Diary of the Firefly

I remembered my reaction to hearing of Utakata's fate. The mental image of his lifeless body would plague my nightmares. I had let him see every inch of me. He had never turned me away sincerely. He'd always tried to hide his sensitive side, the side the world had broken. One day, he was willing to open up to me. It was a one-off, but the best evening of my life.

That was a while ago. Here I stand now, mourning him, afraid to speak to those still around me. It wasn't just that Utakata-sama was gone. It was more. We'd been very close together at times. Impossibly close. That was where my problems sprung from, I guess. We were no strangers to one another's bodies.

And that there was the exact problem. I'd been sick. Well, not just sick, but more...well, simply put, I think I might be pregnant. Actually, I know I'm pregnant. I can't tell Tonbei. He would kill me.

Young, unmarried and up the duff. I'd probably never get married at this rate anyway. Not laden down with a bastard child with no father. Utakata wasn't coming back, and yet inside of me sat his seed. The result of a reckless night he had been so ashamed of, he hadn't been able to face me until my life had been threatened.

Our last adventure.

I loved him, I really did. Now I'd never get to see him again. Now I would have this child, and he'd never even meet this child. I have no clue what I'm going to do, for the record. I want to keep it, but I don't have a job or any way of supporting it exactly. I'd have to get support from the others around me, I guess. Easier said than done.

Maybe I should find a new teacher and continue training so I can travel and defend myself, all sorts, or find a new home. I don't like staying around here any more. It just doesn't feel the same now all has been and done. I'm not learning anything or getting any stronger. I might as well move on to greener pastures.

~*~*~*~*~

Dear Diary,

Is that what I'm calling this now? A diary?

I've never kept one of these before, but I feel I should now detail the chronicles of my life from at least this point onwards. I just wanted to say that perhaps training wasn't the best idea while pregnant. Things have already slowed down on that regard. I've learnt one or two new ninjutsu, but Uncle said I shouldn't strain myself too much, something about over exertion causing miscarriage. I've announced it now. I've even got a little bump forming.

Maybe when the baby is born, I'll let it read this. It's an account of his or her beginning. I think I'm already almost at 20 weeks. If you're reading this, my child, it's actually quite amazing. I can feel you moving. It feels really weird, and if I'm honest it sometimes makes me feel nauseous.

I can't stop crying at nights. Most of the time I have no idea why I'm crying. Maybe it just helps me sleep better if I tire myself out with the tears. I feel so pathetic when I do it but I can't stop until I finally pass out. Maybe I'm reacting to all the past events.

I got woken up by you fluttering, my child. I'm not sure what you're doing in there, but you seem to be very active. Like a little dancer. I wonder if you'll be a girl or a boy...

If you're a boy, I want you to look just like your father. The same golden eyes and chestnut brown hair, and the kind of face that any girl would want.

If you're a girl, I promise to buy you the prettiest dresses I can find. In blues and scarlets and browns and greens and all sorts.

~*~*~*~*~

Dear Diary

I'm getting huge now.

Well, not huge, but, you know.

I'm not writing in this as much as I'd liked but I've been so busy trying to get everything ready for the baby.  Clothes and bedding and bottles and everything. I've had to think of names as well. Like...Daijini. I like that one. Awadachi is another favourite of mine. Oh, and Ai and Aoi, and Ryouta is my favourite. Or I might just name a boy after his father or great grandfather, or one of the ninja who tried to protect us.

I'm getting so stressed. Everything is centred around getting everything ready for the baby, keeping myself safe and healthy. I have to watch my diet and get plenty of rest and water and not exert myself too much, but at the same time I'm sort of alone most of the time, getting all the toys and the stuff for the (flatpack!) cradle and painting, although I will admit I'm using borrowed money. Uncle is kind to me. I'm sure when you're born, he will be kind to you too.

I haven't bought any dresses yet, don't worry, I'm not going to chance that when I don't know if you'll be male or female, after all.

~*~*~*~*~

Dear Diary

I am exhausted.

It's been 11 weeks since my last entry. Ages, I know, and I am so sorry.  First I lost the stupid journal, then I almost went into premature labour and had to be monitored at the hospital for over a week and now I've finally freaking found this book.

Baby is still inside my belly. Thank god. If it was born this early, it would be seriously ill and might have even died and I have not carried this thing in me for this long just for it to die before I can get to know him or her!

Sorry for the smudge, the whole thing has me feeling so emotional. And now every twinge I get in my belly, every kick you give, my child, sends me into a panic that you're coming again. It's really taking its toll and I wish you'd just be patient. Plus the backache and the pains in my chest are so not helping. You're pushing against my lungs and I keep getting aches in all my bones, so now I can't sleep. This had better be worth it.

I might name you Apricot. I've been craving them something awful lately. All the way through it's been nothing but apricot and rice with various strange toppings.

I really hope you're a boy. I don't know why, I just...do...

The thing is, I'm getting just as excited and impatient as you a

~*~*~*~*~

Hey. Me again. There's a scribble on the previous page, I know. I'm sorry.

I've just been through hours of bloody labour. I decided to write this while you slept, my son. He was just what I'd hoped, I guess. He had such familiar features. Nose and mouth from my side of the family, I was sure of it..I am sure of it., w

He has his father's brown hair and I can't wait to see his eyes. By law of genetics he should have Utakata's golden eyes, I think. My eye colour is rare even around these parts, and darker colours are stronger, right?

Utakata's golden eyes and chestnut hair.

He's beautiful, my beautiful baby boy. I...I love him, I really, really love him. I feel like this entire thing's amazing. I just...I don't know what to think of it.

Only I'm reminded of Utakata whenever I see my son.

I promise, I really promise to give you the best in life I can possibly give.

((A/N: I haven't officially named this child yet. Currently the options are Utakata (after his father), En no Gyouja (after his great grandfather), Naruto (self-explanatory), Aoi (blue), Shanpan (bubbly), Anzu (Apricot), Daijini (cherished), Awadachi (bubbling) and Ryouta (cool, clear, refreshing water)...heh...))

Shipping Wheel: Tobi/Deidara

Where am I?

I can't see anything. I can barely feel anything. Just the odd...tingle. It's strange. I don't understand what's going on. Everything's dark and warped and I feel numb, like my mind isn't connected to my body. I was breathing, yeah, but as I became more aware of things I realised hardly any air came through. I was rasping, and every now and then my chest heaves with unbearable hacking coughs. Feeling spreads from my chest, and I'm sore. Sore and so very cold. It doesn't spread far. I'm almost nothing any more, but there's someone holding the remains of my hand.

I blew myself up. I remember now. I'd gone right for it, the last hope to take out that bastard, Sasuke. I have to see. I need my eyes to open.

And they do. But I still see nothing. Bright lights, but they don't hurt. My head can't hurt any more than it does already, to be honest.
"Senpai! Senpai, can you hear me?"
I let out a groan and shifted my weight, trying in vain to get comfortable.
"Senpai, please, don't move!"
Tobi. Looks like that idiot survived the blast, and still managed to find me.
A deeper voice spoke then. Quiet, but I was just about able to make out the words.
"Don't move. I can fix this, I can save you."
I tried to speak. My tongue felt like nothing more than a loose slab of meat.
"Hu...huoo?"
Who are you? Who else is there?
"Don't talk." The deeper voice commanded.
"To...bi...wh...wha...?"
"You tried to blow yourself up, senpai!" The deep voice was the one that spoke, but with an attempt to mimic the high, screechy quality to Tobi's voice. It wasn't going too well. It sounded as though the man was crying.

I began to see colours.

Black. A spotlight above me. A large circle of orange. Tobi. Twisting my head slightly, I can't find any other person. Tobi's the only one there, it seems, and he's trying to save my already doomed life.

"Why, senpai?"
The idiot is crying.
"Art...go out...with bang...had to..."
"You didn't have to do anything! All you had to do was come back to me!"
"Tobi...I'm...dy...dy..."
"I...I know..."
To my shock, he lifted his mask, wiping his eyes. If I could make my vision sharpen, I could see him.

