Ever since that encounter with Naruto on the Hokage Monument, Kurenai's relationship with her most distant student stayed that way, distant. He only spoke to the team if he needed to, staying quiet while the other two Genin complained about the boring D-Rank missions.

So it worried her when he finally spoke up for the first time that day, when they were picking up their D-Rank missions of the day.

"Hokage-sama," Naruto began, bowing to the Third, who rose an eyebrow at the littlest Hatake. "I humbly request that we get assigned a C-Rank mission. I realize that these are just missions so we can begin small, but wouldn't it be more logically to get the last two year classes of the academy to do these chores, that way you won't have to waste anymore of your military power for capturing cats and, or, pulling weeds out of a civilians garden."

"Naruto. . ." Kurenai hissed angrily at her student. She gave the Third an awkward smile. "Sorry about that Hokage-sama, he's just getting bored. I'll make sure he sweats harder than he ever has during training after our missions." The Third took a long draw out of pipe, contemplating something.

"Well, Naruto-kun, I haven't thought of something like that. It's a good suggestion. So you want a higher ranked mission, eh?" Kurenai's eyes widened as the man took out a scroll, looking over it quickly and nodding to himself.

"Okay, I have an easy C-Rank mission for you all. A simple escort mission to Wave Country."

"Hokage-sama, are you sure? Please don't let my students request sway your decision. They haven't had too much teamwork training and I don't want to rush them." The Hokage only gave her a soft smile.

"Kurenai, you have three of the academy geniuses on your team, you needn't worry. Besides, Naruto-kun's been training hard for the last year, haven't you?" Naruto froze as he saw Hiruzen give him a knowing look. There was no way that man should've known Danzo was training him, it just wasn't probable. Danzo and he had been very careful, and to be discovered? It hurt Naruto's pride a little.

Hiruzen stood up and walked over to the door, before opening it. "Tazuna-san, come meet the team that will be guarding you on your trip." A groan was heard before an old man walked into the office, the reek of alcohol stinging everyone's nose, though the Hokage looked indifferent to it.

Tazuna had a white string tied to his head with a towel over his neck with a rather large bag on his back. He was wearing a sleeveless tunic and a pair of loose, brown pants with grey sandals on. He had a pair of glasses sitting on the end of his nose and a grey mustache. And finally, he had a bottle of some alcoholic beverage in his right hand.

"This is what my moneys going to? A bunch of brats and a woman who had bandages for clothes?" Hiruzen chuckled as he sat back in his seat.

"Trust me, Tazuna-san. This team is more than capable of handling a few lowlife criminals and thugs." Tazuna seemed to roll his eyes and nodded.

"If you say so, Hokage-sama." He then eyed the four ninja with distrust in his eyes. "Meet me at the northern gate in about four hours. I need to let the alcohol set in before we begin." Naruto rolled his eyes as the man left the office.

"Great, we're being hired by a drunk." Sasuke muttered distastefully, though still grateful that he didn't have to catch that damn cat anymore or pull anymore weeds.

 And Sakura would be damned if they had to move anymore heavy boxes. her skinny arms couldn't hold that much. Kurenai looked at her team.

"Okay, I guess we're doing this. Pack a bag with two weeks of clothes, a tent, and basic equipment." Everybody nodded in response and were about to leave, before Hiruzen spoke up.

"Everybody is dismissed, except for you, Naruto-kun." The team glanced at Naruto in worry as they walked out the door. Naruto turned to face the Hokage, who looked at the boy with a mild amount of amusement.

"I know that you've been training with Danzo over the last year and a half. Tell me, what has he taught you?" Naruto wondered if he could speak or not, but decided to since this was the Hokage, leader of Konoha.

"He trained me to be a weapon. A tool, for Konoha to use until my dying breath." Hiruzen frowned.

"And you accepted that?" Naruto nodded.

"I'm fine with being labeled as a weapon. It is what us Shinobi are meant to be. Tools for Konoha to be in power until we are dull, and then we are replaced with the next generation." Hiruzen sighed sadly.

"Do you still have emotions?" Naruto rose an eyebrow.

"Of course. Danzo may have taught me how to suppress my emotions, but not to get rid of them." Hiruzen nodded, pleased.

"Good. Anything else you wish to tell me?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto shook his head.

"Nothing that should concern you about anyone's safety, nor the village's."

"Good, you are dismissed." Naruto began walking out before Hiruzen spoke up again. "Naruto, protect your teammates if they are ever in trouble, okay?"

"I would do no different, Hokage-sama." Hiruzen smiled as he watched Naruto leave.

