Disclaimer: All HP characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and respective publishing companies and all Naruto characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. This is nothing more than a simple FanFiction that I have written. I have made no money from this or any of the other stories I have posted on this or other sites.
Warnings: Mild to moderate violence, character death, alternate universe (i.e. kiss canon goodbye), some moderate Dumbledore bashing (he's more manipulative than evil but mostly just stubborn), and who knows what else.
AN: This story is self-beta'd; so there may be occasional grammatical or spelling errors that crop up every now and then and for those I apologize in advance.
Chapter 25: Establishing Permanency
On Sunday morning, while Shibi was making preparations for an impromptu barbeque and a Mushi Bunshin of Satoshi's was writing out the invitations for the people that Satoshi wanted to introduce his daughter to first, Satoshi made his way to the Hokage's Tower. Securely hidden beneath his jacket (happily sleeping with her ear over his heart in the sling that he'd had the elves purchase) was his daughter.
He'd sent a request to the Hokage for an important (but not urgent) meeting with him and a number of other individuals after he and his father had finished their discussion the night before. He'd received notice just an hour earlier that his request would be granted and that they'd be waiting for him right about now. Tucked into his pocket was his formal request for three months of unpaid leave, a letter of resignation addressed to Kasai, and the guardianship paperwork that he needed to file.
Satoshi arrived outside of the Hokage's office before he was really ready and he hesitated for several seconds before knocking crisply on the door to the Hokage's office. He was promptly given permission to enter and he took a deep breath to steady his nerves as he opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes automatically took in the familiar faces of those that were present while his Kikaichu quickly and discreetly searched the office for threats.
Once he was certain everyone was present and that there were no hidden watchers, Satoshi carefully bowed to his superiors (most of them immediately noticing how stiffly he held himself and how his bow was neither as low nor as formal as it normally was when he greeted them). Eyes narrowed as the keen minds of those present speculated on what the change in his behavior meant and what potential headache the teen was about to give them. It also prompted Sarutobi to activate the privacy barriers around the office. In truth, Satoshi had only botched his bow because he hadn't wanted to disturb his sleeping daughter needlessly.
"Ohayou gozaimasu," Satoshi murmured as his feet took him to the center of the room so that he was standing beside the other three members of his AnBu squad and Kanpou. "I apologize for disturbing each of you on what would normally be your day off and thank you for granting me an audience on such sort notice. I'd also like to request permission to raise a few additional privacy wards before we start."
"Permission granted. You stated that it was important that you meet with us and even though you made it clear your request wasn't urgent, it is rare for you to be so formal in your requests or for your wording to be so ambiguous," Sarutobi stated as he tamped tobacco into his pipe and lit a match. "I admit to being curious as to why you wished to meet with those individuals that you named since there didn't seem to be any real rhyme or reason for your choices."
"Please don't light that while I am in here, Hokage-sama," Satoshi practically ordered in a voice that was far sharper than expected, though in no way disrespectful, as he paused briefly in his spell casting after hearing the flare of the match igniting. Sarutobi's eyes widened as he couldn't remember the teen in front of him ever using that tone of voice with him before and he narrowed his eyes a moment later even as he put out the match and set his pipe down on the desk. Satoshi gave another awkward bow as he used a far more normal tone of voice to murmur, "Arigatou."
"What exactly is the purpose of this meeting?" Kasai inquired as he frowned beneath his mask and scrutinized Satoshi.
"I made a couple of decisions this weekend that will directly affect everyone in this office, in addition to a few other individuals that I will be speaking with later," Satoshi explained as he pulled the two scrolls containing his resignation and his request for a leave of absence out of his pocket. He stepped forward to hand the request to Sarutobi and the resignation to Kasai before he returning to his former position. Satoshi then bowed his head as he added, "The scroll I gave to you, Hokage-sama, contains a request for three months of unpaid leave from the shinobi forces; barring the time I will need to train my Genin team. The one I gave to Kasai-sama is my formal resignation from the AnBu Corps."
"Nani?" several voices rang out at the same time as Kasai broke the seal and scanned the scroll in his hand.
"Satoshi…?" Kakashi called hesitantly in confusion as he shoved dog mask to one side and took hold of Satoshi's arm to grab his attention.
"I hadn't planned any of this or I would have spoken to you first, niisan," Satoshi whispered in a strained voice.
"Why? We spoke of this last year when you first made your intentions of taking a Genin team known and you were amendable to staying in the AnBu at the time and even as recent as this past Friday you showed no indication that you were even considering quitting. What changed between Friday night and now?" Kasai demanded as he shook the scroll Satoshi handed him at the teen. "Does this have anything to do with the Outside mission Team Four was given at the end of last month?"
Satoshi shook his head, pulled his arm free from Kakashi's grasp, and bit his lip nervously as his old fear of disappointing those he looked up to briefly reared its head. He lifted his hands to his jacket where they trembled visibly for a moment (something everyone present noticed) before he stiffened his resolve and slowly unzipped his jacket and pulled it open just enough to reveal the tiny bundle tucked securely against his heart. Complete silence fell over the office like a blanket as Satoshi tenderly extracted his new born daughter out of the sling and brought her out for those in the office to see. He pulled her cherry blossom blanket open and cast a weak warming charm on the miniature footed pajamas that he'd dressed Saki in for her trip across the village.
"This is Aburame Saki, my daughter, and as you can see she is rather tiny and helpless at the moment and I can't afford to risk my life needlessly when I am the only parent she has."
"Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it take two people to create a baby?" Shikaku drawled with a frown even as he stepped closer to get a better look at the tiny infant. "How could you possibly be the only parent? Unless the mother died in childbirth…? And when did you find the time to engage in the activities needed to produce said child when I know that you've been working yourself into the ground for the past year?"
