A/N: WARNING: If you haven't read the story Scarred, this will probably make NO sense!
Here is the very first oneshot in the collection.
Just before you read, I'll quickly explain how this collection works.
From now on, I'm accepting requests for oneshots in the 'Scarred-verse'. The oneshots can be smut scenes or generic (like this chapter.) Leave your requests when you review or PM me with any ideas. Unless there's a compelling reason not to- like your idea is going to happen in Scarred itself- I will get round to them eventually.
So, if there's anything you want from Naruto and Obito which the plot of Scarred has got in the way of, don't hesitate to let me know!
Anyway, enjoy this!
Five Times Naruto Uzumaki Realized He Had No Family And One Time He Realized He Did
-1-
Being ill sucked.
Naruto had always hated it- after all, no one actually liked being ill- but now he had a proper job, it was an even bigger inconvenience. He couldn't just spend the day curled up in his bed feeling sorry for himself until it wore off, pretending the world around him didn't exist, not anymore anyway. He had a number of clients lined up and a quota to meet. Not to mention, he'd already used up his sick leave after kissing Obito that first time and the whole mess that followed.
So he trudged into work and hoped no one would notice.
They noticed.
Everyone noticed.
To be honest, the pale color of his usually tanned face, scratchy throat and the dead look in his eyes were probably pretty big giveaways. But still, he couldn't help but feel his heart plummet when people started pointing out how 'awful' he looked. If there was anything worse than being ill, it was being constantly reminded of it by other people.
…
It took a while for Tayuya to notice.
She'd found him in the staffroom and just started ranting on about some asshole client who'd been especially rude to her over the phone. To Naruto, it sounded like she had actually been the rude one, but he wasn't going to say that. It was only while she was waiting for the kettle to boil that she looked at him and fell quiet…
Then burst out laughing.
Naruto scowled at her, struggling with the way her laughter pierced his skull mercilessly, but she didn't let up.
"Whoa, blondie, you look like absolute shit!"
"Gee, thanks." He mumbled back, ignoring how terrible his voice came out. Tayuya didn't ignore it though- it set her off into a fit of laughter again.
"Seriously, you need to go home." She finally said, trying her best to sound concerned. Naruto knew she was battling against the giggles but he appreciated the effort at the very least.
"Can't." He shrugged, pouring himself a glass of water. "It'll clear up soon; just don't get too close to me."
"No kidding." Tayuya smirked. "Good luck, blondie!"
…
Aoba wasn't much better.
He took a double-take and studied Naruto closely before helpfully declaring 'you're sick' for everyone to hear. Before he had the chance to even ask if Naruto was okay, all of their neighbours began taking a keen interest like the nosey fuckers they were. The level of sympathy- or just attention- that the blonde received was minimal. Instead, everyone seemed more interested in swapping sick stories from when they were kids.
Naruto just faded into the background and listened.
"See, it was different for me." Aoba countered when one of the others had finished their tale. "My mom wouldn't go anywhere near me when I was sick. She practically thrust me into my dad's arms and made him look after me. It's not that she didn't care; she was just really squeamish about that kinda thing."
"Well, what did your dad do?" Tenten asked curiously, plopping herself down on Naruto's desk like she owned it. He wouldn't have minded so much if she hadn't sat right on top of the document he was pretending to read.
"Oh, he was awesome." Aoba said with a fond smile. "He'd carry the TV into my room and sit with me on my bed. We'd spend the day just sat there, talking and taking my mind off of me being sick. It was the only time I could get tons of affection without feeling all 'girly' so I enjoyed it. Then, when he'd catch whatever I had, my mom would make me look after him!"
Everyone laughed a little at that.
"Both of my parents were pretty cool when I was ill." Tenten said. "I was terrible. The slightest of colds would turn me into a real brat. I hated being sick and I took it out on them but they put up with it. I remember that my mom would make me lie down and she'd just sit there, stroking my face, while my dad read my favorite story until I relaxed."
"My folks used to do the same with me!" Another sales agent called from their cubicle.
"Yeah, same here. Except we'd watch my favorite movie instead."
Naruto sighed lowly, resting his head on his forearms in an attempt to blot out all the cheerful chatter.
It was just like when he was a kid, watching all the others playing with their parents or talking about them excitedly in the playground. Just like in Highschool, listening to all the other teenagers complain about how annoying their parents had been that morning. No matter how much he grew up, no matter how things changed, the fact that his mom and dad were dead always followed him.
No one had ever looked after him like that when he was sick.
The foster system was flawed. It had this thing about making sure foster parents and the foster kids didn't get too close. It was a temporary situation, a replacement family, so bonds weren't encouraged. The most Naruto would get was a spoonful of medicine and a day or two off school. No real affection, no little ritual to make him feel loved and cared for, just the essentials.
So hearing how wonderful it was having parents looking after you, even if it was in the simplest of ways, left Naruto feeling empty and bitter. He bit his tongue- despite how much he wanted to tell everyone to shut up- and tried to drown out their taunting stories by plugging his earphones in and blasting his music full volume. It didn't do much for his headache but it was better than hearing them.
He wanted a family so badly.
He wanted his mom.
He wanted his dad.
He wanted to know which one would be the best at dealing with a sick child, whether one of them would tackle it or if they worked as a team. He wanted to know what his dad's reading voice was like and how his mother's hands felt on his overheated forehead. He wanted to be soothed and comforted. Looked after and loved.
But it was too late.
He'd never get the chance. All those years hoping that he'd find a nice family to adopt him had been wasted. He was an adult now. All grown up. And he was still yearning for what he could never have.
It wasn't fair.
And the unfairness of it all caused his bottom lip to tremble and tears to sting his eyes.
He felt like a lonely five-year-old all over again.
…
"Y'wanted me?" Naruto mumbled, shuffling into Obito's office with the little energy he had left. The hours had passed and he was feeling a hell of a lot worse than when he'd arrived. Judging by the concerned look Zetsu had shot him when he passed his desk, he probably looked plenty worse too.
"You were supposed to give me a report an hour ago," Obito said, not even looking up from his computer monitor, "you're late. Do I need to explain to you again why messing up is a bad idea?"
"No," the blonde replied, swaying slightly on his feet. The ground was starting to look a long way away. "I get it."
"Alright," the Uchiha retorted, "so now we've confirmed that the tardiness is caused, not by ignorance but incompetence, perhaps you can go and make sure I get that report in the next ten minutes. I'd really hate to have to find a replacement for you. Too much effort."
