The Mask VS The Family
Summary: In an alternate universe, the young members of Team Seven are Anbu agents. With two of the agents married and with a child, circumstances have the two reconsider their paths to ensure a future for their newest addition.
The world around them was as quiet as it could be. Birds chirped. A breeze flew past the trees and branches, rustling the leaves. Squirrels jumped from limb to limb. To the unsuspecting traveler, they might have thought they were the only person in the area. Unbeknownst to them, shinobi sat on the branches high above and on the ground with the bushes. Even if they looked, they wouldn't see them. If they listened, one would think the lone person was going deaf for they didn't make a sound. They were trained by the best of the best. Even the loud obnoxious one, who watched the road below him remained silent.
"That contact of yours had better be right, Fox." He recalled Snake saying to him earlier.
"You doubt the spy system my Master had devised." Fox replied with a slight grin. Snake had turned to him.
"I do. He might be a good man, but his … hobby makes me question whether it was for this kind of work or his pursuits." Fox chuckled.
"Had to track that guy one way or another. This was one of the few options."
"And the others wasn't viable enough for you, Dickless?" Bird had piped up in the conversation. Snake almost laughed at Fox's ridiculous nickname. Fox would have retaliated but a hand on his arm had him bite his tongue as his third teammate walked past him. Snake silenced almost immediately and muttered about checking his equipment before heading out again. Bird merely looked up.
"Yes, Blossom?" he asked. Blossom smacked Bird up side his head and went back to join Fox's side. Fox chuckled a little.
"Insult him after the mission when I'm not around to cover Fox's ass. We have work to do."
"And when aren't you covering Fox's ass? It feels like you do it all the time whether you're behind closed doors or not." Snake let loose a snort, no doubt trying to control his amusement. Fox once again kept his mouth shut while Blossom turned around to look at Bird. And Bird pressed on.
"Actually, can you tell me if he does have a dick or not? I'm rather curious as to how you guys even,"
"That's enough Bird." Fox interrupted as he shouldered his bag. "As Blossom told you, insult me later, we've got a mission."
And thus they were here. Fox and Blossom sat side by side looking down at the road while Snake and Bird were on the ground.
"They're approaching the site soon." Blossom whispered to Fox. Fox nodded, shifting a little to get ready.
"Let's get this over and done with quickly so that we can go home." Fox communicated through the radio. No response, but that was typical.
Twenty armed assassins walked down the road with their cloaks covering their bodies and bags over their shoulders. They looked skilled, the Team wouldn't deny that. But numbers could imply insecurity. And with the kill rate of assassins going up in Konohagakure by their Anbu, today was only going to add to it.
Bird and Snake flanked the assassins quietly and started taking them out, utilizing thinner kunai for better maneuverability. Fox and Blossom waited as support, better off as powerhouses than being stealthy.
But by the time Bird reached his third person, a twig snapped underneath the target's boot, causing the band to turn around and see their dead colleagues as well as Bird and Snake taking care of the ones in their hands. Fox and Blossom reacted the moment they turned their heads, Blossom diving in with a charged fist behind them, causing the assassins to scatter like ants. Fox covered Blossom as one of the assassins attack her. A deft blow to the head knocked him out.
The assassins quickly regrouped and backed up with one another to eliminate the chance of a blind spot.
"Konoha's Anbu." One of the assassins said.
"I'm going to make this quick." Bird said as he stepped forward. "Surrender your arms and come with us quietly."
"And what makes you think we're assassins." One of them said. "We're innocent." Fox snorted.
"Our contact gave us information of a band of twenty men with weapons making way to Konohagakure of your description. And you fit it. So I'll repeat what my friend said here to reiterate the severity of the situation. Disarm and surrender. Otherwise you're helping us add up the body count for the amount of attempts on our Hokage's life."
The assassins looked amongst each other, one giving them a nod before breaking off by themselves, using smoke pellets to cover themselves. Fox and Blossom jumped backwards.
"They're splitting off!" Snake shouted. Fox groaned and crossed his fingers.
Ten shadow clones appeared as thirteen assassins went off in their directions.
"Track and capture!" Fox ordered as he followed one of them.
He didn't look back to see his Team run off in their directions, staying focused on his target and running between the trees, the landscape becoming a blur as he played the hunter. With the record the Team had, it would merely be another simple grab and more money in their pockets. That said, Fox would be lying if he said that he wouldn't have liked a bit of a challenge.
His target stumbled slightly, giving Fox the proper advantage of capturing him. Tackling him to the ground and reaching for a seal in his pocket. But the assassin wasn't ready to give up, as he rolled and kicked Fox in the gut, sending him stumbling backwards. Fox grunted before chuckling for a moment.
"Resistance? There's something I haven't seen in a while." The assassin got up and looked around his surroundings. Fox leapt forward and pinned his target down, nearing his face.
"No use, I've got you cornered. There's nothing you can do."
