First Clip
Here goes. A little drabble I kept picturing about our own little Momo-chan. Poor kid. Poor kid, indeed.
Setting: A week after his mother's death. Momo-chan's about...5-6. Barely into academy.
Peach Guardian
The house was quiet. Far too quiet for this house. Chizu walked through the corridors, peeking into each room and taking stock of all of her new children. Kano-kun was out on a mission, she had no idea when he would return. Haru-chan was out with her latest boyfriend, Chizu wondered if she'd even come home tonight. Kei-chan and Iku-chan were curled up in their beds, talking quietly. Chizu smiled. Kei-chan had calmed down, she'd been worried the girl would be tearing up practice bags all night. Iku-chan wasn't crying, that was a relief. She reached Momo-chan's room and found it empty. He wouldn't run away, wasn't outside, and she hadn't missed any rooms.
Except one.
Chizu froze and looked down the hallway, her eyes stopping on a large door that hadn't been opened in a week. One very long week. Momo-chan wouldn't go in there. That would be . . .
She raced to the door and stopped before it, taking a slow breath before opening it with a silence being a kunoichi afforded her. The room was covered in a thin layer of dust, save a pile of cloth that Chizu thought to be a kimono. She'd made sure that everything was put away. How had it gotten out? Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as she noted that the soft blue color was disturbingly similar to the last kimono worn by Tanabe-san.
Chizu approached the kimono, her lip beginning to shake at the possibilities. She crouched and withheld a gasp as she recognized soft breathing. Using the lightest touch, she pulled back a fold of the kimono and put a hand to her mouth.
There lay little Momo-chan, curled up tightly within what Chizu now knew must be his mother's kimono. He must feel safe there, at home once again. Chizu remembered that at such a young age she had enjoyed snuggling up to her mother's clothing - if only for the smell and familiar textures.
His eyes were closed in slumber and his little hands were clamped tightly to the kimono, one holding a kunai as well. The same kunai that Tanabe-san had given him before her last mission.
"You'll need to be strong, my little peach, Tousan would want you to be strong. Kano can't keep you all safe. But remember to use what you've got," she set a hand on the small boy's head. "Use that wit I've always loved so much."
Chizu's mind drifted away from the memory and she was almost afraid to wake him. What was he dreaming of? Happy times of a family that was still whole? The time before Chizu had come and all of the death?
It wasn't her fault, as much as she wanted to take the blame. Life had been blissful in the beginning of her short marriage. Momo-chan had been delighted for another sister, as well as his oldest brother being so happy. Chizu thought he'd said something about looking forward to nieces and nephews.
And he would never get them. Not from Chizu. Not from Yuusuke.
She felt the tears come and couldn't hold them back. She'd been strong for so long that she was exhausted throughout. But she couldn't wake him. His life was already a hell, and he was so young . . . she didn't need to end his paradise just yet. Chizu couldn't bear to tear him away from the last comfort he had of his mother. Her smell would fade with time. The clothing would erode. But at least he could have this moment. Just one more night curled up with his mother . . .
The tears were coming faster and Chizu found herself becoming vocal. There were sounds in the house - those
of grief.
"Zu-neesan?" Momo-chan blinked and looked up at her.
"Momo-chan," she tried to smile. How could she have let herself cry in front of him? She was supposed to be his mother now. Or she had to try. He was still so small . . .
He sat up and kept the kunai tightly in his hand. "You miss Okaasan, too?" Momo-chan grabbed onto her sleeve and tugged on it. "Come'n and sleep, Zu-neesan. I'll keep you safe."
"All right, Momo-chan," Chizu whispered, laying down next to him and obliging him.
She watched him stay sitting up for a moment, scanning the room with eyes that already were becoming those of a shinobi. Apparently sure that they were safe, he laid down and pulled her closer - still holding on to the kunai. Chizu put her arms around him and pulled herself next to him, finding the awkward bed almost comfortable.
The sight was all too much. A small boy orphaned and yet . . . fulfilling the task his mother had asked of him. He was being strong. Now that Chizu thought about it, the kunai had not left Momo-chan's hand since his mother had left. After experiencing the loss of his brother and father something made her think that even Momo-chan’s young mind could comprehend the potential loss of his mother.
And the fulfilling of it.
Chizu tried to stifle another sob and ran a hand up and down Momo-chan's back.
"Shh, no bad ninja's will get you here, Zu-neesan," Momo-chan whispered and even then, Chizu watched him pull the kimono back over them both.
