The next week seems to lighten the mood up a little bit in the apartment. There's always chatter, Iruka and Naruto never seem to stop cooking, and Kakashi and Sasuke never seem to stop cleaning; there's always snacks in takeaway boxes that Kakashi brings in from the stores outside, and Sasuke can't seem to put down that book that doesn't have a cover.
"What is that book, Sasuke-kun?" Iruka asks one afternoon, the sun is about to set, when Naruto and Kakashi are out getting Naruto his steps for the day.
Sasuke can't help but grow pink in the cheeks. "Clan Etiquette in Courtship and Marriage for Alphas and Omegas,"
Iruka smiles fondly at him. The teacher can't help but feel old. He'd taught both boys when they were young, and now they're about to have their first child, and Sasuke is preparing for another big step in their lives. "Well, if you ask me," he says, patting Sasuke's shoulder. "So far, you've been an upstanding clan child,"
"You've read this?"
"Yes," Iruka takes a seat beside him. "But only after like, five years after we'd gotten married. I didn't even know there was such a book. I'd only been loitering in the library looking for a book to pass the time. Don't worry, so far you've done leagues better than Kakashi when we decided to date,"
He's… done better than Kakashi?
"Sasuke-kun, Kakashi is… indifferent. I'm sure he knows there is such a book that will teach him the ways and traditions of a clan. I'm sure, many others have had their mates chosen for them from when they were children, or the family head dictating what an alpha child should or shouldn't do with their chosen omega, or the omega chosen for them. And I'm sure he knows that as a Clan Head he is supposed to behave a certain way, but he doesn't care,"
Iruka pauses pensively.
"That doesn't mean he doesn't respect it, though! He asked me to date him because he liked me, and I liked him back. There was no courtship of meek holding hands, going out dressed well on dates to purposefully let the public know that Clan Head Jounin Hatake is in the middle of a courtship with Academy Teacher Chuunin Umino. Though to be fair, after we'd gone out dressed down and had dinner at one of the better restaurants, a lot of alphas seemed to back down,"
"Back down?"
"Oh, well, you know how omegas tend to attract unwanted attention. Some alphas don't know when to take a hint. Thankfully, Kakashi looming over me sent them away,"
"Does that happen to Naruto?"
"Well, unfortunately, yes, especially when he was younger and dressed down without his hitai-ate and they don't notice or know he's a shinobi. Naruto doesn't like it when someone comes up to him to proposition him. It was common but not as invasive anymore since Kakashi still postures over for us,"
But they're still verbally abusive, Sasuke thinks. They're discriminatory against him, like his purity is more important than the years of service he gave to this village they live in.
"I guess what I'm saying is that, it's not that your traditions as dignified clans are unimportant, but you don't have to try so hard, Sasuke-kun," Iruka pats his shoulder. "Kakashi is a little bit," he looks for the right word. "Offhanded? Casual? About it. But I do understand your sentiments. You are proud of your clan, and there's something so… regal about reestablishing such tradition, especially your clan, which was once great in its number, power, and reputation,"
Sasuke nods. "But there are many things I disagree with in this book,"
Iruka nods back. "It's… a little bit sexist and controlling if you ask me, but as clan head, it's your job to always make sure your clan is in line, to always be doing the best for the clan, even if its morals are questionable. To always make sure that your code of conduct and discipline is instilled into the people marrying into your clan, and make sure that they instill it to the children who will one day also lead. There are many things you should oversee, not just in your own family, but the family of others, especially if it means their safety,"
Maybe Iruka understands this clan head thing better than he does.
"But that doesn't mean that you must be a harsh or cruel head, Sasuke-kun. You have Naruto-kun to help you lead,"
Sasuke looks down on the book he's holding. "There's… not much to lead, Iruka-san,"
"There will be, in time," says Iruka gently. "It will be up to your grandchildren to grow the branches. Your job now, which you're doing wonderfully, mind you, is to love and support your mate; plant seeds, pardon the double entendre, and grow those roots deep, thick, and strong, to support the great tree that will one day stand unyielding from the ground,"
Iruka's words are so flowery, Sasuke doesn't even know if the tree he says they're trying to plant will even be sturdy enough to reach the sky like he dreams it one day would. "I will try,"
"Besides, I think, even if Naruto doesn't know that you're following clan conduct, he'll very much appreciate being wooed and spoiled by you," Iruka smiles at him.
"On the contrary," says Sasuke, "It is he who spoils me. From the start. With attention and love, which he still gives freely without expecting anything in return,"
"Naruto-kun is so full of love, yes, and I'm very happy to be loved by him. We're very lucky to have his love,"
Sasuke agrees. He's has received so much love he doesn't deserve.
