A/N: I have a bunch of stuff I need to get off my harddrive before I go insane or loose it. I will be updating this week, I have to go over some things from my beta. Last semester stressed me out so I'm kinda in hermit mode. Forgive me for neglecting you all. I love my readers.

Inspired by "A Different Perspective" by Book of Changes and uploaded by the oh so amazing Kage Husha (semi-inspired by ChocolateRedVelvet's "Warmth of a Cold Touch"), as well as the other numerous works out there featuring a strong relationship between Naruto and Lee, this is my take on the 'Dead Lasts' who come up from nothing.

Rating: AT+ - M

Pairing: Uzumaki Naruto/Rock Lee

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything mangaka related.

Tempered Will

Chapter 1:

Uzumaki Naruto was a slum kid. Kicked out of the orphanage at the age of four, he'd never had a chance to attend the Ninja Academy like others in his position. After all, the best soldiers were those whose ties were either very weak or exceedingly traditional, which meant orphans who had nothing to lose and only to gain were in high demand.

They weren't missed after all.

However, that wasn't Naruto's fate. Instead, he ended up like the other poor shmucks on the street. He worked under the table often and for long hours, hauling his ass where it needed to go, doing the things that 'good folk' didn't know needed doing. He bused tables, swept streets, hauled trash, and was lucky enough not to fall into any gangs permanently or get too chummy with any of the more violent ones. He grifted, he stole, but made sure to avoid anything addicting.

He wasn't entirely stupid.

His paycheck was split between feeding his ass, and paying for books he pinched and scraped for. He didn't live in an apartment. Rather he stayed in one of the many slum houses available, fighting for his little corner of space. He'd lost his place only three times in the four years he'd been out there.

He didn't intend to lose it again, ever.

Paid in cigarettes and some change for once, Naruto stuffed the half-filled carton into his knapsack before he tucked the money away and gave a tired salute to his temporary boss. He'd helped haul cartons of fruit and vegetables from a few wagons to a low-end and poor outdoor market, where he'd been given a few pieces of old bread and some of the worse off fruit as a treat. Meat didn't happen often in the slums, nobody bought or sold the good chunks, and the leftovers served them well, meaning bones, cartilage, skin, feet and tails. Thinking of fishing and checking his traps he didn't notice the older boy until he ran smack into him.

"Ouff!" Naruto let out in surprise, falling back on his butt. The other person wasn't much better, falling into another person who shoved him forward and then onto Naruto. "Grah," Naruto groaned.

"Sorry!" The boy on top of him exclaimed before scrambling off him. Naruto huffed but rolled to his feet as well. "Are you alright?" The stranger asked.

"Nothin' wrong with me," he grumbled, "Just got knocked on my ass. Ya didn't break nothin'."

"Oh, good," the other boy, who was taller than Naruto, something the blond envied, breathed out in relief. "I am Rock Lee, I am sorry for knocking you over." Naruto glanced at the hand offered, mentally sneered for a few seconds, and then shook it grudgingly.

"It's fine," Naruto said shortly, "I have to go. Look after yourself." He tried to walk away, but the other boy clamped down on his hand and started dragging him in the opposite direction.

"No, no!" Lee protested, "I have to give you tea and make sure you're truly alright! That's what sensei said to do when it happened last time!"

Naruto stared at the back of the boy's head wondering what exactly went on in that head, and tugged at his wrist.

Grip like an air-tight seal.

Damn.

The eight year old muttered under his breath with a series of expletives that would have made the most battle hardened shinobi blush like a virgin hime-sama confronted with her husband's equipment on her wedding night.

.-.

Rock Lee stared at the blond boy he'd dragged home to his shabby, government supplied apartment in fascination. The blond, who'd finally grudgingly given his name to be Uzumaki Naruto, was a year younger than him, a fellow orphan, and lived entirely on his own, working to pay the bills. The blonde's shaggy hair went to his shoulders and was pulled back in a stubby ponytail while his bangs hung loose around a dirty face that had a trio of whisker-like marks marring each cheek and cerulean blue eyes that stared fixedly over Lee's shoulder at the clock.

"So, Naruto-san," the boy glanced at him briefly, "What's your favorite food?"

"Ramen."

"Interesting, I like onigiri. What's your favorite color?"

"Green."

"Me too! What do you want to do when you grow up?"

"Avoid dying?" The blond finally said in exasperation. "Why did you drag me home with you Rock-san?" He asked. Lee pouted.

"Please call me Lee!"

Blank stare.

"Call me Lee."

Slightly irritated sigh, "Alright, Lee-san, why did you drag me to your apartment, feed me tea, and start a game of Twenty Questions?" The blond picked up his cup, took a sip, set it down, and resumed his blank stare.

Lee wilted a little.

"I wanted to make a friend?" He admitted sheepishly.

Naruto couldn't help but huff a little, a slight twitch of his lips showing the corner moving up in the pathetic try of a smile.

Lee noticed though and beamed.

"Alright," Naruto said, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Lee smiled widely.

"A ninja!"

Naruto stared at him like he was stupid.

'Maybe he was.' Naruto mentally mused, but got to know the excitable boy.

.-.

Naruto and Lee's friendship, Naruto reluctant and Lee exuberant, carried on for the next three years on this tangent. Lee would come barreling into Naruto's placid, work filled days and drag him off with him. Lee would then feed Naruto a cup of tea with two rice crackers, talk the blonde's ear off, before they would split a bowl of instant ramen and plate of onigiri with vegetables, and Lee would 'talk' Naruto into staying the night. They eventually grew into roommates, with Naruto mothering the older boy, and keeping up with the day to day stresses while working his jobs.

It changed, however, when Lee made it to genin.

"Yosh!" Lee yelled barreling into the clearing where Naruto could be found on most evenings selling the odd items he picked up from work. As he'd gotten older his hair had gotten longer, to his mid-back now, and the pay had gone up. More money had gone into Lee's apartment, Naruto refused to call it his own since he wasn't technically on the lease or whatever paperwork made it Lee's, and the blond had made sure the loud, formerly an Academy student and now a genin, boy had some money to buy groceries with so Naruto could fix them both breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Naruto traded the last of his work-pay, this time sake for a new steel switchblade knife he stealthily tucked on his body with his other weapons, and sat back casually on the lip of the water fountain.

"Hello, Lee," he took in his friend's apparel, trying not to be judgmental. Lee had decided during his final year that he was going to chop his hair short, which Naruto agreed with since Lee didn't wind a spiked strip of cord through his old braid, and into an outfit Naruto both was bemused by and despaired at. Why did he want to wear a karate gi when he didn't even know that style of fighting?

