Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 21: Green Eyed
There was so much being held back by the firm line of Danzo's thin lips; they were a crypt. One that was not going to be breached. Nothing would pass through unless he wanted it to.
"You're doubling the food budget?" Danzo asked him slowly for confirmation to ensure he understood what Minato had been saying for the past few minutes.
"Yes," Minato said with a definitive nod of his head. He kept his thoughts more or less aligned as he studied the man for any tells or signs of weakness.
"Why?" Danzo blinked his visible eye. The white fabric wrapped around his right eye was clean and pristine against his tan skin.
"The amount of food being given to the workers is not up to the standard of this house. They deserve better even if it will cost more." Minato explained in a neutral voice. The vibrations that left his voice box seem to be amplified in the quiet still of the study.
Danzo's face pulled into familiar lines. The creases became more pronounced as he frowned. "You're spoiling them." He declared it as if he were stating a fact.
'I wonder if he ever spoke to Otosama this way.'
"That's not how I see it, Shimura-sama," Minato crossed his arms. His shoulders were relaxed much like the rest of his posture. It was only the hard edge in his eyes that spoke to what was going on in his head.
"Good help is worth their weight in rice. We have good people. So we should treat them accordingly."
His words seemed to hang in the very air he had uttered them. Danzo's eye narrowed slightly. It could have been an involuntary spasm so Minato did not read too much into it.
"I suppose that is true," Danzo said thoughtfully. "Very well," he nodded his head. "I will see to it that the food order is updated."
"The sooner the better. I have added the additional funds to your account and set a recurring withdrawal for the additional resources. Let's keep the baseline here, if more money is needed please do not hesitate to let me know." Minato finished in a voice while polite was not without authority.
"Of course, Namikaze-sama. I will see to it today." Danzo slipped the envelope containing the updated order with the official seal into his pocket. "You have one less thing to worry about now."
"Thank you, Shimura-sama," Minato smiled at him. "I really don't know what the state of this house would be without you." He dipped his head.
Danzo's lips twitched slightly in neither a grimace nor a smile.
He looked over his shoulder just in time to see her flushed face come to a stop at the closed barn door. The metal prongs of the pitchfork dug into the ground as he held the tool in place with the palm of his hand.
"Sorry," she muttered in embarrassment. Her face was growing darker by the minute. She was going to great lengths to avoid looking directly at him.
"Should you be up and about?" He leaned the tool against the side of the stall. He dusted his hands before making his way over to the door. He rested his forearms against the top of it. She remained rooted in place. Her cheeks were now a deep shade of red.
"I - I -" she stammered out.
Minato raised a brow while lowering his chin to his arms. Her eyes - the very ones not looking at him - were closer now. He ignored the bead of sweat that originated from the back of his neck and was migrating down his back until it was soaked up by the hem of his blue wool pants. He waited patiently but it was apparent she had lost her nerve. She was more fidgety than usual.
"Sakura-san?" He called out her name. Her shoulder twitched as she jumped slightly.
"I'm okay," she looked at the ground and off to the right. She cleared her throat. "There's only so many times I can count the cracks in the ceiling."
He chuckled. "Are you pointing out yet another problem for me to fix?"
She scratched the side of her neck nervously. "Please don't. I'll lose a source of entertainment." There was only so much she could read and write.
"Well," he began slowly, "I hope I will be more lively and entertaining than the cracks in the ceiling."
"Only time will tell," she replied, sounding more like herself.
"How are you feeling, really?" Both his eyes and his voice softened as he regarded her. She was upright. That was about it for the positives. Her skin was gaunt and the parlor was sickly. Her eyes were dull.
"I'll be alright," she smiled softly. "The sun is good for me. And the fresh air helps." She was finally looking him in the eye. Her jade orbs held traces of conviction. "I'd thought maybe you could use the company," she said shyly.
"Oh?" His lips pulled into a smile before he was even aware.
"It would only be fair," there was a gleam in her eye. "Seeing how all this time, you've been judging me."
"The shoe's on the other foot now, huh?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Something like that," she looked around him. "You should flick your wrist more." She demonstrated as she spoke.
Minato shook his head. He reached for the pitchfork. "Yes, ma'am." He began to drop the hay from a higher height into the trough. "Like this?" He asked her cheekily over his shoulder.
Sakura's face was back to being a bright red. "Um…yeah." She turned her head away from him.
'You're a strange one, Sakura.' He mused to himself. "What are your plans for the rest of the day?" He asked conversationally.
"Ambe-san won't let me do anything beyond teaching Naruto-kun," she lamented with a breathy sigh. "I'm coming up with new recipes."
"You can cook?" He broke more of the hay from the stack.
"Could you sound any more surprised?" she pouted.
His chuckle was her only response.
Her mind wandered to the books and scrolls back in her quarters. They had given her a whole plethora of ideas and she was eager to try them out. Once she had supplies and access to the kitchen again. She pressed her forearms to the top of the door. She kept her eyes purposely away from his person.
"How about you, Minori-san?" She asked him without looking at him.
"I can cook," Minato answered simply without boasting or ego.
"Really?" She could not help the high pitch of her tone. It may not have been the answer to the question she asked but her interest was engaged.
Minato grinned at her. His eyes sparkled with playfulness. "Now who sounds surprised?"
"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. "It's just not often that a man admits to knowing how to do women's work."
"It's a life skill." He said matter-of-factly. "No reason for a man to not know how to cook, to feed himself at the very least." He dusted off his hands only pausing to give Kaminari a hearty pat on his shoulder. "And it's not like we take women on the front lines to cook for us. So if it's okay for men to cook during war, why is it suddenly unacceptable for them to do the same back in their homes?"
"True," she mused through the fluttering of her stomach. "That's a good perspective to have. And I agree wholeheartedly." She leaned forward to watch the horse eat. "What do you like to make?"
"Depends on my mood. If I feel like cooking, I'll make my favorites," he admitted. "And what I don't, anything that is quick and easy." He poured the bucket of water into the trough.
"Such as?" She tilted her head to the side.
His lips pulled into an easy smile. He started to list off all the dishes he remembered his mother making for him on special occasions such as his birthday, holidays, or whenever she felt like it. She listened with a soft expression on her face almost intently. The minutes ticked away faster than either of them expected. It was not until he had uttered goodbye to her that she had called out to him, preventing him from leaving.
"Yes?" He asked her in a voice that could be considered teasing.
"Um…," she was looking in at the ground with her hands clasped firmly behind her back. The heel of her sandal was trying to crush gravel into dust. "Y-y-your…" she let out a frustrated sigh. She lifted her head and pointed a finger. Clearly abandoning trying to speak.
Minato spared her a confused look before he glanced over his shoulder to follow where she was trying to lead him. It took him a couple of seconds. His cobalt eyes locked on the white shirt that hung on a hook; completely and utterly forgotten about. The same shirt he had taken off before he started to load up the trough with hay for his horse.
Sakura's red face along with her nervous stuttering every time she looked at him suddenly made sense. He turned around to thank her for reminding him but there was nothing but air in where she had been. He only saw a blur of brown leaving the stables at a quick speed. His lips pulled into a small smile. .
"Oneechan?" Rin's voice pulled her from her reverie.
"Rin-chan?" Sakura blinked at her, clearing the floaters from her vision.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Rin asked her in a small voice that was packed with concern.
"I'm alright," Sakura said with a nod. "Did you have enough to eat?"
Rin nodded her head. "I'm actually full," she patted her content stomach. "I might have eaten too much. I'm really not sure. That's never happened to me before." There was giddiness on her face as plain as day. It made Sakura's heart soar.
"That's great," Sakura said with a laugh. "Be sure to chew completely and eat slowly. You don't want to end up like me, trust me on that. Learn from my mistakes."
