A/N: And that took waaaaay longer than I expected. I apologize for taking forever to post this. Much thanks for sticking with me, as it's been a long haul :) We're getting there... Keep sending your thoughts this way!
Fanfic Drawer: No apology necessary, my profile was more a generalization of flamers (I just don't get the concept of being utterly unsupportive). It definitely does not include you! Thanks so much for taking the time to review! Be impatient all you want, as long as you keep being so nice about it! ^_^
Super special shout out to the lovely tosakuai: congrats, now keep writing ;)
Disclaimer: don't own Naruto. Enjoyed the heart to heart between Naruto and the Nine-Tails. Dohhh.
~OoOoO~
Kushina jolted awake, her body drenched in a cold sweat and her heart pounding in her ears. Her breath was quickened by the uncertain fear coursing through her veins. She gasped as she wildly looked around the lifeless room. The starched white sheets were pushed to the foot of the bed and her pillow was damp with perspiration.
"Where am I?" she whispered to herself, her breathing becoming more even.
She tried to recall something—anything—but her head hurt from the effort. A blurry image of three genin and herself in a forest came to her mind's forefront, but she could remember very little after leaving the site of their assignment. A dull aching pain thundered behind her eyes as she leaned back against the metal bed, her heavy lids blocking out the light peeking through the bent metal blinds. She felt as if someone where rubbing sand in her eyes and shoving cotton down her throat.
Think, think, think! she urged herself.
She squeezed her eyelids shut as she willed her memory to return. A vague image of a dark caveand a grating, deep voice—one filled with loathing and anger—came to her, though she couldn't recall who the voice belonged to. Had she spoken to that someone? Her heart was flooded with a deep sadness and despair she couldn't describe. Was it only a dream?
"Asuma!" she quickly sat upright, the faint hints of her lost memory returning.
She suddenly remembered being outnumbered by the enemy, but too concerned about her genin team's well-being to worry about herself. She remembered Asuma being stabbed, his blood spilling on the ground and his life becoming a negotiable deal. Her heart began to race and she felt that familiar rage beginning to stir in her abdomen. Deep in the dark corners of her inner being, something was hiding and waiting; it was lying low in hopes that the very rage that was threatening to resurface would take over.
She reminded herself of the ANBU. Ken was there, she knew, though she wasn't sure how she was so certain of that fact. That part of her memory was black and convoluted in the depths of her anger. She had lost control, something Mito had warned her about. She had almost failed herself and the village, she was sure of it, even if her memory did not support that fear. She touched her forehead. Something lingered in her mind's eye, but she couldn't force it to come to her as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet drew back as the soles touched the chilled floor. She felt the cold air on her exposed flesh and she realized she needed to dress herself before storming from her room. The tiny hospital room looked more like a janitor's closet, and she wondered if this was a special precaution for a jinchuuriki. She quickly dressed, mildly curious as to how long she had been incapacitated.
Kushina found her way to a desk in the middle of the hall, and she slammed her palms on it. The nurse looked up, drawing back in confusion as she saw the kunoichi. "Aren't you—" she began, her voice warbling as her fat jowls flapped with each word she spoke.
"Nevermind that, where is Asuma? The Hokage's son?" Kushina rolled her eyes, annoyed and impatient.
"Miss, you should be in your room." She pushed her horned-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose, green eyes narrowing as she regained her composure.
"Just tell me where he is! Before I start barging into every room!" the redhead growled.
"You wouldn't!"
"I would."
Blue eyes met green ones, and the older woman sighed in surrender. "Down the hall," she pointed, "last room on the right."
"That wasn't so difficult, now was it?" Kushina murmured, her eyes following the woman's thick finger.
She didn't wait for a response as she bounded toward the indicated room. It was a private suite, though she hadn't expected anything else for the kage's youngest son. The door crueaked as she pushed it open, and she found Asuma laying in the bed, his eyes closed. She could see the rise and fall of his chest and the line that snaked from a vein in his left arm to a large, clear bag on a pole. Small pads were attached to his chest, and a machine at his bedside beeped with every beat of his heart.
