Then There Were Two
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki...Katsumi Uzumaki...are the twin children of the Honorable, Late Fourth Hokage...both outcasted by Konoha, the two find strength in one another that is incomparable and irreplaceable. The Teams...are quite different now, and the future...is looking more than a little bit brighter…or is that but the calm, before the storm?
Anime/Manga: Naruto
Genre: Romance/Humor/Adventure
Pairing: I... know who with who will be. I'll let you guys fidget and wonder.
Rated: M for Mature
-x-x-x-
A million shards of glass
that haunt me from my past.
As the stars begin to gather
and the light begins to fade.
When all hope begins to shatter
know that I won't be afraid.
If I risk it all...
Could you break my fall?
- Writing's on the Wall (Jackie Evancho)
-x-x-x-
A few days after most of Team Kakashi had left, Katsumi found herself in the forest with Haku. Training with him while he used her to vent off his loss. He was feeling out of control of the situation. What with Zabuza dying and Katsumi saving his life, he hadn't had a choice in anything. He still saw Zabuza in his last moments when he closed his eyes, heard him in his dreams.
"Haku,"
He heard his name fall from her lips, wanting to be angry with her, he couldn't. Couldn't bring himself to feel any sort of resentment towards her, any sort of bitterness. No, he felt gratitude, and this only spurred his attack on her. Not that he hurt her. He made sure not to! His movements no longer felt like his own, and it bothered him. How much of who he was, had died with Zabuza!?
"Haku!"
He felt arms wrap around him and stilled.
Katsumi looked up at him and sighed, "you can hear me now, right? Or were you just ignoring me?"
"...sorry."
She shook her head, "don't apologize. You are the last person who has anything to be sorry for. Well...as far as I'm concerned, at least. Can we practice the Senbon, since we're out here anyways? I'm still not where I want to be with my precision...mn, feel free to say "no"."
Closing his eyes, he pulled out a few Senbon. Truly, he couldn't be upset with her. She had given him a chance to live without the pressure of killing to survive. How could he be upset with her? He only wished...Zabuza could have been given the same chance. No, he wasn't stupid, he knew that could never happen. Still...he could wish...
-x-x-x-
That night, braiding Haku's long hair, she watched him carefully as he gently ran his fingers over Pakkun who had long since crashed in his lap.
"You're quiet."
She tied the braid and repositioned herself beside him as she looked out the window of the room she stayed in at Tsunami's place. He was staying with them too, though, he stayed in Inari's room while Inari stayed with Tsunami. For the time being. "I was just thinking. I want you to be happy and breathe easily from now on. You could do a lot of good, Haku. Your hands are the type that heal and help others. Don't you think?"
"As many lives as I have taken, I'm not so sure I agree."
"I don't think it's just me that thought this way. Zabuza did too. That's why he fought to keep you alive." She leaned against the window and stared out at the grave of Zabuza. "That's why, for Zabuza and for yourself...you should live happily from now on."
-x-x-x-
(Two Weeks Later)
"Looks good, Tsunami!" Katsumi grinned as they finished setting up a kitchen in the new home the knew home that the village had just built from the ground up for their new resident. It was a simple one-bedroom, one-bathroom home. Not that Haku was aware of what was going on. Most days he'd spend at Zabuza's grave, and nights were spent in the forest near the village, letting off his hurt and pain as he practiced well into the morning. Pakkun had been charged with watching out for him while they prepared for his stay.
"I hope he likes it. I know he must be hurting." She brought a bowl to the shelf and sighed, "good people are always getting hurt."
Katsumi didn't argue the sentiment as she adjusted the curtains and fixed them on the windows. "This is the Shinobi Way, Tsunami. It hurts, but it's the life we chose. Yeah, good people get hurt, but we can only be there for them when they do."
"Your parents must really be proud of you, Katsumi."
'...I wonder.'
-x-x-x-
Pakkun glanced back at the familiar scent of lavender, "you look tired, kid."
"I feel tired. You try lifting beams of wood from dawn till dusk." She watched Haku turn around at her voice and looked curiously at the yellow flowers in his hands. Smiling softly at him, she watched him turn back to the flowers in silence and hesitation. He wanted to say something, do something, but he wasn't sure what he should do. "It's getting cold out, Haku..."
