"Is this the best you can do? I thought you wanted to get in better shape? You won't get there if you can't keep up when things get tough! Move your legs, woman!"
Naruto provoking her in such blatant ways worked because of his physical appearance. The spiky-haired teen didn't look like someone who'd been working out for the last three hours. He wasn't even breathing hard!
Felicia couldn't say the same. Unlike her training partner, she appeared hard at work. The proof was in her healthy sweat and flushed face. She was the epitome of effort and exertion, all wrapped up in one place. "Shut up! Hah... hah! Not everyone is a stamina monster like you!"
"I thought you aimed to be the best? Where'd all that fire go? Right now, I'm hearing a bunch of worthless excuses." Having been at this for a few months, Naruto knew what buttons to press. He didn't always use these motivational tactics, but they were effective when Felicia ran on fumes.
Naruto understood the power of doubt. When it came to motivators, there were few more effective than doubt. And for someone hyper-competitive like Felicia Hardy, it'd do wonders. After all, it worked on a younger and dumber version of himself. The memories from his past left Naruto smiling. Things got tough, but Naruto wouldn't trade his life for anyone else's. His life experiences turned him into the person he was today.
One of Felicia's fatigued grunts shook Naruto out of his thoughts. Her legs moved like a lead weight, but she refused to let it stop her. Felicia ruthlessly stomped down her exhaustion and doubled down to finish her run. "Grr, I'll show you worthless, you bastard!"
"That's more like it. I want that intensity going forward." Naruto didn't take the insults personally. He'd be more worried if Felicia didn't snap back. The passing venom in her voice meant everything was working like a charm.
He left Felicia to work out while he spent his time thinking about these last few months. Their mornings were for training. When afternoon rolled around, it was time for lunch, and always together.
Looking back on their time together, Naruto couldn't select one memory over the others. He simply enjoyed the time they spent together as a whole. Moreso, he enjoyed having a friend again. The kind of fun and interaction he shared with Felicia wasn't present in his life during recent years.
Naruto had friends in school, but they came and went with the bell. Hanging out with the young woman next to him was a conscious choice on his behalf. And one of his better choices in general.
"Phew! Hah... d-done!" Her hard work was rewarded by Naruto with a water bottle. A grateful and thirsty Felicia took the bottle and chugged down its contents. Breathing out a huge sigh, she slumped forward into the treadmill console. "Take that... told you I'd do it."
His belief in her never wavered, despite what he said. The warm smile he showed her was proof of that. A glance down told Naruto how far he ran alongside Felicia. He'd be keeping that number to himself. No need to ruin her hard-earned high. "You sure did. Congrats, you finished your first half-marathon, and in good time too!"
Her content expression wasn't tarnished in the slightest by the sweat or tiny stray hairs sticking to her forehead because of the sweat. Felicia refused to let Naruto's efforts on her behalf go unacknowledged. "I couldn't have gotten this far without your help, Naruto."
It was only natural for Naruto to wave her off. He never cared much for the idea of credit. That hadn't changed. The notion of him being responsible for Felicia's growth was absurd. "Nonsense, you put in all of the effort. I was just here for moral support. It's what friends do."
"Best friends." Felicia's voice held nothing but confidence as she corrected the statement Naruto put forth. In her mind, that's what she and Naruto were. Her fellow blonde was everything her high school friends weren't in the best ways.
"Say what?"
"Whiskers, we literally hang out for hours every single day. I've seen you daily for the last three months. If we aren't best friends, I don't know what we are." And honestly, it felt great calling Naruto that. Her best friend. Hers...
Using laughter as a means to hide his embarrassment, a sheepish Naruto silently agreed with her rationale. He never really thought about giving their relationship a title, but Felicia wasn't wrong. "No, you're right. Absolutely right. And you know what? Since you kicked ass today, lunch is on me!"
The promise of a reward sent a burst of much-needed energy through Felica's worn-down body. Bounding over to Naruto, she looped her arms around him mid-laugh. "You're the best personal trainer a girl could ask for!"
Most men would die for a hug from Felicia Hardy in a sports bra. Not Naruto. Not now. He just grimaced as she got her sweat all over him. "Gross! Let go~!" He whined pitifully in between her arms.
"Never! Hold still, and let me show my affection!" She pushed herself further into their embrace and purposefully so. This time her face landed against the crook of Naruto's neck. It was a golden opportunity for a sweaty nuzzling of Naruto's neck. His second grimace put a smirk on Felicia's face.
'That will teach you to work circles around me, whiskers. If I'm suffering through stickiness and sweat, then you are too.' Not only that, but she got the chance to feel her best friend's attractive body. That's a win-win.
Breaking free from her snare, Naruto wore a decent share of Felicia's sweat on him. Was it gross? Yes. But it wasn't as bad as blood and gore. Hallmarks of his last profession. "I think it's time to hit the showers."
Felicia tucked her arms behind her back and smiled, acting innocent despite what she had just done. "Try and hurry up this time, whiskers. I want the best pizza in town, and I want it quick!"
Naruto gawked openly at the gall his best friend showed. How dare she falsely claim he took too long when it was him waiting on her. Unfortunately for Naruto, he didn't get the chance to complain. Not with Felicia already walking away from him.
