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cywscrossFandom: Naruto
Summary: “You can stay with me,” Orochimaru offers on impulse, which isn’t like him at all. But Minato and Kushina’s boy is staring back at him now with heartbreakingly hopeful eyes set in a too thin face, and he can’t bring himself to walk away.
Orochimaru is there when news of Konohagakure’s Yondaime Hokage’s death spreads across the village like wildfire.
He’s there when news of the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero’s death follows shortly after with equal fervour.
He’s there when the Yondaime’s son is brought in, and he’s there when the Council argues over what they’ll do about the new Jinchuuriki.
He’s there when all the clans claim they want to adopt the baby so that – as a result – nobody can, and he’s there when Jiraiya puts up a token protest as the boy’s godfather but ultimately gives him up to the orphanage with grief-averted eyes.
He’s there when the Sandaime passes the law regarding the Jinchuuriki, and he’s there when Jiraiya packs his bags the very next day and hits the road once more, running away from his memories just as much as Tsunade no matter what excuses he gives.
He’s even there when the shinobi who survived the Kyuubi’s attack begin whispering their anger to the rest of the village, encouraging rumours that the Sandaime is powerless to quell, and soon, coupled with Sarutobi’s own announcement regarding the baby, most of Konoha believes the mysterious child to be the Kyuubi itself in disguise.
Orochimaru is there from beginning to end but no one asks his opinion or wants his advice, and so he says nothing, not when Sarutobi-sensei side-eyes him warily like he’s wondering when Orochimaru will make a bid for the child, nor when Jiraiya claps him on the shoulder with an awkward smile and offers him a half-hearted see you when I get back, not even when the orphanage matron receives the sleeping newborn with poorly hidden hatred.
Orochimaru says nothing and goes back to work, assisting with Konoha’s repairs and lending a hand at the hospital because the place is hopelessly short-staffed when it comes to truly competent medics without Tsunade at their helm, and they're desperate enough to accept his help regardless of how much they fear him.
The night of the Kyuubi attack elapses like a nightmare, and Orochimaru goes back to the mundane routine that he’s been living his life by for what seems like forever now but has really only been a little over a year. He remains distant from his comrades who are all perfectly content with this arrangement, he accepts and completes any and all missions given to him by the Sandaime, including the very worst S-ranks that even ANBU can’t handle, he pretends that he doesn't notice (miss) his teammates’ absence (presence), he avoids Anko like the plague without making it too obvious, and he spends the rest of his time on his best – albeit reclusive – behaviour.
During all this, he hears the gossip and senses the uneasiness and resentment that lingers in the air, but he sees neither hide nor hair of Konoha’s third Jinchuuriki.
And so time passes – one day becomes two, two days become a week, a week becomes a year, and a year becomes four.
Four years later, the meaningless life that Orochimaru has long since resigned himself to begins to unravel.
~0~0~0~
Orochimaru’s house is at the very edge of Konoha, built in a forest clearing with seals placed around it, and utterly secluded so that nothing and no one can – or would – disturb him short of the messenger birds that the Sandaime sends his way and the occasional visitor.
The house itself isn’t that big, with only one floor that consists of a sitting room, a kitchen, a space to do laundry, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a study that looks more like a library than an office. The walls are bare, and the place can get a bit dusty when he forgets to clean, but it’s as much of a home as any place has ever been since his parents died.
A personalized training ground sits outside next to his house, a lake spreads across the clearing out back, and a dirt path winds its way from his doorstep, cutting through the forest and into town. The path doesn't actually see much use; Konoha shinobi in general tend to go by tree whenever they can, and civilians typically never reach the level of senility needed to willingly venture anywhere near Orochimaru.
Still, once in a while, Orochimaru does enjoy a quiet stroll through the woods so he tends to do exactly that now and again, especially when he has to go into town to buy his groceries. And it’s on a regular Tuesday afternoon, when he’s returning with a few bags’ worth of food, that the entire course of his life is knocked off-kilter.
A pathetic sniffle catches his attention first. He’s just stepped past the tree line but the noise makes him pause. Another sniffle follows, along with the telltale hitch of breath that more than likely signals tears.
