Naruto hummed a tune from atop Orochimaru's shoulders. The villagers started, as they always did but The blonde could tell it wasn't just him they were staring at, even glaring at. He glared back at those daring few. The Sannin paid no mind to them and simply kept his pace steady.

"Where we goin'?" Naruto leaned over Orochimaru's head to look him in the eyes. The man raised a hand and gently flicked him in the forehead. The blonde whined, rubbing the spot with a pout. "I don't think my apartment is big enough for you, ya'know?"

Orochimaru's eyes softened at the verbal tic and he pointed over towards the edge of the village.

"There's a house over by the village edge that belongs to the Sannin," He answered.

"You live in the village?" Naruto followed with another question.

"No, I usually live out of the village."

"Whoaaa, you can do that?" Orochimaru let out a curt huff.

"Well usually, no. But who would stop me?" The blonde hummed at that.

"I bet jiji could!" He grinned, his tone was teasing. The Sannin rolled his eyes. "Do I still have to go to school?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, "well, do you want to?"

Naruto shook his head no.

"The kids are kinda mean and dumb," He answered.

"Then no, I can teach you." He let out a cheer, throwing his arms up in celebration.

They reached the property. A small compound but with everything they could need. Orochimaru paused at the threshold for a moment, replaying the old memories he created with his team there.

Naruto slid off his shoulders and ran through the gate, exclaiming with wonder at the property. The sannin smiled and followed him in. They two entered the house, air a bit still and dust lingering on every surface.

"We'll go out to eat later." Nauto replied with an 'okay' as he disappeared down one of the hallways. Orochimaru summoned a few clones to tidy up the space they'd need as he pulled out a scroll. He wrote a message back to Otogakure. With a quick summon of one of his snakes the scroll was on its way.

He looked out at the setting sun before calling out.

"Naruto, is there anywhere you'd like to eat tonight?" He turned to the hallway the blonde had previously disappeared from.

"Ramen!" The voice came from behind him and he turned around in surprise. "You have GOT to meet Old Man Teuchi, he's like the nicestest guy ever! He doesn't even over charge me," Naruto continued talking as he dusted off his shorts before smiling at the man.

Orochimaru felt a twitch of annoyance at the overcharging comment but let it go, for now. Naruto wouldn't have to deal with it for much longer.

"Ramen it is them," He looked the boy up and down, noting the dusk that caked his clothes and hair. "Did you find a shower on your adventure?" Naruto laughed at that before he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, I don't really have another pair of clothes on me," He reasoned. Orochimaru pulled another scroll out from his sleeve, ignoring the blonde's attempt to peek into his sleeve.

He unsealed a number of clothes, yukatas, kimonos, shinobi gear. Naruto awed at the array of items.

"A bit weird to just be carrying around, ya'know?" Naruto sifted through the piles.

"My whole team had weird hobbies," He answered.

"And yours just happened to be crossdressing?" The blonde's voice was a touch deeper than usual as he dryly remarked. They both froze.

Naruto slowly turned to meet Orochimaru's eyes.

"Please don't be scared," He said quietly after a moment.

"The.." The other trailed off as Naruto nodded.

"Yea, but he's really nice, ya'know? I don't like let him take over- well usually- but he just kinda sits there and like-"

"It's okay," Orochimaru interrupted the boy's rant, "I will be checking the seal but if that is the extent of his- did you say take over?" Naruto sunk to the ground, pulling his knees up to his chest and sighing. He seemed to zone out for a moment and Orochimaru recognised the look from Kushina's Bijuu training.

"Fuckin' villagers," His voice was deep again and the snake sannin tensed. "I shouldn't have to tell you the shit they tried doin' but there's no way anyone even associated with the great Kyuubi No Kitsune is dealing with that shit." Orochimaru blinked at him.

"I didn't think you were so.. Hospitable" He found the word after some thought. Naruto, well the Kyuubi, scoffed.

"Unlike his mother, the kit didn't stab me with chains everytime he wanted to try talking," Orochimaru's eyes narrowed at his mention of Kushina but he forced the comments down.

