A Woman's Touch
Author's Note: I got a request for a Sasuke x Kurenai story and decided to grant it. Sasuke is 19 and I slightly adjusted Kurenai's age. In this story, she'll be 25. Some parts of this tale line up with cannon and some parts will diverge radically. I'm also slowly going back and adding scene breaks to this story. So if you see some chapters without them, you know why. If any of those things bother you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my fanfics.
Chapter 1
"Kurenai, I have called you here because I would like to assign you a very important mission. Due to the personal nature of this one, you are free to refuse it." Kakashi says.
Kurenai tilts her head to the side as she observes Kakashi. The silver haired ninja was now Hokage. She thought that was rather amusing. The man who wanted to be Hokage least was now in charge of their village.
Poor Shizune was going to have her hands full with keeping the CopyCat Ninja in line. It made her giggle to think of Kakashi sitting behind a desk all day and trying to find an excuse to get out of paperwork. He was a combat ninja. The administrative aspect of his new position likely bored him to tears.
"I understand. What is the mission, Lord Hokage?" She asks softly.
"Sasuke has just sent word that he intends to return to the village soon." Kakashi tells her.
Kurenai blinks. Whatever she had expected, it hadn't been that. After the war, the last Uchiha had decided to go on a Journey of Redemption. He had been gone for about two years now.
Occasionally, she would hear rumors about his various exploits. The Genjutsu Mistress had no idea what was fact and what was fiction. She suspected that Sasuke wanted it that way. Perhaps on some level, he enjoyed keeping people guessing.
"You must be overjoyed. I know that he was once your student." She offers diplomatically.
"Don't get me wrong. I am happy that he's returning home, but I do have my concerns. There will be those in the village who will understandably be wary of him. Not everyone is as forgiving as Naruto. That and Sasuke is still grieving and dealing with his own issues. Those two factors could make for a potentially explosive combination." The masked ninja continues.
Kurenai pauses as she considers Kakashi's words. That was true. Though she had a hard time imagining that anyone would be foolish enough to pick a fight with Sasuke. The last Uchiha and Naruto were now so powerful that they had essentially become almost godlike figures in the ninja world. It would be potentially suicidal to provoke him and everyone knew it.
"I can understand why such an equation would make you wary, but I wouldn't worry too much. Only the most foolish of fools would actually provoke him." The ruby eyed woman offers.
"That's true. I don't expect that anyone will challenge him to combat or say anything to him directly. I do expect there will be a great deal of whispering, staring, and dirty looks though. Such things, do have an impact. Unfortunately, Sasuke's mind is likely not the most stable at the moment. I wouldn't be shocked, if he was suffering from undiagnosed PTSD." The other ninja explains.
Now that Kakashi mentioned it, that was more likely than not. As far as Kurenai could tell, Sasuke had never received any therapy after the Massacre. That and to make matters worse, he had been sent back to his District afterwards. He had lived in the same house where his parents were murdered for almost six years after their death. That was bound to have an impact on anyone.
In hindsight, his defection wasn't shocking. It had been tragically predictable. He wanted to avenge his family and someone was offering him a way to achieve that.
He must have felt as if he was a standstill in the Leaf Village. Perhaps the entire tragic affair could have been avoided, but she supposed that didn't really matter at the moment. One couldn't change the past.
"I can certainly see why you would believe that. Though I must admit, I am confused. What does any of this have to do with me?" She inquires.
"Realistically, you are the closest thing to a neutral party that I can find in this village. You're also a Jonin and formidable in your own right. Sasuke respects strength. I believe that he might benefit from your guidance as he makes his transition back into the Leaf." Kakashi says.
She blinks. Had Kakashi just said what she thought he said? He wanted her to babysit Sasuke Uchiha?
"I suppose that's all accurate enough, but I don't think that Sasuke would respond well to my "guidance," as you call it." She points out.
"Perhaps not, but may I speak frankly?" The CopyCat Ninja replies.
"Of course." Kurenai says, not at all certain where Kakashi was going with this.
