Author's Notes: …And ten months later, this fan fiction is going to be continued! I apologize to all that had been waiting for this to continue, but I just… lost motivation. It has been ten months already, so you all probably forgot what happened first. I suggest you all to reread the first chapter, because I fixed a little (or a lot) of mistakes I made. Can't believe how my grammar was back then, jeez… anyway! The plot has changed for my own (and maybe yours too?) convenience. By now, I am convinced that I will work on this fan fiction to the fullest… unless I lose motivation. That always happens. -Sweatdrop.- Anyway, enjoy!
By the way, I still need a beta reader. -sweatsweatsweat.- (And thank you all for the reviews!)
Disclaimer: I don't own NARUTO or its characters, as much as I wish I did.
Through the Ages
Chapter Two: Prologue of a Fairytale.
"Hey, hey, Iruka-sensei," called a voice behind the curtains of Ichiraku Ramen Bar. The red cloth covered only half of the man, revealing a little of his black t-shirt while his oversize tan cargo pants revealed part of his white polka-dots boxers. He had forgotten his belt earlier at home, since he woke up a little too late to meet his former teacher at the ramen bar. They have been doing this for a while, and Iruka is finding it difficult to support himself if all of his money is being thrown to the ramen bar for the blond man. But hey, it's worth it.
Iruka lifted his head from his bowl of ramen to land his questioning gaze upon the blond, mouth full of noodles and struggling to swallow it all to answer to his call. Despite all his efforts, he could only manage a little 'hm'?.
The younger man had finished his ramen minutes ago before he started thinking about his encounter with the moon last night, though he still wasn't sure whether it was a dream or if it was for real. Either way, he was curious. Iruka, on the other hand, expected the blond to say, 'can I get another bowl?', instead, the longing look upon his companion's face told him otherwise; he seem a bit too serious to bust out that line again. (That was his third bowl, after all!)
…Then again, that Uzumaki Naruto was the Hidden Leaf's most hyperactive and unpredictable man. This made Iruka unsure of himself. As the former teacher finished up the last of his ramen, he whipped his moistened lips with a napkin, tilting his head to a side to his old student. "Something wrong, Naruto?" he asked, voice filled with slight concern.
Naruto shook his head before turning back to Iruka, a small smile on his face. "Nah, nothing's wrong, but," he trailed off, bringing the chopsticks to his lips, tapping unconsciously. Iruka continued to stare at him as he waited for the other to continue. "Every dream has meanings, right? Well, yesterday I had this weird dream where I was talking to the moon… and then, and then! Uh, it said something about me remaining the same.. And then…" Naruto trailed off again, face lighting up with a faint blush.
Well, Iruka was lost as soon as the blond rambled about talking to the moon. True, every dream had some kind of meaning behind it, but this… he had absolutely no idea. The brunette still wanted help though, so he continued listening, nodding a bit. "And then?" he urged Naruto to go on, but blinked as he saw the faint red across the younger man's cheek. "Naruto, are you blushing?"
"No I'm not!" Naruto snapped, arms flailing. If he hadn't stop on time, he would've fell off the stool he sat on, taking a tight grip on the table end for dear life. That earned him some light chuckling from his sensei, making him pout. "But really! Are there uh… any girls in this village that has short-ish dark hair, flat chest, and a manly... ahem, I mean, a very manly voice?"
"I don't think those are considered girls, Naruto. Don't you mean guys?"
"What! I'm not gay!"
"Huh?"
"I mean, I want another bowl," Naruto said quickly, wide grin plastered upon his face, free hand rubbing the back of his head. Iruka wasn't too convinced, but he let it drop. (…and did he say, 'I'm not gay'?)
When reality hit him once again, Iruka's jaw dropped. "That's four bowls already!" he exclaimed.
"Haha, yeah well… I'm hungry today!" Naruto rubbed the back of his head some more. "Pleeease, Iruka-sensei?" he begged, clamping both hands together in front of him.
The brunette sighed. "I guess I have no choice," he said with a tired smile, earning himself a 'Yipeee!' from the blond man. Iruka blinked. "Sometimes, I forget how old you are…"
xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx
-- "Forever?" asked the older man, who laid on the grassy ground next to a certain blond. His arms were folded behind his head as a pillow, gaze tore from the prodigious moon above them to the blond. He uttered a faint 'heh', lips twitching into a little smirk. "If forever is what you want, then so be it."
