Hey there! So, this is my attempt at a supernatural/horror/romance/humour fic. Here's the full summary:

Uchiha Sasuke is a member of Rei-Senzai (or Spirit Cleanser) Inc. And what's more is he doens't believe in ghosts or the supernatural. However, when him and his team are called to an old orphanage out in the country side to investigate strange goings on, he may just change his beliefs. There is something menacing in the old mansion/orphanage, and it's threatening the lives of the residents, including the blue-eyed blonde Uzumaki Nartuo, who Sasuke can't help but be drawn to. Can Sasuke and his team help them, or will the meancing presence in the house bring them all to a horrible end?

Warnings: Yaoi, duh. This is a SasuNaru. Don't like, then kindly GET LOST! Also, swearing, ghosts and supernatural events, some angst, Mizuru(if you've read my other story Accomplishments you will understand why this is a warning) possible character death, overly creepy O.C's and a perverted Itachi and Kakashi( no they aren't a pair, they're just perverts.) and future LEMONS!(I'm a Kakashinite/Jiraiyanite...so yeah, I'm very perverted at times!)

Disclaimer: The voices say that I own Naruto. The lawyers say I don't. I'm so confused! But the voices don't have a piece of paper to back them up, so I'm siding with the lawyers for now.

Anyway, all that aside, I hope you enjoy!

"Words"

'Thoughts'

Dreams

A pale, raven haired teen entered the large apartment and threw his bag down by the door. He took off his shoes, placing them neatly by the door before making his way down the hallway to the lounge.

It was deserted when he arrived. He figured he must have been the first one to arrive that day. Deciding it was a golden opportunity to catch up on some sleep, he lay on the couch and got comfortable.

He closed his eyes and relished the silence around him. When the edges of sleep were creeping up to him, he let a small sigh escape.

"SASUKE!"

His momentary peace was shattered viciously when something large and heavy landed on his stomach, effectively winding him. He grunted and fell from the couch along with the being that dared to disrupt his moment.

"Ugh, Dammit Kiba! What the hell was that for?" he growled, rubbing his abdomen. The boy beside him grinned cheekily. His shaggy brown hair was slightly wet from the light drizzle of rain outside, and the red, triangular tattoos on his cheeks were glistening.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so I decided you couldn't sleep either." The brunette said happily. He laughed when Sasuke threw a couch cushion at him angrily.

"My, aren't you two just full of energy."

They turned to the doorway to see a man with gravity defying silver hair and a mask covering his lower face. His left eye was hidden behind his bangs, and his right was curved upwards in a smile.

"Hey Kakashi! How's it going?" Kiba stood excitedly, waving to the man.

Kakashi shrugged and went over to the nearest computer. The lounge was actually more of a resting area/ office. There were several couches scattered around, as well as a few coffee tables and such. Against the right wall there were three long tables pushed close together. Three computers were set upon them, and on the areas between them were folders, posters, documents and other office type stuff.

"Is there any work? Do we have a new job yet?" Kiba asked, grabbing the cushion at his feet and tossing it back onto the couch. Kakashi hummed and started checking the emails. After a moment, his eye widened a bit.

"It would seem we do. Someone contacted Lee's email asking for help." The silver haired man told them. Sasuke perked up at this.

Ah, yes yes, you are probably a bit confused? Of course. Allow me to explain. Sasuke was a part of a small company called Rei-Senzai Inc. Or, Spirit-Cleanser Inc.

They were a group that dealt with, as the name suggested, spirits. If someone suspected their home, the home of another, or a building they knew of to have supernatural activity, they were there to confirm or refute it, and take care of any supernatural problems that may arise.

In other words, they were like the ghost busters, only a lot more subtle and they don't wear jumpsuits.

Yet. You couldn't be too sure with their leader.

The leader and founder was Hatake Kakashi. Sasuke's older brother Itachi was like the second in command, as he had contacts with people who could be useful during a job.

Kiba was useful for any sort of brute force needed during a job, as he was hyperactive and strong. He was also the best one to handle situations with animal spirits, as he seemed in tune with animals more than others. Hell, sometimes Sasuke was sure the guy scratched his ears with his foot. It was a bit unnerving.

Other members included Hyuuga Neji and Hyuuga Hinata, Neji's younger cousin. The two were members of a clan known for its psychic abilities. They were able to communicate with spirits, and were in charge of finding out what the spirits wanted if they were even there.

Then there was Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru and Tachibana Tenten, the technical crew. They handled all the machinery and devices used during a job. Also, there was Akimichi Chouji, who was in charge of meals during a job.

Then there was Rock Lee, who had studied cleansing rituals with a monk in Tibet for the first ten years of his life. He was, of course, in charge of cleansing spirits who were at unrest.

The last two were Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, the receptionists/assistants. They were rather recent additions.

Sasuke had also only joined recently, and you could pretty much say he was the sceptic and the one who dealt with the victims whose reports of 'ghostly activity' were nothing but figments of their imaginations.

Or, as Kiba, Kakashi, Itachi and Itachi's close friends called it, he had the 'Bastard Job'.

"Hello my most youthful friends!" a loud voice called from the hallway. Sasuke turned to watch as Lee came skipping-yes, skipping- into the hall. He was wearing a green tracksuit...again. Did that boy know about the other colours in the world? Sometimes, Sasuke doubted it.

"Ah, Lee. Perfect timing. A contact of yours sent us an email. Can you check it over?" Kakashi said. Lee's eyes brightened and he shot to the silver haired man's side in an instant, eyes raking over the email eagerly.

While he read, the rest of the crew came in. Sasuke greeted Neji and Hinata as they sat down, and they returned it with a silent nod.

And then Neji and Sasuke started their usual glaring contest.

After all, Neji was the psychic, and Sasuke was the sceptic. They were natural enemies.

"Sasuke!"

Said raven flinched when two blurs of pink and yellow latched onto his arms. Neji smirked at the raven's discomfort and turned to talk to Tenten. Kiba was chatting away to Hinata, who only blushed and nodded.

Sasuke looked down at the two R.A's (A/N: Receptionists/ Assistants). Ino and Sakura were glaring at each other, silently telling the other to back off.

Neither relented.

"Well, well, little brother. Is this the routine for your mornings?" said a deep voice. Sasuke glared over his shoulder at Itachi, who walked into the room followed by his friends Hoshigaki Kisame and Akasuna Sasori.

"Shut up Itachi."

"How mean. You break my heart." Itachi said, turning his head away in mock sadness. Sasuke snorted.

"You actually need a heart before it can be broken." He said. Itachi smirked and sat down.

