Naruto Uzumaki - a hopeless soon to be twenty-three-year-old who finds his surroundings awfully dull and fading in colour. When his path crosses with that of a girl so very warm like the summer sun; Naruto cannot help but notice his world beginning...
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ON WEDNESDAY, it rained all over again. Naruto was back to staring out the window of the classroom, his mind wandering through the conversation he had with you just last night. You had both stayed up past two in the morning just to... Talk. He felt tired; the lack of sleep more than heavy on his eyelids - and yet he didn't regret it. Why?
He was finally starting to figure you out. Yeah, that's it.
Today, the first lesson was a different subject than what you had on Monday, and yet he watched you slip past your group of friends just to sit next to him. Apologizing profusely to the group with each distancing step, he could see the subtle frowns on their faces follow after you. Naruto didn't understand why you had to apologize to them; you had a right to sit anywhere you liked even if your 'friends', if that was what he could call them, didn't approve of it.
It got him thinking about last night all over again. There was much more depth to you than one simple conversation, but at least he had learned something;
"You're a people pleaser.", he stated somewhat firmly as soon as you had sat down next to him. The action was so unlike him. He spotted the subtle surprise cross your features at the fact that he had, once more, decided to speak to you first.
Then, he watched your brow arch at his statement, whilst he avoided your eyes. You were back to wearing the yellow raincoat, and he caught himself getting pleased about it. He liked yellow on you. Now, he was sure of it.
"Well, good morning to you, too.", you responded drowsily as you dropped your backpack off your shoulders, the raincoat following suit right after. Your cheek pressed against the wood of the desk, a very long sigh slipping past your lips when you looked up at him. He seemed to be still half-asleep as well. His hair was a mess, the typical bedhead, except for the fact that it actually suited him. You resisted the sudden urge to run your fingers through it.
"Oh, yeah... Good morning. Anyway," he spoke politely now, his voice falling hushed, "You're a people pleaser."
Hiding your face, you curled your arms underneath your head with a deep groan of his name,
"Naruto... What's this all about? It's seven in the morning, and I barely even slept."
He was quick to reply now,
"Your lack of sleep is not my fault."
"But it is."
He gave you a look that said you were full of bullshit, causing you to laugh quietly. Just over the past few days, your connection with him grew tremendously. It was a comfortable feeling - that of a start of a new and growing friendship, one which provided a warm embrace for your heart. A rather unlikely pair you had decided to become.
"Just say what you want to say.", you smiled now, and watched him push back slightly at the sight of the beaming grin unfurling on your lips. He always became unsure whenever you smiled at him. You just wanted him to return it. At least once.
"Well...", you could see him fumble as he searched for the proper words, "You waste your days on people who just don't care. I think you're too hard on yourself, when it comes to being likeable."
You stared at him in pure disbelief, your expression blank,
"I think that's the longest sentence I ever heard you speak just now, you know."
The faintest chuckle managed to slip past him at this, the corners of his plush lips twitching upward for just a mere moment. It was a delightful sound, one as fragile as it was rare. You had actually managed to make him laugh - well, not laugh exactly, but... It was over before you could even burn it into your memory.
"Also, that's not fair. Here you are, reading me like an open book whilst I barely know anything about you.", you muttered now, a pout becoming prominent on your lips as you averted your gaze away from him.
His head tilted lightly to the side at this. The most fleeting thought managed to cross his mind for a short moment;
Naruto wanted to press his lips onto that little pout, just to smooth it down into a smile.
His face turned bright red at the stupid idea. His thought process was running much too fast, and much too demanding in that specific direction. He cleared his throat quietly, the sudden sweat that had formed and covered his palms only making him burn up even more. The room suddenly felt way too hot.
"How about,", he spoke quietly, pulling the much too warm sweater over his head, "I let you ask me a couple of questions-"
He could nearly see your ears perk at his words, your expression joyful once more,
"Okay!"
Naruto stared at you, watching your gaze wander over the broadness of his shoulders. It made him nervous all over again. Did you like what you saw? Were you just curious? All this tension made his head start to hurt.
The white t-shirt he wore underneath the sweater was more than pleasant to see. A faint rosy blush covered your cheeks before you quickly looked away. He could feel his pulse quicken. For the first time in years, he actually enjoyed the attention.
// Oh, man. //
Naruto blinked, trying to recollect his scattering thoughts to his best ability,
"I didn't finish. I'll let you ask the questions, if you tell me what you thought I was going to ask yesterday. I did let you win 8-ball, after all."
He already had a faint idea about what it was, but he wanted to hear the words leave your own mouth for some odd reason. Fucking hell, what was with him today? He was acting like he was seventeen all over again, going crazy on hormones. He was actually willing to talk about himself just because he wanted to see you get flustered?
He was attracted to you, that Naruto couldn't deny. He was mature enough to not fight the realisation. What bothered him, was the fact that it didn't feel like it was just attraction. He didn't want to just score some. It felt like wasted potential.
The rose on your cheeks only deepened at his words and he felt his insides clench with warmth. He supposed he was willing to talk about himself more just to provoke a reaction out of you. Now, he watched your teeth sink into your bottom lip absent-mindedly. The urge to kiss you roared even stronger inside him at this - like a hungry beast.
Seriously, what was wrong with him? Was the lack of sleep getting to him? It had been so long, though...
"Well, to be completely honest, I thought you were going to ask for... Pictures, or some dirty shit like that.", you started cautiously, rubbing the back of your neck in embarrassment, "Most boys usually do that."
He blinked, turning the thought over inside his head. With a click of his tongue, he finally decided to have his say. Being so very indecisive, never had he accepted a decision as quickly. Leaning in, you could smell the sharp spearmint of his chewing gum as he whispered,
"I'm not following... What kind of pictures?"
He knew damn well. And yet... His demeanor towards you had already begun to change. He always felt so empty, but this was ground that he was familiar with when it came to girls. It made him feel something. A thrill; to say the least. And a thrill was always better than nothing to Naruto.
Your eyes widened at this as your face burned crimson all over again, your upper lip quivering when you fought to find the proper words. Naruto Uzumaki watched you crumble down into a flustered mess and it was just so;
Cute. Naruto realised that he found you cute. And also, that he wanted to fuck the shit out of you.
