A Fox's Last Days
I had ten days before I was scheduled to leave for the monks, I felt indifferent to it really, neither excited or dreading it. Part of me was looking forward to the calm, no missions, no dangerous organizations to track and follow, another part of me dreaded the distance between my family and I. I walked around my family home savouring the feeling, the smells and the safety of it all, though that safety was marred from the chaos of my head.
No one else was home so I was in the living room with my papers, I was slowly combing through all of the notes from Orochimaru's hideout. The intel unit kept his research notes while I was looking into the maps and Kabuto's personal scribblings. It seemed like there was a focus on the Uchiha's kekkei genkai, and well… all kekkei genkai's for that matter. As I flipped through one tiny mention caught my eye, the explosion release Kekkei Genkai, from the rock village. It showed as mouths on the hands. I quickly shot up, feeling tugging on my still healing wound.
Sealing everything into a secure seal I bounded from my house, hastily grabbing my yukata, since I was just in pants around the house. Not even bothering to secure it, I ran to the Hokage's office.
I was waved through the secretary area straight to her office, when I knocked, I was surprised to have the door open rather then her bark to come in. Jiraiya was on the other end.
"Hey it's the guy who made my spy networks useless!" He boomed as I walked in.
"Good you're here! I found something!" I walked over to Tsunade who was at her desk and quickly activated the silence seal of her office as Jiraiya closed the door and walked over as I motioned him. "I was looking through Kabuto's notes on Kekkei Genkai, and one lesser known one caught my eye. Explosion release." I sifted through my papers till I found the scribbled note. "There isn't much of anything written, except that it is extremely rare, and that it shows itself as mouths on the hands of its users." I look to Juriya.
"The one who travels with Sasori…." Jiraiya mumbled.
"This Kekkei Genkai is from the stone!" I exclaim Tsunade stands up and looks out the window thinking.
"We don't have contact with the Stone, never mind friendly.." She noted.
"But this gives us an idea of what we are working with." Juriya agrees. "so we have one from the mist, the sand, the leaf, and now the stone village!" The man cheerfully laughed. "We are getting somewhere!"
"The most embarrassing is that until recently there was two from the leaf." Tsunade ground out.
"Yeah….." I begrudgingly agreed. "Well I'm glad I could figure out another one before my sabbatical." I laughed. "What are you going to do without me?" I asked Jiraiya with a jeer.
"I'm going to take some time away too I think, its way easier with you, stupid of me to go forward without you." He shrugged. "I'm going to take a year to train Naruto, I think if we put our resources into that kid, he will save us in what ever is to come." I nodded. It was true, he had the potential to be the most amazing shinobi around, if he could get a handle on the beast.
"I have heard that lightning is the only village with a jinchuriki that has full control and unity with their beast." I started. "And that is the only village without Akatsuki hideouts, maybe its coincidence, but we would definitely be silly to not train our own so when they come for him, it will be one hell of a fight."
"Exactly." Tsunade exclaimed slamming her hands down. "So I need you and Naruto to come back in control of your respective foxes, because there is something coming."
"That's for sure." Jiraiya agreed.
.
Tsunade's words rang in my ears as I walked home taking in the sights of Konoha. I smelt Ramen, and followed my nose to Ichiraku's pulling aside the curtain and sitting down I smiled at the cheerful man.
"One Miso please." I ordered, forking over money for two bowls. "And the next time Naruto comes, give him one on me." I insisted. I really hope his training goes well, if he could get control of the beast, no matter how many s ranked criminals the Akatsuki had, they had nothing on us. I thought of all of our powerful shinobi. Honestly, I would feel bad for them if they came here. "One Sake too." I Added as a bowl came before me. Dropping more coins on the counter I thanked him for the food and Sake and ate up.
"Shin?" I looked behind me as Kakashi came into the noodle shop, noodles down my face.
"Hey Kakashi." I said through my noodles before slurping them up.
"Good to see your better." He observed.
"Yeah, thanks for the save!" I said raising then my downing a glass of Sake. "Can I get another bottle?" I asked the owner.
"How old are you anyways?" Kakashi asked as he grabbed the glass.
"Hmm around 20 probably. Hard to know?" I muse. He just shrugs while the shop owner looks a little started. "Heard you saw him?" I said vaguely.
"Yes, he told me to stop looking for him." The white-haired ninja sighed. "But you know Naruto and Sakura." He laughed.
"I would like to see them get stabbed and see if they still have such devotion." I joked, though I did admire their commitment to their teammate, no matter how naïve. "Makes me dread ever having to lead a team." I joke.
"Oh its quite fun until one desserts the village of course." I laugh at Kakashi's dry humor. "it will be weird without them though." I sighed, I guess with Naruto and Sasuke gone, his team would be no more.
"Well you will have to be on your toes, they might all surpass you with all their devotion to their own causes." I joked.
"Good point, maybe you can be my training partner, though don't tell Guy." He joked.
"Well if you come visit me in the Iron temple I would be happy to train." He gave me a curious look. Honestly it was interesting I could read his looks with only one eye to go off of. "I'm going to go train for a while there, get my own fox under control." I said with a smile. "Maybe shave my head." I mused with a laugh.
"The women of this village would mourn, I swear I saw a shop selling a wig of you hair."
"That's just creepy." The shop owner chimed in after Kakashi's statement.
"Welcome to my life." I sweat dropped. Kakashi and I each ordered another bowl and chatted together for five bottles of Sake before we said goodbye.
As I continued to walk home, I stopped in at a shop, picking up some groceries, I was going to make my family dinner tonight. I stopped in at a store grabbing a little frame for a distressed photo I had been keeping in my bag. It was a photo of Yari, she had given me as a joke. She was in decent clothing, smiling brightly, one of her first advertisement photos at her workplace, I didn't want it to be ripped so a frame was the best way to keep it safe.
"Shin?" an all too familiar voice said in a stunned voice. "Your out of the hospital?" Ino was in front of me with her jaw agape. I looked around at the lack of hospital and laughed.
"Why yes I am Ino." I laughed again at her annoyed face. "It's good to see you!"
"What are you doing?" She asked coming to my side.
"Grocery shopping, I'm going to cook dinner for my family tonight." I told her.
"Can I come?" She asked tilting her head to the side. I thought about it for a few moments.
"Why don't you come visit another time? I think your parents are coming over this weekend? I would like to spend some time with my family I think." I decided, since it was my first day back and I only had ten more, I didn't want to fill that with Ino's drama.
