Chapter Text
"Osuke, get down right this instant!"
Tsunade yelled. Her furious gaze stared up at the boy hidden in the branches of an oak tree. This was the fourth time Osuke had tried to skip taijutsu training with her. He would work so diligently on his medical ninjutsu yet when it came to anything outside of that he'd cower hidden in some tree or bush trying to avoid both her and Kakashi.
"I'm not! Leave me alone, you annoying old hag!"
The pink-haired boy stammered out. His limbs were wrapped around a sturdy branch like a python.
"What did you just call me?!"
Tsunade belted out.
"I said... YOU. ARE. AN. ANNOYING. OLD. HAG!"
He responded in a bratty manner. Suddenly she snaked her arms around the tree trunk and with one quick pull she hoisted the tree up tearing it out of the ground with its roots.
...
Training had gone disastrously bad as usual with him refusing to cooperate and acting out every time he had the chance. The boy petulantly sat on the ground with his arms and legs crossed.
"What are you doing? There's still half an hour left before we're finished."
"What's the meaning of doing all of that when I just want to heal people, not punch their heads off their shoulders?"
She sighed and walked up to him.
"How are you going to save lives, if you are dead because you couldn't defend yourself."
Osuke then stood up and walked over to a bird with a broken wing that he's been eyeing for a while. He picked it up and raised his hand up to Tsunade.
"I can always do this."
He then channeled an abundance of healing chakra. The wing was repaired however the chakra overwhelmed the tiny sparrow and its heart stopped before it started to swiftly decay in the palm of Osuke's hand. Tsunade was taken aback by the display.
"Absolutely not. The misuse of medical ninjutsu is forbidden. It is beyond unethical and a waste of chakra."
She pried the decayed carcass from Osuke's loose grip. The remains crumbled like cold embers and soiled the ground.
"Besides you'll run out of chakra. What will you do then?"
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at her scrutinizingly.
"What's the point anyway. I'll always be weak."
Without another word he darted off. Tsunade couldn't bring herself to chase after him. His spirit was already broken that was certain.
....
The next day Osuke didn't show up to practice with neither Kakashi or Tsunade. The two waited for the boy in the training grounds until sunset.
"That boy is extraordinarily late. Even for my standards."
Kakashi feigned disappointment and casually flipped through his Icha Icha book.
"Osuke is just as stubborn as his parents alright. But he's being stubborn about the wrong thing."
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose.
"That he is. He puts in more effort into escaping from us than even medical ninjutsu. He started putting different genjutsu techniques just to throw us off his trail."
He flipped to the next page without even sparing her a glance.
"Still, his unwillingness to grow stronger is definitely caused by self-esteem issues."
She wasn't ignorant to the way he downplayed his accomplishments and own skill. She saw how motivated he was with perfecting his medical ninjutsu. Some of his methods were very drastic. She remembered how he grabbed a venomous snake one day when they were on their way to Shikkotsu forest for the first time. He poised the creature at his arm waiting for it to bite him. Luckily she caught the snake before it can bite him and threw at as far as possible in the depths of the forest.
"You're right. The things a lot of members from the elite clans have whispered amongst eachother are quite cruel. I wouldn't be surprised if he caught wind of them."
Kakashi added.
"Being the heir of a clan that stopped existing a long time ago is already hard on him. I know Naruto means well when he forbade Osuke to use his Sharingan, but he isn't the one most affected by the loss of Sasuke and Sakura. It's Osuke and Sarada."
Suddenly she picked up on a familiar chakra signature. The little flame grew faint in the bushes. She ran over to them to find the pink-haired boy curled up and eavesdropping on them.
"There you are!"
Tsunade picked him up by the scruff of his burgundy shirt.
"As if!"
He stuck his tongue out and bursted into cherry blossoms.
"That brat!"
Kakashi came to investigate shortly. His uncovered eyes crinkled in delight.
"What if we change our approach with our training with him? I have an idea."
"I'm listening."
...
3 months have passed swiftly. Osuke continued with his usual lessons on medical ninjutsu and escapes from training. His methods of evasion became more clever thus his stealth and genjutsu have greatly improved. His illusions evolved from simple camouflage and disorientation to intricate diversions. With each escape however his frustrations grew too until one day he abruptly showed up to both Tsunade's and Kakashi's practice just to tell them off. That however ended very differently.
Noon, Training ground 7
"You're three months, 11 days and 21 minutes late."
Kakashi snapped his book closed and tucked it in his jonin vest. He then leisurely walked up to Osuke.
"So are you ready to start our lesson, Osuke?"
The boy clenched his fingers into fists. He puffed up his chest and looked up at him feistily.
"I just came here to tell you to stop pestering me. Just give it up already."
Kakashi stared down at him with that same carefree and nonchalant expression on his half covered face. He rummaged in one of his pockets.
"Sure. I'll leave you alone , but only if you snatch this bell from me."
He dangled a single steel bell right in front of Osuke for a moment before tucking it in his belt.
"I'm not fighting you."
The young Uchiha heir snarled.
"Then I'm not leaving you be."
