Touch - Chapter 15
Title: Touch
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: PG-13
Content Notes: None
Disclaimer: I have no rights to or claims on the Naruto franchise, trademark, copyright, or characters. This is for fun, not profit.
Summary: In the future what's left of humanity sends the Rokudaime Hokage back in time to make some changes. Sadly, they can't send all of her. When a seven-year-old Haruno Sakura decides to take an interest in Hatake Kakashi, the timeline shifts in some... unique... ways.
“Don’t frown all the time,” Mother scolded. His mother tugged on his collar and smoothed the Uchiha insignia embroidered onto his left shoulder. “You’ll end up looking like your father.”
“There’s nothing wrong with father’s face,” Sasuke protested automatically.
“It has too many frown lines.” Her hands smoothed the insignia on his right shoulder and tugged at the fall of his kimono until its fall pleased her. “Frown lines only look distinguished on old ninja.”
“Father isn’t old!”
Mother giggled. “He’s older than you think. There now. You’re ready.”
Father was already waiting for them on the porch. Like the rest of Sasuke’s family he was dressed formally. Father’s perpetual frown lightened as he looked them over.
Mother blushed.
Sasuke straightened his shoulders and stood taller.
Father approves. The mere thought of his father’s approval lightened Sasuke’s heart and made him warm. He’s not going to approve of the Idiot Brigade. The mere thought of his team wilted Sasuke’s good feelings. He’s going to be so disappointed in me for getting stuck with them.
Father helped Mother down the steps.
Sasuke dragged after them.
“Don’t shuffle your feet,” his mother scolded.
Sasuke sighed. Heavily.
His father shot him a disapproving look.
Sasuke straightened up and tried to arrange his face into impassive lines. When his father nodded and turned away, Sasuke relaxed; or tried to at any rate.
It was always painful to watch Sakura indulge and dote on Fu. All of those piggyback rides and hugs and smiles cut straight to Sasuke’s heart. Even worse, the invites indicated that Sakura had an older sister who doted on Sakura enough to organize the team dinner and party.
Sasuke hated watching other people and their siblings, particularly when some older brother or sister was doting on a younger one. It brought back memories.
Fake memories. Bad memories, he reminded himself. His heart bled at the painful reminder. Rage made his head swim and his fingers tingle. He pretended to love me. He never meant any of it.
Mood thoroughly soured, Sasuke trudged after his parents.
Sasuke had never bothered to imagine where Sakura might live or what her family might be like so Sakura’s family home was utterly unsurprising to him. Despite that, the grounds and walkway between the front gate and the front of the house were beautiful even to Sasuke’s eyes.
When his father rang the doorbell, a small pink-haired girl and Fu answered it.
“Hi!” chirped the littler girl.
Great. Three sisters, maybe.
The littler kid was obviously related to Sakura. Her long pink hair was a few shades lighter than Sakura’s hair was and she had that same stupid childish smile. Her eyes were brown. She was wearing a black yukata with vibrant pink plum blossoms and stark white sakura flowers sailing across it. Across the expanse of her bright yellow obi fluttered little orange and red and dark yellow butterflies. Matching little butterfly pins gleamed in her hair.
Fu’s short green hair was pinned back by little white flower pins. Her bright orange yukata matched her eyes. It had white sakura and peach blossoms flowering on it amid a shower of pine needles. Crickets outlined in darker greens and white hopped acrossthe pale green expanse of her obi.
To Sasuke’s eyes, the girls were painfully bright.
Bet Naruto’ll be jealous of Fu’s yukata, Sasuke thought. The image of Naruto in an orange yukata with little bowls of ramen dancing across it made Sasuke blush. Naruto would have a bright blue obi, of course. And he - And I really shouldn’t be thinking about this.
Sasuke promptly pretended that such a stupid thing had never even entered his mind.
The fact that his cheeks were still hot made that harder than it should have been.
Maybe liking horrible bright colors is some sort of family trait? Sasuke wondered. But Fu doesn’t look related by blood. Naruto definitely isn’t related to anyone. What if it’s like some sort of awful, flesh eating disease - communicable?
Sasuke shuddered.
In an effort to redirect his thoughts, Sasuke minutely examined the odd necklaces that both girls wore. A quick flicker of his sharingan showed the front halves of the necklaces glowing with Sakura’s chakra. Brighter against the soft background glow of Sakura’s chakra was a complicated overlapping chakra web of tiny lines and symbols. It shimmered with Sakura’s chakra too.
It made Sasuke’s head hurt to even try to sort them out into an understandable pattern.
Interesting. Wonder what they’re supposed to do?
When the little girl moved to open the door wider, the older girl caught the back of the door and held it in place.
“Fu-neechan!” The little girl tugged on the door. “Let go!”
Fu held it in place while she scanned first his father’s face then his mother’s and finally Sasuke’s face. Recognition lit up her expression.
“Sasuke-san.”
She let go of the door.
“Come in!” The littler sister enthused as she swung the door wider. “Come in! Everyone’s gonna be so excited! You got here first!”
While his family filed into the house, the little girls rushed to get slippers for them.
“Your yukata are lovely,” Sasuke’s mother said as she changed her shoes.
“Mine used to be Sakura-neechan!” The little girl said brightly. She gently patted the obi wound around her middle with a soft hand. “And this was her favorite yukata obi when she was little like me!”
“You’re beautiful in it,” Mother assured the little girl. Her attention shifted to Fu. “Was that also your sister’s yukata?”
“Momo-neechan’s,” Fu said with a blush. The tips of her fingers skimmed across the top of her obi. “But this was Sakura-neechan’s obi. She got it the first time I came home with her.”
“That’s a beautiful story about a beautiful girl,” Mother said. She smiled brightly. “Is anyone else home?”
The littler girl tilted her head back.
Fu cringed, her hands darting toward her sister. “Don’t -”
“Sasuke-san’s here!” shouted the littler sister. “And his parents!”
There was the thump thump thump of feet running closer before Naruto burst into the entrance way. He was wearing an orange kimono and dark olive green hakama. The red swirl from the shoulder of Konohagakure’s uniforms was on the front of each of his shoulders and each of his sleeves.
Not first then, Sasuke thought with a frown. Doesn’t he know anything about manners?
“Sasuke!” Naruto skidded to a stop and hastily bowed to Sasuke’s parents. “Nice to meet you! Believe it!”
The frown lines in Father’s face deepened.
“Hello,” said Mother as an older man with dark hair and a long face entered the room. He was wearing black hakama and a bright red kimono with the Haruno kamon in all the right places. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Naruto beamed.
The adults made introductions - the man was Sakura’s father and the other little sister was named Anzu - then everyone followed Haruno into the living room.
That red swirl was on Naruto’s back too.
Sasuke frowned. It’s not a family kamon… is it?
When everyone had a steaming cup of tea in front of him or her, Sakura’s father smiled and said, “The rest of the family will be down as soon as possible. There was a minor - er - accident.”
Anzu giggled.
“That’s fine,” Mother said warmly. “Do you have just the four daughters?”
“Five actually. And Naruto, of course.” Sakura’s father put a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. The idiot was grinning and blushing like the man had said something important. “He doesn’t share our last name but he’s kind enough to keep me company anyway.”
Mother laughed. “Perhaps I should lure Sakura-chan into keeping me company then.”
The littlest girl - Anzu - scowled at Mother. She opened her mouth to say something when Fu elbowed her sharply.
Sasuke scowled at the littler brat.
She transferred her scowl to him.
The conversation continued on around him in smooth eddies and flows as Mother and Sakura’s father discussed jobs (Sakura’s family were merchants) and schooling. (The older girl had fulfilled an apprenticeship with her father’s trading company some years ago. Sakura apparently apprenticed under some unnamed jonin before taking the academy’s exams and joining Team Seven. Sasuke felt a flare of jealousy over that. The little girls were at the general ed school while Fu was at the academy.)
“You must keep an eye on them,” Mother said. “They’re only chunin after all. Some academy instructors are more talented than others but they all have their bad habits. Once a bad habit takes, it’s incredibly painful to train it out of a child. Why, it took Sasuke four months to unlearn his kunai grip.”
Sakura’s father nodded. “It was miserable retraining him.”
Sasuke flushed, this time with acute embarrassment. He kept his glare on the brat though.
“My wife and I don’t really know a lot about that. We were lucky with Sakura since she had Ino-chan and Inoichi-san and her masters to help her with those sorts of technical things.”
“Sakura-chan helped me,” Naruto said proudly. “And she’s helping Fu-chan out too.”
Sasuke lost the staring competition. His gaze swung over to Fu who was blushing and nodding proudly.
“Sakura-neeechan and I practice on her days off,” Fu said softly. Her gaze was firmly fixed on Naruto. “And we meditate together almost every night.”
Loathing and envy swelled within Sasuke’s chest. In that moment, he hated Fu with a fiery passion.
The girl startled. Her eyes were huge and her skin was pale when she swung her gaze toward Sasuke. Whatever she saw when she looked at him made her squirm back in her seat, crushing her obi knot.
Sasuke tried to force his expression back into neutral lines.
“Blech!” Naruto grimaced. “Meditation’s so boring! I can’t believe that she’s still into that!”
The idiot shot Fu an expectant look. Fu blinked then shrugged at him. The nonchalant gesture looked forced.
“Sakura-neechan says it’s important to becoming a good ninja.”
“It’s boring! I don’t meditate and I’m gonna be the best ninja ever!” Naruto boasted. “A living legend!”
Fu’s forehead wrinkled in a slight frown.
“S-Sakura-neechan says that the very best ninja know themselves. And - And that they aren’t ruled by their emotions.”
“Pfft! I’m not gonna give my emotions up to be a ninja! I’m gonna be my own sort of ninja! Believe it!”
Fu frowned harder at the idiot. Clearly, she was bright enough to see that Naruto had entirely missed the point of Sakura’s advice.
“S-Sakura-neechan still feels things. S-She just d-decides what to do about it instead of just doing what she feels like doing.”
Naruto’s face flushed with a bright blush.
“That’s because Sakura’s so hot-blooded! Not even meditating could take her emotions away! Seriously Fu, I don’t meditate and I’m gonna be Hokage someday! Believe it!”
Fu face cleared into a pleasant smile but there was a frown in her eyes as she dipped her head.
Sasuke could see that the gesture was a habit. If her hair was not pinned back, it would have fallen into her face and hidden her expression from view.
Naruto started to boast about all the amazing adventures he was going to have before he became Hokage when Mother gently interjected, “Fu-chan? You look like you want to say something else.”
There was a momentary lull in Naruto’s chattering.
Fu hesitated. She shook her head.
Naruto kept going on and on and on about becoming Hokage. Anzu was his rapt audience.
Sasuke was so grateful to hear the chimes of the doorbell that he nearly offered to answer the door.
“I’ll get it!” Anzu shouted as she raced out of the room. “Wait right here!”
Fu and Naruto doggedly chased after her anyway.
Haruno-san smiled fondly. “Kids.”
From the entrance way there was the sound of Naruto shouting, “Kakashi-sensei! Old Creepy Eyes!”
Fu’s softer voice murmured, “Kakashi-sensei. Tenzo-san. Welcome to our home.”
Sasuke could only hear two sets of footsteps returning to the room - Anzu and Fu’s.
That was about the time that two little girls, two jonin, and the most irritating moron on the face of the planet entered the living room.
