Dadicated to my boyfriend, Stephen.

~To Fall in Love With You~

Naruto's eyes blinked open as the sun slowly moved over them. The sun still shone golden with the early morning essence, and Naruto wished he had kept his eyes closed.

Why see the world in which he wasn't loved?

Why enjoy life when people were only going to tear him down?

He was sick of it. Those glares and those avoiding actions all because he was the vessel of Nine Tails. If they would only learn that he was saving them- that he could be strong like anyone else, that he could love like anyone else, if they'd only give him a chance......

Naruto sighed and sat up, knowing he would not again that morning sleep. Today was just going to be another day with which he would have to deal. There was a slight pain in his stomach as he rose, and Naruto clutched at the shirt of his pajamas. This work- ah, the work... - the sit-ups, the push ups... they were not worth it anymore. No one loved him.

` He took slow, sleepy steps out of his room and was careful not to trip on his overlengthed pajamas as he climbed the steps from his living room up to his kitchen. He opened the fridge, and pulled out a package of instant ramen and milk. He ripped the lid off the ramen as he closed the fridge with his foot, and poured in some milk. Naruto opened the microwave and routinely typed in the alotted time as he slammed the door back shut on the ramen. He moved to the sliding glass door and walked out onto his porch, leaning on his arms against the railing.

"Another morning. Another horrible, horrible morning." Naruto closed his eyes briefly and soaked up the sun, before walking back inside at the beeping of the microwave. As he finished his breakfast and mumbled the complaint again, he heard a voice at the door.

"Stop complaining and learn to lock your doors, dobe. And I bet you forgot about our mission today?" Sasuke's eyes were closed as he leaned against the frame of the glass door. He talked in a monotonous way that made him seem calm and cold.

"Ehh.. I'll be right back then." Naruto jogged to his room and was back out in a flash, dressed and ready to leave. "Ready."

"Aa. Kakashi and Sakura are outside. I'll lock the door, since you don't seem to know how." He gestured to outside, where Narutop had been standing minutes before.

"Sasuke!" Naruto growled as he walked outside, waving to Kakashi and plastering on a false grin. "Ohayo Gozaimasu, Sakura-chan!" The pink haired girl sighed.

"Shut up Naruto. You're annoying." She walked ahead of him with Kakashi, and Sasuke soon caught up with them, leaving Naruto to trail behind. The heartbroken boy walked slowly and stared at his feet, holding back tears. To himself, He said "I told you everyone hates me."

As he spoke to himself, he heard shouts from across the street. He looked up and saw Kiba running with a pack- apperently Hinata's. Shino and Kurenai were shouting for him to give it back. Glancing up at his team, Naruto ran across the street and stole the bag from Kiba. He jogged back to Hinata and handed it to her, mumbling 'here' and running to catch up with Kakashi before Hinata could finish saying

"Arigatou, Naruto-k.... un?" She watched him go and blushed, as he ran back across the street. As he stepped up onto the sidewalk, he tripped and fell into a man manouvering a vegitable cart.

"HEY! Watch where you're going, baka!" Naruto scrambled to pick up the scattered vegitables and then kept running, struggling to get ahead with his team.

"HEEEEEY! KAKASHI-SENSEI!" He yelled, fighting his way through the market crowd. As he emerged from the town square and looked around, neither his team nor Hinata's was visible.

"Kakashi-sensei?" He spoke quietly, and soon after seeing they'd left without him, he slumped and halfway closed his eyes, turning for home.

"Oh...."

********** 3 DAYS LATER **********

Still in the same position on his bed as he was the last time he returned from the washroom, Naruto started at a fixated spot on his wall.

"No one's been to see me." He'd grown accustomed to speaking out loud, to himself. He waited- almost for a reply- and sighed. "Not like anyone would anyways...." He'd not left his house for the past 3 days, since his team left him in the town. Not even Iruka came to see him, obviously he didn't want to.

No one did.

"No one wants to see me..." Naruto's voice quietly sung as he closed his eyes and let the tears fall. "No one loves me or likes me... or anything at all..." he paused again, his concious telling him to wait for a reply. In knowing that he wasn't getting one, Naruto clenched his fist.

"That's IT!" He jumped out of bed and ran out his door, kicking the mess out of the way as he slammed his front door behind him. "I'm LEAVING!" He stormed down the front steps and down the street- headed towards the Hokage's main office building. "Now."

He pushed his way through the market crowds and ran through the doors to the building. Climbing stairs madly and slamming doors, he finally arrived at the room labelled

CITIZEN REGISTRY/RESIGN OFFICE

Naruto's grip tightened on the doorknob. He squinted his eyes and mumbled to himself

"So this is it...." With this, he forced the door open and walked up to the glass window, behind which an older woman sporting a cigarette stood.

"I'm leaving Konoha." He stated, and the woman sighed, giving him a sheet of paper.

"Good for you. Now sign here..." She pointed at a blank line on the sheet. "and here." Another blank line. Naruto held the offered pencil over the line, pausing. His hand shook.

"Well?" The woman inquired impatiently. Naruto squeezed the pencil and wrote his name in the desired spots. The woman droned on. "Your citezenship information will be mailed to you, along with your ninja status and education references. Hand in your headband now, please." Naruto gulped and took off his headband, shakily handing it to the woman. She smiled.

"Good luck with the move."

Naruto walked slowly out of the room, opening the door swiftly and trudging down the hall. It was done. He didn't know this, but another person had heard his conversation- they knew what was going on. Under their breath, the shadowy figure whispered

"Naruto...."

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A/N - I'm not too happy with it, But meh. It's good enough. Review, I guess... If you like, try and guess the mystery couple ^^;;

-Kounouri