How I See The World (Menma Uzumaki Love Story) {DISCONTINUED}

Chapter 7 - Bath Time

"What are you doing?" Menma asked me. "What does it look like? I'm navigating." I answered as I walked around the room as I felt at the carpet. "What for?" He asked. "Because I don't know this place so well. I don't wanna bump into stuff." I explained.

"You can see perfectly fine, so there's no need for that? Why do you have your eyes closed again?" Menma said. "Just because." I replied. I was still seeing with my eyes closed. To be blunt, I didn't really trust Menma enough to open my eyes.

I mean, there's gonna come a time when he's gonna beat me and I don't wanna have my eyes open to see his angry face. In fact, I don't even know if Menma has his mask on right now.

I squeaked in fear when Menma grabbed the back of my kimono, lifted me in the air, and held me under his arm. "Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing, Menma?! Put me down!" I yelled as I squirmed in his hold. 

"Shut up, you're loud." He said. "Could you put me down? I'm already starting to feel sick." I stated. "You stink and you need a bath." Menma mentioned. 

"Okay...? But was it necessary to pick me up just to tell me that I stink?" I asked. "Let's take one together." He stated. My eyes widened as my face turned red.

"N-N-No way! I'm not taking a bath with you! That's just wrong! You're a guy, and I'm a girl, and I'm only 9 years old! Okay, I may say I'm 9, but I'm not so sure about that anymore! I have the body of a 13-year-old, and I'm starting to know things I shouldn't even be knowing! Why am I so complicated?! I don't think I know who I am anymore!" I ranted. 

Menma sighed, then grabbed my ear and tugged it slightly, signaling me to shut up. "Stop ranting, will you? You're giving me a headache." He said. "Sorry, but I'm not taking a bath with you!" I declared. 

"That's not your say in the matter. Let's go." Menma stated as he started walking. "W-W-Wait a second! Wait! Menma!"

"It'll be fine. You won't be able to see me, anyway, right?"

"But you'll be able to see me! Baka!"

But of course, I was ignored and basically "lost" the argument with Menma. When we got to the bathroom, I heard Menma run the bathwater as he still had hold of me. While he was doing that, I was doing everything I can to get out of his hold. 

I wanted to bite him, but I had a pretty good feeling he'd punish me for something like that. "Quit squirming, or I'll drop you into the tub." Menma threatened. Ha! He's bluffing! He's only say he'll drop me so he can scare me and make me stop squirming.

"Go ahead! It's better than being held by you!" I challenged. I gasped when Menma actually dropped me into the water-filled tub. I shook my hair out, shaking the water off my body. "You jerk! I didn't think you'd actually do it; I thought you were bluffing!" I yelled at him.

"I never bluff." Menma stated.  I frowned and stuck my tongue out at him. "You're a real jerk, you know that?" I mentioned. "What's your point?" Menma replied, sarcastically. I frowned again and attempted to climb out of the tub until I got a devious idea. 

I grabbed the sleeve of Menma's cloak and tugged him into the tub as well. I heard water splash everywhere as I knew Menma was frowning at me. A grin made its way across my face and I poked his mask. Ah, so he was wearing it. 

"Real funny, Kitsune." Menma mumbled. "What can I say? Payback's a bitch." I stated with a cocky smile. I screamed in fear when Menma suddenly grabbed me and held me against him, my back pressed into his chest. 

"What the hell?!" I yelled at him as my tail stood straight up. "Sit still and let me clean you." Menma ordered. "No way, pervert! I can bathe myself, thank you!" I said, quickly. "But... I could use some help with my ears." 

I frowned and blushed at the same time. It was always difficult for me to clean my ears, and don't even ask how. 

Menma gently massaged the soap on my ears as the two of us were quiet. "Kitsune." Menma spoke, breaking the silence in the room. "Hmm?" I hummed in response. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked. "N-No..." I answered, hesitantly. 

"Tell me the truth." He said as he continued to massage my ear. 'He really can see right through me, can he?' I thought. I won't be able to hide my feelings so easily from this guy if he's able to read me like a book. 

"I... am afraid of you." I confessed. "Why is that? Haven't I been good to you? Did I ever treat you roughly?" He asked.

"That's not it," I shook my head. "I've... always been afraid of humans because of the way I was treated by them. Everyday, I'd see their disgusted faces every time they looked at me. That's why... I want to keep my eyes closed from now on. I'm... too afraid to look at them." 

"I see," Menma removed his hand from my ears and rested his chin on my head. "But Kitsune, you'd know I'd never hurt you, right? Like I told you before: It's not in my nature to hurt animals." He said. 

I only shrugged my shoulders. "Menma... You're human, yet... you wear a mask. Why is that? Are you afraid of something?" I asked. "Not at all. Ne, Kitsune. Why don't we make a deal?" Menma proposed. "A deal?" I repeated. "Yes,"

He turned me around so I was facing him. "I'll agree to not wear the mask around you if you agree to not have your eyes closed around me." Menma said. "Why?" I asked.

"You've complained how I keep a mask on when I have human face. I thought maybe we could settle our differences in a deal." Menma explained. "I guess that sounds reasonable." I said, shrugging my shoulders again.

"Well?" 

I raised a brow at him. "Well, what?"

"Open your eyes." He instructed. "What?" I asked. "I didn't stutter." Menma said. "But I don't wanna." I whined. "We made a deal, remember?" He reminded me. "Then, take off the mask." I said. "I will once you open your eyes. Look at me." Menma ordered. 

I hesitantly opened my eyes and looked at him. "See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Menma said, gently petting my head. "Shut up," I mumbled as I turned my head to the side with a small frown. "I've kept my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn."

"Heh." Menma took his mask in his hand and removed it from his face. He's actually quiet handsome up close. Why should he have to hide his face? Were the villagers of the Leaf Village in this universe disgusted with him, too?

"Aren't you going to insult me?" I asked. "Why would I? You're not repulsive or anything. Besides, I like you." He said. "You like me?" I repeated. Menma nodded his head and I hugged his chest.

"Why are you hugging me?" Menma asked, looking down at me. "Because you're the first person in a long while... who said they like me. Nobody... likes me." I said. I closed my eyes as I felt tears starting to form, forcing myself not to cry.

"Don't worry. It's going to be okay." Menma said as he placed his hand on my head. 

"Is it really?"

"I assure you."