"You do have a point there. Never mind then." Kisame snickered while Sasori remained expressionless. He was too busy playing with the small puppet in his hands.

"You know, those things are just creepy." Kisame said, nodding at the wooden contraption. Sasori gared at him, his red hair falling across his eyes a bit. Kisame laughed nervously and ran a hand through his blue hair. He had a thing for that colour, and was even wearing a blue shirt and dark blue jeans. Even his skin seemed to be tinged blue.

Sasuke found him creepy and fishlike. He even had sharp teeth!

"Let go, Forehead!"

"No, you let go, Pig!"

Sasuke sighed and returned his attention to his current predicament. Sakura, whose pink hair was hanging limply over her shoulders was glaring daggers at Ino, whose long blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail. He cleared his throat and they both turned to him, anger forgotten and smiles on their faces.

"Yes, Sasuke?" they asked sweetly. He shuddered inwardly.

"I'd like my arms back now." Said sternly, and roughly shook them off before going over to Kakashi and Lee. He ignored their whines.

Fan girls. Annoying, but they could be downright scary sometimes.

"This is a most youthful day indeed! Everyone, listen up! My most youthful mentor has sent me a youth filled cry of distress! It would seem that the orphanage where he works has been experiencing several supernatural events! The poor youthful souls in that building have grown terrified and are in need of our youthful services! And we, as youthful beings must offer our most yo-"

"Lee, if you say the word 'youthful' one more time I'm going to kick you." Tenten threatened, and Lee fell silent immediately.

Kakashi eye-smiled and stood up, clapping his hands.

"Alright everyone, it seems we've got work. The orphanage is located out in the country, so it's going to be a stay over job. We'll leave tomorrow at 8:00 am sharp! So, you've got tonight to pack things up. I'm not sure how long we'll be there, as they aren't sure whether there is more than one ghost or not. I'll phone your schools and explain, so don't worry about that."

Kiba whooped happily.

"Yes! Now I don't have to do that test on Friday! Score!" he exclaimed happily.

"You will still do the test. Why? Because when you get back, they will make you stay after school to write it." Shino said in his deep baritone voice. Kiba's face fell and slumped back with a groan. Hinata awkwardly patted his shoulder in comfort.

"I-it's alright K-Kiba." She stuttered. He sent half-hearted smile her way, but the gloom of having the test marred it.

"Well, good luck for your job. But I gotta go." Kisame said and he stood up. Itachi grabbed his wrist before he could leave the room, however.

"You're not coming on the job?" the older raven asked. Kisame shook his head.

"Nah, I've got an important exam coming up, and I can't afford to be distracted. Unlike you, I need to study ahead of time. I don't know the stuff after reading the book once." He said, scowling at the Uchiha's intelligence. Itachi nodded and let go of his wrist, turning to Sasori.

"Will you be coming along?"

"No. I'm not a field agent. You know that. I'm better off pulling the strings from this end." The red head said in his soft voice. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Did you have to use a saying that was related to puppets?" he asked. Sasori looked at him before giving a creepy smile.

"Of course."

Sasuke sighed and turned back to the screen. There was a picture of the orphanage attached with the directions. It looked like a classic, big, creepy haunted house that you see in old horror films.

"Oh sure, why would a bunch of little children think this place is haunted? It's absolutely cheerful." He drawled sarcastically. Kakashi sniggered but carried on typing a reply.

"Maa, maa. We're going to get paid whether there's a ghost or not. So no complaints, ne?" he said. Sasuke smirked.

That was one of the only reasons he really stayed in this place. That and the fact Itachi had talked him into it.

"Sasuke, have you packed your bag yet?" Itachi called from the kitchen. Sasuke looked over at the bulky rucksack he'd prepared sitting next to the door.

"Yes, Itachi. I'm prepared." He answered and went back to reading. After a few minutes, the door to his bedroom opened to reveal Itachi standing there with dinner.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" the older raven asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and handing Sasuke his plate. Sasuke scoffed as he took the offered food.

"Why? It's probably just another bust. The place looks like one of those really old dumps. People, young children especially, tend to think those types of places are haunted when in truth they are not. I don't think we've ever come across an old house that was haunted. All the places that have had something vaguely unnatural have all been new." He commented.

Itachi nodded, taking a bite of rice. He turned a thoughtful face on Sasuke, who noticed and cringed.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"I'm just wondering why you're so sceptical of the supernatural. We've been exposed to it, so you know there isn't always a logical explanation. So why do you still say ghosts are fake and that strange things are all part of the human mind?" Itachi asked seriously.

Sasuke looked down at his plate.

"Because. That's what I believe. Ghosts are just an idea. A fantasy created by people with sick obsessions with death." He said. Itachi raised an eyebrow at the undertone.

"Are you sceptic because of the incident with mom and dad?" he asked quietly.

Sasuke stiffened, which did not go unnoticed by his brother. Itachi sighed.

"Sorry. Forget I said anything. I'm going to bed after this. You should too. It would be better to get an early start tomorrow." And with that, Itachi left, closing the door behind him.

Sasuke finished his food quietly, before stacking his plate on the nightstand along with his book. He turned off the light and lay back under the covers. Sleep came easily. Just like always.

"Mother!"

"..."

"Mother, are you here?"

"...Sa...ke..."

"..M-mother?"

"...Sa..u..ke!...R..n..!"

"M-mother? Are you in here?"

Eight year old Sasuke carefully pushed open the door to his parents' bedroom. When he could see the room, he froze in horror.

Blood.

Everywhere.

God, there was so much.

"M-mother? Mother! Where are you? What's going on!" he called, his voice frantic. Just then he heard the soft gasps coming from behind the bed. He rushed over, but nearly jumped back in terror at the sight before him.

His mother was on the ground, wearing the beautiful blue gown his father had gotten her for her birthday. But the blue was stained with red blood, splashing across her chest and abdomen in a gruesome pattern. Her usually bright onyx eyes were a dull charcoal, all joy ebbing out of them along with her life.

"..Sa...su...ke...r...run...get...o..t...of...he..re...it's...no...t...sa...fe...!" she gasped, desperately trying to warn her son, her baby of the danger. Sasuke was so scared. He didn't want his mom to die! He had to help her!

Just then, he heard his brother's frantic voice from downstairs. "SASUKE! SASUKE WHERE ARE YOU?"

"ITACHI! IT'S MOM! SHE'S HURT!" Sasuke screamed back. There were heavy footsteps, indicating his brother was running upstairs. Sasuke turned back to reassure his mother, but her eyes were wide with terror.

