When they were gone, Naruto turned to face her and smiled at her, his expression so different than the one he had pointed at the boys. It was kind and forgiving, like soft sunlight in the spring. But there was strength there, something older than his body should allow. “Are you alright?”
She nodded and watched him with a quiet sort of awe. She thought of the faces on the monument ( of the stories she had been told about the Hokage ) and thought Naruto carried the same sort of strength as the men immortalized there. She wondered how it was possible for him to be so strong, for him to carry himself with such confidence, and she wished that she could hold herself the same way.
“Hinata-sama!” a voice called from behind her. A member of the branch family went to her and grabbed her arm, helping her stand. “Hinata-sama! Are you hurt? This brat…” He tossed a glare in Naruto’s direction. “Come on, Hinata-sama. I’ll get you home.”
The branch member dragged her away, ignoring her as she protested, ( they always did ) and she looked back at the boy who had saved her. He stood there, smiling a sad sort of smile, and waved kindly at her. ( He looked lovely with the shade of the leafy trees drawing patterns on his skin and his eyes glittering in the summer sunlight ) She wished that she could thank him. She wished she could have stood up against those boys. She wished that she could walk with the easy confidence he had. She wished she could be strong.
I want to be like him , she thought to herself as she sat before her father later that day, explaining the events that the branch member had walked in on. Her father gained a pinched expression when she told him her savior’s name, and he then ordered her to return to her room without further explanation. Hinata wondered why the adults disliked Naruto, why they could dislike such a kind boy, and she hoped that she would be able to see him again.
One day , she vowed, I will be strong just like him.
Notes:
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Chapter 7
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The orphanage that Hashirama resided at was a quaint place located near the eastern edge of Konoha. It was small, old, and near a marketplace that sold a wide variety of things.
( Every morning, one of the matrons would always wake up early so that she could head down there and buy fresh vegetables to be used in the orphanage meals )
The orphanage itself was two stories tall, painted white with a red roof, and rather plain looking from the outside. The main floor held a kitchen, a dining room, an office for the head matron, bedrooms for workers staying there, and a playroom meant for the younger children. The second floor held the rooms were all the children slept. Behind the building was a large yard that the children often spent their time playing in. In one corner was a large tree with wide leafy branches that provided shade during the hotter days of summer.
All in all, the orphanage was a nice place. The children were lively and well behaved, they were given free reign on what they wanted to do, and they were given a weekly allowance to be used to buy small treats from the toy and sweet stories just down the street. Had Hashirama been any other child, he would have enjoyed living there very much.
However, it pained Hashirama to stay there. It was both because he wasn’t a child and that often left him bored and with nothing to do, but also because of the prejudice the adults held towards him. The matrons held much the same opinion of him as the rest of the village. None of them were Shinobi and they knew nothing of fuinjutsu. His presence and the odd behavior resulting from his unique circumstances did nothing but fuel the belief that the fox would one day break out and kill them all.
( “I’m sorry, Kiyomi-san.” Miyu looked distraught. There were bags under her eyes and hair fell free from the bun she kept her hair in. “I just can’t do it anymore. Now with that- that thing always wandering around this place. I can’t stand it! He’s far too mature for his age, he has that look about him that no child should have, and I keep getting nightmares about that damn fox. I can’t take it anymore. Call me again once he leaves and maybe I’ll come back.” )
