Just a dinner. I wrote this in many sittings and kept on forgetting what I was planning to do so I hope this didn't come out too patchy or disjointed haha...(like this sentence...)
Also, sorry I keep updating so slowly...I keep on getting ideas for scenes like 10 chapters down the road, and then forgetting to write out the one I'm supposed to be working on...
Once again, thank you to everyone who favorited/followed/reviewed/read this story! You make writing worthwhile :)
(Reviewer replies at the end. I'm glad people are liking the shikasaku friendship, and the chakra/genjutsu theory comments made my month! You guys have written me the nicest reviews, thank you! :))
Chapter 7
The Nara residence is dark and warm, all smoky wood and bamboo fencing and miles and miles of leafy trees. The late afternoon sun lends the area a peaceful glow, and the air is laden with the soft music of birds and forest animals. The buildings themselves designed in a simple cluster of three or four interconnected dwellings: sweeping porches wrap around spacious rooms walled with shoji-style doors, no doubt hiding an assortment of traditional furniture and plush tatami matting within.
Hopping up onto the veranda of the largest building, Shikamaru slips out of his sandals and slides open the main door.
"Taidama," he calls, padding into the foyer and pulling a slightly-apprehensive Sakura along with him.
"Okaeri!" A voice returns from within. A moment later another door slides open down the passageway and Yoshino-san bustles out amidst a warm wave of light and chatter. "Where have you been all afternoon?! I was almost worried about you!" She chuckles and wipes her hands on a small towel tucked in her apron. "Well, you're are just about right on time. Sakura-chan should be here soon-oh hello!"
"Konbanwa, Yoshino-san."
"I should have guessed Shika-kun was with you! Was the lazy brat causing trouble?"
"No, Yoshino-san. We made some strawberry daifuku."
"Oh you shouldn't have! There was no need at all-you're such a sweet dear," she pulls the poor girl into an impromptu hug. "Thank you so much-wait." She pauses. "We?"
"Yes, Shikamaru helped."
"No. Way." The woman gawks a little and spins around. "You did work?!"
Shikamaru sighs. "Just 'cause we were running late and all, and-"
"You did work?!"
"-it was only a little, okay, and just this once. Geez woman, it's not that big of a deal." He rubs the back of his head.
"Not a big deal? Not a big DEAL?! Oh my Kami, Sakura-chan, how did you-he never-please, tell me your method!"
"Ah, I don't know, really-I guess I just asked nicely?" She crosses her fingers behind her back. 'And a little bit of guilt-tripping, maybe,' she concedes inside her head. "We were a bit tight on time…"
For a moment, the woman just blinks, gaze flitting between Sakura and Shikamaru-who is scowling at the ground, hand in his pockets. An enigmatic look crosses her face.
"Oh." She grins. "Alright then. Well, Sakura-chan, let me carry that box for you, it looks heavy-"
"Wait, Okaa-san, what do you mean 'alright then,' what's that supposed to-"
"-and just follow me right this way, dear, the others are in the back." Draping a warm hand around Sakura's shoulders, the woman sweeps Sakura down the hallway with a breezy, "Come along, Shika-kun! Or we'll eat without you!"
Shikamaru scowls harder.
Walking through the doorway Yoshino-san had appeared from earlier, Sakura bumps straight into a young blonde girl carrying a basket of raw greens. Sakura recognizes her from the Academy.
"Ino-chan! Are you helping to set the table?" Yoshino-san smiles affectionately down at the girl.
"Of course! Almost done." The girl grins, and turns to Sakura. "Hello! You're Sakura, right?"
Sakura bows lightly. "Nice to meet you."
"I believe you girls are in the same class at the Academy! Ino-chan, would you mind leading Sakura-chan to the dining room while I go put this in the kitchen?" She gestures to the box of daifuku in her arms. "I can take care of the rest of the food, you guys just have fun!" With a cheerful wave, the woman disappears through yet another doorway.
Sakura can only blink as Ino-san unceremoniously grabs her arm and begins to tug her towards the next room and the boisterous laughter emanating from inside it. "Come on Sakura, dinner's almost ready and I'm hungry!"
