A/N: Wow, I really didn't expect this story to be as well-received as it was! Thank you all so much for giving this story such positive feedback (liking, following, reviewing, etc.). It truly makes me so happy that you all are enjoying my story so far! :)


Chapter 2: A New World

Being reborn in the world of Naruto meant a concept that was previously uncommon to that of my old world: chakra.

Chakra was something I have never truly known before or have been aware of, but in this world it may as well have come along with a gigantic billboard sign with neon lights and fireworks shooting out behind it that read: 'CHAKRA.'

Getting used to my own chakra was like getting used to a third arm or a third leg. After you get over the initial shock of holy crap what is this, you get pretty accustomed to it afterwards. My chakra sort of felt like how one would feel like after a satisfying meal; I just felt full. Not in the sense that I was going to explode, but rather in the sense that I was filled with something that I had been previously missing before. Which made sense because in my old world, chakra had been absent. If I really paid attention to it, I could feel the different layers but overall it made me feel warm and cool at the same time. The only thing I could relate it to would be a cool breeze on a warm summer day. It's that feeling, but all the time and it was actually pretty nice to be honest. Soon after I noticed my own chakra, I became aware of other's. It was quite interesting because for some reason, the chakra of others came to me in images.

Inoichi's chakra reminded me of a breeze weaving through grasslands. The 'breeze' aspect was very calming and serene, which was just like Inoichi's personality - or from what could be seen in the knowledge I gleaned from the anime. It was filled with life which was equivalent to how vibrant and lively, Inoichi could be. His tickling sessions were clear examples of that, I would know. I was one of his top two favorite victims to tickle, the other being Ino.

Aiko's chakra reminded me of a watering can. From the anime, it hinted that Ino's mother wasn't a ninja but her chakra said otherwise. In the Naruto world, chakra is used for everything which means that everyone uses it - ninja or not. Her chakra poured out in small amounts at a time, most likely to complete mundane tasks, but the spout on the watering can was large. I inferred that she probably made it to chunin, at the most, before retiring. This is because at one point in time, her chakra was used in larger amounts, most likely in battle to complete jutsus. The watering can was very accurate in depicting Aiko because she was a very thoughtful and caring woman. Her soft caresses and light kisses were something that occurred throughout the day multiple times. She really was a wonderful mother.

Ino's chakra, funnily enough, was something that reminded me of a meadow of flowers. She was sweet and was truly beautiful inside and out. Very colorful, which hinted at her independent and confident personality which would be sure to show more clearly as she grew up.

After being able to identify my family member's chakra in such a vivid way, I eventually came to the conclusion that I was some sort of chakra sensor. The news was met enthusiastically because the skill set would definitely come in handy in the years to come as a ninja. However, my celebration in my new-found, self-appointed gift soon revealed it's downside.

The Nine-Tailed Beast, Kurama, tended to put a damper on things.

The night of the Kyuubi attack was something I would never forget. I was sleeping peacefully, dreaming of a world filled with people I could no longer remember, when I suddenly woke up. You know that knot in your stomach, the one you get when you feel like something bad is gonna happen? Imagine that but it's spreaded so your entire body feels that way; this was my only warning. The chakra that attacked was terrifying as it was suffocating. It was something that settled over you like a net, ensnaring you and immobilizing you with its power. The feel of it was something I never wanted to feel ever again. It was filled with the kind of negative emotion that consumes souls. I felt it claw at my core, as if wanting to consume me too.

Fuck.

I know I wasn't the best at crying loudly, if my early months of life were anything to go by, but the Kyuubi made it near impossible. The weight of the chakra was so heavy, I could only let out deep breaths and cry silently in response. A majority of the tears were from the dark chakra in the air but part of it was because I knew what was happening. At this moment, Minato and Kushina were fighting their very last battle. Naruto was going to become the new jinchuuriki and would soon find himself an orphan. On top of losing his family, Naruto would also find himself being the village pariah and for the first portion of his life, he will know no love.

