now is the winter of our discontent (Pt.11)

[cywscross]

Fandom: Naruto

Summary: “He’s one of mine now.”

 

Over the course of the next day, Maru-ji is very quiet, and his gaze follows Naruto around the house like a ship to a lighthouse.

 

Naruto doesn't mind.  The Sannin probably just needs some time to let everything sink in.

 

After the difficult meeting yesterday, Anko pulled him aside and added a few things, like how her master was sort of off-the-wall crazy when all the experiments were going down (which, duh), and that the whole wanting to be immortal thing was because of all the people he lost, and he didn't want to grieve over any more deaths, so he set out to find a way to overcome the be all and end all of every human being.

 

Naruto doesn't understand why Maru-ji couldn't lead with that, but maybe the Sannin is still a bit messed up in the head, no longer dangerously so of course (Naruto can’t even imagine the Maru-ji he knows doing anything that horrible to children, especially children), but still kinda thinking upside-down instead of right-side-up.

 

That’s okay.  Upside-down thinking is fantastic for pranks and probably for beating up your enemies too, but when it starts leaking over to the more important things, then Naruto can totally handle it like he did yesterday when the Sannin pulled another chase-Naruto-away stunt in the Hokage’s office.  He hasn't done that in years but Naruto can still recognize it from a mile away.

 

Maru-ji’s got another thing coming if he thinks Naruto isn’t smart enough to figure him out by now.

 

~0~0~0~

 

Two days later, Orochimaru receives a summons from the Hokage.

 

“Why?”  Sensei asks again.  He just sounds tired this time.

 

Orochimaru stares back, clear-eyed and at ease.

 

“I like him,” He tilts his head thoughtfully before adding almost like an afterthought, “He’s one of mine now.”

 

Sarutobi frowns deeply.  “Jiraiya is his godfather.”

 

Orochimaru shrugs, hands still clasped neatly behind his back, voice mild as milk.  “Jiraiya isn’t here.”

 

Sarutobi gives him a hard look before pushing a scroll across his desk.  Orochimaru smiles back blandly before taking off out the window.

 

“How long?”  Anko growls as soon as he comes into sight of the house.  Naruto is sitting beside her on the bench, worriedly gnawing on his lip.

 

Orochimaru waves the scroll.  “Four months in Snow Country, three if the weather’s on my side, which Tsunade wouldn't wager on.  I leave tomorrow morning.”

 

Anko curses.  Naruto’s face flushes red, and he jumps to his feet.  “That’s not fair!”

 

“The Hokage will try to influence you while I'm away,” Orochimaru continues, ducking into the house.  “Probably have an ANBU guard follow you around again as well.  I'm going to adjust the seals so that they’ll cover the entire property instead of just our house, including the lake out back.  No one besides you two will be able to step past the tree line, and from outside the perimeter, no one will be able to see anything either, which will give you some privacy.  Short of destroying the seals themselves, and I would very much like to see them try, they won’t be able to get through in any way.”

 

He disappears into his study, digs through one of his shelves, and then returns with a worn black book in hand.

 

“What’s this?”  Naruto blinks when Orochimaru hands it to him.

 

“A Bingo Book,” Orochimaru meets Anko’s startled gaze for a second.  “An old one.  Listen to me, Naruto.”

 

Naruto straightens at the note of solemnity in his tone.  He takes a seat when Orochimaru nudges him into a chair.

 

“There is a law in Konoha,” Orochimaru begins.  “A law created by the Sandaime about you only a few days after you were born to hide a secret, one that everyone knows about but most have misunderstood, and none are allowed to talk about it in public.  It’s part of the reason the village treats you so badly.”  He taps a finger against the book in a bewildered Naruto’s hands.  “The significance of October tenth, the villagers’ animosity, and the Yondaime’s last act before his death.  You have all the pieces of the puzzle now; I've just given you the last one.  The law doesn't apply to you, and barring the Hokage, you alone can give permission for others to know the secret or speak of it.  Figure it out on your own, and once you know, if you wish to talk about it to myself or Anko, it will be allowed.”

 

He stops to gauge Naruto’s reaction.  The boy is staring at the Bingo Book like it’s something between the secrets of the universe and a scorpion’s sting.

 

“Why are you telling me now?”  Naruto asks, confusion plain on his face.

 

Orochimaru thinks of foolish children with too much faith and too little common sense.

 

“I think you're responsible enough,” He replies simply, five words that don’t cover nearly all the things Orochimaru means to say with them.

 

Naruto just bobs his head though, gaze sliding distractedly back to the book.  And then he puts it to the side and hops to his feet.  “I’ll figure it out after you leave for your mission,” He promises.  “Right now, can I help you pack?”

 

Orochimaru sighs.  Naruto pouts.  “What?  I'm gonna have to pack my own gear one day so I should get in practice now.”

 

“You just like pretending that you're all grown up and going off on your own mission,” Anko snickers, and then lazily dodges the senbon that Naruto throws at her.  The boy’s taken to carrying around weapons of his own after his eighth birthday, and Orochimaru bought him real weapons instead of blunted ones for children.  But only senbon and shuriken to start off with, nothing bigger than that.

 

“Fine,” Orochimaru acquiesces.  “But no touching Kusanagi.”

 

Naruto’s face falls.

 

Hm.  Maybe Orochimaru should start him on kenjutsu soon.  After all, Anko doesn't have much interest in the art, and Orochimaru will have to bequeath his sword to someone when he dies.

 

~0~0~0~

 

“The Hokage might pull out the big guns,” Anko warns.  “Even call Jiraiya-sama back.”

 

Orochimaru nods in agreement as he straps his sword to his back.  “Yes, perhaps.  But... Naruto made a good showing; Sensei isn’t quite as up-in-arms as he could be, or this mission would be longer than four months.”  He grimaces.  “Still, Snow Country.  I despise the cold.”

 

Anko cracks a grin and gives him a consoling pat on the shoulder.  “You’ll be fine.  Just make sure you don’t run into any polar bears.”

 

Orochimaru gives her the look this deserves as she cackles at his plight.  He never should've told her and Naruto the story of when he and his team were much younger and on a mission in Snow, and that buffoon Jiraiya disturbed a polar bear’s cave.  That damn animal chased the three of them halfway across the country because Tsunade said it was ‘too cute’ to hurt, much less kill.  Orochimaru has hated polar bears ever since.

 

And Naruto still hasn't stopped laughing about it whenever it’s brought up.  The brat even had the gall to buy him a white bear plushie for his birthday.

 

“Just keep an eye on him,” Orochimaru tips his head back at the house.  Naruto is still sleeping.  “He’ll figure it out; he isn’t stupid.  Make sure he understands that he isn’t the Kyuubi, no matter what other people think.”

 

Anko nods.  “No worries, Sensei.  I’ll look after him, make sure he keeps up with his extra training too.  Should I start him on the tree-walking exercise?”

 

“If you think he’s ready,” Orochimaru allows.  “Give it another month or two with just the leaf exercises though.”

 

 

“Understood,” Anko sketches a sloppy salute.  “Be safe, Sensei.  I’ll take care of things here.”