Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Underneath The Leaves	By : ChaCha92 Category: Naruto AU/AR > Het - Male/Female Views: 4798 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Don't own anything in the Naruto universe. Some dude in Japan does. Make no money on my stories either.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Flitting from shadow to shadow, it takes Kakashi and Naruto mere minutes to return to the apartment. Without the intense scrutiny caused by the betting pool from ninja desperate to know what happened during Naruto and Genma’s breakup they easily slip inside unnoticed.
Silently they disappear into their respective rooms. Naruto spends several minutes unpacking. She could leave it for later, but she already put it off from the day before and likes having her gear ready for those last minute missions Tsunade loves to give her. Like Kakashi, she may be retired from ANBU on paper, but she knows she’ll never be truly ‘retired.’
Slipping off the mask Kakashi loaned her, she tosses it in the collapsible mesh hamper she has in the corner of the room, intending to wash her dirty clothes later. Grabbing a fresh change of clothing, she emerges from her room and disappears into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Minutes later Naruto emerges from the bathroom feeling refreshed. Having changed into a loose t-shirt and lounge pants, she briefly heads into the bedroom to deposit her dirty clothes in the hamper.
It’s still early, but it won’t be long before it’s time to start dinner, so taking a nap is out of the question. Plus, she has every intention of helping make dinner whether Kakashi likes it or not. He won’t bully her out of the kitchen this time.
Snatching up a book for some light reading, she heads toward the living room. Emerging from the hallway, she stops dead in her tracks. Instead of being sprawled across the sofa either reading his Icha Icha or the sex reference book he borrowed from her, he’s sitting upright with no book in sight, looking at her expectantly.
“What’s wrong?” she frowns in suspicion.
“Nothing,” he smiles benignly. Reaching over he pats the empty space next to him.
Blue eyes narrow suspiciously.
“If it’s about what I told Sasuke, you’re gonna have to be satisfied with that ‘cause you’re not getting any more info. It was enough for Sasuke, it’s enough for you.”
Turning on her heel to return to her bedroom her escape is blocked by Kakashi’s shadow clone.
“There’s nothing more that’d be helpful or worth knowing!” she hisses in anger.
Smiling the same asinine smile as the real Kakashi, the clone ignores her, steering her by the shoulders back to the sofa.
“It’s not much I want to know,” the real Kakashi cheerfully assures her while the clone gently pushes her to sit down. “I just have a couple of questions to clarify some points.”
“Sure. Only a couple,” she rolls her eyes while the clone poofs out of existence. “Haven’t I done enough sharing recently?”
Smiling Kakashi leans forward and pokes her forehead.
“You’ll get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that.” Chuckling when she narrows her eyes while rubbing the spot he poked, he adds, “I just want to know a little more about a couple of things you said.”
With a weary sigh Naruto slumps back into the sofa.
“You know, there isn’t always an underneath to the underneath. Sometimes it really is nothing.”
“Humor me.”
She sighs again knowing he’d probably follow through on his threat to hogtie her if she tries escaping again.
“What do you want to know?”
Relieved she was relenting, Kakashi shifts to sit sideways on the sofa while leaning back against the arm.
“Why did you tell Sasuke about the seal evolving? You clearly debated on telling him.”
“We’re relying on Sasuke to get in good with Danzo, but I haven’t forgotten he originally came back to Konoha on a mission to capture me. The time hasn’t been right, but I had to touch on that issue with him.” Briefly looking away, Naruto runs a hand through her damp hair. “Sasuke learned about the fox after he left. Wasn’t much and he didn’t care to know more. While that’s refreshing, it’s also very dangerous. I trust him and believe he wants to change. I told him about the seal so he doesn’t doubt my faith in him. He’s not stupid and knows I just trusted him with a huge secret.”
“It’s a risky move.”
“Yeah, but worth it. What can I say?” she shrugs. “Everything related to Sasuke is a risk.”
“True,” Kakashi chuckles. “Will you tell Sasuke more?” he asks, becoming serious again. “That you’re the Yondaime’s daughter, for example.”
“No,” Naruto replies without hesitation. At his confused expression she rolls her eyes. “Baa-chan left it up to me to reveal that truth or not after she finally told me everything, but warned once everyone knew it might not stay within the village. I could’ve ended up with a new enemy after my ass. I thought about it and decided to keep it quiet, but not because of Iwa. Those bastards don’t scare me.”
Kakashi watches Naruto pause in thought before continuing.
“The Third said my parents died during the Kyuubi attack, but I always doubted it growing up. If that was true, then why couldn’t I know their names? They were dead, what did it matter? So, I figured they abandoned me. Once I found out I carried the fox thought it was because I was the container.” At Kakashi’s horrified expression she arches a brow and sardonically asks, “Anyone who knew the truth didn’t think I should know it, so what else could I think? Especially with nearly everyone in the village hating me for no apparent reason?”
Ignoring Kakashi’s guilty expression she continues.
“Anyways, it took seventeen years for someone to bother telling me. Sasuke went to the academy with me and was my teammate for nearly two years and never asked about me. I still learned more about him and his family from our fight at the Valley of the End than he learned about me. He’s been back for months and never asked anything about the fox until today or asked anything more personal, so why should I volunteer that information now, especially with him? Hell, the rest of the rookies don’t even know about my parents.”
“Why?” he frowns in surprised confusion.
Naruto shakes her head.
“I thought they’d either think I was going to start abusing my father’s name like Sasuke used to abuse the Uchiha name or they wouldn’t believe me.”
“There’s no reason for them to think that or not believe you,” he points out reasonably.
He watches her inwardly debate before she takes a deep breath.
“Once I tried telling Ino after I found out. She didn’t believe me. Thought I was pranking her because there’s no way the Yondaime would have a kid no one knows about and be the dead last of our class. It was embarrassing,” she admits reluctantly looking away from him. “I tried playing it off and lied, saying I was trying to come up with more sophisticated material. Obviously it wasn’t good enough if she already saw right through it. Then I asked her not to tell anyone in case I developed it into a better prank. Ino agreed on the condition I’d let her know so she can be there when I spring it on someone else.”
Incredulous, Kakashi watches a deep flush spread across her face.
“It was a humiliating slap in the face and the worst part was Ino had every reason to believe it was a lie. How could I be the Yondaime’s kid and end up dead last, with no one believing me capable of anything beyond pranking and eating ramen?”
