Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Only Love ❯ Of Love and War ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer-See previous chapters

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"Ugh..." I grunted as all the breath was driven out of my body. I looked up at the blue sky, dazed and in pain. A shock of silver hair and a smirking eye looked down at me. "I go to tough on you?"

I sucked in a huge amount of hair and sat up with a growl. "Oh shut up, Hatake."

I gingerly felt my side. I didin't think I had any internal bleeding, but a few ribs were definetly broken. Lovely, just freakin' lovely.

I tried to stand up, but I couldn't. The pain in my side was nearly unbearable. I laid back down on the ground with a groan of fraustration, covering my eyes with my hands.

"Aria?" Now he shows some sympathy for me! Typical Kakashi. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you too bad did I?"

Don't look at him, he'll be giving you that worried, pining look that always melts your heart. But I looked at him anyway, and my heart did melt.

I sighed and flung my arms out beside me. "I'm fine Kakashi. Just a few broken ribs, nothing my chakra can't fix." But I could sense how sorry he was. He always felt so bad when he hurt me. Physically anyway.

The fluffy clouds I was watching go by were replaced with his single visable eye. He had his arms on either side of my face and was leaning over me. I felt the breath leave my body for the second time at the feel of his legs touching mine. That look he had, so soft and worried. It almost broke my already melting heart. He just looked at me for the longest time, and I looked back at him. He was so close to me his silver bangs were tickeling my forhead. "Are you sure your okay?" his voice seemed low and husky, but that was probaly my wild imagination. I was so transfixed he had to repeat his question to get my attention.

"Oh!" I said blushing furiously,"Yeah, I'm okay. I just...can you help me up please?"

I could tell he was still worried because his brow was furrowed. I'd learned over the years what that meant. He was going to go all impulsive-life-saving-ninja-guy on me. Sure enough, he pushed himself into a crouthing posistion and put his arms under my knees and shoulders. He pushed off into the air, craddiling me to his chest. Needless to say, I was pissed off at that.

"Hatake, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I shouted at him. I would have punched him in the face but seeing as that would cause him to drop me I didn't.

"What do you think? I'm taking you to the hospital." He replied shortly.

I could feel my ears go back and my eyes narrow."I can heal myself Hatake! Now put me down!"

But he didn't slow his pace. He leaped from tree to tree even faster. I crossed my arms and turned my face away from him. But when he chuckled I turned back to him. "What is so funny?!"

His eye was closed in mirth as he answered "I can't help but laugh when you pout! Its so cu...uh...I mean funny." He wouldn't look me in the eye and I could see a small bit of red skin above his mask. Probaly means nothing, like always. I sighed and laid completly still in his arms so my ribs wouldn't hurt so much. I began to think about us again and everything that has happend to us over the years.

The entire village saw me as a monster and wanted to exterminate me. I only had three firends, the Hokage, Sarutobi (who had been the 3 hokage. I imagine that!) and Kakashi. I couldn't go anywhere without being attacked. Kakashi had to do my shopping for me because no one would let me set foot in their store. I probaly would have killed the whole village out of anger if Kakashi hadn't been there for me. Every night he would hold me while I cried. He'd play with my hair or massage my neck until I had calmed down. But by the time we were 2 year chunions and 8 years old I had a better hold over my emotions. That and I didn't feel like crying anymore.

I was the best ninja in the village. Jounins asked me to help them train their own squad, I was doing at least 3 A missions a week, and I had a private training session with the Hokage on Wednesdays. My chakra control was even better then it had been when I first discovered my trait and I knew over 300 origianl jutsus. At the age of 8. There is no way anyone can say that's nothing. At the age of 10 Kakashi and I moved in with each other since we spent every waking moment together anyway. It wasn't until we turned 12 that Sarutobi dropped by the house like 20 times a day. And for a good reason too.

Pueberty affected me big time. My body matured and so did my strength, stamina, and chkara control. In 2 months I created 100 more original jutsus, was running 10 miles in the morning, beat the crap out of my sparring buddies daily, and my female hormones went out of control. I had always loved Kakashi, but you know the kind of love I'm talking about. The kind you have for the friend thats always been there for you and means more to you then life itself. But hormones have a way of causing feelings you've always had to go way out of perportion.

Now we're both jounins. Kakashi is almost as good as me but he will never be better because of my unlimited chakra supply and my advanced control of it. I've just started to experiment with what I can do with my chakra. So far I've perfected draining my opponents chakra out of their body and into mine. I can do that with plants, animals, even the earth. Most people have a limit to the amount of chakra their body can handle, but I don't have one. Yeah, huge advantage. And I use that advantage. Instead of A missions, I'm the leader of every single S mission that comes along.

Kakashi is a little different now. A few years back, Kakashi came back from an A mission alone. His team, which was our old team, had been killed. I wasn't too close to them since they were terrified of me but they were important to Kakashi. He took it really hard. Everynight he would be the one crying into my shoulder while I sang. He became more serious and laid back, but only around other people. He never acted like his real self unless he was around me or really drunk. Thats when he took up the habit of being late for everything. I asked him about that once and he said it was because he didn't like being around other people, so he'd put it off for as long as he could.

Then he started drinking. He'd be gone for days at a time, come back, puke all over my rose bushes, then pass out on the porch. I felt so helpless at that time. He was in a so much pain and I couldn't help him. He was never violent to me or other people, but a few times he would talk about hurting himself. I don't know what happen on that mission to make him so depressed. He never talked about it to me and still hasn't. The drinking stopped when he covered up his left eye with his headband. Once again, he never told me why.

