Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

"Naruto" – Talking

'Naruto' – Thoughts

Naruto – Flashback

Naruto – Jutsu

Cracking Gaps: Sins of a Family

Teachers to Trust and Friends to Fend For

The sun, the ball of light and fire that ensures all life on the Elemental Countries, was not to be appreciated for waking everyone up when they were just enjoying their sleep. Especially a blond who looked terrible with the messy blond hair and blue eyes that were ruined by the near-dead look on his face. 'First rule: never stay up later than ten o'clock at night. Just go to bed before.' Naruto thought as he took a notebook he brought along with the title 'New Home Rules' and wrote down the one that came to mind. Now the next thing to do is get breakfast; luckily, he played a thief well enough to swipe off a portion of the Namikaze fortune that will only scratch the entire surface but still enough to afford a house and everything else you need on the side.

Along with this handsome sum, Naruto also went to the kitchen and made off with enough food for the morning meal as well as some cook books. Naruto hopes that if he spends his money the right way, he can afford to keep his house until he becomes an official Shinobi after completing the Academy. And speaking of which, when he looked it up, Naruto noticed that the D-ranks missions or 'chores set up by lazy people' he calls them should be given to Academy students so they can be flexible enough to work with any team they should be paired with.

After having breakfast, Naruto got dressed and went to go grocery shopping. The people there were always welcoming Naruto since he helped them with their lives including playing with their children and moved boxes of produce around. Thankfully, after the Kyubi incident, they still remember Naruto so he always felt at home in the market where they work rather than in the Hokage Mansion. Basically, shopping for food and other needs went smoothly and Naruto was able to avoid any trouble.

"This should hold a few weeks, but I really do need to have a source of income and it will be too awkward to get allowance from the Hokage." Naruto muttered as he tried to think of way to make money on his own in order to keep paying mortgage as well as other needs. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone about to run into him as he returned home. "Oof! Ow." Naruto found himself face down on the pavement but other than that, nothing was broken and that included the food. He quickly got to his feet and gathered up his goods just to bow and say, "I am sorry! I will be on my way!" When Naruto looked up, he saw something that he never thought he would do ever in his life.

The 'someone' turned out to be more than one person and it was a woman with a boy Naruto's age and another boy who seemed to be five years older than both the blonde and the one with the hair of a duck bottom color. Naruto just met them for the first time personally but he remembered those descriptions from his mom before he had to leave the family. They are Mikoto Uchiha with her two sons, Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha.

"Hey, aren't you Kushi-chan's son?" Naruto knew that Mikoto was best friends with his 'mother' so that would explain the nickname.

"My name is Naruto and you are the wife of the Uchiha Clan head with the two heirs. I am sorry for my rudeness. I will be on my way." Naruto ignored the question and was about to get to his home when he was halted by this,

"Why aren't you with your family?" The blonde should have known that it was coming so he just took in a few breaths and faced them again and answered,

"I have no family; the last one was planning to throw me away as they took everything I could ever have for them from me." Naruto said in a rather serious tone for an eight year old and it caused his new audience and everyone else around him to gasp in disbelief. The blonde resumed his journey back home when he was halted once again but not by words but by a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me talk to Kushina about this and it will all be okay." Mikoto tried to assure Naruto but he shook his head,

"It won't be okay because I am nothing but extra baggage to them." That was it, anyone on that street saw that there was no emotion in that voice; like it was of the dead. Naruto was completely serious about why he left the Namikaze-Uzumaki clan. This time, Naruto did get back on his way but also Mikoto told her sons to take the groceries to the Uchiha Compound while she accompanied the blonde to his new house.

XXXXX

After a good walk, Naruto returned to his house with a companion by his side but for the moment, it looked that he had a stalker in plain view. Naruto sighed when he opened the door, "Mikoto-sama, if you want to talk to me about how miserable I was in that clan and how miserable I will be on my own, you better have something good for me to listen to."

The woman nodded and followed Naruto into his living room which surprised her that it was all neat and tidy, not a single trace of dust or dirt. It was indeed curious that a house owned by a child will be all clean like that. This boy could be a good house keeper in the making but that wasn't the point or why Mikoto is here.

