Author's notes: I had no idea just how short this chapter was. Well, I mean, it's 5300 words, so it's not short-short, but outside of the interlude, it's probably the shortest chapter so far.

o-o-o

o-o-o-o

o-o-o-o-o

Tsume rapidly stuffed her two toddlers into winter clothes and then snuck them and Sakumo out the window of her living room, and trekked through the snow to Oyubi's. Unsurprisingly, Sakumo disappeared in the time it took Tsume to snag the two boys as they tussled in the snow, twenty seconds after their hasty retrest. It worried Tsume that the father of her heart would much rather disappear into the dark allies and unsheltered streets in this cold snap than to stay with her. But she had long realized that too many conflicting emotions in too small of an area was far too much for him to handle.

Sakumo had always known how to read hearts, and that didn't change with his fractured reality – it only seemed heightened to screamingly-loud frequencies.

"Well," she told the boys with too much cheer, "I guess this means that Sakumo-senpai had other important things to attend. That's okay. We'll just visit Oyubi-san by ourselves."

Kiba threw his mitten-clad hands up in the air and bounced around on the trampled snow. "Yay! 'Yubi-san! 'Yubi-san! I like 'Yubi-san." He stuffed his hands into his pockets for a moment, and then withdrew something with a curious expression. "Wazzis?" He brightened. "Ooooh, mommy! Mommy, look at this!" He waved his fist excitedly in the air for a moment, and then dropped its contents onto Tsume's open palm.

She found herself the proud recipient of a large, dead snail as Kiba ran off to find something equally disgusting. Tsume briefly wondered how long he had been storing it there, since it smelled rather stale and looked mummified.

"Can I see?" Naruto asked, the orange pompom on his hat bobbing as he tugged her arm down to his eye level.

Tsume shrugged, and handed the dead snail to Naruto. It wasn't diseased, slimy, tainted, poisoned, or rigged to spontaneously burst into a cloud of glue and sparkles (ah, one of the greatest ambushes that she, Kokoro, and Kushina had ever pulled – pity that the Fire Daimyo hadn't felt the same, which was how the Unholy Trio wound up with a lifetime ban against ever setting foot in a craft store in all of Fire Country. Tsume always felt this was a blatant abuse of power because they really hadn't expected the Daimyo and his Fire Guardians to detour through that way. And in Tsume's defense, Senju Uta had been out to get Tsume ever since Aunt Natsumi dropped a whale on Uta).

Naruto lost the snail almost as quickly as he received it, since he tried to stuff it in his mouth after Tsume told him no.

After four snowballs, an icicle war, and a stern lecture on why the boys weren't allowed to eat the yellow snow – or brown snow, or red snow, or any other snow that wasn't perfectly pristine white – they finally arrived on Oyubi's doorstep. It was a grand total of three hundred steps from the living room window of Tsume's house.

"Long morning?" Oyubi asked blandly as she held the door open. She wore a chunky purple sweater that brought out the reddish highlights of her black hair. Her face was carefully blank as Naruto and Kiba stampeded past her into the kitchen, their icicle sabers clutched close.

"Yubi-san keeps cookies thisaway!" Kiba called, pointing with his saber. Naruto, after casting one wary look at Oyubi, followed after Kiba like a hyperactive lemming off a cliff.

Oyubi's grip on Tsume's upper arm was painful as she pushed Tsume to a stop at the open door. Oyubi pressed her mouth to Tsume's ear and whispered, "Are you out of your flipping mind? What is that thing doing here?"

Tsume pushed the anger down. After all, until last night, she hadn't thought anything different. But the blatant challenge against her – the demand of an explanation from someone who fashioned herself to be a gamma – made Tsume's stomach curdle and a bitter taste linger at the tip of her tongue. She smelled Oyubi's fear simmering beneath the calm façade, caught a hint of killing intent that was barely constrained. Oyubi had lost just as many loved ones as Tsume did on October 10th.

Tsume took a breath, thought a moment, and then knocked her foot against the door to close it. Kuromaru stood at her side, staring up at Oyubi as tension coiled his body. He tucked his tail low and laid his ears flat, but remained silent. The scent he gave off – back off – permeated the air like an undercurrent beneath the odors of Oyubi's emotions and the Kyuubi.

