~Chapter Two~
"No." The elder Uchiha bluntly said.
The young adult nearly gaped at him, but instead shook his headc and followed after his elder uncle.
"What? But, why?"
The white-haired youth's elder uncle faced him, "Do you even know how to take care of a baby? Not only that, it is a Senju. Not an Uchiha."
The young adult's temper flared at the elder's last words. "Uchiha, Senju, so what?! A baby is just a baby, not something to i nor because it is not part of our clan. I'm not going to abandon it," he turned away from his elder uncle. "Besides, Itachi offered to help."
The white-haired youth left the room and the elder sighed, massaging his temples. The elder Uchiha went ove to the table that he had placed his various tools and a blade he hadn't used in ages.
"He is beginning to become a troublesome brat... when will it be time to-"
"Soon... be patient a little longer." Kagenashi silenced the voice in the shadows.
Just a few more months and the centuries of planning can finally move into play...
Back in his bedroom, Yoru found a crib in one corner of his bedroom and the baby dragon fast asleep in it. A mobile was also hanging above the crib, three distinct items he knew belonged to. The crib was obviously Sasori's making, but the small clay bird was Deidara's, the shark bone carving Kisame's and a small Uchiha clan symbal belonged to Itachi. In the middle of those three items was the Senju clan item previously belonged to the baby's dead mother.
He went over to the crib, brushing his fingertips along the wood. Yoru briefly watched the baby sleep before bringing his attention back to the make of the crib and the mobile. So that's why Sasori and Kisame were in a hurry to get rid of me... He smiled softly. Just as he turned away the baby Senju dragon whimpered and sneezed in its sleep. Yoru turned back towards the crib and reached down to the baby dragon, gently petting the top of its head between the ears in a soothing manner.
The baby dragon yawned then curled its paws over its muzzle as it curled a little bit more into a ball. The white-haired youth smiled, crossing his arms against the crib railing as he watched the baby dragon for a moment longer. A knock came at his bedroom door and the youth looked over. Deidara smiled in greeting, holding up two bowls of venison stew.
"I brought dinner, un." Deidara spoke softly, so not to wake the baby dragon.
"Oh, thank you." Yoru said.
Both the blonde Akatsuki and the white-haire young adult moved over to the small table in the room. The two kept their conversation in low voices.
"So, when Sasori and I head out next week," Deidara began, "I'll write a thorough report about your jinchuriki friend and girlfriend." Yoru's face went all red in the cheeks and his voice cracked a little when he tried to deny it, Deidara knew it was true. "Haha, don't worry. I won't say anything to the others about it."
"C-Cousin already knows..." the youth mumbled, meaning Itachi.
Deidara shrugged and grinned, "Thought as much. So, while I'm doing that next week want me to leave anything for her, un?"
Yoru hadn't thought about that part, but it came to him. He stood up and went over to the bedside table, opening the drawer ad pulled out a small cloth bundle. The young adult returned to his unlikely friend in the S-rank rogue group and held it out to the blonde. "Give this to her for me, please?"
The blonde Akatsuki nodded, smiling up at the youth. "Sure thing, kiddo, un."
After they were finished eating, Deidara picked up the two empty bowls and just as he was leaving Yoru spoke up. "Thank you."
"Hm?"
"Your part in the crib. Thank Kisame, Itachi and Sasori for me too."
Deidara smiled, "Sure. Night, un."
The next morning, Yoru woke up to the baby Senju dragon mewling. He tiredly got out of be anbd shuffle towards the crib. Its claws scaped and clacked against the wood, letting out another cry.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Yoru yawned and stretched.
The baby's tail swayed to and fro as it mewled and whined happily up at him, trying to climb out of the crib. The young adult chuckled and picked up the baby and held it in his arms. He bottle fed it and took it outside to play for a bit near the entrance of the Akatsuki base, mostly he wanted himself and the baby to get some fresh air. A little while later, he finally remembered he didn't know if the baby dragon was a boy or girl. Or the fact if the deceased mother had given her baby a name or not. While he walked down the hallway, the baby dragon stumbled about close behind.
Soon, it tripped over its own two front paws and tumbled head over heels to the floor. The baby looked about then let out a distressed wail. Yoru turned sharply around on his heels and found that the baby wasn't behind him anymore. He hurried down the way he came and found the baby laying on the floor. He knelt down and picked up the baby dragon, cradling it in onearm and ruffled the tuff of lilc colored fur on its head. It batte away then snatched his hand with its paws, nipping at his fingers and knuckles.
Yoru smiled and noticed something on its left shoulder. Discoloration of it fur in a recognizible shapes of flower petals of a lily it seemed. A name popped into his head then, but he wasn't certain if it'll go if the baby wasn't a girl. Hesitating for a few moments, he took a breath and quickly checked. Relief washed over his features, glad the name he had though of it perfectly.
"Misaki." He murmured to the baby dragon.
She, Misaki, looked up at the youth curiously then reached up with one paw ad playfully swatted at his nose. Yoru laughed and hugged the baby dragon closely, giving an unexpect paternal purr. Misaki gave a small purr of her own, nuzzling Yoru's cheek as he nuzzled the top of her head.