Another hacking cough burns through me. I have something wet in my mouth. Blood. My life blood. I really am dying.

"I love you...I love you so, so much..." Whimpered the tear-jerked voice. "Senpai...Deidara...Deidara-chan, I love you so much." Arms around me. Holding me close. I still can't see and it's driving me crazy.
Not for long.
I reached up weakly.
My hand...my fingers...all I see is blood...
I brushed it against his pale cheek. "You too...I...I'm...so...sorry..."
"Don't be."
"For...ev...ry...thing..."
All those times I'd been so mean to him. He'd been vying for my affection for so long and I'd been too cold to accept it. He cared so much but he drove me crazy. And I just wanted to keep him at arm's length.

The truth was, I had to be cold. I was a terrorist. I was a criminal. I was straight! Right?

No, I'm not. I've wanted to hide it for so long, but the truth is I care so much about that idiot it hurts. It hurts that I can't be with him. Not like that. Even so, if I wasn't dying, I'm sure I'd be feeling so good, just knowing he likes me the same way. I just wish it wasn't like this. I wish we could...we could...

Tobi leaned in and at the same time, pulled me closer. I could see his mismatched eyes now. One light purple colour, one red. He kissed me tenderly and I could feel his tears on my cheeks, but at the same time it felt like they weren't my cheeks. This was it, I was going.
"I love you, Deidara. I'll see you on the other side, I promise."

The Shipping Wheel: Temari/Shikamaru

There were some things Temari missed about Suna. She missed the soft noise of the merchants setting up the market before the sun rose, the icy nights being enough to settle any headache or fever, the rare yet beautiful plants and waking up to the distant bustle of her younger brothers. Back when Gaara didn't sleep, he would be up early in the morning, tidying things up, and by 5, Kankurou would roll out of bed and set about making breakfast. For someone so lazy and bratty, he was an amazingly good cook, and once she'd moved to Konoha, she realised that would probably be what she missed most about the middle child. She never thought she would miss his complaining or when he purposely tried to rile her up.

She awoke to something she wasn't used to. Quiet, with an undertone of slight snoring. Barely detectable. Just a slight scrape as he breathed in. Groaning, she sat up, slipping out from under the silken covers and grabbing a dressing gown. Opening the window, she leant out, looking at the early morning Konoha. It was so different. It lacked that heat and dryness from home. It was cool, but not like the icy desert nights. It was in between, perfect for any normal human body. It was...strange.

People passed by beneath every now and then, and she watched, as though waiting for something interesting to happen. She never thought she would feel homesick, in all honesty. She just wasn't the type. Heck, when she left, she thought she'd be glad to be shot of her brothers. Always making messes and leaving sharp objects on the floor and bringing their girlfriends round and-...damn it, she'd grown up around all that pointless, irritating junk and now she missed it all more than anything.

She heard a creak behind her, the telltale sign of Shikamaru awakening. "Temari?"
"You don't normally wake up for another hour and a half." She muttered, glancing over her shoulder with a smirk. "Is something on fire?"
"You're the one out of bed, you tell me."
With a shrug, she turned back to the window, letting him watch her.
"Hey, Temari...?"
"Hn?"
"What's wrong?"
She looked back to him, arching an eyebrow. "Nothing's wrong."
He got up, walking to join her at the window. "You know, I'm not stupid. I've known you longer than a day."
"Whatever. It's nothing."
He lazily slung an arm around her shoulder, eyeing her curiously. "Homesick?" He asked eventually.
"No, I-...What makes you think that?"
"I would be if I were you."
She glanced over to him, arching an eyebrow. "I guess so, I am a little homesick..."
"It wouldn't be too troublesome to pay them a visit."
"This soon? That would be stupid. I'm...I only just got here."
"It's been two months."
She fell silent for a moment, rolling her eyes and gazing out the window again. "What, so you want to go to Suna?"
"I want you to be happy."
She turned to him again. He was sincere, his caring side betrayed beyond his usual bored exterior, eyes glimmering as he gazed up at the sky. His hair framed his face perfectly, accentuating every curve of bone and the tone of his skin. He was...gorgeous. As per always. She let herself cuddle up a little closer to him and smiled. "I am happy when I'm with you."

~*~*~*~
Bonus: Sealed
One feeling she didn't think they could ever beat was the feeling of undying love and pride that swept over her as she cradled her first born son.

Her only son.

It wasn't that Temari didn't want more children. Her and Shikamaru certainly tried, happy with the idea that they could bring up their own little family of powerful shinobi (and if it's another boy, can we call it Asuma?) and spread their love.

It didn't exactly happen as planned, though.

Shikadai started to grow. Elsewhere, news was being sent out of marriage in Suna. Nothing. They travelled to congratulate Temari's younger brother on his new bride.

Another year passed by with speed. All around them, other families grew, but Shikamaru and Temari just...couldn't conceive.

Premature Ovarian Failure. It was her. Her ability to have children was gone. She wanted another child, maybe a daughter, another companion for Shikadai...she had found in her adult life, she had become quite fond of children. She cried that night, and Shikamaru stayed up with her, holding her close through the night and assuring her it would all be alright.

((I'm clearly no good at writing these two but it was part of a long-term project and I was given the prompts 'Homesick' and 'Sealed'...))

Love You Forever

Kankurou settled down to lunch with his son, thinking things over. The former sand shinobi had come a long way from the bratty middle child, stuck between the successful kunoichi sister and the 'ultimate weapon' turned kazekage. He'd built the bonds with his family he'd always dreamed of, married a wonderful woman who teased him a bit too much for his liking, been forced to move away from the home he knew as a result...not that he minded that much. At first he had a job that meant he could travel to Suna, Konoha and back again plenty of times.

Then Tanto was born. His son, now seven. He'd never really liked children that much, but he still had his son, and he loved him, undoubtedly, but somewhere along the line, Kankurou had become a stay-at-home father. Not something he had ever envisioned for himself during his youth, but there he sat, opposite his son, talking cheerfully about puppets, a passion young Tanto shared with his father.

Kurotsuchi couldn't stay at home with the children. She was the Tsuchikage, after all. She had a village to run.

Not that long ago, she had cheerfully announced that she was pregnant again. Big age gap, but otherwise the past four or five months had been spent getting things ready, rerigging the cradle, gathering some toys, digging through the old supplies from Tanto's infancy to see what could be reused and what couldn't (because what was the point in throwing it out and getting new stuff if you could reuse the old?) and clearing out one of the rooms otherwise just used for storing old junk. The room had been repainted a minty green colour. He wanted it to be a surprise, the baby's sex. Girl or boy, he was sure he would be fine.

He looked up, snapping out of his thoughts as he heard his wife return, slamming the door behind her. Clearly, she was in a foul mood.
"Welcome home." Kankurou started uncertainly, standing to greet her. She just pushed past him, a heavy cough racking her body. She was just around 24 weeks along with her pregnancy, and she had been back to throwing up and coughing relentlessly. They'd both been kept up all night last night because of her coughing fits. Hesitantly, he reached out to her.
"Ne, Kurotsuchi-chan?"
"I'm fine, Kankurou."
"You're coughing again." He muttered, trying to take her hand. "Maybe you should see a doctor."
"They said I'm coming on fine."
"Look, I'm just worried."
"I know, but I'm fine." She moved away, heading toward the bedroom.

And then she was on the floor. She'd passed out.
"Kurotsuchi!"
"Kaa-san!"
He checked her vital signs. Her heart was racing, her breathing slow. "Tanto, get a doctor."
"I'm fine..." Kurotsuchi insisted quietly.
"No, you're-"
"I just had a dizzy spell and tripped." She got to her feet and continued on to the bedroom. Kankurou heaved a sigh and turned to his son. "The emergency medical nin at your mum's office will come if you tell them she fainted."
He nodded and ran off. The streets of Iwa were safe for the puppetry-trained son of two accomplished ninja.

