Chapter Text
Yoshino hadn’t been armed at home since the night of the nine tails attack, yet here she was in her own living room, a weapons pouch tied to her leg. When Genma had shown up with three children in various states of anguish and blood on two of them, she had put the clan on high alert,grabbed her weapons and gathered Shikamaru in the central most room in the house.
Itachi held Sasuke tight on his lap, while Naruto sat a little apart, his arms wrapped around his knees. Genma gave a smile as he sat between the Naruto and Uchiha children. Shikamaru was more familiar to Sasuke and Itachi, but chose to sit beside the small blonde. Yoshino was proud of her son, going to one with minimal support.
She could see the deer loose in the yard and the subtle flare of chakra on the roof was a comfort to her even if it had Genma and Itachi flinching a little. “That’s Shiro, a jonin and Shikaku’s cousin, he’s keeping watch for us.” The comment had the Uchiha boys relaxing a little more. “Genma, can you tell me what happened?” She gave a small nod towards the boys hoping that the elite shinobi would keep the information more child friendly.
“Danzo.” Yoshino tilted her head to the side as Genma elaborated with what he knew, “Kei, Mikoto and the kids were at training field 22 when they were attacked by him and his ROOT operatives.”
While training ground 22 was the closest to the Uchiha compound, it was still one of the most remote ones and not frequently used. The fact that Mikoto wasn’t present explained why the two Uchiha heirs were with her. Unlike her, Mikoto retired to raise a family, while she had been sidelined due to injury. Mikoto wouldn’t let her children out of her sight after an attack unless it was for their safety as the fighting continued or she had been injured in the attack; which explained why the children were brought somewhere secure. There were no alarms blaring across the village so a village wide attack was out of the question, at least at the moment. Taking the chance that they were safe, Yoshino grabbed a wet washcloth.
“Itachi,” she approach the young boy only to have him flinch away. “I just want to wash your face sweetie.” She tried again and Itachi’s hand flew out to hold her wrist away from his face.
“Itachi! Close your eyes!” Genma’s voice was sharp and blunt, more like a barked order, something Yoshino wouldn’t have used on the boy. When the dark haired boy looked at him, Genma tapped his own face right beside his eyes and said more gently, “breathe, kid.”
As Itachi closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths, Yoshino left him alone and moved on to Naruto.
“Naruto can you take off your jacket please,” she was surprised that Kei had ignored what was obviously a bleeding wound in a small child, jinchuriki or not. The little boy moved enough to take off his jacket. Her breath caught in her throat as the movement exposed his t-shirt burnt and burns on his arms and chest. She tossed the clothes to the floor, “Shikamaru the laundry should be in the hallway, can you find a shirt that Naruto can use?”
Shikamaru rushed out of the room and back quickly. Yoshino removed the fabric to expose, what she prayed, was a small bleeding wound and minimal burns. She didn’t expect to see burns all over his arms and senbon almost completely embedded in the blonde’s shoulder. She looked up at Genma and the pair winced before Genma reached over and did his best to carefully pull the senbon out.
“I’m sure I saw Kei remove a couple, this one must have slipped by him.” Genma rubbed his hand up and down the blonde’s back. The hiss of knitting flesh was loud in the quiet room. “I don’t know if there’s anything we can do for the burns. Kei didn’t want him to go to the hospital.”
A gasp had the pair looking over at the Uchiha boys. Sasuke looked on the verge of tears as he looked over at the injuries Naruto suffered.
Yoshino took a breath before wiping away the residual blood. Already knowing what she would find when the skin was clean. No mark remained, although the boy was still whimpering, she wasn’t sure if it was from pain or just the fear that clung to them. “Naruto?” She kept her voice gentle, “will you let me wrap your arms?” She ran her fingers through his hair, when he nodded she loosely wrapped both arms up to his elbows, before slipping on the shirt her son handed her.
Once dressed Naruto returned his face into his knees. Genma pulled the throw off the back of the couch and draped it over Naruto’s form. Shock was going to be their next issue with the mount of burns and the trauma the jinchuriki had just been through.
Yoshino moved to other two. “Itachi, can I wash your face now?” Washing the blood away seemed to relax the older Uchiha in a strange way.
The older boy nodded as Sasuke tugged at her sleeve. His eyes flashed over towards Naruto. “Both Naruto and your brother will be fine. They just need time to recover.” A knock at the door had everyone’s head turning.
Genma moved into the rooms doorway, the senbon in his mouth now out and in his hand ready to face the unknown.
The children huddled deeper into the couch with Itachi, his eyes red with the sharingan spinning.