Rin's smile slipped off her face. "It's because of me isn't it?"
Sakura shook her head vehemently. "No," she said with sharpness. Rin flinched. "I made my decision. I'm responsible for my actions. I'm the only one responsible." She said in a gentler tone. She reached out to squeeze Rin's forearm. "Don't feel guilty." Her jade eyes held conviction. "Please."
"I won't," Rin smiled. The Haruno could see the relief flooding her features.
"Did you finish the assigned reading?" Sakura asked her, bringing the attention back to why they were even meeting in her room in the first place.
Rin tucked her hair behind her ears before she spoke. "I did." She flipped through the book to find the first page in the assigned section. There was a slip of paper. Sakura saw ten to fifteen words written on it. Rin passed her the paper. "I wasn't sure how to pronounce these words."
Sakura looked at it. "Oh yeah, some of these are tricky. Let's sound them out together." She started with the first word. Rin repeated after her. It was a welcomed distraction from what thoughts were trying to pull her into.
He held his black, leather medical bag in his left hand. He waited for the guard to open the large, metal gate painted in a deep forest green. It creaked and groaned as the view of the compound became visible to him. He raised his foot to step over the bottom of the gate frame. He inhaled deeply. The air almost tasted sweeter.
He did not pause to acknowledge the gate closing behind him. Kabuto moved through the compound. He passed the stables. He could smell the occupants as he did so. The kitchen was next. There was no steam coming out of the brick chimney. Nothing was in the process of being prepared. There were still a number of hours before dinner time.
The quarters were just up ahead. He would need to go to Tomoha's before he could approach Sakura's.
'I hope she listened and that she is resting.'
It had rained last night and into the early hours of the early morning. Everything smelled fresh and clean and anew. The dirt was still damp. It was not wet enough to embed in the tracks of his sandals nor was it dry enough to coat them in a thin dust.
He had become nose blind to the aroma originating from the bags that were tucked under his arm. The eucalyptus and lavender were pungent enough to have left him with a mild headache. He was sensitive to smells. He was just thankful she did not ask for sandalwood. That never failed to leave him with a migraine.
He was nearly there. He could see the first door in the row. He plastered a smile on his face. It was meant to disarm. That was the idea. In execution, he usually fell short. He knocked the wooden frame.
"Ambe-san? It's Yakushi Kabuto." He called out in a clear, pleasant voice. He did not hear the sounds of stirring much less footsteps. "Ambe-san?" He called out louder. Only silence greeted him.
"Sensei," a gruff voice pulled his attention.
Kabuto turned to face the owner of the voice. A thickset woman with brown hair and a stained apron over her dark kimono regarded him with a wry look in her eye. He could not place her name.
"I'm looking for Ambe-san," Kabuto explained his presence in a calm, easy-going voice.
The woman pointed to the left of him in response. "Main house," she uttered to eliminate all possibilities of misunderstanding.
"Thank you," Kabuto dipped his head. "Actually," he held up his hand. The woman did not look impressed with his seeming indecisiveness. "Do you happen to know where Haruno-san is?"
The woman rolled her eyes. Only her pointer finger provided him with an answer. She had pointed to the main house again. He turned his head to hide the furrowing of his brow and a slight tightening of his jaw. He felt her eyes on his back and he made his way down the outdoor corridor that led up to where his objective was.
He was no less than ten steps away from the door when the sound of a throat being cleared filled his ears for a moment. It was followed by more shortly after.
"Sensei," the tone was polite and cordial. It was forced. He knew because it was the same tone and pitch he used for most of his conversations. He just carried it slightly better than Kabuto did.
He ensured his smile was still very much attached to his face before he raised his head to look at the figure standing in the doorway.
"Namikaze-sama," Kabuto bowed his head.
Minato closed the distance between them with sure strides. He smiled. It was nowhere near reaching his eyes.
"What can I do for you, Sensei?" Minato asked him easily.
"I'm here to check on Haruno-san," he explained. "Oh forgive me," he chuckled at the presence of the confused look on Minato's face. "The woman with the stomach issue. Silly of me to expect someone of your social stature to know the names of your servants."
Minato's blank mask recovered before Kabuto finished speaking. "I am responsible for everyone on this estate. I am aware of Haruno-san's situation." Minato's lips pressed into a firm line momentarily. Kabuto's sharp eyes picked up on it. "Just like I'm aware she was examined two days ago by yourself for a follow-up. Did you find something of concern?"
Kabuto shook his head. "No, no nothing like that." He pushed up his glasses. His smile was disarming. "I just wanted to see how she is doing. Issues such as hers are...delicate." He struggled to find the right word.
"Delicate is not the word I would use." There was a hard edge to his cobalt eyes. Barely noticeable, under the surface. Easily overlooked if one does not know to watch for it. But he did. Kabuto read people for a living. It was half the job. People always lied to their doctors.
"Nevertheless," Kabuto cleared his throat. "I would like to appease my curiosity if that is alright with you."
"Are you not confident in your diagnosis?" His blond brows shot up towards his hairline. His voice was smooth. Everything about him was a controlled calm born out of years of discipline.
"No," Kabuto shook his head. His eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second. He had not expected this level of resistance. "I am confident in my abilities. I am confident in my diagnosis."
"So your curiosity is not of the medical variety?" His tone did not fluctuate once, not even when the color of his eyes darkened.
The corner of Kabuto's lips twitched upwards. "Haruno-san is a friend." He smiled at the mask faltering slightly on Minato's face. "I just want to make sure she is doing alright."
"She is," Minato smiled in what was meant to be reassuring. Kabuto was sure people actually found it as such. The blond crossed his arms. He stood as an imposing force, in his way. He completely blocked Kabuto's view of the doorway in front of him.
"What are those Sensei?" Minato gestured to the bags tucked under the good doctor's arm.
Kabuto looked down for a brief moment at the sacks before stationing his eyes at their previous post.
"Haruno-san asked me to gather a couple of things for her." Kabuto kept his tone calm. His fake smile made his flat eyes seem all the more lifeless.
"More twigs and vomit-inducing flowers?"
Kabuto's nose twitched. "Haruno-san has potential. Great potential. She is smart. She researched herbs and plants that she needed and she asked me," he paused, "to provide them for her."
"How kind of you to help." Minato's smile remained on his face. Even as his shoulders tensed up slightly. "Your time is valuable Sensei, you can leave them with me. I'll have someone give them to her."
Kabuto did not move to hand Minato the bags over as he requested. "I think it is best I do it myself, Namikaze-sama. I want to make sure that Haruno-san understands how best to use them."
"She's smart," Minato's smile turned into a grin for a fraction of a second. "She did her research. She's fine."
Kabuto took one moment to pause, he lowered his head a fraction. His fingers around the bags clenched slightly. When he addressed the Namikaze, he was the picture of nonchalance.
"Namikaze-sama, I would be more comfortable if I were the one to personally deliver them. I am already here. I accounted for this in my schedule. It would be a shame to waste a trip." Kabuto countered with only politeness despite the tightness in his stomach.
"Haruno-san is busy doing her job. She can't be disturbed right now. And since it appears she was not expecting you, I think it is best we do not bother her so she can focus on her work." Minato said airily. His laid-back demeanor was very convincing.
"Her work that has so little regard for her wellbeing that it was content letting her nearly kill herself, that work, you mean? " His dark obsidian eyes bore into Minato's. His patience was the first to crack.
Minato kept his face and tone impassive. "What happened will not happen again. I can assure you of that much."
Kabuto closed his mouth. Everything about the man in front of him was smooth. But even if he could will his voice, and face to remain neutral he could do nothing about the vein that was popping from his forehead. It clung to the surface like an earthworm to the dirt after a rain.
