I don't own Naruto.

This chapter is not as long as I intented, but I promise the next chapters will be longer. Hope you enjoy anyway.

An Assassin's Legacy

Chapter 3

Naruto stood in the darkness. His 'family' stood against him. Wearing scowls and hurling insults at him.

Is this how a family is supposed to be? Or is it just for me?

Naruto felt like he was drowning.

He opened his eyes to stare at his bland white ceiling. It was then he registered the arms wound around his stomach. The distinctly feminine arms holding him in a tight embrace. His back pressed into the soft body of the woman behind him and Naruto blinked in shock.

A strand of long red hair, obviously belonging to his companion fell over his shoulder.

Naruto blinked owlishly at the red hair.

'Mom? What's she doing here?'

Taking a hold of the strand gently he marveled at how soft it was. Not knowing what to do he played with it absentmindedly.

"Mmmm Naru?"

That voice!

"Nagin?!" Naruto gasped as he jumped out of bed and turned around to face the figure that he had assumed was his mother.

His heart ached a little when he saw that it was not his mother.

The figure had red hair like his mother's and had warm green eyes that gazed at him with relief. The shape of the face was different too. Whereas his mother had a rounded face, this woman had a heart-shaped face. She looked as old as his mother did.

Nagin sat up rubbing her eyes and then looking at Naruto in relief, "You're awake! I was so worried Naru."

She jumped out of the bed and glomped the still stunned Naruto.

"Nagin... You're human now?" Of course, it made sense seeing as she was a shape shifter. Surely she had just shape shifted into a human.

Nagin didn't bother acknowledging his words instead began shaking as she held him. Now Naruto was worried,

"Hey, Nagin? Hey, are you alright? Why are you shaking?"

When he heard the first sob, Naruto was stunned.

"Nagin?" He tentatively asked when the shape shifter continued to sob into the crook of his neck. He awkwardly patted her back.

"I am so sorry Naru..." She sobbed out.

"For what?" He had no idea what was going on right now.

"I... I had seen you so many times outside... And I always knew you were supposed to be my summoner... But- but I was so scared that I left you alone here... With- with the-these..." She just kept on sobbing.

"What are you saying? Hey, Nagin please stop crying. Just tell me what's going on. Please."

Nagin pulled back and she looked down ashamed. She should've been there for him since the beginning. Yet she abandoned him. She wondered if he'd ever forgiven her.

Naruto sighed, "Nagin stop being over dramatic and tell me the matter. Now."

"My... My mother always used to say that each shifter had a specific partner. It is decided when we're born. It is bond that is made in the soul itself. And our entire soul sings when we meet our destined partner. And it was our duty as a shifter to protect our partners and always be there for them. I... I knew the moment I first saw you that you were my destined partner... And that was two years ago."

Naruto was startled, "Two years ago?"

Nagin nodded ashamed, "I saw you at the park, standing alone... You were so lonely even back then."

"Why didn't you come to me back then?" Naruto asked.

"I... I didn't want a Master. I wanted to be free. And the thought of being bound to someone scared me so much that I ran away. I came to see you from time to time and you were always alone. Getting bullied by your siblings, neglected by your parents and relatives, I saw it but I still didn't come to see you. I thought that... thought that you would be fine... You had a roof over your head and a place to call home, so it was fine. Or at least I thought it was. And I had my freedom."

Naruto sagged back into his bed. She knew. All this time she knew... But can he really blame her?

'My own parents chose my siblings over me, so can I blame her for choosing her freedom over me? I can't... She deserves her freedom. But she was supposed to be there for me. Well, she was not the only one that was supposed to be there for me. My parents, my godparents, my siblings and now her... all of them gave up on me. Am I a lost cause?'

"So why did you change your mind? Because I rescued you?"

Nagin seemed to shrink into herself, "I... I... Shifters have to... to bond with a partner before they reach twenty or they lose their powers... I turn twenty today..."

Naruto visibly flinched. So that's why huh? He swallowed thickly.

"Oh... Happy birthday then." Was all he could say.

Nagin looked at him.

"So what were you planning on doing after this?" Naruto asked barely acknowledging the cracking of his voice.

"I am going to leave..." Nagin said.

"Really..." He was not surprised, no one seemed to want to be with him anyway, "Well go-goodbye then. Have fun-"

"And you're coming with me."

"WHAT!"

Nagin stood up a determined frown on her face. "You. Are. Coming. With. Me."

Naruto looked at her stunned.

Nagin continued with a huff, "You think I am going to just leave you here after this? I knew those people neglected you but it is another matter entirely to abuse you... I am not leaving you here to become anyone's punching bag. Oh no Mister, You are coming with me to some other village, we're going to travel around and I am going to teach everything I know and make sure you have an awesome childhood minus the first five years."

"Are you doing this because you pity me?" Naruto deadpanned.

Nagin looked at him surprised, then sneered at him, "Pity? I pity no one. You are my Partner and I'll be damned if I leave you again just because I am a selfish bitch..."

Man! Talk about bipolar! She was just crying and apologizing a moment ago...

Naruto nodded hesitantly at her. Nagin looks a little crazed at the moment.

"Oh and Naruto?"

