Looking in the Nooks and Crannies
Thank you again to all the readers!
A/N: I like to make references on things I'm not as familiar with as I should be. Haha... anyway. Baijiu is a high proof alcohol from China. Baishunfu is Japanese for prostitute. Not for or against prostitution, if done in a safe, equitable way it is really just another profession. But lets get away from that can of worms. Onto the chapter!
Chapter 5: The Mikos of Nage-Komi-Dera
Naruto couldn't recall a time where he had ever had this much fun. He had friends, new albeit, and relations still rocky and not completely cemented, but friends nonetheless. The chuunin exam had really drawn them all closer together, especially the unfortunate battle at the end. Nothing made friendship like almost dying together. He was stuffed too, wonderful food filling his stomach. Time had gone by quickly and the sun was setting. Shikamaru waved goodbye, headed off in the same direction as Choji. The rest of them walked Ino to the flower shop. Kiba, Shino, Sakura and Naruto were the only ones left and they walked Sakura home before all splitting ways.
Naruto sighed, letting out a content sigh. Today had been wonderful. He frowned, registering in his mind what time it was. His good mood melted away and he realized that he would have to hurry to get to work.
Kakashi gave up on cooking once again. He hadn't burned anything this time, but it wasn't much better. He glared down at the pot of mush that should've been udon. He'd been trying to heat it up, to no avail. Stupid kami forsaken noodles.
With a sigh he sat down in a kitchen chair. He was spending way too much time in the kitchen. At least he was going out with Kurenai and Asuma tonight, he'd be fed then. He wasn't completely sure he wanted to still go though, Kurenai had extended the invitation to Anko, Ibiki, and Gai. They were a motley bunch on their own, together in a bar, well, needless to say the free food he could mooch off of one of them might not be worth it. He had already promised though.
The bar was slow, a few shinobi and civilians seated in the booths and at the bars. Roppongi was a favorite among the elite ninja. However, it wasn't much to talk about. Kakashi glanced around and spotted Asuma and Kurenai seated next to each other, a flush of pleasure (and sake) on their faces. It was a wonder the council hadn't outed the two, they weren't even trying to make it discrete. Anko was seated on the outside of the booth looking exaggeratedly bored. He strolled over and was disappointed to see Ibiki sitting across from them and Gai smiling exuberantly. The T&I jounin looked out of his element next to Gai and across from the love birds. Kakashi held up a hand lazily and waved. He grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the table. He was not squishing in next to Gai and Ibiki.
"Hey! Kakashi!" Asuma said, smiling with his strong blush.
Kurenai waved the peace sign at him and gave a small hiccup. Kakashi stared dryly at them. The two apparently had already gotten quite drunk. It seemed a little out of character until he saw Kurenai raise Asuma's hand which was attached to the arm draped over her. She pointed at his ring finger and gave a thumbs up. Asuma just blushed even more and grinned, tugging out a necklace which had a gold ring around it. Kakashi was surprised, eyes widening slightly before he assumed once again his attitude of apathy.
The waiter came and they ordered, for the first-in Kakashi's case-time.
"You will make a most youthful life!" Gai roared, allowing for tact in not necessarily announcing what had happened.
"Congratulations," Ibiki said calmly, sipping the sake he had ordered. The couple smiled at their friends in appreciation.
"Knew you'd finally do it," Anko muttered around her cup.
It made sense, who had been invited, Gai cared deeply for Kurenai and Asuma, anybody really, and would, despite all evidence to the opposite, keep it quiet until the couple were prepared to come out in the open. Kakashi wasn't nosy enough to care how they directed their personal lives, that was their own conduct. As for Ibiki, the man probably didn't even give two shits but was the kind of person to be glad that they had found happiness. And Anko, the woman would probably enjoy keeping the council from knowing something, the opportunity to spite the old bastards.
Kakashi merely nodded at the couple. Kurenai threw Asuma's arm off with a shrug, the short display of affection stopping for the sake of keeping face.
"We will have a glorious battle between Kakashi and myself, to prove who is more joyous over this wonderful occasion!"
They all looked to Kakashi. He was greatly tempted to agree and drink the man under the table, possibly, Gai had a surprising tolerance to alcohol, however he remembered that Naruto would come home at some point and as a new guardian he should probably not be completely drunk. Thinking of the genin he glanced at the time. It was getting late and the boy would be home soon. He wasn't able to answer as Anko immediately roared back that she could beat the both of them and waved the waitress over to order a round of imported baijiu.
