DISCLAIMER- I own nothing!
….
"-no, just the powder. I want just the powder."
Daisuke, a merchant from Tea, was my new favourite person.
Who knew cocoa powder was so hard to come by?
"Domo arigato!" I bowed extra low as I clasped said powder to my chest. The man, who could have only been in his early twenties, blushed crimson in embarrassment. He was just starting out, from what I could tell, and I wondered if I was one of the few who'd given him a chance.
"Maa, Dazai-san, please don't-!" He rubbed his neck, obviously embarrassed, but I maintained my 90-degrees bow a moment longer.
"But, of course! You've really, really helped me, Tanizaki-san. Please bring me some more next month!"
Once I had wrangled an agreement from the man, I skipped off happily to – you guessed it – Ichiraku's.
"Teuchi-san!" I crowed joyfully, all but flinging the bag of cocoa across the counter, "look! Look! My desserts just got so much more interesting!" the man in question thoughtfully peaked inside the bag, eying the dirt-like powder dubiously, before he apparently decided to simply trust my judgement. A tiny Ayame (around 5) was poking around the crates of fresh ingredients and I was momentarily distracted by her cuteness. Her cheeks were huge, so utterly pinch-able…
"Kiharu-chan, you've supplied me with dessert for over a year now. Perhaps, you would consider having a small stand open in here, to sell more goods?" the ramen-chef smiled warmly, no hint of deception or pressure in his eyes.
Oh Kami-sama. Oh, Kami.
"Yes!" I breathed, face split in a massive grin.
This was the start of it all.
The bakery, making a name for myself (in the way I actually wanted) and not having to work for someone else. I could make a difference, maybe even get a seat on the civilian council when I was old and grey. It sounded stupid, but business ran the word; whether shinobi or civilian. With my links to a good few of the Rookie 9 already, I could probably push forward some legislation through the Hokage office via Shika-
"I would love to Teuchi-san, so long as we are equal partners in it; when I'm older, with my own bakery, of course this place will be a most beloved business partner!" I ended with a cheeky wink and the older man chuckled happily.
"Deal!"
After the details (profits, selections, deliveries, etc.) had been hammered out, I all but raced through my market shopping. Running home was dusty (because I was excited, dammit) and, by the end of it, I was sweaty and red faced (even though I had meticulously kept up with Dad's morning routine).
That afternoon was fantastic. Experimenting with tempering chocolate (it had been years) and then making a ganache, I was stuffed before 4pm and in no state to make dinner. Even the thought of it made me want to die.
I'm having…urgh, a food baby.
They had chocolate here already but…it wasn't the same as European or American chocolate, which used a fuck tonne more cream and sugar. Homemade chocolate for Valentine's or White Day wasn't quite the same as all the crazy stuff I was itching to try out.
In a couple of years, I would undoubtedly have medics breaking down my door for introducing a new level of health problems to Konoha. Oops.
So far, I was still determined to keep it slow, I had only made basic cubes of chocolate (some of them were down-right hideous, hilariously) and a bowl of ganache.
Or at least I had. Until I ate it all.
I'm a very weak person, okay?
Dragging my unwilling body from where I had carelessly slumped onto the floor, I slowly started tidying up the bombsite that was the kitchen. It was quite embarrassing how hard these techniques were when it had been almost a decade and in a body with none of the muscle memory.
Wow, that was weird to think.
Regardless, it took an annoyingly long time to get everything sorted. And then I settled in to make duck pancakes, knowing full well that it would smell so good I might actually be able to eat it.
Not because I was hungry, just because I'd want to…hehe.
When Hitoshi and Dad got back from their tracking mission (one could assume), they smelled strongly of smoke and were over three hours late. Not that they kept regular hours, being ninja and all. I mean, the amount of times dad would go to bed at 2pm because he had been on a mission for over 36 hours or whatever. The pancakes were still amazing reheated though, if Neko-tou's blissed out expression was anything to go by.
He found the energy to twirl me in a hug when I told him about my deal with Teuchi.
He'd been so proud, a beaming (if worn) grin on his face which stretched his tan cheeks and flashed white teeth. Papa looked so content in that instant, freshly showered and fed with my face nuzzled into his warm, fern-and-cinnamon chest, and I closed my eyes to memorize this perfect moment forever.
Sometimes it hit me just how much I truly adored my father.
