Chapter Text
"Surely I still wonder why the hell he's even aloud in the village. No one wants a monster around here..."
"Yeah, what if the monster takes over and attacks the village all over again? He'll do everyone a favour..." My gaze was once again on the lonely boy walking home to where no one waited for him, unaware of the dirt looks and whispers that surrounded the boy or so it seemed. Stopping for a second to gaze at the ground,
"Hey get out of the way, demon." barked a villager that shoved him to the side with ease and no regard. Slowly the boy got back up to his feet, his clothes covered in dirt and his face blank. Tears were forming in his deep, bright blue eyes that grew darker then disappeared as he wiped his face, sprinting off in the opposite direction toward the park.
"He deserves it..." I heard someone mumble bitterly,
"He's a monster, so it doesn't make any difference..." scowled another. I glared at them all, then toward the direction he disappeared off too. Jumping up into the air landing on random buildings my thoughts lingered back towards the child. I couldn't take it; he was still a child barely five even. No child should deserve this trauma that this village is making him go through.
Arriving at the park I walked through seeing children playing and laughing together. Except for one child that swung slowly on a swing isolated. No kid paid no attention as if it was completely normal. It was hard to see his face under the tree's shadows, though his tears shone in the sunlight as they ran down his cheeks.
Gazing at him I felt the stab in my chest, he was still a human child but instead is given the same treatment as the nine tails inside of him. Taking a deep breath and with hesitation I took my first steps towards the boy.
Gaining my attention was his eyes baring into mine, fear visibly shown. Walking closer I could tell from his body language he was starting to shake. Stopping in front of him I bent down onto my knees to match his height. A lump formed in my throat and my chest increasingly tightened as those eyes bared into mine with confusion and caution.
“I’m so sorry…” I mumbled softly to myself as I tried to find the right words to finally say to the child in front of me for so long but was surprised when he spoke up to my earlier words.
“Why would you be sorry? If I did something wrong, then I’m sorry?”
“Uh no I was merely mumbling foolishness to myself, there is nothing for you to apologise for.” I answered while shaking my head at my words and him rubbing his tears quickly away with his hand.
“O-oh then why are you talking to me?” he asked innocently as he averted my gaze, a sad smile formed as I replied,
“I saw you over here quite upset and wanted to see if you’re alright.” He looked back up at me then scoffed as he kicked in shoes in the dirt.
“Why? No one else does.” He mumbled softly the last part but I still caught it.
“Because you look quite upset and it’s always better to share it with someone else then to yourself.”
“I-I’m not upset!” His eyes were teary as he tried to keep looking somewhere else.
“It’s okay to be upset, but there's no need to cry, you know?"
“W-why do you care? you don’t know me.” He stuttered as he rubbed his eyes.
“Well, my name is Ren and it’s nice to meet you.” I responded with a warm smile
"Nice to meet me?" he scoffed kicking the dirt with his feet.
"It truly is and there is no need to cry. I bet a smile suits you better," I chuckled as he gazed at me strangely. I held my hand toward his face placing it gently on his cheek, he closed his eyes shut to my touch as I wiped the remaining tears away.
"Is it okay if I got to know you by being your friend?" I suggested, his eyes reopening widely.
"So then now you can have me to share it with, if you would like?" I said reassuringly, hesitantly placing my hand on his head rubbing it affectionately.
"But, why? All the other adults ignore me or l-look at me weirdly." he asked while sniffing,
"I think your fine,” I answered simply.
"So how about a smile from now on, ok?" With that I stood back to my full height, holding my hand out toward him. He simply stared at it nervously, slowly but surely reaching his hand out toward mine. His small hand placed into mine, I closed mine gently around his, getting off the swing we started making our way out of the park.
“Uh my name’s Naruto and it is okay to be your friend?” he asked looking up at me with hesitation in his eyes. Meeting his gaze, I smiled warmly down at him giving a reassuring squeeze with my hand,
“It most definitely is Naruto.” A smile finally bloomed onto his face which warmed the tightness in my chest.
"So do you like ramen?" His smile grew wider to my question,
"Yeah! Do you?" he nervously asked as he gazed up at me, his smile starting to fade.
"Yes I do, would you like to join me in having some?"
"U-um if you don't mind?" he answered quietly with a hint of a smile forming back. Assuring him with a warm smile I nodded as we started taking steps forward,
"So what kind do you like?" In response he started rabble on about every different one he likes excitedly as he started unconsciously swinging his hand in mine. As we walked the way towards to the ramen shop with his hand in mine, that smile...was the thing that brightened up this gloomy day.
'Sorry I took so long...'