Hair Genetics

Keigo quickly reaches for the collar of his shirt and pulls to prevent suffocation as the cotton material digs into his neck. Tenko desperately tries to escape as fingers wrap around his forearm. Keigo requires the use of his second hand. His fingers finding their way between his shirt and neck to create some breathing space. Tenko pulls harder as they get dragged out of their house.

"Let me go!" Tenko's hope is shattered as he watches the door shut.

"I give up! I give up!" Keigo normally enjoys having his feet off the ground, but not like this.

"You can stop whining. You're fine." Sakura let go once the house is out of sight. "Do this as a favour to your nee-san, alright?"

"If I had a nee-san, they'd be nicer," argues Keigo.

Sakura raises her hand, and her eyes narrow.

Keigo takes a step back. He knows that look anywhere, but it's rarely aimed at him. He wants to toy with her more, but the threat of being disciplined by someone who gives off a similar impression as Tsunade is in strong point against doing so. He tries another tactic. "But I wanted to get to know Shizu-nee more." Counter with calling someone else -nee and pass off the sad, cute kid look. It works often enough, so why not now—ow.

Sakura flicks the center of his forehead.

"They have plenty to catch up on, so let's give those two some space, okay? It took a ridiculous amount of time to make this possible, and we have no clue how long this will work for. If you were separated from a loved one for a long time, you want to have some personal time with them, right?" Sakura bends down and places a hand on Keigo's shoulder. "So play around with me for now. Or give me a tour. Or we can do whatever, though I don't have money."

"We could have at least brought Tonton," mutters Keigo. He looks back to Sakura. "Don't you feel the same way?"

Sakura blinks bewildered and tilts her head, offering a small smile. She takes cares and worries for others so often, that it's rare someone meaningfully does the same for her. She often gets pleasantries from people she's helped, but it's not the same. He mashes her fingers through his thick hair. "Yes, but there are things they can only say to each other." Sakura brings a finger to her lips in a hushing motion. "So behave and let it be."

Tenko took advantage of the other two chattering to run off behind the lamppost.

"What are you doing?" asks Sakura. She's not sure what's normal for them, but, surely, he doesn't think he's actually hiding behind that skinny thing.

"He's embarrassed," says Keigo.

"It's your fault! It was your idea!" Tenko tries to wrap his hands around his head even though it's no use. The copper orange hair is clearly still visible. "This is why I didn't want to leave." His panic over being touched vanished in an instant for an equally important matter – his dignity.

"I only made a suggestion." Keigo is not responsible for Tenko's outcome.

"What problem?" Sakura feels lost.

Tenko whines and Keigo snickers a little at his expense. "Lil' Tenko was feeling left out. He was born with black hair, but he's jealous of Tsunade's and my blond hair." Keigo flicks a bit of his hair for effect.

"That's not what happened!" Tenko's cheeks flush. He's just seen so many similarities between Keigo and Tsunade and felt insecure. It was stupid. And well, there had been a few strands of white in his hair that needed to be coloured anyway, so people didn't think he was growing into an old person. He doesn't know when they appeared, but one day, looking into the mirror, it had been impossible to ignore. It gradually lessened over time, but Tenko had already gotten too many comments that he didn't want to wait longer if he didn't have to.

Tenko hates unwanted attention.

He's not allowed to dye his hair again for a few more weeks. Something about it wrecking his hair or something. He even convinced Tsunade to get him a wig, but it feels too weird. Tenko doesn't find it problematic to stay inside until it can be fixed, but the timing couldn't be worse. Why did Sakura have to drag him out? He can't have their neighbours see him.

"It looks fine," Sakura tries to reassure.

"No it doesn't!"

"Then worry about it elsewhere." Sakura wraps an arm around his torso to pick him up, but he hangs onto the lamppost as a lifeline. "We can't stand here all day."

Keigo looks on in amazement as the lamppost tilts. "You'll break it at this rate." He points.

"Mom, it's Keigo!" Sakura and Tenko keep at it as Keigo looks back and waves. Shouto is holding Rei's hand. Her other hand holds a paper bag with a familiar bakery logo.

"Sure is!" Keigo flashes Shouto a smile then a small salute to Rei. He glances back to Shouto. "Happy to be on summer break?"

Shouto rocks on his feet. "I like school."

Rei looks anxiously at the other two causing a ruckus. She doesn't recognize the woman, and it takes her a moment to notice the boy with copper hair is Tenko. It's a striking difference. "Is everything alright?"

Keigo shrugs. "Probably. Sakura is—" Before he can say more, Sakura covers his mouth. He was only going to make a joke, but she looks at him as if he was going to spill the secret. No telling anyone about their fragile multi-universe connection, yadda, yadda. He licks her hand, thinking she'll let go, but she glowers at him instead.

"I'm watching them for Lady Tsunade. She has some business to take care of and these two are—"

"Your hair is pink." Shouto cuts Sakura off, enthralled by her hair. "Mom? Why does she have pink hair while I have white and red hair? Shouldn't it be pink?" He takes some of his hair between his fingers and nods to himself. "White and red make pink so it should be pink."

Keigo softly laughs at the image of Shouto with pink hair. It's weird how his hair colour splits so perfect, naturally, but it suits him to go along with his mis-matched eyes.

Tenko faces towards the fence in embarrassment of being seen.

Sakura hums and stares intently at Shouto. "It would be really cute." Sakura removed her hand from Keigo's mouth, does a seal so fast, Keigo nearly missed it even with his keen eyes, and transforms into Shouto if Shouto with pink hair. "Like this?"

Shouto's eyes light up. "Yeah!"

"You'd be even cuter." Sakura too enthusiastically indulges.

Rei finds it odd. She spends a lot of time with her son, so it's weird to see such a standout trait suddenly be different.

"You realize, if you want pink hair children you just need to have one of your own," says Keigo shoving his hands into his pockets not sure of what to make of it. Shouto is happy though. Even happier than the time Keigo took him flying. He hates that he feels like he's lost somehow, even though there's no loss to more delight.

Sakura's fist approaches Keigo but stops short. "That's not how genetics works. The chance of having a kid with pink hair, or at least one with the same shade is pretty low." Sakura hugs Shouto. "Are you sure I can't kidnap you?" Then she remembers his mom is with them. "Kidding. Kidding."