(no subject)
Title: Movie Night
Genre: Friendship
Rating: K+
Characters: Pre-timejump Naruto, Shizune
Summary: Opting for a scary movie was better than moping the rest of the night away, especially since it gave him an excuse to spend some quality time with his new neighbour.
Movie Night
Naruto sucked in a deep breath, puffing his cheeks before blowing a raspberry at the window. In response, rain lashed against the glass in a violent torrent, obscuring the village below.
"Stupid storm," he mumbled with his chin in his hands. "I was supposed to train with ero-sennin today."
As if to spite him, the sky unleashed a lightning bolt that struck a nearby tree, tearing a thick branch loose and hurtling it towards his window.
"Gah!" Naruto leapt back as the branch crashed against the glass, shattering it, then toppled off the ledge and plummeted to the ground below. Rain and howling wind immediately slapped him across the face and he ran wildly around the apartment searching for something to cover the hole.
He eventually found a box and flattened it over the hole, haphazardly taping it to the wall. By the time he was done, his clothes were dripping and the expression on his face had gone from annoyed to positively gloomy.
"At least I won't have to laundry these anymore," he muttered, tugging his sopping clothes off and throwing them in the corner. A glance at the clock showed it was only 7 PM, and suddenly hungry, he resignedly put on his slippers and frog-print bathrobe and trudged into the kitchen.
He opened the first cabinet. Marshmallows.
He opened the fridge. Jello.
He opened the pantry door. Potato chips.
He looked under the kitchen table. Two and a half stale cookies.
The chair toppled over from the force of his kick as he cursed and fisted his fingers into his hair. "Why isn't there anything to eat in this stupid house?"
In a fit of petulance, he grabbed the marshmallows, jello, potato chips, and stale cookies along with a large bowl. Setting it atop the table, he threw the entire mix together and stirred it around before shoving the entire thing into the oven and setting it to broil.
Then he left the kitchen long enough to grab his pillows and blanket from his room, bringing both items to the living room where he dumped them on the floor in front of the TV. He couldn't afford cable and anticipated having to spend the rest of the night watching old ladies knit sweaters on the arts and crafts channel, when the preview for the Friday night movie caught his eye.
Immediately, his sour expression dissolved into one of intrigue.
It was a horror film, and one about ghosts, at that. It was going to start in fifteen minutes.
At the same time he realized this, a small voice surfaced in the back of his mind.
Ehh, this is probably not a good idea. You know how you get with ghost stories…
Naruto swallowed hard, then changed the channel to his only other alternative besides the news and weather channel. The old lady on the arts and crafts channel held up a scrapbook.
"Today we'll be showing you how to laminate! That way, you'll be able to preserve your precious memories forever. You never know when a hurricane or flood might jeopardize the well-being of your scrapbooks. I remember one time…"
Naruto stared blankly at the screen. "There's no way in hell I'm watching this."
Mind made up, and ignoring that little voice in the back of his head, he changed the channel back to the movie and went into the kitchen to grab his dinner. The concoction in the bowl bubbled enticingly in a blob of yellows, browns, whites, and greens and, despite its appearance, smelled rather appetizing.
He grabbed a large spoon and turned off the kitchen light, along with the rest of the lights in the apartment before settling comfortably into his mound of pillows and blankets.
A moment later, the movie started; shivering slightly in anticipation, he leaned back against the front of the couch and tucked into his dinner, watching the screen over the rim of his bowl.
An hour and a half later.
"You idiot!" Naruto screeched, gesticulating wildly at the screen. "You stupid idiot! Don't go upstairs!"
One of the characters slowly ascended a shadowed staircase with an idiotically vapid look on his face, calling out for his missing friend. Naruto had the blanket over his head like a shroud, his terrified face illuminated by the ghostly glow of the television. Next to him, his bowl lay half-empty and a mangled pillow was clutched in his hands.
