AN: This idea…Came from the most epic/calmevening ever.
The jingle of keys and loud clack of a door made not one, but two sleepy boys pop their heads from the enormous text books they had been dozing on.
A thump and crinkling of plastic bags made them more positive of the fact that, yes indeed, their older sister was home.
She, being the only one wide awake here, started opening the bags and taking out the required materials for the evening.
Tossing her (very large) purse onto the sofa in the living room, while quickly snatching away her phone, like a ninja, she made a quick pose as it made a dull blump and settled awkwardly on it's side.
She walked back into the kitchen and began pulling out the required ingredients for a time to catch up with her brothers.
"Boys, get yourselves down here right this moment!" No noise. Huffing in irritation, she put her hands on her hips and made another attempt.
"I spent my hard earned money on this so get yourselves down here right this moment!" Two chairs scuffed from upstairs and slow, hardly awake footsteps followed.
Groaning, she rolled her eyes. She had wanted this to be a surprise but… "It has food!" She huffed again and walked back to the kitchen when two pairs of very rapid footsteps followed the moment she pronounced 'food'.
Both of them were hoping it wouldn't be some silly dish that required four hours to make and five minutes to eat, leaving the three up till twoish.
She took a moment to observe her brothers sleepy states. One, Naruto had lead markings on his face and the hair on one side of his head was sticking up vertically. The Second, Menma, had a portion on his head that was flattened like a page and he was still awkwardly clutching his pencil.
"Are you guys letting those teachers inhale test scores out of you? Or do you really care?" She said with a flick of her hair.
"…" When they didn't reply, and looked at her with half awake faces, she made the 'fine' face and motioned for them to follow.
They could be so stubborn. It was like this family had a balance of awakeness. If one was more awake, it was agreed that they were sucking the awake from someone else. Naruko presumed that she had taken both of their 'awake'.
She was older than the two, by almost two years. In college, working evenings, all the fancy stressful jazz that comes with growing into an adult. She still lived at home with her parents and brothers, but the economy had forced her parents to work later as well as herself. Her brothers, she trusted were doing their homework and, by understanding of them, did do the astronomical amount of work the teachers placed on them.
She regretted not spending time with her brothers or parents, but she loved to cook little things. If she cooked bigger things, she would be up too late. This evening, she would cure that by doing something with them. It would only take a few moments, and they would get the fill in for those missed evenings of family video games.
When they walked into the kitchen, she made the two boys stand in front of the island and watch as she pulled out two things.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, and Cocoa. Naruto yawned.
"I had plans to sleep, Ice Cream won't let me sleep." Naruto said with a dismal yawn.
"Why…do…you…want. That?" Menma said hazily and slouched even more.
"Go get your mugs. I have mine." Naruko said and waved around a snowflake patterned mug. Both boys became mirrors of each other and walked at the exact same speed. Lifting their feet in the 'left, left, left, left, right, left-' formula. They both grabbed their identical snowman mugs and slouched-marched to the island.
"Now, go make your cocoa." She said with a mock-captain voice.
"Yes, Ms. Slave Driver." Menma said hollowly. They were perfect siblings when they were tired, they could share properly, work in the same environment without bickering, and in all, were neat-freaks whenever. She affirmed this when they came back with mugs filled with water.
"Ok, you guys can seriously stop this." Naruko said and watched the two pop up and regain their trademark personalities. Menma silently tore the cocoa package, while Naruto dramatically ripped the helpless package with over-done arm movements.
Despite her silent disagreement with them using the microwave at the same time, without a cover, they put them in and set the timer for one minute.
She realized it right before the mugs boiled over, that you were not supposed to heat the water after putting them in the microwave, on high, with the cocoa already stirred.
Nevertheless, she found that the mugs were heated and ready to be stirred. Menma mumbled something that sounded like "You made us wake up…" She ignored the statement and stirred the water for them, in fear of any other 'mishaps'.
She should've paid better attention.
She really loved her little brothers, but it was their double pranks on her un-awareness that made her reconsider.
She handed them the spoons with caution.
"Now, stir." She ordered firmly. "And only stir." She huffed and watched the shameless pranksters. Naruto always stirred a bit more violently than his brother…
The orangey lighting was always perfect for the moments like these. She nudged her way in between with her own, premade cocoa for demonstration. She opened the mushing ice cream and popped her spoon in.
"If you licked that…" Menma pointed with his own spoon.
"Nonsensical." She said and flipped out a desired portion of ice cream. "Do this." She said and popped the ice cream into the cocoa, it lightly sloshed as her brothers stared at it, attempting to understand.
"Wouldn't that be the opposite of why we drink the-"
"Be quiet." She said as the ice cream made the top of the liquid foamy. "Do it." She said and, because of their sleepy state, obeyed their loopy sister.
Menma placed a meager one scoop and Naruto desired a nice two and a half scooping.
A cozy silence oozed over the siblings as they poked at the floating blob of delicacy as it vanished under their noses.
She really wished her parents were here. Even if the siblings were the life and core of the house, it was just incomplete without them. Sighing, she bumped the blob of ice cream down an inch and stirred.
The sudden rift in the economy was having an effect on her brothers too. Naruto might've been loud, funny, obnoxious and someone who made everyone happy, but he was never complete without his parents.
Menma, as much as a tough boy he might be, he relied on his brother more than anyone else in the family circle, it was just something she knew. Menma looked up to his brother, more than father and mother.
She herself missed mom. Mom would often do a form of crafting on her free time, just something to keep her hands busy. They would talk. Talking about simple things made their relationship stronger and better fused.
Without the parents, it was just… broken.
"Alright, now drink up." She said and tilted the mug down. The boys obeyed and, as if a relaxing sleepiness crossed over her brothers, they downed the mug and practically fell asleep while leaning on the counter.
She sipped the last few amounts of liquid chocolate, a different kind of sweet covering the roof of her mouth. It was creamy. As much ice cream as she put in, the mint was just barely there.
As warm as it was, it didn't burn like it was supposed to.
Placing her mug down, she grabbed the shoulders of her brothers and made them lean on her hips. Naruto dug his way into the warmth and Menma just sighed.
Naruko frowned and pursed her lips. She had to be the best older sister and parent-figure while they were gone.
"Naruko…." Naruto said as he stilled.
"I miss mom and dad."
FIN
You guys seriously need to put some mint ice cream in your hot chocolate. It is HEAVEN.
Ok so, I didn't plan on making this a Family/Angst short but… I just wanted to write a short with her and our favorite boys.
The economy reference is all to America. I hate the economy here, it makes me want to puke.
Why do I suddenly love NaruNaru? NarutoxNaruto, NarutoxMenma, NarutoXNaruko?
Maybe because the only person you can really relate to is yourself in this world…..
DisUnNotClaimer: I don't claim any rights to BlueBell, knockoff brands of Ice Cream, Any of the Naruto franchise, I do not even want to own the economy, and I do not own the Swiss Miss cocoa/hot chocolate brand or materials.