A gurgled cry tore through the air, jolting me out of my thoughts.

Ino was crying. She was able to get out choked sobs and the fact that I couldn't do anything to help her was frustrating in a way I never felt before. I really hated being helpless. Her chakra jumped out at me like a jack-in-the-box. I wasn't expecting it, but it was something that needed to be seen. Her chakra image began to change. The flowers began to close and retreat into budding forms and began to grow thorns. A pollen cloud began to lightly cover the meadow and I could only assume it was something akin to poison. I guess even babies have a defensive mechanism in chakra.

Suddenly I was being lifted into the air and the soothing whispers of Aiko filled my ears, "Don't worry. Kaa-chan is here, kaa-chan will protect you." Ino's cries became louder as Aiko picked her up and held the both of us in her arms. Her chakra was amazingly calm for someone in her situation. Aiko began to rock us back and forth, whispering sweetly in our ears and that is how Inoichi found us. Inoichi's chakra image had also changed. What used to be the sunny grassland was now anything but. The grassland had become eerily still, yet I watched as something crawled within the tall grasses. It gave me the impression of a predator stalking its prey, ready to lash out and attack at any given moment. The once bright weather was now cloudy and thunder could be heard in the distance. This must have been Inoichi's chakra when he was in shinobi mode. Of course I knew what Inoichi was capable of, but the change was still shocking. This was a new Inoichi.

Kurama's chakra was no longer as potent as it was before, though there were remnants still left in the air from him. Ino had fallen asleep shortly after Kurama disappeared but I was still wide awake. I had stopped crying long ago, but my eyes were misty. Poor Kushina and Minato...

Inoichi traded words with Aiko in hushed whispers before picking Ino up and walking away. He must have put her back in bed because I was in his arms the next moment, "Oh, Hoshito-kun." Inoichi whispered, his voice filled with concern and worry. A lot had happened that night and I was in a very emotional state, so the way he said my name was just enough to send me right back over the edge.

I don't know how long I cried, but all I do know is that Inoichi held me in his arms until I fell asleep.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

I figured turning one was a good time to start walking.

Ino and I had already passed the other milestones such as crawling and saying our first words. My first word had been tou-chan, which had delighted Inoichi so much that he managed to sneak me my first taste of a popsicle. Ino's first word was something that surprised all of us - me especially. We had been in the living room, us playing on the floor together, when she poked me in the side, "Ito!" She was giving me her signature smile, one that showed off her five pearly whites and made her eyes glow in happiness. She couldn't properly say my full name nor could she pronounce the 't' correctly - it sounded more like a 'th' sound.

It was utterly adorable.

Of course I couldn't leave her hanging, I mean what kind of twin brother would I be if I did that? I gave Ino my warmest smile and patted her cheek, "Ino!" The smile I got in answer was somehow even brighter than her earlier one. Yeah, Ino was definitely a cute kid.

We gradually began speaking more and the both of us could form broken sentences now. I like to attribute our vocabulary growth to Inoichi and Aiko. They talked to us daily and didn't hold back too terribly much with big words.

It had become sort of a routine thing in the Yamanaka household for Inoichi to give Ino and I an update of his day right before bedtime. Of course, he filtered out the really gory details but it was still interesting nonetheless. These were one of my favorite moments of the day. Neither of my parents really spoke to Ino and I in that high-pitched or slow baby talk way adults tended to do around babies. They spoke to us relatively normally - albeit a bit more simple but that was to be expected because we were babies after all. Inoichi's nightly talks was filled with the outside world and knowledge about Konoha and shinobi ways. I'm not sure if it was the way Inoichi cradled me in his arms or how he always had a gentle smile when he looked at me or the way his chakra would somehow reach out and wrap around mine in a protective hold, but I soon found myself falling into the category of a daddy's boy.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't picking favorites; Aiko was too good a mother to be placed as second favorite. During the day, Aiko would tell us mini stories or teach us life lessons. At first, I thought it was odd that she would be teaching us all this when we were so young. I mean, how would a baby ever be able to remember all this stuff? I soon found out that babies in the shinobi world developed differently than the ones in my world did. Of course, I was able to retain the information Aiko taught us but Ino surprised me when she was able to do so as well. It was maybe a couple days after Aiko gave us the sharing talk, when Ino let me play with her favorite stuffed animal: a bunny. The bunny was light brown in color with a baby pink nose, long ears, and a green bow around its neck. Ino never slept without it so it surprised me when she offered it to me one night before bedtime. I had blinked owlishly before accepting it with a grateful thank you.