"N..No!...Run...Sa..suke!...Now!" she choked out, her eyes on something behind him. It was then Sasuke felt the rush of air against his neck. His eyes grew wide, and all sound seemed to be sucked from the room.

In a slow move, he turned his head to look over his shoulder. He saw a blurry shape, but he could make out a clawed hand and bright, white eyes.

The door to the room was forced open again and Itachi rushed into the room in time to see the blur slash down with its claw towards Sasuke, who let out a scream of pure terror.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"SASUKE! SASUKE WAKE UP!"

He felt something hard hit his cheek before he shot up in his bed, narrowly avoiding smacking Itachi in the head. He was covered in a cold sweat, and his body shook uncontrollably, his eyes wide.

Itachi leant forwards and wrapped him in his arms, rocking him slightly and making soothing noises. He hated it when Sasuke had nightmares. His younger brother always had such strong reactions to them, and it caused a great strain on his mentality to have to relive the worst moments of his life at night.

"Ssshh...It's okay, Sasuke. It's okay. It was a dream, just a dream. It's all okay now." He whispered. Sasuke buried his face in his chest, trying to pull himself from the remnants of the dream.

"I-it was...the same one...again...m-mother..." Itachi silenced the boy with a hush. He didn't need to hear any more to know the contents of the dream. Sasuke had had that dream many times before throughout the years.

"It's alright. The sun will be up soon." Itachi told him, noticing it was 4:48 am. Sasuke took a shuddering breath before slowly prying himself from his brother's hold.

Itachi sat with him while he regained his composure, but when the older Uchiha moved to leave, Sasuke's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist involuntarily.

Itachi, already suspecting this, only tugged back on the hand, pulling Sasuke to his feet. He led his brother back to his own bedroom, pushing the boy down onto the bed. He pulled the covers over the smaller raven before climbing in next to him. He lay so that his back was against Sasuke's, giving him comfort without smothering him.

"Go back to sleep, Sasuke. I'm here if you need me." He whispered before closing his eyes.

Sasuke lowered his eyes, embarrassed by the fact that even at 16 he needed to sleep in the same bed as his brother to get over a nightmare.

But he had little time to dwell on this. Sleep was already coming for him again, and he was too weak to stop it from claiming him.

When the sunlight finally crept through the curtain, it decided to splash right across Sasuke's eyelids, blinding him even though his eyes were closed. He groaned and rolled over, swinging his arm around as he did so. It hit something hard and there was a loud groan.

Itachi opened one eye to see Sasuke's arm on his chest where it had just landed rather painfully. He sighed and turned to his brother, who was trying to go back to sleep.

"Sasuke. Wake up. We've got to go soon." He said sleepily, pushing the arm off him and sitting up. He looked over at the clock on his bedside, and sure enough it read 7:23 am. They had half an hour to get to the apartment before leaving for the orphanage.

Sasuke let out a frustrated groan at having to wake up, but slowly rose and rubbed his eyes.

"Why do we have to leave so early?" he complained. He was only ever whiney in the mornings, and he only voiced it at his own home. He had to keep up his stoic, bastard nature around others after all.

"Because Kakashi wants to acquaint us with the residents of the orphanage soon, and spend the rest of the day seeing whether or not there is a possibility of a haunting. But that might take three days, since we have to figure out times and conditions when the supernatural is most likely to occur." Itachi explained while he stretched and went to pull out his clothes for the day. Sasuke cracked his neck and left for his own room. He had showered the night before, so he could leave that for now.

They went through the morning rush fairly well, but they still had to leave while eating their breakfast if they wanted to make it in time.

Itachi led them down the street. The apartment was two blocks from them, but there were many crossings and dead ends, so they had to take a very squiggly path to get there.

"You do realize that both Kiba and Kakashi are probably going to be late? So we'll have woken up early for nothing." Sasuke said grumpily. Itachi smirked, but said nothing.

True to his predication, when they arrived outside the apartment, everyone except for their leader and Kiba was there. Neji, Lee and Chouji were loading the bags into the back of one of the vans. The other van, the one for their equipment, was already loaded and ready. Itachi would be driving that one behind Kakashi, who was to drive the rest of the crew.

"Hmm...The ride is going to be boring without Kisame sitting next to me." Itachi said. Sasuke smirked.

"Aw, what's the matter Itachi? Can't handle being apart from your boyfriend for too long?" he joked. Itachi turned to glare at him, but there was amusement in his eyes.

"Hey guys!" Kiba was running towards them, looking frantic. He stopped in front of them and doubled over, trying to catch his breath. He looked up and let out a relieved sigh.

"Phew! I made it in time! I was afraid Kakashi would leave me behind." He said. Sasuke snickered.

"Actually, Kakashi isn't even here yet." He informed the brunette. Kiba's eye grew wide and he growled.

"So you mean I nearly killed myself running for absolutely nothing!" he demanded. Sasuke and Itachi nodded, and the brunette fell to his knees with a cry of despair.

"Stop being such a drama queen." Sakura said walking up to them. Although she was talking to Kiba, her eyes were fixed on Sasuke, who felt oncoming doom. He inched closer to Itachi, eyeing the pinkette wearily.

"Aah, so everyone is here!"

Sakura screamed when Kakashi spoke from right behind her.

"When in the hell did you get here?" she gasped, clutching at her heart. Kakashi's eye curved upwards in his smile.

"Right now. You see, I was on my way over when I had an epiphany, and so I needed to explore..."

Itachi cut him off by throwing a set of keys at his face. The silver haired man caught them easily and smiled.

"Ah, thank you Itachi. So, I'll be driving the equipment truck then?" he asked. Itachi didn't fail to notice the hint of longing. He smirked. He knew full well how much Kakashi hated driving with Lee, Sakura, Ino and Kiba. They were always so noisy.

"Actually, no. Me and Shino shall be in the equipment truck, and you shall lead the way." The older raven said. Sasuke contained his laughter when Kakashi's face fell in horror.

'Oh shit! I'm going to have to deal with Lee's youthful talking, Kiba's grumbling and lame jokes and Sakura and Ino's fan girling over Sasuke? No! I'm doomed!' Kakashi thought miserably.

"Hey, are you guys still here? It's time for you to go, yeah!"

They turned at the voice to see the blonde man Deidara waving to them out the window. Sasori was beside him, still holding onto his weird puppet thing.

"Ah. Deidara's right. We need to get going." Itachi said. He walked over to the equipment van with Shino and climbed in. The rest of them trudged into the remaining vehicle until only Kakashi and Sasuke were left.

