I do not own Naruto, but all original characters are mine
Chapter 3
Wincing slightly, dim blue eyes stared down at his injured arm. Several long jagged cuts dragged across his skin. Tears pricking at his eyes, he dabbed the cotton drenched in alcohol against his wounds. Yelping in pain every time, he frowned. Shaking his head, he looked back into the mirror.
His eyes dimmed further at the sight of the many bruises on his skin. His right eye bulging shut, as he eyed the many cuts on his cheeks and bony chest. It had only been a couple months since he met Cecilia-nee, and he can happily describe them as the best days in his life.
Beatings aside, he was just really happy that someone cared for him. He wasn't so sure whether Otou-san and Okaa-san really saw him, or loved him for that matter. Whenever he tried to get their attention; they would always ignore him in favor of his sister Natsumi.
Shaking his head, he filled his thoughts with Cecilia-nee. The tears welling up in his eyes disappearing instantly as he giggled at the time he spent with her. She was always so kind to him. She played with him. She cared for him. She even got angry at him when he got hurt playing. When he said that he was used to getting hurt, she practically exploded in anger at that fact. He idly wondered at the time if she would spew fire like he saw those shinobi do to him on his birthdays.
Giggling slightly at the thought, she knew that she was only angry at him because she was worried about him. The only one who worried about him now that he thinks about it? Dozing off into depression for a moment there; he continued to disinfect his wounds. Even though they'll heal by themselves when he goes to sleep; he found out that they'll heal faster if he disinfects them first. Not sure why though.
Blinking back tears, he grabbed the roll of bandages on the counter. Unrolling it, he started to wrap it around his injuries. Most of them were centered on his chest and limbs in particular. Instead of being clean wounds; they had decided to use jagged and broken kunai to try and make him scream. Sure it hurt a lot, but he was slowly getting used to the pain of it all.
He slightly wondered if that was normal. Did people get used to pain if their hit a lot. Or does it always stay, festering at your wounds like some sort of crawling insect. His wounds don't do that, but his heart always clenches tightly at the thought of his family. Staying completely still for a couple moments; he simply shook away those thoughts in acceptance.
He had already long given up on his parents to save him from this hell. Telling them wouldn't do any good, and even if they did notice him they would never believe him. Sighing, he finished dressing his wounds as he did so many times before. Stretching himself momentarily in front of the mirror to make sure there not loose. Taking a couple seconds to check, he nodded.
Turning on the sink, he watched at the blood was slowly pulled down the drain by the current. After seeing the blood completely gone, he turned off the sink and jumped off the stool. Setting it back to where he found it, he grabbed a nearby dirty wet shirt of his and wiped off his blood on the floor. Did he forget to mention that the dark red shirt he was using was previously blue?
After seeing the entire bathroom clean of blood, he walked out of the door closing it behind him. Making his way into his room, he dropped the shirt onto a pile in the far corner. The pile was made up of several other shirts that were previously a different color, but were now red because of how me he bled on them.
Climbing onto his bed, he winced in pain as he wrapped his blanket around his small form. He was really glad that his wounds heal overnight. He doesn't want to see Cecilia-nee worry over him. He wants to always see a smile on her face. He wants to see her happy. He wants her to be with him, for her to never leave him. He read in stories that boys who want to be with the girls that they like get ma-ma…married…or something along those lines.
The boy is called a husband while the girl is called the wife. They always live happily ever after, always together, never leaving each other's sides. He wants his life to be like that. He wants to be Cecilia-nee's husband. He wants Cecilia-nee to be his wife. That way they would be together forever.
As tears dripped down his whiskered cheeks; a small smile made its way to his lips. She doesn't need to worry for something like him. He just wants her to be with him forever, to never leave him. To never look at him with the same eyes the villagers look at him with. Contempt…hatred…loathing…he wanted nothing to do with those eyes.
Just the warmth and kindness, that's all he need, he doesn't need anything else. All he wants is for Cecilia-nee to be with him forever and ever. He wants to have their happily ever after together. And for that to happen, he needs for his wounds to heal as fast as possible. His smile quickly dropping into a frown; his cheeks began to pale slightly as he slowly fell asleep. His hair flashing a snow white color before returning to their normal blond spikes, with red tips and black streaks.