Taking another deep breath she meets his gaze again.
“So I decided to save myself further embarrassment and not tell anyone else. ‘Sides, they were my parents. That knowledge is mine to selfishly hang onto it as long as I can. So, no, I’m not telling Sasuke. He has no right to know it and I sure as hell don’t want to see his reaction if he found out. I can’t trust him with that.”
Seeing how upset she is, Kakashi reaches out and tries pulling her into a hug. He’s surprised when she throws up her hands preventing him from doing it.
“Don’t,” she mutters in a strained voice while firmly pushing him away.
Leaning back and dropping his arms he watches the storm of emotions swirling in her eyes as she continues averting them.
“Is that everything you wanted to ask?” she asks in a low voice after several tense moments.
He clears his throat before answering.
“No.”
Shifting sideways to prop her elbow on the back of the sofa to rest her chin on her fist, Naruto closes eyes while taking another deep, slow breath.
“What else?” she asks before meeting his gaze.
“Why didn’t you give Sasuke the entire story about the attempt to kill you on your seventh birthday?
“Like what?” she arches a brow. “That you were the ANBU who caught me before I was roasted to a crisp?”
She smirks at Kakashi’s dumbstruck expression.
“Wondering how the hell I knew, right?” At his mute nod she explains further. “After I joined ANBU and saw you the first time in uniform I remembered.” Leaning forward she flicks the side of his head, quipping, “Not many silver haired ANBU in dog masks running around.”
Kakashi finally recovers his senses to give her a flat look.
“I thought Inoichi blocked that memory. That’s why I was surprised when you started sharing it with Sasuke.”
“He did. After the Forbidden Scroll incident I kept getting some really bad nightmares and Inoichi thought the trauma I went through was breaking that memory free. He and the Third agreed it’d be better to release it and deal with it rather than wait for it to emerge at a worse time later. But I didn’t know it was you who saved me until I joined ANBU.”
“Was that what was happening?”
“No,” she sighs. “The fox was being a bitch.”
“The fox was doing it?” he asks in surprise.
Holding his gaze, the redhead reluctantly nods.
“We didn’t realize it until much later when the nightmares didn’t stop. Then came the migraine headaches. The seal kept the fox mostly in check, but sometimes the bitch could force enough chakra out through the bleed off channels to give me shit. The mangy mop couldn’t do it often because that took a lot of chakra, but it could be a real nuisance when it wanted to be.”
“The Third knew about it?” he asks, scrutinizing her.
“Yeah. It worried him, so Inoichi started training me in mental exercises to fight off the fox.”
“Stopping the headaches and nightmares,” Kakashi nods in understanding.
“Not at all.” When he gapes at her incredulously she elaborates. “The exercises weren’t working. Jiji and Inoichi were really getting worried. I didn’t like how they were talking about me staying in the psyche ward for a while so I said I was getting better at the exercises. Eventually I convinced them they finally worked.”
“Lying about that was dangerous and reckless, Naruto,” he admonishes with a frown.
Blue eyes glare back defiantly.
“So? I’d do it again. If they locked me up, I’d never get out. And what’s the big fucking deal? I eventually figured out how to turn the nightmares back onto the fox. Took a couple of years, but it stopped trying to fuck with me after I was through with her sorry ass.”
“Okay, so how did you deal with the nightmares and migraines?” he challenges.
“Got stubborn and refused to give in,” she shrugs indifferently. “Meant a lot of restless nights and learning to function through some excruciating migraines. It got easier once I left with Ero-sennin and he taught me some meditation exercises. Combining the exercises with Inoichi’s techniques proved effective and that’s how I finally stopped them.”
Kakashi shakes his head.
“It could’ve backfired.”
“It was about survival,” she snarls vehemently. “Once the council learned why I was in the psyche ward they would’ve made damn sure I stayed put because it meant the monster was no longer running around trying to be a ninja. I wasn’t letting that happen,” she growls defiantly.
“Aren’t you over exaggerating, Naruto? The Sandaime wouldn’t have let that happen and you know it.”
“Riiiight. And we all know what a fucktastic job he did protecting and taking care of me,” Naruto retorts sarcastically. “I really don’t give a shit if you think it was reckless,” she challenges. “I had no one to rely on or trust. It’s why I didn’t tell you and Yamato about talking to the fox. I knew you’d blab to Baa-chan and you did,” she accuses.
“I just lucked out the old farts didn’t bully her into locking me up,” she rolls her eyes. “But that’s probably ‘cause you guys are such good zookeepers. And don’t feed me any bullshit about helping me get out later. You guys wouldn’t have bothered, not if you believed their lies it’s helpful to keep my ass locked up. ‘Cause, y’know, gotta keep the village safe and all,” she mocks sarcastically.
Her gaze hardens.
“Doesn’t matter to those old geezers if I end up dead so long as the fox doesn’t get out. And you seriously expect me to believe things will be dandy if I’m honest?”
Crossing her arms, she silently dares him to contradict her.
“Yeah, thought so,” she snorts derisively when he doesn’t answer. “For someone all about looking ‘underneath the underneath’ you’re so fucking blind. And you wonder why I don’t share. You wonder why I don’t trust.” Jerking a thumb at herself she snarls, “I don’t get to choose how I live. It’s like, ‘fuck Naruto as long as the fox is secure,’ but whatever right? Just shove another bowl of ramen under my nose and all will be right with the world again, right?”
Snatching her book off the kotatsu, she rises to her feet.
“Naruto…”
“You asked your questions. Don’t like the answers? Tough shit. You can kiss my ass. This is my reality,” she hisses, stalking around the low table. “And before you ask, I’m going to my room and staying put like a good, little Jinchuriki. Don’t bother me about dinner.”
Kakashi watches her disappear down the hallway. He remains sitting on the sofa for a long time before finally deciding to call it an early night.
Mechanically going through the motions of preparing for bed, he strips down to his boxers and reaches over to turn off the light before sprawling on his back with his hands tucked behind his head.
Again he replays his conversation with Naruto. He pushed too far. He shoved past her barricades when it was clear she was at her emotional limit. It would’ve hurt a lot less if he punched her in the nose again than insistently poking around under the misguided belief he was helping. The only bright side, if it can be truly called that, he was forced to face his shortcomings in the most brutal way imaginable.
