DISCLAIMER- I own nothing!
…..
Strays were both good and bad things.
Nothing better than finding a stray chocolate or hair bobble. A coin on the floor, a drink in the back of the fridge, a lost present from the bottom of the bag...
Feeling like a stray, alone and a bit rough? Not quite so great...
…...
The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and Nekki's was completely rammed.
Today was the grand 'reopening', if a fortnight's closing could warrant such a thing, and I'd reasoned that there would be a bigger crowd than usual. Whether that was because people had missed my desserts or they were just being nosy, Mikoto and I had spent much of the days beforehand baking and buying in supplies.
We'd...kinda...underestimated?
"Dazai-san, I'll have five! To go!" sweating, I quickly pulled another tray of pretzels from the oven.
"-my nephew's birthday cake-" since when did I take 'commissions'? I wondered, sweat-dropping.
"Dazai-san, wonderful to see you again-"
The shop was roasting hot, from both the summer heat outside and the sizzling pans surrounding the two of us, and I'd spent most of the morning wondering why I hadn't just packed in the hot menu and made this place an ice cream stall.
At least it would've been cooler.
But the heat persisted, as did the crowds and soon even Mikoto was starting to look harried. And we weren't the only ones suffering.
We'd been all out of ice cream by noon and the lack of frozen goods was starting to grate. The lack of cold air from the rolling pan was torture enough, not even touching upon all the annoyed customers who'd demanded the cool treat.
I felt bad for my friends too, to be honest. Ensui's lunch break was distinctly un-break-ish as he organised the line, still in his uniform and hands raised placatingly. On the other end of the spectrum, Shisui's scowl was threatening to become thunderous as he was parked 'helplessly' in the corner. Honestly, as if I'd let him 'help'. His arms were still so weak he'd struggled to show up this morning - not that we were expecting him - , parked outside the shop when Mikoto and I had arrived and beaming smugly at the show of independence.
I'd been so, so, sorely tempted to smirk back, turn him around, and send him rolling back to the hospital. Ninja! Didn't know anything about resting and healing!
Ignoring how the young Jonin's eyes stared balefully over the top of his tea, I turned to flash a smile at a little girl, who was impetuously dragging her father over for a treat. She was so cute! Pigtails bobbing and sunburn on her little button nose, I reassured her father that it was 'fine' and she'd have her dessert in a few moments.
When the girl immediately dropped her ice cream on the floor after I'd literally just handed it over, her apologetic father immediately lost all of his 'nice guy' routine and demanded a second one or, if not, a refund.
Why you little-
I had to take a moment.
The Cold Room was, unsurprisingly, chilled as a fridge and it helped clear my head. The door was ajar behind me - no way in hell was I locking myself in a fridge - and I slumped down the side wall, careful to tuck my ponytail into the back of my yukata. I was going mental out there. We'd always had a good flow of customers - that was, after all, what made the dip in sales during the winter snows so nerve-wrecking - but this was ridiculous. It was almost 3 o'clock, six hours after we'd opened shop, and neither Mikoto or myself had had a break. Going in here for a glass of water and a breather or nipping off to the toilet didn't count!
But… I'd rather be suffering here than cooped up in that hospital or stuck at home.
At least in the crowd I was less hyper-aware of being watched. Whether that was Raven or just shadows jumping out at me, imaginary (?) watchers in my perceptual.
I checked the small pocket watch Tou-san had leant me - my grandfather's - and heaved a sigh before tucking it away and standing back up. It had been two minutes...time to get back out there.
Ice cream was mopped up, customers placated and orders served in an endless stream of racket and exhaustion. Crikey, I was out of practice. It was kinda ridiculous how hard it was to get back into the swing of things after a break, especially considering the recent stress.
"Oh, praise Kami," I sighed, flipping the sign to closed and leaning against the wall. It was tea time and I was fucking done.
The floor was messy, crumbs and sugar galore, and Mikoto had already started on the dishes with a relieved slump of her usually-postured shoulders.
When Shisui started milling in between the stools (I only had a few, running around the edges of the counter and far wall, depending more on my clientele eating out) and wiping them down, resting the damp rag in his lap as he wheeled around, I shut my mouth.
I'd never, ever argued so much with that idiot than the weeks since The Incident (A.D. after Danzo). If that stubborn boy wanted to wear himself out, he could be my guest! Huh!
My indifference faltered when Shisui tried to grab the mop. Oh, for the love of-
"Nope!" I forced a smile, whipping the handle out of Shisui's reach and ignoring the answering pout. "No wheel-tracks on my floors, you!"
What a shit excuse, Kiharu. Slytherin is ashamed-!
I pretended to ignore the screech of Shisui's breaks as I fucking shoved that boy outside. Ha! As if I'd let him help. There was a massive difference between someone being 'useless' and 'injured'.
I'd love to show that boy the Paralympics, just to prove how amazing and incredible everyone can be, if I didn't think it would only encourage him. In a bad way, I mean. The detrimental bit, where Shisui would just take it as an invitation to not wait until he was healed and try antics out whilst he was still in the chair . And, you know, the whole 'wrong universe' thingy was a wrench in the works too. Bummer.
Mikoto giggled quietly at the sink as I re-entered with great dignity. Thankfully, Itachi was outside and more than happy to wheel his cousin back home again. I waved them off, turning back to mop and smiling tiredly when my eyes met Mikoto's.
"You look very tired, Kiharu-chan," the older woman noted, slowing slightly in her washing. "You did not sleep well last night?"
I thought about my dark room, restlessly shifting and kicking at my duvet, 'Toshi a heavy weight at my back.
"Fine, just fine," I smiled faintly, squirting some soap into the basin and setting it beside the sink for the older woman to fill. Whilst I waited, I quickly ran a brush around and wiped down the till area. How in the hell did I get jam there?