"I know you're awake," she softly informed him as she shut the door behind her.
"Kushina?" he whispered, opening one eye. She saw the corners of his mouth twitch upward as he turned his head in her direction. His face was pale and dark circles hung under his eyes. "Sorry, thought you were Dad."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're avoiding your old man?"
Asuma sighed, looking away. "He's more concerned about you, anyhow."
Despite his nonchalant expression, she knew that he was hiding a deeper pain. He always felt as if his father disregarded him and his interests, but Kushina knew differently. Hiruzen observed his son from a distance, too afraid that his years as Hokage have created a rift between father and son that was virtually irreparable. He loved Asuma more than his own life, though he was unable to effectively convey that to a young boy. His pride transcended praises and gifts, and, someday, Asuma would come to appreciate his father. Only then will their relationship flourish.
"That's not true." In fact, it was far from the truth. If only Asuma knew the real reason Hiruzen was concerned about Kushina. If he knew what was sealed inside of her...
"Yeah..." he replied, staring at the ceiling.
"Don't say something like that again, you brat," she lightly joked as he closed his eyes, wincing after a quick chuckle. "Still hurt?"
"Like a bitch," Asuma licked his cracked lips. "That bastard stabbed me. When I get out of here, I'll find him..."
They both knew it was a moot point, as ANBU had most likely retrieved what they needed from the Kumo-nin and discarded the evidence. Before Kushina could speak, the door creaked again, and two sets of eyes flickered toward the newcomer. His back was to them, and he appeared to be caught up in a heated discussion as he waved his arms in disinterest. Kushina could hear the hushed voice of a woman, and she detected anger in the speaker's low tones as Ken quickly shut the door behind him. Kushina saw dark hair and the pale face of the female physician as she glanced in the room before storming away.
"Heya, buddy, how're ya doing?" Ken smiled as he approached the bed, grinning at the boy.
"Like shit," Asuma grumbled, doing his best to sit up straight.
"Expected whenever you get stabbed, you know," Ken scratched his head laughing. "It'll make you stronger."
"Doesn't feel like it," the kage's son winced, his laughter abruptly cut off.
"Nah, you'll be as good as new in no time. Just sit tight, kid," the ANBU commander promised. His dark eyes flitted to Kushina. "How're you doing, Uzumaki?"
"Better than him," she shot her childhood friend a familiar half-smile.
"Yeah, rub it in," Asuma's eyes narrowed. "All fun and games when you were the one that didn't get stabbed."
"Sorry," Kushina quickly sobered and Asuma pulled a face.
"You got a minute?" the ANBU commander asked, jerking his head toward the door. Kushina nodded, quickly standing.
"You mind?" she asked Asuma.
"Nope," he answered as he watched the two quietly leave the room. He had always liked Ken, and wondered why Kushina didn't date the light-hearted shinobi. He shook his head as he closed his eyes, hoping to finally get a few minutes' rest.
~OoOoO~
"How are you?" Ken asked as soon as they slipped into the hallway. His eyes wandered over her face before a shuffling movement in the hall caught his attention. They both glanced toward the source of the noise, and Kushina saw Ken's girlfriend quickly turn away, but not before shooting a look of disdain toward her lover.
"She hates me," Kushina murmured. She could understand the woman's reservations, but she had never done anything to deserve the coldness that always met her friendly greetings and inquiries.
"No, she doesn't hate you," Ken sighed. "She's just pissed off at me."
"Why? What'd you do?" Her light-hearted tone fell flat, sounding more like nervous banter.
Ken was silent for a few moments, his eyes sliding out of focus as he blinked listlessly. She called his name and his attention turned back to her. His trademark half-grin tugged at his lips as he leaned against the wall. "She just...wants more from this relationship...and I'm obviously not on board, I guess."
Kushina studied him carefully. "She wants more...?"
