Naruto: A Lazy Life

Pov: Fugaku Uchiha.

"I'm taking Takumi away for a brief meeting- I need to confront him about his inaction, do I have permission to alter the Uchiha clans part in the deal he made?" I turn and ask the Hokage.

"You do. Minato and Kushina made good points though Fugaku, don't forget that he wants no part in this war" The Hokage responds and I nod.

It is expected of the Uchiha clan to push talents into the battlefield- we are one of this villages founding members and we have a responsibility to protect it.

It is unfortunate that this responsibility falls onto Takumi but everyone has bad luck.

I just need to find an alternative way to produce results from his training- and I think I have a solution.

He stated before that he was happy to take on a civilian job instead- perhaps I can find the right one for him.

Ill ask him for his opinion on such an offer but I can already see a few jobs for him- but would his talent in taijutsu work well in a civilian environment?

...

Hn- the Hokage cannot mess with the deal so I must do it.

However- if I change the deal it would hinge entirely on the clan being happy with whatever result was produced from this meeting I am about to have with him.

I know the Elders and their demands for the boy, I also know what would pacify them and allow Takumi to be 'Lazy' in a sense.

Whatever it is- this is the final nail in my ability to interfere, all I have to negotiate is the benefits he receives from the clan.

If he backs out of the clan then the next major steps will be taken- but the ideal solution is that he puts in more effort and in return the clan no longer threatens him or bothers him about his behaviour.

"Takumi. I wish to speak to you about that deal you made at graduation, are you ready to renegotiate some fine details regarding your life within the Uchiha clan?" I arrive next to the boy and look down at him as his teammate bandages his brow.

"Don't I have to stick around for all of this?" Takumi loosely gestures to the fighting below.

"Forfeit now and I will put in a good word about you staying a genin. If you do wish to continue I do not mind" I smirk and he yawns before getting up slowly.

"Don't need to tell me twice. Very well, Clan Head. Shall we discuss your conditions and my terms somewhere more private?" Takumi nods at his teammate in thanks before walking off.

I follow him down the railings and then point him towards a private room for emergency treatment.

"No one should be getting that injured during this version of the Chunin exams. None shall bother us" I note as we enter.

He leans himself against a wall and yawns once more, I begin without delay.

"This deal needs to change. If you are not helping the clan I will not let the clan waste resources on you, that means cutting you off" I coldly start.

"You already get everything I advance taijutsu wise" Takumi notes.

"But you have made exactly two taijutsu. Only two, we cannot allow you to roam free and unchecked within this environment you have created. I have some ground rules for your existence within the clan" I command.

"Hn" He focuses hid gaze at me.

"Work. Any kind, doesn't matter- laze about within shinobi life all you want, I need you to put in some hours at a job. At least work four days a week" I state my first demand.

"That's fine. I will look around for some blacksmiths or workshops" He nods in agreement.

A smith? Workshop? Seems better than I hoped, my baseline was working at a bookstore like he suggested- I hoped to get him a job at the police headquarters. This however is already great.

"I know a few Uchiha run stores that I can get you working at- creating weapons for the clan is a worthy pursuit" I smile.

"Acknowledged. Now what else?" He hurries me along.

"The contract telling you to write a report on one Uchiha a year- we are going to change that, instead you will be obligated to teach my child" I insist.

Itachi is talented himself- if I can foster that talent in his early years with Takumi's talent I will have a capable shinobi to inherit the Uchiha clan.

"Isn't your child a few months old?" He questions.

"He is 2. But yes, that means you will have some time before this deal takes place" I closely watch his face, my insight detects some approval to these changes.

"Very well. If I am taking on more work than I should be compensated- I want to own my home, Clan identity and land independently, so that you may never threaten it again" He asks in return.

I don't see why not- it is only fair.

"Than it is sealed. I will inform the Hokage of the changes and have the village hand you the deed to your house and the land it sits upon" I turn around and step out of the door.

---

Pov: Takumi Uchiha.

*Step* *Step* *Thwack!*

"Obito Uchiha, eliminated!" Chozu calls.

"Hn. I missed the fight" I comment as I stand next to Rin.

"Ahaha... well... I don't think you missed anything actually..." Rin laughs awkwardly.

Just one kick? How powerful is that other genin? Maito Gai.

"Is Maito known for his taijutsu prowess?" I ask.