"What of Jiraiya?" Asuma asked amid the competition which had arisen between Anko and Gai.
Everyone was deeply invested in the sannin's mission and the two competitors glanced over at them, still listening despite their own discourse. Kakashi was quiet for a moment, there wasn't much he could reveal though, not here in the bar.
"He'll be back within the week," Kakashi said, not adding on the fact that Jiraiya would probably be quite disappointed with what had happened to Naruto. According to the man's talk with him a few days before Jiraiya's leaving, he planned on taking the boy out of the village due to the threat of the Akatsuki, and to train him as he had Minato.
"Hopefully this whole Hokage business will be dealt with by then, it's grown wearisome hearing the bickering among the council," Kurenai ground out, glaring down at her glass.
"Hai," Anko agreed, "the old bastards are going to get us done in if they can't make up their mind."
Asuma finished his cup of sake and poured himself some of the newly brought baijiu.
"How come they haven't offered the position to Jiraiya?" He queried.
"He's refused it," Kakashi stated. There was a humph of condescension from Anko.
"It's not like that, there are things the sannin is involved in that go far beyond Konohagakure, things which point to future conflict," Ibiki threw in.
A atmosphere of intrigue was cast, a dark one which boded no good for anyone.
"Come, comrades, let us celebrate this momentous occasion! Let the misery stay outside of our bosom meetings of joy!" Gai interrupted.
As awkward as Gai's statements sometimes were, they always held a grain of of truth which struck much deeper than any of them often ever anticipated.
"It's not the only thing to celebrate apparently, it seems that Kakashi is a new father."
Asuma, Kurenai and Gai looked like they were about to lay an egg at Ibiki's casual statement. Anko literally spewed her drink across the table, and Kurenai had to thump her on the back. Kakashi felt the inquisitive eyes of the T&I ninja on him.
"Eh, nothing like that, I merely adopted Naruto," Kakashi said, waving a hand as he took a sip of the sake.
No one looked any less shocked, in fact they seemed to be even more surprised, Ibiki aside of course.
"Adopted? Can you even-?" Kurenai mumbled.
Asuma's mouth, which had been hanging open, shut and he looked quite serious.
"W-well, this, this is still a glorious event to celebrate!" Gai stuttered back into a revival of his spirit.
"Why?" Anko asked, looking genuinely curious and a little worried.
Ibiki was still looking at him, Kakashi had a feeling the man already knew all the answers and was more interested in the emotional and psychological parts of it behind Kakashi's choice. He had no interest in sharing that side, especially as he was still a little unclear of it himself. Gai had taken a course of celebration.
"To pass on his youthful spirit of coolness and awesomeness! Unable to labor his loins, my great rival Kakashi must pass on his knowledge somehow!"
Everyone cringed at the 'labor his loins' part. Kakashi decided to let them have at least part of an explanation.
"His funding had been cut, he was living under the southern bridge right outside the village."
Kurenai for the first time wasn't smiling, Ibiki's expression didn't change and Gai and Asuma became quite serious.
The waitress came up, interrupting the unpleasant moment, and set down another round. Kakashi finished his cup and stood. He was going to get out of there before any of them had the chance to snap out of the shock of learning of his impromptu adoption.
"I have to head home, make sure the little brat isn't up to anything."
He looked to Asuma and Kurenai, "I congratulate you both."
"Of course, have a good night, Kakashi," Asuma spoke, the others throwing in their own farewells.
Kakashi headed back to the house. It was late once again and the boy was once again absent. Annoyance rose in him, the little brat hadn't told him where he went and he had continued to avoid answering the questions Kakashi had put forth. Kakashi was going to discover exactly where Naruto worked.
Looking for the child would take forever on his own. He could summon his ninken, though it seemed a rather drastic course of action, but then again, Kakashi often used drastic measures for little things. He performed the summoning jutsu and Pakkun appeared. The dog looked up at him, those heavy lidded eyes managing to communicate annoyance, surprise, and bored indifference all at the same time.
"Whaddaya need, boss?"
"I need to find Naruto."
The dog's expression gained an undue (in Kakashi's humble opinion) amount of annoyance.
