A/note: Sorry it took so long, I have another part finished as well, it is a Halloween fic... but I couldn't post it before this... even though I finished it before I did this one. This may seem a little disjointed that would be because I wrote half of it at home weeks ago and the rest during my Computer Applications class these past few days. Hopefully I managed to blend it well enough... I hope everyone enjoys... and I am aware this is not a perfectly edited fic... I don't have that much free time between school and IRC, but I plan to edit this entire fic at some point in the near future for grammar and spelling errors... after all no one can catch everything!

My Picture

By Falcon-Rider

Pg

A Naruto AU – POV of Naruto

The soft light of the sun drifted through my window, which had been quite refreshing till it reached the perfect angle. Once at that angle it glinted off the mirror on the far wall of my apartment. The sudden bright light that filled my gaze broke me from my reverie.

My eyes blinked and I turned my head towards the window, a big mistake. I was assaulted then by the source of the light.

A groan escaped my lips as my eyes drifted shut; I leaned my head back. I had absolutely no drive to leave my supine position and get up. I was still getting used the information that Tsunade had recently revealed to me.

I rolled over and sat up, a hand came up to my eyes and rubbed at them. The annoying grit that makes its way into your eyes after a good sleep, or in my case a horrible nap, was dislodged easily. I whipped it away and yawned.

I ran a hand through my pale gold hair and groaned again. I really hadn't needed any more rest. In fact it would probably cause me to lose sleep tonight, which would end up just breaking off my sleep cycle. I glanced at the clock as I felt a twinge of hunger. I had been here dozing and staring for over five hours.

I blinked again and turned my gaze to my small kitchen. I stretched as I walked, my bones popping noisily.

I passed by the table I could see from my bed, the wooden box I was trying to work up the courage to open set there. Its wood dulled with age, yet remarkably appealing in the way that antiques are.

I passed it slowly, the finger tips of my right hand drifted over it along with my eyes as I walked past. I reached the refrigerator quickly and surveyed its meager contents. A single slice of moldy bread, a jar of half empty mayonnaise and another almost empty jar of mustard, the mustard container being significantly less in size in comparison to the mayonnaise.

Glancing over to the cupboards I sigh, there's nothing in there but a few containers of cup ramen, which I didn't feel like eating.

Perhaps I should brave the callous remarks, ignore the ribaldry of the town's people and actually venture into the fresh foods section of the market place again? After all, the melon that I had been given by Hinata when I forgot to bring a lunch to the meeting last week had been so good.

What had she called it again?

I paused as I locked my door, my brain searching itself for the name of the lovely green melon. Bunny... money... sunny... honey...

Yes! That was it! Honey dew melon. I smiled in triumph and headed down the street, ignoring the glares of the men and women who I saw on the way. Nothing could cause me to break out of my jovial state now!

star-star

Walking down the street I was acutely aware of the looks I gained from various villagers as they set up for the upcoming celebration of Halloween in a few days. They were the normal harsh looks I was used to, or at least I thought they were at first. But, after a while I realized that the harsh looks had very few coarse comments accompanying them.

Sneaking some glances, I realized that though the looks were indeed filled with the anger and hatred toward my demon, they also contained a genuine curiosity of my "sudden" change.

I was different, that was obvious just from looking at my new outfit. However, to many the change seemed sudden. I guess having a mask does have its downsides... when you drop it everyone assumes you aren't yourself. I think I may have scared Sakura, maybe Sasuke as well. At least they were both startled and shocked.

After all, suddenly seeing a 'dobe' turn into a hard working and able shinobi would be kind of shocking.

Entering one of the small grocery stores I grabbed a small hand basket from its place near the door. The shopkeeper seemed surprised to see me and his eyes held the hidden malice they always had. I wonder if that malice is directed toward the Kyuubi, or toward the fact that every time I used to come here I would buy out his cup ramen supply, probably a bit of both.

I smiled at him and gave a small wave, which only made the glare increase its intensity. I didn't care, though, this time I was going to ignore anyone who would dare interrupt my good mood. The fresh fruits and vegetables section was always the fullest, several young women with carts and a child or two were filling the carts.

The first thing I grabbed was one of those delicious honey dew melons. After I grabbed one I then proceeded to search for more food.

I let my eyes rove over the bins of food. What to buy... what to buy...

The closest bin to me was filled with round fruit the color of my old jumpsuit. I deftly picked one up and examined it. That's right, it's called an orange! Not hesitating I stuck it into my basket along with three others just like it, I could figure out how to eat it later.

The bin next to that held apples, a fruit that I knew Sasuke liked and with that I ignored it, moving on down the isle. I grabbed a few other fruit before heading over to the bins containing vegetables.

I frowned, my lips forming a distinct pout. I had eaten vegetables before; Iruka-sensei always insisted that I eat them when he took me out to eat at places other than Ichiraku. However, I had never bought any to eat at my house before and thus didn't know what types made a good salad... or accessory to a meal.

"Naruto?"

A surprised voice brought me out of my thoughts. I turned, the orange fruit in my basket rolled towards the bent yellow cylinders- bananas if I remember correctly.

Oh. It was Sakura, one of my team mates, specifically the one that thought pummeling me for insulting her "Sasuke-kun" was a good hobby.

"Konnichi wa Sakura," My voice said devoid of the enthusiasm that my mask would have portrayed.

Had I still been wearing my brash orange and blue mask I would have yelled: "KONNICHI WA SUKURA-CHAN!" with an almost shriek when I got to the 'Chan.'

