Summary: AU - Going against Itachi, the legendary Kyubi guardian takes human form as Uzumaki Naruto, in order to protect his former master's vengeful little brother... whether he likes it or not. (sasuke x naruto / sasunaru - and a little Kakashi x Iruka here and there.)
Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Naruto - if I did there would have been more 'accidental' kisses in the anime
Note: Random flash backs and present parts of the story are divided with the dashed line between them.
I apologize again for the delays. You see I started writing this chapter weeks ago but school, Shadow Hearts Covenant (damn addicting game), Bleach, Naruto, Tsubasa, work, family - got in the way. Also, I'm still in need of a beta-reader... until then, please bare with the grammar, tense, and/or spelling errors.
Chapter Three Lessons
'How does he do that?' Sasuke wondered to himself, watching the blonde eat across the table at an incredible speed. The rice in his bowl went from filled to finished in only a matter of seconds before he asked for a refill. Naruto was oblivious to the other's staring and continued to shovel food into his mouth and managing not to choke.
Several bowls later, Naruto stood up from the table and stretched a little before smiling at him and turning towards the door. "Thanks for the food, I owe you one!"
Sasuke scowled and set his own bowl down. There was no way he was going to let this go. "You owe me an explanation, dobe. Why were you sleeping on my roof?"
The other genin paused in his tracks but didn't tense up. Nor did he seem to show any kind of embarrassing reaction like whenever he was caught doing something mischievous in class. Did sleeping outside on someone's rooftop come natural? Didn't he have anywhere to sleep?
A yawn broke the silence and Naruto turned halfway to give him a lazy grin. "Cause I felt like it."
What kind of answer was that? Before he could ask, the blonde was already out of the room. The shutting of the front door indicated that he was already outside of the house as if he was in a hurry. Sasuke just continued to sit at the table and looked down at the neatly arranged bowl and chopsticks his "guest" had used.
What bothered him the most, despite Naruto's response, was that stupid grin he had one before leaving. Why did seem so familiar?
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Naruto cursed at himself. After closing the door behind him, he ran like he had never ran before and left the Uchiha district without looking back.
Out of all the times he had gone there whenever he felt nostalgic and wanted a good nap, Sasuke had never noticed him. Until now that is. Being the number one rookie of Konoha, he had to remind himself that Sasuke would be more alert even in the privacy of his own home. But it used to be Naruto's home as well. Not that small apartment where he lived alone.
No matter how much he wanted to go back there, Naruto knew he shouldn't and would probably never let his guard down like that again. Sasuke would be suspicious of him now. Wondering why his said rival was hanging around his place uninvited. Naruto frowned as he reached his apartment complex, and decided, he would have to make the brat trust him somehow.
Without opening his eyes, Kakashi reached out to cease the alarm clock's incessant whining. Which for some reason attempted to sound like a rooster. He damned near chucked the annoying thing out the window, but held himself back. It did belong to his lover after all.
Slowly he cracked open his left eye and glanced down at the chuunin cuddling next to him. Dark chocolate locks fanned over his chest and teased his skin every time Iruka exhaled. Without managing to wake the other man, Kakashi reached out and lovingly traced over the thin scar that crossed over the other man's face.
It really wasn't fair that he had to leave all this to train yet another genin team. Though he had to admit he was intrigued to have Uzumaki Naruto on his team. Ever since the Hokage had informed him and the other Jounins of what and who Naruto really was, he expected to see the boy behave ... well like Uchiha Sasuke.
As he remembered the chalk dust in his hair that had caused Iruka to sneeze, Kakashi had to admit he should have seen this all coming. Being his team's former sensei, Iruka always complained that Naruto was a handful. But he didn't think of it much as the two often spent time bonding together like brothers.
Still... how was he supposed to train a fox demon?
"Kakashi?"
"Hmmm?" his eye drifted again back to the other man in his arms and saw that he was now half to wake.
"You're going to be late."
"Mmmm." The Jounin nuzzled the top of Iruka's head softly before closing his eye, "I know."
It was still dark out when Naruto managed to get himself up and over to the training area early in the morning. He carried with him a bag of things he thought he would need: weapons, and of course food. His stomach was still growling for being denied it's daily ramen for breakfast, and packed extra potions for lunch.
He wasn't at all surprised to see Sasuke waiting in the middle of the field, wide-awake as he appeared in class. From the opposite direction, Sakura was approaching, stifling a yawn and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Naruto noticed that they two were carrying bags of their own.