He scoffed. "Very well," he held out the bags. He did not let go when Minato's hands curled around them. "Perhaps," a slow, humorless smile curled at his lips, "you can help me satisfy my curiosity after all?"
Minato regarded him guardedly.
"When you give Haruno-san the fruits of my labor will you approach her as the Master or as Minori-san?" Kabuto smirked at the way his lips slightly parted and the marginal widening of eyes on the General's face. Kabuto lowered his hand. "Please give Haruno-san my best," he dipped his head in a shallow bow, for show. He took a couple of steps before he came to a halt.
He glanced back over his shoulder, almost haughty. Minato was rooted in place. His expression had yet to change.
"I think it would serve us both well to stay out of each other's business." He pushed up the bridge of his glasses with his middle finger. "Specifically when that business involves a mutual interest."
"You do not want to threaten me, Sensei." Minato's eyes were narrowed into slits. The vein in his forehead was protruding visibly. His controlled calm was held firmly around his person.
"Namikaze-sama, there is something you should know about me. I do not threaten. And I am never threatened." Kabuto turned slowly back around. He felt the daggers being thrown at him from Minato's piercing navy eyes. That fact alone made everything worth it. Kabuto smiled as he inhaled deeply. The air really was sweeter in the Namikaze compound. It almost smelled like the last two weeks of March.
Sakura frowned. There was an anxious energy to everything. She could practically hear the air humming with it. She was slightly surprised that she had not been jolted once or twice. Tomoha. Calm, collected, and in control, Tomoha was in a tizzy. Her temper was shorter than usual. She had nearly bitten Naruto's head off for spilling orange juice all over the dining room table. It had taken all of Sakura's efforts to keep the boy from bursting into tears then and there.
Her fellow servants were running with their heads bowed and muttering under their breath. She must have missed the announcement. She quickly finished folding the sheet in her hands. She set it aside in the basket at her feet. She hooked her hand around the girl's upper arm preventing her from hurrying after the band of boys she was trying to wrangle.
"What's happening, Rin-chan?" Sakura did not waste time in mincing her words.
"Oneechan," Rin's eyes sparked with recognition. "Oh, that's right, you've been taking meals in your room." She chewed her bottom lip.
Sakura needed to eat smaller portions more frequently than just twice a day while her stomach recovered from the abuse she put it through. That coupled with only really looking after Naruto as of late, she was sorely out of the loop.
"One of the high-ranking aristocrat's niece is visiting. She's arriving today. Ambe-san said everything needs to be perfect." Rin explained nervously.
Sakura frowned. "All this for one person?" She looked around the compound. "We didn't even do this much when the Master came." Her hands found her hips.
"That's all I know. Apparently, she's got a nasty temper. And she's really hard to please. You don't want to be caught in her crosshairs. Or get her attention." Rin looked like she was going to pass out. "Juna-san said that. Even Kai-san agreed so you know it's bad." Rin's warm brown eyes were so solemn. "Apparently her uncle has influence. What if she doesn't like me? What if I make a mistake? I like it here!" Rin bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
Sakura gripped her by the shoulders. "Breathe," she said in a calm but authoritative voice.
The hyperventilating girl drew in a large greedy breath.
"Good now hold it for five seconds," Sakura encouraged. "Exhale slowly," she coached her through. Rin exhaled. They breathed together until the girl stopped shaking. "Everything will be alright. You're doing a great job. Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be fine."
"Oneechan," Rin did not look half as convinced as Sakura was.
"Come find me if it gets too bad, okay? We'll figure something out together if need be." Sakura smiled at her kindly.
"Thank you, Sakura-Oneechan," Rin caught her off guard by hugging her around the middle. Sakura grunted in pain. "Sorry!" Rin covered her mouth in horror as she remembered suddenly how tender Sakura's midsection was at the moment.
"It's alright," Sakura wheezed. "Go find the boys before they get into trouble. Ambe-san is the one we really have to worry about."
"Sorry," Rin mouthed before she ran off. She turned around once more before she was out of sight to mouth another apology.
Sakura waved at her. She gingerly as she made her way back to the clothing line. She only knew of one aristocrat who lived full-time in the compound and that had influence.
'I wonder if the woman who's arriving is Shimura-sama's niece.'
Her emerald eyes darted around the courtyard. She did not see a tall frame whose yellow hair was contained in brown wraps. Her disappointment was palpable. She found herself wishing she would run into Minori, not for the first time today.
'He would know what's going on. It would be nice to ask him.'
She bought the lie she told herself.
'And here I thought this day could not possibly get worse.'
It took everything for him not to bounce his leg up and down. The restless fidgeting was not him. It was something he had picked up from Kushina. She always had a hard time sitting still. He looked at the tiny blond sitting to his left. The boy's usually unruly hair was tamed and combed to sit close to his head. He could see the oil glistening off of it. He could smell the oil. Naruto was trying his very best to remain seated. He was proud of him. His blue silk kimono with white and orange spirals was still in pristine condition. All the creases were still right where Tomoha and painstakingly ironed them.
He resisted the urge to scratch his neck. The starched collar of his own formal kimono - one that Tomoha insisted he had to wear - was rubbing up against his skin. He would develop a friction rash if it kept up. His forest green kimono was not nearly as colorful as Naruto's. He appreciated the simplicity of the design. It certainly did not overwhelm his eye like the plum-purple kimono with white and blue flowers and green leaves that was seated directly to his right. All he saw from his peripherals was a blur of loud, vibrant almost neon color.
'Kami.'
Time was not moving. He was convinced of that. There were only so many times he could subtly look over at the freshly polished grandfather clock without running the risk of being caught. More than once he had felt Danzo's eye boring into his, studying him not unlike how two adversaries met on the battlefield. He was looking at him through the lens of war. Like he was an enemy to be decimated, dominated, and demoralized.
Minato raised a small cup filled with foamy matcha tea to his lips. Her eyes, her dark eyes so like her uncle's but different were on him. They never left his face. He set the cup down without a sound. His hand remained curled around it. He raised his eyes from the plethora of food. It was a proper feast. It was wasteful.
"Tsuhi-san," he cleared his throat. "How was your journey?"
The beautiful woman with flawless porcelain skin, dark eyes, and long black hair that was so shiny it was reflective, smiled.
"It went very well, Namikaze-sama. Thank you for asking. Ran into no trouble at all." Her voice was sweet. It sounded like a bell, the wave reverberated in the air before entering his ear canal. Her dark eyes were extenuated with a heavy lining of kohl. Forced to resemble the shape of a cat's eye. A trick to make them appear bigger than they actually were. Her lips were stained in a deep red hue. She was a lady. Everything about her movements indicated as such. She was grace personified.
"That is good to hear." He answered lamely. He smiled when his eyes inevitably found Danzo's again. He was sitting right across from him.
The sounds of chopsticks made from cherry wood coated in lacquer, adorned in gold leaf clicked against the finest china present in the estate. China his mother had brought as part of her dowry. China he had last shared a meal with his in-laws shortly after it was confirmed that Kushina was with child. He assumed the meal proceeding her funeral was also served on these plates.
He saw something small and white fly through the air. A single grain of rice landed on his plate. He turned to his left, he took in the sheepish look on his son's face. Minato bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. He watched with soft eyes as Naruto tried to lift a bit of food to his mouth with chopsticks that had less grip than the bamboo ones he was used to. He wondered how long before Naruto just stabbed at the food with the ends. He was on his best behavior. The threat of not having Sakura come for storytime - imposed by Tomoha - was all that kept him in his seat and quiet - mostly.
