The Welcome

Neji stood in the entrance to the Hyuuga compound. A tall, dark man was standing in front of him, holding his hand and shaking it.
"I can't say how grateful I am." He said to the Hyuuga leader, "And how grateful my sons are too…"
He turned around and waved his sons over from the cart.
"Now I must get my wife. She's rather weak at the moment, and I'd like to get her to bed as soon as possible."
"Well, I've had Hinata-sama make up your rooms. So the bed should be ready."
The man pulled his hood down and bowed. It was Uchiha Sasuke. But not as anyone would have remembered him. The man was a shadow of his former self. His hair hung lank and lifeless over his eyes, he was starting to turn grey and wrinkles had spread like fine spider webs at the corners of his eyes, and on his forehead. His eyes were still deep and dark, but the spark from them had gone. He smiled fleetingly at Neji and then turned to the cart.
His eldest son leapt to action, helping him with his mother.
Uchiha Sumi was very fragile, and looked as if she might break. Her hair was long and golden, cascading down her back. But her body was small and thin, her skin pale. Her eyes were dulled, and she seemed to have difficulty breathing. Neji forgot his nobility for a moment and ran to her side to help the woman from the cart and to the house. She grasped his hand with a weak smile. Her fingers felt like a whisper.
Once she was in her room, Sasuke had shouted at his youngest son, Kin, to watch his mother, while Neji, Ichiru and himself discussed the arrangements.
Sitting in Neji's family room, they drank green tea, which a maid had bought through from the kitchens.
"This is my eldest son, Ichiru. My other son is Kin, he's 16 and rather troublesome." Sasuke smiled, "I hear you have a daughter?"
Neji smiled back at this seemingly old man, "Yes. I do, her name is Hoshi. She's 17, and I'm sure just as troublesome as your Kin. Kiba and Hinata live here with their children too. I'm sure Ichiru and Kin will not lack for playmates."
Ichiru cringed inwardly. Playmates? Who was this weird man with the pale eyes? Suddenly, he noticed a figure standing in the doorway, just in the corner of his eye. He turned slightly, just in time to see a flurry of fabric as a girl in a kimono ran from the doorway.
"Hoshi!? Get back here. I will not tolerate spying!" Neji shouted.
Ichiru jumped out of his skin. The man had his back turned, how could he possibly have seen her? He must be an extremely talented ninja.
"I see your Byakugan is as good as ever." His father was saying to the Hyuuga.
Byakugan? Ichiru thought. He was sure he'd heard that somewhere before, maybe when his father had told them fireside stories about his life as a ninja.
A girl walking into the room disrupted his train of thought. She wore a white kimono with a pale lilac sash, which complimented her strange, translucent eyes perfectly.
"This is my daughter, Hoshi. Hoshi, this is Uchiha Sasuke and his son, Ichiru-san."
The girl bowed to the guests, with a small smile.
"Pardon my intrusion. I wanted to say goodnight to my father."
"Hoshi has a mission early tomorrow. Needs her sleep." Neji said proudly.
Ichiru's eyes widened. So this demure leader's daughter was actually a Konoha ninja, just like his father used to be? He looked down at the floor. Just as he would have been, had his father moved them to his birthplace sooner. Why had he waited so long? Maybe things might have been better for his mother… Ichiru pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. No point in dwelling on what could have been, as Sumi always told him.
Hoshi left the room, with one last fleeting look at the new guests. Ichiru gave her a quick smile. May as well try to make friends… he thought to himself.
"Well, what kind of a welcome is this? I shall have some food prepared; you must be hungry after your journey. And we'll have a spot of music too. Kiba and Hinata should join us soon. It will be nice to catch up." Neji rose from his seat and left the room, leaving Sasuke and his son alone.
"Ichiru? I want you to enjoy your new life here. I want you to make friends. I want you to find a good job and settle down." The man told his son.
Ichiru nodded, his head down. He didn't want to look into his father's pained and pleading eyes. Not anymore.

*

"And you really think a party is the best idea?" Dai's wrinkled his nose at his mother's idea.
The Uzumaki family were sitting at the table, minus Etsu, but with Haru as their guest. Sakura was busy serving up steaming plates of food, and had suggested a small tea party for the new arrivals.
"Plus, a tea party? I'm 18, not 8!" the pink haired ninja scoffed.
"Now Dai, no need to be rude. But he's right, Sakura-chan." Naruto said from the head of the table, "Maybe a tea party is a little babyish. How about you rent out the room behind Ichiraku's. I wonder if he'd do free ramen…?"
The Hokage gazed into the distance, lost in dreams of free ramen for life…
"I think a party would be fun. And I know just the place to have it!" Haru piped up between mouthfuls of Oden.
Dai raised an eyebrow quizzically at his friend. Where could that be?

