Chapter Nine
Jōnin – Part Two
Hanabi – 17-18
Konohamaru – 19
While the trip back was somber, it was also quicker than expected. The 20-day trip was cut down to just 14 days, and they were all glad to be home. It was tough motivating themselves to go report in to Kakashi with how dead tired and emotionally exhausted they all were.
Hanabi was probably experiencing the worst of it, though. Whenever Konohamaru stopped to check in with her and make sure she was alright, she always lied through her teeth.
Yes, of course. Just dealing with the fact I took several lives and am having a crisis over my identity as heiress. Just peachy.
She didn't mean to snap at him when he asked her, he was just being considerate of her, she knew. She felt guilty she wasn't returning the favor, checking in on his wound or how the trip had affected him. He was the one who got stabbed, after all. And he had to watch her beat the life out of several people they had never gotten to find out whether were shinobi or simple bandits, as they were under orders to avoid crossing through the Rock again. Whether he had killed anyone during the fight, she wasn't sure, she had been so wrapped up in her own vengeance.
At one point during the trip back, she volunteered to take watch by herself, claiming she needed time to think by herself. Konohamaru had put up some resistance, but they were close enough to home she was able to convince him to let her be alone. The first hour was silent as she sat next to a brook, staring at her reflection under the moonlight. It should have been a gentle, serene scene. The soft sound of water splashing as it travelled, the gleam on damp leaves, the light breeze that, despite it being winter, didn't feel so frigid as it might on some other nights. Perhaps she was craving that numbness, and it wasn't affecting her like it normally did. She'd never been a cold weather girl, but for now, it was comforting.
As she looked at her reflection, she frowned, a deep, ugly frown that she knew Natsu would scold her for letting take over her features. If she looked too hard, she could swear she was already developing wrinkles in her forehead from raising her eyebrows too often, another thing Natsu chided her for. She wasn't one to be very concerned about her appearance, everyone around her worried about that for her. But right now, she didn't want to be attractive. She didn't admire the person staring back at her, not in the slightest.
"Killer…" she whispered with a scowl. "You're a killer."
She shot to her feet when she heard crunching behind her. She had gotten a bit lazy with her byakugan, she probably should have had it activated the entire time she was keeping watch. She relaxed briefly when Konohamaru came into sight, sighing before shooting him an irritated look. Quietly, he asked "is that what's been on your mind?"
"Konohamaru…" she whispered, turning away from him. "I don't want to talk about it…"
"You saved me," he pressed, drawing closer to her. "They were trying to kill us and take you. We had no choice."
Hanabi didn't respond, simply pressed her lips in a grim line as he situated himself next to her. She looked up briefly as he stared down at the brook, mirroring their likeness back at them. Finally, she let out a shaky breath, resting on the ground atop her knees. He joined her, sitting lotus. She twisted her hands together, pulling the muscles apart as she debated how to proceed. With effort, she forced herself to speak, "I'm scared of myself."
She watched his reflection in the water as he considered those words, looking thoughtful for a moment before responding, "I would be, too. But it's okay to feel that way, sometimes."
"How?"
"It means you're not the monster you think you are."
She stopped herself from snickering out of instinct. When did this boy become articulate? "But sometimes I feel like…I lose control. I lose control and just…"
"Instinct takes over," he helped with a shrug. "That's natural. Fight or flight, right? You fight."
"But…but I did it to you, and I did it again to those guys…and that woman…she was a Hyūga." To this, he remained silent, keen to hear what she might reveal. She had to get it off her chest. "Her eyes were stolen, and they exiled her. My clan. She already suffered having her eyes stolen and they didn't even help her…they just sent her away to avoid shame. That…that's in my blood. That's who I am—"
"No," he cut her off quickly, completely turning his body to face her, hand resting next to her on the ground. "No it's not. It doesn't have to be."
"But it does!" She cursed herself for raising her voice, instantly lowering it. "It does. Hyūga are monsters, Konohamaru."
"What about your sister?" He threw her off guard, causing her to go silent. "Do you think she's a monster?"
With a sigh, she hung her head, whispering, "no. My sister's the opposite of a monster."
"But by your logic, she has to be a monster."
"I get it," she conceded, wrapping her arms around her middle. "But what if I can't control that side of me? What if I just turn into my father? Cold and cruel…"
"I won't let you." His voice was soft and it make her skin tingle. She didn't look up as he scooted closer. "You can change things, you know."
"I can't…"
"I know you can." She pursed her lips when she felt his index finger and thumb envelope her chin, lifting her head so she had to face him. She was surprised to find a little smile on his lips. "You're so much greater than you think, Hanabi. I hate seeing you beat up on yourself."
"Do you ever feel that way, though?" she asked weakly, feeling selfish hoping he would say yes.
"Scared?" he inquired, carefully pulling his hand back as she nodded. "Well, yeah. Of course, I do. Everyone does. Seeing Moegi at knifepoint…" He trailed his eyes away briefly before looking back at hers, eyes a bit darker. "I was ready to put every single one of those guys in the ground."
"Understandably." She reached out to brush her fingers against the hand resting on his knee. "You care deeply about your friends. It doesn't surprise me you'd feel that way."
"But it's scary how much I feel it," he admitted, his eyes now dropping, "it's like you said…but," he continued as he raised back up to look at her, turning the hand she was touching over so that their palms were against each other, "I still stand by what I said. It means we're not the monsters we sometimes feel like."
The moment felt longer than it actually was. His thoughtful words swirled in her head, and she was surprised by how comforting they were. She wondered how he got so good at this. Maybe it was Naruto, Hinata always gushed about how he could cheer anyone up, even when they were on the brink of despair. Hanabi wished she could indulge in his words all of the time.
It felt magnetic, how they both seemed to be drawn together, fingers gently interlacing. Their faces were mere centimeters away, begging to connect when the sound of the earth crunching underneath feet behind them ripped them apart.
"I heard yelling?" Udon asked tiredly as he rubbed at his eyes, approaching the duo without his glasses.
If he had them on, he would have witnessed the sight of two teenagers, red from their ears to their necks, scrambling to put distance between themselves.
Damnit, Udon.
Kakashi had congratulated them on a job well done when they arrived home so early. He informed them that they would progress to the next steps soon, but for now, to go rest. She had asked to be left alone with him when the rest of the team tried to wait for her. Once they were by themselves, she struggled to find her words.
