Naruto slurped the rest of his noddles and chewed thoughtfully. "You want us test our connection?" he asked after he had swallowed his precious ramen down.

"Indeed," Tobirama agreed, "It is way past time that we tried out the limits."

'We already know we can speak like this,' Naruto replied mentally. 'And I think I've felt some of your emotions before.'

Tobirama furrowed his brows. 'Can you feel them now?'

Naruto tilted his head and an expression of deep concentration settled over his face. Then he squinted his eyes shut and slowly shook his head. 'No. Can you feel mine?'

'No,' Tobirama replied. 'You are sure you have felt mine before?"

'Yes.' Naruto was absolutely sure. He nodded for emphasis.

'Then we might be missing a trigger,' Tobirama mused. 'Perhaps it only works if certain conditions are met. For example, if our emotions are especially strong.'

"Strong emotions?" Naruto wondered and absently played with his chopsticks. Strong emotions. Was there something he felt strongly about?

Well, he liked Ramen. Naruto glanced at the empty bowl. But somehow, he doubted that this would count.

What else did he like? Orange. But that was probably the same as ramen. He glanced at the ghost. He liked him, too. Very much even. But was like even the right word? It felt not big enough for that.

It was not enough to describe what he felt when the man praised him, when he taught him, when he protected him. It was not enough to describe the joy he felt when he saw Tobirama smile. It was not enough to describe the warmth of the man's hug and the safety he felt in his presence.

It was more. But what?

Tobirama started and slowly raised his head to look at him. "Naruto…," he began quietly, "You…what are you doing?"

"I am thinking of you," Naruto replied, hopped down his chair and scampered around the table to look at Tobirama. "Do you feel that?"

Tobirama stared at the child in front of him. He had grown to care for him quite deeply, and he knew that Naruto liked him, too, but this was something entirely else.

The emotion he felt from him was not care. It was not fondness.

It was love.

Naruto loved him.

This child loved him.

Tobirama had never been a man of emotions, but somehow, at this moment, he did not care.

Stunned at the sheer strength of the child's emotion, he brushed his hand over the boy's cheek and allowed himself to do something he had only ever done in his brother's presence.

He let his guard down and allowed himself to feel.

"Yes, little one. I feel that."

A bright smile illuminated Naruto's face, and he clambered on his lap. "Good," the child decided and buried his head in his chest, "Because I can feel yours, too."

Small arms wrapped around his waist and Tobirama automatically placed a hand on the tiny back. "Ne, jiji?" Naruto suddenly asked. He sounded tentative. "May I call you… grandfather?"

Tobirama stilled.

Grandfather?

The child wanted to call him grandfather?

"It's alright if you don't want to," the child said quickly, when he took a bit too long to answer. Tobirama could feel overwhelming embarrassment and regret seeping through their bond." I mean, I am just –"

"If you wish," he interrupted, before the child could lose himself in another bout of self-doubt.

Naruto stiffened. "Really?" He sounded desperately hopeful.

Tobirama put his hand on the child's head and tightened his grip. "Yes. It would be prudent, too, since I have already named you my heir."

The child's joy crushed over him like one of his more volatile Suiton jutsus. Tobirama made a mental note to look into ways to control the strength of the transmission. Otherwise Naruto's emotions would constantly throw him off.

Naruto burrowed his face in his fur. The child seemed to like the soft material. Maybe he should get him a fur coat, too.

That reminded him. The child's clothes were becoming a bit too worn. He needed something better to protect him.

Perhaps…he sized the child up. Yes, maybe he was big enough.

He placed his arms around the boy and stood.

Naruto threw him a curious glance but seemed content with just remaining in his arms.

Tobirama left the office and walked down the chilly floor until he reached the door that led to his former room.

He took a deep breath and opened it.

It was still the way he remembered it. The bedsheets had the same forest green color he remembered, and even the curtains were pulled up exactly the way he had left it.

Not a single speck of dust covered the heavy mahogany drawer, and the floor was as clean as ever.

He placed Naruto on top of his bed. The child eyed his new surroundings with great interest. "Where are we?" he asked curiously.

"My rooms," Tobirama replied and absently noticed how his answer made the child's outstretched hand pause before it reached for the bed curtains, slower and more tentative than before.

Tobirama opened his wardrobe and found the chest he was looking for at the very back. He waved the child over. "Naruto, come here."

Naruto hopped down the bed and hurried over.

Naruto was curious. Why had his grandfather – and yes, he had a grandfather! He was still over the moon because of that – why had he brought him to his rooms?

What was in that mysterious chest?

Treasure?

A sleeping dragon?

Or a map leading to a great treasure?

He was wrong on all three accounts.

But Naruto was not disappointed, because the chest contained something even better. He carefully pulled the leather out. "Is that?"

