Andrew awakens as an infant in Konoha, with no memories of his past life. Raised in the village orphanage, he shows early promise and intelligence that catches the attention of the caretakers. Though he has no clan, no bloodline limit that anyone knows of, there's something special about the boy with unusual chakra. When the Academy instructors first help him access it, they're surprised to see it manifest with a unique silvery glow, unlike the typical blue. This chakra seems to pulse stronger during moonlit nights, and medical ninja who examine him can't explain its unusual properties.

  From an early age, Andrew displays a curious affinity with wildlife. Birds land on his windowsill in the morning, deer approach him without fear when classes visit the forest, and even the grumpy cats of the Uchiha district purr when he passes. The orphanage caretakers marvel at how squirrels eat nuts from his palm and how injured animals seem to find their way to him, as if seeking help.

  By the time he's seven years old, Andrew has grown into a thoughtful, observant child. Unlike most orphans who become either withdrawn or desperately attention-seeking, he maintains a quiet confidence that sets him apart. His silver-streaked black hair and unusual eyes make him recognizable throughout the village, though few take the time to actually know him.

  It's on a rainy Tuesday afternoon that Andrew first notices Naruto Uzumaki. While the other children play together under the covered porch during recess, a small blonde boy sits alone on a swing at the edge of the Academy grounds, soaked to the skin but seemingly indifferent to the rain. What catches Andrew's attention isn't just the boy's isolation, but the way the caretakers' eyes narrow with something like hatred when they glance his way.

  Curious, Andrew slips away from the group and approaches the swing.

  "You're getting wet," he says simply, holding out half of his small umbrella.

  The blonde boy looks up, startled, as if unused to being addressed directly. Suspicious blue eyes meet Andrew's silver ones.

  "So?" the boy challenges, though he scoots slightly to allow Andrew under the swing's small roof. "Why do you care?"

  Andrew shrugs, settling beside him. "I don't like being wet either." He studies the boy openly. "You're Naruto, right? I've seen you in class."

  "Yeah, so?" Naruto responds defensively, clearly waiting for the insult or trick that must be coming. "What's it to you?"

  "Nothing. Just making sure," Andrew replies calmly. He pulls out a small package wrapped in wax paper. "Want some lunch? The caretakers always give me too much."

  This is a lie—orphanage meals are never overly generous—but Andrew has noticed how Naruto's clothes hang on his thin frame, how the boy sometimes stares longingly at others' lunches.

  Naruto eyes the offered food suspiciously. "Why would you share with me? Nobody shares with me."

  "I don't know why they don't," Andrew answers honestly. "Seems stupid to me. Food tastes better when you share it."

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  Naruto hesitates a moment longer before hunger wins out. He accepts half the sandwich, and they eat in silence, watching the rain. When recess ends, Andrew stands to leave but pauses.

  "I'm Andrew, by the way. Andrew Slayn."

  Naruto nods, guarded but with the faintest hint of hope in his eyes. "See you tomorrow, I guess?"

  "Yeah," Andrew confirms. "Same spot."

  What begins as shared lunches evolves into a genuine friendship. The two boys discover a mutual love for mischief—though Naruto's pranks are louder and more attention-seeking, while Andrew prefers subtlety and careful planning. Together, they become a formidable team.

  Their first major prank involves sneaking into the teachers' lounge and rearranging all the furniture on the ceiling using a complex system of ropes and pulleys that Andrew designed. When Iruka-sensei walks in the next morning to find his desk, chair, and even potted plants suspended upside down, the entire Academy can hear his enraged shout of "NARUTO!"

  Hiding on the roof, the boys dissolve into helpless laughter.

  "Did you see his face?" Naruto wheezes, clutching his sides. "He turned all purple!"

  "The best part was how perfect it looked," Andrew adds, wiping tears from his eyes. "Like someone just flipped the room upside down."

  Naruto sobers slightly, looking at Andrew with genuine appreciation. "That pulley thing you made was amazing. How'd you learn to do that?"

  Andrew shrugs. "Read it in a book. Physics is pretty interesting when you use it for pranks."

  "You're weird," Naruto declares, but his grin removes any sting from the words. "Most smart kids think they're too good to hang out with me."

  "Most kids are stupid then," Andrew replies matter-of-factly. "You're more fun than anyone else here."

  As their friendship deepens, Andrew begins to notice the full extent of the village's mistreatment of Naruto. He witnesses shopkeepers chasing the blonde boy from their stores, parents pulling their children away when Naruto approaches, and adults whispering venomous comments just loud enough for Naruto to hear.

  "Why do they hate you so much?" Andrew asks one day as they sit on Naruto's apartment roof, watching the sunset after a day of dodging angry chunin (their latest prank had involved releasing three piglets labeled "1," "2," and "4" in the Hokage Tower, causing an hours-long search for the non-existent pig number 3).

  Naruto's usual smile falters. "I dunno. They've always been like that." He pulls his knees to his chest, suddenly looking much younger than nine. "The old man—the Hokage—says to ignore them, that someday they'll recognize me when I become Hokage myself."

  "Is that why you want to be Hokage? So they'll stop hating you?"

  Naruto is quiet for a long moment. "Yeah. And so I'll have a family." At Andrew's confused look, he explains. "The Hokage is like the father of the whole village, right? So everyone would be like my family."

  The simple longing in his voice makes Andrew's chest ache. Without thinking, he bumps his shoulder against Naruto's.

  "You don't have to wait to be Hokage to have family," he says quietly. "Friends can be family too."

  Naruto stares at him, blue eyes wide with a fragile hope. "Yeah?"

  "Yeah," Andrew confirms. "And family sticks together. So you're stuck with me now."

  The brilliant smile that spreads across Naruto's face is like sunshine breaking through clouds. It's the first time Andrew sees the genuine Naruto—not the loud prankster or determined troublemaker, but the boy beneath who just wants to be accepted.

  "Believe it!" Naruto exclaims, throwing an arm around Andrew's shoulders. "We're gonna be the best family ever!"

  From that day forward, they become inseparable. Naruto's loud enthusiasm balanced by Andrew's thoughtful planning, they navigate the Academy together, their complementary strengths making up for each other's weaknesses. When Naruto struggles with written exams, Andrew creates games to help him learn. When Andrew has trouble with the more physical aspects of training, Naruto's boundless energy pushes him to improve.

  Author Note:

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