"Sasuke, sit in front with me. I need some sort of sanity for this trip." Kakashi sighed. Sasuke nodded and climbed into the front seat. He could feel Neji's glare from behind him and smirked. Kakashi climbed into the driver side. He closed the door, thought for a moment and then turned to the rest of them.

"Alright. It's going to be about half an hour to an hour's drive. And if I hear the words 'Youth' or 'Sasuke' I'll purposely drive into a ravine. So shut it. And Kiba, if you dare tell another lame joke I'll throw you out the window." He threatened. Sakura, Ino, Lee and Kiba gulped and nodded.

They drove down the street, Kakashi looking at a scrap of paper with directions every now and then. But he didn't need to. Lee knew where to go, seeing as his mentor was working at the orphanage. He pointed out the ways to turn before Kakashi could look at his directions, until eventually the man didn't even bother. He could trust the green clad monk.

"Ne, Lee, what type of person is this Maito Gai?" Sakura asked. Neji and Tenten groaned. They usually hung out with Lee, and knew his mentor.

"You just had to ask. Now we'll never hear the end of it." Tenten whined. Neji rubbed his temples and sighed, not looking forward to the oncoming conversation. Lee's eyes brightened, his rather thick eyebrows rising in excitement.

"He is a wonderful man who is filled with y-"he stopped himself, glancing at Kakashi, before continuing carefully "-with passion and energy. He loves working with the young children, and he is in charge of their exercise programs. He takes them out on training trips every now and then. And he is also very interested in the supernatural. He was actually a monk in his younger days. That's how I came into contact with him. My old teacher in Tibet recommended I speak to him when I arrived in this country. And he is one of the most amazing men I know!" Lee finished. You could practically see the tears of admiriation pour down his cheeks. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You make it sound like you're in love with the guy." He said evenly. Lee went red and sputtered.

"N-no! Of course not! I admire him and respect him! He is like a father figure!" the boy defended. Sasuke raised his other eyebrow.

"Then that makes it like incest." He deadpanned. The rest of the group erupted into giggles and snickers, and even Kakashi grinned beneath his mask. Lee blushed furiously, still denying it. Eventually, Sasuke got tired of hearing the argument.

"Relax, Lee. I was just teasing. I know it's not like that." He sighed, rubbing his head. Lee calmed down a bit, and stopped his arguing.

The rest of the drive was filled with chatter about the upcoming job. Sakura and Ino were excited as it was their first job since joining. Neji was talking to Tenten about the best way to communicate with angry spirits while keeping everyone safe. Lee and Kiba had started some weird game in which they high fived everytime the word 'job' was used. Shikamaru was asleep, his head resting against the window, and Chouji was eating chips from a bag as usual.

"Ne, Sasuke. Have you ever seen a ghost?" Ino asked. Sasuke turned to her, his eyes cold.

"Ghosts don't exist." He said flatly.

The rest of the crew grew silent. Even Chouji stopped his eating. Sakura gave Sasuke a confused smile.

"But, you're working for a paranormal company. Surely you have to believe in ghosts if you work here?" she reasoned. Sasuke scowled.

"I work here because my brother talked me into it, and I get paid to tell people they need to see a psychiatrist. I don't believe in ghosts." He insisted. Kiba chose that moment to pipe up.

"Yeah, see! Sasuke is our Bastard. He's the one who keeps everyone level headed and stops the victims from going overboard and freaking out by making them believe it might be natural accidents."

Sakura and Ino made understanding noises and then beamed at Sasuke.

'Great, now they think I've got some sort of helping people job.' He thought angrily. He glared at them and Kiba, before turning back to the front.

"There's no such thing as ghosts." He muttered, his bangs covering his eyes. Kakashi sent a knowing glance his way before turning his attention back to the road.

"Alright everyone, we're here." Kakashi announced as he pulled up in front of the large orphanage. The crew looked up, examining the house. Chouji shook Shikamaru awake.

"This is so cool! I hope we see a real ghost!" Ino squealed.

"No you don't. According to the email, the strange occurrences have had the potential to harm the residents. That means that if there are in fact, spirits, then they are violent. It would be bad if that were the case." Neji said evenly. Sakura and Ino deflated, their smiles turning nervous.

"Hn. The chances are they're just a bunch of clumsy morons who blame their own stupidity on paranormal activity." Sasuke said. He was grumpy from the long ride, and from the thought that this was just another bust.

Kakashi sighed and reached over to ruffle the raven's hair. He withdrew his hand for fear of getting it bitten off. The leader opened his door and stepped out as Itachi parked his own van and exited with Shino.

"This is going to be interesting." Itachi said, looking up at the large building.

It was an old mansion, with three stories, a large open garden and a small forest nearby. The paint was peeling a bit and the weathered boards looked old. The roof had several patches on it, and two of the four chimneys were blocked. Several windows on the third floor were boarded up.

Kakashi hummed and looked back at the rest of the crew, who were also viewing the building.

"Hey Lee, weren't they supposed to meet us?"

At that exact moment, the front door burst open with a loud bang, startling Ino and Sakura. A tall man wearing a green jumpsuit ran down the steps towards them. His black hair was sleek and in a bowl-cut style, and his eyebrows were huge!

"LEE!" he cried. It was then that everyone noticed that Lee had run towards the man and embraced him in a huge hug.

"GAI-SENSEI!" Lee yelled. They repeated their cries for at least two minutes before Itachi cleared his throat to get their attention. Lee broke away and turned to them, his eyes bright.

"Sorry. Everyone, this is Maito Gai-sensei. My mentor and the one who called for us. Gai-sensei, this is the crew of Rei-Senzai Inc. This is our leader and vice leader." Lee said, motioning to the two men.

Kakashi and Itachi stepped forwards, exteneding their hands. "Hatake Kakashi. Founder and head of Rei-Senzai Inc." "Uchiha Itachi. Associate leader and head of contacts."

They waited for the man to shake their hands, but when he pulled them both forward into a bone crushing hug, they were alarmed. Kakashi yelped and Itachi's eyes widened, his mouth opening in a silent cry of protest.

Sasuke barely contained his laughter at the sight of his brother. Itachi sent him a glare, before dragging him forward once he was free of the man.

"This is my little brother, Uchiha Sasuke. He's the level head in our group and in charge of negotiations with victims of natural incidents." Sasuke was horrified when the man pulled him forward. As his ribcage was abused by Maito Gai's strong arms, he sent a 'I'm-so-going-to-kill-you' look at Itachi who only smirked in return.

The rest of the team seemed reluctant to step forward, but with a stern glare from both Itachi and Kakashi, they moved forwards one by one to get hugged by the overly cheerful man.