"Yes..." Naruto looked at her hesitantly.

"Just because I used the B word, don't even think about using it. Are we clear?"

Naruto nodded frantically. Goddamn, she was scary!

A comfortable silence descended on them. Naruto silently pondering everything he had learned and Nagin felt like a huge weight was off her chest.

"Nagin," Naruto called after some time, "You're forgiven."

With that, he lied down and tried to get some more sleep, it was night after all. Nagin looked at him for a moment before a smile spread on her lips,

"Thank you, Naru"

When Naruto woke up next morning, he was alone in the room.

"Nagin?" He called out. But no one answered and he suddenly became worried.

'Did she leave?'

Just then there was a knock on his door.

Naruto jumped a little startled, then he hesitantly moved to open the door. When the door opened, his mother was standing there. A frown set on her stern face.

He flinched involuntarily when she stepped into the room. Kushina looked at him disappointed. And he felt tired because he knew that he was going to get a scolding. He'll figure out what it was for after he gets scolded.

"What do you want Naruto?"

Naruto blinked. That was unexpected.

"What?" He asked softly. Not wanting to anger Kushina further.

Kushina sat down on his bed with a sigh and Naruto tried to keep away from her reach. He was scared of her.

"You are always making trouble for everyone. You hate your siblings and hurt them every chance you get and you have done your best at being an embarrassment. God, I am even ashamed to say that you're related to me."

Not like you say it anyway. I was never your family.

"So I ask you again Naruto. What do you want? Why are you being such a nuisance?" Kushina glared at him expecting an answer.

What was he supposed to say? The truth? Yeah, that would go so well.

When he stayed silent Kushina growled and Naruto involuntarily jumped back from her.

"Look, you're only five now. So there is still time for improvement in your 'character'. So you need to stop acting like a brat. Or we will be forced to take drastic measures. Do you understand Naruto?"

Naruto nodded with a blank face. She only wanted compliance from him, she didn't care about what he had to say. But still...

"What are these drastic measures?" He had to know. What more could they do?

Kushina's eyes hardened, "you will be disowned."

Naruto looked at her not surprised and his blank expression surprised even Kushina. It was like he was expecting it and somehow that disturbed her.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her. Really? That's the so-called 'drastic measure'? It works out in his favor.

So they'll disown me if I don't improve huh? Good.

"Naruto..." Kushina began, "As your mother, it is my duty to make sure you grow up with decent character."

As my mother? Well, as my mother you had many other duties as well.

Naruto nodded.

"Good" Kushina stood up with a sigh, "I hope you'd improve your character from now on."

She turned to move but stopped when Naruto spoke,

"No"

"What did you say?" She turned around to face him, hoping she had heard wrong.

"I said no." He softly said.

"You brat, didn't you hear what I just said?" Kushina growled.

"I did. And I thought about it. I am not going to change anything about myself just for you people and there is no need for an ultimatum, just disown me. That would be the best for everyone involved."

Kushina stepped back shocked and then her shock turned to anger,

"After all we have done for you-" She began

"And what have you done for me?" He interrupted her.

"We are your family Naruto. We raised you, we gave you shelter, food-"

"And locked me out of the house in a thunderstorm, ignored me when I asked for anything, forgot to make food for me and I had to cook them myself, let the other kids bully me because you were too busy listening to my siblings, threatened me at every turn about disowning me. Do you want a list of what all you did for me?" Naruto deadpanned. He wasn't angry, just numb.

Kushina stared at him silently, had they really done all that?

"It was because you were a nuisance." She finally concluded when she could not refute his statements.

"Exactly. I was a nuisance and I am going to always be a nuisance. So disown me." Naruto said.

Kushina was speechless.

"If you're done. Could you leave? And if you have anything to speak about the disowning process, I'll be here."

"We- we're your family... How could you act like this to us? Like we mean nothing to you?" She finally stuttered out.

Naruto tilted his head to the right slightly, he genuinely looked confused, "Isn't this how a family is supposed to act? This is how you all acted to me. I learned from you."

Kushina spluttered. Naruto looked expectantly at her and she stumbled out of the room confused and thinking about the way she had treated Naruto.

Downstairs Minato and her family waited for her at the dining table. Breakfast ready to be eaten and she for the first time she noted that she only cooked for four. She always cooked for four.

As she sagged down on the chair next to Minato, Naruto's words kept ringing in her head.

Strong arms wrapped around him from behind and Naruto stiffened.

"It's alright Naru. I am here for you." A distinctly male voice with a warm undertone came from the unknown man hugging him.

Naruto kept his heart from racing as the man buried his head into the crook of his neck from behind.

"N-Nagin?" Naruto squeaked, hoping that this wasn't someone else.

"Mmm..." The affirmative hum had Naruto sighing in relief.

"You're a guy."

Nagin scoffed, "Really? I didn't notice," She/he said sarcastically.

"Why are you a guy?" Naruto asked.

"I am trying to comfort you, Idiot. Just enjoy the hug." Nagin said annoyed.

Naruto smiled and relaxed into the hug. It was nice to have someone hold him once in a while.

I know there wasn't much in this chapter. But I hope you all enjoyed it anyway. Tell me what you think about it, okay?