Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A New Beginning ❯ Parting of Ways ( Chapter 2 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Sytar Madison 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.25.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 350 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.25.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 350 | Status: Work In Progress
Well here it is. After what? Three years of writing? Never thought I could that slow in producing chapters. Eh, good things come to those who wait? XD;;; I'm a very bad person making so many wait three years for a chapter. It was one thing after another, that kept me away from completing any of my stories. Over the last several months, I started to write again and got back into the swing of the Naruto universe. However, I haven't read much past the Kakashi Gaiden. So this is verving far away from the canon. However, I am going back to fix some stuff now that I know exactly what happened.
There are going to be some other minor changes. Vicky is getting a name change to Haya in order to give her a more traditional Japanese name.
XD And reviews feed my soul.
This is the unbeta version. I don't think there are any mistakes but I could be very wrong. I have a problem with my tenses and tend to mix then up. Go native English speaker! As soon as I get a beta, I will replace the unbetad version with that one.
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Haya stares at the Third in disbelief, thinking and hoping that this is just a joke. "You can't be serious, Hokage-sama, I have a three year old at home to care for! This mission will last years. I can't do that to Naruto. He has no one else but myself and Kakashi. Kakashi is in ANBU, he's out of the village often which leaves just me to care for Naruto. Everyone else in the village hates him and would kill him given half a chance! I'm not about to leave him alone among the wolves. I made a promise to Arashi and I'll be damned if I don't keep it." Her voice stays level despite the mounting anger brewing inside and she folds her arms across her chest to scold at the Hokage sitting on the other side of the desk.
"Haya, there is no one else. It has been only three years since the Kyuubi ravished Konoha. We're still replacing all those we lost from the battle. As a jounin and one with high genjutsu skills, you are the logical choice in this matter. Other then Kakashi, you are the only one with the needed skills for this mission. As for him, he has his own missions to complete." He removes the pipe and places it on the desk before selecting a scroll and passing it to the kunoichi, regarding her silently as she grips the scroll tightly. "Naruto will be taken care for. I will personally see to that."
Her shoulders tense up for a moment before she forcibly relaxes and gazes down at the scroll, refusing to meet his eyes. Several moments pass before she lifts her head, firmly back in control and locks eyes with Sandaime before looking away and nods. "Yes, Hokage-sama." Without uttering another word, she vanishes in a puff of smoke, having not waited to be dismissed. A moment later, she appears in the middle of the dusty street in the district her family claimed. Swallowing hard, she glances down at the scroll clutched tightly in one hand then slowly approaches the house she lives in, pausing when a child's laughter emerges from the building. 'Naruto......what will become of you? Will I return to find you long dead, killed by vengeful villagers? Or will you have grown strong while I'm gone? So many things could happen. If only I could bring him with me!'
"......Kaasan....?"
That single word has her eyes flying open - when had she closed them? - and looking quickly down at the small child staring worriedly up at her. Quickly, she scoops him up into her arms, ignoring his squeak of surprise and holds him tightly to her. Needing to hold onto her precious nephew with everything she can, fearful that he won't survive without her protection. Her gaze flickers over to the silver haired teenager standing in the open doorway and holding her burden carefully, approaches him quietly. She gives him a faint smile and lightly shakes her head when he goes to question why she's upset, silently letting him know she'll tell him later. "Naruto, kaasan needs to go fix dinner. Can you go play quietly in your room?" Haya places Naruto on the floor and crouches in front of him, hands resting lightly on his shoulders as she gazes into his cubby face.
"Hai!!" A bright smile breaks out across his face as he squirms in her embrace, cuddling for a moment. "Na'to loves kaasan!" Just as quickly as he cuddled to her, he's running off for his room; the sound of small feet pounding up the stairs echoing in the otherwise silent house.
She knows that the still quiet and hovering presence behind her will demand to know exactly why she is so upset and oh kami, how do you tell your best friend that you will be away on a mission that is going to last several years? Missed years. Lost years. Those things that you can never reclaim. No matter how much you want. Lost chances of feeling this warmth, this belonging. Of being able to watch the child you consider your's grow up. All those First Things will be missed. The first time he goes to school. The first time he learns how to throw a kunai, his first jutsu. His first crush. First kiss, first heartbreak. The first time he has to kill. Will you be there to hold him afterwards? For any of those things? How much of his life will you miss? She knows that all those thoughts are flowing across her face for Kakashi to see but unable to stop it. And she really doesn't want to. Not while in the safety of her own home.
