The bright morning light shone through the curtains into the small apartment, making the room's only occupant stir in his sleep. While cursing the sun the boy opened his eyes, his gaze focusing on the watch beside his bed. He stared at it for a moment, still very sleepy, before he hastily got up.
"Oh no! It's already half past nine and I'm supposed to meet Iruka in 15 minutes. I'm so going to be late!" He quickly grabbed some clothes and rushed to the shower.
Ten minutes later he was already running down the stairs. He had to skip breakfast, though there really wasn't anything to eat.
Uzumaki Naruto lived by himself in a small but cozy apartment.It was the best solution, as he was an orphan. Everything had been going well even after he lost his child support money when he was 12. But a year ago everything started to go downhill. He lost job after job and was forced to work for almost nothing at sleezy bars every night. Because he didn't get much sleep if any at all, his grades started to suffer badly. Naruto was left with no other choice than to quit high school completely. Now a year after he was yet again jobless and broke and would soon even be homeless if he din't get a job soon.
So to Naruto Iruka really was a savior, and he cherished those few hours he spent with him every week. No money for the rent meant no money for food and Iruka always bought Naruto ramen. He knew that Iruka was an orphan tt and to naruto he was like the big brother he never had. Iruka was the closest thing naruto had to a friend and family.
Naruto rushed down the streets of the city to where he was supposed to meet Iruka. When he rounded the last corner he immidiatedly spotted Iruka outside the small ramen shop.
"Iruka! Sorry for being late, I overslept", naruto shouted as he ran up to the smiling brown-haired man.
"Nothing to worry about, Naruto", said Iruka with a grin plasterd on his face. Naruto grabbed Irukas hand egerly and pulled the older man after him to the ramen shop.
"Yoshi! Time for ramen, Iruka. Ramen! Ramen!", a small laugh escaped Irukas lips but he pulled Naruto to a halt.
"Gomen Naruto, no ramen today. I don't have time to stay and eat with you, I have to get back to work. I just came here to tell you. We have a shortage on people at the moment so I'm really busy", Iruka said while looking at Naruto apologetically.
Narutos heart sunk. So he wouldn't get any food today either. Looking for work on an empty stomach was never good. But then he got an idea, a really good one too.
"Anou Iruka, could I ask you something?", Iruka gave Naruto a surprised face.
"Go ahead"
"Well you said that you're very busy at work 'cause you have a shortage on employees... so I was just thinking that since I need a job that if it would be possible for me to come and work where you work?", Naruto looked with pleading eyes at Iruka who only sighed.
"Gomen Naruto but absolutely not. I know that you need a job but the place where I work is not a place for a child", Iruka hated to see Naruto so disappointed but there was no way he would submit to his request.
"Not fair Iruka", Naruto whined.
"I'm sorry that I can't help. But now I really need to go, I'll see you later Naruto", and with that Iruka ran off.
"Bastard...", Naruto cursed to himself.
Three long hours later naruto was pacing around the city with a gloomy look on his face. None of the places where he had gone and asked for work had accepted him. This day was really starting to suck.
Deep in his thoughts Naruto didn't notice the ladder that was placed against a small tree and therefore walked straight into it causing it and the person on the ladder to collapse to the ground. A variety of screams of pain and the squealing of a cat could be heard.
"Itai, that's just what you get from trying to help someone. Geez man can't you look where you're going", the ponytailed boy on the ground pointed out while frowning at Naruto.
"Gomen, gomen, I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings", Naruto said as he stood up and brushed off the dirt from his clothes.
"So troublesome. Itai... oh no!", the other boy tried to stand up but he seemed to have sprained his ankle.
"Now this is just great. Asuma-sensei is so going to kill me for this. Oi you, help me up", Naruto felt slightly guilty for being so clumsy so he helped the boy up without any protest, But he didn't seem to be able to stand on his own.
"Can you walk at all?", the other boy frowned again.
"Does it look like I can? You're a little dense, aren't you?", now that was a pure insult.
"Hey, that's not fair. I already said I'm sorry, you don't have to mock me for it", this boy was making Naruto even more irritated than he already was.
"Whatever, but this does cause a problem. Well since it is your fault that I can't walk you'll have to take me back home", the boy said with a bored tone.
"What!? But I don't have any money for a taxi", naruto stated. Taking a look up at the sky and the frowning at Naruto again the boy spoke.
"That really isn't my problem. But if it's true you'll just have to carry me there", Naruto was pissed but offered a piggyback ride none the less.
"Is it far?", he asked.
"No not really. I'm not allowed to go very far... well anyway, it's just a few blocks", the boy said while pointing out the right direction. They walked in silence for what seemed like hours while getting odd glances from passerbyes.
"So what's your name by the way?", Naruto asked, the silence was starting to annoy him.
"Nara Shikamaru, yours?", the boy answered with the same lazy tone.
"Uzumaki Naruto", was Narutos only reply.
"So what had gotten you so distracted that you had to run into that ladder, if you don't mind me asking?", no Naruto didn't mind but hearing Shikamarus question made him remember his money problems.
"I don't mind. I've been trying to find a job all day but my efforts have been futile. No one wants to hire a sixteen-year-old orphan who hasn't even finished high school. But if I don't get a job soon I'll lose my apartment and then I'll be homeless. Not to mention that I haven't eaten properly in three days...", Naruto continued to talk about his life nonstop while Shikamaru listened quietly.
"Gomen, gomen... I shouldn't bother you with my problems", Naruto apologized after a while.
"Nothing to worry about Naruto-kun. But perhaps I would be able to help with that job problem. Oh, here we are", Naruto lowered Shikamaru down while still letting him lean onto him as he eyed the boy with a stunned face.
"Your serous? You'd really help me get a job? After all I did..." Shikamaru frowned.
'This guy is so troblesome... but still I think I need him', he thought to himself.
"Well you did carry me here and we do have a shortage on people at the moment", he didn't have time to say more before an overenergetic Naruto carried him bridestyle into the building, not minding to look at the sign outside that read "Konoha Tea house".
"Wow, slow down a bit will ya!", Shikamaru was holding onto Naruto for his dear life, blushing wildly at the same time from the blond boy's actions.
"Yay! Thank you so much Shikamaru-kun", Shikamaru was already having second thoughts about this.