"You don't realize it but one day this too will be the past and you will mourn it."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kifune was a cozy internet café that was only a few blocks away from the local Konoha high school, which was why, after classes would end for the day and Rock Lee— an older, energic-filled boy; someone who had become an integral part of Toshiko's friend group —would start his shift there, the fifteen year old Uchiha, her boyfriend and the others would often find themselves doing their homework there should they not have anything else to do.
Kifune was also where Shikamaru would drag Toshiko early in the morning on the way to school so that he could get a coffee before class; some people were morning people, Toshiko was a morning person, Nara Shikamaru was not.
"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Shikamaru asked Toshiko, blurry eyed and— mostly —half asleep. The pair of them were standing odd to the waiting for his coffee to be ready. Unlike either Sakura and Toshiko, both of whom ordered unholy, sugar filled monstrosities whenever they got something, Shikamaru tended to drink the blackest, most bitter coffee imaginable.
Where's Toshiko believed you shouldn't be able to taste the coffee you were drinking Shikamaru stood firm in his opinion, the kick bitter coffee gave was what helped wake people up.
"Aren't you usually the one saying how I don't need any sugar in the morning?" Toshiko laughed.
"Mah," Shikamaru bleated with a shrug of the shoulders and a slight smirk, the hand he didn't have interlaced with Toshiko's ran through the length of his ponytail, "Maybe so, but what kind of man doesn't at least offer to buy his girlfriend a coffee in the morning?"
"Dunno," Toshiko hummed with a flutter of her lashes and a toothy grin. The sarcastic quip of How could I rested on her tongue. Obito liked to tease them, ever since their anniversary had passed— their one years anniversary —Toshiko's eldest cousin had taken to saying how Honeymoon-like the two of them were.
You two, Obito would say with a snicker and an eyeroll, Are like a married couple, Jesus. And while he wasn't necessarily wrong— even Choji had taken to joking around by calling Shikamaru whipped —both Toshiko and Shikamaru blushed every time he said it.
"Shikamaru?" The morning barista— a man with thin nose and a scar that ran along the right side of his face —called out. Instinctively, Shikamaru raised his hand; the way he would in class, before flushing a dark red and shuffling forward so that he could grab his coffee.
"Thanks," Shikamaru said with a nod of the head.
"Yeah," the barista replied before turning away and grabbing the coffee that had been made for the only other costumer in the café, a tall man with long silvery hair and an ugly frog tie wrapped around his neck. Toshiko knew she knew him— she was sure her grand uncle had introduced him to the family before —but as she and Shikamaru left the shop too soon to hear the older mans name called out Toshiko couldn't find it inside of herself to care.
Shikamaru let out a hum as he sipped his coffee only to sigh as he pulled it away from his lips; Toshiko, with a side glance smiled at her boyfriend.
"I don't know how you drink that," Toshiko said. She always said that, and like always Shikamaru replied with a tired,
"The same way you drink that heart attack in a cup you always order." Toshiko rolled her eyes, her shoulder knocked against Shikamaru's fondly as they continued towards the school.
Winter hadn't fully arrived yet— it was, after all, only October —but as a harsh wind blew past both Shikamaru and Toshiko, blowing the tail ends of their scarves backwards, behind them, Toshiko was glad that the Konoha school district allowed leggings and tights to be worn under their knee length skirts. Toshiko knew some school's didn't.
"Sneak attack!" Someone— Konohamaru —screeched from behind, only a block away from the school. Toshiko spun, her hand torn from Shikamaru's as she balled her fist and brought it upwards and into the slightly younger boys stomach. Toshiko's self appointed rival wilted as his knees shook; Naruto's loud boisterous laughter echoed through the streets.
The blonde along with others— Sasuke, Kiba, and Choji —could be seen hanging out of Naruto's car. It was orange and a few years old; a four door Sasuke and Minato, Naruto's father, had helped him pick out only a few weeks prior, a couple of days after his birthday.