"Lord Sixth…did you know?" she asked vaguely, causing the masked man to perk an eyebrow. "About…the woman there…"
"The Hyūga," he finished for her, eyes never leaving hers.
"Why didn't you…" She hated how hesitant she was being. Normally, it was easy for her to demand information. This felt so heavy now.
"Tell you? I didn't think it was necessary," he said, casually leaning back in his seat. "It wasn't relevant to the mission."
"Right, but—" She looked him in the eye as she stepped forward. "—so you must know about her exile. How can my clan just send Leaf shinobi away?"
Kakashi shrugged and it irked her how aloof he could be. "As I'm sure you're aware, or will become aware as the heiress, it's part of our agreement. The Leaf does not interfere with Hyūga business."
"You're the Hokage, though. Doesn't that supersede any stupid agreement?" she asked doubtfully.
He seemed to mull over her words before responding. "Unfortunately, no. The agreement goes back to the original founding of the Leaf. It hasn't been changed since." She almost missed the way his eyes flashed over hers. "No past leader has felt the need to amend it."
The words struck her. Was he trying to hint at something? "Lord Sixth, what are you trying to say?"
"Nothing at all." He hummed, calmly turning his seat to stand up. He rested a hand on his stomach as he waved at her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm feeling famished." She turned her body to follow his path, baffled by the fact he just seemed to leave her standing in the middle of his office.
Her head felt too full right now. With a sigh, she exited shortly after him. She nearly jumped when Konohamaru appeared in front of her. "Jeeze, Konohamaru! How are you so damn silent?"
His puzzled look down at her made something inside her feel warm. He was cute. Wordlessly, he pointed at his Leaf shinobi headband with raised eyebrows. She let a little laugh slip at it. He smirked down at her and folded his arms, joining her down the stairs. "Thought I'd just check to make sure you were alright."
"Don't you want to rest?" she asked, tilting her head at him. He shrugged. She bit her lips together briefly as she looked out one of the windows towards the neighborhood where her sister was now living. "Do you…want to come with me, to my sister and Naruto's?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." He offered her a warm smile and she wasn't sure she liked the way it made her heart flutter.
Within moments, they were greeted by Hinata and Boruto. Boruto, nearly three now, locked her legs in a tight squeeze as he greeted her, "sissy!"
"Hey, buddy," she responded wearily, patting the top of his blond head, his grip unrelenting as Hinata leaned over to embrace her.
"No hug for big bro?" Konohamaru jested lightly, which Boruto seemed to ignore. Hanabi did give him a smile, though.
"Naruto will be home in a few hours. Let me make you two something to eat," Hinata offered kindly as they settled in.
Despite her nerves and exhaustion, Hanabi gave Boruto her time and relented to playing with him on the ground with his blocks. Konohamaru seemed to fall asleep the instant he hit the couch, so she chose not to disturb him, in spite of her fatigue as well. When her sister came out with little sandwiches, she giggled at Konohamaru's sleeping form and offered to take Boruto and Himawari out so Hanabi could get a nap in as well.
She couldn't complain. Hinata packed up Boruto and Himawari and set off for a walk, and Hanabi scarfed down the food. They had been eating rations for the most part unless they stopped through a village, so it was welcome in her gut. As a team, they agreed not to stop for too long, all more than ready to be home sooner rather than later. Shortly after, she situated herself with her back against the bottom of the couch and let her head rest near Konohamaru's arm, though not touching it, and allowed sleep to take her.
They awoke to Naruto's boisterous voice ringing through the living space. Hanabi opened her eyes to find Konohamaru's already open and staring down at her with what seemed to be a blush. She wasn't sure how often she saw him blush—definitely not as often as he had her blushing. She glanced around with a frown, "what? What is it?" She followed his eyes as they trailed downward and she looked down as well, then gasped when she found her robe had loosened, exposing more of herself than she cared to. "PERVERT!" she shouted as she yanked it back closed, tearing away from him.
"What? I wasn't—I didn't—" he stuttered, looking back up at her with panicked eyes. She rolled her own and got to her feet, stomping away as she felt her entire body heat up.
"Sounds like you two are awake," Hinata spoke playfully as Hanabi entered the kitchen with an irritated puff.
"What time is it?" she asked, reaching up to rub her eyes. Hinata informed her it was close to dinner time and that she should go wash up. With a teasing 'yes, elder sister,' she dutifully went to the bathroom. Finally, she got to properly see herself in the mirror.
If she was honest, she looked like a mess. Her hair was wild and unbrushed, she had scrapes and bruises all over her neck and collarbone. There was a tear in her robe that she hadn't even noticed on the shoulder, almost as if a blade had sliced through it. Had one of them almost landed a kunai on her? She looked down at her hands, covered in bandages from the work she had put in during the mission. Her fingernails were stubby, pads calloused. She didn't look much like an heiress, now, and it made her snicker. She carefully unwrapped the bandages so she could properly wash her hands, then fished out a brush from under the sink to pull through her hair.
When she looked back up, she was much more presentable. Not completely so, but enough. She ensured her obi was tight around her waist and her robe was covering her adequately this time. With that, she returned to her sister, finding Konohamaru in the kitchen as well now, looking cleaned up, too.
Now, he was cradling Himawari, and the sight was a little too sweet for her liking. With the few months-old baby in his arms, he was rocking her and whispering to her in a sweet voice. He poked her stomach in an attempt to elicit a laugh but simply was returned by the girl latching onto his finger. He chuckled down at her and something in Hanabi's mind turned over.
How was he so wonderful despite what they had just been through? Even Hanabi was finding it difficult to muster a smile for her niece and nephew. They had killed people, their hands were metaphorically bloody, and here he was, cradling her baby niece with those hands. Those hands that ended lives.
It was a cruel thought, she knew, but she couldn't get it out of her mind. She wished so much she could be more like him. Able to find the joy in everything around them. Able to comfort others and help them find the joy, too.
It didn't help that something primal in her noted that he looked good like this. As a caretaker.
He'd probably be an amazing father…
The thought was intrusive and she immediately shot it down.
Don't do that.
After they sat down to eat, they were able to indulge the two older shinobi with their tale. In his usual style, Konohamaru played up a lot of the juicier bits of the travels, but they both knew where to draw the line in how much they revealed. Hanabi hated the fact she couldn't tell Hinata about the Hyūga they had delivered to. Konohamaru understood that as well. It was probably why she confided it in him because really, he was the only one she could confide it in.