"Haya."
That one word. Her name. It's liking the breaking of a dam. With a muffled shriek, she races past him into the kitchen. Needing - craving - privacy so that she can break down without anyone seeing. Yet knowing that her friend will not allow her to suffer alone. Not when all they really have is one another. The last of a legacy. The protectors of a legacy left to them by a great man. The legacy that is hated by an entire village for something out of his control.
"Haya, what is it?"
She stays hunched over the stove, just realizing that she never once let go of the scroll still clasped tightly in her hand. With a jerky motion, she thrusts the arm backwards, waiting for him to take the scroll then lets her arm fall uselessly to her side when she feels her hand empty. Quickly, she turns to the pot she slammed down on the coil and turns on the stovetop, working on making their dinner. "I...leave tonight. After Naruto is asleep." Her voice dull and void of any hint of emotion.
"What about Naruto?"
"He has to stay here. This is an undercover mission. Deep undercover. I won't be returning to Konoha before several years have past. Decreed by the Third himself. This is a vital mission and I'm both young enough and skilled enough to pull it off without a hitch. There's no one else. According to Hokage-sama." Bitterness finally breaks through the blank tone as she viciously slices through a tomato, eyes flashing in barely surpressed anger as she turns to look at him. It mingled with fear and a great deal of sadness as she, after a moment, looks away and back at the mangled vegetables littering the chopping board. "Kakashi, I'm the only one who can do this. You'll....be Naruto's sole guardian while I'm gone." If I ever return. Those unspoken words echos the space between them as she glances at him again out of the corner of her eye. "Please take care of him."
Ice fills his veins as he stares at her, hardly able to believe her words but deep inside of him, he knows what she says is the truth and nothing he can do will change that. He stands there frozen before exhaling noisily under the mask as his eyes search her's for anything that her words didn't say. The silent between them stretches out, he suddenly feels the overwhelming need to break it, and before she can move, he's dragging her up against him. With a swift movement, he yanks down his mask to claim her mouth with his. His arms locked around her slender body as he tries to keep this moment safe in his memory. Very slowly, he pulls back to stare at her, giving her a shaky smile. "I might not like it..but I understand. I love you, Haya, come back to us soon."
The returning smile barely meets her eyes as she squeezes him tightly before letting go and nods; those soft brown eyes of hers sad and full of emotions as she just stares up at him for a very long moment. "I promise. Take care of yourself and Naruto." She hesitates a moment, having been about to turn away so she can finish preparing their dinner. "I love you too." This time the smile reaches her eyes but barely a second later, her expression goes blank again. "I hate this. This mission will take years. I'm going to miss so much of his life. It's not fair. Then, whoever said life is fair? Much less for a ninja." A sad chuckle comes from her as she reaches out to touch his hand. "Would you finish dinner while I go pack? I don't want to do it while Naruto's awake but I will have to leave the moment he's asleep."
He shoos her off without speaking, nudging her away from the counter and critically eyes the terrible job she did on cutting up the vegetables for the stew. Shaking his head, he tries to fix the damage done, pausing to glance over his shoulder when he doesn't hear any movement only to find her staring at him like he will vanish. Crinkles his single visible eye at her despite the overwhelming sadness he feels inside. A moment later, he hears her walk upstairs so she can pack what belongings she needs. Sighs to himself and glances overhead as childish squeals of happiness fill the house. 'Poor Naruto. Too young to understand why she had to leave.'
------
Dinner is a quiet and strained event that evening with only Naruto chattering away and even he is starting to quiet down as the depressing atmosphere begins to overwhelm even him. A pair of big blue eyes look from Haya to Kakashi and back again before his small voice chimes up. "Tousan? Kaasan? .....Did Na'to do so'thing bad?" His eyes start to fill with tears as he whimpers faintly.
"No, Naruto, you didn't do anything wrong. We're just.....sad tonight." Kakashi reassures the child as he places his hand on top of his head, ruffling the blond hair playfully. "It's nothing you do, promise." Keeps his voice light before lifting him out of his seat and places him in his lap, chuckling when the wiggly toddler tries to get comfortable. "How about I go tell you a story after your bath?"
