A Darker World | By : bob665 Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2252 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: Disclaimer I do not own Naruto, and I do not make any money from these writings. |
Naruto woke to knocking. Upon opening his eyes, he felt a moment of disorientation before he remembered where he was. Konohamaru was sleeping next to him, sharing the same pillow. He was stirring, too. “I'll get it,” Naruto told him.
He had already slipped out of bed and was halfway to the door when Konohamaru chimed in with, “Boxers.”
The blonde looked down and noticed the absence of them and laughed before doing a quick search. Last night had been fun, chasing, wrestling and sex. Naruto had never had a night like it. They had just enjoyed each other like they never had before. Maybe it was because they didn't have to worry about someone walking in on them or their time together being cut short. Then again, Konohamaru had seemed a little different, too.
Cracking the door open, he fully expected to see Jiraiya, but Haku was standing there instead. “Um, hey?”
The teen smiled weakly, “Sorry, I thought you two would be up by now. I'll come back later.”
He started to turn and Naruto blurted out. “Wait, was there something you wanted?”
“Your Master is having a meeting with our Intelligence Head. It's been decided you should be treated as a guest of the village. I thought perhaps we could spar for a little, and then maybe I could give you a little tour.”
“Master,” Naruto repeated slowly.
“Jiraiya,” Haku repeated cautiously. “You are training to be a ninja right?”
“Yeah,” he felt like he had been insulted. “Just give me a minute to get dressed and I will kick your butt.” Naruto closed the door and went on a search for the rest of his clothes. Konohamaru had rolled over, trying to go back to sleep and Naruto gave him a little shake. “Come on, time to get up.”
“Training?” Konohamaru muttered.
“No. That Haku kid wants to spar with me. Come on, you can watch.”
Opening an eye, Konohamaru asked, “Can I spar him?”
Naruto paused, remembering Haku had expressed an interest in sparring both of them the other day. He wasn't going to allow that, though. True, they both sparred Jiraiya or at least one of his clones just about every day, but this was different. “I don't think he'll be up for more once I'm done with him.”
Konohamaru grinned at that and slid out of bed. It was only when he turned around that Naruto noticed a small mark on the back of his neck. “Does that hurt?” Naruto asked, suddenly feeling guilty. A hickey, that was embarrassing. At the House they were a common annoyance, but they had never really bothered Naruto.
“Does what hurt?”
“It's nothing,” Naruto said leaning down and giving him a kiss.
When they emerged from the room, Haku was leaning against the far wall and gave them a smile. “Well, shall we get going? I know the perfect spot.”
“Lead the way,” Naruto responded, following after him.
“So what type of justu do you know?” Haku asked as they walked down the hallway.
“Transformation is the only one I’ve really mastered,” he said glancing down at Konohamaru who nodded in agreement.
“Mastered? That’s a pretty good first step. I can think of a half-dozen justu you could probably learn in an afternoon.”
“Really? Could you show us?” Konohamaru said perking up.
Haku smiled and bowed a little forward so Konohamaru could see him. “I’m sure Jiraiya is planning to, and it would be impolite for me to interfere.”
Haku was quiet for a moment as if he was considering something. “I suggest we keep this strictly Taijutsu. No weapons or justu. Is that all right with you two?”
“You're only fighting me,” Naruto said quickly before adding, “If you can still stand after I'm done, Konohamaru can finish you off.”
Haku gave him a look that he couldn't understand. “You do realize I want to keep this friendly, right?”
“Yeah, friendly.” Naruto answered trying not to looking at Konohamaru. The conversation died after that. Haku led them up a flight of stairs and Naruto knew that Konohamaru wasn't happy with him. The stairway opened into a very large room devoid of anything.
“This floor has two purposes,” Haku said turning to them. “First, it allows the Mizukage to train without being observed. The second is this floor separates the Mizukage’s private residence from the rest of the building. In the past, at least two ninja would be stationed here, but master Zabuza does not have the need for any elaborate security.” He smiled and gestured towards the center of the room, “Shall we, Naruto?”
Naruto grinned nervously, but excitedly, and started towards the center of the room and took a glance back only to see Konohamaru against the wall with his arms crossed. He felt a little bad for lying to him, but he didn't want him to get hurt either. Haku seemed nice enough, but just because someone said all the right things didn't mean they were.
Naruto and Haku faced off in the center of the room, standing about ten feet apart. He dropped back into a stance. His right foot was in front, left foot had a ninety degrees angle to his right. He crouched and waited for Haku to do something similar but the teen just stood there.
“Whenever you're ready,” Haku said
Naruto scowled. Haku was just standing there, his arms at his side with his weight slightly more on his one foot than the other. He noticed this without really noticing it, but Naruto did know he wasn't being taken seriously. He charged.