Lee seriously had seen too many B-rated Ninja and Fighting movies.

"Naruto! My youthful friend!" Lee glomped Naruto and cried rather suddenly into his shoulder.

The blonde's eyebrows went up in surprise.

Lee was…Touchy, but never this excitable.

He felt a small pool of dread.

"My best friend," Lee said stepping back, but keeping a firm grip on Naruto, "I have found my Flames of Youth and I shall inform you what exactly they are so you too shall find yours."

Naruto's pool of dread turned into an ocean.

.-.

Maito Gai seemed surprised when his most youthful genin, Rock Lee, stood in the center of their field chattering to a civilian dressed boy with long blond hair.

"Lee!" Gai called out, surprised and heart-warmed to see his student already dressed in the green, spandex one piece suit he'd given him the other day, "Who is your youthful friend, my delightful genin?" Lee smiled widely.

"This is my best and most youthful friend, Uzumaki Naruto!" Gai's heart stopped and restarted in a shocked sputter. The blond turned and met his gaze with a look of disinterested distrust.

"It is nice to meet you sensei," he bowed slightly and shook off, with bemused indulgence, Lee's tight hold on his hand. "I leave my idiotic best friend in your care." He bowed again, this time deeper.

Gai stared amazed at Konoha's darkest secret and currently uncared for jinchuuriki in a mix of shock, interest, and a little fear.

The blond just stared back with a look he'd only seen on his eternal rival's face, apathy.

The slight fondness that entered it when looking on Lee made any of Gai's worries push to the back of his mind.

"Yosh!" Gai shouted, startling the boy who arched a brow in question, "Your hip and cool attitude has warmed my heart and fed my Flames of Youth this day, Uzumaki Naruto-kun! To see an apprentice shinobi like your visage fills me with joy!"

"I'm not a shinobi," had Gai stuttering to a halt.

"What are you then?" Gai asked in curiosity.

"The civilian house guest of one of your genin?" Naruto replied. He glanced at Lee with a slight frown, "Make sure to pick up the list of groceries I gave you this morning Lee, I want to fix your favorites tonight." He glanced at Gai reluctantly. "Invite your sensei and team over as well. We'll be celebratin'."

"Yosh!" Lee shouted, "I shall do so, Naruto! You have my promise!" Naruto sighed.

"Well, I'm off to work. Don't overdo it, okay? Got that, Lee? Do your best, but don't hurt yourself. Bye." He gave the boy's shoulder a pat, Gai a wave and then walked away.

Gai blinked after him.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee called out, and Gai wheeled around to meet his student's sparkling eyes.

"Yes Lee?!" Gai said back.

"Will you come over to dinner tonight?" Lee asked. Gai offered his good guy pose made up of a wide twinkling grin and a thumbs-up.

"Of course my delightful student! I would be honored to!"

"Yosh! Now all I have to do is ask TenTen-san and Neji-san!"

Gai burst into tears.

"Lee your youth astounds me!"

"Gai-sensei!" Lee rushed into his arms and cried into his chest as well.

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"What in the world are you doing?" demanded a startled TenTen when she and Neji appeared ten minutes later to find the two still hugging and crying into each other's shoulders.

She would later muse on what caused her to feel like agreeing to going to dinner at Lee's house was a good idea. She'd blame it on the shock.

.-.

Lee burst into the house carrying the groceries excitedly.

Naruto arched a brow and took the first of the brown paper bags from him, setting it on the table.

"TenTen-san and Gai-sensei are coming!" Lee said bouncing around his friend as he put the other bag down. Naruto hummed in understanding. He unpacked the bags pulling out the ground beef Lee had gotten, followed by the noodles. Naruto's cooking skills had expanded and he worked five days a week in the afternoon at one of the cook shops in the Red District, while serving as a porter and box loader in the late evenings to early mornings. He slept from six am to noon before going to work at one until six forty-five.

"What time did you give them?" Naruto asked. Lee blinked and looked at him owlishly.

"Uh… Seven-thirty?" Naruto glanced at the wall and sighed.

He was not surprised to see it read seven twenty-nine. It was a very Lee thing to do.

Thus, Naruto refrained from smacking his friend with the cheap fish he'd gotten and pointed at the door when there was a loud knock. Lee skipped over and yanked it open, it stuck most of the time since it was so shoddy, and bellowed happily.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee, let him in! It isn't proper to keep your guest standing outside!" Naruto yelled before pulling out the fresh vegetables.

"Such a cool, hip response!"

"Gai-sensei! I apologize, please come in!"

"Of course, Lee, my gallant student!" The door shut.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

There was another knock on the door. Naruto gave up on making Lee have any sense (he never had any previous to meeting this Gai-sensei fellow) and got the door himself this time. A pretty girl with twin buns blinked at him before looking over his shoulder and groaning.

"Please come in," Naruto said stepping back, "Ignore the…"

"So youthful my student!"

"Gai-sensei!

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

Naruto grimaced with TenTen, "Youth…"

.-.

Dinner was delicious. There were Naruto's handmade beef wontons in a delicious soup along with vegetable stir-fry, roasted fish, and rice. Pickles that Naruto made for the winter months were served as sides and TenTen ate a little bit of everything while asking for copies of the recipes or even if she could buy some off of him. Naruto and she haggled over the price or barter while Gai and Lee challenged each other in who could eat the most.

Naruto smacked both of them before they could get sick and put the leftovers away in the fridge.

"That really was very good," TenTen said as she put the list of foods and the prices in her pocket, she'd show it to her father and come back at a later date. She'd also made a note to stop by at the cookhouse Naruto worked at, even if it was in the Red Lantern District. "You'll have to show me that knife trick again," she also commented. Naruto had flipped out one of his pocket knives and done a quick sleight of hand trick with them, something that was common with the grifters and thugs he'd grown up with.

Naruto offered a smirk.

"Stick to your kunai, sugar," he said, "You ever need to learn what I know, and you'll be someplace you don' wanna go." She pouted but sighed.

"As long as you teach me to make that soup, I don't mind." She said with a smile.

"You come by with the ingredients some time, an' I'll show ya," Naruto offered one of his softer smiles. "Now off you go, kunoichi-san, neither rockhead or I need someone's daddy comin' afta us 'cause his lil' girl ain' made it 'ome yet." TenTen rolled her eyes but left. Naruto turned back to their other guest.

