a/n: terrorized myself in the process of writing this chapter. was it worth it idk but we're already nine months into the year and my new years resolution is at risk (but really are we surprised, new yrs resolutions are fated to die, i kinda did that to myself) so i gotta get this show on the road somehow (why does time pass so quickly QAQ)

also i lied in my last a/n, turns out they arent ready for spice and turns out i actually have to write some semblance of a plot in order for them to get anywhere

the frog in the well

"love in repetition"

the future that fast approaches

"Happy birthday, baby," Ayame crooned to her child as soon as he turned to face her after being roused from sleep. He blinked his eyes slowly, but whereas he'd usually wake with a scowl, he sat up with a grin stretching from ear to ear.

After having anticipated turning five for all of a year, Hiruko appeared giddy with joy, even with such a sleepy countenance as he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Ayame wasn't sure how much he'd slept, with how excited he'd been the day previous, begging the sky to turn dark sooner, so the next day would come faster.

"Kaa-chaaan," he whined, reaching for her as she opened her arms to him.

She lifted him with some minor struggle, kissing his cheeks twice and murmuring to him, 'I love you's, before whisking him away to the kitchen table, where she'd prepared his favorite breakfast foods.

"Are you excited for today, Hiru-chan?"

"Yes! White Fang is coming today!" Hiruko beamed at her with bits of rice sticking to his chin.

Ayame absent-mindedly picked it off and ate it, wondering at why he never called his father anything but by his moniker.

Sometimes, it was difficult to tell how much Hiruko understood of the situation, especially coming from a background where he'd only had Einosuke as a masculine figure in his life, up until he met her brother, and hadn't even known what a father was until recently.

His relationship with Sakumo appeared to be going smoothly, but little things made Ayame worry.

Sakumo seemed not to think anything was amiss, being called so distantly by his own son. And that was a concern in and of itself. What did Sakumo feel about all of this? About Hiruko? About her?

It was already the middle of February and Ayame couldn't say much had changed between the two of them, aside from getting along slightly better than when they'd been kids. She didn't really feel all that comfortable asking him his thoughts.

Sometimes, maybe due to her own insecurities, it felt as if any misstep could destroy everything between them, and Hiruko would grow up with an absent father and the two brothers would hate each other. She felt, if anything ever happened like that, then it'd be her fault.

Sakumo being kind and gentle to her felt too good to be true. In her experience, if a man was kind, it was because he wanted to get between her thighs. But Sakumo...

"Kaa-chaan!" Hiruko called, poking the middle of her forehead as she got lost in thought. "Why are you frowning?"

Immediately, Ayame fixed her face into a smile. "Kaa-chan wants to spend all of today with Hiru-chan, but Hiru-chan is only looking forward to White Fang coming?"

"And my little brother!"

At that, Ayame melted.

When thinking about Kakashi, her thoughts usually became complex, but seeing her son's excitement, Ayame didn't think she could become any happier.

And every little hardship had become worth enduring, to see him smile at her like this.

the future that fast approaches

Sakumo came in the afternoon and Kakashi reached for her as soon as he laid his eyes on her, itching to be released from the sling across his father's chest.

Something Sakumo was nonchalant over, Ayame fretted, taking in Kakashi and settling him in her arms. The baby's interest in her had only grown since she'd started holding him, and she had to wonder why it was. If a baby instinctively knew to reach for a mother, or if he took after his father and just thought she was pretty.

Sakumo reached a hand out and set it on her head briefly, startling her from her thoughts. "Thanks," was all he said before heading into the house to greet his other son.

Ayame stood for a moment, unable to shake her surprise as she stared down at Kakashi, who seemed content to watch her, his fingers clinging onto bits of her clothes before dropping his head onto her chest and snuggling in.

There was something strange about this, right?

So, why was she the only one...?

Just as she was about to turn back in, Kakashi let out a soft huff. His expression content, he settled himself, blinking at her slowly, something like curiosity in his eyes, before finally falling asleep in her arms.

