Chapter 25 - 25 The Scar?

Naruto was quick to hide his recognition. He could hear his heart beating a million miles a minute, the blood coursing through his body drowned out all other sounds. Still, he kept his face a mask of perfect and practiced calm.

"I'm sorry." He said again and scratched the back of his head in habit. He couldn't quite look in his eyes, so he was grateful for Killer B's shades that were always in place.

"It's no problem, man." B said before an awkward silence descended upon them. 𝘞𝘰𝘸, 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳?

"Ah, yeah okay. Well, it was nice to meet you." Naruto bowed and tried to make a run for it.

"Say, you look familiar. What's your name?" Killer B stopped him before he could escape. Naruto knew that if he wasn't rapping that he was serious.

Naruto looked at him carefully before he answered. "... Naruto Uzumaki." He knew how perceptive Killer B had been in his time, so he was more than a little cautious.

Killer B considered him for a moment. "Nice to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki. My name is the infamous Killer B." He held out a fist. Naruto pretended not to notice and bowed again.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Killer B. I have to go, maybe I'll see you around." Naruto said.

Whatever god was out there must've hated his guts. "Wait." B called, once again foiling his attempt to leave a situation he wasn't sure he was ready to handle. Naruto turned his head back to face B reluctantly.

"Have you heard any rumors of Konoha nin around here lately?" B kept his eyes glued on the blond, daring him to lie. The question brought the weight of reality with it, Naruto and Killer B were not friends. The shinobi in front of him was not his mentor. They were enemies, if Killer B knew that he was a Leaf shinobi, he would probably kill him or bring him to his Kage or A. This man was here for one reason, to spy on the Land of Fire so the Cloud could destroy it, or at the very least take some of its forces.

Taking the role of an innocent villager, Naruto adopted a surprised expression. "Konoha? Can't say I have... why?"

Killer B smiled in a way that made it unclear if he believed Naruto or not. "It's nothing."

As much as he wanted to, Naruto knew that prying would only give him away so he nodded politely before walking to the inn as casually as he could. He suppressed the urge to book it down the road to get out from the gaze he could feel watching him.

As he strolled up to the desk of the inn to book himself and the rest of his new team rooms, he caught his reflection in one of the windows. His face was a mask of calm and collectedness - the complete opposite of how he really felt. He wondered when he had become so good at masking his emotions. It was a shame in a way, he used to be such an open book even a blind person could read him, it had been one of the reasons people so easily trusted him - well that's what Kakashi had said anyways.

Someone cleared their throat. "Can I help you?" Naruto's gaze turned to the woman at the reception desk.

"I need four rooms please, three single and one double." He requested. The woman looked in a book and sighed.

"I'm sorry sir, we only have two single rooms available, we could change to two doubles maybe?" She informed in a small voice. Though he seemed friendly, it was hard not to be intimidated by Naruto's blue eyes.

Naruto was put out slightly, he really didn't want to share a room, he knew that he talked in his sleep, and with all the nightmares he had been having the last thing he needed was for someone to hear something they shouldn't. But he nodded in affirmation, and he was handed three room keys. He realized that he would have to go back to the springs and give the rest of his team their keys and had to hold in a groan.

As he walked back into the streets, he was immensely relieved when he didn't see his former mentor in sight. He rushed a little on his way down the street while still seeming casual at the same time and as he got to the bathhouse his team was just leaving.

"Oh hey, Naruto. I thought you went to the inn?" Rin was the first to notice him, he was so soundless when he moved, like a ghost.

"Well, I came to give you your keys." He handed Rin hers then held up the other two. "These are double rooms so who wants to be my roommate?" He asked playfully. Kakashi snorted and walked over to him, grabbing a key.

"No way am I going to spend a whole night in the same room as Obito on purpose." He commented as he started in the direction of the inn leaving the others behind. Obito opened his mouth to retort but shut it when Naruto gave him a look.

Naruto handed the other key to Minato. "Guess that leaves you and Obito then." He felt as if he had dodged a bullet with that one, he could only imagine the questions that would spew from the jounin's mouth if there was no one else to listen.

"Oh, Naruto?" Obito spoke. "You never answered my question from earlier." He reminded, referring to the once about his ranking in the team.

Naruto thought about it, since he was a jounin he should technically be called Naruto-sensei since he was considered a leader or whatever, but it was never really specified. Besides, technically these kids were born before him, so it just didn't sound right to him. Also, it would be pretty weird if the one he had always called Sensei started to refer to him as that.

