A/N: Quite a lot of ideas pop up after sleepless nights. This one was no exception. It started off as something I wanted to include in HauntKage's main storyline, but got carried away hence the separate story.
This is a spin-off of HauntKage. I won't tell you to go read it before reading this story, but it might be easier for you to understand what is happening here if you do read it beforehand.
Warning: Although it's a spin-off of HauntKage, it might contain spoilers/hints for up-coming arcs of the main story, which may be either false or true. It also doesn't strictly follow the main storyline. You're reading this at your own risk.
Frame - something composed of parts fitted together and united
Or,
place a picture or photograph in a frame.
Frame One
"Kakashi-kun, what would you suggest for a present?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked once one of his most trusted shinobi, Hatake Kakashi, on cold October evening. Said shinobi was startled a little by the unexpected question, but regained his bearings not a moment later and replied his superior:
"It all depends on the person, sir."
Taking a warm cup of beverage, the old Hokage lifted it to his lips to take a sip. Letting out a small quiet sigh of satisfaction, trying not to awake the sleeping child snuggling into his chest, he put the mug down. Wrinkled hand ruffled the mop of bright blonde hair, whose owner stirred a little in its sleep.
"Something that would bring happy memories, remind of happy times and people, a thing that sparks positive emotions in general." The old man finally answered.
Kakashi responded without missing a beat.
"A photo, sir."
Tilting his head downwards Sandaime hummed softly.
"A photograph… Kakashi-kun, come here."
Doing as he was told, silver haired teen came up to Hokage who handled him the small child. The sudden panic showing up in the visible eye of the teenager made him chuckle.
Hiruzen opened one of the drawers in his desk. After rummaging a little he found what he was looking for – a photo camera.
After tinkering with it for a minute or two, the old man put it on the desk, lenses directed at the other side of the room. Standing up, he walked around it and stood in the middle of the office, beckoning Kakashi who still held the baby to hurry up and stand beside him.
"Smile wide!" The elderly man encouraged as he made a silly grin. Kakashi in return couldn't muster a smile, but a small blush from earlier embarrassment was still visible above the face mask.
"Cheese." The teenage droned out in a bored voice as camera flashed.
Curious sapphire eyes stared at the gadget that Jiji put in front of them. He hurried over to her. As he lifted her up and held her in his arms, he instructed the two years old:
"Look at the camera, Naruto." She did as she was told.
"Now say, 'cheese'!"
As both pronounced the name of a dairy product; one with an elderly, the other with a squeaky childish voice, the camera flashed.
Shisui looked over the small ramen restaurant with a silly smile on his lips as he held a cake.
Today was Naruto's fifth birthday.
He would be dammed if he wouldn't throw a small birthday party for his little sister. Ayame and Saranie were nearby, fidgeting, no doubt wanting to congratulate the young girl and be the first to give her a gift. Teuchi just chuckled as he stirred the pots, preparing as much food as he could before his favorite customer would show up with the Hokage.
It wasn't long before the elderly man seemingly appeared out of thin air with the girl who today officially aged one year. Barely stepping into the small restaurant the resident Jinchuuriki was greeted with cheers and a song.
"Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you, dear Naruto!
Happy Birthday to you!
From good friends and true,
From old friends and new,
May good luck go with you,
And happiness too!"
Years later Naruto still considered that day the one when she was granted the so called devil's luck of hers. But as she was blowing out five candles on the cake the camera flashed.
The eight birthday has been the biggest one Naruto had yet, Shisui noted.
Instead of celebrating it at Ichiraku Ramen like for the past few years, they had to settle for the house of the Uchiha clan head. There were just too many guests to fit it the small ramen restaurant. The Haruno's house wasn't big enough. The birthday girl's house could lit up like a Christmas tree if an unfamiliar presence would enter due to the seals. So, to be safe, the idea was turned down.
Shisui's eyes lit up just like his younger sister's in wonderment and bafflement when she opened the present given by Fugaku. Those were the scrolls with the emblem of Uchiha on them. When Naruto lifted her head to look at the clan head, eyes full of unshed grateful tears, he just smiled and ruffled her hair with a rare fatherly affection he showed, once again congratulating her.
The Shunshin expert's hands lifted a small electronic gadget and pressed the button. The moment was captured perfectly.
Next was Mikoto. She gave the blonde a filled photo album, with pictures of her mother and other family friends. Naruto hugged the Uchiha matriarch for dear life, trying to relay all her feelings. The dark haired woman hugged her in return.
No one paid attention to the flash that briefly illuminated the spacious room.
Then both Sasuke and Sakura together with his parents decided that it was their turn. Haruno family's present consisted of a few handwritten culinary books, very high quality cooking tools and of course tableware. The ones Naruto was drooling over a few months prior when she went shopping with the family of merchants.
Click
A blushing Sasuke shoved a small box in Naruto's arms saying to open it at home.