"Hyuuga Neji. Psychic and spiritual specialist. This is my cousin Hinata. Her role is the same as mine." Neji said. He was swept into a hug with his cousin, and simply glared at the man until he was released.

"I'm Aburame Shino, technical specialist. These are Tachibana Tenten and Nara Shikamaru, my co-specialists. Tenten's main talent is with audio recording and findings, Shikamaru is the programmer and interpreter and I specialise with camera placement and adjustment." Shino was somehow spared from the dreaded hug, while Tenten was spun around and Shikamaru was squeezed so hard he actually bothered to open his eyes and grumble.

"Akimichi Chouji. In charge of meal times and planners." The large boy didn't move as the man gripped him. The others could see the man had tried to pick him up, but had failed. Chouji, fortunately, didn't notice.

"Inuzuka Kiba. Animal spirit specialist." Kiba tried to dodge the arms that grabbed at him, but Sasuke knocked him back into the man's embrace. There was no way in hell he would let the dog boy get off scot free while he went through the torture.

"Haruno Sakura. R.A."

"Yamanak Ino. Also and R.A."

They were both hugged.

"And you already know Rock Lee, our monk and exorcist." Kakashi finished. Gai looked at them all and grinned.

"I'm so glad you have arrived. It is a most youthful experience to meet with you youthful youngsters." He said loudly. Everyone else inwardly groaned.

He was like another Lee! Maybe even worse!

"Gai! What are you doing? Have you seen the twi- oh! Are these the members from that company you mentioned?" a kind voice spoke from the entrance to the mansion. They turned to see a man with brown hair tied back in a ponytail and soft, chocolate brown eyes smiling at them. He had a long scar across the bridge of his nose.

Kakashi blushed, but it was unnoticed by the rest.

"Ah! Iruka, my good man! Yes indeed these are the youthful beings of Rei-Senzai Inc! They have come to aid us in our time of paranormal crisis!" Gai said dramatically. The man called Iruka shook his head and walked forwards, extending his arm towards Kakashi, who rushed to take it.

"Sorry for my colleagues over enthusiastic welcome. I'm Umino Iruka. I'm in charge of most of the orphanage as head caretaker. Any questions you have about the orphanage and children are addressed to me." Iruka smiled warmly at them all, and everyone couldn't help but like the man.

"Hatake Kakashi. I'm the leader." Kakashi beamed. Iruka gave him another warm smile and Kakashi melted inside. A voice to his left coughed lightly.

"Uchiha Itachi. I think it would be best to keep the introductions at bay until we meet everyone else, as we've already done it once."

Iruka nodded, sending a raised eyebrow at Gai. He turned back to the mansion, motioning the rest to follow. "I'll get some of the older children to help bring in your bags and such later on."

"Thank you." Itachi said. He smirked as he watched Kakashi check the brunette man out.

This would definitely be an interesting job.

"Ah, Iruka-san. What were you going to ask me?" Gai inquired in his loud voice.

"Ah, yes. I was wondering if you've seen the twins? I haven't been able to find them, and the younger kids are growing worried. Also, Sora has been asking to talk to you about his exercise programme." Iruka spoke.

They passed by the lounge, the kitchen, a few closed doors and a large room with lots of tables and chairs. Maybe the study room?

They went all the way to the back, exiting into the garden. When the sunlight hit them in contrast to the dark house, Sasuke blinked his eyes, trying to adjust.

When he could see clearly, his eyes took in a large pool, where several children were now playing.

Two boys and a girl were splashing their feet in the water, while cheering to someone in the deeper end of the pool. There was a teen girl with long brown hair lying on a lawn chair, tanning. A boy with ash brown hair that stopped at his shoulders was sitting beside her, talking. He looked about 14. There was a pale boy with short black hair and equally black eyes sitting in the shade of a tree not too far away, a sketch pad in his lap. He also looked around 15 or so. There was a girl with blonde hair tied into four, short ponytails standing by the deepest end, wearing a light purple bikini. She was arguing with two other boys. One had messy brown hair and had what looked like face paint on. He seemed to be about 16, like the girl. The other boy had deep red hair and no eyebrows. There were thick black circles around his jade green eyes, and he was glowering at the water, as if it was mocking him. Above his left eye was the kanji for 'love' in red ink.

But Sasuke hardly noticed these people. His attention was drawn to the boy currently doing tricks in the centre of the pool. He had bright, sunshine blonde hair and tan skin. His eyes were a dazzling azure blue and they gleamed with joy as he did some more flips and spins. Three whisker like scars on each cheek gave him a fox-like countenance.

Sasuke couldn't help but stare at the blonde as he did another underwater handstand, causing the three children watching to cheer eagerly.

"Go Naruto-nii-san!" the boy with spiky brown hair cheered. His friend with glasses gave a slight cheer, and the little orange-haired girl stood up to clap.

The blonde grinned at them when he came up and carried on with his show. Sasuke was absolutely captivated with those blue eyes and that huge grin. He felt something strange wash over him, like a warm breath, but on the inside. His eyes followed the boy as he dived in the water, coming up fast enough to jump a bit and cause a large splash.

Itachi was talking to him, but Sasuke couldn't hear a word. He was lost in the sight of that wet, tan skin.

Eventually, Itachi realized his brother wasn't hearing him. His sharp eyes followed the direction Sasuke's were and he fixated on the blonde as well. A knowing smirk formed on his face and he nudged Kakashi in the side. Said man looked at him, then Sasuke and then the blonde. He smiled and walked over to the other side of Sasuke, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Both Itachi and Kakashi were alarmed when Sasuke didn't throw the hand off. He didn't even seem to notice it. The two men shared a look.

This was going to be very fun.

"Iruka-san, who is that blonde boy over there?" Itachi asked. Iruka looked at the boy and an affectionate smile formed on his face.

"That is Uzumaki Naruto. He's been with us since he was a baby. He's turning 16 in a few weeks, actually. The younger kids adore him, especially those three. They're Sarutobi Konohamaru, Kimo Udon and Demigawa Moegi." Iruka said. He took a step forward and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Naruto! Over here!" he called.

Unfortunately, the boy called Naruto had just started a spin. He snapped his head to Iruka, losing his balance as he did so. His arm slipped out from under him and he toppled towards the edge of the pool. There was a loud 'crack' as his head hit the tiles, and he sunk under the water like a brick.

Iruka let out a horrified gasp, the three watching children screamed and Itachi and Kakashi started to move. However, they were pushed aside.

Sasuke wasted no time in diving into the water, clothes and all. Good thing he'd taken his shoes off near the front door. He pushed through the water, opening his eyes and seeing the blonde still drifting to the bottom.