"Naruto-kun," Kin's bell-like voice rang in the air.
The boy looked up from his plate. His wide blue eyes locked hers.
"How are your studies going?" Kin asked the boy kindly.
Naruto shrugged. He turned his attention back to his food.
Minato did not have it in him to discipline Naruto. The Namikaze saw the way Danzo's lips were set in a frown of disapproval.
"What's your favorite subject?" The woman pressed. "I loved music when I was your age. Do you like to sing?"
Naruto strategically placed a piece of duck in his mouth so that he had an excuse not to answer. By the time he was done chewing over a minute had passed.
"He's shy," Minato said with a chuckle when he felt Kin's eyes join Danzo's who was already staring at him.
"That's okay," Kin smiled. "That just means we'll have to spend more time together to get to know each other better, doesn't that sound like fun Naruto-kun?" The enthusiasm in her smile did not dim in the slightest.
"No," Naruto looked at her flatly. He brought his chopsticks down.
"Naruto," Minato spared him a sharp look that his heart was not behind. He did not want to but the boy had been rude. He had to be reprimanded. "Apologize to Tsuhi-san please."
Naruto's face pulled into an indignant pout. He dipped his head. "I'm sorry, Tsuhi-san."
"It's alright," she laughed it off. "I thought it was a funny joke."
Minato did not miss the pleased look that overtook Danzo's face when Naruto apologized. It made his stomach turn with unease.
"Otosama?" Naruto looked at him. The boy was perspective; he knew not to use the informal 'tochan' to address him. Even if he had become quite fond of hearing his son call him that.
"Yes, Naruto?" He looked at the boy. He had reached his limit.
"May I be excused?" His blue eyes pleaded with him.
"Yes," Minato nodded his head. "Say goodbye to Tsuhi-san and Shimura-sama before you go do your homework."
Naruto rose to his feet. He bowed first to Danzo before he bowed to Kin. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Naruto-kun." Kin smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said with eagerness in her voice.
Naruto's face pulled into a scowl but thankfully he did not say anything. Minato watched as the boy bounded off. His exuberance at his freedom was palpable. Minato had to school his expression, he had to filter the envy from his face before he turned back to look at the remaining occupants. He smiled at them.
'Kami, what I would give to be out in the frontlines over this.'
He bit back a sigh and forced himself to endure listening to the tedious small talk from the raven-haired beauty and the dark gaze of her uncle.
He saw her smooth her calf-length raven tresses to her scalp with her palm. Her shoulders brushed against his arm. It was intentional. It was the third time that had happened. She seemed to pull the move every fifteen steps or so.
Each time she would apologize and look away shyly. Her face flushed red as she tried to pass it off as an accident. And each time he would ignore it. He found himself annoyed that the distance between the main house and the guest houses was so great. In all other instances, it was a blessing but not now. Not at this moment.
He smiled, he chuckled and he made the appropriate sounds at the appropriate times. And it was all much too tedious for his liking.
"I had a great time, Namikaze-sama," Kin brushed up against him again. "Sorry," she giggled into her hand. "I'm so clumsy today."
"It's alright," he smiled without it touching his eyes. "And Namikaze-san is just fine."
Kin shook her head. "No, Namikaze-sama! You earned your title and respect," she giggled. "It doesn't feel right to call you anything but Namikaze-sama," she sighed dreamily. "At least not yet." She smiled prettily towards the ground as she batted her long, dark lashes.
'Look what you've done.' He contained a groan at his inadvertent encouragement of her not-so-in-her-head daydreams.
"It's so beautiful here. So peaceful," she looked up at the moon. It was a waning crescent. "Oh sorry!" She reached out to grab his forearm to steady herself. "I lost my balance." Her hand did not leave his arm even as she regained it.
"Are you alright?" He ground out the question.
She laughed. "New shoes. I'm not used to them yet. That and that uneven field." They continued to walk across the dead grass. "I think it would be best if I held onto you, you're so sturdy." She suggested innocently.
He did not say anything to acknowledge her words. He did not stop her from looping her arm around his. He could feel the prick of her long nails through the fabric of his sleeve.
'Thirty more steps.'
He counted in his head. The smell of her perfume was making his head spin unpleasantly. There was too much of it. It was like a full assault on his nose.
"Would it be alright if I spent some time with Naruto-kun?" She looked up at him through her lashes. "I find him so precious. I love children so much! Especially six-year-olds. Such a good age."
'Naruto's five.' He corrected her dryly in his head.
"I was thinking maybe we could try a singing lesson. Something tells me he has the voice of an angel." She gushed as she laid on her flattery.
'He croaks like a toad.'
"He's so much like you," she sighed dreamily. She was leaning into him. "He's just like you, Namikaze-sama."
'He takes after his mother.'
"Namikaze-sama?" She blinked at him expectantly.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," he looked over her shoulder at the door to her room. It was not too far from her uncle's dwelling. He could have walked her but Minato knew why he did not. The man had gone to great lengths to leave them alone. He had retired from dinner not too long after Naruto had left.
"Great," her eyes sparkled. "Ah, I can't believe we're already here. The walk went by so fast." She had yet to pull away from him.
"Hm," he made a noncommittal sound. "You must be tired from your travels." He smiled shallowly. "Good night, Tsuhi-san. Sleep well."
"Good night, Namikaze-sama." She let go of his arm. She bowed her head.
He waited for her to step inside before he turned around. His eyes scanned the compound for a familiar compact frame. He did not find her. It was a long shot in the beginning but that did not stop the disappointment from welling up inside of him.
'It's a good thing. It means she's sleeping. She's getting rest.'
He reminded himself to make himself feel marginally better.
Dust was kicked up as his hooves pushed against the earth. The smile on Sakura's face was colored with marvel as she watched the white horse move in a restrained trot in the confines of the paddock. She could tell that the horse was just begging to stretch his legs in an open run.
Minato was at the center of it all. Jogging along the horse as they moved from one end of the oval to the other. Kaminari threw his head. The trot slowed in speed until both were walking at a leisurely pace. He let go of the bridle. He was dusting off his hands as he jogged to where she was standing. Sakura kept her eyes trained on the horse who was doing some laps around the enclosure.
"Beautiful," she breathed in admiration. The power, the grace, the confidence in movement. It was all breathtaking. Her skin pricked. She turned her head. "The h-horse I mean." She tore her eyes from his cobalt gaze. "Kaminari-san is beautiful," she clarified with a fluster.
He came to lean against the other side of the fence next to her. A chuckle originated from deep inside his chest. It made her stomach jump. It was a very pleasant sound.
Amusement danced in Minato's eyes as he too watched Kaminari move. He had spent too long cooped up in the stables.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her the question he seemed to ask every morning.
"Good," she leaned her elbows on the fence. "I'm finally back to eating again. I had rice with chunks of pumpkin for breakfast. I didn't realize I would miss chewing as much as I did!"
"Congratulations on your accomplishment." Minato chuckled. He shook his head good-naturedly. The small, easy smile on his face made hers grow in size.
"Thanks!" She grinned at him. "I'm pretty excited."
"I can see that," his tone and eyes were filled with teasing. He pushed out the thoughts of what awaited him back at the main house. In her company, it was not all that hard to do.
Sakura bit her lip. Her excitement waned a little as the thoughts packed in her head were enough to smother everything else.
"Minori-san," she said his name apprehensively.
He tilted his head towards her, his blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. There was patience in there as well.
"Can I ask you a question?" She unknowingly leaned towards him. His sense of calm drew her in. Kaminari's clopping might as well have been a distant fragment of her imagination.
"You just did," his smile grew into a lighthearted grin as he breathed out the words barely above a whisper.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean," her eyes held in place by his.
