Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 25: Being Pulled in Opposite Directions
Tsunade bit the inside of her thumbnail. The energy rolling off of her was particularly volatile, it could spark a forest fire if the conditions were just right. The divet in between her brows was very pronounced.
"What?" She seethed. Her eyes never left the glass container because it was the reason for her agitation.
"Bad time?" He asked as if he were completely obvious to the ample context clues. He leaned against one of the lab tables, the picture of nonchalance. He picked at his teeth with his pinky fingernail.
"What do you want?" Each word was punctuated with an angry breath. Her eyes were so focused on the purple sludge that she could only be trying to lift the container with telekinesis.
"Tsunade," he breathed in frustration. "It's been days. You're going to make yourself crazy. Take a break."
She ignored him and continued to chew on her thumbnail. Nothing made sense. Inanimate things did not simply change their whole chemical composition on a whim. If anything she would have expected the poison to only grow less potent with age as it broke down, not transform.
"Why don't you go examine Bat? Go outside. Get some fresh air. Shower maybe?" He supplied suggestions like the helpful individual he was.
She did not bother to breathe the words of just where he could shove his suggestions. She pinched the bridge of her nose. The damn thing was taunting her. The answer was right in front of her. She could feel it.
"Do you think being without a host could have caused the change?" He changed tactics. If he could not convince her to let it go, maybe he could throw some things on the wall until something stuck.
She shook her head. She rubbed her lilac seal absentmindedly. "No, it had been without a host for days prior to the change. And if that were the case the change should have been gradual, not instantaneous."
He studied his nails. "Could it be that the person who created it is manipulating it remotely somehow?"
She paused. She closed her eyes as she thought about it. "I've never heard of anything like that before."
He looked up with interest. "So it is possible?"
She turned to look at him. Everything about her person was serious. "Technically, I suppose it is. I don't know enough to rule it out."
"Do you know where to get more information to make that call?" He brought his palm to lay flat against the cool black countertop.
Tsunade pressed her lips together. "I suppose I do." She had access to both the archives and the Senju Library. Even the Uzumaki scrolls her grandmother had.
"Great," he looked at her with bright eyes. "Let's go."
She pinned him with a look. "You're seriously offering to help?"
He shrugged, not offended by what she was implying. "I may not be an expert like you, but I excel at gathering information. I detect patterns as well as the next guy."
She crossed her arms. "This is a little different. You can't seduce your intel from a scroll or book."
He kept his expression neutral. "I can read, you know." He reminded her.
She spared him a sidelong glance. "It will be a late night," she warned.
He grinned. "I'll bring the booze." He paused. "And the food."
Tsunade looked at his face. He was not the person she wanted to be backing her up on this, but he was better than nothing. The fewer people that were pulled in the better.
"Fine. Come to my place at 7. Don't be late." They could start with the scrolls she had at home.
"It's a date." He grinned.
She rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming."
His investigation was keeping his mind and body engaged. It also allowed him something he desperately needed right now: distance. Distance from the consequences of his own actions. She had almost died and his last words to her were cruel. His would be last words to her were meant to hurt her. She almost died and had she done so he never would have forgiven himself for saying what he did.
The investigation was just what he needed to focus his time and energy on. It was his penance. It would be his redemption if he could find the person responsible for this whole thing. If he had a head to offer at their feet, all would be forgiven and forgotten. His sensei would be safe and the other would be without stress. Actions spoke louder than words and he needed every bit of volume he could get to drown out the ugliness that had been said.
He kept going over the four names on the mental list in his head. He did not want to take the risk of writing them down. He would share them with the Hokage when it was just the two of them. He supposed it would not hurt to have Shikaku in the room. While Shikaku did not know the ANBU as well as Wolf did - which was not saying much, as they were not a friendly bunch - his insights usually added value regardless of the situation. He looked at the sky, the sun was still stubbornly in the sky. It would stay that way for a couple more hours.
The investigation would salvage his existing relationships but it was no longer enough. The investigation was not enough. His old life was not enough.
He filed away whatever was swimming in his head, that was for Wolf. Kakashi had a very different objective in mind now. He turned his head. It was as if she was walking in slow motion towards him. He would be lying if he said he was not a little bit scared. Being a shinobi, that made sense to him. Even with ground-shaking discoveries and new abilities, he could still hold his head above water. He always knew which way was up and which was down.
Navigating the game of dating, that quickly pulled him out of his depths. He did not remember his mother. His father never remarried. He never had a relationship dynamic modeled for him. Not until he saw his two sensei anyway. And from an outsider looking in it was just Sakura dictating things with Minato following along. He was not sure if that was the norm or the exception.
His dad passed before he was even old enough to ask about these kinds of things. They were more and less all he had to go off on. But Shizune and Sakura were fundamentally different people. Even if he and Minato shared some similarities. He did not know how to account for the differences. He did not know how they affected the equation. They seemed happy enough. He figured he could be satisfied with something akin to it. He was a reasonable man. He did not ask for much.
Obito and Rin were even more different still. Rin was smart. Obito was less so. He was sure that changed the variables even more. It was sad now that he was thinking about it. He did not know many couples closely. His list ended with two, he was not even sure it qualified as a list if he was being completely honest. He had even gone as far as to read Jiraiya's first book of the Icha Icha Paradise franchise. It was about halfway through that he remembered that Jiraiya was a bachelor and dubbed a pervert by nearly every woman that was in his life. So despite him actually enjoying the literature he had stopped there. That was one moniker he would gladly do without.
He looked at her. The black dress she wore was very different from the black dress she normally wore. He could see her legs. He could not stop looking at her knees. Logically he knew she had them but now he had definitive proof that she did in fact have knees and they were very nice knees. She had her short hair pinned to one side. He could see the side of her neck. He had a feeling there were a lot of firsts about to happen.
She looked at him almost glumly. He looked down at his person. He was wearing a black shirt and black pants. Sure, it was not fancy but it was different from his usual get up and they were wrinkle-free and clean. He valued hygiene and from her profession, he assumed she did too.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him. The deep wine hue to her lips was very distracting. "I'm giving you a chance to back out."
He stared at her confused. He was not sure what could have possibly given her the impression of the contrary. He had been on time - early even. He was dressed up, for his standards. He handed her a single red rose awkwardly.
"Take it." He mumbled.
She smiled. "Thanks." She took it from his hand. Their fingers brushed. She brought it to her nose. She took a deep inhale. "It's really pretty."
He looked at her face tinted in a rosy hue.