Outside, the storm raged louder than ever, the silent moments in the movie interspersed with the howling wind seeping through the gaps in the broken window. Teeth chattering, Naruto gnawed on his fingernails, peeking over his raised knees at the screen as one by one the characters were decapitated, crushed, impaled, or mutilated by the destructive power of the poltergeist.
Only the main character, smart enough to surround herself in a circle of protective salt during the final scene, was able to exorcise the spirit without getting killed. The fact that she looked a lot like Sakura did nothing to help remind him that the movie was mere fiction.
By the time it was over, only his eyes were visible through the small gap in blankets and pillows, darting nervously around the room.
Strange, his apartment had never looked so ominous and creepy before. The only light in the room came from the static screen of the television. Various items in the small room cast jagged shadows against the walls that moved with the flickering light of the static. A glance at the clock showed it was nearly 10 PM, and reluctantly he wondered whether it was worth leaving the living room to go sleep in his bedroom. The hallway between his room and the living room suddenly seemed a mile long.
"I'll just spend the night here," he rambled, bringing his knees in closer to his body. "Like…like having a sleepover…by myself…" he swallowed hard, voice cracking. "…in the dark."
He eventually arranged a pillow on the floor next to him, hugging one to his chest as he lay down against it. The TV continued buzzing static, and just as he debated whether to turn it off and relinquish his only light source, a sudden clatter from the kitchen nearly scared the life out of him.
Emitting a strange noise somewhere between a squeak and yelp, he leapt to his feet, lunging for the light switch near the apartment door. The living room immediately lit up, but he still hesitated at the prospect of entering the kitchen. A cold feeling started in his chest and descended to the tips of his toes when he found a pot upside down on the kitchen tiles.
It had fallen out of the dish rack. But how?
Almost immediately, images from the movie, consisting of scenes where the poltergeist rattled and hurled household objects flitted across his mind's eye.
"It can't be," he whimpered. "This place can't be haunted."
Thunder rumbled loudly outside in response, and not wanting to take any risks, he grabbed his salt shaker and ran back to the living room. It didn't occur to him to question the validity of salt's repelling qualities against spirits, or what would happen if he had to leave the circle in the middle of the night to pee. He continued pouring the salt in a circle around his makeshift bed until-just before completing it-the salt shaker ran out.
The blood drained out of his face as he shook the canister and nothing came out.
"N-…No way."
The neighbours, the little voice suggested in the back of his mind. Go borrow some. They can't turn you down over a little salt, can they?
Without reconsidering, he dropped the shaker, flung open his apartment door and ran out into the hallway. Even the hall, he realized with a shudder, looked menacing this late at night, and his hopes were quashed when every door he knocked on either resulted in him getting yelled at or ignored.
Finally, he reached the last door in the hall, praying that the new tenant wouldn't slam the door in his face. When the door opened, his expression morphed from desperate to shocked.
"Shizune-neechan!"
"Oh, Naruto," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I live down the hall," he said, considerably relieved at the sight of her. "Hey, hey, you're the new tenant?"
"Ah, yes," she replied, smiling slightly and glancing over her shoulder. "Just me and my cat. I would invite you in, but I haven't even unpacked and the place is a mess."
She looked at him curiously, eyeing his robe and slippers. "Did you need something, by the way?"
The grin on his face wavered as his cheeks turned an embarrassing shade of red. "Well, uh, yeah. Sort of. I was wondering if…you had any salt?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Salt? Are you cooking? At this time of night?"
"No," he mumbled, glancing apprehensively down the hall at his apartment. "It's kind of stupid, but…" He paused, scratching his head and squinting up at her. "I need it for protection."
Shizune looked positively confused now. "Protection from what?"
His expression contorted into a grimace. "I kinda watched a movie I wasn't supposed to watch-about ghosts and stuff and, well, it sorta scared the crap out of me-okay, really scared the crap out of me and I'm starting to think that branch didn't hit my window by mistake and my pot fell on the floor but maybe that was a mouse? I'm not sure. I just need salt," he blurted.