I then made a point of teaching him how to waltz me around on his toes, just because I could. Unsurprisingly, being agile and a shinobi, he was able to pick it up extremely quickly. Hitoshi, slumped in an onyx pile of velvet fur as he lay along the sofa, occasionally purred in tune with our made-up music.
We twirled around the living room for hours, humming senseless melodies to ourselves as the house flushed pink and then purple in the late summer sunset.
…..
"…tilt your head up a bit..." Ensui murmured absentmindedly, as he slowly drew the brush across my closed eyelid.
Whilst Ensui used green eyeliner to make his hazel Nara eyes pop, we'd both agreed that a pale sky blue would look awesome with my colouring. I mean, sure I was only 8 but this was super fun! And I was firmly of the belief that makeup shouldn't be hiding your 'flaws' but as another form of artwork, used to eventuate features.
Some Instagram accounts had definitely treated the face as a canvas and I had completely approved.
Ensui, I decided early on, was my soulmate.
Now, I wasn't in love with him and I was just a kid in his eyes. It was more like 'platonic's, or whatever they'd been called in those fics. Like we were kindred spirits.
Honestly, sometimes I wondered how I'd lived both lives for so long without him.
He was just the best.
Ensui had the driest humour (even Hitoshi grudging admired it) and he slept all the time. But he never looked it! The guy could roll around on my sofa for four hours and then still sit up with hair pulled back into an artfully mussed ponytail and eyeliner perfect. And if it had smudged? It just looked smouldering.
I was insanely jealous.
"Hmm, that's a nice colour, Ki-chan," I felt Shisui lean in to take a look.
That was another point; Shisui had, somehow, hopped onto the bandwagon and we were now something of a trio. A trio of brunettes…?
I wondered how Ensui felt, hanging out with kids half his age. I mean, we were really mature but still.
Then again, he'd never given any sign he didn't want us there. After my memorable first meeting with him, Shisui had popped 'round (AKA Shunshining directly in front of me because he took joy in scaring me) and ended up being bullied by Yoshino into laundry duty with the older boy.
(I'd snickered gleefully at their suffering until Shikamaru's patting demanded purring instead)
They'd gotten into a friendly discussion on ninja stuff (who cares? Not me) and then, when I'd left to pick up my gelatine order from the Akimichi provider, both Shisui and Ensui had strolled along next to me like it happened every day.
"Teuchi asked me to make more desserts for Ichiraku's," I filled them in whilst Ensui worked. "He wants to have a stall inside the stand-" I paused to blink and look upwards as the blue was blended into my lower lash-line as well, "-that would sell some more sweets, like my own stall within his stall."
The older boy hummed in acknowledgement, using a pinkie to gently wipe away a smudge under my eye as he mumbled a distracted but sincere "well done,".
"Wow, Ki-chan, that's amazing. You're only eight and already building a business," the Uchiha congratulated me, bouncing over to sit next to me on the floor (or, rather, the Uchiha-version, which was just sliding in beside me and smiling happily). "Most people our age are only just applying for apprenticeships!" It was unspoken that those were only the civilians and that Shisui hadn't had a clue what civilian children did with their lives until he'd met me. Ensui too, actually.
"There, Kiharu-chan. How's that?" Ensui leaned back before pressing a mirror into my hands as my eyes blinked rapidly a few times. The lines that greeted me were smooth, blurring slightly into a faint smudge of pastel blue in my inner lid, before settling into a strong flick that extended from the outside corner. Despite the blue colour, it wasn't applied too thickly and the flick was only just long enough to make my eyes seem more almond shaped and the blue was light enough that it didn't look heavy or too unnatural on my young face. It was still nicely girly and made my navy eyes shine. Score!
"Ah, I love it!" I smiled happily before looking over to Hitoshi, for the approval of The Critic. The cat rolled his eyes but obediently replied.
"Very feline." And I smirked in triumph.
Blinking over at the Uchiha present, I deliberately fluttered my lashes gently.
Like the darling he was, Shisui did not disappoint.
"It looks really nice, Ki-chan." He smiled affectionately and I felt warm at the sight. He was like a little sun. Dammit, no wonder Kagami was Tobirama's favourite Uchiha, if this boy was anything like him! (I had been faithful Tobirama/Kagami trash before my death and somethings never change.)
Ensui, like any appreciated artist, ruffled his feathers smugly as he packed away his stuff.