Naruto took a little satisfaction in the surprise that registered on Haku's face but this first punch was dodged and his follow-up kick was blocked as well, Haku sprung backwards. “You’re faster than I thought you would be.”
He didn't know what to say to that, so he just went after him again and nearly had his legs go out from under him which caused him to retreat. Annoyed, but finding this exciting, he went on the attack again. They went back and forth, attacking and blocking but neither leading a significant blow. After ten minutes they were both sweating and Naruto decided to go for something unorthodox. The clones he fought sometimes praised him for his ingenuity and sometimes scolded him for his stupidity, but his invented moves tended to work half the time.
The next time there was some distance between them, he came at Haku. Aiming just to the right of Haku's center of mass, his opponent simply took a half a step back to avoid the blow. Naruto continued, almost as if he was going to do a cartwheel, but when both hands were on the floor he sprung backwards, catching the teen who grunted with the impact. Unfortunately, Naruto hadn't thought this through and they both fell to the ground before rolling away from each other. To his surprise, he saw Haku smiling.
“What was that, a double donkey kick? I've never seen something like that before. You're really full of surprises.”
“Yeah, I've heard that before,” Naruto answered.
“Very well, time to finish this,” Haku said before disappearing.
The next thing Naruto knew, his right arm was twisted around and an arm was wrapped around his throat. He tried to bring his foot down on one Haku’s but he was pulled back in, a strangled cry escaped his throat. He tried to use his left arm to loosen the teen's grip around his throat.
He felt breath on his ear and Haku asked calmly, “Is Konohamaru as good as a fuck as he looks? Mind if I have a go?”
Something snapped in Naruto and he ripped the arm free from around his neck. Haku tried to retreat, but Naruto's hand grabbed his sleeve. Pulling the teen towards him, Naruto slammed his fist into the side of the teen’s head. Haku flailed backwards, Naruto hit him again and he fell. Before he could do anything, Naruto jumped on top of him and him punched him again in the face. As his fist connected, Haku shattered into millions of pieces with a loud crack.
Shocked, Naruto belatedly realized he was sitting on ice and he looked up confused, only to see Haku kowtowing several feet away. Not expecting this, Naruto stood slowly as the teen spoke.
“Please accept my apologies, Naruto. First for my crude language and second for my deception.”
“What's going on?” Naruto demanded.
“My Master, Zabuza, asked me to find out information about you two to confirm Jiraiya’s story. While he is a well-known outlaw of the Leaf, our village is well-known for its paranoia. We suspects traps within traps and prefers to stay out of Continental affairs when possible. However, our position has become increasingly difficult to maintain. Jiraiya’s plan seems promising, but we have to be sure. However, he showed up with you two.”
“What's your point?” Naruto demanded.
Haku sat up, and this time when he smiled it was sad. “When I asked to fight you, I did want to see what your capabilities were, but I was also seeing what type of training you have had. Each village has an Academy and all graduate's fighting styles, at least in the beginning, have some similarities. Yours do not look like something out of Leaf. Clearly, you've been trained by someone in particular and someone who allows you to experiment. However, you could have just have been an elaborate decoy.”
“Decoy?” Naruto echoed, much of his anger fading only to be replaced with confusion.
“There is a house of prostitution under the protection of the Leaf Village. The money it brings in partly allows that village to undercut other villages. Several months ago, we learned that several people had escaped which had resulted in a reduced of funds coming from there. The idea that the rebel faction was behind this is widely assumed. However, we could not rule out the possibility that this was all an elaborate plan. We had to consider that you two were just a part of a plot to deceive us into a trap.”
“Yeah, we're not.” The reference to the House was unnerving. He was used to keeping that information secret, but the way Haku had said it sounded like it was just common knowledge.
“That is clear now. You're pretty protective of Konohamaru and that's a pretty hard thing to fake. You also seem to be bit affectionate, too, judging by that marks on his neck.” Haku smile turned into a mischievous one as Naruto felt his cheeks redden. “However, it was mostly a reaction just now combined with that,” he nodded behind Naruto, “which convinced me that you are what you say you are. Again, I apologize for putting you through that. Missions are not always pleasant things.”
Naruto looked over his shoulders to see Konohamaru who had peeled away from the wall and was now looking confused. It took him a second to realize that he must've noticed the change in the tone of the spar. Had he been coming to help him or stop him? He gestured for him to come over, and Konohamaru unhesitatingly did so, obviously not scared of him.
“We're going back to the room.” He slung his arm around Konohamaru and started to turn away.
“Naruto, Konohamaru, I am sorry. Please, at least allow me to treat you to breakfast.”
He would've said no, but at that moment both their stomachs growled and in the large empty room, the sound echoed.