Shizune stared at him blankly. He shifted uncomfortably on the spot and scratched his head again.
Eventually, a small grin spread over her face.
"All right," she said calmly, eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'll get you some salt. But are you sure that's enough?"
"Huh?" He looked alarmed. "You don't think it is?"
"Well," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "Fear is a catalyst for the powers of the spirit world. Maybe if I lend you something happier to watch, it'll propel any negative energies out of your apartment."
His eyes immediately brightened. "Really?"
"Of course," she said confidently, resisting the urge to laugh. "I have a movie I haven't watched yet, but you can borrow it for the night. It might even put you to sleep."
"So come watch it with me!" he exclaimed, doing nothing to hide the fact that he didn't want to be alone.
She blinked. "Right now? But it's late and I-"
He made a face. "It's not that late! Besides, I already cooked dinner if you're hungry. It's not ramen but it's pretty good, I think. Come on, it'll be like a sleepover."
Her expression softened at his beseeching tone. His silly apprehension regarding the salt was still there and was probably the main reason he wanted her to come with him, but amidst that, there was genuine desire for some company. It wouldn't surprise her if this was his first time having someone over to his apartment.
When she thought about it, the prospect must have sounded terribly exciting for a twelve-year-old who'd lived on his own for most of his life.
"All right," she finally said, smiling in defeat as he grinned triumphantly. "Wait here, I'll be back in a minute."
She disappeared behind the door, and when she returned, she was wearing a pair of blue pajamas, holding a bag of fresh popcorn, her blanket and pillows, the movie, and her salt shaker. Naruto eagerly led the way to his apartment, far braver now that he had a familiar face with him.
His apartment was sparse, devoid of most furniture except for the very basics, but it had a homey feel nonetheless. The powerful smell of ramen hung in the air and she almost laughed out loud at the sight of a partially complete circle of salt on the living room floor.
He took the shaker from her hand and unabashedly completed the ring, gesturing for her to sit next to him within it. Shaking her head, she closed the door and shut the light, making her way over to where he'd already settled down.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, and before she could answer, he plopped his bowl of half-eaten whatever-it-was into her lap along with the spoon.
Shizune blanched at the sight of it. "Uh, what…exactly is this?"
He shrugged. "I didn't have anything to eat so I mixed a whole bunch of stuff together. Don't worry, the slimy green stuff is jello."
"Er, thank you."
In return, she offered him the bag of popcorn she'd popped in her own apartment, gingerly setting the bizarre confection in the bowl aside. He inserted the tape and settled back next to her, shoveling a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
"What kinda movie is it, Shizune-neechan?"
She chuckled. "The kind that will completely take your mind off of ghosts."
Definitely, she added inwardly, struggling not to laugh. Romantic comedies have a tendency to do that. If you're lucky you might even fall asleep halfway through it.
The movie started and she comfortably reclined against the front of the sofa, glancing at the clock and wondering how long it would be before Naruto passed out from boredom.
An hour and a half later.
"You idiot!" Naruto shouted at the screen, flinging a piece of popcorn at the protagonist's face. "You stupid idiot! She loves you!"
Shizune stared at the boy next to her, shocked as he scowled at the screen, completely engrossed in what he was watching. It had turned out to be a rather sappy film, predictable as far as most romances went, but it had completely held his attention the entire way through.
He seemed to have forgotten all about his previous fear, stretching his legs out beyond the range of his protective circle and oblivious to the thunder that continued to rumble outside the building.
In the midst of watching the movie, they passed the popcorn bag back and forth between each other, taking moments to comment on the film.
Naruto was exasperated. "How come she doesn't just tell him she likes him? What the hell is wrong with girls?"
"It's not that simple," Shizune said lightly, recalling the way a certain Hyuuga heiress looked at him. "Some girls are shy."
"Okay, so how come she's going after that other guy?"
"She's trying to make the first one jealous to get his attention."
"That's dumb."
"Women are complicated creatures, Naruto."