"Hey!" Shisui complained, "Why can't I get cool eyeliner?"
The Nara and I shared a commiserating glance (and a sweatdrop) at the sight of our friend's impossible lashes.
Tch.
Later, my dad would have a heart attack at the makeup, convinced it was a sign that I was growing up too quickly (Hitoshi had drawled that 'Seiichi-sama' probably felt terrified that boys would notice how pretty I looked like that. I had been delighted at the compliment, if somewhat unintentional, and resolved to get Ensui to teach me).
Almost a week later, Dad left on a short mission and I, naturally, took advantage of the empty house.
I was revelling, dipping cream puffs into melted chocolate that tasted so good my eyes rolled back in my head, when the ANBU dropped through the window.
With a shriek, I threw myself to the side, like dad had taught me when avoiding possible missiles, before my mind caught up with itself as I lay on the cold tiles. Then I realised that there could be very few reasons a Black Ops member would come calling.
Who…?
I jerked to my feet, staggering closer a few steps, before the ANBU spoke.
"Dazai-san, your presence has been requested at the hospital on behalf of Jonin Shiranui Genma."
My vision tunnelled as the bottom dropped out of my world.
Nee-chan.
I must have looked appalling, I thought abstractly, for the ANBU offered me a hand after a moment of hesitation.
"I will escort you there, if you wish."
Without a second thought, I slapped my palm into his and then we were gone.
The world swam and shifted like it was vibrating. It was over in an instant that had felt like an eternity. And I immediately thanked my escort by being violently sick on their sandals. Shunshin. How the fuck did Shisui do it?
"Kiharu!" hands grasped me, pulling my hair back from my face and wiping a tissue across my mouth. I didn't even realise I was crying until hands were frantically stroking my cheeks and then I was pulled into a scalding hot hug.
Since when did I get so cold?
The person smelled like toffee (mine) and grass-cuttings, their shoulder's lower than mine. Shisui.
We were moving now, my legs mechanically shuffling along and my head shoved into my best friend's neck. His arms clutched me so tightly against him, I wondered if we could count as one person. Muffled voices all around us echoed strangely and Shisui was responding. My ears buzzed and I felt more than heard him speak.
"-not sure what-,"
"-Izumo asked for Ki-cha-,"
'-ambushed-,"
A flurried conversation and then a hot breath was whispering desperately into my ear and my heart stopped feeling like it had been cloven in two.
"He's going to live, Ki-chan."
He was going to live.
We weren't allowed into the ward.
Genma was only just out of emergency surgery (I tried not to think about that) and was still being dressed and cleaned up.
I sat, half in Shisui's lap and squashed up against Izumo (who, in turn, was pressed into Kotetsu) as we waited on the benches. The boy's eyes were swollen from crying, not that I could say I'd faired any better. We all looked appalling and I knew that Shisui had just come back from a mission, clothing ripped and filthy in places.
There was blood too.
The medics had healed him but the half-dried crimson, that had soaked one arm and blotched his back, told a gruesome story. He hadn't been able to say much to the boys and nothing to me but…the timings were too perfect and I realised, with a horror that twisted my stomach again, that he'd been with Genma.
Needless to say, there was no antagonism between the boys anymore.
When evening threatened to become night and there was still no sign of being allowed in, Inoichi-oji came for us. The boys put up a fight but we were all so exhausted it didn't last long. When we made it to the reception, garnering pitying looks the entire time, my plans to go home and cry were foiled somewhat.
"Oh no, you don't," Kotetsu grabbed my hand, my other arm still firmly wrapped around Shisui's waist (his was still clutching my shoulder and I was scared to ask what had happened on the mission to make him so clingy), and pulled me (and therefore Shisui) after himself and Izumo. "You're staying with us tonight; you can't go home alone!"
The flat felt silent and dark without Genma's relaxed but solid presence. The pale-yellow walls looked washed out and, even with all the lights on, the shadows seemed to creep across the room.
It had been a while since I had nightmares or let my overactive imagination get the better of me. I found myself pressing desperately into Shisui's warmth as figures danced in the corner of my eyes and I spooked myself when Izumo closed a cupboard a bit too loudly. It wasn't cowardice, I reminded myself. It was comfort.
Shisui stayed, by unspoken agreement.