Tobirama's hand landed on his shoulder. "Our clan has a tradition. If a child of the main family is first allowed to leave the compound, the clan head will gift them an armor. I would have liked to have a new one crafted for you, but alas, it is not possible. I can, however, gift you my first armor. It is still in a good condition. Try it on."

Naruto had not to be told twice.

The armor consisted entirely of leather plates and was lighter than it appeared to be. Naruto scrutinized himself in the mirror and realized that the style was somewhat similar to the one Tobirama wore. In fact, the only difference seemed to be that his armor came with a Kusazuri, while his grandfather seemed to have forgone his.

He looked at the man who was watching him with an almost nostalgic expression.

The scene was so similar. He had seen it twice before. First with Kawarama, then with Itama. He distinctly remembered their littlest one asking him how he looked.

So, when Naruto phrased the same question Tobirama gave the same answer he had once before.

"Menacing."

And just like Itama, Naruto giggled.

But unlike him, Naruto would live.

"Where are you going?"

"Are you questioning me, mortal?"

"Yes, I am." Hashirama stepped forward and stopped in front of the dark presence. His face was fearless, and his eyes shone with the sharpness of polished steel. "You might be the warden of these plains, but even you must obey the laws."

The dark presence flickered angrily. "Their connection is deepening. It is unnatural. The lawbreakers must be purged."

Hashirama's eyes flashed. His chakra crackled, illuminating the air and settling around him like a dragon ready to strike. "You are overstepping your authority, Shinigami. You have no right to interfere with the living."

"He is dead," the presence snarled. "He is mine!"

"He escaped you. He is yours no longer.," Hashirama reminded him, not the slightest bit fazed by the angry tendrils of liquid shadow sprouting from the otherworldly presence. "And the child is still alive. He was never yours."

The Shinigami screamed. "How dare you talk to me like this, mortal?! Know your place!"

"The one who should remember his place," Hashirama replied, and his chakra settled over the area like a heavy, smothering blanket "is you."

"MORTAL!"

"You will not touch my family." Hashirama's voice carried ice. "Do not forget, Shinigami, that you can be purged, too, should you overstep your bounds. What counts as balance is not determined by you, and as long as I stand here, you shall not pass!" His chakra crackled.

"I will destroy you!" the being roared.

"And break Ashura's circle? Hashirama was not impressed. "Who is the lawbreaker now?"

Hashirama ignored the earthshaking, thundering rage of the eternal being. He had accomplished his goal.

The Shinigami would not leave these planes today.

His face softened as he watched his brother gift the child his first mail. "Take good care of each other, little brother, dear nephew."

The clock struck exactly three o'clock when Naruto, Itachi and Shisui gathered in front of a sushi restaurant at the eastern end of Konoha that was mainly frequented by shinobi.

Their meeting place had been Shisui's idea because he had apparently woken with a sudden craving for sushi.

Since neither Naruto nor Itachi wanted to deal with a grumpy Shisui, they had readily acquiesced.

The two Uchiha had just returned from duty and were still wearing their Anbu uniforms, even though their masks had been carefully hidden away.

Shisui raised an eyebrow as his saw Naruto's new appearance. "Nice mail. Seems somewhat familiar."

Naruto snorted at the blatant hint. "I found it in a chest. It fit."

"Well, it certainly suits you," Itachi commented, "and it provides better protection than the clothes you have worn before. Although," he threw a serious look at Naruto, "it might draw some unwanted attention."

"Or the right," Naruto replied cheerfully.

Itachi's lips twitched. "Indeed."

"Good, now that we've all commented on Naruto's new hobby to look terrifying by running around impressively armored, can we please go in? I am hungry!"

Itachi threw him an unimpressed look. "You are always hungry."

"Exactly!" Shisui replied, threw his arms around his friends and marched them through the door.

The restaurant's patrons were treated to a strange sight that day.

Umino Iruka, who had been eating with his fellow academy teachers, looked up as the door opened and stared at the strange scene.

Jonin Uchiha Shisui was standing in the doorway. He had thrown his left arm around the shoulders of a young teenager Iruka recognized as Chunin Uchiha Itachi. The other arm was around a boy not older than six. He was wearing a battle armor and looked strangely familiar.

"Hey Mareo-san, is that not your former student?" one of his colleagues asked.

Sumio Mareo looked up and a dark expression flitted over his face. "Yeah. That's him. The Uzumaki kid."

So this was the Nine-Tails jailor. He looked oddly normal, aside from his old-fashioned armor of course. "Is it true he graduated in less than a year?" Iruka asked.

Mareo took a deep gulp of his sake and made a sound of disgruntled agreement. "No idea how he managed it, though. That brat was terrible until he suddenly wasn't anymore. I still think he cheated. He doesn't deserve this headband."

Iruka narrowed his eyes at him. That comment had been completely uncalled for, no matter if he liked the kid or not.

