Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Written In Ink ❯ Chapter 2

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"What!" Naruto Screamed.

"Oh, no, no, no, no." Sumi followed up. "I'm sure I could find somewhere else to stay. Wouldn't be the first time I've had to sleep in the woods."

"Nope, you are staying with Naruto." Jiraiya stated. He then turned to the boy. "You heard the ring master, she is now your responsibility."

"Wait you perverted hermit!" He shouted. "He was talking to you!"

"You were the one that stepped in, and it's because I'm a perverted hermit that she can't stay with me." The elder man pointed out. "Think of it as a mission!"

"Only Granny Tsunade can hand out missions." The boy countered. "Besides, I already have a mission."

"I'm going to talk to her tomorrow about it, until then, what I say goes." Jiraiya stated as he jumped away.

"I'm sorry that I'm so much trouble." Sumi quietly stated. "You should never have helped me."

"It's okay." Naruto said. "It's not you, but the idea of someone staying in my place. It's barely big enough for me. That, and no offense, but you're a girl. People might talk."

"I understand what you're saying, but think of it this way, you'll save money on rent." She joked.

"I thought they didn't pay you." He asked. "That is kind of how this started."

"Well, they didn't, but I was always the one they would send shopping and on small errands. I managed to save a few dollars here and there. Not like I had a chance to spend it. They would have noticed if I had anything new in the circus. They watched me like a hawk, everyone seemed to hate me and just waited for me to screw up." She said.

"Wow, sounds a lot like me growin' up." Naruto said. "Never knew my parents, and it seemed like everybody hated me because of something I had no control over. Only time they ever seemed to acknowledge me was when I did something wrong."

"Then I guess you know how I feel." She suddenly smiled and changed. "So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

"I guess I can show you where you'll be staying." He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky. "Not like I can leave the village."

"Why not?" She questioned.

"Well, it kinda has to do with the thing that makes me special." He said. "Some guys are after me right now, and I'm not allowed to leave the village without the perverted hermit or I'll be tracked down and brought back by the ANBU."

"Who's that?" Sumi asked.

"The villages elite ninja." He gave her a funny look. "You really don't know much about how things work around here?"

"Nope," The only people I managed to meet when I ran from the circus were farmers and a few holy men."

"Holy men?" He raised his eyebrows. "Why them?"

"Been trying to make myself normal." She turned her gaze to the clouds.

"Oh? Do you have a cursed seal too?"

"Cursed seal?" She cocked her head to the side.

Naruto lifted his jacket and showed off his belly button. He channeled a little of his chakra so that the seal would appear. Sumi bent down and traced the swirl with her finger.

"Cool, you have a tattoo." she stated mesmerized. Naruto began to chuckle a bit because she was tickling them.

"No, this is a seal, don't you have one?" He asked as he brought down his shirt.

"No, I have tattoos." She stated and pulled off her arm warmers. From palm to elbow was covered in green thorny vines. On the underside of each arm, a dagger was wrapped in the vines. Naruto's eyes widened at the sight.

"Those are awesome." He stated. "Oh, and by the way, "He gestured at the door they were standing in front of. "By the way, this is home sweet home." He opened the door, and stood back to let her in. "Can't say I didn't warn you." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'll give you the tour, but first, I have to use the bathroom." He ran past her and into what she assumed was the bathroom.

"Ugh!" She grunted. "We'll just have to do something about this mess."

She looked around at the books and scrolls strewn about the floor, the empty containers that covered the counters and table in the small kitchen area. The only thing that seemed out of place was the neatly made bed and folded pajamas at the foot.

"Alright, here we go."

~*~

"Alright, Sumi, I'm ready to show you..."Naruto stopped mid-sentence. "What happened in here?"

"I cleaned up." Sumi smiled. "Don't worry, I didn't see anything, just made room so I'd have somewhere to sleep."

"But I was only in there for a minute, and you haven't moved from that spot!" He gaped. The scrolls and books were placed neatly on shelves, clothes that once littered the floor were in a neat pile.

"It's part of what makes me different." She grinned wide and comically. "By the way, you need to take out the trash."

The flabbergasted youth looked around the corner.

"You cleaned the kitchen, too?" He was amazed. All of the counters were clear and even the dishes were washed and drying on the side.

"How......how....how?" He stuttered.

"I already told you, it's what I do."

"Something just came to me, Sumi." Naruto smacked his forehead. "You don't have any clothes or anything."

"Don't worry about it." She smacked her heavy pants. "I have everything I need right here."

"I did notice you had a lot of pockets, but how could you hold everything you need in there?" He asked.

"Like I said, don't worry."She stepped past him. "I assume that's the bathroom. I need to get out of these performance clothes." She shut the door and left him standing open mouthed.

A knock on the door pulled his attention away from his current situation. He stepped to the front door and opened it. Standing there was Hinata and Sakura, both were smiling brightly.

"Hello!" Sakura chimed. "We went by the hospital, and they said that you had been released."

"I brought you some food." Hinata whispered and bowed as she presented a box wrapped in a plain white cloth.

"Thank you." Naruto accepted it and smiled gratefully. "You keep feeding me like this, and I might become the fattest Hokage there ever was." Hinata blushed at his compliment.

"Someone needs to look after you." Sakura said happily. "Might as well be Hinata." The aforementioned girl turned red, and Naruto laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. The small moment was broken when the sound of a door opening and closing echoed through the small space.

"Hey, Naruto, where do I sleep?" The new voice caught the attention of the two visitors.

Sumi stood in front of the bathroom door. Her long hair that had started off in pony tails was now hanging down. It came to the small of her back and curled under. She was dressed in a red tank top that clung to her every curve, a baggy pair of white pajama bottoms, and white arm warmers. The clothes she had been previously wearing sat folded in her hands.

Sakura glared at Naruto, and Hinata looked heartbroken.

"Hey, guys, it's not what you think!"