Oh my….*keels over* 37 reviews?!!! *cries Gai-esque tears* You guys are so so incredibly great!!
Cneko: Well, Kizuko-chan, They haven't started ripping into me yet and they still seem to really like you so, what do you tell the nice people again?
Kizuko-chan: Ummm…Give Kizuko and Kon Kon chocolate?
C: No, sweetie. Try again.
K: ….Oh! Thank you Nice People!!
C: ^_^ Very Good. Here you go. *gives Kizuko pocky*
K: WAI!!! =^_^=
Man, I really wish I had my scanner up here at college with me. I've got pictures of Kizuko all over my notes from the past semester. I'd love to get peoples opinion of how she looks. ( God, I'm such a feedback whore….-_-;;;)
Okay, I'm a bit torn because I've had several people ask that there be more yaoi in this and several ask that there be less. Umm…I apologize to those who want less. I'll try to keep it toned down enough to keep you read. But this will be light shounen ai. Why? Because, if you'll notice in chapter 1, I Am A Yaoi Fangirl. I like the idea of Naruto and Gaara together. But I understand and respect that some people don't. Hence the warning.
However, for those of you who want more…I'm afraid the actually story may stay at this level for a while. (Unless Gaara and Naruto decide to surprise me) But…Gaara may have a side story, which will definitely be on the yaoi side. I'm already kind of working on one in my head, so we'll see.
Umm…oh! About my formatting. I have a tendency to see my stories rather like movies in my head, so I just write as fast as I can to keep up with the movie. Therefore I slam dialogue together a lot of the time. This really isn't a problem for me, but since so people are having trouble with it I'll try to be better about it. Heaven knows I could use a Beta Reader, but most of my normal betas aren't into Naruto at all….so I'm kind of stuck fending for myself.
Enough of my babbling. ONWARD!
Pairings, disclaimer, and any warnings: See chapters 1&2
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Above Konoha, in the branches of one of the village's ancient trees, a shadow watched with crimson eyes. It had been scouting and had overheard the name Uzumaki spat out in disgust during a conversation between two villagers below. Sharingan eyes had narrowed at the name and then searched the city until it found the whisker marked blonde. And, much to its surprise, he was not alone. The red head was a wild card to the plan, he could be possibly be persuaded to join them or he would join the blonde and lend his considerable power to fighting against them. Best to leave him be for now. The hated kyuubi vessel was an obstruction to be removed. The plan had not accounted for the elders to allow the monster back into the village. No matter, word had already spread and preparations for his removal already being made. The little one…
Crimson eyes blinked.
The little one was an unforeseen, unknown variable. Just from her appearance as a small clone of the elder Uzumaki it was obvious she couldn't be used in any way. Hmm. Appropriate actions would have to be taken. The shadow disappeared just as the adults froze in mid step and turned to look over their shoulders.
All that met their gaze was the wind rustling through the leaves of Konoha's trees.
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The apartment was indeed small, but it was large enough that they didn't crowd each other. It was only slightly smaller than the cabin, but infinitely more luxurious. There was a midsized kitchen, a living area, two bedrooms, and a small bath. Kizuko had run in as soon as Naruto had unlocked the door and swept like a small blonde tornado throughout the entire apartment before claiming the smaller bedroom with the window overlooking Konoha's forest as "Kizuko and Kon Kon's room."
"And we want a sign."
"A sign, Kitling?"
"Un! Saying 'Kizuko to Kon Kon no heiya'[1]…a foxed shaped one."
Naruto laughed and ruffled her hair. "We'll see what we can do, hime-sama."
"Mouuuuu~!!! Kizuko isn't a princess!!"
"Oh?"
"Kizuko is a ninja!"
"You're too loud to be a ninja." Gaara informed the little one. Who's lip immediately trembled. "But…but, Papa's a ninja and he's louder than Kizuko." Gaara laughed as said ninja turned bright red at his daughter's claim. "Your Papa is also has a ton of stamina, so he can be as loud and hyperactive as he wants and take the hits that come from that. You might want to learn to be quiet so you don't always get beat up like him." Kizuko's eyes went wide, she then turned to Naruto who sighed deeply and nodded. "Hate to say it, but Gaara's right, Kitling. Be quick and smart like a fox. Don't get beat up. Because then Papa would have to go beat up the people who beat up his Kitling. However, Gaara didn't have to say it like that." He growled at the other man. Gaara smirked. "Of course, lots of stamina has other uses too."
