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“I feel like this is going a step too far.”
“We have no other option.”
“I don’t see why we have to go to these lengths!”
Tsubaki and Namida had been staking out this section of sidewalk for a couple of hours. They were perched up high in a tree, waiting for their target to turn the corner. Their target would be returning home around this time, carrying a bag no doubt, that no one knew the contents of at any time. Sometimes it was human snacks, but sometimes it was also cat treats and canned wet foods. This wasn’t all that surprising considering the target was their teammate, Wasabi. The girl had a feline motif based around her jutsu, so it wasn’t a far reach to imagine she would feed any local strays or even her own at home. No, what her teammates were looking for was her home itself, and an answer to a burning question: what was their teammate’s family name?
It was actually a question a lot of shinobi in their generation had about their classmate. Whenever someone asked the girl for her family name, she was always interrupted by some random event. A cart toppling over and causing a commotion. Training drills that made it hard to corner her and get an answer. Even eating at a restaurant proved difficult because of all the countless interruptions of fellow classmates and older shinobi asking them how it’s been going. And even then, when they finally had a moment to get her somewhere quiet and alone, she always deflected! She would make nervous little quips before darting off or completely changing the subject. It was pitiful to Tsubaki that she didn’t know the basics of her one teammate. So she had devised a plan to follow the girl home on her normal route. Namida had mentioned she’d seen the young shinobi turn this corner, stating she was heading home. So they decided to stake out the area, knowing that this was the day Wasabi typically went to town to pick up some simple items before heading back home. She tapped the handle of her katana, a habit she had developed to distract her body so her mind could focus and wait. Namida still needed to learn this skill it seemed, constantly shifting and sighing.
“How do we even know she’s in town right now? She could be home and we're just wasting time here.” Namida whined, rubbing her lower back from how long they had been sitting on the uncomfortable branch. Tsubaki kept her eyes closed as she spoke. “She goes to the market on this day every 2 weeks. She’s always at the shop on the dot and will come home via this route. I checked before asking you to join me.” Namida’s eyes widened in shock. “Eh?! You’ve already stalked her?!” Tsubaki’s eyebrow twitched. “I was canvassing. Something we need to learn anyways for when we are out in the field on these types of missions.” Namida was clearly not convinced, grimacing at the samurai.
“Still! I don’t understand why you’re so worried about it? Not even Sumire could find the answer and she was our class representative!”
“All the more reason we need to know. It’s important to know the people on your team, from their skills on the battlefield to their personal lives.”
Namida furrowed her brows, pouting. “I think you just don’t like not knowing.” Tsubaki finally opened her eyes and looked at the other girl, making her flinch slightly. “To not even know my teammate's family name is shameful! If we want to thrive as a team, we need to understand each other.” She looked back at the street, focusing again on the task at hand. Why did she care so much? When she had been sent over for the exchange program, she sneered at the shinobi. They were so…different from what she had grown up with. Before she left, she had been told to treat the shinobi like comrades, and that if she did so she would learn to understand them. At first, she had been resistant to such thinking, but after spending time on Team Hanabi she realized what they meant. Watching Wasabi and Namida fight together and for each other had opened a door that was previously closed and locked tight. Seeing their dedication to grow stronger so they could protect the ones they loved and their home had been the key. She realized then that they weren’t so different after all. So she wanted to learn more about her team and their lives because…she wanted them to grow stronger together.
Tsubaki felt a familiar hum of chakra and became alert. Namida caught onto the change in her body language and looked down to see Wasabi walking down the road with her hands stretched above her head as she yawned. The plastic bag in her hand crinkled with each step, looking a bit heavy from their vantage point. “Wow….I can’t believe you were right.” Namida whispered in awe. “I told you I checked her route.” Namida made a sound of impressed acknowledgment. She then furrowed her brows and looked at Tsubaki. “Hang on. Why didn’t you follow her the first time? You could have gotten the answer and just told me!” Tsubaki held a finger to her lips and harshly shushed the other girl. The last thing they needed was Wasabi catching them. “Well?!” Namida angrily whispered, cheeks puffed with agitation. “It’s never good to walk into a situation alone if you’re not confident in what lies ahead. And….” She hesitated for a moment, an embarrassed flush on her face. “I figured since you also wanted to know then…it could be something we do together as a team.” Namida looked a bit shocked but then quickly smiled. “Ok. Let’s do our best then.” Tsubaki couldn't help the small smile on her face.