"Well, you see… it's…" Satoshi hemmed and hawed before he sighed and tucked his daughter into one arm as he created a single shadow clone that immediately henged into Aranami. He glanced up at his taller persona and ordered, "It was your idea – you explain it." Everyone glanced between Satoshi and his clone in confusion while Satoshi focused his attention on his daughter.
"Well, you see it's like this," Aranami cheerfully purred as she draped her arm over Satoshi's shoulder and smiled down at the baby in his arms as she tickled Saki's tummy with a finger. "When I'm in this body I'm an actual girl and while we were turning time during training at one point back in October one thing led to another and the next thing we knew, I'm carrying my own child."
"That's not possible," Inoichi deadpanned.
"Why not? I have all the parts in all the right places and magic defies all logic."
"Why would you sleep with yourself?" Kasai demanded as he tried to wrap his head around the very idea.
"Have you seen me?" Satoshi asked in quiet disbelief as he gestured to his clone draped intimately against his side. "I'm hot when I wear that body. And how is it any different than self-gratification?"
Off to the side, Kanpou was choking on his laughter as he was the only one in the room that currently knew the truth aside from Satoshi. The fact that the teen was actually doing a good job convincing a number of the others that he'd truly just given birth to his own child was hilarious; a prank of pure genius. Kakashi in the mean time slunk closer to Satoshi so he could peer down at his honorary niece.
After a moment's inspection, a smirk tugged at his face mask as Kakashi thoughtfully stated, "It would certainly explain why you've been so moody off and on for the past several months."
"No… I know that isn't possible because I know I knew about your daughter before she was born because your father had a meeting with her mother in my office two months ago while you were out on one of your back to back missions in your alternate personas but I can't for the life of me remember who she was," Inoichi insisted stubbornly.
"Well it was worth a try, Toshi-koi," Aranami sighed dramatically before she vanished in a poof of smoke.
"Spoil sport," Satoshi pouted at Inoichi for spoiling his fun before he spun around and gently placed his daughter in Kakashi's arms to the shock of the older Jounin; the gray-haired shinobi freezing at the unexpected (if slight) weight currently sitting in his hands, as if afraid he'd drop the tiny little babe.
"No, I'm not the mother of my own child; even magic has limits. The truth is that I didn't know I was going to be a father until I was presented with my daughter just before lunchtime yesterday due to her mother's insecurities and my busy schedule. She was not exactly planned, on my part anyway, and her mother has signed over full custody to me and has already stated her desire to have no part in my daughter's life." Satoshi handed over the final scroll containing the guardianship forms to the Hokage as he finished the explanation.
"Gaki," Kasai huffed as he realized he'd just about been had.
"It was too good of an opportunity to pass up and the memory of your reactions will make for a good laugh when I share it with otousan. All joking aside, the reason you can't remember her, Inoichi-san, is because she asked me to seal away the secret; which is why I specifically asked for those of you who are present to be here. So I could give you the secret all at the same time; though Kanpou already knows because he was the one that delivered Saki-chan."
"She's far tinier than a normal baby," Neko commented as she stepped forward to whisk Saki out of Kakashi's arms, drawing a growl from the man as he'd just begun getting used to holding her.
"She was born roughly six weeks prematurely," Kanpou explained now that he'd gotten his amusement under control. "It was a difficult labor and birthing and we almost lost both mother and daughter more than once."
"Who's the mother?" Sarutobi inquired as he climbed to his feet to walk around the desk to inspect the tiny daughter of one of his favorite young men. "And why would it be so important to seal away her identity?"
"Mitarashi Anko is the biological mother of Aburame Saki. Mitarashi Anko conceived a child in November of nineteen ninety-six, carried her child for eight months, and gave birth to her child in July of nineteen-ninety-seven," Satoshi intoned ritualistically, imparting the two secrets to those that were in the office; purposefully leaving off the secret about the physical side of his and Anko's relationship since it was a rather private topic. "Please don't bother trying to talk to her about it because she flat out refused to be told the secret and therefore has no knowledge that she gave me a daughter or even that she was pregnant."
"Chikushou," Inoichi growled as his memory of the meeting with Anko returned. "Anko will be alright, won't she? She was having a hard time dealing with things two months ago and I know Shibi was keeping a close eye on her."
"She's fine now but she will need several more weeks off in order to regain her strength. She'll also never have any more children; her uterus had been weakened by the curse seal, the subsequent removal of said curse, and her stressful pregnancy coupled with the difficult birth damaged it beyond repair. I was forced to perform an emergency hysterectomy in order to save her life. I didn't bring it up yesterday because she was already in a fragile state over her fear of Satoshi-kun rejecting her for her well intentioned but poorly planned gift."
"Kurenai-san knows everything and is keeping a close watch on her; both to make certain she doesn't overexert herself and to help her deal with any postpartum depression since she'll have no idea why she is feeling all out of sorts because she has no memory of being pregnant or of giving birth," Satoshi added as he watched his daughter being passed around by the various shinobi in the office.
"Relax, gaki, most everyone here has kids of their own or close family with kids in them and they know how to properly hold a baby," Kasai murmured as he stepped up beside Satoshi and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "How are you handling the sudden responsibility of a baby, anyway?"
"I know, Kasai-sama; but I can't help but worry because I came so close to losing her before I even knew she existed. And I don't know how I'm handling it yet since I'm not quite sure it's sunk in completely yet. Otousan is going to help me introduce her to a bunch of people later this afternoon and I can't help but be nervous about how my little termites will take the news."
"I am guessing that you sealed away Anko's status as your daughter's mother to protect both mother and child from Orochimaru, ne?" Sarutobi asked as he delivered Saki back into her father's arms. "I also owe you an apology for attempting to smoke in the presence of your daughter when it is so obvious that her health is still in such a fragile state."
