ᗰOᑎᔕTEᖇ [🧡 ᑎᗩᖇᑌᕼIᑎᗩ 💜] [Ɱҽէąʍօɾքհօʂìʂ] Bσσƙ Oɳҽ

Hero

Chapter Two

Hero

June 20, 2007

Naruto groaned, turning away from the luminous rays of light peeking through his curtains, disturbing his slumber. His eyelids opened half mast, lazily taking in the brightly lit room. The sounds of the rebuild effort beyond the walls of his bedroom reached his ears.

Reconstruction of Konoha was an ongoing but surprisingly quick endeavor.

Guess that was to be expected in a village of ninja, though poor Yamato-Taichou was running himself ragged providing wood and helping his fellow doton shinobi with landscaping. The rebuild was not only physical, but psychological. Working together, helping one another, being there for each other, went a long way towards repairing the wounds inflicted on the hearts and spirits of those that had witnessed and lived through the destruction Nagato had wrought with the Six Paths of Pain.

Direct attacks on the village had happened before, would unfortunately happen again, yet when placed side by side, even the previous attack on the village during the chunin exams, in which many shinobi lost their lives, most noteworthy of all, the Third Hokage, had not been nearly as traumatic as what had happened just weeks before.

The relative peace the villagers lived in had aided in the sense of safety they'd felt before Pain.

It was easy to forget how dangerous the world was beyond the walls of Konoha, how truly vulnerable they were and brought the harsh reality of shinobi life to the forefront in a way that couldn't be ignored. The people of the Leaf had developed a new found appreciation for the ninja that put their lives on the line every single day. One ninja in particular was on the receiving end of their over zealous gratitude.

Turning over on his back, Naruto placed an arm over his eyes.

For a guy that had grown up largely ignored and sometimes out right hated, a guy that had fought his entire life for recognition and admiration, now that he had it, he wasn't basking in the attention like he thought he would, but rather, he was avoiding it.

As thanks for his part in defeating Pain, his apartment had been one of the top priorities for reconstruction after the Hokage tower and hospital. The gesture had embarrassed rather than pleased him. It felt really selfish for him to have a fully functional home while everyone else were relegated to tents and makeshift shelters. He'd felt equally bad to decline the gesture, not wanting to seem ungrateful.

It was a confusing situation, one he'd never been in before, didn't know how to deal with.

Hell, he was even worse when random people called out to him as though he were a cherished friend, smiling and laughing with him, asking for his autograph and to tell them the story of his epic battle with Pain.

It felt unfamiliar and to be completely honest, unwelcome.

Their actions felt suspicious. He was weary of the u-turn the villagers had made regarding his presence, in no way convinced the praise they lavished on him was genuine, that it'd last long.

He didn't want to get used to this feeling of being admired and accepted only to be launched back into loneliness and indifference when the warm feelings wore off. When people remembered why they hated him the first place. When they remembered the failure he'd always been.

His teeth clenched.

Frustrated with his train of though, he sprang up, throwing the blankets off.

When had he become so moody and broody?