He won't leave. The man with the hole in his chest won't leave.

Naruto curls into his small bed and pretends to stare out the window even though there is nothing to look at but the back of a decrypt building. Anything else is better than staring at the man with the sad eyes and bloody chest.

Naruto has been through this so many times but that doesn't make it easier. Some of them go after him screaming and trying to drag their bloody nails across his skin. Others just stand there repeating the names of their loved ones. They all have one thing in common they always say it's your fault. But those are the brave ones. The rest of them crawl away from him, run as soon as they see him, fear palpable in the air.

When he was younger he used to be terrified of the half-torn bodies and burned faces that would reach for him. But as time passed by, he learned that no matter how much they wished they just couldn't hurt him. Ghosts can't hurt the ones that live. No matter how much they pray otherwise.

He learned through many lessons that pretending they didn't exist was the best option. It took a lot of effort to train himself into walking straight to through them, to keep a smile on his face even when there were malformed bodies a few feet away and faces with empty sockets in front of him. The brighter he acted, the more he smiled, the less likely they would notice his ability.

He wasn't always a good actor. The ghosts used to latch unto him, burned him with their words and accusations. It was terrifying and would result in screaming and crying. Then visits to doctors who couldn't understand, and days guarded more heavily than usual under suspicious gazes and wary bodies. He learned to stop speaking of it, to stop mentioning bodies with bloody mouths and the feelings boiling inside of him.

He knew. Naruto knew. No one else had to tell him.

That there is something inherently wrong with him. Not only because of what he could see but because of what he feels inside of him. An energy so dark and angry that sometimes he wants to vomit. When they say it's your fault Naruto understands that it has something to do with what's inside. The vicious crimson energy that reaches out from the pit of his stomach and twits and claws trying to escape.

At first Naruto hated the energy. If it wasn't there then maybe he wouldn't be able to see ghosts or he wouldn't be hated by everyone, living and death. But then there are moments when he can feel the energy submerge itself in sorrow, a throbbing ache of loneliness and desperation. There is misery in the jagged edges of the energy. Naruto couldn't hate it after that. Not when it was like him, filled with a painful need to feel love, to be loved. Anything but that chasm of solitude.

The truth is that there are a lot of things Naruto can't understand. Like how to read. How to ride a bike. How to cook. How to work with numbers and run properly through the katas. But above all else he can't understand the energy, what it has to do with him, and how it is his fault that many people are dead. He thinks he could find out if he really tried but he's afraid of what he could find. Maybe the energy is his spirit from a past live, that lived only for the thrill of blood and killed many that know haunt his present self.

Naruto knows few things like how the sky is blue, and the grass is green, and how ramen is the best thing in the world. Naruto also knows that what he could find won't change his situation. Naruto knows that he is not bad. People might hate him and fear him, but Naruto is not evil. That's why Naruto wants to get stronger. So strong and so powerful that he will be able to protect the village single-handily then people would see what Naruto knows. Then people would never have to feel that fear again. Then people would be his friends and maybe then he could find a family to love him.

With that resolution in mind, Naruto had been in the middle of trying to figure out his homework. Trying to decipher the strange words and getting more frustrated by the minute. How was he supposed to become strong if he couldn't even do his homework properly? Then he had gotten distracted by the wailing of the ghost, the one that was attached to the owl mask guy that was in charge of watching him, disappearing. It was not yet time for owl guy to leave yet the crying was getting further and further away. He had gotten out of his bed and moved towards his window to see what he could find. He couldn't find who the new person watching him was, but he had seen their ghost.

Out of shock at the sudden appearance of the bleeding figure Naruto had allowed his eyes to trace the ghost. From the outfit of a ninja to the white hair pulled into a long ponytail. Naruto's eyes had been following the gauntness of the cheeks when he'd forgotten to turn away before their eyes could meet.

Their eyes met. Azure orbs clashing with silver ones. There was so much sorrow written in the eyes that Naruto felt helpless and continued to stare. Naruto knew those eyes very well, he saw them each time he looked in the mirror.

The ghost had not missed the brief contact and had immediately floated into the apartment. It hadn't spoken a single word but instead had settled into the corner of the room. Its eyes following Naruto. He had tried to feign nonchalance but with the ghost there he simply couldn't focus on the mixed words in his hands.

Which leads to the strange impasse Naruto is currently in.

Naruto closes his eyes and tries to will himself to sleep, dutifully ignoring the grumbling of his stomach. There's nothing else to do but to go to sleep hopefully by the morning the ghost will be gone.

"Do you need help with that?"

"Help?"

Nobody had ever offered to help Naruto. Nobody. He turns around quickly. His eyes meeting the solemn gaze. Oh. Oh, no. He'd answered. He was screwed. Now the ghost would not leave him alone. He will have to deal with the screams and crying until the ghost finally makes his peace or gets tired of following a kid. It could days, weeks, months. Damn it. Naruto wants to cry. This is too much. It has been so long since he had ruined things this bad.

"Yes, I can help you if you wish."

Why isn't there any screaming? Any anger?

Naruto turns away, hands pulled into small fists.

"Can you leave?"

The ghost moves until he is in front of Naruto.

"You don't want my help?" He moves closer, his silver brows pulling into a frown, "You don't believe me."