"Really?!" Bounces in his lap and turns to face him, the entire previous conversation instantly getting pushed to the back of his mind. "Really?!"
"Yes, really."
The double laughter causes him to pout and scowl at his parents but like the bounce back kid he is, already leaping off his lap. "Hurry, tousan! Hurry!!" The little boy tries his very best to push the tall, lanky teen towards the stairs and thus the bathroom. His small hands pressed firmly against Kakashi's legs as he struggles fiercely to get him to move. Kakashi decides to humor him and shuffles his feet toward, nearly causing him to fall then lets out a laugh. Reaching down, he snags him by the back of his pants and draps him over a shoulder.
"TOUSANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! DOWN DOWN!!'
Cue the little wiggle worm doing his best to get free as he climbs the stairs, a smirk under his mask. Pushes open the bathroom door and deposits his burden on the floor in order to reach the tub, turning on the water and checks the temperature. "Naruto, get undressed while I grab your toys."
"HAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!"
Only non-parents wouldn't believe that such a small child could make a huge mess by himself but speak to any parent and they will tell you quite the opposite. Kakashi having learnt this lesson rather swiftly and he crouches to dig under the sink for the toys. Drops them next to him before rising, pushing the cabinet door shut with his foot and scoops the small pile up and dumps them into the warm water. With a long-practiced move, snatchs the leaping Naruto from mid-air and pins him to his side. "Now now, you know better then that, Naruto. No getting into the tub until after I grab the towels."
"Awwwwwwwwwwwww tousan!" Whines loudly.
And non-parents would not be able to believe the sheer level of noise a single child could produce alone. Poor fools.
"WANT TUB!!!!!!!!!!"
"The tub isn't going to get up and walk away." He pulls open the towel closet, grabbing three and shifts his weight, pushing the door shut using his hip and heads for the bathroom while his 'son' wiggles pitifully in his grip. A large splash of water hits the side of the tub when he plops him down. The towels go on the top of the cabinet next to the toilet and he stretches out by the tub, regarding the little hellion currently splashing away happily. His thoughts return to Haya and the mission she is about to leave on. Holds back the sigh that wants to come out and scratches the back of his head. 'Maaaa let's hope that this mission doesn't last as long as I think it will. Naruto needs her. I need her too, but she's his mother. The only mother he has even known. For her to go away for several years is just not right. Not when he's still this young. He won't remember her when she does return. Well, I just have to make sure he doesn't forget about her. Sensei would never forgive me. Neither would Haya.'
"Tousan?"
"Hm?"
"Kaasan sad."
"Yea, she is."
"Can Na'to make her happy?"
"Just by being yourself."
Silence fills the small bathroom as Naruto tries to understand what he meant by that. "Okay."
"Good boy."
"I love you, tousan."
"I know."
"Story?"
"Let's get you clean first. Finished playing?"
"Hai!"
Chuckling, he levels himself to his knees and turns around, reaching for the washcloth he placed on the edge and then gets the soap. Scrubs Naruto down while the little boy squeals in dismay. "Maaaaaaa, hold still." Unplugs the drain then rinses off Naruto, holding him up with one hand and checks to make sure all the soap is gone. Briskly, he dries him off, grinning under his mask as he, on purpose, spikes his hair up even more then usual. "There. Do you want me to help you into your pajamas?"
"No! Me big boy!"
"I'm a big boy."
".....But tousan, you are already big!"
"......Yare yare. That's not what I meant."
"Then why say it?" Innocently gazes up at him.
".....I have no idea."
"You're weird, tousan."
"Hai hai."
Kakashi keeps the towel around him, having learned from other mishaps that it was just safer until he was fully dressed. Casts an eye around the room, placing the child on the small bed then points to the light green pajamas laying next to him. "You claim to be a big boy, so let's see if you can dress yourself."
A mulish look thrown in his direction. "Don't wanna wear these."
He arches an eyebrow as he slouches slightly. "Oh? Why not?"
"They're green."
"Yes. I can see that."
"Don't like green."
"Maaaaaaaaaaaa, I'm going to have to go tell Kaasan that you don't like the pajamas she brought especially for you then."
