Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

OTR— Not So Beautiful Things

At the age of thirty two, Hyūga [now Uzumaki] Hinata had convinced herself that she was satisfied with all she had accomplished thus far. She was married to the boy she had loved as a child, birthed and raised two beautiful children, and managed to repair the broken bridge between her father and herself—although there were still multiple planks missing and the rope was so close to snapping each time, so she was wary of ever stepping too quickly in case it decided to give up. 

Sitting under the large window in the living room, a book lying completely disregarded on her lap while a cup of warm tea was held in her hand, Hinata stared out into her yard without so much as blinking. She was caught up in her thoughts; they flitted by quickly, and if she wasn’t too careful, she would miss the tiny voices that exchanged conversation within conversation. 

A small frown was settled on her lips, hidden away every few seconds whenever she took a sip of her rapidly cooling tea. Yes, Hinata has convinced herself that she was satisfied with her life right now. The life that her younger self had craved for after shifting from goal posts to goal post in an attempt to find herself.

The life where her husband barely came home with enough energy to make it to their bedroom. The life where her son was getting angrier day by day when his father couldn’t spare him a glance. The life where her daughter would tug on her shirt, asking her if she’s alright as she watches with sad eyes the display of a disheveled man who was losing the light that kept him going. 

Hinata was convinced that this was the best she could do, this was what she wanted, so she should live by it and be happy. If not for the sake of her kids, then for her breaking heart. 

She’s noticed some things over the past few years; things that she did not want to really notice yet she had no choice but to see. For one, he hasn’t touched her since she’s given birth to Himawari. She had originally thought that he was giving her space, letting her recover from her pregnancy. However, the advised six week wait before resuming intimacy stretched to another six weeks. Twelve weeks turned into five months, and five months turned into ten years. 

Not one kiss.

Not one hug.

It was as though he could barely look her in the eye for more than a second before he got absolutely sick and decided that working himself until he drops was a better option than facing his patient wife.

She noticed when he stopped coming home for dinner once he was appointed as Hokage. His dream was fulfilled; he prayed for this day and promised that things would be fixed, though it never did. It wasn’t until she practically begged him, humiliating herself in front of the hidden eyes belonging to the ANBU on behalf of their children, to come home and eat something with them.

She noticed when his smile stopped being bright and warming. She noticed when he decided to only sleep on the couch. She noticed when his shoulders sagged whenever she came to visit him for lunch as if he was expecting someone else.

And Hinata noticed when he came home with a large smile on his face proclaiming that Uchiha Sasuke had returned for the time being to take care of some matters. 

In hindsight, she should have seen this coming; she should have known, and perhaps she did. Perhaps the voice she stuffed deep inside those hidden drawers of her mind, speaking of things she did not want to listen to, was right all along. 

Hinata doesn’t know what to do except sit and listen every time. Eyes roaming between the table and her husband who always sat on the other side eating quietly. Only sparring a smile for their children who were just glad that he was home for the sixth [or was it tenth, she’s lost count but he was really making an effort so why tally his absences [total: 52] when he was trying] day in a row. Still, he could only glance at her and thank her quietly as she cleans the kitchen.

A part of her breaks every single day whenever he comes home for a few minutes to grab one thing and leave again without speaking to her.

Hinata wonders if she’s done something wrong [she did, she picked the wrong one, the one who has long since been claimed by another] to have her marriage slowly slip from her finger as she puts up a front. She was happy to everyone else. Oh, Hinata, how lucky you are that the Hokage fawns over you! How your children respect you! The love of an Uzumaki burns bright, you are glowing! 

They didn’t know the things she did. They did not notice things the way she did.

Flipping her book closed, she sighed as she got up and closed the curtains. The clouds were rolling over the hills, a storm was coming and Himawari had yet to return from the flower shop. Her little one spent all her time there, loving the sunflowers Ino always had on display just for her. It was a nice sentiment coming from her friend; she knew what they meant to her little one, so she went out of her way to have them available no matter the day.

Hinata had half the mind to call the Yamanaka Flower Shop to make sure that Himawari was alright. Perhaps she could stay there until the clouds pass, but Himawari has always been attached to her side, she can’t imagine having her away for too long even if she knew she was safe.

Nevertheless, Hinata quickly dials the familiar telephone and waits for someone to pick it up. 

The sun was out when she finally decided that it was time to meet her weekly sighting quota; it was the least she could do for Naruto’s sake so that rumours wouldn’t start. How good of a wife would she be if she allowed the nasty words of others to make its rounds and ruin the reputation he had built? Fortunately for her, all she needed to do was to walk around with a smile, greet everyone who greeted her, and mind her business even when everyone else minded it for her.

Hinata pulled her thin sweater closed, running her dainty fingers—dried by constant days of washing the dishes—through her shoulder length hair. Slipping on her shoes, she opened the door and took a deep breath as the wind blew past her.

Instantly, a passing civilian waved at her with a smile on their face. Years of being molded into the perfect image of a clan leader, and a responsible wife appeared as she waved back. The smile, however, never made it to her eyes even as she walked down the street.

Her cheeks hurt, all until she finally made it to the flower shop. She closed the door behind her, pressing her back against the glass door and taking a deep breath as her shoulders finally fell from where they had remained perched. She missed when the sound of heels was heard, and jumped when a hand brushed against her forehead.

Pale eyes met near seafoam coloured ones, blond hair brushed to the side as a cunning smile was put on display. “You alright?” Her voice was as sweet as honey, and Hinata had to stop her stomach from dropping to her feet as a finger trailed down her cheek until her chin was cupped.

She knew Ino didn’t mean it like that, they were both married after all, still she couldn’t help but swallow hard as she nodded. 

“Must be tough having a popular husband.” Her laugh rang like morning bells, not too loud, but not soft either. It made her feel much better being there than outside.

Hinata looked to the side and slowly lifted her face out of Ino’s still outstretched hand. “I can get used to it.” She muttered, “he’s always been popular.” Holding out the basket she had clutched in her hands, she waited until Ino took a hold of its handle before pulling her hand back as though she had been touched by a hot flame.

Ino raised a sleek eyebrow, staring at the covered basket without opening it to see what’s inside. “Is it some sort of special occasion?”

“I thought that you might like some freshly baked bread…The kids are at school or on a mission, and Naruto…He’s probably accompanying Shikamaru somewhere, so it’s just sitting at home. It’s also to show my appreciation for taking care of Himawari whenever she comes by.” She moved her short hair out of her face, but immediately regretted it as she combed her bangs over her face. 

“I’ll make sure to pair these with the best butter in the village—ya’know how good the classics are.” She smiled and motioned for her to follow her. 

Hinata giggled and nodded, “warm bread and butter can be the best meal even amongst a sea of food.”

Ino hummed in agreement.

Her house was connected to the flower shop for convenience, and it smelled just as nice as the shop did. Hinata has been inside quite a few times when she had to drop off Himawari, yet it was the first time she’s actually marveled at its simplicity. Unlike her home that was big enough to house their previously growing family [she didn’t want to think about how he hasn’t touched her, maybe there was a reason], the Yamanaka’s lived in one perfectly fit for their three member family. 

It was decorated by a multitude of artwork, no doubt at the hands of Sai and their son Inojin. Flowers were placed in beautiful vases that were placed around the house in very significant places. It felt warm and cozy.

A glass of cool juice was placed in front of her as she sat down at the table and watched Ino manoeuvre around the kitchen. Hinata played with her fingers as she watched the way the taller woman moved; her hips swayed with every step, her back was straight, her confidence oozed out of every pore in her body, and her beautiful hair cascaded down her back.

Ino had always been cool in Hinata’s eyes, a living embodiment of everything she was not and what she envied. She was beautiful [she wasn’t beautiful enough for him], she voiced her thoughts without stumbling over her words [pathetic], and she had so many friends [loner]. 

Although she appreciated it when the older woman would take her under her arm, oftentimes physically, to get her out of her shell, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself. Sorry that she could not be what Ino was—or what everybody needed. 

“Here you go,” she smiled, “unfortunately, all I have is this hazelnut spread that Inojin is absolutely in love with.” Ino sat down, her own plate with a dinner roll and a tangerine in front of her. “Kids these days, they never want to eat what we did.”

Hinata took a bite from her bread and nodded, “Boruto loves burgers.” 

“It’s a good thing that we shinobi burn calories quickly, otherwise all of these unhealthy foods will have us struggling to reach the remote.” She propped her chin up on her hand, staring at Hinata.

Avoiding her eyes as much as she could, Hinata breathed through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. She didn’t like being stared at much, nonetheless, Ino’s gaze made butterflies flutter in her stomach. She didn’t know why, but it definitely didn’t mean something good with how hard it was to breathe at the moment.

“Say, what’s up with you these days? I barely see you out and about like you used to be. Everything okay with you? I hope Naruto isn’t stressing you.” Her eyes were filled with genuine concern; unlike the looks she got from her father and Hanabi—their looks were always knowing, as if they understood her life better than she did.

She couldn’t help but rock in her seat as she stared at the table instead of the wall behind Ino. “I’m okay.” She muttered.

“That wasn’t the question I asked, Hinata.”

She couldn’t tell Ino.

She shouldn’t tell Ino, because it wasn’t Ino’s business. What was she supposed to say anyway? That she thinks her marriage is a sham? That her life is currently crumbling no matter how much she tries to patch things up? What about telling Ino that Naruto seems oh so excited whenever Sasuke was in town? Excitement that was reserved for his best friend…

She shook her head. “I’m just tired and I miss the kids a lot since they’re not home too often anymore. I miss seeing Himawari running around and Boruto being a clutz.”

Ino could tell that she was avoiding the actual subject matter, yet didn’t push it. Instead, she took a sip from her juice and nodded, “when the kids aren’t home, it’s lonely sometimes. Maybe you should get something to do to take up the time. Have you thought about coming out of retirement and doing light missions?”

“Naruto wouldn’t let me,” she played with her fingers, “it’s to make sure one of us is home when the other is busy.”

The sound that came out of Ino’s mouth made her blush in embarrassment. “And that parent just so happens to be you every single time?”

“He’s the Hokage.”

Ino waved her hand in front of her face, “Hokage my ass, he’s a father and your husband first. He should put his actual family first instead of his position, but what do I know?” She took a large bite out of her bread, obviously annoyed by the prospect of a marriage she had no business being invested in. 

Hinata pulled at her shirt, her heart thumping in her chest loudly. “I didn’t think anything of it, I didn’t want to be a ninja before—“

“You didn’t want to be a fighter, there are countless specialties today that you can do without harming anyone. Tell ya’ what, I can pull some strings and get you a little part time job in administration for the T&I unit. You’d be working with me.”

“I don’t need to work, Ino, there’s no real reason—“

“You’re clearly miserable, Hinata, but I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want to do. I’m just saying that you don’t have to be the one stuck at home because Naruto is a shit father—he’s a shit father, admit it.”

She was gearing up to defend him, to tell Ino that she didn’t understand what was going on, but everything she came up with would be a lie. She didn’t like lying, especially to someone like Ino who could pick her apart if she really wanted to. The heat of her gaze made her feel warmer.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t tell him.” 

She looked up quickly.

“I mean it, Hinata, if you tell him, he’d be against it.”

“I’m sure it’s because—“

“Nope.”

“But Ino—“

“No.”

She slumped over in her seat, “okay.”

“Good girl.”

She felt like a young adult again; uncertain about everything while struggling with that pit in her stomach she couldn’t quite fill. She was thirty two, yet she felt like a schoolgirl with a silly crush. Was that what that was?

Perhaps it was all because she hadn’t spent so much time with anyone for so long, or how easy it was to relax in Ino’s presence. She knew that whatever they said to each other, in the privacy of Ino’s kitchen, would not leave it. 

She remembered the way Ino held her face mere minutes ago and bit her lip. Naruto hadn’t held her face like that in so long, or caressed her cheek with so much worry the way Ino had when she walked through those doors. A hug would throw her off her feet. When was the last time she was hugged by him again?

“I should get going, I have to meet with my family today.” Hinata murmured.

“Okay, I’ll see you out.”

“That’s alright, it’s pretty easy to find my way back.” Hinata got up after clearing her plate and pushed in her chair. “Please enjoy the bread with your family, I’ll get back to you about the job.” Her smile was wide, her eyes crinkling with genuine happiness. “Thanks Ino.”

“Come back anytime, Hinata, I’m here no matter what.” 

She waved goodbye and hurried away as her cheeks finally flushed pink and the warmth that pooled in her stomach finally dropped to her legs. Anyone who saw her rushing out of the Yamanaka’s shop merely assumed that she had been hard at work in the warm shop.

It was late afternoon when Himawari stumbled across her mother and Ino sitting near each other in the greenhouse. She had only reached her eleventh birthday not too long ago, but she was smart for her age. She saw the way Ino caressed her mother’s hand, and the blush on her mother’s face as she was guided.

Himawari has never seen her mother look so happy to be around someone, not since she was a little girl and her father was home all the time. Not since she was six and her father stumbled through the doors with a grin on his face as he buried his head into the crook of her mother’s neck where Himawari liked hiding too because it was really warm and cozy.

She didn’t know how to feel then, seeing Ino who she had begun to see as her aunty—a second mother—look at her mother with so much care in her eyes. She couldn’t stop her heart from thundering in her chest when she watched her kiss her mother’s cheek. 

Himawari bit the inside of her cheek, her hands twisting in her shirt as she squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t say that it wasn’t fair, she couldn’t be mad at all; she had seen how much sadder her precious mother was getting. She could feel the tension between her parents, a storm brewing, surely not bringing about anything good. 

But little Himawari didn’t know how she should feel knowing that Momma and Ino-san were doing things no married woman should do. Or women should do in general; her classmates said it was wrong, two women shouldn’t look at each other like that.

But Momma looked happy; she smiled wider, she hummed more, her touches were softer and more careful. She wasn’t sad as much, and that made Himawari happy herself. Even if it wasn’t because of her father, but rather the cause of the kisses she shared with Ino-san, Momma was happy and that was all that mattered.

So, when little Himawari hid in her room weeks later, listening to her mother and father shout at each other, she couldn’t help but wish that Ino-san was here to make her mother feel happy again. As she hid underneath her sheets, her hands pressed to her ear to block out the broken sobs and the yelling, she prayed that Ino-san would save her mother.

Her father was never violent, never easy to anger, yet the accusations that were thrown at him by her mother made him break something. She didn’t know what it was, but there was a moment of silence; one so heavy that she felt it in every fibre of her body. Her breath was held, the footsteps coming up the stairs made her shake.

They were light, eerily light as if the person didn’t want to be heard. The slamming of the door wasn’t as quiet. Seconds later, Himawari listened as her mother cried. 

Sneaking out of her bedroom, she knocked on the bedroom door and walked inside. Hinata was throwing clothes into a duffle bag haphazardly. Himawari covered the distance quickly, placing her hand on her mother’s as she squeezed it.

“Where are you going, Momma?” She whispered, her voice shaking. “Are you going to Ino-san?”

It took a while for her to get a response, and all it was was a watery smile and a hiccup. Her mother caressed her cheek, cupping her face as she nodded her head sadly. She missed the words she spoke, only ever focusing on the hurt she felt on behalf of her mother, and the anger that resounded in her chest directed at her father for whatever he did to cause her mother so much pain.

“It’s only for the weekend.”

“Can I come? Boruto is away on a mission…I don’t want to be home alone.”

“I was going to send you to your Aunt Hanabi…”

“Please?”

“Get your bag.”

Himawari didn’t question it when Ino-san opened the door as though she was expecting them to show up. Her robe was pulled tightly around her body, and a snack was already on the kitchen table. She held her mother and rocked her back and forth, kissing the top of her head as she cried. 

Her lower lip quivered, her light blue eyes staring at the display, wondering when things got like this. Maybe if Boruto didn’t complain all the time, maybe if she wasn’t so sad when she thought about her father; the point was that Himawari felt as though she should have done something to fix things.

She joined the hug, shuffling her way in between both women as she held her mother around her waist. She buried her face in her stomach, silently apologizing for everything that went wrong. A hand was placed on her head and she instantly knew that it was Ino-san’s, and in that moment, Himawari understood why her mother found comfort in the taller, blond woman.

That night, Ino-san showed them the guest bedroom and left them alone. Her Momma thought she was asleep when she snuck out of the room again; Himawari didn’t complain though, not even when she saw Ino-san waiting outside the bedroom door.

A smile was plastered on little Himawari’s face when she heard her mother giggle softly. 

Ino-san would take care of her Momma well.

Boruto couldn’t tell what the problem was; one day he returned home and the atmosphere was cold. There was a stillness in the air that he couldn’t quite decipher and that annoyed him the longer it lasted. So, he marched his way to the Hokage Tower, threw the door open and glared at his father.

His teacher was there, none other than Uchiha Sasuke, sitting on the edge of his father’s desk with his hand stuffed into his pants. Half of his face was hidden as usual, but there was this air around him that also confused Boruto.

His father stared at him with his eyebrow raised, his hand folded on his desk as he leaned forward. “What’s the problem, Bolt?” 

Boruto turned back to his father, not missing the almost guilty look in his eyes as he glanced at Sasuke. He brought his shoulders up to his ears, a habit he picked up from his mother, and dropped them down with a huff. “What did you do?”

Taken aback, Naruto‘s mouth hung open in shock. “What do you mean?” He coughed, thinking that he had been caught by his son.

“Momma is always upset, Himawari isn’t speaking, whenever you come home it’s very awkward, and he’s back in town yet Sarada claims she hasn’t seen him for months.” He pointed at Sasuke. “So what did you do? And please don’t lie to me, I’m not a kid anymore.”

Naruto laughed nervously, running his bandaged hand through his hair. “Your mother and I…We haven’t been seeing eye to eye for a while now, I’m hoping to give her space to sort things out but that’s clearly not working.”

“No, that’s not all there is to it.” He shook his head with a frown plastered on his face. “Momma is always understanding of everything you do, she’s always on your side and wishes you the best all the time, so it’s not a simple disagreement. You probably did something to hurt her.”

He watched as his father glanced at Sasuke again, something that was beginning to annoy him. It was as though they were silently communicating, talking to each other with quick looks, and that made his stomach twist. He’s never seen his Momma share that look with his father before…

“I don’t think this matter concerns you, Boruto.” Naruto muttered, bowing his head. “It’s between your mother and I, and it’s hard to handle it right now, but I’m trying to fix it.”

“You’re not putting in enough effort then, she would rather stay away from home than be in your presence. Whatever the fight was about, I don’t care, but know that if you continue to hurt Momma, I will hate you.” He clenched his fists. “The Chūnin Exams are coming up soon, please fix things before then.” He added in a whisper, leaving the office quickly after as his stomach continued to churn in unease.

Boruto hated being lied to, he learned that the day he listened to his parents fight and his Momma came to comfort a crying Himawari. Apparently it had been a regular occurrence in his absence; they would fight, Momma would pack her things and go sleep at the Yamanaka’s for a day or two, and return home. 

When Hinata had done nothing but smile and laugh at his accusations, he knew that he was being lied to as she told him that everything was alright. It wasn’t, he knew that it wasn’t because the shouting became louder. The days Momma stayed away became longer. Once a week turned into almost everyday, broken sobs were heard as she forced herself to leave the house that began to haunt her. 

Yet he still couldn’t understand why.

Why was this happening to his family?

They were supposed to be happy, others were to be envious of them. They were the family of the Hokage. 

Behind closed doors, they acted differently and it started scaring Boruto. It scared him even more when his teacher knocked on the door looking for his father, that same distraught look he’s seen on his Momma’s face on his as well, as though they were hurting because of his stupid father. He knew that that hurt was different for them both.

His Momma looked as though she was forever sorry for something she did.

His teacher looked like he regretted his life’s choices.

Yet Boruto couldn’t piece it together even when Sarada complained day in and day out that her father barely visits her mother. Even when whispers began to spread as the day of the Chūnin Exams drew closer.

What was going on with the Hokage, his wife, and his best friend?

They stood side by side, waving happily at the people as the arena was filled slowly. No one could tell that her eyes were swollen from where they stood, no one could see the way they flinched away from each other when they got too close. 

This was what their marriage has been reduced to; fights and awkward bouts of calm. Depression and anxiety one in the same as they moved about, scared that the farce would be deciphered by their observers.

They weren’t happy.

They hadn’t been happy for years it seems, only delusions kept them going—and their children. Always their children.

They wouldn’t fight in front of them, they wouldn’t embarrass them when the door was opened and others could look in. They were supposed to be Uzumaki Naruto and Hinata; the happy couple that everyone envied.

Hinata wished Ino was with her to hold her hand and comfort her. She wished that she could bury her head in her soft bosoms, inhaling her scent as she was cradled and caressed until she fell asleep. She wished that she could have her secret lover all to herself at that moment because the world was moving too fast.

“Are you alright?” He leaned down and whispered into her ear, making her freeze as she stepped back.

“I’m fine.” She answered quickly, letting his hand go as the matches started. She folded it on her lap, tucking her fingers into her palm as she dug her nails into the soft flesh. 

Naruto pretended not to notice the distraught look on her face, taking her word for it as the words of guilt echoed in his ears. This was all his fault; their crumbling marriage was because of him. She had seen it, she had encouraged him to go for it, but he refused.

Was it stubbornness? Or fear? He didn’t quite know. It was crazy; why would he ever do that? Why would Sasuke? They were friends, life long friends who were destined to be at each other’s side long before they were formed in the womb. 

When she said that he was hurting her, he had a feeling that she was talking about his own heart. He was hurting himself too by pretending that things were okay, that he was happy with his life thus far.

It was his fault that the arena was attacked and Boruto was whisked away by an unknown enemy. It was his fault that the village was under attack while he was busy thinking about how awful his love life turned out.

It was his fault when Hinata came running to help, fear in her eyes as she searched the area for their son.

And it was his fault when she ceased to exist before he could apologize for hurting her the way he did.

His eyes glowed.

That was the first thing Hinata noticed as she made eye contact with the unknown person. He barely glanced at her, only ever doing a double take for a reason she didn’t want to know. His head was tilted to the side, watching as she ran into the battlefield, clearly not prepared to fight, because she wanted to protect her child.

She would learn that his name was Momoshiki, a near god who had stretched his hands and wreaked havoc on the unprepared village.

It was reminiscent of Pein’s attack; so many people screamed for help, others escorting bystanders out of the arena. And much like the Pein attack, worry filled her at the thought of someone she loved being hurt. 

Boruto wasn’t breathing.

She stumbled countless times, moving over large pieces of concrete as her eyes scanned the terrain looking for her child. Her precious child that she had birthed and loved. Who she had began to see as his father; blue eyes and blond hair forever a reminder that her husband did not love her the same way he loved his best friend.

She cried as she got closer, praying to the gods that he was alive, if only incapacitated because of the attack. 

She never reached him, however, because Momoshiki spotted her. He stretched out his arm, whispered a few words, and her world crumbled in on itself.

She felt her life get pulled out of her arms, her mind the only thing that remained intact, forever conscious as her body ceased to exist.

She caught Naruto’s eyes before she disappeared. An apology was on display, one she could never accept as her vision went dark and Uzumaki Hinata ceased to exist in their world.

Chapter Text

Act 1: Scene 1 — Remember The Time

In the dim light that fell over the land, one of the many marvels that was seen just as the sun began to rise, a woman stumbled into a clearing. Her body slumped down, resting over a fallen tree as her eyes rolled about in her little head. Dark, midnight—almost pitch black—hair fell to her shoulders, and laid in a mess of tangles on top of her head.

When she opened her eyes, it revealed the most beautiful of pearls, with a speck of purple that captivated anyone who were to look her in her eyes. Her nostrils flared as she drew closer to wakefulness, the sun continued to rise as she tossed and turned against the hard bark of the oak tree.

Gasping awake, Hinata stared wide-eyed at the ground. She patted herself down, carefully making sure that she was indeed whole and very much alive. Groaning, she leaned back against the tree and covered her face with her hands.

That was awful.

The feeling of being sucked into whatever little vortex that man made was excruciating. Her mind felt a mess, and there was barely any strength in her limbs to keep her up. Her chakra was okay however, and so was the rest of her body. 

One look around the forest seconds after waking up, Hinata figured that she was a reasonable distance away from her home. After all, she recognized this density, the greenery of the leaves, and the chirping of the birds only native to the Land of Fire. It seems as though her attacker decided to keep her away from the actual fight.

Standing on shaking legs, once again groaning as she was hit with a small headache, she blinked and squinted at the rising sun. How long has she been out? 

The walk back to her home was uneventful to put it simply. There was nothing going on outside the walls that were of any concern. She quite liked being out in the wild, it’s been so long since she stepped outside of Konoha, it was a miracle that she remembered her way back.

Picking a few berries to snack on on her way back, Hinata wondered if the conflict had been settled with how still everything was. Surely Naruto would have dealt with it by now, and knowing that Sasuke was also present practically guaranteed that Konoha was safe.

A frown settled on her lips as she thought about the dark haired man. It wasn’t his fault that her marriage had fallen on tough times; she tried to be lenient in her anger, directing it more so at herself rather than at him. How could she blame the Uchiha for being the one Naruto had loved?

It wasn’t his fault…It was hers.

Shaking her head to clear the images her brain started bombarding her with, Hinata let out a sigh as the tall gates of Konoha came into focus. She stopped at the entrance, marvelling at its grandiose size and beauty. The loud creaking coming from its hinges made her step back; they were opening it and she didn’t want to be in the way.

The face of two young shinobi popped out from behind the green gates. Their flak jackets and headbands were worn proudly as they gave her a slight salute and continued their tasks of opening the gates for the day.

It was then that Hinata found something that unnerved her. As she stood in front of the slowly opening gates, still in wonder at their size, she realized something that made her blood run cold.

The village was different.

No, this wasn’t the village she remembered being in.

Gone were the tall buildings, the skyscrapers, the digital screens that covered them, and the bustling sounds brought about by the advertisements that were always on display. Gone were the bright colours of freshly painted homes, and properly paved streets that weaved in and around them. 

The Konoha Hinata had found herself familiar with was not the Konoha that stood in front of her.

In the back of her mind, a memory was tugged; blurred and distorted all in the same as glimpses of the Konoha from her childhood was seen. She turned to the guards’ posts quickly, walking over to them with a fidget in her step and her lips quivering.

“Excuse me?” Her voice was extra light, filled with fear as she stared at the unfamiliar faces of the children, no older than thirteen, in front of her. “What’s today’s date?”

The children exchanged a look, raising their eyebrows at her odd question. Although it wasn’t wrong to ask the date, it was suspicious that someone who just showed up to their doorstep would ask that question while looking so scared. So uneasy as they anticipated the answer as though they didn’t actually belong there.

“March 30th, 1993, ma’am. Is there a problem?” They answered in unison, carefully rehearsed lines that they had waited all their lives to say. 

Hinata’s world began to spin, she felt her breath leave her body with no plans on replenishing it. It couldn’t be so, this had to be a dream. It was not possible to simply exist in this world where she was supposed to be a child. 

“Are you alright?” A hand reached out to her, one that she immediately swatted away as she stooped down to clutch her head.

Was it a panic attack or was she overreacting? She couldn’t breathe very well, and the ringing in her ears became deafening as her mind tried to comprehend the words she had just heard. 1993. That was twenty six years ago—this was not possible.

Whatever that man did, whatever power he had used on her, had caused this to happen. And the problem was that Hinata couldn’t quite find a way to actually get back, nothing she thought of would possibly work.

What about her Boruto? Her Himawari? What about her Ino who had tried her hardest to comfort her no matter the day? What about the soft kisses they exchanged between passionate bouts of loving each other? What about her happiness?

Why was the universe so dead set on making her suffer? No matter what she tried, things never went her way, and that began to anger Hinata the longer she sat there with the knowledge that she was sent twenty six years into the past by an unknown enemy.

What was his goal? Why did he do it?

“Can I be escorted to your Hokage? I would like to seek refuge in this village.” She finally muttered as she slumped over in full defeat. There was nothing she could do now, at least, nothing she could think of.

“Of course, are you okay to walk there?” A small face was hovering over her own, concern and wariness in their eyes as they looked at her.

“I’m fine.” She nodded, a lie she had perfected at this point in time. Standing up, Hinata dusted herself clean and gave them another resolute nod. “Thank you.”

They escorted her to the Hokage’s Tower in silence. Of course, they kept taking quick glances at her, accessing her in case she was a threat while wondering who the new woman was. A few civilians took the time out of their day to look at her as well, staring for a moment longer every time she turned her head to match their gaze.

Hinata supposed that it wasn’t an everyday occurrence wherein a new face is seen in the otherwise homogeneous village; clans be damned. She didn’t think she looked much different from them; her eyes were a little bit more purple than her fellow Hyūga, so she supposed that was a stark difference. Her hair wasn’t dark brown, or black, yet that wasn’t really an issue seeing as blond, pink and red could be seen in moderation. 

She chalked up the stares as curiosity rather than something hostile. She hadn’t done anything to warrant any weariness beyond being ‘new’, and she hoped that there wouldn’t be any issues as she moved along in figuring out how to get back to her Konoha. 

The old man that sat behind the desk was looking more tired than she remembered him being. The gruffness of his voice as he greeted her made her ears tingle as memories of the few times they’ve spoken came forward. The Third Hokage was a nice old man as far as she remembered, yet Hinata couldn’t help but stare at him with a little bit of judgment.

There were a lot of things that he could have done that would ensure the safety of the village’s younger generation, but what did she know about that sort of stuff? It wasn’t like she was involved in politics all too much, or matters that didn’t call for her attention.

“Hokage-sama.” She bowed her head only a little bit, her own conscience would never allow her to bow any lower because he did not deserve it. 

“You’re the new arrival that I was informed of.” He took a puff of his pipe, leaning back into his chair that gave away to a small creak. “What is your business with Konoha?”

Hinata clasped her hands in front of her, wringing her fingers every few seconds as she bit her lip. She wished that she wasn’t wearing the dress-like shirt, with her pants and a white half sleeved shirt under it—she wished that she was in her sweater that swallowed her up well enough to comfort her. She was thirty two.

“Truthfully, Hokage-sama, I wish to seek refuge and establish myself in this village while I get my life back together.” While she looks for a way to go back home. But would it be so bad to stay here? 

