My goodness I am so sorry for the long wait ? two jobs and a level 4 course in health and wellbeing has me run off my feet. This chapter has been chipped away at over a couple of months. But it's the chapter before I kick off one of my favourite planned story arches! So hooray for that!
My beautiful beta katydid001 will be editing this chapter soon. But until then you will all have to suffer through my unedited mind dump. Sorry about that
Sunlight filtered through the wall and woke Obito from his peaceful slumber. His first sight was the breathtaking face of his lover. The violet tint of her eyelids, the gentle pout of her lips in slumber. The way she rested against his chest made his heart melt.
"Well, shit… it wasn't a dream..." the loved up Uchiha whispered to himself as he placed his arms behind his head. This new position allowed for the best view of her unobstructed beauty. He lay for a while listening to his lovers steady breathing; basking in this rare moment of tranquility.
"Someone pinch me…" he gently whispered. Suddenly a pinch on his stomach caused him to yelp.
A playful smile stretched across Katsumi's face as her seaglass eyes cracked open. A cheeky giggle dripped from her lips as she kissed the reddened skin on his stomach. "I was just doing what you asked," her voice was thick with sleep, but her mind was sharp.
"Cheeky minx! How long were you awake?" Obito's expression turned devious as he gently tickled along her ribs. Katsumi squealed before she burst into fitful giggles. As she attempted to squirm away from the fluttering fingers she threw her hands up in mock surrender.
"Mah, mah! Stop it! You win, Obi!" She managed to squeeze the words out in between tinkling laughter. Her apology was enough for Obito to grip her waist and pull her onto his chest once again. "I didn't w-want the moment to end…" she admitted in a timid whisper. As if drawn together by magnets they melted into a gentle kiss. Just as passion started to heat their tongues, a knock sounded at the door. The sound immediately had the wolf kunoichi on edge as she rolled off of her fiancé and tugged at the sheets. Obito sat up gently and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to keep her grounded.
"An urgent message from the Hokage." A low tone spoke before a letter slipped beneath the door.
"Looks like we may actually have a mission after all." Obito sighed as he placed a gentle kiss on her mess of curls and got up to retrieve the paper.
Katsumi watched her handsome lover stroll casually across the room, his sculpted features on full display. She relished in the last few seconds of happiness before bracing herself for the inevitable.
Obito let out a low whistle, "I was right, babydoll. We got a job to do, better head out now." He turned back to his lover but his next words caught in his throat. Instead he just watched as the silver haired temptress rose from the bed. She slipped on the robe that hung on the wall as she left to retrieve their gear from outside. The wiggle of her hips had Obito's mind flashing back to last night's activities. With a sharp shake of the head he collected his thoughts and strolled over to the doorway to await Katsumi's return.
The couple returned to the Leaf village late at night with dirt on their skin and a bounce in their step. They reached the hokage building and handed in their mission objective without hassle. As Katsumi signed off the shinobi behind the mission desk gave her a flirtatious smile, which the stoic beauty purposefully ignored. Her face was a mask of complete indifference.
Obito's obsidian eyes lingered on her every move. He had always known Katsumi was guarded, but seeing the stark difference between their intimacy and Katsumi's stone cold Shinobi persona was something else. When he realised she was waiting for him to sign off he quickly snatched the brush and inked his name.
Katsumi felt her partner's heated gaze and vehemently ignored the growing fire in her belly. Quickly they made their way out of the Hokage building and began to stroll through the village streets towards the Hatake estate. The silver haired shinobi slipped her chilly fingers into Obito's warm hand.
"We should do more missions together, babydoll." The raven haired Uchiha grinned down at his suddenly flustered fiancée.
Katsumi bit her lip under her dark mask before she nodded, trying to use the motion to calm her blush. She took her hand back to sign, 'Our fighting styles go well together. I bet we'll do more real missions very soon.'
Obito snickered and gripped her waist to pull her in closer to his side. "We collected that scroll from the agents at the border, that definitely counts. Just because the battle with the enemy bandits was piss easy, doesn't void the mission's status. Though watching you battle has become increasingly distracting over the years…" his voice trailed off as he reached down to pinch her plump ass.
Katsumi yelped and danced out of his grasp before she signed back, 'Baka! You get distracted so easily. Maybe more missions with Kakashi will help keep your head in the game.' She winked at her suddenly indignant fiance.
