Shiori groaned when Rin jumped, again. Putting a makeup on her rosy cheeks wasn't an easy feat. The new, tiny swirls although looking from afar like the kunoichi's normal pattern had rather complicated and detailed design; all that racket coming from the next room wasn't helping. Every time, every damn time, when some unexpected noise was heard the teenage girl involuntarily twitched.

"Stay still, Rin-san." The child pleaded for a hundred time in the last twenty minutes.

"Sorry." Apologized the older girl, none the less jumping once again when something (what sounded suspiciously like a book) had a meeting with the other side of the wall. "Are you sure Kushina-san is going to be alright?"

"My cousin is more resistant than a cockroach. Today's important and I guess she's feeling just a little angsty."

Rin wasn't so sure about that. First time when she heard a scream from the other room, it made her hair strand straight up on the back of her neck. It was the loudest, most piercing screech she had ever heard. It sounded like a wild panic. A scream of hysteria and disbelief, bordering on terror. She would call it something more than just a little angsty.

Three chubby fingers caught her chin and turned her face right and left.

"Ok, I'm done. It can't be much better and I don't want to overdo it." Shiori hauled a mirror in front of her nose. "What do you think?"

Rin blinked once and twice and then with enormous grin choked the tiny redhead in a bear-hug.

"It's lovely. Thank you, Shiori-chan."

The reborn woman was so surprised by the sudden show of affection, she wasn't able to try to protect herself - even her elbows, which more than once helped her get away from undesired cuddling, were now uselessly pressed between them.

An unexpected help came in form of a knock on the window, in which a head full of golden locks was visible. Rin let Shiori go and hurriedly opened it for the man. Snow might have melted down but it still was cold outside.

"Sensei, what are you doing there?"

"Well…" the blond sheepishly screeched his neck stepping inside. "Kushina doesn't want me to see her before the ceremony. Something about a bad luck. Is she still so…?"

A sound of shattering glass was sufficient answer. Minato cringed.

"So she is." Sun the man usually resembled was dimmed by a dark cloud. "I wanted to make her happy. All this doesn't sound like happy. Maybe we should postpone the wedding?"

"No way, Mini-nii." Shiori lived through enough hell this few last weeks, she would be damned if she had to repeat it. "Kushina-san is happy. Actually that's because she's so delighted, she is even more afraid than normally. She thinks that maybe she isn't good enough for you and that she will screw it up."

"But she…!"

"Yeah, I know: Kushina-san is perfect and you love her more than anything. What's more, she knows it all, but you have to understand that women just do that. We fret and worry no matter if there is a reason for it or not." Explained the girl seriously with all her childish knowledge and experience. "It's normal. That's why Kushina-san is showing her frustrations in so direct manner. She just needs to vent and then you two can marry, have kids and live happily ever after. However I'm afraid the flat is going to need a small renovation at the beginning of this ever after."

Minato sweat dropped.

"You're probably right."

"I'm always right, Mini-nii, remember it."

Rin covered a blooming smile with her hand. Somehow the little Uzumaki being so somber and insolent was making her even more cute. Apparently the blue-eyed jonin thought similarly since he cooed over the child.

"I regret you can't be with us before the ceremony, Shiori-chan. I'm sure Uchihas will take care of you but I would prefer for you to stay with us all time."

Shiori reassuringly patted his leg.

"It's only a fev hours and later I'll be next to you in the first row so don't worry. In no time you'll be Kushina's-san husband. But remember, Mini-nii, if any of you change your mind, I can always marry you."

Minato laughed but the reborn woman inwardly glowered. She was talking seriously. Why couldn't she be a little older, hell, why had she to be sealed in that damned basement for all these years? Minato was perfect male specimen of homo sapiens. Screw this, he was more like some demigod, a demigod to whom she would always be nothing more than a little sister - and where was justice in that, damn it?!

"I shall remember." He assured her. "But if you girls are finished, we should get going. I don't have too much time. Are you packed, Shiori-chan?"

The girl nodded and passed her red bag over her shoulder.

"Yeap, I'm set and ready. But wait," Shiori drilled him with a sorrowful, golden gaze. "Mini-nii, please tell me we aren't going to hiraishin. You do remember that I puke, right?"