“Ah.” He took another long drag out of his pipe, going through his drawers looking for a specific file. “You look familiar, do you have any family within the village?”

She knew what he was hinting at, her eyes were a dead giveaway of who exactly her family was. Although they were more purple than white, she was still pupil-less and she was sure her younger self looked exactly like her. 

“No, not that I’m aware of. I was born in a small town not too far from here. My mother died when I was a child, and my father…” She winced at the memory of how her father treated her. The longer she thought about it, the more her stomach churned knowing that her younger self was most likely dealing with him right now. 

“I understand.” He did not miss the sadness and fear in her eyes as she stopped talking once she brought up her family. “Alright then, this isn’t a full confirmation of your residency, it’s simply an application for you to fill out. Within a couple of months, you can apply to become a citizen if you decide to stay for longer. For now, we will provide you with an apartment of your own and cover the expenses for the first month or two under our housing program.” He began filling out part of the paperwork. “What’s your name?”

“Hi—“ She stopped herself, knowing that if she were to slip up then this would all be for nothing. Hinata sighed, squared her shoulders and smiled sadly. “Himawari.” It was the closest name to her own; a reminder of her cousin, and her own child. Sunflower—Hinata meant the same.

“Last name?”

“None.” 

“Age?”

“Thirty two.”

“Alright.” He scribbled some things on the forms and stamped it. “Well, Himawari, it’s great to have you here in Konoha. You’ll be handed a booklet and a set of keys once you hand these in to the administration office a few doors down. If you’re curious about work, I’m sure there are countless places in this village that will accept you with open arms.” He gave her a smile, and pushed the remainder of the forms over to her as he pointed at the parts she needed to fill herself. 

“Thank you, Hokage-sama.” She nodded and smiled the smile that never ever reached her eyes. 

The apartment was on the other side of the village where she could overlook the academy. She supposed it was luck, or pure coincidence that she was so close to where she could observe her younger self training with the other children. It was nice that it was furnished, but Hinata was very familiar with Konoha’s housing system and how bad it is in its current form because of Naruto’s experiences.

This wouldn’t last long if she didn’t start working soon and making some money to get her own place without it being sanctioned by the government. 

She had little to no belongings on her; after all, this little trip was not planned in the slightest. So, on her way back to the apartment after she was shown around, she bought a few clothes and groceries with the pocket money she had.

As if to confirm that she was indeed stuck in the past, and this wasn’t a dream at all, Hinata stumbled back as a body slammed into her abruptly. She stepped back to steady herself, her free hand instantly going to steady the small body as well. She didn’t miss the murmurs that were heard, or the looks she was starting to get.

The culprit was none other than a blue eyed, blond haired little boy with a bandage over his nose bridge. 

“Sorry lady!” He yelled, immediately bowing his head as he apologized. “I wasn’t looking at where I was going so—“

“That’s alright.” She whispered, “just be careful next time.” Hinata watched as little Naruto’s eyes widened, his lip caught between his teeth as he played with his hands. The look on his face made her realize that he expected her to be angry at him. 

“I, erm, okay!” He bowed again and ran around her.

She turned to watch him run, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched his little legs take him as far as they could. She wondered what he was running away from, and her question was quickly answered as a group of grown men ran past her with paint splattered on their clothes.

Hinata frowned and sighed.

The first thing she did once she got home was to put her things in the wash while she laid in her bed. Hinata stared at the ceiling with a pillow tucked under her arms as she thought about the little Naruto she saw earlier. She should probably stop referring to him as ‘little Naruto’ seeing as she was the odd one in this placement of time.

He had been running away from adults who looked just about ready to hurt him.

She frowned and turned to face the wall. She always knew that Naruto’s life wasn’t the greatest; he was a failure and nobody wanted to be around him. She just never thought that he’d have people look angry enough that killing intent was rolling off of them in small waves.

Naruto’s childhood was something he didn’t like talking about all too much beyond the basics. He never mentioned being hurt by anyone, or dealing with people who wanted him dead as a child. A part of her knew that there was way more to it than that, and the only reason that that was the case was because of the chakra beast inside of him. 

It hit her like a pound of bricks then as she thought about him; they crossed paths, surely that wasn’t a good thing. There were countless movies about someone from the past [or future] meeting their counterpart and how they had to avoid anyone they knew. Well, those movies were simply going off of theories, still, she couldn’t help but worry about whether or not the tiny action of not being mad at Naruto would affect the future in some way. 

She hoped not.

If this was a dream, that didn’t matter, however, she was still not very sure about that specifically. A dream was very much plausible. 

The beeping of the washing machine snapped her out of her thoughts. Hinata got up and dragged her feet to the tucked away laundry area. She appeared far away as she continued her task while muttering under her breath.

She was in the past, an opportunity no one would ever get. Chances are, she could change a few things if this was real. Instead of scaring her, it made her smile a little bit—Hinata had a chance no one has ever gotten.

She thought about her own future: one where she was fighting with the boy she swore she loved, where she was sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet the woman she was envious of to exchange a few kisses and words—where her children began to worry for her well-being.

She could change that.

Establishing herself in the village was her first goal as a new resident. It had only been a week since she’s gotten her papers processed and her status as a refugee was confirmed. She spent most of the time trying to figure out if there was a loophole in any of her theories concerning her arrival.

She tried to dispel it like a genjūtsu, and when that didn’t work, she would look for some sort of anomaly that fell out of place. So far, nothing came up. 

Hinata wondered if her own Konoha was still intact; if the attack was nullified and Naruto with the help of Sasuke fixed the problem like they usually do. She wondered if they were looking for a way to get her back, or if they had forgotten her completely.

The thought of her own timeline ceasing to exist did rear its head a few times, followed by a moment of weakness as panic over the safety and existence of her children filled her body. She felt guilty and awful whenever she realized that she was happy that she could change her future which would undoubtedly cause her children to disappear.

If her memories began to be tampered with as she continues to live in this time, tweaking things to her liking, she would never be able to live with herself. She would never be happy knowing that the memories of her children would disappear forever.

Tying her hair up in a small ponytail, Hinata sighed and wrapped the apron around her waist as she picked up a box. She was currently working at a grocery store for a few extra dollars. It was the only job currently that was hiring, and they didn’t mind at all that she was new to the village. Other places haven’t been so kind.

Organizing the shelves carefully, she hummed under her breath, still deep in thought.

A week was a long time to be here, she would hope that she wouldn’t be stuck for a month or even longer than that. What was she supposed to do anyway if she found out that she couldn’t exactly wish herself back home or click her heels together while chanting about returning? 

The more thought went into it, the bleaker a solution appeared. There wasn’t any as of yet, and she shouldn’t lose hope, but she was torn between wanting to change things and wanting to see her children again. She wanted to make sure Boruto was alright after a mission and Himawari had her lunch packed for school.

“Himawari-san, there’s a customer at the register.” One of her colleagues called out from the aisle behind her. 

“Ah.” Hinata set the box down quickly and patted her apron down as she walked towards the register. She had to stop every fibre in her body from reacting harshly as she came face to face with those blue eyes again. 

“You!” He pointed at her, his eyes wide again as he marvelled at her. “You’re the lady from the street.”

Hinata glanced down at the basket in his hand, studying the overflowing amount of ramen he had inside. “I am.” She smiled at him, ignoring how her heart ached. “Nice to see you again.” She motioned for him to hand her the basket. 

“Nice to see you too.” He blushed and looked away.

“Is that all you’re getting?” She asked, scanning his items one by one and placing them in a paper bag.

“That's all I can afford.” He played with his shirt, the money in his hand crumbled up in a ball. 

Hinata paused, looked at where the other worker was, and back at Naruto. “Wait here,” she placed the last ramen cup in the bag and left him standing there. Only to return with a few things in her hand; prepackaged meals, some vitamin gummies and a small pack of juice. Without saying a word, she scanned them and placed it inside a separate bag.

“I can’t afford that! That’s too much.” Naruto began to sweat, “are you trying to get me in trouble? I’m going to get in trouble for that, lady, please.” His voice got quieter as he stared at her, silently begging her to take them off of his tab.

“I’ll cover the other half.” She opened her hand, waiting for him to give her the crumpled bill.

“That’s okay—“

“It’s ‘Himawari’, you can call me that.” She smiled, taking the bill from him. “This one is on me…”

“I’m ‘Naruto’.” He shrank in on himself but smiled shyly anyway. “Thank you.”

“Come back anytime.” She handed him the bags, “be careful.”

“I will, thank you.” He kept thanking her even as the doors closed behind him. 

Hinata felt her eyes well up with tears as she resumed her task of stocking the shelves. This wasn’t supposed to be happening, nor was she supposed to do this for him. What happens when she’s back in her Konoha and that little action did nothing to change Naruto’s outcome? Her shoulders shook as she wiped her face as she pushed another shampoo bottle onto the shelf.

Knowing that he would come back, she couldn’t find it in herself to quit and pick a different job where she wasn’t faced with the reminder that she was stuck here.

She should change the future.

The first time she stumbled across her younger self, Hinata hid behind the wall of a random building with her hand clutched to her chest and her eyes widened in genuine fear. Her younger self had been walking around with her head bowed, her hands twisting in her clothes, plasters covering small scabs on her hands as her cheeks were bruised.

Hinata felt the pain as she watched her walk by, she felt the phantom throbbing in her abdomen where she had been kicked, and the breaking of her heart as the words her father spoke echoed in her ears. She watched as little Hinata turned the corner only to stoop low and let out a pained sob.

She recognized this alleyway; the dimly lit, mossy alleyway where she would hide away and cry because nowhere else was safe. She listened as the little girl tried to stifle her cries, her own eyes filling with the salty liquid as well because she knew how much she hurt. This was her.

She was only six.

What business did a six year old have finding comfort in the arms of nothing but pain as she sat with her back against the wall and her hands pressing into her sides where she pulsed her chakra in short bursts so it could hurt a little bit? The pain there would numb the pain in her heart.

Hinata knew all too well as she walked past the alleyway as though she didn’t know what was happening inside; as though she couldn’t tell that the child with crippling depression and the tendency to harm herself wasn’t flitting in and out of consciousness as the pain nudged her further and further away from her current state. 

When she walked by again, her younger self had finally managed to dust herself off and leave it as if nothing happened. 

Hinata always wondered why her father wasn’t all too concerned with the extra lines and bruises that appeared on her body after leaving the house. She highly doubted that the lie about extra training was that believable, there was no way he willingly accepted that answer.

Yet she knew that he did. She knew that her own personal struggles were none of his concern because he needed her to get stronger. It didn’t matter to Hiashi that she wasn’t built for this, that all of his harsh words were not having the effect he hoped it did. She lived this life; she knew that he wouldn’t own up to it even as they grew older.

She was only six.

A week later, Hinata sat at the reception desk in the library, flipping through a book absentmindedly as she studied the young girl who sat in the corner reading her own books. She watched her wince occasionally as she shifted, aware that there were some new injuries covering the side of her body.

Her head was bowed, and if it wasn’t for the fact that she was in her line of sight, the little girl would have gone undetected until it was closing time. 

Little Hinata was a smart child, always enthusiastic about reading more than she was about training. Reading was something she excelled at, so she made sure to visit the library every weekend in hopes of escaping the torment disguised as training for a few hours.

The new lady who sat at the desk kept looking at her, she tried to be subtle but Hinata was always aware of when she was being watched. Her family always watched her; and all the kids at the academy, and every adult who looked after her. Their eyes always followed her—haunted her.

Her name was ‘Himawari’, it was a very nice name that made Hinata think of the sunflowers her cousin Neji liked a lot. It was merely a coincidence that Himawari-san’s name meant sunflower just like her name did. 

She heard whispers that Himawari-san was actually very new to the village, she had only been here for about two months now and she was a very nice lady. Hinata has never spoken to the new volunteer at the library; she observed her though. She moved around with elegance acquired from years of work.

She smelled nice, and was very pretty. She’s seen her talk a few times with Naruto and pretended to not notice when she put a few things into his bag whenever she spotted them at the grocery store.

Hinata had no thoughts about Himawari-san beyond that. They’ve never spoken to each other, they just stared whenever the other thought they weren’t looking. 

It was a shock then when Himawari-san approached her and placed down a book on the table. She didn’t say anything, she simply smiled and tilted her head as she studied her.

“Are you okay?”

Hinata understood now why Naruto always seemed happy when he spoke to Himawari-san. Her voice was soft like a blanket when it came out of the dryer. The atmosphere around her was calming, something Hinata could only describe as comforting. Back to the blanket simile, Himawari-san’s aura was like a blanket as well.

“I’m fine.” Curse her and her stutters.

The look in Himawari-san’s eyes meant that she didn’t believe her when she said those words. Hinata felt ashamed for lying, and quickly looked down at the book that was placed in front of her.

“You came in with more bruises this time.” Himawari reached for her face, her fingers brushing against her cheek.

It shocked Hinata, causing her to flinch and squeeze her eyes shut thinking that Himawari-san would turn on her like Pappa did. Pappa always caressed her face before hitting her, claiming that it always hurt him when he had to discipline her. 

Himawari-san pulled her hand back, clenching it as she revealed the first aid kit in her hand. “Mind if I sit down?”

Hinata shook her head, but shifted in her seat as she watched Himawari-san take out a few things.

“I’m going to clean your face up, alright? Is there anywhere else that's hurting?”

She couldn’t show her the cuts on her tummy, no one knows about those, and she’d like to keep it that way. So, Hinata shook her head and let her clean her face. Himawari-san’s hands were warm, Hinata noted as she leaned into her touch. Her fingers were light and careful, her eyebrows always furrowed when she concentrated, and there was a permanent blush on her face.

“You have pretty eyes.” Hinata found herself saying, her stutter gone completely as she relaxed in her presence. “Sorry.” She quickly apologized, realizing that she spoke out of turn. 

“That’s okay…” She blew on the small cut on her cheek, helping the rubbing alcohol dry faster. “You have pretty eyes too.”

“My name is—“

“‘Hinata’, I’m aware. You’re always checking some books out.” She smiled and placed a fresh bandage on her cheek. “You like reading, don’t you?”

“A lot.” She blushed.

“That’s good, you should keep reading, especially at your age.” She glanced at the clock, “I’m leaving for the day soon, make sure you don’t stay too long.” She closed the first aid kit.

“Thank you.” Hinata bit her lip. “Himawari-san is very nice.”

“You know my name as well?”

“You’re very…popular…”

“I would like it if I wasn’t.” She laughed.

Hinata felt her heart pound in her chest, her palms getting sweaty as she listened to that beautiful laughter. She sounded so carefree…So kind. “Being popular is a good thing.”

“I prefer being a wallflower.”

Hinata decided that day that she liked Himawari-san because she was kind. She was understanding, beautiful, but mostly kind. She smiled at the older woman and nodded.

The library would be her favourite place to go from now on; if not for the books, then to talk to Himawari-san.

It was a regular sight to see volunteers showing up at the academy on special days. It wasn’t, however, a regular sight to see Uzumaki Naruto run towards a volunteer with a smile on his face and excitement radiating off of him.

Little Sasuke watched the blond with curious eyes, wondering why he was so happy to see the woman more than anyone else. It was also very shocking that the woman didn’t scowl at him or dismiss him instantly. Instead, she patted his head and greeted him with a smile.

Shuffling closer to the pair in hopes of catching wind of their conversation, Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and pretended to be occupied with something else. His fangirls following along helped with his ploy as well.

“I didn’t know you were coming, Himawari-san!” Naruto hopped from one foot to the next as he watched her with sparkles in his eyes.

“It was a last minute decision actually, I didn’t have work today and I thought I should see what the school was like.” She laughed. “I have been here for nearly a year now after all.”

“It’s been that long already? I didn’t even notice!” He clung to her side as they came closer. “Well, I don’t really notice a lot of things, but that’s okay! I’m just happy you’re here. The other volunteers suck.” He stuck out his tongue and huffed.

“I guess I should volunteer some more then.”

“Yes, please!” He was quiet for a second, “wait, you’re not a ninja though, why are you here?”

She wasn’t a ninja? Sasuke was intrigued; no civilian ever volunteered at the ninja academy unless they were shinobi themselves. Did this lady have a death wish? What if she got hurt? His thoughts wandered off to his older brother—it would be cool if Itachi ever volunteered at the academy, then he could show everyone how cool his brother was.

“Who said I wasn’t a ninja?” Himawari huffed and crossed her arms. “I’m a fully capable warrior, I’ll have you know.”

“Oh, really?” Naruto wiggled his eyebrow, “then you should volunteer for the spars with the other teacher.”

Sasuke scoffed then blushed when she looked at him with her head tilted to the side.

“Don’t mind him, he’s a loser.” Naruto rolled his eyes.

“Says you.” Sasuke bit back.

“Ah, you’re just mad that I know someone cool.” Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. 

Their bickering was put to a stop when the teachers for the period lined up and informed them of the day’s activities. Everyone was split off into smaller groups, each getting their own volunteer who would take them through the forest and teach them something.

Sasuke wasn’t so lucky with his placement; he was stuck with Naruto, that shy Hyūga girl, one of his blond fangirls, and two other civilians with Himawari as their guide. He made it known that he wasn’t so happy as he crossed his arms and pouted.

“Please stick together, I’d hate to lose one of you in the woods.” Himawari smiled, her gaze settling on him, then the blond girl before she looked at the shy Hyūga at his side. When did she get there? “Hinata, care to help me lead?”

“Okay.” She muttered, walking to her side slowly and holding her hand. “Erm, we’re supposed to meet at the stream, which isn’t too far.” 

Her stuttering was annoying, Sasuke thought as they began to walk. He crossed his arms the entire time, paying attention obviously, but he didn’t like their group at all. Why couldn’t he get an actual ninja as his squad leader?

“Sasuke,” Himawari called out, looking at him over her shoulder. “If you lag behind, we won’t be able to get some target practice in.”

He blushed and sped up his walking, kicking the rocks at his feet after being embarrassed. 

“As I was saying, always be careful of where you walk. Sometimes, some poisonous plants may be waiting for you to step on them and irritate your skin.”

“What does that have to do with chakra?” One of the civilian boys asked.

“I was getting to that,” she stopped and leaned over so that she was at eye level with everyone. “Although it’s not obvious all the time, especially during the warm weather, shinobi unconsciously cover their feet with chakra, like a pair of socks to protect them.”

“Really?” Naruto’s eyes sparkled, “teach me, teach me!”

“You’d have to get a little control over your chakra before you get there.” She smiled and ruffled his hair, “which is why I’m going to give you a little activity to do while we walk.” She plucked a few leaves off of the trees overhead and handed each of them one.

Himawari played with the leaf in her hand, then turned her hand over with the leaf still attached. “Using chakra, try to stick the leaf to your hand first.” She put the leaf on her forehead, “when you get comfortable, you’d be able to keep it on your forehead like this.”

“Isn’t this an advanced class activity?” The blond girl asked.

“Name?”

“‘Yamanaka Ino’.” 

“It is, Ino, but it doesn’t hurt learning it now. Who knows, maybe it will help you with other things down the line. It’s pretty basic, but if you don’t want to try it, you don’t have to.” She shrugged. “If you put too much chakra into it, the leaf would tear itself apart, if there isn’t enough, it will fall. There are an abundance of leaves around so try as much as you want.” She looked at him again.

Sasuke didn’t know why she kept looking at him as she talked. Was there something on his face? To make sure there wasn’t, he ran a hand over his face and concluded that she was just staring to make sure he was fine. Whatever. 

Immediately, the small group occupied themselves with the activity as Himawari continued to talk and lead them to the stream where the class was supposed to meet for some combat training. 

Sasuke listened whenever she gave pointers to anyone, not daring to ask for help as he struggled too. All he could think about was going home and showing his parents the new thing he learned in class. Perhaps it was rude of him to judge Himawari-san when she first arrived, he’s already learned something the kids in the grades above are just starting to study.

He felt smug as the leaf stuck to his hand for five seconds total. He felt proud when Himawari-san gave him a smile and a thumbs up, telling him that he did a good job.

He liked getting praised, but he brushed it off because it wasn’t his father praising him right now.

The walk through the forest was a fun one as the small team continued playing with their leaves. They all decided that Himawari-san was very helpful.

Chapter Text

Act 1: Scene 2 — Human Nature

Days had quickly turned to weeks, which turned into months, and soon it had been a year since Himawari found herself in the year 1993. At some point, she gave up looking for a way back home, but was still torn between missing her children and worrying about the things she wanted to do within the timeline she was in. 

To compensate and take her mind off of it, she occupied herself with working hard to build a reputation for herself within the village. She was still practically unknown by most, even when her name was muttered on occasion by others, and she’d like to keep it that way for as long as she could.

The name ‘Hinata’ no longer existed to address her; the shock of hearing it from others when it wasn’t directed at her had long since disappeared as the days went by. Now, she answered only to ‘Himawari’, she barely looked up when little Hinata was in her presence and someone called her name.

Things were as great as it could be for someone who was adjusting to a lifetime nearly forgotten. On occasion, she would be found sitting in the sun, remembering the sounds of her children’s laughter and the feeling of their hands holding her face as she kissed their foreheads. Everyone wondered why she always had that sad look on her face whenever she sat in the sun—many concluded that she had had kids of her own because of her age, and they were right, yet she never confirmed it.

Her practice of sneaking extra food into Naruto’s shopping bag hasn’t stopped. Sitting in the library to clean Hinata’s messy face, silently waiting for her to feel comfortable enough to let her clean the cuts on her stomach, even when it became increasingly clear that the little girl would not be willing for some time, was still a persistent thing. Her frequency at the academy had dwindled after the first few times, she could not stand seeing the way the teachers treated Naruto so she stayed away.

Beyond that, the year she spent in the Old Konoha was uneventful.

Well…Until the Uchiha Massacre happened.

Himawari had practically forgotten that that was a cataclysmic event that would undoubtedly lead down a road set for the same future she had. When the news spread, she was in the middle of her morning shift at the grocery store

The world began to spin, and much like the day she had first arrived, she felt her soul leave her. The box she held was thankfully filled with tissues rather than something fragile. 

“Himawari-san!”

Everyone knew that she cared for the children, no matter who they were. She was practically known for being someone the kids adored even when they haven’t actually spoken to her. Himawari-san was just a nice woman to see in the streets; always smiling at them and waving at them when they greeted her. 

So, it wasn’t a surprise when Himawari left the grocery store with her eyes widened and adrenaline pumping through her veins. They watched her with pity, others with curiosity wondering why she was so upset on behalf of the cursed Uchiha child. 

The first place she went was the Hokage Tower, she apologized profusely as she flung the door open to see that old man sitting behind his desk with a solemn look on his face. He didn’t say anything to her, or get angry as she leaned against the closed door to catch her breath.

“Is it true?” She whispered. She knew that it was, one look at the calendar on the wall confirmed that today was indeed the day the Uchiha Massacre was announced. 

“The Uchiha have been killed.” He confirmed. 

“The children?” There was only one alive beyond the perpetrator, she knew that.

“One alive.”

She slid down the door and covered her mouth with a shaking hand. “Who?” She knew.

“Uchiha Sasuke.”

Fat tears fell from her eyes, images in her mind of all the pictures she saw from files she should not have looked into. How silly would she be to not educate herself on the Uchiha Massacre as the Hokage’s wife? Especially when the only survivor was none other than her husband’s best friend. It was classified information that she had access to, with or without Naruto’s permission.

The Third Hokage let her cry on his office floor, even if the display was somewhat uncomfortable. He’s never seen someone so distraught at such news; no one had reacted the same way. Some were shocked, others murmured about the Uchiha Curse, and the remainder simply didn’t care enough. This woman, however, was weeping on the floor with her mouth covered.

Himawari has always been quick to empathize. She cried when others cried. She had built such a reputation when people witnessed her eyes water and her lips quiver as she watched the live play at one of the many festivals in Konoha. 

It should not have not been a surprise when news spread that she cried once she heard that Uchiha Sasuke was the sole survivor of the tragedy. It, however, shocked them when they heard that kind, young Himawari-san fought with the Hokage to get custody of the now orphaned Uchiha.

People called her crazy.

Some said that she was meddling with matters that didn’t concern her.

But everyone agreed that Himawari-san was acting on her emotions and she would regret it.

The Uchiha child wasn’t the only one that Himawari-san had tried to adopt that day. The Uzumaki brat was named in her plea as well. This surprised many; did Himawari-san not know the horrors the brat has conjured up? He was more cursed than the Uchiha because he was born a demon. 

Of course the Hokage could not [would not] let her adopt young Naruto, claiming that it was a political matter, which did not stop the anger that Himawari was feeling. She cursed that day, swore at everyone who made it so hard to adopt the little boy who ran around the village without a real home to go to. Still, she was satisfied that one of her requests was taken into consideration.

Himawari knew that she won the case by bringing up the high amount of casualties related to orphans who had undergone something traumatic. How many more suicides would it take for the Hokage to realize that sticking the children in the system instead of allowing a family to adopt them was an awful idea? 

She had watched as the Hokage slumped over in his seat, filling out another form on her behalf as he nodded as she continued talking. The calmness in her voice betrayed her irritation until he raised his hand to stop her, then held out the form.

“He will be discharged within a week, for now, one of our agents will visit your home to decide if it’s suited for raising a child.”

“May I ask for a few more days before then? I would like to purchase some things on his behalf.” She gripped the papers in her hands, she realized that she was still in her uniform, and Mika-san must be mad that she ran out of work. 

“Sure.” He had waved her off.

Himawari was excused from work for a week after the news reached her boss, something she was increasingly grateful for as she organized the empty bedroom in her new house. She had purchased it within the time she spent in Konoha, busting her ass off working multiple jobs to earn money quickly. Now, with a house to her name, a suitable amount saved and now a child on the way, Himawari accepted that there was no way she could drop this and go back to her time. 

She has responsibilities here just like she had them there. The conflicting emotions of a mother and the selfishness of her subconscious kept her up at night before she fell asleep in her room.

The still body of the sleeping boy pulled at her heartstrings. All Himawari could picture was her own children stuck in bed with a cold, but Sasuke’s sleeping frame wasn’t due to a mere cold. She was informed by the Hokage that he had been trapped in a genjūtsu, its contents unknown, for hours before they found him. It was a classified secret that it happened, no one except those in charge of Sasuke [that was only her, what do they mean] would know about it.

Sliding the door open, Himawari walked into the hospital room, and closed the door behind her softly. Her steps were silent, her breathing as shallow as she could get it as she placed a vase of flowers on the windowsill. Sitting down on the armchair near the bed, she folded her hand on her lap and watched him sleep.

The furrowing of his eyebrows, and the sweat that dripped from his forehead betrayed the serene expression on his face. Himawari looked down, feeling ashamed because she did nothing to stop his family from dying. How could she? She was classed as a civilian. If she interfered, her cover would be blown and she would be thrown into the hands of T&I. The thought made her shiver, not because of fear, but the memories of her time with Ino within the department.

Did her Ino forget about her already? Was she mourning her disappearance?

She was still deep in thought when he started to stir. Himawari was startled when Sasuke lurched forward, his hands cradling his head as he was frozen in a silent scream. Drool fell from his mouth as he curled in on himself, tears falling from his eyes. 

She quickly stood up, showing him her hands before she touched his arms. When he didn’t immediately react to push her away, she pried his fingers out of his hair, wincing as she noticed the strands of hair he pulled with him. 

“You’re okay, Sasuke.” She whispered, massaging his hands as she pulled them away. She quickly noted that his fingernails were way too sharp for it to be safe. “You’re in the hospital, you’re safe, you’re not there anymore.” She continued, “you’re safe.” She held his face.

He shook in her arms, his eyes still widened in shock as he re-lived everything he witnessed that night. He could barely make out her face, or where he was, but he clung to her voice as his world came into focus. He brought his little hands up to grab onto her forearm, gripping it tightly as he finally began to make a sound.

It was a broken sob; filled with so much pain and anger that it permeated the room. He cried as he stared at her face, not caring that she was a complete stranger. He swore that he’s seen her somewhere before, but his memories were a mess. All he could see was blood. So much blood. Why was there so much blood? Itachi? Itachi, why?

“Stay with me, Sasuke, we’re going to give you something so you can go back to sleep.”

“No!” He screamed over and over again. He didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to close his eyes because he was there. Blood. Itachi, why was everyone bleeding? Itachi, why did you do it? 

“Okay! Okay, I won’t get the nurse.” 

The kind woman who held his face shushed him, brushing his hair back, combing it with her fingers. He relaxed then, his throat hurting after the screaming. He didn’t realize that there was already a nurse there, holding a syringe in her hand. 

“He’s okay.” She shook her head, letting them know that she would take care of it.

“Are you sure, Himawari-san?” 

“Absolutely certain.” 

She was going to let go of him to fix the blankets around him, but he didn’t let her move. Himawari sat on his bed, her motherly instincts kicking into high gear as he moved closer and pressed his face into her chest. 

He was only seven.

The next day, on Himawari’s second visit to Sasuke’s hospital room, he had been awake and staring outside the window. His fingers were covered with bandages to stop him from hurting himself even after she cut his fingernails. He didn’t greet her as she sat down in front of him, and she didn’t force him to say anything as she stared out of the window with him.

“You’re back.” He whispered.

“I’m back.” She nodded.

“I thought I was dreaming.” He winced.

“Mhm.” She pretended to miss it, and the way his voice was void of any emotion currently. It was a direct contrast with the way he spoke yesterday while he cried. 

“Why are you here?” He turned to her this time, his dark eyes just as empty as his voice.

“I was hoping to wait until you felt better…” She shifted in her seat. “I’m taking you home with me once you’re discharged.”

“My Momma—“ He looked away. “I don’t know you.”

“We’ve met a few times, but I understand your hesitation.”

“We have?”

“Mhm, don’t force yourself to remember.”

“I don’t want to go home with a stranger.”

“I don’t want you being sent to the orphanage, or worse, left to live on your own.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Sasuke.”

He looked at her again, his lips shaking. “I can take care of myself.” He said again, yet his voice shook as well. “Momma said I was old enough to take care of—“

“Sasuke.”

He clamped his mouth shut.

“You’re not able to take care of yourself, you’re a child…You’re a baby…” She said it softly. “I fought with the Hokage so I could take care of you.”

