Chapter 9: The Family We Choose Part I

A/N: Heyo! (￣▽￣)/ T.K.月狐 here with a Happy Valentine's Day surprise. New chapter right here and new artwork on my social media. Now go enjoy!

Chapter 9: The Family We Choose Part I

Arriving at the Hokage’s Office, Sui and I somehow convinced Tayuya that there was no way we could abide by her no touching rule. It still baffled me that Tayuya cared more about Sui’s opinion than my own, but at least one crisis was averted. I just had to give up my sleeping next to Sui’s bed privileges. No big deal or anything…

“Here are the 33 missions you gave us.” Sui dropped half of the packet on the Hokage’s desk, causing it to shake. “Though eleven of them, we received complaints, sadly.”

“Ah yes.” Hiruzen-sensei put down his pen and looked at us. “I heard a strange fog was over a part of the village?”

Everyone in the room stared at me.

“Weird weather we’re having today.” I started to whistle a tune of ignorance, looking for a way out of there.

“But that aside, I’ll turn these in for you, and can you take care of those files over there?” Hiruzen-sensei pointed to an endless pile of stacked scrolls. “I want you to review them before I have them sent out. Can you three handle that?”

“Don’t you have secretaries?” I said, looking around his office. It was literally just him, his desk, and nothing but paperwork. Oh, and that half-eaten sandwich he probably had for lunch. Thank God we ate on the way.

“Ahahaha, why do you think I have students.”

“…” I glanced at Sui. “Did he just call us free labor?”

“I think he did.”

“Can I kill him?”

Everyone stared at Tayuya as if she was out of her mind.

“What! It was a joke… Yuki tells shitty jokes all the time.” Tayuya crossed her arms, muttering. “Not like I could anyway.”

“Ok… ignoring that. What’s in it for us?” I said, looking him dead in the eyes. I am not an unpaid intern!

Sui and Hiruzen-sensei both stared at me as if I was out of my mind.

“Did you just ask The Hokage what’s in it for you?” Sui’s eye twitched.

“What! It was a joke… Of course, I wasn’t going to ask the Hokage himself for a reward. Helping him is a reward in itself.” I went back to whistling my tune, avoiding their gaze.

“Well Sui, since you seem to be the sane one on the team.” Hiruzen-sensei heaved a heavy sigh. “What do you think I should do? I can’t teach as long as these piles of papers are here. Not to mention missions with complaints are only worth half the ryō.”

Why is he staring at me? I had zero complaints. Then I noticed Tayuya was behind me, tuning her flute.

“The Village has a tight budget.” Hiruzen-sensei continued. “Especially with the Chūnin Exams coming up. As such, there are no secretaries, but there are many complaints about Genin messing up simple tasks.”

Once again, he looked in my direction, but Tayuya wasn’t behind me that time. I’m a lot of things, but I don’t screw up missions, old man!

“Well, you heard him.” Sui looked at us two without even a second thought. “The Hokage needs our help, so what do we say?”

“Fine, if you say so Sis.”

“I mean, since the Hokage himself needs our help. Who am I to say no.” I said, walking over to the pile of scrolls with a broad grin.

“He’s going to let this go to his head,” Sui said with a facepalm.

“If that’s what motivates him, so be it. Now I have to get back to approving assignments.” Hiruzen-sensei returned to being tormented by the forms he had to fill out. Uttering a grumble every once and a while to let us know he was alive.

2

With that, we went through the pile of unorganized scrolls. They were color-coded and had symbols on them that told us what they were about. There were many golden-colored scrolls with the 金 sign on them, meaning it was about finances.

Very dry stuff, but sadly I was the only one who could understand finances. Someone had to have taken care of the Uchiha residence, and it wasn’t Sasuke. Thus I was given all of the gold scrolls while Sui got the ruby-colored scrolls about contracts. Since she was already a spy, she knew how ninja contracts were supposed to work. Which left the remaining emerald-colored scrolls for Tayuya. They were simple domestic issues and civil complaints usually written up by the citizens; it shouldn’t have been too hard to read—

“Fucking hell…” Tayuya muttered as she scratched her head. We sat around in a circle as we worked since there weren’t any desks. Hiruzen-sensei really could have made us desks if we were going to be free child labor…

“What’s up, Tayuya?” I asked, looking over her shoulder, only for her to turn away.

“Nothing.” She continued to squint at the paper. I thought of getting Sui to help, but she was muttering over a contract.