(Flashback End)
"You should really work on keeping your hormones in check fishcake." Ashe commented with a raised brow. "Going after your own twin…a bit high don't ya think?" Said brow twitching, Ashe couldn't help but sigh in annoyance at him similarities.
'You make it sound as if it was a bad thing?' Naruto thought in confusion. 'You've been acting a bit funny for a month now Ashe. Is there anything wrong that I should know about?'
"My question exactly vixen," Kurama added in his thoughts. "I don't see anything wrong with it. She's female and his age, so shouldn't that be enough?" His slitted red eyes not even glancing at the woman as he eyed the smoked duck cooking in the fire. Really, if it wasn't enough with the mutated rabbits, the insane bitch had to bring in the ducks.
What kind of idiot gives a thirty story duck titanium skin along with maximum control over lightning? He expects water or wind considering the pathetic fowls practically bath in the stuff. He'd use it to cook them. What the hell was she thinking giving the damn bird laser eyes as well? The only upside to the fight was that he kept on using the vixen as a shield while he Bijuudama'd the birds feathered ass all the way to hell and back. Just as he was about to continue his inner rant; he yelped slightly in shock.
Turing to his backside, his jaw dropped as he stared at his nine glorious tails…shining a steaming bright red as wisps of steam ascended into the air. "What the hell was that for you insane vixen?" Kurama growled; his thoughts bordering on why the skinny flesh bag continued to dodge his attempts to flatten her with the seething hot tails that she flambéed with her annoying light.
"If that was enough then everyone would be okay, but it's not." Ashe huffed. "She is his sister for god's sake and it's basically incest…no, it's basically twincest in this situation." She snapped irritably. "You planning on seducing your twin, who you hardly even know much about, might I add?"
'If it's about not knowing anything about her…then you're sorely wrong my dear.' Naruto commented casually making her blink. 'As a child, when I still attempted to garner my…parents attention, I thought that I had to observe my sister for a while and compare what she's doing right to what I'm doing wrong.'
Thinking back on what he said, she supposed that was true. He did watch his sister for a while, but she thought it was a phase of curiosity because of how fast it ended. 'Well…I suppose that's true in a sense, but tell me." Eyeing him from her place in the mindscape, she frowned. "How well did that work out for you?" Feeling him wince, she nodded. "That's right, it didn't work. From what I can guess, those two seemed to be the type of people who'd rather take the easy way out. I've seen plenty of them back in the years. It all starts off as thinking that what you're doing is right, and that it's the best option to protect them, but in the end the one hurting them the most is the one trying to protect them." She whispered bitterly. Hearing nothing but silence, she turned to see the odd looks sent her way by the two…well Naruto actually. The fox simply had his eyes closed. "What?"
'…No, it's just we'd ever thought it'd be possible for you to actually explain something like a sensible person.' Naruto deadpanned.
"The kits right," Kurama muttered opening his eyes, slightly shocked himself. "Who would have thought that a crazy vixen like yourself can think of anything besides eating, sleeping, commenting, and chasing after your own tails?"
"Cruel…now that's just cruel you guys." She pouted in mock hurt. "I can be sensible at times, and who do you take me for, my brother?"
"You dropped a thirty ton water fowl right on my head that shoots lasers from its eyes, mastery over lightning, and titanium-fucking-skin for shinigami's sake." The fox deadpanned.
"…your point being?" Ashe raised a delicate brow in challenge.
Blinking, he simply turned his head away from the clearly unstable vixen. Grinning, Ashe took that as her win and turned away as well. "My point being Naruto is that unless you want your children to gain deformities due to the closely related genes between you and your sister Natsumi; you should not attempt to pursue a relationship with her." She said casually pointing out the flaws of his plan. "Besides, relationships between siblings are pretty much seen in an unfavorable light by the general public."
Hand's stopping; he just looked and stared with a deadpanned expression. 'The general public being the same people who view me as Kurama in human form and hold no insecurities about torturing a child for something he didn't even do.' Yeah, that was sarcasm in his voice.
Blinking lazily, said demon trailed his blistering tails into the cool water below with a content growl. "You know, the kit has a point there." He commented with a smug grin. "If that's what the public considers morally right, then I'm curious to know what they think is wrong. Maybe feeding some baby orphan bunnies is worth for an execution in their blind pathetic shit they call eyes?" The thought was both interesting and a bit sickening.
