To Jac Frust: thanks for reviewing and requesting! I originally planned to include the Akatsuki and Killer B but I'd see what I can do about team Dosu.
Thank you so much if you reviewed and favorited this story. 3
The bells rang for lunch time and the teacher dismissed them. Naruto watched as the class split into groups to the dining hall where the food was served. He was the only island there.
Pushing sad thoughts aside, he went to the cafeteria to get his lunch. They were serving curry rice, eh not too bad. The problem arose when he wanted to sit and realized that there was no where to sit. Friends occupied the tables and he was glared at when he approached an empty seat.
"Fine!" Naruto spat and took his lunch to the rooftop where he would be alone. He made his way to the stairs that led to the roof top and climbed them jumping two steps each. He just wanted friends, what was wrong with that?
The soft sound of a pop song reached his ears which grew louder the further he climbed. It seemed like he wasn't the only one who chose to come here. Naruto pushed the door separating him from the roof open with one hand and stepped into the open space only to be greeted by a mesmerizing sight.
A dark haired boy was dancing to the pop song which was louder and clearer now. Every move the boy made seemed like he could levitate and the wind seemed to dance with him. He was graceful, precise and flawless and it intimidated Naruto. Food long forgotten, he watched as the dark haired boy danced and didn't realize that he had stopped until the music stooped.
Obsidian eyes glared darkly at him as the boy switched off his Bluetooth speaker. "What are you looking at, usuratonkachi?"
Naruto's eye twitched at the name he was referred to as. "Your dancing." He answered anyway. "It was amazing!"
"Hn." The boy grunted. "You need not tell me what I know."
Naruto found himself wondering why he was intimidated by this pompous jerk. "You don't need to be a jerk about it, bastard." The dark haired boy stopped walking and glared at him darkly.
"The only bastard here is the one who murdered his parents."
Again with the murderer thing. It vexed Naruto to no end but there was nothing he could do without solid proof. The wind carried his sigh as he sat on the floor. Dammit. His food was already cold because of the bastard.
Naruto put the tray aside and went to the edge of the roof where he sat. He looked down the high building at the floor below and looked up to the sky. He pursed his lips and started whistling a tune which his mother used to sing before she died. When he whistled the loneliness felt bearable compared to other times despite it still being there.
The bells signified that lunch was over so he packed up and left the roof. He didn't meet the dark haired boy on the roof the next day to which he was slightly sad at. He hoped they could get past their bad first meeting and talk but it seemed not.
He ate his lunch in silence and went to sit at the edge of the roof again. Naruto pursed his lips and started whistling the same tune from yesterday. He bobbed his head along with the tune and closed his eyes, feeling the wind in his hair and enjoying the solitude until a voice interrupted him.
"What drag."
Naruto turned around to see a boy sitting up from a corner. He didn't notice that he was there. Wait, he knew this guy. It was his classmate and the one who got a golden buzzer in the enrolment auditions.
"I didn't notice you there." Naruto spoke apologetically but Shikamaru just yawned.
"It's okay, I was just watching the clouds anyway." The pineapple haired boy said and leaned his back on a wall. Silence ensued between them but Naruto was comfortable with it since Shikamaru wasn't running away from or bashing him. It was the sound of the bell that disrupted the silence between them.
Naruto leapt off the edge and picked up his tray. He stopped when he saw that Shikamaru was making no move what so ever to get to class and called out to him. "Aren't you going to get to class?" He asked.
Shikamaru yawned and waved a dismissive hand. "You won't tell on me right?" He asked lazily.
"No promises." Naruto said and Shikamaru sighed.
"What a drag. Alright fine, I'm coming." The two boys got to class only a few minutes late. Naruto and Shikamaru often met each other at the rooftop and got quite used to each other's company.
Xxx Symphony xxX
Shikamaru never really took anything serious. He wasn't serious at the auditions but somehow got a golden buzzer, he wasn't serious during tests which was why he was in the recuperative class in the first place and he certainly wasn't serious about what he felt about Naruto.
The others avoided him like the plague but Shikamaru didn't understand why. He didn't want to understand why, it was a drag. The lazy bones yawned as Choji led him through the school grounds after closing hours. Choji groaned as he frantically searched under a rock for his pen. He was sure he lost it around here.
"Shikamaru, you are not helping me to search!" The chubby boy complained to his friend.
"I am searching." Shikamaru drawled and glanced into one of the many flower pots in the school. Choji cast him a glare and was about to speak when the sound of somebody crying reached his ears.
"Did you hear that?" The chubby boy asked his friend who nodded. "Somebody's crying, let's go check it out!" Choji announced and started for the direction of the noise.
