Red and gold
The sun beats down on the dirty village road, warming the gravel with a soft orange glow. Naruto’s feet hit the ground rhythmically, walking through the crowded streets, twisting and turning between long limbs in order to go about his way unperturbed. His legs ache, his muscles straining from both yesterday’s training and the fact that he’s been walking all day.
He's been going from utility shop to utility shop, trying desperately to find someone that will agree to take him on as a customer.
His first day at the ninja academy was tomorrow. His nerves were set ablaze with anticipation and dare he say, a little excitement.
But first, to go to the academy and make the most of it, he needed to buy himself supplies. Paper, pens, books, and all.
Hermione would have been proud of his initiative, however unsuccessful it was.
The skin on his palms stings at the reminder of his failures. Having been kicked out one too many times, he’d scrapped his hands raw, trying to catch himself each time before his face bit into the hot dirt.
Sighing dejectedly, he resigned himself to his fate. Needing another thing on his endless list of acquired supplies, he turned to head in the direction of the eastside market.
He knew that Itachi and Shisui would’ve immediately agreed to go shopping for him, they would’ve volunteered with no reservations or hesitation. However, he’d resolved to go on his own this time. He couldn’t keep relying on the two older boys. They did too much for him as it was. He didn’t need to burden them any further with ridiculous requests. He was almost six, he was going to be studying to become a ninja, and so, he could buy his own supplies.
His gaze settled on the one store he had never gone to before in this district. The glass door leading into it was cracked and stained. A faded banner hung on the highest part of the structure, screws loose and half hanging from its perch. A strong wind or a particularly dedicated pigeon would surely do it in, Naruto concluded grimly.
Feeling some of his courage wane, he marched right into the clothing store, knowing that he needed to get it over and done with.
His current clothes were not academy appropriate. He was all too eager to get rid of everything he’d gotten from the neighbor’s son, wanting nothing that would remotely incite anyone to attack him again. Grasping a hesitant hand to his throat, he gulped, shaking his head as if to physically dispel the memory.
Racks upon racks of clothes welcomed him on entry. A sea of different colors and sizes that made something inside him stir. Checking his surroundings discreetly, he calmly made his way to the counter.
He learned through numerous less-than-welcome encounters that it was best to be upfront and direct in his shopping endeavors.
Sneaking around would ultimately get him in trouble. They'd either think he was here to vandalize or steal. Trying to hide his appearance would also only make it worse in the long run, when they'd eventually figure him out.
It was best to just test his luck upfront if only to spare himself further pain.
The counter to the checkout area was taller than he was, looming over him forebodingly. Clearing his throat, he waited for the clerk, a fat greying man, to notice him. The man’s eyes wandered the space above him before finally looking down, eyes narrowing slightly.
“What do you want?” He drawled, seemingly already having lost any interest in him. The welcoming smile he'd previously worn was nowhere in sight now that he recognized the child in front of him.
“I’m looking to buy an outfit for the academy, sir.” He spoke softly, not really sure what to do, now that he wasn’t being kicked out outright.
“The ninja academy.”He scoffed, leaning back against the wall behind his counter. Eyeing him with barely concealed disgust. “I don’t have anything for you.”
Clenching his fists, he shot a glance at the racks full of clothes behind him. “I have money.” He drawled, mimicking the man’s low voice.
“Selling anything to you would mean business going down, brat, you’d have to pay me extra just for the trouble.” The stench of alcohol reached his nostrils as the man leaned across the counter, a self-assured smirk twisting his features.
“Fine.” He gritted out, having already resigned himself to being overcharged the moment he walked in. He turned to head towards the racks when a voice called out, making him pause mid-step.
“Now, now, little brat, where do you think you’re going?” Bracing himself for the inevitable, he turned to look at the older man blankly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “The store’s duds are over there.”
Barely managing to quell his rising humiliation and the anger that followed, he reminded himself that any clothes were better than no clothes at all. It didn’t stop him from shooting the older man a withering glare as he marched towards the back of the store, coming face to face with a pile of discarded clothes, bunched up in a fraying basket.
Jokes on him, he thinks, as he shuffled to rummage through the pile, It’s the most options he’s ever had in his entire life.
The entire experience brought up images of his past childhood, sifting through piles and piles of Dudley’s discarded hand-me-down to find anything that would even remotely fit him.
He tossed aside any items that were too torn up or had any suspicious stains on them. Feeling a little sick to his stomach as he dug deeper into the rapidly thinning stack.
To his rising despair, the only viable clothes left were a pair of bubble gum pink shorts, a vibrant but frankly horrendously bright orange hoodie, dark black ripped pants, and finally, a faded red jacket with yellow accents along the zipper line.
The Gryffindor colors made something within him twist uncomfortably and he found himself subconsciously reaching for it.
“You done yet brat? I ain’t got all day.”