Huffing at their point, she pouted. "Okay, I get your point." Ignoring their smug expressions of victory, she shrugged. "But I still don't approve!" She exclaimed remaining adamant.
'But don't the clans of Konohagakure…and other villages for that matter do the same thing?' He pointed out curiously.
"The Konohagakure part is out because as you said…if these guys have the sense to torture and kill a child while trying to justify their actions then you're better off not following their example." Scoffing, she grinned at the look of reluctant admittance in their faces but decide d to add in another point. "Besides, if the other villages told you to jump off a cliff down into a lake filled with poison infested hundred story sea-serpents because everyone else was doing it, would you follow?" Hearing nothing but silence, her grin turned smug. "My point exactly,"
"…you seem to be against the twin thing more than the fact that they are actual siblings." Kurama pointed out with bored eyes, his tails flickering back and forth in content. "Is there a story there?"
"If you had an over-affectionate twin who slept in the same bed as you up through puberty while threatening and batting away potential relationship prospects, you'd understand." Thinking on her words, she huffed. "No offence Naruto."
'None taken,' He replied with a chuckle. "But just so you know, if that had happened to me then I still would have jumped her, sister or not. I view things on how they look while ignoring the minor details.'
"You call being your twin a minor detail?" She asked in incredulity exasperation…before sighing in reluctant expectancy. "Oh forget it, I know you enough to know that you wouldn't care as long she's female, she's pretty, you like her personality, and boom you try and date said female. In your eyes, being related by blood wouldn't matter as long as the age gap isn't too wide." Closing her eyes, she took of the make shift thin wire glasses she retrieved from who knows where and put them away. "I'm still against it though." She added as an afterthought.
"Don't forget the fact that they have to produce strong heirs as well." Kurama added lazily. "I'll not approve of any females that are too weak to protect their own kits from their and your enemies. The chibi-red headed sister of yours being descended from the Uzumaki clan ensures strong children along with the fact that she has my chakra sealed up in her gut." Blinking slightly as if recalling a distant memory, he chuckled. "Come to think of it, the Uzumaki's were the only clan of people that I respected. Always fighting to the end to protect their families no matter the cause, politics is damned in their minds." There's also the fact they their related to the old man, be he ain't telling them that.
"…Wow…just…wow!" Ashe blinked. "You really respect them don't you?"
"Much more than the other flesh bags at least," He frowned. "They were stubborn flesh bags I can tell you that much."
Overhearing their words, Naruto couldn't help but frown at their words. Well he can admit to Ashe that she's right about his preferences a least. Sighing, he shook his head before cutting off the link. But not before hearing Kurama's last sentence…
"Besides canine…" The fox added lazily. "…you should know that your presence here in the seal changed along more things than you think it did."
And with that the link was completely cut off. Kurama's last word echoed in his thoughts. What kind of changes did the fox mean exactly? Did it have something to do with the changes in his hair? Twirling a finger around one of his spiky bangs, he eyed the white streak in his hair and the blood red tips. He recalled there being a black streak there a while back, but maybe it was just his imagination.
Humming in thought, he shrugged and returned back to the book in his hand. It was a thick, dusty brown tome that looked millennium's old, but the pages still looked as if they were in mint condition. It had suddenly appeared on his tenth birthday while he was visiting Cecilia's grave. Ashe looked a bit shocked about it, but she didn't comment on the book. And eerily enough, Kurama was silent for once.
Tracing its bindings with his fingertips, he opened the book and flipped to the last page he left on. The main character was someone called Solomon Forzition. Ironically enough, he wasn't human, but a being called a Fragment.
From what he's read so far, a Fragment is basically the next generation of Demons. Since Demons were borne from the dominating's species fear and negative aspects, when humanity started fearing each other instead of the beasts in the wild, Demon's went through something called The Shift. They had lost plenty of their previous abilities due to this, but gained others as their visage changed to look that of humanity.
Not only that, but this Solomon was not an ordinary Fragment. He was the heir to the Third Fragment kingdom making him an important individual. In a way, Naruto admired the man, but because he was practically royalty. He admired the man because of how he is.
He is strong. He is intelligent. He doesn't care whether or not people thinks' of him as a monster. He views the world not as black and white, but an ever-shifting grey. He doesn't show regret. He keeps moving on. He cares for his people. He doesn't hide away in safety, but prefers to fight in the front-lines. He destroys anyone and anything that goes against his morals. He doesn't care what station they are at, whether they were another king, or a god. He sends them to the base of oblivion without a care if it means keeping those he loves safe from harm.
