The finals the next day were met with divided feelings in the gathered audience, but there were clear fractions, who supported Sato and who were fans of the comer from the Land of Water. The eighteen-year-old shinobi was also the favorite right from the start, so the fight between two promising young men could be quite a thrilling spectacle if not for Sato's fighting techniques the day before. He did win all his confrontations, but he didn't use Sharingan in any of them and they were quite short to provide enough entertainment. In conclusion, on one hand, the Konoha didn't want their own shinobi to lose, but on the other – they wanted to see an awesome fight, and it seemed that the guy from the Land of Water could provide them with one, even if it was bashing one of their own.
Neither contestant disappointed, bringing their A-game. They fought for close to forty minutes, when Sato managed to get Arto in his own swamp hole and dry it out, so he couldn't move. That didn't stop Arto though, since he continued to bombard Sato with icicles while getting out of the trap. The logical choice was to use any number of fire techniques to melt the icicles, but instead, Sato dropped onto Arto, avoiding the majority of icicles' cutting edges, getting his opponent into a deadlock. The icicles Sato didn't avoid cut his clothes and face, but he didn't give up, holding onto Arto until the latter finally yelled, he was yielding.
While the arbiter declared Sato the champion, said champion helped Arto to get out of his predicament, which royally confused the water shinobi to the point of just standing there while Sato dusted him off.
"Kso, that boy is losing me so much money! Even more, than you did, Boruto!"
Boruto turned to the left, hearing his old-time friend Shikadai, while they were moving in the masses that were flooding the main streets after leaving the arena. "How could you of all people, Shikadai, bet against my boy? I am offended to hear that! And with what could you even bet on me at our chunin exams?"
"Exams? Don't be stupid, Boruto! Look right there!"
Boruto followed Shikadai's pointing finger further into the crowd to see Sato and Koi walking down the street rather close to each other, which could be explained by people around them, but if one looked properly… they were actually holding hands.
"So?" Boruto asked his friend, not understanding what he was so agitated about.
"I bet they'll get together at the next festival! If Iwabe guessed the date better, I'll never live it down! How long has it actually been going on?"
"I don't nose into my son's personal affairs-" More or less. "-unlike some people."
"Tell that to the shinobi community. Nothing feeds the fire more than a celebrity couple. We didn't have many of those after you and Sarada. So when is the wedding?"
"When I am informed… I won't inform anyone that shouldn't know. I lived through that during my wedding, I am not eager to live through it again."
"It was a great party though, Boruto. But considering the size of your clan, it will be hard to actually squeeze in any non-related guests."
On that Shikadai was right…
…As was seen during the dinner at the Hyuga compound, when Sasuke brought in his special guest through the second-story balcony that overlooked the inside yard.
"Hyuga sure has lots of servants. I thought they've pretty much lost all their influence," Suigetsu commented on the anthill of people, who were arranging the tables and food for the upcoming dinner.
"Those are not servants. They are the current and most probably future Uzumaki-Uchiha and Hyuga," Sasuke replied not without a note of pride.
"You've got to be shitting me!" Suigetsu exclaimed, leaning over the parapet to look closer at the faces. "Wow, some of them look like your clones!"
"Those are my sons."
"One, two… six?! How is that even possible?"
"Two sets of triplets. They are the most invaluable gift my wife gave me. No wars, no revenge, no annihilation, just work of nature and years-long perseverance. The eldest already belong to other lands and will continue to live there. At some point, the youngest will also retire from Anbu and depart to other cities."
"Since when having branch families was a way not to get at each other throats?"
"They are not branch families, they are all equals just based in different locations. It was decided that the next head of the clan will be Sarada, followed by Sato. I suppose that should interest you."
"Why?"
"Because whatever part you are thinking to have in Koi's life, you are not breaking them up. Whatever issues you have with me… Do not project them on my grandchild, who is more than deserving of her. We clear?"
"Yeah, yeah, don't be such a hard-ass. Although you always kinda were. So where is your famous grandchild? Resting from his half-assed fight in the finals?"
"No, they are at the training grounds. Sato does not like pointlessly dragged-out fights or injuring his opponent. You think, he could've made a Rasengan of that size while throwing chunks of chakra into every move? He takes after his mother in that regard. He gets serious only when there is a true need for him to do so."