While Naruto stood still in shock, another guy from the gym walked up to him. The stranger also found his gaze locked on Felicia's last location. "I can't blame you for staring, man. She's hot as hell."
"Shut up."
The summer came and went before Naruto knew it. Now the young Uzumaki found himself a day removed from his nineteenth birthday. Most people would throw themselves a party. But to Naruto, his birthday was a day of mourning, not celebration. How could he bring himself to party on the date he lost both of his parents?
Naruto understood his mother and father better than most. He knew what they wanted for him. He knew they'd wish for him to enjoy his life instead of looking back on what could've been. But doing that was easier said than done.
Running a hand down the front of his face, the bed-ridden blonde grumbled into the darkness created by his palm. Once his hand dropped onto the bed, it was just Naruto staring blankly at his ceiling. "There's no reason to lay around all day thinking about this... again."
He forced himself out of bed with an overdue roll, leaving his blanket behind in a bunched-up mess. Already going toward the kitchen, Naruto had water in hand. It was his much-needed cure for a dry mouth.
This time Naruto's sigh was one of relief. He wiped his mouth, rubbing away the water and looking at the overcast sky. "October in New York... the months are the same, but the weather couldn't be more different from Konoha."
"Ah! That reminds me! I need to buy some candy for Halloween. Apartment or not, the kids will want their candy. And I don't want to disappoint them." Thinking of the sweet-giving holiday returned a characteristic grin to Naruto's face.
"I also need a good workout after doing shit all yesterday. Alright, now that's an idea. Let's take a trip down to Silver's Gym and see if I can find anyone dumb enough to box with me. Aka, fresh meat." The idea of beating up someone older and more experienced than him put a shine in his blue eyes. It was too bad most of the regulars wizened up and stopped accepting his challenges. That was a good ten days.
Naruto was gearing up for the day ahead when the sound of gunshots echoed through the area. With his enhanced senses, the loud bangs were ten times louder. And as a result, Naruto jumped in alarm.
When the trained soldier dropped down, he held his kunai in a death grip. The tool was freshly withdrawn from the small pocket seal printed on his inner forearm. Naruto used invisible ink to keep his tattoo-like fuinjutsu from drawing attention.
Upon realizing there was no danger, he took a moment to calm his scrambled battle instincts. "New York might be quieter now, but it won't change completely. Snap or not." He was still getting used to it, but there were moments where the unpredictable nature of the city caught him off guard.
Naruto sent his all-purpose shinobi tool back to its resting place with a quick burst of chakra. Time to get back on track, "First things first... get some candy and then kick some ass. Also, let's throw some ramen on the list. Now that's a schedule I can get behind."
Today wasn't looking too bad!
Empire State University (That Night)
Felicia Hardy's day wasn't looking too bad.
After she crushed the quiz in her philosophy class, a handful of her dorm sisters convinced Felicia to attend a party with them on campus. She was hesitant at first, but the idea of going in a group helped swing her.
Maybe going to the party and blowing off some steam would help her in the long run. The start of the semester had been a pain, and this seemed like a decent enough outlet.
Though she wasn't so sure about her peers and their choice of outfits.
Felicia picked a simple shirt, fitted jeans, and a bolo jacket for herself. However, a few of her dormmates wore low-cut dresses of all things. She knew they wanted the attention, but the cold must've been a bitch and a half. 'Better them than me.'
"I know what you're thinking. I see it too. The other girls think if they show out, they'll hook, and I quote, some hunky juniors or seniors. Really, I'm not sure if I should laugh or feel sad for them." A young woman with brown hair let her opinion be known. Her coy grin hinted at her being closer to the laughing spectrum than the sad one.
Felicia wouldn't leave her wry snort bottled up. It sounded absurd when said aloud but nailed the airheaded sorority girls to a tee. "Why are you coming again? You already have a boyfriend, Erin."
"You're right! He's coming to the party too. We're gonna hang out; what about you? How come you haven't hooked up with anyone yet? A girl like you can get anyone she wants. I'm sure of it."
Her immediate response to Erin's innocent question was a visible frown. Felicia followed that up by waving off the notion, something she picked up during her time with Naruto. "With these boys? No thanks, I got enough of that in high school."
Erin laughed and patted a grumbling Felicia on the shoulder. She could only imagine how many horny idiots chased her fellow female around like lost puppies. "I hear you. Well, at least try to enjoy the party?"
"That's why I'm here."
"Look sharp, sister. We're here." Felicia looked up at Erin's insistence. Felicia didn't know why she expected something different from the building. The dorms here all looked identical to each other. This was no exception.
"We're here, girls! Remember, I call dibs on the baseball captain." Realizing where the conversation was heading, Felicia made the executive decision to tune the others out as their group entered the party.
The first thing to greet Felicia was the loud music. Then came all the shouting. It didn't surprise her that people were already well into their night of drinking. 'I already regret making this decision.'
Her feelings must have reached her face since Erin put a friendly hand on her shoulder. "You're more than welcome to hang out with us, Felicia. I wouldn't mind." Erin offered kindly.
"Thanks, but you don't have to do that. I can figure something out. Go on, have fun with your boyfriend." Despite her feelings about the party, Felicia would rather be alone than a third wheel. The latter would be infinitely more awkward in her personal opinion.