He has his faults, but nobody is perfect. The man just did what he thought was right and stuck to it. Solomon was a King. Looking throughout the pages, he smiled. This book tells him about Solomon's adventures from the very beginning. Sad enough, there seemed to be more copies, and he only has the first. He's already read the book more than a dozen times.
Finger's twitching, he gently closed the book. "You mind coming out now." He called out. "I don't really like being spied on…unless you're into that sort of thing." He grinned mischievously as a small eep sounded behind a nearby tree.
He was currently within the edge of his usual forest. Why not in the forest itself…well, the Namikaze somehow put up seals around it restricting anyone from entering without his permission. If anyone tried, they would simply end up back at where they entered. Scowling, Naruto frowned in distaste.
'Quite petty of you Namikaze,' He was going to rant more, but the soft rustling of grass caught his attention. Smiling, he turned around and watched as a girl around his age walked out from behind the tree.
She seemed to be a shy brunet with messy shoulder length hair. Her bangs hiding the majority of her eyes only enough for him the catch a glimpse of her honey brown eyes. She had a round face with fair skin and wearing a slightly baggy brown shirt, a black steel mesh shirt underneath as well as dark green cargo pants and blue shinobi sandals. She stood at a height of '5'01'' which would be considerably shorter than him and Natsumi. In essence, with that perpetual blush on her cheeks, she resembled a small cuddable rabbit with how she stared with her large brown eyes.
Too bad he was a fox that just found his meal. Hearing a bark of approval in his head, he chuckled good-naturally unknowingly calming the bunny down. "So tell me, I haven't seen you around the village Usagi-chan," Chuckling as she flushed at his nickname for her, he hummed. "If you have any business with me, please tell me." Giving her his best dazzling smile, he chuckled inwardly as her flush increased by drastic proportions. Setting the book down next to him, he stood up and walked over to her. His hands cupping both sides of her cheeks as he worriedly pressed his forehead against hers in concern. "Is there anything wrong Usagi-chan, you're looking a little red there. Do you have a fever?" Concern entering his eyes, he gazed into her own honey browns with kindness and warmth filled compassion.
Inside his mind, Ashe was staring at the scene with a blank expression. "I blame you fur ball!" She eyed the fox with a deadpanned expression. "You turned my lovable protégée into a playboy."
Staring at vixen in amusement, he let out a deep throaty chuckle. "It's not my fault your reading addiction passed onto him." The fox laughed. "Besides, all I did was taught him how to work the old kitsune charm. It's not my f…actually, yes it is. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't." He corrected himself at the last moment. Ignoring the glare sent to him, he let out a large vulpine grin.
Gazing deep into her eyes, he removed his left hand from her cheek and cupped her chin instead. Slightly closing his eyes, his lips were but a hair's breadth away. Licking his lips, he was about to completely close the distance when he felt her shake under his fingers. Her eyes shut tightly as tear's hanged from the tip of her eyes. Smiling softly, he pulled back and ruffled her hair playfully. He knows when to have fun, and he knows when to stop. When a girl starts crying, that is when he knows he's edging towards the line.
Seeing the look of confusion in her eyes when she patted down her hair, he grinned. "Sorry if I scared you," Taking a couple steps away, he dropped to the ground and picked up his book. "Now please tell me Usagi-chan, do you need anything from me?" After a couple minutes, silence was the only thing that was prominent in the clearing.
Eyeing her for a couple moments, he began to silently hum a calming tune. With his back against the tree, he looked up towards the sky staring at the clouds above. The sky was so bright, so blindingly bright…he didn't like it. Stopping for a moment, he closed his eyes as a shy whisper entered his ears.
"A…ano…my name is Tetsu…mi Kokoro." She mumbled finding an odd interest in her feet.
Giving her a soft smile, he nodded as she began to calm down. "Nice to meet you Tetsumi-chan, my name is…" Trailing off for a moment, he frowned for a split second. "My name is Naruto. Now what would a Kunoichi like you be doing with a civilian like me?" He pondered before gasping. "You're not planning on having your way with me using you ninja powers are you?" He whispered dramatically while inwardly enjoying her face flushing a dangerous crimson while denying everything the best she can.