"You're really pretty?" It came across as closer to a question than a statement and his tone was hesitant. He wished he had the forethought to wear his gloves, they would have wicked the moisture from his palms away.
"Thanks." Her smile reached her eyes this time. She looked at the ground. "You look pretty too." She looked at him shyly, her blush deepened.
He stood there unsure of whether to take it as a compliment or an insult. If she had been Obito there could only be one way to take it. Women were a conundrum.
"Thank you?" Heat flooded his cheeks.
She shook her head. Amusement danced in her eyes. "As much as I love standing around here, I just had a long shift. My feet are killing me in these shoes, so what do you say we go sit down?"
He instantly felt himself relax. She may look different but she was more or less acting the same. That he could roll with. He offered his arm to her like the gentleman he was pretending to be. She took it with a small laugh.
"So we're really doing this huh?" She asked him softly.
He nodded. "Looks like." He matched her tone.
She turned to look at him. "Full disclosure, I don't know what I'm doing. I haven't been on a real date before." She looked almost embarrassed at the admission. "I just want to put it out there in case there's any confusion."
He looked at her. The unease melted away. "No confusion here." He searched her eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing either." He admitted with as much nonchalance as he could muster.
She grinned. Her eyes seemed to light up. "Look at us, a pair of amateurs."
"I'm not an amateur." It slipped before could stop himself.
She laughed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you are." She patted his arm. "It's okay though. We'll figure it out together." She looked at the restaurant. She sighed. "And don't take this the wrong way but I'm not really feeling a stuffy meal in a stuffy place. I've been inside all day. What do you say we go get some takeout and eat it by the river bank?"
He furrowed his brow. He looked at her dress. "Won't your clothes get dirty?"
She moved her hand down to his. She swung their connected arms. "You don't have a jacket for me to sit on?" She batted her eyelashes at him.
He blinked rapidly in succession. "Was I supposed to bring one?" It felt like he failed a test.
She grinned. "See, what did I tell you? Amateur," she pulled him down the street. "Don't worry about the dress. Let's go get some food."
He did not fight it, any of it. The way her hand felt against his, the sound of her laughter, the greasy junk food they ate under the stars with their cans of beer, the way her shoulder kept bumping into his when she laughed, or how she got way too competitive when it came to skipping rocks. It was nice. All of it. He did not even mind that the food was fried. The company more than made up for that fact.
He did not react when Shun appeared out of seemingly nowhere just as he was leaving the house. Shun had enough sense to wait for him to turn the corner before springing on him.
"Cousin," his lips tugged into an unkind smile. "Just the Uchiha I wanted to see."
Itachi kept his expression neutral. He knew better than to get his hopes up. Shun seemed to enjoy playing games. He constantly kept the ground shifting from underneath his feet. Never allowing him to get too comfortable.
"Oniisan," he greeted back. He noted that Shun was in the official police uniform, which meant he was officially on duty.
"How is the Hokage and his beautiful family?" The blankness of his eyes implied that Shun could not care less about the answer. Itachi said nothing. He held Shun's gaze. The Uchiha gestured for him to fall in step with him. Itachi obliged him.
"I thought we could take a walk around this village of ours." He inhaled deeply. "Maybe we will see something exciting today." Itachi kept his quiet streak going. He did not like the gleam in Shun's eye.
They passed by the Hyuga Clan gates. After several more minutes of walking, they were by the Nara Compound. Shun talked about this and that as they walked through the village. Itachi kept an eye on him and his eyes on his surroundings. The seventy or odd-minute tour ended back where they started. The hot wind moved through the trees. It sounded like they were on the shore of a beach.
"What did you see, Itachi?" Shun looked at him expectantly.
"The clans of Konoha," Itachi answered without missing a beat. Shun had made a point of walking by all nine of the prominent clans that made up the village. The clans that held council seats. The clans that helped shape laws and kept the ruler in check. The checks and balances behind the Hokage. The very system that ensured balance in the village.
Shun frowned. He was dissatisfied with the answer. "If I wanted the obvious answer I would not have asked you."
Itachi furrowed his brow. He thought back to what he saw. The clans, their emblems, their structures, their ways. He thought about what they all had in common.
"Separation," He said in realization. They stood out and were apart from everyone else. They announced who they were and where their loyalties began and ended.
Shun smiled. It was the first genuine one that Itachi had seen. "See? I knew you would not disappoint me." His eyes took on a far-off look. "Disunity that is what I wanted to show you. The village is divided into at least nine parts and that's just the major clans. It does not even begin to cover the hundreds of smaller clans that exist within the village. How can there be one Konoha when there is so much disharmony? When everyone thinks differently. When their loyalties are to their ways and their customs?"
Itachi watched as Shun's face became more reflective.
"The answer is there can't be. One united Konoha is a myth. It is a fool's dream. It is a lie that was manufactured to keep us from seeing the truth. That as long as there is division, there will always be infighting. There would always be conflict. There cannot be one. There never was one. The rules differ from clan to clan. How can we be expected to police and govern them when they do not recognize the legitimacy of village law?"
"You can't," Itachi answered. It was true, what clans got away with under the guise of tradition and clan customs would never fly under the general rule of law. The Bird Seal was one such instance.
Shun nodded. His expression was solemn. "The title of Hokage means nothing. Each clan governs itself, they do as they please. The Hokage is nothing but a glorified babysitter that keeps the clans happy, ensuring no one clan gets too much more powerful than the others."
Itachi felt the pieces slowly come together. "What are you saying, Oniisan?" He did not want to disrupt Shun's strangely sharing mood. But he also needed concrete words out of his mouth. Innuendo would not be enough. Shun was smart. He understood how the system worked.
"I'm saying that my dream is to unite Konoha." Shun looked at him.
Itachi felt the wind being knocked out of him. His thoughts were racing so fast in his head that he did not know where one ended and the other started. They all overlapped.
Shun studied him critically. "Will you help me, Itachi?" He asked him steadily.
Itachi nodded his head. "Yes." He said without hesitation.
Shun smirked. "Good answer." He looked back at the high density of the homes in the current block.
"How will you do it?" Itachi asked him. He was being pushy but he wanted to make the most of the opportunity. Maybe Shun would see it as eagerness.
Shun tutted. "Now, now cousin. Be patient. It will all come together in due time."
Itachi tried not to let the frustration he felt shine through to his exterior. He did not flinch when Shun slung his arm around his neck. "Now, I promised you a show didn't it?" He grinned down at the Uchiha. Itachi let himself be led further into the village. Every nerve in his gut screamed at him to turn around.