"Choji!" Shikamaru groaned and reluctantly followed his friend. He wanted nothing to do with bullies!
Choji and Shikamaru stopped when they saw a boy tied to a lamp post not too far off from there. He was the source of the crying. The boy had brown long hair and green eyes which were glossy with fresh tears. Both boys ran to where the younger one was staying.
"Oh!" Choji noticed something in the boy's hand. "That's my pen." He noted. The boy clenched the pen so hard as his crying increased at Choji's note. The chubby one sweat dropped and waved his hands frantically in defeat. "I won't collect it, I promise!" He yelled but the boy only cried harder.
"You heartless people! How dare you hurt the child?!" A sharp voice scolded behind them. Both boys turned around to see a blond girl with teal eyes storming towards them angrily.
"Hold your horses there woman, we found him like this." Shikamaru explained before she could do anything. The girl paused in her tracks and stared at them disbelievingly.
"Really?" She asked dryly.
"Really." Shikamaru confirmed. The girl looked at them both one last time before kneeling to the boy's level.
"Hello Yota, it's me Ino." She said softly.
"I-Ino." The boy, Yota, stuttered as he recognized the girl before him. His cries reduced to whimpers and hiccups as Ino wiped his tears away.
"Who did this to you?" Ino asked.
"Big bad boys, bad boys." Yota whimpered and Ino sighed angrily. Those bullies again!
Choji noted that it was only Yota's bag that got tied to the post and frowned. Why didn't he just remove the bag from his shoulders and then loosen the rope tying his bag to the post?
"He's autistic." It wasn't a question. Shikamaru had seen it in the boy the very moment he laid eyes on him.
"Yes he is." Ino seethed. "And some people think it is fun to hurt him because of it. If I get them, I'll kill them all!" She promised with fire in her eyes. Her anger died down a bit and she looked at the duo. "I'm Ino, Yamanaka Ino. You're?"
"Akimichi Choji, nice to meet you."
"Nara *yawn* Shikamaru."
"Me Yota! Yota!" Yota suddenly piped up from where he sat. Shikamaru and Choji smiled at the small boy.
"Hello Yota." They greeted nicely. The young boy giggled softly but his smile soon turned to a frown when his stomach rumbled.
"Hungry." Yota whispered.
"Ah!" Choji perked up and removed his bag pack. "I have something..." He muttered as he withdrew a bag of his favorite consommé flavoured potato chips from the bag pack. He handed it to Yota who ripped it open and downed it in a few minutes.
"Yota still hungry. Still hungry." Yota claimed. This time Ino gave him some cookies which she bought from lunch and Shikamaru gave him banana milk. They watched as Yota downed them all and let out a satisfied burp.
"So messy." Ino muttered and wiped the cookie crumbs away from the sides of his mouth.
"So...what happens from here?" Shikamaru asked. He was eager to go home and sleep even though his mother would probably disturb him.
"His guardian should have arrived by now." Ino spoke while she helped Yota to his feet. The young boy clung unto her like a child to his mother which caused Choji to giggle.
"How long have you known him for?" The chubby one asked.
"Three days." Ino answered with a shrug. "I met him for the first time at the trash. Some people thought it would be nice to throw him in a bin." The blond scowled angrily. She swore once again to crush whoever did that to Yota.
Shikamaru yawned and pocketed his hands, assuming his usual lazy demeanor. "You don't look like a nice person. I thought you were one of those rich and snubby cheerleaders." He drawled lazily as if talking was somehow difficult for him.
"Oh I am not too nice." Ino snorted. "But I go well along with people."
"So what do you do?" Choji asked. His mouth was itching to eat something but his last bag of chips was eaten by Yota.
"I am a ballerina." Ino informed. "What about you guys?" She redirected the question to them.
"I sing." Choji answered.
"Ditto." Shikamaru yawned.
"Piano! Piano!" Yota cheered which caused the trio to look at him.
"Yota, you play the piano?" Ino asked.
"Yota play, play the piano, the piano." Yota declared proudly.
"That's very nice! I want to see you play one day." Ino smiled like a doting mother as they led Yota to the school gates where his guardian was. Ino sensed some resistance in the boy but as soon as the man gave him a look, Yota released Ino's skirt and scampered over.
"Bye Yota." Choji greeted while Shikamaru just waved but Ino felt uneasy. What could her feelings be about?
Xxx symphony xxX
Emerald green eyes watched as Ino met up with two boys she had never seen before. Sakura had been wondering where Ino went every morning before classes began and today, she was determined to find out.
