Chapter Text
In the forest with Mizuki and Iruka
“Misuki! Don’t you dare!” Iruka shouted, pleading. “Naruto, you know why everyone hates you? Don’t you?” Naruto stood horrified, stuck between the truth and obeying his favorite sensei. “I don’t care!” Naruto responded although not too sure of himself, “Sure you don’t, I know you have gotta crave the truth.” Mizuki stood laughing, “You know why they made you learn that “jutsu”, why everyone wishes you would die.” Naruto felt the tails hidden, now burning at his side. His face tightened, “Mizuki stop this!” Iruka yelled from his spot overtop of Naruto now seemingly begging.
“You are the junchuriki of the Nine tailed fox.” Mizuki laughed to himself at his success. Naruto’s face fell, his tails suddenly reappearing, wrapping around him. His ears drooping. Just then Mizuki pulled the shiriken from his back. Iruka yelled, shocking Naruto back to reality. After this point he couldn’t remember what he had done, not until spawning in at least one hundred shadow clones. When the battle ended he turned to Iruka.
“It’s true isn’t it?” Naruto asked. “You have to understand-“ Iruka sighed heavily, “There was a pact made, for your safety.” Naruto didn’t like this answer, it did not protect him. This pact wasn’t to protect him, but to give The Third some peace of mind.
Back at Naruto’s apartment
While he sat on his bed wondering, there was a knock at his door. He sat staring at the Ninja headband he had been giving, until someone knocked again. He rolled his eyes and walked towards the door. He stared at Iruka who stood in his doorway, “Can I come in?” Iruka chuckled. “sure,” Naruto grumbled. He was tired of this conversation the moment it started, “Is there anything you want to know?” “No.” The conversation wasn’t all too productive, Iruka sensed he was not wanted and left.
With Team seven(after the bell test)
The three genin stood celebrating their success. Kakashi stood partially frozen, he hadn’t seen Naruto since he was baby. But he remembered, there were nine tails- weren’t there? Naruto felt him staring and narrowed his eyes, he expected this. Everyone looked at him like some alien when they first saw him. Sakura saw him, and jabbed him with her elbow, “Cut that out Naruto!” “Eh?” Naruto looked confused, before scrambling, “Wha- he’s staring at me!” Sasuke rolled his eyes, “Who wouldn’t usuratonkachi?” Naruto whipped around and started bickering with Sasuke. “What mistake have I made?” Kakashi thought, before separating the fighters.
A few weeks later
Naruto walked home still fuming, he paused when he walked through the doorway. “Rents due next week, crud.” He suddenly remembered. Scrambling to find his frog wallet, he pulled out the money and slipped it into an envelope. Walking to his apartments mail room, he gave the envelope over. It was harshly grabbed as the man working glared at him, “you killed my brother,” he muttered under his breath. Naruto hated that he could always hear these comments.
Naruto pulled an instant ramen packet from his drawer, pouring water into the bowl and placing it in the microwave. He sighed as he stared at the bowl, he wasn’t all too hungry but, he wanted Ramen- bad. After any long day he always ate Ramen, it was tradition.
He stared at the clock reading 11:03, “it’s getting late- I’m not tired.” He decided to go for yet another late night walk. He pulled the usual stunt, using a transformation jutsu, one that most couldn’t even try. It completely masked his chakra, it made anyone believe he was just a simple fox. Not even the sharigan, or bakugan could see through it. “No one is out, no reason to hide.” He released the jutsu and walked calmly. This was his favorite time of day, nobody to judge him.
Naruto saw someone emerging from the other side of the street. He ducked behind a wall, but it was too late they had spotted him. To Naruto’s surprise it was Sasuke. Sasuke stared confused, “What the hell are you doing out at-,” he paused, “11 in the night?!” Sasuke whisper screamed. “I could ask you the same thing!” Naruto replied in the same tone. They both awkwardly stood as Naruto straightened out. “I-, couldn’t sleep,” Naruto angrily confessed. “Oh- I- couldn’t either,” Sasuke admitted. They both stared, they never talked so honestly.
Sasuke started walking, Naruto felt a little disappointed. Sasuke turned around, “Well, you coming?” Naruto’s face lit up before he tensed up. “Why should I trust you?” “What the hell am I going to do? We have training tomorrow, I’ll just get in trouble,” Naruto thought about this, before deciding it was good enough. The pair walked with a solid 3 foot distance between them. Naruto slowly got closer and closer, until their shoulders rubbed together and Sasuke nudged him away. Turning slightly red.
That night, neither could stop thinking, was that really real? Did that truly happen? At training the next day neither spoke a word about it. After this point they acted as if it never happened, everything went back to normal.
In Naruto’s Apartment
Having just been kicked off a mission in his own village, Naruto was quite mad but understood. People didn’t want him there. He took off his sweater placing it on the foot of his bed, to stare at the scars on his arms, each telling a different story from the villagers hatred.
Staring at the deep indents. He sat up and moved to the floor. He knew it was a bad habit, torturing himself with knowledge.
He thought of who would even care about his past, Kakashi sensei might- Sasuke and Sakura wouldn’t. His ears wiggled, his tail twitched. He thought he heard something- a trick of the wind maybe. Just as he calmed down his window shattered, a masked man sat on his windowsill. Naruto jumped into action, struggling to protect himself. “Uzumaki Naruto, all alone- as always?” The masked man asked.