Story: To Become Someone Important

Summary: Naruto begins to question his own existence, and goes to the one person that, he believes, may have the answer. Takes place in the academy days, and is not yaoi. Iruka and Naruto friendship sorta... R&R.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...

Naruto's Apartment

"RING! RING!"

Naruto fell out of bed startled by his alarm, slipping in the process, as he hit his head on the wall.

"Itetete...! Stupid alarm..." he grumbled, groggily shutting it off, as he held his head in pain. He then yawned, before making his way to changing into a pair of long, navy green shorts, along with an orange hoody, and black T-shirt. He then headed into the kitchen, stumbling over lots of junk and trash. He decided not to eat, for he wasn't that hungry. In fact he hadn't been hungry, nor thirsty, since Monday, and now it was Friday. Not only that...he couldn't eat...he didn't have anything, except for a half-drank - expired - old jug of milk, and a few pieces of stale bread.

Naruto sat at the table, burying his head in his arms. "Man...why do I even bother going to the academy? I have no chance in passing, and I have absolutely no skill. I can't do anything right... Why don't I just stay home? It's the only place that I can cry and express my feelings, without the fear of people laughing at me...The only place I don't have to constantly smile all the time..." he mused.

Looking up at the graffiti on the wall that had been written by past villagers, who had beaten him half to death, he smiled sadly. Words like 'Die!', 'Monster' and 'Kill yourself!' were only some of the minor things they had said and wrote. He didn't understand why... Why did they all hate him? Even his homeroom teacher despised him...

'Why...why can't I have a normal life...? Why can't I make friends...? Why won't anyone notice me...? I may pull pranks, and get in trouble a lot...but I only do it so people will acknowledge me and see my existence...otherwise, they ignore me...', he thought, in silence.

He didn't really want to, but went anyways. Again, he walked down the streets of Konoha, wearing his mask. Again, people glared at him with hate. Again, he held back tears, and fear that would never go away. Again, it hurt him so bad, and nobody could see the pain and hurt in his eyes, the loneliness, the sorrow, and the burden, that he carried behind those big blue eyes...

The Ninja Academy

That day, he walked in the class, not like he usually did, causing a ruckus, instead, he walked in almost completely unnoticed, he just silently sat at his desk. Even though he wasn't frowning, he wasn't smiling either. Iruka noticed this, but said nothing. Hinata, who also noticed, sat next to him, blushing. "Naruto-kun...are-are you okay...? You've been acting st-strangely all week...We can t-talk if you want..." she offered.

Naruto looked up in surprise. No one had ever spoke kindly to him...No one at all...after all, he was just the 'freak' that nobody liked...but...what if she really did care? He didn't want the villagers to despise her for being nice to him, so he decided to do the smart thing. He gave a big fake smile. Iruka stood by the chalk board, watching the two. He had never understood why Hinata liked Naruto so much. He was just a stupid brat that always pulled pranks, and got in the way. He was no more than trouble...right?

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan. I'm fine. But thanks anyways." he told her.

"Are...Are you sure...?", she asked, still a bit worried and unsure.

"Yeah, in fact, if I needed to talk about something, you'd be the first one I'd go to..." he lied. He couldn't talk to anyone, for the fear they would laugh at him, or simply ignore him. There was no one who would listen.

"Oh...okay...sorry for bothering you..." Hinata apologized, looking away.

Naruto looked at her and chuckled. "It's okay, there's no need to apologize."

Recess

Naruto sat on the swing by himself, as he always did. Only this time, he began to ponder his very own existence, and why he was even alive... The only thing he could come up with was that he had no purpose, except to be treated like dirt, and to be Konoha's stupid punching bag.

Iruka watched Naruto from the classroom door, having noticed Naruto's strange behavior. The blond slowly got up as he made his way. Before Iruka knew it, Naruto was standing in front of him, staring the ground. As he looked up, their eyes met. Iruka nearly cried, as recognized the look in the boy's eyes. He'd seen it in his own eyes before They seemed to hold so much sadness, and pain, it nearly made him cry. He could tell the boy had been through a lot, and he realized who Naruto really was...He wasn't that demon that most people thought he was, no this was an innocent little boy who wanted to be loved and acknowledged...

