"Kakashiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-chan!" Naruto shouted, running towards the owner of that particular nickname. Gaara quietly stood next to Alice, his hand in hers. So was the ritual of every night, and every night Kakashi came without fail to their forest home to have dinner and help Gaara to sleep. Alice no longer worried what Naruto would say to Kakashi, for he had heard it all from him without visible reaction, and neither did he seem to mind Naruto's constant physical attacks. He was even heard to laugh as Naruto swung wildly from his arms. Gaara's hand tightened as it always did when Kakashi approached, but it was never out of fear. Rather, as Alice had come to learn, it was out of excitement. He would come forward and pull at Kakashi's clothing, and Kakashi would pick him up effortlessly. Then he'd whirl about with two 6 year olds in his arms, as Naruto screamed in helpless laughter with Gaara's quieter chuckles mixing together in the cool evening air. Alice would smile, and bow politely to Kakashi. And the days passed, on and on.
♥ ♥ ♥
"You know this is very unusual." said the Hokage to her on one of her reports to him. She had wished to thank him and Kakashi through the Hokage for the special jutsu for Gaara. She had already thanked Kakashi in person herself of course, but she knew a glowing speech in the young ninja's favor could do no harm. "Kakashi, while extremely powerful, has a noted lack of stamina. That he should be so willing to expend his energies on this particular cause can only mean he has a deep attachment to the cause or to...something else." The Hokage looked meaningfully at Alice, and she nodded quickly, her head down to hide the fire in her cheeks.
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So one day she asked Kakashi-san, in a perfectly normal way, what his special interest in Gaara was. His eyebrows lifted in surprise, and Alice found herself fascinated with the fact that so little of this man's face could be seen and yet still his eyes displayed all emotions. To be sure, he rarely seemed shocked by anything, and Alice knew she had not done something rude, nor did he seem offended. His expression softened, and underneath his mask the faint imprint of a smile grew. "I find it admirable to devote yourself to these children. It is nothing for me to do something so simple, and your cooking is so good I simply cannot go back to my own." Alice looked down at this, saying the appropriate reply of 'Oh no, it's really not good...' while he continued on his path of politeness, but Alice had her mind on other things. Fortunately Naruto came to interrupt her thoughts.
"OKA-CHAN! Guess what, guess what!" He screamed breathed, his panting almost drowning out his own words. Alice put her hands gently at his shoulders, and stopped him. Making sure he wouldn't collapse, she looked into his flushed face.
"What is it Naruto?" she said, curious as to what made him so anxious, rather than excited. Naruto was not known for his emotional restraint, especially in the area of excitement.
"Gaara and I finally finished it! It's done!!! Come see it!" he said, attempting to pull her to her feet. Kakashi rose, and took Alice's hand, raising her with effortless grace. He did not however, hold on to her hand and they set off deeper into the woods, Naruto calling Gaara and screaming with delight all the while. They finally reached an area that was mildly clear of trees, and a ladder descended from above. Both adult's eyes followed the ladder upwards, to see dark rimmed eyes peering out of a tree. Or rather, tree house. It was rather large, and in fact, it spread across several trees, bridges winding and connecting structures like a miniature village.
Alice gasped in delight and wonder. "Boys...how on earth did you make this?" she questioned. Gaara smiled shyly, and Naruto grinned his devil grin.
"Well Oka-chan...Gaara made the wood planks with his sand. And well...the climbing and the work...hehe." Alice suddenly realized what Naruto had been up to when he came back so late. She smacked her forehead and let out a sigh.
"Naruto...did you steal the equipment?" she asked, mentally hoping it had only been nails and hammer. She'd have to find the people he'd stolen from, pay them back, and get Naruto to apol...
"No no Oka-chan! I don't steal! Kakashinii-chan helped me!" Naruto said with earnest, his eyes wide and honest. Alice's gaze slid to Kakashi, her eyes slightly narrowed.
"You knew about this?" she growled.
A blush rose beyond the mask, and a sheepish grin grew underneath it.