Orochimaru internally grimaces. He seriously considers ignoring whoever it is – probably some civilian child prone to melodramatics – that has seen fit to hide away from civilization entirely for a crying jag, if only because he honestly does not care about the majority of this village’s population, but then his nose picks up the copper tang of blood in the air, and without really meaning to, he automatically turns to look, expanding his senses in that direction while he’s at it, and the overwhelming chakra signature he immediately picks up is... unmistakeable.
At first, he doesn't see anyone amongst the foliage but the snuffling noises coming from behind some bushes are unmistakeable, and after another moment of indecision, Orochimaru picks his way over on silent footsteps.
What he finds is startlingly familiar even though he was already expecting the sight that meets him.
The little blond-haired, blue-eyed child curled up on the ground freezes the second Orochimaru’s shadow falls over him. Fear flashes across his face, replaced by something more defensive a moment later. He stays completely motionless like a cornered animal, small hands clenched into fists, tearstained cheeks forgotten.
For a long minute, neither of them says a word. Orochimaru takes the time to observe the bedraggled clothes that are at least a size too big on the boy’s tiny frame, not to mention the scatter of cuts and bruises marring his skin, as well as the distrustful hunch of the kid’s skinny shoulders.
What in the name of the Shodaime has Sarutobi-sensei been doing?
Or not doing, as the case may be. Shouldn't the boy have ANBU watchers? Or do some of them turn a blind eye as well? That would certainly explain why Orochimaru can sense no other shinobi in the area.
“Why-” Orochimaru stops when his voice makes the child flinch. He tries again, striving for vaguely gentle this time. He’s not good with children, nobody in their right mind would trust him with children, but for this child... for this child, he has to at least try. He owes Minato and Kushina that much.
“Why are you out here?” He asks, gaze never wavering.
The boy – Namikaze Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto – wraps his arms around himself but retorts in as defiant a voice as he can probably manage, “I'm not doin’ anything wrong!”
“I did not accuse you of any such thing,” Weighing his options, Orochimaru suppresses a sigh and sets his groceries aside before crouching down so that he’s no longer towering over the kid. However, he’s careful to maintain a good three feet between them. It won’t do to scare the boy any more than he already has.
“Are you lost?” Orochimaru asks next even though he’s fully aware of the answer.
Naruto glares suspiciously at him but finally gives a proper response. “...No. I'm just...” He flounders for a second before settling on, “I'm just playing hide-and-seek!”
The boy needs to work on his lies, though it’s commendable that he’s at least chosen to go with a game that means other people are supposedly looking for him.
“I see,” Orochimaru’s eyes linger on one a small gash on the blond’s face that seems to have scabbed over within the past few minutes. “And you're crying because...?”
“I ain’t crying!” Naruto snaps, scrubbing a forearm over his eyes. Even as he says this though, his lower lip quivers like he’s holding back another bout of tears.
Orochimaru says nothing this time, patiently waiting the boy out instead. Orochimaru has patience in spades; considering the fact that he once had to put up with a quick-tempered alcoholic and an irredeemable pervert twenty-four/seven, that comes as no surprise.
It doesn't take too long for Naruto to cave, although – admittedly – longer than Orochimaru expected from a child under his scrutiny.
“The place I- The orphanage said I wasn't allowed to go back,” Naruto finally confesses in a rushed mumble, nails biting into the palms of his hands. “I dunno what to do.”
(Fake smiles, nervous eyes.
“He’s too quiet, and the way he looks isn’t exactly normal, is it? He scares the other children. Thank god the boy’s a Genin now; he can move out and live on his own.”)
Orochimaru outwardly blinks and doesn't let any of his wayward thoughts show.
“Aren't you on good terms with the Sandaime?” He enquires instead, words measured, tone neutral. He’s good at not judging. “You could ask him for help.”
Naruto is already shaking his head, stubbornness lining his posture. “I don’t wanna! Jijii will just take me back there again, and everything will be the same, and the people at the orphanage will just hate me even more for rattin’ on them! Besides,” His shoulders squared. “I don’t wanna go back anyway. I can- I can take care of myself...”
He trails off, shoulders slumping again. Even he can see how ridiculous that claim is.
“You need food and a roof over your head,” Orochimaru points out logically. “Perhaps if you ask the Hokage, he can work something else out for you.”
Naruto just shakes his head again before peering up at Orochimaru once more, distrust seeping into his eyes. “How do you know that I know Hokage-jijii anyway?”