She watched Naruto play on the playground. It had been a hectic morning. She had visited Ban and delivered his cookies to him. Work was pure madness. She was still playing catch-up from missing two days in a row. The stack of paperwork was so big she considered having her mailing address changed to her desk. She did not see an end in sight at all. They had slipped out for their lunch hour. She figured Naruto could blow off some steam and get in some Vitamin D before they grabbed something at the hospital cafeteria. She was starting to really feel pregnant now. It was like every time she blinked she felt bigger. She crossed her ankles. She looked at her brooding companion. She had run into him purely coincidentally but she supposed that was only on her end. It probably took more planning from him.
Or she had just become pitifully predictable. "What is it, Obito-kun?" She asked him as she had grown tired of his exaggerated sighing. It was really ruining the whole inner zen thing she was trying to project.
"I don't know what I'm doing wrong, Sakura-sensei." He all but groaned out.
The corner of her lips twitched upwards. "Can you be more specific, please?"
He looked like a wounded puppy. If she tilted her head just so, he was thirteen again. "Sakura-sensei! I'm serious." He whined.
She winced. His voice cracked from going too high of an octave. She sighed. She swung her legs back and forth. She rested a hand on her stomach. She waited for him to provide more context. She was not about to ask again.
He looked over at her. His bottom lip hung out past his top one. "I tell her every day I'm going to marry her. Everyday! I propose and still nothing. You don't think she is one of those who doesn't want to get married types? What are they called…feminists?"
She rolled her eyes. "Boy, Obito, you're lucky that Rin thinks you're cute because you don't have much going on upstairs." She leaned back. She could practically feel the steam coming out of his ears.
He glowered at her. "Aren't moms supposed to be nice?"
She scoffed. "I must have missed the parenting book where they listed that requirement."
Obito scowled. "I've seen your kid eat dirt. More than once. I saw with my own two eyes that he did not like it the first time but he tried again anyway. Same result."
Sakura sighed. "He may not be the sharpest but he does have the best immune system of all the kids in his age group." She grinned at him. The pride was evident in her eyes. She had to take the wins where she could.
Obito made a face. "You're so weird, sensei." He loved her but he wondered just what convinced his sensei that she was the one.
Sakura's eyes softened. She regarded Obito with her emerald eyes. She had her fun now it was time to actually help.
"You tell Rin every day you're going to marry her. While it is great that you announce your intentions every day. That's not the same thing as proposing every day." She looked at his confused face. "Have you ever actually asked her?" Sakura asked him gently.
Obito looked down at his hands. "What, like getting down on one knee?" He rested the back of his head in his hands. He made a face. "No. That's dumb."
Sakura shook her head. "Well, maybe that is what she's waiting for. For you to ask and not to declare." She nudged him gently with her elbow. There was only so much she could do. She could bring a dumbass to water but it was up to him to decide to drink or not.
"Minato-sensei didn't do that for you." Obito shot back. "He said it as a statement, a declaration."
She smiled at the memory. He had managed to make one of the worst days of her life end on a high note. She ran her finger along the thin scar on her palm. It felt like yesterday.
"It was different in our case, Obito. I put him through the wringer. He was patient with me and all my hangups and issues. He worked with them. He showed me every day that he was not going anywhere. He was consistent. He was kind. He was patient. So it was different - special - when he took the initiative and made the suggestion."
She sighed. She considered how patient he had been with her and how he continued to be. She wished she had picked up some of his many good qualities. She vowed to herself to be more patient with him.
Obito's eyes darkened as the words washed over him. He did not understand all of it but he did think he understood enough. "I think I understand what you're saying, Sakura-sensei." He said earnestly.
Sakura smiled and patted his knee. "Good." It had been a while since she had been to a wedding. There was a lightness in her chest as she thought about it some more. They really had grown up. Pretty soon they could have families of their own if they so chose to.
"I missed this, sensei." He smiled at her. His eyes crinkled.
"Me too, Obi-kun." She matched his expression with ease. The bubbles threatened to make her airborne. She reached out and rapt her knuckles along the top of his head fondly. "I'm proud of you." She grinned. "Anything for my favorite student."
Obito rolled his eyes. The large smile never left his face. "Right. All three of us can't be your favorite."
She wrinkled her nose. "I love all my children equally." She said firmly.
His expression turned serious. "I'm glad you're okay, sensei." She saw the worry in his eyes. She felt guilt rise up in her.
"I'm okay, Obito. It's going to take more than a little gas to get rid of me." She looked him square in the eye.
He nodded. "I'll hold you to it." He got up. He held out his hand. "Let me walk you to the hospital."
She took it. She looped her arm in his. "Don't you have anything better to do than help an old lady?" Her eyes widened. "I'm not going to be the old lady in your excuse story the next time you're late am I?" She asked him in horror.
He chuckled. He rubbed the back of his head. "No promises." He made a face like he had just smelled something rotting. "Although it is weird to think about you and sensei, like you know, since you guys are so old."
She looked at him with an agape mouth. "Excuse me! I'm not that old. I'm not dust yet. Why are you even thinking about it?!" She asked him incredulously. She lowered her voice. "You know what is actually gross? I have way too much information about your romantic adventures with Rin." She shuddered. "So can it. I don't want to hear it. Besides, be careful what you say around Naruto. The kid has dog ears."
Obito blanched. He looked at her with a cringing face. "Sorry, sensei." He looked at Naruto who was trying unsuccessfully to climb a tree. "Oi, Little Man!" He called out to him. The boy looked at him. His eyes were bright. Obito had his full attention. "Time to go."
"Okay!" Naruto ran towards them. He held his hands up. "Carry me!" Obito sighed. Sakura watched as he scooped Naruto up onto his shoulders. The blond was beside himself in joy.
"You're such a pushover," there was no denying the warmth in her voice.
"Nah, he's not going to stay little forever. Got to make the most of the time we have before he has competition." Obito grinned.
She shook her head. She did not want to think too deeply about his words. He was right, pretty soon Naruto would be off to the academy. And not too long after he would be off into the world without her or his father to watch him. She bit her lip. She wanted to freeze time.
She zoned out as Naruto and Obito chatted animatedly. She was on autopilot.
"Can we stop by the orphanage before we head back? I haven't seen Kushina-chan in a while." She interrupted them with her suggestion.
Naruto's eyes went wide with excitement. "Yeah, can we?" He looked down at Obito pleadingly.
"I don't see why not. I've got time." He made a right. Sakura brushed the tips of her fingers along the cool stone wall as they walked.