"Okay." Naruto croaked, his vision starting to blur slightly as his boss's words drummed in the background. His head was pounding. And he didn't know if he could stay on his feet much longer.
His mind was so unfocused that the next thing he knew Obito was right there in front of him.
"Damn, kid." He murmured softly, resting a supportive hand on Naruto's chest before he could fall too far forward. Naruto was thankful and instantly leaned into the touch before he could even register what was going on. He ended up resting against his boss's side as he was guided over to the couch and placed down on it.
It was fuzzy, but Naruto faintly heard Obito giving some order over the intercom.
"Hey, 'Bito?" He asked hoarsely, pleased when the man appeared in his vision again, kneeling down in front of him.
"Alright, list your symptoms." Obito demanded, using the same tone he did whenever working through any problems with a client.
"Head hurts, dizzy, runny nose, sore throat, feeling sick, achy all over, need sleep."
"How long?"
"This morning."
"And you came into work?" Obito asked firmly, eyes narrowing into the slightest of disapproving glares.
"Needed to." Was the blunt, unhelpful reply. Naruto couldn't help but smile goofily when Obito rolled his eyes at that. Even in his slightly dopey state, he could see the relief on his boss's face as he determined it wasn't anything too serious. It was like Obito cared. The smile vanished, however, the moment he felt the cooling palm of Obito's hand press against the boiling skin of his forehead.
"Temperature." The Uchiha whispered to himself. "You missed that off your list."
"…" Naruto couldn't bring himself to say anything. He stared at Obito's contemplative face silently, leaning forward against that hand in search of the touch. It felt nice. Tender and affectionate. The hand withdrew quickly, however, as someone burst into the office and rushed over to them.
"Water." Zetsu announced, passing Obito the glass. "And drugs too." He grinned, shaking the packet of pills to draw attention to them.
"Drink." Obito commanded, a little softer than he usually would, lifting the glass to Naruto's lips. He muttered something about not trusting the kid to use his own hands without spilling it, but there was something like caring beneath the rough exterior. So, obediently, Naruto leaned forward and sipped at it, feeling the burn in his throat ease up just a little.
And Naruto was left confused.
He took two pills and another gulp of water- as per Obito's instructions- but his eyes never left his boss's face the entire time. Zetsu was gone soon after but that wasn't important. Obito was important. There was something about him.
The way he fussed over Naruto, pretending he was just making sure he didn't die in his office rather than feeling anything remotely close to caring, running a calming hand through his hair every now and then whenever he made a noise of discomfort.
"M'tired." Naruto mumbled sleepily, struggling to keep his eyes open as he rocked back and forth on the couch dangerously. Obito rolled his eyes again, standing up to help Naruto shake off his jacket so he could fold it over the back of the couch. And, with a gentle hand on the kid's chest, Obito encouraged him to lie down.
"You've got two hours." He muttered lowly, making a point of not looking out at Zetsu's desk. The smug grin was the last thing he wanted to see. "Rest up, get better. I want you well enough to work when you wake up."
"M'kay." Naruto agreed, not really listening as he snuggled down on the leather with a content mewl of satisfaction. The fact he was at the office didn't register anymore, nor the fact that anyone could look in and see him dozing on his boss's couch. All his mind picked up was that he was tired and Obito was petting his hair slightly. "M'not a puppy or a fox." He whispered defiantly, hearing the man's responding chuckle.
"Whatever you say, kit."
And, just for a moment, before he even had a chance to notice, Naruto wasn't feeling as jealous of Aoba and Tenten and all the rest. Because Obito kept caressing his hair in that way of his. And it almost felt just like all their stories had.
It was a shame Naruto didn't remember it much when he woke up an hour later than Obito had given him. And, when Obito mocked him for letting a slight bug get the better of him; it washed away the memory of the soothing hand in his hair.
Naruto left the office still wishing he'd had a family.
-2-
'A couple of drinks'- that's what Tayuya had said.
It sounded innocent enough. Their little celebration for nailing Ohnoki at last. They'd damn well earned it, after all the sleepless nights and endless hard work. The thing was, Naruto was a bit stupid to go along with it and expect it to end well. Obito would probably mock him for being 'naïve' and 'not weighing up the facts' and other stuff that he frowned upon with that stupidly handsome face of his.
Although, after hearing Tayuya's stories about her drinking exploits, Naruto really should have taken a moment to think about it. He didn't know who Sakon was but he felt for the poor guy. From the sounds of it, he'd suffered the most at the hands of a drunk Tayuya. And yet, with only a little persuasion, Naruto happily went along with it.
After all, they'd been getting along.
So, Naruto was actually feeling pretty optimistic when they strolled into a small bar for a quiet drink or two. They were both feeling smug about their victory and the first thing they did was share the tale of their success with the bartender. Gloating had never felt so damn good.
The first drink sent them into a burst of giddy laughter and happy banter.
The second drink only fuelled it.
The third was a little more messy…
"Oh my god, what did you order?!" Naruto shouted, gagging at the overwhelming burning in his throat. He'd never ventured into the world of shots before and he really didn't want to after his first taste.
"Live a little, blondie!" Tayuya snapped back, face screwed up from the taste nonetheless. "Though, that was a little much."
"A little?!"
"Two more!" She called to the bartender, shooting down Naruto's attempt at protest by shoving him off his stool with a shrill laugh.
And, with Tayuya bullying him into it, Naruto downed shot after shot after pint after shot.
Things got real hazy real fast after that.
They didn't move from the bar, always in need of the next drink before they'd finished the last, but there was plenty of entertainment available. Especially with Tayuya's unpredictable behavior. One minute she was giving abuse to some 'dressed up tart' for invading her space and the next she was planning her future marriage to the provider of their drinks.
Things all went downhill from there.
"Yeah, I work at Uchiha Enterprises." She boasted to some random guy at the bar. "I'm kinda important- youngest Senior Manager ever and all that. The place would just fall apart without me."
"I'm pretty sure you're not a Senior Manager." The guy shot back, slipping away from her slightly.
"And what the hell makes you say that?!" She snapped.
"I would've heard about you and you wouldn't be in a dump like this."
"What the fuck do you know?!" And there was the switch. "Want me to smash your ugly face in, dickhead?!"