“Everyone’s here now!” Anzu reported to her father as he headed for the front door. “I’ll get cups!”
She scampered off in the direction of the kitchen. Fu made a little noise and chased after her.
Introductions were made. Sasuke was relieved when his parents greeted Kakashi cordially.
Sakura’s little sisters darted back into the room, their hands full of tea cups.
“Tea?” asked Anzu hopefully.
“Ah…” Their jonin sensei shot Sakura’s father a questioning look.
“We’re just waiting on one of my daughters. There were… technical difficulties.” His grin was rueful. When the stranger, Tenzo, looked interested Haruno-san added, “There was a fight.”
They’re obviously familiar with each other. How? Sasuke frowned. Sakura’s family isn’t a ninja clan. Maybe he’s the jonin that Sakura did her apprenticeship under?
“Umeko won!” Anzu reported proudly. “She beat Saburo-next-door up even though her lip got busted and her eyes’re black and her yukata got dirty!”
“Sakura-neechan will fix her face,” Fu told Anzu seriously.
Anzu’s little mouth dropped open. “No fair! I want Sakura-neechan to do jutsu on me too!”
And with that, she unceremoniously dumped all of the tea things in her arms onto the low table and bolted out of the room.
Fu sighed. She looked at the tea things in her hands. “Tea?”
That was about the time Sasuke heard the soft thump thump thump of four pairs of feet. Five females ranging between approximately five years of age and thirty-five years of age entered the kitchen.
The first was clearly Anzu’s twin, Umeko. They shared similar facial features and the same eyes but her hair was a much darker shade of pink than Sakura’s hair. As predicted, Umeko’s face was unmarked.
“Ready!” Umeko called. She bounced into the room in a white kimono with bright pink plum blossoms, softer pink sakura blossoms, a flurry of dark green pine needles and nearly white peach blossoms on it. Wrapped around her middle was a wide sapphire blue obi decorated with brightly colored little goldfish swimming across it. Her long hair, pinned back by shiny dark pink flower pins, swung around her cheeks and chin. She was smiling that same, stupid smile as Sakura and Anzu had. “How do I look?”
“Like you never rolled around in the mud,” Naruto said frankly.
“Beautiful,” corrected the stranger.
Umeko scowled at Naruto, beamed at Tenzo, and shyly scurried behind her father. She peeked at Tenzo from around her father’s leg.
The second was a young woman with long black hair and dark brown eyes. She was obviously related to the father and the youngest sisters. Her peach kimono had ridiculously long sleeves. It was covered in a riot of flowers, fluttering cranes, stiff bamboo plants, and the occasional snowflake. The scarf under her obi was blue and gauzy while her obi was golden, shiny, and covered in yet more flowers. A knotted red cord near the top of her obi held it all together. In her long dark hair was pinned a large white flower and around her throat was a necklace made from gleaming black stones. Like the littler girls, hers was made from longer rectangular stones and rounded stones. Like the other necklaces, its front half glowed and shimmered with Sakura’s chakra.
Even to Sasuke, she was beautiful despite her garish wrappings.
If she changed her kimono, she’d be exactly the sort of girl I’m supposed to marry.
“You’re early,” she said to Kakashi with genuine surprise - and pleasure - in her voice. “Thank you.”
He blinked and, for a moment, looked genuinely surprised.
“Really? My invitation said -”
His eye narrowed. He leveled an accusatory look on his companion. Tenzo coughed.
She smiled at Tenzo. “Thank you.”
He shrugged. “I made a promise to a girl.”
Oddly, the woman blushed. It was very pretty. Sasuke decided that, if it made her do that, he approved of whatever the comment alluded to.
Next was an older woman. She was clearly Sakura’s mother. Her sensible sleeves and black kimono were a relief to Sasuke’s sensibilities. Pale flowers curled and reached along the bottom hem and up into the body of the kimono, marring its perfectly monotone expanse. There was a white Haruno clan kamon on either of her shoulders and probably three more on her back. Over her white obi scarf was a bright red obi which was overlaid by a knotted dark green cord. Across the obi flew white cranes and peonies. Her long hair, which was nearly red, was pinned up with softly tinkling silver fans and pearl topped pins. Her eyes were bright blue.
The Haruno matriarch sent a significant look toward Naruto. He nodded and brought his hands up in the seal that he used for kage bunshin. Clones hustled off to the entrance way.
The fourth member, Anzu, was pouting and stomping.
Clearly, Sakura’s not done any jutsu on her, Sasuke thought. He was amused despite his lingering irritation with the Haruno sisters. Spoilt brat.
Sakura, walking on silent feet, was the fifth member of the group. In Sasuke’s opinion, her kimono was the worst of all.
It was soft pink like her hair. Along the bottom hem lapped blue waves decorated with lily pads, crickets and frogs. Trees stretched from the banks of the stream up the kimono and across her sleeves. White cranes stalked between their trunks while slugs and crickets climbed up them. Among the riots of sakura, peach, and plum blossoms growing from the trees’ wide branches peeked little birds and cats. On gusts of wind painted with pale blue-white ink floated peony flowers and tiny blue bubbles. In the distance, which in this case meant Sakura’s left shoulder, lightening crackled down over misty mountains. Her gauzy obi scarf was bright yellow. It puffed over the edge of a wide, scarlet obi on which a long black dragon twisted and clawed its way through a riot of large pale flowers. Near the top edge of the obi was a knotted dark blue cord. Her hair was mysteriously long enough again to be pinned up with pearl-headed pins, a white comb was a blue wave pattern on it, and little red flowers.
Sasuke felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop open.
They’re deliberately trying to blind us!
Sakura’s eyes skimmed over the group assessingly.
She blushed and smiled. Her entire face lit up with the happiness in her smile.
“Hello everyone! Thank you for coming!”
Introductions were made all around and Mother fawned over the kimono. Apparently the kimono with ridiculously long sleeves were called furisode and worn by civilian girls at their coming out ceremonies to signify their adulthood and eligibility for marriage. They wore them until they got married. Then they got to wear the sensible sleeves.
A quick glance around at all of those people in the room set Sasuke’s skin to tingling. The living room had seemed respectably large until it had the entire Haruno family, his family, Naruto, and two jonin in it. Now, people were almost touching him. And even with Naruto and the two jonin on his side, the brightly-clad Haruno clan still outnumbered everyone else.
And Naruto’s not even really on our side, Sasuke thought with a resentful glance toward Naruto’s orange kimono. Traitor.
The mere thought of trying to get through a dinner with so many people in any single room of the house horrified Sasuke.
Haven’t any of these people ever heard of personal space? Maybe we’re going out to eat? I hope we’re going out to eat!
Sasuke’s only consolation was how hard his father was frowning. Sasuke appreciated not being the only uncomfortable shinobi in the room.
That was about the time Naruto’s clones reappeared, carrying their shoes. Sasuke was so grateful to see his outdoors shoes that he nearly hugged the idiot’s chakra constructs. He graciously overlooked how much more crowded they made the room with their mere presence.
As he switched his footware, Sasuke shamelessly eavesdropped on Sakura’s conversation with Tenzo. He (and strangely, Kakashi) had been frowning on and off since Momo revealed what a civilian coming out party (and furisode) meant. (Naruto had just stared at Sakura with the weird, perverted expression that he usually favored ramen with. Sasuke found that expression, when directed at another person, to be nearly as stupid and enraging as Sakura’s smiles.)
“You’re too young for marriage,” Tenzo murmured repressively. Sakura was using his shoulder to balance as she traded her shoes. Unlike the other women, whose every movement was perfect and graceful, Sakura needed the help. The little girls just plopped onto the floor or a seat to change their shoes. “Or flirting. Or dating of any kind. Ever.”
Sakura laughed. Her shoes safely on, she straightened and patted Tenzo’s arm.
“Don’t worry Tenzo-nii,” Sakura said as she hooked her arm through Momo’s. “We’ve decided that we’re never going to marry anyone. Ever.”
Momo looked surprised. Then she smiled beautifully at Sakura. Sakura beamed back.
Looking confused, Tenzo dredged up a smile. “Uh… Good?”
Nearby, Sakura’s mother made a small, despairing noise.
As Momo and Sasuke headed for the large glass doors that led onto a back porch, Tenzo complained, “You only addressed a third of my concerns!”
Evil girlish laughter trailed back. Sasuke, who was looking forward to exiting the cramped room, hurried after them. In their wake, a hoard of Naruto clones scrambled around the living room tidying up while other clones fetched dishes from the kitchen.
Outside was a large backyard filled with neatly trimmed green lawns, trees, flowerbeds and winding pathways. There was a treehouse in one particularly enormous old tree. Red paper lanterns hung in criss crossing patterns overhead. Already they were lit, their soft red glow casting a crimson haze over the world.
It’s like the sharingan, Sasuke decided, pleased with the effect. But it softens the lines and shadows instead of bringing everything into perfect focus.
In the center of the lawn was a long table. It was covered in crisp white table clothes and already set with clean dishes, cups, silverware, and chopsticks. In minutes everyone was settled in their neatly labeled seats while the idiot’s clones carefully served the food dishes.
Sasuke, situated between Kakashi and Tenzo and across from Naruto, was relieved at his placement choice. It was far enough away from his parents to be comfortable and nowhere near anyone truly sociable.
Or so he thought.
That Tenzo guy was determined make conversation. But they mostly talked about training so that was all right.
What was not okay was the table of giggling little girls. Sakura’s three little sisters kept looking in his general direction and whispering. Occasionally they would deliberately walk past him on their way to get this or that older person to cut something for them.
Aren’t they a little young to be fangirls? At what age do girls become fangirls anyway? Sasuke narrowed his eyes in thought but he simply could not remember when girls turned into fangirls. They just… did. There had always been people watching him and admiring him and then some of those people seemed to want to kiss him. And some of those people were definitely not girls. Anyway, it’s all very annoying. They’re annoying. I wish they’d stop.
“Sasuke-san?” Tenzo inquired. There was the faintest note of reproach in the older man’s voice for his inattention. “Are you well?”
“Fine. Was Sakura apprenticed to you?”
Tenzo blinked. “No. She was apprenticed to someone much more famous.”
Sasuke felt his eyes narrow. “Who?”
Tenzo smiled blandly. “I imagine that you’ll meet them later. Could you please pass the umeboshi?”
Sasuke stared at Tenzo. Tenzo stared back at Sasuke.
When the older man slowly raised an eyebrow at him, Sasuke grudgingly passed him the requested dish.
“How do you know Sakura, then?”
“Through Kakashi-senpai,” Tenzo said as he helped his plate.
“How do you know Kakashi, Tenzo?”
One of Tenzo’s eyes twitched but all he said was, “He used to be my team captain.”
“Before us?”
“Further back. Your older brother was our teammate for awhile. I liked him. His manners were impeccable.”
Sasuke’s hands clenched. “Ita - What happened?”
Tenzo, his mouth full of rice, arched his eyebrows at Sasuke.
Sasuke stomped down on his desire to beat the information out of the irritating man.
“Our team split up.” Tenzo said at last. “Eventually, we got two new teammates. They’re engaged now.” His gaze was innocent as he added, “Romance between teammates happens a lot in squads with a kunoichi on them.”
Romance-crazy, the lot of them.
“Tch. As if I’d want that.”
“No, I don’t suppose you would.” Tenzo demurred. “Would you please pass the salmon?”