Kakashi sighs and bites his lower lip as he considers the best way to explain his decision to her. It could easily be taken the wrong way. He had no wish to offend his colleague, but it looked like he would have to be blunt.
"Naruto's approach clearly didn't work. I think that as a woman you may be better suited to help him adjust. A woman's touch is needed. He needs to form a bond with someone who he can have a conversation with that doesn't end up in fists flying." The Hokage replies as tactfully as he could.
Kurenai blinks. She wasn't entirely sure how to take that. Kakashi had a point about fists. Sasuke really did need to establish some healthier bonds. Naruot and Sasuke were inseparable, but there was no denying their relationship was an explosive one. He needed "normal friends."
That and you are a mother. I believe that gives you a certain skill set that many of our active duty ninjas don't possess. Sasuke's highly intelligent, but his emotional growth was severely stunted by the Massacre. He's obviously a man now, but in some ways he really is a very hurt child." He continues.
The Genjutsu Mistress sighs. She couldn't argue with that either. She still didn't think that this was a very good idea, but she wasn't going to let the Hokage down.
"Alright. I'll take the mission. What do you want me to do exactly?" She asks.
"I've told him that I'm going to send someone to live in the Uchiha District with him to help with the repairs. I want you to monitor his behavior. If you see anything concerning, tell me. Try to get him to open up, if you can. Be subtle about it. Sasuke is smart enough to realize when someone is probing. If that happens, he'll shut up tighter than a clam." Kakashi warns her.
"I'm not sure that I can live with him. Mirai is a toddler, Kakashi. You said it yourself, Sasuke isn't entirely mentally stable." She reminds him.
"Sasuke is prone to violence and rage, but it's always been a focused one. I've never known him to attack a child. I will also have ANBU surrounding the perimeter. In the worst case scenario, they would get you and Mirai to safety." The Hokage assures Kurenai.
Kurenai sighs and nods. Well when he put it like that, it seemed reasonably safe. That and it was probably the smarter move in the long run.
If Sasuke Uchiha ever decided he wanted to destroy the Leaf again, it wouldn't matter how far away they were from him. She and her daughter would likely get in the crossfire. This mission could be filed under the category of prevention.
"I'll do it." She says and Kakashi smiles.
"Thank you. I knew that I could count on you." He says cheerfully.
Meanwhile Sasuke had just arrived back in the Leaf Village. Thankfully, it was a couple hours after sunset. The streets weren't terribly busy. A fact that he was very grateful for.
The few stares and whispers that he was getting at the moment were bad enough. He had grown accustomed to them as he traveled, but that didn't mean they were ever something he WANTED to endure. Honestly, some days he considered becoming a hermit.
He could find a nice cave or mountain somewhere. Sasuke could live off the land. Maybe he'd find someone to restore his Clan with and then wait for old age to take him. It was a fairly tempting option, but he knew better than to act on that impulse.
He had caused a lot of people far too much pain to take the easy way out. One way or another, he was going to atone for his past mistakes or die trying. That meant that sooner or later, he had to face his demons.
"Bastard! You're back!" A blonde blur says as he tackle hugs Sasuke to the ground.
Sasuke twitches. Not only did he have to face his own demons, he had to face a Jinchuuriki. There were days when he truly wondered which was worse.
Naruto was his best friend though. The last Uchiha still couldn't understand why that was the case. He had hurt Naruto more than anyone else, but the Leaf Ninja had never given up on him. It didn't make any sense.
"Yeah. I'm back. I missed you too. Now get off me loser or else Hinata is probably going to start thinking that you like men more than women." Sasuke taunts him with a smirk.
"Wait. What?" Naruto asks in confusion.
Sasuke shakes his head. He honestly didn't know how someone who had trained under Kakashi and Jiraiya could be THAT naïve. Nevermind. It didn't matter.
"Forget it. I sent Kakashi a letter informing him that I was coming back fro good. I'm guessing that he told you. Did he tell Sakura as well?" Sasuke asks warily.