The boys, she had never seen them before. One had black pineapple shaped hair and a lazy demeanor while the other was chubby and always munching something. Sakura followed them to the elementary building. They seemed to be looking for somebody and the pinkette wondered who.
"Eh? He isn't here." Ino spoke once they checked a class and did not find whoever they were looking for. The lazy guy she was with simply yawned while the chubby one spoke up in concern.
"I hope he is not hurt." He said.
'Who are they talking about?' Sakura wondered. She was startled when a figure suddenly popped into her vision, obscuring her view of Ino and the boys. Looking down at the elementary boy that startled her, she saw that it was a brunette with big green eyes smiling at her.
"Konichinwa gaki, who are you?" Sakura asked, kneeling to his level but the boy only got excited and started dancing around her.
" kon kon kon, it's snowing kon kon kon! Kon kon kon, it's snowing kon kon kon!" He sang blissfully as he spun around her in circles. Yota liked this pretty lady, her hair was like ice cream!
"Yota!" Sakura heard Ino's scream and footfalls.
"Ino!" The boy named Yota squealed in delight and ran to her. "Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, pretty pretty!" He jumped excitedly as he pointed to a gaping Sakura.
"Oh, Sakura!" Ino exclaimed upon seeing her best friend standing there.
"I-Ino! Who is he?" Sakura asked.
"Oh, this is Yota. Yota meet Sakura." Ino introduced. She also introduced Shikamaru and Choji to Sakura and from there they became friends.
The four highschool freshmen met up each day with treats for Yota. Something about the small boy was relaxing and made them want to be together. It was lunch break when Sakura found Yota in the first year building.
"Yota?" The pinkette questioned herself. He was not supposed to be in this building for the elementary building was at the other end of the school. "Yota!" She called to the boy who was looking lost and overwhelmed by the presence of so many people.
"Sakura! Pretty, pretty!" Yota exclaimed with a big smile, making heads turn and Sakura blush. She went over to the boy and knelt down to his level.
"Hello Yota, what brings you here?" Green eyes zeroed in on a bruise on Yota's cheek and pink eyebrows met. "Who did this to you?" She asked.
"Sakura! Where were you? I have been...Yota?" Ino stopped upon seeing the autistic boy with her best friend.
"Ino!" Yota cheered with a smile but Ino wasn't fooled. She was protective over this young boy as though he were her little brother so she had come to read his expressions fairly easily.
"Yota, who did this to you?" Ino asked, kneeling down beside Sakura and gently caressing his bruise.
Both girls paid no attention to the gazes that were sent their way as they interrogated the boy. "Fuu fuu, big boy! Big boy! Fuu!" Yota explained but the girls weren't getting it.
"Fuu?" Sakura asked confusedly.
"Fuu fuu!" Yota repeated while pursing his lips. Ino shared a puzzled glance with Sakura and they both stared back at Yota. The boy in question suddenly pointed at something behind the two girls and exclaimed. "Fuu!"
Ino glanced back and her teal eyes narrowed in anger. She should have known! "Damn you Namikaze!" The blond girl moved in three big strides to where a clueless Naruto stood and gave him a harsh slap across the cheek.
Naruto's head snapped sideways not because of the impact but because he was taken by surprise. Recovering from his shock, Naruto faced Ino with a scowl on his face. "What the hell was that for?!" He exclaimed.
"Don't you dare act innocent with me! You hit Yota, didn't you?!" Ino accused.
"Yota? Who the hell is that?!" Naruto was furious. How could she just accuse him of something he was not even aware about?!
"You flipping liar! I don't know why the hell murderers are allowed into this school." Sakura commented from the sidelines and Naruto broke.
He could feel the eyes glaring holes through his head. He could feel the hate and disgust. It was something he could never get used to. "How about the next time before you try to hit somebody and accuse them you make sure you got the right person?!" Naruto hissed and scampered off to goodness knows where.
During closing hours, Ino and Sakura met with Shikamaru and Choji to look for Yota. The duo were not present to witness what happened at lunch break so the girls told the tale. Shikamaru yawned lazily as he listened to Ino's angry rants. "You know," He started after Ino was done. "You girls questioned him too harshly."
"Shikamaru, were you even listening?! He hit Yota!" Ino summarized in annoyance.
"Did you have proof?" That question made the two girls pause to think for a moment. It was Sakura that spoke up first.
"Yota said so himself!" Sakura defended.
"Exactly!" Ino chimed.
"What a drag." Shikamaru sighed in submission.
"What the hell Shikamaru? I know you're lenient but you're too lenient with the murderer, you know?" Ino huffed.