"Leave him, Tay!" Naruto lunged forward, catching her clumsily before she could do any real damage. "H-He's not word, wort, worth it!"
Even in his drunken state, Naruto was able to realize how much of a shitty idea going for drinks with Tayuya really was. A couple of drinks later and Tayuya was nowhere to be seen. In fact, it became pretty damn obvious that she'd left without him- probably with some guy she'd been chatting up. It was a worrying thought. Naruto was pissed out of his head and alone. He didn't even know how far away he was from his apartment.
He was stuck.
"Hey," the bartender muttered, looking so tired that the blonde instantly felt for him, "think you should be heading home soon?"
"Erm," he started, worrying his lip between his teeth and he stared down at his drink, "I dunno?"
"Oh, god." The man sighed, rolling his eyes as he swiped Naruto's drink away from him. "Alright, kid, how about we call your parents or someone to come and get ya?"
Parents?
Naruto didn't have time to feel offended that the guy obviously thought he was younger than he was before the pang of emptiness hit him square in the chest as it always did. He gulped, realizing that he had no one to come and get him. No one to worry about whether or not he was safe. No one to stay up until they knew for sure that he'd gotten home alright. No one to call if he needed help. No one calling him to check up on him.
"Don't have parents." He mumbled sadly, stopping himself from glancing at the man's face. He didn't want to see that look- the look of confusion, regret and pity all wrapped up into one. He hated it when people looked at him like that. He knew his life sucked, he didn't need reminding.
Still, the softer way in which the bartender spoke did the trick anyway.
"How about friends? Or a girl?" He suggested. "There must be someone you can trust to come and get ya."
A dopey grin spread across Naruto's face as his brain lit up with a thought. The bartender seemed relieved, giving him an encouraging smile. "Well, who you got in mind?"
"Obito!" Naruto beamed, almost falling off his stool in his excitement. "He's my boss and he's super awesome but he gives me lots of hard work and always makes fun of me but he loves me really. He doesn't like admitting he cares but he totally does! And I bet he'd come and get me 'cause he cares! Did I tell you that?"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down." The man laughed. "How about we give your boss a call and tell him to get his ass here? Then you can tell me all about him while we wait, huh?"
Naruto nodded excitedly, fishing his phone out of his pocket without a moment of hesitation. It never crossed his mind that it was a ridiculous time in the morning and Obito would probably be peacefully sleeping. All he knew was that Obito was the one person he could count on to pick him up.
At least he hoped so.
If not, then he'd be sleeping in some bar for the night.
…
By the time Obito actually got there, Naruto was half-passed-out on the bar with a bottle of water in one hand and a bucket next to him just in case the urge to throw up got too much to hold back. He didn't even notice his boss stroll in until the bartender tapped him on the head and pointed it out.
"You came!" Naruto cooed, face lighting up as a brilliant smile spread across it. He was so excited that it actually took him a while to register the look on Obito's face. And when he did, his smile faded and his eyes dropped to stare at his feet.
Obito was disappointed.
Naruto had seen his boss angry, amused, worried, happy, tired and a many other things. But disappointment was the worst of them all. He hated that look. It made him miserable.
He didn't move a muscle while Obito got some details from the bartender about his alcohol consumption before thanking him for the call. It wasn't until the Uchiha beckoned for Naruto to follow him that he made an attempt to stand.
"Bring the water and bucket." Was the harsh reminder after he managed to get on his feet after several attempts. Carrying them was fine but it also threw Naruto's balance off and made him sway a lot more. So Obito rolled his eyes and supported him all the way to the car whilst the rain poured down on them, practically shoving Naruto inside before sliding in next to him.
It was late but it turned out that Uchiha Enterprises' drivers were still on call and Naruto was left confused and baffled when Obito gave the driver the address of his luxury apartment rather than the blonde's own.
"Aren't I going home?" He mumbled clumsily, cradling the bucket in his lap. He wasn't too sure if his stomach was settled enough to handle a car journey. Sure enough, when the thing started up and began moving, he was left clutching the bucket like it was his lifeline.
"No." Was Obito's blunt and decisive reply- like it wasn't even up for discussion and Naruto had no say in the matter. But that was fine, Naruto didn't mind at all, as long as he didn't keep getting that look.
"Me and Tayuya were celera-celero-celebrating."
"I gathered that much."
Naruto frowned. At that moment he didn't have the language skills or the coherence to explain himself properly and it was starting to frustrate him. He wanted to get his side of the story out so Obito wouldn't be disappointed. He wanted the man to understand.
"We thought we d-deserved it after signing Ohn-Ohk-that old geezer."
Obito let out a deep sigh.
Naruto took that moment to study him.
He looked tired.
The spikes of his hair were drooping from the rain, droplets trickling down the scars. He wasn't in a suit either, which meant he'd probably been asleep when he got the call, and had thrown on some casual wear. There were slightly visible bags under his eyes too. They'd go after a few hours of sleep but they were definitely there.
Naruto was left feeling like a massive burden.
"You were right to celebrate." Obito murmured softly. "Ohnoki was a major client and I already told you how proud I was of you. Going out for a couple of drinks is something I encourage after a success like that."
"So then why…?" Naruto began, failing when his boss looked over at him in warning.
"You overdid it." He retorted simply. "You drank far too much, your company left you and you ended up drunk, alone and vulnerable in an unfamiliar place nowhere near your home."
So that was it. Obito was disappointed because he was worried about him. "You were lucky the bartender was nice enough to look after you. What would have happened if he'd just thrown you out? Do you know how dangerous it is to wander around Konoha at night in your state? What would have happened if I didn't come?"
"But you did." Naruto whispered, rolling his head back to rest on the seat, looking over at the older man with nothing but admiration. "And I'm safe as long as I'm with you."
"I don't want you to miss the point." Obito countered, though he seemed to relax a little and both his voice and glare became less intense. "I don't ever want you to put yourself in a position like that again. My employees are no good to me if they end up dead in the gutter."
Naruto smiled a little at that. Even after all this time, Obito was still trying to keep up the pretence that he and Naruto's relationship was strictly professional. It was actually kind of cute but a little scary that such a logical man could be so deep in denial.
"You love me!" Naruto sang at him, nudging at his arm.
"You're drunk."
"Doesn't make it any less true."
"Anything that comes out of your mouth is instantly invalid."