"So, you are leaving then? The rumors are true?" She asked eyes watering. I nodded. "Then I am for sure coming." I sweat dropped.
"No, you are not Ino, I would like to just spend time with my family. I only bought enough food for the four of us." I added as an excuse.
"I hardly eat." She countered following me as I started walking.
"No Ino enough." I told her firmly.
"So, you did meet a girl, those rumors are true."
"Whether I did or didn't the fact of the matter is, our family's are having a gathering this weekend which you are gladly and more then welcome at, but tonight you are uninvited and unwelcome!" I told her in a stern voice.
"You cant tell me if I can come or not! I am coming." I am going to hit her. I growled down at her when suddenly and arm rested on my elbow. The blond in front of me was red with anger arms crossed.
"Shin, I needed to chat with you about your recovery." I looked down to see Hana beside me with a smile and a brown bag full of what sounded like pills. She shook it for effect. I looked at ino.
"Look you're a great friend, but I really just need time with my family, can you please just respect that please? Please." I pleaded, she simply looked angrier as I turned away, or more like Hana pulled me away. We walked quite a way to my house before I realized Hana didn't really need to come all the way to my house. But she looked like she had every intention of walking all the way there. So I let it happen. We got to my house and I walked inside, Hana following along behind me.
"I didn't really have anything to talk to you about, just seemed like you needed an out." She confessed leaning against the counter. I looked over at her, though she was the only one who could really treat me I never really talked to her now that I think about it.
"I figured, thanks for the save." I told her with a genuine smile. "Want to stay for tea while I cook?" I asked her pulling out the mugs and kettle.
"Sure!" She agreed taking a seat at the table while I boiled the water, helpfully taking all of the food from the bags I had carried in. "what are you planning on making?" She asked.
"Well, I was thinking of making ginger beef." I told her holding up a ginger root I had picked up. "I made it once with a friend on the road, it was very tasty, and I rarely enjoy cooked food." I told her, she widened her eyes and gave me an impressed nod.
"Wow, I am not sure I've ever had it." She tells me. "You will have to give me the recipe, if you like it then maybe Kiba will actually like it." She laughed. "It's near impossible to feed him vegetables."
"I can relate, they are the worst." I tell her with a laugh. "You can stay for supper, my parents wont mind." I tell her with a smile. "Seeing as you have healed me countless times, it is the least I could do." I tell her with a laugh.
"I thought you wanted to spend dinner alone with your family." She counters wryly, I sputter out a laugh at being called out as I pour the hot water into a teapot, placing black tea bags into the pot.
"Yes well, I wanted a dinner without Ino is more like it." I told her truthfully. "She is very…consuming…" I decided was the right word.
"I kind of thought you two were an item, to be honest, when I saw you today I changed my tune." She told me with a laugh.
"Yeah, well we both liked each other, just at opposite times I guess." I told her with a shrug. "But now…" my words trailed off. Now I realized that liking someone didn't have to be so chaotic, that it could be comfortable and peaceful, neither of those things were ways Ino made me feel. And with my mind in such chaos peace was what I desperately needed. "Now I know that she isn't the type of person I could see myself with." I tell Hana pouring tea into two mugs then sitting down.
"You guys do seem like opposites." She laughed. "So, I hear I'm getting a year off Seishin duty." She joked sipping her tea.
"Yes, lucky you! Hopefully less then a year though." I tell her, I guess a year was a good ball park range. "Though standby in case I decide to almost kill myself while I'm gone." We both laughed.
"You do have a knack for nearly dying." She confessed. "Though it helps me stretch my ability's so I don't mind." I smiled thankful for that at least. "I should really train another person how to heal you.." She thought out loud.
"No need for that." I told her, cringing at the thought of having my own healers corp. "My mom would palpitate if she knew there was such a need for people to heal me, and I would be seriously embarrassed." We both laughed again.
"Well it would be good for more Medic ninjas to know how to treat you, I wont always be available to come patch you up." She joked. I nodded in defeat on that great point, and got up grabbing two cutting boards and knives.
"Well since you are here, maybe you can help with chopping?" I asked her passing all the vegetables her way while I grabbed the ginger and meat.
"Well it's the least I can do if I'm about to enjoy a gourmet meal." She took out a hair tie and pulled her wavy brown hair into a ponytail, leaving some stands loose in the front. She had big brown eyes that looked more doe like then canine like her brothers, though she did have the red fangs on her cheeks like her kin. When she smiled though I definitely saw that wild Inuzuka side of her, though it seemed to contrast her white t-shirt and black tight ninja pants she had on, which made her look very feminine and dainty, along with her tattoo on her shoulder of a flower.
"Where are your ninken?" I asked her dogs were not with her.
"Today they are with the new batch of puppy's, so I could have a break." She told me sounding tired. "I always love the idea of a new batch of ninken puppy's. then they come and I remember how consuming and tiring they are." She explains. "I don't know when I last slept through the night…well that's a lie, it was before the liter was born." I chuckled.
"Sounds like human babies." I remarked.
"Well the bonus is it only lasts for the first four months, then its easy peasey, but like an idiot I will miss having puppy's and be stuck here again." We both laughed at that. "Oh, by the way while you were out, I studied your dna, with my puppys being around, I wondered if you aged at an accelerated rate then humans like animals tend too." She explained, I sweat dropped. Wow how had I never thought of that? "since you are technically like seven or eight years, but look my age. In the three tests I took, it seemed like the growth dna in you is a tiny bit faster than a humans but each sample I took seemed to act just a bit slower. I would be interested to take another one now, then right before you leave, then when you got home to see if it falls into step with human ageing." She explained.
"Wow I never really questioned why I look so old, it's just how old I feel so it seemed right…" I told her stopping to process what she was saying. "I mean if I aged like an actual fox I would almost be dead right now, so clearly its not that accelerated…" I thought for a moment. "Don't mention this around my parents, they will flip out, or my mom will at least."
.
.
We ended up talking all afternoon, about all sorts. Her work and medic training, what she thought when she was first asked to work on me, the differences between animals and myself. Apparently, I was an even mix of human and fox which was interesting. We talked about my seals, what it was like to be a fox, yet a human at the same time. We made fun of our brothers' classmates, talking in funny voices.
We were setting the table and laughing when my dad and brother walked in. the two had been working then went to train on shadow jutsu together.