"Try me." The assassin said he pulled his hand away from Fox grip and punched Fox's face. The mask protected him from the majority of the blow, though it fractured the upper left quarter, sending Fox staggering as the mask had cut around his eye. He quickly pulled the shards away to prevent further damage, and looked back to the assailant, revealing his dark blue eye, framed in the bloody red cuts from the mask.
"Above the average assassin." Fox noted. "Think I jinxed myself by saying I wanted a challenge, but that being said, you don't have anywhere to turn to."
"Do you even know about my specialty?" the assassin asked. Fox shrugged.
"Honestly, I could give two shits. One way or another, I'm taking you out." Fox lunged forward with kunai out. The assassin's hands became a blur, stopping a second before Fox plunged the kunai into the body. The assassin died with no effort. The body becoming limp as the two tumbled into the ground. Smirking at the success of the kill, Fox blinked his eyes, his heart sinking into his stomach as he yelped and jumped backwards.
Blossom shook her head as she returned with her dead target. Angry that he had killed himself before she could extract information from him. She hoped that her teammates captured their targets alive unlike herself. Much to her surprise, as she rounded the tree, Bird and Snake had their targets in hand. Fox's clones held dead bodies, so there was hope to be had.
"Glad you two got them." Blossom said as she heaved her targets body off of her. Bird looked over to her. "Mine decided to commit suicide before I could grab hold of him."
"It would have helped. That said, good as we are, you and Fox are still getting used to the ropes. It wouldn't have been a total loss had all of them died. But information always help to keep handy."
"And what's taking Fox so long?" Snake asked. Blossom looked to Snake for a brief moment, then turned her head to the clones, counting nine of them, and counted again.
"That's odd," Blossom said as her hand fell to her side, quickly looking in the direction he went in. "Normally he would have been the first of us to be here right now." Bird followed Blossom's gaze, humming.
"Maybe he crossed the leader, who just happens to be a cut above the rest." Muttering could be heard by the caught assassins. Before Blossom or Bird could turn to them, Snake was already in front of them.
"So what's the muttering all about?" Snake asked. The assassins refused to speak. Blossom felt the inclination to talk some sense into them, though Bird held her back. Snake grabbed both of their throats and held them up high, earning a cry of surprise.
"Ah, you do produce sound." Snake noted. "Now, I could put you down and interrogate you without being too forceful. I can keep you up here and get a little louder. Or I can nail your hands and legs to a tree, and cut your skin until you give me the information I want and beg for mercy." The assassins started to panic, something that Blossom was sure Snake noticed.
"I think I could have gotten it out of them quicker than he did. Without being so morbid about it." Blossom muttered. Bird chuckled.
"That would be going too soft on them, don't you think? Nailing their body parts and not relieving them until they beg seems to be a common threat among us." Blossom sighed.
"I forgot who I was talking to."
"Please don't!" One of them cried out. The other turned to their partner, glaring at him. Snake noticed this.
"You're partner doesn't seem to be too happy about you decision. So I'll trade you off with my friend over there while I deal with the other one. I must warn you though. Bird is far worse than I am. Nailing you to a tree will seem like pleasure compared to what he could do to you. He's fond of making things … dickless if you catch my drift. So don't piss him off and start talking, or else you'll lose something far worse than your pride." Without much effort, Snake tossed the assassin over to Bird. Blossom caught him and set him on the ground. Snake walked away from them to interrogate the other.
"You were after the Hokage, am I correct?" Bird asked. The assassin nodded. "Who hired you?"
"A cloaked man." The man said. "He said that if the Hokage fell, so would Konohagakure."
"He's not far off," Bird admitted. "But there are other great Shinobi who are more than capable of taking care of the Village in Tsunade - Sama's place. It wouldn't have been successful."
"That wasn't the only target we were supposed to go after." Blossom walked off in the direction Fox went. One of his clones turned to her.
"Aren't you going to help out with the interrogation?" Blossom looked over.
"Snake and Bird know what they are doing. They don't need my help. But Fox might. I'm worried for his wellbeing." Without another glance, Blossom jumped forward in search of her missing teammate.
The assassin hissed in pain as Snake thrusted a kunai into the open palms of his hands, nailing them into the tree behind them.
"This could have been avoided you know." Snake said as he pulled out another kunai. The assassin looked at Snake for a moment before sighing.
"I'll talk." He said. Snake chuckled.
"Oh good, I was going to go and make you dickless." The assassin's heart stopped for a moment as Snake replaced the kunai into its spot. "So, on the subject of your ring leader. When my friends were discussing about how Fox might have gotten stuck with your leader there."
"That's who your friend went after." Snake nodded.
"Okay, so let's talk about how strong he is. Is he really strong? In what area? The works."
"He's a master of genjutsu." The assassin grunted as he adjusted in his spot. Snake hummed.
"I take it he's pretty damn good."
"If one was to get trapped under his spell, it's nearly impossible to break them out of it." Snake looked to the assassin.
"Then that would be a job for the Sharingan, now wouldn't it?" The assassin shook his head. Snake raised an eyebrow.