"I told you that I wouldn't turn him into a mindless drone." Danzo said as he released a jutsu that hid him from the other ninjas. Hiruzen took a draw from his pipe and nodded.

"You did good, Danzo, you did good."

With Naruto and the Rest of Team 7, 6 Hours Later

"Great, it's getting dark because the drunk decided to take his sweet time to leave the village." Naruto muttered as he walked behind the group. Sakura, who was walking beside Kurenai, spoke up as she heard the grey haired boy speak.

"I mean, we brought tents for a reason. Hopefully Sasuke-kun forgot his so we can share!" She let out a tiny squeal, causing Kurenai to sigh and palm her forehead for a second. Sasuke, who was next to Tazuna, felt a shiver go up his spine.

"You cold, brat?" Tazuna ask, causing Sasuke to roll his eyes.

"Of course I'm not cold. I just have a feeling somebody's fangirling about me." Tazuna chuckled.

"Doesn't sound too bad. Back in my day, I'd love to have girls flocking all over me." Sasuke shook his head.

"You don't understand, I'm 12, and half of the preteens in the village are after me. The other half are after Naruto. Shit, we even have some Chunin after us. . ." Tazuna shivered as well.

"That is. . .a bit creepy." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"It is." Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the fresh air grace his lungs. He's never been outside the village before, and to finally go out without smelling food, crap, or stinky civilians, he could finally breath.

"Enjoying the air, Naruto?" Kurenai asked, having noticed the boy taking in deep breaths of the air. Naruto nodded vaguely, not bothering to open up his eyes. He felt his foot hit some water, and his eyes instantly opened as a bad feeling entered his chest.

He jumped up, narrowly avoiding a claw-like blade slice the air to where he was just walking as he took out a sword, parrying a spiked chain that erupted out of the puddle with two ninjas with headbands representing Mist, with one man having a single spike coming out of the headband and the other having two spikes coming out of his headband.

"Damn, should've gotten him before he stepped in the puddle." Naruto narrowed his eyes before Kurenai stepped in front of him, blocking him off from charging.

"I got this, Naruto." She spoke in a serious tone, a kunai in hand. "The Demon Brothers of the Mist, what are you two doing out here?"

"None of your business lady!" They shouted in unison before charging her. Kurenai was about to meet their dangerous blades, but found a hand push her away as Naruto charged, his sword ready as he easily cut through one of the demon brothers, causing blood to gush from the man's neck as he fell to the ground.

"I'll give you one chance to tell us your business here, or else I put you down like a rabid dog like I did your pitiful brother." A voice other than Naruto's spoke, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. Naruto turned around, his grey eyes glaring at the Chunin.

"An ambush, if you were real men, sorry, a real man, you would've faced us head on. You're cowards." The other demon brother glared at Naruto.

"We're ninja, it's what we do!" He shouted as he charged Naruto, his gauntlet ready to tear into the Hatake's flesh. Naruto's eyes flashed red for a split second, causing Kurenai's heart to skip a beat.

'Is the Kyuubi free? Is the seal weakening?' Kurenai thought.

Naruto ducked under the gauntlet before he kicked the offending ninja in the balls, causing him to double over.

"T-that w-was a coward's s-shot!" The brother said as he fell to the ground. Naruto smirked underneath his mask.

"I'm sorry, we're ninja. It's what we do." Naruto took his sword, and was ready to plunge it into the man's chest, only to be stopped by Kurenai.

"Naruto, stop it!" She shouted in a commanding tone, causing Naruto to immediately put his sword away and walked away. "We need to get as much information as possible." He continued walking, causing her to get angry. "Naruto!"

"What?!" He yelled, turning around, glaring at her furiously. "You think that you can just speak to me like you know me? You're my sensei and yet, you haven't taught me shit! I saw the fear in your eyes when you saw mine! You're no different from anyone else, so you can fuck off for all I care!"

"As your superior officer, I command that you stay right here and help protect Tazuna from any further harm that might come!" Naruto walked slowly back over towards Tazuna, who was shaken that he had just witnessed a twelve year old kill a grown man with little to no remorse.

"As you wish, Kurenai-sensei." Naruto said in a monotone, obviously not happy with the situation. Kurenai grimaced at the dead tone in his voice, before she looked back at the other demon brother.

"Now, why would you waste your time going after a couple of Konoha Genins and a Jonin? Don't you know it could start a war with us?" She questioned angrily. This man had put her Genin in danger, and she'll be damned if he won't pay.

"I'm not telling you shit, slut!" He shouted through his mask. Kurenai's glare only increased as Killing Intent began leaking out of her body, all of it directed at the Mist shinobi.

