Ch1: An uninvited visitor
Sep 28, 1 a.m.
The dull streetlight overhead was grossly inadequate as Naruto Uzumaki fumbled with his keys on the front porch. Tonight's autumn temperature was a record low for September, a sure sign that summer was over and a promise of ridiculously high heating bills to come –a bitter reminder of his sorry financial state. Naruto would sooner die than ask Sakura and Shikamaru to cover his part of the rent again. It was his brilliant idea to share a communal house, claiming it was the cheapest option for three college students making their way on a skinny budget. Ironic that it was also him who emptied his pocket, counted the scarce tens, dimes and pennies, and shamefacedly informed his roommates he didn't have enough.
Sakura-chan had interrupted his self-deprecating rant with a smile, "Don't worry about it, Naruto". While Shikamaru handed him a mop and yawned, "Whatever. Toilet duties, one month, and we'll call it even." Naruto's exhaled gently, he really did live with the best. The very next day he had swallowed his pride and took up washing dishes at Joe's, a 24-hr dinner just blocks away. Never mind he was just one year short of getting his bachelor degree in general arts. He gritted his teeth, sometimes he wonders if graduating would make any difference at all.
His frustrated breath fogged up the peephole as he jammed one key after another without success, he hissed, "Come on, come on…"
When he was down to the last key, the light flickered out.
Fuck.
The blond muttered a curse to the loser who short-circuited the neighbourhood's power line for their porn. Maybe he should have paid more mind to the reasons rent came so cheap. Nightly sirens, robberies, johns and their scantily clad whores do wonders to real estate prices. He softly kicked the wooden planks beneath his runners. No doubts this street will be without light for the better half of the month before the city send someone to fix it.
He pushed his last key in when he heard something faint that did not belong.
zeepzzzepzzzzz
Naruto's eyes widened in the dark, something or rather someone rustled less than a foot away. He quickly choked out his key and held it between his knuckles like a weapon. Naruto willed his racing pulse to stop drumming so loudly in his ears, and spoke lowly and guardedly into the chilled night, "Who goes there?!"
Something slippery beside his right foot rolled, and Naruto found himself staring into the glowing white of a person's eyes from underneath his porch bench. Relying entirely on moonlight, Naruto squinted his eyes and studied the washed out grey cloth covering the trespasser's nose and mouth, revealing only sleepy eyes now gaining alertness with each passing seconds. The pupils were wide and black without luster. Visible pale skin framed by coarse black hair, oily and probably fleas infested. Naruto resisted the urge to shift away. This isn't cooties grade school, damnit! The figure cocooned in the black polyester sleeping bag regarded him silently.
Realizing the new guy wasn't going to make a move to attack or remove himself, Naruto ran a hand through his hair tiredly. A homeless guy camping on their front porch, wait till Kiba hears about this one. He'll laugh himself to a brain failure. "Er, listen up buddy, I know no body wants to be in this freezing cold, there's a shelter just two blocks down, why don't you take it there?"
"…"
The blond frowned. Was he deaf ? Maybe mute? Either way, this was beyond awkward. Naruto squatted down and spoke not unkindly, his tone softer, "Um…, hey, do you understand what I just said?" There were some dark smudges underneath the trespasser's eyes, it could be dirt, sleep deprivation, or bruise, Naruto couldn't tell.
Those eyes blinked owlishly up at him then crinkled into two crescent moons. In mirth? What the hell?
"Wha-"
Before Naruto could dwell on it, the intruder broke eye contact and rolled so his cocooned backside once again faced the petrified blond.
He, he just ignored him! Irked, because Naruto was not one to be ignored, he nudged the cocooned shoulder indignantly. "Oi, Oi! Wake up! You are trespassing on private property." Naruto added an empty threat for effect. "Do you want me to call the cops?" Lord knows cops were busy enough chasing robbers and crashing drunken parties to deal with one guy demanding a lazy hobo off his property.
The hobo bundle scooted further from the prodding fingers and took long deliberate breaths, indicating he wants to sleep and be left alone.
Naruto dug into his pocket and felt childish showing the glow of his cellphone to a hobo whose back couldn't see. "Alright, you leave me no choice. I'm calling them. On the count of one…" His finger hit '9' and made a digital beep. The figured grunted.
"Two…" A cool drift tingled his fingers and Naruto subconsciously pulled his jacket collar closer to his neck. He caught himself and looked down at the pitiable bundle. The thought of how much colder the figure must be feeling crossed his mind and his chest felt weighted.
"Three…" His fingers waywarded to press some random digit on the keypad.
Naruto studied the tense contour of the cocoon.
The blond let out a shaky breath he didn't know he was holding, and shut his phone. "You know what? Fine." Deep breath. "You can stay tonight." But he didn't want him to get the wrong idea and added quickly, "But ONLY tonight. If I catch you still here in the morning, I'll personally haul your sorry ass to the police station, got it?"
He fished out his forgotten keys from his pocket and turned the knob with a soft 'click'. He looked wearily to his right, making sure the uninvited visitor didn't make a run for the door, before pushing in and shutting it behind him. He leaned on the door and slid a few inches, he felt drained. What was wrong with him letting some homeless hobo sleep on his porch like that? A thought occurred to him and the blond stomped his feet a few times to fake walking away before peering into the peephole. The figure in black still hasn't moved from his spot.
Grudgingly, he retreated for the kitchen in search of water. Sleep would be hard to come by that night, because despite his tired brain, his mind was preoccupied with the paranoia the hobo would challenge him to make good on his threat. Not even Naruto himself know what he would do if he found the stupid fool in the morning. As he fondled his way through the dark hallway, he refused to acknowledge his left hand might have 'accidentally' hit the light switch for the front porch.
Author's note: Favourite readers, I have to warn you now so there'll no complaining later. While ideas plague me, I don't exactly have a solid track record for completing stories. I usually stick with one-shots but this story demands to be something more. I'm going to try hard to stay on track while praying Kishimoto keep feeding this cannon!couple.
Zzzeeepzzz is my favourite sound associated with polyester. Ten guesses to who the hobo is!