"It's a century old technique. He's the only one who has mastered it. It has been used against the Sharingan numerous times. To the point that the Uchiha had to search for it and destroy all traces of it." Snake was silent for a moment.
"Describe its capabilities." Snake demanded.
"It creates a nightmare from the victim's mind. It makes it seem lifelike, and it lasts so long as there is chakra in the victim's body. Everything the victim comes across becomes an antagonistic representation of their fears."
Snake was silent, the assassin hoping that he wouldn't ask any more questions. Before the assassin could ask to have the kunai removed, Snake knocked him out.
Blossom jumped branch from branch scouring the huddled landscape for her teammate. In a sense, she was concerned. But at the same time Fox was more than capable of handling himself. So she made her way at a somewhat leisurely pace. Eventually she spotted him off in the distance huddled over a dead body. Blossom sighed at the sight.
Annoyed that the assassin killed himself. Relieved that her friend was still okay.
She made her way to the ground and walked over to Fox.
"Hey idiot. Snake -" Blossom stopped mid-sentence when Fox had turned his head, noticing his mask had been broken near his right eye, but his revealing eye appearing to be in a daze. He stopped in her tracks and looked at him a moment longer.
"Are you alright?" Blossom asked. Fox got up and turned his body, and in his right hand Blossom noticed a kunai in his hand. Beneath her mask, she raised an eyebrow.
"How dare you kill her?" Fox said in a low voice. Blossom took a step back, surprised that Fox would talk to her in such a manner.
"Fox … what are you talking about?" Blossom asked as she started running the possibilities.
"My daughter. She was just a child. How dare you kill her!" Fox yelled that last sentence, and it caught Blossom off guard, losing her train of thought.
Our daughter? Did those guys know who we are? Or did that guy put Naruto in a daze?
"Fox," Blossom said calmly as she raised her hands slightly and neared her friend. "Remember where you are. You're on a mission with me, Bird, and Snake." But Fox didn't listen as he lunged forward with his kunai stretched out. Blossom quickly jumped backwards to avoid her teammate's attack.
"You'll pay for this!" Fox shouted as he charged again. Blossom grimaced as she fled into the looming branches to avoid Fox. But she was at the disadvantage. Fox was leagues above her in terms of speed and dexterity. He would cover more distance than she could. At the same time, she had no desire to inflict pain on him so that she can get assistance from Snake, who is the only shinobi capable of keeping Fox done. And if Fox was under a genjutsu, Snake would have the better luck getting him out of it.
Sure enough, Fox was at her heels and Blossom didn't know what to do. Until Snake rammed into Fox's side and knocked him down. Blossom exhaled her pent up breath and went to join Snake's side. But Bird arrived and stopped her from advancing.
"I've got to get through to him." Blossom said as she tried to push back Bird. Bird shook his head.
"Let Snake take care of it. He knows what's going on." Blossom growled in anger, but she stopped retaliating and watched Snake handle Fox.
For two shinobi that were on the same skill level, Fox didn't display the usual skill set he possessed when he sparred his teammate. He was more barbaric, swinging his fists, shouting over and over that Snake had killed his daughter. Blossom shivered with each mention of Fox's daughter. Their daughter.
Being in Anbu for several years had taken its toll on Blossom and Fox. For higher pay, both were willing to risk their lives for their Village. But they've had to keep their identities hidden. Ties to friends and family needed to be severed. Well … that was something that wasn't cut. The mask was supposed to protect the identity. But Blossom felt that the mask was a double edged sword. Her enemy may not know who they are. But when they did, it was paralyzing. She felt more exposed than she did as a Chunnin so many years ago. And for anyone to reveal such information.
But we knew the risks. Blossom thought dully as Snake cut the straps of Fox's bag and pulled it out of Fox's reach. We fell in love, and had our kid. Willingly we accepted the risks because we said it wouldn't be any more different if we were Jounin. And given his reputation, Anbu gave us a way to hide from the world. Yet ….
Snake unfolded two Fuma Shurikens, and he threw them at Fox. Fox attempted to intercept them, but he missed them and the shuriken proceeded to shred Fox's mask. Beneath the mask, Blossom saw the face of Naruto Uzumaki. And her heart skipped a beat when she saw his face. Exposed. Lips curled into a snarl. Eyes, one surrounded by cuts, furrowed forward at his target. Long, spiky blonde hair released from its confines.
Naruto reached out his arms and Snake sidestepped as Naruto crashed into the ground. Snake reached to the back of his head and pulled on the strap that kept his mask to his head. His mask fell to the ground and Blossom saw her best friends face; cold black eyes, thin lips, and short black hair tied in a ponytail. The face of Sasuke Uchiha as he blinked and his eyes changed color. Naruto rounded onto Sasuke, but Sasuke approached his friend with no fear, and stared at him straight in the eyes. Naruto froze in his spot, and they remained there for a few seconds before Naruto collapsed to the ground, not moving a muscle.
