Reality

Chapter 16

I held onto Naruto, holding him in my arms as I rocked back and forth on the chair in the small room.

I let him play with my fingers as I watched him blab away with baby talk.

He's so darn cute! I just want to squeeze the living shit outta him, but I mustn't!

Control yourself, Lilia!

I hummed quietly, a song popping into my head from my past life.

It's an overplayed one, but it's sweet.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." I sang softly, staring into the bright blue eyes of my little brother. "You make me happy, when skies are grey."

He cooed quietly, almost as if he sounded content.

"You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take, my sunshine away. The other night dear, as I lay dreaming. I thought I held you in my arms... but when I woke dear, I was mistaken." I thought of all those I had lost, in this world and the last.

"So I hung my head and I cried." I felt my eyes begin to sting.

But then, there was a laugh, a small, quiet one that only I heard.

One that brought me away from those bad thoughts and into the present.

I stared at Naruto, who just smiled brightly up at me, holding my finger tightly before chewing it with his gums.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." I continued with a smile, letting him do as he pleased. "You make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you... please don't take, my sunshine away..."

I felt my heart become at ease, taking in the peaceful and quiet environment.

I feel content, more than I have in days.

To the village, I am a hero. A kid genius just as Kakashi. I'm recognized as the Forth's adopted daughter, the biological daughter of the Blood Demon, and all of that explains my helpfulness during the attack.

But it's exhausting.

I want it to die down, but I need achievements like this.

I need to make a name for myself in order to give Naruto an easier life, and having experienced the attack in real life, I see why people hate the nine-tails so much.

But to cast away and hate Naruto for it? It's not okay, not in the slightest.

His life will become hard because of the village's view on the nine-tails.

The nine-tails... Kurama.

"The nine-tails..." I spoke up, staring at Naruto who has now stopped chewing on my finger and was now started to whine and wiggle about, reaching for something.

I grabbed the bottle from the table next to us and gave it to him.

He quickly latched on and began drinking.

"The nine-tails, Kurama." I brought up his name, hesitate but didn't show it. "You are inside yet another Jinchuriki, but this one... this one will be different."

I know he can see everything Naruto does, but I don't know if he's listening.

"I don't know if you can hear this... but please, I know this is too much to ask..." I pursed my lips as memories of the show played in my head. "I need your help to take care of Naruto. Maybe not these next few years, but when he's older."