Namikaze -Iruka Umino-

Chapter Twenty-Five

Asa spent another day in her house, this time the woman sat in the back yard in her small garden. The woman looked up into the sky to see the cloudy blue, most days it had been free of the white clouds but today it was over casted. 

Asa breathed in the fresh air, a small smile on her face as she went back to planting more flowers. The woman was distracted by her task at hand that she hadn't noticed another standing behind her. 

"Should you be doing so much?" Yoshino Nara called. Asa turned her head to see the female Nara standing behind her with a smile. 

"Oh Yoshino, hello," Asa gave a closed eye smile. The older Nara walked to the blonde female and helped her to her feet. 

"Hello, Asa. How are you feeling today?" Yoshino asked. Asa smile to the woman, her bright blue eyes shining.

"I'm okay. Tired now that I think of it," laughed the Namikaze. She wiped her head as she felt sweat building up, the woman was losing energy quick. Yoshino noticed the tired look on the woman's face. 

"Let's go inside," Yoshino told the young woman. Pulling her into the house Yoshino brought the woman to the couch, making her lay down. 

"I'm fine. I should be alright," yawned the woman. Yoshino laughed at the blond female, seeing how stubborn she was.

"Sleep anyways. Get your rest for now," instructed the woman. Asa knew not to argue with the woman, seeing as the past two days the Nara had been checking with the blonde. Asa enjoyed the company she got from the Nara and Konohamaru. 

Asa nodded to Yoshino with a smile, closing her eyes. Not even a minute after she was out like a light. Sleep finally taking over. Her night spent worrying and days spent working to keep her mind busy she accepted the much needed sleep. 

***  

Asa woke well rested and seeing as the Nara had left the house. Asa struggled to pull herself up, but after a minute of trying to reach for the other side of the couch arm, she finally got up. The woman stood up, stretching her arms up, the shirt she wore lifting with it exposing her round belly. 

The Namikaze looked out the nearest window, which showed into the backyard to see it was sunset. The female walked to the back porch and opened the door. She stepped out into the night air to feel a cool breeze hit her face. 

Asa smiled as she breathed in, the night air felt nice and cool to the woman. Asa sat on the porch, her feet dangling over the edge as she leaned back, her hands behind her. With closed eyes the woman leaned her head back, feeling the breeze push her curly blond hair. 

Asa opened her eyes to see the sun setting in the distance. The sunset reminded her of when Iruka had proposed. 

~ Flashback~

The golden hue of sunlight starting to set. The bright orange and golden yellow reflected off of Asa, her blond hair had a golden look to it. Iruka looked down at Asa, seeing the light in her eyes as she looked out at the village.

Iruka moved, getting onto his knees in front of the woman. He took her hands in his, the man looked into Asa's eyes, a nervous look on his face.

"Asa... Will... Will you marry me?" The Umino asked, his hand showing the ring. Asa stared at the man in shock. Her eyes wide as tears started to form. She couldn't believe what Iruka had just asked her. 

~ Flashback ~

Asa smiled at the memory, a happy one that brought tears to her eyes as she thought of the man out in battle. Asa wiped the tears from her eyes as she stared out at the sunset again, enjoying the last of the evening rays before the night was to take over in darkness. 

The woman stood to her feet as once golden sky turned to a dark blue and stars popped up. Asa slowly made her way back into the house, walking to the living area she sat on the couch. An old album of pictures on the table stand next to it. 

Asa opened the book to see baby pictures Naruto. She smiled at the pictures of him smiling, she was happy that he had someone who loved him. Even if others hated the poor child, she never did. Asa never blamed the child for her brothers death, even if she spent nights crying over the man being gone, she never once blamed the child. 

Asa never wanted Naruto to grow up with the love of another, she gave him all the love Minato gave her as a child. Asa flipped to another page, her and Iruka on the next, she smiled seeing the man's large grin. At this time he was just a boy, the two being eleven or twelve. They had just graduated from the academy. 

She remembered her times just before the academy ended, Iruka was always the class clown. She saw Naruto had the same tendency the Umino had growing up, she saw how similar they were. Asa smiled as she looked at more pictures of her and Iruka, the more she flipped through, the older the pair have gotten. 

She saw the picture that was taken the day after Iruka asked Asa to marry him. Kurenai had gotten a picture of the two the day after, Iruka had an arm around Asa, his head pressing against her cheek. Asa held a large grin on her face as her hands were clasped in front of her body. The Namikaze smiled at the picture, her pale face aflame in red, Iruka's grin spread with his closed eyes. 

Asa turned her attention to the small clock in the room to see that it was nearing eight, getting later in the night. The woman flipped through the book some more before turning to the last page. A picture of Minato, Kushina, and Asa. Minato and Asa stood side by side, the big grins on their faces that matched, arms around each other. Then on Asa's left was Kushina who had a grin just as equal to the pair, her arm around Asa as the young girls was around the red head. Asa smiled at the picture, memories of hanging around her brother girl friend before Naruto was born. 

As the night went on, Asa fell asleep on the couch. Legs propped out in front of her, hands resting on her stomach and book in her lap. The woman's head was resting against the back of the couch she laid on. Her soft snores filling the quiet house.