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154Chapter 51

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Naruto or any of it's characters. Kishimoto Masashi does. I do not make any type of profit from writing this fanfiction. This is strictly for my and my readers' pleasure. The Japanese language used in this fanfiction is translated by Google.

CLAIMER: I OWN Yami Uchiha. Do NOT steal.

RATED: R and is subject to change.

WARNING: This is an YAOI/MALE+MALE story.

BETA READER: None; so there will be errors that I miss.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The scenarios involved in this fanfiction are fictional. The main character may also strike readers as a Mary Sue/Gary Stue. If this fact bothers you, turn back now. Construction criticism is welcomed. No flames. I also have this story posted on my Mibba account titled Kumo no Su De.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Hand Signing

A/N: This is, I am assuming, what others would call a filler chapter?

~oOo~STORY START~oOo~

Yami blinked down at the nine food-stained genin who were either sporting ashamed flushes or nervous/guilty expressions. Behind them was the angry owner of Yakiniku Bar-B-Q who had… Was that strip steak behind his ear? Scratching the side of his neck, Yami glanced at Kurenai, Asuma and Kakashi, all of whom were contacted by the angry restaurant owner by fault of association with their respective genin teams. Asuma exhaled a lungful of smoke, sending his team a lazy look of exasperation. Kurenai looked sternly at her team, surprised that Shino and Hinata had participated in the food fight at all.

"Mou, you three," Kakashi sighed, his single charcoal orb staring at Team Seven.

"I want compensation! These hooligans ruined my party room. There are stains that will never come out of the carpet or walls!" The owner shouted, face red with rage.

"I'm sure they will be willing to clean up their mess and work off any damages they caused," Kurenai stated glaring disappointedly at her three genin.

"No! I don't want these ingrates anywhere near my restaurant again, especially the blonde one!"

"Hey! I already apologized for tossing my drink on you. I was aiming at dog-boy!" Ino cried out in disbelief that she was being singled out.

However those who knew the real target of the comment all looked at a crestfallen Naruto before staring angrily up at the restaurant owner. Sakura pushed Naruto aside, practically into Sasuke as she balled up her fist at the man.

"Now you listen here, you—" Sakura started, but stopped at the hand landing on her head.

Yami moved in front of his team, blocking Naruto from the glares coming from the angry restaurant owner.

"How much?" Yami asked; his tone hard.

Pitch black orbs flashed dangerously, sending a chill down the man's spine.

"How much?" Yami bit off quietly, wanting nothing more than to punch the civilian to the other side of Konoha and back.

"O—on—one mi—mill—million. One mil—million ryo ($100,000)," The restaurant owner stuttered, his body visibly shaking as he addressed Yami with wide, fear-filled eyes.

"One million ryo?! Are you delusional?!" Sakura and Ino screamed at once hearing the demanded price.

Even Asuma's cigarette had fallen out of his mouth when his jaw went slack at the amount. The man flinched, glancing everywhere but at Yami this time.

"A thou-thousand ryo ($100)," The man swallowed the lump in his throat, a bead sweat trailing down the side of his face as he repeatedly regretted his earlier words concerning the village's pariah.

Reaching into his hanten, Yami slipped a thousand ryo out of his coin pouch and tucked it into the quivering man's shirt pocket. The man took that as his signal to bow his thanks for not killing him and run back to his restaurant.

"Ya—Yami-sensei?" Sakura asked hesitantly, unsure of what Yami would do.

Yami turned around and smiled down at the three genin of Team Seven.

"Hm?" Yami questioned the pinkette.

She gulped, shuffling from foot to foot beside Sasuke and Naruto.

"Are we…are we in trouble?" She asked softly.

Yami nodded, still smiling at the trio.

"One lap around the village for every fifty ryo I just spent (twenty laps)," Yami order, his smile not faltering.

Having witnessed the wrath of their raven haired sensei once before, the three took off running to begin their laps. Yami glanced at the other two teams.

"What are you six still here? Get to running," Yami ordered in the same demeanor.

"Eep!" Hinata squeaked and took off after her crush and his team.