"M'gonna sleep." The blonde muttered decisively, dropping the bucket so he could manoeuvre himself into a lying position, resting his already aching head on Obito's lap in an attempt to find some comfort. The older man tutted down at him but made no move to stop him.
So Naruto just smiled, closed his eyes and nuzzled into his newfound pillow.
…
The next time he woke up, he found himself alone in Obito Uchiha's bed. He'd been stripped down to his boxers- his clothes piled neatly next to him- and a glass of water had been placed on the bedside table, ready and waiting. It was morning.
It took him a while to remember what had happened but he didn't have the energy to really feel anything but slightly confused. All that mattered was that he'd been stupid; Obito had come to pick him up and had told him as much.
Oh, and that no matter how much he tries to deny it, Obito cares.
There was a note for him in the kitchen telling him to shower, call the number given for a driver to pick him up and take him home and take the day off work. There was pain medication in the cupboard for his hangover and the handy bucket was still there so he didn't ruin anything expensive.
And as he followed Obito's written orders without question, Naruto couldn't help but wonder how his parents would have responded in that kind of situation. What would they say when they picked him up from the bar? What would they do in the morning to help him with his hangover? Or maybe they'd let him suffer the hangover as a lesson?
He spent the day imagining what would have happened if he had parents to call last night.
-3-
Naruto wasn't particularly violent but he had never been the kind to back down from a fight either.
As a kid, he'd been boisterous and rowdy. It didn't take much to get him angry and if someone pushed him too far, they could easily expect a fist to the face. Obviously, the older he got, the more chilled out he became. He was still emotional, and willing to admit it, but he had a longer fuse and reaching the end of it didn't always lead to violence.
Sasuke had pissed him off hundreds of times since Naruto joined Uchiha Enterprises.
Whether it was a smug look or the word 'dobe' muttered under his breath as they passed each other. And, as much as Naruto would love to have it out with him sometime, he was mature enough to realize that starting on Sasuke wasn't a very good idea.
Then there was Tayuya.
They were cool now, but before they'd set aside their differences to work together on Ohnoki, Naruto had never felt so compelled to hit a woman before. She had been such a bitch to him and his tough-kid instincts were telling him that a quick strike might snap her out of whatever the hell was making her act that way.
And many clients had made him pretty angry too.
Mostly the ones he spoke to over the phone- so he couldn't even hit them if he wanted to.
The point was, he wasn't the same kid in foster care, always getting into fights all the time.
He'd grown up.
…
But when he was mugged one afternoon on his way back from work, something snapped.
The guy took his phone, his wallet with all his hard-earned money; he even tried to take the suit that Obito had bought him! Naruto should have just let him go and replace the lost items whilst wallowing in self-pity like an ordinary person. The guy had a knife on him for God's sake.
Still, Naruto Uzumaki was the kind to act on gut, not brains.
So he chased his mugger through the darkened alleyways of Konoha, briefly imagining heroic music playing in the background, with all intent to get his damn stuff back. It was going pretty well and he did manage to catch the guy but he was already beaten up from the mugging itself and a well-aimed knee to the ribs knocked him off his game.
Naruto tried to chase him again but he tripped over something and it all went black…
…
"I have to say, Obito," she said with a head-turning smile, "you've really put me at ease about this whole deal." She raised her glass to him- far less intimidating and fearsome outside of negotiations- and he couldn't help but return the gesture.
Mei Terumi, a strong-willed and successful woman that Obito had been assigned as a client. Signing her on was a great achievement and one he'd gladly boast about when he caught up with Naruto. It had taken numerous meetings to finally get her on-board and she'd proven that she wasn't as dumb as Obito had first expected.
"Glad to hear it." He murmured, relaxing into his chair.
Mei had booked them a table at a moderately fancy restaurant for their final meeting. She'd already pretty much made up her mind before Obito even arrived and the flirtatious smile she was now giving him made the true purpose of the evening clear.
"I'm very set on keeping business and pleasure separate." Mei said, fingers holding her glass loosely. "So, now that the business is over, we're free to indulge in pleasure."
"What did you have in mind?" Obito asked, cocking an eyebrow in her direction curiously. Flirting with clients wasn't his style anymore but she seemed to interpret someone just looking at her as flirting so it really wasn't difficult.
"I was thinking that I could treat you to a meal to thank you for all your help." She mused sweetly. "Get to know each other personally- that sort of thing. Good-looking people such as ourselves shouldn't remain strangers."
"I see." Obito considered it briefly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been treated to dinner and it saved him the trouble of ordering out when he got home. Wining and dining clients was a daily occurrence- the trick was to make them believe you were knocking back the same amount of alcohol as them- and he felt deserving of a reward. "I'll take you up on that offer."
He'd just have to turn down her advances after the meal.
"I'm so glad." She smiled brightly, gesturing at a passing waiter. "This place has the best wine, the best food and now I'm here with the best company as well. I'm a very lucky woman tonight."
"Yes, you are." He toasted to her, allowing himself to relax into the more friendly atmosphere the night was falling into.
He needed this.
A break.
Unfortunately, the world seemed to have different plans for him.
His phone started ringing from within his jacket pocket, grabbing both his own and Mei's attention instantly. They exchanged a look, both wanting the sound to go completely ignored, but Obito checked it nonetheless. Mei didn't seem too annoyed or put off- she was a business woman after all.
When Obito didn't recognize the number, however, he was tempted to reject the call and get back to his evening. But curiosity won the battle and he answered anyway.
"Obito Uchiha." He muttered.
"Ah, we finally got you." Some guy whose voice Obito didn't recognize said in relief. "We were starting to worry that you wouldn't answer and this was the only number we had for you."
"I've been busy." Obito retorted, irritated that this stranger had apparently rung him repeatedly and hadn't given up. He didn't recall hearing his phone go off but he never answered during business meetings so it was possible he had ignored it sometime earlier.
"This is Obito Uchiha, right?" The man asked uncertainly. Obito could only roll his eyes.
"No, I just happen to answer his phone, introduce myself using his name, only to reveal my true identity halfway through the conversation." He said coldly. "It's my idea of fun."
Mei suppressed a giggle from across the table.
"Sorry, sir. It's just that Mr Uzumaki mentioned that if we couldn't get you on your cell then we should try your office number but we don't have the office number on record so we've had a hard time getting hold of you." The stranger explained hurriedly- some kid starting to get anxious after the sarcastic response he'd gotten. "We tried asking Mr Uzumaki for your office number but he lost consciousness so…"
"Wait, what?" Obito frowned in confusion, shoulders tensing up as Naruto and 'lost consciousness' entered the same sentence. If someone was playing a prank on him- Zetsu being the most likely mastermind- then he wasn't amused. "Who is this?"