"Can't you even hold onto one little genin? You're getting old, nakama."
Kakashi smiled and tucked his hands into his pockets, "maa, that's what I have you for."
Pakkun shook his head at the man's antics and instead let out an exaggerated huff of breath before turning to his task. Kakashi followed his ninken across the rooftops, a sense of deja vu hitting him. Looking for a missing Naruto once again.
"You know," Pakkun said as they passed the gate and were waved to by the chuunin on guard, "you're gonna start needing to put a leash on all those kids of yours."
Kakashi didn't respond to the ninken, following him instead as they made their way through the forest. They swept through branches and Kakashi was disturbed by how far out they were traveling, in fact they were going far enough out and in the same direction as the next village on, a small highway town that had a whorehouse as the main building that served as bar, shinobi supplier, and eating venue. The only other buildings in the town were a few poorly constructed living abodes and the post office. It wasn't exactly where a person would want to spend time. The village's name was Shimbara, but it had the nickname yukaku, ironic since the place was more of a cesspit than a whorehouse. It also ran as a sort of cemetery, nicknamed the Nage-komi dera, a place where cheap and useless shinobi went to die with a semblance of ceremony in the burial.
It was the last place Kakashi wanted to find his student. They slowed down as they entered the town, and Kakashi felt his heart fall when they moved toward the largest building in the town. Kakashi hesitated at the doorstep, he had nothing to fear, he was a powerful shinobi, but he was afraid of exactly what he was going to find in the unsavory establishment.
It was poorly lit, all the screens made of dark cloth and the few windows shut up. It smelled like piss and stale sake, the room was partially split into two sections by a wide rice paper partition decorated in sakura blossoms, one part was set aside for dining the other a reception area no doubt for whoever had come to solicit service from the few women lounging in old chairs. He hesitated there, eyes adjusting and sizing up the room.
A woman rose and came over to him, she had dark set eyes, sunken but attractive. She was so young it made Kakashi ill at seeing the practice and ease of wisdom with which she approached him.
"Can I help you, tabibito-san, are you seeking the spiritual pleasure of one of our miko?"
Kakashi inwardly shuddered at the crass connection to this place being a temple. He eye smiled.
"I am here for a meal."
The woman smiled graciously and gave a small bow before moving away from him, back towards the partitioned side of the room. Pakkun had stayed outside. Kakashi sometimes wondered at his own lack of respect for the art of disguise when it came to being a shinobi, he had distinctive features, easily recognized and he saw it reflected by a few in the room who were ninja acquainted with the bingo book; they knew and recognized Hatake Kakashi, the Copy-nin.
He slunk forward and settled in a booth, waving away the server with an order of food. Kakashi took this time to survey the room, eyes searching for his student. He spotted him, a back door swinging open and the boy placing a mop and bucket up against the wall. Naruto was wearing a cloth wrapped around his bright blonde hair and his face was powdered white with cheap make-up material that was hiding his tan skin and whisker marks. His orange was gone and in its place was a thin, poorly made kimono that was slightly too big for him and was faded a dull blue.
Kakashi watched as Naruto looked to the girl who had originally taken his order, she frowned, speaking to him before gesturing to the room. Naruto nodded his head and the girl stepped to the partitioned side of the room. Naruto disappeared once again through the back door.
Several minutes later and Kakashi watched as an older woman swept into the room by way of the partitioned side. She was dressed in slightly nicer clothing that was flashy, the showy glamour of a woman trying to appear greater than she was. Her face though was sharp, considering eyes hiding behind the welcoming facade she put on as she approached Kakashi.
"It is an honour to have such a respected shinobi to dine here, I hope that your needs have been tended to?"
Kakashi gave a small nod and she opened her mouth to continue, she was interrupted though as Naruto, who had come back in earlier, approached the table with a bowl of plain miso soup and a cup of sake. Naruto had his eyes on the ground and only looked up as he set the bowl and cup down. His eyes widened as he saw Kakashi and the cup was upset, spilling over.
Naruto jumped to clean it up, drawing from his kimono a dirty white cloth and stuttering out a slew of sorries.
"Thank you, Koji," the woman said with a sharp tone, addressing Naruto.
Naruto fled, retreating out to the back door. Kakashi's gaze followed his student and the woman picked up on it.