The training grounds were a considerably large space encircled by a wall with equipment for target practice, dummies and other training solutions. When Sasuke and Suigetsu happened upon Koi and Sato, Koi was developing her taijutsu skills, exchanging blows with… another Sato? There was no power behind the hits, just purely strategic play out of a mock fight.
"I admit that it is quite impressive for the boy to keep a clone for so long, even if only one," Suigetu commented, watching his daughter's movements. Even after all those years he still had doubt buried deep in his heart that the child Karin birthed was his, but whatever Orochimaru or Karin herself orchestrated, seeing the girl's fluidity of movement… Like her body was made out of water… erased all lingering doubts.
And then she turned around and looked straight at him. The grounds were illuminated enough to see Koi's purple eyes even at this distance. Suigetsu didn't know what was the feeling that grabbed at his gut, when their eyes locked, he was sure, he would never forget it.
The clone disappeared when the older shinobi approached the young couple, who were looking at the newcomers with apprehension and slight anxiety. Suigetsu also noticed, how Sato moved to stand just a bit in front of Koi, when they arrived, in an instinctive display of protectiveness.
"Koi, Sato, I would like you to meet Hozuki Suigetsu, your-"
"My real father," Koi finished Sasuke's introduction.
There was an awkward silence after that. Which Suigetsu considered an improvement on expected yelling and accusations of abandonment and demands to know why he finally decided to appear. Although… it could be just shock and it was all coming later.
"Why don't you adjourn to the library and talk there?"
No one protested, so four of them headed to Huyga's library. Since the clan prided itself on keeping the old traditions, the old style of tatami-covered floor and shelves full of scrolls was preserved in the family library. The only other furniture in the room was a large table, where Sato situated himself, leaving Suigetsu and his daughter to sit down on the floor. Sasuke disappeared the moment others entered the room, deeming his duties fulfilled.
"So your boyfriend always hovers like that?" Suigetsu asked, watching the boy reading a scroll, supposedly not listening in.
"Sato is not hovering, he is not some control freak or anything. It's his way of showing that he cares. Nobody cared as much about my well-being before. And frankly, there is no reason for him to trust you. The fact that you are my biological father makes both of us trust you even less than any run-of-the-mill enemy."
Suigetsu couldn't disagree with that. He didn't know how to start, so he began from the very beginning. He told Koi, how he and Karin met, how they were put to work by Orochimaru, how joined Uchiha Sasuke in his quest for revenge, how Karin was obsessed with him, how they didn't know what to do after the Shinobi War ended, since Sasuke returned to serving Konoha and returned to Orochimaru since nobody else wanted them anyway, how he and Karin ended up together due to circumstances (Suigetsu obviously didn't tell his daughter that their relationship started as and been mostly a sexual one). He also told her about how they gave her up to protect her from Orochimaru and their own incompetence as parents, wanting for her to have a normal happy life.
"Not a love child then," was Koi's only reaction to Suigetsu's life story. "An accident."
Suigetsu took a deep breath to settle his emotions. He was not one for social maneuvers. He understood very well Karin's fear of being hated by her own child, and he didn't want to be hated either, even if both of them deserved it for the most part. So whatever he said next was crucial. "I'll be frank here. With the life we had… Neither of us wanted children. We always took precautions. Karin had a special concoction made. She was 38 when she'd gotten pregnant. Maybe, at that stage… we were not as cautious. She was obsessed with having a daughter after seeing Sarada again. I can't tell you that there was no manipulation on Karin's part to get what she wanted. And then didn't want. She is not a bad person, really, just… temperamental."
"Do you have any pictures of her?"
"Hold on a sec." Suigetsu rummaged in his bag and took out a small book with a worn leather cover that fit into a palm. In it were photos of mostly Karin through the years. The pictures were candid shots that looked like they were taken covertly. The redheaded woman never looked into the camera. One of them depicted when Karin was heavily pregnant and caressing her belly with a smile. Accident or not, that picture showed that Koi was very much wanted and loved. "You look a lot like her."
"She doesn't like to be photographed?"
"…More like, she doesn't like me having her pictures."
"Why? Isn't it natural for couples to have something to remember each other by?"
"Well… We are not a couple in the general sense, Koi."
"Why not?"
