Rivals Or More? A SasuNaru Story

Chapter 1: Am I Really A Monster?

Naruto's POV

The shopkeeper throws the fruit bags at my face. I fall down at the impact, my little self not able to handle it. It results in me getting injured on my shoulder because of a stone. Tears spring to my eyes but I blink them, not wanting to show any form of weakness.

I can feel a bruise forming on my nose and left cheek where the bag directly hit. I touch my nose and feel blood on it. These people are so cruel. They have always been treating me like dirt. Like I am no one. Like my existence is something appalling.

I wipe away the blood and smile at him even though my cheek hurts, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. I pick up the bags and brush my clothes. People point and whisper. They stare and startle. But they do nothing to help me. In fact, I see derision and contempt instead of pity in their eyes. I feel loneliness like never before.

I, who has never known the meaning of dignity, just ignore those people and move ahead. Life is bad. But I just need to move ahead. My chest hurts along with my face and shoulder. The pain in my chest doesn't ever seem to vanish.

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A few days pass. And then I encounter him, the best encounter of my life.

I stroll through the streets of the Hidden Leaf with my hands crossed behind my head, my movements exaggerated. I lift my each foot higher than normal, which surely draws attention. That's what I want. To not be ignored. But it is always the same. They just point at me, and start murmuring and making criticizing remarks because I am doing a crime by living.

Look how he is walking, he doesn't have any manners.

Why is he even allowed to be out like this? He should be caged. He is a danger!

He can attack us anytime.

Isn't he that kid? He is a monster.

Why is the Hokage letting the fox demon roam freely?

Yeah, everyone has a problem with my existence, but I don't let them get to me. I just pretend that I don't hear their words. I mean, come on, if they are gonna criticize then they should at least be a tad more creative. Everytime they spout out the same shit. They are all such sissies, scared by a mere five year old. Their words used to hurt me a lot. This has been going on for years, ever since I could crawl. How could they think that a cute little kid like me could be a monster? I don't get it. What wrong have I done to them?

Now when I hear their insults, they don't affect me that much. But they still sting, adding to my countless more cuts. I never show them how miserable they make me. I just grin at them, making them confused. It always works. The insults lessen, since they think it is pointless wasting their breath on someone whom it has no effect on.

I enter the grocery store to buy some vegetables. After all, I need to fill my tummy on my own to survive. No one is gonna feed me on their own.

I pick all that is needed, and wait in the line for payment. Several ladies are there, some carrying adorable toddlers. They give me dirty looks to shoo me away. But I just grin at them and don't budge. I just walk forward, smiling politely for the sake of their innocent little ones.

Glaring at me, they jump away from me like a ninja dodging a kunai knife. The line is now clear, so I just amble to the front. There are some advantages of being the so called monster.

A pair of Raven haired boys, whom by their similar looks I assume are brothers, look puzzled. Not the venomous looks I am used to. They were standing behind me, but haven't even flinched or moved away.