Orochimaru doesn't give a straight answer. “Everyone knows you know the Hokage,” He says instead. “And everyone’s at least heard about the boy who defaced the Hokage Tower.”
Even Orochimaru can admit to feeling a little amused when he got back from a mission and went to turn in his report, only to be met with parts of the Tower painted an eye-wateringly garish pink, and a Sandaime nursing a headache.
Naruto’s mouth twitches but he isn’t quite able to summon a smile. “Yeah, well, everyone hates me anyway,” He mutters sullenly. “So it doesn't matter what I do.” He tilts his head, blinking at Orochimaru with more curiosity than caution now. “Who’re you anyway? Why are you being nice to me? Only Hokage-jijii is nice to me.”
Orochimaru spares a second to wonder if Sarutobi-sensei would have mentioned him to Naruto, and then dismisses the thought as laughable. If the old man talks about his former students at all, he’d bring up Jiraiya and Tsunade. And he probably hasn't; the Sandaime has chosen the route of ‘ignorance is bliss’ when it comes to Naruto. There has been controversy over whether or not the Jinchuuriki should be allowed to become a ninja to begin with so Sarutobi-sensei probably hasn't even mentioned the Academy to the boy, much less anyone remotely related to the topic.
“My name is Orochimaru,” He introduces himself after a long moment of contemplation. What’s the worst that can happen? Naruto could mention meeting him to Sensei, but it isn’t as if the old man can look at Orochimaru with any more misgivings than he already has for years now.
(It still makes him angry sometimes, a tired, resigned sort of anger that simmers in his gut before sputtering out again, because Orochimaru doesn't know what he has to do to prove that he’s loyal, doesn't know how many suicide missions and hospital shifts he has to take to regain Sensei’s trust, doesn't know when the Hokage will look around and realize that out of all three of his students, Orochimaru is the only one who has stayed.)
“And you are?” He asks out of courtesy.
“Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto.” And the kid looks awfully stunned when Orochimaru doesn't react beyond a simple nod, as if the previous lack of reaction over the hearsay and the boy’s looks didn't convince Naruto that Orochimaru wouldn't react over his name either.
This time, he does sigh. Clearly, Sarutobi-sensei has lost his touch when it comes to children.
He notices one of the darker bruises – a handprint, Orochimaru realizes with a rush of disgust – marking his wrist, and before he can stop himself, he holds out a hand to the boy. “I can fix some of those.”
This earns him a look of wonder mixed with doubt, but in the end, Naruto scoots forward a few inches, wordlessly giving his permission.
It takes several minutes but the injuries aren’t that bad, especially accounting for the fox’s accelerated healing factor, and while Orochimaru will never be as accomplished a medic as Tsunade (once was), he’s still knowledgeable enough to handle minor to semi-serious wounds. Complex open surgery is beyond him, unless it was for one of his experi-
Best not to think about that. Either way, he’s better at taking people apart than putting them back together.
“Cool!” Naruto exclaims, poking at where a cut once adorned his forearm. He doesn't seem to mind when Orochimaru runs a probing hand through his dusty golden hair to check for bumps (there aren’t any, thankfully). “I didn't know shinobi could heal people like this! Thanks, Orochimaru-san!”
For a split second, Orochimaru is... taken aback. He... can’t remember the last time someone thanked him so genuinely.
“You should go to the Hokage,” Orochimaru reiterates abruptly as he withdraws his hands, moving to stand and pick up his grocery bags instead. There’s nothing more he can do here, not really, except point the child towards Sensei. “He’ll help you.”
“Wait!” Naruto scrambles to his feet. There are grass stains smudging his slightly tattered pants. “You're- Are you leaving?”
Orochimaru has to wonder how little kindness the boy has been shown over the years for him to sound so disappointed over the prospect of a stranger who’s only displayed a minimal amount of human decency – if that – leaving.
“I was heading home when I heard you,” Orochimaru nods in the general direction of his house.
Naruto spins around. “You live in the forest?”
Orochimaru inclines his head even though Naruto has his back turned. “I prefer my own company.” He doesn't know what makes him say it, but he adds, “I am not well-liked amongst the villagers.”
