NF Chapter 8:
Naruto sighed as he flicked the corner of an open book, looking around the small reception area. It wasn't that there was nothing to do, exactly. His job at Jiraiya's publishing offices wasn't exactly the most intense work ever, so he had recently taken to reading in his spare time; a computer sat in front of him, off-white and outdated, but it still ran Facebook and other sites just fine; if he was really bored he could reorder the folders on said computer, since Jiraiya's archaic filing system was apparently stuck with the PC in the nineties.
But despite the abundance of activities, Naruto didn't particularly feel like doing anything. Except maybe sleep. After everything that had happened in the last few days, he had found it hard to get any rest. He caught himself looking at the clock and, almost as a reflex, counting the hours since he'd last seen Sasuke.
11:36. Fourteen hours since I saw him.
Naruto frowned, trying not to think about it, but so much had happened in such a short period of time. He was still trying to process it, trying to get it straight in his head.
Poor Sasuke… Imagine working for that creep. I just wish there was something I could do.
He had decided that, for now anyway, he would honour Sasuke's request: charging into the situation blind appeared to have dire consequences for his friend. The last thing he wanted to do was make it worse.
He frustratedly closed the book in front of him; it was a good read, but he couldn't concentrate on it today. He placed it to the side of the desk, the cover catching his eye for a second. A behemoth of a spaceship dominated the front, aglow with red and green lights. Naruto was still sometimes surprised by Sakura's choice in fiction: just over a year ago, when Naruto started reading at the behest of Jiraiya (strong mind, strong body was his ethos), Sakura had decided they should start sending each other their favourites. The act of posting one of their belongings, especially something as intimate as a book, really helped Naruto feel connected to her while she was away.
Speaking of Sakura…
He still hadn't told her that Sasuke had even visited him on the anniversary of his parents' death, let alone the events of last night. As silly as it was, he felt like trying to look after Sasuke was best kept to himself. He knew how it would look to others: stupid Naruto, still just running after Sasuke, even after he hurt him…
But it's different now. Isn't it?
He grabbed a stack of papers from the other side of his desk, supposing he better actually do some work if he wasn't going to be doing anything else. He separated out the important documents, absent-mindedly making aeroplanes out of waste paper. He launched them lazily to the other side of the room, aiming for the bin next to the faded sofa in the corner; he had a perfectly good bin next to him, but this made things more interesting.
The open window next to the sofa kept blowing the paper off-course, the late July wind carrying a little bite. So Naruto kept trying, the room slowly being littered with crashed planes. It was just starting to cheer him up a little when he accidentally drew the edge of the paper across the tip of his finger, resulting in a deep papercut.
"Fuck!" He yelped, mostly out of reflex; it stung more than anything.
"Dangerous job, isn't it?" A low, smooth voice interrupted his thoughts. Naruto jumped, not aware the door had opened. He swung around to apologise for not seeing them, and stopped dead in his tracks.
Standing in the doorway was a pale, well-dressed man. His long, black hair hung lank to midriff, framing a gaunt face. He wore a pale beige shirt and a horrible coy smile, somehow still managing to exude power despite looking like a walking corpse.
Although he'd only seen it once, that face had been burned into his mind. His heart seemed to stop for a second before kicking into overdrive, adrenaline flooding his body. For the first time in a long time, Naruto felt like a scared kid again.
Orochimaru
He looked exactly the same as he had four years ago, almost inhumanly pale, the smile tugging at his thin lips. And there was something profoundly wrong with his eyes, something predatory. Not the playful pursuit that Suigetsu possessed – and not the fact that he seemed to be wearing purple eyeshadow - something cold. Like a snake.
As suddenly as he was struck dumb, Naruto seemed to find his voice. "What are you doing here?" He asked, feeling like it wasn't him saying the words. It sounded strong and defiant; the complete opposite of how he felt.
Orochimaru straightened out the collar of the shirt with a skeletal hand, apparently nonplussed. "So you know who I am?" He asked, voice just dripping with condescension. It made Naruto feel about three feet tall. "Most impressive."
He pushed off the doorframe, stepping casually around the paper planes strewn across the floor. Naruto found his movement to be strangely disconcerting, taking a second to realise why: despite his step being light, it was perfectly deliberate. He not so much walked around them as through them, seemingly by chance that he hit none, perfectly balanced.
It confirmed Naruto's fears – it was the same way Jiraiya moved. The way a fighter moved.
He strolled over to Naruto's left, to the framed photo of Jiraiya next to the window. It was the one he'd used in all his books, starting shortly after leaving the army. Apparently the publicist had begged him to use any other picture, and it was clear why: head thrown back mid-laugh, that signature wide, goofy grin… all in all it wasn't a very professional photo. But it was so unabashedly Jiraiya, the perfect representation of his mentor and friend. It's what made it Naruto's favourite photo of him; to have Orochimaru standing in front of it, a slight frown on his face, made Naruto feel… wrong.
He steeled his resolve, trying to keep his voice level. "I'm not gonna ask you again: why are you here?"
