Chapter Text
“Welp, Naruto…” The Sixth Hokage, Kakashi Hatake began, closing the book that he had been reading, one that Naruto had seen him with a million times. Naruto gulped, his hands slick with sweat.
Naruto had been indirectly working towards this for quite a couple of years, ever since the Fourth Great Ninja War ended. He had finally taken the Jonin Exams about a week ago, though he had been doing Jonin assignments since he was seventeen.
The official exams just… made him a little nervous, to say the least. But Kakashi had decided he could no longer condone a ninja technically of the rank of genin going on S-Rank missions, hence, Naruto facing his fears.
Not to sound cocky, but the physical aspects he knew he excelled in; both the Practical Exam portion and the one-on-one combat.
It was the written exam that scared him.
There was no trick to it this time, not like with the Chunin Exams, where he was able to pass without answering a single question when he was twelve. This time, all of the questions were things required for a Jonin to know of. Naruto had struggled with a large majority of the questions, but there were a select few he was confident in.
The question was: would they be enough?
His mouth felt dry, sapped of all of its moisture as he watched Lord Sixth, his former sensei and yet a man he’d never refer to as anything other than Kakashi Sensei, straightened his posture, rolling his chair closer to his desk and folding his hands atop it.
“Naruto, you…” Kakashi began, trailing off. Naruto resisted the urge to lean in, instead squeezing his hands behind his back with more force than necessary.
Kakashi…
Sighed.
No. I passed, didn’t I? I had to.
“Spit it out already, Kakashi-Sensei!” Naruto urged, although he worried his foolish hopes would be dashed the moment Kakashi gave his verdict. “I’m practically dying over here.”
“You…” Kakashi began once more. Naruto conceded to the urge to step forward with a foot. “You passed.” Kakashi’s eyes closed as a result of the smile adorning his face behind his mask.
Naruto stood, stunned for a second, expression blank with shock.
“H…Huh?” Was all he could manage to squeeze out of his throat.
I couldn’t have heard him right… right?
“Did you not hear me?” Kakashi asked genuinely, his head tilting a little. “I said, you passed. Congratulations.”
“I… I passed?” Naruto mumbled, his mind moving a mile a minute. “For real?” His eyes stung and, unbeknownst to Naruto himself, tears began to well in them.
“Yup.” Kakashi confirmed for the third time. “With flying colors.”
“Ha… Hah…” All of Naruto’s shock and utter relief barreled into him at once, and all he could let out was the broken sound of a laugh as tears began to fall from his eyes. He brought one of his arms to his face, and furiously began to wipe his tears away. Kakashi remained silent for a small moment.
“You’ve worked hard. I’ve bore witness to all of your efforts over the years, very closely in fact, as your former Jonin leader.” Kakashi started, mercifully giving Naruto time to collect himself. “This was only a matter of time.”
“It took a damn long time, ya know…” Naruto only half-joked, his voice still shaky as he dropped his arm from his face, the tears mostly gone. A small, proud smile graced his lips.
“Naruto Uzumaki.” Kakashi addressed him once more, standing and walking around his desk until he stood right in front of Naruto, the two practically equal in height. He placed one hand on Naruto’s left shoulder. “You are officially a Jonin of Konoha. And not only as your hokage, but as your sensei…” Uncharacteristic emotion clogged Kakashi’s voice, but he fought to keep it at bay, which Naruto smiled at. “I am very proud of you.”
The tears threatened to fall again.
Naruto fought his body’s inner workings to keep his eyes dry.
“Thank you, Kakashi Sensei.” He said earnestly, his sappy emotions locked away for now. He vowed to allow himself to get sappy again when he told Iruka-Sensei the news. Still… he allowed himself one more gentle comment. “I could never have done it without you.”
Naruto could practically see the smile on Kakashi’s face widen ever so slightly through the indentations on his mask. Kakashi nodded, turning and walking back around his desk. He did not sit, however, and instead stood, his hands braced on the edge of his desk.
“Sooo, Kakashi-Sensei…” Naruto began, rocking back and forth on his heels, his usual demeanor having returned. “When do I get my first mission as an official Jonin?” He smiled. Kakashi’s face settled into a devilish expression. Naruto’s shoulders tensed, almost comically so.