She certainly couldn't try to talk to her father about it.
Hanabi cleaned up the dishes while Konohamaru entertained Boruto, that mirthful expression ever present on his face. She found herself staring at him way too often tonight. When they had a moment alone, save for the little infant Himawari in his arms, she had to ask, "how do you do it?"
"Do what?" He looked up at her with raised eyebrows, still attempting to get a smile out of the little girl.
"We…we went through so much…how do you…" she bit her lips together before continuing, "how do you push it all down? How can you be so happy with them?"
He shrugged, smiling back down at the little purple-headed girl. "It's not their fault. They don't need to be burdened with our bad experiences." When did he get so…good with words? "It's up to us to give them with positive experiences. Isn't that right?" That sweet voice came back as he leaned down to nuzzle his nose against the girls. When Hanabi didn't respond, he looked up to find her staring at him.
The urge to kiss him was the strongest it had ever been in her. Even after everything, the fact he could still make her feel like this…she didn't understand it. Despite the sugary sweetness of the scene, she really wished he wasn't holding Himawari right now.
When the little girl gave a small whine, he chuckled. "What was that thing babies needed?" he asked her pointedly with a teasing grin on his face. She did her best to suppress a blush, turning away from him as she rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. Sleep. I think it's time for someone to get to bed." She didn't look up when he left the kitchen, instead slapping her hands on her cheeks in an attempt to force the blush away.
"Keep it cool…" she mumbled to herself, sighing as she stared at her reflection in the window, revealing night outside and her own red face back at her.
When he rejoined her in the kitchen, she fought the urge to run away. She felt like she might do something she would regret. He heaved a pleasant sigh, leaning against the kitchen counter on his hand in front of her. "Ah, she's too cute, y'know? Looks like she's gonna end up looking like your sister."
She crossed her arms as she turned her body to face him, lowering her eyes. "You think my sister is cute?" she questioned with a raised brow, causing him to laugh.
"What if I did? Would it make you jealous?" he asked, exposing his teeth in a grin as he rubbed at the shadow on his chin.
That damn blush just went away!
"I might be a little scared of a jealous Hanabi," he continued his teasing, "so let's just say no, how about that?" She rolled her eyes once more, finding it to be her go-to for responses. "Besides, Hima's cute, but you're…" Something about the way he spoke felt wicked.
"I'm-?" She found her voice caught in her throat, which was understandable; there wasn't much room with her heart jammed in there. That familiar tightness in her chest. She couldn't stop thinking about the adorable way he doted on her little niece. It felt like her head was cloudy with the vision.
Before he could respond, she had pushed him against the fridge and smashed her lips against his, causing something from the top to fall. It drew a surprised chuckle from him and she couldn't find it in herself to care that he was teasing her. She just wanted him to kiss her.
And kiss her he did. He wiggled his arms from his front and slid them around her waist, pulling her body closer to his. She clutched at the material of his jacket, feeling a silly sense of fear that he might pull away. No, she wanted this kiss to last longer than the others. Because she wasn't sure she'd get the chance again.
Their mouths felt like they slotted together like puzzle pieces. She was surprised to find he was a much better kisser than she realized and pushed down the idea that he might be practicing with someone else. She urgently returned the forcefulness of his movements, pressing her body further into his and reveling in the way it felt to be held like this. It reminded her of their slow dancing at her sister's wedding, but so much nicer now that it felt intentional, not forced. Like he was clutching onto her as well, not allowing her to move back even a little.
A tiny, surprised gasp escaped her when he yanked her against him after she moved slightly to readjust herself. It felt possessive, and it sparked something in her. He took advantage of her lips parting for the gasp and now had his tongue teasing against her lips. Tongue. She had never experienced anything like it, and despite the act sounding so crude, found she enjoyed it. She enjoyed it more than she could describe and allowed him further.
The moment was swiftly ended, however, when the slam of a door was heard from the living room, and Hanabi tore herself away from his greedy embrace. Breathless, she turned away from him and braced herself over the sink, inhaling as much air as her lungs could take. She heard him repeating that action behind her, head leaning back to rest on the fridge.
"I…" she whispered, clenching the edge of the sink, "…should go…see my father…"
"Yeah…" He gave a similarly breathy response, "my mom…"
"I'll see you." Without looking up, she turned on her heel and bolted out of the kitchen, mumbling a goodbye to her sister and Naruto before throwing the front door open.
She prayed no one had seen them, not realizing that the door slam was intentionally done by Hinata to mess with them.
Hanabi would later tell Hinata that perhaps she did have the Hyūga cold streak in her somewhere.
To say Konohamaru could be cocky was an understatement. The way she looked at him, with those eyes like saucers, pink cheekbones, lips parted, he knew exactly what was going through her mind.
But they were still playing their game of tag, and it was her turn. Even if he wanted to take her himself. Then he was rewarded for his patience when he found himself being painfully shoved into the awkward surface of the fridge. Despite the sting, it was a wonderful sensation, having the oxygen stolen from his lungs. Wanted so much that she couldn't even wait for him to finish his compliment.
He meant to say she was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Breathtaking. Every compliment he could pull out of his brain. He meant all of it. Especially the breathtaking one.
To hold the Hyūga heiress against his body like that and have his tongue in her mouth? Unreal.
He was guilty. He was selfish. He knew that. After all the work he put in to try to ensure they remained just friends became undone in a single night.
And he let it happen, because he wanted it to happen.
Like he's thought so many times before, he knew he was an idiot. Something about Hanabi made him an even larger idiot, unable to control his own impulses.
He had to give himself credit for restraining. Those eyes she was giving him damn near made him break himself. He was just relieved that this time, it was her who had given in.
He wondered if she was looking at him the same way he looked at her the night Boruto had been born. Adoring affection. Perhaps it suited them. Internally, he cursed these thoughts. It was a constant fight in himself.
He really did mean it when he said she can change things. What she had to deal with, he could never imagine. He was the Third Hokage's grandson, the Honorable Grandson, a title he himself had spent so much time trying to distance himself from. But he didn't have to become Hokage just because of it. Sure, it was his dream, but there were no hard and fast rules putting him in that position. For her, she had to become the leader of the Hyūga. She didn't get a choice. It figured that it would weigh on her. Despite everything, he knew she had a good heart, and he really believed she could change her clan. Something about that made him foolishly hopeful that maybe, just maybe, she could change things and they could be…
Guilt quickly started to weigh him down, making him slow his pace as he walked home. He didn't want to confront his mother while he was dealing with these feelings, she could always read him like a book. He knew as soon as he got one foot in the door, she would be bombarding him with questions.