At that, Ayame couldn't help but gently kiss his forehead and turn to follow Sakumo into the house, amazed at what her life had become.

the future that fast approaches

Of course, the first thing they had to do on Hiruko's birthday was stop by the Academy and get him signed up for classes. Even if they couldn't get him in immediately, sign ups were free and always welcomed as exams for placement were held several times a year, even with the general peace that had come after the treaty when the Shinobi World War ended.

Hiruko's insistence on the matter was also a clear reason why their day out together could only start there.

Sakumo guided them with sure steps, directing them through the streets with the well-practiced ease of a local. Every once in a while he was waved at, his face fixed with an almost serene smile as he waved back good-naturedly.

No one stopped them, although Ayame was sensitive enough to notice when their gazes lingered on her with questions, taking in the sight of Hiruko marching after his father dutifully, and Kakashi sleeping in the sling on her chest.

It wasn't like this was their first outing together, but as they appeared in public more frequently, each time it seemed like she could hear the scandal taking shape, growing bigger and bigger, and could only imagine that by the time they left the Academy, it would have already grown wings and traveled far when it was confirmed that Hiruko was the White Fang's firstborn son.

Ayame attempted not to care too much, but she winced thinking of the things they'd say. Especially knowing that to everyone else, she was an unknown woman without a background. That is, unknown until someone was able to recognize her and exposed her past.

It wouldn't have been so bad, if only Sakumo wasn't as famous as he was.

Sakumo seemed to notice her unease, and remarked in a soft voice, "Don't worry about it. It couldn't have been kept a secret for long anyway."

He turned his serene smile to her and she couldn't help the grimace.

"Right," she agreed, despite her unease.

"It's okay, Ayame-san, I'll keep the three of you safe."

His words seemed to work magic—by casting her into a mental panic at the thought that those words seemed a little bit too much...

Like she was also important to him, in the scheme of his responsibilities.

"A-alright," she said, hiding her red face against Kakashi's.

The embarrassment of the moment made her too shy to say much else, wondering at how she could still be so bold as to feel this way, after everything they've been through.

Friends. That's all we are, she thought to herself fervently before bracing herself for the rest of what the day had in store for her. If only she could shake herself and make her stuttering heartbeat slow down.

When they got to the Academy, the faculty in charge of registration recognized Sakumo instantly as he stepped to meet them.

A chorus of "White Fang-san!" "Hatake-san!" greeted them—but the sound of their voices pittered off into dead silence when their gazes landed on Hiruko. And then on Ayame, carrying Sakumo's nearly five months old baby.

It was clear they knew enough of Sakumo's life to tell that there was something wrong with the picture they were seeing, but none of the three faculty members decided to say a thing, shock clear on their faces.

"Hello, Miwa-san, Tanaka-san, Satou-san," Sakumo greeted them, unperturbed, before leaning down to lift Hiruko into his arms. "I know this is sudden, but I'd like to get my son signed up for classes."

"Y-your son?" a blue-haired woman asked.

"Yes."

The woman looked to Ayame, some judgment unmistakably in her eyes. "And you're the mother?"

"That's correct," Ayame told her, straightening out her back and holding the woman's gaze with a raised brow.

"Divorced?"

"Never married."

Sakumo cleared his throat and fixed the three of them with a stare. "Miwa-san, we'll fill out any needed paperwork, but we'd like the personal questions to be kept to a minimum. It's our son's fifth birthday and we don't have a lot of time to spare today."

"Of course, Hatake-san. To get us started, you'll just need to fill out these papers. We'll only need one parent's signature, but as the two of you aren't together, we'll need two financial forms completed."

Ayame blinked. "Financial forms?"

"It's just to check if your child will need to receive any benefits, like school funded lunches and shinobi gear, things of that nature."

Sakumo shook his head firmly, taking the papers handed to him and sliding one sheet back. "I can provide those things without the need for a second form."

