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“It’s been half a year,” Aiko says one day. They’re inside rather than outside, since the weather’s decided to be dreadful and spend hours pouring down, drenching anyone who dares go outside. “Do you think?”
“She’ll be back,” Asa answers, not quite snapping but close. “She said she would be. And she does send letters so we know she’s not dead.”
Michi sighs, “But it’s been six months. And a number of Uzumakis have gone before—travelling and only briefly coming back. Even if Mito does come back, will she stay here?”
Asa bites back her immediate response, swallowing harsh words, even as she catches sight of Aiko’s frown. “She will,” Asa says. She can’t afford to believe otherwise. She misses Mito more than she thought possible, missed her like she was a missing limb.
Someone enters the room, dripping water on the floorboards, and Asa leaps up to hand the Uzumaki Clan Head a towel. “Is everything alright?” She asks.
“There are boats coming in from the horizon,” her father says. “Thought you’d be interested. We think it’s a new clan coming. Not sure whether it’ll be a fight or not yet. Someone did, however, say that they sensed Mito’s chakra. They’re not certain though.”
The other girls leap to their feet. “One way to find out,” Asa chirps, even as she flies around the room to get everything together. The moment her weapons pouch is secured, she’s out the door with Aiko and Michi following her.
No one’s ever claimed that Mito’s nearby before, so Asa feels like she can be hopeful. It’s the best feeling in the world, makes the day seem a lot less gloomy than it had previously. “You might have your hopes set too high,” Aiko warns. “If it’s not Mito…”
“If it’s not Mito, at least there’ll be a new clan to deal with,” Michi says. “Better than sitting in a room being sad because Mito isn’t here and regretting that she isn’t.”
It’s the tsunami they’d been ignoring. Asa winces, but doesn’t respond. When it’s pouring down with rain, not when it’s storming, Mito had always enticed them outside. Now when it pours down, Asa just feels morose because Mito isn’t here.
By the time they reach the harbour, they’re already soaked, red hair plastered against their scalps and strands sticking to pale skin. “Asa-sama, Aiko-san, Michi-san,” a sensor beside them says, nodding in greeting. “The ships appear to be stopping but there’s a force approaching on the water.”
“In this weather?” Asa asks, narrowing her eyes to try and see through the rain. She may be an Uzumaki, may have grown up on an island surrounded by the ocean, but even she would hesitate to go out amongst the waves with the wind tossing them up so high and the rain pouring down. She could do it, but she wouldn’t want to—and it’s be a challenge.
“So it seems,” the sensor replies. “I think Mito-san is with them, but I’m not certain. It has been a while since I last sensed her.”
Asa swallows down a grin, tries to remind herself that it might not be Mito. “Thank you, Miyako-san,” she says. “Your shift’s almost over, right?” The kunoichi nods. “Go and get out of the rain, we’ll replace you until the next shift arrives.”
“It should be someone from the Mizushima Clan,” Miyako says.
The Mizushima Clan had been willing to ally themselves with the Uzumaki Clan—their second ally, if Asa’s remembering correctly. They’d been willing to join the village as well, possibly because they lived on the same island.
“Easy,” Michi says, letting Asa turn her gaze back to the sea. It’s impossible to see anything but-
“Is that a group approaching?” Aiko asks moments after Miyako’s disappeared from her post, pointing slightly left of where Asa’s looking.
Narrowing her eyes, Asa thinks she might see some shadowed figures cruising over the waves. “Maybe,” she says. She pauses. A large wave crests out at sea, then crashes down, but Asa could’ve sworn she saw shapes beneath the water. “Are they swimming?”
Swimming is by far more dangerous than running across the water. The world beneath the waves would have been turned into a whirlwind of currents and sand, leaving it impossible to see. When Asa had been much younger, she’d gotten caught beneath one of those waves and had to fight to make her way out, the wave crashing her against the seafloor again and again without giving her a second to breathe.
“Looks like,” Michi says.
“That’s insane,” Aiko responds. “Surely not! What Uzu no Kuni clan would do that?”
Asa runs through the clans she knows, some of the messages she wrote to be sent out to various nearby clans. “I don’t think of the clans I messaged would do that,” she says at last.
“The Nanami Clan might,” Michi says slowly. “There’s been rumours that they’d taken to the sea on ships, but I thought they were just rumours or something pirates were doing to try and scare people into submission.”