"Would you like some tea and red hot curry? I have plenty of ingredients in case I have guest." Naruto asked and Mikoto drooled at the mention of her favorite food (1) so she nodded with a dumbstruck look on her face. Mikoto then took a seat on the couch while looking around and getting a good glimpse of the living room; it sure has a lot of decorations for someone who just bought it last night, Naruto must have been busy. After a short while of exploring with only using eyes, a smell invaded her nose causing her to turn into its direction; Naruto was carrying a tray with tea and curry.

"Here you are; I hope it satisfies." Naruto spoke in a polite tone, the type that is expected of butlers or any one trained to make guests feel welcome. Mikoto was just feeling that way so she accepted the food; it was delicious despite being made by an eight year old. When she even took a small taste, Mikoto couldn't stop herself from eating the rest like a starving man that was given free food; Naruto didn't mind, it was actually a compliment that his cooking skills are off to a good start, he always keep himself fed by making the food himself.

"Yes it does but now let's get down to what is important." Mikoto said in a happy tone turned serious and Naruto knew why so he took his own seat and got comfortable. "First tell me why you don't want to live with your family." Mikoto just had to get that over with since it was the most painful for the blond. The boy sighed and told Mikoto about what happened ever since the Kyubi attack three years ago. Once he was done, the blonde couldn't tell if the curry or his guest's temper is hotter as Mikoto was boiling over on how one of her best friend was following her Baka of a husband like an obsessive fan girl; the Uchiha knew how much Kushina had for Minato but the red haired woman said she grew out of it for years. "...and that is it."

"Damm Kushina, I really thought you were cool but to follow that teme like a lost puppy, this really takes the cake." Mikoto muttered really loudly that was beginning to freak Naruto out; he may be so responsible and mature, he was still an eight year old in the face of female fury. "Tell you what, I am going to help you Naruto-kun." Mikoto took a much friendly turn but was deflated when she saw that the blonde wasn't convinced,

"Thanks but the pity will only make my life harder and you knew that. Besides I am planning on taking D-ranks to earn my bread for food and rent. The wife for the Uchiha clan head doesn't deserve to waste her time with a common folk like me." Naruto spoke with barely any emotion at all.

'Damn you two. Look what you have done to such a young and promising boy with your ignorance and stupidity.' Mikoto thought after seeing the real picture for once. "Okay then, but you are not going to spend your childhood on your own young man." Mikoto said with authority in her tone that got Naruto straight to attention; the way the Uchiha woman wanted. "If you wouldn't let us support you then at least consider letting us train you if your family is not willing to. Learning on the spot is impressive but nothing beats training with company; that is going to be our top rule, understand?" Naruto nodded and Mikoto smiled at how her efforts to get to him were successful at last.

Later that day, after dragging Naruto to the Uchiha Compound, Itachi and Sasuke were introduced to Naruto and the latter got along so well, it seemed to two boys were like twin brothers; they didn't want to stop playing together. As for the former, he understood that it was tough to be in the shadow of siblings from finally connecting to Sasuke against the will of the Clan head; both Itachi and Naruto didn't stand Fugaku's presence at all, that man was nothing to be trusted despite the man's status. Itachi just wanted his only brother to have a playmate of his age without the fear of their family impression preventing this from happening; he just didn't expect for both boys to beg him to teach them with their combined jutsu that will make any man break down, Itachi was not strong enough to overcome it and that was how he became a teacher at such a young age.

XXXXX

After gaining a couple of teachers and a boy of his age to play with, things seemed to be sailing smoothly for the blond. Of course, he had to gain money in some way to pay for needs and bills but Mikoto offered to handle them herself with her clan's wealth until the blonde can enter the academy; the female head of the Uchiha managed to convince the Hokage to have Academy students take D-rank ninja missions during the academy since they never required anyone to leave the village and it will better prepare them for any teams that they can be assigned to. But after all that, the biggest gift for Naruto had just arrived only a year after meeting the friendly Uchihas.

"I will never forget that day." Naruto sighed from the balcony of his home and looking at the stars of the arriving night sky. It was one of the few but effective ways to brighten his spirits and help him relax. Right now, he was reviewing; reviewing about when he met the girl that he could never live without.

Flashback Begin!

"Wow! This day is so swell!" Naruto yelled at the top of his voice as he went down the street towards his home with a wide smile on his face. Everyone who saw him just smiled back and resumed their activities while some yelled 'have a nice day' before they do such. It was like nothing could ruin this good day; but once the sun sets, Naruto wish he hadn't spoken so soon.