Sasuke exhaled and bent down to retrieve his mask, pulling it to his face and proceeded to strap it back on.
"You're aware of the risks you made, Snake?" Bird said as he walked up towards him. Snake turned to Bird.
"Did you have a better idea?" Snake questioned. Blossom hurried over to Naruto side and went to check his body for any signs of wounds. She was about to proceed with healing her teammate when Bird interrupted her.
"Not now, Blossom." Bird said. Blossom growled as she turned to him.
"He's hurt!" She said. Bird shrugged.
"Two identities were revealed today. Adding a third would get all of us booted from Anbu." Blossom was about to retort when Snake raised his hand.
"He's under two genjutsu now, Blossom. He won't be feeling any pain until he wakes up. For now, cover Fox's head and let's grab our two captives. We'll have the clones bury the rest while we head back to headquarters." Snake proceeded to grab the corpse while Bird placed a cloth over Naruto's face.
"Blossom, I'll let you have your moment and carry Fox. After all, you're the one who needs to cover his ass at all times." Blossom glared at Bird underneath her mask and had to restrain herself from knocking him out into oblivion (and getting reprimanded by Tsunade for injuring her teammates). Blosom picked up her teammate, and made her way back in the direction of the Village.
Lady Tsunade watched Sasuke as he worked to free Naruto from his genjutsu. When she had seen the four man team walk in with Naruto appearing lifeless, she knew there had been trouble. But she knew Naruto was in good hands. Sasuke would not give up on Naruto until he's brought him back. That said, Tsunade looked at the clock; nearing three in the afternoon, and she made her way to shake Sasuke so that he could rest.
"Lady Hokage." Tsunade turned to the door, seeing Bird standing in the doorway. She beckoned him in as she shook Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke turned his head to see Tsunade and his teammate standing.
"Get some sleep." Tsunade said simply. "You can continue then."
"If I may, my Lady." Sasuke said as he stood up. "I'm almost finished. I feel that I can continue with the process so that we can get Naruto back up sooner." Tsunade hummed as she thought about it, before sighing and nodding.
"Very well. One more hour." She said. Sasuke gave her the slightest trace of a smirk.
"Plenty of time." He proceeded to sit back in front of Naruto and stared at him once again. Tsunade proceeded to walk out of the room with Bird following her.
"You can take off the mask. We're secure in here." Tsunade said as she walked down the hallway.
"You never know when the enemy has infiltrated, Lady Hokage." Bird said. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"You trained our recent batch of Anbu, I'm confident in your teachings."
"Even if I was Danzo's former subordinate?" Bird said. Tsunade walked into the break room and proceeded to pour herself some water.
"Just take it off." She said as she proceeded to sit on the couch. Bird thought about it for a moment, then proceeded to take off his mask, revealing the pale face of Sai.
"I read the report." Tsunade said as she brought the cup to her lips and proceeded to drink her water. Sai stood in front of her straight as a board.
"Are you not satisfied with it, my Lady? I can write another one and have it on your desk by tomorrow." Tsunade shook her head.
"The report is fine, as always. No, it concerns your other teammates." Sai didn't flinch at all, not even raising an eyebrow.
"I assume that you want me to explain my opinion of them and their time in Anbu?" Sai questioned. Tsunade nodded.
"Let's just say I'm curious. Yes, you trained them. Yes, they've had plenty of years in the field. But it's not that. It's whether I should keep them on regardless of their training."
"You're talking about their newly formed family." Tsunade looked off to the side and took another sip.
"Not just Kireina. Just their lives in general. Naruto wants to be Hokage. He can't be that if he dies. Sakura just became a mother and still wishes to serve the Village as a kunoichi. But the problem with both of those things is that Anbu puts the two of them in constant danger."
"It wasn't an issue when they first started." Sai noted.
"And that was when they were seventeen. It's been eight years since they've been with us. When Naruto finally displayed the maturity needed for the assignments, and when Sakura displayed the necessary skills."
"There hadn't been any issues since they were brought on board either though." Sai said. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"So you're saying Naruto and Sakura haven't had any … intimate interactions with one another that would ultimately bring about this kind of thing?" Sai shook his head, unfazed.
"Can't call them intimate. They got close to one another off duty. The most they got intimate out in the open was the occasional kiss on the cheek." Tsunade hummed as she took another sip and leaned on the arm rest.
"So then it was after they got married and had Kireina." Tsunade muttered to herself. "Do you think that their recent addition may have caused a change in behaviors?"
"Of course." Sai said. "Perhaps a little more desperate to get home to see Kireina and spend as much time they can with her."
"Is Ino watching her today?" Tsunade noted with slight amusement that Sai looked down at his feet when she mentioned his girlfriend's name.
"Sakura's working. And Ino likes having her 'niece' over. Gives her something to do when she's tending to the shop." Tsunade chuckled as she sat up.
"Would it be best to have both of them removed from Anbu?" Tsunade asked. Sai thought about it.