The older man’s eyes strayed to where Naruto was enthusiastically telling Sakura about something that required enormous hand gestures. Naruto’s face was flushed and his eyes were bright. Sakura’s expression was rapt and her eyes were sparkling.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sasuke demanded, his temper flaring.
Tenzo blinked at Sasuke, his expression as stupid and placid as a cow’s.
“What’s what supposed to mean?”
“Never mind!” Sasuke snapped. He snatched up the requested dish then plopped it in front of the annoying man. “Here.”
Sasuke turned his attention to his other side where Kakashi was reading Icha Icha Quest. The moronic bimbo on the front cover had long pink hair and a multi-layered furisode. She was being followed by a dark-haired man with an intent expression. He bore a disturbing resemblance to that man.
Sasuke glared. He really hated his team.
* * * * *
“Did you have to make your hair so short?” demanded Momo. “It’s going to be harder to make your hair cute.”
Sakura, who had been musing on whether or not she could ever invent a hot wind jutsu to dry her hair (and maybe suck all the moisture out of her enemies' mummified corpses), absently did the awful jutsu to lengthen her hair.
Momo yelped then smacked the back of Sakura’s shoulder. “Brat. And don’t smudge your nail polish.”
The yelp attracted the little sisters in Sakura’s family. They sat on their parents’ bed, watching and whispering as Momo tortured Sakura’s scalp.
Sakura’s mother, who had been ordering Naruto into an appropriate kimono and hakama, bustled into the room to help Sakura dress. There was a brief, but fierce, argument about whether or not Sakura was going to wear anything under her kimono. (Traditionally, she was supposed to go naked. Sakura was against that.) Sometime during the long process, Anzu and Umeko disappeared.
They reappeared just about the time Sakura’s mother (finally) deemed everyone presentable enough to go down and wait for their guests.
There was a bad forty-five minutes where Umeko was cuddled and cossetted, their mother stormed off to make the neighbors cry (again), and Fu and Anzu were persuaded to go help Papa with anything.
While Momo repainted Umeko’s nails and fixed her hair, Sakura healed her scrapes and bruises.
“Sa, you’re going to be tougher than me,” Sakura teased as she mended Umeko’s split lip. “It’s good that you’re my little sister, ne? Then you can protect me.”
“I am really tough,” she agreed. She smiled. “I didn't even use my necklace.”
“I know!” Sakura agreed as she worked on smoothing away the bruises aroud Umeko’s eyes. “That was really good thinking of you.”
“I didn’t want to kill Jyuushiro,” Umeko confided. One of her little hands rose to hold onto the middle stone of her necklace. “I just wanted to hit him. Stupid boy!”
“They’re all very dumb,” Sakura agreed. She finished her jutsu and moved toward the closet where all of the kimono were kept. “But we probably shouldn't kill them for that.”
“I hate them!”
“I know,” Momo agreed. “But you can’t hate all of them.”
“I do too!”
“Papa’s a boy.”
“Is not,” Umeko argued scornfully. “He’s all growed up.”
“‘Grown up’ not ‘growed up,’” Momo murmured. Sakura listened to the conversation from inside the large closet. “What about Naruto-kun?”
“He’s almost grown up.”
Sakura, who was examining a white yukata that Mama had laid out for a cherry blossom festival at the end of the month, laughed.
“Oh, oh, Naruto-kun is definitely not anywhere near grown up!”
Umeko huffed noisily. “Fine. I hate all boys except Naruto-kun except when he eats my ramen.”
“That sounds fair,” Sakura cheerfully agreed. “Do you want the goldfish obi or the ladybug one?”
“Goldfish!”
By the time Umeko was dressed and everyone was ready to go downstairs, Umeko was in high spirits again. She flounced down the stairs after decreeing that “Sakura-neechan has to walk last ‘cause it’s her special party!”
Just before Momo followed Sakura held up a necklace box.
“To thank you.”
When Momo opened the box, she arched her eyebrows at Sakura.
“Is there anything… interesting in it?”
Sakura’s mouth curved up into a smile. “Yes. You remember how to work it, right?”
“Definitely. Help me put it on.”
When Sakura walked into the living room and saw everyone’s expressions, she was deeply, deeply grateful to Umeko for her demands. She was more than happy to spend a few seconds feeling beautiful and amazing and awesome.
Dinner went well. Sasuke’s mother had some hysterically funny stories about her genin squad, Team Jiraiya, and even Sasuke seemed to have found something to talk to Tenzo about. The little spores, cast out to their own table, made tons of excuses to visit the grown up table. As far as Sakura could tell they were either still scoping out Tenzo or they really enjoyed making Sasuke twitch. It could even have been some combination of the two. And of course they were eavesdropping shamelessly on the adults' conversation.
After dinner Momo presented each genin with two boxes. Kakashi got one too. They all had one long, flat box. Naruto and Sasuke additionally had large square boxes. Sakura’s second box was about as long as her first box but half again deeper.
“I was told that it’s traditional to give each new genin team gifts,” she said with a blush. “I hope you like them. Open the not-matching boxes first!”
Naruto’s first box contained camping gear. A pack, bedroll, canteen, and small tent filled the box. Everything except the tent was that bright eye-searing shade of orange that Naruto loved so desperately. The tent was a very boring shade of dark gray-green. Everything had a red swirl on it in honor of the Uzumaki clan.
“Oh,” Naruto said. His voice sounded a bit thick and wavery. “Oh, man, they’re wonderful! I love them! Look, Kaka-sensei! Now you have to take us someplace cool for our adventures ‘cause I’ve got all this neat gear! Isn’t it awesome? It’s incredibly awesome! Thank you, everyone! Believe it!”
Sasuke’s large box contained everything he would need to grow plants.
When he stared down at a packet of seeds, Momo murmured, “I heard that you like tomatoes.”
Sasuke looked genuinely startled. Then he looked grateful.
“I do. Thank you very much.”
Momo beamed at him. “You’re very welcome, Sasuke-kun.”
Sasuke… blushed.
Sakura giggled.
Sakura’s larger box contained two fans small enough to fit in any of Sakura’s pouches and a large brown canteen. The fans’ panels were white with sakura trees painted on them. Sakura was pleased to see that the sakura trees had pink flowers growing on them. The canteen had a compass in its top.
“The other day you said you were going to try to do some wind jutsu,” Momo said nervously. “The man in the supply shop said that those ought to be strong enough for that. Their ribs are made out of some sort of special metal - I didn’t really understand his lecture - but they’re definitely sharp enough to cut someone so be super careful. And I thought, maybe, the canteen would help with your water techniques since there isn’t always water around.”
Sakura beamed at her sister. Momo had an imperfect understanding at best of how elemental jutsu worked but that was so entirely not the point.
“They’re wonderful and perfect and I love them! Thank you!”
Momo beamed back at her.
“I’m so glad!” She clapped her hands together. “Now! All of you should open that other box together!”
Inside of the other boxes were… coats.
Naruto’s was orange with dark blue, white and red flames along its bottom hem. In the center of its back was a red swirl. Sakura’s was red with dark blue, white and orange flames along its bottom hem. The Haruno clan’s white circle was in the center of its back. Sasuke’s was dark blue with red, white and orange flames along its bottom hem. The Uchiha clan’s fan was on its back. And Kakashi’s coat was white with red, orange, and dark blue flames at its bottom hem. On the back of his was a black three-pronged kunai. Presumably it was Kakashi’s family crest.
Sasuke and Tenzo both blinked.
Kakashi looked… pained.
“Inoichi-san said that genin teams should have a team thing in common. Ino-chan’s team got their ears pieced together and matching earrings,” Momo rambled. “And he said there’s another team that wears really ugly green leotards. I know it’s not as life changing as body modification or public humiliation but -”
“They’re wonderful,” Sakura interrupted. She, like Naruto, was beaming so widely that her cheeks hurt. Even though the coat’s lines would look very odd with her kimono and enormous obi knot underneath it, Sakura pulled it on. Next to her, Naruto and Sasuke were doing the same thing. “They’re absolutely perfect and way better than earrings or leotards!”
She scrambled off of her backless chair and hurried over to wrap Momo in a tight hug. Naruto was a half-step behind her. Together, they hugged Momo so tightly that she squeaked.
“They’re - Thank you,” Sasuke said haltingly from somewhere behind Sakura. “You were very kind to worry about this.”
In the distance Naruto’s voice shouted, “Ero-sannin! Baa-chan!”
It was promptly followed by the wailing of high, angry voices.
In the back garden, Sakura and Naruto let go of Momo.
Tsunade-shisho shouted, “Brat! You woke them up!”
At the same time Jiraya-dono shouted, “Don’t call me that!”
Both of Sakura’s parents tensed. Sakura and her sisters exchanged smiles. Tenzo looked resigned. Kakashi-sensei smirked. Naruto nodded approvingly at his clone’s greeting. Sasuke and his parents just looked vaguely interested. (For an Uchiha that was like expressing bewilderment and rabid curiosity.)
And then, from somewhere outside, came the sound of an almighty crash.
Naruto startled and yelped. He rubbed the side of his head and pouted.
“Baa-chan’s so mean!”
Both Haruno parents relaxed. All of the Haruno girls laughed. Even Kakashi and Tenzo smiled. The Uchia frowned.
That was about the time that two legends escorted themselves into the back garden. In their wake trailed the remaining kage bunshin. Both adults were jiggling small children in their arms. Two of the children had blond hair and honey brown eyes while the third had white hair and blue eyes. They were all red-faced and screaming.
Naruto scowled. “Are they still crying?”
“Shut up,” the Slug Sannin ordered. “This is your fault!”
Undeterred by all of the shouting, the twins rushed over to peek at the younger children.
“May I?” asked Sakura’s mother as she rose to her feet. She gestured to one of the toddlers that the Toad Sannin was holding. “It’s been awhile but I think I still remember the trick."
He grimaced as he passed her the child. “If there’s a trick, I’d love to learn it.”
“Umeko got in a fight!” Anzu reported proudly to Jiraiya. “And she won even though her lip got busted and her eyes were black and her yukata got dirty!”
“Oh? Let’s see these battle scars,” he said as the grumpy toddler in his arms began to settle.
“Sakura-neechan fixed them,” Umeko admitted as she happily submitted to Jiraiya’s inspection.
After that people began to show up in pairs and small groups. Naruto’s clones cleared the table, put out the snacks and drinks, and helped Sakura’s father set up the music.
“That is the most divine kimono,” Ino gushed as soon as she saw Sakura. “Forehead, you look beautiful!”
Sakura ran a hand over the front of her obi. Everything, except for the gauzy scarf under her obi, was exactly the same as what Momo wore to her own coming out party.
Why mess with the formula for success?
Sakura beamed. “Thanks, Pig. And thanks for telling Momo-neechan about the tomatoes.”
Ino blushed. “It was nothing. Really. I just happened to overhear your sister and my dad talking and… you know… I wanted it to work out for you.”
Sakura leaned forward for a quick, fierce hug. Ino hugged her back.
“Thank you. You gave Momo-neechan the perfect gift.” Sakura leaned back. “That dress is perfect for you, by the way.”
Ino twirled so that her bright blue dress flared around her legs. “I know! And it was on sale!”
“Lucky!”
“Is anyone dancing yet?”
“Not yet,” Sakura hedged, suddenly nervous. “We should wait a bit.”