It was half an hour of watching over his sleeping wife later that Tanto arrived back home with a doctor in tow. Kankurou explained the situation before going to wake her.
"Ne, Kurotsuchi-chan?" He gave her arm a little shake.
No response.
"Kurotsuchi?"
He leant in close. Her breathing had become shallow.
"Shit!"
The doctor and Tanto appeared in the doorway and Kankurou continued to shake her.
"Kurotsuchi-chan, wake up. Wake up!"
She stirred, groaning slightly. In the dark room she looked horrifically pale. Her eyes flickered open and she started coughing, chest heaving violently. The doctor was already at the other side of the bed, checking her temperature. Something wet landed on the puppeteer's face. Reaching up to brush it away, he found with a jolt of horror that his hand came away bloody. She had coughed up blood. "Take her to hospital!" He demanded at once, hand falling against the headboard to steady himself. He felt dizzy and sick, and hoped against hope this was just a bad dream.

She had been whisked away at once. Kankurou did his best to keep up with the quick stretcher, practically dragging poor Tanto along the ground. Another heaving cough, and a stain of red appeared on the puppeteer's otherwise pristine white poncho. He slowed down and stopped, apologising softly to his breathless son. He pulled at his blood-stained top, taking shaky breaths.
"K-kaa-san will be alright, right tou-san?"
He swallowed nervously. "I don't know..."
"But...I..."
It would be horrid to tell him she would be fine when he was unsure of it himself. He wanted more than anything for her to be okay.
"Tanto...it's been a while since you last saw Grandpa Kitsuchi, hasn't it?"
"Not since my birthday last year..."
"Would it make you happier to see him?"
"Is he coming?"
"Once he hears about Kurot-about kasan, he'll come. He...you like spending time with him overnight."
"He'll let me stay?"
"It depends on, you know..."
"Mum?"
"'Fraid so..."
The navy-haired boy cuddled up to his father with a sigh. "When will Grandpa Kitsuchi get here?"
"I don't know. I'll get you something to read if you want."

So some time later, the Kamizuru men were sat, side by side, Kankurou wringing his hands anxiously, Tanto reading the comic in front of him for the fifth time.
"Kamizuru Kankurou?"
He looked up to see a particularly solemn looking doctor beckoning to him. He felt his entire body go cold as he pulled Tanto up and followed the woman down the halls.
"Kankurou-san..." The doctor clasped her hands before her uncertainly. "I'm afraid your wife isn't in a very good condition.  By the looks of things, she's been ill for quite a while." He felt a presence behind him and glanced over his shoulder. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he found Kitsuchi towering over him. That man hated him, he knew that much. Thankfully, for now, his eyes were focussed on the doctor. "It's in its final stages, I'm afraid. There isn't much we can do for her other than keep her comfortable."
"Tou-san, you're hurting me..."
Kitsuchi scowled. "How wasn't this picked up earlier?"
"I'm afraid the symptoms of things like this can often be confused with those of pregnancy. The fact that Kurotsuchi-sama was pregnant may well have hidden her illness from the tests..."
"So you couldn't help her because she was pregnant?"
"I'm sorry." There was a silence that seemed to stretch into eternity.

Then pain blossomed against his cheek and he felt himself pitching sideways. Someone had hold of his poncho, stopping him from falling quite roughly. He gagged, taken by surprise as he tried to regain his balance. He was acutely aware of Tanto crying and Kitsuchi asking why this was happening. Funnily enough, this wasn't the first time his father-in-law had lost his temper and struck out. He never meant to strike out like that, not before, but this time it was different. Essentially what he was being told was his only daughter was dying because she'd fallen pregnant again. Kankurou squirmed, half-trying to break free, but the other half seemed to believe he deserved it. Was it his fault?

Hands were at his arms, helping him sit down. Security had been called. Was he alone? No, the doctor was still there, and Tanto was being led away by someone to help calm him down. He couldn't see straight, nausea taking over. Damn it, he could already feel his cheek bruising. "She's dying..." He muttered to himself, leaning forward and breathing deep. The doctor's hand found its way to the small of his back. "Kankurou-san?"
"I'd just finished painting the new baby's room..."
"Well...there is a chance your daughter will be okay..."
He glanced up. "...Daughter?"
"For a child born so early, she's doing very well."
"She's been...?"
"We can't save Kurotsuchi-sama, but we were able to deliver the baby. It was an emergency procedure, as mother's body could no longer support the baby...she's in intensive care."
"Can I-?"
"Kurotsuchi isn't awake yet, so you have plenty of time to visit your daughter."

Day one, May 5th. Watching the newborn infant being cared for through a window, Tanto on his shoulders. Kitsuchi apologised profusely. He would watch Tanto that night. The boy was tired and not able to stay up to be with his mother and new sister.

Kankurou patted down his pockets, only to find his wallet was back home. He wanted to at least bring a gift to his wife when he visited.

Kurotsuchi woke up and he went to visit her. She wasn't able to speak much.
"How do you feel?" He asked uncertainly.
"You were right..."
"Hn?"
She flashed him a smile. "You said I needed a doctor."
He held her hand that night. She scolded him for not eating and sleeping that night.

Day two, May 6th. Tanto spent the day with his mother, trying to help her feel better with the aid of some flowers he had 'found'. Kankurou went up to see his daughter again.
"Any name ideas yet?" Asked one of the doctors as he stepped in. The scrawny, tiny infant in the cot was no longer covered in wires and tubes. Her skin was still red and stretched over her bones. She was just small enough to fit in his hands if he were to pick her up.
He shook his head. "She...she looks so fragile..."
"You can hold her if you'd like."
He seemed shocked by this. "Are...are you sure? Is she well enough?"
"She is. Trust me."
He was right with his size judgement. The little girl fit in his hands. She was light and kept herself curled up. "She's precious."
That's it!
"I...I want to name her Kichona..."
Precious...
He could feel tears stinging his eyes. She shouldn't have been this healthy this soon. Healing ninjutsu really was amazing sometimes. She was strong, clearly. Just like the rest of her family. Strong as a rock.

Day three, May 7th. Tanto was with Kitsuchi again. Kankurou was sat beside his wife, just holding her hand. She didn't seem able to speak, so he did all the speaking for her, introducing her to Kichona and explaining why he had chosen the name, chatting about the weather and how even unwell, she still looked so beautiful to him. It looked to him like she wouldn't last much longer, and it set off a bout of verbal diarrhoea. He couldn't stop talking. He had to make sure she knew how much he loved her, how he would love her forever.

And then her eyes closed and her hand slipped from his and all signs of life ceased. He called for a doctor and was ushered out. The silence stretched on for an eternity as he cradled Kichona close to his chest. Eventually, the doctor came back out, placing a hand on Kankurou's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. There was nothing more we could do."
He tried to hold back the sobs and act tough. He tried to keep up his reputation as a hard, indestructible shinobi. He was hardly aware he'd started crying until he was made to sit down once more and brought tissues and green tea to calm himself.

He'd never really even liked children, yet suddenly he was a single father for two.

Welcome to the World

The Tsuchikage was in a foul mood long before her party reached Suna. She didn't mind the place normally, but after she'd spent so many days travelling in some stupid carriage that did little to keep the heat out, for the most part alone in that little cabin, she didn't want to do much else. Right now, those around her would be lucky if she didn't choke the next person she saw to death.

The five Kage of the lead hidden villages were meeting today, and the heavily pregnant Tsuchikage was ready to give them all a piece of her mind the moment she reached the meeting room. The door was opened roughly and a man dressed in loose, black clothing stepped half in, offering a hand. Her husband/bodyguard, still sporting a bruise from the last time they had encountered Kurotsuchi's father. (He had despised her choice in lover, and let's just say he was less than impressed to hear they were marrying because he had gotten her pregnant.) "We're here." He announced, unnecessarily. She knew they were there.