He looks at the scrolls of homework spread on the bed.

"I can help. I promise that's all what I want to do. If I wanted something else don't you think I would have already done it?"

"You could be waiting."

He smiles, "Ghosts are not exactly patient."

Naruto thinks of all the ghosts that have relentlessly haunted him for weeks.

"Yes, they are."

The ghost sighs.

"You're right they are, however I'm not playing with you. You have nothing to lose by letting me help you. If I'm wrong, it's not like it could have been worse but if I'm right it would really be good for you."

He was right. Naruto had nothing to lose but something to gain. Besides, Naruto had never met a ghost like him. Someone who wanted to talk and help.

Naurto licks his dry lips, "I'm Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki… from the famous Uzumaki clan. It's nice to know the bloodline still lives."

Bloodline. Clan. Naruto belonged to a clan! A famous one!

Excited he forgets his distance and moves towards the ghost. His feet bouncing erratically with nerves. Maybe his clan didn't know where Naruto was. Maybe if they knew they could come for him and take him away! Maybe they knew about he red energy and the ghosts!

"Hey, can you tell me? Where is my clan?"

The ghost steps back, his lips pulled down.

"I'm sorry. The clan was lost in a war. The few survivors are spread throughout the ninja nations."

Oh. Of course.

"But I know of them, any Konoha ninja knows of them. They were our allies. The wife of the first Hokage was an Uzumaki. They were strong. Stronger than many nations combined. They were known for their fuinjutsu."

Naruto moves his head, eager to absorb all information, "Sealing techniques?"

"Fuinjutsu is dangerous and inventive. With paper and pen you could create whole new jutsus that have never been seen before. The Uzumaki's were masters of the art, capable of creating barriers and sealing monsters with the stroke of a pen."

His people. Naruto's people were strong. Naruto can be just as strong. Naruto can be stronger. He can learn about the art and carry a piece of his clan with him. But no, he can't how can he when he doesn't even know how to read. Who could teach him? Nobody. The teachers at the academy avoid him like plaque and even then, they wouldn't know about the lost art.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course, it does. It's your heritage. Your right to know your history."

"History won't help me. What good is knowing about it when I can't even learn it."

Naruto looks down. His eyes burning with frustration. Why can't he be more? Why can't he be better?

"Well, I did say I would teach you."

Naruto's head snaps up, shock written in his wide eyes.

"How?"

The ghost kneels on the floor. His gaze steady and determined.

"We would start by teaching you how to read properly. A proper nutrition for a growing boy would also be necessary. Then I would give you exercises to do, katas for taijutsu, and chakra control exercises. There would be so much to do. So much to learn like how to properly wield ninja weapons, and poisons, and traps, and strategies. Eventually we would get to ninjutsu and fuinjutsu. I don't know much about fuinjutsu but I know enough to give you the basics. I will train you."

For the first time, Naruto feels the feathery wings of hope taking flight from his chest. He can do it. If this ghost helps him, Naruto can do it. Still there is something he must know first.

Naruto licks his lips, "why?"

The ghost smiles, "Because I can. Because I want to."

Ah. That's a simple answer but in its own way it's comforting.

"However, there is something I must ask of you first."

"What is it?"

"Being a ninja is hard. It's the most difficult job anyone could possibly imagine. You will have to kill. You will have missions that will make you want to kill yourself. And you will make decisions that will haunt you for the rest of your life. So... why do you want to be a ninja?"

Naruto thinks of all the cold glares and hard faces. Of the ugly words and the evil spirit within him. He thinks of the blood that's in his hands. The people who lost their lives to something he doesn't understand. How that made them small and hateful and so miserable. How children like him were raised without parents because something bigger and stronger took them away. He thinks of how strong he could get. How many people he could safe. He thinks of acceptance and love and protection and having a place to belong.

"I- I really, it's a lot, um."

Naruto takes a deep breath and calms himself.

"When I walk down the streets people hate me and look away from me. They do that because they were hurt, because something took someone precious away from them. I know it has to do with me. I don't know how but I know it's me. I want to stop those looks. I want to get strong enough so that no one will ever get that look again. To protect them from others who want to hurt them. I want to stop those hateful looks and those painful smiles. I want them to look at me and see someone that protected them. I want them to be happy and I want to be happy."

The ghost smiles.

"You are strong for someone who has gone through so much."

The ghost puts his hand out.

Naruto is baffled before remembering that he is supposed to shake the hand. His small fingers grasp ghostly ones that seep into his skin, leaving a strange coolness behind.

"I'm Sakumo and from now on I will be your teacher."

o0O0o

Author's Note:

Hello! I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter :)

I got this idea of Naruto being able to see ghosts and I just couldn't get it out of my head. Now, I know many of you are thinking if he can see ghosts why did not a single one of them tell him that he has the Kyuubi inside of him. First, remember that most of them ran away from him due to fear of the demon but the ones that stayed were only fixated on their deaths and him being the cause. They didn't mention the Kyuubi because to them Naruto was the demon himself. Of course there are ghosts that are more aware and knowledgeable. These types of ghosts are usually fixated on something of sentimental value such as Sakumo with Kakashi. Thus Sakumo is the first ghost, that is more aware, willing to interact with Naruto on a deeper level. I hope that makes sense.

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