"So cruel, babydoll. Bakashi could never distract me like you," his grin turned devilish as he attempted to snatch her waist once more.
Katsumi casually dodged out of the way and wiggled her fingers on either side of her face in a childish taunt. Obito gave a hearty chuckle as he swiped at her. The lovers danced around each other all the way to Hatake's front door. The playful laughter died as Katsumi climbed the stairs and backed up towards her home. She stopped with a soft thud as her back pressed against the wooden door.
Obito loomed over her placing his hands on either side of the doorframe, trapping her beneath his powerful arms. His voice dripped with sultry tones, "Lucky me, looks like I win again."
Katsumi lifted up onto her tip toes and began to pull her mask down. She squealed as the door behind her suddenly gave way and she fell backwards, clinging to the door frame for dear life. She steaded herself and shot a death glare over her shoulder. Kakashi snickered at her shock and flashed her a classic Hatake smile.
"Welcome home, imouto," Katsumi's voice was warm, until he lifted his gaze to glare at Obito. He observed the way the Uchiha shinobi crossed his arms in frustration. Kakashi's lips twitched as he longed to bare his fangs at the audacity of his rival. "Enough of your games, Uchiha. She's home with me now, get lost," he spat with venom.
Obito snorted and gave his old friend a shit eating grin. "Whatever, Bakashi," his voice was smug as he dropped his arms to his sides, though his eyes held a silent challenge. "I'll just have to catch you later, sweetcheeks," he pulled her pack from his back and lay it gently beside her with a mischievous wink. He spun on his heels and strolled back down the garden path.
Katsumi watched her lover go with a melancholy sigh. When he was out of sight she turned to stare her twin directly in the eye with a sour expression, 'Thanks for ruining that for me, nii-san.'
"My pleasure, imouto. I'm just doing my job." Kakashi ruffled her messy curls and stepped out of the way so she could come inside.
'Who gave you the right to be an asshole? All you ever do is mess with my love life!' She signed as she entered the house and started off towards her room.
"I wouldn't call that love, I would call that obsession. You're too precious for that pervert," came Kakashi's non answer.
'Obito is not a pervert! He loves me! Unlike some people...' For a moment she wanted to laugh but his hypocrisy made her blood boil.
Kakashi snorted indignantly, "what's that supposed to mean?"
She shook her head and jabbed her finger into his chest. 'Just mind your own business, nii-san!' she signed with fury in her eyes. Her rage froze the air between them. The twins were locked in a familiar icy staredown.
"Katsumi, please. You are making a mistake." Kakashi hissed in panic as he realised his little sister was slipping through his fingers.
Katsumi ground her teeth together and let out an exasperated growl as she signed: 'STOP! I don't need your help!' She turned her back on him and began to storm off before she suddenly turned back and hissed: "You are not Father, Kakashi." After ripping him in two she finally disappeared up the stairs.
The loud slam of her bedroom door echoed through the house. He felt like she had torn out his heart and casually plopped it on the floor in front of him. "It's only because I love you, imouto…" his voice was barely a whisper. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his sister, especially to his arrogant Uchiha rival. Especially since the older they all got the more intimate the pair became. He shuddered at the fowl thought. 'If he ever goes that far I'll bury him six feet under,' he thought to himself.
Sakumo's words echoed around in his mind as he made his way up the stairs: "Protect your sister. You only have one. You must do this, for yourself and for me, my little genius."
Kakashi let out a heavy sigh as he passed her room on his way to his own.
The next morning Katsumi scrubbed herself clean in the shower and suited up to receive her next mission. As she looked at her wet messy curls she decided to adorn her Hitai-ate on her forehead, instead of her thigh. She didn't bother using the front door, avoiding her brother so he didn't ruin her good mood. Instead she slipped out of her balcony into the crisp morning air and took off on her regular path. The breeze chilled her masked cheeks as she soared along the rooftops, her footsteps silent. As she reached the Hokage building she leapt onto the wall and scaled it with ease. She pushed Minato's window open and slipped inside.
"Good morning, Katsumi-chan. Did you enjoy your birthday?" Minato's amused tone had Katsumi's eyes narrowing. When their gaze's connected a broad smile broke across the blond's face.