When dawn broke, the four of us were huddle like puppies across two futons we'd pushed together in the living room. Izu and Tetsu were a sprawl of limbs and I cracked open my eyes to see Shisui's face less than two inches away, opposite my own. His shoulder was pressed into mine, hands clasped and legs entwined. His mouth was open a crack and he drooled slightly. That was okay, I knew I snored a bit.
I went back to sleep, pressing back into Kotetsu's warmth behind me.
We were roused from our sleep by the bang of the front door. The boys, paranoia already setting in, grabbed the nearest weapon to them as we poked our head into the kitchen.
We were greeted by the sight of Hitoshi holding a paper take-away bag in his mouth.
Okay, Firstly? that's so unhygienic, 'Toshi! You lick your own crotch with that mouth and kill birds. Secondly? How in the actual hell did he get in here without opposable thumbs? Forget that, how did he get human food? He has no money and who would sell it to a panther? Well…if he stole it then, at least the 'trail' led to Genma's and not ours.
And then the smell of hot and fresh meat-buns hit us and our four stomachs growled in union.
When the boys crowed with happiness, scampering forwards, Hitoshi looked away with disgust and ignored their attempts to retrieve the bag.
"Brats, the food is for the cub."
As the boys stood frozen in shock and betrayal, I beamed in triumph and launched myself at the cat, babbling about how much he really did love me. Hitoshi weathered the attention admirably, as I plonked myself in between his forelegs and immediately shoved a roll in my face.
A glance at the boys, upon whom a black fog had descended, and I tossed them each a bun.
Just to disperse the atmosphere, of course.
When I tried to needle Hitoshi about his actions, he simply started towards the door. His words, however, succeeded in cracking the cheerful façade we'd all tried to maintain.
"Genma's awake."
We bolted.
"Nee-chan," I whispered, curling my fingers gently around his hand. The other arm was firmly strapped (broken, my mind supplied), as was his left leg. Bandages covered most of his skin, from what I could tell, and they wrapped around his neck as well.
I tried not to think about why he'd need them there.
The medics had done all they could for now, but there was only so much foreign chakra a body could take in a short amount of time and so the senbon-user would be bed-bound for a good few weeks.
I knew that Genma was a Tokubetsu Jonin and an assassination specialist. He'd worked alongside the other elite guards and I figured he was ANBU as well.
Didn't mean I was okay with this.
Shisui, I knew, would also be entering ANBU as well, sometime in the next few years. He'd only been Chuunin for a few months when we met but he was still insanely 'talented'. Speaking of, Itachi would start the academy in the next term, which meant his ridiculously early graduation was already looming (and don't even get me started on how people thought a seven-year-old would make an excellent killer, just because he was smarter), and I suspected that these two had been on the same squad. There was annoying little included in Canon about Shisui's life, I internally griped for the millionth time.
I was going to lose my mind when my friends all started taking lives in earnest, like other shinobi. I mean, Shisui had been one of the extreme few marked 'Flee-on-Sight' in the Bingo Books, alongside the Sannin and Minato etc., and he'd died at 16. I wasn't sure how I was going to cope, knowing that they were killing and torturing and maimin-
But I knew I'd have to.
I could never be a killer, I had never once considered being a Shinobi. I'd had decades of in my first life, supporting rights movements and world peace. There had been no way in hell I was going to surrender my morals for a few 'awesome' ninja moves. My ambition for a successful business wasn't just so that I could eat a shit tonne of cake or start pissing over the Civilian council. I wanted to create a safe place, for myself and my loved ones, far away from the bloodshed and violence. As stupidly idealistic as that sounded.
But, for the boys?
I hated it. I wasn't like other civilians, who feared shinobi and so reviled them. I hated the system, both civilian and ninja, for what it made people. I hated how it was considered normal, no, good if a child wanted to become a killer. That I was thought of as weak for choosing not to. But, I wasn't going to let that hold me back.
I'd loved my father from the get go in this world and I would be damned if I didn't extend the same courtesy to my other precious people.
Genma had had it, that courtesy, for a very long time. But seeing him, so broken and knowing that no one could tell me anything except "mission, details classified," stung like salt in a wound. I didn't want to know but the fact that I couldn't, even if I'd wanted to, was aggravating on a new level.
The man in question flicked half-closed eyes to mine and his mouth, strange without the usual senbon, curled into a weak smile.
I held his hand for a long time anyway.
