The Warmth of Hot Chocolate

No matter how hard I tried, I was slipping further and further into depression.  After Naruto left to train with Jirya everyone seems to go their separate ways.  The village itself was finally starting to go back to normal from Orochimaru's assault, but missions were still pouring in.

So that meant everyone was on double assignment loads, which resulted in me not seeing anyone.

Whoever said being the freaken girl-from-the-other-reality-world- or whatever was so good?  For the first time in my life I felt useless and totally completely alone.  I hated myself for being so selfish, but at times I think too much and all these thoughts were swarming in the back of my mind.  

To keep busy I threw myself in work and study, but no matter whom I helped or how much I learned, emptiness filled me.  

The one job that helped me escape, even for a little while, was painting letters for shop windows.  My mind only thoughts of exact measurements, brush strokes, and different arrays of colors.  I used to have my life this way, exactly  measured out and fulfilling a purpose.  Brush strokes were little goals or jobs I set up for myself which came together toward larger goals.  O' and the colors!  How they used to fascinate me like learning new material!

In the back of my mind was, "You're alone, like always."  So, I worked especially hard to hide my feelings from the village.  Most days my body and mind came home worn to the point of exhaustion.

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Today I finally looked in the mirror.  My acne appeared to have gone away for the time being, bringing out the paleness in my skin.  For some reason that brought me up enough to doll myself up, only a little though.  Clear lipstick, mascara, and light eyeshadow was over doing it for me.  Then my attention came to a new sweater  kept in the back of my closet and deciding  to wear it I started to go out the door.

Some of the villagers said winter was coming and more then likely it would snow today.  Although I had seen snow, I have never witnesses the first snow of the season.  It was possible the idea of seeing snow was to blame for my mood, but in a way I had not felt in a long time.  The only item I was missing-hot chocolate.

Unfortunately the second I walked out the door to obtain my hot chocolate I quickly regretted it.  Couples seemed to crowd the streets hand and hand, families all huddled around one another, even friends were together.  I forced one foot in front of the other and started to walk forward.  Already late into the afternoon the temperature dropped and must have been around fifty degrees.

My feet for some reason lead me to the academy, peeking into the windows.  
When I first came to this world, I used to tease Shikamaru when he first started teaching classes and of course taunted Iruka.  At the time Naruto was my partner in crime and sometimes Lee if he was willing to take a break from training.  Then Sasuke left, and I became the girl from another world who had no chance in hell becoming a ninja.

I pressed my forehead to the class and signed, it was then I noticed the figure sitting at the desk in front of the classroom.  Iruka seemed to be going through a mountain of papers and for each paper he looked over his expression changed.  One paper seemed extremely disappointing while another put a tiny smile on his face.  The first time I had met Iruka I had asked him, “If I said you had a nice body, would you hold it against me?” and quickly added, “You are a tall glass of water I want to drink every drop of!!”

His reaction was priceless, and a nose bleed a mile long!  Turning around I decided to not bother him while he was grading.  Walking away I thought to myself, “Go back!  Maybe you could help or something!”

I replied to myself, rather bluntly, “No idea how to grade ninja quizzes!”

“But you wouldn’t be alone . . . ” A sharp pain in my heart hit me and I wanted to cry when Iruka called out behind me.

“Ling!” I turned to see he had come to the window and my heart skipped a few beats.

“Hia! I saw you were grading papers or something, but I didn’t want to bother you.” Secretly I was doing back flips in my head as I walked back toward him.

“Well I needed a break anyway.  So what are you up to?”
“Some of the villagers are saying it will snow today and I am in search of hot liquid to celebrate.”

“That’s right!  I almost forgot.” He smiled and started to scratch his nose . . . which I swear to gods is so freaken adorable!  He continued, “Um if you want why don’t you come help me sort out papers and well . . . I can make you some coffee.”  I could not help myself from grinning ear to ear.

“I’d like that, but do you have hot chocolate?”

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For an hour I helped Iruka sort out paper work and teased him for being a slacker.  During that time I felt, little by little, a part of me comes alive again.

“I am not a slacker!  I just had to finish other work before hand.” He pouted as we both made our way into the hallway.

“You know . . . you still amaze me.” I grinned and he looked confused.

“What?  How so?”

