Red Is A Pretty Colour

67

Hiko's pov

I gave Naruto a few hours before I went to find him. It wasn't hard to find him, I didn't even need my sensory skills to figure out where he'd be. We had grown close, just like I had always wished for when we were kids.

"Hey... do you want to talk about it over some ramen. I'll pay." I offered as I approached.

Naruto stayed silent, staring out at the hokage faces as I jumped up beside him.

"How are you doing? I know this is hard for you." I said.

"It shouldn't have happened, Granny Tsunade shouldn't have let him go!" Naruto said.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear Naruto but everyone dies at some point, the goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to leave something behind that will. Jiraiya left behind his will of fire that you carry within you and that you'll surely pass on to others. He left behind the greatest legacy. There's also his book although not quite as impressive." I said, adding the last part to try and lighten the mood. "Besides, to the well organised mind death is but the next great adventure. Im sure Jiraiya would have seen it that way, like it were the final chapter of a book."

"Just shut up." Naruto growled. "You have no room to talk, you didn't know him."

"You don't need to know someone to grieve them. Sometimes even the loss of a stranger can be devastating. He was a great man and he cared deeply for you. Remember that." I said. "When you're ready to talk about it properly let me know, I'll give you your space."

Time skip

Naruto stayed out the whole day and whole night. It didn't seem like he wanted to talk to me about this. That just worried me, I only saw him briefly when I had woke up and he was so out of it he didn't even realise I was there.

I had a few options on who I could ask to talk to him. There was Iruka~sensei, the two of them were incredibly close and would always meet up for ramen even after we graduated. I could also try Kakashi~Sensei although I had a feeling that he had already tried. Sakura and Sai were a bad idea, they'd probably just make things worse. Finally there was Shikamaru, they had been friends since they were little and Shikamaru knew what Naruto was going through.

In the end I decided to ask Shikamaru, it was less awkward that way. I was close to Shikamaru but I hadn't spoken to Iruka~sensei since I was 12, it only made sense to talk to Shikamaru first.

I found Shikamaru up and about earlier than he'd normally be. He was dressed I full shinobi gear so he must have been working.

"Shika, do you have a minute?" I asked.

"What a drag, what's wrong?" Shikamaru asked, stopping what he was doing to talk to me.

"Could you talk to Naruto for me?" I asked.

"Why? What happened?" Shikamaru asked.

"Master Jiraiya was killed in action and he hasn't really spoken since the news hit yesterday. He told me to shut up because I wouldn't understand so I thought maybe you could try talking to him." I explained.

Shikamaru sighed, running a hand through his ponytail.

"I've got an idea what to do, it'll have to wait until I'm done running errands first." Shikamaru said.

"Thank you." I said before pulling him into a hug.

"Don't worry too much about it, I'll deal with it." Shikamaru said. "You should go see my mum, she's been asking about you, troublesome woman."

"Don't let her hear you say that." I said. "She's scary when shes pissed."

"Tell me about it, I live with her." Shikamaru said.

I smiled and Shikamaru smiled back.

"Just go see her, alright? It'll be a drag for me if you don't." Shikamaru said.

"I'll stop by, I promise, for both our sakes." I said.

I had always viewed Yoshino as a calm and sweet woman but that was before I stayed the night. Choji, Shikamaru and I all witnessed her wrath, poor Shukaku didn't stand a chance. She never yelled at me but I had witnessed her yelling a few times in the more recent months, she was scary.

We both chuckled.

"I'll see ya later. We should play shogi." Shikamaru said.

"I'm always up for shogi. See ya." I said.