Chapter 2
Working Things Out
Chapter 2
By: AvalonNakamura
A/N: Wow...Three reviews. Ah well What can I expect. Most people like my other series, with the lemons and the fighting. But damn it I will not let this one die! This is my new baby and I will keep her alive. And I am glad the three who reviewed it seemed to like it. And I forgot to mention in the first chapter. Thanks to my buddy Psudocode Samurai for helping me come up with the title for this story.
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Naruto didn't doubt himself a bit when facing many of his previous battles. He was the kind of man who faced his enemies head on when he was active. He would face down death and destruction. And not blink an eye. But he was always terrified of dealing with Tsume during her appointments.
"This is probably gonna end with me bleeding again today...Damn my life..."
He sighed softly, Ever sense Tsume's husband left her when Kiba was just an infant. She had become distant, rude, crude and downright violent at times. He had begun seeing her almost instantly after he started his little office. And the first meeting resulted in him getting into a fist fight with her and even though he was technically one handed she didn't pull her punches.
The resulting black eye had been worth it cause he remembered as he spoke to her back then and after taking the hit wrapping his arms around her and telling her to let it all out. She beat on him hard after that. And soon had broke down bawling her eyes out asking him why. Wanting to know why her husband had left her and abandoned her and their children.
He hadn't managed to find a full answer for her then and ended up seeing her every two weeks after that first meetings, He sighed softly as he continued his walk towards the Compound waving at a few of the Chunin's patrolling the village and then stopped in front of the large Compound of the Ninja Dog users. He sighed again and prepared to get either tackled by one of the dogs or jumped on by others.
"Well, Let's see what happens this time. Last time I was pounced and sat on by one of the Haimaru Triplets..."
He chuckled in memory as he continued his walk into the compound and as soon as he did he froze hearing the low dark growl He raised his hands though he could only get his left arm up slightly the hand staying by his shoulder. He winced lightly as his mind filtered back to his past for a few seconds before he shook his head and slowly turned towards the growl were his eyes locked on the large black wolfish Canine.
"Oh...Kuromaru-kun...It's just you. Don't growl and scare me like that."
At his voice the large canine moved over to the teenager and sniffed him lightly making sure he was who he appeared to be. With a derisive snort, the large dog moved away from the blonde as his single eye looked over at him.
"Your...Lucky Uzumaki-dono...If you were someone who was just spying on the Inuzuka Clan and learn our techniques, I would have shredded you into confetti..."
Going pale at the large dogs words, he knew the dog wasn't joking. He was fairly sure the canine would easily be able to tear him to pieces. He softly sighed as he followed the large beast. He knew he was being lead to the leader of the Clan. And from the sounds of the area he was being lead towards the woman was already in the beginnings of a break down. The sounds of glass smashing and things breaking from the nearby training hall echoed as he approached.
"So I take she is in there Kuromaru-kun?"
Nodding lightly the large canine turned to begin walking away as he growled softly at the sounds he was hearing. It hurt him knowing his partner was in pain and there was nothing he could do about it but rely on this young man to help her.
"Yes...Uzumaki-dono. And I warn you...She is quite angry at the moment. Saying your late for the appointment."
Blinking Naruto glanced down at the watch on his scarred wrist and it was clear in his slow walk over here he was in fact ten minutes late for their meeting. Oh this was gonna suck now. He sighed and nodded towards the large Canine.
"Thanks...Let the Medic Nin corp know I may need them after this meeting please Kuromaru-kun."
Nodding at his request the dog continued to walk away as the blonde stood in front of the door to the small training hall and took a deep breath as he opened the door and quickly had to dodge a kunai that flew at his head.
"Good morning to you as well Tsume-san...I would rather not get hit with a kun-"
His complaint was cut off as her fist connected hard with his cheek sending him stumbling and spinning around as a trickle of blood came from his mouth as he smacked into the wall. His face contorting into a mix of pain and surprise as she growled darkly.
"You fucker! YOUR LATE! Do you know what I was thinking! How my mind was worrying!"
