A/N- This was the last Naruto Chapter in this Fanfic. Sadly, this narrative has come to an end (for the time being). I'll miss writing from this perspective, but the story will now be told from Hinata's P.O.V. To everyone who has continued to read this crazy little story, both Nixx and I appreciate it a great deal. I know it's taken some patience to deal with us uploading, and for a while one of us was hospitalized. Thankfully, we are both ok and we hope that you're all doing well. We enjoyed writing this fanfiction and never imagined that it would gain this much interest (even during our hiatus). It's been a pleasure. [Continued in Road of Tears]
Me
I'm outside.
He parks his car in the driveway outside of his home. Once the engine cuts, he strolls around back to the trunk, tossing it up.
He always keeps a pair of fresh clothes, dollar store hair dye kits, and a manila envelope of identities in his trunk—and a jar of rainy-day money. There was also the bag of goodies he bought earlier for Sakura's detainment. It wasn't all in vain; he'd find use for the stuff at some point.
Hunching over—he moved around a few bags in search of his dandy crowbar—which he also referred to as the, 'hush-hush stick'. It's no doubt evidence he should've parted ways with long ago, but what would he have to bail him out of shit like this? He rummages around, using his cellphone flashlight to illuminate the obstinate darkness.
He could have sworn he heard tires milling the gravel closest to his driveway. Seconds later, his theory confirmed when a car door slams shut. Deciding to tune out the neighborhood activities, he delves deeper into the trunk-shoving aside foliage, work boots and a twenty-four pack of Nissin cup of Ramen. He pats his hand around the bare surface of his trunk with frenzied haste.
Where the hell is it...
Dead leaves crunch under his palms, before his fingers met the cool grainy surface of iron.
"Yo, Naruto?! Naruto, that you?"
Choji...here?
He dropped the bar, hesitantly pulling out of the trunk to stare around the Audi. He peeked toward the sidewalk and spotted a familiar face peering at him from the start of the driveway.
"Ch-choji…right now isn't a good time." he enunciates the sentence slowly, sincerely.
For fucks sake.
"I'll be brief, you're a hard guy to track man." The chunker says breathily, a smile of relief on his pudgy face, and then, it drops. "Where have you been? Teuchi's been worried about ya—heck, we're all worried."
There's a pregnant pause and Naruto simply scoffs-laughing off the concerns and then shrugging.
"As you can see, I'm well."
Choji looks him up and down, dubiously, "Rumor has it, you hang with that Uchiha guy. Listen, I didn't come here to tell you how to live your life but that guy-Naruto...he's not a good person. He may have worked with us but that was only a cover. Some vets say he's a drug-lord, the only one in town and I thought they were just messing around because we were new, but I'm starting to beli-"
"What does this have to do with me?" Naruto interrupts, looking him dead in the eye.
Choji, looking slightly taking aback by his tone, only thrusts his hands in his coat pocket and shrugs, "Possibly nothing, maybe something. I just wanted to warn you, as a-a friend."
Naruto tries to convey a face of gratitude, though his eyes drift toward his home before snapping back to Choji, "Thanks, I appreciate it. Don't worry, I can take care of myself."
Choji simply nods, takes a deep breath and sighs, "Now, for the real reason I'm here. Nara got busted for opioids, we've been understaffed and underpaid. It's a relief to see that you're alive and well, but we've been getting are asses kicked at work. We could use a shift leader for the upcoming workweek."
The blonde furrows a brow.
Work? He's here about fucking work?
Naruto exhales slowly, narrowing his gaze at his former coworker.
"Sorry you went through all the trouble to…track me, but I've got my hands full."
It's straight to the point.
He almost forgot about his job. Ignoring the boss's calls seemed an afterthought, with everything going on in his life.
He'd miss the place, the free shitty ramen, and even his boss—always treating him like a decent human being. He guesses he really affected his coworkers. Maybe his acting was a bit too convincing because everyone seemed to be motivated by his lies. He would give the best speeches to raise moral, some bullshit he memorized from a foreign movie, and people ate it up like a spiritual feast.
The charade had to end, eventually.
"Doesn't seem like it." Choji says with a timid shrug, though he stood bold. "Is something wrong, what's gotten into you lately?"
Naruto's brows raised high, and he smirked, hoping it came off genuine because he felt like a snake shedding its skin and baring its venomous fangs.
"What are you doing here? How do you know where I live?" Naruto parries—making unflinching eye-contact with his coworker. He felt his jaw give off several twitches as he bared down at the bottom row of his teeth.
Choji seemed put off by his tone. He furrowed a brow, though he seemed slightly embarrassed to admit, "Y—your application…" he says with reluctance and quickly after, "We hadn't heard from you in days, Teuchi suggested a wellness check and I—I guess I just volunteered since I—um consider you my shift leader and friend. Is that an issue?"
