Behind The Mask

Preparing For Thanksgiving

     Chase and Kushina have found a grocery store and they started shopping for the list of ingredients Ryder asked. Apples, blueberries, Cranberries, Pears, Raspberries, meats, spinach, and other stuff like those. Chase and Kushina picked out a lot of stuff for the Thanksgiving dinner and they were able to check out and pay for the rest of the stuff.

Now, both of them were walking back to the Lookout Tower.

"Sorry plans have been changed." Kushina apologized with a smile, trying to lift Chase's spirits, but luckily, he wasn't that upset about it.

"Meh, it's okay. There's always another time. Maybe we can find it after Thanksgiving." Chase said and Kushina looked at him with a quite surprised look at what the pup said. Chase noticed her look and was confused.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"You said, we." Kushina answered. Chase was still confused, but then realized and lightly blushed.

"Y-Yeah, I don't mind if you come along. To be honest, today was kind of...fun." Chase admitted, again with a light blush which surprised Kushina and then she gave him a teasing smirk.

"Oh? So you do have a soft spot, huh?" She taunted and Chase looked at her with a surprised look.

"N-No? I just enjoyed today, that's all." Chase backed away a little bit and Kushina chuckled at the pups actions. Maybe he isn't that bad after all Kushina thought and decided to spark up a conversation and she asked one thing that has been on her mind for a while now.

"I hope it's okay If I ask you, but, do you...speak to your parents, at all?" She asked cautiously and Chase stopped blushing and looked at her. Kushina noticed the change in attitude when his parents were mentioned.

"Um, well, I do sometimes, but not much cause they work a lot." Chase lied. Kushina's eyes softened.

"Will they...even make it to Thanksgiving?" She asked.

Silence.

"I...I don't think so." Chase said, but then looked at Kushina with a grin.

"But hey, it's no big deal. I'll entertain myself somehow." Chase said and Kushina frowned at him as she looked ahead at the path they were walking.

"I don't think so." She said and Chase looked up at her with a confused, surprised face.

"Sorry, but I'm not gonna let you spend Thanksgiving alone, if anything, you'll spend it with me and my family, or the rest of the Paw Patrol." Kushina said, even though she won't admit it, she's starting to see Chase as one of her own kids.

Chase, on the other hand, was surprised by Kushina's response. He was surprised and also felt a little uncomfortable because everything moved way too sudden, but at the same time, he felt accepted and didn't actually oppose her. Soon, his feelings were replaced with warmth and somewhat happiness. Like how a mother would bring to her child.

"Look, I know you distance yourself from everyone else, but this is the holidays, it's time you spent some time with the ones around you. That's what Thanksgiving's about. Gratitude and family." Kushina said, trying to uplift Chase's spirits.

"But...I can't. My family won't even be here." Chase responded and Kushina warmly smiled at him as she placed his paw on Chase's hand, and ruffled his hair.

"Then you'll be spending Thanksgiving with me and my family."

That sentence alone made Chase slightly gasp.

"R-Really? Are-Are you sure?" Chase asked, making sure his ears weren't hearing things.

"I'm sure." Kushina responded with a grin. She then lifted her paw from Chase's head.

"Now, let's get going. We wouldn't want to keep Ryder waiting too long." Kushina said and began walking. Chase stood frozen for a second before his face slowly formed in a warm smile.

A real smile

He then ran up to catch up with Kushina and walked beside her, like a child and his parents.

Lookout Tower

Nighttime hit and Chase and Kushina made it back and the rest of the pups and adults were helping Ryder cook and set up tables while also cleaning up the tower.

Kushina and Chase helped the others clean up the tower. Washing floors, cleaning out toys, organizing the place. During cleaning, Chase and Kushina would sometimes talk and laugh together which didn't go unnoticed by Edan, who smiled at the sight.

"Hey, Chase? Can you help me out real quick?" Ryder pleaded and Chase nodded as he quickly ran over to Ryder, wondering what his owner needed help with. Edan took this chance to talk with his wife.

"Seems like you two had a good day." Edan pointed out and Kushina smiled.

"We did, I think me and him are going to get along now." She said and Edan smiled.

"Really? Not too long ago, you guys would always butt heads. Guess you guys got to know each other, huh?" Edan asked with a grin and Kushina huffed.

"Heh, but anyways, tomorrow," Kushina began, "I want us to spend time with him." She said in a soft, serious tone as she watched Chase, helping Ryder carry some plates to the table. Kushina watched as Chase walked past the window which gave a great view of the glowing city in the dark.

"Huh? Why is that?" Edan asked. He didn't hate the idea, but it wasn't normal for Kushina to invite anyone over, especially when she didn't know them for too long.

"Well, his parents won't be coming back for Thanksgiving, and I figured he should at least spend it with someone." Kushina said. Edan was now surprised and looked at Chase along with Kushina.

"Wait, really? I thought his parents would show up, at least for the holidays." Edan said and Kushina nodded, meaning that she thought the exact same thing. Edan glanced over at his wife and smiled.

"Alright." He agreed and now, Kushina looked at him with slight confusion.

"Let's give him the best family Thanksgiving yet." Edan said and Kushina smiled at the determination in her husband's eyes.

"Yeah, let's do it." Kushina agreed and both went back to helping the others prepare for Thanksgiving.

Few Hours Later

The tables have been set up, the food is being prepared, and everyone is asleep, except Kushina, who kept thinking about the German Shepherd sleeping high behind her. Kushina felt bad for the police pup. Not having your parents show up for the holidays is tough to deal with, but at least she'll try to involve Chase with her family.

But she was happy that she got to know the pup a little bit more now, and that she's starting to form a bond. Fortunately, Chase started feeling the same way and now, the adult Dalmatian has found new respect for the pup, even though he is troublesome.

She looked next to her sleeping husband and son, but she mostly glanced at Marshall and warmly smiled.

"Heh, I was wrong. You really do know how to pick your brothers, don't you. Marshy?" Kushina whispered in Marshall's ear as she chuckled at the nickname, remembering how she would always call him that when he was much, much younger.

She nuzzled her head against her sons and peacefully fell asleep.