"Baa-chan says a ten minute walk is fine," says Naruto as he and Kakashi make their way to the street the apartment is on, three minutes into their walk. He's holding onto Kakahi's elbow to keep his teacher at pace with him, and to stay close should be trip over something. He's also wearing the band to make sure he doesn't tire himself out too fast. "Sorry about walking so slow, sensei,"
"It's kinda relaxing, I admit," says Kakashi, thinking that the slow pace is actually letting him breathe in the sights and sounds of the civilian surroundings. Then he gets pulled to a nearby shop that sells nikuman.
"Naruto-kun!" greets the shopkeeper, a middle aged man who is probably some years older than Kakashi, welcomes them. "Why are you dragging Hatake-sama into the shop?"
Ah yes, when word has gotten around that Kakashi will replace Tsunade as hokage, suddenly everybody knows his name.
"Maeda-san!" Naruto greets back, ignoring the way the shopkeeper's eyes linger on the casual and intimate way he's holding onto the future hokage. He always picks up some buns here in the morning when Sasuke is out. "He's my sensei!"
Kakashi hasn't been Naruto's teacher in a while, but it still warms his heart to be called such, especially when Naruto's proud to say it. But the warmth he feels is wrestling with the cold hostility he's feeling toward the shopkeeper, whose eyes are lingering on Naruto's hand on his elbow.
Maeda hums as an answer. "Well, what will it be today?"
"Four regular pork buns please,"
"Four? You'll finish all four?" Kakashi looks at him. He knows Naruto won't be able to finish even one bun. Sasuke is already doing extra training to burn off everything he eats that Naruto can't.
"Of course not!" Naruto huffs as he reaches for his frog-shaped wallet. "One for me, Sasuke, you, and Iruka-sensei! Sensei, you're being mean insinuating I'm going to be a piggy and eat all of it," he pouts at his recently turned legal father.
Kakashi flinches, realizing his made an omega with a delicate pregnancy upset. "Maa, Naruto-kun, no need to accuse me like that, I was just asking,"
"M'gonna tell Iruka-sensei you're being mean," Naruto pays the shopkeeper and takes the bag of buns. "Thanks, Maeda-san,"
"Now, now, no need to be so hasty," Kakashi keeps pretending on being the bullied alpha for Naruto, but glares at the shopkeeper.
Maeda flinches back. "Come back soon!"
Kakashi won't come back. Before he decides to abuse the power the hat will give him and make sure this shop will never get any more customers when he accedes, he follows Naruto out of the store. "Those are some good looking buns, though,"
Naruto tuts, taking Kakashi's arm again. "Sensei, we're in public; that's very inappropriate," he whispers.
The jounin sighs. "Okay, now you're just making fun of me,"
"Hai, Papa-san!" Naruto grins. "Do you want your bun?" he offers the bag.
"Maybe when we get back. That'll be nice with some tea,"
"Oh, I'm going to get that green tea Sasuke likes. We're almost out of the nice one. I buy them repacked because the whole bag is too expensive. Sasuke doesn't have it often anyway," Naruto again guides Kakashi into another shop. "Inoue-san are you in?" Naruto calls.
"Naruto-kun, is that you?" an elderly voice comes from the back of the shop.
Kakashi looks around, sees that the shop specializes in teas. He should probably bring Iruka here.
"Hai!" Naruto answers.
An old man probably in his mid-sixties comes emerges from a curtain covered doorway. "Ah! Kore wa Hatake-sama ka?" Oh! Is this Hatake-sama? "What an honor to be visited by the next hokage! Naruto-kun! What are you doing dragging Hatake-sama around like that? Be polite!"
Naruto snickers. "Inoue-san, I told you, remember? He's my sensei!"
"Ah, right. How lovely, Hatake-sama. To still be so close to your students!"
"Well, Naruto knows how to make a mark," says Kakashi. At least there are some people who don't show their disgust to Naruto's face.
"He does, doesn't he? How may I help you?"
"May I have 25 grams of that nice green tea I get?"
"Of course! I've already got that repacked for you," he reaches under the counter, and puts the pack on the counter for him to see. "Your mate already out of tea?"
"Not yet but he's got probably just one more cup out of it. Oh, and 250 grams of the oolong, sencha, and of mugicha please," Naruto looks up at Kakashi. "Do you have any tea you like?"
"That's a lot of tea," Kakashi comments, watching the shopkeeper work. "But no, oolong and sencha are just fine,"
"We brew oolong most and stock it in the fridge to keep it cool, sencha whenever, and Sasuke likes the mugicha because it's bitter, so I brew that for him, too, sometimes when he's not in the mood for green tea—ah, thank you," Naruto hands over his payment.
