Now all that wanted or could think about was for everything to go back to the way things used to be.
He didn't care what it took, what sort of beating he had to endure, or how much of a fool he had to make himself out to be.
Anything she wanted from him, no matter what it was, he would do it if it meant having his friend talk to him again.
Fortunately, before the seed of desperation began to take root, the quiet that had been eating away at the blonde was broken. Not by his hands but rather the hands of the other blonde still situated on the furniture in the other room. A familiar strumming of strings was what made the sapphire sphere's of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki shift away from the stove over towards the den. Much like how it had many other times when he heard the shamisen being played by the expert fingers of the Kumo kunoichi. Unlike those times, however, this tune was different from the one's he had heard previously in the past.
Yugito would claim up and down that she was not nearly as good as he said she was. What made him call bull shit on that was how she often made new...perhaps 'songs' was the correct term? Naruto wasn't sure, but the fact remained that she would periodically come up with something new and practice it to perfection when at home. Nobody was truly aware of this since, in her own words, it was just a hobby she picked up and very few were privy enough to hear her play even one of them. As far as the Uzumaki was concerned he was the luckiest person alive because of he was given a front row seat to all of her 'shows' as he took to calling them.
Naruto didn't say a word, he didn't bat an eye at his still cooking meal, he just...moved. He wanted to be in there listening to this melody as it was being played rather than hearing it from a room away. Yugito, for her part, didn't even register the fact that her caretaker had sat himself on the floor adjacent to her. Not that she could given that her eyes were closed as she allowed the soft rhythmic tune to play as her fingers moved practically on their own accord. So into it was she that she was unaware that most of her upper body had begun swaying from side to side in accordance with the tune she was playing.
Now let it be said that Naruto was not the best critic in the world; he enjoyed the rapping duo of Gai and Kirabi for goodness sake. But when it came to things that fascinated or genuinely enjoyed, good or bad, he usually had more than a few words of praise to give. What he was hearing now, at this very moment, was one of those times where he was left completely speechless. Calling this 'cool' or 'awesome' did not do it any justice, in fact if he used those words to describe it he would surely be cursed for all eternity by some divine being. Maybe that was an over exaggeration on his part but, screw it, he didn't care.
All that really mattered was that he found it pleasing, not because it broke the silence but because it was a genuinely good piece.
As he listened, he too had his eyes closed for a time before eventually opening them once more to watch her play. At which point the Uzumaki took note of something that he hadn't paid much mind to the past and was gradually becoming more apparent with time. Once the professional appearance was put to rest, when Yugito didn't feel the need to appear as harsh or strict as people saw her to be, she looked very...charming to say the least. She was much softer, more alive than any other time he had seen her when she played her music in the comfort of his home. It was also at this point in time that Naruto made another, less shacking, observation.
Nii Yugito was, in spite of what she said otherwise, a very appealing woman to look at; especially when she was in the state she was now, satisfyingly lost in her own world, as she played.
Sadly the overall pleasant moment shared between the two of them eventually had to reach a conclusion. Rather than coming to a satisfying end with her song being finished, her fingers abruptly stopped moving all together. Only at this point did he notice her nose wrinkling as she sniffed the air, causing him to do the same. Two blonde heads moved towards the source, with Naruto having to stand to do so and therefore bear witness to something tragic. The sight alone caused the teen's expression to shift into what could best be described as someone releasing a silent scream. Yugito herself was much better by comparison, although she still looked mildly alarmed; which was the closest thing to surprise she'd visually demonstrate.
"My ramen!"
"I told you before I do not mind an audience, but please do not burn down the apartment!"
Less like trained professionals and more like a panicing couple, the two sprang into action the moment they acknowledged the smoke rising from the kitchen. Naruto had vaulted completely over the sofa with Yugito following suit shortly thereafter. Within a few seconds the two were in the kitchen, Naruto with the pot now sitting in the sink with the water on and Yugito by the now open window fanning the smoke outside. But the smoke caused by the now burnt pot of nodules had drifted further away, which meant the two were now busy opening other windows just to filter it all out.
"You've never told me to not burn down the apartment."
"Why should I need to inform you not to do such a thing in the first place?"
Clearly irritated about the whole situation, both blonde's couldn't help but voice their own individual irritations. Honestly, who knew that burning some stupid nodules would create so much irritating smoke?
"You said you told me that before, but I've never heard you say that part."
"You know what I am implying."
"The burning part, right?"
Snickering laugher slipped out from Naruto's lips as he turned himself away from the disgruntled look Yugito shot at him. Annoyed at how lightheartedly he was taking all of this or at his stupid jokes, hard to say which was cause. To be honest Naruto had more of a reason to be upset than Yugito did, it was his precious food that got burnt. But he was the same person who was willing to suffer anything to have his friend talk to him again.
"Do not mock me, Uzumaki."
"Alright, alight, I'll pretend I've heard you tell me the burning part before, yeesh."
While still miffed at the whole situation, Yugito eventually succumbed to the infectious humor that Naruto was spreading. Their joint chuckles soon shifted into conversation, which mostly consisted of the two discussion how this turn of events came to be. Of course Naruto admitted to his folly, but not before being teased about it by his roommate; albeit in her own way of course. As they were cleaning up the mess the topics changed and new discussions were brought up to make the work less tedious and dull. By the time the sun completely fell beyond the horizon the two were back in the usual swing of things, chatting and conversing as if making up for lost time.
With the barrier gone that served to isolate them from one other, things truly did go back to the way it had before. They each had their own secret sorrows and troubles that the other did not know, that much was still true. More so was it that neither party had come any closer to resolving their own personal dilemma. Even so, no matter what troubled them as individuals, nothing was worse than the silence which kept them distant from one other. And both could agree, verbally or otherwise, that this was the ideal way to live.
This was their home, a home that was worth coming back to, and worth seeing the face of someone they cared about.
Be it conditional or not.
And there you are, the fifth chapter for your viewing pleasure. Hopefully, this chapter gives a bit more insight towards Naruto and Sakura's current relationship, mainly to those who openly asked about it. I didn't want people thinking that he forgot about Sakura, but at the same time I wanted to show justification behind why Sakura acted the way she did last chapter and how Naruto views her now. This will, hopefully, clear a few things up and make the overall pairing more believable attest to just 'Oh, this person lives with me; better start growing to love her' kinda deal; you know?
Also, something that's been asked a lot since chapter two, you may have noticed that I'm given Matatabi a little bit of input as well. Personally, I like adding in her two-cents into the over-all story. She makes a good 'inside person' if you will in regards to what Yugito subconsciously thinks about. I could do the same for Kyuubi but that would kinda ruin it since, as we all know, Naruto and Kurama aren't on buddy terms at this point in time. So, with that being said, I hope this chapter and this statement answer any future questions regarding both Jinchuuriki's tenets making appearances in future chapters.
Finally, I have something that you all can take a peek at if you're interested in listening to something. It's just something nice and something you can use to help visualize the Shamisen scene in this chapter. An OST from A Certain Magical Index Season 2, the title for it is called Yoake
Trust me, it's worth listening to.
Just like it's worth leaving a nice little review for me.
Don't question it, don't fight it or deny it; just embrace it.
Let the button draw you in.
Click it.