Aiko was a positive influence in our lives and I loved her just as much as I did Inoichi, but the bond was a bit more different. With Inoichi, I don't know there was just something there. I could tell it was the same for Aiko and Ino, so I was glad that we all had something going for each of us.

Anyways, I digress, back to the whole walking thing.

I had taken it upon myself to reteach myself how to walk and help Ino as well. Our practice sessions would happen after we woke up from our afternoon naps, as that was the time where we were the most away from our parents' eyesight. I'd wake up, rub the sleep out of my eyes and sit up with a soft hum. Ino could sleep deeply when she wanted to, but at the sound of my hum she would wake up and smile as if that was all she had been waiting for. We would practice for maybe five minutes at a time before Aiko or Inoichi would find out that we were awake This happened over a series of weeks and when our day of birth finally arrived, we were ready.

The thing about having shinobi parents was that they were incredible at stealth. Usually they would take effort into making noise when around us but in the early morning hours, they tended to be quiet as to not wake us. By hearing and guesswork alone, I would never have been able to tell when they were up, but luckily their chakra gave away their locations. When asleep their chakra circulated in a gradual motion and when they woke, it seemed to go a bit faster. So on the morning of our first birthday, something I had been able to prepare for thoroughly as my parents liked to count down the days, we woke up and began our way to the living room where our parents were located.

It's showtime!

A few wobbly steps later, we were stumbling down the hallway to the living room giggling madly the entire way. Our practice sessions definitely pulled off! We burst into the room with our hands clasped together in a show of pure adorableness. I smiled brightly at the shocked faces of our parents: Aiko's mouth was open in surprise, her eyes sparkling in amusement while Inoichi's mouth was pulled back into a wide smile, a knowing gleam in his eyes. Dang it, they both knew what we had planned. Well, I guess that's what you get for having shinobi parents. Despite this new revelation, the plan was still a success! Together, Ino and I waddled over to where our parents were standing and were soon gathered up into their arms. I was being spun around by Aiko while Ino was being spun around by Inoichi.

"You two took your first steps on your first birthday," Aiko exclaimed excitedly once she stopped spinning me, "we are so very proud of you two." Her chakra washed over me in a warm caress, telling me of her emotions of pride and love. The smile on her face could have lit up the whole village from how bright it was.

"What a very special coincidence," Inoichi thought aloud and raised an eyebrow knowingly, "you didn't have anything to do with this, did you Hoshito-kun?"

I smiled brightly in answer to which Inoichi chuckled at, "That's my boy."

The comment caused warmth to fill my chest.

The birthday celebration went on without a hitch. The cake was a wonderful mix of vanilla and chocolate and resulted in Ino and I having to get a quick change of clothes. We really didn't hold back with that cake, with most of it ending up in our stomachs or on some part of our body. The presents were...interesting to say the least. I had been given a fake rubber kunai, a fairytale book about a ninja and prince, a rather cute plushie of a leaf, and a handful of clothes and other accessories. Ino had been given pretty much the same except her fairytale involved a princess turned ninja and she got a plushie of a flower instead of a leaf. The party involved mainly us and other Yamanaka clan members coming in and out of the house to give us birthday wishes. I wish I could say I remembered them all but the majority came around the time of cake and I was pretty busy then (inhaling as much as I could). The anime didn't really mention much of the other Yamanaka clan members so I really should have taken the opportunity to get to know them.