“You did?” He murmured. “But why? No one cares about me anymore…they’re not alive anymore…”

She couldn’t answer him. She couldn’t tell him that it was because she was selfish. She couldn’t say that it was guilt eating at her.

“I care.” She settled on that answer, “and I don’t need a reason to.”

Sasuke stared at her for a while, not saying anything as his eyes traced her features. “You’re Himawari-san.” He finally said, his eyes widening slightly in familiarity. 

She looked different; her hair was still in its little bob, but there was a pair of glasses framing her face that he knew she didn’t need. She still looked very young, probably the same age as his Momma, and her eyes were a much darker purple than he remembered it. He never really paid attention to Himawari-san, however, because Himawari-san left him alone during lessons most of the time.

Himawari smiled and nodded. “Are you okay with me adopting you, Sasuke?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“I won’t if you don’t want me to.” The forms were already accepted, the assessment was completed and passed, but she would not adopt him if he didn’t want her to.

He shrugged his shoulders again. 

“Tell you what,” she hovered her hands over his own, only holding it when he raised his to hold hers, “you can stay with me for a week and make up your mind after that. How does that sound?”

Sasuke thought about it for a second, he didn’t really want to go, but he was deathly scared of being alone right now. He didn’t know how to feel, he couldn’t really feel anything actually, but he knew that he was too scared to face things alone at the moment. 

Being with Himawari-san wouldn’t be so bad, no, she was too nice to hurt him. The Hokage would protect him if she did, right? He was trusting her because he had no one else to trust. Why would you do that, Itachi? Why would you kill everyone I trusted?

“That’s okay.”

“Good.” She caressed his cheek and he leaned into her touch.

“Himawari-san…”

“Hm?”

“I’m hungry.”

Sasuke clutched his folded clothes to his chest as he held onto her shirt while she filled out his discharge papers. He looked around, noticing that everyone was staring at him with a certain look in their eyes that he couldn’t quite understand. He tugged on Himawari-san’s shirt, silently asking her to hurry up, it was getting hard for him to breathe.

“Do you want me to pick you up?” She whispered as she leaned down while she signed the papers.

He wasn’t a baby, he’s said so many times since she became a regular visitor during his time in the hospital. Yet his actions spoke otherwise as he practically refused to let her go, especially when he had those dreams…Sasuke was a little complex thing to deal with, but it was clear that a part of him yearned for physical contact when he felt overwhelmed. Himawari-san just so happened to be the only one he was willing to hold onto at the moment.

The doctors learned that the hard way when they tried to take him away and access him while she was out getting him something to eat. 

They claimed that he had PTSD, whatever that was, and maybe a few more things they weren’t certain about because he wasn’t responding to their poking and prodding after some time. 

Because of that, he couldn’t help but press himself closer to her whenever he felt unsafe. Which meant all the time. Like now.

“Sasuke?”

He blinked. He had blanked out again, he didn’t remember doing that, but that was always involuntary. He should stop that, yet he couldn’t.

“Okay.” She said and didn’t wait for his response as she pulled him up into her arms and carried him. His weight was of some worry for a seven year old, though she didn’t make a fuss as she fixed him on her hip.

Pulling his hoodie over his face, she smiled at the nurse at the desk, and grabbed her things as she left the hospital quickly.

“There are some things I have to pick up from there, I think it’s a good idea that you stay with the Hokage for some time until I’m finished packing your things.” She whispered, ignoring the looks of concern she got from the villagers who saw her. They instantly recognized the child in her arms.

“No, I want to come.” He whispered into the crook of her neck. He didn’t want to be left alone with the Hokage. The old man…something told him that the old man wouldn’t like him. 

“Are you sure?”

Sasuke didn’t quite question how she knew the way to the Uchiha compound as he repeated his initial response. He figured that she took the opportunity to check on his home while he was in the hospital. That was nice of her, but when has Himawari-san never not been nice?

He, however, was not ready when they actually took a step into the compound and he was bombarded with the memories of the genjūtsu his brother had put him under and the smell of blood. Sasuke thrashed in her arms, pulling away from her until she set him down so he could run to the nearest bush and throw up what little was in his system.

“Sasuke, I think it’s best that you—“

“No.” His eyes stung as he gagged from the smell of bile and blood. “No, I want to come.”

“I can make a clone for you to go home with.”

It made him pause as he thought about her proposal. Would the clone feel like the real thing? Or is it just another illusion? He hated illusions.

“No.”

“Then how about you stay out here while I go inside your house?”

“No.”

“Sasuke—“

He ignored her, and the way he felt, as he walked past her and towards his house. When he got to the front door, his legs began to shake and his heartbeat pounded in his ears. He knew that she was right behind him, waiting to catch him if he lost his balance.

Opening the door in one swift motion, he stepped inside quickly, plugged his nose and avoided looking at all the blood leading up to that room. 

Himawari paused as she stared at the bloodstains; somehow seeing it for herself instead of through the pictures made it so much worse. She was a shinobi hardened by the war, yet the sight of blood still made her feel queasy. 

“Let’s hurry.” She said.

“I have to clean it.”

“No, you do not.” 

“I want to…” 

Her frown deepened. “I can come back to clean it later.”

“Please.”

He was already making his way to the kitchen to grab some supplies. No matter the response Himawari was gearing up to make, she couldn’t actually mutter the words stuck in her throat. Words that were mingling with a sob as she realized that the Sasuke of her time had to clean this place alone, and live in it too.

She grabbed the supplies from him, flipped the lights on, and started spraying the blood stains with some water and disinfectant. “Make sure you’re wearing gloves.” She didn’t care that she wasn’t, there was only one pair anyway.

Sasuke nodded and joined her as he scrubbed the floor. 

He didn’t wander too far from her as they cleaned the house, too fearful to discover more blood, or worse, more bodies in a separate room. Sasuke barely talked, or showed any emotions as he left his body to operate itself. He missed when Himawari-san called out his name, proclaiming that they should pack his things. 

He froze when she touched his hand, his eyes widened as he slowly turned his head. Relief washed over him as they made eye contact, and she repeated her last sentence.

Packing his clothes was easy; he just threw everything on his bed while he clutched the dinosaur plush to his chest as he watched her fold his clothes neatly. He stood in the corner of his room, staring at the sun that began to set. He ignored when his stomach growled, but leaned into her touch when she coaxed him out of his thoughts again.

“Are you ready to go?” She shouldered the filled duffle bag.

He nodded and was glad when she picked him up. He didn’t think that he would be able to walk out of the compound himself.

Himawari-san’s house was nice, Sasuke thought as she opened the gate of the fence that surrounded the moderately sized home. The street was quiet, everyone most likely inside getting ready for bed. He realized that it was close enough to the academy and library for convenience, he wasn’t sure if that was on purpose.

She let him down so she could open the door.

The inside was just as pretty as the outside. It was cozy, the lighting was a soft glow that didn’t hurt his tired eyes. There were a few drawings on her wall, done by children no doubt, and potted plants hanging around the glass doors leading to the backyard. 

“You should wash up while I make dinner, I’ll show you your room.” She placed her keys in the small bowl, and put down a pair of house slippers in front of him to change into. “I won’t be far, if you’re worried about that.” She waited for him to change his shoes and follow her.

His bedroom was nice, probably the same size as his old one in the compound. It was decorated with little things, obviously left a little barren for him to decorate it to his liking. The bed was made, and a new plush was placed on his pillow.

Himawari placed his clothes inside the drawers, organizing his pants and shirts, as well as his undergarments and socks. She pushed the empty duffle bag into the closet, and hung up his backpack on the wall. She turned around to see him placing his dinosaur plush on his pillow beside the onigiri shaped one. 

“Do you want me to set the bath for you?” 

He nodded.

She excused herself.

Sasuke stood in the middle of the room for a while, breathing as carefully as he could as he realized that he was in a new place. A place without his Momma to tuck him in, and his Pappa to make sure he was in bed on time. A place where his brother could no longer be able to play with him.

He slipped out of his clothes, pulling the towel around him as he walked towards where he heard Himawari-san humming. 

She sat on the edge of the tub, her hand dipped inside to make sure it was warm enough. She smiled at him when he walked inside, and dumped some toys inside of the water. The bubbles were plentiful, he’s never seen so much in his life.

“It’s very warm, I think you’d like it.” She motioned for him to come forward. Taking his towel away, she rested it within reach and helped him into the tub even though he didn’t need it. “If you need help, call me.”

He only nodded.

Being left alone was very scary for Sasuke; he hated it a lot, especially after…But hearing Himawari-san sing as he bathed was okay. He washed himself well, although he was a bit fast, and dried himself just as quickly. Changing into his clothes wasn’t hard, he’s always dressed himself…Well, she would probably have to fix his shirt for him but that’s okay. 

A bowl of stew waited for him on the table when he finished. There was a roll of bread beside it, as well as some juice to go with it. Sasuke was slow to eat, despite how much Himawari urged him to enjoy his food before he went to bed.

He had only taken a couple of bites before he got full. The remainder was put away for him to eat later. 

Himawari-san tucked him into bed that night.  She stayed at his side, petting his head and hummed softly as she waited for him to sleep. Sasuke knew that he wouldn’t be asleep for long, he could never sleep for too long because his dreams were plagued with blood.

He wasn’t mad when he felt her leave, he knew that he was asleep, yet awake all in the same. When the dreams started, they were normal; he saw his Momma, and his Pappa. He played with his cousins, and followed his brother everywhere he went. Then blood started flowing down the river, and the sky got dark as heavy rain pierced his skin.

He screamed.

He was screaming when she grabbed him from his bed. He continued screaming as she rocked him back and forth, telling him that he was okay. He stopped screaming and started crying as she took him to her bedroom so he could stay at her side.

It wasn’t until the clock struck midnight did he fall asleep again. This time, he was pressed into her side as she continued caressing his back.

Himawari frowned down at the poor boy in her arms. She didn’t think that the words she spoke to the Hokage would manifest itself so soon. Though, she supposed that the trauma he sustained was far worse than she assumed. A child this young displaying this sense of urgency and fear made her heart ache.

“It’s okay.” She found herself whispering as she too started drifting off to sleep. “I’m here.”

Chapter Text

Act 1: Scene 3 — Morphine

Black, spiky hair peeked out from under the duvet that wrapped around the small figure of a child. A face was pressed into one of the many pillows that surrounded them to prevent them from rolling off the large bed. Soft snores were heard, followed by the occasional whimper which turned into barely a hiccup before quieting down again.

Outside it was cloudy and a little bit cool, the late summer weather finally coming in as the time ticked by. 

Sasuke turned on his back, pouting as he blinked to get rid of the sleep in his eyes. His face was swollen, his hand print on his cheek and his hair stuck out in multiple directions. He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. 

He didn’t recognize the room he was in, yet he wasn’t scared because he could smell food and hear singing. His eyes brightened as he thought about his mother; he quickly scrambled out of the bed, kicking the sheets away as he breathed heavily.

“Momma! You’re—“ He ran into the kitchen but froze when he realized that the woman at the sink was not his mother. His smile slowly turned into a pained expression, then his eyes began to water until he finally bowed his head and hugged himself. “Momma is gone.” Sasuke whispered, his back hitting the wall as he slid down to sit on the floor. “They’re gone.”

Himawari turned around at the sound, her hands dripping wet from washing the things she had used. “Sasuke! You’re awake.” She wiped her hands on the kitchen towel that stuck out of her pocket. She approached him and stooped down in front of him. “Good morning.” She didn’t touch him.

He looked up, black eyes meeting soft purple ones that stared at him with patience swimming inside.  “Good morning, Himawari-san.” He muttered, picking at his fingers, shrinking in on himself some more.

“Are you hungry?” She held her hands out, waiting for him to put his own in hers on his own time.

He stared at her small hands, silently studying the patchy skin that he knew came from dealing with dish soap too much. Her nails were nicely trimmed, a thin coat of clear nail polish chipped away over time on top, and her cuticles carefully taken care of. 

His Momma’s hands were different.

Sasuke placed his hands in hers, the difference between how well their hands were taken care of was so stark that he winced. She ran her thumbs over the back of his hand, helping him stand up.

“A little bit.” He finally answered, letting her pull him towards the table that was set with an assortment of breakfast foods. His stomach rumbled loudly, making him remember that he didn’t quite finish his dinner the night before.

“Take whatever you like, I’ve already eaten.” Himawari handed him a plate, “I wasn’t sure what tea you liked—if you like tea, but I can make you some.”

“Green tea is okay.” He itched his leg, digging his fingernails into his skin under the table. His Momma liked green tea that’s why. He missed his Momma. 

“Green tea it is.” She nodded and left him alone to eat. 

Sasuke decided that some fruits wouldn’t hurt him so early in the morning, he couldn’t look at anything else without thinking of his family. The empty spots at the table reminded him that he was alone from now on. Grabbing a peeled orange, he ate it slowly, his eyes glazed over as he chewed. The digging in his leg didn’t stop, not even as his skin lifted and his fingernails were bloody.

He was alone.

It was his reality.

Because of Itachi.

Because Itachi wanted to test his strength.

How dare he?

How dare he take away his Momma?

He growled under his breath, the orange in his hand squished into bits as he kept hitting and digging into his thigh.

How dare Itachi?

How could he?

He slammed his head on the table.

Make it stop.

Itachi, make it stop.

Please, please, please please please.

He felt paralyzed, his limbs falling limply at his side as he fell to the side. He didn’t fall onto the floor like he thought he would have, instead, his head fell against her shoulder. He couldn’t speak, his eyes still glazed over as he kept growling.

Itachi.

It was his fault.

He’ll pay.

He has to pay!

The smell of lavender and baby powder overpowered his senses, reeling him back into reality as she cradled him in her arms. He noticed that she was trying to clean up the opened wounds he made on his thigh while keeping him as close as she could. A towel was pressed to his leg, soaking up what little blood had escaped.

“Himawari-san?” He whispered.

“I’m here.”

“Where is my Momma?”

She was quiet for a while.

“She’s gone isn’t she?” He still couldn’t feel his body, what did Himawari-san do? “I know she’s gone.”

“I’m sorry, Sasuke.” 

He pouted but never cried. Instead, his head rolled forward, landing in the crook of her neck as he breathed.

Sasuke remained unresponsive for a while, barely making a sound as she got up and took him to the bathroom to get him cleaned completely. Himawari couldn’t get him to bathe himself, so she settled on wiping him down and changing him out of his pajamas.

She had to go back to work today, her week leave was over now, and Sasuke was expected to be back in school, but she couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t let it happen. Himawari carried him into the living room, and held him as though she was holding a baby.

When she looked at him, she saw her own Boruto who would lay in her arms in the same manner as a toddler. It was a shame that this was happening to him; and it was angering knowing that the Sasuke she was familiar with as an adult had to go through this phase in his life alone.

It baffled her as she sat there petting his head while he stared at the ceiling in a catatonic state. No one had bothered to deal with him; no one took the time out of their day to make sure that the small child was okay.

No wonder he turned out the way he did.

Which wasn’t bad at all, but it made sense why he was often emotionally detached from a lot of things. She wasn’t one to judge a lot, or bother herself with other people’s business, nevertheless, Himawari was aware of the fickle marriage between her Sasuke and Sakura. 

The man had just never dealt with his trauma—and frankly, no one else seemed concerned in the slightest. Not when he went on a rampage and killed the temporary Sixth Hokage, or declared that he would rid the world of Konoha. Instead, he was written off as a criminal and terrorist.

Himawari felt guilty knowing that although she didn’t think the same way about him like others did, she did nothing to defend his name or be the voice of reason when others wanted him dead. 

Seeing him as a little boy, mere days after the death of his clan, made her mourn on his behalf. He would have turned out differently had someone taken the time to care for him. Her thoughts went back to her initial thoughts about the Third Hokage upon her arrival—he really did nothing to protect the younger generation. He had a traumatized Sasuke enrolled in school, living in the place his family died, with no guardian to make sure that he was okay.

From the age of seven.

Himawari didn’t realize that the little boy had fallen asleep in her arms, she kept holding him minutes after his eyes closed. She didn’t move when there was a knock on her door, only doing so when the knocking got louder and Sasuke began to stir.

Sighing, she laid him down on the couch, pushing his dinosaur plush into his arms as she left him to answer the door. Running a hand through her hair, fixing her disheveled appearance in the mirror hanging on the wall, she opened the door.

“Himawari-san!” A young civilian boy was hunched over on the porch, trying desperately to catch his breath. “Sorry to disturb you, I was just asked to check on you by Mika-san since you didn’t show up for work this morning.”

“You are..?” She stepped outside, leaving the door open just a fraction so she could still have a full view of a sleeping Sasuke.

“Kotaro! Sorry, I work in the back of the shop most of the time so we’ve never actually met.” He stood up straight and laughed. “Uh, but I can see that you’re alright.”

“Oh, right, yes. I’m alright, Kotaro-san, I’m just…” She looked back into the house, “he’s not doing too well so I might be away from work for another week. I just need to make—“

“No need to explain, I understand.” He looked away from her, twisting his foot to and fro. “It’s a little sad…I pity him, imagine losing your entire family in a single night. And it’s because your older brother killed them…” 

Himawari simply stared at him, then nodded. “Yeah.”

“It’s good that he has someone to watch over him, I think he needs it.” He pushed his hands into his pockets. “I should get going, I’ll tell Mika-san that it’s another emergency so don’t worry about coming in until next week.”

She bowed her head slightly, “thank you.”

“Uh, you’re welcome!” He blushed and quickly sped away.

Himawari stepped back inside, closed the door, and kept staring at it. She didn’t think it would happen so soon; the news of Itachi being responsible for the clan’s death. Though, seeing as he was the only one not accounted for in the pile of dead bodies, she supposed that was an easy connection to make.

She joined Sasuke back in the living room, raising his head to place it on her lap as she continued to play with his hair knowing that it was the only way to keep him asleep.

“Are you aware that you don’t need to go to school for the rest of the week?” Himawari leaned against the door frame, watching as Sasuke tried his hardest to pack his bag and dress himself.

He had woken up angry that morning, his face contorted in a scowl as he stared at himself in the bathroom mirror until she found him. His fingertips were covered again with bandages that made it hard for him to hurt himself. 

She was surprised when he walked past her without ever greeting her like he had done for the last few days. Himawari was confused until she heard him talking to himself in his bedroom. He muttered his brother’s name over and over again as he threw his books into his bag.

“No, I need to go or else I’ll be behind everyone.”

“Your teachers promised to get you caught up when you return.”

“Why should I wait? I have to get stronger anyway.” He shouldered his bag and crossed his arms as he stood in front of her because she refused to let him pass.

“Get stronger for what?” She copied his stance, refusing to look down her nose at him because she didn’t want him to feel as though he was below her. 

“I need to beat Itachi.”

“If that’s your reason, then I’m not letting you go.”

“What?” He glared at her, stomping his foot. 

“You’re a child.”

“So what? When he was my age, he had already graduated, and was on his way to be a chūnin!”

“And?”

“And I need to be better to take him down!”

“So you want to be a chūnin?”

“I need to be strong enough to kill him, so yes! I need to be a chūnin, then a jōnin, and an ANBU Captain so I can kill him.”

She uncrossed her arms and stared at him, “if you think that that is acceptable, I hope you realize that I’m against it and it’s ridiculous.”

“What do you even know? You’re not a ninja, and you don’t understand!” He tried to push past her, only to find himself on his bed with her standing over him and her eyebrows furrowed.

“I don’t understand what, Sasuke?”

“You don’t understand losing everything and everyone! You didn’t see them! You didn’t see what he did, he killed them! He killed them to be stronger, he took my Momma and Pappa away from me!” His shouting turned into crying. “He killed them, you don’t understand!”

She closed her eyes and sighed, listening to him hiccup and cry as he repeated his words. “Do you think pushing yourself will solve the problem?”

His head whipped to the side to stare at her.

“Do you think ignoring how you’re feeling will solve it? Do you think blowing your tenketsu would solve it?” She was getting mad as though she wasn’t talking to him anymore. All Himawari saw was her younger self; weak, hurt, and struggling to breathe as she laid there with her arms covered in small red dots from which her tenketsu had been blown. 

“Tenketsu?” Sasuke wiped his eyes.

She pulled up her sleeves, showing him the penny sized, white dots that littered her arms. “Your tenketsu are your chakra points. If you’re not careful with your chakra, they explode.” 

“What did that, Himawari-san?”

She covered her arms again. “Not being careful, Sasuke, pushing yourself when your body and your mind are still recovering. Which is what is happening to you at the moment. Call me ridiculous, get angry at me if you like, but pushing yourself unnecessarily because you want to get stronger is a foolish thing.”

“But—“

“You have a purpose, I understand that, you have something that you think you should be doing, I get it.” She crouched in front of his bed. “Deep down you know that you’re not ready for that workload, you know that you’re playing a fool’s game because you’re not ready; emotionally, mentally or physically.”

“I have to get stronger, Himawari-san!”

“And you will!” She raised her voice a little bit, then repeated herself a little bit quieter. “A shinobi will only gain strength by listening to his body. The voice up here,” she pointed at her head, “will push you to an early death if you only listen to it and not this too.” She pointed at her heart. “A shinobi without a connection to his mind, body, and soul, is a foolish shinobi.”

“Is Itachi foolish?”

“Do you think Itachi was connected to his entire being?”

“I think Itachi is crazy.”

“So just his mind then?” She smiled at him.

He nodded slowly, a small smile spreading on his lips as well. “Yeah.” The smile dropped after a while, “I don’t want to be crazy like Itachi, Himawari-san.”

“Listen to your heart then, what is it saying today?”

He was quiet, his eyebrows furrowed for a while. “To trust you…and to rest.”

She nodded and stood up. “You can return back to school when you’re ready, but that’s not happening today. However,” she looked at her watch, “I need to go back to work.” 

Sasuke grabbed her hand quickly, “you’re leaving me?”

“I was thinking of having someone babysit…”

He shook his head, “I can come, I’ll behave.”

“Are you sure? You’d be looking after the shop with me today.”

He nodded.

“Okay, you should bring along a book or anything you like to keep you occupied.”

“Just wait for me, Himawari-san!” He hopped off of his bed and dumped his things on the floor and replaced his school books with other things.

Himawari smiled.

Spending time at the grocery store was not as boring as Sasuke thought it would be. It was his third day sitting behind the counter while Himawari worked religiously to help everyone and stock the shelves. He was currently hunched over, his ever present dinosaur plush was clutched in his arms as he read.

“Do you want a snack?” Himawari leaned against the counter, staring at the pictures in his book. “It’s past noon.”

“No, I’m okay:” He shook his head then paused, “juice would be nice.” 

“I knew it.” She pulled a juice book out of her pocket and opened it for him. “You always want to drink this stuff instead of eating your food. Is your stomach still hurting?”

He couldn’t eat much because of his stomach ache, it’s been that way since he woke up in the hospital. She was trying to ease him back to having full meals since he was due to start school on the coming Monday. She couldn’t be there to make sure that he was actually eating the meals she packed.

“Only a little bit.” He sipped on his juice, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. He’d have to get up soon to stretch his legs since his butt was starting to hurt.

“At least it’s better than before.” Himawari reached over the counter to take the small bag of lunch she had packed for the both of them. She took her own food out, and nudged him with the container of sliced tomatoes that he asked her to pack. “I’m sure you can make some room for these though.”

Sasuke stared at it with uncertainty, he didn’t want to make a mess because he ate it when his stomach didn’t want it. “I’m okay, really.” He put his hand in his stomach, massaging it a little bit. Even tomatoes didn’t look at all appealing right now. 

“It’s always there if you need it.” She put it in the bag and settled down to eat her lunch which consisted of some pasta and garlic bread. 

He nodded and went back to reading.

Hours later, just as Himawari was about to clean up to finish her shift, the door opened and a shout was heard from the front. 

“Gah! What are you doing here? Are you skipping school?” That voice was very familiar, and upon further investigation [she was still hidden], Himawari discovered the blond little boy she hadn’t seen for two weeks. 

“I’m not!” Sasuke yelled back, yet regretted it as he caught sight of a peeking Himawari. He repeated his words quieter.

“I’m telling your fangirls where you are.” Naruto stuck his tongue out, crossing his arms as he huffed. 

“Naruto, leave Sasuke alone, he hasn’t been feeling well.” Himawari laughed as she finally stopped hiding. She looked at both of them fondly before turning to her favourite little customer. “Are you here for your weekly fill?”

Naruto scratched his cheek, “yeah, I’ve been busy at school so I couldn’t come earlier.”

“I hope you’re listening to your teachers this time.” She grabbed a basket and began filling it with food. She was sure to include his favourite ramen amongst the other healthier food options. 

He followed her around as she shopped for him, “yeah…Erm, why is Sasuke here instead of in the hospital if he’s sick?”

“He was in the hospital, but the doctors can’t do anything more for him, so he’s hanging around here until he goes back to school. You’ll see him on Monday.”

“Bleh, not like I cared about when he was coming back.” Naruto pouted, “no fair, he gets to spend all day with Himawari-san.”

“Are you jealous?”

“No!”

“Alright.” She ruffled his hair and finished the miniature shopping list with some juice. Himawari led the way back to the check out and began checking his things as she hummed.

Once his bags were secured inside the pack on his back, Naruto thanked her and shared a glance with Sasuke as if contemplating whether or not he should say something. “See you later, Sasuke.” He waved a little bit.

Sasuke lifted his head from his book, raised his eyebrow, saw that Himawari-san was staring at him, then nodded at Naruto. “See you.”

“Be careful on your way home, Naruto.”

“I will. Goodnight!” He waved again and left.

As the door closed behind him, Sasuke turned to Himawari and closed his book to start packing away his things. “You’re the one giving him food all the time?”

“You noticed?” She hung up her apron, and unclipped her name tag. 

“He never came to school with food…It’s easy to notice when that idiot—“ He caught her eyes again, “it’s easy to notice when Naruto comes to school with something extra. My Momma was planning to pack an extra lunch for him too but…” He looked down. “Why do you do it?”

Himawari shouldered her handbag and held her hand open for him to take as she left the grocery shop. “Have you noticed that Naruto doesn’t have anyone?”

“Do you mean a family?” He kicked the rocks at his feet, “yeah, he’s always sitting alone after school.” He perked up a little bit, “and whenever he gets in trouble, the teachers always tell the Hokage instead of his parents.”

“Naruto doesn’t have a family, that’s why. The Hokage is his guardian until he’s old enough to speak for himself.”

“Like you with me?”

She thought for a while, “yeah.”

“Why didn’t you adopt him instead? You know him more than you know me.” He frowned. 

“I couldn’t…If I could, I would have taken the both of you.”

“Why?”

Himawari shrugged, she knew the answer, and it wasn’t something Sasuke needed to know. “I wish him well and I try to help as much as I can because of it. I’ll support him from far away just like I’m willing to support you.” She smiled down at him.

Sasuke felt his cheeks get warm. Instead of responding, he simply squeezed her hand.

“I hope you can be kind to Naruto and be someone he can talk to when he needs it.” Himawari said as they approached their house. 

“Naruto is—“ He took off his shoes once they got inside. “—a troublemaker and he doesn’t like me.”

“Did he say that?”

“No, but he acts like it.”

“You also act like you don’t like him.”

“I don’t!”

“See? I’ll get the bath ready.”

“I don’t mean to act like I don’t like him, I just don’t understand why he’s so…loud.” Sasuke opened his bedroom door and continued to talk to her as she went to the bathroom.

“What did you notice earlier?” Himawari spoke from the bathroom.

“Naruto doesn’t have a family.”

“So, why do you think he’s loud?”

He entered the bathroom with his towel wrapped around him. “He wants attention.”

“He wants someone to care.” She corrected, “what else did you notice?”

“…He talks really softly with Himawari-san.”

“Mhm, why is that?”

“You listen.”

She gave him a thumbs up and placed his toys into the bath as he splashed around. “I’m sure he wouldn’t be loud if you stopped judging him and actually listened.”

He ran a wet hand over his face, “I can try.”

“That’s all that matters.” She ruffled his hair. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“Okay.”

Chapter Text

Act 1: Scene 4 — So Blue

Unlike his initial haste to get back to school so as to not fall behind his classmates, Sasuke must admit that as he got up that Monday morning he was deathly afraid of actually going back. He didn’t know what to expect from his classmates; they were children much like him, and children had no filters.

He was scared knowing that someone would remind him that he no longer had a Momma and Pappa to go home to. Sasuke hated reminders, he always had them when he woke up to find Himawari-san making breakfast.

It would always throw him into a fit, sometimes he’d blank out, or he’d end up hurting himself. Reminders were not great, and he was trying his hardest to deal with it, but he was a child—something Himawari-san always told him—so he always struggled.

“Sasuke, you’ll miss the bell.” Himawari called from the front of the house. She was busy putting on her shoes; her classic uniform consisting of a pair of black fitted pants and a buttoned up shirt were nicely ironed. “I’ll drop you off.”

“You’ll be late too, Himawari-san.” He muttered, avoiding her eyes because he knew that she would realize that he wasn’t ready for school. He wanted to prove otherwise; to show her that he was able to handle this and be a great ninja. 

“I have a late start from now on, just so I can drop you off at school everyday.”

“The academy isn’t that far.” He buckled up his shoes, and ran a shaky, bandaged hand through his hair. The white plasters were a normal addition to his attire these days, and he hated it at first, even though he understood why Himawari-san insisted on him wearing them. “I can go alone.”

“Hm, I don’t mind though.” She opened the door and motioned for him to lead the way. Grabbing her bag, their coats and her keys, she closed the door behind her and made sure to lock it. “I’d like to see a little someone too.”

“Naruto?” Sasuke was quick to join her side as she walked. He resisted the urge to hold her hand, afraid that she would feel how sweaty and shaky his hand was. It’s a shame really, he needed it at the moment, someone to comfort him before he was left alone.

“Mhm.” Himawari looked down at him and rested her hand on his head for a moment. 

Once they got to the schoolyard, Sasuke avoided the faces of everyone that came into view. A few of the children from his class immediately spotted him and began to whisper. He tried to spot someone he was familiar with, someone who wasn’t staring at him with those eyes.

He still didn’t know what it meant.

The parents of the children were no better as they watched them. They frowned, and some even had the nerve to whisper themselves. 