It’s well past midnight when he hears her leave her room. Listening carefully, he’s surprised when she doesn’t return to her room after using the bathroom. Intrigued, he sits up and slides off the bed, habitually throwing on a singlet with a mask attachment before leaving.
Silently crossing the deeply shadowed hallway into the main living area, he follows the dim yellow glow to the kitchen. Stopping where the kitchen meets the dining area, the small bulb over the stove illuminates the room casting deep shadows as Naruto reaches into a cupboard for the kettle.
Glancing over briefly, she rolls her eyes while moving to the sink to fill the pot.
“I wasn’t noisy,” she coldly states.
“You weren’t. I happened to be awake.”
He watches her pause before carrying the kettle over to the stove, setting it on top then igniting the burner. She adjusts the flame to a low setting before speaking again.
“If you’re fishing for more information the lake is barren,” she snipes, still not looking at him.
Stepping over to another cupboard she opens the doors and takes her time picking through the different teas.
“You’re a bit cranky when you don’t get enough sleep,” he casully observes, knowing she’ll talk if he pushes her buttons enough.
She pauses in perusing the teas to turn her head and glare with narrowed eyes.
“Sorry, but happy-go-lucky, vacuous, single-minded, ramen obsessed Naruto isn’t here tonight. Only bitch Naruto is available,” she retorts sarcastically, before turning around again.
‘Okay, so maybe that’s not a good idea right now,’ Kakashi mentally muses while watching her.
“I’m not trying to hurt you by making you talk about the past. I want to help you by facing it.”
“Talking about the past hurts almost as much as when it happened,” Naruto pauses to quietly reply. “And it’s the past, why can’t it stay there? Why are you so interested in it now?”
“Because I failed to help before and want to help with what’s being dredged up now.”
“That shit is only being dredged up because you’re the one doing the dredging!” she snaps, whirling around on him. “And why the fuck are you so interested now? You never bothered before. I survived all that crap by myself, so why do you think I need help? And don’t you dare spout crap it’s to prevent me from turning out like you. That’s got nothing to do with it and you know it.”
Kakashi’s gaze drops briefly before looking back up at fuming redhead standing in the middle of the kitchen with her arms crossed.
“I lost myself in grief, forgetting you needed me. Whether you admit it or not, a lot of your memories are surfacing on their own without my help. It’s not much, but the least I can do as your friend is do what I can now to help because I can’t change the past.”
“Or does it have more to do with easing your own guilt should you encounter my parents in the afterlife?” she demands snidely.
“It eases some guilt, but it has nothing to do with your parents.”
Naruto snorts, turning around again.
“Not like I’d know if they’d truly be angry with you or not.”
She freezes mid step towards the stove at his next words.
“I’m sorry for not telling you about your parents. I fooled myself into believing Jiraiya told you about them, but I didn’t bother to find out if he did because, if he hadn’t, then I’d have to tell you.
“Yeah right, like he’d tell me shit,” she snorts again over her shoulder. “After I learned the truth, every time I asked Ero-sennin he’d pretend to be more than happy to talk about them, but insisted the dead had to be remembered over sake. Then he’d get roaring drunk while reciting the same bullshit all academy students read in a textbook about my dad and said squat about my mom.”
She pauses to glare down at the kettle still slowly heating on the stove.
“Then he’d pass out. Y’know what’s stupid? He wasn’t drunk. He never gets drunk around me. Not to the point of passing out. Like everyone else, he thought I was too stupid to catch on. So I got the message. Don’t ask.”
“Why didn’t you ask me?”
“You’d do the same thing!” she accuses turning to face him.
She steps over to lean against the counter with her arms crossed across her chest. At his puzzled frown, she blows out a harsh breath.
“Before I knew about my parents I asked you about the Yondaime,” she reminds him. “You also recited a textbook answer. I also noticed the sad look in your eye. So I stopped asking and never tried after I learned the truth.”
The heavy silence stretches out around them. The steady flame of the burner and slow roiling sound of the water in the teapot are the only sounds.
“I get why no one said anything before Baa-chan told me,” Naruto finally speaks in a soft voice. “But I can’t figure out why no one would say anything afterwards. Okay, you guys still grieve for my parents, or at least my dad. He was Ero-sennin’s student and your sensei, but what about me?” she eyes him with a demanding glare. “You guys knew them and still have your memories of them. Am I really being that selfish to want to know about them? Hell, I can’t even look up their old files in the tower.”
“Why not?” Kakashi asks in surprise.
“Because their personnel and medical files weren’t where they were supposed to be. It’s like my medical file from when I was a kid. They’re gone. I guess Baa-chan must’ve had them removed so I wouldn’t see it.”
Naruto pauses for a moment, her gaze dropping to the floor.
“Honestly, why should I bother?” she muses softly without looking up. “Unless I ever cast the same jutsu my dad used to seal the Kyuubi there’s no way I’ll ever get to meet him in the next life, so I’ve settled for hoping I’ll get to meet my mom and maybe learn something then.”
She pauses again before finally looking up at her former sensei with a hard gaze.
“What pisses me off the most is how much of a hypocrite you are. You push me into discussing shit I don’t want to, but shut down if I do the same. If I contradict the lies you all tell yourselves about my circumstances, I’m overreacting. You want me to trust you, yet you don’t trust me to take off your fucking mask when we’ve been living together for months. I never try invading your privacy, something you do to me every damn chance you get. You share nothing, but expect me to share everything and anything?”
Disgusted Naruto straightens up and reaches over to the stove to slap the burner off.
“Didn’t you want some tea?” Kakashi asks in surprise.
“Fuck that,” she grumbles, stalking out of the kitchen.
In one swift movement Kakashi wraps his arms around her waist, tangling his leg with hers, spinning them around to face into the kitchen and causing both to drop to the floor. Kneeling next to her, he shifts his arms tightly around her shoulders. He’s prepared to release her if she demands it or starts fighting against him in earnest. He’s a surprised she doesn’t. Hunched over in his arms she merely struggles halfheartedly, trying to untangle herself and break free.