"Hey Dad, Shika!" I greeted. "This is Hana, she is joining us for dinner tonight as thanks for saving my butt repeatedly." I told them. They both greeted her lazily, yet enthusiastically.
"What's on the menu? Raw meat?" Dad asked sitting down as I placed rice on the table. "Oh and rice?" He added with a smile, I just laughed and stired the ginger beef portion of the meal. "Glad to have you Hana, we definitely owe you more then a meal." He told her with a kind smile.
"Agreed! I'm going to go change!" Shika announced excusing himself to his room.
"I'm going to run to the washroom and freshen up!" Hana stated cheerfully. I had thrown a handful of flour at her, and her face still had a dusting of it. As she walked away, I turned to watch her, encase she couldn't find the washroom, only to catch my dads eye who was wiggling his brow. I huffed out a laugh and rolled my eyes. Oh dear, how was mom going to react.
"Well dinner is ready, when is mom getting here?" I asked just as the door opened.
"What a delightful smell! Did someone get take out?" I heard mom yell. "We have company, everyone get decent." I looked down to see my yukata still open and hastily closed it just as two-foot steps approached. Mom and…..Ino came into the kitchen/ dinning room, just as Hana came out of the washroom and Shika out of his room.
"I still have flour in my hair thanks to you Seishin." She complained as she ran her fingers through her now down hair. Her words faltered though as Ino's glare leveled at her then me.
"I thought you said you wanted to be alone with your family!" She yelled. MY mom suddenly put her hands up as I turned my own glare to her.
"She said you invited her!" She defended quickly walking away from the blond.
"Lets go!" I stalked towards Ino grabbing her wrist and turning to my family. "I'll be back in five minutes, don't start without me." I told them. Pulling Ino with me as I stalked outside, not even bothering with shoes. Once I slammed the door behind me I let go of her wrist and turned to her. "Okay! What do you want?" I asked her angrily.
"What! What do you mean!? I just wanted to come over!" She yelled hands on her hips. "And you invite her!?" I throw my hands up in frustration.
"Enough Ino, I'm not playing games. I told you not to come, yet you did, so what are you playing at?" I asked.
"I want to be with you Shin!" She yelled crossing her arms, tears running down her face. My own anger softened. "I wanted to say sorry for what I said before you left!" She yelled again, though this time there was no anger.
"Thank you for apologizing. Ino because you're my friend and I care about you; I am going to tell you straight. I do not like you romantically, and don't think I ever will again." She sobbed and I winced. "I love you as a sister, I really do, but that is as far as it goes for me Ino." She looked at me, blue eyes full of pain.
"But you did like me! What changed?" She cried covering her hands with her face.
"I did, I realized things about myself I didn't know before." I told her trying to phrase it gently. "Ino, there is someone out there who is going to be exactly what you need in a partner, but it just isn't me." I tell her softly placing one hand on her shoulder, rubbing my thumb hopefully in a comforting way.
.
.
Dinner with Hana and my family was great, full of laughter and life. None of us even mentioned my departure, just enjoying the now. I was now walking Hana back to the Inuzuka compound.
"Felt sorry for Ino." Hana sighed. "And more so felt sorry for you, weird that she would just invite herself through your mom." I nodded.
"Yeah, she is pushy like that, but she always gets what she wants. It's probably why she always goes for unavailable guys, because everyone gives her whatever she wants, so it's a nice change. When I actually did like her she chose Sasuke over me." Hana scoffed.
"Wow that's embarrassing for you! Sasuke is the worst." She made a solemn face, re-enacting a classic brooding Sasuke face.
"Right!?" I agreed laughing at her impression. "I have way more fan girls then he ever did." I argued. "But I'm honestly glad, I did like her but I didn't realize romantic relationships could be… peaceful." I said searching for the right words. I looked over at Hana my new friend, I wasn't sure what about her made me comfortable enough to share but I decided I needed to tell someone, and she seemed like a safe unjudgmental and pushy person. "There was a civilian on my last mission, who traveled with me for the sake of my mission." I said careful not to give away details. "her name was Yari." IT was the first time I said her name out loud since she died, and pain flashed through my heart. "We started off a bit Icey, but without any real details of each others lives we became comfortable. I can't explain it, but she was good, and shy and although strong - open and vulnerable. It was a give and take relationship built off of mutual respect. I guess now that I tasted that, true closeness, when I got back here I realized Ino and I could never be that for one another…" I trailed off. "Does that make sense?" I asked Hana honestly wanting an answer.
"Yeah it does, relationships are supposed to be partnerships where the two are equal." She nodded sticking her hands in her pocket and looking at me softly. "What happened to her?" She asked, face clearly knowing, yet not looking at me with sad pity.
"She died on that mission." I said outloud softly. "I think it broke a part of me to watch…" I trailed off. "but she would be very upset if I spent my life mourning her, she would say something like; "I'm such a party, my life should be celebrated not cried over Shin!" I said mimicking her. "So I'm trying to celebrate her life, but I think I just need to spend time mourning for a bit…" I told Hana honestly. More honest then I ever thought I would ever be with another soul. "Mourning the life we could have had together, that she could and should have had." Pain gripped my heart tight, but tears didn't fill my eyes, only realization of my feelings that had been chaotically running around my brain with no form, since I was adamant on pushing them away.
"Yari, I like that name!" Hana stated with a smile. "What did she look like?" her canine smile flashing at me.
"Well, she was very short, had big green eyes, remarkably beautiful it was inconvenient to travel with her, everyone looked at her no matter how drab the clothing we dressed her in." I laughed. "And she had an endearing sort of attitude, and sense of humour." I told Hana. "She actually would have fit in very well with your clan now that I think about it!" I laughed.
"Well, I will celebrate the life of Yari with you each year on this day!" Hana decided just as we reached her door. "We will eat cake and get flowers." I laughed.
"I would like that, sorry for unloading on you, didn't realize I needed to verbally processes all this."
"Us Shinobi like to keep everything inside, then we go all dark and twisty! Glad you trusted me to listen!" She gave me a wave and turned towards her house. "Night Seishin!"
"Night Hana, good luck with the puppy's!" I yelled back before starting my trek home. I decided to walk home instead of running, thinking through all the memories I had with Yari. Instead of being despair, I felt joy over the good memories I got to have with her, yet could still be sad in that joy that we didn't have more time together.
.
.
I spent the morning sparring with Naruto and Neji, walking out of the training field sore and sweaty I bumped into Tenten.
