Lonely Faces (*aka. -Roommates) | Chapter 23

Beta: abnegation218

Lonely Faces (*aka. Roommates)


Chapter 14

“Ouch, I think there was ice in that!” said Naruto as he clutched at the side of his snow laden face.

“Oh suck it up!” said Hana, rolling yet another ball of snow in her hand. “It’s not like-Ow!”

Kiba threw a large chunk of snow at her sister which broke into pieces at her shoulder.

“Haha, I got you-ooff” he said, receiving a face full of snow, hurled by Naruto.

Hana and Naruto ganged up on Kiba, giggling as Kiba cringed and laughed under the barrage coming down on him. “Pff-no-ouch-fair-aah!”

After a while, Naruto, Kiba and Hana all collapsed on their backs in the snow, panting hard as their breaths formed clouds above them.

Naruto was having the time of his life. He had never really been able to be this way with anyone. He finally knew what it meant to have a family and it was all thanks to Kiba. If it hadn’t been for Kiba, he would probably be back on drugs, sitting with some wasted addicts in some crack house with some delusional ideas of how to end his loneliness. He had truly saved his life, and given him so much joy, and so much to live for. Until now, all he had were reasons to die for.

A blue car pulled into the Inuzuka’s driveway, slipping slightly on the ice-slicken concrete. They sat up and looked at the people now exiting the vehicle. A man, a woman and a small girl stepped out.

The man looked like an older version of Kiba. He had the same messy brown hair, facial tattoos, and wild looking eyes. The only real difference was the goatee and slight crow’s feet adorning his features. The woman had long blond hair, a rosy completion, and a slender build. The little girl, now cowering in shyness behind the woman, had the same long blond hair and rosy complexion. Her face had the same facial tattoos and wild looking eyes as the older man and Kiba. She looked like a perfect mix between the two adults now making their way towards them.

“Uncle Theo, Auntie Nona!” said Hana, jumping to her feet.

Naruto and Kiba got up too and made their way to them.

“Hello Hana dear!” laughed the older man as he reeled back from Hana’s surprise embrace.

“Happy Christmas love.” said the woman in an elegant English accent as Hana embraced her too.

“Hello Molly.” said Hana sweetly, crouching down so she was at eye level with the girl, still clutching her mother’s skirt and looking around timidly.

The girl blushed and pulled more of her mother’s skirt over her face.

“Molly, say ‘Hi’ to your cousin.” said the woman, gently patting the girl’s head.

The girl looked up at her mother and back to Hana.

“Hewwo.” she managed to whisper in the cutest voice they had ever heard.

“Aw, you’re so precious!” said Hana, hugging the girl and making her giggle.

“Hi Uncle Theo.” said Kiba, reaching out a hand for him to shake.

“Kiba.” he said, nodding and grasping the hand.

There was a moment while they shook hands, before they burst out laughing and pulled each other into a bone crushing hug.

“How are you my boy?” said the older man, patting Kiba’s back as they parted.

“Great!” he replied, moving to hug the other woman.

“And this must be that boyfriend we’ve heard about.” said the man, reaching out a hand.

“H-Hi, I’m Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki.” he said hesitantly, shaking his hand.

The man smiled encouragingly. “I’m Theo Inuzuka, feel free to call me Uncle, you’re part of the family after all. I can’t thank you enough for saving Kiba from that gang of punks. I hear you did quite a number on them for what they did.”

Naruto scratched the back of his head bashfully. “It was nothing really.”

“Nonsense. I’m just glad you were there to save him.” said the woman, placing her arms around him lightly.

Kiba looked slightly annoyed that everyone thought he couldn’t defend himself, but decided to overlook it.

Naruto grinned sheepishly as the woman stepped back. “My name is Nona, and of course you can call me Auntie if you wish. I’m pleased to meet you Naruto.”

“Where is Richard?” asked Theo, looking around.

Hana pursed her lips in anger. “Dick will not be coming.”

The two adults looked at each other with expressions of exasperation.

“Well, I can’t say I’m disappointed.” said Theo, running his fingers through his hair. “He isn’t the most pleasant person to be around.”

“Too true!” spat Kiba, anger gracing his face.