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Don't tell Kaasan! Na'to will wear them!" Naruto struggles to free himself from the fluffy towel and fights the simple pajamas, managing to get them on without much of a mishap then scowls up at his father. "Want good story!"
"Hai hai." Removes the damp towel, dropping it over the chair next to the bed and tucks the stubborn kid into bed, smoothing back his hair absently. "You'll get a good story, I did promise you that. Now lay down and let me think." He settles himself down into the chair, stretching out his legs as he casts his mind over what to tell him that night. Slowly starts to speak as he weaves together a story, nothing else mattering at that moment as he loses himself in building the fictional world.
Hours or minutes later, he looks up sharply when he senses movement and glances to the side, hand twitching towards the weapon always on him then relaxes as he recognizes Haya in the doorway. His eye flickers over to a sleeping Naruto and rises, pulling the covers over his tiny body and checks to make sure he has his stuffed animal in close reach before joining her in the shadows. "Soon?"
"Aa." Her voice comes out as a weak whisper, eyes focused on the slumbering child on the bed then turns those eyes on him, the tortured look in her brown depths hurting him. "I....." She starts to speak then trails off, not wanting to say what she must and instead approaches, on silent feet, the toddler who lays claim to her heart. Her hand trembles as she caresses the shiny blond hair then leans forward to press a light kiss to his forehead. "I love you, Naruto." Haya forces herself to then turn away from the bed and moves back to the door, pausing and reaches out to grasp Kakashi's hand, squeezing firmly. Letting go, she moves past him into the brighter hallway, knowing that Kakashi will follow.
Once downstairs, the sight of the packed bag causes both ninja to halt. The smaller redhead refusing to look up at her taller companion as she keeps her gaze locked on the damnable pack. "It's time. I have a long way to travel. I have to be in place in two days. This....isn't goodbye. Not yet. I promise that I will come back. When, I have no idea. But I will return. You both can live here. It wouldn't be fair to take Naruto away from the only home he knows." Struggling with herself, she snarls mentally that she has more control then this and forcibly turns to face Kakahi. "Be there for him. Don't shut yourself away either. I expect to hear great things about you while I'm gone. If I don't then I'm going to kick your ass when I get back." Voice firm then reaches out, grabbing hold of his flak jacket, hauling him down to face her then presses her mouth against his mask covered one.
"I love you."
Before he gets a chance to respond, she spins away, snatching up the pack and is gone in a puff of smoke. Leaving him staring at the spot she just occupied.
"I love you too."
Those words float forlornly through the house.
There are going to be some other minor changes. Vicky is getting a name change to Haya in order to give her a more traditional Japanese name.
XD And reviews feed my soul.
This is the unbeta version. I don't think there are any mistakes but I could be very wrong. I have a problem with my tenses and tend to mix then up. Go native English speaker! As soon as I get a beta, I will replace the unbetad version with that one.
------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
Haya stares at the Third in disbelief, thinking and hoping that this is just a joke. "You can't be serious, Hokage-sama, I have a three year old at home to care for! This mission will last years. I can't do that to Naruto. He has no one else but myself and Kakashi. Kakashi is in ANBU, he's out of the village often which leaves just me to care for Naruto. Everyone else in the village hates him and would kill him given half a chance! I'm not about to leave him alone among the wolves. I made a promise to Arashi and I'll be damned if I don't keep it." Her voice stays level despite the mounting anger brewing inside and she folds her arms across her chest to scold at the Hokage sitting on the other side of the desk.
"Haya, there is no one else. It has been only three years since the Kyuubi ravished Konoha. We're still replacing all those we lost from the battle. As a jounin and one with high genjutsu skills, you are the logical choice in this matter. Other then Kakashi, you are the only one with the needed skills for this mission. As for him, he has his own missions to complete." He removes the pipe and places it on the desk before selecting a scroll and passing it to the kunoichi, regarding her silently as she grips the scroll tightly. "Naruto will be taken care for. I will personally see to that."
Her shoulders tense up for a moment before she forcibly relaxes and gazes down at the scroll, refusing to meet his eyes. Several moments pass before she lifts her head, firmly back in control and locks eyes with Sandaime before looking away and nods. "Yes, Hokage-sama." Without uttering another word, she vanishes in a puff of smoke, having not waited to be dismissed. A moment later, she appears in the middle of the dusty street in the district her family claimed. Swallowing hard, she glances down at the scroll clutched tightly in one hand then slowly approaches the house she lives in, pausing when a child's laughter emerges from the building. 'Naruto......what will become of you? Will I return to find you long dead, killed by vengeful villagers? Or will you have grown strong while I'm gone? So many things could happen. If only I could bring him with me!'
