Chapter Text
Naruto loved his parent. (The epithet had yet to be said aloud, still too raw and vulnerable in his chest, but it lived there quietly. It would bloom there one day.) He loved living in Orochimaru’s warm house with his two big brothers and one big sister, and with a mom-dad-parent who cared and made sure he was never hungry, even if they made him eat gross veggies and only let him have ramen once a week.
So yeah, Naruto was
happy
, at least at home. The teachers and students at the academy were still assholes, but Orochimaru, or one of Naruto’s siblings (depending on who was home), would pick him up, so none of the teachers at least were brave enough to try anything.
(Naruto, for his part, felt like he was on top of the world with Orochimaru or Kabuto or Tenzou or Anko picking him up at the end of each day, holding his hand as they walked home, asking him about his day. It was everything he’d ever dreamed of in the orphanage.)
Unfortunately, the much-beloved walk home was hours away and Naruto was stuck in class. He listened to Iruka-sensei drone on about this and that as he leaned back in his chair sleepily. He didn’t skip class; whenever he tried, Orochimaru (or Kabuto, in their absence) would give him the Look of Disappointment that made Naruto feel like the worst kind of asshole. Naruto didn’t think Orochimaru would throw him out, not at this point, but… he wanted to be good, prove that they hadn’t made a mistake in taking him in.
So there Naruto was, sitting in class like a good boy, listening to Iruka talk about the angle of descent when a kunai is thrown with x joules of force like anyone gave a single damn, when he heard it.
“Sasuke’s so handsome and stoic,” someone whispered. Naruto grimaced. He was so tired of hearing about Sasuke Uchiha , the apparent source of all that is good in the world.
“He’s so cool and strong,” another girl whispered back. Naruto stuck his tongue out. Bullshit. He was just another clan boy.
The whispers (and Naruto could tell now that it was the civilian girls more than anyone else, though he thought he heard Yamanaka in there, too) continued as Iruka moved on to a different physics equation.
Boring, much?
Class continued relatively peacefully, with the girls settling down after Naruto turned to glare at them. He wasn’t paying attention to Iruka, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear a bunch of vapid whispering about the Uchiha kid. Eventually, three-thirty rolled around and the children poured out of the academy in a cheerful river of squabbling. Naruto burst from the doors and began eagerly scanning the crowd for Orochimaru, seeing as they were on leave for a week and would therefore have the responsibility (honor, they called it) of walking him home.
After a few moments, they spotted their parent’s slender, pale form. Their hair fell in a curtain around their shoulders, and they knelt with open arms to embrace Naruto as he bounced up to them, grinning broadly.
“Hi, Oro! Class was boring today, can we go play?”
Orochimaru huffed a smile at the nickname, ruffling Naruto’s hair. “I can make time, if you’d like. Did anyone give you any trouble today?”
Naruto shook his head, throwing his arms around Orochimaru’s slim neck and pressing his mouth to their cheek before letting go. “Nope! It was just bo-ring ! And all the girls won’t shut up about Sasuke, even though he’s boring too!”
Orochimaru laughed as they straightened and took Naruto’s hand, beginning their walk. “Well, I’m sure for some of them, their parents are encouraging them to marry a clan boy to ensure their futures. And for other girls, Uchiha-kun is unattainable enough that he’s not threatening.”
Naruto pouted as he considered that. “Well, I guess it makes sense… but still, why do they have to talk about him all the time? There are way nicer guys in class.”
Naruto’s guardian tapped his nose. “Little one, you must understand that Uchiha-kun is dealing with a lot. Be kind to him, even if you don’t want to.”
The little blond grimaced. “I guess… but he’s such an asshole. I guess I’d be one too if my family died, but that doesn’t make me want to spend time with him.”
Orochimaru sighed, guiding Naruto gently down a side road towards their preferred training ground. “Invite him over for dinner tomorrow night, if you would. Uchiha-kun would likely benefit from friends right now.”
Naruto wrinkled his nose, but acquiesced. “Alright, fine. But just once, ya hear?”
His parent merely patted him on the head as they approached Training Ground Nineteen, a flat, open clearing with a few large rocks and stumps to use as targets or as obstacles.
“Let’s play ninja tag,” Orochimaru said cheerfully. “If you can tag me once, with weapons or with your hands, I’ll take you out for ramen tonight.”
---
Uchiha Sasuke was… surprised, to say the least, when Uzumaki Naruto approached him after school the next day.
He didn’t dislike Naruto as much as he disliked other people in the class, although he was loud and rather annoying, for the simple reason that the boy seemed to have no interest in Sasuke and largely left him alone. He’d seen Naruto be picked up at the end of each day by one of a small group of different shinobi, which made him ache a bit, but other than that, he was… far from terrible.
“What do you want,” Sasuke said flatly.
Naruto looked at him sheepishly. “I, uh… my parent asked me to invite you over for dinner. They said that you don’t look like you eat enough.”