“Soon… but I doubt it will be in the form you’re envisioning.” Kakashi responded vaguely. Naruto raised a suspicious eyebrow.
“Wha… Whaddya mean?” He asked, watching Kakashi with a suspicious eye.
“Well… To be fair, you’ve already had far more than your fair share of A and S rank missions.” Kakashi reminded him. Naruto nodded, but frowned, unsure of where this was going. “I have something slightly different in mind for you.”
“And… what does that mean?” Naruto asked, apprehensive.
“Instead of being a Jonin, going on high rank missions with other Jonin and Chunin…” Kakashi elaborated, “Because we are running low on Jonin at the moment, I would like you to instead become a Jonin leader of a team of three genin.”
“…Huh?” Naruto repeated, dumbfounded.
“You didn’t mishear.” Kakashi assured him. Naruto stood with the verdict for a moment, unusually quiet.
“Me? In-in charge of three genin?” Naruto clarified aimlessly. Kakashi nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Me?” Naruto said, disbelieving. “The Sixth Hokage proclaimed, ‘Most unpredictable knuckleheaded ninja’? In charge of three young lives?”
“You are more responsible than you give yourself credit for, albeit, not by much.” Kakashi stated, backhandedly. Naruto was torn between being offended and honored. “But, I trust you with this. Honestly, I think it’ll be a good position for you.”
“Uh huh…” Naruto nodded conspicuously.
“You’re good with kids. Konohamaru is especially talented for his age and rank as chunin, as are Moegi and Udon, and it’s all thanks to your tutelage. Upon reviewing their chunin exam scores, interviewing them about you, and sessions of long, careful consideration, I’ve decided that you are most fit to be a Jonin leader out of all of our Jonin at this point in time. If you’ll accept the position of course, I suppose I can’t really force you.” Kakashi admitted bashfully, one hand coming up and rubbing the back of his neck.
Naruto stared down at his feet, catching his outfit in his vision as he looked down. Instead of the personalized clothing he used to wear, Naruto had grown accustomed to wearing the standard Hidden Leaf Shinobi uniform over the past year or two.
Me. He thought to himself. In charge of three genin, officially. Responsible for their growth, their maturity, their behavior, and their lives. Naruto let the responsibility of such a position sink into him. Can I really do that?
“You can do this,” Kakashi said with impeccable timing, almost as though he could read Naruto’s mind, “I know you can. But do you know that?”
“I…” Naruto shook his head, words lost to him for possibly the first time in his life. “I don’t know. What if something happens to the kids, my kids? Then what?” He asked, doubt planting its ugly seed in his gut.
Kakashi sighed compassionately, understanding written across his face.
“Think about it.” Kakashi suggested. Naruto nodded, grateful for his sensei’s patience. “Think you can get back to me by the end of today? Tomorrow’s Friday, which means the genin who passed the graduation exams will be getting their team assignments. I need to know if you’re in or out before then.” Kakashi explained. Naruto nodded.
“Hai, Sensei.” He responded. “I’ll let you know before tomorrow.”
“Great. Sounds like a plan then.” Kakashi accepted Naruto’s response. Naruto bowed in respect, and turned to take his leave, his mind whirling like a turbine.
“I’ll see ya around, Kakashi Sensei-“
“Naruto.” Kakashi piped up one more time. Naruto looked over his shoulder at him, eyes expectant. “I really do think this would be beneficial. To both you and the genin I plan to place you in charge of.”
So he’s already got a plan, huh? Naruto realized, unsure how to feel about that small fact.
“Think about it. Really hard.” Kakashi reminded him. Naruto nodded. expression serious.
“You can count on me, Kakashi Sensei.” He assured his teacher, giving Kakashi a thumbs-up. Kakashi smiled kindly.
“I know.” Kakashi nodded. Naruto flashed one of his bright, big smiles, and something that almost resembled fondness passed over Kakashi’s face. All the Sixth Hokage said, though, was: “Dismissed.”
Naruto walked out of the Hokage’s office.
~
Naruto poked at his bowl of Ichiraku ramen, the silence of the peaceful village stretching through the afternoon air.
“I would instead like you to become a Jonin leader in charge of a team of three genin…”
Naruto’s brows furrowed at the bowl of ramen he had yet to eat.
