Manhunter

Chapter Two

(Six months later)

Naruto had, of course, moved in with Doctor Lecter, and when he wasn't in the Academy, often went with him to work. Naruto, after getting to know his foster father, had decided that he wanted to emulate Hannibal in as many ways as possible—at least, in the ways he knew of.

For instance, Naruto vividly remembered the first time he got to watch in the O.R.

(Flashback: two weeks earlier)

Doctor Lecter was going to perform surgery today and Naruto had had to beg for six hours before he was allowed to watch. "I promise I'll be so quiet, you'll forget I'm even there!"

"Naruto, if your behavior were the only problem, I'd let you come in an instant. However, I don't think you'd be able to sit still for over five hours to watch me cut open someone's body and operate on them. Not just because I don't think you could, in fact, sit quietly for that long, but also I believe that seeing it so early in life could have a negative effect on your psyche—that it could traumatize you."

"I promise that I won't move, I'll be really quiet, and I won't throw up get disgusted or anything! I can handle it, if you let me."

Sighing, the doctor caved in and allowed Naruto to come along. And true to his word, Naruto was silent as the grave after he walked through the front door. He was even allowed to sit in the Operating Room while it was happening.

He sat captivated, unmoving, while he watched Hannibal seemingly perform the surgery as if he were a skilled muralist in the middle of his newest, and possibly greatest work yet.

For a number of reasons, Lecter explained the procedure aloud as he went through it. Primarily because some of the other doctors present were interns learning from this, partly because the patient was kept conscious and wanted to know what they were doing to his body, and also because Naruto was in the room; Hannibal knew that the boy would be extremely curious about what was going on.

After the operation had concluded, Naruto was still silent as he and the doctor went home.

"You do realize you're allowed to talk now, right?"

"Yeah, I've just been thinking, that's all."

"Thinking… about the surgery?"

"Yes Doctor. I… I want to learn how to operate like that, too."

Lecter chuckled and asked, "You do realize that the Hokage won't be pleased with me if I take away his future replacement and turn him into a surgeon, don't you?"

Naruto grinned at Hannibal and asked, "I still want to become Hokage, but I want to be a surgeon, too. Sometimes, I even want to be an interrogator like you. So I ask: who says I can't do all three at once?"

As Naruto walked from the Academy, he took a moment to observe his home.

It was a mansion on the Namikaze grounds, as the Fourth Hokage had written in his will that Naruto would be left everything he possessed. Therefore, Naruto and Lecter had moved into the manor roughly a month ago, and were fairly content with their living arrangements.

Sitting in his favorite chair, which was almost like a hammock, Naruto started into his standard routine: inform Doctor Lecter that he was home, turn on the stereo (Lecter had a large collection of foreign music that Naruto enjoyed; today he selected a band called 'Guns 'n' Roses), and then proceed with homework. It was Friday, and he needed to write a five-page essay on the properties of Genjutsu as discussed in class, as well as work on his chakra control later on.

But as much as that was, Naruto was really anticipating his lesson about anatomy that evening.

Doctor Lecter had more positive qualities than most people realized: he was usually pleasant, he was nearly always on time, and people never pissed him off twice. (Although that may have been due to the fact that he usually either killed them or ate their arm after the first time…)

Naruto was aware of the Doctor's cannibalism, and decided that overall… he didn't really care. Lecter had taken him in, when even the old man wouldn't. For that, Lecter deserved as much of Naruto's loyalty as anyone.

Author's Note: Dr. Lecter's backstory will be posted in a SEPARATE story. END OF DISCUSSION.