"If that's what you want, I won't push you. Good luck out there." Erin went to find her boyfriend, leaving Felicia to work through the shifting mob of party-going students. Several guys tried getting her attention but were shrugged off as Felicia made her way to one of the refreshment tables.
Picking a sealed water bottle as her drink of choice, she took up a quiet spot from where she could watch the party. While she wanted to avoid gatherings like this, doing something other than studying was a balm on her fatigued mental.
In other words, it was a sorely-needed break.
"Is that you, Felicia? What are you doing here?" Felicia stopped sipping on her water and looked toward the voice coming from her left side. She quickly recognized the young man calling out to her.
"Ryan..." The guarded nature of her voice implied a mixture of conflicted feelings. Why did she feel that way? Because she and Ryan had something of a history. You see, at the start of the semester, she and Ryan were paired together by their teacher. From there, a relationship grew between them. They went from partners to friends. Parts of Ryan reminded Felicia of Naruto, making it easier for her to open up.
Things were moving smoothly between the two. It appeared there wasn't an end in sight until things changed for the worse.
That change came about due to Ryan's comments about advancing their relationship. Felicia pushed back on the idea, but Ryan wouldn't let it go. In the end, Felicia had no choice but to cut Ryan off entirely. That was two weeks ago. And this was the first time Felicia spoke with Ryan since then.
"Yeah... it's been a bit. You look... you look good." Compared to the environment around him, Ryan's voice was quiet. However, the words still found a way to Felicia's ears.
Unfortunately for him, she wanted nothing to do with the compliment. Ryan destroyed any chance of Felicia liking him in that way. So his remark just made her feel uncomfortable. "Thanks...?"
Ryan looked over his shoulder and was struck with an idea. He deemed it good enough to smile about. "How about we go dance with everyone? Looks like it could be fun." His brown eyes held no shortage of expectation as they glimpsed Felicia.
She answered with a quick shake of the head. Her refusal also sent her straight hair into a slight flutter that punctuated the definitiveness of her answer. "Sorry, but I don't think that's a good idea."
"Oh... how about we just talk? You know, catch up?" Despite struggling for a reason to stay around, Ryan's smile persisted on his face. At the very least, he believed in himself and his chances at winning Felicia over.
"The answer is no. I'm going to pass. Excuse me..." Felicia refused to let him respond further. She vanished among the dense grouping of students, leaving Ryan behind. Ryan's eyes dallied on Felicia before being joined by a pair of his friends. They were quick in pulling Ryan back to the festivities.
Felicia made the opposite choice. On the outside, Ryan looked harmless, but something about him put her on high alert. It had been that way since the day she ended their association. Felicia wanted to avoid him whenever possible.
The wandering Hardy found her sanctuary in the lady's bathroom. Tucked away from everyone, Felicia dropped her guard for a second. Staring at herself in the mirror over the sink, she confided in her reflection. "I have this awful feeling in my gut. I need to make a call..."
This might be surprising, but Naruto knew how to drive a vehicle. He even owned one! However, thanks to his shinobi skill set, he rarely used it. Ninja running speeds and all that good stuff. But sometimes, a car was necessary. This happened to be one of those times.
Hey, I need a huge favor, Naruto.
Unlike driving his car, hearing from Felicia wasn't rare. What really surprised Naruto was how Felicia asked for help. Hearing Felicia Hardy, of all people, speak bluntly set off alarms in Naruto's head.
Felicia Hardy and bluntness weren't a thing. Not that it mattered, Uzumaki Naruto was always there for his friends. Full stop.
I don't feel comfortable on campus. Can I stay with you until Monday? Tuesday at the latest?
Naturally, Naruto told Felicia that wouldn't be a problem and went to pick her up. Hence the need for a car and his trip to Empire State University. Actually, Naruto was going faster than he should've, thanks to the worry hidden in Felicia's voice. A combination of calculated speeding and no traffic helped Naruto make excellent time. He made the thirty-minute drive in less than twenty and avoided any police attention.
The more complicated part was finding the correct building. Felicia's text directions helped, but the search cost him around ten minutes.
"I think this is the place..." Naruto couldn't be one hundred percent certain. The building matched the description and location in Felicia's text, but all the buildings looked similar! "There's only one way to find out."
Sticking his phone back in his pocket, Naruto stepped into the big building. He winced immediately as the blaring music blasted his sensitive hearing. Naruto grumbled about his hate for large parties as he forced chakra into his ears. He used it to block out the louder pitches and sounds that wreaked havoc on his eardrums.
'I should check if anyone's seen Felicia around.' Naruto selected the person nearest to him. He looked a little red in the face, but Naruto couldn't afford to be picky. "Have you seen a girl around? Pale blonde hair? Blue eyes?"
"Dude, look around. There's a lot of blondes with blue eyes at the party. Sorry, but I can't help you. Just grab a beer and relax like the rest of us!" The whiskered teen dropped an annoyed sigh in response. Naruto decided to rely on something far more reliable than word of mouth. He opened his senses and was greeted by a nasty source of negativity.
'Thanks for the parting gift, fox.'
Naruto's suspicions were heightened by the pair of guys standing near the door. His shinobi brain said they weren't loitering but standing guard. They were his target.