"Sorry, sir." The man blurted out, guilt filling his voice. "I work at Konoha Hospital. I'm calling on behalf of a 'Naruto Uzumaki' who was brought into the emergency room earlier this evening."
"What happened to him?"
"If you could come down to the hospital, a doctor will happily explain the situation to you. There was an incident and, when he arrived, he asked if we could phone you. You're marked down as his only emergency contact on our system."
"On my way."
Obito hung up before he could get any reply and shoved his phone back in his pocket. Mei was staring at him, confused and wary as he got to his feet and adjusted his suit. He would normally have just left without a word, but this was a client and it wouldn't go well to insult her like that. "Emergency." He explained simply, pulling out his wallet and passing her a lump on money. "Your dinner's on me but I need to go."
"Some other time then?" She asked, looking both annoyed and hurt at his sudden departure. He gave her a quick nod before heading out of the restaurant to phone a driver to pick him up fast.
If Naruto Uzumaki wasn't seriously hurt or dying already, he'd kill him.
…
Naruto grinned, trying to catch the nurse's hand as she re-arranged the thingys around him. She dodged him, gave him a firm look, before going back to work.
Pain medication was an odd thing.
Some people just ended up drowsy.
For others there were no effects other than the numbing of pain.
Naruto fell into the category of people who ended up dopey as hell and unable to stop the weirdest aspects of their brain from operating their bodies. When he'd come to, he had no idea where he was or what was going on. The nurse had tried to explain it to him but he'd gotten distracted by how soft his bedding was. It felt funny beneath his fingers.
"Don't worry, Mr Uzumaki." The nurse assured him, dodging his attempted grasp once again. "I'm sure reception have called your girlfriend or parents or whoever you have by now."
"I don't have a girlfriend." Naruto pouted at her in confusion. "Or parents."
She looked guilty then.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"But I bet they phoned Obito!" Naruto announced in realization, his beaming grin returning as excitement blossomed in his chest. "He's my boss and he's super awesome and I know he'll come and get me!"
"Well, there you go then." The nurse said softly, hushing him in an attempt to cool his burst of energy. "Obito's probably on his way and then you can head home."
"I must be the only guy ever to be picked up by his boss, huh?" The blonde giggled, falling back onto his pillow. He knew Obito would come- just like how he came when Naruto got drunk that night.
"It's a first for me, that's for sure."
"Does everyone my age have their parents come?" Naruto asked curiously, unable to suppress the nagging question. He'd never been in hospital before- not for anything more than a broken arm- and it was an odd feeling to experience it for the first time alone. He wasn't even thinking back to his mugging anymore.
"Most of them, yes." She answered honestly, though a somewhat pained expression crossed her face as she looked down at him. "Unless they're in because they've injured themselves doing something stupid. Then they tend to keep their parents in the dark." Naruto offered a dry chuckle. He'd probably ask them not to call Obito if he'd injured himself doing something ridiculous too.
"I've been thinking about my parents a lot lately." Naruto murmured, staring up at the ceiling. "Been wondering what they'd be like if they were alive and stuff. Y'know, what it'd be like to have them there when I need 'em."
"It must be hard." The nurse whispered delicately. "But you've got Obito, right?"
"Yeah." Naruto said sleepily, letting his eyes fall closed as a fond smile crossed his face. "He's fucking awesome."
…
"Hmm?" Naruto's eyes crept open as the sound of raised voices shook him from his slumber. He was still drug-induced but now his confusion was coming from the chaos surrounding him. If he remembered right, he'd been in the hospital, and people shouldn't be shouting in a hospital. Especially nowhere near his room.
"Mr Uchiha, if you would just wait a moment while we-" the nurse from earlier pleaded, trailing off as someone reached the side of Naruto's bed. She'd probably realized that Naruto was already awake, muttering a brief apology before leaving them to it.
Blinking his still-adjusting eyes several times, Naruto stared up at the somewhat concerned face of his boss. And Obito just gazed back.
The way he was, Naruto looked so young and small curled up on his hospital bed, a small bruise on his cheek and the others hidden beneath the covers. It was a shocking reminder to Obito that Naruto really was just a goddamn kid after all. He was an adult in every sense of the word really but still a kid. Naïve, lost and ever-so-hopeless.
Lying in a hospital bed, beaten and bloody, but still grinning stupidly.
"You idiot." Obito muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he let out a long-suffering sigh. "What did I say about putting yourself in dangerous positions?"
"I was drunk when you told me that!" Naruto protested, realizing that he'd just defeated his own argument of not remembering. Stupid pain medication. "And it wasn't my fault, Obito! I was mugged!"
"You chased the guy." Obito retorted, cocking an eyebrow at him- as though daring him to argue. It seemed the nurses had had time to fill him in before he burst into the room after all. "You chased an armed mugger for a few replaceable possessions of no real importance. You could've been killed all for the sake of a phone, some money and your pathetic pride."
"I didn't think it through at the time!" Naruto whined childishly, not really liking being lectured whilst still in the hospital. The asshole could have at least waited until morning before making him feel like a moron.
"Obviously." His boss scoffed, sinking into the chair beside Naruto's bed with another heavy sigh. His demeanour was fierce but his eyes were soft and fond. "I can't believe you sometimes."
"Me either." Naruto offered as they exchanged amused looks. "Still, I was pretty badass."
"Until you tripped."
"Can we leave that part out when we tell the guys at the office?"
"Zetsu will find out." Obito warned simply. "Then everyone will know the truth."
"Damn it. Can't we kill him or something?"
"Already tried." He shrugged. "Can't be done."
Naruto laughed softly at that, feeling far less energetic than he had before. Now he just felt sleepy and drowsy as hell. "Anyway, what's this about you bragging about me to everyone who passed by?"
"I did that?" The kid asked, smiling lazily. "I really did do that. Sorry, I was out of it."
"You did the same thing with the bartender." Obito pointed out with a smirk. "It's becoming a habit of yours."
"You love it."
"Well, it's flattering at the very least."
They fell into a comfortable silence then, just watching each other in a way that they both knew the true meaning of. And, despite how tired he was, Naruto was the first to speak up.