Wasabi walked closer and closer before finally turning the corner to walk down the fenced street. The girls waited to see which house she would stop into, seeing her figure get smaller and smaller and- “where is she going?” Namida wondered aloud. Tsubaki stood up from her spot on the branch and looked ahead of where Wasabi was going. The houses ended up ahead and led to a path winding through the forest. Was it possible that Wasabi lived on the outskirts of the village? “Let’s trail her. Try to suppress your chakra.” This was the only warning Namida got before her teammate hopped down from the branch and started to give chase. “WHA-AH! WAIT UP!” She cried before clumsily dropping down and catching herself from face planting into the dirt. She ran after Tsubaki, trying to catch up to the other girl. She wondered if maybe she should have just stayed home.
————
They trailed after Wasabi, hiding behind tree trunks and brush from a fairly good distance. They would wait for Wasabi to get past a certain point, then quickly scramble to close the distance just enough so that they didn’t lose her completely. Waiting. Scrambling. Waiting. Scrambling. They had been doing this for almost 15 minutes and even Tsubaki was feeling exasperated. Why did she live so far from the village? Most of the animal clans lived closer, the Aburame being the furthest from the village to better cultivate their hives without interfering in the everyday life of others. She furrowed her brow in thought. Was it possible that Wasabi lived on her own? They moved up a couple more feet and finally, the corners of a house came into view. Namida softly gasped and Tsubaki gave her a sharp look that had the other girl covering her mouth. They both rushed around and crouched behind a bush, pushing some of the leaves apart to get a better look.
The house was actually a very nice estate. A traditional style of building with an open front porch and sliding doors. The tiles that made up the roof were a rich gray-blue, dark oak wood making up the other parts of the structure that paired nicely with the cream colored screens. Tsubaki looked over the panels, hoping for a clan symbol that she could recognize. She was not very lucky. They watched Wasabi walk up the stairs on the front porch and slide the door open. “I’m home!” She shouted. Before the door closed, the two girls swore they heard a male voice respond back. Namida sighed in defeat. “No clan symbol. It’s possible that her parents are civilians and they just like the countryside.” Tsubaki did consider this and it was highly possible. But that still didn’t solve their problem. “We can still find out more.” She surmised, thinking of a next course of action. She looked around the perimeter and noticed that there was a wall that stretched out, enclosing more of the property. The roof didn't cover it, leading her to believe that it led to a courtyard. She looked at Namida and pointed at a nearby tree that stood next to it. “We’re going to scale that.” Namida wore a face of horror. “WHAT?! YOU’RE CRAZY!” Tsubaki frowned in response.
“We can try to listen in through the screens and-
“NO WAY! I’M NOT BREAKING INTO MY FRIEND’S HOUSE SO I CAN FINALLY LEARN HER LAST NAME!”
“Then you can go home while I go in.”
“Waitwaitwaitwait WAAAAIITT!”
But it was too late, Tsubaki had already started to make her way over to the edge of the estate, scaling the nearby tree to perch on a branch. If the front of the estate was impressive, then the courtyard was phenomenal. Huge trees were placed in corners of the property and there was a small pond of water towards the back with a traditional bamboo fountain, the sound of running water being cut off by the well timed clack of the fountain. SsssssCLACKsssssssssClack. The sliding doors on the back of the house opened up to a dining room, a dark wood Chabudai in the center with red cushions for seats atop Tatami mats. It looked cozy. She saw Wasabi sitting on the edge of the porch, one leg dangling off while she pet something in her lap. Tsubaki leaned in to try and make out what it-
“Aww a kitty.”
Tsubaki had to grab onto the trunk of the tree to avoid falling from the height when she lost her footing in shock. Namida quickly grabbed her to keep her steady. “Sorry!” She whispered, shrinking into herself a bit. Tsubaki let out a sigh of relief while she held her chest, heart beating rapidly. “A warning next time would be nice.”