"Good morning," he greeted his teammates before releasing a loud open mouth yawn. Sakura was too tired to even berate him and stopped near Sasuke. Naruto did the same and they waited...
And waited...
And waited...
And waited some more.
Naruto was now seated on the ground, his pink-haired teammate leaning against him. As far as he could tell, she had finally dozed off as the sun began to rise. He continued to feign sleep though before the Uchiha who remained in the same standing position.
With half-lidded eyes, he continued to observe Sasuke and couldn't help but marvel how much the boy had changed. Of course Itachi had been responsible for all that as well. Naruto frowned, remembering how close the brothers had once been. He knew the Sasuke of the past had idolized his brother and loved him possibly more than their own parents. But now love had twisted to hate and now Sasuke of the present was willing to give his all only to kill the last of his flesh in blood.
He also noticed, much to his dismay, that the other boy was also watching him. Every now and then, Naruto would feel those dark eyes on him. He was thankful at least, that Sasuke had yet to activate his own Sharingan. Hopefully before that day would come, he would be able to tell him the truth.
A few hours later Kakashi headed over to the meeting area after Iruka had kicked him out of bed. As he approached his long waiting students, he wondered if they would be more annoyed with him today than yesterday. The Jounin received his answer when both Sakura and Naruto stood up and glared at him.
"Good morning!"
"YOU'RE LATE!"
He chuckled and scratched the back of his head. Already his missed sleeping in... and Iruka. Especially Iruka. "Ah sorry. You see I had to help out a sleeping dolphin on my way..."
Naruto twitched in irritation at that sorry ass excuse their sensei had given. Instead of demanding some sort of pathetic explanation, he folded his arms across his chest and waited for instructions for their final exam - or survival training, whatever Kakashi called it - to start. All he wanted to do now was get this day over with so both he and Sakura can start training and taking missions seriously. Oh yeah, and Sasuke too of course.
Their instructor glanced at the blonde as if waiting for him to say something but shrugged when he didn't. "Let's move on."
Three pairs of eyes watched the Jounin walk across the training grounds over to three tree stumps sticking out of the ground. From his forest green vest, he produced a clock, sat it down on one of the tall stumps and switched it on. Turning back to his students, Kakashi motioned them forward.
"Okay, the alarm set at noon. Today's objective is to get one of these bells from me," he spoke while holding up a pair of small jingling bells. "Whoever can't will have no lunch."
The fox boy twitched in irritation. So that was the real reason why Kakashi had not wanted them to eat. He would almost - almost - appreciate their sensei's slyness until a low grumbling noise spoke out to him. Damn... he was hungry already.
"But wait, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura spoke over another stomach-growl, "Why are there only two bells?"
What? Naruto forgot his hunger and looked back at the jingling objects held up by the older shinobi's fingers. Indeed there was not three, but only two bells. But there was three of them! It didn't make sense, unless...
"Since there's only two, at least one individual will have to be tied to the log. That person will because they could not complete the mission," Kakashi explained making a sweeping gesture with his arm towards stump. "The person will go back to the academy. It might just be one, or all three. You can use your weapons and any skills you have acquired to this point."
At that last part, Naruto wondered if it would be wise to use his newest and secret technique for the test. Sure he had been advised to use that jutsu with caution, but he had been practicing a little (if the infamous "Sexy" and "Harem" no Jutsu counted). 'I am so going to Kage-bushin on this exam, show them all what this "dobe" is capable of!'
"You won't be able to get this unless," Kakashi continued, "you have the will to kill me. We're going to start after I say "Ready, start". So don't hold back."
Neither Sasuke or Naruto seemed to flinch but Sakura looked a little pale. They were just new graduates of the academy after all, were they expected to attempt and take a life so soon? The kunoichi stepped forward nervously.
"But that's dangerous sensei!"
Sakura instantly regretted the words when she heard her crush snort quietly to himself. She was about to step down but stiffened as a small shurinken sailed past her ear. There was a blur of silver, green, and black that went passed her, suddenly Kakashi was no longer standing in front of them. Both the pink haired girl and Sasuke turned to see their instructor. Who was now holding Naruto's arm behind his back with one of the blonde's shurinkens between caught between in fingers.
"Don't get so hasty, Naruto, I didn't say "start", yet," Kakashi informed. The jounin then leaned down a little and in a low tone added, "It's not wise to use Sakura as a shield, ne?"
At that, the blue-eyed blonde cracked a small smile, "I just wanted to see if you were serious, sensei."