"Yeah, he is a bad match up for Obito- fast enough to catch him off guard and strong enough to deal a defining blow... doesn't play kindly with Obito's skillset" Minato explains.

Hn- Maito seems trained in that regard.

Obito is more of a mid ranged combatant, the style of duels here leave him at the mercy of those using pure might to beat back his distractions and powerful jutsu.

"Did your meeting go well? You should of brought a lawyer or something, take Minato with you next time- he is smart, can see through Fugaku's bull... bull...- Fugaku's lies!" Kushina asks and struggles to find the correct words.

"I am fine. I merely leveraged things my way, I was going job hunting soon and wanted the clan of my back so it was a win for me and my situation. Then again, I am supposed to help tutor his child, that could be the deal breaker if the child is unruly" I nod along.

"Psh... Minato could have helped Dattebane" Kushina mumbles.

"I didn't quite catch your name, may I be enlightened by who you are and why it is that you interrupted my fight?" I ask.

"Kushina Uzumaki Dattebane! And of course I stepped in, I can't believe the Hokage would let a kid get branded- the more I find out about your situation the more I am concerned. Just baffled at how unreliable the will of fire is when it comes to the 'exceptions' in the leaf, you're a child too ya' know?" She grumbles loudly and certainly catches the Hokages ear.

"Very well Uzumaki. I am Takumi Uchiha, the Lazy Uchiha. Thank you for your assistance but it was rude and unneeded" I reply.

"What the- rude!? Me! You almost got branded!" She retorts.

"If I got branded I would have hated it. You didn't help me in that arena down there, you helped that brat from pouring the wrong type of fuel into my fire" I note.

...

"... what?" Uzumaki blatantly replies.

"You saved him" I answer.

She scratches her head and looks to Minato.

"I hate the idea of being branded by the leaf, if it had happened I would have done something worse to him in retaliation" I explain more and shift my entire attention towards her.

She raises and eyebrow.

"I would have acted irrational- my counter technique made into a torture method" I look her in the eyes.

"Huh?" She asks baffled.

"I experienced a moment of great annoyance- the moment of being branded reminded me of something else and I would have acted like a child- I would have been- never mind. You aren't getting it" I give up and turn around.

"He was implying that he wasn't in danger and that the branding would only make him angry, making his victory all the more punishing for Yū" Minato whispers.

"Pfft- what? Does he think he is the main character from one of those shinobi fantasy books?" Uzumaki chuckles in a hushed town.

*Cough*

Rin tries to hide her laughter with a simple cough.

"Haa- your inability to understand basic implications of my first spoken words lead to that 'Fantasy Shinobi dialogue', it is quite rude to set someone up and then laugh at them" I frown.

"Pff-haha- why do you speak like that? Obito why is he so weird?" Uzumaki asks as Obito walks up to us with a bruised face.

"He is Takumi. Takumi is weird- Man I can't believe I lost to that guy again!" Obito grumbles.

"I am sure you can win next time!" Rin encourages.

"Y-yeah, just you wait Gai! I'll win next time!" Obito yells over the railings.

"Haha! I look forward to your challenge Obito!" Maito yells back.

"What's up with Takumi?" Obito turns back to us causally.

"Why does he speak like a grandpa sick of socializing?" Uzumaki chuckles.

"It's not funny. Do not laugh at another's essence, who they are is who they will be and I will not change my way of speaking to please your ears" I comment.

"See- weird!" Kushina points.

"It's just how he speaks, he has a weirder body language- right now he is grumpy but he looks like he just woke up" Obito notes and points to my posture.

Uzumaki looks me over with a smile.

"Not one more word Uzumaki- or you shall face the consequences of challenging me in verbal combat" I narrow my eyes and Minato coughs.

"Alright Kushina let's not antagonize him- he didn't mean to insult you, your help was appreciated right Takumi?" Minato attempts to calm the Uzumaki.

"I said as much. If not for her I would have given into a rather rude action myself" I reply.

I see. She made fun of me because I told her she was rude and unneeded, and then proceeded to laugh at me- how rude of her.

Though not uncalled for.

"You were not rude or unneeded Uzumaki, I apologize for suggesting that" I sigh.

"Call me Kushina" She smirks.

"Fine, Kushina" I reply.

"No honorifics?" She drops the smirk.

"Honorifics are for the dutiful, I am quite lazy and drop such things" I yawn.