“The ramen say something offensive to you, boy?”
Naruto’s gaze shot up, his eyes meeting Teuchi’s, the old man who ran Ichiraku Ramen.
“Old man Teuchi!” He addressed, regaining knowledge of his surroundings after being lost in his own head. “Oh, uh, no, of course not.” He remembered to respond, his embarrassment mostly outweighed by the heavy decision bearing down on his back. He looked back down at his bowl of ramen, clutching his chopsticks a little bit too hard.
“Well then, what is it, Naruto?” Teuchi pressed, resting his hands on the counter that separated them. “The ramen’s gonna get cold if you keep giving it that icy glare.”
“Hah…” Naruto laughed weakly, relaxing his grip on his chopsticks ever so slightly. “It’s… It’s nothing.” He deigned to respond, swirling some ramen in his chopsticks and bringing the bite to his mouth.
The ramen was delicious, as always, but Naruto’s mind was too preoccupied to be able to fully enjoy the delicious bowl sitting right in front of him.
“If you’re sure…” Teuchi responded, clearly uneasy. “You know you can talk to me though, don’t you boy?”
“Yeah, of course.” Naruto responded, not lying. He just… didn’t think Teuchi would be of much help at the moment.
“Alright then…” Teuchi mumbled, his expression clearly showcasing his worry. Naruto pretended not to notice. “Now eat up, or else I’ll have no choice but to take back that life-long coupon of yours if you’re just gonna waste my food.” Teuchi said sternly, but not seriously, unbeknownst to Naruto. He’d never do that, but Naruto didn’t need to know that part.
“Uh- right!” Naruto nodded. He watched as Teuchi nodded, and then headed to the back, leaving the counter unattended. Naruto sighed, resting his head on his right hand, poking and prodding at his ramen once more.
“You can count on me, Kakashi-Sensei.”
“I know.”
Naruto was beginning to regret that declaration more every minute. Thinking too much hurt his brain, he preferred to just do, but he knew that wasn’t exactly an option in these circumstances.
This decision was… too important.
“Naruto?”
Naruto turned his head, looking at the pathway through the village that Ichiraku was situated by to find… Iruka!
Maybe he could help.
“Hey there, Iruka Sensei.” Naruto greeted, a small smile gracing his lips, hope igniting in his chest.
“Hey!” Iruka said cheerfully, making his way towards Naruto and taking a seat on the stool beside him. “Enjoying some ramen, huh?” Iruka asked, unsurprised. Naruto looked down and poked at his ramen once more, sobering from the brief elation Iruka’s appearance had supplied.
“Yeah… or, trying to, anyway…” Naruto admitted quietly. In his peripheral vision, Iruka’s brows furrowed, clearly sensing that something was off.
“What do you mean?” Iruka asked, bracing one of his arms on the counter and leaning forward to try and get a better look at Naruto’s face. Naruto averted his gaze. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, it’s just…” Naruto braced himself and forced the words through his unusually tight throat. “I passed my Jonin Exams.” He decided to start with, sharing with Iruka the only definitive good news he had. Iruka’s expression brightened.
“For real?” He asked, a wide smile on his face. He nudged Naruto slightly with his elbow affectionately. “Congratulations! I’m so proud of you.” He said tenderly. Naruto met Iruka’s gaze this time, and smiled earnestly.
“Thanks, Iruka Sensei. It’s all thanks to you.” He replied, honesty coating his words. Iruka smiled, looking every part the proud dad.
“Don’t be dense.” Iruka insisted. “This is all thanks to your hard work.” He assured Naruto. Naruto smiled, but it was weak, his reminder of his new status bringing along with it reminders of the decision weighing on his mind.
“Yeah, I guess…” Naruto agreed, though the heart that normally accompanied his words was weak this time around. Iruka frowned.
“So… why aren’t you more happy?” Iruka asked, concern flashing across his features as his eyes scanned Naruto and his body language. “I figured you’d be ecstatic!”
“Oh, I am, ya know?” Naruto clarified, smiling in a poor attempt to reassure the man he looked to more as a father. “About that part, at least.”
“Well, what other parts are there?” Iruka asked, gently prying. “I feel like I’m missing something…”
“It’s just…” Naruto began, swirling his ramen around but making no move to take a bite. “Instead of being a standard Jonin, Kakashi asked me to lead a team of three genin.”