Sumio must have spoken a bit too loudly because the Uzumaki kid suddenly froze and the two Uchiha turned their heads into their direction. Their gazes were so cold they could have frozen ice.

Jonin Uchiha Shisui seemed like he wanted to storm over, but the Uzumaki kid placed a hand on his arm and said something in a low voice. Whatever it was, it seemed to calm him down.

Uchiha Itachi, however, was still fixing his colleague with steely eyes, as if trying to decide whether he should decapitate him or not and Iruka suddenly remembered that this teenager was an Anbu captain.

An Anbu captain who seemed to be a very close friend of the child Sumio had just badmouthed.

"Let's go eat somewhere else," Uchiha Shisui proclaimed loudly. "There is trash laying around. It makes me sick."

"I could clean it up," Uchiha Itachi offered with a pleasant smile, "It won't take much time."

"Thanks, Itachi," Uzumaki answered cheerfully, "But the last time you cleaned up someone had to clean up after you."

"Yeah," Uchiha Shisui agreed, "You always leave a bloody mess behind."

They left.

What a scary trio.

Yoshimi Sozui patted Sumio's shoulder. "Seems like you just made enemies with the Uchiha prodigies. Tough luck, mate."

"Shizune, give me the Sake bottle!"

"Tsunade-sama. You already had two bottles!"

"Who cares? Three bottles a day keeps the medic away," Tsunade snorted. "Fine. Be that way. I'll get it myself." She stood up and walked towards the shelf.

"An apple a day, Tsunande-sama. Apple." Shizune corrected quickly and jumped forward to snatch the bottle before Tsunade could reach it. "And you are a medic yourself. How are you supposed to keep away from yourself?"

"I'll manage," Tsuande answered drily and attempted to snatch the sake out of Shizune's hand.

Shizune jumped away. "Please reconsider, Tsunade-sama. Drinking is not good for health. You of all people should know that."

Tsunade remained undeterred. "The bottle, Shizune. Now."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"I refuse to sound like a three-year-old, Tsunade-sama."

"Shizune, you –" Tsunade's answer was cut short as a tiny slug suddenly appeared on the windowsill and squeaked her name. "Tsunade-sama! I have important news!"

Tsunade immediately abandoned her sake-acquisition quest in favor of greeting the newest arrival.

Five minutes later, Ton-Ton quickly took shelter under the table as his mistress let out an enraged yell: "What do you mean I have family?!"

Shizune watched as her master walked circles of enragement into the already worn floor. "A kid," Shizune, a kid! There's a Senju kid out there. A kid that carries the sigil and nobody told me a bloody thing!" Tsunade stopped abruptly and reached for the sake bottle.

Shizune batted her hand away. "So this kid, who is he?"

Tsunade glared at her. "Naruto or something like that. Honestly, who names their kid after food?"

"Someone who likes to eat?" Shizune offered and snatched the bottle.

"Eh must be. Anyway," Tsunade slumped on the bed. "What am I supposed to do, Shizune?"

"Right now? Go to bed. It is late. Tomorrow? We can talk about it."

Tsunade snorted. "Fine. I am dead tired anyway. Give me the cup. I want a nightcap."

"No," Shizune replied briskly. "Good night, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade had a strange dream. A gigantic bottle was talking to her. Somehow, the bottleneck bore an eerie similarity to her grandfather and was quite insisting that she should go and support a fishcake.

Was he trying to run for the position of seafood daimyo or what? Well, if grandpa really wanted it that badly, she could paint a nice election banner.

Tsunade woke six hours later with a headache and a sudden craving for fish.

"Shizune, get me Naruto."

Shizune blinked. "The Senju kid?"

"No, the fishcake!"

"And what about the kid?"

Tsunade groaned.

The same night the innkeeper saw a blonde blur stomping out of the guest room. The Legendary Sucker only paused to tell him: "Send the bill to the Senju compound" bevor slamming the door behind her.

The invoice would reach a confused Naruto before the debtor arrived.

A/N

Suprise! A new chapter. I'd like to thank you all for your patience and your well-wishes. =)

For those who are interested: My recovery is slow-going, but it's going.
Anyway, I am determined to see this fan fiction to its end, even if it takes a while.

Last month, I've posted a Christmas special about Linewalkers. If you have not read it and would like to: The Night Before Christmas ( s/14000649/1/Linewalkers-The-Night-Before-Christmas).

This was a very fluffy and light chapter. Tsunade finally appeared, Naruto got a grandfather, Itachi got to be scary and even our favorite First Hokage could shine as the BAMF he is. But I guess that's how he gets when someone threatens his family.

Let me tell you a secret: I was so close...nanometer close to have dear Hashi go "You shall not pass" on the Shinigami. But I prevailed. I resisted. I think I deserve a cookie.

Edit: Thank you for the cookies, but I suppose I have to hand them back or what is left of them at least - which are none, by the way - because...the temptation was too great! *runs away*