I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 15
Night fell but they were home.
Pass the Konoha gates, pass welcoming guards and pass curious civilians strolling about at night, and finally, they were taken to their new home near the heart of the village. Of course, after the dreadful stop.
Kakashi helped Ayame out of the carriage. Fuko and Yugao collected their belongings and made their way inside the freshly constructed house.
It was a two-story home of gray brick and wood. It was night but the spacious front yard held the promise of green grass and the perimeter was surrounded by tall brick fencing. The entry to the house was a pergola, two wooden steps high. Fuko switched on the house lights.
At the moment, Ayame was torn about admiring her beautiful new home.
Dear Okaasan and Otousan,
You are preparing to leave and return home as you read this. A tragedy befell a fledging flock. There is only a little one left. He needs the soothing voices of crows. Okaasan, the sun is rising on your role.
A genin team had been slaughtered. The surviving genin had survived without a scratch on him. The Hokage and Daishukujo went to pay the young man and his parents a visit. Okita-kun, was his name. Ayame had realized upon meeting him that she was going to have to start learning a lot of people's names. Both impromptu consolatory and festive meetings would be something the Daishukujo participated in.
It had been awful, the way Okita-kun looked, so disengaged with reality. But one thing and one thing only had he been passionate about, he was done being a shinobi. Kakashi, in the calm way he handled tension, took it all in stride and assured the boy he would visit again in a few weeks' time. At the very least, Okita-kun was persuaded to start attending Konoha's new Mental Health Department.
Ayame had been useless of course. She just stood there and held Okita-kun's mother's hand, trying not to cry.
"Ayame?"
She looked to Kakashi, standing in front of their home. "I'm sorry," she said earnestly. She had no idea what he said, thoughts filled with Okita-kun.
He pulled his mask down, eyes smiling. "You must be exhausted."
She was—incredibly so, but for the life of her, Kakashi looked far more exhausted than she felt.
Kakashi had been quieter than usual on the way back. He did not make Ayame feel excluded or burdensome after she'd been given the dreadful letter. He explained its meaning and she understood. She'd fallen asleep a couple of times on him during the trip back home. They briefly stopped once to feed the horses but made haste to return within the day. Ayame knew if she weren't there the other three could have arrived much sooner. The moment they entered the village, the mask was on and skin films removed.
"Let's go in," Kakashi said and led her in, hand on the small of her back.
The entry opened to a family room with a huge window exposing the backyard. Moving boxes and prettily wrapped gifts lined the empty walls. On the right there was a stairwell and a threshold that led to a kitchen and another living room. Seeing everything in person compared to the blueprints was surreal.
Curious, she made her way to the kitchen. She liked how the island separated the living room and the cooking area. Here she would cook for her family and friends. The marble counters were littered with multiple boxes, too. Most were labeled 'Daishukujo' while only one read 'Hokage.'
"It's big," Kakashi said from behind and she startled.
"Oh! Yes," she agreed. The man was too stealthy for his own good.
Once fully furnished, she was sure their home would feel smaller. Speaking of furniture—she hoped her bed was set up—where had her old furniture been placed? She really was tired. She glanced towards Kakashi as he peered inside the refrigerator, droopy gaze scanning the shelves. Was he okay?
"We've been stocked."
"Really? How nice!" she said and came to look. Very stocked, in fact. What a generous gesture. She would have to make sure the fruits and vegetables didn't spoil.
Kakashi said nothing else as he closed the refrigerator door.
Would they sleep in the same room? To the left of the house, there was a hallway that split into two rooms, one of which was the master bedroom. Would her bed be set up there? Or his? Was there only one bed set up in the entire house? Ayame was starting to feel a headache come on.
"Great place," Yugao said, hands on her hips as Fuko came to stand next to her. "We left the bags in your room." She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. "Big room with king-sized bed and frilly covers, right?"
Ayame and Kakashi looked at each other. Did he have a king-sized bed? She never did visit his old place—wherever it had been. He looked puzzled himself.
"Did you?—"
"—No, I didn't."
The two of them walked to the left side of the house. As Yugao said, a large bed with an embroidered duvet sat in the middle of the room, bags at the foot of it. Yugao hadn't mentioned, however, all the other furniture. Ayame covered her mouth, utterly touched. It was all whitewashed wood—her absolute favorite—and her preference when decorating. The fully stocked refrigerator and now this—who did this?
On the bed there were many little notes, signed best wishes by various people: Otousan, the Uzumakis, Haruhi, the guys at the shop, Kurenai and someone named Maito Gai. One was signed with a slug drawing. It read: Don't break the bed.
She picked it up and examined it. "Who is this? What does it mean—" Kakashi gingerly picked the note from her fingers.