(Orochimaru had not, in fact, said that, but Naruto figured Sasuke didn’t need to know that.)
Sasuke stared at Naruto for a long moment. “Why would I accept?”
Naruto shrugged. “I don’t really care if you do or not. I just told them I’d ask.”
Sasuke thought for a long moment. He could go home, and eat some instant food and train until dark, or he could have a meal with Naruto and his ninja family. Honestly, it seemed like it might hit a little too close to home, but in the end, that indifference was what drove Sasuke to accept Naruto’s offer.
“I guess I could come.”
Naruto smiled at Sasuke. Its intensity was a bit dazzling.
“Follow me, then.” Naruto took his hand and guided him out the door towards a pale, slender form. The person loomed above the children waiting for their parents. When they saw the duo of students, they (and Sasuke couldn’t quite tell whether they were a man or a woman) knelt to greet them both.
“Hello, little ones. How was class?”
Their voice was surprisingly deep and gravelly. Sasuke took an instinctual step back, before forcibly relaxing.
Naruto, meanwhile, was yammering into his parent’s ear, his arms around their neck. They stood, hands going to support the boy, and looked at Sasuke with haunting yellow eyes like a cat’s or a snake’s. “Hello,” they repeated, more gently.
“Hello,” Sasuke replied, and bowed. “My name is Uchiha Sasuke. It’s nice to meet you.”
A hand landed on top of his head, ruffling his hair. Sasuke flinched at the easy familiarity of the gesture, the casual nature of it all. “I am Yashagoro Orochimaru. Thank you for indulging my whims; I worry about children who live alone, so the least I can do is offer you dinner.”
Sasuke nodded. Orochimaru… he knew that name. His parents had not liked them, but Itachi had spoken kindly of them, once or twice. They were scary , but… they couldn’t be that bad if Naruto was clinging to them like a limpet, periodically pulling on their hair.
The walk to their house was quiet. It was on the outskirts of Konoha, but in the near-opposite direction to the Uchiha compound. Orochimaru did not walk especially slowly, but kept a very deliberate pace that both children could match easily. Their movements were unsettlingly measured. Not even Itachi had that precise, measured quality to the way he walked.
Sasuke cleared his throat, and gently tugged on Orochimaru’s skirts. “Um, Orochimaru-san, what do you do ? You’re not a regular ninja, right?”
Orochimaru seemed to ponder the question for a moment while Naruto interjected.
“They do all kindsa cool shit! Like making jutsu and stuff!”
Orochimaru merely sighed at their child’s exuberance before elaborating. “Currently, no, I am not an active-duty shinobi. Instead, I work for the Hokage researching jutsu and medical practices. Does that make sense?”
Sasuke thought on it for a moment, then nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer. “So you help the village get stronger.”
Orochimaru smiled slightly at the sincere, childlike conclusion. “Yes, you can see it that way.”
Naruto seemed quite smug about this. “Yeah, my parent is the coolest!”
Sasuke shrugged, unwilling to be drawn into that sort of contest so soon after what had happened to his family. Orochimaru merely tapped on Naruto’s shoulder, guiding the boy along a bit faster.
The house, once they finally arrived, was quite normal. It was on the larger side, easily made to fit an abundant family, and was quite well maintained. The grounds were small but lush, and Sasuke jumped as he watched a small snake slip across the path in front of him. It was quite shiny, a beautiful striped black and white pattern. He squatted down to look at it, letting go of Orochimaru’s skirt. The little snake looked back at him with round yellow eyes, flicking its tongue out at him. Sasuke smiled.
“Hi, Mr. Snake.”
To his absolute delight, the snake replied, “Hello, little one.”
Sasuke’s eyes widened as Naruto came to look at the snake with him.
“Oh, it’s Tama. Hi Tama!” The blond fearlessly reached out to pick up the little snake, who obligingly wiggled onto his palm. “Oro, look! It’s Tama!”
Orochimaru had been watching the whole situation with a gentle amusement. They held out their arm, and Tama disappeared up their billowing sleeve in a few scant moments. “Thank you for being so gentle with her, Sasuke. I much appreciate it. Tama is one of my oldest summons, and I often task her with guarding the grounds.”
They patted Sasuke’s head again, and then continued guiding both children inside the warm, bright house.
The inside was just as well-kept as the outside, but undeniably lived in. There were dishes in the sink, and shoes scattered by the door. A young woman lay face down on the ground asleep while a boy maybe twice Sasuke and Naruto’s age read at a low table. A second boy who was older than the first was fiddling with something nearby. It was a startlingly domestic picture.
Orochimaru ushered them over the threshold, and after they all took off their shoes they invited them to sit at the table. “Allow me to make you some tea and get some snacks while I start dinner,” they said.
The younger of the two strange boys looked up. “Ah, I have a kettle on the stove already.”
Orochimaru smiled. “Thank you, dear. Sasuke, these are my other children. This is Kabuto, Yamato, and Anko.” Upon stating each of the children’s names, they gestured at them. “Give me one moment, and I’ll have some refreshments for you all.”