Tsume sighed and ran a hand through her hair, and was momentarily distracted when she found a hair tie that probably belonged to Hana. Huh. She had been looking for that yesterday… It reminded her that she probably hadn't brushed her hair this morning, just as she also hadn't gotten around to putting on her clan markings "Do you remember Mooncalf?" She flapped her hand impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, esteemed Hokage-sama to many, except for us privileged few who knew him to be what he really was."

Oyubi shifted her stance, but at least her eyes hadn't changed yet. That was always a good thing. "I'm aware of who that thing's father is."

Tsume felt a stabbing pain in her chest, like someone had slid a knife through her ribs, and it burned like a hot coal. "Oh. Then… Then I guess you know Naruto's mother." And you never said a word to me. She felt herself choking on the last word. "Then you know why he'd be so important to me."

Oyubi stepped close. She loomed a full head over Tsume, spiky hair and all, but looked taller because she was whipcord lean everywhere but her chest. Her voice dropped into a low whisper. "And this is what you'll be facing for many years to come, Tsume. You'll be fighting an uphill battle against people's fear, hatred, anger, and pain. Is this something you want to spend the rest of your life facing and fighting? Can you back down when your hackles are on end?"

Naruto and Kiba hurried around the corner, their hands and pocket stuffed with cookies. "Can we go outside?" Kiba asked eagerly, his face smeared with crumbs. Naruto nodded his head and jumped up and down, oblivious to Oyubi's emotions – his smile lit up like the morning sun.

"Play! Play! Play!"

Tsume immediately opened the door. The boys fell over themselves, tumbling outside. "Go with them," she told Kuromaru. He stared at Oyubi for a moment, and then followed after the boys with a huff. The look he gave Tsume said it all – I sure hope you know what you're doing.

Tsume shut the door with a soft click. "Are you telling me this to be kind, or because you're going to be one of those people I have to fight uphill?"

Oyubi stepped away from Tsume, clasping her hands behind herself and peering through a parting of the curtains. "I don't know," she said after a moment of thought. "I knew something was up when the jinchuuriki's scent lingered around the main house, so it hardly surprises me that the Hokage and Danzo are mixed up in this."

"That's a good thing, though. If the Hokage approves, then it can't be wrong."

Oyubi glanced sideways at Tsume. "Did it ever occur to you that one of the reasons that the jinchuuriki was never adopted by another ninja clan, despite his illustrious lineage and the Hokage's laws, is because the clan that does so will sign their own death warrant?" She laughed at Tsume's incredulous look. "No, of course not. You saw a pathetic little orphan and thought with your heart, not your head. You truly have no idea what you're getting the rest of us into."

Tsume wracked her brain some more, tugging at her scarf and cloak because she felt a sudden flush of heat. "But the seal is solid. The Kyuubi isn't going anywhere." At least, she hoped it was. The constant Kyuubi scent may indicate otherwise.

"And neither will the fear or the resentment. You're going to face that every day, you know, from friends and family alike – worse than anything you ever faced for Sakumo." Oyubi studied Tsume's face for a moment. "You're not scared to do this. You aren't scared to do anything. Well, daunting tasks have never stopped you before, and the clan has survived through worse. You wouldn't be you if you failed to defend the vulnerable misfits. Just remember that you can't go around picking fights with people who are going to hate Naruto, and that the rest of us live in this Village, too." Oyubi stepped away from the curtain and headed for her kitchen.

"That's it?" Tsume kicked her boots off and followed after.

"You wouldn't remember most of my lecture, anyway. Although it alarms me that you immediately froze when I confronted you with a belittling, demeaning tone. It gives you the appearance of weakness, and the people who'll attack a three year old will have no problem zeroing in on your weakness."

Tsume felt that wasn't quite fair. Her heart was aching – and it hurt even worse every time she thought of those wasted three years, how Naruto was made to sleep beneath the eaves of the orphanage because he didn't even deserve a bed. She felt uncentered and off her game, and hadn't expected Oyubi to immediately attack her heart. No wonder Sakumo ducked out so quickly – she always tried to be cheerful and upbeat whenever he was around, because she wanted him to enjoy the warmth of love and happiness. Instead, she felt conflicted, confused, happy and sad. She found herself sniffling again as her eyes watered.

"Oh, stop that, Tsume," Oyubi called from her kitchen. "Come in and have some more tea. I know you didn't pop over just to show me your latest acquisition."

