Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only the Gushikans.

Chapter 13~ Otouto

"Happy birthday, Takara and Usa-chan!" There was a little pop from party poppers as my friends laughed.

My eyes widened, and I laughed in glee, "Woah, a surprise party for us?! Thank you, everyone! You're all the best!"

I turned to Dad, who sat begrudgingly in the corner, glaring at my male friends.

"So that's why you wanted me and Usa to go alone to his check-up. I thought that was weird."

"Well, Takara," Kiba began as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and booped Usa on the nose. "We needed you to be gone for as long as possible, and for some reason, your Dad doesn't trust us to be at your house alone."

In the corner, my Dad's face turned red as he continued to bring a kunai out and twirl it on his finger.

Kiba flinched and slid his hand off me, and backed away. I rolled my eyes at my Dad's antics and thanked my friends again.

"Anyway, Taka, let's eat this cake!" Naruto introjected as he dragged Usa and me to the kitchen, where many balloons and sweets were laid everywhere. I couldn't help but laugh as Usagi clutched tightly to my shirt as he stared at the colored orbs in awe.

I sat down at the table with Usa in my lap as they set a large cake in front of us. "Actually, it'd probably be best if we cut Usa his own corner so that he doesn't spit all over the entire cake." I laughed as I held the wiggling Usa as he reached for the cake.

My Dad hummed in agreement as he cut a small corner off the cake and placed one candle on it from my cake.

My friends then sang to us while Dad sat in the background, sharpening the cake knife loudly.

Nothing is ever sharp enough for him, silly.

"Here, Usa-chan, you blow like this." I demonstrated on my cake while he watched in wonder. When all the candles went out, he clapped his hands in joy and tried to do the same to his candle.

After a moment, he managed to blow it out, although he ended up coughing.

I gently rubbed his back, but it didn't matter to him. Once he had his breath back and I plucked the candle off his slice, he grabbed his cake with both hands and smashed it into his mouth, earning laughter from everyone.

The small party was great, and everyone was in high spirits. It's hard to imagine a year ago today, we also lost our mother. It was certainly hard to adapt.

I had to start cooking every night, and even though I was fine with it, Dad was not happy with Miso soup every night. So I had to learn how to cook "real food."

Thankfully all my friends and their families helped me a lot. Not that Dad knew, he would die of embarrassment to know I had to ask for advice. So I secretly went to Choji's house often to learn how to cook properly.

Not only that, but I had to learn how to wrap bandages and take care of the ill.

Curse Father and his noble cause of jumping in between his subordinates and danger. Such a bother, really.

Also, when Usagi came home, I had snuck off to the hospital for private lessons with a few nurses on how to care for a baby. The correct ways to check for fevers, how to give him his medicine, and what to do if he has a seizure.

Really having a baby brother has been nothing but trouble.

I zoned back in to see Usagi slowly toddle to me, one step at a time, before collapsing exhausted into my arms. I grinned at him as I quickly tickled him, making him squeal happily.

"Tata!"

I could hear my friends snickering.

"No, Usa-chan, it's Taka. Ka!" I emphasized in mild embarrassment.

He giggled and playfully slapped my cheek. "Tata!"

Naruto appeared next to me, laughing. "Tata, huh? It suits you!"

I gave him an annoyed look before turning back to Usagi.

"Usa Usa! Who's that!" I exclaimed and pointed to Naruto.

Usagi giggled and held his arms up so Naruto could pick him up. Usa booped him on the nose and proudly proclaimed, "Nana!"

A burst of laughter from all my friends as Naruto stood so shocked he turned bright red.

"I don't know why, but he likes to repeat the first syllable of any name," I explained, taking a bite of my cake and shrugging.

I glanced at Shikamaru and Choji.

"Except you too, of course, with your complicated names."

Usa looked excited as he pointed at the two.

"Sisi! Hoho!"

The two looked disappointed with the names as Usagi clapped happily.

