Stench of Death

Setsuko smiled as she brushed her hair as she sat at her vanity. Last night Kakashi had kissed her. A hand pressed against her lips as she blushed once more. She remembered his words after he kissed her.

'Setsuko . . . don't live a lie. I don't want you to be anyone but you. You don't have to change for me.'

Setsuko put the brush down and stared into her mirror with a faint blush across her cheeks. Suddenly she began to cough. Setsuko held her hand over her heart and clutched the fabric as she hacked up blood into her hand. Setsuko coughed for alittle less than a minute before the fit passed. The head of the Uzumaki clan breathed deeply as she tried to catch her breath. Setsuko stared at the blood stain on her hand. She hesitated before balling her hand into a fist. Setsuko stood and stared out the window. Snow had fallen. She wasn't surprised. The weather had been getting so cold. Not to mention it rained a lot lately. Setsuko grabbed her towel and a change of clothes before heading towards the bathroom inside of the house.

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Setsuko stepped into the deep tub after it was done filling with water. She let her body sink below as the heat began to burn her skin. Setsuko felt her head begin to slip under water. She allowed herself to be completely submerged under the hot water as her mind searched for answers to questions she did not ask. She felt her mind drift away. She was dying. She was dying for no reason. She had ended up saving Kakashi. He had lived. But she had made that deal with Orochimaru. Now his seal was slowly killing her. Setsuko rested her hand upon her stomach. The cursed seal had disappeared but still . . . everyday it felt as though it was growing. Growing without stop. Setsuko coughed unexpectantly. Her air was let out into bubbles and she inhaled water as she coughed uncontrollably. The hot water rushed down her throat and burned her lungs. Setsuko wildly reached up out of the water and grasped the sides of the tub. She yanked her head above water as she coughed out blood and water. The blood mixed with the hot water in her tub. Setsuko felt her mind grow dizzy as she coughed. Her chest felt tight and hurt as blood splattered into the water. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the coughing fit stopped. Setsuko squeezed her eyes shut as she willed away the dizziness. The woman stepped out of the tub and pulled out the drain. She wrapped the towel around herself as she wrapped a smaller one around her hair. Setsuko pressed her hand against her forehead as she stared into the foggy bathroom mirror. She quickly wiped away some of the mist to see herself.

"I . . . I can't even bathe without the stench becoming stronger." She muttered as she toweled off. The woman pulled on the red dress she had grabbed. It was the same one she had come back to Konoha in. Setsuko shoved away the thoughts of that month. All that pain was for nothing. She couldn't think of it. It was too harsh to think of. She finished drying herself off before leaving the room.

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Kakashi smiled as Setsuko walked beside him. Setsuko had needed to go to the market and Naruto was sound asleep. This was one of the few times he was going to be able to spend alone time with Setsuko. Naruto had a knack for showing up during any time they were alone and watching him like a hawk. The young woman beside him walked quietly as she glanced occasionally at Kakashi.

"So . . ." She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Setsuko . . ." He held a serious expression on his face. "Are you going to speak to Hokage-sama?" Setsuko stared at the ground.

"Kakashi, don't worry. It will be alright. I plan on talking to Tsunade-sama." Kakashi nodded.

"Good. Orochimaru is unpredictable." Setsuko smiled.

"You don't need to worry Kakashi. Everything will work out for the best."

"How can you say that without worry? You seem so carefree. I don't know how you can do it." Setsuko had a gentle look on her face as she thought.

"It's true. Ever since I killed the wolf god . . . I've changed. I suppose . . . a great burden has been lifted. I no longer needed to worry about it coming and killing me. I have Naruto. I don't have to worry about anything happening to him. I knew that he could cry on my shoulder." Setsuko laughed. "Though I don't think it will happen. I am contributing to the village. I have been able to teach team 28. I have been able to help Janghoon and Seung. And now . . ." Setsuko stopped and stared at Kakashi. "And now I am finally able to believe I am human." Kakashi smiled at her. "Because I am able to experience an emotion only a human can." She started to walk next to Kakashi and hesitated before taking his hand in hers. "Yes, I think things just got better. And now I can be happy." Setsuko whispered as she walked with Kakashi to the village in a blissful silence.