Kakashi's eye crinkled in what appeared to be another smile before letting the boy go and stepping backwards. "It looks like you have the will to kill me now. I think I can finally start liking you three. We're going to start."
The three genin braced themselves, trying to still their fit of shaking.
"Ready, start!"
"So that's what happened," Iruka said thoughtfully, "I was wondering why Kakashi had to wash out chalk dust in his hair before he left."
Sitting across the table from the academy instructor, the Hokage chuckled before shaking his head. "Yes I had been watching. Naruto certainly makes a wonderful first impression, doesn't he?"
Nodding, the chuunin took a sip of his tea - and could help but blush when his lover had been too impatient to shower before their... nightly activities. And then how Kakashi had to apologize each time he sneezed on his uncovered face. Strangely, Kakashi never let that ruin the mood.
'Such a pervert,' Iruka thought to himself, 'I bet he brought one of his perverted books along.'
"What do you think about that, Iruka?"
"Huh?"
The Hokage frowned upon the younger man's lack of intention and the brunette blushed crimson in embarrassment of having such thoughts at inappropriate time. Yes, he and the Hokage were as close as one could say father and son (the Hokage was like that with almost every person in this village who did not have a parent); but there were some things that you just wouldn't tell your parent. A perverted boyfriend was definitely one of them. Stammering a quick apology, Iruka politely asked what 'that' was.
"Team Seven's final exam," the Hokage repeated and held out a record book and pushed it across the table, "Do you think they have a chance?"
Iruka frowned as he picked up the book and found all the results of the exams Kakashi was in charged of. It confirmed what he already knew. Out of all the academy students the Jounin had, he failed them all.
"But Team Seven is different from the others," Iruka finally answered with a smile and closed the book. "They know there are no short cuts in becoming a great shinobi. Each member on that team is motivated enough to overcome any obstacle in their path. To them this is just another obstacle, another lesson that must be learned."
The Hokage smiled fondly, "So you believe they do well?"
"I do. Both Sasuke and Sakura are young, but catch on fairly quick. It won't take them long to identify the lesson Kakashi is trying to teach them."
"True... but what about the Kyubi?"
Standing in the clearing of the training grounds, Kakashi's visible eye glanced around, pleased that his current students knew how to conceal themselves. At least two out of the three were when his attention turned to the young boy clad in an orange jump suit was standing before him. Naruto was mimicking his stance, arms folded across the his chest with a bored yet a little eager expression on the boy's face.
"Yes?" Kakashi asked sounding a little bored.
"Let's have a match fair and square!"
From their hiding places, Naruto assumed his teammates were silently insulting his intelligence. Moving into an attack position, the boy now spoke quietly, but loud enough for his instructor to hear.
"Actually... I had a few questions for you, Kakashi-sensei."
"Oh?" The silver-haired man feigned boredom, "You couldn't just ask before this exam started?"
Blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. Was it possible that his new sensei didn't know about him? Had Iruka and the Sandaimei Hokage neglect to inform the man that one of his subordinates was not in fact human?
Kakashi seemed to be able to read his mind before shrugging his shoulders. "What do you want to know, Kyubi?"
The challenging expression on the boy's face did not change but his tone did when he raised his fists. "I have no intention of going back to the academy, but when you said "don't hold back" and to come out you with the intention to kill... I don't understand why you would want throw your life away just to pass me if you already know what I'm capable of."
The Jounin noted the warning with a little amused smile.
"Ah. But this exam is for Uzumaki Naruto - a ninja at genin level. Not a demon fox."
Blinking, it didn't take long for Naruto to understand. He had wanted to confirm that Kakashi knew who and what he was. Also he wanted to know about restrictions if any. So no abnormal chakra, and no forbidden jutsus he may have picked up before his life as a human. That was fine by him, he had enough in his arsenal to past this exam with ease.
"Gotcha," he said with a small smirk, dropping into a crouch. Kakashi noted that the blonde was crouching like an animal waiting to pounce. Inwardly he sighed, the fox had a lot to learn if he was going to continue living the rest of his days as a ninja.
"You're pretty weird aren't you?"
"What's weird is your hair style!"
Naruto sprung forward, charging towards the Jounin at fast as his two human legs could carry him. But why was Kakashi simply standing there? Wasn't he going to try and dodge or at least block the oncoming assault? His blue eyes widened when the older man did make a move, reaching into his vest and pulling out...
