11) how would you wear your headband?

I have no idea- I think I would put my own headband on my forehead. Cause if I were in Naruto AU, I would have my hair in a bun, but keep my longest front hair out. Like Haku! Except not that long.

Has no one thought that sometimes their hair might get in the way while they fight? I don't know how they do it.

How would you guys do it?

Dedicated to

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Ninja Academy Promotion.

Every parent was happy to see their kid(s) had passed. They were smiling and hugging one another, and congratulating the other families.

All except one.

There, in all the people, stood a young girl with h/c hair. She held her forehead protector close to her, standing next to her grandparents.

Her grandparents owned a small farm on the edge of Konoha, and sold many fruits and veggies to the locals near them for keep prices. Their landlord was very generous to them.

They were old, skin wrinkled and eyes shut that have seen many things in their lives. One of them was the many stares they were given. And despite Y/n's grandmother being blind, she could still hear as the families near them whispered to each other.

"The L/ns need to be banned from this place. How could they be out in the open after what they did many years ago to Konoha?"

"Don't forget about the kid over there...Naruto, right? What a monster."

Y/n looked up at her grandpa, her hand grabbing his worn out, dry hands. "Ojīchan, can I go to Naruto?" she asked him, who looked down at his only grandchild. He nodded, releasing her hand and giving her a gentle push towards him.

You were one of Naruto's only friends.

Naruto was swinging very little, keeping his head down as he was listening in on what people were saying. But the crunch of a fallen leaf near him made him lift his head up, looking into the kind eyes in front of him.

_____________________________

"If only Naruto was back home~!" you whined to yourself softly.

It was late at night. The street lights shined softly on the street as you carried groceries.

After all these years, you've watched Naruto go from outcast to hero. You've watched his tears dry up to the way his lips would go up to a smile.

But while you were staring at him, you barely made improvement in your social ranking. In fact, the older you got, the more of an outcast you were.

As someone walked past you, you accidentally bumped shoulders with someone. They looked at you with disgust as you turned around. "Gomen.." you said, bowing to him. He snickered, glaring at you.

"Huh- bet you had to say that to all the starved families when your family became selfish and only grew the produce for themselves!"

This didn't shock you, your dull and tired eyes watching the man walk away.

I don't know how Naruto dealt with this, you thought to yourself as you began to walk again. "Ne, he's been gone for two years! Dealing with this is so hard with out him by my side...." you said out loud.

He's been there by my side to face all those families when we were broke and need to provide for ourselves. Being alone, to face this all, is sometimes hard to deal with....please come back soon, Naruto.

With tension growing with the Akatsuki, villages have been relying on resources more than ever. Rumors of villages being destroyed, people dying left and right, startled the citizens. Therefore, they were stocking up on anything they could, sometimes being hostile.

Finally seeing the tiny one story, traditional Japanese house, your arms' soreness from holding the bags became stronger. But as you got there, you noticed a young woman holding a baby close to her at the front door, yelling to your grandparents.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE NO VEGETABLES IN STOCK FOR PUBLIC? DON'T YOU SEE I HAVE A CHILD TO FEED?"

Your grandpa stood in front of your grandma, frowning at the woman. "Gomen...our crops have not had a successful year. We barely have anything to feed ourselves. There are other good produce companies who sell theirs in the market..."

"No wonder you guys are so expensive- can't even handle a whole farm. Hm! I'll be buying from another farm now. SO DON'T COMPLAIN OR BEG YOUR ONLY INTERESTED CONSUMER BACK!"

The woman walked away, your feet pushing you to go faster.

"Are you guys okay?" you asked your grandparents, their baggy eyes' closing with a large sigh in sync. Both of them looked up at you. "Ah, we're fine, child~. Go ahead and put the groceries in the fridge, will you?" your grandma said, touching your cheek with gentle touch.

Nodding, you watched them walk back to their rooms. Once they were gone, your eyes began to water, teeth clenching in a tight force.

They always make us the bad people....why can't they be forgiving to some old people and a mere child?

Looking down at the bags of groceries on the floor, you spat on one of the bags.

Not many how many times I spit on this bag, it doesn't compare to the amount of hate we get for something we can't control.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Morning.

