cywscross | now is the winter of our discontent (Pt.2) (Reply)

Fandom: Naruto

Summary: “But I don’t wanna go!” Naruto whines in-between devouring his breakfast.

Orochimaru has always risen at dawn, and today’s no different. He’s up and about at six in the morning, completing his daily ritual with even less noise than usual since Naruto is still snoring away in the bedroom, curled up like a cat in the extra futon that Orochimaru pulled out for him last night.

He gives the boy another three hours before going to wake him. Any longer, and some unprejudiced ANBU really will notice Naruto’s absence, and then Orochimaru will probably be accused of kidnapping when he shows up with the kid.

“But I don’t wanna go!” Naruto whines in-between devouring his breakfast.

I don’t either, Orochimaru laments within the safety of his own head. But he can’t say that out loud because then Naruto will become even more difficult, and Sensei will be even more suspicious if word gets back to him that Orochimaru even implied that he didn't want to return Naruto.

Which isn’t true. It’s more that Orochimaru doesn't care either way so long as the boy isn’t returned to that orphanage again, not to mention he doesn't need the hassle that will come with everyone thinking that he wants to do something nefarious to their not-so-precious Jinchuuriki.

“Even if I allowed it, you can’t hide here forever either,” Orochimaru tells him instead.

Naruto gives him a truly baffled look. “Why not?”

Children.

“Hiding is running away,” Orochimaru racks his mind for appropriately dumbed down words. “And while there is a time and place for that, you can’t keep running away forever.”

“Running away isn’t very brave,” Naruto concedes, which isn’t exactly what Orochimaru was getting at, but whatever works. “But-” The boy scowls down at his fish. “-I don’t wanna go back to the orphanage. They've tried it before, ya know; tried to kick me out. And then those animal-mask people would drag me to Jijii, and then Jijii would just take me back, talk to the orphanage people, and then leave, but nothing changes. It’s already happened three times! That’s why I ran away this time, and things worked out a lot better!” He beams pure sunshine at Orochimaru. “Because I met you instead!”

Orochimaru hastily averts his eyes. No one has looked at him like that in a very, very long time, like they're genuinely glad to have him around, and it’s unsettling and disconcerting, and Orochimaru really wants the boy to stop.

(Except for the treacherous part of him that doesn't.)

“Why not ask the Hokage for your own apartment?” Orochimaru suggests, staunchly deciding that it will be best for his overall state of mind to simply ignore all the sentimental nonsense that comes out of Naruto’s mouth from now on.

Naruto blinks. “Can I- I can do that?”

“It wouldn't hurt to ask.” After all, Orochimaru started living by himself at the age of six, and he was fairly self-sufficient before he even turned five. Then again, he was labelled a child prodigy, and while he hasn't seen what Naruto can do or what potential he may have, the boy certainly doesn't seem quite as mentally advanced as Orochimaru was at that age.

“Yeah, then I won’t have to wait for the other kids to get their food first or have them use up all the hot water!” Naruto brightens. “And you can help me convince Jijii! It’ll sound better coming from an adult!”

Orochimaru almost snorts with derision. An idea like that coming from him would see Sensei whisking Naruto back to the orphanage with a doubled ANBU guard faster than either of them could blink.

“That would not be wise,” He says instead. “My word... does not carry much weight with the Hokage these days.”

Naruto cocks his head. “You mean even he doesn't like you?”

If Orochimaru has an ounce less self-control than he does, he would snarl at the boy for his careless – and unknowingly, infuriatingly accurate – presumption. As it is, Naruto seems to realize that he’s stepped over some invisible line anyway, and he hastily backpedals. “Th- That’s not what I mean! I just- I mean you said – yesterday – that you weren’t well-liked, so I just thought- I'm sorry.”

Naruto’s voice is very tiny when he finishes his stammering babble, and Orochimaru aims for calm, aims for impassive, before speaking again. “You are not... wrong.”

It stings to hear himself say it out loud when it really shouldn't. He continues in a brisker tone. “The Hokage doesn't trust me as much as he used to so it would be best if you brought up the idea as your own. I doubt you can cook yet-” He glances at the boy who mutely shakes his head in the negative. “-but I'm sure the Hokage can give you a monthly stipend – money – for necessities. Takeout isn’t healthy but it will do until you learn how to provide for yourself.”

Naruto just nods, holding his tongue even though he looks somewhat like he’s bursting to interrogate Orochimaru about all the whys left unsaid. Orochimaru ignores that too. It’s none of the boy’s business.

“Finish up,” He instructs after swallowing the last bite of his own meal. “I’ve washed your clothes so you can change back into them once you're done eating. And then I'm taking you to the Hokage.”

~0~0~0~

The second Orochimaru swings through the Hokage’s window after dashing over a bunch of rooftops (which was awesome because it felt like flying, and Orochimaru let him cling to his back instead of lugging him around by the scruff of his shirt like the animal-mask people do), Naruto instantly knows that something’s up. Even as he slithers to the ground, the office feels like it’s getting harder to breathe in, and when he glances up at the two adults in the room, Jijii’s eyes are hard and not nice, and Orochimaru is staring back at Jijii but his face is all wrong, all empty and distant, and it’s like he’s looking at Jijii but not really seeing him at all.