"You can just call me Naruto. Minato is your sensei, I'm more like... a temporary helper." He decided.

"Temporary?" Repeated Rin questioningly. Naruto just smiled at her and stayed silent, never offering the poor girl an answer.

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The room was really small. Much smaller than a double room ought to be. The two beds were on opposite walls leaving maybe five feet of space between them. Naruto looked at it displeasingly for a while before taking the bed by the window. Kakashi glared at his back, he wanted the window, but took the other one regardless.

They started to prepare for a night's sleep when Kakashi just had to ask what had been on his mind since the hot springs. "I have a question if you don't mind." He spoke. Naruto didn't look at him but nodded for him to proceed. The silver-haired boy hesitated.

"Well... it's about the scar you have on your right shoulder... uh, see I have been developing this new jutsu, it's a lightning jutsu called 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘪. The scar you have looks identical to the once that would be left by it." He explained.

"You want to know who gave it to me and what jutsu they used." It wasn't even a question. Kakashi stared at him, expectant of his answer.

Naruto sighed sadly. "The one who gave it to me was called Sasuke and he did use a lightning jutsu. I don't know its name." Naruto answered clipped.

Sasuke. That name sounded familiar, where had he heard it before? The chunin had always had a sharp memory so it was beyond frustrating that he couldn't place it.

"Well I'm going to bed now so g'night." Naruto said before he cuddled under his covers facing the window.

Kakashi knew he would most likely be up all night with the name stuck in his head, but he crawled into his bed all the same and was surprised when it didn't take him long to fall asleep.

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Kakashi woke in a cold sweat. The names were swimming in his mind while the faces stayed just out of his reach. But the names... he recognized them - well two of them. There was Sakura, Sasuke and 𝘕𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘰. He couldn't remember exactly what the dream had been about but he did remember feeling a sense of protectiveness and anger.

"G'morning Little Man. We're going to check out the bar that the Cloud ninja are rumored to be staying at." Naruto's voice interrupted his thoughts. Kakashi nodded and grabbed his bag to get his clothes.

"Hey Naruto..?" Kakashi trailed hesitantly. Why did he always have such trouble asking the man questions? Naruto, who had been in the bathroom, appeared in the doorway with a toothbrush sticking out from his mouth. He looked at the boy expectantly.

"Uhhh... well see, I was wondering... ummm... " for some reason Kakashi felt as if this was very sensitive territory.

"Just spit it out." Naruto demanded. Why couldn't he have just left it alone? Kakashi took his eyes from the floor to look at the blond's curious face.

"Well... did you ever know someone named 'Sakura'?" He asked. Naruto froze at the sound of the name. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯? Kakashi thought. He soon regretted his words as crushing grief played on the face of the new team member.

"Why do you ask?" Naruto inquired in a sad tone. Kakashi thought about back tracking and saying it was nothing, but as Naruto's gaze held his, it demanded his honesty.

"I had a dream last night. I can't remember it at all but I remember these three names - Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke." He paused to gauge his reaction. When he saw nothing but contemplation he continued. "You mentioned someone named Sasuke gave you that scar, who is he? Who is Sakura?"

Naruto looked at him with many emotions he couldn't identify. After a few seconds that felt as if they lasted for hours, Naruto broke his gaze and walked back into the washroom. Kakashi could hear him spit out the toothpaste and rinse his toothbrush. He came out again and without so much as a glance his way Naruto packed his belongings back into his pack.

Just as Kakashi decided he wasn't going to receive an answer, he spoke. "They were my teammates back when I was a genin." Kakashi was surprised by this for some reason.

"If Sasuke was your teammate, why would he do that to you?" He couldn't help but question. Naruto sighed and hung his head.

"It's a very long and complicated story, and to be honest, it's not my story to tell." Naruto responded. Kakashi was dying to know what had happened to Naruto. He felt the desire to understand Naruto as he felt Naruto understood him. This was unfamiliar to Kakashi but he couldn't help it, it had been so long since someone had looked at him like Naruto did, like they actually cared for him and not just his potential as a ninja. Now that he thought back on the few days he had known him he realized Naruto treated him the way he imagined an older brother would. What ever the case, Kakashi felt oddly trusting towards the man, and if he was being honest, it felt nice. It felt like family.