Back on the grind. Well, not really I suppose, but I don't really have any other way to describe returning to a normal schedule of school and... well completely avoiding my team mates in every way that is possible. That is not to say I don't like my team anymore. It's the exact opposite of that. I like them too much. I don't want to screw this up. Thus I took the most obviously logical and completely necessary step to ensure they don't hate me.

Run away and avoid all contact like they had contracted the plague and basically be a complete wuss. Genius right? No? Well go fuck yourself whoever you are. Ahem, any way, as I was saying I was trying my damned best to make myself scarce. Which means I was a ghost, and that my team hadn't seen hide nor hair of me since my conversation with Ruby about being friends. It wasn't that they thought I had left the school or anything to that degree.

I was in class before their very piercing eyes, the three always searching for answers through deep stares, a boon for me though was that they were always too many seats away to allow a conversation to happen and I was always gone before they could say a thing.

I also sometimes would return to our room to grab something I needed or to leave a thing no longer required behind, such as homework or a textbook and such. But, other than that, I pretty much left no marks behind to show I was present in an area, not a single sign or anything. I had taken to sleeping on the roofs and of course, being the amazing ninja slash wussy hiding master, never slept on the same roof two nights in a row. I didn't keep a schedule on the roofs I would sleep on either. It was all but impossible to figure out which roof I was going to use and with my senses the girls weren't going to sneak up on me.

So to explain where I currently was, I was sitting on one of the various roofs the fine castle that was beacon, one of the many the campus for hunters and huntresses in training had to offer, trying to figure out how to operate the stupid data pads, or more particularly my data pad. The darn thing wouldn't show me how to make a call, so I was left to aimlessly press buttons and click things hoping for results.

Just as I was about to press another button and hopefully not explode my electronic device, a box popped up with a picture of Ashley on it. The very person I was attempting to contact. Of course her name on the device wasn't Ashley, that be too boring and far too easy. Nope, I had set it as "Preeeeety Kittyyyy" with way too many e's and y's present and when I had told Ashley she just laughed and told me that she had set me as "Masked and not so mysterious." I have to admit, I chuckled a little. Don't judge me.

Regardless, I answered the call.

"Ashley," I said.

"Naruto, finally! Man, I really hate these things. Give me a normal phone any day. But I mean, these data pads, they do work faster and are supposedly more reliable. But all the stupid buttons and... You don't really care do you?"

I immediately stopped feigning sleep with loud and punctuated snores mixed in with the reliable snot bubble that while physically didn't make sense considering my face mask, was undeniable essential and hilarious. I, of course, in accordance to her question, acted quite indignant.

"Why I never! I have not once in my existence refused to give my utmost and full attention to whomever is speaking in front of me and whatever they are talking about!" I nodded to accentuate the effect.

"What was I talking about then?" Ashley deadpanned.

Like a whip I returned with my retort, "things." Perfect.

"Things? Really?" One lone eyebrow raised in question, the faunus' tail of hers flicking through the camera's view for but a moment.

"Ask a vague question, get a vague answer," I shot back.

"Fine. What specifically was I speaking of in our current conversation, that I was telling to you while you pretended to sleep?"

"Obviously you were speaking about something that you felt inclined to speak about, duh." I snorted internally. She was making it far too easy.

Two porcelain fingers rose up to pinch the bridge of her nose as Ashley, from what the picture showed me, attempted to fight off a headache.

"Alright, now Naruto. I want you to specifically detail verbatim what has been said between us since the phone call has started. If you were paying attention then you would obviously be able to do so," Ashley demanded.

I raised a single finger to my face and tapped it against my cheek as if I was thinking.

"I think it went something like this," I coughed dramatically and then reached into my large seal on my massive scroll and pulled out a ridiculously fake looking wig of the same color of Ashley's hair complete with comically sized cat ears. Then in true manly fashion I placed it on my head and spoke in falsetto, "Naruto, finally! Man, I really hate these things. Give me a normal phone any day. But I mean, these data pads, they do work faster and are supposedly more reliable. But all the stupid buttons and... You don't really care do you?"

I then whipped off my wig and shook out my own hair and deepened my voice for theatrical effect and spoke again, "Why I never! I have not once in my existence refused to give my utmost and full attention to whomever is speaking in front of me and whatever they are talking about!"

Just as I was about to replace the wig I had pulled out I was stopped by Ashley who spoke in between laughs.

"Alright, fine, maybe you were listening. But anyway, I'll be arriving tomorrow. Which it's your birthday right? We can go out somewhere, hang out. You know, do birthd..." I quickly cut her off.

"No."

"No?" Ashley asked.

"No. I... I do not celebrate my birthday. Whatever possessed the part of me that told you about it post-coitus didn't remember that I absolutely hate my birthday. It's better to just skip it, ok?"

Ashley winced. "Well, there might theoretically, incidentally, possibly be a little, tiny, eenie meenie problem with that," Ashley said quickly.