"......Kaasan....?"
That single word has her eyes flying open - when had she closed them? - and looking quickly down at the small child staring worriedly up at her. Quickly, she scoops him up into her arms, ignoring his squeak of surprise and holds him tightly to her. Needing to hold onto her precious nephew with everything she can, fearful that he won't survive without her protection. Her gaze flickers over to the silver haired teenager standing in the open doorway and holding her burden carefully, approaches him quietly. She gives him a faint smile and lightly shakes her head when he goes to question why she's upset, silently letting him know she'll tell him later. "Naruto, kaasan needs to go fix dinner. Can you go play quietly in your room?" Haya places Naruto on the floor and crouches in front of him, hands resting lightly on his shoulders as she gazes into his cubby face.
"Hai!!" A bright smile breaks out across his face as he squirms in her embrace, cuddling for a moment. "Na'to loves kaasan!" Just as quickly as he cuddled to her, he's running off for his room; the sound of small feet pounding up the stairs echoing in the otherwise silent house.
She knows that the still quiet and hovering presence behind her will demand to know exactly why she is so upset and oh kami, how do you tell your best friend that you will be away on a mission that is going to last several years? Missed years. Lost years. Those things that you can never reclaim. No matter how much you want. Lost chances of feeling this warmth, this belonging. Of being able to watch the child you consider your's grow up. All those First Things will be missed. The first time he goes to school. The first time he learns how to throw a kunai, his first jutsu. His first crush. First kiss, first heartbreak. The first time he has to kill. Will you be there to hold him afterwards? For any of those things? How much of his life will you miss? She knows that all those thoughts are flowing across her face for Kakashi to see but unable to stop it. And she really doesn't want to. Not while in the safety of her own home.
"Haya."
That one word. Her name. It's liking the breaking of a dam. With a muffled shriek, she races past him into the kitchen. Needing - craving - privacy so that she can break down without anyone seeing. Yet knowing that her friend will not allow her to suffer alone. Not when all they really have is one another. The last of a legacy. The protectors of a legacy left to them by a great man. The legacy that is hated by an entire village for something out of his control.
"Haya, what is it?"
She stays hunched over the stove, just realizing that she never once let go of the scroll still clasped tightly in her hand. With a jerky motion, she thrusts the arm backwards, waiting for him to take the scroll then lets her arm fall uselessly to her side when she feels her hand empty. Quickly, she turns to the pot she slammed down on the coil and turns on the stovetop, working on making their dinner. "I...leave tonight. After Naruto is asleep." Her voice dull and void of any hint of emotion.
"What about Naruto?"
"He has to stay here. This is an undercover mission. Deep undercover. I won't be returning to Konoha before several years have past. Decreed by the Third himself. This is a vital mission and I'm both young enough and skilled enough to pull it off without a hitch. There's no one else. According to Hokage-sama." Bitterness finally breaks through the blank tone as she viciously slices through a tomato, eyes flashing in barely surpressed anger as she turns to look at him. It mingled with fear and a great deal of sadness as she, after a moment, looks away and back at the mangled vegetables littering the chopping board. "Kakashi, I'm the only one who can do this. You'll....be Naruto's sole guardian while I'm gone." If I ever return. Those unspoken words echos the space between them as she glances at him again out of the corner of her eye. "Please take care of him."
Ice fills his veins as he stares at her, hardly able to believe her words but deep inside of him, he knows what she says is the truth and nothing he can do will change that. He stands there frozen before exhaling noisily under the mask as his eyes search her's for anything that her words didn't say. The silent between them stretches out, he suddenly feels the overwhelming need to break it, and before she can move, he's dragging her up against him. With a swift movement, he yanks down his mask to claim her mouth with his. His arms locked around her slender body as he tries to keep this moment safe in his memory. Very slowly, he pulls back to stare at her, giving her a shaky smile. "I might not like it..but I understand. I love you, Haya, come back to us soon."