Gai-sensei grinned at him.

Naruto rolled his eyes again.

"Your youthfulness astounds me!" Gai said. Naruto stopped Lee from hugging him again, or worse, dragging Naruto into a three way bro-manctic embrace.

No, seriously, just, no.

"Maito-san," Naruto said mildly, "As Lee's nearest form of kin," Lee flushed, "I have a few things I need to talk to you about. Lee, go prepare for bed, no eavesdropping." The boy pouted but nodded, before doing what he was told. Gai blinked at Naruto but took a seat on the couch when Naruto motioned him to sit once more. Naruto took a place before him.

"I have a few things to say to you," Naruto said mildly, "First of all, Lee shouldn't be given alcohol of any kind. He is a complete teetotaller in my opinion, or should practice it."

"Why?" Gai asked.

"He fights invisible foes when he has had a single sip." Gai blinked.

"A Suiken fighter?"

"If that's what it's called, then yes. Second, Lee is a very loving and forgiving person. Please do not allow anyone to take advantage of that. He gives his heart far too easily. He befriended me and I'm nowhere as kind as him." Gai was beginning to suspect that wasn't true, but didn't refute it, the look in Naruto's eyes was too dark.

"And third," a worried look passed through his eyes, "This is a personal request," Naruto stood and bowed lowly before him, "Please make sure Lee stays alive and becomes an excellent ninja. Make sure he comes home."

Gai stared in surprise and was mute. He gathered his thoughts and nodded.

"I assure you, Uzumaki-san," Gai said with full seriousness, "Lee will be in the best care I can give." Naruto straightened and a bright smile, something that Lee had only seen before, graced his usually apathetic and cynical features.

"That's all I can ask."

.-.

Lee dragged himself home, training wore him out, but the weights were only helping him so he was pleased.

"Lee?" Naruto's familiar voice broke into his tired delirium, and he felt his friend prop him up. Lee blinked blearily down at Naruto. The blonde's hair was mussed, and he looked like he'd been a slight scuffle, a small spot of blood on his face.

His eye was blackish purple.

Lee's own widened and his exhaustion disappeared.

"Naruto!" He said in surprise, gripping his friend's shoulders in worry. His brain raced to figure out why his friend, who was very quiet and not the type to get in a fight was actually, unlike his first opinion, extremely battered and bloody.

"Yo, Lee," Naruto's voice was slightly slurred. "You look like crap."

"Naruto!" Lee shouted, and fear struck him as his friend collapsed forward into his arms and the reason clicked.

October 10th.

Naruto's birthday and personal hell.

Lee needed to get his friend to help, fast. Picking the slight blond up bridal style, Lee ran for Gai-sensei's apartment.

.-.

"Gai-sensei!" Came a fearful shout and Gai jerked up from his meal, and hurried to the door. He ripped it open and Lee almost toppled in, Naruto slumped against him, dripping with blood and completely bruised from head to toe.

"Good kami," he said in horror, "Come in!" Naruto was covered in purple, green, yellow and black splotches with deep abrasions and blood.

"I can't believe I forgot!" Lee said, unable to calm down and gripping his hair tightly as he paced back and forth, "I can't believe I forgot his birthday and what happens on it!"

Lee was inconsolable, crying terribly fretfully into his unconscious friend's hand.

"It's always worse in October!"

Gai sharpened at that, but put it away as he eased the small eleven, no twelve, year old out of his clothing. His shirt was removed in in strips, to Gai's disgusted disbelief. How could anything like this happen to a child? His pants were easier, and he finished getting them off after slipping his sandals free.

Naruto moaned and shifted uneasily. Gai shushed him gently.

"Get me a towel, a bar of soap, the first-aid kit, and a bowl of warmed water, Lee," Gai ordered and the miniature copy of himself sped off returning in a few moments with the requested items. He hovered nervously beside his teacher as he cleaned the wounds on Naruto. Gai actually had to pick glass and gravel out of portions of Naruto's back and front, as well as stitch together a particularly nasty gash on his right thigh.

"He never goes out on the tenth, why did he," Lee bit out hysterically, "How could I forget?!" Naruto's clothes, bloodied, and his weapons, a good few missing, were piled in a heap next to them and Lee couldn't contain himself whenever he saw them, crying harder.

Gai finally got Naruto comfortable, asleep in his own futon and sat Lee down at the kitchen table, shoving a cup of tea into his hands.

"Explain everything to me, Lee." Gai requested seriously and it all poured out.

.-.

Uzumaki Naruto's life was less than ideal as the jounin was soon to find out. Gai found himself in abject horror when everything came to light. Naruto worked two jobs and regularly ever since he'd turned ten, and before that worked for anything he could get his hands on as unlicensed, under the table minor. However, October and November were, no matter what, hard months for him to make ends meet. Even after moving in with Lee, though Naruto refused to call it that even though he actually contributed to make Lee's life better, he'd still had a hard time. Around the Kyuubi Death Festival, Naruto always laid low, even leaving Lee's home for weeks to return to the slums where he could eke out a living without drawing attention to himself.

Gai couldn't believe it.

Lee's apartment wasn't in the worst or best parts of town, just the middling complex saved for orphaned Academy students and genin until they were able to move somewhere else. However, Lee knew exactly what his best friend faced.

Naruto was hated.

All sorts of things stuck out now to Gai. Lee handled all of the food purchases and face-to-face dealings, while Naruto made sure everything worked from behind the scenes. The few times Naruto and Lee were seen out together, Naruto had his hair covered and they were both keeping a low profile.

Even then, there had been dark looks, and hostile whispers. A few times, Lee had come to a team meeting worried and obviously fretful, ignoring Neji's insults, and even chose to leave early and get home. Those days Gai had smelt the faint tinges of blood.

Gai wanted to hit himself. Then felt a deep sadness when Lee said the one thing he'd never considered the apathetic and silent Naruto would ever want.

"He wants to get a house I can come home to someday, y'know, a place better than our dinky apartment. S'probably why he went to work. Two months off would have meant he'd have been fired or lost money. And I forgot his birthday."

Lee was very upset.

Gai didn't blame him and didn't know how to fix it yet.

However, he would.

.-.

Naruto woke up achy and tired. He glanced at the clock and cursed. He was late for work. Stumbling to his feet, he barely noticed he wasn't in Lee's apartment and tried to find some clothes. Nothing, just green jumpsuits.

Damn Lee and his weirdo new outfit.

