To Have a Mother [Slow Updates]

Episode Five: First Night

"So, this is my place." Naruto opened the door. "Sorry, it's not the neatest."

Akari stepped inside Naruto's apartment and scanned the room. It wasn't all that bad. The table was a mess with scattered empty noodle cups and milk cartons. The dishes were overfilling the sink, and the furniture was a bit dusty, but she'd honestly seen worse. His bedroom, however, was an utter disaster. It was as Sakura earlier described. Dirty laundry, magazines and scrolls, and empty food containers were scattered everywhere among the wooden floor. It had a bit of a pungent odor emanating from the bathroom nearby.

Akari held her nose and coughed, throwing her bag to the bed and sitting down. A few cockroaches crawled from beneath in response and she gasped, sighing and rubbing her temples. She expected it to be messy, but this really is, as Sasuke put it, a wasteland. It was difficult to stand anywhere. Akari wasn't even sure if these were suitable living conditions.

"S-Sorry..."

Naruto scrambled to catch the roaches and put them outside. Then he shoved all of his trash into the far corner of his room and shut the bathroom door as if it would help the smell.

"How do you live like this?" Akari asked, referring to the miscellaneous items of clothes and trash now collected in a heap to her left. "I could never."

Naruto frowned, slightly ashamed. It was the first time Akari had directly put him down.

"Is it really that bad?" He chuckled nervously. "I can bring you to the inn if you want."

"Huh?" Akari shook her head. "Nah, I want to stay with you."

"Okay." Naruto smiled again and went to the closet to pull out a futon. He got on his knees, mindlessly setting it up beside his own bed. He then stopped himself and looked up to Akari. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't ask."

Akari tilted her head to the side and hummed in confusion. "Ask what, sweetie?"

"Would you prefer sleeping in the other room?" Naruto asked. "Sakura would get really mad if I tried to sleep next to her."

"Oh, well, I'm not Sakura, Naruto." Akari shrugged. "I'll stay wherever you feel most comfortable."

Naruto nodded and continued unfolding the futon where it laid. "Here, then."

"Alright," Akari replied, lying back on his bed and closing her eyes. "Hey, what do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Dinner?" Naruto thought for for a minute. "I don't know. I only really have cup noodles and milk."

Akari laughed with a sense of pity. "Is that all you ever eat?"

The blond shrugged. "Kind of."

"No, that won't do." Akari stood, pulling Naruto to his feet. "I really shouldn't be up and about, but let's go shopping."

"I can't," Naruto said, looking down and rubbing his arm. "I used up the rest of my allowance on this month's rent..."

"Oh, don't worry about money, hon." Akari pulled out her wallet. "I've got it. We'll get some groceries, and maybe some new clothes for me. And when we come home, I'll cook dinner and we can watch a movie. Sound good?"