"It's not my decision. And neither is it yours." Tsunade glared at Sai when he said that. Sai looked at her dead in the eye.
"I'm Hokage." Tsunade said. "And if I believe that removing them from the roster is for the better, then I will make that action." Sai nodded slightly.
"Of course. But I wouldn't doubt it if both of them will be thinking their career choices over soon. And right now, it's not detrimental to the Village, nor them. Kireina is not going to suffer without having both parents being around her."
"Give it some more time, and it will." Tsunade noted. Sai nodded.
"Of course. But as of now, it won't. I'm sure one of the two will realize their surroundings and make the proper choice."
"And if it doesn't?" Tsunade asked as she finished her water. Sai smiled.
"Then you get to use your authority and kick them out while beating them over the head for not getting it sooner." Tsunade laughed at the visual and proceeded to get up. As she went over to drop her cup into the trash, Sasuke walked into the room. Tsunade looked up. Sasuke allowed himself a small smile.
"I got him back."
Kireina Uzumaki was the cutest thing Ino had laid her eyes on. But Ino had concluded that babies just had that sort of charm to them that makes them cute to the eyes of many (and the fact that she is the child's godmother also has a factor).
Kireina is two and half months old. A blonde haired baby, perhaps a few shades darker than her father's own sunshine like hair. Her eyes were appearing to be of the bluish color, but the eyes seemed to be shaped like her mother's. Besides those few noticeable features, Kireina was as typical as a baby would get. Her 'Aunt' Ino currently had her on her lap while Ino was working on a few bouquets, one of which was for Sakura and Naruto as their anniversary was coming up soon. Kireina would watch with her mouth slightly agape as Ino worked. And once in a while Ino would entertain Kireina by making funny noises, facial expressions, and sporting a higher pitched tone than she would share with her friends. Actually, Sai had made fun of her for making said noises and using such a tone with the baby. Ino would proceed to slap him upside the head whenever he mentions it, which has Naruto scolding Ino that he didn't want his daughter learning to slap people for saying mean things to her.
Ino had been watching Kireina once again while the parents were out and about. Kireina had been picked up the previous night by a quiet Sakura before being dropped off that morning so that Sakura could go to work. Admittedly, while Ino liked spending time with her niece, she felt that both Sakura and Naruto were spending too much time working.
She was aware of their occupation, their close friends knew, which was why it was a surprise when Naruto and Sakura started dating, announced their engagement, and then had Kireina. It had never been clear to Ino why Sakura fell in love with Naruto. Maybe he had finally gotten through to her. Maybe she got over Sasuke. She had no clue, Sakura wasn't one to explain. Sai suspects that it had happened during a mission early on. Ino agreed, and noted that Sakura is happy whenever she was with Naruto. Otherwise, she doubts the two would even have had a kid.
"So what do you think, Kireina?" Ino said with a smile as she picked up the bouquet meant for the baby's parents. Kireina looked up briefly before she turned her attention towards something, reaching for a pencil that was nearby. Ino shifted the pencil farther away from the young girl, still holding that smile on her face. "I don't think you're ready for that yet, baby girl." She noticed that Kireina was still trying to reach for it, to which Ino silently noted her persistence.
"Gonna be like your daddy, huh?" Ino said as she brought the baby into her arms and proceeded to stand up. "You seem to be very quiet though, hard to imagine you like Naruto."
"In which, I can agree with you." Ino turned to the voice, and she saw Naruto standing in the doorway, a series of bandages circling his eye. His hair had been flattened out, looking damp as if he had taken a shower, wearing pants, sandals, and a windbreaker of the same color. The shirt underneath was white. Ino chuckled at Naruto's statement.
"She was trying to grab a pencil earlier. And even though I pushed it well away from her reach, she still wanted that pencil." Naruto walked up to Ino and reached out or his baby, to which Ino handed her off to him and watched Naruto kiss his daughter on the top of her head and rested her head on his shoulder. He lingered there for a moment with his eyes closed, and Ino noticed how tiresome he appeared.
"Has she been too much trouble?" Naruto asked. Ino shook her head as she walked over to the shelves where she had her flowers in the buckets.
"Nope. She's been a good girl to Auntie Ino. We had a lot of fun planting some buds for the garden and making the bouquets for the customers, Speaking of which, I have a gift for you and Sakura in honor of your first year."
"You didn't have to do that Ino." Naruto said as Ino pulled up some roses. "With what you do for Kireina, you don't need to give us flowers. I'll pay for them, I intended to get some anyway." Ino looked at Naruto.
"I want to Naruto. I know it's been busy with you guys since Kireina was born, and even before her. You and Sakura seem to always be on the go no matter what." Naruto sighed as he rubbed Kireina's head.
"It has been difficult. But we endure." Naruto said. Ino raised an eyebrow.
"And yet it seems to be taking a toll on you. And since we're on the topic, even Sakura. Have the two of you been getting enough sleep at night? No horsing around, right?"
