So, hello. Sorry for longtimenoupdates, really apologies! Apologies!

So funfacts about Japanese weddings: you give money to the couple on the day of the wedding, but no gifts otherwise. You bring gifts to them either before or after the wedding.

Another funfact: you don't open gifts in front of the people who gave them to you, it's considered rude.

Another funfact: The reason Kakashi considered Obito and Shisui his brothers is because when male children in samurai lineages reached around 8 years of age, they were kind of apprenticed to other samurai to learn the tricks of the trade, and I'm having Kakashi's mentor be those boys' father. Basically he spent his youth living with them, which is why it was so painful for him to lose Obito.

Second to last funfact: After a woman's husband died she really was supposed to chop of her hair and join a monastery for the rest of her life, unless her in-laws wouldn't have anyone to take care of them and in that case she'd stay and care for them. Or if she had kids, then of course there's that whole motherhood thing.

Last funfact: if you have certain guesses about Shisui's gift then those guesses are probably right and yes, it was in the Edo period (which this story is set in) that erotic and pornographic manga (MANGA, for serious) and illustrations really gained popularity/were produced.

Spoiler alertish: I'm so totally going to kill off the Uchiw/ha family later on. Totally. Going. To do it. Hopefully how will blow your minds. :D

I love you all so dearly for reviewing, I do I do I do, and the first thing I'm going to do after I post this is reply to all of you. This month has been a rough one, so many apologies. But without further ado:

Enjoy!

After their breakfast Sakura excused herself back to the room she now shared with Kakashi. Her mother had given her the advice to make a list of goals for every day, to ensure that everything got done—one of the gifts Ume had given her were several blank scrolls and a beautiful ink set. Sakura intended to start the habit today. She had to properly unpack, find her way around the little cooking area—which might involve questioning, interrogating, cajoling, or begging Tenzou for help—as well as see to the house itself and what would need cleaning or repair and when. And in between she would have to plan a meal for the evening as well as any food or drink visitors might arrive and expect.

Because today was the first of several that acquaintances of their families—but probably mostly Kakashi's friends, acquaintances, and superiors—would be visiting the house bearing gifts to honor their wedding. Most of her father's friends in Iimori had delivered their gifts before she had left—and her father had brought most of them to the house a week ago. But that still left those living closer to Fujimi than Iimori, which meant that today could potentially be taken up with a whole lot of nothing.

Just as she was finishing her list she heard the distant sound of a wagon clattering it's way down the path to the house, and Kakashi's muted voice calling for her. Setting down her tools, Sakura checked her hair once to ensure that it was sitting properly on her head before going to Kakashi.

"Do you know who it is?" she asked, following him outside to the porch and slipping on her sandals to step out into the yard. Kakashi shook his head, a rueful little smile on his face as he stepped quickly to the gate.

"No, but I have a good idea because of the early hour. I just hope that we'll be able to entertain them properly," he called back. He raised a hand to his eye, shading it from the early morning sun to try and discern who it was. A frown ticked at his face, momentary and then smoothed away but Sakura saw it. Kakashi wasn't the sort of man who frowned much, it seemed, preferring to cover up his dissatisfaction as quickly as he had felt it. She hoped that if he found these guests unacceptable that she would as well—that way she wouldn't have to mourn an acquaintance she couldn't pursue.

As the sound of the cart grew louder a cry hailed them and Tenzou's voice soon followed with some sort of greeting. Kakashi on the other hand was accidentally letting a frown show through. Sakura decided to get a look at what he was staring so intently at and came up at his side—she used the pretext of laying her hands to rest at his arm, nestling in the crook of his elbow. He twitched a little, at her touch and regained his composure. The cart was slowing as it came down the little road, and Tenzou was walking out towards it to lead the ponies to the house.

"Kakashi, what is it?" He spared her a glance before turning his eye back towards their visitors.

"It is, I believe, Uchiwa Shisui and his fiancée Uchiwa Rin," he murmured.