"Iruka-sensei..." Naruto mumbled.

"What is it, Naruto-kun...?" Iruka questioned, studying him with genuine concern for the first time.

"Can we...talk about something...later?" Naruto asked.

"Recess is almost over." Iruka explained.

"Can it wait until class is over?"

"Sure, I guess that's fine...", Naruto answered, nodding.

"Alright, Come to me then, and we'll talk about it, alright?" Iruka inquired. Naruto nodded.

"I hope I can trust you..." he whispered, as he walked off, glancing back one more time, before leaving. Iruka was left standing there speechless, as he stared, watching Naruto walk back to the swing. He desperately wished this was another one of Naruto's pranks, but knew all too well that no mere child could fake the hurt that was in his eyes...They just couldn't...

After Class

Naruto sat, waiting until Iruka was finished straightening up the classroom. He looked down as his teacher approached him.

"What did you want to talk about earlier?" Iruka asked, as he sat down next to Naruto.

"I've been wondering... Do you think I have a purpose...?" Naruto mused, as he stared at the flat surface of the long table. Iruka's eyes widened, as he stared at Naruto, utterly shocked. Naruto, the boy who he thought never gave up, WAS giving up, along with questioning his own purpose for being alive. Iruka just wanted to be able to reach out his arms, and hug the boy, to show that there WERE people who cared about him, but his inner-self told him not to.

"Why would you ask that?" Iruka wanted to know.

"I want to know why I exist...I can't stand it anymore...The glares, the beatings, the insults, most people won't even look at me...I'm beginning to think I don't have a purpose, other than being Konoha's punching bag..." Naruto trailed of into silence, as he chocked back tears.

"Why do you smile if you feel really that way?" Iruka questioned, shocked at hearing that the villagers would actually go so far as to beat him. He may have been the host of the nine tails, but he still had child's body and mind, and...heart.

"What else can I do...? If I were to cry, they'd only laugh at me, if I were to fight back, then they'd hurt me again, so what's even left? I smile...because it's the only thing I can do, Iruka-sensei..." Naruto said, his eyes downcast as frustrated tears harshly threatened to fall.

"...I can assure you that you do have a purpose, Naruto-kun, and a very important purpose, but I'm sorry... you'll have to find it on your own. You choose your future. You choose what you want to become. If you aim to become Hokage, you have to be willing to put your life on the line to protect those that are precious to you." Iruka explained.

"What ever should happen, never give into that dream. Whatever knocks you down, always stand back up. Who ever insults you, prove them wrong."

"Y-you're right...! Thank you, Iruka-sensei. From this day forth, I'm gonna put my life on the line too, so that maybe one day I can prove everyone wrong, and show them that I'm not just an immature brat. I'll show them who I really am, and not some demon, but a kid who works hard, and never gives up!" Naruto vowed, holding his fist to his chest to show that he meant what he said. Iruka examined the boy's face, noticing his pale skin, and how dry his lips were.

"Naruto-kun, when was the last time you ate or drank anything?" he asked, concerned.

"Monday morning. Why...?" Naruto answered, looking a little shyly up at his sensei. Iruka was ultimately mortified at this. Then again, Naruto was feared by a lot of people, so there might not be very many people that would allow him into their shop because of the "No Pets Allowed" rule.

"Don't you have anything to eat at home?"

"Nothing except some stale bread and an expired jug of milk." Naruto replied, turning his head away. Iruka's eyes widened.

"No wonder he's is so slim...", he thought.

"Well, do you like ramen?" Iruka wanted to know. He caught a glimpse of one of Naruto's brief smirks, which soon after went away. Naruto blushed, insisting to keep avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah..."

"How about this? I'll buy you some ramen and get you some groceries, if you promise to come to me anytime you ever need to talk about something from now on. Does that sound like a deal?" Iruka offered.

Naruto looked looked up wide eyed and exitedly. "Really? You mean that!?"

Iruka nodded.

"Well no arguments there." the blond smiled cheerfully. Iruka smiled back. 'This boy... He's no demon after all. He's just a normal kid that wants to be loved... '

~ Fin.

A/N: What'd you think, guys? Was it good? I hope so~! Please review if you will :)