Sasuke’s eyes immediately met pale ones, the opaque eyes staring at him from behind the leg of someone much taller than them. They waved at him when they realized that they'd been caught staring. Sasuke remembered who she was, or rather, what family she belonged to but not her name.

“Looks like Naruto isn’t here yet.” Himawari hummed, snapping him out of his daze. She kneeled in front of him, holding onto his hands as she studied him. “Do you have your lunch?”

He nodded, “it’s in my bag.”

“Your water bottle? Your supplies?”

He nodded again.

“Alright, good.” She held out his coat for him to take, “it’s going to be a little bit chilly by the time school is done. Remember that you’re supposed to come to the shop when the bell rings—you know the way from here, right?”

“I do.” He felt his eyes water as he realized that Himawari-san was really going to leave him. He blinked a multitude of times to stop his tears from forming fully. His lower lip was caught between his teeth, his legs shaking the longer he stood there.

When Himawari-san cupped his face, and brushed her thumb against his cheek, he swore that he was not going to cry even as it became increasingly hard to hold it in. How was he supposed to be strong if he cried right now?

“I’ll see you later, be good.”

He didn’t have the courage to answer verbally so he nodded. He wanted to reach out when she stood up and waved at both him and the little girl who stared at him earlier. He wanted to ask her to stay with him for today, just until lunch time, and then she could go to work.

Sasuke watched her leave the schoolyard, then disappear completely down the street as he ran to the entrance of the wall surrounding the school. He gripped the straps of his bag, his breathing heavy as the tears he held finally fell.

“Sasuke!” A mop of blond hair was seen rounding the corner, tattered clothes littered with stains covered his being as he skipped towards the school. Naruto grinned at him, his missing tooth on full display as he greeted him. “Are you okay?” 

“Hn.” It was the only audible sound he made. Pivoting back towards the area his classmates gathered, Sasuke didn’t care that Naruto was following him.

“I saw Himawari-san.” Naruto said as he stayed a few ways away from him in case he didn’t actually want him nearby. “She’s heading to work, isn’t she?” 

“Hn.” 

Naruto frowned at the single syllable answer. He figured that Sasuke didn’t quite want to talk to him, so he took another step back and left him alone. He twisted his foot into the ground, holding his bag closer.

The first bell rang not long after, the other children lined up instantly as their teachers came outside to escort them inside. Sasuke dragged his feet as he followed behind his classmates, wishing that he had his dinosaur plush with him because it smelt like Himawari-san from how many times he’s slept with it while in her arms.

He sounded like a big baby; afraid to be alone, always clinging to Himawari, sleeping with piles of pillows and a plush toy. If anyone were to see or hear of it, he was sure that they would think of him as a weakling and a crybaby. Was it his fault?

Absolutely not—it was Itachi’s, he swore it.

“Sasuke, you’re here.” Their teacher said in surprise, “I forgot that you were returning today.” He marked him on the attendance list.

As soon as he said those words, his classmates looked at him. He felt their eyes drilling into his entire being, waiting for him to let up and look back at them. He twisted his fingers, wishing for them to stop staring so much. 

“Alright, you’re quite lucky that the material we covered in your absence was review work and things you can look into on your own time.” The teacher wrote something on the board, asking the children to take out their workbooks so they could get started quickly. “I’m sure your guardian will be willing to sit down with you and go over it.” 

Someone raised their hand. “Doesn’t he…Isn’t his family…”

Sasuke bowed his head, scribbling on the corner of his page.

“That’s not appropriate for us to speak about right now.”

Figuring that the best way to survive the day was to blank out and allow his body to move on its own accord without him being physically present, Sasuke tried his hardest to tune out of everything around him. He didn’t hear when another child asked another question pertaining to his family, and he didn’t hear the teacher’s response. When he was nudged by his desk mate—a boy with small fangs drawn on his cheeks—he barely moved or responded.

His eyes were glazed over as the lesson continued, voices merged until they were nothing but buzzing sounds and murmuring that sounded far away. 

In Sasuke’s mind, he was busy being rocked back and forth as Himawari-san sat on the porch. The sun was setting, and she was humming a song while his eyes remained half lidded. They were pink and swollen, so were his cheeks from his crying.

His imagination took him between two versions of him; the one with his Momma, and the other with Himawari-san. One second he was holding his Momma’s hand, recounting his days at school and sharing his excitement about perfecting his fireball technique. And the next, he was sitting in the shop watching Himawari-san scan item after item while she corrected him as he practiced his reading.

Both versions of himself felt different; there was a clear shift that he couldn’t quite grasp, but he knew that they were him. 

He jerked awake when hands began to wrap themselves around his arm. They didn’t feel familiar—they weren’t his mother’s or Himawari-san’s. He felt his blood run cold as he turned his head slowly to catch a glimpse of the culprit.

A mop of brown hair came into view, followed by civilian attire and grey eyes. The little girl smiled at him, ready to greet him and brag that he allowed her to hold him longer than the others could until he pushed himself away and screamed. 

How long has it been that the teacher was no longer in the room and everyone was eating lunch? He didn’t realize that the lesson was over, or that half of the day was practically gone. How many people have touched him within that time?

Judging by the small circle of girls who stared at him with widened eyes, fear swimming in their eyes without an ounce of concern, he figured that many had touched him. Wiping his arms constantly, hating that the bandages refused to let him peel his skin off, he continued to scream before he pushed the young girl off of the bench.

A cry was heard, the commotion in the room attracting a passing teacher who peeked inside to see a crying Mitsumi and a screaming Sasuke who looked just about ready to hurt someone other than himself.

“Sasuke!” The young chūnin yelled as the students parted to let him through. “What did you do?” They reached out to pull him away, their hand a breath away from his shoulder before Sasuke lunged at him.

“Die! Don’t touch me! Die!” He yelled, his eyes once again glazed over as he threw weak punches at the teacher’s abdomen.

“Uchiha Sasuke, stop this instant!” He reprimanded the little boy, trying not to hurt him as he pulled at his arms in an attempt to stop him. 

“It’s your fault!” Sasuke grabbed the pencil sitting in his pocket, ready to stick it through the chūnin’s sides yet he was dismantled within seconds. Laying flat on the floor, tears running down his face as he thrashed around, he continued to scream.

All he could see was his big brother; the way he smiled at him only to look at him with disgust. His hugs turned into strangulation. His forehead taps felt like a kunai straight to the skull. He didn’t want Itachi to touch him. Why was Itachi touching him?

“I’m going to fucking kill you!” He yelled.

It was times like this that Himawari wished that she had chosen to become a ninja in this world so she had excuses to use her techniques publicly without anyone raising suspicions. 

She was sitting behind the check out, helping an old woman put away her groceries inside her small cart when she was disrupted by a chūnin. They appeared a few feet away, a grim look on their face as they waited for her to finish.

Wiping her hands on her apron, she smiled at them while listening to her heartbeat thump in her chest in mute anxiety. “How can I help you?” She was sure that her voice was barely audible, the look on the chūnin’s face was enough to tell her that something had gone wrong.

“Uchiha Sasuke…He’s…We need you at the academy.” They informed her.

The problem with not being classed as a shinobi was that Himawari had no idea how to explain why she knew certain techniques only chūnin/jōnin shinobi did. She did not know what to tell the young ninja who ran a few ways behind her as she ran faster than any normal civilian. 

It was just her luck [read: misfortune] that she worked a good thirty minutes away from the academy. That would not have been a problem had she used the body flicker ability, but she wasn’t a ninja, not in this timeline. 

She apologized profusely as she weaved through the streets, twisting her body this way and that to avoid other villages who watched in curiosity as a well trained ninja struggled to keep up with her. She was rusty, severely rusty, yet she was still fast and she had to thank no one but herself for that.

Himawari flung the academy door open, startling the children who had gathered in the hall to enjoy their lunch break. She must have looked deranged with her bangs matted to her forehead from sweat and her cheeks pink in exhaustion.

She didn’t need to be guided to where Sasuke was, she could hear him very well with the trained ears of both a mother and a tracker ninja. 

“This way—“ The chūnin huffed but gave up when she left him standing there as though she had the layout of the academy memorized. That would have been a problem had she been an actual threat.

Himawari felt her blood boil when she got to Sasuke’s classroom. The sight was just not as pleasant as she would like it to be. He was laying in the floor, face pressed into the hardwood panels as a teacher held him down. His screaming was frighteningly raw as frustrated tears fell from his cheeks as he continued to ask to not be touched, as well as proclaiming that he would kill the one responsible.

“Get off of him.” Himawari said, walking to the front of the class, and up the stairs as she approached them.

“He’s a danger to everyone and himself right now, Himawari-san, I’m aware that you’re—“

“Get off of him.” She repeated again, “I will handle it.”

“With all due respect, we’re the ones trained to handle—“

“Do I need to ask again?”

The teacher looked at her, then back at Sasuke. He lifted his arm, then his body off of the young boy.

Sasuke immediately stood up and ran towards Himawari. Thinking that he was going to hurt her, the classroom became dead silent as they watched with bated breaths waiting for Sasuke to throw a fist at the woman. Instead, the little boy wrapped his arms around her as he cried.

His face was buried in her stomach, his voice muffled as he coughed and choked on his tears. Her arms held onto him, cradling his head as she leaned over to whisper something into his ears.

“You’re alright, no one’s going to hurt you.”

“They touched me.” Sasuke hiccuped. “They touched me!” He rubbed his face in her shirt as if to wipe his skin. 

“You were going to hurt someone, Sasuke.” The teacher interjected softly. “You pushed your classmate and screamed that you would kill someone.”

Himawari frowned as she held him tighter. “I apologize for the accident, I’m sure he didn’t mean it. If it’s okay with you, and his homeroom teacher, I’d like to sign him out for the rest of the day?”

“I’ll relay the message to him.” He nodded, “can someone get Sasuke’s things for Himawari-san?”

No one moved; no one except that familiar boy with blond hair and blue eyes. Naruto grabbed Sasuke’s bag, made sure everything was inside, and quickly moved through the small crowd to stand in front of her. “Here you go, Himawari-san. I hope Sasuke feels better.”

She smiled at him, taking the bag from him as she nodded. “I’ll take good care of him, he should be back in a day or two so don’t worry.” Shouldering Sasuke’s bag, she stooped down a little bit and picked him up. “Please have someone drop off today’s homework, I’ll make sure he gets it done.” Himawari excused herself not long after and left the class standing there in silence.

The walk from the academy back to the grocery store then home was a quiet one save for the occasional sniffles from Sasuke as he continued to use her shirt to wipe his tears. He didn’t say anything once they got inside, only ever taking a step back to allow her to put away her things that she picked up prior. 

He felt ashamed; sorry that he had disrupted her day at work over something so insignificant. He didn’t mean to lash out and do any of that stuff, he just wasn’t in control and by the time he realized what was happening it had been too late. 

Sasuke followed Himawari around the house as she put away their previously packed lunch back into the fridge. She washed his water bottle and the flask she uses for her tea, and dried her hands. He followed her to her bedroom, sitting on her bed as she got changed into her house clothes.

He didn’t say anything until she walked into his room to put his bag away. “I’m sorry…” He whispered, feeling at fault for everything that happened. He was apologizing for being a burden; for being too weak. This was why his brother didn’t kill him—because he was a big baby and a weakling.

Himawari kneeled in front of him, the tissue box that usually sat on the desk she bought him was cradled on her lap as she wiped his face. She didn’t respond to his apology, which made him feel uncomfortable. 

“I really am sorry.” He didn’t mean to be a weakling. He wanted to show her that he was strong, and ended up doing the complete opposite. Itachi should have killed him too.

She sighed and brushed his hair to the side. In Sasuke she saw her little girl, big eyes watering as he held in his tears, his lip quivering much like the original Himawari’s did. Dark hair framed his face, the absence of its blue sheen the only difference to hers. “It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault.” She reassured him.

The only reason he hadn’t bowed his head yet was because she kept a firm hand on his chin as she wiped his face.

“I just don’t understand, Sasuke.” She muttered, “did someone touch you before…? Did he hurt you in any way?”

His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to comprehend her question. 

“You lashed out at your teacher, and freaked out because someone touched you without your permission, anyone would be upset at the latter. You said that you would kill them and hurt them for touching you. Is that because something happened before that you don’t like being touched?” She didn’t know how to ask him if he was sexually abused in any capacity in fear of there being a violent reaction. Himawari wasn’t certain about her Sasuke’s past beyond the massacre, if anything happened before that, she wanted to know.

That’s not how it sounded to Sasuke though. When her hand dropped to rest on her lap, he thought that she had made up her mind about his outburst. Despite the soft look in Himawari’s eyes and the genuine concern she had for him, all he could see was the same looks everyone else was giving him.

That look as if they were looking through him rather than at him, as if he wasn’t actually there. That look he got from his father who only had eyes for his brother. The bastard who killed his Momma and Pappa.

Was she taking Itachi’s side like them? Was she lying and trying to place the blame on him completely? Was Himawari-san playing a game on him to get him to keep his guard down?

Sasuke took a step back, then another as his eyebrows furrowed more, not in curiosity but rather anger. “You don’t believe me?”

“Believe what? Sasuke, you haven’t said anything.” She looked at him with uncertainty. 

The teacher didn’t believe him when he said that someone touched him. He was the one wrong for pushing back. Himawari-san was siding with the one who hurt him. She was siding with Itachi—otherwise she wouldn’t have asked him that.

“I’m trying to understand why you’re having these outbursts, Sasuke.” She reached out for him.

“Why do you care? You’re just like him! You’re a liar!”

“I haven’t lied about anything, Sasuke.” Her voice was stern. 

Alright, that immediately disproved the sexual abuse, this was clearly from something else. Or rather, someone else, and she knew exactly who. She didn’t know the relationship between Sasuke and his brother, but it must have been a platonic physical one which included hugs and the likes. Having Itachi turn out to be someone he was not clearly made Sasuke view physical touch as an attack when it came from people he couldn’t quite trust. 

Right now, he was seeing her as the enemy, as his brother, like he had seen the poor teacher and his classmate. 

“I’m trying to get to the bottom of this so we can take a step in the right direction and discuss what’s best for you. I’m worried because I don’t want you being triggered in the near future because of someone’s carelessness.”

“You’re lying.”

The look in his eyes, or the absence of life, was enough to tell her that she wasn’t dealing with a completely present Sasuke. It was as if his body and mind were on the defensive by putting up the rugged, angry act. 

“I’m not.”

“Why do you care?” He repeated again, albeit a little bit louder.

“Because you’re a child that I promised to take care of.” She answered truthfully.

“You’re…You’re not my Momma!” He yelled at her, “you’re a liar just like him. Stay away from me!” He took multiple steps back until he was standing in the hallway.

“Sasuke, where are you going?” She got up quickly, too quick that he took it as a sign of her attack.

“Stay back!” Sasuke screamed, bumping into the wall before scrambling to leave. “Leave me alone. You’re not my Momma!” He ignored the hurt look in her eyes as he continued to yell at her. He ignored the frown on her face and the worry that flashed through her eyes as he slipped on his shoes and slammed the door shut. 

He needed to get away.

It wouldn’t be until the sun began to set and the moon started peaking over the horizon that Sasuke would realize what he had said and done. As he sat in the park, his knees up to his chest as he drew in the sand with a stick he found, he couldn’t help but feel sorry.

He didn't remember the exact words he said, but he knew that they were hurtful ones judging by the image that was currently permanently burned into his skull. 

Himawari-san looked upset as though she had heard those words somewhere before. He couldn’t get it out of his mind, and guilt settled in rather quickly. 

The children who had been playing in the park were long gone by now, their parents giving him looks, wondering if they should tell Himawari-san that Sasuke was sitting in the park as the clock struck nine, but no one did since it wasn’t their business.

As the street lights became the only light illuminating the park, Sasuke finally stood up and wiped his sandy knees. He dropped the stick where he had been drawing his Momma to the best of his ability. At some point, Himawari-san also joined the small picture, standing right beside his Momma and smiling.

He shouldn’t have said that, he knew that he shouldn’t have, but he was hurt. He was hurt because he thought she was like Itachi—a liar who would hurt him soon enough. The voice in his head told him to not trust Himawari-san, yet his heart ached at the thought of hurting her on purpose.

She always told him to listen to both sides or else he’d go crazy.

The house came into view, the front lights still on but all the curtains were drawn. Sasuke stood out at the fence, his grip on the gate tightening, scared that she had locked the door on him. Though, he supposed that he deserved that for what he said. 

Opening the gate, and closing it behind him, his steps grew more weary as he approached the porch and then the front door. He would have to stand on his tippy toes to reach the doorbell…

Trying the door first, twisting the doorknob to see if it was unlocked, he gasped when it opened. The foyer light was on, but the lights everywhere else in the house were turned off. 

Locking the door behind him, Sasuke took off his shoes and replaced them with his special house slippers. Staring at them, he felt his eyes sting as the memory of Himawari-san buying them for him as a gift upon his hospital discharge resurfaced. He didn’t deserve her, or her patience and kindness when all he’s done was be weak and a burden.

“Himawari-san?” He called out, peeking around each corner until he got to the living room.

She was laying on the couch, his dinosaur plush held in her arms as if she had expected him to return before nightfall. Her eyes were closed, and her chest moved in a rhythmic pattern, an indication of her sleeping state.

She had been waiting for him.

He pouted, rubbing his eyes as he lifted her arm and took his plush from her. Staring at the dinosaur, he placed it on the coffee table and quickly replaced the space with his body. Snuggling into her chest, Sasuke breathed in her lavender and baby powder scent and squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’m home, Himawari-san.” He whispered.

“Welcome.” She muttered back, and tightened her arms around him.

Chapter Text

Act 1: Scene 5 — Purple & Orange

He was excused from school for another day, courtesy of the Hokage who wanted Sasuke to be back on his feet again sooner rather than later. As usual, Sasuke accompanied Himawari to her full time job and stayed out of the way most of the time. It had been boring that Tuesday, with nothing to do, and all his books finished [Himawari promised to bring him to the library during her volunteering hours on the weekend, but that was another three days away] he had taken to wandering around the store and memorizing its layout.

Observation was a big part in being an Uchiha, he had to learn how to spot minute changes even without the awakening of his sharingan. It was a great exercise doing so in the grocery store because someone was always taking something and placing it somewhere it didn’t belong.

Going home was usually the better part of the day, simply because the streets were clearing out as everyone went back home. A few shinobi lingered, and of course there were multiple places that remained open until much later, like the grocery store Himawari worked at.

“Do you think you can go back to school tomorrow?” Himawari asked as she rummaged through her bag in search of the house keys. 

Sasuke shrugged, “I don’t know.” His reactions were never predictable, and kids get all touchy feely all the time, so he was bound to be overstimulated regardless. Despite that, he wanted to give it a try again, he couldn’t possibly learn any ninja things while sitting in a grocery store staring at people.

“Just take your time, if you don’t think that you can do it, we can always find another way to go about your schooling.” She opened the door and let him inside first. “I’m sure your teacher won’t mind sending home a couple learning packages for the review lessons.” 

“I want to try again.” He admitted as he flopped on the couch. 

“Is that what your heart is saying?” She threw him the last juice box she had initially packed for his lunch earlier that day.

“My heart isn’t saying anything…and my mind is all fuzzy.” He popped open the juice box and took a sip before resting it on the coffee table. 

“That’s okay too; perhaps we should try in short intervals until you can adjust to the regular schedule.” She paused for a second, “though, I don’t think that’s very realistic since it would count as special treatment despite your circumstances. I’ll store that away for later.”

Himawari-san had a weird way of speaking, Sasuke marvelled as he listened to her talk. Her manners were impeccable for a civilian, and her speech mirrored it as though she had been raised in a prestigious clan. Even then, she still had the classic speech pattern the civilians were known for, yet he could tell that it was more so something she picked up rather than how she grew up speaking. 

It was great. He supposed that that was why Himawari-san had a better time defusing a situation and calming him down than the doctors and nurses, or even his teachers do. There was a forever present calmness in her voice, and rarely has he seen her get mad.

He hoped to never see her get mad.

He’s seen her get upset, and it usually had to do with him which made him feel a little bit guilty, but never had Himawari-san been mad about anything. Not when a customer was rude, or someone insulted them in public.

Speaking of, he always wondered why everyone was so weirded out to see him with her. They looked just about ready to snatch him away to protect her and he couldn’t quite get it. Were they scared that he would end up hurting Himawari-san because of all the new bandages and gauze he sported when they were out in public?

Did they not know that he had a tendency to hurt himself? He thought everyone knew that, it made him feel a tiny bit self conscious walking around with his thigh wrapped, or his fingers covered, but it was getting easier to ignore it.

“What are you thinking about, little guy?” She was stooping down beside him when he realized that he had been lost in thought. Himawari ran a hand through his hair, brushing his bangs to the side, no doubt making a mental note to take him to get his hair trimmed.

“Why do you talk like that?” He asked, closing his eyes and almost preening from her touches. He liked when his hair was played with, it made him relax better. Completely different from when he would tug on it and pull some strands out. 

“Like what?”

“You don’t have the accent the other villagers have, and you don’t talk like them either.”

“You mean my idiolect?”

“Your idiot-what?”

She laughed, “idiolect, or how I speak. It’s from a lot of reading, and maybe some training by my family.” She shared. “You can have one too if you continue to take your reading seriously.”

“Will I talk like you?”

“Maybe if you copy how I speak enough.” She checked the time, “I have to go back out to grab something for dinner, I forgot to pick it up on our way back. Are you okay with staying by yourself for twenty minutes?”

He didn’t think that there was anything that could possibly bother him in that timeframe. He would be home alone for a little bit, but Himawari had been trying to teach him how to be alone in short intervals for cases much like this one. Today just so happened to be the first time that she was actually doing it instead of sitting outside while he sat in the kitchen.

“I’ll be okay.”

“I’ll be right back, I promise.” She touched his cheek, “if anyone knocks, make sure you check through the window first. Don’t open the door for complete strangers that you’ve never seen me talk to or you don’t know personally.”

“I understand.”

“Good.” She hesitated for a second longer, staring at him before standing up. “I left your snacks out in case you want something to munch on, but I don’t think you’d be doing that since I won’t be out for long.” 

“Hn.” He nodded and gave her a lazy wave as she left the house.

Sasuke turned around and laid on his stomach as he propped his chin up on his forearm. He studied his bandaged fingertips, curious as to what they looked like. Were his nails growing again? Himawari-san had them cut over the weekend in preparation for school, so they couldn’t have grown back already.

His hands looked small, easy to break in half the longer he stared at it. Would Itachi be able to snap his hand clean off if he wanted to? Sasuke thinks that Itachi would have easily snapped his neck then and there with how brittle his bones were. Would he die from that? Surely he would have died.

There was a knock on the door which startled Sasuke. Himawari hadn’t been gone for too long, and he was certain that it hadn’t been twenty minutes yet. Besides that, she must have taken her keys with her so the knocking was definitely not Himawari-san.

Hesitant, Sasuke stood up and approached the door. Moving the curtains that covered the frosted windows, he took a peek at whoever was standing out there. He couldn’t see very well, courtesy of the frosted glass, but he made out the small figure of a little girl.

Her clothes were practically swallowing her whole, and she was hunched over as she clutched something to her chest. The longer he stood there staring out of the window, his face now pressed to the glass, certain that she hadn’t seen him yet, the more he noticed the way she swayed back and forth as if she was on the verge of collapsing.

It’s a little girl, she couldn’t hurt him, Sasuke thought as he unlocked the door and opened it just a little bit to fully see her. Her pale eyes were the first indicator that she was from the family he’s heard about. They were widened, surprised that he had opened the door no doubt, before they settled on his bandaged fingers.

“I came to drop off your homework, I’m sorry I’m late.” She stuttered, her body still swaying as she held out the package. “Is Himawari-san home?”

Sasuke opened the door a little bit wider, held onto the package and shook his head. “She went to buy something for dinner.” He shared, finally pulling the package to his own chest when she had let go. “Do you need something?” He didn’t like talking very much, he noticed as he tried to make light conversation. He should have just thanked her for his homework and let her go back home, her family must be worried.

“No, it’s okay.” She continued to sway, “I’m sorry to be a bother.” 

When she leaned over to bow her head, she almost fell over until Sasuke reached out to catch her. He wanted to let her go instantly, his hands tingling from the fur on skin contact from her jacket.

“Hey!” 

Her eyes flew open just for a second, her body shaking as he struggled to keep her up. He was a seven year old with the strength of a five year old, Sasuke struggled as she continued to fall forward. The low rumble in her throat definitely meant something bad, and soon after, her body went completely limp.

He felt awkward holding her there at the door. Figuring that the best course of action was to actually leave her there, he lowered her to the floor slowly and sat down beside her. He had the decency to fold one of Himawari’s scarves and put her head on it instead of leaving it on the dirty mat.

The cool air made him shiver as he sat there with the door wide open. He counted in his head, waiting for Himawari to return so they could finally close the door and he could wrap himself in a nice, warm blanket.

Just as he got to his fifth set of counting to sixty, he heard a gasp from the gate and Himawari came into view. The parcel she had in her hands was almost dropped as she sped across the path leading to the house. 

“Hinata!” She said worriedly, placing the parcel on the porch swing. “Sasuke, when did she get here?”

He held up eight fingers, and moved out of the way as Himawari picked up the Hinata girl and brought her inside. Trying his best to be of some help, he brought in the bag of takeout food and closed the door behind him.

He found Himawari in her bedroom, the Hinata girl spread on her bed with her jacket gone and her shirt bunched up at her stomach as Himawari cleaned her abdomen. There was a wet cloth on her forehead too, and a box of opened juice on the bedside table.

“What’s wrong?” Sasuke asked, shuffling in his spot as he watched her place a large plaster on Hinata’s stomach. “What are those?” He was referring to the scratch like cuts on her midsection, they were jagged and twisted as if they were done with a shaky hand. They didn’t look like his own, which was done by his fingernails, and they were on her stomach rather than her thigh like him.

“Sasuke, remember that conversation we had about hurting ourselves when we’re listening to our mind too much?” Himawari’s voice was barely above a whisper, he had to lean in to hear her better.

“Mhm.”

“Hinata listens to both the voice in her head, and her father’s.” She glanced at him and shook her head. “She can’t help it, that's all she knows.”

“Oh.” He sat down on the bed, albeit a little further away to let Himawari work. “Isn’t her Pappa supposed to tell her good things? That’s her Pappa.”

“Did your Pappa tell you good things?” She didn’t mean for it to sound the way it did, as if she was taking it out on him. She couldn’t help it though, because she was staring at the body of her younger self, littered in barely fading bruises and cuts from both training and her own practice. 

“Not all the time.” Sasuke looked away, “he only said good things to…”

“Some Pappas are very strict, and sometimes that makes their children suffer more than they intend them to. Hinata’s Pappa…He’s more strict than I can explain.” She rolled down Hinata’s shirt and patted her stomach. “Is it okay if she sleeps in your room?”

“Is she not going to wake up and go home?” He rarely slept in his room, only ever doing so for short naps and even then that was very rare. He didn’t like the thought of someone sleeping in there though…

“I gave her some medication so she won’t wake up until the morning. She’s a little bit sick right now.”

“Oh…Does that mean I have to give up my dinosaur plush too?”

“No.” Himawari gave him an exasperated smile. “Not unless you want to.”

“I don’t.”

“Then no.” She picked up the little girl. “I’m sure Hinata will be grateful that you stayed with her when she fainted. If you left her, or ran looking for help, I would have been worried about you both.”

Sasuke followed Himawari into his room, watching as she tucked Hinata into his bed and placed his onigiri plush in her arms. “She was a little bit heavy.”

“She’s like you—a little underweight for her age, but it’s hard for you to carry her because you’re not strong enough to. You’ll get stronger in time.” She turned the nightlight on, and left the door open as they left the bedroom. “I’m sure you’re hungry though, so I asked the nice lady from the restaurant to make your favourite tomato soup.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened and he smiled. “I like her tomato soup—it’s not as good as yours or my Momma’s, but it’s good.” He paused in his steps and glanced back at his bedroom. “Is Hinata going to be okay? Isn’t she hungry too?”

“I’ll save some for her for later.” Himawari motioned him to join her at the table.

“Okay, good.”

Naruto has always been a little bit jealous whenever he watched other children get dropped off and picked up by their parents. He’d sit on his swing, watching them laugh and play with whichever parent decided to accompany them to school that day. His grip on the rope would tighten, his eyes stinging from holding back tears of envy, and his lip would quiver as he hid his face.

So, it wasn’t really a surprise when Naruto saw Himawari-san drop off both the shy Hyūga girl and Sasuke and his stomach twisted with jealousy. 

He wasn’t as stupid as others thought him to be; he had heard the news two weeks ago about Himawari-san wanting to adopt him. Of course, things were distorted so he didn’t know whether it was true that she preferred to handle Sasuke instead of him. He had been hurt by those words, thinking that something was really wrong with him.

He knew her before Sasuke knew her!

It wasn’t very fair that Sasuke would be the one taken into her home and cared for when Naruto had admired her from afar. Now, there was a little girl in the mix and he couldn’t help but feel angry as he watched them wave goodbye to Himawari-san. 

His day was ruined; he didn’t want to go to the grocery store knowing that Sasuke would be sitting behind the counter waiting to go home. Even if Himawari-san was still nice to him, and still bought him enough food that would last weeks, he couldn’t bear the sight of seeing her take care of Sasuke like that.

Is that how a mother looked at her child? Naruto didn’t know, he’s never had a mother. Every caretaker who was in charge of him prior to him living alone wasn’t so kind to him no matter how well he behaved. He wanted to be treated like he’s seen other children be treated.

Walking down the streets after school, with his backpack dragging behind him as his head was bowed, he barely paid attention to the people around him. The snickers didn’t matter, the muttering and curses barely caught his ear. When he started being followed, all he did was hunch his shoulders over some more and made a quick detour away from his run down apartment.

They cornered him in an alleyway that afternoon, their laughter ringing in his ears as he stared at them waiting patiently for them to get their fill in so they could leave him alone. He healed fast anyway.

“What’s got the demon brat down in the dumps?” One asked with faux concern, crossing their arms as they picked up one of the many discarded wooden planks. “Should we help you out and give you a real reason?”