"He is a weirdo" Kushina mumbles.

Minato laughs lightly and I continue to watch the rest of the exam.

---

-One week later-

Pov: Takumi Uchiha.

"I don't get it- you know nothing about smithin' or anything about working the forge and yet your the best assistant I have had when it comes to helping me out back here" Ritsu Uchiha tells me.

"Is that so? I have barely touched anything" I yawn as I help sharpen a crate of kunai, ever so slowly.

"Sure you don't have a clue in how to help me hammer these bastards but you know your upkeep better than most- what I like about your help is identifying a good blade or not before I even finish beating them into shape, hell- yesterday you noticed a fault in the hilt before I even looked at it" The heavy man replies.

"I'm good with the blades. The hammer is where I lack value, and would appreciate an apprenticeship in mastering. I hope my offer has been thought through" I ask.

"It has. And I think I am ready to decide upon it, it's been a week and after evaluating your work I would gladly teach ya'. Just as long as your nickname stays outside the shop" He grins with a throaty chuckle.

"Take my tutelage payments from my pay check- it should cover everything" I tell him.

"You don't earn enough to feed yourself and get the tutelage, I can teach you as long as ya' work for me the entire week and not just three to four days" He replies, more worried than anything else.

"I have another source of income- as discussed with before" I tell him.

"Right, the sudden disappearing thing- at least send a message when you have a mission, don't say ya' can't- I used to be a ninja once and I know your never in that big of a rush. Especially with your case Takumi" Ritsu nods slowly.

Right- he only has a single eye, probably lost it in a battle and became a weapons maker after succumbing to wounds. His sharingan seems to keep him above the other competitors within the village.

It's why I chose his business over the other ones- his quality with making blades was a class higher than the rest, and getting a job was easy when the Clan Head insists upon it.

"Takumi! You back there!?" Obito shouts from the store front.

"You take off now, your shift ended half an hour ago- close the shop on your way out" Ritsu tilts his head to the door.

"Of course, see you next week {Teacher}" I get up and dust myself off before slouching and walking out to the storefront.

"{Teacher}..?" Ritsu mumbles under his breath.

"Obito, back again?" I yawn and hang my apron by the door frame.

"Yep! Want to eat some ramen?" He asks.

"Sure, close the blinds and we will head out" I point and he starts helping me close shop.

*Click*

I lock the door behind me and start walking down the street with Obito.

"Promoted in the field yet?" I ask.

"Not yet- definitely next mission" He insists.

That's what he said last mission.

"How is Rin?" I inquire.

"She is still a bit sad about remaining a chunin for now, but I believe she is soon to be chunin. Like me! in the next mission- definitely the next mission" Obito thumbs up.

Hn.

"I am surprised you didn't get promoted..." Obito asks me in return.

"I asked not to" I reply.

"Right... of course" He grumbles.

"Does that upset you?" I stop slouching to prioritize this talk.

"Yeah... honestly it upsets me a bit" He shakes his head.

"You agree with Yū- that I should be out there with you" I nod in acceptance.

"Well yeah- of course I do! You could rival Kakashi with the skills you have, and after witnessing all the good that idiot does... it hurts to think what good you could do..." He sighs and kicks a rock on the street as we walk.

"Hn" I think to myself how to best approach this with Obito.

He is a friend- I can't just give him the answer I give everyone else, I can't tell him the truth because only an idiot would expose such knowledge of being an alien to another. Especially while still occupying someone else's life.

"But even if I don't get it- I trust that you do, I like hanging around you and I couldn't of asked for a better friendship, you got me through a lot of the Academics and hard to learn things... so even if I don't get it I am sure you have good reason to stay away from war-" Obito starts walking with a skip in his step.

"-And Minato-sensei was right- your a civilian... so..." Obito walks ahead of me.

He swivels around and gives me his greatest smile.

"...As the future Hokage I will ensure that you won't ever need to see the battlefield! You better believe in me alright?" Obito sums up with a thumbs up.

Hn. A great friend indeed.

"Obito, let me pay for your meal tonight- you deserve an early celebration for getting chunin on your next mission, right?" I smile and pat him on the shoulder.

"Ha! Of course, I will be Chunin soon- so keep these free meals coming!" He laughs loudly as we walk down the street towards Ichiraku.

He isn't getting the rank of Chunin anytime soon is he? I have hope however.