Chapter three
Naruto stirred, feeling warm light beginning to pool onto his face. His eyes fluttered open, looking around the room he was confused for a moment, jolting out of bed. This wasn’t the room he normally stayed in!
‘Oh…’ Naruto thought, ‘Right, they didn’t want me anymore. This is where I stay.’ He frowned, a familiar lonely feeling pooling in his gut. Frowning, he went back to lie in bed, he wasn’t supposed to leave the room without their permission. He figured Iruka would have a similar rule so he’d have to wait in here till then. So he waited and waited and waited. Anxiously, he began pacing around the room, had he done something wrong already? Surely not, they had a nice talk last night, right? Iruka tucked him into bed, he even stayed with him till he fell asleep. Was that it? Was he being too needy already? Anxious thoughts rushed out of his head, he felt sick.
He flinched when there was a sudden knock at his door, “Naruto?” It was Iruka! His voice was soft, just above a whisper. Naruto rushed back to his bed, not wanting the possibility of breaking any rules. Once next to his bed, he stood up as straight as he could, “Yes?” Naruto questioned, his voice quivered a bit, the previous anxiety still not having fully left his body.
“May I come in?”
Naruto cocked his head a bit, confused by the question. Of course, he could come in, this was Iruka’s room, After all, Naruto was just staying here. “Um… yes?” His response was more of a question, unsure of what was the correct response. He stood straighter, tenser, as Iruka turned the knob. Iruka's lips curled into a warm smile as he entered the room.
“Good morning! How’d you sleep?” Naruto reveled in Iruka’s voice. He didn’t know why, but it was so much different than any other previous fosters. It was so soft and soothing, so gentle and warm. Perhaps what really differentiated it was how truly genuine each emotion was. Naruto felt himself smile a bit, “Okay.” He mumbled.
“Well, I suppose that’s better than bad!” Iruka was so cheerful, that Naruto wondered what time it was, “Have you been up long?”
Naruto nodded.
“Really? Why didn’t you come out any sooner?”
Naruto shrugged, “Cause I wasn’t allowed to before.”
Iruka frowned, his eyebrows furrowing, “You weren’t allowed to leave your room when you woke up?”
There it was again! Why did Iruka keep acting like this was Naruto’s room? He didn’t pay any bills, so Naruto decided to save the question for another time in favor of answering Iruka’s. “No, I had to wait for him to let me out.”
“You’re allowed to leave this room whenever you want.” He moved a bit so Naruto could leave if he wanted to, “What’s the longest he made you wait in there?”
“I dunno, like a whole day once.” He spoke so nonchalantly that it was as if he was talking about the weather, not the abuse or neglect he endured.
“Well, that rule doesn’t apply here. If you wake up you can leave your room, just come wake me, so you aren’t by yourself.” Once receiving a nod from Naruto Iruka decided it was best to move on, for now, “Hungry? I’m making us breakfast!”
“Can I go to the bathroom first?” Naruto looked up cautiously at Iruka, another thing that must’ve been withheld from him. He hoped his tone wouldn’t betray how heartbroken he was already for this boy, “Of course, you never have to ask, just knock to make sure no one is in there!” He was reminded that Naruto’s past was one filled with hardship, Iruka was sure that the more he learned the more he’d hurt for Naruto.
After a few minutes, Naruto came out into the kitchen, walking over to the counter he seemed a bit unsure. He looked at the food Iruka had made so far, “Hiruzen said you liked eggs, is that still true?”
Naruto thought for a moment, “Kinda.”
“Define kinda,” Iruka began, “Is there a special way you like them made?”
“I like it in ramen!” Naruto exclaimed with a smile, “Also, scrambled, sometimes.”
Iruka chuckled a bit, “Well are you feeling eggy today?” He was aware that some kids with sensory issues wouldn't even look at eggs, he was honestly surprised that eggs were on Naruto’s list of 'safe food.' Naruto put a finger to his chin, tapping it thoughtfully, “I think so.”
