Author's Note: Hello! So, I was reading the first chapter today and I realized that I really didn't like it. I contemplated deleting it, but I already had several viewers and followers. I rewrote it instead. It's longer, about 1000 words more. As the summary says, this and future one-shots are going to center around a Yin-Naruto. Yin and Yang have different properties...think of it like dark and light respectively. I'm not going to make Naruto an emo king or make him op or anything. Naruto is going to be Naruto, but he's not going to be running after people to make them like him.
In this one-shot, Naruto's about six. There will be a few appearances from canon Rookie 9. Kakashi's here too. In the original version, he was barely mentioned but he plays a bigger part in the rewrite.
Oh, and I promised to explain the daily prompt challenge. My cousin and I (we share this account) were bored and decided to make prompt lists. Prompt lists turned into a prompt challenge. It's supposed to be every day, but college's getting in the way. I'm hoping I can catch up by this weekend.
This prompt is "Lone Wolf."
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, just this story's plot :)
The Old Man wants him to make a friend. Of all things! Naruto glared at the park across the street.
There were three-no, make that four boys playing a sort of game...tag? But, what are those sticks supposed to be? Maa, whatever. He's not going over there, so it doesn't matter.
A couple yards away a bunch of girls are giggling and making...flower circles? Weird.
This was a waste of time.
Naruto wanted to leave, but he made an agreement. He just needs to meet an idiot—er, kid his age. One kid.
Just one kid.
And one meeting.
Maybe he'll say hello.
Nah, that won't work. There's a good chance the kid will talk back, then Naruto won't know what to say. He could leave, but then the kid might shout at his back. Shouting will equal to noise, which equals attention, which equals people and Naruto doesn't do people.
He considers leaving again, but then the Old Man won't give him the apartment. Naruto is not going back to the orphanage, so he stays.
He watches as more boys join in the tag-stick game. A boy with a rat-oh, no wait, it's a dog. Are dogs even supposed to be that small?
Anyways, rat-dog boy stuffs some rocks in his pockets and shows them off to the others. Now, everyone's playing with sticks and rocks.
A rock strays towards the giggling girls, who are now taking turns wearing the flower circles. Man, are girls weird or what?
Rock lands and the following chaos almost makes the whole trip worthwhile.
Naruto laughs as the girls try to get back at the boys. The tough acting punks are running away and from flower circles no less. How lame.
One of the giggling girls-a blonde-grabs the rock and hurls it at rat-dog boy. The rock collides with the boy's face, only inches away from the rat-dog. Rat-dog whines and it's so lame that even the giggling girls decide to leave.
Naruto sighs. So much for some entertainment. And he was so bored too.
The boys go back to their tag-stick and now rock game, but they seem more mindful of the giggling girls now.
Before the boys can get into the game again, parents start showing up. Sun's starting to set too so it must be time for them to get home.
Naruto stands up and sighs again. This really was a waste and now he has to go back to the orphanage.
He stays for a moment, not because he's lonely or anything. He just really doesn't want to go back to the orphanage with its ugly peeling paint and even uglier matron. The kids there are annoying and even more lame than the giggling girls and rat-dog boy. Like, just last week, one of the dumb orphans-
"They'll be back tomorrow, you know?" A voice cuts into his thoughts. Man, just when he was getting to the good part.
Naruto turns around to face the owner of said voice. Any other time, he would have ignored the voice and its speaker but something made him turn back.
A tall, or he could be tall if he wasn't slouching, man looks back at him. Well, at least Naruto thinks it's a man. His, or her, face is all covered up and the signature Konoha headband is slanted over one eye.
Naruto raises his hand to protect his eyes against the setting sun's beams as he eyes the guy-er, Shinobi over.
The man holds his hands up, "Maa, I'm nothing more than a lonely passerby on the road of life. Humble too, might I add."
Naruto also tilts his head. Is that supposed to mean something…?
