Obligatory Disclaimer: The series Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; I only own my OCs, picture, and this story.

Interlude: Earthly Wisdoms

Junko had always been a particular child and Daichi never expected to love the little human as much as he did.

In fact, children were never a planned part of his life. He hadn't been fond of them though he didn't hate them by any means. Before her, before them, he didn't think he'd ever start a family of his own. He knew what he was and how his expected end would come- and had found solace in that. His father and older brother had done their duty as proud members of the Hyūga clan's Branch family and thus he had no qualms in following their lead.

That was until a woman by the name of Kimiko Senju interrupted his plans.

Their tentative relationship began at the academy. Admittedly, he hadn't been too fond of her either to be frank. She was too…happy; constantly smiling and laughing with the other students. It didn't appear to him that she was taking the shinobi path seriously. Sometimes she would sleep through class or give distracting answers to questions without rebuke. If she wasn't talking, she was whittling away at pieces of wood, creating anything from dolls to bowls; and if it wasn't so distracting, he would've found it impressive how she could impose her creativity on the blank blocks of wood.

Daichi supposed that being the granddaughter of the First had luxuries that a rare few were allowed.

It was as if fate had granted her an easy life and he couldn't exactly fault her for that. Even still, he found himself watching her at times and over the years, her idiosyncrasies grew on him. He guessed he found a common ground with the Senju; being part of a large or influential clan had its pressures and expectations and he supposed that he had no place to judge how she dealt with them.

Because as those years passed, he noticed the darkness in those amber eyes of hers- the heaviness in her shoulders that came from carrying a burden. He could not imagine the intensity of the weight the Senju name bared- a legacy that had secured the lives of everyone in Konoha. The heavier her shoulders sagged, the wider her smiles became and louder her laughter rang, and there was a certain strength in that which Daichi appreciated.

So the Hyūga was resigned when Kimiko's 'sister' Kushina joined the academy.

The effect was instantaneous; the Senju's smiles and laughter became more genuine and Daichi couldn't help but think that it matched her honeyed eyes much better. On the other hand, although Kimiko's shenanigans had been innocently bothersome, the combination of her and the Uzumaki immigrant was almost staggering in its offensiveness, all thanks to the young redhead.

Kushina Uzumaki had a spirit that refused to be ignored- she was loud and obnoxious and although she was several years below them, she would invade the classroom he and Kimiko shared any chance she got. Her presence was almost always guaranteed during their lunch periods as the Uzumaki would burst in looking for Kimiko, and despite his long-suffering patience, the occasional twitch of annoyance would grace his face.

And the Uzumaki girl tracked it like blood in shark infested waters.

She pestered him whenever possible- he could only assume that she took it as some sort of challenge, one that he had no interest in participating in. Even Kimiko, surprisingly enough, tried to impede the redhead's antics which included, but were not limited to, attempting to steal his scrolls and notebooks to even trying to nail him with blunt wooden kunai. If it wasn't so annoying Daichi would've been impressed by her skills- or rather her tenacity. She rarely ever succeeded- the byakugan of the Hyūga saw all- but her continued attempts at distracting him from his studies had almost broke the careful mask he had developed.

Until the day she succeeded by ruining his favorite book.

Daichi had been waiting for his younger sisters Honoka and Natsumi to finish their kunoichi classes. He sat at the base of a tree that rose in front of the academy, leafing through the aged pages of one of his favorite books. The title was eroded away alongside the author's name, but the partial words that remained on its surface had caught his attention immediately when he first saw it.

The Art of Living…

Within its wrinkled pages, the author detailed the many uses of plants and flowers, both offensive and defensive, harmful and helpful, physical and metaphorical. Many of the instructions in the book were outdated, the introduction of seals to agriculture streamlining the process and making the impossible possible- like forever blooming flowers- but it was the author's reverence for the earth that intrigued him. Daichi even appreciated the author's notes on ikebana; though it was predominately a kunoichi skill, there was something exceptional about the ability to send messages through nature.

