A Mother's Knight

Part 5

Standing just behind the backdoor of his house at the Senju compound, Naruto tilted his head to the side. He often did that when trying to figure out what was in front of him, or a puzzling thought that was playing a game of shogi with his mind. Before him stood Jiraiya. The appearance of the man wasn't surprising – it shouldn't be surprising – but Naruto tried to figure out what he wanted. He was not 'needed' or 'wanted' at this time. His time would come when they would need to leave the village for some peaceful time.

Naruto didn't really have anything against the Sannin. The leaving him thing didn't matter to him. He didn't resent the man for it. He just saw Jiraiya as just another Konoha shinobi and the man who trained his father. He may have been made his godfather, but he forfeited that responsibility when he ran off to drown his sorrows with women from all over the Elemental Nations. He suffered with his mother while the man embraced his perverseness in its fullest, and did so shamelessly.

Yet even so, Naruto held no grudge. If they were related by blood, then he would see the Sannin as nothing more than trash. Just like the bloody villagers crawling around the streets, parading their sick chants of murder to the demon and violating the positive energy that Hashirama had breathed into this god forsaken village. But Jiraiya was not related to him by blood. He failed his father. He never counted on the man for anything.

Jiraiya owed him nothing and Naruto wasn't going to put on a smile just to make the man feel better. He wasn't going to comfort the man just to make things easy for him. The man did what he did, and Naruto wasn't interested in apologies.

''What do you want, Jiraiya?'' Naruto finally asked as polite as he could.

Jiraiya shifted uncomfortably under the unblinking stare of the blond. The stare was just piercing. It threatened to crack his mask. Jiraiya held it with both his heart and mind, biting his tongue just so he couldn't crumble down like a rookie. He was a grown man. He was old enough to be Naruto's grandfather. Why did have to shake under the blonde's stare? Get hold of yourself, Jiraiya! The Toad Sage raged within.

It really felt he was being interrogated whenever he stood in front of the blond. Those blue eyes always had questions, and the tilting of the head further strengthened the impression. At least there was no hatred in those eyes. No, Naruto didn't hate him. Jiraiya was certain of it. The thing was Naruto just didn't give a damn about him. He only came into the mind of Naruto when he needed to be used.

It sickened the Sannin that someone so young could have such a thought. Of course Jiraiya was just assuming this. It could all be just his imagination. Nevertheless, there was a high possibility that he might right.

Jiraiya swallowed his thoughts. Naruto had blinked. The Sannin assumed it at as a signal that the blond was no longer interested in figuring him out. It could also mean he'd lost patience in waiting for him to respond to simple question - In Naruto standing point at least. To Jiraiya, there was no easy question and answer when he was dealing with a kid.

Jiraiya closed his eyes for moment. He didn't take too long because he was afraid by the time he opened them, he would be staring at Naruto's back. He felt relieved when Naruto was still there, still staring at him.

''I came to check up on you.'' Jiraiya said, his tone was quiet and a bit innocent.

''I'm fine, as you can see for yourself,'' Naruto said. He did it on purpose. He disliked the man for his round-about games. The man never wanted to come straight at him. He liked coming from behind. Naruto didn't want anyone coming in from behind. That was where back stabbers stab you. He was always cautious with his back and he would force Jiraiya to the front. Either by being rude or silent.