Chapter 6
The house was quiet when I arrived home. Kaji was asleep upstairs when I walked by, his door slightly ajar. Closing it, I continued to my room for my pyjamas before quietly closing and locking the bathroom door behind me.
The shower was too loud, but I knew I couldn't go to bed smelling as I did. Dirt and a bit of blood had accumulated under my nails from a ruff spar with Kakashi during training.
I’d had enough and asked him if I could have a turn with the boys. He’d looked at me like I was a stupid puzzle he couldn't solve before suggesting he spar with me instead.
Reluctantly, I’d agreed.
He didn’t hold back.
I ended up on my back with a bloody nose, a fractured rib, and deep purple bruises along both of my forearms.
He stood over me in all of his elitist glory and said, “Why are you still here?”
I nearly broke down then and there.
He’d never understand, and honestly, I didn’t want him to.
I flinched…
I hated myself for it. I hated my weakness.
I would never let him see it again, because the curious look that flashed across his face made my blood boil. I hate him. I hate that I still want his approval… and I hate myself a little more every time I fought for it.
And yet that twisted, animal part of myself that my mother always whispered was from my father yowling that he was mine remained.
That possessive, objectifying, instinctual need to prove yourself to him.
The memory of a guideless, comforting rumble in a hard chest and the smell of… pack– pride-, protect, mine.
Naruto had walked me to the hospital where I explained to the medic that it was a training accident, and no I was not being abused.
With an exasperated sigh and a purposefully loud mumble that sounded like ‘troublesome shinobi’, she healed my ribs and nose.
The bruises were fine, but I had to take it easy for at least a day or two.
Boiling water turned my skin pink and burned over my fresh cuts in a way that allowed me to relax. I know it was unhealthy, but it made me feel better so I persisted. Once clean I stepped out and changed into my matching set of light blue pajamas. A soft blue top that hung loosely over my frame and tight black shorts that were easy to move in.
I braided my wet hair and brushed my teeth, removed my makeup and put salve on my cuts. The person in the mirror looked tired. Defeated. Shoulders slumped, dark circles under their eyes, and bruises covering her skin. This person wasn't me. At least not how I saw myself in my mind's eyes.
Turning the lights off I made my way to my room. The air was too warm, the sheets uncomfortably thick as they clung to my damp skin, but once my eyes closed I was lost to the land of sleep.
Genma was on a mission. According to his note, he’d be gone for two weeks at most, making this the longest period he would be gone to date.
I was used to him being away for days at a time, usually 2-3 in total and one right after he returned to rest up, but never more than that.
Logically I knew it would happen eventually, so I’m not entirely sure why I’m grumpy about it.
The boys had pointed out that I was in a foul mood, and both worried about me in their ways. Having had enough of the secrets Naruto offered to take us over to his apartment after training.
So, once Kakashi left we headed out.
Banter and our normal roughhousing that always seemed to get a little out of hand ensued as we moved further and further towards the red-light district. Sasuke ended up tossing Naruto into a dumpster, and for that- Dobe started chasing us around.
“Naruto, no!” A mischievous smile formed on his face as he lunged at me in an attempt to cover me in the horrible smell as well.
“Don’t you dare!” Using Sasuke as a shield I dove away from the blond.
He glomped Sasuke in a hug, making sure to rub his disgusting-smelling jumpsuit all over the ravenet. Sasuke's soul left his body as he went limp, comical tears falling from his eyes.
When Naruto turned to me once again my body reacted immediately, as a weak water jet shot from my mouth to soak both boys.
They stood there in silence, their faces pulled into looks of utter shock.
“Since when can you use elemental jutsu?” Sasuke asked.
Nervously I scratched the back of my head, a weak smile on my face, “Uhh. Since about a week ago.”
Interest filled their eyes as we made our way up some old metal stairs before Naruto opened his apartment door with a rusty-looking key.
I knew Naruto was an orphan, but I didn’t know it was this bad. The inside of his apartment was dusty, a cupboard door or two left open from this morning, a small wall off to the side blocked completely by stacks of ramen cups. Besides the small amount of mess that told you someone lived here, it was relatively clean.
We took off our shoes at the door before walking past the kitchen and dining room into the living room.
It was small and slightly cramped, an old-looking couch sat in the center of the room with a short coffee table in front of it. Two doors were open beyond that, one that looked like it led to the bathroom and one that I assumed was Naruto’s bedroom.