"I'll give you one more time before I let the grey haired Genin get you. Like it or not, we both know I saved your ass from now. He would've cut into you as easily as he slices butter." He gulped, his eyes shifting towards Naruto, who was seething in anger at the moment, glaring at him with potent fury.

"We were after the bridge builder!" He shouted. "Gato hired my brother and I to kill him to stop the bridge building. We have back up as well." He let off a bitter laughter.

"And he'll be a little bit harder to take down than us." Kurenai held the kunai to the man's throat.

"Who? Who's your backup?" The man only laughed.

"I'd rather die than tell you." Kurenai frowned and let go of the man, letting him drop to the ground.

"Your goal in life is very clear." Kurenai commented before the demon brother felt very cold, almost shivering as darkness surrounded him, only leaving him, and Naruto, a sword in Naruto's hand.

"You'd rather die, huh? I respect you for that, but that'll get you no where. The only place it'll get you," The demon brother saw a heart protrude out of his stomach and he hacked up some blood. "Is Hell." The demon brother fell to the ground, coughing.

"I'll see you in Hell then, brat." He spoke before he went limp, his eyes left open.

"Naruto. . ." Kurenai spoke softly, putting her hand on the boy's shoulder. "You had to do what you had to do, the first kill is always the hardest." Naruto looked at her, his eyes no longer hard, but rather soft and filled with sadness.

"I know, sensei, but he wasn't my first kill." He spoke, causing shock to spread across her face.

"Who was?" Naruto pulled his mask up a little bit farther, covering up a little bit more of his nose and cheeks, as if the action would make him able to dodge the questions.

"I'd. . ." He paused, his eyes glazing over for a second before the mist in his eyes cleared. "I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay with you."

Okay, this was new. The usual cold-hearted, blunt, boy, was showing emotions like sadness and shame. This was a whole new Naruto everyone in the little band of four had seen.

Never had they seen him sad. Angry? Yes. Jealous? Yes. But sadness? Well no, not until that moment.

"That's fine." Kurenai said, squeezing the boy's shoulder before turning around. "Okay, this mission has gotten a lot more dangerous, it's now a B-Rank, bordering A-Rank now. We have to turn back."

"But sensei, Tazuna-san needs help!" Sakura exclaimed. Sasuke nodded.

"It's not my ninja way to abandon someone in the need of help." Kurenai frowned. This was what she was supposed to do, regardless of the situation. Maybe it was what she was supposed to do, but what if it wasn't right?

"We can't leave someone who's already paid for a mission." Naruto spoke up, bringing her from her thoughts. "Tazuna was unaware of the severity of the mission, that's why he didn't bring more money. He was only aware of the bandits that apparently this Gato has sent. Ninja were not of his knowledge."

"You're right, but-" Kurenai began, but was cut off by the grey haired boy.

"Exactly. We will not abandon somebody who is building a bridge of hope, a bridge that will hopefully restore the land." Tazuna looked as if he was about to speak, but Naruto continued. "I listen to the villagers, it's not a surprise you can to us for help. We're the closest village, and the strongest of the Great Five, you want Gato's tyranny to end, and we will help you while protecting you as well."

"Naruto, think about this." Kurenai spoke sternly. "What if the demon brother's back up is a S-Rank ninja? Like Kisame Hoshigaki? Or Deidara the Mad Bomber? I can't take them down, and neither can you! You'll be risking the whole team's lives!" She exclaimed, almost on the verge of yelling.

"Then leave me!" Naruto yelled. "I'll protect Tazuna alone! I won't let this defenseless man die just because a mission is above my pay-grade! I'm tired of being held back!"

"Naruto," Kurenai said, sighing. "Please don't make me force you to come back to the village." Naruto closed his eyes, his hands curling into fist.

"You'll have to break every bone in my body to bring me back without completing the mission!" He said, his eyes opening, revealing his one comma Sharingan, causing everyone to look at him in surprise.

"T-The Sharingan?" Sasuke whispered. "How the hell do you have the Sharingan?"

"Sharingan?" Naruto said in a confused tone, before looking at his reflection of a clean kunai, seeing his eyes. "My Kekkei Genkai. . . activated?"

"How do you have the Sharingan, Naruto?!" Sasuke shouted. Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"My mother was an Uchiha, Obito Uchiha." He then looked at Kurenai. "But, to get back on topic," He took out his blade, lightning crackling across it. "Kurenai-sensei, I don't want to fight you, but I was trained to never abandon a mission, nor my comrades! And Tazuna is now a comrade!"