Asa breathes in, breathes out, and drops her shoulders, relaxing. “Let’s go greet our guests,” she says. Her clothes might be soaked and pressed against her skin; her hair might be wet and clinging to her skin; but she is Asa of the Uzumaki Clan so none of that matters.
“Of course, Asa-sama,” Aiko says, easily falling behind Asa in line with Michi. This is something they have become practiced at in recent months, (but there is always a gap at their backs, where their fourth should be but isn’t).
There’s a wall that blocks them from the beach, but the stairs down are off somewhere to the right and none of them are civilians. Gracefully, Asa hops over the wall and lands in a crouch on the sand. It sticks to her feet, but a light coating of chakra lets her walk on top of it and the sand stops sticking to her feet as a result.
Ahead of them, as a wave a few metres out begins to crest, a group of ninjas emerge from the waves. They’re clad in dark clothing, but the water seems to slip over them, rolling down. There’s five members, and one is clearly more important with white adorning their dark clothes. But it’s the fifth member that Asa can’t help but watch because, this close, she’d know Mito by her chakra if not by her face.
The thundering rain tries to confuse them, but it’s obviously Mito. She’s taller than she was, hair cut short so that it doesn’t even fall to her ears. It’s wildly different from the Mito they had waved goodbye to, but she looks more settled than she had in the weeks leading up to her departure. She looks comfortable in her skin.
(She looks beautiful, but these are things Asa has never said aloud. Not as anything but a compliment, that is. She hasn’t said with the bone-deep love she is capable of. But that is something she discovered only after Mito had left. It turns out that it’s easy to love someone without realising the truth of that love. Only when she was gone did Asa realise.)
(There is a gap where Mito used to stand. A conversation put on hold until Mito was back. Things frozen for when Mito returns.)
“Mito,” Asa says, and her voice feels fragile even if it doesn’t sound that way.
“Asa,” the kunoichi ahead returns. She smiles, and it feels like the sun’s returned from behind the clouds. “It’s good to see you,” she steps forward, graceful and fluid even though the water is turbulent beneath her. “Aiko, Michi, it’s good to see both of you as well.”
Asa swallows. “We have a lot to discuss,” she says, “but it can be done later. Please, tell us who your guests are.”
“This is the Clan Head of the Nanami Clan,” Mito says, gesturing to the ninja that Asa had identified earlier as being more important than the others, “Itsuki Nanami. With him are his guards, Ran Nanami and Aoi Nanami. This is his son, Atsushi.”
“Welcome,” Asa says, “to Uzushiogakure. I am Asa Uzumaki, Uzumaki Clan Heir, and with me are Aiko and Michi. I am afraid that one of our rivers if overflowing and causing a flood to the west at the moment, which is why you cannot meet all the Clan Heads. However, my father and two others are available to meet you, though on the opposite side of the village.”
“Mito-san has assured me that we would be welcomed here,” Itsuki says, “and I am pleased to see she is right. My clan members and I will return to our ships, but we wanted to declare we mean you no harm. If the other Clan Heads and leaders of Uzushiogakure are open to it, we would be amiable to discuss terms of joining your village.”
Asa bows in gratitude, “We would welcome you gladly,” she says. “I can organise a meeting for you tomorrow afternoon following lunch. Would you like me to send you a guide at that time?”
“That would be magnificent,” Itsuki replies. He turns to Mito. “I know you have been wanting to come here for some time. Spend time with your people and we can meet again tomorrow.”
Mito bows. “May the waves take you to safety, Itsuki-sama.”
“And may the wind fill your sails,” Itsuki replies. And then the Nanami Clan members are gone, the sea swallowing them without another word.
Once Asa is certain they’re gone, she throws herself forward at Mito, who catches her but is surprised enough that she sinks into the water. “Mito! We’ve missed you,” Asa says, and almost immediately two bodies join them so that their hug turns into a group hug.
“How have you been?” Aiko asks.
“Where have you been?” Michi asks.
Mito laughs and it sounds like a windchime. “I’ve been good,” she says, smiling and it’s so obvious, (and only know does Asa realise how composed Mito had been before she left; this is—by far—better). “And I’ve been to a lot of places, far too many to discuss out here on the beach.”
“Oh yes,” Asa says, stepping back. “Come, please, we better get you inside and we can all get changed.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Mito says. “You’ll have to tell me what all of you have been up to! A lot has certainly been going on.”
“And you’re to thank for that,” Aiko says, picking up Mito’s hand and tugging her forward and back onto the beach. “This all began with your idea.”