Iruka made a small sound of surprise. Naruto looked up at him, unsurprised to find his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. Naruto smiled a little at the amusing expression.
“You?” Iruka asked. Naruto laughed, louder than he had all day.
“That’s what I said!”
“That’s…” Iruka began, shaking his head. Naruto was suddenly struck by the worry that Iruka didn’t think it was a good idea, surprised by how much the possibility hurt him. “I think that’s perfect.”
“You… you do?” Naruto asked. The worry about Iruka’s thoughts was gone, but another worry took its place, one about what that position would entail.
“I think that’s the perfect position for you.” Iruka said again. “I think you’d make an excellent Jonin Leader.”
“But…” Naruto protested weakly. “What if I wouldn’t? What if I accept this position, and then something happens to my… students?” Naruto voiced his doubts, the word students stirring something in his chest. “How could I be responsible for three young lives?”
“Ahh, so that’s what’s bugging you.” Iruka realized. Naruto’s lips tightened in a thin line, and his gaze travelled back to his ramen, getting colder by the second. He forced himself to take another bite, refusing to let the perfectly good food go to waste.
“Wow, you’re not even eating ramen with your usual fervor.” Iruka continued, observing Naruto closely. “You must be thinking about this pretty hard.”
“I have to. I…” Naruto paused, articulating what he wanted to say. “I would love to guide three young ninja, like how I did with Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. I would.”
“But…?” Iruka prompted, the perfect picture of patience.
“But that was different. I never took them on missions, and I wasn’t solely responsible for their development, or…” Cold, hard fear settled in Naruto at the thought of losing any one of them, and he couldn’t imagine how much more that fear would be heightened with his own students. “Their lives.”
“Naruto…” Iruka said, his voice a little surprised at how seriously Naruto was clearly taking this decision.
“The thought of anything happening to Moegi, or Udon, or Konohamaru…” Naruto gulped, his words getting clogged in his throat. “It scares me.”
“It’s that same fear that drives you to protect them with all of your might though, isn’t it?” Iruka asked. Naruto looked up at him, considering.
“Yeah, I… I guess.” He admitted.
“Now, listen, Naruto. I was never a Jonin instructor, so I can’t say I understand exactly what you’re going through…” Iruka began. Naruto listened with intent. “But, I do understand worrying for your students, and worrying that you won’t be able to protect them. Now, I admit, I’ve never had to take my students on missions… but, I had this one student who was always up to some sort of mischief that made looking after him feel like a mission.” Iruka said light-heartedly. Naruto chuckled, immediately catching on to the fact that Iruka was talking about him.
“He was always so rash and reckless, getting himself into trouble more times than I can count.” Iruka continued. “It’s, honestly, nothing short of a miracle that he’s still alive today.” Iruka said, a hint of worry in his tone. Naruto frowned slightly. “I was always worried that I wouldn’t be able to protect him if things got too rough, too far, too much for me alone… but then I realized something.”
“Yeah?” Naruto prompted. Iruka smiled at him.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “I realized I wasn’t alone. Not only did I have other shinobi around me perfectly capable of helping me out, but also… my student was capable.” He emphasized. “He always managed to come out of any scruff alive, and smiling like a dope. It wasn’t all on me to protect them. I was forced to realize that my students, all of them, have minds of their own, that they can make their own decisions. That… even if something were to happen to them, I could at least find comfort in knowing they chose for themselves their future.”
“…Is that so?” Naruto asked mindlessly, giving the concept some thought. He supposed… Iruka was right.
…Maybe…
Maybe he could do this.
“Yeah. I think you should give it a try.” Iruka encouraged. Naruto nodded thoughtfully.
“I… I think you’re right.” He conceded. Iruka beamed, and was met with a large smile from Naruto. He was still… worried, and doubtful, but he was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, he could be another young genin’s Kakashi. “Thanks a lot, Iruka Sensei!”
“Anytime. Now, eat up. I can tell you’re not fully convinced yet.” Naruto smiled, embarrassed. “Your mind won’t do you any good if you’re hungry.
“Uh- right!” Naruto nodded, some of his appetite having returned. He began to slurp at his ramen loudly, and Iruka laughed.