"Never mind it," he mumbled and walked out of the room. Ayame stood there, bemused as she heard him thank and dismiss Yugao and Fuko.
As he spoke with them, she was delighted to find their clothes arranged and color coordinated in the closet. Kakashi's small corner of uniforms, admittedly, didn't need much coordinating. Back in the room, she found on either side of the bed designated nightstands with sleepwear and undergarments.
She blushed, realizing her side was stocked with lingerie she previously did not own. The tags were signed with the slug cartoon. Examining a revealing pink slip, she figured the gifts were from someone Kakashi knew. They obviously thought she and he were the lovey dovey type. Setting the delicate nightie aside and taking out a cotton nightdress, Ayame wondered what 'type' she and Kakashi were. She sat on their new bed, contemplative. They'd done it once and she wasn't sure when they would again.
"We'll wait however long we need to." No timeline, he had said.
She remembered his words fondly. Despite it being just once, she knew he was a considerate lover. He'd known what to do to make the whole world fall away until it was just the two of them, making the most of a spontaneous rendezvous. All the things he'd done were kind of embarrassing. The places he kissed and dragged his tongue through—well. He'd even—
"There's a bed upstairs," Kakashi interrupted her thoughts, arms crossed, casually leaning against the door frame of the room—their room, "I think it's the one from your apartment." Ayame concentrated on his words and smiled. "Would you like to sleep here? I'll go upstairs."
Ayame's smile faltered. "Oh, okay…" She was getting used to sleeping by his side but she supposed it was because they had no choice on the trip.
Kakashi looked through the drawers she pointed were his. Grabbing something, he said, "They stocked the bathroom upstairs too. I'll wash up there. Go ahead and use this bathroom."
She could only stare as he walked away. Why the disappointment? They had decided to take things slow and sharing a bed probably defied that plan. But she felt somehow rejected.
Stop it, Ayame, she chided herself and went to shower. She couldn't afford to be selfish right now. Kakashi, as the Hokage, just lost two little genin and a trusted, elite jonin. Now there was a misplaced, miserable young man who wanted to retire at fourteen.
The parallel of Kakashi's life was not lost to her thanks to history and village rumors. The members of his original team were all dead, too. Those deaths had transpired within the course of years—Okita-kun lost his entire team in one night.
The man was emotionally and physically exhausted. How could she bother him about her trivial feelings? It wouldn't be right, she concluded, dressing herself for bed. She would just leave him alone…
"I felt lonely that night."
"I know. I was, too."
After praying and moisturizing her face, Ayame went upstairs. She was a little surprised at how winded she became by the time she was on the second floor. There was a small living room with her white sofa, seat cushions leaning against the wall. She dragged her hand across one of the armrests, smiling to herself. She glanced around the area, thoughtful, imaging the space to one day become a play area for her baby. The upstairs was made up of three rooms and a bathroom. She hoped one day to fill the rooms with children.
Ayame tentatively made her way into a room where Kakashi was pulling the covers back from her old bed. He was in his usual scanty sleepwear and his damp hair fell flat. She blushed, remembering their cuddling at night and Kakashi's proclivity to sleep in boxer briefs. She hovered by the doorway. Built as he was, she currently felt like a potato.
He glanced up with smiling eyes, sitting down. He was unsurprised by her presence but he gave her lavender negligée a onceover. It was modest and to her knees.
"Hey," he said. Her heart ached.
She silently went to stand on the side of the bed he was sitting on and the scent of both their soaps filled the room. At this point, since she hadn't spoken, Kakashi rose a brow. She touched his cheek. His expression was not pained or troubled. There were no tears in his eyes and his tone of voice was calm. He appeared fine. She traced the bottom half of his scar, below his eye.
Tears escaped her eyes and he frowned at them. Her hand caressed his cheek, trying to understand the enigma before her. She wanted to say things like, this isn't your fault, and the boy only needs time, but she realized he probably already knew all of that. He lived it all. She remembered his tossing and turning at night and knew he lived it still.
She leaned down and kissed his mouth, wondering what use she could be to this man. What could she ever really do for him or those like him? He returned the gentle press of her lips.
"I don't want to sleep alone anymore," she finally said. She didn't want him to be alone either. "I've gotten used to you."
Pressing another kiss to her mouth, Kakashi slid over and she climbed in, a delicate sleeve slipping over her shoulder. Was it that easy now? To share how she felt with him, after a year of struggle and inability to do so? The bed seemed smaller with him in it but it was fine. She knew they would end up entangled.
