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CRY BABY
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Of course, Naruto was on fire for the training and aside from the fact that they were preparing for another fight with Zabuza, the mood was not as dampened as before.
Kakashi went into the forest with the three of them, while Jun decided to help Tazuna and his daughter around the house a bit.
She hated staying somewhere and then not being able to help. They were already getting a place to sleep and food for free here anyway. So it was only appropriate that Jun at least made herself a little useful around the house.
After washing and hanging up the laundry from her team, she said goodbye to the little family and went upstairs to the bedroom to finally get into bed.
She threw on a top and a fresh pair of shorts before slipping under the covers, covering herself only half-heartedly since it was still so damn warm. It wasn't long before she fell asleep and drifted off into the land of dreams.
Sometime late in the evening, she woke up to an arm pulling her close and holding her tightly. She didn't want to open her eyes because she was just way too tired and actually wanted to go right back to sleep. But when Kakashi's hand slipped under her top, she smirked a little and held his hand on his wrist.
"What do you think you're doing huh?", she asked softly but he buried his face in her neck and just shook his head slowly.
"Not what you think I'm doing.", he only mumbled and let his hand slide to her breasts before he held one of them in his hand and entwined his legs with hers.
"Kakashi..." she whispered almost indignantly but he left his hand where it was and Jun just sighed softly.
"Obsessed with boobs huh?" but again he just shook his head.
"Only with yours. They're perfect.", now she rolled her eyes with a smirk and she had no strength to argue with him, which is why she just left his hand where it was and snuggled a little closer to him before she heard his soft snoring, which made her smile, but it didn't take long for her to fall back asleep as well, and she already knew that she never wanted to fall asleep any other way.
"You'll catch a cold if you keep sleeping here.", Jun was now awakened by an unknown voice and immediately she straightened up and looked to the woman kneeling next to her, shaking her shoulder lightly.
"Sorry. Who are you?", and immediately she was on alert because she didn't know who this person was and why she cared if she was lying here or not, but she just smiled and didn't answer.
"So what are you doing here all by yourself?"
"I'm gathering medicinal herbs. For healing injuries, sickness and so on.", Jun smiled just slightly and apparently there was really no danger coming from her so she slowly relaxed and rubbed her eyes lightly.
"Can you show me what you collect? That would certainly help me.", the young woman just nodded slowly and Jun started picking the different plants with her.
"So...you got a lot to do so early in the morning.". Jun interrupted the silence and continued picking the plants she had shown her.
"You too. What have you been doing in a place like this so early?"
"Well...I'm waiting for my team. I went ahead to secure the area so they could train here. However, that's not really the time I like to get up and since they're taking so long, I wanted to get some sleep."
"Could it be...that you're a ninja or something?", and the woman pointed to the headband tied around Jun's right arm.
"Yes, I'm a ninja from Konoha. Just like my team."
"That's kinda cool I think. But why are you guys training here?"
"We have a mission here and the kids want to get stronger, of course.", she said with a smile, proud that the woman's basket was filling up slowly.
"And you don't want to get stronger?"
"Huh? Yes, of course I do, however the training sessions are a little easier for the kids. Besides, I've been through all that. I'm just focusing on making sure the area is safe for them to train."
"What for?" she asked, and the expression on the young woman's face grew sadder.
"What for? What do you mean?"
"Why are they training and why do they want to get stronger?"
"Well the kids aren't ready to do missions on their own and that's why they are assigned to higher ranked ninjas so they can learn from them.", she explained to her because she didn't seem to have a clue about all that stuff.
"What about you? Why do you want to get stronger?"
"I want to be able to protect the people around me so they don't die or get hurt."
"Do you have somebody precious in your life?"
"Yeah of course. I think we all have that person or rather persons.", she slowly shook her head and put the last of the herbs in her basket.
"I mean. Do you love someone so much that you would risk your life for that person? Only when you have that one person, you can truly become strong.", she now stood up from the grass and took the basket in her hand.
"Thank you for helping me and take care of you and your comrades. I hope we meet again somewhere.", she now said softly and left Jun just like that.
