Chapter 177 Blood and Family
This is one of the reasons why Naruto is so special: his unwavering belief in the people he loves.
This is a simple and direct emotion, part of Naruto's character, he doesn't even need to think. There is no gray area, no uncertainty, and no need for complex judgment or thinking; he either believes you or he doesn't.
Any suspicions, preconceived notions or observations Naruto had of his own didn't matter.
Kakashi had simply hinted that a bell-sized mammal could eat all of his food, and Naruto had believed it.
It was a trivial thing, a thought that could easily be dismissed, but as Kakashi stood in the kitchen, one hand on the cupboard door, looking at Naruto who had his head bowed, he suddenly realized that he was one of the few important people that Naruto defined his entire world, and it shocked him.
Even as Kakashi was still reeling from the shock of this sudden realization, the last of the Uchiha clan members looked up and asked him in his usual serious tone whether he should take one box of cookies or two.
Because Naruto certainly wouldn't notice Kakashi's inner workings, nor the emotions churning within him.
This display of trust was completely normal to him. It wasn't new, or weird. It wasn't even new, it just took Kakashi a long time to realize it, but that didn't mean it wasn't true before, or hadn't existed before in some subtle way.
And Kakashi is one of them. Like Iruka, Sakura and Kurama, he is extremely precious to Naruto and is an indispensable part of his life, just like his limbs, bones or internal organs.
"Naruto?" Kakashi asked softly. His voice was surprisingly steady. His fingers were tightly clasped on the cabinet door. Something seemed to be condensed in the air.
Naruto replied, not caring that Kakashi didn't answer his previous question, but just waiting patiently, ready to take the rice crackers from the cupboard once Kakashi came to his senses and opened it.
"How long do you think we've been a family?" Kakashi asked, a question that was both significant and yet so abrupt.
Naruto didn't even seem surprised by the question, he just tilted his head, thinking carefully about his answer.
"I don't know." He admitted vaguely. "It's been a while, right? At least after the mission in Wave Country. Maybe since we moved in together." He guessed as he rummaged through a box of rice crackers that Jiraiya had given him, which was left with only cookie crumbs left, trying to find a whole cookie.
"What took so long?" Kakashi whispered, reaching for the bottom of the box to make it easier for Naruto to get to the cookies.
"Yeah, that's right." Naruto said affirmatively, still focusing on finding the cookies. "At least that's what I think." He avoided Kakashi's gaze, which made him feel a little lost.
Naruto finally found a complete cookie and handed it to the little pipe fox in his other hand. Watching the fox nibble on the cookie, he suddenly looked a little nervous and looked up at Kakashi.
"I may be wrong. I'm not very clear about the concept of... you know, 'family'."
Kakashi couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the tube fox that was chewing on the biscuit like a caterpillar.
"I'm not sure," Kakashi disagreed. "In fact, I think you know better than most." He meant it.
Naruto's head snapped up and he looked at him in surprise.
"Wait, really? Why?"
Kakashi shrugged, stood up, and reached behind the top shelf where he kept Iruka's spare cookies, and after some searching, he finally found it.
"Because 'blood' and 'family' are not the same thing." Kakashi said as he handed the newly found cookie box to Naruto, his tone relaxed but serious. "I have begun to believe that there is actually no connection between the two."
********
Later, after Naruto fell asleep again and the house was quiet, Kaka sat and squatted on the back porch, looking up at the stars and overlooking the garden.
The Sealing Key and the Thunder God Scroll were placed in front of him, one was a weapon, the other was freedom. Both of these things meant choices, and Kakashi had vowed never to make such choices, never to take action, to take risks, to try, to strive for more.
He won't run away, hide or pretend anymore.
He is not his father. He will not cut off his claws and suppress his edge in order not to scare people.
Everything he had was too precious to give up easily.
His children deserve more than the empty shell that succumbed to them, they deserve more than the echoes of resolve and fire that were snuffed out by tragedy and circumstance.
They deserved more than he was, and more than he had ever been.
They deserve all that he has to give, all that he has, all that he has left.
He owed it to himself, to the people he had loved and lost, and to the people he still loved, to become stronger.
After leading Team 7 for more than a year, he had come to understand that being a ninja did not mean that he could no longer have a heart.
Naruto has proved that kindness does not need to be learned deliberately, love does not need to be returned, and true power is not selfish.
Sasuke proved that hatred and sadness can be conquered, and that tragedy and fear only define you when you give them power.
Sakura proves that origin and starting point are not important, everyone has the power to change things for the better, and the only thing you can change is yourself.
They haven't reached the end yet.
Yes, they were all strong, but Kakashi knew that there were many more powerful beings in this world, and that even though their potential was limitless, they still needed time, time to grow, time to learn, time to become the strong beings he knew they could be, to overcome the challenges he knew they would face.
Until then, he'll be their shield.
Because it was never a question of what he could or could not do…
******
Temari was angry as soon as she woke up, which was nothing new.
It was still dark, and the light filtering through the treetops of the Fire Nation was gray, like sake diluted with water.
The sun hasn't risen yet and we still have to wait for a few hours.
She rolled over on the thin futon and reached out to push Kanjuro's foot, which was resting on her back.
The little bastard didn't move at all, just rolled over and began snoring even louder. Temari buried her head in the pillow and let out a growl, resisting the urge to kick him.
She really wanted to sleep last night, but she couldn't fall asleep in this terribly humid place.
She squinted at Kanjuro, who had somehow managed to fall asleep in almost full gear.
She made a mental note to laugh at the mess of paint on his face later.
She thought about sleeping a little longer, but she knew it was futile and gave up the idea immediately.
She forced her tired body to move, forcing her stiff muscles to do morning exercises.
Just then, she noticed Gaara.
He sat on the windowsill behind her, his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms crossed on top of them, motionless, as if he were carved.
In the dim light, his figure looked particularly strange, his head was lowered and the shadow completely covered his face.
