Sorrryyyyy the update a week thing didn't work out as well as I'd hoped... So ima aim for a couple chapters over the next few DAYS to make up for my negligence, so keep an eye out for those... also they'll be leaving the village with Tazuna soon so we can finally get this ball rolling~

Shout out to for making me update ^^ You should check out her story 'Get Me The Hell Away From These Weirdos', it has a pretty pink sunset cover, can't miss it, and it's a hella great story annnddd she updates more often than me at the moment Lol

I've entered this story in the NarutoWattyAwards under the General Naruto Category so if thou dubs this story worthy you should totally go vote for it

Ok here we go, sorry for holding you back...

The edge of my blade sliced through the air like a hot knife through butter. The calm orange of the early morning sun glinted along the sharpened metal and reflected flashes of white light as it sliced cleanly through the tall stalks of wheat. The smell of the clean farm air was only accompanied by the faint musky scent of earth and wheat. The soft swishing of the cool breeze drifting over the stalk heads symphonised with the regular humming of metal as it cut through the crops.

The repeated swinging of the scythe had begun to burn at the muscles of my arms and torso, and a small collection of sweat was collecting on my forehead. The serene familiarity of the task had a calm hold over me, even as the warming sun got higher and my muscles became tighter.

"No, Kida, swing more like this!" I was snapped from my solitude by Ms Takashimas distant voice.

I glanced over to where she was harvesting with her own scythe almost fifty metres away and observed her motion. "I am swinging like that!"

"No you're not or I wouldn't have to tell you how you should be swinging it!"

"But this way covers more ground with each swing!"

"That way also prevents you from cutting closer to the ground! Bend your knees more when you swing!"

"Just focus on your own spot!"

"Don't be a brat!"

"Don't be a hag!"

I sensed the airborne object as it approached and tilted my head to the side in a swift dodge before snapping my neck around to glare at the woman. Ignoring the soft thud of what I'm presuming to have been a rock as it landed on the ground behind me.

The old woman stood leaning against her scythe, grey hair pulled back loosely in a bun, and skin crinkling at the corners of her eyes and mouth as she smiled subtly back at me.

She looks different to how I thought she looked for some reason. She seems younger and stronger. Not so much the shifty, frail woman that I had expected to see when I turned around, the lady that she had slowly been becoming in the last month or so before... before what? My mind just blanked, had she ever looked any different to how she did now?

But this feeling was still there, like between today and yesterday she had somehow changed. It wasn't even necessarily how she looked, more the feeling I was getting from being with her. Why do I have this feeling, like I need to keep my eyes on her so she doesn't leave me, like she's just going to suddenly disappear.

"Well, if you're not going to retaliate, may as well get back to work." She spoke with humour in her voice as she readied her scythe for another swing. I don't know how long I had continued to stare before shaking myself free from whatever trance had me watching the old woman like a weirdo, and began working on crops again, subtly changing my stance to how the hag had said.

We continued working under the sun, it's rays warming my skin. I hadn't expected Ms Takashima to speak again while we worked, she'd usually be the one scolding me whenever I got distracted. "You haven't come to see me, I guess that means you followed through on your promise."

My eyebrows furrowed as I continued to work. "What do you mean? You're right here."

"If you say so." Her words came out softer this time as she spoke

I stopped and lowered my scythe to look at her fully. Further confusion bubbled to the surface as she slowly stopped her work again and smiled softly at me, her hazel brown eyes lighting up as she spoke. "It's good to see you again, Kida."

~~~~~~~~~

The air chilled my clammy skin as I suddenly sat upright in my bed causing prickles to run along the surface and a wave of small shivers to run up and down my spine. My eyes burned as they stared wide and blurry around the barely illuminated, moon washed room.

My room, with Kakashi, in the Leaf Village. That's right.

I reached up with shaking hands, not surprised to feel the warm liquid pooling from my eyes and still falling even as I used the backs of my hands to furiously rub at the evidence of my weakness.

I hadn't taken note of my shaking breaths untill the need for more sufficient supplies of air became apparent and I forced myself to breath deeper. The night was silent beyond my shallow breathing, Kakashi would have long gone to bed by now, and the night life outside was now non existent.

Not wanting to fall for the same sleep spell, I slipped out of the warm confines of the covers and searched silently for my shoes and dark grey hoodie. Equipping myself with my katana and weapons pouch I slid the window open, letting the night air wash into the room. I slid myself over he edge and blindly guided my way down the side of the apartment building using other windows ledges and crevices in the walls as foot and hand holds. After a short, swift decent, my shoes softly met the hard packed dirt path below. And with a quick glance around for any onlookers out in the night, I sprinted off away from my still open bedroom window.

~~~~~~~~~ the next day ~~~~~~~~~

The last couple of days have been pretty repetitive. Our missions since the water main incident have rotated between weeding, dog walking, and overall community service themed tasks.

Sasuke's been playing it cool, as his steriotype requires, but his attitude suggests he thinks his abilities are above such tasks.

Sakura's been good, although she's slower with the manual labour she obviously tries hard to keep up and doesn't complain much... not externally anyway.