"I am afraid he is not a part of our services, we do though have others who might suit your tastes."
Kakashi looked up at the woman, face blank but stomach turning as he realized the woman's assumption. A shinobi at the table opposite of Kakashi spoke up, leering smile directed at the woman.
"200,000 yen and the bitch still says no, 600,000 yen Kaito offered and she always says no!"
There was a jeering hum of agreeance from a collection of the shinobi in the room and someone else chimed in.
"Not even a respected shinobi will get her Koji-bo, eh, Nakamura-san?"
The woman put on a front, turning to the ninja, "You won't even get a pretty miko if you keep talking Hisami."
The ninja ducked down, chagrined. Naruto entered the room once again, a bottle of sake in hand as he approached other tables to refill cups. Kakashi could see he was making an effort to look anywhere but at his teacher.
The ninja hadn't stopped, despite Nakamura's warning.
"Pretty little thing, aren't you Koji-bo," a man teased as Naruto refilled a cup on the table.
Another reached out, pinching his cheek, "almost as pretty as a real baishunfu."
Naruto jerked away, an angry look on his was a reel of laughter from the ninja and Nakamura looked to Kakashi again.
"Are there any services I can offer you, shinobi-sama?"
Kakashi shook his head slightly, anger bubbling as he watched Naruto go around the room with a dead look in his eyes. Nakamura bowed to Kakashi.
"Please, enjoy your time and inform me if you need anything."
The woman then moved back from where she came from, disappearing around the partition.
"Oi, little Koji here, you don't want to do dealings with that Nakamura, say I'll give you 2,000 yen and we can keep it a secret from that old hag,"
Naruto ducked his head, but the ninja reached out and seized Naruto's arm as he tried to move away from the table.
"Come on Koji-bo, will 3,000 yen do, we can make it quick?"
Naruto punched the man when he wouldn't relinquish his hold, anger apparent on Naruto's face. The ninja fell down but in an instant, anger had replaced the attitudes of all the men.
"You brat!" A kunai had been raised, Naruto moving away with his back turned and the bottle of sake in hand.
It fell, the ninja's arm swinging down. It met with Kakashi, his hand catching the ninja's wrist. Anger decorated his face and he let killing intent swamp the ninja in the room. With a quick flick he sent the kunai through the ninja's chest and he fell dead to the ground. He had intended on waiting for Naruto to approach him and speak to him, wondering on how long the boy was going to keep this up. This however required immediate intervention.
The other ninja immediately backed off, they knew who he was. Nakamura was back, skirts rustling against the wood floor. Naruto looked petrified. Kakashi crouched down to face level with his student.
"Are you okay?" He asked, eye arching in a comforting smile.
Naruto just looked shocked, but he gave a quick nod.
"I must ask you to leave my establishment," Nakamura said, fear making her hesitate in expressing more anger.
Kakashi nodded, grabbing Naruto's hand and leading him out. No one dared breathe a word or take physical action to stop him. Outside Pakkun was lounging on the roof, but upon seeing the two, he hopped down and approached Kakashi. Neither said anything and they began walking down the road back to Konoha.
Naruto was nervous, glancing quietly up at his teacher. Kakashi meanwhile was trying to formulate thoughts in his head while accepting everything he had just seen and heard. His sensei would die all over again just to know his little boy had stepped foot in an establishment such as that. Anger, regret, guilt and sheer panic were muddling in Kakashi's stomach as he tried to process what had just happened.
"Kaka-sensei?" Naruto began anxiously,
"Am I in trouble?" It sounded like a child asking after being caught with their hand in the cookie jar. This was far from that.
"No, Naruto," Kakashi said quietly.
They continued walking at a civilian pace, the few miles back to Konoha were going to take a little while, but Kakashi was sure he needed that time to think. A little while passed.
"Naruto," Kakashi started, "Have you ever, or has anyone ever," he trailed off, trying to formulate the thought in a less coarse way.
Naruto though seemed to catch on and his face blushed. He quickly shook his head no.
"I just wait tables for Nakamura-san, and I clean out the rooms and stuff. I mean, people say stuff, but no one's ever really, I mean, Nakamura interfered."
Naruto glanced up at his teacher, childish face trying to ascertain his teacher's mood and response. Kakashi nodded.
"No one ever-" Kakashi began again.
