The Great Medic

19: Team 7

Naruto stares down the steps of the stairs, knowing that merely a few steps would take him to where his team was waiting for him. His mind knew that he should probably be making his way down them to sit by his new teammates, but his feet wouldn't move past where he'd been standing. Sasuke and Sakura were equally giving him a look as if they were asking, "Well, what are you waiting on?" And there really should be no reason Naruto's not beside them, thankful for the chance to be on a genin team with classmates he'd grown up with.

But his eyes kept drifting to the door, skittering over talkative classmates and passing over Shikamaru's head, discreetly seeing the other boy making his way over to Choji and Ino after their parting words. Maybe it's the medic side of his brain that has him darting out of the classroom without so much as a thought behind his actions, intent on asking his former sensei all kinds of questions in regards to his new condition. Medical fascination is what he'd tell anyone who asked.

But deep down, as his feet hit the creaky wooden floors outside of the classroom that threatened to collapse under his weight, Naruto knows it's the fear of losing another father that fuels him to find Iruka.

He can faintly hear his teammates call for him, Sasuke and Sakura's voices blending in their shock, asking where he thought he was running off to now. Shikamaru's voice drifted after him, the sound of feet shuffling had the blond-haired genin wondering if his friend would run after him, but he didn't. Choji's voice had been the last he'd heard before he had made it around the corner, filtering in with the others. Naruto didn't stop to ease their worries, didn't take a minute to breathe through his tears. He had to find Iruka, talk to him, and make sure he was okay.

"I can't lose Iruka."

Naruto hadn't been able to visit him at all during his recovery, not having much energy to get out of the house, let alone Shikamaru's bed. It's not that he didn't try, but Yoshino could be very convincing when she tried, forcing him to heal before worrying Iruka about his condition. She'd been right, of course, the blond-haired genin was still recovering. Even now as he ran down the halls practically jumping over holes in the floor and worrying about the wood collapsing underneath his feet, Naruto could feel the teetering exhaustion filtering through him, a feeling of fainting just on the brim.

The teen had nearly run past a conference room that the teachers used to frequent weekly during his academy years, but the genin had spotted a ponytail through the window in the door, drawing the boy's attention immediately. Naruto pushed the door open, startling all of the occupants in the room. Boar was still standing guard beside Iruka despite the man's clear annoyance, almost embarrassed by the look on his face, but in front of the two was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi. Naruto grit his teeth, that painful feeling in his chest appearing once more.

Had it been years prior, maybe he would have seen the surprise greeting as a happy occasion, but Naruto still felt hurt by the Hokage's actions three years prior. It was a grudge, Shikamaru had told him once, one well warranted, but it still hurt. It kept festering over the years, fueling the fire of hatred toward this man. And it made Naruto sad; he had once considered the man in familial terms. But now?

He's nothing to him.

"Naruto." Iruka greeted the blond-haired teen with a soft smile, seeming like the only one happy to see him.

"Shouldn't you be with your new teammates?" Hiruzen asked quickly, a frustrated look on his face.

He stuffed the spiteful comment threatening to spill out of his mouth down, deciding to ignore the man for a moment and instead turned to look at his father figure, "Could... Can I speak with you... f-for a little while?" He hadn't meant for his words to be as quiet as they were, his stomach flipping the moment his eyes stared at the man's wheelchair.