Maybe it was because of his own affinity for earth jutsu, but Daichi found a companion in the author's feelings, their appreciation for the earth's unyielding nature- like mountains and canyons which were only weathered after years and years of enduring- similar to his own. Daichi could only hope to have that kind of resolve and although his older sister Kaede made fun of him for it, he had taken to gardening to help himself connect to the earth in that way.

The Hyūga gave another sigh and closed the book with a quiet thud as the sounds of his schoolmates increased in volume. It was about time his sisters came out from their lessons. However, it did not occur to him that a certain mischievous redhead that had become somewhat of a bane to his academy days would also take part in those classes- and would be coming out at the same time.

Of course, the Uzumaki hadn't forgotten; she had watched him wait for his sisters for a couple of weeks now, and today would be the day she finally got a reaction out of him. Daichi's guard was up however- it rarely wasn't- and the goosebumps on his arms rose at once as students began to filter out of the school. He didn't know what it was at first, but he trusted his instincts and went to stand when something moved in the corner of his vision, and he activated his byakugan at once.

The first few projectiles sailed over his head as he deliberately slowed his rise and he easily pinpointed the location of the culprit. He caught one of the 'weapons'- one of the little wooden dolls he had seen Kimiko make- and efficiently threw it back to its source, hidden in the shadows of one of the trees that lined the academy building. The responding shriek and thud of a body hitting the earth was satisfying to Daichi's ears though he didn't allow it to show on his face.

Thanks to his byakugan, Daichi could see the scowl on Kushina's face which turned into a pout as he turned to face her. Her 'sister' Kimiko was nearby, watching with an amused expression on her face. The Senju's mouth moved and with his byakugan on, he could read her lips even with the distance between them.

"I told you that wouldn't work."

The redhead glared at the older girl and pushed herself from the ground, not bothering to dust herself off. Daichi didn't see the Uzumaki's reply as he was momentarily distracted by the appearance of his own sisters approaching. Sending another glance at the Uzumaki and her accomplice, he deactivated his byakugan and stepped towards his siblings with a light nod to the Senju.

Turning his back on the Uzumaki would turn out to be the best and worst decision he ever made.

As Daichi went to join his sisters, he heard something flying through the air. He should've realized the tenacious redhead wouldn't be defeated so easily and went to retaliate, turning to catch what he assumed to be another wooden doll. But the Uzumaki's true deviousness sprang forth- and when the wood of the doll touched his hand, he recognized the warmth of a seal being activated way too late.

A small blast followed, more akin to a dud explosion tag- not at all effective in dealing damage luckily enough. However, as the wooden doll disintegrated in his hand, something wet splattered over his fingers and his clothes. Daichi managed to move away from the brunt of the explosion but it wasn't far enough.

Looking down at himself, his eyes were assaulted with the brightest, pinkest color he'd ever seen- unfortunately splattered across his body. However, that wasn't the worst of it. Daichi had never been the materialistic type of person- it was impractical for his lifestyle- so he couldn't care less about his clothing. But his favorite book, the one he had been holding in his other hand, had been caught the crossfire.

The book was completely ruined– it hadn't been in the best shape to begin with but Daichi had done his best to take care of it. All for naught. The hardcover was entirely drenched in the obnoxious color and its pages weren't any better.

It was unsalvageable. Daichi had always done his best to stay calm in stressful situations- it was the kind of ninja he wanted to be after all, but this was too much. He had been patient with the girl's constant trying of his patience and she had trampled over it, uncaring of him and his feelings- using him as a source of entertainment.

Anger settled in his stomach and the heat of embarrassment only added to the flames as other students watched, some laughing, some whispering. He let the book fall into the ink drenched ground and let his gaze slowly settle on the Uzumaki who was the loudest. Her laughter got caught in her throat as their eyes connected. Daichi didn't know what she saw in his face but it was enough for her to go pale several shades.

"Daichi-nii, are you okay?" Natsumi's voice, soft and worried, was all it took to shake him out of his state.