“Pfft! We don’t wait, Sakura-chan!” Ino said breezily as she seized Sakura’s hand. She insistently tugged Sakura toward the small cement patio off to one side. Sakura’s father used it to grill. “We set trends!”
“Ino-chan! I don’t know how to dance in this!”
“No one really does! Just have fun!”
Laughing, Sakura did as she was told.
She danced and laughed and spun with Ino and her sisters, her dad and Naruto, and even Tenzo, Choji and Shikamaru as the back garden got more and more full. Soon other people were dancing and spinning and laughing on the patio with them.
While Ino bullied Shikamaru into dancing with her and Momo danced with Shizune, Sakura went in search of Kakashi. If there was one person who was entirely unsuited for a large party, it was him.
She was quickly distracted by the sight of Hinata, huddled by the punch bowl. There was an enormous pale-eyed guard standing behind Hinata. A slimmer man with short brown hair and pearly white eyes stood at the foot of the nearby oak tree. It was massive, sprawling, and contained the tree house. Girlish giggles and thumps emanated from it.
“Hey!” Sakura called. “Hinata! I’m so glad to see you!”
Hinata startled and flushed.
“H-Hi.” The Hyuuga girl twiddled her fingers together. “I-I hope you d-don’t mind b-b-but y-your older s-s-sister invited m-me.”
“That’s great!” Sakura beamed. She grabbed Hinata’s hands the way Ino had grabbed her earlier. “I’m so glad that you could make it!”
Hinata flushed an even brighter shade of red. She just nodded, once and jerkily.
“Sa-Sakura… Y-You’re k-k-kimono… It’s… That is…”
Sakura grinned and took pity on Hinata. “It’s fine so long as I don’t lose anything. Or get it dirty. I’m wearing stuff underneath it.”
Hinata looked extraordinarily relieved.
I must be scary looking!
“Hey, can you take a peek and see who’s in the tree? And that they’re okay?”
“Hanabi-san,” Hinata reported after a moment. The chakra vessels around her eyes were bulging. “Your little sister. Not the littlest ones but the one from my sister’s class. An Aburame boy. There are a lot of other children that I don’t recognize up there but they seem to be around the same age. I think they’re playing jacks.”
“That’s a relief. Fu’s pretty good about not doing things that will get her killed. Anzu and Umeko - my littlest sisters - are a lot more fearless.”
“T-Tokuma-san w-will k-keep an eye on them,” Hinata said so earnestly that Sakura had to smile.
“Then you should come dancing with me!” Sakura enthused as she gently tugged the Hyuuga girl toward the makeshift dance floor. “Ooohhh, I love this song!”
“I-I can’t -”
“I thought kunoichi had a whole class on that,” Sakura said blithely. “Ino-chan said they did. She made me practice with her for ages and I always had to be the man!”
To make up for that Sakura had browbeaten Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto into practicing with her so that she could do the girl parts too. No way was she going to let Ino keep calling her ‘my man, Sakura’ everytime Ino had to mention her in conversation. Sakura always suspected Ino had brought her name into things as often as possible during that phase.
Hinata was scarlet. But she was definitely digging her heels in.
Sakura leaned in to whisper in Hinata’s ear.
“Don’t you want to dance with Naruto-kun?”
Hinata’s knees buckled. Sakura made a successful little noise and pulled her over to where Ino was dancing with Shikamaru and Choji.
“Look who I found!” Sakura called as she and Hinata joined the triangle of dancers.
Ino looked surprised. “Hey, Hinata-san!”
Hinata managed to wave.
It took a few songs but Hinata finally settled in to dancing with them. True to her word, when Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru ran by Sakura snagged Naruto's elbow.
Blushing, he joined their group. Kiba did too.
It was hilarious and fun to watch them hop and flail. Soon even Hinata was giggling.
Sakura left Hinata with the other genin when she made her second attempt at finding Kakashi. This time, Sakura found Tenzo standing with Hinata’s bodyguard. They were watching people dance. A quick glance showed Shizune dancing with Genma, Anko and Iruka being filthy together, and Momo dancing with Ino’s dad. At best, Tenzo looked mildly interested in the proceedings. Mostly, he looked sleepy.
“Tenzo-nii?” Tenzo startled. He suddenly looked thoroughly guilty. Sakura blinked, but stuck to her original inquiry. “Have you seen Kakashi-sensei?”
“Oh. Um, yes. He volunteered for babysitting duty.”
Kakashi hid his face, Tenzo got crazy in the spring, and Tsunade was the world’s most over protective parent. It was just a fact of life. Tsunade never let the triplets out of her sight without a highly trusted and heavily armed jonin-level guard to watch over them in her absence.
Figures he’d volunteer to watch over the kids rather than having fun like everyone else.
On her way into the house, Sakura found Jiraiya and Tsunade. They were going shot for shot with Nara Shikaku.
Sakura shuddered.
Tsunade waved her over.
“Thish one’ssss one ‘a mine,” she slurred to Shikamaru’s dad. One of her arms landed heavily across Sakura’s shoulders. “‘M prouda ‘er.”
Sakura blushed. “Sh-Shisho.”
He blinked at Sakura owlishly.
Patiently enduring his stare, Sakura’s attention turned to Jiraiya. He was sitting next Tsunade. Jiraiya used to be all sloppy hugs and maddening hair ruffles when he was drunk. Now he blinked at her with glittering eyes. The corners of his mouth were turned down. As she watched one hand fisted then dropped into his lap where his other hand awaited it. He clamped his other hand around his fist like it was only thing holding him back from hitting her.
No matter how nice he is when he’s sober, he’s still mad at me, Sakura’s heart sank. He’s never going to forgive me.
Knowing that he might not forgive her, and doing what she always intended to do anyway, was one thing. Surviving the consequences of her choices was something else entirely.
Sakura bit the inside of her cheek savagely.
I don’t have the right to cry over losing Jiraiya. I knew what I was doing when I did it and I don’t regret anything.
“Seen ‘er before,” Shikaku-san said at last. “Wif m’ boy.”
Tsunade nodded solemnly. “’Ve seen ‘em. ‘Lack pineapple hair.”
Shikaku grunted. “Thass’im.”
Sakura slipped away from the sannin and Shikamaru’s dad.
Inside the house, Sakura found Sasuke doing push ups in the living room. When she paused in the doorway, Sasuke glared at her. The look was ferocious enough to peel the paint off of the walls.
Shrugging, Sakura continued on into the house and up the stairs.
Sakura found Kakashi curled up in her window seat. His profile was hidden from the party goers down below by the mass of her curtains. He was reading Icha Icha Quest.
On her bed were curled up five sleeping children and three drowsing dogs. Her sisters, in their matched pajama tops and bottoms, slept on either side of the triplets. The triplets looked utterly (and deceptively) adorable in their one pieces with footies. The little kids looked like they had successfully raided every bedroom in the house for pillows and stuffed animals. Sakura was actually mildly surprised to find that all five of them fit in the bed.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. Why is it always my bed?
On her desk were an empty plate and a half-full glass of cider.
Still feeling down because she was pretty sure that Jiraiya was never going to forgive her much less like her again, Sakura went directly to Kakashi.
She leaned into his side, her head nestling against the back of his shoulder. Her hand came up to hold onto his sleeve. After a moment, Kakashi shrugged her off. His arm looped around her shoulders. Sakura eagerly crawled onto the window seat and nestled into Kakashi’s side. She closed her eyes, breathed in Kakashi’s familiar scent and relaxed into his warmth.
Wild pomegranate shampoo. Sandalwood soap. That chicken’s sauce from dinner. Kakashi-ness.
When she opened her eyes, Icha Icha Quest was closed and balanced on one thigh. Kakashi was watching the people in the garden mingle and dance.
They sat in companionable silence. The only sounds were the quiet breaths of the children, the occasional thump of feet as someone hurried into the upstairs bathroom, and the distant sounds of people and music.
“I’d’ve thought you’d be happier,” Kakashi said at last. “This is your party.”
“Yours too.”
Kakashi snorted. “I’m not coming out.”
Sakura, imagining Kakashi in her kimono with bright butterfly pins in his wild hair and fluttering a painted fan, giggled.
“You should. You’d look good in this kimono.”
Kakashi immediately became as stiff as a board. He pinched her shoulder through multiple layers of fabric hard enough to make Sakura yelp.
“What was that for?”
“For being a pervert next to me. It creeps me out when you do that.”
“If I pinched you every time you had a perverted thought near me, you’d be black and blue all over.”
“In the first place, none of my perverted thoughts are about you.”
Despite her very best intentions, Sakura’s eyes immediately flicked to the cover of Icha Icha Quest. On it, a pink-haired princess resolutely marched forward. A dark-haired man with diagonal scars on his cheeks chased after her.
If he ever knew that Jiraiya - Sakura forcibly cut that thought off. Some things were better not thought about in front of Kakashi. His perceptiveness was annoying sometimes.
Sakura’s hand darted over to viciously pinch the skin of his other forearm.
“Ow.”
“That’s for stomping all over my womanly pride,” Sakura sniffed. “What was your second reason why it’s okay for you to be a pervert but not for me to be one too?”
Kakashi blinked at her, his eye narrowed and his arm tightened around her shoulders.
His voice was very mild as he said, “I’m an old man. The rules are different for the elderly.”
Sakura took the distinct lack of killer intent leaking from Kakashi as a good sign.
Brilliant misdirection, she congratulated herself.
Sakura snorted.
“That whole senior citizens discount scam you’ve got going on won’t work on me. You’re not anywhere near old age.”
“Neither are you. You should be having fun with your friends.”
Sakura sighed. “I am. I was. Kakashi…”
Her thumb rubbed against a particular spot at the top of her obi. Inked into the skin underneath it, just under the point where the two sides of her ribs came together and her breastbone ended, were three seals. Spaced like the corners of a triangle, they were the rusty red color of old blood. There was another one two fingers’ span over her belly button.
Asking a question like the one on the tip of her tongue was monumentally stupid but Sakura found herself unable to resist her morbid curiosity. It was impossible to entirely relax into the comfort of being with Kakashi when she imagined Kakashi someday looking at her the way that Jiraiya had.
“Yes?”
I don’t want to keep imagining Kakashi or Tenzo or anyone else looking at me someday with Jiraiya’s eyes. Sakura thought, remembering Nakago’s crazed laughter and Jiraiya’s wide-eyed anguish and Tsunade’s shaky but approving nod. I just… I don’t want to be dependent on something that I won’t have later if - if I decide to do something awful. Another awful thing, really.
She carefully ignored the fact that she was, both by choice and necessity at that point, dependent on others. Sakura had no inclination to be entirely honest with herself at that moment.
“Sakura?” Kakashi asked again.
Sakura shrugged then forced a smile. It felt wavery and faded, even to her.
“Can I cuddle with you awhile longer? Just for a little while, I mean. Then I’ll go back to the party.”
Kakashi hesitated. Then he relaxed. Sakura snuggled in closer to his side. Her head ended up resting on his chest and her arm was folded against his side. Her other arm ended up draped across his stomach.
“Don’t call it that.” He warned. “And no… thinking weird things. Or doing them.”
He shuddered.
Sakura laughed. It sounded a bit soggy around the edges but it was much happier than her smile had been.
“I’ll be good, sensei.”
Kakashi peered down at her, his expression deeply suspicious.
Sakura giggled. Her world was terribly flawed and transitory but, there and then, it was perfect.
