Loving Arms: Chapter 3

Although Naruto's behavior was improving, later that week, some of the kids he had picked fights with before had caught up with him on the playground.  The leader, Kidomaru, smirked menacingly at Naruto while the others surrounded him.  

"You thought you were pretty tough shit last week didn't you?  Calling me…what was it?  An ugly arachnid?"  He started laughing.  Naruto scowled.  "You don't even know what that is! But you were right on one thing.  I can be a nasty little spider to a fly caught in my web."  Naruto looked to the other members that smiled at him, all except for two, who stayed silent, watching coldly.  "And by the looks of things, you are caught in my web."  

"I don't wanna fight you," Naruto said, trying to be stronger than he felt.

"Oh?  Tired of getting the shit kicked out of you?"

"Pfft.  I just don't wanna waste my time with you."  Naruto held his head up.

Kidomaru's smirk fell off.  "Waste your time?"  He shoved Naruto to the ground.  "Trying to come off high and mighty?"  He pulled Naruto up by his shirt.  "You haven't got a thing to be proud of.  So don't pull that little act with me 'cause I'll knock your teeth out, you brat!"

Naruto was shaking.  "You're wrong!"  Kidomaru punched Naruto in the gut.  He fell down gasping and clutching his stomach.  When he caught his breath, "I-I'm proud of… my brothers!"  Kidomaru was about to kick him when Naruto grabbed his foot and pulled.  Kidomaru lost his balance and fell.  Naruto got on top of his chest and started punching him.  He didn't get more than two punches in before one of the others snagged him off of Kidomaru.  Naruto felt the huge, sweeping hands throw him off to the side.  His body slammed against the ground.  Naruto winced but got up quickly.  He would be pulverized if he hesitated.  The one who threw him, Jirobo, cracked his knuckles, but the twins, Sakon and Ukon, came running at Naruto.  

"You're gonna die, brat!" Ukon yelled as he charged.  

Naruto wasn't a fast thinker, thankfully though, he had good reflexes.  They were too close to dodge, so he curled into a ball at the last second.  Ukon flipped over the blonde's back.  Sakon started laughing.  

"Tripped by a fly?  Who would have thought?"

"Shut up!" Ukon yelled.

Naruto got up and ran but he didn't get any farther than Juugo's arm.  In a single swipe, Naruto was caught in Juugo's hold.  Naruto gazed at the gang.  They were glaring at the kitsune who had defied them when he should have taken the hit.  He had insulted their pride and he was going to be in for some serious hurting.  Naruto was wriggling in Juugo's arms.  Naruto looked up at the kid holding him and was taken aback by the look on his face.  It was an expression he couldn't figure out.  Juugo seemed pretty impassive for the most part, but he now had a look that seemed like understanding.  Kimimaru was standing next to him looking at his brother, they seemed to be agreeing on something.  Juugo's grip loosened, and Naruto didn't hesitate to run for it.  

"Get him!" Kidomaru shouted.  Jirobo, Ukon, and Sukon chased after him.  Kidomaru glared at Juugo.  "Why did you let him go, you idiot?"

"My hands slipped.  He's a pretty strong kid."

"You lying sack of shit-!"  

Kimimaru stepped in front of Juugo and came face to face with Kidomaru. "You talk to my brother like that again and I'll break your face. Don't forget your place."  
Kidomaru stared as Kimimaru added with a smirk, "You ugly arachnid."

Naruto ran to the middle of the playground where Mujihi was making her rounds, watching the children on the playground.  She had seen the group messing around but didn't think anything of it.  She had not seen Naruto in the scuffle but, as she turned their direction again, she saw him running and being tackled by Jirobo who was considerably larger than him.  She was about to yell at them for playing too rough when she saw Ukon punch Naruto.  Her fists clenched.  She blew the whistle that hung around her neck.  It grabbed their attention and Sakon froze his fist in midair.  They got up to run away but the old woman knew how to get to a couple of punks.  

"Don't try and run away from me!  You spineless sacks of flesh!  I know who you are, so come here and take it like men!"  The boys stopped, knowing they were caught.  In a few quick strides, she was standing next to Naruto.  As he looked up at her, he was afraid.  She had yelled at him before but he never heard her yell like this.  She went from witch to demon in a split second.  Her anger wasn't directed at him, but a thick cloud surrounded her voice and spread fear to all who heard her shouts.  

The kids stopped.  They weren't about to be seen running away from the old woman in front of the entire playground.  They still had their pride to worry about.  She marched over to them, each step crushing the grass beneath her.  

"I've seen some pretty rotten things in my life.  You three," she yelled to Kidomaru and the others, "And the ones pulling the strings, are now among those cretins I've had the misfortune to come across."  Everything about her was sharp like a knife: her words, her glare, even her breathing.  "Three of you going after a kid half your size?  You think that's fun?  Or maybe it makes you feel empowered, but all I see are cowards with no backbone.  Then… THEN you have the audacity to chase after him and beat him down if FRONT OF ME.  It's nauseating.  You WILL be coming to my office and I promise you, your punishment will justly fit your crime."  She straightened her back and sneered at them as she looked down on them.  "GOT THAT?!"

Sukon, never one to be out done, replied, "Yeah, we got it Granny." He smirked, "You're upset that you don't know what really goes on when you aren't looking.  Whatever punishment we get, it's only the infestation of your own frustration."  

He had somehow reached past the wall of fire and iron and hit her core.  She didn't let on though.  Not a soul in the world could see the tiny glint of pain in her eyes but it was there.  Mujihi was silent but had a cool composure about her.  "Think you're big, huh?  I believe there is a thing called Karma.  I doubt your lack of scruples would allow you to even grasp the concept, but I can tell you, one day someone is going to come along and make you feel small.  I personally hope it's him."  She nodded her head in Naruto's direction.

Naruto watched her, dazed, until he heard someone running towards him.  It was Hashira.

Hashira bent down and helped Naruto up.  He could still stand, his gut hurt when he walked but he wasn't thinking about the pain.  She led him away, but he couldn't take his eyes off Mujihi's back.  He felt confused about his own feelings toward her.  She hated him.  He knew she did, but why did she defend him?  Naruto thought about it while they walked down he hall to the nurse's office.  He concluded that Mujihi hated him, but hated those kids more.  They also threatened her authority as a grown-up so she had to defend Naruto to defend her honor.  "Yeah," he thought, "That must be it…"  


Hashira opened the door to the nurse's office and sat him down on the chair next to the sink.  She had been quiet the whole time.  Naruto hadn't noticed at first but as he sat in the chair, he felt the unspoken anger expressed in the silence.  He would rather have her yell at him than endure her silence.    

"Naruto.  Do you remember promising me that you wouldn't get into any more fights?"

Naruto shrunk, "Yes…"

Hashira wouldn't meet his eyes as she checked his head for lumps.  "Do you understand the meaning of a promise?  Do you know how important that promise was to me?"

"But they started it.  I-"

She cut him off in a harsh voice, "Don't give me that excuse!"  Naruto lowered his head.  Maybe he did prefer the silence.

"I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to!  I-I tried to stay away from them!  They s-surrounded me…"  He was about to cry.  Hashira never got mad, especially not at Naruto.  He didn't ever want to disappoint her because she was the closest thing to a mother he had.  

She put a hand to her head and took a deep breath.  She met his eyes.  Her voice was back to her normal, calm voice again when she said, "No. You shouldn't be sorry.  I am the one who should be."  She put her hand through his hair.  "I know it wasn't your fault.  I am just upset."

"At me?"

"No.  At myself and at those boys."  She took a washcloth off the shelf and ran it under hot water.  She gently wiped the dirt off Naruto's face.  "I'm upset that I can't protect you on the playground.  I hate feeling like I can't do anything."  Naruto had begun realizing that grown-ups have about as much control over life as kids do, which isn't much.  "I shouldn't take it out on you.  You didn't rile them up this time did you?"

Naruto shook his head.  "But they were getting me for calling them names last week.  But I told them I didn't wanna fight!"

"Unfortunately, you've made some enemies.  They're probably going to try to come after you again.  So, just try to stay in Mujihi's view.  She's sure to be watching out for them now."  She gently swiped his scrapes with rubbing alcohol.  Naruto didn't flinch as much as he used to.  He was getting used to the sting.

"What if they try to get me at night?"   

"They're on the third floor.  So, they would have to get through Suzume-san and me.  And I'm pretty sure that they couldn't handle me.  I'm as tough as it gets."  She flexed her arm and growled, which made Naruto burst into laughter.  


Once his scrapes were cleaned up, she led him back to the kids' bedroom.  She talked to him along the way.

"You're an older brother now.  You've got to set a good example for Inari.  Now, this fight wasn't your fault, I know that, but it was the result of a bad choice you made before.  So, just try to stay out of their way, and try not to rile any other kids up."  Naruto nodded.  None of the other kids had come in the bedroom yet.  Naruto was happy about having a moment with Hashira to himself.  He dove in bed and quickly pulled the covers over his head.  She smirked at the playful child.  

"Where could Naruto be?"  The blanket shook with his quiet laughter.  She crept to the bed.  "I guess it's time to go on a FOX HUNT!"  She tickled Naruto and his cheerful giggles filled the room.  She stopped and Naruto peaked his head out of the covers, anticipating another bout of tickling but Hashira leaned over, kissing his head instead.  

"Get some rest, Naruto.  When you wake up, we'll go see Inari, alright?"

"Okay."  He wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her on the cheek. She wrapped hers around him to. "Hey Hashira?"

"Yes?" She stood up as he laid down.  

"Will Juugo and Kimimaru get in trouble too?"

"Yes.  Mujihi will punish them as she sees fit."

"Can you tell her not to?"

Hashira was completely taken back by his question. "What?  Why?"

"They didn't hurt me.  And Juugo let me escape."

"Well, as nice as that was, they still watched their friends hurt you."

"But I think they might be good…" He looked down as he fiddled with the corner of the blanket.  Hashira was amazed at how he could see the good in someone who was in the gang that beat him up.  

"Well, I'm sure they won't hold anything against you.  But I won't speak on their behalf.  I cannot forgive them quite so easily.  I don't have as kind a heart as you do."

"I think you have a very kind heart."  He looked at her with tenderness as he said this.  

"Thank you.  You're sweet."  She gave him another kiss.  "I love you."

"I love you, too."  Naruto pulled the covers up to his chin and nuzzled the pillow.
Other children began coming in.  Naruto's eyes were drooping.  He heard Hashira whispering, "I love you," to the other children as she tucked them in.  He fell asleep pretending that all of her words were meant for him.