Hey guys! Back again with another update! I finally managed to find a beta-reader for my stories so I hope the quality goes up! Which I believe it has actually. I'm wondering about the rating and whether I should lower the rating or keep it high. So keep an eye out because I may or may not do that, depending on how I'm feeling on where I want the story to go. Anyways I hope you all like the chapter!
On with the show!
Tinkling laughter filled his ears, disturbing his sleep. Snuggling his pillow in retaliation he furrowed his brows and tried to pull himself in further, attempting to silence the loud noise. Then warmth came and his body relaxed. A small smile made present on his face to which he felt something soft stroke his hair, it was so gentle.
Suddenly, his eyes shot opened as he fell down from heaven and back to the mortals' plane. Hitting his head on the ground, he felt something sharp pierce the back of his neck with brutal strength. He clenched his eyes shut before he let loose a muffled cry as he softly touched the back of the offending thing.
However, before he could, two hands shot down to him and picked him up again, seemingly panicked. He tried turning his head to the owner but found shortly after a sharp prick of pain that he couldn't. Settling himself, he turned his shoulders and looked up exclusively with his eyes to see a mouth moving quickly, hazel eyes bounding furiously over his misfortune.
Another pain encroached precisely where the last had until moments later there was no more pain and the ringing in his ears finally began to subside.
Testing his neck once more he smiled. He could move again.
"Naruto-kun, are you okay?!"
Directing his eyes again, he nodded. "Hai, Nee-chan."
From behind the two stood Anko, a small bloody nail in her hand. Her smile was no longer evident, in fact, she was more than defensive now. Standing tall, her structure held firm and a little further did her feet stand apart, barely enough to give off a serious facade while still looking semi-normal. Her shoulders were relaxed and her hands loosely strung, waiting for something else to happen. And further her face iced to emotionless.
With experienced hands, Anko slowly gestured to her friends beside her.
"Could you two scout and look for anything suspicious once you're done eating?" Anko asked.
"Shouldn't we have Naruto-kun go to the hospital? He was just punctured by a nail," Yugao looked down to the nail in Anko's hand, "and a rusty one at that."
Facing behind her Kurenai watched the wound on the boy's neck. Narrowing her eyes, forming clearer, she saw the wound slowly close over.
Did he have a Kekkai Genkai?
Again she faced Anko before she spoke up, "He seems to have some sort of Kekkai Genkai that heals him," she pointed, "look."
Wrapped closely in her arms, Naruto sat and simply savored Ayame's warmth. Comfortably he snuggled his head closer to her chest, her head resting on his. And as if she knew, she squeezed Naruto's little body closer before he started sending muffled cries for help. She giggled, gingerly checking the back of his neck.
One of Anko's friends pointed at Naruto and her from the edge of the stand, silently saying something to the others when she suddenly remembered something.
"Anko, could you come over here for a moment?"
Hand in hand, Ayame and Teuchi took Naruto with them to their apartment, the boy giving them strange looks. He didn't mind going with them, not at all, it was just because he was supposed to surprise Anko with the clean apartment and since Anko had left to go do something he didn't want her to be surprised without him being there, if she had decided to head back to their apartment! It wouldn't be much of a surprise without him there to surprise her, after all.
"Why did you guys want me to come, Nee-chan?" he asked, breaking the silence.
The two shared a look, Ayame looking a tad more excited and perhaps... sicker than the other. Naruto shook his head, that wasn't the right word.
"You'll see when we get there, Naruto-kun," Ayame answered.
Naruto merely nodded.
Stopping just before an apartment complex, Naruto eyed the place carefully, attempting to find anything out of place. Even though they were very precious to him he had to make sure. The people inside or the owners may not like him like the Ichiraku's did.
Meanwhile, Ayame and Teuchi both wordlessly stared at Naruto, gauging his reaction to the situation. After a few seconds and Naruto's cautious approach, Ayame had to pick him up. She had to make him feel secure. It wasn't right for a child his age to be so... alert.
Stopping short, Ayame bent down and leveled her eyes to his before ceasing his worry with a gentle smile and a charming hand caressing his cheek. With soft hands she picked him up, setting him on her hip. "Hold on, Naruto-kun."
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck before setting his head in the crook of her neck. She was so warm and made him feel so safe. He chuckled - perhaps not quite as safe as Anko does after she kicks somebody's butt. However, Ayame's hugs were always a close second. He shut his eyes and started to day-dream.
He wished she was his mom.
Suddenly, after finally reaching a peaceful slumber, a door opened and lights flipped on as he felt Ayame hug him firmer before settling herself onto what he assumed was a couch. Slowly, he felt her move him so he was next to her head—if her forehead touching his was any indication. Opening his eyes slightly, he grinned a little and snuggled closer as her hands went behind him, grabbing a blanket. Placing it on them, she managed to cover them both before she muttered something unintelligible into his ear.
An hour passed and Naruto and Ayame's eyes were seemingly comatose, suppressed under dreams.
Anko stood proudly, absolute glee stunning her. This was the moment they had all been waiting for. Naruto would wake up see the forms and their names on it and their parentage then he would smile brightly before coming up to both herself and Ayame to hug the both of them.
And with barely constrained happiness she strode forward.
"Nee-chan, Naruto-kun," Anko said softly, "Wake up, it's time."