It was all borne of the idea that he could find a loophole to have her, but it was always an internal fight between the voice that told him that was possible, and the voice that told him he was being selfish and he would only make things worse. Cause them both pain. Or, at best, she didn't see him that way.
The way she kissed him begged to differ, however, and it was almost enough to make him wish it hadn't happened at all.
Almost.
"Jōnin!" Eiji exclaimed the next day after Hanabi found her team. "We were wondering why you got sent out on such a long mission without us."
"That's great, Hanabi," Jun complimented. "Tora-sensei was actually talking about recommending all of us."
"Sorry, I didn't know Naruto was going to." Hanabi frowned, folding her arms. Despite enjoying her time with Konohamaru and his team (barring traumatic events), she felt a little guilty about surpassing her own team. She had to be grateful though because if Eiji and Jun had been there, she wasn't sure she could have kept them safe.
"Don't be sorry," Jun interjected, "Eiji doesn't want to advance, anyway."
"What?" Hanabi shot Eiji a look, who simply rolled her eyes.
"So what? I'm fine with where I'm at." She shrugged, Yorimaru giving an agreed whine. "Besides, my cousin wants me to join the police force."
"You're gonna be a cop?" Hanabi furrowed her eyebrows and leaned away. "I can't imagine it."
"I can." Jun chuckled, glancing between the two girls. "I think she'd be good at it. Not everyone wants to make jōnin, Hanabi. I think what Eiji's doing is commendable."
"Alright, enough." Eiji jabbed a finger into Jun's side to silence him. "Jun's only going onto jōnin because they need more jōnin healers, anyway."
"I just want to help the village." Jun shrugged and Hanabi tilted her head. That was commendable. "Anyway, do you know what your next steps are?"
"I'm supposed to demonstrate a new jutsu," Hanabi responded, fiddling her fingers together. "I've already been working on something new with Hinata, so it shouldn't be too hard. But it has to be a-rank."
"Really?" Eiji frowned. "That sounds really difficult."
"It is," Hanabi admitted, folding her arms. "But my sister and father have been aiding me in preparation for the recommendation by helping me create one. So, I'll be alright, I think."
"Can we see it?" Jun asked with a head tilt.
"Well it's not really…"
"Just show us! C'mon!" Eiji demanded, giving her a little shove. Yorimaru yipped agreement.
"Ahhh…" Hanabi sighed, looking down at her hands. She suddenly felt especially self-conscious, she hadn't tried showing anyone outside of the clan.
Relenting, she got to her feet and activated her byakugan. She weaved the hand signs of the dog and summoned a chakra waterfall, then began shaping it. Within moments, it had grown into a large wave, and with a forceful shove of her palm, it began swirling into something that almost looked like a water tornado. Then, a gush of wind forced it upwards until it formed into several giant sharp edges slicing through the air that all at once came crashing down in a circle around her, stabbing into the ground. Then, they soaked into the soil, leaving several large holes around her.
"Wow!" Eiji cheered, Yorimaru barking in approval and Jun clapping next to her. "That was crazy! How'd you come up with it?"
"I've been at the library studying," she laughed as she returned to the grass next to them, "it's based on other a-rank water jutsu's but I mixed in wind release and used the gentle techniques to shape it."
"You are very skilled, Hanabi," Jun complimented, and it made her blush in a way that didn't bother her, accepting the praise.
"So this probably means we're not gonna be going on many more missions together, huh?" Eiji asked and Hanabi caught the sadness behind her tone.
"We might, still. We are the successor to your cousin and your sister's team," Jun reasoned, and Hanabi nodded along.
"Yeah, right!" Hanabi stated resolutely. "Since Kiba's on the police force, they can't send him out on regular missions anymore, we're gonna need you."
"I guess." Eiji shrugged, looking up towards the sky. "Well, congrats, Hanabi. You're gonna become a jōnin. Don't let it get to your head." Hanabi shot her a look and watched questioningly as the girl looked over her head, waving at someone behind her.
"That's right." She shot up to her feet at the sound of her sensei. "You'll always be my little lamb." She whirled around to launch herself into her, and Tora stumbled backward, chuckling as she accepted the embrace. "Even if we're going to be comrades."
"Wow." Hanabi sighed before pulling away, beaming at the older woman who she now matched in height. "Comrades."
"And if you're promoted, I'll finally give it up and pass the torch onto you," she continued with an amused smile, stepping back from the girl. "You'll be the leader of Team 15. Team Hanabi."
"So you think we'll still mission together, sensei?" Jun inquired as he, Eiji, and Yorimaru joined the other two in a group. Hanabi, turning Tora's words over in her head, suddenly felt a touch of dread, visions of motionless corpses surrounding her.
"Certainly, barring anything from happening." Tora shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Don't worry. You four can still be troublesome together."
"Yes!" Eiji fist pumped, that excitement still present despite their nearing adulthood. Hanabi had to admire it, despite the tension mounting in her head. Their voices became muffled as she reflected on the events.
Her stomach felt tight as Eiji began rambling about 'all of the cool a and s-rank missions' they might get to do if her and Jun became jōnin. She wondered if they could even imagine the horrors she had seen during her trip. The swath of lifeless bodies around her. Bloody, bruised, working off adrenaline. How often did jōnin have to face that kind of thing? Truthfully, she wasn't sure she could handle it again…she almost felt nauseous just thinking about it. No, she did feel nauseous.
The group gasped when she turned around abruptly and vomited away from them.
Gross…
"Hanabi!" Jun exclaimed, rushing over as the first to tend to her. "Are you alright? Are you sick?" He launched into medic mode and began patting her face and neck.
Hanabi shook her head, trying to swat away his hands. "I'm fine! Fine!"
"Then what the hell was that?" Eiji grimaced down at the pile of puke beside them, covering her nose.
"I'm just—I don't know. Nerves, probably?" Hanabi tried, hands falling. "I should probably get home anyway."
"Yes, you should lie down." Jun's rested his hands on her shoulders. Hanabi gritted her teeth and reluctantly nodded. "Would you like us to escort you?"
"No, I'm fine. Stop using your medic voice on me." She brushed away his hands, stepping backward. She really didn't want them to join her, she needed some space from what felt like a suffocating situation. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"
"Alrighty…feel better." Eiji eyed her suspiciously as she took off, breathing a sigh of relief as she made her escape.