"O-oh. Okay." The girl's grip is strong.
"Oi, wait up!"
The girls turn. Shikamaru slinks into the room behind them, glower still firmly pasted on.
"Shikamaru! What took you so long? Everyone's been waiting for you, you baka!" Stomping back to the poor boy (and dragging Sakura along), Ino gives his forehead a forceful rap.
"Owww! Cool it, woman!" He cradles his cranium with a long-suffering groan, shambling forward a few more steps.
"Suck it up, you lazy bum." Ino sticks her tongue out at him.
"Yeah, whatever. Sakura, this is the friend I told you about earlier." He rolls his eyes. "Ino."
Sakura nods. "We just met." She figured this Ino was likely the same girl who had waylaid Shikamaru earlier after class. "Thanks for reminding him to tell me about dinner today, Ino."
"Of course! I figured the idiot would have forgotten." Ino grins and flips her hair. "Now let's go!" And then she slides the shoji-screen open and pushes Sakura forward.
It is disorienting, stumbling upright and flipping her hair back from her face only to be met with five pairs of eyes. They are sitting around a low table laden with a variety of raw meats and vegetables, the echo of snuffed-out laughter hanging in the air, half-empty sake cups suspended between calculating fingers. Only the steady sound of crunching peanuts crackles through the room.
"Well, hello! You must be Sakura." A man with long, blond locks and turquoise-aquamarine eyes breaks the silence. He offers her a smile, and the spiky-haired man beside him blinks, scars pulling as heavy lashes brush tanned cheeks.
Sakura releases a muted sigh of relief. The darker man's stare had been heavy with some unreadable sentiment, thick with an indecipherable test. She wonders if she passed.
Straightening, Sakura shakes off the thought and turns toward the sunny-haired man. "Hai. A pleasure to meet you…"
"Yamanaka Inoichi, and this is my wife Mai." He gestures to the willowy, brown-haired woman to his left. Her bun is tied with a colorful rope of red.
"Yamanaka-sama." Sakura bows.
"Oh no no, no need for formalities! First names will do-that's what all the kids go by, right Shikamaru?"
"Aa, Inoichi-san." Her friend sinks into a half-hearted bow. "Mai-san. Chouza-san. Himeko-san." He slouches towards the table and all but collapses next to the dark-haired man. "Otou-san."
His father rolls his eyes. "Same as ever, eh. Troublesome kid."
"'Tou-san, 'Kaa-san, I brought the veggies!" Ino bounds up to the table and places her basket down. "Shikamaru didn't help at all, as always."
"Shut up, Ino."
The adults chuckle. "Want some peanuts, Sakura?" The man has long, flaming red hair and soft purple marks curling over his cheeks. He plops another handful into his mouth. "Akimichi Chouza, by the way."
"And call me Himeko!" The woman grins at her beneath short brown bangs, eyes highlighted by red eyeshadow. "My, you are awfully thin. Do you eat enough? Please, have some peanuts-or pickled cabbage?"
"Thank you Himeko-san, Chouza-san," Sakura bows again. "Don't worry, I do eat enough-"
"You can have some of my chips if you want." A fluffy brown head pokes out from behind the table and smiles hesitantly at her. Sakura blinks in surprise.
Himeko also looks a bit surprised. She ruffles the boy's hair. "This is our son Chouji."
"Oh, nice to meet you, Chouji."
His smile widens a bit, and he holds out a bag towards her. She carefully takes a chip. "Thank you," she says as the boy disappears back behind his mother.
She bites into the chip, secretly delighting in the crisp snap and tangy barbeque flavor. It has been a while since she last had the luxury to buy snacks like these.
"So, Sakura, was it?" Shikamaru's father regards her with an unreadable eye.
Sakura flushes-she has forgotten to greet him in the midst of all the commotion. "H-hai, Haruno Sakura. Nara-sama." She dips her head towards the floor again, back ramrod straight.
