Party Time
Kakashi looked at the streamers and balloons strewn throughout the dusty wasteland that was the backyard, clinging to the hedges that bordered the garden and hid his and Sakura's own private retreat. He looked at the table that was laden with food, including- dare he think it- sugar and other disgustingly over processed foods that Kakashi hated. He looked at the various games already set up outside, including pin the kunai on the ninja and various seats for the adults. He looked at his wife glaring at him, silently telling him that he would enjoy his daughter's seventh party, or else. Kakashi shuddered.
"Here, you take the twins and get everyone changed. Sakiko can wear anything she wants but I've already put a skirt and top out for Kami, so try and get her into them. And tell her that she can't wear that mask she stole off you."
"Why not? I wear a mask."
"Because she's four, Kakashi." Kakashi gave her a look that plainly said 'so what?' but Sakura ignored it, chopping up a pineapple and arranging it on a platter. Kakashi sighed, retrieved Ouka who was making a bid for freedom and carried her with one arm, picking up Oka with the other.
"Girls! Time to get ready!" Called Kakashi as he navigated his way up the unusually clean and tidy stairs, which were for once not festooned with toys, laundry or various abandoned traps. When he got to the landing, there was a suspicious scuffling coming from Sakiko's room, but heeding to the homemade sign on the door that clearly told anyone who was passing 'DO NOT ENTER!', Kakashi decided to leave the seven year old to it and moved on to Kaminari's room.
"Hey Scorpion, Mummy says that you have to put the skirt on. So no shorts today." The tomboyish girl looked up and scowled.
"But Daddy-"
"No buts, Kami, Mummy said."
"But I want to wear shorts!"
"All the other kunoichi wear skirts," pointed out Kakashi.
"No they don't. Auntie Tenten doesn't." Half of Kakashi's mind marvelled at the level of his daughter's observation skills. The other half cursed such a development.
"Well, you have to wear a skirt today."
"Can I wear the mask then?"
"Mummy says you can't wear a mask."
"But you wear a mask."
"Yes-"
"And I have to wear a skirt."
"Yes, but-"
"So if you want me to wear a skirt, you have to let me wear a mask as well. Or I will wear shorts and no mask. Your choice." Again Kakashi cursed the fact that his second oldest child had inherited the 'genius' gene that so many associated with the Hatake clan.
"Fine. Wear the skirt and the mask then. I'm going to get the twins ready, and I'll come in and check on you when they're ready." Kaminari nodded and returned to her colouring. Kakashi wandered out and down to the room that the twins shared, setting down Oka on the floor after closing the door and proceeding to change Ouka into the pale blue sundress and clipping her short, soft silvery hair back with a hairclip, before doing the same with Oka. Eventually, after receiving several kicks from the two of them (damn they were wriggly) they were somewhat dressed and Kakashi placed them in a playpen before going to check on Kaminari and Sakiko. True to her word, Kami was dressed in the skirt, tee-shirt and mask which was surprisingly the same colour red as her skirt. Her hair had been somewhat brushed, but still stuck out at the same odd angle as Kakashi's, although hers was pulled back into an attempted ponytail. Kakashi commended the effort.
"Ready to roll Kami?" Kami nodded, and Kakashi smiled before going into Sakiko's room. Sakiko was dressed in a pink sparkly dress, with what looked like half a tube of matching sparkly lip gloss that Ino had given her once was smeared across her lips. Her hair was brushed, and held back by a pink headband. In fact, she looked a lot like a pre-genin Sakura but with silver hair instead of pink. She was just putting on a white cardigan and white sandals when Kakashi had entered, and she greeted him with a sunny smile.
"All ready Termite?" Sakiko nodded, and bounded past Kakashi downstairs. The jounin went into the twins' room, picked them up, and carried them into the garden, Kaminari following behind him. He set them down on a rug, and turned to help Sakura ferry the food out to the large trestle table siting near the house.
"I thought I said no mask?" said Sakura as she set down a bowl of crisps.