Namida shrugged apologetically before turning her attention back to Wasabi. She had been correct in her observation, seeing a little white cat curled up on their teammate’s lap. That explained the cat food. Tsubaki once again looked for any clan symbol inside the house and on the grounds and still found nothing. How hard was it to find out one clan name?! “Did you get anything to eat while you were in town?” It was that voice again, and it was clearly male. Her father perhaps? Wasabi looked inside the house, shouting back a response. “I got some chips to snack on!” There was a grumble. “You need to have more than chips! I’ll bring you some oranges!” Wasabi sighed, leaning back on one hand while she continued to pet her cat. Namida smiled happily. “Awww. Her dad is so caring.” Tsubaki looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Have you met her parents before?” Namida shook her head. “She said her parents are always busy so that’s why we never see them. Apparently her dad has a pretty important job in the village and he works late while her mom is busy during the day. I don’t know what they do, but she always talks about them with a sparkle in her eyes.”
Tsubaki hummed as she looked back. Wasabi’s parents were important. It was possible they were important figures and that explained why she was so hesitant to mention them. She recalled Shikadai Nara and Boruto Uzumaki always griping about having such well known members of their family, constantly being bombarded with questions. She had even seen another genin, Metal Lee, nervously answering questions about his own father as he was from a line of well known and respected taijutsu masters. If her parents were of that caliber, then keeping them a secret would-
“Snack time!”
Tsubaki and Namida watched as a light brown cat with dark brown markings walked into the room. He wore a light blue kimono and there was a pattern on his forehead that spelled out the kanji for ‘Shinobi’. He was balancing a plate on his head with some oranges. SssssssClack! Namida held Tsubaki in shock. “Her dad is a cat!” She whispered. “That is ridiculous!” Tsubaki hissed in response. “It’s possible that he’s just a servant!” They looked on as Wasabi sighed and took the plate. The cat in her lap meowed as it jumped out, scurrying under the porch. “I told you I had chips.” The cat sat on his hind legs, ears pinned back. “A bag of chips is far from nutritious! You need to have fresh fruit just as much as meat and fish for a well balanced diet!” He scolded. Ok, that was the same voice they had heard earlier. Again, it could just be a summons that watched over the house. Nothing unexplainable. Wasabi tsk’d, rubbing the back of her head. “You sound just like Mom.” Oh gods. This cat was her father wasn't he? No! That would be completely inconceivable! Namida ran a hand through her hair, clearly distressed.
“No wonder she wouldn’t want us to know! I mean, being raised by a cat seems like it would be pretty bizarre!” Tsubaki grit her teeth. “There is absolutely no way this is possible! You mentioned she had a mother, yes? I’m sure once we see her, it will all start to make se-“
“He’s right y’know.” A second cat, this one a soft cream with brown stripes on her head wearing a pink kimono walked out from another room in the house, her tail swishing. SssssssClack! “If you wish to be a strong kunoichi, you need to feed your body well to keep up with all your training.” Wasabi sighed and started to peel one of the oranges. “You’re both so bossy.” The male cat was clearly upset, pointing a paw at her. “If you wish to be sluggish and lazy then be my guest young lady!” Wasabi covered one of her ears and winced. “Ok, ok! I’m sorry.” Tsubaki stared in disbelief. There was no way this was possible. It had to be a trick. Some misunderstanding. But from the way the two cats spoke to her, reprimanding her and trying to have her eat healthy, and asking how her day was when she came back home. Every behavior pointed to one large conclusion.
Wasabi was being raised by cats.
It all made sense now. Her cat cloak and cat-like behaviors. How she deflected when people asked her about her family name, or how she always seemed uncomfortable when her parents were mentioned. Of course someone would be uncomfortable because how on earth would one explain this?! Tsubaki slowly looked over and Namida, who looked just about ready to pass out. “I…she. I…but…h-how can..how does that-“ Her teammate’s brain was probably fried at this point while she pointed between the three of them. Tsubaki looked up at the sky and felt the wind blow through her hair. She wondered what cruel god had pulled the strings to play this joke on her. Suddenly, they heard barking.
