His blue eyes widened, and his hand moved to touch one of golden plates (armor, his excited mind whispered, armor made of pure gold) which hangs loosely on Hokage Jiji's body but to little Naruto's disappointment, his little fingers doesn't touch anything (they passed his fingers like they don't even exist) and when he blinks, it's to see Jiji's frown.

But Naruto ignored his frown and quickly grinned, "Your armor is so cool, Jiji!"

The Sandaime raised an eyebrow, "Armor, Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah! Golden armor!" He nods excitedly, and peered over Hokage's back, where a golden, giant monkey hovers with an amused smile behind his surrogate grandfather's chair; glowing softly under sunshine from the window. Naruto's blue eyes glanced back to the golden armor; golden lines which stained with black and purple and brown—Naruto scrunched up his nose in distaste. "It's a bit rusty though, but i'm sure mister golden monkey there could fix it for you'ttebayo!"

His grandfather laughed, and the golden monkey grinned. Naruto grinned too, mimicking the golden monkey's toothy grin.

(In the years to come, the armor hasn't been fixed; the rust grew and Naruto could only watch, unable to do anything, aunable to even touch (it's not rust it's snake's poison) as it drags the Hokage down, and the armor screeched in a glorious tone of death.)

.

.

It was when he's eight years old, that he realized; oh, no other people can see.

Because for little Naruto, the world is very, very, very colorful and noisy for him. The wind sings a song (an aria) which only he could hear; told tales about Samurais in White Land, Travelers from The Desert, and many, many more. Sometimes he could hear the giggles of the fae (those young faeries-translucent kids floating around with ghostly wings), ever so slightly, causing confusion to people and many other pranks which sometimes not fun; like making people angry, whispering things to people which makes them sad. Sometimes he could hear the jingling, cold rusty chain and a faint growl from everywhere around him; this usually happens when Naruto is angry so he learned to mostly contain his anger as best as he can.

And the people—well, there are so many things about people around him he doesn't even know where to begin.

The Orphanage's Matrons always have at least one fae who giggles and whispers; and then they will get angry at Naruto, or punish him for doing nothing.

("Hey! Stop that! Tha' not funny!" Naruto hollered once, pointing and scowling at the fae perched on one matron's shoulder.

Then the fae began cackling, screeching in happiness even; and Naruto feels his blood runs cold. The Orphanage Matron 's face contorts to one of pure disdain right before she yelled at Naruto. That he would not get any dinner for today. )

Did Naruto mention that he hated the fae? No? Well, the fae are mostly the reason why the village hate him. He's sure of it. Because every time a villager looks at Naruto, one (or two, or even three) fae at least would appear and started to whisper things on their ears. Things which caused them to lash out violently to him.

But other than the fae, people around Naruto always looks.. colorful.

Hokage-Jiji, for example. He always have Golden Armor on top of his white robe. Golden, ethereal, golden armor, carved with markings which Naruto doesn't understand yet fascinate him to no end. Sometimes, there's a golden, equally ethereal monkey which hovers on two feet behind his Jiji, silently observes them. The monkey never talks, not even once, but he does grins to Naruto and he's content with that. And that's only his Jiji.

Once, Jiji brought him to a doctor. He was a kind man; there are no fae around him even when he looks at Naruto for more than fifteen minutes. When the doctor touched Naruto's bleeding ankle (there's a red, glowing butterfly which Naruto follows to the forest, he ended up falling down to a rock instead), green sparks covers his hand, then those lights turned to strings, which then moves on their own to stitch Naruto's wound, healing him completely. That was so awesome.

("What's that green strings, Jiji?! That's so cool, tebayo!"

"...you mean chakra, Naruto?"

"Nah, that green sparks which turned to strings!"

"...i believe we call those green strings healing chakra, Naruto-kun."

But Naruto doesn't listen; as Hokage-Jiji drags him out of the hospital, he continue his ramblings about green string which feels warm, and he asked if there are any more colors than green. Jiji answered they are mostly blue, but they can't stitch the wound. Naruto is more excited.)