"Wait, Haruno?" Ino jumps up from her seat excitedly, eyes bright with dawning recognition. "I remember that name! 'Tou-san told me all about it recently! So it was your dad who-?"
"Ino!" Inoichi's rebuke is sharp, and startles the girl into silence. Her mother puts a comforting hand on her head. "Now's not a polite time to talk about these things, Ino-chan," the woman soothes. "Dinner's about to start."
And indeed, Yoshino-san chooses this moment to burst through the door, arms bristling with an assortment of more raw meats and greens. "Here we are! Anyone hungry?"
The table bursts into a flurry of activity.
"I think this is everything-Shikaku, you got out the sauces? Oh no of course you wouldn't-"
"No problem, I have them right here-"
"-thank you Mai-"
"Let me grab the pork from you-"
"-great, just put them on the corner there, Himeko, I can take care of the veggies-"
"Do you have the beef?"
"-it's with the pork-"
"Okay, then let's turn on the grills-"
"I'll slide open the shoji-screens-"
"-great! Let's get started!" With a cheerful grin, Yoshino sets down a last plate of sliced eggplant and winks at Sakura. "I hope you like yakiniku-Chouza loves this stuff, so we have it quite often."
"This will be a treat," Sakura assures her. "It's been a while since I last had yakiniku."
The Naras turn out to have a grand total of four grills set up, which allows the Akimichi mother and son to claim one for themselves, while Chouza and Inoichi take another. Ino happily agrees to share with her mother and Yoshino, chirping that she had just started a new diet, anyway. No red meat, apparently.
Which leaves Sakura to the last grill with Shikamaru….and his father.
Nice.
'Well, there is no turning back now,' Sakura surmises, picking up a pair of long, cooking chopsticks. Chatter slowly picks up again on the other end of the table, and she begins to delicately lay slices of raw beef and pork onto the grill, flipping them when necessary. Smoky aromas slowly begin wafting upwards from the grills and drifting out of the open shoji-screens into the late afternoon sunlight. Sakura keeps her eyes focused on her task. Perhaps, if she stays quiet and dutifully shoulders all of the labor involved in the meal, the man across from her will tone down his creepy stare a few notches. Who knows, she might even get to enjoy the food a little.
"Nara-sama, Shikamaru." She nods, serving each of them a couple slices of perfectly barbequed meat.
"Oh I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan!" Yoshino turns to her, chopsticks in hand, face a mask of guilt. "My husband and son are both lazy mules-and stubborn, too-I can't believe I forgot and stuck you with them! Here, why don't we switch places-"
"It's no problem, Yoshino-san." Sakura lays a soothing hand on the older woman's arm, even as self-pitying thoughts rattle around inside her head. Moving seats now will be dreadfully impolite, and Sakura is in no hurry to feel The Stare turn into The Glare.
"Nonsense! We can't have you doing all the work-and at the first dinner, too!"
"No, really," Sakura shakes her head, a smile ghosting across her lips for the first time that evening. "It's fine. I enjoy grilling, it's no trouble at all." As awkward and unfamiliar this dinner has been so far, warmth still trickles down her spine at the thought of being invited over again-or, Kami forbid, being invited over regularly.
"Well, alright then, if you're sure." With a warm smile, Yoshino hands Sakura a plate of raw seafood and leans down in one fluid motion. "My husband has quite a taste for squid." She whispers, then turns away with a wink. Sakura begins placing more items onto the grill.
"So." The man's voice low and smoky, almost gravelly. The scar on his forehead stretches. "How did you guys meet?" His eyes flicker briefly to his son, who is lazily chewing on a mushroom with his eyes closed. Typical.
"A classmate of ours and I were having….a misunderstanding, and Shikamaru helped us sort it out."
"Oh?" He raises an eyebrow. "I never knew Shikamaru was of the 'helpful' variety…."
"Don't worry Otou-san, I'm not. It was Ami again." Shikamaru rolls his eyes.
"Oh no, it was that girl?" Yoshino tunes in to the conversation, face darkening with understanding. "I mean, her family's wonderful, of course," she adds in hastily. "She's a nice girl! Just a bit….excitable. I hope she wasn't bothering you?"