"Marriage. Kids. The whole shebang. I'm too busy to give her the attention she really needs. She's becoming impatient with me, you could say," he shrugged, avoiding Kushina's questioning look. "Anyhow, you're OK?"
"I feel fine," she admitted, despite the questions swirling through her mind. "What happened out there? I remember you..."
A silence lingered between them before he carefully spoke. "You were...pissed off."
She furrowed her brow, dissatisfied with his answer. "What's that mean?"
He shook his head, "Nothing. It was apparent we arrived at the right time. Asuma stabbed, that weird boy nearly exhausted, not sure the Yuhi girl could have handled things with you as angry as you were..."
Kushina was becoming frustrated with his veiled answers."You're hiding something, I can tell. You look at the top of my head," she pointed at her forehead.
Ken pursed his lips, his eyes meeting hers. She could see something in them she couldn't quite place her finger on. Whatever it was, she knew it was agitating him. "I'm not at liberty to speak about it. Please just drop it, Kushina."
She opened her mouth to angrily protest his answer, but her train of thought was lost as he pushed himself off of the wall, his arms at his sides as he took a step forward. There was nothing especially noticeable about the movement, but it disturbed her greatly. The hair stood up on the back of her neck and her skin crawled with an odd sense of familiarity.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Ken asked, his voice lowering. "Kushina? What's wrong?"
Kushina blinked, realization dawning on her as she silently confirmed her own suspicion. She looked at him, "N-Nothing. I'm fine. I'm sorry...it's just been a weird day."
"Day?" He spoke softly, unsure of how she would react to that news. "Kushina, you've been out for three."
~OoOoO~
"You've got to be kidding me!" Kushina groaned, sinking deeper into the plush leather seat. Her dark blue eyes flickered over to the blonde man. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed as his head drooped. "And you agree with this?"
His eyes slowly opened as he heard the fury in her voice. He was all too familiar with her temper, and he was prepared for her ire. He glanced at the Hokage, who silently nodded his encouragement. The oncoming war had slowed down Minato's ascension to Hokage, but the elder Sarutobi was slowly training his successor, regardless. Minato sucked in a deep, calming breath before he spoke.
"Kushina, he is the Hokage. It does not matter if I agree or disagree. His concerns are for you, and I can't fault the logic, which is reasonable if you would only listen—"
"He wishes to make me a prisoner of this village! There's no mistaking that!" she hissed, rudely pointing toward the Hokage.
"I'm still here, you know," the kage sighed, frustrated by her irrational nature. Kushina was never good at listening to the other side of the argument. "And that's not my intention, though it may seem that way."
"Then what do you call it? A vacation? Limited only to Konoha?" she was seething as she turned on him, tears rimming her eyes.
"It is dangerous for you to leave the village walls. Inoichi has shared what the Intel Team gathered, and it's apparent that people know more about the Nine-Tails than we had thought," he drummed his fingers on the desk before leaning back in his chair. His eyes never left her face, though he felt her pain.
"So? That doesn't mean that they can't come here and find me, then!" she protested, though she knew her argument was a pathetic one. Konoha wouldn't so easily fall, nor would the Hokage or Minato allow that to happen.
"That is true, but you are well protected here, at least," Minato pointed out, his arms still folded across his chest as he watched her.
She felt her cheeks grow hot at his silent scrutiny. She was not acting like a respectable kunoichi, nor was she following the stringent code outlined for the village shinobi. In fact, anyone else would be tried for disobedience if they spoke to the Hokage in such a manner. "Yeah, take his side."
"Kinkaku and Ginkaku," Hiruzen answered. Her brow drew together as she looked at him. His dark eyes studied her carefully. "The names of the brothers that are said to have lived inside the Nine-Tails," he explained.
"They lived in it?" Kushina was mildly captivated and did her best to hide her intrigue. She hadn't heard this story before, though something about it sounded oddly familiar.
"That was most likely who the Kumo-nin were referring to," he nodded, referencing Kushina's jagged memory of their attack. "The brothers' time inside the beast has given them some of the demon's chakra. That is most likely how they know the Nine-Tails resides within Konohagakure."