"No apology is necessary, you didn't know, Hokage-sama. And yes, you were correct in your assumption of why Anko-chan requested that her connection to her daughter be sealed after I flat out refused to seal away all knowledge that I had a daughter because it would have been too dangerous to attempt to hide her existence completely."
"Did she inherit your ability to use magic?" Shikaku inquired as he snagged the baby out of Satoshi's arms to get a second look at her; the man one of those individuals that adored all children.
"Yes, she was born with a magical core. Unfortunately, having a magical core puts her chakra network at risk because chakra and magic are normally incompatible. Ko inspected her network yesterday afternoon and found her coils were already growing unstable. In order to stabilize her network, Ko helped me link a single thread of chakra to her coils that I will maintain indefinitely so that I can circulate my chakra through her coils. That was the second reason for my requesting three months of leave; I have to keep Saki close in order to maintain and monitor that link."
"How do you plan to train your Genin while you are taking care of an infant?" Kasai asked as he stole Saki from Shikaku; his large hands practically swallowing the tiny babe.
"Since I had not planned to leave the village with Team Four until they'd been a team for at least a year, it won't be an issue for me to keep her close to me while I supervise their training. I also made arrangements for her to have a protector and a companion to watch over her when she's not by my side. That reminds me, I should introduce you to her so that she knows that I trust all of you. Pinny!"
Long used to Dobby's method of arrival, not a single one of the individuals in the office so much as blinked when the diminutive elf promptly popped into the room. The elf was dressed in a blood red tea-towel kimono with a large, life-like Kikaichu embroidered in the center on the back of it, tied with a dark red sash that was near black, and edged with lace the same color of the sash (a slightly more feminine version of the uniform that Dobby had adopted a few months after tricking Satoshi into bonding with him).
Her ears (while overly large like all elves) looked less like bat wings and more like the ears of a long-eared fox, her enormous eyes were a startling vibrant orange shot through with threads of yellow and dark brown, and her nose (unlike Dobby's) was rather short and shaped more like a hawk's beak the way it curved downwards. Her eyes zoned in on her charge even as she inquired if Satoshi needed anything.
Satoshi quickly introduced the little elf to each of the individuals in the office, once again letting her know that these individuals had his trust (making doubly certain that she knew Kakashi was family and therefore had permission to call upon her so long as it didn't take her away from her duties). He also made sure she knew Kanpou was Saki's doctor so she could fetch the medic if needed.
At that point, Kasai reluctantly accepted Satoshi's resignation and Sarutobi willingly removed him from both the active and reserve roster for the next three months while leaving a note stating that he'd continue training his Genin team which would actually earn him a reduced salary based solely upon the missions that Team Four took during that time. Kanpou collected Saki from Kasai now that the meeting was officially over so that he could give her a brief check up to see how she fared her first night out of the hospital (just fine).
Satoshi tucked her back into her sling a few minutes later, making certain to cancel the warming charm so she wouldn't overheat while inviting those interested to the barbeque later that afternoon. His teammates and Inoichi accepted without hesitation –Yuugao asking for and receiving permission to bring her boyfriend. Shinobi rarely ever turned down an offer of free food and a party.
Satoshi felt a little lighter as he stepped back out into the warm morning sun though he also felt a bit numb as he'd fully expected to be a part of the AnBu for at least another two years, if not longer. In a way, he felt cast a drift but the feeling didn't last long as he felt his daughter shifting against his heart. He'd barely taken two steps away from the tower when Kakashi appeared in a swirl of leaves just a few feet away (his distinctive AnBu uniform and mask no longer in sight). Satoshi smiled weakly up at his brother as they fell into step together and headed for the open air market to pick up fresh fish, shrimp, and a few other things for the barbeque his father was organizing.
"I could not imagine being blindsided with the responsibility of a child the way you were," Kakashi stated (in English to keep their conversation private) as they picked through the selection of swordfish and halibut on sale. "How are you holding up? How is your father taking the news? Do you need anything?"
"I'm alright, I think; though it's going to take some time to get used to. Otousan is being very supportive and I think the little caterpillar already has him wrapped around her finger. As for needing anything… just support and a helping hand every now and then because I don't know how I'm going to do this. I always planned to be much older and married to some as yet faceless kunoichi when I reached this point in my life. I don't like that I have to reorder my life with no warning but I will do it because it is the right thing to do and you know how I feel about family."
"You don't have to ask for my support; you already have it. I was actually referring to you needing anything financially or what not."
"I've got the money James and Lily left me and everything I've been saving up through the years; I could never work another day in my life and still not hurt for money. Besides, I know you were saving up your money to get a house for you and Dora as well as buying her a ring here soon; if you haven't already bought it. I suppose what I really need to think about is determining who I will ask to be her godfather or maybe a godmother since she's a little girl."
"No easy task since whoever you pick will have to be willing to work with your clan though most any of your friends would jump at the chance, I think."
"Yes, but the problem is balancing her magical heritage with her shinobi heritage; maybe two godparents would be better… one from each side. Do you think Dora-neechan would be willing to work with Jiraiya-sama to help raise my daughter if I die on a mission?"
"Of course we'd be honored, wait a minute, what…!? Who…!? Oh hell no!" Kakashi spluttered as he finally realized what Satoshi had asked while nearly knocking the lemons he'd been picking through onto the ground.
"Sorry… I blame my playfulness today on a lack of sleep. That old pervert is the last one I'd ask to be my little girl's godfather; if I'd had a son, maybe I'd consider him but I doubt it since I have a wealth of honorary older brothers that I could choose from, all of whom I trust explicitly. On the other hand, you and Dora would be the best suited because I know you both get along with the clan and you're family. And I know you both could handle teaching her everything she'd need to know."
"Gaki… and yes, I think Dora would be willing but you'll need to ask her so she doesn't feel like we're trying to make decisions for her. She's a mighty scary witch when she's riled."