"I'm waiting on pins and needles."
She did not allow herself a second to think about it. The words would never make it past her lips if she did.
"What do you know about the newest visitor?" She forced lightness into her tone.
Minato's raised brows brought her words back down. "She's Shimura-sama's niece." He answered unsatisfactorily.
'So she is related to Danzo.'
"Why is she here?"
Minato shrugged dismissively, much to her annoyance. "She occasionally comes to visit her uncle."
Sakura's face pulled into a thoughtful mask. Her previous smile was long gone. She absentmindedly picked at a hangnail on her thumb. None of this was missed by Minato.
"I thought you didn't care for gossip," he started without judgment.
Sakura found herself bristling all the same. "I don't," she stepped up on the second from the bottom rung of the fence, which gave her additional inches of height. She glared at him.
"Then why do you ask?" He half turned to face her. His elbow rested on the fence. She was only about a couple of inches shorter than him now.
His words seemed to douse the fire in her eyes. She shrank back. Sakura looked at the ground.
"No reason," she muttered unconvincingly under her breath.
He regarded her cautiously. She was chewing on her bottom lip in what had to be unease. Kaminari was grounding his front hoove against the softened dirt.
"What does the Master think of her?" Sakura asked in a small voice. It was so small that he almost missed it. It was only because he was looking at her that he had seen her lips move.
The question caught him visibly off guard. It did not take him long to recover. Thankfully Sakura had her eyes trained on the ground so she missed any and all deviations in his facial expression from the norm.
"I don't know. I don't have the ability to read the Master's thoughts." He lied effortlessly.
"Is she pretty?"
His eyes widened. Her cheeks were dusted with a faint pink. And the expression on her face could only be described as shy. He turned his head. Minato furrowed his brow. He had seen Kin a handful of times before when they were both children. This was the first time he had seen her since he married Kushina. Through the eyes of an adult.
"I never really thought about it," he mused out loud.
Sakura's heart was pounding in her chest. She gripped her sweaty hands around the top of the fence, completely unaware of the wood fibers digging into her flesh. She took in Minato's reflective face. She waited with bated breath to answer.
"I suppose she is." He stated matter-of-factly answering her query honestly.
'Baka.'
Her stomach dropped to her toes. She pushed down the disappointment. "She's a noblewoman. Of course, she's pretty. It was stupid of me to ask." She forced a laugh through her throat.
"Why did you ask?" He asked a slight variation of the question for a second time.
Sakura shrugged. "Just making conversation." She looked at her rough hands. The woman - Danzo's niece - no doubt had smooth, soft hands. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, tucking her hands away as far as she could.
"Your idea of conversation is talking about other people?" His tone was back to teasing. It was not outwardly so but there was more than just a little hint of it.
"What's your idea of conversation?" She leaned forward against the fence.
"We could talk about ourselves", Minato suggested casually.
Sakura made a face. "I'm not all that interesting." She said dismissively, shooting down the idea.
"I doubt that very much, Sakura-san." He grinned at her.
Her stomach did flips at the way he was looking at her. That alone was bad enough. But how her name sounded coming out of his mouth, it was as if she was hearing it for the first time. It was exciting.
"Should you be pushing yourself so hard?" She asked him not unkindly.
His eyes crinkled. He saw through her poorly masked attempt at changing the subject. "I'm fine. I need to get back in shape for the front lines. Kaminari too." His eyes darted to the horse who was trying to find something to graze in the barren dirt before they landed back on Sakura's face.
"Does that mean you're planning on heading out soon?" Her tone was casual but she felt fear prick at her as she thought about it.
"You sound almost worried," his smile did something to her insides.
She shook her head. "No chance," she instantly denied. "Naruto-kun has been really happy. He is enjoying spending time with his father. It would be really nice if they could spend more time together."
Minato dipped his head slightly. Her words settled on his shoulders. It did not take him more than a couple of seconds to push the heaviness down.
"Is that the only reason?" His eyebrows were towards his hairline when he made eye contact with her again. He took some satisfaction at the shade her cheeks donned at his playful question.
Sakura blushed but she said nothing. She went as far as tucking her bottom lip under her top row of teeth. "I suppose not," she scrunched her nose. "I'll miss Kaminari-san."
Minato laughed. Breathy, and open. The sound was like nectar. It almost sounded sweet. "Of course," he shook his head good-naturedly. "I'm sure Kaminari will miss you too."
She dared not look at his face. There was grit to his voice that she did not recognize. She could not place it and that was her cue. To cut things off before they became less playful and light. She tapped the fence twice. She kept her hand on the frame even as she took a couple of steps back.
"I should get going," her tone was full of reluctance. "Naruto-kun's lesson is going to start soon."
Minato pushed off the side of the fence. "Before you go…" he jumped over the fence effortlessly. Sakura let out a small sound of surprise when he landed in front of her.
She watched him as he walked over to a small pile on the ground. She had not noticed it before. Her eyes had settled on him the moment she arrived to find him in the paddock - all thanks to a note he left her attached to Kaminari's empty stall. He bent down and picked the items up. He came to a stop before her. She tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. She recognized the distinctive scents coming off the bags instantly. Surprise and confusion dominated her non-verbal communication.
"I ran into the Sensei yesterday. He gave me these to give to you." Minato explained. He held out the small bags toward her. They were almost touching her person. There was not a whole lot of space between them.
Sakura reached out wordlessly for the bags. She was careful to place her hands where his fingers were not.
"Thank you," she did not look up from the sacks containing lavender and eucalyptus.
"Why do you need all this?" He focused the full scrutiny of his gaze on her face.
"I know what I'm doing," she looked back at him with unyielding conviction. He let go of the bags. His arm fell to his side.
"You didn't answer the question." He said in a low voice.
Her eyelids fluttered in response. "I should go. I'm going to be late." She made no motion to move. "Did," she took a breath, "Did the Sensei tell you how much by any chance?" She searched his face. She kept the surprise at seeing the storminess in his eyes off of her face.
"No." His voice lacked all familiarity in its neutral tone.
Sakura's lips pulled into a frown. "I'll just have to ask him when I return the book and the scrolls." She thought out loud in a quiet volume. If Minato heard he made no outward indication.
"Sakura-san," he saw gestation in her stance probably in response to his tone. "Do you talk to the Sensei about me?"
Confusion danced in her eyes. He could practically see the thoughts fluttering across her face.
"Not since the day he checked the stitches I did," she answered almost guardedly with a hint of defensiveness. "Did he say something?" She was frowning at him, probably trying to piece together what this was all about.
Both understanding and relief rose in him. A little guilt too at the look on her face. She was nervous.
"No," Minato shook his head. "He didn't say anything," Minato said firmly. He refused to let the Sensei have any impact on the interactions that took place between him and Sakura. Her face did not change.
"Why did you?" He asked in a slightly lower tone. His eyes did not hold judgment or condemnation, just curiosity.
Her forehead filled with lines. "I was worried." She lowered her eyes to her feet. "I wanted to know how you were. So I asked him about you."
Her small voice left him without air. Like she had just sucker-punched him.
She bit her lip. "I might have mentioned your name in passing when I asked him to keep an eye out for a couple of things. These things." She crinkled the bags. "But that's all."
Minato's mind raced. He could not reasonably be mad or even upset with her. He was the one lying to her. Not the other way around. She asked an innocent enough question and the Sensei did the rest. It was not her fault. It was his own. He was the one who injured himself.
"Minori-san?" She braved searching his surprised face.
"Forget I said anything." He cleared his throat. "I was just curious I suppose."
Sakura frowned. "I don't tell anyone anything you've told me." She held his gaze. "I would never repeat what you said." She drew in a breath. "I would never talk about you in that way. You don't have to worry."
