Naruto: A Lazy Life

Pov: Kakashi Hatake.

...

*flip*

The page passes as a new one starts, I distract my mind with a book... to keep it from thinking about...

My gaze lingers on my hands momentarily before I shake my head and returning to the pages of this book.

...

'I'm sorry'

I shake my head again- dispelling her voice from my mind.

The words on the page blur as my focus is drained- unable to comprehend the distraction I have in my hands as my mind is pre-occupied with the image of Rin stepping into my Chidori.

Haaa- Haaa-

I could have killed her- I did kill her- had she been uninjured maybe they would have enough time to save her- stop the unsealing of that tailed beast- I killed her- I should have stopped- I should have diverted the Chidori- I could have... I could...

Haa- Haaaa- Haaa-

Maybe if I was faster- able to get to her quicker- if I was just there when she was kidnapped-

"Takumi!!" Gai's voice cuts off my thoughts.

...

I put the book, [How a Shinobi Should Die] on the side table and step out of my hospital bed, looking out the window and onto the ground floor outside.

"... Maito- That is quite the bundle of flowers" I hear Takumi respond.

"I came as soon as I could- I just heard about what happened!" Gai bows and holds up one of the bundles.

I should get out of here before he dumps all those flowers on me.

"I see- I failed to acquire flowers, would you give these to Hatake for me?" Takumi swiftly pushes the bundle away.

"Oh- Uh, sure?" Gai stands tall again.

...

"Are you alright? I heard... a rumour about you..." Gai asks softer.

A rumour?

"Yeah, just enjoying the quiet... usually this hospital is loud- some form of screaming at all times... but since the war ended it is quiet, peaceful" Takumi states as he adjusts himself on one of the benches.

So he will ignore it.

"Y-Yeah, it is very quiet..." Gai nods.

He seems out of his element here, Takumi seems unnaturally calm. Or is everyone else just too energetic?

"Are you alright?" Takumi suddenly asks.

"Well, of course..." Gai scratches his neck and smiles awkwardly.

"You are a strong child- I would expect nothing else from you Maito, both physically and mentally strong" Takumi compliments.

...

"I can't stop now- I have to stay strong and keep training so that this kind of stuff never happens again" Gai sits down on the bench with Takumi.

"It will happen again- you know that right?" Takumi stops showing disinterest and focuses on Gai.

"I know- but I can do my best despite that" Gai clenches his fist- crumpling one of the bundles of flowers.

"Good. You have the mentality required to have those ambitions, you could probably pull it off- with the way you train" Takumi agrees with him.

... What could I do to prevent that from happening again..?

*clench*

I clench my fists and take a breath- I could train, be better. So that no one else suffers from my inability.

"Speaking of! You look like you stopped being lazy! Training hard?" Gai asks about Takumi's current appearance.

"No. I am not going to abandon my way of life- I have already overextended myself too much" Takumi brushes him off.

"What- but-" Gai tilts his head in confusion.

"I understand that my appearance confuses you- however I have no excuse that you would care for- I regret not being able to save Rin, much like I regret not saving Obito. But I cannot drift into the life of an avenger- someone who lives to kill and die, or to the life of a protector like you- I exist merely to vacation and every so often stretch my legs..." Takumi replies.

"I apologize- I did not mean to... imply that this 'event' would change your mind- or anything like that" Gai nods his head.

"Hn. I know, you are kind hearted soul. And I know you would not try to force me into work like the others" Takumi yawns.

"Speaking of laziness, I am going to sleep- you go visit Kakashi" Takumi gets up and stretches.

"-Alright then, catch you another time Takumi!" Gai gets up as Takumi leaves and I grab my items.

...

I finish dressing myself in my gear and tuck the book into my pack- which... I need to refill, I better get more kunai and explosive tags before heading off to train.

---

Pov: Takumi Uchiha.

...

"Captain- you going to sleep?" Saburo bumps into me as I walk home.

"Hn" I nod my head.

"If you need anything let me know" Saburo asks.

"I can forgive other people for pitying me Saburo, but not you- you should know better" I yawn once more.

"I suppose I should- {You... experience, before}" Saburo tests out his new language skills.

'{Wow. He is a natural}' The inner voice comments sarcastically.

"Many times- which does not subtract from the newest wound I suppose... I was never that close with those that I lost before either" I reply.

"Right- Cold hearted hunter right?" Saburo nods.

"Hn" I nod.

...

"Well I will see you another time then? Tomorrow?" He asks.

"Next Monday, I am going to sleep, put a few hours in at work and then sleep again" I start walking away.

"Got it- I will take Yū out on a mission in the meantime" Saburo waves before heading in his own direction.

I have a feeling my itch will be complacent for a while... this new body, the constant chakra drain and the depressing atmosphere inside my head? My grandfathers 'gift' will not bother me in the slightest.

I miss being able to sleep days away when I was a small child, no energy, no motive. Just rest.

...

