Third person pov

Have you ever been set on fire? No? Yeah, Naruto never has been either, but he's pretty sure it'd feel exactly like this if he had. 

The pain is nearly unbearable. Naruto has always had a high tolerance against harm, but this is sharp, jolting agony that spikes down all his limbs. It's different than anything he's ever felt in his life, like his skin is being flayed right off the bone, layer by layer of muscle painstakingly peeled away.

It's basically like, the worst thing he's ever felt in his entire life to summarize. Considering the absolute shit he's been through in his short six years on this Earth? Honestly saying something. Naruto knows that Kurama is supposed to be all powerful, but god damn.

It's over as soon as it starts, which is some solace, though not much. Fire racing across his skin and then nothing at all, which leaves him reeling and wondering if maybe he imagined it all. He would almost think so if not for the way his entire body seemed to rattle, his skin abuzz from the sensation of Kurama's chakra turning from comfortably warm to absolutely scalding. 

His eyes pop open and he gasps for air. There's a dark figure looming over him that jerks back as Naruto rapidly blinks to try and get his vision to adjust. For a second, he struggles to remember what he's even doing here.

The building he and Shikamaru escaped from is visible, proof that they indeed did not make it as far as they'd hoped. And the man responsible is... 

Well. He's standing there, staring at Naruto like he doesn't believe he's actually awake. He's butt-ugly, looking a little like Sasuke. If Sasuke were about twice as old and had been beat with a metal mallet as a child. The single, swirling red eye really helps him image.

For a moment, neither of them move or speak. Naruto's not embarrassed to say he gawks a little bit. What can he say? He's six years old, he's allowed to be in shock.

This other guy though? Humiliating. A six year old wakes up from your honestly not very interesting illusion and all he does is stand there? Strangely close, too. As if catching little kids wasn't bad enough, the proximity makes it worse. 

Another moment passes. Naruto realizes right about then, as he comes down from his adrenaline high and the pulsing aches in his limbs start to buzz out, that he should probably do something. Even if his head is spinning and his temples are pounding, he really doesn't want to risk getting put under a second time.

Because then Kurama would have to wake him up again. And that kind of pain twice? Not on his agenda.

The man's expression twists. It makes him look even uglier, if you were wondering. Definitely ingrained in Naruto's brain now! If he wasn't scarred for life before (disclaimer: he was, this sucks ass) then he definitely is now!

"Shi-" The Great Value Sasuke starts to say. Naruto does the only logical thing he can think of in the moment. He reels his foot back as far as it can go and slams it right up into the guy's crotch with every ounce of force he can muster.

It's a cheap shot, but you know what else is a cheap shot? Putting two kids under a genjutsu while they're already escaping an abduction. Kidnapping already kidnapped kids has got to be some double whammy, ticket straight to hell move. 

The kick works at least. The probably-Uchiha, probably-Sasuke's-relative-because-he-sucks-so-obviously-they're-related, lets out a high pitched sound that reminds Naruto a little of that time he nailed that white haired pervert stalker dude in the back of the head with a ceramic plate. 

Naruto doesn't waste any time. He rolls off to the side and pops to his feet, ignoring the protesting of his legs.

Shikamaru is laying prone off to the left. Behind him, the Uchiha guy stumbles, letting out another keening noise. This one sounds angrier than the last which is probably not a great sign, but fuck him. Naruto hopes his ability to have children is dead and fucking gone.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto grabs him by the shoulders and gives him a hard shake, feeling a little frantic. "Shikamaru! Wake up, we've gotta--"

Shikamaru's head flops limply, and a horrifying lightbulb pops up over Naruto's head. Realization settles. He gulps.

Shikamaru had said that pain was needed to wake someone from a genjutsu. And Naruto had definitely, definitely felt pain. Like, a lot. Excruciatingly. Nightmare worthy stuff, believe it.

The only issue was that he'd had Kurama to help him with that from the inside. Shikamaru like, for sure didn't. He was still as a corpse. Which meant that Naruto was going to have to...

His eyes seemed to automatically magnetize to the oddly sharp rock laying in the grass to his left. He'd been completely joking about the shiv thing, but beggars can't be choosers. 

A simple slap to the face probably isn't going to do it? Or is it? He's on a time limit. Ball pain doesn't last forever and though this guy is a total loser, he's bound to recover at some point. Naruto would rather not be here when that happens. 