Tsume wiped her eyes rapidly, peeked through the tan-colored curtains to make sure that Naruto and Kiba weren't munching on something that would kill them, and cheered up when she saw that Kuromaru was play-wrestling them in the snow. Then she followed Oyubi into the kitchen. Oyubi didn't have electricity yet or a fire currently, but she did have some seals that emitted heat. Tsume thought it was marvelous not to have any smoke interfere with other scents. Oyubi's kitchen furniture was more traditional than Tsume's, because Oyubi didn't have multiple puppies running around taste-testing everything within reach, and her walls were a cheerful butter-yellow with wooden countertops.

Oyubi didn't have any ninken – not since Himewari was killed in the Third Shinobi War, and Oyubi's ocular scent radically shifted once more. Tsume had stopped offering her replacements after being gently rebuffed for five years.

Oyubi knelt at her table, and Tsume sat crosslegged on the spare cushion.

"Oolong or darjeeling?" Oyubi asked.

"Darjeeling, please."

Oyubi poured Tsume a cup. It was hard to brew darjeeling strong, but Oyubi was an Inuzuka, so it was easily done by tripling the tea leaves and halving the water. Tsume accepted the offered cup and blew on it a few times before testing the heat. It seared the flat of her tongue, so she set it aside to cool down a little further. Oyubi brushed cookie crumbs away from the tea set, and looked mournfully at the empty plate. "So, what started your latest territorial claim?"

"Tears, believe it or not." Tsume described the events of last night and the discussion she had with Danzo – minus the details on the sex. Oyubi had made it very clear to Tsume years ago that she never wanted any details on the love lives of either her former ANBU captain or her clan leader. "And I'm right, you know, about how you can't guide a feral weapon."

"True, yes, although that little cookie monster hardly strikes me as feral."

Tsume grinned. "Naruto reminds me of a flower. He just sort of bloomed in the last twelve hours with all the right attention, and I think the fact that Kiba is willing to play with him and not be scared helps. Naruto is very affectionate." She looked at her tea for a moment, the smile dropping away. "He kinda reminds me of Minato."

"Minato liked people, even if they didn't like him back." Oyubi gave Tsume a pointed look.

"What? I liked him plenty."

"I was thinking of that last year of yours in Academy."

"Oh." Tsume took a sip of tea, wincing as it burned the roof of her mouth. "Anyway, Fugaku-san and I went to the orphanage this morning to do the adoption paperwork with the director, except the director was dead, and the orphans knew all about the jinchuuriki."

Oyubi set her teacup down and gave Tsume an incredulous look. "If the director wasn't dead when you found him, that would've been rectified by nightfall."

"I know. The Hokage wouldn't have stood for it. And the whole thing seemed fishy to me in the first place because it's the same orphanage that Kabuto came out of."

Oyubi's calm scent shifted – a spike of fear went through her. "Ah. Him." Oyubi didn't clarify him. Oyubi was Tsume's Second, a confidant that Tsume could consult and share S rank secrets with even if Oyubi wasn't involved, even peripherally. The Hokage had granted permission for Tsume to do so, because Tsume knew that some decisions were best made by input from a trustworthy person with sound judgment, who would counter-weigh the effects of Tsume's brain injury and poor short term memory. Oyubi knew everything that Tsume knew, from Orochimaru, to ROOT, to so much more – and remembered more of it than Tsume ever could. Danzo made a lousy confidant, and Kokoro didn't have the clearance level or understanding of the Inuzuka clan's nature. Kuromaru made an excellent memory for Tsume, but he was more inclined to follow her whims and cockamamie schemes than Oyubi. And even though Oyubi had styled herself a gamma to protect herself from Inuzuka Shinzou's wrath (and continued to do so, years after Shinzou's death, because Oyubi liked to keep her cards close to her curvy chest), the crimson red of the alpha was much more appropriate for her.

"Who around here besides Danzo or Jiraiya can check seals?" Tsume asked.

The spike turned into a flare. "Do you think he tampered with Minato's seal?"

"Um, no, don't think so." Although Orochimsaru was no slouch when it came to Fuuinjutsu. "It wouldn't hurt to check, now that I think about it. It's just that the Kyuubi's scent is overpowering, and I don't want it to keep blocking the other scents, so I thought maybe it had something to do with Naruto's seal." Oyubi stared at Tsume as the fear turned into surprise. Tsume stared back, and then said, "Let me guess – I'm the only one really smelling it."