Miwa-san hesitated. "Well... is he living with you, or the mother?"

"This information is for emergency contact, correct? Just mine will do."

Ayame immediately caught on to what Sakumo was doing, and it wasn't until then that Ayame realized how truly considerate he could be. Taking full responsibility for Hiruko's schooling and keeping Ayame's information off of the books—it was a way of keeping her privacy safe.

But...

"Any documents for his birth and proof of residency in Konoha?"

This time Ayame stepped forward, jostling Kakashi in her arms to hold him on her hip, using her free hand to pull a pack of thin scrolls from the bag she'd taken with her in the morning. "I have both, as well as his medical records."

Miwa-san took the scrolls, unrolling them and scrutinized them with some suspicion. "You've immigrated from Giongakure? Ahh, isn't that the place known for their beautiful geiko...?" She looked Ayame up and down, seemingly unimpressed. "That rumor doesn't seem to mean much in person."

Ayame grit her teeth together.

"We've both been naturalized," she said patiently. At this point she was used to the hassle that every government-run operation gave her, after the nightmare that was getting her store permits, having long fought for citizenship with her brother's help.

"I see... These days, anyone can be let in," Miwa-san says while shaking her head, letting out a sigh as if exhausted by the conversation. "With these, we should be all set. Once you're done filling out the paperwork, we'll schedule an entrance exam for him. If he does well, he should be able to get started as soon as April."

"Thank you," Sakumo said, seemingly just to be polite as he handed the already filled out papers back, that ever present smile on his face looking a bit more wooden than usual.

Sometime in the conversation, Hiruko had wiggled out of his father's arms and migrated from Sakumo's side to Ayame's, but it wasn't until the conversation ended that Hiruko pressed his face into the hip that Kakashi wasn't taking up. He rubbed his face against her and whined, seemingly startled by how tense the atmosphere had gotten, his tears leaving streaks on her skirt.

While briefly surprised, she reacted quickly.

Ayame ruffled his hair patiently, with a smile on her face. "This is the first step, okay? After this big step, you'll get to start training and then you'll get to become just like your tou-san. Isn't that what you want the most?"

Hiruko nodded against her, his shoulders still shaking.

It struck her then that while the girls at the yuukaku had taken great care of Hiruko—perhaps his life had been rather sheltered because of all the extra care around him.

Or maybe he was just cranky from not getting enough sleep.

Whatever the case, Ayame cradled his head against her and patted his cheek rhythmically.

Sakumo closed some distance between them before coming to kneel before Hiruko and gently prying him from Ayame's thigh, using his thumb to wipe at his wet eyes.

"How about we get some dango, hm?"

Hiruko nodded slowly, but his face continued to redden, his eyes growing mistier before he quietly mumbled, "Didn't mean to cry."

"Were you scared?"

At that Hiruko fervently shook his head, before his thoughts visibly caught up with him. And that seemed to strike a change in Hiruko, a deep scowl coming to his face before he pulled from both of his parents to march up to the desk and point a finger to Miwa-san.

"You should say sorry!"

"W-wait—"

Sakumo laid a hand to Ayame's shoulder before she could rush to stop Hiruko, his eyes trained on their son. A genuine smile was curling his lip.

"You looked down on Kaa-chan," Hiruko accused.

Miwa-san looked helpless as she stared at the five year old before directing her gaze to Sakumo.

He pointedly, yet subtly raised his brows.

Ayame would be lying if she said that didn't embolden her—but she also wasn't so hot headed these days to care so much about what attitude Miwa-san had with her. Of course, if she'd insulted her son at all, that'd be a different story, but for what it was worth, Ayame could tell that she was just jealous.

And in a lot of ways, Ayame was deeply intimate with the emotion.

"Maa, maa," Ayame broke in chidingly, breaking from Sakumo's gentle hold on her to reach for Hiruko, passing her fingers through his hair to ease him. "Kaa-chan isn't hurt, so don't worry. Aren't you excited? She's going to schedule an exam date and after that, you'll finally be in school, okay?"

