Naruto slouched over the book like it owed him money, eyes heavy, the words blurring into a meaningless string of bureaucratic nonsense.
His synthetic arm throbbed dully beneath the bandages, tinged with chakra pulses that he still hadn’t gotten used to.
Every few minutes, he’d shift or scratch at it, fingers too numb or too twitchy to control.
The paper smelled like old ink and depression.
In the back of his mind, Kurama yawned loudly.
“You know,” the fox drawled, “you may have your dad’s hair, but you’re definitely your mother’s idiot child. What kind of Hokage-in-training nearly sets himself on fire trying to cook rice?”
“Shut up,” Naruto muttered.
“And you read slower than a tree grows. If you didn’t have chakra, I’d worry your brain stopped working altogether.”
Naruto was mid-eye-roll when a knock came from the door.
He blinked, surprised.
Not many people came to his apartment without warning.
He got up, cracked his shoulder with a wince, and shuffled over.
As he opened the door, he was met with the soft sound of fabric shifting and the gentle scent of herbs and lavender.
Hinata stood there, her hands twisting the hem of her jacket, her cheeks flushed pink beneath the long bangs that framed her pale face.
She held a cloth-wrapped lunchbox in both hands, eyes flickering up to meet his for just a second before darting back down again.
“H-Hey, Naruto-kun,” she said quickly, bowing slightly.
“I—I hope I’m not interrupting… I just… um…”
Naruto blinked, then smiled, warmth creeping into his tired eyes.
“Oh, hey Hinata! Nah, you’re not interrupting at all. Come in, come in.” He stepped aside, but she hesitated on the threshold.
“I… I brought you something,” she said, lifting the lunchbox like a shy offering.
“I made too much for lunch, and I remembered how busy you’ve been lately, so… I thought maybe you hadn’t eaten…”
He took the box gently, fingers brushing against hers, and gave her a sheepish grin.
“Thanks, really.
I’ve been so swamped with all this… paperwork junk, I haven’t had time to go out for food.
And this arm—” He flexed the synthetic limb with a dramatic grimace, “—still acts up sometimes.
I burned a whole pan of eggs this morning.
It smelled like the inside of Gai-sensei’s training shoes.”
Hinata giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand.
Her shoulders relaxed just a little.
“If… if you want, I can b-bring food for you daily…” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, eyes locked on a fascinating spot on his carpet.
Naruto blinked, caught off guard, then rubbed the back of his neck, bashful.
“Aw, you don’t have to do that, y’know! I mean, I don’t wanna trouble you.”
“I-It’s not trouble,” Hinata said quickly.
“I—I’d be happy to. Really.”
Naruto opened his mouth to reply when a sudden thud made them both jump.
The sound had come from the window.
He turned his head—and there, pressed awkwardly against the glass like a bird who hadn’t quite mastered landing, was Sai.
Naruto frowned.
“Why is he knocking on my window…?”
Hinata blinked.
“Oh—um—hello, Sai!” she said, waving politely.
Sai tilted his head, blinked once, then said with the grace of a thrown rock, “Who are you again?”
Naruto turned so fast it looked like he got slapped by the question.
“OI! That’s Hinata! Y’know—Hinata Hyūga?! She was there, Sai! During the war! She saved my life! What’s wrong with you?!”
Hinata’s smile faltered like a candle in the wind, and she looked down again, her voice quiet.
“It’s okay…”
Sai remained expressionless.
“I see. I apologize. I have trouble remembering people who do not have distinctive features.”
Naruto looked like he was about to blow a gasket.
“She’s got the freakin’ Byakugan! That’s pretty damn distinctive!”
Sai nodded thoughtfully.
“Ah. Yes. Eyes like a dead fish. Now I recall.”
“WHAT—?!”
Hinata, red as a tomato, looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.
But Sai was already moving on.
“Regardless, Lord Hokage has summoned you, Naruto. It’s urgent. I was told to come find you immediately.”
Naruto’s frustration sputtered as the weight of those words hit him.
His mouth closed.
He set the lunchbox gently down on his desk, already reaching for his jacket.
“Thanks for coming, Sai,” he said, more serious now.
“Tell Kakashi-sensei I’m on my way.”
Sai nodded once and vanished like a ghost—straight out the window again.
Naruto turned back to Hinata, offering an apologetic grin.
“Sorry ’bout that. Sai’s… well, he’s weird. But he means well. Kinda.”
Hinata shook her head quickly.
“No, it’s okay. I should be going anyway.”
He looked at her, saw the flicker of sadness still clinging to her eyes, and hesitated.
“Hey,” he said softly.
“Thanks again. For the food. And for coming by.”
She smiled—small, but real this time.
“You’re welcome, Naruto-kun.”
He watched her go, her steps quiet and a little too quick.
Then he grabbed his forehead protector, slung his jacket over his shoulder, and took one last glance at the steaming lunchbox on his table.
“Guess I’ll eat it on the way.”
Kurama stirred lazily in his gut.
“You better keep her. She’s too good for you.”
Naruto didn’t answer, but the grin on his face lingered as he leapt out the window after Sai.