Best Friend (A short Naruto story)

V

Tsunade was on the porch listening to the sound of the rain and watching as blue and purple flashes displayed across the gray sky. It rained when he husband died. It rained when her brother died. Tsunade could almost hear the laboured breathing of her little brother as she struggled to heal him. It was pathetic that as a doctor she could not heal her own brother.

It was nothing short of a miracle how she heard the noise over the sound of rain, thunder and wind. The blond woman stood to her feet, snapping her head to the side when she heard it again. "Lady Tsunade, is something the matter?"

"Shizune, did you hear that?" Tsunade asked her right hand. The woman strained her ears to listen to what her mistress could have possibly heard but found nothing.

"I hear nothing." Shizune spoke but Tsunade was adamant. She stepped inside the rain with Shizune holding an umbrella above her head, and walked across the big lawn of her house to the gate where she was sure the noise came from. She frowned at the open gate and stepped outside, looking for the guard on duty only to find him kicking something away.

Tsunade's eyes widened in horror at what she saw. It was a child! Anger graced her features and she stomped up to the man without the umbrella. "You heartless scum!" She yelled enraged and punched the man square in the jaw.

"Who are y-!" The man trailed off when he saw who punched him. "Lady Tsunade! I was just getting rid of the rubbish-!"

"The only rubbish that is going is you! How could you do that to a child?!"

"Milady, you don't understand..."

"YOU'RE FIRED! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT YOU FILTH!" Tsunade hollered and marched over to the boy. The poor child was cold and probably suffering from hypothermia. "You will be okay sweet heart. I will take care of you."

Naruto cracked his heavy eyes open at the warm touch that caressed his cheek. It was a woman's touch. She was so beautiful, could she be an angel? If so, she could save Kurama. "P-please..." Naruto whispered and pointed a weak finger at the fox. "Save Ku-ra-ma." He managed and fell unconscious.

"Shizune! Bring in the fox and prepare my medical tools!" Tsunade ordered. She scooped Naruto gently in her arms and marvelled at his under weight. Her brows met in fury as she took in the green and infected bruises on the boy's half naked form.

Was this shirt the only thing he wore?! Tsunade's eyes watered at the insect bites and visible ribcages but she pushed them back and bathed and treated him. She also treated Kurama while Shizune attended to Naruto. She could see that the fox was important to the boy so she put all her energy in treating them both.

Naruto opened his eyes to a warmth he had never felt before. At first he thought it was Kurama but he could not feel the heaving movement of the fox so he dismissed it. He was in a room and wrapped with warm blankets. Was this heaven? It was warm and soft, a bed. Where was he?

"You're awake." Naruto's eyes turned to see the beautiful angel he had seen in his sleep. The woman's honey brown eyes looked at him with so much warmth, an emotion nobody ever looked at him with.

"Mo-ther?"

Tsunade's heart fluttered at that small declaration. She smiled at the little sunshine and kissed his forehead. "Let's take a bath, shall we?" She asked and smiled widely when he nodded. She carried him to the hot bubble bath that Shizune had prepared and gave him a thorough bath. The golden blond shade of his hair was vibrant as well as his tanned skin. He was such a beautiful child.

Naruto laughed when a bubble popped on his nose which caused Tsunade to laugh also and make more bubbles. It was the first time in years since the deaths of her spouse and brother that she laughed.

After the bath, she clothed him and led him by hand to the dining area. "Kurama." Naruto called. Tsunade's eyes glazed over for a moment but she smiled.

"Eat first and I shall take you to Kurama." She promised. Naruto was shocked at the amount of food at his disposal. He eyed them and Tsunade as if to question if he could really eat it which made Tsunade to smile sadly. What hell did this boy go through?! "Eat, darling." She encouraged.

Naruto ate with vigour which caused Tsunade to smile and shock Shizune who had never seen her mistress smile in years. After the meal, Naruto asked for Kurama again and so Tsunade led him by hand to her back yard. Naruto smiled, expecting to hear his best friend's yips and barks.

The smile dropped when Tsunade stopped at a sand mound. She kneeled beside Naruto and held him close. "I am sorry darling, I could not save Kurama." She said grimly.

No!

No!

Naruto's heart clenched. His best friend was gone forever! He did not survive the gunshot and injuries. Naruto wailed bitterly at the loss of his best, first and only friend.

"KURAMA!!!"

Several years has passed since then. Naruto was now thirteen and a handsome healthy boy. He was adopted by Tsunade who showed him motherly love and care. He had many friends now but could never forget his first friend. Several times like this, he would spend hours at Kurama's grave just looking at the headstone. He could almost hear the contented purr and barks of the fox and could feel the wetness of his tongue on his cheek.

Naruto looked at the sky and smiled. "You are my very best friend, Kurama." He whispered.

A gentle breeze blew through his hair and he felt a rain drop on his cheek. A smile graced his handsome features at the gesture as he was sure that it was Kurama replying him.

"You are my very best friend, Kurama."

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it and could relate to the story.

Please vote and review if you liked it, I really want to hear what you think about it.

I do not own Naruto or Kurama or Shizune and Tsunade. Only the story is mine.

Welp, see ya in another story.

Ja ne.

-Star.