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The Darkness That Binds Him	By : XxKageTenshixX Category: Naruto > General Views: 4335 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. Nor do I gain any profit from this story or the anime itself. I own just the plot of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Chapter 10
Ino was worried. It was a feeling that wasn't uncommon nowadays. This time, however, her focus was entirely on Sakura. With everyone so worried about recent events, Ino hadn't had the chance to see how everyone else was coping, which was why she was currently standing in front of Sakura's family house, a vase of flowers firmly in her hand. With her free hand, Ino knocked on the door and waited patiently for a response.
A lady in her early 50's was the one to answer the door. There was a smile on her face when she saw it was Ino at her front door.
"Ah, hello Ino. It's good to see you," the woman said.
"It's good to see you too Mrs. Haruno," Ino responded, smiling back brightly.
Mrs. Haruno was a relatively tall woman with graying strawberry blonde hair that was always wrapped neatly in a bun at the back of her head. Her eyes were a few shades darker than her daughter's, an almost emerald green compared to her daughter's jade.
Stepping back from the door, Mr. Haruno made a welcoming gesture with her hands, inviting Ino inside.
"I suppose you're here to see Sakura?" Mrs. Haruno asked softly, taking an occasional glance at the staircase across the room.
Ino nodded slightly, but gave a verbal confirmation when she saw that Mrs. Haruno was facing away from her. Mrs. Haruno sighed sadly and sat down wearily in a chair by the door.
"I'm worried about my little girl. She's been so upset lately. She hasn't come out of her room in days. Although I can understand, given everything that has happened…" She paused, giving Ino a pleading look. "I would be so grateful if you would go talk to her, help ease a mother's worries?"
Ino nodded. "Of course I'll go talk to her."
Ino turned towards Sakura's mother and held out the vase. Mrs. Haruno accepted the gift with a smile.
"Thank you dear."
Ino smiled and headed towards the stairwell. Going up the stairs, she took a right when she made it to the top. Sakura's room was just at the end of the hallway, the door was shut against intruders. Ino stood outside and knocked softly, but firmly on the door.
"Sakura?" The sound of fabric rustling was her only response.
Ino grabbed the handle to the door and twisted it to the right, pushing the door open slightly.
Sakura's room was a mess—which was the complete opposite of its usual cleanliness. Clothes were thrown across the room, books and clothes lay haphazardly on the floor. From the corner of her eye, Ino could see several trays of food that looked barely touched.
Sakura sat against her headboard, her hands covered her face. Ino could still see the tear tracks and the shaking of her shoulders when she let out a soundless sob. Ino looked sadly at her friend and say down next to her on the bed. She embraced Sakura gently, her arms wrapping around Sakura's shoulders in a silent gesture of comfort.
"Oh, Sakura." Ino whispered softly. "I'll be okay."
Sakura let out another sob, pushing Ino away. "No it won't. It'll never be okay."
Ino didn't attempt to touch her again, knowing it wouldn't do any good at the moment.
"Yes it will, you just have to keep trying." Ino truly hoped she wasn't lying to herself and to her friend.
Sakura moved away from the bed. She grabbed a pillow before she got too far away and threw it across the room to join the others on the floor.
"You don't get it!" Sakura yelled at her, her face a bright red.
Ino didn't move from her position on the bed. She chose to listen anxiously as Sakura vented out all her pent up frustrations. She listened as Sakura told her what happened in the hospital just a few days ago. She watched as Sakura continued to grab things and throw then violently at the walls that made up the room. She flinched when something came too close to her for her liking.
The whole time, Ino hadn't moved from her spot on the bed. She refused to move because she was still processing what was being said to her. Sakura stopped pacing suddenly and turned to look at Ino, her eyes still red from crying.
"Did you know that the Yondaime had a child?"
Ino snapped out of her thoughts and sent a confused look at her, a frown marring her face. "What are you talking about, Sakura?"
Sakura went back to pacing again, a more urgent distress visible in her suddenly rigid posture. Her hands flew up to her head, her fingers gripping the roots of her hair tightly.
"A son, Ino!" A blank look was all she received in response. "Think about it! Naruto was born on the day of the Ky�bi's attack. He's an orphan…" He voice broke. "They even look alike."
As Sakura started to ramble, Ino stood and reached out to her. Sakura only moved away from the outstretched hand, shaking her head desperately.
"Sakura, that doesn't mean anything…" Ino began.
"WHAT OTHER CHILD WOULD HE HAVE USED?" Sakura screamed hysterically. Ino said nothing. "Who would you have used, Ino? To seal away the Ky�bi?"
Ino said nothing.
"No one, no one but his own child."
Sakura's knees gave way. Ino shot forward to catch her, hugging her as tightly as she could. She remained silent as she tried to ease her friend's sorrow.
XxXxXxXxTDTBHxXxXxXxX
Iruka knocked on Naruto's door, a set of clean clothes in his hands, before entering quietly. Naruto stood at the foot of the bed, a distant look in his eyes. In his left hand, he held his burnt goggles tightly.
Iruka took a few steps forward, a worried look on his face.
"Naruto?"
A twitch of the blonde's hand was the only reaction Iruka received, but it was enough for him. He moved the rest of the way to the bed and sat the clothes down.
"Good morning," Iruka said with a small smile. "I brought you some clothes for you."
It was a statement that had become a daily routine between the two, so Iruka wasn't worried when he didn't get a response. He hadn't heard his newly adopted son—something that he felt he was far too late on—speak for a while now and wasn't expecting anything different today.