"Can we just go eat ramen now?" Naruto pouted. His tone was joking but Oroshimaru could feel the nervousness radiating off him in waves.

He was worried about what his newfound family would say. Would he hate him now? Would everything just go back to how it was yesterday? He cursed at himself mentally for letting something like this slip so soon, only to be told off by Kurama.

"Pick out some clothes, Naru-chan," Orochimaru put a hand on Naruto's head as he walked past, "I'll start the shower. It will take a few minutes to warm up."

The tension left his shoulders, thankful that his godmother was willing to drop it for now. The sound of running water filtered into the room from down the hall and he turned back to clothes strewn across the table.

"So, what do you think, Kurama-sama?" The fox scoffed, he did that alot, before taking Naruto's left hand to pick out some clothes 'good enough for the Kyuubi No Kitsune's host'. No surprise when a simple black yukata and dark red haori was pushed into Naruto's right hand.

The blonde rolled his eyes before pouting.

"No orange?" A brown fur shawl was picked out from the pile. "Dark orange my ass," he mumbled, putting it back.

He peeked his head into the bathroom, seeing Orochimaru stick his hand in the running water before adjusting the temperature. He looked over and smiled.

"It should be fine now, I'll be in the other room." With that he left Naruto in the bathroom, a pat on the blonde's head as he walked past.

Orochimaru packed the rest of the unchosen clothes back into the sealing scroll before tucking it back into his sleeve. He sighed, running over the implications of having the Kyuubi somewhat free. If it helped the boy then all the better he supposed. It's not like he cared about maintaining the whole 'village weapon' idea. He didn't even mind if Naruto didn't want to be a shinobi.

The water turned off before long and Naruto followed, almost tripping on the haori that was ever so slightly too big for him. Orochimaru grabbed the other towel he'd set out and draped it over the blonde's head, drying Naruto's hair until it was just mildly damp.

"A wild guess, but this Teuchi you speak of wouldn't happen to be Ichiraku Ramen, would it?" Naruto gasped at him before nodding. His hand drifted over to hold Orochimaru's sleeve as they headed down the street. "You mother loved ramen too, called it the food of the Gods" Naruto nodded his head furiously at that.

"Cause it is, Ya'know!" Orochimaru chuckled at that.

"She used to get into arguments with my other students, almost always ending in a spar," Naruto's eyes shined.

"Did she win?"

"Most of the time, don't tell Anko I said that thought," Naruto made the gesture of sealing his lips and throwing the key away much to the Sannin's amusement.

The two reach Ichiraku's in no time. Naruto jumped up onto one of the stools, waving happily at Ayame.

"Well, if it isn't our favourite customer!" Orochimaru let a small smile linger as Naruto went back and forth with the woman before Teuchi appeared.

"Old Man Teuchi, this is my Kaa-san!" The boy introduced him. The sannin pushed back his urge to sigh and instead just nodded at the chef. Naruto's face suddenly fell and Orochimaru grew serious.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" Naruto turned to him with a horrified expression.

"Is there even ramen where we're goin?" Orochimaru felt 20 years of his life wither away as he relaxed. No wonder Hiruzen looked so old. Ayame laughed at the two as he replied,

"Yes Naru-chan, there's ramen in Otogakure."

Teuchi took their orders.

"You're going to Otogakure?" Ayame pouted. Naruto nodded,

"Mhm, I'm comin' back for my birthday every year or something tho."

Ayame looked at Orochimaru who nodded.

"It definitely won't be the same without you, Naruto-kun."

The blonde grinned and gave her a thumb sup,

"Don't worry! I'll make sure to eat so much ramen when I'm here to make up for the whole year!"

Orochimaru felt his wallet shiver.

A few dozen bowels later and Naruto snored softly on Orochimaru's back as the man carried him back to the Sannin compound. He gently placed the blonde down on the futon, clean thanks to his shadow clones, and sat at the nearby desk to finish the paperwork he promised Kabuto he'd do while he was away.