Shikaoni was happy, you could see it by the way he was grinning as he stood on a stool beside Naruto to stir the pot that had stew while Naruto was checking on the rice. Shikamaru was by the island counter chatting to both of them and for once his home didn't feel lonely for once. Once dinner was shared he was doted on by Naruto who shared his plate and kept encouraging him to try the different sides he made. Shikamaru only watched them with a smile on his face and later when it was time for them to go he pulled Naruto up to his room.

"What's wrong Shikaoni?" Naruto asked crouching down to him. 

"Mom always told me a story before so I could settle down. Can you-"

He didn't even need to go further. Naruto helped him get ready for bed before telling a story about how he found a little pack of kits that had lost their mother. How he took care of them and carried them home to camp in the backyard, showering them and ensuring they didn't stray far. When winter came they would stay in his room close to the fire. When the sad ending was coming up Shikaoni was already asleep. Naruto was glad he would've hated to sour the mood. 

After cleaning up downstairs and heading back home with Shikamaru the Nara asked how the story ended. "What exactly happened to those kits?"

Naruto gave him a blank stare as they walked. "Kumo skinned them and ate them," He turned back around and headed inside. Shikamaru shivered, Naruto's blank blue eyes that looked like glass in the night creeped him out but the words he said to accompany it were gut-wrenching. 

However Naruto was telling a lie, Kumo never skinned them or ate them. In fact, they were gone long before Kumo's supposed arrival in the village. He had purposefully gained a bond with those foxes to the point he loved them like family and to harden his heart he murdered them. Some sentiments were not needed and in most cases came from unwanted annoyances that managed to grow on others. 

*************

Naruto had spent the entire night mapping out the entire Hidden Leaf before sealing it in a capsule that was meant for paintings. He lifted his right foot straight up and leaned it against the wall. On the underside of his right thigh, he took a carving tool and carved a summoning seal. He pressed chakra into the seal and a baby kitsune came forth. He was midnight black and took the capsule in his mouth before doing a reverse summoning. 

'With any luck Bee will be awake to receive it,' He cleaned the wound and the blood around the area before getting ready for the day. He had a plan that could get him an advantage. So dressed in casual clothing he headed downstairs and out the door to Shikaoni's house. Shikamaru was already out and on his daily mission at the TI sector. When he got to the door Shikaoni opened up looking like he got ready for the day. 

It was time for the others outside of the village saw him and to see him with a child made him look good. So he arranged a day in the village with the small boy who was eager to be picked up with his deer plush. Shikamaru had started giving Naruto his own money so that helped tremendously. 

"Alright, you have the honor of showing me all the good sights," Naruto told him with a bright grin. 

"Naruto-sama is in my care," Shikaoni declared as they headed out of the compound. Several Nara clansmen saw him and Naruto could detect subtle signs of surprise and admiration. It started out as eating at different shops but evolved in Shikaoni showing him some interesting sights. One is a forest that was a direct link to the TI Entrance which Naruto learned was at the base of the Hokage faces. 

"It goes all the way underground, at least what my parents told me. They were really dedicated so they would always tell me stories about it. Pretty neat huh?"

"You're telling me to drill underground is some serious manpower," 

"Then you'd be surprised to know those Hokage faces are hollow, they use the faces as a bunker to hide us whenever Kumo tried to bomb rush us," 

'That's why we could never snag any Hyugas, damn milf,' Naruto split an ice pop before they headed off again. Naruto could sense Anbu watching them but Shikaoni was blabbing so hard it gave them a reason not to approach. Once they were out of the forest and onto the Hokage Monuments Shikaoni showed him the secret passage. 

During times of war, it was common for citizens to know their village's secrets and not tell outsiders. However, Naruto was welcomed into this village and therefore had a right to know about it. He made a mental image and off they went again. 

***********

"Shikamaru can I have a moment," Kiba said behind his Anbu mask. He was privy to seeing Naruto and a small Nara child wander around close to the base. Something about that male made him nervous in a sense. Shikamaru pulled away from the mechanisms to talk to him close by the entrance out of earshot. 

"Did you know Naruto was nearby at the base," Kiba asked folding his arms after he pushed his mask aside. Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Does he know where you work?"

"No, I never told him anything besides that I was heading to the TI Sector,"

"Is there a possibility that the kids in your clan know this area?" 

At that question, everything snapped into place. Shikaoni, his parents were in this department, it wouldn't be a surprise that he knew where to go. But to bring Naruto? "Shikaoni, he's the only orphan in my clan and he and Naruto had a moment. His parents were heads in this department, I'm not surprised."

"Well that explains, just tell him next time that he isn't allowed here, you know how it goes he's a civilian," Kiba stated. Shikamaru nodded and headed back to his work. But he was distracted for the rest of the day. He wondered what Naruto thought in the moments when Shikaoni told him what laid here. 

Disgust?

Rage?

He didn't know but he wanted to know, wanted to know desperately.