Tsubaki and Namida looked down and saw…well to Namida it was the cutest little puppy she had ever seen but to Tsubaki it was the weirdest looking puppy she had ever seen. The little creature had big floppy ears and fur on the top of his head that almost looked like spikes. The main focus though was the reddish-brown fur on its body. Tsubaki didn’t know dogs came in red like that. The puppy had two front paws braced on the tree, barking up at them while it pathetically tried to hop up. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have cared and Namida might have even pet the dog. But right now, it was going to alert Wasabi and completely blow their cover. In a whispered tone, Namida screeched out. “SHHHH GO AWAY LITTLE PUPPY GO AWAY!” That only seemed to egg the canine on, making him bark even faster at the both of them. Namida waved her hands in a shooing motion, trying to get it to leave them alone. Tsubaki looked over and saw Wasabi and her cat parents (yikes that was gonna be weird to talk about) looking at the wall and watched in horror as their teammate got up to investigate.
Namida let out a small, but sharp panicked tone as she held onto her in fear. “This is it! We’re gonna get caught!” Tsubaki felt their balance shift and her composure was completely lost. “Namida stop shaking me or else we’ll-!” Her sentence was cut off as they both lost their balance and started to fall.
“UWAAAAAAAAA!”
Tsubaki tried to twist in the air to roll out from the fall, bracing for impact.
“DENKA! HINA!”
Tsubaki felt something rush against her, grabbing the back of her yukata in its mouth. She felt the ground beneath her shake but she never touched it. Dust and dirt were kicked up into a cloud, causing her to cough. She slowly opened her eyes as the dust settled and looked up to see the two cats had doubled-no tripled in size. The one that had caught her was the light and dark brown one, the kanji on his forehead confirming him as the one they had identified as Wasabi’s father. His tail swished, and Tsubaki noted that there was a dip in the middle that bisected it into two. He was holding her by the scruff of her collar, which seemed rather fitting for their situation. Tsubaki looked over and saw that Wasabi’s mother had also tripled in size and was holding Namida by the scruff of her jacket, her tail also shaped into a prong now. They were both gently set down to the ground, and Namida looked just about ready to pass out. Wasabi raced over to them, clearly confused but relieved. That relief slowly turned into anger.
“WHAT WERE YOU DOING UP THERE?! HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE I LIVED?!” Their teammate huffed and puffed, rightfully upset. Namida seemed to recover quickly as she frantically waved her hands about. “WE WERE! WE JUST! WE UH-“ Wasabi’s mother walked around to face the two intruders head on. “My! Are these your teammates that you talk about so much?” Tsubaki and Namida froze in place before quickly bowing to the ground in apology. “Please forgive us, Wasabi’s parents!” Namida shrieked and Tsubaki’s brows furrowed, ready for the scolding of a lifetime.
“Wasabi’s..”
“Parents…?”
There was a snort and then suddenly, the cats were laughing. Tsubaki and Namida looked up in surprise. In a puff of smoke, the two cats had shrunk back down to a normal size but still laughed manically. Wasabi wasn’t as angry anymore and now just extremely confused. “Oh! Oh my goodness! Can you believe it, Denka?! Us? Parents to a human!?” The female cat cackled. Her male counterpart was on his back rolling around, too entertained to even respond as he laughed. Suddenly, the barking returned and the little puppy that had blown their cover came bounding through the house. It raced towards the group, growling as it barked. It leapt into the air to pounce but Wasabi quickly grabbed it and held it against her chest. “Oi, cut it out Akemaru!” The puppy wagged its tail, happily licking her face. Tsubaki and Namida sat in stunned silence.
“Oi! What’s with all the commotion?”
They all turned to face a woman standing on the porch holding grocery bags in her hands. She wore a pink kimono tied at the waist, but it was open a little bit to reveal a red sleeveless turtleneck underneath. She wore leggings with a kunai sleeve attached to her thigh and pouches on a leather belt with basic sandals. Her hair was the same color as Wasabi’s, a sandy brown that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were a darker shade of brown, filled with curiosity as she took in the scene before her. When she tilted her head, a small bell jingled from its place as an earring. Wasabi gave her a weak and nervous smile. “Welcome home, Mom.”
——-
“PFFFTTTT HAHAHAHAHAHA! OH! THAT’S A GOOD ONE! AHAHAHAHAAAA!”