Naruto whirls back to face him, blue eyes wide. “Why- Why not? You're a ninja!” His gaze flicks up to the headband partially covered by Orochimaru’s long hair. “Everyone likes ninja cuz they protect the village.”
Orochimaru’s shoulders lift in a light shrug, and he doesn't say anything in the end. What can he say? Especially to a child at that?
Fortunately, Naruto seems intuitive enough to know when to let an issue go because he doesn't push.
“You should go.” Orochimaru pointedly does not feel guilty at the crestfallen expression on Naruto’s face.
“Can’t I-” The boy swallows the rest of the question, gaze dropping to the ground, but Orochimaru hears it anyway.
How foolish. But then, the kid is, what, four now? Only four. Orphaned, feared, hated, avoided, and only four.
Orochimaru hates that he can see parallels between the two of them.
Still, it’s none of his business, is it? Jiraiya is godfather; a predictably neglectful one – the man’s a wanderer with his own ghosts nipping at his heels; not at all suitable for rearing a child – but still godfather. And Tsunade is a Senju, family to any Uzumaki, no matter how distant, but she’s been running even longer than Jiraiya, ever since Nawaki and Dan passed.
And just because they were his teammates doesn't mean that Orochimaru has any obligations towards picking up the slack for them. Indeed, he doesn't need to ask to know that they’ll both be infinitely happier if he continues staying far, far away from Uzumaki Naruto.
A bit difficult to do now that the kid in question is standing right in front of him through no design of his own, miserable and lonely and watching Orochimaru like he’s already gone and left the boy behind.
They’re strangers though. Naruto doesn't know anything about him, and Orochimaru hasn't laid eyes on him since the boy was literally still in diapers. For all intents and purposes, Orochimaru shouldn't even care.
And yet...
And yet.
“You can stay with me,” Orochimaru offers on impulse, which isn’t like him at all. But Minato and Kushina’s boy is staring back at him now with heartbreakingly hopeful eyes set in a too thin face, and he can’t bring himself to walk away.
“Only for the night,” He hurriedly stipulates because he can’t take the whole thing back now. “And then I'm taking you to the Hokage in the morning.”
Naruto just beams brighter, hungry for any morsel of compassion he can find, and Orochimaru sighs once more before motioning for the boy to follow him.
Naruto scampers to his side and doesn't stray. Orochimaru pretends not to notice the way the child keeps glancing at him, smiling a little now, oblivious to the potential danger of following a stranger home.
The boy is foolish and naive, and he looks at Orochimaru like he thinks Orochimaru’s never done a single thing wrong in his life.
Orochimaru is selfish enough to bask in it while he still can.
~0~0~0~
Naruto is not stupid. He knows all about Stranger Danger. And he learned it all on his own too. You can’t not learn it when everyone is out to get you.
So he knows that following some random guy home isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. He does it anyway because he’s homeless and tired and hungry and just really, really, really sick of pretty much everybody who can’t seem to go a day without yelling at him even when he’s done nothing, chasing him away even when he’s starving, and glaring at him even when he doesn't know why.
He’s even sick of Hokage-jijii who says sorry and looks sorry and is probably sorry, but ‘sorry’ doesn't really help anyone, least of all him. Hokage-jijii can’t help, plus he’s the Hokage and he’s got people to order around and all that paper stuff to do, so there isn’t really any point in Naruto going to bother him when nothing will change anyway.
But Orochimaru.
Orochimaru doesn't say sorry, doesn't ask stupid questions, he just patches Naruto up (which was really cool!), and he doesn't pick on him or shout at him or do anything mean to him.
He’s really pale, and he’s got nicer hair than all the women that Naruto has ever seen combined, but he’s got really sad eyes too, special cuz they're gold, but still sad, and he hasn't smiled even once, and maybe that’s why Naruto wants to trust him, wants to like him, wants to stick with him, because he doesn't think it’s normal or right for anyone to look that sad.
And Orochimaru is nice. He listened to Naruto without brushing him off, he healed Naruto without being asked, and he even offered to let Naruto stay at his house for the night.
Which is where Naruto is now, the house. It’s a nice place, obviously meant for one person, and there are a lot of books and scrolls and inkpots everywhere. It’s a bit cluttered, which is weird but awesome because all the other adults Naruto knows are absolute clean freaks, always scolding Naruto for leaving things lying around (even when he wasn't the one to leave it there in the first place).