Breaking out in a burst of laughter, he smiled. "Sorry, sorry; it's just that you're so cute when you're blushing it's impossible for me to not tease you." A sly glint entering his eyes, he grinned eerily. "…I wouldn't really protest much if a cute bunny like you were to do it though!" Before she could babble anymore, he broke out in another fit of laughter that both confused the girl and angered her. But when she tried to scowl, Naruto simply laughed louder as it came out as an adorable pout instead.
After a couple seconds, his laughter broke down into a small mix of chuckles and giggles. "Sorry, again, but I'm really serious here. Aren't you supposed to be at the Academy receiving your teams right now?" She hesitated for a moment, but shook her head in response. Raising a small brow in confusion, he frowned. The teams were supposed to be given out today.
Staring at him for a moment, she shook her head again. "I…failed the exam. So...I'm not a Kunoichi." Thinking on it for a moment, she frowned before shaking her head. "From what I heard…the team setting has been postponed till next week."
Ah…strange. Eye's narrowing in thought, his fingers twitched. "Well, I'm sorry if I brought up some unpleasant memories." He smiled apologetically. Noting something, his grin softened a he waved her over. "C'mere, I noticed that you have been staring at my book for a while now. Do you like reading?" Gaining a hesitant nod, he smiled. "Well, so do I…but the problem is that I'm a very cautious person, so I can't just lend it to just anyone." Seeing the slight depressed look in her eyes, he hummed in amusement. "You're interested in the book, right?"
Staring at it for a couple moments, she nodded with more certainty than before. The book looked completely different from those in the Konoha Public Library. It looked so old and ordinary…yet at the same time felt as if it had a mystical quality. Seeing the boy…Naruto-she wondered why he doesn't have a last name-wave her over, she did just that, albeit with some hesitation. But when she came just within arms-reach, Naruto pulled her down making her eep. Her form landing softly on the grass right next to him with her head in the crutch between his shoulders, she blushes an inferno…only to realize that she was completely calm. Unlike before, for some reason his touch didn't feel…dangerous to her. It felt calm and soothing.
Nodding, he grinned. "Well, as I said before, I can't really lend out the book to just anyone…but," He said after a moment of silence. "…I can read it to a friend if she likes me to." The unasked question had her stop and think for a moment. Furrowing her brows, she weighed the chances of having a book red to her by a mysterious boy she just met, or not read the book that's been on her mind for a good while at all. After a couple seconds, she nodded…but, at the last moment, she noticed that he had called her a friend.
Opening the book once again, he grinned as she didn't deny his invitation either. With her leaning closer to the book, he chuckled and started. "Prologue: The Beginning to the End…"
(With Ashe)
Smiling warmly at the scene, she giggled. "Ah…how cute~!" She squealed. "If only I could get out of this accursed seal, then I would be able to cuddle them all I want for their cuteness." Eyeing the scene with interest, she stared at the book they were reading for a moment…and frowned. Flicking her fingers against the panel of light in front of her, the scene disappeared from the area.
"You know he's going to make the connection vixen." Kurama muttered crimson eyes flashing. "It'll only be a matter of time."
Ignoring the fox, her frown deepened. Ear's twitching, she looked out into the darkness of the stone passage and frowned. The mindscape has changed a bit ever since they made contact with the boy. While his personality took a huge turn around, it was probably better than what he could have been.
They were once in an underground sewer with hundreds of stone passages that lead to who knows where and who knows how gruesome. When she had woken up, she had been both appalled and frightened at the state of Naruto's mindscape as a child. Cracked stone walls of a dungeon like sewer, murky black water that seemed to leak nothing but negative emotion and a roof buried in a seemingly endless darkness.
That was the state before, and while it changed greatly from what it looked back then, it was still the underground sewer like before. The endless darkness above them was still there, but the walls were no longer cracked and the water was no longer a murky black. That was good…but at the same time bad.
Eye's flashing a deep royal blue; she turned her attention towards the deep darkness at the end of the passageway. The water around there being an endless black shade with the door chained together by multiple locks and seals. Not that they actually worked though. Seeing it open slightly, she grinned at the black sclera crimson red iris that peeked through and sighed when the door shut tight right afterwards.