With that, they disappeared into what Sasuke figured was the kitchen. Kabuto put down his book and smiled at Sasuke, while Naruto flung himself at the girl, Anko, who had remained dead asleep the whole time. As the squabble between those two started, Kabuto said, “Hi. It’s nice to meet you. If you’re Naruto’s friend, you’re always welcome around here.”
Anko took only a few moments to get Naruto in a headlock, at which point she noticed the visitor. “Oh. Hi. I’m Anko. Who’re you?”
Kabuto grimaced at her rudeness, while Naruto windmilled his arms to try to escape his big sister’s grasp.
“I’m Sasuke Uchiha,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you.” He thought about correcting Kabuto, saying that Naruto was not in fact his friend and that he barely knew the boy, but… would saying it change anything?
The young man Orochimaru had introduced as Yamato was still fiddling with whatever was in his hands. He seemed quite awkward, but he did nod at Sasuke. He could respect that sort of introversion. It was less annoying anyway.
After a few minutes, Orochimaru returned with the tea set and an assortment of wagashi on a lacquered tray. When they entered the room, their gaze fell on where Anko and Naruto were still wrestling, and they raised one perfectly manicured eyebrow. “We have a guest , children.”
Although Orochimaru seemed mildly disappointed rather than upset or angry, Anko dropped Naruto, and both looked chagrined. Then, they set the tray on the table and clapped their hands together softly.
“Please, indulge yourself, Sasuke. Dinner will be ready shortly but in any case please help yourself.”
Then they turned imperiously on their heel and went back into the kitchen, where it was beginning to smell quite good. Sasuke’s tummy rumbled at the same time as Naruto’s, and both boys reached for the wagashi.
Maybe this whole having a friend thing wouldn’t be that bad, Sasuke considered, if he got food every time he came over. Kabuto poured him a cup of tea so he wouldn’t burn himself, and then did the same for Naruto, and passed them both the mugs of fragrant liquid. Sasuke nibbled on his manjuu while Naruto shoveled mochi into his mouth.
Sasuke set the bun aside after a moment to sip on the tea. It was hot, so he blew into it, and it cooled quickly. He found it more to his taste than the sweets, so he sipped on it as he watched Kabuto scold Naruto and Anko in turns for eating too much before dinner.
Eventually, the door to the kitchen creaked open, and Orochimaru carried out another tray. This one was laden with plates, each with a generous helping of curry rice. After setting each seat at the table with a plate, they took the empty tray and the still partially-full one from the wagashi and carried them both, stacked, back into the kitchen before taking their seat at the table.
Dinner was surprisingly calm, despite the energetic nature of the personalities at the table. Orochimaru asked each child about their schoolwork and offered suggestions about how to improve in problem areas. Sasuke was quite surprised when it came to be his turn; it was strange (not bad , just strange) for someone to offer genuine help without wanting to benefit from the Uchiha name. But Orochimaru didn’t need that name; they were quite successful of their own accord.
Sasuke decided he liked them.
After dinner, when all the dishes had been cleared away and a new pot of tea was brewing, Orochimaru gently tapped Sasuke’s shoulder. “If you’d like me to walk you home, we should probably go now. It will get dark soon, and it is a bit of a way to your family compound. You can stay the night, if you’d like, but please decide soon.”
They moved to stand after that, presumably to give Sasuke a bit of breathing room to think on it, but the little boy’s lip wobbled for a moment, and he took a shuddering breath before bursting into tears. He didn’t want to go home to an empty compound, alone with ghosts, after spending the evening in a house that was alive with people and love. Orochimaru settled back into a comfortable sitting position and patted Sasuke’s shoulders. After a moment, Naruto brought a blanket and messily covered Sasuke with it, tossing it over his back. Orochimaru neatened it, wrapping it a little more neatly around him for comfort, and poured the boy another cup of tea as Naruto squeezed Sasuke in a hug.
“Hush, hush, it’s alright, it’s quite alright,” Orochimaru said as they rubbed Sasuke’s back. “You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do.”
The boy’s sobs settled after a few moments, and he took a gulp of the hot tea to soothe his frayed nerves. His face was blotchy, and Orochimaru dabbed at it with their sleeve. Naruto made a soft expression at Sasuke, before declaring, “You’re staying the night here!”
Orochimaru went to chide their son for his presumtuousness, but Sasuke merely nodded emphatically, burrowing back into the blanket he was wrapped in. The sannin merely sighed. What a shame it was, for children so small to be put in a military academy to become soldiers. It made them unable to process their feelings. It made them weapons, robbed them of their youths.
Orochimaru did their damndest to raise his children normally, but it was a hard line to strike between that and not giving them the resources to succeed as shinobi when all of them had decided on that path. It was an impossible dilemma. Itachi Uchiha, and to some extent Sasuke, represented the end of the spectrum where children were moulded into weapons and it broke Orochimaru’s heart.
What could they do but offer the boy a place in their home?