Folding his arms as he perched on the veranda of the house, Naruto was watching the kunoichi train. They were all doing a satisfactory job (for Genin), but Naruto could see all the minor flaws they made that could feasibly get them killed on the battlefield. He honestly hoped he wasn't so pathetic when he was a Genin. He shuddered at the thought.
When Ino and Sakura got into a squabble about who won, Naruto decided it was time for him to intervene lest the Hyuuga household get brutally murdered in the two girl's feud.
He leapt off of the roof and landed in between them, catching both of their punches that were aimed for each other.
All of the girls started in surprise with wide eyes. TenTen whistled. "Impressive, kiddo. You're stronger than you look," she said with a grin. "You could give Neji a run for his money."
Naruto stared blankly at her and sighed. Acting time, he thought agitatedly.
Not letting go of the girl's hands since they would probably take that chance to kill each other, Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Hehe! You think so, TenTen-san?" he enquired with fake-cheer.
Sakura stopped struggling in his grip to frown at him in disappointment and bemusement. He was acting again, putting up that mask. Although she hated it, she didn't call him on it because, for one thing, he would most likely lose the miniscule bit of trust he had given her, and for another she wanted him to stop using the mask himself – she wanted him to know that he could depend on people. She wanted him to know that he had friends.
TenTen, oblivious to Sakura's disenchantment and Naruto's indifferent feelings, just smiled brightly.
"Anyway," Naruto began firmly in what Anko and Genma had dubbed 'Lecture Mode 1' (there were up to four). "Your training is amateurish at best." He scowled at Ino when she was prepared to intervene, so she instantly shut her mouth and stared at the blond boy. "All of you specialise in one particular area, so instead of just focusing on that, you should help each other increase your skills at what you aren't good at." He glanced at TenTen, who smiled. "TenTen-san's skilled with weaponry and battle tactics—not to mention, she has an amazing aim. She could teach you that. Right, TenTen-san?" he asked.
The brunette girl gave him a thumbs-up, which Naruto guessed she had got from being around Gai and Lee for so long. "Sure! I'd be happy to help!" she said jubilantly.
Naruto nodded, obviously pleased. "Hinata-san has the Byakugan, but that isn't her only good trait in fights." The dark-haired girl flushed slightly and poked her fingers together nervously, not used to being praised. "She assesses situations carefully before making moves. She doesn't act rashly"—he glanced at Ino and Sakura here—"and so she could show you how to properly assess situations and act in others. Isn't that correct, Hinata-san?"
The girl nodded meekly and squeaked, "Y—yes!"
The blond boy then said, "Ino-san doesn't only have the mind possession technique at her disposal. She has many more traits that will benefit her in battle—she just needs to discover them, and I'm sure you can help her do that. Shinobi have one particular field they specialise in—everyone does—but that doesn't mean that you can't be good at something else."
Ino's cobalt eyes widened in shock and she let her hands drop to her sides, astonished that this boy who everyone always talked down about was so intelligent and sombre.
"And Sakura-san…" Naruto turned to the pink-haired girl and smiled truly, earning another in response from the girl. "She thinks to lowly of herself. She is a very determined young woman who has seemed to possess fantastic Taijutsu skills and is currently training to become a medic-nin. Isn't that right, Sakura-san?"
The green-eyed girl flushed slightly and she nodded. "Yeah…" she said shyly before straightening up and grinning. "Yes, I am!" she said determinedly.
"There you have it," Naruto said with a smile and took a step back. "Focus on helping each other. After all, there is that saying—'all for one, and one for all'."
Everyone stared at him with wide-eyes before TenTen suddenly laughed. "So moe…" she said under her breath, ignoring Ino's question of what the heck she was talking about.
"Don't be foolish," a deep voice said.
"N—Neji-niisan…" Hinata said weakly, skittish.