Naruto nervously walked over to his room for towels before coming back, passing one to Sauke as he walked into the bathroom.
“I’ll shower first, then Sasuke can shower.” I nodded mutely as I situated myself on the couch.
Sitting still was boring so I passed Sasuke my bag before getting up and going to the kitchen.
I’d seen the dishes in the sink when we’d walked through so I got to work cleaning them up for him, being careful not to use too much water as he was showering.
Once the plates and cups were clean I scrubbed the utensils and dried everything. Deciding it would be too intrusive to clean up the ramen cups I let them be before looking through his fridge.
He didn’t have much that wasn't spoiled. The milk was far past due, and the vegetables were rotted.
I threw them out and took the garbage out to the dumpster before cleaning up the inside of the fridge and making a list of what we had to get him from the market the next time we went.
Naruto came into the room in a pair of civi’s that consisted of a white shirt with the hidden leaf symbol on the back, black cargo pants, and his headband hung loosely around his neck. He sat at the table with my sketchpad in hand, looking over the contents carefully.
I’d noticed that Naruto had trouble reading, he explained to me that he was dyslexic, meaning that the words and letters moved around on the page when he tried to read or write.
Ever since I’ve been working with him to come up with strategies to help him complete the tasks required of him like mission reports and filling out forms. I’d read books and the academy curriculum things out loud to him while he did something active like pushups or running laps.
It seemed to help.
When Sasuke came out of the shower he was changed into his own civi’s. A tight black turtleneck and black sweats. Taking that as my cue I wandered over to my bag to fish out my storage scroll before pulling out my change of clothes. I changed in the bathroom before Making my way over to sit with them at the table.
They both looked at me expectantly.
“So you know how Kakashi is a bastard and refuses to teach me?”
They both nodded, albeit hesitantly, I knew that they both liked Kakashi a lot even though they both thought he was a dork.
“Well I started going to the library to read up on as much theory as I could before I could find myself a teacher and I met this Tokubetsu Jonin named Shiranui Genma.”
“Genma? He works with my brother in ANBU sometimes,” I looked over surprised at Sasuke's statement. “How'd you get him to teach you?”
Well fuck if that didn’t sting.
Shrugging, I sighed, “I’ve got no clue, but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I went with it.” I fished out my journal to show them the page about where we met. “After training, when I say I’m going to the library I’ve been meeting up with Genma to train.”
Naruto nodded, a thoughtful look on his face as he fidgeted in his chair, balancing on one of the legs before doing the same on the other.
“So that's who taught you elemental jutsu?”
Nodding in confirmation I flipped the page to the one where I talk about learning how to manipulate water chakra and create it.
“He’s actually really cool. We play this game of keep-away and tag where we have to try and keep away our flag while trying to retrieve the others. I haven't gotten close to winning yet, but it's a lot of fun.”
“How does this tie in with your bad mood?” Sasuke's question made me think about Genma being away and a pout fell across my lips.
Mumbling I said, “Genma’s away on a mission, his note said two weeks at most.”
Both boys nodded as they thought over the new information.
“When he gets back, can we meet him?”
With a resigned sigh, I nodded.
“Sure, but don’t tell Kakashi. I don't want him to sabotage me somehow.” They both nodded in agreement “So… Anyone hungry?”
Once we made it to Ichiraku’s we settled down.
Naruto was on his third by the time I finished my bowl. Teuchi was laughing up a storm as we retold the story of our latest mission. Naruto had somehow gotten tangled up in some vines that were hanging from the trees and no one had noticed. Only when the silence had lasted too long did we all realize we’d lost him.
2 hours later we found him hanging upside down by his ankles trying to fight off a crow that was pecking at him from the branch below.
“Well! You three sure do have the worst of luck!” Giggling, I nodded in agreement.
“Come on, that crow was freaky! It had red eyes and squawked when I spoke to it! It was like it could understand me!”
Sasuke scoffed, “Ya right Dobe. It was probably all that blood rushing to your head. Only summons can understand people, and they're pretty rare so I doubt it was one of those.”
“Gah, whatever!”
Laughing I didn't sense what came next. Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru jumped up to scare us.
I yelped and threw my chopsticks like senbon, Shikamaru ducked with a smirk on his face as he chuckled at my reaction.