Oh well, next time.

The party was winding down and it was just the four of us in the house now. Ino and I were on the floor, vainly attempting to read our books (we were just looking at the pictures honestly) when there was a knock on the door. Inoichi got up to answer it, my eyes following after him curiously.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would arrive." Inoichi said in a teasing tone.

I wonder who it could be at the door?

"I apologize Inoichi-san," a boy's voice answered, "but there was an extra project at the academy that I had to complete."

Inoichi stepped back and the boy walked through. At first glance I didn't really recognize who it was, not that there were many Yamanaka individuals that I could distinguish. The boy had auburn orange hair pulled back into a short ponytail with bangs past his cheekbones framing his face. His hair looked like it had a bit of a fluffy quality to it, not really in volume but texture. Hmm, I wonder if it was soft? His eyes were a vivid shade of golden brown and he had small features. Staring at him, I got the nagging feeling that I should remember him. His chakra came to me in the form of a growing tree. It was pretty standard at first glance but upon closer inspection, I found it was no ordinary tree. The bark was a weird mixture of wood and metal, shifting between the two...no a more accurate description was that the wood was peeling away to reveal a metal surface underneath. The roots of the tree weaved in and out of the ground, rising to varying heights. As I glanced up, I noted how the trees' branches reached out in a wide expanse. The leaves were an interesting shade - because they weren't your standard green. It was actually blue, numerous shades in fact. The aura I got off of it was calm, though I could feel it's potential; just like the image of a tree, Fū would grow. And the end result was an image that had the potential to be breathtaking.

"Fū-kun!" Aiko said in a delighted tone, "I'm so glad you could make it. I hope that project wasn't anything too strenuous?"

Wait a second, Fū as in Fū Yamanaka!? The memories of what happened to him in the anime suddenly filled my mind - crystal clear. He was in Root, following under Danzō's leadership which would be the path that would ultimately lead to his demise. He would later fight a man named Ao who had a Byakugan obtained as a spoiler of the Third Shinobi World War. Fū would later be used as a sacrifice for the Reanimation jutsu and be used to resurrect Torune, a member of the Aburame clan. The now resurrected Torune would be under control of Orochimaru's right hand man, Kabuto, to be used as a pawn in the Fourth Shinobi World War. The information ran through my head in a concise and quick manner, lasting only a couple seconds.

Well, shit.

"Nothing I couldn't handle, Aiko-san." Fū gave her a proud smile.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Inoichi ruffled his hair in jest, "and we keep telling you that you don't have to use those honorifics around us, Fū."

It was quite odd seeing him here, so young and free. Knowing what would happen to him in the future...how truly little time he would have. Fū looked at my parents, a fond expression and a soft smile on his face. He definitely didn't resemble the cold soldier he would one day become while in Root. Could I possibly change his fate? Could I protect him from Danzō?

The thought of the man brought up all the dark deeds I know that he committed.

The man was one of the main instigators of the Uchiha massacre, pushing Itachi Uchiha to make the tragic decision of murdering nearly all of his clan members. Not to mention Danzō would later on steal the eyes of the said clan for his own use. His teachings would not only affect Fū, but countless others such as Sai and Shin as well. Danzō was someone who added to the darkness of the Naruto world and he was someone I had always loathed. His actions were self-justified because he viewed it as for the greater good of Konoha. This backwards and twisted view of means to an end was all the more that made the man a psychotic lunatic.

"And I keep telling you that I won't change the way I call you two, Inoichi-san," Fū's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "because you deserve the respect the honorific implies. Although, do know that all the familiarity and affection that would be known if I were to drop the honorific is included when I use it. I deeply-"

"Oh, you're so adorable Fū-kun!" Aiko gushed, interrupting him and rushing over to pinch his cheeks, "I hope my kids grow up to be as sweet and kind as you."