Taking his hand, she allowed him to help her out, fanning herself with her free hand. He stepped clear of her, suddenly wary as he took a fan from his pocket and took over the job of keeping her cool. She quickly flashed Kankurou an appreciative smile. The poor guy had had to bear the brunt of her bad mood for the past few months, and though he had great fingers for curing back ache and tried to keep his complaints to himself when she bossed him around, she had allowed herself to be especially foul to him. She'd even been spiteful enough to ensure that as long as she was struggling to sleep, he could stay awake as well. Letting her eyes linger over him, she took in his moody scowl, the bags under his eyes, the way he watched her like she was a ticking timebomb-although, considering all the facts, she essentially was-and felt a twinge of guilt in her chest.

"I hate the desert." She muttered, trying to start up 'friendly' conversation. His only response was a grunt. "Well, I don't hate it, not really. I loved coming here to see you. I just hate going places like this in such a worthless state..."
"Worthless?" Kankurou questioned, arching an eyebrow. "Believe me, you can still pack one hell of a punch." He gestured pointedly to his ribs with a smirk.
"I...I'm sorry." Kurotsuchi flashed a sheepish grin. "It was dark, I panicked."
"Sometimes I wonder if you really need guarding." He muttered with a chuckle.
"Hey, if all guards were as cute as you..." She let the sentence hang, craning her neck as the meeting point loomed. Great. Now she'd have to sit again, and just when walking around was starting to dispel those damn cramps she'd been having all morning. Maybe it was because she'd refused breakfast or something...

And all too soon she was crammed into a stuffy room with those four overly annoying men and their own guards. Honestly, she wasn't listening to the discussion any more. The heat was worse, and briefly she held her hand up to make Kankurou quit fanning her. It wasn't helping, just irritating her. The wind was biting at her neck and the pain in her gut was getting worse. She could feel the uncomfortable stare focussed on the back of her head. Her husband was concerned, but biting back any words. No right to interfere in the meeting. Instead, he tried to catch his little brother's eye, trying to convey the worry. She heard someone address her, asking her opinion on something, but she didn't look up. Her nails were digging into the tabletop.
"Kurotsuchi-sama." Kankurou muttered, reaching forward to rest a hand on her shoulder. It seemed to have an effect, because the moment he made contact, she let her head fall into her arms and groaned. A blissful beat of silence passed before both his hands were on her, heaving her upright as she heard someone, Chojuro she thought, call for a medic. "Are you okay?" Her husband asked cluelessly.
"Just dandy." She muttered after a moment, standing to leave. "Sorry for the interruption...I'm sure those of you with children understand, right?"
She didn't pause to gage the response, although there were a couple of nods while her husband hurried after her, paling considerably.

Soon, she was lying back on a medical bed, hands behind her head. Cracking open an eye, Kurotsuchi saw Kankurou lingering by the door. "Come in." She told him tiredly yet firmly, shooting him a glare. Heaving a sigh, he came to sit beside her. Best to keep the fact he'd been having nightmares about screaming kids a secret.
"This is really happening now?"
She got up, beginning to pace, pausing briefly to lean against the wall, whine and utter a string of curses. "Kankurou, it's been going on for hours, so shut up." She came over to him and he stood, letting her take his hand.
"'Tsuchi, that hurts!"
"How do you think it feels for me, you idiot?"
"Sorry, I-...ow! Cut it out!"
She grabbed his wrist then. "This is your own fault, you bastard! How could you do this to me?"
"Me? Hey, I never wanted children, remember."
"It's a little late to be spouting that kind of bullshit, you know." She let him go and he rubbed his wrist. There would be one hell of a bruise later. He watched her as she went back to pacing.
"You still can't complain. You wanted to keep it."
"And you wanted to marry me, so I don't think you have any real objections."
"Fine, just don't blame me because you have to squeeze out a baby."
She stormed back over to him, sinking her fist into his stomach. At least that made her feel better...
"This is your kid too, Kankurou. And you're an ass. Stop being an ass!"
"Jeez, calm your tits, woman." He managed through gritted teeth. This earned him another hit, but a softer one to the shoulder. Seeing she'd hurt him, she couldn't help but feel guilty. After a moment, she calmed down and sat back on the bed. With a sigh of relief, he went to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Bathroom..."
"Don't leave..."
"I'll be back."
"Kankurou..."
"I'll be right back, I promise." Kurotsuchi's response was to roll over and sink her teeth into the pillow. He had to admit, he was happy that wasn't his arm, but at the same time, he didn't want to leave her alone. On the other hand, he was desperate. He would have to run, he decided.

Cheerfully, he was greeted with the threat that if he left her alone again, he'd be drinking all his meals through a straw. Scowling, he crossed his arms and sat beside her. She almost instantly latched onto his arm. "You're pissed off with me..."
"I'm not pissed off with you, 'Tsuchi."
"I don't mean to be a bitch..." She cut off with another groan, digging her nails into his skin. He ran a thumb over the back of her hand in an attempt to be comforting. "It hurts..."
"I know, I know..." He ran his fingers through her sweat-soaked hair. She really wasn't used to this heat. "It'll be over soon."
"It's taking too long..."
"Calm down."
"Oh, fuck..." She pulled away and started hitting the pillow. He heaved a tired sigh and drew one knee to his chest.
"That's not going to-"
"It helps! Shut up!"
He obeyed at once, almost afraid of another corkscrew to the gut. That last one had hurt.

The sun set, and rose again, and Kankurou obediently waited by his wife's side. Putting his needs on hold was undoubtedly better than being disembowelled by a furious kunoichi. It didn't help that she had made it clear that she didn't want other visitors until after the kid was born. The less people the better. It made Kankurou twice as uncomfortable. Surely it would be better if she had more people to support her? At least that way there would be less pain for him. He wanted to ask the others how they'd made it through this without being murdered. Then again, he couldn't imagine Matsuri, Hinata or Yakumo going as wild as this with just a few cramps.

He made sure to never voice this thought aloud.

Midday came and went. He needed a bathroom break again and a snack. He was supporting her, hands under her arms as hers essentially crushed his shoulder blades. He did his best to keep his full attention on her. He'd managed to refrain from all that 'almost over, you're doing well, soon we'll meet the baby' crap, because honestly, if he were the one going through that shit, he would probably punch someone spouting that in the face. It was safer to stay quiet, really.

This was the birth of his first child. It was stressful as hell, irritating, painful and-...and he shut his eyes, collapsing back into his chair as he heard the mewling cry of the newborn child. "Congratulations. He's a boy, and very healthy."
"He's beautiful..." He cracked open an eye curiously. "Kankurou, look!"
He leant over, looking at the child in her arms. "...Can I hold him?"
A shocked look crossed Kurotsuchi's face. "Sure." Slowly, she passed the infant over. "Here, make sure you support-"
"I know, I've held my nephew and niece before." The boy was fair with a little blue-black hair atop his head. He seemed determined to keep his eyes closed, and let out the odd gurgle and whimper as he cuddled up to his father's chest. Kankurou risked planting a kiss on his new son's forehead.
"So much for 'I'll never have children'." A voice commented from the doorway. He looked up to watch his little brother approach.
"Well, I...that is...it's...shut up."

Rock Bottom

It was settled. He hated work. He hated water. He hated everything.

Less than an hour into a damn mission and he'd been caught in a whirlpool, knocked unconscious, separated from his friends and washed up on some rocky outcrop that left a huge gash on his aching ribs. Somewhere along that wonderful ride, he'd lost his weapon pouch and re-breather, and now he was wandering around, lost and freezing. At least the water from his jumpsuit had dried off.

First order of business in his mind was to find a village. Size or kind didn't matter. He just needed somewhere he could sleep and eat. If he could make it to one before keeling over, that was. Too cold, too wet, too tired, hungry, thirsty, in pain...take another step. Another, and another, keep going.

And then he caught his foot and went pitching forward. The whole world seemed to blur as he went tumbling down an outcrop. His foot didn't want to move with him and there was an ungodly wrench, and the next thing he knew he was on his back, the air knocked out of him. Air and consciousness, both gone.