"Yeah. She knows. She's really excited to see you! We didn't expect you back for another couple of days though. So that's why she isn't with me." Naruto explains.
Sasuke mentally sighs. Great. Sakura knew. That meant that he was going to have to face her. That wasn't going to be pretty.
Other than Naruto, he had hurt Sakura the worst. He knew that she likely still believed that she was in love with him, but Sasuke knew the truth. Sakura wasn't in love with HIM. The medic was in love with some idealized version of him that she had dreamed up back in her Academy Days.
"It's probably just as well. I'm heading home. I need some sleep. It's been a long trip." Sasuke mutters.
Despite that, he had considered coming back and courting her. There were many people who were frightened of him now. That included a healthy dose of women. The women that weren't afraid of him were generally insane or stupid. At the very least, he couldn't call Sakura either of those things. That was something, right?
"Oh. Alright. Tomorrow, we can go out for ramen or something though! There's so much that I have to tell you!" Naruto says brightly.
Sakura probably would have accepted his proposal. He could have restored his Clan with her. Still that meant there was a slight possibility of pink haired sons and he just wasn't attracted to her. Sasuke had decided in the end that it would have been cruel to her, him, and potentially to their sons. (Hell it would have been cruel to their potential daughters as well. It was just hard to take a pink haired ninja seriously, regardless of gender.)
"Alright. We can go out for ramen, tomorrow." He says and Naruto grins.
He really wished that he could be Naruto. The blonde's world was a simple one. All he needed to feel better was for his friends to be near him and a few bowls of ramen. He envied the blonde for that fact.
"Great! I'll see you later! It's great to have you back!" Naruto says as he pats Sasuke on the back and heads off.
Sasuke sighs as he watches Naruto leave and he continues on towards the Uchiha District. Well what was left of it. During the attacks, it had been reduced mostly to rubble. Thankfully, Kakashi had ensured that at least his house had been restored.
That was a fact that he was very grateful for. Sasuke really didn't want to have to book a room at a hotel or inn until he found a new home. That would just be awkward. The Uchiha District might be more of a cemetery than a home, but at least it was a private place.
"And privacy is something that I desperately need." Sasuke says as he walks into the District.
Collapsed buildings were everywhere. It looked as though nature had tried to reclaim the place. The grass and weeds in some places were up to his knees. Sasuke was certain that the tall grass was likely hiding a host of snakes and other wildlife.
That didn't bother him though. He was used to traveling, especially in the woods. He certainly wasn't the type to go running at the sight of a few mice, snakes, or other furry critters.
"I'm home." He whispers, after opening the door of his house.
To say the least, it was an unsettling feeling to be back. In a way, he had come full circle. Once, he had been an innocent child and had said those very words at this very spot. Now, he was a man and far from innocent. The words hadn't changed though.
Why he announced his return, he wasn't entirely certain. No one else was here. On second thought, he knew why. It was foolish, but some small part of him half hoped that the District was really haunted. Maybe his family could still hear him.
"Itachi was right. I really am his foolish little brother." He mutters as he heads inside.
A few minutes later, he finds his bedroom and lays down. It didn't take him long to fall asleep. He was home. Sasuke would have to deal with the consequences of that in the morning. For now, he just desperately needed some sleep.
The morning came all too soon. Sasuke was awoken by a knock on his door. Frowning, he gets up and goes to answer it.
"Good morning." Kurenai says, after he opens the door.
Sasuke blinks. What was Kurenai doing here? Then he mentally smacks himself for that question. Kakashi must have assigned her to help with the rebuilding.
That's when he noticed she wasn't alone. There was a small child with her. She was probably around two and she had Kurenai's eyes. Her daughter.
"Good morning. Kakashi sent you to help me with reconstruction?" Sasuke asks.
"Mhm. I hope you don't mind. It's just easier if I live with you. If it bothers you, I'll just go back to my home and travel back and forth. Mirai would be staying, if I do though. She's my daughter." She explains.