At the mention of 'kids,' Fū's eyes roamed over to where Ino and I lay on the floor. Ino was blissfully unaware of the new visitor, too engrossed by the beautiful array of colors in her fairytale book. I, on the other hand, was too interested in said visitor so that's how I ended up making eye contact with him. I'd like to say I was awkward and looked away in shyness when he caught myself staring at him, but that did not happen. Fū's eyes were captivating not only in color but in emotion as well; being on the receiving end of said gaze was similar to being a deer caught in headlights. I couldn't move under his penetrating gaze that analyzed all too much. It felt like I was under a microscope.

"So these are the twins?" Fū questioned, his tone light and eyes never leaving mine.

"These sure are!" Inoichi's voice filled with pride, "Ino-chan is the one reading the book. She's as adorable as they come and I can already tell she has a very independent streak in her. She's already picking out her favorite foods, which are all fruits by the way, and she absolutely adores all things plant life. Hoshito-kun is the one who's staring at you." Inoichi chuckled at this revelation but continued on, "He's the younger of the two by two-and-a-half minutes and is quite the affectionate one. He loves cuddling and being held, so don't be surprised if he never lets you go. He's very friendly with everyone and has a cute charm to him. Hoshito-kun loves books, especially fairytales, and particularly enjoys when we read to him."

Those...were very true facts.

Fū hummed in answer before walking over to where Ino and I were. It was almost intimidating, his eyes never left mine as he moved closer. I probably would have cried but his eyes held no malice towards me. If anything, it only held curiosity and was that...awe? Fū walked until he was standing right in front of us and by now, Ino's attention was on him - her book forgotten in favor of this new person. Fū crouched down to our level, his eyes flickered between the two of us, "They don't really look alike."

"Well of course," Aiko said gently, "they are only fraternal twins."

"Their hair colors are different and so are their eyes - they both have such stunning eyes." Fū observed.

Huh? I glanced over at Ino, her turning to look at me at the same time. In the back of my head I was amused, maybe it was a twin thing that made us be so in sync. But I was mainly focused on Ino's hair and eyes. I didn't know I had a different hair and eye color as Ino? I always assumed that we were pretty similar when it came to those things.

Hmm, I wonder what I looked like?

I was once again pulled out of my thoughts when I suddenly felt something poke my cheek. I blinked and focused my gaze at Fū whose lips were tilted upward in an amused smile, "Hello, Hoshito-kun. My name is Fū Yamanaka and it's a pleasure meeting you."

I didn't have much time to respond because he turned to Ino and repeated pretty much the same thing, "Hello Ino-chan. My name is Fū Yamanaka and it's very nice to meet you."

I blinked, turning to look at Ino for a second and sniffed when I met her gaze. She gave me a small smile in answer and together we turned back and said, "Fū!"

Oh, if only I had a camera. The expression on Fū's face was something that should be framed and put up everywhere. His mouth was open in an 'o' shape, his eyes were wide in shock, and the color of pink was quickly overtaking his cheeks. I'm pretty sure the poor boy even stopped breathing for a couple of seconds, but my worry didn't last long. Fū's mouth was quick to change into a an almost bashful, yet satisfied smile.

Inoichi and Aiko's laughter filled the room. "They're also very intelligent for their age," Aiko sang out to the flustered boy, "so they tend to catch onto things rather fast. They seem to really like you Fū-kun!"

"T-they said my name," Fū said in a quiet, disbelieving whisper, "they really said my name."

Inoichi walked over and ruffled the boy's hair once again, "They sure did. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship between the three of you."

I got up from my sitting position and waddled over to where Fū was and practically flung myself onto him. Fū caught me with ease and allowed me to play with the bangs framing his face. Yes, just as I assumed, it really was soft. Ino was quick to follow and soon joined me in Fū's arms, playing with his hair as well. Fū stared at me with wide eyes before it fell away into something like the expression I saw him use on my parents earlier. He turned to look at Ino to gaze at her in the same way.

