Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Hope ❯ Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )

HOPE 2

Iruka heaved in to the toilet seat, surprised that he was vomiting a lot, considering the fact that he had skipped breakfast and dinner the other day. His lunch had been a small cheese sandwich from the Academy's cafeteria. Maybe it was the cheese. He didn't have time to ponder on what he had eaten bad for another heave escaped his mouth, sending whatever contents he had in his stomach in to the porcelain white bowl.

"Sensei! Are you okay? Oi! Sensei!" Naruto pounded on the bathroom door.

Before Iruka could answer, another heave raked his body. He remained doubled over the toilet seat for nearly twenty minutes until he felt the nausea disappear. He sighed and pressed the flush button before shakily getting to his feet. His knees buckled under him and he fell back on the little toilet rug with a small cry.

That was when the door finally broke open and two worried ninjas stepped in to the bathroom. "Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked with worry.

"Oi! Iruka." Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder, which Iruka shook off rather harshly. Kakashi blinked and Naruto merely looked down with worry at his academy teacher.

Iruka got up to his feet and grabbed sink to steady himself. He turned the cold tap on and splashed the cold liquid on his face before gargling several times to get rid of the acidic taste in his mouth. When he stepped out of the bathroom, he forced his smile to grace his lips and faced Naruto.

"I'm sorry for not being able to see you sooner after you became a chuunin Naruto." He leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, arms unconsciously going around his slender frame to keep the cold away. "I've been showered with a lot of work lately." Naruto looked at his feet for several seconds before looking up. Before the boy could say anything else, Iruka spoke again. "Congratulations, Naruto. You're a chuunin now." Naruto's lips trembled. He then ran out of the house and out of the apartment building. Iruka made no movements to stop the boy. He let him go.

Kakashi did not know what exactly was going on but he had a sinking feeling that Iruka was the cause for it. He merely turned away and left the apartment.

*

Iruka headed for the cemetery, two white roses in his hand. It was a chilly afternoon and the clouds above him swirled and darkened with each passing moment. He ignored the rather depressing weather and the way people rushed in and out of shops in the streets in case rain fell.

He entered the gates of the cemetery and went to a particular memorial. Finding the slab of familiar marble slate with the kanji letters engraved on it, he knelt before the tombstone of his parents and placed the flowers beside it. He sighed and closed his eyes whispering a silent prayer to his parents' soul. He was aware of the cold raindrops falling on him. He finished his prayer and looked up at the heavens.

He suddenly remembered Naruto and how the boy had ran out of his apartment earlier that day. He then widened his eyes a bit as a particular memory rose at that particular moment.

~Flashback~

Iruka laughed as Naruto downed his fourth bowl of ramen. "You're going to make a fine ninja Naruto."

"Really?" The boy turned his bright blue eyes up at Iruka.

"I know so. When the day comes and you reach my level, I promise to be there the day you graduate and receive your chuunin vest."

"Really Iruka-sensei? You'd do that for me?" Naruto was still looking up at him with awe.

"Yup. Just for you. That's a promise."

"Wahoo!" Naruto had hugged him so suddenly and so hard that both of fell on the ground of the ramen stall. "You're the best Iruka-sensei! I feel like I have a father!"

~End Flashback~

Iruka stared with horror at the ground. "What have I done?" He bowed his head in front of the tombstone. "Father, mother. Please give me guidance. Please let it not be too late."

Iruka ran out of the cemetery and began his search for Naruto. He found the boy's house empty. He then began to run down every street in Konoha, checking every alley for the boy.

He took that promise to heart. When he said that it felt like he had a father, I took those words to heart. What kind of a person would forget such a thing? What kind of a bastard am I?

He panted hard, the rain completely soaking him. He was feeling dizzy and feverish. He touched his hand to his forehead and felt his skin burn amidst the cold rain. "N-Naruto!" He called out, his voice already trembling from the cold and fading from all the calling-out he's been doing for the past two hours. "Oi! Naruto!" He looked left and right again before heading off for the Hokage mountain carvings. It was the last place left for him to check. If Naruto wasn't there then he did not know where the boy could be.

Upon reaching the Hokage mountain carvings, he found the area barren of life. He felt bitter and hot tears well up in his eyelids. He collapsed above the carving of the 4th Hokage, hands gripping the material of his pants hard. His ponytail was long gone and his clothes now clung on to his body like a second skin.

He remained like that for several minutes before deciding that it was his entire fault. He stood up shakily and narrowed his eyes. Naruto was not in Konoha so perhaps he was in the outskirts of Konoha. With new resolve, he gathered his strength and headed for the outskirts of the village to search for Naruto.

*

Iruka called out again, coughing a bit for the cold was finally taking its toll. "Naruto!" He looked left and right, the forest now getting darker as he went deeper and deeper. "Naruto!"

Not seeing the protruding tree root ahead of him, he fell face first on to the ground. He remained in his lying position for several minutes before slowly struggling to get on his feet. He knew that he should just go home and rest and try to find Naruto the next morning. But something in him nagged him that he should find the boy that night, even if it took him till dawn. Naruto was nowhere in the village and it worried Iruka. Because Naruto would have been anywhere in the village if he was okay.

"N-Naruto!" He called out again. He grabbed the bark of the tree and tried to catch his breath. He couldn't even feel his fingers and toes from the bitter cold. And it wasn't even winter yet!

His mind was groggy and wasn't completely aware of his surroundings that was until he felt a presence directly behind him. Before he could even pull out his kunai or shuriken from their holsters, he a rather heavy and muscular arm wrap around his neck. Next thing he knew, he was on the forest floor and his head was whirling in different directions. He struggled to look up at his attacker when he felt a rather heavy feet crush his chest. He gave out a hard cough, blood making its way down the sides of his lips.

"Oh! Look what I got?" The stranger said, towering above him. It was a massive shadow, and he could see the intentions in his captor's eyes. Iruka wished from the very the pits of his soul that he should have gone home.

"What ya' got there?"

"A pretty lil' thing wondering around the forest at night." The man grounded his heal against his chest causing him to cry out and cough again. "And he's all alone!"

Two pairs of hands were approaching his figure. Iruka's eyes widened, all rational thoughts occupied by panic. "Don't touch me." He said frantically but his words were ignored.

Through the rain, his loud fearful and painful scream rang out.

TBC

Oh damn! I think I broke dearest Iruka! Mou! Don't get any wrong ideas, people but I do really, really love Iruka! Poor him! He's so ill now. ~cries heart out and hugs Iruka plushie~

Tune in next time!