Naruto didn’t respond, he didn’t do so much as stare at them as he turned his back and waited. It wasn’t as painful as it was initially, he’s gotten used to it at this point. He’s never shared it with the Hokage, and stopped telling others for that matter, seeing as the small cuts and bruises healed themselves well by the time it was midnight.

Was it a blessing or a curse? He wasn’t so sure about neither; if someone else had his insane healing ability, he was sure that they would jump around with enthusiasm knowing that no matter the injury sustained, they’d be back on their feet before sunrise. 

“Cat got your tongue?” Another villager taunted him.

He didn’t realize that they were talking, yet alone how much worse their insults and hitting was getting. What did she say anyway? He didn’t quite catch that, so he made no move to ask her to repeat herself.

“Stupid brat.” A kick was thrown at his back, pushing him forward into the wall. His head bounced back harshly, the sound resonating in the alleyway. “Fuck! Run!”

Naruto slumped forward, his eyes rolling around in his head as his world spun around. Every blink revealed a blurry image of every single villager in the alleyway falling over. A shadowy figure pushed one into the other, bending low as they struck them in the stomach and sent them tumbling into a pile of other passed out bodies.

Blinking again, Naruto came face to face with the worried eyes of Himawari-san who had weird veins around her eyes. He would soon forget that specific detail as she touched his forehead and said some words he barely heard.

He was picked up with ease, his bag held in his hand loosely as Himawari carried him out of the alleyway. He moved his head to the crook of her arms, his breathing shallow as his head began to hurt him more than usual. He knew that his healing abilities were already getting to work, still, his body hurt a lot.

“Stay awake with me, I have to make sure that you don’t have a concussion.”

He would have told her that he was alright if only he could open his mouth right now. He was just so close to closing his eyes completely and falling asleep to ignore the pain he was in.

“Sasuke, can you open the door?”

Naruto turned his head, catching a glimpse of a house and Sasuke’s worried looks as he opened the door. He didn’t even realize that the little Uchiha was with them the entire time. Another look at the figure that flitted out of his peripherals, and he also noticed the Hyūga girl following close behind.

“Naruto, you can hear me, right?” Himawari asked as she placed him on the couch. 

“Mhm.” He hummed, not bothering to speak or shake his head.

“Good, you’re conscious. I’m going to shine a light in your eye, you just need to follow it well and answer my questions.”

That seemed easy enough.

The light was brighter than he was prepared for, but he did his best by following it and answering her questions about his name, age, and other meticulous things. An ice pack was placed on his head, and a blanket was wrapped around him.

“Your injuries are already healing themselves.” Himawari shared as she lifted his arm to study the closing wounds. “That’s good, I don’t need to take you to the hospital.”

“Is Naruto going to be alright?” Hinata stuttered as she stared at him over a kneeling Himawari’s shoulder. Her fingers were being poked together, a blush on her puffy cheeks as she avoided looking at him for too long.

Himawari turned around and laid her hand on her head. “He just needs a few minutes to recoup and he should be as good as new. For now, you told your caretaker that you were coming over to do some homework with Sasuke, so why don’t you two get started on that while I tend to Naruto?”

“I don’t want to do homework.” Sasuke muttered, already out of his school clothes and in a vest and sweatpants.

Himawari laughed and motioned for him to approach her, “you have a lot to do because you missed so much school.” She lifted the edges of his shirt up and over his head. “And you’re still making mistakes when you’re putting on your clothes.” She helped him into it this time, turning it in the right direction.

Sasuke itched his cheek, stared at Hinata and back at Himawari. “I can do it alone later. You know Hinata came here to be with you.”

The little girl’s blush intensified as she stared at her feet. “That’s not true.”

“You don’t want to go home.” Sasuke shook his head, “you like being with Himawari-san.” There was something in his voice, just a tinge of jealousy that he brushed off as concern for Himawari. 

“I…” Hinata twisted her socked foot in the rug. “Himawari-san is nice unlike my Pappa and Neji.” 

Himawari’s laugh diffused the situation quickly, she admired the both of them, marvelling at how her younger self couldn’t even look at Sasuke much. Sasuke was also having a hard time adjusting to her stutters and less forward personality. He was blunt, and she was everything but that. 

“I’ll help you guys with your homework while I make dinner, alright? Just get it started, Naruto needs me right now.”

Hinata nodded and picked up her bag as she followed Sasuke to the dining room.

Himawari turned back to Naruto, the smile on her face dropping instantly as she made eye contact with the little boy who had been staring at them with sad eyes. She sat cross-legged in front of the couch, her arms folded on the edge of the cushion he laid on as she studied him.

Her Naruto never said anything about the villagers hitting him; it never went beyond a few name calling and insults according to him. She had stumbled upon the commotion as she went to pick up Hinata. There was just something in the air that made the hair on her arms stand up.

Low and behold, it was Naruto being followed and beaten in an alleyway. She was sure to make Sasuke and Hinata wait inside the bakery store while she handled the situation. By handle, she fully meant ignoring her civilian status and dismantling Naruto’s attackers with her byakūgan glowing with anger. 

“You okay?” She whispered.

“I’m okay.” He whispered back.

“Naruto, I want you to be completely serious with me, you can tell me the truth and trust me.” She paused, searching his face. He looked a lot like Boruto currently—or was it that Boruto looked a lot like his father—and it made her feel angry again.

If it was her Boruto being beaten in some alleyway by people who hated him, she would make sure to kill everyone responsible. Unfortunately for her, currently, she couldn’t do much more than knock those people out.

“Has the Hokage checked up on you recently?”

His eyebrows were furrowed for a while before he answered her. “No, the old man only visits a few times every two months. He doesn’t stay for very long though…”

She tapped the cushion, her chakra fluctuating as she stared at him. “When he visits, what happens?”

“He makes sure that my laundry is done, and my fridge is filled, then gives me my allowance for the month. Sometimes we have tea together but that’s it.”

“You haven’t told him about the villagers?”

He shook his head, “the village is his family, and I don’t want to ruin that for him.”

“If the village is his family, that includes you, so you have the right to complain. It’s a valid complaint too; Naruto, no one should be hitting you or treating you that way.”

“I’m used to it, and there’s no point in telling anyone because no one believes me.”

“You’ve told someone before?”

He pouted and huffed, “my teachers, and then the nurses at the hospital but they ignored me.”

To say that she wasn’t pissed off would be a very bizarre understatement. Himawari closed her eyes, and exhaled through her mouth as she tried to calm the building storm in her mind. On second thought, it was great that she wasn’t classed as a ninja at the moment, she would have publicly executed these people. 

“Tell you what,” she sighed, “why don’t you stay with me?”

He stared at her in shock, “I thought you didn’t want to adopt me?”

“I—Who said that?”

He gave her a sheepish look, “the people talk.”

“That’s not what happened; I wanted to take you in like I took in Sasuke, but the Hokage told me that I couldn’t.”

“Wait, so are you adopting me?”

“Legally? No, I’m just opening up my home for you. That way I won’t get in any legal or political trouble. Just,” she stood up and stretched her legs, “after school, follow Sasuke to the grocery store and we’ll work it out from there.”

Naruto sat up quickly, ignoring how queasy that made him feel. “You mean it? You’re not lying, right?”

“Why would I lie about that?”

“Is that what Hinata does too?” He gasped, “is Hinata living here too?”

She shook her head and smiled, “Hinata’s only been over a few times, for a little sleepover if you will.”

“With Sasuke? I didn’t know that Hinata likes Sasuke.” He puffed out his cheeks thinking about it.

“She doesn’t.” Himawari ruffled his hair, “did it look like she and Sasuke liked each other?”

He itched his cheek, “Sasuke doesn’t like a lot of people.” He looked away, “I don’t think Sasuke would like that I’d be staying with you too. He didn’t look happy that Hinata was here.”

“I’m sure he’d understand though. Sasuke is a very understanding person even if he looks like he doesn’t always care.” She dusted her shirt, “if you’re feeling like you’re up for it, we can go check on the two of them.”

Naruto flung the blanket to the side, and placed the ice pack down as he stood up. He looked at the spot he had occupied and noticed the dirt he dragged in. “I’m sorry about that.” He pointed at the spot he left. 

“I’ll clean it later, don’t worry.” She led the way to the dining room.

Sitting hunched over their books were the subjects of their conversation. There was some significant space between them, but otherwise, they looked to be working well together.

“What are things looking like over here?” Himawari pulled a chair out for Naruto, his books piled there ready for him. 

“This is stupid.” Sasuke said, “why do we have to do review homework when we learned this stuff last year?”

“Sasuke, I think you forget that your memory is better than a lot of people’s. You wouldn’t have any trouble with it, but that’s not the case for the rest of your class.”

“He is at the top of the class even with his absences.” Hinata muttered, “Pappa says I should be like him.”

“You should be yourself, Hinata, work at your own pace.” Himawari checked over her head to look at what was being worked on. “Can you two help Naruto then? I think this would be harder for him.”

A pair of black and opaque eyes met her own, then shifted to the nervous blue ones that sat across from them.

“What do you need help with, Naruto?” Hinata was the first to speak up, even if her stuttering was at an all time high.

“Everything.” He admitted, opening his notebook to show a multitude of blank pages and problems. “I’m not really good with school.”

“Or the teachers don’t help you.” Sasuke interjected. “Himawari-san, did you know that?”

“Know what?” She went to wash her hands to start making dinner.

“The other teachers don’t teach Naruto anything; they just continue the lesson even when he asks questions. I think that’s why Naruto gets in trouble a lot.”

“And how’d you figure that out?” She hummed.

Sasuke looked at Naruto, noticing that he was waiting for him to answer the question too. Suddenly sheepish, he got down from his chair and approached Himawari. When she leaned down to hear what he wanted to whisper, he answered her question. “Since you told me to be Naruto’s friend I’ve been watching him.” He twisted his shirt in his hands, embarrassed to admit such a thing.

“That’s good, I’m glad you noticed. It helps with your observation skills.” She raised her thumb and patted his head. “Well, if that’s the case, I’m sure you two wouldn’t mind helping Naruto out a little bit more so he can understand what he’s learning.”

Hinata nodded and Sasuke agreed.

“Naruto, what do you say?”

“That sounds nice.” He smiled and moved his chair a little bit closer to the other two children. “Sorry if I don’t get it right away, I’ll try my hardest!”

“As long as you try.” Himawari said as she turned the stove on.

She couldn’t help but remember when her own children would gather around the dining table to do their work. Oftentimes with their fellow classmates who came over and joined them for dinner.

She was just glad that there was more than one thing reminding her of her little Boruto and Himawari. Her heart did skip a beat as her thoughts went back to her Ino. 

Sneaking a glance at her younger self, she smiled to herself and made up her mind as she thought about her Ino.

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 1 — Free

It was a regular sight to see Himawari-san walking around in the morning and when the sun began to set with three little ones following behind her diligently. No one questioned why she had gathered such an odd bunch, even if they thought the inclusion of Uzumaki Naruto was absurd, chalking it up to her being someone the kids simply just loved.

On occasion, it would just be the two boys who joined her at night, but the little girl who stuck to her side would stand out a lot more whenever she joined them. A band of misfits, the lot of them, and it warmed the hearts of those who really had one.

It was expected that her home would be a very loud one, especially with the bizarre relationship between Sasuke and Naruto according to the rumours, yet it was everything besides that. There were no noise complaints from her neighbour, a shocking fact considering who the blond boy was. 

Although there wasn’t much space for more than three people, Himawari made it work with the space that she had. Sleeping bags would be placed in the living room on nights where Hinata wanted to join but couldn’t sleep in either Sasuke’s room or Himawari’s. So, they all slept together in the living room once a week.

Sasuke’s room remained slightly off limits, the young boy becoming more weary of the two individuals’ presence in their home, still, he didn’t make any fuss as long as he had his dinosaur plush. It accompanied him everywhere he went in the house, and usually stayed in Himawari’s bed just so Naruto and Hinata knew that that was Sasuke’s spot that they couldn’t claim.

He wasn’t jealous though, he was just cautious now that Himawari had frequent guests over. Guests who would turn into regular visitors who soon became part of Sasuke’s regular life. He didn’t have a problem with it, he kept repeating that things were okay even though he wanted them to leave their home.

“What do you think about a bunk bed?” Himawari asked as she held their hands while they walked around a furniture store. “Instead of two beds in the same room, we can have a bunk bed for the both of you.”

“Why can’t we have our own room?” Naruto asked, “we can have twenty different rooms for anything we like!” He passed his hands along the surface of the table they walked by in the dining aisle. 

“That would be a lot of money.” Hinata stuttered, her hands stuffed into her pockets as she walked just a little bit ahead of them. “Himawari-san isn’t a ninja so she’s not earning a lot of money to buy a big house.”

“Why aren’t you a ninja?” Naruto squinted at her, “you’re really fast and you know a lot, so I think you’d be a wonderful shinobi.”

“Who will take care of you then? If I’m out on a mission, no one will be at home to cook you food or make sure that your homework is done.” She shrugged her shoulders, “besides, I like being in the village so I can hear about what you have been up to. We don’t need a big house, not yet at least, you three are still tiny.” 

They continued to talk until they got to the bedroom section. Himawari showed them the bunk beds on display, all while checking the price to make sure that it was within her budget.

“Where would Hinata sleep if we bought a bunk bed?” Sasuke questioned, secretly worried that his spot in Himawari’s bed would no longer be his. It wouldn’t be fair, he’s the one that had night terrors, if Hinata got to sleep with Himawari because of this, then he didn’t want a bunk bed.

“I’m not throwing out your old bed, I’ll reorganize your bedroom to fit everything in. I know it’s not a usual occurrence for the boys to share a room with the girls, but Hinata isn’t living with us since she has a home to go to. It will only be for nights where she’s too tired to go back home and no one comes to pick her up.” 

Which just so happens to be every instance that Hinata would come over. Himawari knew that it was just her father being glad that he didn’t have to care for her as much anymore. At this point in her life, he had already denounced her as his daughter, and was simply waiting for her to graduate to fully state that she wasn’t accepted as a Hyūga. Himawari just wanted to establish Hinata in their house so she didn’t feel too down in the dumps on the day it would happen.

She had yet to get started on the young girl’s self esteem issues and her underlying self harming tendencies to compensate. So far though, things have seemed to slow down now that she was away from her home a few times in the week. If she could, Himawari would definitely adopt her younger self, which is a major problem now that she thought about it.

What is up with her and adopting kids both literally and figuratively? Especially the younger versions of herself, Naruto and Sasuke? Surely this wasn’t just to ‘fix’ things seeing as she was actually enjoying herself. Future be damned, taking care of these kids felt like she was back in her time caring for her son and daughter again. It was the only thing keeping her going currently, if she thought too much about it, she would end up crashing and locking herself away as she thought about her little ones.

“This one is okay.” Sasuke pointed at a black bunk bed; its frame made of dark oak and the size good enough to last them quite a while. He only picked it because he wanted to get out of the store already and go home to curl into Himawari’s side. It’s the weekend, he was going to spend it doing nothing but sleeping in her arms.

“What do you think, Naruto?” Himawari watched him inspect the bunk bed carefully.

“Don’t you have to buy mattresses too?” Naruto asked, staring at the big numbers on the price tag. He’s never seen something so expensive in his life.

“That won’t take very long. I already have two in mind.” She pointed at the bamboo mattresses and pillows. “Don’t worry about the price, Naruto, I’m not taking your allowance to pay it off. You can use your own money to buy the linen if you want to help, and even then I won’t let you spend more than a few dollars.” Himawari already had the linen in their cart not too far away. Today really was a shopping day. 

“Okay, then I’m fine with this too!” He gave her a thumbs up. “How are we going to take it home?”

“We’ll ask for the things we can’t carry to be delivered. It shouldn’t take long since we’re here in person.” She looked around for a store clerk. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” 

The children watched her leave and decided to sit on one of the larger beds. Naruto was spread out like a starfish, marveling at how soft it was. He still hasn’t gotten used to sleeping on a proper bed that didn’t have springs poking his sides. Yet alone being in a house where the water was always warm, the doors didn’t squeak, the windows could open and close without an issue, and the lights worked.

“This is nice.” He sighed, turning to lay on his stomach as he stared at Sasuke and Hinata who chose to sit at the edge of the bed with a lot of space between them. It’s been a solid two weeks since they began to spend some time [even involuntarily] together, still the awkwardness remained. 

“This is stupid.” Sasuke muttered as he crossed his arms. He didn’t understand why he had to share his home with everyone so quickly. Wasn’t Himawari-san his guardian only? Naruto wasn’t adopted, and Hinata had a family to go back to.

“Why do you say that?” Hinata stuttered, clamping her mouth shut when Sasuke turned to face her. She was really trying to stop the stuttering for his sake since he hated when she spoke, but it wasn’t something that could disappear quickly. 

“Why are you two living with us?” 

“Himawari-san said it was okay! She’s only worried about all of us and wants to help.” Naruto frowned, his stomach twisting in unease. He knew that Sasuke didn’t like this, something in his head had told him so. 

“She could help without changing my room.” He hated changes. He hated how quick everything was moving. Sasuke had just gotten over the fact that his family was really gone, and he was thrown into another hurdle all too quickly. Why couldn’t Naruto and Hinata join them later? Maybe in five years when he’s finally able to accept another person in their home. That would be okay with him, he thinks at least. 

“You don’t want to share a room?” Hinata took her time to say her words, only ever stuttering towards the end of her sentence when Sasuke’s intense gaze found her again. “I think it’s nice.”

“I don’t want to share anything.” He admitted, getting down from the bed and choosing to sit on the floor as he waited. 

“You’re jealous.” Naruto replied, a sad smile on his face. “I get it, I was jealous seeing you with Himawari-san too.” 

Sasuke stared at him and shook his head. He couldn’t possibly be jealous because of something like that. He may be a little bit clingy, and sometimes he did refuse to leave Himawari-san’s side before he was dropped off at school, but he was never jealous about her taking care of Naruto and Hinata too. Right?

He just hates that he has to adjust to another change like sharing his room, or his home for that matter, for the foreseeable future. Which meant that he couldn’t cling to Himawari-san’s side as much with Naruto running around.

The blond boy had been hesitant initially when Himawari opened up her home to him. He followed Sasuke to the grocery store shyly, and didn’t step into the house until Himawari pulled him inside. Once he finally got used to that routine, which was very quick, he made his presence known throughout the house. Whether that was through leaving his things on the table or carrying a potted plant to another room despite Himawari’s request to leave them at the door or on the porch, Naruto’s presence was a constant.

Which meant that Sasuke couldn’t exactly have Himawari hold him like he usually did. He felt like he couldn’t, his fear of embarrassment would stop him from tugging on her shirt while his mind reeled with gruesome images and thoughts. He’s kept it to himself for the better part of the two weeks, and he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I’m not jealous.” He hugged his knees and placed his forehead on top. It was like competing with Itachi all over again for his father’s attention. Don’t get him started on Hinata being around a lot—he’s never had an interest in her, and her stuttering was the reason why he grimaced every time she spoke.

When Himawari returned, a store clerk following right behind her with a clipboard, she immediately sensed the dreary atmosphere. She looked at the children, silently trying to figure out what exactly happened, and quickly stored it away for later as she spoke to the clerk.

With their orders confirmed with promises to get it delivered before nightfall, the small group got the rest of their things paid for and left the store. As soon as they stepped foot out of the shop, Himawari turned to them and observed their behaviour.

Sighing, she closed her eyes for a second before finally speaking. “We’ll talk when we get home.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Himawari-san.” Naruto laughed nervously, “I told a bad joke and it made things a little awkward.” He lied easily. He would never know that Himawari was a great lie detector having told her own ones a multitude of times. 

She wasn’t going to push it though, clearly the children didn’t want to talk about it. “Is that so?” 

Both Hinata and Sasuke nodded, not saying anything in fear of the lie being unraveled too quickly.

“If that’s the case, I’d like it if you three would stop avoiding each other by walking so far apart. You’re taking up all the space in the street.” It was an over exaggeration, but the space between them was seriously noticeable. Sasuke walked in the middle while the other two couldn’t even get within a foot of him. The ‘joke’ must have been about him.

They only shuffled a little bit towards him, still leaving a couple of room but otherwise they stayed as far as they could without obstructing the way for the rest of the villagers.

Being in the house was even more awkward. Even when the bunk bed and mattresses arrived and Himawari began to put everything together while having them take everything out of the room so she could organize it, the children didn’t speak to each other.

With the new layout done, the beds made, and even dinner on the table, they still did not say a word to one another. If one spoke at the same time as the other, they would both clamp their mouths shut and decide not to speak ever again.

Himawari frowned as she put them to bed that Saturday night. She tucked in Hinata who was occupying Sasuke’s old bed, and Naruto who had called dibs on the top bunk. Sasuke remained at the bedroom door, refusing to sleep in the same room as them for the night.

That wouldn’t have been a shock had they not obviously been fighting prior.

“Goodnight Himawari-san.” Naruto and Hinata echoed as she turned the nightlight on and left the door open just a little bit.

“Sleep well you two.” She smiled.

“Goodnight Sasuke.” They chorused.

The silence was deafeningly loud as he turned around and made his way to Himawari’s room instead of responding. She stared at his receding figure and sighed as she followed him.

Closing her bedroom door behind her, Himawari leaned against it and stared at Sasuke who was busy trying to get the duvet to swallow him whole. She watched him struggle, the anger on his face visible from where she stood.

“What’s wrong, Sasuke?” She approached the bed finally and lifted the sheets to look at him properly. 

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

He turned his back to her, squeezing his plush to his chest as he pretended to not hear her.

“Uchiha Sasuke.” She called out, “I’d like it if you told me what’s wrong so I can fix the problem. You’re clearly upset about something which makes Naruto and Hinata upset as well. What happened?”

“Nothing.” Yet she heard him sniffle and hiccup.

“Why are you crying?”

“No reason.”

“Sasuke.” She sat on the bed and patted her lap. “Come here.” He didn’t move at first, but when he did, he refused to let her see his face as he immediately rested his chin on her shoulder. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?”

“You’re not going to leave me, right?” He didn’t want her to go. He didn’t want her to forget about him while she watched over the other two. 

“Why would I?” She rubbed his back, not minding at all as her shirt began to get wet.

“You have Naruto and Hinata now.”

“Did you think I was going to forget about you because of that? I never stop thinking about you, Sasuke, even when I’m dealing with Naruto and Hinata too. I know that it’s hard to have them here, and I know it’s scary seeing them get my attention like you do, but that doesn’t mean that they’re above you.”

“Why don’t you…” he turned his head and nuzzled her neck, “…Himawari-san doesn’t do this with me anymore.”

“Hold you?”

He nodded. 

“I would if you asked me to; you stopped doing that so I assumed that everything was alright. I’m sorry.”

“It’s embarrassing.” He admitted, “I don’t want them to see me.”

“That’s okay too, they don’t have to see until you’re comfortable. I should have known that you were silently waiting since you stopped having your reactions. I understand that that is something you’d like to keep private, but I’m sure Naruto and Hinata wouldn’t mind it. You’ve seen them cry too.”

“They don’t hold you like me. I’m a big baby—a weakling.”

“You’re right, they don’t, but that doesn’t make you a baby. It doesn’t make you weak.” She pulled him back and wiped his face before cupping his cheeks. “You struggle with things differently. Hinata hates reaching out and Naruto has a tendency to just ignore how he’s feeling so they’re not as comfortable yet like you are. It’s actually a very good thing that you want to reach out, Sasuke, it shows how strong you are because you can recognize when you need help.”

“It’s still embarrassing. I don’t want them to see me cry, but I miss Himawari-san.”

She would say that she has always been there within reach but she knew what he was talking about. Perhaps it was jealousy, or just fear, Sasuke missed when he was the only one who really had her attention in their home. Now he was sharing it with two others who he barely knew.

“I should have asked and waited to see if you were really okay with them being here. I assumed that you were, and for that I’m sorry.” She combed through his hair with her fingers. “I know change is hard, and we’re trying our best to move at a slow pace, but I completely ignored that this would be too fast.”

His body relaxed as she continued to speak. Closing his eyes, he nodded. “It’s okay.”

“Promise me that you’ll tell me when you need to be held for a while longer? Don’t hide your feelings and keep it bottled up because you’re embarrassed. If we have to excuse ourselves so you can get it off your chest, then we can.” She grabbed a tissue and cleaned his face. “I’m your guardian, Sasuke, you’re supposed to feel safe in my presence and you can talk about whatever without fear. The others don’t have to know at all, not unless you want to tell them.”

“I promise.”

“Good. Now, I think it’s a good idea that you apologize to Naruto and Hinata in the morning. They were worried about you.”

“I will.”

She smiled and nodded. “Alright, are you ready for bed then?”

“Mhm.” He crawled out of her arms and laid down on his pillow. His dinosaur plush was still held in his arms.

Hinata turned their lights off and joined him. She faced him and rested her hand on his cheek, “we really do have to find a way to make you sleep in your own room soon.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You’re scared to.” 

He nodded, “nightmares.”

“I know.” She frowned. “Maybe having a little roommate can help.”

He doubts that but he didn’t say anything. He hasn’t given it a try exactly, so anything could happen. Perhaps having Naruto sleeping in the same room as him, with the occasional visit from Hinata, would make the nightmares stop. He just couldn’t sleep alone at the moment, and technically he wouldn’t be alone if he went back to his room.

“Not yet.” He closed his eyes and allowed her comforting scent to wash over him, certain that he wouldn’t have nightmares.

Trying to spy on a tracker ninja would be a fool's errand. For one, a tracker ninja is always hyper aware of their surroundings even if they act as though they’re clueless. Another thing to note was that tracker shinobi knew all the tricks in regards to keeping oneself hidden and out of sight.

Unfortunately for the raven that looked into the house as Himawari put Sasuke down in his bed after he fell asleep in her room, she was very much aware of his presence.

Himawari stood up straight and stared straight at him for a while before leaving the children’s bedroom. She closed the door slightly, and made her way downstairs with plans on making herself a cup of tea while she prepared their lunch for school the next day.

She noticed him all weekend when he thought that he was doing a great job at spying on her. Sure, he was a great shinobi who was far too good for his age, even surpassing her in combat. If things really did get down to it, she was certain that he would be able to beat her with ease [perhaps that was an overstatement]. Yet he had clearly thought her to be a simple civilian with how much he let his guard down.

Himawari opened the glass door leading to the backyard without saying anything, then she sat down at the table with another cup of warm tea sitting across from her. 

The curtains swirled, rustling in the short gust of wind as he appeared in front of her. He stared at her over the neck of his cloak that was obviously too big for him. 

“What is it that you have planned for my brother?” His sharingan was activated in an attempt to intimidate her.

Himawari simply stared past him rather than holding eye contact like she would have done had he not shown up with his eyes spinning. “You shouldn’t be so worried, Itachi.” She took another sip of her tea and motioned for him to join her. Of course he didn’t take her invitation. “Sasuke is fine, I’m simply making sure that he’s able to navigate his life without any struggle.”

“He doesn’t need it.” Itachi clenched his fists inside his sleeves.

“Are you the one to dictate that for him? I’m sure you’ve seen more than enough since you’ve been here, haven’t you?” She set her cup down with a loud sigh. 

“Who are you?” He felt uncomfortable knowing that she knew he had been watching them. She wasn’t supposed to know that at all. 

“The children call me ‘Himawari-san’, I suppose you can call me that too if you’d like.” 

“Sasuke doesn’t need you meddling with his life.”

“He doesn’t need you meddling with his mind either, but alas here we are; watching as your little brother struggles to assimilate into his life and surroundings because he’s constantly on the verge of a breakdown. I’m sure you’ve seen it; the way he screams and hurts himself…” She ignored the way he flinched. “Frankly, Itachi, a part of me wants you as far away from Sasuke as humanly possible because you caused this, and the other part feels pity.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, his sharingan fading to black. “Why is that?”

“You’re a child.” She looked at him, and all she could picture was Boruto standing in front of her. His face hardened, the warmth in his eyes completely gone and replaced by cold anger and madness. “You’re thirteen, aren’t you?”

“That does not matter, I can kill you right here.” 

“You can, and what would that do for you? For Sasuke? He’d hate you more than he does, but he won’t be able to navigate that himself. The damage would be far worse than you can comprehend. You’re his big brother, act like it.” She stood up to put her mug away.

Itachi’s feet remained planted as he watched her move around the kitchen. His eyebrows furrowed as he observed the way she moved as she took out some containers to separate the children’s lunches. “You’re a ninja as well.” 

“Hm.” She didn’t confirm or deny his statement. 

“Why aren’t you attacking me knowing that I intend to hurt Sasuke? I’m a criminal.”

“Do you want me to?” She knew that he wouldn’t, if he really did want to hurt his younger brother, he could have taken every opportunity where Sasuke was alone to do so. Although those instances weren’t many, there were still one or two occasions that Itachi could have hurt him. 

Itachi tried his best to not feel uneasy, even as the urge to rock from one foot to the next began to overtake his senses the longer he watched her cut fruits with such precision. “Leave my brother alone.” He choked out. How could Sasuke kill him if this woman meddled with things? How was he supposed to get revenge if he was busy being coddled?

“I don’t think I will.”

He approached her quickly, ashamed that he was much shorter than her, but he held the knife that she previously used to her neck. Itachi didn’t miss the fact that her hand was pressed to his abdomen, her chakra visible for him to see.

“Do it.” She stared at him, the warm look in her eyes completely gone and replaced by a coldness that only war veterans had. “One move and we’re both going down.” Her chakra turned purple.

He stared at her hand, the waning appearance of a lion and the coldness of her chakra made his blood freeze. The area she touched felt like it had been burnt by an iron rod. When he removed the knife from her neck, her chakra disappeared and she removed her hand from his abdomen.

Not long after did Itachi disappear completely from the kitchen, not saying a word to her or sparing her a glance. The reason why stared right at Himawari, opaque eyes gazed up at her with wonder.

“Hinata, why are you awake?” She sighed, her shoulders relaxing. 

“I had to use the bathroom and I felt…” She looked around, “I thought someone was here.” She poked her fingers together as she looked at her feet. 

Himawari nodded in understanding, “do you want some tea before going back to bed?” She pointed at the still warm cup on the table.

“Yes, please.” She gave her a wavering smile and sat down at the table to drink the tea. Hinata was silent for a while, listening to Himawari zip up the three lunch bags before placing them in the fridge. “Your chakra control is great.” 

There was a short laugh, “it should be after years of practicing with it.”

“Will my chakra control get like that?”

Himawari paused, internally musing about her question. Of course it would be, she was her after all. “If you practice a lot now, you'll get it sooner rather than later.”

“I’m not good at the practices Pappa gives me…” She shifted around in her seat, the tea almost finished. “Can you help me?” She remembered the first chakra exercise Himawari-san had taught her the day she volunteered at the academy. It took her a while but she did get it right, and that was already better than anything she’s done in the Hyūga compound.

“Sure, we’ll talk about it some more after school tomorrow. It’s late and we both need to sleep.” Himawari held her hand out, smiling down at Hinata once she held it. “Don’t worry about the mug, I’ll wash it in the morning.”

Hinata allowed her to lead the way back to the bedroom. She stared at the ceiling as Himawari kneeled at the side of her bed to tuck her in again. She felt her cheeks get warm when a kiss was placed on her forehead.

“Get some rest, Hinata.”

“Mhm.” She closed her eyes and couldn’t keep the warm feeling in her chest from spreading all over as she fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 2 — Distortion

Sasuke was having one of those days.

A day where he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling feeling nothing and everything at the same time. A day where he dragged his feet out of bed and all he felt was sticky blood in between his toes even when he took a bath and got ready for school. Of course he should have told Himawari-san that he wasn’t feeling well, but Sasuke was too stuck in his head to open his mouth.

Breakfast was quiet for him; instead of digging his nails into his thigh until they bled, he simply clenched and unclenched his hand. His palms were bright pink by the time he put his unfinished plate of pancakes away. 

Today, Himawari-san couldn’t accompany him and Naruto to school like she usually did, so he didn’t have to speak much once he left the house. Naruto kept talking as they walked, excitement rolling off of him yet never meeting the blood river Sasuke could see inching closer.

Every paranoid glance over his shoulder would reveal a shadowy figure that watched him before disappearing as though it never existed. His eyes that shook in mute fear began to hurt the longer he strained to use his peripherals.

The schoolyard was just as loud as it usually was with everyone chatting at the exact same time. The buzzing of multiple conversations reminded him of the cicadas that sang their song on that day, the slight chirping of laughter made him remember the crickets that played their sad music that night.

Sasuke tried blinking to pay attention when class started. He would flinch, a whisper of someone’s touch haunting him as the lesson continued. He’d put his head down occasionally, his stomach hurting him as the smell of blood came with that blood river that crashed against the closed classroom door.

When he raised his hand to excuse himself, the words never came out, forever trapped in his throat as the teacher stared at him waiting. His classmates began to turn their heads, staring at him the longer he left his hand in the air without saying a word.

“I think Sasuke has to use the bathroom.” Hinata stuttered out for him. She sat a few rows in front of him, and barely glanced at him in fear of the blank gaze she usually received. 

“Is that what you wanted to ask, Sasuke?” Their teacher turned back to him, wondering why Hinata knew that. None of the students have seen them around each other, yet alone having a conversation that would cause her to read his mind so quickly.

He lowered his hand and nodded, his eyes stinging as he stared at the figures of his parents who kneeled in front of the classroom. Why couldn’t they leave him alone? He could still feel their blood in between his toes.

Sasuke decided that he really did hate blood.

“Alright, go ahead.”

He didn’t wait another second as he scrambled out of his seat and rushed out of the door. The winding hallways made his stomach hurt even more as he ran to the bathroom. That coppery smell permeated his nose, it practically stuck to his skin, and it stayed even after he took a hot bath that morning.

Slamming the stall door shut, he fell to his knees and heaved over the toilet bowl. Drool fell from his mouth, the grip on the toilet getting tighter as his body lurched forward with the force of his vomit. Sasuke gagged as he emptied his stomach, the images in his head making him cry as that sticky feeling covered his body along with his sweat.

“Momma…” He cried, coughing between his heavy breathing. “Momma…no…”

He really should have told Himawari-san that he wasn’t feeling his best today. Being at school made it worse; there was so much happening, and he knew that he had been in the bathroom for a while now. They’d come looking for him, asking him so many questions that he couldn’t answer.

His tears didn’t fall even when his stomach didn’t have anything left to push out. His throat stung, and his face was pink. The bandages around his fingers were irritating him, and his clothes felt too damp.

Did he have to go back to class?

Sasuke rested his head on the side of the stall, flushing the toilet as he took some time to recover. His head began to hurt, his eyes throbbing as the images of his family’s dead bodies continued to flash in intervals. He had long since given up, ignoring the blood river that pooled at his feet and climbed up his body until it reached his chin.

Soon it would swallow him whole and he won’t have to deal with days like this anymore. Days where all he wished was for his brother to come back and kill him so he could be with his Momma. Days where he wouldn’t slam his head against a wall to get the memories to stop.

Lunch had passed by the time his teachers found him hiding away in the bathroom. They didn’t say anything once Sasuke stepped out of the stall with his pants coated with blood and one of his hands was clear of the bandages that usually wrapped them. 

Their concern was met with a cold shoulder; their insistence that he changed his clothes was ignored even as he walked into his class ready for the next lesson. The sight of blood scared the other children, although it was dried, the wounds were still open and Sasuke did not have the strength to clean his bloodied thigh or hand.

A tap on the shoulder was shrugged off with an annoyed grunt. A full grasp along with a slight shove made him grip his head as he leaned over. 

He wanted them to stop; to ignore him like they used to do before everything happened. Sasuke’s breathing got heavier as his classmate poked his shoulder to ask if he was okay. He knew they were trying to be nice, the tiny voice in his head said that they were innocent and didn’t know anything, but he wanted it to shut up.

“Sasuke…” 

“Don’t touch me.” He muttered, “please don’t touch me.” 

“Class, we’ll be moving on to our next lesson focus outside. Please form a line as I do our second attendance so we can get started as soon as possible.”

Sasuke was just glad that the poking stopped. He waited until the rest of his classmates were lined up, only joining them in the back just as his teacher called his name. He didn’t say anything, only staring straight ahead as they were led outside to the training field in the back.

Apparently they were having a joint class with some of the other children. He missed that information earlier since he was focused on more important matters—like the smell of blood that clung to him; not his own, but his Momma’s. 

“Alright!”

He zoned out, rocking back and forth in his spot as he stared at the sky. Would it hurt to die? Did heaven even exist? If it existed, he hopes that his Momma is up there watching him. He didn’t know what to feel about his Pappa, it would be nice if he was happy, but he hurt Sasuke before sometimes so…He did love him though!

“Uchiha Sasuke?”

He was shoved forward. His body froze as he realized that someone had pushed him; it didn’t matter that he fell face first into the ground with a heavy umph, he didn’t even care that it was in front of his classmates.

He stood up and glared at those lined up, trying to find the culprit but all he saw were eyes that didn’t want to meet his own. Wiping his hands on his shirt, trying to ignore the tingling of his skin where he had been touched, Sasuke realized why he was called.

Touching.

Skin on skin.

Sticky—sweaty.

Blood.

“I don’t want to.” His face twisted as he stared at the civilian boy in front of him. “I don’t want to fight.” The old him would have been absolutely enthusiastic about sparring because it got him good grades which he showed his Momma and Pappa.

But Momma and Pappa weren’t here anymore to see his grades. They were six feet under, their blood boiling until it soaked the ground and got in between his toes. It was so sticky. So smelly.

“I’m sorry, Sasuke, but we need to do an evaluation before we move on.” His teacher frowned, their clipboard held in their hand as they tapped their pen against it. 

“No.” Not now. Not today. Today he wasn’t feeling so good; he was seeing things and hearing things and feeling things. He couldn’t do it today, so maybe tomorrow. Yes, let’s try again tomorrow because he wasn’t feeling good today. “I don’t want to.”

“Sasuke.” The teacher stepped forward and stooped down to his level. “What’s wrong?” 

His voice was sickeningly sweet; a façade to make him seem more trustworthy. But Sasuke saw the way he looked at him; as if he was ready to strangle him and tell him how weak he was. It was Itachi who was staring at him now.

When he reached his hand up to feel his forehead, to check for a fever, Sasuke lost it. 

He screamed and dug his fingers into his thigh. Backing away as the fingers of his brother laced themselves around his wrist to snap it. He convulsed as he fell to the ground, feeling every gruesome sensation his family had to go through as Itachi cut them down.

Sasuke had never felt so pathetic before; the experience at the hospital, or his first breakdown could not amount to the level of anguish and embarrassment he felt as the world moved around him while he cried and heaved. He could hear people talking, saying things that barely registered in his head, yet he couldn’t open his mouth to answer them.

The teachers didn’t touch him, they tried to stay away from him even as his body shook and his damp, sweaty clothes drew in some of the dirt underneath him. They waited, genuinely scared for the young boy as they shushed the whispering children.

The girls began to cry as the boys cringed and turned away. Opaque and blue eyes watched with increasing worry as they fidgeted in their spot. They wanted to help; they’ve seen on occasion how Himawari-san calmed Sasuke down, but they could never replicate it knowing that it wouldn’t help.

They felt their own eyes fill with tears of relief when the older woman appeared. She looked as though she had just been in a meeting somewhere important; her clothes ironed well, her hair was pinned out of her face, and the glasses she wore were nowhere in sight.

They gathered around her, the only children allowed in the space even with the singing disapprovals coming from their teachers and peers. They listened as she spoke to Sasuke in a hushed voice before she picked him up and pressed her palms to the side of his body until his body went limp. Their worry didn’t disappear, only increasing once they realized that Sasuke had become unresponsive.

His eyes were clouded, his gaze far away as Himawari-san continued to speak to him. They wondered if he was watching the other children who stared at him, and a sense of protectiveness washed over them as they moved to block him from their view.

Hinata poked her fingers together, her cheeks pink as fat tears bubbled in her eyes as she looked at Sasuke. She wanted to reach out and touch his face, to let him know that he wasn’t alone and she wasn’t judging him. One look from Himawari-san told her that Sasuke already knew—how she was able to understand Sasuke who hadn’t spoken was far behind Hinata’s comprehension, but she was glad that she was able to convey her stance without having to speak.

Naruto twisted his foot into the ground, his hands clenched at his side as he cursed at everyone who pushed Sasuke to the edge. He blamed the teacher for ignoring that Sasuke didn’t want to fight, and he blamed his stupid classmates for talking all the time about Sasuke. They didn’t know how hard it was for Sasuke to be at school—they didn’t know how much pain he was in. He should have known that something was wrong during their walk to the academy since Sasuke didn’t say anything.

He should have known when Sasuke disappeared from class for a full period because Sasuke never missed a lesson.

Sasuke blinked.

He turned his head into that familiar scent until he realized that he was being held. He tried to pull back to get a look at who it was, scared that someone had managed to replicate the lavender and baby powder aroma he was getting used to. He immediately relaxed once her face came into view; her purplish eyes looked at him as she whispered words of care and support.

He barely registered the fact that he was still at school, and how pathetic he looked in front of his classmates clinging onto Himawari-san as though he was a baby. He was too focused on the fleeting ghost-like images he was seeing. The feeling of blood on his skin was soon replaced by just sweat, and he cringed. He didn’t realize he was so sweaty.

“What did you do?” The question wasn’t directed at him, he realized that when he turned his head again to see Himawari-san staring at his teacher. The absolute fury and annoyance on her face made him shrink in her arms, he didn’t know that his being was that much of a concern for her.

Perhaps he had thought that he was simply a pity case for her. Something to play with until she got tired and left him to fend for himself once she realizes how much of a hassle an Uchiha child could be. He was convinced that the day would soon come where she wouldn’t want him anymore, and he dreaded it once he saw her take in Naruto and Hinata.

Seeing Himawari-san so angry at everyone but him made him close his eyes and press his head further into the crook of her neck. If his Momma was watching from heaven, she must have sent Himawari-san to do what she would have done.

“They touched him.” One of the many girls stepped forward; short blond hair pinned with a green pin as she stared at the small group. “Sasuke said that he didn’t want to spar and sensei wanted to see if he had a fever because he was sweating a lot.” She looked away when Himawari looked right at her.

“Ino?” Her voice was just a whisper.

“I didn’t think you’d remember me, Himawari-san.” She bowed and shied away a little bit before squaring her shoulders and clearing her throat. 

“Of course I do—” she remembers all the instances where her Ino would hold her. “—you were part of the little team I had last year. Thank you for answering me.”

“No problem.” She took a step back and ignored her friends who gathered around her to whisper. Her eyes never left Himawari and Sasuke, even when shock rocked her system at her words.

“I'd like to withdraw Uchiha Sasuke from the academy until he’s able to fully recover.”

“Himawari-san!”

“My request is final, I will put it through administrative review and talk with the Hokage to discuss this. As for right now, I’m taking Sasuke with me and he won’t be back until I deem him fit enough to return.” She stood up and held him tighter. Ignoring the teachers, she turned to Naruto and Hinata with a sad smile. “Make sure you bring his things home for me, alright?”

Naruto nodded, “I will.”

“Hinata, are you coming over later?”

“I think…I think I’ll stay home today.” She looked down.

“That’s okay, you can come over whenever you’d like, you’re always welcomed.” 

“Mhm.”

Himawari looked at everyone who stared back and excused herself quickly. 

The walk back home was awfully reminiscent of the first time she had found herself at the academy on Sasuke’s behalf. Himawari’s eyebrows were furrowed even as she unlocked her door and kicked off her shoes. 

“We need to get you cleaned up, buddy.” She said softly, “you’re all sweaty and I need to dress your wounds.”

It took a few moments for her to get a response from him, which was a simple nod and soft grumbling. 

The only time she let him go was to wash his hair and face as he faced away from her in the tub. They didn’t say anything to each other; not as she sat him on the vanity to wrap his thigh and fingers again, not as she helped him get dressed, and not as she put him to bed so he could recover the energy he lost.

Torn between leaving him alone and setting her meeting with the Hokage aside for another day, or getting things over with quickly, Hinata summoned a clone with clear instructions to stay with Sasuke in case he woke up.

She changed into something more comfortable, only haphazardly combing her hair and choosing a random pair of sandals to go with the sweats and shirt she was wearing. Closing the door behind her, there was only one place Hinata had in mind to visit.

The Hokage’s office was not as empty as it usually was whenever she stormed in. The old man was already expecting her, judging by the academy representative sitting across from him with a folder in hand. Not caring that she was interrupting a meeting, the anger of a mother already working through her and thereby quenching the awkwardness that would otherwise be present within her, she closed the door behind her and crossed her arms.

“I’m assuming that you’ve heard.”

“That I have, Himawari-san, and I understand why you think it’s a proper solution to what’s happened but—“

“Then I suppose that you’re prioritizing this boy’s mental health over the village needing another child soldier to beat its ideals into.” One slick eyebrow was raised. Maybe handling the authoritarian tendencies of her husband when he spoke like the Hokage rather than as her equal helped her quite a bit. She had a knack of tuning it out and speaking over those who wanted to push their own regimes over the well-being of others…

“That is easier said than done.”

“You’re going to let him work himself into another breakdown so that you can push out powerful shinobi?”

“Those were not the words that left my mouth.”

“It’s heavily implied.”

The old man pursed his lips, his frown deepening as he stared at her and wished that he had his pipe. “You’re not equipped to teach him as a civilian.”

“I never said I wasn’t knowledgeable about the ninja arts, Hokage-sama, I simply do not like the life of a ninja so I did not think it necessary to mention or enroll myself in that position.” She almost bit her tongue off after realizing the information she just shared. Quickly backtracking, she spoke before he could question her. “The information taught within the academy can be found at the public library, which I frequently volunteer at during my free time.”

The poor academy representative looked between both adults as they clutched the file to their chest. “She is right, Hokage-sama…”

“I’m aware.” He was quiet for a second. “How do you intend on teaching Sasuke in the likes of combat? Ninja values? History?”

“I think you severely underestimate my knowledge as a civilian,” she uncrossed her arms and tried to appear lax. If she let her annoyance get to her, she might have the opposite reaction from what she wanted. “I read—and I practice the things I read. How does one develop the skills to do anything without being knowledgeable first? I would not propose this if I was not certain that I can do a good job at raising Uchiha Sasuke both as a child and as a ninja with the proper outlets.”

“Oh?”

“I’m also requesting that there be monthly payments for the care of Sasuke; I can guarantee that the money will be used solely to raise him, and I can provide a book of receipts if need be.”

“Himawari-san, I believe that’s pushing it.” 

“Is it? Or are you forgetting that I’m providing Sasuke with proper care by working full time? How can I ensure that he’s receiving all the help he needs if I’m working to make ends meet while his teachers show a disregard for his health because the village needs another prodigy?”

“That’s exactly why the academy—“

“No, that’s not it. The academy is not an environment Sasuke needs to be in currently. Pushing for the boy to be placed in an orphanage, or to make him live alone after his family’s death was already grinding my gears, Hokage-sama. Respectfully, I would dislike it if we also debate about whether or not an environment where Sasuke will be open to more breakdowns because he doesn’t trust his classmates or teachers is a healthy one even if it’s convenient for all parties. You won’t have to provide more money, I won’t have to quit my job, and you get another emotionless soldier to do your bidding. It’s a win-win for all parties included…except Sasuke.”

The old man slumped in his seat, a headache already incoming as he listened to her speak. He knew there was no way to win this, especially when the answer was pretty clear even if he didn’t like it. He still couldn’t understand why Himawari pushed so much to care for Sasuke, yet alone why she was so concerned about the boy, but he figured that it was best to store that away for later and look into it at a different time.

“Alright.” He sat up straighter and sighed. “I understand.” Her argument was strong, something a lot of shinobi could not do if they faced him. He noticed her stance as well—one of a mother in defence of her child. Mikoto might have stopped rolling in her grave knowing that her son was being protected like this. 

Himawari relaxed, her eyes widened. “Thank you.”

“I expect that book of receipts at the end of every three months. You’re quite lucky that Yoshi-san here has compiled a file on Sasuke’s behalf since your request to pull him out of school. It includes everything in the curriculum for the remainder of the year, and if things go well—after an assessment at the end of the school year of course—you will receive one for as long as you continue to homeschool Sasuke.”

She nodded in understanding.

“Himawari-san,” he sighed, “I don’t know why you’re so adamant about any of this, but I see the Will of Fire burning bright within you. It’s a good thing that Sasuke has someone on his side.”

She simply smiled, not caring for the Will of Fire talk that she knew the man had a habit of sharing. She was already tired of it at this point now that she realized how far he would go to protect it, even at the expense of an entire clan. Grateful or not, she did not like that she knew all the nitty gritty details about the Uchiha Massacre that only came with her snooping.

To think that it was so classified…

“Here you are, Himawari-san.” Yoshi handed her the file in his hands. “If you have any questions regarding anything, one of the staff at the academy can make some time to meet with you to discuss it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.” She gave him a tired smile. 

“Starting in October, you will receive the first support payment for Sasuke.” The Hokage dismissed the young man as he looked at her. “If there are any issues concerning the current arrangements, you can set up a proper meeting and we can discuss it further.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.” She bowed as he dismissed her too.

With his office cleared, Hiruzen turned around in his seat and sent out a signal. Seconds later, a masked figure appeared kneeling in front of his desk. 

“Inu-san, I have a task for you.”

“Hokage-sama?”

“Please watch over Himawari-san and notify me of anything suspicious.”

“The duration?”

“Think of it as a long term mission.”

“Understood.”

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 3 — Melody

“It’s best that you stay in bed.” She informed him just as he was about to sit up after opening his eyes. “You’re running a fever and you’ve only been asleep for an hour.” Himawari squeezed the cold water out of the cloth and placed it on his forehead before sitting back to observe him. 

“I wasn’t feeling well…” Sasuke avoided looking at her face, ashamed that he had kept his feelings to himself despite her insistence that he tell her some things to make it easier for him to handle.

“That’s okay.” She lifted his hand and caressed it with her thumb. “You’re okay now, and you don’t have to worry about going back just yet.”

He didn’t have the energy to ask her why that was, and frankly, he was just happy at the prospect of not going to the academy for a little longer. He wasn’t ready yet, and that was becoming increasingly clear every day he went back to school with the fear of being too weak and falling behind his classmates. It was becoming stressful for him to keep up the charade of being fit enough to train and learn all while hating every single second of it.

Himawari was right to tell him that ignoring what his heart was saying because his mind had alarm bells going off every second would lead him to his death. Who knows the lengths he would have gone to if the memories and phantom pain didn’t stop? All for the sake of appearing stronger than he felt.

“Himawari-san…” He grunted as he turned to lay on his side. “Did you have a child?” It’s been a question that he’s been wanting to ask her; she was so good at taking care of children that it made him wonder. 

He’s seen her sitting at the kitchen table at night when she thought he was asleep, a sad look on her face as she stared at the other chairs at the table like he would do whenever he thought about his family. Could that be why she was so adamant about taking care of him no matter what? Did she lose her baby?

She smiled down at him, her eyes glossed over as tears sprang forth at the reminder of her own Boruto and Himawari who were probably worried sick about her. Perhaps they were crying for her to return, mad at their father for not doing anything while trying to adjust to a life without her.

She really did feel bad that she was now taking care of another when her own needed her.

“I did.” She brushed his bangs out of his face, picturing Boruto who would stare at her with his eyes widened as he listened to every word she said. “A son and a daughter.”

“What were they like?” He covered her hand with his own, squeezing it softly as he listened.

Himawari smiled, and opened her mouth. The words couldn’t be found, not for a while at least, but when they started, they couldn’t stop. She didn’t know how long she’d been talking, time blurred as she told him about the silly little pranks Boruto picked up from his father, and how much Himawari loved gardening. She never mentioned their names, however, only using made up ones for the sake of privacy.

“What happened to them?”

She looked away from him, her eyes downcast as she stared at the picture on the bedside table. It was one with all three children at the table doing their homework, completely unaware that she had captured them in their moment of focus. She could see Boruto and Himawari in her younger self and Naruto.

“I lost them.” She finally looked at him again, “there was an attack and I was trying to help but things happened and I lost them…”

He squeezed her hand more, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something you should apologize for.” She sniffled and straightened her posture. “I should leave you to get some rest, unless you don’t want to sleep anymore.”

“Can I sit in the living room and watch a few shows?” 

“As long as you stay wrapped up in a blanket and drink lots of water.”

“I will.”

Naruto packed his things carefully just as the teacher dismissed them for the day. He organized his notebooks inside his bag like Himawari-san showed him, and threw his bag over his shoulder after he zipped his sweater closed. Itching the plaster on his cheek—it covered a little scratch he got from climbing trees and was probably healed by now but it looked cool—he made his way to Sasuke’s desk to pack his things as well.

As he put together Sasuke’s books and pencil case, he was tapped on the shoulder. Turning around, expecting to get in trouble for ‘snooping’ even with the clear instructions he got from Himawari-san earlier, he visibly relaxed when he recognized the bright blond hair of his classmate. He, however, froze again once he realized who exactly tapped him on the shoulder.

He looked around, waiting to see if any one of the other girls were waiting around the corner to get mad at him for touching Sasuke’s things, but it was only Yamanaka Ino who stood in front of him with her eyebrow raised.

“Can I help you?” He asked, finally pulling Sasuke’s satchel over his shoulder.

“I…Can I come with you?” Ino asked, her voice barely above a whisper as if she was ashamed to even ask him that question. 

“Come where?” He squinted at her.

“Your house—or Himawari-san’s actually.”

“Why would I let you do that? You just want to see where Sasuke lives so you can stalk him with the others.” He pushed past her, purposely bumping her shoulder as he walked down the stairs and headed for the door.

“I do not!” Ino ran after him but kept a safe distance away once they got outside. “I’m just worried.”

“Yeah right.” Naruto rolled his eyes and sped up his walking. “Quit following me! Himawari-san doesn’t know I’m bringing guests over and I’d rather not make her angry at me because you wanted to be a creep who’s obsessed with Sasuke.”

Ino stopped walking, “stop calling me that.”

“Calling you what?” He turned to her for a split second.

“A creep and a stalker. I’m not any of those things, I’m just really worried about Sasuke. You saw what happened during class, everyone was scared because he came back with blood stains on his pants and then…and then that happened.”

Naruto stopped walking and sighed, “if you’re being genuine then I guess you can come with me.” He ignored the way her eyes widened and a smile blossomed on her face. “But!” He quickly added, “you have to stay out of sight until I tell Himawari-san that you decided to visit.”

“Deal.” She giggled as she skipped to his side, “I’m really curious about where he stays now; do they live in the Uchiha compound?”

He groaned. Naruto had a feeling he was going to regret bringing Ino along, he wished that Hinata decided to join him today on his way to Himawari’s house, that way he wouldn’t have to deal with Ino alone. Sighing, he answered her silly little questions as they continued to walk.

He hoped that she wouldn’t ask Himawari-san—or worse, Sasuke—those questions too. Ino had a little habit of blabbering about things and causing a gossip circle around the school even if she didn’t mean to. 

He didn’t want to be an accomplice in any way.

When Himawari opened the front door to let Naruto in, she didn’t expect the boy to look so nervous and fidgety. He shifted from one foot to the other as he stuttered out a greeting, and if he couldn’t be more suspicious than that, he kept looking over his shoulder at something and making faces.

“What’s the problem, Naruto?” Himawari stepped out onto the porch and leaned against the wall as she looked at him. 

“I, uh, I…I brought a classmate over. I didn’t ask you so I don’t know if it’s allowed or not. She asked me after school and I couldn’t tell her ‘no’…” Well, he did but Ino kept insisting that she was just worried. 

“Oh? Who’s this classmate of yours?”

“You spoke to her earlier.” He turned around and whistled, or attempted to whistle.

A mop of blond hair jumped out from behind the hedges, a nervous smile on her face as she waved. Opening the gate, she allowed herself in and walked carefully towards the porch without looking into Himawari’s eyes.

“Ino.” She smiled, “to what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“I wanted to see if Sasuke was okay.” She pulled on her short hair and rocked back and forth in the same manner as Naruto who had completely stopped now that she wasn’t hidden. Being around Himawari-san was a little bit intimidating, not because the woman wasn’t nice, but she just seemed like she knew a lot about people. 

“That’s nice of you.” Himawari stood up straighter and opened the door again. “Come on in, standing out here while it gets a little bit cooler must be bothersome.”

Ino nodded and followed Naruto inside. The house was pretty nice from what she could see; it was beautiful on the outside, and the inside was painted with warm colours. Taking off her sandals, she was thankful when Himawari put down a spare pair of house slippers for her to use.

“Your house smells nice.” Ino shared, putting down her bag by the door to keep it out of the way. “Are you cooking?”

“I was.” Himawari laughed, “Sasuke’s in the living room if you want to see him.” 

She simply nodded as she followed Naruto into the living room. Now that she was actually here, she couldn’t help but curse herself for being so ill prepared. She didn’t expect it to be this nice, yet alone for her to be accepted in the home so quickly. At most, she half expected Himawari-san to tell her that Sasuke was okay and shut the door in her face. This was far better than that.

He was curled into a ball on the couch, the television blaring as he blinked back his tiredness. He looked cute in the purple blanket with his black hair tumbling out at the top. Ino didn’t move beyond the arm of the couch, afraid that Sasuke would frown the moment he laid eyes on her.  

“Yo, you feeling better?” Naruto sat down in front of Sasuke as he took off his sweater.

“You know Himawari-san dislikes when you get undressed in the living room instead of using the bedroom.” Sasuke stared at him blankly.

“Wrong, it’s you who dislikes it when I do that.” He folded his sweater properly though, and placed it on the coffee table to keep it out of the way. Naruto then proceeded to unpack their notebooks and placed them in the little cubby space under the coffee table where Himawari usually kept the books she borrowed from the library. 

“Same thing, Himawari-san and I think the same about it.” 

“Whatever. Answer the question, bastard.” 

“I feel awful.” Sasuke groaned and turned his face into the pillow he had been laying on. “Everything hurts and I keep falling asleep.”

“Yeah, that must suck.”

Ino didn’t know what she was looking at. Usually, at school [and long before Sasuke’s family…], Sasuke and Naruto couldn’t stand to be in each other’s presence, yet alone talk to each other without being annoyed. Seeing them now, she wondered why they behave that way at school. She could sense the genuine worry coming from Naruto; and Sasuke wasn’t at all pissed off that he was concerned about him.

“Erm…hi.” She decided to make herself known, finally walking into Sasuke’s line of sight. 

“What are you doing here?” There was no bite in his voice, or hostility as he asked her that question. He just seemed way too tired to care that she was in his home at the moment.

“I wanted to check up on you.” She squatted down in front of him and hugged her knees. “I was a little bit worried because you got hurt.”

He raised his eyebrow for a second, “well I’m doing fine, I guess.”

“Hm.” She watched him and felt the awkwardness settle as he tried to ignore her presence and continue watching his show while fighting off sleep.

Ino got up and excused herself, certain now that Sasuke wasn’t at all interested in speaking with her. She supposed that he wasn’t obligated to since they weren’t actually friends. It was already a miracle that he didn’t glare at her like he usually did when his fangirls bothered him.

She wandered around the house, and walked into the dining room where Himawari sat with a book in her hand. She only spared her a glance and motioned for her to have a seat.

“Do you have any homework?” 

“Not today ma’am, sensei didn’t think it was necessary.” She sat down and tapped her fingers against the table. “So Sasuke really won’t be coming back to school?”

“Not for a while.” Himawari shook her head, “I’m sure you understand though?”

“Yeah…It’s better for him to stay away. Everyone gets really touchy with him, especially the fangirls.”

The sound of Himawari flipping the page of her book and the television in the background filled the silence for a moment. “Are you not one of his admirers?”

“I!” She piped up but quickly settled down, “I don’t know.”

Himawari studied her for a second, unsure if her observation was simply her desires speaking or an actual reality. “You’re not in love with him.”

Ino looked away and clasped her hands together. “I don’t know.” She didn’t know what love was. She knew that her father loved her mother. She knew that she loved to garden and learn about the different flowers found in Konoha. She knew that she loved the colour purple and going on shopping sprees. She just didn’t know if she was in love with Sasuke.

“You don’t have to know now, you’re still young.”