This time I pinched my the bridge of my nose to fight off the incurring annoyance.

"And... what might this theoretically, incidentally, possibly a little, tiny, eenie meenie problem be, Ashley?" I asked.

"Well, I may have, in theory of course, informed your friends about this birthday of yours and set up a little surprise. This surprise may or may not be a little party and if such a party did exist, theory once more, there may or may not be gifts and cake and merriment to be had."

"I'm not getting out of this am I?" I asked fatalistically.

"Nope, buh-bye now."

With a click Ashley was gone and I was staring at my data pad, mood thoroughly soured. The short cough afterward caused me to whip around, just to spot of all people, Blake.

"Ah, uhm..." I struggled to figure out what to say and then chose my course. The course I always seem to choose since coming here to Remnant. This course reliably and always making the situation worse for me, yet some how getting me out of said situation. Jump into the deep end without a thought. "How ya doing tiger? I was just finishing up some phone calls. Thinking about hitting the sack. What brings to my side of the..." I gave a furtive glance around me and sighed before pasting on a cheesy smile, "tower roof?"

"Why have you been avoiding us?" Blake asked simply.

"Us?" I quipped.

"Yes, us. Hmph, I thought you were supposed to be a ninja or something, Naruto."

I turned my head to the left to spot Weiss climbing up onto the roof rather gracefully, minimal effort being put into what was no doubt a difficult climb considering the girl wasn't able to use chakra.

"So if you're over there then..." I turned to the right only to see rose petals floating in the breeze. I then felt a rather noticeable, and clearly not previously there, weight on my legs. I glanced down to see Ruby layed out rather comfortably on the roof, my lap her pillow. The light blush on her cheeks didn't escape me but her bravado to do such a risky move let me ignore it. For now.

"Hey...friend. How's it...uh...hanging? Did the room... well I mean, uh... roof top get hotter, or is it just me?" Ruby said. I watched her face become even more red and listened as Ruby mumbled to herself quietly after her statement being too weird and then once more talking to herself about knees and such. It was a rather weird obsession. But it seemed to help the girl cope.

"Right, well you caught me. So...yeah. Uh, what was the question again?" I stalled for time.

"Why," Weiss spoke up, "have you been avoiding us. If something is wrong you should come to your team."

"Yeah!" Ruby added before giving a meaningful look towards me, "we're your friends."

"After...after all you have done for us...what we've been through these past couple days. We're a team, and we aren't going to abandon our team mates," Blake finished.

I looked around at all of them. They were... too kind. I felt nothing but sincerity from them. It almost made me want to puke, or smile, or bake a cake. I seriously did not know how to react to it. It wasn't hatred, or something similar to that. Where were the secret motives, the agendas of nefarious means to fulfilled, the backstabbing double-crosses that plagued me my whole life. They simply lacked all these things that were my only life experiences. It was maddening.

Frustrated I jumped to my feet, abruptly pushing Ruby off my lap. My disbelief was at an all time high, I couldn't take it. I had to vent, and three willing, or more likely unwilling, targets were before me.

"You want...me... to tell you why I'm acting this way?" I asked quietly.

The three girls grouped up shoulder to shoulder, using each other as support in this integral moment. They all nodded.

"I assume you all have at least come to terms with the cursory knowledge that my past is harsh, unsettling, not something that was fun nor easy to hear. I am also sure that you all, while not telling the full story of what I disclosed to each of you individually, at least told each other that I had told you something of my past," I asked again.

Three more curt nods.

"Well, I'll tell you what is bothering me then. But first, combine the three pieces of my past I have given you. Take your time, piece together what you know," I said harshly, my breathing slightly erratic as my chakra swirled chaotically inside of me.

Weiss looked at me critically, noticing my strange behavior, before speaking first, "Naruto told me that he had came from a family who were known for fire semblances, similar in ability but different in design. He was born with a special ability that was given to but a very select few of his clan mates by luck at birth. He was thus ostracized and then left orphaned, thought he did not elaborate. That's what I was told." Solemn looks were sent my way but I ignored them. I turned to Blake.

"Blake, if you will." I intoned.

Blake then spoke up, "I... Naruto told me of his team he had once. A team of himself, and three others by the name of Narumi, Hinata, and Kurenai. The Kurenai person was the teacher, or sensei, as he had said. He also said that Hinata is dead, that the Kurenai woman hates him, and that the Narumi girl is better off dead considering what she had turned into, as Naruto proclaimed. "

More glances at my unsettling demeanor and of at hearing such recounts of my horrid past, I however merely grinned in apathy. It was old news to me.

"Ruby...finish it," I demanded.