Maybe being a dad won't be so bad. Kakashi raised me after my parents' deaths and he's never taken care of a kid before... so I can do this, right?
He set Misaki back down, helping steady her first on her paws before letting go. He walked beside her in the baby dragon's pace. Yoru smiled and encouraged her on, praising her for the good job se was doing as she walked and nearly started to scamper off ahead. A few times he caught her when she stumbled and before she hit the floor. The young adult also repeated he name a couple times in a sentence to get her used to her new name.
Just down the hall, the opposite direction of the baby and the youth, Kisame and Itachi heard him talking and saying a name they've never heard before. They looked at each other and finally saw the youth. Kisame called to the youth and got Yoru's attention.
"Yo, kiddo. Who's Misaki?" Kisame asked.
Yoru greeted his older cousin and the blue skinned shark-like shinobi. Misaki sat at the side of Yoru, looking up at her new parent-figure. She let out a whine, paing at the young adult's pant leg. Yoru glanced down then crouched down to pick her up.
"To answer your earlier question, this is Misaki." Yoru smiled at the baby and looked to the two others.
"You finally came up with a name? A little girl don't ya think?" Kisame said.
Itachi glanced at his partner, "I believe that was the purpose of giving such a feminine name. The baby dragon is a girl after all." He said.
"Huh... really?" Kisame rubbed the back of his neck.
Yoru looked at his older cousin, "You already knew she was a girl?"
Itachi nodded and Yoru gave a slight pout. Misaki mewled happily and batted at the long piece of bounded lock of white hair.
About a week later, Deidara and Sasori headed out on their mission Pain assigned them. While Sasori traveled on the ground, the blonde Akatsuki traveled/scouted by air and enjoyed his alone time from the puppet master. He also remembered the draconic youth's gift for the pink-haired shinobi girl, but wasn't sure when he'll next be around the Leaf village. As he was scanning the area below, he caught sight of the said girl and three others, one being the spiky blonde jinchuriki and the two others were unknown to him. The blonde Akatsuki steered his clay bird in that direction.
Below, Sasori noticed the change in his partner's planned destination. Where is that moron going this time...?
Deidara landed his clay bird a little ways away from the four Leaf shinobi, not wanting to attacked on the spot just yet, not until Yoru's gift was given to the girl. After that... he'll run for the hills... or fly. It didn't take him long to find them, but the jounin had already spotted him and he was forced to step out into view from the tree he hid behind. The spiky blonde kid went at him first and Deidara dodged.
"Whao! Hey! I'm not here to fight, un!" the kid SO owes me one after this... Deidara held up his hands in surrender. "Only to bring a messege and a gift to the pretty girl right there... yeah."
The pink-haired girl had a look of disbelief on her face and the blonde spiky haired kid wrinkled his nose, holding up his kunai a little more.
"How do we know you're not lying and this isn't some kind of trick." He demanded.
"Because I have it right here, un." Deidara pulled out the small cloth bundle and held it out.
The pink-haired girl gasped, recognizing the symbol that dangled from the string that tired it closed. Even the blonde spiky-haired jinchuriki even recognized it. The girl rushed past he blonde teammate and the boy tried to grab for her.
"Sakura!"
The girl, Sakura, took the clth bundle and held it close to her chest. She looked up to the blonde Akatsuki with a thankful expression on her face. "Thank you."
Deidara smiled a little, still feeling a bit nervous with the way the jounin stared at him. He rubbed the back of his head. "Any time... I think... un." He then remembered what else he was supposed to say, this was more out of request from Itachi. "Oh, also your friend is doing fine."
"If he's with you, whoever you're speaking about, that makes him a rogue ninja. A criminal." The pale teenage boy with black hair said.
"Um... well..." Deidara stared at the boy not knowing what to actually say there.
"No! Yoru isn't a criminal!" Sakura turned on her heels, looking at her pale-skinned teammate. "He promised he'd be coming back after his training." She shook he head, denying the boy's words as she spoke her own. Remembeing the night the draconic boy promised to her with the kiss.
"Yeah! Yoru's not part of the Akatsuki!" The blonde boy yelled, but then paused. He glanced at the blonde Akatsuki and Deidara piqed at that look. "Right?"
"Ah, r-right... yeah." Deidara said.
The jounin held up his hands to get the two teens to calm down. "Easy, you two." He then looked at the blonde Akatsuki. "If this is true then who are you and how do you know all of this?"
Sakura and the blonde jinchuriki boy were both curious about that too. Deidara fidgetted for a brief moment then cleared his throat. "Because I'm a friend of his too, yeah. He's been in the Akatsuki for a long while now, but he's been training with his geezer uncle. The reason they're both there I'm not even sure of. All I know is that the kid's gonna b with s for a few months and he's heading home. Un" he said. "My name is Deidara, by the way... un."
Sakura blinked, bewildered that their teammate and her love being friends with a member of the Akatsuki. "Sa-Sakura Haruno..." she said.