Tsubaki and Namida were sitting at the dining room table, minor scrapes having been patched and hot tea in front of them. Wasabi had her head in her hands while her mother laughed boisterously next to her. It turns out the two cats the girls had mistaken for Wasabi’s parents were actually her mother’s ninneko. Denka, the one in blue, was in Namida’s lap being pet while Hina, the one in pink, was curled up at her side. The little puppy, Akemaru, was snoozing soundly in Wasabi’s lap. Her mother Tamaki wiped a tear from her eye and sighed. “Oh man. After the day I had at the shop I needed that laugh.” Namida and Tsubaki looked down at the table, embarrassed they had ever let such an idea cross their minds and accept it as truth. Tamaki noticed this and leaned towards them. “No reason to be ashamed. Weirder stuff has happened! Considering how stingy this one seems to be with sharing information about herself.” Tamaki ruffled Wasabi’s hair, causing her daughter to groan and rub her hands over her face. “Cut it out, Mooooommm.” She sighed and looked at her two teammates sternly. “I can’t believe you followed me home! How did you know where to find me?!” Namida looked over at Tsubaki for this explanation. The samurai sighed, “You go to that little corner store about every two weeks to get snacks or cat food and take this path home. I figured that we would find your clan symbol and call it done but…” She looked around the house again, but even inside it there wasn’t a single hint or clue to go off of. Wasabi’s brows furrowed and she looked down at the puppy in her lap.
Tamaki whistled, breaking the silence. “Now that is some dedication. But I will say..” the woman crossed her arms, a stern look on her face. Namida and Tsubaki were worried that this would be when the other shoe fell on them but instead watched her turn to face her daughter and pinch her cheek. “I can’t believe you didn’t pick up that you were being trailed!” Wasabi yelped and tried to shrug her mother’s arm out of place.
“AH!? I GOT STALKED AND YOU’RE UPSET WITH ME?!”
“Considering all the training your father does for that nose of yours, a little bit!”
“HOW COME YOU’RE NOT SCOLDING THEM FOR TRESPASSING?!”
“Oh please, they were just trying to learn more about you! They wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths if you were honest with your teammates!”
“THIS IS SO NOT FAIR RIGHT NOW!”
The other two watched as the mother-daughter duo squabbled, sipping their tea. Denka yawned from his spot and stretched a bit. Wasabi finally moved her mother’s hand away, holding her tender cheek. “Well why don’t you tell them then!?” Tamaki crossed her arms, smirking in response. “Because I need to get started on dinner. And even then, it’s the kind of story you tell over a meal.” She looked at the other girls quickly, like she just remembered something. “Unless you have places to be of course.” Tsubaki and Namida looked at each other. Tsubaki just had her living arrangements that Lord 7th prepared for her, not a soul to be found. “I would hate to impose.” Tamaki instantly waved her off, taking the young samurai aback. “Oh you stop that! It would be my pleasure.” Namida smiled happily, her eyes glowing from enthusiasm. “I’ll just message my parents but yes, I would love to learn more about you and Wasabi’s father!” Tamaki grinned as she got up from her spot. “Alright then. Hope you kids like steak rice bowls, cause that’s what’s on the menu.” Tsubaki and Namida bowed their heads. “Thank you for your hospitality!” They sang in unison. Tamaki giggled. “Such polite young ladies. Maybe you can help this one out with some table manners.” Wasabi grumbled in response, crossing her arms and pouting.
Namida pulled out her phone to send a quick message to her parents, leaving Wasabi and Tsubaki to have a staring contest. The kunoichi rested an arm on the table, slightly sneering. “I can’t believe you stalked my snack route just to strong arm your way into my house!” Tsubaki straightened her back more, closing her eyes and tilting her head up. “Perhaps if you were just upfront with us about such trivial information, we wouldn’t have needed to do so.” Wasabi grit her teeth, growling softly. That seemed to alert the puppy in her lap, who peaked over the edge of the table to mimic her. “You wouldn’t even understand half of it.” Tsubaki furrowed her eyebrows. “We’re a team. That means we need to be upfront with each other if we wish to accomplish anything!” Wasabi scoffed, looking off to the side and the other two noted how the puppy mimicked her perfectly. Namida put her phone away before reaching over to scratch behind Hina’s ear. “Yea. Like how you’re a cat and dog person! The cats made sense but that little guy was surprising!” She pointed at the reddish brown puppy, who barked in response. Wasabi scratched the top of his head absentmindedly. “Way to judge a book by its cover.”