The chance to work his Uzumaki charm was shut down quick. The teen standing on the right greeted and dismissed Naruto in the same breath. "Hey, pal. You don't want to go this way. Some girl made a real mess in there."
Lies.
"I don't have time to mess around with you two." This little trick wouldn't have worked on a shinobi, but a civilian was fair game.
Hah! An Uzumaki and former Jnichuriki doing Genjutsu? Eat your hearts out, Uchiha.
'Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu. (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique.)'
The illusion showed the sentries a fake party playing out in real-time. Naruto stepped between them and forced his way into the bathroom. A poor attempt at barring the door from the inside was shattered effortlessly. But Naruto's focus wasn't on the garbage cans he knocked aside.
"What the fuck are you doing?" A tangible wave of anger came off Naruto and spread through the room. Along with it came a weight that pushed down on Ryan. What Naruto saw that made him so angry was Ryan pinning Felicia to the wall. Worst, he saw ripped clothing on the ground between them.
"H-Hey! You can't be here! Get out, gah-!"
Naruto shot across the gap faster than Ryan could hope to follow. With only one hand, he hoisted Ryan up by his throat. Naruto ignored his choking sounds and dragged him away from a misty-eyed Felicia. The wrathful Uzumaki was immensely relieved to see Felicia with her bra and jeans still on. Good, he wouldn't have to kill this punk.
Ryan watched a black film crawling into the blue of Naruto's eyes. It was a phenomenon he chalked up to his oxygen-deprived brain seeing things. Ryan had better things to worry about. Like saving his ass. "It's not... what you... think! Please, let me... go!"
"Shut up, trash." Naruto hurled the garbage in his hands through the nearest stall door with a crash. He watched Ryan's head bounce off the wall, knocking him out on impact. Fittingly, the piece of crap landed in a toilet bowl with its seat cover lifted up.
Every ounce of rage melted away when Naruto looked at Felicia. She was upon him quite fast in her own right. Hugging him as tight as she could, Felicia cried against Naruto's shoulder now that the ordeal was over. Naruto held her and tried reassuring her with whispered words.
Naruto slowly eased her from the hug and took his long sleeve off. He offered it to the half-naked woman. "Here, put this on." He'd make do with the tank top he was wearing beneath. Felicia hurried to put the shirt on. Covered and feeling more secure, she buried her face in Naruto's chest. The tears were quick to follow.
Their hasty exit happened to grab the attention of Erin and her boyfriend. "What's going on here? Felicia, why are you crying?" The worry in Erin's voice was genuine.
"I... Ryan, he..." Every word she tried speaking ended up making her tongue go limp. Either that or her throat tightened. Thankfully, Naruto saw her struggle and stepped in on her behalf.
"Ryan tried forcing himself on Felicia. I stopped him." Credit to Erin, she didn't let Naruto's stone-faced expression stop her from raising her suspicions.
"And who are you exactly?"
"Erin, this is Naruto. The guy I told you about..." She might be shaken, but Felicia wouldn't allow Naruto's intentions to be called into question.
"You're that Naruto?"
Naruto looked at Felicia yet didn't voice his question for obvious reasons. "Probably, but this isn't the best time for introductions."
Erin agreed. "You're right. Come on, let's go back to the dorm."
"Actually, Naruto is taking me to the city. I'm going to stay with him. I... I need to get away." Being with her friends helped dull the edge, but Felicia still found herself jumpy around so many people.
"If you're sure..."
"I trust Naruto." The quickness of Felicia's answer hid her true feelings. Felicia didn't believe herself capable of trusting anyone but Naruto at this time. "Let's go..."
Naruto's Apartment
"This is it, my place. The spare room is ready for you if you're looking to get some rest." Naruto assumed that would be the case. It might only be five past eleven, but the day was an eventful one for his guest. Rest would do her well.
Felicia directed a half-hearted smile at Naruto after looking at his apartment. "I always figured you'd live in a more minimalistic home, Naruto."
"Come on, you act like I went overboard or something. It's not that bad." He defended himself with a sheepish rub of his head. The only large purchases he made were the sectional sofa, a new microwave, smart television, and of course, the beds.
His predictably endearing response made his guest smile honestly. "Do you think we could find something to watch?" Felicia doubted she could fall asleep right now.
With his goal of making Felicia as comfortable as humanly possible, Naruto wouldn't be denying her any time soon. "That's not a problem. Should I scrounge up some snacks?"
"Real people don't use that word, whiskers."
Naruto took the mature route of sticking his tongue out at Felicia. He excused himself with a harumph before going into the kitchen for snacks. This allowed Felicia to pick something she wanted to watch while waiting for him.
When he returned, Naruto's arms were stacked with junk food. Seriously, it looked like he emptied his whole pantry. "Wait... did you pull up anime?"
The level of surprise he showed alongside his expression left Felicia feeling a little embarrassed. "What if I did!?"
"Nothing, nothing! I'm surprised, that's all. I thought you'd be too cool for something like anime." He clarified his vague outburst before it got him in trouble.
Naruto unloaded the trove of snack foods onto the coffee table. But before he sat down, he had another stop to make. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna grab some blankets."