"That's why I asked a friend for help." Answered the jonin and pointed outside the window. True to his words a man in official Konoha-police uniform was waiting, hanging upside down from the ruff. To some of that shinobi shit the reborn woman would never be able to get used to. "Handa-kun, take care of my little girl."

"Stop worrying, you mother-hen." Grunted Uchiha and grabbed Shiori, who barely managed to put on her hat. "And try to not be late for your own wedding, mister Yellow Flash."

The child cling to Handa's vest for dear life, when the man started to walk down on the wall.

Rin could swear Shiori mumbled into his green cloth something about philistines violating the laws of physics, what gained her amused snort. In few seconds the kunoichi was left just with her teacher, who stopped smiling and massaged his temples. Rin hadn't seen him so tired in a long while.

"Are you ok, sensei?"

Minato sighed, his blues shifting to a photography standing next to Shiori's bed, on which Kushina was hugging Shiori and him, while the child tried to bite her – it was a happy memory. He gently touched it. The glass protecting the paper was cold but he still could feel warmth spreading in his chest on par with the anxiety taking root in his abdomen. In that moment he understood all too well why Kushina was raging in the next room like a dragon.

"I'm ok just… We already are a happy family. Have been since the night we took Shiori home, when I saw her and Kushina snuggling together. I know Kushina want a proper family, and they both deserve it. For me that ceremony won't change a thing but for them…" he went silent for a second in which dread overwhelmed him wholly. "Many people want to hurt me, Rin-chan. If I became Hokage there will be even more of them. How can I force it on them? All that danger that comes with my dreams. Maybe I should just tell the Third that I gave up upon being his successor? There are other candidates and now I have more important, well, personal things to protect."

"Don't you even dare to think about it, Minato!" Shrieked Kushina, who unnoticed slipped into the room. "You always wanted to be Hokage. It was first thing you ever told me. I won't let you give it away for me and Shiori, dattebane."

"I'll put you both in danger."

"You'll put us in danger? Then what should I say?" Kushina was panicking. She caught Minato's hands and pleadingly squeezed them. "Mito-sama told me that to conquer monsters and their hate we need love. I love the whole you, also that part containing your dreams. If you give it away it won't be you anymore, Minato, and I need you – the entire you."

Rin didn't hear anything else. She slipped out through the window, not wanting to impose on such private and romantic moment. Those two were clearly made for each other, just as if they were a part of some grand fairytale. A prince charming and his beautiful princess (both capable of some serious ass-kicking – in the end it was a ninja fairytale), together fighting against evil, only to –how Shiori put it? Ah, yes: to live happily ever after. The young kunoichi hoped that someday she also would be such princess in someone's eyes.

Sadly, Rin didn't know that true life wasn't a fairytale. More than anything else it resembled Greek tragedies, where fate had a habit to regularly plays with human's lives as if it was nothing more than a game of chess; no matter if those lives belonged to normal folks or princes and princesses, no chess piece ever was indispensable.

Ω

"Handa-san, are you also going to be at the wedding?" Asked Shiori, trying to keep up with the grumpy male.

"Hm."

"Was it an affirmative or denying hm? It's still hard for me to distinguish them."

Handa glanced back at the running after him tiny troublemaker. How could something so short and cute-looking be so infuriating? Especially when it was smiling just like the child right now? The look of sacred innocence on that particular chubby face was simply horrifying. He had to get rid of it from his mind, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly.

"I'm going. Otherwise Minato would be disappointed. That's also why I'm with you. Maybe my brother forgave you, but I won't so simply forget your meddling in Uchiha business."

"But that eye isn't in your skull or any other Uchiha's; it's in Hatake's-san socket, so I think it's mainly his business." That maddening smile evolved in even more maddening look of feigned incomprehension. "True, Hatake-san can be a cretin sometimes, but he cares for the Village and will do everything to help achieve its goals - and Uchiha's goals are the same as Konoha's, right? If that's so then I don't see where's the problem."

The man groaned inwardly (no Uchiha would do it otherwise), maybe Fugaku was right? Maybe tying that little monster to the clan would do them some good? Gods only knew how much trouble that brat could make, but on their side she would be undeniably useful.