"You know Konohamaru," Toshiko said, pulling her fist away from the boy and plastering it on her hip. Konohamaru crumpled, his knee's it the sidewalk with a grimace, "It's not a sneak attack if you announce it."
"Yeah, yeah," Konohamaru grumbled. Toshiko's foot kicked out and her toe hit the front of his tight. Konohamaru, who's arms had been wrapped around his middle moved so he could hold his leg, only for him to topple over. "What the hell was that for!"
"Sneak attack?" Toshiko responded. Naruto laughed harder from behind the wheel. She held her hand out for Konohamaru to take and slowly, with a wounded expression, he took it and turned to the burnt orange Toyota that was parked crooked.
"Will you stop laughed!"
"You got your ass kicked by Toshi!" Naruto cackled. Toshiko could see Sasuke, in the passenger seat, smiling.
"I did not!" Choji got out of the car first, then Kiba and his service dog Akamaru, then Sasuke and finally, wiping his eyes— with still shaking shoulders —Naruto. The four of them crossed the street.
"Yeah? Then what do you call getting your ass kicked?" Toshiko waved at Kiba as Shikamaru and Choji did their secrete handshake; it was something— a slap of the hands, a fist bump and then a flutter of fingers as Choji made an explosion sound effect with his mouth —the two of them had come up with when they'd been eleven.
"I did not get my ass kicked!" Konohamaru stomped his foot.
"Friends!" Someone— Rock Lee —shouted from down the block, both his hands waved frantically in the air. Half a step behind him is Neji, Hinata's older cousin, and half a step behind him are Hinata, Tenten and Hinata's younger sister. Toshiko knew it starts with an 'H'— Hana, maybe —but just like the man in the coffee shop, who Toshiko knew she had met at least once before, she couldn't seem to remember it.
Not that it really mattered, Toshiko had spoken to Hinata's younger sister all of maybe three times since she had her brother had come to live in Konoha. Hinata's younger sister, like Neji was a genius and, like Neji held an air of superiority around her, despite being only twelve.
A hand pressed against Toshiko's back; Shikamaru's hand.
"Hey Bushy Brows!" Naruto called out with a smile. Toshiko's own brows— thin, delicately plucked —brows rose at Lee's childhood nickname; Bushy Brows had never bothered Lee the way it would have bothered someone else, but Toshiko supposed that was because Lee wasn't just someone else. He was probably the most energetic and excitable person someone could ever meet next only to their gym teacher Gai-sensei.
Lee took off running towards them, Shikamaru rested his forehead against Toshiko's shoulder; after a year of dating and nine of being the Nara boys friend, Toshiko was used to him using her as a makeshift pillow. Not that she minded of course, she loved when Shikamaru would rest against her, and while personally, she liked it better when he fell asleep using her lap— Toshiko loved to fiddle with Shikamaru's hair —she knew she would never ask him to move from her shoulder.
Whether it was because she felt needed— wanted; Shikamaru wanted to sleep against her, felt safe enough to do so —or because she loved the physical contact she didn't know. All Toshiko knew was that he heart beat faster every time her boyfriend pressed his head into the crook of her neck and his breath fanned out against her skin.
Lee tackled Naruto; the blonde stumbled back and Sasuke took three steps back so as not to get pulled down into the pile of tangled limbs that quickly became Lee and Naruto.
"Who got their ass kicked now!" Konohamaru jeered.
"Shut up!" Naruto shouted as he pushed Lee off him and Sasuke helped him up. The pair held each others hands once Naruto made it to his feet; they both come out over the summer. Asuma— Konohamaru's uncle and Shikamaru's favorite teacher —had been killed in a mugging gone wrong right before the end of the school year; the police had hit one dead end after another so Shikamaru, Choji and Ino, unable to sit around when they knew their favorite teachers killer was walking free had all decided to put on their detective caps and do what had needed to be done.
