The Sound of Nobody Watching

They called him loud.

They called him annoying.

They called him every name that made their lives feel lighter, like throwing shadows on a boy could stop the light bleeding through the cracks in his smile.

Naruto Uzumaki laughed when they insulted him.
He grinned when they shoved him.
He talked too loud, ran too fast, fell too hard.
He was everyone's favorite joke.

That was what they thought.

But in the silence of night, when the village dipped into a peaceful hush... Naruto never made a sound.

He didn't have to pretend in the dark.

Because no one was watching.