The three walked to Ichiraku's in silence, Naruko releasing occasional whimpers and sniffles, causing the boys to flinch and think back to what happened at the restaurant which would make them angry and want to march back there and pommel that perverted bastard to the ground
"Naruko, I know you're not alright so I won't even ask" Sasuke began "But I'm here for you so, if you need a shoulder to cry on or if you just...want to hold hands, I'm here" Sasuke said hesitantly, smiling reassuringly.
Naruko wiped away the small tears that gathered in her beautiful blue eyes and looked at Sasuke gratefully. "Thank you Sasuke". Sasuke blushed a little bit before nodding and taking Naruko's hand in his
In reality Naruko wasn't crying because she was sad, heck she wasn't even really crying at all. She was seething with rage over what happened, how dare that disgusting pig lay his hands on her?! She'll make the bastard pay for what he did. Or rather...she'll make sure Sasuke or Kakashi does it for her.
"Look over there" Kakashi said pointing up ahead. There they saw Ichiraku's and the mood brightened up between them. "Finally some good food!" Naruko darted towards Ichiraku's dragging Sasuke with her behind her
Kakashi chuckled and jogged after them
"Hello Ayame-nee! Teuchi-san" Naruko greeted brightly. "Four ramen bowls please! I think you already know mine and Sasuke's bowls" she said while sitting on a stool, the boys sat on either side of her.
"Hello Naruko-chan, why four?" Ayame asked eyeing the three of them. "I'm having two bowls of ramen" Naruko said with a shrug
"Of course" Sasuke said rolling his eyes feeling amused. He was glad Naruko is feeling better, but still that incident at the restaurant was still very much fresh in Sasuke's mind. He wanted to get back at the man for his disrespect of Naruko.
Sasuke looked at Naruko, who was smiling while humming to herself as she and the rest of them waited for their ramens.
He felt his heart do something strange and unexplainable. The sight of that magnificent smile, he wanted to protect it, shield it.
His eyes glued to her lovely plump lips, he had this urge to trace those lips with his fingers. "Sasuke?" He snapped out of his trance by Naruko looking at him, confused. "What are you staring at?" She asked innocently, tilting her head to the side
Sasuke blinked and turned red, he whipped her head to the left and refused to look at her anymore. "Nothing" he muttered
"Sasuke?" Naruko leaned towards him and pinched his cheek. "Hey!" Sasuke swatted her hand away. The blonde giggled, causing Sasuke's heart to do that thing again.
Why was she so wonderful?
"Alright your ramens are here!" Ayame said placing their bowls infront of them. "Itadakimas" the three said, snapping their chopsticks.
Naruko felt a sort of, light feeling eating with her boys. She felt light, she felt happy, her anger towards that disgusting man was momentarily forgotten as she consumed her favorite food with her sensei and friend
*
"You don't need to walk me home idiot, I can handle myself" Naruko said as she and Sasuke walked down the street towards her apartment.
"I don't want a repeat of what happened at the restaurant" Sasuke said to her. "And I've seen the way those perverts look at you"he said venomously.
Naruko smiled and touched his hand sending electricity down his arm. "Relax. I was just taken off guard back then, but it won't happen again, I can kick the ass of whoever laid their hands against me"
"I know you can" Sasuke sighed "But I can't help but worry"
Soon they reached her apartment. Sasuke made a face when he saw how rundown it looked, and looked at Naruko questioningly 'do you really live here?' Was what he wanted to ask, but held back because he felt it would be rude
"Before you ask, yes that's my home"
"I wasn't going to say anything"
"Your expression said it all" Naruko sighed. "This is the only place that allows the village demon to stay, sure sometimes the water doesn't run or stay warm enough to take a shower, and sure the neighborhood is crap, but it's my home, my only home"
"Have you tried looking for other places?"
"Nobody wants to rent an apartment to the village freak" Naruko said lowering her head. "Sure people look at me differently now that I'm a girl, and yes they treat me differently too, but at the end of the day I'm still the same village outcast they've been hating for years. It'll take a while before they forget that"
"What if you stayed with me instead?" Sasuke suggested without thinking.
Naruko looked at him, surprised.
"What?"
"I mean" Sasuke scratched the back of his neck. "I have plenty of rooms"
Naruko honestly didn't expect this from him. She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the offer Sas, I'll think about it" she said before entering her apartment.