The first thing he realised when he came to was the warmth around him. There was a thick smell of incense and stew, which clashed horribly in the air, the kind of disgusting mix liable to make a weaker-stomached man lose his lunch. He was wrapped in thick blankets, the fleece scratching his skin. Were his clothes...?

Oboro let his eyes flicker open, finding himself in a plain wood cabin. A fireplace was beside him, flames burning away merrily.
"You're awake!" Exclaimed a cheerful and relieved voice. He turned to the voice, taking in the appearance of the redhead crouched beside him. Frowning, he sat up, gripping the blankets to ensure they hid his chest.
"Uh...yeah...I woke up..." He craned his neck to look at his ankle. Bound haphazardly to what looked like a tanto. Pains were still grating his bones, but at least she had tried to treat him.

Suddenly, the girl was on her feet, tending to the stew and getting some water together for the strange boy to drink. "I found you just a five minute walk away. I've sent for a doctor, you were in pretty bad shape, but the worst injury I found was your leg."
"Lucky." He breathed as she set some food and water down beside him. It was gone in seconds, and the girl gave a slight giggle. A giggle! She would have time to be painfully embarrassed by that later.
"My name's Sasame, by the way." She mumbled shyly. She was sat before an attractive, naked boy. She couldn't help but be a little shy and a little embarrassed.
"Oboro." He replied with a slight nod. "How did I...?"
"Your stuff's being washed, if you're wondering." A slight blush crossed her cheeks. "I, um, didn't want you to get hypothermia...sorry..."
"It's fine." He answered without thinking.
It's fine? Seriously? This girl stripped you and you just told her 'it's fine'. You're stupid.
"Did you find anyone else?" He asked after a moment.
"Did you have friends?" Sasame asked, hands flying to her mouth.
"I got separated from them ages ago." He explained, shrugging. "Hopefully they'll have had more luck than me. I'll see how they are when I get back home."
She nodded. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Where am I?"
"The Sound village."
Silence. The name seemed familiar to him. There had been students from around there at the Chunin exams, hadn't there? "I'm from the Rain Village." He told her after she gave him a questioning look. Thinking about it, he must have walked a long way to get from those damn islands to the Sound land. Further more, to get back to Amegakure, he would have to either trek around the Fire country or cut through Konoha. Neither was a particularly appetising prospect. He'd certainly washed up somewhere unlucky.

It could be worse. Said a little voice in his head. He internally snapped at it to shut up. Looking back to Sasame, he found she looked undoubtedly concerned.
"Maybe you should get going as soon as possible." She mused, thinking it over.
"I think until I know exactly what I'm doing and where I'm going, I should stay somewhere stable."
"Well, we'll see what the doctor says about your leg and then get you home, yeah?"
Oboro had to admit he wanted nothing more than to go home right there and then. Mother and father would worry about him, especially if Kagari and Mubi managed to make it back and cheerfully reported his unfortunate disappearance.
"Thank you for the help, Sasame-chan."
Chan? Oboro, you idiot, you hardly know her. What are you, five?
She blushed slightly and turned away. "I'll go get your clothes ready for after the doctor's been."
He nodded. "Thank you." Did he normally act that stupid? Maybe it was the fact he'd been injured and sick. Maybe it was the fact that all the girls in Amegakure looked weird to him and forever acted like they had a rod shoved up their asses. Maybe he just wasn't used to a girl his age treating him so kindly. Whatever it was, part of him wanted the doctor to tell him he had to stay here a little longer.

The Greatest Gift

Kabuto had long-since shut himself away back in the Hidden Sound Village, or what remained of it. Here, he stayed with one or two surviving former subordinates of Orochimaru. 'Friends', he willingly called them and anyone else who strayed close enough to be accepted by one of their kind. Every now and then, one of the men would bring home a girl from another village and something would click. Essentially the village of Sound was now a safe haven for rogues, separate from the laws of the other villages. Missing-nin who now wanted nothing more than to settle down and live normal lives, their dark sides long since abolished. Some had even had children now. Misumi was practically parading his new son around the village like he was a prince.

It was hardly a perfect place. It was a stupid little place with a population of about 12 adults and a bunch of kids who followed one guy round like he had candy stuck to his arse. Still, it was home. Dysfunctional, poor as dirt home. At least they were led by a level-headed and intelligent man instead of one of the crazies, and he was just about able to keep everyone alive. Kabuto had been out for lunch, taking the time to hold a brief conversation with some of the men he knew. All in all he must have spent about three hours out, and as he approached his house, he had the strange feeling someone was watching him. Someone was hiding by his house, and as the front door came into view, it became a bit obvious why.

Upon the doorstep lay a Moses basket. He approached it warily, as though it might be a trap, gently tugging aside the blankets to peer inside.

Naturally, all the blankets covered were a letter held closed with a hairpin and a newborn infant. He could only be a couple of days old and was fast asleep. He picked the basket up uncertainly and slipped inside. Kabuto served as the village's doctor, so at least there was no-one better to leave the child with.

He gently lifted him out of the basket and placed the letter to the side, deciding to check the child over before reading that, although really it would give him some important information, undoubtedly. The most important thing was to ensure the child wasn't about to die.

Definitely male. Blood type, A, 6.4 pounds, heel to crown just under 50 cm. Smaller than average, a thin fluff of plum-coloured hair atop his scalp. A little bit early, not properly insulated against the cold when he was outside, but Kabuto could warm him up in a second. Didn't look like he'd been fed since birth, so a trip to the shops could be necessary. For now he could fill a pipette with some milk and feed the child with that, once he woke up. His eyes slid over to the letter.

Kabuto

It was for him. Whoever had left him there knew exactly what she was doing. He tugged the clip off the paper and unfolded the note, running his dark eyes over the words before him.

Kabuto. You have undoubtedly received my little gift. His birthday is the 8th of March. I assume you'll need some further explanation, but the best I can do at this moment is to tell you he is your son. I'm sure you remember last year, where we ended up...together. It was just the one night, but I fell pregnant. I can assure you he is yours, you're the only one I slept with around that time.

I'll leave the rest to you. The name, the education, the raising, everything. The way I am, I am simply not fit to care for him. I hope you can do what's best for him.

Anko

In all honesty, he felt like he was going to be sick. He ran out to the porch again, looking around. The presence previously there was gone. Anko had stolen away as soon as she was sure her baby boy would be cared for. Bitch. He didn't have anything to look after children with! "Anko!" He yelled at the trees, empty but for the odd startled bird. Fists clenched, he stomped back inside and watched the baby-his baby-sleep.

How long had be been sitting there, just watching his boy sleep?

Huh. Strange. He'd already gotten used to calling him his boy. He hadn't even named him yet. Perhaps he should start looking into names, he mused. He knew Fumio meant something along the lines of 'genius child', and Doku meant 'venom', so they were certainly contenders. He also liked Hitoshi and Isamu, and Jun was one of his favourite names...

He was jolted out of his thoughts by the cries of the boy. He was awake, and very hungry. Kabuto stared a moment in shock before rushing into the kitchen. No bottles to feed him with, so he would have to make do. He had IV drips and tubes, pipettes and syringes, all sorts of things, but no damn baby bottles. Jeez, she could have at least given some warning before dumping the kid on him. He could rig it up like a straw deal, putting a sterile tube in his boy's mouth, the other end in the milk bottle. It would be pretty cold though. Maybe he could ask Misumi for help. That guy had a son, he would know what to do. Kabuto would know what to do exactly if he had the things, and god, if that kid decided to go to the toilet before he'd gotten any nappies, he would scream. He was so not ready for this.

Half an hour later, he was out of the house again, the basket on his arm with his baby boy nestled snugly inside. He seemed curious about the world outside, but he couldn't exactly see much beyond the blankets. He had dark, curious eyes, and stayed curled over, unsure about this man before him. The most he seemed to know about this man was he had given him food, and he was big and looked grumpy.

