Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Mended Hearts ❯ Epilogue ( Epilogue )

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I wish I did, but I don't.

 

Original Summary: AU Naruto hides many secrets from Konohagakure no Sato. As time continues, Naruto's precious people learn the hard way that many secrets are best left untouched, and that Naruto is not at all what they believed.

 

New Summary: AU Beginning and ending with his name, Naruto's past is veiled in mystery. Even as Kakashi teaches him the meaning of affection and love, Naruto's secrets come into the open, and it falls to Naruto's precious people to protect and support him as his father's name and legacy threatens to crush him and destroy the Hidden Village of the Leaf.

 

Chapter Summary: The story of love and heartbreak draws to a close as the lessons about the heart and mind are passed on to the next generation…

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Epilogue~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“So, what happened next?” A little girl with golden-silver hair exclaimed, clinging to her father. “Did he ever recover?”

 

The man laughed, “Yes, my dear, he did recover. It was a gradual thing, but in the end, he persevered…”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Healing was a long and tedious task, but with the unfaltering support of Kakashi and Iruka and Genma as well as the Konoha 12, Naruto began the slow journey to recovery. His smiles didn't come as easily, and it seemed that the blonde was in a near perpetual state of depression, but the few times a smile could be coaxed out of him, it seemed as though a warm shaft of sun had broken through the heavy clouds, casting light and definition over a cold and dreary world.

 

“Naruto?” Kakashi stood outside the door of Naruto's bedroom in the mid-sized apartment that they had shared ever since the blonde's suicide attempt nearly six months before. “Are you awake?”

 

There was no answer.

 

Kakashi sighed, “You can't stay in there forever you know.”

 

There was a faint rippling of chakra in response, and then, nothing.

 

Kakashi closed his eyes and laid his head against the smooth wood of the door and murmured quietly, knowing that the blonde's enhanced senses could still pick up the words, “Everyone is worried about you, you know. It's your birthday. Iruka is throwing you a party. Will you come if only to ease his mind?”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Behind the door, the blonde turned dead eyes toward the mirror, noting the dark circles and the pale skin. He had lost a lot of weight since his attempted suicide, and now, even inside the room, he had little to no privacy. Kakashi's senses were on him all the time, and at least one Hunter was watching him from the opposite rooftop at any time. He wasn't permitted to go on any missions until his psychological evaluation turned up good results. The uncaring demeanor of his peers still turned up in his dreams nowadays…

 

But Iruka…

 

Kakashi knew him far too well. If there was anyone he would go out of his way for, even in his current state, it was Iruka.

 

Did it hurt Kakashi that he would leave and smile for Iruka and not him? Naruto wondered idly.

 

Of course it did. He knew Kakashi well enough to know that it al but killed the jounin inside to know that the person who could get Naruto to actively get up and do something was Iruka and not him. It stirred up something dark and warm from the depths of his heart…

 

Something warm and wet hit the back of his hand and he realized his face was wet. He blinked and touched his face, feeling the wetness on his skin…

 

“This is…”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The faint murmur barely reached Kakashi's ears, and the Copy-nin frowned. “Naruto? Are you alright?”

 

The door suddenly opened, and a pair of arms wrapped around his waist. Kakashi blinked as his arms reflexively came up to embrace the sobbing blonde.

 

“Naruto?”

 

The blonde's only response was to tighten his arms around Kakashi's midsection. The jounin smiled tightly at the blonde and pressed a light kiss to the top of Naruto's head.

 

“It's alright. Whatever it is, it's alright. I'm here…”

 

“Don't go…”

 

Kakashi blinked and a rueful smile crossed his face. “Whatever gave you the idea that I was going anywhere?” He gently pulled away, and placed a hand on Naruto's chin, tilting his face up slightly. “I'm right here. I won't leave you,” Kakashi leaned down and brushed his lips over Naruto's. He smiled as he moved away. “Get dressed. Iruka went through all the trouble of arranging for a party to celebrate your birthday. It would be rude for you to not at the very least make an appearance…”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“But what does that have to do with the story, Tou-san?” the girl interrupted.

 

The silver haired man smiled indulgently at the child in his lap. “Everything, Rin-chan. It was that incident that led him toward the road to recovery, ultimately leading to who he is now.”

 

“Really?!”

 

“Yes,” a smooth baritone said, “And Kakashi will finish the story tomorrow, as it is a certain little girl's bedtime.”

 

“Awww…. But Chichi-ue~!”

 

“No buts. Off with you.”

 

“Hai…”

 

The silver haired man smiled at the figure in white and red. “You do realize that it's only eight?”

 

Naruto chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss on Kakashi's cloth covered lips. “Little shinobi children at six years old need their rest, especially when they are the only child of the Rokudaime Hokage and Hatake Kakashi and will be stating the Academy tomorrow morning. She can't always rely on us or the ANBU to protect her, not with her sort of lineage.”

 

“You're far too protective of the girl,” Kakashi said, brushing a hand lightly over the whisker like scars.

 

“I have every right to be protective!” Naruto protested. “I spent nine months in my Orioke no Jutsu form to carry and give birth to her!”

 

Kakashi chuckled and rose to his feet. “Very well, I concede. Come to bed, Hokage-sama.”

 

Naruto laughed, and allowed his husband to lead him into their bedroom…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CSA Version 7 Mended Hearts What Are You Hiding?