Rainy Days
Setsuko watched as the rain poured down. She was in her old room watching the rain outside her window.
"Setsuko-sama." Setsuko turned to see Yoko at her door. "Gomen. I know you don't like people going into your room-"
"This isn't my room." Yoko ignored the comment and kept on.
"-but I wanted to tell you dinner is ready."
"Iie. I'm not hungry." Yoko sighed and nodded. She turned to leave but stopped.
"Setsuko-sama."
"Hai?"
"The Uzumaki clan was known for being seclusive. That is why we chose to be so far from the village. We look out for our own. However . . . you will not do the same. Do you not wish for the name?" Setsuko looked at Yoko, startled.
"What do you mean?" She demanded, an edge was in her voice that only appeared in battle.
"Naruto needs you. He is not ready to take on the burden of the Uzumaki clan head. Tenshi and I are the oldest of us all so we have been taking care of that for him." Setsuko felt her temper rise slowly.
"What I do is for the good of-"
"Don't try to tell me that lie. Let him back in. He is remembering. You cannot put a-"
"Get out." Setsuko snarled, her rage clouding her vision. "Get out of this room right now! And do not come back!" Yoko sighed before nodding and leaving.
Robin held the umbrella above her head, slowly walking back home. She sighed and looked up at the sky, wishing it would stop enough for her to atleast get home. Her eyes narrowed as a sound honed in on her. She dropped the umbrella and pivoted to caught an object speeding towards her. A blade was already out in her hands by the time she caught the small object. Her glare softened when she saw Gaara.
". . . I was not aware that you were there." Gaara nodded, watching her with unchanging eyes. "I am sorry for the blade." The blade was gone as fast as it had appeared.
"It's a promise ring." Robin blinked before looking at the item in her hand. There, in the middle of her palm was a small metal ring. The ring was simple, a knot was all there was. Robin looked up, startled, only to see an empty space were he once was.
Janghoon smiled at his sister as they sat in a small restaurant.
"Gomen." Seung looked down, ashamed. "I should never have attacked you." Janghoon shook his head.
"Iie. It wasn't you." Janghoon nodded his thanks to the waiter when their soups arrived. "It was that bastard snake."
". . . you're right. Let's talk of pleasant things. Tell me all about your adventures." Janghoon smiled as shook his head.
"There are some memories I would like to put off for now." Seung sighed but agreed.
"Fine. But I will leave someday." Janghoon nodded with a smile.
"Robin?" Neji looked surprised to see her as she wandered in, looking confused and lost.
"N-N-Neji-kun . . . ." She mumbled as she made her way to his bedside. "Help!"
Tenshi looked up, chopsticks half way to her mouth with her rice, at the hallway to the main entrance. Yoko blinked as she also looked up, setting her chopsticks on the plate beside the small miso ramen.
"Oy, Yoko-chan, who do you think it is?"
"No clue." Yoko muttered before going back to her miso soup. Tenshi disappeared, slowing down and appearing in front of the door. She opened it to see an envelope tacked to the door. She glanced around to see a shinobi making their way back to the village then she looked back at the envelope. It was addressed to the Uzumaki clan. Tenshi plucked it off of the envelope off the door and closed it before returning to the table. "Who was it?" Tenshi shrugged, earning a glare in return. The three other Uzumaki turned to stare at Tenshi and Yoko.
"Look, some shinobi posted this up on the door and left to go back. With all the rain I didn't want to keep them." She handed Yoko the envelope before going back to her rice. Yoko swiftly opened it and skimmed over the contents aloud.
"There is a celebration tonight in Konoha for Gaara of the desert, Sohn Janghoon, Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Robin, Uzumaki Tenshi, and Uzumaki Setsuko for their bravery that defeated the missing-nin, Orochimaru. Well, it seems that we will be busy tonight." Yoko spoke with a smile before finishing her ramen.
Night came quickly, although it might have been hard to tell with the sky clouded and raining. However this did not stop the celebration, being held in a huge building made specifically for large indoor affairs. Yoko had done the impossible that night. Not only was she able to get the crowd fearing Setsuko to come, but she done something that had never truly happen. In disguise yes, when life and death threatened it was it done once before. Just once. And truthfully, it doesn't count. Uzumaki Robin and Uzumaki Tenshi dressed according to their gender. Something both of them loudly protested. Tenshi tugged at his braid. Yoko had forced her to be a he tonight. He pulled on the collar of the tuxedo before wandering through the crowd. Robin, however, was intend on hiding in the shadows. In her slimming simple midnight blue dress with her white elbow gloves she nearly blending in with the shadows. Her hair, for once on purpose, was let down. Yoko had spent the afternoon curling it, making the long hair appear shorter and the make up Yoko had painted onto her face as simple. Even though she hid in the shadows she was clearly beautiful. Yoko, clearly wanting to make Robin enjoy the party, hunted down her younger cousin and dragged her out into the light, ignoring the protests of the younger woman.
"Robin." Yoko smiled and made an excuse as Gaara walked towards Robin.
"Gaara."