"Our daughter is remarkably good at manipulation," replied Kakashi, following with two large jugs of squash. The two jounin sensed the arriving chakra pattern of Naruto and Hinata, and Kakashi slouched off to open the front door whilst Sakura set out a few toys for the twins.
"Hey Kakashi! Where's the birthday girl?" asked Naruto as soon as the front door opened. Kakashi's single eye crinkled up into a smile, and stood aside to let them in.
"They're all in the garden. Hello Hotaka, Mayu." Mayu, who was three, hid behind Hinata's legs shyly. Hotaka was the carbon copy of Naruto except with pale eyes with a slight bluish tinge that indicated the presence of the Byakugan, and Mayu was a perfect replica of Hinata, down to the way that twiddled her fingers and blushed when spoken to. Hinata absently brushed her daughter's dark hair and rested her hand at the back of her head, urging her to step forward. Sakiko appeared in the door way, and Hotaka stepped forward with a present. After the wrapped package was exchanged, the Uzumakis went off into the garden just as the door rang again and Kakashi answered it.
"Ino!" Sakura came into view and Kakashi stepped aside, allowing his wife to hug her best friend. Sai was standing slightly behind, Inoshishi and Shin standing beside him.
"Everyone's in the garden if you want to come through," said Kakashi as Sakura and Ino came out of their hug, and Ino, Sai and co went off through the hallway.
Soon, the garden was full of the members of Konoha 11, with kids. Chouji was there with Ayame, taking a break from running the ramen stall for the afternoon, with their son Chojuro, who was Shin and Inoshishi's age, as were Temari who held baby Minako, Shikamaru, Shika who looked like a female version of Shikamaru and her younger sister Tamura, who had recently turned two. Tenten was talking with Temari as Ryoma played with Sakiko and Hideo played with the rest of the boys and Kaminari. Kiba turned up, with his civilian wife who knew Ayame, Akamaru and their daughter Isae, who immediately joined the girls' game of princesses and Shino arrived with his wife who was some distant relative of his and so was perfectly comfortable with the bugs, having a hive of her own. Their son Shiro went off to play with the other boys (plus Kaminari). Lee also turned up, as did Gai and Kurenai, who brought her daughter Akari, who was absorbed into the princess game as the queen, being several years older. The last guests included Shizune and Genma, with their twin daughters Koemi and Emiko, who were three years younger than Akari and so were also made queens, Tsunade, and Sakura's mother and father.
"So, I hear you're being made Hokage. Congratulations," said Kurenai as she accepted the cup of tea that Kakashi offered her.
"Yes, you have truly beaten me this time," said Gai. Kakashi smiled.
"Thanks," he said as he took a sip of his own tea.
"About time too. How many time have they tried to give you that title now?" chimed in Genma as Shizune moved off to talk with Sakura.
"Three times, including this time."
"So what made you accept this time?" asked Kurenai curiously.
"I didn't have a choice, Tsunade-sama forced me to."
"I guess we'll have to call you Kakashi-sama now," said Genma, and he, Kurenai and Gai laughed at the horror-struck expression on Kakashi's face.
"No. You don't."
"Ah, well, we'll have to have another get together to celebrate soon anyway," mused Kurenai, and there was much mumbling. Sakura came up, allowing Kakashi to sidle away as she struck up a conversation with Kurenai. Soon he found himself caught up with Naruto and Sai, who were standing in the shade by the house.
"Hey Kakashi. Are you up for training tomorrow?" asked Naruto, turning to the masked ninja.
"No he's not, I need him at the tower tomorrow first thing and he better not be late." Tsunade had appeared out of nowhere, answering for Kakashi despite the jounin opening his mouth to answer in the affirmative.
"Why am I needed?"
"The clans are meeting, and you have to be there to learn how to mediate. It's harder than it looks."
"Tsunade-sama, I think you're forgetting I was placed on a team with a genin Naruto and Sasuke. I'm perfectly capable of mediating arguments."