Hiruko looked unconvinced at her attempts to distract him, fully training his glare on Miwa-san.

To which the woman finally seemed to give in.

"Very sorry, er," she glanced through the scroll of Hiruko's birth certificate before adding, "Ayame-san."

"It's fine," Ayame said obligingly. "Now what's the exam date? So we can get out of your hair—I think he's a bit cranky from not sleeping well, you see."

"Our first exam is on the first of March, is that fine with you?"

"The sooner the better," Ayame agreed, then, with a smile towards Sakumo as she gently passed Kakashi into his arms, she quietly murmured to him before turning back towards Miwa-san and the others.

Sakumo wisely took Hiruko by hand before leading the small boy away, practically dragging him as Hiruko kept glancing worriedly back, even at Sakumo's quiet reassurances.

Once they were out of eyesight, Ayame stepped forward and very warmly smiled at Miwa-san.

"Sorry about that, he's becoming just like me when I was his age," she joked. "I just wanted to let you know that I didn't take any offense. I can understand a bit that people will be confused, so for the sake of clarity—Sakumo-san and I aren't together. He's truly grieving the loss of his wife, and I would hate for the wrong idea to spread when times are so sensitive for him. You three understand, right?"

All the while, Ayame had spoken in dulcet tones, carefully regarding each one of them with a look into their eyes. The smile on her face softened, and she gave a faint, self-deprecating laugh, tucking a bit of her hair behind her ear.

"I really hope that we can all get along, at least in the years Hiru-chan will be attending. After all, he's really excited. Both his father and his uncle are shinobi, and he's idolized them from the very beginning."

"Oh, really?" one of the two in the background said, snorting. "Who's the uncle?"

"His name is Jiraiya."

To which Miwa-san had a very interesting reaction, her face darkening several shades, getting red all the way to the tips of her ears.

The other two's expressions also changed, ranging from shock to disbelief, to something akin to dawning horror.

"That troublemaker?"

Ayame couldn't help her genuine surprise. "Ah, you've met him?"

She didn't usually have much interest in her brother's career or personal relationships, so she'd never really asked before, how good or bad his reputation was. Neither had he really seen the point of introducing her to everyone as his sister if it would only further endanger her.

Now, to see these expressions, Ayame wondered for the first time who her brother actually was, if not the funny, easy-going guy that she'd looked up to all her life. Something to ponder for later.

"Ayame-san?"

Hearing her name from behind her, she startled inwardly before turning to the speaker, hearing a rushed chorus of, "Hokage-sama!" to announce who he was. Although, he wasn't really a man who needed much introduction.

Ayame smiled as she greeted him with a deep bow. "It's nice to meet you here, Hokage-sama."

"Signing your son up for the Academy?" he asked, having been fully made aware of the circumstances of Hiruko's birth, and her relationship to both his student and Hatake Sakumo.

"Of course," she said, her tone demure and polite as she studied Sarutobi Hiruzen.

A short man in his forties, his brunet hair was slowly being overtaken by the gray, and his skin was already quite wizened, either by the stress of his position, or the sun he'd taken in from his youth. He wasn't exactly a handsome man, but he wasn't ugly to look at either.

Rather, he was a strong man that had aged quickly. And his reputation was one that preceded him. Ayame had grown up hearing about him, even if she never particularly cared to hear. When they were kids, he had been the hero Jirai-nii looked up to.

When she'd been taken in by Okaa-san, he'd become the man in charge, someone to avoid angering, even having power above the Daimyo himself.

Part of becoming a geiko had been learning about the people in power, studying their actions, and understanding the political weight of them. Understanding how the government worked, what the chain of power looked like, and knowing where a geiko's position was in that chain, what her role would be.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was a man that had never cared for geiko. He was famously known to geiko as a man loyal to his wife. That had been especially the reason why Kanan-onee-san had been so furious with her, losing out on having Shimura Danzo as her danna, a man on the Konoha council, a person with political sway throughout the shinobi world.

