„Speaking"
„Thoughts"
Disclaimer: I don´t own Naruto~!
Road: Thank you guys for reading this!
Chapter 3
It was a few weeks after whole turning into kids thing and Naruto can proudly say that he manages it. Between studying, playing with the kids, making food for the others and all that he feels happy. He felt needed. The kids and Kakashi were also warming up to him.
Today, Naruto told his Shadow Clones to take the children out. He even made Kakashi promise to watch them if he wanted to hear more stories. Who knew that his Sensei found his story so interesting?
As Naruto relaxed, because as much as he loved his friends they were exhausting with the training to become Hokage together and he was tried. He felt a Charka presence still in the house and jumped up.
He quietly walked into the kitchen and saw Shino sitting in the corner, intently watching one of his house plants that Ino was so interested in.
He quietly walked over and touched his shoulder. Shino jumped a little, but remained silent otherwise.
"Why are you in here? I thought for sure that you would like to go outside to watch insects." Naruto asked confused but not unkind. Shino sighed.
"I was being ignored again. So, I did not feel the need to go outside and choose to remain inside where it is much quieter." He explained calmly, but Naruto could feel the hidden pain.
"Is that so? Hm…Oh! I know! How about I show you one of my favorite spots in this village? But you have to promise me not to open your eyes till I say so!" Naruto suggested with a bright grin and it made Shino feel warm.
"Who is this person to make me feel this much at home?" Shino thought in confusion. Not even his family picked up on him being sad or hurt, when he tried to hide it.
"I guess, since I have nothing other to do, I will go along with it." Shino spoke as he closed his eyes and Naruto sighed in relief. He had managed to hide the Hokage mountain from sight.
Time skip.
Shino felt the wind rush past him and the cloth around his eyes fall away. He opened his eyes and watched with wide eyes the sight before him.
There was Konoha in all its glory. The sun that was shining made it more beautiful. He looked back and saw Naruto sitting down, legs crossed, watching the village with a peaceful smile. His posture was strong and the picture made Shino feel safe.
"Would you meditate with me? It´s so quiet and relaxing. If you don´t like it we can do something else instead." Naruto requested with a smile. Shino nodded almost as if he was dazed and walked over and sat down.
"How did you know? It´s not logical possible that you could sense that I was sad or that I-." Shino began till he was interrupted.
"Because I know the feeling." Naruto confessed with a wry smile and Shino´s breath caught up in his throat as he gazed into the blue eyes that were fixed on him with understanding, sadness and guilt swimming in them.
"It´s a feeling like getting a cold bucket of water dumped on you during winter and a kunai that impales your chest. It leaves you feeling alone, like you don´t matter to anyone. You ask yourself if it´s always gonna be like that. You tell yourself it doesn´t matter if others forget you or ignore you, but the point is that it hurts no matter what even if you think it´s nonsense. You can´t really explain feelings, because there is no logic in them. It´s what makes you human, Shino." Naruto explained softly as he shot Shino a sincere small smile that lit up his eyes.
"Huh? I didn´t know that it would rain today...?" Shino looked up at the sky only to see the setting sun, shining down. The sky was clear and when he touched his cheek he was shocked.
"I…am crying?" He whispered almost fearfully. He couldn´t remember the last time he cried. It was so long ago…
Suddenly he felt strong arms warm him up, they pulled him softly towards a strong chest. He heard a slow steady heartbeat and felt soothed. His family wasn´t really one for physical touch, so it was a foreign feeling for him. This warmth that shielded him, protective and bright and all Shino really ever wanted from his family and friends.
The smell of earth, Ramen and a faint trace of sweat was oddly comforting.
"Just this once. I will let go my struggles to understand my feelings and just let them out." Shino thought as he hugged back.
"Shhh, you are only human. It´s okay. I am so sorry, Shino. I promise you on my dream to become Hokage, that I will never ignore you." Naruto comforted him. Determination in his voice, that left no room for a discussion.
The unspoken "again" was only clear to Naruto. He still felt guilty and a bit angry at himself and at Shino´s family. He hadn´t known that it hurt Shino this much. Seriously, he would like to punch himself for ignoring Shino even if it was unintentionally. Though if he looked back he was one of the few people that spotted Shino almost immediately if he wasn't in thinking and daydreaming, but that's no excuse.
"He called me …human." Shino thought feeling content. He felt so at home. For as long as he remembered there were people that called his family freaks for housing insects in their bodies.
The two were sitting there for a few more hours. After calming down, the two decided to meditate or more like Naruto meditated while Shino watched him.
As the sky was finally dark and he felt Shino nodding of next to him he picked him up and made his way back towards his house.