Sakura wakes up with the innate certainty that it is the twenty-eight of March, and as such, it is her birthday.
She squeals loudly enough that her dogs leap off her bed.
"I'm five!" She tells them, slapping her cheeks in shock. Momo landed on his back, and for one helpless moment just wiggles on the carpet, feet swimming through thin air. Misa nudges him with her nose, helping him back up.
Happy birthday, Sacchan, Kagami says.
Happy birthday, Onee-chan! Sakura responds eagerly, you're seventeen today! Wow! That's so much older than me.
Okay, no need to phrase it like that.
It's not a bad thing, Onee-chan. Aren't you happy to be seventeen?
(Haruno Sakura dies in a quiet little copse, completely and utterly alone, aged sixteen, almost seventeen.)
Kagami closes her eyes, breathing in and out, deliberately slow.
Sakura's face crumples in guilt, feeling awful for reminding her of the terrible end she once met.
Then, to her surprise, Kagami sits down at the edge of a pool, dipping her hand into its silver waters.
Where did that pool come from? Sakura asks.
Kagami smiles, something hopeful and sweet unfurling within her.
Don't forget, she says quietly, this is my mind, too. It's only a prison if I want it to be. And I… I think I want more. For now.
Sakura beams, tears stinging her eyes, good! That's good, Onee-chan. Maybe you can make a whole garden!
Only if you help, Kagami replies.
The door bursts open.
"It's your birthday!" Sakura's father shouts.
"Happy birthday!" Her mother says.
Sakura's father lifts her out of bed and starts tossing her up again and again, "How many birthday bounces is that?" He says teasingly as she shrieks with laughter. "How old is the birthday girl?"
"Five! I'm five!" Sakura squeals.
"So you are!" Her father says, tossing her up once more, then holding her to his chest, "Happy birthday, sweetheart!"
"Thank you, Otou-san," Sakura says cheerfully, "Am I taller now?"
Her father puts a hand over his head, frowning in thought, then moves the hand to the top of her head.
"Wow!" He says, "Look at you! You're getting so big!"
Sakura is delighted.
"What does the birthday girl want for breakfast?" Her mother asks, tweaking her nose.
Sakura giggles, rubbing her face, "Um… maybe some pancakes? With the sweet sauce on top, pretty please?"
"Syrupy pancakes it is!" Sakura's father says, "And of course, I shall be making them!"
"No!" Sakura groans, laughing, "Not you, Otou-san!"
"Well, I never!" He replies, mock-hurt, "I'm a fantastic cook, aren't I, Mebuki?"
"Nope." Sakura's mother replies, smiling.
Sakura's father gasps, bending over backwards abruptly as if struck in the face. Sakura giggles, clutching his chest to stay in his grip.
"I am betrayed." He says solemnly. "What of my dreams to be a chef, hmm? Am I to just throw them aside? In fact… I feel weighed down… by this… terrible betrayal!"
With every word, Sakura's father starts to sink down to the carpet, lowering himself chest-first, so Sakura is in danger of being very slowly and gently crushed.
"No!" Sakura shrieks, playfully batting at her father's chest. "I'm gonna be squished! Don't squish me!"
"I've no choice. The betrayal is pushing me down!" Her father declares, gently cradling Sakura to his chest and pretending to push her onto the carpet beneath him.
All of a sudden, Misa tears into view, barking her head off. She jumps up at Sakura's father's face, furiously yipping at him.
Sakura's father blinks, "Oh no. I've antagonised the beast."
Misa gives a high-pitched growl, every inch of her tiny body filled with rage.
"Haruno Kagami, you stop that right this instant!" Sakura scolds, hanging off her father's chest like a disappointed monkey mother.
Misa whines, turning big, sad eyes on Sakura.
Sakura has used the same method herself so much that she is now immune to it, like a poison-tester, so she simply frowns back.
"Kagami?" Sakura's father says.
"Haruno?" Sakura's mother says. "Not Senju?"
Kagami bit her lip when their father said her name.
Sakura's father lowers her to the carpet.
"Kagami…" Sakura says slowly, the name tasting taboo in her mouth. "That's what I was going to be called, right? That what Misa's short for. And of course she's a Haruno! She's mine, so she's your grandbaby."
"No. We're far too young to be grandparents." Sakura's mother says firmly, though the corner of her mouth twitches.
"A-and Momo… his name's short for Sakumo, like Kakashi-sensei's dad. I wanted to give him a good name."
Sakura's parents are silent for a moment, their chakra turning grey and mournful.
Then sunlight breaks through with her father's grin, "What excellent names! I think they deserve some big birthday treats, don't you?"
Misa's ears perk at the magic word.
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Sakura opens her presents while sitting in the big armchair, slippers dangling over the edge. She has a mug of Hot Kitty Cocoa by her side as she methodically tears wrapping paper off in neat strips, exposing a gradually-increasing pile of presents.
She gets bunch of plush toys from her parents, including a brand-new favourite fat cat with a blobby tail, promptly named Enkei. She squeals over the school supplies, pastel pens with cute bunny faces on top, a pencil case in the shape of a fuzzy cat, and a pink bento box with her name in sparkly letters. Kabuto's sent her a book on natural remedies, and Genma dropped off a box of puppy dango.