Namida motioned to her as a whole, up and down.
“Your special jutsu is called “Cat Cloak”, you wear a fake cat tail, you love fried fish and warm milk, you nap in the sun any chance you get, you will literally sometimes fight on all fours, and to top it all off, we now know your mom works with Ninnekos and cat summons. The dog is completely random!” Tsubaki nodded as Namida pointed out everything. Wasabi knew she was caught and couldn’t deflect her way out of this one. She grimaced slightly, avoiding eye contact with either of them. “Well…ok. To put it simply he’s from my dad’s side of the family.” Tsubaki and Namida blinked before tilting their heads to the side. “Your dad’s side?” Wasabi opened her mouth to speak but suddenly her nose twitched and whatever sentence she had ready died in her throat. Tsubaki was about to ask her what was wrong when she suddenly shot up from the table and bolted. “AH! WASABI WAIT! I’M SORRY IF I SAID SOMETHING WRONG!” Namida cried, getting up to chase after her. Tsubaki followed behind, wondering if Wasabi had finally decided to bolt on them to avoid giving an explanation.
Wasabi slid the front door open with a slam and ran out. Namida skidded to a halt and Tsubaki rammed into her back. “Ah! What’s the matter. Why did she…” she looked past Namida and soon realized why their friend had gotten up so suddenly. On the path ahead, a man was walking towards the house. He had on a Konoha flak jacket that was littered with scuffs and scratches. Overtop it, he had a dark grey coat with a black fur trim along the collar. His sleeves were short, revealing the chainmail on his arms that ended at his wrist. He had on fingerless gloves with pieces of metal on the back of the hand. His hair was slicked back, his forehead protector tied around his head, with a couple strands falling over it. His face was adorned by a scruffy goatee, a canine poking out from under his top lip. Next to him was a massive dog that followed his steps. It looked just like Wasabi’s puppy except that this one’s fur was a very dull white. Tsubaki finally saw the twin red fangs tattooed on his cheeks and knew exactly what clan he belonged to.
They watched as he froze in place before throwing his pack to the ground with a thud and racing towards Wasabi. The girl leapt into the air, and Tsubaki swore she saw tears streaming down her face. “DAAAAAAAADDDDD!” The man caught her and wrapped his arms around her torso while she wrapped her own around his neck. Akemaru ran up to the larger dog and yippee happily, jumping around its legs. The older dog nuzzled his head, tail wagging gently. Wasabi’s father fell to his knees and they both saw him squeeze hard as he nuzzled into her hair. Their teammate’s shoulders were visibly shaking, crying as she tried to squeeze him back just as hard. Namida sniffed, trying to keep her composure while they watched the beautiful reunion. Tsubaki heard footsteps behind them and stepped aside so that Tamaki could walk forward. She trotted down the porch steps and calmly walked over to the duo. She knelt down on the ground with them, placing a hand on Wasabi’s back for support. Wasabi’s father looked at her and they stared in silence before finally leaning in to kiss. Namida’s lip was quivering now and she had tears falling from her eyes. Tsubaki smiled at the family and gently placed a hand on her friend’s elbow. “Let’s give them a moment.” Namida sniffed loudly and nodded her head before following Tsubaki back to the dining room.
———-
“HAHAHAHAH! THAT’S A NEW ONE FOR SURE ALRIGHT!”
Tsubaki and Namida couldn’t help but smile this time around, seeing exactly where their teammate got her energy from. Kiba Inuzuka was just as big a personality as her mother, except his grin was adorned with sharp fangs that seemed to glint in the light. Wasabi’s eyes were a mix of her parents but when you put her side by side with her father, they were almost identical. Even Wasabi’s snaggle tooth had come from him, poking out a bit from under his top lip. His canine partner, Akamaru, was curled up off to the side with Akemaru snuggled under his head. Denka and Hina were sprawled out next to them, showing that all the animals clearly got along. Wasabi had been beaming next to her father the whole time, smiling just as wide as him where it could have been blinding. She was practically glued to his side, leaning against him while he talked with her team.
