Ch 11

Notes: If you know by now, Sasuke is not a goody two shoes…

Clothes were tossed to the sides as Sasuke continued to lean on the wall with his eyes closed and arms folded near the door to Naruto's room. There wasn't really a door to open to Naruto's room, it was more like the kitchen, living room, and bed room was all connected with giant holes that you had to pass through to enter the place. It wasn't as bad as it sounded.

Another dirty shirt passed through his face as he opened his eyes and spoke, "Do you value anything in this place?"

Naruto stopped as he peered back at Sasuke. He seemed to ponder for a bit before shaking his head, "no, not really," Naruto responded as he zipped up a bag and headed towards Sasuke.

"Well actually," Naruto reached for the goggles on top of his head as a grin appeared on his face, "these goggles are the only things worth keeping."

Sasuke stared at it curiously; he prodded Naruto to go further with a little nod. Naruto understood and spoke, "I received this as a gift one day outside my door, but I'm not sure who gave it to me."

Sasuke spotted the smile as he then guided Naruto out the door and they started heading out.

'That is interesting,' Sasuke thought before speaking, "You know where the Uchiha district is right?"

Naruto nodded as they started walking down the stairs.

"This apartment, how are you with it?"

It was a confusing question to Naruto as he stalled for a moment before answering, "Well its fine, I still owe the land lord last month's payment so it seems I am kind of stuck with it until I pay it off," he stared at Sasuke curiously, "why?"

Sasuke shook his head, "just wondering," He pointed ahead, "I'll catch up to you alright, let me just take care of a few things before we start. Meet me at the Uchiha district, explore a little," Sasuke reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He tossed it towards Naruto who caught it with a little excitement in his eyes, "go on."

Naruto laughed before dangling the key in the air, "alright, if you say so," he ran excitedly ahead as Sasuke had to chuckle at how childish Naruto could be.

"Well he is a child now," Sasuke whispered to himself and he continued to smile before heading towards a certain building near the apartment.

He schooled his face before stopping in front of a door. There were scratched out letters in front of it that Sasuke made out as proprietor before he slid the door open and walked in.

It wasn't too late in the dark and Sasuke wasn't really surprised to find the owner. He was a rounded man, currently fanning himself as he sat on a chair behind the counter and stared at the television screen.

"There are no apartments available, go away."

The voice was rude, and spoken like a true obsessed man wasting away his life. Sasuke formed a sign, placing two together before puffing out.

A tiny ball of fire, the size of a large pebble, appeared and shot through the counter. It smashed into the television screen, scaring the owner and turning his attention towards Sasuke.

The owner's demeanor changed from scared, to shock, to angry, all at once. Sasuke continued to stare smugly at him.

"Now listen here kid that is going to cost you."

Instead of letting him continue, Sasuke activated his eyes, the three dotted sharingan scared the man as it spun dangerously.

He moved back now, realizing who it was, "Lord Uchiha, sorry, I didn't know."

It seemed the Uchiha name still had its power, even if Sasuke was just a child the eyes recognized him as an adult.

"I am here to clear the debts of one Uzumaki Naruto," Sasuke watched as the owner appeared surprised at the name.

"That 'boy'?" the owner spoke in distaste, "why would you do that?"

Sasuke leaned forward, his eyes growing colder as the owner felt his skin prickle; the boy was doing something with his chakra.

"It is not your place to question an Uchiha's affair, now tell me, how much does he owe?" Sasuke spoke in a cold voice as he watched the owner stiffen and moved to the back.

Sasuke watched as the man went to a cabinet, pulled out a folder before hesitantly approaching him. He watched as the owner's hands slightly shook before placing it on the counter in which Sasuke quickly snatched it away.

His eyes took a look at the paper before slightly narrowing as it reached the total, "are you serious?"

The owner turned away before replying, "Read it, it's all there, nothing wrong with my business."

"Hmp," Sasuke placed the folder down before speaking, "I am taking this cop. You will charge the Uchiha account this much, and only this much. Anymore and you will find out how much of an enemy I can be, understood?"