"Lee," he whispered hoarsely, "Lee?" His voice raised and he glanced around, before grunting in pain.

"N-Naruto?" Lee's voice broke in and he was suddenly engulfed in a hug, his best friend burying his face in the crook of his neck and crying fitfully into him.

Naruto blinked in surprise, brain still exhausted and not functioning at its peak.

"W-What, what are you sobbin' 'bout rockhead?" Naruto asked.

"I'm sorry!" Lee whispered against his neck, repeating himself over and over. Naruto's brain slowly caught up with itself and he closed his eyes.

Fuck...

"Rockhead," he whispered, fingers digging soothingly into a massage over his best friend's shoulders, "I know you're a knucklehead, Konoha's finest at that, but this isn't your fault. I made my decision. I'm a big boy."

"But I forgot." Lee choked out, gripping Naruto even tighter. Naruto shushed him.

"I knew you did, I was glad. I don' wan' you worryin' 'bout me when ya go' bandits and other stuff you need ta look out for." Naruto replied. "I told you, if there's anythin' botherin' me I'll tell ya, 'fore tha' happens, somethin's gotta bother me some, righ'? I don' expect anythin' fancy on my birthday. It was enough just seein' ya off fer a change."

Lee hugged him harder.

"I'll remember next time," he promised, "I'll remember next time."

Naruto chuckled.

"Let it go, rockhead, let it go. I'm fine, ain' nothin' hurtin' right now."

Lee cried himself out.

.-.

Naruto finally got Lee into bed and gave up on getting to work, slumping out of the bedroom and collapsing into one of the chairs with a tired thump. The soft clink of a tea cup surprised him and he glanced at it then followed the tanned hand it was held in up the connected arm to the body it belonged to.

"Naruto-san," Gai said softly before taking a seat next to him. Naruto blinked tiredly at him.

"Hello Maito-san," Naruto replied, accepting the cup wearily. "I'm sorry for imposing. I'm guessin' this is your place?" Gai nodded. "Sorry 'bout that, rockhead musta gotten all hyped up."

"It is fine, Naruto-san," Gai said kindly, "Are you feeling alright?" Naruto blinked tiredly at him and sighed.

"Sore, a bit achy, but in a few days it'll all be gone," Naruto replied. Gai blinked but studied the young boy's face.

"Your bruises have healed immensely." He stated and Naruto nodded.

"I'm thankful for whatever it is that makes me heal fast, it means Lee worries a lot less," Naruto admitted before taking a sip. The tea was a nice, calming brand and Naruto took another drink.

"Does this happen often?" Gai asked.

"More than Lee would probably like," Naruto hedged. "I work in a shady part of town." He sipped the tea and smiled charmingly.

Gai frowned.

Naruto grimaced. Probably shouldn't have smiled like that, Naruto didn't smile usually, and never charmingly.

"Why didn't you become a ninja, Naruto-san?" Gai asked softly. Naruto sighed.

"I've got a record, Maito-san," Naruto said calmly, "They don't let anyone convicted of a felony into the Academy or into the Ninja corps unless their files are sealed or cleared."

"You would have needed to have one before you were six!" Gai exclaimed in anger.

"I got one when I was five. They caught me stealing a bag of rice," Naruto replied dully, "Got thrown into jail for three months before they shoved me back onto the street. I got arrested six more times in the next year, for things I did and didn't do. You can't really buy food or get a job when you're younger than nine."

"I can't believe anyone would convict a child for stealing food just so they could survive!" Gai said angrily.

"This was when the Uchiha fuckers were still in charge of the Konoha Police Force (KPF)." Naruto replied dryly. "The day those Uchiha bastards got taken out, the slum kids celebrated, me included. Those assholes had sticks so far up their asses they were spitting out splinter with every snide, bitin' comment. They enjoyed treatin' us like trash, punchin' the sick ones and makin' sure they got extra care." Naruto sneered. "Lotsa kids burn incense for Itachi's continued good fortune. I've been known ta do it myself. Was tha only Uchiha worth anythin', a hardworkin' genius who respected us. I got picked up by him a few times for a free meal when he wasn't in ANBU. That whole fuckin' place ruined him."

"I know at least three girls who named their kid afta 'im, not noticeably, y'know, but we got little Tachi, and Ita-kun, and Chichi-chan. They're fuckin' cute, o'course their moms ain' olderin' than 'bout fifteen, so they ain' goin' nowhere fast." Naruto said.

"What about the ninja corps?" Gai asked, "I know they pick up orphans. They can't all be missed."

"Yeah, 'cept, their 'rents still claim 'em on their receipts, or any of their family down there. Got seven kids? Sure, we'll cut you some slack! Don' care ta find out if they're actually alive an' livin' with cha or your damn brother who's a fuckin' pedo and claimin' them as well. Hell, let's claim ole gram is still alive and get her pension." Naruto snarled.

"Streets where I grew up, you learned who ta dodge, and who was decent." Naruto said. "Then you figured out who you wanted to be. Lotsa kids ain' goin' nowhere bu' tha' ditch, and tha's all I can say 'bout tha'."

"You want to make something better for yourself though, for Lee as well." Gai said knowingly. Naruto choked on the sip he took before setting his cup down.

"Y'know how me 'n that idiot met? He barreled me ass over tits over on one of the better streets, dragged me home and fed me, like I was some damn needy stray. Was about eight," Naruto took a careful sip this time, "Showed me his dinky apartment. Looked like a castle compared to the dump of a corner in a room full of addicts I fought for." Gai's eyes widened. "O'course, I weren't goin' ta stay. Lee had a brightness 'bout him that just forced me to. I heard his dreams out, learned his likes, next thing I know he's chasin' me down every damn day and minute, draggin' me back to his place. Next thing I know I'm closin' in on nine and fixin' him breakfast 'fore tellin' him I was goin' away for a bit to work. Came back towards the end of November with every damn thing I owned and kicked 'im for forgettin' to wash the dishes. He took his futon and I crashed on the couch. Been tha' way since. Figured out I was as loyal ta him as he was ta his precious Konoha."

"I told myself Lee'd be the ninja he'd wanna be, I'd find the place he'd always return home ta, knowin' somebody would always be there. I'm savin,' probably have to force Lee to buy the place in his name, no one'll sell ta me, but by the time he make's jounin, thinkin' 'bout eighteen, I'll be able to pick a place he can stay 'til he drags 'ome some chick yellin' 'bout how she said yes and then I'd fix it up fer them and find myself back where he'd always be able to find me, in some dinky apartment or tha' park he knows I favor."