"Ino!" Naruto sweat dropped. Ino chuckled as she winked at him as she went back to the counter.
"I'm kidding with you tough guy. With your guy's busy schedule and small apartment, I don't think it's even a possibility." Naruto rubbed the back of his head as he thought of the tiny apartment their family lives in. He and Sakura had gotten it because of the fact that they were working in Anbu and they really didn't need the space. Kireina was … a surprise. But they managed to make the apartment work for them. Granted, they didn't have friends come over now, but that was fine for Naruto and Sakura. They still had unopened boxes from when they moved into the apartment years ago.
"Do you know why Sakura was looking a little disheveled yesterday?" Ino asked. She noticed that Naruto had shifted his gaze towards the floor and back up.
"Uh, no. Might have been a tedious mission she had." Ino proceeded to arrange the flowers for Naruto.
"Weren't you on the same mission as she was?" she questioned. Naruto sighed.
"Nope." Ino huffed a little as a strand of hair came into her field of vision. She proceeded to push it away, and looked back to Naruto.
"Can't get anything from Sai. Not from Sakura. And here I was thinking you were my best bet." Naruto chuckled weakly.
"You needed to be there to see it." Ino could hear the false sense of amusement coming from Naruto's voice. And she knew that she really isn't supposed to know what Anbu do on their missions. True she could read Naruto's mind, but that invasion of privacy was reserved to people with targets on their back. Naruto is a friend, and she respected his privacy, no matter how curious she got.
"And there you go." Ino said as she handed Naruto the bouquet. Naruto smiled as he accepted them.
"Beautiful as always, Ino. And thanks again." Ino offered him a grin.
"No problem, Naruto. I'll go grab Kireina's things so that you can head back." Ino wandered her way into the back of the store where Kireina's things were. She proceeded to put them in the bag and walked back towards the counter, where Naruto had the bouquet on it as he waited for the bag. Ino handed Naruto the bag as he shouldered it and picked up the bouquet.
"Bye Kireina!" Ino said in her high pitched voice. "Auntie Ino will see you soon!" Kireina, who had her eyes closed, opened them slightly before she yawned and fell back asleep. Naruto laughed a little.
"And no matter how loud you get, you can't even wake this little one up." Ino raised her eyebrow.
"Oh, and you don't get loud?" Ino questioned. Naruto smiled.
"Of course not. See you later Ino." Naruto proceeded to walk out of the shop. Ino watched them go as they walked out of her sights. She then proceeded to walk back to the counter, noticing a paper laid out and a pencil on top of it. Ino sighed as she flipped over the paper and read it.
Left you the money in the register. No way in hell was I going to take advantage of your generosity. Thanks for all your help, Naruto.
Ino chuckled as she crumbled the paper and tossed it in the trash.
He might be loud sometimes, but he still proved to be unpredictable.
Naruto woke up slowly as he heard Kireina cry next to his bed. He to sit up from his bed and bring his legs over, stretching for a moment, looking at the digital clock next to his bed that read '1:00 A.M'. He got up, took two steps forward and Naruto was in front of the crib, catching his daughter's attention, to which her cries softened to whimpers. Naruto reached in and picked Kireina up and held her to his chest.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Naruto asked. At this point, Kireina was reaching out for Naruto's face, trying to grab hold of his cheeks, causing Naruto to chuckle lightly. He proceeded to walk into the kitchen, thinking that she might be hungry. He opened up the fridge and peered into it, spying one bottle of milk that Sakura had prepared for Kireina.
"Your mother is going to have to prepare some more bottles." Naruto noted as he put the cap on it. "You're one hungry little girl, aren't ya?" He brought the bottle to Kireina's mouth and she began to suck on it. He watched her for a few seconds before he brought his gaze elsewhere, thinking of making some ramen right after Kireina was finished.
"Wonder what your mom would think about moving to a new apartment." Naruto said. "One where you can get your own room. And maybe for any future siblings you might have." He thought about his future with his family with Sakura. How wonderful it could be. But … he also thought about his recent mission with his squad. The conversation he had with his two teammates and the Hokage about the situation and the concerns for his future. He could practically feel them underlining the fact that he is now a father, and he needed to get his priorities set straighter.
"Maybe it would be a good idea to resign." Naruto muttered as he proceeded to sit down in a chair.
He joined Anbu because he had been asked. Naruto's skills had advanced so far that Tsunade believed he was ready to take a step into something bigger. And considering he was a Chunnin prior to becoming Anbu, Naruto saw the pay raise as a plus. Not to mention he was actually going to do what he was trained to do. He was going to be a shinobi. And he was going to do his best to show that he is the top dog. He went under training, passed the trials and was given his mask. Best of all, he had been paired with Snake and Bird. It made the transition smooth. What made it smoother was the inclusion of Blossom, who had graduated the same day as Fox. Both were assigned with Snake and Bird and made a squad. As that squad, they were legendary among their ranks. Even to other Anbu factions from other Villages.