Naruto sighed and folded his arms. And queue the lowering-everyone's-self-esteem killjoy bastard… He thought soberly. "Foolish?" the blond repeated wearily, having dealt with brat's like this guy so many times before that it lost all meaning. "How so?" he asked, not even looking at the boy. If I meet many more people who act like Uchiha Sasuke, I think I'll become brooding myself. They are honestly utterly insufferable…
"Everyone has a destiny set out for them," Neji muttered darkly, narrowing his pale lavender eyes on the uninterested blond, who appeared exceedingly nonchalant at that point. "No matter what they do, they can never overcome it. Everything is set out and the events will play out in what destiny wants it to be like. We can do nothing to stop it."
Naruto raised his gaze and meet Neji's, and the Hyuuga froze when he saw who utterly icy those eyes looked at that moment. He almost shuddered at how emotionless and cold they were.
"Destiny?" Naruto repeated frostily. "That's just a word to me, Hyuuga," he said, glaring seriously at the elder boy. "Do you honestly believe that? That's pathetic." Naruto smirked, but it was empty. "Anyone can overcome anything if they try. 'Destiny' is just something that people who don't want to try spout off to make people's self-esteem plummet down. That's what you do to Hinata-san, is it not?"
Pale lavender and chilling silvery-blue collided when their eyes met dead-on and Neji felt himself freeze completely; he literally felt paralysed.
Naruto lowered his arms and stared indifferently at Neji. "Do you know what the opposite of love is, Hyuuga?" he asked, confusing everyone.
Neji, being frozen by Naruto's eyes, remained unmoving, whilst the kunoichi behind the blond boy looked rather nervous.
"Most people think it's hate," Naruto said, unperturbed. "But I don't think so. I think it's indifference. As they say, 'there's a thin line between love and hate.' If you hate someone, that hate's got to come from somewhere. But if you feel nothing—absolutely nothing—for someone, then that is basically thinking of them as nonexistent.
"You say you hate many people, Hyuuga," Naruto said, not blinking. "Are you sure that's what you really feel?"
He finally broke his gaze, and Neji collapsed to his knees, feeling as if he had just come out of water.
Silence reigned heavily for a moment before Sakura reluctantly and gently placed an arm on Naruto's shoulder. She looked frightened as she said skittishly, "Na—Naruto? Are… you okay?"
The blond boy's eyes shifted to her, but they were no longer that unfeeling grey. They sparkled sapphire once more. "I'm alright, Sakura-san," he informed her in a professional tone. "But I think I have overstayed my welcome. Perhaps I should leave—"
"No!"
Everyone turned to look at Hinata in astonishment. Or in Naruto's case, amusement. He was glad that the girl could find her voice sometimes.
"U—um, tha—that is…" she began nervously, twiddling her fingers. "Ple—please stay, Na—Naruto-kun… I—I… um… it's g—good to have you he—here, and you're very helpful, s—so… s—so I—I… I…!"
"Stay."
Everyone whirled around to look at Neji. Naruto couldn't help but think, What is this, live theatre? How troublesome.
Naruto folded his arms and regarded the Hyuuga boy pointedly. The boy met his eyes despite his nerves. He's got guts, I've got to give him that… the blond thought.
"Oh, you want me to stay? I didn't know you cared, Neji," Naruto teased, smirking.
Neji glared in response, but a dusty pink settled over his cheeks.
TenTen snickered in the background, clearly amused. When Neji shot her an agitated scowl, she just beamed innocently at him.
"Why do you want me to stay?" Naruto asked, unperturbed that someone related to a powerful clan was getting riled up. It was more amusing than anything really.
Neji's scowl deepened and he clenched his fists. "I…" I began.
Naruto met his eyes, which had softened ever-so-slightly. He knows why, but his pride is in the way of it. I suppose I'll move things along. As Hoshiko-sensei said, 'You have never have to many allies,' Naruto thought, not wanting to replace 'allies' with 'friends'. He wasn't ready for that yet… To be truthful, he didn't know if he would ever be ready, but he would give it a shot. Everyone should try to get over their fears, at least.
"Do you want to train with us, Neji?" the blond offered amiably, smiling softly and outstretching his arm to offer the Hyuuga a hand.
Neji hesitated and glared at the hand despite how much he wanted to be included, and Naruto felt empathy for him; he knew how it felt to be isolated and feel all alone. If Neji wanted to get anywhere in life, though, he would have to learn to accept help sometimes.