“It was based off of an idea I had,” Mito corrects. “I wasn’t the one who carried it out or figured out all the intricacies or invited the clans or anything. From what I hear, the Uzumaki Clan Heirs did all that.”
Michi laughs. “Are people really believing that the Uzumaki Clan Head has multiple daughters? I really didn’t think that would work.”
“They definitely are,” Mito says. “Though the age and number seem to vary depending on the rumour. Let me tell you, some of them are very exaggerated.”
Asa giggles, (keeps her eyes away from Mito’s clothes that reveal her beautiful figure; doesn’t think about how she’d prefer to be kissing the girls around her rather than being considered sisters). “I can only imagine,” she says. “This way, hurry, the storm is likely to get worse.”
They pass the Mizushima sensor on the way, who’s hurrying towards the beach and greets them with a raised hand. They pass by Mito without a second look—which Asa really doesn’t understand, how could people not take a second look at her girls?
Just before they reach the house, Asa pauses to talk to one of the Uzumaki ninjas who looks like they’re debating making a run for it in the storm. “Do you mind reaching out to the other Clan Heads and inviting them to a meeting tomorrow at two with the Nanami Clan?”
“Sure thing, Asa-sama,” the Uzumaki agrees. “Need anything else? I’m going to try and beat the next bit of the storm.”
“Good luck,” Asa wishes them before she follows the others into the house. Her father has vanished, but his chakra’s pulsing gently from the study. “Why don’t you all get changed into dry clothes,” Asa says. “I’ll speak to my father about the Nanami Clan and then meet with you.”
“This way Mito,” Aiko says. “Our rooms are down here. There’s an empty one for you, but we didn’t really know how you’d want it designed so it’s a bit empty right now. You can stay with one of us though.”
“Or,” Michi adds, “we’ll all fall asleep together which is far more likely to happen.”
Mito laughs. “Either way sounds good,” she says. “It was a fight to get here in the sea. Itsuki-sama and the others will have a hard time getting back.”
“How did you do that?” Aiko asks as they reach Asa’s room. Michi instantly goes into Asa’s closet and starts pulling out clothing for all of them. “You didn’t know that before, right?”
“The Nanami Clan are good with water ninjutsus,” Mito says, “and they were willing to teach me after I helped them out with something.”
“That sounds more like a clan secret than anything else,” Michi says. “Here, take this,” she shoves clothing onto Aiko and Mito, leaving some for Asa folded up neatly on a nearby table. “What did you do to help them?” She asks, stripping out of her clothing, (Mito neatly moves her gaze away from Michi so she doesn’t get caught looking—she’d forgotten, how beautiful the other three were).
“Just something small,” Mito says, deciding to distract herself by getting changed. “Nothing really major. And it’s not really a clan secret, they’ve taught other outsiders before.” She fails to mention the habit the Nanami Clan have of adopting outsiders and teaching them.
“Hey, Michi, did you get some clothes out for me?” Asa asks, as she enters the room, “Also, Mito, the Clan Head welcomes you back and whatnot. Chichi missed you as well.”
“Clothes are on the table over there,” Aiko answers instead. “Also, Mito, where did you travel to? Anywhere really interesting?”
Mito hums. “I travelled to a lot of places actually. There’s… a lot of the world to see, and I never really realised how much I hadn’t seen until I travelled. The people are all so different as well, with different cultures and traditions.”
“Is the fighting dying down in the mainland, do you know?” Asa asks. “Rumour has it that something’s going down with the Senju and Uchiha Clans.”
Shrugging, Mito says, “I haven’t heard much about them. I didn’t really venture into Hi no Kuni, I must admit.”
“Fair enough, the fighting is meant to be really awful there,” Michi says. Stretching, she glances at the clock. “Can you believe it’s almost midnight? It feels like it’s been night for hours.”
“That’ll be the darkness of the clouds doing that for you,” Aiko answers. “We should totally have a sleepover though. I’ll go grab blankets from everyone’s rooms. Does anyone want anything to drink or eat?”
“I’m good, thank you,” Mito answers, which everyone quickly echoes. Once Aiko’s gone, the others shift so that there are pillows on the floor with a blanket covering them. It’s not the most comfortable thing Mito’s ever slept on, but it’s far from the worst.
She’s immediately joined by Michi and Asa on either side, and… and it’s not really strange. Mito’s done this before, but she’s instantly so comfortable and feels so safe. It’s not strange to feel safe. She feels safe behind her wards and barriers and fūinjutsu and surrounded by the people she’s come to trust after travelling with them. But there’s something different about this.
