When Ito begins to call Konoha her home, it's the end of May. She carries her citizenship card on her at all times, proud of the status Lady Kushina helped her achieve. Minato-san (because he won't respond to Hokage-sama) is proud of her too, and tells her so at dinner one night. She basks in their approval, for the first time in her life thinking she understands what a family is. It's not a privilege that she takes lightly, so she shows her gratitude in the only way that she knows how.
(She works)
(Harder, Kushina thinks, than any ten-year old ought to)
(She's not even a shinobi, for kami sake, Minato agrees)
Nevertheless, Ito looks at Kushina like she hangs the stars in the sky, and she does not let the woman lift a single finger that she doesn't need to. It hadn't taken her long to extract the family recipes from Kushina's mouth, and she had mastered at least a few of them by now. Kushina and Minato watched curiously as Ito served them ramen for lunch, a look of concentration painted on her small, serious face. She earns their praise with its rich, hearty flavor, and she smiles wide enough to show her crooked teeth. She sits down to eat with them, and does not think twice about the way Kushina pulls her hair back from her face for her. These gentle touches and subtle gestures were teaching Ito how to be loved.
"I think Naruto would be a good name for the baby," Minato says after awhile, both his mouth and his heart full.
"After the character in The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi?" Ito recognizes instantly, her cerulean eyes growing wide.
"THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA, Y'KNOW!" Kushina exclaims, jumping up (to the best of her pregnant abilities) to give her husband a smooch.
"Ah, you've read my favorite book, Ito-chan?" Minato laughs, embracing Kushina tightly.
"I edited it," Ito replies simply, leaving Minato and Kushina gobsmacked for a second.
"Well, you did a good job, because that's what were naming the baby!" He approves, giving her a massive thumbs-up and a strobe light smile.
Ito stares in wonder at Kushina's bump, the name Naruto repeating in her head like an echo. She decides that it is a good name, from a good character. She hopes they are not giving the child a name he cannot live up to, but then again, this is Minato's and Kushina's boy. Ito imagines that Baby Naruto will keep her hands plenty busy (but that was how she liked it).
"So when is Jiraiya-san coming to visit again?" Ito asked meekly. The man had returned to his travels the day after passing her off to Minato, and he had not been back since. She realized, with a pang, that she missed him dearly.
"He should be visiting by the end of the week," Minato assured her with a knowing smile. Ito returns it, and when goes to sleep that night, there's still a ghost of it on her thin lips.
The Sannin is a day late. With Kushina's blessing, the next morning Ito camps out at the village's gates. She keeps her eyes trained on the horizon, focusing on the path just where it bent over the curve of the earth. At dawn, she knows she's being optimistic. By noon, she thinks he'll arrive any second. The sun begins its descent, and she feels a pit in her stomach. Itachi passes her, walking in tandem with another shinobi from his clan. He pauses, one eyebrow narrowing at her.
"Ito-san," he greets, and she bows to him distractedly.
"Itachi-kun," her gaze never wanders towards him, she hopes he doesn't find it disrespectful. His friend drags him away, but he only makes it a few more steps before stopping again.
"You seem to be in distress," he states, the narrow outline of his jaw set in determination (and a little fear, in case she started crying. Girls do that sometimes).
"I am only waiting on Jiraiya-san, please do not fret on my behalf," she replies, finally returning his attention.
She is surprised to see his normally blank face express concern for her, he can feel his own eyes shining earnestly (and he doesn't know why). His friend peers at her curiously, charcoal curls tumbling around his hitai-ate. Itachi nods in understanding, and the two boys set off.
Not quite out of earshot, she can hear Itachi's companion speak: You know, I don't understand what Izumi-san was talking about, she doesn't look like a fish at all.
It makes her feel better for a moment, though she had never shown much concern for her own appearance. Her thoughts return to Jiraiya's tardiness, and the scowl returns to her face. It's almost dark now, and though she prepared a meal in advance, she really ought to be getting home. Trying to ignore her broken heart, Ito sighs and turns to walk home.
"Come on now, say it ain't so, you gave up on me already?" His voice fills the entire space, and it is instantly comforting. His journey had not been easy, he was not a man easily delayed, but the sight of the girl cheered him up. He was a sucker for a good rags-to-riches story, and dare he say, Ito-chan looked almost healthy.
"Jiraiya-san," Ito gasps, turning to face the man. She remembers this moment for the rest of her life, when all was well and she was light as a feather.
They walk to Minato's house together (she admired that he had refused the offer to move into the Hokage's residence, the home he had made with Kushina was much more comfortable). He assures her that all is well in Ame, and ruffles her inches-longer hair. Upon cracking open the door, she all but attacked by Kushina, the woman checking for any visible scuffs or bruises.