The look in her eyes is so warm and worried that Sakura inadvertently bites her lip, a strange pang in her chest.
"No, Yoshino-san, of course not," Sakura reassures, thinking fast. Dinner rule number three: never speak negatively about anyone, especially to an adult. Almost as important as chewing with a closed mouth (number two) and knowing how to use chopsticks (one). "We were both just confused. Over-"
"Ami was just being a brat again," Shikamaru sighs, cutting in. He picks up another grilled mushroom. "Bullying people she's jealous of with her lackeys 'cause she's got nothing better to do." He shoves the morsel into his mouth. "Or can do," he mumbles around the mouthful of food, rolling his eyes again.
"Oh dear," Yoshino sighs. "I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan. She can be a little…."
"Well I am not too fond of that girl myself," interjects Himeko from the other end of the table, chopsticks stabbing at the cooking meat on her grill with perhaps a bit more force than necessary. "She's come after Chouji before, too." She places a hand on the boy's shoulder protectively, causing him to blush and cast his gaze down towards his protein-filled bowl.
"Yeah I found her yelling at him that time when we were supposed to meet up at the soba shop! I chased her away though, don't worry." Ino beams at the older woman, who grins back and combs a hand through the girl's blond locks in thanks. "She tried going after me once too," the girl continues with a scoff. "As if she had a chance." With a flip of her short hair, she returns her attention to her salad, burrowing into her mother's side.
Shikamaru turns back to Sakura with a sigh. "She's never gotten along with us-got it from her parents, most likely. Clan politics. It's pretty complicated, apparently." He casts a look at his father, who nods noncommittally.
"I see." Sakura nods. Perhaps she can ask Shikamaru later. She places a few more slices of meat and eggplant on the grill and checks the heat. "Why is she interested in me, then? I am clanless." The one thing that did not change.
"Don't be stupid." Shikamaru jabs her in the side with his elbow. "It's 'cause you're smart. And well-liked by the teachers." Watching her eyebrows rise higher and higher in bemusement, Shikamaru breaks off with a cough, mumbling something into his fist and rubbing the back of his head. He sighs. "You're just an all-around better student then she is, alright, and she's jealous."
Yoshino starts laughing. "My, I never thought I'd see the day when Shika-kun actually pays someone a compliment!" She pulls Sakura into an unexpected hug. "You're also as cute as a button! No wonder the poor girl is a bit bitter, ne?" The woman is surprisingly playful.
Once again, warmth spreads across Sakura's chest and down her spine at the show of affection. Her temple and eyelids almost feel hot, too, but she has no time to dwell on it.
"So you're doing well at the Academy?" The scar stretches again.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't say that. I'm doing alright, I guess."
"You like it?"
Sakura blinks. "Well, I'm better at theory than in practice, so I'm trying to do some training on my physical abilities. Hopefully I will be able to catch up a bit in those aspects…"
"But do you like it?" The man's gaze is once again heavy with something she can't decipher and his face is neutral, body still.
"I-I mean, yes, of course-yes. I….need to get stronger." Her throat dries. Swallow. "So that I-"
She stops. 'So that I can protect' she wants to say. But protect….who?
He is still staring at her with the same look. Waiting….for what?
"So that I-"
"Oi, how come you haven't eaten anything yet?" A heaping chopstick-ful of beef appears on her plate. "Don't just talk and cook, woman." Shikamaru rolls his eyes at her.
Yoshino's head whips around at that declaration, eyes wide, and immediately begins to fuss. "Oh dear, you haven't eaten yet? How come? That simply won't do, Sakura-chan! Here, have some pork-and you must try some of these mushrooms-"
"A-ah, thank you Yoshino-san, that's-"
"-oh, and the squid is delicious too-and don't forget the sauce, dear-have you two been snatching up everything?" She gives father and son each a reproving glare. "Stop stuffing yourselves so quickly and give the poor girl a break!" She plucks a few more slices of meat off the grill. "Here, dear, have some more beef. Don't talk-just eat! You are much too thin!"