But inwardly, Ayame held some relief that she'd been able to escape that man.

Although their first meeting had been that same disastrous night that spelled out the misfortune of the rest of her life, Danzo had visited her a few more times, despite her progress being held back by her wrist injury.

Each time had been creepier than the last.

While his interest never felt specifically geared towards her, when he looked at her, it was like she was no better than an ant. Only, if she could do something for him, would she be worth anything.

Seeing the Hokage in front of her now, it felt completely different.

On their first meeting, he'd been respectful, having real affection towards her brother and welcoming her to Konoha, playing a huge role in helping her become a proper civilian. His advice at the time had been considerate and empathetic.

An entirely different man than she'd expected him to be.

"I'll look forward to seeing Hiruko-kun's developments in the future," the Hokage said, bringing her back to the present. "Have you been settling in well?"

"Yes," she cheerfully replied. "In part to you, of course. Thank you again for everything."

He waved her off with a smile. "It was a pleasure. Is your son far from here? I haven't had the chance to meet him yet."

"Just outside, with his father. I was just finishing up here," Ayame explained, pointedly looking at the faculty members.

See how nice he is to me? Don't make trouble for yourself.

Though she wasn't certain how much that message got across, Ayame reasoned with herself that whatever they decided to say to the public, she had no power over it. She decided not to worry, thinking of Sakumo's expression from earlier. That calm smile. His own resolution to face things as they come.

"Do you want to meet him?" Ayame asked, shaking off her doubt, her smile brightening as she refocused on the Hokage.

At his eager nod, the two of them headed out of the building in unhurried steps, vaguely chatting about the weather and the progress she'd made with her bookstore. He was a sensible man to talk to, she noted, the perfect caricature of a village elder who'd seen the world and gained wisdom, and who cared about the future of his people. There was guidance in everything he said, and she suspected that he saw and understood much more than he let on.

He seemed to like Ayame, but she had to assume that he treated a great many people the same way, only treating a few people specially. Like her brother.

"Hokage-sama," Sakumo greeted as soon as they came into sight, and Ayame couldn't help but notice the way his fingers curled and ran through Hiruko's hair, the gentle affection he freely gave. How cute Kakashi looked in the sling across his chest.

"Hatake-san," the Hokage acknowledged warmly before he gave his full attention to her son. "And you must be Hiruko-kun!"

Hiruko seemed not to realize who was in front of him, only tilting his head in confusion and shrinking further into his father's side. As if intimidated by the looks of the Hokage, but intrigued nonetheless.

Sakumo lightly patted his son's head. "Can you bow to him? He's otou-san's boss, we need to make a good impression."

"Boss," Hiruko echoed, and with some wariness in his expression, he separated from Sakumo's side and gave a respectful bow, hands to his side and back straight, just like Ayame had taught him.

"He's Oji-chans's teacher and the strongest shinobi in Konoha," Ayame explained to him.

At that, interest sparked in Hiruko's eyes and he took a closer look at the Hokage, who grinned at him, the shadow of his large brimmed hat unable to hide the affection in his gaze.

"You want to become a shinobi, right?"

Hiruko nodded.

"To be cool? To be liked?"

"Um, not really."

"Oh? To be powerful then?"

"A bit."

The Hokage barked out a laugh. "Just a bit? Do you have an even greater reason to become a shinobi then?"

At that, Hiruko seemed to gain courage as he stepped forward and very firmly planted his feet. He looked Sarutobi Hiruzen straight into his eyes, hands balled at his sides.

"I'm going to protect Kaa-chan with my life."

Hearing that, Ayame was stunned.

"Is your kaa-chan in danger?" the Hokage asked, seemingly baffled.

Hiruko looked at Ayame then and very pointedly mumbled, "Kaa-chan sometimes has trouble, but I can never help. So I have to get strong."