Kabuto approached another door and raised his fist to knock, not sure whether to do this or not. Misumi was his friend, so what exactly was the problem? Was it fair to lump another baby on him, even if it was just so he could get some supplies? Who was he kidding? He didn't have the money to look after a kid anyway. Scowling, he hammered on the door and waited for his friend to answer.
"Ah, Kabuto-san-"
"I need to borrow a bottle." He managed through a tight throat. He saw his friend's eyes travel down to the basket and a frown cross his face. "Dumped." He explained quickly. "His mother doesn't want him. I might need a little help until I've got everything I need to look after him."
"I'm busy, but-"
"I just want to borrow a bottle. I have to buy some clothes for him, nappies, toys, formula..." He closed his eyes as he listed it off from memory. "It's expensive..."
"...What's his name?"
Damn it. "I..." Purple hair, reminding him of poison, the snake-like parents, the perfect name..."Doku. Yakushi Doku."
"You named him on the spot, didn't you?"
The medical-nin sighed. "Yes. Give me a break, I've had him for an hour and a half. I've been busy making sure he's healthy. Doku's staying, though. Not like he has much else."

It looked like Kabuto was stuck with this child. On the one hand, he wasn't ready, he wasn't prepared, he hadn't even known for the past nine months that Anko had been pregnant. He was angry and frustrated, and he felt betrayed, even though it had never been anything more than a one night stand, he felt. If it had been more, they'd have talked since. On the other hand, though he didn't want to admit it, being in the Sound, surrounded by rogues and missing-nins, things had felt...wrong. He'd felt out of place and low and...lonely. He'd been lonely as hell, and here he had been given the gift of family, a companion he would have for the rest of his life, tied by blood. He had something to live for, to stick around for. He had Doku...

Stress And Labour

The doors were always open to family at the Inuzuka compound, he could certainly ensure that much, but it still unnerved him that evening when his older sister came round. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her or anything like that, but she was heavily pregnant. Overdue, even. Having that fact hanging over her made her akin to a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the spark to set off the explosion.

"Hana..." He greeted uncertainly, standing aside to allow his sister in. "Shouldn't you be home?"
"By myself?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.
"You have the Haimaru brothers."
She turned to him with a scowl. "Are you saying there's something wrong with wanting to visit my baby brother?" She half-teased. After about half a second of thought, Kiba forced a smile and shook his head.
"Just concerned is all. Shino back yet?"
Sighing, Hana lowered herself into a chair, getting the weight off her sore feet. "Not yet. What do you think the big emergency was?"
He shrugged. "You want anything to drink?"
"Just water. Where's Tamaki?"
"She's here." He assured her with a nod. "I think she's with the animals. I could call her in?"
"Nah, it's good. She's well then?"
"We all are. As well as we can be at least." He went to get the drinks and tell his own partner who had been at the door. Hana shifted around, trying to get comfortable. Over the past week things had just been annoying. It was a chore just to walk from the sofa to the bathroom at times and with Shino away on an emergency mission, she couldn't help but be tense. She was sore, overheated, having to put up with every single ache and throb and flutter, worrying about all sorts of things...she hated it. At least maybe she could relax a little while there and then.

She stayed a few hours, chatting away happily to her brother and soon to be sister-in-law. Kiba was, in all honestly, relieved. No drama through the day. He'd noticed how tired she was, so he'd offered to let her stay for dinner, and considering what happened next, he was somewhat glad he had.

Hana had fallen asleep, so while dinner was prepared, Kiba and Tamaki remained in the kitchen together, conversing quietly. "She must have been lonely, with Shino gone." Tamaki mused. "I don't think your dogs can exactly be the best company at this stage."
"Maybe not." He shrugged. "She's probably worried."
"About Shino?"
"What else? It's a dangerous case he's on."
"I know I'd be worried if it was you."
"Plus she'll be really on edge considering she has to stay here when all the action's going on."
"Kiba!" called Hana's voice from the living room. He ignored it.
"Bascially, this is the perfect time for her to be stressy as hell."
"Kiba!"
"Just a minute!" He called back, scowling. "It's not that I don't like having her around, but I hate seeing her like that. Does having a baby always do that to people? I know it turned Temari into a complete bitch."
"Kiba, for god's sake!"
"Hang on!" He heaved a sigh as he went to the door. "I just...hate seeing her in a state. She's my sister." He began his journey back to the living room. She herself had stood, making her way to the door. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead, as though she had just awoken from a nightmare. Stress and sleep deprivation were evident on her face. Sighing softly, he offered out his hand.
"You okay?"
She shook her head gently. "Call Shino."
"I can't."
"Leave a message for him, just call him." She pushed past him then, out into the hall, biting back a groan that threatened to break free.
"Where are you going?"
"Hospital."
Kiba felt the blood drain from his face. "No. Not now. Absolutely not."
"Don't worry, ototo. Nothing's happening until Shino gets back."
"Tamaki!" He ran to the kitchen, turning off the cooker. No point in leaving it on if they were about to go out. She shot him a glare, but he ignored it. "Hana. She's, um...it...god, almost a month overdue and it decides to come now!" He was getting flustered. Far more flustered than either of the women as he grabbed the phone.

The forest seemed quiet. The grass in the clearing was stained red, a disaster scene with the odd weapon still embedded. The fighters had managed to drag their injured bodies a little away, but a mobile phone lay open on the ground, abandoned by its owner as it began to ring. Nobody to pick it up, the phone announced its master was unavailable, asking the caller to leave a message.
"Shino, it's Kiba. I know damn well you wouldn't have your phone on if you were in danger, so pick up already." Light struggled to shine through the film of blood covering the screen. "Hana's in labour, so get your butt back here as soon as possible, got it?"
The phone clicked, message ending, and silence once more filled the clearing until a voice yelled the name the first man had been speaking to. Shino stirred slightly, but for the most part remained down, hands pressed to his belly, where while conscious he had been trying to stem a bleed. Now all that held them there was his own weight, muscles too weak to comply with his brain. "Shino." The voice started, rolling him onto his back to get a proper look at him. The details were fuzzy, but he remembered they had been ambushed. Everyone was injured, no doubt, and the attackers certainly had some devastating weaponry. He tried to keep his eyes open, focus on the wavering form above him of the other man. He felt hands on his wound and cried out weakly, trying to focus on that pain, keep it there to reassure himself that he was alive and awake, but all too soon the shadows at the edge of his vision clouded over his whole mind.

Shikamaru froze, watching the shallow breathing appear to cease. He leaned in, face close to check, but he couldn't find any breath, any heartbeat. He couldn't just die, though. No way was he losing anyone on this, let alone a friend. That in mind, he readied his hands over Shino's chest and concentrated his chakra. He could try and keep the heart going while hopefully drawing in friends rather than enemies.

The hours passed by like thick treacle. Hana felt like she'd already been there days on end, and still there was no sign of it ending or even of Shino returning. She sat cross-legged on the bed, gritting her teeth and trying to make as little noise as possible. For the time being, she wasn't doing too well with that particular goal, considering the moans that left her lips, and she certainly wasn't pleased that the only person in the room there and then was Kiba. Kiba, who seemed afraid to approach her, in case she hurt him. Thinking about it, she probably would have if she could, as long as it took her mind off her own pains. "Bastard." She managed to mutter through her clenched teeth. Getting her pregnant and buggering off just as things started. Reaching out as another contraction hit, she snapped out. "Are you just going to stand there gawking or are you going to help? Where the hell is Shino?"
Kiba dithered a moment before coming to her side and taking her hand, ready to reply before she tightened her grip enough to make bones crack.
"Jesus, nee-chan, watch it! I happen to use my hands!"
"Shut the hell up!"
He froze then before clearing his throat and working his fingers, trying to get the feeling back into his hand. "I haven't heard anything back from Shino-"
"Did you even call him?"
"It went to answerphone."
"Call him again!"
"It won't..." He was cut off by another yell of hers. Thinking it over, he decided at least playing along with her whim would stop her panicking too much. "I'll see what I can do." He promised, biting his lip before hurrying out of the room, passing a nurse who was heading in. He made his way down to the bottom floor, highly doubting he would get an answer this time round.