Before she has the chance to get dressed for the day, her mother opens the living room door, revealing Itachi and Sasuke, both clutching gift bags.
Sakura is thrilled to see them, even while she's in her white dressing gown with bunny ears, "Good morning, Itachi, Sasuke! What are you doing here?"
"I thought you might need a special outfit for your birthday." Itachi smiles, holding his bag up for her to see.
Sakura takes it from him gingerly, making sure their fingers don't unduly brush. Itachi still doesn't like being casually touched.
Inside the bag is a dress, folded neatly and tied together with ribbon. Sakura pulls it free, a look of awe on her face.
The dress is the perfect shade of sakura pink, with ribbons lacing the back and skirts sewn in the shape of roses with ruching fabric. It looks as though it's long enough to hang just at her ankles.
"It's so pretty." Sakura breathes out. Itachi hums in agreement, his eyes on her hands as they bunch up the fabric, marvelling at its softness. "Did Mikoto-san pick it?"
Sasuke giggles.
Itachi shoots him a look.
"What?" Sasuke says defensively. "You picked it!"
Sakura looks at Itachi, dazzled, "You like dresses, Itachi?"
"No!" Itachi burst out, his face turning sallow, "I – I mean, I don't hate dresses, and I like your – um, I just wouldn't personally wish to – I – "
"And Sasu-chan got you a present too, right?" Sakura's father cuts in tactfully, throwing Itachi an obvious wink when he sags in relief.
Sasuke's face brightens and he proudly presents his bag, "I picked everything myself too," He says unashamedly, "because girl stuff isn't bad, just like you always say, Sakura."
Sakura agrees profusely, missing the smug look Sasuke gives his older brother, or the affronted way Itachi's eyebrows shoot up in response.
There are several presents wrapped in velvety fabric in Sasuke's bag. Sakura sits down, taking her time to excavate its contents, carefully retrieving the pouches of presents one by one. The first pouch contains a copper-coloured ring, the metal twisted in a filigree shape to look like leaves surrounding a rose. At the very centre of the rose, a tiny jewel is sparkling.
Sakura's mother pales.
"Pretty!" Sakura coos, sliding it on right away. It fits snugly on the finger next to her pinkie.
Sakura's father pales.
"Itachi-nii picked that one," Sasuke admits, "I thought the jet ring with a dragon face was cooler."
"That does sound cool," Sakura says tactfully, "Maybe next time?"
"No, no," Sakura's father groans, "There will be no next time. No more rings, thank you very much."
The next present is a pink pearl bracelet with tiny silver butterfly charms. They make a pretty sound when she shakes it. She puts it on over her rabbit sleeve, ignoring the distressed noise her mother makes when the pearls ominously stretch over the fabric.
The final present is obviously the one Sasuke is excited for, because he steps forward eagerly the moment she touches the pouch.
A brassy locket spills out into her palm. It has a pale pink rose pattern on the front, delicate whorls spreading out like perfect petals.
"Open it!" Sasuke says.
Sakura blinks, then squints at the necklace. She hadn't noticed the subtle catch before. It springs open with the slightest touch, revealing a tiny picture of Sakura, Sasuke, Itachi, Fugaku and Mikoto. Sakura gazes at the photo, grinning stupidly at the sight of Sasuke's flushed cheeks, Itachi's tiny smile, Fugaku's forced solemnity, and Mikoto's gentle arms around all three children.
She looks up at the two boys, sniffing hard, "Thank you!"
She dives off her chair and seizes Sasuke in a great big hug.
Sasuke huffs, trying to drag Itachi into the embrace. His brother stiffens, edging away. Sakura wipes her eyes, laughing, and holds out her hand.
Itachi's eyes soften. He takes her hand gently, just the slightest touch, then lets go. The tips of his ears are pink.
Sakura's father looks down at the chair of discarded presents, heaving a long sigh. "Now, what could these possibly mean?"
"Who can say?" Sakura's mother replies glumly. "It's surely just an ordinary set of expensive gifts any parent would give their child's friend for their fifth birthday."
The two adults briefly commiserate in silence, patting each other's backs.
"How does everyone feel about syrupy pancakes?" Sakura's mother asks loudly.
Sasuke and Sakura cheer.
Itachi nods politely, brushing his hair over his ears, "Yes please, Haruno-san."
"Tacchan, not this again…"
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After eating through a stack of pancakes, Sakura heads upstairs to get dressed.
She teams her dress and accessories with some baby pink shoes. They're patent and they have big floppy bows on the top. She carefully places a plastic tiara on top of her head, and she's all ready for the day. Her hair's really grown out, now. It's down to her shoulders, falling in loose waves.
Kit is perched on top of her wardrobe, stretched out flat. His long legs dangle over the side, occasionally kicking in boredom. He's covering his eyes with one big hand.
"Done yet, hime-sama?" He calls, idly playing with the bells in his hair.