I was brought back to Earth when Kakashi landed in front of the hospital's main doors. He rushed in and, using his amzing reputation as a powerful jounin, got me a private room in no time. He stayed by my side and annoyed the crap out of me, cheering me up at the same time. He always knows how to make me feel better.

The head medical ninja ushered him out and healed me without saying a word or giving me a glance. I stood up and streched, making sure everything was ok. I sighed and smiled at the cieling. Heh, now I can go dancing tonight. Maybe Kakashi is feeling so bad about hurting me that he'll go with me!

"I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."

I looked at Kakashi as he walked over to a chair and ploped into it. "Oh come on! Its been ages sence we've gone dancing together."

His head dropped down into his hands. "You know I hate going out around people, Aria. Don't make me do this."

Even though I didn't want to force him to go dancing with me, my heart sank in disappointment. "Ok Kakashi. What do you want to do tonight then?

He sighed then raised his head to look at me. "Why don't we pack a lunch and camp-out next to the willow?" His eye gave me a devilish look."Maybe we can finish that sparring match. If your up to it."

I returned his look with an impesh smile. "Oh, you know I'm up to it. Race ya to the house!"

******

I was sitting on our porch with my elbow resting on the picnic basket to my right and my chin in my other hand, waiting on Kakashi.
Gosh, I knew I was fast but not that fast!

I leaned onto the side of our house and pulled out a little orange book entitled Etchi Etchi Paradise. I opened it up to my marked page and had just read a few sentaces when a gloved hand came down and snatched it away from me.

"Kakashi, I swear if you do anything to mess that book up I'll kill you!" I excalimed as he jumped onto a nearby tree branch and causually flicked through it.

"She moaned with desire as his rough, blacksmith hands roamed her sweaty body, drawing a similar sound from his own throat... what kind of book is this?!" He asked with both disgust and curiosirty in his eye.

I could feel my cheeks burning as I leaped up on the same branch and reached for the book. "Thats none of your bussiness, just give it back!"

My foot slipped at that moment and I fell right into Kakashi's lap. Somehow his face ended up glued to my growing chest area and my thigh was resting on a dangerous spot. You know where.

My eyes were wide and I felt like my body was being consumed by fire. I didn't want to move away but I felt I had to. I was about to shove myself off of him when his arms snaked around my waist and pulled me closer. My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to jump right out of my chest. I felt his head nuzzle me and his breath warmed me, even through his mask. I lost total control of my breathing at that time.

"Kakashi....oh my god!" That dangerous spot my thigh was on had suddenly gotten hard and pointy.

He shoved me hard and I fell off the branch but managed to land on my feet. I looked up at him ready to scream and cuss him out, but he was gone. I stood up and called after him, but he was probaly long gone. I felt my eyes burn and my throat constrict and I dropped my head. I clenched my hands into fists so hard I drew blood.

"What did I do? What's wrong with me?" I whispered to the ground. A sob escaped my throat and I turned and ran into the house before I completly broke down.

The picnic basket fell off the porch and spilled its contents on the ground when I slammed the door.

My emotional defense crumbled as soon as I leaned against the closed front door. I buried my face in my hands and cried. I didn't know I was sitting on the floor until the door opened. I didn't look to see who it was, I just scrambled into a dark cornor and continued to cry.

"Aria?" a quiet voice said. It was Iruka

"Go away!" I screamed at him.

But he came and crouched down in front of me and spoke softly "Aria, plaese tell me what happpend. Kakashi came to my house and he was freaking out! Did something happen between you two?"

I knew he was trying to comfort me, but hearing Kakashi's name drove me to hysteria. Fluids were rushing out of my eyes and nose and I couldn't control my sobs of anguish. When Iruka placed his hand on my knee I snapped. I grabbed his wrist and I could feel the bones crack beneath my fingers. I raised my head and said "Do not touch me. I don't need your fake symapathy, and I don't want it! Now get out of my house."

He was looking at me in absolute terror. He was crying too, but it was from the pain on his wrist, not his heart. His mouth was moving like he was trying to say something but no sound came out. I flung his arm away from me with a little too much force. He was slammed into the coffee table which broke on impact. He got up and ran to the door. But he looked back at me before shutting it with an expression I had never seen before. But I was too upset to think about it. I laid my head down on my knees and continued crying.



Sometime during late evening I dragged myself into the bathroom where I took a cold shower. I went to the kitchen after putting on only a ragged cotton robe and filled a coffee mug with sake. I curled up on our couch and slowly sipped it. Every drink got me closer and closer to the verge of uncousiouness. And after I had drained the last drop from the mug my head dropped onto my ahoulder and my brain went black.



I was woken up by a lot of loud pounding on my door. I walked over to it and looked through the peep hole. Sarutobi's aging face was distorted by the lens, but I could tell he was really anxious, almost scared. Great, I thought with a grimace. He must have talked to Iruka lately.

I opened the door and before I could even open my mouth Sarutobi had shoved passed me and was pacing around in my lving room.

"Aria, get dressed now." He said without looking at me. His voice was shaking and beads of sweat were pouring down his face.

I put my hand on his shoulder but dropped it when he jumped. "What's going on?" I asked.

He took a steadying breth and said,"An almost dead sand ninja just arrived. He was sent to warn us that a..." he gulped and cleared his throat"That a nine-tailed fox is on its way here."

I could feel my face turn to stone. I turned my back on Sarutobi and walked to my room to change into my clothes.

"All of the village ninja are to report to the Hokage's office." He said to my retreating back.

"Kakashi will be there." I heard him add quietly before shutting the door.