She tried to pull back to Konohamaru's words.
We're not the monsters we sometimes think we are.
What would Eiji and Jun have thought if they had seen her wipe out that group? What would Tora think? What would her elder sister think?
She knew what her father would think. He would simply tell her she demonstrated Hyūga skill. Like she was supposed to.
That woman flickered through her mind more times than she'd like. She wondered if the woman lied to placate her by telling her she was happier away from the clan. She couldn't help but assume it was true. Perhaps Hanabi would be happier if she was away from the clan, too.
Hinata was always too kind for her own good. Despite everything, she still loved their father unconditionally. No matter what they did, Hinata was loyal to her family to a fault. She wished so much she could just shake her out of it. Make her understand that it's all wrong.
You can change things, you know.
Could she change things? The thought made her heart clench painfully. Inevitably, she would be made the leader of the Hyūga. Could she lead them to a fair future? Could the caged bird seal even be taken off? She frowned as she thought of Neji. Her entire life, she struggled with her identity.
Could she pave the way to less pain? Less turmoil?
Could she have control over her own future? Love who she wanted to love?
She thought of Hinata's wedding. She didn't realize it at the time, but she was jealous of her sister.
Because she was weaker, she had freedom. If she hadn't been weaker, Hanabi would be the one who was free. If she knew back then what she knows now, she thought she would have been happy to take the seal if it meant being eased of this overwhelming responsibility.
Selfish.
And now here she was, entering the compound of the place that put all of this obligation on her.
How she wanted to run away, sometimes.
The urge hit her every now and then. The urge to wake up one morning and take off. Become a missing nin, despite it all. She was pretty sure she could evade arrest. Evading other Hyūga might prove difficult, but it could work. Then she would be drawn back to thoughts of Boruto and Himawari. Of Hinata. Of her team and her sensei. Of Konohamaru.
Konohamaru. Why did he have to put such silly fantasies in her head? Why did he break down every barrier she carefully constructed? Every time, it became harder to build those walls around her heart.
She wished she could just give in. But she couldn't. She was a Hyūga.
Hanabi's 18th birthday passed quietly as she worked towards becoming a jōnin, simply celebrating Boruto's third birthday with her sister and family, not much thought of her own. They were evaluated shortly afterward, and the four recommended shinobi were awarded the title of jōnin. According to Moegi, they simply had to have a party. Hanabi lied to her father and told her she'd be spending the night at Hinata's. She prayed it wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass. It wasn't often she got away with lying to the elder Hyūga.
Later into the night, the four plus Eiji and Jun would meet in the Inuzuka compound, one of the less monitored areas of the Leaf. She and her team converged on top of the roof of Eiji's home before Konohamaru and his team arrived, and with her, Eiji carried a case of sake.
"Where did you get that?!" Jun asked incredulously once he realized what the clinking in the box was. Eiji shrugged.
"My dad knows the brewer for Lady Hokage's special sake. Went with him and snatched a box."
"You stole?!" Hanabi whispered disbelievingly. "Don't tell people that openly, Eiji!"
"How else was I gonna get it?!" Eiji snapped, looking offended.
"Your cousin is a cop! And best friends with my sister!" Hanabi rolled her eyes and damn near panicked when she saw Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon appear on the roof next to them. "Do not tell them you stole that."
"Hey guys!" Konohamaru waved, settling next to Hanabi, a bit closer than he normally would. His eyes went wide at the box in Eiji's hands. "Is that—is that sake?"
"Keep your voice down!" Eiji growled, and Hanabi found the way his cheeks heated up endearing.
"Oh, you're bad, Eiji," Moegi teased as it seemed all the boys in the group were flushed. "Can't wait two more years?"
"I figure this is the last of our days as kids." Eiji shrugged, setting the box down in between the group. "With all of you promoting to jōnin, soon Jun, and then me…well, I'm moving on, too. We should celebrate, right?"
"That seems so sad, Eiji." Hanabi frowned as the girl yanked a bottle from the box, swiftly twisting off the lid.
She took a hurried drink before shoving the bottle into Hanabi's hands. "Drink this, and you won't be sad anymore," she snickered, Hanabi instinctively reaching up to grasp the neck.
"You—uh, don't have to drink if you don't want to, Hanabi," Konohamaru cut in, looking worried.
"Well, I'm gonna!" Moegi declared, grabbing another bottle for herself. "C'mon, at least cheers me!"
"Moegi's got the right idea!" Eiji hooted, grabbing a fresh bottle as well. The boys looked at each other apprehensively as Eiji and Moegi lifted their bottles in the air. Hanabi meekly raised hers to tap theirs, and finally, Konohamaru sucked in a deep breath and took a bottle, too.
"I'm not drinking, but I suppose I'll cheers you," Jun conceded, and both he and Udon picked up the last two bottles.
"Cheers!"
Eiji and Moegi giggled together as they took swigs from their bottles, looking expectantly at Hanabi.
Would the Hyūga heiress partake in illicit activity?
She thought back to her previous anxiety about what she perceived to be her dark side.
Could she really justify this being her first step to changing her path? Her destiny? With sake?
With friends.
Finally, she looked up and brought the neck of the bottle to her lips, and drank deeply, doing her best to ignore the burning sensation coating her throat. When she pulled it away, she gasped for breath and stuck out her tongue, glancing at Konohamaru who had been watching her with eyes blown wide. She raised her eyebrows expectantly at the dumb look on his face, lips parted as if surprised by her.
Good. She wanted to make sure she kept him on his toes.
Finally, he looked intently at the bottle in his hands and nodded, taking a deep drink as well.
"Whoo!" Moegi and Eiji hollered despite Eiji's previous scolding for making noise.
"We're getting the Hyūga heiress and honorable grandson drunk!" Eiji whisper-yelled, looking so very smug. Hanabi rolled her eyes, her cheeks instantly heating up at the connection everyone seemed to make between them.
"You guys are awful." Jun frowned, setting the bottle on the ground unopened. Finally, all eyes turned to Udon, who was the last one left that hadn't taken a drink, save Jun who Hanabi knew they would probably never be able to convince.
"C'mon Udon!" Moegi jeered, shoving her elbow into his. They watched him inhale a long breath before taking his pull from the alcoholic beverage. And so there they were, a bunch of 18- and 19-year old's, drinking illegally to celebrate their promotions.