Act out a real life version of Scooby-Doo.
Within a month they'd managed to track down and catch Asuma-sensei's killer; an American man who'd gotten addicted to drugs and joined a death cult. And during the initial hoopla of it all— the hospital trip; Choji had been strangled, Shikamaru had broken a finger and sprained his ankle and Ino had been pushed over a second floor railing —Naruto and Sasuke had come out to their friends.
Ino had taken Sasuke being off the market almost as terribly as she'd taken Asuma's death.
Sakura wasn't talking to Toshiko, she'd felt betrayed that Toshiko had let her and Ino— and Hinata —all believe they had a chance for over two years. Which she understood— she did —though that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Sakura had been— was —one of Toshiko's friends and to lose her hurt.
"What the hell did you tackle me for!"
Hinata still spoke to Toshiko though. Sort of; Ino replied hello in passing and she didn't blatantly ignore Toshiko when they were out as a group— at least, not the way Sakura did —but Hinata would say hello first and ask how her day was so long as she wasn't around the pink haired girl.
It was why, when Hinata, Neji, Tenten and Hinata's younger sister approached the group and Hinata waved at Toshiko, Toshiko beamed. Lee was still on the ground, Neji hulled the bowl-haired boy to his feet,
"It is not my fault you can't handle the strength of my affections!" Lee declared, "Neji can!"
"Hey Hinata!" Shikamaru's arm slipped around Toshiko's waist.
"Hi Toshiko."
"You go around trying to tackle Neji?" Kiba laughed, "That's kind of gay, man."
"And what's what supposed to mean?" Sasuke snapped. His voice was sharp but there was no real malice in it; Toshiko held a fist up to her mouth and used it to hide her giggle. Kiba's eyes widened.
"Nothing!" He said, "I mean- it is-gay's not bad, I just-fuck!" Kiba whined. The corners of Sasuke's mouth tipped upwards as Kiba buried his face in his hands. Inuzuka Kiba was loud and brash and certainly not Sasuke's favorited person in the world; not was he Toshiko's but that didn't mean Toshiko didn't like him.
Didn't think he wasn't a friend.
"Sasu-nii is messing with you Kiba," Toshiko said, "He knows you didn't mean anything buy it."
"Toshi—"
"—Come on man!"
"We're going to be late!" Tenten announced, "Not that any of you seem to care but we still need to drop Hanabi—" Hanabi, that was her name! "—Off before we can make it to our own classes and seeing as I have Kabuto-sensei first I'd rather not be late."
While the middle school and high school shared a campus they were in separate buildings meaning if all of them went with Neji and Hinata to make sure Hanabi got to class safe then they would all have to run to make their class before the late bell rung.
"Ew gross Tenten, you have Kabuto?" Choji shuttered; like Orochimaru-sensei, Kabuto-sensei was kind of a creep. Or at least that was what Kakashi and Obito both liked to say; Kabuto would probably one day be releveled as a serial killer and Orochimaru would be outed as the devil.
"Which is why I don't want to be late," Tenten said moving so she could be at the very head of the group, "Can you imagine what he makes you do for detention?"
"Dissect frogs probably," Shikamaru voiced.
"Dissect you?" Kiba chuckled.
"Exactly," Tenten said over Neji's declaration that Kabuto-sensei wouldn't dissect her. "You don't know that!"
"He's a teacher Tenten, he'd never pick his own students to dissect. He'd be the lead suspect," Neji rationalized.
"Yeah, besides," Toshiko smiled over her shoulder at Shikamaru, he'd been about to take another sip of his coffee, "Even if he did Ino-Shika-Cho's detective agency would find out what happen to you after someone reports you missing so at least you won't have to worry about sitting in a preservation jar for all of forever."
"You have to stop calling us that," Shikamaru groaned. Konohamaru and Hanabi turned to one another.
"Why? It's cute."
"Fawns are cute. You're cute, calling us Ino-Shika-Cho's detective agency makes us seem like a bunch of kids playing pretend."
