Tsunade, after a moment, nodded. She took a deep breath, her eyes lingering on Mito's face. The resemblance was uncanny, yes, but the woman before her was not her grandmother. Mito was a lot younger than Tsunade now, and from a different past - a past that never led to Tsunade's birth. It was so strange, so paradoxical.
Yet, Tsunade didn't mind. Seeing Mito happy, seeing her safe was enough for her. It was like a piece of her family was returned to her, albeit not quite the same.
"You are right," she said finally, addressing Mito with a small smile. "Welcome to Konoha, Mito Uzumaki." She paused, glancing at Kai with a glint of affection in her eyes before continuing, "I am Tsunade Senju, Kai's wife."
Mito blinked, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she registered Tsunade's words. She gave a slight nod, her eyes dancing between Tsunade and Kai. "I see, nice to meet you, Tsunade Senju."
Tsunade turned to Mikoto, the rich memory of Kai's stories playing in her mind. She remembered the countless nights Kai would visit her, narrating tales of his adventures and battles while he was away. Mikoto had been a constant in his stories.
In the silence of the room, Tsunade found her words. "So are you too, his…" she let her question trail off, the air thick with unsaid words.
Mikoto flinched, her eyes flickering away. A sheen of hesitation and vulnerability glazed her usually determined eyes. Just a few hours ago, she would have responded with a confident 'yes', but now the dynamics had shifted. Kai was a father now; he had a family with Tsunade. The complex knot of emotions was hard to untangle.
Lucky for her, Kai intervened. His voice, calm and steady, filled the room. "Yes, Mikoto is my lover." His words echoed in the silence, his gaze firmly on his daughter.
Tsunade, having heard Kai's declaration, exhaled a sigh. A moment of silence washed over her, then she allowed a small smile to bloom on her face. There was a brief flicker in her eyes, betraying a sliver of understanding, perhaps even empathy. It was a complex situation, one that transcended the bounds of normal relationships and time itself.
Mikoto watched the Hokage carefully, searching for signs of falsehood. But Tsunade's smile was genuine, her acceptance evident. Despite the intricacy of their situation, Tsunade was accepting her place in Kai's life. It was a gesture that lightened the weight Mikoto had felt since she had arrived in the village. She felt an unfamiliar sensation stirring within her – relief.
Before anyone could say anything else, Mito, who had been silent throughout the conversation, suddenly blurted out, "And me too." Her voice was sharp, filled with a hint of desperation.
Everyone in the room turned their gaze towards her. Mito's face was flushed, her emerald eyes fixed on Tsunade. She had given up her home, her timeline for Kai. She had risked the wrath of time itself, even death, all for the man she loved. The least she deserved was acknowledgment.
Tsunade's eyes widened. Her surprise was so evident that it echoed in her voice when she exclaimed, "WHAT?" The room fell into a stunned silence once more. This time, Kai couldn't suppress his sigh, and he finally rolled his eyes.
The sight was enough to make Mikoto suppress a giggle, while Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You have got to be kidding me," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"No, Tsuna," Kai interjected, his voice firm and calm amidst the bewilderment. "She isn't kidding. Mito is also my lover."
Tsunade looked at Kai for a moment, her eyes searching his. The confirmation was there, in his steady gaze and unyielding demeanor. Slowly, she let out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging slightly.
"Well," Tsunade started, running a hand through her hair. "This certainly complicates things, doesn't it?"
Tsunade's shock was understandable. Even though this Mito wasn't her grandmother, she was, after all, carrying Mito's blood, albeit not the blood of her alternate self. Tsunade let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her golden locks. The idea of sharing the man she loved, the father of her daughter, her husband with her grandmother from another timeline was definitely not common, even for a shinobi world steeped in the supernatural and absurd.
It was not the fact that Kai had other lovers that troubled her; she had always known and accepted that part of him. It was the uncanny resemblance of Mito to her own beloved grandmother that stirred the turmoil in her heart.
From the corner of her eye, she watched as Mito and Mikoto walked up to Kai. Both women carried a soft smile, a hint of affection in their gaze as they looked at Kai cradling his sleeping daughter, Reina. Seeing Reina's peaceful face nestled against Kai's chest, they melted.
Mikoto, a mother herself, leaned over, her fingers tracing the child's small face with a tender touch. "She looks just like you, Kai," Mikoto murmured, a soft smile playing on her lips.
Mito, her eyes fixated on the baby girl, nodded in agreement. "She does," she added, her voice barely more than a whisper, filled with awe and a hint of longing.
"I need to visit Samui, and later check on Sasuke, Karin, Jugo, and Haku. I left them for a year and a half when I was trapped in the past. Later, I will catch up with you too," Kai announced, breaking the intimate silence that had fallen in the room. He shifted Reina from his arms back to Tsunade, his fingers lingering for a moment longer on the soft skin of his daughter.
Tsunade, her gaze softening at the sight of her daughter in her arms, nodded in understanding. "Be careful, Kai," she murmured, an echo of concern resonating in her voice.
Kai then turned to Mikoto and Mito. His eyes were steady and calm, but there was a certain warmth in them that wasn't there before. "You two stay here. Tsunade will arrange accommodations." His voice was confident and reassuring, but there was a finality in his tone that didn't leave room for objections.
All three women nodded, understanding the unspoken meaning behind his words. Kai's gaze lingered on Reina for a moment longer before he disappeared, leaving behind a faint trace of his chakra.
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