Naruto pushed open the school doors just as the morning bell rang. The hallway buzzed with voices, sneakers squeaked on polished floors, lockers slammed. He walked in like none of it mattered to him.
His expression was blank. Or maybe just distant. He moved like someone who hadn't slept, even though sleep wasn't something he actually needed.
"Bro," Mark Grayson called out, catching up beside him. "You look like death."
Naruto blinked slowly. "...Yeah. That sound's accurate."
Mark stared at him. "Wait. For real?"
Naruto scratched at his neck. "Not me. The death part was someone else."
Mark tilted his head, already confused. "Uh huh…"
"I was in Cairo," Naruto said plainly, like that explained anything. "All... day. Or night? Timezones are stupid."
Mark narrowed his eyes. "Cairo. Egypt Cairo?"
"Yeah."
Mark stopped walking. "Dude. What?"
Naruto sighed, finally turning to look at him. "Some ancient Pharoah demigod woke up and started screaming something about his divine right and eternal rule. He tried to turn Cairo into glass. It was.. annoying to say the least."
Mark's mouth opened but no words came out. He tried again. "Wait wait wait, you were the guy fighting that undead pharaoh? They said it was a seismic event. The news thought it was an earthquake."
Naruto gave a lazy shrug. "Guess I punch pretty hard."
Mark just stared. "Dude. That's.. what?! What happened to the new Guardians of the Globe?"
"Busy. Some villain prison riot in Utah broke open. Your dad was still in China fighting a dragon or something. So they called me."
"They just called you?"
Naruto fished his phone out of his pocket. The screen was cracked. "Unknown number. It's always Cecil." He tossed it back in. "He said I was the only one available."
Mark blinked. "Man. That's... kinda awesome."
Naruto looked at him. "It's not."
Mark rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, fair. But still. That's crazy. You really fought a god and now you're just... here. I would have at least took an off day."
"Well duh I'm here, I have a history test."
"But you don't even like history."
"I like passing." Naruto looked down the hallway. "Besides. Thought that's what normal people do. Go to school. Sit in chairs. Learn about things that already happened."
Mark grinned. "Well, you definitely got some extra credit this morning."
Naruto just blinked. "…I don't get it."
"Never mind." Mark shook his head. "Anyways, guess what? Amber and I are officially dating. Like, official official."
Naruto squinted. "She really said yes?"
Mark scoffed. "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence."
Naruto looked unbothered. "Just asking."
"Yeah, she said yes," Mark went on, grinning. "I took her to this Korean barbecue spot, then a thrift store, then gave her this rice separator I found."
Naruto's expression flattened. "You gave her... a tool. For separating rice."
Mark shrugged. "I don't even know what it does exactly. But she loved it. Said it was 'thoughtful' or whatever. Like I reached into her soul and found the one kitchen gadget she didn't know she needed."
Naruto stared blankly. "People on this planet are weird."
Mark laughed. "You say that like you're not one of us."
"I'm not." Naruto's voice was casual, matter-of-fact. "I don't understand what half of you people do. You're okay with endless pollution, cook your food wrong, and care more about posting pictures than surviving."
Mark blinked. "Jeez, alright. Don't hold back."
"I'm just saying," Naruto continued. "If the rice thing made her happy, good. Just don't get lazy."
"Lazy?" Mark frowned.
"About the job," Naruto said. "Being a hero. Being someone who shows up. Don't forget what you signed up for just because some cute girl smiles at you."
Mark's voice went defensive. "I don't. I wouldn't."
Naruto looked at him sideways. "You're still new and excited. I get it. But people die when we slack off. That mummy in Cairo? He would've burned down Egypt if I hadn't went.. So yeah. Eat your Korean bbq. Go on your dates. But when the call comes, please don't hesitate."
Mark swallowed. "…Yeah. Got it."
Naruto nodded once, then kept walking. Mark fell in beside him.
The bell rang again as a late warning. Students rushed past, a flurry of backpacks and earbuds and teen nonsense.
Mark glanced at him again. "So uh… Cairo, huh?"
Naruto looked ahead. "Yeah."
"…Did you at least get a souvenir?"
Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, cracked stone toy tablet with hieroglyphs.
He held it out to Mark.
Mark took one look and yanked his hand back. "Is it cursed?"
Naruto shrugged. "Probably."
Mark groaned. "Naruto, why are you like this?"