"Y—yes, Neji-niisan…" Hinata spoke up, clenching her fists at her chests and staring up at her cousin in determination. "P—please stay! I—I would like that v—very much, Neji-niisan. So… please stay," she finished.
Neji appeared slightly surprised by Hinata's sudden outburst but hastily regained his composure and maintained and uncaring posture. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists before swatting Naruto's hand away.
"I refuse."
He turned to walk back into the Hyuuga mansion when he could have sworn he heard a sigh of defeat from Hinata. He ignored it, however, and slammed open the shōji doors and entered the washitsu(1).
"He's always like that," TenTen said in her usual jubilant tone, but Naruto could hear the undertone of resignation. "So, don't worry about him, Hinata-chan!"
Hinata looked up at her in surprise before nodding. "Y—yes," she said quietly.
Sakura looked away from the two girls when she heard footsteps, only to see Naruto entering the house and heading to the washitsu. "Naruto?" she said in confusion. "Where are you going?" she asked.
The other girls looked up to watch Naruto, who had his back to them as he was entering the house. He paused at the shōji and said blatantly, "I'm going to beat some sense into an oblivious, obtrusively obnoxious and arrogant adolescent." He turned and smiled at Sakura over his shoulder. "I'll be back soon, so keep training. I want to see you all helping each other."
And the shōji slid shut.
O—o—O—o—O
Neji twitched from his position on the tatami flooring, but he didn't acknowledge the other person's presence. Footsteps sounded and stopped behind him.
The Hyuuga's brow twitched after five minutes of an uncomfortable silence and when he realised the other boy wasn't retreating, he gritted out, "What do you want?"
"You disappointed Hinata, you know," Naruto replied, ignoring Neji's question. The blond folded his arms and leant against one of the many fusuma, much to Neji's irritation.
"Whatever the main house of Hyuuga deals with has nothing to do with me." Neji scowled irately at Naruto. "Now leave," he hissed.
Naruto began examining his nails, unperturbed by the boy's agitation. "I refuse." Naruto looked at Neji with a completely stoic face.
The Hyuuga boy clenched his fists against his knees, clutching the fabric as his temper flared. "I outrank you, Uzumaki, so if you know what's good for you, you will leave now."
"No."
Neji looked up hastily, incredulity plastered clearly on his features. No one defied him apart from Hiashi-sama and people of the main household. Speedily regaining his composure, the boy gritted out, "My clan holds far more power than yours—that is, if you even have a clan. I've never heard of the 'Uzumaki' clan." He smirked triumphantly but when he noticed that the blond was still completely impassive and unaffected, he felt fury build up within him.
Noticing Neji's obvious growing anger, Naruto softened slightly. "I don't want to be your enemy, Neji," the blond said softly. He unfolded his arms and took a step forward before kneeling in front of Neji. He subconsciously tilted his head as he stared into Neji's pale lavender eyes and offered a small smile. "Listen, Neji. You're either ignoring Hinata or you're just tremendously unintelligent. I don't think it's the latter, Neji, is it?" he asked wearily. "Hinata really respects you, and it hurts her when you just brush her off. So take some advice," said the blond. He lifted a hand and it hovered above Neji's shoulder before he pulled back, his ANBU training kicking in: "Don't make friends; don't get close to people. Your allies could turn into enemies at any given moment, so don't trust them either. Do not permit physical contact, and don't let emotions rule…"
Neji noticed that Naruto was reluctant to touch him and frowned in confusion. He had heard the rumours of the Uzumaki kid being clumsy and arrogant, but this boy was nothing like that. There was something hidden there.
"My advice is…" Naruto continued, breaking the eerie silence that reigned after he had almost made contact with another's flesh. "See underneath the underneath." The blond then smiled. "Kakashi taught me that, and I'm passing it on. Next time Hinata talks to you, appraise her. You'll see how much she wants you to acknowledge her."
With that said, the blond stood up and gently pulled open the shōji and departed before sliding it shut again.
"Sakura-san," Naruto called. The addressed girl deflected Ino's attack with a kunai and called a break before turning towards the blond expectantly. "I'm leaving now," he said.