"To new paths!" Eiji toasted, and something about it felt very on the nose.
"To new paths!"
Being drunk was an odd sensation. Her stomach felt warm with the liquid, and as she drank, it became easier and easier to tolerate the burning of the sake. It barely even burned, now. Eiji had failed to mention that the 'Lady Hokage special sake' had a far higher alcohol percentage than most sake, hence why it was preferred by Tsunade. The teens were a bumbling mess within hours, and eventually, Jun grew tired of it and told them to be safe before he took off.
It was just the five now.
"I been thinkin'…" Konohamaru mumbled, swaying a bit as he sat between Udon and Hanabi. Moegi and Eiji looked across at him expectantly. "I bet Yorimaru weighs more than you do, Eiji."
"Hey!" Eiji snapped, lurching forward to hit his shoulder as he and Udon descended into laughter. "You're just freakishly tall!"
"Ouch," Konohamaru taunted, rubbing his arm.
"I've always wondered," Moegi began, changing the subject as she reached for Udon's glasses, "what does your world look like, Udon?"
"Moegi!" Udon yelped, trying to grab the pair back from her.
Moegi gasped as she slid them on. "Udon, you are legitimately blind!"
"Let me see!" Eiji snatched them off her face, giving a similar dramatic gasp. "Whoa!"
"My turn!" Konohamaru grabbed them from Eiji, leaning away from Udon's reaching hands trying to retrieve his abused glasses. "Wow buddy, I am so sorry I ever made fun of your eyesight. Look, Hanabi." She squinted as he clumsily slid them on her face and she giggled even more at the blurry sight of Konohamaru. He leaned in very close to her and she could barely make out his features, all she could hear was, "you look pretty cute with glasses, Hanabi."
Cheeks already flush with the effects of alcohol, the comment made her turn fiery. Quickly, she gave Udon a break and handed them back, turning her face from Konohamaru's. Moegi whistled from across and Eiji made a gagging sound. "You guys are too sappy for me!"
"You two are devilish together!" Hanabi accused back with embarrassment as Moegi clutched her stomach from laughing. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to find Konohamaru grinning his smug grin down at her, looking pink in the face as well.
"Yes, you are," Udon mumbled in agreement as he wiped at the glasses with his shirt. "Glasses are expensive! If you guys scratched 'em, I'm gonna be pissed."
"Oh nehh—" Moegi stuck her tongue out playfully, which relaxed Hanabi as she forced another shot of sake down.
Hours flew by, and soon, each of the group began passing out—first Udon, then Eiji, and Moegi was the last to hold out, Konohamaru and Hanabi's discussion clearly boring her.
"Oh shit," Konohamaru interrupted whatever Hanabi had been rambling on about, staring over her shoulder.
"It's damn near daytime!" Hanabi whirled around to see what Konohamaru had gone pale at: an irritated-looking older Inuzuka she unfortunately knew. "Hanabi?!"
"Oh no." Hanabi gulped audibly as a tired-looking Kiba stomped towards them.
"Eiji! What have you done!" He grabbed the passed-out girls' collar to shake her awake. Hanabi briefly considered fleeing, only for Kiba to hiss at her, "don't even think about trying to run off."
"What's going—oh gods—" Udon roused with the activity, face turning white at the sight of him.
"Ow!" Eiji groaned as she awakened as well to her cousin's rough handling of her. "Let me go!"
"Did you get the freaking Hyūga heiress AND the Hokage's grandson drunk, Eiji?!" His voice was in complete disbelief, loudly whispering as he kicked at the now empty box. "Fuck, you've really done it, little one."
"Kiba—please—" Hanabi tried, gritting her teeth as he shushed her.
"Just—I have to think!" he snapped, roughly letting go of the younger Inuzuka. He rubbed at his face, glaring at Moegi who was well and truly dead asleep, snoring loudly. "Alright, Eiji, take them to my place. I'll clean this up. Just be fucking quiet, got it? And don't stop to talk to anyone, you guys smell like a goddamn brewery."
"Yes, big brother." Eiji's voice was dejected as she and Konohamaru grabbed either of Moegi's hands, heaving the girl up.
"Do not tell your sister about this," Kiba whispered bitterly to Hanabi as she got up, looking at her warningly. She nodded in understanding as she wobbly attempted to follow behind the group.
Eiji shoved the door of a little home open with a great yawn, holding it open for the rest of the group. They shuffled in, Udon helping Konohamaru lay Moegi down on the couch.
"Do you think he's going to arrest us?" Udon whispered as Eiji dragged her feet toward the kitchen
Eiji snorted, "no way. Why would he send us here? He's just a cranky old man." Hanabi couldn't help but snicker at the comment. It was just like a teenager to call a 23-year-old a cranky old man. "Just make yourselves comfy and sleep the inevitable hangover away."
"How often do you drink, Eiji?" Konohamaru asked in disbelief as he settled on the ground, back against the couch Moegi was passed out on.
"Just once before! With my cousins," she snapped as she returned to the living room with water for the group. "Nighty night."
They watched as Eiji pulled out a sleeping bag from the closet and made herself comfortable, Udon seemingly passing out within the minute his head hit the ground. Hanabi sighed as she situated herself next to Konohamaru, leaning against the couch. "No use worrying about it right now, I guess," Konohamaru whispered, shimmying so that his head rested on her shoulder. She bit her lips together and nodded, resting her head against his as well.
"It's pretty funny you guys think I'd let you sleep in after the shit you pulled."
Hanabi groaned at the sound of Kiba's voice, struggling to peel her eyes open. As soon as she lifted one just a tad, she hissed at the bright light piercing her eye.
"Doesn't feel good, does it?" Kiba mocked and though she couldn't see him, she knew he was standing over them with his hands on his hips, glowering down at them.
"Big bro, c'mon…" Eiji grumbled as she flipped in her sleeping bag. "Hanabi and Konohamaru and stuff just made jōnin…we were just trying to celebrate."
"Oh yeah, I'm sure Kakashi totally promoted you all to jōnin and assumed you'd all go binging right afterward, huh?"
Hanabi threw her forearm over her eyes, grumbling irritably as she felt Konohamaru's head leave her, causing her to fall towards him slightly. Normally, he'd probably laugh and straighten her back out, but instead just held her up and put her back against the couch, no playfulness in his movements.
"Let this hangover be a lesson," Kiba continued, "and you're all coming to the nursery to wash the dogs. Every single one. I want their fur to feel like satin."
