(Not) A Soap Opera (Patreon)
Content
Terribly sorry for the delay, but here is the ficlet of the month for September's winner: CallieQ! This month's patron is Loor! Please contact me with your request!
When Naruto and Sasuke got home, dragging a dead-on-his-feet Kakashi along with them, they did not expect to find a winged man in a crow mask to be sitting on the floor with Tsubasa. Who was this man? Why did he have wings? And why was he just sitting there while Tsubasa, rambunctious toddler that he was, was climbing all over him.
âUhhhhhâŠâ Naruto wasnât entirely sure how to handle this situation. Were he not tired as fuck, he might just flat out fight the guy. Sasuke would have been able to get Tsubasa out way before Naruto landed a punch. No problems.
But all three of them were exhausted and not up for a fight.
âOh, youâre home!â
The three turned to see Kourubi coming down the stairs, either unaware that anything was wrong or perfectly aware of the situation and knowing it was fine. Usually it was the later with her, but sometimes it was hard to tell.
âSweetheart,â Kakashi said tiredly, âwho is that holding our baby?â
Kourubi glanced over towards the winged man on the floor with Tsubasa. âOh, thatâs Yanagi.â
And that...seemed to be all she had to say on that.
âVery helpful, nee-san,â Sasuke muttered. âBut who is he?â
âI am a tengu in service to the Karasuno Sage,â the man -- Yanagi, if Kourubi was to be believed (and she usually was) -- said, and the three exhausted men could hear the polite smile in his voice. âKourubi-sama was under my care a few years ago when she underwent training to become the Sage.â
Narutoâs mouth dropped open. âWait! Tengu are real?!â
Yanagi chuckled lightly. âIndeed we are. Though we tend to stick to the realm of the corvids unless otherwise needed.â
âAnd you were needed today...why?â Sasuke asked cautiously.
âTsubasa wanted to see him,â Kourubi said, walking over to pluck the aforementioned lad off of Yanagiâs shoulders. âWhile I was training, Yanagi spent most of his time looking after Tsu-chan. I wasnât entirely sure he even remembered him, but yesterday he was asking for âYagiâ. I wasnât entirely sure who he meant, but I figured it out eventually. I summoned Yanagi, and heâs been here since last night. I will say, itâs been nice to have a break.â
âDoes...is Iruka aware of this?â Kakashi asked.
âOh, of course. Iruka was the one who helped me figure out the summoning seal to bring Yanagi here.â
Kakashi eyed Yanagi with heavy scrutiny.
âHeâs not been sleeping in our bed, has he?â
Kourubi blinked, then guffawed. âHeavens, no!â
âWell, thatâs rather rude,â Yanagi huffed good naturedly. âIâll have you know Iâm quite handsome, and would be an excellent bed partner to you and your nestmates.â
Sasuke pulled a face. âGross.â
âNow now, Yanagi,â Kourubi chided, handing Tsubasa back to his current favorite sitter. âThis is not a soap opera and I will not, under any circumstances, be fucking the nanny.â
âGross!â Sasuke said again, this time joined by Naruto.
âEnough, all three of you,â Kourubi scolded lightly, wandering over to take Kakashiâs weight off her brotherâs tired shoulders. âAnd letâs get you up to bed.â
Yanagi watched the four shinobi climb up the stairs, disappearing into the floor above. He let out a small sigh, catching Tsubasaâs attention.
âYagi?â
âAh, sorry, lad,â he said with a shrug. He grinned, happy that his mask hid the flustered pink that colored his cheeks. âCanât say I didnât try.â