Miserable Silence
People rushed about in panic, crazed from their own tragic story. Their loved one had slipped and cracked their head on a table or a particularly nasty mission went bad and several of the members were in critical condition. As Naruto sat with his son curled against his side he wondered if anyone had seen him sitting quietly in the corner. He knew later when his wife was well he would cry. Because his wife would get better, it wasn't an option, and this was just too overwhelming.
Moving back to his home village, meeting and seeing Sasuke, Sasuke hiring him, the first day of work was tomorrow and now this. Naruto knew after he got Miyako and Yoshiro home in bed, safe and sound, he was going to find somewhere quiet and cry to not worry them. Because he was Takumi, and Takumi was the man of the house that always found a way to make it work.
Takumi was strong and he was the pillar that his family stood on, Naruto wasn't. Naruto couldn't handle this anymore he wanted to lie down and rest just for a little while. Naruto would take an A-rank mission than have to deal with family matters, than have to watch Miyako scream in panic that their children were in danger.
Deep down he also felt guilty because, deep down, he wanted the thrill of the mission again. Of working in tandem with his team mates, kunai flying past his ear close enough to hear it slicing the air. Of feeling the adrenaline course through his veins and the power that came with his chakra flooding his body. He missed the sweat, he missed the tears, and he missed the blood, the constant ache in his body of pushing it too far.
He missed his old way of life. The shinobi way. His shinobi way. Naruto's shinobi way.
The main doors to the hospital opened and several people including himself looked up to see the next victim of life. It was Tomoko. Naruto watched her in indifference as she looked about the waiting room until she saw him. Her eyes caught his dull ones and she rushed forward.
Her hands that had lived through so much clasped over his and her eyes searched for the light that had fled his face.
"Takumi?" she paused waiting for some kind of recognition and when she didn't get one she continued, "Takumi what happened?" At that moment Yoshiro spared his father from answering by waking up and blearily looking around.
"Obaa-san? What are you doing here?" Tomoko reached over and held Yoshiro's still sleep clogged head and kissed his forehead.
"I am here to play with you Yoshiro do you want to go home with me?" He rubbed his eyes clearing his head and looked up at his father trying to read the blank face.
"No. I want to stay with Jifu and wait for Kaa-san." Tomoko glanced up at Naruto waiting for him to intervene but when he stayed silent she took up the argument.
"No Yoshiro I think it would be best if you came home with me. Your Jifu will take care of Kaa-san. Ok? Now lets go." She reached forward to pick up the small boy but he whined and leapt at Naruto's neck clinging in desperation.
"NO! Obaa-san I want to stay with Jifu!! Jifu! Jifu! I want to stay and see Kaa-san. Jifu Please!" Yoshiro had started to cry and scream at his vacant father wanting some kind of reaction from him.
Naruto stood up holding his son close to his chest near his heart to calm the hysterical child.
"Obaa-san," Naruto's voice was heavy, soaked in grief, "could you sit down and wait for a moment please?" She pulled herself up and sat heavily in the now unoccupied chair.
As Naruto paced the waiting room rubbing soothing circles on Yoshiro's back his cries calmed into hiccups and then fell silent. Some people in the room had watched with interested and others had watch with small smiles at the sight of the now sleeping child that was drooling on his father's neck. One man was watching Naruto in deep thought obviously wanting to say something.
"So." The man had given into his urge "Is he your first born?" Naruto turned to look at the man. He was large and wore what looked to be family armor. His hair was brown and he had swirling tattoos on his face. Naruto thought he looked familiar but couldn't quiet place it.
"Ah, yes he is my first born." The man nodded his head.
"I am here to pick up my wife and daughter. Shots." Naruto could feel a half hearted chuckle rumble in his chest.
"I remember that. Yoshiro screamed and didn't look at us for days." The bulky man laughed this time.
"This is our baby's first shots. I wanted to be there but I was just a little too late and my wife told me to just wait out here." This time Naruto could feel a real smile tug on his lips.
"My wife kicked me out of the room because I panicked when Yoshiro started screaming." The pair laughed at their own memories. The light atmosphere dissipated as the other man's smile shriveled and died and he swallowed thickly.
"Uh, I don't know you but um, I wanted to know what it is like to raise a child. Will it stay this hard forever or does it get easer as it goes." Naruto couldn't help but feel sympathy for this man. He had been there once, but now he was older and he had lived through more.
"No it won't be any easier and to be truthful it will get harder. You will start to worry about new things. I try not to stress too much or I will have a panic attack." The husky man deflated and ran his hands over his face.
"I just don't know what to do."
"That's life." The brunette looked up at him. "I mean," slowly realization crawled into Naruto's mind as he relaxed into the conversation still standing before the man, "you will never know what will happen in life. I was having an argument with my wife this morning when she collapsed. She is pregnant again." The man sucked in his breath with sympathy. "You need to take each challenge as they come and take them head on. You will falter and fall but if you get up and try again it doesn't matter."
The man was now looking up at Naruto in awe but before he could speak a woman's voice cut through the soft murmur in the waiting room. She had long blonde hair held in a high pony tail and she wore baggy civilian clothes but Naruto could tell she was still easing out of her baby fat.
"Chouji we're done." Naruto's world froze. He couldn't fucking believe it. He didn't recognize Chouji. Chouji! How unique did you have to be before you were unrecognizable? Maybe Shino unique but that didn't mater.
Chouji stood up to greet his wife and child that she held in her protective grasp. The baby was still crying from her ordeal but was starting to calm.
"Ino I was just talking to uh, you know what I didn't get your name." The pair of eyes turned towards him waiting for his answer. Naruto shook himself out of his surprise.
"My name is Takumi." He shook hands with Chouji then bowed slightly towards Ino.
"My name is Akimichi Chouji and this is my wife Akimichi Ino." Naruto could only stare incredulously at the pair. Ino and Chouji were the opposites. Period. Noticing Naruto's face Chouji's own scrunched in confusion. "Is there something wrong Takumi-san?"
"No Akimichi-san. You are just a lucky, lucky man." He laughed brightly.
"Yes, yes I know." His arm wrapped around Ino and the child while Ino rolled her eyes and swapped at his shoulder. Naruto saw Ino look behind him so he turned around to see Tomoko standing patiently looking at the toddler in his arms.
"Do you want me to take him now Takumi." Naruto shifted Yoshiro.
"Can you carry him? It would be better if he didn't wake up. He has a half an hour more until he is suppose to get up from his nap." The older woman shifted and looked uncomfortable.
"I don't know but I can try." Naruto and Tomoko looked at each other as they tried to think of a better alternative when Chouji stepped forward.
"I can help Takumi-san. Let me carry him for Obaa-san." As Naruto looked around uncertainly Ino stepped forward for her husband's cause.
"He is a good man and if something goes wrong, Takumi-san, I will kick his ass." Naruto could only sigh in defeat as he handed his son over to Chouji. The boy shifted then settled again against Chouji's chest.
"I will be careful Takumi-san." Then with that they left and Naruto was alone in the waiting room. He found his chair again and sat in the silence, the miserable silence, for a nurse to come and tell him his wife was better.
A.N. Taadaa!! So tell me the good and the bad. Sorry I didn't tell you who helped them on the street but you are just going to have to sit there and wait. Hopefully I can get the next chapter out soon. Till next time happy writing!