"I guess it would be logical that if they shared the chakra, they could sense the beast," Kushina softly admitted, her eyes flickering to Minato's face. She was sure he already knew all of this. She exhaled, her anxiety easing slightly. "Go on. I can tell there's something else..."
Hiruzen glanced at Minato, who uncrossed his arms. "They are responsible for an attack on Konoha—one that nearly killed the Second Hokage," Minato informed her, his voice smooth as he spoke. His eyes were once again closed. "Shortly after that, we knew nothing more of their existence. It was rumored they were killed, but no one knows for sure. It's thought that their knowledge of the Nine-Tails may have something to do with them coming into close proximity to Konoha during that attack. They probably sensed the demon's chakra here, as you said. Or," he glanced at Hiruzen, "someone shared the jinchuuriki's identity with them."
Kushina looked between them, still sensing that something was lingering in the air. Hiruzen lowered his head so that he was staring at his hands. "Kushina, some recent information has made us believe that it was Kumo that destroyed Uzushiogakure..." Kushina gasped at the revelation, but the kage quickly continued, "It would be logical to assume that they had hoped to break the strong alliance between our villages by staging an attack that looked as if Konoha had destroyed their allies."
"The man from my village, the one Kuromaru killed, had said he saw ANBU masks," her voice was strained as she slowly pieced the information together. It was a bittersweet revelation, putting an end to the uncertain chapters to her life. It wouldn't bring her loved ones back, but it was the only sense of closure she would get.
"We had lost a large number of men and women in that war, it would not be unthinkable that this the enemy disguised themselves. At least, that's what we believe," Minato's voice was low. "I'm sorry, Kushina, this is not the news you want to hear, but we thought it best to share everything with you. Being a container is a huge commitment, and being completely honest with you is the least either the Hokage or myself can do."
Kushina felt her throat constrict with threatening tears. She had been foolish to think they would purposely keep her bound to the village or take away her freedom. She had signed up for this duty, and she should have more faith in those that care for her. She nodded her head, not trusting herself to speak as she looked away from the two men. The present and future of the village.
Minato continued, "This brings us back full circle. It's only a matter of time before another attempt to retrieve the container. And what greater way to do so than during the chaos of a war."
"Great, so suddenly the redhead with the demon in her is a hot commodity...is that what you're telling me?" Kushina sighed as hopelessness flooded her. She sprawled in her chair in an unladylike manner.
"The Nine-Tails has been used for dark purposes in the past. It's a powerful being, Kushina..." Hiruzen grunted, "They will stop at nothing to take it—"
"And me," she softly completed his thought.
"And you," Hiruzen agreed, his voice thick with concern. "So you see, it's not just about the demon inside of you, my dear. It's also about you."
Kushina studied her fingernails, doing her best to quash the shame that was filling her. She still had a question that was bothering her. She had her own theory, but she wanted to hear it from someone else's mouth. "What happened to me in the forest?"
"You were transforming," Hiruzen watched her as he rested his steepled fingers against his chin. It had taken him a few moments to deliver that answer, and she knew he was being completely honest with her.
"But doesn't the seal keep that from happening?"
"Despite the seal, there is always a little of the Nine-Tails' chakra that mixes with your own," Minato was the one to explain. "Over time, that seal will need restored. It will weaken, allowing for more chakra to mix. The Nine-Tails feeds off of intense emotional states: anger, hatred, rage. When you, er, succumb to those emotions, the demon can flourish, even with a strong seal."
"Speak plainly, please." Kushina did her best to not roll her eyes.
"Fine," Minato nodded diplomatically, "You risked letting it take over. In turn, you put those around you as well as yourself in danger."
"I have never seen it myself," Hiruzen admitted, watching her reaction. "But the chakra sensed by the rescuing ANBU was not human..."