Fair, Toshiko supposed.
"Yeah!" Choji agreed, "If anything we should be The Akimichi's Inc."
"Choji."
"Akimichi and company?" Shikamaru, though walking, placed his face in the crook of Toshiko's neck once more and let out a long suffering sigh.
"It's to early for this." Toshiko turned her head and pressed her lips against her boyfriends nose. His mouth fluttered open and stretched into a soft smile. Before she could turn back to watch where they were walking Shikamaru caught Toshiko's mouth against his.
The kiss was over before it truly started— Sasuke let out a loud Disgusting! —but that didn't stop butterflies from erupting inside Toshiko and fireworks from dancing across her skin. Every kiss she and Shikamaru shared felt like the first.
"Love you," Toshiko said softly. Shikamaru removed his head from her shoulder pressed a kiss against the corner of her mouth; Kiba pretended to gag.
"Love you too."
"Get a room!"
"Don't you dare Nara!" Maybe Shikamaru was right, Toshiko thought as they walked, Maybe it is too early. But then she caught Shikamaru's eye— he'd already been looking at her —and warmth flooded through her. It was never to early— never to late; never the wrong time —to love Shikamaru and if she and him got teased by their friends for it then it was just an occupational hazard that they would have to put up with.
Toshiko's first class of the day was science with Kurenai-sensei. Kurenai taught both biology and Earth science to the ninth and tenth graders; Toshiko had, had Kurenai the year before as well.
Kurenai was nice; she was kind, and far more liked then either Orochimaru-sensei who taught Chemistry and Forensic Science— an elective class only seniors who had more science credit then necessary could take —and Kabuto-sensei who taught Advanced Placement Biology and Physics.
Kurenai was also pregnant. She and Asuma-sensei had— unofficially —been a thing before he'd been killed, it was why Shikamaru, who always walked Toshiko to her morning class, always made sure Kurenai knew that if she needed during his lunch break, he'd be happy to lend a hand.
Every time he offered though Kurenai would laugh, place a hand on her swollen, ready to pop, stomach and wave Shikamaru off; "Thank you Shikamaru," Kurenai would always say in response to Shikamaru's constant question, "But I'll be fine. There's no need to waste your lunch break helping me catalogue shopping."
"If you're sure," Shikamaru would always say with a shrug. He'd then throw his coffee in the garbage, press a kiss to the space between Toshiko's brow— because for as much as they passed chase kisses between one another in front of their friends and Sasuke, public acts of affection in front of adults were different —wave goodbye at Kurenai-sensei all before strolling to his own first period class.
"You two are so cute," Suko, Toshiko's friend and desk mate, muttered once the Uchiha took her seat.
"Yeah," Toshiko grinned, her eyes flickered to the door Kurenai-sensei was closing— any late students would have to knock to be let in —and though Shikamaru could no longer be seen Toshiko's smile grew at the thought of her boyfriend. "He is."
"God you two are gross," Suko giggled. Toshiko knocked her elbow against the archer's, giggling herself. Kurenai-sensei let out a pointed cough.
"Girls?"
"Yes ma'am?" They chorused together, lashes fluttered innocently.
"Class is starting." Be quite and pay attention wasn't needed to be said. Toshiko's face flushed pink.
"Sorry ma'am." Kurenai-sensei turned to the whiteboard so that she could grab a marker, Toshiko met Suko's eye and though neither girl laughed— both Toshiko and Suko bit their lips to stop themselves —both girls grinned at one another.
Shibire had graduated and Ino's cousin— Masao —ever since Toshiko had made him cry the year before, had been staying away from Toshiko. Meaning, that aside from the hurt that flashed through her like bolt of lighting every time she saw Sakura the only thing that brought down Toshiko's day was Shiho.