"I'll ask her later this afternoon… you are bringing her, yes?"
"She'd never forgive me if I didn't. Would you be offended if I asked her to marry me at the barbeque this evening?"
"Why would I be offended?"
"Because I'm considering using your daughter as a lead in to asking her. I have been searching for the perfect way to ask because I don't want to make a mess of it like I did when I asked her to be my girlfriend and when you plopped your daughter into my hands earlier it made me realize just how much I'd like to have a little one of my own. Though I don't think I want one quite as small."
"Yeah, I know what you mean; my poor little girl has probably been cursed with my lack of height as well as my messy hair on top of being born so early. And no, I still don't mind."
"Whose eyes does she have?"
"Right now a mix of both though they're still mainly blue in color."
"She's going to be trouble when she gets older; what between her looks and given whom her parents are, particularly her father…"
"You do realize that I know where you sleep and that I know how to bypass your security, ne?" Satoshi asked as he slipped back into Japanese now that they were finished discussing the sensitive information.
"Do you really want to risk Dora's ire?"
"And you know Dora would help me in a heartbeat if I explained why I was pranking you."
"Cheeky gaki… Did you need anything else or did we get everything?"
"I think this is it… I can always send a clone back to pick up anything I've forgotten."
The short walk from the market to the Aburame Compound passed in companionable silence with Kakashi frequently studying Satoshi in amazement out of the corner from his eye, his gaze more than once drifting down to where Saki was nestled against the teen's chest despite the loose red jacket effectively hiding any trace of her. Satoshi felt his gaze each time but didn't take offense because he'd felt and acted much the same way from the moment he'd first laid eyes upon his daughter the previous day.
They were met at the gate leading onto the Compound by all eight of the children that lived with Satoshi and Shibi (Hinata over often enough that she practically lived there as well). There had been a brief attempt from the children to mob Satoshi like they normally did but he quickly nipped it in the bud with a request that they hold their greeting until they reached home. Naruto was the most hurt by the request as he'd not quite grown out of his need for physical affection stemming from the years where he'd been starved for such affection prior to his being taken in by the Aburame on a permanent basis.
A brief hair ruffle and a squeeze of his shoulder went a long ways towards soothing any worries and reassuring him that Satoshi still cared for him and he was bounding off like a rabbit as usual a moment later. Kakashi hurried on ahead to deposit the food in the house while the kids continued to swarm around Satoshi as he searched for his father. They found Shibi setting up the grill on the small courtyard out in front of their modified duplex with tables and chairs already set up along the tree line where they'd be bathed in the afternoon shadows once the sun passed its zenith.
"Were you able to get everything?"
"I think so, tousan; if I forgot anything I'll send a clone to fetch it. Did all of the invitations get sent out or do you need me to deliver them?"
"Dobby took care of the deliveries for me as soon as I had them written up; he's been popping up two and three times an hour to see if I need his help. I set him to making the desserts without magic to keep him occupied for a while."
"He's excited about the little caterpillar and feeling insecure about me accepting the bond of another elf; especially since he knows that I'll take in more elves if the others can't take in all of the fading elves he's been hunting down," Satoshi reminded his father. "He should settle down in a couple of days, once the newness wears off and he's seen proof that he won't be cast aside."
"How did your meeting go?"
"About as well as expected; though you are going to have to do something about Inoichi being such a wet blanket."
"Oh… what did he do?"
"Satoshi had most everyone in the room believing that Aranami was Saki-chan's mother," Kakashi answered in Satoshi's stead as he paused on his way back out to go collect Dora, "only for Inoichi to ruin the prank before it had run its full course. I'd have probably fallen for it, if not for Kanpou near bursting a seam beside me as he tried not to laugh."
"That is a disturbing picture," Shibi deadpanned as he shot Satoshi an exasperated look.
"If you think just the thought of it is disturbing, you should have been there to see Aranami draping herself all over Satoshi as she explained how it was possible."
"You didn't…"
"I blame it on a lack of sleep," Satoshi replied innocently as he smirked at his father from behind his jacket collar.
"Ano… who's Saki-chan?" Naruto asked as he tugged on the sleeve of Satoshi's jacket.
Satoshi closed his eyes and sighed over Kakashi's slight slip but felt no anger since he had planned to tell them about his daughter soon anyway. Sighing a second time, Satoshi gently placed a hand over the bundle hidden beneath his jacket before opening his eyes to meet Naruto's curious ocean blue eyes; absently noting how the not quite ten year old was quickly catching up to him height wise. A sideways glance showed all seven of the other children watching him intently as they too were curious to hear the answer as it was a name they were completely unfamiliar with.
"Why don't you all go wash your hands and faces and meet me in the living room in fifteen minutes and I will introduce her to you."
Obediently, the kids trooped off into the house and Satoshi felt worry form a knot in his stomach as he again wondered how they were going to react. A hand ruffling his hair had him glancing up at his father who gave him a reassuring smile in return. He leaned against his father briefly, drawing strength from the older man; feeling no shame for still finding comfort from the older man's presence as his father was a huge part of his world and his life.
And even though they'd talked about it the night before, Satoshi couldn't help but ask, "Did you feel nervous when it came time for you and kaasan to tell me about Shino?"
"Yes, almost as nervous as I'd felt when I approached your grandfather that first night I brought you home to demand that he allow me to adopt you. Your mother and I worried that you would think that us having a baby would mean that we didn't want you any more or that we thought you weren't good enough. I know you had a few doubts right after you first learned your mother was pregnant but the moment he was born, you were jumping right in to your role as Shino's big brother with both feet. You were and still are a good brother to the little tick and to the little mite. I have no doubt that you will be a wonderful father to your little caterpillar and that the termites will accept her as one of their own in no time at all."
"Thanks, tousan."
"You're welcome, musuko."