“I’m sorry for not being there when you were younger,” he apologizes softly in her ear. “After the Kyuubi attacked I forgot I still had someone precious left and believed the village needed me more than an orphaned baby. I could’ve let you know there was someone who valued and respected you and never saw you as the beast you imprisoned. I convinced myself you were fine and ignored the obvious signs of your loneliness. I spent most of my life alone and know how hard it must’ve been for you. I’ve only known how to live as a shinobi and never learned how to be a decent human being. A friend tried teaching me once, but old habits die hard.”
Closing his eye briefly, he pauses to take a deep breath.
“I’m sorry for not telling you about your parents. They were worth knowing. They were ecstatic when they found out Kushina was pregnant. Once you were big enough in her belly to feel you moving around, Minato-sensei would come to the tower everyday and corner anyone who knew and tell them in excruciating detail about every kick. It got to the point where they’d avoid him because they didn’t want to hear about the latest kick, roll or punch.”
By this point Naruto stopped struggling to break free from him, listening while struggling to control her erratic breathing. Still hunched over in his arms, Kakashi alternates between gently stroking her hair and back.
“Even if no one else appreciates your sacrifice,” he continues. “I’m proud of how well you’ve weathered the shit in your life and know your parents would be proud of the woman you’ve grown into. If you’re willing to give me the chance, I’d like to try and be at least half the friend you’ve been to me. I can’t change the past. I can only be what you need now. You more than deserve to have someone taking care of you for a change.”
Adjusting his hold, he draws her body straighter, enveloping her in a comforting hug while she absorbs his words. Leaning his cheek to rest on top of her head he feels her shaking as she struggles to control her emotions. Lifting his head he leans in to kiss her forehead, startling her because she can tell he’s maskless. Blue eyes automatically fly to his face, but she catches herself in time to turn away before she can see.
“It’s okay,” he assures her, gently grabbing her chin to force her to look. “I want you to see.” As she stares at his bare face for the first time he insists, “I trust you. Always have. And I’d like you to trust me enough to share your pain with me.”
Tears pool in her eyes before racing down her cheeks as her eyes drift close.
“I hate dumping my stupid shit on anyone else,” she whispers hoarsely. “And I really hate crying about it when it’s long over.” Opening her eyes again, she forlornly adds, “I wasn’t trying to guilt you and don’t want you to be my dumping ground. You don’t have to tell me about my parents. I’m used to having loads of questions I’ll ever get answers to.” Her voice and gaze drops lower. “If you can’t bear to tell me anything else, the only thing I’d really like to know is where my mom is buried.”
Unable to hold back anymore she covers her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle her sobs while Kakashi tightens his hold on her and quietly encourages her to let it out. Shame crashes through him to hear she has absolutely no idea where her mother is buried. He assumed, like everything else, that someone else told her.
Although relieved she’s finally releasing some of her pent up grief and anger, he knows this barely scratches the surface and she’ll feel guilty for getting angry with him and forcing him to reveal his face as well as making him feel guilty over her parents. He’s got his work cut out for him to convince her otherwise. Now he truly understands why Iruka hates forcing her to reveal her feelings; it shreds his heart to pieces to hear her sobbing. He’d rather hear her laugh, but this is necessary for her to move on.
Sitting huddled together on the floor, Kakashi continues comforting her for the longest time until she finally stops crying. A soft snuffle periodically breaks the silence. He’s content to keep holding her like this for as long as she’ll let him.
“That was stupid,” Naruto stuffily mumbles into his shoulder.
“You needed a good cry,” he gently admonishes her.
“Maybe, but my nose is still healing,” she shakes her head. “Now it feels like my head is about to explode because my sinuses are all stuffed up.”
“Then we’ll just have to make sure to elevate your head to relieve some of that,” he chuckles. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep? It should help.”
She doesn’t answer, only sighing heavily.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
His sigh matches hers.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to be alone right now,” she reluctantly admits.
Shaking his head he chuckles again. Raising her head, Naruto glares murderously with bloodshot eyes.
“If you promise not to attack me while I sleep, you can stay with me,” he negotiates. “I don’t want to wake up to find my eyebrows shaved off or something.”
“That’s so juvenile,” retorts pithily. “Besides, I’d shave your entire head.”
Kakashi can’t resist laughing, earning him a soft, sad smile. Calming down, he smiles at her.
“If you can control yourself, you can stay with me.”
“I think I can do that,” her smile turns grateful.
“Good,” he nods.
Climbing to his feet he helps her up. After nudging her toward his room he steps into the kitchen and turns off the light before following.
Within minutes he settles Naruto on the bed with him the same way they did when camped in her secret hideout. He briefly muses how at any other time the situation might’ve been very awkward since he’s still wearing his singlet with the mask pooled about his neck and boxer shorts while she wearing loose fitting pajama pants and a form fitting spaghetti strap sleep top. Neither cares, though.
After resting her head on his chest she promptly falls asleep. He stays awake, listening to her snore. Instead of finding it annoying, it soothes him. With every revelation he grows more impressed with her, shoring up his determination to be more supportive of her. It’s not long before he finally drifts into sleep.
The following morning she resists his encouragement to sleep in, choosing instead to get up and take a shower. When she emerges some time later for breakfast, he instantly notices something is off. Sitting at the end of the table next to her to eat, he surreptitiously he studies her for several minutes but can’t put his finger on it.
“What’s wrong?” he bluntly asks and isn’t surprised by her answer.
“Nothing.”
Viciously suppressing his annoyance he bides his time and to see if he can figure it out. It doesn’t take long to confirm something’s definitely wrong when he notices she’s picking at her food. She may be a ramen addict, but unless it’s completely inedible she never met a plate of food she didn’t like.
“What’s wrong?” he asks more insistently. “Don’t deny it because I can tell you don’t feel right.”
As she hesitates, he notes her eyes remain downcast, only meeting his briefly before dropping again.
“I have a migraine,” she finally admits reluctantly.
“Is the fox causing it?” he asks in surprise.
Rising to his feet he steps over to the sliding glass door of the balcony to close the vertical blinds, realizing the bright sunlight filtering in is bothering her.
“It’s not the furball,” she shakes her head, looking at him after the blinds are closed. “Even though it knows better I checked just in case. The Kyuubi said it’s a combination of my healing sinuses and crying too much last night.”
“But the fox refused to heal your broken nose, couldn’t it be taking advantage to add to your misery?” he asks uncertainly.
Naruto grins mischievously.