Kurenai wanted to live with him. Not only that, she wanted her young child to live with them. Sasuke blinks. He didn't know what he had been expecting when Kakashi said that he'd send someone to help him with reconstruction, but this wasn't it.
"I know she's your daughter. Anyone could tell that just be looking at her. She has your eyes. That's fine. My house might be the only one standing, but there's more than enough room for the three of us." Sasuke says.
"Thank you." Kurenai says with a smile.
"Hi!" Mirai says brightly at Sasuke as she toddles over to get a closer look at this new person.
Sasuke blinks. He was used to people looking at him with fear, anger, or maybe awe. Mirai was looking at him with what he could only describe as a joyful curiosity.
Had he ever been THAT innocent? Maybe he had. Once upon a time, before that horrible night. He might have been like her.
"Come on, Mirai. Let's help you and your mother get settled in. You're going to be staying here for awhile." Sasuke tells her.
"Pick room?" She asks innocently and Sasuke nods.
That was all he needed to say. Mirai scrambles off at a surprisingly fast pace for a two year old. Sasuke blinks. That kid might actually be faster than Lee.
"I know. She's fast." Kurenai observes in amusement.
"Very. Probably a Taijutsu Specialist in the making." Sasuke observes.
"Maybe. I guess we'll see. You really don't mind us staying with you?" The ruby eyed woman inquires.
Sasuke shakes his head. He didn't expect that he'd be sharing his home with a young mother and a child this soon, but he didn't mind. It was actually something of a relief not to be alone.
Kurenai was the closest thing to a neutral party that existed in this village. His actions hadn't directly impacted her. His decisions hadn't cut her the way they had his teammates or even the other Rookies. He didn't feel as guilty around her as he did the others.
"Doesn't bother me." Sasuke assures her.
He didn't have any experience with small children. Sasuke wanted to restore his Clan one day though. So he figured in a way this could be considered practice. Thus he didn't have an issue with Mirai being there either.
"Good. Well I'm going to go make sure that Mirai hasn't destroyed your home yet. The Terrible Twos are not just a myth." The Genjutsu Mistress warns Sasuke as she heads off to find her daughter.
Sasuke shakes his head and takes a moment to admire the view. The last Uchiha hadn't thought about women much before. Rarely, did he spare anyone a first glance. Let alone a second glance.
Kurenai was different though. He had always considered the other ninja in a different league than most of the women in the Leaf Village. She was sane and intelligent. She was also a competent ninja. That and she was beautiful.
"Good to know." He calls out as Kurenai ducks into one of the rooms.
Most people would have said that he had a crush on her when he was a Genin. Sasuke wouldn't say that though. He just had a healthy appreciation for her beauty and skills. That was all.
He figured most people felt an attraction towards at least one of their teachers at some point or another. She hadn't even been his Sensei. It wasn't like he was ever going to actually act on it. It was harmless.
"I promised the loser that I would have ramen with him in the morning. I'll be back in a couple hours. Make yourselves comfortable." Sasuke says as he peeks into one of the rooms.
"Alright." Kurenai says with a smile.
Sasuke nods and heads off. Well if he had to have a "babysitter" Kurenai was a good choice. He could live with this. With that thought in mind, he continues on his journey towards the ramen shop.
Not surprisingly, Naruto was already there. Honestly, Sasuke didn't get what the blonde's fascination towards cheap noodles was. Whatever. It was probably a good idea to be seen out and about.
"Hey, Bastard!" Naruto says cheerfully.
"Hey, Loser." Sasuke says with a small smile.
To Naruto, apparently none of the horrors of the past few years had actually happened. When Sasuke was with the other ninja, he could almost pretend that he was still a Genin. He could almost delude himself into thinking that he had never left the Leaf. He could pretend that Itachi was still alive and that he hadn't done so many horrible things.
Unfortunately, the illusion never lasted long. Sooner or later, someone would give him a dirty look or someone would start whispering about him. That's when he would be snapped back into reality.
