Painfully Aware with So Much to Learn

Chapter Sixteen: Memories

I was walking to Ichiraku's, a tiny piece of me hoped that my blonde would be here but I knew that to be impossible. It had been a week since Naruto had set out and the village had a much higher morale aside from Iruka and a few others. It annoyed me how happy they were but I bit my tongue, stuffed my hands in my pockets and headed for the ramen shop.

I pulled up the curtains and sat down on a stool, I think it was Ayame turned to face me before her shoulders sagged a touch. Not by much but I could tell she was hoping for a different thirteen year old.

"Nara-san, what can I get for you?" She said with a customer service smile.

"Well, actually I came here for information." I said, looking her dead in the eyes. "I want to know about Naruto's history with the villagers." I said bluntly, looking for a reaction that made me more concerned.

Ayame's breath hitched, she tilted her head down, her eyes hidden behind her brown bangs. Her mouth was pulled into a tight line and her complexion made her look nauseous.

"Why do you want to know?" She said in a shaky breath, her knuckles paper white clenched to her sides.

"Naruto always hated talking about it, I want to know more about what's going on so I can help him in the future." I said sincerely.

She let out a shaken sigh before looking at me with tear-glazed eyes. "You know, don't you?" I nodded my head solemnly, understanding she was speaking of the kyuubi.

"Well, I guess I can tell you a bit, but if you want everything you'll have to ask Naruto himself." She said as she calmed herself.

"Naruto was three the first time my father and I met him. It was raining and we were almost closing when we saw a sopping wet head of hair poke into view. My father tried to call him in but the second he was noticed, he ran away." She said, a bit of fondness in her voice. "We eventually lured the poor boy inside, he was covered in dirt and rain. I gave him a towel and Father gave him a bowl of ramen. You should have seen the way those blue eyes sparkled at the food, he looked like he was about to cry he was so happy. Father put some chopsticks near him to his left and went to clean the kitchen, but that's when we noticed he wasn't moving his left arm at all." Her voice turned solemn. "Much to his tiny protests, I checked his arm and found it was broken." My face turned much more serious. "He said that he fell but to this day I remember rolling up his baggy sleeve and seeing that purple and red hand-shaped bruise on his forearm. I almost cried then and there at the thought that someone would break a three year old's arm, and because of how he lied about it."

I was PISSED. I was seething at the thought that someone broke Naruto's arm when he was three. 'Ichiraku's closes at like eleven why would Naruto even be up that late? Didn't be have caretakers when he was younger? Why-' my thoughts were cut off by Ayame. "Well, that's all I can tell you, Naruto swore Father and I to secrecy all the other times."

"OTHER TIMES?!?!?" I yelled before I could stop myself. I got up and slammed my palms on the table. Before anything more could be said, the owner came in from the back.

"Oi! No making a scene in my shop, if you want to know more than go to Kakashi-san, he's known Naruto longer than anyone." He said, before shooing me off.

I decided to try my new shadow teleportation to get to Kakashi faster. I found him sitting in a tree, casually reading porn.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets, looking up at him before clearing my throat. He sent a disinterested glance my way before I spoke up.

"What do you know about Naruto?" With that his eyes widened a fraction before giving me another once-over. He sighed, put his book back and topped of the tree so he was right in front of me.

"If you're looking for ways to woo your boyfriend I would rule out sexting via letter." He said casually and I willed myself not to burst into a flustered mess. No, I had to stay serious and learn about what happened with the villagers.

"I know what he holds." I said, hoping for a better response.

Kakashi was quiet for a moment, eyebrows furrowed. "Do you know the difference between a kunai and the scroll that holds it?" He said in a dark tone.

"Yes, I want to know what happened but we all know that Naruto's somehow the loudest and most cryptic person in Konoha." With that he gave a nod.

"Well, this is classified information but I guess so is the kyuubi." He said.

"So why doesn't he live in an orphanage?" I asked, which made Kakashi's eyes darken.

"Don't ever ask about that." I saw the look in his eyes and it stopped me from objecting. "Don't ever ask Naruto about that, he's the only one who knows exactly what happened in that orphanage and it was a very deep scar." He said, voice pointed but not at me.

I thought for a moment. "How long have you known Naruto?"

"Very long, it was actually me who sniffed out that his mother was pregnant because of the pheromone change." He said, giving me an eye smile.

This surprised me, but now was not the time, i needed to get as many answers before the author gave Kakashi an excuse to leave.

"So did you take care of Naruto after the orphanage?"

"Well, yes and no. I did take care of him along with some other ANBU, but I had to leave my mask on so I doubt he knows."

That didn't sound right. I mean Naruto could be a little oblivious, but I'm sure he would recognize one of his caretakers. Is Naruto lying to Kakashi? I cleared my throat before asking another question.

"Did you have to protect him?" I asked.

"Why yes, he always loved ramen but his tiny hands always had trouble with the kettle and I-" I cut him off.

"Did you have to protect him from the villagers?" I stated more than asked. His eyes darkened significantly and I could have sworn I saw his gravity-defying hair wilt a little at the question.

"More that I should have needed to, and I regret every second I wasn't there and left him with those other ANBU." He said, his voice baritone and his eyes shone with so much regret. I had never seen the goofy perv look so sad and it made me genuinely scared. Scared of what had happened to Naruto, scared of what might happen to Naruto. I walked home after that, and I saw all the happy faces of the villagers. I hated it here when he wasn't there with a silly prank or his dumb ramen song. It began to rain and I gently hummed his ramen song to myself as I trudged home.
_______________________________________

Hey guys! Just wanted to apologize for this taking a while, now that I know people actually read what I right I'm getting kinda manic. The next one will be the timeskip into 'shippuden'. Sorry if the timeline is off and thank you so much for reading and commenting, you guys are awesome!
                                                    ~Gracie