Disclaimer: I don't actually own Naruto. Huh, imagineer that.
What Are Friends For?
Naruto Uzumaki had no parents, no siblings, no family at all. Naruto Uzumaki had no one. He attended every class at the Ninja Academy, though sometimes he left before it was finished, he was always there for the very beginning. Often the teachers marked him absent whether or not he stayed the entire class. As time went on the other students graduated, leaving Naruto behind. When he finally passed the test to become a genin there were only either other students, plus a team of three from the previous year his team trained with sometimes. In an effort to make sure at least someone acknowledged them on their special days as no one had for him he learned birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and any other important dates. He did this because they were his comrades, people he would be working with for the rest of his career if he was lucky. He felt that his made it his duty to give them as much happiness as he could. Naruto was extremely unselfish when it came to those people.
On Umino Iruka's birthday he made an effort to be there, despite that he had nearly frozen the night before in his own apartment as the head had been turned off; the man had been celebrating with older friends and had quickly made sure Naruto had left as he enjoyed older company, a routine that continued for Naruto's entire time of knowing the man. Though the man hadn't really noticed, among his gifts was always a small, unsigned card with a small amount of money taped inside and a quickly penned phrase that matched the occasion which was usually forgotten among other flashier gifts.
Naruto made sure to do the same for the others too. Ino, Sakura, Sasuke, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Choji, Shikamaru, Neji, Rock Lee, TenTen, Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, Asuma, and the Hokage as well. Not a Christmas or birthday went by that Naruto didn't make at least one appearance and a quick greeting, though he was usually told to leave and not invited to join the celebrations with other friends or their families, and every time there would be an unsigned card with a small amount of money taped to the inside and a quickly penned phrase.
When one of them were injured during a mission Naruto made appearances as well and could often be found asking how they were doing. He helped out with whatever he could until they could resume their normal routines themselves. For all the Naruto was there for them during everything important in their lives, on one was ever there for Naruto.
Birthdays went uncelebrated or ever asked about. As far as Naruto knew, no one even knew when his birthday was or if they did they didn't remember it. Whenever he was in the hospital he recovered on his own. Holidays for him were spent alone but for his visits to others to make sure they were enjoyed theirs with no such consideration to himself.
It wasn't until Naruto died that anyone realized how much Naruto had really been there for them. During the fifteenth annual celebration of the Kyuubi's defeat, a mob had gathered around Naruto as he was making his rounds to the people he cared for. Some were skilled ninja, but mostly there were civilians. They attacked while voicing their opinions on how he had been the cause of all their misfortune since his birth, including the deaths of their loved ones. Naruto did not fight back. For all that they were attacking him, they were members of his village and were not to be harmed. They claimed that his death would make them happy, that rightfully his life should belong to them. So he gave it to them. The years spent alone with nearly constant abuse from all around and no apparent caring towards him had left him deeply scarred on a mental and emotional level. They had messed him up so much that his last thought before his last breath was that he had finally done something to make them happy.
All the while Naruto had made not a sound beyond a few whimpers that from any one else would have been screams. It was one of the ANBU patrolling the area for the festival that stumbled upon the scene just as Naruto passed on. He stood shocked for a few moments at the brutality of the villagers actions before calling for extreme backup. In moments the entire ANBU corps had surrounded the angry mob that was still attacking the now dead boy.
It was a week before the Hokage, who felt his age settle even more heavily around his shoulders that ever before, was able to gather those Naruto considered friends and family to tell them the news. They stood before him talking to one another and he listened to them for a long while, feeling more and more saddened as he heard no mentions of the seemingly carefree blonde that was never to be among them again, and hadn't been seen in a over a week. He almost broke down as he heard the pink haired Sakura suddenly complain to her teammate and sensei about the blonde missing training and how he was never there when one needed him. It hurt him further as he heard no one try to dispute her, instead nodding in agreement.
He called them to order and asked them where Naruto was, as a final test to their characters. When no one was able to reply with an accurate answer he then asked when they had last seen the blonde. Not in over a week, since before the festival was the answer many gave. With anger in his voice and grief in his heart he told them the news. They were all appropriately shocked. They were even more shocked when they learned the details of his death, of how he had given himself to the bloodthirsty mob peacefully. It seemed so unlike the Naruto they thought they knew to give in so easily. Further proof that they didn't really know him.
The Hokage decided then and there that the shinobi before him should have an understanding, no matter that it was too late, of Naruto and the life he had led for so long on his own. He ordered them to clean his apartment of his belongings as a group that very day. He was forced to lead them to the apartment himself as none of them knew the location of Naruto's home. They stood in front of the building for a long moment, marveling that Naruto had lived as the single inhabitant of such a large building that should have been condemned and torn down years ago. Inside they took their first look at Naruto's home life. There was only one piece of furniture, a couch so worn that a few of the springs had nearly burst free of the material holding it all together. Inside the closet there were only two sets of clothing, worn and patched so neatly it would be hard to notice unless looked at closely. In the kitchen next to the counter was a heavily dented refrigerator, which contained only a few groceries of which most had gone bad two weeks before yet looked eaten out of anyway. On the counter were two small stacks of bills, one with X's on the corners to show that they had been paid and the other without to show that they had yet to be paid. Looking at the prices no one question any more why Naruto had eaten ramen so often, as it was probably the cheapest food in Konoha. The bill for the apartment alone would have put a dent in any one of their checks. The only decorations in the small home were the many photos of the people looking at them now, Naruto's precious people.
It was Iruka that found the box hidden in Naruto's room; just a small shoebox that was probably the best kept thing in the dingy apartment, as it still looked new. It brought tears to everyone's eyes as they viewed the contents. The box was filled with envelopes, each with the name of someone in the room. When they were handed out, every person there received at least one, with TenTen and Rock Lee receiving two each. Inside each was a card, unsigned, but with a quickly penned note and a small amount of money taped to it, wishing the reader a "Happy Holiday!" , and in the case of TenTen's and Rock Lee's extra one, a "What are friends for other than to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY?! Have a good one."
As they left the apartment they couldn't help but think to themselves, 'Yes, what are friends good for?'
A/N: I was just going through my files when I found this and thought, well, why not? So I posted it. It was among the unfinished files because I couldn't think of a good ending for it, and I'm not happy with the one I have come up with on short notice now, but if someone has an idea for one and would help me out that would be great. Thanks, FJ