It was after six when we finished up, locking the caged front and securing the door. The street was still bright, looking more like 4pm in the late summer sunset, but busy nonetheless. Fellow shopkeepers closing up and villagers out for a bite filtered through the streets, lazy in the heat and beautiful weather. The breeze was slight, ghosting tugs at the loose strands around my face and grazing my skin, but it was a welcome reprieve from the lingering heat.
The air was crisp and fresh, cool in the shade, and filled my lungs to the brim as I sucked in a deep breath, internally marvelling at the calm after such a day.
"What a day…" I groaned out loud, breaking the silence and glancing up at my partner from the corner of my eye. "See you first thing?"
A pale hand reached out and smoothed down my collar. Mikoto smiled affectionately, inclining her head and turning to leave with a soft "tomorrow. Goodnight, Kiharu-chan."
I tucked my hands into the discrete pockets Yuri-oba had sewn into my clothing, turning away and kicking up dust as I set off down the street.
I wonder if Izu-kun and Tetsu-kun are off shift yet for dinner…
…
"What?" I squawked, tea suspended halfway to my lips.
We were curled up on Nee-chan's sofa, Izumo sprawled out beside me and Kotetsu lounging on the rug before us. The table was laden with pizza, a favourite of the boys, and snacks.
Nekki's had been open for a week by the time I'd finally wrangled that dinner with the boys. Between new patrols A.D., working on the gate and training, I figured I deserved all the snacks I wanted by finally getting this dinner sorted. A for effort, Kiharu.
Izumo snickered softly at my reaction, bony fingers reaching over to right my cup before I spilled anymore of the hot liquid.
Kotetsu grinned like a mad thing and I scowled furiously as I patted at the spill on my front.
"I'll take it he didn't tell you then?"
Christ, Tetsu was so smug. Always was when something cropped up with my Uchiha friends. Jealous little twat.
"And?" I prompted.
"And?" Cheshire cat couldn't have looked so mocking.
I looked to Izumo and, thank Kami, the milder brunette took mercy.
"It's going around the Mission's Room and no-one's denied it; Itachi-san isn't taking the exam!"
My mug made a quiet thump as I paced it back on the low table. What in the actual fuck…
"Bu-but why wouldn't he?" I floundered. What had I changed now?
The two boys shared a look before simultaneously shrugging. "Well, it's not like he has a team right now anyway."
Izumo leaned forward to swipe another slice. "Maybe he has to wait for one," the older boy reasoned with a kind smile.
My own answering one seemed strangely brittle. I knew it was too much to hope the boys didn't notice.
Teenage boys may seem like obtuse idiots but they were sharp as tacts when they wanted to be.
Izumo looped an arm under my own and dragged me to the middle of the couch as Tetsu threw himself up and squeezed in on my other side.
A Kiharu sandwich between two 17 yr olds. Jeez.
"Okay, okay!" I growled, swatting at the arms that threatened to squeeze the stuffing out of me. Not a great combo with my food-baby of cheesy-pizza-goodness. Then again, if I threw up on Genma's sofa, I could totally pin it on these two…
On second thought, I loathed being sick. Pass!~
"Cheer up, Kiharu," Kotetsu pretty much ordered, laying off on the death grip and slinging his bare feet into my lap instead. How the hell he managed that, considering how disgustingly tall the two Chuunins had grown and how we were squashed in, I hadn't a clue.
Regardless, they were gross-
"Ew!" I laughed despite myself, shoving his feet away and fake(ish)-gagging when the black-haired teen was undeterred. When I ducked and Tetsu's foot smacked into Izumo's laughing mouth, bedlam ensued.
And, following a pillow fight and a rowdy sleepover that had the three of us exhausted and very late the next morning, I completely forgot about Itachi's withdrawal from the exam.
The exam came and went with nary a word from the Uchiha Heir (a slight smile, "I'm not ready yet, Kiharu-chan, but thank you,") and time moved on.
Nekki's was back to normal, Tou-san slowly getting back 'in the field' as Shisui started physiotherapy for his atrophied muscles, and Ensui waded through life at the Station.
Unbeknownst to me, the Uchiha stewed.
…..
When Autumn arrived, I was more than grateful. Life had been so hectic, getting back into the swing of things was rough.
I'd spent a month in a constant state of stress, a pretty short amount of time but, well...stress fucked with the brain. And this was….bizarre.
Shisui was doing well - or, rather, he was just about behaving enough that I couldn't justifiably insist he move in with us. Just so that he couldn't do anything stupid without knowing I was loitering around, reading to murder him - and Itachi had been spending more and more time with his older cousin.
Whilst it warmed the cockles of my shriveled, sarcastic heart, I was still a touch bewildered by Itachi. It wasn't like he'd suddenly changed or become a new person but...I'd never seen him so...unfocused?
He used to always be headed to training, in the middle of training or coming back from training. That's all he ever seemed to do. And it had only become more obvious as the years progressed and spiked again after his ridiculous graduation.
Maybe he was just looking after his cousin, terribly injured and left in a house with an extremely reluctant Great Aunt. He must've felt responsible for what happened to our best friend, in some way. Ensui...Ensui had told me everything, just as I knew he would-
- it was on a nondescript day, cloudy with patches of sunlight on a Thursday morning, a week after Shisui was released in his chair, when Ensui and I found ourselves eating a late breakfast in my kitchen.
The muted 'thump' of Ensui's coffee mug set down on a coaster had my gaze flicking up from my toast.
"So," he cleared his throat. "You've been waiting-"
"-to hear the details of that night, yes," I finished for him, suddenly impatient. It was about bloody time.
Ensui narrowed his eyes at me knowingly. "Well, I was with Shishou, working on your case, when Mikoto-hime sent me to the Station. She wanted me to speak to her husband and wait for her there."
Jeez, if that didn't sound suspicious…
"Fugaku-sama spoke to me about the case itself and I reported our findings and methods to him. Mikoto still wasn't back, but Fugaku left anyway and told me to stay put to wait for Shishou.
