Golden Child

The Legends They Will Cry

Chapter 5

The night drew on and Minato had yet to return; Kushina was at her wits end. She wasn't a mother, she'd never had children before and was not sure how to deal with them, let alone comfort them. Minato always seemed to have a knack for the little buggers and Kushina could only hope he'd return home soon.

But every second she let tick by caused her heart to crumble just a little more. Poor little Kimiko; held up in her room, no doubt feeling all alone in the world. Kushina wanted to help but she was afraid that if she went in there she'd only make things worse.

However when Kushina remembered the way Kimiko's little shoulders trembled as she turned her small, innocent back on Kushina — the woman's heart couldn't handle it.

Her fuuinjutsu scrolls were the last thing on her mind as she cast them aside, almost tripping over as she leapt from the couch to the tiled floor, half-running down the hall. Once Kushina reached Kimiko's room she tried opening the door.

But to no avail, it was locked. She knocked and knocked but no reply came. Kushina felt sick to her stomach as she remembered the last time Kimiko wouldn't open her door, so she pounded on the wood with a curled up fist.

"Ko-chan! Open up! Please, I just wanna to talk!" Kushina's voice betrayed her, allowing Kimiko to hear the vulnerability the woman felt.

There was a moment of silence before the door clicked, Kushina waited till she heard Kimiko's bed squeak before opening the door. The little redhead was curled up in her blankets, face muffled into her pillow.

Kushina's heart melted, and not in the good way.

"Oh, Ko-chan." Her maternal instincts kicked in and she was instantly by the little girl's side, stroking her long red hair. "What's wrong? Talk to me, Ko-chan. Please?"

Kimiko felt the loving hand run through her hair, Kushina whispering comforting words into her ear before the little girl could hide it no more. Tears burned her eyes and when she hiccuped she felt Kushina's arms wrap around her, pulling the little girl into her lap.

"Shh." Kushina whispered into Kimiko's ear. "Everything is okay. Shh."

Kimiko buried her face into Kushina's shirt and the woman stroked her hair and held her tighter, shushing her cries until Kimiko had finally stopped trembling. Then she pulled back.

"Will ya tell me what's up?" Kushina asked softly and Kimiko hesitated, tensing up. Kushina felt this and begun stroking the girl's hair again till she calmed down once more.

Kimiko breathed in deep. "Would I...make a terrible shinobi?"

"Of course not," Kushina frowned. "Why'd you think that?"

Kimiko then spilled everything to the woman. Telling her about the shop and Hanae, Shisui and his words, leaving the two in silence. It was then that it occurred to Kimiko that Kushina was comforting her — a stranger. And it was the second time. Once in the hospital after losing Haruka and again now, for no reason.

...but Kushina didn't feel like a stranger anymore, did she? Kimiko knew the answer to that.

"If ya ask me, this Shisui brat sounds like a total brat." Kushina told her with furrowed brows to which Kimiko giggled.

Kushina smiled at her laugh before reaching out to pet the girl's hair. "He's wrong, I'll tell ya that. It doesn't matter if ya never become a shinobi and ya should never feel like ya need to, not in this house."

Kimiko looked up at her as she continued. "If ya ever wanna be a shinobi; I know you'll be the best god damn shinobi there is. I know you'll be amazing, because you're Kimiko Uzumaki," She grinned, "And Kimiko Uzumaki is amazing!"