He gave a muted laugh, "I'm not bothered by the cold,"
'Yeah, of course he's not.'
Picking another flower, he stood up and stepped past the dog that had taken to following him around no matter where he went. Stopping about a foot from Katsumi, he lifted the flower and placed it behind her ear as he tucked her hair back with it.
Unlike the bright yellow ones in his hand, this one had a white center with petals of an ombre that faded out into a soft blue as they curled a bit. "What's this? I've never seen it before?" She tried to ignore the flutter in her heart, focusing instead on the flower with the sweet scent.
"Glory of the Snow, they bloom in the late stages of spring and early stages of fall. Thriving in the winter, and then sleeping through summer." He glanced at the Yellow Zinnia's in his hand and his eyes gave way to the sorrow in his heart.
"...it takes time to heal, Haku. I'm scared I'll say the wrong thing, but I'm more afraid that if I don't say something...you'll be buried beneath the weight of your heartache."
Looking up, he watched as her head began to fall and caught her chin with the same hand that had reached out to tuck the flower in her hair. Bringing her eyes up to meet his gaze, he leaned forward so that his forehead touched lightly against hers. "I won't drown in my despair, Katsumi. I have too much to live for. Knowing what you did to keep me alive, how could I ever thank you enough? True, my heart hurts at the loss of Zabuza, but in our last moments...he told me to take my time. I'm in no hurry to die, Katsumi."
"Zabuza's precious person has become precious to me too...so please take care of yourself, Haku." Stepping back, she held her hand out to him and smiled when he took it in hand. She knew who those flowers were for. Making their way to the hilltop, Pakun let the two go. He didn't need to follow them there, knowing what he did.
Hours could and would slip past the two young ninjas as they sat atop the hill. Neither needed to say anything, understanding the silence and stillness, appreciating it for all that it was worth.
-x-x-x-
Inari grinned as he saw both Katsumi and Haku coming back to the village. Running forward, he took Haku by the hand and pulled on him. "Sorry Katsumi, but I'm going to steal him now!"
She watched as Haku was dragged away and grinned as he stumbled at the height difference that was him and Inari. Sure, he was taller than Katsumi, but then, she didn't drag him around the village. Well, she did, just not quite so...forcefully. Following the duo around the bend of the village, she smiled as she came upon him and the entirety of the village gathering around him. 'He'll be safe...right? Zabuza? Can you see him? Are you watching out for him?'
"Katsumi! Come on!"
She looked to Inari and made her way to his side. Dropping her hand playfully on his head as she messed up his wild hair. "So?" turning her attention to Haku, she laughed at the confused look on his face. "What do you think?"
"Is this really okay?"
"Haku, dear, we welcome you to stay in our village." Tsunami brought her arms around the boys' slender shoulders and pulled him into a hug.
A sight Katsumi hadn't expected, the following tears that fell from his eyes also took her by surprise when he brought his hands up and hugged the woman back. Inari grinned by his mothers' side as he tugged on Katsumi. His own eyes trickling tears as he tried not to cry.
A gentle flurry of snow began falling weightlessly around them. Voices took on surprise and children squealed in excitement. Katsumi brought out her hand to catch a snowflake, watching as it melted almost as soon as it met her much warmer hands. Looking up, she turned to meet Haku's worried brown eyes, smiling at him, she let him know that she wasn't afraid. In fact, no one was.
-x-x-x-
The night that followed in its emotional drawl, pulled on the exhausted villagers. When it was just Katsumi, Pakkun, Inari and Haku, the four were sitting out at the bridge and looking out at the long stone walk.
"Do you really have to leave, Katsumi?"
Smiling, she let her head loll to the side as she rested it on Inari's head. "I do. My team is going to forget all about me if I don't go home, but I'll come back to visit."
Inari pushed her off him and got on both his knees, "you promise? You need to promise!"
Haku laughed, "I wouldn't mind hearing you make that promise myself."
"I promise! Or else lightning strike me down if I don't come back!"
Pakkun sniffed at that, "Kakashi's quite talented with lightning Jutsu."
"Think he'll teach me?"
"...no promises, kid. If it will make you feel better, you can touch my pads. They're soft..." he said this while lifting his paw, the serious look in his eyes had the three kids laughing. "Touch them," he urged, pushing is paw closer to Katsumi.