"He's nice." Said Shikamaru with a shrug. To be honest, he was just too lazy to be bothered by Naruto.
"It is just a front to get closer to you. He could back stab you literally." Sakura stated in a matter of fact tone.
All the while, Choji just listened to their conversation and munched his consommé chips. What to think about Naruto? He hadn't spoken much to the blond yet so he guessed he was indifferent about it. The chubby one looked up when something caught his peripheral vision.
"Look." He alerted his teammates and pointed across the grassy field next to the elementary building. It was the blond in question and Yota.
"That Namikaze!" Ino raged along with Sakura and stormed to where the unsuspecting blond sat with Yota. Her anger dissipated into nothing, however, when she saw that they were just talking.
Naruto sat on the green grass gazing at nowhere in particular. He could not get the feeling of the hateful eyes off of his skin. It hurt to see people judging him before knowing him but there was nothing he could do about it.
"Fuu fuu!"
The vulpine blond was startled awake from his thoughts by the sudden sound. Looking to his side, he saw a small brunette with large green eyes peering curiously albeit excitedly at him.
"Who are you?" Naruto asked.
"Yota! Me Yota! Yota!" The boy announced.
"Yota?" Naruto recognized the name and his face darkened with spite. "So you're the kid I got hit for." He spat dryly. Yota, seemingly unaware of the hostility oozing out of Naruto's skin pores, stared at him with those bog eyes and Naruto melted. It was not the kid's fault and besides, he was too cute to stay mad at. "I'm Naruto." He introduced.
"Fuu fuu!" Yota seemed to be making that noise a lot lately.
"Fuu?" Naruto's brow quirked curiously.
"Fuu fuu! Whistle! Fuu fuu!" Yota explained.
"Ooh." Naruto's face brightened with realization and he pursed his lips to whistle his mother's tone. Yota jumped up in excitement and clapped his hands happily.
"Fuu fuu!"
"Want to learn?" Naruto chuckled when Yota nodded eagerly and proceeded to teach the boy as best as he could. After many failed attempts and empty wind blowing, Yota finally managed a note.
"Yota did it! Did it!" The brunet cheered and tried again. Naruto whistled along with him on the lush green grass. It was fun being with Yota. "Naruto." Yota tapped the older boy's shoulder and whistled a four note tone.
"Uh?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"To-mo-da-chi. Friend!" Yota chirped. Naruto could feel his heart swelling. This boy was the first person to call him 'friend'. "Naruto is Yota's friend!" Yota smiled.
"Yota is Naruto's friend." Naruto smiled back.
"Fuu fuu." Yota attempted whistling again and got it wrong.
Naruto chuckled. "No Yota, you're doing it wrong. Purse your lips and slowly push air out through them like this, remember?" Naruto whistled again and this time Yota got it.
"Yota?" Upon hearing Ino's voice behind him, Naruto scowled and stood on the defensive but was shocked by the apologetic look on the ballerina's face. Ino heard enough of their conversation to figure out that she misunderstood Naruto completely.
"Ino! Yota whistle! Whistle!" Yota chirped merrily and danced around her. Ino placed a hand on his head to stop him from being dizzy and looked up at Naruto who had a displeased scowl on his face.
"What?" Naruto snarled when their eyes met.
"Ahem." Ino started awkwardly. "It seems like we misunderstood you and we're sorry." She apologized airily which pissed Naruto off.
"Was that an apology?! That's a very pathetic way of saying sorry dattebayo." The teen huffed.
"Take it or leave it, boke!" Sakura yelled and bopped his head.
"Owie!" Naruto whined.
"Anyway, I'm Ino and she's Sakura. We're in the first year advanced classes. I guess you're classmates with lazybones and Choji, right Namikaze?" Ino introduced.
"Naruto."
"Huh?" Ino was confused.
"My name is Naruto." Naruto clarified.
"You mean like the fishcake?" Sakura asked with a giggle.
"I said the same thing!" Choji piped.
"Hey! My name can also translate to maelstrom dattebayo!" Naruto huffed indignantly.
"But it still means fishcake." Ino deadpanned.
"What's your favourite food, Naruto?" Shikamaru suddenly asked.
"Ramen dattebayo!" Naruto supplied immediately.
"No wonder he's named fishcake." Sakura laughed followed by the others.
"I'm not a fish cake dattebayo!" Naruto huffed but he was very happy that they were talking to him, teasing him even.
"Dattebayo!" Yota echoed which caused everyone to chuckle.
Their meeting was dramatic but Naruto gained four friends today.
Coming up next chapter: Kiba and Akamaru meet Yota and the first day of school in the Akatsuki's point of view! Don't miss it!