*

An hour later, Haru was sitting in his family room, formally meeting the Uchiha family. His first impression was that the whole family was quiet and subdued, with Sasuke himself softly spoken, not at all how his parents had described him. His two sons, Ichiru and Kin, were the spitting image of him, tall with wild, black hair and very dark eyes. Ichiru was the same age as him but Haru had to admit, the Uchiha looked a lot older. Soon after their first introduction, the adults left the room. Haru sat in awkward silence for a few minutes.
"Um… We – my friends and me – well, we were thinking of having a party tomorrow night, as a welcome. It's going to be held at the house next to the flower shop. The Aburame family have the best garden for parties." Haru said, breaking the quiet atmosphere.
Kin let out what could only be described as a grunt from the corner where he read a book. Ichiru looked scornfully at his sibling.
"Don't mind him, he just has no manners. A party would be great Haru-san! It will be good to meet your friends. W-will your…cousin be there? Hoshi-chan, was it?" Ichiru tried to keep his voice casual.
Haru raised his eyebrows, a grin spreading across his face. Every guy seemed to act this way around Hyuuga Hoshi. God knew why though…
"I'm afraid not. She leaves on a mission in the morning."
"Oh, yes, of course. Your uncle told me that." Ichiru attempted to conceal the disappointment in his voice.
Haru almost laughed aloud, but decided this would be rude.
"Well, it's late, so I'll be going to bed. I can show you to your rooms now if you'd like?"
"I'll be sleeping in my mother's room." Kin piped up from the corner, "Father can sleep in my room. Mother needs me."
With that said, he rose and left the room, bowing to his young host, and then making his way to his mother's room.
Ichiru looked tense as he rose from his seat.
"Our mother is ill. She needs a lot of care, and my brother has taken it upon himself to do it all."
Haru thought that he could sense anger in what Ichiru said, but cast that thought aside as he led Ichiru to his bedroom. Certainly this family seemed a little more interesting than they had at first, Haru thought to himself.

*

The next morning passed with little sign of the Uchiha family. Haru rang Aburame Taro, a friend from the academy, to check if the party was still on. Apparently his parents, Shino and Ino Aburame, had agreed to the party, as long as he let Kiku, his sister, get involved too. The parents themselves were attending a dinner party with drinks at the Hyuuga compound in celebration of Sasuke's return.
Haru hung up the phone with a grin. Now to enlist the help of the best party organiser he knew. Although he really didn't want to have to ask her…

Uzumaki Etsu combed her long blonde hair. Haru had actually called her. He wanted to see her. He wants to see me!!! She giggled to herself.
After applying some pink lipstick, she blew a kiss at the mirror; just in time to hear the doorbell, and to beat her brother downstairs to answer it.
"Hi Haru-kun!!!" She shrieked, "How can I help you today?"
Dai rolled his eyes from behind his sister, grinning and backing away from the door. Haru took a deep breath.
"I need a favour."
"Will you go on a date with me if I do it?" Etsu pouted.

"Please?"

"Pleeeeeease Haruuuu-kuuuuun? Just one date."
The boy sighed, "Fine."
"Then I'm all yours!" Etsu shrilled, grabbing Haru's hand and leading him through to the living room.

*

The garden looked beautiful. Ino smiled to herself as she helped her children and their friends set up the finishing touches. How similar it looked to her own parties. Fairy lights: check. Buffet table: check. Rowdy teenagers: Double check. Ino grinned even more, almost laughing as she remembered the good times.
Her husband, Shino, came out of the house.
"We'll be late." He called.
She nodded, and went to join him, giving her family garden one last look. How kind her parents were to have given her the shop, and the house, when she had married. They now lived in a smaller house just up the road.

*

Haru struck the 'good guy' pose, both thumbs up.
"Great job guys! I'll go get the guests then!" He called to all his friends.
"Hai!" Everyone called back to him.

*

Ichiru ran a hand through his untamed hair, and flattened down his shirt. He hadn't known what to wear, and so had gone for a black shirt, a few buttons open at the top, and some low slung jeans. He wore his usual sandals too, and a messenger bag with his phone, and his sketch book in it.
Kin burst into his room suddenly.
"Haru's here to collect us, nii-san!"
Ichiru shook his head. His brother's mood swings were getting worse. He couldn't help but feel that it was similar to…
"Hey! You ready, Ichiru-san?"
Haru had poked his head around the doorframe.
"H-hai." Ichiru said, taking one last worried glance in the mirror.