Ino had her arms wrapped around Sasuke’s neck, a red blush on his cheeks from embarrassment for jumping.
Naruto was laughing alongside the new arrivals as he was the only one not to react at all besides putting down his bowl of ramen.
“Not funny guys!”
Shikamaru simply draped his arm around my shoulders lazily and snuck a gyoza from the plate to the side.
“It was pretty funny.”
Pouting, I sighed and threw Choji gyoza as well. He ate it with a smile and a cheerful ‘thank you’ that reminded me of when we were kids.
Kids? When did we stop being kids?, the thought floated in the forefront of my mind.
The first time they put a kunai in your hand and told you to aim for the neck, a bitter snarling voice whispered.
I was friends with the duo back in the academy, but it had been months since I’d caught more than a glance of anyone other than Sakura and my team. It had been far too long.
“So,” Shikamaru drawled as he leaned his entire weight onto my person. “When are you gonna finally stop being intimidated by my dad and come by the compound for a game of shoji?”
With a wry smile, I shook my head, “The day your dad stops being the Jonin commander… Or stops dissecting me with his eyes.”
“What a drag,” he groaned.
Glancing at Ino I shyly waved, but she simply gave me the stink eye and looked away with a ‘humph’. I guess almost six months for her to grow up and get over it wasn't enough. If only she was a bitch and not a really nice person when she wanted to be. At least that way I could just not like her and could get on with it.
After eating my team and team 10 came with me to pick my brother up from the academy before we head out in search of entertainment.
Kaji ended up on Shikamaru’s shoulders, much to Sasuke's displeasure.
Something about wanting to be tall, something that at the moment, only Shikamaru could provide. The lanky bastard was 5’3 and still getting taller by the day.
The two teams spent the entire rest of the day together catching up as we walked around, even getting into a small game of ninja tag in the canopy level later in the day when the sun started to set and Kaji got bored of our ‘boring mission talk’.
The kid used to love it when I talked to him about my missions, but now only Naruto’s versions of events could really keep his attention.
They acted more and more alike after every meeting, Kaji’s smile becoming a near mirror image of Naruto’s own.
Naruto, Kaji, and Sasuke were brothers at this point.
I adored them like brothers and although Kaji would never say it to my face, I think he needed some positive male role models in his life. It was the one thing I couldn’t provide.
At least not directly, but my team seemed to do the trick.
Sasuke had managed to mumble out an invitation to dinner with his family the next night before the team split up to go our separate ways. Something about ‘wear something nice, but not formal’ and ‘try to be on time’.
What was I supposed to do with that? Do I bring something, do I need to wear proper shoes, should I show up early to help? With all these questions in mind, it set my nerves on end.
I decided to wear a nice but functional skirt and blouse. The skirt was black, pleated and stopped just before my knees; a comfortable pair of shorts and my thigh holster and pouch remained underneath. My blouse was off-white with long flowy sleeves and a halter neckline that allowed my shoulders to be bare.
Embroidered on the back and the sleeves was the golden sun design from my mother's own family. I wore my heeled black combat boots, two simple necklaces, and natural makeup to cover up the bruising around my face.
I contemplated wearing bandages around my forearms to cover up the finger-shaped bruises, but decided against it as my sleeves were already covering them. I had a few new and old bruises on my legs, but these could be taken as just a little bit of rough training.
I kept my hair down and out of my usual braids except for a chunky strand in the front that I secured away from my face so I’d be able to see properly. I grabbed a small clutch that I could easily shove into my kunai pouch and filled it with my wallet and house keys before tucking in Kaji for bed and getting him to lock his door before leaving.
Halfway to the compound, I spotted Naruto meandering along, his wild hair brushed back from his face slightly and his usual orange tracksuit pants missing. The horrible orange jacket remained over a clean white shirt and black jeans. He looked nice, but clearly still Naruto.
“Looking good Blondie!” He jumped slightly before smiling his big goofy smile.
He grabbed my hand and spun me in a circle in front of him with a small smirk.
“You don’t look too bad yourself Misty.” I giggled and rose an eyebrow at the new nickname. “Everyone already calls you Mitsu, so I thought I might as well come up with something new and with your newfound water affinity I thought it suited you.”
I nodded as we gripped each other's hands as we walked.
“I like it. It’s cute.”
