Aurora's View:
Father was off on another mission, but I didn't want him to go. I knew he was after whoever killed Asuma-Oji, I didn't have a good feeling about it. I tried to tell dad, but he just said everything would be ok. That's all he ever told me...
"When will father come home?" I asked him as we made dinner. I'd asked him yesterday but he never answered.
"I don't know." He sounded very tired, I couldn't blame him, our class today had been really wild. Didn't they understand that someone very important died? They seemed to have no idea what was going on outside of the village, completely unaware the danger we were all in.
"Why did he go?" I overheard them the other night, so I knew he wasn't assigned to this mission.
"I think he wanted to make sure Shikamaru and his team weren't hurt." He finally turned to look at me from the stove. "I know you're worried, but you forget who your father is." He ruffled my hair, making me frown.
"He's still just a person…" father could still die. Asuma-san had been just as strong as father, but he was easily taken out but the man father and Shikamaru were after.
"I know...I know why you're worried, but all we can do is trust in his abilities. He will be fine." Dad tried to assure me, but I still had a bad feeling about it all. "You wanna cut the carrots?" He quickly changed the subject, avoiding something.
"Really?" He never let me do it on my own before, he told me the knife was too sharp. He nodded, letting me stand on a stool near the counter and showed me how to do it.
Father still wasn't home the next day, but dad acted like if it was all fine. I was already angry with him, but the kids at school just made it worse. They were acting as if nothing happened, that someone important hadn't just died. They weren't in mourning their clothes anymore, I still wore mine. At least dad still wore a black band on his forearm, but no one else did anything
Sensei was leaving me alone for the most part, letting me look out the window. The lecture was on different chakra natures, but father had taught me and Naruto the same thing the other day. They only thing new was which one was stronger than another. Fire of course was weak to water, but was stronger than wind. I just didn't care to pay too much attention after that, but I understand what it all was. Something still didn't feel quite right, but I couldn't figure out if it was about father or something else.
That's when I felt someone tug on my ponytail, and a sudden snipping sound had me bolting out of my seat. It was too late. Midori was behind me today and had decided that my ponytail should be cut. I felt my hair, but she was holding the long ponytail I had by the bow. She'd cut just under it.
"Midori!" I heard Iruka shout. "What have you done!?" He was pissed, but not as much as I was.
"At least she's paying attention now." I wanted to hit her, to retaliate some how, but I just froze.
"Out in the hall, now!" The whole class was silent, scared of Iruka-sensei. He was scary when he was mad, but even scarier when you were the reason he was mad. He told our class representative to watch the class, taking Midori out of class.
I looked at my reflection in the window, seeing how bad it was. It was choppy, the right side was shorter, my bangs on the only part left uncut so they hung loosely past my chin. The rest was short, the longest strands only past my ears. I felt tears burning my eyes, upset with everything, my reflection scaring me for a moment with how angry I looked.
"Auro-Chan…" I saw Yuri come up behind me in the glass. "Are you ok?" I tried to hide my eyes with what was left of my hair, afraid I'd scare her off. She knew she only wanted to hug me, but knew I hated impromptu hugs. I shook my head, letting her hug me while I cried on her shoulder. "I'm sorry...Midori is just mean." She said.
"She's nothing but a bully!" I heard another girl shout from the back of the class.
"Can I help with your hair?" I looked up from her shoulder and saw Sora holding a kunai. "I can at least make it even." I decided to let him, it couldn't get much worse. As he cut the back, I decided I was done getting picked on. From here on, no one would ever be allowed near me…
At home, dad sat me in the yard and trimmed my hair some more. Sora made it even, but it was still choppy. I watched as small tuffs flew in the breeze, looking like red dandelion fluff.
"There, that's better." He ruffled it, making more tiny hairs fly around. He gave me a hand mirror, letting me see. It was very short, still choppy but much better than before.
"I look like a boy…" I said sadly, noting that it was similar to father's hairstyle.
"No, you look cute." Dad tried, putting a purple clip to hold my bangs back. "You're beautiful, no matter what your hair looks like." He smiled, pulling me into his lap. I laid my head on his chest, still feeling miserable.
Kakashi's View:
It was late when we all got back. I promised my team ramen tomorrow, I was just too tired to do anything right now. Naruto wasn't there when Kakuzu tried to take my heart...he didn't see how scared I was. I wanted to go home and collapse, nothing felt real right now and I needed a clear space to think. The second I opened my door, I had a little red head tackle me, almost forcing back out the door. I had hoped she would be in bed.
"Father!" She was happy, but why was she waiting by the door?
"You're back." Iruka was coming from the kitchen, in my apron. It was really adorable how comfortable he was here. "You look rough." I know I did, but at least my mask had stayed intact.
"Maa...tough mission was all." I'd tell him later. I couldn't say what happened with Aurora here. "Oh, I see we got a haircut." I knelt down, ruffling her hair and making it stick up a little.
"Midori did it in class…"
"Oh?" Iruka looked sorry that it had happened in his class, but kids can be sneeky.