“She’s too damn afraid of my punishments to attempt a stunt like that.” At his questioning gaze she adds, “Remember I said I learned to stop the fox from causing my nightmares and migraines. She doesn’t like my punishments, but then who’d want to be locked in a small, bright pink cage in a bright pink room with genin Sakura squealing the virtues of her Sasuke-kun nonstop for three whole days?”
Kakashi stares in horror for a moment before shuddering.
“You’re cruel.”
“It’s no less than the damn idiot deserves after inflicting some very graphic and vicious nightmares on me when I was younger,” Naruto declares proudly. “Threatening the dust mop with that one alone keeps her in line, so I’m certain it’s not causing my migraine.”
He regards her for a few moments.
“I should let Sasuke know we won’t be stopping by today.”
“Why not?” the redhead demands. “I’ve got a migraine, not a critical injury. It’s not a big deal.”
“Migraines can be excruciating and very distracting,” he replies while still eyeing her. “Sasuke would understand if we can’t make it today because of it.”
“I’ve never let them get in the way before and I’m not going to start now,” she glares. “We’ve taken a long break from the investigation as it is and I want to get back into it. If you want to skip today, fine. I’m going over to Sasuke’s this afternoon.”
Recognizing she won’t budge he contemplates hitting her with a sleep jutsu for her own good, but immediately realizes that’s counterproductive to getting her to trust him.
“Then you should lie down and get some more rest,” he suggests with a resigned sigh. When she opens her mouth to protest, he adds, “You have nothing else scheduled today and more sleep might help.”
Closing her eyes while rubbing her forehead with one hand she grudgingly nods.
“Go rest in my room,” he orders. “My window faces south and gets the least amount of sunlight. I’ll clean up here.”
Naruto considers protesting, but catches the look in his eye. It’s still odd seeing his face, but her head hurts too much to care and lying down sounds so appealing. Reluctantly she rises from her seat and disappears down the hallway.
Kakashi gathers their dishes and carries them into the kitchen to wash them. Leaving them on the rack to dry, he slices his thumb and flashes through a few quick signs before slapping his hand onto the counter. A small poof of smoke quickly dissipates, revealing a familiar little pug looking dourly up at him.
“Yo, Kakashi.”
Smiling down at the little dog, Kakashi scratches behind his ears.
“I’ve got to go see the Hokage. Naruto has a migraine and is resting in my room. I need you to keep an eye on her until I get back.”
“Sure thing, boss,” the pug replies before leaping off the counter and heading down the hallway.
Satisfied, Kakashi leaves the apartment, heading directly for the tower. Unfortunately, Tsunade is in a meeting when he arrives. Sighing in resignation, he pulls his Icha Icha out and leans up against a wall.
“Kakashi? Tsunade-sama is ready to see you,” Shizune informs him nearly an hour later.
Sighing in relief, he swiftly tucks the book away into his pouch and heads into the office.
“Good morning, Tsunade-sama,” he greets the blonde.
“Morning,” she nods back. “What brings you around? Naruto’s still not getting shit from anyone over that asinine betting pool is she?”
“It’s been quiet since we got back.”
“Good. Now that you mention it, give me your full report.”
“If you insist,” he smiles, irritating the blonde.
He proceeds to report on the past few days, leaving out exactly where they went to hide. She doesn’t ask, but he hinted in his messages Pakkun delivered they went deep into the woods. He then details their conversation with Sasuke.
“I’m glad to hear Sasuke truly understands what’s at stake for the gaki,” she sighs in relief when he finishes. “He was still being a defiant, surly, little prick when I reamed his ass for fighting with Genma.”
“Naruto still believes and trusts in him,” Kakashi reminds her. “But our little trip into hiding didn’t do enough to relieve her stress. This morning she woke up with a migraine and is why I’m here.” At Tsunade’s alarmed expression he adds, “Naruto verified it isn’t because of the fox. She once mentioned many medications are toxic to her, but I came to see if maybe you had something that can help her.”
“There’s nothing I can give the gaki,” Tsunade regretfully explains with a resigned sigh. “Most medications aren’t potent enough and the ones that are cause more harm than good. The fox is separate, but their systems are so entwined from the seal evolving that certain drugs are too toxic for Naruto to take. Her system is too sensitive and has taken on certain characteristics. She won’t die from the side effects, but she’ll be very sick until they pass.”
At Kakashi’s confused expression she explains further.
“The fox may be a demon, but it’s still like an animal. It’s a similar situation as to why many drugs humans take for their ailments can’t be administered to dogs, it’d poison the animal. It took us a long time to figure out why Naruto reacted poorly to certain medications. It wasn’t until Jiraiya realized the seal evolved, permanently tying Naruto and the fox together, that we finally understood. Unfortunately, she has to wait for the migraine to run its course and try to get as much rest as possible.”
“Easier said than done,” Kakashi rolls his eye. “She insists on going over to the Uchiha compound today and resuming the investigation.”
The busty blonde shrugs.
“A migraine won’t kill the gaki, just make her miserable. Do what you can to convince her to take it easy and keep me posted if it gets worse.”
“Aye,” Kakashi nods before leaving the office.
When he returns to his apartment, Pakkun immediately appears in the living room.
“About time you got back,” he scolds. “Do you take the scenic route whenever you visit the Hokage?”
The jounin’s eye narrows dangerously down at the agitated pug.
“It takes as long as it takes when the Hokage has a moment to spare,” he bites out.
“Well, things always seem to happen when you’re gone. I’m a ninken, not a doctor,” the dog grouses sullenly.
“What happened? Is Naruto okay?” Kakashi demands impatiently.
“She’s fine now,” Pakkun assures him. “She rushed to the bathroom to throw up an hour after you left. Afterwards she started shivering but curled up in the throw you keep on your bed. She kept tossing and turning, but eventually fell asleep.”
Kakashi releases a soft sigh of relief.
“Okay, thanks for watching her. Go home. I’ll call you back if I need to.”
He watches the pug poof out of existence then heads down the hallway. Peering inside he notes she’s still asleep. Satisfied, he returns to the living room to stretch out on the sofa to read.
Around midday he makes a simple miso soup, thinking Naruto should be able to stomach it and keep down. When it’s ready he returns to his room to wake her up to eat.
“Lunchtime, Naruto,” he gently shakes her awake.