The Shinobi must have read the confusion on Naruto's face because he smiles (with his eyes? How is he doing that!) and reaches out to ruffle Naruto's hair.
"It's nothing for you to worry about," the Shinobi starts, but then looks away.
Naruto rolls his eyes and goes back to ignoring everyone. This was an even bigger waste than watching those dumb kids play stick-rock tag.
"...Ninja Tag."
"What?" Naruto winces at the sound of his voice. He really couldn't care what Ninja Tag was supposed to be. Now, Shinobi guy is going to talk his ear off about some stupid game.
"The boys were playing Ninja Tag."
"Ninja Tag, huh? How lame." Naruto looks away from the Shinobi.
He turns towards the direction of the orphanage and starts the steps towards "home." Man, he really did waste his time today. If only he walked over to the boys, or even the giggling girls, he wouldn't be walking this way ever again. All the Old Man told him to do was to meet someone...wait.
Naruto turns around and runs back to the park.
The Shinobi better be there or...or, Naruto doesn't know what he'll do, but he really needs the Shinobi to still be there.
Naruto reaches the park and pants over his knees.
Some kids, including the rat-dog boy, are still here, but the Shinobi is long gone.
Naruto is desperate, okay? What he does next is completely out of desperation and nothing else.
Naruto cups his hands over his mouth the same way he saw some other kids do earlier today and takes a deep breath in.
"Oi," Naruto yells, "one-eye Shinobi-san! Where are you?"
Naruto feels the stares on his back, but he's not ready to give in just yet. He screams again. And once more. Some people are starting to point at him, but he doesn't pay them any attention.
Naruto climbs up a nearby tree and cups his mouth again. But, before he can scream, he spots the one-eye Shinobi.
The Shinobi gives him another weird eye smile before crouching down to his height. "Anything I can help you with, kid?"
Thirty minutes later:
"Hey Old Man!" Naruto barges down the door to the Hokage's office, dragging Kakashi—the one-eye Shinobi-san who really is a guy—behind him. "Here's one person. Now, where are the keys to that apartment you promised me?"
The Old Man looks surprised, "Na-Naruto-kun! What are you doing out so late? And Kakashi?"
The one-eye—er, Kakashi steps forward in front of Naruto and clears his throat. "Hokage-sama," he began, "I ran into little Naruto-chan at the park today."
Naruto eyes widen before settling into a glare. Who did the guy think he was, calling him little Naruto-chan? Naruto tries to come forward, but Kakashi pushes him back.
"He was with a bunch of other boys playing Ninja Tag." Kakashi finishes, stepping aside to let Naruto come face to face with the Old Man.
Naruto stops in his place. Did one-eye—er, Kakashi just lie to the Old Man Hokage for him? Naruto wonders what the guy thinks he's doing. Naruto wasn't with the boys playing Ninja Tag, he was watching the boys play. Why was Kakashi—
"…is that so, Naruto-kun?" The Old Man's voice cuts in. He sounds happy? Relieved even. Naruto wonders if he should correct Kakashi's mistake, but a sideways look at the man keeps his mouth shut. Naruto nods his head instead.
The Old Man gives a hearty laugh. "I am very glad to hear you have been making friends," The Old Man smiles at him, "you really had me worried for a bit this morning."
This morning—that was right before he left for the park. And talking about leaving, "When are you going to give me the keys then, Old Man?" Naruto asks.
The Old Man blinks, "Keys…? What are you talking about, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto rolls his eyes. He heard old people could forget things, but seriously, they just talked this morning.
"I'm talking about the keys to the apartment you promised me this morning." Naruto feels his voice jump near the end. He's hoping the two men don't notice but Naruto's beginning to feel real cold inside.
"Oh…Oh!" The Old Man's eyes widen and he sits up. The cold feeling goes deeper. "Naruto-kun, I think there has been a misunderstanding."