"You really think Lee would do that," Gai said. "Let you go and leave him?"

"He's already a ninja," Naruto said, "I ain' goin' to 'old 'im back none. If he stays with me forever, be happy wit' tha', if he moves on one day and I'm only his best friend from afar, be happy wit' tha' too. Only thin' I won' accept, is 'im dyin' on me from anythin' but ole age." Naruto finished his tea. He pushed the cup away.

"S'bout it, now, I'm goin' back ta sleep. Nigh' Maito-san."

Naruto disappeared back to the room they shared and Lee slept.

Gai took his first sip of tea, thoughts running around in his head.

Naruto sounded a lot more dependent on Lee than he'd thought, and Lee needed Naruto a lot more than the blond knew.

Gai had to figure something out before Naruto lost Lee temporarily and in turn forced Lee to loose Naruto forever.

.-.

Lee awoke the next morning and smelled a meal being fixed. Gai-sensei could be heard talking loudly and Naruto was clearly replying shortly, bluntly and gruffly back. He sat up and shuffled out quietly.

"Naruto-san," Gai-sensei was saying, "I would find it most youthful if you and Lee would decide to move in with me."

"Here?" Naruto said skeptically, though Lee's heart beat faster at the chance. His two favorite people around all the time? "It's rather small, Maito-san."

"I would not mind considering a new place, a bigger place. A house perhaps."

Lee froze.

The pan Naruto was cooking with connected rather forcibly with the stovetop's heating coils. Lee peeked out.

Gai-sensei was watching Naruto closely.

"Maito-san… You don't have to feel indebted towards me, Lee is your student. If you only want to take him in, I won't object. Lee would probably be happy if he had you. You're like a father to him."

"I am glad my delightful pupil feels that way, Naruto-san. However, there is more than enough room in my heart for you as well." Gai proclaimed. "The home of Naruto and Lee is still your dream. I am merely offering a place where Lee would be even happier until you get there." Lee closed his eyes with a slight wince.

Naruto always put Lee first, even when Lee didn't notice.

Like yesterday.

"Maito-san, you don't need to worry about me. I survived four years before Lee," a slight hitch appeared in Naruto's voice, "I'll learn to survive when Lee outgrows me." Lee's eyes flew opened.

"I will not outgrow you!" Lee protested, shoving the door fully open and rushing in. Naruto spun around in surprise before glaring.

"What did I tell you about eavesdropping, rockhead?!" Naruto scolded him. Lee ignored it, and gripped Naruto tightly.

"I am not going to leave you behind, ever!" Lee said, almost angrily. "How can you even think that?!" Naruto looked away and didn't answer.

"Naruto!" Lee shouted, and Naruto pushed him away, leaving with surprising quickness.

Lee stared after him for a moment before running out the door as well.

Gai sighed and turned off the stove, moving the cooked eggs to a plate and covering it with cling wrap before setting it on the table. The rice cooker would keep the rice ready until they came back. He then followed both boys out.

.-.

Lee chased after Naruto, cursing his tracking abilities when the blond vanished seemingly out of sight. A tanned hand came down on Lee's shoulder and he glanced up to see sensei standing behind him.

"He got away," Lee said through gritted teeth. "How can he even think that I…" The hand tightened when he cut off.

"I believe Naruto-san suffers from a lack of confidence on his own part and an over sacrificing nature on yours." Gai said softly. "He only wants what's best for you, and doesn't see himself entirely as that."

"He's my best friend so I get a say in whatever is going on in his head." Lee said firmly. "If I could, I'd punch him."

"Why don't you?"

"I'd never forgive myself." Lee replied. "There's one person I'll always avoid hurting, and that's Naruto. I've got to find him."

"And we shall. Let's start with where he would most likely to go. Where is that?"

"Work, the apartment, the tree, or the park," Lee said firmly. "We'll start with the cookhouse!"

'Naruto, you just wait until I get to you, we have a much needed conversation waiting on us that I never knew we needed to have!' Lee thought sternly.

.-.

Naruto was at work, but the large boss took one look at the two shinobi and snorted.

"Ya ain' interruptin' him when he's workin'," he said flatly, "Naru-kun'd neva' forgive me for interruptin' 'im righ' now, not after he got fired last night from his other job. The boy needs the money, an' I can give it ta him. Come back durin' his break at four." The door separating the kitchen from the dining area then swung shut in their faces.

Lee glowered at it and stomped over to a table and sat down. Gai followed, taking a seat and pointedly not looking anywhere but at the menu. His ears were a dark pink.

Lee didn't even notice the women and 'ladies' in a variety of outfits scattered around, lounging on benches in the noon day sun or at shaded tables. Several years of being Naruto's friend and dragging him home or meeting up with him had dulled his senses. Gai wasn't so lucky.

Soon, a grumpy waitress, the boss' wife, stomped over and Gai ordered a large variety of foods. Not long after, she came back with a large tray with all of the foods, and settled them on their table, nearly buckling it with the weight.

Slow cooked chicken, fried pork skin in bean sauce, meatballs made of questionable leftovers, and fish freshly plucked from the water and cooked were the main courses. Soups and sides were with them, some being; stuffed cabbage, pickled vegetables, miso soup, heaps of delicious rice and fried noodles.

They ate their fill, and Lee recognized all of his favorites, just the way Naruto cooked them for him. The food entered his mouth, and he enjoyed it, but his eyes never left the door that separated the back area from the front area.

He wanted to talk to Naruto. He really did.

.-.

Naruto didn't want to talk to Lee. He really didn't.

He was half tempted to start smoking, he was so stressed out.

Naruto was loyal to his people. The boss of the cookhouse and his wife had earned it after he'd worked there for two years. But his main loyalty would always be to Lee.

Lee was the thing that kept Naruto sane. He made Naruto's world turn.

When his break started he stared at the clock like it betrayed him, and sighed. Grabbing a plate of food, and a glass of water, he went out back and slumped down on the stairs. His chopsticks delivered the first few bites to his mouth.

"Chicken with thick udon noodles," Lee's voice said over his shoulder, "Your favorite when you're stressed and can't get ramen." Naruto's chopsticks froze on their way to his mouth.

"Ah," Naruto said. "You know me well."

"Really? I do? Because my best friend never ran from anything," Naruto snorted. Lee corrected himself. "That is except from Tora the Cat and the Inuzuka ninken, I know, but really Naruto… This is most unyouthful."