Iruka smiled, “Well, if you end up not wanting them today I made pancakes and bacon, would you like some bacon now?”
Naruto furiously nodded his head, reaching a handout, “Thanks!” Iruka just nodded at the boy, beginning to make the aforementioned eggs. Naruto sat on one of the chairs by the table, happily munching on the bacon. Iruka poured the eggs into the hot pan, stirring them. Smiling, he glanced over at Naruto, who was now staring at him.
“Do you-”
He was suddenly interrupted by the sound of knocking at his door. “Ah!” Both jumped at the sudden noise, “One moment!” Iruka shouted, taking his eggs off the heat. Naruto went and hid out of view of the kitchen door, Iruka glanced over, “You okay?”
A nod.
“Okay?” Iruka just smiled a bit, why was Naruto hiding? He dismissed his question for later.
“Iruka! It is good to see you this fine morning!” A loud boisterous voice caught Naruto’s attention.
“Gai, it’s good to see you too. You just get back from a run?” Naruto crawled a little closer, Iruka had mentioned Gai the previous day, it was one of the guys who were out front when he got there. Poking his head out he eavesdropped some more.
“Hm? Oh! No, no! I went on my run earlier, no, I was mowing our front yard! I was just wondering if I could steal your weed wacker for a few hours!” This Gai guy talks really loudly. Naruto moved to get a better look at him.
“Yeah, no, of course! Did something happen to yours?”
Gai waved to Naruto before returning his attention to Iruka, “Yes! Unfortunately, it broke! You see Lee and I were engaging in some good old-fashioned horseplay, and it fell! Thing smashed into a bunch of pieces and we have yet to replace it!”
‘This guy talks weird,’ Naruto thought, waving back.
“Would you like to say hi to Gai?” Iruka questioned, turning his attention to Naruto, who sheepishly retreated into the kitchen. “He doesn’t bite, most of the time.” Iruka was just joking, but his words seemed to interest Naruto.
“You bite?” Naruto came out of the kitchen fully this time, though he kept his distance.
“No, no!” Gai chuckled loudly, “I do not bite, Iruka was just jesting!”
“What’s that?”
“Jesting?” Gai questioned, not waiting for an answer he explained, “Just another word for joking!”
“Oh. I bite.” Naruto approached further, before adding, “Sometimes.”
Gai raised an eyebrow at Iruka, who just shrugged. “Well, I hope you do not bite me!” He crouched down to Naruto’s level, offering him a handshake, “I am Maito Gai, but please call me Gai! I am one of your neighbors!” Gai was still loud, but he spoke a bit softer as Naruto approached.
“I’m Naruto.” He held Gai’s hand unsure what the man wanted him to do with it. Iruka and Gai had to hold back laughter at the boy’s action.
“Naruto? Well, it’s nice to meet you Naruto! Y’know, I have some kids around your age! You should stop by and say hi sometime!” Gai smiled a wide toothy smile at Naruto. He was much like Iruka, Naruto noted. He was warm and kind and genuine. Naruto liked him, even though he was loud.
Glancing at Iruka, he asked, “Today?”
Both men looked at each other in surprise, not expecting him to want to meet new people so soon, “Uh, sure, I mean if they’re okay with it.”
Iruka and Naruto looked up at Gai, who thought for a moment. “We have nothing to do anyway! Better than spending the day bored out of our minds! Sure, why not stop by for lunch?”
“Okay!” Iruka smiled, grabbing a set of keys from the hook by his door, “For my shed, I’ll get the key back at lunch.”
“Hm?” Gai just stared at Iruka, then the key, then Iruka, “Oh! Right! The weed wacker, thank you!”
Iruka just chuckled nodding his head. The three of them said their goodbyes before Iruka finally returned to the kitchen, remembering he left eggs just sitting there. “Do you want eggs? Or are just pancakes okay?”
Naruto looked over at Iruka, “I don’t like eggs.” He spoke walking to sit back down.
"But, you-" Iruka stopped himself, laughing a bit he said, "I see."