With one hand, Naruto goes for the rock. With the other, he smacks Shikamaru across the face. Hard.

There's not a twitch. His eyelids don't even flutter. Naruto is halfway tempted to check his pulse just to make sure he's still alive. After all, what if the Shikamaru in the genjutsu had just been a weirdly helpful illusion? If Naruto had broken out, why hadn't the entire thing come apart? Was that how that even worked?

He didn't know. All he knew was that they had to get out of here. Shikamaru's body didn't feel cold even despite how damp things were, and Naruto was sure his chest was moving up and down with every breath. Er, partially. He was partially sure it was.

"You little... shit..." A dark voice ground out behind him. Naruto braced himself, sent Shikamaru out a mental apology, and brought the sharpened rock down.

~~~

Kicking the guy in the crotch once? Luck. Sheer luck. Kicking him in the crotch a second time?

This guy was the suckiest kidnapper Naruto had ever seen in his entire life. Literally the worst, and Naruto was once kidnapped by a half-blind homeless man that forgot why he'd taken Naruto in the first place about halfway through. 

The rain starts to pick up again, because apparently the world had decided that Naruto getting a second hit in meant things were going a little too well for him. Shikamaru is a little sluggish, almost dazed as Naruto tugs him through the underbrush and marsh.

He doesn't know how to mask his chakra, but you can bet it'll be the first goddamn thing he learns when he gets home. Shikamaru doesn't seem to know how to either-- or maybe he's just too out of it. Naruto hadn't stabbed him anywhere vital, and the bleeding had already been staunched. 

Thus, Naruto had no idea what was wrong. The only indication he had that they weren't in another genjutsu was that Kurama had stilled in his seal, sending a contended warmness through him that kept him feeling energized and fought off the chill the rain was threatening to bring inward.

He'd thrown some mud at the guy's face for good measure before taking off, and had shoved him hard enough that he fell. The asshole's legs had been weak because he was, again, a total loser. Naruto would know what one looks like, he was subjected to seeing Sasuke's little rat face every single day.

He's not a total Sasuke hater, alright? But also, he is the reason they got kidnapped, and it's not like the Uchiha doesn't snipe back at him! This is their dynamic. Naruto uses all his best insults on him as to not accidentally offend someone who actually matters.

He can think about how he's going to get back at him for all this later. Right now, he and Shikamaru are absolutely running for their lives. Or... sloshing through puddles, rather. And lightly jogging. Shikamaru really can't jump from tree to tree yet, and Naruto wouldn't trust him not to smack his face on a low-hanging branch in the process anyway.

The issue now is that Naruto has no idea where they are or where he's going. All he knows is that they need to get away from that guy no matter the cost. For all Kurama is trying to heal him, Naruto can still feel the prickles in his stomach. That asshat did something to his seal, and the fact that he can feel Kurama as clearly as he can is proof of that.

It's not easy fighting through underbrush when you're as short as Naruto is. Yeah, he's coming out and he's saying it. He's... still growing. He's not pathetically small, he just isn't tall and that's totally fine. Totally normal. He's tall for his age! Almost! 

Plants don't grow well under the heavy canopy within the Land of Fire, but they grow enough, that's for damn sure. Naruto lugs Shikamaru a little higher when his head lolls again and his body sags, his feet starting to drag and give out. May as well have just left him in the genjutsu and fireman carried him, honestly.

"This is ass. This is ass, this is ass, this is ass." Naruto hissed, more to himself than to Shikamaru, who was literally the worst company ever right now. Maybe he'd slapped him too hard? "Shikamaru's like, dying. I'm dying. It's raining, I have no idea where I--"

"Left! Go left!" Kurama's irritated voice rumbled through his head, bringing him to a complete stand still. Naruto blinked. He couldn't see it, but he got the impression that Kurama was blinking too. "What the hell? Why'd he stop?"

Was this his official descent into insanity? It might be his official descent into insanity, believe it. Maybe... he's not asleep, is he? What if he never truly escaped the genjutsu and is actually still in it, and the guy just made him think he woke up? That was possible, right?

But no. No, that pain had been real. Kurama's chakra had been real. You couldn't fake a tailed beast-- Naruto was certain of that much. But then... then... the seal? Was it because of the seal? That man had done something to it, had probably been trying to take it off.

And if he'd succeeded even just a little bit? Would that-- that could totally open a window for Kurama to talk to him through, right? Or was that too good to be true?

Slowly, Naruto started to turn towards the left. The direction looked the same as all the others did, endless trees, too dimly lit to know if there was a bear lurking waiting to murder them. Brown bears were common around here, right? Were those the ones where you ran or the ones where you played dead?

"...Kurama?" Naruto asked hopefully. Because the idea of communicating with Kurama outside of sleep, out in the real world, it was... "Are you... you said to go left?" 

"You can hear me?" Kurama sounded just as astonished as Naruto felt, and Naruto felt a wave of disbelief that wasn't his own rocket through the warmth in his chakra pathways. It made him shiver a little. "The seal."

There was realization in his voice, along with a heavy growl. Naruto took a deep breath.

He had no idea what the seal being loose, or partially taken off, meant. He had no idea what it did or if it was a good or a bad thing. But he could hear Kurama, and that meant... it meant he wasn't alone. It meant he had someone who could direct him.

Naruto is clever for his age. Smart, even, if he's to believe his dad's gushing, his mom's awe, and Kakashi's praises over his graded papers. But this? This is new, and that man is dangerous, and Naruto is going to be real with you for a second. 

He has absolutely no idea what the fuck to do in this situation aside from the very obvious reaction of running the hell away.

"Yeah. Yeah, I-I think so." Naruto nodded rapidly, unable to stop the grin starting to stretch at his lips. It wasn't good, but this-- this wasn't bad, either. Kurama was never bad. "Holy crap! Kurama, I can totally hear you! Like, in my head, and I'm totally awake, believe it!" 

"Oh. Great. Now we'll never be apart." Kurama's voice was flat and dry as a bone, and the tone was so familiar that Naruto couldn't help but laugh. Relief shoved out the panic that had been starting to build in him. "We'll deal with it later. For now, go left until I tell you to. And go fast. You're being pursued."

Naruto turns and does as he's told. His grin doesn't fade once.

