Chapter 158: A Growing Family

I got to take Tomoe home two days later, the wonders of medical jutsu getting me up and about in a day after I gave birth before I went home the day after, once the hospital had conducted tests and put Tomoe Mitarashi on file for the Village's records.

During those two days, Kurenai brought Akari and Riku over once, both of whom crawled into my arms and cried or sobbed, missing me greatly, before looking at their new sibling with curious eyes.

They were larger than the new baby by a lot, but they seemed to have picked up on how tender and gentle I was with Tomoe, and they were both smart girls, mirroring me as they observed their new sister.

As for Tomoe, she too was curious about these two new faces, though she quickly took to Akari, enjoying the way her oldest sister - older than Riku by only a few hours - giggled and played with her, all while Riku watched from the side, still curious but also wary of this newcomer in my arms.

When I went home, Anko and Cameia returned a few hours after that, both rushing inside so that they could freshen up before going to see me at the hospital, where they thought I still was.

Of course, they stopped quickly as they saw me sitting in the kitchen with Tomoe in my arms, watching as Makoto cooked something nourishing for dinner.

Kurenai had taken Akari out for a quick walk around the compound, while Riku was currently sleeping inside the playroom, curled up on top of a pile of blankets and snoozing under the sun.

Karin had joined Riku as well, the red haired Uzumaki girl sprawled out and snoring lightly as she waited for her mother to call out for dinner.

Anko rushed over to my side, staring quietly down at the sleeping Tomoe, while Cameia walked over after checking the playroom.

Smiling up at my young wife, I whispered "Her name is Tomoe. All the tests came back, and she's fully registered too..."

Cameia sat down beside me, her golden eyes fixated on the black and auburn hair of the sleeping baby before looking towards me, making the connection.

As for Anko, she took a seat on my other side and nodded to Makoto, who bowed to her and Cameia.

"Tomoe huh... Good name, Koko... What's she like? How has Akari and Riku responded to her?"

Slight worry was evident in her brown eyes, and I chuckled softly as I reached over and pinched her cheek, saying "So far, she's been a quiet, tired little baby. Loves having Akari fuss over her and loves snuggling beside Riku when she 'reads' her books... My guess is she'll be following behind her two sisters and become an... interesting mix of them both."

My violet haired Snake Charmer rubbed her cheek and pouted at me, before looking towards Tomoe as she began to stir, her red eyes fluttering open.

A smile tugged at Anko's lips as Tomoe yawned cutely before shuffling around, finding a more comfortable spot in my arms and falling back asleep, nuzzling into my chest.

"See? Tired."

She chuckled at that, nodding her head before getting up, her eyes lingering on Tomoe before she said "Well, we should probably get a bath, Cameia, before dinner is ready... Speaking of, what are you making, Makoto? Smells great!"

Peering over her shoulder, the mature Uzumaki smiled as she said "Kokoro needs something to replenish her lost strenght and help her return to where she was before being pregnant, so something rich in protein and something to give her energy..."

She lifted the lid to the pot and allowed the steam from the stew to waft into the kitchen, making all our mouths water as she said "So I went with a creamy vegetable stew with some nice, juicy grilled fillets, as well as some rice balls with cheese melted inside them. Its a heavier meal, but... this is certainly good for us all, but especially Kokoro. Oh, and it'll be ready in twenty or so minutes, so..."

Makoto smirked as Anko rushed off, wanting to finish cleaning herself off before the meal was ready, while Cameia nodded towards Makoto and walked off slowly, enjoying her time back at home.

I watched as the woman returned to her cooking, all while Tomoe slept soundly in my arms, and I asked "Makoto, are you enjoying it here? This house, I mean."

She paused, her chopsticks frozen in mid air as she thought about it, before she flipped the fish fillets inside the pan, searing their other side.

"Yes. It's hard keeping everything clean and cooking so much food, but it's rewarding and an excellent way to earn my keep. Karin is learning under Cameia while she waits for her little crush Naruto to find a way to allow her to roam free without worry. I have a stable roof over my head, a warm bed at night, and my daughter is being allowed to live her life however she likes, even if it is in a direction I'd rather her not stray into...

Either way, Kokoro, yes, I am enjoying it here. I have everything I need in this house. Some things could be better, I could do more with my time, but... it's nice. I can laze around if I want, I could go out and enjoy the Village... This is everything I could want for Karin and I. Thank you for letting us be here, Kokoro; thank you for letting us be apart of your family."

I smiled at the mature woman as she turned around, nodding my head as I said "It's good having you here with us, Makoto. It's... selfish to say, but not needing to worry about chores or cooking every night is refreshing, and you've certainly earned the right to what you have, Makoto."

We stared at one another for a few more moments before she returned to her cooking, Karin walking in with a yawn and Riku in her arms.

Dinner was served minutes later, with a slightly damp Anko and slightly 'exasperated' Cameia behind her, while Kurenai meandered in moments later, Akari giggling in her arms.

With Riku sitting on my lap and Tomoe in a crib beside me, I smiled as I looked over the table that had grown ever larger, my heart warm at this growing family of mine.