Orochimaru made a small noise of amusement in his throat. "Can't a man just drop by on an old friend?"
"We're not friends."
Orochimaru looked over his shoulder at Naruto, disdain written across his face. "What makes you think I was talking about you?" He turned back to the frame, cocking his head slightly as he examined it. "He can't have been much older than you when this was taken. Come to think of it, you two even look alike."
It took several seconds for his words to sink in, and for Naruto to make the connection.
How does this creep know Jiraiya?
"That was a compliment, by the way," Orochimaru responded to Naruto's stunned silence. He turned to look back at him again, his thin eyebrows raised. "Are you usually-"
"-Why the Hell would Jiraiya have anything to do with someone like you?" Naruto yelled, snapping again.
He's just trying to get in my head, there's no way that's true.
There was a few seconds pause, Naruto's heavy breathing the only sound in the still room. "…This dense?" Orochimaru finished slowly, amused. "You know you make an awful first impression."
First impression?
Evidently Orochimaru didn't recognise him from their first meeting in Sasuke's training room. Considering the things I said, that's probably a good thing… Naruto thought, wincing.
"But yes," Orochimaru continued, pushing a lock of lank hair behind his ear. "I doubt Jiraiya mentioned little old me. After all, we only grew up together, enlisted together, fought half a war together… and then against one another."
He grinned as the realisation dawned on Naruto's face. "There it is…" he continued mockingly. "I guess Jiraiya didn't forget my story after all. A cautionary after-school special, I'm sure."
Orochimaru was… Jiraiya's Sasuke?
"If you're here for Jiraiya-" Naruto started, fists clenched, before being cut off.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous, I'm not here for the old man. I've had my fun with him."
Still trying to process this bombshell, Naruto's mouth was on autopilot. "I'm sure it was just peachy, up until you almost killed him."
"Would you believe me if I said it was?" Orochimaru laughed, an unpleasant oily sound. "The few times we met afterwards made that seem positively cordial. So where is he?"
"Since your ass isn't getting thrown out the door in two pieces, I think you can tell he's not here." Naruto sounded braver than he felt: like last time, he was perfectly aware of how powerful the man in front of him was.
If he scares even Sasuke… I've no chance.
Orochimaru suddenly swooped over to Naruto, planting his hands on the cluttered desk. "Oh good, I was worried the old man would interrupt us. I'm done with him. He bores me. There are much more interesting people in this fair city of ours… people like you, Naruto."
"Me?"
"Hmm," Orochimaru nodded, leaning further across the desk. "Now tell me: what are you to Sasuke Uchiha?"
The world seemed to stop dead as Sasuke's words echoed in Naruto's head: "If we're lucky I've stopped this in its tracks. Orochimaru doesn't need to know."
Evidently, Orochimaru knew.
"He's…" Naruto paused for a second, his fear betraying him. "He's my friend."
Orochimaru's mocking grin grew wider. "Oh, he's your friend, is he? Very interesting."
Naruto didn't like that smile one bit. "I thought I had to earn a meeting with you."
"Oh, and normally you would. But when our mutual friend intervened, I just had to see what all the fuss was about. I'm nothing if not curious." He backed up slightly, head bowed. "A friend, hmm? I thought maybe…" He trailed off, hands like pale spiders slowly dragging back across the table.
Naruto had no idea what to say as Orochimaru straightened up, a finger smoothing over his collar again. "I'm sure Sasuke's very lucky to have you fighting his corner." His eyes snapped up again, fixing on Naruto's. They looked utterly mad. "I'd be careful if I were you: accidents tend to happen to the overly curious."
He turned, leaving Naruto frozen in his chair. Absent-mindedly pulling a phone out of his pocket, Orochimaru dialled a single button and held it to his ear. "…Yes, get ready to leave. I've wasted enough time here."
With Orochimaru walking away, every fibre of Naruto's being screamed to let him go and be thankful he hadn't been left with a broken neck. But he kept thinking of Sasuke, and the pain this man had put him through.
I can't let it happen like this!
Naruto leapt up, the chair crashing to the ground behind him. Promises be damned, he was going to give this creep a piece of his mind. "Hey!" He yelled, pointing a finger at the departing figure. "Your freaky make-up wearing ass can make threats all you want, but I'm only gonna tell you this once: whatever you have on Sasuke, let him go!"
The only sound in the small room was once again Naruto's heavy breathing as Orochimaru stopped deathly still, his hand still on the doorknob. He let it go, hand falling to his side.
And he laughed.
Orochimaru turned slowly, clapping his hands. "Bravo! I have to say, I was convinced this trip wasn't worth my time." His expression changed as he dropped his hands, grinning at Naruto from under his brow. "Oh how wrong I was. You know, I think that little outburst jogged my memory. It must have been… three, four years? You haven't changed much: still just a scared child running his mouth."
Naruto tried to hold onto his anger, despite the chill creeping up his neck. "Listen pal, I don't give a shit about you or whatever you get up to in your spare time. Just let Sasuke go!"