~~~

Shikamaru Nara would like to emphasize, before anything else, that this is the most troublesome thing he's ever gotten himself involved in.

He's not sure what that genjutsu did, exactly. What he does know is that he doesn't have a demon fox to protect him from the effects, that's for sure. It feels like his brain's been mauled by the bears Naruto keeps muttering about under his breath. 

The world comes back to him in blurry increments. They make progress through the woods. Naruto seems to know where he's going, stopping sometimes and looking around before turning a pointed direction and confidently setting out.

Something is obviously guiding him. Likely the Nine Tails, which Shikamaru still isn't sure how to feel about. If Naruto says he's not going to explode out and eat them all, Shikamaru supposes he'd probably know. After all, if the fox really wanted to murder them, Shikamaru is sure it would've by now if it could.

It's a little strange. Complicated, and Shikamaru really hates complicated things. They're a total drag. 

He's a six year old, he shouldn't have to think about existential issues pertaining to the higher powers that dictated the delicate balance between their continent's largest countries, nor should he have to worry about a potentially demonic entity possessing his fellow six year old and bringing down a new reign of terror upon their village, which was already vastly unstable in economy, politics, and security.

Shikamaru looked at the facts as they were. Naruto hadn't left him behind. There was a deep, pulsing pain in his left arm, which radiated down into his fingertips and leeched in the muscle of his shoulder. It wasn't as bad as the time he'd broken his hand, more of an ache than anything sharp.

Naruto was trying to be careful with him, putting in the effort of lugging him along with surprising delicacy. Shikamaru willed his legs to cooperate. He hoped he didn't get brain damage from whoever had done this to them. And if he did, well, maybe the ninja life wasn't for him and he could just nap all day instead.

"What do you mean go left again? If I go left, we're going to end up going in a gigantic circle." Naruto complained loudly, and then he paused. "What? No, my sense of direction is great, believe it. It totally know what's going on! But, on an unrelated note, you're definitely sure we're not in another genjutsu, right? Just curious."

There was another pause, longer this time, and Naruto's steady pace slowed slightly and allowed for Shikamaru to get his feet a little more planted. He forced himself to stand, taking deep breaths. His chakra pathways were quivering oddly. 

Whatever that genjutsu had been, it hadn't been a normal one. Even Naruto seemed a little pale-- though, that could just be because it was cold out.

