Gentle Caress

Herbal Remedies

That next morning, Haku was the first one up. The sun was still hidden away under the tree line. He wore his pink sleeveless kimono, opting to let his hair down. With a wicker basket cradled in the dip of his elbow, he set off into the rising dawn. A shiver ran down his arm, he had never minded the cold, but his body still reacted accordingly to it. He wandered the forest until he found a clearing. The sun was starting to rise and the herbs and flowers began to open up to welcome the sun's rays. This was one of his favorite things to witness.

He set his basket aside and knelt beside the herbs. Halfway through, he sensed another presence. It was a strange presence but it felt non-threatening.

A girl holding a wicker basket stopped in her tracks. "Sorry... I thought- I'll leave."

He laughed, "this is not my property. If that's what you're worried about." Her shoulders relax. "There are plenty of herbs for the both of us." He patted the ground and the girl knelt down. "What brings you here?"

"Well..." she started. "Someone that I really care about was hurt. Badly. And I don't know much about herbs but I know a fair bit. I just need him to be fine again."

"So... This person is precious to you?"

"Very."

He smiled. "Well, I'm here for that too. Someone precious to me was also injured. He'll be fine after a while. He is very important to me. My whole family is."

"You have a family?"

"Yes. A found family. I have eight little brothers and sisters, my mother. An older sister and a man who I don't know if I see as an uncle or a father."

"That's a big family."

"Yeah. I've grown up and seen each one of them grow with me. They love and accept me for who I am. Does your precious person love you like that?"

She blinked, then started to play around with the bandages wrapped around her arms. "He... I don't know... He never saw me as a monster, maybe because he is one too... But I don't know if he loves me as your family does."

"Then maybe you should reevaluate your relationship." He got up, brushing off the grass and dirt from his legs. With his basket in hand, he said his farewell. "Here. This should help with minor bruising." He gave her an herb from his basket.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"I'm a boy." And with that said, he walked away. The girl blinked a couple of times. He could hear her when she called out, "what!" As much as it was annoying, it was always amusing to hear peoples' reactions to his actual gender.

"Noriaki? Is that you?"

"Yes." He toed off his sandals before setting down his basket on the kitchen counter. Tsunami was there with Jin and Katsuki, making breakfast. "Do you have a place where I can hang these up to dry?"

She nodded and pointed to the herb rank that was tucked away in the corner of the kitchen. "There."

"Thank you. Is everyone else awake?"

"No."

A weak thump was heard from the hallway. Jin poked his head out, "well... He's finally awake." Menma was supporting the gray hair jounin. Hatake Kakashi.

The jounin gave them one of his signature eye smiles. "I hope my students aren't giving you too much trouble."

Tsunami was quick to assure him. "Oh! They're no trouble at all."

Jin huffed, "speak for yourself."

Menma rolled his eyes, helping Kakashi into one of the chairs in the kitchen. "Don't mind him. How are you feeling?"

Kakashi breathed in through his nose. The boy smelled familiar, like something he hadn't smelled in almost six years. "Still a little tired. Seems like I pushed myself a little too hard."

"It must have been a really difficult battle."

"Not necessarily. I just have a tendency of overworking myself, especially when it comes to protecting my students." Yoshie took in the man. He must be a very talented shinobi, too bad he was still loyal to Konoha. During Danzo's six-year reign, the village has become a military-run fortress. If the rumors were to be believed, a lot of the businesses have been seized and taxed to pay for expensive and primarily unnecessary military training and weapons.

"Sensei." The girl, Mio, appeared from nowhere. "How are you feeling?" The question didn't hold a single ounce of actual concern.

"Been better." Menma could smell the distrust coming off him. Mio is not to be trusted. She nodded. "But during my time in bed rest, I have come to the conclusion that I need to better prepare you for the real world. So we will be actively training, and cycling between that and looking after these people. Now, where are the boys?"

Kiba rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Oh! Sensei! You're awake." He rushed forward, "thank kami. You're okay!"

"I'm in no condition to step in if a real battle were to happen. We have to be prepared for anything. It is very likely that during my time recovering, Zabuza and his accomplice have been plotting and tending to their own injuries."

The dog boy huffed. "I'd love to see him try."

"You tried to run away in fear when we were faced by the Demon Brothers. You are not worthy of calling yourself a Konoha shinobi." Mio's face was blank as she shamed her teammate. How did they even manage to pass the final genin exam?

"Mio. That's enough." Kakashi sank back into his chair.

"Yes, sensei."

To say breakfast was awkward would be an understatement. The last time Naruto had felt this unsafe at a table during a meal was when they ate dinner at Gaara and Yashamaru's old apartment. Kiba would glare at Mio from over his plate. Mio seemed unfazed, but Menma knew better. She had a face that reflected calmness. It was the stillness before a storm.