Mission Stories

Title: Season of Chocolate
Fandom: Naruto
Characters: Yoshi Aoki, Aina Sugimoto, Akimitsu Sugimoto, Nanase Uranami
Pairing: N/A
Ratings: K+
Warnings: Minor OOC
Author Notes: Let's get this started 8U

"Yoshi-shi!" Nanase called out as Yoshi was walking back home. He turned to see Nanase and smiled.

"Hey!" He said as he waved at her.

He was almost taken aback by the amount of force she used as she hugged him. It wasn't on purpose but her excitement mixed with how fast she was running almost propelled him backwards and off of his feet. He laughed as he steadied himself and hugged her back. He wondered why she was so excited, or what caused it. She pulled back from him and gave Yoshi a wide smile, letting him see her sharp teeth. He wasn't unnerved by it, he actually found it quite interesting seeing as it was a Uranami trait. He also noticed she had something in her hand as well.

"Here!" She smiled. "I made these for you!"

He took the box she handed him and opened it up. It was nicely wrapped, it had simple patterns that he recognized were often used by the Uranami clan, and the bow on it looked like it was translucent -- something he found very appealing. He opened it up to find that there were chocolates inside. He smiled, as they all looked like little fish.

"They look so cute!" He smiled.

"I knew you'd like them!" She giggled. "I made them just for you!"

"Well thank you, Nanase!" Yoshi said. "They're very cute!"

"Why don't you try some?" She asked. So Yoshi took out a piece of chocolate and ate it. It was very sweet, a little bitter, but mostly sweet. He smiled and nodded at her.

"This is really good!" He smiled.

"I'm glad you like it, Yoshi-shi!" She giggled, hugging him again. "So what are you up to?"

"I was handing out with my cousins passing out Omamori amulets with them." Yoshi explained and took out a few that he had in his haori. "I have some left over if you want one?"

"Thank you!" Nanase smiled, taking one from his hands. She looked around for a moment, seeing a familiar face nearby. "I gotta go, more chocolates to give out." She gave him a hug before running off after a couple of Kitsune twins. Yoshi watched her run off before walking back home.

Yoshi had noticed that it had started to snow again. It had been for the past few days, making everything just as cold. A lot of people were either in a panic or celebrating the weather. Snow was rare to see in Torogakure after all. Yoshi couldn't help but wonder if any of the people from Kosetsumura were happy to see all this snow? Or if it all made them all miss their home that much more? He felt sorrowful for Prince Fubuki's people and yet overjoyed for them. It was hard to find a new beginning for anything, especially if there was a chance to have a new renew relations with a village who've been rivals for years on end.

Regardless, Yoshi kept walking home. He was glad for the clothes his brother's fiancée had given him. They were warm and easy to walk in; he also had a pair of boots on that didn't consistently make his feet squirm either. He felt very content with his winter ware, which was strange to him since he was often complaining about it -- mostly because it covered his feet. Yoshi had put the box of chocolates away in his haori as he walked back home. He had a few books about puppets that his sensei told him to get. They covered a wide variety of puppets, how to use them, tricks in on how manipulate them with fewer chakra strings, and how to store various weapons inside them. Admittingly, Yoshi was slightly worried about what his sensei was trying to tell him.

A few minutes went by before Yoshi arrived at the Aoki Compound. He could see Mount Gurīnkurifu in the background, beyond the walls and who knows what else that separated the Aoki from the other branch of their clan. He loved seeing it, it always filled him with the inspiration he needed to accomplish the goals he set for himself. He just hoped his clan would see how admirable they were... even if he couldn't share them openly with anyone else. He arrived at his home, looking at some of the snowmen that some the children and younger members of the clan had made. They all looked like Aoki, one way or another. Some even looked like the past Akarikage.

Yoshi walked inside his home, closing the door behind him and glad that it was warmer inside than it was outside. He watched Sei and Oni chase each other in the living room before running off. He wondered if Sei would ever be friendly with another animal and was glad the two got along -- even happier that Oni didn't run back to the Hitoyo Compound either. He knew some of their cats usually ran around the village but usually wound up there one way or another. He watched as they made their way to his room and played with another before bolting off. He got into looser clothing, put the ones he was wearing somewhere to dry, and hid the chocolate he received from Nanase in his nightstand. He put it next to a few other scrolls he had hidden there before leaving his room.