“I…I have a friend…or I had one.”

Sakura, Himawari thought, was it really that time for their friendship to be broken off for Sasuke’s sake?

“I really cared about her, and I helped her as best as I could because she was getting pushed around and bullied. I thought we were the best of friends but she…” Ino bit her lip. “She didn’t want to be friends anymore because of a rumour that I liked Sasuke…I don’t even know where it came from but it was enough for her to declare me as a rival.”

“So…?” Himawari closed her book fully and gave Ino her undivided attention.

“So, I agreed. When she spoke about Sasuke, I spoke about him. She would fawn over him, and I would fawn over him. She had dreams about marrying him, so I said I did too. I didn’t want to lose her as a friend, but I didn’t like being her rival…”

“You only like Sasuke because you value your bond with Sakura—because you want to be close with her again and that can only be achieved if you’re her enemy.”

Ino was slow to agree, she went over Himawari’s words until it made sense in her head. “Yeah, I guess.”

“You kids.” Himawari crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat as she chuckled. “Letting silly little things like crushes ruin friendships when you don’t even understand what love is. It’s innocent, until it gets in the way of genuine friendship.” She hummed, “have you spoken to Sakura about it?”

“She doesn’t want to hear anything I have to say. Every word I speak is seen as some sort of plot to get Sasuke away from her. I don’t know how to fix it.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I don’t?”

She shook her head, “things like that can only be realized in time. She’ll see that she lost something more precious than her crush—a genuine friend who always loved her. I’m sure it would fix itself, just take a step back and let her do what she wants to do. The rivalry is upsetting you, and ruining your own chance at making another friend.”

“Who would want to be my friend? Sakura was…she’s still precious to me…Everyone else is just there because my Pappa is an important figure in the village. Getting on his good side is important for a lot of the families.”

Himawari tilted her head towards the living room, “how about a little Uchiha who likes shutting himself away?”

“Sasuke? No way! Sakura would think that I was purposely—“

“Stop worrying about what Sakura would think, you’d stress yourself into early hair loss.” She smiled when Ino covered her head in fear. “If you don’t like Sasuke the same way she does, I don’t see why becoming his friend would be something bad. But—” she stood up and walked to the kitchen with plans on making something for her to drink. “—if Sasuke is a hard place to start, I know someone else who is in need of a friend.”

“Who?” Ino twisted her body to face her, genuinely curious about who Himawari had in mind.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed your shy classmate.”

She racked her mind for who that was; she may be knowledgeable about other children, but many did go under her radar since they stayed out of trouble. “Hyūga Hinata?” 

“Bingo.” Himawari handed her a cup of apple juice as she drank from her mug of hot tea. “Hinata needs a little bit of a push at the moment, and another friend beyond those two.” She pointed to the living room. “I think you’d be a great addition to her circle; someone who is confident and caring. You’re not scared to speak your mind and you clearly know how to get someone out of their shell.” 

“I’ve never spoken to Hinata before.”

“She’s a sweetheart.”

“Hm…” Ino thought for a while. “I can try?”

“Only if you want, I think you’d like her a lot.”

She nodded, “I’ll talk to her at school tomorrow.”

Himawari propped her cheek upon her hand, “care to stay for dinner or is your family expecting you?”

“I think staying is alright.”

“Great.”

Ino waved goodbye to her father, a small smile on her face until he disappeared and left her alone. As soon as she turned around, she was greeted with a circle of friends who clung to her in excitement. A few of them weren’t as enthusiastic as they were the other day, but they didn’t bother to hide that as they laughed and spoke loudly.

As their conversation progressed, Ino looked around the courtyard for a familiar pile of bright pink hair. The look she received wasn’t at all inviting, the little girl she saw as her friend turned her nose up into the air and huffed. Ino frowned and tuned out the rest of the crowd as she looked around the courtyard again.

Hinata hadn’t arrived yet, which was expected since she was usually one of the last ones to show up. The Hyūga compound was further away from the academy, and upon fleeting observations, Ino realized that the shy girl wasn’t exactly allowed to walk to school on her own.

It wouldn’t be until they were two periods into the day that the door would open to reveal a blushing Hinata who apologized profusely for being late. There were bandages wrapped up to her neck, and her hands were covered from what anyone could see.

She said that she had been at the clinic getting checked up after an accident early in the morning. Their teacher wasn’t too worried and quickly asked her to take her seat as he continued their lesson.

At lunch time, Ino found herself slipping into the seat right beside Hinata as everyone ran to secure a bench outside. She was silent, and put on her observation hat as she watched Hinata take her lunch out slowly while wincing.

“It must hurt.” Ino finally said, startling the poor girl who squeaked and moved away from her while avoiding her eyes. “You must be training a lot.”

Hinata uncovered her bento box, but didn’t move to eat it as she stared at its contents. “Can I help you with something?” It was clear that she had spent the time being silent trying to formulate her words without stuttering so much. An effort that was not enough since she still struggled with each word. 

“Nothing at all.” Ino placed her own lunch on the table. “Do you mind if I sit here though?”

She took a peek at her from under her bangs, her heart pounding in her chest as she moved away a little bit more until she was at the edge of her seat. “No.” Hinata muttered and began eating.

“Great.” Ino hummed, only taking small bites out of her sandwich as she watched Hinata struggle to eat without fidgeting. “Why aren’t you outside with the others?”

She blushed and wiped her sweaty hands against her knee, not caring that said action was not needed since they were bandaged anyway. “There’s no reason for me to be.” 

Ino waited patiently for her to finish her sentence, nodding in encouragement as Hinata spoke. Her voice was getting quieter by the second, as if she barely used it for talking. “Why is that?”

Hinata frowned, unlike Ino—“I don’t have anyone to sit with.” She wasn’t hungry anymore, and she didn’t want to talk at all. She was used to sitting in the classroom alone, enjoying her meal in complete silence as she stared at all the posters on the walls. It was the only time she couldn’t get in trouble.

Speak louder.

Participate more.

Stop hiding.

Weak.

So weak.

Wrong!

“I can sit with you!”

Respectfully, she thought, there was no reason for Ino to sit with her. What business did she have hanging around the loner? Everyone thought she was weird; always quiet, and a stuttering mess. There’s a reason why she didn’t have friends.

“That’s okay.” Hinata shook her head and put her lunch away again, she ignored her stomach growling and how her head began to spin. “I’m okay.”

“You…don’t want to be friends?” Ino’s shoulders sagged, genuinely upset that she was being turned down so easily.

She just didn’t understand, this was for her own good. Hinata was trying to save her from further embarrassment; from the ridicule she would be subjected to because she wanted to be her friend. It was fine being close with Naruto, and even Sasuke, since no one batted an eye when she was around. Ino, on the other hand, was popular. She was pretty. She was everything Hinata wasn’t, and she didn’t want to be a stain on her reputation.

“No, I—“ Unfortunately, Hinata knew that she couldn’t turn her down. Just another reminder that she was a failure who couldn’t say what she was really thinking. Pushing her hand into her side, she added chakra and winced slightly as she bowed her head. “Sorry.” The pain would make the feeling of shame stop.

“If you don’t want to be friends, that’s okay, I don’t mind. I was just curious.”

If her byakūgan was activated, she would be able to tell if Ino was lying to her or not. For now, based on the blond girl’s body language, she seemed to be telling the truth. Hinata didn’t quite know if she was happy about that or not. 

“It’s…If we were friends…it would be okay.” She let out in a puff of air.

“Really?”

She nodded slowly.

“Great! Can you come over to my house after school? I want to show you something.”

Things were moving way too fast, and she was still hurting a little bit. The bell would be ringing soon and everyone would see Ino sitting beside her, and they’d laugh at her for thinking that the most popular and beautiful girl in their class wanted to be friends with her. They’d point and laugh, and her Pappa would tell her that she was an embarrassment for bringing shame to the Hyūga name by accepting friendship so easily. Then he’d say she has to train more and get rid of her emotions, and she’d hurt herself before going to sleep to forget about it.

And.

And, and and and.

Hinata slumped forward, her head slamming against the desk as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. 

She fainted.

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 4 — Edge

“Make sure you be safe!” Himawari called out just as she stepped out onto the porch to see Naruto off. The little boy barely turned around to wave goodbye at her as he sped off to the academy afraid of being late. Himawari rubbed her forehead and walked back into the house.

Closing the door, she turned around to see Sasuke moving quickly to hide himself behind the wall. Shaking her head, Himawari approached where he was hiding and cleared her throat.

“Good morning to you, Sasuke.” He had been asleep all while she prepared Naruto for school. He didn’t seem to sleep for too long after Himawari leaves him alone, which was becoming a big problem now that she thought about it. “How’d you sleep, buddy?”

He rounded the corner, tugging on his shirt while his famous dinosaur plush was tucked under his arm. “Good morning, Himawari-san…I slept okay…” Yet there were bags forming underneath his eyes.

“No nightmares?” 

He paused, “a little bit.”

“Rate it on a scale from one to ten.”

“Five? Hm…Six, I think.”

“Alright, that’s not as bad as yesterday.” 

At least he wasn’t crying or hurting himself right now. It was a good sign, but it wasn’t as ideal just yet. Though it’s only been a little under two months since she brought Sasuke home, she supposed that it was much better than how her own Sasuke handled things after the massacre. The bar was quite literally in hell though, that wasn’t a hard thing to cross over when the only other outcome would have been him exhausting himself until he became the empty husk her Sasuke was known to be. 

“Naruto left already?”

“Mhm, was there something you wanted to tell him?”

He shook his head, “it’s weird not getting ready for school.”

“Don’t think you’re completely free, little guy, we’ll be starting things really soon, there’s just something we need to do first.” She stood up, “let’s get you some breakfast first, then we’ll leave to go somewhere important.”

“Where are we going?” He followed her into the dining room, and thanked her for the bowl of cereal and the dish of sliced strawberries. 

“To see someone who can help us—a special doctor.”

He froze mid bite, “it’s not those doctors…right?” He remembered the way they questioned, poked and prodded him until he shut down. He didn’t like that.

“Not the ones in Konoha, I understand that they’re a little bit too pushy, and they did that to you when I wasn’t there. I’ll be with you the entire time and answering questions when you can’t. Don’t worry about it, they don’t know you, so they’re not expecting a response like the ones at the hospital do.”

He relaxed. He trusted her already, and the chances of Himawari-san lying to him was so extremely low that he wasn’t as scared as before. “Alright.”

“Are you okay to finish eating alone while I go make the beds and take a shower?”

“Mhm.”

Himawari ruffled his hair and smiled. A smile that was wiped off of her face as she went about doing what she said she would do. 

The only reason they were going outside of Konoha, outsourcing a specialist to help Sasuke, was to avoid obvious bias. She didn’t trust Konoha’s medical system, or its supposed psychiatric treatment to help those struggling with a mental disorder of some sort. Bias was prevalent—a bias wherein those in charge will overlook obvious flaws to push a regime that turned patients into lifeless machines for the state.

She supposed she owed it to her Ino for teaching her about these things. Although her time was different, Naruto having diverted the system into something where one wasn’t obligated to operate in the military unless they wanted to [and even then it was hard since a proper assessment needed to take place by the hands of the T&I Unit], they still kept files from the older generation that detailed the practices that kept Konoha’s military so…driven. 

A medical bias was the worst thing to come about, especially pertaining to people not equipped to be shinobi, all for the sake of keeping strong ninja on the playing field even if they were a threat to themselves or their comrades. She was not going to let them write off Sasuke’s trauma, brushing it off as a way to keep pushing him until he becomes a mindless zombie who would do their bidding, for the sake of keeping Konoha strong.

At quarter to nine, Himawari and Sasuke were fully dressed and out of the door with everything they needed. For Sasuke, that was his dinosaur plush and an oversized sweater he stole [read: asked for] from Himawari’s closet since it smelled like her. For Himawari, that was a multitude of files she kept with her for situations much like this, all held in a tote bag which was filled with snacks for the little boy at her side and a folded sweater for herself.

“Ready?” She asked as she locked the door and made sure that the notice she posted on it for Naruto was legible. If she wasn’t home by a certain time, it asked him to go to his apartment where she would pick him up once she returned.

“I am.” He was very anxious though; having no clue where they were going exactly, even if the purpose of the visit was made clear for him, caused him to get all fidgety. Himawari-san did explain that the next meetings after their first one would take place within their home for convenience, so he mentally told himself that this was the only time he would be heading somewhere completely unknown.

The walk to the front gates of Konoha was met with a few curious looks. Where could they possibly be heading dressed the way they were? Something formal for Himawari, and Sasuke was dressed better than usual even with the sweater that reached his knees. 

The two chūnin at the post straightened their backs as Himawari approached them, their skepticism hidden well as they watched her fill out the forms and showed them her pass. Their eyes trailed down to the little Uchiha boy who had his back turned to them, both wondering what Himawari-san had in mind by taking the boy outside of Konoha.

“We should be back before three.” She smiled and pushed the forms towards them. “Just a little trip to a nearby village so Sasuke can get a little bit of air.”

They laughed and nodded; their faces went blank as soon as she turned her back and led the little boy outside of Konoha. They exchanged a glance, then looked to one of the hidden shinobi doing their hourly checks around the walls. A silent request was made before they disappeared.

Himawari would be stupid to not notice the signals they gave each other as she held Sasuke’s hand tighter. She would not be able to call herself a successful tracker ninja if she didn’t notice the fleeting black shadows that jumped through the trees, following them as they got further away from the village.

She reassured Sasuke that everything was alright; that the quick glances she made, and the way she pulled him closer every few seconds was because she wasn’t as familiar with the outside of Konoha as she thought she was.

She didn’t have to wonder why they tailed her, she was with the last remaining Uchiha—the last child that the village had its eyes on in hopes of turning him into a much more loyal version of his brother. Understanding their protectiveness didn’t mean she had to agree with it.

The sight of the smaller village made her relax a little bit more, the streets were bustling even with the few people out and about. 

“Stay at my side.” She told Sasuke as they stepped into the town. She navigated the streets easily enough, never letting him go until they stepped into a building.

It was smaller than a medical clinic, still, the interior was very reminiscent of an actual hospital. The receptionist at the desk greeted them with a smile, and ushered them into a room without having them wait.

Sasuke sat at her side, resting his head on her shoulder as he closed his eyes. “I don’t like walking.” He finally admitted. He had been silent throughout the entire trip, more concerned with looking around with fascination rather than how much his feet had begun to hurt.

“I can carry you back.” She offered, handing him a water bottle. “We can get back just as quickly if I do that.”

“Okay.” He took a sip and handed it back to her.

A woman walked into the room not long after, and introduced herself as Utaha. She sat down behind the desk, and pulled out a folder with some blank sheets of paper inside. 

“You must be Sasuke.” She waved at him, “I’ve heard a little bit about you.”

He shied away quickly, hiding half of his face behind Hinata’s arm as he stared at Utaha with uncertainty. 

“You’re so cute.” She laughed, “I understand that you’ve come here for an assessment, so I’m sure you know that we’ll need to have a few more tests before I give a proper diagnosis.” She clicked her pen, “seeing as you had one previously done, I don’t think we’d need to stretch this into more than five or six meetings.”

Himawari listened as Utaha explained some things to her, she felt Sasuke snake his hands into her own as the conversation progressed. When it was time for the questions, she noticed how much quieter Sasuke got.

“It’s okay, just try your best. You don’t have to explain everything in detail, I just want to know what’s been bothering you the most and your mother will continue for you.”

“Oh! I’m not his…I’m just his legal guardian.” Himawari smiled shyly.

“I apologize, I assumed that you were.”  She wrote something down quickly, “how did that happen?”

“There was a tragedy involving his family, so I adopted him.”

“I see…Is that why you’re having some nightmares?” Utaha reached over for the files Himawari placed on her desk, and carefully read over his records.

“Yeah.” Sasuke squeezed Himawari’s hand tighter, and buried himself further into her sweater as he brought the dinosaur plush closer.

Utaha stared at him, then nodded to herself. “The plush is helping him feel better, is it not?” It was more-so a rhetorical question, and the answer was quickly scribbled into her notes. “That’s good that he has it, a lot of other children don’t have an object that helps ground them after traumatic events, especially one as severe as this one. I’m also assuming that he clings to you?”

“He does; he can’t sleep in his room for too long.”

“That’s expected, it would take a while for him to be comfortable enough to do that. Even if, in his head, it’s safe, he’s too scared to take that step and move away from something that helps him—which just so happens to be you. Don’t worry too much, sometimes it takes years for them to break out of it. You’re doing a good job with giving him space and establishing that you won’t always be available. Now, when it comes to school and being touched…” She frowned. “Hey, Sasuke, can you tell me about that? Himawari-san isn’t always there to observe you then.”

He shifted in his seat, so far, Himawari had been answering the questions for him. They skipped any question that he didn’t want to answer—or he couldn’t answer—but this one was really important. He knew that it was, yet it didn’t make it any easier for him to look Utaha in the eyes while fighting back fearful tears.

“Itachi—“ He paused, “he hugged me…and poked my forehead all the time…and held me sometimes.” He bit his lip, how exactly was this supposed to help? “He killed them…and hurt me. His hugs hurt, his fingers hurt—he made everything hurt.” It took him a while to get all those words out, and as soon as he let the last word fall, he slumped in his seat. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“That’s okay, I’ll direct all the questions at your guardian. Anything I need you to answer can be saved for next time.”

He nodded, then proceeded to drown out the conversation that happened around him by playing with the spikes on the dinosaur’s back.

Time ticked by, minutes blurring into each other as he started getting more tired. Just as Utaha had promised, Sasuke didn’t have to answer any more questions. 

The only time he was addressed again was when she was telling him goodbye.

“Are you hungry?” Himawari asked him as they left the clinic, “we can eat here before going back to pick up Naruto.” 

“Only a little bit.” His stomach growled quietly.

“How about some ikayaki [grilled squid]? That should be enough until we get back.” She pulled out her purse and led him to one of the stands. Purchasing two, while asking that the vendor pack away a few more, she handed him one and took a bite out of her own.

Sasuke was silent as he ate on their walk back; once he was finished, he was carried on Himawari’s back since his feet started to hurt. 

They were welcomed back with a smile, and were successfully signed in. School would be dismissed by the time they made it home, so they decided to wait for Naruto in the academy’s courtyard.

The blond boy smiled widely once he saw them, an excited yell earning the attention of everyone there. “Yo! I didn’t know you were coming.” He looked at them and what they were wearing, “where did you go?”

“Sasuke had a little doctor’s appointment.” Himawari smiled.

Just as she was about to turn around and leave, a little Hinata and Ino jumped in front of her. They waved and greeted her.

“It’s lovely to see you two again, it’s been a few days, hasn’t it?” She noticed the shy look on Hinata’s face as she played with her fingers while Ino threw a hand over her shoulders. “Made a new friend, Hinata?”

“I…We’ve only been friends for three days.” She stuttered out while nodding.

“You’ve been keeping count?” Ino poked her cheeks, “ah, so cute!”

Hinata blushed and shrunk deeper into her jacket. “Himawari-san, Ino was wondering if we could come over. Naruto said we should ask.”

“Have you asked your fathers?” Himawari set Sasuke down, only doing so since Naruto was currently tugging on her shirt with his silent request. Sasuke didn’t like that very much but he didn’t complain.

“I lied.” Ino said with a grin, “the old man wouldn’t let me go because he ‘didn’t know who Himawari-san was’. So I said I’m heading to Hinata’s place!”

“Ino! You told me that you asked Inoichi-san.” Hinata turned to her, her eyes widened in shock. She only ever stumbled over a few words in her state of surprise.

“I know you wouldn’t like it, so I lied to you too.” She poked her cheeks again.

“I don’t think lying to your father is a good thing, Ino. If there’s an emergency, he would go to the Hyūga compound looking for you instead of coming to me.”

The blond girl frowned, “fine, I’ll tell him next time.”

“What about you, Hinata?” 

“Pappa doesn’t really care…” She looked away.

Himawari pursed her lips and nodded. “Alright, come along you four, let’s get you somewhere warm before the weather changes for the afternoon. You three can do your homework once we get to the house, then you can watch TV with Sasuke.”

They all shouted in excitement [read: Ino and Naruto did while Sasuke and Hinata simply nodded] and followed Himawari diligently as they had miniature conversations between themselves.

Himawari was just glad that she got a container of grilled squid for them to snack on since there was currently nothing prepared to eat at home.

Naruto felt like he was forgetting something major—something that he knew was important yet couldn’t quite place his finger on it. As he cleaned his apartment, getting it ready for the Hokage’s visit while making it look as if he was actually living there, he couldn’t help but feel more confused. 

Making his bed, and taking out what little garbage had piled up from the days he slept in his room rather than at Himawari-san’s place, he was just glad that he’s learned so much from the woman. Like how to take care of himself properly.

Gone was the poor diet consisting only of ramen; he now ate everything he needed to grow. If he couldn’t buy it, that was alright, Himawari-san’s home was open for him to visit so he could have his meals, or she made sure to pack him bentos for both school and to take home on days he stayed at his apartment.

He didn’t stay with Himawari-san frequently, mostly doing so on school nights when he was way too lazy to walk across the village and back home. He knew that she couldn’t adopt him the way she did Sasuke, something about it being classified information that even she didn’t know the answer to. The sentiment was nice though, knowing that there was someone out there who really wanted to take care of him when others wouldn’t spare him a glance.

Because of that, he didn’t feel the need to shout all the time and make trouble. Why would he ruin Himawari-san’s perception of him just to make other people angry? 

He tried his best in school, and his grades did go up a little bit, but he still had a little trouble. Sasuke and Hinata, and recently Ino, would help him with any problems that he had. Himawari only ever got involved with his homework if the others couldn’t help him out, and she never got angry when he couldn’t understand things right away.

His teachers would breathe down his back for answering questions wrong, some of them even expected him to do very poorly. Yet, ever since he got a little better, they stopped reprimanding him every few minutes about something. He wasn’t nervous to get called on to answer a question anymore either, even if he got it wrong, he wrote it down to go over it again with the other kids. 

Himawari-san said that he had a lot of energy and he couldn’t sit still, and told him that the usual methods his teachers used didn’t work with him. He couldn’t change that though, so it wasn’t his fault. She reiterated that every time he found himself getting too frustrated when doing his work.

She didn’t call him stupid like the others, and she never gave up on him like his teachers did.

A knock on the door made him pause in his reading, an assignment given to him by his teacher for the weekend. He was determined to actually get it done without making excuses. He opened the door to see the old man, his Hokage robes blowing in the autumn wind before he stepped into the apartment.

“Wow, you’ve cleaned up well.” He said as he took a peek into the living room. “Am I interrupting something?” 

“No, I was just finishing my homework.” Naruto took out a stool from under the sink and began preparing some tea for the Hokage.

“Since when did you do your homework?” He laughed and sat down at the table.

“Since I made some friends!” Naruto chirped and served him as best as he could. He’s seen Himawari-san preparing some snacks whenever Ino, Hinata and he came over, so he figured it was something people do out of respect. He opened some crackers and placed them on a plate with a spoon of peanut butter and smiled as he handed it to the old man.

“Who are your friends?” Hiruzen stared at the display, genuinely shocked that the little boy was doing something so mannerly yet unorthodox for someone so hyperactive. 

“Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, and Yamanaka Ino just joined our little circle! We talk a little bit and help each other with our work. Sasuke isn’t at school anymore though…We all meet up at Himawari-san’s house!” He said it innocently, and missed the way the man’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the woman’s name.

“Himawari-san?”

“She’s a nice little lady, and lets us stay over for dinner whenever we visit. Her house is really nice, and she helps us with our work sometimes. Since Sasuke doesn’t have other friends, she’s really happy whenever we come over to play or something.” He nodded enthusiastically, “I like Himawari-san.” He sat at the table and played with his fingers as he swung his feet back and forth.

“That’s good I suppose.” Hiruzen was quiet for some time. “If anything happens when you’re with Himawari-san, please tell me, Naruto. If she makes you uncomfortable, or she does something that’s suspicious, you can always make a report.”

“Why would I do that?” He itched his cheek, “nothing wrong ever happens when I’m with Himawari-san.” 

“Just in case, you never know.” He smiled and sipped his tea. “Sometimes, some people act differently with others, I just want you to be careful.”

“Oh…” He didn’t like how the Hokage spoke as if Himawari-san would hurt him. “Okay.” Naruto pursed his lips.

“Good. I see things are going well though, I’m glad that you made some friends. I just wanted to check up on you.” He pushed his hands into his robe and pulled out an envelope, “here’s your monthly allowance like I promised, spend it wisely.” He revealed another envelope. “And this is for your birthday.”

That’s what he forgot. Naruto’s face lightened up as he thanked the man for the extra money for his birthday. He checked the envelope and noticed that it had a few dollars inside for him to buy himself a gift.

“Thanks old man!” He didn’t run to hug him like he usually did, his thoughts were occupied with something else. Did Himawari-san know that today was his birthday?

“Enjoy the rest of your day, Naruto, the festival stalls should be opening soon since evening is approaching.”

He didn’t care about the festivals. Maybe if the old man noticed that he never had a good time during them, or on his birthday for that matter, he wouldn’t propose that he should go to them. Naruto didn’t say anything about it though as he waved goodbye.

Once the door closed, he ran to his room and picked out his best outfit from the ones Himawari-san had bought for him. His book long forgotten, he took a shower and sped out of the house in the opposite direction of the marketplace where activities were usually held.

He didn’t care about the stares and the whispers. He didn’t even bat an eye when others began to point at him. 

Naruto came to a stop in front of the house and noticed that all the lights were turned off. The smile on his face was quickly wiped away, fear permeated around him as he walked towards the fence. Did they go to the festival? Were they really like the other villagers?

Knocking on the door, not expecting an answer, his shoulders sagged as he waited. Getting ready to turn back and head home, Naruto was shocked when the door opened on its own.

“Himawari-san? Sasuke?” He called out as he stepped inside. “Anybody home?” He closed the door behind him and had the decency to replace his shoes with the house slippers that were specifically for him. “Guys?”

He screamed when the lights were suddenly turned on and multiple poppers were let off. Slowly opening his eyes, he felt his heart drop to his stomach at the streamers and the banner hanging from the wall.

“Happy Birthday!” Ino and Himawari said while Sasuke and Hinata muttered it with small smiles on their faces.

“Gods, we didn’t know when you’d be coming so we sat in the dark for a while.” Ino threw and arm over his shoulder, “you little twerp, it took you a while to get here.”

“I…” His eyes began to water. “I didn’t know you were throwing a party for me! I didn’t even know you knew my birthday!” He grinned, and then frowned as he looked at Himawari who had taken a step back to let the other children surround him. “Himawari-san…” His voice shook before he ran into her arms and cried. “Thank you.”

“Happy birthday, Naruto.” She patted his head and kissed his forehead once he pulled away. “The others have gifts for you.”

“Guys…” He turned around and was immediately hugged by an enthusiastic Ino who dragged in a nervous Hinata. He only exchanged a glance with Sasuke who held something to his chest.

“Here you go.” Sasuke muttered, and held out a wrapped object. 

“No fair! I thought we were exchanging gifts after we ate.” Ino pouted.

“It’s okay, Ino.” Hinata poked her fingers together and smiled, “Himawari-san didn’t really give us a time to do that…”

“I’m going to get my gift.” She huffed.

Naruto stared at the wrapped gift for a while. He’s never really received a physical gift before, anything beyond the few dollars the Hokage gave him on his birthday could only be dreamed of. He slowly unraveled the wrapping paper, his eyes widening as the object of his curiosity was finally revealed. 

An orange fox plush laid in his hand, soft and fluffy as it stared at him with its cheeky smile.

“You…You were talking about it a lot on our way to school…” Sasuke said, “it’s from me and Himawari-san.”

“I love it!” He jumped around. It was the one he saw every time he walked through the market. He couldn’t buy it, not because it was too expensive, but the shop owner refused to sell it to him. “Thank you!” Naruto paused and held his hand out in a closed fist.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow and stared at him, clearly confused about what he was doing.

“Fist bump?”

“Oh…” He shifted in his spot for a few seconds, then lifted his own fist.

Naruto grinned as he bumped his fist. “Come on, I want to see what Ino and Hinata got me.” He ran into the dining room where the two girls were waiting.

Sasuke was hesitant, until Himawari smiled.

“Go spend time with him.” She encouraged him.

He took a deep breath in before walking after Naruto. “Wait up, I want to see too.”

“Alright, I think a good place to start your first lesson is with some training. Have any of your teachers taught you some combat basics?” Himawari wrapped her hands with a few bandages as she stood across Sasuke in their backyard.

It was set up to replicate a training field, with two hay dummies, some targets and a makeshift water source in case they needed it. It took her all weekend to get it put together, and a lot of the stuff she bought was paid out of pocket. It came out decent enough—it wasn’t intended to be pretty anyway.

Sasuke stared at her in partial amazement and a little bit of fear. He’s never actually seen Himawari-san in anything beyond her casual clothes [an oversized shirt over some cargo pants and her hair in a small ponytail with her glasses], so seeing her in training gear was genuinely frightening. She looked so much fitter than she felt—how was she so squishy when all he could see was muscle? 

“No, sensei said that it was too advanced for us, and we needed to read about it before we actually learned katas.” 

Himawari paused, “why were you sparring regularly then?”

He shrugged, “tests?”

She figured. Her memory wasn’t that great when it came to the boring things learned in the academy, she usually focused on her life outside of being a student—which is expected seeing as her home life wasn’t so great—and learning the katas taught in the academy was useless for a Hyūga. 

Of course they would pit the children against each other in sloppy sparring sessions as a way to weed out those with zero potential before they actually got to learning how to fight. It was such a joke; half the time they didn’t do a great job either with how many casualties happen once the children graduate and become ninja. Theories, that was all they learned, and then they were thrusted into the battlefield to get killed.

“Did you learn anything from your family?”

He shook his head. It was getting a little bit easier mentioning his family these days, a huge step up from when he couldn’t stand to hear that word even if it wasn’t about him. “Pappa didn’t train me.”

Himawari felt like groaning loudly, alright, so she needed to start from the very beginning instead of picking up from wherever someone left off. “Show me what you can do then.”

“How?”

“See me as your enemy and attack, I need to assess you. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt me.”

