I want to apologise to everyone who has been patiently waiting for more. I know it has been a very long time and I am sorry. But I have updated now and to make up for it I will be posting two new chapters. And if I can manage another before my son wakes up I will post that as well. Thank you for sticking it out and I hope you enjoy!


It was happening. Today was the big day. I was going to my new home with my new dad. And the best part? Sasuke was coming too. Turns out his interview was also with Iruka. After the interviews Iruka couldn't decide so in the end he pretty much went 'fuck it' and adopted us both. So now we really are brothers! It's hard to believe really. I mean not only have I gained a father but also a brother. Neither of which I had ever had. God I hope this works out.

I'm standing in my room packing the last few of my sparse belongings when suddenly the panic hits. What if he changes his mind and doesn't want either of us? Or worse, what if he only wants Sasuke? Then I'll really be alone again. I will have no one while Sasuke has a new dad. That sounds petty and jealous but I don't know if I could handle being alone like that again.

Oh no. What if he doesn't change his mind, adopts us but then decides after a while that he doesn't like me? What then? Will he bring me back here? I think that would be worse than him changing his mind because I would have tasted what a family could be like. I would have sampled the good life only to have it torn out from under me. And who can blame him really. Clearly I'm not likable. No one here likes me. Maybe there's something wrong with me. That would explain a lot. Maybe mum was right and I'm bad luck too. Maybe I'm just destined to be alone forever. To never have anyone love me. Too always….

"Naruto!"

My self-depreciation is interrupted when Sasuke punches me. "Oww! What the hell?!"

"Stop that. No don't give me that look. I know what you were thinking. Everything is going to be fine. Stop being silly. I mean you are a pain in the ass but so am I so Iruka is in for one hell of a ride. He knows what he signed up for. Stop panicking and finish packing. He's going to be here any minute now." And just like that he goes back to packing his things. He's right of course. I was over reacting. Being silly. There's nothing to worry about.

And that's what I kept repeating to myself once I finished packing and started waiting. He was 10 minutes late. But he didn't change his mind. He was stuck in traffic. Or had a teacher emergency. Anything but changing his mind.

The minute ticked by. Twenty minutes, half an hour. My reasons for him being late were slowly getting more and more ridiculous. He fell down the stairs when he went to leave the house and broke his leg. His dog died. His house was broken into and he's dealing with the police. On his way here he saw a duck trying to cross the road with ducklings so he stopped to help it. Eventually my mind goes quiet. I don't know if it's because I ran out of ideas or I just finally gave up and accepted he wasn't coming. When I looked over at Sasuke I could see he had come to the same conclusion. Neither of us had spoken this whole time but now I broke the silence. "I call top bunk this time." It may have seemed like an odd thing to say considering the situation but I couldn't talk about what was going on. If I did I was worried the wall I had up blocking it all out would break. I had to maintain some normality here.

Before Sasuke could reply the doors flew open, and praise the heavens, Iruka stood there already apologising. "Sorry, sorry. I'm so sorry boys. You wouldn't believe what happened. First my house was broken into so I had to deal with the police and then on the way here there was this bloody duck trying to cross the road with all these babies and no one would stop for it! I was going to just leave it but then I kept imaging it getting run over so I ended up stopping and jumping in front of all this traffic to try and get it to stop. Ended up causing a bit of a huff for some drivers who called the cops so I had to try and explain to this police man, the same one I had already dealt with mind you!, why I was standing in the middle of the road. But no matter, I may be late but I'm here now. Are you boy's ready to head off to your new home?"

My jaw dropped. Are you kidding me? I'm not ashamed to admit a little tear slid out before I burst out laughing and hugged Iruka. "Hell yea! Let's go Sasuke!" I grabbed my bag, linked my arm with Sasuke's and headed out the door of that orphanage hopefully for the last time.