"Don't worry, Mirodi is being punished." Iruka sighed, more to me than to Aurora. I had a feeling this Midori was suspended for a while.
Aurora insisted that I be the one to tuck her in tonight, not letting me get changed first and having to explain why my shirt was all ripped up.
"The enemy had some powerful jutsus. He didn't get me, don't worry." She didn't need to know I nearly had my heart ripped out, twice.
"Were you scared?" She asked as she laid down. I hesitated, which was a mistake on my end, which made tears form in her eyes. I quickly put my hands up, hoping she wouldn't cry.
"Yes, but Yamato and my team showed up just in time." I worried about what would have happened if they hadn't shown up. I did not want my heart to end up being used for some creeps jutsu… "I promise, I'm ok."
I finally pacified her by telling her she could come with us tomorrow to ramen if she went to sleep. She agreed, allowing me to escape her questioning for now.
"How did it go?" Iruka was already dressed for bed, letting his hair down when I walked in. I didn't answer at first, choosing to walk closer to him as I took my shirt off. There were bruises around the area Kakuzu's strange tentacle had attacked me, wrapping around my heart. I took Iruka's hand, placing it over the odd dotted bruises as I pulled him closer. Iruka was silent, not understanding what I was doing. "Kakashi?"
"They tried to take it…" I whispered into his hair. I could still feel those strands pulling at my chest, trying to rip me open and take what was mine. "All I could think of was you…" All my mind could think of while the Akatsuki member pulled against me, was what he and Aurora would do if I died. They wouldn't know how much they meant to me...how I felt that my heart really didn't belong to me anymore, it belonged to them.
"Are you ok?" He was worried I was hurt. I was, but not physically.
"I am now…" I was home, where my real heart was.
The next day, as promised, I took my team, and Aurora, to ramen.
"What happened to your arm?" She asked, unaware of what had happened yesterday. I actually needed to talk to Naruto about that...he couldn't use that jutsu anymore, that is if he wanted to keep using jutsu.
"Oh this? Eh it's nothing." Naruto shrugged it off, making Sakura sigh.
"Hello again." Sai smiled at Aurora, making her back away. "I see, still scared of me. I understand." He smiled, but it felt fake.
"Maa, shall we?" I motioned for them to go in, knowing Aurora wanted to sit away from Sai. He did have an odd air to him, but he was trying to change. He was just...emotionally stunted.
After we got our food, I watched Naruto try and fail to eat with his left hand. I needed to tell him…
"Naruto, about that jutsu…"
"Don't worry Kakashi sensei, I know what my body can handle!" He grinned, but he didn't. It was damaging on a cellular level, he couldn't see it so he was unaware of the true damage. "Remember, I'm going to be Hokage! That's how good I am." Aurora made a face, knowing something was off. Sakura sighed at him, having heard that almost everyday since they were seven.
After they were done, Naruto got up to leave, not allowing me to tell him the truth.
"Thanks for the food old man! Kakashi-sensei will pay this time."
"Hey, I never said…" but they were off. Oh well, I had been planning to anyway.
Once outside, I saw Konahamaru was back, but this time he had a clone with him.
"What's going on?" Sakura asked.
"Alright! Show me how you've been training." Naruto smirked and I had only a second to react, which was too late.
"You got it! Art of Onna no ko Doushi jutsu!" The clone and Konahamaru turned into busty, naked women that were...well...pressing together. Oh for...come on...
"Father...what is that?" I couldn't answer, too stunned and watching Sakura shout about how wrong it was. That was until the brat used a similar jutsu, only this time with two men. Unfortunately, Aurora struggled out of my hold while I tried to cover her eyes and saw everything.
"Oh...that's me and Sasuke-kun." Sai was disheartened, but I was mortified. Sakura now understood the appeal of the jutsu though. She tried to tell us she didn't like it, but there was no mistake that she had been excited about the man on man jutsu. This had me worry what she'd think about me and Iruka...
"Father...what were Konohamaru-kun's jutsus about?" She asked later. "Why were they naked?"
"Er…" I was glad my face was covered right now, she couldn't see how red my face was from embarrassment. "It's a distraction jutsu...it's similar to shadow clone jutsu, but with a transformation jutsu added in."
"But...why use it that way?" I couldn't explain it, it was just a thing guys and girls liked. I needed to redirect the conversation before she got seriously mentally scarred for learning too much about what I liked. I'll admit, both jutsus were very distracting. I really needed to find Iruka and play out a few fantasies with him.
"Well, how would you do it?" I asked her.
"Not have them naked…" The mind of a five year old was cute, but she had no concept of what sex was yet. I prayed she wouldn't for a long time.
"Ah. Yes, speaking of clothing. Why don't we get you some new clothes?" This excited her, making her forget about the sexy jutsu for a while.
I was again confused about what people thought was acceptable for armor for little girls. I had to again get her a boys mesh armor, making sure I got two more in bigger sizes. She was having a growth spurt on me and had grown out of all of her clothing in less than a month. Then again, she hadn't really grown much in the last two years, so she was due for one. She really liked the kimono style tops and found one that reminded me of the one Rin wore when we were young. Aurora's was a dusty blue with white shuriken and black shorts underneath. She also chose a sleeveless, white kimono shirt with a yellow obi. The mesh shirt sleeves showed, making her look more grown up, but she looked so cute. I also got her new sleeveless undershirts with masks, again getting extra sizes, just in case. The new shinobi style shoes she got were the standard navy blue. The girls styles all had a heel, so she was getting boys style, weather she liked it or not. Who thought it was a good idea to give kunoichi shoes heels obviously had no idea what we did out there.
This time she got something extra special. She got to choose her first weapons pouch, which didn't take her as long as I thought it would. She choose a white pouch on a thin belt that rested loosely on her waist on the outside of her clothes. She tried to find a matching kunai pouch, but the standard black ones were the only ones with enough room. As much as she wanted the white, there was no way she'd be able to hold more than two kunai at a time.
We had to leave the store with her in her new white outfit, seeing as her old orange one was far too short anymore. I had contemplated on wrapping her in a sheet before leaving this morning, but neither she nor Iruka would allow it.
She was very happy with her new clothes. telling me as she tried them on that she felt like a girl again. I hadn't realized that having short hair had bothered her so much. Who said girls had to have long hair? What's wrong with our society?
"Maa, Iruka?" I asked him, lazily lying on the couch while he graded papers. I was watching him while pretending to read. Aurora was outside, playing with a bucket of water again, soaking her new, white clothes. Oh well, at least I knew how to get dirt off of clothing.
"Hm?" Though he didn't look up.
"I was thinking...why don't you move in?" That made him stop writing and look at me. He looked a little shocked. "I mean, you stay here all the time anyway. You don't have to just now." I offered, wondering if he would accept this time.
"What brought this on?" He asked. "I-I mean…"
"The other night...I was thinking, I like coming home to you." I sat up, setting my book by his pile of papers. "And, well, I want to come home to you." Why was I so bad with words when it really counted?!
"I...like coming home to you too." He moved to sit by me on the couch. "Let me see what I can do about my apartment. I have it for the next year, but maybe I can get out of the contract." He blushed, scratching the scar on his nose.
"Is that a yes?" I teased him.
"It's a, "as soon as I can get out of my contract."" He teased back, no longer flustered by my antics.
"I can help with that."
"Do not threaten my landlord…" He warned me. "And, you want to stay here?" He asked, wanting to know if I intended to move as well. The house was pretty small now, with two adults and a growing girl, my one and a half room condo was getting tight.
"Well...I guess we could move. My father's old place is still in my name…" But it hadn't been lived in for a while. I had no idea what condition it was in. I also wasn't sure I could go back.
"If you want to go there, then yes." He made me look at him again. "We don't have to move there, I was just asking." I smiled, silently thanking him for not saying yes all at once.
"I'll...check on it. See if it's still standing."
I went the next day while they were at school. I didn't want to bring them here just yet. I had lied, of course it was still standing. I had maintained it, a little, but the yard was overgrown now. I had to cut a path to the door, the weeds have grown over the path to the house. My hand was shaking as I got out the key, I hadn't been in since I left at fourteen, the memories were too painful then, I just hoped I could get through it now. I sighed, pushing the door open, disturbing the dust across the floor.
"Just as I left it…" It looked like it had all those years ago. The bed roll I had moved from my old room still sat in the corner by the small couch, the kitchen was ready for when I came home to make dinner. If it weren't for the layer of dust, you'd think someone had just left that morning. My shoes left prints as I stepped further in, leaving a trail to show where I went. I checked my old room, which was completely empty now. It would be perfect for Aurora, much bigger than her closet of a room. I pictured what it could look like, but a piece of me knew that in order to do that, Iruka and I would have to take my father's old room. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to go down the hall.
I slid the double doors open, holding my breath for a second. I let it out slowly, trying to calm my anxiety. The bed was still made, nothing in this room had been touched since he died. I couldn't bring myself to come in before. I walked in, noting that all of the pictures in this room had been disturbed. I then vaguely remembered coming in once after a night of drinking years ago, wanting to remember what he looked like. I guess I have been in here…
I picked up one that had been tossed to the ground, wiping the dust off to revealing it was of us. I was on his back, smiling while he carried me. I was maybe three in the picture. My heart felt like it was shattering all over again. I found an empty box in his closet, took all of the photos in here and put them away. I guess the pain was still deeply embedded in me. I put the box on a top shelf in the closet, choosing not to take them home. Aurora would find them there...I couldn't deal with her questions just yet.
I decided that if we were going to live here, everything here needed replaced by our current things. Nothing here had good memories. I made two clones and we got to work, sealing everything away in a large scroll to take away. The house was empty in an hour, everything leaving an outline in the dust.
"Maa...looks like I'll need to clean to…" I sighed, making the clones disappear. It would be a job for tomorrow. I had to get rid of the old furniture now, before I let it hurt me.