Touching the untouchable

Chapter 20

Naruto sighed at his coffee as he sat in the cafe from across his tiny rundown apartment. He doesn't like the deafening silence at home, it made him feel like he was suffocating. However, he also hated it when his neighbours would either be screaming and yelling at each other or they would be throwing things at the wall when they argue with each other. Naruto preferred the silence in the office, the quiet atmosphere was soft and gentle on his mind and his ears. It was the weekend and there was no need to go into the office but Naruto felt like he should be doing something. He was such a regular at that cafe that they reserve the table for him, tucked into the corner near the counter where the staff can easily have a short conversation with the blond whilst waiting for the food so that it could be served.

"What are you working on?" Naruto looked up from his sketchbook, before looking back down at the book. He doesn't know what he was drawing but it seems so dark and depressing.
"My living room?" The waitress blinked at the response before she made a grimacing face.
"You wanna talk about it?" She offered, looking hopeful that Naruto wasn't going to keep it in until he was so exhausted about everything. Naruto paused before he looked up at her with a grin. "Nah, I'll be okay." She pressed her lips together, getting distracted when the clink of the cups on the marble table. She looked at Naruto who shooed her away, telling her to go.
"I'm here for you if you need it." She muttered before turning away to serve the food.

Naruto had been sitting at the cafe for the whole morning now and it was just past lunch time. He had finished working on the drawing and decided to move onto continuing his work, being careful about the confidential documents and making sure that the words were not easily visible as he was out in the open. He had finished more than the work given to him and pondered whether he should just go into the office for the rest of the day to get more work instead. Itachi was busy with his family so Naruto decided not to bother him as he had done for the past few months. Usually, he would be out with Itachi right now, maybe walking around the more quieter streets, away from the public. Maybe he should go back to the office...

He glared at his phone for interrupting him when it vibrated on the table. Itachi's name showed up in the notification. 'Free for dinner later?'
Naruto smiled at his phone, something in him felt touched that Itachi at least remembered him and puts in the effort to be with him. Naruto quickly sent a text to Itachi and packed up his belongings, the blond ordered a coffee to bring along before leaving for the office.

'I wonder how long Itachi would stay with me until he leaves me too.' Naruto mused to himself. He shook his head and continued on his way to the office, he would have at least 5 hours to work before meeting up with Itachi later for dinner. Naruto finished planned the rest of Itachi's itinerary and picked up on the unfinished work of the other employees, finishing them off during that period of time. Naruto sighed, leaning back on his chair. 'Should I come back here to finish up the rest later or bring these home to do?' Naruto grimaced at that thought, that place is not home to him. That place is just a roof over his head, it was not a place he considered home as it does not make him feel warm or protected in any way. The landlord is a creepy person as well, he kept trying to get in the blond's pants. When Naruto refuses, he would cut off Naruto's heat and electricity once in a while hoping that it would make Naruto desperate. When that happens, all Naruto does is to pack a few things into his bag and leave for the office, knowing there would be a place to shower and a place to sleep. However, before getting that job, Naruto would try to stay outside as long as he possibly could. The landlord had a spare key to his apartment and Naruto almost got trapped inside his own apartment with the landlord after the man had snuck in. Naruto had managed to flee in time to a random shop, populated with people so that the landlord wouldn't dare to follow him.

Naruto never told anyone this of course. What would other people think if they found out? What would Itachi think if he found out? Naruto felt a chill up his spine, Itachi would probably stare at him with that intimidating and emotionless stare before kicking him out and tell him to never show his face ever again. He let out another sigh before rolling his aching shoulders and continued working despite the throbbing pain he could feel in his stomach. Naruto brushed it off as him being hungry due to not eating lunch. Itachi did pay him well but mostly it went to pay for his expensive rent, water and electricity bill. Naruto growled, he was sure that he doesn't use that much for the water and electricity bill as the landlord keeps cutting off the supply. The rent... it keeps increasing each year and that rundown apartment with barely any water or electricity can't be worth $2000 each week, right? 'I should find a place to move to before the landlord's extortions cripples me.'