(A/N) Kakashi's underweight and can't eat properly to save his life, fight me on it.

Kakashi had passed out after the battle. Y'know, like an idiot.

"He is not as heavy as he should be," Sakura grunted, heaving Kakashi along with Sasuke under Kakashi's other arm. "I know I shouldn't be complaining, but he really should eat better."

"We'll have to try and remind him to eat better when he wakes up," Sasuke allowed, staggering along.

Naruto, who had Kakashi's legs, groaned. "Is the house close at least?"

"Just up ahead," Tazuna said, somewhat nervously. Sakura eyed the woods suspiciously. There weren't more bandits and/or missing ninja, were there?

A woman opened the door, looking somewhat appalled at Sakura and her team carrying the passed out Kakashi. "Father! You didn't! Come in, come in, there's an empty room upstairs you can put him in."

So they lugged their sensei into the house and up the stairs. Naruto dropped his feet in favor of setting out his bedroll, and they put him on that, then went downstairs.

Tsunami had set about cooking a meal, so they obligingly sat at the table. Naruto got up to set the table after a few moments, going through the cupboards to find the plates and silverware.

Dinner was eaten in relative silence, other then Tsunami's brat glaring at them the entire meal, which obviously made Naruto uncomfortable, despite Sakura and Sasuke's efforts to block the brat's view of Naruto.


Sakura cornered him after dinner was over, and Naruto had disappeared up into the provided room. "What's your problem, brat."

"You're all going to fail, and then leave us to the mercy of Gato," he snapped at her. "You're just wannabes who don't know what we're going through!"

Sakura hummed quietly. She would handle this like an adult, she would not strangle the brat for assuming things falsely. "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree. Sasuke lost his clan at eight years old, Naruto was kidnapped at the same age for over two months. So I'll have to tell you to buzz off and not judge a book by its cover. Don't assume a lack of trauma if you're too wrapped up in your own to see the signs of it in others." Yes, that would do. She turned and strode away, leaving the brat there. She had boys to get back to.

"The brat's been taken care of," she noted absently when she got back, settling down carefully on her own bedroll.

"You didn't traumatize him too badly?" Sasuke checked.

"Nah," Sakura said, shaking her head. "He'll be fine." He would, she hadn't even threatened him too badly. She could make up some pretty creative threats. Knowing a Yamanaka and being engaged to an Aburame did that to you.

"Please don't traumatize the client's grandson," Naruto pleaded. "Even if he deserves it."

"So you do admit he deserves it," Sakura said, pointing at him.

"I do not," Naruto disagreed, shaking his head and putting his hands up. "He is the client's grandson."

Sakura just snickered, settling down in her bedroll. "Let's just hope Kakashi wakes up soon, we can't face Zabuza on our own." She crossed her arms beneath her head. "Idiot, passing out from chakra exhaustion, what if he hadn't managed to hold off until Zabuza was taken by that fake hunter-nin."

"Let's hold off on the scolding until he's awake," Sasuke noted tiredly. "Please."

"Alright, alright," Sakura said, yawning. "I'll wait until he wakes up."


"And for another thing!" Sakura continued, having been at this for a couple minutes already. "You need to eat better, you're far too thin! It won't do to have you wasting away, since that certainly won't help your chakra reserves, let alone your health, especially when you have a severe inability to go to any hospital for assistance!"

Sasuke was sitting off to the side and munching on a snack while Sakura chewed Kakashi out for his poor health. Naruto was off hunting to take some of the burden off of Tazuna and their income. A good thing, really, Sakura was really going at Kakashi.

"Maybe Tenzo can't get you to take care of yourself, but you had dang better bet that we're going to try our hardest! Maybe you'll do us a favor and actually teach us something for once." Finally satisfied, Sakura sat back on her heels, and took a drink of water. "Tsunami-san has leftovers from breakfast saved. You'd better go down and eat them."

Kakashi quickly excused himself, hopefully to do as Sakura ordered.

She sighed, flopping backwards onto her bedroll. "I swear, sensei is a nightmare."

"He's also our sensei," Sasuke pointed out logically.

"I bet Shino doesn't have these problems with his sensei," Sakura complained, placing her arm across her forehead. "His sensei seemed nice when I met her, and he's been learning a lot apparently."

"If you say so," Sasuke agreed absently, starting to sharpen his weapons.

"Naruto should be back soon, right? Maybe we can convince Kakashi-sensei to actually teach us something when he gets back."

"Wishful thinking, but maybe," Sasuke told her.

"Leave me and my wishful thinking alone," Sakura said, flapping a hand at him.


"Who are you?" Naruto asked the random person collecting flowers curiously. He was cautious, leaving the dead squirrel with the kunai still embedded in it in his hand.

The person seemed to startle, glancing over at him. Since they didn't scream at the sight of the squirrel, Naruto decided they were probably a shinobi. Given the fact they weren't Zabuza, he'd go with the fake hunter-nin. Maybe the flowers were medicinal?

"Hello," the person said, their voice soft. "I don't believe I recognize you, are you from around here?"

Naruto shrugged. "Visiting for a while."

"I am visiting as well," the person agreed. "There are many good medicinal plants around here, like this flower. I have a hobby of collecting plants like this."

"Could come in handy one day," Naruto half agreed. It would, but only if you could use the plants.

The person hummed quietly, filling their basket. When they were done, they stood up. "I believe I'll take my leave. Can't leave these alone too long before pressing them."

Naruto inclined his head, bending down to pick up a flower to tuck away and ask Sakura to identify later.

"And by the way," the person spoke as they were leaving. "I'm a boy."

Naruto hadn't bothered to assume gender, but it was nice to know the person's gender. He didn't quite have enough game, so he'd collect a bit more before going to the house though. Maybe Kakashi-sensei was awake.

(A/N) Whelp, there's Haku. Kinda ending of wave next time, so there's that. Happy Birthday to Sasuke Uchiha, and have a good existence.