He was wrong. Now it felt like he had been punched. The earnestness that shone through her person was breathtaking. And it did. He inhaled loudly.
"I'm not worried." He swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry I said anything."
"I'm glad you did," Sakura countered. "Now you can let go. You don't have to carry that with you."
"You don't have to worry either." He tried to appease his guilt.
"I know." She smiled. "I'm not." She looked at the package between them being held up by just her. Sakura lowered her arm.
"Thank you, Minori-san." She gave him a smile that was born out of the newfound hope that could help alleviate some of her father's pain. "This means the world."
"I didn't do anything." He admitted in a grumble.
"You got them to me." She shook her head. "That's something, isn't it?" She tilted her head to the side to ask him the question.
He nodded his head. He did not trust his voice to work as his mind wanted it to. The warmth coming off her smile settled deep into the recess of his chest. It seemed to push away all the negative emotions, the heaviness of his thoughts. He headed toward the main house with a smile on his face for yet another day. And just like all days before, he was completely oblivious to that fact.
"I am so glad the weather held up for our picnic." Kin sang happily, completely oblivious or indifferent to the gloomy man who was staring moodily at the clouds in the sky, through the gaps in the canopy of the mature magnolia tree, as if they had betrayed him in the worst possible way. She had found him the second he came out of the bath after his training session. He could not use that as an excuse.
"Shame that Naruto-kun could not join."
"Yes," Minato bit back a sigh, "a real shame."
"There's just something so special about eating outside," Kin giggled into her hand. "I don't really know what but it just makes everything more…" she trailed off in a shy manner.
Minato said nothing. He regarded the spread that was laid out in front of them by the staff of the house at Kin's insistence. He kept the frown he wanted to don off his face. She made so much more work for them with one simple sentence.
"Everything looks delicious," Kin said with a dreamy sigh. "Is there anything I can get you?" She gestured to the food.
"I can manage." Minato reached for the skewers of meat which conveniently happened to be the furthest away from Kin. He thanked Tomoha's strategic placement of the dishes. All the things he preferred were closer to him. "Thank you for offering, Tsuhi-san." He added mostly as an afterthought at the disappointment on her face.
"You are too kind, Namikaze-sama." Kin laid on the praise. "You hardly ask for anything at all. And you're so modest and humble despite all your accolades. Such a welcomed quality in a man."
'I'm deplorable.'
"Thank you, Tsuhi-san." He pulled some chicken into his mouth. He chewed thoroughly. Slowly. His mind was far off thinking about a time he could not go back to, this morning.
"Namikaze-sama, you can call -" Her eyes widened.
A fat drop of rain landed on Minato's hand. He lifted his head. More droplets of water began to fall from the heavens from a dark cloud heavy with water. It was almost as if it burst open right then and there. The onslaught was unforgiving and excessive.
"Oh no!" Kin covered her head with her hands. "Oh no!" She said again in distress. "My hair!"
"Tsuhi-san, it's fine." He shrugged out of his jacket. He handed it to her without a second thought. She grabbed it hastily and covered her head. He pointed to the direction of the veranda. "Go!"
"Namikaze-sama!" Rin held out her hand towards him. She reached for his wrist. "What are you doing?"
"The food," Minato explained as he moved quickly to save what he could.
"Just leave it!" Kin said through her dripping makeup. She was crying tears of ink thanks to her kohl dissolving in the rain. "It's all ruined anyway!" She shouted over the sound of the rain.
"Tsuhi-san, go back inside. You don't want to risk coming down with something." He pushed his blond locks from his forehead.
Kin let out a sound of frustration before she rose to her feet and ran in the opposite direction of him. Clutching his jacket to the top of her head.
He did not look up from his self-appointed task.
Minato's lips pulled into a smile despite being soaked nearly to the bone. He held the food bundled in the blanket under his arm as he sprinted to the veranda. She was long gone. He shook the water from his hair.
He lowered the bundle to the ground as he sat cross-legged under the veranda. He opened up the picnic blanket. He found his partially eaten skewer and resumed eating. His blue eyes scanned the courtyard. He let out a slow breath and took in the peace around him with a sense of gratitude.
"Ahh," Miharu set her glass down with a satisfied sigh. Her cheeks were red from all the drinking but the woman still had her wits about her. Her brown eyes shone with disgust. "And he said," she held up her finger as her face pinched into a look of concentration. "I suppose she is."
"Idiot," Tomoha rolled her eyes. She pressed her hand to her forehead, the hand not holding up her drink.
"Are we sure he's smart?" Miharu asked with a scoff.
Tomoha looked up at the rafters in the servant kitchen. It was raining outside. She could hear the patter of rain hitting the tin roof. Their umbrellas rested against the entrance. The booze kept them both from feeling the chill that slipped through the bottom of the door.
"He's a genius," Tomoha deadpanned. "There hasn't been a military mind like his in generations." She looked torn between being proud and disgusted. "Not even the Nara heir can hold a candle to him when it comes to both brain and strength."
"What I'm hearing," Miharu waved a peanut shell in the air, "is that that is all he is good for." She narrowed her eyes. "It was painful to listen to. It was even harder to watch. Her whole face fell and he didn't even notice." She chewed on the peanuts noisily. "I guess that is why arranged marriages came to be. It ensures that completely clueless buffoons like Minato-sama can continue their line, bringing even more buffoons into the world for the rest of us to deal with."
Tomoha shot her drinking companion a withering look.
"Too far?" Miharu asked her with a raised brow as she tossed another peanut into her mouth.
"He had a love match as you very well know." There was real heat in her words.
"Only because Kushina-chan leaving kicked him into action. She took charge after that." Miharu shot back. "Sakura doesn't seem like the type to do that."
"They aren't the same," Tomoha said with a sigh. She relented.
"Speaking of Sakura…," Miharu frowned into her drink. "She asked me if she could use the kitchen during off hours. She said all the ingredients she will be using - other than water - will be hers. She assured me she would leave it as clean if not cleaner than she found it and that nothing would be out of place."
Tomoha nodded her head. "She wants to make medication to send back to her father. I already gave her the okay. I told her to check with you before proceeding."
Miharu blinked in surprise. "He's sick?"
"That's why she's here. She's providing for her family." Tomoha answered without much thought or emotion.
"She's full of surprises, that girl." Miharu's tone was dangerously close to being warm.
"There's a lot of weight on her shoulders," Tomoha sighed tiredly. "These visits are going to be the death of me."
"Vapid," Miharu curled her lip in disgust. "Kami, I'm retiring away into the mountains if someone like her becomes the new lady of the house."
"Don't even speak of it!" Tomoha shot her a sharp look. "Kami forbid that Kami is listening," she rubbed her temples. "We should cleanse this room with sage." The woman frowned. "Ward off the very thought of it all."
"It's fine," Miharu waved her hand dismissively. "The Master doesn't even like her. He never even looked twice at her."
"Kushina-chan was the reason why," Tomoha answered glumly.
"Well, now Sakura will be the new reason," Miharu stated with her chest. "I'm putting money on it."
Tomoha scoffed. "Who could you possibly have a pool with? We're the only ones who know."
"That's for me to worry about," Miharu winked mischievously. "How long do we wait before we invite Sakura again?" Miharu asked with hope in her voice and a gleam in her eye.
"Your moonshine might be too much for her. It probably stripped off all her stomach lining." Tomoha clicked her tongue. She pushed down images of the unconscious woman, lying motionless in her own vomit, with another swing of her glass. When she opened her eyes she was face to face with an annoyed-looking Miharu.