'You knew all along and didn't even warn me!' She pointed an accusing finger at him. Memories flooded her mind and her face flushed crimson. Her hand trembled as she signed a sincere thank you.
Minato just chuckled and continued scribbling away at his paperwork. "Your mission for today, is to guard Naruto. Babysit him, take him out with you for the day. Make him feel normal but don't take your eyes off of him. There are foul whispers in the air and I want to make sure he is under watch. Besides, Kushina needs a break. I trust you to keep my son safe, Katsumi-chan." He cocked his head to the side and beamed at her.
'Hai, Hokage-sama. I will not fail you.' Katsumi signed with a lump in her throat. She was not sure whether it was the threat to Naruto or the fact that her sensei trusted her so implicitly. Babysitting wasn't her idea of a real mission, looking after Naruto never felt like a job. But with the hint of worry in Minato's calm tone had Katsumi on high alert. The wolf kunoichi was all too happy to relieve her sensei of stress too, even if it was just entertaining his child for a day.
"Dismissed. I will see you at dinner." He waved her off as he turned back to his work and cradled his forehead in his hand in a look of deep thought.
Katsumi took her leave out the window and made her way to her sensei's house with a spring in her step. The streets were slowly coming to life with civilians and shinobi alike. A fond smile broke across her face as she waved to Gai as they passed on a rooftop.
"Have YOUTHFUL day, beautiful lotus! May we find time to train together soon!" The green clad shinobi called out as they raced away in opposing directions.
Katsumi just nodded with a silent laugh as she waved him goodbye. She picked up the pace with a wicked grin. Soon the silver-haired shinobi was sliding into a sitting position on her teacher's open window. She sucked in a deep breath as she noted the room's familiar organized chaos.
Kushina was picking up the mess her younglings were creating as they tediously chased each other around the couch. "Why can't you both just sit down and play quietly together?" The red-haired mother dropped their toys into a basket before she caught sight of the silent kunoichi perched on her window sill. "Oh, Katsumi-chan! Oh, you're finally here!" It was as if she said the magic words as both of the kids gasped and spun to look at the window.
"Katsumi-nee!" Naruto called out, his smile like a ray of sunshine.
Kiko turned around and clapped her hands. "Kasu-nee!" She chirped in excitement.
Kushina was quick to scoop the tiny redhead into her arms and cradle her on her hip before she spoke again. "Katsumi-nee is going to take onii-chan out for the day," she cooed in a soft voice to her young daughter. Immediately Kiko's big blue eyes began to water and her bottom lip began to tremble. "Now little one, no fussing. Naruto will be back for dinner."
Naruto ran over to Katsumi while his mother was distracted and tugged on Katsumi's pants. "Where are we going Katsumi-nee? Will there be food?"
The eagerness in his tone made Katsumi snort as she tustled his yellow mess of hair. 'Maybe,' she signed with one hand but Naruto just stared blankly at her. She sucked in a patient breath as she jumped down from the window sill and motioned for Naruto to say his goodbyes. Kiko tearfully farewelled her brother as Naruto kept tugging on Katsumi's hand.
"Thanks, pup. You're a blessing." Kushina gave her student a strong side hug and ushered them both out the door. "Be good kids!" She hollered after them as Naruto dragged the masked jounin down the street.
The blond boy yabbered on about everything he could think of, words spilled endlessly from his mouth like a fountain. Naruto barely stopped for breath, let alone Katsumi's answer, so she was happy to just follow his enthusiastic lead. As they walked through the crowd she noticed people part to let them through. Some of the people saw the pair and didn't move an inch, but others gave them a wide berth. Katsumi couldn't figure out why their faces looked so scared… Her seaglass eyes flicked from the civilians and back to Naruto. Suddenly it clicked; the Nine Tailed Fox. Scenes of that night were seared into her mind, but none of the fear connected back to Kushina or Naruto. Katsumi knew the intrinsic difference between jinchuuriki and the tailed beast inside them.
Growing tired of the ignorance she picked up the pace a little before she scooped up the young boy and placed him on her shoulders. Naruto, who was in his own little world at the time, let out a cry of surprise when his feet left the ground. But with joy he realised what was happening and quickly fisted his hand in her curls. His arm shot out to point through the crowd towards the other side of town.