Have I messed up? I could have prevented both Obito and Rin's death with my mere presence on the battlefield- have I taken my rest too far? Over compensating for a life of hard work by living a life of no work? Where I put little effort into all that I do? Where I fail to save my friends and abandon my 'village' to the war outside it's walls?

What is the point of resting if I worry so much? Would my Grandfather wish for this to happen? For me to be the Lazy Uchiha? This was his order after all... I could have misinterpreted it- I know his last command to me was incredibly vague in comparison to the orders I had been granted before.

Rest- what does that mean to me?

I work.

I train, both myself and others... albeit much less than my prior expectations.

I go on difficult missions.

I bargain for my freedom by taking on more work...

... Am I failing?

No- a simple workload I pick up every so often is negligible, incomparable to the harsh work I had done in my previous life.

...

I look up into the clouds above... stopping before just before my door.

"{Is this the rest you wanted from me?}" I ask to myself... before unlocking my door.

---

-13 years after the Emperors Death-

Pov: The Empress.

...

"My lady- am I interrupting?" A distant voice calls.

I fiddle with the necklace upon my neck, watching the blood swirl within.

"No, Mari. I assume the southern rebellion has arrived to converse?" I tilt my head up, glancing at the glass coffin that holds my husband.

"Yes my lady- their 'leader' has arrived to negotiate terms" My personal attendant bows.

I place the necklace away and lift one of the drooping flowers on the wall.

Before me stands the 'Grave' of my husband- in the centre of this wall sits his glass coffin, in which his body rests in uniform. This coffin is surrounded by myriad flowers gifted from all those who feared, loved and hated him.

A new batch arrives every day- from anyone who is anyone... because even after thirteen entire years they fear he may wake up. And no one will take any chances at offending him, even if it is as simple as being the only one who did not bring flowers.

"Why do you think his body has not rotted?" I ask.

"Because the Emperor of Blades does not rot- he does not allow mortal problems such as dying leave him in a state of ungracefulness" Mari answers swiftly.

Hilarious- he has everyone so scared of him, even death itself.

Was I the only one who saw your softer side? After your grandfather passed I am certain no one else could know you better than me... so why do I know so little?

"Do you know what he gave me as a wedding gift?" I ask another question.

"Ah- the Blood Vial Necklace, he made such a gift famous in the noble circles for quite some time- the trend still lingers even now" Mari explains.

"But the droplet of blood contains his Aura- the second he dies is the second this blood begins to deteriorate- some vials even crack under the pressure of the Aura dying out" I summarise.

"Of course- it is the beauty of such a gift, my lady" Mari bows.

Then why is it still in perfect condition? The Aura should have vanished- I can barely feel a single presence within his corpse... but the faint traces of his existence still linger- as if he was still alive.

"Can you inform me on what the leader of the rebellion wishes?" I sigh as my eyes linger on my husband.

What would you do if you were me? Dear husband? I always had you hear to solve all my problems, I never doubted you solving them- with brute force or calculated risks- I could always trust you... I could always rely on you to ease my mind. Every other month you would drop by, talk with me... and I could forget about being the Empress to listen to you, talk to you... even something as simple as eating with you.

You made me whole and now all I have is the Empire that you held up like a pillar- And now all I can think about- despite having no time to waste, is who you were. Why you meant so much to me, why I failed to get to know you more.

You were my husband- but I lacked clarity on who you were... until it was too late.

"The rebellion leader wishes to implement new laws to ensure the safety of his people, and a way to solidify those laws" Mari states.

"In other words, he wishes to undermine our Empires laws to inflate his friends to a higher status... and marry me as a public display of cooperation" I chuckle.

"Yes" Mari replies concisely.

"Is the Reaper here?" I turn to face her.

"Yes, my lady- Lucius is at Esmerelda's, enjoying tea in her garden" Mari informs.

"Tell him I need his services- and send a message to the southern rebellions heart and home" I command.

"Of course my lady it will be done" She bows.

"Oh. And refuse the southern states flowers from now on- they do not deserve to be on this wall" I add.

...

"But- that could cause rioting... my lady" Mari responds.

A simple flower being refused can cause rioting out of mere fear for a dead man... How I miss his face, and what showing it could do for negotiations.

"Exactly, after Lucius 'handles' our guests and you order a 'message' to be sent, organize a carriage trip to the south, I will be negotiating on my terms and my terms alone... I may even let them keep their land this time" I add another order.

Now I have to order multiple soldiers and messages just to create the same 'negotiating' affect that his face could do passively.

How annoying.

...

Mari bows one last time before leaving the room, closing the door behind her as I turn around to face my husband again.

What is happening to you? Are you dreaming well? Has it been so long that I am unrecognisable to you? Would you still care for me the way you used to? Even if it was barely anything at all?

...

Or would get up and march out- looking for another place to conquer?

Unfortunately... You have nothing else to do when you wake- you defeated anyone and everyone that could threaten the Empire, all I can do is pick up the pieces and maintain the peace you created.

...

Would you hate a world in which you had nothing to do? Dear Husband?

I will be unable to post another chapter until the 18th unfortunately! Hopefully the extra chapter last week makes up for that :)