Obediently, Sakura ducks her head and beings to quietly consume her food as the older woman returns to berating her husband and son again. She catches Shikamaru's gaze out of the corner of her eye and nods discreetly in thanks. He really saved her back there. The boy gives her a slight smirk before closing his eyes in lazy protest against his mother.
"You're better at theory, you said?"
Looking up, Sakura is met with Inoichi's surprisingly intense gaze. She nods, mouth full of squid, and chews hastily.
"That's interesting. I remember most kids didn't like theory back when I was in the Academy-centuries ago," the blond-haired man laughs. "Ino doesn't like it much either, do you Ino?"
The girl's face scrunches up in distaste. "It's the worst! Soooooo boring," she sighs, and drops her head heavily into her palm.
"Ino. You should pay more attention," her father admonishes sternly. "Theory is actually very important to your later development as a shinobi-possibly the most important class they teach at the Academy, actually." The man offers Sakura a smile. "Good for you, for following along. I assume you're doing quite well, too?"
"Yeah, she's at the top of the class for anything theory-related," Shikamaru slips in, casually. "Iruka's always calling her out for perfect test scores."
"That's Iruka-sensei to you, Shikamaru," Yoshino admonishes. "But that's amazing, Sakura-chan!"
"It's just on theory," Sakura quickly puts in, blushing. "I'm awful at anything practical."
"Well I won't disagree with that," Shikamaru smirks. Grabbing the cooking chopsticks, he plops the last few pieces of raw meat left onto the grill. "Although, it seems like you're pretty good at chakra control, too." Turning towards the adults, he shrugs offhandedly. "We started chakra meditation today and I couldn't feel a thing, but she did." He blinks, as if recalling something. "Actually-"
"Wait you felt something?!" Ino leans over the table, nearly upsetting a her plate as she does so. "How? I couldn't see a thing either! What's it feel like?! Are you sure you did it right?"
"U-Uh, well," Sakura stutters a bit, too busy being mentally relieved at the interruption to provide an adequate response. She does not want anyone else to know about the blackout incident. Catching sight of Shikamaru opening his mouth again, she hastily stomps on his foot beneath the table as a preventative tactic, ignoring his wince and narrowing eyes.
"...wouldn't be surprised," Inoichi is saying. "Sakura's chakra flows much more smoothly than I've seen in most kids your age. Actually, in any kids your age. How is it so controlled?"
Well, no way to avoid a question like that. Meeting his inquisitive gaze embarrassedly, Sakura shrugs in what she hopes can pass as a casual manner. "Just some chakra readings I found at the library," she hedges, "to fill up the time. Nothing else to do lately." She gives an uneasy laugh.
The adults surprisingly seem to accept that answer. A distinctively awkward air seems to settle over the table, and Sakura realizes that her hosts are trying to be delicate-tiptoeing around the issue of her parents. How convenient. She quickly begins to stuff a mushroom into her mouth-to ward off any more potential questions that may spring into their heads-until a thought ironically pops into hers.
"Wait, Inoichi-san, you can see my chakra? How?"
"Not so much see as feel," the blond man chuckles as the rest of the table relaxes. "You'd need a Hyuuga to see chakra in such fine detail, but yes I can feel the general outline of your chakra flow. You guys will learn how to do that too when you get older!" He ruffles Ino's hair to her vocal displeasure, and laughter echoes down the table.
Sakura chuckles along, mind whirring with worry. It seems that sensing chakra is supposed to be painless-Inoichi certainly didn't exhibit any signs of discomfort when he felt her chakra. So blacking out is probably not normal….but then what had happened? Is something wrong with her?
Something nudges her foot. Looking up, she meets Shikamaru's reassuring gaze. 'We'll figure it out,' it says. 'Don't worry.' Sakura isn't sure how much he's figured out yet with his genius intellect, but somehow, she feels herself relaxing anyway. Later, in the darkness of her room, she might wonder why.
"Wow, I'm stuffed!" Chouza sets down his chopsticks with a satisfied sigh and downs the rest of his sake. "Amazing food as always, Yoshino!"