She laid down, passing him a shy smile as she righted her frilly sleeve. He reached over and at first she thought he was reaching for her so she closed her eyes tight and waited. She felt his lips on her forehead before she heard a 'click' and the room went dark. He situated himself under the covers next to her. What else could she say or do as the Daishukujo? As his wife?
"If you need me, I'm here," she whispered into the darkness, heart pounding.
"I know." And that was that.
The silence nearly suffocated her. She wouldn't call it withdrawing, what he was doing. But he wasn't speaking. He wasn't using his words even though they agreed they would try to communicate better. He was hurting. How could she help if he didn't tell her how to?
Before she could think herself into a frenzy, she felt him move. One of his hands touched her shoulder and pushed her nightie's sleeve down. His mouth replaced it and Ayame pressed her lips together, surprised by the desire to call his name. His hand smoothed over her opposite shoulder and stripped it as well, massaging her arm, up and down. His mouth moved to her collarbone. She thought he would bruise it with kisses again but he moved lower.
She gasped at his gentle ministrations. He did not pass what her nightgown covered but he was close, kissing the top swells of her breasts. Then he rested his face on them and sighed. She found the weight of him pleasant. Most of his body was to her side and mindful of her abdominal area. Ayame smiled, raising her arms to hold his shoulders.
"Thank you, Ayame."
His vulnerability kneaded her heart in ways she couldn't name or understand. He wasn't really saying what he felt but she understood that sometimes inaudibility was the same as sadness. Being a man was hard, she thought to herself.
"I love you." She kissed the top of his head.
She massaged his scalp with the pads of her fingers. He rubbed his nose between her breasts. She mewled and arched as he ran his palms along her ribs, side to side over her nightdress—so close to her breasts before he cupped them and drew one into his mouth, wetting the fabric.
She concentrated on breathing. Her stomach felt like it was floating above warm water.
Ayame couldn't help herself as she grabbed his face and led his mouth to hers. What was this warm pull? Ah. She knew this. The evidence of the last time she felt this was just outside the door, in a barely visible stain, leaning against the wall.
"Ayame," Kakashi said against her lips and she opened her mouth so he could kiss her deeper. Their chests pressed and their fingers entangled in one another's hair, pulling at certain points of extreme pleasure.
She never knew kissing and only kissing could feel like this. They weren't touching anywhere else, but by the end of it, she felt satiated somehow. He must have felt the same because after an indescribable highpoint in sensation, his kissing and breathing slowed with hers.
Thoroughly satisfied with their make out session, Kakashi pressed one last kiss on his wife's mouth and rested on her chest again.
She rubbed his scalp until her eyes blinked often, sleepy. She forced herself to wake up to continue to massage him when she drifted off. She kept it up for hours. She even dreamt in between the blinking and massaging. At one point, in the middle of the night, she startled awake. She hastily made to continue because her hands had fallen away but he gently pried her fingers away.
He was groggy. "I'm asleep. It's okay."
When his hand loosened on her wrist, she sleepily massaged him anyway until his hand slid away in sleep.
Tsunade was sure Kakashi was boiling with the need to execute slow and excruciating revenge just as much as she was. Experiencing a subordinate's loss of life for the first time as Hokage was not easy.
The two stood next to one another, silently taking in the conversations below them. They gathered all jonin and chunin to inform them of the current situation.
"We bust a trafficking ring and they respond by killing our shinobi?"
"This is awful."
"Disgusting pigs!"
"Poor Okita-kun."
"And the free women and children? Where will they go?"
"The five great nations have agreed to help investigate to relocate all recues. Families with missing persons are being contacted."
"How old are these missing persons cases? Some must be decades old."
"What if they don't remember where they're from or if there's no family to return to?"
"I've heard some parents sell their children for money."
"Trafficking cartel? They don't just traffic narcotics. These are people—children—for the love of God!"
Kakashi stood with a calm demeanor. He really was an emotionally intelligent Hokage. He never made decisions out of sentiment, but he also never made decisions without fully being aware of others' feelings. This specific situation, however, was in a league of its own.
In the past, internationally organized crime was not something Konoha dealt with unless it affected its citizens or standing in the previous wars. Crime like this, Tsunade admitted, made the horror of Orochimaru's experiments pale in comparison.
Kakashi was not like Tsunade or her uncle Tobirama. They had not intended to be Hokage but for want of options they inherited the position. Kakashi had never been interested until after the war. She had mentioned it to him multiple times before and he had all but evaded the question like the plague, until the conclusion of the Great War. He casually brought up the idea and offered his services. She had been more than willing, really, but it had surprised her.
What changed? She had asked.
The response: Obito.
The Rokudaime Hokage raised a hand and a hushed silence immediately followed.