"Already?" Sakura asked, confused. "Did Neji-san upset you…?" she asked cautiously.
Hinata looked up with concern evident in her features. "Are—are you both all right?" she asked weakly.
Naruto offered the timid girl a smile. "We're both fine, don't worry. I just gave him some advice." And I just hope he takes it. "Anyway, I'm leaving because of the festival tonight. I have to get ready—"
"You're going to the festival?" Sakura asked with wide jade eyes.
"Yeah," Naruto replied, raising a brow. "Is something wrong with that?"
"Not at all," Sakura replied. "I just didn't think you would go…"
Naruto smiled at her and she blushed. When he offered true smiles, he shone like the sun and his oddly dull grey eyes became a blinding azure/cerulean.
"Do you have something to wear?" Ino asked, gaining her composure hastily enough to ask about his outfit. She eyed his orange jumpsuit in blatant distaste. "Other than that…" she added sceptically.
"Yes, I have something other than this to wear," Naruto replied. In fact, I have mostly black clothes for ANBU purposes… "So no need to worry about my attire, Ino-san."
The blonde girl flipped her ponytail and placed her hands on her hips. "I'll trust you for now," she said. "But if I see you wearing anything… unfashionable… at the matsuri, I'm going to make you some outfits myself!"
Naruto bowed. "I will see you later, everyone," he said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"…He's acting weird," TenTen piped up. "What's with the formalness? We're friends."
"Yeah…" Sakura said wistfully before regaining herself and smiling sheepishly. "I've come to realise that there's more than one side to Naruto."
"Uh-huh," Ino agreed, folding her arms across her chest. "Loathe as I am to admit it, he seems to have a side that's even more mysterious than even Sasuke-kun's."
TenTen rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Can we not talk about boys? I'd rather get some training done."
"Agreed," Hinata said softly, fidgeting.
"All right!" Sakura said, beaming. "Let's do it!" Let's make Naruto proud.
O—o—O—o—O
Naruto paused outside of his apartment and scowled at the door. There's people in there… He closed his eyes and concentrated. In the darkness of his mind, he saw four chakra signatures. He reopened his eyes and twitched, irritated. They wish to unnerve me? Let's see how that feels when it backfires on them, he thought in annoyance.
He pulled open the door and let the kunai hit him. The four people inside gasped in surprise with widened eyes. "It hit him?" one shouted in astonishment.
"N—no way!" another voice yelled.
The four rushed over to the fallen body and screamed when they heard a calm but intimidating voice behind them mutter, "An unannounced visit? That is rather rude."
The four slowly looked up, their movements mechanical. They deflated in relief momentarily before squeaking and jumping back. The only reaction from Naruto was an unimpressed quirk of a brow.
"You—you aren't dead?" Genma asked frightfully.
"We saw the kunai plunge through your throat!" Anko piped up.
Naruto folded his arms and leant against a wall. "Fools." The 'dead' Naruto disappeared in an eruption of smoke. His grey-sapphire eyes shot back to them and they briefly shared a thought that their captain looked like a cat. "I thought you leant to distinct between clones and myself." He smirked evilly and his eyes flashed red briefly despite the fact that he withheld control over his Bijuu. "It appears… we will have to have another Genjutsu lesson, hmm?"
His team swallowed loudly in unison. In spite of Naruto's short stature, he was really threatening and had a rather daunting presence.
Naruto let out a disappointed sigh at their reactions. "My team… are idiots," he muttered to himself, massaging his temples. "Whatever." He cast them a look that they all paled at. "You must leave now. I have to get ready."
Raidou blinked and raised a brow, tilting his head. "Get ready, Taichou?" he asked. "What for?"
"The matsuri," came the bored answer.
"You're going?" his team repeated incredulously.
"Is there any reason I shouldn't?" the blond enquired icily, his grey-sapphire eyes meeting all of theirs. They shook their heads fretfully.