"Eh, I think I'm starting to get why Shikamaru thinks they're troublesome."
The movie ended half an hour later, expectedly with the heroine and hero resolving their differences and getting married. Shizune yawned as the credits rolled, stretching her arms over her head before turning to look at Naruto.
To her surprise, he almost looked disappointed.
"Something wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"Huh? No," he said, blinking and tearing his gaze away from the screen.
She tilted her head questioningly. "You didn't like the movie?"
"It's not that. It was just…" he paused. "Short."
She blinked, surprised as he lowered his gaze and scratched his head again. It took a moment for him to elaborate, and he did so awkwardly.
"I usually don't like this mushy sort of stuff in movies and I never watch that stuff by myself. But, you know, watching it with someone else is kinda fun, even if the movie is the mushy type." He paused, an almost wistful look coming into his features. "I think it'd be fun no matter what kind of movie it is."
When she didn't reply, he chanced a glance at her, eyes widening when he saw that hers were bright with mistiness. Alarmed, he sat up.
"You don't have to get that worked up over a movie! It wasn't even sad!"
"No," she said, voice slightly high-pitched. "It wasn't sad. I'm just happy I watched it with you, is all."
He looked somewhat puzzled at that, but pleased nonetheless as she offered him a wavering smile. She took a moment to gather herself as he reached for the television and turned it off, stifling a loud yawn with his hand.
"You can have the sofa," he suddenly offered, collapsing sideways onto his makeshift bed. "I'm too tired to get up."
She shook her head, affectionately ruffling his hair before clambering onto the sofa with her blanket and pillow. The cushions were scratchy and a little lumpy, but she didn't mind, nestling her face into the side of her pillow and blinking contentedly in the darkness.
"Goodnight, Naruto."
When he merely snored in response, she muffled a laugh into her sleeve and closed her eyes, eventually drifting off.
**********
When Shizune woke the next morning, it was to the sight of scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice being shoved under her nose. Naruto stood there, grinning proudly with what resembled singe marks over his clothing and hair.
"I sorta forgot I didn't have anything to eat from last night," he explained as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "So I got this stuff from your apartment. Your cat freaked out and knocked me onto the stove, but I put out the fire, don't worry."
He laughed sheepishly at the look on her face, looking visibly relieved as she smiled and accepted the tray from him. She choked down the toast even though it was burnt and ate the eggs despite the suspicion that he'd salted them from the salt on his floor.
"Thanks for this," he said suddenly, offering her salt shaker when she finished eating. "I know it was a stupid thing to ask for, but…"
"You're welcome," she replied, accepting the empty shaker from him. "And thank you for yesterday."
When he glanced curiously at her, she gestured to the TV.
"It's been a long time since I've had fun like that," she admitted. "I probably wouldn't have watched the movie at all, otherwise."
"How come?" he said, bewildered.
She gave him a knowing look. "I guess because it's not that fun to watch movies alone, no matter what type they are."
A light flush spread over his face at the familiarity of the words. Not wanting to embarrass him, Shizune stood up and stretched, letting her arms flop back to her sides.
"I bet you have some training to do with Jiraiya-sama, right?"
He blinked, a grin making its way onto his face at the mention of his teacher. "Yeah, that ero-sennin owes me double-training for yesterday!"
"Just don't over-do it," she said lightly, giving him an admonishing look. "I don't want to see you ending up in the hospital."
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
"All right then," she said, mollified as she gathered her pillow and blanket into her arms. "I'd better get going, then. Thank you again, Naruto."
As she made her way to the door, he suddenly cleared his throat.
"Um, Shizune-neechan?"
She stopped, turning to look at him. "Yes?"
That light flush had returned to his cheeks and she didn't miss the hopeful look that brightened his eyes as he habitually raised his hand to scratch his head. "Um…are you free next Friday, too?"
She took one step outside his door, pausing without turning her head. "Yes, but only on one condition."
When he blinked curiously, she turned her head and smiled at him over her shoulder. "It's your turn to bring the movie."