Kiba’s relatives followed them into the house where an excited Ms. Inuzuka served everyone a fresh cup of steaming cocoa. Hana explained to them why Richard wasn’t going to be joining the festivities, and received cries of outrage at his heinous crimes. Naruto was pleased when Hana neglected to mention the part where he himself had nearly lost control, and that it was only due to Kiba’s quick intervention that he didn’t.

Naruto chose then to join Kiba in entertaining his cousin, who was playing joyfully with Akamaru.

“Why does he have a cone on his head?” she asked, giggling as the pup leaped up to get the rubber fire-hydrant in her hand.

“Well, Akamaru got hurt the other day, and he has to wear this so he won’t bite off the stitches and make it worse.” explained Kiba in a slow tone, befitting the girls age.

“Is he going to be ok?” she asked, petting the pup’s head clumsily.

Kiba nodded and began to stoke him as well. “Yes, he’ll be fine.”

Naruto grimaced at the obvious pain behind his voice. Kiba really loved Akamaru, and he was hurt because of him. It didn’t matter how many times Kiba said otherwise, he knew that if it hadn’t been for him, Akamaru would be fine, and Kiba wouldn’t be suffering like this.

There was a knock at the door and Ms. Inuzuka went to answer it. A few moments later she walked into the room with a man who looked to be in his mid sixties. He had the same Inuzuka trademark tribal tattoos, brown messy graying hair, and wild looking eyes. He looked like he had been a strong individual, but had, in his age, grown slightly unkempt in his style of living.

“Merry Christmas!” he exclaimed in a husky Russian accent.

“Merry Christmas!” chimed the Inuzuka’s in unison.

The man looked around the room, and, spotting Naruto, made straight for him, a purposeful look in his eyes.

“So, this must be Naruto!” he said, gazing with rapt attention.

Naruto blushed deeply as the man smiled at him and kissed both whisker marked cheeks. “Welcome to the family! Of course I heard of your heroic rescue from Tsume. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my grandson. I greatly value bravery and loyalty, I’m glad Kiba has chosen you as his mate.”

“Grandpa!” exclaimed Kiba, turning crimson as the family erupted in laughter. “Stop embarrassing me!”

The old man merely laughed and clapped the two boys on the shoulder.

“Anyways, I’m pleased to meet you Naruto. My name is Boris, but you must call my Grandpa from now on as you are family!” he said, in what could be perceived as a half-threatening tone.

“Um, ok.” said Naruto, being uncharacteristically overwhelmed.

Again, that word comes back to haunt him. Family, family, family… These people, they have absolutely no hesitation in accepting me into their fold. Do they really need someone like me in their family, someone who could put them in danger?

Naruto replayed the memories of the night before, he had been so angry. What was it all about? The fury that leapt up inside him was unlike any he had ever experienced. It took all he had not to lash out at Kiba when he had approached, not that he would ever tell him that. He was so confused. He loved Kiba so much, but that night when he nearly lost control, he could have hurt him. Yet, Kiba was the one who stopped him. His embrace sucked the anger and hatred from him in an instant. What is wrong with me? Why am I this way?

-

Kiba, Naruto and Akamaru made their way down the snowy concrete on their way back home from Akamaru’s evening walk. The day had been eventful to say the least. It seemed the Inuzuka’s could sense Naruto’s distress and tried to cheer him up with games, drinks and overall partying. Naruto tried to seem as though he was having a great time, but as he strode out onto the Inuzuka’s street, he realized how much more depressed all of their family activities had made him.

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts by a hoarse whispering around the corner in the Inuzuka’s driveway.

“Get out of here! If my family sees you they’ll freak.”

“Listen you little bitch!” responded a slurring male voice. “I want you now!”

“Rich. You’re drunk, just go home. Rich … Rich! Stop touching me! Get your hand away from there!”

They ran forward and rounded the corner, the sight that met their eyes made Kiba shake with rage.

A disheveled looking Richard, hand placed firmly up Hana’s skirt, bottle in the other, squinted at them through the dark.

Hana screamed and struggled to free herself from his tight embrace as Naruto saw the clear recognition in Richard’s eyes.

“You! I’ll kill you you little Faggot!”