"We intended to keep the raids covert until necessary. It has become necessary. We expected resistance but not outright terrorism. Genin will stay within the village until this operation has come to a close. Understand this could mean six months to a year. Does anyone oppose?"
Only one jonin stepped forward. "Milord, I am not in opposition. I don't think anyone here would be. But my genin may not think the same."
"You bring up a good point, Atare," Kakashi stated. "All instructors are to dissuade students from rebelling against this temporary confinement. It is rare for genin to be assigned out of the village but not so rare that they have to wait a year. The situation may be explained to them. Understand, as your Hokage my priority is to keep this village safe. That includes my shinobi. Godaime-sama and I nearly decided the same verdict on chunin but refrained."
The rumblings filled the room but eventually ceased when Kakashi and Tsunade leveled them with serious stares.
Kakashi continued, "The way team twenty-six was found was a clear message. Many of you are grieving, I know. It was only supposed to be an escort mission. Team twenty-six's jonin Akimichi Kihiko fought his hardest for his genin. We all know that it is very difficult to be in combat while protecting another let alone three cherished students. I wish to take this limitation away as much as possible so Tsunade-sama and I have decided the persons only allowed to leave the village are chunin and jonin. Genin and civilians will be subjected to martial law. No one leaves.
"We will be working for farmers and merchants from this point forward to help deliver and obtain goods and resources. Reason being as civilians they can no longer execute the travel aspect of their businesses. I want you all to understand that this will all be undercover so be patient with the executives of the farms and businesses.
"All they know is that the Hokage has declared martial law and unknown people will be exporting and importing their beloved product. Undercover, because, on the off chance that you are stopped by the same person or group that attacked team twenty-six, they will think you are defenseless civilians. Use this misconception to your advantage whether to fight or flee. No one will travel alone unless authorized."
Tsunade stepped in. "Your assignments will be down the hall with administration. Any transfer requests will go through Shikamaru's team and complaints will go through me."
There were chuckles throughout the hall and even Kakashi smiled at her. He nodded at her and then addressed his shinobi again. "Besides the restrictions, live life as usual in the village. Nothing has changed. These are only temporary safety measures until everything settles down. I thank you in advance for your future contributions to the village." Kakashi leaned forward in a slight bow.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" The entire room bent at the waist.
"Except for those of you we spoke with earlier, you are dismissed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Acknowledging those that stayed, Kakashi and Tsunade jumped down from the second floor.
"Alright," he started, "these are the teams."
Sakura smiled when Hatake Ayame entered the hall. She wore a yellow dress that hugged her ribcage but flared out at the waist in an accordion skirt. The brown buttons on the bodice matched her boots. With dark hair slick back into a fishtail, Ayame looked very little like the Ramen Girl and more like the wife of the most influential man on the continent.
And bless her, Ayame carried a basket full of goodies! She brought chocolate chip cookies to the village's biggest meeting since the war. She was handing them out like a caregiver during snack time.
Sakura smiled big as shinobi happily, and almost reverently, accepted the sweet delight. Some were exceedingly gentle in taking the treat from her hands, as if the Hokage's civilian wife was made of wet paper. Rock Lee nearly kowtowed in absurd gratitude and Ayame excused herself quickly in embarrassment.
Many bowed in different distances from the waist. Ayame, with a smile that still reflected some embarrassment at the formalities, would nod in acknowledgment. Sensei does that too, Sakura thought. Ayame was copying the Copycat Ninja.
In her lifetime, Ayame was the only Daishukujo she had the benefit of experiencing. The Sandaime and Yondaime's wives passed during Sakura's infancy.
Ayame stopped in front of the pinkette to greet and pamper her with special attention (being the kage's student had its social perks, much to Sasuke's chagrin). Sakura complimented Ayame's hair and the older woman offered to do a quick braid for her. Excitedly, Sakura sat down and Ayame proficiently twirled pink locks into a simple but beautiful braid.
After pleasantries, Ayame surprised Sakura by asking her about the Mental Health Clinic. She wanted to volunteer her time since she was technically no longer employed and had a lot of free time. She even had some great ideas! Sakura immediately accepted.
Kakashi conversed with a semi-circle of men, their squad leader emphasizing the particularities of the mission. The shinobi went from listening intently to looking over Kakashi's shoulder and grinning. The squad leader passed him a sly look.
Kakashi glanced back.
Ayame, as spiffy as ever, made her way through cliques of shinobi, passing out cookies from a basket covered by a pink cloth. It had white polkadots.
Kakashi could not stop the smile that touched his mouth even if he tried. His eyes softened at the sight of her. She caught his gaze and her cheeks pinkened. She'd worn that dress when she'd come to tell him about the pregnancy.
"Ayame," he turned to his wife, stepping away from the group of curious men.