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Setsuko smiled at the store owner and brushed away some white hair. She had just finished buying some food. Kakashi had made her put in a few things over than ramen.

"Are you sure you can cook the food? I mean, I don't know if Seung and Janghoon can cook and Naruto is the same as me, we'll burn down the house."

"Hai, hai." Kakashi grunted as he lifted the bags. Setsuko reached for them but her stopped her. "Iie. I've got it."

"Men." She huffed as she left before him. Setsuko and Kakashi walked through the streets.

"Is there anything else you need?" Setsuko thought for a moment.

"No."

"Are you sure? How about dropping by the Hokage." Kakashi commented as Setsuko rolled her eyes. She turned to face him as the two reached some steps. Kakashi smiled at Setsuko and she in turn smiled at him.

"Fine. I guess no good-bye kiss?" Kakashi stared at her.

"A. I don't think I feel forward to fending off all those strange girls. B. I'm going with you. And C. After the Hokage I'm signing you and Naruto up for cooking classes." Setsuko chuckled.

"Fine. Why don't you just go and sign Naruto and I up while I go to the Hokage. That way we save time."

"Setsuko." Kakashi warned. Before any more arguing could accrue, Iruka and Hinata called out their names.

"Oy, Hinata-chan! Iruka-kun!" Setsuko greeted cheerfully. Hinata smiled nervously at the older woman.

"K-konnichiha Uzumaki-san. Hatake-san." Setsuko decided to let the Uzumaki-san slide. She was in too good a mood.

"Konnichiha Setsuko-san. Kakashi-san." Iruka greeted. He glanced at the bags Kakashi was holding. "I didn't realize that Naruto ran out of food so fast." Setsuko shrugged while Kakashi put the bags down.

"Well, Sohn Janghoon and Sohn Seung are staying with me until we get a few things straightened out with their parents." Iruka nodded understandingly.

"Hai. Setsuko-sensai was most generous." Setsuko spun around in shock and glared at Janghoon who was squatting down by the bags.

"Janghoon!!! Can you not sleep in like everyone else?!" Setsuko demanded while Janghoon merely shrugged as he poked through the bags.

"Just wanted to make sure we had food other than ramen." Iruka quirked an eyebrow.

"Huh? I thought you would take better care of Naruto's health." He scolded. Setsuko scratched the back of her head.

"Well, ramen is the only thing I can make without killing taste and half the forest in a fire." Iruka and Hinata sweatdropped.

". . . y-you're just o- over exaggerating . . . right?" Hinata asked quietly.

"Believe me, she's not." Kakashi and Janghoon deadpanned at the same time. Setsuko glared at them.

"Fine. Put me down. I just want to know if I will be able to wash all the foot prints off." Janghoon rolled his eyes at her remark.

"Please, I've seen you beat the living crap out of Riki. All you did was kick him and he was out like a light." Setsuko shrugged.

"Not my fault he can't take a hint. He just had to challenge me." Setsuko muttered before turning back to Kakashi. "Kakashi, I'll go speak with Tsunade-sama no-" She never got a chance to finish. She ended up spitting out some blood onto Kakashi and losing consciousness. Kakashi reacted quickly by grabbing her before she fell down the steps they had been standing by. The henge Setsuko always used to hid her appearance shattered. Janghoon watched on in shock as his teacher changed appearance while being held by Kakashi, inches away form hitting her head on the steps.

"Iruka, hurry to the Hokage and tell her what happened! I'm taking Setsuko to the hospital! Hinata, Janghoon, go get Naruto." Kakashi yelled over his shoulder as he dashed off towards the hospital. Iruka was gone in a flash to get Tsunade. Janghoon stood frozen in shock as Hinata turned to go to him.

"Sohn-san!" She shook his shoulder. Janghoon looked at her in a daze. "We have to get to Naruto!"

"S-she . . . she just . . . changed . . ." He muttered as Hinata shook his shoulder.

"So what?!" She demanded, surprising herself as well as Janghoon. "She's Naruto's cousin! She's a friend of Kurenai-sensai! She's a jounin! She is head of the Uzumaki clan! She gave you a place to live with your sister! She is your sensai! You have to forget about her looking different and help me get Naruto." Janghoon nodded and took off towards the Uzumaki Estate.