Genre: Friendship
Rating: K+
Characters: Pre-timejump Naruto, Shizune
Summary: Opting for a scary movie was better than moping the rest of the night away, especially since it gave him an excuse to spend some quality time with his new neighbour.
Movie Night
Naruto sucked in a deep breath, puffing his cheeks before blowing a raspberry at the window. In response, rain lashed against the glass in a violent torrent, obscuring the village below.
"Stupid storm," he mumbled with his chin in his hands. "I was supposed to train with ero-sennin today."
As if to spite him, the sky unleashed a lightning bolt that struck a nearby tree, tearing a thick branch loose and hurtling it towards his window.
"Gah!" Naruto leapt back as the branch crashed against the glass, shattering it, then toppled off the ledge and plummeted to the ground below. Rain and howling wind immediately slapped him across the face and he ran wildly around the apartment searching for something to cover the hole.
He eventually found a box and flattened it over the hole, haphazardly taping it to the wall. By the time he was done, his clothes were dripping and the expression on his face had gone from annoyed to positively gloomy.
"At least I won't have to laundry these anymore," he muttered, tugging his sopping clothes off and throwing them in the corner. A glance at the clock showed it was only 7 PM, and suddenly hungry, he resignedly put on his slippers and frog-print bathrobe and trudged into the kitchen.
He opened the first cabinet. Marshmallows.
He opened the fridge. Jello.
He opened the pantry door. Potato chips.
He looked under the kitchen table. Two and a half stale cookies.
The chair toppled over from the force of his kick as he cursed and fisted his fingers into his hair. "Why isn't there anything to eat in this stupid house?"
In a fit of petulance, he grabbed the marshmallows, jello, potato chips, and stale cookies along with a large bowl. Setting it atop the table, he threw the entire mix together and stirred it around before shoving the entire thing into the oven and setting it to broil.
Then he left the kitchen long enough to grab his pillows and blanket from his room, bringing both items to the living room where he dumped them on the floor in front of the TV. He couldn't afford cable and anticipated having to spend the rest of the night watching old ladies knit sweaters on the arts and crafts channel, when the preview for the Friday night movie caught his eye.
Immediately, his sour expression dissolved into one of intrigue.
It was a horror film, and one about ghosts, at that. It was going to start in fifteen minutes.
At the same time he realized this, a small voice surfaced in the back of his mind.
Ehh, this is probably not a good idea. You know how you get with ghost stories…
Naruto swallowed hard, then changed the channel to his only other alternative besides the news and weather channel. The old lady on the arts and crafts channel held up a scrapbook.
"Today we'll be showing you how to laminate! That way, you'll be able to preserve your precious memories forever. You never know when a hurricane or flood might jeopardize the well-being of your scrapbooks. I remember one time…"
Naruto stared blankly at the screen. "There's no way in hell I'm watching this."
Mind made up, and ignoring that little voice in the back of his head, he changed the channel back to the movie and went into the kitchen to grab his dinner. The concoction in the bowl bubbled enticingly in a blob of yellows, browns, whites, and greens and, despite its appearance, smelled rather appetizing.
He grabbed a large spoon and turned off the kitchen light, along with the rest of the lights in the apartment before settling comfortably into his mound of pillows and blankets.
A moment later, the movie started; shivering slightly in anticipation, he leaned back against the front of the couch and tucked into his dinner, watching the screen over the rim of his bowl.
An hour and a half later.
"You idiot!" Naruto screeched, gesticulating wildly at the screen. "You stupid idiot! Don't go upstairs!"
One of the characters slowly ascended a shadowed staircase with an idiotically vapid look on his face, calling out for his missing friend. Naruto had the blanket over his head like a shroud, his terrified face illuminated by the ghostly glow of the television. Next to him, his bowl lay half-empty and a mangled pillow was clutched in his hands.