His smile only grew under his mask when she bowed to him and softly acknowledged him, "Hokage-sama."
He felt those behind him shift to bow, as well.
Kakashi stepped towards her and contented himself with meeting her sweet gaze as she straightened. She was just as enamored by his presence, smiling sweetly, basket the only thing between them.
"Thank you for coming," he said.
Her cheeks glowed. "Someone told me the sun was rising on my role and I thought this could be a start."
"Oh?"
"Thank you, Kakashi-san."
"Still with the 'san,' hm?"
"Well, I was hoping—"
"Ah-HMPH."
Kakashi and Ayame simultaneously looked towards the harrumph. And then slowly took in their audience, which was everyone in the hall. Grinning. Widely.
In response, Kakashi's eyes smiled. "As fascinating as the Hokage's love life is, it can't compare to strategizing how to save hundreds of lives, hm?"
Ayame's mouth opened, aghast at Kakashi's underhanded way of turning the atmosphere around. Grins vanished. Properly ashamed, shinobi turned back to their groups.
Kakashi's gaze opened in seriousness and tossed a scroll to the men he'd been talking to. "Atare, talk with the team captains and we'll confer in 30 minutes. I'm going on a walk."
Ayame knew Kakashi could be a bit scary. This was probably the version of Kakashi Raiden knew. She thought of when her friend had interpolated one of their walks and Kakashi stared Raiden down, giving him and Ayame pause.
The Hokage grabbed her free hand and they made their way through the halls of the administration building. Kakashi relaxed, slouching slightly, other hand in his pocket.
She smiled. Ayame hadn't expected to get one on one time. She'd found his note easily enough after waking up. He said he'd be at the admin building with 'everyone' and she was more than welcome to pass by. He'd never included her in anything work related before and she didn't want to miss an opportunity or disappoint him. Every part of her wanted Kakashi to approve of her.
She figured noon was the best time to come by. "I brought you something."
He glanced at the basket, unexcited.
She laughed. "Don't worry. The cookies aren't for you. But I did bring lunch."
"Oh that brings back memories."
"Yes, so long ago. When I wooed you and you subjected me to embarrassing meetings."
He chuckled. "Wooed me? I doubt being forced by your employer counts as wooing. You were mean back then."
Her nose scrunched up. "I was mean?"
"The worst."
"How could I ever make it up it you?" The sarcasm was undeniable.
"I can think of some ways."
Kakashi wrapped an arm around her waist and brought their abdomens together. She yelped in surprise. He caught and pressed the basket to her hand before it fell. He kissed her mouth. She blinked at the feeling of his lips through his mask.
Sheepishly, she leaned closer to her husband, figuring his initiation of physical touch meant the coast was clear. She set the basket down and snaked an arm around his neck. She brought his mask down. She giggled when he growled playfully, baring his teeth. He attacked her neck and she squealed, laughing out loud at the playful teasing. His stubbiness tickled her.
"Haha—no!" She cried, angling away.
He laughed, finishing with a sweet kiss to her mouth and nose.
She felt light, happy. Her fingers slid from his shoulders to his collar, grabbing the jumbled mask at the base of his neck. Curious, she rose it up. It took her two tries to get it well placed over his nose.
"How're you feeling today?" he asked.
Ayame shrugged. "Mornings are still nauseating."
"Have you visited your father?"
"Today might not be best. I gave the shop a call but Aoi-kun said they've been super busy. I'll try again tomorrow. I have an appointment with Kurenai-san," she began to whisper, "to see how the baby's doing."
He leaned his forehead on hers. "Let me know how it goes." It seemed like he wanted to say more, guilty glint in his eye. Maybe he wanted to come along but Kurenai was casting an illusion on her so the facade would be useless if the Hokage came.
"I will! I'm sure everything is okay," to distract the disheartened man, she said, "This morning I was unpacking."
"I would help but," he nodded towards the way they came.
"It's okay!" She meant it. Mustering up some courage, she said, "Is it okay if I—umm if I unpack some of your things? I might just do that for the rest of the day. And before you say anything, I'll leave the really heavy stuff to my guard." He had less boxes than she did but she really wanted to unpack and organize everything.
Kakashi nodded, albeit slowly.
"You can say no!"
"I've never been asked that. It surprised me."
She blushed. "We're husband and wife now so, I mean—we do this kind of thing for each other, right?"
"I guess so."
"We-we have a home together."
"Yes, we do." He looked a little flustered now and she didn't blame him. This was all new to her too and frankly, a little disconcerting to talk about out loud.
Ayame's fingers tangled in his hair as she leaned into him. "I ...I could wash your clothes with mine," she said.