"You seem to be labouring under the delusion that I've, what, blackmailed your friend into working for me? Let me tell you a little something about Sasuke Uchiha." Orochimaru took a slow step closer, voice dropping low and menacing, clearly relishing the words. "Sasuke does what he does because he loves it. He follows my every command, my every whim, because that's who he really is. Sasuke Uchiha came to me, just like I told you he would."
"Get fucked, Sasuke wouldn't work for you unless he was being forced to." Naruto snarled.
"Ask him yourself, the next time he decides to drop by." Orochimaru laughed, his voice full of a disturbing child-like glee. "Ask him about the people he's hurt. Ask him about the lives he's destroyed. Ask him why he gets off on being beaten within an inch of his life every other weekend."
He finished his slow walk to Naruto's desk, reaching out and patting him on the cheek. "It's because he's sick like me." He finished, that disturbing smile plastered across his face.
The door burst open, slamming against the wall with a tremendous bang. Suddenly Jiraiya was standing behind Orochimaru.
"Get your goddamn hand off my student before I rip it off." He growled.
"I was wondering when you'd show up, Jiraiya." Orochimaru said pleasantly, not appearing to be intimidated in the slightest. Nevertheless, his hand dropped to his side. "I was having a lovely conversation with young Naruto here, and-"
"Do I have to throw you out?" Jiraiya interrupted, eyes not leaving Orochimaru.
Orochimaru turned to fully face Jiraiya, hands in his pockets but chin tilted up to look the taller man in the eye. "I'd like to see you try, old man."
The moment seemed to stretch out into eternity: Orochimaru's twisted smile, Jiraiya's gritty stare, and Naruto wondering whether he'd have to leap over the desk and separate the two. Eventually, after what seemed to be an age, the moment was broken; Orochimaru looked down, the smile fading slightly.
"As much as I'd love to wander down memory lane with you Jiraiya, I do have things to do today…" He trailed off, still looking rather smug. "Maybe some other time."
"Maybe go fuck yourself." It was the first time Naruto had ever heard his teacher swear. "If you come anywhere near here again, you leave in a bodybag."
Orochimaru's eyes lit up. "Is that a promise? My, my, Jiraiya. You might still have some surprises in you yet. I'll be sure to mark my calendar." He stepped lithely around Jiraiya's unmoving form. "Look after the kid, will you? I'd hate for anything to happen to him. Until next time, Naruto."
The door clicked gently shut, and he was gone.
As soon as the wood hit the frame, Jiraiya was leaning over the desk, grabbing Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, are you okay? He didn't hurt you or anything, did he?"
Naruto was still slightly in shock, feeling like everything was going in slow motion. "Yeah, no, I'm okay. Vague threats, but I'm okay."
"Good, good," Jiraiya nodded, releasing Naruto's shoulder. "Well, not good, but… shit, I need to make some calls."
Naruto had never seen his teacher look so flustered; he didn't particularly like it. "So… Orochimaru used to be your friend."
Jiraiya nodded grimly. "A long time ago, yeah. I wish you didn't have the displeasure of meeting him."
"Jiraiya, I've… well, this isn't the first time. He came to the training room, before Sasuke left. He offered Sasuke a job."
A job he took, Naruto wanted to add. But he found he couldn't quite form the words.
Jiraiya swore under his breath. "So that's both of you on his radar. Fuck." He seemed to remember something, snapping his fingers. "Those calls. Sit tight Naruto, I won't be long."
He disappeared into his office for a good 15 minutes. Through the slightly ajar door Naruto could hear terse, muttered conversation.
If Orochimaru scares Jiraiya this much… I don't even want to think about what this means for Sasuke.
Jiraiya re-emerged, looking a good deal calmer. "Okay, I've set up a few meetings. I'm sorry Naruto but I'll have to explain everything once I've got a better grasp of the situation. It's been a while since I've needed to do this." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "In the meantime, I'm closing the office up; don't come in tomorrow. Get your stuff together, I'll walk you home."
Naruto tried to wave it off. "I'll be fine, don't worry."
Jiraiya turned sharply on him. "You've just had a personal visit from one of the most powerful criminals in the whole country: get your stuff together, I'm walking you home."
"One of the most- How the fuck did I get into this?" Naruto said, mostly to himself as he shoved things into his bag.
Jiraiya paused, midway through throwing his coat over his shoulders. He sighed, shoving the other arm through the sleeve. "I should apologise for that, Naruto. I don't doubt that he wouldn't be nearly as interested in you if you weren't my pupil. I… haven't been entirely honest about what I used to do after the army. But now isn't the time: we get you home safe, then I can get you caught up."
Naruto was torn: he didn't want Jiraiya to blame himself for the mess he'd got himself into, but he didn't want to tell him about Sasuke. It seemed childish, considering his safety was in question, but he didn't feel like he had much choice.
Until Sasuke explains himself I'll have to keep Jiraiya in the dark. Just for a bit.
As the key turned, Jiraiya double checked the handle to make sure it was locked. Naruto wondered when he'd next see the office.