The owner nodded as Sasuke watched him bring out another paper, a copy before he stamped both and wrote it out to the Uchiha's assets. Sasuke read it, made sure it was a legitimized copy before signing it.

"If anything happens to Naruto's items in his apartment, I will fine the owner the damage amount, is that clear?" Sasuke stared at the owner's eyes whilst casting a low illusion technique.

The man nodded as Sasuke smirked and shut off his eyes before exiting the door.

He looked behind him once more as he knew the little trick he did with his eyes blocked the memory of a few minutes ago. As long as Sasuke had the proof, it was all he needed.

He ran up to Naruto's apartment before smashing a small hole through the windowed door. He looked inside before performing a few hand seals.

"Fire ball technique," he spoke before breathing small balls of flame inside the room. He concentrated on just the right amount, just small enough that it would look like the fire was caused by an angry villager or someone of the likes. He witnessed the flames starting up in the home before he jumped down from the stairs and started heading towards the Uchiha district. He hoped what he was doing would benefit Naruto and not saddened the boy; all this was for him, for Naruto's success in this world.

A few minutes later, he knew the fires would have consumed the whole apartment by now, which meant Naruto would have no place to go but, this was where Sasuke smirked, Naruto would have to be under Sasuke's care now.

He turned a corner before stopping in his tracks. He faced a sheepishly smiling face of Naruto who dangled Sasuke's keys in front of him. They paused for a moment before Naruto spoke a bit embarrassed, "ok, I don't know where it is…"

Sasuke let out a breath of relief before taking the key from Naruto's hand and leading the way, "follow me," he spoke as Naruto nodded before stopping and sniffing the air.

"Hey Sasuke," he sniffed once more as Sasuke paused and stared back at the blonde, "do you smell smoke in the air?"

Sasuke stiffened before relaxing his stance, "No Naruto. It's probably nothing," he starting walking in a hurried pace, "come on now, we still have a lot to do."

Naruto quirked his lips before staring back. He shook his head and nodded before following after Sasuke. 'It was probably nothing,' he told himself, inclined to accept Sasuke's words.

…Time skip, hours later…

It was deep into the dark until the Hokage got wind of a fire at Naruto's place. When he had arrived, the place was already cooling off whilst the elder Sarutobi had to wait in worry as a few ninjas went inside the burnt apartment to check if the blonde was there.

"Who would do such a thing?" the elder Hiruzen Sarutobi thought in anger as a ninja appeared by his side and gave his report.

"Sir, we discovered a breach in the apartment's door. It seems someone deliberately started the flames, whether for malicious intent or otherwise, this was no accident."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed as he thought up of a few possibilities. Did the village hate Naruto that much; he grew sad as he asked if Naruto was inside.

"As of right now," the ninja spoke as he faced the burnt apartment, "there is no body. There are signs that the boy was in there but there are no other evidence that support that the boy was in the fire when it happened."

The Hokage sighed in relief as he dismissed the ninja. He slowly walked towards some direction with his mind pondering on what had happened. It calmed his heart that so far, there were no signs of Naruto being in the building at the time but then again, where was the boy, and who would have done such a thing. He pondered once more as another ninja approached him. He turned around and spotted a paper in the ninja's hand.

"Lord Hokage," he bowed as Hiruzen took the paper in the ninja's hand, the ninja continued, "I was going through the documents from the owner's cabinets, I think you should take a look at this."

The Hokage stared at the paper, his eyes widened at the price before confusion appeared on his face, "Charging the Uchiha clan? What's going on…" he stared at the signature at the bottom and the date which was yesterday, "Sasuke Uchiha?" he placed the paper back into the ninjas hand, "finish here when you can. I am going to continue the investigation from here on out, understood?"

The ninja nodded as the Hokage started moving away, "Sasuke, what is going on with you," he questioned as he looked back at the destruction, his eyes narrowed briefly, "could Sasuke have started the fire, and if so, why?" he travelled towards a certain district in hopes the boys he was looking for would be there…

The Hokage travelled through the night air until he finally reached the Uchiha district. He found the manor he was looking for before he glanced around the district. Sad thoughts of life filled him as the area was now a ghost town except for the last member of the clan still living here. Things have been becoming crazy lately and the Third wondered if it would only get worse in the future.