"It was, at this point," Ensui took another slurp of coffee but I sat, riveted, breakfast forgotten. "That the fire alarm sounded. I was immediately dispatched alongside several other Chuunin task forces to quench the flames...they were...fast spreading.
"I found some Uchiha kids and took them back home, but they told me that Itachi wasn't there and I should go find him. I was- I agreed."
Why did I have such a bad feeling about this….
"Turns out Itachi and Sasuke had been on their way to see their mother when the fire began. Itachi escorted his brother to the Station, missing Mikoto and myself, before leaving to look for Shisui-"
"Oh, for Kami's sake!-" I dropped my heading my hands. God, if I couldn't see how this was going to shit.
The comisorating look Ensui shot me was 300% understanding.
"Right," the older boy continued, "so Itachi went after Shisui, who was, as I'm sure you know, one of the Jonin at the source of the fire." Actually! I hadn't known that little fucking nugget. Was Shisui there when the fire started?!
Wait.
Wasn't it started when Danzo fled…
I'd thought that Shisui had become entangled in the fight because he had the Mangekyou and Danzo wanted to grab it before he was forced to flee. Kind of Orochimaru towards sasuke style. But now...did this mean that Shisui had been there when Danzo was confronted?
My chopstick snapped.
"Go. On." I bit out.
"Well," dark eyes flickered down to the broken chopstick in my fist, "Shisui was injured, Danzo got to him-" Oh, wow, Ensui! Way to avoid explicitly confirming just who was tasked that mission and who was just 'there'! "-And that's when Itachi found them. I was only a few minutes behind, having heard from Detective Osamu-san and a few other officers where Itachi was headed.
"When I arrived, Itachi had bought Shisui some time. The fire was out of control and Shisui wasn't conscious. So, Itachi took him up into the trees whilst I tried to distract Danzo. He was….good. Insanely good. But, somehow, I ducked his blows and annoyed him enough to keep his focus on me. That was when backup arrived."
The kitchen was silent for a moment.
"That's...insane," I commented. I honestly...what else was there to say? I was at loss, for once.
"Yeah.."
It was a pretty vague picture but, well… Ensui was a ninja. They kept their cards incredibly close to their chest and he probably didn't want to fucking traumatise me with the gore….
But, if Itachi was the one to stop Danzo, particularly from stealing his eyes, no wonder the younger boy was so out of sorts! I'd been beside myself when I knew he was in the hospital, let alone at the feet of the psychopath!
I resolved to help him anyway I could.
Which, naturally, resulted in a baking day.
Sunday's were always great. The stall was closed and both Mikoto and I had some free time to be social, deal with other tasks, or just simply put our feet up for a bit. The lie in was certainly most welcome.
However, despite this blessing, I found myself waking up at an evil 10am (incomprehensible on such a day) to visit the troubled Genin.
Basket on the crook of my arm, I smiled pleasantly at the people on the street, winking at Yuri-oba when I caught her eye in the shop window, until I strolled up to the Uchiha gates.
"Tarou-san," I beamed up the the Gate Guard, an older gentleman with silver temples.
My grin threatened to falter when there was none of the usual softening around his stern eyes. Uh…
"Kiharu-san," no '-chan'? Shit, "How may I help you?"
Well...at least he didn't demand to know why I wanted to trespass or something...kami…
"I'm, er, coming to visit Itachi-kun?" why, oh why, did that sound like a question?
Tarou stared down at me with fathomless back eyes, like two holes in his chalky face. He'd always been sweet to me, a softie for children now that his daughter was pregnant with his first grandchild, and he'd been one of my favourite guards. I had a Yondaime's with his name on it and everything…
"I'm sorry, Kiharu-san," I closed my eyes in defeat before he'd even finished. "Itachi-sama is busy right now."
"I see...thank you, Tarou-san, have a good day."
The older man simply nodded and I could do nothing more than turn back the way I came.
Itachi had never been less busy, but so unavailable. Dammit.
It was mid September now, a month after Danzo and still the Village buzzed. How can you move on, how can you come to terms with such revelations?
Of course, for me it was a different kind of acceptance. To the villagers, Danzo Shimura had been a pillar of society. To me, he was a monster. But...events were unrecognisable right now. I was something akin to a life raft, sent to drift in the sea.
Now I just had to find a fucking paddle.
"Kaiya-hime!" I beamed when I spotted a distinctive black pixie cut further up the street. As they were wont to do when my mind was elsewhere, my feet had led me to the main shopping district.
The Akimichi Matriarch turned around at the call, penciled eyebrows winging up in curiosity, before her expression warmed when I was recognised.
"How are you feeling?" I asked once I'd caught up to her side.
Basket of shopping on her arm, Kaiya's expression softened down at me. The older woman rarely smiled (when she did, it was mainly during business deals and it was the single most terrifying sight in my life) but that's just who she was. Greatly reserved, greatly dignified.
"Fine, thank you," Kaiya drawled, moving towards the clothing district. I was happy enough to trot along beside her. "No sickness yet, or anything. But, it is still early."
"Sora-oba had terrible morning sickness," I remembered with a fond quirk of my lips. It was so long ago that Noko and I were braiding flower crowns into the expecting-mother's hair, visiting most days with offerings of fresh strawberry cheesecake. It made me feel...old! I'd barely remembered my childhood before but, now, I had the memory retention of an adult. And it was all here.
"Ah, yes," the tall woman smirked faintly. "She insisted you call her '-oba' after you made her dessert. She was so embarrassed afterwards, but never regretful."
I laughed out loud at that. Classic.
I ended up spending the rest if the day with the Akimichi Matriarch, the entire morning devoted to shopping and the afternoon back at the Compound. Chouza was making lunch when we returned, laden with bags, and was more than happy to dish out an extra serving for myself. Chouji was quietly thrilled to see me (it was pretty rare to see me without Ino or Shika or Shisui or- well, you get the idea) and I found myself roped into helping him with his kanji.