"Oh, it was nothing!" The woman waves her hand furiously. "I didn't even cook anything! Sorry we were so lazy this time around!"
"Not at all! Remember that time I tried cooking and Mai ended up having to run out for last-minute takeout?" Inoichi's comment prompts another round of laughter from the adults.
"Why don't you men go out to the veranda for a bit while we take care of the dishes?" Standing up, Yoshino begins to clear the table. "You guys are useless in the kitchen anyway, let the women do the work here!" She grins.
"Alright," Inoichi concedes with a good-natured laugh. "Definitely can't argue with that! Thank you then, dear ladies!"
"'Kaa-san! Can we go outside then? It's still bright!"
"Sure, Ino-chan-but stay in the yard, okay? And come back in soon! The sun's about to set and there's still dessert!"
"Okay 'Kaa-san! Let's go Chouji, Sakura! Come on, Shika-get off your lazy butt!"
"Nooo," Shikamaru groans. "Stop. I'm not going." He collapses stubbornly to the veranda floorboards and sprawls out onto his side.
"Shikaaa! Come on," Ino whines.
"Nooooo."
"Ugh, whatever! Sakura, wanna come?"
"Ah, no, it's alright. Thank you for the offer though."
Ino blinks. "Are you sure? It'll be fun!"
"It's fine. I probably shouldn't," Sakura offers the other girl a wan smile. "You guys go ahead!"
"Well, okay, if you're sure." The blonde shrugs. "Let's go Chouji!" Grabbing her friend by the wrist, she begins to excitedly tug him off the veranda and into the backyard. Sakura watches them go, and listens to the chirping of the cicadas.
In the background, the sound of the women's chatter fades into the kitchen-("You must tell me more about that market trip you made the other day, Himeko! You saw Mirai's husband, you said?")-and the scent of tobacco begins to waft slowly up into the air.
As a guest, it would have been impolite to leave the adults during her first visit here.
"Did you want to go with them?" The smoky rumble drifts from behind her, softly. Still regarding her with those unreadable eyes, the man leans lightly against the shoji-screen frame, one hand casually shoved into his pocket, the other cradling a pipe.
Sakura stiffens. "No, it's alright," she murmurs. "It would be rude of me-"
"That's not what I mean." The man takes a long drag of tobacco, and closes his eyes. Tilts his head back, slowly lets out the smoke. He sighs. "This isn't a test to see if you've mastered every rule in the etiquette book. Stop thinking about what we want, what society wants, for a second."
He looks at her again. Somehow, in the absence of the other adults, his gaze no longer seems so intimidating, but steady. Sad. Safe.
"What do you want?"
Sakura stills, a lump forming in her throat. This, she realizes, is a gesture of concern for her well-being. The first time someone has actually asked how she's been feeling since that day. What she wants….in the wake of everything, there is simply no space left to consider her wants, her likes, herself. How can she, with so many more important issues to worry over, to get right? It's about what she needs. What she must. What she should.
And in the midst of that, she somehow….forgot. What does Sakura like to do? What does she want to be? That day has shattered her previously idyllic life like a boulder thrown into a pond, and the little girl who once had dreams of her own….that girl is a reflection dissolved. What were those dreams? Those faded desires? Is her current dream even hers? Yes….she likes training. She wants to grow stronger. But why? Does she really want….to protect?
"I….don't know."
The man continues to look at her steadily, something softer entering his eyes.
"Not yet." She meets his gaze unflinchingly this time, and holds it. She knows he will understand.
Snorting softly, he takes another puff of his pipe and begins to turn away. "That's good, take your time. Kids these days never know what they want anyway." He scratches the back of his head as he wanders back towards the other two men. "In the meantime, why don't you go play shogi with Shikamaru or something?" He drawls over his shoulder, more loudly. "I think you'll like it." He boy in question immediately perks up at the mention of the game.
Blinking at the abrupt change and scrambling for her bearings, Sakura tilts her head as the present catches up with her. "What's shogi?"
