Secret Memories (Naruto Fanfic)

Death Through Words

 "You don't know?"

The auburn haired man thought the council was mocking him, looking at him as if he'd done something which couldn't be taken back, almost like how Rasa couldn't take back putting Shukaku into his unborn son. The man took a deep breath, preparing himself for the words he knew were coming, the Lord Kazekage's eyes closing shut tightly.

"The rumor started with your children."

Rasa's eyes snapped open, his brown eyes taking in the looks on the council members faces, and he saw the discomfort on Lady Chiyo and Ebizo's faces. His right hand reached up to rub his neck, the tension in the auburn haired man's neck growing, Rasa's throat tightening as he waited for the answer. His fingers reached in to touch the letter from Karura, but the man's courage remained fleeting.

"The children's babysitters overheard it from the children. You do realize that this means you've not been doing a good job with them? Do you understand now why we have to take the route we are?"

The room felt like it was spinning, and the auburn haired man's stomach churned uncomfortable. Despite the fact Rasa had an inkling of what they were getting at, he still for some reason didn't wish to admit that he might know. "No. I don't get it."

The elders gave him exasperated looks, and one spoke up. "Simple. Your children believe that their mother is dead because you didn't bother explaining things to them."

"If I had known..."

"Whether you knew or not doesn't matter. Why would your children lie about such a thing, and why would you not correct them? Don't you think the people would ask that."

"Understood. If everything is finished, may I take my leave. I believe there is a matter I need to see to." Rasa didn't like the looks of displeasure plastered over most of the elders faces, and hoped he wouldn't need to argue about seeing his two eldest. The men nodded their heads, and the auburn haired man stood up, his calloused hands wet with sweat, the Lord Kazekage's stomach churning as he headed into territory he didn't like.

Lady Chiyo followed close behind him, and his dark eyes darted dow to look her in the eye. The old woman chuckled, her wrinkled face breaking out into a smile. "Honestly, I would like to know how those two children came to think Karura's dead, and thus putting us into this mess."

"This situation isn't funny old hag." The auburn man snapped, only to find a cane snapped into the back of his knee making him jolt down to the ground so Chiyo could give him a good hard whack on the head. A calloused hand reached up to the auburn haired head, and Rasa let out a few choice curses.

"You may now be Kazekage young man, but I am still your elder, and you the foolish child, so I can chide you when needed."

Ebizo walked past Rasa at that point, having remained unnoticed to the young Kazekage. "Rasa, Rasa. You'll never learn will you, when dealing with my sister."

One brown eye closed, Rasa's teeth grinding together, the old woman's antics always driving the auburn haired man to the brink of insanity. He stood up and followed after them, his calloused hands shoving in to his clothing, the fingers of one hand touching the letter again. Opening up the door, his throat felt like a rock lodged in just the wrong position. Temari and Kankuro didn't come to greet him like they did when Karura still lived with them either, and his heart sank.

"Temari! Kankuro! Come here!" His brown eyes darted around, not pleased at seeing no sign of the children. Rasa stepped to the front of the room, and saw two small figures huddled next to the table, Temari's small arms wrapped around her brother. The Lord Kazekage looked around for the gennin team which should have been taking care of the two toddlers, and heard a clunking sound in the kitchen indicating their location. Rasa's arm folded across his chest, and he felt his mouth deepen into a sharp frown. "So? Why did you tell people your mother is dead?"

Temari flinched at that point, and a guilty feeling pounded through Rasa's head as he looked at his small daughter, but the frown didn't melt from his face. Words stammered out of her mouth, as if she thought her father was angry with her. "You said so."

Kankuro burst into tears at that point, and one of the gennin came running from the room to comfort the child, only for the two year old to pull away, further into Temari's arms. Rasa let out a deep breath. "When did I say so?"

"You said..." Temari's mouth formed into a pout, making Rasa feel his frustration grow.

Lady Chiyo waved at the young gennin. "Since the Lord Kazekage is back, your D rank mission is complete. Please leave through the kitchen."

The gennin quickly complied, hurrying away towards the kitchen, a slamming of the kitchen door indicating that the young squad had left. Rasa continued to look at his daughter, attempting to put on the most stern look he could muster. "Temari..."

The girl's lip trembled, her beautiful eyes welling with tears. One sleeve unlatched from around Kankuro to wipe the tears away. "You said..."

"I said what?"

The pout slid from Temari's face, and her small arms wrapped protectively around Kankuro again, this time tighter then before as her brother sobbed away. She returned her father's stern look with one of her own. "You said mommy's not coming home!"

Rasa blinked a couple of times, the stern look on his face melting away for pure confusion. At that point Kankuro's sobs became louder, and the two year old stood up, snot coming out of his small nose, the redness making Rasa flinch at how nasty the child looked. His mouth opened up to say something, only for a small figure to rush forward, crashing into the Lord Kazekage's legs, making the man fall to the ground.

The auburn haired man almost thought Kankuro was coming to his father for comfort, but the sound of small feet rushing away to the bedrooms told him this wasn't the case. Temari stood up, her small face twisted up in anger, her small hands placed on her hips. "You said mommy's not coming home! You didn't care she's dead!"

The small girl crossed her arms across her chest, Temari's facial features going back to mimicking the stern look Rasa gave her, rather then the usual softness of Karura's face her father came to love about the three year old. The toddler proceeded to stomp past him, also heading to the bedrooms, a door slamming indicating she was now in her room. The auburn haired man sat on his but, staring at the far wall, wondering what just happened. His right hand reached up to run calloused fingers through his auburn locks.

"What just happened?"

Lady Chiyo's cane tapped the top of his head. "What happened? You fool..." A sigh escaped the old woman's wrinkled lips, Rasa's face tightening in the cheek area under the eye. "Look, around here when you say someone isn't coming home, it usually means they're dead."

The auburn haired man let her words sink in, and then pushed himself up off the ground, the Lord Kazekage heading towards the door to his daughters room. "Temari!" Rasa banged his fist on the door. "Open up! I need to talk to you!"

"Kankuro and I hate you!"

Rasa felt the corner of his mouth twitch, the words his small daughter said hitting him like a dagger to the chest. Both arms dropped to his side, and his head hung down, the auburn haired man's entire body leaning towards the door so his forehead touched the wooden door, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He felt a tap on the inside of his thigh, and he turned his head to see Lady Chiyo behind him.

The lecture the Lord Kazekage knew was coming came. "Seriously, you're such a fool. I don't know what to do with you."