Damn, this pool was deep!

He gave another powerful kick and reached out. Wrapping and arm around the blonde's naked torso he twisted and pushed up to the surface. When he broke through with a loud gasp of air, he made sure the blonde's head was above water. Itachi was by the edge, holding out a hand in assistance. Together they dragged/pushed the blonde out of the pool and Sasuke climbed out.

They leaned over the blonde, and Itachi pressed down on his chest three times.

It was enough.

Naruto coughed, spitting out some water and shakily pushing himself into a sitting position. Iruka was there in a flash, pulling the boy into a hug.

"Oh my gosh! Naruto I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to distract you! Are you okay? Can you see straight? Do you remember me? Can you see spots? Do you ache? How many fingers are on a person's right hand?" Naruto quickly placed two fingers on Iruka's lips, silencing any further questions. He grinned, the mere size of the smile forcing his eyes to close.

"I'm fine, Iruka-sensei. Just a bit wet and disoriented." He assured. Iruka visibly deflated in relief, putting a hand over his heart.

"Thank goodness."

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke said quietly. But Naruto heard it. His head snapped to the raven, and his blue eyes grew bright in irritation.

"What did you say, teme?" he asked. Sasuke faced him fully, took a breath and repeated, "Dobe."

"What the hell? Who are you anyway?" the blonde demanded angrily. Iruka waved him down.

"Naruto, don't be rude! This is...ah..." Iruka looked at Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Yes. He's a member of the group Gai asked to come and check out the strange things that have been happening. And he just saved you!" Iruka finished. This seemed to sober the blonde up. His anger faded and he looked at Sasuke carefully.

"Thanks...You're here to make them leave?" he asked quietly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Make 'who' leave?" The blonde stared at him.

"The ghosts! Who else?" he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sasuke raised the other eyebrow.

"There's no such thing as ghosts." He stated simply. The blonde blinked at him, then frowned.

"You know something? I don't think I like you very much. You're an ass." He said, and then got up to fetch his towel. Sasuke watched him go, and he couldn't help but admire the blonde's backside as he walked. He felt a nudge in his side and turned to see Itachi smirking down at him.

"Way to start off a relationship, Sasuke. Now it's going to be harder getting him to fall in love with you." Itachi whispered. Sasuke glared at him, a light blush on his face.

"I'm not- I don't-I have no idea what you're talking about!" he hissed. Itachi just chuckled and stood, pulling Sasuke to his feet.

"Whatever you say, little brother."

Everyone was gathered into the large play room. There were toys scattered around, chests of drawers with art supplies, dress up clothes and spare pool things. Books were arranged on a shelf with the children's ones by the bottom, and the more advanced ones resting near the top. A large T.V sat against one wall with couches arranged around it. There was a play station 3 console next to it, and several games like Need for Speed, Mortal Combat and a few others. Pictures undoubtedly drawn by the residents were pinned up all around, and the curtains were wide open, letting the bright sunlight stream into the room.

All in all, it was a wonderful place for children to rest, play and chat. There was also a corner with a table and comfortable chairs where the staff and members of Rei-Senzai were now sitting. The members of Kakashi's group had just finished introducing themselves, and it was time for the caretakers.

There was Iruka, Gai, a man with black hair and sideburns and friendly brown eyes, a woman with long, wavy brown hair and strange, red eyes-contacts maybe- another woman whose long blonde hair was separated into two pigtails that hung low on her back. She was a very well endowed woman, her chest straining against the white shirt she wore. Next to her was another woman with shoulder length black hair. In her arms she held a pig.

...No one asked.

Then there was another man, older than the rest. He had long, spiky white hair that was partially tied up. He had strange red lines running from his eyes down the sides of his cheeks, and a mole on his nose. He was staring shamelessly at the busty blonde's bosom.

"Ah, so it's our turn then. This here is Sarutobi Asuma." The sideburn guy waved a hand, "Yuuhi Kuernai," the red-eyed woman smiled, "Ho Tsunade," the blonde tilted her head, "Yoshi Shizune," the pig-holding woman smiled, "and finally Sennin Jiraiya." The pervy man grinned, eyes not leaving the blonde's chest.

Pervert.

"It's nice to meet you all." Kakashi said, bowing his head. The others did the same, and the action was mirrored by most of the caretakers.

"So, you're here to help solve our ghost problems, eh?" Asuma said, leaning back in his chair. Kakashi nodded.

"Well, first we're going to see if it is, indeed, a ghost problem at all." He said. Asuma nodded. Kurenai rested her arm on his and smiled at them.

"Thank you for doing this. The children have been growing increasingly nervous during nighttimes, what with all the talk of ghosts." She sent a scathing look to Gai and Jiraiya. Itachi smirked. He could guess who had started the whole thing.

He glanced over at Sasuke, and was not surprised to see his brother was staring avidly at Naruto, who was sitting by the T.V with his three fans.

Itachi turned to face Sasuke. "It's impolite to stare, little brother. Perhaps you should go over and talk to him, since you seem to wish it so much."

If looks could kill, Itachi would be the proof of paranormal activity in the orphanage. Sasuke's eyes were boring holes into his face, and there was a very dark scowl on his face. Itachi, being the Uchiha he was, didn't flinch and didn't even waver as he stared back. Eventually, Sasuke turned away, muttering a "Shut up, Itachi."

"Would you like to talk to Naruto? I hope you forgive his behaviour earlier. He can be quite loud and brash at times, but he's a very kind person." Iruka said. Sasuke sent another glare at Itachi, but shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I'm not bothered by it." He replied politely. Just then, Jiraiya let out a chuckle, turning to the children.

"NARUTO! Get your scrawny butt over here right now!" he called. The boy turned on his seat and glared at the man.

"My butt is not scrawny you old pervert!" he retorted, but dragged himself off the couch and made his way over to them.

Sasuke was having a mental panic attack.

When Naruto stopped in front of the old man he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"What's up?" he asked. Jiraiya smirked down at him.

"It's about what happened earlier." He started, but Naruto cut him off, waving his hands in defence.

"I swear I tried to stop them! I told them not to use the shaving cream, but they wouldn't listen!" he said.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, and all the other caretakers' turned to him. "I was talking about earlier at the pool, Naruto."

Naruto froze, his blue eyes wide. He let out a nervous giggle and scratched the back of his head. "Oh? Well, just forget what I said then!" he said. Iruka was next to him in an instant, grabbing the scruff of his neck.

"What exactly did you do this time, Naruto?" he asked sternly.

"I didn't do it! That's what I was saying in the first place!" Naruto screeched, trying to escape. Sasuke snorted.