Making his decision, he picked up both the jacket and the pants before proceeding to walk back up to the counter. Rising to the tip of his toes he hefted the two items onto it, waiting for the clerk’s verdict. He knew with no small amount of resignation that when he would be walking out, his froggy wallet would be significantly lighter than it was when he walked in.
“Thank you for your patronage,” The man smiled, his yellow teeth wide and showing. “That would be eight thousand Ryo.” He continued sweetly, the mocking grin twisting his features, wrinkling his eyes into slits.
Slamming the money onto the flat surface, he snatched his newly acquired clothes and booked it out of there, knowing that if he stayed any longer he’d probably do something he’d regret. Emotional situations like this always meant freaky things happening, and he couldn’t have anyone figure out his secrets.
His excitement for tomorrow was all but nonexistent, with not a shred of enthusiasm left in his system as he made his way back home.
Disappointment ran thick through his veins, he wondered how he was going to be able to follow through the classwork if he didn’t have any school supplies. Why didn’t this world come with its own Hagrid to guide him through the harrowing journey of getting ready for school?
His chest constricted at the thought of the half-giant. Maybe he could rummage through the orphanage's trash tonight, and try and get a hold of some of the papers they used to teach the infants there. He could probably write on the back of the scrolls, using some kind of natural chalk.
Sighing for what felt like the twentieth time today, he lumbered up the stairs. His hands were clutched tightly around his newly acquired outfit, fingers creasing the already brittle fabric as if someone would suddenly spring up to snatch them away from him.
Fumbling with his keys, he finally stepped into the relative safety of his tiny apartment. Shock ran through his system as he found the lights leading into the kitchen to be turned on.
“H-Hello?” Itachi had told him they’d be busy for a while to come. In fact, the last time he’d seen either of the two was a little more than a week ago. Walking cautiously towards the “Is some-“
“Okaerinasai Naruto-chan!” Blue eyes widened with emotion, staring at the grinning teen making himself at home in his apartment.
“Wha- How did you even get in?" He found himself asking rather numbly, looking every bit as dumbfounded as he felt at the moment.
“Come on, Naru, you should be used to it by now.” The other responded nonchalantly, eyes wandering over Naruto’s small frame and zeroing on the items held within his grasp. “Did you go shopping or something?” The jonin inquired curiously, leaning forward in his seat.
“Just bought an outfit for tomorrow.” He mumbled in response, walking forward to sit on the chair on the opposite side of the table. “How come you’re here, didn’t you guys say you’d be really busy from now on?”
“Unfortunately, we are, as much as we’d like to train more, with Itachi joining the Anbu and my missions intensifying, we won’t have as much time as we did the last few weeks, I’m afraid.” He explained seriously, making Naruto feel as though there was something else he was not telling him, something serious. “But, I didn’t come here just to tell you that.” Shisui continued, his voice low and soft. “Here.” He finished, pulling out a small pouch from under the table.
Curious and a little lost, Naruto held out his hand, accepting the small bag with delicate fingers. His breath hitched as he opened it, a lump forming in his throat. He swallowed, willing away the tears that prickled at the back of his eyes. “Shisui…” He breathed, his voice raw with emotion as he brought the pouch to his chest, holding onto it like a lifeline.
“It’s not much, but I couldn’t let you go through your first day unprepared, so… there ya go.” The teen shot him a smile, gesturing once again to the gift he’d just offered the younger boy.
Inside were three notebooks, a few pencils and erasers, and a ruler. All were varying in color and sizes as if Shisui wasn’t sure what to get, so he got one of each.
“Itachi wanted to be here too, but he has his test tomorrow and he couldn’t get away from his clan duties. He says to wish you good luck and to enjoy yourself.” The teen hadn’t even finished his sentence before a small body was barreling into him.
“Whoah-"A pair of small, thin arms wrapped themselves around his midriff with enough force to almost tip his chair backward. "You alright, Naru-chan?”
The boy’s response was only to squeeze harder, as if to physically transmit his emotions now that his voice was failing him. Too overwhelmed to articulate his feelings or put them into words.
Hesitant arms came down to wrap around the boy’s back, squeezing back just as tightly. “It’s okay, I understand.” He whispered, feeling as though he didn’t deserve this level of gratitude for such a simple gesture.
“Th- thank you Shisui-nii.” His heart practically melted at the honorific, only now understanding why Itachi felt when he was near Sasuke-kun.
“Anytime, sweetheart.” He wished he could be there more for the boy. Feeling even guiltier, knowing they wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with him anymore.
___________________________________________
Waking up the next day, Naruto tried to be as optimistic as possible. Rushing through his morning routine, even though he knew he was up way too early to be rushing anything at all, he went through the familiar motions of getting ready for the day.
Thankfully, the water wasn’t too cold at this time of day, he could actually enjoy the shower he took a little bit. Drying his hair with a towel before slipping into his new clothes. Well, new was a relative term, but given that despite the state of the fabric, they were in better shape than anything else he owned.