While Shiho had gotten over her crush on Shikamaru months ago— shortly after Toshiko and the boy in question had started dating —she had continued to hate Toshiko. Suko said it was about losing— no matter how much Toshiko reminded her, Shikamaru was a person, not a prize —to an underclassmen.
Which was why Toshiko constantly went out of her way to avoid the bleach blonde girl. There was no point in stirring up trouble; something that would happen if she came across the older girl in the halls. Their eyes would meet, or Shiho would spot Toshiko with her back to her and Shiho would strike; whether that meant knocking into her or whispering harsh words in her ears, it didn't matter. Shiho would see her and attack.
Avoidance was the best route to go. It was the easier route. Theoretically. Because while it was easier for Toshiko emotionally, it meant physically not taking the easiest ways to class.
Between fourth and fifth period— going from math to lunch —Toshiko could have taken the fourth floor halls to staircase A which was right next to her math class, but Shiho's science class was directly below her math one and seeing as they both had lunch that very next period, Toshiko always walked to the other side of the floor, took staircase C to the gym and then cut across the gym to staircase B, which lead to the side of the school, not the front.
Toshiko was scurrying down the steps of staircase B when she turned to rush down the last flight of stairs only to run into someone's chest. Her pink backpack slipped off her shoulder and to the crook of her arm.
"Sorry!" Toshiko said instinctively, she took two steps back only for the person she'd run into to grab one of her wrists with one hand and place their other on her hip. Toshiko's eyes flew open wide with a gasp, only for her shoulders to slump when she saw Shikamaru in front of her, a sly, foxy grin on his face. "Shika!"
"What?" He smirked, "You're the one that's late." Just like how Toshiko always took the side exit, Shikamaru always met her on the first floor landing. His literature class was on the second floor, right above the gym.
"That doesn't mean you give me a heart attack!" Toshiko pouted. Shikamaru's hand slipped from her hip to her back, his fingers were splayed out against the material of her uniformed blazer.
"I'm sorry," Shikamaru said, his nose brushed against hers. He didn't sound the slightest bit sorry; the hand that been holding Toshiko's wrist fell, allowing her to rise to her tippy-toes and wrap it around his neck.
"Not you're not." Their lips brushed against one another. He hummed out a response, though Toshiko didn't hear it. Couldn't, not with the blood rushing through her ears and her heart beating so loudly in her chest people off the Ivory Coast could hear it.
Words were hard for Toshiko, she had so much feelings pent up inside of her it felt as if there were never enough words to express them; like she was drowning in them. It was why she preferred dance, she could express herself through movements; back before they had come out and Toshiko still spoke to Sakura and Ino and Hinata all regularly, she'd taken a magazine quiz with them.
What is your love language? Hinata and Sakura had been act's of devotion, Ino's had been gifts. Toshiko's had been touch.
Toshiko knew she told Shikamaru she loved him more then she didn't but still, the only time she felt as if she were truly expression how much she loved him was whenever she kissed him. Toshiko always— no matter if it was a peck or long, drawn out, languished kind of kiss —she poured every ounce of love she had inside of her into their kisses. Always tried— hoped she did —convey the words she couldn't express.
Shikamaru's tongue traced Toshiko's bottom lip, the metal ball of his tongue piecing ran along the strawberry gloss adorning Toshiko's lips. Her hand tightened around the fabric of his tie, though she made sure not to yank it. She'd done that once by mistake, nearly strangling Shikamaru on accident. Shikamaru, never breaking from Toshiko— his lips always on her —turned so that, as he backed her up, instead of the back of her heels hitting the stairs, the backs of her shoulders could be pressed up against the grey stairwell wall.
Toshiko pulled away first, though not far enough away to signal she was done kissing— she wasn't sure she could ever be done kissing Shikamaru —but enough to breath and smile. "The others will be looking for us," she murmured. They'd be put through hell if Sasuke and the others found out they skipped lunch to make out, even if they had all done the same at one point or another.
