Chapter Text
It was a nice warm day, birds chirping and bees humming, a typical summer day.
Naruto was in his room on his bed facing the ceiling. He sighed, last week of summer and then another school year of hell. Not that staying home was any better. His big blue eyes torn away from the ceiling and looked at a big bruise on his upper arm, the bruise had a shape of a thump. Naruto closed his eyes, he was grounded, why? Because his guardian had made up a story in his mind about Naruto's whereabouts. Naruto tried to tell him he was in the garden but his guardian insisted Naruto had gone somewhere else and if Naruto couldn't tell him where he went he was to be grounded for a month. The Guardian grabbed Naruto's arm while yelling at him and had left the bruise.
Naruto stood up and his blond hair was wet from the sweat that was forming, it was really hot in his room and no way of cooling it down. Naruto wished he had gone somewhere else, that the story in his guardian's head had made sense, but it didn't and now Naruto was afraid of his guardian. Usually the white-haired man came barging to his room after an hour, demanding something impossible, the truth... his truth and if Naruto didn't tell him his truth there would be consequences.
Suddenly the peace of silence was gone when Naruto heard footsteps on the stairs. His door swooshed open and Mizuki barged in, he grabbed Naruto's sore arm and Naruto whined when Mizuki's fingers touched the bruise on his arm "Shut up you little ungrateful piece of shit" Mizuki Yelled, Naruto shut his mouth and looked scared at Mizuki "Now tell me, where have you been? You better tell me or I swear to god..." Naruto gulped and tried to think of something but nothing came to mind so instead he said "I...I was... in the garden" Naruto looked at Mizuki's face which showed no emotion when he raised his hand and slapped Naruto's left cheek. Naruto grabbed his burning face with his left hand while he tried not to make a sound but a moan escaped his breath and fear grew in his stomach Mizuki lost it now "I.... Told .... you ......to ......shut.... up...." Every word ended with a painful punch on Naruto's body, his head, his stomach, his back, his legs and his arms. Naruto bit on his lower lip to not cry out in pain and somehow, he managed it, somehow not a sound escaped his painful lips, he could taste the blood. Tears welled up in his eyes but he couldn't cry... if Mizuki saw him cry.... Suddenly Naruto heard his door closed, he looked up and Mizuki was gone he left Naruto alone in his room. Quietly he let the tears stream down his face. Anything was better than this... even the hell hole he called school. He could handle the name calling but this... He couldn't handle the abuse his guardian was giving him. Naruto knew Mizuki didn't mean it, Mizuki was troubled himself. Tomorrow everything will be better. Mizuki just needed some rest that's it, tomorrow a different Mizuki would appear, a nice one who cared about Naruto. With this in his mind Naruto stood up and looked at the clock... 7 pm, another day without dinner, Naruto knew better than to try and come down to eat.
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The week passed and Naruto stood in front of his closet, he grabbed his school uniform. A black pants and a white shirt with short sleeves and put it on, he looked in the mirror in his room, he saw a blond-haired boy with whisker like scars on both cheeks, his blue eyes looking at his chest and arms he sighed. The bruises from a week ago where almost gone but now they were ugly yellow and green and covered his chest and arms and probably his legs, he didn't want to check, he buttoned down his shirt and walked away from his reflection.
Mizuki was very friendly this week but Naruto was still grounded. "you just need to tell me the truth" Mizuki had told him "You know I hate lies".
Naruto grabbed his books and stuffed them into his old scruffy schoolbag, it desperately needed replacement, but Naruto couldn't, it was once his dad's one of the few items Naruto cherished. he quickly run down the stairs and grabbed some toast Mizuki made. "Going to school" Naruto yelled "Have a nice day and don't be late, remember you're still grounded" Mizuki yelled back. Naruto closed his eyes, how could he forget he thought but instead he said "Okay ill come home as soon as I'm done with school" Mizuki was much nicer the past week.