The reason? Well, Naruto was still on his way home when something caught the corner of his eye; it looked like trouble so the blonde went to investigate. Once he arrived, the mere sight made his blood boil. A group of boys who seemed to be in the age group that can be admitted to the Ninja Academy but that wasn't it, what got Naruto angry was that those boys were even acting like future ninjas; they were bullies and they were having their latest victim, a girl his age and she was severely wounded! Not the type to waste time, Naruto went into action.

"Still think that you are above us because you are a Hyuga? Well, we will teach you to respect your betters!" The leader of the bullies slapped her on the face again and still looked down on her, "Say it! Say that we are more valu~BLARRGH!" That villain's sickening voice was silenced when he was sent into a stone wall by a rather powerful punch to the cheek.

The girl looked up to see a boy as old as she is, standing tall against the bullies who were trying to beat her for the clan she was from. Her name was Hinata Hyuga, heiress and destined to rule the whole Hyuga clan one day; that is, everyone called her a failure because she took after her mother so she was kind and caring pacifist that stutters all the time. She was just on a walk with her bodyguard, Ko, until he disappeared and the pair ambushed her and started to insult and beat her up saying that they were going to prove that her clan has gotten weak and senile to have a 'pathetic and weak' girl for a heiress.

"Hey what is wrong with you!?" One of the bullies yelled, "Don't you see that we are busy teaching this bitch a lesson?" He couldn't say another word when he was slugged in the jaw, disconnecting it from the rest of his mouth.

"What I see are a bunch of poor excuses for ninjas ganging up and beating a girl who can't fight back thanks to you jerks." Naruto retorted calmly which got he bullies angry, "Ninjas are not supposed to prove their strength by ganging up on those who are younger and weaker than any of you. Besides, what will happen when this girl's bodyguard finds a bunch of no good brats beating on the Hyuga Heiress?" As the blonde was proving his point, the bullies were getting angry with his taunting of them, "I know! He will break some bones, give your parents the hospital bill and report to the Hokage that his future ninjas are showing their power by bulling younger girls for less."

"What do we care when they will never find out?" Another of the bullies tried to savage their pride but they only got a frown and then a creepy smile from the blond,

"Oh? Is it because you do this when no one is looking? Then I will have fun seeing how you run when you are found out." As soon as those words left his mouth, smoke appeared in front of Naruto and the bullies to reveal the Hyuga named Ko in question; he was confused as to why he sent to another part of the village, the bullies were backing in fear while Naruto still had his grin on and turned to Hinata.

"Go on. Tell him what is going on." Naruto then stepped aside so that Hinata can speak; Ko will only listen to his superiors and also Hinata, no one else.

"U-um...K-ko-san...T-those m-m-mean boys o-over t-there...t-they hurt me and...s-said bad t-things about out c-clan. T-that is...w-what happened." Hinata managed to speak and lucky, Ko also managed to make out given the angry expression on his face as he turned to face the shaking bullies. She then silently 'eeped' when Naruto took her into his arms and chest because what happened next was a real beating; Ko didn't hold back just because they were young boys, they got what came to them after insulting real ninjas they claim to be already.

While Ko wondered where did Hinata went, he instead decided to make his trip to the hospital with these bone bags his first priority instead. 'I will definitely be chewed out by their parents but once they see the bill, they will shut up for sure!' Ko sighed and then had an evil smirk on his face while he was thinking of such impressions on those civilians.

Meanwhile, Hinata opened her eyes to see herself in a living room with a blanket on her. "Oh good you are awake." A voice crept up on her and she hid under the covers in fright, "Sorry if I frightened you, I just wanted to see if you doing well." The voice appeared again with as much as friendliness as before so Hinata decided to trust it and lifted her head from the darkness on the covers. She saw that the person next to her was the same boy who defended her from the bullies.

"Y-you are the b-boy who r-rescued m-me...t-thank y-you." Hinata said while silently cursing herself for being such a mess in front of her savior. To her surprise, Naruto just smiled at her despite the broken 'thank you'.

"It is no problem and besides, you don't have to hate yourself." The blonde replied that got Hinata surprised that he managed to read her mind. "Before you ask, no I can't read minds like the Yamanaka Clan but instead, I can read your feeling thru your eyes; after all, on a person's body, the eyes are the only gateways to the soul." Naruto explained in order to calm down the shaken heiress.

"O-okay, w-what is y-you n-name? I-I'm Hinata H-Hyuga." Hinata asked politely now she felt more relaxed.