"I told Choji I had practice," Shikamaru muttered, his lips ghosted once more over Toshiko's. Shikamaru was captain of the school's shogi team; Gai-sensei wanted him on the track team but everyone and their mothers knew that would never happen.
"And my excuse for not showing up?"
"I'll think of something," and once more they were kissing. Toshiko felt warm, like a fire had been ignited under her skin and she would burn from the inside out. The world could have ended at that moment and Toshiko would have never known, too enraptured— too in love; too sickeningly, dizzyingly, in love —with the boy pressed against her.
"Miss. Uchiha! Mr. Nara! What do you two think you're doing!" Shikamaru flew away from Toshiko and to the other side of the stairwell's landing at a speed that, should Gai-sensei have seen, would have made the local high school gym teacher cry in envy. Toshiko's head snapped up, to the top of the stairs, Kurenai-sensei with her hands on her large, swollen stomach, glared down at them.
"I-we—" Toshiko's mouth snapped shut so quickly her teeth clinked together because as she waddled down the stairs it was clear to see Kurenai-sensei's pants were stained. "Sensei are you okay?"
"I'm fine Toshiko," Kurenai said, sounding anything but fine, her teeth were gritted and there was a deep crease between her brows. Shikamaru had moved back over to Toshiko, concern was painted clear across his face.
"Sure you are," Shikamaru said. He offered Kurenai-sensei his arm once she was almost down the first set of stairs. Kurenai-sensei didn't smell of urine, and the stain running down her pants wasn't dark enough to be blood.
Toshiko blinked; if it wasn't blood or urine then—"Are you going into labor?" The teenage girl asked sharply.
"Going into would be what was happening had my water not broken Miss. Uchiha, I'm in labor." Toshiko paled, Shikamaru's eye's widened and Kurenai-sucked in a deep breath.
"Shika didn't bring his jeep!" Kurenai needed a hospital, if her water was broken it was only a matter of time until the baby arrived; health class had taught her that much.
"I have a car of my own," Kurenai-sensei gritted out, her keys raised in the air.
"Like you're driving," Toshiko squeaked. People should only ever drive if they were sound of mind and body; Kurenai, pregnant and in labor, was anything but that. Toshiko politely— with a Thank you —snatched the keys from her science teacher and handed them to Shikamaru. "I'll go get Kakashi." No one could ever say Uchiha's weren't born with the instinct to work well under pressure; the fact they were was the only reason both she and Sasuke were still alive.
"And Iruka!" Kurenai chimed, "Let Iruka-sensei know too."
"Right." Toshiko didn't think before she pressed her lips against Shikamaru's, "I'll meet you guys at the hospital! Hang in there sensei!" And she ran, as if her life depended on it. Through the gym and up another flight of stairs to where Kakashi, with his fifth period class of seniors sat.
Toshiko kicked open the door. The book Kakashi had been holding flew from his hands and hit the floor,
"Toshiko?" Kakashi straightened, alarm,
"Kurenai-sensei's in labor!" The older students broke out into a chitter, Kakashi reached across his desk to grab the messenger bag that hung on the back of his chair, "Shika's taking her to the hospital now! I need to let Iruka-sensei know! Also when you punch out, sign me out!" She wasn't not going to go to the hospital.
And then she was gone; she could hear Kakashi, turn to his class in the mouth of the door, "Stay here while I get an administrator."
Umino Iruka was a middle school homeroom teacher. He hadn't been Toshiko's but he had been Sasuke and Shikamaru and Naruto's. Iruka-sensei was probably the kindest teacher you could ever meet, with a scar bridging over his nose and wide, gentle eyes, and never-ending patience, he was what people thought of when they thought of teachers.
His girlish scream though, was what you'd think of when you thought of a five year girl.
He had screamed when Toshiko— like she'd done with Kakashi's class room —Kicked open the door. Konohamaru and his two friends Kazamatsuri Moegi and Ise Udon sat in the front row. A boy Toshiko had never seen winced when the marker Iruka had thrown down bounced up and hit him in the middle of the head.