Sighing, she turned to meet the fox in the eye. "Let's just worry about the here and the now and tomorrow when it comes." Smiling softly, she hummed in comfort. "Besides, by then, Naruto should have plenty of friends by his side. Thinking on that for a moment, she huffed. "And a girlfriend if he keeps on doing the things he doing," She commented glaring at the bored fox who was starring off into space.
"Probably more than one with the stamina he has." The fox mumbled tiredly.
Snapping her head towards the fox, she scowled. "Oh no, Fishcake is not going into polygamy. The twincest thing was pushing it, but that is just shattering it into dust!" Eye's flashing blue, she sent a bolt of light right at the fox only for it to shatter it with a flick of its tails.
Grumbling under his breath, the fox took the attack in stride. "What is your problem vixen?" Kurama asked in irritation. "First you're going off with the blood relation crap and now it's the polygamy! Must you try and ruin my fun at corrupting the boy?"
Sending another bolt at the cage, she huffed angrily as he destroyed it with a flick of his claws. "You're fun is demeaning to woman everywhere, and if I recall, I'm one to." She was about to charge up another bolt when the look in Kurama's eye's changed.
"Ashe," Kurama said calmly calling her out by name. "Are you angry at that in itself…or at the fact that these are things that Solomon did…well except for the incestuous part." 'Maybe, you could never tell with that guy.' Her silence was answer enough for him. Letting out a low growl, the great fox shifted his position for a more comfortable one. "Ashe…stops worrying and just listen and see. As you say, worry about the here and now and worry about tomorrow when the time comes. If you don't, you may just miss something that can never be changed before it is too late."
Shuffling her feet nervously, she frowned. "I'm just worried okay." She watched over the boy for almost his entire life, how she couldn't not want him to be safe.
Smiling in understanding, Kurama's tails simply shifted before poking at the water near Ashe. The ripples shifting as it showed the forms of Naruto reading to Kokoro in absolute calmness. "Just watch and see…"
(With Naruto)
Blinking, Naruto looked down to see something pressing against his shoulders. A soft smile playing at his lips, he looked up to see the sun dropping in the horizon. "Wake up Tetsumi-chan, I think it's time for you to go." He whispered shifting her shoulders for a bit.
Yawning cutely, she responded by blinking a couple times as she removed herself from Naruto's shoulders. Nodding off slightly, she jolted up with a startle when Naruto lightly flicked her nose. "Ow," She mumbled drowsily rubbing her forehead. "That hurt."
Chuckling softly, he closed the book and helped her up. She stumbled a bit for a moment due to sitting so long, but he helped her keep her from falling. "Be careful Tetsumi-chan!" Straightening her a bit, he hummed in amusement as she pouted. When she regained strength in her legs, she nodded.
"I'm sorry…for taking…your time Naruto-san." She whispered with a bow.
Frowning at that, he huffed. "Now, now, there's no need for formalities. And you didn't take up my time," Shaking his head, he ruffled her hair making her flush. "If fact, you just made my day." And she really did. She was the first person in the village who didn't speak to him with hate or disgust. The Namikaze's didn't really count due to the fact that they're only being nice because of regret. And he doesn't like being pitied.
Hearing footsteps, he broke out of his internal rant to see Usagi-chan staring at him in confused curiosity. Raising a small brow at that, he chuckled when she flushed and muttered out a bye. Waving at her, he nodded. Just as he was about to turn around though, he stopped. It was getting rather dark, and he already knows that this village is filled with the vilest filth known in non-existence…
Yeah…no; she's his bunny now and anyone who dare's lay's a hand on her will lose the offending appendage...along with their miserable lives. Jogging up to her, he placed his hand on her shoulder and frowned.
"Hai…Naruto-san?" She asked nervously.
Shaking his head, he looked up towards the sky and scowled. "Do you mind if I walked you home?" He asked.
"…Eh," She said confused making him blink.
"What I mean is that it's not safe for a young girl like you to walk around in the village at night." He explained slowly. "I know Konohagakure may be the most peaceful of villages," Yeah fucking right. "But right now, that doesn't stop some low-life drunk from walking around. As a man as well as your friend, I wouldn't be very comfortable if you managed…" Swallowing the bile in his throat at the thought of them, he growled inwardly. "To meet one of them or them you…yeah, in fact, I'm not letting you go out alone in the middle of the night period." He promised noting the paling look on her face. She got his unsaid message after all huh, smart girl
"H-H-Hai…" She stuttered with a fearful look in her eyes.
…okay, now he just feels like an ass. "Don't worry!" He smiled reassuringly. "I may not look it, but I can pack a good punch when the going gets tough! So just stick with me and you'll be safe, I promise-ttebayo!" Freezing, he a brief flush entered his cheeks when she abruptly giggled. 'Damn, I thought I grew out of that!'
With the flush on his cheeks dying down, he sighed in resignation. "What…was that?" She asked with a giggled. "…ttebayo." Then she burst in a fit of giggles while Naruto seemed to glow in embarrassment.
"Just a verbal tick of mine," He laughed nervously. "Always pops up when I get a bit too excited about something." Motioning her towards the streets, he pouted when she continued to giggle. Well, at least she wasn't all that nervous around him anymore.
Wait…does that mean he'll have a harder time making her blush? Eye's glinting at the thought of a challenge, he cackled manically inwardly at the thought. He ignored the feeling of exasperation and proudness he felt from within, but he can guess which came from whom though.
As the sun had dropped behind the Hokage Monument, night had come as they continued to walk around through the streets of Konoha. To Kokoro, even though it was dark out, she didn't feel any unease. Even with Naruto-san's warning's, she didn't really feel scared. She doesn't know why, but she felt completely safe around him.
Thinking on it for a moment, she smiled inwardly. Maybe it was the presence Naruto-san exuded? To her, it felt like a warm blanket that protected you from the cold. It was a strange feeling for her. She was usually so shy in class, and she never really talked to that many boys with how plain she looked. So deep in her thoughts, she barely noticed that she was slowly falling behind. But before she could catch up, she noticed something.
Naruto-san's back…why, even though it looks so big…does it look so fragile. From what she can remember, her Tou-san's back had been looked so big and firm. But Naruto-san's, while similar, looked insecure instead. Her eyes flashing a golden color, she wondered why, if she put even the slightest pressure at a certain part, that she was sure he would shatter.
Shaking her head, she caught up with Naruto-san and walked right by his side while leading the way. After a couple more minutes, her home came into sight and she let out a small smile. Turning around, she bowed. "Thank you Naruto-san…for walking me…home," she feet his hand ruffle her hair again, she eeped making him back away softly laughed as she fixed her hair…again. Mou~, why must Naruto-san tease her like this?
"It's because I find you so irresistibly delectable my dear Usagi-chan!" He cackled making her look up to him in shock. Can he read minds!? "Of course not my dear Usagi-chan, it's just that you're expressions are so painfully obvious and cute that it would be a crime for me not to answer in kind!" He gasped dramatically clutching his heart. "Why, I even felt faint for a moment their when witnessing your cuteness!"
Staring at him blankly, she couldn't help but giggle. Now she knows why she feels so safe around Naruto-san. "You'd…make a much…better Shinobi than…me Naruto-san." She complimented without any bitterness in her tone.
Brows rising in response, he scoffed at the absurdity of such a thing. "And hide these babies," He exclaimed flexing his biceps…or lack of. "These babies aren't meant to be hidden Usagi-chan, their supposed to be seen along with my devilishly handsome self!" Wiggling his eyebrows as if attempting to prove a point, she laughed.
Chuckling, he ruffled her hair and smiled. "Go on in, I'll keep look out until you're in your home." Good idea so because once she's in there, she wouldn't be able to see him snap any pathetic insects necks for even thinking of going near what he claim as his. Seeing her nod, he waited and frowned when she started to shuffle nervously while staring at him expectantly. As if she was waiting for…"You know, despite doing nothing but reading, I had some fun today." He admitted crossing his arms behind his head. "Would you like to meet up tomorrow to listen to the rest of the story…and maybe hang out a bit after wards?" He asked a bit hesitantly at the end.
Seeing her nod almost immediately, he snorted. "Well someone's eager, are you sure you're not planning on seducing the beautifully sexy Adonis that is Naruto?" He asked flexing his, again, lack thereof muscles making her giggle instead of blushing. Pouting at that, he huffed. "Well…anyway, see you tomorrow Usagi-chan!" Watching as she nodded once again in thanks, he eyed her form as she up the stair's into her home.
When she disappeared into the doorway, his smile dropped to a blank frown as the door clicked shut. 'Ah…Ashe, do you have any idea what's going on?'
Feeling a wave of confusion wash over him, Ashe responded. "What do you mean?" From what she saw, nothing seemed particularly strange…"Are you talking about the team assignment being postponed?"
Nodding, his frown deepened into a small scowl. 'While I may be paranoid, I know that Namikaze isn't the type to postpone anything without a good reason. He arrives on time exactly when coming home for dinner, even with his duties as Hokage, so that goes to show how seriously he takes his job.' Except for him, 'So I'm just wondering as the reason why? Postponing his daughters team assignment is another thing he wouldn't have liked, so why?'
"You may be on to something about that, but it's not like there's anything you could do about it at the moment." She commented reluctantly. "You don't exactly have good if any relations with your…family after all." She pointed out hesitating when saying family.
'I prefer to address them as really, really distant relatives…four times removed.' He retorted blankly. 'Blood we may share, but calling us family is just walking into the fox's lair.'
"…oh great, they returned." She mumbled under her breath in annoyance. "Oh well, the placements don't really have anything to do with you anyway. Now onto more important stuff," She stated seriously shocking the other two.
"…My little fishcake is going out on his first date!" She squealed happily making him stumble forward from the pitch and shock.
Flushing at her point, he growled. 'Can we not talk about this now!?' He hissed in embarrassment. The woman in response was giggle eerily before she cut off the connection. Grumbling about nosy spirits, he huffed and began to walk…where exactly?
He hasn't exactly been using the room back at the Namikaze's for a good couple years, and he mainly spent his time in the woods near Cecilia's grave. But with Minato blocking the forest off with his seals, he can't really go there for the time being. Scowling at the thought, he turned away from the street and walked away with a frown on his face.
(Namikaze's Home)
"…he's not coming, is he?" Natsumi asked looking up towards her mother. Seeing nothing but regret and sadness in her eyes, Natsumi turned away and faced the door leading into their home.
She's been waiting for Naruto to walk through the door. She was waiting for him to come and at least attempt to accept their wanting to be an actual family. After all, he didn't hate them right…right? He said so himself, so he doesn't. But if that's the case, how come Naruto won't come home? Was the warmth he showed her a couple days ago a facade? Was it a lie?
Shaking her head, she wondered why was it that she felt as if her heart was twisting. She hardly gave her brother any attention, so why now? Why does she care if he doesn't see them as family? Why does she care if he hates them? Why…why is it that she's crying if she doesn't really care at all? "Okaa-san…" She whispered bitterly. "Why does it hurt so much?" She asked staring at the door blankly.
Stopping for a moment, she set the dirty dish down. "That's what we call guilt sweetie." She answered barely above a whisper herself. "It hurts so much because we did something wrong…" Drying her eyes, she took a shuddering breath. "Mito-obaa-san had a saying she always used to tell me."
Shaking her head, Natsumi looked up to her mother curiously and sniffed. "What was it?"
"That you never know what you have…until it's gone." Kushina whispered. "…I wish I had listened to her, and I hope that it's just not too late." Closing her eyes, she felt small frail arms wrap around her waist, Natsumi burying her face into her chest as she shook. Bending down slightly, she rubbed her daughter's back in comfort as she continued to silently cry in her chest.
Eye's watering herself, she couldn't help but think back on what she'd done…on what she didn't do as a mother. "Every action has consequences…and yours just lost something that they could have gained." As Naruto's words came up to surface, she herself began to shake. Tear's slowly streaming down her eyes as she pulled in her daughter in a tight hug.
Near the door's entrance, Minato couldn't help but stare in silence at the scene in front of him. His beautiful wife, so prideful, so strong and his daughter were crying their eyes out…and he knew that there was nothing he could do to help. Everything happened because of him. His family was breaking apart…and it was nobodies by his fault alone. But even so, walking into the kitchen, he pulled his wife and daughter into a hug and frowned. This is the least he could do…but the best. The best is that he fixes his mistakes and brings back their son.
...Ah, so in a sense, you can describe Naruto as a more mischievous and playful version of Jiraiya...hardly thinking perverted thoughts and more interested in reactions in a sense. Still respects woman far more the self-proclaimed and earned Super Pervert, but just as shameless if not more.
...and on the side note for the pairing's...I'm still working on that, still confused on whether it'll be a Harem or not due to how playful and affectionate I made the boy.