"Hinata huh? Cute name and explains why you being ganged up." Naruto said that with a smile that later turned into a scowl that only got stronger with this next question, "If that man named Ko was supposed to protect you, then where was he when you needed him the most?"

"I d-don't k-know. H-he just d-disappeared and t-then those...those stupid bullies attacked me out of the blue saying that they were avenging their families!" Hinata started as her usual stuttering self but later got bold as she got more upset and angry. She later noticed that Naruto was having a smirk on his face now that confused her,

"Nice that you didn't stutter on that last one. You really do have a separate personally. It is just as nice as the one you show to others." Naruto said that got Hinata even more embarrassed and surprised. "It is nothing to be ashamed of if you want others not to see it." Hinata was now confused by that statement. "It just shows that you have secrets you save for those you trust, sharing such things with such people is always a good way to show how much you trust them; if they spill them out of spite then it is never your fault." Hinata didn't say a word but actually was thinking hard on those words. "Do you trust me?" That got Hinata is a spiral on what to say next.

Finally, she uttered "I-I want t-to trust you, N-naruto-kun. But...but I b-barely know y-you. That i-is my answer, feel f-free to h-hit me." No such thing came and Naruto instead hugged Hinata who couldn't believe that her savior is doing something that hadn't happened to her since her mother died years ago and that her blush was redder than before.

"It is okay to say that Hinata-chan." The heiress couldn't believe her ears when she heard her name being addressed like that. "It is the truth and we both know that. That is why I want to be your friend so you will no longer be lonely again." Hinata had to convince herself not to faint which was hard but she prevailed.

"Thank you...Naruto-kun." Hinata spoke before falling asleep again but without pain or sadness or nightmares because she was in the warmth of her first real friend. Speaking of which, Naruto smiled on Hinata's sleeping face and thought it was cute since it was so peaceful and free, without anything held back forcefully. It was beginning of something big and beautiful, Naruto could just feel it.

Flashback End!

XXXXX

As soon as Naruto finished his trip down memory lane, he reached his new home. Inside were two girls and one of them looked familiar, "Naruto-kun! Welcome back!" That voice sound familiar and if we take a good look at the girl, it was Hinata!

"Thanks for the warm welcome Hinata-chan and I see you brought Hanabi-chan with you too." Naruto said as he recognized the second girl with the similar features that matched Hinata when she was that age; that was because Hanabi is Hinata's younger sister that was born with her mother's looks but this time, with her father's confidence.

"Hey Naru-kun!" Still, Hanabi was very young and couldn't say 'big names' without her infamous nicknames that drove others up the wall to correct every time; Naruto himself learned that the hard way and gave up a long time ago.

"*sigh* Hanabi-chan, it is good to see you haven't changed." The blonde uttered that got his house guests to giggle. "Still, it is almost time to enter the ninja academy. We may have little to no time to play with some as cute as you Hanabi-chan." Now Naruto's tone took a cheerful turn mixed with a spice of seriousness.

"I not sad. Naru-chan and Hina-nee-chan always have time to play with me." Now that was a voice of a child that can bright up anyone's day. "Will Naru-chan be with Hina-nee-chan in the...um..."

"Ninja Academy Hanabi-chan and I am sure we both will. After all, we are all friends to play with." Naruto said and no one could deny that after Hinata became friends with Naruto, the blonde met Hanabi later and the two paired off ever since; they will play every time they visited each other like today.

"I agree Naruto-kun, I never want to be anywhere but with you and Hanabi-chan." Hinata added her own two cents while dozing off on the blonde's right arm while Hanabi copied her by taking a nap on Naruto's lap, using his left arm as a pillow.

'This is my real family and it will be a cold day in hell that I let anything ruin it like they did.' Naruto thought as he also went out like a light thinking that his life was going to be good from now on.

End of Chapter 2

*Hello everyone! This is the next chapter to Cracking Gaps: Sins of a Family! I tell you two things; one, I never thought that my first chapter to be so popular and two, I had a real conflict on Naruto's age once the story starts so I finally settled for Naruto at the age of eight so he could fit in with the pairing with Hinata which I changed it to.

Also, I really got carried away with my more popular stories that I nearly forgot about this one. It is really hard to keep track of all this with the exams and projects running around me in real life. Thank you for the support, it really helps!*

1. I am not sure about this but red hot curry seemed to fit well with Uchiha members by their use of Katon and their tempers.