"It's grownups business – that's the problem. Seriously, brat, you are far worse than Kushina. She always was loud and bold; true be told I've never understood what Minato saw in her. That red hair of her was his fixation. Whenever he saw them he followed their trail like a lost puppy. Once he was so engrossed in ogling her, he actually collided with a street lamp."

"Mini-nii bumped into a lamp? And he was a stalker?" Shiori had a hard time imagining it.

"He was obsessed, just like Itachi-kun. Maybe it's something in your Uzumaki bloodline?"

"Firstly, Tachi-chan isn't obsessed with me. Secondly, maybe the more powerful shinobi, the crazier gal he needs so she actually can withstand his paranoid lifestyle?"

Handa snorted very un-Uchiha-like. The kid had a point. For once, his sister in law was bat-shit-crazy when she was angry and so were Kushina and Biwako-sama. That women were more scary than any ninja army.

"Shiori-chan!" and here was an excellent example. Mikoto like a tornado grabbed the confused girl and disappeared with her in the house faster than he could blink.

Matrimony was something he never would be able to understand.

Ω

He had no idea what he should do or say. He didn't even know what he should think. He, however, knew a few things. He knew Namikaze-sama and Kushina-san were getting married in two hours. He knew his parents shouldn't be invited, otherwise it would bring a very serious political consequences. And finally, he knew that his senpai and he were manipulated into going to the wedding together so his parents could attend the reception. He also knew senpai didn't like it, at all.

Itachi fixed a sash on his kimono. He wanted to make Shiori happy so he arranged a bowl of dango for her, that girl loved her sweets. Unfortunately his mother saw and confiscated it, claiming that it would spoil their appetite. The only other things that could improve Shiori's mood were her fuinjutsu scrolls and Orochi-cchi – none of those items Itachi possessed and that was creating another problem. What could he do to make his senpai happy?

Yesterday, Shisui told him that to make a lady happy, he should do what any other man does on a date, only adding to the younger boy's complete bafflement. Itachi had no idea what people did on those dates or even what they really were - and so he asked his mother. The woman started giggling hearing his question and explained that a date was a meeting of two people who liked each other. Usually a dinner, dancing or a walk also were included in it. The people talked a lot and if they liked each other they would meet again and then if they fell in love, they would eventually get married. Itachi had seen some of his older cousins pursuing relationships like that. They were walking through the Village in nice clothes, exchanging compliments, holding hands and sometimes even kissing.

Itachi gave one more powerful tug to his obi, trying to fight the flooding waves of embarrassment. In no way this was a date. It was a ruse, nothing more… at least he really hoped so. He couldn't kiss his senpai! What if she didn't like it and got mad? She would stop liking him and that would be awful! He took a deep breath. He wasn't going to treat it like a date, unless he could see that senpai thought otherwise – then he would be a man.

The boy glanced sideways on the little redhead trying to twist a flower crown pinned to her hair.

"I swear, Tachi-chan, your mother glued it with a freaking superglue. That weed won't budge even an inch."

"Mother used chakra so it will not fall off. And you do not need to rearrange it. You look pretty." the last part he emphasized. Not because it was untrue (his senpai looked beautiful) but to observe her reaction. Sadly there was none. The girl huffed, resigned and sat on the stairs.

"You think Mikoto-sama will take much longer? She does remember that you and I need to take care of the reception gifts, right?"

The boy sat next to her. Normally he was very proud of his clan but now he wanted nothing more than to be disowned.

"I am sure mother remembers but I am afraid I do not know how much longer it will take. Father can be difficult where his formal attrie is concerned."

Shiori would pull out her hair if earlier she hadn't spent half of hour being subjected to Mikoto's tugging and brushing. Instead, she just face-palmed. That formal speech of his was really killing her brain. It seemed every woman had her own cross to bear. Mikoto had Fugaku's distaste to ceremonial clothing; she – Itachi's speech pattern and the whole "the world'll end shit"; while Kushina… Kushina got Minato, she had no problems whatsoever and it wasn't fair.

"I hate this day."