"Thanks," he whispered brokenly, "for everything."
"Hm." Obito regarded him briefly. "You're worth the trouble I suppose. However, I do have to ask one thing."
"What?"
"How long have I been your emergency contact exactly?"
Naruto blushed, trying to bury himself in the pillow to smother his embarrassment. It wasn't really a huge deal but he'd never thought of mentioning it to his boss before. The general idea is that he, hopefully, would never end up in the hospital so Obito would never find out. Avoiding the subject seemed like a better option than facing up to it at the time. Now he wasn't so sure.
"Since just after my birthday." He admitted, offering a sheepish smile. "I've never had one before and you were the only option. I mean, who else could I actually count on to show up?"
"I understand." Obito nodded.
It was an odd feeling.
He was Zetsu's emergency contact as well and had been both Rin and Kakashi's before his scars, but with Naruto it was somehow different. Being depended on and believed in. To be an ideal worth having faith in. Naruto Uzumaki always made him feel so warm and alive. It was something unique to him. Something no one else could do for him.
And the way Naruto looked at him.
"You know," the blonde laughed, "these aren't the kinda things that bosses usually do for their employees."
"We aren't like anyone else." Obito pointed out with a small smirk.
So when Obito took him home, Naruto couldn't help but wonder.
When Obito bought him a replacement cell phone with a stern warning to never put its value above that of his own life again, Naruto couldn't help but wonder.
And when Obito fussed over him for the next week, driving him home every day so it couldn't happen again, Naruto couldn't help but wonder.
If he hadn't met Obito Uchiha, how would he have coped in all those situations?
His boss was having to pick up the slack, all because Naruto didn't have a family to do those things for him.
It didn't seem fair.
-4-
Sasuke was an assshole.
Naruto knew that, deep down, he wasn't all that bad.
A little conceited, with a bit of a superiority complex, quick to look down on people, bitterly jealous of his brother…but not too bad…
That didn't stop him from being a complete asshole though.
On most days, Naruto could deal with the teasing whenever they passed each other. Sometimes they actually managed to have a decent conversation and it always seemed worth enduring all the other times. That was just how Sasuke was. In retrospect, his teasing was only a little harsher than Obito's. It was an Uchiha thing.
But that Thursday wasn't like most days.
Naruto was feeling miserable and the weekend seemed too far away. He hadn't seen Obito all day and Zetsu had been missing in action as well so any hope of being cheered up was pretty much in the toilet. And when Kagami sent him up to Floor 49- Itachi and Sasuke's floor- to get some paperwork, he felt the dread settle in all too quickly. He could only hope that Sasuke was with a client or something.
Yeah, that hope was crushed pretty quickly.
"What are you doing up here, dobe?" The moment that ice-cold voice reached his ears, Naruto closed his eyes and groaned in trepidation. "Obito finally get sick of you or something?"
"Not today, Sasuke." He pleaded, hating how pathetic and desperate his voice came out. "Please, just not today."
"Someone's having a bad day." Sasuke scoffed, stepping into sight with the smallest of smirks on his face. "I was kidding, didn't realize it was true."
"Kagami sent me for the Sarutobi files." Naruto murmured, hoping he'd get a break and things could just go his way for once in his life. "Have you got 'em?"
"Junior Managers don't keep those kinds of files, dobe." He retorted slyly. "If you're after the ones I think you are, you'll need to check out this floor's records room."
"Thanks." Naruto immediately changed his course, heading straight for the records room with the hope that it would be empty. Maybe then he could get a few minutes alone to just stop and relax. Unfortunately, life wasn't in a merciful mood. Sasuke, who should have some work to go and do as a damn Junior Manager, started following him with that stupid smirk.
"Is it true that you went after an armed mugger?" The Uchiha asked mockingly. "That's what Zetsu told Itachi anyway. What kind of idiot gets beaten up, mugged and then thinks it's a good idea to chase the guy who did it?"
"We're not all pampered cowards." Naruto shot back coldly, barging into the records room. It wasn't something he should say to a Junior Manager but he couldn't hold it in. Sasuke had a habit of pressing just where it hurt all the fucking time and he wasn't in the mood to put up with it.
"Well, from what I hear, Obito always has to save your ass." Sasuke shrugged, leaning against a desk as the blonde went about searching. "So you're not exactly in a position to be acting all high and mighty."
"Shut up, Sasuke." Naruto hissed, trying to focus on finding the damn files that should have just been emailed over or something. That way he could have avoided all this crap.
"He picked you up from the hospital, didn't he?" But it didn't stop. "Like I would really do that for one of my employees. Bit unprofessional, don't you think? I thought it was odd when you said he bought you that suit for your birthday but that was just a one off. Now the evidence is really piling up."
"…" Naruto tried to ignore him. He really did.
"Covering your ass when you mess up, letting you sleep in his office just 'cause you got a little fever, saving you from the hospital. You two planning to spend Christmas together or what?"
Naruto bit his lip.
The ever-encroaching Christmas had been playing on his mind. Being reminded that he'd be spending it alone was way too painful. Why couldn't Sasuke realize that it wasn't funny anymore and just back off?
"Itachi tells me that Obito used to be the same with Izuna but I don't buy it." Sasuke pressed on, scoffing at the thought of it. "You're definitely a special case, dobe. It's like Obito's adopted you or something. I know you don't have a family but you do realize that Obito isn't a replacement father, right?"
That was it.
Naruto slammed the files he'd just found down on the desk in front of him with all the force of his boiling anger. He didn't care that Sasuke didn't mean it in a really horrible way. He didn't care that Sasuke just saw it as harmless teasing. He'd gone too far and Naruto couldn't take anymore. He didn't even care that he was about to verbally abuse a Junior Manager in such a way that he'd probably get fired. He might even get a punch in before he was asked to leave the building.
"That's ironic, seeing as your own father has a very limited interest in you."
Naruto froze before he even got a chance to turn round and the anger left his body in one wave of relief. That voice was Obito's voice. Obito was there to make everything better like he always did.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke muttered coldly and, upon turning round, Naruto could see that the smirk was gone. And Obito was leaning against the doorframe- casual as ever.
"Fugaku's always been nurturing Itachi, leaving you behind to play catch-up." Obito explained, cocking an eyebrow at the younger Uchiha. "Try not to project your own daddy issues onto my employee. It's embarrassing."