"What do you think?" Sakura asks, turning around to present her outfit for his critical eye.
He slithers off the wardrobe, landing with a thump on her bed. He holds his hands up to his eyes like he's framing her for a photo.
"Perfect. The head-to-toe pink is a bold choice, and I especially like the tiara. Never let anyone criticise your sartorial choices, kiddo."
Sakura gives a shy smile, playing with her skirt. It's much longer than she's used to. She feels like a real lady.
They both go downstairs together, Sakura giving everyone a little twirl when prompted, and then they all head to the Senju House, the Uchiha trailing behind.
Momo and Misa's tails start wagging the moment they turn the corner that leads to the Senju House. Sakura wonders if they can smell Tamotsu.
Tsunade answers the door with an incredulous whistle at the sight of Sakura's new outfit. Her parents quickly outline everything the Uchiha gave her.
Tsunade cackles, "Subtle!"
She ushers them in, Momo and Misa racing inside as if they owned the place, Sakura's parents and the Uchiha boys following at a more sedate pace.
Tsunade gathers them all in the living room, Naruto and Kai on the sofa, Tenzo sitting on the window seat, Airi standing on the other side of the glass, leaning against the house with her arms folded.
Tsunade seems unusually solemn. She sits Sakura down, then pulls something that smells dusty out of her satchel.
"For your fifth birthday, I wanted to give you something meaningful. I earned this scroll on my own, through bitter work and bloodshed. I never thought it would go beyond me, unless it was an enemy plucking it off my – "
Sakura's mother coughs delicately, and Tsunade winces, mouthing an apology.
"To cut a long story short, I'm happy to finally have the chance to create a legacy, to pass on the good things I've made for myself. So, if you will add your name, we can share the slug summons together. How does that sound?"
"No!" Sakura blurts out.
Everyone stares.
Kitagawa is twiddling his thumbs innocently in the background. He'll be no help.
She can't sign the slug summons. She already has the dove summons. She doesn't know what would happen if she had two, or if it's even possible to have more than one. Regardless, it wouldn't feel right. Manami, Asuka and Yuuto were so happy to have a summoner. And Kagami remembers her journey as Tsunade's apprentice, the pride she felt when she was finally permitted to sign her name on the scroll.
Tsunade's face has gone blank, but she's clearly hurt.
Sakura casts about frantically for an excuse. Her eyes fall on Tenzo, looking confused in the corner of the room.
Her heartbeat slows down to a flutter. She knows what she has to do.
"It's not fair for me to have the slug summons instead of Tenzo-nii," Sakura says firmly, meaning every word, "He's the oldest. He should inherit things like that. I don't know when his birthday is, but I think he should get the scroll then, because he deserves it. He can feed the slugs lots of cabbage with his Mokuton, so that's why."
Tenzo looks up at them all, clutching at the front of his shirt, "Do you really… I don't mind, Sakura-chan. I don't need… I'm not…"
Tsunade looks between Tenzo and Sakura, then at Sakura's parents.
A little smile forms on her face.
"You know, we never did settle the issue of who was Clan Heir. It's a big deal, after all."
Sakura's parents tense, their chakra turning spiky and defensive.
"Senju Tenzo, will you take up my burden after I am gone, and become Head of the Senju clan in my place?" Tsunade kneels in front of him, taking his hands. Sakura sees they're shaking. Tsunade gently rubs them between her palms, as if trying to warm them up.
Tenzo's dark eyes are wide, pupils blown in panic, "I – I - "
"You don't have to decide right away," Tsunade takes pity on him, giving a warm smile, "I'm planning on sticking around for a long, long time. But Sakura's right. You're my oldest, and you're responsible, balanced and fair. You're still young and I want you to have a proper childhood, but in the meantime, will you consider my offer?"
Tenzo's cheeks flush dark. He tries to talk, his words just coming out breathless and inaudible. Tsunade waits patiently.
"W-will I have to get married and have children?" He finally asks, eyes on the floor.
Tsunade ruffles his hair with a big grin, "Do you see my husband? I sure don't. Being the Head of a clan doesn't necessarily mean maintaining the numbers at any cost. It means attending to the needs of the family, putting your clan's needs above all else. You don't have to get married or have children. You don't need to be a shinobi or a noble. You just need to have a big heart, with room for every Senju that might come along in the years to come. How does that sound?"
Tenzo's mouth flickers, a tiny, hopeful smile emerging. "It sounds… nice, Oba-san. I – I don't need time. I can be the Clan Heir. I want to look after everyone as best I can."
"Yay!" Naruto explodes from the floor, fists in the air. It's plain he has no idea what's going on. "Tenzo-nii's gonna be the heir! Like Sasuke's big brother! My big brother's way better, though!"
Sasuke glowers, but Itachi's hand on his shoulder keeps him from jumping to his defence.
Sakura's parents are very relieved.
"But then…" Tsunade looks back at Sakura, forehead creased, "I don't have a present for you."
Sakura pushes down the guilt of lying once again, reminding herself that it's for the best.
"That's fine," Sakura says hastily, "I don't need anything!"