"Wait! Let's go that way, Nee-chan!" his voice overflowing with determination as he tugged on her hair. Something has definitely caught his eye as he wiggled about in anticipation. "Come on! Faster! Or we'll miss him!"
Katsumi winced at his harsh tugs but nodded and changed their course accordingly. Miss him? She raised her eyebrow in thought. Obviously his love for food was outweighed by whomever he had spotted in the distance. Pressured by the young boy's enthusiasm, her legs kicked up into a fast jog.
Naruto squealed at the sudden speed and wrapped his arms around her forehead in a death grip. Once he was confident that he wasn't going to fall his squeals turned to exuberant laughter. "There, there!"
The silver shinobi cut through the crowd and finally saw who Naruto was pointing at. Itachi was heading over a wooden bridge and little Sasuke was attached to his arm, dragging him towards the playground. She laughed to herself and quickly caught up with them.
"Sasuke-kun!" The excited blond called out from his perch and waved. Sasuke's eyes shot up and he gave a solid smirk, "Naruto-kun? Katsumi-nee? You coming with us?"
The two guardians exchanged glances, it was easy for the comrades to figure out that they were on tangent missions. Itachi gave a small chuckle. "They are now," he said with his tone verging on relief. The Uchiha heir gave his friend an amused look as Naruto scampered down her back and came to stand beside his best friend. Katsumi rolled her eyes at the kids and kept pace with them. She was happy to be spending time with loved ones, but hyper aware of her mission and now Itachis.
The older shinobi came to sit on a beach near the swingset. Sasuke hopped onto one of the swings and started to kick in the correct rhythm. Naruto kicked his legs furiously to try and gain enough momentum to keep the swing going. At first Katsumi had tried to help the struggling Uzumaki but he protested loudly and tried in vain to copy his black haired buddy. Katsumi just snorted as she went back to sit with her friend.
'Do you know why the boys are targets?' Katsumi cut straight to the point. While her eyes were still glued to the boys, she was observing Itachi in her peripheral vision.
Itachi responded back in sign, 'my sources tell me a certain village tried to take one of our own. My guess is it's the Hyuga heir as they have doubled the watch around their compound.'
Katsumi just nodded. Her gut twisting with anxiety, but her face frozen in contemplation. They stayed at the playground until the afternoon rolled around. By then even Sasuke could keep Naruto's hunger at bay. Naruto came screaming up to the bench for the fourth time, exclaiming his rapid approaching death from starvation. The older two got up and started to usher the kids towards town to shut him up. The aggressive child was suddenly full of energy because he knew they were heading for food. Sasuke on the other hand followed after him, thoroughly vexed by his behaviour.
'He's already sick of Naruto's crap.' She signed to Itachi as they strolled casually, despite Naruto's desperate attempt to hurry them.
'Poor kid,' was all that Itachi could reply, the older brother equally as exasperated as his sibling.
The yellow haired ball of energy led them straight to his favourite ramen shop. Katsumi and Itachi declined to eat and only brought food for the kids. They both tried their best to keep the kids blissfully unaware of their serious surveillance by taking turns to ask them questions. Soon the children were too busy stuffing their faces to notice Itachi's eyes scanning the rooftops and Katsumi testing the wind for any hint of foreign scents. It didn't take long for the best friends to lick their bowls clean. Katsumi snickered as she struggled to keep Naruto still for long enough to clean the grub from his chin.
Finally they set off home as the lowering sun gave the sky a beautiful golden glow. Naruto strolled along happily, Sasuke's eyes wandered the alleyways and balconies as they headed for home. Itachi watched the boys while Katsumi watched the surroundings. Until Katsumi bumped into a small warm body, shattering her concentration.
'Sasuke?' she signed to him but his eyes were fixed down a dingy desolate alley. Katsumi followed his line of sight to find a large, single cardboard box. Her hypersensitive ears picked up a tiny high pitched squeal. The raven haired boy made a beeline for the cardboard followed closely by his silver shadow. Itachi clicked to the pair's sudden divergence and steered Naruto in their direction.
