章 1: A Family

Cradling a cup of Jasmine tea in his hand a child pressed against either side of him on the couch, Teuchi, now 50 years old began to wonder when did his once brown hair start to grey, was it when his daughter came screaming into the world all fire and grit or was it when minutes later her mother departed from it. What about the crow's foot developing next to his eyes, he had been squinting a lot recently maybe it was time to invest in some glasses. He couldn't keep putting it off already Ayame had to be helping in the kitchen as his sight just wasn't what it used to be. Maybe it was time to introduce some help in the kitchen spend some more time simply teaching Ayame some tricks of the trade. A cough interrupted his introspection of as the smaller child attached at his hip was suffering from a coughing fit no doubt brought upon by the rain that had thoroughly soaked the child not 10 minutes earlier. Looking down at the blond cradling his own cup and wrapped up tighter than a roll, he once again wondered when did he get old. Taking a sip from his cup sighing against the rim as the hot beverage slid down his throat warming up his body, a whispered question left his throat, "Naruto my boy what were you doing out in this rain?", one second, another, a third, the rain hitting against his abode was his only answer. Another question flowed before the silence could drag any further, "does anyone know you are out here Naruto?", silence, it was maddening this silence, another question, "Do you want to go back?", Silence, no not Silence he realized a heartbeat later as it had felt like an Icey hand had stopped his heart for a moment, tears, tears splashing into a child's tea cup a silent flow heavier than the rain threating his windows with every thump they let loose on it, heavier than the gaze of the unseen shadows. It was enough. So as the weight disappeared from one side, a child hugged a child, a sister hugged a brother and a father hugged his children.