-3rd Person-
The morning sun filters through the thin curtains of Kurenai's home, casting soft patterns on the wooden floor. Yui sits quietly in her room, her small hands fiddling with the edges of her blanket. Tomorrow is the first day of school, and the thought of it makes her stomach twist with anxiety.
She hasn't been able to sleep much, her mind swirling with worries about what might happen when she's surrounded by so many unfamiliar faces.
Every time she closes her eyes, she imagines a classroom full of children staring at her, whispering about her strange appearance, about the protective eyewear she has to wear. She can almost hear them asking, "Why does she look so different?" The thought alone is enough to make her heart race.
A soft knock on the door pulls her out of her thoughts. Yui glances up, her heart pounding a little faster. Kurenai's voice calls out gently, "Yui, there's someone here to see you."
Before Yui can even wonder who it might be, the door creaks open, and a bright voice fills the room. "Hey, Yui!"
Naruto's cheerful face appears in the doorway, a wide grin stretching across his features.
In his hands, he holds two steaming cups of ramen and a stack of coloring books tucked under his arm. Yui blinks in surprise, momentarily forgetting her worries.
"Hello..."
"Look what I brought!" Naruto exclaims, holding up the ramen cups like they're the greatest treasures in the world.
"I thought we could have some ramen together and maybe do some drawing! What do you think?"
Yui's lips twitch into a small smile, the sight of Naruto's excitement easing some of the tension in her chest. She doesn't say anything, but she nods slightly, her gaze softening as she watches Naruto plop down beside her, setting the ramen and books on the floor.
Naruto notices her hesitance and offers her a comforting grin. "I got your favorite—chicken miso!" He wiggles the cup in front of her. "Come on, it's really good!"
Yui accepts the cup with both hands, the warmth of the ramen seeping through the container and into her cold fingers. She lifts it to her lips, taking a small sip.
The familiar taste of the broth comforts her, reminding her of the times she's spent with Kakashi and the safety she feels around him. The knots in her stomach loosen just a little as she swallows the warm broth.
For a while, the two of them eat in comfortable silence. Naruto slurps his ramen loudly, and Yui can't help but feel a little more at ease with each noisy gulp he takes. The tension she's been carrying around all morning starts to melt away.
After they finish eating, Naruto opens up one of the coloring books and spreads it out in front of them.
"Wanna color?" he asks, holding out a crayon to Yui.
Yui hesitates for a moment before taking the crayon from him. She doesn't speak, but the small nod she gives is enough to make Naruto smile even wider. They both start to color, the quiet sounds of crayons scraping against paper filling the room.
As they color, Naruto starts talking—about school, about how excited he is, and about how they'll have so much fun together.
Yui listens silently, her eyes focused on the picture she's filling in with shades of blue and green. But the more Naruto talks, the more she feels a knot of fear tighten in her stomach.
"...and we'll sit together in class! I can show you all the best spots in the academy!" Naruto says, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm. But then he notices that Yui's coloring has slowed down, and her head is bowed slightly.
"Yui?" Naruto asks, his tone softening. "Are you okay?"
Yui's hand stops moving, and she slowly lifts her gaze to meet Naruto's. Her crimson eyes are wide with worry, and she bites her lower lip nervously.
"Naruto...what if...what if they don't like me?" she whispers, her voice barely audible.
Naruto blinks in surprise, then scoots closer to her, his expression serious for once. "What do you mean?" he asks, his voice gentle.
Yui looks down at the half-colored page in front of her, her grip tightening on the crayon. "What if...everyone is mean to me? What if...they're scared of me because of...because of my eyes?"
Naruto frowns, not at Yui, but at the thought of anyone being mean to her. "Hey, don't think like that," he says firmly.
"They won't be scared of you, Yui. And even if someone is, I'll be there with you! I won't let anyone be mean to you."
Yui's heart feels a little lighter at Naruto's words, but the fear still lingers. "But...what if you get tired of me?" she asks, her voice trembling.
Naruto's eyes widen, and he shakes his head vigorously. "No way! I could never get tired of you, Yui! You're my friend, and friends stick together no matter what. We'll be like...like...two peas in a pod!"
Yui blinks at his choice of words, not entirely sure what he means, but she feels a small bubble of warmth rise in her chest. The idea of having a friend—a real friend who cares about her—makes the fear seem a little less overwhelming.
"Besides," Naruto continues, "if anyone says anything mean, I'll just show them how awesome you are! You're brave, and you're kind, and you're really smart. They'll see that, I know they will."
Yui looks at Naruto, her eyes shining with a mixture of uncertainty and hope. She doesn't know if she can believe him, but she wants to. She wants to believe that maybe, just maybe, she can find a place where she belongs. And with Naruto by her side, maybe it won't be so scary after all.
"Okay," she whispers, her voice small but resolute. "I'll...try."
Naruto beams at her, his grin as bright as the sun. "That's the spirit! We'll be fine, Yui. You'll see!"
Yui manages a small smile, the first real one she's felt all day. She still feels scared, but Naruto's words give her a glimmer of hope to hold onto. And as they continue to color together, Yui starts to believe that maybe, with Naruto by her side, she can face whatever comes her way.
As the afternoon wears on, Kurenai peeks into the room and sees the two children sitting close together, the coloring books spread out in front of them. Her heart swells with warmth at the sight of Yui smiling—a sight that has been so rare since the girl arrived in Konoha. Kurenai can't help but be grateful to Naruto for bringing a bit of light into Yui's life.
"Looks like you two are having fun," Kurenai says softly, stepping into the room.
Naruto looks up and grins. "Yeah! Yui's really good at coloring!"
Kurenai smiles at the two of them, feeling a sense of relief. Maybe school won't be so bad for Yui after all, especially with a friend like Naruto by her side.
••••••••••••••••••
Naruto + Yui is such a dynamic duo <3
Hope you guys liked this short chappy. lemme know your thoughts!
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