"The road to becoming a shinobi is a very difficult one, Hiruko-kun. You can get seriously hurt. You'll even have to hurt others. And your kaa-chan will always worry, that's not something you can protect her from. Becoming a shinobi means that scary things will happen to you."

Hiruko nodded, his gaze cast down. These were things that Ayame didn't know how to address as a civilian mother. Even as a sister to Jiraiya, she didn't know enough about shinobi to carefully warn Hiruko about the dangers, only guessing at them.

She'd hoped that the Academy would be better at it. With no telling how things would become in the future, there had always been a side to her that hoped Hiruko would be shocked into giving up on becoming a shinobi. That he'd dream to take over her bookshop instead of dreaming of taking after his father.

His being ignorant of a lot of things, even at the age where it was natural, Ayame still felt guilty.

No mother happily gives up her son to the path where death could happen at any time.

"But," the Hokage said as he laid a hand on Hiruko's head, "you can become very powerful. If you work hard, you can protect the people you love, and do it with your own strength. As a shinobi, all of Konoha will become your family, and the peace you can help create will keep your mother safe."

"Family?"

"Yes. Did you know that I became the Hokage to protect my family, and that when you came to the village, you became part of that family?"

"Do I call you Ojii-chan then?"

"Ojii-chan?" the Hokage's jaw dropped. "My wife just got pregnant! I won't have grandchildren for a long time yet!"

Hiruko frowned. "But you're so old."

The direct hit seemed to go straight to the Hokage's heart as he paled and staggered back.

"Hiru-chan, you can't say things like that," Ayame chided. "You can hurt feelings."

"Oh, okay" Hiruko acquiesced easily. "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage waved the apology away. "It's okay. Seeing as you're the nephew of my student, I'll allow you to call me Oji-san."

"Oji-chan," her son agreed cheerfully, visibly flustering the Hokage, who didn't seem to know how to deal with Hiruko's leap in affection.

"Congratulations on the pregnancy," Ayame cut in before her son could say anything else. "How far along is Biwako-sama?"

"Actually, we just found out," he admitted shyly. "We've been trying for so long, and now that it's finally happening, we're just hoping for no complications. Thankfully Tsunade-chan has been taking great care of her."

"The earliest days are the most troublesome," Ayame agreed. "Everything will go well, though. Just believe in that."

"Any advice?"

"Ahh," Ayame contemplated for a moment before grinning at him. "Be sure to give into every demand your wife makes. It'll serve you better in the future if you keep her as happy as possible. No request is too strange, understand?"

He nodded, seeming to take the advice to heart before looking at Sakumo. "You were in my shoes not too long ago, do you have anything to add?"

Ah.

Ayame sucked in a breath.

The Hokage could be surprisingly callous with his words.

Sakumo didn't wipe his stunned reaction off fast enough, his smile looking more like a grimace. "Ayame... Ayame-san said it best. Listen well to Biwako-sama."

A sudden irritation sprouted in Ayame as she looked at the Hokage, wondering at his sudden insensitivity, to have made Sakumo fumble for a response.

"Thank you for talking with Hiru-chan, Hokage-sama," Ayame said, drawing closer to Sakumo and the kids. She couldn't forget her manners as she added, "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. I'll help at any time."

They exchanged a few more social niceties, and parted amicably, the Hokage returning to the Academy while the four of them made their walk over to the dango shop that had been promised to Hiruko.

With a soured mood, Ayame trailed a step behind, trying to work her mind around what had even upset her. To begin with, seeing Sakumo express any emotion was unsettling, as she'd grown accustomed to seeing his face pasted with a smile. To see that mask slip, especially around a question that called to memory his late wife, Ayame couldn't help but feel disgruntled.

Because it also blatantly exposed the mask he used with her.

It wasn't as if they'd ever spoken at length about his late wife. If anything, her presence was kept as a vague understanding, a subject that neither of them wanted to broach. For Ayame, who was naturally avoidant, and for Sakumo, who was still filled with grief as he balanced being a shinobi and being a first-time dad. Not to mention Ayame's own damage that she'd inflicted on him.