"My best friend Lee never used to say unyouthful. He used to shout how he'd learn the mystics of Lion-fu and use it to steal the 'good' pillow, never mind I just dumped whichever one on the futon after airing it out once a week."

"The good pillow always smelled like your hair." Lee admitted.

"I always switched the pillows anyway, you still didn't shut up." Naruto retorted.

"Guess I missed it when you used to crawl into the futon with me when I was younger." Lee mused.

"Oh shut up, I still do. I got stuck as your freakin' teddy bear last night." Naruto felt a smile appear on his face, while his heart ached.

"You ran this morning."

"You were upset. I don't do upset Lee, I've told you this."

"I cried last night."

"You cry a lot, makes you very emotional and all that shit."

"I'm not going to leave you."

"You will when you get a wife."

"Who says I will?"

"The journal you have that's got Rock Sakura scribbled all over it."

Naruto knew Lee was bright red.

"She was tough I thought." Lee admitted. Naruto smiled bitterly.

"She's a fan girl." Naruto replied and stuffed more of his meal into his mouth. Lee gawped at him silently for a few minutes before saying.

"You liked her! You said a pink haired girl as a shinobi was brave!" Naruto instantly rejected that observation.

"I said I found it interesting a girl was brave enough to go into the shinobi world with pink hair. It almost as stupid as wearing bright red as an outfit," he smirked here, "Or an unblemished white karate outfit when you don't know even a single move in those martial arts."

"You will never let that go." Humor leaked into Lee's voice.

"I'm prickly like tha', I guess." Naruto replied.

"Then why are you tryin' to let me go?" The humor was gone.

"I'm trying to give you room," Naruto corrected.

"What if I don't want it? I'm your best friend."

"You're a rockhead. You'll find an amazing kunoichi and settle the hell down. You won't want a fucking civilian around once that happen, especially one that's stuck in the slums and pretty much hated everywhere else." Naruto said a bit bitterly.

"What the hell, Naruto! I'd want you there no matter what!" Lee was angry again.

"The hell do you know?" Naruto turned and faced him finally. "Your goin' places Lee, I can't even get into regular, public school. I've been tossed into jail four different times, hell I turned seven in a cell they labeled just for me. Ain' goin' to get out of here, no how, no way. I just wanna make sure you do!"

"I am not leaving you!"

"Maito-san's got a real good offer for you!"

"He included it you in it! Gai-sensei included you!"

"Ain' worth me goin', nothin'll come outta it! Just more time for those damn villagers to grab me up!"

"Don't do this to me Naruto! I won't go if you don't!" Lee grabbed him.

"You got to move past me Lee, I can't be your security blanket! I'm a hazard and a liability!" Naruto pushed at him, but Lee dragged him closer.

"You are neither." Lee stated.

"Just shut up Lee!" Naruto said still pushing.

"I won't!"

"Dammit Lee!" Lee stared into Naruto's eyes, and something was cracking in his friend, some barrier that had appeared when he'd become a genin. Naruto grabbed his face and stared into it, a fierceness entering his eyes. Lee opened his mouth to say something.

"Naruto—" Naruto kissed him and Lee froze. Then Naruto jerked back, clearly horrified. His eyes actually filled up. Lee was unable to move.

"Oh shit," Naruto whispered. "That didn't happen." Naruto said hurriedly. "That never happened!"

"Naru—" Lee's slackened grip allowed Naruto to jerk back away from him.

"That didn't happen!" Naruto shouted before he then dashed back inside.

Lee just stared after him.

"Naruto."

Gai just watched on as another facet came to light.

.-.

TenTen watched in worry as Lee repeatedly thumped his head against a wooden training post over and over for the past hour. Gai-sensei had left them with orders to train, and then disappeared, clearly distracted. Neji had sneered once and left, obviously to train back at the Hyuuga compound while Lee and TenTen had stayed behind at the team's training ground. TenTen had started weapons practice until she realized the rhythmic thumping noises she'd heard wasn't from Lee's kicks or punches, but from his head repeatedly connecting with the grain of the post.

She was very worried about this.

"Um… Lee?" She said and watched in fascinated horror as Lee continued smacking his head against the post, there was actually blood. "Lee, I think you need to stop."

Lee didn't.

"Okay… Lee… Do you want to talk about whatever is upsetting you?" The boy froze and round, black eyes turned to stare at her. They were red rimmed.

"Naruto kissed me."

Okay…She hadn't been expecting that.

"Did you hate it?"

Lee gawped at her, his face coloring so dark a red that it duplicated a tomato.

"No." He answered, "I was too shocked to really enjoy it."

'Does that mean he could have enjoyed it?' she thought with a wide eyed blink but pushed on.

"Did Naruto-kun say anything?" Lee slumped.

"We were having a fight." Lee admitted. "Naruto's birthday was the tenth and I forgot, but Naruto wasn't upset but I was since I couldn't believe I forgot. I mean, October is a horrible month for him, how could I possible forget…" The head to post contact resumed.

"Lee!" TenTen repeated, "You're not helping your situation, so stop! Explain everything carefully!" Lee glanced up at her with tear filled eyes.

"Naruto thinks I'm going to give him up one day when I find some girl, even though we're best friends, although his dream is to build a home for me to always come back to." TenTen resisted the urge to squeal here. Naruto was so gruff to people, yet so secretly affectionate with Lee, it was darling, she however nodded seriously. "But when Gai-sensei offered to let us all move into a house, Naruto said no, because he knew one day he and I would separate."

"Okay, so then what?" TenTen asked.

"I got upset, since I overheard them, and said there was no way I'd leave him behind. He ended up getting upset and running away to work. I caught him on his break and tried to work it out, but he was adamant about me leaving him. He says I'm going places and he'll always be stuck in the slums. I told him I'd stay anyway! He got really upset. He hadn't been facing me until then so when he did I grabbed him so he couldn't get away or look away. There was something in his eyes, something just crumbled and then he kissed me. He freaked out, and I couldn't move because I couldn't believe it happened, and then he told me that it never happened!" Lee was starting to hyperventilate. "He ran away again! He hasn't come back to the apartment or Gai-sensei's place! I haven't seen him in two days!"

TenTen winced.

"Is that why Gai-sensei isn't here today? He's out looking for Naruto-kun?" TenTen asked. Lee shrugged and mashed his face into the post with a weary groan.

TenTen figured this was another subject that wasn't going anywhere and returned to her earlier line of thought.