"Uchiwa?" Relatives of a family both she and Kakashi were acquainted with, albeit different branches. He had mentioned, in the winter, a man named Uchiwa Obito. Perhaps these were that man's direct relatives? He had spoken of Obito with admiration and respect, the love of a brother—why was he so cold about these people? Kakashi must have known her thoughts, because he covered her hands with his own briefly in a soothing gesture.

"I will tell you later, for now please prepare some tea for them. It probably took them several hours to get here."

He had sworn never to entertain Rin, but he could not deny Obito's youngest brother entrance to his home. That Shisui had brought Rin was of little consequence after that—Obito and Shisui had been his brothers for years as he apprenticed under their father. For many years he had even planned to have one of them mentor his son if he ever had one—but these days he was unsure.

It was of no fault of the brothers, but more the fault of Rin herself. She had been behaving, since Obito's death, in the most disrespectful of ways. Her grief, at first, had seemed to be deeper than anyone's but as the months passed she had defied more and more traditions and gone in the face of everything her former husband had loved. Eventually her actions had gotten her betrothed to Shisui so that the Uchiwa elders would have a living way to reign her in rather than relying on respect for the dead.

It was really a cage of her own making, and Kakashi felt no pain on her account at her forced smiles at her soon-to-be-husband. But it still hurt that she had made it, she had been his greatest friend after Obito and Shisui. He had thought her to be the best wife a man could ask for, but her actions since Obito's death made him glad he was not married to her—his grave would go uncleaned, and no offerings would be made on his behalf. He would be forgotten, and never at peace.

She probably had her reasons, but there was a time for personal reasons and there was a time for what was expected of oneself. And she was unforgivable. He hated the idea of introducing her to Sakura, he hated the prospect of telling Sakura the full story of the aftermath of Obito's death. But he had to, to ensure that Sakura knew he wouldn't tolerate a friendship between them.

"Shisui, I heard that you had gone to Edo to collect your cousin Sasuke from his master there? I am glad for your visit, but must say I'm surprised by it. Do come join us for tea, Sakura is just making some now."

"Kakashi, I told I couldn't make it to your proper wedding—not skip giving you a gift for it! I am leaving this very day but if I didn't give it to you today, you wouldn't get it when you'd remember not being married! But I'll only give it to you on the condition that you give Rin and I something after our own this summer. Speaking of the lovely Rin, I brought her with me today to spend some time with her before I leave for the city—and so she could meet your lovely new wife." Kakashi allowed his own brittle smile to creep onto his face as Shisui swung himself back up into the cart and started fishing around in search of whatever it was. Rin stood still, where she had when introduced, looking embarrassed and awkward.

Shisui let out an excited cry and hopped down from the cart, a bundle under his arm. He clapped the other arm around Kakashi's shoulders and they frog marched each other to the house with Rin following them quietly. Sakura was just finishing arranging the room for four—and Kakashi was unexpectedly relieved that she had picked up on that when guests were present Tenzou was not included, otherwise it would be publically known that he allowed his servant liberties only allowed to the high ranks. It was well-known privately that he did so, but entertaining guests was a different matter entirely.

Tension he hadn't known he had bled out of him as Sakura prepared and served the tea—Tenzou's words that she would be inadequate had seeped their way into his mind somehow it seemed. Kakashi's brittle smiles gradually became more and more real, until finally he was able to actually laugh at one of Shisui's jokes. Eventually, probably less than an hour later, the mood had mellowed enough for proper gift giving and receiving.

"So, my fine white haired friend, this is a gift from my father and I—our whole family, actually—and I do hope you'll like it, you used to like things like this. " There was a crafty wink in the younger man's eyes but Kakashi bowed and reached for the bundle nonetheless. It was paper, it seemed, and quite a lot of it. A distant thought of his favorite novel flashed through his head—his copy had been destroyed in a rather unfortunately vivacious celebration of Asuma's then-upcoming marriage. Kakashi put the thought away and thanked his friend—of all their gifts, he was going to unwrap that one first when the time came.

"Shisui, if we stay here another hour it will be too late for you to leave for Edo today," Rin's voice interrupted a spirited recollection between them of the time they (Obito, Shisui and Kakashi) had tied Asuma and his cousin Iruka to a tree overnight. Shisui paused, a tightening around his eyes showing his dislike of her attitude while Kakashi did his best to restrain a frown. The awkward silence was broken by Sakura who was just sitting back after refilling their tea.