“You are so adorable!”

“Um..” His face was extremely red and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“So,” Iruka and I had made our way to what I guess to be the teacher lounge.  I started to pour the water into the pan and placed it on the stove to boil. “Do we have marshmallows too?  That would add to the awesomeness of the hot chocolate we will consume!”

“I believe so,” Iruka found the hot chocolate mix in one of the cabinets, “It’s been so long since I had hot chocolate.”

“What?  Why?  It is the drink of awesomeness in the winter time!”

“Because most of hot chocolate consumers are children, what other hot drinks are there for children?”

“Hot sakes...” I grinned, “Imagine a classroom full of midget drunks!”

“Ling!!”

“Just kidding!!”  Iruka poured in the mix into the boiling water and I started to stir. “I make sure to have hot chocolate at least...maybe fifty times or more a year.”

“Fifty?” He chuckled and raised an eyebrow.

“I live...lived in a place that doesn’t snow, and if the temperature reaches below fifty degrees are considered freezing.  This happens maybe...for about two to three months on and off.  The rest of the year is unbearable hot.  Hot chocolate is one of my top favorite drinks, but only perfect during the winter time.”

“I remember when my mother used to make hot chocolate,” He lowered his eyes, “Maybe that’s why I haven’t touched the stuff in ages.”

“Iruka,” I leaned sideways toward him and poked him in the cheek, “Well that just means we both have to make the perfect cups of hot chocolate!!  Shit, I forgot the milk!”

*********************************************

I found myself in the school balcony, hot chocolate at hand, looking up toward the sky.  Iruka had just set his cup down and took a seat next to me.

“You seemed really excited,” He chuckled again as he looked me over.

“Well I haven’t had a lot of exciting things to look forward to, so if it snows tonight it would really make my night!”  The tone of my voice was a bit sad and much forced enthusiasm.

“Ling,”

“Mm?”

“Have you been well?  It seems like forever since I saw you last.”

“Well I’ve been keeping busy here and there.  Really just to be a little more proactive then lazing around becoming a huge couch potato of doom, you know.  Like those people who need a fork lift to get out of their homes...a sad thing really.”

“I heard a few rumors that all you do is work.”

“I study a little, if you want I will recite the history of each ninja war, or maybe how this village came to be.”

“It must be hard,” I turned my attention from the sky to his face.  Sadness was painted across his face and he looked like someone took his cookie.

“Naw, I’m young, and I’ll get over it.  Besides, it is the only way I can feel like I’m not mooching off the village.”

“That’s not what I meant...I mean...you must feel lonely at times.”

“Yeah,” He caught me red handed, and I looked away embarrassed.  I felt his hand on my shoulder.

“Well..I just want you to know that you’re not alone...” When I looked back at his face, and he had his trademark goofy smile causing me to smile.

“Thank you..that means so much.” I started to sip on my hot chocolate, “Hey the hot chocolate is cool enough to drink!”

“Right,” He didn’t seem in too much of a hurry to grab his drink, instead he seemed frozen.  Almost as if he was thinking about what to say next.

“You know that I have found another reason I like you so much!” Taking another sip of my hot chocolate, I looked over at him mischievously.

“Yeah?” He was getting red again.  I swear a guy as adorable as he should be illegal.

“Well your eyes remind me of hot chocolate,” I locked eyes with his and grinning.

“What?”

“Hot chocolate has always been a favorite drink of mine because of the warmth I get inside after consumption.  Almost like an emotion that has been building up, but in a good way.  No matter what the situation, I always feel that way when you are around.”

“Really?” Now he was looking a little to the side scratching his cheek embarrassed.

“Really, really silly goose!” I started to poke his nose and laughed.  He looked back at me and took my nose poking hand in his. Slowly he started to lean toward me and I found myself leaning toward him.

“I should let you know why I like you..” He said, stopping a few inches from my face.

“Well I believe it would be wise to show me.  You know I’m more of a visual learner.” I could feel the warmth take over the emptiness I had been feeling as we both smiled.  Iruka pressed his lips to mine and put his free hand around my waist to pull me closer.  I could feel the freezing wind flow through the balcony bringing the first snow of the season, but the warmth building up inside my being was all I could concentrate on.

And the warmth of the hot chocolate.