Naruto smiled as he held out an arm to Hinata. She had just been released from the hospital. Her light lavender kimono swayed gently as the two walked. Naruto, spotting a table, lead her to a chair for her to rest. Hinata was still weak from the battle and Naruto made sure she was being taken care of. He had only been able to spend a few hours a day with her, seeing as her family spent the rest of the time with her.
"Oy, Kakashi-kun, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi, still in his wheelchair, and Tsunade stared at Tenshi as he greeted them.
"Ano . . . ." Kakashi trailed off, unsure of who he was.
". . . . Tenshi?" Tsunade guessed, earning a nod in response.
"Hai. Yoko made Robin and me dress our genders." Tenshi looked crestfallen. "I will never understand how Robin would want to wear a tuxedo." Tenshi looked in Robin's direction but smirked when he saw Gaara.
"Don't even think about it, Tenshi-kun." Tenshi nearly jumped when Yoko appeared behind him, dressed in an elaborate a dress and headdress, both a striking red and gold. "Those two have much to talk about. I don't believe Gaara ever had someone care for him. They need to straighten things out." Tenshi pouted but caught sight of Anko. She wore a simple light blue dress with her hair down and a shaw.
"Ano . . . . I'll leave you to talk." Tenshi muttered before hurrying over to Anko.
"Where is Setsuko?" Tsunade directed the question towards the meiko who pointed up to some stairs. Forest green hair was up, curled, in a elegant bun that let all the curls show. Curls framed a delicate face and soft make up decorated her face. Her kimono was jet black with silver rose outlines etched into the fabric. It was the reverse with the obi. The kimono was just above the ground. The long sleeves hid her hands from sight. Setsuko looked uncomfortable when she glanced down at the crowd. She began to fidget as she walked down the stairs towards the crowd and seemed to stiffen when she entered the crowd. She tried to make herself smaller whenever she came close to touching someone. Setsuko, upon seeing an exit to gardens, hurried to the doors, avoiding everyone's touch.
". . . I should apologize to her. I didn't realize how uncomfortable this crowd would make her."
"I'll talk to her." Kakashi cut her off before anything more could be said and made his way over to the doors Setsuko went through.
"Setsuko." Setsuko turned to see Kakashi. A forced smile made its way onto her face.
"Kakashi-san." She greeted before turning back to the garden.
"Why do you care so much for me?" Setsuko looked at him, startled by his sudden question.
"Pardon?"
"You are willing to give up your own happiness for me. You are willing to die for me. Why? How am I so special that you would do such things as fading away from the world?" Setsuko smiled at him, this time it was not forced.
"Because you saved me from myself."
"Nani?" Setsuko closed her eyes as she smiled, remembering.
"I was such a hateful creature when we met. I despised every human I met. I was full of rage, hatred, and other vile things. There was no room in me for anything good. Yet you still cared. You saw my true nature and you did not care. You were there for me. My anchor to this world. Other than Naruto, you were the first human being that I did not despise. I did not want to kill you like so many others." She opened her eyes and looked at Kakashi with sad laughter dancing in her eyes. "In fact, the first tears I shed since before my thirteenth birthday were for you. You showed me that I was human, no matter how much I denied it. You are the only reason I have been able to live. And for that, I would do anything to make you happy. Even at the cost of my own life." She turned from him. "That is why I am leaving. I cause you pain. You are confined to that wheelchair because of me. It is for the best."
"Bullshit." Setsuko looked back at him, surprised. "You and I both know that's not true. I'm only in this wheelchair for another week at the very most. And it is because I fought for Konoha. You were able to open our eyes to the jutsu placed on us. Orochimaru has been captured and will be dealt with tomorrow because you wouldn't let him push you around. Now you'll turn tail and run? Some ninja." Setsuko felt her own anger flare.
"I am not a ninja. I am Uindo Bensha! I need not answer to you or any man!" She snarled.
"Then why run! You aren't worthy of the name Uindo Bensha if you run away like this!"
"What do you know about the wind! You dare to speak as thought you were able to understand it! You cannot comprehend the wind!"
"I may not be able to but I know what a coward is when I see one! Bensha was no coward and she did not lay down for the wind or anyone for that matter!" This stunned Setsuko into silence. She stared at him in shock.
". . . . you remember?"
"When you started to pull that follow the wind crap I did. Bensha rambled about it enough for that to jog my memory." Setsuko turned from him but he caught her wrist and caused her to look back. "I won't let you go again. I can't. I love you too much." Setsuko slowly smiled at him before nodding.
"I love you, too"
"Gaara-kun." Robin was quiet.
"Robin. I want to talk to you about the battle." Robin nodded and the two made their way to a table and sat down. "Why did you take the hit?" Robin bit down on her lip for a moment before answering, remembering Neji's advice.
"Gaara-kun, whether you feel the same or not, I must tell you this. I care for you. For more than a friend. I understand if you do not feel the same."
"I . . . I feel the same." Robin blinked then nodded.
". . . so . . . we take it slowly?" Gaara shrugged.
"I guess so. What are we now?" Robin hesitated before reaching out and putting her hand on Gaara's.
"Does it matter what we are called? I am happy and you are happy. We just need to take it once step at a time. That's all." Gaara smiled and nodded while placing his other hand on top of hers.