Outside, the storm raged louder than ever, the silent moments in the movie interspersed with the howling wind seeping through the gaps in the broken window. Teeth chattering, Naruto gnawed on his fingernails, peeking over his raised knees at the screen as one by one the characters were decapitated, crushed, impaled, or mutilated by the destructive power of the poltergeist.
Only the main character, smart enough to surround herself in a circle of protective salt during the final scene, was able to exorcise the spirit without getting killed. The fact that she looked a lot like Sakura did nothing to help remind him that the movie was mere fiction.
By the time it was over, only his eyes were visible through the small gap in blankets and pillows, darting nervously around the room.
Strange, his apartment had never looked so ominous and creepy before. The only light in the room came from the static screen of the television. Various items in the small room cast jagged shadows against the walls that moved with the flickering light of the static. A glance at the clock showed it was nearly 10 PM, and reluctantly he wondered whether it was worth leaving the living room to go sleep in his bedroom. The hallway between his room and the living room suddenly seemed a mile long.
"I'll just spend the night here," he rambled, bringing his knees in closer to his body. "Like…like having a sleepover…by myself…" he swallowed hard, voice cracking. "…in the dark."
He eventually arranged a pillow on the floor next to him, hugging one to his chest as he lay down against it. The TV continued buzzing static, and just as he debated whether to turn it off and relinquish his only light source, a sudden clatter from the kitchen nearly scared the life out of him.
Emitting a strange noise somewhere between a squeak and yelp, he leapt to his feet, lunging for the light switch near the apartment door. The living room immediately lit up, but he still hesitated at the prospect of entering the kitchen. A cold feeling started in his chest and descended to the tips of his toes when he found a pot upside down on the kitchen tiles.
It had fallen out of the dish rack. But how?
Almost immediately, images from the movie, consisting of scenes where the poltergeist rattled and hurled household objects flitted across his mind's eye.
"It can't be," he whimpered. "This place can't be haunted."
Thunder rumbled loudly outside in response, and not wanting to take any risks, he grabbed his salt shaker and ran back to the living room. It didn't occur to him to question the validity of salt's repelling qualities against spirits, or what would happen if he had to leave the circle in the middle of the night to pee. He continued pouring the salt in a circle around his makeshift bed until-just before completing it-the salt shaker ran out.
The blood drained out of his face as he shook the canister and nothing came out.
"N-…No way."
The neighbours, the little voice suggested in the back of his mind. Go borrow some. They can't turn you down over a little salt, can they?
Without reconsidering, he dropped the shaker, flung open his apartment door and ran out into the hallway. Even the hall, he realized with a shudder, looked menacing this late at night, and his hopes were quashed when every door he knocked on either resulted in him getting yelled at or ignored.
Finally, he reached the last door in the hall, praying that the new tenant wouldn't slam the door in his face. When the door opened, his expression morphed from desperate to shocked.
"Shizune-neechan!"
"Oh, Naruto," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I live down the hall," he said, considerably relieved at the sight of her. "Hey, hey, you're the new tenant?"
"Ah, yes," she replied, smiling slightly and glancing over her shoulder. "Just me and my cat. I would invite you in, but I haven't even unpacked and the place is a mess."
She looked at him curiously, eyeing his robe and slippers. "Did you need something, by the way?"
The grin on his face wavered as his cheeks turned an embarrassing shade of red. "Well, uh, yeah. Sort of. I was wondering if…you had any salt?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Salt? Are you cooking? At this time of night?"
"No," he mumbled, glancing apprehensively down the hall at his apartment. "It's kind of stupid, but…" He paused, scratching his head and squinting up at her. "I need it for protection."
Shizune looked positively confused now. "Protection from what?"
His expression contorted into a grimace. "I kinda watched a movie I wasn't supposed to watch-about ghosts and stuff and, well, it sorta scared the crap out of me-okay, really scared the crap out of me and I'm starting to think that branch didn't hit my window by mistake and my pot fell on the floor but maybe that was a mouse? I'm not sure. I just need salt," he blurted.
