Chapter Text
The third Hokage’s death had a strange effect on Naruto. During the ceremony, Naruto hadn’t cried once, just rubbed a sobbing Konohamaru’s back while he stared blankly at the photos of other fallen shinobi. He hadn’t eaten anything that day, just dressed into his funeral garb on autopilot and he couldn't really remember any of the details to anything else.
When he’d got home, and away from all the prying eyes, he still hadn’t cried. He’d sat on his bed, not bothering to change into his pajamas, and stared into the darkness of his room until the sun came up.
He felt like a terrible person, but he just couldn’t cry. He had tried, tried to cry so he could release the feeling inside him, but… nothing. No words to explain it, no tears to let it go.
The feeling didn’t go away. He could still successfully smile and speak loudly and act like he had heaps of hyperactive energy, but the second he got home he was silent. No longer shouting ‘I’m home,’ to an empty house, or loudly making ramen to fill the silence of his apartment. He barely had the energy to even change clothes these days.
Retrieving Tsunade was fun though, well, being around pervy-sage wasn’t fun, but Naruto liked Tsunade, even if she was an old hag with an atrocious gambling habit. Coming face to face with Itachi Uchiha was decidedly not fun.
He had taken Sasuke (one of the strongest people Naruto knew, even though he’d never say that to the bastard’s face,) and he’d thrown him around and ridiculed him like he was nothing. Naruto had abruptly been able to connect the dots on just who Sasuke wanted to kill, and he’d also been struck with the urge to make sure that never happened.
He didn’t want Sasuke anywhere near that man. Naruto was aware that Sasuke hated him and considered him lower than dirt, but Naruto still cared about him. Still felt that protectiveness wash over him when he watched Itachi wrap his blood-stained hands around Sasuke’s throat.
Naruto did not know what to do. There was a certain feel in the air, like the calm before a great storm, well not exactly calm, these past few weeks have not been in any way calm or peaceful for Naruto, but nothing particularly dangerous had happened yet and it felt unnatural. As if disaster was just waiting to strike.
Even now, Naruto sat out on his balcony, on a white plastic chair that had clearly seen better days, trying to find some semblance of calm and understanding. Surrounding him were his various plants he had crammed on the balcony, and he felt just a bit of pride at the state of them. Basil and tomatoes climbing high on a makeshift wire trellis he’d made when he was eight, peppermint lined the edge of the balcony, dripping down the sides in lovely shades of green.
He’d come out here to think a lot more often lately, trying to figure out some sort of escape from the mental prison that was his ever-growing dread and exhaustion. His balcony railings were cramped as well, whether it be from climbing strawberries and raspberries, or various dreamcatchers, windchimes and trinkets. He had tried his best to make this place a home. It wasn’t working all that well.
The moon was up in the sky now and his bare feet were cold, and his legs numb from sitting in the same cross-legged position on that chair for so long, soon he’d have to go in, he was only in his thin pajamas which consisted of a white tank-top and faded too-small pants. Small enough that they only reached mid-way down his calf. Completely useless clothing for any chilled breeze.
That was another thing, Naruto felt a lot colder nowadays. Strange that your whole lifestyle could change within a few weeks.
Deciding it was best he did not catch a cold, he opted to retreat back inside his apartment, which seemed almost as cold as it was outside.
He hoped Neji had gotten his head out of his ass and apologized to Hinata. Neji was a potential friend, but Naruto wouldn’t be able to stand him if he didn’t recognize his cruelty against his own cousin first.
Family within the clans of Konoha were so complicated to Naruto, he’d grown up seeing mothers and fathers doting on their children, licking their wounds and buying them sweets. But when it came to these prestigious clans, they always produced either cruel or sad kids, they pitted cousins against each other, and in some… rare cases, committed genocide.
He made his way to his kitchen, if it could even be called that, it was more of a big closet. His chabudai resided in the center of the room, on top of a faded floral mat, a washing machine, dish washer, sink, stove and fridge took up the rest of the space.
He picked up his empty ramen cup from the chabudai, threw it out and promptly collapsed onto his bed. It really was pathetic how exhausted he felt, considering this was an off day that he spent entirely on his balcony in his pajamas, no missions to be done… doing nothing.
By all accounts he should be a lot more energetic, but this was becoming a new normal for Naruto, this weariness.
He watched the stained curtains hanging on the broken window beside his bed move softly with the wind, letting the quiet ruffling of them and the distant sounds of his windchimes lull him slowly, wondering what tomorrow will bring.
He was awoken by the sun’s unforgiving and stinging rays in his eyes, that and the Anbu perched outside his window.
“You’ve been summoned by Hokage-sama, be there before 8 a.m.” he said, ignoring the way Naruto had startled hard enough to fall out of his bed and shunshining away.
