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Prayer for Leaves

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o1. introduction:

It is after Tsunami has put away the leftovers from dinner, and the others have wandered off.

Naruto is still sitting at the window in the living room, watching the sun set. And when he turns to the stairs, the orange cast of lighting from outside strikes a glow about his face.

Inari is sneaking down to the kitchen, and he stops. He is thinking, has been thinking hard all day.

His hand grips the railing in support, for courage. He is afraid of his anger, he doesn't want to be angry.

"My name.." he starts, introducing himself this time.

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o2. love:

Naruto runs both hands through his hair, trying desperately to straighten the mess Kakashi's hand left. The memory of the jounin rubbing his head making his scalp itch.

He sees Inari standing in the doorway, casting longing looks to the outdoors and inching away from his mamma who is holding onto the boy's coat and pulling him back to her.

But Inari desperately wants to follow them, to be strong.

And his mamma kisses him hard, on each cheek, and hugs him to her.

Naruto is filled with something, like a slowly boiling kettle, but what he can not name.

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o3. light:

Inari is hiding behind the kitchen counter as the shinobi once again head for the woods to train.

He knows that they see him, but pretends that they don't, and holds his breath.

When they are all gone, Inari pulls from under his pants leg the kunari he had seen Naruto drop in the bushes by the door.

It was cutting shallow red lines into his ankle all this time, so Inari is careful when he holds the knife.

He turns it side to side, catching the morning sun. The reflecting light blinds him, and he sees.

He sees everything.

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o4. dark:

Inari wakes in the middle of the night, wrapped in sweat and his mother's blankets.

He wants water, a nice cold glass of it, and falls out of the bed in his haste.

He makes his way by touch alone, blind in the familar darkness of salt and humidity. Shadows in shadows.

At the end of the hallway is where the shinobi sleep. Where his father once slept, and his hand trails across the wood remembering.

Sitting against this door is Naruto, who smells of leaves and dirt, and who always will.

The scent is as heavy as the sea.

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o5. seeking solace:

Inari is standing on the bridge, holding a bundle of sandwhiches almost as big as he. And he is looking for Naruto, shifting the bag between his arms.

Naruto is walking away from the farthest edge, where the spray of water has soaked him to the bone. And the wind is blowing hard enough to make the puddles move. And Inari doesn't understand at all.

He is not watching the puddles like Naruto is. Not waiting, like Naruto is.

Inari is sorry, because Naruto himself is sorry. So he dares to ask.

Who was that boy, that boy named Haku?

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o6. break away:

The pack is almost too heavy for him, but Inari keeps filling the worn canvas up with clothes, his mother's knives, food.

This bag belonged to Kaiza once, and even now smells like the man. Of beer and fish, and late nights on the sea.

Inari knows he will be too slow to keep up, too slow to follow the shinobi back to Konoha. He knows his mother will cry, and his eyes tear up at this alone.

But he wants this chance, even if it's not a real chance at all.

Even if he gets lost along the way.

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