"We're just"—cough—"surprised, Taichou," explained Hayate. "I mean, you've never shown interest in festivals before…"
"I've simply never had time for them." The blond shrugged and unfolded his arms. He strode over to his bedroom and paused briefly. "If there is one spec of dust out of place when I return…" His sapphire eyes became completely icy. "There will be hell to pay." He smirked darkly. "And I know what hell is like." He smiled angelically, but his evil aura didn't help to promote the innocent face. "See you later, guys."
His bedroom door slid shut, and his team scrambled away as terribly as Genin in an embarrassing situation.
O—o—O—o—O
Humming a nameless tune, Kakashi leisurely approached Naruto's apartment. In spite of Naruto's protests of not being picked up ("That's sick, Kakashi-san. I was only joking about you being a paedophile at first, but now I'm not so sure. Plus it's humiliating. I'm not some kind of feminine woman."), the Jounin felt it to be more courteous to do so. He even briefly considered leaving his precious Icha Icha at home!
In the end, he decided against it. Just in case he encountered a problem of some sort.
Kakashi looked up upon reaching the blond ANBU's apartment and frowned again, seeing new graffiti. In spite of Naruto's protests in regards of doing something about it and that it didn't bother him; it was plain to see that he had struggled to clean off the old graffiti. It was still visible but mostly washed off.
The Jounin let out a troubled sigh and ascended the stairs to the blond ANBU's apartment but paused when he heard a shout of, "Oh, Kakashi-sensei, you're here?" The Jounin looked up to see the blond waving frantically at him and grinning. He felt a stab of pain realising how fake it was. "I'll be right down. Hang on a sec'!"
Naruto disappeared back into the house briefly before jumping out of the window with cat-like precision. His jump appeared miscalculated, but Naruto's expression didn't change until people were watching him. When the eyes were on him, he put on a surprised and fearful face.
"Gyah!" he cried out as he crash-landed. He immediately sat up and scratched the back of his head sheepishly and laughed.
The civilians rolled their eyes in annoyance. "On such a day like this, he's still acting monstrous."
"It's utterly disrespectful. Children shouldn't act like that!"
"He isn't a normal child though, is he?"
Kakashi was so busy glaring at the villagers that he was actually surprised when someone tapped his arm. He looked down and found Naruto grinning up at him.
"You ready to go yet, sensei?" he asked.
"So his teacher got stuck with him today?" a civilian whispered.
"Better him than one of our relatives. It's risky that Hahue-niisan got promoted – he might have to take care of the brat."
"Yeah, so better him than us. I feel kinda bad for the guy though. Hatake shouldn't have to look after the thing."
"Ssh! I think he can hear us. Let's just leave."
Kakashi scowled. He wanted to do something, but Naruto's pride and his reluctance and anti-sociability wouldn't permit it. Naruto began walking and so he followed.
"Why did you act like that?" he finally blurted out, inwardly berating his lack of etiquette. He used to be an ANBU; he should have been more furtive when prying information from others.
Naruto cast him a patient and patronisingly understanding glance that adults sometimes sent children when they didn't understand something. Kakashi found it unnerving; not many people looked at him like that. He was looked at with admiration and frequently fear. His visible eye widened when Naruto suddenly smiled softly and he was disgusted to find himself blushing.
"If we were to sneak out and somebody had seen us, they'd think you'd want to hang around the Jinchuuriki whereas if I were to force myself on you, they'll realise that you have no choice and were probably appointed to demon-sit me," the blond explained calmly, smiling serenely.
Kakashi stared down at Naruto with a sombre expression. "When I was twelve, I was similar to you, Naruto."
The blond quirked a brow. "Oh?" he murmured dryly. "I assumed Uchiha was most like you, judging by the egotistic, eccentric, malevolent, annoying mannerisms that you both display—"
"Thank you for those kind words," Kakashi muttered sarcastically.
Naruto smirked. "You're welcome. It was my pleasure. 'Though you didn't let me finish."
"I'd prefer it if we didn't," the Jounin mumbled, trying hard not to pout childishly.
The blond boy's lips quirked but he prevented himself from smiling fully. "Not many do enjoy facing their flaws," he mused.
The silver-haired man glanced at his 'student.' "Do you?" he enquired.
