Lost in the Whirlwind (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 9

I looked around our new apartment, in awe.

Although it was fairly small, it was more than what Naruto and I had for 4 years. One living room, one bedroom and one bathroom. The living room consists of a small kitchen counter, and a fairly small dining table. The bedroom has no beds, but has one small futon. I mentally noted that I would have to save more money to buy another one.

After this morning's incident, I dragged Naruto to the Hokage Tower with me. Turns out hokage had already predicted this mistreatment but it happened sooner than he thought would. Hiruzen managed to secure us a small apartment in an old, worn building.

He had given us some money, and said that we would receive it every month. I stared at the crumbled notes in my hand. They weren't much, but enough so that we wouldn't starve. Until now, I still had no idea if this was from his own money or from the taxes. Most probably the former.

I turned my head to the side to look at Naruto. His eyes were downcast, his hair messily falling to shadow his face. He didn't look at the room yet.

"Naruto," I started softly. "Let's start anew here."

No response.

"You are not a monster."

He tilted his head to look at me, his eyes teary.

"Then why did she call me one?"

"Well, she said you killed her son. Did you?"

He frowned. "No."

"There you go. She had probably been drinking and mistook you for another person. The monster killed her son, you didn't."

"B-but... she hates me." He sniffled.

"Not everybody hates you. You have me. You have Hokage-jii-chan. You have you. You have to learn to love yourself, Naruto." I said, keeping my voice clear. I willed myself to not cry with him. It was so much harder seeing him suffer in real life.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my present for him.

"Here. Happy Birthday, Naruto."

Naruto stared at the fox doll in front of him. A look of surprise crossed his face.

"For me?"

"Who else? I made it myself." I boasted.

He shakily took the present into his hands. A tear escaped his eyes and landed on the fox's ear. He wiped his face profusely.

"I-It was the dust!"

"Of course," I played along.

"But why a fox doll?" He asked.

"Because I remember you liking dolls. Remember how we always fought over the same doll?" I smiled at him. "For some reason, you remind me of a fox."

He grinned stupidly for a moment through his wet eyes.

"Thank you, Naka-chan." His grip on the doll tightened. "I'll treasure this forever."

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The next day was a lot better. Not than just yesterday, but the other days as well. Nobody to keep us under control, no crazy matrons.

I knocked on the door to the office.

"Hokage-sama. You wanted to see me?"

"Ah. Come in, Naka-chan."

I opened the door, revealing the old man sitting behind the large office table, a pipe in his mouth.