Deidara smiled, "I know who you are from Yoru. Sometime he mumbles your name in his sleep, un." He laughed. "And you, blondie, we already know through the information we already have."
Sakura blushed and looked done at the small clth bundle she still held onto. Y-Yoru says my name in his...sleep? Naruto crossd his arms and glared at the Akatsuki from he side. "Naruto Uzimaki..." he still introduced himself, though grumbled his name.
"I'm Sai." The pale-skinned shinobi said with a smile.
Deidara staredd at him, That's such a fake smile. He thought to himself.
The jounin sighed, seeing that the young shinobi he was in charge with already started get a bit friendly with the blonde Akatsuki. "Yamato..."
"Misaki! Misaki!" Yoru called the baby dragon's name a couple times.
She popped her head out from under the couch and let out a playful mewl-cry. Kisame laughed and Kakuzu chuckled at the sight of young adult crawling about as he played with his foster baby daughter. Hidan glared from where he sat at the two, still pissed even after two weeks since his fight with the white-haired youth.
"She's so cute! Can Tobi play too? Pretty plea~se!" The orange swirl-masked man begged in a childish voice.
Yoru looked up and grinned, standing up and brushed off his hands. "Sure. Just please be gentle when you play with her, Tobi."
Tobi saluted, "Tobi'll be a good boy and not hurt baby Mi-Mi!" Misaki popped out from under couch near Tobi and nipped at his feet. He laughedvand went after the baby dragon. "Come back, Mi-Mi!"
Misaki had scrambled back under the couch and Yoru watched for a moment. He laughed when Tobi fell over the back of one of the couches when he tried to get the baby dragon. He went into the kitchen to help out Konan with tonight's dinner. She glanced over her shoulder and went back to chopping. "Weren't you plsying with your daughter?"
Yoru shrugged, "I was, but Tobi's playing now."
Konan arched an eyebrow. "Is that wise? If Hi an took the chance to... Tobi seems a little weak compared to the others."
"Itachi's in there with Kisame and Kakuzu, so I doubt Hidan would even try. If he did, I'll deal with him like I did a couple weaks ago." Yoru said, taking a second knife and started to chop away at an onion, celery and carrots. "... once summer comes around, I'll be heading back home with Misaki."
Konan nodded her head once. "Pain already knows this... they'll miss you and the baby."
"Hm?" Yoru looked over to her curiously.
"Itachi and Kisame, Kakuzu and Tobi, everyone... well, I'm not sure about Hidan." Konan put down the knife she was using and looked up to the taller youth. "Even I and Nag- Pain... ever since you came here two and a hal months ago, this place has brightened up... I'll miss that..." she looked down at the cutting board.
Yoru returned to what he was doing, a soft smile on his lips as he closed his eyes. "I've enjoyed my time here with everyone...
Tears started to fall as she cried a little, swearing it was the onion's fault. Yoru pulled her into a side hug to cheer her up.
"You'd be a great little brother to have." Konan sniffled. "And with so little time with Misaki, you're also a great father."
"Itachi and eveyone has helped me and taught me different things. I'm very thankful for the friends I have." A thought then came to him. "Instead of chasing jinchurikis and village secrets... why doesnt Akatsuk return to what it was truly brought together for?" His words startled Konan. She hadn't thought about hat in years since the Third Ninja war.
"I don't think it's even possible to do..." she said.
"Try talking to Leader Pain about it." Yoru suggested.
Konan nodded, wiping away the tears and bith continued dinner preparations. Afterwards, everyone ate in the living room except for Hidan. He had left for his room once he had gotten his plate. Misaki was the first to be fed before the youth ate. Once she had finished off the bottle, Yoru laid he down next to a fast asleep Tobi. If he had a camera, he'd take a picture of the adorable sight. The presednt members of Akatsuki and the young adult dragon talke about various things. About previous incidents that took place during their missions, even concerns about how Yoru's trainig was going. As the rest of the evening went by, the youth was beginning to feel exhaused himself.
He said goodnight to everyone and picked up his sleeping foster daughter. He headed to his room and tucked Misaki into bed, after that he took a shower and went to bed himself. About some time after had fallen asleep, Misaki had woken up and started to cry and woke up her young foster father. Yoru rubbed at his face and slid out of bed, stumbling over to her crib still half asleep. She stood up onto her hind legs, placing her paws on the crib rail and whimpered and whined.
"Sh, sh, I'm here." Yoru yawned, picking her up.
Misaki licked at his cheek and nuzzled underneath his chin. She had woken up from a bad dream and didn't want to be alone. Yoru had sensed this and brught he off to his bed. Laying back down, he turned on his side and pulled the covers over them. Misaki cuddled closer and laid her head on his arm with her paw on either side of he head ad started to fall back asleep. Yoru stroked the fur on her back like if she were a little kitten. The young adult soon fell back to sleep himself once he was sur his baby foster daughter was fast asleep.
Typing all this onto the nook from my notebook is a bit difficult '^^ chapter three is much longer than this so it'll take a while longer. Sorry '^^
The name for the baby dragon was my friend's, ShaoiDurarara!'s, idea :)
