ØTitle: A Promise-Filled Smile
Genre: Angst/General
Rating: K+
Pairing: None
Character: Naruto
Summary: Oneshot. Kinda AU. We all know that the villagers hated Naruto. But exactly how bad was it? Let's look at how Naruto became what he is. Let us look at why exactly Naruto keeps on smiling, no matter what..
A small child sat on the swing. The child had spiky blond hair, and was very small for his age, not really looking his seven years. Yet, his huge, ocean blue eyes made him seem far older then he truly was.
Once again, as soon as the adults saw him playing with their kids, they came and took them away. Naruto felt something heavy in his chest, as he saw them whispering. He could hear what, no, who they were whispering about…Him.
He didn't understand.. Why did they hate him so much? It's not like he'd done anything to them! Well, not that he knew of, anyway. Perhaps he'd been sleepwalking? He frowned as he thought of all the things he could have done while sleepwalking. Naruto shook the idea out of his head. Now he was just getting silly.
But then, why did they all hate him so much..?
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The small yellow haired child bounced through the streets, happiness shining in those blue eyes of his. He had just visited the Sandaime, or the Old Geezer as Naruto liked to call him.
The old man was the only adult that treated him like a human being. The kids had even started to adopt the adults' behaviour towards him.
More often then not, the kids would just turn away from Naruto, cruel words and cold stares being the only thing he received from them.
Speaking of cold stares and children….There in front of him stood Sasuke Uchiha. This years number one student at the academy. Naruto hated him. No, Naruto didn't really hate him.. He wasn't actually capable of hating him. They were too much alike. No, you could more say that Naruto was jealous of the Uchiha.
Uchiha Sasuke was everything Naruto wasn't. He had everything Naruto didn't. He was popular among their classmates. He was cool and collected. He was good at everything he did. He was a genuis. Everyone liked him. And worst of all, Sasuke had what Naruto wanted the most in the world...
A family.
-----
He stared at the pink haired girl in front of him. It was Haruno Sakura, and in his eyes, the most beautiful girl he had ever let eyes on. Naruto had to admitt, he was starting to get a crush on her. But of course, she, like nearly every other girl, was completly caught up in Uchiha Sasuke.
The well known feeling of jealousy swelled up in his chest. Why did everyone love Sasuke so much anyway? Sure, he was the number one in their class, but still...!
He wasn't that amazing!
Naruto got up from the chair, and walked over to the pink headed girl. He gave her a huge smile. "Hey, Sakura!" She turned around and looked at him with an annoyed look on her face. "What do you want, Naruto?" She snapped.
"I just wanted to talk to you, that's all."
A glare. "Well, talk to someone else. I'm busy!" With that said, she turned around, and ignored him completly. He tried to talk to her a few more times, but she completly ignored him. Naruto walked back to his own seat, looking at the floor.
-----
The blue eyed child ran as fast as he could. This time, he'd really done it! The villagers were so mad, extremly mad. He knew that if they got him, he would be in pain for the next few weeks. After all, it was no way of telling what they would do to him, when they caught him.
After a few minutes of running, he could take no more. He was exhausted, and it didn't seem like he was able to lose them anyway. They were right behind him, and they were getting closer, and closer. He was so tired..
It was at that moment, that he did the worst thing that he could, in this situation. He fell.
A kick to his back. Screaming, yelling. "Monster! Monster!" The cruel words kept ringing in his head, as kick after kick was delivered to his small body. It hurt.. Not the kicks. No, they hurt too.. But the words. The cold, cruel words. They hurt the most. They pierced his chest, and dug it's way into his small, fragile heart. After what felt like hours to the child, he finally drifted into unconsciousness.
Naruto's mind, the mind of a small, defenceless child couln't take it. So when Naruto woke up, three days later, the whole incident was ridden from his mind. He didn't remember the abuse that he had taken from the villagers. He had no idea why he was in the hospital.
After all, the mind is a fragile thing. And when it couldn't handle the memories.. It got rid of them.
-----
Naruto sat once more on the swing. Sometimes, Naruto pretended that the swing was his friend. But he knew, that there was no way a swing could be your friend. It was just a game of pretend, so that he wouldn't feel so lonely anymore.
He looked up at the sky, and stared as the clouds flew over his head. Perhaps it was a little weird, but sometimes he wished he was a cloud. That way, he would have no worries, and just drift across the sky. But of course, that was just a meaningless wish. It ment nothing, and it would never happen anyway.
He saw the children play, laughing so happily. Naruto decided to join them, so he got up from the swing and ran over to the others, joining them in their game of hide and seek. He smiled and laughed. It was one of the best hours of his life. He had no worries, and for a while, he was just like them.
For just those few hours, as he played with them, he was able to forget everything. He forgot that the adults hated him, he forgot that he had no family, he forgot about those haunting words, and those cruel looks he received everyday. He completly forgot that he was alone. For now, he was just a child, just like everyone else.
Of course, every good thing must come to an end. Some of the villagers had seen him playing with their children. They came over there. Their cold glares burning into Naruto, and he watched as his playmates were picked up by their parents. Naruto's huge smile disappeared little by little, as a new parent came and took their child. By the time everyone had left, his huge grin was gone. Naruto felt tears appear in his eyes. So he did the only thing he could. He ran.
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By the time Naruto got home, he had tears streaming down his cheeks. He threw himself onto the bed and cried. His sobs could be heard coming from his appartment all night. He felt so alone.. He dispised them all sometimes, but he could never hate them. For this village, no matter what it's citizens did to him, would always remain his home no matter what. He loved it. He loved this village, and he would give his life to protect it.
He looked out of the window, and towards the mountain. He would become like them. Like the Ichidaime, the Nidaime, the Sandaime, and the Yondaime. He promised himself. One day, he would become the
Hokage of this village. And he would die, before letting anyone harm the village. He would earn their respect. He would earn it. Even if it was the last thing he did.
It was at that moment, that Naruto promised himself, to not let the hurtful comments and the cold stares of the villagers to harm him again. Never again. Naruto refused to let it hurt him. They might not respect him now, but they would. He would no more let himself endulge in self pity. He would prove to them all, that he was strong.
He decided, he would keep on smiling. No matter what.
AN: Well, that was the first time I tried my hand at Naruto! So, what do you guys think? Horrible, or good? Please review and tell me what you think! And if you don't review.. Well, then you don't review. Simple as that!