"Have you had breakfast yet, Saul-san?"

He nodded.

"Hinata was kind enough to wake up early just to make me something."

Yakumo pursed her lips. Hinata this, Hinata that, she wasn't even here! 

"Well I'm sure she greatly appreciates your company. Are you two planning on making things official anytime soon?" She tried her best to keep the venom she was feeling out of her voice.

Saul shook his head no. He eyed the woman from the corner of his eye. Maybe he could use this.

"You must know how it is with her clan. Even though she is currently exiled, the Hyuuga would never allow the prospect of another branch clan that isn't under their control. Especially with someone with no bloodline like me. Between Hinata and I, it's impossible..."

"I-I see..." Yakumo felt bad for the woman who was clearly first, but... If that's the case, why didn't he seem to notice her hints? She started coughing.

Saul was immediately there for her, supporting her as she walked. He was just like her father. He was affectionate, yet also so serious and capable when it mattered. Yakumo couldn't help but smile. He walked her to her couch. 

"Let me get you something to eat and drink. You won't be able to recover without proper sustenance."

He was gone in the next moment, off to make sure she felt better. Yakumo smiled lazily. Why couldn't he be here, with her all the time? She had missed him dearly yesterday. She had even stayed up, hoping he might show up at her doorstep. But alas, he never did. He must have been so tired. She resolved to ask him later how his mission went. 

Id spoke up. Her voice had been growing less disordinate, more female, more... normal, over time. Yakumo wondered if Id was really a demon, as she had previously thought, or if Id was just trying to trick her into letting her out.

"Yakumo. Saul is... going to give up on us at this rate."

Her heart lurched. What in the world was Id saying?

"He loves Hinata. We can tell."

So what? They could never be together! She knew this for a fact, so why...?

"You think he will choose us? We haven't done anything for him! Even now, as he takes care of us, he loses interest. Before if he returned in the night, we know he would have gone above and beyond to see us in the night. But now?"

What was she supposed to do!? Men were supposed to be the ones who pursued women, not the other way around! She was doing what she was supposed to do, greeting him with a smile, getting physically close to him, even hinting for him to take the next step!

"We know what he wants."

But... That would be so scandalous.

Suddenly someone else knocked on her door. Huh? Saul-san was already here. Who else could it be?

She got up slowly, dragging her aching body to the door. When she opened it, there stood a man with a moustache gap, thick eyebrows raised in happiness, and a familiar smile that she had missed so much.

"Dad!"

Yakumo hugged Murakumo.

"What are you doing here?"

Murakumo smiled guiltily. "I found out about what your mother did. I brought you triple of what I gave you last time. She had no right to take the money I set aside for you."

Yakumo turned icy at the mention of Uroko. "She's no mother of mine. Not anymore."

Murakumo seemed like he might break into tears. "...Yakumo, may I come inside? I'm incredibly sorry I wasn't able to come see you sooner. I'd like to catch up with my beloved daughter and discuss something with you."

She let her father in without a second thought. If there was anyone in the world she knew she could trust, it was her father. She was sure Saul-san wouldn't mind. Yakumo sneezed into her elbow.

Murakumo watched her for a moment, then scooped her up into his arms. She shrieked,

"Dad, what are you doing!"

"Carrying you."

"Why!?"

He nuzzled his scratchy beard into her cheek.

"No matter how old you get, you'll still always be my baby girl, did you know that?"

He swung Yakumo around just like he did when she was young, causing her to giggle. "Dad! Stop it!"

"Fine, fine." He set her back down on her feet. "Were you making something for breakfast? It smells good."

"No, dad." She blushed, "Remember Saul?" She continued with dreamy eyes, "After he figured out I was sick, he dropped everything to start taking care of me. Isn't he so sweet?"

Murakumo's eyes narrowed.

The three of them sat around the living room table. Thankfully for Saul, the Kurama clan was not as pretentious nor traditional as the Hyuuga. They didn't require kneeling at a tatami mat when one was eating, rather it was fine to sit in a chair and eat as he was accustomed to. He couldn't help but notice however, that Yakumo's father gave him an aggrieved glare every time she wasn't looking. He wondered what the man's deal was.

Yakumo, oblivious to the hidden tension, spoke up.

"So Dad, what did you come to discuss?"

Murakumo temporarily abandoned the secret confrontation with Saul, instead focusing solely on his daughter. 

"Well aside from the extra funds I've given you, I also wanted to discuss your registration as a ninja."

Yakumo shook her head solemnly, "Because of the Demon inside of me, I would be a danger to both myself and my allies. There is no reason for me to hold onto that foolish dream any longer."

Murakumo shook his head. "Yakumo, I know that isn't the case anymore. The demon inside of you... It was already sealed by Kurenai, right?"

Yakumo grew angry. Kurenai promised her she'd keep that a secret. She PROMISED!!!

"...Yes."

Murakumo got up, kneeled on the floor, and bowed so far his forehead touched the ground. He did not care that he was the Kurama clan head, he did not care that an outsider was there to witness this major slight to his dignity. To him, his daughter was more important than all of that!

"Yakumo. Your father is so, so, sorry for not believing in you! If you're willing, I'd like to invite you back home. I was wrong to allow your mother to have her way. No matter what, I should never have left you out on your own!"

Yakumo forced a smile, trying to hold back tears, but shook her head.

"Mother still believes I'm a demon... right?"

Murakumo was silent for a while. Then he spoke guiltily.

"I'm sure with Kurenai's assurance and having you nearby to see what a wonderful, beautiful woman you've become, she'll come around eventually. We can be a true family again! Please Yakumo, give her one last chance..."

"That woman has already made her choice, Dad. No one, not even you, can change her opinion anymore. Much less me. I won't force you to choose between us. I've already grown up. Isn't it good for me to finally leave the house?"

She glanced over at Saul. "So don't worry about me Dad. I already have someone else that I know I can trust my back to." She blushed, "I hope one day I can give them a reason to feel the same way about me."

Murakumo looked between the two of them, his heart aching with guilt and grief yet also... Happiness? The man stood back up and composed himself. The very least he could do for his daughter was to help make sure she got everything she wanted in life. She deserved nothing less.

"I have arranged a genin test for you, Yakumo. Once you pass, you will receive a forehead protector and the right to take missions alongside a team. Would you like to be on the same team as Saul, Team Eight, under Jonin Kurenai?"

Yakumo's face lit up. "Yes! Yes! I would love that!"

Murakumo smiled. Anything for his daughter. "Good! I'll see what I can arrange for you. The Kurama clan may be declining, but your old man's word still holds weight! There shouldn't be a problem."

"You're the best Dad!"

Author's Note: Operation a dog's death has commenced! Stay tuned for Yakumo's replacement on the team.

Also I wanted to ask something, would you guys like me to cover the land of waves arc? It would be essential towards at the very least, preventing Haku's death. It would also give me a chance to detail the current relationship dynamic between Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura given Saul's interference. Let me know! (This had a mixed response - I ended up deciding on no)

Finally as always, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter!