I Love You

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."

~Albert Camus

.10

Tsuyuko walked with no clear direction in mind after leaving the Hatake household. So she is not entirely surprised when she walks straight into another person, hard enough to knock herself over. What is surprising is that it is Shikaku who had just come out of the Nara family's compound… which is on the other side of the village. Awesome.

"What the fuck?! Tsu what are you doing here? ….are you okay?" He hauls her up to her feet. She wasn't exactly sure how to answer.

Was she okay? She didn't know.. Sakumo had dropped some heavy news on her in what was probably a rather inappropriate way. She hadn't been prepared for that, but at last she understood his looks now. They hadn't been pitying, they'd been guilty.

"I don't know.." Shikaku raised his brow at her, that was unusual.

"Mah, that sounds complicated. Want to talk about it?" She looks uncertain, it doesn't sit well with him. Tsuyuko looked strange as anything other than happy. He watches as she daws in a breath, pulling her arms to wrap around her chest, as if he was trying to hold herself up.

Shikaku reaches for her, letting her lean into his chest for support, and he is unsurprised when she just starts crying. While he could see the signs of it coming, what irritates him is because he doesn't know why.

A feeling akin to anger crawls up his arms. Someone had upset her. Shikaku wanted to strangle whoever it was. He never liked seeing her cry. It was a general consensus in their group really, Tsuyuko was smiles and sunshine, rays of warm light and hope. No one wanted to see her hurt. When they'd been on the border and she'd gotten attacked, seeing her covered in her own blood. It hadn't sat well with him, the same feeling of anger crawled up his skin anytime he thought about it. Just like right now.

"Shikaku what have you done to this poor girl?!" His mother and her ever impeccable timing it seems. Tsuyuko sniffles into his chest and she goes to wipe her eyes, forcing a smile on her face that is not nearly convincing as she probably wanted it to be.

"It's just me Kaori-kaa-san. Shikaku hasn't done anything wrong." His mother comes over to inspect them both, she narrows her eyes at him as if she still didn't believe it before grabbing Tsuyuko from him ushering her in for tea. Shikaku smirks at the Tsuyuko when she tries to protest. Yeah she wouldn't be winning that fight for sure.

Good luck to her.

Although he still wanted to know what had made her so upset. But based on the loo his mother shot him if he followed she'd just nag him. Mah that was a drag. Shikaku stuck to his original plan to go meet up with his team. Maybe if he was lucky his mother would figure out what was going on with Tsuyuko and he could get her to tell him what was wrong.

…

Nara Kaori is an old woman, in her late sixties. Shikaku was not her first born but he was the only living child she had now. War had taken them from her, war had not been kind to the Nara family. When Shikaku started academy they had still been recovering from the loss of his brother, he had been a surly kid for sure because of it.

That all changed suddenly when Tsuyuko and the Namikaze boy came into his life. The girl was something else, she was smart in ways that shouldn't have been possible for a child. But she was tiny and emotional, Kaori often wondered what kind of shinobi the girl would become. An apparently fierce medic was the answer to that question, although it did not change the way in which the girl controlled her emotions.

She loved freely and without reverence. Kaori was grateful for the healing the girl had offered her son because of this despite the fact she wished Tsuyuko could learn to control her emotions if only for her own sake.

Kaori sets a cup of tea in front of the preteen with a raised brow. "What is eating at you Tsuyuko-chan?" Renowned medc or not Shiai still considered the girl to be a child. Her adopted child almost. Tsuyuko had filled a hole created by the previous wars. Kaori loved this girl more than she should have, but she wasn't the only one.

She wondered when Shikaku would get his nerves together and ask Tsuyuko out or something

"Sakumo-san told me something that was very hard to hear and I cannot be sure how to process the information." Tsuyuko tells her quietly,eyes cast down.

Kaori sighed, slightly angered by that. Sakumo shouldn't have said anything. But she understands why he did. "He told you about your mother then…" There is a sense of knowing in her tone that causes Tsuyuko to look up.

"How?" Is all she can manage, Shikaku's mother offers her a tired smile.

"Suyuri used to be on a team with Shikaku's late older sister. She was a kind girl, a lot like you really. But Suyuri was always quick to action, stubborn, she made choices without a lot of thought. I knew she was pregnant when she left on that mission and I knew she lied when she claimed she'd found an orphan. But at the same time I understood her reasoning, she just wanted to give her child their best chance so I never said anything about it. I am surprised that Sakumo did, Suyuri never wanted you to know. You became a fine young woman and damn good shinobi without her." Tsuyuko listens with tempeditio across her face, she takes the words from the Nara matron and mulls over them carefully.

"Thank Kaori-kaa-san."

"You are very welcome Tsuyuko-chan. I can yell at Sakumo-kun if need be." That got the girl to smile, laugh even, it made Kaori's heart feel light. Tsuyuko waves off the offer.

"No thank you, I am glad that Sakumo-san told me the truth. Even if it hurts me." Tsuyuko wondered what this was going to do to the relationship she had with Kakashi.

She loved that kid more than she should have, he was one of her precious people now. Tsuyuko would do everything in her power to make sure he was happy. He hoped he wouldn't be upset with her. Hoped he wouldn't be upset with his father for keeping the secret.

"I am not surprised you feel that way. You are a good girl Tsuyuko-chan, please never lose your heart" Kaori tells her gently before standing from the table.

"Perhaps you should go and hunt down my lazy son now, he's probably concerned since you were crying on him again." There is mirth in the olds woman's tone, and a thrown wink that makes the girl's nose turn pink. Kaor chuckles to herself.

Well. It seemed her son wasn't the only one with a crush. The old Nara woman approved. Tsuyuko would make an excellent daughter-in-law one day. That is once those two figured out they liked each other.

"He's going to lecture me about composure again.. I can just feel it." Tsuyuko whines as she goes stand, bowing her head respectful with a quick thank you for tea and then she's dashing out the door. Happier than she was before.

…

' Orochimaru-sensei,

Sakuma-san has informed me that his late wife was my mother, and that the whole disappearing act was apparently a skill she had developed during her life. He has given me her old notes in regards to the technique. I am reluctant to try it while you are out of the village. Perhaps we can test a few theories when you get back… if you want to. I want to understand how this aspect of my chakra works.. But only if you want to help me.

Nawaki sends his regards, but refuses to write because he is claiming bad hand writing or something. Regardless he wants you to know that we are still being 'good'. Also he has a boyfriend now, he's a nice guy, very civilian, but I think you'd like him too.

We miss you a lot, hope that you are staying safe.

I'm most likely getting sent to one of the border posts soon, but I am not certain which. I will be shipping out with Minato this time, as well as the others from before. The sandaime has deemed Minato's use of fuinjutsu too useful to waste right now.

Lots of Love,

Tsuyuko '

Orochimaru chuckles foundly at the letter in his hand. Jiraiya who had not yet left the Ame border post frowned from his spot reading over Orochimaru's shoulder.

"Damn, I had hoped the old man would prolong deploying Minato-kun." Orochimaru rolls his eyes. While he understood the sentiment they were at war and Minato was a fully capable shinobi.

"Yes it is rather unfortunate, I am surprised to hear that Tsuyko is getting deployed again so soon." He settles on, Jiraiya shakes his head.

"She's become as scary as a medic as Tsunade-hime is from the reports I 've heard. I'm surprised the old let her stay as long as he did. We need good medics right now more than anything. These bastards fight dirty." Orochimaru pressed his lips into a tight line. He says nothing more on the matter folding the letter up and tucking into the safety of his weapons pouch.

…

Tsuyuko kisses Kakashi's forehead and hugs him close. Sakumo regarded her with a kind smile, and an affectionate head pat. She'd come to tell them goodbye before she headed off to the fronts again.

"Try to be nice to your teammates while I'm gone, and be nice to Nawa. Don't let the crutch fool you though Nawa is stronger than he let on. If Rin has any medical questions she can ask for Yurako at the hospital he'll be able to help her, I trained him so he's competent. I promise I'm going to do my best to keep your sensei breathing." She sounds so serious. It's unlike her, but he nods.

"Of course Yuko-nee." She smiles, wrapping her arms around her half brother one more time. Tsuyuko ruffles his hair.

"I love you Kakashi-kun." He turns to look away from her and she just smiles.

"Be safe Tsuyuko."

She makes no such promises.

They'll leave in smaller groups than they returned in. Six man squads or smaller. Tsuyuko meets her boys at the gate. Minato gives her a small wave and she smiles at him but turns her attention to the only member of her group who she only recently became associated with. "Didn't your wife just give birth?"

"A few months ago but yes." He answers, she frowns. That sucks.

"Well I guess I need to make sure you don't die then eh Fugaku-san." He deadpanned at her.

"I don't plan to require your less than gentle touch this time Tsuyuko-san." She laughed, eyed the other three.

"Yes of course Fugaku-san, I know who's going to give me the real trouble, these three and my ridiculous brother over there." Minato makes a noise of protest which she throws him a teasing smile for.

"I love you but you're reckless. Don't even deny it."

"And you are ridiculous so you have no room to talk Tsu, come on let's get going while there's still daylight." Shikaku steps in having no desire to keep standing here.

The sooner they got to the front, the sooner they could come home.

XOXOX

Woohoo another chapter down. Probably gonna be another time skip soon btw. SO be looking out for that.

Age update

Tsuyuko: 13

Minato: 15

Kakashi: 7ish

Obito and Rin: 8-9ish

Ino/Shika/Cho: 16ish

Kushina: 15

Mikoto: 16

Fugaku: 18

Newaki:16ish

Hope that helps if there is any confusion over age.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Love you all bunches!

~LaRae