"That could have gone better," Tsunade huffed as she rubbed her sore neck. "I knew the people hated us, but sheesh…"
"At least they know for sure that things will be different," Jiraiya soothed, massaging her shoulders. "And hey, we've still got some loyalty on the Uchiha side!"
She paused in her rubbing, looking up and squinting into her boyfriend's face. "Only because we've expressed interest in locating Shisui's body, and only because Itachi was able to vouch for us."
Jiraiya shrugged. "Anything is a start," he reminded, leaning in to peck her lips.
Tsunade's nose scrunched and she squinted harder at him, making him chuckle.
"Right, well," she sighed once more, settling down and picking up the first paper on the desk. "Itachi mentioned something about a curse, correct?"
"The Uchiha Family Curse," he confirmed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Something that's supposedly been in the clan ever since at least Madara."
The blonde woman gave him a tight smile. "Guess we've got our work cut out for us. This is gonna be a longer night than I thought it would be."
The hospital was teeming with people as Naruto walked in, glancing around until he noticed Hinata sitting with a book in hand.
He brightened. "Hinata!"
Hinata startled and looked up, her cheeks flushing a deep color. "N- Naruto-kun! Hi!"
"Sure is busy today, huh?" He joked, sliding in beside her. "Where's Sakura-chan?"
"She's busy, as always," she replied with a smile. "She's been taking advantage of a burst of energy to complete Ino's hospital training. They're going to give it a try."
"Eh… you serious?" He grumbled. "Maaaaan, I should've brought food and forced her to take a break."
"Good luck, I tried that already." Hinata giggled, hiding her mouth with her hand. "She got Karin to carry me out!"
Naruto began to laugh with her, causing the receptionists to look over and smile and whisper excitedly.
After a moment of amusement, she leaned in and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I missed you, Hinata," he told her as he rested his head atop hers.
Her smile grew, as did the flush on her cheeks. "... I did, too."
Her heartbeat pounded in her chest as Naruto's warmth seeped into her side. His hand found hers, and as he squeezed it, she closed her eyes.
"C'mon, Hinata…"
"... Naruto-kun?" Her voice was a scant whisper.
"Don't mess this up…"
"Yeah?" He leaned away enough for his cerulean eyes to meet hers.
She swallowed quietly before asking, "Would you… w- would you… go on a d- date… with me?"
"DON'T MESS THIS UP HINATA."
Naruto's eyes widened minutely, searching her face for several agonizing seconds. Even the receptionists seemed to have quieted, and she could practically feel their stares in the back of her head.
She squeezed her own shut, unable to hold his gaze.
Then she felt him squeeze her into a hug, and her eyes popped open in surprise. "N- N- Naruto-?!"
"I'd love that!" He exclaimed. "Where do you wanna go? When do you wanna go?"
She felt her heartbeat pounding in her head. Her vision went fuzzy, her head tilted back, and she fainted.
Rin slumped into the chair with a sigh, tugging her hair from the hairnet. It had been a long morning treating patients, and all she wanted was to take a nap.
"Knock knock," Kakashi greeted as he opened her office door with a smile. "Are you in the mood for an energy boost?"
"By the gods, yes ," she groaned, standing up to give him a hug as he placed the container of food down on the counter. "Ichiraku? I didn't think you liked their food."
"From time to time," he shrugged, sitting next to her. "I only ever go with Naruto, as he's always needed an escort."
"I see." She chuckled at the thought. "Of course Kushina's son would."
Kakashi smiled sadly at the table at the mention. "How are you holding up?"
"The pain is lessening," she replied, opening her container to inhale some of the aromatic steam from the noodles. "I don't feel ready to move on yet, of course, but... somehow, it feels like I've had a catharsis. I feel lighter."
"That's good," he encouraged. "A good first step."
She broke her chopsticks after muttering an "Itadakimasu" and dug in, moaning in delight at the food. "I forgot just how good Ichiraku was. Dammit I needed this."
Kakashi chuckled, opening his own container and beginning to eat. "Remember when Minato-sensei took us there after our first trip out of the city?"
"How could I forget?" She answered, her eyes twinkling at the memory. "And Kushina was teasing the hell out of us, especially when she saw Obito's scratches."
"Guess it was a bad idea to send him to get the raccoon, huh?" The gray-haired man rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'll say! I'm the one that had to heal him with my meager preteen medical knowledge!" She sent him a mock glare before her face melted into a fond smile. "Geez, we were so young. I can't imagine what the hell we were thinking."
There was a pause.
Swallowing his ramen broth, Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, "We were only twelve and thirteen, as I recall. I will never forget Obito's gloating that we were practically already grown-ups... followed by his begging Minato-sensei to let us drink our first sake."
She laughed, leaning back in her chair. "He just latched right onto the 'today you are men and women' line, didn't he? I'll bet Sarutobi-sensei regretted those words until his dying day."
Kakashi watched her as she ate and began talking about some other memory, noting the way her eyes lit up in a way he hadn't seen in years. She was beginning to gain crows' feet around her eyes, a grim reminder that they were only twenty-seven.
Only twenty-seven. The number felt wrong, somehow. It felt as if they should've been decades older. They were still young, in their prime, and yet with the weary bones of the likes of the long-deceased Sarutobi.
"- and how he just yelled ," she finished, wiping a tear from her eye as her laughter calmed. "Oh man, I don't think Minato-sensei ever forgave him for that one. Fitting, since I had never, ever seen him get so angry at that point... let alone angry at all."
He smiled, reaching out to grab her hand.
She paused in her next sentence, sending him a confused look. "Kakashi?"
"I've been thinking," he started slowly. "I've come to realize that I can't live without you. I know it's far too soon, but... when you're ready, please tell me, so that I can take care of you properly."
She fell silent, blinking owlishly. "What do you mean...?"
"We won't be young forever," he continued, gazing her in the eye. "And I want to be here for you, for now as your friend, but maybe somewhere down the line, as a life partner of some sort."
Her cheeks warmed, and she looked away with a small frown.
"It... is too soon," she agreed quietly. "But I'll keep your suggestion in mind."
She looked back up at him, this time with a weary smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. "Once I feel like I'm ready, I'll let you know. But for now, I would appreciate having my best friend being here for me."
"I made a promise, one that I don't intend to take lightly." He nodded, pulling her in for a tight hug. "For what my word is still worth, I promise I won't fail either of you again, Rin."
