New Leaves

Chapter 26

Back in the land of fire, at the hot springs were Lee and Aceso. Kakashi and Gai took Ren, saying that they needed to have a nice couple getaway. They both were sitting in the hot springs together, Aceso was looking away.

"Is everything alright, my love?" Lee asked as he looked over at her. 

"Yeah, everything's fine," Aceso said as she slowly looked at him, arms covering her body.

"You aren't feeling insecure are you?" Lee asked as he tilted his head.

"Just a little," Aceso admitted as she sunk more into the water.

"There is no need!" Lee laughed. "You just had a baby a couple of months ago! Your body is perfect the way it is."

"Thanks, my love," Aceso said as she turned away.

"Speaking of the baby," Lee said slowly, this caught Aceso's attention, she looked at Lee. "How would you feel about having another one?" He looked away.

"Lee, we already have five kids," Aceso reminded him. "I know Koga technically isn't your son, but he is your stepson."

"Ren is so much younger than his other siblings, don't you think he'll get lonely?" Lee asked looking at her.

"Ren will have other kids his age to make friends with," Aceso brought up. 

"All the older kids are about to be out of the house more soon," Lee brought up. "The genin exams are coming up, Ren might get lonely without his siblings there."

"Ren is going to be fine," Aceso said. "What are you really worried about?"

"It's just that--" Lee began. "When you were pregnant with Ren, you were home more. It only took a few months for you to go back to work after you had him. Our schedules are so crazy, that sometimes it feels like I'm parenting by myself. I know you came home injured a couple of times from when Sasuke summoned you out. Sometimes I guess I just get scared one day you won't come back at all. The kids worry you won't come back either sometimes, but I always put on a brave youthful face to assure them that you will."

"Lee," Aceso breathed as she sat up more. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"The position you hold through all the lands is a crucial one," Lee began. "I thought you were scared you'd lose your position if you stayed back."

"I'm not scared of losing my position. I just thought I wasn't doing enough for the kids," Aceso said. "So, I picked up more shifts to help provide."

"That's nonsense," Lee said as he looked at her, grabbing her hands. "You provided me the youthful gift of kids, you are doing more than enough."

"So you won't feel ashamed if I am home more?" Aceso asked. 

"Never," Lee denied. "Just promise you'll take a step back for a bit. I don't want the kids to lose their mom and I don't want to lose you, not again." Aceso looked up at him, she knew he was referring to when Pain attacked the village all those years ago.

"Alright, when we get home, I'll back down from night shifts, at least two times a week," Aceso said. "I'm still going to be at the pharmacy, I'll just be taking Ren."

"You sure Naruto would be okay with you stepping back?" Lee asked. "You already stepped away from being a summoning medical ninja."

"I am on it still, but purely for extreme emergencies," Aceso informed. "Naruto is just going to have to deal with it. He's got Sakura at the hospital as well."

"But what will you tell the Hokage?" Lee asked as he pulled her onto his lap. 

"I need to be there more for my family," Aceso answered. "I'm sure he'll understand."