Click
Thanking and giving a hug to each person who gave presents, Naruto gazed at the next person in line – Itachi.
Shisui was probably grinning like a biggest idiot in the world by now. It's not every day when you see The Itachi Uchiha blushing like a girl from Academy as he handled a small wrapped box to the blonde.
Click
Before he could say the same thing as Sasuke, Naruto ripped through the gift paper without mercy. She lifted the lid to see the insides of the box. Blue eyes blinked in surprise. Itachi was red as ripe tomato.
Click
It was a thin hairband laced with flowers. By now Itachi couldn't look more embarrassed as everyone, even his own father, were grinning like total idiots so widely at him.
Click
'I see what you did there, Itachi-kun.'
He didn't need to look at their faces to know what they were thinking. The young Uchiha genius, once again thanked the deities that, he started believing in now, that Naruto was dense.
The said girl on the other hand, had just finished putting the hairband on.
"Hey," She said, getting the attention of every occupant in the room, "how do I look?"
Her gaze was directed at Itachi.
If Shisui didn't know better he could have sworn that Itachi replaced himself with a boiling kettle.
Click
"Y-y-you look very cute, Naruto-san."
No sooner than he got a hug from her, he vanished.
"It's my turn then!" The photographer of the day announced, as he passed the camera to Mikoto, entrusting her with a duty to take the best picture of the evening – him giving the gift to Naruto.
Click
"Everyone! Let's take a picture with all of us in it!" The Uchiha prodigy yelled out as he set camera to take the most important photo.
As everyone collectively shouted "Cheese!", the camera flashed.
"Umm… Naruto…"
"Yeah?" the girl answered, more or less imitating a koala on a branch of a tree, as she had her arms and legs wrapped around Hashirama's upper body.
"You know that I'm a spirit. I won't appear in the picture."
"Yeah, and? Jiji said that it doesn't matter what is in the photo. What matters are the memories it brings you, so this one will be our first picture together!"
Hashirama let out a sigh at his sibling's antics. A month barely passed and he still couldn't get used to her attitude, let alone him being an older brother again. At first it sounded all nice and dandy till the logical part of his mind decided to wake up and look at it from the other side. But he wasn't complaining here. In all honestly he loved it.
Years of being by himself in the afterlife was getting to him: there was no Tobirama nagging him twenty four hours per day, seven days a week to do his duty or how bad of a decision it was to do this or that. There was no Mito, who although having a face practically crafted from stone that could make the most stoic Uchiha proud, actually kept a good company. There was no little Tsunade who gladly went to the nearest casino and royally lost all the bets together with him.
"You have to say something when the flash goes out, right?" He asked Naruto while with free hand trying to set the time.
The seven years old climbed higher, now wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling her cheek against Hashirama's.
"You gotta say "Cheese!""
"In my days, we simply smiled."
"Or modeled for the spooky Hokage monument."
"Is it that bad?" The Shodai asked, blanching slightly before returning to smiling softly at his younger sister then at the camera.
"Could scare ghost to the second death -tebbayo."
Hashirama in return only chuckled, finding Naruto's verbal tic quite funny and cute, as a flash of a camera went out.
"Okay, almost everyone is in their place!" The young academy instructor called out to the photographer who today had to take pictures of all classes.
Iruka turned to the three students who were left, the so called "Prodigy trio".
"Okay, you three! Come here." He instructed to the first years as he took his place in front the class. The three children obeyed and ran up to him: Sasuke on his right, Sakura on the left and Naruto before him.
Smiling, he squatted a little so it would be easier to put his hands on the girl shoulders.
"Everyone smile!"
Before the camera flashed, the photographer gave a thumbs up.
Pouty Jiraya, was annoying Jiraya.
And annoying Jiraya equaled a disaster.
Hence why Sandaime Hokage had found himself one warm evening of August at Naruto's home. He smiled apologetically at her as she walked out with another dress on her person, not sharing Jiraya's enthusiasm taking photos one bit.
The ninth dress, the elderly man counted.
After returning from traveling, the first thing Jiraya did was bombard his goddaughter with gifts. Lots of them.
Being a dotting and loving godfather he is, Jiraya wanted Naruto to the most pretties and cutes little girl there is. So she had to try out all the dresses he brought her. That, and also capture both of them in a picture, since last time he didn't get a chance to do it.
A distinct sound of an old camera flashing reached her ears, Naruto waited a few moments to scrunch the smile into a pout. She was tired of dressing up!
Naruto sent a glare at Hashirama who was laughing merrily besides chuckling Sandaime, who played the photographer while Jiraya took a role of the designer.
"What's with that face, sister? You do look adorable in dresses, and you know that. Oh look, doggy ears! Naruto, quick! Do the puppy eyes!"
'Not you too, Hashirama!'
Originally written: 2015 autumn
Posted: 2017/07/09