Author's Note: I don't own Naruto obvi

So I just noticed a really stupid and obvious time error but then I remembered that this is fanfiction and I can do whatever I want LOL so for my purposes Sarada is several years older than Boruto and company. Anyways that's it

Throwing open the curtains to her bedroom window overlooking her backyard, she smiled as she saw Sarada already out, training hard as she flung kunai at the training dummy Sasuke had set up for her. Still smiling, she meandered into the kitchen, giving a luxurious stretch as she walked, both arms raised above her head as she arched her back. Sakura was mid-noise of satisfaction when her reprieve was interrupted.

"Taking it easy, I see," came the slow drawl of a very bored, very confident raven-haired man, a smile blooming across his face as he watched his wife get thrown into a frenzy at his surprise arrival.

"I had no idea you would be home so soon!" the kunoichi squealed, throwing her arms around Sarada's father's neck and planting a big dramatic kiss firmly on his lips. "I'm so happy to see you, you're never home anymore!" The remark was made offhandedly, she knew he was busy, but Sasuke's expression darkened nonetheless, although she didn't catch it.
"Yes, I found myself with some free time and decided to spend it with my two favorite people," he said wryly, raising his eyebrows in the most emphatic expression she had ever seen him make.

"What's the occassion?" she inquired lightly, shooting him a sly look as she turned and started setting the coffee pot to brewing. Turning and leaning back with her hands on the edge of the counter, she had a wide, easy smile on her face as she regarded her husband up and down. A look of abject horror suddenly settled on her face.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't even ask you if you were okay!" came her startled yelp as she leapt forward and began a series of pokes and prods as she gave him an extremely quick check-up. "The last time you came home you didn't even tell me you were hurt until I caught you in the bath with this huge mottled bruise on your-"

"Sakura."

She paused, her hands on his biceps as she looked at him, her green eyes wide with concern.

"I'm fine." came his slow reply, as he leaned in and kissed her, a surprisingly passionate kiss that caught her off-guard. It started off chaste enough, and suddenly he was nibbling on her lower lip and deepening the kiss. She placed her hands on his chest and gave him a slight push, backing away a little as she giggled, looking away as if trying to hide her blush.

"Sarada is right in the backyard! She can see us through the window if she were to look! Can you imagine how mortified she would be if she caught us making out like teenagers in the kitch-"

He silenced her with another kiss, although this one was just a gentle peck on the lips.

"I'll save it for later, then," he said, his eyes suddenly darkening as he looked into hers. And then he was back to normal, business as usual.

"I have to turn in my report. I was supposed to as soon as I returned, but I wanted to see you first." He headed out into the backyard.

The excited squeals of her daughter signaled his greeting, and Sakura found herself smiling, her eyes unfocused as she regarded the scene through the kitchen window. Sarada had wrapped her arms firmly around her father's waist, much to his alarm, and he stood there looking extremely unsure of himself as he gave her a gentle pat on the head. Suppressing a giggle, Sakura got out a frying pan and cracked a few eggs into it, scrambling them after they were already in the pan. As the eggs finished up, she opened the kitchen door and stuck her head out, interrupting the awkward family reunion.

"Sarada, leave your father alone, he's got to give his report and I've made breakfast," she called, preparing herself for her daughter's wrath. She continued before Sarada could even start. "He'll be home as soon as he's done, so you can harrass him later."

Appeased, the genin trotted in, grinning at her mother's total understanding of how she operated. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, she chattered about a mission she was going on today with her team and how she was nervous because she wanted to impress her sensei but she wasn't sure how. Sakura regarded her quietly and found herself recalling her own days of adolescence, when she too had a sensei she so badly wanted to impress but found herself unable. It was funny how these things almost seemed hereditary.

"I have to go or I'll be late," Sarada said as she got up suddenly, checking the clock on the kitchen wall. She smiled at her mother and, glancing both ways as if to make sure nobody was watching, gave her a quick hug before turning and running to the door, grabbing her pack off the entrance table as she passed- and then she was gone. The door shut and Sakura found herself alone.

I might as well do what I already had planned today, she figured, standing and giving a yawn before remembering her coffee. She took a few quick gulps, wincing as she realised how hot it was. Glancing at the time, she saw she was getting dangerously close to running late for her brunch with Ino and Hinata, whom she hadn't seen in what felt like years- while it had actually only been a week or two, she felt their absence sharply. She hopped in the shower and zoned out in the steam, humming to herself.

She found herself grinning as she slipped into the small restaurant Hinata had suggested. Although surprised by Hinata's sudden confidence, neither Ino nor Sakura had doubted her experience with fine restaurants, and so they had happily agreed. Relatively empty since it was before the typical lunch rush on a week day, Sakura found her group almost immediately and eagerly went to take a seat.