He grunted softly as he used his good hand to lever himself off the wall and wipe his lip as he narrowed his eyes lightly towards her and sighed softly as he cracked his neck softly. He knew this was gonna be a horrible meeting today.
"Yes...I know I am late Tsume-san. But I showed up. I told you many many sessions ago. I would not walk away and leave you. You are one of my patients. But more importantly you are a friend of mine. So can we please not play knock Naruto around?"
She growled again as she started to move towards him her hands flex. He knew this was gonna suck horribly as she moved again with a high level of speed and grabbed him by his shirt and flung him hard over her shoulder throwing him towards the middle of the room his body turning and flipping to land on his feet. He may be unable to use on arm but He was still nimble and agile enough to compete enough to fight back a bit
"Damn it Tsume-san! Calm down! I am not like him! Not all of us men are. I may be forgetful but I will not abandon anyone! You know that!"
She growled as her dark eyes continued to lock on him. As she seemed to switch to moving around on all fours her mind and body moving into her more feral mode. She was slightly more dangerous when she was like this. And he remembered when the last time she was like this the scratches she gave him hurt like hell.
"Tsume-san calm down! I don't wanna fight you. I am here to help you."
She didn't listen to him as she leapt at him her claws out clawing at his chest as he spin to avoid her. He quickly jumped back from her as he observed her. She was crying lightly it seemed as she attacked him. He sighed he knew this would hurt and he simply held his arms out loosely at his side and waited for her to attack again.
As soon as she launched herself again at him her claws out she quickly sunk them into his vest as her long nails also seemed to dig into his flesh under the vest as he quickly wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug even with his weak arm he held onto her as she growled and without warning bit deeply into his shoulder as she soon began to cry again and break down lightly as she lets go of his shoulder with her teeth and soon lightly began to sob against him.
"Why! Why the fuck did he leave! Why! Am I not good enough for him!"
As she began to slowly break down in the young man's arms he simply rubbed her back and whispered softly to try and sooth her frayed nerves as he gently began to rock her and rub her back he waited for a few seconds before he began to speak softly.
"Tsume-san..You are more than good enough for him. The fact he left you is not your fault. He isn't worth getting upset over. You proved you were stronger Tsume-san. You kept going. You raised Hana-chan and Kiba-san into fine people."
He smiled softly as she growled lightly and then sniffled as she continued to soon sob again. Her tears flowing freely as they continued to soak his shirt. As she cried and sobbed he smelled the small scent of alcohol on her breath. He soon gently pulled her from crying on his chest.
"Come now Tsume-san. There is no need to be drinking this early. Even that lazy bum Kakashi-san didn't drink. And we were visiting Obito."
At those words Tsume chuckled very quietly. What he had said did make a bit of sense. Kakashi usually drank while at the Memorial stone and she remembered often during times when she had visited the stone herself to find The Cycloptic Jonin sleeping near the stone drunk off his ass.
"Your...right Naruto...Are..you alright? I didn't hurt you too much I hope?"
At her question he waved his burnt arm lightly waving off her concern, she had managed to draw blood with her claws and fangs sure but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. He smiled gently as he shook his head.
"Nah, don't worry about it Tsume-san. It isn't as bad as it felt, Just don't try clawing me as much. It does hurt a bit Tsume-san."
He chuckled softly as he spoke, and soon moved over to where there was a kunai imbedded into a training dummy, pulling it out with his good hand he looked it over, and began to laugh softly again as he looked at it.
"Really Tsume-san? Using your poison tipped kunai on a training dummy. I didn't know they could get sick."
She blushed lightly as he pointed out her use of the poison kunai. She was so out of it when she wandered into the training hall, she wasn't sure what she was using as she let out her anger on the various dummies in the hall.
"Shut the hell up! I was angry and wasn't thinking straight! You should know that!"
He chuckled again as he placed the deadly blade on one of the tables setting around the hall as he turned to smile at her again and then shrugged lightly at her yelling lightly. He cracked his neck lightly and then spoke again.