“That’s my boy.” He said proudly. Just then, Teuchi walked back out, and Iruka waved him over. “Hey there, Teuchi! Let me get a large bowl of Miso Ramen, with Naruto Fishcakes please!”
Teuchi nodded dutifully.
“You’ve got it, Iruka!” He nodded, and set himself to the task of making the ramen.
Naruto smiled at both Teuchi and Iruka, feeling more like himself.
~
“Thanks a bunch again, old man!” Naruto said, turning as he walked out of Ichiraku, smiling and waving. Iruka had left himself not too long ago, saying something about going to speak to Kakashi.
“Anytime, Naruto! You come back now soon, y’hear?” Teuchi instructed, smiling and waving back. Naruto flashed a thumbs up, and began walking away.
He had no real destination in mind, but his feet carried him through his home village without hesitation, taking in all of the sights that he had seen millions of times, and the ones that he hadn’t seen as often. Old establishments littered the side streets, of course, like the hot springs, and that classic Barbeque place, but new ones did, too. The village had changed a little during reconstruction. There were newer establishments, new technology, and now it was standard for every establishment to have a phone of some sort. It was like the village was evolving right before Naruto’s very eyes.
Much like the young ninja.
Naruto couldn’t help but wonder… If he accepted this position, what would his team be like? Would they be like Naruto’s own team seven? Maybe more like Hinata’s team ten? Shikamaru’s team eight?
Or… like Tenten, Bushy Brows, and…
Neji.
The thought hit Naruto almost like a punch to the gut.
Bushier Brows Sensei has lost a student before.
Here he was, mourning over his team that he hadn’t even met or lost yet. But… Bushier Brows Sensei had gone through the very thing that scared Naruto most, that kept him from going to Kakashi and telling him he accepted.
Before Naruto knew it, his feet came to a stop in front of Tenten’s new Ninja Supply shop. She had opened her business just a month ago, and memories of the celebratory dinner he and all of his friends had shared in her honor flooded his mind. Ever since, Bushier Brows Sensei had been there everyday, buying something that he’d likely never use in his life as a form of support.
Naruto gulped at the suddenly intimidating establishment.
But…
He knew he had to do this.
Naruto pushed through the apprehension that enveloped him, literally pushing through the door to Tenten’s store.
“Welco-“ Her chipper voice began, before her eyes fully registered who walked in. “Naruto?”
“Heya there Tenten!” Naruto replied, waving sheepishly.
“NARUTO! My boy, full of hot-blooded youth!” Guy Sensei’s booming voice bounced off of the walls, and Naruto smiled brightly… but not as brightly as he would’ve normally.
Naruto’s gaze turned to the source of the voice, and landed on Bushier Brows Sensei, who sat in his wheelchair, one of his legs still in that cast of his.
Naruto couldn’t help but wish he had been able to do more back then… during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He fought a frown.
“Well, what’s up Naruto? You looking for something specific?” Tenten asked, pulling Naruto out of his stupor. His gaze returned to her, on the other side of a glass counter that showcased flashier, more expensive Ninja Tools than the standard kunai and shuriken that littered the shop walls.
“Uh… not exactly, hah…” Naruto responded vaguely, approaching the counter. Bushier Brows Sensei was seated in front of the counter, to Naruto’s right as he approached.
“Oh?” Tenten’s brows furrowed in confusion.
“Well, what is it, Naruto?” Guy Sensei asked as Naruto approached, his voice less booming than it had been a moment ago.
“Well, uhm…” Naruto began hesitantly, putting his hands in his pockets. “I actually kind of wanted to talk to you, Bushier Brows Sensei. “
“Guy-Sensei?!” Tenten asked incredulously, seemingly shocked at the fact that anyone would willingly seek out her… eccentric, mentor…
“Me?” Bushier Brows Sensei shared Tenten’s sentiment. However, the brief surprise did not deter him, and instead ignited his passion. “Well, have at it, Naruto! Come at me with all you’ve got!”
“Do I need to leave?” Tenten mumbled comically. Naruto looked at her and shook his head, his smile uneasy, but reassuring. Well, he hoped, anyway.
“No.” Naruto responded. “In fact, I think I’d rather have you here too.” He admitted. A small sound of surprise escaped Tenten’s lip, but, she nodded.