Ruby nervously looked at me before speaking, "Naruto told me about his first friend...a boy named Itachi. This friend of his, from what Naruto had told me, dressed up one day in clothes that disguised who he was and then tried to kill Naruto. Naruto defended himself and killed Itachi instead. Then Naruto found out it was Itachi. I... Naruto told me more, how he did have more friends but they either died or betrayed Naruto in the end. He wanted me to know what we were all getting into and was using the story he told me as a way of giving us the chance to back off, too get away before it was too late I suppose."

I, in turn to all their stories, nodded to myself before closing my eyes. I tried to bottle my frustration, the rage broiling beneath my skin at the confusion of what to do. I had never been in this situation before! I knew what to do when someone was attacking me, when they were trying their utmost to kill me! Not what to do when their just trying to help me the best they can.

"You all understand now... how I am dangerous, how my past is a dark mark on many, me least of all. You may have also noticed I haven't told you all jack shit. I was vague, and told you little. Names to no faces, quick descriptions of little nothings. I...everything I said was true, yet it wouldn't matter if you screamed it to the world. You want to know why? You want to truly know? Because I was scared. I didn't want you all to know anything, and what I did tell you, you wouldn't be able to use it to come and bite me in the ass in case you all ever did choose to betray me. That's just how petty I am.

That is why I'm running, why I'm hiding. You all...you're too nice, too kind to me. Yet you all expect nothing from me! How am I supposed to take that, Huh?! I don't understand how to deal with this acceptance! I don't know what to do with one friend, how to react, how to behave, much less with three! I don't want to mess this up, to push you all away or hurt you, to get you all caught up in the curse that is my life. I don't want you all to die just from knowing me! Or...or... or even worse betray me in the end, to make it so I end up all alone again.

I'm not prepared for that. I don't want to lose the peace I have now. So I hid. I do what shinobi do when they don't know what to do, they bury their emotions and run away. So there you go, all laid out before your very eyes.

I'm Naruto Uzumaki, liar and pansy, afraid to face the three people who had brought something other than anger or hatred into my life. You just accepted me, even when I told you such disturbing things about myself."

I finished the rant at a near whisper, though I know not a word was missed. The roof top was silent, the only sound of the light wind and the flap of cloth against cloth and skin as we stood there silent. I closed my eyes and began to turn away. Their silence was telling, I had fucked up again.

This was to be my life. One constant fuck up followed by another, my body always surrounded with disappointment and eventual death. I could play no part right in any one's plans and this appeared to be another point in the 'what could shatter Naruto Uzumaki's soul the most' game that Kami had made just for me.

I had barely began to take a step before I felt two arms wrap around my middle. Then another set, followed by a third. I opened my eyes to look down into three sets of hair. Black and red, Silver and white, and finally black with tones of purple or blue. I snorted as I felt a lone tear began to well it's way up to protrude from my right eye, the one without the Sharingan.

"What...what are you three doing?" I asked bleakly, even as I felt the tear slowly and carefully well up in my eye as I stared skyward into the dark and stormy clouds, billowing cumulus's twisting and writhing in the sky. It was Weiss who spoke first for the three, though I noticed not one even slightly lightened up on their grips around me.

"We are your friends Naruto! We don't care what happened before, you are our friend now and we aren't going to let you slip away easily, understand. I...we all know that you are not the best at this. To be truthful...I don't think any of us are. I've never had friends, just cold detachment from a frozen-like father and a sister who is more of a servant than anything. I don't know how to act either, but I'm not going to let that stop me!"

Ruby than followed her exclamation, "I... I won't let my first friend at Beacon run away. I may have had friends before, but not as serious as this. I mostly had my sister and my father. Those people at my school, there only school friends. People you met at a school and you knew were only cordial because you had to spend a year in the same classroom as them. You, you were different. So I'm not letting you run away!"

Blake then finished it off, "I'm...you know more about me than most can say in this world. But you didn't judge me, and that leaves me no right to judge you. If you think I will allow you to escape me, you got another thing coming!"

The lone tear finally coursed it way down my cheek. For the first time in years, I cried...well even if it was only a single tear.

Was...was this what friendship was. To be fully accepted, faults and all. I had come to this world through means beyond my control. I had planned fully just to integrate myself into society as a cover, try to find a way back maybe, but never thought I would let myself fall into the clutches of friendship and camaraderie. I was just trying to make myself a cover, and instead had set myself up for failure from the start. Even if the failure was the most beautiful fuck up I have ever succeeded in accomplishing.

I felt a laugh bubble its way up my diaphragm. Then it escaped. A sad, lonely laugh belted its way out and I slowly lifted my arms and placed them about the three girls hugging me. I hugged back, even as the sad chortle escaped me.

I paid no mind to the rain that began to fall. No, I was just focused on the strange feeling in my chest. The feeling that had been caused by the three before me. There was no words to describe it. My vocabulary was not big enough, my understanding of the world to simple or too construed.

I simply stood there and hugged them as they hugged back. Rain pelting us was not even a concern, our clothing became soaked and lightning struck off in the distance. We were not even ruffled.

I... I did not know what to say. I just felt.