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Chapter Text

Himawari's cheeks are puffed out, holding back tears as she pulls herself up from yet another tumble. Her knees sting and her favourite yellow jacket is dirty. Mama is going to scold her – if Himawari can find Mama again.

Himawari doesn't know what happened.

Konoha is suddenly so weird – the buildings are old, the shortcuts Big Brother showed her are missing, and their house is nowhere in sight! She'd gone to Grandpa and Auntie's because Grandpa always takes care of Boruto and her whenever Mama is busy (is gone the same as busy?), but Himawari didn't recognise the guards at the door. They chased her out and now she's lost.

Himawari scrubs at her eyes but keeps running forward.

Even if their house is missing, the distinct Hokage Tower has not. Himawari races up the long spiraling staircase that leads to the Hokage's office, stomach rolling in anxiety. The door is open, there's another unrecognisable guard in vigil, but Himawari doesn't notice this time.

What she does see is Papa's blond hair, and Papa long white Hokage cloak billowing behind his pacing steps. Himawari bolts through the doorway without a second thought, tears finally falling free because Papa won't make fun of her for it; he'll make everything better like always.

She leaps into Papa's arms, face buried in his broad chest, voice hitching as she cries. A warm hand caresses her head and there's a low comforting rumble.

"Papa," she wails. "I can't find Mama or Big Brother, and our house is gone, and Grandpa and Auntie's house is weird, and the village looks different, and-" she babbles, unrestraint.

But then she stops because something is wrong. She looks up through blurry eyes, and Papa looks awkward and different – Papa is not Papa at all. Himawari shoves out of the man's hold, scrambling back in fear.

"W-who are you?" she demands like the brave girl Mama and Papa say she is.

The man kneels, blue eyes gentle and soft and so much like Papa's. "I'm Namikaze Minato, the Hokage?" he says, as if asking her. Then, "And who might you be, little one?"

"I'm Uzumaki Himawari, and Papa's the Hokage," Himawari corrects.

The man frowns.

There's a sudden flicker and an Anbu drops down out of nowhere. Himawari falls in surprise, Byakugan activating because she won't let fake Papa's Anbu hurt her. But then they're gaping at her instead, and the Anbu's chakra looks strangely familiar.

"Grandpa Kakashi?" Himawari says, confused.

The Dog mask lifts, and Grandpa Kakashi stares back, young, eyes mismatched, as the red one swirls like Uncle Sasuke's Sharingan. Himawari's lip wobbles. Grandpa Kakashi shares a look with fake Papa, then they both face grimly towards her.

Turns out it'll be a long while before Mama can scold her about her clothes.

Chapter Text

There’s a small child barreling into the Hokage’s office, tears rolling down her rosy little cheeks. Minato gestures for the guard outside the door to stand down, before he can stop her, because he can see the distress on the girl’s face and he doesn’t have the heart to do her any more harm.

Instead, he turns and braces for impact, arms held out expectantly. The girl stumbles into his chest, sniffling and hiccupping and so dangerously close for an unknown variable that Minato can sense Kakashi’s chakra flickering uncomfortably in his peripheral senses.

Minato does his best to comfort her – he’s going to be a father soon, and calming the little lady seems like proper experience. But clearly he’s done something wrong, when she sharply pulls away in fright.

“W-who are you?” she asks, while Minato’s mind categorises her possible identity because all his citizens know him well – a travelling merchant’s daughter, or perhaps she’s younger than she appears?

“I’m Namikaze Minato, the Hokage?” he says soothingly, trying not to scare her further. “And who might you be, little one?”

She pauses, then answers, “I’m Uzumaki Himawari, and Papa’s the Hokage,” so very confident that Minato doesn’t know how to react; the only Uzumaki in Konoha should be his wife.

Kakashi’s chakra ripples, and then he’s beside him abruptly, in a stance casual but utterly dangerous – because unlike Minato, Kakashi’s focus had been the latter of her sentence, and that sounded too much like conspiracy to treason for the Anbu’s liking. Not by her, of course, but kids have a tendency to echo their parent’s words.

Himawari trips in panic, and Minato is about to admonish his Anbu for surprising her. Except then, Himawari’s eyes change from blue to the Hyuuga’s pearly Byakugan and somehow she recognises the man behind the Anbu mask, calling him familiarly, “Grandpa Kakashi?”