Missions he took on with little hassle, even somewhat reckless which his other members have scolded him for. But he cared little for their opinion. He was looking to protect and serve his Village. And he did his job.
Things with his female comrade was another case. Emotions and adrenaline ran high when they worked together. Both admitted their deepest secrets to one another. For those reasons, and how each complimented the other, they took a liking for one another. Feelings grew. Led to a marriage that surprised their friends. And right after that, the conception of their child. Naruto was so focused on ensuring that his family would have the best, he took on more missions just to ensure that. Then Kireina was born, to which Naruto and Sakura responded with great enthusiasm and affection for their newborn daughter. Sakura stayed with their child for another month so that the baby would be ready for seeing other people so that she could get back into the action. And she did. The next month and a half was flawless performance. Naruto fought with the same recklessness, and Sakura fell back into the groove of work.
He thought he was invincible. And how wrong he is. How arrogant is he to think of such.
"I could have killed our squad." Naruto said absentmindedly. He looked down to Kireina and saw that she was finished with her bottle and gently took it away from her. He got up from his spot and went over to the sink, depositing the bottle there. He went back to their room as he patted Kireina's back, noting she was falling back to sleep in no time flat. And by the time he reached the crib, she was out like a light.
"Sweet dreams, Kireina." Naruto whispered as he kissed her forehead and placed her in her bed. He straightened back up and walked back into the kitchen.
He made his instant ramen and went to sit at his tiny table, looking deeply into the styrofoam cup the noodles were cooked in.
My thoughts were in the wrong place after Kireina was born. Naruto thought as he broke his chopsticks and began to eat.
I was too focused on the idea that she should have everything in the case that either Sakura or I should die. I was too devoted to the idea of providing that it has blinded me to the point my recent actions could have meant Kireina's future would have been just like mine. I had become a workaholic.
Naruto stared at his ramen cup for a time. He thought back to his days as Anbu, and the recent times he had with his daughter and wife.
"I suppose Ino gave those to us?"
Naruto was woken from his gaze into the ramen cup that he didn't hear Sakura walk into the apartment. She stood there in a pink skirt and windbreaker with a yellow bag over her shoulder. Her hair was past her shoulder, she had dark bags under her eyes, and looked like she was ready to go to bed. Naruto redirected his attention to the flower filled vase he had put the flowers he had bought from Ino.
"Um, yeah. What are you doing home so early?" Sakura raised an eyebrow as she threw the bag into a chair and went over to the cabinet.
"I'm home on time, Naruto. I think the question is, why aren't you in bed?" Naruto raised his own eyebrow and turned his attention to the clock on the wall.
"What are you … oh great."
It was seven in the morning. Sakura proceeded to peer into Naruto's unfinished ramen cup, making a face.
"And you had ramen. You must be feeling back to your old self, aren't you?" Sakura asked as she brought a cup to her mouth, drinking from it. Naruto hummed as he went to go deposit the cold ramen into the trash.
"How was work?" Naruto asked as he proceeded to sit back down. Sakura closed the kitchen curtains and took off her windbreaker, revealing the Anbu attire underneath.
"Boring." She said simply as she untied the knot that held the skirt up, revealing the pants she wore with the uniform, bunching it up and throwing it into her bag. "Nothing to do. And with little sleep the other night, as Kireina was having a hard time falling asleep, made it all the more difficult." Naruto nodded as he leaned onto his table.
"Kireina woke up last night as well. But as soon as I got up, she stopped crying." Sakura snorted.
"Of course. Anything I do, it's not enough. But hand her off to you, and she's out like a light." Naruto sighed.
"I have trouble with her from time to time too. It's not green hills on my side of the fence." Sakura smirked as he went over and kissed Naruto on the cheek.
"They said it was going to be tough." Naruto reached up and kissed her.
"I know." Sakura went over to the sink and picked up the empty bottle Kireina had fed from a few hours previous.
"She goes through these like no tomorrow." She noted. "I wonder whom she gets it from." She proceeded to look at Naruto who merely smiled and raised his hands in defense.
"I'll be glad to take that claim." Naruto said. Sakura chuckled a little as she went to sit on Naruto's lap. Naruto resisted a groan, knowing that Sakura may take offense to it, but ignored it as she leaned into him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. They stayed there like that for a while, Naruto eventually wrapping his arms around her and leaning his head into her shoulder.
"I want more moments like this." Sakura muttered. Naruto thought about what he had been thinking about all night. Sighing as he nodded.
"So do I." He said as he shifted his head slightly to look at the kitchen, so damn tiny.
"Hey." Naruto said.
"Hm?"
"I'm … thinking about resigning from Anbu."
The kitchen was silent for a bit. Naruto waited for a response from her. He noticed that she didn't freeze when he said that. She adjusted her neck a little towards Naruto.
"Is it because of that last mission?" She asked. Naruto was silent as he formed his sentences.
