Chapter Twelve: Hashirama's Healing
Kukikio had been looking out for Hashirama and Tobirama, since they had been hired to take the scroll that she was delivering to Wind Country. Some noble wanting to make an alliance with another.
Her plan had worked, so far. It helped that Tobirama didn't know he couldn't sense. So they were following one of her clones, it would annoy the little shit. It had annoyed Neji during the fourth war. Since he wasn't able to keep track of her, and she had almost gotten herself killed because of it.
It would take a few hours to catch up to her, at least she hoped it would. But there was something wrong with her seal, the man had paid her the full amount up front. So Kukikio had a funny feeling that something was going to go wrong, something always went wrong with her missions. Warring era or not.
Looking at the scroll in her hands, her eyes widened. Landing she threw the thing away from her, but it was too late. The symbol was already a bright red.
She had been used to get rid of Tobirama and Hashirama, the two Senju heirs. So that meant someone would be after Itama, why wouldn't they use an orphan. Who was going to miss her?
"Kukikio!" Hashirama shouted as wood covered her form, covering most of her body from the blast. Which would have taken half of her arm off otherwise.
"A trap," Tobirama growled as he looked at the form on the ground. She was the reason some shinobi thought he was cross-dressing, the only thing they shared was colouring, but he knew that was enough for idiots to think he had killed one of their loved ones.
"Tobirama, go back and tell father," Hashirama told his brother, his back straight and voice firm. He wasn't going to let Tobirama fight with him, not when his friend's life was in danger.
Wood shield or not, he wasn't fast enough to stop the injury to her head and it looked like it was bleeding pretty badly.
"Went off near my head," Kukikio told him, once Tobirama was gone. She would have to be careful from now on, so that someone didn't try killing her, to get to her friends.
"Don't worry," Hashirama told her, picking her up. He was going to have to move her, so his father didn't try killing her or force her to join the Senju clan. "You'll be safe. Tobirama thinks you're dead."
"Good."
"I won't hurt you. You and Madara are my friends. I'll keep you safe, always."
-Snow-
When Kukikio opened her eyes, something just felt off to her. Lifting her arm, it felt like the day before didn't happen. That her client hadn't been using her to kill off her friend; and his little rat of a brother, not only that. But when she looked at her arm, it was bare, like the blanket was the only thing covering her bare body.
Pushing herself up, she wasn't wearing anything. Hashirama was sleeping at the other side of the cave. He had seen her naked body, well, at least she didn't have to worry about him walking on her during a bath. He had already seen everything, she guessed.
"I'm going to kill that bastard," she growled, pushing herself up, it wouldn't do if the idiot died healing her. She didn't know how she would tell that to Itama, little brother or not, she didn't think he would forgive her. "Such an idiot."
"Kukikio," Hashirama said opening his eyes, before turning bright red and pointing to cloth in the middle of the wooden room, where a bundle of cloth rested. A black cloud hovering over his head, she guessed some things never changed.
"You're still the same," Kukikio told him, pulling the thick shirt over her heart, pulling on the dark blue pants. She was glad he didn't give her his clothes, his fashion sense was still horrible to look at. Better then Guy and Lee, but Kukikio knew that wasn't hurt. "What a way to start spring. I don't think my teacher's going to be impressed."
"They tried to kill you," Hashirama muttered, his eyes growing dark enough that she could barely see his pupil. He wanted peace so he wouldn't lose another friend, another brother. And he had almost lost Kukikio, he was just glad that he remembered her little trick with her clones, or else he would have been too late.
"I think they were aiming to kill you and the white rabbit," Kukikio told him, humor clear in her voice. "Hashirama, you can't protect everyone. You need to trust me, k? Sometimes, I might be badly injured. But I promise I won't kick the bucket."
"Promise?"
"Till my hair starts to fall out, I'd say till I'm old and grey, but my hairs already white."
Hashiama looked at her with large eyes, before Kukikio knew what was happening. He had pulled her into a hug, tears going down his checks. She might not know what was going through his head, but she was glad that he was still able to cry.
Crying didn't make a man weak, it just meant he knew when enough was enough. Kukikio was proud of Hashirama, even if he was almost breaking her ribs. Hugging him back, she felt tears go down her face.
She wasn't going to watch someone else blame themselves for something out of their control. She had seen Sai blame himself for his brothers and Ino's deaths and that was enough to break her heart. She didn't want that to happen to Hashirama, he was too cheerful, a ray of light in a storm.
Hashirama blinked when Kukikio hugged him back, he didn't know if she liked physical contact. Since she avoided it just as much as Madara did, they were similar in that sense. Doing something for him, even if it caused them discomfort, but at the same time, Tobirama had told him that he hugged to much. Itama loved, but he guessed that might be the reason Kukikio and Madara avoided it.
"Tobirama isn't a rabbit," he told her.
"You're right. More like a snow leopard."
"You and Tobirama are snow leopards then," Hashirama told her, Kukikio smiling before slapping the back of his head. She was glad that the goof ball was back. "Itama -"
"Would be my cub, now how is he?"
"He's getting stronger."
"You make that sound like a bad thing."
"Father's sending him on more missions."
"He's always been more of a healer then a fighter, why doesn't he sent him to the Uzumaki's?" Kukikio knew that Itama was getting stronger, she was the one who kidnapped him to make sure he could sent up to her clone. Anyone would a dimwit now to notice his growing skill set. "I've been teaching him what I know about sealing, but he'll improve more under someone who knows what they're doing. If that doesn't work, Medics are always needed."
"Medics aren't sent on missions."
"I thought that was the point."
"I'll talk to father."
"Make sure snowy's on your side."
"Tobirama loved Itama."
"I do not doubt that. Idiot."
Hashirama pulled his knees to his chest, the black cloud was back and Kukikio removed herself from his arms. She didn't know if she wanted him to change.
He was fine the way he was, mood swings and all. Through she wouldn't mind if he stopped muttering to himself, something about being out all night and Tobirama yelling at him.
"Come on, dimwit," Kukikio told him, pulling him back onto his feet. "You best get going, I'll be fine, but I have a feeling that Tobirama and Itama are worried about you. Must not give your family, more reasons to scream to you."
