𝓜𝔂 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓨𝓸𝓾. [Naruto Fanfic.]

Ch. 3

"More ramen?" Tobi deadpanned, staring at Ichiraku's ramen stand. "Are you seriously telling me...?"

"Why are you complaining?!" Naruto exclaimed, grabbing the Senju's hand and pulling him inside. He forced Tobirama to sit -- literally. "Ichiraku ramen is the best!"

"It's just that we've had ramen every night for the last week." Tobirama explained softly. "Don't you eat anything other than ramen?"

Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "Nope! Why would I?!"

Tobirama smiled at Naruto. "It's okay. I don't mind. Whatever you want us to have for dinner."

Naruto hugged the Senju tightly before ordering them both their bowls of ramen. Things were silent for a while as they ate. Naruto had learnt that Tobirama was a rather quiet man, but that didn't stop Naruto from talking to him non-stop.

Tobirama didn't eat much. He had finished half of his first bowl when Naruto was on his eighth bowl of ramen. The Senju was patient and waited for Naruto to finish before walking home with him.

While Naruto had gone straight to sleep, Tobirama lay awake on the couch for a few hours longer, thinking. This was... not bad. Sure, he missed his brother, but Naruto was actually rather fun to be around.

With his thoughts full of Naruto, Tobirama closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.

--LINEBREAK--

"What'cha readin'?"

Tobirama looked up from his book the next day at the ramen stand. He smiled at Naruto. "It's just a really old book that was around when I was your age."

"You like it?" Naruto unconsciously inched closer to the Senju.

"Well, I'm reading it, aren't I?"

"Oh, I guess you are." Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

It was quiet once again. Tobirama had returned back to his book and Naruto was slurping his noodles happily, but their peace wasn't going to last long.

"Naruto, I knew you'd be here."

Both Tobirama and Naruto looked behind them at a familiar voice. Well, familiar for Naruto. Tobirama had never heard it before, and it caused shivers to run up the Senju's spine. Something about that voice rubbed him the wrong way.

"Pervy Sage!" Naruto cried excitedly. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to bring you along with me on a mission." Jiraiya chuckled.

"Eh?" Naruto looked suspicious. "What kind of mission? Are you just going to be a perve again?"

"No, we're going to go and look for a real pretty woman!" Jiraiya explained, almost as if he expected Naruto to jump to his feet and demand to leave on the 'mission' immediately if he knew about this.

Tobirama narrowed his eyes at the older man, reaching out and placing a protective hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Who exactly are you?"

"You don't know me?" Jiraiya looked shocked. "Well, then again... You are the Second Lord Hokage... I'm Jiraiya, the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku."

"What business do you have with my Naruto?" Tobirama couldn't stop the possessiveness in his voice, and he knew that it was going to raise questions – but he could've cared less.

"Your Naruto...?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

"That's right." Tobirama stood up, standing in front of Naruto protectively. "He's mine."