You sat on your bed, reading a book on horticultural and proper treatment for plants. Today was your day off from your jonin Shinobi missions, so it was nice to stay home and help your grandparents.

The gentle breeze from the crack of your window tickled your hair and body. Your home was supposed to be your sanctuary, a place to feel safe. Sometimes it was hard to tell between home or a targeted site of angry and hungry people.

But for now, it felt like home.

A place to hide from all the horrid things the world has.

Suddenly there was a knock at your door. You were getting out your bed, feeling your gut sink. But the footsteps coming out from your bedroom meant that someone else was getting the door. As you silently got out your bedroom, walking towards the front door.

"Ah..yes, she's right in her bedroom..."

Feeling chills go down your spine, you took a deep breath as you braced yourself for another angry person.

Looking at the front door, your body froze.

Him.

"Is it alright for me to see her, dattebayo?" he was asking your grandpa, who turned around.

Naruto's blue ocean eyes looked over at you.

"Oh."

He stared at you in your comfortable clothes, and slightly messy hair as he held a small banquet of flowers.

Feeling the spike of tears in your eyes, you slowly walked towards him.

"Welcome back..Naruto!" you immediately said, speeding up and standing in front of him. "A-Ah, arigato!" he told you, giving you a closed eyes smile as his free hand scratched the back of his neck.

As he did so, your inpatient self immediately hugged him, wrapping your arms around your second sanctuary.

Opening his eyes, he glanced down at you before smiling a bit, wrapping his arms around you as well.

"It feels good to be back," Naruto said, laughing a bit.

"Don't be back to late," you heard your grandmother say in the background.

Both of you released the hug, looking at the two old people.

"Hai!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Who are those flowers for, Naruto?'

"Oh, these? They're for you, Ino's flower shop had them...A-And they reminded me of you!"

Walking next to him on the open street, feeling the glances and stares at you two. Your smile widened, taking them from his hand as he offered it to you. Bringing them to your nose slightly, you gave it a light sniff. "Thank you," you said, giggling as his face heated up.

"Huh, she's interested in that guy probably cause he's more financially stable. Tsk, might as well get married and move in with him so you can afford a new pair of shoes."

Clenching your fist, you watched Naruto stopped walking.

"Who...said that." he said, turning around. Two men drinking alcohol in the middle of the day outside the nearby bar met his eyes. Both of them looked away, and back to themselves.

Just as you felt the body of warmth move away from you, you grabbed his hand.

"Please, Naruto, it's not worth it." you told him, hiding the pain you felt from those words. Naruto's glare softened, his body hesitantly staying by your side.

Continuing your walk, you didn't realize he held onto your hand.

"Y/n does not need new shoes. She doesn't need a husband, or someone to lean on. All her life...and her family....has held this weight of being outcasts their whole life. She's a strong woman! Forgive me for saying the truth, just how you all should forgive their past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes we have to take care of ourselves before others. Right, Button?"

He meet your eyes, your cheeks burning in red as you felt your heart racing. "B-Button?" you whispered, raising an eyebrow.

"Mhm, cute as button, but keeps itself together!"

Continuing to walk around, you looked down at you intertwined hands. "Thank you...Naruto. You didn't have to say that."

Stopping the two of you at a shady area of a building he squeezed your hand.

"I did. I used to be in the same boat as you, dattebayo. It hurts me to see someone I like a lot to deal with it. I was tired of it. So let me say it again if you didn't hear me before: everyone makes mistakes."

"Naruto.." you repeated his name, whispering it softly as your free hand touched his cheek in a light force. "I love you so much."

Both of you leaned forwards, touching lips for a quick second before he parted it.

"I love you too, dattebayo!" he exclaimed, hugging you close to him tightly. Both of you laughed, keeping each other close.

"I forgive you too, ya know." you told him.

He paused.

"Eh?!" Naruto said.

"If you forgot...you left me alone for two years with no one to really hang out with..." you said, glaring up at him.

"O-Oh..woops!" Naruto said, laughing again.

Pouting, you crossed your arms over your chest.

"You didn't even tell me!" you exclaimed. "You're lucky I'm such a forgiving person!" you said, walking away.

"Hey, Hey! I said I was sorry~!"