Rousing, she looks up at him blearily.
“Ugh, do I have to? I don’t feel hungry.”
“It’s better to try eating on your own than for me to sit on you and pour it down your throat through a funnel,” he replies cheerfully.
Her former sensei’s falsely benign grin is even more chilling, causing her to shiver.
“Okay, fine!” she concedes irritably, sitting up.
“How’s your headache?” he asks over his shoulder, leading her down the hallway.
“Still there, but I don’t feel nauseous right now,” she replies, easing into one of the chairs at the table. “At least my migraines don’t affect my vision like I’ve heard it doing to other people. That’s why they’re doable for me.”
Settling into his own seat, Kakashi merely nods.
“You know, I can still send a message to Sasuke, canceling.”
A heated glare is his only answer.
“Okay, maybe not,” he muses aloud. Then he points out, “He’ll throw you out and insist you come home and rest when he finds out.”
“He won’t find out.” At his arched brow, she rolls her eyes. “He won’t.”
Shrugging, the silver-haired jounin decides to leave it alone.
After eating, Kakashi chases Naruto out of the kitchen to get ready. Cleaning up he wonders if she’ll really be able to hide her condition from Sasuke.
If Sasuke notices anything when they first arrive at his home a half hour later he neither shows it nor mentions it. After declining his offer of lunch or tea they leave and head for the home of one of the Uchiha names they uncovered during their investigation.
The small home is located on the far end of the compound from the main house. It hasn’t been opened since the massacre and the air inside is heavy and stale. The lingering sour scent of death is strong, especially to someone with a keen sense of smell like Kakashi. Luckily for him the mask he wears is an excellent filter, muting the scent. Unfortunately for Naruto, whose senses have become just as sharp as his in recent years, the mask doesn’t work nearly as well. He’s not surprised when she rushes outside to share the remains of lunch with a nearby bush. Fortunately she pulls the mask down in time.
“Naruto, are you okay?” Sasuke asks from the open doorway of the house.
Straightening up on her knees, she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand before replying.
“Yeah, teme. My sinus tissues are still healing from the broken nose and the odor is strong. I just couldn’t take it.”
“Then we should hold off on this until you’re healed,” the brunet states.
“Hey! We didn’t come all the way over here for a garden tour,” she protests, rising to her feet. “When we opened the door it was like a physical wall of stink.”
“It might help if we open all the windows and doors to air the place out,” Kakashi suggests, knowing Naruto will dig her heels in no matter how much they argue with her.
“Good idea,” Sasuke agrees. “The smell is pretty strong even for me.”
“Stay here,” Kakashi order’s Naruto with a pointed look.
She grudgingly nods in agreement since her stomach is still feeling queasy while the two men disappear into the house. Within minutes they have everything wide open. Naruto joins them inside and they begin their meticulous search through every nook and cranny.
Two hours later when they’re still searching the living room, Sasuke breaks the silence.
“You’re awfully subdued today, baka.”
“I’m trying to focus on making up for all the time we’ve missed, teme,” Naruto huffs irritably.
“’Focus’ isn’t in your vocabulary like ‘stubborn’ and ‘pigheaded’ are,” he shoots back.
Naruto looks up from the sofa she was tearing apart to glare at him. Kakashi grins, but remains silent, wondering how she’s going to handle the situation.
“I’m thinking, something you might try sometime, teme,” she retorts. “Like about mummy man’s timing.” At Sasuke’s frown she rolls her eyes. “C’mon, he sometimes approached you since you’ve been back, but don’t you think he came up to you this last time like he had a specific purpose? As if he knows we’re running out of road with our investigation and was biding his time. Like he’s been waiting for you to become so frustrated you’d be willing to align yourself to him.”
“How the hell could he know that?” Sasuke frowns in confusion. “Like you, I think he’s responsible for my family’s death, but we’ve been discreet. Even if Sakura shot off her mouth and the wrong people overheard she wasn’t clued in to everything.”
“Danzo is cunning enough to be aware of what’s incriminating,” Kakashi points out. “How much damage it could cause and, more importantly, where that evidence would lie. Which explains why certain documents ended up missing in the tower when we went to look for them.”
Naruto nods.
“Danzo is a master manipulator, so he’s guiding you into a corner where you’re forced to ask for help from him because the old geezer is in a great position to supposedly give you what you need.”
“Hm, it certainly gives me a lot more insight into how the man’s mind works,” Sasuke muses thoughtfully.
Kakashi inwardly grins while Sasuke refocuses on his search. He silently congratulates the redhead for brilliantly distracting the Uchiha scion who will continue silently brooding over Danzo for the rest of the day.
He does maintain a low-key surveillance of Naruto while they gather whatever documents they find and carefully examine them. Meanwhile Sasuke thoroughly checks each room for any hidden compartments.
Later that afternoon Sasuke returns to the kitchen where his teammates are working.
“It’s getting too dark. We’re going to have to stop for today.”
“It’s still daylight!” Naruto protests.
Glancing around the room, Kakashi nods.
“It’s getting too shadowed in here and will be too hard to see soon.”
“Then we turn on the lights,” she rolls her eyes.
“No electricity,” Sasuke reminds her. At her incredulous look it’s his turn to roll his eyes. “Why have power to homes no one is living in? It’d be a waste of effort to get the electric company scheduled to come out and hook it up for just a couple days work.”
“Fine,” Naruto grudgingly concedes.
Sasuke smirks at her, watching as she and Kakashi gather together the documents on the table.
“Why don’t you both stay for dinner? We’re taking these back to my place anyway and can examine them afterward.”
“I’d love to, teme, but I got a headache from the stink and don’t want it developing into a migraine. I just want to go home and sleep,” she explains.
Blinking in surprise a smirk crosses the brunet’s lips.
“I never thought I’d see the day where you’d willingly go home and rest, baka.”
He and Kakashi laugh at her murderous glare.
“Let’s get these back to Sasuke’s house, Naruto,” Kakashi suggests before they start bickering again.
After dropping everything off at Sasuke’s and bidding him goodnight, Naruto and Kakashi return to their apartment nearly an hour later.
“You should try eating something since breakfast and lunch returned for a visit,” Kakashi suggests while locking the door behind them.
He watches her consider it before nodding.
“Good,” he smiles. “No go lay down in my room while I make dinner.”