Ino stayed in his arms for a couple more minutes before patting his cheek, "Fū, nice!"

Fū gave her a warm smile, "Thank you Ino-chan."

Ino gave her his signature smile and I swore I saw Fū melt. I couldn't really blame him though, Ino's signature smile was a deadly weapon and how she used it was lethal. I would have been more surprised if he hadn't melted. Ino wiggled out of his arms and went back to the book she was looking at earlier, flipping to a page with a princess in an extravagant ball gown. Ino squealed in excitement, before running to Aiko saying, "Pretty! Want it! Want it!"

Ino was already falling in love with fashion, I giggled.

Fū, who had previously been watching Ino, switched his attention to me and oh god. I'm not sure what it was, but just him staring at me that intently made me feel shy and so vulnerable. So I did what my instincts were screaming at me to do and cradled my face into his chest, my arms wrapping themselves around his torso. Ahh, yes, this would protect me from his gaze. Out of sight, out of mind.

Of course, this just wasn't how things worked.

Fū chuckled and poked my sides, tickling me a little and causing another giggle to escape my mouth, "Why, Hoshito-kun, you really are cuddly aren't you?"

My answer was to only snuggle my head against him. Okay so what if I was very affectionate? Was it so bad that I really liked the warmth of others? Or to be held? I was a perpetrator of being too cute, so sue me. Even in my past life I had been rather touchy with the ones I loved, it just so happened that that attribute...intensified when I arrived here.

I made an indignant sound when I felt arms reach under my armpits and hoist me up into the air. I blinked in shock when I realized that Fū had raised me up to eye level, a teasing gleam in his eyes, "Hoshito-kun, are you shy?"

Dang it! Those vivid eyes were staring into mine again and I had no escape! I could feel the heat rush into my face and I attempted to cover my cheeks, my head tucking to the side in a vain attempt to hide from his gaze. Fū chuckled and surprised me once again when he pulled me in for a hug. I eagerly wrapped my arms around him, tucking my face into his neck.

"You're quite lovable, you know that?" Fū whispered, "You both are too cute for your own good."

The comment caused a smile to come onto my face. As I sat there, Fū ran his hand through my hair softly while striking up a conversation with Inoichi. It was a very peaceful moment, but of course my mind had to fill with other things. Things of a very possible future, if I didn't change it.

The Fū that I knew of, had a future that was lonely and painful. His life in Root would be one of oppression and isolation. Although he did end up pretty close with Torune, there were still plenty of bad things he was forced to go through. It was all because of one man too: Danzō.

How could I possibly change Fū's fate? I was literally only one year old, if Danzō were to walk in now and whisk Fū away I would be powerless against him. Of course, Inoichi and Aiko would most likely put up a fight but that's besides the point. Danzō was a very powerful and influential man in Konoha and taking him down would be no easy task. An older and darker, Sasuke Uchiha would be one to attest to that fact. But maybe if I could somehow throw Danzō off of his track sooner...maybe take away some key players, change some key events, spread seeds of doubt...then maybe I could stop Danzō. The thought of Danzō brought on other thoughts such as Orochimaru, Kabuto, Tobi, Madara and countless others. There were many prominent 'bad guys' in the Naruto world and the task of stopping all of them was easier said than done.

Fū's laughter stirred me out of my reverie, his body shaking with the action. Inoichi was quick to join him in laughing and soon the house was filled with the peals of their laughter. I pulled away from Fū, just enough to see his expression but not entirely so that I was out of his embrace. Fū's mouth was pulled back in a wide smile and his eyes were closed from the effort of laughing. It was an expression of pure mirth and his chakra radiated his joy. Seeing him like this caused a lingering thought to solidify:

would Fū be someone I want to save too?