"I'll leave you to get ready for the day.
Iruka turned to leave, but not before he took another glimpse at Naruto. Like all the other times, he could not help but notice how different the blonde looked from when he was Iruka's somewhat troublesome student.
Naruto had grown taller, almost whole two feet, enough to surprise Iruka. He was thinner than he had ever been, which that was saying something. Even when he was younger and living by himself, Iruka couldn't recall a time where the blonde's ribs were showing through his skin like they were now. His skin was much too pale. His former healthy looking tan was non-existent now from his confinement. His hair was longer too. It still held its' wild spikes, but now it reached the middle of his back. But even it had suffered as well; it had lost its golden shine and now seemed like a muted shadow of its former brilliant color.
It was the scars that haunted Iruka more. Naruto would get past this. He would heal, but it would be that much more difficult due to the physical reminders he would be forced to see every time he looked at himself. Those wounds would never go away.
"But," Iruka thought to himself while exiting the room, "it might make him that much stronger."
Naruto watched Iruka leave before placing the goggles in his hand back on the shelf. Slowly he made his way to the other side of the bed, his legs still unsteady from their prolonged disuse. He undressed, wincing when fabric rubbed against a tender scar. When he was done with that task, he reached out and grabbed the brown slacks, letting them unfold. He turned around and sat down on the bed, pulling the pants on. Once he had on the pants, he reached to his side and pulled the shirt—he couldn't help but notice the brilliant orange color—over his head.
Another knock sounded on the door, opening enough for Iruka to poke his head through. The corner of Naruto's lips twitched.
"If you're finished, breakfast is ready…"
Naruto blinked and stood up, still a bit shaky, but followed Iruka as he left the room and entered the kitchen. Sitting at the table was Kakashi, dressed in his usual ninja gear. Naruto paused slightly when he saw him. This was the first time Kakashi had actually eaten with them. Iruka stopped as well to glare at the man for a second before gently taking one of Naruto's hands and leading him to the seat furthest away from the shinobi. Once the blonde was seated, Iruka turned to the stove, picking up two plates from the counter. He placed one politely in front of Naruto and almost threw the other plate at Kakashi before turning to retrieve his own. Like he had been doing before, Iruka sat himself in the chair closest to Naruto. He waited until Naruto had taken his first couple bites of his breakfast to make sure that Naruto did not need any assistance eating his food before finally starting on his own.
Naruto finished first after taking only a few bites from his dish, which was yet another thing Iruka worried about lately. Naruto stood slowly and grabbed his plate, preparing to take it to the sink when Iruka stopped him.
"Don't worry about that, I'll get it later…" He paused. "Why don't you go back to your room? I have something I need to take care of first and then I'll come in and check on you. Is that okay?" he asked softly. He absolutely refused to make Naruto do anything that he was uncomfortable with.
Naruto inclined his head to the right slightly, a small action that Iruka would have missed had he not known what to look for. Blue eyes turned to look at Kakashi and Iruka have him a small smile.
"Don't worry. I'll handle it," Iruka promised, giving Kakashi another venomous glare.
Naruto said nothing and began making his way back to his room, closing the door quietly once he was inside. He sat down at the foot of the bed, his eyes staring vacantly ahead but his mind reeling.
Though he was not as there as he wanted himself to be, Naruto was not as catatonic as most thought him to be. He remembered everything.
The trial, the accusations, the confinement, the pain and finally his release. Everything.
He remembered Iruka coming to visit him that first day in his cell, the anguish on the man's face when he saw him covered in chakra suppressing seals. It was the first and last visit from him. The guards would not let Iruka or anyone else that sided with him enter the prison after that. Despite that, Iruka had kept his promise that he would fight for Naruto's innocence. He had heard enough from those who came into his cell to know who was against him and were faithful and stood by his side.
He knew how Teuchi and Ayame had their shop vandalized and almost burned to the ground. He knew how Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon had been labeled outcasts and traitors by the very village they were training themselves to protect. He knew how Iruka struggled every day to prove his innocence, just to come up empty handed and how he might have become a victim to the village's cruelty had he not been a shinobi himself.
He knew about his destroyed apartment and about the failing relationships with the other villages. But most of all, he knew that it was Sasuke that had framed him.
He closed his eyes and let his mind wonder for a while longer, absorbing everything that had happened as of late.
It was a few hours later that Iruka came in and sat on the bed next to him. Iruka didn't say anything and Naruto let the other man enjoy his presence. He knew without a doubt that Iruka was worried for him. Soon enough, Iruka began taking.
He talked about everything he had missed during his imprisonment.
"…Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon finally had their first C ranked mission a little while after you were sent to prison…"
"…Teuchi named a dish after you…"
"…Ayame beat up a couple of costumers because they said something bad about you…"
Iruka went on and on…and Naruto let him.
"I think Gaara was the most volatile out of all of us. He personally came to see the Hokage himself just to ask her how stupid she was to think such things of you. Offered me citizenship to Suna too…"
Iruka stopped, looking at Naruto for the first time since he entered the room.
"I thought about it but I couldn't leave you here. Neither could anyone else who believed in you. I'm sure Gaara misses you. I wonder if he's gotten my letter yet."
Iruka stopped again, giving Naruto a watery smile.
"It really is good to have you back, Naruto. I promise I will help you through this. No matter what it takes."
With that final declaration, Iruka stood up and softly patted the back of Naruto's hand before leaving the room.
Naruto still didn't move. He just stared at the wall in front of him.
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The Darkness That Binds Him