"...I don't think we're still being followed." Naruto noted, noticably a little quieter. "But if we were, I would want the guy following us to know that he's a fucking moron, and a loser, and that his face is totally ugly! Believe it!" 

It was pointedly thrown out there in a loud tone, almost as though Naruto hoped their (...second?) kidnapper was listening. Shikamaru brought the hand of his injured arm up to massage at his temples, the other one slung over Naruto's shoulders. The blond immediately jolted, turning to look at him with big eyes.

There was a thin ring of red around his pupil, but Shikamaru blinked and it was gone. He almost wanted to mention it but decided he was too tired to give a shit. Assuming they really had gotten out of the genjutsu successfully, then it was all thanks to the fox anyway, so Shikamaru wasn't about to be a pill about it.

"Are you talking to yourself?" Shikamaru asked drily, voice a little croaky and throat dry. He swallowed achingly. This sucked.

"What? No. I would never do that." Naruto sounded offended, but then he stopped, staring at Shikamaru for a moment. Shikamaru cocked a brow. Naruto squinted, backtracking slowly. "Er. I mean, yes? Yeah. To myself and nobody else, at all, even slightly. Since you weren't very good company. Had to improvise."

Shikamaru opens his mouth. Decides against it and closes it again. Shakes his head. 

Naruto winces a little, looking like he's resisting the urge to say something. Shikamaru wonders what the fox is saying right now. Hopefully nothing about killing Shikamaru and leaving him behind for dead. His mom is supposed to be making toasted paninis tomorrow, and that's not something he wants to miss.

"This is such a drag, but thanks for not leaving me behind, I guess." Shikamaru offered. Naruto nodded graciously. "Now, do you have any idea where we are?"

The forest is pitch black. The only sounds are of the nightlife, of twigs cracking under the feet of predators, of racoons chittering, and of crickets and cicadas sharing their songs. It would be terrifying if he were alone, but Naruto's hair is such an obnoxiously bright color that Shikamaru's more likely to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation than he is the shiver in fear.

Naruto gets a strange look on his face, his nose scrunching up. He looks around at their surroundings. Their vision is limited-- or at least, Shikamaru's is. Does the fox let Naruto see better at night? 

Sue him for being curious. About like, a lot of things. Shikamaru may be lazy, but knowledge is something any Nara is bound to greedily hoard. It's their clan's niche. Knowing things is practically ingrained in Shikamaru' DNA, and this... this is something nobody else has ever seen before.

This is something that likely nobody has ever, ever known. The fox hasn't ever been befriended before, not in any historical recordings they know of. Shikamaru can't imagine how much the Nine Tails must know about just... everything. It (he?) has seen much of history first hand. How many beings can claim that?

And of course that well of knowledge is in the head of Naruto Uzumaki of all people. Shikamaru supposes knowing Naruto's track record, it sort of fits.

"I have... a vague idea?" Naruto offered, sounding unsure. Shikamaru was less than impressed. "We were just going to go left and hope for the best. And by we I mean you and me. The only two people here."

