His head lay pressed flat against the pillow as his drool gently pooled before soaking into it.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING
Naruto sat up in bed with his drooping eyes revealing how sleepy the boy still was. He yawned and slapped the button next to his bed. The flourescent lights hummed to life and the light blinded him for a second as it washed over his abnormally pale skin, soon the blankets were at the bottom of the sheet as Naruto, nude as the day he was born, started to stretch.
After a quick shower he started to get dressed, first, a pair of boxers, which were quickly covered by dark blue shorts. Then a a pair of dark red pants and a similarly colored long sleeved shirt. He quickly pulled on a pair of socks, pulled on his combat boots, and pulled on a pair of gloves with steel engraved with the Konoha leaf symbol on one, and various symbols emblazoned in steel on the other.
He cracked his neck and started to pull on the full face mask which covered his entire face until all that showed was a small circle of skin around his eyes.
Then for the first time, he walked over and up the small set of steps, he twisted the metal ring above him, and opened the hatch on the heavy bunker he called home.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
He walked into class and sat down in his usual seat. As the students filed in, they automatically started to take the seats farthest away from him, all except one, Sasuke Uchiha who sat down right in front of him.
Several girls looked from Sasuke to Naruto and back again before continuing to fill the seats away from the cursed student.
Everybody knew to stay away from him, Almost six years before the Hokage had been hospitalized for a week after mere casual contact.
Since then, none had dared to touch him. Not that there was a chance as his clothes had quickly gone from comfortable, to stifling. The Hokage had even given him his own home, far away from the noise of the city and completely safe, what he'd never mentioned, and Naruto had never pointed out, was it was to keep the citizens safe from him.
He sighed. He knew it hurt to touch his skin, which was why he had conceded to his current choice of garments.
His eyes blurred for a second before he forced the tears back down.
Finally the last stragglers came running in, shoving and insulting each other, until they looked around and realized, that they were too late to stay away from him.
He watched as Ino and Sakura tried to bribe, threaten, and in one case, even flirt someone out of their seat. He quickly looked towards the wall trying to remember that it was his own curse that caused this, finally, the two looked over at Sasuke, who due to his choice of seats, was right next to the one open space that was the farthest away from Naruto.
Though neither of the fangirls wanted to sit near the boy, they both wanted to sit as close to Sasuke as they could.
Eventually, Ino won by calling out to Iruka, Sakura had stopped fighting long enough to look as Ino stealthily slid into the seat.
Iruka was still two blocks from the school at the time.
"Gah, Ino-pig, you cheated."
Ino Yamanaka smiled, "Oh, really? Too bad." Her face took on a look of false sincerity. "But, we're ninja, we do whatever we have to."
Sakura nodded reluctantly and made her way towards the seat beside Naruto. She sat down, and scooted as far as she could away from the boy who showed next to no skin.
She listened and noticed a sigh right before he wedged himself in the corner as far as he could.
Did he move to make me more comfortable? She looked over at the form that hunched over the desk. "Weirdo."
Naruto hunched further over the table. Always the same thing.
He looked up as Iruka walked into the classroom.
He smiled as he looked over his charges only for it to dissolve as he caught sight of Naruto's hunched figure. Naruto.Maybe after today, you can gain the recognition you crave.
He smiled again. "Okay, here we are, the Genin Exam. Up to date, you've passed all the requirements for being assigned to a Genin team." I hope they note I said team. "Today's the final test. All of you must create three clones. Mizuki and I will call you into the room as needed, until then, stand in the hall."
The students started to shuffle out of the room and Iruka quickly placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
Naruto flinched away to Iruka's displeasure. "Reverse alphabetical order. You're first."
Naruto nodded.
Iruka sat down.
Naruto put his hands together in the proper sign to make a bunshin. Sweat started to cover his brow as three poofed into existence.
Iruka nodded. "Very good." Iruka proceeded to throw a shuriken at him.
Naruto quickly brought his hands together and substituted himself for a desk.
The Shuriken glanced off the desk and landed next to him. He noted it's blunted edges.
He looked over at Iruka who was smiling happily. "Congratulations Naruto, you passed."
He reached over to a table and handed him a headband before shaking his hand. "Now, please leave through the window." Naruto nodded as Mizuki quickly placed the desk back into position.
As he left, he distinctly heard the call for Sasuke Uchiha.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto lay stiff as a board on his bed as he stared at the ceiling.
He heard a buzz and looked over at the door before slowly climbing back into his clothes.
He made his way through the room and twisted open the hatch revealing the Sandaime Hokager, Sarutobi.
The older man let his taller frame fall through the hole and looked around before making his way toward the small sofa and sitting down. "So Naruto, I heard you passed the test."
Naruto nodded. "Yes Lord Hokage."
He smiled sadly. "You know Naruto, this is your home, you don't have to wear all those clothes if you don't want.
Naruto looked down. "Given my state, it is, common courtesy."
The Hokage sighed. "Naruto, there are some, peculiarities caused by your, ability. So I want to know, are there, any students in the class you wouldn't mind working with?"
Naruto looked at him in awe. "Isn't it, the Hokage's responsibility to choose the teams?"
The old man nodded. "Yes, but I wanted to hear it from you."
Naruto looked down. "It, doesn't matter to me."
The Sandaime nodded once again. "Very well. I'll be on my way. Naruto, good luck." He got up and made his way through the still open hole. "You'll need it for the real Genin Exam."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As always, Naruto was there bright and early the next morning. Early enough to see the Hokage walk out of the classroom saying goodbye to Iruka.
He walked in with a curious face. "Hey, what was that about?"
The Chuunin turned to him. "Oh Naruto. Um, Mizuki tried to steal something from the Hokage's office. He was letting me know that this upcoming semester leaves me without him."
Naruto nodded. "Hope the traitor got his throat slit."
Iruka nodded his head in agreement. "Hey Naruto, since you're here so early, maybe you could do me a favor."
Naruto cocked his eyes. "What?"
Iruka pulled something out of his drawer and handed it to him. He coughed lightly as his cheeks heated up. "I, kinda got a date tonight. And I was hoping you could go pick up a bouquet I ordered."
If you'd been able to see his face, you'd have seen the young Genin was floored. My teacher, has a date?
Naruto slowly took the piece of paper Iruka was holding.
"Oh, and Naruto, since this is something extra, how about, oh, D-rank pay."
He realized the boy hadn't heard anything he'd said since the window was open and Naruto was gone.