Sasuke was the first to peer into the box only to let out an uncharacteristic coo. Katsumi followed suit, her heart melting when she set eyes on the poor souls inside. Two starving kittens lay curled up together in a purple woolen blanket. One of the furry bodies was striped in brilliant shades of ginger, the other was as black as midnight. Both of the tiny creatures let out weak squeals as they huddled in together. The younger Uchiha was fixated on the black kitten. He reached in and scooped the dark feline into his arms, cradling it close. Naruto was next to him in a heartbeat, he snagged the ginger kitten and lifted it up to his face with a scrutinising glare. His sapphire eyes bore into the tiny kitten's face until it yelped in his hands. Suddenly he was lovestruck.
Katsumi and Itachi shared glances, but one was very different from the other. Katsumi's eyes held joy and humor laced with minor concern about the hopeless glare her sensei will most likely pin her with. Yet Itachi's pitch black eyes held a bitter sorrow, soaked in years of festered tortment. A chill shot down Katsumi's spin as she turned her gaze back to the boys and fielded the inevitable questions:
"Can we keep them?" They pleaded in unison.
Katsumi bit her lip as she signed in reply: 'You will have to ask your parents.'
Sasuke bounced up and down in excitement. Naruto copied his friend, not understanding, but hoping what his big sister had said was a good thing. Itachi let out a heavy sigh and motioned for them all to leave. The group split into their respective pairs and waved their goodbyes. Katsumi let Naruto and his vocal little bundle lead the way home, whilst she kept an eye of their environment.
Finally they reached the Uzumaki household where she immediately opened the door for Naruto before following swiftly behind. Naruto slipped off his shoes and called out to his mother, taking off towards the kitchen where her boisterous reply was coming from. Katsumi paused in the doorway, not wanting to see Kushina's reaction to the new addition to the family. There was a gasp and a beat of dead silence. Her whole life flashed before her eyes as Kushina called her name. She crept forward to see Kiko sitting on the couch with the ginger kitten now in her lap enjoying adoring pets. Where Katsumi expected rage on Kushina's face she only found joy.
Kushina's lips were wide in a smile when she spoke, "Good work today, pup. Not what I expected you to bring home, but you'll get no complaints from me."
The kids were now too busy with their new friend to listen to a word the adults were saying. Kushina motioned for a hug and then sent her on her way to be dismissed. Katsumi waved goodbye to the oblivious children and left with a smile. She made her way to the hokage building to sign off for the day. Once she was free the wolf kunoichi leapt up onto the rooftops to finally begin the journey home. By the second rooftop a tall handsome companion joined her stride.
"Done early today, babydoll? You'll be pleased to hear I crushed your brother in training today." Obito's grin was contagious as Katsumi couldn't help but smirk with him under her mask.
'Good. That reminds me,' they slowly down to a stop. 'Can we go to your house? Mine is a little too…' Katsumi struggled to describe her thoughts but Obito just chuckled and took one of her hands in his.
"Come on, sweetcheeks, you don't even need to ask. Besides I wouldn't want to be around that stick in the mud either." he knew exactly what to say to make her feel heard. Without another word they took off towards Obito's home.
Nightfall plunged the leaf village into darkness. Katsumi and Obito made dinner together, before resting against the bench while their food simmered. A few heated kisses in, there was a rapid tap on the door that shattered the mood. The silver haired shinobi sniffed at the air out of instinct. Itachi?
"Give me a sec, babydoll." Obito kissed her nose and flew to the door. She barely had time to put her mask back on before he unbolted the door and dragged it open, revealing a solemn Itachi with a blanket tucked in his arms.
"Obito-san, I need you to take her," without warning he thrust the bundle into his cousin's arms and shook his head, "I wasn't here." And just like that he was gone again.
The stunned kunoichi came up behind Obito and shut the door. She peeled back a corner of the black woolen blanket to find a familiar mewling ball of fur.
"Oh no…" is all she could say as she pet the small shivering creature.
"What's going on? And why do I now have a kitten?" Obito stared at her dumbfounded.
Katsumi shook her head and furrowed her brow, "Well Sasuke picked the kitten out of a box, someone must have said no…"
Obito's face hardened as she briefly filled him in. "Fugaku..." His tone was like ice water trickling down her spine.
She shook away the chill and swiftly changed the subject, "What will you name her?"
Angry and tired Obito just stared down at the dark feline cradled in the abyss of the pitch black wool. After a long moment he cracked a crooked smile and whispered: "Kage. Let's call her, Kage."
And with that I am off to complete the next chapter full of excitement!