The man said in singsong.
"Ugh! Fine. Prepare to lose, old man!"
...
Osuke suffered the most humiliating defeat in his life. He did everything in his power just to steal that bell. He used all Fire Style techniques he knew, racked his brain with all kinds of genjutsu and yet he lost. Kakashi disappeared in the ground and dragged him down trapping him with his head sticking out of the dirt while the rest of body was encased in filth. He then sat down next to his head cross-legged.
"Now that I have your full undivided attention mind explaining to me what's going on with you."
Osuke stayed silent for a few minutes. He then spoke up with a shaky voice.
"I've heard some... unpleasant things about me. I know I shouldn't pay attention to petty gossip, but I'm afraid most of them are right. Maybe I'll never live up to my last name's past glory. I wanted to show them my eyes, but I made a promise to Naruto. Perhaps I'm not cutout to be an Uchiha. I'll probably be only the heir of nothing."
He didn't look at his mentor in the eye as he confessed.
"What makes you think that?"
Kakashi leaned a bit closer. His gaze softened.
"An Uchiha having hair like mine is already a disgrace. I'm so weak. I'll never be as great as my father. I'll never be as terrible as Madara and Obito. My uncle worked as a double agent and killed a big part of the Uchiha clan when he was my age. And what can I do? Just throw stupid blue fireballs and stitch back up a stab wound or two."
The next thing he uttered as he looked him in the eye disturbed Kakashi slightly.
"Someone as worthless as me shouldn't be called Uchiha let alone be left alive."
A twelve year-old like him wasn't supposed to think like that, but then again his father had thoughts about vengeance when he was his age. Osuke was so similar yet glaringly different from Sasuke.
"Your father was no different when he was just as young as you. Unlike you though Sasuke vehemently sought power to fulfil his goal. Deep down he was an insecure and scared child under the proud little jerk persona he put up. "
"We're nothing alike. He was a prodigy. He was strong. I'm not and I'll never be."
Osuke shook his head.
"Says who? The loitering old geezers from the other clans who have nothing better to do than talk trash about a kid? Plus comparing yourself to other members of your clan won't help. You only see what they've accomplished and forget your achievements in the process. Don't think I haven't noticed how hard you were working on your genjutsu techniques just to avoid me and Tsunade."
A small smile formed under the sixth Hokage's mask. He observed Osuke's scrutinising glare unwind into a neutral and thoughtful stare at the distance.
"I'm quite eager to work with you on those blue flames you've got."
Right. The deal was that Kakashi would leave him alone only if he managed to get that bell. With a swift yank the silver-haired man undid the jutsu and got Osuke out of the ground.
...
Tsunade was waiting for Osuke in the usual training ground. It was late afternoon already and she was ready to leave, but the boy jogged up to her and called out her demanding her to wait. He looked like a mess. His attire was covered in dirt and small cuts were visible on his skin. He tried to brush off the filth off his white shorts to look at least a bit more presentable. His gaze was on the ground and Tsunade couldn't see his face clearly.
"Lady Tsunade."
He then slowly looked up from her revealing a certain type of tenacity in his eyes she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Teach me how to punch a man's head off his shoulders."
The humiliation from his defeat coupled with the desperation to get rid of at least one of his mentors drove him to make this decision.
"Very well. I'm not going easy on you though."
...
She did not go easy on him at all. She didn't pull any punches and he took everything despite his incessant whining. By the time they finished Osuke was panting and breathing heavily. He layed on the grass trying to get his bearings.
"You've heald up quite a bit for someone who barely trains on his taijutsu."
Tsunade knelt beside him healing his sprained wrist.
"I want you here tomorrow again. Seven in the morning. Don't be late."
Early morning, training ground 3
"When you said training I thought you meant teaching me new techniques and working on my stamina..."
Osuke yelled as he dodged the giant rock flying in his direction.
"Not throwing boulders at me, you crazy hag!"
Another boulder came at his direction from the high ground Tsunade was standing on.
"You're supposed to punch them, Osuke. Not destroy them!"
The boy dived out of the way just in time.
"How?!"
She picked up another one and aimed it at him.
"Concentrate your chakra in your fists and expel it just as you're about to hit the rock."
He honed in a large amount of chakra and coated his left fist with it and then he released it mere seconds before the rock could collide with his face. The impact shattered the boulder but also launched him backwards. The boy stumbled and fell on his behind.
"I did it!"
He triumphed.
Noon, training ground 7
"Are you even paying attention to me?"
Osuke grimaced. He could barely contain the Raikiri on his hand while standing. The pressure from the jutsu was immense and the light was blinding. Kakashi simply gave him vague instructions along the lines of: "activate your Sharingan and concentrate lightning in your hand.", the necessary hand signs and sat on a tree trunk reading his erotic novel.
"Yes, yes. You're doing great."
He said without even looking up from his book.
"What's the meaning of learning this jutsu? Didn't you say we were going to work on Fire Style techniques."
He closed his book and put it aside in his pocket. He rose to his full height and walked up to the boy. He then pulled his arm and shoulder back.