"I was never as eager as that to see Kakashi go, which probably says poor things about my moral character. I had the distressing experience of forgetting his face every time we were apart." Shisui's face split into a grin, one which Kakashi couldn't help but mirror a bit—Sakura's voice had been sweet, and she had directed everything wrong with Rin's statement towards herself. Because it was terribly embarrassing to be ordered around in such a manner in front of acquaintances or friends—yes, only the four of them would have known, but that didn't change that it had happened.

Sakura had saved Shisui from the social stigma of listening to a woman like Rin without complaint—she had shamed her own character rather than shaming either Shisui's or Rin's, while still ensuring that Rin's mistake was corrected. A nail that sticks up will be hammered down, after all.

"Well, on that note I must return my dear fiancée home and then make for Edo—so she can be of similar moral character of Hatake Kakashi's wife. I always knew that you would marry a woman who was good for you, Kakashi. Enjoy my gift, both of you." And with a smile and a mischievous flash to his eye, Shisui started in on making his goodbyes to the household. Kakashi at that point was nearly sure of the content of Shisui's gift, and wasn't sure if he should tackle the Uchiwa to the ground in offense or gratitude.

Tenzou helped Shisui turn the cart around while the three of them stood on in silence. Once that was done, the Uchiwa man helped Rin up into it before following himself. With a slightly dampened cheerful wave he flicked the ponies into motion and the cart rocked forward and away.

"Kakashi? What have they done to make you so upset?" Sakura's voice was soft so that their departing guests would not hear her. Kakashi closed his good eye and turned his face down for a moment.

"You noticed then."

"Yes, yes I did. I won't ask to maintain an acquaintance you're in disfavor of, but I would like to know why." He opened his eyes at her words, lifted his head to look at her, and reached for her hand to lead her back into the house.

"Come, you must have much you'd like to get started with—I will tell you as you work." His thumb swept once along the back of her hand as he spoke.

They settled in the cooking area, so that Sakura could properly explore it. And also so she wouldn't have too much of an opportunity to stare at him as he told her of his history with their morning's guests. It was obviously a painful thing he was going to try to tell her. She hoped that his life from now on would bring him less pain than it had before she met him.

"After Obito passed away…no…the story goes farther back." He paused for a long while as he collected his thoughts and Sakura chose to remain quiet. "When I was eighteen or nineteen, a few years older than you, I was casually courting Rin—she was a lovely woman who seemed to have a certain amount of affection towards me. I was almost ready to speak to my father so he could speak to her family, but I realized that Obito—my master's son, my best friend from youth—was hopelessly in love with her."

Sakura met his gaze once with a slow nod before pulling a box in front of herself and slowly taking out the contents.

"And so you broke contact with her?"

"No," Kakashi said with a small shake of his head, "I stopped courting her however, and urged Obito's father to speak on his behalf—that man treated me like another son, and didn't have me whipped for my actions.

"They were married within months, and Obito was blissfully happy. Rin seemed pleased as well—given how little I could provide her with, she would not have been so pleased to marry me. When he died, however, Rin began to act indifferently towards her duties to him. She arrived here one night, I remember because I had to leave my father's side to answer the door, and begged me to speak to Obito's father about a marriage between us. I refused."

Sakura knew well enough what a woman was supposed to do after her husband died—she was supposed to wait a little while to see if she was pregnant with his child, and if she was not then she had to either care for her in-laws or join a monastery. Rarely did she remarry.

"She will not do anything which is expected of her, and I have been refusing to associate with her for the last year—the Uchiwa didn't know what to do with her though. Her parents have passed away, her brother was called to live in Edo, and she was married for nearly ten years—they couldn't send her back to her family, but she was dishonoring Lord Uchiwa's dead heir by her actions. So they had her engaged to Shisui recently, to provide some control over her. They will go to live in Edo after their marriage, so that Rin's indiscretions will look smaller in the midst of so many people."

