Chapter 2
Fate was really funny. Not even a day after he met Konan, he brought Nagato with him too. It made him wonder what else he would find later on. He didn't expect his little home to be filled so suddenly.
Still, he suspected that it wasn't that simple and that someone might have planted him for Yahiko to find. And he didn't like the idea of shadowy figures he couldn't see watching him. But there was nothing he could do about it.
All he could do was help Nagato get better. After confirming that Nagato already had the Rinnegan, Yahiko had to come up with some nonsense to calm Konan down. The eyes weren't natural, and not something anyone could have seen before, so it wasn't a surprise that Konan freaked out a bit after seeing it.
At least, Konan trusted Yahiko enough to believe that they were just some kind of dojutsu, and Nagato was probably just from a lost shinobi clan. And it wasn't like Yahiko lied, so as long as everything was fine, he would keep to the story.
Yahiko prepared soup with the mushrooms and herbs he had gathered and saved up. As long as Nagato was fed and kept warm, he hoped it would be enough for him to get better. Konan, too, needed to eat.
He put more wood into the fire, watching the pile of dry kindling dwindle. It wouldn't last them through the night. Yahiko knew he needed to go out and gather more, then let it dry by the fire. But he couldn't leave yet.
Konan wouldn't know what to do if Nagato suddenly got worse. Yahiko had no medicine to break the fever, nor did he think he'd be able to get any soon. He could only instruct Konan to put a cool, wet towel on Nagato's forehead.
"Arf!"
"I know, I know." Yahiko petted the little dog who fussed around as he tried to coax Nagato into drinking more water.
The dog was worried—and with good reason. Nagato was sweating buckets. Losing so much water so fast wasn't good. At least Yahiko had enough water to supplement him. He really hoped it would be enough; Yahiko couldn't handle a kid's death on his hands.
Even though Yahiko had no attachment to Nagato, watching a kid suffer and teeter on the edge of death made his stomach twist. He couldn't help himself, but tried everything he could to save Nagato.
He selfishly wanted to save the boy because it felt good to do so. Not because he wanted anything in return. Not because it was Nagato. Just because it was the right thing to do, and he would be awful if he had abandoned the kid in need of help.
"Konan, I'm going out to get more wood. Keep a close eye on him," Yahiko said as he tucked the last clean and dry blanket around Nagato. "If he wakes up, don't let him move. Replace the towel as soon as it gets warm. Make him drink more tea, no matter how much he resists. He needs to stay warm and hydrated."
The storm hadn't let up. Thunder and lightning made the darkened clouds feel alive as he ventured outside. He didn't go far, but it still took time to break off branches and gather sticks from the forest floor.
And he wasn't feeling great either. It was probably exhaustion. He hadn't eaten or rested since finding Nagato. This body was weak and close to its limit. But he couldn't stop. Not now. Not ever.
...
When Yahiko came back, he was drenched and trembling from the cold. He ignored Konan's worried expression as he dumped the wood by the fire to dry. Then he stripped off his clothes and collapsed beside the flames.
"I'll be fine," he said as he felt Konan come close. "Just tired. Bring me some tea."
"Have this. I didn't eat any of it." Konan handed Yahiko the chocolate bar he had dreamed of for a while now.
"Let's save it for when we're all alright," Yahiko said, pushing it back. "Then we can eat it together."
Yahiko greedily drank the hot tea, trying to warm up his body, ignoring the spinning in his head. Before he lost all strength and fell asleep, he checked on Nagato. The boy seemed to be resting peacefully, with the dog curled up on top of his red hair.
The storm still raged outside, but Yahiko didn't think any wild animals would come in this weather. Even people wouldn't be wandering around. For now, they were safe. At least he hoped.
Konan continued to check on both Yahiko and Nagato, ensuring the fire stayed lit and water was always ready. She even hung up the wet clothing to dry. Visibly tired, she still found something to do instead of sitting idle.
Yahiko stopped worrying about people watching them. There was nothing he could do about it anyway. And as long as they kept their distance and didn't hurt them, it didn't matter.
Resting his head against his arm, Yahiko finally drifted to sleep after a long, exhausting day.
...
The crackling of the fire woke him. When Yahiko opened his eyes, it wasn't the blazing fire from earlier, but a smaller one that still kept the cave warm. On the other side of the flames, Yahiko saw Konan and Nagato, now both awake, speaking.
Well, speaking as much as two shy kids who barely knew each other could. But it was something. Nagato looked a lot better now, while Yahiko himself felt like a heavy bag of bricks as he sat up. He must've really overdone it yesterday.
"Thank you for saving me." Nagato bowed his head toward him before Yahiko could say anything.
It took everything Yahiko had not to flinch when he saw Nagato's eyes. The purple, ringed Rinnegan would likely make him uncomfortable, no matter how many times he saw it. But he had to pretend it didn't bother him.
"As long as you're feeling better. I'm Yahiko."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Nagato."
