That Damned Raven Haired Boy (SasuNaru)

Part 3

It was to the strange sensation of prickling deep within his stomach that Naruto awoke the next morning, with no recollection of how he had ended up in his bed, or when he had even arrived home. All he could remember was red, pain, and a disorienting feeling of dizziness; a feeling that had probably led to him eventually falling unconscious, which seemed to be happening quite frequently as of late. He let out a soft sigh and refused to open his eyes -refused to face the world.

As Naruto avoided completely waking, the rough pads of his fingers stroked his stomach inattentively, as if the touch would be enough to ease Kyuubi's restlessness. They felt warm upon the delicate skin, and almost seemed to tickle. It was a relaxing sensation, one that made opening his eyes that much more difficult.

When Naruto finally did manage to overcome this trivial barrier, he had to blink several times before his eyes came into focus. The stucco texture of his ceiling, which seemed to be tainted a soft, almost pinkish red, threw him off guard and he found himself squinting suspiciously; that was odd.

The hand on his stomach found its way to his face, and the boy wearily rubbed at his eyes, removing all traces of sleep that had formed during the night. Then he carefully glanced back at the ceiling, only to discover that it was still a faint crimson colour.

After finding that trying to rid his vision of the tint was useless, Naruto sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed, holding back a surprised yelp at the sting of cold wood upon his feet. His expression grew sullen and the weary boy let out a string of groggy curses regarding his unreliable heater and the sudden hunger that was assailing him.

Figuring that a good solid meal was in order, he made his way to the kitchen in nothing but a pair of low pajama bottoms that were far too long and dragged on the floor behind him. As he rounded into the kitchen, Naruto spared a quick glance at the calendar and paused, his eyebrows drawing together in concentration.

Sakura's Birthday

The notice was in thick black marker, and surrounded with stars and spirals for emphasis, which was fortunate for -knowing his memory- he would have missed it had it been marked in any other fashion.

Eyebrows rising in surprise at the reminder, Naruto smiled and continued on his trek to the kitchen. Today was not only Ino's not-so-surprise-party, but it was also the ideal day for buying Sakura's present. The gift had to be perfect, Naruto concluded as he went through the automatic motions of preparing cereal. It had to be the kind of present that only a best friend could give.

Naruto sat, waiting for his cheerios to become soggy -an odd preference of his- and contemplated his gift for Sakura. Whatever he chose, itwould be perfect.

But first, he would indulge in the wonders of semi-homemade cereal.

The market was average for a late Sunday morning. There were people milling in small groups and pairs, but for the most part the street was empty. Shopkeepers stood talking to neighbors and customers alike, with bright grins. They seemed completely unaware of the world around them as they indulged in the life they took for granted. Few noticed Naruto's presence as he shuffled by, his head hung in an attempt to appear inconspicuous.

After a few blocks, Naruto began to feel concerned. He was receiving no cheerful greetings from the people he knew, and no nasty glares from the people he didn't. Not to mention the sun was giving off a red tint. It seemed that no one else had noticed this fact, however. Or perhaps he was the only person walking through this strange red hazed world, in which case the sun that had not changed over night, but rather Naruto had.

It was just as he was about to turn into Sakura's favorite shop, that Naruto felt his stomach rumble in warning. He winced and grabbed the offending body part, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one had heard the sound. When he was positive that he wasn't going to receive any disgusted looks, Naruto booted it to the nearest public washroom and all but leaped into the stall, falling onto the seat with a pleased sigh.