Chapter 2: Oh My Brother
*Four Years Later*

Atsushi continued to write letters to his sister and whenever he was in town he would take her around the village everywhere he went. At first, the village and his friends were shocked to see the "purple devil" holding the infant. She seemed so tiny and frail in his gigantic hands. You see, Atsushi was a fearsome man standing at a hulking 6'10. Though his work had him in the outskirts of the regular shinobi world he was well known for his strength and leadership in the Anbu.

Even with such a fearsome reputation, all that young Yugao saw was her big brother the softy. Who in many ways did more to help raise her than her own mother who seemed to always be "traveling or performing" when Yugao was just a toddler. Her father was doting and loving towards his daughter but had to work whenever his health was good to support his wife's dreams and had a hard time accepting any of his son's financial offerings. His health would also render him in the hospital for long periods of time and if Atsushi was out of town she would stay with "uncle" Tuechi.

It was on one such trip around Konoha that Atsushi had run into his old teammate and fellow refugee Kushina Uzumaki. "Hey Atsushi and Yuuu, how are you guys!" Kushina said, waving at the pair from across the street. "Shina!" Yugao cheered quickly dashing towards Kushina without looking. A large cart being pushed by a horse was barrelling through. "Yuuu!" Atsushi called out quickly trying to go into action before anything could happen. He didn't make it in time and he gasped out in fear.

With an instant to spare a quick yellow flash had stepped in the way and scooped up the girl before jumping over the cart. The flash stopped and there stood Minato Namkikaze. "Woah, little Yugao you know it's dangerous to not look both ways right?" Minato asked, looking at the little girl he was holding. "Minato!" Yugao cheered, hugging him tightly. The horse had stopped and the owner quickly got out and began apologizing to Minato. "Oh, it's alright, thank you for apologizing," Minato said, putting Yugao down who clung to his side. "Of course! Have a great day!" The man said and as he turned back to his cart he saw Atsushi standing in front of him.

"Oh, God.." The man gasped, shuddering when he looked up at the hulking man standing in front of him. "Excuse me, I'm just trying to see my little sister." He said moving past the man trying not to bump into him. The man looked at Atsushi and as he got on his cart he muttered under his breath. "Why would anyone let the purple devil around there kid?" Atsushi turned towards the man's direction and he was about to take off when Atsushi grabbed a wheel of the cart and stopped it. "Hey!" The man yelled out. "Sorry but I really don't take kindly to people making assumptions about me from what they think they hear. I also do not tolerate anyone saying that name anywhere near my Sukoshi Tsuki." Atsushi said his energy around him caused a daunting ripple effect that even a civilian would be intimidated by his presence. "Look I'm sorry it's just not right! Now let me go!" The man said the horse was bucking trying to escape. "What huh? I can't see my little sister because of who I am?" Atsushi said quickly going forward closer to the man and still stopping the cart from moving. He got to the man who upon looking at his face right next to him saw the rage behind Atsushi's eyes.

"Atsushi stop!" Kushina yelled, getting Atsushi out of his rage like a trance. "You're lucky, now leave," Atsushi said, letting go of the cart as the horse quickly dashed away. "Atsushi, come on, that's not how you talk to people you know!" Kushina exclaimed, poking at the gigantic man. "Big brother," Yugao said anxiously looking around at all the prying eyes. Atsushi was unfazed by Kushina's scolding but looking at his sister he bent down trying his best to be at her eye level. "I'm really sorry big bro sure messed up huh?" He asked, Yugao nodded and held her hands across her chest. "Daddy says for you to ignore what those people say, remember? They don't know anything!" She boldly proclaimed Atsushi laughed. "You're right I need to be more like you don't I?" Yugao nodded dramatically.

Atsushi stood back up and turned to the couple who were observing the pair's interaction. "Sorry, you guys. Minato thanks for the help and Kushina thank you for helping me be put in check. I don't always know when to shut it off." Atsushi said bowing at the pair. "You know you owe us now you big oaf," Kushina said, looking up at her old teammate. "Kushina, that's not necessary," Minato said, trying to not bother the Uzuki siblings. "Oh come on Minato they do! I know we are both starving and how often is Atsushi in town? Yuu would your parent's mind if you have dinner with us?" Kushina asked, looking down at the little girl. Yugao pouted and shook her head. "Daddy's in the hospital and I haven't seen Mommy in weeks." She said Kushina's eyes darted up to Atsushi in worry and towards Minato. "Alright let's go get hot pot I will take Yugao and you two can meet us there okay?" Minato said, scooping the girl up and waving at the pair as Yugao chuckled and waved towards her brother and Kushina.

Atsushi smiled watching Minato go away, any tension or anxiety of Yugao being away from him gone because of who she was with. "Atsushi, can we take a long way and talk?" Kushina asked Atsushi, looked down at the concern in her eyes, and nodded. "Yes, we can. Thank you Kushina, I appreciate how much you care." Atsushi said the woman nodded and gave him a thumbs up. "Of course! We're diaper buds till the end of time!" She said, holding out her hand for a fist bump. Atsushi returned the gesture smiling. "I prefer to say an old teammate over diaper buds but we can go with that." He said laughing at his old friend. "Ugh, whatever," Kushina said, bumping into her friend playfully. He didn't budge whatsoever.

