Anyways, you might be wondering why Shota still lived in Suna with all its downsides, its losses in the great shinobi wars, its weaker shinobi, the scheming elders playing politics like kids fighting over the last piece of bread.
He could've left, found a small town somewhere, lived a lazy, peaceful life just like he dreamed of. No missions, no danger, just him, a hammock, and maybe a bowl of ramen. But he stayed. He chose to be a shinobi, even knowing the risks.
Why? Because Suna had wormed its way into his heart. The matron at the orphanage, a cranky old lady who'd whack his butt with a wooden spoon when he skipped alphabet lessons, had raised him.
The other caretakers, stern but kind, had patched his scrapes and fed him when he was just a scrawny kid.
The other orphans, loud and annoying, had played tag with him in the sandy streets, dodging cacti and laughing until they coughed.
Even at the academy, where he'd graduated early as the top student, he'd started to feel something for the other kids. Not friends, exactly, he wasn't that soft but close enough that he didn't want to leave them behind.
But the two beings he was truly attached to, besides the matron whose spoon still haunted his nightmares, were standing in front of him now, tackling him as he walked through the door of his small house.
One was a six-year-old girl named Shizu, her arms wrapped around his waist. Shizu was his sister, well adopted sister.
The other was a black cat named Yori, purring loudly as Shota scratched her belly. He'd named her Yori because her yellow eyes and black fur reminded him of Yoriichi from Bleach and, okay, maybe because his imagination wasn't exactly creative.
'Yoriichi, Yori, close enough,' he'd thought when he picked her up as a kitten.
"Big brother Shota, you're finally back!" Shizu said, hugging him tighter, her face buried in his vest.
"What took you so long?" she demanded, pulling back to glare at him with a pout. Her eyes narrowed, suspicious. "You said you'd be back sooner. Did you fall asleep during the mission? You're lazy as ever, big brother Shota."
Shota sighed, setting Yori down gently. The cat stayed close, rubbing against his leg. "I just did a very difficult and dangerous mission," he said. "Your big brother might've lost his life."
Shizu's suspicions deepened, her little hands on her hips like a tiny detective. "You definitely fell asleep during the mission," she said, pointing at him. "There's no way someone's capable enough to danger
your life."
Shota smiled, ruffling her hair. "The world's big, Shizu. There are a lot more skilled and powerful shinobi than me out there."
She wasn't buying it. "Nope, you can't lie to me," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm sure you slept during the mission. That's why you were late. I'm gonna tell Matron about it!"
Shota's butt clenched at the mention of the matron, a phantom sting from her wooden spoon shooting through him. "Oh, come on, Shizu!" he groaned, rubbing his backside like it was already bruised. "Not the matron! She'll chase me around with that spoon again, and I'm too tired to run! Last time she caught me, I couldn't sit for a week!"
Shizu grinned, sensing victory. "Then what's your price for my silence?" she asked, her voice dripping with mischief.
Shota raised an eyebrow, playing along. "Fine, what's it gonna cost me?"
"Play with us!" Shizu said, bouncing on her toes. Yori meowed, as if agreeing, her tail swishing like a tiny flag.
Shota groaned louder, slumping against the doorframe. "Can we play next week? I'm exhausted. I just ran through two countries, Shizu. Two! My legs are basically noodles!"
"Nope!" Shizu said, shaking her head. "Or I'll tell Matron you were lazy during a mission."
"Come on, let me sleep for at least a couple of days," Shota pleaded, throwing his hands up. "Your big brother was really on a dangerous mission. I almost got buried alive by a guy called the Yellow Flash!"
Shizu pointed at him, undeterred. "Excuses, excuses, you're just lazy," she said in a lecturing tone, sounding like a mini version of the matron. Yori meowed again, louder this time, and Shota swore the cat was smirking at him.
He picked Yori up, rubbing her belly as she purred like a tiny engine. "See, Yori agrees," Shizu said. "She wants to play too. And why next week? If you're tired, we can play tomorrow."
"Hey, I need to train, ya know," Shota countered, setting Yori down. "Otherwise, you'll still call me lazy."
Shizu rolled her eyes, hands back on her hips. "You train by sitting and staring at things without blinking. What kind of shinobi does that?"
Shota's jaw dropped, and he clutched his chest like she'd stabbed him. "Without blinking? Shizu, that's my thing! My super cool, totally not lame ability!"
Inside, he wanted to shout, "Someone whose power is staring at enemies without blinking, that's who!" But he just grinned, shaking his head. His dojutsu, his kekkei genkai, was all about locking eyes and erasing chakra. Blinking was his enemy, but he wasn't about to explain that to a six-year-old.
'I missed this,' he thought, warmth spreading through him. Shizu's nagging, Yori's purring, it was home. This was why he stayed in Suna. Not just the village, but these two.
Shizu squinted at him, her pout turning suspicious again. "Now you're smiling evilly, big brother. I really need to tell Matron about this."
Shota froze, his grin vanishing. "Evilly? Me? Shizu, that's my face's natural charm!" He struck a pose, one hand on his hip, the other pointing at her. "You're just jealous of my shinobi swagger!"
She giggled, swatting his hand away. "Swagger? You tripped over Yori last week and cried about it!"
"I didn't cry!" Shota protested, his voice rising. "I was… checking the floor for traps! With my face!"
Yori meowed, sounding suspiciously like she was laughing. Shizu doubled over, clutching her stomach. "You're so bad at lying! Matron's gonna love hearing about this!"
Shota groaned, dropping to his knees in despair. "Shizu, you're killing me! I survive the Yellow Flash, and now I'm done in by a six-year-old and a cat? Where's the justice?"
Shizu stuck out her tongue. "Justice is me getting to play with you tomorrow. Deal?"
Shota sighed, standing up and ruffling her hair again. "Fine, you little blackmailer. Tomorrow. But if I fall asleep mid-game, it's not my fault."
"Deal!" Shizu said, grabbing Yori and spinning around. The cat squirmed but didn't fight too hard, clearly used to her antics.
------Author Notes---------
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