As for me, I'm kinda used to this sort of work from previous jobs in other villages. But it is kinda anti-climactic from what I'd come to expect from being a ninja.

Naruto's definately taking our 'missions' the worat of all of us though. He possesses the unfortunate ability to take the most simplistic tasks and in an attempt to turn them into dramatic acts of heroics, he effectively embarasses himself and endangers the lives and well-being of the people around him. I know I complain now, but it is actually interesting to watch. He tries so hard to be better than Sasuke, but then ends up taking three steps back, slipping on spilt custard, and spontaneously combusting into a cloud of dissapointment and regret... but I guess it's the thought that counts.

There was a brisk chill in the air that accompanied the rising eight o'clock sun. Its rays seeped through my black ninja pants and mask, and coated my bare arms revealed by a navy tank-top. The lush, green grass beneath me tickled my armsand my silver hair spilled freely over the ground around my head. The rise and fall of my chest as I breathed was the only movement I allowed myself as I let the calm whispers of wind through leaves lull me to sleep.

Ahh... but he's found me...

The serenity was broken by an unwelcome, yet expected interruption.

"Kida, you're supposed to be helping your team-mates with the garden work." Kakashi's scolding drifted upset my calm surroundings. I forced my dark eyes open and stared indifferently up at him from my relaxed spot on the ground.

His own dark eyes searched my face as I allowed myself a tired sigh before replying. "Yeah, I am."

I had been helping with the weeding, but because of last night I got so tired I kept almost passing out in the flower beds. Which I think would have looked worse than me just deciding to take a nap out of laziness rather than sleep deprivation.

"Why are you so tired?"

I just shrugged in response. Kakashi doesn't need to know that I didn't want to go back to sleep in case I had another dream. And he definately doesn't need to know that I didn't make it home again until dawn.

"Might it have something to do with you not being in your bed last night?"

...Well shit. Did he follow me? I didn't sense anyone watching me... but there was that one faint feeling on my sprint back, but that was only for a faint moment. He hadn't said anything this morning so I thought I was in the clear. Was he just waiting for me to come clean? Why was he even awake then to check on me?

The silence hung heavily between us, even the birds had ceased their chatter at the growing tension in the clearing. We just stared at each other, each putting forward our own masks of indifference of the situation, just waiting for the other to break.

"Where we're you, Kida?" His voice came out calm, but I could faintly hear the underlying anger that promised trouble if I lied. "If you hadn't taken your weapons with you I would have thought you were kidnapped, what were you doing?"

I can't lie. That's the only way I'm going to get out of this with all limbs attached. Why's he angry anyway? It's not like I don't usually wander around whenever I feel like it... well, I haven't since I've been here. But it's not like anyone's really been there to stop me. Even Ms Takashima specified that if I was going to wander around by myself at night, or any time really, to 'Come back alive, or don't come back at all.' She was confident in my abilities, so there shouldn't be an issue.

I swiftly lifted myself off the ground and turned to face him. "It's none of your concern."

His eye visibly darkened as he glowered down at me. I met his glare with a hard expression, it's none of his business what I was doing anyway.

"You're not going to tell me?"

"No."

His face flashed with hurt and dissapointment before going completely void of emotion. "Fine."

And with that he turned away and dissapeared in the direction our team mates were working in.

As soon as he was gone, I let myself frown at the constricted feeling in my chest that had been gradually growing since Kakashi had first pointed out my night time absence. I couldn't tell him what I was doing, that'd be stupid. But lying to him also felt wrong, and the dissapointment he had on his face left me feeling small and somehow insignificant.

The cold breeze returned to the clearing causing me to shiver as I stood by myself in silence.

Parenting is hard. There are no words to describe the panic that I experienced last night when I got up to check on Kida, which I'd found myself doing every night since I found out about my fatherhood, and she wasn't there.

As a ninja, particularly the 'Copy Cat Ninja', I have enemies. So if anyone outside the village found out about Kida, I'm sure they'd take the next opportunity for revenge against me through her...

I took note of what she'd taken with her and immediately followed the start of her obvious path, out the open window. Pakkun wasn't happy to have been summoned at that hour, but he'd quickly caught on to the seriousness of my situation when I asked him to catch Kida's scent.

We followed it over the roofs to the outskirts of the forest, stopping in the trees when Pakkun said she was close, and getting closer. Sliding around to the opposite sides of the trees, we both managed to stay in the shadows as a whisp of silver, grey and black sprinted below us and back towards the village.

I knew it was her but still allowed myself a glance from the corner of my eye to make sure she was fine, knowing full well of Kida's ability to sense people watching her. I wasn't sure if this ability applied to animals, but Pakkuns gaze was focused in the direction she had just come from.

We found a disturbed area where rocks had been tossed around, larger ones had been lined up as if to compare them to each other. What was she doing? I still have no idea. I'd hoped she was going to tell me this morning, or when I asked her. But she didn't... She'll have to tell me eventually.

When I'd returned home she was passed out in her bed, window closed and everything in their places. Is it normal for children to go out in the dead of night and rearrange rocks? She could have been hurt, or attacked. I realise she's been taking care of herself for a while, but what am I supposed to do then? She's my responsibility. She needs to tell me what she was doing.