Yoshi had the Omamori amulets in his hands, putting them over the doors of each room. He spent an hour trying to put them up, made tea, and was ready to relax until he heard a couple of knocks on the front door. He left the kitchen, letting the pot of tea he had cool. He walked towards the door and opened it to see a pair of familiar faces. Like with Nanase earlier, Yoshi was met with a rather forceful hug from Aina. He smiled back and hugged her back. The two looked over to Akimitsu, who stood there looking as grumpy as she usually did. The two opened an arm for her to join and she did a moment later.

Akimitsu had it rough lately... well to Yoshi's knowledge. She moved out of her family's home a while ago. Yoshi just remembered how upset she'd been with everything; going from anything faction related, having a falling out with some of the members of the Dragon Faction, and having a hard time dealing with her parents too. He offered to help her out but she refused every chance he offered. Still, he knew if anyone could deal with what she was dealing with it'd be her. Akimitisu was a lot stronger than she gave herself credit for after all; Yoshi knew anyone could see that.

"We got you something, Yoshi!" Aina giggled.

"Oh? What did you get for me?" He asked. "Oh, please come in! Make yourselves at home. I'll get you some tea."

Yoshi held the door open for both his teammates to walk through. He closed it behind them before walking towards the kitchen. He grabbed some cups, a small plate, and some crackers. They weren't much, but he knew they wouldn't mind. He also grabbed some cake that his brother's fiancée had made for them the other day. He put it all the utensils, plates, and napkins on the tray he had as he set down the cups, food, and pot of tea. He picked it up with ease and walked towards his teammates. Aina looked excited as she saw the cake, Akimitsu seemed to have noticed it and Yoshi figured she probably wanted some with the stare she was giving it.

"My brother's fiancée made it the other day." Yoshi said, setting the tray down on the table between them. He poured the tea into each of the cups. "She's been making him a lot of food lately. Not that my mother seems to mind it."

"Well, it's good if it's free!" Aina giggled, cutting a slice and starting to eat it.

"That's her thought about it too... though it's more of doing less work around the house." Yoshi added. "Though she's been spending more time meditating with the other monks as of late... I think she's just concerned the direction the village might be going in. Though none of us can see into the future." He paused for a moment. "Maybe the mountain Aoki could..."

"You're doing it again, Yoshi." Aina said as she ate.

"Excuse me." He chuckled and looked at them. "So you said you had something for me?"

"Yes!" Aina smiled, putting her plate down.

She took out a box, which was nicely wrapped, and handed it to him. Akimitsu did the same as her sister. Though her box, unlike her sister's, was dark red and golden ribbon around it. Aina's had the same ribbon but was a lighter red color. Yoshi loved it in all honesty. It reminded him that everyone is different and the path they walked was just as unique, regardless of the similarities between two individuals. He took both of the boxes from them. He opened Akimitsu's first and found a collection of small items wrapped in wrappers. He opened one up and saw that it was a piece of chocolate that looked like a face.

"It's supposed to be Sei..." Akimitsu muttered, looking away.

"Oh! Very cute!" He said, seeing the face. He ate it and had to admit it tasted better than it looked.

"Eat one of mine!" Aina whined, pouting a little.

Yoshi wrapped Akimitsu's box up and up wrapped Aina's. The chocolates she had looked like someone took the effort to make them look aesthetically pleasing. Though, he did know that Aina probably made some for her boyfriend. So Yoshi did expect he'd get whatever was left over; not that he minded it. Aina's chocolates though looked like a panda, well the bigger ones. Yoshi loved it all the same and just smiled.

"Thank you!" He said. "I love them both!"

"You like mine more, right?" Aina asked, holding her head up high as if she already knew the answer. Yoshi panicked and looked over at Akimitsu, who gave him a dirty look and curtly nodded her head.

"Very much so." Yoshi said as he smiled at her.

"So, Aoki..." Akimitsu started as she drank her tea. "You need more lanterns outside your house."

"Well, you're welcome to help me out with it." He smiled. Aina ate the rest of the cake as Yoshi and Akimitsu talked about the types of lanterns she wanted to use to decorate his home.