“I’m sure Denka and Hina got a kick out of that.” He said, wrapping an arm around his daughter to give her a quick squeeze. Namida rubbed her pointer finger on her chin. “Yea. They started cackling almost instantly.” Kiba snorted in response, looking towards their subject matter. “Those two mostly just help around the house when I’m not here. Other than that, you can find them lazing about like your average cat.” Denka lifted his head to look at the man, thumped his tail, and then laid it back down. “Not even gonna argue with me.” He looked back at them, his eyes bright and warm. “I will say, I’m very impressed by your skills Tsubaki. Knowing how to canvas and track like that at your age is pretty awesome!” The samurai couldn't help but grin at the compliment. Being told you were good by a classmate wasn't the same compared to someone with as much experience and skill as the man in front of her. “Thank you, Mr. Inuzuka. But I must say it is quite an honor to sit with someone of your skill set. I can see where Wasabi gets her tracking abilities from.”
The man smirked as he looked down at his daughter. “I’m proud of the shinobi she’s becoming.” Wasabi’s eyes glowed and she puffed her chest slightly. Kiba quickly pulled her into a headlock and started to ruffle her hair. “But it looks like I’m gonna have to run some more drills with you young lady! You had two people follow ya home, spy on ya and didn’t realize until they were falling out of a tree!” Wasabi grumbled a bit before bursting out into laughter, clearly just happy to be with her father. “Daaad! Not-hahaha! Not in front of my friiieeends!” Kiba released her, Wasabi’s hair an utter mess now. He gave her a kiss on top of her head and Tsubaki had to squash a pang of jealousy in her chest. Namida just smiled next to her, adoring how cute their dynamic was. “That’s exactly what I told her when I finished patching up these poor girls.” Tamaki added, moving her empty bowl to the center so she could rest her arms on the table. Dinner had been incredible, the meat cooked and seasoned to perfection, juices flowing onto the rice and elevating the flavor all together. When Namida had complimented her after chewing a large mouthful, the woman had just pointed towards her husband. “If you really want a good dinner, you should come by again when he cooks. I’m an amateur at best.” The girls found that they liked the idea of a next time.
“Nah but seriously, we could use someone like that in Patrol and Tracking! Wasabi already does them with me when I’m in the village but I’m always looking for new students.” With his grin alone and kind demeanor, Tsubaki and Namida wondered if maybe working under someone like Mr. Inuzuka would be enjoyable. Tamaki rolled her eyes and batted her partner on the shoulder. “Oh stop it you. These girls will get to decide what they want to do when they want to.” Kiba chuckled, “I know! Just letting them know I got a door open for them.” Wasabi looked at her teammates and gave a slightly apologetic smile. “Dad is one of the Captains for the village Tracker and Patrol teams. It’s his job to find rouge nin and make sure they’re not coming into the Land of Fire. Him and Akamaru have been doing it since before I was born.” Kiba pouted a bit, which the girls noted was also very similar to how Wasabi did. “Way to make a guy feel old, kid.” Tamaki took a sip of her water. “You are old, babe.” “Hey!” The family snickered and Namida and Tsubaki joined them. They were so energetic and full of life it was hard not too. But there was still one more thing.
“Mrs. Inuzuka-“ Namida started before Tamaki held up a finger. “Izuno.” She supplied. Namida tilted her head in confusion. Tamaki saw this and held up her hand, wiggling a bare ring finger. “We’re not married.” Namida and Tsubaki both made sounds of understanding. Wait. If they weren’t married then…
“Ms. Izuno.” Tsubaki started. The older woman nodded her head for her to continue. “I apologize if I am overstepping but….if you and Mr. Inuzuka aren't married, then what is Wasabi’s last name on her records?” Now it was Kiba’s turn to look confused. “What do ya mean? It’s both.” Tsubaki and Namida stared at the adults in silence before slowly looking at their teammate who was definitely avoiding eye contact with them. When both her parents joined them, they swore a drop of sweat went down her face. “Wasabi Izuno-Inuzuka.” Her mother said evenly, which was probably the most threatening they had ever heard the woman since they met her. Wasabi grabbed her water glass and took a slightly shaky sip. “Wasabi.” Her father added and yep, that was sweat on her brow.
