Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on fanfiction so I hope im following the rules properly. This one of the stories I've been itching to write. Hope you like it :)
Disclaimer. I don't own nor am I affiliate with the fictional story and character Naruto or anything related to the character, author, merchandise, etc.
Naruto strolled the sidewalk and felt the cool gentle Konoha wind through his hair. It was a crisp autumn breeze that felt nice on his scalp. While most people would have there hands shoved in there pockets, Naruto didn't feel cold; walking with his elbows up and not caring that people would wonder if the sensitive lymph nodes under his armpits feel the brunt of cool air. Naruto continued his long stroll, not paying attention to his surroundings. He scoffed lightly at the conversation he had with Sakura and Sai... of all people, about his attire. Explain all he want, no one cares when he tells them his jacket is made of some pretty tough material. Not surprising, appearance matters most and he doesn't think he look that bad.
As the village nuisance, turned hero, all of the girls and some of the guys wanted him to have a wardrobe change. It was true that nearly everyone thought his outfit was ridiculous, but when he was a nobody, no one cared and actually thought something so awful and gaudy suit him. Naruto understood how important appearances are, but he couldn't make himself care and he really couldn't see what was so wrong with his favorite jumpsuit!
Konoha's number one knuckle head walked with his head high and his eyes closed. Naruto remembered the old guy who sold him his now favorite jumpsuit for ninja school. He was young, about 9 or 10 years old. Even though It was chilly like today, he wore his favorite white tee with the big red swirl on it. Gramps gave it to him. Gramps pretty much gave him everything. Naruto kicked a stone and watched the leaves make a whirl pool ahead of him as fond memories of the third hokage rushed through his mind. He really loved that old man.
It was Naruto's birthday and the third hokage was tired of seeing Naruto wear those thin tee shirts that were suppose to be worn in summer. As a birthday gift, he decided he would give Naruto as much money as he want to buy something warm. For an orphan, Naruto was very picky. He wouldn't eat certain foods and he wouldn't wear certain colors. The old village leader had reservations about trusting a 9 year old boy with money to buy cloth, and took a day scratching his chin about the issue. Instead, he gave Naruto a blank check and told him to pick up whatever warm cloths he wanted. Naruto remembered pouting while looking at the rectangular paper in his small hands. It didn't look like it, but he was extremely happy.
Naruto always thought that if he wasn't a ninja, he would be an actor, or a leader everyone respected. It didn't matter as long as he was in the spotlight. He wanted to be famous and he would do it in style. Naruto wanted a ninja outfit that really stood out and also made people respect him and he wanted people to always look at him with admiration, love...whatever; just as long as they don't ignore or look at him like he was something filthy. Naruto too his usual route to the village and walked along the hill overlooking the lake where the sad dark hair kid sat everyday. It was funny to Naruto that every time he looked his way from such a long distance, the kid would look back and glare. Snickering a bit, Naruto thought of a million pranks he could pull on him. Maybe if he made a funny face, the kid wouldn't glare. Tomorrow he would moon him! That'll show that kid to sulk. Hehe.
Little Naruto reached the shopping center in the village and like a wooden soldier, little Naruto walked into many stores. In most places, he either left as quickly as he came, or was harshly thrown out. Naruto frowned at that memory, but he was happy for what came after.
Naruto remembered the cool night of that memory felt the same as tonight. The little Naruto in his memory was sad for the way the store owners treated him, but he was more upset for not finding anything. He wanted to show his gramps what he bought with the money. Everything was closed so he had to try again tomorrow. With a heavy heart, little Naruto walked slowly with his head down.
His young mind was just starting to bury these memories until he came across a peddler. The old man was sitting on a barrel near a horse drawn wagon. He glanced at Naruto and stared. Naruto stared back wondering if the old man could see properly. The old man smiled and beckoned him. He walked towards him and felt a warmth from this peddler. Naruto could tell his eye sight was bad by the way he squinted at him, but his smile made him feel safe.
Little Naruto was still sad about his shopping experience. He wanted to tell someone, so he told the elderly peddler. The old man listened intently and expressed his confusion as to why they would treat a little boy in such a manner. Naruto shrugged and told him that he had no parents and maybe being an orphan must have been a bad thing in his village. The old man didn't know what to say. He shook his head sadly. To cheer him up, the peddler told him about his village and his many grandchildren. He also mentioned that he had a grand son who looked just like him. Naruto stared in wonder and was a little jealous of those grandchildren for having such a kind and loving grandfather. Naruto sniffled a little. He tried not to, but he cried. He felt terrible about his day, for being jealous, and because he knew his own gramps was just as kind.
The old man felt a pang in his chest for watching the little boy cry. For such a young kid, he lead a terrible life. Ever since he became a parent and now a grandparent, the old peddler felt a soft spot for all little boys and girls. He remembered the blond boys dilemma about finding warm clothing suitable for a ninja and told him that he sold very special outfits. He said they would not fit him since he was so small, but that he was an excellent tailor and could make it fit since he sewed for all his grand children. Naruto dried his eyes and cocked his head at the peddler. He eyed the suit the man wanted to give him. The old man really had bad eye sight! It was bright orange. Even if it was the most amazing suit in the ninja world, that color was easy to spot but, Naruto could see himself in it. The bright orange lifted his mood and he instantly felt cheerful. He thought, if this outfit could make him smile, than maybe everyone else will! Especially that sulky kid by the lake. Naruto wasn't listening to the old man that was telling him how great the material is. The peddler told him that he could have this jumpsuit as a gift, but Naruto insisted he use the third hokages blank check. Reluctantly, the kind old man took the check and told Naruto to come back in a week at the same spot to pick up his outfit. Naruto gave the old man a face splitting smile and hurried home. He couldn't wait to get his new jumpsuit.