Naruto clutched his still beating heart, the last times he’d been woken up unexpectedly it had been by angry villagers looking to avenge their dead loved ones. Why was he being summoned by the old hag? Did she need him for a mission? Was he in trouble? He couldn’t remember what he could’ve done to warrant a talking-to from the Hokage.
Without wasting another minute, he forced himself out of bed, despite the everlasting exhaustion, to throw on his recognizable orange jumpsuit and fly out the door.
It was 7:54 and he didn’t want to get into even more trouble than he was already in. He sprinted across the rooftops at a quick pace, noting the stillness that came from such early mornings as he approached the Hokage tower.
He remembered when he was a child and old man third always set the Anbu on babysitting duty. Naruto only actually saw them a handful of times, so it was more stalking duty since they just watched him from a distance, never interacting with him.
A quick blur had him whipping out his kunai and lunging, resulting in a loud clang breaking the morning silence.
He jumped back preparing to strike again, maybe this was why he was summoned, was it a test? Or has the hag been attacked already? Had she been hurt–
“Naruto, what the hell?” a lazy voice stopped him in his tracks, focusing his vision on a familiar boy with a ponytail.
“Ah! Sorry Shikamaru! Thought you were someone else,” Naruto exclaimed, plastering a wide smile on his face as he robotically rubbed his head, trying to appear sheepish rather than a crazy paranoid person that he most certainly came off as.
“Clearly…” Shikamaru mumbled, giving him a scrutinizing look while putting his kunai back in his pouch after Naruto had done the same.
“I guess you were summoned too, huh Shika?” Naruto said boisterously as the two resumed their journey.
“Yeah, it sure is a drag being forced out of my bed at the ass-crack of dawn,” the brunette said miserably, “could they have done this any earlier?” Naruto smiled at Shikamaru’s complaining. He always loved being around him, Shikamaru had never been like the other children in the academy, plus he was predictable, so Naruto felt at ease with him.
He remembered laying himself beside the brunette and watching the clouds, memories like that were so long ago, it almost didn’t feel like it. He missed being with Shikamaru like that, he was sure the Nara didn’t care one way or the other, but Naruto always treasured those moments with him.
Naruto tried to contain his nervousness as the pair approached the looming wooden doors leading to the Hokage’s office, Shikamaru had no such problems, he looked like this was just any other day for him, unafraid and slouched. Without another word, the two strode inside.
Shikamaru was not having a good day, which was slightly impressive considering he’d only just woke up a half hour ago. He had thought he’d had a pretty good idea as to what the Hokage wanted with him, even if he objected to the idea with every fiber of his being, he thought the Hokage was going to promote him.
Becoming Chunin just meant more work for him and that he’d have to stop slacking off. Not for the first time, he cursed the troublesome blonde at his side for pushing him into that ring a few weeks ago.
Speaking of that troublesome blonde, he was acting… strange, well Naruto always acted strange, but this was different. Shikamaru had caught sight of an orange figure and knew instantly who it was, (who else in this village wore that bright of an orange?) he figured he’d greet the blonde, wondering what he could be doing this early.
He had only just approached him when he got a kunai whipped out dangerously close to his face, only his quick reflexes stopped it from making its mark. He’d prepared to yell at Naruto and ask him just what the hell he was doing, but the look on his face made him pause.
His blonde hair was almost limp, a little overgrown and scraggly around his face, whiskers pronounced against unusually pale skin, and wild eyes searching for his supposed attacker. The dark purple circles under his eyes suggested he could use a good nap too.
As soon as Shikamaru spoke, the blonde’s eyes relaxed a fraction, replaced with a different kind of panic, before he smiled and shouted, sheepishly rubbing his head while he apologized.
So yeah… Naruto was being a little weird but what else was new? Although his eye bags, unkempt hair and abnormally loose jumpsuit were worrying. Perhaps Ichiraku had closed?
Now the two stood side by side in front of the Hokage and their Chunin proctors and Naruto’s nervous, feral energy was still pretty prominent.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know what to do. With the final exam suspended it was the opinion of many that none of the students should pass this time around,” Lady Tsunade stated, eyeing both blonde and brunette respectively as he spoke, face serious.
“However, I hear that the third Hokage had nothing but the highest praise for your match, Nara. it seems he meant to recommend you for Chunin,” Naruto, Shikamaru noticed absentmindedly, was scratching deep red lines into the back of his hand.
“In fact, all those who observed the fight, and your proctors felt the same. You as well Naruto, reportedly showed great strength within both your match as well as neutralizing one of the biggest threats during the invasion.”
Her serious expression morphed into one of pride as she smiled at the two of them.
“From this day forth I hope you will strive to achieve a level of excellence worthy of that headband. Congratulations, as of this moment you both stand as Chunins,”