"Dobe." He said. Naruto glared at him and retorted with a simple "Teme."

They had a glaring contest, and those at the table could feel the tension building.

However, only Kakashi and Itachi realized that one side was sexual tension. They both smirked.

"I think it would be best for us to bring in the equipment and start our work." Shino said suddenly. Kiba jumped up excitedly.

"Alright! This is going to be awesome! We're going to go hunt some ghosts!" he whooped. Naruto turned to him, a slow grin spreading across his whiskered face.

"I like you. Want me to show you around?" he asked, pointing a finger at the brunette. Kiba returned the blonde's grin, reaching over and grabbing his hand in a rough shake. "You bet! You'll be my own personal tour guide! The name's Inuzuka Kiba! Call me Kiba!"

Naruto laughed. "Uzumaki Naruto. But Naruto is fine."

The two stood, hands clasped, grinning at each other. The rest were slightly alarmed at how similar they looked and acted. Sasuke mentally added Kiba to his 'kill-before-Christmas' list. So far, there were only four people: Sakura, Ino, Kakashi and now Kiba.

Maybe he should add Itachi too, because he was getting tired of seeing that knowing smirk.

"Not to interrupt this moment of bonding between you too, but you have some explaining to do, Naruto." Shizune interrupted, and Sasuke decided he liked this woman when Naruto hurriedly let go of Kiba's hand.

"Ah...heh, well, you see...I-uh...I suggest you don't go to the upstairs bathroom for a while." He said nervously. Iruka immediately left the room. Naruto sighed. "Whatever happens is not my fault." He said.

They waited for five minutes before Iruka's voice ripped through the silence.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

There were voices yelping and hurried footsteps. Soon after, three boys burst into the room, ran at full speed and dived behind the couch.

Iruka swept in, looked at Asuma who pointed at the couch without looking up, and then moved in on his prey. He moved quickly, reaching down and grabbing whoever was hiding. He pulled them out from their rather pathetic hiding place and forced them to face the rest.

Two of the boys had bright crimson hair. One's was spiked and he wore a pair of goggles on his head, keeping his bangs from falling in his eyes. The other's hair was slihglty longer, and tied into a tiny ponytail at the back of his head. They both wore dark green army jackets, the ones without sleeves. The ponytailed one had ripped, black jeans and black Converse shoes. The other had navy blue, three quarter pants and was barefoot. They both had two scratches running on vertically on either cheek. The spiky-haired one had bright, turquoise eyes, and the other had equally bright neon green. They were definitely twins of some order. They both looked about 15 or so and were staring at Iruka with terrified faces.

The third was younger without a doubt. He had sleek black hair that changed into blonde at the tips. It was ruffled and messy, seeming to stick out to the right creating a wave on his head. His eyes were a dull green, almost like moss. He wore a long-sleeved, brown shirt that was way too big for him. His hands didn't even peek out of the sleeve ends. His shorts were black and he wore a pair of black sandals.

He was praying for his life.

"What did they do now?" Jiraiya asked, amused. Iruka turned to them, his face red with anger.

"They had the nerve to hide behind the door with a bucket of shaving cream-Asuma, you're all out by the way- and they were waiting for one of the members from Rei-Senzai to come in." He explained.

The ponytailed crimson suddenly grinned and looked at them.

"It's my way of saying 'hi'." He said. His voice was rough and scratchy, almost like dry leaves sliding across gravel. His possible-twin turned too, his smile less menacing. "Sorry. My big brother thinks pranks bring people closer than handshakes." His voice broke a bit, signalling he was hitting puberty.

The youngest of them stopped praying and just stared at them, his face blank.

"Ah, I see. Well, hi, anyway. I'm Kakashi, the leader." Kakashi said, his eye curving in a smile again. The three boys stood. The ponytail pointed to himself, "I'm Kamuzuki Kao. I'm 16. This is my younger by ten minutes brother, Kamuzuki Kamurou." He pointed to his twin, who bowed slightly, "and this is our good friend and prankster-apprentice Muzai Junkyo." The boy bowed deeply, still silent. (1)

The rest of them nodded in greeting, some waving and telling their names. Sasuke kept his eyes on Naruto, who was smiling at the three.

"Hey Naruto! Don't smile at me, you idiot. I'm going to get you back for ratting on us!" Kao called angrily, shaking his fist at the blonde. Naruto just grinned wider in challenge and turned back to Kiba.

"So, ready for that tour?"

Sasuke was torn between blessing his good fortune or cursing his rotten luck.

Confused? So was he.

After bringing in all the equipement, Itachi had told them to set it up in all the rooms that strange incidents have occurred in. Several of those rooms were on the third floor, which was unused most of the time. It was mainly storage.

In order to do this properly, Itachi had also said that each group of team members should have at least one guide from the orphanage, and some of the orphans themselves had volunteered.

And once again, Sasuke's most wonderful big brother Itachi had assigned Naruto to him.

That's where he had mentally cheered at his good luck.

And then Kiba had insisted tagging along to set up the equipment too, and the blonde had agreed joyously.

That's when inner Sasuke started destroying cities.

So here he was, trailing behind the two loud idiots carrying a camera stand, audio recorder and heat sensor. Kiba was carrying the camera, wires and some other device Sasuke couldn't remember the name of. Naruto had been talking animatedly while they walked up the stairs, but as soon as they reached the third floor, his voice went soft and his movements became edgy.

When they were near the room where several things had moved on their own, apparently, the blonde stopped altogether, staring at the door with wide eyes.

"Hey, you okay man?" Kiba asked, noticing his new friend's hesitation. Naruto turned his gaze to the brunette, chewing his lip.

"N-not really." He whispered. Sasuke had caught up with them and also stopped to observe the blonde.

"You're not scared are you?" he asked with a smirk. Naruto glared at him, but it lacked true anger. Instead it was nervous and slightly...pleading. Sasuke's smirk faded and was replaced with what might have been a concerned frown.

Not that he'd ever admit it.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, dobe. Ghosts aren't real, and even if they were, it's still daytime. I'm pretty sure ghosts are supposed to be allergic to sunlight or some shit like that." He said and without a second thought he pushed the door open.

Almost immediately, Naruto hid behind him, grasping the back of his shirt lightly. Sasuke decided not to say anything, and inner Sasuke was cheering in victory. Kiba, by some miracle, also stayed quiet. Sasuke might just let him live for Christmas.

"Hmmm...I can definitely feel spiritual energy in here. There's something here." The brunette said seriously. Naruto let out a tiny whimper and inched closer to Sasuke.

He was definitely letting the brunette live for Christmas. Hell, he'd even get him a gift!