“A C-rank escort mission to the Land of Waves…” Sui bit at her thumb as she stared at the opened scroll. “That can’t be right… And that’s not enough ryō either…”

I decided it would be better not to bother her. If a contract was giving her a hard time, then it was best to leave her be. I sighed, realizing I had to be the one to magically convince Tayuya to let me help her… But then again, I still had my own work to do. I stared at the opened scroll in front of me; it read:

Dear Third Hokage,

With the Chūnin Exams being held in the Leaf Village within the upcoming months. The Fourth Kazekage has agreed to attend, but with only three teams participating, the Sand Village cannot agree to the terms of the entry fees.

In addition, there are still the travel expenses that we must take into consideration. Something that, fortunately, the Hidden Leaf does not have to worry about this time.

However, we would like to discuss these matters in person over in the Sand Village and find out if we can come to a proper arrangement. Please respond to this scroll with a date that would be most convenient for you to attend.

We know it is a long journey to the Sand Village, and the Chūnin exams are coming up soon, but this meeting would be imperative in order to forge deeper connections between our two nations.

Hoping for a positive response Signed: The Fourth Kazekage

Approved and agreed upon date: First of the Fifth Month of Spring.

Hiruzen-sensei’s response was in there too, but that was just ninja political jargon that didn’t matter. I was just tired of staring at the thing and wondering why the hell it was signed by The Fourth Kazekage when he clearly didn’t write it. I mean, the green stamp looked like it wasn’t a fake but—

“Shit fucking handwriting…”

Screw it, I’m helping her. I snatched the scroll from Tayuya’s hands.

“What the fuck Yuki!” Tayuya sounded pissed, but she didn’t make a move to stop me as I looked over the scroll.

It was a simple: we need someone to scare away the coyotes that come during the summer in order to protect the village’s livestock. A straightforward mission that was sent months in advance. The only problem was the obvious use of slang and the informalness of the mission details. I nodded and rolled up the scroll, everything was in order, and it took less than a minute. Tayuya had been staring at it for the last hour.

“Ha, already giving up. I told you it was shit—”

I tapped her on the head with the scroll glaring at her with my red eyes. “Ask for help next time, idiot. It may not look like it, but these eyes do more than just help me pick up movements and mess with minds.” I then relaxed with a sigh. “I also understand things faster if I read them.”

“Wait, you’re telling me you read that?”

“About five times. It was like you said the handwriting was awful. But that doesn’t excuse you for spending an hour per scroll. Even without knowing the full meaning of some of the words. You should be able to grab context clues and develop a close enough interpretation of the reading.” I really wished I had some glasses to push up on my face when I said that.

“Uh… What?” Tayuya stared past me and looked to Sui for help.

“Yeah… Yuki’s a bit of a nerd.” Sui said, grabbing another scroll and ignoring the one she had earlier.

“Don’t call me that. I’d rather be called a joke.” I said, binding the scroll.

“Why? Nerds are cute.” Sui placed a well-timed kiss against my cheek, causing my eyes to relax.

“You have weird tastes Sis…” Tayuya’s eyes then lit up once she realized what just happened. “I thought I said—”

“So Tayuya, why don’t you let Yuki teach you some things?”

“Why can’t you?”

“Have you seen the pile of scrolls next to me?” Sui rubbed her temple. “And most of these contractors are undercutting us, but for some reason, Hiruzen-sensei is agreeing to them.” Sui sighed. “Maybe Danzō’s right... but that’s beside the point. Yuki is a pretty good teacher when he’s not ogling you.”

“I-I don’t ogle. My eyes just wander around.” I nodded once I confirmed that Sui was indeed pretty even when she did paperwork.

“Though if your eyes didn’t wander, I wouldn’t have known you needed help.” Sui said, going back to her work.

So she noticed that… “Ha-ha, thank you Sui.”

“You can pay me back with dinner.” Sui’s stomach rumbled, causing a chain reaction in the room. Where even Hiruzen-sensei’s stomach growled.

“I guess it is getting to that time.” Hiruzen-sensei said, standing up. I was even certain I heard his back crack. “Ah, that’s better. Let’s go downstairs and get you three something to eat.”

It was late, and we barely made a dent in the work assigned to us. Being the Hokage must suck, doing this day in and day out. No wonder he sent a clone to take care of us.

I stood up, holding out my hand to Sui, and pulled her up. We then held out our hands to Tayuya, thinking the same thing. I went to pull mine back, but Tayuya grabbed both of our hands, letting us pull her up together.

“Yuki, I’ll let you help me.”

“Wow, did you hear that Sui? She’s letting me help her…” I looked over to Sui, who gave me a slow head shake. “What? Not funny?”

“Hilarious.” Sui let go of my hand and proceeded to follow Hiruzen-sensei.

“I still don’t know how Sis puts up with you.” Tayuya said with a shadow cast on her face.

“Same way she puts up with you.”

“I’m nowhere near as bad as you—”

“You called her trash just last week.”

“Riiight… But that was before I found out she was strong… Why are you walking away? You fucker!”