"A good game. Come on, I'll teach you." Shikamaru flips onto his back and, yawning, begins the apparently laborious task of standing up.
Sakura watches him with vague amusement, mind still half in a dream. For the first time, the boy actually seems excited about something. Which makes it all the more entertaining when Yoshino chooses that moment to make apparent the fact that shogi is fated not to be this evening.
"Everyone, come inside for a moment and grab some dessert! Sakura-chan made strawberry daifuku and they look delicious-Ino-chan! Chouji-kun! Dessert!"
Sakura can't help but smirk as Shikamaru completely deflates in front of her. The veranda trembles as Ino and Chouji run past them, laughing, and she gently nudges his side with her elbow.
"Next time."
The boy sighs. "Yeah, next time," and allows her to drag him back inside.
The daifuku, thankfully, did not get squished on the way here. Sakura carefully avoids eye contact with anyone as she bites into hers, hoping that the treat came out alright. She chews.
"But this is amazing! Absolutely divine! Sakura-chan, you must show me how you made this!" Himeko beams at her, polishing off the rest of her strawberry. The other adults are nodding and smiling at her-Chouza is already reaching for a second one.
"A-ah, of course, Himeko-san, thank you."
"Way better than the ones at the market!" Inoichi winks.
"Did you guys know she actually got my lazy Shika-kun to help her make this?" Yoshino dissolves into laughter. "Imagine him, pounding rice!"
Slouching down further, Shikamaru scowls across the table at the chuckling adults, turning up the heat for his smirking father specifically. It's such a domestic scene, it makes Sakura smile, the man's earlier words echoing through her mind.
"There's the smile I've been waiting for all night."
Looking up in surprise, Sakura meets Yoshino's soft grin. "You're so pretty when you smile, you know that, Sakura-chan?" The older woman murmurs. She gives Sakura's knee a warm squeeze beneath the table. "Don't hide it. Share it with the world!"
And the lump forms again in her throat, big and warm. So this is what it is, what she had been looking at all night. Yoshino's smile, that look in her eyes. It's family. Welcome, acceptance, trust. The prickling feeling returns behind her eyes, and she looks down, at the hand rubbing soothing circles into her elbow.
"It's alright, dear. It'll be okay."
And Sakura can only nod wordlessly, and stare at the table as the conversation flows around her, trying desperately to draw all the pieces of herself back inside. Feeling slightly more in control, she finishes the rest of her daifuku, chewing slowly until her neck stops feeling hot and her nose is no longer leaky and she can blink normally again.
"Better?" Yoshino murmurs discreetly, swiping another daifuku from the box. "Have another! Or else those men are going to eat them all-I swear Chouza's already eaten four!" The woman grins as if sharing a secret. "They're that good!"
That draws out a second smile from Sakura, which in turn makes the older woman's grin widen. "So who taught you how to cook?"
"I mostly taught myself, since both of my parents were often away." Sakura finds herself falling into an easy conversation about topics she hadn't thought about-had consciously avoided-for months. Somehow, talking suddenly feels more manageable, and she greedily drinks in the experience, the comfort of friendly small talk, even as she feels exhaustion start to creep up on her. It seems the meditation episode in the morning and the afternoon of baking had tired her out more than she thought.
Dimly, she hears the beginnings of conversation start up amongst the men on the other side of the table, a low murmur. Himeko and Mai also strike up an exchange, which she listens to with one ear.
"So how are things at the flower shop?"
"Same as ever! I just started teaching Ino how to make some of the simpler arrangements, she seems to really like it. What about your restaurant?"
"Things are going pretty well too! Yesterday we actually had a special group of customers…."
"...must have been super busy! Is Chouza still…."
"...work this week? Any news?"
"...so Chouji's starting to hang around more often…teaching him the basics…"
"...anything from the Hokage…concern…Uchihas….situation seems…"
Sakura loses track of her own conversation and drifts off mid-sentence.