They slowed their pace as they came up to a crowd that was gathered. Sakura furrowed her brow. She stood up on her toes, she could not see past the multiple heads that were standing looking in the same general direction. She could barely make out the sounds of someone yelling over the murmurs.
"Hey," Naruto frowned. He leaned forward. He brought a hand to shield his eyes. "Why is that man yelling at Obachan?" He asked, clearly upset.
Sakura and Obito exchanged looks. Sakura was the first one to react. She started to weave her way through the crowd.
"Sensei!" Obito called out to her, surprised.
He ran after her. She was smaller than him so it was easier for her to slip past. She was a good ten, fifteen feet in front of him. He could just make out the pink of her hair.
"Faster," Naruto micromanaged from his perch.
"I'm trying, Little Man." Obito squeezed through two civilians. He nearly lost his balance. "Stop wiggling!" He shot Naruto a stern look over his shoulder.
"Faster!" Naruto repeated firmly. His eyes never left Kushina.
Sakura did not bother with pleasantries as she shoved her way to the front. Her brain took a few seconds to process what her eyes were seeing. Kushina had her arms spread wide over the closed doors of the orphanage. She was clearly using herself as a barrier. There was an Uchiha - from the markers on his sleeve, she knew it was the Assistant Chief - that was looming in front of her along with a handful of other officers behind him. It was a standoff. She did not need much time to determine that the situation was bad.
She whirled around. "Take Naruto home," she looked Obito in the eye. "Now." She added firmly when she saw that the man was going to protest.
"Mama, what's happening?" Naruto looked at her.
"Everything is fine, Baby. You're going home with Obito-oniichan." She smiled. It did not reach her eyes. "Obito," a pair of raven-colored eyes clashed with hers. She saw the concern. "Go, everything is fine." She repeated in a steady voice.
"Come on, Little Man, let's go." Obito set his jaw. He glared at nothing in particular as he turned on his heel. Keeping Naruto out of it was more important right now than bashing the bastard's face in.
Sakura waited until she could not hear Naruto's voice anymore before breaking from the crowd.
"What's going on?" She asked with authority as she inserted herself both into the situation and between the man and Kushina.
Kushina glared at the man. "He's trying to take the girls. He's got some bogus claim!" Her voice was dripping with venom. Sakura checked her eyes for red but so far all she saw was a volatile violet.
"That's not true at all." Shun calmly stated. His eyes briefly flicked to Sakura's before they resumed boring into Kushina's. "She never filed the proper paperwork for the two children in her charge."
Kushina's lip curled in pure anger. "You bastard. You don't care about them." She narrowed her eyes, and her nostrils flared. "You get that paper out of my face or I will permanently rearrange yours for you." She growled.
"Let me see that," Sakura snatched the warrant that Shun was holding out. Her eyes scanned it. She frowned. "It has been issued, granted, and served by you. That seems like a conflict of interest." She stared at him, unwavering in her gaze. "Is this how the police force typically goes about their business? It is one way to get your numbers up."
She knew that she should be de-escalating the situation but the warrant pissed her off. It was nothing more than a bullying tactic. Did he really think he could get away with such shoddy work?
Shun narrowed his eyes. He took half a step forward. He sneered down at her. "I know you can't be accusing me of doing my job wrong, Haruno-san."
She stared back at him in defiance. "That's exactly what I'm doing. Did you bother to even get your facts straight before you issued this," she looked back at Kushina's face. "Bogus warrant?"
"I can assure you that the warrant is legitimate. Uzumaki-san did not file the paperwork."
She brought her hands to her hips. "This seems a tad excessive. This show of force over missing paperwork? Did you issue a warning to Uzumaki-san or did you jump straight to this?"
He shook his head. "Uzumaki-san was given a verbal warning that I would be personally checking the state of the paperwork weeks ago. She said that everything would be in order. When I went to check I came up empty-handed."
The color drained from Kushina's face. The warmth of self-righteous anger abandoned her leaving her cold and hollow. He did. He spoke the truth. She never got around to it. Her first slip-up in more than seven years and it just happened to be the one he called her out on.
"There is no paperwork for the girls. She had not issued new paperwork since Sano Hikari and Sano Hikaru."
"That is a lie. There is paperwork for the girls." Her emerald eyes were hard as stone. "I filed it personally. As their doctor, I reserve that right. Check under my name and you will find it all in order."
Kushina looked at Sakura in shock. Surprise flashed across his eyes for a fraction of a second. A haughty smirk donned on his lips. Sakura kept her expression fixed on his face. Her gut was telling her that things were about to get worse.
"What names did you use?" He looked between the women. Kushina stiffened. He knew. She could see it in his eyes.
Sakura furrowed her brow. "Their real names. Uzumaki Tukiko and Uno Karin. What other names would I use?" Kohana had changed her name to match her husband's after she married Karin's father. She never changed it back after leaving him. There was no record of Kohana changing Tukiko's last name.
Kushina's stomach dropped. Fear pricked at her. Sakura did not know about the incident. She had been sure no one saw them. She had hoped and prayed that no one did. She had let herself believe things were okay. She had kept a low profile just in case.
Shunsuke grinned. It was particularly feral. It sent a shiver down her spine the way he was looking at her. Sakura swallowed back the bile that was rising in her throat.
"Then the warrant stands. The paperwork is faulty." He dared not put a hand on her - either of them. But if they acted first it was all fair game. She knew that.
Sakura held her ground. She ignored the frantic beating of her heart. "Faulty how?" She asked in a low steady voice.
"The girl, Tukiko, is an Uchiha. I have an eye witness that can testify to that fact. She does not belong here. Since she had no one to claim her, I will be taking her back to the clan."
A silence blanketed the air, the shocked faces of the townspeople said what words could not. It felt like someone knocked the air out of Kushina. She leaned back against the doors heavily. Her legs were having trouble supporting her. She held a hand to her heart. A sudden calmness overcame her. She gathered her breath. She took a step forward.
"I claim her. I claim them both." Kushina boomed. "I will raise them. I will fill out all the paperwork." There was nothing but sureness in her violet gaze.
Sakura looked at her, she hid her surprise. She turned to Shun. "There you go. They've been claimed. Problem solved. You can go now." She crossed her arms with finality.
Shun's gaze became hard. "She is an Uchiha. We will not let an outsider raise one of our own."
Sakura's blood boiled in her veins. She stubbornly kept her mask up. She unclenched her jaw.
"She is an Uzumaki. If you have proof of the contrary, take it up through the proper channels, as the law states. As a member of the enforcement branch, it must have slipped your mind right, in all the excitement?" She challenged him with controlled calmness.
Shun regarded her. The fire in her eyes told him it was a pointless battle. She would not bend. It would be easier to empty the ocean with a spoon than it would be to get her to relent.
He took a step back. "Of course Haruno-san. I was just so eager to expedite the process. Save some taxpayer dollars. But you're right. I will go through the proper channels." He looked over her shoulder at the pale Uzumaki. "See you soon, Uzumaki-san. I hope the next time we meet there will be no more misunderstandings."
Kushina glared at him. She wanted nothing more than to pound the arrogant look off of his face. Spending some nights in jail was not a good look so she remained silent and unmoving. She uncurled her fists.
Sakura for the first time since walking into the fray did not feel the charge in the air. The situation had been handled for now. She vaguely registered Shun stalking away with his head held high. Her eyes scanned the other Uchiha. Her heart froze when her eyes locked with the last person she expected to be there.
"Itachi," she breathed. Profound disappointment filled her. He was unable to look her in the eye. She stared at him with a slack jaw until he was nothing more than a speck on the horizon.
"Sakura," Kushina jolted her back down. "Inside, now!" She grabbed her hand and all but shoved her through the doors. Sakura heard them lock behind her. "The girls are with Mako. I had her move them to the backroom. You can hardly hear anything from there." Her voice did not sound convincing.
"We can't stay here." Sakura's eyes darted to the wall of windows. They were too exposed. It was too big of a space. It was too public of a space. She looked through the curtains on the door. The people were starting to mill about again. "We need to get them back to your place. They need to stay there. You too." She looked at Kushina. She was moving as frantically as Sakura felt.
"Help me pack their things." Kushina led her to the room where they slept. Kushina pulled something out from under one of the beds. Sakura caught the duffle bag that Kushina threw at her. Sakura began to empty out the contents of the dresser. Her hands shook. "I can't believe you lied about the paperwork." She worked quickly to help her.
Sakura shook her head. She piled the neatly folded clothes into the bag. "I didn't." She felt Kushina's eyes. "I had a feeling you have your hands full so I filed it after I got back to the hospital the day I did their exams. When they arrived." She sighed. "I was not sure about their last names so I had to go with the best guess. I was able to more or less confirm Karin's since she was born in a hospital and there was a birth certificate on file for her." She had her own medical network that she could tap into. The one perk of being well known and opening up clinics in various parts of the continent.
Kushina looked at her surprised. "I'm glad you did." She lowered her eyes as she zipped the bag closed. "Sakura, something happened."
"Tell me," Sakura did not like the look on Kushina's face, not one bit.
"I was at the park with the girls. I started yelling at this man with his stupid dog. The dog wasn't stupid. It's not his fault his owner is an idiot. The dog was on top of Karin. I freaked out. I started yelling at him. Which made Tukiko freak out. She activated her Sharingan. It was only for like a minute. I didn't think anyone saw." She spoke quickly. She pulled at her hair in agitation.
Sakura sat down at the edge of the bed. This was bad. Really, really bad. Now it made sense why Shun was so brazen, so bold. Her stomach dropped even further when she saw Kushina freeze.
"What?" Sakura already regretted asking the question.
Kushina's face went blank. "Mikoto was there. She saw the whole thing."
Sakura's mouth went dry. She shook her head. She caught the implication. "No." She said firmly, standing back up. "Mikoto would not do this." The more she defended her the less convinced she became. "It's not like her."
Kushina looked absolutely devastated. "I accused her of being a bad parent."
Her mind was spinning. "No, Kushina, this is not your fault. And I don't think it was Mikoto's either. Let's not go down this path right now. We need to focus."
"I didn't mean to claim them. It all happened so fast, Sakura. The words were out of my mouth before I even realized what I was saying." She looked like she was barely keeping herself together. She looked so torn.
Sakura spared her a sympathetic look. "What's done is done. We need to focus on what's best for the girls."
Kushina nodded. "They can't take her. They can't separate them, Sakura. They've been through too much."
Sakura pinned her with a fierce glance. "They won't. They can't. I won't let them." She slung the duffle over her shoulder. She turned back to gather stuffed animals in her arms.
Kushina furrowed her brow. "I appreciate the support, Sakura. But you can't promise me that anymore more than I can promise them that."
Sakura's expression became dark. They could not have her. If they found out who she was it was over for her. She would have to face the full weight of her father's sin. She could not risk them poisoning her mind with his ideologies. No, she would not even let his shadow touch her.
She did not recognize her own voice when it entered her ears. "It can't happen. I can't tell you why or how. You're just going to have to trust me." The less Kushina knew the better. It gave her plausible deniability.
Kushina swallowed thickly. The look on Sakura's face scared her. It was so primal.
"Okay." Kushina nodded. Her gut was telling her it was better not to know and not to ask. "What happens now?"
Sakura sighed. She brought a hand to her forehead. "He'll probably file the evidence. The eye witness statement. Usually, when something like this happens it is seen as a dispute between two clans. The two parties are given a chance to work it out. I just don't see that happening."
The Uchiha looked after their own. Shun did not seem like the type of guy to let this go. "Fugaku will probably file a formal request for custody on behalf of the clan." Her eyes darted to Kushina. "You need to do the same. As soon as possible."
Kushina nodded. "Then what?"
"Typically, each side will present their arguments to the Hokage." She saw Kushina's face light up. "Typically. I do not think that will be true in this case."
Kushina furrowed her brows. "Why not?"
She bit her lip. "Shun is probably going to argue that since you had a romantic relationship with Minato prior, it will make it impossible for him to be impartial. He will probably insist that Minato must recuse himself from making the call." Her pushing them together was coming back to bite her in the ass.
Kushina snapped. She shoved the bunk bed frame hard against the wall. It creaked loudly. "It was a million years ago! Why should what happened a long time ago affect anything that is happening today?!" She screamed out in frustration. "What does that have to do with anything?!"
Sakura shot her a look. Kushina stopped mid-tantrum. "I know it sucks. It's stupid and dumb and irrelevant. But it is an optical nightmare. One that we can't just ignore. It makes things more complicated."
Kushina sighed deeply. "So who makes the call?"
Sakura rubbed her forehead. "The other clan heads." She was still clinging to the stuffed animals for dear life.
"That's a good thing right?" Kushina's voice dripped with hope. "They all know me and like me. They respect the work I do. They'll be on my side."
Sakura looked at her solemnly. "That is exactly what they will argue."
Kushina's heart dropped. "What does that mean?"