Kakashi takes the shopping bag from the counter before Naruto can grab it.
"See you around, Naruto-kun. Be careful," says the shopkeeper as he drops the change into Naruto's waiting hand.
"Thank you!"
"Future-Hokage-sama please take care of your precious student," he bows.
"I will," Kakashi gives him a nod and decides to spare this elderly civilian from a glare.
Naruto turns back to Kakashi, holding again onto his elbow as they walk out. "Sasuke likes the regular green tea I make for him, but he also does the fancy frothy one that's too bitter. He never really liked sweet things,"
"Then how come there's always dango sticks around in your bin?"
Naruto pouts. "There aren't that many! Sasuke buys them! He doesn't eat them, but I eat a stick at ten and three when he gives them to me!"
"Right, right," Kakashi teases.
"I'm not fat!"
"I didn't say anything, Naruto-kun," Kakashi says in a sing song voice.
Naruto huffs but continues walking. After a while, they stop. "Can we sit?" he asks, pulling Kakashi away from the road and into the small plaza covered with trees. "I'm getting a little tired,"
Kakashi eases Naruto down on a bench, then takes the space beside him to sit and sets the bag of teas down beside him. He sends a bunshin off ahead of them to let their mates know they're resting in the park.
"Ne, sensei," Naruto says after a while, staring blankly at the empty plaza lit by tall lamp posts. He musters up the courage to speak the words that weigh heavily on his heart.
"Hm?" Kakashi looks over at his child. A breeze blows, rustling the leaves billowing Naruto's bright hair in the dusk light. He looks so much like Minato now that he refuses to cut his hair back into what he had as an active shinobi.
"Are you disappointed in me?"
Kakashi is not ready for a conversation like this. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"
"I'm not… a good omega,"
"And what, pray tell, makes a good omega?"
Naruto bites his lip. The thorned chain that wraps these thoughts around his heart and mind becomes heavier, thorns digging deeper, chains pulling himself down further into the dark abyss of the despair caused by the whispers around him.
Obedient, he wants to say, because both Iruka and Kakashi told him to be safe from Sasuke, but he didn't listen. Pure and untouched, because he's pregnant without a bite, unmated and unmarried. Pretty and agreeable, and he's neither of that. Healthy and capable of birthing children, yet he can't seem to stay away from the hospital when he's jumping from one issue to the next.
What if it's not able to birth this child? Would Sasuke leave him?
But Naruto finds himself scoffing. "Not me,"
"You know that's not true,"
He shrugs. He hears whispers of derogatory words in his ear. What a slut. A demon. "I'm sorry, for bringing you shame, sensei,"
"You didn't—"
Kakashi's cut off by the smile Naruto gives him, lines crinkling the boy's eyes.
"Sorry, didn't mean for it to get sad like that. Let's go home?" The chains tug harder. He wants to go home and cry in the shower. He doesn't want Kakashi to look at him like that. "They must be worried. It's been half an hour,"
It pains Kakashi how fast that blank, hurt stare washes away in a blink of an eye, replaced by Naruto's signature blinding smile. Naruto should never have to hide pain like that. "Naruto."
"Huh?"
Kakashi pulls him into a hug. "I'm proud of you. We're so proud of you. You could never bring us shame. But you don't have to be so strong all the time. Let us be there for you. Let us carry you burdens with you. We're family and we love each other, right?"
Naruto leans into the embrace. The chains aren't as heavy anymore.
"I don't want you going back to the nikuman shop again,"
This time, Naruto listens and obeys. "Hai,"
"We got you nikuman!" Naruto says cheerily when they return.
He sets the bag down on the table, and Kakashi pulls his mask down and puts away the loose tea in the cupboards.
"I'll go take a shower and a nap,"
Naruto moves to head to the master bedroom, and Kakashi doesn't let Sasuke or Iruka say anything or follow Naruto until they hear the ensuite bathroom lock shut.
"Sasuke," Sasuke is surprised by the seriousness of his voice, when he's usually carefree and melodic, "Never return to the nikuman shop down the street again. If Naruto wants nikuman, get it from another shop. You, too, Iruka. If I have to buy him a mixer to make his own buns, I will,"
"Did something happen?" Iruka asks with some caution.
"I don't like the way the shopkeeper looked at him,"
Naruto cries in the shower.
The names I give for villagers come from the list of the most common names in Japan. The nice tea seller, Inoue, I named after Inoue Kazuhiko-san, the seiyuu for Kakashi-papa.
I'm sorry for doing this to Naruto. I've had a thirst for angst and then some things happened and I took it out on our Naru-mama. Don't worry, some nice things will happen in the next chapter!