'Is that a book!' Naruto looked bewildered, skidding to a halt and eyeing the paperback as if it were going to explode any minute. Indeed it was a book, with an orange cover and titled "Icha Icha Paradise". That wasn't some kind of text book from the academy was it?
Kakashi thumbed through a few pages, pulled out a red bookmarker and began read to himself. Naruto stared. Wondering if his sensei was serious... or at least sane. The fox could have sworn he heard him chuckle lowly to himself. What kind of book was he reading?
"What are you waiting for?" Kakashi asked but did not make the effort to look at him. "Attack me."
"Are you crazy?" Naruto realized how stupid the question was the moment he asked it. Of course Kakashi was crazy. What kind of sane person would pull out reading material at a time like this? "Put the book away. I'm not going to attack a person who isn't even going to try and defend himself!"
"Go on," the silver haired ninja urged, "You won't be able to land a hit on me, so it won't really matter what I'm doing."
Oh that was it! Naruto charged forward again, launching himself at the stationary opponent and swinging his leg towards Kakashi's head. With enough force, the kick should have sent the man flying... had it made a hit. Kakashi didn't even bother to look up, with his arm raised he effortlessly blocked the blow that could have possibly broke his neck.
"Too slow, Naruto-kun..."
He tried again, sending another kick over the arm blocking his first one and straight towards Kakashi's unprotected face. Maybe a heel imprint would make the Jounin take him seriously, Naruto thought smugly. Unfortunately, that didn't happen as a hand gripped his ankle and then swung him around once and then let go.
Naruto released a loud grunt when his back forcefully made contact with a tree and half expected an oncoming attack with his guard down. Cracking one blue eye open, he simply glared at the older ninja still standing in middle of the clearing. Kakashi continued to read his book, occasionally using his free hand to catch any shurinkens that came his way.
"He's good."
Glancing up, the blonde was not surprised to find his rival perched up on the tree branch above him. Naruto glanced around, knowing Sakura was probably hiding in the bushes waiting to make her move as well. Frowning he looked at the two bells Kakashi was still holding out and quickly jumped up on the branch besides Sasuke.
"What?"
Bright blue eyes narrowed at their target who appeared to be chuckling with his face in a book.
"Don't attack him by yourself."
"What?" Sasuke asked again, never taking his piercing gaze off the Jounin. "Unlike you I don't give up so easily, Dobe."
Before Naruto could furiously respond, the raven-haired boy had already moved to get closer with the stealth and speed that made him Konoha's number one rookie. Clenching his teeth Naruto leapt off the branch, bringing his hands together to perform the technique that had already become his specialty. 'I'm not going to be outdone by you, teme!'
"Kage-bushin no jutsu!"
From where he was perched on another tree, Sasuke's dark eyes widened in shock and disbelief as several Narutos were now charging Kakashi. This wasn't the heinge jutsu the dobe could never perform well in class. Instead of an illusion these these were real live clones.
'Is that how he graduated?' the Uchiha wondered to himself as one of the clones grabbed on to Kakashi from behind. 'But how could he have learned this technique? How does he have enough chakra?'
At several clones piled on him, Kakashi remained standing and turned his head towards to the Naruto holding him. He had heard about the scroll of forbidden jitsus that the chuunin Mizuki had stolen, and that Iruka with Naruto's help was able to find and capture him. What he didn't know was that the boy had learned that some of them during that short time.
"Impressive, Naruto-kun."
The Naruto that was now reaching for the bells growled at him, "Don't call me 'Naruto-kun', Kakashi-sensei."
So close. Before he could close his fist around bells, thick white smoke clouded Naruto's vision. For a moment, he thought Kakashi had escaped his grasp until he caught hold of an arm that was struggling to get away. When the air finally cleared, he roughly pulled the person back and came face to face... with himself. What?
"You coward!" Naruto exclaimed angrily at his clone.
With several small explosions, the clones were gone leaving the genin alone. Blue eyes narrowed and glanced sidewards. "Replacement technique isn't gonna work on me."
"You've learned the Kage-bushin rather quickly, but I'm going to give you a personal lesson in Taijutsu," Kakashi said crouched behind him. Book securely tucked back into his vest, he performed a couple of seals with his hands. "Hidden village of Konoha's secret Taijutsu master art..."
Naruto blinked, about to turn around. What was the Jounin think he was doing back there?
"A Thousand Years of Pain!"
Many unsuccessful attempts later...
