154Chapter 18
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Naruto or any of it's characters. Kishimoto Masashi does. I do not make any type of profit from writing this fanfiction. This is strictly for my and my readers' pleasure. The Japanese language used in this fanfiction is translated by Google.
CLAIMER: I OWN Yami Uchiha. Do NOT steal.
RATED: R and is subject to change.
WARNING: This is going to be an YAOI/MALE+MALE story.
BETA READER: None; so there will be errors that I miss.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The scenarios involved in this fanfiction are fictional. The main character may also strike readers as a Mary/Gary Sue. If this fact bothers you, turn back now. Construction criticism is welcomed. No flames.
A/N: I also have this story posted on my Mibba account titled Kumo no Su De.
"Speaking"
'Thinking'
Hand Signing
~oOo~STORY START~oOo~
The hairline fracture to his ankle kept Yami from leaving his futon when dinner was ready. So after serving everyone at the dining room table, Tsunami brought up a tray of food for both Yami and a still unconscious Kakashi just in case he awoke and wanted something to eat. Yami ate slowly, his bandages unraveled from covering his face since he did not have the chakra to waste on the seal he uses to allow food to phase through his bandages. If anyone decided to come upstairs, he would hear them before they reached the top of the staircase, so he did not worry about anyone catching him with his face revealed. Even if he did show Sasuke, he did no plan on showing his cousin his scar any more in the near future.
A groan of pain sounded beside him and Yami paused with his chopsticks clamped between his lips. Out of the corner of his left eye, he watched as Kakashi struggled into consciousness. Carefully moving his injured ankle, Yami shifted to where his back was facing the other jonin so that he could continue to eat his rice. The sudden breath hitching gasp of pain had Yami glance at the silver haired jonin with his shoulder blocking his lower face from view. Kakashi had rolled onto his right side and was leaning heavily on his left arm in case he face planted on the floor.
Setting his bowl of rice back down on the tray, Yami made quick work of wrapping his face back up with his bandages before shuffling over to Kakashi's side. Yami caught the reflexive punch that Kakashi swung at him, keeping hold of the appendage in one hand while using his other to push Kakashi back down. He waved a hand in front of the silver haired man's single black eye to get his focus.
Easy. How do you feel? Yami signed once he had the jonin's attention.
Another groan of pain answered his question. Keeping one hand pressed against Kakashi's chest to make sure he did not try to sit back up, Yami slid the silver haired man's hitai-ate off and set it aside. He then took a clean cloth from the fresh bowl of water Sakura left for him and wet the cloth. Folding the cloth into a rectangle, he placed the damp cloth over Kakashi's forehead.
You have a bad case of chakra exhaustion and have a fever because of it. Try not to move so much. Yami signed, about to use healing chakra to ease Kakashi's discomfort.
Kakashi's fingers wrapped around Yami's wrist and he shook his head.
"You can't. I heard….I heard Sakura speak about….about your ankle. If you…couldn't heal it you…yourself, then you are low…on chakra." Kakashi said breathlessly, his face flushed with fever and the pounding little man inside his skull.
Yami's brows furrowed, but knew that Kakashi spoke the truth.
Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, brought you up some miso soup. Do you think you could eat it? Yami asked, knowing the food would help replenish some of the man's chakra.
Kakashi went to nod, but winced when the slight movement made his headache worse. Yami brought the tray of food closer to Kakashi's futon before he moved to kneel behind the jonin's head. Cupping the back of Kakashi's shoulders, Yami slowly lifted the man up enough in order to position his lap underneath Kakashi's head. This allowed an easier way for Kakashi to eat the soup without sitting up completely.
Yami picked up the bowl of miso and pressed it into Kakashi's shaking hands. He kept his eyes on Kakashi's chest as he lowered the silver haired man's mask, being respectful of Kakashi's wishes to keep his face a secret. When Kakashi almost lost his grip on the bowl, the liquid sloshing dangerously near the rim, Yami cupped his hands over the jonin's. With unspoken gratitude, Kakashi took small sips of the lukewarm liquid.
~oOo~
"Why do you try so hard? You're all going to die if you go up against Gato." Inari, Tsunami's son, spoke up at the dinner table while glaring at the genin, the blonde in particular.
"Shut up. We're nothing like you. We can take care of ourselves." Naruto replied, his blue orbs glaring right back at the younger boy.
Said boy's bottom lip quivered, his eyes watering as he jumped up from his seat.
"You don't know what it's like to suffer like us! You're always laughing and having fun! You don't know how it feels!" Inari shouted.
Naruto's fist slammed on the table, rattling the dishes.
"Naruto—"
Sasuke's hand on Sakura's shoulder had the pinkette pause.
"I don't know what it's like to be hated and bullied? Is that it?" Naruto questioned angrily. "You need to stop being a crybaby and do something. I am nothing like you. I will become Hokage someday and I will be damned if you think you are the only one experiencing pain. You have a mother. You have a roof over your head and food in your belly. So don't you dare! Don't you dare say that I don't know what it's like to suffer!" The blonde shouted right back before leaving the house in a rush.
Sakura and Sasuke stood up and bowed their apologies, both exchanging confused looks about Naruto's choice of words during his outburst. Knowing what his cousin would say in the matter, Sasuke excused himself and Sakura from the table and proceeded to chase after their upset teammate.
~oOo~
The two young genin found their third teammate in a clearing not far from Tazuna's house. Naruto was sitting on the ground with his back pressed up against a tree trunk and his face buried in his drawn up knees. The blonde's knuckles were white from the grip he had on his pants legs.
"Naruto?" Sakura called out to the blonde hesitantly, not wanting to startle or upset the boy further.
"What's wrong, Dobe? Why did you react so strongly to that kid's words?" Sasuke asked, honestly curious and not at all teasing.
Naruto did not bother to acknowledge the other two's presence and Sasuke's eyes narrowed at being ignored.
"Oi, Usuratonkachi, I'm talking to you." Sasuke growled, crouching down in front of the blonde.
Naruto's head shot up and he glared at his teammate with the same sharp blue eyes that were aimed at Inari a few moments earlier.
"Leave me alone, Teme! I don't feel up to fighting with you." Naruto started out shouting, but it drew off at a whisper as he went to bury his face again.
"What you said back there, it was about how the villagers and some of the ninja treat you, wasn't it?" Sasuke asked, face serious.
He and Sakura caught how Naruto's body tensed at that statement. Sasuke sighed and sat down completely with Sakura sitting beside him.
"Before the genin exam, when Itoko had you come to our house to train…he told me about how some of the teachers in the Academy had been teaching you wrong on purpose. I didn't understand it until Mizuki-sensei tried to sabotage your exam." Sasuke spoke quietly, his dark gaze avoiding Sakura's wide green eyes and Naruto's water blue ones. "I don't know why you are treated the way you are, because I cannot think of anything that you could have done to deserve it…whatever it is, I don't give a shit." Sasuke voiced, ignoring Sakura's shocked gasp. "You're our teammate, Naruto, and like Yami-Itoko said, I'll keep my eyes open so you won't be treated less than fair when—Ack!"
Naruto leaped at Sasuke, crushing the ravenette in a tight hug while he tried to rein in his tears.
"He-hey! Don't hog Sasuke-kun all to yourself, Naruto-baka!" Sakura said and jumped into the fray, hugging both of the boys.
She did not quite understand what was going on with Naruto and what Sasuke meant by the villagers, but she would keep an eye out as well. She blushed, smiling largely as she took advantage of hugging her crush and being close enough to rest her cheek on his shoulder…even if her other cheek was squished against the blonde's.