I just shook my head as I went to join Sui and Hiruzen-sensei. We took the many flights of stairs to our home downstairs, followed by the red-haired demon that continued to sling insults behind me.

3

After a while, we made it to the Hokage’s residence area. It was weird that just from changing floors, the place went from an office filled with important documents and various administrative rooms to a typical home. Though I was just glad I didn’t have to take a long walk in the dark to get home.

“Big sister Sui!” Konohamaru came running up to Sui, showing off his test report. “See this. See this. I got an S! Iruka-sensei said my substitution was the best in class. Hehe.”

“Wow! Great job, Little brother.” Sui ran her hand through his hair. “Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“Nope! I was waiting to eat with you.”

“Well, as a reward, we’ll have Yuki cook you something too.” Sui smiled at me, but why did I feel threatened.

I guess I’m everyone’s chef today… I went to go get cleaned up and came out to the kitchen to see them all sitting at the table, all four seats taken. I guess I’m not sitting down… I sighed and stared at the empty countertops.

“The least you guys could have done was set up the kitchen for me…”

They all stared at me with question marks floating above their heads.

“Do you at least know what you want to eat?”

Once again, straight question marks and some muttering amongst themselves.

“I typically eat what is prepared for me.” Hiruzen-sensei said with a nodding consensus from the others.

“Geez, you guys are just like Sasuke.” I shook my head, remembering all the ingredients we brought back a couple of days ago. That should do. “Well, if you don’t like what I’m making, then tough luck.”

“Fuck it, I’d rather starve—”

“Sit down Tayuya.” Sui pulled at Tayuya’s shirt.

“Are you sure he can cook?” Konohamaru tried to whisper to Sui, but like Tayuya, he didn’t know what whispering was.

“Shh just watch.”

I shuffled through my pockets, wrapping my fingers in wires, and with a sigh, I activated my Sharingan. The world slowed, but it wasn’t cold; instead, my heart was set ablaze to show off. Snapping my hands out of my pockets, the wires flung around the kitchen, opening up the drawers, cabinets, and the refrigerator.

“I need this… this… and this…” I muttered as I pulled out various pots and pans. Along with things like rice, white radishes, leeks, fish, shrimp, etc, and some condiments like vinegar and olive oil. I held onto my chin, watching the pots fill up with water from the sink. “I need the water to be boiled too…”

I stared at the six-paneled stove that wasn’t turned on. “Do you guys mind waiting an extra—” I was interrupted by the sounds of their rumbling bellies. “Well, if you wanted it done faster, you should’ve turned it on!”

“Yuki… shouldn’t you have done that before you went to clean up.” Sui said, reminding me it was technically my fault. The others nodded in agreement.

“Don’t just agree with her!”

“I knew he couldn’t cook.”

“Waste of fucking time.”

“Zzzzz.” Is Hiruzen-sensei asleep?

“Fine! You know what, I hope you’re happy knowing I’ll be spitting in your food.”

Konohamaru and Tayuya gave me disgusted looks and got up out of their seats only to be pulled back down by Sui.

“Go on, do what you have to do Yuki. I trust you.” Sui’s words made me blush, and I stopped complaining. God, I am a simp.

“I don’t.” Tayuya said, crossing her arms.

“Me neither.” Agreed Konohamaru.

“Who are you again?”

Ignoring them, the pots were filled, and the pans were also ready. They just needed heat. Man, if I could use multiple clones, this would be so much easier. I, unfortunately, had to keep my hands moving the entire time I spoke to them with my eyes keeping track of everything. Maybe I should get a puppet… That’s a lot to carry though. It would also cramp my style…

I placed the water-filled pots in front of me, and I did a simple fire sign that allowed me to spit a small stream of fire at them, causing the water to boil. “Now the rice in one, diced veggies in the other…” I stared at the meat, wondering how I would cook it. Grilling is harder like this, but I hate fried food. Fuck it. I spat at the pans with the food on them, covering them with fire. Smoke filled the room, but thankfully Sui opened a window.

“What the fuck!” Tayuya started coughing. “Are you trying to kill us!”

“He’s burning the food!” Konohamaru said in tears.

“Zzzz, I promise... I wasn’t staring... Biwako dear…” Who the hell is Biwako? Hiruzen-sensei, we might need to talk. You’re like 60.

“Hey, blame yourselves. You wanted it done faster. Now here’s the price for fast food.”

“Burnt food isn’t tasty…”

“What the shrimp said.”

“My name is Konohamaru!”

“Konohamawho?”

I turned to Sui, ignoring them, with a spoon in hand. “Taste this for me.”

Sui blew on the spoon first before drinking the soup in it. “It could use more salt. I could barely taste it.”

“But you knew there was salt, right?”