"Strange woman.", she thought to herself now and it didn't take 10 minutes before the chaos troop appeared in the forest and they started to train again.
»»————- 3 DAYS LATER ————-««
"In just a teeny little bit, the bridge will be complete. It's thanks to you guys.", Tazuna said as they sat at the table one evening while he poured Kakashi, Jun and himself some Sake.
"I've really wanted to ask you for a long time now. But why are you still here even though I lied about the mission?", Jun gratefully accepted the small bowl of sake and took a sip before leaning back, relaxing.
"To see what is right without doing it bespeaks and absence of courage.", Kakashi replied and Jun had to smile a tiny bit now, but when she looked to Inari and saw the little boy starting to cry, she straightened right back up because it broke her heart to see him like that with all his pain.
"Why? Why do you desperately work so hard until you get like that? There's no way you'd be a match for Gato's men even if you train! No matter what cool things you say or how much effort you make, the weak always lose out against the truly strong.", he now began to speak loudly and he was almost shouting, all while his gaze lingered on Naruto.
"Shut up. I'm not like you.", Naruto countered him and everyone in the room didn't dare to say anything as they were all shocked by this sudden outburst.
"Shut up! Looking at you makes me sick. Sticking your nose in, even though you know nothing of this land. I'm not like you who's always acting frivolous, not knowing one thing about pain.", Inari now burst out in tears and Jun slapped her hands in front of her mouth, knowing full well that these words hit Naruto more than anything.
"So you're just gonna cry all day like the lead in a tragedy? An idiot like you can just cry forever! You crybaby.", Naruto now also spoke more angrily than before and Sakura grabbed him directly by the arm, seemingly to bring him back to his senses.
"Naruto! That's a bit harsh!" she said now but he didn't seem to care because without another word he just stood up and walked out of the room.
"Hey Bud. Can I sit with you for a minute?", Jun asked as she walked out onto the terrace of the house and saw Inari sitting there, but since he didn't answer she just sat with him and looked out at the sea.
"Naruto didn't mean any harm with what he said. He's just uncouth, so..." she paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
"We heard the story about your father from Tazuna. Like you, Naruto never had a father as a young child. Actually he doesn't know either of his parents. Not only that. He didn't have a single friend.
However, I've never seen him sulk, be timid or cry. He's always eager wanting to be acknowledged by someone. If it's for the sake of that dream he has, he always risks his life. He's probably tired of crying. So he knows the true meaning of the word strong.
Like your father. Naruto might understand your feelings the most. What Naruto said earlier...", and she now looked to him smiling and moves a little closer to him, gently pulling him close and resting her chin on his head.
"...There's no mistaking that he's told himself that over and over again.", she only said before giving him a kiss on his head and now standing up again.
"Don't be mad at him. Now go to bed, it's late.", with those words Jun disappeared around the house and went straight upstairs.
But instead of going to the bedroom, she went to the kids' room and saw Sasuke and Naruto sleeping in their sleeping bags while Sakura was asleep in bed.
They all looked so peaceful that Jun couldn't help but tuck Sakura in properly and close the boys' sleeping bags a little more before giving them each a kiss on the forehead and quietly leaving the room.
She walked into the bedroom and saw Kakashi already in bed, leaving in his book. Lost in thought, Jun got dressed in her sleeping clothes and lay down next to him before naturally laying her head on his chest and he put his arm around her to gently pull her against him.
"I'm always impressed by how good you are with children," Kakashi said now, sliding his mask down to place a kiss on her forehead.
"I'll be glad when we're back in the village and I don't have to see the tormentors for a few days.", she replied with a smirk and glanced at his book before laughing softly.
"I like that chapter. From there on it gets really interesting.", she grinned and Kakashi nodded slowly.
"When we get back to the village, will you go out with me?", this question was unexpected and because of that Jun straightened up a bit and looked at his face.
"Like a date?", and Kakashi nodded slowly and now she put her head back on his chest and wrapped her arm around his stomach.
"But only if we go to this restaurant where they have this delicious beef."
"Anything you want." he replied and then Jun nodded with a smile before she fell asleep snuggled up to him.