"Yeah yeah, I know. You Inuzuka never think before you act. But at least your not trying to kill me right now again Tsume-san. Now like I said before. You shouldn't live in the past. I know you remember my past Tsume-san. You were one of the ones who watched over me after I left the orphanage."
She lowered her head lightly as he mentioned his own past. He had grown up beaten by people for no reason. She had bore witness many times when people attacked him and he had grown into the wonderful man he became and how now he was helping her. She could take pride in that. The man who left her, Was a fool Naruto had told her many many times that he was. And he was right but she still loved him. She still wanted to hear why he left her and disappeared.
"I...know Naruto. It is still hard...I want to know..Why he disappeared, why he left me and our children. I wanna know why he was such a coward that he ran from us. Why Hana and Kiba had to grow up with just me. I was a good mother...right?"
He smiled softly again at her as he moved over and gently placed his good hand on her shoulder and gave her a soft squeeze on it as he looked thoughtful for a moment before he decided to voice what he had thought of.
"Tsume-san, You are a wonderful person. You wouldn't believe how many times when I was in the ANBU we talked about the pretty women of Konoha to pass our time on missions. You came up quite often. You are a good looking woman and a wonderful mother. Look how kind Hana is, and how ferocious Kiba can be."
He smiled at her as she blushed at the revelation that she was one of the ones the ANBU spoke of during their missions to keep themselves happy. It made her feel good about her looks now. She soon shook her head and then smiled again.
"I suppose..your right Naruto..For now..til my depression gets me again. But your right...I did nothing wrong..It was him. He left, he betrayed. Not I. And I have my family who will never leave and friends who love me as well."
As she began to cheer up Naruto nodded and then he streached lightly and groaned lightly as the tight burn scar on his shoulder and arm pulled painfully. He soon motioned to the door and began to walk towards it and smiled to her.
"Come on Tsume-san. I think we can walk to the gate of the compound and finish our talk. After all we are nearing the end of our session. And after all, I think Kuromaru-kun is really worried about you. Must be nice having such a caring partner."
She blinked lightly, she never once realized that Kuromaru did truly care about her. She was lucky it seemed. And it always took someone else to point out the things that you yourself never seemed to notice at first. And what was a small wound to her pride she was known for her ability to see things others couldn't.
"I do...owe him an apology. In my depression I always forget he was with me..sense the very beginning. Thank you Naruto...We should schedule our next appointment in a place to eat. Maybe then we can just talk. Hopefully if your willing that is to have a meal and talk with an old woman like me."
He smiled softly as they continued to walk and then stopped by the gate to the compound he turned and placed his hand on her shoulder and nodded lightly as he soon began to speak.
"Oh course I would love to have a meal with you Tsume-san. And come now, Your far from an old woman. Looks like we need to get you over your issues with age. Your still quite the young woman."
He smiled as she waved to him as he headed back towards his office. She turned to Kuromaru and smiled at him and placed her hand on his head and motioned for him to follow her. Intent to spent the next few hours talking to him and proving she cared about his opinion.
As Naruto soon approached his office he entered and checked off Tsume's name and rubbed his wound on his shoulder. He needed to invest in a claw and tooth proof vest when he had her meetings. He then looked at the next appointment and sighed gently. He knew this next one would suck. As one simple named looked back at him
"Well it seems Sasuke-chan...Is next...I do hope she has learned to drop that stupid haughty attitude around me. It doesn't suit her...Considering she is almost like family to me...Ah well...Let's prepare.."
With that he began to hide every form of weapon he could find in his office. After all Last time it ended with him being taken to the hospital with a kunai stabbed into his thigh from the raven haired girl
"Now..We wait.."
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To Be Continued..
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A/N#2: Well, Here is chapter two. I hope you all enjoy it. I need more reviews here guys! Work with me! Please! Give me Reviews! Please~ I will beg if need be! Kidding kidding. Either way I hope this one works with showing how Tsume seems to have major mood swings and issues with her depression. Also I am willing to take ideas for various issues for the Shinobi and Kunoichi of the world to have.