Shino trailed behind the Hyuga heiress, dragging a gapping Kiba and yipping Akamaru in his wake. Ino went to complain, but Shikamaru and Choji slap a hand over the girl's mouth and proceeded to copy Shino in dragging their teammate along. Once the three teams were out of sight, Yami's shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh. When will the villagers learn that Naruto is just a boy and not the demon sealed within him? Kakashi stepped over and clamped a hand on Yami's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"How did you do that? I can't get those three to run no matter what I bribe them with," Asuma stated, lighting up another cigarette.

"I agree. I've never seen Hinata run that fast or Shino manhandle Kiba," Kurenai voiced in astonishment.

Kakashi chuckled.

"Yami has a way with children. They can't resist following orders when they come from him," Kakashi explained in amusement.

Yami playfully elbowed the silver haired man in the ribs, causing Kakashi to quickly release his hold on Yami's shoulder to rub his throbbing side. The four made their way along the path with no set destination. They ended up at one of the local bars that cater to shinobi and went inside. Taking a seat in a corner booth with Kakashi and Yami on one side and Kurenai and Asuma on the other, the four were soon taking sips of warm saké.

"Sasuke and Sakura seem protective of Naruto," Kurenai pointed out after taking a sip from her saucer.

"Family tends to be protective of its members," Yami replied, tossing back the rest of the contents in his saucer.

Kakashi filled Yami's empty saucer before re-filling his own.

~oOo~

"Huff…huff…huff, Yami-sensei sure was mad back there," Naruto gasped through his seventh lap around the village.

"Hn. Itoko hates it…huff…when people discriminate against you, Dobe." Sasuke struggled to speak and break at the same time from his running spot between the blonde and Sakura.

"Say…huff…huff…why did Yami-sensei…huff…freak out like that?" Kiba questioned, bringing up the rear with Akamaru on his head and the others crowding around him.

Naruto tensed almost immediately with Shino and Shikamaru taking notice.

"Trouble…huff…some," Shikamaru panted.

"The villages obviously hold animosity against Naruto-kun. Why? Because they are always mistreating him in various ways," Shino stated.

The others wondered how he could say all that without turning blue in the face from exertion.

"It's…it's not…fair." Hinata wheezed, blinking back the sudden moisture in her lavender eyes.

Naruto glanced back at the girl, almost tripping over a rock in the road at the sight of her upset face.

"Do—don't cry, Hinata-chan, I'm use to ignoring those idiots," Naruto voiced, trying to reassure her.

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO, NARUTO-KUN!"

Everyone stopped running at Hinata's uncharacteristic shout. Tears flowed down scarlet cheeks and Hinata rushed to cover her face out of embarrassment. She turned to run away, but Naruto moved quickly and grabbed hold of the girl's tan jacket.

"There's….I need to tell you all something," Naruto muttered, cerulean orbs downcast.

"Naruto…" Sasuke spoke solemnly, knowing exactly what the blonde wanted to tell the others.

"Are you sure, Naruto?" Sakura asked quietly.

Naruto nodded and began to lead the others to his apartment, his grip never loosening from Hinata's jacket in case she tried to run off again.

A/N to bunnyguest:

-All will be revealed about how Kabuto's knowledge of Itachi and the plant later on…pretty soon actually. I share your pet peeve on account that nothing was done to Danzo and was glad when he was killed off in the manga/anime. Believe it or not, Konoha does not actually need that much evidence considering that it is a Shinobi village. With the Uchiha's being one of the main clans of the village, it will not concern the Civilian council and only the Shinobi council will be involved. More on that later on. Unfortunately, Kirabi does not kill Kabuto, but that baby snake will get what's coming to him later, way later, on. I never wanted Hana and Itachi to be forced into a marriage even if it is to save the Uchiha clan. Obvious couples are already planned out and made for the Uchiha survivors. In the earlier chapter, where Yami confronted Kakashi about making choices for him concerning marriage, Yami stated that there are other means of restoring the clan without marrying a woman. This was the big hint of your analysis. You are the only one to comment and catch it, so I applaud you. That is as far as I will admit to spoiling…I say spoiling, but those who read this and catch on like you do but prefer not to comment on it… I am glad you are becoming involved with this story on such a level. Thank you for your feedback. I really enjoy it and love that my story has kept your interest.

~Reena