Friends.
Naruto lifted his head towards the heavens and inwardly laughed at the fucking odds of this fat bastard looking through the admissions file to find his application and get his address. It occurs to him bitterly that he's the dumbass for not lying about his residency, but in his defense—the old man mailed him the first paycheck. Against his better judgement, he had chosen funds over confidentiality and look where the fuck that got him.
A wellness check during a murder spree.
He's strapped for time as it is. There was no telling when Ino would return to her dorm room to find the big dead surprise.
He dropped his head; a breeze cooled his heated skin, and he leaned a forearm against the side of the Audi.
"Again, I'm busy. I'm sure there's someone way more qualified on the payroll." He says casually, trying to maintain a level of tactfulness. Unfortunately, it didn't appear as sincerity because Choji was staring at him like some kind of wounded creature.
He closes the passenger door of a Bentley parked against the curb. The headlights remain on, the car idling noisily—and he couldn't make out the driver. Choji wore his work smocks, the chef coat, and black slacks. He began shaking his head in grave disappointment at Naruto.
"So that's how it's going to be, you're going to shirk responsibility and rip off the team? Fuck over Teuchi?"
Naruto sighs crossly, his phone buzzing. He held it up, disengaged the flashlight and read the text.
Fag
I'd ditch the company. 10 seconds...
Jaw hardening, he snatched the crowbar from the trunk and slammed it harder than he had intended.
"People skip out on work, it happens all the time—don't take it personally, Cho."
He strolled down the driveway; crowbar pressed against his thigh. Choji was quiet momentarily, face whiter than a sheet, his beady eyes nervously lowering to the crowbar. He swallowed visibly, slowly taking a step back as Naruto advanced closer with maddening expression and a wide stride.
"Narut—"
"For the record, we aren't friends. We worked together, tolerated one another, and now we don't have to. If I were you, I'd stay as far away from guys like me."
He supposes he could have been nicer about it but why?
He was out of time.
The terrified look on Choji's face was a poignant reminder of why he couldn't have friends. Where could they even fit into his existence? He'd never trust them, and the moment they realized who the hell he was, they'd probably try to be some type of hero.
He didn't have time to keep up the guise of it all. Hinata was in there, alone, at the mercy of Sasuke.
"Guys like you? I-I don't believe that," he stutters, "Y-you're a good person, everyone at work admires y-"
"Dammit! Choji, get the fuck out of here!" Naruto barks, hating the thin tone of desperation that peaked. He points the crowbar threateningly at him, "I said I'm busy, do you want me to fucking kill you?" he asks in a calm husk, to which Choji's eyes enlarge, "I'll do it, I'll beat your skull into your brain...and then, whoever drove you here will get it too. Is that what you want? Will that convince you to stay away?"
The guy just stood there, somehow looking petrified and hurt. His mouth creaked open and then snapped shut. He looked as though he'd shit himself. Wordlessly, he twists around and retreats to the Bentley, like he was being pursued by the devil himself. Naruto stood stock-still.
The Bentley revs and skids down the sidewalk and onto the street, and too soon, it's out of sight.
No, he didn't enjoy it.
He walked along the newly paved sidewalk, tucking the crowbar into the side of his pants, under the band of his boxers. He lifts his shirt to mask the weapon, the cold iron pressing icily against his hip and he felt discomfort.
And then, abruptly, two ear bursting explosions entered the calm atmosphere of his neighborhood and promptly after…two more.
The sound had him on edge, sending a tense jitter through his spine.
And two more.
And two more.
Hot white flashes of light spark through the livingroom windows of his home and the sound sets off the neighborhood dogs, who howl out their paranoia.
Naruto bolts for the front door, swinging it open without hesitation. He couldn't register the cadence of the thing beating in his chest, his arms tensed with dreadful anticipation.
The next shot rattled his brain, and he could hear her screaming and crying…
And shooting
And crying…
Click
Click
Click
The clip is empty.
Powder fogs the livingroom and he could see his bunny standing there naked, small, broken and shaking like a leaf in a storm. Her face a torrent of painful emotion, none he could fully identify.
The dark outline of a body at her feet.
Click
Click
Click
She doesn't seem to notice him, and all he could do is notice her.
A mess, but not timid.
Decorated in blood that didn't belong to her.
Black silky hair as delicate as a spider's web falling over her bony shoulder and the tears trickling down her cheeks.
Those sexy full lips of hers gaping and shuddering, teeth clattering.
When her eyes met his, he could hardly breathe.
They were like moonlight's reflection on top of crystalline water, and he wondered how he could have ever called her... ugly.