“Oh… Okay.” She agreed. “I’ll stay then.”
Naruto sighed, unsure how to broach this tender subject. He was positive that this must be a sensitive topic for both Tenten and Guy, thinking about… Neji, and… his death.. However, Naruto’s selfishness kept him from turning away and forgoing this conversation altogether. He had already initiated it… Naruto decided to take on an approach quite similar to the one he had used with Iruka.
“I, uh… I found out that I passed my jonin exams today.” He started. A bright, proud smile grew on Bushier Brows Sensei’s lips, and a smaller smile sat upon Tenten’s face as well. She clapped a little.
“Wow! Congratulations, Naruto, it’s about time.” She jested light-heartedly. Naruto smiled, and nodded in agreement.
“YES!” Guy sensei shouted. Naruto’s eardrums pounded from the sudden sound. “And those accomplishments are the fruits of hard labor, never giving up, and growing throughout your youth!” He praised, punching the air with his fists. Naruto backed up, so as not to be caught in the crossfire between Guy and the empty air that surrounded him, chuckling a little at the display.
“We have to tell the others, we have to celebrate!” Tenten insisted, already moving. Naruto held up a hand to stop her, and she hesitated.
“Thanks a bunch, but… that’s not what I came to talk to you guys about.” He informed Tenten and Guy, who froze in their respective positions.
“Hm?” Guy hummed inquisitively. There was a shift in the air, tension threading through the air like a spider web.
“Well, then… what is it, Naruto?” Tenten urged him to continue. Naruto took a deep breath, and did his best to comply.
“Kakashi Sensei told me that… instead of becoming a standard Jonin, he wants me to be a Jonin Instructor… for a team of three genin.” He elaborated further, though still not fully conveying all that he wanted to say.
“I… what?” Tenten asked, shock written across her facial features. Guy Sensei looked at Naruto, with much the same expression, before…
Exploding into a puddle of tears.
“OH!” He wailed, tilting his head up at the sky, one of his hands still in a fist. “The second most hot-blooded youth of our village, the first being Lee of course, passing down his will of fire and way of youth to the next shinobi of our village! OH, IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL!” Guy Sensei sobbed. Tenten and Naruto exchanged unsure glances. “Kakashi! You have outdone yourself yet again! Truly a worthy rival, making decisions for your students to rival the greatness of the ones I have made for my own! OH!” Guy Sensei began ugly crying, and Tenten reached over the counter to awkwardly pat his back, offering even more awkward words of comfort.
Naruto, however, had latched on to the implications of what Guy Sensei had said.
“Truly a worthy rival, making decisions for your students to rival the greatness of the ones I have made for my own!”
The words replayed in Naruto’s mind, over and over again.
That meant that… Guy-Sensei was insinuating that he was proud of the decisions he had made for his students, and where they had all led them.
Did that sentiment include…
Neji?
“There there, Guy Sensei…” Tenten stopped patting Bushier Brows Sensei’s back as he sniffled, collecting himself.
“I’m sorry but… that is truly excellent, Naruto!” Guy Sensei said, flashing Naruto a thumbs-up. “You will make an excellent Jonin Leader, I can see it before my very eyes!”
“I… I haven’t accepted the position yet.” Naruto admitted.
“What?” Guy Sensei’s aloof demeanor vanished almost instantly, and Tenten’s brows furrowed in confusion too.
“I-I want to! Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to!” Naruto hurriedly explained, waving his hands around frantically.
“If that’s the case then go and do it, my boy! The youth of the next generation awaits your guidance!” Guy Sensei encouraged. Tenten nodded supportively.
“I agree with Guy Sensei on this one.I think you’d make a pretty good jonin instructor!” She supplied helpfully.
“But… what if my guidance isn’t good enough?” Naruto mumbled, mostly to himself, but to no one’s surprise, Tenten and Guy picked up on the small question.
“What do you mean, Naruto?” Tenten broached tentatively. Naruto sighed, conflicted. Bushier Brows Sensei stayed silent.
“I… I can’t imagine what I would do if… something happened to one of my students. The thought alone scares me to death, and I haven’t even met them yet…” Naruto said quietly. Quiet understanding spread through the air. Tenten and Guy both finally understood why Naruto had come to them.
Neji.