"Right now?" Udon's tired voice chimed in.
"Yup. Now make sure that one isn't dead." Hanabi finally got her eyes open enough to see him pointing at Moegi, still passed out. Hanabi sighed as she turned around, gently shaking the girl until she roused as well.
"Where…where are we?" Moegi yawned, slowly lifting up, then turning pale white at the sight of the older Inuzuka. "Shit."
"Shit is right. Bullshit you've put me through," Kiba grumbled, turning away from them. "You've got ten minutes to get ready. Go wash your nasty mouths out, I can smell the sake pouring out of you."
Spending a day with puppies would normally sound delightful. But here the group was, soaked from head to toe in dirty dog bathwater, fingers pruning, and the smell of wet dog permeating the air around them. They all glared at Jun when he arrived, and in a rare act, it was to tell them: "I told you so."
"Yeah, yeah," Eiji grumbled as she scrubbed a brush through a pup's fur. "We're suffering enough already!"
"Oooh, I wonder what they did to deserve this." They looked up to see Kiba's older sister Hana join his side, gloved hands folded in front of her. "I'm always happy to have free labor!"
"Yep. They'll be doing this once a month for a while." Kiba's fangy grin glimmered.
Hana laughed as the group groaned, slumping over. "Well thank you lot for whatever stupid thing you did. I'm glad to have you."
The older Inuzuka's eventually left them and Jun gave in to his loyalty to his team and ended up helping them, reasoning that he should have tried harder to be a better influence. Hanabi wondered how they ended up with such a compassionate teammate. Soon, they were down to the last few pups, and all felt relieved as noon rolled around.
"I'm going to reek for weeks…" Hanabi grimaced, brushing at her robes. She gasped when she felt a wet handful of bubbles hit the top of her head, soaking her hair. She looked up to see Konohamaru grinning at her and she lowered her eyes. "Don't start what you can't finish."
"Oooh, those are dangerous words," Konohamaru teased, only for his face to turn to one of shock as another pile of bubbles clung to his cheek, courtesy of Eiji. "Inuzuka!" he yelled accusingly, only to double over in laughter when Moegi returned fire to Eiji. Soon it became an all-out war of bubbles, soap, and water intermingling as everyone shot bubbles and sponges at one another and received hits back.
"Look what you did!" Hanabi exclaimed, though her tone was joyful. "Jun! You got me!"
"Sorry!" Jun yelped, ducking to avoid Udon's incoming sponge.
A few minutes passed of this before the group tired out, the hangover still affecting them (except for Jun, who was just relieved not to be getting hit anymore).
After they cleaned up the nursery, Kiba returned to inspect their work and decidedly nodded, satisfied. "Hanabi, you can clean up at my place," he started as she began walking with the group. She stopped and tilted her head. "You really shouldn't go home like that, and I don't want Hinata to find out. It'd break her heart."
"Oh, right," Hanabi sighed.
Konohamaru cleared his throat. "You could uh…clean up at my place, Hanabi. My mom could never turn you away, y'know."
Kiba eyed him with a smirk, then rolled his eyes before turning. "Do what you want. Just be back here in a month. I'm holding you to it."
Hanabi raised her eyebrows as she looked up at Konohamaru and gave a little nod, deciding to follow him home. As the five walked through the village and broke off for their homes, Hanabi and Konohamaru went up the steps of his home. He gently opened the door, clearly trying to be at least a little bit sneaky, and quietly ushered her in. He pressed his finger to his lips and she nodded briskly, silently following him through his home. Lightly, he pushed the door to the bathroom open and allowed her inside.
"I think my mom's clothes will be too short for you," he said with a frown as he rummaged through his dresser, "so here's my sweatpants and a t-shirt you can wear while your robes are washed. Better baggy than short, right?"
"Oh." Her face began burning as he handed her his clothes. To wear. With a wink, he gently pushed her inside so he could shut the door for her, leaving her alone.
In Konohamaru's bathroom. With his clothes in her hands. About to shower in his shower.
What a strange scenario to be in.
As she washed up, she examined his shampoos and conditioners. She was a little surprised to see his good taste in scents and moisturizers. As they grew older, he had been looking more and more well-groomed, a far cry from that pre-teen who often had dirt under his nails and grime in his hair. The change was gradual, so perhaps she hadn't even really noticed. Once she exited and toweled off, she gingerly pulled his clothing over herself and felt herself heat up at the feel of his clothing on her. Clothing that had been on Konohamaru now clung to her body. How intimate.
When she exited the bathroom, she cringed inwardly at the sound of his mother. "Oh, sounds like she's out. Send her over, Kono."
They weren't as sneaky as she thought. It was tough being a teenager in a shinobi family.
He rounded the corner and gave her a weak smile when they met eyes. He held out his hand for her, assuring, "don't worry. She's not mad." She glanced at the hand and while she wanted to hold it, she couldn't bring herself to. She stepped forward and simply brushed her fingertips against his before retracting, and he seemed to get the hint.
"I see you two had some fun last night." Her voice was light as she patted the chair next to her upon Hanabi's entrance. Hanabi's face went white at the accusation, and Moriko gave a small giggle. "I don't mean it like that, dear, no worries. Tea? Go shower, Kono. You smell like—"
"—like a brewery, yeah, I've been told." He chuckled as he pulled out a seat for Hanabi, which she reluctantly accepted. He leaned down to whisper in her ear before he left, "we'll never live this down."
She shuddered at his voice in her ear as he swiftly took off, leaving her alone with his mother. She had a hard time meeting her eyes. "Uhm…I apologize, Moriko."
"Forgiven," she said, simply, pushing a cup of tea towards her. With a deep breath, she bowed her head and accepted the tea. "Everyone needs their chance to rebel a little bit. I just hope it's out of your system."
"Hopefully that sake will be out of my system sooner rather than later," Hanabi grumbled, eliciting a laugh from the older woman.
"Konohamaru tells me you all impressed Lord Sixth with your jōnin testing." It surprised Hanabi how she could so easily change the topic despite what they had just been guilty of doing. "I always thought you two would work together well."
Hanabi paused, thoughtful. She wondered if Moriko was ever angry with her like Moegi had been during the chūnin exams. It was before Hanabi had become acquainted with Moriko, but she must have witnessed the battle. However, when they first met properly, Moriko had been nothing but kind. She almost had a silly sense of jealousy of Konohamaru, with such a loving mother who was so quick to forgive and show love. Hinata's stories of their own mother were similar to hers. "Konohamaru is…a very good leader."