Naruto choked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naruto stuck out his tongue at a dour looking old woman who had been giving him the evil eye for the past five minutes. It had been the least rude gesture he had made thus far today, and he was quickly becoming tired of it. At least one advantage to exile was that one didn't have to deal with rudeness and threats from an entire village. As a child it had been bad, but since the…incident it had gotten worse. People who use to look sympathetically, if not kindly, upon him now openly expressed hostility.
"Want me to kill her?" Gaara offered casually.
"Tempting, but no. That'll get you exiled or worse and having been through it myself, I don't particularly wish that upon you."
"Offers still stands if you ever change your mind."
"Thanks. That's sweet. Very twisted, but sweet."
Gaara shrugged. "Where are we going again?"
Naruto turned at the next corner and tugged the Sand nin along with him. "Academy. Old Hag sent someone to pick up Kizuko this morning and enroll her there." It felt odd, he hadn't been there in over ten years, but his feet automatically remembered to way to his old refuge. This, if anything in Konoha, felt like coming home. It'd be nice to see Iruka-sensei again…at least, if Iruka-sensei didn't…No. There was absolutely no way Iruka would be like the rest of the villagers. He had accepted Naruto for what he was years ago and stood by him ever since. Even when…
"Why?" Gaara's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Sorry…what?"
"I said, why the academy?"
"Oh, well, I suppose she ought to have some formal training since they're going through the trouble of keeping us around and all."
"You mean you."
"No, I mean us." Reaching out, Naruto grabbed the others hand. Public displays of affection be damned. Not like they could curse him more than they already did. " I told Baachan that if she wanted me then she was taking you and Kizuko too. I meant it. We're a family." The Sand nin smiled slightly at the man next to him. Family, huh? "Pretty screwed up family." Naruto grinned happily. "Yup. That's us. Just a normal family of demons. Papa, Gaara, and Kizuko-chan." Gaara smiled and then frowned as a thought occurred to him.
"I damned well better not be the mother!"
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"Iruka-sensei!"
Iruka turned at the sound of the familiar voice, smiling. "I figured I'd be seeing you when they brought that little one to me today." He embraced the younger man tightly. "I missed you, you little trouble maker." He said softly. Naruto blinked back the sudden urge to cry. "I missed you too, sensei. More than anyone, I think." There was a quiet cough behind them. "Oh yeah! You remember Gaara, right, Iruka-sensei?" The chuunin blinked. "Y…yes, but…"
"It's okay. Gaara's been around to help with Kizuko and keep me from going off the deep end the past year and half. Tsunade-sama gave him permission to be here."
Iruka looked at the red haired young man who stared back looking bored. "I…suppose I should be thanking you then, young man. For taking care of him." Gaara blinked, confused for a minute, but then nodded.
"Sensei," At the call, Iruka turned back to his former student who was looking around. "Where's Kizuko?"
"She's out on your old swing."
Naruto beamed happily. "She found my swing? I knew she'd love it."
"Naruto…you should probably know…"
The blonde cocked his head to the side. "What's up?" Iruka sighed, feeling history repeating itself. "Naruto. They're children, they don't mean anything by it and they don't really know better…" He saw the young man in front of him tense and clench his fists, out of the corner of his eye he saw the red haired young man tense as well and sand swirl around his feet. "What did they do?" the foxboy demanded through clenched teeth.
"Some of the children were teasing her today. About the whisker marks…and her last name."
Naruto stormed out of the classroom to the corner of the schoolyard where his old battered swing hung. There sat his little girl, her manner completely devoid of its normal cheerfulness. Even her pigtails seemed to be drooping. She held the ropes of the swing loosely, Kon Kon lying untouched across her lap. Her golden head bowed down as she looked only at her feet, sadness clouding those normally clear blue eyes.
He started to walk up to her, but stopped as two other children approached the swing. A little girl with light blue hair pulled back into a braid, walked up at looked down at the other girl on the swing. A few feet behind her, a boy with black hair pulled up into a ponytail, blue eyes, and a silver hoop in each ear looked on. The girl put her hands on her hips and tossed her braid over her shoulder. " Hey! You!" Kizuko looked up. "Yes…?" The blue haired girl narrowed her eyes. "Your last name is Uzumaki, right?" Kizuko nodded. "Un. Uzumaki Kizuko."
"Well, my mom says that your dad is nothing but a freak who should have stayed exiled. I bet that means you're a freak too!"