Satoshi gave his father another smile before he headed into the house to face the firing squad feeling just a touch more confident than he had a few minutes earlier. He found everyone but Shin and Sai in the room and dug into his pocket for his wand to clean up their clothes so that there'd be no chance of any germs being passed to his daughter in the event that they wanted to hold her.
He'd barely finished getting through half the group when the last two finally returned and Satoshi couldn't help but notice the way all eight children started craning their necks to search the room as if trying to figure out where the person Satoshi was going to introduce them to was hiding. He finished up a moment later and gestured for them to take a seat on one of the couches while he sat in the same chair he'd been sitting in last night when he'd first met his daughter.
"Where is she? Is she shy?" Naruto asked loudly before his butt even made contact with the cushion.
"Patience, Ruto-kun; and inside voice please or you will wake her up and she will be cranky."
"How are you going to introduce us to her if she's sleeping?" Haku asked curiously. "Won't she have to be awake so she can learn who we are?"
"Oh I'm not introducing you to her; she's not ready for that yet and it will be quite some time before she learns how to recognize you and tell each of you apart. Right now, I'm just introducing her to you," Satoshi explained mysteriously, nearly chuckling over the confusion and indignation he could see on their faces as they tried to figure it out. "Please remember that loud noises will startle her and you can't crowd around me because she's very fragile right now. She's the reason I asked you not to greet me like you normally do, as you would have accidentally squashed the little caterpillar since you didn't know she was with me."
"She's a little bug?" Hinata asked from where she sat comfortably squashed between Naruto and Shino.
"Technically, she's a little insect; not a bug," Satoshi corrected even as he nodded.
"Really? Will she turn into a butterfly one day? Or is she going to be a moth or maybe a beetle when she's grown?"
"A butterfly; my little caterpillar will without a doubt be a very lovely butterfly."
"What's so special about a butterfly? There're lots of them in the green house and even more in the forest."
"Oh I think you will change how you see butterflies when you are a little older," Satoshi sagely assured Naruto as he hid his amusement.
"Stop teasing them, Satoshi," Shibi laughed as he walked by and lightly slapped him on the back of the head.
"Oy! You're as bad as Inoichi-san at spoiling my fun," Satoshi complained as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Were you pranking us, aniki?" Sai asked as he glanced between the now pouting Satoshi and the amused Shibi.
"Not exactly… just trying to calm my nerves," Satoshi sighed truthfully as he continued to rub the back of his head, this time in a show of nervousness. "I'm a little unsure as to how all of you are going to feel after meeting my little Saki-chan."
"Why?"
"Well, you see, Saki isn't really a bug or an insect; just like you aren't really termites, ticks, or mites. I was more than a little caught off guard when I first met her yesterday, which is why I canceled your training for the rest of the afternoon and all of today since I needed time to accept what I had learned," Satoshi explained as he unzipped his jacket enough to be able to reach inside to extract his daughter from her sling. "You see, her full name is Aburame Saki and she's my daughter."
Even the boisterous Naruto was stunned speechless as, of all the things they'd been imagining, the thought that Satoshi had a baby wasn't one that crossed their mind. Hinata was the first one to venture forward in order to get a better look at the small bundle that Satoshi was carefully unwrapping in his lap. She gasped slightly when Satoshi lifted her clear of the blanket and settled her into his left arm while using his right to cast the now standard warming charm on his daughter's outfit. The young kunoichi cooed softly a moment later when Saki opened her eyes to blink up at Hinata before curling into Satoshi's chest once more.
"She's so tiny and her eyes look like gemstones," Hinata murmured as she reached out to touch the baby's hair only to pause and pull her hand back as if frightened of hurting the baby. "Hanabi wasn't anywhere near that small when she was born."
"If you are gentle and extra careful around the top of her head, you may touch her, Hinata-chan; that's why I had all of you wash up before meeting her. And the reason she is so small is because she was born a little too early; most babies are at least twice Saki-chan's size when they are born."
"Her hair is soft and pretty; it's all full of different colors."
"Would you like to hold her?" Satoshi asked as he stood up and gently directed the now nervous nine year old into the chair. "Relax; it's just like holding a baby-doll. I trust you and you might as well get used to holding her now because you can bet your bottom dollar that Team Four will have babysitting duty from time to time; as will Teams One and Two."
Hinata eeped as Satoshi settled Saki into her arms though he was pleased to note that she had no trouble holding the baby properly due to the fact that she'd often been allowed to hold her baby sister when she'd first been born. She was only nervous about holding Saki because the newborn babe was so tiny. After a few minutes, the young kunoichi was smiling and cooing at the babe as she tickled her tummy and gently tapped her nose with a finger. Kneeling beside the chair Satoshi glanced over at the seven boys nervously shifting on the couch and arched an eyebrow even as the knot of dread in his stomach grew a little larger the longer they went without saying anything or showing any interest in the baby.
"Otouto…? Don't you want to come meet your niece?" Satoshi asked softly.
Shino hesitated for a moment until Shibi walked back into the room carrying a platter and lightly slapped him on the back of the head much as he'd slapped Satoshi earlier and the ten year old blushed as he jumped up off the couch and slowly approached Satoshi, Hinata, and the baby. He dithered a bit as he drew close but eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he leaned over the side of the chair to get a better look at his niece.
"If you make certain your Kikaichu don't take any of her chakra, you can let them meet her. Her chakra coils are weak and unstable right now so it is unsafe for her chakra reserves to be drained even a little as it is mostly my chakra keeping her chakra network functioning properly."
"May I use my Byakugan to see her chakra network?"
"Hai."
"Oh… it's so tiny just like her. I can see the thread of your chakra too and she has that empty space along the spine just like you do where the chakra coils wrap around it funny as if there was something there preventing the paths in that area from sitting properly."
