A/N: Wooooooo another one done!

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Chapter 14: The Blonde Man

Looking down at the plans, I feel happy knowing that I will be leaving sooner than I expected. I am actually ahead of my normal planning. Thanks to Shikamaru I know what I need and things to look for in case anything should maybe happen. But that pattern though, it was something that I missed. I was too focused on the information that I missed a placement thing, something sitting right in front of my face. But I have been too close to this group, so little things like that I over look as something that is a habit. Or so I thought. It has been great working with Shikamaru and getting to know about his friends and family. I look at the plans and all the new marks that I placed on it. I know I have something solid placed for anything that could happen.

I finally look up from my work and see that it is dark out, my belly growls. I missed lunch today since I was thinking about the mission. I had every intention to eat but thinking took hold of everything. Knowing that I should not fall into the same habit as before meeting actual people I should eat. That was when I only actually ate food pills and not normal food like rice. The taste sets me off a bit since I am no longer use to the taste, but it has grown on me. I sigh, knowing that I might not get a chance to say good bye to everyone.

I can't get ahead of myself. They aren't even my friends yet. That was clear with Neji coming into my house and insulting me. Why should I even worry about saying good bye? The one person that I thought was my friend told me details of a group and left. He said he was going to come back, he broke a pinky promise to me. I only saw him enough to maybe get information on the group. Something always came up. I missed him and he only worried about Saskue, not even caring that a little girl was getting all this information.

I feel someone watching me, I look out the window to see Naruto watching me. He sees me and waves. I signal for him to go to the door. I go and open it to see him standing and smiling.

"Hey,' he says.

"Hi," I reply, a little awkward.

We stand there for a moment, not saying anything. My belly growls again. Naruto looks at me quizzing. I sigh and step aside to allow him to come into the house. I close the door and walk to the living room with Naruto following me.

"Doesn't Caption Yamato live with you?" Naruto asks.

"Yes," I reply, "Right now he is on a mission since they had to go help a Lord."

"I know, I am mad that I wasn't able to go as well," Naruto pouts, "But that's not why I am here though Tooru."

"Okay, what did you want to talk about Naruto?" I ask as my belly growls again.

He sits at the table laughing, "Maybe you should eat first Tooru."

I move into the kitchen and begin to make food for both Naruto and I. I reheat the rice from this morning with another thing so Naruto can also have some. I decide to make chicken as well with some greens. I move around and pull out bowls for Naruto and myself, along with chopsticks. I barely even think about what I am doing, lord third said that if I have a guest I should always make them food as well. I even forgot to ask if Naruto wanted anything. But from what I know Naruto eats like he is a family of four by himself.

"Umm, that's a lot of food you are making there Tooru," Naruto says.

"Sorry," I look at him, "I thought you would also like some since I didn't know if you have eaten yet."

Naruto looks surprised, as though Neji talked to him. We are silent for a while. I have no idea what to say to him, and I think he is trying to think of what to say to me. Maybe he has heard somethings. I look over and see him looking down at the table then I remember that the plans are still there. Along with some thoughts scribbled on it about the group and anything else is important to the mission. The mission that I should be focusing on, not ties to people inside the village.

And Naruto is looking at them. I wasn't told to let anyone else know about the plans. Naruto is planned to be the next Hokage. But right now he isn't.

Why is he shocked by your actions?

"What is this Tooru?" Naruto asks.

"They are plans for me leaving in a few days and that is what today has been," I mumble.

"That mission that you and Shikamaru are working on?" Naruto inquires. I nod, "You know Tooru, I should just be up front with you. Neji and Shino seem to be questioning what you want with us. And Shikamaru during training has tried to tell us but he can't seem to ever tell us. Kiba and Hinata seem to want to help you and trust you. What I am doing here is to see how you are. So you offering food is a little weird to me. Everyone wants to know you. You can tell me everything since I am training under Kakashi to be the next Hokage."

I only look at him. It isn't until he is Hokage that he can know everything. I sigh, upset that I can't tell him. Suddenly Naruto is hugging me. He is warm and welcoming, but I am surprised by what Naruto is doing. I haven't been hugged since before Itachi left the village and even then, he would do it very rarely, more of a surprise thing he would do. I feel something stinging my eyes and I wonder if it is the sauce that I used.

Only, I know in the back of my mind that it isn't. I am upset. I wanted to make a good impression on the group, but so far I haven't done anything to help. Two people don't trust me, one I thought I would. Everything is so messed up.

"Tooru, don't cry. I know, Kakashi explained things to me a little since I asked him," Naruto seems upset as well.

"There is nothing Lord Sixth can do. Him and Lady Fifth have tried very hard, only there is nothing that they can do," I hear my own voice crack.

Naruto only hold me, I begin to actually cry, something I haven't done since Itachi left the village. This is a moment when my story comes to my mind but I'm crying, I can't even find my voice. It feels weird, crying like this.

"I miss him," I mumble into Naruto.

"Who? Shikumaru?" I shake my head then shrug, "Someone from your past?"

