The Pain of Neglect (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 7: The Ramen Stand

Just a note:

Kurama

Naruto

That's all, enjoy the story!

Naruto's POV

I sat at the familiar ramen stand and breathed in the delectable smell of the fatty noodles. This place was one of the few places that I was accepted in at this hell that they call Konoha.

------------------------------------Flashback: 6 years ago ----------------------------------------------------

Rain filled the skies and I was rummaging through the nearby trashcans trying to find something to eat. My parents had left me alone again, with no food to fill my empty stomach. It had been two weeks since I had my last meal, and with the daily beating, I didn't think that I was going to survive. Kit, you need food... I'm so sorry but I can't provide you with  food. I can do everything but food my beautiful kit. I'm so sorry. I felt the tears falling from the large kitsune's eyes. He was beating himself up so much about this, and with all the training and the nightly takeovers, he had done so much already. I-it's ok Kura, y-you have a-already done so much f-for me. I tried my best to comfort the only person who gave me compassion as I kept looking for something to eat. " Hey kid, what are you doing?" A voice called out from behind me. I froze, when I turned my head back I saw an old man with a little umbrella. Kura! Kura! HELP! IT'S A VILLAGER!! I began to panic as the man came closer. " Are you alright child?" He asked with a soft voice as he bent down to my height. " P-please, d-don't h-hurt m-me..." I pulled myself into a defensive position, preparing for the beatings and insults. I stayed like that for a few moments, however the blows never came. Instead I felt a warm cloth covering my thin,wet clothes. " Why would I hurt such an adorable child?" He smiled and reached out to help me up. "Now, why are you rummaging through a trash can child?" Kit, this man seems friendly, but be careful not to get hurt. If anything happens, I will takeover. "I-I h-haven't e-eaten f-for two weeks, a-and I-I c-couldn't get a-anything t-to e-eat s-so I-I was looking i-in the trash f-for something t-to eat." I bent my head down in an effort to avoid the man's eyes. I could sense him coming closer until I was soon wrapped in the thing that Kura called a hug. " You poor child, you come with me. I have something that is much better than scraps." He helped me up and put his little umbrella over my head. " What is your name my boy?" He asked as we began walking through the empty streets. " M-my n-name i-is N-Naruto s-sir..." I said while looking over my shoulders in case of an ambush. " Well Naruto, my name is  Teuchi Ichiraku, nice to meet you." He smiled and finally stopped at a small stand. We walked inside to the inner layer of the stand which led to a small home. " Father, is that you?" A girl's head popped out from the kitchen. I was shocked by her beauty, she looked like an angel. Her beautiful brown hair cascaded down her shoulder, and her warm brown eyes were filled with love and compassion. Ichiraku-sama smiled brightly and gave her a quick hug. "Sorry I was out so long dear, I would like you to meet someone, this is Naruto." He pointed to my and the girl looked me over. She came closer and I felt a rush of fear come over me. " Well aren't you just adorable! But you look hungry, would you like a big bowl of ramen Naruto? Mine isn't as good as my father's but it is pretty damn delicious if I do say so myself." The girl said brightly as she gestured to the small table next to the kitchen. On it was a large pot that was emitting a delectable aroma that I had never smelled before. I slightly nodded my head and she led us to the table. I sat down and she put a bowl of noodles in front of me. " Itadakimasu!" They both cheered and began to eat their food. Kura, i-is i-it poisoned l-like the o-other foods? No kit, it's safe to eat. These people are kind. May kami bless them. I tentatively took a bite of the food and soon began slurping it down. It was delicious, the best I had ever had. I gorged out until soon it was empty. Ayame laughed from the other side of the table and refilled my bowl. " Looks like you liked it!" "T-thank y-you A-Ayame-Sama." I bowed my head and continued to eat. " You don't need to call me Sama Naruto, just call me Ayame Nee-Chan!" She smiled and I gently laid my chopsticks on top of the bowl. " K-Kura s-said t-the s-same t-thing." I muttered and tried to shrink into my chair. " Who's Kura?" Ichiraku-Sama said from my side as Ayame began to clear up the empty ramen bowls." I looked over to the small window and saw the sun beginning to set. Kit, I'll take care of this, you can escape for now my dear child. I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off into my mindscape. Thinking happily about the one peaceful dinner that I had in my entire life.

Kurama's POV

I opened my eyes and saw the Ichirakus staring at me. "Hello, my name is Kurama. I would personally like to thank you for saving my kit's life. The poor child's parents wouldn't feed him and he already suffers from daily beatings." "What do you mean?" The girl named Ayame asked while pulling up a chair next to her father. "Well,....." I began to narrate through Naruto's terrible life. When I reached the end, both of the kindhearted mortals eyes were filled with tears. " The reason why I am here is because Naru is terrified of the night to ever be conscious through it. It has scarred him so much that whenever he is awake he gets beaten next to death, and even if he isn't he still suffers from flashbacks of the events." " Kurama, may I just say Naruto will always be welcome to eat here and at our ramen stand." The man said courageously as I finished my tale. I looked at him with my red eyes. This was such a kind man. This man and his daughter were the only people other than Naruto that I believed were kind. " I thank you for that Ichiraku sir. Now, even though they could give less than two shits about Naru, I must take him back to his family's home before they yell and hit him in the morning for disappearing. I thank you for your kindness, and may Kami bless you." They both nodded and I flashed out of there to the Namikaze household. I laid in Naru's little thread bare bed and sighed contently. Now Naru had three people who have showed him compassion. But that wasn't enough. Even with the offer, Naruto couldn't go into the village in the morning without being beaten. I sighed and began to think, maybe Naru should leave this hell-hole. I could train him more easily and he would finally be free of this hell. I brushed the thought away and closed my eyes. I wouldn't force anything onto my Kit. But if he asked, then I would help him leave this hell. I retreated back into the mindscape and drifted off to sleep.

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Naruto's POV

I smiled at the memory. Ever since that night, I would go to the Ichiraku's every other day for a meal. They healed my wounds and showed me as much love as they could. Kura and I reached the familiar stand and sat down. " Can we get two bowls of Miso ramen, Ayame Nee-Chan?" I called out and smiled gently as I say her freeze. She turned around and gasped slightly, " Naruto, is that you?" I nodded my head and she screamed for her father to come. " Naruto! We missed you so much my child!" I smiled and gave the old man a hug. They were the only ones who noticed that it was a bunshin. Mainly because at night it didn't turn into Kura, but they still noticed. They noticed, but the bastards that made up my biological family still couldn't see through it. I chuckled internally. The village's strongest and their hero, couldn't see through a simple bunshin. " Yeah, I'm back, I missed you guys so much!" The started tearing up and Ayame went back into the kitchen, " I'm gonna make your favorite Naru, on the house!" Kura chuckled and began to converse with the old man. I joyfully chatted with Ayame as she cooked the ramen until I felt a familiar chakra coming near the stand. I froze, it wasn't one, but three familiar chakra signatures. It was the three chakra signatures that ditched me. The ones that made me rummage through the garbage for food. The ones that would yell and beat me. I turned around and saw the ones that caused me so much pain when I was a child. It was, my biological family. Shit! Language kit!

Hello again! I just want to thank all of the people who read this. I do have a slight problem though.

Who do y'all think Naruto should be with?

Anyways, I do not own and am not affiliated with Naruto at all.

Once again thank you for reading!

(1616  words)