"So Atsushi, where's your Mom right now?" Kushina asked, putting on a more serious face. "Honestly I don't know if she said she wouldn't be far. Even told us a place but she hasn't been responding to my letters and didn't give us a number to call. She's just going to keep abandoning her responsibilities for as long as possible." Atsushi said flatly. "I don't understand her. What made her want to leave so often? I know she started traveling every now and again when we graduated from the academy. But it seems to be so much longer." Kushina said Atsushi nodded and sighed as he took his ponytail and put his hair in a low ponytail. "My dad doesn't want to think of her this way but what I believe is that as soon as he started getting sick and having to stop being a shinobi she felt stuck like she has to take care of him. It pisses me off. Dad just lets her get away with everything." "I thought she was a good caretaker, is she really not?" Kushina asked, thinking of the little Yugao and how much it hurt her to have an "absent" mother. "I used to really think she was but I think in her mind she always wanted something more. Dad was gone a lot in my childhood and so she was forced into the role. But when I was capable enough to take care of myself she started leaving for weeks at a time. It got worse when I joined Anbu and by that time Dad got sick and had to retire. I think she became ashamed of him and didn't have the means on her own to live off a performer's lifestyle and just kept using him as support." Kushina looked up at her friend as he spoke and watched as he gritted his teeth.

"What about little Yuu? Is he at least there for her? Please tell me she is a girl who needs her Momma." Kushina said her heart was hurting for the young girl. "She was for a while working at an onsen but after a few years, she got bored and demanded to travel again. Dad had to start working more and taking odd jobs whenever asked to perform fuinjutsu. He works himself ragged and if he's not careful ends up in the hospital. I'm hoping that he swallows his pride and just accepts my offer to support Yugao and him while letting Mom just fend for herself." Atsushi said begrudgingly Kushina could see an air of sorrow surrounding her friend. It had been a long time since she had seen him actually vulnerable.

"I didn't know it had been that difficult. I'm sorry friend. If you ever need help with anything you know Minato and I are here for you right?" Kushina asked. Atsushi smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Yugao's going into the academy soon and I might ask for your help to help with her training when she's older. Is that okay?" He asked Kushina brightened, "of course it would be my honor ya know!" She said Atsushi chuckled and pointed at the hot pot place. "Well thank you for talking with me Kushina let's head in." He said getting the door open for her. Kushina nodded and walked in waiting for Atsushi to duck into the building.

The pair found Minato and Yugao staring at the fish in the aquarium at the front of the building. "That one's name is Hoshi, and that's Daichi, and there! That's Sango." Yugao said pointing at all of the fish. "I didn't know they all had names, good eye Yugao," Minato said as he looked up and saw the pair come in. "Glad you're in." Minato said, standing fully up. "Thanks for humoring her. Yuu-yuu hungry?" Atsushi asked Yugao to look up happily and nodded. "Yes yes!" She cheered. "Well let's eat ya know!" Kushina said, heading to a table.

The four of them sat and ate and caught up more. Minato was just asked by the Third to become a sensei and he would shortly meet his team. "It's an interesting trio. Kakashi has already graduated from the academy but has not actually had a team yet." Minato had said Atsushi looked up curiously. "White Fang's son, correct? Last I heard he had graduated a year ago." " He is Sakumo's son. You're right he did graduate, but he had no team and was in a sort of limbo. The third Hokage saw the odd numbers in the current class and made a point to place Kakashi with two friends Rin and Obito." Minato said in between bites. "I think it will be great for Minato! He is going to be an amazing sensei ya know!" Kushina exclaimed, and Atsushi nodded and smiled. "Good luck with that. You have to tell me how it goes when y-" Atsushi trailed off and peered out the window and sighed. "Hold on." He said standing up and leaving the booth. "Yugao, stay with them, I have to take care of something." Yugao nodded and kept eating, kicking her feet while doing so.

Atsushi had left but Minato could see out the window and see him speaking to an Anbu member. He watched carefully focusing on what was going on and saw the Anbu member leave. Atsushi turned to Minato and knew he was watching. He began trying to motion to Minato that he was having to leave and head to the Hokage's office. It took Minato a while to decipher the fingers being Atsushi running and him making a three and stopping in front of it. He then pointed at Yugao and then Minato and motioned for him to take her home. Minato gave him an awkward thumbs up, unsure of what else he could do. Atsushi smiled and mouthed thank you before disappearing towards the Hokage tower.

After their exchange, Minato turned back to Kushina and Yugao. "It appears Atsushi had to leave Yugao. So Kushina and I are going to take you home." Minato said Yugao shook her head. "Not home uncle's Daddy's not going to be home for another day or so I think. Did the masked men come to pick up big brother for work?" Yugao asked with a look of eagerness in her eyes. "I think so," Minato said Yugao smiled and cheered. "Yay, I will get letters from big brother!" She said happily. Kushina started to laugh. "I'm glad you have something to look forward to when he's gone. You must love your big brother don't you?" Kushina asked Yugao nodded enthusiastically. "He's the greatest!" She said admiringly.