Haku took them to a small place where everyone seemed to know him. He ordered for all three of them some sort of fish and rice meal. It started to drizzle outside and Haku began to talk about the weather next. Naruto only half listened, still a little upset about the deception, but also wondering about his anger. Now that he thought about it, it kind of scared him. At that moment, he had wanted to kill Haku. He could only remember feeling like that once before, that had been the night he and Konohamaru had escaped the House. Had it really just been that comment that had set him off? He wasn't sure what he should feel about that.
With a sigh, he let that thought go and tried to pay more attention to the talking. Haku did seem pretty nice, and if he didn't have a choice about tricking them earlier, he probably shouldn't hold that against him. So, he tried to join in on the conversation. Konohamaru had warmed up to Haku and when they finished eating no one seemed in a hurry to leave. Eventually, the meandering talk did go back to the spar.
“So, how did Naruto do?” Konohamaru asked, grinning at Naruto.
Haku grew thoughtful for a moment. “Well, if I had to judge his Taijutsu skills I would place them in the low-Chunin range.”
“Is that good,” Naruto asked.
“Quite well, especially since I'm guessing you've only had a few months of training. You don't know the ninja rankings?”
“He knows them, he just forgot them.” Konohamaru chimed in helpfully.
“And you know them?” Haku question.
“Genin, Chunin and Jounin,” Konohamaru answered, grinning at Haku's pleasent smile.
“Very good, but there's also Special Jounin who usually excels in at least one particular field. That's what I am.”
Naruto had been drinking tea when he heard that and coughed, causing some tea to go up his nose and being grateful he had ordered it cold. “You're a Jounin.”
“Special Jounin,” Haku corrected. “My specialty is not Taijutsu, however.”
“What is it then?” Konohamaru asked.
“That is a secret of this village so I'm afraid I couldn't tell you. However, do you remember what I told you about that room? How there used to be two ninja there? I've replaced them.” Haku took a sip of tea and then said, “I think the rain is stopping.”
“You're not much older than I am!” Naruto shouted and then shrunk in his chair as he realized everyone was looking at him.
“Yes, but age and ability are not causational.” Haku said, covering his smile with his cup of tea.
“What does causational mean?” Konohamaru asked, relieving Naruto of that duty.
“Causational is the relationship between cause and effect. In most professions, it takes a long time to become good at something, and as you get older you may even master it. However, this is not always the case when it comes to being a ninja. Some excel at a young age and then plateau while others never plateau. Personally, I think it depends on how much a tool someone is willing to become.” His eyes flicked to Naruto who wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but as he opened his mouth Haku spoke shockingly, “Konohamaru, is that a hole in your shirt?”
The younger boy looked surprised before following the older teen’s line of sight to his sleeve. Curiously, Konohamaru stuck a finger through the small hole that barely let his finger through. “I guess. This was my last shirt without one too.”
“Unacceptable,” Haku said standing. “Honored guests of Kirigakure cannot be dressed as such. It reflects badly on our hospitality. Come with me right away, I know of a place where they sell fine clothes.” He reached over and touched Naruto’s shoulder and felt his shirt, “Not to mention clothes that are more appropriate for a ninja in training. Follow me,” Haku said, dropping several large ryo notes on the table and heading for the door.
“We don't have any money,” Naruto objected.
Haku turned on him, a scowl on his face, “Honored guest of Kirigakure do not have to worry about such things. This is a matter of hospitality.”
“Naruto,” Konohamaru whispered, “when did we go from guests to Honored guest of Kirigakure?”
“I don't know, but we probably should go along with it.” He had a feeling Haku was putting them on. The team had lied to them earlier, but he didn't think Haku was a bad person. “Let's go.”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Shopping with Haku was bizarre. Jiraiya had bought them clothing a few months ago, but that had been a "find what fits you and buy several of the same size" kind of thing. It had taken less than ten minutes with him. Haku was completely different. The store was the first example. It was a small shop, but the racks were filled with clothing and they were all different. The one that Jiraiya had taken them to, that one had a lot of the same thing.
The difference didn't end there. Haku had shooed away the shop attendant and then proceeded through the racks himself. Starting with Naruto's size, he would pull something out and if it met with his approval he would ask Naruto's opinion and then Konohamaru's. If it met with their approval, he threw it over his shoulder and told them to hold onto it. After going through this several times, a dark purple shirt met with his disapproval, but Konohamaru’s approval and it was thrown on the rest of the pile.
“Hey I don't like that,” Naruto objected.
“Yes, but Konohamaru does.” Haku replied.
“My opinion doesn't matter?”
Haku paused browsing and considering. “Well, yeah, but Konohamaru will be the one looking at you. So, his opinion matters.”