The returning smile barely meets her eyes as she squeezes him tightly before letting go and nods; those soft brown eyes of hers sad and full of emotions as she just stares up at him for a very long moment. "I promise. Take care of yourself and Naruto." She hesitates a moment, having been about to turn away so she can finish preparing their dinner. "I love you too." This time the smile reaches her eyes but barely a second later, her expression goes blank again. "I hate this. This mission will take years. I'm going to miss so much of his life. It's not fair. Then, whoever said life is fair? Much less for a ninja." A sad chuckle comes from her as she reaches out to touch his hand. "Would you finish dinner while I go pack? I don't want to do it while Naruto's awake but I will have to leave the moment he's asleep."
He shoos her off without speaking, nudging her away from the counter and critically eyes the terrible job she did on cutting up the vegetables for the stew. Shaking his head, he tries to fix the damage done, pausing to glance over his shoulder when he doesn't hear any movement only to find her staring at him like he will vanish. Crinkles his single visible eye at her despite the overwhelming sadness he feels inside. A moment later, he hears her walk upstairs so she can pack what belongings she needs. Sighs to himself and glances overhead as childish squeals of happiness fill the house. 'Poor Naruto. Too young to understand why she had to leave.'
------
Dinner is a quiet and strained event that evening with only Naruto chattering away and even he is starting to quiet down as the depressing atmosphere begins to overwhelm even him. A pair of big blue eyes look from Haya to Kakashi and back again before his small voice chimes up. "Tousan? Kaasan? .....Did Na'to do so'thing bad?" His eyes start to fill with tears as he whimpers faintly.
"No, Naruto, you didn't do anything wrong. We're just.....sad tonight." Kakashi reassures the child as he places his hand on top of his head, ruffling the blond hair playfully. "It's nothing you do, promise." Keeps his voice light before lifting him out of his seat and places him in his lap, chuckling when the wiggly toddler tries to get comfortable. "How about I go tell you a story after your bath?"
"Really?!" Bounces in his lap and turns to face him, the entire previous conversation instantly getting pushed to the back of his mind. "Really?!"
"Yes, really."
The double laughter causes him to pout and scowl at his parents but like the bounce back kid he is, already leaping off his lap. "Hurry, tousan! Hurry!!" The little boy tries his very best to push the tall, lanky teen towards the stairs and thus the bathroom. His small hands pressed firmly against Kakashi's legs as he struggles fiercely to get him to move. Kakashi decides to humor him and shuffles his feet toward, nearly causing him to fall then lets out a laugh. Reaching down, he snags him by the back of his pants and draps him over a shoulder.
"TOUSANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! DOWN DOWN!!'
Cue the little wiggle worm doing his best to get free as he climbs the stairs, a smirk under his mask. Pushes open the bathroom door and deposits his burden on the floor in order to reach the tub, turning on the water and checks the temperature. "Naruto, get undressed while I grab your toys."
"HAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!"
Only non-parents wouldn't believe that such a small child could make a huge mess by himself but speak to any parent and they will tell you quite the opposite. Kakashi having learnt this lesson rather swiftly and he crouches to dig under the sink for the toys. Drops them next to him before rising, pushing the cabinet door shut with his foot and scoops the small pile up and dumps them into the warm water. With a long-practiced move, snatchs the leaping Naruto from mid-air and pins him to his side. "Now now, you know better then that, Naruto. No getting into the tub until after I grab the towels."
"Awwwwwwwwwwwww tousan!" Whines loudly.
And non-parents would not be able to believe the sheer level of noise a single child could produce alone. Poor fools.
"WANT TUB!!!!!!!!!!"
"The tub isn't going to get up and walk away." He pulls open the towel closet, grabbing three and shifts his weight, pushing the door shut using his hip and heads for the bathroom while his 'son' wiggles pitifully in his grip. A large splash of water hits the side of the tub when he plops him down. The towels go on the top of the cabinet next to the toilet and he stretches out by the tub, regarding the little hellion currently splashing away happily. His thoughts return to Haya and the mission she is about to leave on. Holds back the sigh that wants to come out and scratches the back of his head. 'Maaaa let's hope that this mission doesn't last as long as I think it will. Naruto needs her. I need her too, but she's his mother. The only mother he has even known. For her to go away for several years is just not right. Not when he's still this young. He won't remember her when she does return. Well, I just have to make sure he doesn't forget about her. Sensei would never forgive me. Neither would Haya.'