Shikamaru snorted and shook his head despite himself. It was the start of a long journey home, sure. But it might be the start of a rather troublesome friendship, too.

~~~

Naruto was not here long, but evidently you did not necessarily need to be anywhere for any lengthy period of time to leave a crater-sized impact.

Gaara isn't sure what to do with himself. The nights, once so quiet and daunting, are spent in a the blissful oblivion of sleep that he'd never truly known until now. He takes his time familiarizing himself with it, cautious and daunted by the prospect of it.

Contrary to popular belief, Gaara does not particularly want to hurt anyone. The bubbling hatred people accuse him of having is moot, nonexistent in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps once he had felt a fiery anger towards those who cowered away from him, but the more days that pass, the more he thinks maybe that anger hadn't been coming from him.

His days seem simpler now. There used to be so much going on inside his head, sometimes he had no idea how to sort through it all. It felt like the calm after the storm now. He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for that overwhelming sense of his body not being entirely his own to take him over, but it never did.

The seal Naruto's father and that "weird, white haired stalker" (Naruto's words) had put on him was holding strong. It was a strange sensation. Sometimes he could distantly feel the tailed beast inside of him writhing around, angry and festering. Other times it was just as still as the rest of the world seemed to be, so much so that Gaara second guessed the beast was still there.

He isn't sure if Naruto knew or not. Sometimes he swore a part of Naruto reached out to that other part of him, but Gaara has never been certain of much in life, and he's not about to start with this. The time they spent together is vividly clear, yet somehow blurry all the same.

Perhaps because it had seemed too good to be true. Naruto had swept into his life like a whirlwind, solving all his problems, giving him the friendship he'd yearned for, and then he'd been gone just as fast with promises to write and visit. 

Gaara hadn't really believed him. Not because he thought Naruto was a liar, but because they were both young and held little control over their lives. Konoha was far, and with Naruto's dad being Hokage and Gaara's being Kazekage, they wouldn't be leaving the village all that much until they could graduate and become genin.

Still, he had hoped. Daydreamed. Naruto had played with him, and talked to him like a person. Declared Gaara his best friend ever, just like that. Gaara who was strange, and deadly, and hated by his village.

Naruto had been hated by his village too. Still was, he'd confided in a low tone, when the sun was sinking low and Kakashi was calling for them to come out of their sand castle. He understood Gaara perfectly, and more than that, Gaara had finally been given someone he could understand back.

That's why, when the first letter really does come-- a little battered from the journey-- Gaara smiles for the first time since Naruto's left.

It's not that he isn't happy with this change. This way, people will perhaps stop fleeing the immediate area when he comes along and instead just warily stare and whisper. Gaara can finally sleep, can finally go out without fear of the power inside of him clawing its way to the surface and clouding his mind.

He's just... lonely. The taste of friendship Naruto had given him had showed him just what he was likely never going to have from the people here. Naruto was different, and they got each other. Nobody had ever "gotten" Gaara before. 

He hadn't had it long, but damn if he didn't miss it desperately. 

The letter comes in a comically orange envelope, covered in narutomaki stickers that tell Gaara who sent it before his sister can even stutter out that something has come for him. His sand is snaking out and snatching it from her trembling hands in seconds. He ignores her flinch, staring down at his prize with big eyes. 

He wrote. He actually, really wrote. To Gaara. He wanted to stay in contact.

His eyes scan the letter furiously once he's painstakingly opened it, taking care not to rip anything. His brother and sister watch him with wary eyes as he turns away from them, sufficiently distracted. His smile grows as he reads along it.

Naruto talks about getting kidnapped on the way home, and about how he's fine. About his mom coming out of his stomach or something-- "it was some crazy shit, Gaara, don't even ask how it happened. We're still not sure."-- and about Kurama. Kurama, the nine tailed fox. 

He apologizes for not saying anything about it when he was here, but Gaara doesn't care. He doesn't care a bit, because Naruto doesn't just understand him. They're the same. Naruto isn't seemingly just like him, they really are just like one another. And that... 

That's amazing. There is someone out there just like him. Naruto talks about Kurama like he is beautiful, like he is a friend. Naruto loves him. He loves that part of himself, even despite the issues he's had, even despite the hatred and fear everyone else regards it with. Gaara reads through the pages offered to him, awed and a little confused. 

If Naruto isn't a monster, maybe Gaara isn't either. If Naruto can make friends, and if he can smile and be happy, if he can face the world with a beaming grin and sparkling eyes--

Then maybe Gaara can too.

(That night, when he falls asleep, it isn't an endless abyss he falls into. It's a deep, dark cavern. And in the middle, sitting chained atop a mound of sand, is a very angry, very wary Tanuki.)

((Gaara smiles at him too.))

~~~

They've just about found their way when Pakkun barrels out of the bushes and finds them, the other ninken right on his heels. Naruto stumbles in surprise at their sudden appearance. Kashi's dogs all throw their heads back and howl to signal their find.

Naruto is tired. They're covered in mud, and Naruto is still bloody, even if the rain has helped wash a lot of it off. Shikamaru's spiked ponytail is drooping pathetically, tangled with various twigs and leaves. 

They look like shit, and they feel like shit, and Shikamaru is probably going to catch a nasty cold from all this walking in the chilly rain. Naruto's not, because he's better. And because he has a super chakra being in his stomach that boosts his immune system to unbelievable levels, but we'll pretend that the first one is the real reason.

Things after that are a bit of a blur. Naruto's so tired he feels like he could drop, and he's also sort of really starving to death. His dad won't stop crying, and his mom keeps patting his head, and Kashi is practically pulling his hair out. It's all very dramatic.