Satoshi blinked at Hinata in surprise as he'd never known any of the Hyuuga to even notice the presence of his magical core as they'd never said anything to him before. Ko hadn't mentioned anything about an empty space the night before either, when he'd scanned Saki's coils for problems.
"Tousan…?" Satoshi asked as he glanced over his shoulder at his father who had lingered in the room to observe the ongoing scene. "Did any of the other Hyuuga ever speak of an empty space when they were monitoring my chakra coils after they unlocked my tenketsu points and reopened my dying chakra network?"
"No… this is the first I've heard of any empty spaces."
"Have you always been able to see that empty space in my coils, Hinata-chan?"
"No… I didn't start seeing it until after we got back from the Outer Countries."
"An over exposure to large amounts of the energy teaching her Byakugan, do you think, tousan?"
"It is possible… it is not unheard of for Kekkei Genkai to adapt; much like your Kikaichu adapted to give you two distinct swarms. It could also have to do with the recent changes in her training program since you are no longer limited to teaching them just the basics. Do you know if Kakashi's Sharingan demonstrated a similar change in ability?"
"We can ask him when he gets back but I don't think he's noticed if it has because he's never said anything about it to me. Then again, the Byakugan can see the network far more clearly and in far more detail than the Sharingan does, so he may just have not noticed because there is no definition."
"You know what the empty spaces are and knew they would be there?" Hinata asked in some confusion as she followed the rather cryptic conversation.
"It's not an empty space, Hinata-chan; what you are seeing is my… or rather our Kekkei Genkai as Saki was born with the same abilities that I have. I also think you might be the only one in your family who is able to see it since Ko didn't mention any empty spaces last night when I asked him to check on Saki-chan's coils."
"Wouldn't it just look like the rest of your chakra network then?" Shin asked curiously.
"No… my Kekkei Genkai is rather special and it is not exactly chakra though it often behaves something like chakra and we'll leave it at that for the moment," Satoshi explained since out of the children present, only his termites were aware that his Kekkei Genkai was his magic.
"My swarm says her scent is like but not like yours," Shino announced with some surprise.
"That's because she's my daughter; we share half of the same genetics. It's just like your scent is part otousan's and part okaasan's."
"Shouldn't that mean that you and Shino smell exactly the same?" Naruto asked as he scrunched up his nose in thought.
"No, otousan adopted me when I was just a baby so my scent would be similar to my biological parents. Even if I hadn't been adopted though, my scent would have been different enough to tell us apart because each person is unique and the way the genetics mix together differs from child to child even within the same family. Even the Weasley twins have a slightly different scent, which is how I am able to tell them apart; but don't tell them that because it still drives them nuts trying to figure out how I do it."
"May I hold her too?" Shino asked now that he'd grown a little more used to the idea of being an uncle.
"Of course," Satoshi replied without any hesitation as he collected his daughter so Hinata could trade places with Shino and he let his brother get comfortable before he settled Saki into his arms, silently showing him how to support her head in the crook of his elbow.
"My Kikaichu like her almost as much as they like you. Does she have any Kikaichu of her own yet? My swarm can't sense any other Kikaichu present aside from yours and tousan's."
"Her mother was not an Aburame, so she wasn't born with a queen like you were. She's going to have to be introduced to her swarm in the same way I was when otousan found me in the forest and brought me home."
"How come you called her your little caterpillar?" Haku inquired as he slipped up to lean over the chair with Kimimaro following a few seconds later.
"I wasn't the one who gave her that nickname but I think it fits her."
"All little girls grow up to be beautiful women," Shibi declared with a smile that included Hinata in his statement, making the young kunoichi blush, before he headed out through the door.
Another forty minutes were spent allowing each of the children to hold Saki, Naruto and Torune being the most nervous (Naruto because he was a bit of a klutz at times and Torune because of his Dokumushi). By the time the eight kids took off outside to greet their guests as they began arriving, Satoshi felt marginally better as they had taken Saki's presence far better than he feared they would. Sighing, Satoshi headed into the newly made nursery to change Saki's diaper and feed her as it had been just slightly over two hours since he'd fed her last.
Now he just had to introduce her to the rest of his friends and self-made family.
After he had fed and changed his daughter, Satoshi just sat and watched her sleeping for nearly an hour as he once again marveled over the fact that he'd helped create the tiny little being in his arms. He was pulled back to the present at the end of that hour by a knock on the door and Satoshi glanced up as the door opened to let his Uncles Moony and Padfoot into the room.
"Hey, kiddo, your dad sent us to fetch you; said you had hidden yourself away in here long enough," Sirius announced as he grinned at Satoshi.
"What have you got there, Satoshi-kun?" Remus asked as he unconsciously sniffed at the air.
"And what have you done to your office? I mean, really, pink and purple? And are those flowers and butterflies decorating the walls?"
"Yes, those are cherry blossoms and swallowtails. I decided that I needed to allow my inner woman out more often; Aranami complains that it's not fair that she is only allowed out one third of the time while us boys get the rest. So to keep her happy, I allowed her to pick the new theme for my office," Satoshi enthusiastically explained as he climbed to his feet and crossed over to the two wizards. He grinned at the shocked look on Sirius's face even as he deposited his daughter into Remus's hands; much to the werewolf's stunned surprise as his eyes landed on the sleeping baby.
"Couldn't she have picked something a little more manly? I mean, she could have at least respected the fact that a full two-thirds of you is male instead of trying to run roughshod over her better halves. I mean, how can you stand to sit in a room that is obviously meant for a girl!? Don't you feel your manhood slipping away? I know I do!"
"I didn't realize your manliness was so fragile that couldn't take a few painted flowers," Satoshi shot back in amusement. "Personally, it doesn't bother me in the least that my daughter's room is filled with girly things given the undeniable fact that she is a girl."