Kushina chewed her lower lip, her hands clenched in her lap. He was doing his best to hide his feelings for her, acting as a true future Hokage should. She found it both attractive and annoying at the same time, but she couldn't deny that both men were acting in her best interest—not just the interest of keeping the village's secrete weapon safe. They cared about her. She feared the war that was on everyone's lips. Rumors of Sunagakure's extreme measures to find their missing—and rumored dead—Kazekage, as well as conflict across the northern and western countries. Memories of her childhood and the war that ravaged her country threatened to surface. She knew the extreme measures that armies would go to for the sake of winning a war.
"Whatever," Kushina threw her hands up in the air, pushing those long-forgotten memories away. "Fine. You two win. I'll stay in and keep my mouth shut."
The two men looked at one another, both uncertain as to what they had said to get the Uzumaki heiress to give up so easily. Both were afraid that there would be serious ramifications to keeping the chatty kunoichi within the village's limits.
~OoOoO~
"I have the distinct feeling, Namikaze, that you lied to me," Kushina glared at him as she sat cross-legged in the grass. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she huffed in irritation. "You told me fuinjutsu was a weakness of yours."
His palms were flat against the ground as he avoided her piercing and accusing stare. She thought she could hear the smile in his voice as he answered her. "I didn't lie. I'm not skilled with Uzushio fuinjutsu."
"You bastard!" she swung her fist at him in annoyance. He was a gifted shinobi, no doubt, but she had yet to find anything he hadn't mastered. "You need to learn humility, you ass!"
He waved his hands in protest, "I'm sorry! I didn't know I needed to specify!" He ducked under another intended blow. "Kushina, settle down—"
"You make me sick, Namikaze! You have never failed at anything! It's unreal!" She fought the smile that was threatening to spread across her face. Despite her frustration with him, she had developed a deep respect for his capabilities. He would make a ruthless and fair Hokage, and she was surprised by how much there was to him she hadn't known before they began dating. She almost felt badly for how poorly she had treated him in their younger years.
"I c-can't cook!" he raised his hands in surrender. She narrowed her eyes as her fist stopped in mid-air. "I swear it! I burn water! True story, Kushina."
She would not have believed him, but she had experienced this firsthand when he tried to cook her a dinner at his cramped apartment. He had caught his stove on fire, managing to burn his curtains. They spent the evening at the ramen stand before spending their first night together—though in the much safer confines of her apartment. It had been one of the few nights they had been able to spend together, given Minato's increased duties and deployment. Her cheeks burned with the memories of that night. She could finally understand the feelings she had heard her friends so vividly describe when they had talked about their encounters, though she thought hers were much more romantic than their trysts.
"Sorry?" he muttered, still guarding himself against any other attack she may have hidden up her sleeve. He lowered a hand, pointing at the scrolls unfurled on the dry earth. "I'm really not that good at fuinjutsu," he shared, "I'm only good because I have a good teacher. I have never practiced so much as I have these past six months!"
She bit back a retort, realizing he was complimenting her. Her cheeks grew pink as she sputtered at his praise. He fought the smile that tugged at his lips. He took immense joy at being able to render the talkative kunoichi speechless, though usually in ways other than general conversation...
His thoughts began to dangerously teeter on the verge of inappropriate, but the sudden approaching presence interrupted what could have come to be.
"Someone's coming," he informed her, busying himself with the seals they were going over in order to calm his natural reaction to his carnal thoughts. He shifted his position for good measure.
"Huh?" she asked, her gaze lifting toward the presence that was tearing through the field. She instantly recognized Yoshino and she quickly leaped to her feet. All romantic notions for the evening were instantly shattered before her friend even spoke—it was evident by the look on the dark-haired woman's face.
"Kushina!" Yoshino gasped as she came to a halt. Her eyes darted to Minato, but she barely cast a nod of acknowledgment in his direction. Her eyes were wide with concern. "It's...t-t-time!"
Kushina glanced at Minato, her stomach sinking as she realized that their time together has been invariably postponed. In the past seven months or so, they had seen each other scarcely. "Sorry, gotta go," she told him, a grim smile hiding her disappointment.