Oyubi looked away. "You've always been able to detect what the rest of us couldn't."

Tsume thought of last night, when she tucked Naruto down with her children. "But Hana said she could smell fox."

"Huh. Have you tested her yet on the strength of her olfaction?"

"Yeah, last year I did. Her full olfaction is only about half of my allowed max, even though we have the same maintenance level."

Oyubi propped her chin on a fist, elbow resting on the table as she absently stirred her tea with the index finger of her other hand. "And your maintenance levels are still better than my maximum," she said dryly. Tsume's maximum level – allowed or otherwise— in her adulthood weren't quite what they use to be in her childhood, but even diminished her olfaction was unmatched by anyone who wasn't Kakashi.

Oyubi licked the tea off her finger, and closed her eyes momentarily. She took a deep breath, held it, and then exhaled. "Nope. I can't smell Kyuubi or fox at my maximum."

Tsume stared into her teacup. "Maybe I have a seal on me."

"More than one? I don't know what to tell you, Tsume. It may be something you're stuck dealing with."

Tsume was appalled at the idea of not being able to smell everything like she once could as long as Naruto was around, and whined as she hunched. "Can't we get someone to look at his seal? That would be a lot easier."

Oyubi shrugged. "On a seal like Naruto's? No one but Jiraiya is likely to come near it, much less touch it. I'm not even going to attempt anything."

And Jiraiya was unlikely to visit Konoha until the Hokage called him back for something really important, or the latest hullabaloo at the hot springs died down. Tsume remembered to blow on her tea a few times before taking a sip. "Anyway, we have to do something about the orphans, because they know too much, and they seem to think that Naruto – being the jinchuuriki – tainted them and made them impossible to adopt. The Hokage is letting me keep two of them – I'll share custody with Danzo – and then he said the clan could adopt the rest."

"And by the clan, you mean me." Oyubi sighed. "I told you that I was merely considering looking at a possible adoption." Aside from body horror over the thought of pregnancy, Oyubi anticipated having issues with her sire's clan regarding any biological offspring.

Tsume pulled the papers out of her pocket and spread them out in front of Oyubi. "I know that. I just thought… Well, I figured that you should have first choice. You don't have to if you don't want to."

They both knew that Oyubi would have to though, to set an example to the other clanswomen if Tsume hoped to have any more clan adoptions. Tsume, as much as she was the Head, was also the exception to many social rules and mores. She was still the oddball and misfit. Even though many of the women were happy to embrace their sons once Tsume changed the rules and allowed them to, such a decision had still been met with disbelief and scandal.

Oyubi was the one in which people looked toward to see if Tsume's decisions were safe, instead of a forgettable whim. Gammas lacked two key characteristics of alphas – they didn't have it in themselves to be forceful, and their territory would always be limited to a small area and a small number of beloved persons. Like a dog who accepts only one master, gammas only shared their affection with one or two persons. Oyubi's alpha nature was chained by her Curse of Hatred. Between her Clan Head, her former ANBU captain, and her baby brother, Oyubi maxed out her quota of individual precious persons, and had no desire to expand her territory beyond her role as a Konoha nin. After the loss of her ninken, the Curse of Darkness strangled any potential for Oyubi's scope of territory to widen. She was satisfied with her lot in life.

Tsume, as an alpha unhindered by Uchiha genes, considered anything and everything in her large territory hers, even if she didn't particularly like what or who was in her territory. In a roundabout way, Tsume's idea of territory covered the whole of Konoha. So Fugaku, whether he liked it or not, even if he was also a Clan Head and also Chief of Police, was hers to give a hard time, and to support, and to back up, and to needle when the mood struck her. Ancestors preserve her if Fugaku ever realized that Tsume's regard for him was like a toddler jealously possessive of her toys.

Oyubi didn't like to tell others what to do any more than she liked making others do what needed to be done. The clan would've fallen apart without the strength of alphas keeping the Pack together, because alphas didn't lead so much as they herded. Oyubi also wasn't inclined to be possessive of the entire clan that Tsume was – Tsume considered it hers, not ours, and was aggressive in protecting everything that she considered hers. But Oyubi's prudence more than made up for that, replacing that which Madara destroyed in the Nara Forest. Together, they made a singular, very formidable, alpha leader.

Oyubi sifted through the papers. "Most of these are boys."