Naruto quickly shook his head. They continued walking, minutes dripping by.
"You are never to go back there, Naruto."
Naruto immediately frowned, looking up in confusion at his teacher.
"But why Kaka-sensei! I make money and it's not so bad! That's not fair!"
"Did the Sandaime know?" Kakashi countered quietly.
The question effectively shut Naruto up, the boy flushed, bluster dimming instantly and he shook his head 'no'. Good, Kakashi thought, at least the Sandaime hadn't condoned this.
"Naruto," Kakashi began, "I'm going to take care of you now, you don't have to worry about making money for yourself. That's the whole point of me being a sensei, you wouldn't want me to lose out on having to do work, would you?"
The tease made Naruto grin, shaking his head 'no'. They walked in silence for a while before Kakashi spoke again. He had planned to wait until they got back to the apartment to speak with Naruto, but there were things he needed to know.
"How long have you worked there?"
Naruto looked up at him, blinking a bit at the break in silence.
"A year and a half, I was ten," Naruto stated.
Kakashi gave a small nod. Pakkun was trotting alongside them, having kept quiet the entire time.
"Why?"
Naruto frowned, and Kakashi could feel the boy tense slightly.
"Jii-san got a new advisor, they didn't like me and since Jii-san is so busy-was so busy- the advisor Moko wouldn't give me all the money and, things are already so expensive everywhere. I was hungry and I didn't want to keep taking free food from Teuchi, I mean, ninja work for their food, I don't want to be a bad ninja."
Naruto shrugged one shoulder, as if it didn't really matter. Kakashi squeezed Naruto's hand, smiling down at the boy.
"You'll never have to worry about being hungry again."
Naruto appeared startled at the absolute sincerity he was expressing, taken aback at the certitude with which Kakashi was making this promise. A small smile came on his face, one that was stunningly genuine. If only the boy didn't slap on all of those constant fake grins, this one was worth all the fake ones put together.
They continued walking, going at a slow pace, Naruto's hand in Kakashi's. When they made it into the village, Kakashi jumped onto the first rooftop and Naruto followed after. They made their way silently through the village and finally into Kakashi's apartment.
Naruto was still in the kimono. Viewed in the lighting of Kakashi's apartment, outside of the dark, dingy whorehouse, it looked old, faded, dirty-with a few holes and ragged spots on it. The bandanna was still tied up, covering nearly every lock of his hair, every piece of a birthright given to him by Minato. His face was covered still in the cheap white powder of a kabuki; he looked like a dressed up doll. All of it to hide who and what Naruto was.
Kakashi looked at his student for a few moments before letting out a soft sigh.
"Are you hungry?" Naruto was staring at the ground, he made to shake his head no but then vigorously nodded yes.
"Go get cleaned up, I'll make something."
Naruto walked off to the bathroom and Kakashi turned once again to the stove and countertops, the place was quickly becoming a hated area. He glared a few moments and then thought of the news he still needed to break to Naruto. Ramen, he could manage ramen and he could pull it off as a celebratory food. He put the kettle on and pulled down some ramen. He was starting to get why the kid always ate ramen.
Naruto was in and out rather quickly and a pajama clad child came into the kitchen and plopped down at the kitchen table. Kakashi viewed him with a hint of pity, the kid was still sort of shocked over what had happened earlier.
Kakashi set the ramen down and Naruto began wolfing it down.
"So, do you like the name Hatake?"
Naruto looked up, eyes squinted in complete confusion. "Eh?"
"I think Hatake Naruto has a nice ring to it."
Naruto let some of the noodles he was currently eating fall out of his mouth. He was staring at Kakashi in complete and utter confusion.
"Of course, you could always keep Uzumaki, it's a nice name, but since I've adopted you now there is always the choice of taking on the Hatake name."
He wasn't being really serious per se, he intended for the boy to take on the Namikaze name once it was possible, this was all really just to get a reaction out of Naruto. Too much of a reaction it seemed, Kakashi realized with worry as Naruto turned beet red and began coughing and spluttering.
"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked, thumping Naruto on the back as he choked on his food.
"Hai," Naruto said hoarsely, coughing as he cleared his airway.
Finally Naruto turned to him, the boy looked extremely insecure, eyes watering and slightly spooked.