Looking at everything Naruto brought, Felicia shook her head fondly. "You big idiot, you don't have to go this far... but thank you." She whispered to herself, already feeling better in the quiet setting of her best friend's home.
"Hey, I just sneezed. Were you talking about me in here?"
"That's a myth, stupid. Hurry up and sit down so we can start the show!" Though she rolled her eyes at his silliness, Felicia couldn't stop herself from smiling.
"Hai... hai... no need to bite my head off. Sheesh."
Naruto flopped onto the couch with a happy sigh. He was quickly joined by Felicia, who scooched over to him. She surprised Naruto by taking his hand under the blanket. He responded by squeezing her hand in a show of support.
As the anime started, both young people settled in for the night.
Felicia stayed past her initial estimate of four days, which Naruto welcomed. During that time, she decided to drop her classes at the university. She just wasn't comfortable with the idea of crossing paths with Ryan. It was another choice Naruto supported.
It wasn't until Thursday that Felicia traded his couch for the spare bedroom. Some days she woke up looking like shit, and others, she was right as rain. To Naruto, both of these were steps in the recovery process.
They were two weeks out from the incident in the bathroom. And by now, Felicia was comfortable enough in Naruto's home to move freely. With Naruto's permission, of course.
Her search for the blonde took Felicia to the one place she hadn't seen over the last month. She opened the door tentatively, letting her in one the sight of Naruto mid-work out with a heavy bag that swung on a thick metal chain.
A spellbound spectator watched Naruto alternate between fluid dodging and fierce striking. Each blow Naruto scored made the whole bag shudder. It also helped Felicia envision her new goal. Naruto was clearly strong, strong enough to help her with her plans.
Shaking herself free from her trance, Felicia called to the unaware blonde. "Hard at work, aren't we, whiskers?"
Her unexpected interruption caused Naruto's shoulders to hike upward. Thankfully, he repressed any form of violence that usually came from surprising a ninja. "Good morning!"
"Teach me."
"What?"
"Teach me... teach me how to fight!" Her determination to get strong flowed into her hands, which balled into a pair of clenched fists. With the skill Naruto showed, she wouldn't be anyone's victim. She could get her revenge.
However, an experienced shinobi like Naruto saw something more. He detected a darkness in Felicia that worried him. There were assumptions, but Naruto was willing to be proven wrong. Actually, he'd prefer to be wrong about this. "You want to learn how to fight? Why?"
When she shut her eyes, Felicia saw Ryan and his sickening grin. Never again. "He has to pay! I'll make him pay for what he tried doing to me. That trash needs to die!"
Because her eyes were closed, she missed Naruto's disappointment turning into profound sadness. He knew it was coming, but that didn't change what he had to say. "No..."
Felicia's eyes reflected a combination of shock, hurt, and betrayal. Despite the intensity of her emotional stare, Naruto didn't back down. "What...?"
It never crossed her mind that Naruto, of all people, would deny her this. "Why? Why won't you help me? You know what he did... what he wanted to do!"
No matter how she looked at it, the hurt woman couldn't understand why Naruto was going against her. Naruto, of all people, should realize what this meant to her. He was her friend. He was meant to be on her side!
"You're right. I do know what happened. But what you're talking about isn't something you take lightly. If you follow this path, there might be no coming back. You realize that, right? Revenge will take a part of you that you'll never get back, Felicia." As he spoke, a sadness spread over Naruto. Revenge was a terrible business. He saw what it did first hand and wanted no part in endorsing it.
Felicia Hardy was no killer. Her hands didn't have blood on them. This wasn't a shinobi trained to take a human life; she was a civilian.
There were so many words she wanted to say, but none of them came out. The bubbling rage in Felicia made it hard to think, let alone talk. Somehow she managed a seething retort. "If you aren't with me, we're done here."
Storming off, the harsh sound of slamming doors followed her warpath as she gathered her belongings and left Naruto's apartment for good.
Naruto withered upon himself, deflating with a tired sigh. 'I'm sorry for the pain I caused you, Felicia. It's not something I enjoy doing, but I refuse to be an accessory to your descent into the dark.'
The emptiness of his apartment wasn't lost on Naruto. With a long breath going through his lungs, he pivoted back to the heavy bag and worked his aggression out on the inanimate object.
THUD! THUD!
"When you extend a helping hand, be wary. For those in front you may bite that hand instead of taking the help you offer."
THUD!
"I tried helping you. The rest is in your hands, Felicia."
December, two weeks before Christmas
The holidays is when Naruto's charitable spirit was at its strongest. He could've bought anything he wanted and called it a present to himself, but that was boring. Instead, Naruto visited nearby orphanages and brought gifts with him.
He could live for another three hundred years and never forget the faces of the kids who walked into a room full of Christmas presents.
This year was shaping up to be no different. After a successful stretch of casino busting the month prior, Naruto positioned himself to bring Christmas to five different orphanages across the state. His clones set up all the arrangements. All he had to do was buy the gifts.
And that required taking a boatload of cash from his bank. Hopefully, they didn't give him too much trouble over the amount like last Christmas. Being stuck in a quiet bank office wasn't high on Naruto's list of things to do.