He smiled and swung our hands excitedly at my acceptance of the new nickname.
As we walked down the main road to the Uchiha complex the lights in the upper part of the canopy glowed like stars in the night sky. The undergrowth was alight with fireflies and bioluminescent mushrooms in blue and green.
The farther you got from the center of the village the more moss covered the stones of the roads underfoot. Leaves that littered the floor were silent underfoot, the absent crunch proof of the rainfall from this morning.
Naruto and I walked in companionable silence for most of the way, the both of us twirling around and dancing when we turned corners or you could hear gentle music from inside the homes we passed.
He was a little clumsy, but he followed my movements well enough as I guided him through each step.
It was lovely.
At the gates to the compound, two guards stopped us before calling someone to escort us through. They left after we arrived at the door to the large home we presumed Sasuke's family resided in.
Naruto gently knocked on the door and within seconds it slid open.
Sasuke greeted us at the door with a scrutinizing look, his eyes running over our clothes carefully. He stopped and rolled his eyes at Naruto’s orange jacket, but simply huffed and moved on to me.
A surprised look crossed his face as he took in my appearance.
“You clean up nice,” The surprise in his voice made me flick him in the arm as we took off our shoes and stepped inside.
Two pairs of slippers awaited us as he passed the threshold, the hall long and well-lit in front of us. Pictures of the family were hung on the wall, each one was a little different. Sasuke and his brother are a little more distant in each shot, Itachi’s eyes a little more guarded year after year.
People seem to forget he wasn’t much older than us.
17 and a veteran from the war, decorated thoroughly as a Jonin and an ANBU operative. Then there's his position as the heir and future head of the Uchiha family.
“Hello!” A melodic voice carried in from the next room, “It’s lovely to finally meet Sasuke’s teammates. He’s kept you all to himself for far too long!”
Entering the room we were greeted by a beautiful black-haired woman with fair skin and charcoal eyes.
She wore a simple beige apron over a modest black 3-quarter sleeve shirt and long terracotta red skirt. In one hand she wielded a wooden spoon, while the other was placed on her hip adorably.
Bowing shallowly I introduced myself.
“Hello Uchiha-san, my name is Ahma Ishizaki, but please call me Ahma. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Her eyes scrutinized me as I looked her over carefully as well.
“What a polite girl. If I get to call you by your first name then it is only fair that you do the same, Mikoto-san is fine.” Nodding once, I straightened. “My husband has requested that you join him for tea before dinner in about an hour. Just walk on through down the hallway, it will be the first door on the left.”
Momentarily surprised, I stiffened and glanced at Sasuke with a raised eyebrow.
He had gone pale beside me, his hands clenched at his sides. Naruto remained oblivious to the new tension as he began to speak with Mikoto cheerfully about what was for dinner.
Reaching out I took Sasuke’s hand in mine for a moment, squeezing once before letting go altogether and walking down the hall as she instructed.
Shoji doors greeted me as I came to a stop outside. Carefully I tapped on the wooden part of the door frame 3 times and waited patiently.
It took about 3 minutes for a deep baritone voice to call, “Come in”.
Sliding the door open carefully I shut it behind me. Papers were strewn about on the table, a kettle of green tea and two cups left off to the side as Sasuke's father worked silently.
His indifference was designed to intimidate me. I knew that.
Unfortunately, it worked slightly, but it also pissed me off.
Why go through all this effort to intimidate me? I have no political standing and no clan backing. Unless of course, he wanted me to leave his son's team. A civilian could only ever hold his son back.
Ignoring his small glances over the rim of his reading glasses I knelt to pour the tea into both cups, setting his cup on his left. I had seen him wield a sword once before, the handle placed on his right hip so his left hand could draw the weapon. In short, I had observed that he was left-handed.
He wrote with his right hand now, but that could simply be to train his non-dominant hand.
Getting comfortable I sipped slowly on the warm tea as I waited for him to speak. His calloused fingers finally reached up to remove his glasses, his hand running over his closed eyes once before settling on the cup.
“You are an enigma Ishizaki,” he gruffed.
“Please, I prefer Ahma.”
A curious glint flashed in his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.
“Alright, Ahma then.” He sighed heavily before moving to sip his tea. “From the little I know about you from my son, you are a civilian-born?”
“Technically correct sir. To my knowledge, I am the only remaining shinobi in my family.”