Sakura bit her lip. "They will ask for a neutral panel. They will ask three clan representatives to make the decision. Three clan representatives that have no ties to either you or the Uchiha."
Kushina gulped. She leaned back against the wall. "Who would that be?"
Sakura lowered her eyes to the ground. "My best guess is the Kurama, Aburame, and," she took a breath. "Hyuga clan heads," Sakura finished grimly.
Kushina sank to the floor. She covered her face with her hands. "I'm screwed."
Sakura could not help but agree.
"I'm fine," she assured him. She could see the hesitation in his eyes. "We'll be alright." Her eyes wandered over to Wolf who was standing in a tree directly in front of her across the narrow street. She returned her gaze to Minato. "It will be okay."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Stay safe," his eyes bore into hers. "All of you." They flickered to the house behind her.
She nodded. The guilt in her stomach was threatening to drown her. "I'm sorry." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
He sighed. She could see the heaviness in his eyes. "One thing at a time." He could feel the recently completed document burning a hole in his pocket. He would need to get them processed the second he got back so that her papers for custody would be the first ones across his desk. Kushina filing for custody as an individual and not a clan head actually made things easier. She did not have to wait around for votes.
He had no doubt that Shun would be at his doorstep soon. He had every right to be. He had a very legitimate claim, as much as Kushina did. He looked at the very worried face of Sakura. She knew that fact too.
His expression softened. "Get some rest." His eyes lingered on the window before meeting hers again. "Don't worry about anything back home. I've got it."
She nodded. "Kiss Naruto goodnight for me." It would be only the second time in his life that she had not been able to do it herself. She looked at the small suitcase he had brought her. It had her clothes and all the vitamins and supplements she was taking.
"Of course." His tone was gentle. "Take care of yourself."
"You too," She leaned against the door and watched him until she could not anymore. She entered the house. The dread was pulling at her insides.
"What did the man want, Kushina-obachan?" Karin asked her with big concerned eyes.
Kushina's lips turned upwards. She had taken after Naruto in calling her that. She thought it suited them just fine.
"Nothing honey. He was just confused about something." She pulled the covers over Tukiko and Karin.
"Why are we back here?" Karin asked her quietly.
Kushina smiled as she brushed the hair from Tukiko's forehead. "I was thinking maybe you girls would like to stay here with me for a little while."
Tukiko's big eyes looked at her solemnly. She could see the hesitation on the girl's face. "For how long?" Karin asked in a small voice.
Kushina did not know how to answer that question. "For as long as you would like." It seemed like the safest answer.
Karin and Tukiko exchanged looks. Kushina waited with bated breath.
"Okay," Karin said with a smile. "We'll stay with you until Mama and Dada are not busy anymore."
It took everything to not break down then and there. She smiled tightly. She closed her eyes, they would betray the great sadness she felt at Karin's words.
"Sounds like a plan." She somehow managed to say without her voice breaking. She took a shaky breath. "Alright. Time for bed."
She reached over and gently took Karin's glasses off her face. She set them down on the bedside table. She looked at Tukiko. The girl understood. She knew that their parents were never coming back. She made a note to take the girls in to talk to Yamanaka Mai. The woman was one of the child psychologists in the children's mental health clinic. She had a feeling they would need it to get through what was to come.
She started to hum. It was her way of self-soothing. She swayed back and forth, gently. She closed her eyes. She hummed the song until their breathing became deeper. She kept humming long after they fell asleep.
Tears rained down her face.
She looked up from the teacup in her hands. "Are the girls down?" She asked tiredly as she rubbed her eyes.
Kushina nodded. She came to sit across from her. She lowered her face into her arms. "They've been down for a bit. I was just watching them sleep. I didn't want to leave their side."
Sakura made a sympathetic noise. She understood. She was like that any time Naruto got sick. She felt Kushina's eyes.
"You should go home, Sakura-chan," Kushina told her halfheartedly.
Sakura shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you alone right now." She did not think Shun or any Uchiha would try anything but she could not risk it. They would be okay. "Don't worry about me."
Kushina groaned. "I wasn't completely honest earlier." She looked at Sakura with mournful eyes.
"Which part exactly?" Sakura did not know how much more she could handle right now.
"Where I said I did not mean to claim them." She grumbled. "I think part of the reason why I have been dragging my feet so much to try to find them family or a match is because deep down I knew what I wanted. I just was not ready to admit it."
Sakura looked at her knowingly. "It just felt right?" She asked her.
Kushina nodded her head. "Yeah. The minute I saw them. I fell in love." There was a soft smile on her face. "I don't trust anyone else's intentions with them. Abilities or not."
Sakura hummed. "Sounds like the universe gave you the kick you needed." Her expression became reflective. "Do they know what is going on?"
Kushina shook her head against the table. "Not really. Karin thinks they're staying here until her parents come back." Her voice broke.
Sakura rubbed Kushina's shoulder soothingly. She clicked her tongue in sympathy. "I know this is so hard."
"Tukiko knows more. I think she has a better idea of what's happening. I just don't want to promise them anything." Kushina's voice was muffled behind her arms. "I want to take them to see Mai soon."
Sakura nodded encouragingly. "That's great. I'm sure it will help. She's the best at what she does."
There was a knock at the door. The women stiffened. Sakura got up. She was not too worried. Wolf was outside. It could only mean that he deemed the person not a threat. Or it could mean that Wolf was dead but she knew that could not be it. If that were true, the person would not bother knocking. She looked back at Kushina. The woman nodded. Sakura opened the door.
"Joben," She looked at him in surprise. She heard the sound of soft footfalls behind her. It did not take long for Kushina to be at her side. Sakura took a step back. She might as well not even be in the doorway. The moment Joben and Kushina locked eyes, they completely forgot about her. She did not take it personally when Kushina mutely brushed past her and closed the door on her way out.
Sakura's jade eyes collided with another set of dark orbs that had wandered into the space. She casually opened the window, the one facing the street. She knew how voices carried. She had lived here, after all. She walked into the kitchen and came back with two bowls, two spoons, and ice cream.
"Sit down, Tukiko-chan." She ushered the girl to the living room. She did as she was told. "There's no problem a little ice cream can't fix."
Tukiko watched as Sakura raised the vanilla ice cream, with caramel and cookie bits swirled in, to her mouth. Sakura closed her eyes and sighed exaggeratedly. There was pure bliss on her face. Her raven eyes peered at the bowl in front of her. She took her spoon and scooped up a small amount. She opened and closed her mouth.