Naruto smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. It was poignant; melancholy. "Of course not. No one wants their flaws to be pointed out. I am, however, obviously aware of mine." He cocked his head as he thought, and he stared at the streets before them; empty, but illuminated by colourful lights as they approached the matsuri. "I am also aware of other people's flaws. I am known to be rather empathetic, and as such can get a grasp on other's perspectives." He closed his eyes briefly before folding his arms behind his back and asking, "Do you have any fears, Kakashi-san?"
Kakashi blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected to be asked that. He hummed thoughtfully before realising he should take Naruto's question seriously. Despite being twelve, the boy seemed very wise and serious.
"K—Ka…kashi… t—take it – my eye, I mean. Take it, and—and save Rin and sensei. I—I want to be… of s—some use… even though I'm inadequate. S—so please… take my Sharingan, Kakashi."
Kakashi sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Losing people close to me," he finally answered softly. "It's happened so much that you'd think I'd be immune to it, but… it still frightens me." He forced a chuckle. "I'm not a very sufficient shinobi due to that."
"Nonsense."
Kakashi blinked and looked down at the blond. "Nonsense?" he repeated slowly.
Naruto cast him an uninterested look. "I know you're known as the Copy Cat, Kakashi-san, but I don't appreciate being repeated." He sighed, obviously irritated. He closed his eyes as he agitatedly said, "It's stupid to believe that you're an insufficient shinobi merely due to feeling sadness upon one's death – especially when they are close to you. In spite of being shinobi—'fighting tools'—we are still human, and thus feel strong emotions sometimes." His eyes opened slowly, and instead of their usual guarded greyish-sapphire, they were a glittering azure.
"Naruto…" Kakashi said quietly in a soft tone. Naruto hummed in acknowledgement. "Have you… lost someone?"
The blond stared straight ahead, all signs of emotion vanished, and his eyes once more grey. "Everyone has."
The Jounin blinked before growing sombre. "Naruto…"
"We're here."
"Hmm?" Kakashi replied in his usual lazy tone with an underlying tone of confusion.
"Honestly, Kakashi-san, is it that difficult a task to pay attention to your surroundings?" The blond shook his head in mock disappointment and sighed ruefully. "We have arrived at the festival, Kakashi-sa—"
"You can just call me Kakashi, Naruto. Or 'sensei' works too," he said, winking.
Naruto raised a brow. "I doubt it. I'm not going to call someone of lower rank than me 'sensei'." He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Not now that he knows about my mission." The blond paused and turned to Kakashi cautiously with guarded grey eyes. "Speaking of which… if you even attempt to tell anyone of my true status and my mission, your throat will be slit before you can mention my name, Ka-ka-shi," he whispered menacingly, drawing out each syllable.
Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly at the threatening tone and the grey guarded eyes but he calmed hastily and nodded understandingly. An ANBU really would not hesitate to eliminate anyone if they were an inconvenience. Just because Naruto was his 'student' on his mission didn't mean he wouldn't eliminate him as well.
He blinked and glanced back down when he felt a tug on his sleeves. His lips twitched. Naruto was too short to tap his shoulder. His face became more solemn. A twelve-year-old boy… already lost his family, already an ANBU, and already being targeted by a criminal organisation for a Bijuu… It's not fair…
His thoughts trailed off and he blinked in surprise when Naruto's steps slowed and he stepped slightly closer to Kakashi. The Jounin smiled softly. Even though he was an ANBU, he was still a kid. A kid who was shunned by the villagers for a 'sin' he didn't commit – for saving them from a demon.
"Where would you like to go first, Naruto?" he asked in a bored tone, opting and hoping for some sense of normalcy.
Naruto blinked and glanced up at him in slight surprise that he would ask what Naruto would like to do. "You mean it…?" he asked but hastily coughed into a fist and averted his eyes when he heard how damnably hopeful he sounded.
Kakashi's lips twitched beneath the mask slightly. He sounded like Obito whenever I offered to train with him… he thought contentedly. "Of course," he replied in a low, soft voice.
Naruto suddenly felt shy for some unfathomable reason. It was like when you met your friend's parents for the first time. "Uh…" he pursed his lips. "I'm not sure…" he finally said sheepishly. "Because I've never been to a festival… 'part from one, but that one was…" Naruto shuddered.