No, Naruto thinks. No, no, no. Did the Old Man really even know what he was talking about? It was already really late and old people need their rest to function and stuff…yeah, that's it. Maybe, he'll just stop by again in the morning.
Naruto turns to leave, but before he can reach the door, the Old Man talks to him again. "Are you alright, Naruto-kun? You understand now that I was not serious when I told you I would give an apartment. Kami's sake, you're only six years old—" The Old Man rambles on but Naruto's done listening.
How could this all be a mistake? Naruto didn't understand. What is the Old Man trying to do?
Naruto clears his throat, "So, I am not getting my own apartment?"
The Old Man looks down at him, and Naruto hates—he really hates the look the Old Man is giving him.
"I am sorry, Naruto-kun." Naruto feels lame. Even more lame than rat-dog boy and the dumb orphans at the orphanage.
The orphanage.
"I'll be heading back then," he announces.
The Old Man opens his mouth, but another voice cuts in.
Kakashi's voice.
Naruto almost forgot he was still here.
"You can stay with me," Kakashi gives another weird eye smile, "That is if you really don't want to go back to the orphanage."
Naruto opens his mouth then closes it again. Was this guy for real?
Before Naruto could open his mouth again, the Old Man cuts in, "I think that is a wonderful idea."
What?
The Old Man lights a smoke. "I remember you, Kakashi, have a spare room."
Kakashi comes to stand next to Naruto. "Yes, that is correct, Hokage-sama."
Both of them are looking at him now. And for once, Naruto has nothing to say. What even just happened?
"What do you think, Naruto-kun?" The Old Man asks him.
What does he think? Naruto barely knows the guy, but this could be his only ticket out. If the Old Man really was only kidding about the apartment, then Naruto could be stuck at the dumb orphanage for another six years.
"I-I don't know," his voice shakes. Crap, why is it shaking? He probably sounds real lame.
Naruto shakes his head. "What I mean is I'd really like to leave the orphanage-it's too crowded." Not bad, but he could have said something better, more cooler.
Kakashi ruffles his hair and eye smiles. "Maa, my apartment's quite spacy and I'm usually out on missions anyways. I think we can work something out when I'm actually home too."
He's usually out? This better not be some twisted dream.
Naruto clears his throat. "If you'll have me, then thank you. I really appreciate it."
Kakashi starts and stares at him for a moment.
A long moment.
Is this what living with the guy is going to be like?
Naruto hopes he's not some perv or weird pedophile. Then again, the Old Man wouldn't let some perv take him in.
(Across Fire Country, a white-haired man chokes on his drink.)
Naruto thinks he'll be fine.
The Old Man claps his hands. "I am glad this arrangement works out. Kakashi, I would also like to thank you for taking-er, letting Naruto-kun stay with you. Naruto-kun, I hope you will mind your manners."
The Old Man's eyes meet Naruto's and he smiles.
Naruto feels himself smiling back. He turns to Kakashi, who motions for him to follow.
Outside seems more lighter now. Or is that just him? He needs to cut back on smiles or he'll freak Kakashi out.
Naruto shakes his head. He wonders what Kakashi's apartment looks like. Kakashi said spacy…wait, did that mean there were more than two rooms? Were other people living there too?
"Something the matter, Naruto-chan?"
Naruto stops. Okay, he let it go once, but no way is the guy going to get away calling him that.
"First, stop calling me that. And, don't you have friends or something? Not that I care but I like my quiet time and—"
Kakashi cuts him off, "Not really, Naruto-chan. I do know and get along with many other Shinobi but I also like my quiet time."
He likes sticking to himself? Then, why did he invite—no, he is not going to ask. If the weird, strange one-eye guy wants to let him have his spare room, then who is Naruto to complain?
"You're strange," he tells Kakashi.
Another weird eye-smile, "I know."
I always wanted to write a Naruto and Kakashi family fic. I think I might make this into a longer fic...someday. Let me know if you guys would be interested?