She nodded; a little bit of the clear soup dribbled off the corner of her lips.

“Good. It means I did it right. It’s more of a complementary dish, so it should be light. Also—” I wiped the residue off the corner of Sui’s lips, feeling the softness of her cheek. Sui’s face bloomed to life like roses and it was a sight that never got old. Beautiful.

“You should probably wash up.” I said as our gazes held, my red to her white. She leaned in, but I had to stop her. “The food’s almost done.” I pulled back, letting go of her cheek with a smile. I sucked on my thumb as I went back to cooking. “You were right. It needs more salt.”

“You’re such a Joke, you know that.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is tease.”

“I know what I said.” Sui walked by, leaving a peck on my cheek. “All of you, get up and clean up. By the time we’re done, the food should be ready.”

“Big Sis Sui… what was that?” Hearing Konohamaru’s voice made me realize that the smoke cleared up faster than I thought. Good luck Sui.

“Just flirting with my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend! Him? I won’t accept that! Sexy Jutsu—Gah!”

“Konohamaru… What did I say about that?”

“I’m showwy… I’ll go get cleaned up now.” Konohamaru left the kitchen rubbing his face, defeated.

“Good. Now, where is… Tayuya!”

“Die scum!” I felt Tayuya’s killing intent as she jumped at me from the corner of my eye. Shit! If I move now, I’ll mess up the food.

With a swift strike to the head, Tayuya fell to the ground mid-jump. Hiruzen-sensei stood before me, somehow awake. “The food smells delicious Yuki.” He gave me a wink before walking off with Tayuya in tow.

“Uh… Not going to question that one.” I said, my heart beating fast from my sudden brush with death.

“Yuki?”

“Yeah Sui—”

My Sharingan should have been able to see everything, but just because I saw it, that didn’t mean I was fast enough to dodge it. Especially an attack from Sui, who I thought had given up. Lightning struck through me from the sudden kiss to the point where I thought I’d have a heart attack.

“Did you forget that my eyes can see through your shitty jokes.” Sui said, gazing at me with both eyes. Being that close to her, I noticed something funny. She had four pupils in one eye but none in the other. It made me chuckle when you think about how our clans’ eyes worked.

“I always knew you could read minds.” I said, keeping a hold on the many things that could fall out of place because she decided to attack me.

“Not minds, just yours.” Sui tightened her hold on my face and I felt the sweat slide down my cheek.

“Uh… Sui, I could drop everything right now.”

“I know, but you won’t.”

“H-How are you so sure of that…” I said, struggling as my cool façade was melting.

“Because you make dreams come true.” Sui pulled me in close for a deep kiss. My hands instinctively wrapped around her for the embrace, snapping all the wires off my fingers. I closed my eyes, forgetting my responsibilities for a moment before I opened them again. The hand signs already completed.

“Body Flicker Technique: Afterimage Clone.” An advanced version of the normal body flicker technique from this morning.

With the world still slow from my Sharingan, I needed every second to move around the kitchen. To anyone else, it may have looked as if there were ten clones of me running around, but there was only one me. Moving the pans around, catching the food, preventing the soup from flying everywhere. Keeping the kitchen spotless and the food secured, all while still holding onto my idiot girlfriend, who put way too much pressure on me.

“You… hah… are… hah… a slave driver.” My eyes relaxed as I sat on the kitchen floor, all the food safe and still in the final stages of completion.

“Wow.” Sui’s eyes gleamed with a broad smile. “Maybe we should call you Yuki of the Body Flicker.”

“Please don’t… hah… Shisui Uchiha already has that title.” I wiped the sweat off my brow. Damn it, I needed another shower. “I like being a Joke a lot more… less expectations.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure you do, tomato face.”

“That’s not funny…”

“I think it’s funny.” Sui laughed as she walked away to get ready for dinner, leaving me flustered.

“Yuki of the Body Flicker…” I got up and washed my hands before going back to the food, lost in thought.

I didn’t know too much about Shisui Uchiha since he was older than both my sister and Itachi. I just heard the stories of him being lightning fast with his sword due to his body flicker. Now that I think about it, I vaguely remember a rumor of Itachi apparently killing him. If I lined it up with what Kakashi said, it might have been for his Mangekyō Sharingan. My dad even used to mutter about how Shishui's body was never found… Wait, why does Sui know about him?

I understood how she knew since knowing about the Uchiha was her job, but why would she? Shisui and I met maybe once, so that was irrelevant information to have. Then again, Sui was thorough in her research. If anything, I can always talk to her about it later.

I stared at the food ready to be served, all the bowls hot and steaming. We might even have some leftovers. I smiled, proud of myself as the three bums returned, mouths wide.

“What”

“The”

“Fuck!”