I smiled as my brother "teased" my friends. I can't imagine what would have happened if... It's good he was able to come home in time for his first birthday.

He was only released from the hospital a month ago. He was just... So sick. And he still is.

I guess being born in a "war zone" of sorts is bad, especially when there is still debris and blood in the air. His lungs were deeply injured when they took all of that in, not to mention he had almost no immune system, so he quickly got an infection in the lungs... And a blood infection.

Sepsis, to be exact, that's why some of his organs were so weak... They were being attacked by the infection and were already pretty "raw" from not being perfectly complete yet.

He probably got it when the enemy ninja sliced into Mom's stomach with his dirty kunai.

If he went any longer than he did without treatment, then his organs would have shut down.

Thankfully, due to being caught pretty early and the medical ninjutsu available in this day and age, he was saved.

Barley... In reality, if he had been anywhere except in Konoha and if my father was not as prominent as he is... He'd probably be dead; it's a scary thought.

Because of this all, he was forced to grow up in a hospital and go back once a week for shots and checkups. When his cough gets really bad, he has to wear a face mask to protect himself from outside germs.

I worry about the life he'll have to live.

But, he is such a happy boy. Pretty shy at first but so giggly when it's just the two of us. His first word was Tata, which was quickly followed by Dada.

He was in the hospital for all of his firsts so far. I didn't get to hold him a lot in there either, in fear that I'd give him a disease. I'm just so happy that the first first he had outside the hospital was his birthday party.

What a tough life to live already.

"Takara?"

I looked over to Kiba, who was now holding Usagi.

"He feels a little warm."

I got up and pulled a wrapped thermometer out of my kunai pouch.

"He has a very light fever, probably from all the excitement and stress from today."

I made him swallow some medicine, and he curled up in my arms, placing his head in the crook of my neck.

"Well, before you put him to bed, we should do presents!" Naruto exclaimed and pulled out a box and a bag.

"They're from all of us," Shikamaru mentioned as he sat down next to Naruto.

"Ok, Usa, here you go." I set the bag in front of him, and he tipped it over and pulled out a storybook.

He kind of looked confused but tried to hand it to me, so I opened it to the first page.

There were big pictures, and that was enough for him to grab it to stare at it. He is a little too young to turn pages and read, but he'll like the pictures.

"Say thank you, Usa," I said while I rubbed his back gently.

He looked up and smiled, saying, "Ta ooo!"

My friends smiled back and then urged me to open mine.

I opened the box to reveal a few things; the first one is a photo of all of us and Usagi, the day he was released from the hospital.

Next was a box of chocolates that I was personally very excited about.

And finally, a scroll. I looked at them curiously but proceeded to unroll it while Dad loomed over my shoulder, of course.

"This is..." I looked at them and smiled. "A scroll full of low chakra using jutsu, ones I should even be able to do?"

They nodded.

"We know you get down because you don't have a lot of chakra, but your doctor recently said you're making leaps and bounds now, right?"

I shrugged a little, "He said I shouldn't faint after one jutsu, and that's good enough for me! I'll probably never be able to do high-level jutsu, but I can do enough to keep my comrades and me safe now! All I can do now is continue my therapy and hope that when I take the final exam in two years that I'll be approved despite my disability."

My friends smiled back, "Well, we went to the library, and these jutsu are supposed to be so easy that small children can do them, even younger than us."

I looked back down, excited, "I can't wait to try!"

"Well, it's late," Dad's voice rang out as he stared down my friends, "and you have a better chance of becoming Hokage today than spending the night at my house... So leave."

My friends scattered to pick up their things and run out the door, yelling goodbye. After the door shut, Dad sighed and took my drowsy brother from me.

"You know you could be a little nicer to them," I teased.

Dad rolled his eyes and motioned to the living room, "Your gift from me is on the coffee table."

I paused to look at him, for some reason a little surprised he got something for me.