The Jounin chuckled. "Was it that bad?"
The blond boy's eyes widened slightly before he scowled. "Yeah, it really was." He twitched. "I had to dress as a freaking maiko."
The silver-haired man quirked a brow as he attempted to imagine Naruto wearing a seductive kimono. He blinked and hastily cleared his throat. "I don't suppose that you're wearing the same kimono now, are you?" he asked dubiously, although he really doubted that the one Naruto was currently wearing—a silk black kimono with beautiful yellow, orange and red dragons embellished with rubies for eyes. His sleeves reminded him of young girl's furisode—they were longer than most men's sleeves, covering his fingertips. They were covered in miniature dragons with their tails curving around the arm until it reached the shoulder.
"Hell no," Naruto muttered, snorting. "I gave it to some old lady and set it on fire whilst she was holding it." He smirked and chuckled when Kakashi blinked in mild horror and surprise. His laugh wasn't boisterous as expected—it was more like gentle wind chimes swaying in a calm breeze. "I'm joking, you idiot," the blond said, smirking at the Jounin. "I still have it, actually."
"Why?" Kakashi couldn't help but wonder aloud, curious.
"Hoshi—" Naruto paused and corrected himself, "My first trainer left it to me in his will. Some kind of a sick joke. He was always making me cross-dress, the bastard." He rolled his eyes but Kakashi noticed the fondness in those glittering azure orbs. "To be honest, I was surprised that he had a will written already… he was only twenty-four when he died." It was a couple of weeks before my ninth birthday… He shook off his melancholy thoughts and rubbed one of his arms self-consciously. "Well, you can choose what to do. I'm useless at this." He smiled weakly.
Kakashi stared at the small boy for a moment before offering a smile and nodding. "All right…" he replied, humming thoughtfully. "Well, there are places where we can get our pictures taken."
Naruto quirked a brow. "You want to remember this day so much?" He rolled his eyes. "It's not a date, you know. I don't swing that way, I'm afraid. But don't let my rejection dampen your spirits." In spite of saying this, he began trailing over to the photography booths, ignoring Kakashi's sputtering.
The blond boy's eye twitched in a similar way to Umino Iruka's—habits passed down from 'mother' to 'son'?—when he saw all of the picture booths. "Kakashi-san…" he muttered.
"Please, call me Kakashi. No need for formalities."
"…Kakashi-san," Naruto stressed. "All of these 'picture booths' are those odd pieces of wood that you stick your head through, posing as another person…"
"Yes. Yes, they are."
"…These ones are all Icha Icha characters."
"Yes. You're correct."
Silence.
"Paedophile."
"Wh—what?"
O—o—O—o—O
In the end, they had found one that was innocent enough – it was a depicture of the movie about Yuke-hime or something. It was okay, although Naruto didn't like the fact that he was being depicted as the princess…
Stupid Kakashi-san.
In spite of ranting to Kakashi, the Jounin had noticed when the blond boy had slipped the picture into a fold of his kimono. He didn't bother to hide a smile but he didn't point it out. Naruto would deny it anyway.
They had then moved on to scan various stalls. Kakashi was interested in the one selling Icha Icha merchandise but there was nothing there that he didn't already own. He was hastily pulled away from it by an agitated Naruto who was attempting—and failing—to disguise his fluster.
They had looked through many more stalls but Naruto didn't seem interested in anything—at all—until they reached the weapon stall.
The blond had halted and Kakashi had crashed into him. How did anyone so small become like such a rock? It wasn't right!
Kakashi took in Naruto's line of sight and followed it to see an old-looking sword. At first glance it seemed worthless and inadequate, not to mention rusty and worn. The blade, however, was still sharpened with precision and with work from a professional, it would be even sharper. You'd most likely be able to slice someone's head clean off.
The entire thing was silver, but the hilt had a design of intricate patterns on it. There were four small animals engraved on the hilt surrounded by elaborate designs of the elements. The four animals were a fox, a snake, a frog and a hawk. The fox and snake were holding up a red jewel encrusted with tiny topazes along the outside of it.