"You get ten presents next year." Tsunade points at her, face deadpan.
"That's not necessary, Tsunade-sama…" Sakura's mother says, looking pained.
"If you give your kids too many things, they get all spoiled, like milk that goes off because it goes too long without being drunk!" Sakura declares. Then she stares into the distance, realising something. "I'll be six next year!"
"Yes, that is how time works." Kit supplies helpfully.
Sakura's eyes go round as she dwells on the possibilities. She was four yesterday and now she's thinking about being six, which used to be impossibly far into the future.
She gasps, "Do you think I'll be tall enough to reach the sink?"
xxxxxxxx
Sakura's parents and the Uchiha boys disappear to do something in secret, and Sakura ends up with a blindfold around her eyes. The familiar feeling almost makes her smile, remembering Shisui, but then she remembers Shisui and her smile drops right away.
Tsunade and Jiraiya lead her into the garden, their chakra a pleasant buzz, like happy bees hovering over a flowerbed.
"Okay, hime-sama… three, two, one!" Jiraiya says, then pulls the blindfold off with a flourish.
Sakura blinks, the weak spring sunlight still enough to sting her eyes after a few minutes of confused darkness.
Then her vision sharpens and crystallises, the garden falling into place in front of her.
There's a pond!
It's enormous, a sea of twinkling water shaded by lily pads and bordered by white rocks. Big fish swirl around each other, bright orange and white swimming as one.
Naruto is beaming at her, clearly having known about the new addition before her.
"A pond with some fish," Sakura says faintly, "Naruto, we… we did it."
"You didn't forget, did you?" Tenzo asks, smiling, "We promised we'd grow your cherry tree on your birthday. We had to have a pond to go with it."
"G-grow!" Sakura stammers, looking up at Tsunade.
"You can do it," She promises, "With Tenzo's help, and Naruto's chakra, you can create whatever you want. There's plenty of space and I don't care what the neighbours think. Go nuts, my little brats."
"You remember how to channel your chakra, right?" Jiraiya asks Naruto. His expression clears when Naruto nods, beaming, and he gives him a big thumbs up, "Great! You do your best. We'll be right here."
"Okay!" Naruto chirps. He catches Sakura's eye and his grin stretches, almost blindingly radiant, "I'm gonna be Hokage and a sealmaster. Isn't that awesome?"
"Yep!" Sakura beams, excitement bursting through her, matching the starbursts going through Naruto and Tenzo's auras.
Sakura and Tenzo stand together, hands forming seals as one. Naruto stands behind them, a hand on each of their backs. Sakura takes more than just energy from him, she takes solace, comfort, and determination – they can do this!
Sakura breathes out with Tenzo, and feels nature's tether connect with her chakra, linking them together.
They both raise a hand, and from a single seed spills forth an enormous trunk, reaching up out of the ground. Dirt goes flying as the tree shoots up. Naruto lets out a shout of laughter, wild and overjoyed. The tree thickens, branches spinning out and filling with pink petals. Tenzo keeps pushing long after Sakura would've stopped, but Naruto's sunshine-bright chakra floods steadily into them, so Sakura keeps going on.
By the time they're finished, the tree is unbelievably enormous, epic in stature, its branches spreading over the top of the house.
"We're not done yet, Sakura-chan!" Tenzo says brightly, an uncharacteristic thrill of excitement in his voice.
Wood warps into being in the centre of the tree's mass, settling in the nest of branches and forming a rectangle shape.
"Tenzo-nii?" Sakura says, confused.
Tenzo narrows his eyes, focusing, and the wood sharpens, the edges becoming clearer, and Sakura begins to see what he's making.
"A treehouse!" Sakura gasps.
Naruto jumps up and down, yelling enthusiastically.
Tenzo wilts a little at the loss of chakra, so Sakura puts a hand on his arm and asks Kagami for help.
Kagami wordlessly sends her own energy, allowing it to flow to Tenzo, and he takes it and shapes it into a cute, fat little house sitting squat in the middle of the trunk, surrounded by branches. He covers the roof in grass and flowers, and creates a set of steps going from the house to the base of the tree.
He droops, exhausted but happy, "That's the most I can do for now, Sakura-chan. If we keep at it over time, it'll get better and better."
Sakura tackles him, squeezing him tightly around the middle. He laughs in surprise, then lets out an oof when Naruto joins the pile.
Misa and Momo jump on top, yapping. Tamotsu slowly crawls up, his paws slipping and sliding on Naruto's clothes. He eventually settles his fuzzy bulk on Naruto's face.
Once they escape the puppy pile, they scurry up the tree's steps, heading up to the unfurnished treehouse in the centre.
Misa, Momo and Tamotsu whine at the tree's base, plainly worried about their owners being so high up without them. Kai swoops in, grabbing an armful of dogs, and deposits them inside the treehouse. He tosses a grinning Naruto a salute, then flickers away.
Naruto and Sakura stare out at the garden, just barely able to make out the fish swimming in the pond below, sitting in the treehouse they'd been dreaming of for months and months. Misa nudges Sakura's face, snuggling as close to her as possible. Momo's head is resting on Tenzo's knee. Tamotsu is sitting on Naruto's lap, panting adoringly in his owner's face.