Kizuko's eyes went wide and her bottom lip trembled. Naruto knew that look. He'd seen it everyday in the mirror for years, but always covered it up with a smile. He never wanted to see that look on his daughter's face and now this little brat was putting it there. Was filling those blue eyes with tears instead of the laughter that should have been there. There was a growl and he realized it was coming from him. Oh well, might as well go with it. Stepping forward to teach the blue haired brat a lesson, he was interrupted yet again.
The boy who had been watching yawned and then said in a surprisingly commanding voice. "Leave 'er alone, Aoi. Sheesh, it's her first day. Give 'er some time to learn to fight back before you rip into her. Man, you're troublesome. 'Sides. My dad says her dad's pretty cool." Aoi blinked. "But…Shinosuke…"
"Oi! Shinosuke!"
Naruto knew that voice.
"Come on, kiddo. Otherwise 'Kaasan gonna have my….Naruto." The young man in front of the blonde wore normal jounin garb, and like his is son, had black hair pulled into a high ponytail and silver hoops in each ear. Naruto nodded slowly. "Shikamaru."
"So it's true. I'd heard a rumor you were back in the village, but I didn't know if…Man, you're troublesome. Leave for ten years and then show up all the sudden,"
By this point, Kizuko had realized that Papa was here. "Papa!!" Jumping off the swing she hurled herself at the blonde. Lazy eyes slid towards Kizuko. "With a kid no less." Shikamaru continued over the squeals of the little girl. "Only you, man."
"Yeah, well, you know me. Where there's peace to disturb, there I am." Naruto shrugged, balancing Kizuko on one hip as the little girl threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder. Shikamaru smiled. "It's good to see you again, Naruto." Like with Iruka, Naruto felt a familiar prickling behind his eyes. "You too, Shikamaru. And I owe your son there." Shinosuke wondered up to stand next to his father, looking at Naruto with interest. Shikamaru ruffled the boy's hair. "Oyaji!" the boy huffed, and then turned to Kizuko. "Hey, ignore Aoi. She's stuck up." Kizuko peeked at the boy through one eye. "Thank you." She said softly. Shikamaru smirked and nudged his son. "Oyaji!! Aoi was just being stupid and tiresome and giving her a hard time." Shinosuke huffed. Naruto chuckled. "Obviously takes after his father."
"Don't be fooled. There's a good deal of his mother in him too."
"Finally got Ino to notice you, huh?"
"That is one battle I never want to fight again. Relationships are tiresome. I'd rather watch clouds."
"Hey, Oyaji…can we go watch clouds?" Shinosuke tugged on Shikamaru's sleeve.
"Sorry, kiddo. Kaasan wants us back. I think she's cooking." Shinosuke paled. Shikamaru nodded. "I know, son. But we've got to be men and suck it up."
Naruto offered a look of sympathy. Shikamaru nodded again and then turned to walk home. Shinosuke walked next to him, but then turned. "See ya tomorrow." Kizuko blinked and then waved shyly, Kon Kon in hand.
" I think you made a friend, Kitling."
"But what about all the other kids that were mean to Kizuko?"
"Kitling, one true friend can be worth having to deal with a hundred mean kids. But if they're mean to you again just tell me and I'll beat 'em up for you….and Gaara can hide the bodies in his gourd."
Kizuko giggled
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The shadow watched the little one with interest. Slowly, it was learning when she was vulnerable and without her guardians. She was little, and judging from the level of skill shown today in her class, she hadn't had much training. Which would make this so much easier. The redhead stood behind father and daughter scanning the treeline. Hissing, the shadow disappeared before it could be spotted. It hadn't gotten a chance to evaluate the little one as much as it wanted.
Oh, well.
There was always tomorrow.
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[1] Kizuko and Kon Kon's room.
Ack! I admit it!! I like ShikaIno. ^^ Although…I've really no idea where Shinosuke came from. He just sort of showed up. Heh. Kizuko needs a friend anyway. Although, I notice he talks awfully well for a six year old. I suppose he's talking after Oyaji. Either that or Kizuko-chan's communication and social skills are not up to what they should be having lived most of her formative years fairly isolated. Er…ack…that's the semester of psychology talking there. ^^;;;
Umm…I don't know when I'll next get to update because I'm going home tomorrow and I don't know if I'll be able to have internet access for my laptop. But I'll try. You people rock. ^_^ Your feedback is defiantly making me get this out quicker. Thank you!!