Iruka had been right about school; it consumed a lot of his time. He came when he could but his visits were no longer than an hour. His absence took a toll on Naruto. He acted out more and started to pick fights with older kids, fights he knew he couldn't win. He thought that if he were in trouble, maybe Iruka would somehow come to save him. But the only person who came was Hashira, who was becoming increasingly worried about Naruto's behavior. Everytime she dressed his wounds, she would try to console him, tell him to keep his hopes up, and to stay away from the older kids. Yet, the bruises continued to appear.
It wasn't that Naruto didn't try to be good. He just didn't have much patience with people ad the world in general. Hashira did her best to listen to Naruto when he needed to talk though she could not cure the empty feeling Iruka had left in his heart. But her presence did comfort him. She would listen to him when he got angry with someone, usually Mujihi. One day, he focused his anger on the mothers who put their kids in the orphanage.
"They are the worst kind of people! They just leave their babies so some stranger can pick them up! I hate them!"
Hashira was silent. She stood up and took Naruto's hand.
"Come with me, Naruto-chan." She led him to the nursery and told him to sit in the chair. She went into the room and picked up a baby and a warm bottle. When she came back out she handed Naruto the baby. The baby grunted.
Naruto was completely surprised. "Wha—?"
"Feed him." She showed him how to hold and feed the infant. Naruto awkwardly fed him.
"This baby was going to die." Naruto's eyes widened and he turned to Hashira. "This baby's mother," she continued, "was young and not ready to have a baby. She could have not had this baby at all. There is a thing called abortion and had the mother gone through with it, the baby you are holding would not be here today. She was selfless for giving this baby a chance to live and brave for giving this baby the opportunity to be in a stable and loving home."
Naruto felt guilty. He looked down at the baby for a long time and said nothing. When the bottle was empty, Hashira took it and before she picked the baby up to burp him, the tiny child looked up at Naruto. Their matching blue eyes met and the infant smiled.
When Hashira handed him back to Naruto, he asked, "What's his name?"
"He doesn't have one. His birthmother didn't want to name him. Giving someone a name creates a strong bond and she didn't want to make a connection and then break it." Naruto looked back at the nameless child. "Why don't you name him?" She asked.
"You want me to name him?" She nodded and Naruto was quiet. He tried to think of a good name.
"What do you think?" Hashira asked.
"Well… I want it to have something to do with foxes, or some cool kami from your stories." Hashira smiled and let Naruto think.
"Maybe Kyuubi? No, wait that was the bad fox, wasn't it? Then maybe…" Naruto looked into the infant's white face. It made him think of rice. "Maybe Inari?" He looked at Hashira, who was smiling. "Yeah! He was the god of rice! And he had foxes too! Yes! Inari!!" Naruto's face shone with pride.
"It's a good name, Naruto. Inari was the god of success and agriculture. It'll be a name he'll be proud of." They both looked at Inari who was gumming his fist.
"Your name's Inari, now," Naruto whispered. He looked up at Naruto with his big blue eyes. "I named you so we're brothers now, Inari." Hashira stood up.
"I've got to tend to the other babies. I'll be back in a little bit. If he starts to cry, rub his back; it'll sooth him."
Naruto didn't take his eyes off of the child. "Okay," he responded.
He began telling stories about the god he was named after. He talked to him until Hashira returned.
"Naruto, it's time for Inari's nap."
"I'll put him to sleep," he said, pulling his little brother closer to him.
"Naruto…"
"Please?" He pleaded.
Hashira sighed, "Do you know how to put him to sleep?"
"Yeah! I just rock him like this." Naruto started swinging Inari in his arms but Hashira laid her hand on his to stop him.
"Be gentle. Rock him but slowly, and sway with him." He did as she said. Hashira went back in the nursery and left the brothers alone. Naruto sang a lullaby to Inari, whose eyes were drooping.
By the time Hashira returned, the tiny baby was asleep and the hole Iruka's absence left in Naruto's heart had filled a little bit.