Ω

Jiraiya had to admit, his little pupil was far more devious than his golden locks indicated. Putting two adorable children in charge of accepting goshuugi* was ingenious. Such amounts of adorableness for sure was warming all hearts and opening all wallets. In addition, if one of those cuties was the devil's spawn then all those wallets were completely cleaned out.

The man couldn't decide if he should admire Inuzuka Tsume's ass or that pintsize gremlin's act, which started the moment the woman gave an envelope to Shiori. Every time Jiraiya saw that particular sickeningly-sweet smile on that kid's face, his brain was turning on the defcon one. This situation was no different.

"Thank you, Inuzuka-sama. It's very generous." Shiori passed the envelope to Itachi who also thanked the woman and bowed, before putting it on the table. "You see, Tachi-chan, I told you Inuzuka-sama is great. Her gift is almost as thick as Hyuga-san's."

Tsume froze. Inuzuka and Hyuga clans were so different that their animosity surprised no one.

"Those pompous bastards…" She grumbled and with shinobi's speed took the envelope from the gift table. "Sorry, sweetie pies, I'm afraid there was a misunderstanding. My mate, the moron, can't even count." She added a few banknotes. "Now it's ok. "

The girl once again took the much thicker packet.

"In Mini-nii's and Kushina-san's name I thank you very much for your generosity."

"No problem, kiddo." The woman flashed her a feral smile and conspiratorially leaned over the children. "Mine is thicker than Hyuga's, right?"

"By far." Shiori whispered back.

When the clearly pleased Inuzuka marched to the reception room, the two thirds of legendary Sannins approached the table making Itachi bow in greetings while the girl was barely able to hold back. She had to treat every guest the same, showing them respect and appreciation. Bolting and hugging the serpent man like a koala, wouldn't be very appropriate. She had to limit herself to beaming.

"Orochimaru-sama, I'm so happy you're here." And she truly was, at least until her golden pools focused on the other man. "And you, old froggy, are late."

"Late?" Jiraiya was starting to develop a nervous tick whenever that child was talking to him. He tried not to grid his teeth. "Orochimaru and I came here together. Why only I'm late?"

"Because today you're to act as Mini-nii's father. You should have been here earlier." Her tone could freeze over the hell. Actually the toad summoner for the first time noticed how much this demon child resembled young Tsunade. That wasn't a comforting discovery. "And I'm sure you've made Orochimaru-sama late."

"He couldn't find his offering." Explained the dark-hired Sannin giving Itachi his gift.

"Snitch" mumbled the other man also handing to the boy his envelope.

The little Uchiha seemed to be somehow intrigued by the newest goshuugi. Something the demon-child noticed and eyed the packet, then she just theatrically sighed and wrapped her arm around the smaller kid's shoulder.

"See, Tachi-chan, that's how a cheapskate looks like."

"I'm not a cheapskate! I just have my own personal expenses. I can't give away everything"

"Right…" Shiori looked as convinced as if someone just told her that the moon was made of cheese. "I stand corrected, Tachi-chan, that's how a perverted, egoistical cheapskate looks like."

The boy hmmed and carefully regarded the perplexed man with those large onyx eyes, that felt like an endless stretch of midnight sky was looking into your soul. Jiraiya was clearly growing more uncomfortable with every passing second so he relocated his focus on the creator of this whole mess. There was one thing he had to clarify.

"I'm Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannins, known for his strength, intelligence and good looks; I won't let you con me into giving you more money, like you did with other guests."

"Someone who have to clarify that he is intelligent, hardly ever is. Besides I'm coning no one. I'm just sharing a few facts that can increase Mini-nii's income. If anyone decide to act on it it's their own decision."

Jiraiya wanted to say something but Orochimaru had enough of their bickering.

"Just give her the money." Advised the serpent man.

After a lot of glaring, mumbling and expressing general displeasure, Jiraiya slipped into his envelope a few more banknotes and after handing it over marched to the reception's banquet hall. Seeing both men settling into their places as a family of the groom, Itachi crossed them out of the guest list.

"Everyone are already present, Shiori senpai."