Which was, as everyone is well aware, a fucking joke. My writing, whilst pleasing to look at, was utter dribble. Crying shame that a scholar was reduced to this level of literacy, haha!
But Chouji and I spent an afternoon in his room, belly-down on the woolly floor rug with paper spread out around us.
I think we were pretty much at the same level, if I was being brutally honest.
Then again, Chouji was smart. I'd never realised how clever he was in the series, the focus being on his lack of confidence, foodie-ness and friendship with Shikamaru. Sure, he wasn't a genius but, duhh, most kid weren't. He would read well enough though, slow and wobbly but he was only five! His letters were scrawling but mostly legible. Honestly, his handwriting was better than some of the chicken scratch I'd seen over the years.
Nothing quite like getting an essay back from your very distinguished professor, only to realise you have absolutely no clue what they said. Because it looks more like a heart monitor than a sentence.
By the time I strolled back home, Itachi's jam-filled donuts had been sacrificed as my dessert contribution to dinner and dusk was just starting to set in.
I'd...talk to Itachi tomorrow….
I didn't.
'Itachi' was now, apparently, synonymous with 'absent'. And it was next level frustrating.
Shisui saw him just fine! ("what are you talking about, Kiharu? He was over for breakfast this morning! Which reminds me, you owe me three free pretzels-")
Mikoto had given me a bit of a weird look when I'd asked if Itachi was out of the village or training somewhere. Honestly, apparently he was just busy training with his father (and, god, wasn't that a shining reassurance?) and the Police Force.
At that little nugget about the Police, I'd cornered a stressed Ensui (if I could box the ears of the Uchiha until they stopped being unfair, I'd do it in a heartbeat) but he'd been in such a rush, he'd only had time to shout over one shoulder that everything was fine.
I was really starting to resent that word. 'Fine'. God, what does that even really mean?
Hana had little sympathy too.
("-who cares? Probably has a special sensei and he's gonna skip straight to Jonin and never, ever work in a proper team like people should!"-)
Yeah, no. That wasn't helpful, Hana.
So, instead, I tried to convince myself that things were okay.
….
"-and I wanna walk with you...on a cloudy day...in fields where the yellow grass grows...knee high…
"...so won't you try...to come, come away with me…?"*
The surface was sparkling clean, shiny as a mirror, but still I polished it. Nee-chan, just off his crutches, had promised to come over for afternoon tea and so, I was washing the floors.
Or, rather, 'the house' might be more accurate.
"Why?" was all Hitoshi asked, his slumped form taking up the entire sofa, with half lidded eyes.
Hunched on the floor behind the back of said sofa, I rolled my eyes, unseen. "Because." I answered, dunking my cloth into the bucket before wiping the floor again.
Hitoshi snorted when it became clear that was all I was going to say.
I could see my reflection in the mahogany beams.
"...glass half empty, glass half, full...well, either way, you won't be going thirsty...count your blessings, not your faults…"*
I moved into the hallway, leaving behind a sparkling household, a trail of cleanliness. This was actually super weird of me. Nee-chan had been round here a lot and I had always been a bit of a slob. Well, I had been before but...when Kaa-san died, I'd hated to see the home she loved be treated so poorly. But still, I wasn't usually this good. It was just...one of those restless days, I guess.
"...you've got it all, you lost your mind in the sand...there's so much more, you can reclaim your crown…"
By 2pm, the house was insanely clean, a Yondaime's out on the table, and the kettle on.
Despite the cast, Nee-chan didn't even have to knock like a normal person.
Then again, recently Shisui had found great joy in ramming his chair into stuff that got in his way. Thankfully, that had yet to extend to children or other people, but my back door (our front one had a porch that was frustratingly inaccessible to wheelchairs. I already had a Genin team booked to rectify that next weekend) had acquired some chips from the abuse.
Shisui just said it was was I got for being too slow to open it. I just said he was a brat who didn't deserve me.
(Either way, I was happy to see him finally perk up a bit.)
But, anyway! Genma, yes, Genma came straight in the kitchen, sans sounds of a door opening or any kind of entry, and scared the fuck out of me.
"Gahhk!" I yelped when a man entered my perceptual. The ANBU that materialised behind the Tokubetsu had me yelling out. Again.
"Raven!" I gawked. "You-you're still here?!"
The still-unidentified-Hyuuga ignored me. Maybe they pulled a face or rolled their eyes. Sheesh, I'd never know.
"I didn't realise your newest buddy was still around, Kiharu," Genma unhelpfully drawled. "And, before you ask, yes, I was repressing my chakra. Ki-chan is a summoner now; if I wanna scare her, gotta take proper precautions."
"I can't sense chakra," I pointed out, pulling the kettle off the heat when it started to whistle.
With the slightest hobble, Genma strolled over and sank into a chair with a contented sigh. "Well...I know that now. Never can be too sure what your old man will teach you."
Raven was gone by the time I turned back around and I pretended I wasn't nashing my teeth. "If Tou-san hears you call him that, he'll have your pretty locks before you can say 'senbon'."
It was true though. Without that weird-ass bandana, Genma's silken locks were clearly visible, tucked behind his ears and very pretty.
Genma's throaty chuckle was pretty too.
Yay, I sighed happily. I have such a lovely sister~
Genma cut himself a massive slab of tart, without waiting for me or my permission, and I dunked an extra two spoonfuls of sugar into his tea. I take it back.
"How's my brother-in-law, then?" I was the picture of innocence.
Having just taken a gulp of his poisoned tea, I had never wished more for a camera. That spit-take was a thing of beauty. And I was pretty chuffed that I'd managed to time it just so, the spray missing both myself and the spread.