It was hard to be a stealthy ninja when your growling stomach tended to give you away. Naruto inwardly cursed himself for actually listening to rule about not to eat breakfast as he staggered through the forest and looking for Kakashi. Not only was he going to capture the bells, he was going to kill that man for taunting him over and over again. Then eat the corpse. Okay maybe he wouldn't go that far, but he was definitely going to get some pay back for that "Taijutsu lesson".
"You better not step on me, dobe."
Naruto looked around and finally glanced down. Why was that mushroom talking to him? More importantly, why did it sound like Sasuke? Dropping to his knees the blonde began to poke the talking-Sasuke-sounding fungus.
"I'm hungry."
"I am too, now quit that!"
Poke. Poke. Poke.
"Why do you sound like Sasuke, little fungus?"
"Because I AM Sasuke, usuratonkachi!"
The blonde yelped a little in pain as the mushroom promptly bit his finger. Falling backwards and landing on his backside, Naruto shook his head and fought away the hunger pains to look at Sasuke. Or Sasuke's head that was sticking out of the ground.
"What happened to you?"
The Uchiha prodigy just glared up at him and struggled to pull himself out of the ground. Naruto heard him growl something about the "Shinjuusanshu no Jutsu" followed by a long string of grunts and incoherent swearing . The blonde would have been amused if he wasn't worried about the third member of their team.
"Where's Sakura-chan?"
"Hell if I know," Sasuke grunted as he strained against the earth holding him down. He had lost sight of the girl after he saw Naruto had fallen for one of the Jounin's obvious traps. He didn't really care, as long as he got one of the bells before her or Naruto.
Suddenly he was able to move one of his arms as the dirt shifted. Confused he looked up at the other genin who had not run off to find Sakura who was probably in more trouble than they were in. Instead, Naruto was digging him out.
"I don't need your help!" Sasuke snapped but was relieved he could actually move both his arms now. As he pulled himself out of the ground, he watched the loud mouth ninja dust off his hands and snort in disgust.
"Could have fooled me."
Before Sasuke was about to head off to find their instructor, he felt grip his shoulder and was unable to shrug it off. "What do you want?" If the dobe expected gratitude from him, then he had another thing coming.
"Let's fight him together."
Of all the things he expected to hear the academy class clown say, Sasuke was stunned to hear him say that. For some reason, Naruto was often a loner much like himself. As much as he tried to stay active in groups that invited him in, the whisker-scarred boy kept his distance.
"Look we're not making any progress attacking him one on one," Naruto added tiredly. "Our goals maybe different, but I know you want to move forward just as much as I do. But Kakashi-sensei won't let us until we pass this test of his."
Pulling his hand away from the other's shoulder, the shorter boy watched him intently. Team work with this Uchiha was going to be difficult, they were far too... different. However, it was unavoidable. Naruto was the Kyubi after all. They were going to have to learn to trust and work together for their own survival.
Perhaps that was the lesson their Jounin instructor wanted his students to learn. A lesson, the Kyubi had forgotten after his former master became an S-Class criminal. His blue eyes blinked and looked up at the raven-haired boy who was now turned to face him.
"How's your ass, dobe?"
Blood boiling, Naruto released Sasuke's shoulder as his face reddened with rage and embarrassment. He almost forgot about Kakashi's painfully humiliating technique. Oh God, if Sasuke saw it that means Sakura probably witnessed it to. Naruto was going make Kakashi choke on those bells.
"It's fine, teme," Naruto growled back. "So are we gonna work together on this or not?"
The corner of Sasuke's mouth lifted in a smug smile.
"Just don't slow me down."
End Chapter Three
Author's Note: OMG I finished it. Yes I know I cut out a large chunk of scenes from the anime/manga but I just couldn't get into writing all of it. That and I can't seem to find my Naruto dvds :cries:
Review Responses
Kaaera and :) - All will be revealed in the future chapters.
escelphius - There maybe a little ItaNaru... he does call Itachi "Master" heh.
Ewz - Itachi is named after his mother? Wow. Could you tell me which chapter of the manga that's in? I'm caught up with the anime - and the new manga chapters that have been released.
iamitachi - Yes KakashixIruka is hot... never mind they meet like twice in the anime P
Nightwings - Probably in future chapters
Firehedgehog - Naruto was feeling homesick.
electronicgamer3 - Naruto-Kyubi is currently the size of a normal fox. Probably a little bigger than Akamaru.
ShiTiger - Nope Sasuke is actually in the dark about the Kyubi, and there's reason for that.