Neither made a move, only moving slightly to adjust to the other.
After a minute of the same results, Anko finally huffed in exasperation. These two were impossible! How the heck were they still asleep? She'd already tried to pull the blankets off and to move Ayame away from Naruto. She even tried to shake the two awake.
Furrowing her eyes Anko resorted to the one thing she knew would wake Naruto.
"Ramen's ready, Naruto-kun!"
He didn't last two seconds.
Blue eyes snapped open, wide awake, his excitement spreading enough to wake Ayame beside him. Energetically enough he bounded off the couch and to Anko with a large grin plastered to his face before he realized something. He couldn't smell any of the noodles or the smell of the broth.
Anko smirked, slightly. There was no force on earth capable of keeping Naruto from his ramen if he could help it. She chuckled. Naruto had nearly killed her trying to get his last cup of ramen back in his apartment when she tried eating it herself.
Memories of the small boy racing towards her, blindingly fast, still marked her memories... it was too funny how the child had dashed forward before tripping down to the ground, imprinting his head on the floor. He had muttered painfully to himself as he brought himself to level her eyes with his while she continued to laugh.
Of course, she was nice enough though to give him the ramen after she took one long bite from the cup, more to gauge the taste than anything.
As Naruto came to the realization, his eyes fixed themselves on Anko's smiling face and the scroll in her hand. He didn't know what she was doing but what she had just done was mean! He crossed his arms and scowled—pouted.
"Anko-chan, why'd you trick me?"
Anko flicked his forehead. "Because you two went to Lala Land and didn't bother to bring me with you," Anko said playfully, "besides, I've got something important to tell you and Nee-chan."
"What is it?" Naruto asked.
Behind Naruto, Ayame sat up quickly, trying to gesture to Anko to hold the announcement for a minute or two. She had to get her father! Quickly Ayame walked to her father's room to find him sleeping peacefully. As she attempted to wake him she tried to remember the things she wanted to say to Naruto, and now Anko. All of the things that she hoped they could and would be in the future.
Five minutes later her father walked out with her beside him, ready for the news.
As they made their way to the living room they both could faintly hear Naruto's voice along with the occasional remark from Anko. From the way that they seemed to be speaking to one another they seemed to be talking about something lightly serious.
"So I sent Kurenai and Yugao to search the area for anything amiss," Anko said, "Luckily they didn't find anything so I hope that makes you feel better, Naruto-kun."
Naruto nodded his head. He'd been worrying about the accident earlier a lot since it could've been a shinobi trying to hurt him. Things like that had happened frequently in the past. Now bearing arms for himself he stayed conscious with Anko sending light on any misplaced shadow, just in case.
"Thanks, Anko-chan."
Sensing the two adults' presence, the purple haired girl peered over her shoulder. Standing up, Anko went to the other side of the wall while Ayame picked up Naruto before they all sat down on the couch opposite her.
Brown eyes attempted to dull, utter excitement breaking through. "I've got something great to tell you all." She held the scroll high. "This scroll contains very important documents, signed by the Hokage, you'll want to be the first to see, Nee-chan."
Gently, Ayame stood and received the scroll. Opening it slowly, her heart wrenched and tears nearly made through to her eyes. Signed on the scroll under the tile of parent or legal guardian was her name and under the category for children were two names; Naruto and Anko.
Holding out the document again, Teuchi came up, looking down curiously at the print. Soon after a smile appeared on his face, his hands wrapped around Ayame in a hug.
"Congratulations, Ayame-chan."
"Thanks, tou-san."
Ayame's eyes shifted from the document after reading it one more time to Naruto and Anko. Motioning them over, she held out her arms. "Don't you two want to give your kaa-san a hug?"
Naruto's eyes widened and Anko sniffled a little, their eyes wetting. The blonde was the first to react, however not the way they all thought he would. His eyes watered impossibly and streaks of tears ran swiftly down his scarred cheeks before he wiped them away quickly.
His mind was in a torrent, his face scrunched and his fists clenched white.
Were they trying to trick him? The caretakers at the orphanage said he would never have a mother. Never would have real parents. Even back then he had seen people come and try to adopt him, though they left all too quickly after seeing him and a simple few words from his caretakers. So how could Ayame be his mom?
Seeing Naruto's expression, Anko's eyes widened. She remembered.
"Naruto, remember when I told you about the caretakers and who they were exactly?"
"Yeah," Naruto answered, "you said they were like the middle-man or something like that."
Anko nodded. "Yes, and do you know now how Nee-chan managed to become our kaa-san?"
The child's eyes seemed to glint and harden in concentration, it was cute really. The way he tried to put all of his focus on one thing. "You cut out the middle-man?" he answered shyly.
Anko nodded. "That's right. Now let's go hug our kaa-san, 'k?"
Sitting anxiously, Ayame watched the interaction. The way Naruto responded to the announcement frankly disturbed her more than before. What exactly had the villagers done to Naruto? Suddenly she felt something small collide with her, looking down a small patch of yellow was all she could see before her hazel eyes met final blue eyes, complete in happiness.
"Thank you... Kaa-san."
Hey guys! Here again! I hoped you all liked the chapter because I certainly did!
Now, if you all would do me the honor of leaving a review or popping me with a PM that would be great! But c'mon reviews look better, neh? Heh, I thought so too.
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See ya!