Naruto walked into a line of people waiting to be served. Shrugging, he slotted himself into place at the back and waited his turn. Since he didn't have anything better to do, Naruto put his hands in his pockets and looked around.
'If this guy tells me it's too dangerous to have this much cash, I might just laugh in his face.' The amused teenager told himself as he idly watched a little girl run to her mother. The little lady was clearly pleased with the candy she got from one of the bank's employees.
The general good vibes were dashed when cursing, and a pained groan hit the air.
Naruto and everyone present turned to face the commotion. Some gasped while others screamed because three men in masks barged in with guns in hand.
One of the thugs subdued the security guard, leaving the poor man with a thick bruise on his temple. The other two criminals were already moving further in to take control.
"If you don't want to get hurt, you better listen up! Everyone to the wall without windows! Stay down, and we won't have to shoot you!" He won the anxious crowd's obedience by whipping his firearm in their direction. Naruto followed suit... for now.
No one realized the security cameras were broken, short-circuited by a burst of Naruto's chakra. He didn't need or want his involvement on record.
"You behind the counter, keep your hands where I can see them. We wouldn't want you pressing any buttons. All we want is the money. Do you understand me?"
While the criminal indulged himself on a power trip, Naruto scoped the area for possible ways to tackle this problem. Unfortunately, the only guard present had his hands cuffed behind his back. He wouldn't be of any use.
The others around him were also looking, but none seemed ready or willing to act. Not that Naruto blamed them for valuing their lives.
"Nooo! I wanna go home, mommy!" That was the little girl from earlier. Old enough to understand something was wrong, the young child sobbed despite her mother's attempts to comfort her.
"Shh... shh... I know you're scared, but you have to be brave for mommy." Try as she might, the girl couldn't control her fears, and it only added to an already tense situation.
The robber at the teller's desk grew tired of the child's constant cries. He snapped at his fellow thief. "Will you hurry up and do your fucking job? Shut them up! I'm trying to think over here!
The thug tasked with crowd control didn't help things by standing directly over the terrified child. "Shut her up, woman!"
"I'm t-trying! I'm trying! Please don't hurt her, please!"
"Then try fucking harder! Or else someone is getting hurt!" The masked man cemented his threat by aiming his gun at them... or at least he tried.
Because that's when Naruto launched into action. Coming in from the man's right side, Naruto took the wrist holding the gun and squeezed it hard enough that the joint cracked.
"FUCK!" Disarmed by the pain, the robber dropped his gun. Naruto caught the weapon in his other hand, and in a decisive moment, he had the man's arm behind his back and the firearm to the side of his head. Naruto's spectacular and sudden action got the whole bank's attention.
Ripping the mask off his hostage's face, Naruto eyed the remaining two gunmen coldly as they aimed at him with their guns. The blonde was painfully aware of how bad things could go if he wasn't careful. "Drop your guns."
His demand was met by glares and sneers. Both men's facial reactions leaked through the assorted holes cut into their face coverings. "You think you're some kind of hero? It's still two against one, kid."
"The camera already knows this guy's face. Why wouldn't he tell the cops everything about you two if it saves his ass? How I see it, you two are running out of time quickly." The confidence Naruto exuded rattled the already nervous robbers. Naruto could tell this group was filled with amateurs at best, an exploitable weakness if there ever was one.
A shaking gun was the first crack in the petty criminal's composure. His hand wasn't the only thing shaking. The masked man's voice also faltered as he tried showing that he was the one in control here. "We... we can still kill you!"
Naruto smiled when they brought up the idea of Death. "You could try, but you wouldn't make it two hours before the police hunt you down and shove you into the worst prison possible. They'll look for you everywhere. Your house. Your girl's place. Even your parents, but hey, maybe you'll get lucky."
Naruto picked out the leftmost man like a hawk does its prey. How he fidgeted at the mention of his parents wasn't lost on Naruto. Undaunted by the threat of their guns, the whiskered teen forged on. "Or you can turn around right now, and you might get out of the state before they catch you. So, how much are you two ready to risk?"
The whole building waited anxiously to see who cracked first.
"Fuck this. I'm out of here, man!" One of the masked gunmen apparently didn't like his chances. Seeing Naruto's lack of fear, he decided to cut his losses. And where one went, the other followed. Off they went running in hopes of saving themselves.
Once Naruto was sure they were gone for good, he slammed the butt of the gun into his hostage's head. The criminal crumbled to the ground unconscious.
Naruto helped the bank guard up, freeing the woozy man from his handcuffs. Then, Naruto used said cuffs on the man he just disabled. "Is everyone alright?"
One person on the floor had trouble breathing, but his inhaler fixed that problem. Otherwise, the only innocent hurt in the robbery debacle was a concussed guard. That alone made Naruto smile. A tug at the back of his pant leg turned the blonde around.
It was the same little girl from earlier, and now she was looking at him with big brown eyes. "Thank you for saving me and my mom, mister. Are you a superhero?"
Naruto couldn't lie to her, even if it was the easy way out. Not with her big, innocent eyes looking at him so curiously. "No, I'm not a superhero. I just like helping people when I can."
But in a young child's mind, those two things were synonymous. He said no, and yet, the girl heard yes. The kind child offered him the same sucker he saw earlier. "Here, mister, have this."