"Hey Shin!" She greeted kindly. "Want to spar?" She asked skipping in one place. "I've never sparred with you and would really like too!" she gushed.
"Well I promise my hand to hand combat is nothing to be excited about." I laughed thinking of Neji handing me my butt a few times over.
"We could do a long-range battle?" She asked cheerfully. I thought for a moment.
"You know, I'm not sure I have long range attacks that are not super lethal and dangerous…." I tapered off. "but I guess we can still do it." I will just for sure have to hold back I decided unspoken. "Neji is still training, we could even do a three-way spar?" I asked her, and her eyes glowed with excitement.
"What is this I hear of a Spar!" suddenly Lee, Guy and Kakashi showed up casually walking towards us.
"Shin, Neji and I are going to do a three way!" Tenten announced. Kakashi and I both made a choking noise, and he quickly began coughing to cover it up.
"A three-way, long range sparring match…" I explain scratching the back of my neck as the members of team Guy continued to smile totally oblivious. I must be more corrupted than I thought.
"I must join!" Lee decided.
"Lee your close range!" Tenten argued.
"Well, Neji is midrange." Kakashi added. "Besides a long-range battle is lopsided in Shin's favor." I didn't want to say that I planned on going very easy.
"I will join to!" Guy decided beginning to stretch in synchronization with Lee.
"What the heck I will too!" Kakashi announced.
"what's going on?" Sakura showed up.
"a battle royal of sorts! Want to join?" Guy asked the pink haired girl. I looked at her then everyone else sparring, it wasn't even fair to put her in to the fray.
"Sure, I should go get Naruto!" Sakura offers.
"I'll go get Kiba, I think he would like this type of thing." I decide. "Let's meet back here in 90 minutes." I yell to everyone.
.
.
"Official teams are as follows!" Ten ten announced. "Guy, Shin, Kiba, Sakura and lee against Kakashi, Neji, Hana, Tenten and Naruto."
"We each get three hits before we are out! First team out are the losers and have to pay for dinner." I announce to the group, my team with black headbands, while the other team had white head bands. "I will shoot a blue inferno seal in exactly five minutes, when it goes off, the games has started!"
"follow me team!" Guy announces bounding north into the forest. We followed stopping a few hundred meters away. "Sakura and Lee stick together and watch each other backs! Shin stick close but out of the way of them! I assume they will go for them first." Guy explained. Lee nodded his head earnestly while Sakura seemed to hear that it meant they were the weakest links. "Kiba go for Tenten, then Naruto. Shin Neji, and Hana will be yours Lee and Sakura! Let me and my rival duke it out!"
"Sound like a good plan Sensei!" Lee yelled.
"Keep it down will you, my sisters hounds know our location now!" Kiba scolded.
"That's okay we are going to scatter now." I said with a nod to the team. Everyone scattered and I kept a fair distance from me and Sakura. She had no extraordinary talents to speak of, I heard a rumor she would be training with Tsunade so hopefully she took that seriously or her teammates would leave her father behind them then they already were. Lee was an amazing taijutsu fighter though. I set off my seal and immediately heard rustling of feet coming closer. It took five minutes for Naruto to find the genin pair on the ground below the tree I stood in watching.
"You're going down Lee!" Naruto yelled.
"Bring it on!" Lee cried. Naruto threw some kunai and the two began fighting hand to hand. Unsurprising Sakura stood back. In her fight with Ino they were evenly matched, except that Ino had mind transfer, so in my opinion that put Ino ahead. Sakura did have determination to escape Ino's gutsu so I think if Sakura was given one on one help and training, she could keep up with her teammates and graduating class. Naruto flew sideways into a tree and landed with an oof.
"That's one hit down!" Lee cried. "You are a formidable opponent!"
"Oh yeah?" Naruto threw a knife which the pair dodged easily below me, what they didn't see was the paper bomb that had be happing back a few trees. Caught off guard the two below me flew backwards, and surprisingly so did Naruto since he forgot to clear out of the way.
"HAH that's one for each of you too!" Naruto yelled.
"And another one for you Baka!" I yelled down. "You hit yourself with that one." My two teammates struggled to their feet, but looked fine.
"Hey Shin, come down here and fight me like a man!" NAurto yelled pointing a finger at me.
"Naruto, I fight long distance, this is me fighting you like a man." I explained with a laugh, dodging the onslaught of kunai just as Naruto stepped back activating a seal disk I had been dropping through his and Lee's fight. The oxygen was sucked out of a small bubble Naruto was in for ten seconds. "Lee you finish him off, Sakura, lets go find Neji!" I decided running listening to the sound of Sakura moving behind me and Lee telling Naruto that he wouldn't get past him. I smelt the hyuga coming our way. Rather then having both Naruto and Neji fighting us I thought it would be better to deal with one on one. I figured Sakura was better with me, since Neji wouldn't pay her any mind.
I was wrong. The Hyuga flew at us, I dodged but Sakura did not, and to my surprise he wasn't aiming at me, instead hitting Sakura with on of his palms sending her backwards.
"One down!" Neji smiled making to advance on her, triggering a seal as he went, he fell to his knee's but his opal eyes looked calm as he counted the moments until the oxygen would return. I threw a seal and the second he stood sucking in a breath a gush of water smashed him hard against a tree.
"One down." I laughed, he stood up soaking with a bit of a smile on his lips.
"We have only ever hand to hand sparred, I've never actually seen you fight."
"Shin you took me out with that wave too!" Sakura yelled from behind Neji, I sweat dropped.
"I signalled to you… never mind." I bolt backwards leaving ink with each foot fall, though instead of coming for me Neji makes his way to Sakura, she substitutes, a jutsu nearly useless on the Hyuga. I throw a seal and erect a wall between the two which Neji easily breaks through, but as he steps forward he falls into a pit of mud, I flicker beside him and within miliseconds solidify the ground, nodding to Sakura who makes to punch the struggling Neji, but he palms her back again, so I grab my Tanto blade and wack him on the head.
"Two for two." I laugh looking to watch that Sakura gets up, just as Neji breaks from the ground. I realize I could easily use a wind cutting seal, or even my new favourite fire tornado seal, even my lightening dome, but this was for fun, so instead I throw a flurry of kunai, just as Lee and Naruto show up.
