Chapter 23: Year 9, Month 2

"Reyke, wait for me!"

Sanosuke jumped up, grabbed his backpack, and started running after his cousin. The two had spent about an hour after their classes training at the practice field behind the school. Reyke, along with his brother and sister, were spending the week at Sasuke and Sakura's while their parents were off on a mission.

"Hurry, Sanosuke! I'm hungry, and I bet aunt Sakura already has dinner finished!" Reyke turned around and stomped his foot at Sanosuke, who was lagging behind him a good bit. The two loved each other like they were brothers, but Reyke got annoyed when whoever was with him took too long to get moving or get ready.

Sanosuke nodded, trying to catch up with his much faster cousin, when he heard a noise from inside the bushes to his left. He stopped, and looked over, expecting Minato to jump out and try to frighten him, until he heard a small meow.

"…Reyke, I think there's a cat in the bushes!"

"Too bad!"

"That's mean!" Sanosuke shot Reyke a small glare, before going to the bushes and searching through them. "Here, kitty, kitty…"

Sanosuke was a lover of cats. Reyke's family had recently adopted two kittens from Asuna's brother, and Sanosuke loved when he got to go over and play them. He had started begging Sasuke and Sakura to get him a cat for his birthday the next year, even if it was an early birthday present, but they had to tell him no for the fact they couldn't handle a cat at the moment. Keiko started in with Sanosuke a few weeks later, making Sakura throw her hands up in defeat, saying they would think about it.

When Sanosuke didn't see the cat, he called again, and a little orange head popped out from the bushes. Sanosuke smiled. This was the exact kind of cat he wanted. An orange tabby with bright blue eyes.

It reminds me of uncle Naruto!

The kitten, only about ten weeks old, looked up at Sanosuke and meowed again, before butting its head into his hand.

Sanosuke's smile grew. He petted the kitten on the head, hearing a small purr come from it. After a moment, he grabbed a hold of the kitten by the scruff of its neck, holding it to him to keep it from running off.

"Reyke, look! A kitten!"

Reyke looked at the cat, before shrugging. He had gotten over how 'cute' his mother and sister said their kittens were, and just didn't care anymore. "Let's get home!"

"We're coming!"

Sakura stared at Sanosuke and Reyke. The two were late coming home, worrying her a bit, as Emiko had gotten home from her classes right on time. She accepted their explanation of having stayed to train, but did not understand how Sanosuke ended up bringing home an orange kitten.

"Explain once more, Sanosuke."

He nodded, looking at the kitten still in his arms. "Reyke and I were coming home, and I heard a meow in the bushes! So, I looked and this kitten was there, mama! I picked him up and brought him home!" Sanosuke smiled, while Sakura sighed.

"Sweetie, what if he's someone else's kitten?"

His shoulders dropped. He didn't think about that at all when he saw the kitten. He thought he was going to get his pet he so badly wanted, not that he had found someone else's kitten.

"But… but mama, he doesn't have a collar…"

"I know, Sanosuke, but, not all cats have collars. Especially little kittens."

Sakura sighed as she saw Sanosuke's eyes fill with tears, and she got eye level with him. She looked at Sanosuke, as he was about to burst into tears, and then to the sleeping kitten.

"We'll talk to your dad when he gets home."

"OK…"

The second Sasuke walked in the door, Sanosuke was there, holding up the kitten. "Look what I found!"

"…uh-huh…"

Sanosuke made a pouting look. "Mama said to talk to you about it… I found him in the bushes, dad! He doesn't have a collar, so, he can't be anyone's kitty, right?!"

Sasuke nodded, agreeing with Sanosuke until Sakura stared at him for a few minutes. Was he seriously agreeing to them keeping a cat that couldn't possibly have had all its shots?

Sanosuke wasn't thinking about that. When Sasuke nodded at him, his eyes brightened and his smile widened. "So… I can keep him?!"

"I don't care. Ask your mother."

Sanosuke ran over to Sakura, giving a cute little pout as he held up the kitten. "Please, mama? I'll take good care of him, I promise!"

Sakura looked at Sanosuke, and sighed. "Fine… you can keep him. But, I am taking him to the vet tomorrow to get him check out and get him his shots, all right?"

Sanosuke nodded, running into Keiko's room with the cat. "I got a kitten, Keiko!"

Sakura sighed once again as Sasuke smiled and shook his head.

"Should I tell him the cat's a girl?"

"Tomorrow."

"Good idea."

END CHAPTER 23

Author's Note: I have three cats, so, of course I had to incorporate cats. :D

I had my final day of classes yesterday, which means I am FREE once I get through with my finals next week. All my finals are on Tuesday, so, that means I'm free after Tuesday night (when my illustrator professor gives us pizza during our final. xD).
Almost there~

I have a quick little poll on my profile that has to do with Perfect Life. If you would like to see a short prequel to it, you should go vote and tell me so. :3

See you next week!