"Kurenai-sensei's gone into—" Toshiko panted, she was athletic but to an extent; she'd run several flights of stairs between the high school and middle school, on top of the length of campus, "—Into labor! She told me to get you!"
"She what!" Konohamaru jumped to his feet,
"Where is she now!" Iruka-sensei said.
"On the way to the hospital, Shikamaru-Nara Shikamaru," while she knew Iruka had been Shikamaru's first homeroom teacher, she wasn't quite sure if he'd remember him, "He's driving her to the hospital."
"Sensei I have to call my mom and let her know!" Iruka and Toshiko looked at Konohamaru, the pair of them blinked before they both seemed to remember, Kurenai was carrying Sarutobi Asuma's child. Konohamaru's cousin.
"Right-er, what's your name?" Iruka asked. "You're Sasuke's sister, I know that but—"
"—Uchiha Toshiko, sir."
"Right, take Mr. Sarutobi to the office to call his mom," he ordered; Iruka then walked past Toshiko and to the room across the hall where he waved the teacher in there over. Konohamaru, with his bag open and thrown over his shoulder didn't say goodbye to his friends before he grabbed hold of Toshiko's wrist and pulled her back towards the stairwell.
The office was on the first floor.
If Konohamaru heard Iruka-sensei's, Don't run in the halls!he didn't listen to it.
"Will you hurry up, I don't want to miss my cousin!"
"Don't yell at me! Do you know how much I've just ran!" Toshiko snapped back. She then, stubbornly, sped up, overtaking Konohamaru and pulling him behind her, careful though, not to pull him down the stairs and topple the both him and herself over. "What happened to hurrying up?" She mocked.
Konohamaru let out a growl before he pushed himself hard; he was side by side with Toshiko when they hit the bottom of the stairs and then once more in front of her by the time they reached the office. Hagane Kotetsu was in charge of the middle school office.
"Hey Kotetsu-san," Toshiko waved.
"Toshiko-chan! What are you doing here?" Konohamaru bounded over to the counter,
"I need to call my mom! My aunt's in labor and we need to go to the hospital!" Kotetsu looked to Toshiko.
"Kurenai-sensei's in labor, she sent me to get Iruka-sensei, Konohamaru was in class when he heard," Toshiko explained as she rested against the office countertop. Toshiko was pretty sure she'd broken out into a sweat.
"Right, why don't you go sit down, I'll let the principle know about Iruka. Konohamaru, phone's over here—" Kotetsu hadn't even finished pointing out where the phone was before Konohamaru had darted around the counter to the phone.
Toshiko held her hands up as if to say What're you gonna do? Kotetsu snorted.
"Are you going back to class after this?" Kotetsu asked Toshiko, she shook her head.
"Kakashi should have told someone I was going to head to the hospital too when he was punching out."
"I'll make sure Izumo signs you out."
"Thanks Kotetsu-san!" Kotetsu clicked his tongue twice at Toshiko— finger guns pointed in her direction —before he turned and walked down a long hallway that was behind the counter; from personal exercise Toshiko knew that at the end if the hallway was the principles office.
A moment later Konohamaru was sitting next to Toshiko. His leg bounced up and down excitedly his but hands were wrung together in front of himself. He wasn't smiling either; his face flickered between determination and fear.
"Hey," Toshiko nudged her self appointed eternal rival.
"Mom said she'd give you a ride," Konohamaru said and Toshiko nodded, her throat suddenly tight at the prospect of riding in a car. The Hospital wasn't exactly close to the school— not necessarily on the other side of town, but practically —so walking would be a hassle.
Not that she minded; she'd never seen Konohamaru's mother driving.
"I'll walk," Toshiko said, "Thanks for asking her, but that's not what I was going to say."
"Oh?"
"You look like you're about to freak out or cry—"
"—I would never!"
