Kimimaro was sitting alone in the basement, seemingly silent on the surface, but with a torrent of thoughts revolving in his mind. Those people had read his mind, which means they had seen all of the things he had done in his life.
And Kimimaro didn't actually do much of good deeds in his life till now. Aside from being caged, all he did was kill till his clan was around, and after that, he was busy running for his life... and being manipulated by someone.
'What if they don't like how easily I kill people without thinking? What if they also think I am a monster? Will I lose the only person who had looked toward me like I am also human?'
With a sequence of increasingly depressing thoughts, Kimimaro was sitting alone in the room when the gates of the room opened, and from that, the darkness of the room receded, and a single person entered inside.
"What are you doing here sitting all gloomy like that?" Kaida asked, ruffling Kimimaro's hair.
"I am not gloomy," Kimimaro said, standing up from his chair.
"Ya, ya, now let's get moving. Everything is done, and you are now part of Konoha," Kaida said with a smile.
"Really?"
"Yup."
"Then I will be able to live with you?" Kimimaro asked, hope finally returning in his eyes once again.
"We will discuss all those things later. For now, let's go. I am really missing my home, and you also need to meet your new family, right?" Kaida evaded the question for now, as the boy was not ready for the whole politics dictating where he will live thing.
"Family?" Kimimaro asked.
"Yeah, a group of people so precious to you, you can die for them and they will do the same without a moment of delay," Kaida said. Though he wanted to give a better answer, for some reason, he felt like this was the explanation he would understand the best.
"Let's go." Kaida gently dragged the boy who was holding on to his shirt in nervousness. Due to the whole staying in the dark thing, Kimimaro couldn't be found walking around Konoha, so Kaida did the second best thing—flickered him all the way to Uchiha district.
"This is our house," Kaida said, standing in front of his house, with Kimimaro hiding behind him for some reason.
'I don't remember him this shy in the anime. Well, all I know was after him getting "adopted" by Orochimaru and living with that man would make quite some changes in the personality of a person. So I can't think of him as the same Kimimaro as from the anime; he is a completely different person,' Kaida thought while waiting for someone to open the door. It was already evening, so Aunt Hae should be home by now.
And like his thoughts were a clue, the door of the house opened, but unlike what Kaida had been expecting, the one to welcome him was neither Aunt Hae nor Yomi.
"Big Brother, you are back! I was about... Who are you?" Just as Naruto was about to start his rambling, his eyes fell on Kimimaro, who was hiding behind Kaida.
"Hello Naruto, meet Kimimaro. I met him during this mission, and from now on, he will live with us," Kaida said while putting his hand on Kimimaro's head.
"What do you mean... Did you kidnap him?" Naruto was shocked out of his wits by the weird theories he was making in his mind.
"No, he doesn't have any family left in his previous village, so from now on, we are going to be his family, okay?" Kaida said, before Naruto ran to Hae complaining about him joining some rogue ninja gang. This child was reading too many novels.
Naruto suddenly became serious after hearing that and looked toward Kimimaro once again.
"I will be your big brother from now on, okay?" he said. Living with Aunt Hae, Naruto was not the same 4-year malnourished boy at all. Now he looked like a proper 5-year-old child. In front of Kimimaro, a frail 8-year-old, he could pose as an elder brother... for now.
"Hahaha, he is older than you, so it is going to be the opposite," Kaida said.
"What? How old are you?" Naruto asked Kimimaro.
"I am going to be 8 this year," Kimimaro said, now becoming a little less awkward in front of Naruto. Because of his too much friendly energy, Kimimaro was gaining some confidence.
"Oh no, one more big brother. When will I get the chance to be one?" Naruto said with a dejected expression.
"I thought I listened to your voice, and who might this young boy be?" Aunt Hae came out at this time, wearing her cooking clothes and a motherly smile on her face.
"Hello Aunt, meet Kimimaro. I met him during the mission, and..."
"Everything can wait; for now, come inside," she said, and only then Kaida noticed they were still outside talking all that.
'I blame Naruto,' he thought.
"Okay Aunt, let's go Kimimaro," Kaida said and entered the house. Yomi also came to the hall.
"Do you guys want some snacks and tea?" Hae asked.
"Yes aunt, but first Naruto, can you show Kimimaro the house and the bathroom, while you go to wash your hands?" Kaida asked.
"Of course, leave that to me!" Naruto took his mission with full confidence and dedication and literally dragged Kimimaro toward the first floor of the house.
"I believe this is when the explanation will begin?" Hae asked.
"Yeah, but aunt, where is Yomi?" Kaida asked.
"She is with Karin, practicing her seal or something. She was planning on staying there for today, but maybe we should call her."
"No aunt, I will tell her about this tomorrow. So about him..." Kaida started giving Hae a quick summary of the life of Kimimaro till the point he discovered him and brought him to Konoha.
"So till Lord Third finalizes where he will live, he will live with us. I hope you don't have any problem with that, otherwise I could..."
"The only problem I have is that the boy was not brought to my house earlier and he may leave, so do something about this if you can. Otherwise, go and wash your hands as well; I will bring tea and snacks," Hae said, cutting Kaida mid-sentence and went towards the kitchen, leaving Kaida behind who had a smile on his face.
He already knew this was going to happen; that's why he didn't even think twice before bringing Kimimaro to the house.
After some time, all four of them were in the hall, with Naruto and Kimimaro holding a glass of milk while Hae and Kaida drinking tea with cookies and cake on the side.
Naruto didn't shy away from eating his fill at all.
"So Kimimaro, do you have any favorite food?" Hae asked, passing a cookie to the boy.
"Food?" Kimimaro asked, looking up first toward Hae then Kaida. Seeing their expectant gaze, he thought and answered.
"Yeah, I like fish, though the ones which don't smell bad are more good, and bread too, but hard ones are a little difficult to chew, though the one big brother gave me was much better," Kimimaro said. A silence atmosphere fell in the room.
"Oh boy, I would now have to make every dish so you could pick your favorite, huh?" Hae said, sighing and standing up.
"Where are you going, Aunt?" Kaida asked.
"Where else? To the kitchen. Today we are going to have a feast. Kimimaro, can you help me with some work?"
"YES!" Kimimaro practically shouted at this point.
"I will help too," Naruto said, finishing his glass of milk.
"Well, I can't be the only free loader left, so I will help too," Kaida said, standing up as well.