Moriko's lips twitched upwards. "Yes, he is, isn't he?" Hanabi nodded in agreement. "And he says you do well as his partner."
"P—partner?" Hanabi gulped, shooting her eyes up.
Moriko shrugged as she nonchalantly sipped her tea. Hanabi was surprised to feel Konohamaru's presence behind her already, turning to find him toweling drying his hair. He looked down at the two women before giving a little smile. "Sometimes I wonder if you love her more than me, ma."
"Oh stop!" His mother swatted at his arm with a laugh and Hanabi felt a little smile creep up.
"Then what's this about—" his voice turned mocking, "'oh, it's so good you got to rebel, and by the way, I heard you did so amazing on jōnin testing'," the mocking turned to a more serious tone, "but then with me, it's 'how dare you get her drunk! You're a bad influence on that girl!' When it was her who took the first drink!"
Moriko clicked her tongue while Hanabi's face went beet red. Had he heard their entire conversation? Did he have keen hearing or something? And he was throwing her under the bus! "You're older, my dear boy. You should know better."
"Oh, whatever!" Konohamaru laughed as he pecked a kiss on top of his mother's head, grabbing a seat next to Hanabi. "And no tea for me on top of it all. I see how it is, mother."
"Don't use 'mother' on me!" Moriko snapped and Hanabi had to admire their playful relationship, despite her embarrassment.
She watched them banter with amusement until his mother looked up at the sound of beeping. "That'll be your clothes. I'll go pin them up."
"Let me," Hanabi interrupted, getting to her feet. His mother looked up at her slightly surprised but shrugged, nevertheless.
"I suppose it's the least you can do," she teased as Konohamaru got up to join her, winking at his mother. He guided her to the washing machine and loaded them into a basket before carrying it outside. Together, they began methodically hanging clothes and found herself hanging up some of his shirts and pants. She did a double take and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw him very casually clipping her panties to the line.
"Ko—Konohamaru!" she choked out, launching to grab the garment. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What?" he asked, a cheeky grin present. "Just clothes, Hanabi! Don't get so worked up."
"Those are…" she started, feeling her face go deep red with both embarrassment and anger, "intimate!"
"So are these." She stumbled backward when he grabbed a pair of his boxers and waved them in front of her face. "But it's normal, who cares?"
"I do!" she stammered, hastily shoving her underwear into the pocket of his sweatpants she was wearing. Her eyes blew wide when she realized his eyes had trailed down to follow the movement, and now he was turning pink as well. "I didn't know you were that big of a pervert, Konohamaru!"
"Hey!" he defended, hands raised. "You're the one doing all that!"
"I—ugh!" She slapped her hands over her face, dragging them over her bloodshot eyes. Suddenly, she felt incredibly out of place. Konohamaru and his mother were so…different, from her own family. Her father, her sister, herself. She was embarrassing herself and she knew it. "I have to go!"
"But your robes are—"
"It's fine!" she snapped, grabbing the clothing in question out of the basket and pulling it on, despite its dampness. She fished out of her obi and secured it before stomping back towards the house, desperate to escape.
"What about—my clothes?" He jogged after her, a little weakness behind his voice.
"I'll drop them off later!" She continued her mission through the house, feeling guilty as she avoided Moriko's lingering gaze. She yanked on her sandals quickly before pulling the front door open. "Thank you for your hospitality, Moriko!" she called, and she knew it sounded accusatory, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She tried to drag the door shut before Konohamaru could stop her, but was unsuccessful.
"Look—I'm sorry!" he tried, following her out the door. "I really didn't think it was that big of a deal!"
"It's fine, Konohamaru," she huffed, still on her mission to her sister's without looking back. "We're just fundamentally different, okay? I feel idiotic that I ever thought I could fit into your world."
She winced when she heard his footsteps stop abruptly behind her, but tried to keep going. His voice drew her back. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She cursed herself for stopping. Why did she keep doing this to herself? With a deep sigh, she glanced around to make sure there were no prying eyes, then turned to look at him. "I'm not like you, Konohamaru." His eyebrows furrowed at this. "It's like I said earlier. I'm…a Hyūga. What my father is, that's what I am. You and your mother are the opposite. You know how to be calm, relaxed, kind. You never let anything bother you, even if it should." She regretted how deep his frown was becoming, his grimace as if she was punching him in the gut. She should have just cleaned up at Kiba's. Her eyes dropped to the ground.
"That's not…that's not completely true, Hanabi—my life isn't all sunshine and roses, you know—"
"Yeah, well, if that's true, then mine is truly something awful," she snapped her interruption. "I'm not you. I can't…we can't…'
"My life isn't something to envy," he breathed, staring at her despite her unwillingness to meet his eyes. "This is my life." He gestured towards his home. "Just me and my mom. We've lost a lot, Hanabi. When you go through that, you learn to look for the positive, alright? It can't all be angst and anger, you know?"
She finally looked up to glare at him, feeling the sting of his insult, even if he hadn't meant it. After a pointed pause, she finally ground out a response, "is that right? Well, sorry, Konohamaru, but that's all it's been for me my entire existence on this gods-forsaken planet! So yeah, this-" She gestured behind her towards where the compound lay. "-this is my life, and that's yours! You don't fit into mine, and I don't fit into yours."
"Yeah." His flat tone caught her off guard. "I guess I can only take so much, Hanabi."
"What?" She leaned back as if he had pushed her, but they were several meters apart.
He shook his head, and the chuckle he gave was not the usual playful one. "I'll see you around, okay?"
Hanabi's mouth fell into a silly looking 'o' shape as he turned away from her, still clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt, hair glistening from the shower it just had. She watched him take off back to his home without looking back at her and something inside of her felt like it broke. Like she had expected him to stay, to come after her, to grab her and shake her and tell her all of the right things, like he always did. But not this time. This time he took her at face value and simply…left.
As tears began to sting at the bottoms of her eyes, she wiped at her nose with her still-damp sleeve, then turned around. She marched home without going to see her sister and immediately ripped off her satchel that contained her kunai and threw it across her room, the obsidian and wind kunai slipping out as it hit the wall. After a moment of glaring at the weapons, she stomped to where they lay and snatched them up, tossing them into a dresser as if they burned her hands, and slammed it shut.