♥ ♥ ♥
Alice was not truly angered with the boys, just a little overwhelmed by their stealth and cleverness. As any mother with her children, she imagined the future troubles her boys could get into. Especially when a highly capable older ninja decided to assist them. However, as she sat with her head in her hands in the tree house, she couldn't be angry. It was lovely up here, and she couldn't help but wonder if Naruto had been thinking of the future children without homes who would come and stay with Alice. She smiled to herself, and then laughed as she felt two heads nuzzle into her arms. It was the final summer before the spring when they would begin their schooling. The boys had been running up and through the forest in the dark evening, chasing and catching fireflies, while Alice listened to the noises of the night. They presented her a jar so full of the fireflies that it glowed like a lantern. The sat by her then, eating their ice-cream and listening to the sounds of the forest in the night air.
Alice's only wish was nothing would change.
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Yet time passed, the fall beautiful and warm, Alice deciding to initiate Halloween with the boys, and the time slipped by like wind, and Alice's dread grew each night as she put her boys in bed, their stomachs full of pumpkin seeds, and heads full of only slightly spooky ghosts. The mild winter came, driving Alice mad with the desire to see and touch and taste snow. Her desire was granted briefly on Christmas morning, which she had also initiated. Her boys didn't know which to be more delighted with - the snow or the presents. It didn't matter, both were simple and pure. On Valentine's she gave them homemade chocolates she had made, telling them that on White Day, a simple kiss and hug would suffice as a returning gift. They of course, gave these affections to her on the appointed day, but added Valentine's hearts made of the natural material of the woods to their present. Alice wondered at how they made these beautiful creations by themselves.
School came, like a laughing fool, on April 1st.
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Alice fussed with Naruto's hair, not really knowing what she was trying to accomplish, since the blonde locks already naturally arranged themselves very nicely. He sat still for once, humming something he had once heard somewhere, content. Alice watched as Gaara brushed his own hair, without haste or mistake. His eyes had not lost their raccoon markings to his new sleep, but he was beautiful, and radiated quiet happiness. It was sad, but very true to say that her boys were leaving her.
As she kissed them goodbye, handed them their little bentos, no tears did she wipe away from her eyes. She smiled, as Naruto shouted his ecstatic goodbye, and Gaara quietly waved. She wondered what on earth would occupy her time.
♥ ♥ ♥
"O...KA-CHAN!" shouted Naruto, his feet beating steadily against the forest ground as he ran towards home. Gaara followed a slower pace, not rushing in the cool spring afternoon. Naruto nearly crashed into her as he came to a stop, and as both Alice and Naruto regained their balance, Gaara somehow managed to catch up. Naruto's mouth soon opened and a whole wealth of information poured from his lips. He would every-so-often look to Gaara for agreement, who would nod quickly. Gaara did mention, 'Sensei is very nice oka-chan." Then they both jumped into her arms, and hugged her so that she couldn't breathe. She kissed their faces until her lips were dry, happy in the fact that her children were also happy.
♥ ♥ ♥
Both worked on their studies with diligence, though Naruto took longer in his learning because he was often distracted. Yet Alice was worried, for the whispers about her boys grew stronger now, and she heard the people as she ventured into town. Alice knew her boys were clever, and knew they would notice the stares and whispers. She only hoped that the children and teachers of the school would not mimic their parents in their behavior.
And yet they did.
Naruto acted out against the treatment with pranks and misbehavior, and his grades suffered with it. He ran with the troublemakers of the class, kind boys...yet not totally dedicated to their work. Alice neither yelled at him nor showed her fears to him, knowing that these days would come, and Naruto would overcome them in his own way. Gaara, while not showing a direct involvement with the pranks, often would accept the role of a lookout, yet in class remained totally silent. He only dared to speak at home, yet Naruto never abandoned him. As Naruto had said himself, the two were brothers. The two supported each other; they studied, ate, played, thought, and acted together. And so the small family formed a world of strength that could not be broken from the outside. So they continued to live with happiness.
Then the prophecy of the Uchiha family was fulfilled.
♥ ♥ ♥
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Notes for the Reader
• In Japan on Valentine's Day, girls will give the important males in their lives candy, and homemade chocolate is very popular to make and give. The males include their fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, close friends and of course their crushes. If the affections are returned by the male, on White Day (March 14th) the male will give the girl some kind of gift. So of course fathers and brothers must and will give a gift, but the important gift (and the moment the girl is anticipating) is the one her crush may or may not give.
• Please review!