They edged into the room, Naruto looking around wearily. Kiba moved to the centre, placing the camera down with the rest before tilting his head up and sniffing the air intently. He scrunched his nose, eyes narrowing.

"There's an odd smell in this room." He said slowly. Then he turned to Naruto, who by now was practically trying to meld with Sasuke's arm...not that the raven minded. "You said that things have been moved. What things exactly? Large objects?" Kiba inquired.

Naruto thought for a moment, his eyes roaming over the room. Then he shook his head.

"No. Only small things. Like those rags over there. And that stool has moved around a bit." He pointed to the various things before re-entangling his hands in Sasuke's shirt. Sasuke looked at the things mentioned, but said nothing. He was a sceptic after all.

"Well, there's a faint trace of spiritual energy in this room, but it's not really like a ghost...it's more like the energy of –" Kiba was cut off when a loud scratching noise broke through the silence. It sounded like something was trying to claw through the walls.

Naruto let out a gasp and wrapped his arms around Sasuke waist, burying his face in between the raven's shoulder blades.

Startled by the sudden noise as well as the tan arms grabbing him, Sasuke dropped the stand and other equipment. Kiba was in a half crouch, eyes searching the room intently.

"W-what i-is t-t-that?" Naruto stammered, his voice muffled. Sasuke listened intently as the scratching continued. He noticed it seemed to be coming from behind a large wardrobe. Suddenly he heard something else.

A squeak.

"Wait a minute." He said, striding over to the wardrobe. He slightly regretted the movement as Naruto didn't follow, too scared to go near the noise. Instead the blonde latched onto Kiba's arm. Sasuke tried his best not to hate the animal lover.

He turned his attention of the wardrobe, dropping to a crouch as he edged closer. As sneakily as he could he peeked around the back. A smirk broke out over his face.

Quick as a flash he reached into the dark crevice, grabbing something which let out a terrified squeak.

"This is the culprit. For the noise and most likely for the moving objects as well." He said, and he showed them the rather large rat he was clutching. It writhed in his hand, trying to bite him, but he held it in a way that made that impossible. Kiba sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. That rat is giving off the spiritual energy. I thought it felt too solid and alive. There's no ghostly activity in this room." He concluded, heaving another sigh. Naruto stared at the rat, before collapsing to his knees with a weak laugh.

"That really creeped me out." He said, running a hand through his hair. Sasuke looked at the rat in his hand. He held it out to Kiba who took it carefully.

"I'll go put this guy outside. Sasuke, call Kakashi and let him know this room is a bust. Then go with Naruto to the next room we were supposed to visit and start setting up. I'll meet up with you."

Now, usually Sasuke would argue, saying that he was doing all the work and Kiba was being a lazy git. But this time he would get the blonde boy to himself, so he let it go. Kiba raised an eyebrow at the lack of argument but carried on out of the room.

Sasuke took out the walkie-talkie and turned it on. "Hello, Sasuke here. Kakashi?"

There was a crackling sound before Kakashi's voice came through the small device.

"Sasuke. What's up? Already seen a ghost and ready to repent all the times you denied their existence?"

Sasuke gave a sarcastic laugh. "Ha ha. Very funny. Actually, I called to let you know this room is a bust. The so called unexplained events were just explained. It was a rat. A huge mother of a rat, but still a living, corporeal creature that breathed, squeaked and did not ooze ectoplasm all over me."

"I see. Well then leave that room. No point in monitoring something that's already been solved. Set up in the next room."

"Ah." Sasuke looked over at the blonde. "Care to lead me to the next room, Dobe?"

Naruto gave him a half glare. "Don't call me that Teme."

"Sasuke?" Kakashi's voice rang out. Sasuke realized he'd forgotten to turn off the radio.

"Yes?"

"...It's just you and Naruto-kun am I right?"

"...Ah...?"

"...Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Sasuke almost blushed. He brought the radio closer to his mouth. "There's nothing you wouldn't do."

"You're right. In that case...pound away!"

Sasuke threw the radio so hard it hit the wall and smashed. Naruto jumped at the sudden movement and stared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing. My boss is just an asshole." Sasuke replied, starting to pick up the abandoned equipment. He ignored the crackling radio on the floor. "Can you help me carry this shit? I can't pick it all up, my arms are too full."

"Uh, sure." Naruto gathered up the wires and audio recorder as well as the unknown object. "What's this thing do?"

"I can't remember what it's called, but I think it's supposed to light up when there's a ghost in the room. And if it goes red it means the ghost is in a deadly mood... no pun intended." Sasuke added as he left the room. Naruto followed close behind.

They walked down the silent hall together, Naruto slightly in front.

After a few seconds of silence, Naruto glanced at him. "Can I ask you something?"

Sasuke kept his face forward, but his eyes looked at the blonde. "Hn?"

"Well, actually two things. First, uh, why did you, uh...let me...hide behind you and...clutch you...like that." A light blush spread across the tan cheeks, and Sasuke found he liked that very much.

"Because you were scared. And when I was younger, I used to do the same to my brother when I had a nightmare. So I know that it's helpful." He said calmly. It was a half truth. He had clutched Itachi, but only when he was a child. He hadn't clutched Itachi during the daytime in about eight years. The last time was when his parents died.

Naruto was watching him before a small smile spread over his face. "Well, thanks. I-it did help."

"Hn. And? You had to questions, dobe."

"Don't call me that! But...well, why don't you believe in ghosts?"

They stopped in front of the next room, staring at each other. Sasuke was thinking hard. Should he really tell Naruto the reason for his belief?

Well, he felt like he could trust the blonde. So, maybe it wouldn't hurt to tell someone after all this time.

"Well...the truth is I –"

The door in front of them flew open with a bang, causing them both to jump. A blast of icy cold air engulfed them and at the same time the unnamed object in Naruto's hand made a high pitched squeal, the screen lighting up...

... And flashing red.

So, there we have chapter 1! Yippee! And it's a cliffy! I didn't really intend on it, but then I figured this might be a good way to keep your interest? Is it working?

Anyway, on with the single explanation.

(1) - for those who have read my other story Accomplishments(you're all awesome and I'm working on the final chapter!) you will most likely recognize these names. Along with Mizuru(yes, she's in here too), but of course there are slight changes. Such as, Kao has his own body, Kamurou is younger than originally planned and Junkyo is actually THERE! so, yeah, obviously there's going to be a tad of KamJun going on...*perverted smirk.*

Anyway, thanks for reading this and I hope you look forward to the next installment! Reviews make me really happy and inspire me!

Many thanks~~ Juura99