Sensing my gaze, Fū opened his eyes to stare into my own, his laughter slowly dwindling down. We stared at one another like that, our staring contest once again starting up, but this time I didn't feel as intimidated as before. Fū's eyes were as intense as ever, but it was almost masked by the warmth they held. I raised my left hand and placed it over Fū's chest, his heartbeat a steady rhythm against the palm of my hand.

"Hoshito-kun?" Fū questioned, a curious tilt to his tone.

I was quiet for a moment, letting myself be hypnotized by his beating heart. Fū was truly a good person - I could feel it (literally). How someone so good could ever turn out to be so bad was beyond me, especially when I was here to witness all the good Fū had to offer. I know I had only just gotten to get to know Fū and the list of people I wanted to help was already very long...but adding one more person wouldn't hurt.

I was already out to save people, so might as well save as many as I could, right?

"Fū…" my voice came out hushed but the tone was serious, something Fū recognized because his brows furrowed slightly. I could feel his chakra start to swirl and my eyes widened when emotions of worry and anxiousness washed over me, but they were not my own. Were these...Fū's emotions? As perplexed as I was, I couldn't wait to finish my sentence any longer cause the poor boy was practically sweating. The silence, which couldn't have been more than ten seconds, was enough for the boy's brows to furrow completely and the tips of his lips to curl downwards. Was he that worried about what I would say?

"Fū.." I patted my hand over his heart gently, giving him a warm smile, "Fū, good!"

The relief that washed over him was palpable. His once worried expression smoothed out into a brilliant smile, a light pink dusting his cheeks, "T-thank you, Hoshito-kun!"

Inoichi's chuckles once again resounded throughout the house. He walked over and ruffled Fū's hair for the thousandth time today, "Hoshito-kun sure had you worried there for a second, huh Fū?"

Fū looked at me, his gaze bewildered and there was that awed look again, "Do they do this with everyone?"

"Do what, exactly?" Aiko asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer. She was just wanting to see if Fū did.

Fū took a breath, almost as if he were re-centering himself, "Make you like them immediately?"

Inoichi and Aiko gave amused hums, urging Fū to continue, "I haven't even known the twins for a day and I already find myself caring a great deal for them. How did they do it? How are they so cute - it should be illegal to be this adorable! I mean come on, look at Ino!"

Fū pointed at Ino who was at the other side of the living room, reading her book to her flower plushie. But the thing was, she couldn't read, so there Ino was making up a story to read to her stuffed flower. I couldn't really make out all of what she was saying but my attention was on how Ino was reading the book: it was upside down.

Okay, that was pretty damn adorable.

"She is reading to a stuffed flower with the book upside down! If that isn't the cutest thing ever, then I don't know what is? And look at him," Fū gently picked me out of his embrace and stood me on the ground, facing my parents, "he's just as cute as she is."

His compliments plus all the attention that was on me, caused the heat to return to my face in full force. I smiled at them all, not knowing what else to do, while nervously twisted my hands in my shirt. Oh...their eyes were intense; time to hide! In my eagerness to get out of this situation, I rose the front of my shirt to hide my face from them. I know this wasn't the best plan, but it was the fastest solution I could come up with!

"Everything he does is endearing!" Fū's voice reached my ears, his tone exasperated but fond, "Not to mention how sweet he is, I mean he's always eager for a hug. You weren't kidding when you said he was affectionate."

By now, I was peeking over my shirt, staring at Fū as he spoke. I huffed a little in annoyance. I wasn't always eager for a hug. I know that I was very affectionate but there was a time and a place for everything and I-

was Fū stretching his arms open for a hug?

I like to blame the fact that I was a little cold, from having exposed my stomach, for my next actions. Yes, that's why I was in Fū's arms before they were fully outstretched and snuggling my head in the crook of his neck. Because I was cold and since Fū was warm, this was the only logical solution.

No, it didn't have to do anything with the fact that I liked being held.