"Listen, Kiharu," Genma coughed, cheeks flushed. Absently, I hope Raven was a closet-gossip in the ANBU headquarters. Spreading the word and all that…
"Raidou and I are best friends, just best friends."
"As you should be," I conceded primly and hid my smirk at Genma's slight relief behind the rim of my tea cup. "All good relationships must be built on strong foundations of friendship and respect."
"That is not what I meant, kid, and we both know it." The Tokubetsu seemed to gather some speed and I slumped back in my chair. This was no fun. "What I'm trying to say is that we're not a couple, okay?"
I decided to come clean. "Oh, I know that," I talked right over Genma's affronted 'what?', "but I think you would be. A good one, I mean."
Jeez, he had no right to look so surprised.
"You're both super good friends and you do everything together! There's no-one you trust more, same for Raidou, and you have a good dynamic!"
Genma, are you even breathing?
"Sure, you might be good friends but I think you'd be even better together. You're already living your lives joined at the hip, why not share them?" I eyed the other brunette's glazed eyes with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. "...Just a little thought, Nee-san.."
Seeds: planted.
…..
It was almost October, the summer days darkening as Autumn came in full swing, and the trees burned like torches all around.
Itachi had finally become more available, with little-to-no explanation (he'd completely pulled the innocent-ignorance card, can you believe it?!), and was spending more and more time with Ensui and Sasuke, on top of his usual closeness with Shisui.
It was like a great, big boys club (one that had a membership age spanning from 20 to 5, tch) and, honestly? I was starting to feel a bit...left out.
I had precious few true friends in this life and, those ones I did have, I was territorial as fuck. No, they weren't possessions or whatever. That didn't mean I didn't get a bit...touchy...about it all.
Those dicks (barring you, Sasuke, you grumpy kitten) were up to something.
Unfortunately, I was passive aggressive so, instead of calmly discussing the issue with my friends, I went looking for someone else to hang out with.
Hana was helping her brother train for his Nin-ken partner, so she was off the list, and I wasn't quite sad enough to go hang with adults or the babies.
Regardless, I wasn't aimless for too long.
I was just coming on to Market street when a bushy ponytail came into view, the boy pausing at the sight of me.
"Iruka-kun!" I cried, surprised despite the fact I really had no reason to be. The world didn't revolve around me and Iruka had probably just been getting on with his life whilst mine went to shit.
The Genin in question turned at the call, eyebrows winging up when his dark eyes met mine and a bashful smile pulled at tan cheeks.
"Kiharu-san," the future-academy instructor greeted me, winding through the crowds of shoppers to stop beside me. "I heard you were back," yeah, I mentally snorted, like a month and a half ago, you dork~ "Everything, er, okay?"
"Just fine, thanks Iruka-kun," I grinned, digging a hand into my basket and offering him a tart. "Yondaime's? I was just going to lunch, if you want to tag along?"
Careful fingers, his nails bitten to the quick and scruffed from antics (no doubt), closed around the treat and the older boy shot me a small grin. The scar across his nose, from shrapnel during the Nine-tails' attack, crumpled cutely. "Ramen?" He gestured in the direction of T
euchi's.
I rolled my eyes. Of course. "Sure, sure,~"
The Ramen chef glanced up when we ducked under the banners, making a beeline for the counter stools, and grinned at the sight of the two of us keen-os.
"Morning, you two! The usual?"
Laughing, I nodded, eyeing Iruka's excited agreement out the corner of my eye. I didn't realise that he was already such a regular. Then again, it made sense; Iruka was a big ramen eater, well before he ever started getting closer to Naruto. I'd just never really seen him here, was all. Although, it wasn't as if I was here all the time, I only really showed up to refill the fridge, grab the occasional meal, or catch up with the father-daughter duo.
So, we sat at the bar, chatting lightly until our food arrived. I'd never been terribly close to Iruka, a bit uncertain around him at this age (just because I loved his character, didn't mean I automatically adored him as a person. I just...somehow found it hard to talk to him), but I managed a conversation well enough. I hesitantly asked about his genin team, and he tossed out a few names that wiggled in the back of my mind but had definitely faded from my memory. God, what I wouldn't give for Google or Narutopedia for a refresher! In return, I told Iruka about Shisui's wheelchair (common knowledge but still some harmless gossip) and talked about my favourite ramen flavours.
When the food arrived, I was grateful for the excuse to shut my trap (word-wise, at least) and we dug in. God, this was awkward! Our elbows kept knocking as we ate and, at one point, we made eye contact with noodles hanging from our mouths. The blush on Iruka's face, ha!
It was different from customer service, I could talk to those people for ages about the weather or the price of silk! And it was different again with my friends, the easy banter and comfortable silences.
But I knew Iruka, I knew the man he'd one day be. But...he wasn't that man yet. And it was very different from everyone else. Shisui was a bit of a mystery in the fandom, a boy who's life was a tragedy but we'd never had the chance to know intimately. The same with almost everyone else, if we'd ever known them at all. And the future Rookie 9 were just babies! It didn't matter who they'd be when they grew up; I'd basically raised InoShikaCho, had a hand in the others too, and it was as easy as breathing to forget their 2D characters.
But Iruka was...other. I'd freaked out when I'd met Minato, I'd freaked out when I'd seen spiky silver hair on a rooftop and I'd probably go into cardiac arrest when Ino one day drags a pink-haired civilian home. He was a character that, at least to me, had always been there. And he'd changed so much! An orphan who loathed 'the Demon' to a teacher who took pity, to an older brother/father-figure and he'd always lingered in the back of the entire series. He was, or rather would be, Naruto's family and I was honest enough with myself to admit I was struggling to see past that.
And, as for Iruka himself, I was a girl who looked at him weird. I'd not had the best first impression (well! Neither had he!) and, well, you couldn't get on with everyone.
Surely I got brownie points for trying, though.