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: PG-13
Content Notes: None
Disclaimer: I have no rights to or claims on the Naruto franchise, trademark, copyright, or characters. This is for fun, not profit.
Summary: In the future what's left of humanity sends the Rokudaime Hokage back in time to make some changes. Sadly, they can't send all of her. When a seven-year-old Haruno Sakura decides to take an interest in Hatake Kakashi, the timeline shifts in some... unique... ways.
“Don’t frown all the time,” Mother scolded. His mother tugged on his collar and smoothed the Uchiha insignia embroidered onto his left shoulder. “You’ll end up looking like your father.”
“There’s nothing wrong with father’s face,” Sasuke protested automatically.
“It has too many frown lines.” Her hands smoothed the insignia on his right shoulder and tugged at the fall of his kimono until its fall pleased her. “Frown lines only look distinguished on old ninja.”
“Father isn’t old!”
Mother giggled. “He’s older than you think. There now. You’re ready.”
Father was already waiting for them on the porch. Like the rest of Sasuke’s family he was dressed formally. Father’s perpetual frown lightened as he looked them over.
Mother blushed.
Sasuke straightened his shoulders and stood taller.
Father approves. The mere thought of his father’s approval lightened Sasuke’s heart and made him warm. He’s not going to approve of the Idiot Brigade. The mere thought of his team wilted Sasuke’s good feelings. He’s going to be so disappointed in me for getting stuck with them.
Father helped Mother down the steps.
Sasuke dragged after them.
“Don’t shuffle your feet,” his mother scolded.
Sasuke sighed. Heavily.
His father shot him a disapproving look.
Sasuke straightened up and tried to arrange his face into impassive lines. When his father nodded and turned away, Sasuke relaxed; or tried to at any rate.
It was always painful to watch Sakura indulge and dote on Fu. All of those piggyback rides and hugs and smiles cut straight to Sasuke’s heart. Even worse, the invites indicated that Sakura had an older sister who doted on Sakura enough to organize the team dinner and party.
Sasuke hated watching other people and their siblings, particularly when some older brother or sister was doting on a younger one. It brought back memories.
Fake memories. Bad memories, he reminded himself. His heart bled at the painful reminder. Rage made his head swim and his fingers tingle. He pretended to love me. He never meant any of it.
Mood thoroughly soured, Sasuke trudged after his parents.
Sasuke had never bothered to imagine where Sakura might live or what her family might be like so Sakura’s family home was utterly unsurprising to him. Despite that, the grounds and walkway between the front gate and the front of the house were beautiful even to Sasuke’s eyes.
When his father rang the doorbell, a small pink-haired girl and Fu answered it.
“Hi!” chirped the littler girl.
Great. Three sisters, maybe.
The littler kid was obviously related to Sakura. Her long pink hair was a few shades lighter than Sakura’s hair was and she had that same stupid childish smile. Her eyes were brown. She was wearing a black yukata with vibrant pink plum blossoms and stark white sakura flowers sailing across it. Across the expanse of her bright yellow obi fluttered little orange and red and dark yellow butterflies. Matching little butterfly pins gleamed in her hair.
Fu’s short green hair was pinned back by little white flower pins. Her bright orange yukata matched her eyes. It had white sakura and peach blossoms flowering on it amid a shower of pine needles. Crickets outlined in darker greens and white hopped acrossthe pale green expanse of her obi.
To Sasuke’s eyes, the girls were painfully bright.
Bet Naruto’ll be jealous of Fu’s yukata, Sasuke thought. The image of Naruto in an orange yukata with little bowls of ramen dancing across it made Sasuke blush. Naruto would have a bright blue obi, of course. And he - And I really shouldn’t be thinking about this.
Sasuke promptly pretended that such a stupid thing had never even entered his mind.
The fact that his cheeks were still hot made that harder than it should have been.
Maybe liking horrible bright colors is some sort of family trait? Sasuke wondered. But Fu doesn’t look related by blood. Naruto definitely isn’t related to anyone. What if it’s like some sort of awful, flesh eating disease - communicable?
Sasuke shuddered.
In an effort to redirect his thoughts, Sasuke minutely examined the odd necklaces that both girls wore. A quick flicker of his sharingan showed the front halves of the necklaces glowing with Sakura’s chakra. Brighter against the soft background glow of Sakura’s chakra was a complicated overlapping chakra web of tiny lines and symbols. It shimmered with Sakura’s chakra too.
It made Sasuke’s head hurt to even try to sort them out into an understandable pattern.
Interesting. Wonder what they’re supposed to do?
When the little girl moved to open the door wider, the older girl caught the back of the door and held it in place.
“Fu-neechan!” The little girl tugged on the door. “Let go!”
Fu held it in place while she scanned first his father’s face then his mother’s and finally Sasuke’s face. Recognition lit up her expression.
“Sasuke-san.”
She let go of the door.
“Come in!” The littler sister enthused as she swung the door wider. “Come in! Everyone’s gonna be so excited! You got here first!”
While his family filed into the house, the little girls rushed to get slippers for them.
“Your yukata are lovely,” Sasuke’s mother said as she changed her shoes.
“Mine used to be Sakura-neechan!” The little girl said brightly. She gently patted the obi wound around her middle with a soft hand. “And this was her favorite yukata obi when she was little like me!”
“You’re beautiful in it,” Mother assured the little girl. Her attention shifted to Fu. “Was that also your sister’s yukata?”
“Momo-neechan’s,” Fu said with a blush. The tips of her fingers skimmed across the top of her obi. “But this was Sakura-neechan’s obi. She got it the first time I came home with her.”
“That’s a beautiful story about a beautiful girl,” Mother said. She smiled brightly. “Is anyone else home?”
The littler girl tilted her head back.
Fu cringed, her hands darting toward her sister. “Don’t -”
“Sasuke-san’s here!” shouted the littler sister. “And his parents!”
There was the thump thump thump of feet running closer before Naruto burst into the entrance way. He was wearing an orange kimono and dark olive green hakama. The red swirl from the shoulder of Konohagakure’s uniforms was on the front of each of his shoulders and each of his sleeves.
Not first then, Sasuke thought with a frown. Doesn’t he know anything about manners?
“Sasuke!” Naruto skidded to a stop and hastily bowed to Sasuke’s parents. “Nice to meet you! Believe it!”
The frown lines in Father’s face deepened.
“Hello,” said Mother as an older man with dark hair and a long face entered the room. He was wearing black hakama and a bright red kimono with the Haruno kamon in all the right places. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Naruto beamed.
The adults made introductions - the man was Sakura’s father and the other little sister was named Anzu - then everyone followed Haruno into the living room.
That red swirl was on Naruto’s back too.
Sasuke frowned. It’s not a family kamon… is it?
When everyone had a steaming cup of tea in front of him or her, Sakura’s father smiled and said, “The rest of the family will be down as soon as possible. There was a minor - er - accident.”
Anzu giggled.
“That’s fine,” Mother said warmly. “Do you have just the four daughters?”
“Five actually. And Naruto, of course.” Sakura’s father put a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. The idiot was grinning and blushing like the man had said something important. “He doesn’t share our last name but he’s kind enough to keep me company anyway.”
Mother laughed. “Perhaps I should lure Sakura-chan into keeping me company then.”
The littlest girl - Anzu - scowled at Mother. She opened her mouth to say something when Fu elbowed her sharply.
Sasuke scowled at the littler brat.
She transferred her scowl to him.
The conversation continued on around him in smooth eddies and flows as Mother and Sakura’s father discussed jobs (Sakura’s family were merchants) and schooling. (The older girl had fulfilled an apprenticeship with her father’s trading company some years ago. Sakura apparently apprenticed under some unnamed jonin before taking the academy’s exams and joining Team Seven. Sasuke felt a flare of jealousy over that. The little girls were at the general ed school while Fu was at the academy.)
“You must keep an eye on them,” Mother said. “They’re only chunin after all. Some academy instructors are more talented than others but they all have their bad habits. Once a bad habit takes, it’s incredibly painful to train it out of a child. Why, it took Sasuke four months to unlearn his kunai grip.”
Sakura’s father nodded. “It was miserable retraining him.”
Sasuke flushed, this time with acute embarrassment. He kept his glare on the brat though.
“My wife and I don’t really know a lot about that. We were lucky with Sakura since she had Ino-chan and Inoichi-san and her masters to help her with those sorts of technical things.”
“Sakura-chan helped me,” Naruto said proudly. “And she’s helping Fu-chan out too.”
Sasuke lost the staring competition. His gaze swung over to Fu who was blushing and nodding proudly.
“Sakura-neeechan and I practice on her days off,” Fu said softly. Her gaze was firmly fixed on Naruto. “And we meditate together almost every night.”
Loathing and envy swelled within Sasuke’s chest. In that moment, he hated Fu with a fiery passion.
The girl startled. Her eyes were huge and her skin was pale when she swung her gaze toward Sasuke. Whatever she saw when she looked at him made her squirm back in her seat, crushing her obi knot.
Sasuke tried to force his expression back into neutral lines.
“Blech!” Naruto grimaced. “Meditation’s so boring! I can’t believe that she’s still into that!”
The idiot shot Fu an expectant look. Fu blinked then shrugged at him. The nonchalant gesture looked forced.
“Sakura-neechan says it’s important to becoming a good ninja.”
“It’s boring! I don’t meditate and I’m gonna be the best ninja ever!” Naruto boasted. “A living legend!”
Fu’s forehead wrinkled in a slight frown.
“S-Sakura-neechan says that the very best ninja know themselves. And - And that they aren’t ruled by their emotions.”
“Pfft! I’m not gonna give my emotions up to be a ninja! I’m gonna be my own sort of ninja! Believe it!”
Fu frowned harder at the idiot. Clearly, she was bright enough to see that Naruto had entirely missed the point of Sakura’s advice.
“S-Sakura-neechan still feels things. S-She just d-decides what to do about it instead of just doing what she feels like doing.”
Naruto’s face flushed with a bright blush.
“That’s because Sakura’s so hot-blooded! Not even meditating could take her emotions away! Seriously Fu, I don’t meditate and I’m gonna be Hokage someday! Believe it!”
Fu face cleared into a pleasant smile but there was a frown in her eyes as she dipped her head.
Sasuke could see that the gesture was a habit. If her hair was not pinned back, it would have fallen into her face and hidden her expression from view.
Naruto started to boast about all the amazing adventures he was going to have before he became Hokage when Mother gently interjected, “Fu-chan? You look like you want to say something else.”
There was a momentary lull in Naruto’s chattering.
Fu hesitated. She shook her head.
Naruto kept going on and on and on about becoming Hokage. Anzu was his rapt audience.
Sasuke was so grateful to hear the chimes of the doorbell that he nearly offered to answer the door.
“I’ll get it!” Anzu shouted as she raced out of the room. “Wait right here!”
Fu and Naruto doggedly chased after her anyway.
Haruno-san smiled fondly. “Kids.”
From the entrance way there was the sound of Naruto shouting, “Kakashi-sensei! Old Creepy Eyes!”
Fu’s softer voice murmured, “Kakashi-sensei. Tenzo-san. Welcome to our home.”
Sasuke could only hear two sets of footsteps returning to the room - Anzu and Fu’s.
That was about the time that two little girls, two jonin, and the most irritating moron on the face of the planet entered the living room.