Every bit of emergency treatment that could be given had been given, and now the team was returning to Konoha, failure nipping at their heels and the more seriously injured being carried, nowhere near safe. The journey seemed like it was taking forever, but hopefully, with their retreat, they would make it back without being attacked again.

The sound of a ringing phone sounded off from behind, back in the clearing. One of the injured stirred, reaching for his empty pockets.

"Hey, me again. Things are getting pretty close to go time and Hana's getting antsy. If you're coming at all, come quick."

Silence as he waited in the reception, keeping an eye out for any form of Shino. He'd promised to sit there and wait, and he had been waiting for over an hour while upstairs Tamaki kept the miserable Hana company. "Come on..." He muttered under his breath, tapping his feet. He wanted to make sure his sister was okay, but he knew she would just get angry if he went up there. He took a deep breath, shutting his eyes and drumming his fingers on his forearm. How long had all this stupid stuff been going on? Too long. Kiba was tired, and he didn't even want to begin to imagine how his sister felt. He heard people rushing in and panicked voices, the smell of blood almost overpowering. Cracking open an eye, he took in the sight of the ninja squad before him, the patients being hurriedly seen to.

Well, hell.

"Shino?" He pushed away from the wall, hurrying to the still form of his friend. No response. No reaction. Someone was holding him back, keeping him from getting closer. "Shino! Shino, wake up!"
"Calm down. He needs to be treated."
"Wake him up." Another hand was at his shoulder now.
"Kiba, Hana wants to see you." Tamaki announced. Reluctantly, he stepped away from his friend's bedside and watched him disappear through a set of double doors.
"He'll be okay, right?" He asked uncertainly. "I'm his brother-in-law, he's just become a father, I want to know he'll be okay!"
Tamaki tried to drag him as a solemn-looking nurse turned and shrugged lazily. "We'll keep you updated." He muttered after a moment. Kiba held his ground a moment longer before he let Tamaki drag him away. Lead him back to Hana's room. What the hell was he supposed to tell her?

He approached the door and slid it open, almost terrified. Hana had shifted onto her side, seemingly asleep, the newborn infant in her arms, held close to her chest. He went to sit beside her, brushing her hair off her sweaty face. After a moment, she cracked open an eye. "Hey, Kiba..."
"How're you feeling?"
"Like everything's falling apart." She grinned, snuggling into the bedclothes and sighed. "I haven't slept in over a week."
"Then sleep."
"Is Shino here yet?"
"Uh..." He quietly reached out to take the child from her. "He's coming as fast as he can. I could go see?"
A grateful smile. "Thank you."

It was another few hours before Kiba could see Shino. His friend showed no signs of consciousness despite the fact that the doctors said he was wide awake. He was cradling his niece as he approached the bed, strangely anxious. "Shino." He greeted uncertainly, voice loud and clear. "Shino? You can hear me, right?"
A twitch of his hand, an eye flickering open, an attempt to answer muffled behind an oxygen mask. He took it as an affirmative before taking a seat beside him. "You got my messages?"
Something else muffled, but he gave a slight shake of his head as well. No, no messages. There was a brief silence, the Inuzuka unsure how to speak to his friend, what to say next, but after a moment, the hospitalised man reached over, stroking the side of his daughter's cheek, a curious look in his eyes.
"Oh!" he reached over, gently depositing the infant into Shino's arms. He hadn't been expecting that, and awkwardly held the child to his side with one arm. "This is...well, she doesn't have a name yet, but she's your daughter, and, yeah...God, this is awkward..."
"My...? When...?"
"She was born three hours ago. Hana made me stand outside and wait for you." He explained, laughing a little. "Seriously, the sooner you're healed, the sooner she'll stop putting me through the meat grinder."
Shino tried to take the defensive, but Kiba just grinned wider.
"Sorry, man, I can't hear you. You enjoy your time here with...whatever you want to call her."
He reached up to remove the oxygen mask, despite Kiba's protests. "We decided on names...a week before I left...Kata for a boy...Kakamu for a girl..." He mused, drawing the child closer to his side. "I'll be up and helping in no time."
"As long as you think you can cope with it."
"Considering the facts, I think I am more than capable."
"Just you wait." Grinning, he crossed his legs and leant back in his seat, watching father and daughter 'bond'. If the child had the right traits from her mother, she'd know her father's scent in no time.

Arrangements

A falling out had occurred amongst the ranks of Team 8. Hinata had done her best to keep the peace, but it had gotten to the point where Kiba refused to talk to Shino and even got violent around him at times. Shino refused to lower himself to his team mate's childish level, ignoring any jibe and simply carrying on as normal. He was a ninja, for goodness' sake.

The whole thing had started over a stupid spat over the object of the Aburame man's affections. More specifically, walking through a forest one evening, Kiba had caught his sister with her mouth latched onto that of a young man. It had looked like they were trying to eat each other, for goodness' sake! He'd leapt right into the role of protective brother only to quickly figure out the man he was faced with was none other than his team mate and friend, Shino.

It wasn't so much that they were dating, although he was certainly pissed off that Hana had gone for a guy that much younger than her, but it certainly riled him up that they hadn't trusted him enough to tell him. In fact, they'd pretty much outright stated they'd believed he would have acted like an animalistic arse. The fact that he ended up finding out either of them had a partner through these means just...just pissed him off. Not even his best friend would be willing to turn around and say 'by the way, I have a girlfriend'. They didn't trust him, and it seriously sucked.

Effectively, that was the cause of their argument. Now Kiba was angry, Shino didn't see any reason to apologise and Hinata was stuck in the middle, watching her team crumble. He had to admit, he felt bad for her. She just wanted her friends to be friends again, but whenever they were near each other, all there was was a tonne of yelling and snarling.

They had just had dinner and Kiba was sat at the bottom of the stairs, beginning to think he should just drop the whole thing. Hana was pissed off with him, Hinata was miserable and in all honesty he missed being friends with Shino, but he didn't keep hold of that thought trail for too long. A familiar smell had joined the scents of family and food within the confines of the house. Someone was approaching the door, and within seconds, Akamaru had decided to sound the alert and go to the door. It was open before the visitor had even reached it.

Shino stood there, normal annoyed expression on his face, arms crossed tight over his chest. He must have left his own house in a hurry. He wasn't wearing a coat or jumper over the long-sleeved white shirt adorning his torso. He was dressed quite casually, actually, as though he hadn't been out of his house at all that day. His eyes were still covered, but there was a part of Kiba that felt there was never a moment they weren't.