He paused and then nodded as he scrutinized me. His eyes lingered on my wrists before making eye contact with me once again.
“Technically?”
“I was born in Kirigakure and was raised in the bloody mist until I was of academy age. My mother fled with my brother and I. My father, a supposed shinobi, disappeared. My mother, before her passing, confided that she thought him dead.”
He raised a single eyebrow but I refused to divulge any more unless specifically asked. Knowledge was power and right here, right now, I needed all the power I could get.
Self Consciously I pulled my sleeve down to cover my bruise once again. He may ask, but my blank look may tip him off to leave it alone.
“Do you know what it takes to be a member of the Uchiha clan?” He sipped from his tea. “It takes a great deal of patience, an unyielding resilience and a certain level of humility… We are the last founding family to remain intact, the Senju bloodline otherwise extinct.”
“Why are you telling me this sir?” I bit out.
I did not like where this was going.
“I am telling you this because you are nothing…” My hand tightened around the delicate cup warningly.
An invisible hand curled around my anger and dragged it back into the hollow of my chest.
“You are a relatively pretty, intelligent, and established girl. Your mother was a seamstress before she passed and owned her own business not far from this very home while your step-father is the head architect of Purple Heart Architecture. Why become a shinobi when you had such a comfortable life ahead of you? Why choose something so dangerous?”
“Are you asking me why I became a shinobi, or if I’m ready to die?” His eyes sharpened.
“I’m asking why you refuse to resign. Why won't you step away when you're outmatched and outsmarted,” His voice remained deep and calm, but it had an almost rude edge to it.
Blunt like the bamboo staff that Choji’s father wields so elegantly.
“The day my brother was born I learned what it meant to love something more than you love anything else,” He set his cup down carefully. “The first time I saw him his eyes just barely opened, but in that moment I learned what it is to have a sibling. Another piece of your soul that you can mould and love. From the moment he was born, I was ready to die if it meant saving him. I’d do anything for him.”
“Such a shallow and insignificant reason.”
The cruelty behind the words made me bristle, every muscle in my body straining against my common sense to hurt him. To tear him to shreds and put him back together so I could do it all over again.
“I was born in a war-torn country with no other option but to learn to survive.” My hands hesitated momentarily before pulling my hair to the side and turning around, allowing him to see the back of my neck.
A burning hand gently probed at the puckered flesh, pink scar aching accusingly, “A brand…”
It was less of a question and more of a statement, “My mother never told me who my father was before she passed, and honestly I don’t care, but I know what the brand means. I remember the metal searing my skin, scaring me for the rest of my life.” The hand left my skin and I turned back to look the man in the eyes. “The kanji for death, marking me for execution.”
“Your father, bloodline purges. No one was spared; women, children, the elderly, shinobi, all put to death to settle one man's irrational fear.”
I nodded, hands shaking under the table silently.
“When I was small, new to Konohagakure and adjusting to a semblance of peace, I watched a young boy walk up a tree without using his hands… To my young mind, it seemed like the magic my mother used to read to me about in my story books.”
I shifted slightly at the memory as flashes of the boy's smile danced in my mind's eye.
“He scooped me up from this branch I could never have gotten down from on my own and told me about the academy as he walked me home.” Placing my cup down I looked him straight in the eye.
“I grew up hearing whispers about the war, I even remember the day the soldiers marched down my street on the way to their homes. Being a shinobi meant physical and mental strength. It meant a purpose and a way to serve my village. The village that had taken me in and given me a fresh start.”
Understanding, however small, settled in his eyes.
“It gave you a reason to love your home. A way to protect your brother.” I nodded at his assumption.
“I watched the war come to an end. It’s my earliest memory here, watching people reunite as some came home from the front lines for the first time in years. It boggled me that anyone would willingly leave the people they loved.”
Closing my eyes I was flashes of absolute joy, pain and mourning, “So when that young boy whisked me from that branch a few days later, simply because he could help, not because he had to, I realized I could do the same. I could find a way to protect my brother while protecting everyone else too.”
“You understand that you were placed on your team for a reason don’t you?” His voice had become softer, only slightly, but the change was there.
“By all expectations, I’m a civilian girl placed on a team with two future powerhouses.” Taking a breath I continued, “Sasuke is smart, driven, and extremely skilled at Ninjutsu. Naruto is dedicated, has unlimited amounts of chakra, stamina to back it up, and something to prove.”