"Because adult lives are complicated. The relationships are not all rosy, lovey-dovey, overflowing with happiness. Sasuke just pulled a lucky ticket," Suigetsu replied with bitterness in every word. How he hated the bastard! Everything was just given to him despite all his transgressions. Uchiha had everything he ever wanted including a restored clan, but whenever Suigetsu bridged the subject of commitment with Karin, he got a fury incarnate and a door slammed in his face. "You are too young to understand such things."
"But isn't life what we make of it? I choose to come to Konoha and train under Sato, it was also my choice to decide to marry him after I graduate from the Academy. I am young, but I cannot imagine that I could feel like this for anybody else."
Koi could be indeed young, but the look Suigetsu saw her and Sato exchange at that moment… The girl didn't look at all like Karin when she was all over Sasuke. It looked like she was shining from within, radiating happiness and… was it truly love? Unhindered and pure from life burdens and tragedies? If only Karin looked at him like that at least once…
Zed was sulking. He didn't go to the celebratory dinner, because no one wanted him there after his performance during exams. Grandfather Naruto laid into him big time after. Zed had never felt so guilty and ashamed. He apologized to his cousin in the hospital and brought her some snacks as a gift, he also apologized to his teammates, whom he pretty much left in the dust, seeking only his personal glory. His apologies were accepted, but Zed still felt out of sorts. It would take considerable time to rebuild the trust that was destroyed by his selfish actions. And the best cure for feeling down was training. So he mounted the wall to get into the Hyuga's training grounds (because why bother with doors?), but didn't go any further, since the grounds were very much occupied.
Two swordsmen were fighting there, sending clouds of dust everywhere. Firstly, Zed saw some old man with white hair with a huge sword whom he didn't know. He was crossing his sword with two others, and it took Zed a couple of minutes to understand that it was indeed Sato. At first, Zed thought, the other man was one of his uncles, but only two of them were swordsmen and both used single sword technique. Zed couldn't place the other fighter as Sato, because the fighting style was completely different from how Sato was during the chunin exams. There was ferociousness and blazing Sharingan Zed never saw his brother to exhibit. Frankly, Zed didn't see much of Sato's fights. They didn't attend the Academy at the same time and, even if Zed saw his brother train, he never watched him actually fight. Zed constantly heard the praises that his father and grandfather bestowed on the Uzumaki-Uchiha heir (of which Zed was extremely jealous), but he never understood what the fuss was about, particularly since the exams were such disappointment. But this… The fight he was seeing was on a completely different level!
"So what do you think?" came from Zed's right.
The boy almost fell off the wall since he was so into the fight, he didn't notice his father joining him. "If you are here to also berate me about the exams, dad, save your breath. Oji-san did it already. At length."
"That's not what I asked, son."
"I don't know what to think! Why is he so different?"
"And you think, you could've stopped Sato if he was the same with you?"
Zed was not blind. With the speed and agility Sato was moving, Zed had no chance of defending himself, not to mention attacking. "No… But how did he even make that huge Rasengan? Couldn't only you do it now, because of Kurama's chakra?"
"Well, it wasn't that big… But I have no idea at all, Zed. You need to ask Sato that. What happened to your neck, by the way?"
"Sato cut me because… I disrespected… his wife."
"Did you now…" Boruto drawled, pleased that Zed didn't lie about the origin of the wound.
"I don't get it! They are not married! When did they even start dating? She is just a girl! One doesn't marry the first girl one dates!"
"Depends on the girl, Zed. I never dated anyone else either, and neither did your grandfathers. Do you like anyone?"
Zed looked aghast at his father as if he grew a second head without a shadow clone. "So who is that old guy? And why are they fighting in the first place?" Zed swiftly changed the topic back to the matter in front of them.
"Well… It was at Sasuke-sama's suggestion. It's a rare chance for Sato to exchange blows with an experienced swordsman of that caliber. I doubt, he has a lot of opportunities to go all out like that. And that 'old guy' is Koi's real father."
"Eeeeeeh?! So he is fighting for that girl again?!" Zed exclaimed scandalized. When did his elder brother turn into such a wuss?!
"In a way…"
Suddenly the fighters parted, the older swordsman stabbing his sword into the ground and leaning onto it, panting heavily. "Sheesh, Sasuke wasn't lying. You are good. Let's take a break. I am not a young sprout anymore."
And just like that, the tension dissipated. Koi appeared out of nowhere with water bottles and towels. She offered them first to her father and then to Sato, but it was unclear if that was because of respect for seniority or relation. Zed and Boruto remained on the wall as spectators.