The box was empty and everything was laid out in order, and Sakura had her hands folded in her lap as she looked at her finds and listened to Kakashi.

"Do you feel she was acting maliciously then?" her voice was soft, so as not to let him jump to conclusions that she was overly sympathetic towards the older woman.

"I feel she has acted dishonorably and selfishly since Obito's death—if she merely chose to care for her mother and father in law, I would see no fault in her actions. However she indicated to the family that they had servants for a reason, again and again. She won't do her duty to a man who loved her unconditionally for half his life." She nodded at his answer, knowing that anything more wouldn't be helpful to either of them.

So, she reached forward and squeezed one of his hands before turning back to reorganizing the box to how she wanted it to be.

After Shisui's visit, there wasn't exactly a stream of visitors to the house, Kakashi's land was fairly far off the beaten path of many locals—but this meant that only those who felt obligated by kinship or genuine friendship came bearing gifts. Among those visitors was the lord of Fujimi, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who arrived at their door alone, his servants banished to waiting at the road with Tenzou. In his arms was a little brown dog, squirming and wriggling to escape him, but Sarutobi-sama was having none of that and although he appeared old and frail he was still strong enough to hold on to a half-grown puppy.

Sakura envied his ability to maintain his composure in the face of so wriggly an animal through his greeting.

"Kakashi, I see you're still as fresh-faced as a boy—even my son is growing a proper beard these days, but here you are looking as though you were twelve again," he sighed before forcibly passing the little dog to Kakashi and turning to Sakura.

"And you must be Sakura, I haven't heard much about you that wasn't pure rumor—although if Shisui is to be believed you make excellent tea and conversation? I met him on the road coming here, where he fobbed his own tales on me, as though I were his nattering elderly uncle rather than his father's sworn lord. But I digress—just how are your skills with tea, Hatake Sakura?" The hopeful tilt to his question had Sakura blushing at the strange compliment assigned to her by someone she had only met hours ago, passed on to someone she had only just laid eyes on. Kakashi tried to say something, but Sarutobi had already whisked into the house and Sakura rushed after him to keep him out of trouble—for she was suddenly quite sure that Sarutobi-sama was a mischief maker, one that Kakashi's pranks wouldn't hold a candle against. He had found her tea setting quickly enough and settled himself serenely there by the time she and Kakashi caught up with him. The little puppy was gently set on the floor by Kakashi where it darted in and around the three of them.

With a glance at Kakashi to see his nod, Sakura started preparing the tea—what else could they do, really? Sakura focused on her work as Kakashi spoke with their guest. The puppy settled down next to her, leaning up against her leg. As she served each cup she took the time to inspect the little dog. It was of an unusual coloring for an Akita, and it appeared to be smaller than most she had seen at this age. So they had gotten the discolored runt of the litter, but Sakura didn't mind. The little dog was adorable.

"Kakashi, I have to offer you congratulations on your marriage—it seemed more and more unlikely as the years passed, I am glad for you," Sarutobi said in what was probably his sagest voice as Sakura passed him his tea.

"I can only thank you that you granted me permission to do so," Kakashi murmured.

"Granted? I've been trying to find you a wife for ages ever since my son married that lord's daughter and my nephew married the Yuuhi girl—Lord Uchiwa is not the only man who considered you as another son, Kakashi! And you were so forlorn when Obito married Rin ten years ago, one might have even thought you were in love with the girl. But Sakura is a fine choice for a wife—especially for you, you'll both get stares in town rather than just one of you."

"Sakura is certainly of a unique appearance, one which I find quite lovely," Kakashi replied, but Sakura noticed his sudden alertness, his facial muscles tightening as though he were angry and not showing it. He couldn't defend her, she realized, if Sarutobi decided he disliked her.

The puppy whimpered at her side for a moment before calming.

"So what are you going to name that little dog—I was very lucky to have a litter born in time for your wedding, as a perfect gift to a new couple. If you train him right, he will guard you and your family faithfully for all his life." Without even a gesture or a mention of her name, Sakura knew exactly what he was talking about. Sarutobi was hinting at the legacy of Kakashi's family being passed on. She hoped her cheeks weren't as on fire as she feared they were.

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