When she opens her mouth in indignant outrage he cuts her off with a stern look. Glaring back, she huffs in irritation and disappears down the hallway.
Smiling in triumph he enters the kitchen, deciding to make more miso soup. Bearing the tray into his room a half hour later he finds her still awake.
“Thanks for making dinner,” she smiles.
“You’re welcome,” he replies, pulling down his mask while taking his bowl off the tray to eat with her.
They eat in comfortable silence for several minutes before he breaks it.
“Are you up to answering a couple of questions?”
Pausing with her spoon midway to her mouth, she briefly gapes at him before rolling her eyes.
“I swear you must’ve been a damn cat in a past life,” she mutters irritably before sticking the spoon in her mouth.
“Can’t help it,” he shrugs. Smiling at her, he adds, “If you don’t feel up to it I’ll back off. I wasn’t there for all the events surrounding your seventh birthday and had always been curious about the entire story. I never thought about asking until you mentioned it and I understood your memories of it were still suppressed.”
Naruto cocks her head in confusion.
“I thought you were there for nearly all of it because how did you get there in time to save me?”
“I always tried to be around for your birthday,” he explains, setting his empty bowl on the tray in her lap. “The mission the Sandaime sent me out on that year took longer than expected and I just returned to the village that evening. My teammates weren’t happy I was violating protocol in not reporting in immediately when I insisted on checking on you first. They quieted when we found your home in shambles. I ordered one to notify the Hokage and the other to get back up. I tracked you down and got there in time to catch you before you landed on the bonfire.”
“While I took you to safety, backup arrived and arrested some of the mob. It didn’t take long to learn that attack was incited by a couple of drunken jounin who never liked the Hokage. They led the growing mob to your apartment, trashing it when they didn’t find you and tracking you down in the streets. After the Hokage took you into his protection I had to leave again on another mission related to the one my team just completed, so I had no idea what happened afterward since I was gone for a couple of months. Years later when the Hokage informed me you’d be on my team he said your memories were suppressed and I was not to mention it to you.”
Noticing she finished eating, he moves the tray out of her way to the nightstand while she curls on her side under the throw, thinking.
“I always wondered how the hell you got there in the nick of time,” her mouth quirks into a smile.
He smiles back.
“Fortunately we made it back when we did or you’d have been laid up for days healing from severe burns.”
“I would’ve been dead,” Naruto corrects him, shocking him. “The old dust mop hadn’t awakened yet and I hadn’t suffered any life threatening injuries before to awaken it. I only know what happened because when she was being a bitch to drive me crazy she liked to use my worst memories. Later she told me I wouldn’t have survived. The fire was more intense than it looked. I would’ve been so severely burned there would’ve been no chance of saving me.”
She gives Kakashi a chance to process her words.
“What do you want to know?”
“All of it,” he shrugs.
“Why does that not surprise me?” she smirks, shaking her head. “This memory isn’t too bad except for a couple of spots. After you got me to the tower the old man took me home that night. He was honest with me, well, as honest as he could be since I didn’t know about the demon yet. He explained he wouldn’t tolerate any adult attempting to harm or kill any child of the village. Since there were a lot of people he’d have to punish there’d be even more upset about it.”
Sighing softly she continues.
“Since there’d be a lot of drama and my apartment was in ruins I’d be staying with his family temporarily. His daughter-in-law Ren and older son Akio weren’t real happy about it. They were scared that some idiot would try to get to me while I was there. They were still nice to me, though. They were just worried because of Konohamaru. He hadn’t turned four yet and latched onto me like a leech because my hair fascinated him. But he really liked I didn’t treat him like fragile glass and had no problem knocking him on his butt if he got too bratty.”
“It was really nice because it was the first time I got a clue as to what a real family was like,” she adds with a wistful smile. “Anyways,” she continues. “Jiji was gone most of the day and Akio worked in Intel, so his hours varied between long and longer. Most of the time it was just me with Konohamaru and Ren until Asuma came home for a few days. I overheard him telling Ren it was heating up and his pops wanted him to stick around until things settled down.”
“That’s an understatement,” Kakashi smirks. “I heard many villagers refused to believe you were an innocent victim. Rumors floated around that you tricked the mob into attacking you. A couple of council members tried taking advantage of the situation and were calling for your execution.”
“Yeah,” Naruto nods. “After my memory was unlocked Jiji explained what happened. That’s why he hid me at his family estate, to keep me out of the way until it all blew over. The councilors who wanted my execution went so far to call for the old man’s resignation.”
“I heard the Sandaime got really pissed,” he nods in agreement, shifting to sit more comfortably on the bed. “Everyone got a swift reminder that he was Hokage and was still in charge. He argued every person in that mob deliberately broke his laws regarding the Kyuubi attack, insulting the Yondaime’s sacrifice and last wish. Those in disagreement of punishing the violators by calling for your execution and his resignation not only violated those same laws, but also were committing treason. All punishable by death. So the councilors and most of the mob were put to death in a semi-public execution and witnessed by the Daimyo who supported the Sandaime’s decision. The execution of the two jounin who instigated everything was more restricted, witnessed only by the rank and file. They were burned to death in a similar manner to what they attempted to do to you.”
Naruto sighs softly.
“I wasn’t happy when Jiji told me all this. Enough people already died in the Kyuubi attack and many survivors had trouble living with the aftermath, so I understand why they try taking it out on me. There didn’t need to be more deaths added to the tally.”
“No one has the right to take out their frustration and grief on you,” he shakes his head in disagreement. “The Sandaime had no choice. Obviously a majority of the village wasn’t taking his law seriously. They needed a reminder of the consequences of ignoring his laws and that those laws would be enforced.”
The silence stretches out while she digests his words.
“You mentioned Akio and Ren were concerned about you staying with them and their fears were justified. What happened?” he prods.
“Well, Asuma watched Konohamaru and I like a hawk,” she continues. “We weren’t allowed to go very far from the house even if we were still within the courtyard walls. It was really nice and peaceful there,” she smiles wistfully. “The brat and I had a lot of fun annoying Asuma and pranking him by hiding his cigarettes or lighter. I was supposed to stay in the guest room, but after the first night Konohamaru pitched a royal fit and insisted I bunk with him. The brat got his way, which really wasn’t such a good idea after all.”
