Okay, so the plot is still picking up, and in this chapter you learn a little tiny bit more about Naruto. And he's not so uke-y in this chapter...
Otherwise, not much to say. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: don't own
Warnings: not really any...
beta'd by -Nightly Halo-, who is probably wondering where the hell the next chapters are...
Uzumaki Naruto was very confused. He was still a bit groggy from being unconscious for four days, so taking everything in was a bit difficult. But really, he knew he only had himself to blame. After all, after everything that had happened, he had pretty much just given up. If Sasuke hadn't found him, he would have died. He was ready to die…
He sighed and bent over to pick up the fallen spoon which had left the majority of its contents on the nice hardwood floors. Sasuke was probably gonna be mad about that mess if he didn't clean it. He had said it was Naruto's apartment, but that was absurd. He must have been teasing him. As if some stranger would just give him such a nice apartment. Yeah, right.
He got up and made his slow way around the counter, dropped spoon in hand, other hand gripping the counter for balance, and searched for a new spoon.
It was a bit unsettling. Everything looked so new. And there were no dirty dishes.
The young blond started to get nervous. What if that weirdo had been serious? What if he really meant to give this place to Naruto?
But that couldn't be. They didn't even know each other. Naruto was positive about that. He'd definitely remember having met such a good-looking guy.
He took a deep breath and pulled out a clean spoon from a drawer, reaching over the counter and pulling the bowl towards himself. As he ate, he glanced around the room, contemplating how neat and clean everything was. And the furniture looked expensive.
As blue eyes scanned the room, they came to rest on a bookshelf on the far wall. He scooped up the last of his food and dumped the bowl and spoons in the sink, not bothering to rinse them or take the time to put them in the dishwasher.
Slowly he made his way toward that bookshelf, wanting to see what books rested there. He nearly tripped a few times, his vision still a little blurry, but he continued bravely on, intent on those books.
Most people who had known the blond through the years would never have considered the boy's love for books. He had always been hyperactive, a prankster, always with a grin on his face. He loved to be outdoors, and he loved to wander for hours among the trees of the forest his house had been so close to.
But out of everything, the thing he loved most was books. But if anyone had thought about it, it would make perfect sense, considering…
Naruto bit his lip as he made it to the bookshelf, eyes scanning the titles. He frowned. There weren't a lot of books there, and none of them looked like anything worth reading. Mostly those books that had fancy sounding titles, more to impress than to be read. He reached out and took a heavy tome, flipping through the pages. But he grimaced as he tried to scan the words. It looked dull.
He sighed and replaced it on the shelf.
He glanced at his surroundings again, suddenly feeling drowsy again. Now that his stomach wasn't complaining, sleepiness was melding with the confusion, and he figured some more sleep wouldn't hurt. And maybe things would make more sense when he felt less dizzy. Besides, what else could he really do now?
He was just about to make his way back to the room when he heard the door opening behind him. Thinking perhaps that guy had come back and maybe he could get some answers, he turned around.
But standing in the doorway was an older girl, maybe early to mid-twenties, shoulder length dark hair, and brown eyes that were focused on him. The clothes she wore were neatly pressed and she held a white cloth hanging over her arm. She studied Naruto for a moment before she smiled and closed the door behind her.
"Hello. It's certainly nice to see you awake, young Sir."
Naruto blinked at her curiously a few minutes before he nodded slowly in acknowledgment, the sleepiness giving way to curiosity about the new arrival.
"My name is Mariko," she continued as she made her way to the kitchen. She set down some items she had been carrying in a bag he hadn't noticed, tucked under the white garment. "And you are, Sir?"
"Huh? Oh, right. Sorry." Naruto smiled as best he could and made his way toward the bar stool he had occupied when that Sasuke guy had been here. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
Mariko nodded and began moving about the kitchen, putting away the items she had brought along with her. The white garment she efficiently unfolded and wrapped around herself (it turned out to be an apron) and set to work.
Naruto watched her a while, blue eyes following as she put away fresh groceries, washed the dishes in the sink, and then began pulling out pots and pans, started chopping away at some vegetables she had rescued from the fridge, and began making lunch.
"So, Naruto-sama, I hope you are feeling much better now?"
He blinked from his nearly hypnotized state as he realized she had spoken to him and seemingly expected an answer. "Oh, yes, thank you." He smiled at her warmly, and she returned the gesture.
"Sasuke-sama called me and said you were awake but didn't seem to be quite well yet. But perhaps a nice, filling lunch will hit the spot." She smiled at him again and returned to her job of dutifully chopping up whatever ingredients seemed to suit her purpose, and Naruto continued to watch.
He nodded. He had just eaten, but oatmeal wasn't really a filling food, it was just enough to settle the grumbling. He watched her a while longer as she moved about the kitchen with an air of familiarity.
"So," he finally began, deciding to break the silence and maybe get some of his questions answered. He munched on his bottom lip a moment as he contemplated how best to go about asking his most pressing question. Mariko paused, waiting patiently as some water heated on the stove.
"So, that guy, um, Sasuke or whatever…"
"Sasuke-sama, yes?"
"Yeah. He was saying something that kinda confused me a bit."
"Oh? Usually Sasuke-sama is quite concise about things. Perhaps if you tell me what he said, I can help clear them up." She smiled again and added some flavorings to the slowly boiling water.
Naruto scrunched up his face as he thought it over. "Well, I guess if you think about it, the words themselves were pretty clear… ish, but it just doesn't make sense. I mean, all he said was that this place was apparently my new apartment, but-"
A small sound of surprise reached his ears and he turned to look at Mariko, who was watching him intently.
"Sasuke-sama actually said that?"
"Um. Yeah."
She took a deep breath and began dumping the cut up ingredients into the pot before she made any reply.
"Well, I did have a hunch that perhaps Sasuke-sama had such a thing in mind, but I didn't honestly think that was his purpose. But, well, maybe he just meant temporarily." She smiled at him brightly and began stirring.
Naruto sighed in relief. "Yeah, that must be it. I mean, why would he give this place to me. That doesn't make any sense."
Mariko nodded in agreement, though she couldn't help thinking there was still something not quite right about it all.
"Well, if nothing else, perhaps Sasuke-sama will clear it up for you later, hmm?"
Naruto smiled and nodded, feeling better now that he was a little less confused.
"By the way, where is Sasuke-sama? I thought he was still here."
Naruto shook his head. "He left a little while ago. Said he was gonna take advantage of his day off or something."
Mariko paused to muse over the new information before nodding and resuming her work.
"So, um, Mariko-san, what is it exactly that you're doing here?"
She laughed gently and waved him off. "I'm the maid. Why don't you go watch some TV, Naruto-sama. It'll be a while before lunch is ready."
He sighed and nodded. He always knew a dismissal when he heard one. But really, he thought as he shuffled his way over to the couch he had found Sasuke sleeping on earlier, are maids supposed to give orders?
Updated 3.20.18