"So… are they really getting married?" Zed asked, watching Koi quickly inspect Sato for injuries and clean the dust from his face. The same way he saw her do at the fountain. Even to him, it was clear that there was more there than friendly or sisterly affection.
"Seems so. They haven't told us anything yet. But even if they do marry, they will never be on missions together and thus will spend more time apart than together. But that's shinobi's life for you. Sato will turn to teaching at some point, I suppose. He always loved children. Speaking of missions… One of Sato's teammates was injured during the exams and your team is also one man short since he went to visit his relatives… why don't both of your teams go for a joint mission? Family members on one mission is against regulations, but the rank is low, practically a training exercise. I am sure, you'll both benefit from the experience."
Zed only huffed in response.
Meanwhile, the swordfight resumed and went on for another two hours with a couple of breaks. It seemed that both swordsmen enjoyed it too much to stop.
Life went on. Zed did accompany Sato to his next mission. Nobody shared what happened out there, but the blond shinobi never said a word against or mocked his brother in any way since their return. Zed was still jealous of Sharingan and Sato's talents, but not in a malicious way. Something out there made Zed respect his brother without question and Boruto and Sarada were very happy about the end of the conflict between their children. The twins have yet to fancy the same guy, so they had a small reprieve till then.
Suigetsu decided to stay in Konoha for the time being to get to know his daughter. Sasuke organized for him to train Anbu, making them colleagues again. The irony of that continued to be a joke at the dinner table for months to come. And yes, Suigetsu did end up at Sasuke and Sakura's dinner table quite frequently despite living with Mitsuki. Suigetsu was back in Koi's life again, but her mother still showed no signs of wishing for a reunion.
Until one morning when Suigetsu was on a stroll outside the city limits. A new habit he took on to clear his head from the buzz created by the masses of teenagers and people surrounding him in Konoha. He felt the fist moving towards his head before she even left the protection of the trees. He had a lot of practice with that. So he grabbed onto Karin's fist, threw her onto the ground, and straddled her to pin her down.
"I don't care why you are angry with me this time and whatever nonsense you want to spurt, will have to wait," he hissed, covering her mouth to keep her silent. "Now you listen to me and listen good, because I am not going to say this again. …I… I love you. I've been in love with you for decades. And I am tired of being manipulated and used because of that. You don't feel the same – I get it, but have the decency to just leave me be! You felt my chakra near our daughter's and what?! Decided you have the right to interfere because my awful chakra is poisoning hers? You lost that right when you gave her up! Now why in Hell are you here?" Suigetsu removed his hand, but Karin just kept staring at him with wide eyes. "You going to say anything or just wanted to throw your fists around?"
"I… I… named her. Before… I left a note with her name… when we left the basket at the orphanage."
Suigetsu's brain short-circuited at Karin's admission. "Why would you name her like that?" he asked, his mind running wild with possibilities.
"She was my gift… to you. I knew you would never be motivated to escape that wretched place or… stay with me otherwise if we leave."
"So what? You decided to use the oldest trick in the book? I know you've been blind all these years, but seriously? You thought I kept fucking you just because there was nobody else around? Because you were convenient? I was over the fucking moon when you told me you are over perfect chakra Sasuke! Wait… a gift? What gift?" Suigetsu demanded, desperately wanting for Karin to confirm what he assumed the name meant.
"Gift… of love," Karin breathed out, turning her head to the side to escape Suigetsu's piercing gaze.
But Suigetsu was having none of it. "Now you look at me, you idiotic woman," he growled, turning Karin's head by grabbing her chin. "Why in seven Hells haven't you said anything?"
"My… advances were not welcome last time. I thought… I was doing it wrong… But I didn't know how else to do it."
"Sasuke didn't want you, because he just didn't, there was and is nothing wrong with you. So you came onto me and thought that I'll be around for as long as you keep spreading your legs? Do you have so little regard for me?! I can't possibly have any romantic feelings for you? Am I so one-dimensional to you?! Surely you know me better than that after all those years living together!"
"You haven't said anything, Sui…"
"You told me the baby was mine and I've gotten you out of there in three weeks! Kso, I would've cared for the child even if it wasn't mine! I've never walked out on you; no matter what fit you threw, I was always by your side, you are the one to bail when things get difficult. I am a tough guy, Karin! I don't spur all that romantic nonsense, doesn't mean I don't feel anything!" Suigetsu felt Karin shudder under him, the reaction he was also very familiar with. "You are crazy horny, aren't ya?"
