A/N: After my fifth failed attempt at the tenth ramen delivery mission from the game Naruto: Rise of a ninja, the fat dudes you're supposed to deliver the ramen to got me thinking. Just why would one simple delivery make someone so happy?
And thus, a bunny was born. Enjoy.
The man was hungry. No wonder, it was already twenty past six and he'd skipped lunch in order to focus on perfecting the clockwork of the beautiful watch. With the kind of precise repairs he had to perform, he often lost track of time, despite the fact that all kinds of clocks in various states of repair surrounded him. By the time he looked up from his work on the watch it was already four o'clock, too late for lunch but too early for dinner.
So he'd kept his stomach happy with a cookie and went back to work. At a quarter past six he'd stopped working and went outside to enjoy the last of the warmth of the day and keep an eye out for his delivery. Yesterday he'd ordered some of his favorite ramen from Ichiraku Ramen. Teuchi, the shopowner, had promised that the ramen would be there at half past six.
'It's good to treat yourself from time to time.'
His grandmother's advice floated through his head as he imagined the tasty ramen he'd soon be eating. That is, if it got delivered on time. He glanced up and down the street. He often ate his dinner at his workshop, less hassle that way. And it was not like he had anybody waiting at home.
There were a few people walking by, but none of them were Teuchi or Ayame or anybody resembling a ramen delivery man or woman.
A bit annoyed that he had to wait he crossed his arms and leant back against the front of his workshop. He kept his gaze on the street, but still no-one showed up with hot ramen, not even after a ten-minute wait. He huffed and checked his watch. Thirty-four seconds to half past six.
Ichiraku Ramen didn't have a 'if it's too late it's free'-policy, but next time he saw Teuchi he'd get a complaint, that's for sure. Even better-
The man yelped as something, no, someone dropped to the ground right in front of him. Someone clad in orange with a metal contraption strapped to his back which emitted steam.
The orange-clad person straightened from his crouch, turned around and held out an unmarked paper bag. The unmistakable scent of ramen wafted from the bag. The man tore his gaze from the bag and focused on the person holding it. His stomach clenched when he recognized the boy as the host to the demon fox. The bright yellow hair, the orange clothes, but especially the whisker marks on the boy's cheeks. This kid was a bad kid, a demon spawn... But also the bringer of his much-needed food.
"Compliments of Ichiraku Ramen!" the boy bellowed and out of instinct the man took hold of the bag being thrusted into his face.
"Thank you," he said, though this wasn't instinct, but rather good manners pound into him by his grandmother.
"No problem. Enjoy your meal and be sure to order from Ichiraku Ramen again next time."
The boy rattled the standard speech off and threw some sort of salute his way.
"Now I gotta move while the ramen's still hot, so see ya."
He said in a much-less polite choice of words and ran off like only a trained ninja can. That is, he jumped on to a rooftop and disappeared in the colorful labyrinth of houses and trees that was Konoha.
The man tracked the boy with his eyes until he could no longer see the gaudy orange jumpsuit before opening the bag to check his order.
It wasn't jostled, despite the abrupt landing, and it was still steaming hot and excreted such a delicious smell he had a hard time not tearing into it right now. He moved back inside to eat and while taking the items out of the bag his mind wandered to the delivery boy. Why was the demon spawn delivering ramen? Should he check his food for poison?
'No', he shook himself. The demon spawn was a boy, and boys had to make ends meet as well. So if Ichiraku entrusted the boy with delivering ramen to his regulars, the man trusted him. And in turn, the man trusted Ichiraku.
He dug into his dinner and savored the food. The boy had done an excellent job on the delivery. Right on time, prompt and with unjostled and still hot ramen. He's had worse delivery boys, he decided.
Maybe the demon spawn isn't so bad, he decided as the food slowly makes him more content. Maybe next time he won't avoid Ichiraku Ramen when he spots the boy sitting there. Next time he'll greet the kid, if he can remember his name. Maybe someday, he'll smile at him.
It's a small reward, but maybe it'll mean something to the boy.