“Everyone’s here now!” Anzu reported to her father as he headed for the front door. “I’ll get cups!”
She scampered off in the direction of the kitchen. Fu made a little noise and chased after her.
Introductions were made. Sasuke was relieved when his parents greeted Kakashi cordially.
Sakura’s little sisters darted back into the room, their hands full of tea cups.
“Tea?” asked Anzu hopefully.
“Ah…” Their jonin sensei shot Sakura’s father a questioning look.
“We’re just waiting on one of my daughters. There were… technical difficulties.” His grin was rueful. When the stranger, Tenzo, looked interested Haruno-san added, “There was a fight.”
They’re obviously familiar with each other. How? Sasuke frowned. Sakura’s family isn’t a ninja clan. Maybe he’s the jonin that Sakura did her apprenticeship under?
“Umeko won!” Anzu reported proudly. “She beat Saburo-next-door up even though her lip got busted and her eyes’re black and her yukata got dirty!”
“Sakura-neechan will fix her face,” Fu told Anzu seriously.
Anzu’s little mouth dropped open. “No fair! I want Sakura-neechan to do jutsu on me too!”
And with that, she unceremoniously dumped all of the tea things in her arms onto the low table and bolted out of the room.
Fu sighed. She looked at the tea things in her hands. “Tea?”
That was about the time Sasuke heard the soft thump thump thump of four pairs of feet. Five females ranging between approximately five years of age and thirty-five years of age entered the kitchen.
The first was clearly Anzu’s twin, Umeko. They shared similar facial features and the same eyes but her hair was a much darker shade of pink than Sakura’s hair. As predicted, Umeko’s face was unmarked.
“Ready!” Umeko called. She bounced into the room in a white kimono with bright pink plum blossoms, softer pink sakura blossoms, a flurry of dark green pine needles and nearly white peach blossoms on it. Wrapped around her middle was a wide sapphire blue obi decorated with brightly colored little goldfish swimming across it. Her long hair, pinned back by shiny dark pink flower pins, swung around her cheeks and chin. She was smiling that same, stupid smile as Sakura and Anzu had. “How do I look?”
“Like you never rolled around in the mud,” Naruto said frankly.
“Beautiful,” corrected the stranger.
Umeko scowled at Naruto, beamed at Tenzo, and shyly scurried behind her father. She peeked at Tenzo from around her father’s leg.
The second was a young woman with long black hair and dark brown eyes. She was obviously related to the father and the youngest sisters. Her peach kimono had ridiculously long sleeves. It was covered in a riot of flowers, fluttering cranes, stiff bamboo plants, and the occasional snowflake. The scarf under her obi was blue and gauzy while her obi was golden, shiny, and covered in yet more flowers. A knotted red cord near the top of her obi held it all together. In her long dark hair was pinned a large white flower and around her throat was a necklace made from gleaming black stones. Like the littler girls, hers was made from longer rectangular stones and rounded stones. Like the other necklaces, its front half glowed and shimmered with Sakura’s chakra.
Even to Sasuke, she was beautiful despite her garish wrappings.
If she changed her kimono, she’d be exactly the sort of girl I’m supposed to marry.
“You’re early,” she said to Kakashi with genuine surprise - and pleasure - in her voice. “Thank you.”
He blinked and, for a moment, looked genuinely surprised.
“Really? My invitation said -”
His eye narrowed. He leveled an accusatory look on his companion. Tenzo coughed.
She smiled at Tenzo. “Thank you.”
He shrugged. “I made a promise to a girl.”
Oddly, the woman blushed. It was very pretty. Sasuke decided that, if it made her do that, he approved of whatever the comment alluded to.
Next was an older woman. She was clearly Sakura’s mother. Her sensible sleeves and black kimono were a relief to Sasuke’s sensibilities. Pale flowers curled and reached along the bottom hem and up into the body of the kimono, marring its perfectly monotone expanse. There was a white Haruno clan kamon on either of her shoulders and probably three more on her back. Over her white obi scarf was a bright red obi which was overlaid by a knotted dark green cord. Across the obi flew white cranes and peonies. Her long hair, which was nearly red, was pinned up with softly tinkling silver fans and pearl topped pins. Her eyes were bright blue.
The Haruno matriarch sent a significant look toward Naruto. He nodded and brought his hands up in the seal that he used for kage bunshin. Clones hustled off to the entrance way.
The fourth member, Anzu, was pouting and stomping.
Clearly, Sakura’s not done any jutsu on her, Sasuke thought. He was amused despite his lingering irritation with the Haruno sisters. Spoilt brat.
Sakura, walking on silent feet, was the fifth member of the group. In Sasuke’s opinion, her kimono was the worst of all.
It was soft pink like her hair. Along the bottom hem lapped blue waves decorated with lily pads, crickets and frogs. Trees stretched from the banks of the stream up the kimono and across her sleeves. White cranes stalked between their trunks while slugs and crickets climbed up them. Among the riots of sakura, peach, and plum blossoms growing from the trees’ wide branches peeked little birds and cats. On gusts of wind painted with pale blue-white ink floated peony flowers and tiny blue bubbles. In the distance, which in this case meant Sakura’s left shoulder, lightening crackled down over misty mountains. Her gauzy obi scarf was bright yellow. It puffed over the edge of a wide, scarlet obi on which a long black dragon twisted and clawed its way through a riot of large pale flowers. Near the top edge of the obi was a knotted dark blue cord. Her hair was mysteriously long enough again to be pinned up with pearl-headed pins, a white comb was a blue wave pattern on it, and little red flowers.
Sasuke felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop open.
They’re deliberately trying to blind us!
Sakura’s eyes skimmed over the group assessingly.
She blushed and smiled. Her entire face lit up with the happiness in her smile.
“Hello everyone! Thank you for coming!”
Introductions were made all around and Mother fawned over the kimono. Apparently the kimono with ridiculously long sleeves were called furisode and worn by civilian girls at their coming out ceremonies to signify their adulthood and eligibility for marriage. They wore them until they got married. Then they got to wear the sensible sleeves.
A quick glance around at all of those people in the room set Sasuke’s skin to tingling. The living room had seemed respectably large until it had the entire Haruno family, his family, Naruto, and two jonin in it. Now, people were almost touching him. And even with Naruto and the two jonin on his side, the brightly-clad Haruno clan still outnumbered everyone else.
And Naruto’s not even really on our side, Sasuke thought with a resentful glance toward Naruto’s orange kimono. Traitor.
The mere thought of trying to get through a dinner with so many people in any single room of the house horrified Sasuke.
Haven’t any of these people ever heard of personal space? Maybe we’re going out to eat? I hope we’re going out to eat!
Sasuke’s only consolation was how hard his father was frowning. Sasuke appreciated not being the only uncomfortable shinobi in the room.
That was about the time Naruto’s clones reappeared, carrying their shoes. Sasuke was so grateful to see his outdoors shoes that he nearly hugged the idiot’s chakra constructs. He graciously overlooked how much more crowded they made the room with their mere presence.
As he switched his footware, Sasuke shamelessly eavesdropped on Sakura’s conversation with Tenzo. He (and strangely, Kakashi) had been frowning on and off since Momo revealed what a civilian coming out party (and furisode) meant. (Naruto had just stared at Sakura with the weird, perverted expression that he usually favored ramen with. Sasuke found that expression, when directed at another person, to be nearly as stupid and enraging as Sakura’s smiles.)
“You’re too young for marriage,” Tenzo murmured repressively. Sakura was using his shoulder to balance as she traded her shoes. Unlike the other women, whose every movement was perfect and graceful, Sakura needed the help. The little girls just plopped onto the floor or a seat to change their shoes. “Or flirting. Or dating of any kind. Ever.”
Sakura laughed. Her shoes safely on, she straightened and patted Tenzo’s arm.
“Don’t worry Tenzo-nii,” Sakura said as she hooked her arm through Momo’s. “We’ve decided that we’re never going to marry anyone. Ever.”
Momo looked surprised. Then she smiled beautifully at Sakura. Sakura beamed back.
Looking confused, Tenzo dredged up a smile. “Uh… Good?”
Nearby, Sakura’s mother made a small, despairing noise.
As Momo and Sasuke headed for the large glass doors that led onto a back porch, Tenzo complained, “You only addressed a third of my concerns!”
Evil girlish laughter trailed back. Sasuke, who was looking forward to exiting the cramped room, hurried after them. In their wake, a hoard of Naruto clones scrambled around the living room tidying up while other clones fetched dishes from the kitchen.
Outside was a large backyard filled with neatly trimmed green lawns, trees, flowerbeds and winding pathways. There was a treehouse in one particularly enormous old tree. Red paper lanterns hung in criss crossing patterns overhead. Already they were lit, their soft red glow casting a crimson haze over the world.
It’s like the sharingan, Sasuke decided, pleased with the effect. But it softens the lines and shadows instead of bringing everything into perfect focus.
In the center of the lawn was a long table. It was covered in crisp white table clothes and already set with clean dishes, cups, silverware, and chopsticks. In minutes everyone was settled in their neatly labeled seats while the idiot’s clones carefully served the food dishes.
Sasuke, situated between Kakashi and Tenzo and across from Naruto, was relieved at his placement choice. It was far enough away from his parents to be comfortable and nowhere near anyone truly sociable.
Or so he thought.
That Tenzo guy was determined make conversation. But they mostly talked about training so that was all right.
What was not okay was the table of giggling little girls. Sakura’s three little sisters kept looking in his general direction and whispering. Occasionally they would deliberately walk past him on their way to get this or that older person to cut something for them.
Aren’t they a little young to be fangirls? At what age do girls become fangirls anyway? Sasuke narrowed his eyes in thought but he simply could not remember when girls turned into fangirls. They just… did. There had always been people watching him and admiring him and then some of those people seemed to want to kiss him. And some of those people were definitely not girls. Anyway, it’s all very annoying. They’re annoying. I wish they’d stop.
“Sasuke-san?” Tenzo inquired. There was the faintest note of reproach in the older man’s voice for his inattention. “Are you well?”
“Fine. Was Sakura apprenticed to you?”
Tenzo blinked. “No. She was apprenticed to someone much more famous.”
Sasuke felt his eyes narrow. “Who?”
Tenzo smiled blandly. “I imagine that you’ll meet them later. Could you please pass the umeboshi?”
Sasuke stared at Tenzo. Tenzo stared back at Sasuke.
When the older man slowly raised an eyebrow at him, Sasuke grudgingly passed him the requested dish.
“How do you know Sakura, then?”
“Through Kakashi-senpai,” Tenzo said as he helped his plate.
“How do you know Kakashi, Tenzo?”
One of Tenzo’s eyes twitched but all he said was, “He used to be my team captain.”
“Before us?”
“Further back. Your older brother was our teammate for awhile. I liked him. His manners were impeccable.”
Sasuke’s hands clenched. “Ita - What happened?”
Tenzo, his mouth full of rice, arched his eyebrows at Sasuke.
Sasuke stomped down on his desire to beat the information out of the irritating man.
“Our team split up.” Tenzo said at last. “Eventually, we got two new teammates. They’re engaged now.” His gaze was innocent as he added, “Romance between teammates happens a lot in squads with a kunoichi on them.”
Romance-crazy, the lot of them.
“Tch. As if I’d want that.”
“No, I don’t suppose you would.” Tenzo demurred. “Would you please pass the salmon?”