Naruto couldn't hold back his smile when Sasuke's face dropped. Something told him that Obito had just achieved something with a few calm words that Naruto wouldn't have been able to with all the abuse he could dish out. He guessed that was why Obito was the boss and he was still the guy learning. "Let's go, Naruto."
With an eager nod, the blonde gathered up the files and hurried out of the records room, shooting Sasuke a smug look as he passed just because he could. It felt good to have someone stand up for him. It wasn't something he'd really had before. But, no matter how much he thanked Obito on the way back down to Floor 37, the older man still shrugged it off like it was no big deal- joking about how Naruto was a pain in the ass.
And, just like at the hospital, Naruto suddenly felt a pang of guilt that Obito had to do so much for him. Maybe if he'd had a mom and dad, they might have taught him how to deal with bullies in the right way. Then his boss wouldn't have to swoop in at the critical moment and save him.
-5-
The reminders that he had no family had been coming in more and more frequently and Naruto was feeling stressed out by it all.
It wasn't something you ever really get used to or something you can go a whole day without thinking about. You never forget. You never adapt. It's always the same.
It's there when you wake up in the morning, knowing that there's no one to greet you and share breakfast with.
It's there when you head home, knowing that there's no one to welcome you back and ask about your day.
It's there when you cook your lonely meal for one.
It's there whenever you see an excitable child, or a typical teenager walking down the street with their parents.
There's just no escaping it but some days are better than others. Just because Naruto is reminded of it every single day didn't mean it made him miserable every single day. Sometimes he'd just rush through his morning out of eagerness to get to work, gulping down his breakfast on the way out the door. Sometimes he'd enjoy the silence of his apartment after a tough day. Sometimes he'd like the ease of a single meal. And sometimes he'd find it heart-warming to watch others with their parents.
It wasn't always bad but it was always there.
And, especially lately, it had been getting on top of him.
It was starting to affect him more and more as time went on and trying to bury all of his thoughts and feelings wasn't working at all. He knew what he needed. He needed to talk to someone. He'd always needed to talk to someone. Ever since he was a kid, if someone had just been there to listen to him, just let him get it all out of his system, then he'd feel so much more relieved.
But foster parents didn't do things that way.
The nice ones weren't too bad and they made an attempt. But they would lecture instead of listen. Tell you how you should feel rather than try and understand how you actually feel. And they wouldn't be able to understand anyway. How could they? Not even Jiraiya had been unable to understand him. The pain of not having a family. The emptiness that came with it.
And now Naruto was all grown up and still lost.
Tayuya had a difficult relationship with her parents so Naruto thought that she was a good choice. But any mention of parents in general turned her sour and bitter. And, bless her; she wasn't a very good listener.
Aoba had too good a relationship with his parents and that made Naruto way too nervous to approach him about it. What if he just got the confused look of pity and misunderstanding he had hated growing up?
Zetsu wasn't even an option. He was too airy and upbeat about everything. Try having a serious conversation with him and it would fail miserably. He was great at cheering people up with his infectious goofiness but sometimes Naruto didn't want cheering up. He just wanted to get it out.
…
Obito
…
He was the obvious choice. He'd grown up without parents too and, despite how large the Uchiha family was, he'd never been accepted or treated like a member. If there was anyone who could understand, it was him. But, at the same time, he was emotionally distant and closed off. Approaching Obito with any kind of personal problem in the past hadn't really achieved anything. He'd either force Naruto to drop it or distract him with work or sex- depending on where they were.
So Naruto didn't let himself consider it for long.
Besides, he'd already burdened Obito with enough.
…
"What's going on with you?" Obito muttered firmly, dropping his file as soon as Naruto stepped into his office. The question was like a fist to the face and the blonde was left frozen in confusion. Normally, being called into his boss's office meant work.
"Huh?" He blurted out gracelessly.
"No messing around, Naruto," was the cold warning he got in return, "Your work's been slipping and you've been crawling around like a kicked puppy for days now. Not to mention that you've been avoiding me."
"I haven't be-"
"Lie to me and we're done." And wasn't that just the last straw. That harsh threat was the jab in the chest which sent Naruto straight over the edge. No one liked being given ultimatums- especially from people they loved- and Naruto was at his boiling point.
"Like you even give a shit anyway!" He yelled, stamping his foot like a petulant child. "If this is all because my work's been slipping then why don't you just go ahead and fire me!" And, despite the very stern and dark look Obito gave him, Naruto couldn't bring himself to regret his outburst.
It felt good.
It felt so good to finally let it out.
Without breaking eye contact, Obito reached over to switch off the intercom without a word- ignoring Zetsu's protest- and cocked an eyebrow in Naruto's direction.
"It's just you and me." He murmured, his tone too difficult to read properly. "Explain."
"It doesn't matter." Naruto huffed, wanting nothing more than to get back to his cubicle and call up his next client- hoping their voice would drown out his pounding thoughts. But, despite how easy turning around and marching from the office would be, something in Obito's eyes made him stay.
He couldn't move.
"It matters to me." Obito said softly. "And not just because your work is slipping."
That was all the invitation Naruto needed.
"I don't have parents!" He blurted out intelligently. Obito just stared at him in bafflement. "I mean, I know I'm an adult and all that but lately it's just been reminder on top of reminder all the fucking time and I just can't take it anymore! When I was sick and at the bar and the hospital and with Sasuke and it's just so frustrating!"
Obito didn't move. Just listened.
"And it's fine, really, or at least it would be but it's like the world is always rubbing it in my face over and over! I never get a break and it isn't fair. I try not to be bitter and get all uptight but it's hard because I'm always having to keep it in and there's nothing I can do 'cause no one fucking understands!"
It felt so good.
Naruto was left, stood by the door of the office, panting and out of breath. He hadn't meant to shout the whole thing- Zetsu definitely heard, even with the intercom off- but the moment Obito had given him the go-ahead, the floodgates had just opened. All the feelings that had been built up for so many years came pouring out in a few poorly-chosen words. In reality, he could have gone on forever, but he was happy with the stress he'd managed to unload already.
Obito didn't look happy tough- even when Naruto shot him a nervous smile.
He was staring at Naruto like…well, that was new…
No confusion.
No pity.
It was a completely different look than usual.
Thoughtful, reflective.
"I understand." He murmured quietly, watching the way the kid's eyes widened in surprise. "But, as tough as it is, you have something that all the others lack."
"W-What?"