"Thanks the Force." The girl put her hands under the tablecloth, where earlier she sketched a few fuinjutsu formulas. After a short shot of chakra and a loud puff nothing but a memory of the table and a small scroll was left. Shiori hid it in the boy's pocket and tugged his hand. "Now come, it's going to start in five minutes and we have to look important and cute."

Ω

The wedding reception of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina was held on February 21th in a civilian restaurant. It was small and simple ceremony with no more than twenty five guests. There was a small podium on which an old priest performed a purification ritual and blessed the couple. Shiori and Itachi were also sitting on cushions on the podium, representing Kushina's family, while the Sannins were seated on the other side as Minato's next of kin. Shiori had to bit her tongue to not burst in laughing when her cousin gulped a cup of ceremonial sake a little too eager and choked. A feat she and Itachi nearly repeated when it was their turn for a ceremonial drink. That stuff was truly horrendous.

After the official ceremony ended, not wasting even a second Shiori jumped into the blond-man's arms. It was time for a public display of fluff.

"You two really have done it. I'm sooo happy." The reborn woman truly was pleased by their marriage, mainly from the legal point of view. If Minato, the future Hokage, was her legal guardian, the probability of Danzo snatching her away was significantly smaller. She knew that looking at how the Village took care of Naruto in the manga, it wasn't anything sure but it was better than the alternative.

"You're happy because it means end of the preparation work. You're just lazy." Said Kushina flipping the girl's nose.

"That too." She admitted.

Kushina chuckled. Her cousin sometimes was way too predictable. The woman noticed the second child standing nearby. She picked him up and kissed in a cheek.

"Thank's, Itachi-kun. I'm really glad you decided to accompany Shiori today and act as my family."

"It was my pleasure, Kushina-sama. On my behalf and my clan's, I would like to wish you and Minato-sama all the best."

"Kiaaa, you're so cute." The woman cuddled him like a teddy bear. "Can we keep him, Minato?"

"I'm afraid Shiori-chan has already asserted her right to his person." Interjected the snake Sannin. "My best wishes to you, Kushina-chan, and congratulation, Minato."

"Yeap, congratulation, kiddo." Jiraiya clapped his pupil in the back nearly sending him on the floor. "You finally scored your grand prize."

"Thanks, sensei."

"Oh, oh and we have one more gift for you, right, Orochimaru-sama?" Shiori started to bounce so much, the blond had a hard time holding her.

The black-haired man smirked and gave her one more envelope. This one was cobalt in yellow and red snakes. Shiori pushed it in his face.

"Look, look."

The jonin and his new wife looked. It was some sort of a pass.

"It's a free time pass for the whole next week." Explained the girl seeing their perplexed faces. "I will stay with Orochimaru-sama, while you can have your honeymoon."

The gift was met with a much warmer reception than the girl expected. She was engulfed in Kushina's bone crushing hug together with Itachi, who was already starting to get a little blue.

"Thanku you, Orochimaru-sama, but it isn't necessary. We would manage, somehow." Minato didn't want to trouble the older man. He knew Shiori could be a handful.

"I need someone to bounce off some of my new ideas and I believe the child expressed it as avoiding a severe mental trauma."

"Yeah. Everybody would be happy. And you can visit me whenever you miss me, Mini-nii." Assured him the girl who managed to loosen Kushina's hug of death. "Besides is only for a week."

"I doubt Kushina will give you time to miss anything." Jiraiya winked to his pupil gaining a bump in the head from the mentioned woman.

"Old pervert."

After that the reception was a blast. Food was delicious (Kushina and Shiori spend a week tasting dishes from every restaurant in Konoha – it was the only part of the wedding preparation the girl liked), music loud and sake flowed in streams.

Shiori officially took possession of the table with deserts, glowering at anyone who dared to reach for a dango. She shared it only with Itachi and that's when he agreed to dance with her. The boy was red as a beetroot when she asked him and paled only when their song ended. Shiori escorted him to his parents table; the poor boy completely crashed, even poking his forehead wasn't helping.

"You broke him." Stated Kakashi, slipping next to her like a freaking shadow. The girl jumped in fright. It was good she just finished her next portion of dango otherwise she would end as a shish kebab.