“A couple of weeks later someone threw a bottle of alcohol with a flaming rag stuffed in the neck through our bedroom window. It immediately started a fire. Konohamaru and I woke up right away, but were trapped. I grabbed him and tried finding a break in the flames while he screamed and cried. Asuma came running and jumped the fire to get us both out.”
Kakashi watches her get lost in thought before speaking again.
“When I got the memories unlocked Jiji said our attacker was one of the ANBU guards assigned to watch the estate.”
Kakashi gapes in shock
“ANBU?”
Holding his gaze, Naruto nods.
“Apparently the woman wasn’t as loyal to the Hokage as she swore to be because she wasn’t happy with the punishments he handed out. She tried making it look like an irate villager threw the bottle into Konohamaru’s room.”
Kakashi continues sitting in stunned silence before finally speaking.
“I heard of one being punished for dereliction of duty, but didn’t know all the details, especially that it was a deliberate attack on the Third’s home. I remember it rattling the ANBU ranks and most were so disgusted they refused to talk about it. I wasn’t interested in finding out either. I knew enough to feel the bitch deserved it.”
“It was a good thing she tried making it look like the work of a disgruntled villager because there’s no way Konohamaru and I would’ve survived if she used an explosive tag.”
“It must’ve freaked out Akio and Ren,” he muses.
“‘Freaked’ doesn’t even begin to cover it,” she arches a brow at him. “But Jiji held his ground and Asuma backed him up.
“That’s not something one heard about those two often,” Kakashi chuckles.
“Yeah,” Naruto smiles. “I heard they were more at odds with each other than not.”
“You heard right, but I’m more interested in the rest of the story than talking about them.”
“Slave driver,” she mutters with a smirk. “Asuma argued there was no place safer for me than their home and they need to remember that as direct relations to the Hokage they’re all at risk anyway from his personal enemies as well as the enemies of Konoha. Akio definitely agreed with that and Ren couldn’t really argue any different. It’s not that she didn’t like me. She didn’t want to see me hurt. She was just scared for Konohamaru. Naturally security was a lot tighter, but she wanted me to stay in one of the guest rooms and have Konohamaru stay with her and Akio. The brat pitched another huge fit, so Asuma solved the problem by insisting we both stay with him, arguing it was too dangerous to isolate me and this way he can keep a close eye on both of us.”
Kakashi can’t resist smirking.
“Asuma must’ve had fun sharing a bed with two little kids.”
“I wasn’t so bad,” Naruto loftily huffs. “Konohamaru, on the other hand, was a little acrobatic bed hog. It may have been awkward at first sleeping next to Asuma since I barely met him, but he was a great barrier between the brat and I. I woke up several times to Asuma’s cursing because the little booger was either jabbing his stinky little feet in his face or kicking him in the crotch.”
Kakashi winces and chuckles at the imagery while a fond smile spreads across her face.
“It was also nice having someone to help soothe the nightmares I was having from nearly being fried twice. It was hard when it was just the brat and I. I didn’t want to wake and scare him just because I was having a bad dream. He was a sound sleeper, but some of those nightmares got pretty bad. Asuma was great about it and we’d talk about them in the daytime.”
“After everything was settled, Jiji consulted Inoichi about me and they decided to lock my memories away so I could have a fresh start. I didn’t like it because I’d forget all about my stay with them. Jiji said they’d be doing the same to Konohamaru so if he were to ever run into me again he wouldn’t accidentally remind me of what happened. And since my memories weren’t unlocked until a couple months after the Forbidden Scroll incident, Konohamaru and I thought we met for first time when I went to register as a ninja. As far as I know his memories are still locked.”
Naruto pauses again in thought.
“The firebombing of Konohamaru’s room along with the firebombing of Iruka’s house when I stayed with him on my tenth birthday is why I won’t stay with anyone on my birthday. I don’t want to put anyone else at risk. Some wounds just won’t heal.”
Kakashi blows out a harsh breath before nodding.
“True. Otherwise there wouldn’t be someone out to kill you right now.”
“Does that complete the picture?” she sighs heavily.
“Yeah it does,” he smiles. “Thanks for telling me.”
She returns his smile while shifting again to curl more on her side.
“There were definitely some good parts to the whole mess that makes it a better memory than some of the others, so it wasn’t so bad sharing,” she admits.
“Get some rest,” he orders, rising to his feet.
Picking up the tray he leaves the room, pulling the door closed behind him. The rest of the evening passes quietly as he relaxes on the sofa reading or brooding over what Naruto shared this time.
When he’s ready for bed, he checks on her. He’s not surprised when she asks him to stay with her again. Even if she hadn’t, he planned on staying anyway and keeping a close eye on her. Again she settles comfortably against him and it doesn’t take long for both to drift off to sleep.
“Mornin’, Kakashi,” Naruto greets him the next morning while shuffling into the kitchen and stifling a yawn.
Glancing up at her, he’s relieved that she looks a hell of a lot better than yesterday.
“Good morning, Naruto,” he greets back while he continues making breakfast. “Has your headache abated a little at least?”
“It’s completely gone.”
“I thought they typically last a couple of days for you,” he frowns in confusion.
“At least three,” she replies while reaching for a cup from the cupboard and pouring herself some coffee. Noticing his puzzled expression she adds, “I’m just as surprised as you. Turns out the mangy furball cured it. It was stubborn about healing my nose, but rushed to take care of my headache.”
“Why?” his frown deepens. “It would’ve passed in another day or so and it wasn’t a life threatening injury.
Leaning back against the counter, Naruto smirks before taking a sip of her coffee.
“Apparently furball was paying attention to our conversations and got a little concerned I might become a little vindictive because of all the migraines she used to cause me. And the bitch is right to be concerned. We may be on good terms now, but I’ve got a long memory and no problem getting some payback whenever I get the chance. So the Kyuubi hustled her furry ass to cut temptation.”
“The Sakura room?”
“The Sakura room,” Naruto nods.
Kakashi shakes his head in amusement. She grins into her cup while he focuses back on making breakfast so they can head over to Sasuke’s to pick up where they left off the previous day.
A/N: There will be an accomanying one shot detailing Naruto's bonfire memory when she was seven. Unfortunately I haven't finished it yet and am not sure as to the timeframe of when it'll be done. It will happen, though. ^_^
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Underneath The Leaves