the last student The Child Arc

chapter 74

Patreon Author note that I'm not deleting cause i think its funny:

(warning, this is mostly just me screaming into the void because of my autism and undiagnosed ADHD concentrated on a topic that is not important or needs an explanation, so if you just wanna read the story carry on. If you want to see what it's like to be inside the minds of Gaara and Naruto? This. This is the version of autism I got) Yeah. I don't see this story ending on this cycle. I'm gonna need 1 more cycle with child Naruto before getting to genin Naruto, just to close up the remaining threads. I've got like 1 or maybe 2 more of these before I have to start giving my other stories some attention, like Ironman Izuku, Ruby Branwen, finishing up the stories of The Rose of Vacuo and the Wheels of Life so they don't stay in hiatus forever. The deaf Naruto story which in trying to get off the ground, the Kim Possible story whose only reason I never wrote more was that the chapter seemed ugly to me and then I found something shiny that distracted me. The point is, even with more motivation, even with me writing day and night like you're running out of time, there are only so many hours in the day. But until then let's continue:

* Things were still tense in Konoha, the gates were still closed to visitors, and those who were inside were not allowed to leave. Hiruzen managed to convince both councils that war was off the table since Konoha was simply not ready yet to face another nation if it came to that, so now they were all screaming like they're chickens with their heads cut off, screaming about their idea to make Kumo pay. But that's not important, what is important is that Naruto and Gaara were in their therapy session, so let's spend the chapter on that.*

Mr. Kuruo: So Naruto, how are you feeling today?

Naruto: better.

*Naruto said softly as his legs kept dangling around on the couch. Not much has changed since that event, naruto doesn't talk much, he doesn't want to go out, or do a lot of things that he used to like doing, he just stays in his room for most of the day and paces around the room, just so that he can get his energy out without having to leave. Mr. Kuruo nodded, as he kept the conversation going.*

Mr. Kuruo: you're mother told me how you don't want to play with you're friend? Why not?

Naruto:... I don't want to hurt them.

*Naruto said as he raised his legs to his chest and hugged them. He can still see those eyes, whenever naruto closes his own, he can still hear the horrifying sound of the man gasping for air and then collapsing on the ground for a few seconds before death, Naruto's brain hasn't left that night. The world might have kept turning, but Naruto was stuck in that moment in time. Mr. Kaguro nodded, writing down how Naruto was acting. He got a lifeline, Naruto said more than one word, so Mr. Kuruo followed it up with another question.*

Mr. Kuruo: Why do you think you would hurt them?

Naruto: the.. the chains. I don't know how they work. I don't know what makes them come out. I... I'm scared that they'll come out again.

*Naruto admitted as he sniffed loudly, feeling his nose become runny. His mother and his grandfather told him about the chains, how they were passed down through the blood of the Uzumaki. Naruto was so excited to unlock his chains one day. But now? Naruto was scared by them. More than scared by them, Naruto was traumatized by them. He was terrified of them coming out and hitting somebody he loved and cared about, what if he hurt Hinata, what if he hurt his mother or Grandfather, or who knows who else? Naruto didn't ever want those chains to come back. Mr. Kuruo nodded to what Naruto said and kept talking.*

Mr. Kuruo: I see. That can be a scary thing. Not knowing how something works, not having control.

Naruto: It is. But I can control who I let around me. If I let nobody around then I can't hurt them.