The blond put his black and white all stars on and ran out of the door, he looked around his environment, housed lined up with little gardens at the front of the houses and bigger gardens at the back of the houses, it was a nice neighborhood. As quickly as Naruto could he walked towards the bus stop, he waited until he saw a yellow bus and he got on "Good morning Ero Sennin" Naruto greeted the bus driver "Good morning Naruto, and its Jiraiya!" The man with long hair that reached over his back greeted Naruto with a big grin, similar to the grin Naruto was giving to the man. Naruto stook out his tongue and took a seat near Jiraiya "How was your holiday" Jiraiya asked. Naruto kept grinning but his eyes looked away for a brief moment "Fine" he answered "He looked around, it was rather quit in the bus. Naruto's house was among the first ones on Jiraiya's route. "How was yours?" Naruto asked "Jiraiya turned around while he was at a red traffic light and gave another big grin to the blonde "O...You know" Naruto nodded "I think I do" he said and added "Ero Sennin" Jiraiya looked at Naruto "Its Jiraiya" he repeated and he turned around again to pay attention to the traffic, Naruto knew the old man enough to know Jiraiya wasn't mad. After a few more stops the bus was loaded with students of Konoha High "Okay everyone get out of my bus! "Jiraiya screamed as he stopped in front of the school and the students quickly got out. Naruto jumped out first and looked at the school building, "I can do this" he whispered he started walking when a black Bentley continental stopped in front of him. Naruto looked at the car in awe "what are you looking at dobe?" Naruto looked up from the car towards a boy with pale skin and black hair, his black eyes looked at Naruto. Sasuke got out of the passenger's side of the car and slammed the door shut "Nothing teme" Naruto snapped back. He turned around and walked towards the school, cursing the Uchiha in his head.
Sasuke turned around and looked at his brother who was still in the car with the window down "I'll see you after school little bother" Itachi said, and with that he drove away leaving Sasuke behind "yeah whatever" Sasuke mumbled he hated his brother he hated that car, and he really hated Naruto. What was with the blond anyway, those strange bruises. He shrugged and walked towards the school, it was then when he noticed the fangirls waiting for him. Sasuke rolled his eyes, here we go again he thought.
"Sasuke how was your vacation?" A girl with short bubble pink hair and a school uniform asked. Sasuke looked at her, he mumbled something and proceeded towards the school building "ahhh Sakura he answered you!" Another girl with long blond hair and the same uniform grabbed Sakura's shoulders and started to jump. Sakura smiled but knew there wasn't much to be excited about. This would be another great day Sasuke thought when he heard Ino squealing
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Naruto looked at a piece of paper, it was his schedule, first and second period was English then a short break. Right after that on hour Biology and math, then came the hour-long break followed by gym. He was done at 3 pm so he should be home at 3.30 pm.
Naruto walked toward the announcement board and looked at a list of names, he found his and followed his name towards a number, 130. Then he proceeded towards the lockers and searched his locker number. He put away his books except for his English book, he closed his locker and when he turned he saw Sasuke, Naruto looked at Sasuke as if he saw something burning, Sasuke closed his locker and pushed Naruto against his, "you're in the way dobe" he said Naruto grunted with the impact. A few bruises started to hurt again the cold metal pushing against them, he then turned on his heel and walked away leaving Sasuke behind, what's with the dobe Sasuke thought, no snappy comeback no name calling nothing.
Naruto took the seat at the far back of the class, he liked English but he didn't like attention, so he tried to go unnoticed, that plan backfired when the raven decided to take the seat next to him and all Sasuke's fangirls looked at both boys. They looked at Naruto with jealousy in their eyes and at Sasuke in awe. Naruto placed his head in his desk, he felt a headache coming. "Alright class summer just ended so I let you of easy" Iruka sensei said, he grinned "let's start"
Naruto walked towards his locker after the two hour not so easy class. He placed his book in his locker and grabbed his biology book, then walked outside and sat on the grass. A nice summer breeze caressed his cheek, the cheek Mizuki slapped a week before. Naruto closed his eyes. All he could remember from his past was Mizuki hitting him and calling him names, telling him he was stupid and that Mizuki should have let him die when Naruto was younger. but then when Mizuki cooled down he was not so bad, he would take Naruto out for ice cream as if nothing happened. One day when Mizuki was in a good mood Naruto had asked him why he hit him the other day. The answer he got was a glare and a slap in his face Mizuki was the evil Mizuki again. Naruto noticed there were two Mizuki's. One who would hit him and one who would do anything to keep him from harm.
Naruto opened his eyes, class was about to start so he got up and walked with a quick pas, Orochimaru didn't like late comers.