"Really, Sasuke!" the blond exclaimed, his tone of voice overwhelmed with excitement. The other nodded, and his eyes shut close… until he felt someone hovering above him. Lids slowly open again, finding it amusing how the blond's head just barely covered the moon's vision. The younger man's hands were pressed against the ground on either side of Sasuke's head.
"Naruto," Sasuke said. "What are you doing?"
"Kissing you," was the reply, and he lowered himself, closing the gap between them.
It was a short kiss, but full of emotion and meaning. Like a good night kiss. After a moment, Naruto removed himself from the older man, a satisfied smile painted upon his features. "You know, Sasuke. One of us is going to be gone someday," he said, eyeing the ground sadly. "When that happens… all of the memories we've created. Would it disappear?"
Sasuke lifted himself to a sitting position, eyes darkening. "I won't allow it to disappear. If you leave me one day, I will go through all lengths…," he paused for a moment, running a hand through the boy's hair. "…just to have you return by my side."
The blond bowed his head, expression saddening just a little more. "But what if I don't remember you? You do know about my 'problems', right?"
"I have my ways. Don't worry," he assured, feeling himself smirk. "You wouldn't be able to resist me. No one would."
At that, Naruto brightened up, snorting back laughter. "You're so full of it, Sasuke."
xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx
"I see!" A man exclaimed as his eye curved into an upside down 'u', grinning widely. "You had a strange dream last night and want me to evaluate it for you. Is that why you're here, Naruto?"
The blond blinked a couple of times as the gray-haired man was a few steps ahead of him. When he finally registered everything the older man just said, Naruto pointed an accusing finger at him, mouth opening in disbelief. "How the hell did you know!"
"I told you before; I can see the future and read minds," was the curt reply. Figures that the blond was not too pleased with the answer.
"Lies!" He was still in disbelief, but lowered his pointed finger, turning his head to a side as he managed a small pout as me mumbled. "Iruka-sensei probably told you…"
"Hey now. You're making me sound like some sort of criminal," he sighed, one finger scratching vaguely at the skin over his cheekbone. He leaned back on his chair, free hand holding on to a novel he had been reading. However, for Naruto, he decided to postpone his reading, settling the book inside the drawer of the wooden desk in front of him.
His eye was back to its normal, bored-like look, making it seem that he was not particularly interested in anything. There was also a white bandage wrapped over his left eye (which he never took off since the day he had an eye surgery, Naruto mused). No one knew what was wrong with it, but ever since that day, the gray-haired man claimed that he could see the future, as well as read the minds of others. Sometimes it could be convincing, but most of the time… Naruto's Kakashi-sensei was just a big idiot. But a nice one.
"So, about your dream," Kakashi interrupted whatever was going through that hardheaded mind of Naruto's, making him utter a surprised 'eh!'. "Well, I can understand why you are so shocked by the fact that you have been dreaming about yourself with another man. This might be because you are—"
But Naruto cut in before his former instructor could finish what he was saying. "Are you saying that I'm gay!" Yes, he did feel insulted, both fisted hands slammed upon the desk in front of himself. "For your information, I dated Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan! And and —"
"Now, now, Naruto. Calm down. It's nothing to be ashamed of, not that I was going to say 'you are a homosexual' in the first place," Kakashi replied. To that, Naruto did lower is temper. Just by a little bit. Even though Kakashi showed no change in expression, his voice kind of let out the fact that he was irritated. That was probably why the blond boy decided to calm down. "Anyway, I was going to say that you just thinking too much. And if there are any dark haired, flat-chested 'girls' with a super manly voice whom approached you in a strange matter, just come to me. You figure out how to react on your own during the scene, meanwhile."
Naruto looked annoyed. "Iruka-sensei told you every single detail, huh."
…And so did Kakashi. "I don't know what you're talking about."
xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx
To Be Continued!
Notes: I STILL NEED A BETA. HELP ME.
This chapter was sloppily done, I know… but hey! I found out a little plot, so yes, this shall be continued! Please review.
- Lynne 08.11.2006.