Trapped in his own toughts, Naruto accidentally made a wrong turn. He found himself in an unfamiliar alley way, and turned around to re-trace his steps, when he cae face-to-face with a dirty, husky man of about 40. Naruto stiffened. He knew this man. Well. This man was one of the people who beat him. Naruto tried to run around the man, but he was grabbed by the back of his shirt and pulled high into the hair, choking and scrambling helplessly at the meaty hand gripping him tightly.
"Where do you think you're going, demon?" The man spat out the last word with extra relish and contempt. He then smirked as he watched Naruto scramble for air. He shoved to small boy up against the side of the alley, pinning him there by the chest. Naruto was panting, glad to finally be able to breath, but pertrified, because he knew what came next.
"I had a bad day at work today." The man said casually. "And you know what?" He asked the shaking boy beneath his sausage-like fingers. Naruto just closed his eyes and took slow raspy breaths. The man punched him in the stomach and Naruto whimpered, tears springing to his round eyes.
"I said, you know what?" He asked again. Naruto shook his head furiously and the man laughed, then leaned in close to Naruto's pale face.
"I think I'll take it out on you." He whispered maniacally. Naruto opened his mouth to scream for help, but the man punched him in the jaw and a small crack was heard. Tears streamed steadily down his cheeks, and the man laughed even louder. He then proceeded to punch, kick, and scratch Naruto, ignoring the small boys cries of pain and pitiful whimpers, and then dropped him from his pinned position onto the filthy ground. With one final kick, he bent down near Naruto's quaking form and whispered softly,
"Worthless piece of shit. Just sit quietly and die." With that, he spat on Naruto and stalked off, still laughing, and patting himself on the back for the torture-of-a-four-year-old well done.
Naruto lay there, huddled, in the exact position he had been left. He couldn't move for the pain, and sobs racked his tiny frame. After an hour he realized that he was lying in a pool of his own blood, but couldn't get up. Instead he just closed his eyes and willed himself dead, and the darkness obeyed his pleas. He just wanted it to stop...the pain....to fall into darkness would be bliss....
Naruto opened his eyes a crack, and saw white.
"Did I....die?" he thought, but the a blurry face came into view. It got clearer, and soon, he recognized it as Iruka's.
"Naruto! You're awake! Thank goodness." He squeezed the small boy's weak hand, and smiled sadly. Naruto looked up at the man, confused.
"How did 'ou fine me?" He whispered softly.
"Oh, Naruto. Don't worry about that, all that matters is that you're alright and you're safe. I promise, it won't happen again, ok?" But even as he was promising, tears started streaming down the boys face.
"Oh, shhh....don't cry...it's ok, you're alright." Iruka cooed, pulling the boy into his arms and letting him sob into his chest. For a few minutes they sat there, Iruka running his fingers gently through Naruto's golden hair, and Naruto sobbing out of fear and joy.
"So, I bet you're a little hungry, eh Naru-chan?" naruto nodded dumbly, and popped his thumb into his mouth. Iruka set him back on the bed, careful not to upset any of the tubes and needles in the boy and pulled a bowl of soup from the table next to the bed.
"Here, I was just about to eat this, but you can have it, ok?" He said, picking up the spoon, cooling off a spoonful and lifting it towards Naruto's mouth. But Naruto turned away, tears flowing again.
"'ou shoulddin shayw(share) wif me, Iruka-sensei." he said quietly.
"Why not? I don't mind." Iruka said, confused. Naruto looked both ways, as if to see if anyone had thier ears pressed to the window trying to listen in, before turning back to face Iruka, tears streaming even harder now.
"That man saib I hab demon and if I eat 'our soup, 'ou might gettit too." He whispered before burrying his face in his hands.
"Oh..that's not true Naruto! You don't have anything except an empty stomach, no come here and help me with this soup."
"ou mean...shayw (share) it?" He asked, nervously.
"Of course. "Iruka said, smiling softly and lifting the spoon up to Naruto's mouth. Just then, someone knocked softly on the door. Naruto, petfiried, gripped the bed sheets with such force that his knucles turned white. And medic-nin stepped in, and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed slightly.
"Iruka-san?" The medic inquired, staring at Iruka.
"Yes. How can I help you?"
"Hokage-sama wants you in his office right now to discuss-" the medic jerked his head toward Naruto. Iruka scowled at the jesture, but agreed to be there in a few moments. Naruto whined, but Iruka told him firmly that he would be back as soon as possible and thet when he came back, they could finish the soup together. Once Naruto was firmly tucked in and drifting off to sleep, Iruka stepped quietly out of the room, and headed of towards the Hokage's office.
Iruka knocked softly on the 3rd's office door and headr a faint, 'enter' from within the room. He stepped in to find a representative of the council of Elders by the name of Haka Umorino standing next to the Hokage's desk. he bowed to two of them before turning to the Sandiame and saying,
"You needed me, Hokage-sama?"
"Yes, Iruka, we need to discuss who Naruto is going to live with. It is obvious after this incident that he needs a real care-taker-" And with this he turned to Umorino, who nodded curtly. "And the council and I have decided that it would be best if Naruto were to start living with-" But Iruka cut him off.
"He can live with me!" Iruka said brightly. Sandiame sighed, and furrowed his brow.
"Yes..." He said slowly, "We considered that, but in the end we decided that Naruto should live with Morino Ibiki." Iruka's jaw dropped. 'They're sending Naruto to live with a torture and interrogations specialist?!?'
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Well, I hope you liked it! And don't worry, Ibiki is coming in the next chapter! REVIEW please!! ^_^