The older man’s eyes strayed to where Naruto was enthusiastically telling Sakura about something that required enormous hand gestures. Naruto’s face was flushed and his eyes were bright. Sakura’s expression was rapt and her eyes were sparkling.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sasuke demanded, his temper flaring.
Tenzo blinked at Sasuke, his expression as stupid and placid as a cow’s.
“What’s what supposed to mean?”
“Never mind!” Sasuke snapped. He snatched up the requested dish then plopped it in front of the annoying man. “Here.”
Sasuke turned his attention to his other side where Kakashi was reading Icha Icha Quest. The moronic bimbo on the front cover had long pink hair and a multi-layered furisode. She was being followed by a dark-haired man with an intent expression. He bore a disturbing resemblance to that man.
Sasuke glared. He really hated his team.
* * * * *
“Did you have to make your hair so short?” demanded Momo. “It’s going to be harder to make your hair cute.”
Sakura, who had been musing on whether or not she could ever invent a hot wind jutsu to dry her hair (and maybe suck all the moisture out of her enemies' mummified corpses), absently did the awful jutsu to lengthen her hair.
Momo yelped then smacked the back of Sakura’s shoulder. “Brat. And don’t smudge your nail polish.”
The yelp attracted the little sisters in Sakura’s family. They sat on their parents’ bed, watching and whispering as Momo tortured Sakura’s scalp.
Sakura’s mother, who had been ordering Naruto into an appropriate kimono and hakama, bustled into the room to help Sakura dress. There was a brief, but fierce, argument about whether or not Sakura was going to wear anything under her kimono. (Traditionally, she was supposed to go naked. Sakura was against that.) Sometime during the long process, Anzu and Umeko disappeared.
They reappeared just about the time Sakura’s mother (finally) deemed everyone presentable enough to go down and wait for their guests.
There was a bad forty-five minutes where Umeko was cuddled and cossetted, their mother stormed off to make the neighbors cry (again), and Fu and Anzu were persuaded to go help Papa with anything.
While Momo repainted Umeko’s nails and fixed her hair, Sakura healed her scrapes and bruises.
“Sa, you’re going to be tougher than me,” Sakura teased as she mended Umeko’s split lip. “It’s good that you’re my little sister, ne? Then you can protect me.”
“I am really tough,” she agreed. She smiled. “I didn't even use my necklace.”
“I know!” Sakura agreed as she worked on smoothing away the bruises aroud Umeko’s eyes. “That was really good thinking of you.”
“I didn’t want to kill Jyuushiro,” Umeko confided. One of her little hands rose to hold onto the middle stone of her necklace. “I just wanted to hit him. Stupid boy!”
“They’re all very dumb,” Sakura agreed. She finished her jutsu and moved toward the closet where all of the kimono were kept. “But we probably shouldn't kill them for that.”
“I hate them!”
“I know,” Momo agreed. “But you can’t hate all of them.”
“I do too!”
“Papa’s a boy.”
“Is not,” Umeko argued scornfully. “He’s all growed up.”
“‘Grown up’ not ‘growed up,’” Momo murmured. Sakura listened to the conversation from inside the large closet. “What about Naruto-kun?”
“He’s almost grown up.”
Sakura, who was examining a white yukata that Mama had laid out for a cherry blossom festival at the end of the month, laughed.
“Oh, oh, Naruto-kun is definitely not anywhere near grown up!”
Umeko huffed noisily. “Fine. I hate all boys except Naruto-kun except when he eats my ramen.”
“That sounds fair,” Sakura cheerfully agreed. “Do you want the goldfish obi or the ladybug one?”
“Goldfish!”
By the time Umeko was dressed and everyone was ready to go downstairs, Umeko was in high spirits again. She flounced down the stairs after decreeing that “Sakura-neechan has to walk last ‘cause it’s her special party!”
Just before Momo followed Sakura held up a necklace box.
“To thank you.”
When Momo opened the box, she arched her eyebrows at Sakura.
“Is there anything… interesting in it?”
Sakura’s mouth curved up into a smile. “Yes. You remember how to work it, right?”
“Definitely. Help me put it on.”
When Sakura walked into the living room and saw everyone’s expressions, she was deeply, deeply grateful to Umeko for her demands. She was more than happy to spend a few seconds feeling beautiful and amazing and awesome.
Dinner went well. Sasuke’s mother had some hysterically funny stories about her genin squad, Team Jiraiya, and even Sasuke seemed to have found something to talk to Tenzo about. The little spores, cast out to their own table, made tons of excuses to visit the grown up table. As far as Sakura could tell they were either still scoping out Tenzo or they really enjoyed making Sasuke twitch. It could even have been some combination of the two. And of course they were eavesdropping shamelessly on the adults' conversation.
After dinner Momo presented each genin with two boxes. Kakashi got one too. They all had one long, flat box. Naruto and Sasuke additionally had large square boxes. Sakura’s second box was about as long as her first box but half again deeper.
“I was told that it’s traditional to give each new genin team gifts,” she said with a blush. “I hope you like them. Open the not-matching boxes first!”
Naruto’s first box contained camping gear. A pack, bedroll, canteen, and small tent filled the box. Everything except the tent was that bright eye-searing shade of orange that Naruto loved so desperately. The tent was a very boring shade of dark gray-green. Everything had a red swirl on it in honor of the Uzumaki clan.
“Oh,” Naruto said. His voice sounded a bit thick and wavery. “Oh, man, they’re wonderful! I love them! Look, Kaka-sensei! Now you have to take us someplace cool for our adventures ‘cause I’ve got all this neat gear! Isn’t it awesome? It’s incredibly awesome! Thank you, everyone! Believe it!”
Sasuke’s large box contained everything he would need to grow plants.
When he stared down at a packet of seeds, Momo murmured, “I heard that you like tomatoes.”
Sasuke looked genuinely startled. Then he looked grateful.
“I do. Thank you very much.”
Momo beamed at him. “You’re very welcome, Sasuke-kun.”
Sasuke… blushed.
Sakura giggled.
Sakura’s larger box contained two fans small enough to fit in any of Sakura’s pouches and a large brown canteen. The fans’ panels were white with sakura trees painted on them. Sakura was pleased to see that the sakura trees had pink flowers growing on them. The canteen had a compass in its top.
“The other day you said you were going to try to do some wind jutsu,” Momo said nervously. “The man in the supply shop said that those ought to be strong enough for that. Their ribs are made out of some sort of special metal - I didn’t really understand his lecture - but they’re definitely sharp enough to cut someone so be super careful. And I thought, maybe, the canteen would help with your water techniques since there isn’t always water around.”
Sakura beamed at her sister. Momo had an imperfect understanding at best of how elemental jutsu worked but that was so entirely not the point.
“They’re wonderful and perfect and I love them! Thank you!”
Momo beamed back at her.
“I’m so glad!” She clapped her hands together. “Now! All of you should open that other box together!”
Inside of the other boxes were… coats.
Naruto’s was orange with dark blue, white and red flames along its bottom hem. In the center of its back was a red swirl. Sakura’s was red with dark blue, white and orange flames along its bottom hem. The Haruno clan’s white circle was in the center of its back. Sasuke’s was dark blue with red, white and orange flames along its bottom hem. The Uchiha clan’s fan was on its back. And Kakashi’s coat was white with red, orange, and dark blue flames at its bottom hem. On the back of his was a black three-pronged kunai. Presumably it was Kakashi’s family crest.
Sasuke and Tenzo both blinked.
Kakashi looked… pained.
“Inoichi-san said that genin teams should have a team thing in common. Ino-chan’s team got their ears pieced together and matching earrings,” Momo rambled. “And he said there’s another team that wears really ugly green leotards. I know it’s not as life changing as body modification or public humiliation but -”
“They’re wonderful,” Sakura interrupted. She, like Naruto, was beaming so widely that her cheeks hurt. Even though the coat’s lines would look very odd with her kimono and enormous obi knot underneath it, Sakura pulled it on. Next to her, Naruto and Sasuke were doing the same thing. “They’re absolutely perfect and way better than earrings or leotards!”
She scrambled off of her backless chair and hurried over to wrap Momo in a tight hug. Naruto was a half-step behind her. Together, they hugged Momo so tightly that she squeaked.
“They’re - Thank you,” Sasuke said haltingly from somewhere behind Sakura. “You were very kind to worry about this.”
In the distance Naruto’s voice shouted, “Ero-sannin! Baa-chan!”
It was promptly followed by the wailing of high, angry voices.
In the back garden, Sakura and Naruto let go of Momo.
Tsunade-shisho shouted, “Brat! You woke them up!”
At the same time Jiraya-dono shouted, “Don’t call me that!”
Both of Sakura’s parents tensed. Sakura and her sisters exchanged smiles. Tenzo looked resigned. Kakashi-sensei smirked. Naruto nodded approvingly at his clone’s greeting. Sasuke and his parents just looked vaguely interested. (For an Uchiha that was like expressing bewilderment and rabid curiosity.)
And then, from somewhere outside, came the sound of an almighty crash.
Naruto startled and yelped. He rubbed the side of his head and pouted.
“Baa-chan’s so mean!”
Both Haruno parents relaxed. All of the Haruno girls laughed. Even Kakashi and Tenzo smiled. The Uchia frowned.
That was about the time that two legends escorted themselves into the back garden. In their wake trailed the remaining kage bunshin. Both adults were jiggling small children in their arms. Two of the children had blond hair and honey brown eyes while the third had white hair and blue eyes. They were all red-faced and screaming.
Naruto scowled. “Are they still crying?”
“Shut up,” the Slug Sannin ordered. “This is your fault!”
Undeterred by all of the shouting, the twins rushed over to peek at the younger children.
“May I?” asked Sakura’s mother as she rose to her feet. She gestured to one of the toddlers that the Toad Sannin was holding. “It’s been awhile but I think I still remember the trick."
He grimaced as he passed her the child. “If there’s a trick, I’d love to learn it.”
“Umeko got in a fight!” Anzu reported proudly to Jiraiya. “And she won even though her lip got busted and her eyes were black and her yukata got dirty!”
“Oh? Let’s see these battle scars,” he said as the grumpy toddler in his arms began to settle.
“Sakura-neechan fixed them,” Umeko admitted as she happily submitted to Jiraiya’s inspection.
After that people began to show up in pairs and small groups. Naruto’s clones cleared the table, put out the snacks and drinks, and helped Sakura’s father set up the music.
“That is the most divine kimono,” Ino gushed as soon as she saw Sakura. “Forehead, you look beautiful!”
Sakura ran a hand over the front of her obi. Everything, except for the gauzy scarf under her obi, was exactly the same as what Momo wore to her own coming out party.
Why mess with the formula for success?
Sakura beamed. “Thanks, Pig. And thanks for telling Momo-neechan about the tomatoes.”
Ino blushed. “It was nothing. Really. I just happened to overhear your sister and my dad talking and… you know… I wanted it to work out for you.”
Sakura leaned forward for a quick, fierce hug. Ino hugged her back.
“Thank you. You gave Momo-neechan the perfect gift.” Sakura leaned back. “That dress is perfect for you, by the way.”
Ino twirled so that her bright blue dress flared around her legs. “I know! And it was on sale!”
“Lucky!”
“Is anyone dancing yet?”
“Not yet,” Sakura hedged, suddenly nervous. “We should wait a bit.”
