Naruto trudged through the streets of Konoha, hands in his pockets as he kept his head low. Today was a day for the record books. It reminded him of one of the lessons he had in the practical class, where their instructor, who had originally been speaking about being over prepared and having back up plans to your back up plans had said.
"Just when you think you're ahead, suddenly anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."
And today had been exactly that.
Before long, Naruto found himself outside Ichiraku Palace.
'I swear-' He grinned almost, looking at the large sign above the stand, 'this place is the best.'
Their food was perfect, it had a warm, comfort food feeling while being a bargain, he would have to bring back some ramen for baa-chan, otherwise she might take his head.
Of course, the main reason he came in so often was because of Ayame Ichiraku, whom had been his private advocate in terms of being a shinobi. Despite only being a few years older than him, she was a retired Chūnin.
It wasn't by choice, naturally. She'd spent four years to become a shinobi, and it wasn't a cheap academy to attend either to just give ones career up so easily, that's why most shinobi stayed active so long, and she had even gotten a commendation certificate signed by Hokage-sama himself for bravery that was currently framed by the entrance.
But with her father, Teuchi-san getting older, along with taking care of their stand by himself, and that health scare about several months back, it was understandable that she'd choose her father's health over her career. Naruto might've lost respect for her if she did, he couldn't imagine choosing this life over his baa-chan.
As he entered, moving the noren curtain as he did so, stopping in his tracks almost immediately.
"Huh..?"
The teenager who sat at the counter turned around, taking a lazy bite of pickled cabbage and sticky rice.
"...Yo." Shikamaru said, giving Naruto a peace sign.
Naruto barely caught his reaction, before he walked up to the bar stool and plopped himself down.
"What're you doing here?" He asked, not upset or moodily, more so curious.
"I always come here." Shikamaru replied without skipping a beat.
"That's the boldest lie I think anybody has ever told me." Naruto snorted, shaking his head, crossing his arms onto the table. "I'm here every other day and I've never seen you."
The Nara heir shrugged casually.
"Is it that I wasn't here, or that you weren't looking for me?"
Naruto's brows creased in thought, almost for a second buying his bullshit. "Don't be such a smartass all the time, we have enough of that. How'd you even beat me here?"
Before Shikamaru could respond, probably with a witty retort, Ayame came from the kitchen.
"Ahh, Naru-chan, what a pleasant surprise." She said with a soft smile, quickly grabbing a menu and placing it in front of him. More out of habit than anything, he ordered the same thing everytime he came. "Tou-san!" She shouted, turning her head to the kitchen door, "Naruto's here!" She quickly turned back.
"How was your Collection Day, did you meet your sensei, what about your teammates?" She rattled off, propping herself up on the table, expectant of details.
Shikamaru, although not being the one addressed, was the one who answered.
"Well your little Naru-chan here pissed off our sensei within the first minute of meeting him."
Naruto shot him a peeved look, "I made a mistake, okay. But he's a dick."
Ayame stood back, looking between them, "Wait, you two are teammates? Wait, you messed up on your first day? Seriously?" Giving a pointed look at Naruto.
Naruto turned his gaze away from her's. "I messed up, admittedly. But he overreacted completely Ayame-chan, and yes, this is my teammate, Nara Shikamaru."
Shikamaru put his hand over his heart, which Ayame returned instinctively. "Nice to you meet you, Ayame-san."
"Likewise Shikamaru-san." Ayame said, looking around, "Where's your other teammate? Running late?"
"This wasn't a planned team dinner or anything, I didn't even know Shikamaru was gonna be here." Naruto said, "Besides, she wouldn't come even if it was, nor would I want her to."
Shikamaru shook his head, "Ya' know you're gonna have to get along with her eventually, yeah? Or at the very least, civil."
"Who's your other teammate?" Ayame asked, her brows creasing slightly.
Naruto was an optimistic and eccentric kid, - well as far as a shinobi can be - he got on just fine with most people. This other teammate must've been a real piece of work for Naruto of all people to not wanna be involved with her.
"Her names Hyūga-" Before Shikamaru could finish answering the question, Ayame shook her head.
The Hyūga had a reputation, for good reason, about being stuck up, supremacists with an elitist clan mentality. Be it a shinobi, a civilian, another clan, the Hyūga were known for thinking themselves more fit, more intelligent, from a strong bloodline that could be tied to ancient monks. Their narcissism was second only to an Uchiha.
"Nevermind, I understand. What about your sensei? Who'd you get, my people said there's a serious line up this year."
"Jōnin Sumaki Shoya." Naruto answered this time.
Ayame's eyes widened. "Sumaki? Thee Sumaki Shoya? Good Kami, I wish you guys the best of luck." She said, empathy flashing through her eyes as she patted them on their heads.
The bell chimed from the kitchen, signalling a ready order.
She turned, still shaking her head as she went to the kitchen.
"That can't possibly be a good sign." Shikamaru said, sighing with future exhaustion.
Naruto didn't show much reaction, this just confirmed what he had been thinking since their meeting: he was a dick.
Shikamaru would ask his father - as his father was the Jōnin Commander of Konoha - about their new sensei. But he knew better, shinobi files were extremely sensitive and classified. The idea of a Genin with a Jōnin file would get him in a lot more trouble, more trouble than whatever information he could get from those files were worth. Besides that, he doubted his father would even entertain the idea of giving his son such information, even if it was to give Shikamaru a competitive advantage against his sensei.
Ayame came back, this time with a takeaway bag and placed it on the table.
"Here you go Naru-chan." She said, smiling at their long term customer.
Naruto accepted the bag, opening it a bit and taking a sniff, "Ooh yes, that's the stuff. Say thanks to the old man for me."
"I will." She smiled, giving a small chuckle.
Before he left, surprisingly, it was Naruto who asked, "Hey, Ayame-chan... Is there anything you can tell me about Sumaki-sensei?"
Shikamaru raised a brow, honestly not expecting Naruto to ask an important question. He always seemed more physical than mental, but he guessed the red-head was full of surprises.
Ayame took a moment to think.
"He is one of the toughest shinobi I know. When I became a Chūnin, he was my senpai for about six months before I started operating solo. He was a demanding, hardcore guy and he's probably one of the meanest bastards I had ever met... But if you prove you belong, that he doesn't have to babysit you in the field and that you know what you're doing, he treats you like you belong."
Both Genin quietly absorbed this information and stored it away, before reaching the curtains to exit.
"Be seeing you." Ayame said, hand over her heart as she dipped her head.
Shikamaru returning the gesture, while Naruto threw his hand up in a wave.
As they walked down the streets together, Naruto remembered, "Hey, you never told me how you got to Ichiraku's Palace before me."
Shikamaru shrugged, "I took shortcuts, I don't have enough energy to walk the main roads."
Naruto snorted, "You lazy bastard, it's an extra ten, maybe fifteen minutes."
"Which I saved and used to order."
It was silent as they made it to the junction of the main road where their paths would split.
"Hey Naruto... whatever happens, keep your head down and work hard. Ignore Hinata and focus on proving yourself to Sumaki-sensei. The promotional exams only happen once every year, and you don't want to miss your chances at that over some academy beef. Leave the academy drama at the academy." He said, not waiting for a response, instead patting Naruto once on his back for turning and walking home.
'Focus on proving myself, huh?' Naruto thought, turning and walking back in the opposite direction to the Uzumaki compound.