So, as we slurped ramen like the awkward kids we were, I just...tried to think of him as a person. There were very few people, I could count on one hand, I struggled to accept as real. I wasn't really sure why iruka was one of them. Regardless, I was trying…
My attempt to be a good person was interrupted by a racket in the street.
"-Oi! Why you little-!"
Heads snapping up and round, Iruka and I watched as a small cluster of people (lower halves visible under the banners) gathered on the street. Teuchi, still stirring the broth, frowned in consternation. I couldn't blame him, crowds on your doorstep were never good news.
Hopping up, I decided to do my business partner a favour, and waved off the ramen chef's concern. As I walked over to explore the commotion, a curious Iruka at my shoulder, I sped up as the voices only grew louder. Insults were being thrown and, from the faint dirt in the air, a tussle must've broken out. Crap, I was a touch too young to deal with that shit….
Mercilessly elbowing my way through, I came to an abrupt stop at the scene before me.
Three men, two civilians and an older Genin, were stood in the middle of the crowd. Pale dust smeared their calves, kicked up from the dry ground, and their arms -strong, with clenched fists- were raised threateningly.
A small figure was huddled in the dust.
Awww, hell no!
"OI!" I snarled, shoving forwards and fisting a hand in the back of the first man's shirt. He reeled around, raring for a fight and threw a fist without even looking.
The punch came down like slow-mo and I found myself thinking, eyes popped wide, 'oh shit'.
I went flying, crashing into the people behind me, with my jaw and collarbone aching. And all hell broke loose.
"Hey!" the small blob- blonde, of fucking course!- jerked to its feet and staggered forwards a few steps. The people around me were arguing loudly, Iruka fluttering helplessly as he pulled me into a seated position.
The brute that hit me was staring with shocked, regret-filled eyes and I glared through my tears. Oh, so now he was sorry?!
Fuck, fuck, fuck, that hurt! My shoulder was shrouded in pain, my bones small and close to the surface, and I'd bet my shitty luck I'd gone and fractured it.
"How dare you!" the entire street was watching as I screamed at the men. Teuchi was coming now, ducking outside with a truly thunderous expression and his ladle still in hand. "Why are you beating up children, you monsters!"
Parents murmured unhappily, a few stepping forward to 'shield' me (about time! My god, where the fuck were you when they were actually hitting us?!) and I could see some Officers running up the street towards us.
Speaking of...where in the ever loving fuck were Naruto's famed ANBU guards?!
"You're supposed to be a ninja, a protector of the village!" I accused the Genin that had struck me. I was so full of shit though, I was under no illusions that just because someone wore a uniform they were automatically a good person, a hero. Regardless, I was gonna make the fucking best of this.
My arm was shifted when Iruka tried to heave me up and I let out an ear-splitting yelp-
NOPE, DON'T DO THAT.
Ouch?!
Two Officers elbowed through the crowd, which had only grown in the 'excitement', and I let out a sigh of relief when the three men were escorted to the Station for further questioning.
Not to sound like a spoiled brat who was going to throw weight around for what I wanted...but I was totes gonna do that.
Disturbance of the peace, child abuse and assault sounds about right.
"Hey, you alright?" I groaned, glancing up at the dusty blonde that scampered hesitantly towards us. "Why were they bullying you anyway?"
Sapphire blue eyes shone from a dirty face.
N-Naruto!
"Naru-chan!" I gawked, pulling away from Iruka and leaning up on my knees. "I've been worried, where have you been?"
Minato's eyes squinted confusedly. "Wha-?"
Disappointment clouded my features but I wasn't going to cry over it. "We met a while ago, the girl with the sleeping kitty in the woods?"
I felt Iruka twitch but ignored it. Tch! Old News!
Naruto blinked those massive eyes before his mouth popped open. "Oh yeah!" score! "Your cat was so fat!"
Kami. Thank god Hitoshi wasn't here to hear that-
"He's just big, actually," I half heartedly defended, only paying have an ear to Teuchi as he helped me up and escorted us back inside. Naruto, largely ignored at this point, snuck in behind me. "A panther, a ninja too!"
Ninja was apparently the magic word - as if the little orphan hadn't just been threatened and ruffed up by one - and the tiny blonde Uzumaki was suddenly a bundle full of energy, hopping after the chef as he half-carried me 'round the counter and to the back sinks.
"Iruka-kun, you'd best go to the seamstress' two streets over." Teuchi started, his deep voice solemn as he plopped me up on the countertop and started washing my scratched up hands. "Ask for Yuri-san, the Uchiha healer is usually with her. Kiharu's relatives-" I blushed crimson at the insinuation, "- will be able to help."
Iruka, face scrunched up in a furrow of concern, dashed off without a backwards glance. Teuchi turned back to me, pulling out a first aid kit that had my lips pulling into a smile. Pink kitty plasters, hmm?
Naruto scuffed a foot in the doorway and I immediately gestured for him to come over.
The skidding of his tiny feet on the tiles as he shuffled over was extremely loud in the back room. And, knowing the normal pass-aggressive vibe that most people generated in regards to the local jinchuuriki, I counted it a massive blessing that Teuchi seemed to have decided to take a neutral stance. He lifted Naruto up beside me (his eyes saddened at the flinch such an innocent touch brought about) and slid the wet cloth closer, but otherwise ignored the four year old as he pressed some towel-wrapped ice to my collarbone.
Hissing under my breath, I determinedly reached across and picked up the wet rag.
"Here we go, Naru-chan," I half whispered, worried of spooking him after such a day. His skin was tanned underneath the dust, evidence of a life lived outdoors, and I wondered if he was homeless.
I was a terrible human being.
I'd known that Naruto was kicked out of the orphanage and then given a shitty apartment by Sarutobi after living it rough for a while. That was Canon. But...Iruka had sworn he'd never seen a blonde of Naturo's description at the Orphanage, far earlier than the age he was evicted that the fandom was aware of. I'd seen the signs, the little boy missing and possibly in the Red Light District and done nothing.
