Nara OneShots

Intentions

"An energetic child?" The caretaker asked suspiciously at the nuclear family before her. Yoshino nodded eagerly as the husband yawned and their 10-year-old son stood with a slump in his posture. He was nodding off slowly but surely.

The caretaker found them odd, very odd but there was nothing she could do. They had sparkling recommendations from the orphanage board. They were approved to be allowed to adopt a child. So with a tired sigh, she led them around to the playroom which was utter chaos since the resident prankster was out and about being mean to the others. Her eyebrows twitched in annoyance as she heard his laughter as he had rigged the door to the bedrooms to splash paint on one of the girls.

"Naruto!" She scolded, the boy turned with a nervous smile. "Every day! You need to stop this and then you wonder why nobody wants you. Your too much of a hassle an utter nuisance."

Tears welled in the boy's eyes as the children now laughed him to scorn, even the girl who was dowsed in paint. Naruto held his head down sniffling as he gripped another paint bucket and a brush. His clothes were splotched with fresh and old paint and he looked rather colorful with it all over his face. Caring blue eyes that were now filled with shame and embarrassment to his messy blonde hair that shined in the sun.

"Get out you bring the orphanage shame when the prospective parents see children like you," Naruto took the harsh words and ran out into the backyard where it was empty. The caretaker sighed heavily and turned back to be greeted by glares. 'See what I mean, always pisses the parents off when Naruto's up and about.'

"How dare you talk to a child like that?!" Yoshino snapped which stunned the caregiver. "He's a kid of course he's going to be playful."

"That was out of line, he's such an innocent one. You're disgusting, I want to adopt that child just to get him out of your clutches before you tear him down even further," Shikaku said as he narrowed his eyes.

"You can't be serious, he isn't worth your time," She tried to stop them but it was made impossible when Shikamaru followed into the room where Naruto was seen on one of the beds crying into a pillow.

"Hey," Shikamaru said softly as he ran his fingers through messy hair. Naruto looked up at him while half his face still remained in the pillow. "You're coming home with us."

"Nobody wants me, stop lying!" Naruto glared at him as he buried his face back in the pillow. Shikamaru felt a pang of rage at the caretaker. She had it drilled in his head that nobody would take him because he loved to pull pranks.

"We do, we want you. Let's go home," Yoshino called from the doorway, she held an envelope that contained his documents.

"You aren't lying, you want me?" Those hopeless blue eyes resonated with the family and the determination to not leave him here grew stronger. So with a brilliant smile, Yoshino took his hand and Shikamaru's and dragged them out to the car.

"You're coming home with us, welcome to the Nara Family."

For the first time, Naruto's eyes filled with color, electric blue now met dark browns and the smile he wore was angelic.

***********

A generic alarm rang through the heavily decorated light blue room. It was filled with stuffed animals, make-up, girly clothing, and art supplies. A quiet groan was heard under the fluffy duvet that was dark blue. A blonde head popped up before stretching like a cat as it emerged. Golden hair that fell past the shoulders over honey-colored skin glistened in the sun. A quiet child-like sneeze was heard before the hand stopped the alarm. It then reached for a picture frame that showed the portrait of a female with long dark hair and brown eyes who was smiling.