"You will not believe what happened today," she blurted out in her excitement as she sat down, promptly cutting off a story Ino had been telling.

"Sure, Forehead, go right ahead," the blond snapped, rolling her eyes. "What happened today?"

Dismissing Ino's typical attitude, the medic nin leaned forward conspirationally and glanced to each side as if to make sure they wouldn't be overheard. Hinata looked mildly stressed out by her presentation but Ino could sense that it was melodramatic.

"Sasuke! He came home for a surprise visit!" the pinkette squealed, unable to hide her glee. Her friends beamed, happy to see her happy and glad to hear that Sasuke had finally returned. His last visit had been roughly two years ago.

"I'm so happy for you!" Hinata said in that gentle way of hers, her kind smile warming Sakura's heart.

"Yeah, glad to hear he remembered he has a wife and child," Ino bit out, narrowing her eyes as she looked into her friend's green ones.

Sakura sighed but was not surprised. She knew very well how Ino felt about Sasuke's continued absence from the village and his family, especially since it was peacetime and there was no good reason any nin should be gone for so long. Temporarily silenced for lack of response, she glanced out the window at passersby, allowing her mind to wander for a moment, though she was abruptly snapped back into the conversation as she heard Ino speak up again.

"Listen, Sakura, I'm glad he's back, I am," Ino was saying, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. "I just wish you would tell him how hard it is for you."

"It's just... I knew what I signed up for, you know?" she sighed, leaning her chin onto her fist as she gazed despondently into the distance. "I don't want to make things any harder for him than they already are." She was, of course, referring to his missing nin status during their adolescence, and his eventual discomfort as he returned home to the village he had once so intently sought to destroy.

"While it's important to keep his feelings in mind," Hinata added, "you can't forget that your feelings are your number one priority. Raising a child is hard, and I can't imagine having to do it alone." She rested her hand upon her pregnant belly, burgeoning with she and Naruto's second child.

"How old is Boruto now?" Sakura asked with a small smile, always happy to see how great family life was treating her friends. It wasn't fair to take it out on them that she wasn't having such a great time.

"He's three," the pale-eyed woman responded, returning her friend's smile. "Naruto is disappointed because he was hoping for another son, but I'm glad we'll be welcoming a daughter into our lives soon."

Ino and Sakura both nodded in agreement. Neither of the two wanted more children, but the excitement in Hinata's manner was almost contagious.

Their server appeared and happily took their orders. Enjoying each other's company and their meals, the time seemed to fly by as they caught up.

"I hate to have to go, but I have an doctor's appointment today," Hinata broke the news gently, sincere in her apologetic attitude.

"No, of course!" both Ino and Sakura chorused. They looked at each other and smiled. Some things never changed.

As they paid their bills and gathered their things, they exchanged pleasantries and goodbyes as they waved each other off, all of them headed in different directions- Hinata her appointment, Ino to her hospital shift, and Sakura back to her home, eager to come up with an amazing dinner in celebration for her husband's return.

She made her way down the street at a leisurely pace, only halfway paying attention to her surroundings. She was quickly startled back to reality as she stumbled into somebody, immediately leaping back and bowing as she apologised profusely. It was only when the stranger responded that she realized that she knew them.

"Ah, Sakura," came a familiar voice, that of a well-known jounin. "Don't worry about it, although I must admit I'm a bit worried that you're losing your touch."

The medic nin narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips, giving her old sensei a very firm glare.

"As if," she responded in a distracted way, still caught up with the joy of Sasuke being home. "I'm just distracted. Some of us have important things going on in our lives." Spying a very familiar orange novel in Kakashi's hand, she added, "Things that aren't text-based erotica." If he was at all concerned at her jibe, he didn't show it.

"Well, I can't say you're wrong." He considered this with a contemplative look, a hand on his chin. After a moment, he brightened up, a familiar eye crinkle visible. "Regardless, I'm always glad to see my favorite ex-student, regardless of how angry she may be at me."

She fixed him with an expasperated stare, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Lifting her wrist to glance at her watch, she saw that she would need to get going if she wanted to have ample time to prepare a dinner.

"I'm always glad to see my favorite ex-sensei, too," the pinkette responded, giving him a smile. "I'm sorry I don't have time to talk, but maybe you can stop by for dinner sometime? Sarada is always talking about how she wants to learn your Chidori, although I swear if you actually teach her, I'll..." She trailed off, catching herself blathering.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go," she called, giving him a friendly wave before turning and continuing on her way.

Kakashi lifted his hand in farewell and left it up long after she had disappeared.