"Tousan?"
"Hm?"
"Kaasan sad."
"Yea, she is."
"Can Na'to make her happy?"
"Just by being yourself."
Silence fills the small bathroom as Naruto tries to understand what he meant by that. "Okay."
"Good boy."
"I love you, tousan."
"I know."
"Story?"
"Let's get you clean first. Finished playing?"
"Hai!"
Chuckling, he levels himself to his knees and turns around, reaching for the washcloth he placed on the edge and then gets the soap. Scrubs Naruto down while the little boy squeals in dismay. "Maaaaaaa, hold still." Unplugs the drain then rinses off Naruto, holding him up with one hand and checks to make sure all the soap is gone. Briskly, he dries him off, grinning under his mask as he, on purpose, spikes his hair up even more then usual. "There. Do you want me to help you into your pajamas?"
"No! Me big boy!"
"I'm a big boy."
".....But tousan, you are already big!"
"......Yare yare. That's not what I meant."
"Then why say it?" Innocently gazes up at him.
".....I have no idea."
"You're weird, tousan."
"Hai hai."
Kakashi keeps the towel around him, having learned from other mishaps that it was just safer until he was fully dressed. Casts an eye around the room, placing the child on the small bed then points to the light green pajamas laying next to him. "You claim to be a big boy, so let's see if you can dress yourself."
A mulish look thrown in his direction. "Don't wanna wear these."
He arches an eyebrow as he slouches slightly. "Oh? Why not?"
"They're green."
"Yes. I can see that."
"Don't like green."
"Maaaaaaaaaaaa, I'm going to have to go tell Kaasan that you don't like the pajamas she brought especially for you then."
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Don't tell Kaasan! Na'to will wear them!" Naruto struggles to free himself from the fluffy towel and fights the simple pajamas, managing to get them on without much of a mishap then scowls up at his father. "Want good story!"
"Hai hai." Removes the damp towel, dropping it over the chair next to the bed and tucks the stubborn kid into bed, smoothing back his hair absently. "You'll get a good story, I did promise you that. Now lay down and let me think." He settles himself down into the chair, stretching out his legs as he casts his mind over what to tell him that night. Slowly starts to speak as he weaves together a story, nothing else mattering at that moment as he loses himself in building the fictional world.
Hours or minutes later, he looks up sharply when he senses movement and glances to the side, hand twitching towards the weapon always on him then relaxes as he recognizes Haya in the doorway. His eye flickers over to a sleeping Naruto and rises, pulling the covers over his tiny body and checks to make sure he has his stuffed animal in close reach before joining her in the shadows. "Soon?"
"Aa." Her voice comes out as a weak whisper, eyes focused on the slumbering child on the bed then turns those eyes on him, the tortured look in her brown depths hurting him. "I....." She starts to speak then trails off, not wanting to say what she must and instead approaches, on silent feet, the toddler who lays claim to her heart. Her hand trembles as she caresses the shiny blond hair then leans forward to press a light kiss to his forehead. "I love you, Naruto." Haya forces herself to then turn away from the bed and moves back to the door, pausing and reaches out to grasp Kakashi's hand, squeezing firmly. Letting go, she moves past him into the brighter hallway, knowing that Kakashi will follow.
Once downstairs, the sight of the packed bag causes both ninja to halt. The smaller redhead refusing to look up at her taller companion as she keeps her gaze locked on the damnable pack. "It's time. I have a long way to travel. I have to be in place in two days. This....isn't goodbye. Not yet. I promise that I will come back. When, I have no idea. But I will return. You both can live here. It wouldn't be fair to take Naruto away from the only home he knows." Struggling with herself, she snarls mentally that she has more control then this and forcibly turns to face Kakahi. "Be there for him. Don't shut yourself away either. I expect to hear great things about you while I'm gone. If I don't then I'm going to kick your ass when I get back." Voice firm then reaches out, grabbing hold of his flak jacket, hauling him down to face her then presses her mouth against his mask covered one.
"I love you."
Before he gets a chance to respond, she spins away, snatching up the pack and is gone in a puff of smoke. Leaving him staring at the spot she just occupied.
"I love you too."
Those words float forlornly through the house.