"I was defeated Shin! Naruto is a worthy rival!" Lee announces as twenty Narutos appear all around us. I have a split second as Neji is coming at me with a sixteen palm jutsu, which was sixteen more palms then I cared to take. So with a swift throw I hit all five of us with an oxygen bomb, then let loose the fire tornado. Since I was the only one expecting the oxygen to leave one the fire cleared and the oxygene returned they were all gasping for breath. I then jump to Sakura and Lee pulling them up a tree with me just in time to watch Naruto get smashed with water blades, and Neji palm them, just to be hit in the back with a weak wind blade.
"And that is three for both of you." I chuckled. Watching the two boys struggle to their feet.
"Oh man, I don't even know what happened." Naruto grumbled as he got up rubbing his butt.
"Me neither!" Lee said cheerfully making me laugh.
"Smells like just Kakashi and Guy are left! If you guys are smart, don't get caught in the next battle!" I chuckle at the Genins, they follow behind as I make my way to the newest clearing, which had been newly leveled by the two jounins facing off. I run around the perimeter as I watch Naruto run to Kakashi.
"Shin is up to something Kakashi watch out!" He yells as I look behind me to see Sakura and Hana following.
"Sakura hold off Hanah!" I order her continuing to run, leaving ink as I stepped. Then my newest creation I just thought of began to explode. Since I realized I could control what shape the jutsu's came out as I decided to try my hand at self targeting Jutsu's. I stopped for a moment to marvel at the fire, wind, and electricity foxes running out of the seals on a timed activation meters behind me. They ran for Kakashi, who jumped substituted and slashed at them, though it seemed slashing had no effect of them so they would stay active until they met their mark….interesting, and also lethal.
Which is why I also left other seals behind. I pulled my mask up, pressing an oxygen seal to east right as a large tidal wave exploded from five seals, and a huge wave rushing with it. A clone plucked Guy and brought him beside me as we watched Kakashi and Naruto get smashed with the wave. I press a seal onto guys cheek as a fire tornado rips through the large wave turning the clearing into heavy steam.
"Go finish him off." I laugh chucking Guy on the shoulder, and watching him bound off. I throw three seal disks behind me, and hear a small cry as Hannah and her pups fall to the ground clutching their throats.
"Was that her last hit?" I ask Sakura who lands breathlessly beside me.
"Yep." She breaths out just as I drop beside Hana to help her up we hear Guy cheering and the sound of retching from Naruto.
"Wow, I knew you were strong Shin but I didn't realize how strong." Hana laughed petting her ninken, who were not very happy to lose to a Fox.
"Well you never really see me in the best of shape." I laugh as we go to join the others in the field where Lee and Guy were still dancing around a soaked and miserable Kakashi and Naruto.
"Shin, what were those….foxes?" Kakashi asked still laying on the ground.
"Ah yes, well I hope you don't mind, I experimented on you bit, they were natures in fox form. I wasn't sure if it would work." I tell him with scratch behind my head.
"The uses for it…. No matter what I hit them with they didn't quit, when you hit us with the wave we were even electrocuted by the lightening one." He looked a little terrified and I sweat dropped.
"Wow, I'm so sorry, I thought the water would kill them, didn't even think of what water meets electricity." I apologized.
"Shin you have to teach me how to do that!" Naruto exclaimed jumping up apparently suddenly recovered.
"Well clearly I need to do more work on them." I laughed. "And like everything else I create; it goes straight into the forbidden jutsu vault." I joke as Kakashi stands.
"I wonder how many you can create?" He asked out loud. I just shrugged feeling embarrassed by all the attention and that I used such an untested seal on a comrade.
"Well I am starving, can we go eat now?" Hana exclaims giving me a knowing look. I guess being the person who know my body the most she could read my discomfort well.
"Oh yeah! Barbeque! Barbeque!" Kiba chanted.
.
.
"Hey Shika, Dad? Can you guys help me with a new seal?" I ask as the three of us lounged on the veranda. "I created it today while sparring… well everyone." I chuckled.
"I heard about that. Thanks for not inviting me." Shika laughed sitting up. "Well show us." I flickered to the middle of the yard and flicked a seed on the ground before pressing my hand over it. In a few second a mid sized tree grew as my brother and dad carefully watched.
"Okay so, you know how I created the fire tornado seal? I read through known fire jutsu's and asked around, sure enough it was something I alone created. So I thought to myself, I wonder if I could write any form into it, and if maybe I could make the self targeting so as the opponent moves, so do the foxes…."
"Brilliant, how did it go?" Dad asks sitting up straight.
"Well thankfully they didn't land, but they were invincible, no matter what Kakashi threw at them they wouldn't dissipate. It wasn't until I downed the wind, and the fire with water did they die, and the lightening one simply charged through the water then dissipated." I explained.
"Show us the fire." Shika asked, I threw a seal disk and a large fire fox jumped out, scorching the grass where it stood before bounding at the tree, hitting it with such force the leaves rattled, right before it was engulphed in flames. I released a jet of water from a disk I was holding looking to my brother and Dad who stared wide eyed.
"Wow, that looked perfect, what do you want to change?" My dad asked watching as I released the wind one and it sliced down the tree.
"Well I don't want it to be so…lethal…" I say watching the tree fall to the ground.
"I don't think you need to change the seal, just how you would use it, choose which situation to use it in." Dad said rubbing his small beard.
"Like the lightening, pair it with a water Justsu, I heard Kakashi was pretty immobilized afterwards, but not dead." Shika said "maybe you could write them to follow Nara's meaning we always have a shadow." Shika listed off.
"have them deal with shadow clones, intercept other jutsu's." Dad adds. "And if, and hopefully this never happens, a war or another attack, you would have a disposable army of powerful jutsu's at your disposal." Dad added. "I also think you could write them to be defensive…"
"Your right I totally could…" my thoughts were a whirl of possibilities.
"I'm guess this is straight to the vault?" Shika chuckled.
"I have stopped writing my notes down honestly, troublesome to always get it taken away." I laugh, though the other reason is I imagined Orochimaru getting his hands on my notes and somehow using my seals against innocents, and I just cant stomach it. At least this way all my knowledge dies with me. "You know if you guys hadn't taken in the random fox, and allowed the strange thing to look at books I would never be who I am today." I said thought fully clapped the two of them on the shoulder before taking my spot on the veranda between them, Dad wraps his arm around my shoulder pulling me close.
"I think I would have felt that I was missing a Son."
.
.