Once, he sees a ninja with black stains all over his body. Black stains and chain; the ninja with green vest who always passes his orphanage every Friday at four hours sharp looks more and more pale with every passing week. Naruto is curious, really. Honestly, Naruto planned to confront him (because he looks friendly; he looks at Naruto once and the fae-well only one fae get closer to him; giggling, but not whispering) and asks him if about the black stains but then the man never came again. Not even two weeks after. Not even two months after. Naruto asked his Jiji then, describing the man, asking his whereabouts. The Monkey behind Hokage-Jiji perked up, interested, while Jiji looks worried.

"That's fine, Jiji. I want to ask him something because he's been nice to me." Naruto hesitantly says, "I can't do that?"

Jiji huffed in relief, yet Naruto knows he's still wary; but nods and read the ninja's file to Naruto.

The man was dead. Two months ago, a mission gone awry and the only thing that remains from the man is simply his corpse—his ash, reserved by his family—and his name.

And Naruto thinks, oh.

Oh. So that's what the stains are. It—(Naruto swallows heavily) It announces death. There are similar stains too on one other people which Naruto knows—his ANBU guard Inu. But it's not black stains; it's dull grey, and sometimes red, which covers all his body. And Inu's skin never turned ashen-white like that ninja's even if the stains are always there. Sometimes, Naruto could see ropes—vines? Which tangles his body, tangles his skin and draws blood, even. And his left eye—it never feels right.

("What happened to your left eye, Inu-san?"

It was probably the only thing he got a reaction from the stoic ANBU. His guard's body abruptly stiffened for a second, before it relaxed again. Still, the ANBU doesn't answer. Yeah, Naruto understands if they are not supposed to talk to him, but still...

"...It..." Naruto hesitates, "It's not... yours.. right?"

Because Naruto could see red and purple blotches on the mask where Inu-san's left eye should be; blotches which connected to a very, very translucent, red string, to somewhere far, far away which Naruto's eyes can't reach.

Naruto feels guilty because Inu-san disappeared and then doesn't visit him again for three months straight.)

But other than Inu-san, Naruto tried his best—really, he did—to avoid people from dying. Every time he sees someone with familiar black stains and chains, he shouted at them; "Be careful 'tebayo!" "I think you should just go home!" "Don't get out and stay in home from now on!" "You are sick 'tebayo! Stay in your home!"

Yet, with every shout, with every warnings, the people grew more and more wary; more and more angry. The fae cackled louder and louder—up until a point where he is the one who got followed by those fae (they are mocking him) and he's not able to hear the wind's aria anymore.

( "STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! LEAVE! I SAID LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

There are sounds of rumbling and chains, but even those are dampened by dozens of fae screeching around him. Naruto covers his ears with his hands and he closed his eyes but even then it was not enough to stop him from hearing. It was maddening. It was chaos.

It was his Jiji, thundering inside his room in the orphanage and held him close. It was his warm golden armor and Naruto, as tired as he is, sleeps in his grandfather's hands.)

So, seven years old Naruto decided; he doesn't care anymore. Obviously he cannot live with those fae breathing down his neck with those giggles, obviously he cannot live without calm moments of listening to wind singing or simply seeing colors wisps and dance around him. Obviously he doesn't want to see his Jiji's face so grave and grim for another week. If it's not people who he cares; like Jiji, or Inu-san, or Boar-san, or that one kind orphanage matron, then Naruto wouldn't do anything.

The fae stopped soon after. Thankfully.

.

He was eight years old and it was his first week in the Academy. He met one Shikamaru Nara; who have stars shine in his lazy eyes, and his shadow is ebony black compared to other's. His hair styled like pineapple and his skin is pale white. Different from Naruto, who just can't keep his attention to the class with wisps of colors flying around, and with wind's aria mixed with fae's giggles and occassional melody from somewhere in the class, Shikamaru is always sleeping in class. Naruto knows this because he sits on the back too, to avoid attention when he's trying to tug a translucent red string or when he's covering his ears because some kids are playing pranks and the fae cackled in glee.

Yet... yet Shikamaru is so smart.

First month on Academy and every time the sensei throw a question at him, Shikamaru would answer correctly while Naruto... well Naruto got distracted again by the fae which floats behind the sensei, whispering another foul things. Naruto scowls, and the sensei is offended, and then he gets kicked out of class.