The boy was uncomfortably formal. Probably not used to talking to other kids. Who knew how long it had been since he had been in a safe place where he could relax? No one had probably been kind to him in a long time.
Seeing the awkward silence stretch, Yahiko decided it was time to break out the chocolate and share it among them.
"Welcome to my humble home," Yahiko said with a smile as he offered a piece to each of them.
Even the sky outside started to clear, with drizzle falling from the clouds. Yahiko hadn't seen the sun in days. Sometimes he wondered if he should leave the country, but nowhere else felt safer or more familiar than this one.
At least he knew these lands. He was familiar with the towns and knew how to interact with their people. He didn't know where he'd even go. The roads weren't safe. Who knew how long it would take to reach anywhere else?
For now, this cave—small and cramped as it was—was home to him.
Yahiko liked how Konan and Nagato enjoyed their chocolate, finally letting themselves act like children again. He pitied them, knowing what they had lost and what harsh lives awaited them.
But fate or something else had brought them together, and Yahiko was willing to help them. Even knowing what lay ahead with Nagato, he didn't think he would regret this decision.
The world might be scary and dangerous, but it wasn't his world. Yahiko would build his world with people who cared about him—and whom he cared about in return. And if this place didn't give him that, then he'd run.
He'd rather run than fight for a place where he didn't belong. All he wanted was freedom. To make his own decisions. To live like he wanted, and how others deemed to be the right way to live.
He didn't know what Konan or Nagato wanted. Probably just warm beds and full stomachs. But if they ever decided what path they wanted to take, Yahiko wouldn't stand in their way. He'd only make sure it was truly their decision.
As long as they didn't regret it, neither would he. That was all Yahiko wanted—a life without regrets. Something completely different from his last one.
"Well, we should probably think about what we're going to eat today," Yahiko said, standing up despite the dizziness and fatigue.
Now there were three of them, which meant he needed three times the food. It had taken him a month to learn how to fish and which mushrooms and herbs were safe to eat. He had grown good at it and even stored some for rainy days.
But he hadn't brought fish back yesterday, and most of his soup ingredients had been used up. That worried him.
"How can I help?" Nagato asked, standing quickly.
"You need to rest," Yahiko said. "Konan, please keep an eye on him and wash the blankets and clothes. There should still be some soap left. After that, if Nagato is really feeling better, help him gather some wood. We'll always need more."
"Leave it to me," Konan said with surprising cheer.
"I'm going to look for my fishing rod," Yahiko added. "Tomorrow I'll teach you two how to fish and forage."
As much as he liked taking care of them, he couldn't do it alone. They would have to learn what he had learned. They'd have to work to feed themselves. Life wasn't easy.
...
As Yahiko returned to the river, yesterday's events replayed in his mind. Something felt wrong. Instead of the usual scent of fresh grass or rain, he smelled something rusty.
He tried to ignore it, but the deeper he walked, the stronger it became. It made his skin crawl with cold sweat. But finding nothing nearby, he pressed on.
Luckily, his fishing rod was still there in the patch of tall grass where he'd thrown it. His bucket too, though an animal had upturned it and taken the fish.
The day was unusually clear, so Yahiko figured he'd start fishing. His last spot had been full of bites. He'd need at least a few large ones to feed them all. Maybe it will become an opportunity to teach others how to descale and gut the fish.
But those thoughts vanished when he stepped into the clearing.
Dozens of corpses lay scattered across the ground. Some bled into thick puddles of blood, and even rain was not able to wash it out. Others were missing limbs or even heads. Some had been burned to blackened skin and charred meat. A few bobbed lifeless in the river.
Yahiko froze. Only when he was sure he was alone did he finally breathe again.
They'd been dead for a while now. And if he hadn't carried Nagato away when he did, Yahiko might've been caught in whatever battle had taken place.
He didn't want to touch the bodies, but curiosity drove him to glance at their headbands. At least three different villages. He didn't even want to think of what might have led to this. And if he should even be here right now.
But Yahiko had no choice but to loot the dead.
If he didn't, someone else would. And he had two kids to feed.
Careful not to spring any traps, Yahiko checked pouches and pockets. He threw kunai and blades into his bucket, separated the food rations, and pocketed the ryo. He didn't try to take any clothing—he wasn't brave enough to linger that long.
When he had as much as he could carry, he left, masking his footsteps behind him as much as he could. He even circled the cave three times before returning. As soon as he got back, he extinguished the fire inside and covered the entrance with branches as much as he could to hide it.
Fear gripped his heart as Konan and Nagato looked at him questioningly. Yahiko only put a finger to his lips. Making them stay silent.
He sat near the entrance for hours, waiting. But eventually, he let himself believe that the shinobi had more important things to do than stalk a few kids in a cave—and he finally was able to relax.
A.N. Sorry for being a bit late. felt a bit under the weather yesterday and just didn't have the energy to finish the chapter. But I am completely fine now.
As always, thanks for reading and supporting me, so I can continue writing without any concerns, and if you want more, up to 7 more chapters and 28 chapters in total with all my other stories, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852.