He let his eyes settle on her and Honoka who had joined them quietly. He had more important things to deal with. Daichi gave a deep sigh, closing his eyes on the exhale and deactivating his byakugan again on the inhale.

"Let's go."

His voice was stonier than he meant, shorter than he intended, but it had an adequate effect. A hush followed around them and Daichi didn't spare anyone a second thought, not another glance as he led his sisters out of the gates.

...

Kaede had gotten a laugh out of his dyed state though his eldest sister Mei had taken one look at him and he quickly found himself in strongly scented waters. It did a surprisingly good job of getting the horrendous dye from his skin though his clothes were a lost cause. His anger at the event was quick to disperse, overshadowed by his sorrow at the loss of his book. Of course, he had read through it all, cover to cover even with its missing and faded pages, but it was the sentimentality that got him in the end.

Sentimentality was an unneeded attribute for a ninja- could even be fatal in certain cases- but it was one of the last things he had left from his parents. However, nevertheless, he would take the blame for its destruction, for handling it so carelessly- and he would suffer the consequences. It wasn't as if he had any other choice.

When he returned to school the next day, Daichi was hyper-aware of the dozens of eyes following him. They didn't bother him- or rather he didn't let them bother him as he took his seat at the back of the classroom. Although he could've gotten another book to keep his attention before class began, the loss of 'The Art of Living' still stung. He didn't realize how attached he had been to the old thing. Maybe it was best that it was gone- it wouldn't be a distraction anymore.

Daichi closed his eyes and began to meditate. The chatter of his classmates faded away, the whispers and leftover giggles from yesterday's chaos disappearing. He had almost reached the peace he needed when the sound of movement caught his attention- too close for comfort. With another deep sigh, Daichi let the sounds of the classroom return far too soon and he opened his eyes to someone unexpected standing in front of his desk.

Kimiko Senju.

The auburn-haired girl flinched as his pale eyes met hers. He was probably coming off colder than he intended, his lips pulled down into a frown in his surprise. Their stare down continued for a full minute, Daichi weary, Kimiko nervous. It was the first time they had been close to each other outside of forced classroom interactions, the boy noted idly. The girl had her hands behind her back, causing the Hyūga to lean away slightly in suspicion. While the Senju had never directly taken part in her companion's pranks, she had been complicit in the Uzumaki's actions.

She took notice of this, he hadn't tried to be subtle, and finally spoke.

"I…! I wanted to apologize on Kushina's behalf," she began ungracefully, finally showing what she had hidden behind her.

It was a book, plain and simple from first glance, but Daichi wasn't taking any chances- he did not want another one of Mei-neesan's herbal baths. The girl was quick to continue before anymore ideas of her disingenuousness could pop into his head.

"It's a copy of that book." She set the object on the edge of the wooden desk between them, pushing it forward slowly like an offering, the title visible to him. "The one that Shina ruined, right?"

At her words, Daichi's eyes roved over the cover. He had never seen the book in its entirety but the title, its calligraphy much more stunning in its pristine condition, was achingly familiar.

The Art of Living: Voices of Nature by Akari Hayashi.

It was like finally finding a missing puzzle piece after years of searching. Of course, that comparison was too grandiose for the situation but that was the way he felt. Daichi felt himself reaching for it before he stopped himself, looking at the book with new suspicion. As he slid his eyes back to Kimiko, the Senju threw her hands up in surrender.

"I haven't done anything to it, I promise," she said. "I didn't let Shina near it either."

Daichi let his eyes focus on her amber eyes and surprisingly enough, she didn't flinch away this time, her expression unchanging. And so the Hyūga found that he trusted that little smile on her face, and reached for the book.

The copy in his hands was much sturdier than his previous copy, fuller too, and he couldn't help but wonder what new things he would be able to learn from the complete pages. Maybe he would finally learn the author's, of Hayashi's, fascination with nature completely. Daichi ran his fingers over the cover lightly; he couldn't help but wonder how the Senju had gotten such an untouched copy. Although, considering how many connections she must've had, it was probably relatively easy. Even the Hyūga library and general Konoha library hadn't had a copy and he had been looking for what seemed like forever.