He'd been in my grasp the night of Tobi's attack and I'd let him slip away again into obscurity.
I'd never be able to make up for it.
"So, what was all that about, hmm?" I quietly prompted the silent boy. My shoulder throbbed but, honestly, making sure little Naruto was okay was much more important. I was pretty sure it wasn't broke anyway; if it had been, I'd definitely know it.
"I…," I had to strain to hear the raspy whisper. "...i just want'd some ramen…"
Hear that? That's the sound of my heart breaking.
Judging by the softening of Teuchi's uncharacteristically stern eyes, he was similarly affected.
"Well, ignore them!" my impassioned exclamation had the younger boy almost jumping a foot in the air and I grimaced apologetically. "They're just mean and any time they try anything, let me know and I'll sort them out!"
As one, all three of us glanced down at my purpling and swelling collarbone. Ah...er...
"Anyway," I moved quickly on, "if you're hungry, I have a tab you're free to use too!"
Naruto was looking particularly overwhelmed by now so I sent a meaningful glance up at the ramen chef. He hesitated but eventually nodded. Good. Any food from Ichiraku's wouldn't be 'charged'. It was...the very, very least I could do.
The thought of such a tiny thing, my ramen tally, overwhelming the little boy made me want to cry again for a completely different reason.
If I'm actually able to stay dead this time, there's no doubt I deserve to rot.
….
Akane had not been impressed, to say the least.
"Can a week not go by without you getting into scrapes?" well, that was hardly fair. I averaged about once a month if we were being accurate and I'd hardly count any of them mere tussles.
Tobi, Danzo, abusive asshole civilians….nope, all pretty unforgivably high-end in my books.
"I was defending the innocent," I snarked mullishlessy as the Uchiha smeared paste from my jaw to my underarm. Damn, what I wouldn't give for some chakra healing round about now.
Akane cast a sharp eye over the boy in question, who was now gulping down a bowl of miso like it was going to be ripped from him any moment. He was clean, Akane having insisted he wash himself as much as possible in the great sink, and unhurt. The few scrapes Kurama hadn't healed yet were now gone, something I'd insisted on.
I was just relieved that Akane didn't seem to care too much about who my little damsel in distress was.
I was stupid enough to get my hopes up.
"What?"
The walk home, Naturo's hand firmly clasped in mine (they couldn't pry this boy from me now, not without amputation), was a bit...tense. Minato's son had been pretty shy, a complete flip from his Canon character, and happy to come home with me.
Like a stray puppy, he'd stuck to me like a little shadow when it became obvious I wasn't going to reject him. Unlike everyone else, apparently… and, whilst I did intend to ram some stranger-danger caution into his head, I was glad he seemed pretty okay with me.
I...wasn't too great with kids. Shika was sleepy, Chouji was like a fluffy teddy, Sasuke tolerated me and Ino was easily placated with girly stuff.
But...Naruto had issues. Ones I had no idea how to deal with appropriately! But, I was going to do what I could. And that was support him in anyway I was able.
Unfortunately, the universe had decided to make that as difficult as possible.
"What?"
Hitoshi, a hulking figure on the front porch, was silent. His eyes were two hard chips of emerald, muzzle crumpled in a silent snarl, and completely stiff beside the tell-tale twitch of his tail. He was not a happy kitty…
"'Toshi...," my voice was a low warning, Naruto carefully tucked behind me at the gate, and I shot my summon a quelling glare. He wasn't going to be an ass, right?
"No."
Okay, so apparently he was.
I had about a thimble-full of pity. I didn't give a flying fuck if Naruto stank of Bijuu or Fox or whatever. If it was anyone else, fine! Be wary, be vigilant; after the summer we'd had, I was in 100% agreement. But not this kid.
Surely. Surely, surely, surely, he must stink of Minato!?
"I'm going to give you some context, Hitoshi," I smiled pleasantly, looking for all the world as if we were having a cheerful chat over tea. The panther bared his teeth and I mimicked him, my snarl disguised as a grin. "I have an injured collarbone and bruised jaw-" this time, he snarled for a completely different reason. Gotcha. "-all from a group of three men who were beating up a child."
I glanced at Naruto from the corner of my eye but, from the awed look on his face, Hitoshi's imposing figure was more on the spectrum of 'badass-awesome' than 'predator-that-wants-to-feast-on-my-flesh'. Well, okay then.
"Naru-chan, this is Hitoshi, that super strong ninja I was talking about earlier!"
Blue eyes lit up like sapphires in the sunlight and the small Uzumaki was more than willing to follow me as I led us up the front garden.
"You're a ninja?!"
The awe on Naruto's face no doubt stroked the carnivore's ego; he didn't relax but he looked a lot less like he was going to maul the 'monster' clinging to his summoner's arm. Phew.
"..." I raised a brow. "...yes."
"Cool!"
Well, at least he wasn't scared. Or not as far as I could tell…
I ushered us into the house, ignoring how the big cat stalked after my every step as if Naruto was in danger of going bat-shit crazy and mauling me. He'd get used to it.
"'Grab me a towel from the cupboard will you, kitty?" I drawled casually, waltzing into the kitchen and winking at Naruto when he giggled at the nickname.
Hitoshi didn't move.
"Akane-sama's meds only help so much and I might start screaming."
He was gone and back so quickly, all I had time to register was a black blur and some muted 'thumps' upstairs.
A pack of peas was pulled from the freezer and wrapped in said towel, before I wincingly rested it in the crook of my shoulder. The punch itself had landed on the collar bone, but it had clipped my jaw as it angled down and my landing had only jarred the entire area further. A.K.A. not fun.
"So, Naru-chan, you've seen my house now; where do you live?"
…...
The sunlight was beautiful.
Glowing beams filtered between the trees, turning green to gold and amber over my head. The pebbles beneath my bare feet glittered like beetle shells, dappled grey and green and blue, clattering as I padded towards the shore. The water was calm, gently lapping at the rocks and shone deep aquamarine under the blazing sun.