He took the candy gently from her hand, then lowered himself to a knee in front of the girl. Meanwhile, the mother watched the two interact with a small smile. "What's your name?"
"Olivia!"
"Olivia? That's a nice name. I don't do good things for presents, Olivia. I do good things because it's the right thing to do. I want you to remember that. Can you do that for me?" Naruto asked as he handed the sucker back.
Her eyes went from the candy to Naruto a few times before a huge grin split her face. "You got it! Wait... mister, what's your name?"
"I'll tell you, but only if you keep it a secret~" He fulfilled his end of the bargain when Olivia nodded her head hastily. "My name is Naruto. It's nice to meet you, Olivia."
It wasn't surprising to see Olivia's face scrunch at his strange-sounding name. What surprised Naruto was when the little lady managed to say his name back on her first try. "Okay! Naruto! I'll remember that, promise!"
With the rascal returning to her mother, Naruto picked now as the time to make his exit. The last thing he wanted was the police questioning him about what happened here. Silent rather than sneaky, Naruto slipped out of the bank.
"Mommy! Mommy! If we get the dog that looks like a fox, I know what to name it!"
After what happened today, the mother planned on buying her daughter whatever she wanted, Shiba Inu included. "What's that, sweetheart?"
"Naruto!"
Next Day
Unlike most people, Naruto had no problems with snow or the cold. Those that called him crazy didn't run as hot as Uzumaki Naruto. He dubbed his super-crazy metabolism as his genetic counter to the cold. This internal heat made walks in the winter something worth looking forward to, especially when there was lots of snow.
It made the walks feel more... natural.
Too bad an uninvited tagalong decided to follow him on his walk. Talk about a buzzkill. "You're not nearly as quiet as you think. You might as well come out and tell me what you want."
His call-out went unanswered until Naruto saw someone coming out of the trees on his left. The stalker cleared a four-foot snowbank in a single jump. They revealed themselves to be none other than Steve Rogers, Captain America.
The famous figure looked decidedly less star-spangled in his black thermal sweater and cargo pants. He appeared incredibly warm with his thick boots, just not very patriotic. However, Steve's face was too recognizable to be mistaken for someone else in New York. "I didn't have Captain America on my stalker bingo card."
An expressive face like Steve's meant Naruto got to see how bothered his off-handed comment made the man. "I am not a stalker." The legendary soldier came on strongly enough that Naruto could only smirk at him.
Naruto took the theatrical route. He waved his hand flippantly, dismissing the comment and dispersing the breath cloud in front of him. "Right. You were just following me from a creepy distance. Definitely not stalking me."
The Captain had enough good graces to realize his mistake. That's why the original superhero sighed and pinched his nose. "The cloak and dagger approach was never my style." Hence Natasha's presence on his team for so long.
"A straightforward kind of guy, huh? I respect that, so I'll be straight with you. What does Captain America want with me?" Naruto and the man across from him were alike in this regard. Which is ironic, considering most shinobi were masters of stealth and nuance. That's not to say Naruto couldn't be stealthy when he needed to be.
"Please, call me Steve."
"Alright, Steve. The question remains the same."
Crossing his arms over his muscular chest, the de facto leader of the Avengers started his explanation in earnest. "Word has gotten around of a young man saving a bank filled with hostages. Naturally, I'm curious about a potential hero popping up in my own backyard, so to speak."
Naruto understood where Steve was taking this and tried cutting the speculation off at the pass. This is the exact scenario the younger man wanted to avoid. "I'm afraid you have the wrong guy, Steve. I'm not a hero, just your average kid fresh out of high school."
The smirk Steve put on his face suggested he knew more than Naruto was comfortable with. "No, I'm sure of it. My source was adamant about a blonde teenager with whisker marks of all things."
His average bullshit wouldn't fool Steve Rogers, so Naruto dropped the act. That didn't mean Naruto had to like it. "Damn birthmarks. Word sure got around fast... how'd you figure it out?"
"It's pure luck. One of the people at the bank that day also attends my self-help meetings. He brought you up during his time to share with the group. From there, I decided to follow up with some of my sources."
After their defeat at the hands of Thanos, there wasn't much that demanded Captain America's attention. So when Naruto's story reached him, Steve leaped at the chance to do something.
In a flash, the laid-back expression on Naruto's face turned serious. He didn't expect anything nefarious from America's golden boy, but he wouldn't be caught unprepared. "So what now? Here to scold me? Question me?"
Steve accepted Naruto's reservations instead of being annoyed by them. He supposed it was understandable, all things considered. Here he was, Captain America, showing up out of nowhere with questions in hand.
How Nick Fury of him. "I'm here to thank you. What you did in that bank saved a lot of people. Our world needs heroes, new heroes." When Steve spoke, it was with both hope and pride.
"A hero? Me? I don't think so, Captain. It was a coincidence that I was in the right place at the right time. Anyone could've done the same thing given a chance." Every ounce of Naruto's ninja blood rejected the idea of a hero. It didn't matter that multiple countries hailed him as their hero.
Naruto didn't believe good and evil worked like that. The world was much more complex than that.
What started as a chuckle became full laughter thanks to Naruto's answer. Try as he might, Steve couldn't stop himself from having a good laugh. "You remind me a lot of Tony."