Naruto said nothing and just kept walking toward class.
The cafeteria was chaos, as usual. Kids yelling over each other, trays clattering, someone in the back repeatedly slamming the vending machine like it owed them rent.
Naruto sat near the windows, staring at his untouched cup of canned peaches. His brow was furrowed like the fruit had said something offensive.
Mark slid into the seat across from him with his tray. "You look like you just failed the test."
Naruto blinked, still frowning. "No. I think I passed."
Mark raised an eyebrow. "Then what's with the thousand-yard stare?"
"I just don't get it," Naruto said.
"Don't get what?"
"The French Revolution. I studied. I know what happened. But the logic behind it's just…" He trailed off and shook his head. "Why did it have to go that far? Why didn't anyone stop it before it became all... heads rolling?"
Mark popped a fry in his mouth. "Because people suck?"
Naruto sighed, eyes still on the peaches. "You people really burned everything down because one lady said 'let them eat cake.'"
Mark grinned. "Technically she didn't say that."
"Still. Your history is violent."
Mark leaned back. "You should see the sequel."
Naruto didn't laugh. Just stabbed a peach slice and muttered, "I miss my planet."
Before Mark could respond, Eve slid into the spot beside Naruto with a calm, practiced ease and set her tray down.
"Hey," she said, her voice low. "I heard about Cairo."
Naruto didn't look up. "Well it's over now."
Eve studied his face for a second. "Still, thanks for taking care of it."
Naruto finally met her eyes. "I didn't do it for thanks."
"I know," she said.
Naruto leaned back, arms crossed. "Plus the whole thing felt like a waste. He woke up angry, and died angry. Nothing changed."
"You stopped him from hurting people," she said. "That counts."
Naruto didn't answer, but he didn't argue either.
Mark cleared his throat, looking for a change of topic. "So, uh.. Eve was just telling me about this art exhibit downtown this weekend."
Naruto looked over.
"It's local," Eve said. "Nothing huge. Installations, music, and a couple food trucks. I thought it might be... a nice break from this whole thing."
He tilted his head slightly. "Break from what?"
"From everything," she said simply.
Naruto thought for a moment, then nodded. "Maybe."
Eve offered a quiet smile. "I'll text you."
Just then, Amber approached, sliding into the seat beside Mark without missing a beat. "Hey. Sorry, I had to help Jenkins fix the printer again. I swear that thing's from the '80s."
Mark smiled. "You didn't miss much."
Amber looked between them and gave Naruto a polite nod. "Hey, you're in my econ class, right?"
Naruto blinked. "Maybe."
"That's a yes," Mark said quickly. "He's the guy who never brings a pen."
"I don't need one," Naruto replied.
Amber raised an eyebrow. "You memorized everything?"
"Something like that."
Eve cut in smoothly, "We were just talking about this gallery thing downtown. Mark says he's coming."
Amber perked up. "Oh, I've heard about that! The one with the lights and rooftop screening?"
"That's the one," Eve said.
"I'd be down," Amber said. "You going?" she asked Naruto.
He glanced at her, then at Eve. "Still deciding."
"Cool," Amber said. "Should be fun."
She turned to Mark. "Also, did you finish your part of the English project?"
Mark looked mildly panicked. "Yep. Totally. Just... editing."
Amber narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even start, did you?"
"I was going to last night," Mark said, then added quickly, "but then my phone died. You know. Technology."
Naruto side-eyed him.
Amber sighed, smiling. "I'll send you the outline again."
As she and Mark slipped into a quiet back-and-forth about the project, Eve leaned toward Naruto slightly, her voice just under the general cafeteria noise. "You don't have to say yes about the weekend. But I meant it. It's okay to show up even when there's nothing to fight."
Naruto's eyes lingered on her for a second. "I'll think about it."
She nodded, and for a few seconds, that was enough.
The bell rang soon after, echoing over the din. Chairs scraped. Students moved. Life went on.
Naruto didn't move right away. He stayed seated, watching the others fall back into their routines like nothing had ever been out of place.
Then he stood, quietly following them into the flow.
The bridge was empty.
No cars. No footsteps. Just the sound of wind scraping against the metal of the bridge and the slow churn of the river far below.
She stood at the edge, sneakers planted on metal and fingers wrapped around rusted steel. Her knuckles were pale. Her eyes were swollen. The city behind her was still alive, laughing, crying, and moving but none of it reached her. None of it ever did.