"Sakura-chan?" Yoshino questions, noting her shift in interest
"...from T&I either…know anything…Uchiha...clammed up…"
"...try again…bastards…yeah…"
"Language!" Yoshino sharply raps her knuckles against the wood. "This is not appropriate conversation for the table! Take it outside." She shakes her head in exasperation.
"A-ah, sorry Yoshino, we forgot." Inoichi looks sheepish. "We can head out to the veranda again. Are you three planning to stay inside with the kids? It's starting to get dark out."
"Yeah, Chouji is getting tired anyway." Himeko stroke her sons head. The boy is nodding off at her side.
"So is Ino," Mai gestures with her chin down at the girl, who's eyelids were also starting to droop.
"And we all know Shika never had any energy to begin with," Yoshino laughs, "but speaking of which, Sakura-chan! Do you want one of us to walk to you home? It's getting late and you live on the other side of town, don't you?"
"Oh it's no problem, Yoshino-san," Sakura assures, her forcing her unease to the back of her mind for the moment. 'Uchiha?' Her mind whispers. 'Uchiha?'
"The sun's just set anyway." She glances outside. "And I enjoy the walk." This time, she means it.
After a moment of consideration, the woman finally nods. "Alright, but stay on the main roads, okay, Sakura-chan?" She picks up the now-empty daifuku box and begins to rewrap it in cloth.
"'Bye, Sakura-chan! It was great to meet you," Inoichi and Chouza wave as they start to head back outside. "And dessert was delicious!"
"Close the screen behind you or you'll let mosquitos in!" Yoshino calls to their backs. She snorts and turns back to Sakura. "Let me show you to the door, dear."
"I'll do it," Shikamaru yawns unexpectedly, rubbing his eyes and getting to his feet. "I'm heading to bed anyway."
With a surprised laugh, Yoshino wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Alright, Shika-kun. My, this friendship is really a good influence on you, isn't it? You're practically lively now!"
"Shut up, 'Kaa-san."
Yoshino laughs again, and hands Sakura back her box. "Here you go, Sakura-chan. I hope you had a nice time." And then, suddenly, she engulfs Sakura in a long, firm hug, wraps the girl in that feeling of warmth and family and care again until Sakura's chest is a field of glowing embers. "It was so fun getting to know you."
"Thank you," Sakura whispers. It is enough.
And then, blinking in remembrance, she turns back towards the interior of the room and scans the table.
He's still there, lazily stuffing tobacco into his pipe. Her feet move forward a few steps without her realizing, closer. He acknowledges her with a glance out of the corner of his eye.
And she opens her mouth, so many words on her tongue suddenly, but Yoshino is there, and Shikamaru is waiting, and somehow, she wants to keep this secret, for now. So she just ducks her head slightly, and swallows.
"Thank you," she says, and grips her box tighter. "Nara-sama."
He looks at her for a long moment, then downs the rest of his sake and stands up, pipe in hand. "Shikaku," he drawls, and ruffles her hair as he heads towards the shoji-screen. "Have a safe trip home, kid."
The scar on his cheek stretches. He is smiling.
Reader-san, are you still here? If you are...wow, thank you so much for actually reading that entire ramble! Clearly, I have no idea how to keep a conversation flowing. This is my first fanfiction, so if anyone has any tips on how to, err, be a good writer, I would be extremely grateful!
Thanks everyone! And now some responses to reviewer comments/questions:
ThatOneAuthoress: Hope you still like the story and didn't find the dinner too boring! :)
Reihime: Awwww, your comment was very sweet, thank you! No worries at all-48 reviews is already a lot to me! :D I am actually beyond happy with the reactions this story has received-blown away that this story has so many favorites/follows/reviews! :)
LilyBlueBookwormQ02: Sakura is 8! Sorry for the confusion-would you mind pointing out the problematic spots? I will try to fix them! :) Also, this story is currently projected to end when Sakura is in her twenties. So Naruto will definitely show up at some point ;) I am so glad you enjoy the story so far!
Maria Stoneborn: Haha thank you! I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Hmmm, special abilities...let's see! ;)
Jade: Let's find out! ;) (Hopefully soon...I really need improve my updating speed haha)