Tsume twiddled her thumbs and hunched over. "I know. People like to adopt adorable little girls, I guess."

Oyubi pulled one set free, and handed the rest back to Tsume. "I like this one's name. It has a good ring to it. And he appears to be old enough to be potty-trained, at least."

Tsume craned her neck. "Who did you pick?"

"Rock Lee."

"Huh. The name does have a good ring to it. I bet that he'll be a fine, strong son to have, Oyubi! Congratulations!"

"I'm sure that he'll be as strong as his name hints. Strong, steadfast, silent. Good qualities that any mother would want for her son." And a good thing in general. Oyubi's baby brother, young enough to be her son, was not silent – no one doubted that he had certainly inherited the outgoing Inuzuka nature and subsequent noise level, much to the horror of his Uchiha clanmates.

oOoOoOo

By the time that Oyubi had helped Tsume sort through the clanswomen who would be likeliest to adopt, it was nearly lunchtime. Kiba, Naruto, and Kuromaru popped into the house a few times to use the bathroom, fetch some drinks of water, and raid Oyubi's other cookie supply (a secret stash that Kiba uncovered with his nose), but were otherwise content to stay outside and build the snow fort that Kiba had proposed. Tsume kept her nose open, ready to aggressively ambush if Hyuuga Hiro decided to step outside of her house to talk to the boys. She felt nothing but relief when his smug scent left her compound, accompanied by Fugaku (who stank of bitter rage). The Hokage seemed content to remain in Tsume's kitchen and work on papers for a little longer, with the occasional interruption from various messengers.

Danzo came to Oyubi's house, dressed once more in his clothes from last night. He sat on the floor between Oyubi and Tsume, refusing the cushion that Oyubi offered. "Here's the custody plan that I have in mind," he began without any preamble as he accepted the cup of Darjeeling-flavored cream from Oyubi. "Weekdays with me – I'll provide for the children's schooling, meals, clothing, shelter, and training – and they will have weekends with you when you're not gone on missions."

"I have the right to pop in and out during the week as I so chose, if I'm available," Tsume told him. He gave her a flat look over the rim of his mug that Tsume instantly recognized – I couldn't keep your nose away even if I tried. "And the option for group sleepovers during the week at wherever you've got them… planted."

His lips thinned as he pressed them tightly together. "You already do group sleepovers."

"And surprise field trips, so they don't develop an allergy to the sun."

He choked on his tea-cream, and then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oyubi-san…"

"Don't look at me, Captain. I won't be of much use for talking Tsume out of this latest scheme of hers, not when I'm getting dragged into it." Oyubi's smile was wry and her scent amused as she waved the adoption papers for Rock Lee in the air. "You know as well as I do that dogs have a habit of getting into gardens and digging holes everywhere. And if she doesn't bury the bone, she'll just gnaw on it all day."

It's a good thing that Tsume didn't mention her latest plan of surprise birthday parties. Best to keep that one on reserve.

He glared at Oyubi, who covered up her wince and the whitening of her knuckles by taking a long sip of tea. Once an ANBU captain and subordinate, always an ANBU captain and subordinate. Those who survived beneath Danzo's direct command held him in high esteem and respect – although trust was a quality that few retained. He turned back to Tsume. "I hope you realize the long-term repercussions of your behaviors." His voice was weary and long-suffering.

Tsume thought of the surrounding darkness that Sakumo had bluntly warned her about, back when he stood on the edge of the void and she hadn't realized it. ("Your fearlessness will take you down dark, lonely paths of other hearts, but it may be enough to herd them back to the light. Especially Danzo. That idiot has long been lost and fumbling in the dark.") "I know." The void was a dark, unforgiving, cold place, but she would always try filling it with things and people she loved that would love her back. Such would always be the difference between her and Danzo, even though both had embraced that void. Danzo filled it with things that he didn't want to see the light of day, allowing the worst of human depravities to stare back at him. She almost wished that Orochimaru had had a talk with Danzo the way that Orochimaru had talked to her. Then Tsume wished, not for the first time, that Orochimaru had listened to his own advice. "So, how did it go between the Assistant Head of Internal Affairs and Pencil-Dick?"

Danzo set his tea on the table and stirred it with a finger. "Well, as far as Internal Affairs in concerned, he decided that no error was ever made, as the Uchiha Police kept an appropriate, hands-off distance. He said that clearly they were very skilled at such, since the former director had been able to so boldly and successfully break the Hokage's law."

