章 72: Chapter 72:- Dinner with Yuki
As afternoon approached, Yuki noticed the exhaustion beginning to weigh on both Kenshin and Kana. Kenshin's breath was heavy, his chakra nearly drained from pushing his techniques so intensely, and Kana's earlier energetic demeanor had faded as the hours of studying took their toll.
Yuki clapped her hands together, breaking the silence. "All right, that's enough for today. You've both done well—no need to overexert yourselves. Head home, rest, and make sure you eat a good meal to recover your energy."
Kana perked up, her face brightening slightly. "Oh, speaking of meals, why don't you join us for lunch, Yuki-sensei? I'll be cooking!"
Yuki smiled but shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, Kana, but I have some training of my own to do."
Kana pouted a little, but then her eyes lit up. "In that case, come for dinner instead! Ken-chan's gonna cook, and trust me, you don't want to miss his cooking. It's amazing!"
Kenshin, still catching his breath, raised an eyebrow. "Wait, when did I agree to that?"
Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Kenshin's cooking?"
Kana gave him a playful nudge. "Come on, you're the better cook. I already called dibs on lunch."
"Yep," Akane chimed in. "He's pretty good at it too! You should see what he can do with just a few ingredients."
Kenshin smiled, though he still looked tired. "I don't mind cooking. Besides, after today, I need the practice in something other than jutsu."
Yuki chuckled at their exchange, but after a moment's thought, she nodded. "All right, I'll come by for dinner. I suppose I'll need the fuel after my training."
Kana grinned triumphantly. "Perfect! You won't regret it."
Yuki gathered her things and turned to leave, giving them both a final nod. "Rest up, and I'll see you later. Kenshin, make sure you rest up properly tonight—tomorrow will be just as tough."
Kana stretched her arms, a content sigh escaping her lips. "Finally, a break! Let's head home, Kenshin. I'm starving."
Kenshin stood up slowly, wincing slightly from the strain in his muscles. "You and me both. But I guess I'm on dinner duty now."
"So, you're cooking dinner?" Maki asked on the way back as her apartment was on the way to the Uchiha compound.
"Who do you think cooked when mom was sick? I've learned all sorts of things, and I lived mostly on my own in my other life." Kenshin replied, stretching his arms. The training was tough, and even his powerful Uzumaki body was at it's limit.
"Well considering what sensei did today I'd say you and your sister aren't gonna be burning the midnight oil anytime soon. So it should be good for you, Kana-san." Maki nudged both of them playfully, and their faces turned slightly red.
"Well I suppose it'd be nice. You kids are too impatient. You should be more careful." Kana added, remembering the awkward situation from that morning. "Oh, maybe we could all sleep together like that time?"
"Sure, that'd be great. I'll be sandwiched between two kids again." Hearing Kenshin's comment, both Kana and Akane tried to punch him, but Kenshin dodged.
Later that evening, after a brief rest, Kenshin found himself in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and preparing ingredients for the meal. The sound of sizzling filled the air as he sautéed the first dish, and the smell quickly began to fill the house.
Kana wandered in, watching him with her arms crossed and a satisfied smile on her face. "Well looks like you're actually eager to cook, despite acting reluctant. I knew you'd deliver."
Kenshin glanced over at her, smirking. "Well taking care of you all these years taught me a lot of things, and like I said, I had these skills from back in my other life."
Kana gave a knowing nod. "Well, I'm glad. It's really nice to share cooking duty."
As dinner approached completion, Yuki arrived, her expression showing the signs of a long and rigorous training session. She sniffed the air, and a small smile crept across her face. "Smells good. Looks like I made the right choice."
Kenshin placed the final dish on the table, a mix of grilled fish and vegetables, paired with rice and a hearty broth. "I hope it's to your liking," he said, trying to hide the fatigue in his voice.
Yuki took a bite, her eyes widening slightly. "Kenshin, this is impressive. You might have a future outside of shinobi work."
Kenshin chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind if I ever need a backup plan."
Kana beamed. "Told you his cooking is the best!"
As the evening continued, the conversation flowed easily between them, shifting from battle strategies to lighter topics.
As the night settled in, the conversation slowed, the comfortable clinking of dishes being cleared away. Yuki stretched, a rare look of contentment on her face as she pushed her chair back.
"Thanks for the meal, Kenshin. You've definitely outdone yourself," Yuki said with a grin before she stood. "But I should get going. Tomorrow's training won't be easy."
Kana, though looking much more relaxed after dinner, sighed softly. "Aww, you're not staying longer?"
Yuki chuckled, giving Kana a knowing look. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kana. Make sure you rest well tonight. You will a lot more studying tomorrow."
With a final wave, Yuki left into the quiet evening, closing the door softly behind her. Kana let out a long breath, her energy clearly depleted.
"I'm so tired," Kana said, her voice unusually soft. "I don't think I can stay awake much longer."
Kenshin, noticing how drained she looked, stepped closer, concern flickering in his eyes. "Why don't you take a bath with us, Mom?" he suggested gently. "It'll help you relax."
Kana blinked, usually putting up at least some protest, but tonight she just nodded. "Yeah, that sounds nice."
Akane stood up, heading toward the bath. "I'll go get the water ready," she said over her shoulder.
Kenshin moved to his mother's side, giving her a gentle smile. "Come on, Mom. Let's get you ready for the bath."
Kana didn't resist as Kenshin started undressing her. Normally, she'd tease him or act reluctant, but tonight, exhaustion seemed to override any such behavior. Her head rested against his chest as he helped her out of her clothes.
"You really pushed yourself today," Kenshin said softly, his voice filled with care as he gently eased her into his arms.
"Mm-hmm," Kana mumbled, her eyelids drooping.
Akane returned, steam rising from the warm water behind her. "The bath's ready," she said, her gaze softening as she saw Kana leaning heavily against Kenshin.
Kenshin carried Kana into the bath, holding her carefully as Akane helped guide her into the soothing water. As soon as Kana felt the warmth around her, she let out a contented sigh, her muscles visibly relaxing.
For a while, the room was quiet, save for the soft splashing of the water. Kana's eyes soon fluttered closed, her head resting gently against Kenshin's shoulder.
"She's already asleep," Akane observed with a quiet laugh. She leaned closer to Kenshin, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "You always take care of us, Kenshin."
Kenshin smiled at her, but his attention remained on their mother. "I have to. You guys are all I have. I'll do anything for you."
Akane smiled, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a long, tender kiss. "You're a good son, Kenshin. That's part of why I love you even more in this life."
With that, Akane stood up from the bath, wrapping a towel around herself. Kenshin gently lifted Kana, careful not to wake her, and a shadow clone appeared to help dry her off while Kenshin dressed her in fresh clothes.
Once she was comfortable, Kenshin carried Kana to her room, laying her down softly on her bed. She didn't stir, still fast asleep, her breathing deep and peaceful.
Kenshin tucked her in, smoothing the blanket over her. "Good night, Mom," he whispered softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face before quietly leaving the room.
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Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. And as always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.
Also, I'm currently rewriting the initial chapters as many of you have said that they don't have good quality writing. A lot of your comments will be gone so I'd appreciate it if you went back to give them a reread.
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