Bring the Hammer Down

23

Inari was bored as all get out. It was a rainy day, he had nothing to do, he couldn't work since it was raining, and there was nothing on TV. He had piddled around the house for a bit, helping his grandfather with his papers or watching his mom work in the kitchen, but nothing was catching his interest.

His thoughts went back to years ago when he had been little more than a crybaby, a poor lost little boy that was afraid to do anything or face anyone. Then he had come. Bold, brash, seemingly uncaring of what others thought of him. He was everything Inari wasn't and yet he had understood him so well. But that was because he'd already experienced the feelings of pain and lonliness that Inari had.

He had spoken unjustly against the boy and had been called on it quite harshly. Instead of confronting the situation, Inari had once again ran and cried. Unlike most people though, Naruto hadn't apologized to him like most others did after yelling at him, feeling bad that they had berated the sad little boy. This only exacerbated the situation though.

In the end, he followed Naruto's example and decided to do something. He stood up to people who could have killed him and gained the respect of the one person who understood him. To Inari, that meant the world. He had found his lost courage because of Naruto and had helped his countrymen regain theirs.

The Land of Waves owed a debt to that blonde boy. He hadn't stuck around to see their tribute to him but they hoped that he had heard of it. After all, it's not every day that you name an entire bridge for someone.

Inari yawned and stood up from his seat on the couch. He was about to go up to his room and read a book when he heard someone banging on the door as if they were trying to knock it down.

"Inari! Tazuna! Tsunami! Open the damn door! It's raining cats and dogs out here!"

Inari didn't recognize the voice and grabbed up a bat he kept by the closet door. He met his grandfather at the top of the stairs and they joined his mother, who was standing by the front door, biting her nails nervously. Tsunami had a worried look on her face as Tazuna strode to the door, but he didn't open it, opting instead to yell out.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"I'm an old friend and I want inside! My companions and I are freezing and we searched for almost two hours to find your place, you old drunk! I never thought you'd build another house!"

Tazuna snarled and flung the door open, his finger in the chest of the stranger on the other side of the door.

"Who in the hell are you calling an old drunk?"

The blonde man on the other side of the door just smiled and put his hands behind his head in a familiar gesture while his companions stared at the scene with wide eyes. Inari and Tsunami gaped while Tazuna blinked and his brain tried to assess the situation.

"Naruto?"

The so-named blonde's grin widened even further in an oh-so-familiar way, reassuring the notion that Tazuna was right.

"The one and only old man. Now, you gonna let us in or what?"

"Nii-san!"

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto soon found himself in two simultaneous hugs from Tsunami and Inari, whose smiles threatened to bring the sun back out. They stood there for a bit until Tazuna coughed into his hand from the doorway.

"I think we should let our guests inside so they can dry off. I'm sure there is a tale to tell here."

Tsunami let go of the blonde and ushered the three inside where they followed her to the upstairs rooms and were given towels. She offered them robes, but Jiraiya couldn't fit in any she had and they all had a change of clothes sealed away anyway. Once TenTen had a towel wrapped around her head to keep her long hair from getting everything wet and Naruto and Jiraiya were sufficiently dry in all the right areas, they headed back downstairs to regale the family with tales of their journey.