Oh, I smiled. The Naka again…Noko and I loved it here.
It was glorious and I'd never felt such peace. No worries, nothing. It was like my brain had finally relaxed, like when you squint too long in the sunlight and you go in the shade. A cramp loosened, a weight removed.
A taut rope slackened and slowly, slowly unwound.
My lips opened of their own accord. "Why is a Raven like a writing desk?"
The crow that fluttered down onto my knee - somehow I was seated, weight leaned back on my palms with legs bent - clicked it's beak and puffed up it's chest proudly.
"Crows are the superior species, regardless."
I wasn't phased when it spoke. No thoughts as to who this creature was, how their beak formed words without teeth. None of it mattered anyway.
"I haven't any idea either," I confided.
A shiny black head was cocked to the side, eyes like buttons gleaming in the sunlight. "Then, why ask?"
A sardonic smile quirked bloodless lips. "Not all questions have an answer. Sometimes we don't know the answer. Doesn't mean we shouldn't ask them."
When flowers, Sakursos and Suitopis, began to slowly drift down around us, I merely tilted my head back to enjoy the brush of silken petals on my skin. Behind me, a massive stag raged as it mauled the wolf pack surrounding it. They made no noise so it was easy to ignore them.
"He's a funny sort, isn't he?" A white she-wolf, jaw stained red, flopped down beside me. She had such pretty red eyes. Pity about her paw…
"Who?" I asked absentmindedly, carding bandaged fingers through her silken fur.
"Seiichi, of course!" she yapped, nosing at the golden fish that had followed the invading tide and swam around our feet. It really was a lovely little thing.
A fin tickled my ankle and I wiggled my fingers in the water in retaliation. Oh, Yuri was silly!
"Missing-nin! Imagine that!"
A niggle of wrongness wormed its way to the forefront of my mind. What?
"It was all your fault, though," a pale snout nodded sagely, resting her head on her paws and sniffing wetly when the goldfish flicked water in her nose. "Can't blame a parent for going insane when their child commits suicide."
My brain stuttered to a halt. What.
The white wolf glanced over my shoulder, garnet eyes resigned, and I turned to peek too. Curiosity killed the cat.
The stag was dead and the wolves were feasting.
"Pack is hard." Somehow, Akane's voice managed to register through the ringing of my eyes, eyes fastened to the gruesome sight before us. "We fight together, die together. But, that makes us just as strong as we are weak. There is a strength in numbers."
Head spinning, the edges of my vision whited out.
"But there is also a danger. Change is resisted in the Pack."
My fingers were numb but I kept stroking the old wolf anyway. She was...nice…
"We do things we don't want to for the Pack."
"Such a terrible thing," I agreed, frowning sadly as golden scales filled the water at our feet. "Such a pity…"
The wolf licked gold from her teeth. "And really, what were you thinking? The Pack is a wild thing. To stand before it...it was suicide."
My mind was lost to me, neck as weak as a straw as I nodded obediently.
"Didn't Sakumo teach you anything?"
I woke up gasping.
…
Blooper I
The Talk (not that one, a different one)
"So….Shika," I drawled, eyes on the cloud-filled sky. The comforting weight on my shoulder, the Nara heir's little head, rocked with a nod. "Do you know what you said that was wrong?"
The five-year-old (jeez, everyone here was wayyy too young) heaved a great big sigh. I tried super hard not to think about how cute it was, like when your pet curled up against you. Aww...too late..
"I made you sound like you were inca-capa-ble."
Wow. Well done for quoting me.
"And?" I twirled a finger in his ponytail. Shika sounded half asleep...then again, I had been quizzing him on this spontaneously for the past three days.
"We should always help our friends but res-pect that they're their own people."
Smirking in triumph, I purred quietly in reward and Shikamaru huddled even closer.
"Now, what do you do when Ino-chan is yelling…"
Suck on that, Kishi!
….
*1 Come Away With Me by Norah Jones.
*2 King by Lauren Aquilina
Sakuraso: primrose. In Japan, means desperation
Suitopi: sweet pea. In Japan, means goodbye
A/N- Yo! So updates around now are gonna be pretty slow coming, simply because I'm next-level busy. It's actually gotten to the point where I'm not even writing on my laptop anymore, just typing on my phone when I get a mo! But, here it is at last! Thank you to everyone who commented/reviewed in the last chapter, I adore all of you, and to all the people who read and support this story as well!
Couple of notes:
Had a few people commenting about how everyone adores Kiharu/the fic is shaping up to be a harem. All I can really say is that a) Kiharu has like….a handful of friends her age. People being fond of her is just natural. If you take a look at normal interaction, especially considering the amount of networking our girl gets up to, I've kept it prettttyyy low-key. B) is it considered a harem because most of her friends are boys? Gahhh! I bet if most of them were girls, majority of you'd never even notice *pinches temples* it like that. The girls of naruto are….few on the ground and every single one of them was shafted by Canon. That most of Kiharu's friends are boys is because, out of the appropriate age ranges, there aren't a lot of 'girls' to pick and I didn't want to just fill the whole thing with OCs. Therefore, it's not a harem and they're not all madly in love with her. Their closeness? That's called friendship. Okay? Yay!
Raven isn't actually Kiharu's full-time watcher anymore. I'd figure I'd tell you this as Kiharu doesn't really have the opportunity to know any better and, therefore, reveal it to you. They're back on their usual duties but, occasionally, they have to swing by the Dazai place to make sure everything's okay and also keep a track on Kiharu with their Byakugan. They saw a muted chakra signature headed towards the house and basically reacted. They secretly like her….just a little bit. Like. A smidgen.
So, anyway! NARU-CHAN RETURNS! Thanks for reading and please, pleaseeeeee review! Enjoy the chapter! 3