…
The rest of the week was spent visiting Genma in the hospital – with his favourite matcha-cream filled donuts, of course – and having Izumo and Kotetsu sleeping over at mine. I didn't want them alone in the apartment, in all honestly. Naturally, Tou-san had kicked up a fuss until the boys had been allocated the room furthest from mine. Tch. The boys were 13; we were only children, silly fool!
When Friday rolled around, I pulled my little red cart (filled with boxed food, of course) to the ramen stand around 7am.
I'd figured a smaller selection that had enough variety was the best way to start off. Of course, I had to include my classic 'Sun tarts' and one large Yondaime's, if people wanted to buy slices instead. Then, there were also glazed ring and jam donuts, cream puffs (with either caramel or chocolate glaze), pancakes (that Teuchi could easily reheat to order), mini Matcha cheesecakes and my new chocolate torte.
This was going to be brilliant. I hoped.
Teuchi had set up a small fridge counter, at the end of the original, for all the goodies to be safely stored and browsed by the customers. I laid the dishes out in neat rows with little paper-lace doilies under every one and with crimson ribbons on the fridge. Maybe not that most harmonious look with the theme of Ichiraku, but I thought it looked adorable. Ayame's starry eyes were certainly encouraging.
I mean, she was five but still…
I was really nervous.
After we'd all set up, it was almost half nine. I popped back home to collect a few supplies (which somehow turned into two hours) before I made my way to my second stop that day.
Mikoto's house.
Now, I know, I know, it was sad, just how determined I was to make Itachi see the light. Most Fridays, I made a point of delivering dessert to the Uchiha Head family for Itachi to try. The Uchiha on guard, Atsushi (I was on first-name basis with all of them by now and made a point to always have their favourite sweets on hand for when I stopped by. It was good publicity, okay!) smiled at me – his lips twitched – when I pressed a sun tart into his hand. Akane-sama was next, with a delivery of red velvet, and then I was marching up to Itachi's house once more.
The poor, misguided boy had particularly enjoyed the chocolate torte from last week but gone silent when I'd wheedled him about dango comparisons.
I almost felt bad.
Well, I did, up until I walked in on the younger boy with a stick on dango shoved in his mouth.
I was gonna frickin kill him.
"Itachi!" I slammed the bowl of melted chocolate onto the table between us, throwing the bag of marshmallows I'd made (which took days to remember correctly and by then, I'd spent way too much on wasted ingredients) at his face. "How could you?! Look-," I jabbed a finger at the chocolate dipping sauce I'd made (which thankfully hadn't started to set), "I made this for you and this is how you repay me?"
Slowly, slowly, as one would when approaching a wild animal, Itachi pulled the dango from his mouth and dipped it into the sauce before taking another bite.
My eye twitched. How dare he…
An expression of pure rapture spread across Itachi's usually stoic face like the sunrise coming over the hills. A smile- an honest to Kami, genuine smile- stretched his lips and his black eyes sparkled up at me happily, even as he fucking pulled out another stick and dunked it generously into the bowl of chocolate. Even Sasuke-chibi, curled into his brother's side with fluffy hair that already stuck up, looked like he was paying as much attention as a baby could.
I was flabbergasted. Not only was that particular combination gross (it was dango, duh- sticky and chewy and just wrong- with luscious chocolate) but-
He was smiling. With rose petals!
B-but it was still dango-!
Small arms wrapped around my waist and Itachi, still smiling openly with the dango stick poking out one side of his mouth, buried his head in my stomach.
"Thank you, Kiharu-chan, I loved it."
Mikoto squealed behind me as she scooped up her youngest, babbling on about weddings and dream daughters-in-law and my soul started escaping my body. Oh, the horror – fucking dango…!
Who said the Uchiha were stoic assholes again?
At that point, the door slid open again to reveal a tall man.
Mikoto's laughter broke off abruptly and Itachi was suddenly stood in front of me, like he'd not even been glomping me half-a-second beforehand.
The man – obviously an Uchiha – was silent but the harsh frown-lines, that may as well have been carved into his stiff face, spoke volumes.
Shit, I not met Fugaku yet.
…
A/N- new chapter! I'm glad that the news of Kiharu's love life seemed to go down so well! This chapter was actually really strange to write as I've planned the plot so far ahead, it feels weird to go back a few steps and write 4k+ words! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! Please review/fav/follow x
P.s- was I the only one who put on green eyeliner after these last two chapters?