Kurenai looked at the other two Genin, then at Tazuna, before she sighed. "Fine." She replied. "We'll continue the mission." Sakura cheered and Sasuke's frown turned into a thin line.

He was upset and a bit salty that Naruto had the Sharingan already activated, and he had not, but that wasn't Naruto's fault. He was an Uchiha by blood, not by choice.

"But," Kurenai said. "I will be calling for back up." Naruto nodded. "That is acceptable." Kurenai quickly summoned a little dove, before writing a quick letter, requesting for assistance, then attached it to the pigeon and watched as it flew away.

"Okay, we'll wait here til they arrive. It's getting dark anyway, so let's camp here by the woods until they get here." Everybody nodded in agreement.

After the tents were set up, Naruto, who was sitting in a tree, was humming a small tune he had heard Torune often hum whenever he was in a good mood.

The teenager was like a brother to him, and Naruto had killed him. Naruto killed his brother, his own brother, was his first kill. Naruto slowly stopped humming, the sadness slowly sinking into his chest before he was tapped on a shoulder.

He looked over and saw Kurenai, standing on the branch next to his. "Go ahead and sleep, Naruto. I'll take the first watch." Naruto shook his head.

"I can't." Kurenai rose an eyebrow.

"Can't, or won't?" She asked, Naruto glanced at her, before his eyes shifted to the ground.

"Can't. Every time I close my eyes, let alone sleep, I see him." Kurenai leapt onto the branch and sat down next to Naruto, their bodies inches apart.

"Who?" She asked softly.

"My brother. I see him. Blood, seeping from his mouth and blood spilling from his chest. I see him, he haunts me and I can't ward him off, and some part of me doesn't want to." Kurenai nodded her head.

"When people close to us die, we feel helpless. Like we can never get put back together because we're so broken." She said, looking forward at the moon, which let off a soft light that shined upon the two. "But we can, we can live with that, and hopefully, we can remember all the good times, instead of the bad times."

"You don't get it." Naruto whispered. Kurenai frowned, looking at him, confused.

"What?" Naruto used his thumb to poke himself in the chest.

"I killed him. I killed my brother." He choked out, tears stinging his eyes as he looked at Kurenai, who saw the tears gathering at the bottom of his grey eyes. "He died because I killed him! I held his dead body in my arms because I killed him! I thought, I thought he was my enemy. I didn't know it was him! I didn't know!" Naruto began sobbing freely, letting go of all the emotions that were building up.

"I didn't know it was him! He was wearing a mask! He was attacking me for some reason, like he was testing me, and I killed him! I killed my brother because I lost myself and decided to go for the killing blow! He didn't have to die! If only I aimed to cripple instead of the kill, then he'd be alive! I killed my b-brother!" Kurenai froze as she heard Naruto.

He, killed his own brother? Suddenly she understood why he was so cold to everyone, why he was always mean. It was because he was scared to hurt the people he got close to.

"Naruto," She whispered softly. "Did you know it was your brother?" He shook his head, tears still flowing freely down his eyes. "Then it wasn't your fault. You thought that you were defending yourself. I, I think that he would've been proud that you defended yourself in such a way."

She put a hand on his shoulder, causing his eyes to shift to her bandaged arm. "I don't know what you're going through, I've never been through something so terrible. But I do know that you're brother wouldn't want you to hold onto this guilt, this, agony." She explained.

"And neither do I, I don't want you beating yourself up every time you close your eyes for a mistake."

"I, g-guess you're right." He said, wiping the tears away with his sleeve. "Sorry you had to see me like that, I'm usually a lot more in control of my emotions." Kurenai smiled at him.

"It's okay, I want you to be able to tell me anything, I won't tell a soul about it if you don't want me to." Naruto nodded his head.

"Thank you." Kurenai patted Naruto on the shoulder. "You still wanna take the first watch?" Naruto slowly nodded again.

"I need to think things over." Kurenai nodded and stood up. "Then I'm going to go get some rest. I hope you feel better soon, Naruto."

"Thank you." He spoke as she jumped off the tree branch. "I hope so, too." He whispered to himself as he began humming the same tune to himself again.

"Goodnight, Kurenai. . ." Naruto whispered as low as he could. "-chan." He shrugged.

Feelings for a woman seven years older than him, wasn't all that bad.

Sure, he had no chance. But then again, he defied odds on a daily basis.

He'll try.

Naruto Hatake had fallen for Kurenai Yuhi.

And done! How was it? Good? Bad? Telll meeee!

Anyway, yeah. Pairing still not decided so don't go expecting NaruKure...it MIGHT happen. We shall see.

Cool. Double upload! Lots of words.

Til next time my lil demons!