"What do you mean," Naruto started hesitantly, staring at his sensei in trepidation.
"Adopted?"
Kakashi eye smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Legally my kid, totally responsible for you, so no more pranks unless there is no evidence tying them to you. Good ninja never get caught unless they mean to."
"You mean, you want me?" There was a certain amount of awe in Naruto's voice, disbelief.
Kakashi smiled, "hai."
Kakashi was surprised as a body slammed into him, arms wrapping around his middle. He could hear Naruto sobbing and spouting off a slew of words that were lost to his crying. Awkwardly he put his arms around Naruto is response, uncertainly patting the boy's head. Physical affection wasn't his forte. It shouldn't be too hard though, just like dealing with one of his puppy ninken.
Naruto pulled back, wiping at his eyes but still in Kakashi's realm of personal space. Somehow Naruto had seated himself on Kakashi's lap.
"They said I'd never be adopted, that monsters and demons didn't get families."
Kakashi assumed that 'they' were the other orphans, or probably even the workers in the orphanage.
"Arigato kaka-sensei!"
Naruto once again hugged Kakashi. Kakashi was stunned at the show of affection and once again awkwardly reciprocated.
"You're ramen is going to get cold," Kakashi offered, in hopes to disentangle himself from having to continue hugging Naruto. It wasn't unpleasant or anything, just unfamiliar and therefore uncomfortable to a certain degree.
Naruto, as he predicted, jumped back to his side of the table, furiously starting in on the ramen.
"Alright, Naruto, now that I'm officially responsible for you, not just in shinobi work and such, I am going to expect you to behave a little differently. For the first part, don't lie to me about anything, don't hide things and if you need help, come to me. I know that you're a shinobi, an adult in layman's terms considering you now lead a professional career, but you are still a child and still not completely capable of being on your own. Second, your diet is going to change, that means less ramen. Third, there is something called manners which I am going to expect you to have some experience with. Do you understand me?"
Naruto had a mulish expression on his face as he continued chewing his noodles. Less ramen seemed to have hit home with the kid.
"I'm still your sensei, as such I'm not going to be any easier on you, in fact, I'll be tougher because you are now representing the Hatake name. To live up to the Hatake name you have to be at your best and trying your hardest. This brings me to the next point."
Naruto had finished his ramen and looked rather sleepy. It was unfortunately quite adorable, and Kakashi hesitated to continue and instead to just let his little adopted child sleep. Ah, adopted child, son, Minato-sensei would be so proud and more than a trifle amused.
"Do you remember Hiraoka Akifumi, the doctor who looked you over?"
Naruto nodded, "hai, she had pretty skin, like the bark of the mangorobu, dark."
"Well, she found some health problems. I won't outline all of them right now, but, to help you become a better ninja we would need to do something which would be difficult and very tiring for you. If you agree to the process that means you have to go all the way through with it, okay?"
Naruto nodded, his hair bobbing up and down.
"Know that if you do this, it won't seem like you're getting stronger at first, it will make you weak first. Often times to become strong we have to weaken ourselves so that we can build from a fresh start. Can you do this?"
Naruto hesitated, still stumbling over the counter-intuitive advice Kakashi had just given. He gave another nod.
"Good, then go to bed and get lots of rest. Tomorrow we will visit with Akifumi again and also complete another mission."
Naruto let out a loud groan but got up from the chair and slouched his way into the room that was now officially his. The kid climbed into bed. Kakashi had followed and was standing in the doorway for some inexplicable reason, just watching. Naruto noticed and with half-lidded eyes and already partially asleep he looked to his teacher and now guardian.
He had a big smile pasted on his face and he mumbled sleepily, "somebody wanted me."
Kakashi smiled strolling over and tucking Naruto in. The kid was already asleep, obviously exhausted from the day and night he had had. Kakashi himself felt a small roll of resignation go through him. He gently ruffled Naruto's hair and walked out. He really was going soft.
I know that that seemed sort of, dark, however there is no full on sexual abuse, aside from harassment, that goes, or went on. It can be implied that a few people tried things but Naruto either stopped them and Nakamura stepped in. Still, it is traumatizing. I'm not going to indicate either that much physical abuse occurred. For those familiar with psychology though, one may note that oftentimes there are a manifold of issues that arise from lack of a safe living environment and lack of a safe person to form a safe relationship with.