"Too bad. It was fun watching her struggle to keep it down." Miharu grinned in a predatory manner. "How convinced are you that Sakura is not as clueless as him? Because from where I'm sitting it is a toss-up." The brown-haired woman threw back her moonshine. She closed her eyes as the liquid burned all the way down to her stomach.
"She's capable," Tomoha turned her wrist in a thoughtful manner. "In certain areas," she tacked on the less-then-convinced look on Miharu's face.
"Great," Miharu grumbled. She refilled Tomoha's cup first before filling her own. "They're going to be stuck making eyes at each other for the rest of their lives at this rate." She frowned. "It's nauseating."
Tomoha looked down at the discarded shells piled up on a plate. "Kushina-chan did say that he would need help."
"He needs a miracle. They both need Kami," Miharu muttered darkly. "How are your aches and pains?" She asked in a gentler tone.
"Less aches and less pains." She answered with a blank face. "The bitter herbs are helping."
"Good," Miharu nodded her head. "Let's hope you don't wake up in a pool of your own vomit."
"I won't," she pressed her lips together. "The Sensei has taken an interest in her."
Miharu shuddered. "He gives me the creeps. Do me a favor, Tomoha. If I ever get sick enough to need him, just let me die." There was only seriousness on the woman's face.
"No promises," Tomoha countered without batting an eye. "If I have to deal with them, so do you."
"Don't worry about the Sensei. Who in their right mind would choose him over Minato-sama?" Miharu waved her hand back and forth.
Tomoha shook her head. "Sometimes there isn't a choice." She said gravely before she took a long sip.
"What do you mean by that?" Miharu's brown brow furrowed together. She had not seen the look on Tomoha's face in years.
"It just means," Tomoha flattened her flyaways. "I have to do it myself."
Miharu grunted. "They are in trouble aren't they?"
Tomoha held her empty glass out to her to refill as her only response.
Kin tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. Her raven locks fell to her calves. A thick purple bow made of pure silk adorned the ends of it. Her purple kimono - closer to lilac than plum - glistened in the sunbeams that came in through the window. His room had ample natural light. It felt like she was standing outside.
She watched him write on a sheet of paper. He was careful to not get ink everywhere. He was tracing characters. He was ignoring her. Her question had gone unanswered just like the previous couple she had asked prior.
She did not know where Minato was. All she knew was he had agreed to keep her company for lunch. As she watched the boy she could not help but hope it would be just the two of them. She really did not want to sit through another meal with the boy and her uncle.
"Naruto-kun," she kept her voice cheery and bright, just like her smile. "Your room is so nice," she slowly paced around the space. "It's so clean and spacious and bright." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He had not so much as moved to acknowledge the sound of her voice.
"It's just like the rest of your house. So lovely." Her dark eyes, lined with kohl in the shape of a cat's eye, rolled up to the details in the ceiling. "All this space just for you and your Otosama." She sighed deeply. "It must get so lonely."
She heard the sound of the bamboo brush handle hitting the table. She turned her head. She found herself looking into a pair of irate cobalt orbs.
"I'm not lonely," Naruto said firmly. He was half-turned in his chair. His hand was on the back of the chair as he regarded her with a frown.
"Really now? I know I would be if I were you." She said in a gentle, smooth voice.
"I'm not." Naruto crossed his arms.
"I'd be so lonely." She brought her hands to her heart. "I would definitely want an Okaasan to take care of me and play with me. And once I get an Okaasan I would want to have a little brother or sister to play with. Once I got a new Okaasan, I would not be lonely anymore." She finished with a large grin.
"I have an Okaasan already." Naruto countered. He turned back to the papers in front of him. He picked up his discarded brush.
Kin made her way to him. She rested her arm on the back of his chair. "You have an Okaasan already, Naruto-kun?" She asked the boy gently.
Naruto nodded his head. "She's a hime. That's why she's not here right now." He answered matter-of-factly.
Kin let the words sink in. "So you're not lonely?"
"No," Naruto shook his head once to further illustrate his stance.
Kin pressed her lips together. "Well, you may have an Okaasan and not be lonely but what about your Otosama? Hm?" She hummed.
"Otosama?" Naruto turned to look at her with confusion marring his features.
Kin nodded her head. "Yes, your Otosama is all alone. He is sad. He wants a new wife to take care of him and make him happy."
Naruto looked at the half-filled character in front of him. His stomach was starting to hurt. "If Otosama gets a new wife will I get a new Okaasan?" Naruto looked up at her with concern.
Kin nodded her head. "Yes," she said brightly. "Won't that be fun?"
"No!" Naruto shot out of his seat. The brush that was in his hand dropped to the ground. Ink splattered on the wooden floors. "I have an Okaasan! I don't want a new one. Even if I didn't have an Okaasan I don't want one like you!" He pointed in anger at her. Tears swam in his red eyes.
"Naruto-kun," Kin's expression became frantic. The boy was loud enough to be heard from three rooms down. She moved to be closer to try to get him to quiet down.
"Leave me alone!" Naruto ran past her. He darted out of the room.
Kin stood there dumbfounded. She blinked rapidly as she tried to pinpoint where it went all wrong.
"Where's Naruto?" A voice from the doorway called out.
"Namikaze-sama," she bowed deeply. She shuffled to the left slightly to hide the fallen brush from his line of sight. She straightened her hair as she rose to her full height. "He went to go play." She said with a smile.
"I see," Minato's smile was not affected by the news. "Lunch will be ready soon. It looks like it will be just the two of us. Shall we?"
"Yes," she directed a dazzling smile at him. She looped her arm around his when she came to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him. She started to fill the silence with the sound of her melodious voice.
Sakura dropped off the basket containing the cleaned dishes in the kitchen. She nodded to Miharu. The woman barely looked at her. Her eyes were blurry.
"Have fun last night?" Sakura asked with a large grin.
"Get out of my kitchen," Miharu hissed. When Sakura did not move, Miharu reached for the first thing in the basket. Sakura closed the door a second before the metal pot clanged against it. Miharu grabbed her head with both hands. She clamped her eyes shut as she waited for the rattling pot to settle. "Damn her," Miharu muttered under her breath.
Sakura was all smiles when she left the kitchen. It was not until she rounded the corner - near where the laundry was drying - that the smile slowly slipped from her face. She turned her head. The large tree, void of all its leaves, was in her line of view.
'That's the tree that Naruto-kun was hiding in.'
She stood still. She focused her energies on her hearing. She listened for what had to be at least half a minute. There was no mistaking it. She knew what she heard. Sakura slowly made her way to the bushes under the large, mature Japanese Maple. She saw spikes as yellow as the sun, first. He was curled into a ball. His head was bowed into his raised knees. His whole frame was being rocked by silent sobs.
Sakura's eyes softened with sadness that he was setting forth in the air with each breath. Sakura crouched down in front of him. He did not notice.
"Naruto-kun," she said softly in a low voice. She watched as the boy's whole body shuddered at the sound of her voice. He had yet to look up. If anything, her presence caused his sobs to grow louder and more frequent.
Sakura lowered herself to the ground not caring that her kimono would be slightly muddy thanks to the still wet ground from the rain yesterday. She folded her legs to the side of her body.
"I'm right here, Naruto-kun." She said in the same soft, low voice. Her heart in her chest aced as she continued to watch him cry. "I'll be right here with you until you're ready to talk about it." She reassured him.
Naruto shook his head, his forehead still resting against his kneecaps. Another sob left his mouth.
"Okay, we don't have to talk about it." Sakura's green eyes darted slowly around the clearing. No one was around. "Would it be alright if I hugged you?" She looked at the boy. "Do you think that would help?"