"Well, yeah; I guess when you put it that way," Sirius agreed before his brain finally caught up with what Satoshi had just said. "Wait a minute… what do you mean daughter? Since when do you have a kid? How is that even possible?"
"Um, Moony, do you want to explain the facts of life to Padfoot here; because I'm not really ready to give the birds and the bees talk to a grown man."
"That's not what I meant and you know it, runt!" Sirius growled as he playfully shoved Satoshi. "Where are you hiding the little one? Where'd she come from? Why haven't you introduced us to your woman? When did you find time to make like rabbits when you never stop moving long enough to even sleep?"
"She's so tiny, Satoshi," Remus breathed as he ran his finger gently down Saki's cheek. "What's her name?"
"She was born just over a month early and her name is Saki," Satoshi replied as Sirius finally zeroed in on the bundle in Remus's arms. "And there never was a girlfriend for me to introduce you to, Padfoot. I didn't even find out I was going to be a father until she was delivered to me yesterday."
"Tiny doesn't even cover how small she is," Sirius stated as he moved to stand behind Remus's elbow so he could peer down at the baby. "Not even you were that small when you were born. What's she weigh?"
"Not quite five pounds."
"Itty bitty indeed, you weighed just over seven and a half pounds when you were born," Sirius whistled as reached out to steal Saki from Remus. "She sure is a pretty little thing though; she's got your mouth and ears."
"So who was the lucky lady to garner your attention long enough to result in such an adorable little bundle of joy?" Remus asked as he slung an arm around Satoshi's shoulder and guided him towards the door. "And when will you be introducing her to us? Does this mean you will be tying the knot soon?"
"The identity of her mother is something I can't reveal; per her request," Satoshi stated apologetically. "She's also not at all interested in having any part in Saki-chan's life. So, no, there are no wedding bells in my future at the moment and there is no one to introduce you to."
"And you're alright with that?" Sirius asked with a frown as he trailed after the other two, still cradling Saki close.
"Why did she have the baby if she wasn't interested…?" Remus asked at the same time as he stopped and glanced back at the baby nestled in Sirius's arms.
"It's a long, complicated story but it all boils down to the fact that I did something fairly big for her and she equated it to me saving her life and in return she wanted to give me something equally precious; a life for a life. I didn't find out until yesterday. Please don't ask for details as most everything is classified and sealed away."
"Are you going to be alright?"
"We'll be fine; we're not alone and Saki-chan already has her ojiisan wrapped around her little fingers."
"Just don't forget that you can come to us if you need anything; money, babysitters, or boyfriend deterrents…" Sirius solemnly declared as he passed Saki back to her father as they reached the kitchen and dining area.
"It's a little early to worry about boyfriends, don't you think?" Satoshi dryly pointed out as he tucked his daughter into the crook of his arm.
"You say that now but you'll be singing a different tune before you know it," Sirius sagely countered with a knowing nod.
Satoshi just shook his head as he quipped, "I'll never have to worry about boyfriends; Saki will have all kinds of uncles to worry about boyfriends for me so I can just sit back and relax and teach her how to beat the boys away on her own."
All three men were laughing as they stepped into living room where those that Satoshi was closest to were gathered bar the children who were currently outside helping his father set out the food. Satoshi glanced around at the familiar faces of those that had been with him for a significant portion of his life. There was Genma, Kakashi and Dora, Izumo and Kotetsu, Ibiki and Idate, Tenzou, Yuugao and Hayate, Cedric, Neville and Susan, Hermione and Terry, Fred and George, Brandon and Adam, Hannah, Luna, David, and Demelza.
He also noted the number of missing faces; including Anko's but he hadn't thought she would feel up to coming (though she and Kurenai had been invited). He felt a little like he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar as everyone fell silent and turned to face him expectantly.
"Shibi said there was something you wished to tell us," Genma stated after several long minutes as he rolled the homemade toothpick in his mouth from one side to the other.
"Yeah, there is," Satoshi agreed as Sirius and Remus clapped him on the back before they slipped out to help Shibi with the barbeque. He briefly glanced down at the bundle nestled in his left arm to reassure himself that his daughter was close at hand as he began, "Each of you have played an important part in my life and some of you have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I guess what I am trying to say is that I consider each of you a part of my family and as such I asked each of you here so I could introduce you to someone."
"Fred, our boy's all grown up and bringing home his little lady."
"They grow up so fast, don't they, George?"
"It seems like just yesterday we caught him kissing that shy little third year beneath the mistletoe,"
"Yeah, I never thought we'd catch Satoshi with that prank; considering we set it to catch Malfoy and our little brother to find out if those two were really rivals or if they were suffering from repressed sexual tension."
"Oh hush you two and let Satoshi make his introductions," Hermione admonished as she flicked both Fred and George's ears.
"Yes, mother!" Fred and George cried together before they shrank away from the now irritated brunette in exaggerated fear.
"You can hex them later, dear," Terry declared when Hermione looked like she was going to pull out her wand.
"Well, Fred and George were partially right; I did invite you all here to meet a girl and she is little," Satoshi admitted with a soft chuckle over the antics of the two red heads. Using his free hand, he gestured to the small pink bundle in his arms before he peeled back the blanket just enough to uncover his daughter's face. "They were just a little off in their calculations of my relationship to the little lady. Allow me to present to you the newest addition to the Aburame Clan, Aburame Saki; my daughter."
The words were barely out of his mouth when he was surrounded by the women in the room (bar Yuugao who'd already been introduced to the baby) who were all cooing and exclaiming over how cute and how tiny Saki was as Satoshi tucked her blanket around her body a little more securely. A few of the older shinobi came up and slapped Satoshi on the back before slipping outside; Tenzou had already had a chance to hold the littlest Aburame earlier that morning and Hayate a little uncomfortable around little children due to his chronic cough. Kakashi hovered in the background, his eyes firmly fixed on his girlfriend of five years as he patiently waited for the right moment to ask her to marry him.
