"You were...so weird. You were seemingly random, not a bad person by any means but...still strange. I couldn't really get a handle on you. But...you were just so easy to relax around. It was strange. I never met someone who by sheer presence...could make someone relax. After a while, I began to want to be around you, seeking that soothing presence in order to ease my own pains. But it wasn't just your presence...your personality...it was just so lively and happy that...I couldn't help but laugh along with your antics." Mio admitted, releasing all of her pent up thoughts and emotions from the past weeks.
"...But along with those happy feelings, you also invoked something in me that helped me realize...just why I didn't reconnect with anyone after my parents died. It was because I was...afraid that they would leave me too...like my parents were taken away from me. I was afraid that you would as well. It was because of you...that I was eventually even able to connect with Maria...now I'm afraid that something will happen to her someday as well...I'm just...scared...Naruto."
She felt his grip on her grow tighter the farther she continued. Encouraging her. Holding her tight as she went on a roller coaster of emotions throughout her explanation.
"But no matter what, you were never worried. You always face whatever comes by...I see that now. From the stories you told me about the fallen angels, to your training session with me, to your own right now. To be perfectly honest...I'm jealous that you could do something like that. But...I wanted to thank you for all you've done. For letting me live life rather than just drift on in an empty existence. I still don't really have a goal or meaning in life...but...at least I can smile again."
She looked up to face the blond with a smile. Teary, messy, and thoroughly crooked because of the tears...
But true.
"…So thank you…thank you for giving me the chance to smile again."
Naruto said nothing for a moment. He just started to rub her back in comfort, and then slowly began to turn towards her face.
He smiled. "Of course. We're family right? That's what family is supposed to do."
Mio looked up at him..family...
Yeah...that sounded about right.
Even if they weren't connected by blood like a real pair of siblings...they were still family.
"...Yeah. Family." Mio said quietly, pushing her head into the blond's clothes. Feeling relieved that she got that out of her chest.
Naruto looked up into the sky as she did so, wondering...
...What would he do...when he had to go back to the Elemental Nations?
He had to go back...but this girl...
His eyes hardened. He had to tell her eventually, the truth.
He had to make her understand why.
But more importantly...
He had to find a way back to this world once he returned to his original world.
He wouldn't be leaving her behind...that was a promise.
It was morning again.
Naruto hated the morning even more than last time.
He had even less sleep than before.
Once more though, Mio knocked out shortly after their heart-to-heart. He supposed that stressful admissions could do that to a person.
Now that he thought about it...he received a lot of thanks yesterday. That was a fun bit of trivia...
Ah...his mind was wandering. Too tired.
He was beginning to nod off while Mio was in the shower, before something happened.
The shinobi blinked, as a magic circle appeared on the ground. A silver color...
He shrugged and went back to his happy place...on the table with his head tucked in-between his arms. A comfortable position whenever he wanted to sleep in class.
Then he heard someone step out of the circle, not that he cared...way too tired.
He heard that person walk up to him and poke him.
He hated that feeling, especially when he was nodding off. It always brought him back to life for a second.
That and Yuki always did that to him.
He glared up at the very pretty maid. "...What do you want?"
Not at all nonplussed at the rude question, the stoic maid spoke. "I'm looking for a teenaged girl named Rias Gremory, do you know where she is?"
The blond said nothing, not at all worried about why a maid was looking for his comrade or about why she spoke her name in such a strange way. She did say that no one un-authorized could enter the area right?
So she must have been authorized.
"...She'll probably wake up shortly. Just wait with me for a second." Naruto mumbled as he placed his head back into the comfortable crevice of his two folded arms.
The maid said nothing as she walked around him and sat down on another chair, seemingly taking his advice.
All was silent for a moment, before Mio came walking out of the shower with her pajamas. Not seeing the need to wear something else when in the presence of people she was growing comfortable with.
She saw the blond and was about to greet him...
Until she saw the downright beautiful maid sitting in a chair, seemingly gauging her as well as Naruto.
...She missed something important again?
She decided to just let it slide as she sat down next to Naruto, who was busy trying to fall asleep.
She poked him. "Hey Naruto...what's with the-"
"...Why do people feel the need to poke me all of the damn time." Naruto mumbled incoherently, trying to ignore everything the red-head said.
She sighed, he wasn't much help.
Then her fellow red-head appeared from her room, yawning comfortably. She had a really nice rest, she's been super relaxed by the rest yesterday. She was ready to get back to training.
She noticed Naruto and Mio sitting near each other and was about to greet them cheerfully.
Then she saw who else was there...and her good mood suddenly evaporated.
The maid noticed her as well.
"Ojou-sama...we need to talk."
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