Kakashi was not used to a family. She wanted to be his family. She wanted him to accept her as his family. Her father had been both parents to her and Yumi, so Ayame knew how to operate within a home. She could give that to Kakashi.
"We can have lunches together, like before. And at night, when you come home late and I'm asleep, dinner will be waiting on the kitchen table." Whenever the table was delivered, anyway.
Kakashi watched her mouth as she spoke. "What else?" he said, voice deepening.
"If you're home early I can prepare you warm baths and we can eat together. And even if I'm already asleep, you can join me in bed and make sure to hold me, okay?"
"Hmm," he was pleased, forearms wrapping around her back, "I like that."
Haruhi smiled at Ayame. The older woman was pouting, looking through the sign-up roster. They were sitting at a table in a classroom with twenty countertops installed with kitchen appliances.
She had finished teaching her first class. Promoting extracurricular activities was part of the Mental Health Clinic's goals for inpatient psychological development and implementation of life skills.
Ayame, Konoha's Daishukujo, suggested a culinary program. Haruno Sakura and the rest of the leadership panel loved the idea. The class would take place three times a week for any patient that wanted to join.
And there lay the problem. Even though a dozen women and children showed up to learn how to make onigiri, only two people signed up for future classes. One being Haruhi, who was an outpatient. Although most of the participants had been to themselves, the atmosphere had been pleasant enough.
"I don't understand, Haru-chan," Ayame said, holding the roster to her apron. "Did I do well?"
Haruhi nodded. She signed, 'More will come. They are shy. Freedom is new.'
Ayame immediately embraced her and Haruhi couldn't help the huge smile that took over her expression.
She noticed after a couple of weeks at the house: Kakashi had an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He wasn't obsessive about things like touching every lamppost he passed or opened and closed a door ten times before going into a room—it was with cleaning. More specifically, vigorously cleaning a single thing, and it didn't matter what, every morning.
Ayame enjoyed cleaning, but deep cleaning was for the end of the month back when she lived alone and before, with her father. Kakashi did it every day. One early morning, Ayame found Kakashi in the bathtub, sleeves rolled up, scrubbing away. She awoke to teetee and there he was, bleaching a new bathtub.
She hadn't thought much of it as he shrugged and said he was "getting chores in before work" so she shrugged too and used the half bath in the living room. The next morning, wanting a 4:00 am snack, she walked in on him scrubbing the kitchen floor. The morning after that all the sinks in the house were sparkling and the day after that the walls smelled like lavender. Once, he mopped the floors and hung all the new rugs outside. She'd found a note on the refrigerator asking if she could take them down after midday.
She didn't mind, really. It certainly wasn't a bad problem to have. She decided one morning to join the fray.
She started to regret her decision immediately when she woke up with him at four o'clock in the morning. He did this every day before training and work? Oh no no no. When she followed him to the bathroom, grumbling, Kakashi took notice.
"Good morning, Ayame."
"Hokage-sama." She held her toothbrush towards him so he could squeeze paste on it. She didn't have the strength so early in the morning to do it herself. He was amused, sleep in his eyes as he humored her.
He started brushing his teeth. "Problem sleeping?"
"How could sleeping be a problem?" She was very serious about that question, but he only laughed, and she questioned everything he ever stood for. She even wanted to cry a little.
"What I meant," he started gently, knowing she was in a delicate state of sleep deprivation, "is that you are usually sleeping at this time."
Drying her mouth on the hand towel, Ayame remained silent for ten seconds before gathering enough energy to answer him. "I'm gonna help you clean."
Kakashi's brows rose. "Oh. Doubt worry about it. You take care of everything else already."
Sure, she fixed their bed in the mornings but by the time he came home she was asleep in it. She'd done laundry a few times in the past month but nothing as out of the ordinary as he was doing. A few lunches here and there was nothing. Never mind dinner at home—due to the martial law and new arrivals, he hadn't come home on time once to eat dinner with her. After she ate alone, she would clean everything up and leave food in the warmer.
Every morning when she woke up the glassware would be washed, dried, and put in its proper place. He ate everything, every night. Once she checked the trashcan just to be sure and felt silly for thinking maybe he'd thrown food away.
Ayame's gaze fell between their feet. "I don't…really see you."
She admitted to herself she had gotten used to spending long periods of time with him during the honeymoon. She hoped to continue all the bonding when they came back home. They loved one another, after all.
Between his running the village, her lessons with Shikamaru and volunteering at the Mental Health Clinic, there wasn't really time for them right now.
Kakashi kissed her forehead. "Ayame, if you go back to sleep, I'll come home for dinner."