"Right," Minato agreed, his eyes betraying his encouragement. "I'll stop by later to see how everything is going."
"OK—" Kushina began, her jaw snapping shut as Yoshino jerked her into motion.
"Come on! We don't have time for this shit!" the woman nearly screeched as she tugged a bewildered Kushina behind her as Minato's form grew smaller. "Tsume's having her baby, and now!"
~OoOoO~
Kushina stumbled into the Inuzuka compound, her mind whirling with what Yoshino had told her. She quickly followed her friend through the manor, her pulse racing with each of Tsume's screams.
"Is she...is she alright?" Kushina stammered, her temples throbbing.
"Of course not!" Yoshino snapped, "A baby is about to come out of her damned vagina."
Kushina paled, "It's sounds so horrible when you put it like that..."
"Try to imagine a coconut coming out of something the size of—" she curled her hands to created the desired size.
"Not cool," Kushina muttered under her breath. She would have appreciated less honesty from her friend. The women heard Tsume scream a long and impressive line of profanities. "Is the doctor here?"
"Nope," Yoshino looked genuinely concerned, "Some shinobi were ambushed on the western border, and the medical staff is too preoccupied. I had to make a last minute decision to find someone who could help her."
"Who?"
"Mikoto," the dark-haired woman glanced at her from the corner of her eye as they neared Tsume's room. "She has one kid under her belt. I thought she would be best to help, at least until a medic arrives. She had some training in it."
"Good," Kushina breathed. She knew nothing about birthing babies, and was only there for whatever emotional support Tsume would need.
"?" Tsume screeched. "This shit hurts!"
"Just breathe," Mikoto attempted to soothe her as Yoshino and Kushina entered the room.
Yoshino offered a strained smile of encouragement and Kushina's eyes grew wide as she took in the state of the room. Pillows were thrown about, stuffing ripped from their bellies and strewn throughout the cluttered room. Pictures littered the floor, and the bed was turned over. Tsume was currently on her back, her knees bent as a large pillow propped her against the wall. A thin sheet covered her lower half, and her hair was matted with sweat from her exertion. Her lower lip was bleeding from where she had bitten it with a sharp incisor.
"'Bout time you bitches showed up," she hissed as the contraction passed.
Mikoto nodded to them, her eyes showing her relief to have them there as she replaced the rag on Tsume's head. "She's progressed a bit faster than expected. I was in labor for nearly three days with Itachi," she admitted.
"Well, eight hours is too long if you ask me," Tsume grunted as she laid her head back. "This is bullshit."
"There isn't a doctor here, yet?" Yoshino's eyes were wide with concern as she spit the question.
"Screw it, I'll just have the damned thing. Get it out of me," the dog-nin growled through clenched teeth. "I feel like I'm being ripped apart. Slowly. Who actually wants to go through this torture?"
"Could you hold off on the descriptions, please?" Kushina croaked, her mouth dry.
"I'm having the baby, and you look like shit? Makes sense." Tsume opened her eyes and looked at her friend. She grinned, her teeth bloody, "Thanks for showing up. I'm sorry I can't show my appreciation."
Kushina was standing against the wall, her face pale and damp with sweat. Her eyes grew wide as Mikoto lifted the sheet. She licked her lips as her stomach sank. She had killed men and women, but she had never seen a baby delivered. For over twenty years, she had convinced herself that babies came from women's belly buttons. And, as she looked at a part of Tsume she had never wanted to see, she was positive that she had made the right decision to not become a medic-nin..
Suddenly, Tsume screamed as another wave of contraction took over. Mikoto's eyes grew wide as she dropped the sheet, "I can see the head! You're going to get that wish, Tsume."
"I'm never doing this again!" Tsume bellowed. "I fuckin' hate you, Uchiha!"
Outside the room, Kushina saw Kuromaru sitting in the doorway, his back toward the women as if he were guarding the room. She found it funny, considering she hadn't noticed the dog on the way in. The sounds of Mikoto's instructions pulled Kushina's thoughts back to the reality at hand.