Smiling at the memory, Naruto stopped to sit on the park bench. It was not the same bench he was on when he mourned his other grandfather Jiraiya Sensei, but it was a bench and it made him think. It wasn't the worst place for him to think on since the swings took that title. Luckily he was too big to fit in them, especially the wooden ones that hung on a tree. Still lost in thought, he figure he would take this time and continue reminiscing. The park bench wasn't bad though. He never knew what his mind would come up with.
Thinking was not his favorite past time since it usually lead Naruto to realize the most bizarre but true patterns in his life. Life was painful so he didn't want to think at all, but sometimes the thoughts would burst through his mental dam and he had to let it run its course. This time he realized that he got along well with really old people. It didn't matter their social status or if they had an unusual personality; he felt drawn to them. Maybe it was because they never looked at him with those eyes. As much as he annoyed them, he wanted there attention because they treated him like he was any cute child and not something disgraceful. After all, it was a kind elderly man who sold him the outfit he grew to adore so much, and it was his gramps money, the third hokage that paid for his suit.
The black sleeves on his jacket exposed Naruto's soft hands as he spread them across the park bench. His zipped-up-all-the-way turtle neck, which would annoy anyone else but Naruto, exposed his adams apple as he looked up and gave a strained smile. He knew how his mind worked and he was generalizing. It was not true that all elderly people looked at him kindly, but including his grandma Tsunade, those were the only old people that counted.
His mind was the best dam in the world. It kept out unpleasant memories so he never had to constantly feel like he was being strangled on a daily basis. But the dam worked too well and it made him forget entire days and even things he should remember like Iruka sensei's lessons and Sasuke's password at the chunnin exam….or maybe that was hard for anyone to remember. Naruto supposed his dam was why people thought he was stupid; but he didn't care. His alternative wasn't so pretty. He knew if he really paid attention, he would retain a lot, but he would also get those negative feelings. Naruto was a very emotional person. He instantly empathizes with people, but it didn't mean he truly understood what they felt. At 16, he was a growing boy and he didn't have the knowledge to categorize those feelings he got from others. It unnerves him when he doesn't know the right thing to say or the right way to act, so he reacts the same to everything. Loud and dramatic, just like the orange in his jumpsuit.
Almost dozing off in thought, Naruto slowly sat up straight and stretched. He was grateful that the elastic on his jacket rarely exposed him. He hated cold spots on his lower back. It made him feel uncomfortable, like when someone sticks ice cubes down your shirt. Smiling at that thought, he can't help but remember Sasukes' seemingly cold , yet warm eyes. Sasuke hated Naruto's outfit. It had to be the outfit. What else could it be? He knew it because his best friend would give off a vibe, when he wore something else. He couldn't put his finger on it, but his eyes weren't cold anymore. Naruto liked to think that it was because Sasuke didn't share everyone else's belief that an awful looking outfit should suit an awful person.
Naruto shook his head and smiled. When the others ask him what he sees in Sasuke, he could never fully explain himself. It was the little things Sasuke did or said or the good intentions he had that seem cruel on the outside. He couldn't really explain why Sasuke, but he felt a connection with him the first time their eyes meet. Maybe it was those times by the lake? He didn't know and the feelings he got unnerved him. It bothered him enough to spend as much time with the sad boy and try to figure them out. He still doesn't know, but the one thing he knew was that those memories with Sasuke held too many positive feelings. With Sasuke, he felt the dam in his head never go up. Its no wonder he remembers .memory they shared. Even if it was a year or two of team seven being a normal team, the memories he built with Sasuke felt like a lifetime. It was addictive. Even the bitter ones, and they were excruciating. Even so, like any addiction, he had to get Sasuke back so he can keep building those memories with him and finally have moments when he remembers everything about his day. Maybe one day, he would understand that feeling.
Noon was turning to night and Naruto felt his butt fall asleep. This was also why he hated thinking so much. The exception was the hot onsen where he only had happy thoughts and memories. Maybe he should have went there instead. Groaning in annoyance, Naruto stretched his legs and felt the cold wrap around his shin as his favorite water proof, fire proof and tear resistant pants shifted up. Naruto could never get over the material that made up his clothing and he really did put it through all of those harsh conditions. The only tear he remembered was the hole Sasuke made through his chest. When he brought it to the old man that sold him his outfit for repairs, morbidly he almost wanted to keep it that way for memories sake. The old man just made him a new one.
Shaking his legs, Naruto felt the blood flow through his veins. He adjusted his stretchy waist band, put his hands in his warm pockets and walked to Ichiraku for a late dinner. It was his day off and he almost regretted spending most of it almost dozing off in thought, but Naruto smiled and figured it was the best thing he did all week. It made him think of fond memories and about Sasuke. Unlike his grandfathers, Sasuke was still alive and he was beginning to understand his best friend with every encounter. It didn't matter that he was far away, he could still feel that same feeling. He wanted Sasuke back. And with his reliable jumpsuit, Naruto will do anything to get the chance to make more memories and remember more of his days with Sasuke.