"Perspective." Obito replied simply.
He didn't need to say anymore. Naruto got what he was trying to say almost instantly. And he ended up feeling even more relieved than when he'd ranted. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to attack Obito and pull him into the tightest hug imaginable- whether the Uchiha wanted it or not- but they were at work so he settled for flashing him a grateful smile.
And Obito returned it with a small smile of his own.
"Take the afternoon off." He said with a dismissive wave. "Go and reflect on what you've gained and lost rather than what you never had. It helps."
…
Naruto did take the afternoon off.
He spent it at Ichiraku Ramen, mulling over his life while sipping at his favorite food of all time.
He thought about everything he'd lost:
Jiraiya- with all his pervy ways and awful habits. The way he'd tease Naruto and bring out his obnoxious determination and loud-mouthed attitude. His half-hearted advice and carefree ways. And his unconditional kindness.
His previous jobs- how easy and simple they always were. The way he'd show up casually, get whatever it was done and head home with plenty of free time. Back when his entire life was in his control and he didn't have schedules and piles of work to get done.
And then he thought about everything he'd gained:
His new job- giving him a sense of purpose and meaning. It challenged him, forced him to back up all his big talk with actual effort. It helped him challenge his competitive determination and focus it all on a goal. The way it had opened so many doors for him.
Aoba, Tayuya and Zetsu- their friendship and the happiness it brought him. He had people to tease and be teased by, to compete with on a friendly level, to turn to if he needed to, to brighten up his day with a few jokes and laughs.
And Obito.
By the end of the day, Naruto felt calm and soothed. It didn't change the fact that he didn't have a family to call his own and it didn't ease the pain but it had helped him see that his entire life wasn't limited by the fact that his parents were dead. That wasn't what defined him. That wasn't what made him Naruto Uzumaki.
He'd known it all along but he'd forgotten once all the stress and frustration had pushed down on him.
But, by following Obito's advice (and he still couldn't get over the fact that Obito had given him non-work-related advice) he'd remembered again.
He was Naruto Uzumaki.
His parents were dead.
But he was more alive than ever.
-+1-
It was close to Christmas when Naruto first realized it.
He'd been shopping for gifts on his afternoon off and found it all a lot harder than he'd expected.
Zetsu was easy- food-related stuff was a given- but Obito was difficult.
As far as Naruto knew, Obito didn't have any hobbies or interests outside of work. Unless going to the gym counted as a hobby? But, even if it did, that didn't really inspire any gift ideas. It wasn't like Naruto could get him anything he'd appreciate anyway. Obito was a Senior Manager with a whole load of money to go with the title. Naruto still struggled with his rent. What could he possibly afford that would be anything of worth in Obito Uchiha's eyes?
So, after hours of fruitless search at the mall, Naruto collapsed onto a bench and buried his head in his hands. He wanted to get Obito a gift. He'd been planning to ever since the older man had shown up to keep him company on his birthday. It was the least he could do. But he didn't want to get Obito just anything for the sake of saying he'd bothered. He wanted to get him something special and meaningful.
Naruto had never been Christmas shopping before and he'd greatly underestimated how difficult it was.
"Struggling, huh?" A kind voice murmured from beside him, causing Naruto to remove his hands and face the world again. It was an elderly woman, sat next to him on the bench, shopping bags of her own in her arms.
Just great.
Naruto had no problem with the elderly but he wasn't really in the mood for a chat. "I often struggle nowadays. People are a lot more demanding when it comes to presents now that so much is on offer. My granddaughter asked me to get her a tablet- turns out it's some new computer-type thing."
"No kidding." Naruto chuckled. Well, at least the old bat was entertaining.
"You having trouble?" She asked with a smile, eyes darting down to his one measly bag containing Zetsu's gift.
"Yeah." He shrugged. "I really want to get something special this year but I just can't work out what to get."
"Well, tell me a little about who you're shopping for." The woman suggested, shuffling back on the bench to get comfortable. "Maybe we can think it over together and come up with something."
Maybe things were finally starting to look up.
Naruto didn't know who this kind stranger was but he could have kissed her for her offer of help.
But, how would he describe Obito?
"He doesn't really have any hobbies or interests outside of work." He said, deciding to get that one out of the way. "And he earns a lot more money than I do so I can't really afford anything of his standard."
"No, no, no." She interrupted, shaking her head. "Tell me what kind of person he is. What's he like?"
"He's…" Naruto considered it for a moment, "…kind. He pretends not to be and doesn't like showing it but he's a lot kinder than he lets on. He puts up with me all the time, pushes me to succeed and sticks by me. When I'm sick, he looks after me. When I get drunk, he picks me up and gives me a lecture. When I end up in hospital, he comes and gets me. When other people are nasty, he stands up for me. And when I'm really hurting, he listens and gives me advice."
Naruto smiled and the old woman smiled back.
He made Obito sound like an absolute saint- and although that wasn't entirely true- he was starting to realize just how awesome his boss really was. Maybe Naruto was the one who didn't appreciate things enough.
"Well," the woman began, like she already had the answer, "when you're shopping for family, instead of searching for expensive gifts, think of something more personal. It doesn't have to cost much as long as it means something to both of you. I'm sure he'd love something like that."
"Oh, no. He's not…" Naruto went to correct her but trailed off as it struck him.
Why wasn't Obito family?
Naruto had heard all of his co-workers' stories about their families and what they were like and Obito did everything the people in those stories did. He looked after Naruto when he was sick. He put up with him but didn't hold back on the lectures. He could be counted on when Naruto needed help. He had Naruto's back. He listened when Naruto needed to let off steam. And he gave advice which actually worked.
Why couldn't Naruto consider Obito Uchiha his family?
Because they were both adults?
Because they weren't blood-related?
Because Obito was his boss?
Why?
From where Naruto was sitting, considering the way he'd described Obito and the way the old woman had replied, he did have a family. Despite all his sulking, maybe, just maybe, he hadn't been paying enough attention.
"Yeah, you're right." The blonde murmured softly. "Thanks, old lady!" He called, jumping to his feet, stretching, before rushing off.
Maybe it was time to dust off that photograph.
And he'd seen the perfect mug a couple of weeks ago that would look awesome on Obito's desk.
And, maybe someday, Obito would see Naruto as family too…
The End
A/N: So, what did you all think of this oneshot?
Message me with your requests!
The next chapter of Scarred will be up next week in the usual place.