“IT'S JUST SUCH A MOUTHFUL TO SAY! I FIGURED IT WAS EASIER TO JUST GO BY MY FIRST ONE SO I ASKED UNCLE SHINO TO JUST REFER TO ME AS WASABI IN LESSONS AND HOPED NO ONE WOULD ASK!” Tsubaki leaned forward and felt like a vein was popping out of her head. “THAT’S IT?! YOU’VE LEAD A WHOLE GENERATION OF SHINOBI ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE FOR YOUR FAMILY NAME JUST BECAUSE YOU FELT LIKE IT WAS A MOUTHFUL?!” Wasabi continued to avoid eye contact, now trying to hide behind her water glass. “It wasn’t on purpose! It just got to a point where we were too far in and well…ok I’ll admit, it was kind of fun seeing you guys get frustrated.” Now it was her parents turn to shriek. “WASABI!” Her mother sighed and rubbed her temple while her father pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m surprised Boruto and Shikadai didn’t rat you out.” Silence. “Wasabi…” called her mother’s stern voice..
“…ok another reason I go to town often is cause I buy them snacks so that they keep quiet.”
“BRIBARY?!” Her father shouted, unsure if he should be alarmed or impressed by his child’s resourcefulness. Wasabi sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Well. I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Literally if you're considering Mom’s side of the family.” Kiba crossed his arms. “And you’re lucky you’re not sleeping in the dog house. Literally if you’re considering my side of the family.” There was a snort. Everyone looked at Tsubaki, who had an arm over her stomach as she tried to cover her mouth. Her shoulders shook a bit before she finally started to laugh. “I think this is the most ridiculous stunt of yours ever!” She giggled, smiling brightly. Namida joined in with her, and soon Wasabi followed. Tamaki sighed and leaned into Kiba, watching the girls laugh. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, resting their heads together. They both watched the future generation with a twinkle in their eyes. It was nice knowing Wasabi had friends.
——-
After insisting they help Tamaki clean up, Tsubaki and Namida waved their goodbyes, the samurai going so far as to bow. Wasabi called out to them that she would see them tomorrow, waving her arm high. Akemaru barked his goodbyes next to her. When they were all inside again, they sat down on the courtyard patio. The sun was starting to set, the orange of the day blending with the dark of the night to create a hazy purple between the two shades. Wasabi was in Kiba’s lap and he had both his arms wrapped around her. Tamaki was next to him, resting her head on his shoulder, enjoying the tranquility.
“Wasabi. I need to ask you something.” The girl looked at her mother perplexed. “Did you really not want people to know because your name was a mouthful…or because you felt like you had to choose?” Wasabi looked down at her lap, picking at her nails. “I don’t know. I guess a bit of both. I know why you two aren’t married. I just….sometimes I feel like I’m expected to be someone I’m not.” Kiba hugged her closer. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to be anybody you don’t wanna be.” She frowned and picked at her nails more. “I know that. You always tell me I can be whatever I wanna be but ... .what if who I wanna be is just ... .disappointing?” Tamaki moved so that she was facing her and gently took both her hands in her own. “You can never disappoint us. Ever. I know Grandma Amagi and Grandma Tsume talk like they expect you to choose and we’re gonna talk to them about it. But please understand, my love…” she gently held Wasabi’s chin to make her look her in the eyes. “No matter what you choose to be, we will always, always love you.” Wasabi’s lip quivered and Kiba kissed the top of her head. “You’re stuck with us whether you like it or not, kiddo.” The girl sniffed and curled up into his hold. “I’m ok with that.”
Kiba moved her so Tamaki could sit in his lap with them and hold their daughter close. He held his girls tight, savoring the moment. He knew that he would be sent out again, and that it could be months before he got to hold them like this. He would spend every second he could with them before that happened. They all watched the first stars of the night peak through the haze, crickets tuning themselves before their nightly performance. And all was well.