Guy let out a sigh through his nose.
“What if one day, either because of me being a poor teacher, or my own inability to protect them, something happened to one of them?” Naruto asked, the words now flowing out of his mouth as the dam he had built around his worries broke. “How could I trust myself with something like that?”
“Is that what you think about me, Naruto?” Guy Sensei asked, unusually serious. Naruto snapped out of his haze of worry at once.
“What…?” Naruto whispered.
“Do you think I was a poor teacher to Neji?” Guy sensei clarified. Naruto’s eyes widened. “Or that I was unable to protect him?”
“N-No!” Naruto insisted immediately, shaking his head, adamant. “No- no that’s not what I meant at all, you’re a great teacher, Guy Sensei, it’s just that-“
“Good. Because neither of those things are true.” Guy sensei said confidently, interrupting Naruto. For once, Naruto didn’t complain. Tenten also stood by passively, the two of them waiting for Guy Sensei to go on. “Neji made his own decisions that day. And those decisions, as much as I wish they could’ve been different, led us to winning the most important war in all of shinobi history. And… I couldn’t be prouder to call myself his sensei.”
Silence descended upon their small group for a moment.
Naruto allowed Guy Sensei’s words to sink in. Neji had not broken Guy Sensei. He had made him proud.
Neji had made an important decision that day. And although it led to his passing, it was an incredible decision, one that only someone incredibly strong could make.
One that Guy Sensei’s tutelage had allowed Neji to make.
Naruto swallowed the frog in his throat.
“How did you… get past it?” Naruto asked. “Neji’s… passing?”
“Naruto… I am not going to lie to you.” Guy Sensei began, his expression one of stone. “You don’t… get past something like that. You let it sink in.” He explained. Naruto’s brows furrowed, and Guy Sensei elaborated. “I had to put myself in Neji’s shoes. Think about what I would’ve done, and what might’ve happened if Neji hadn’t had the strength to make that choice. It was… hard.” Guy Sensei admitted. “But, eventually, I came to a conclusion.”
“And… that was?” Tenten asked, her voice shaky with emotion. It struck Naruto that Tenten had never heard these words either.
“That I had raised Neji to become the shinobi he was.” Guy Sensei answered. “I had helped him nurture his values, alongside many others. And those values led Neji to make his own decisions in his life. Decisions that I, as his sensei, could not be prouder of. I soaked Neji’s ideals into myself when he passed, his hopes, his beliefs, his ethics. I did not move past his death. I made it an integral part of me. And without that part, that day, I might not have had the strength to sacrifice my body. Neji’s passing impacted me, but it made me stronger. I wish with all of my heart that he was still with us today. But dwelling on the fact that he's not wouldn’t be what he wanted. He would want us, all of us, to carry out his will of fire, and respect his decisions, and use them to make us better. And I did just that. In his honor.”
“It was an incredibly strengthening experience. Both one of the worst, and the most valuable parts of becoming a jonin instructor.” Guy Sensei concluded.
Naruto vaguely registered Tenten sniffling. He didn’t even notice his eyes getting watery until they began to sting. Naruto hurriedly blinked away his tears.
“Guy Sensei…” He said, speechless. To his shock, Bushier Brows Sensei smiled brightly at him.
“Go, Naruto. Accept your rightful position. I swear upon my youth, you will never regret it.” He said earnestly, nodding at Naruto curtly.
Determination ignited in Naruto’s chest.
He was going to become a Jonin Instructor.
He had to.
And he was going to make everyone proud. His own senseis and his future students.
His friends.
Neji.
He was going to pass on their will of fire.
Guy Sensei smiled, sensing Naruto’s firmed resolve.
“And there’s the youth I love to see!” He said proudly. Tenten laughed, wiping away her tears.
“Go get ‘em, tiger!” She encouraged, her smile trembling with emotion.
Naruto nodded at both of them.
“I won’t let you down!” He swore.
And I don’t go back on my word.
Naruto turned to leave, walking away, but just as he reached the shop door, he turned, a thought striking him.
“Hey, Tenten…” He began, looking over his shoulder at her.
“Hm?” She hummed, her tears dry but eyes a little red.
Naruto smiled.
His realest, truest smile all day.
“You wouldn’t happen to have two bells, would you?”