"Don't scare me like that! And I haven't broken him. He's just… tired. Yeah, tired. He's very young, you know?"

"I think you two are adorable." Commented Rin, who also sneaked to them unnoticed. The reborn woman was sure that with all those shinobi around she would get a heart attack before the night ended. "Especially when you danced. Itachi-kun is smitten with you. it's sweet, Shiori-chan."

"Not you too, Rin-san. Tachi-chan isn't smitten. He's four, he doesn't even know what that is." Shiori had enough of all that teasing. She was feeling like a pedophile because of it. "He's so strongly attached to me because of the circumstances in which we met, that's all. AND DON'T TOUCH MY DANGO, HATAKE-SAN!"

"You won't be able to eat all of them."

"Just watch. I have all night."

Rin's medical training turned on. Her face adopted that ominous grimace of displeasure.

"You will get sick if you eat them all."

"If that's the price I need to pay for a patch of heaven, then so be it." And to illustrate her conviction Shiori devoured the next dumpling.

"But!"

"Let her be, Rin. She won't eat them all." The teenage boy swiftly bit off the last dumpling from the red-haired girl's stick.

Shiori had no idea how he managed to do it with masked face but it wasn't even half as important as preventing it from happening again.

"Do. Not. Eat. My. Food." She hissed through her teeth. Her hunched form radiated animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, potent. However Kakashi only smirked, or at least she thought so seeing his eyes narrowing to crinkled slits.

"Only if you convince Orochimaru to dance with you."

Shiori blinked. He wanted her to do what? Not that it was a problem, it wouldn't be easy but she already planned to do so. Many important shinobi were present and dancing with her would for sure warm the snake Sannin's public image. If she also could gain guarantee of exclusivity for her favorite food, she had nothing against it. She only hoped the Sannin was drunk enough.

"Wait here. And that's Orochimaru-sama for you."

The girl totled to the main table where the Sannins were seated with another guest who apparently came uninvited. Not that anyone would say anything to Hokage. Shiori also ignored the older man and jumped into her mentor's arms. Adoring a shinobi had its perks, for once thanks to their reflex they always managed to catch her when she pounced on them.

"Orochimaru-sama, do you love me?"

All the man fell silent as if on cue. It was strongly charged question on any woman's lips, even if she was no taller than their table.

"What do you want, child?" Orochimaru preferred to be practical. Shiori was sober (he very carefully removed any alcohol from her surroundings when she wasn't looking. The child was curious and he too well remembered when Jiraiya convinced him to get drunk when they were young; he preferred to avoid Shiori with a hangover), and she wasn't inclined to being too emotional, so it was simple that she had to want something. However the girl was relentless.

"I want to know if you love me."

Jiraiya and Hiruzen had a hard time stifling their laughter. Normally, Orochimaru would already go away or make his accoster unconscious; but this was the only being for which the man had a soft spot. He couldn't do what he normally did and that meant for them great entertainment.

"I am inclined to… tolerate your company more than other peoples."

"So you love me?"

It was too much. Jiraiya banged his fist into the table and laughed like a hyena on crack.

"I…" the serpent man gulped out loud. What could he say, especially in his sensei's and idiotic teammate's company?

"You do not love me?" Those golden pools normally could force him to do unimaginable things. Adding to it welling tears and trembling bottom lip was simply cruel. The loud sniff was his nail to the coffin.

Orochimaru panicked but he wasn't the only one. The other men also stopped snickering and with growing dread observed sniffing child like a ticking bomb. The yellow, sneaky eyes searched the crowd looking for head of blond or red hair; but of course the couple had to disappear when they were the most needed.

"Shiori-chan, do not cry."

"Orochimaru-sama, hick, doesn't, hick, love me." The muscles of her chin trembled as she hiccupped.

"I don't not love you, child."

"So, hick, will you, hick, dance with me, hick?" The golden hue shined with hope only magnified by collected moisture. "Right? Hick."

Orochimaru knew he was being played but despite this he felt an enormous relief that it was only that and not a sincere meltdown. He doubted he would be able to survive it.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope, hick."

"I thought so."

Ω

Orochimaru was a great dancer. When he twirled her, the reborn woman felt like a small bird learning how to fly, flailing around and finally taking off with outstretched wings and wind swept feathers.