Satoshi had to ignore and deflect more than one question about the mother of his daughter before everyone present finally realized that he wasn't going to give them any names or explain why she was not present. He did, on the other hand, willingly admit that he hadn't been aware that he was going to be a father until he was given custody of his daughter the previous day. That soothed quite a few ruffled feathers as a few of the ladies present had been put out that he hadn't told them sooner. Once the women were done gushing over the baby, the men stepped forward to congratulate Satoshi and take their turn inspecting the wee one; though they weren't as adamant about holding her as the women had been.
Eventually, most everyone migrated outside for food leaving just Kakashi and Dora in the room with Satoshi and his daughter. Knowing that the older Jounin hoped to ask the witch to marry him and that he also needed to ask Dora if she'd consent to being Saki's godmother, Satoshi walked up to where the pair were sitting together on the couch and set Saki into Dora's arms. Dora was caught off guard by the gesture, much as Kakashi had been earlier when Satoshi had done the same thing to him, and immediately tried to hand her back to Satoshi; Dora being the only woman that hadn't held her earlier because she'd been worried she'd drop her.
"As her godmother, you're going to have to get used to holding her eventually, neechan," Satoshi stated as he stepped back out of reach.
"I don't want to drop her, Satoshi; you know I'm a klutz… wait godmother…?"
"If you will accept, I'd like you to be Saki-chan's godmother," Satoshi explained as stepped forward once more and seated his daughter a little more securely into Dora's arms. "I couldn't think of anyone more appropriate and I'm pretty certain you'll get along with the person I asked to be her godfather; I mean you've tolerated him for six years, after all."
"You asked Kakashi to be her godfather? Why two godparents though? Normally, newborn magicals are just assigned one godparent, whether they have a godmother or father based solely upon gender, so there is no conflict over whose responsibility it is to watch over the child if the worst should happen."
"Saki has two heritages just like me; magic and shinobi. She will need someone to help her understand both if I can't be there for her so I decided it would be best if her godparents came from both worlds as well. I also needed two people who would be willing to work together, who also got along with my clan since she would be adopted by someone in the clan if I die before she reaches her tenth birthday; most likely otousan or Shino since they are my immediate family. You don't have to make a decision right this minute but I'd like you to at least consider accepting."
Satoshi excused himself at that point, both to use the bathroom and to give Dora and Kakashi a moment alone. He was back ten minutes later and paused in the doorway as he watched Kakashi wrapping his arm around his girlfriend's waist as he leaned over her shoulder to watch the sleeping baby in her arms. Not wishing to interrupt the moment, Satoshi stepped back a bit to blend better into the shadows as he listened to the unfolding scene.
"What do you think?" Kakashi asked softly.
"I think she's the sweetest little thing I've ever seen," Dora whispered quietly in return as she brushed a strand of hair out of Saki's face with her finger. "I almost can't believe that Satoshi would trust me not to drop her; let alone trust me with her future should the worst happen."
"He trusts you because he knows that you would take your responsibilities seriously and he's thought of you like an older sister since that first year at Hogwarts when you took him under your wing. If I was a jealous man, I'd worry about him trying to steal you away."
"Silly boy, there's only one man for me and as cute as Satoshi and his daughter are, he's not the one."
"I'm glad to hear that," Kakashi stated with a soft laugh. "What would you say if I told you I'd like to one day have a little one of my own? If I wanted you to one day be the mother of my children?"
"I think I'd like that," Dora confessed as she turned to face Kakashi and gave him a tender kiss on the lips over top of his mask.
"Do you think you might like to wear my ring too?" Kakashi inquired as he brought his free hand around to reveal an open ring box with a rather tasteful diamond solitaire set into a thin band of gold.
"Are you asking me to marry you, Kakashi?" Dora demanded as she spun on the couch and Satoshi half started forward to save his daughter when he noticed Dora slipping off the couch only for Kakashi to beat him to the punch as his quick reflexes saved both his girlfriend and Saki from ending up on the floor.
"If you'll have me," Kakashi confirmed as he rescued Saki from Dora's arms held her safely out of the way as the witch tackled him in her enthusiasm.
Satoshi slipped into the room at that point and plucked his daughter out of the Jounin's hands before slipping out the front door to give the two lovebirds their privacy. A quick cancellation of the warming charm and Satoshi tucked his daughter back against his chest; both of them feeling slightly more relaxed the moment she was snuggled up against his heart once more. He paused a moment to consider why that was and came to the conclusion that Saki must like the sound of his heartbeat while he felt reassured when he felt each gentle rise and fall of her chest against his.
He may not have planned for a child at this point in his life but there was no doubt in his mind that she was there to stay; he wouldn't have it any other way.
Translations: Japanese to English
Ano – um/uh
Arigatou – thank you
Gaki – brat
Hai – yes
Musuko – son
Ojiisan/jiisan – grandfather
Otousan/tousan – father
Oniisan/niisan – older brother
Otouto – little brother
AN: Mostly a fluff filled chapter here to show other people's reactions to Saki. And for those who see Satoshi as being out of character here; please keep in mind that he was thrown for a loop by the revelation that he is now a father. I will also admit to being sleep deprived when I first wrote this chapter and the result was the prank Satoshi tried to play on every one in the Hokage's office. I almost cut that scene out but ended up leaving it in because it was just too funny.
Anywho... the next chapter will have a small skip forward in time so you don't get bored watching Saki grow up or Team Four going through the torture that is D Ranked missions and their training exercises. We'll also be seeing a bit more action fairly soon too as we draw closer to Naruto's twelfth birthday (which marks the start of the series and a bunch of canon events - though those events will not necessarily play out the way they did in canon; this is, after all, an AU Story).
Anyway, that enough out of me. The next chapter for this story will be up in five to seven days. ~ Jenn