"Ten years old is a big deal in this family. I'm proud of you." Dad muttered gruffly, looking a little embarrassed.

I hugged him and ran into the living room to find a long wooden box lying on the table. I stared at it and then very gently took the lid off.

A long-bladed katana laid there. There was a gold plate on the inside of the case that read Balance. The katana's blade was gray, the exact middle of white and black. The handle, however, was half black and half white, split down the middle longways.

I carefully picked it up out of the satin cloth it was lying in and ran my hands down the handle.

It was really light, and when I held it out away from my body to test the balance, it was perfect.

My Dad walked in after putting Usa down for a nap and allowed himself to smile at me.

"How does it feel to be a one sword style user now?"

I grinned back and looked down at my sword, "I'm actually really excited; at the rate everything was going, I thought you would make me wait until I graduated to inherit this katana."

He shook his head, "Nah, you need to get comfortable with a katana before you can use it in battle. So Takara, with that being said..."

'Oh no.'

"From now on, every day from five until you drop from exhaustion, you will be training and sparring with me in the Gushikan single sword style."

"This is how I die. I'm sorry, Usagi, I can't protect you from Dad any longer. Please forgive me. Grandpa? Is that you?"

My Dad rolled his eyes while Usagi clapped his hands excitedly.

"Takara, get off the ground. You know, with all that weight training you've had, you'd think you'd have more stamina. I guess we better start training for that too. You might as well raise the amount of weight you have on right now too. How much do you have on your arms and legs now?"

I groaned and pulled off my arm and leg warmers to check. "I'm at 550 pounds on each arm and leg."

He hummed, "Ok, raise it to 600 pounds on each arm and leg."

My jaw dropped. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"No, I just need you to be stronger."

He gave me a look that made me tense up and glanced at Usa, who seemed confused at the change in character in us.

Lately, Dad had been ramping up my training and therapy to extreme levels.

I understand, though.

He doesn't want to lose me too.

All the same, though, "Dad, I just went up on weights last month. I need more time to adjust." I complained, still feeling as though my limbs were under stress.

He gave me a sharp glaring look that made me flinch, "Nope."

He pulled out the extra weight and attached it to me.

"Now run."

I pouted and started running my usual path. I hate it when he goes all 'I'm head of Anbu, therefore, fear me.'

I ran laps around Konoha until I literally could not feel. Everything hurt as I stumbled home and collapsed on the couch.

Yet, I couldn't sleep.

I could hear Usagi coughing upstairs.

I meandered in pain to the kitchen and got his medicine before making my way to his room.

He was sitting up looking confused as I walked in.

"Sup little Otouto, did your fever rise again?" I took his temperature, and low and behold; it did go up.

I quickly gave him his meds and then patted his head, but he grabbed my hand to stop me from leaving.

"Tata! Tata! Kaka, Taka!"

I blushed and picked him up, holding him close.

"Good job Usagi!"

I spun him around as he giggled and then set him back in his crib, rubbing his wavy hair.

"Good night Usa, see you tomorrow," I said cheerfully to my sleepy baby brother.

I glance at the clock; actually, it already is tomorrow. I groaned angrily and fell into my bed, but today wasn't all bad.

Usa called me 'Taka' and that is the best present I could ever receive.

Authors Note:

Otouto means little brother.

Sorry, this chapter is so short, but... writer's block.

I think once we hit ninja times, the chapters will be quite long as I want to keep the info as correct as possible.

Anyway, before I say goodbye, one more thing, I just want to say thank you. Like really, Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita.

The amounts of favorites, follows, and even reviews are amazing; I had not expected people to really enjoy this story so much. It all really means a lot to me!

Unfortunately, there is no good way for me to pay you back; I guess to repay you, I'll just keep on writing as much as I can!

Thank you, and have a nice day.

~ToL

Well, I didn't mean to update this one out of order, but there was a big inconsistency in it that was bothering me, so now it's done, lol.