"Oi, sensei," he slurred, annoyed at the text in front of them.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Stop calling me that, Naruto." He sat across from them, reading something else. Probably the lesson for tomorrow. Ayame hoped it wasn't clan politics again.
"I have a question."
"Obviously."
Naruto pointed to a sentence on the page. "This says if a man becomes the husband of a clan heiress, he becomes the new heir to the clan."
Ayame gasped. She gave him a quick bow. "Hyuga-sama!"
Naruto scrunched his eyes at her. "That's weird, Ayame-nechan."
Shikamaru sighed, something he did more than the Hokage. Kakashi sighing was basically his response to everything. Ayame was pretty sure he sighed at least five times trying to cajole her back to sleep this morning.
"Yes, Naruto, that's what it says. It wouldn't apply to you though."
"And why not?" Naruto was suspicious.
"Geez, Naruto, if you'll read the rest of the chapter it'll explain marriage laws for clans with kekkai genkais."
Ayame vigorously waved her hand in the air. She knew this one!
Shikamaru frowned. "Ayame-sama, you're free to speak. Raising your hand is, well, you don't have to." She tried not to grimace at the formality. People kept using her name like that, even at the shop. Now, instead of talking over her, people quieted when she spoke. Everyone made sure to greet her everywhere she went, too. Excessively. At one of the now-rare lunches, Kakashi advised she get used to it.
"Sorry, sensei—I mean, Shikamaru-kun! I think I know this one."
"Oh?" He was interested, probably surprised one of his idiot pupils had helpful information to share.
Ayame flipped forward two pages. "Here it says that clans with kekkai genkais only accept heirs with said kekkai genkai." She smiled at her peer. "So you don't have to worry, Naruto. Hinata is still the Hyuga heir."
Naruto exhaled loudly, reclining back on the cushiony seat. "That's a relief."
"That's very good, Ayame-sama." Shikamaru was pleased. She tried not to raise her chin too high at the praise. "That's true for most clans with kekka genkais. The Nara are like that. It's not the case for the noble Hyuga."
Naruto turned his head to the side, curious. "What is the case?"
Ayame blinked at Shikamaru, inquisitive herself. She didn't know much about clan politics (despite spending the last week going over them), let alone noble clan politics. The Hyuga wedding had been so fancy and they were more lavender eyed members there than Naruto's "side of the family." Ayame and Teuchi had been so in awe.
Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. "Hinata hasn't told you?" He mumbled at the end, "That's troublesome."
Naruto looked at him suspiciously. "Told me what?" He obviously didn't believe Hinata would keep something from him. "What?" He insisted when Shikamaru looked uncomfortable, more interested in the scroll in front of him than eye contact with Naruto.
Ayame touched her mouth with her fingertips. While she didn't know much about clan politics, what she had learned was that they tended to be unfair to its female members.
"Shikamaru, what!"
"I don't know, man. You should talk with Hinata about that. She's your wife."
"Fine, I will." Not one to wait, Naruto got up and left the library.
Ayame looked apprehensively at Shikamaru after the door slammed shut. A few scrolls from a shelf near the exit scrambled to the floor.
"How can he not know?" he muttered.
"Know what?" Ayame crossed her arms.
Shikamaru sighed and Ayame tried not to think of a certain Hokage again. He shook his head. "If a female heir marries outside the family, they lose their inheritance as clan head."
Ayame's mouth parted in surprise. "That's not fair." She wondered why Hinata had not told Naruto this. That was too big a deal to keep from a spouse husband.
Shikamaru was grim. "Yeah."
She longingly looked at the door. What would Naruto do? Would the young couple be okay?
Ayame shouldn't have been surprised when Naruto showed up at her new home but she was.
His short hair was somewhat deflated and his eyes lacked their vibrant hue, red from crying. He stood on the porch, hands in his pockets, gaze downcast. "Nice place," he mumbled.
"Naruto..."
"Is sensei here?" His blue gaze met hers and Ayame tried not to tear up. She had just finished crying herself while cleaning the kitchen. But this was Naruto. He looked so sad. A strong image of him after Jiraiya-sama died crossed her mind.
Ayame hugged her midsection, composing herself. Her head shook. "Sorry, Naruto. He hasn't come home yet." Unfortunately, she ate alone tonight despite Kakashi's promise.
"Oh." Naruto managed to look taken aback. "It's pretty late."
Ayame nodded. "It's been a very busy month."
Understanding seemed to pacify his sadness. "How could I forget? Everyone's been running around like chickens without heads." He suddenly slapped his own cheeks, really hard, making Ayame jump. He grinned cheekily, "I'm sorry for bothering you so late, I should get—"
"Naruto?"