Curiously he leaned forward, “And what did you decide?”
“I noticed the arrangement when we were first placed in our teams. Best case scenario the boys both advance to Chunin while I get shuffled into the medic program because of my chakra control. in the worst case scenario, I die and become the motivation for the boys to get even better.”
He stilled momentarily at the last scenario, “It's obvious that I’m simply filler, cannon fodder, but I plan to prove everyone wrong. Even the Hokage.”
“How?” He asked.
“Hatake-san sees no use for me, he doesn't even pretend to have any interest in training me. He’s been trying to force me to quit for months now. Most of my training has been self-guided and sparring with the boys when Kakashi leaves, but recently I’ve acquired a mentor in Shiranui Genma.”
Surprise lit his face as he looked at me more critically now. “Genma? How did you manage that?”
Smiling, I answered, “He met my brother.”
A confused look graced his face before it was wiped away with a sip of green tea. Gentle knocks echoed into the room before the door was slid open. Peeking her head inside was Mikoto-san with a small smile.
“Are you all done here? Dinner is ready,” I smiled as I stood bowing shallowly to the man who remained at the table.
“I believe that is all, thank you for speaking with me, Uchiha-san.”
Mutley, he nodded, ignoring my clear dismissal. Walking through the door I left it open in hopes that he would join us, Sasuke adores his father.
Coming to stand beside the table I noticed that Itachi had arrived and taken a seat to the right of the head of the table.
Quickly I ran my hand over my weapons pouch, a scroll popping out into my waiting hand. With a pulse of chakra, a small bottle of Sake materialized in hand. Putting the scroll away once again I presented the drink to Mikoto.
“I wasn’t sure whether or not I should bring anything, but I decided I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
I made my tone mirthful and calm, trying not to think back to the conversation I had just had with the head of the Uchiha Clan.
“Thank you,” With a small smile she took the bottle from me, placing it in the center of the table.
With what I hoped were graceful movements I settled across from Naruto who had sat himself beside Sasuke on the other side of the table. Mikoto placed herself at the other end of the table.
Eventually, Uchiha-san came into the room, settling at the only available place at the head of the table. “Itadakimasu,” everyone called out, our hands in prayer before we dug in.
Naruto being his normal self dug right in, sampling food left and right and providing a steady stream of chatter as the rest of us took much smaller portions.
When he doesn't like something he'd lean forward and scoop what he wasn’t going to eat onto my plate to be eaten.
I did so obediently, while much more subtly placing the tomatoes I had taken on Sasuke's plate for him.
I’m sure that the movement didn’t go unnoticed by anyone in the room, but no one said anything. It had become part of our routine while on the wave mission.
Tsunami would serve us all equal portions of everything and the boys would pick at what they didn't like. I’d let them take what they wanted from my plate in exchange for what they didn't like. It sort of just happened unconsciously now.
Itachi remained silent for most of the dinner, only speaking up when Uchiha-san asked him how his last mission had gone. He summarized it, being purposely vague. I could tell by the little glace he threw at the younger shinobi at the table.
When dinner finished up I offered to help with the dishes. The boys whined quietly about not getting to spend any time with just the three of us but shut up when I sent them the look.
I wanted Sasuke’s parents to like me.
After my insistence, Mikoto relented and we spent the better part of an hour getting to know one another as we washed and dried the dishes. We spoke of our families, paying special attention to Kaji and how Sasuke was doing on missions.
I did my best to settle her nerves and even pulled out a copy of our team photo from my wallet to show her. She smiled brightly as I took a moment to show her the picture of me with Kaji on my shoulders that I kept behind the team photo.
At some point while we were in the kitchen Mikoto had been called out to greet someone who had just returned from a mission. From the sound of it, they were all extremely close, even Naruto and Sasuke sounding mildly interested in the man.
I caught a glimpse of familiar hair in the glass of the window that made me do a double take and the name ‘Shisui’, but he was gone up the stairs with Itachi when I finished up.
About 30 minutes later Naruto and I were out the door with a promise to come back for dinner next month. We both agreed, myself less enthusiastically than my partner as we were escorted off the compound.
I walked Naruto home first, before stopping by Sakura's place to see if she was home. Her mom said she was working a night shift again so I wandered home to where my drunk father and sleeping brother remained.