Naruto manages to share one last long-suffering look with Shikamaru before his own parents are tugging him away, huddling him away. Naruto tried to shake off the dredges of anxiety that rose in him as his classmate was taken. Shikamaru was smart, and he'd seen and heard way more than Naruto was comfortable with.

He didn't think Shikamaru was going to spread it around. He may tell his parents, but Shikamaru's dad seemed close to Naruto's, so he was hopeful. It just... he didn't want to progress backwards. He didn't want people to be scared of him if they knew...

That, and the talking to Kurama out loud thing was... it was new. It was new, and Naruto knew without having to ask that his parents weren't going to like it. Already they were so on edge knowing he met with Kurama night after night. This would push them-- his dad specifically-- over the edge.

And he understood. Naruto really did. Kurama's track record? Total shit! He wouldn't want his six year old talking to him either, believe it! 

But he was different now. They were doing so well, and Naruto loved him, and they had so many flowers now! Things were going amazingly. He didn't want that taken away or stopped just because some asshole damaged his seal.

"I can't really die, but your shit luck might just be the thing to do it." Speak of the devil. "Glad you finally made it back. Now shut up and let me nap."

Wow. Attitude. And Naruto can't even say anything out loud without giving himself away, either.

A lingering ache burns in his stomach, but Naruto doesn't want to draw attention to it right now as his father cups his face in his hands and looks down at him with big, tearful eyes. Naruto grins back up at him as brightly as he can manage, letting the love wash over him and taking a deep breath. 

He's fine. This is all Sasuke's fault, but he's fine. Naruto doesn't really want to quote-on-quote "relive his trauma", but he knows his dad needs to know who took him, why, and all about the guy who trapped him and Shikamaru in a genjutsu. Whoever the hell he was.

But maybe that can wait. Right now he feels sleepy and distant. He wants to collapse into his bed, with all the dogs preferably, and then sleep for twelve consecutive hours. He wants to bury his face in Kurama's tail and thank him for saving him. Again, might Naruto add.

Speaking of, that'll probably earn the fox brownie points with the parentals, right? Sweet. Maybe getting kidnapped was worth it.

There's hushed talking and more hands in his hair. Talks of blood and people prodding at him, and Naruto dozes as it happens, eyes fluttering open only when a bowl of ramen is set in front of him by his mom, who gives him a fond, relieved look. Naruto returns it and digs in. 

If he'd been ready for a coma before, the hot broth just about sends him into one. He has no idea how long he and Shikamaru were out there. He thinks whatever that genjutsu did is starting to hit now that he's not in total crisis mode. 

After all, it had almost taken Shikamaru out completely. It wasn't so remiss to think it would have effect on Naruto, even if he is really cool and strong and stuff. Just like a little aftertaste of it. And of Kurama sort of setting him on fire, proverbially, which he absolutely isn't going to mention the extent of.

"Get some sleep, Naruto." His dad's voice is gentle, his arms even gentler, and Naruto melts into him a little. "We'll be here when you wake up."