(It’s the unspoken thing. It’s the way Aiko smiles at her, the way Michi runs a hand gently through her hair, the way Asa holds her hand.)
They cuddle together easily enough, grown and different from the last time, but willing enough to make it works, (and that’s all that’s really needed). Michi settles down against Mito’s side, resting her head on Mito’s shoulder, and Asa slips down on Mito’s other side, holding Mito’s hand and intertwining their fingers.
Mito tips her back and breathes, hears the comforting sound of two others echoing her. Soft footsteps pad into the room, and then a blanket is tucked over them. Mito glances at—and it’s one she knows. One she made actually. Its inelegant and was clearly made by inexperienced hands, hands that are made for knotting fishing nets and flinging kunais and drawing seals. It had been a gift to the others, (one she had made after she came back but before she had decided to leave).
The blanket’s soft, she wanted it to be, but it’s still an odd shape and texture. Mito lifts one arm to run a hand over it. “You kept it,” she says, sentiment thick in her voice.
“Of course,” Aiko says, laying down beside Asa. “You made it for us.”
“Still,” Mito can’t help but say, and-
And she loves them. Loves the three of them. Loves them in a way she had never loved Hashirama, (she had grown to love him, she had been a dutiful wife, but she hadn’t fallen in love with him—not really). She hadn’t realised. Not until now. She had missed them, fiercely and constantly, and yet she hadn’t realised.
“I’ve got a secret,” Asa says into the darkness, and Mito tears her thoughts away from her quickening heartbeat and the warm bodies beside her.
This is a thing they’ve done for many years, whispered secrets to one another in the dark, held them in cupped hands and promised to never spill them. These are things for them alone. Things said in these moments aren’t held against you. They’re let go when the dawn comes, forgiven.
There’s nothing to say so Mito just leans into Asa a bit more, tightens her grip on her hand, and tries to give all the quiet comfort she can give, (that she’s learnt how to give from these three).
There’s an audible swallow before Asa speaks. “I’m in love,” she says, words rushed and almost slurring together, “I’m in love. I’ve been in love for years and I never realised—not until recently. And it’s- it’s not just platonic either. I love. Love the three of you. And I don’t want this to change things. But I. I just had to say it.”
“I love you all too,” Mito says, and it’s easy to tag the words on after Asa’s quiet confession. Her cheeks are warm and she knows she’s blushing, but no one can see anything and Asa just squeezes her hand. “Love you in a romantic way. And I’m not sorry I left, but I am sorry I didn’t come home sooner.”
“You can home when you were ready to,” Aiko says fiercely. “And whether you’re staying or whether you’re going, I love you regardless. And that goes for all of you.”
“I’m staying,” Mito says quickly, not wanting to pretend otherwise for a moment. “I’m staying. This is home.”
“Being here with all of you is home,” Michi says. “And that’s what this love feels like, right? It feels like coming home after a long day, always being there for someone and having someone be there for you in turn, it’s love.”
Mito breathes out slowly, thinks about things she never had and things she never thought she could have. “Do you- Do we want to try? I mean. I’m happy if everything stays the same, but we could try.”
“We could,” Asa echoes. “But it’s together, I think or not at all.”
“Isn’t that how it always goes?” Michi says, and Mito can hear the smile in her voice. “I’m in.”
Aiko laughs, “I love all of you,” she says. “I want to try. I want to try.”
(There will be whispers of the Uzumaki Clan Heirs, daughters of the Clan Head. And there will be whispers of the daughter of the Clan Head and her partners. The four kunoichis who took Uzu no Kuni from an unknown name to something of legends, the ones who dreamt of Uzushiogakure and saw the village live.)
(Here is what people will not whisper: Mito leaves. Mito leaves, but she comes back. She comes back and there are people who welcome her. People who love her. Mito relearns these things, things she had forgotten—Aiko’s sweet smile, a hand held by Asa, the ease with which laughter falls from Michi’s mouth. And she will learn new things to: how Michi’s lips look kiss-swollen, how Aiko will always welcome affection whether they’re at home or in public, how Asa blushes after being kissed in public.)
(And this will be the future Mito has. One of happiness and of laughter and of chosen love. It will be a village by the sea and no unending wars. It will be the life of a kunoichi. It will be the life of Mito Uzumaki.)