"Hey! What's the big idea, staying out like that and scaring me half to death, y'know!" She hollered, and Ito shrunk back in shame. Minato pulled his fiery wife off of the girl, his calm disposition evening out the atmosphere of the room.
"I believe, if there's anyone you should be blaming, Kushina," Jiraiya speaks, his voice still clearly heard from the street. "It is me,"
The adults share a moment of relief, releasing the tension and fear they had been hiding from Ito. She slips into the kitchen, shocked to see they had been waiting for her to eat. Guilt ate away at her, and she responded by hurriedly heating up the meal she had prepared earlier and laying out the table setting. Everyone is in good spirits when they sit down to eat, and Ito feels whole in a way she had never experienced before. Minato tells his sensei the name that they've decided on, and asks Jiraiya's to be Naruto's godfather. After a moment, the old sage accepts and the other three erupt into cheers.
He stays for a few days this time, and Ito escorts him to the gates when he is set to leave.
"I almost forgot," he smiles, pulling something out of one of his many pockets. He holds out an elaborate paper flower, masterfully and delicately folded into a water lily. "Ko-chan sends her regards,"
Ito blushes deeply thinking of the enchanting amber-eyed kunoichi, they only met once, but Ito learned then what beauty was. Jiraiya tucks the gift behind Ito's ear.
"Don't be late next time, Jiraiya-san," Ito replies, eyes growing misty as they bid farewell. She does not turn away until his towering silhouette disappears entirely.
July brings a sweltering, record-breaking summer for Konohagakure. Ito had never imagined that the outside world could feel like that, and as far as she was concerned, it was off limits to her. The scorching sun burnt her tender skin within minutes of exposure, and she felt like she had to constantly drink water to fend off dehydration. Kushina, also, struggled with the heat as she entered her third trimester. Face red and sweating profusely, Kushina taught Ito how to make a cooling seal for the windows. She only had to practice once to be able to (more or less) replicate its swirling pattern, and she made a considerable stack of usable seals. Kushina would take a breath and activate them, the use of her chakra (which was already under an incredible amount of strain) leaving her winded slightly.
Ito wastes no time in completing their mission, slapping the slips of inked paper on every window and door with glorious fervor. Soon, it was a bearable temperature, even a little chilly. The two women shared a smile over their success, and Kushina eased herself into bed. Ito stayed nearby, wanting to ensure she wouldn't have to get up again.
"Have you thought anymore about what I said about joining the academy?" Kushina asks her after a comfortable silence.
Ito blinks. "I have not,"
Kushina chuckles, "If you ever do, you'll have a talent for sealing, Fūinjutsu,"
The word sounds magical to her. She considers the children's unkind remarks and unwelcoming faces, then weighs it against her innate desire to learn. She makes a note to herself to ask Itachi-kun what the Academy was like next time she saw him. It takes a week for the heat to break, during which Kushina teaches Ito everything she remembers about Uzushiogakure. Ito commits it all to memory, closing her eyes as she listened to the passionate redhead and let her paint a picture in her mind. Amongst being an excellent cook and a Fūinjutsu master, Kushina was also a wonderful story-teller. Her words played out vividly in Ito's mind, as clear as if she had witnessed them herself. Minato brought them home Ichiraku ramen and sweet dumplings, winking at his darling wife as he complimented Ito's exemplary work on the seals. She feels closer to them than she had before.
The Wakumi Family was small and insignificant, a muddy Ame bloodline of petty thieves, gamblers, and drunks. Her father had sold her as labor to pay off his own debts, leaving her to bounce between shady dealers in the Hidden Rain's wet shadows. To think, she ended up serving the Hokage's family- not even serving, but rather adopted into the Hokage's family. She was more than proud to bear Kushina's heritage as if it was her own, and swore to speak of the legacy of the Uzumaki clan for as long as she lived.
Kushina hadn't expected her to take the history lessons so seriously, but sometimes she'd peek out of normally-shut eyes and see the girl taking notes. Her heart swells, and she feels tears prick at her eyes. This child was turning out to have a profound effect on her life, unfathomably willing to serve Kushina and her family. It brought her more comfort than she cared to admit that... that if anything happened- someone besides Jiraiya-sensei would be there for Baby Naruto.
It was August before Kushina made it back over to the Uchiha compound for a much-needed visit with Mikoto. She was starting to have some pretty severe birthing slash mothering-in-general anxiety, and she needed the woman's unfaltering serenity to calm her down. Ito walked with her arm around Kushina's waist, selflessly letting the round, waddling woman borrow some of her strength. The weight was nothing to her, Ito merely worried about Kushina being on her feet for so long (though the kunoichi had insisted on walking herself).
Mikoto herself appeared to desperately need a break, the tension in her shoulders falling away as her friend smiled at her. Apparently, Sasuke had just started to crawl and was more of a handful than Itachi had been his entire life.
