Hello darlings! I wouldn't be surprised if you've forgotten all about this fic even if you're following it xD I have never forgotten about it myself but just never been in much of a mood to continue it... Luckily though I had the wisdom to write down my general ideas for the story beforehand which was good reference when I finished up this incomplete chapter today.

Hope you guys enjoy your angst because that's all you get this chapter! :P


3-4 years later...


Avoiding a tree root that curved up above the ground in a perfect position for tripping some poor traveller, Harry sighed and shot yet another reluctant look at the man shuffling along lazily by his side. "You know, I think I'm capable enough to not need a babysitter just to travel across the borders, Darui."

"Maa," Darui drawled in his familiar tone, body slouched and hands leisurely tucked into his pockets, easily avoiding low-hanging branches and any other odd things in the forest around them. "It's really no trouble, Harry-dono. Better to be safe then sorry, after all, if you were unlucky enough to come across some of the bandits that prowl the land borders."

Harry chuckled and shook his head, but refrained from mentioning that with his luck, he probably would have encountered said bandits. Not that that'd be much of an issue nonetheless. "I'm sure you must've something more important to do? Aren't hidden villages usually short-of-hand and sending their shinobi out as often as they can?"

Humming, Darui watched some birds flying past as he replied, "well, the Boss did say that you were alright getting there yourself, and it's a drag, but I guess it's the least I can do for Bee-sama."

"What do you mean? Did Bee say something?" Harry asked, confused.

"Not at all. Simply that… well, everyone in Cloud can see how much Bee-sama seems to get along with you; which is saying something, considering he's nice to everyone. I heard Bee-sama tell the Boss that even the Eight-Tails liked you from the moment you met. Said you felt like... the 'old man' or something," Darui shrugged, "whatever that means."

An amused smile on his lips, Harry laughed softly. "They're certainly an odd pair, those two. But Bee is just easy to get along with, and Gyuki is rather amiable too, for all the 'terror' people seem to paint the Bijuu in."

Darui chuckled and shook his head. Only Harry-dono would speak of a Bijuu so familiarly, even calling it by it's 'name'. Catching a flash of colour in his peripheral, Darui glanced up to see the beginnings of the Konoha's orange village walls up ahead.

Noticing Darui's gaze becoming more aware, Harry followed his line of vision to see the familiar large walls peeking above some the treetops. "Well, guess this is about it then, Darui," Harry smiled at his companion. "Sorry that you had to walk all the way here with me, when you could've probably gotten here days ago."

Smiling, Darui laughed, "don't worry yourself about such things, Harry-dono. It was a pleasure to escort you. I do hope you will visit Kumo again soon?"

Reaching the last line of the forest before Konoha's village gates, Harry turned and placed a hand on Darui's shoulder, "of course, Darui," he smiled. "you'll be seeing a tad bit more of me from now. You won't be able to get away from me," he added cheekily.

"We wouldn't dream of it, Harry-dono," Darui smirked, just as two Konoha-nin standing by the gates turned towards them. Darui stopped and tipped his head towards Harry, "then, I shall take my leave, Harry-dono. I wish you a safe stay," he glanced meaningly at the two guards before pushing off the ground and returning into the cover of the forest.


Harry had waved aside the gate guards' offer to walk him to the Hokage's office, knowing his way and wanting to see the village a bit more on his way. It was nearing sundown by now and only a peaceful murmur rippled throughout the village as lights came on and stores closed up.

Passing by what Harry vaguely remembered as Konoha's school for aspiring ninja children, he was distracted by the raised noise levels and found himself taking a detour to see what the commotion was. As he stood by the academy gates, he saw a crowd of people just outside the main building, talking to each other happily and children all sporting familiar blue forehead protectors bearing the village's leaf symbol.

From the excitement of the preteens to the smiling faces of the parents, Harry assumed that a graduation of sorts had just occurred; and he smiled at the happy picture. Picking up a sharp creaking sound to his left, Harry's gaze darted over to an area shadowed by trees to see a lone figure sitting sideways on a swing, both hands grasping a supporting rope.

Frowning at the elusively familiar back of this child, Harry took in the form's slouched posture for a moment longer before a memory sparked in his mind, causing him to walk towards the lone child.

In the short time it took for him to walk over to the swings, it seemed that he attracted some attention from the crowd still gathered to the right. His ears picked up barely-concealed whisperings, especially among who he assumed were mothers of the children gathered. He gathered that the general gist of the mumblings were questioning who he was and what he was doing. Well, wasn't that obvious?

Stopping a few steps away from the kid, he smiled as his suspicions were right and this was the same boy that had merrily played tour-guide to him and his friends the last time he visited, roughly three years ago. Wracking his brain for the boy's name, said child in question finally noticed his presence and slowly turned his head around.

Harry's lingering smile fell and he blinked in surprise as he took in the boy's sullen expression and deadened eyes. Hitting him like a train was a memory of his first meeting with the boy – Naruto.

Pulling up a smile, Harry slowly crouched down on the ground and flexed his hands, unsure whether to open them for a hug or if the child would have even remembered him. "Naruto, it's been awhile." He had to resist frowning when the child simply watched him with a guarded expression before recognition flashed across his face, causing his grip on the rope to loosen as he slid off the swing.

Feeling his smile become heavier the longer Naruto simply stood there, watching him silently, Harry tried again; "do you remember me? It's Harry, Ha-rii." He watched as the sullen expression faded off Naruto's face and he hoped that the boy remembered all the fun they had together.

Harry watched as Naruto took two cautiously tentative steps towards him, and he raised an arm in an open gesture before the boy closed the distance between them, but only until he was right before Harry.

"Harii… nii-san?" came the unsure voice. Harry's chest tightened uncomfortably at the unfitting behaviour of what he remembered as a bubbly child.

Leaning forward, Harry wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. "That's right, Naruto. I've come back to see you." He wasn't sure why he added that last bit, but it seemed to have caused Naruto's stiffness to loosen as the boy hesitantly placed his hands on Harry's sides; not really hugging him but not avoiding him either.

With the boy's head pressed lightly against his shoulder, Harry dropped the smile that was starting to become painfully out-of-place. Just what exactly happened today to make Naruto so guarded? No, he remembered that the boy had been similarly cautious during their first meeting as well. But now… it was as if he had become jaded in the time they'd been gone.

It didn't make any sense. Why would such a child need to become jaded? Hell, he looked ready to bolt when speaking Harry's name just then. Ninja village or no, Harry was sure that someone of Naruto's age should not be like this.


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