Kakashi is fourteen - young, short and growing - and nothing Grandpa-like, Minato would like to note. There is clearly more to this situation than it initially seems. Kakashi’s Sharingan is already checking for danger and deception. When he looks impassively over, Minato knows he found none.

Minato studies the girl once more with all the clues in mind, and suddenly he doesn’t think it’s a coincidence how utterly familiar those cerulean blue eyes of hers had been.

“Uzumaki,” he thinks to himself, and recalls the chaos only his wife can get into. It must be in the genes.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Grandpa Hound buys Himawari ice cream along the way. It makes the day all the better. Himawari can't stop beaming because it turns out even though Grandpa Kakashi is more distant than the Grandpa she knows, he really isn't all that different after all!

"Hold it carefully," he tells her, when he hands over the cone.

Chocolate drips down her tiny fingers. "Okay," Himawari agrees.

Grandpa Hound doesn't seem happy how she's holding onto it with only one hand, but that's silly because Himawari has plenty of experience eating ice cream. Plus, how else can she hold onto Grandpa Hound's hand as well? He sighs, and slips his wallet back into his pouch - one-handedly, of course, much like the way he paid for the treat, because Himawari clings stubbornly on.

(Actually, Himawari knows the ice cream trick to make her let go; Big Brother used it on her once when he spotted his friends. But shhh, Grandpa Kakashi doesn't need to know that.)

She gives the cone a cheery lick.

Himawari skips beside Grandpa Hound, letting their joined hands swing merrily between them. She can see the Hokage Mountain again, and it really is weird without Great-grandma Tsunade, Grandpa Kakashi, and Papa's faces staring down on her.

Himawari peeps at the funny mask Grandpa Hound has on. She tries to remember his face underneath, when he took it off briefly in the Hokage office. He looked young, Himawari recalls, even younger than the face she always saw on the mountain. And he looked a bit sad too.

That's no good. A sad Grandpa is wrong, and it makes her heart crumble. She can't think of a time when Grandpa isn't smiling and teasing everyone around him.

"Do you need a hug, Grandpa Hound?" Himawari asks suddenly.

Grandpa Hound pulls away a little at her abrupt words, but their hands are connected, so Himawari gets pulled along.

"No," he finally says, once he swiftly steadies her from the unexpected tumble.

Himawari pouts, determined. "But you always say you love my hugs."

"I-" Grandpa Hound starts awkwardly, sounding like he's trying to find a proper way to refuse. "I don't-"

Himawari huffs and doesn't let him finish. She pounces on him with all her might. He twitches, his feet shuffle, but he doesn't move away. Himawari knows he won't because it doesn't matter if Grandpa Kakashi is young or old; he is kind and won't dodge and let her fall.

She squeezes tight and thinks thoughts of love as hard as she can. When she pulls back, Grandpa Hound still hasn't moved.

Himawari frowns and hesitantly asks, "Do you feel better now?" because it looks like her special Himawari hug didn't work this time.

He looks away, and Himawari's heart drops. But then, before she has time to feel down, he turns back to her and answers, "…yes," in a voice so soft and lost that it makes him seem shy.

Himawari inhales in surprise.

Cautiously, Grandpa Hound reaches out. Its takes a while before he finally drops a hand on her head and give her a fond pat, but that's fine, Himawari doesn't mind waiting if it's for Grandpa Kakashi's sake. She beams up at him. "I'm glad," she chirps.

And then she reaches up to grab a hold of his hand once more. Her fingers are sticky from her sugary treat, but this time Grandpa no longer seems to mind.

Chapter Text

Grandpa Hound takes Himawari to meet a lady called Kushina.

Kushina's bright red hair shimmers under the sunlight. She's loud and affectionate, and the large smile stretched on her face looks so familiar even though Himawari doesn't think they've met before. And then Kushina speaks, ending her sentence funnily like Papa does whenever he's excited.

Himawari's eyes widen.

"Are you related to Papa?" she asks finally, because no one else she knows does that.

Kushina grins, large and toothy, winks at Grandpa Hound, and rubs her round belly. "I don't know, is your Papa's name Naruto?"

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Himawari agrees, eagerly nodding her head.

Her grin only widens. "Well," she says in a whisper, like she's telling Himawari a secret. Himawari gasps at the idea and she wordlessly promises she won't tell. Grandpa Hound is still hovering behind her, watching them carefully, but Himawari knows Grandpa won't tell either. Grandpa is very trustworthy. Kushina must think so too, when she continues, "You know, the baby in my tummy is going to be called Naruto."