"Konohamaru," Toshiko said pointed, "What's up?" Konohamaru blinked, he leaned back in his chair and looked at Kotetsu who had started on some paperwork before sighing and leaning forward once more.
"What if I'm a bad cousin?"
"Seriously?"
"Yes!" Konohamaru laced his fingers together, "My dad was never there you know, jiji and oji-san, they were and they're gone. I'm here. I have to look out for Kurenai's baby the way they looked out for me, but-but what if I can't?"
"Oh." Toshiko shuffled over in her seat and wrapped her arm around her rival. Most days she could beat Konohamaru slightly bloody and feel fine about it— she wouldn't think twice about beating him in a fight or some stupid challenge —but the thought of seeming him cry in an office chair that was far too big for him made something twist inside of her.
"Konohamaru you'll do fine."
"And what if I don't?"
"Hey look at me." Toshiko waited until their eyes met, "My big brother Itachi was thirteen when our parents died. He could have taken a year to settle here with Sasu and me, he didn't. He wanted to go to school, and I get it, I don't blame him-but that doesn't really matter right now. What maters is-what I'm trying to say here is, you're in this chair worried over how good a job you'll do helping out with someone who isn't your sibling. Who if you wanted, you could ignore-you're thirteen years older then her, you could, if you want, never be in her life but you want to. You want to be there for her and that means a lot. Like a lot."
"It dose?" It sounded more like a question; Toshiko nodded.
"Sasu used to follow Itachi-nii around. Used to idolize him. Now he won't pick up the phone if he calls. Wouldn't talk to him when we thought he was dying because according to Sasu, what was the point."
"I-I didn't know that," Konohamaru said softly.
"Most people don't." It was quite for a minute, Kotetsu could be heard talking to Izumo on the phone. "Being there means a lot more then people realize." Konohamaru sniffled.
"Right." He sniffled again before he turned and beamed at Toshiko, "Thanks."
"It's no problem, really, what are rivals for?" Konohmaru's eyes brightened. He pointed his finger at Toshiko,
"You said it! You called me your rival!" Konohamaru jumped to his feet, still he pointed at Toshiko, "You accept! This is the best day ever!" Konohamaru threw his fist in the air, "Kotetsu-san! I'm getting a cousin and my rival recognizes me!"
"That's awesome Little Man!" Toshiko slumped down in her seat, smiling, though she was desperately trying to hide it.
"I hate you."
"Good as my rival you should!" Kotetsu chuckled from his spot behind the office countertop.
Toshiko had been the last person to hold a newborn Sarutobi Mirai. The hospital room had been full, teachers— aside from Kakashi and Iruka-sensei, Gai-sensei, Genma-sensei, and Yamato-sensei had all been there as well —and students; once school had ended, everyone from Naruto to Konohamaru's friends had ended up in the hospital maternity ward.
Obito and Rin and one of their coworkers— a brownnoser Toshiko recognized from years of holiday parties —Ebisu had also shown up.
But none of that— none of them —mattered when the youngest Sarutobi was placed in Toshiko's arms. Squished between Sasuke and Shikamaru, across from Kakashi and Kurenai, Toshiko felt the room wash away when the baby was placed against her.
She'd never held a baby before.
Mirai was so small. So tiny it almost hurt.
A stray thought that had Toshiko blushing passed through her as she looked down at the wide eyed infant; would her and Shikamaru's children be this small?
It was stupid to think so far in the future, especially when anything could happen but as Shikamaru's arms was braced behind her and Mirai let out a coo— causing Shikamaru to practically melt at the sight —Toshiko couldn't help but feel confident.
One day that would really be her and Shikamaru.
Toshiko was sure of it.
A/N: MERRY NEW YEARS, HAPPY 2022! Special shout out to user: Kaaay, thanks for the comment babes! And hey if you liked this chapter leave me a comment down below, and if you haven't already, follow and favorite! And once again, merry 2022 my dudes, gals and pals!