“Stand down. There’s been no chakra fluctuations nor warning from the deer, whoever’s at the door is a friend.”
Genma knew that his heightened emotions were what had him on guard, taking a moment to really think about it he knew that Yoshino was correct. The whole thing with Danzo must have had more rattled then he wanted to admit, if he was ignoring years of assassination instincts. He stood to the side far enough to allow her to answer the door, while still protecting the children.
“Fugaku!” Yoshino showed the Uchiha clan head inside.
Itachi and Sasuke ran to their father, as he knelt with his arms wide to hold them close.
“Boys,” there were tears on his face as relished the feeling of his sons alive and well. Glancing up at Kushina’s boy sitting alone on the, he knew that he couldn’t leave the boy alone. “Naruto, come here son.” He shifted his own boys to make room for Naruto. “Mikoto will be okay. She protected you for a number of reason, but know that no matter what happens you are not to blame.”
Naruto seemed to shrink away, wiping his face with his sleeve. He had yet to move from the couch. Genma moved back to the couch to pull the boy close. He hoped that Fugaku wouldn’t get angry at Kushina’s boy for not moving.
Fugaku moved to the couch with the boys in his arms. He held the boys close, Naruto was sat beside Genma with Shikamaru on the other side.
“Is mom really okay? What about Shisui?” Sasuke quietly asked.
“I’m sure they’re both fine. They’re at the hospital, I haven’t gone to see them yet. You boys were more important, and Naruto that includes you.” Fugaku did what he could to reassure his boys, “Naruto, just so you know Kei would be here but Shikaku and the Hokage needed his help in town. He’ll be back soon.”
“Are you sure?” Naruto’s voice was so very quiet.
Genma was the one to reassure the boy, “Naruto, I know that I’m a stranger to you, but the one thing I know for sure is that Kei would do anything to make sure that you’re safe.” Naruto leaned slightly into Genma’s side and senbon user took that as a win. He wrapped an arm around the little boy and pulled him in tighter. “It’s going to be a while before we get any news, why don’t you rest. Uchiha-sama, you might want to check Itachi, his eyes were bleeding earlier.”
Itachi looked at his father, as he was given a number of instructions.
“Well, son it looks like you awoke the mangekyo. We will be doing some training, but I don’t want you to let anyone know for now. I don’t want the elders to put more pressure on you.” Fugaku turned to look at his youngest son, “and how are you doing Sasuke? That must have been scary to watch.” He was just glad that when he had Sasuke go through the same chakra exercises, his eyes remained the same. There was no way that he wished for the burden of the sharingan to be given to Sasuke at this age. “You’re safe and healthy and that’s all I need. Nara-sama may I request that the boys remain here for now?” Fugaku knew that he was needed in the village and as much as he hated to admit it, he would have to leave the boys in someone else’s care.
Yoshino smiled gently at the children. “Of course. If I may Fugaku, are we still on high alert?”
Fugaku sent a couple of signs towards the two more experienced shinobi while answering the woman. “Not under a direct attack, but I’d ask that you stay vigilant just because of who was involved.”
Genma took the message and ran with it. His voice taking on the more carefree tone he was known for, “Nara-sama, why don’t we have a bit of a picnic in the room here. I can go and gather some pillows and blankets for a sleep over.”
“That would be perfect. I’ll go and fix something simple for dinner. The extra pillows and blankets are in the hall closet.”
Genma and Yoshino left the room while Fugaku was still there. It gave the Uchiha a chance to hold his boys tight. If it hadn’t been for Kei, neither of his boys would be willing to be this close to him. He needed to go back. To go back and help end this horrible nightmare and help make Konoha the village it was before Danzo got his claws into it.
“Dad, do you have to go?” Sasuke’s voice trembled with fear and uncertainty, but it was a question his youngest wouldn’t dare have asked before Kei’s arrival.
Fugaku rubbed his youngest son’s back. “Yes, I have to go back and help Kei and the others. Yoshino and Genma will stay with you and keep you safe. When everything is done, we can go and see your mother and cousin.” He looked over at Itachi, “I need the three of you to stay strong and help Yoshino while I’m gone.”
“We will.” Itachi promised. The young boy jumped up when Genma re-entered the room with his arms full of blankets. “I can take those Genma-san.”
Genma handed off the pile of blankets and went back for the pillows.
Yoshino came in with a tray full finger foods and helped the boys create a cozy nest of blankets and pillows. A sad smile crossed her face, the children were too quiet, too subdued. Right now the children wanted safety and warmth. She wanted to do this again and have the house filled with laughter and smiles. It would happen.
Fugaku got up and left, knowing his children were safe. Now to finish off Danzo army and stop his plans.