I woke up the next morning head pulsing, my father decided he would take me drinking for "The first" time, and he said I needed to at least get a bit tipsy, he didn't realize that I was no slouch at drinking, and had learned from the master on how to drink a lot yet stay lucid. My Dad tried to keep up, then kept pouring me more and more, until fast forward to three am when Inoichi and Genma dragged us home, and I really don't remember anything else until I forced my eyes open to the sound of my mother and Hana in the next room
"Shin, your mom wanted me to say breakfast is ready!" I sit up and she sweat drops at my no doubt miserable appearance. "Oh dear, looks like you caught the cold going around in the canines around town." She said with a wink as I rub my forehead trying to get it to stop exploding. "Head ache, itchy eyes, ringing ears, running nose?" She sighed loudly and sure enough as she reached the bed beside me my mother was bounding in the room.
"oh no is he going to be alright?" My mother gasped nearly ripping my door off and pushing Hana aside so she could feel my forehead. "He is burning up!"
"It's an easy fix, he needs water, and I'll do a quick workup…." Hana assured.
"I'm okay mom… Hana is this condition contagious?" I ask her rubbing my temples.
"Yeah, sometimes humans get it too." She nodded along quickly.
"I'll get you some water, and bring your food in here. Thank goodness Hana was here." Mom ran her fingers quickly through my tussled hair forcing me back to lay down before rushing out of the room. Hana sat at the edge of the bed and smiled at me.
"You are my guardian angel." I chuckle then wince, she reaches and touches my temple with a glowing hand, and as I felt warmth spread behind my eyes the pounding quiets.
"Hanah! Shikaku is sick too!" mom yells from the next room. "Shikamaru too!" I make a funny face then laugh.
"That weasel just wants to spend the day in bed." I laugh as Hana gets up with a wide smile, as she reaches the door she struggles to loose the grin.
"They all just need water and rest!" she assures. "It's more serious in canines though so I'll fix Shin up." I hear her say in the next room as I close my eyes I hear Hana come back and water being poured into a glass. "I heard from Genma you and your father were the life of the party." She chuckled sitting on the bed passing me the glass. "
"I can imagine, mostly because I can hardly remember." I laugh before greedily drinking up the cool liquid. She takes the glass from me before filling it and placing it on the bedside table.
"I heard the tab was nearly 300 dollars, which is just absurd I'm surprised neither of you died from alcohol poisoning." She chuckled placing a cool cloth on my forehead with a focused expression.
"Well don't rule out death yet, I think I'm still drunk." She grabs my wrist counting under her breath and I watch with amusement at her seriousness. "Did you know that if you pulse chakra through your chakra lines then you can keep the effects of alcohol away." I tell her with a raised brow.
"makes sense, it's also how you can grow your chakra reserves. Which would makes sense why yours have grown so much in the past months." She says with raised brows. "But it takes a crazy amount of control most shinobi can't achieve."
"Serious?" I ask her genuinely surprised. "Maybe I am as cool as people seem to think I am."
"What do you mean?" She asks removing the cloth and dipping it once again into a cool water pale.
"Well people always talk about me like I am really awesome." I say matter of factly sighing as she places the cloth back on my forehead.
"And you don't agree?" she asks with a small smile.
"Well, I don't think its fair, because its all-dumb luck." I tell her with a shrug.
"What do you mean dumb luck?" She asked.
"Well I was born being able to use nature chakra, which is why I can use the types of seals I use. I would be a faction as strong and useful without that. AND-" I add pointing a shaky finger at her. "Half the times I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just winging it all."
"Well, I wouldn't be half as strong without my ability to connect with ninkin the way I do, and your own clan, the Nara's would be way less useful without their shadow jutsu, don't get me started on Hyuga's or Uchiha's." She adds with a raised brow. "And without the use of nature chakra and seals, you would still have your brain, and your instincts." I look out the window and sigh.
"I just feel like a fraud sometimes." She smiles knowingly at me, and suddenly my cheeks heat because I realize the effects of the alcohol have not full worn off, and I was being liquid honest as Jiraya calls it.
"To a degree I think everyone feels like one, but one day I hope we all feel comfortable in our own skins." She says with an honest smile. "You should sleep more. Its 10 am right now, so I'll be back at 1 to check on you Seishin." She gets up and I smile at her, watching her walk out before settling into bed. she really did seem like my guardian angel.
.
Hana, Shika and I sat at the edge of the pond with our feet in the cool water laughing at the confused fish Shika had a hold of with his shadows in the pond, until he moved his arm to wipe tears away and its fin ripped clean off.
"Can you fix him!" Shika asked still holding the fish and his fin in the water. Hana reached down grabbing the fish and pushed chakra into him, until the koi turned still in her hands.
"Its better for him this way." Hana said as we all looked at the dead fish in her hands with sadness.
"Hey guys!" Choji greeted with his signature bag of chips in hand with a bright smile, which was a deep contrast from the gloom of Ino's face. "Why are you holding a dead fish?" He asked Hana before sitting next to Shika. I took the fish and threw it up in the air, a blue flame incinerating it, its ashes floated away into the breeze.
"You will be remembered." I said placing my hand on my heart, the other two followed suit, and Choji confusingly did the same, while Ino crossed her arms and looked in the other direction. "Glad you guys are here!" I greeted them with a smile.
"I cant believe you and Naruto will be leaving, it's going to be so boring around here." Choji sighed.
"Why weren't we- your team invited to the big battle royal the other day? I had to hear about from Sakura!" Ino complained.
"Well… I didn't really think of it, it kind of happened by accident and word of mouth." I said with a shrug. She made a hrmph sound and wound her arms painfully tight cross across her chest. "Well…. Everyone will be arriving shortly, so we will go wait at the house." I say to Hana who nods standing with me. "See you inside." Hana makes a face at me imitating Ino's grumpy face and I cover my mouth to keep from laughing as we get into the house.
"There is the man of the hour!" Choza greets giving me a big suffocating hug.
"Hey uncle!" I choke out rubbing my ribs once he finally released me, only to have the air escape my mouth from the clap on the back from Inoichi.
"We are going to miss you buddy." I smile at him before making my way to hug the aunties.
"we got you some going away presents!" Choji's mom sang pointing to the three boxes on the table.
"You guys didn't have too!" I assured.
"Are you sure this is the right house?" I hear from the entrance and chuckle as Naruto, Lee, Tenten, Sakura, Kakashi, Guy, Neji, Hinata, Asuma, Genma, Hayate, Tsunade, Shizune, and Kiba last.