"Good right?" Sakura looked so pleased. Tukiko nodded slowly. It was cold, sweet, and had a little crunch. It was so much better than the yogurt her mother tried to pass off as ice cream.
Her spoon was full the next time she brought it to her mouth.
"I'm sorry. I know I said I wouldn't approach you." He looked so abashed at having gone back on his word. "I just heard and before I could stop myself I was knocking on your door. Are you alright? Are the girls alright? He didn't touch you did he?"
Kushina blinked. Joben was talking faster than her, that was how worked up he was. She furrowed her brow. She did not like that he was taking her thing. "I'm fine. The girls are fine too. Just a little shaken up. No, he didn't touch me. I nearly did a lot more than that to him. Probably would have if Sakura didn't get there when she had." She said darkly. She was a tad disappointed that Sakura had such good timing, or bad depending on how you looked at it. Her fists were just itching to introduce themselves to Shunsuke. But she knew that was just her anger talking.
His frown deepened. "Let me stay. You won't even know I'm around. I'd feel so much better if I were doing something to help."
His pitiful expression took the edge off her tone. She sighed. "We're fine. Really." She pointed to the tree. "Minato's best ANBU is right over there. I have Sakura for moral support. We'll be alright." She said gently. "There's nothing more you can do right now."
She might as well have slapped him across the face. It would have stung less. "Right." He said without emotion. He took a step back.
"Wait," she looked almost sheepish. "That sounded better in my head. What I meant to say is there is nothing more to do. I really appreciate you coming to check in on us. It makes me really happy. I'm glad you did. It means the world." Her eyes were full of gratitude. "Thank you."
His expression changed from surprise to acceptance. "Any time. If you need anything, let me know. I'll be here. I'll always be here for you and the girls."
Her eyes softened. "So my circumstances may never change." She looked at him with open honesty.
He looked at her with an intensity that rivaled the beast housed in her. "Nothing has changed on my end."
She swallowed. It had been a doozy of a day. Her head was throbbing. Surely she heard him wrong.
He smiled. "Now I just have to win over two more. No big deal."
She smiled as she closed the door. His words and his face were both at the forefront of her mind. She leaned against the door. She let out a squeal of pure delight. She put her arms up and did a quick dance. The clicking echoed through the space. She froze. She slowly turned around. Her arms were still in the air.
She found three pairs of eyes staring at her with various expressions. Sakura looked amused, Tukiko looked slightly perturbed, and Karin seemed like she wanted to join in. Sakura lowered her face into her palm.
"Got something to share with the rest of the class, Kushina-chan?"
Kushina's eyes darted to the open window. She was torn between embarrassment and anger. "How much of that did you hear and see?"
"All of it." She answered without shame.
"You let them have ice cream?" Kushina asked her with her hands on her hips.
Sakura was unbothered. "It's okay when you let Naruto? I can't let the girls?" She looked playfully around the table. "That sounds unfair doesn't it, Tukiko-chan? Karin-chan?"
Karin nodded. "Double-standard." She said flatly as she took another bite.
Kushina narrowed her eyes. "What have you been teaching them?"
"Don't worry about it," Sakura flashed her teeth.
Kushina sighed. She knew when she was beaten. "Save any for me?" She asked hopefully.
Sakura pointed to an empty bowl and a clean spoon as well as the container. "It's all soupy. Just how you like it."
Kushina grinned.
She rolled onto her other side. She moved the pillow from between her calves. She folded her knees. It did not matter what she did, she could not get comfortable. She exhaled through her nose. The breeze caused goosebumps to break across her skin. She pulled the covers up to her chin.
"Are you alright?" Kushina's voice called out from behind her.
"Shh. I'm sleeping." She whispered in response. She stubbornly kept her eyes closed. She was simultaneously too hot and too cold.
"Tumbleweeds move less than you." Kushina rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was not a light sleeper by any means but the constant dipping of the mattress every time Sakura turned was starting to make her feel like she was on a boat.
"Have you ever even seen a tumbleweed?" She snorted.
"In Suna." Kushina turned on her side. She rested her head on her folded arm.
Sakura turned. She looked at Kushina's eyes. She moved the pillow along with her. Her mind was filled with memories. She smiled softly. "Suna," it felt like a lifetime ago. "We had fun in Suna."
Kushina's eyes twinkled. "We did." She looked at Sakura with concern in her eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't come to check on you. I was meaning too but then this whole thing happened."
Sakura smoothed the worry lines on her forehead. "I'm fine." She reassured her. "You have a lot going on."
Kushina frowned. "Still, I should have been there."
"You're here now." It was scary but it was over.
"How are you feeling?" Kushina asked her gently.
"I should be asking you that," Sakura admitted. She scooted closer.
"I asked first." Kushina grinned loosely at her.
"I'm okay. Just thinking." Sakura sighed.
"What else is new?" Kushina rolled her eyes.
"You're the one who asked." She huffed half-heartedly. She was tired both mentally and physically but her mind would not still and her body was not getting comfortable.
"Do you need me to rub your back or something?" She offered.
Sakura shook her head. "Thanks but that's okay. I'll be fine." She paused. "Your turn."
Kushina made a sound of annoyance. "I keep replaying today in my head. None of it feels real."
She blew all the oxygen in her lungs out slowly. "I have all these feelings!" She grunted in agitation.
Sakura stared at her pinched face. She let out a laugh. As Kushina's annoyance increased so did the fit of silent giggles. She was well aware that Kushina was at the end of her rope with her.
"Sorry," she apologized. "I'm laughing to keep from crying." She fanned her eyes, determined not to let the tears fall.
Kushina sighed loudly. "Do you have anything helpful to say? Like, even remotely?"
"A lot happened today. It's normal to feel overwhelmed." Sakura sobered up enough to say.
"Got anything slightly less generic?" Kushina deadpanned.
"Buckle up, Buttercup?" She flashed her a grin. "It will take time to process. It probably hasn't hit you yet. Give yourself some time to just sit with them." She sighed. "There's a lot going to be coming your way soon. Their way too. There's no sugarcoating it. It is an uphill battle. You knew that, with their recovery even before this custody thing."
Kushina's face was marred by deep grimness. "I messed up."
Sakura grabbed Kushina's hand. She squeezed it. "The truth has a way of coming out. If not now it would have bubbled up years from now." She looked at Kushina with a determined expression. "It's not your fault."
Kushina squeezed back. "It's not yours either." She whispered.
Sakura smiled sadly. She wished she could believe what the woman was saying just as much as she wished Kushina believed her.
Kushina ran her fingers through her hair. The long red strands fell around her. "Things will work out right?"