Shizune stared at him blankly. He shifted uncomfortably on the spot and scratched his head again.
Eventually, a small grin spread over her face.
"All right," she said calmly, eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'll get you some salt. But are you sure that's enough?"
"Huh?" He looked alarmed. "You don't think it is?"
"Well," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "Fear is a catalyst for the powers of the spirit world. Maybe if I lend you something happier to watch, it'll propel any negative energies out of your apartment."
His eyes immediately brightened. "Really?"
"Of course," she said confidently, resisting the urge to laugh. "I have a movie I haven't watched yet, but you can borrow it for the night. It might even put you to sleep."
"So come watch it with me!" he exclaimed, doing nothing to hide the fact that he didn't want to be alone.
She blinked. "Right now? But it's late and I-"
He made a face. "It's not that late! Besides, I already cooked dinner if you're hungry. It's not ramen but it's pretty good, I think. Come on, it'll be like a sleepover."
Her expression softened at his beseeching tone. His silly apprehension regarding the salt was still there and was probably the main reason he wanted her to come with him, but amidst that, there was genuine desire for some company. It wouldn't surprise her if this was his first time having someone over to his apartment.
When she thought about it, the prospect must have sounded terribly exciting for a twelve-year-old who'd lived on his own for most of his life.
"All right," she finally said, smiling in defeat as he grinned triumphantly. "Wait here, I'll be back in a minute."
She disappeared behind the door, and when she returned, she was wearing a pair of blue pajamas, holding a bag of fresh popcorn, her blanket and pillows, the movie, and her salt shaker. Naruto eagerly led the way to his apartment, far braver now that he had a familiar face with him.
His apartment was sparse, devoid of most furniture except for the very basics, but it had a homey feel nonetheless. The powerful smell of ramen hung in the air and she almost laughed out loud at the sight of a partially complete circle of salt on the living room floor.
He took the shaker from her hand and unabashedly completed the ring, gesturing for her to sit next to him within it. Shaking her head, she closed the door and shut the light, making her way over to where he'd already settled down.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, and before she could answer, he plopped his bowl of half-eaten whatever-it-was into her lap along with the spoon.
Shizune blanched at the sight of it. "Uh, what…exactly is this?"
He shrugged. "I didn't have anything to eat so I mixed a whole bunch of stuff together. Don't worry, the slimy green stuff is jello."
"Er, thank you."
In return, she offered him the bag of popcorn she'd popped in her own apartment, gingerly setting the bizarre confection in the bowl aside. He inserted the tape and settled back next to her, shoveling a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
"What kinda movie is it, Shizune-neechan?"
She chuckled. "The kind that will completely take your mind off of ghosts."
Definitely, she added inwardly, struggling not to laugh. Romantic comedies have a tendency to do that. If you're lucky you might even fall asleep halfway through it.
The movie started and she comfortably reclined against the front of the sofa, glancing at the clock and wondering how long it would be before Naruto passed out from boredom.
An hour and a half later.
"You idiot!" Naruto shouted at the screen, flinging a piece of popcorn at the protagonist's face. "You stupid idiot! She loves you!"
Shizune stared at the boy next to her, shocked as he scowled at the screen, completely engrossed in what he was watching. It had turned out to be a rather sappy film, predictable as far as most romances went, but it had completely held his attention the entire way through.
He seemed to have forgotten all about his previous fear, stretching his legs out beyond the range of his protective circle and oblivious to the thunder that continued to rumble outside the building.
In the midst of watching the movie, they passed the popcorn bag back and forth between each other, taking moments to comment on the film.
Naruto was exasperated. "How come she doesn't just tell him she likes him? What the hell is wrong with girls?"
"It's not that simple," Shizune said lightly, recalling the way a certain Hyuuga heiress looked at him. "Some girls are shy."
"Okay, so how come she's going after that other guy?"
"She's trying to make the first one jealous to get his attention."
"That's dumb."
"Women are complicated creatures, Naruto."
"Eh, I think I'm starting to get why Shikamaru thinks they're troublesome."