She obviously wasn't his first choice as a person to confide in.

And while Ayame had always known this, it was another thing to keep seeing it. Sakumo was really too nice for his own good.

"Something bothering you?" Sakumo asked after they'd gotten a stick of dango each, walking through the market. He'd slowed to walk in step with her, Hiruko having been lifted up to sit atop his shoulders to indulge in his favorite snack, and Kakashi asleep against his chest.

Ayame couldn't stop feeling guilty looking at him.

"You know... Sakumo."

"Yeah?"

"I really like you."

"You do?" Sakumo's face reddened, much faster than she thought it could. It somewhat baffled her. How things could still remind her so clearly of the past. She supposed some things would never change, and her ability to fluster him was one of them.

"Yeah," she answered vaguely, the feeling in her heart making her itch. "I'm... happy we're friends now."

Sakumo seemed to pause for a moment, clearing his throat. "Ayame, you know—."

"Kaa-chan, White Fang-san, can we eat karaage tonight? There's a place right there selling it, can we go?"

"Hiru-chan, don't interrupt your father," Ayame scolded, feeling her heart pounding uncomfortably, her cheeks getting hot by the way Sakumo had been looking at her. "But yes, karaage sounds good."

"Oops, sorry, White Fang-san."

Sakumo's helpless smile was for her as he bounced Hiruko on his shoulders, sending the boy into a peal of laughter at the motion. "Maa, maa, for how long will you call me that?"

Hiruko just kept laughing, his hands coming to rest on Sakumo's cheeks. "White Fang-san, do it again!"

Unable to reject a request from his son, he did as asked, gently bouncing him. The both of them becoming the picture of joy as Sakumo began to laugh along to the high-pitched squeals Hiruko was releasing, unbothered by the careless way Hiruko pulled at his father's hair and face.

"Oh, be careful, Kaka-chan is waking up," Ayame fretted, coming forward to take him from the sling and cradling him against her. Kakashi, who'd been wriggling in discontent upon waking up at the ruckus, making soft grumbles, settled in her arms like a magic spell. It settled something within her as well, holding him a little closer to catch the milky scent of his skin.

He wasn't awake for much longer.

"But I want to play more," Hiruko whined.

"Hiru-chan, you should still be considerate of your brother. He's at the age where he needs to get lots of sleep. So when he's sleeping, we don't wake him."

Thankfully, Kakashi was an easy baby, one who didn't cry much, or otherwise she wouldn't say as much, knowing that he'd be up half the night crying if he were any other infant. But Sakumo never reported anything of the sort, so she could only imagine he was always as calm as he was in her arms.

"Okay, Kaa-chan," Hiruko said obediently, resting his head on his father's head. "But will White Fang-san play with me when we get home?"

"Of course," Sakumo said dotingly before glancing at Ayame with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, it's my fault for rousing him."

Ayame shook her head. "No... maybe I reacted too quickly."

At that, Sakumo seemed to study her.

"You know..." he began, stepping closer to her, his expression thoughtful.

"Yes?"

"I really like you, too."

"Saku—."

The soft press of his lips to her forehead cut her off.

Speechless, Ayame looked at him in shock.

And as if it were all just casual affection between them, as though the last time they were so close hadn't been since they were kids, Sakumo pulled away with a smile and turned his back to her, walking away with Hiruko shrieking, "You kissed Kaa-chan!?"

Ayame lifted a hand to her forehead, face becoming unbearably hot.

Because unlike him, Ayame was going to be thinking about that casual touch for a very long time.

chapter thirteen - end

(In Story - Chapter Thirteen)

Jiraiya - 24 (Nov 11)

Sakumo - 21 (Sep 3rd)

Ayame - 22 (Jan 31st)

Hiruko - 5 (Feb 12th)

Kakashi - under 1 (Sep 15th)