"Did you enjoy the kiss?"

Lee just groaned louder as he smacked his head against the column, muttering some type of answer unintelligibly.

TenTen wasn't sure that was a yes, but she suspected it was.

.-.

Gai stared at the slums in abject horror as he tried to track Naruto down. More than one street urchin glanced at him in disinterest, their gaze assessing. More than one person had approached him before retreating after a liberal use of killing intent.

Finally, he found a light trail of Naruto's chakra and he followed it. It was evening and he was surprised to find it leading him to a warehouse. A caravan, not particularly wealthy looking judging by its battered wagons, waited outside with its members warily watching as its items were loaded.

It was all… Fruit?

Naruto appeared from inside with another boy a few years older talking with two men. He seemed to be arguing and Gai blinked in surprise when Naruto slammed one of the men up against the door.

"—ou listen 'ere, we expect our money," Naruto snarled lowly, "two days of watchin' your stuff, runnin' and fetchin'… you ain' skippin' out on our pay. We've got plenty of collateral on youse two and crew. Thinkin' you can slip us the mickey will end badly for ya. You came to us, afta all. Tryin' ta haggle us outta our proper due ain' makin' you no friends here an' now buddy." The one pressed against the door nodded hurriedly and nudged his companion who motioned to another male.

"Bring them their pay!" he called out, a bit hysterically. Naruto didn't budge and his companion lit a hand rolled cigarette, blowing the smoke into their faces rudely.

A few boxes materialized as well as a sack of what appeared to be mixed groceries. Naruto's companion jerked his head at it, and another boy materialized to look it over. After a few tense minutes the grimy youth glanced up and gave a brief, but firm, nod. The smoking teen tapped Naruto's shoulder and he backed up. The two men fled, and quickly organized their wagons into leaving. Naruto leaned back against the door and accepted the lit cigarette from the other boy, taking a slow drag.

Gai watched, still secreted away as ten boys grouped around Naruto and the teen who originally had the cigarette.

"It's good workin' with you again Naru," the teen said, scrubbing a hand through the blonde's hair and earning a swat. "It's too bad you lost that job though."

"Got sick," he grunted.

"More like your face met a wall a few times," another boy commented and Naruto snorted but crouched down and starting sorting out their pay, splitting it between the twelve. It looked to be mainly fruit and food, but a few were household items like pots and pans, and even some dull knifes. Naruto passed the items out, before filling his own bag with a grunt.

"Nice workin' with ya," he said, "If you need another guy…"

"We'll come find ya," the teen said and handed their shared cigarette over then refused to take it back when Naruto tried to wave it off. "Keep it," the teen pressed, "You look like you could use it." Naruto smirked but accepted it before slumping off, waving lazily behind him at the following catcalls, joking cries of despair and crude well wishes.

"You come 'round if you ever chose to join us permanently, Naru," the teen called out, and his face formed a bit of a leer, "I'll show you a good time." The wave transformed into an irritated one finger salute. The teen just cackled. "Yeah, Uzumaki Naruto, that's what I'm hopin'!"

Gai admitted to being slightly flustered.

.-.

Naruto smoked the cigarette as he headed back to the place he was crashing at. The cookhouse owner had been good enough to let him stay at the shop, and he had even gifted him with a secondhand futon to sleep on between the tables. It wasn't great, but it was better than worrying about some of the idiots on the street.

"Naruto-san," someone called out to him and he turned with a sigh.

"Maito-san," he replied dully. He pinched the cigarette, not wishing to be rid of his own coping device by stubbing it out with his foot and throwing it away. Tobacco was a prime way to kill time, kill pain, and slowly kill your body. He ignored the last part of that fact, and itched for the emergency stress pack he'd left at Lee's place but couldn't get.

Dammit.

"I am most concerned about you, Naruto-san," the spandex dress jounin commented. Naruto sighed.

"Don't be," he replied, "I'm fine." The older male frowned.

"I do not doubt your ability to live on your own," he said this with a grimace and glance around. "However, I do wish that you would accept my offer."

Naruto scoffed.

"I'm not a ninja, Maito-san," he tucked the cigarette behind his ear and leaned against a light post with a scowl. "Don' see why you're worryin' 'bout me."

Gai frowned softly. "I am most fond of you, Naruto-san, and Lee—" Naruto turned away at this.

"Naruto-san…" Gai said, realizing he'd made a mistake. "Lee is most distraught."

"He feels too easy," Naruto replied. "He once cried all the way through a Princess Gale movie, even during the opening credits."

Gai chuckled but reached out and took Naruto's shoulder, turning him around, which he reluctantly allowed, to meet his eyes seriously.

"You can't avoid this forever, Naruto-san," Naruto shuffled and a mulish set to his jaw appeared.

"You need to talk to Lee." Gai said sternly. "He's important to you right?" Naruto gave a brief nod.

"He misses you. Go home and talk to him." Naruto stared off for a moment but sighed and gave in.

.-.

Lee slumped against the door to his apartment, and fumbled to get his key in the lock. The door knob turned on its' own and he stumbled in. Immediately, familiar arms caught him.

"Dammit, rockhead," was huffed. "What are you doin'? Ain' Maito-san teachin' you balance and grace along with that fancy fightin' style?" Lee blinked down at a familiar, if unusually flushed, face.

"Na-Naruto…" He whispered in surprise.

"Yeah, rockhead, tha's the name I go by. Get in 'ere an' shut tha door." Naruto replied stepping back, his hands and arms retreating. Lee stepped in and immediately hugged the shorter, younger male in his arms while kicking the door shut behind him, impatiently following his orders.

"Naruto," he murmured and nuzzled against him, snuggling close as he breathed in the boy's familiar scent under the fruit, cigarette smoke, and food smells he'd been around during the day.

"Lee," Naruto replied just as softly. Lee savored his closeness.

"You came back," Lee tightened his grip on Naruto uncertainly, "Right?"

Naruto sighed.

"Come and talk wit' me for a sec, Lee?" Naruto pulled back trying to get out of the other boy's clutching grip, but gave up when Lee didn't let go and instead shuffled them over to the couch. Naruto sat down and huffed in slight amusement when Lee pretty much collapsed into his lap, burying his face into Naruto's stomach, arms clenched around him. "Lee…Rockhead you should sit up properly." Lee reluctantly retreated, but still sat next to Naruto, gripping his hand fiercely.