Sakura nodded. "Things will be fine, everything will be fine. We'll get through this. We just have to go through it right now. We'll get on the other side eventually."
"I used to be so fearless," Kushina admitted. "Lately it feels like the only thing I feel is fear."
"Welcome to getting older. Nothing is as black and white as it was when we were younger. There's all this gray. It's debilitating to think about all the possibilities. How one decision can lead to all these consequences."
Kushina shook her head. "No, I don't think it's that. I really don't think all that much that far ahead at least. I go by feel. Less thought."
Sakura smirked. "So you're saying if someone put us in a blender we'd be the perfect person?"
Kushina grinned. "Now that's a thought. The perfect balance of brain and heart." She tapped her chin. "I'm clearly the brains of the operation."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Right." She pulled the covers close. "So what do you feel?"
"I feel like putting the girls through this is wrong. I feel like it's unfair that stuff like this keeps happening to them. I feel like I just want to take them and run away where no one can find us. Where no one can hurt them. I want to protect what innocence they have left, their childhood. I just want them to be happy. Normal, well-adjusted kids." Her eyes were full of fire.
Sakura closed her eyes. Her own emotions that were swirling in her gut were trying to tell her something that she was not ready to face just yet. She scowled when she felt a flick to the forehead. She opened her eyes in irritation. Kushina's annoyed face stared back at her unapologetically.
"You're not falling asleep on me right now." She huffed.
"I was thinking." Sakura spared her a dirty look. She rubbed the stinging skin. "The fact is you have a connection with the girls. You also want to keep them together. They are Uzumakis, they were raised by their mother. Tukiko has a phobia of men. Plus you have years of experience dealing with traumatized children. Your application for custody also was filed first. All these things work in your favor. There is no shortage of character witnesses that will testify to your ability to be a good guardian for them."
She paused. Kushina was listening intently. This was the longest her attention span had lasted in a while. "I know there are a lot of feelings. You have all the feelings. They want to tell you all kinds of things. You'll be high one minute and low the next. But the facts are not changing. Hold onto them. You'll be alright. They'll be alright."
Kushina looked at her with complete seriousness. "If you tell me things will work out how they are meant to, I am going to punch you."
Sakura shook her head. "No, things work out how we make them. If there are setbacks and turns we adapt. We keep going. We find another way. No matter what."
"Okay." She took a deep breath. Kushina closed her eyes. A large smile broke out on her face. "Thank you." She looked at Sakura. "I couldn't do any of this without you."
Sakura smiled. "You could. You can. You are capable, you are kind, you are smart -" she made a face, "sometimes." She grinned. "You are doing this. No one else is."
She nodded. "Thanks all the same."
"Anytime." She sighed. Her back was still killing her.
"Turn around," Kushina ordered.
"Why?" Sakura asked, frowning.
"Just do it," Kushina said again with authority. She was not messing around.
Sakura huffed but she complied. She felt Kushina's arms wrap around her. "I know you can't sleep without your Minato. Or your pillow. But you'll just have to make do with me for tonight."
She smiled. "Keep spoiling me like this and maybe I won't ever go home."
Kushina huffed. "You say stuff like that and get my hopes up. But that dude has his hooks in you deep."
Sakura hummed in agreement. Her eyelids were starting to get heavy. She yawned loudly.
"You'll always have a home here, Sakura-chan," Kushina whispered.
Sakura's lip twitched upwards. "I know."
Kushina smiled sadly. "We'll get through this together."
Sakura breathed shallowly in response.
He rested his hands on the wooden frame of the crib. His ears were trained on Naruto's breathing. It was deep. The boy was finally down. He had been full of questions. He had them loaded faster than he could answer them. He had been incredibly concerned about Kushina. He was upset as to why he could not go to her and his mother. Both Obito and he had been at a loss on how to calm him down. Even Itachi's presence did nothing to dissuade him from his commitment to his mood.
Naruto poured his grievances out into the air in any form he could, they settled and transformed into the tension between Minato's shoulders. He wanted the one thing he could not have right now. He wanted Sakura. Minato was not enough. His first instinct when he sought comfort was to run to her, to go to her. He was a mere afterthought, a stand-in. He would have to suffice until she came back.
He looked at the empty crib. He supposed that would hold true for the next one as well. Sakura would find a way to manage and handle both. His eyes darted to the dark mass in the corner of the room. It was taunting him. The dreaded pregnancy pillow. An inanimate object would take yet another responsibility away from him. When he could only do so little to help her.
The air in the room suddenly became suffocating. He opened the balcony and stepped into the refreshing night air. He closed his eyes. He took a deep breath in. He looked at the moon. It cooled the internal heat he felt slightly. He could feel her presence. It was an open invitation as any. He looked over his shoulder. There she was on the rooftop. He turned his attention back to the moon. His thoughts were threatening to close the walls around him again.
She slid on the railing next to him. She faced the window. The face of her mask was focused on Naruto who was still soundly asleep. She leaned back against the railing. Seemingly at ease. Her relaxed energy was easing the tension. Her cloak brushed against him as the wind passed over them. The ruffle of the fabric was the only sound in the air.
He looked at the rooftops. The lights were all out around them. It made the view of the stars all the more spectacular. It was breathtaking. In a weird way his own minuteness in comparison to the cosmos brought him comfort. It reminded him just how short the human lifespan was. In no less than a couple of generations, no one would know who he was. What he sounded like. How he spoke. He would just be a lifeless face carved into the side of the mountain.
His life was limited. That was what made this period that he was experiencing even more difficult to swallow. They only had so many days. So why was his brain choosing to focus on all the things he could not do rather than what he could? His gaze looked past the village.
The stars and him were once good friends. He had spent many a night up with them back when she first arrived when she was committed to driving him crazy with her constant denial of their attraction towards one another. They were there for him then. They were there for him now. He never imagined being up with them when he had the option of lying next to her. The stars and him were merely acquaintances now, but they were starting to get closer again and that did not sit right with him.
"Something on your mind, Hokage-sama?" She asked him patiently with a voice like velvet. It was the kind of vibration that wrapped around you entirely.
"If you're too busy looking at the good in the past you'll miss all the good that is and the good that has yet to come." He said in a low voice. Sarutobi had told him that. "I've been thinking about that philosophy a lot." He was trying to lean into it.
She turned to look at him. He was not all quiet there. "The past is a funny thing. What we remember and what was, do not always line up. It's tainted with the passing of time. It may never have been as good as we remember."
He stared at her. He turned back to the moon. His mind worked through the words.