Naruto didn't know what to say to that, but judging by Konohamaru's smile, he added some clothes just because he thought it would annoy him and Naruto swore revenge. It wasn't a long time coming. After he had about ten sets of clothes, Haku turned his attention to Konohamaru, who was quickly buried in a pile of clothing. Naruto particularly enjoyed picking out some of the more traditional outfits Haku suggested. The younger boy protested that they were for girls, but Naruto would be the one looking at them so they went on the pile which ended up being three times the size of Naruto's.
The changing rooms were in the back, and again, here Haku was different. Instead of sending them both in at the same time he insisted they go in one at the time so the other two could see. Naruto wasn't thrilled with this so he kept the door open just enough so he could see Konohamaru sitting out there.
Out of the ten sets of clothes, they picked three. The shirts were a little loose and went from gray to a darker blue. The shorts went from gray to brown and covered his knees, which Haku pointed out was actually a good feature because, “The last thing you want to be is knee-deep in mud with scraped knees.”
Then it was Konohamaru's turn and Haku stood and made sure the door was closed. Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but the teen cut him off. “If you want to ask the question I think you do, it might lead to a conversation you wouldn't want Konohamaru to over hear.”
For a second, Naruto didn't know what Haku was talking about, but then he did remember. Hesitating, not really knowing how to word his question, he said, “I don't want to be a tool.”
“Really, and why do you say that?”
“Because I don't like being used. I do things because I want to.”
At that moment, Konohamaru emerged from the changing room and Haku went through the routine of asking how they felt and if he could freely move in them. When Naruto was asked his opinion, he just shrugged not knowing what to say which put those particular set of clothes in the maybe pile.
Once Konohamaru stepped back inside, he returned to him and said, “How do you see the world, Naruto?”
“What?” Naruto had no idea where that had come from.
“I see the world as a big machine, but it doesn't quite work right. We each tried to fix it, tried to work within it. That's what friends and family are all about, trying to help each other. It doesn't always work.”
Haku was smiling the Naruto could tell it was sad. “What happened?”
“I had a family, but one day my father killed my mother because of something she couldn't help and then tried to kill me. I ran and ended up on streets, fighting stray dogs for food.”
“I'm sorry.” Naruto said quietly, shocked at the others casualness.
“It's all right. I survived.” He shook his head, “I can't imagine your situation was much better. I really can't imagine your situation at all.”
Naruto thought about it. He had never wanted for food at the House, but he knew there would be pain and he hated the clients. Even the ones he thought of as good now seemed different. They had come there to serve themselves, and even though they had been nice, they didn't really care.
Konohamaru chose that moment to emerge again and Haku slipped on a mask of interest while Naruto just managed to say it looked nice. When Konohamaru went in for another change, he said, “That still doesn't answer my question.”
“It's a difference in terms. You see the word tool as something that is used, but I see it as something that fixes or creates. We can create or fix friendships or families and sometimes something even larger.”
“So, what did you mean by becoming a tool then?” Naruto said slowly.
“Most people don't dream beyond their world. There's nothing wrong with that, but by their inaction, people like you, me and others will always fall through the cracks. However, when someone does dream big, they need people to help them. That is what I mean by becoming a tool. Be the person they need because you believe in their dream.”
That didn't sound so bad Naruto thought. Still, “Zabuza has a dream?”
Haku was about to answer, but Konohamaru emerged at that moment and again they went through the same procedure. Naruto kind of liked the yellow shirt on him, it just seemed right. Haku continued the conversation once the door had shut.
“You wouldn't think it, would you? Zabuza is hard to read, but he brought change to this village like you wouldn't believe. Even in these hard economic times, no one seriously mutters against him. He stopped some traditions that weren't well-liked. Not that I knew all he dreamed of at first. I just knew he was unhappy, but had both the determination to survive and the desire to change things. Once I knew him, I knew he needed people like me. Someone he could trust implicitly. Someone who had faith in him. Someone he could use to achieve his dream.”
“I'm not sure if I like that,” Naruto said quietly.
Haku leaned close and whispered, “And what wouldn't you do for Konohamaru? Your head over heels in love with him and he trust you implicitly. If you don't want to change the world you certainly want to protect him.”
Naruto didn't have a answer for that, and after a few more changes of clothes, he pushed it to the back of his mind. He felt back in the good mood of earlier. Like Naruto, Konohamaru picked out three sets of clothes, and as promised, Haku paid for all of it. Lunch was in order after that, and a tour of the village. For Naruto, the Academy was interesting. Not only did Haku seem to be recognized by many of the kids, but they all seemed happy.
It was a good day, a nice day. When he lay down to sleep, he realized it had been a great day, he had a full stomach, roof over his head and someone very special sleeping next to him. This was good and he realized that people should have the chance to have this. Sakura should have this. Kiba should have this. Everyone in the House should have the chance to have this, and at that moment he realized he wanted to give them that chance. It had been an idea in the back of his head, but now it was a goal.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Authors note: Yeah sorry about the long delay, life has not been kind.
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