"We did it." Sakura says in amazement, wonder thrumming through her body.
She takes Tenzo's hand in hers.
Naruto meets her eyes, tears glistening in his, and they all sit in peaceful silence, contemplating where they have been and where they are now.
xxxxxxxx
Sakura's parents and the Uchiha boys return with armfuls of food, plates of sandwiches and dumplings galore.
Her parents don't seem too concerned by Sakura being in the treehouse, so she settles for waving in greeting rather than climbing all the way down. She can't help thinking Tsunade might have sent them away on an errand so they wouldn't witness the treehouse's construction.
Keeping secrets from them feels depressingly normal now. She's not sure how they'd react to finding out she has Mokuton, but it would probably involve more worrying for them. She's tired of bringing so much stress just by existing.
Misa and Momo are napping on Tenzo, who is almost dropping off himself, the hand he's using to stroke the dogs starting to slow down. He yawns, stretching, and rests his head on the carved wood floor. Naruto and Tamotsu snuggle up beside him.
Kit is sunbathing on the treehouse roof, radiating bliss. By contrast, Kai is perched in the tree itself, on the alert as always, staring down at each and every partygoer. Airi is dressed in nondescript clothing, blending into the crowd of guests.
The Naras stroll in, their posture so stooped it almost looks painful. They're quickly joined by the Akimichi, who brought entire boxes of food with them. Kagami whispers who's sure to arrive next, and sure enough, after only a few minutes, Ino appears, wearing a demure, baby blue dress with a lace collar and silver pumps.
Sakura scurries down the tree and bounds up to Ino, grinning madly in excitement.
Ino greets Sakura with a big hug. Her short hair has been scraped back into a tiny bun, secured by dozens of shiny hairpins, so she glitters in the sunlight whenever she turns her head.
"Happy birthday, Sakura-chan!" Ino says. She's holding a little box very carefully, but once Sakura's close enough, Ino immediately thrusts it at her, apparently too excited to wait.
Sakura rubs the back of her neck, feeling a little awkward. She likes getting attention sometimes but having so much in such a short space of time leaves her overwhelmed.
She pulls the pale green ribbon off the box, carefully tucking it into her dress's pockets. Ino is thrumming with energy, a kaleidoscope of colour. Sakura opens the box, then covers her mouth, looking up at Ino with surprised pleasure.
"It's a friendship bracelet," Ino says, uncharacteristically shy, "It means we're going to be friends forever, as long as you take care of it. It's like your ribbon. Y-you don't have to wear it all the time, and if you don't like the colour, m-maybe I can make you a better one – "
"You made this?" Sakura breathes, holding the woven bracelet up to her face. It's in pastel shades of the rainbow, pretty and complex. Just like Ino.
Ino's face burns red. Her pale gaze drops to her toes, which are squirming in her kiddy high heel sandals.
She mumbles, "Yeah. It's just something I like doing sometimes. A-and I wanted to share something I like. With you. 'cause it's your special day. And I wanted you to have something special. Something you can't buy. Do you… like it?"
Sakura throws her arms around Ino's neck.
"Yes! I really, really like it, Ino-chan! Thanks so much! In fact… um, c'mon, let's go upstairs." Sakura grabs Ino's hand, unbothered by its damp warmth. Ino must have been really nervous.
They weave around the adults, ignoring their looks of fond indulgence, and head upstairs to Sakura's room. She feels Kit follow, keeping a discreet distance for once. Sakura lets Ino into her room, watching her face light up at the décor. She seems to particularly like the white fuzzy rug, the fairy lights across the wall, and the giant slug plush in the corner. The cherry blossom soft toy Naruto got her for her birthday is already sitting next to it.
They both sit on Sakura's bed, and she takes Ino's hand in hers. She closes her eyes and concentrates, trying to feel that connection to nature she felt when she made the tree with Tenzo. It's harder without him, but eventually she finds it. It's like hitting the right note in a song.
She pours all her gratitude and love out into her hands, hoping it'll be enough to match what Ino made with hers.
Ino breathes in sharply, and her chakra reverberates in shock.
Sakura opens her eyes. She beams – she did it!
Ino is now wearing a friendship bracelet made of tiny flowers. There's some white daisies linking gardenias together, pink peonies next to lavender roses, and white carnations. All the flowers are the same size, miniature to fit Ino's wrist.
"What do you think?" Sakura asks.
Ino's face is rapidly turning red. She can't seem to tear her eyes away from the bracelet. Sakura is about to ask if she's okay when Ino suddenly leans forward and clumsily brushes a kiss against Sakura's cheek.
"O-oh!" Sakura blinks.
Ino looks mortified, shooting out of the room quicker than Sakura can bounce off the bed to follow. She frowns. She really does need to get faster. She was going to learn from Shisui one day, but… she'll have to do it herself. And soon.