Himawari blinks, face scrunched in thought, then suddenly clasps her hands across her mouth, because the Fourth Hokage told her she was in the past, didn't he?

"It's Papa?" she guesses.

"That's right."

Himawari squeals, bouncing on her heels. She wants to run up and give Tummy Papa a great big hug, because it's Papa! Super tiny past Papa who's still sleeping in his Mama's tummy. Himawari shuffles, but holds herself back - Mama taught her better than to selfishly do as she pleases.

So she squirms in place until Kushina suddenly laughs and pulls her close. "Do you want to feel Naruto kick?" she asks indulgently.

Himawari nods and Kushina guides her small hands to gently wrap around the bump. There are odd gurgling sounds that makes Himawari wonder if Tummy Papa is snoring in his sleep. She lays there for another second before she lifts her head and hesitantly tugs on the lady's green dress. "If you're Papa's mom," Himawari begins slowly, "then does that make you Grandma Kushina?" she asks, hopeful; she never had a Grandma before.

When Grandma Kushina beams at her, it's even more vibrant than the red of her hair. She reaches out and squishes Himawari into her chest, tight and full of joy. "Of course!"

Later, when the Fourth Hokage returns to check up on Himawari, she tells him about her day with Grandpa Hound, Tummy Papa, and Grandma Kushina.

The Fourth gapes for a second as she rattles off names, and then he looks like Big Brother when he's sulking, if not for the fact that Big Brother also tells her that adults don't sulk. Grandma Kushina looks away and her shoulders shake soundlessly.

Turns out the Fourth really wants to be called Grandpa as well, but Himawari thinks Grandpa the Fourth Hokage is really a mouthful.

Chapter Text

Himawari blinks owlishly up at Grandma Kushina, eyes pearly white.

"Ooh, it is the Byakugan!" Grandma gasps, hands clasped together, sounding surprised even though she was the one to ask to see it in the first place. Himawari shyly endures the coos and pinches to her cheeks while Grandma Kushina fusses over her appearance. Then Grandma nods resolutely to herself and tells Himawari she'll make a note to arrange play-dates with the Hyuuga Clan when baby Papa is born.

Himawari approves.

Grandpa would love it. Grandpa adores kids; he always smiles so brightly at Big Brother and her whenever they go visit the Hyuuga Compound. Grandpa would have so much fun.

"When did you learn how to use it?" Grandma Kushina asks excitedly, still squishing her cheeks.

The cheer Himawari feels drain to cold guilt. Her lips wobbles, remembering how she'd made Papa miss the biggest day of his life. Himawari had been a bad girl that day.

She hunches her shoulders.

"I was mad at Big Brother," Himawari admits, because that was the start of it all. "I hurt Papa and Uncle Kurama by mistake," she continues, and ducks her head, remembering how she'd thrown Papa into the wall. She wonders if Grandma Kushina will hate her for hurting her son; Mama and Papa are always scary whenever people try to hurt Big Brother and her. "But Mama and Auntie are teaching me Gentle Fist so it doesn't happen again," she tacks on quickly, but still bites her lips in worry.

Grandma Kushina's hands slide from her cheeks. Himawari's eyes tingle for a second, but only until Grandma makes a concerned crooning sound from the back of her throat, and then moves to gather Himawari in her arms instead.

Grandma Kushina's hugs are just as warm as Mama's.

"Uncle Kurama?" Grandma asks suddenly.

Himawari cocks her head before glancing up at Grandma Kushina. "Grandpa Kurama?" she tries. Then, "Great-great-many greats-grandpa Kurama," she corrects because that's what Papa said it actually was until Mama told him to stop teasing his partner.

But Grandma Kushina still looks confused. "Who is this Many-greats-grandpa Kurama?" she asks, concerned.

"Did Uncle Kurama change his name?"

"How about you describe him to me, sweetie?"

Himawari nibbles on her lips until she thinks of the best description. "Uncle Kurama is a Tummy Fox," she declares confidently.

Grandma's grip tightens. "Are you talking about the Kyuubi…" she starts, but before Himawari even has time to answer, she twirls her quickly around until they're face-to-face. "Uncle Kurama, you say?" she mutters once more, looking deep into Himawari's eyes.

"Mm-hmm, he's Papa's best friend."

Grandma Kushina startles at the revelation. Slowly, she rests a hand cautiously on her belly before suddenly rising and shooing Himawari off to play with Grandpa Kakashi instead.