"Your stance should be wider."
He said as he corrected Osuke's posture.
"Because of your good chakra control you picked up on this technique faster than your father did and adapted to lightning style very quickly. You should be proud."
Kakashi's praise gave him a slight boost in confidence. His determination to become stronger to get that bell grew.
...
Half a year later Osuke slowly began to forget the original goal for training under Tsunade and Kakashi. His days mostly consisted of waking up early to walk Sarada to school, train with Tsunade, practice medical ninjutsu and help in the hospital, then by noon he would eat lunch and practice with Kakashi. By late afternoon he would go pick up Sarada from school and go home to have dinner and spend quality time with his younger sister. He had no friends to hang out with. Most of the time he was shunned by his peers in the academy and a year ago when he graduated he was kicked out of the squad he was assigned to. Apparently his jonin instructor was a member of the Shimura clan who had particular dislike towards him. Tsunade and Kakashi were kind Ohenough to have taken him in after his parents passed away.
As he became stronger he also gained more confidence. He was even curious about learning more techniques outside of medical ninjutsu. His stamina and taijutsu improved and his blue flames became even bigger and more destructive. Even the basic form of Raikiri was added to his arsenal.
Noon, training ground 7
"I want to try the bell test again, but I want to call off the deal before that."
Osuke said as he adjusted the pouch on his back.
"Oh?"
Kakashi tilted his head to the side. Intrigued by the sudden change in his heart. No. That wasn't a change of heart, but something more. Osuke did not simply change. He saw his motivations shifting and becoming stronger with each day.
"I want to see how far I've come."
He then put on a pair of gloves and took on a fighting stance.
"Come at me then."
The man beckoned with his fingers. Osuke wasted no time to run up to him in neck break speed. His mentor held his hands up to counter his incoming attack, but the boy dove down and slid past his wide stance. He scrambled up and poised a powerful punch at the back of his neck. Kakashi easily evaded the strike and kicked the boy in the shin. Osuke regained his footing and continued attacking him. Instead of only punching and kicking he used his whole body mainly his elbows and shoulders aiming his abdomen. For the past half-year he began developing a style he was most comfortable with and honed his chakra enhanced strength to fullest. He was still too slow for his master's reflexes, but also less predictable now.
Kakashi was taken by surprise when his disciple grabbed him by the wrist pulled him down to his level and rammed his elbow into his solar plexus. His flack jacket did nothing to cushion the devastating damage. It would take a lot more for him to be defeated though since he recovered fast enough to channel chakra to his hands and shifted swiftly through the hand signs.
Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!
He merged with the ground and swam through the earth approaching Osuke from below ready to pull him down. Having already fallen victim to this jutsu once the Uchiha dug his hands in the dirt and wrenched Kakashi out. Using the momentum he threw him over his back and slammed him hard on the ground.
"I'm not falling for the same trick, chaaaaaaaaa!!!"
He wasted no time to take advantage of the opening and snagged the bell that hanged on his waist temptingly. Kakashi layed there on the ground smiling proudly at the pink-haired boy.
"You did well."
Osuke smiled back at him. A real toothy wide smile that could even rival Naruto's.
...
"Aniki!"
Sarada ran up to her older brother as soon as she saw him waiting for her at the front entrance. He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame when she threw herself at him.
"You look pretty happy to see me."
He shortly pulled away. The little girl pushed up her glasses and smiled sweetly at him.
"Mhm!"
She noded eagerly and dragged him along with her.
"I got the highest grade on my science test!"
She bragged after coming to a halt just at the gate. She rummaged through her backpack and presented the test. A perfect score.
"Good job!"
He praised.
"Since both of us did so well today why don't we go out for dessert?"
"Dinner first, Osuke."
The boy jumped at the voice of the stricter one from his mentors voice. How did he not notice near the gate.
"Lady Tsunade?!"
She chuckled at his reaction. The Senju walked up to the two children. Her hazel eyes landed on Sarada's test.
"But I can make an exception for today. Both of you earned it. Come now. I'll treat you to something sweet."
...
Osuke shoveled warabi mochi in his mouth. This was his third serving. Sarada meanwhile contently munched on her dango as she told them about her day at school and the new things she learned.
"Kakashi told me about the bell test. I'm proud of you, Osuke. You worked so hard these last six months. You've improved greatly both your medical ninjutsu and your fighting technique. But most importantly you grew here."
Tsunade reached out across the table and pointed at his heart. The boy stopped eating and waited for her to continue.
"I have faith that one day I'll see the mark of the Byakugou Seal- the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu, right over..."
She stood up from her seat and stepped in front of him. She brushed aside his pink bangs and tilted his head up. Tsunade pressed her lips gently on his forehead smearing a bit of her lipstick.
"Here."
Osuke's cheeks were dusted with a pale shade of red. Warmth coursed through his body. He could almost see his own mother for a moment. He averted his gaze trying to keep it cool, but the tenderness of her gesture overwhelmed him. His fingers lightly touched the spot she kissed. His lips curled up and his eyes shined joyfully.