“Pfft! We don’t wait, Sakura-chan!” Ino said breezily as she seized Sakura’s hand. She insistently tugged Sakura toward the small cement patio off to one side. Sakura’s father used it to grill. “We set trends!”
“Ino-chan! I don’t know how to dance in this!”
“No one really does! Just have fun!”
Laughing, Sakura did as she was told.
She danced and laughed and spun with Ino and her sisters, her dad and Naruto, and even Tenzo, Choji and Shikamaru as the back garden got more and more full. Soon other people were dancing and spinning and laughing on the patio with them.
While Ino bullied Shikamaru into dancing with her and Momo danced with Shizune, Sakura went in search of Kakashi. If there was one person who was entirely unsuited for a large party, it was him.
She was quickly distracted by the sight of Hinata, huddled by the punch bowl. There was an enormous pale-eyed guard standing behind Hinata. A slimmer man with short brown hair and pearly white eyes stood at the foot of the nearby oak tree. It was massive, sprawling, and contained the tree house. Girlish giggles and thumps emanated from it.
“Hey!” Sakura called. “Hinata! I’m so glad to see you!”
Hinata startled and flushed.
“H-Hi.” The Hyuuga girl twiddled her fingers together. “I-I hope you d-don’t mind b-b-but y-your older s-s-sister invited m-me.”
“That’s great!” Sakura beamed. She grabbed Hinata’s hands the way Ino had grabbed her earlier. “I’m so glad that you could make it!”
Hinata flushed an even brighter shade of red. She just nodded, once and jerkily.
“Sa-Sakura… Y-You’re k-k-kimono… It’s… That is…”
Sakura grinned and took pity on Hinata. “It’s fine so long as I don’t lose anything. Or get it dirty. I’m wearing stuff underneath it.”
Hinata looked extraordinarily relieved.
I must be scary looking!
“Hey, can you take a peek and see who’s in the tree? And that they’re okay?”
“Hanabi-san,” Hinata reported after a moment. The chakra vessels around her eyes were bulging. “Your little sister. Not the littlest ones but the one from my sister’s class. An Aburame boy. There are a lot of other children that I don’t recognize up there but they seem to be around the same age. I think they’re playing jacks.”
“That’s a relief. Fu’s pretty good about not doing things that will get her killed. Anzu and Umeko - my littlest sisters - are a lot more fearless.”
“T-Tokuma-san w-will k-keep an eye on them,” Hinata said so earnestly that Sakura had to smile.
“Then you should come dancing with me!” Sakura enthused as she gently tugged the Hyuuga girl toward the makeshift dance floor. “Ooohhh, I love this song!”
“I-I can’t -”
“I thought kunoichi had a whole class on that,” Sakura said blithely. “Ino-chan said they did. She made me practice with her for ages and I always had to be the man!”
To make up for that Sakura had browbeaten Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto into practicing with her so that she could do the girl parts too. No way was she going to let Ino keep calling her ‘my man, Sakura’ everytime Ino had to mention her in conversation. Sakura always suspected Ino had brought her name into things as often as possible during that phase.
Hinata was scarlet. But she was definitely digging her heels in.
Sakura leaned in to whisper in Hinata’s ear.
“Don’t you want to dance with Naruto-kun?”
Hinata’s knees buckled. Sakura made a successful little noise and pulled her over to where Ino was dancing with Shikamaru and Choji.
“Look who I found!” Sakura called as she and Hinata joined the triangle of dancers.
Ino looked surprised. “Hey, Hinata-san!”
Hinata managed to wave.
It took a few songs but Hinata finally settled in to dancing with them. True to her word, when Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru ran by Sakura snagged Naruto's elbow.
Blushing, he joined their group. Kiba did too.
It was hilarious and fun to watch them hop and flail. Soon even Hinata was giggling.
Sakura left Hinata with the other genin when she made her second attempt at finding Kakashi. This time, Sakura found Tenzo standing with Hinata’s bodyguard. They were watching people dance. A quick glance showed Shizune dancing with Genma, Anko and Iruka being filthy together, and Momo dancing with Ino’s dad. At best, Tenzo looked mildly interested in the proceedings. Mostly, he looked sleepy.
“Tenzo-nii?” Tenzo startled. He suddenly looked thoroughly guilty. Sakura blinked, but stuck to her original inquiry. “Have you seen Kakashi-sensei?”
“Oh. Um, yes. He volunteered for babysitting duty.”
Kakashi hid his face, Tenzo got crazy in the spring, and Tsunade was the world’s most over protective parent. It was just a fact of life. Tsunade never let the triplets out of her sight without a highly trusted and heavily armed jonin-level guard to watch over them in her absence.
Figures he’d volunteer to watch over the kids rather than having fun like everyone else.
On her way into the house, Sakura found Jiraiya and Tsunade. They were going shot for shot with Nara Shikaku.
Sakura shuddered.
Tsunade waved her over.
“Thish one’ssss one ‘a mine,” she slurred to Shikamaru’s dad. One of her arms landed heavily across Sakura’s shoulders. “‘M prouda ‘er.”
Sakura blushed. “Sh-Shisho.”
He blinked at Sakura owlishly.
Patiently enduring his stare, Sakura’s attention turned to Jiraiya. He was sitting next Tsunade. Jiraiya used to be all sloppy hugs and maddening hair ruffles when he was drunk. Now he blinked at her with glittering eyes. The corners of his mouth were turned down. As she watched one hand fisted then dropped into his lap where his other hand awaited it. He clamped his other hand around his fist like it was only thing holding him back from hitting her.
No matter how nice he is when he’s sober, he’s still mad at me, Sakura’s heart sank. He’s never going to forgive me.
Knowing that he might not forgive her, and doing what she always intended to do anyway, was one thing. Surviving the consequences of her choices was something else entirely.
Sakura bit the inside of her cheek savagely.
I don’t have the right to cry over losing Jiraiya. I knew what I was doing when I did it and I don’t regret anything.
“Seen ‘er before,” Shikaku-san said at last. “Wif m’ boy.”
Tsunade nodded solemnly. “’Ve seen ‘em. ‘Lack pineapple hair.”
Shikaku grunted. “Thass’im.”
Sakura slipped away from the sannin and Shikamaru’s dad.
Inside the house, Sakura found Sasuke doing push ups in the living room. When she paused in the doorway, Sasuke glared at her. The look was ferocious enough to peel the paint off of the walls.
Shrugging, Sakura continued on into the house and up the stairs.
Sakura found Kakashi curled up in her window seat. His profile was hidden from the party goers down below by the mass of her curtains. He was reading Icha Icha Quest.
On her bed were curled up five sleeping children and three drowsing dogs. Her sisters, in their matched pajama tops and bottoms, slept on either side of the triplets. The triplets looked utterly (and deceptively) adorable in their one pieces with footies. The little kids looked like they had successfully raided every bedroom in the house for pillows and stuffed animals. Sakura was actually mildly surprised to find that all five of them fit in the bed.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. Why is it always my bed?
On her desk were an empty plate and a half-full glass of cider.
Still feeling down because she was pretty sure that Jiraiya was never going to forgive her much less like her again, Sakura went directly to Kakashi.
She leaned into his side, her head nestling against the back of his shoulder. Her hand came up to hold onto his sleeve. After a moment, Kakashi shrugged her off. His arm looped around her shoulders. Sakura eagerly crawled onto the window seat and nestled into Kakashi’s side. She closed her eyes, breathed in Kakashi’s familiar scent and relaxed into his warmth.
Wild pomegranate shampoo. Sandalwood soap. That chicken’s sauce from dinner. Kakashi-ness.
When she opened her eyes, Icha Icha Quest was closed and balanced on one thigh. Kakashi was watching the people in the garden mingle and dance.
They sat in companionable silence. The only sounds were the quiet breaths of the children, the occasional thump of feet as someone hurried into the upstairs bathroom, and the distant sounds of people and music.
“I’d’ve thought you’d be happier,” Kakashi said at last. “This is your party.”
“Yours too.”
Kakashi snorted. “I’m not coming out.”
Sakura, imagining Kakashi in her kimono with bright butterfly pins in his wild hair and fluttering a painted fan, giggled.
“You should. You’d look good in this kimono.”
Kakashi immediately became as stiff as a board. He pinched her shoulder through multiple layers of fabric hard enough to make Sakura yelp.
“What was that for?”
“For being a pervert next to me. It creeps me out when you do that.”
“If I pinched you every time you had a perverted thought near me, you’d be black and blue all over.”
“In the first place, none of my perverted thoughts are about you.”
Despite her very best intentions, Sakura’s eyes immediately flicked to the cover of Icha Icha Quest. On it, a pink-haired princess resolutely marched forward. A dark-haired man with diagonal scars on his cheeks chased after her.
If he ever knew that Jiraiya - Sakura forcibly cut that thought off. Some things were better not thought about in front of Kakashi. His perceptiveness was annoying sometimes.
Sakura’s hand darted over to viciously pinch the skin of his other forearm.
“Ow.”
“That’s for stomping all over my womanly pride,” Sakura sniffed. “What was your second reason why it’s okay for you to be a pervert but not for me to be one too?”
Kakashi blinked at her, his eye narrowed and his arm tightened around her shoulders.
His voice was very mild as he said, “I’m an old man. The rules are different for the elderly.”
Sakura took the distinct lack of killer intent leaking from Kakashi as a good sign.
Brilliant misdirection, she congratulated herself.
Sakura snorted.
“That whole senior citizens discount scam you’ve got going on won’t work on me. You’re not anywhere near old age.”
“Neither are you. You should be having fun with your friends.”
Sakura sighed. “I am. I was. Kakashi…”
Her thumb rubbed against a particular spot at the top of her obi. Inked into the skin underneath it, just under the point where the two sides of her ribs came together and her breastbone ended, were three seals. Spaced like the corners of a triangle, they were the rusty red color of old blood. There was another one two fingers’ span over her belly button.
Asking a question like the one on the tip of her tongue was monumentally stupid but Sakura found herself unable to resist her morbid curiosity. It was impossible to entirely relax into the comfort of being with Kakashi when she imagined Kakashi someday looking at her the way that Jiraiya had.
“Yes?”
I don’t want to keep imagining Kakashi or Tenzo or anyone else looking at me someday with Jiraiya’s eyes. Sakura thought, remembering Nakago’s crazed laughter and Jiraiya’s wide-eyed anguish and Tsunade’s shaky but approving nod. I just… I don’t want to be dependent on something that I won’t have later if - if I decide to do something awful. Another awful thing, really.
She carefully ignored the fact that she was, both by choice and necessity at that point, dependent on others. Sakura had no inclination to be entirely honest with herself at that moment.
“Sakura?” Kakashi asked again.
Sakura shrugged then forced a smile. It felt wavery and faded, even to her.
“Can I cuddle with you awhile longer? Just for a little while, I mean. Then I’ll go back to the party.”
Kakashi hesitated. Then he relaxed. Sakura snuggled in closer to his side. Her head ended up resting on his chest and her arm was folded against his side. Her other arm ended up draped across his stomach.
“Don’t call it that.” He warned. “And no… thinking weird things. Or doing them.”
He shuddered.
Sakura laughed. It sounded a bit soggy around the edges but it was much happier than her smile had been.
“I’ll be good, sensei.”
Kakashi peered down at her, his expression deeply suspicious.
Sakura giggled. Her world was terribly flawed and transitory but, there and then, it was perfect.