Edit: Finally bothered to make the scene a cut...
Setting: A week after his mother's death. Momo-chan's about...5-6. Barely into academy.
Peach Guardian
The house was quiet. Far too quiet for this house. Chizu walked through the corridors, peeking into each room and taking stock of all of her new children. Kano-kun was out on a mission, she had no idea when he would return. Haru-chan was out with her latest boyfriend, Chizu wondered if she'd even come home tonight. Kei-chan and Iku-chan were curled up in their beds, talking quietly. Chizu smiled. Kei-chan had calmed down, she'd been worried the girl would be tearing up practice bags all night. Iku-chan wasn't crying, that was a relief. She reached Momo-chan's room and found it empty. He wouldn't run away, wasn't outside, and she hadn't missed any rooms.
Except one.
Chizu froze and looked down the hallway, her eyes stopping on a large door that hadn't been opened in a week. One very long week. Momo-chan wouldn't go in there. That would be . . .
She raced to the door and stopped before it, taking a slow breath before opening it with a silence being a kunoichi afforded her. The room was covered in a thin layer of dust, save a pile of cloth that Chizu thought to be a kimono. She'd made sure that everything was put away. How had it gotten out? Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as she noted that the soft blue color was disturbingly similar to the last kimono worn by Tanabe-san.
Chizu approached the kimono, her lip beginning to shake at the possibilities. She crouched and withheld a gasp as she recognized soft breathing. Using the lightest touch, she pulled back a fold of the kimono and put a hand to her mouth.
There lay little Momo-chan, curled up tightly within what Chizu now knew must be his mother's kimono. He must feel safe there, at home once again. Chizu remembered that at such a young age she had enjoyed snuggling up to her mother's clothing - if only for the smell and familiar textures.
His eyes were closed in slumber and his little hands were clamped tightly to the kimono, one holding a kunai as well. The same kunai that Tanabe-san had given him before her last mission.
"You'll need to be strong, my little peach, Tousan would want you to be strong. Kano can't keep you all safe. But remember to use what you've got," she set a hand on the small boy's head. "Use that wit I've always loved so much."
Chizu's mind drifted away from the memory and she was almost afraid to wake him. What was he dreaming of? Happy times of a family that was still whole? The time before Chizu had come and all of the death?
It wasn't her fault, as much as she wanted to take the blame. Life had been blissful in the beginning of her short marriage. Momo-chan had been delighted for another sister, as well as his oldest brother being so happy. Chizu thought he'd said something about looking forward to nieces and nephews.
And he would never get them. Not from Chizu. Not from Yuusuke.
She felt the tears come and couldn't hold them back. She'd been strong for so long that she was exhausted throughout. But she couldn't wake him. His life was already a hell, and he was so young . . . she didn't need to end his paradise just yet. Chizu couldn't bear to tear him away from the last comfort he had of his mother. Her smell would fade with time. The clothing would erode. But at least he could have this moment. Just one more night curled up with his mother . . .
The tears were coming faster and Chizu found herself becoming vocal. There were sounds in the house - those
of grief.
"Zu-neesan?" Momo-chan blinked and looked up at her.
"Momo-chan," she tried to smile. How could she have let herself cry in front of him? She was supposed to be his mother now. Or she had to try. He was still so small . . .
He sat up and kept the kunai tightly in his hand. "You miss Okaasan, too?" Momo-chan grabbed onto her sleeve and tugged on it. "Come'n and sleep, Zu-neesan. I'll keep you safe."
"All right, Momo-chan," Chizu whispered, laying down next to him and obliging him.
She watched him stay sitting up for a moment, scanning the room with eyes that already were becoming those of a shinobi. Apparently sure that they were safe, he laid down and pulled her closer - still holding on to the kunai. Chizu put her arms around him and pulled herself next to him, finding the awkward bed almost comfortable.
The sight was all too much. A small boy orphaned and yet . . . fulfilling the task his mother had asked of him. He was being strong. Now that Chizu thought about it, the kunai had not left Momo-chan's hand since his mother had left. After experiencing the loss of his brother and father something made her think that even Momo-chan’s young mind could comprehend the potential loss of his mother.
And the fulfilling of it.
Chizu tried to stifle another sob and ran a hand up and down Momo-chan's back.
"Shh, no bad ninja's will get you here, Zu-neesan," Momo-chan whispered and even then, Chizu watched him pull the kimono back over them both.
Edit: Finally bothered to make the scene a cut...