Always. Like that.

So one day, Naruto said to Shikamaru, "you have stars in your eyes."

And the other glanced at Naruto lazily. Naruto's blue eyes, however, completely entranced by the sparkling stars in Shikamaru's eyes.

"They are so brilliant 'tebayo." He murmured. "But your shadow's ebony dark. Darker than other's."

Shikamaru widened his eyes. Naruto doesn't notice that.

"Is it the stars or the shadow which makes you smart?"

Sparkling, brilliant stars looks at Naruto's sky blue straightly and Naruto widens his eyes as this is the first time Shikamaru gives his full attention on something and being the side which gets the attention is... uncomfortable? Makes him nervous?

"What?" Naruto warily, defensively, asks.

"Say... Naruto, isn't it? What were you doing?"

Now it's Naruto's turn to be surprised.

"You hardly pay any attention to class." Shikamaru lazily says, "once, you tried to tug something. Other times you look around, looking at.. something."

Should he tell him? Not even Hokage-Jiji knows about this, so Naruto is still hesitant. But then, Hokage-Jiji is always busy and he will probably takes what Naruto says to his imagination. Why do Hokage-Jiji ignores them anyway? How did he ignore all of them? Shikamaru, on the other hand, is the type to listen. Even though Shikamaru would probably ignore everything (like his Jiji), too, at least Naruto has someone to listen to. And if he could drown all of this sounds around him with him talking with Shikamaru, then he would absolutely do it.

So Naruto takes a deep breath, and hushing his world to the Nara. Hoping Shikamaru would be aware, too.

That was how Uzumaki Naruto become Shikamaru Nara's best friend (and later, much, much later, his exclusive translator; as the others like to call him). It was how one Shikamaru Nara decreased his sleep quota in classes.

.

"The wind also sings," Naruto whispered, looking out from the class window, followed by Shikamaru, who also looks outside.

"They told stories, y'know. Aria. I don't understand why none of you hear it. Their songs are very beautiful, y'know. Once, they told be about Samurais and white land, covered in ice and snow, ruling strong with a piece of long metal called katana. They also told me about a desert, near the leaves, and of the Sand King trapped in a living prison." Naruto shows his toothy grin to Shikamaru beside him, who glances at his grin lazily. "I really want to meet that Sand King, y'know! Maybe we could—"

Naruto stopped, and looked outside, blue eyes widening and Shikamaru glances outside again; but found nothing other than trees which leaves are swayed very, very subtly, and glances at Naruto again. The sensei hasn't noticed them not paying attention, but Shikamaru is sure it would be soon.

"Naruto—"

To Shikamaru's surprise, Naruto mottered a soft "Sssh," and then, the wind outside picked up—rustling the trees for a seemingly long time. Shikamaru widened his eyes as his sceptical feeling (yes, he's still sceptical about Naruto's world; they are just so.. bizzare, it couldn't be true) disappeared to thin air.

The wind sings. Shikamaru realized, Naruto is listening to the wind's song.

It's as if time stopped for Shikamaru; the sound of his sensei's voice drowned with rustling leaves and whistling summer wind. Time in which Naruto whispered, "It's about the Weeping Land," a pause, "A Weeping Land who misses the Sun."

.

Later that day, the class learned about elemental countries. Shikamaru could only stare dumbly when their sensei began explaining about Tetsu no Kuni, the Land of Iron, which is manned by Samurais. Just like what Naruto said. And then they moved to Hidden Villages; Sunagakure, a Village in the Middle of Desert, and Amegakure, a small Village which, true to its name, always will rain. A weeping land who misses the sun fits the description perfectly. Again, just like what Naruto said.

But then...

Shikamaru looks at the blond who sits beside him, blue eyes trailing up and outside—seeing what Shikamaru couldn't see—and thinks, who or what is the Sand King, then?

The young Nara feels a hand grips his hand, and he looks to Naruto, who is pointing something outside, to someone—a ninja, who is walking to the Academy. A teacher, perhaps.