“I found him in the forest near my house,” Orochimaru says, and even his voice is all wrong. When the man speaks to Naruto, he’s not warm and caring like Jijii always sounds, but he still talks in a soft, deep voice that Naruto thinks is kinda soothing. Right now though, his words are clipped and cold and practically robotic, and Naruto hates it. He really wants to know what the heck happened between Orochimaru and Jijii for Orochimaru to act like this.

“The orphanage threw him out,” Orochimaru is saying now, and Naruto flushes with embarrassment at how blunt the man is, especially when Jijii’s gaze lands on him as a result.

“Is that true, Naruto?” Jijii asks, which, why? It’s not like Orochimaru has any reason to lie about it.

Naruto nods once, and then blurts out, “And I don’t wanna go back!”

Jijii sighs heavily like he did all the other times Naruto said the same thing. “I’m sorry, Naruto, it isn’t fair to you, but I'm afraid you have to-”

“Can’t I just get my own apartment?” Naruto interrupts. Jijii blinks at him, obviously surprised. Naruto pushes his luck. “Please, Jijii? I know I can’t really cook yet or anything, but I know how to buy food, and I don’t need that many clothes so I can learn to do my laundry real quick, and-”

He stops when Jijii holds up a hand, and he tries not to squirm under the old man’s examination.

And then Jijii is looking over at Orochimaru, his expression going all stern again. “You're dismissed, Orochimaru,” Jijii says stiffly. “Thank you for bringing him here.”

Orochimaru nods curtly, and then he’s leaping back out the window without another glance at anyone in the office, not even Naruto, and Naruto tries not to feel hurt by this. Orochimaru is acting all weird, and he doesn't seem to want to be here at all so he’s probably just focused on leaving as fast as possible.

“Naruto,” Jijii starts again, moving forward to stoop down to his height. “Orochimaru... He didn't do anything to you, did he?”

Naruto frowns, not knowing what Jijii is getting at. “What do you mean? Do what to me?”

“Anything, Naruto,” Jijii’s eyes are very intent on him. “Anything... strange.”

‘Strange’? “Like... as in treat me different from how other people treat me?” Naruto guesses, already feeling cheerier. “Yeah! Definitely!”

For some reason, Jijii looks alarmed, so Naruto hastily rattles out, “Orochimaru-san found me in the forest, and I was a bit banged up – I- er, tripped – so he healed me! It was really cool; his hands glowed green and everything! And then I said I didn't want to go back yet so he said I could stay with him for the night. His house is nice but kinda strange too cuz it’s filled with books, like, everywhere, even on the floor, but I guess he just really likes to read. Anyway, he let me have a hot shower, and he let me borrow some clothes from him so that he could wash mine, and they were ninja clothes, and then he cooked me dinner – his fried rice is delicious! – and he let me sleep in a really comfy futon! And then he made me breakfast this morning – there was miso soup and fish and rice and umeboshi and tamagoyaki – and it was all so good, and he even let me have as much as I wanted! He’s a great cook! I bet he’s the best in all of Konoha!”

Jijii’s staring at him by the time Naruto finishes. “And...” The old man looks kinda like someone hit him over the head. “That’s it?”

“Well, yeah,” Naruto wrinkles his nose. “No wait, that’s not ‘it’! Orochimaru-san did a lot for me! A lot more than anyone else ever has! Don’t make it sound like he didn't do enough, Jijii!”

“No, that’s not-” Jijii sighs before rising to his full height and ushering Naruto over to the couch at the far end of the office. “And... what did you think of Orochimaru?”

That sounds like some sort of test, and not for Naruto either. Is Orochimaru in trouble? Naruto doesn't see any reason for him to be but it won’t hurt for Naruto to defend him some more.

“He’s nice!” He pronounces. “He didn't have to heal me or feed me or let me sleep at his place but he did anyway!” He pauses in thought, chewing on his lip. “He’s kinda sad though,” He reveals after a long moment, and he watches as Jijii goes very still beside him. “Like, all the time. He doesn't even smile, not really.” Naruto peers up at the Hokage. “Why don’t you like him, Jijii?”

Jijii sighs again but he doesn't explain. “You’ll understand when you’re older, Naruto,” He ends up saying, and Naruto hates that. It’s the same thing Jijii says when Naruto asks why people don’t like him. “Orochimaru is a... dangerous person to be around. I'm glad he treated you well but I think it would be best to steer clear of him from now on, okay?”

Naruto is almost too shocked to nod, but he does, silently, because that’s not a promise. That’s just agreement. He can’t break a promise but he never said what he agreed with, and he does agree that Orochimaru is dangerous, because, duh, ninja.

But Naruto is so not going to ‘steer clear of him’. Orochimaru is a good guy – he sort of has to be if he’s not locked up in jail – and he’s kind of Naruto’s friend now, if adults can be friends, and they so can. And friends don’t stay away from friends just because someone else says so, even if that someone else is the Hokage. It’s not a crime to hang out with other people in your own village, and nobody really likes being alone all the time anyway, so if the village hates Naruto, and the village also hates Orochimaru, then it only makes sense for Naruto and Orochimaru to spend time together.

He doesn't think Jijii will appreciate this line of logic though so he keeps it to himself.

“Now then,” Jijii takes on a thoughtful expression. “What’s this about your own apartment?”

Naruto grins.