Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Kokoro no Kizu, Wounds of the Heart ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

 

* * * Naruto's POV

 

Today is a special day! Yesterday I received my hitai-ate from my sensei Iruka, so I'm officially a ninja, now that I've finally graduated from the Academy.

 

After breakfast I raced to the Academy fast as I could get there. I burst into the classroom where Iruka-sensei taught. He wasn't there. Guess I came early. The usual crowd of classmates hung out, some sitting quietly at their desks, others bounding about.

 

“Move it, Naruto! Your ass is in my way,” hissed Sakura from behind, shoving me away.

 

“Well, screw you too,” I wanted to say, taking a seat behind the lone desk where Sasuke sat. He leaned over the desk with his hands crossed, resting his chin on his pale, interlocked fingers. He stared straight out, his gaze dark and contemplative, unnerving in appearance. From what I knew he never played, laughed, talked or cried. He just sat there ready to kill if anyone if they dared disrupt his silence.

 

“You want something?” A low, base growl rumbled in the back of Sasuke's throat as his ominous gaze struck me.

 

I ignored it, snapping back, “You gotta problem?” I hopped on the desk in a crouching position and stared the guy down. If he wanted a fight, I'd be damn glad to give him one. Our eyes locked, hooked on one another's. I'd never seen his so clearly as I did now. I saw in them a boy driven to kill, lusting for blood and vengeance. No dreams, no hopes, no desires, only a bottomless well of hatred that filled his lonely existence.

 

As I contemplated over Sasuke, a careless classmate bumped into me and I lost my balance and fell forward closing the gap between Sasuke and I. Quickly I shut my eyes expecting to hit the floor. Instead, Sasuke stayed where was, stopping my fall. Against my body something warm and soft pressed into my lips. It felt pliable, slightly textured and moist, with a slight pulse beating in its skin. As it beat harder, the warmth intensified into a heat, drawing me in deeper into this newfound intimacy.

 

I'd never been this close to anyone, least of all Sasuke. Through half lidded eyes and burred vision, I stared out at his face in front, melting in this accidental kiss. In his irises, almost black in color like his pupils, hate writhed against feelings of pain, isolation, and the need to be loved. All of this best described as an inner raging storm, seen in the windows of the soul.

 

“Are you lonely, Sasuke? Are you suffering? Because I am,” I said, feeling his hot breath hit my skin.

 

“So am I,” Sasuke said, breathing harder, his voice choked with pain.

 

“W-w-what the hell!? They kissed!” cried Sakura aghast.

“Holy shit! They're gay!” yelled the boy that bumped into me. “Not only are you a looser, you're gay as well, Naruto!”

 

The class fell silent, dead silent, all pairs of eyes set intently on me.

 

“What did you say?” I retorted back, breaking the uneasy silence.

 

“C'mon! Fight! Fight! Fight!” roared the class, closing in around us in a tight, crowded ring.

 

Iruka-sensei stormed in, yelling, “Break it up class! Back to your seats, NOW.”

 

Everyone froze, scampering back to their seats as quickly as possible.

 

Down by the floor in front of the podium and blackboard, Iruka stood, glaring at every student, sparing none from his wrath. “Absolutely under no circumstances is fighting tolerated,” he shouted, waving an angry fist. “All of you are punished with a one hour detention after class.”

 

During detention that morning, my day worsened. “It's all your fault, Naruto,” hissed several classmates under their breaths. They took turns scowling at me, giving me ugly looks that killed me.

 

“Naruto-kun, I'm sorry this happened,” whispered Sakura, who sat to my left.

 

“Not your fault, Sakura-chan, they've always hated me,” I said, burying my face in my arms. “It hurts…it hurts so much that I wanna…cry…”

 

Sasuke sat quietly to my right saying nothing. He leaned over, chin over his hands, eyes shut, struggling to contain his own inner pain. I realized that day that Sasuke and I have much in common. We are two boys, alone and isolated, who suffer in silence, each in their own lonely world.

 

* * *

 

As the hour passed uneventfully, everyone left eventually including Sasuke and Sakura.

 

“Naruto-kun? Are you okay?” asked Iruka, once we were alone.

 

I burst into tears, wailing out agony from the pain of rejection and heartache. The hate my classmates felt like a knife driven deep into my heart. Today when they accused me of being gay, they drove it in deeper, churning the blade as I bled to death.

 

“I don't like boys, I swear!” I cried, hiding my teary face Iruka-sensei's chest, wetting his dark green vest.

“So that's what this is about,” said Iruka-sensei, holding me. “Naruto-kun, I want you to tell me everything that happened, so I can help you, okay?”

 

I shook my head, burying my face in deeper against the fabric of his vest. “Sensei, I…I can't. If I tell you, you won't like me…”

 

“Listen Naruto-kun, I'd never hate you, no matter what, I swear,” Iruka said gently, sliding a hand under my chin to tilt it up, so we made eye contact. “Naruto-kun, you're like a son to me. I love you.” He bent over, pushing back the hitai-ate on my forehead and kissed me.

 

* * *

 

That afternoon Iruka-sensei treated me to lunch at the Ichiraku Ramen shop. The salty broth steamed up, filling my nostrils with its pungent aroma. I broke apart my chopsticks, lifting in them long, stringy noodle strands.

 

“Oh, this is great. Thanks, sensei,” I said between gulps, slurping down my tasty ramen.

 

“Your welcome. Glad ya like it, Naruto-kun. Nothing like a nice bowl `o ramen, eh?” Iruka said, barely half way through eating by the time I finished.

 

“Another bowl!” I requested, handing the cook my empty one.

 

“Naruto-kun, what did you mean when you said `I don't like boys'?” asked Iruka-sensei, over lunch.

 

“Oh, that?” I replied, starting on my next bowl. “Well, when I got mad at Sasuke and stared him down, someone pushed me. I lost my balance, fell on him and we …uh … kissed, funny as that sounds.”

 

“I see.” Iruka paused, thinking. “How did you feel about that?”

 

“Eh? What? You serious, Iruka-sensei?” I laughed, nearly choking on my food. “It was an accident, and my first kiss too, with a guy.”

 

“There may be more to this than you realize, Naruto-kun.” Iruka watched me, peering over the rim of his bowl, searching me for answers. Naruto is only 12. He's at the age where he doesn't realize something like this can affect his life, especially his orientation. I wouldn't be surprised if feelings for Sasuke surface and they frighten him. Naruto is already hurt and hated by his classmates. And today's incident didn't help, thought Iruka. What will happen next?

 

TBC