When he looked at his unexpected gift giver, Daichi wasn't prepared for the huge smile that graced her face or the way it made his heart pump a little bit faster in his chest. He frowned again, ducking his head in embarrassment. And even though he couldn't see it, he could feel the happiness exuding from her. Of course, the peace offering didn't make up for everything the Uzumaki had put him through, but he was never one to hold a grudge for long- he had much better uses of his time.

"…Thank you, Senju-san," he said after a moment.

If her smile was bright before, it was blinding after he spoke.

"It was no problem," she beamed, all pretense of nervousness gone from her face. "I'm sure it would've just continued to collect dust at home."

Daichi only gave her a nod. He thought that would've been the end of their interaction, but she gave him an inquisitive glance, a smile still playing on her lips.

"You really enjoy flowers and that kind of stuff don't you?" she began, leaning against the front of his desk causally.

The Hyūga eyed her again- there was no mocking in her voice like others would've adopted, only genuine interest. Her amber eyes drifted from him to the book and his followed. The cover was simplistic, baring only the title and author, as well as a modest design of vines running from the top to the bottom.

"I suppose," he said, carefully flipping open the front cover. "Though I believe it's more about being connected to the world around myself that keeps me interested."

The little hum from his unexpected companion made him look back at her and those amber eyes looked like gold from his seated angle.

"That's a curious way of looking at it," she said. "Though, I don't think I could ever think of it that way."

He looked up at her and was surprised when words tumbled out of his mouth. "Why not?"

It seemed to surprise her as well as her amber eyes widened before a less blinding smile overtook her face. One that seemed less genuine. Her mouth fell open then closed just as quickly and she clasped her hands behind her back.

"There's no specific reason," she said. "Nature is just nature; there's nothing really special about it."

"If that's what you feel is right…" Daichi shrugged.

Though he didn't feel the same, he had no reason to say she was incorrect in her own feelings- after all they had lived completely different lives which in turn would affect how they thought about the world. Flowers, trees, the earth itself was something that reflected resilience to the Hyūga. There were certain species of plants that could withstand the harshest climates, that could grow in the most confined and inhospitable environments. He considered that very special but then again, to each their own.

And although Daichi believed that would be the end of their conversation, an end to their interactions as a whole, it was just the beginning. Every day from then on, the Senju girl would come over to his part of the classroom, sometimes asking questions, others just sitting silently by as he read the book, reading alongside him, and Daichi found that he didn't mind.

If Daichi never expected to have a friendship with Kimiko Senju, he surely didn't expect himself to fall in love with her. It had been a slow thing; their friendship in the academy being strengthened by their eventual placement on a genin team. Getting to know her more and more, things that were amazing and terrifying and everything in between, was something that had only made him love her more.

He definitely didn't expect to marry her and eventually start a family together.

After a long day of serving at the jōnin tower, Daichi made his way back home to the little spot he had gotten for himself and Kimiko at the edge of the compound. As soon as he stepped through the door, his nostrils were assaulted by a savory meal. Kimiko's voice floated down the hallway to greet him and he responded in kind as he removed his sandals on the genkan. If there was a skip to his step, it might've had something to do with little being growing within his wife's stomach.

Kimiko's laughter rang out through their home as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hello dear," he said properly, lightly pressing his lips against her cheek. "Hello Junko."

He pressed his hand gently to the protrusion underneath Kimiko's apron and was gifted with a light bump against his palm for his effort. A smile, tiny and true spread on his face and the Senju was quick to reward him with a kiss in return.

"She's getting more and more active every day," she said. "It's just a matter of time before we get to finally see her."

The whimsical quality of her voice trailed off at the end and her hand came down to join his, overlapping and intertwining. Daichi knew what she was thinking and felt a similar feeling arise in him, but he was quick to push it down. He maneuvered his hand on top of hers so she could feel the little life growing inside her.

Their daughter.

"Junko is a fighter," he said, and right on cue another little kick moved under their palms. "Everything will be fine this time."

Kimiko was silent for a moment before nodding, leaning back against him as she turned off the stove.

"I know. She's very strong trust me." She smiled mildly. "Still, I just can't help but be a little anxious."

He shared the sentiment. He hadn't wanted to try again after the fact but Kimiko was stubborn to an extreme degree; that quality of hers was probably the reason they were married in the first place. And although starting a family himself had never been a part of his plans, he had a sizable family still despite the war. Kimiko hadn't been so lucky; she was effectively an only child, an orphan because of the war though he supposed Kushina had filled the hole they had left behind somewhat.

Daichi could only squeeze her slightly in response, having no words.

…

It was only a few days after their exchange in the kitchen that Junko came into their lives, a sudden and stressful affair, something that Daichi wasn't a stranger to ever since Kimiko had come into his life. Be it fate or circumstance, they had been walking to the hospital for a checkup when the Senju woman had gone into labor. Daichi was man enough to admit that he had froze when Kimiko had gripped his arm in a vice and he had seen the evidence of her water breaking on the earthen path.

It wasn't long after that that he would experience what would be the most stressful eighteen hours of his life.

Kimiko had been expecting it considering the complications of their previous try. She had told him as much as they laid in bed together that she knew that it wasn't going to be an easy labor. He had shared similar feelings as well but it didn't make it any easier hearing his wife's groans and screams of pain as she tried to bring their daughter into the world.

It was fortuitous that his sister Mei was on shift because Daichi didn't know what he would've done without her. Between his hand almost going numb from Kimiko's grip and the pressures of the worry and stress, his elder sister's presence was a welcome one. She was the voice of reason, forcing him to take breaks even though he didn't want to leave Kimiko's side.

And although Daichi prided himself on being the type of man, type of shinobi, who could withstand the most stressful situations with the straightest of faces, nothing in his training would have prepared him for what happened when Junko came out into the world for the first time, breathing what was supposed to be her first breath.

But there was only silence, followed by Kimiko's anguished cries ringing out. There was a flurry of movement in response and he was pushed this way and that, seeing everything and nothing at all simultaneously. His head swam as he tried to push himself back to his wife's side, to his daughter, but familiar hands pushed him back into the hallway and the closing of the doors, cutting off her cries, restarted his brain.

"Daichi-"

"Move out of my way." For a moment, he didn't recognize his own voice. "I have to be with them, I-"

"There is nothing you can do for them right now Daichi."

Mei's voice was stern and cold, and it shook him to his very core. When his eyes refocused on hers, his sister's expression was calm and empathetic but his gaze gravitated to the bloodstains on her scrubs- from his wife or child he isn't sure.

She grabbed his forearms again. "Everything will be fine. Just trust us."

His eldest sister was one of few people he trusted whole-heartedly, but that didn't stop the echoes of Kimiko's anguished cries from reverberating in his eardrums. Still, he nodded and just as quickly Mei disappeared back into the room.

Daichi's legs were jelly as he carried himself down to a pair of benches nearby. His body dropped like a stone onto its surface and he forced his body to relax and breathe, trying to fight off the nausea that threaten to take a hold of him.

They had talked about this in bed too. While Kimiko was sure that the birth would be difficult for her, she was always adamant that if anything happened her, she wanted him to take care of Junko. But Junko hadn't cried, she hadn't breathed her first breath and the reminder made his falter before he forced more air into his lungs.

What if she didn't make it? What if Kimiko didn't make it?

He didn't want to imagine a world without them- couldn't imagine a world where they were both gone.

Even if it was fated to happen, he couldn't accept that. Not when everything had felt so real just a few days ago, Junko's strong kicks alongside Kimiko's twinkling laughter. He couldn't imagine giving up one life for another, couldn't sacrifice one for the other.

He would just have to wait.

...

