Warnings: If you haven't gotten around to the final part of the Chuunin exam, spoilers.

Pairing: Genma/Naru

Summary: Genma is heartbroken over the death of his best friend, but maybe light can come back into his life, from an unexpected source.

Genre: WAFF

Rating: PG

""-speech

''-thoughts

Shiranui Genma sat on the bed in his dark room, curtains closed to ensure that not even starlight or moonlight would enter into the inky blackness of his room. Normally Genma hated to be completely surrounded by the dark, it made him feel trapped and lost, but tonight it suited his mood.

Hayate, his best friend, had been found today, his body ripped apart.

He knew that he wasn't the only one who felt disturbed and saddened by Hayate's death; he knew that Uzuki Yuugao had already vowed to avenge Hayate. She was probably out there, doing something to find Hayate's killer while he sat there in the dark, biting back tears.

'He always trained so hard with that sword of his; he never needed a kunai or shuriken, he was the one of the best fighters I knew, how could he be gone?'

It was a dull existence without Hayate, the younger man was the only one who ever understood his jokes, his way of thinking, hell, the younger guy could practically read his mind! And now he was gone… Aoba and Raido had already shown their concern for him and his unusual withdrawal from his normal lifestyle, but he couldn't help it.

And then to top it off, only a few days later the Hokage was killed. Life as he knew it was just become darker and darker. Konoha was in shambles and if they didn't find a new Hokage soon they would be easy prey for Orochimaru and his allies.

He had already heard that the village elders had attempted to make Jiraiya of the Three Legendary Sennin become the Fifth Hokage, but apparently the attempt failed and the Frog Hermit as well as Uzumaki Naruto were going to find Tsunade, another of the Legendary Three, so that she could become Hokage.

How Jiraiya knew Uzumaki was a tough case to crack, but how the Frog Hermit would willingly go on a journey with the boy was a completely different matter.

Genma had been referee for the Chuunin exam, he had seen Uzumaki fight with determination and outsmart Neji, a prodigy student. But still, the boy was notorious for playing pranks and being a loudmouth ear sore, why on earth would someone tolerate him?

But that being put aside, he had more pressing matters to deal with, although he would love to mourn, sulk and lament, his duties as a ninja had become even more important. Rebuilding Konoha was a job for villagers and Genin while Chuunins and his fellow Jounin had to work harder than ever before to prove that their village still had its strength.

He along with many others silently prayed that the Fifth Hokage would be found, they needed a strong leader soon or the Konoha that they knew and loved would be destroyed by Orochimaru's forces.

It had been a great relief for everyone of the village when Jiraiya and Naruto had returned with Tsunade and her apprentice, Shizune. And although Genma hated to admit it, the village was a lot livelier with the blonde haired boy around.

He'd been walking home from guard duty one day and had actually run into the boy, well, walked into him. He'd murmured a small apology and turned to walk away, but stop when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He had raised an eyebrow in a silent question as he glanced back at the boy, who just gave him a 100 watt smile and said. "Don't worry about the past; there are always things to look forward to in life." And then Naruto had jogged away, grin still in place while Genma stood there, bewildered. Did the boy somehow know he was still upset over Hayate's death, even while his own comrades believed he had got over his depression? Curiosity began to bloom within him, strikingly similar to the curiosity he'd felt when he first laid his eyes on the sword wielding ninja with a chronic cough. Hayate could always see right through him too.

Genma had never been all too happy about people being able to read him like a book, even though the numbers of those people were few and far between. But maybe, just maybe he could handle one more person being able to predict his every thought. He kind of missed someone telling him not to do something stupid every night he was planning to go out and get drunk. Hayate always had a weird sixth sense for that kind of thing.

It had been a couple of weeks since Genma had bumped into Naruto, and lately he could feel the boy following him around, every day. Whenever he'd turn around and confront the boy about it, Naruto would say: "Just making sure you're not going to kill yourself with depression."

He was a strange boy, but it was sweet, sort of, to have the kid follow him around to make sure he was alright.

It was something Hayate would have done.

Come to think of it, despite Naruto's extroverted personality and Hayate's introverted personality, the two were very much alike. Always think about the wellbeing of others, always making sure that he was alright.

But still, being stalked around everyday was going a little bit overboard.

'He's here again.' Genma sighed and stifled a smile as the leaves of the tree behind him rustled loudly on the windless afternoon.

"Oi, I know you're there, so just come out of that tree before I drag you down here." He said lazily as he laid back on the ground, chewing on his senbon.

He heard the boy mutter a curse as he leapt out of his hiding spot and couldn't stop the smile that was forming on his lips. "You're not the most silent ninja you know, you can't sneak up and spy on me that easily." From the corner of his eye he could see the boy stomp his foot in agitation. 'So childish, it's kind of cute.'

"Jeez, is that the thanks I get for watching over you? I don't know what you're so depressed about, but I can see it in your eyes, you're trying to hide it!" "So what if I am? It shouldn't be of any concern to you." The kid took a couple of steps forward until he was standing beside Genma's prone form, starring down at him. "I know it's not my business, but I can't help but worry when I see people with such sad eyes, like mine. I may not be able to do anything to help you be happy again, but I can at least make sure you don't do anything stupid!"

'Anything stupid, eh?' Genma smirked and stood up. 'That sounds like something Hayate would say.' He began to walk away but before he was too far he stopped and looked back.

"Hey Naruto." "What?" "Thanks for caring, but don't wear yourself out too much." "I won't! I'd never wear myself out worrying over you!"

Genma had a genuine smile on his face as he walked away.

Hayate would say something like that too.