"He's in my arms as soon as the hug is offered," Fū observed before wrapping his arms around me, "and that thing he did earlier? The whole put his hand on my heart and say my name all serious? The little munchkin had me so worried he was going to say he didn't like me - it was so nerve-wracking!"

It was silent for a couple of seconds, Fū had began running his hands through my hair again and my parents were simply staring at Fū - most likely processing all that he said.

"So what we're hearing is…" Inoichi gave Fū a kind smile, "you like them."

"Like is an understatement," Fū muttered, his arms tightening around me slightly, "more like love."

"Fū…!" AIko said in a shocked yet happy tone.

Wait, am I missing something here?

"I know, I'm just as surprised as you two are," Fū explained, a small incredulous laugh coming out of his mouth but it somehow didn't sound right, "ever since my parents passed away, people have been treating me differently. Everyone except you two and obaa-san, that is."

Fū…

The anime gave little background on Fū's character and his family so I just assumed he had a family but just chose to go down a dark path. But I guess the reality of the situation was different. Fū was a physical reminder that these people that I'm interacting with are not just characters I had watched in an anime. These were real life people now, with all the complexities that came along with it.

There was still more to this world and the people in it that I had yet to learn about.

"I know you two know how hard it is for me to let people into my life," Fū's voice was quiet, bordering on somber, "the two people I loved more than anything in the world were taken away from me. Tou-san...Kaa-san…"

Fū's chakra reached out to me. The tree's various blue-shaded leaves were turning pale and the peeling of the bark had stopped. The image flashed by briefly before it went away, leaving a hollow, striking feeling inside me. This...this was Fu's emotions once again, but it was something I recognized: loss and grief.

"Their losses made it hard to let others into my heart. I-I didn't want to lose anyone else again so that's why I...I couldn't let...I didn't want to-" Fū took in a shuddering breath and I hugged Fū a little harder.

He was crying.

My family members surrounded Fū, lending them their touches of comfort. Inoichi and Aiko had taken up either side of Fū, with one hand on each shoulder. Ino had come over when Fū's chakra image began to change and was now next to me hugging Fū. How she knew when to come was a question for a later time; right now, Fū needed us.

"But, these two," Fū's embrace became tighter, squeezing me and Ino closer together in his lap, "they managed to somehow worm their way into my heart and… I'm happy they did. They give me hope that in the future, I'll be able to let others into my heart as I had once easily done. That... I can recover from the loss of my parents."

Nobody said a word for a long time after Fū's heartful admission, choosing to remain silent and embracing one another.

If I wasn't for sure before, I was damn sure now.

Fū, you are someone I will save too.


A/N: Okay, so I originally planned just to introduce Fū and add some cute moments and then end the chapter there, but a little thing I like to call 'character depth' took control and made me give you all a sprinkle of the feels. I hope this wasn't too choppy or anything.

I'm sure you noticed that the suffixes are kind of everywhere in this chapter, so allow me to explain. This was intentional, and although I'm not too terribly familiar with the etiquette, I have a pretty good gist of it. Aiko's use of the suffix -kun for Fū is because he's still a kid and Aiko uses it with endearment. She drops the suffix in serious matters and Inoichi doesn't use a suffix for Fū to emphasize the comfort and familiarity of their bond. He wants Fū to be as welcome and comfortable as he can. Hoshito and Ino don't use the suffixes cause, I mean they just turned one. Fū uses honorifics all the time just because I think of him as being very polite. Throughout the story, the suffixes will most likely be all over the place but there will be reasoning behind it as can be seen here. I felt the need to explain myself here so I won't have to in the future. Just expect suffixes to come and go.

Anyways, Hoshito has decided to add one more person to the list of people he wants to save. I can tell you that Fū will not be the last, but what remains to be seen is who else will Hoshito deem 'needs to be saved?' Some people are probably obvious answers, but maybe I'll end up surprising you with some of the people Hoshito chooses.

A nice warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream for your thoughts?