Daichi didn't know when everything started up again. He had been sat on that bench ever since Mei left him in the hallway, head in his hands, forcing breath into his lungs. People had walked past, rushing, lounging, unaffected by his plight, unknowing or uncaring, even perhaps caring for others that may have been in a similar plight to his wife and child.

It took him a bit to notice the pair of standard Konoha General slippers in front of his view, ones he had become familiar with having lived with her for so long. He didn't want to look up, didn't want to see the confirmation of his family's fate on his eldest sister's face. He'd prefer staying in that limbo unknowing than hearing the worst.

Strong hands gripped his shoulders and Daichi let out a final exhale before meeting his sister's eye. They were calm as they always were, and the man felt the heavy fog that had surrounded his mind lift somewhat.

"They are stable," his sister said after a moment and Daichi felt his breath finally take root in his lungs. The rush was so great that he almost didn't catch her next words. "However, we are going to watch over them for the time being to make sure they make a full recovery."

That…that was acceptable- much better than the alternatives his mind had conjured.

"Can I see them?"

Mei shook her head. "I know you are worried, but you need to also take care of yourself. Kimiko-san is still under from surgery and the doctors are still overseeing the child."

Daichi closed his eyes and tried to see reason. There was nothing he could do for them, as much as he wanted. Knowing his family was safe at the very least, he could feel the effects of hunger gnawing at him, though he had been through much worst on the field.

He let out a deep sigh, and after a moment nodded.

"Okay…" He looked back up at her. "And Junko… she's alright? Truly?"

"The child has stabilized, although we won't know the long term effects for some time." Mei's expression softened. "But yes, she is fine physically at the very least."

Her word calmed down the anxiousness and worry within him, though he knew that until he got to see them with his own eyes he wouldn't be satisfied.

He didn't want to get his hopes up.

"What happened?"

His older sister took a seat by him with a tired sigh of her own.

"The doctors aren't entirely sure at this point to be honest." Daichi met her eye. "It was an anomaly we'd never seen before."

It took her another minute before she went into depth.

"Normally, children do not fully develop their chakra systems until they are about three or four years of age, but the child's chakra pathways and reserves were, while not completely developed, were much more developed than expected," she explained. "It was too much for her body to handle, especially without Kimiko-san providing her extra support, and so she went into shock. The stress of the birth and the backlash of that connection being separated also caused Kimiko-san to have an adverse reaction."

Daichi was silent as he processed her long explanation. It was more complicated than he had thought, but having it laid out in front of him in such a clinical way eased some of the remaining weariness. It didn't make not seeing his wife and newborn any easier but at least he would be able to rest a bit better. He could only hope and pray that Kimiko felt the same.

He took a breath and it finally settled in his lungs.

"Thank you, Mei-neesan."

After the day spent worrying and almost going prematurely gray from stress, Daichi decided to go home for only a moment, to collect himself in the privacy of his own home. Each step away from his wife and child was heavy and uncertain but the more rational part of him reasoned that as there was nothing he could do for them now, the very least he could do was be presentable when he finally got to see them.

However, that didn't stop the irrational part of himself yelling at him to go back. Which got even louder when he got home and had to walk past the room that had been set up for Junko's arrival weeks ago; Kushina and Kimiko had decorated it and the redhead had been adamant at him not seeing it until the birth.

To think that it would have gone to waste….The more negative part of his mind thought it still might but Daichi was quick to dismiss it as he went to shower and change his clothes. The little Mei he had developed inside his head reminded him to eat something as he had gone without for the day, and although he had gone without for much longer, he went into the kitchen to eat some leftovers.

Without Kimiko's whimsical chatter, every flavor was dull and bland.

His trip back to the hospital was much faster than his trip home, the scenery of the village passing by in a blur until he stopped in front of Konoha General once more. The cool air of the lobby did nothing to calm the reemergence of his anxiety, which only grew with each step he took back towards his wife's room. A doctor and nurse were stood in front of the door when he made it to the floor where she was kept.

"Ah Hyūga-san, you made it just in time," the cloaked woman said, moving the clipboard in her hand under her arm.

"Has something happened?"