"We will babysit," Ito declares, holding out her hands to receive a cooing baby from the dark-haired woman's grasp. Itachi snatches the infant from her instead, shooting a look towards Ito as if she should know better (she didn't, Lady Kushina trusted her to care for the Hokage's son, so why wouldn't Mikoto-san let her hold Sasuke?).
(She wanted to hold Sasuke, that baby was adorable)
Thankfully, Mikoto didn't look offended, or even interested in whose hands had received her child. The two women had already disappeared, starting the kettle for a pot of tea. Ito follows Itachi into his room, hesitating at the door, though he glances at her to let her know it's fine. He sets Sasuke down on a tatami mat, neatly folding himself onto the floor as well. Ito mirrors his position, and Sasuke crawls back and forth between them, babbling happy.
"Lady Kushina-sama looks ready to pop," he comments.
"Yes, it won't be long now," Ito agrees, smiling at the thought. She was more than ready for Baby Naruto to be more than just a concept in her life.
"It will be good for Sasuke-kun to have a friend," Itachi replies softly, a shadow crossing his face.
Ito pauses, the tip of her tongue at the back of her teeth. "Is something wrong?"
He seems surprised. "Why do you ask?"
"I have seen that look before, though not on your face," she tilts her head at him, light blue waves of hair nearly touching her chin.
"I am taking the Chūnin exams soon," he replies after a moment.
"What does that mean?" Ito questions, her eyebrows coming to a point.
"I have to start taking missions as a Chūnin," he sighs, and it was all Ito needed to know.
"Well, I will be here to make sure Naruto and Sasuke both have a friend, even if you are on a mission," she informs him smartly.
"So they have decided on a name then?" He asks, the barest hints of a smile on her face. Ito nods, and tells him about Jiraiya-san's book. Talking to Itachi was easy for her, she never had to explain her conclusions or thought processes like she did with other kids. It was clear that Kushina had known what she was talking about. The two were cut from the same cloth, and Itachi found himself noticing it more and more. The air between them was light and relaxed, time flying by while they did little besides sit and chat.
Until summer ends, Ito spends her nights off by Itachi's side.
Some evenings, he trains without ever speaking a word to her. She merely observes, occasionally bringing a novel to read while he blows up trees in the background. Other times, they would watch over Sasuke while Mikoto ran errands she had been putting off for months. Her favorite way they passed the time was by sharing the history of their villages. At some point, someone had decided Ito would be worth more if she was educated and useful, and they had taught her how to read. She had poured over texts about the Warring Period, reading articles and news clippings about the somewhat recently-ended Third Shinobi World War. Ame's bloody past was at the very least interesting. Itachi, also, could match her in gruesome, gory tales from the Hidden Leaf. They discussed the might and power of their ancestors with reverence, avidly swapping the details of ancient battles with poetic luster.
September comes, and classes resume at the academy. Itachi disappears, Ito, also, has little free time. As Kushina rapidly approaches her birth date, there seemed to be an ever-growing pile of things to take care of. Ito could feel the wrinkles cementing into her forehead as she tried to carry some of Kushina and Minato's burden for them. Various officials, secrets agents, doctors, and shinobi all flutter in, out, and throughout the house every day. Ito watches, and listens. Most phrases she did not understand, but others she dared to think that she did. At the very least, Kushina had taught her what a seal was for, even if she didn't know what a jinchuriki was. The Nine-Tailed Beast they whispered about was not so famous in Amegakure, at least not around the crevices Ito had lived in. She wanted to ask questions, but she knew it wasn't her place.
She gets pushed out of the circle, having to watch from a distance as Minato and Kushina are almost always swarmed by a crowd. They no longer sit down all together for dinner, but Ito still makes sure there's plenty of food available. At first, she would wait for them to eat, but after a few consecutive nights of her stomach grumbling, she gives in to eating alone. For a time, she had forgotten what the ache of loneliness was, but it stings at her heart again. She tells herself it's only temporary, and that it will go back to normal once the baby is born.
She wishes she would have cherished this time more. When she does get a rare moment alone with Kushina, the woman looks haggard and exhausted. Ito tenderly brushes out her long crimson sheets of hair, soothing her anxious spirit, before neatly pleading it into braids. She then sets the kettle to boil, bringing Kushina a steaming cup of Matcha. It seems to bring some of the fire back to her, and she thanks the child.
"You do so much for me, Ito-chan," Kushina murmured, feeling heavy.
"If I could do more, I would, Kushina-san," Ito replies honestly.
"You will make a wonderful big sister to my Naruto," she mutters, falling asleep in her chair a moment later.
There were no witnesses to Ito's wide smile, but nevertheless, it was there as she cleared away the dishes and tucked a blanket around Kushina's slumbering form.