They sat there awkwardly silent, Naruto going so far as to light the cigarette he had tucked behind his ear, even knowing Lee generally hated it when he smoked. However, Lee saw the rare nervous fidget Naruto had to his free fingers, they were doing a weird twirl and pluck maneuver, and let it go. He wasn't much better, and knew if there had been any weights around he'd have gotten up and started one of his workouts to burn off the nervous tension.

"I'm not going to leave you behind Naruto," Lee said abruptly, the silence getting to him.

"I'm not a ninja, Lee," Naruto replied, leaning forward, but not towards his friend and making no eye contact. "Ya goin' ta do a lotta things 'ventually tha' I ain' goin' to have no part in. Tha' I should 'ave no part in. Bein' a ninja's ya dream." A slight smile appeared on his face. "I knew tha' when I got into this. A civilian is a liability."

Lee stared at him. Naruto plowed on.

"S'pose I hoped to wait 'til you made a name fo' yourself f'rst," Naruto stood up before putting out the cigarette, tossing it away, and smiled a bit sadly at Lee. "Sorry, Lee. I can't crash here anymore." He pulled his hand free and Lee could feel something stretching thin between them, almost breaking. Panic filled his heart and mind.

"You live here!" Lee protested, the words coming out as he jolted to his feet. He grabbed Naruto's shoulders earnestly. "This is our home." Naruto shook his head and stepped back, Lee following him until Naruto backed into a wall.

"I can't stay, Lee." Naruto said softly. "I can't."

"You can't leave." Lee said growing angry. "I don't want you to!" Naruto lifted his hand and pushed against him, but Lee didn't let go. "I want you to stop thinking like that, Naruto! I would never want to lose you!"

"You're a ninja." He tried to reason.

"I'm your best friend!" Lee shouted.

"It isn't enough!" Naruto finally yelled back, snapping. "You're straight. I'm gay! You need to let me go!" His breath was ragged and Lee stared at him in shock before a flinty determination entered his eyes and did something that caused Naruto's own to launch open.

Lee kissed him. Pressing inexperienced, chapped lips firmly against Naruto's not knowing to exploit it when the thin pair parted beneath his, merely leaning back and staring down into shocked cerulean eyes determinedly.

"I'm not going to let you go." He said heatedly. "I love you Naruto, as your best friend and a little more. You owe it to both of us to try. You love me too right?"

Naruto found he was unable to argue with that and merely buried his face in his best friend's chest, tears trailing down his face as he weakly nodded. Collapsing against the genin, Naruto slowly bore them both to the ground, Lee wrapping himself tightly around Naruto, and refusing to let go, ever.

.-.

Lee was bright red the next morning and Naruto seemed to be perpetually unable to meet his eyes, making the two walk around each other, silent and uncomfortable. Lee finally got up to leave and Naruto followed a bit nervously. Their awkward silence was interrupted when Naruto plunked a packed box of food next to Lee as he pulled his sandals on. Lee glanced at him in surprise.

"Your lunch," Naruto muttered, "If you go to eat dinner out with your team let me know ahead of time so I don't cook, it's a waste to cook when you're not here to eat. It's lonely as well." His cheeks turned rosy at the last words and Lee gaped a bit before whooping.

"I shall do as you say, Naruto!" Lee said hugging the other boy suddenly. Naruto stiffened for a minute but allowed it, relaxing into the hug. Lee felt his eyes tear up and squeezed Naruto tightly. Naruto patted his back awkwardly then nudged him out the door with a peck to the cheek and the bento shoved into his surprised hands. The door shut before either bright red boy could say anything.

"Yosh! I love you Naruto!" Lee shouted on the other side of the door. Naruto collapsed back against it, face covered by his hands and laughing uncontrollably.

Ten minutes later Naruto tipped his head back and sighed, "Looks like I'm going to be stuck with two idiots from now on."

.-.

TenTen stared as Lee bounced around the training field looking blissfully happy. Seemed like Lee had worked something out with Naruto… At least she guessed so.

'Probably hooked up,' she thought with a giggle earning an arched brow from Neji which she ignored. He was a grumpy intractable bastard. She thought she liked his type but when she came across a much similar Naruto who was still openly affectionate if a bit awkward with it that she'd quickly come to the conclusion the Hyuuga boy was impossible. Not the datable type at all.

Meanwhile, sensei had appeared. TenTen silently admitted to being slightly amused by their antics as long as they weren't overly excessive (meaning she cut them off) and watched as Lee greeted their jounin-sensei with excessive cheer.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee shouted as he twirled and skipped to the other man, "Life is most glorious and youthful is it not?!" Gai seemed a bit staggered by Lee's attitude momentarily but quickly grinned widely and shouted excitedly back at Lee, the two falling into an emotional diatribe and "youthful" hug that TenTen sighed in strained patience and annoyance at.

Neji ignored it like usual. He was busy sneering through his katas. She let it go for about five minutes and then broke it up.

"Enough!" She ordered, "It's time to train, so shut it lover boy! Save it for Naruto-san!"

Lee turned a glaring red and immediately stuttered something before hurrying over to one of the distant training posts. Gai goggled at her. TenTen just shrugged as she hid a smirk as her guess turned out true.

.-.

The next month flew by and Naruto fell into an awkward routine with his boyfriend and his boyfriend's teacher once they moved into a small house near Team Nine's training ground. Groceries were easier to come by but that didn't mean Naruto didn't scrimp and save by starting up a vegetable and herb garden in their small plot of yard at the back of their house and keep up with fishing and trapping.

In fact, Naruto was getting back late one spring, almost summer, evening when he was bawled over by a pair of chuunin dashing through his path from one of his nearby traps.

"The fuc—" he snarled as he got to his feet. The two chuunin were squaring off and one of them was oddly familiar.

"Uzumaki-kun?" The scarred chuunin said in surprise and Naruto nearly hit himself. This was Lee's old sensei, Umino Iruka.

"Umino-sensei," Naruto replied as he brushed himself off, "Sorry to get in the way of your training session." His opponent cackled and Naruto suddenly found himself hauled up against the other man, a blade brought against his throat. His breath caught.

"Training session? This isn't a training session at all," The white haired nin purred dangerously, before laughing again, "I'd prefer to take a hostage than fight this weakling. Don't follow me, Iruka. Not unless you want him to die." Naruto was then carried away through the trees. He grit his teeth as they rattled in his mouth, the forceful grip on his torso causing him to smack unceremoniously against trees and branches as he was taken off by the nukenin.

Fuck. His. Life.

.-.

A/N: And that's chapter 1!

R&R Please!