Please no…

"Nothing dramatic," she eased, as if sensing his rising stress. "Your wife was just looking for you."

That was reassuring, and Daichi couldn't help but scold himself for not being there when she woke up.

"And my daughter?"

The doctor and nurse shared a glance at each other which caused his brow to furrow the slightest bit.

"The child is taking well to her treatment, Hyūga-san," she said. "But we still want to watch her for a little while longer. Rest assured however, you will be able to see her soon."

Daichi didn't know how much he believed her but nodded all the same, thanking the woman and excusing himself to slip into Kimiko's room. The blinds had been pulled open and the light of early dusk peeked in through the window, casting his wife in a soft glow. Exhaustion was present in her features, and her once bright amber eyes were dull, staring off into the distance.

She didn't respond when he called out to her softly, her gaze only drifting to him once he pulled a chair up to her bedside and gathered her hands into his own, away from her much smaller stomach.

As soon as her eyes met his, she turned them away shamefully, her hands trembling in his own.

"I'm sorry."

Daichi squeezed her hands. "Don't you start that again. It's not your fault."

Her lips trembled, her hands in his shaking.

"Isn't it though?" she said, finally turning into to him and it broke his heart to see her so distraught, tears brimming at her eyes.

"Kimiko…"

"I should've known that my body wasn't viable after the first time, and now I've ruined Junko's life before it even began!" she sobbed, withdrawing from him. "I should've never went through with Shimura-san's plan- then we wouldn't have lost- and Junko wouldn't be-"

"It is not your fault, you weren't given a choice," Daichi reiterated sternly, pulling her hands back to him. "And Junko is doing fine- she will be fine."

Kimiko was wary of his reassurances but the tension in her body eased, albeit just a little- but it was enough for him for now.

After a while, hearing nothing from the staff concerning their daughter, Kimiko fell into a fitful sleep and Daichi remained at her side, hand in hers. His thoughts found no rest either, only settling down once he started meditating. Inside the room, the sun had long since moved, casting the room in shadows. He had asked in a quiet voice if she wanted him to turn the lights on but she had refused with a light shake of her head before falling asleep. In the quiet of the dim room, Daichi focused on the soft breaths of his wife.

And imagined that if everything had gone smoothly, they could've been resting with their daughter in tow.

Now that he thought about it, things had never gone smoothly ever since they had met each other. From their tense beginnings dyed hot pink to the rocky start of their marriage, mired in political drama between their clans, things had never been easy. But the golden eyed woman was defined by her adamant nature, headstrong and willing to do what she could to get what she wanted.

But that shadow he had seen in their adolescence had never truly gone away; although he had been privileged to share in her burden and lighten her load, it still plagued her. Things like Kimiko had gone through weren't easily forgotten and had changed her life for better or worse. That didn't stop him from loving her, in fact, her strength and tenacity had been what drew him in in the first place.

Daichi squeezed her hand and she responded in kind in her sleep, sighing lightly.

It may have been naïve to hold on to hope but it was something that Kimiko had instilled into him over the course of their relationship, and just like her, he would hold onto it as stubbornly as he could.

...

And when they finally got to see her, see Junko, it was in the middle of the night.

The pair had sat together in silence, as they had for the past two days. The overhead fluorescents buzzed lightly above them as they waited hand in hand, waiting for any news about their child silently until a knock at the door disturbed their precarious peace. Daichi had shared a look with his wife before she allowed them entry, the small pit that he had been nursing for the last few days beginning to grow once more, as it had every time one of the nurses came in.

The door slid open and Mei walked in, a bundle wrapped carefully in her arms which caught their attention immediately. The older woman smiled mildly at them before closing the door behind her, lifting her unoccupied hand to her lips in a call for silence. Daichi didn't know when he had stood up from his chair and Kimiko's grip in his tightened considerably as she shook beside him.

They waited with bated breath as Mei walked over to them, her steps quiet and graceful. And although Kimiko tried to keep silent, a soft sob escaped her as she let go of his hand and the Hyūga woman set the bundle into her arms. Daichi found his breath similarly halted as he finally took in the sight of his daughter.