Himawari does so even though she has no idea what is going on. Grandparents are weird sometimes.

Chapter Text

KUSHINA

Kushina opens her eyes to the familiar sight of the Kyuubi crucified to a stone tablet by her chakra chains. A long, orange ear twitches at the sounds of her approaching footsteps, but the Kyuubi stays otherwise motionless.

She halts in front of him.

Eventually the Kyuubi swivels a glare towards her figure when it’s evident she has no desire to leave him be. “You’re not wanted here, human,” he says, haughtily so, despite his pitiful imagine. He’s held down by stakes through every limb, pulled impossibly tight by chakra chains. It has always been this way since Kushina had been taught to restraint the beast, but today, the sight of it makes her feel ashamed and uncomfortable because for once she’s forced to consider that perhaps everything she had been taught had been wrong.

“Kurama,” Kushina greets, and it’s another thing history books and Mito-sama had failed to ever mention.

The reaction is instantaneous.

“Where did you hear that name?” Kurama roars.

Kushina knows he has the ability to watch the outside world through her eyes. If he looked, he would have seen Himawari and heard her impossible tale. But he hasn’t. It's not that the fox respects her privacy rather than the fact that he can’t care less what happens in her insignificant little life.

The feeling had always been mutual.

Except now.

“From a friend,” Kushina says. His friend. His family, rather, because it sounds like her son and his family adopted the Kyuubi as their own.

It is always said that the Kyuubi is a force of destruction and hatred, a natural disaster, a demon that has to be kept in check. But Kushina trusts the man her son will become (and her granddaughter) more than “common knowledge”, and no Uzumaki would label a demon Uncle unless he truly earned that place in their hearts.

Before her, Kurama snorts, snout crinkled in disgust. “Relying on another’s knowledge for your own selfish needs. Heh, typical. Knowing my name hardly makes you worthy of using it.”

Kushina knows it doesn’t.

She’d always considered herself a kind woman with revolutionary ideals. It pains her to realise this is not the case. She’d discriminated against the Kyuubi because of hearsay rather than personal experience – in fact, she’d as much as avoided contact wherever possible. She’d chained him like a tortured animal, forgotten and ignored until she needed to borrow his chakra.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Kushina apologises. “I haven’t been treating you with the respect you deserve. I’ve been tasked with the duty to keep you from running amok, but that is no reason for me to chain you to this state, or leave you to suffer in isolation.”

Kurama gazes at her. He’s quiet in his disbelief because this behaviour is unprecedented in her, and perhaps he’s also already lost all faith in the kindness of humanity after being jailed for so long. The disbelief quickly makes way for doubt and suspicion. “Isolation? It’s preferable to your company, human. Don’t flatter yourself. Don’t assume you understand me because you’ve found out my name,” Kurama spits out a last.

Kushina doesn’t let his tone bother her.

“I won’t,” Kushina agrees. “I don’t,” because she’d never taken the time to see him as anything other than a vicious beast since she’d inherited the role of jinchuuriki from Mito-sama. “But you’ll find someone who will.”

She’s surprised to find herself feeling relived by those words.

No one should feel lonely. She can still vividly recall her early days in Konoha, taken away from family and friends, lost, confused, and everything made worse from the bullying because it only highlighted her lack of support. There was a hollow hole in her chest that only grew and grew, until it started to fill with anger and resentment and anything negative that came her way.

She doesn’t wish the same for anyone else.

Perhaps she won’t have the same impact as her future son will on Kurama. They might not reach the level of best friend that Naruto acquired, but Kushina is willing to try.

Her chains unfurrow from the Kyuubi’s limbs and shoot vertical in successive thuds. Kurama lunges at her, teeth bared, but held back by the makeshift jail bars. Rather than the fear she might have felt days ago, Kushina only feels sorrow now, because she’d done this to him – humanity had done this to him –, this animosity he felt for her and her kind.

“I can’t free you, but at least you’ll have a bit more freedom this way,” Kushina says into the cage of chains.

Kurama snarls.

Kushina smiles sadly and lets her consciousness return back to the world outside. There, Minato is standing vigilantly by her side with Yamanaka-san, because her husband is a protective worrywart who accepted nothing less when she informed him of her plan. Kushina flashes a smile at them both to ease their concern.

Kushina places a hand on her belly once more. “Could we have been friends as well?” Kushina wonders softly to herself. Is it too late to repair what she never allowed in the first place?