The movie ended half an hour later, expectedly with the heroine and hero resolving their differences and getting married. Shizune yawned as the credits rolled, stretching her arms over her head before turning to look at Naruto.
To her surprise, he almost looked disappointed.
"Something wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"Huh? No," he said, blinking and tearing his gaze away from the screen.
She tilted her head questioningly. "You didn't like the movie?"
"It's not that. It was just…" he paused. "Short."
She blinked, surprised as he lowered his gaze and scratched his head again. It took a moment for him to elaborate, and he did so awkwardly.
"I usually don't like this mushy sort of stuff in movies and I never watch that stuff by myself. But, you know, watching it with someone else is kinda fun, even if the movie is the mushy type." He paused, an almost wistful look coming into his features. "I think it'd be fun no matter what kind of movie it is."
When she didn't reply, he chanced a glance at her, eyes widening when he saw that hers were bright with mistiness. Alarmed, he sat up.
"You don't have to get that worked up over a movie! It wasn't even sad!"
"No," she said, voice slightly high-pitched. "It wasn't sad. I'm just happy I watched it with you, is all."
He looked somewhat puzzled at that, but pleased nonetheless as she offered him a wavering smile. She took a moment to gather herself as he reached for the television and turned it off, stifling a loud yawn with his hand.
"You can have the sofa," he suddenly offered, collapsing sideways onto his makeshift bed. "I'm too tired to get up."
She shook her head, affectionately ruffling his hair before clambering onto the sofa with her blanket and pillow. The cushions were scratchy and a little lumpy, but she didn't mind, nestling her face into the side of her pillow and blinking contentedly in the darkness.
"Goodnight, Naruto."
When he merely snored in response, she muffled a laugh into her sleeve and closed her eyes, eventually drifting off.
**********
When Shizune woke the next morning, it was to the sight of scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice being shoved under her nose. Naruto stood there, grinning proudly with what resembled singe marks over his clothing and hair.
"I sorta forgot I didn't have anything to eat from last night," he explained as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "So I got this stuff from your apartment. Your cat freaked out and knocked me onto the stove, but I put out the fire, don't worry."
He laughed sheepishly at the look on her face, looking visibly relieved as she smiled and accepted the tray from him. She choked down the toast even though it was burnt and ate the eggs despite the suspicion that he'd salted them from the salt on his floor.
"Thanks for this," he said suddenly, offering her salt shaker when she finished eating. "I know it was a stupid thing to ask for, but…"
"You're welcome," she replied, accepting the empty shaker from him. "And thank you for yesterday."
When he glanced curiously at her, she gestured to the TV.
"It's been a long time since I've had fun like that," she admitted. "I probably wouldn't have watched the movie at all, otherwise."
"How come?" he said, bewildered.
She gave him a knowing look. "I guess because it's not that fun to watch movies alone, no matter what type they are."
A light flush spread over his face at the familiarity of the words. Not wanting to embarrass him, Shizune stood up and stretched, letting her arms flop back to her sides.
"I bet you have some training to do with Jiraiya-sama, right?"
He blinked, a grin making its way onto his face at the mention of his teacher. "Yeah, that ero-sennin owes me double-training for yesterday!"
"Just don't over-do it," she said lightly, giving him an admonishing look. "I don't want to see you ending up in the hospital."
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
"All right then," she said, mollified as she gathered her pillow and blanket into her arms. "I'd better get going, then. Thank you again, Naruto."
As she made her way to the door, he suddenly cleared his throat.
"Um, Shizune-neechan?"
She stopped, turning to look at him. "Yes?"
That light flush had returned to his cheeks and she didn't miss the hopeful look that brightened his eyes as he habitually raised his hand to scratch his head. "Um…are you free next Friday, too?"
She took one step outside his door, pausing without turning her head. "Yes, but only on one condition."
When he blinked curiously, she turned her head and smiled at him over her shoulder. "It's your turn to bring the movie."