I nod, "He was a very good friend of mine when I was younger."

"But you can't tell me who it was," Naruto sounds sad about it.

I break away from him, "Trust me I would love to tell you and everyone else about myself but I can't. It's frustrating and annoying. It's unfair to everyone that wants to help but can't. I thought I finally became numb to everything but then Shikamaru got to know about me and something changed."

"Please, I want to know," Naruto asks.

I take in a breath. Do I tell Naruto that Itachi and I were friends? I should. I want to tell someone about it. I think Naruto would be a good person to tell.

"Itachi and I use to work together. I just miss him a lot." I reply.

You shouldn't be able to say that name.

"Itachi?" Naruto begins, "Ya, I know what you mean. Itachi was a good guy. He wanted nothing more than to make everything right."

I nod. I look away from Naruto. I feel like Naruto is the easiest person to open up to. I don't know why. He is so opening and makes you feel safe with him. That is how he has been since he was little. Something that I admire from him.

I wish I could be like that. I know he must think I a weird. That I don't have a right to be talking to them. But he asked Kakashi and Kakashi can tell him things. I don't know how much information the Hokage is able to give out about me, but they hold all the power in this situation.

"You are breaking everything that we know about you every time," Naruto sounds amazed.

"Is that a good or bad thing?" I ask, worried.

"Maye a little bit of both, we don't want you to be the bad guy. In fact we all talked about it after we snapped at you. The group was pretty diverse about what we thought about you. I am one of the ones who wanted to talk to you before actually forming anything on you," Naruto pauses, seeing my face, "We haven't met anyone who kind of just comes into our little group. We've all been together since we all took exams together."

I step back and sit down at the table, looking at the plans for the mission. They have no reason to trust me. There is no base for it. I want them to know I don't mind it.

Only, I really care what they think of me. I want to know what they thought of me. I want to know if there is any chance that I can be their friend. I am sure that there are too many factors. I shouldn't be worrying about it, but I can only wonder and hope that the outcome is good for me.

I look at Naruto, "I know it's weird and out of nowhere. But I honestly don't want to hurt any of you. I've never had many friends and even then, they weren't really a part of my life."

There is a pause, a tension forms in the air. A tension that I don't like, I want this to end because I don't want to deal with these facts. I don't know what is going to happen, and I hate not knowing what is going to happen next.

I feel like he will just walk out and leave forever, just like so many have done. I turn away, not knowing what to say or do since this silence always leads to me feeling lonely. The loneliness that I want to keep away from. A place I was forced to go to, a place that Lord Third began for me, that the Hokage after have been trying to break me away from. So far Kakashi is starting to take me out of the issue.

Yet another memory comes to mind, one with Ino and Sakura. When they both were friends and working together. They saw me and walked away from me laughing about something and I gave up on being their friend. I didn't know what they were talking about, I only know that if they were talking about me, I didn't want to deal with it. It most likely wasn't me, but it could have been. It could have been so many people.

I hear footsteps, moving to the living room. I know I should follow him and try to save whatever friendship I could have with Naruto. I cannot bring myself to stand up. I feel the water coming down my face and bring my hands up to hide my face. I feel weak again, so much like a child.

I messed up yet again with everything, I cannot seem to get one thing right when I am talking to the kindest person in the whole village. The person in the village that was hurt because of what happened at his birth. Can I not talk to him? I messed up.

I don't know if I can obey this order. I don't think I can.

The water is getting thicker. I feel a noise escape my lips. I place my hand over my mouth. I… I don't know.

Suddenly, I feel warmth.

"Don't cry Tooru, I cannot stand to see my friends cry," Naruto whispers in my ear.

I wrap my arms around him and just allow myself to be held. Naruto just called me his friend… no one has ever called me a friend. Not even Shikamaru has said I am a friend and I thought I was okay not being a friend to anyone and being friendless. Ever since Ino and Sakura walked away from me, I wanted no friends since I thought that no one wanted to be my friend. But it is something I have wanted to be called for a long time, not just a comrade but a person that is more trustworthy.

"Look, you show a hard outside but really you are scared. I think I understand how lonely your life I have been. No, I know, I was always alone. Only a few times would I feel like someone was there for me. It wasn't until I became a part of a squad did I finally feel like I belonged in the village. I can see the pain in your eyes Tooru, and I want to help. You have my trust and I tend to spread the feeling around. You are no longer alone, you at least have five people who trust you even though they can't really know your past," Naruto explains.

I need to tell him. I have to tell Naruto something about myself. I know, I should tell him my clan name.

"Kato," I say simply.

"What?" Naruto is now confused.

"That's my clan name," I mumble.

"Kato Tooru… that's really pretty. And I'm guessing that's all you can say right now?" Naruto clarifies.

I simply nod. A friend, one who I thought was going to leave for sure. I feel emotions, they are no longer distant from me but now a part of who I am. They are overwhelming to me. How do people deal with them? I am glad that I at least have one friend.

Eventually Naruto leave after dinner and we try to make plans to hang out again after my mission and hope he isn't on a mission by the time I get back.