When Sakura gets downstairs and heads back into the garden, more guests have arrived. It's fun to see everyone in their party clothes. Some look like slightly more formal versions of themselves, like the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. Others have gone all out with their outfits, like the Inuzuka, who seem fond of not wearing too many clothes. Sakura wonders if they get hot too easily.
She spots Hinata sitting up straight next to a taller Hyuuga boy, who has the same sort of air of vigilance as Kai and Airi. Not Kit, though, who is currently juggling in the middle of the garden and drawing quite the crowd, because he's using his knees to juggle knives. Tsunade is twitching while she watches from afar.
Sakura grins, bounding over to speak with Hinata, but the other girl squeaks in fear and jumps up – very gracefully – and fast-walks away, gathering the long hem of her dress in her hands. Her bodyguard gives Sakura a distrustful look, following his charge.
Sakura deflates. Why is everyone running away from her all of a sudden?
Shikamaru is lying down a little away from the rest of the party, snoring lightly while Chouji eats chips next to him, both boys pleasantly buzzing with contentment. Sakura heads over, always happy to cloud-watch with the two.
She sits down in the grass, carefully avoiding getting her dress dirty.
Shikamaru opens one eye, then snorts, "Oh. It's you."
Sakura's head tilts in mute confusion at the low-grade annoyance in his voice.
Shikamaru huffs, shifting to get more comfortable on his back. He stares up at the sky, sharp eyes categorising the clouds, and says, "You're the reason I have to start at the Academy a year early. Tch, troublesome."
"It's nice that you'll be together," Chouji says mildly, though his chakra dims sadly when he looks at his friend, "And you could have said no to Ino when she insisted on taking the test early."
"I could've," Shikamaru agrees, "But when my ma joined in, I had to just do it. Otherwise I'd spend the rest of my life hearing them nag me."
"You're going to anyway." Chouji points out.
"There's a difference between choosing something inevitable and just enduring it against your will." Shikamaru says darkly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realise you would be – " Sakura begins meekly.
Shikamaru cuts her off, "Why are you sorry? It was Ino's idea. It's not like you can say no to her."
After everything that's happened recently, I don't think I'll ever be able to say no to Ino, Sakura muses. She glances around the garden, spotting Ino standing at her father's side. She's got her hands on her hips, talking to a group of grown-ups. A few of them laugh at something she said.
"I'm glad I'll have a friend in the class, though," Sakura says tentatively, "I probably couldn't do it by myself."
"Idiot," Shikamaru mutters, closing his eyes again, "Of course you could. Don't think I'm gonna do much, anyway."
Sakura smiles, feeling the thin threads of concern in Shikamaru's aura.
Something dangles in Sakura's face. She jolts, scooting back abruptly.
It's a backpack, shaped like a pug. It's got a grumpy face and its ears and paws stick out. Sakura gasps, immediately clutching the bag to her chest.
"Thought you'd like that." Kakashi says, faintly amused.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura says, stroking the pug's cloth ears.
"Sensei?" Shikamaru mumbles. "Already? Tch. Wake me up when class is over."
"Okay, Shika." Chouji says agreeably, munching his chips.
"Can't go to school without the right equipment. And now you've got a place to put it." Kakashi says mildly.
Pakkun is nestled inside Kakashi's jacket. He looks down at Sakura with his big, droopy eyes, and slowly extends one paw.
"There you go," He says magnanimously, "You can stroke my paw, since it's your birthday and everything."
Sakura bounces up to her feet, glee propelling her forward. She touches the soft pink pads in awe, aware of Pakkun's smug chakra.
"I've five now, Pakkun-san!" Sakura tells him, gently tickling his paw. He kicks feebly, then seems to decide he doesn't care, submitting to her overeager exploration.
"Great job, pup." Pakkun says.
"Why do you never congratulate me for getting older?" Kakashi asks.
"Because every year you live, you put another grey hair in my fur. You're ageing me before my time."
"But Pakkun-san, there's no grey in your fur at all!" Sakura protests.
Pakkun preens.
"He dyes it." Kakashi informs her.
Pakkun chomps Kakashi's hand when it drifts by his face.
"Do you see how he assaults me?" Kakashi asks.
"That's not very nice, Pakkun-san." Sakura says reproachfully.
Kakashi's hand falls out of Pakkun's mouth when he says, "Gotta show him who the boss is, pup."
"That's me. I am the boss."
Pakkun gives a rough bark, almost like a laugh.
xxxxxxxx
Sakura finds the bird dying behind a bush. It looks like a cat or a bigger bird hurt it, then left it to die all by itself.
Sakura crouches down next to it, a lump in her throat at the way its beak opens wide in warning. It's so, so scared. She must look like a big scary monster looming over it.
"It's okay," Sakura soothes, mindful of the Inuzuka just around the bush. She doesn't want any of their dogs to sniff out the poor baby bird. "You fell out of your nest, didn't you? And some big mean thing tried to make a meal of you. I'm sorry."
She goes to cup the bird gently in her hands, but it thrashes in alarm, trying its best to get away.
"W-wait, hold on," Sakura says, panic rising as the bird falls onto its side, wings flapping impotently, "I can help if you just keep still."