It also helped that the colors of his chosen attire reminded him of his house values. He would need his courage today, he knew.
The prospect of learning new things and making friends was a concept he never dared to delve too deeply into. Lest he gets lost in the inevitable hurt and disappointment that accompanied such a topic.
One that was realistically too good to happen to him.
Potter luck and whatever the hell the world had against him in this life made sure of that.
He tried his best to remember that he’d been just as nervous, if not more, on his first day at Hogwarts. And that experience had, thankfully, ended with him finding an entirely new world, a home, and friends for life. So, maybe, if he gave it a chance, today wouldn’t be so bad.
Looking in the mirror, he tried to tame his unruly hair. Tried, being the key word. Giving up once he saw his attempts were only making it worse, he took a moment to look at himself.
His eyes were bright blue, a few specks of green swimming in the mix. Maybe he was imagining it, but the color was a little too familiar. Dark eye bags sunk into the skin under his eyes, making the shade stand out more. He really needed to find a way to deal with his nightmares, there were no dreamless sleep potions here he could take. Maybe if he really concentrated on his memories, he could get himself to recall the ingredients they had learned with Snape.
For now, however, there were other matters to focus on.
His red jacket hung over his frame, a little too big but not so much that it would slip off his shoulder. His pants were baggy at the hips but fit him relatively well, aside from the legs he had to roll up once. He really hated how short he was. Hopefully, if his nutriment intake didn't get in the way, he would grow taller quickly.
Mostly satisfied, he slipped the pouch over his neck and across his chest, happy that it had come with a strap that allowed him to do so. Checking and double-checking he had everything he needed, he stepped out of his bedroom and into the kitchen.
Opening his fridge damped his mood slightly, seeing what remained of his provisions. He knew that Itachi wouldn't leave him hanging, but given he hadn't seen the boy in over a week, he couldn't help but doubt it.
It was fine.
Taking a banana out of the fridge, he stuffed it into his pouch before moving on. He needed to ration what he had left. Just in case.
Everything was fine.
Inhaling deeply then exhaling, he finally felt ready to take on the day. Looking at the clock, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to get there early.
_________________________________
Walking into the academy ground felt nothing like stepping into Hogwarts. There was no magical lake to greet him, nor was there an enchanted castle to distract him from his mounting anxiety.
Stuffing his hands into his pockets to avoid fidgeting out in the open, he walked through the gates.
It might not have felt like stepping into Hogwarts, but it did feel a little bit like stepping into Platform 9 and three-quarters. As it felt like he was running into the unknown at full speed, not really knowing if he would be met with a crushing obstacle or not.
Expect there was one key difference here, there was no Mrs. Weasley to help encourage him or urge him to take the leap. Nor was there a tiny Ron to help him ease his nerves and feel a little less alone.
Squaring his shoulders he followed the trail of children leading into the small building. The big red doors closed behind him seamlessly as he walked in.
Reading through the numerous banners near each classroom, he finally found the one he was looking for. The Hokage had sent him a letter explaining some of the details he needed to know. A very vague letter that somehow only indicated the bare essentials. Time and date and a semi-genuine wish for good luck.
He expected the classroom to be empty this early, but it seemed that even if he an hour early, most of the students were already there. Most of the seats were already taken, except for a few in the back. It seemed that he had been misinformed. Did the Hokage want him to be late on purpose? Or were the clan kids used to getting super early to things? Something he could ponder later, he supposed.
He kept his eyes trained on the floor ahead of him as he walked up the small stairs toward the seat furthest back. A boy was already seated there, the seat next to him, free to use.
His hair was a light brown, kept in place by a grey beanie. Busy talking to someone on the other side of his seat, he didn’t notice Naruto’s approach until he was sliding into the seat next to him.
Naruto watched with a sinking feeling as the boy's eyes widened. It would have been comical if not for the immediate fear and disgust that flared within the kid's grey eyes. Shooting Naruto a glare, he quickly vacated his seat, joining two boys on a bench to the right. Preferring to squeeze into a small space then sit next to the resident freak it seemed.
Sighing heavily, he ignored the various looks he was getting from the kids around him, not meeting anyone’s gaze or even trying to look around at his new classmates, he resigned himself to a bad start to his academy days.
Laying his head against his desk, he tried to calm his mind to avoid a panic attack.
Everything was fine. Even if everyone reacted like that. He wasn’t here to make friends. He was here to learn. So, there.
With renowned determination, he made quick work of taking out one of his notebooks and a pen from his pouch. Setting the two delicately on the table and taking good care of aligning the pen with the spine. Satisfied with his handy work, he waited patiently for the teacher to arrive.
As if summoned by his thoughts, the door to the classroom slid open.
Hopefully, he would learn many interesting things today.
Chapter 8 already up in the link on my bio