He reached the door and knocked out loud. He waited for a few seconds before he knocked once more.

He spotted the lights open before he heard footsteps come from inside. The door slid open and the Third was greeted to the site of a disheveled young Uchiha who was rubbing at his eyes tiredly.

The boy snapped to attention before bowing briefly, "Lord Hokage, how may I help you late this night?"

The elder Sarutobi noted the boy had said it with a little sarcasm, maybe because it was late but he needed answers.

"I need to know Sasuke, is Naruto here?" he asked.

Sasuke nodded before allowing the hokage inside, "he is here, sleeping in my brother's room."

The third raised a brow in surprise at that as he walked inside. Sasuke walked beside him before offering to make him some tea in which the Hokage refused.

"I need to know Sasuke," he stared at the boy serious as he was met with an equally serious attitude, "what is going on with you?"

Sasuke rose a brow before his emotion seemed to turn passive, "what do you mean Lord Hokage?"

"I mean," The hokage rubbed at his fore head, wondering if the boy was acting as if he really didn't know what was going on, "you run away as soon as you wake up, start a fight in school, and, you fully paid Naruto's apartment rent before it conveniently burns down."

A surprised expression appeared on Sasuke's face which startled the Hokage, "his apartment burnt down?" he questioned as Sarutobi raised an unbelievable look.

"You mean, you didn't know?"

Sasuke continued to look surprised, "Naruto is a friend I made, someone who understands what it is like living alone. He won't understand what it's like to lose a family, and I am glad he won't have to, but me and him, we are the same."

Sarutobi frowned as he heard it before allowing Sasuke to continue.

"I want to give that to Naruto, my Lord, I have no one left, Naruto now, I see something familiar in him, something I have come to care for," Sasuke bowed low which surprised the hokage. The feeling of sadness he felt radiate from the boy, was it that Sasuke was coping with the lost of his family by taking in Naruto as his brother? That kind of emotion wasn't unheard of but still, it was surprising.

"Allow me to watch over him, I can offer him a place to stay, here at the district. My home," Sasuke rose up and pointed around the huge manor, "it's empty, who else do I have to turn to?"

The Third looked away, it was true, he wanted to tell the boy that he could turn to him like how Naruto could but that would be a lie. He had neglected the boy Naruto and would probably do the same with Sasuke, just because of his duties as a Hokage. Maybe, maybe Sasuke was right, maybe they could take care of each other.

He looked back at the boy who in the Hokage's opinion, looked miserable, "so, you don't know what happened, or how the flames started?"

Sasuke shook his head as the hokage sighed before smiling. He placed a hand on top of the dark haired boy before chuckling, "then will it be ok if Naruto stays here?"

Sasuke smirked as he looked up at the hokage, "yes, it is allowed by the head of the Uchiha clan."

Sarutobi shook his head, "you aren't head yet, but, I will over look that." He stood up as Sasuke spoke out to him.

"I expect Naruto to be compensated for the items he has lost."

That surprised the Hokage who raised a brow and stared at the boy who looked away.

Sasuke scratched at his nose as he spoke, "If there was a fire, and I did pay for that bill which was unquestionably charged, then I would expect compensation for the items Naruto had lost."

"And if you were to get that compensation money," The Hokage questioned as Sasuke looked up at him, "what would you do with it?"

Sasuke smirked before answering with confidence, "I will purchase new and better items for Naruto and place the rest in a bank for his use and that would be a promise."

The Hokage nodded, as shady as this seemed, what could he do, they were still children and plus, he never really did like the owner much, "you can expect it tomorrow mid morning," he started leaving the room as Sasuke followed but he added, "when I can, I will be monitoring Naruto and you, Sasuke, do not make me regret my actions this night, understood?"

Sasuke nodded whilst electing to give a small bow. The Hokage nodded, "good night Sasuke," he left as Sasuke closed the door and smirked while walking back towards his room.

"Ch," he looked back as his grin nearly turned to laughter, 'piece of cake,' he chuckled as he prepared for the morning. Naruto would be getting such a wakeup call and he would be there to give it to him.