"Welcome to our joint going away party Naruto!" I greeted clapping the shoulder of the beaming blond.
"We are even getting your favourite Ramen for dinner!" My mom chuckles watching Naruto jump all around.
While it was fun to be around all my friends I found myself more sad then anything else, I didn't really know how long my training would be, I didn't know how long I would be away from my family, friends, and village. So when the last visitors left I found myself walking to Yari's grave, because I didn't know when I would be able to visit again. When I arrived I was surprised to see Naruto there with all his gifts he had received like he had just been excitedly showing his cousins.
"Hey Naruto!" I greeted as I walked up beside him, squatting comfortably beside him looking at the fresh stone that read Yari's name. I touched the cold stone and smiled. "She would have loved you Naruto." I chuckle looking sideways at the blond who was stuffing his gifts back into his bag.
"You think?" He asked with a big smile, I simply nod remembering the vibrant women, her smile, eyes, the way she looked when she laughed. Though try as hard as I could I couldn't remember the sound of her voice anymore, and that sent a pang of fear into my heart.
"What were they like?" Naruto asks looking at the names on the stone.
"Well I didn't get to know Aoi well, but he was a protective big brother, he gave up himself to save his sister, which makes him an honorable man in my books." I say with a smile. "Yari was a fire cracker! She wanted to do everything her own way and was determined to make it with her own efforts not have things done for her, like most beautiful women." I tell him with a smile. "She hated food pills, and loved to pull pranks on me any chance she had. She was smart, and always wanted to get to the bottom of things and understand why things were the way they were, and man was she funny! I don't think anyone has made me laugh as hard as she could." I tell him smiling at all the memories flooding me head. "And even though life wasn't kind to her, she was a wonderfully soft and caring women, just like you Naruto. Life hasn't been kind to you, yet you are able to love and be loyal to those who havnt always been great to you. I just hope you know, you are valued and needed here in Konoha." I tell him slapping his shoulder just as tears slide down his face. "Consider the Nara household your family Uzamaki."
"Thanks Shin." He sniffled. I reached out and touched Yari's name, I wish I could have brought her back to Konoha, introduced her to my friends and family laid in a field with her head on my stomach, I knew I shouldn't but I often regretted not kissing her, so many times on our travels she gave me the opening but I would pull away. I wanted to start something when we were safe, and not living in a forest, now I would never get the chance. Though mostly when I thought of her, the part of my brain I couldn't control would think of coming home to her smiling face, sharing a bed, and waking up next to her. The life we would never get to have.
When those thoughts intruded, I would simply think about my job, how hard it was on my family, and how unmanageable it would be to even think of dating, how alone she really would have felt in Konoha, that the life I imagined may not have even happened at all.
I stood up and sighed, even if she wasn't with me, I would have wanted her to experience more joy then life offered her.
"Catch you later Uzumaki." I patted the orange cladded boys shoulder and slowly walked home savouring the sites and smells of the village.
When I reached my house I was surprised to see Shika on the front step.
"There you are!" Shika greeted, I smiled at my brother sitting beside him resting my elbows on the top stair just like shika, my feet stretched out, several inches longer then his.
"Here I am!" I smiled looking over at my brother who was starring into the sky. "What are you thinking about?" I ask him softly.
"Well, mostly about how boring my life would have been without you. Also how I often forget how there was a time in my life you weren't around, never mind that you were in fox form for most of that time." He tells me chuckling.
"I often forget that too, but then I remember the freedom of wearing no clothes all the time." I tell him with a smile. "And I kind of miss it."
"And you didn't do chores." Shika added.
"Right! Wow, why did I ever turn human, I was really living the life." I joke as Shika playfully chucks me with his shoulder laughing with me.
"I don't think I can ever get used to life without you Shin." He says after a few second of silence. "Its going to be a really hard year." Emotion choked his voice, as I felt my heart clench.
"When I am away, I wake up and my very first thought is always how you're doing." I tell him honestly. "It's going to be a very hard year without my best friend." I tell him leaning my shoulder into his.
"Well….maybe you'll be allowed visitors?" Shika asked.
"And definitely letters!" I looked up to the sky. "I've been thinking, I wonder if we could create coms of sort that work over any distance? Because then we could talk while I'm in Iron and you're here."
"How long have you been thinking about this?" Shika wondered.
"Well since I decided to go train in iron, so I have some prototypes….failed of course, but this would also be beyond helpful for missions, we could contact the Hokage directly."
"Shin and Shika all nighter to create an impossible seal part two?" Shika stood up with a large grin.
"Absolutely." I agree taking the hand Shika stretched out for me, letting him pull me to my feet. "First step. Lots of coffee."
.
.
Mom and Dad woke up to see Shikamaru in the kitchen holding two seal disks we had attached a hinge too, on the top one they would have seen an image of Shika, while the bottom one would have shown me running across to test the range, unfortunately the range stopped at about 25 miles.
By the time I ran home Mom had cooked up breakfast while Dad and Shika had a bunch of notes sprawled out on the kitchen floor squinting hard at them trying to figure out the devices. I ran to the kitchen kissing my mom's cheek before filling a glass with water and greedily chugging it down.
"I wonder if there needs to be check points every 20 miles to carry the signal?" I ask once my breathing is under control.
"Brilliant!" Dad exclaimed, Shika and dad began trying to figure out how to keep those seals active and the practicality of it all while I sat across from Mom at the table, as she scooped eggs and potato's onto my plate.
"So mom what do you want to do today?" I asked her.
"Well since they are absorbed in that, maybe we can go shopping, then pack your bag, and have a movie night to end off the day?" She said with a smile.
"Sure!" I agreed with a nod and smile to her. I could see that sadness in her face but tried not to focus to much on it, so I wouldn't start crying.
"You don't have many clothes that will fit, and you cant get much taller then you already are right?"
"Don't jinx it Mom." I laughed, I was as tall as my father already and wasn't to keen on growing much more.
"Right!" She laughed. "I hope they don't make you chop your beautiful hair." She thought reaching and touching my white now three inches passed my shoulder hair.
"Me too, If I was bald, with white brows…." My mother and I both shivered. I quickly scooped the rest of my food up and smiled to my mom. "I'm going to go get ready!" I bounded to my room, taking off my yukata, folding it nicely leaving it on my bed. I had a habit if simply sealing all my clothing since normally my mission schedule as near constant, so my three yukata's and pants were already backed away. I kept the back ninja pants I had on and pulled out a soft grey hoodie I normally just wore to sleep and pulled it on. may as well be comfy my last day. I pulled a brush through my hair, before tying the top half of my hair into a simply bun and walked out to find my mom ready with her shopping bag.