"Can you see the stains?" Naruto hushed, with no small amount of dread in his voice.

"What stain?" Shikamaru lazily drawls, and the jounin disappeared from their view.

Naruto turns his head to look at Shikamaru, frowned, but then the horror is still there. "How can you ignore it? It—it's practically all over his body'tebayo!" Naruto says, almost frantic.

Shikamaru opens his mouth, about to reply, but then his voice was never came as his sensei hollered.

"NARUTO! SHIKAMARU!"

The both of them jolted, and well, as expected, the sensei began yelling at them about proper ninja attitude, even though mostly he yelled at Naruto (who is fidgeting and looks pale, obviously ignoring the yelling). In the end, they both kicked out of the class for their behavior.

Now standing side by side, Shikamaru can't help but asks,

"Actually, Naruto, what can you see?"

Naruto looks stunned at this.

"You—you don't see them?"

"See what?"

The blond's hand began flailing around, his face incredulous, "this!" he said, pointing to a wave of colors floating in front of him (for Naruto) or empty air (for Shikamaru), but Naruto is not finished, "you know, the fae who whispered things to our sensei so he only yelled at me'ttebayo! Also, they are the ones who caused other kids to be so mean! Didn't you—all of you, ignore them for too long?!"

Shikamaru stares, dumbfounded, then shakes his head. Shikamaru knows Naruto is going to blow by how he opens his mouth, he's about to yell, that's for sure, so Shikamaru silenced him first with a,

"Naruto, we can't see them,"

Naruto faltered.

"I can't see what you see. In fact, maybe no other than you can see them."

"But—"

Shikamaru pointed at one of the Academy's teacher , which they could see from the office's window, and asks, "what did you see, Naruto?"

"...is he sick?" Naruto asks, after a moment, frowns, "those purple lines on his face are not pretty."

The young Nara nods; have been expecting that kind of answer, and said, "that's Igarashi-san, a friend of my father's. He has been sick for a long time."

Naruto blinks in realization.

"You want to know what i see, Naruto?" Shikamaru drawls, "i see Igarashi-san, with his usual pale face, filling his paperworks."

You could almost hear a pin drop in the silence.

That was how Naruto Uzumaki realized that he's the only one who can see. That's when he first thinks that maybe, the villagers have been right all along, on how freaky he actually is.

(Seriously, the low growls, clanking chains and dripping water need to stop. Naruto doesn't need anymore mocking than the fae's cackles.)

.

.

Naruto stared.
Sasuke stared back, and shifts uncomfortably.

Naruto has always been.. weird, to put it mildly. He and Shikamaru Nara. Shikamaru has always been quiet and sort of lazy, but he's smart and he's always there in case someone stare incredulously at what Naruto says. Naruto, on the other hand, spoke of armors and wings, of winds whispering and heart singing—it never make any sense, except for one Shikamaru Nara who seems to understand every nonsense Naruto speaks. And Sasuke hasn't expected the blond to stare intently at him like this.

Then he tilted his head, frowns, and hums, "You preen the stain too much, 'tebayo."

What.

Naruto fidgets, and his hands twitched, as if itchy to something, and glanced to the empty air around the Uchiha before he says, "It's—It's so noisy, y'know? You let them broke and sings discord like this-" Naruto scowls to thin air, "the cackles doesn't help," he grunted. Then a pause before, "you should let the rope go, too. It doesn't help you mend the broken blade."

Yeah, Sasuke decided, Naruto Uzumaki doesn't make any sense at all.

.

.

A/N

YET ANOTHER PLOT BUNNYYYYY YEAH

Okay i'm sorry i keep making new works ugh i'm cryin. And yes, this is inspired by Metronome I Hear's There Are Stars In Your Eyes. Of course, i can't be as poetic as her, and i'm taking my own take on this.

This story is a complete AU. So, Naruto sees and hears things and Shikamaru is the one who understands them. Naruto himself is too distracted to understand what does everything he sees and hears means. Of course, he will try to learn how to understands them himself, but in the mean time it would be Shikamaru's job. Basically? Naruto just knows things.

Thank you for reading! And if you decided to follow/fav this story... Expect surprises, i guess.