"Not too much, I hope. No offense to your friend, but from what I hear, the only thing bigger than Tony Stark's bank account is his ego."
Steve's lingering smile gave off an air of yearning. Like he was reminiscing on an old memory. "Tony would agree with you, but I think he's mellowed out since the birth of his daughter."
Seeing how Naruto didn't know enough about Tony Stark to contribute, their conversation hit an awkward wall. "If that's all, I'll be on my way."
"Hold it!"
Outwardly, Naruto was calm as he turned around. However, internally, he cursed and complained about Captain America's insistence. "Yeah? What is it?"
The famous shield bearer from World War II answered Naruto's questions by lowering himself into a fighting position. When Naruto saw this, he turned to sarcasm. "You're gonna beat me up? Great..."
"If I'm right about you, you'll be more than capable of defending yourself." Steve's intentions to fight Naruto were set in place as he stepped forward purposefully.
"You're not letting this go, are you?"
"Not unless you can teleport yourself out of here." Steve's voice was rich with his hard-nosed brand of determination.
'Hah! You have no idea, Cap. But I'm not gonna show that trick here.' Still, the thought left Naruto with a twinge of a smile as he prepared himself for a fight.
Seeing how he instigated the whole thing, Captain Rogers took it upon himself to open the proceedings. In the past, he had a shield, but that didn't mean he was helpless without one. Steve Rogers threw a nasty right hook when needed. Training for years with Bucky saw to that.
Naruto was far from defenseless. He also had plenty of training to fall back on during a situation like this.
The younger man weaved away from the first two punches thrown at him, but Naruto had to block the final strike with his forearms. His guard helped hide the frown sitting on his face. 'Damn. I'm too rusty if I'm this slow on my feet.'
Like anything else, combat skills atrophied if they weren't used semi-frequently. Sure, raw talent carried Naruto past the average joe, but Captain America wasn't some middle-of-the-road thug with an ego bigger than his brain. This was another trained fighter very much in his prime.
Nimbly sidestepping to the superhero's right, a fast jab in the ribs from Naruto weakened Steve's stance enough for Naruto to shoulder him backward and create breathing space.
The winter setting finally made itself known. When Steve stepped back, his foot landed on a patch of ice. Good guy or not, the First Avenger's pride was thankful he avoided an embarrassing tumble into the snowbank.
Instinct carried his hands up before his eyes. It turned out to be the right move on Steve's part because he caught the fist Naruto sent for his jaw. From there, things devolved into a test of strength.
As both men tried forcing their physical will on the other, the following moments ended in a complete stalemate. This annoyed Naruto and surprised Steve.
'That serum and his training are no joke!'
'He's a lot stronger than he looks!'
Neither Steve nor Naruto expressed their thoughts vocally, but one look into their eyes showed a budding respect. A breath later and the pair separated as far as they were allowed.
In a short time, Steve learned important pieces of information about Naruto. The younger man hit hard, moved fast, and possessed incredible reflexes. Each of these qualities surpassed that of an average person. This led Steve to ask, "Are you a mutant?"
"Nope. Nothing against them, but I'm one hundred percent hum- gah!" Naruto's reply was interrupted by a surprisingly fast knee to the stomach.
It was a good surprise attack, but he didn't let Steve get away unscathed. The Toad Sage grabbed Steve by the sides of his skull and headbutted him hard.
"Nrgh! Really? A headbutt?" Groaning, Steve checked his nose for permanent damage. He was relieved there wasn't any blood or fractures. There was a moment where he thought Naruto broke his nose.
"You're the one who sucker-punched me... or, I guess, sucker knee?" Naruto wasn't willing to take the flak for something when he was provoked into reacting!
Even with the throbbing pain in the bridge of his nose, Steve smirked at Naruto's retort. "Fair is fair, I suppose. But don't slow down on me. I can do this all day."
...
...
...
"Uh? Is something wrong?" Naruto felt obligated to coax something from his opponent after watching Steve slap a palm against his forehead. The action came out of nowhere, literally. It was kind of weird, actually.
"It's nothing. I thought I got rid of that line. Turns out, it's still following me around all these years later." At the very least, none of his friends were around to hear what they dubbed one of Captain America's greatest hits.
"I'm sorry?" Naruto's total lack of understanding manifested in a confusion-heaped apology. Having no idea what Captain America was on about didn't stop the shinobi from trying to find a way out. "So, how about we call it here? Draw sound good?"
His fleeting hopes were metaphorically crushed beneath the snow-caked soles of the time frozen soldier. "Not a chance. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. We're going another round. Maybe two!"
"There goes that idea." The world-famous man wasn't letting Naruto lament for long. He forced the younger male to block his fist as it pierced the snow flurries falling on them.
A thud resonated from the dull impact- the starting gun for the second round between hidden shinobi and temporarily-retired superhero.
Because of a handy distraction courtesy of Captain America, Naruto failed to realize there was another pair of eyes watching him.
This person's stealth was on a whole different level, making it child's play for them to hide from Naruto while he was busy engaged with Captain America.
'The whiskered one has more than potential. This one possesses actual skill if he can go hand-to-hand with Steve Rodgers. Yes, the mistress will be pleased to hear this.'