Quiet

By: Song

Summary: Naruto isn't stupid. Just quiet.

Disclaimer: If it was mine, would I really be on fanfiction? Think about it.


Naruto isn't stupid, though he often acts so. He's quiet. Now as contradictory as the previous statement seems, its true. He can talk for hours, if not days (though no one has ever cared to test this) without saying anything of significant importance, whatsoever.

In all actuality he is very observant. He sees things other people, other children don't.

One of his first memories was walking down the street, and hearing the whispers, feeling the glares that followed him everywhere he went.

"Look momma! There's the k-"

"Shh! You know its forbidden!"

"Damn demon brat..."

"Shoulda killed him when we had the chance."

"Monster..."

"Better off dead..."

"Murderer..."

At first he had looked around, expecting to find some sort of ... thing behind him, but nothing ever was. As he was around three at the time, he didn't understand they were talking about him. The villagers would laugh at his confusion, remarking about how the mighty have fallen. But gradually, he realized the bitter truth. He started thinking and questioning- a dangerous pass time. It was only then when the villagers began to fear him. So they did what any man would do to something they didn't understand; make it understandable.

Children, especially blond-haired, blue eyed, whisker marred jinchuruiki named 'Naruto', were to be seen, not heard.

They could understand a naked, broken and bloody four year old.

They could not however, understand a bright eyed curious fox demon- but they could hear him. Thus enraging them.

So he shut up, which only made them angrier.

What could a four year old do to destroy the world?

Apparently a lot if he was a jinchuriki.

And so the problem re-arose, if he was quiet then he was abused, and if he spoke his mind, he was abused.

Naruto started talking again, but never really said anything. It took the better part of his lacking childhood to figure that trick out.

The villagers eventually calmed down, no longer feeling the constant need to 'make' him 'understandable.' Now it was only on special occasions and holidays.

He never really shut up after that. Even when he became a ninja, capable of protecting himself. Perhaps he forgot how to speak his thoughts. Perhaps he started to believe that he had no thoughts- like the villagers said.

Either way, he's still quiet- prattling on about ramen or other such nonsense.


Fin