Katsumi brought a finger to the padded feet and shook her head, "Pakkun, you're so cute."
He huffed, pulling his paw free from her fingers and turning a few times before lying down next to Inari. "I'm a Ninken, we are not cute."
"Right, sorry." She wasn't sorry at all. Looking up at the night sky, she had a heavy heart as she knew, tomorrow, she was leaving the peaceful village in the Land of the Waves behind. Yeah, she would come back, but part of her really wasn't sure if it would be the same as when she left.
"Katsumi, should we have one final lesson before you leave tomorrow?" Haku asked as he stared up at the waning moon. Inari perked up beside him, having taken to watching their practices whenever an opportunity presented itself.
"Right now? Is that okay?"
"Of course!" Inari yelled, taking both Haku and Katsumi by surprise when he suddenly stood up. Urging her on as he gave her what could only pass as a look of sheer resolve by Inari's standards. "You should learn as much as you can! Become a great Ninja, Katsumi!"
She shook her head and stood up, extending her arms over her head before resting a hand on her hip, "well, I guess I have no choice. I'll have to work especially hard from here on out. So, one more lesson!"
-x-x-x-
(The Next Morning)
"You sure it doesn't look weird?"
Haku smiled but said nothing as he finished clipping the hair cuff around the strands of blonde hair that he'd gathered behind Katsumi. Taking bits of her long bangs and pulling them back into the cuffs, he was pleased with the way they fell. Stepping away and turning her around where he could better see his work. "I'm positive, it looks good."
"I get to keep it?"
He nodded, "I've got this one with me," he pointed to the one that held a lock of his own hair out of his face. No longer were both of his bangs tied away from his face, now only the one. "Pakkun," he dropped to his knee and pat the dog on the head, "you two stay safe on your journey back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"Of course," he lifted his paw and placed it on Haku's hand before the boy stood back up. The three walked out of Haku's new home and made their way to where the villagers were out waiting for Katsumi and Pakkun. Walking to the bridge, they stopped, and Katsumi took one last look at the village before her eyes caught Inari's trembling form.
Inari was looking down sadly as he tried not to cry. When a hand reached out to him, he finally moved forward and hugged Katsumi tightly around the waist. "You promised to come visit, so don't forget!"
"I won't forget, Inari." She rested her cheek against his head as she hid his tears away. "Until then, you take care of Tsunami, Haku and Tazuna."
"I will, I decided, I'm going to become a shinobi like you and Haku! I want to be able to protect the people I care about, just like you!"
"Off the record, Shinobi..." she laughed, "no one needs to know. You need only become strong enough to protect the people precious to you, Inari." Standing, she tugged his hat down a bit and smiled. "Hey, old man!"
"Tch, still a mouthy brat." Tazuna smirked, "we haven't decided on a name for the bridge, I was thinking of dedicating it to you, but I don't think your ego could handle it. The Great Katsumi bridge, not bad, right?" He laughed heartily.
She felt her nose wrinkle a bit at the name and laughed, "why not...the Great Uzumaki Bridge."
"Uzumaki?"
"Yeah...it's my last name. Katsumi Uzumaki..."
"Hm, the Great Uzumaki Bridge. I think I like it."
She shook her head, "lay off the drinks, old man. I'll see you all around! Bye everyone!" Taking off with Pakkun at her heals, she raced along the bridge as quickly as she could. "Hey, Pakkun, how far is it too Konoha?"
"Hm, it should only take us two days at most at the pace we're moving. I'm factoring in breaks..."
She nodded, "We have a short distance to go, and I'd like to see my team soon!"
"Want to speed up then?"
Glancing at the pug, she raised a brow at the suggestion, "sure you can keep up?"
"That old bridge builder was right, you are mouthy," he suddenly disappeared from her sight and she heard him call from further up ahead. "Don't fall behind, kid!"
'Right! This is just training...one more goal I can see!'
-x-x-x-
Me: Here is chapter 24! I know it seems like a filler, but I promise you it's not. This chapter has its purpose! Besides getting to see Haku settle in, Katsumi gets to build her first friendships in Inari and Haku both. Let me know what you think, this girl is going to bed now!