Kurama is there waiting for him. And there, in the middle of their mound of flowers, is the beginnings of what might be a tree. 

~~~

Fugaku carefully sets down another photo. Naruto squints at it. Next to him, Shikamaru is struggling not to nod off.

"Nope. Like I said, the entire right side of his face was super fucked up." Naruto shook his head. Fugaku sighed, and Minato slouched in disappointment. Naruto gave Shikamaru a glance. "And I'm not sure why he's here. He didn't see him."

Shikamaru made a vague noise of agreement. Or discontent? Actually, it could really mean anything. Naruto's not a Nara expert. 

He hadn't gotten to talk to Shikamaru since their whole little bonding experience, actually. His dad was militant in his observation of Naruto, looming over him like an agent of death ready to strike down the nearest threat down. He hadn't been back to school, everyone claiming he needed 'recovery'. 

Really, after a good night's sleep and some food, he felt fine. He'd told Ayumu as such during their session, but Ayumu had just shrugged and said he was on his own there. Naruto was mildly offended, but figured Ayumu was probably run ragged enough with Naruto's issues as it was, and having parents who cared really didn't count as one anyway.

His explanation of what happened had holes in it. Not because he was leaving anything out, but because Naruto really had no idea what was going on. He didn't want to mention that he could hear Kurama out loud now, and he didn't think Shikamaru had mentioned it either, or else his dad probably would've confronted him by now.

They had checked the seal, though. Naruto didn't know how safe it was to have it the way it was. Carefully channeling chakra into it, he could tell it was missing several layers, leaving it looking bare and incomplete. Not unlike Gaara's seal before it was fixed.

His mom and dad had released high-pitched, horrified noises at the sight. That, paired with their anxious questions about whether the fox had mentioned breaking out at all, told him everything he needed to know.

If Kurama wanted out, he could get out. Easily. He just... hadn't. And fuck if that didn't make Naruto feel a little warm and fuzzy.

"And it's not this man?" Fugaku double checked, tapping a black and white sketch of what he was told was Madara Uchiha. Naruto shook his head.

"No way. That guy has amazing hair. Believe it." Naruto wasn't about to not recognize that, even if Kurama growled for it. "Besides, K-- uh. He would've been recognized. If that were him. Since some people have met him before. Totally different dude. Same one from the night I was born, but not... uh. That guy. Believe it."

"Smooth." Kurama grumbled. Naruto ignored him.

He gave his dad a pointed look instead. It wasn't subtle at all. Sasuke's dad looked mildly concerned, but mostly just tired. He deserved it for having half of Sasuke's genetics. Boo, Sasuke! For getting Naruto kidnapped and being the source of all his life's greatest problems!

Gaara had sent him a letter back. That, and his newfound alliance with Shikamaru, were the only good things to come out of this. Plus Kurama's commentary. Now he could teach Naruto like, everything. And help him. It was awesome, even if half the things he said were insults to people in their immediate surroundings.

That was sort of okay, though. Since Naruto also liked to insult people in their immediate surroundings. Call it a hobby. 

"Alright, just--" His dad swallowed thickly, sharing a look with Shikamaru's dad, who also looked ready to fall asleep. "Go over what you remember one more time for me."

Naruto had already done that four times, though! Yeah, sure, he sucks at describing things, but come on. He was doing his best he--

"He was definitely an Uchiha. Resemblance to the main branch, probably distant. Heavy, distinct scarring on the left side of his face, likely from some kind of crush injury. He only had one Sharingan, but it was in a weird pattern. Looked like a kaleidoscope." Shikamaru drawled. Naruto turned to give him a look. "He was around Kakashi's height. 5'8", maybe a little shorter. Black hair cropped close to the head. Black cloak, red clouds all over it. Had an orange, swirly mask with only one eye hole in it clipped to the his waist." 

Everyone stared at him. They'd been here two hours and this was like, the first thing he'd said. Naruto threw his hands in the air.

"Dude!" Naruto cried out. Shikaku groaned. Shikamaru shrugged. "When did you even get the chance to see the guy?!"

"When you stabbed me with a rock shiv." Shikamaru said casually, like they were discussing the weather. He peered lazily down at the photos on the table. "Looked more like this one and this one than any others. Not exact, but there may be some relation. My vision was blurred at the time."

Shikamaru's dad groaned again, louder this time. Fugaku's eye was twitching. Shikamaru, Naruto decided, was... sort of a badass. And he sort of really hoped they got to stay friends. Were they even friends to begin with? Maybe? Sorta?

Fugaku opened his mouth. Closed it again and shook his head, making some weird signal with his hand that made another Uchiha appear out of who knows where. Naruto threw his hands in the air indignantly for a second time, though he really wasn't actually upset. 

His dad, on the other hand, looked like he'd aged several years. Naruto could see why they'd brought him and not Naruto's mom instead. She would've blown this joint ages ago with how long it had taken.

Shikamaru stretched his arms over his head until something in his back popped. Minato had already called Kakashi in, and Naruto could hear brief mutters of 'Akatsuki' and 'Jiraiya' spoken under his breath. Great, so that pervert guy, basically. Lovely.

"...Does this mean we're done?" Naruto asked after a beat of more people talking in low tones about shit he didn't really understand. "I've got to write back to Gaara. And get ramen. Want to get ramen with me, Shikamaru?"

He was a little scared of the answer, but Shikamaru just turned to him and shrugged like it was no big deal. Naruto lit up.

"Sure." He slid off his chair. "I have questions, anyway. About stuff."

Naruto wasn't sure what that meant, but Shikamaru didn't seem scared. And that was enough for him.

~~~

Oh my GOD next chapter is the last one! 

The last chapter is up on patreon, as is the first chapter of the inbetween series and the first four chapters of book two!