Crossing his arms to mirror the surprise visitor, he asked why he was there. The bug user seemed to think this over for a moment, as though considering whether he should lie or not.
"I had a disagreement with my father." He eventually stated.
"So...you came here?"
"I figured it would be a good move to go to friends."
Confusion covered Kiba's features. "You're here to see me?"
Shino confirmed with a nod. "I have had no problem with you. It is you who has had the problem. I know Hana is away, so you would have no reason to get angry with me or refuse me."
He caught the slight shiver his friend had been trying to suppress and sighed. It was a bitterly cold night and he assumed even with a coat on his friend would be freezing. He stepped aside to allow him in.
"I have no problem with you dating her, as long as the furthest you've gone is kissing."
Shino shot him a look. It said two things. Don't be disgusting and of course we've only kissed, you nitwit. Bug boy took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling the smell of the already devoured food and setting off his own empty stomach. "Then the anger?"
He thought it over for a moment, settling down in a seat and watching the Aburame watch him. "It's my job to be protective. Man, I thought you weren't, you know, interested in girls...or boys...or anything. You barely talk about anything. Then the one thing you do tell me is you don't trust me when it comes to my own damn sister."
Silence, and then "I didn't mean it like that."
"Then what did you mean?"
"I simply...didn't want you to hate me for liking her. I'm...not good enough."
Another silence fell across them as thoughts rushed into Kiba's head. Did he really think that? It wasn't like Hana was that special. In fact, sometimes she was a real airhead. Then again, a lot of people found people like Shino pretty creepy. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth to waylay his friend's...uncertainties.
"You're fine." He muttered through gritted teeth. "At least you're better than a lot of guys, you know? Last time I saw a hot girl the only thing in my mind was if I could have a good night with her or not. You're trustworthy, you have morals. You're going to stick around until the bitter end. I think you're good for her. Honestly wouldn't want anyone else near her if she can have someone like you."
Shino went to sit opposite him. "I...I see..."
There was a moment of silence. Kiba drummed his fingers against the table, wondering if he should offer something or wait for Shino to ask. Thinking for a moment, he decided his friend was probably unlikely to admit he hadn't eaten, but at the same time he was decidedly sullen. "So what was your fight about?"
He looked up then, frowning. "Disagreement." He corrected.
"Fine, what was your disagreement about?"
He fell silent again for the longest time. "Diplomatically arranged marriages."
It sunk in quickly. "Your dad's trying to get you to marry some stranger?"
He nodded. "To a girl from a similar yet less powerful clan."
"But you're with Hana..."
"I do not want to marry just for the sake of clan comfort and neither does the girl from the other clan. There is a lot of unrest at home for the time being."
"So you wanted to stay here?"
He was silent a while longer before nodding. "There's no point in returning home tonight. It would just involve more fighting."
Kiba nodded and got up, starting to sort through cupboards. "You could stay in Hana's room, since she's away. You going home tomorrow?"
"Probably. Everyone just needs to calm down." He watched his friend as he went around the kitchen, making two cups of tea and grabbing some biscuits. "I won't overstay my welcome."
"I'm just glad we're talking again." He mused with a smirk.

He'd managed to fall asleep in the end, within the confines of someone else's bed. It felt different, the mattress springs stiffer than at home, and the covers and pillows smelled of her and he let his mind wander. He must have been thinking of her when he fell asleep, as she was a big player in his dreams. He remained asleep when the door creaked open and the lights flicked on. It was when weight was put on the edge of the bed, the balance disturbed, that he was jolted out of his sleep. Things had been going so well in there as well.

Hana didn't seem to notice someone else was in her room as she undressed. She was back a whole week early, and as Shino became more alert, it occurred to him that she may well have been hurt. There would have definitely been a good reason for her early return. He sat up to address her as she removed her shirt. Instead of speaking out or clearing his throat, getting her attention, he felt his face redden. She looked to the nightstand and clocked the sunglasses beside her lamp, and he lay down again, deciding to pretend he had been asleep and had seen nothing. She glanced over her shoulder to find the Aburame boy in her bed, eyes shut, in an anxious state of mind. Gently, she stood and pulled on some night clothes. "I know you're awake, you know." She told him as she went to switch off the light. Opening his eyes again, he saw the limp. She was injured. The light snapped off and she came back to the bed, telling him to make room so she could get some sleep. She seemed oddly unfazed considering her boyfriend was in her bed for no known reason.
"Are you okay?" He asked, sitting up and watching her through the darkness.
"I'll live." She breathed tiredly. "Why are you here?"
There it was, the expected question. "Kiba said I could spend the night in here, since you're meant to be away."
Good enough, she thought, leaving deeper probing for the morning as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as she drifted off to sleep. He obligingly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and shut his eyes, but as his predicament returned to him, he couldn't help but steal a quick kiss. Smiling, she tightened her grip on him, deepening the kiss and cuddling up to him. She wasn't in a sleepy state for long, quickly becoming alert and eager to spend time with her boyfriend again.

Early the next morning, Kiba went to get Shino up for some breakfast. "Shino?" He slid open his sister's bedroom door. "Mum's got food ready if you're-...what the fuck?" When did Hana get home? He stepped in a little further, trying to confirm his suspicions. It was settled. The moment Shino woke up, he was a dead man.

The Shipping Wheel: Kakashi/Gai

Kakashi was gone, as far as he could tell. Completely washed away before the body could be recovered. No mission was without its risks, that much was a given, but he had never truly expected his brilliant rival to be taken down so suddenly, the light fading from his eyes in an instant. And there he stood, dithering uncertainly, not sure how to respond to suddenly being...alone.

They were born to be eternal rivals. It wasn't supposed to end just like that. They were supposed to compete until the end of time, and if one was gone, was that the end of their competition?

But rightfully, that couldn't be the reasoning for the crushing feeling in his chest, as though he would never be able to see another sunrise without breaking down completely. Everything felt like a darkness closing around his heart, but that couldn't just be because of losing his rival, right? No, it was definitely something more. He'd always be ashamed to admit it, but there were so many feelings swirling inside him, and he really couldn't understand the way he was feeling, the pain in his chest.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Returning to Konoha, mission complete but his team decimated. Filing the report and wandering the streets, unsure of what to do with himself. The sound of birds chirping and water running, and the sound of someone calling for help.

Wait, calling for help? It was a long moment before he realised it was nothing he could help with. Too far, too soon, and dealt with almost instantly. Not to mention the shock from the previous events was taking hold. He couldn't do a thing in this state.

Elsewhere, in a small village to the south of Konoha, an injured man was being treated. He was battered and broken, and hypothermia was diving in, cutting him off from the world his mind so desperately wanted to cling to. He was young and attractive, and on the edge of survival, and those surrounding his frost-bitten body were uncertain if he would make it out alive or not.

~*~*~*~

Mismatched eyes flickered open, then turned away from the bright lights above them. He let out a light groan and in a second, a girl was stood there beside him, hand on his shoulder and offering a drink of water. He sat up, but didn't accept it, just looked around in confusion.
The girl bit her lip before placing the water down. "You'll be okay...my brother found you in the river. You looked pretty beat up...my name is Tamiko. What's yours?"
"I...I don't remember..." He reached up to rub his eye only to find the arm he wanted to use was bound to his chest. Injured?
"You don't remember your name?" She asked, frowning in concern. "Katsu did say you'd hit your head quite hard..." She offered her hand then, helping him stand. "What can you remember?"
He thought hard for a moment, trying to dredge up some information. Faces, laughing children, cheerful voices, and many, many injuries. The children stuck there as though they were something important, but surely too many to be his own. "I...think I work with children." He mused uncertainly.
She nodded. "That's good. We just need something to call you until you remember...Misuteri? It means a mystery."
He gave a slight nod, just wanting the girl to leave him be.

Misuteri spent his time reading and trying to recall his memories, but he found nothing. Reading was at the very least a good release for him. He was out walking, trying to figure things out when he found the ninjas hired by the head of the tiny village. He ducked behind a tree briefly, watching them from afar curiously. Faces he felt he must have seen before somewhere. Slowly, he stepped closer, uncertain, pulling his jacket tighter around him as the ninja turned to face him.

The next thing he knew, he was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug.
"Kakashi!" The person stepped back, examining Misuteri's face closely. "You...you're actually him...My Kakashi..."
He froze up uncertainly before relaxing, hands in his pockets with a bored air. "I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person."
The man before him frowned. "With that scar and that eye...I doubt it..."
His good hand went up to his left eye uncertainly. "You...know me?"
"It's Gai! You remember me, right?"
He shook his head. "I don't remember much, sorry."
Gai's face fell. "You don't remember...us?"
Another shake of his head. "You look familiar, but...I don't remember a thing. Essentially, I've just learnt my name is Kakashi."
Gai glanced around uncertainly. "I'm your..." Rival his mind finished, but his mouth didn't catch up as a light went on behind Kakashi's eyes.
"Gai. I remember a Gai. I liked him...a lot. I don't think I ever told him."
"No...you never did..."
"Perhaps I could tell him now..."
The other man frowned. "You mean you-"
He was silenced by Kakashi's lips crashing against his.
"I think I remember you."