My mom and I had a great few hours out, we laughed as I tried on all sorts of strange outfits, from gaudy colours to floor length yukata's. we chose some plain black, and grey pants, two new mid thigh yukata shirts, some new ninja sandals, some plain shirts, and a few wool cardigans. We also picked up some thermal tights and shirt to wear under my clothing, since the land of iron was much colder then it ever got in fire.
After we got all of my clothes, I stored them away in a seal, then we headed to get some dango and coffee. Sakura and Ino came into the shop and the blond walked past me pretending not to notice me and I gave my mom a look who simply giggled.
"In her defense you have matured three times as fast as the average person, you are more like a 20 year old, while she is still a preteen." She whispered in a low voice. I just nodded in agreement, she was right, it wasn't just that Ino was…well ino and that's why we wouldn't work, it was maturity. Which wasn't her fault, because I was freakish which I think it only fair from being a human in a fox's body. "the distance will do her good." She nodded.
.
.
It was three am and I slowly walked to the gate with Shika beside me. We had spent the day together as a family, we hadn't perfected the devices but I was going to leave a seal every 20 meters or so as I walked to Iron and we would try to figure out how to get the devices working from there.
"So your doing half the journey with Jiraya and Naruto?" Shika asked as the gate came into view, I could see Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi and Hana waiting at the gate for us.
"well at least a week with them depending on how fast we travel, then I'll run the rest of the way by myself." I tell him.
"I've never been solo before, its not scary right?" he asked trying to sound casual. I would be traveling about a week by myself maybe more through unfamiliar land.
"No, I have my surveillance seals, and sometimes I travel with a clone to watch my 6." It wasn't something I had actually done before, but I could tell it calmed him a bit. "Why don't we say bye here, Hana is going to take my blood, then so long as Naruto is on time we will head out." I suggest grabbing his arm to stop him.
"Yeah.." He places his hands in his pockets and looks at me. "Stay safe bro." he says offering his hand to me. I take it and pull him into a tight hug. He was nearly 4 inches shorter then me but I remembered the feeling of being curled up in his lap or chest when I was a fox and sighed.
"Love you brother." I reached down touching my forehead to his, in a rare form of Nara intimacy this was something our father would do to us. Both of us sniffled when we parted, the moisture built up in my eyes mirror his. "Okay now let's go before this turns sappy." I laugh and he chuckles wiping his nose quickly on his sleeve.
"Yeah, no chick flick moments man." I nodded smiling at him.
"No chick flick moments." I agree stepping backwards away from him, we both turn away from each other and keep walking, my heart beats loud as I listen to his retreating steps, mutinous tears fall from my face, as a shaky breath escapes my mouth. I turn quickly back and stop. He continues to walk, though I know he can tell I've stopped, but he simply keeps walking. I stand there watching him, mostly because of the stream of tears and throbbing in my chest, and I didn't want anyone to see me like this. Once he is out of view I wipe my face breathing deeply, pushing away thoughts of my bother and turn sharply back to the gate where a rumpled Naruto had just arrived.
"Shin your late!" He called pointing at me. "You better not slow us down!" He accused as I smiled to the waiting party walking towards Hana, dropping my pack and undoing my Yukata pulling one arm out of the soft cotton fabric. "Wow you have a lot of scars." Naruto noted. I looked down at my toned stomach, there was the massive ugly scar an inch above my navel that caused my ab muscles to be lopsided and funny looking. Aside from that I had a speckling of random cuts.
"Okay shin, I'll take two vials if this okay." Hanah told me as she secured a rubber band around my arm, for some reason her cheeks were flushed red as she poked the needle in.
"I'm sure I can part with two vials." I say light heartedly and she smiles.
"Shin let me know when you get to the sanctuary, here are the papers you need in case your stopped by the samurai, and here a gift…" from her waist she took a sword throwing it at me, which meant at the back of Hana's head since she was concentrated on retrieving my blood. I reach forward and pluck it out of the air, causing Hana's face to slap into my bare chest.
"Woops sorry!" I laugh stepping back and tugging on the tube in my arm, thankfully Hana stepped with me and quickly pulled the needle out replacing it with a cotton ball pressing down hard.
"Hah, you hit her with your boobs." Naruto laughed, and even Jiraya chuckled. Hana made a strange noise as I placed my arm back in my sleeve looking down at the blue and black katana in my hands.
"Naruto seriously, I am trying to pass on a priceless artifact." Tsunade say sounded exacerbated. "That is my great uncle, the second Hokage's Katana. I think you are more then worthy to posses it, he would be proud that you were the next holder." I looked down and balked at the sword, it somehow felt heavier in my hands now that I knew the previous owner.
"What no fair, I'm going to be the next Hokage, should I get a cool sword?" Naruto complained. I simply cleared my throat, closing my yukata and securing the sword to my waist.
"I'll make him and you proud Lady Hokage." I tell her seriously bowing to her, she nodded with a serious face.
"I believe in you both." She said looking at each of us respectively before looking to Jiraya. "Take care of him… and yourself." She added with a smile. The white haired man gave her a cool wave before beginning to walk, while Tsunade turned the other way with Shizune.
"I'll write to you Hana, don't forget me!" I chuckle pulling her into a quick hug, smiling at her surprised face.
"How could I forget the guy I've saved from death a handful of times!" She joked as I began walking backwards away smiling.
"Keep those medic skills brushed up, I'll be back and nearly dying before you know it!" I gave her one last wave before turning and catching up with Jiraya. "So one last misadventure to tide us over for two years?" I asked him, since Naruto would be training with Jiraya for two years unlike my one year.
"We got a week before you go monk on me." Jiraya laughed. "So seven misadventures!" He lets out a big belly laugh and I joined in smiling to Naruto.
"You have no idea what you just got yourself into kid."
.
The next chapter will be in a bunch of letter back and forth! In the coming chapters you will get more little glimpses into Seishin's training, and time with Master Aki, unless you guys really want an in-depth chapter, I can write a bonus chapter! but I figured the less dawdling the better! Naruto fics tend to go slow and the writer burns out!
also would love to hear yours guys thoughts on love interests? Anyone you want to see him paired with, or create a character to pair him with?
Snowwy :3