"So how was your first night back?" Naruto asks as he orders them some ramen.
"It was alright. I got a bit of a surprise this morning though. Apparently, Kurenai is going to help me with reconstruction and she brought her daughter along." Sasuke explains.
Naruto blinks. He hadn't seen that one coming. Still that was probably a good thing. Maybe having a baby around him would help Sasuke chill out.
Sasuke could be a bastard, but Naruto figured that he had a soft spot for kids. After all, the guy was obsessed with restoring his Clan. He had to like kids, right?
"Well that's cool. Kurenai Sensei is pretty awesome! Didn't realize she knew much about construction though." He muses.
"Me neither, but she's a Jonin. I'm sure she can figure out how to read blueprint and how to use a hammer." The last Uchiha reasons.
"Yeah. Good point. Anyway, there's so much that you have to catch up on. Ino and Sai are dating now!" Naruto says.
Sasuke tilts his head to the side as he considers this. That was mildly interesting. He half expected Ino would end up killing the eccentric artist though. Thanks to his ROOT training, the man knew nothing about social norms and Ino struck him as a very high-maintenance woman. That might not end well.
"How does that even work?" Sasuke asks.
"I'm not sure. I guess it does though. They've been going out for a few months now. Sai has really made a lot of progress on acting more normal. He still has the creepiest smile though!" Naruto exclaims and Sasuke just laughs.
The last Uchiha nods. He couldn't disagree with that. That was one creepy smile.
Back at the Uchiha District, Kurenai was unpacking. She smiles as she watches Mirai explore the house. She made sure to keep a close eyed on her though. Two year olds had a knack for getting into trouble, she muses.
She still couldn't believe that she was actually living with Sasuke Uchiha. Honestly, it surprised her that he was so willing to share his home with her. More than that though, the last Uchiha didn't seem to mind that she had brought Mirai along with her.
"That was certainly unexpected." She observes.
"Mommy! Picture!" Mirai says excitedly as she scrambles back to her mother and presents her with an old photo.
It was clearly a family portrait. Sasuke, Itachi, Mikoto, and Fugaku were in it. Sasuke must have been about five in the photo. He certainly favored his mother in looks, the Genjutsu Mistress thinks to herself.
He had been such a cute kid. It was hard to believe that innocent looking child with those adorable bubble eyes had grown up to be one of the most feared ninjas on the planet. What a difference a little over a decade could make.
"Who they?" Mirai asks innocently.
"Sasuke's family. Where did you find this? We should put it back. It might upset him, if he notices that it's missing." Kurenai explains to her daughter.
The two year old smiles and grabs Kurenai's hand. She swiftly leads her mother to one of the stands in the living room and has her place the portrait on the top. Well that was surprisingly easy.
"It back now." Mirai says proudly and the Leaf Ninja nods approvingly.
That was a relief. She didn't want to know what Sasuke might have done, if he found out his family portrait was missing. She couldn't blame him entirely for that part though. She was still extremely possessive of anything that she had that once belonged to Asuma. Grieving was hard.
"Good girl. Why don't we go to the kitchen and see if we can't make anything for dinner?" She asks and Mirai nods.
"Okay!" She says brightly and follows her mother into the ktichen.
Kakashi was right. Sasuke was likely suffering from PTSD. The man could certainly benefit from a normal bond. That and her mother had always said that the fastest way to a man's heart was through his stomach.
Hopefully, Sasuke would prove no exception. Naturally, her mother had a less innocent intention behind that old saying. Kurenai was just aiming for friendship.
"Do we have any tomatoes?" She asks.
Kakashi had told her that Sasuke liked them. It was generally the little things that made people the most happy. Kurenai imagined that it had been a long time since Sasuke had had a home cooked meal, prepared by someone who wasn't trying to poison him.
"Yes!" Mirai says as she tosses the tomatoes at her mother.
Kurenai sighs when one of them splatters all over her. She was going to have to change later. Oh well. That was just part of life when you had a two year old. It was just impossible to stay clean.