Naruto turned aside and around, giving Ayame a full view of Kakashi closing the wooden gate to the brick fencing. His formal robes hung over a forearm, hat lopsided atop his head. Exhausted. Exhausted. Exhausted.
"Sensei!" Naruto shouted and both Kakashi and Ayame jumped. "I need to talk with you." He was suddenly subdued. "Please."
Kakashi walked forward. "Let's go inside, Naruto."
"Yeah..."
The three of them sat on the living room floor, tea steaming between them. Ayame briefly apologized for their absent furniture before they began conversing. It was as Ayame thought.
"It was Hinata's decision. You can't take that away from her."
Naruto's face was red with frustration and oddly serious. His fists clenched "I know that. But she never told me."
Evidently the couple had gotten into their first big fight. It was quite severe for being a first argument. Ayame couldn't remember half the things she'd yelled at Kakashi for.
"Is that what bothers you?" Kakashi sipped his tea, mask at his neck. He was as collected as usual. But Ayame could see the darkened skin under his eyes. "By withholding information, she lied."
"It is, ya know? Hinata is so nice. Sometimes it's hard for her to open up because she's afraid she'll hurt someone's feelings. It's just..."
Ayame gave an encouraging smile.
"I promised her happiness, right? But I think I took some of it from her. Maybe I should have waited to become Hokage. I could have changed things, and then I could have thought about things like marriage. I know it was her decision. I know that. But it's not a good decision. It's her family!"
Ayame hesitated to speak but when Kakashi said nothing, she said. "Naruto, what are you saying? That marrying Hinata was a mistake?"
He remained silent and Ayame was shocked.
"Naruto," Kakashi said, scary voice activated. Naruto slumped forward at the rare but familiar tone of voice. He was a child ready to be scolded and Ayame waited with bated breath. "'Things like marriage'? How do you think Hinata would feel if she heard you?" Kakashi scoffed. "Hokage have no place interfering with a clan's traditions. Think before speaking. I don't know why she chose to keep this information from you, Naruto. That is something you need to discuss as husband and wife. If you regret marrying her, you should have never done so in the first place."
Tears fell from Naruto's eyes.
Ayame frowned. "Naruto, please listen to me."
The men looked at her. She placed her hands on her hidden abdomen. "You are one of the few people that know why Kakashi and I married. I am ashamed—I am, but" she looked at Kakashi, "I love my husband. I am happy we married, despite how difficult it was in the beginning. We promised each other happiness, too. We fail sometimes, and it's only been a month, but we're not going to give up.
"Kakashi-san has become a significant part of my life just as I'm sure Hinata has become a part of yours. I could never brush him off. For better or worse, his world has become my world, and if he told me now that I've made a mistake in this union, my heart…my heart would break. I know it can't compare to abandoning clan leadership, but everyone leaves their father and mother at one point to hold fast to a spouse. It's where two become one flesh.
"I believe that for Kakashi-san and me, and I believe that for you and Hinata. She didn't choose you over her family, she chose family over being an heiress."
Naruto waved goodbye, jumping away.
"So 'two become one flesh'." Kakashi faced the direction Naruto disappeared. "Someone has been reading Otsutsuki."
Ayame's cheeks burned bright. "I found his writings inside one of your boxes—I don't have to explain myself to you!" She dashed inside.
He followed, smiling. "Went through your husband's belongings, have you."
She spun around so quickly Kakashi had to stop suddenly to avoid running into her. She poked his chest repeatedly as she spoke her next words. "That's right, Hokage-sama. I noticed philosophical literature is not the only thing you read. I wonder what the Sage of Sixth Paths would think about that!" She finished with one last, hard poke and walked away.
Kakashi just stood there. Snapping out of it, he followed her to their room and into the bathroom. She was ferociously brushing her teeth.
He gently tugged at the end of her blouse. "I'm sorry about dinner."
Ayame dried her mouth on a towel before answering him. Her hands landed on her hips. She sighed heavily and the action reminded him of himself. Perhaps he was a bad influence yet.
"How will you make it up to me?"
Kakashi didn't want to make another empty promise. He leaned his hip against the bathroom counter and crossed his arms. "I was hoping you would tell me what to do." There. Husbands everywhere would be proud. He didn't sound henpecked at all.
"Fine," she said a little too readily, "no chores tomorrow morning. You sleep in with me."
His eyes widened. She got him there.
Why don't you laugh, young man, when troubles come,
Instead of sitting 'round so sour and glum?
You cannot have all play,
And sunshine every day;
When troubles come, I say, why don't you laugh?
…
Why don't you laugh, and make us all laugh, too,
And keep us mortals all from getting blue?
A laugh will always win;
If you can't laugh, just grin, -
Come on, let's all join in! Why don't you laugh?
- from The Independent