But Orochimaru just shoves some books aside to make room for them to walk, and then he shows Naruto to the bathroom, tells him to take a shower and that he’ll be back with some fresh clothes, and that’s that.
Half an hour later, Naruto is kinda swamped in some of Orochimaru’s old clothes, but he totally doesn't mind because they're clean and they're ninja. The outfit’s just a dark kimono shirt and some matching pants but Naruto’s seen shinobi wear something like them so he doesn't mind that the size is definitely too big for him.
“Eat,” Orochimaru says as he places a steaming bowl of fried rice in front of Naruto. It smells like heaven, and Naruto almost starts drooling.
“Thanks!” Naruto chirps, and he doesn't know what to make of the odd look Orochimaru sends his way before the man also sits down and digs in to his own food.
Orochimaru – as Naruto is quickly learning – doesn't talk much, and when he does speak, he’s polite in that grownup way but without being all stuffy. In his home, he doesn't look much like a shinobi after taking off his headband and most of his ninja gear, leaving only a black turtleneck and pants. He doesn't make any noise at all when he moves though, and he doesn't even look like he’s trying. Naruto hopes that he’ll be able to do that too when he becomes a ninja one day (he has to convince Jijii to let him go to the Academy first though, which is harder than it sounds because Jijii is always telling him not now and later, and he never gives a straight answer when Naruto asks why aside from you’re too young, but he doesn’t say when Naruto won’t be too young anymore).
“Orochimaru-san?” Naruto almost makes a face as he wolfs down another mouthful of rice. The name is so long.
Orochimaru glances at him. Naruto can’t tell what he’s thinking. “Hm?”
“What rank are you?” Naruto leans forward eagerly. No ninja has ever talked to him before so he’s not about to let this chance go just because Orochimaru is a quiet guy. “Are you a really good shinobi?”
He doesn't understand why Orochimaru looks like he has to think about the answer.
“Jounin, I suppose,” The man eventually says. One corner of his mouth ticks up a bit like he’s trying to smile at some private joke but has forgotten how. “And yes, I am rather good at my job.”
“Do you know a lot of cool attacks?” Naruto presses.
“I specialize in ninjutsu,” Orochimaru says, and when Naruto frowns in confusion, he clarifies, “Ninjutsu would be those... ‘cool attacks’, so yes.”
Naruto is almost bouncing in his seat. “That’s awesome!” He gushes. “That’s what I wanna do when I become a shinobi! I'm gonna learn every single attack there is, and I'm gonna be the best!”
Orochimaru doesn't scoff at him like most everyone else does, though he doesn't smile and say I’m sure you can do it, Naruto like Jijii does either. He only nods a little before going back to his food. Naruto pouts a bit but perks up again when Orochimaru actually responds.
“You would have to work very hard,” He remarks. “It won’t be easy to learn so many jutsus. It would take a lot of studying, a lot of time.”
“I will! I’ll work hard! No matter how long it takes!” Naruto vows. He hesitates for a moment before barrelling on ahead, “And I'm gonna become Hokage! Just wait! I’ll take the hat from Jijii, and then everyone will know how great I am, ’ttebayo!”
Naruto’s enthusiasm fades a bit when he finds Orochimaru staring at him, chopsticks resting against the edge of his bowl.
“W- What?” Naruto prods somewhat defensively. “I will-”
“I wanted to be Hokage once,” Orochimaru murmurs down at his bowl, so quietly that Naruto almost misses it.
His eyes widen. “Really?” He frowns. “‘Once’? You don’t want to anymore? Why not?”
Orochimaru really does smile this time, but it’s such a tired, unhappy expression that Naruto almost reaches out to touch him, just to give the man some sort of comfort.
“I was missing the most important requirement for becoming Hokage,” Orochimaru reveals. “I still am. That isn’t likely to change. The Hokage position... isn’t for me.”
Naruto scratches his head. “What’s the most important rekire- erm...”
“Requirement,” Orochimaru corrects. “The most important thing you need to have to be Hokage.”
“You have to be really powerful?” Naruto guesses.
Orochimaru shakes his head. “That’s part of it, but no.”
“Then what is it?” Naruto persists because if being the strongest isn’t it, then...
Naruto grumbles at the non-answer. That is just unfair.