"When the next contraction comes, you're going to push, do you hear me, Tsume?" Mikoto spoke softly but firmly, ignoring the dog-nin's shouts of hatred. She pointed to Yoshino, "Hold her hand." She glanced at Kushina, as if she would have been any help, "Where's the father?"
"He's...on a mission..." Tsume gasped, recovering from the last wave of pain, "My cousin went out as soon as the contractions started. He should...be here soon..."
"OK, good," Mikoto took command, "Kushina, I need you down here with me." Kushina nodded, her face white as she stood where Mikoto instructed. The Uchiha smiled encouragingly at her, "You can help me catch."
"Catch?" Confusion flooded Kushina's features.
"Holy, fuck!" Tsume barked, "I'm pushing!"
Mikoto nodded, dropping to her knees and tearing the sheet away from Tsume's legs. Kushina hadn't been looking closely before, and the sight that greeted her eyes was overwhelming. Blood pounded in her ears as she heard Tsume's faraway curses and screams while she pushed with each contraction. The redhead swayed in place, barely registering Mikoto's look of confusion and concern. Kushina's mouth began to water as the sight of childbirth traumatized her. Within seconds, darkness engulfed her and she collapsed on the floor.
"The fuck?" Tsume hissed as she craned her neck to see what had happened. "Did she just fucking pass out on me? Right now? Now?"
"Stay focused!" Mikoto instructed, reaching out to feel for a pulse on Kushina's neck. The woman's skin was slick and cool to the touch, but she could feel the familiar bounce of Kushina's heartbeat against her fingertips. She shook her head knowingly before turning her attention back to the baby that was nearing its entrance into the world. This entire situation would be hilarious in a few hours.
"I'm going to have this baby," Tsume breathed between heaves, "And after that, I'm going to beat the shit out of Uzumaki, mark my words!"
~OoOoO~
The sound of a howling forced Kushina's eyes open. The bright lights above her blinded her, and she used her arm to shield herself.
"It's a girl!"
Mikoto's voice reminded her of where she was. Kushina quickly rolled onto her stomach, the back of her head aching from where she had hit the floor. She blinked for a few moments, her thoughts clearing. She saw the tiny squirming infant in Mikoto's arms. The baby girl was swathed and handed to Tsume. Tears streamed down the new mother's face as she held the tiny infant, real happiness lighting up her features, despite the intense pain she had just suffered.
"A girl, huh?" She pulled the infant to her breast. Tiny fingers reached skyward as the child broke into another fit of screams. Kuromaru's howls matched the intensity of the child's, his head held high as the canine announced the child's entrance into this world.
"Nice of you to join us again," Tsume smiled. Kushina's eyes grew wide as three pairs of eyes stared at her in expectation. Four if you count Kuromaru. "I'll have to kick your ass later. Not in front of the kid, though."
"Sorry," the redhead quickly muttered to her friend, feeling sheepish for her actions. "You just had a baby," Kushina whispered, looking at the tiny miracle in her friend's arms.
"I did," Tsume looked at her. "You are very observant, did anyone ever tell you that?" she chuckled.
"You're doing well," Mikoto interrupted every few minutes, as she continued whatever it was beneath that sheet. Kushina wanted no part in it.
After about fifteen minutes, Mikoto informed them that Tsume needed rest, ushering the two women from the room. A few moments later, a knock at the door introduced the new father. Kushina led him to the birthing room, where Tsume was trying to breastfeed the child. She glanced up, her features softening as she saw her lover. The man was soiled and sweaty from his trek back .
"I came as soon as I received news," he murmured, his eyes on the infant suckling at her mother's breast as he dropped to his knees at her side. He reached and stroked the child with trembling fingers, drawing back when the little girl cried out in disdain. A bead of sweat trickled down his face as he watched his child with a mixture of fear and love.
"Come on," Tsume held the baby out to her lover, encouraging him to hold her. "Meet your new daughter, Hana."