Just like English class Naruto took the seat far in the back, and just like English class Sasuke took the seat next to him. But this time there were no fangirls. Everyone knew Orochimaru was a scary teacher who would give detention without much reason, so everyone was quit and looked straight ahead. Even Shikamaru the school laziest person was sitting and not sleeping. Class took forever and they even got a pop quiz, but Naruto managed to pay attention and answered all the questions.
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"You let your guard down" a tall guy who always seemed the look like he was in bandages stood in front of Naruto, his name was Dosu Next to Naruto stood a guy with black spiked hair... Zaku and then there was Tsuchi a small girl with long black hair which reached her bum stood at the other side of Naruto.
They shoved Naruto against the wall. Tsuchi holding one side and Zaku the other. Naruto tried to move but even though Tsuchi was a small girl she was strong, Naruto knew she was practicing Martial Arts, he didn't stand a chance, he was weakened due to the fact he was grounded and didn't have much to eat the past week. "Hold him" Dosu sneered while he grabbed a black marker "No...Let go!" Naruto
struggled but then he felt the cold marker in his forehead. Tsuchi and Zaku started laughing while Dosu wrote something on Naruto's head. "there that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Dosu asked. He looked at Naruto and punched him in the stomach. Naruto chocked at the impact of the blow. Tsuchi and Zaku released him and Naruto fell on the floor. "You should just kill yourself" Dosu whispered in Naruto's ear and with that the group left.
Naruto stood up, he grunted his stomach really hurt, slowly he stumbled towards the restrooms, he looked in the mirror and saw his face. He felt the tears burning in his eyes when is saw the word monster across his forehead, he quickly grabbed some paper turned on the tap and tried to clean his forehead, luckily it wasn't permanent marker. Naruto looked around and decided he was safer in a toilet stall, so he locked himself in and sat on the toilet. With his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He stayed there the rest of lunch period. He felt alone, he was alone, nobody cared where he was, if he missed lunch he thought about the words Dosu whispered in his ear... maybe he...should.... A loud ringing disturbed his thoughts. Lunchtime was over, now he needed to go to the last class...gym.
He was late he quickly changed and joined his classmates. "Just in time! "an overly enthusiastic gym teacher was spinning and when he stopped he give Naruto big thumps up "It's good for you to arrive Naruto" Gay Sensei said "Class.... It's time for dodgeball" Gay Sensei grabbed some balls and threw them to some students. Sasuke sighted he hated dodgeball but after a while he noticed that not a single ball went near him, instead every student seemed to target Naruto.
Naruto was able to dodge the balls but his body hurt because of Dosu and his gang and then when he didn't pay attention for just a second a ball hit his head. The word started to spin, his vision became blurry and the next thing he heard was a strange thud sound.
"Oi dobe, Dobe wake up" Sasuke kneeled beside him
"is he responding?" gay sensei looked at Naruto's face
"Dobe!" Sasuke shook Naruto's shoulders
"the monster is dead" a few students whispered
Slowly Naruto opened his eyes "I'm fine, sorry" He gave a big smile wile scratching the back of his head
"he is just overreacting ne Sasuke?" Sakura stood next to Sasuke when she saw Naruto opening his eyes
Sasuke gave the pink haired girl a glare, he stood up. And walked towards the dressing room
"Class dismissed "Gay sensei shouted "go home I'll see you Wednesday for some extra physical training and don't forget tomorrow school pictures!"
Naruto stood up and walked to the dressing room, he changed as fast as he could, not noticing a pair of black eyes watching him.
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When Naruto got finally home his head throbbed, he walked straight towards the kitchen. He grabbed a glass and filled it with water. Just when he turned around to take his aspirin he knocked over the glass which chattered on the floor "what was that!" Mizuki's voice yelled
Naruto froze "get over here right now!" Mizuki continued. Slowly Naruto walked towards the living room where the yelling originated from. "I can't believe you didn't learn your lesson, you always do this, you must be a special kind of stupid" Mizuki screamed. The next thing Naruto knew he was falling on the floor, his head hurt that much more. Mizuki had hid Naruto in the eye. That will leave a mark Naruto thought. He got up his feet and got another punch in the face, his lip split open blood forming. "go to your room, and don't bother to come down for dinner" Mizuki sneered. Naruto nodded and as quickly as he could he went upstairs. He closed his door and climbed into bed, he looked at the small window and wished he could fly out of this place. He touched his eye, tomorrow it would be black, and tomorrows school picture day... he would be reminded of this day for the rest of his life. softly he cried himself to sleep