🦊Naruto Hatake🦊

Chapter 12

October 10th - Again

"When people get hurt, they learn to hate... when people hurt others, they become hated and racked with guilt. But knowing that pain allows people to be kind. Pain allows people to grow... and how you grow is up to you."

~Jiraiya~

Naruto stood with his back to the window. The late afternoon sun framed his small body in soft gold light and made his hair glow. Kakashi was taken aback yet again at how much he resembled his father. He smiled in fond remembrance of his old sensei then moved towards the door. Naruto followed his father and peered around his body shyly. He gave a friendly smile at the boy standing there and said, "Hi, my name's Naruto. Who are you?"

"Sasuke Uchiha." Said the slightly older boy.

"Are you campin' with us?" Asked Naruto curiously. There was something about that which appetize the young hatake.

"Yes," he replied bashfully.

Naruto's face lit up with the prospect of a new friend. He said, "Cool, wanna see my room? My daddy painted it orange for me. We can play till he's done packing." Not giving the boy a chance to respond, Naruto raced up the stairs then looked back when the boy did not follow. "Hurry up, Saskee, I still gotta put some stuff in my pack."

"Sasuke," he grunted, rolled his eyes, and then sedately followed the blonde boy.

Soon after, Kakashi called the boys down to leave. Naruto raced down the stairs then suddenly stopped when he caught sight of the front door. He hesitated, brow furrowed, then walked over to the copy-nin and tugged on his pant leg. Kakashi knew what was coming. The boy whined, "Daddy, I don't feel so good. My tummy hurts and I think I gotta throw up. I think I might be dying."

The nin took his hand and led him to the kitchen for privacy. He squatted down to the boy's level and said, "It's okay pup; you are not dying, I promise. You do not need to worry because daddy and Itachi are big bad ninjas, don't you know. We are so tough that no one would dare mess with you or us. Besides, Itachi said that Sasuke was very excited about this trip. He would feel so sad if we had to cancel it. You don't want to disappoint him do you?"

Naruto looked torn for a moment, then put on a brave face and agreed to leave. The nin put Naruto's jacket and backpack on, then patted his shoulder warmly and gave him a wink. The four of them set out with Kakashi in the lead holding Naruto's hand followed by Itachi and Sasuke. They walked through the village in a steady pace, each lost in their own thoughts for the moment. Kakashi felt more uneasy as they passed each progressively crowded street. He still hated being around too many people. He wished he had gone to the memorial stone this morning to tell his comrades he was leaving; he always did that before. He found he had been going there less and less lately. He snuck his hand into his pouch, pulled out his little orange book, and began to read. Within seconds, he felt much calmer, and his heart rate returned to normal.

Sasuke noticed the way Kakashi affectionately rubbed Naruto on the head and his sharp eyes caught the way he held the kid's hand; the way he absentmindedly rubbed his thumb across Naruto's knuckles even while reading. He began to burn with an unexpected jealousy. It wasn't fair. He had overheard his brother; Kakashi was not the boy's real father. And yet, he seemed to love him. It was not fair.

~Sasuke~

His father, Fugaku did not love him that way; not any more. He hardly ever showed affection to Sasuke. Being ignored in favor of another breeds is a special kind of loneliness and isolation. Sasuke did not know when he figured out his father did not particularly care for him. His father was there at every meal, but never really there. His mother talked to him and paid attention, as did his older brother, but not his father. He barely even acknowledged him. Fugaku loved Itachi and had nothing left for Sasuke.