Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Sunset ❯ Happiness ( Chapter 2 )

Sunset Chapter 2: Happiness          Naruto entered his apartment all bruised and wounded. They had bullied him again. He had been trying hard to keep away from them, to stay away from fights, but they had chosen to follow him around. He didn’t want to get in a fight. He didn’t want to because no one would ever side with him. Except, of course, if Iruka were there. Not to mention, Kakashi. But they weren’t there that time. And they had beat him endlessly until all he could do was cry out for them to stop. They didn’t, of course. Only beat him harder. But they stopped eventually, finally getting tired of their game.          Naruto went to his bathroom and carefully washed his many wounds and bruises. Although the wounds would heal next morning, his ability to heal fast was more of a problem than help. It gave reason for some of the more brutal villagers to beat him again the next day. They kept telling him to never go out or show his face to them because this would happen. But Naruto had no choice. He had to go to school, ne? He owed too much to the funny old man with the big red hat to just stay at home. That funny old man paid for his education, and all he could do to repay that kindness was to go to school.   At first he thought that school would be another place they’d be able to bully him. He thought that school would be another place for him to fight for himself, stand up for himself, make them notice him and be alone. He was right. School was something like that. But he hadn’t expected one thing: That he’d find someone who would be able to understand him. That person is none other than his sensei, Iruka.          Of course, he didn’t even expect he’d find someone else to understand him. He didn’t think he’d even meet someone who’d talk to him without flinching or turning away from him in disgust. Yeap, he had never thought of that. But he did meet someone. That was Kakashi-san. Kakashi had talked to him and he had even treated Naruto out for dinner. It was fun and Naruto had felt warmth seeping through to him, making him feel really loved and cared for. It was a feeling he experienced only when he was around Iruka and the funny old man with the big red hat.          School had just finished and when he was going home, that’s when those bullies beat him. It was sunset when he arrived home.          He left the bathroom and he made dinner. After he finished eating, he dressed up and went to bed. Lying down, sleep never coming to him. He sat up and stared outside his window. All of a sudden he heard someone say, “Not sleepy yet?”          He whipped around, a little bit surprised, “Kakashi-san?”   “Who else?”   Naruto smiled, “Whatever. Nee, what are you doing here?”          “I’m here on official matters.”          Naruto frowned, “Really? Like what?”          Kakashi went up to him, sat on his bed and looked directly into his eyes, “Naruto… Do you… Do you want…”          Naruto knew that Kakashi was having a hard time trying to say what he was going to, “Do I want to—what? Nee, it’s okay Kakashi-san, we’re friends aren’t we?”          “Un… Naruto… Do you want to live with me? You know, be a family and all… I mean…”             Naruto’s eyes widened.           “What—what did you say?”          “I said, ‘Do you want to stay with me?’ I mean its okay if—if you don’t want to, Naruto. I mean—,”          Naruto sprang from his bed to embrace Kakashi, “UN! UN! I want to stay with you! I want to! I really do! I just—just can’t believe this… I thought… I thought no one would want to—,”          Kakashi patted him on the head, “Mou… I’m here, ne? You can stay with me. I want you to stay with me.”          Naruto looked up at him with tears in his eyes, “I—I’m so happy, Kakashi-san… I… I…”          Because Naruto looked like he was going to burst crying, Kakashi went to him and embraced him, patting him softly on his head, saying, “It’s all right, Naruto… Because I’m here… And you’re here… And that’s enough for me…”          Kakashi continued massaging Naruto’s back until Naruto fell asleep. Kakashi carefully tucked him in, brushed the stray strands of hair from his face and whispered, “I’m glad you agreed, Naruto… I was getting quite lonely as well…”          When Kakashi was sure that Naruto was comfortable, he walked silently towards the door. He opened the door carefully, not wanting to make any noise to wake up the smiling Naruto. He stepped outside but hung back. He studied Naruto’s face from the doorway illuminated by the moon outside. It was a satisfying thing. Kakashi made someone feel truly happy. And it made him really happy as well.          Finally, happiness bloomed in the spirits of two of the many lonely people in Konoha.          Kakashi smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time, “Happiness indeed…”          And he went back to his soon-to-be-not-so-lonely-apartment happily. He would’ve skipped there if he could. He would’ve sung out loud if he could. But of course, he was ninja, a jounin at that. He can’t just sing out loud or skip around town for that matter. So, all he did was whistle a tune. He whistled and whistled until he arrived at his apartment. He whistled until he got on his bed. He whistled until he fell asleep, happy and content for the first time in many, many years.          He slept smiling as well, snuggling comfortably in his once not so comfortable bed, in his once not so comfortable pillow…          Before finally drifting off to sleep, he mumbled, “Happiness… Indeed…”     Shucks… Why does it always come out wrong?! It’s hard to read, right? AAAAHHHH!!! Why is MediaMiner torturing me? I’m sorry if it turned out like this! I don’t know why it’s like that… Argh! But thanks for reading! That was really hard work, wasn’t it? I’m sorry again!