"Oh, oh! I know what that is!" Tsume wiggled around her seat and waved her hand in the air. "That's like the smile that hides the teeth you were telling me about last week." The Uchiha Police had been essentially praised for allowing child abuse and disobedience of the Hokage's law to occur… Well, shit. Tsume felt a jolt rush down her spine as she realized how pissed off Fugaku was to be congratulated for corruption. She cringed at the thought of steam pouring from his ears for the deliberate smirch against his clan's honor. No wonder he had been fuming!

"Yes." Danzo seemed far too pleased with himself. "Subtle undermining insults that tear at self-esteem and assurance, planting seeds of doubt and resentment."

Oyubi set her tea down with a disgusted sigh, and Danzo tilted his head at her. "What?" she asked defensively.

"You don't like what you see or hear regarding the Uchiha clan."

Oyubi held her back straight; her black-eyed gaze nearly burned a hole through her table as she stared intently at her teacup. "I am Inuzuka."

Danzo's voice was amused and casual. "Yes indeed. Inuzuka through and through – with your sire's bloodline limit. A truly unique and useful combination of senses that you've always chosen not to use. You Inuzuka women, even the beta, are possessive of what you feel is your own, and you've always had a special kinship with the Uchiha clan that... most of the Inuzuka lack." He glanced sideways at Tsume as his scent shifted once more – it carried a hint of regret.

Tsume rubbed her nose; it was itching from the Kyuubi's prevalent scent and Oyubi's simmering resentment. She thought about how Fugaku chafed under the thumb of the Assistant Head of Internal Affairs. She pushed down the sudden urge to smash her teacup. "You know, the Uchiha are getting really unhappy with all this subtle undermining insults and shit."

Danzo sipped his tea – mostly to hide the smile that hid his teeth. "And your blatant smiles and aggression is any better?"

Tsume guarded her territory ferociously. The clan and its compound were hers. All of it belonged to her by right of nature and tradition. She had been furious that Fugaku would dare to challenge and undermine her authority by invaded her compound without permission, and then planting a guard outside her door, in her own tree. Honestly, Pencil-Dick knew better than to try to get away with anything around her nose! "Well, Fugaku should've known better than to come storming into my compound to try and intimidate me, no matter what crime I may have committed recently. But that's not the point, Danzo. I know you don't trust the Uchiha any further than you could throw them, but you can throw a person a great distance still." Or kick them, she silently added, remembering the spar that she and Danzo had last summer when the Hokage was too busy to keep his weekly session with Danzo. Her ribs ached in remembered pain. "You're trying to corner them, and the Uchiha are going to lunge for your throat the moment they think they're trapped."

Danzo studied Tsume with a flat lizard-like expression and a glint in his eye. "Where are you going with this?" he asked in a low whisper.

Tsume finished her tea. "I don't know," she replied with all honesty. Fugaku had personally carried all four children whose feet they had to wrap to protect against the cold. His face had been stern and his words impersonal, but his arms had been open and gentle. Fugaku had even (grudgingly) invited Tsume and all of her children over for dinner next week, so Mikoto could meet Tsume's newest acquisition. ("She would be pleased to see you again. She says that you don't visit her as often as you used to.") He may not like Tsume, but he never tried to interfere with her friendship with Mikoto.

"I think," Tsume began, as she stood, "that you can't treat the entire Uchiha clan like they're clones of Uchiha Madara or Uchiha Obito, ready to go off the deep end and destroy Konoha at the first chance they've got. I don't think that's what Kagami meant when he told us about the Curse of Hatred."

Danzo's eye narrowed as his dark scent shifted again, coiling tightly.

"Gotta go," Tsume said with a wave over her shoulder. She left before Danzo could say anything else, haphazardly throwing on her outdoor clothes before exiting Oyubi's warm house, because there was only so much of the dark, lonely paths she was willing to walk.

One of these days, Danzo might finally accept the love and puppies that she'd been throwing into his void.

Tsume brightened as she hurriedly stuffed her hands into her gloves, and dodged a clumsy snowball that Kiba threw at her. Then she laughed as she grabbed Naruto up and swung him through the air.

There was always more room for sunshine and dandelion fluff in the void.

Author's notes: Three guesses as to who Oyubi's baby brother is! :D