For the first time in a very long time, Kawaki woke up to sunlight shining through the white curtains of his room. It had been eight years since he'd woken up to anything but darkness – or worse, Amado's lab in the infirmary.
He laid there for a long time, just enjoying being comfortable and warm all curled up in bed under the covers, listening to everyone else in the house slowly start to wake up. First, someone woke up and left the adults' bedroom to go to the bathroom then the kitchen. Another set of footsteps followed not long after, so both adults were awake. One of them left the kitchen to come upstairs and wake up the little girl. She slept in the room beside his at the furthest end of the hall. Boruto's room was on the side closest to the stairs, and he didn't hear Boruto get up until the need to go to the bathroom finally forced him out of bed and downstairs.
He tried to be quiet and not make a sound, but he didn't know the house and its floorboards just yet so he ended up stepping on one that creaked and alerted the house to his presence anyways.
"Good morning, Kawaki!" Mrs. Uzumaki called from the kitchen.
He startled, surprised at being addressed in such a friendly, familiar manner, but ignored her and closed and locked the bathroom door behind him without a reply.
Its all just a mask. They're just using me.
Still, despite the tension he had to admit it was nice to just be able to get up and walk around even if he was trapped in this house. He was trapped in this house, this city, just waiting for Jigen to send someone to track him down and take him back. The Uzumaki family's house was huge. They had given him a tour after dinner the night before, which helped cause now he knew where all the entrances and exits were in the whole house. The Hokage's house was big, brightly lit, and full of stuff. He felt very out of place cause it was nothing like Kara's underground lair or his remote, isolated hometown.
Afterwards, he loitered around in the Hokage's office. The wardrobe was full of clothes and the cupboard underneath it had more spare blankets in it. The books and scrolls were useless to him cause he couldn't read. He had a whole lot of photos all over the room, too. On his desk, the cupboard, and the wall. The cupboard with the family photos displayed on top was full of cups of food with a lid that looked like it just peeled off.
I wonder what it is? How's he supposed to cook it? Whatever it is, it looks like he's all set up to live in here. He can't work that much, can he? He has time to hold me hostage.
He reluctantly joined the rest of the family in the dining room and sat down in an armchair that provided him the best view of the kitchen, the door, and the side yard door all at once. He needed to be alert but his biggest concern was watching the Hokage's wife, Mrs. Uzumaki, prepare breakfast. He sat just far enough away from everyone else that he didn't have to talk to anyone but was still positioned so he could see the food being prepared.
They have yet to knock me out and take me to be interrogated, so poison's probably the way they're gonna do it. I'm only here so they can get intel on Kara and lure them in by using me as bait.
He really wished he could just safely eat whatever they put in front of him. He hadn't got to eat a real meal in years. All Kara did was force him in the storage box and hook him up to IVs.
The Hokage wasn't in the room, he'd disappeared shortly after he'd entered to go upstairs, but Boruto was sitting at the table playing a video game while his little sister was helping her mother in the kitchen.
"Boruto! Can you set the table, please?" Mrs. Uzumaki asked. It looked like she was plating everyone's food.
"Yeah! Just give me a minute so I can finish this fight!" Boruto replied.
Just like dinner the night before, Mrs. Uzumaki was cooking everything and then plating it for each person who would be eating.
I wonder how easy it would be for her to dose just my food? Then they could safely transport me to a secure location to be tortured and interrogated.
Tranquilizers had been Kara's preferred method of getting him back in the storage box when he wouldn't cooperate.
Boruto took plates of food from his mother and carried them to the table. He scrutinized their interactions, trying to watch for any hidden messages that would indicate if she was specifying which plate was his.
Nothing.
"Big brother, I helped make our lunch boxes today!" the short-haired little girl exclaimed, hopping off a stool at the sink.
"That's great, Hima! What'd you and mom make?" Boruto asked as he finished putting the chopsticks out on the table for everyone.
"We made rice with tuna and lots of vegetables, mentaiko egg rolls, sausages, and salad!" Himawari replied.
Why's he get a lunch box? Does he still go to school?