They gathered a storm of applause after which Shiori could in peace indulge in eating her dango. The only odd thing was Itachi. The moment Orochimaru let her go, the Uchiha heir was at her side, from which he hadn't stepped away yet. Now, he was dozing into her arm with a half-eaten dango in his grasp. The young Uzumaki had no strength nor desire to reach for it. It was the last dango stick in the reception, she had eaten all others, and now she was sick. However she wasn't complaining, not at all; it was more than worth it.

"You two should go to sleep." This time she didn't even blink when Kakashi was gathering them into his arms. "I will leave your boy with his parents and take you home."

Shiori yawned. It was way after midnight and the celebration was at its peak. She had to give ninja one thing, they knew how to party. Minato and Kushina were happily chatting with the Uchiha and Akimichi couple, while Handa was loudly snoring in his chair. Apparently that particular shinobi couldn't handle his alcohol.

"Let them be, Hatake-san. They are having a great time. Tachi-chan can go with us but not to home. Take us to Orochimaru-sama's."

The teenager with arms full of half-awake children consulted it with the adults and gaining the permission and a key to the Sannin's place (it turned out he didn't need to worry about wards - Shiori knew how to deactivate them), he walked out into the night. He preferred to babysit those two than a bunch of drunk shinobi, when they would start to bicker - and they would. Smashed ninja always did.

He accelerated his pace. Sadly, he had forgotten than one of his wards had a weak stomach and had just eaten way too much sweets.

"Shiori-chan don't do it! Hold it in, you here me?!"

Why Rin had to go home earlier? Why?!

OMAKE

Namikaze household; a night before the wedding

Orochimaru with a vengeful streak bit into a soft surface and closed his eyes with delight when dark, warm and thick cream-like substance poured in his mouth. He sank into a sofa, humming in tune with an aria playing from a record player he brought. If a few months earlier anyone told him that he would be at complete easy in the Yellow Flash's home, babysitting his child; the Sannin would mercifully kill the poor sods; saving them from lifetime full of delusions.

However life was full of surprises. One of them was the tiny Uzuamki's announcement of desire to bake cookies. Orochimaru took it with a dose of doubt, being familiar with the girl's reputation of walking disaster. Non the less, after a few minutes of convincing he agreed to observe her work in the kitchen and if needed prevent a disaster. Additionally, he promised to not tell a word about it to anyone – Shiori worked too hard for her reputation of the laziest bum just to lose it because of her sweet tooth.

Devouring his third cookie the serpent man had to lament over Uzushio downfall if rest of the Whirlpool Village's cuisine was anything like this chocolate wonder.

The child slumped next to him was reading a book he brought for her. She had a problem holding it up so she leaned it on his legs and with no further difficulties studied the book. Suddenly, the entrance door opened and a group of women fell into the corridor (quite literally, with giggling Kushina and Mikoto on the bottom). Apparently their hen party wasn't so funny without any male companions and so they crushed Namikaze's flat.

Shiori flayed a bunch of intoxicated women with unimpressed look. Mainly because she was as sober as a newborn baby.

"Kushina-chan is back so I will leave." Declared the Sannin, before any of the women would had a chance to stand from the floor and notice him.

"You cannot leave me alone with them!"

"I can and I will." The man stood up from the couch but Shiori pounced and grabbed his leg.

"Please, Orochimaru-sama. You can't leave me alone, please."

"I smell cookies!" Yelled an excited woman's voice. "Kushina-chan, you made chocolate cookies for us!"

"I didn't… Oh fuck, shrimp-chan!"

"It wasn't me! Orochimaru-sama bake them!"

Orochimaru muttered something under his breath but sat down. It was going to be a hellish evening – he just knew it.

TBC

*goshuugi (ご祝儀, "gift money") money offering at weddings in a special envelope. Close family pay about twice as much as friends.

Ok, I'm sorry for all mistakes in the chapter. I hope my grammar didn't offend anyone the author humbly bows her head, hoping for forgiveness

Also thanks for reading and so many comments and likes. Your positive reaction shows me I'm doing something right ^^