It's only a blackbird, Kagami says, if you heal it, something else will eat it later. That's just the way of the world, Sacchan.
Only if you let it be, Sakura says fiercely.
"Come on. Come on!" She whispers urgently, hands darting to secure the poor bird. She just can't bear to grab hold of it in case she jostles its wounds, makes it hurt even more.
Someone pats her head.
She looks up, tears dripping down her cheeks, expecting to see Kitagawa.
Instead, Tsunade is there.
"Oba-san!" Sakura says, relieved, "There's a baby bird here and it's all hurt, th-there's blood on its wing and its leg looks bad too, so you have to – "
"You can do it." Tsunade says mildly.
Sakura's mouth drops open, "B-but – I tried and I couldn't, and it's scared and in pain. Oba-san, please."
"Try again." Tsunade says, unmoved.
Sakura draws back, startled, then turns to the bird once more. She wipes her face and reaches out, hands glowing with chakra. The bird flips over, but this time she makes walls with her hands, blocking its way. It lies on its back, chest rising and falling rapidly.
I can do it, Sakura says to herself.
Of course you can, Kagami says, unconcerned.
Sakura tries to force her breathing to become even, but it remains jagged and panicked even as she sinks into the bird's system, feeling for the damage.
She finds it instantly. It's too much. Far too much.
She holds her breath, scrambling to pour chakra in to seal the wounds. She pushes as much as she can, determined to finally ease the poor bird's pain.
In a way, she does.
She only notices when its beak stops opening and closing rapidly. She frowns, peering closer to its face. Its eyes are open, but it isn't looking at anything.
(Ino's face is still, and – )
Enough, Kagami says.
"Oba-san," Sakura says, her voice thin and watery, "I – I – "
"Too much chakra," Tsunade says dispassionately, "You overloaded its system and it couldn't handle it."
Sakura's hands drop.
Tsunade squeezes her shoulder.
"This is a part of healing – the worst part. As you get better and better, the bad moments will become rarer, until the good outweighs the bad." She says.
She reaches over, touching the bird's little head. Her hand lights up.
After a while, the bird twitches, then shakes its wings. It hops up, then flies away.
"This is the best part," Tsunade says, smiling down at Sakura's overwhelming joy, "You can do it, but it'll take time and constant work. And moments like before, where you might not succeed. Every early failure feeds a future success. Never forget that."
Sakura watches the bird land on a tree branch. It starts cleaning its wing, seemingly unbothered by the horror it had just endured.
"Now, let's wash our hands before they turn into birds, okay?" Tsunade says, pretending to peck at Sakura's cheek.
She giggles, wiping her face clean of tears.
xxxxxxxx
The sun is close to setting by the time the party winds down.
Everyone is happy and well-fed, thanks to the Akimichi, who seem to take hunger as a personal insult.
Sakura is watching the pink light of the setting sun mix with the blue sky. If she had her crayons, she'd try to recreate the scene. But she's not good at drawing. Once something goes through her head, it always comes out strange on the page. She watches the sun's journey, and wishes she could do more.
Momo snuffles in his sleep, wriggling in her lap. Sakura strokes his back, enjoying how soft his fur is against her skin. Misa is down on the ground, chasing Tamocchi, who is chasing Naruto.
Itachi's face appears, blocking out the sun. Sakura covers her mouth, muffling her surprised yelp. Momo doesn't move, still deeply asleep.
Itachi climbs into the treehouse when Sakura waves him in, something sheepish in his aura.
"I have something for you, Sakura," He says, hand reaching for his pocket, "I couldn't give it to you in front of everyone, but…"
"You already gave me this!" Sakura protests, plucking at the front of her dress.
"I did. This isn't from me. I'm just the messenger." Itachi says.
Sakura takes the paper he offers, her hand shaking.
She scans the letter, her face falling at once. It's from Shisui, but it doesn't say anything about being friends again or any explanations.
Dear Sakura,
I got your letter. Clearly, otherwise I wouldn't be replying. To that letter. Okay, I'm bad at this. Surprise, surprise. I told Itachi if he reads this once I'm done writing it, I'll send him to another dimension. I guess I better hope he listens. So, you asked about the weather, my family, and how I'm doing, in that order. So that's how I'll answer.
The weather's okay. You know. Sun's still spinning around. Doing its thing. I saw a cloud that looked a bit like a deformed dog, and I thought of you. I could do with some more rain. Do you like the rain? I bet you like splashing through puddles, you little rebel. I like rain because it washes all the dirt away and makes the world clean. I like seeing puddles full of gross stuff like rotting leaves and all the various icky stuff you find on the street. Feels like nature's cleaning up after itself. My hair is impossible when it's wet, though, so maybe I don't like rain that much.
My family is Sasuke and Itachi. And their parents, I guess? Mikoto is the coolest person I know, excluding me, and Fugaku certainly exists. You've gotta give that to him – he's very much present. At all times. Brooding in dark corners. Do you know how many times I've walked into an empty room and then had a heart attack after a dark corner says my name? Five. Five times. He must be stopped. My parents don't have Fugaku's skill of existing. They packed it in a while ago. It's okay, though. I can see them in the faces of my clan, and my own, sometimes. If I've combed my hair, I look like a young, undersized version of my mother. The scarf I gave Momo was hers. So, your dog is carrying on her legacy of excellent fashion choices. It's what she would've wanted.