"You still want me?"
"Of course, I do, you stupid woman!" Yes, they were nearing sixty, and there were wrinkles and sagging skin and gray hair on Karin's part, but Suigetsu was ready and wanting to take her right on the forest floor. Actually, their first time was also outside while camping on a mission. "I want you in my life, Karin. No matter what we do in bed… or other places."
"Bite me."
Whatever reaction Suigetsu expected for his declaration, that was not that. At the beginning of their 'relationship' kissing was an issue due to his sharp teeth, so he filed them down, but actually biting?! Particularly, since Karin was extremely uncomfortable with the action due to traumatic experiences in the past, but… not anymore? "Where?"
"Anywhere."
There was fire in Karin's eyes, Suigetsu hasn't seen in years, the fire he felt burn up his whole body whenever he was with her. So if a new scar made by him was the only expression of commitment he'd get, he was all for it.
"You are one soulless bastard, Uchiha!" Suigetsu spat, accompanying his statement with a right hook to Sasuke's jaw that the latter didn't even step away from.
"And to what do I owe this… pleasure, Suigetsu?"
"It was your fault that Karin couldn't- didn't-"
"I can only assume that she finally did. Congratulations. Will she be joining you in Konoha on a more permanent basis?"
"At some point later… I don't know… Maybe. That woman drives me crazy!"
"When she does come by, do return these to her," Sasuke said, handing Suigetsu a pair of glasses. "They were picked up by patrol and brought to the lost and found. I recognized them."
Suigetsu took the glasses, trying to see if Sasuke knew how Karin lost them in the forest, but Uchiha was as stone-faced as always.
"On another note… After Boruto and Mitsuki found you, Mitsuki visited… his parent… to confirm your story. He confirmed it and also discovered that Orochimaru did not succeed in creating a female. You hid Koi because she was normal, but she is far from ordinary. Neither you nor Karin are run-of-the-mill shinobi thus Koi, as your child, is a very special girl with lots of potential."
"What are you getting at?"
"We survived all that madness, torture, war and mass destruction to see our children grow and bring about the third generation and I will try everything in my power to see the fourth one. Orochimaru will not touch them for as long as I am alive, but he will wait; he has time, neither of us has. Sato and Koi's children will be special. Special enough to spark his interest. You understand what I am getting at now?"
Suigetsu bared his teeth in a steely grin. He and Karin escaped for Orochimaru not to touch their daughter, like he will allow that snake bastard to touch his grandchildren! "So… we end him?"
"There will be a time… Do we have an accord?"
"You bet we do, Uchi- Okay, okay, Uzumaki-Uchiha."
"I asked you here because you were present during the dinner Sato's Mangekyo Sharingan opened," Boruto stated, looking into the eyes of each person sitting around the table in the Hokage offices. "I also asked dad to come, because he needed to know too. What I am going to tell you, must not leave this room. That means not sharing what I am about to tell you with anybody, spouses and children included."
"Are you telling me to keep something from my own wife, son? Your mother?!" Naruto asked, shocked at his son's audacity.
"Yes, dad. I do. Anyway… At some point in the near future, there will be an adversary that will make Kurama stretch his paws. I thought it prudent to share this information with those who needed to know."
"And where does that information come from exactly, Boruto?" Sasuke asked with skepticism.
"As it turns out… Our boy can see the future of the person he is looking at with his Mangekyo Sharingan."
The announcement was met with silence. Everyone at the table understood how valuable such power could be to anybody who is knowledgeable about it, so the reasoning behind the secrecy was now clear.
"Anything else Sato shared about the future?"
"He and Koi will have three children, the first one – in about five years from now."
"You do not look at all nervous about this mysterious powerful adversary, Boruto."
"And why should I, Sarada? I made a promise to protect you, so I will. No matter who threatens Konoha – our family – I will take them down. In the meantime, we should start on the new guest wing for the house. At the speed your brothers are going, we will be swarmed with children to babysit!"
Sarada couldn't agree more. On all accounts.
A/N: And that's the ending, which I know is not the best one, but I agonized over it for a long time and nothing better came up. Thank you for your time and please leave a review.