"I guess that would be a good reason. How I held the potential of wiping out the squad. Of what would happen if I were to die. What would be if Kireina was left by herself? I guess that's what I've been thinking since I woke up. I've been devoted to my job, not giving a care for what kind of impact my death would have on our daughter. I guess you could say that I'm almost as bad as my Dad."
"The circumstances are much different," Sakura started as she lifted her head and rubbed her eyes. "Yes, you're too devoted to your job. But that doesn't necessarily make you a bad father. You and your Dad both continued to serve for the Village with the idea of protecting your loved ones. While I don't approve of his decision involving the Kyuubi, he had the utmost faith in you. And that's saying something given you were just born. Fate could have been different." Naruto scowled.
"Fate had nothing to do with me becoming who I am." Naruto said. Sakura nodded.
"Of course, you chose your path. And here you are with your family and your job. So you shouldn't worry too much that Kireina would be left alone should the two of us die. What happened to you won't happen to her. We'll make it so." Naruto hummed, leaning his head on her shoulder.
"You might be more comfortable with it Sakura," Naruto started off. "But I'm not. I want to be a good father. Maybe now is the time to switch over to another job while we still have the option and I'm aware of our surroundings. I think that with taking on a Team, I'll be ready to become Hokage right after. And then we won't have to worry about finances or anything like that." Sakura raised her hand and cupped Naruto's cheek, bringing her mouth closer to his ear.
"Money is not what makes a family strong." Sakura whispered softly. "It's the love and support we have for one another that makes the bond powerful." Naruto stared off into the closest corner of the kitchen, before finally nodding and relaxing a little.
"Will it sadden you if I resign?" Naruto asked. Sakura lifted her head and smiled.
"It that's what makes you happy Naruto, I'll be happy with it." Naruto smirked a little.
"Careful what you say." Naruto warned. "Because anything can come out of my mouth and I'll be reminded of those words. Such as me saying that Kireina would need some younger siblings to look after."
"And that's where we'll end the conversation." Sakura quickly got off Naruto's lap and went over to the cabinet with a scowl on her face. Naruto gave her a wicked smile as he got up and trailed her over. Sakura furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes.
"Kireina was just born a couple months ago," Sakura reminded her husband. "Are you really willing to have another crushed hand and series of tireless nights with another newborn so soon?" Naruto shrugged as he reached out for Sakura's waist and pulled her in.
"I wouldn't mind." Naruto said. Sakura huffed in annoyance.
"You're not the one carrying around the baby." Naruto kissed Sakura's forehead.
"You win then. We won't have any more kids." Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"Is that what I said, Mr. Literal?" She questioned. Naruto grinned.
"That's what you made it seem like. Unless you meant in a few years down the road." Sakura lightly smacked Naruto upside his head, causing him to flinch and rub the sore spot.
"No shit, genius." Sakura said as she wiggled out of his grip and walked towards their bedroom, loosening the straps on her chest piece.
"Can I join?" Naruto asked. Sakura stopped in the hallway, and turned around with a smirk on her face.
"Last I checked, we are married, idiot. What is mine is yours." She said. Naruto shrugged as he went to follow her.
Sakura made her way into the bathroom to change while Naruto checked on Kireina, noting that she was starting to stir in her sleep from the noise. He picked her up and noted the baby's diaper looked a little full than it was last time. Naruto sighed, noting that this was his least favorite part of having a child. He proceeded to take the child over to the changing table and started on the noxious task. Once Sakura had reappeared, Naruto had finished up with his task, and disposed of the soiled diaper into a nearby trashcan. Sakura reached out for her child and held her close to her arms.
"Mommy's missed you while at work." Sakura said to Kireina, who was looking at Sakura with sleepy eyes. Naruto chuckled.
"Maybe we all need some sleep." He noted. Sakura hummed as she proceeded to lay on their bed. Naruto glanced at Sakura, and realized what she was going to do. He went over to his dresser and pulled out some clothes, going into the bathroom.
"And where are you going?" Sakura called out.
"H.Q." Naruto said as he changed as quickly as he could.
"Are you doing it today?" She questioned. Naruto pulled his shirt over his head and walked right out.
"Just giving them proper notice." Naruto said as he left the bedroom and down the entranceway.
"Why don't you get some sleep first?" Sakura asked. Naruto slipped his feet into the sandals and reached for his windbreaker, slipping it on.
"Because I'm awake now! Don't worry, I'll be back in an hour." He didn't hear a response and proceeded to open the door.
"Fine, but don't disturb me when you come back, okay!"
"Got it! I'll be back shortly!"
Naruto walked out of his apartment and down the steps of the building. He glanced off to the side and noted that people were finally getting up to start their day. Naruto smiled a little.
What was the start of a new day, would also be the start of a new life.
Author's Note:
This was a one shot story that I had started back in July, was looked at, and not touched again until recently. It's just a story with Naruto characters facing the issue of work vs family. That's all I wanted to write about. Don't know what spurred me to finish it, but I'm glad I did.
If you enjoyed this one shot, great! If not, I hope to improve on the next one.
Until next time, see