I'm doing… what I can. Which has turned out to be: not much. I know I've been awful to you. I know. I can't ask for patience, because I can't promise that anything will ever change. I might keep on being the world's worst friend, or I could fix things and everything could go back to how it was. Ha. As if, right? I can't undo what I've done. I broke your trust in the worst way possible. I will never stop hating myself for that. Now, I don't know if you're thinking 'No, Shisui-kun, you shouldn't hate yourself!' because you're just that unstoppably sweet, or if you're relishing in my pain. I hope it's the latter. It's easier to hate than to forgive. And hating me isn't so bad, right? It's easy to do. I should cut this off right here – I'm covering the letter in self-pity. God, I'm such a whiner.
I'll just say this:
And then, incredibly, the last line is in Sakura's code. The one she made right before meeting Shisui for the first time.
What I said before I hurt you was true. No matter what, that will never change. But you should never forgive me, Firefly. Just like I'll never forget you.
Shisui
P.S. Don't let anyone but Itachi touch this letter.
Sakura sits back, resting her head against the treehouse wall. She can't cry. Her lip trembles, so she bites it.
"Sakura." Itachi says simply, her name a comfort in itself.
"What do you do if a friend hurts you?" Sakura asks dully, all of her energy sapped from her.
Itachi glances at the letter, then back at her face. His jaw tightens. "It depends on the friend," He says cautiously, inching closer, "And the hurt. Which matters more?"
Sakura blinks rapidly, fighting back against the ache of tears she can feel rising.
She remembers Itachi in a black and red cloak, with eyes like Sasuke's as he stabbed her in the back, eyes like Shisui's as he broke into her mind. She thinks of the warning she gave him once: be good. And then the advice she had tried to pass on: you can be better than great, you can be good.
Right now Itachi is good, but that might change one day.
Right now Shisui… Shisui is still good. Maybe that won't change.
"I don't think it's that simple, Itachi." Sakura says.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Itachi asks, a great well of fear within him. He's afraid of knowing, but he still wants to.
Sakura leans forward, not disturbing Momo on her lap, and pats Itachi on the hand as lightly as possible.
"You're very kind. That's the best part of you."
Itachi doesn't blush or rip his hand away. He just looks down, a little flinch crossing his face at her words.
"If you tell me what happened… I don't think I can be kind." Itachi admits.
He knows she has been hurt, most likely by Shisui. If she told him the truth, all it would do is force him to pick a side. She hates the idea that she and Shisui are on separate sides at all.
"We can just sit here," Sakura says, indicating the sunset, "And wait 'til my birthday's all done. I was born at thirty-two minutes past eight in the evening. I'll be five for real, then. Will you stay? Until I'm properly five?"
"I can stay even after that." Itachi says softly.
And he does, sitting side by side as Momo slept through the sunset. Itachi and Sakura rest their hands next to each other on the floor, almost but not quite touching.
Hello, friends!
So, if I've planned this right (and we all know how great I am at planning…), the next chapter should be the last one before the sequel. I'll mark Time Flies Like An Arrow as complete on archiveofourown and post the sequel as a separate story, but TFLA will stay one story on ffnet because the formatting isn't super great when it comes to finding stories.
Follow me on tumblr! I'm also katlou303 there, because I have zero creativity in my soul.
THINGS! ARE GONNA GET! BETTER!
I promise. It's not gonna keep being sad. Glad times are just around the corner.
You know, in my original plan, this chapter was going to come out on Sakura's birthday. On the TWENTY-EIGHT OF MARCH.
You can see. How great my planning. TRULY is.
I still remember when I started this story. I literally just thought, huh, what if there as a time travel fic where they just had visions of the future? And I just wrote the first chapter straightaway, super quick, nice and easy. So simple. No agonising moral dilemmas. Zero OCs to keep track of. No puppies to keep stealing the show.
And then I thought, hm, what if I planned my fun little wish fulfilment story out a little more? Just to see where I might take it? The answer is too far.
I've had to temporarily come off my ADHD meds (if you couldn't tell from this frankly stellar author's note which is just. The pinnacle of conciseness) so my motivation and concentration are on vacation. Let me tell you… my brain's seen better days.
I think I'm going to make a list of recommendations for things that are similar to TFLA in feel, so when I'm writing the sequel you guys can have something else to read/watch/absorb. So, are there any anime/films/books/etc. that you think have a similar atmosphere or plot to TFLA? It'd be really helpful to know, thank you!
Quick poll for fun: What would you like to see happen in the next chapter?
There's no guarantees your suggestion will happen. But there's no guarantees it won't happen, either :)
(Dogwatch Pupdate: A man was going to crush owner! A Very Good Girl stood up to him, and beat him! The Good Girl is victorious. Good triumphs over evil once more.)