"Boruto, would you please go and tell your father breakfast is ready? He's in his office." Mrs. Uzumaki replied.
"Is he just working from home, now? Great." Boruto said, looking frustrated. He went out of the kitchen and up the stairs to go get the Hokage.
"Don't forget to wash your hands, Boruto." Mrs. Uzumaki called after him. "You too Himawari, Kawaki."
He was surprised to hear himself being brought into the conversation. "Huh? Why do I have to?"
He really didn't see the point.
"It's best to get in the habit of practicing good hygiene." Mrs. Uzumaki replied.
"Tch. Fine." He replied, following Himawari to the bathroom in the hall to wash his hands. Boruto was already there waiting in the doorway for the Hokage to finish washing his hands.
He sat down to a plate full of food for breakfast. They had served him orange juice, toast, a fried egg, a few little sausages, and some mixed broccoli and tomatoes. He stared at it for a good long moment, just taking in the delicious smell and debating if it was worth the risk to eat it.
It smells so good!
Boruto put a lot of salt on his eggs and got scolded for it by both of his parents. Himawari teased Boruto about his hiding that he actually liked their dad being home. Everyone was so comfortable with each other and lighthearted.
Eventually, they noticed he wasn't eating.
"Kawaki, is the food not to your liking?" Mrs. Uzumaki asked.
"Don't worry, its not poisoned." The Hokage said.
"Like I can trust you!" he replied. They'd had this exact same conversation at dinner last night, too. In the end, he still refused to eat a single bite or sip of the juice.
I don't care if its wasting food, I can't afford to risk it.
He didn't really care when Boruto made a remark about his refusing to eat his mother's cooking, and he didn't protest when Boruto took his plate and ate it for him as his mother started picking up, but it really got on his nerves when the brat just had to bring up the vase again.
"I still haven't forgiven you for breaking the vase!"
"You're such a pest." He retorted. Does this kid never stop?
"It's something important!" Boruto countered.
How could it be that be important? It's just a vase, and it wasn't even his.
"Both of you, stop!" ordered the Hokage.
He listened and sat back, watching them all as they ate and talked. It didn't escape his notice that Himawari was nervous around him and wouldn't look at him.
Or is she afraid of me? Or is she actually upset about it? She needs to grow up, it's not that important.
He sat and watched as they ate, ignoring the gnawing hunger in his stomach. The only thing he'd ate or drank yesterday was a can of juice and some chips from the vending machine at the hospital. But on the other hand, he knew better than to trust strangers especially when they acted nice.
"Kawaki, you didn't touch your food! Is there something else I can get you to eat?" Mrs. Uzumaki asked when he got up from the table. Everyone else was picking up after breakfast. Boruto had retreated to his room and Himawari had left the room to get ready for school.
He wasn't swayed by the warm smile on her face and kindness in her tone. "You're so annoying. Cut the nice act!"
"Kawaki!" The Hokage scolded him. "We're just worried about you."
"Tch." He backed off and went back to his armchair from earlier.
"I got it, mama!" Himawari said, walking back in wearing a warm yellow jacket, a scarf, hat, and gloves as well as a red shoulder bag. She put her lunchbox in it right away. "I'm off to school now, okay?"
"Have a good day!" The Hokage and Mrs. Uzumaki both replied, and off she went.
"Naruto, make sure you buy Kawaki a nice jacket today. Its supposed to snow tonight." Mrs. Uzumaki said, washing the dishes while the Hokage helped pick up.
"Sure, Hinata, I will." The Hokage replied. "Do the kids need anything?"
"No, they're fine. Himawari has another set of gloves if she loses those." Mrs. Uzumaki answered. "I'm going to pick up groceries this morning so I might be gone when you get back."
"Alright. Well, we'll be off then." The Hokage replied.
Wait, we?
Author's Note:
I had such a hard time with this chapter. It just wouldn't write itself very well. Until the anime catches up to the manga, they're going to be rather episodic, somewhat linked short chapters like this one. Let me know what you think!
Edit: I edited this to add scenes and make it flow better, hopefully. There might just be a small plot line now, so I wanted to expand on Kawaki's first 24 hours at the Uzumaki family's house.