"Excuse me," he found himself murmuring, easily catching the vendor's attention.
"Ah, yeah, sir, how may I help ya?" the blue-haired woman asked, sticking her hands in the pockets of her dark blue kimono that she must have sewn on by herself.
"How much is that sword?" the Jounin asked, gesturing to the one Naruto was still staring at. The blond boy suddenly blinked out of his trance to stare at Kakashi in confusion.
"Ah, that 'un?" the woman enquired, leaning up to grasp the hilt firmly. She held up the sword for him to inspect before laying it out on the counter before him. "'S four thousand yen. I'll throw in a sheath for ano'er eight 'undred." She grinned amiably and bit her toothpick.
Kakashi nodded and handed her the four thousand before enquiring, "Can you show us some sheaths?" he asked politely, and the woman nodded before shouting, "Oi, Gum-chaaan!" she yelled.
A crash was heard from inside the tent that she had set up her table in front of before someone called, "What is it?" in a moody voice.
"Bring out some sheaths," the tomboyish woman ordered, scratching her forehead above her eye patch.
After a few moments of waiting, a man with pink hair that was terribly disguised by a navy blue bandana stumbled out, trying not to drop the load of sheaths he was holding. He dumped them on the table and folded his arms. "Murasakiii!" he screamed. "Get your ass out 'ere to 'elp!"
"But I'm busyyy," another voice whined. Gum twitched and stormed back into the tent. The sound of laughter and annoyed shouting was heard.
The woman smiled at Kakashi and Naruto, obviously used to this. "'Right, then, jus' look through 'em and leave the cash 'ere." She shoved a box on the counter. "I've gotta go kick my friend's ass 'cause he's teasin' Gum-chan." She waved. "Later."
"She trusts us with her money?" Naruto muttered, seemingly unfazed but a little shocked that the woman left them with her money.
Kakashi shrugged before nodding at the sheaths. "Which do you like?"
The blond boy turned his attention to the mass amount of sheaths in front of him and sweatdropped. He scanned them all with precise eyes, zoning in on any that caught his eye. He suddenly pointed at the pile. "That one."
Kakashi blinked and raised a brow. "Which one?"
Naruto chuckled and removed a snow-white sheath from the pile. It had a small frog on the front made of the same red jewel on the hilt of the sword. It's eyes were the same blue stones, too.
Kakashi nodded. "Good choice. Maybe we can get a professional blacksmith to clean the sword up a bit, and it'll match the sheath more."
Naruto nodded and reached for his wallet, but Kakashi had beat him to it, shoving his own money into the box that the girl had left. Naruto blinked at him with wide, befuddled eyes. He looked his age when he did that…
The Jounin smiled. "Let's call this compensation for me spying on you before."
The blond blinked and opened his mouth to argue but Kakashi placed a finger over the boy's lips and shook his head. He retracted his hand and Naruto coughed awkwardly before muttering an uncomfortable 'thanks.'
O—o—O—o—O
"Which flavour do you want, Naruto?"
Upon receiving no response, Kakashi turned around to find the blond staring at his sword, obviously entranced. He chuckled softly and leant down to meet Naruto's eyes.
"Which flavour, Naruto?"
The blond blinked. "Oh… strawberry mochi, please."
Kakashi nodded and requested one strawberry mochi and one green tea. He handed Naruto his strawberry and began licking his own.
The pair began strolling around, taking in the interesting sights and occasionally partaking in a game or two.
"I think I should head home now…" Naruto began quietly as the sky began darkening as the late afternoon crept up.
"We should go on a ride or something first." Kakashi glanced around. "How about the Ferris wheel?"
"…I don't want to kiss you."
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Washitsu — literally 'Japanese-style room/rooms.' Always have tatami flooring and commonly have shōji.
Sorry this update took so long. I was gonna do a huuuge chapter, covering the entire festival and mission that will occur in the next chapter, but… that didn't work out. xD As such, the mission will be in the next instalment. Some of you'll love me for it, and some will hate me for it. I don't really care. I just love writing. –sticks tongue out–
NARUTO © Kishimoto Masashi