Naruto did not move beyond the twitching in his shoulders as he cried. She held her breath as she waited. A slight nod was registered by her. Sakura did not waste any time. She gathered the trembling boy into her arms. She held the back of his head. And rubbed his back in soothing circles. The front of her kimono was dampened by his tears. She was thankful that her kimono was more or less clean. As clean as it could realistically be after half a day of chores.
She rocked them back and forth slowly. His sobs started to die down after around five minutes. Sakura wiped away his tears with a gentle hand. She held a scrap of fabric to his nose, he blew into it. His eyes were red-rimmed and sad when he finally peeled his face from her shoulder. The hand rubbing his back did not stop.
"Are you feeling better?" She asked him in a gentle voice.
Naruto shook his head. He clung to her. She ran her fingernails into his scalp. His eyes were half-lidded. His sniffles had all but subsided.
"Can I get you water?"
Naruto shook his head yet again. His fingers around her faded blue kimono tightened. She saw panic flash across his eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you." She assured him fiercely.
"Promise?" Naruto asked in a scratchy voice. He stared up at her with a forlorn look on his face.
"I'm not leaving," she hugged him close. She held his gaze. Her conviction was giving him reassurance. She could see it. The devastation was beginning to recede on his person until it was nothing more than a glimmer in his eyes.
"Sakura," his lips pulled into a frown. The tear stains on his red cheeks kept drawing in her eye. They kept sending shocks of pain to her heart.
"Yes, Naruto-kun?" She tried to smile at him.
"Is Tochan going to get me a new Okaasan?" His bottom lip trembled slightly once he had worked out the question.
'Kami, what do I say to him?'
Sakura cleared her throat. She was slow to open her eyes again after she blinked. She needed some time. She just needed a little bit of time to not make things worse.
"I don't know, Naruto-kun," she said with a small sigh. She felt the boy flinch in her arms. She pressed her cheek against his forehead.
"I don't want a new Okaasan," his voice broke. He was struggling to keep his emotions in check.
"You're upset because you're worried about your Tochan remarrying and you having a new Okaasan." She repeated back to him.
Naruto nodded his head.
"Naruto-kun, your Tochan might remarry one day. It could be soon or it could be in a long, long time or it could be never." She began without having a clear direction of where she was going. All she knew was the boy was clinging to both what she had to say and to her. So she tried her best.
"It may be scary, thinking about having a new Okaasan and what that means for you." She swallowed thickly. "But no matter what happens you have to remember one thing," she gave him a squeeze. "Your Okaasan, she is a part of you. She loved you with all her heart," she smiled down at the boy. "With everything she had and no matter who your new Okaasan is, that will never change. She will always be a part of you. She will always be looking after you." She brought her hand to his chest. "She's right here." Naruto uncurled his fingers from her top. He rested his hand over hers.
"Why does Tochan want to marry a new Okaasan when I don't want one?" He asked her while staring into her soul with his big, blue eyes.
"Being an adult is hard, Naruto-kun. I know being a kid is hard too," she added before Naruto could interject with his grievances. "It's nice to have someone to rely on when going through life. So try to be extra patient with him and the situation please." She looked up at the dreary sky. It would rain again tonight. "It could be a good thing."
"How?" He eyed her with only curiosity.
"If you get a new Okaasan she's going to be really nice and a lot of fun. She'll take really good care of you and of your Tochan too." She refused to acknowledge the conflicting feelings welling up in her.
"How do you know?" He blinked up in intrigue.
She tapped his nose. "Your Tochan loves you very much." She spoke what she believed to be the truth. "He's a good picker." She smiled at him with warmth. "Do you know how I know?" The boy shook his head. "Because he picked someone kind and strong to be your Okaasan."
The smile that blossomed on Naruto's face pushed out the unpleasant feelings swimming inside of her with its warmth.
"Can you tell me a story about my Okaasan?" He asked her almost giddily.
"Absolutely." She said with a grin. "I was planning on saving it for tonight but we can pretend we're hearing it for the first time at storytime right?"
"Right!" He nodded his head emphatically.
"Okay, so," Sakura weaved a story about Kushina and Minato. The one Tomoha had told her a couple of nights ago. Naruto remained completely enthralled in her arms. Captivated by the sound of her voice and the pictures in her head that her words brought to life.
Her eyes opened. Absolute darkness surrounded her. It felt like all her worries had manifested into water droplets that were falling from the sky. There were many and there were unrelenting. They drenched the outside of the structure she was housed in. She had left the window open a sliver. She was too lazy to get up to close it. The slight chill was nothing compared to what was being pulled from her bones.
She tapped her index finger against her folded hands. It was less destructive than peeling away at the skin around her nails. The soap had burned the torn skin when she washed the dishes today. It like the rain, was unforgiving. Sakura swallowed thickly.
She was upset. And while she had succinctly captured Naruto's reason for being upset in a single sentence, she dared not do the same for herself. Her suspicion had been correct. The niece was here for the Master. She was not here to visit her uncle, or rather she was not just here to visit her uncle.
From what she knew of Danzo from Tomoha and surprisingly the tight lips of Minori, she would not put it past him to have planned this. If the Master married his niece, his influence would be written into stone in this house. He would only grow more powerful.
"I don't trust him." She muttered into the cool rain-washed air.
Tomoha's and Miharu's insistent advice - which came more across as a survival tip - was to avoid him at all costs. The extreme reaction Minori had - he actually put his hands on her - when she brought up her theory all but cemented it for her. Danzo was not a good man. He was not to be trusted. It would be foolish to trust him. It would be her funeral if she ever got caught in his crosshairs. It had been chilling to see the very real fear in Minori's eyes. It had only receded when she told him she did not share her accusation with anyone else. She did not believe for one second that what was happening in this compound with the food was a clerical error or a misunderstanding. She was far too cynical and too much of a realist to believe it.
Danzo was stealing from this house. She did not know why or for how long. Maybe he was emboldened by the fact that the Master was gone for more than five years. He did not step foot in the house. Or maybe he was planning something. For whatever reason the Master and Minori were content to pretend that everything was fine. Everything was not fine. This niece, this niece was just another ploy.
"She's pretty." She grumbled in a tone colored with jealousy. She prayed the Master would use his head - the right one. She prayed that her words for Naruto were true. Her motive was not entirely altruistic. She knew that. She loved her job. She loved the freedom she had. Most importantly, she loved spending time with Naruto. It was only possible because Tomoha allowed it. And she believed that it was only because of the woman that the Master allowed it to continue. She wondered what would happen when Naruto's new Okaaaan arrived.
Would she still allow this setup, this arrangement to continue? Would she still be allowed to interact with the boy? And to what extent?
Sakura blew air noisily. She wondered how much of her reservations were based on reality and how much was just in her head.
Who was she? She was nobody. She was nothing. How could she believe realistically that she knew what was best for this house or for Naruto? It was laughable. She was laughable. The thought of Naruto having an Okaasan should not be twisting her stomach into knots. It should have been filling her with joy. Naruto needed a mother. He needed someone to be a constant in his life. She was not Tomoha. She was cursed. It was not in her fate to be what Tomoha was to the Master, for Naruto.
"I'm a monster." She said out loud.
She was. She was putting her selfish desires and happiness before the boy's.
She inhaled a shaky breath. She breathed shallowly through the emptiness that was slowly creeping its way back to her heart. She tossed and turned for the remainder of the night. Plagued by dreams of her dead brother and a boy she had become a stranger to.
A/N: The plot thickens. Minato made some choices this chapter. We'll see how they play out. And I hope the standoff between Minato and Kabuto was believable. Not really sure how two introverted dudes who probably don't like confrontation all that much would "fight". Was there too much talking? Not enough shoving? Lol jk. Anyways. I hope you liked this chapter. I eagerly await to hear your thoughts.
Please review. Thank you!