"Hey!" said Naruto indignantly.
"No offence," said Kakashi hastily, and Naruto nodded, closing his mouth again. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Trust me, you'll need more the genin instructor experience to deal with the clan heads. It's slightly easier now that several of the old generation of clan heads have retired, but you still have to deal with Nara, and trust me if you get a syllable out of him by the end of the meeting you're doing well. He's even worse than Shikaku was. Now, let me tell you some tips. Naruto, you might as well listen in if you still want to be Hokage."
Whilst Tsunade kept Kakashi cornered and Sakura mingled amongst the other adults, the kids played. The two games (princesses and ninja) had gradually merged, and now all the boys plus Kaminari were 'rescuing' various princesses and queens from enemy nin and other baddies. At first there had been a bit of a disagreement about Kami being a ninja (not a princess, they were stupid,) they agreed that she could be a super kunoichi who was sent to confuse the various enemies and create diversions. Eventually the game had ended, and after a few games of pin the kunai and pass the parcel, it was time for birthday cake.
"Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Sakiko,
Happy Birthday to you!" Sakura brought out a cake in the shape of a flower and covered with pink icing and sparkles, seven lit candles adorning the top. Sakiko's face glowed with happiness and excitement as she blew out the candles, the sun starting to set and a hazy warmth setting in. The cake was carved up and dished out, Kakashi pulling his mask down quick enough to gulp down the cake before yanking it back up again. A quick glance at Kami told him that she had done the same, and her eyes crinkled up into half moons as she smiled at him, much like his did. Sometimes it scared Kakashi how similar Kami was to him.
Soon the sugar high and excitement wore off the various kids, and one by one sleeping children were carried out by their parents, bidding their goodbyes to Kakashi and Sakura, and whispering a last happy birthday to Sakiko, who nodded sleepily from her perch on Kakashi's hip. Oka and Ouka had already been put to bed in their cot a while ago, and Shikamaru had been the first to leave, taking an unconscious Minako with him cradled in his arms, Temari opting to stay with Tamura and Shika at the party. When they had all gone, Kakashi took Sakiko up to her room, rousing her to clean her teeth before carefully taking off her dress and sandals. He swept the silver her from her face and pressed his lips to her forehead, much like he had done seven years previously when she had been born. Sakura came in and also kissed her daughter goodnight before the two of them went back to the garden to clear up.
"That was fun. We should invite everyone over more often," said Sakura as she piled up dirty plates and took them into the kitchen, Kakashi following her as he brought in the various cups that had been scattered around. He made a non-committal grunt in the back of his throat.
"I have to go out early tomorrow, by the way. Tsunade needs me." There was no reply, and Kakashi ducked his head back outside.
"Sakura?" Said kunoichi had her back to him, her head tilted up to the dark sky. "What's wrong?" he asked as he stood next to her. She jumped, startled slightly.
"Nothing. I was just thinking… it's been the first time that we've had everyone over and I haven't thought that something was missing, that there was an empty space where Sasuke should be. It came to me just now."
"I know. But… that's sort of a good thing. We need to move on from that. Sasuke… Sasuke was in the past. He was a bright star, but even the brightest stars fade. He just faded quickly, that's all."
"When did you get all poetical?"
"I'm full of surprises."
"Mmm. I already know that," said Sakura as she wound her arms round his waist and leant her head over his heart. His arms automatically hugged her back.
"I love you, Sakura."
"I love you to."
A/N: Whew. Long chapter. (For me.) Now you know who's married to who, and who their children are, what they are called etc. Shikamaru and Temari were only going to have two girls, but then I found the name Minako, which means 'child of the beautiful Nara', and I couldn't resist. ^^
Anyway, next chapter's Kakashi becomes Hokage, so stay tuned. It should be updated in the next few weeks (I can only write at weekends now that school's started) as I'm in a Timeline sort of mood atm. Oh, and we're in double digits! Yay!
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Fallen Quills