Come Over Again
Chiyo sways back and forth, heel to toe, in time with the wall clock. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Lord Third Hokage, observes his office from under the brim of the red and white hat. Aiko hovers behind tugging her sleeves trying to avoid unconsciously fiddling with the fan Kurenai has been eyeing the entire time they entered the village. The walk had been nostalgic. The citizens happy and the market bustling with workers grabbing breakfast. The buildings on the different streets cover the landscape in familiar colors, shapes, and plenty of shade for their entourage to travel through.
The two shadows had blended into the corners as soon as the doors closed for this unexpected meeting.
"I've been told that we have you two to thank for Mizuki's capture." His pipe glows before he breathes a small puff over the desktop. Chiyo's easygoing grin shows off a tooth. Hands press behind his head, relaxed and crossed at the wrist. "As you have indicated wanting to meet with me in regards to your- skills, we will say, I hope that we might settle that debt with the opportunity." Never enter a discussion owing the other gratitude, huh, old man?
A waving hand dismisses the thought, bringing them to rest with thumbs in the coat pockets. "Of course, of course Hokage sama. Aiko and I had prepared to wait a couple of weeks before we might have been allowed a meeting. It is an honor to do so under such favorable terms." Check
Hiruzen puffs with a pleasant smile. Ha! Called ya on it. He taps some ash into the tray. Leading to - there!
Kurenai pipes up from the side," So what village did you come from Chiyo-san? You said we might have been allied before it was destroyed?" He makes a rueful smirk to the tag team tactic. Her arms cross in frank disbelief. She's practically itching to catch at least me in a lie.
"I might have implied that I'm not aware with certainty of the existing cooperation our villages engaged in. But I can assure you that I am very much aware of the relationship between our people." Shadows elongate around the room and outside the open window. The hat's shade appears to deepen. Chiyo remains loose and relaxed. "I apologize for the necessary secrecy, but I hope you can understand our need for discretion with how our people were destroyed."
Aiko tucks herself behind Chiyo's straightening posture. His face settles to complete seriousness. Kurenai takes a fortifying breath for whatever may fall from his tongue.
"Hokage sama, Our names are Uzumaki Chiyo and my daughter Uzumaki Aiko." Kurenai's mouth drops as Hiruzen's eyes widen. His gaze jumps over their faces, reexamining their shared features. The swirling clothes patterns, the unique hair, and eyes. So very different in their shades of blue and with her pupils lost to the pale expanse yet both possessing a clarity that would make one believe they glow. The distinct roundness to the cheekbones even with the physiques they possess. (Dainty Aiko, and broad Chiyo) Chiyo drags his finger on the side of his face. Tattoos write themselves in lines and loops down his temples. A faint white/blue line marks the center of the forehead to his eyebrows. It appears again just below his bottom lip to the edge of the chin. "We're not here to request sanctuary. I am personally inviting Konoha to assist in the restoration of our homeland: Uzushio."
He can't believe it!
A new kid! She can hit people with wind like a kunai or something! She was shy but nice and might join the village.
"Naruto"
He hops behind Iruka. Following him back to Naruto's apartment building. He had insisted on walking Naruto back after they answered the masked ninjas' questions.
"Naruto"
And now that he's Graduated - I have a headband and everything! - he might get on a team! Maybe he can work with Sakura chan AND Aiko chan.
"Naruto!"
"Wha-" Iruka sensei has stopped. They are standing at the base of the apartment stairs. He hadn't noticed until now. "Iruka sensei do you think that Aiko chan could be a genin like me now? She has to know some cool ninjutsu, ttebayo."
Iruka's face scrunches up in confusion, sinking into resignation at not understanding where Naruto has gone in his thoughts. "I honestly don't know, Naruto. They haven't even been here a day." Iruka really looks at him. He has an eagerness to him that would usually mean a prank was going to be pulled as soon as no one was looking. Yet this is just from meeting two strangers? "Why do you ask?"
The question throws Naruto for a moment. "Oh, I just think they're both cool... I guess?" Naruto raises a hand to scratch the back of his head. His face scrunches under Iruka's aura of doubt. He lightly huffs, puffing out his cheeks and glancing to Iruka's face hesitantly. "You remember what Miz- ... What that sensei said about me." It's not a question. Both of them tense or shift in discomfort at the reminder of what had happened only a few hours ago. They could be and were(!) happy about what good had been salvaged from the situation. Yet the memory of betrayal, real or perceived, still has an sour tang to it. "I mean-" his head hangs with a painfully familiar expression. The expression that Iruka always manages to catch at the corner of his supervision. When the rest of the children grow rowdy or excited to complete a lesson together, he always finds Naruto on the outside - excluded unintentionally/without thought. (Which when he thinks about it too long, it almost feels more cruel with the ease they have in dismissing his newly proven genin) "- he wasn't wrong... About the other kids and me. None of them really like me."
Iruka can feel his still-sore heart give a painful thump. He slowly crouches on a knee while Naruto looks to be wavering over how to talk about whatever is going on inside of his head.
(Of his heart. Even after defending him to Mizuki, especially after that is it okay? Is it safe to trust Iruka with what he feels?)
He takes a big breath in, bracing his shoulders and lifting his head. "I just think that I shouldn't be on a team that totally hates me... Aiko chan could be my first friend! Like a whole new chance with a girl that hasn't been told that I'm dumb or gross or ... Dangerous."
They stand there quiet. They understand what he is saying, but the reality is unfavorable to such an undeserving child. The village has never been kind to him, and the likelihood of that changing in time for team appointments would be ridiculous if not already so disappointing.
"Naruto.." Iruka gives him a painfully sympathetic smile. "Why don't we go and take a nap? I'll stay on the couch and then we can prepare your mission bag. We'll make a list of supplies to grab together next week? I'll have the whole day off and we can get celebration ramen."
The orange clad's face lights up and a blush builds on the tops of his cheeks. Iruka sensei really cares, and he's proud of me! Naruto grins,close-eyed, with grippy hands hidden in the puffs sleeves.
"Sure, Iruka sensei! You really must think I'll be a great ninja if I get two celebration ramen dinners with you!"
"Eh! Two! When did I say two?"
" You still owe my Ramen for dinner tonight since I earned my headband, believe it!" He grabs Iruka's hand and drags him into stumbling up the stairs behind his excited run. Naruto opens the apartment door with a shoulder check and pulls Iruka in with excited chatter.
Iruka gets the chance to look around while Naruto runs to dig a bag from the closet. The bedroom lacks a door and meal containers litter every surface. A clothes line sways over the end of his bed. The walls are covered in cracks and a discoloration of the paint gives Iruka a sinking feeling. Naruto pops up holding his bag above his head, ignorant of the loneliness he has so boldly demonstrated in the relative safety of his home. Oh, Naruto... I'm not going to fail you again. Believe it.