The Last Rose (Naruto Fanfic)

Welcome Home, Sora.

The walk home was farther than she would have liked, and no matter how many times she walked that very same path through the village, Sora couldn't help but get winded every time. It wasn't like she could take her time on her evening stroll. Her mother was waiting for her at home, and she couldn't afford to be late.

Sora and her mother had long since moved from the house that the Hokage had provided for them when they first arrived in the Leaf Village. Their new house was much smaller, with only one bedroom, a small bathroom, and kitchen that was barely even there. It was located at the very end of the village, secluded from the rest of the houses, but Sora liked it that way. Privacy was very important to her.

Especially since she had something to hide.

When she arrived at the threshold of her home, she was out of breath, like usual. The sun had long since set, and the moon was making its steady journey across the night sky. When Wing had returned, he had made her wash all the dishes in the Tea Shop, her punishment for arriving late, even though she had told him what had happened with Naruto. She should have known. Wing wasn't the type to let her off easily.

"Tadaima," She announced as she slipped inside the house, pulling off her shoes. As usual, there was no reply, and as usual, Sora answered herself. "Welcome home, Sora-chan."

She shut the door behind her, made sure it was locked, and walked inside, letting her bookbag fall from her shoulders onto the chair in the kitchen. Glancing at the pile of mail on the table, she decided she would get to it later. After she checked on her mother.

The walk to her room wasn't even five steps, and Sora poked her head through the door, and at the figure that sat on the bed.

"I'm home, Kaa-chan."

Sora didn't get an answer, but she hadn't really been expecting one, so she just walked up to the woman, gently leaning on the bed to get a better look at her.

"How are you feeling today?" She asked softly, taking her mother's hand. It was limp and dry in her hands, but warm. Still warm and alive.

She sighed.

Ever since her mother had woken up five years ago, she hadn't been the same person as she once was. Not that Sora remembered much from before she arrived at the village anyway, but she was positive that her mother hadn't always been like this.. She was still extremely beautiful, with long white hair and the same golden eyes as Sora, but her skin had gone gray, her eyes dull. She hardly ever spoke, and when she did, it was never pretty but Sora would be relieved none-the-less.

Sora had figured out pretty quickly that she would have to be the one to take care of both of them. Her mother was in no condition to be walking around, much less getting a job, so she had taken the initiative to get one herself. It had taken a while, and they had lived in the home the Hokage had provided for them, and lived off of the checks that he gave them monthly, but when Sora had finally gotten the job at the tea shop when she was eight years old, she had marched up to the Hokage's office herself and told him that they didn't need it anymore, and that they would be moving out soon.

She would be indebted to no one. Not even the Hokage.

Of course, she didn't actually tell him that she was the one working. If the Hokage ever found out about the condition her mother was in, they would be separated and that was the last thing that Sora wanted. Nobody could know about her mother. She couldn't lose her family. Not again.

She looked at her mother one last time, before sighing and walking out of the room, heading for the kitchen. She still wasn't making much money, so they were a little low on supplies, but she would have to make due with what they had. She made a simple stew with the vegetables she stored in the fridge, and presented the food to her mother, who only stared at it blankly.