She didn't want to die. Not really. But she didn't exactly want to keep breathing either.
Then she felt it, a presence behind her.
When she turned, there was a boy maybe her age, maybe younger standing a few feet away like he'd always been there. Loose hoodie, wrinkled blue jeans. His eyes were tired and made him look older than he should have been.
She flinched. The sudden jolt sent her foot slipping and gravity pulled at her.
But he was faster.
Arms wrapped around her waist, grounding her before she could fall. She gasped, breath hitching in her chest, fists pounding weakly against his as he held her still.
"Don't touch me," she choked.
He let go instantly and stepped back without a word, giving her space.
They stood quiet like that for a moment. She wiped her eyes, face raw with grief and confusion.
"What are you doing up here?" she asked, voice cracking.
Naruto tilted his head. "I sleep here sometimes," he said. "Not the most comfortable spot, but the stars are nice and quiet."
"You sleep on a bridge?"
He shrugged. "I'm not from around here."
"No shit." She sniffed and looked away. "I didn't think anyone saw me."
"I did," he said. "And I don't think you really want to jump."
Her voice came low. "You don't know anything about me."
"You're right." He walked over, slowly, and leaned against the rail a few feet from her. Close enough to listen. Far enough not to scare her. "But I know that look. The one you're wearing. I've seen it before."
"…You ever felt like everything that could go wrong just did?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Like the world decided you were trash before you even had a chance to prove otherwise?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
"My mom died last week. She was the only person who ever really gave a shit about me. I got… hurt a lot when I was younger. And no one stopped it. No one ever stopped it."
Naruto didn't interrupt. Just stood there and listened.
"I didn't even cry when she died. Not really. I just… went blank. Like there was nothing left to feel. And tonight it hit me. I'm alone. Like really, actually alone."
Her knees buckled a bit, but she caught herself.
"And I figured... maybe no one would care if I was gone."
Naruto's voice came quiet, but steady. "I'd care."
She laughed bitterly. "You don't even know my name."
"I don't need to. You're alive and you're still here. That's enough for me."
She looked at him for the first time; like really looked. He didn't flinch from her pain, nor did he look away from her scars.
"Who even are you?" she asked, tears spilling again. "Some kind of guardian angel or something?"
Naruto exhaled and looked up at the sky.
"Not an angel," he said. "I've done some bad things. Been through worse. Lost people too. My whole world, actually."
"…What?"
"I'm not from this planet," he said, turning back to her with a small, tired smile. "Name's Naruto. But most people call me Maelstrom when I'm doing the whole hero thing."
Her eyes widened. "That was you? The one who stopped alien invasion downtown twice? The guy who saved Mount Rushmore?"
"Yeah. That was a long day," he muttered.
"Why would you be here? With me?"
"Because you're about to make a choice you can't come back from. And I couldn't just fly past that. I don't believe in ignoring pain just because it's not mine."
Silence again. The city buzzed somewhere in the distance, like a world trying to move on without them.
"I can't forget what happened to me," she whispered. "What they did."
"You're not supposed to," he said. "Some things don't get forgiven. Not by me, not by the universe. But you.. you can survive it. Doesn't mean you're broken forever. It means you're still standing and fighting."
Her lip quivered.
He stepped a little closer. "You're not trash. You're not a burden. You're someone who got dealt a shitty hand and is still here anyway. That's not a weakness, to me that's real strength."
"…But I don't feel strong."
"Neither do I. Most days."
"But you're a hero."
"Yeah. And I still don't know what I'm doing. I still mess up. Still feel like I'm not enough. But I keep going. For the people I couldn't save and for the ones I still can."
She stared at him, the weight of everything catching up at once, and finally, finally she cried.
They were ugly, shaking sobs. No words. Just a flood of everything she'd been holding back.
And he didn't say anything.
He just let her cry. Let her scream.
Eventually, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve and let out a breath.
"…I'm tired," she muttered.
"I know."
"…Will it ever get better?"
He looked at her, serious. "I don't know. But if you want, I'll sit with you while you find out."
And he did. They sat side by side, on the cold steel of the bridge, under a sky full of stars that neither of them owned, but both could share.
___
AN: If you want to read 20 chapters ahead visit my patreon at patreon.com/banmido!