Junko.

The little swaddled being was sleeping peacefully, seemingly unaware of all the stress and worry she had caused them, but Daichi was all too grateful for that fact. Her little nose wrinkled as Kimiko shifted her in her arms before becoming still once more. Curls of dark hair rested over her forehead and around her face, and long lashes fluttered over her pale cheeks, only lightly dusted with pink. Of course, with her being asleep, he couldn't tell if she had inherited the eyes of the Hyūga, but after everything that had happened, he couldn't care if she did or not.

She was perfect.

Kimiko coddled Junko with one arm, her other hand coming up to cover her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks and sobs leaked from behind it. Daichi felt a similar stinging in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders, sliding next to her on the bed. But he didn't let them fall, resting his head against hers as they watched their daughter sleep, making up for lost time.

Daichi wasn't entirely sure how long they stayed there watching her, but movement caught his eye and he remembered that Mei was still in the room. His sister was organizing the little bassinet set up on the other side of the room, and as if sensing him, turned towards them.

"Thank you Mei-neesan," he said, breaking the silence.

The woman set down the blanket she had in her hand and neared the bedside.

"It was all Hiraku-sensei's doing," she replied, looking over the still sleeping child with her byakugan quickly before deactivating it and meeting his eye. "He was able to create a seal to offshoot the excess chakra in her body and stabilize her. The seal will need to remain for a couple of more weeks as she becomes acclimated to the outside world."

"Satou Hiraku?" Kimiko asked, finally breaking out of the trance Junko had put her in. "He was the one who helped Junko?"

Mei and Daichi blinked at the Senju woman's sudden question and the Hyūga woman nodded.

"Yes…is that a problem Kimiko-san?"

Kimiko looked down at their child, who let out a soft yawn and snuggled close, causing the woman to smile and tears to brim at her eyes again.

"No, it's fine," the honey-eyed woman said, shaking her head. "Satou-san is good at what he does. I'll have to thank him."

Daichi certainly hadn't known the relationship between the doctor and his wife, but not hearing any weariness in her tone, only genuine fondness, the Hyūga supposed that he was someone she trusted. His sister simply gave another nod, grabbing a clipboard that was hanging off the side of the crib.

"Other than the chakra issues, the child is in perfect health," Mei began professionally, writing down something on the pages. "It doesn't appear to have had any affects in the short term, but we want to continue to watch her for any side effects."

The Hyūga woman looked up at them, a smile spreading over her face.

"She should be waking up soon; she is a rather consistent eater."

As if on cue, Junko let out another yawn, her little features scrunching up before she opened her eyes and Daichi found his breath caught in his lungs yet again. Pale eyes without pupils blinked at them, tinted warmly with amber and a soft noise emerged out of her mouth as she looked up, no doubt wanting food. More and more curious noises erupted from the infant as she became more awake, and Daichi felt himself becoming more and more enamored with the little being.

His wife was similarly afflicted. A new wave of tears ran down her cheeks as she gently touched the infant's face, which spurred another round of soft gurgles.

"Hello, Junko."

Author's Notes

Posted: October 5th, 2018

Better late than never I guess, but thank you all for your reviews, favorites, and follows.

I was planning to post a different chapter than this, aka Chapter 33 but looking through the overall structure of For a Chance at Happiness, I decided that I needed to put an interlude to separate the last arc from the new one we're approaching.

You guys also kinda inspired me with your lovely comments about Daichi, and so I thought he would be the perfect subject for the interlude, especially since FACAH's 2nd anniversary was coming up (and has long since passed at this point). I wanted to make an extra scene to go with this chapter but it just wasn't fitting right and was causing more issues than it was solving. I probably overthought this entire thing but I hope you all enjoyed it regardless.

The next chapter will definitely come out before the end of the month since it's already written completely, and I just need to edit it.

Until then.

Next time on For a Chance at Happiness:

Chapter 33: Of Silver Tongues