Her aqua eyes blinked at me as her left hand moved a strand of bright pink hair behind her pale ear. "Konnichi wa Naruto-kun."

"Naruto."

She blinked again, dropping her hand. "Nani?"

"Drop the 'kun,' we don't know each that well."

"Demo," Sakura dropped her eyes to the basket she held, a head of lettuce a bright contrast against red plastic. "We've known each other for years."

"Iie," I reply turning to the bin to my left. I reached in and grabbed a couple of carrots. Tonight, I decided, salad was on the menu. Perhaps, with some fish or chicken on the side... I'd have to buy a cook book as well, I realized now. "You don't know me at all."

"I do to know you!" Her eyes turned into slits, the angry-Sakura look I had grown used to was showing.

"When's my Birthday?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Ano, October 10th." She replied, a smug look appearing on her face.

I moved down the line of bins as I replied, "You only know that because Hinata-chan found me after practice on the eleventh to wish me a belated happy birthday."

As I spoke I came across the bin filled with lettuce, I grabbed two heads and tried to compare them. "What's my favorite food? I'll give you three guesses."

"That's easy: ramen, miso ramen to be precise!"

I glanced up at her; the smug look still presided over her pale flawless face.

I laughed, "Iie."

"Yes it is! You always are freaking out about ramen!"

"Just because it's cheap and fills me up, doesn't mean I like it." I finally drop the brighter of the heads of lettuce into my basket and the other into the bin. "Do you know where the chicken is?"

She points to the side and follows me as I head toward where she pointed.

"Naruto, how can you say I don't know you? We've had classes together and been on a team for the past year and excuse me if I didn't know Ramen wasn't your favorite food, I assumed it was because the way you practically drool over it."

"Sakura, you don't know me." I turned towards her. I was mad, bristling with anger. "If you knew me you'd have known that the happy-go-lucky Naruto was just a mask, something created to gain attention from a populace that could care less about the-"

I interrupted myself before I could say something about the Kyuubi, and changed my choice of words. "-about the blonde haired trouble making child who they hate for a reason out of his control. An innocent little boy who had no idea why he wasn't allowed near the other children, why he didn't have a mommy or daddy, or why a boy would reject any form of sympathy or help- and I'm referring to your precious Sasuke-kun by the way- when he starved for any amount of attention. If you couldn't see that little boy, then you don't know me."

I brushed past her after I picked up a package of microwaveable chicken and headed to the front counter.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go open up a package Tsunade-obaa-chan gave me." I turned my head toward her and smiled a hollow smile. "See you tomorrow Sakura."

I left the shop feeling slightly giddy. I had completely changed Sakura's opinion of me, and in the process I had broken into her high-and-mighty-know-it-all-Sasuke-kun-is-perfect point of view, smashing it into tiny pieces.

Yah, I felt good.

It took me a few minutes to reach my house; once inside I opened the two sacks I carried and carefully sorted out the food.

On my way to the cash register I had grabbed a couple of boxes and cans of random food items to try, plus a thick cook book. I lifted the large plaid book from the bad and set it on a shelf next to the refrigerator. In the cabinet below it I stacked the cans and boxes.

Next I put the fruits In a basket I had gotten when I was little, I think the third gave it to me with some candy and a stuffed fox on New Years when I was really little... though, I may be wrong.

My large honey dew melon was carefully placed in the cool confines of the fridge to keep it fresh, the milk, meat, and vegetables followed it inside.

The wooden box on the kitchen table caught my eye as I turned around. I really had been hungry when I left the house... but after my confrontation with Sakura... I found my appetite had diminished.

I walked over and trailed the fingers of my right hand over the worn wood. My eyes half closed, I thought of all the secrets the box had to hold. I slid into the chair in front of it, carefully leaning so that it wouldn't tip over. One leg of the chair was a good inch shorter than the others making sitting a hazardous experience at times.

My other hand came up to touch the box as well, the fingers brushed across the barely visible seam. It tilted my head, trying to find the opening.

There.

A small indent... a place just big enough for a single finger to-

"Itai!"

I hissed in pain and withdrew my finger, quickly placing it into my mouth. The box had pricked me!

It had drawn blood!

The lid of the box opened, the blood apparently confirmed my "ownership" of the family heirloom.

Inside at least ten scrolls were neatly tucked, along with a pair of intricately carved kunai and some shuriken.

On a silver chain in the corner, a pair of rings glistened in the dim light.

My parent's wedding rings...

Carefully, methodically, I took every object in the box out and set them on the table. I smiled as I saw a picture, the only family picture that probably existed of my family.

It was a Polaroid, faded with age. My mom was holding me, just after giving birth to me, a blanket wrapped around my body. Beside her, my father stood, gently kissing the top of her forehead.

It was a perfect picture, the perfect moment in time. However, it didn't give me a clear picture of their faces, and that saddened me.

I had really wanted to know who I looked like, and what they looked like.

It was still nice, though, to finally see my family.

I set the picture carefully to the side; tomorrow I would go to the store and buy a frame after practice.

After all, no family was complete without a family picture.

Fin

A/Note: I hope you all enjoyed this. Constructive reviews please... keep in mind that I am an AP student who would rather not have a beta reader because she is trying to put her skills to use... and wants to have something that doesn't have to be heavily edited for once... and that I try to update when I have time (or a moment of inspiration).

Thanks for reading!

Falcon-Rider