Sasuke stared at her with uncertainty, “…okay.” He cleared his head as best as he could and ran at her.

Trying his best to remember the way he saw others spar, he threw as many kicks and punches at her as he could. She didn’t retaliate beyond blocking his attacks. The serious look on her face as her eyes trailed his movements made him nervous, it was like she was staring through him, and that felt really weird. 

A minute later, Sasuke was hunched over and breathing heavily as he watched her scribble something down in a notebook she kept on the patio floor.

“That was good.” She nodded in encouragement, “for your age, I mean. You don’t have much knowledge, but that’s expected since you’ve barely learned anything from the academy in regards to fighting. Stand up straight.”

He did as he was told, still trying to catch his breath as she circled around him.

“What’s your first stance?” 

He shifted his feet and held his hands up in front of his face.

“Hm. Straighten your back, widen your legs and hold your chin up like you’re confident in your abilities instead of being scared that you might get hurt.”

He fixed his position.

“Good, throw your first punch.” She tapped his wrist when he did. “You will hurt yourself that way if you actually land a hit.” She rotated his fist. “This is better.”

“What are you teaching me, Himawari-san?” Sasuke asked. He’s never seen the academy teachers do something like this. The stance felt weird.

“What your teachers failed to do before having you fight your classmates: teaching you how to stand and balance properly.”

“But I’m not balancing on anything?”

“Sasuke.”

He turned to face her all while keeping the same position.

“You’re struggling to hold the stance at the moment…”

He looked down and noticed how his legs were shaky. “Oh.”

“Right.” She smiled, “I’m not very good with brute strength like other katas teach you to be, I, however, have a knack for flexibility and balance. This is a learning experience for you, and myself.”

“What will you be learning?” He relaxed once she signaled for him to stand up properly. 

“I have some more reading to do in regards to different fighting styles, we’ll find one that suits you, which means I’m going to be learning it as well.” She gave him some time to drink water and completely catch his breath. “For now, how good are you at throwing shuriken?”

“I’m okay.”

“Show me.” She handed him a few training ones. 

Watching a civilian was not something Inu expected to be tasked with by the Hokage. They thought that the man had lost it with his request, after all, since when did they start surveillance of random civilians of the village? Perhaps they did on occasion, only for new residents who came from an outside village since enemy ninja tend to take the role of a civilian to infiltrate Konoha. 

Yet, to their knowledge, the woman they were tasked to watch had been around for over a year now. The first ones assigned to watch her for a week or two reported nothing out of the ordinary. So what exactly caused the Hokage to put her under watch?

They didn’t get it until they saw the jinchūriki entering her home with the Yamanaka child in tow. 

At first, they thought it was just a coincidence, after all, she was the guardian of the surviving Uchiha child, and the children had just returned from school carrying his things after an accident took place earlier. Still, as they watched the sun set and everyone began to turn in for the day, the only person who left the house was the young Yamanaka.

Inu’s shift would usually last a few hours at most before someone else took over for them. If the soldier pills weren’t enough to keep them awake, they’d take a walk around the house while its residents were asleep. Observing the house and actually being inside were two different things.

It seemed to be pretty normal for a home that housed a middle aged woman and a young boy. Drawings would be littered across the table, books were piled up on one of the dining room chairs, plants were placed under the vent to keep it warm as outside got colder, and it smelt like whatever food they had eaten for dinner.

Inu noticed the extra pairs of slippers in the house: two pairs of purple ones [one for Himawari-san no doubt], an orange one [for Naruto], and a ivory coloured one. 

Figuring out whose slippers were the ivory ones was hard until the Hyūga Heiress came to visit on the weekend.

Himawari-san had managed to gather four notable children in her home, and that was worrisome. The kidnapping of the Hyūga Heiress instantly came to mind the more Inu watched the young girl visit the house.

Was she trying to gain the trust of the children before harming them? Was that why the Hokage gave them that mission? They still couldn’t tell.

“Rough day?” Yamanaka Inoichi sat under very dim light as he looked through some files. He barely looked up at the new visitor, even if it was late into the night. 

“I wanted to ask a question before I report my findings for the day to Hokage-sama.”

Inoichi set the file down and crossed his hand over it. “What is it?”

“Are you aware of your daughter’s whereabouts after school?”

“The Hyūga compound with their heiress, I understand that they’re friends now. Why?”

“Do you know who Himawari is—no last name?”

“Hm..Ino has mentioned her name a few times. What’s the matter?”

“Your daughter has been frequenting her house with Hyūga Hinata, along with Uzumaki Naruto. Himawari is the guardian of Uchiha Sasuke.”

He shifted in his seat, “I see; that is of concern because they’re—“

“—important figures, yes. I’m aware that you know of my mission, so I do not need to beat around the bush. I was curious to see if you know that Ino has been lying to you about where she goes. I do not want to alarm you, Inoichi-san, but I would advise that you talk to Ino a little bit about trusting people so easily. Perhaps she can help…”

“Are you proposing that I have my child spy on this woman with you? She isn’t equipped enough for that task, Inu-san.”

They bowed their head in apology, “that was not my intention, I was simply proposing that you ask her a few questions that can aid me in my mission. I am not close to Himawari-san, and I do not want to alarm the children by approaching them in any manner. Please.” Inu pushed forward a folded piece of paper.

Unravelling it, Inoichi stared at the questions and sighed. “Fine, and what if your findings are inconclusive?”

“Then Himawari-san will be free from surveillance.”

“Does she know that you’re watching?”

Inu thought back to the time they observed the training sessions between the woman and the Uchiha. Sometimes she would look over her shoulder, or stare off into the direction he was in as if she was looking for something. Beyond that, there was no reason for him to believe that she actually knew where he was, or if she was being watched. Some people tend to have a sixth sense that made them weary of being watched, and that seemed to be the case for her since nothing changed in her routine that would suggest that she was aware of it.

“No.”

“I’ll ask her before she goes to school and I’ll get back to you.” Inoichi pushed the sheet of paper into his pocket. “You’re dismissed.”

Inu bowed and quickly disappeared.

Their next stop was the Hokage’s office.

“Status report.” The old man said as he lit his pipe.

“There is nothing suspicious going on as of yet, and she doesn’t know that we’re watching.”

“Hypothesis?”

“Himawari-san isn’t a ninja, otherwise she would have pinpointed my location and changed her tactics if she knew that the ANBU were lurking. I do not know if this is a personal agenda or not, Hokage-sama, but it is slightly concerning that she’s wedged herself in between two notable clans while being the sole guardian of the Uchiha child and someone the jinchūriki trusts.”

“Hm.”

“If I may, Hokage-sama?”

“Speak.”

“Why are we watching this woman?”

Hiruzen took a puff out of his pipe and sighed, “what would you have done had someone been so adamant about adopting Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke?”

“She what?”

“I believe she knows more than she lets on.”

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 5 — Hold On

Squealing as she jumped down the stairs, Ino twisted her body to avoid the wall she almost ran into as she sped through the kitchen. “Thanks Ma’!” She giggled, grabbing her lunch box and water bottle in one swift motion and hugged her mother’s legs. “I’m going to be with ‘Nata after school today.”

“Just make sure you’re safe, what did I tell you about running around like that?” Her mother scolded her with a smile, “tell little Hinata I said ‘hello’.”

“I will!” Ino waved again. 

“Ino.” 

She turned around quickly, almost bumping into her father. Laughing nervously, she itched her cheek and looked away. “Oh, good morning.”

“Can we talk?”

“I’m going to be late…”

Inoichi raised his eyebrow, then checked his watch, “unless you’re planning on having a full meal on your way to school, you’re not going to be late. It won’t take long, I just want to talk to you.”

“Am I in trouble?” Did he finally figure out that she’s been lying about where she goes with Hinata? She should have known that the lies about being at the Hyūga compound or Sakura’s house would fall through. Ino was starting to regret not listening to Himawari-san’s advice to tell the truth.

“Not quite.” He motioned for her to enter his office. “Sit.”

It felt an awful lot like she was in trouble. She placed her bag down and hopped onto the small sofa while he sat behind his desk. Kicking her feet, she played with her fingers and waited.

“Someone tells me that you’ve been hanging around in places that are not where you say you will be.” Inoichi crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Care to tell me where you’ve been exactly?”

Ino laughed nervously and itched her cheek, “Sorry, Pa’, I know I should have been honest and tell you right away. She told me I should and I didn’t listen at all…I’ve been going to Himawari-san—you remember her, right? I’ve been going there to hang out with Hinata…”

Inoichi was quiet for a few seconds, “how is Himawari-san? I’ve heard a lot about her here and there but I’ve never met her.”

“You should! She’s so nice; she cooks really good food, and helps me with my work—she’s way better than the teachers at the academy I think—she doesn’t mind if I play around as long as my work is done, and she’s very quiet.”

“Quiet?”

“Mhm! Himawari-san doesn’t make too much noise whenever she’s walking around the house and looking in on us. She’s usually in her room, or the dining room reading and going over whatever work she’s done with Sasuke.”

“I see you’ve dropped the honorifics for Sasuke.” Inoichi smiled.

“Oh…about that…” Ino shifted in her seat some more. “I think I should focus on school a little bit more now, Sasuke is…a good friend…and I don’t want to make him uncomfortable anymore.”

Inoichi understood the underlying meaning of her words; the people talked and many knew of the outbursts Sasuke had at school. It was understandable then that his daughter decided to respect the boy’s boundaries as a whole, especially now that he wasn’t attending school with her. He didn’t know whether or not he should be thankful for such, at least Ino decided to focus on her school work completely now. 

His soft smile was replaced by a serious frown however as he remembered the questions Inu wanted him to ask her. “Has Himawari-san done anything to you, or any of the others before?”

Her eyebrows began to furrow as she tried to decipher the words her father spoke. “No, why?” 

“Just making sure. Himawari-san…is a bit new to the village, isn’t she? I don’t know her, and I’m sure Hinata’s family is curious as well. I just need to make sure that you understand that sometimes you can’t trust people all too easily. If anything happens, make sure you tell me, alright?”

“Why do I have to? It’s not like Himawari-san is a criminal or something, she’s just trying to raise Sasuke like Ma’ raises me…She wouldn’t hurt us.”

“We can’t be too sure, Ino. It’s already upsetting that you’ve been lying to me, I would appreciate it if you tell me from now on if anything happens with Himawari-san. Anything weird or suspicious that makes you uncomfortable. Promise?”

She bit her lip, “I’m going to be late, Hinata is waiting for me.” She grabbed her bag and left his office without glancing at him again.

It was just weird that her father would be so concerned, and look a little distraught as he talked to her about the woman. There was no reason for him to be so worried when Himawari-san had been kind enough to treat her like her own whenever she was supervising them.

Huffing, Ino flung the door open and draped herself over the shoulders of the little girl who had been waiting there patiently. She ignored the little squeak of surprise as she groaned.

“Good morning, ‘Nata.” She muttered, then stood up straight.

“Good morning, Ino.” Her cheeks were a light pink as she stuttered and played with the hem of her sweater. 

“Sorry I took so long, I had to talk to the old man.” She rushed down the porch’s steps and towards the entrance of her clan’s compound. 

“That’s okay, I wasn’t waiting for very long.” Hinata quickened her pace to walk beside her.

“Do you think Naruto is finished by now?” 

“Himawari-san gets him ready very quickly…”

“Ah, you’re right. She would never let him be late for school. Come, we should meet him at the house instead.”

“Are you sure? We didn’t tell Himawari-san that we would walk to school with him.” 

Ino waved a lazy hand, “I’m sure it would be fine. At least she wouldn’t have to drop him off and then rush back home before Sasuke wakes up.”

“She’s very fast though, so that’s not a problem.”

Ino paused in her absentminded humming, thinking back to what her father said. “Say, Hinata?”

“Hm?”

“You’ve known Himawari-san longer than I have, has she done anything weird?”

“…No? Why?”

“I don’t know, Pa’ asked me a question earlier and I couldn’t really answer it…” Ino gasped, “do you think she’s like an undercover ninja or something?”

Hinata frowned and pushed her hand into her abdomen, “can we not…say that?”

“Wha’, why?” She looked at her up and down, examining her carefully and the way she winced. “Did something happen?”

She quickly shook her head, yet all she could remember was her own kidnapping. Her kidnapping which led to the death of her uncle, and the reason why Neji hated her. Himawari-san couldn’t possibly be like those ninja who took her from her home, she was way too nice to do that…right?

She couldn’t blame Ino for being curious, or for worrying, she hasn’t told her about that night three years ago since her father forbade her from talking about it outside the clan. At that time, he didn’t have to worry about her telling anyone, but Ino was a friend now, and she wanted to share it with her.

“I just don’t think Himawari-san is a bad guy.” Hinata muttered and looked away, “she hasn’t hurt me or done anything to me. She always helps…”

“That’s what I told Pa’, I don’t think he believes me but whatever.” Ino shrugged, “some grownups are too stuck up for their own good. They need a little ass kicking to loosen up.” She threw out a few punches while she scrunched up her face. “Like this and this.”

Hinata smiled. “Yeah, if someone could beat them, I think they wouldn’t be so harsh.”

“Just you wait, ‘Nata, I’m going to kick your old man’s ass one day and save you.”

“Ino!” She laughed. “I don’t need to be saved.”

“Yeah, whatever, I don’t like how he talks to you.” She stopped her shadow boxing and dusted her clothes as if she had really been fighting. “He has a stick up his ass.”

“I don’t think your Pa’ will like all the bad words you’re using.”

“Meh, what he doesn’t know won’t kill him.” She grinned and threw a hand over her shoulder. “Say, I can teach you how to say some bad words too.”

Hinata’s blush intensified as she shook her head. “No thank you, that’s not something I should do.”

“Your loss!” 

They continued talking until they arrived at the familiar house just in time to see Himawari-san hand Naruto his lunch before he ran down the path.

“Yo!” He waved at them and opened the gate. “I didn’t know you two were going to walk with me.”

“It was a last minute thing.” Ino bumped Hinata towards the blond boy with a mischievous smile on her face. “Isn’t that right, Hinata.”

“Hm? Oh, yes.” She waved at Himawari who was still watching them from the porch with a somewhat sad smile on her face. She wondered what that was about.

“Well, we have a few minutes to get to school, so let’s race.” Naruto jogged in place.

“It’s too early in the morning.” Ino rolled her eyes and walked ahead.

“We’d be sweaty by the time we get to school…” Hinata added.

“Come on guys.” Naruto huffed and pouted as he followed behind both girls. “It wouldn’t be so bad. Changing really isn’t a problem, we have extra clothes for that reason!”

“The extra clothes are for after our sparring sessions since we end up all dirty at the end of it.” Ino scolded him, “if Himawari-san heard that you wanted to get all sweaty before school, she’d put you on time out.”

“Jokes on you, I don’t get time out!” Naruto grinned. 

“What’s your punishment then? Does she make you train?” Hinata asked curiously, she was trying to raise her voice a little bit more. Unlike with just Ino, who didn’t mind her quiet stutters, Naruto tended to have a harder time hearing her. He was patient though, allowing her to finish her sentence no matter how long it took with all her stutters. 

“No, are you kidding me? What kind of punishment is that?”

Hinata winced. Her father made her train until she collapsed from her injuries. 

“I just can’t watch anything on the television for a few days, and I have to read the books she gives me.”

“That’s not so bad. I have to help out in the shop when I get in trouble. I don’t like the shop.”

“It’s pretty though.” Hinata interjected. 

“Yeah, because you like the flowers and you love taking care of them. I don’t like working for free.” 

They rounded the corner and entered the academy’s courtyard. Naruto immediately slumped over once he realized that they arrived and therefore couldn’t do his race. 

“Promise we can race after school?” He piped up.

“Ugh, fine!” Ino groaned but smiled anyway. “I’ll beat you.”

“Fat chance.”

Hinata played with her fingers and listened to them talk. She turned her head a little bit to catch a pair of emerald eyes staring at her before they turned away. Tilting her head to the side, she watched the mop of pink hair get swallowed by a small crowd of girls.

“Hey, you coming?” Ino called out.

“Oh, yeah.” She jogged up to catch up to them, but still looked back to see those green eyes again.

“Do you have everything?” Himawari asked as she placed down some books on the table. They were to be returned to the library soon, but she wanted to make sure that she'd gathered enough information from them before then.

“I do.” Sasuke nodded and opened his new notebook. He was only a few pages in, but that was expected since they were starting all over again. 

“Good.” Himawari sat down across from him and crossed her arms. “I think it’s a good idea that we put this into practice now instead of having you write down some more things and move on.” 

“It’s only been two weeks, Himawari-san.” He wasn’t ready for an evaluation just yet. He thought that he hadn’t retained enough information as it was, and his training had been a little bit wobbly from the first day. To him, there was no improvement. 

“It’s not an assessment that would make me think differently of you, Sasuke, I just want to see if you’re doing much better than before. It’s only on balance and your katas again.”

He inhaled deeply, “what if I fail?”

“There’s no passing and failing with me. If you do below what I was expecting, it just means that we have to change our approach and spend more time on the subject. You’ve been doing good with answering the questions I give you, but that’s not all there is to being a shinobi, is it?”

“No.”

“Care to recite what I said?”

“Memorizing is only good when you’re not in the field. When facing an enemy, it comes down to what your body is prepared for rather than what your mind knows.”

“Right, and why is that?”

“Learning theories is useless if I don’t know how to put it into practice. I can hurt myself by focusing too much on the right answer instead of finding a balance.”

“Mhm. If I don’t find any flaws in your katas now, and we stick to only the books—“

“I would be in danger when it’s time to fight.”

She ruffled his hair and smiled. “That’s my boy. Come along.”

He didn’t move though, his eyes remained widened as he watched her stand up. His cheeks turned pink, and he bit his lip to stop himself from smiling like an absolute fool. He’s gotten a few compliments from Himawari-san during ‘school hours’, it was her way of encouraging him while he struggled with adjusting to the new schedule.

He just never expected to hear those words from her, and it made him feel elated knowing that she was that proud of him to refer to him that way. He’s always wanted to hear those words from his father more often, and he treasured the one time it was used, for Himawari-san to say it so easily made him feel proud as well. 

“Coming.” He got down from his seat and followed her into the backyard.

“Alright, show me your stances.”

Sasuke immediately stood in the middle of the moderately sized yard and slowly went through his stances. Himawari didn’t say anything as she watched him, she noted some things down for later but nodded in encouragement as he looked at her for approval.

Calling out different numbers, she only ever had to fix one or two of his movements as he went through his katas. 

Clapping her hands, the signal for him to relax and resume a neutral position, she called for him to sit down in front of her as she began to stretch.

“What do you think you did wrong?” She asked.

Sasuke was quiet for a second while he tried to think back to what he was doing. Stretching as well, very much aware of what was going to happen next, he answered her question. “My balance is still off, so I’m a little shaky when I’m moving from one kata to the next. I…I focus too much on what you think so I’m not paying attention all the time.”

“You’re self aware, that’s good.”

“How do I fix it, Himawari-san?”

“More confidence; stop worrying about what others are thinking when they see you, your enemy will use that to their advantage if they see how hesitant you are because you’re still working for someone’s approval.”

“Is that not—“

“No, you shouldn’t be looking for mine at all. You need to be looking for your own. Are you satisfied with your progress? If you’re not, how are you going to improve?”

“By working hard.”

“Everyone says that, but what does that really mean? What effort will you put in to guarantee that you improve? How do you measure your progress?”

He thought about the assessment, and the questions. He thought about his time in the academy and when he used to train on his own. “I have to set goals.” It’s always been that he wanted to be like Itachi; he wanted to be strong and smart like his brother, yet he didn’t know how to do that.

“Short term ones. Remember what you told me? That you wanted to be a chūnin?” She completely omitted the part of his goal being that he wanted to kill Itachi as well, but they had to start somewhere. “Let’s make that your long term goal for now. What do you think a short term one would be?”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “I should land a hit on you.”

Himawari tilted her head, “that’s a good one. How do you plan on getting there?”

“Get better with my balance and katas, and study how you move too.”

“Hm,” she nodded, “we can work on that. As for the first part of your assessment, the things you noticed were wrong are the same as my observations. I’m glad you saw it as well.” Himawari stood up and got into a low stance, one that was in no way reminiscent of her Hyūga fighting style. 

She was aware of their little observer, after all.

“Now, let’s move on to part two of your assessment.”

“Hyūga Hinata and Haruno Sakura, please step forward for your spar.”

Hinata felt her blood freeze as she stared at the circle in the middle of their training field. She turned her head slowly to Ino, completely aware of the relationship the girl used to have with their pink haired classmate. She didn’t want to fight her, she didn’t want to fight anybody for that matter, yet she didn’t have the option to simply quit.

And if she broke down like Sasuke had done a few weeks ago, she would be punished by her father. She could already feel the throbbing in her side, and the tingling of her skin as the sharp blade of her kunai was pushed further into it.

“Hinata?” Ino waved her hand in front of her face. “Hey, it’s alright! It’s just a little spar, you don’t have to go all out or anything. I know you can beat her.”

But that wasn’t the problem. Hinata was very much certain that she could take down any of the girls in their class since her training as a Hyūga was much harsher than the katas they read about in class. The issue was that she didn’t want to hurt Sakura, she didn’t want to fight her and have her hate her for beating her or throwing her into the dirt knowing that she’s spent so long doing her hair.

“Come on, Hinata!” Naruto bumped his shoulder into her own, a grin on his face. “I know you can do it.”

She knew that too.

“Hinata, we don’t have all day.” Their teacher called out again.

“Coming.” She stuttered and gave her friends a watery smile as she shuffled her way into the sparring ring. She brought her hand up to her lower lip and bit her finger.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Sakura didn’t waste a single second as she ran towards her. How bad would it be for her to simply step out of the ring and lose via disqualification? Surely her Pappa wouldn’t be as mad knowing that she lost, not because she was weak, but she had been pushed out of the ring.

Hinata groaned when a fist came in contact with her stomach. She hunched over and heaved, trying to catch her breath as she stumbled to stand up straight.

“Let’s go Hinata!” Ino screamed, her hands clenched as she pumped it into the air. “We believe in you.”

It was nice being cheered for, Hinata noted as she let Sakura hit her again. Her sparring matches were usually silent; the other students were too occupied with something more interesting as she let her opponent beat her. Hearing Ino, and Naruto who had joined in the cheering, made her feel happy.

Not happy enough to fight back however.

Hit after hit as she moved around the ring, Hinata wanted to apologize for disappointing her friends. She wanted to tell them that she was too weak and that’s why her little sister was going to be Heiress instead of her. She could see her father looking down at her with disgust painted on his face, and her cousin hovering right beside him with a smug smirk on his.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” She muttered as Sakura kicked her. “Please, I…”

“Fight me.” Sakura frowned in frustration. “It’s like kicking a puppy, come on and fight me!”

“I’ll hurt you.” If she used her Gentle Fist, she would lock up Sakura’s tenketsu and she didn’t want to do that.

“So what?”

“Come on, Hinata! Show her what you got!” Naruto whooped. 

“Yeah!” Ino followed.

For today’s sake, maybe she should get up and do something. Maybe she should show her teachers that she was deserving to be in this class, and to be with her new friends. 

Shifting into a comfortable position, Hinata brought her hands up without activating her byakūgan. She stared at Sakura and frowned. “I’m sorry.” She slid under her opponent, pivoted on her left foot, and struck her in her back.

Hinata watched as she fell over, her lower body temporarily paralyzed, and apologized again.

“That was good, Hinata.” Their teacher said, “you could have—“ 

Hinata fell forward.

“Hinata!” Ino yelled as she ran towards her. “What happened?”

“Seems like she’s exhausted. Are you able to take her to the nurse’s office, Ino?”

“I can help!” Naruto perked up.

The teacher stared at him for a while, then sighed. “Fine.”

Both children nodded at each other and picked up Hinata while another pair went to get Sakura just as she began to gain feeling in her legs again.

Walking to the nurses office took a while, and once they arrived, they were immediately directed to a bed. Naruto was asked to sit out for obvious reasons as the kind woman began to take off Hinata’s sweater to check for any injuries.

Ino watched quietly as she held Hinata’s hand in her own. She heard the nurse gasp softly, and looked down to see what had caught the woman’s attention.

She felt her eyes water as she stared at the faded white lines on Hinata’s abdomen, coupled with a few bruises and pink, swollen cuts that were obviously recent. 

“Is this from her spar?” The nurse asked, cleaning her wounds carefully before wrapping it.

“She didn’t fight back for a while.” Ino whispered, yet didn’t fully answer the question. There was no way those cuts were from the punches she got from Sakura. 

“I see.” The woman wrote something down on her clipboard. “Well, she didn’t faint because of her injury, this little one was just anxious. She should be waking up in a few minutes.” 

“Thank you.” Ino didn’t let her hand go even when the nurse left and Naruto came tumbling into the room.

They sat in silence, watching patiently until Hinata’s eyebrows began to furrow and her eyes fluttered open.

“You’re alright!” Naruto grinned, “we were worried since you fainted after your spar.”

“Did I win?” 

“You did.” Ino informed her, yet she couldn’t help but stare at her abdomen, although it was covered now. “Hey, Naruto, can I speak to Hinata alone?”

“Huh? Oh, sure. I should get back and tell sensei that she’s okay.” He nodded, “I’ll see you later, Hinata.”

“Bye, Naruto.” She stuttered, and closed her eyes.

The silence began to get unbearable as soon as Naruto left. Ino didn’t say anything, and Hinata was too scared to ask her what was wrong.

“What were those?” Ino finally asked.

“What were what?” 

“Those,” she pointed at her stomach. “That wasn’t from your spar with Sakura.”

Hinata turned her head away, “it’s from training yesterday.”

“That’s a lie. Don’t lie to me, ‘Nata.”

She bit her lip, “I’m not lying.”

“Then look at me.”

She blinked back her tears as she caught her eyes.

“What were those?”

“Nothing.”

Ino frowned. “Fine, you don’t have to tell me.”

Hinata nodded. “We need to get back to class.”

“No, I need to. The nurse said you should take the period off. So, I’ll see you at lunch.” Ino hopped down from her position on the chair beside the bed.

Hinata didn’t say anything as she watched her leave. She rested her hand on her stomach and lifted her shirt to stare at the places she had marked that morning. The rest of her stomach was bandages off, but she knew that they were covering her bruises.

“I’m sorry, Ino.”

She didn’t mean to lie…

She wasn’t a liar.

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 6 — Serotonin

Naruto felt bad for lying to Himawari-san that morning. After she had spent some time getting him prepared for a long day at school, after giving him his lunch and wishing him well, he had lied and pretended to run to school in fear of being late. In reality, he went around the neighbourhood and circled back to the house. 

He wasn’t going to school today because he was tired of going there only to be ignored by the teachers. Time went by really slowly even with the help of Hinata and Ino. It felt like torture now that he had gotten used to always having an adult help him out when he really needed it. 

So, he felt bad for lying to said adult about going to school. He was currently hiding away in the bushes, watching through the opened curtains as Himawari-san brought out a whiteboard and a few textbooks. He tried to listen to what they were talking about, putting his poor lip reading skills to use.

He knew that it was fun though. Watching Himawari-san teach Sasuke who listened attentively made him realize that he could never sit still during any lesson at the academy. He was always hit with a ruler for looking away from the board, and was forced to carry the textbooks above his head in the corner of the room if he started bouncing his legs and playing with his supplies.

Himawari-san answered every question Sasuke had; she made examples on the white board, drew things carefully, explained it in many ways all while Sasuke nodded and copied it down in his own notebook. 

Naruto wanted a teacher like that. He wanted someone to be patient with him, answering his questions just as enthusiastically as he had asked them. He wished he had someone who was willing to dumb things down for his sake until he understood what was being taught.

He was jealous of Sasuke again, and he couldn’t help it. Why was Sasuke the one always getting every good thing? 

Sasuke could call Himawari-san his guardian without the villagers scoffing in disgust and disbelief. Sasuke could mess up on his homework and Himawari-san would never punish him by making him hold up books until his hands shook and he dropped it on his head. Sasuke could ask Himawari-san to teach him something cool, and she would, unlike when Naruto asked his teachers if he could learn how to fight.

Why did he want to learn how to fight?

They always asked that question, and he knew that they knew the answer to it.

He wanted to protect himself. He wanted to be able to fight against the people that hurt him so he wouldn’t have to limp back home while crying. He wanted to be stronger instead of a little nuisance like everyone saw him as.

He wanted to be Uzumaki Naruto—a strong, reliable person and ninja. Even if he wasn’t a ninja, he would just like to be seen as a person for once. A person who wouldn’t be pushed over and beat up into submission.

He clenched his fists and bit at his lip until the taste of copper flowed into his mouth. He knew it would heal over soon enough, it didn’t matter as he watched with envy as Himawari-san placed a bowl of fruits in front of Sasuke while he took a break.

Setting his bag down, Naruto opened it to find his own container of fruits. He stared at it, knowing that Himawari-san took her time cutting the strawberries in funny little shapes just as he liked them. His shoulders shook.

“What are you doing out here, little guy?” 

Naruto screamed as he scampered into the wall. He stared at her with fearful eyes, anticipating when she would snap and yell at him for skipping school. That’s what parents do, he’s seen Kiba get shouted out a lot because of it, and he was scared. 

“Himawari-san! I—“ He bit his lip, already gearing up to cry as multiple scenarios played in his head. Would she hit him like the teachers did? Would she twist his ear like Kiba’s Momma did? Would she yank him away while shouting loudly like Shikamaru’s Momma did? 

She stooped down in front of him, her arms resting calmly on her knees as she waited for him to answer.

“I was going to go to school, I swear! I just forgot something and—“ He stammered out, his voice disappearing as he started itching his hand where the teachers kept hitting him. He could feel the sharp sting of the metal ruler.

“Come on inside, I think it’s too late for you to go to school.” She checked her watch, “it’s already lunch time.”

How long has he been standing outside watching them? He swore it had only been a few minutes; he didn’t plan on being out there for so long. He promised himself that he would watch for a little bit and run to school.

“Are you not going to shout at me? Or hit me?” He whispered.

“Why would I do that?”

“I skipped school.”

“Hm.” She picked up his opened lunch box, and his bag. “Well, I am a little upset that you did that, but I’m not going to go to such extreme measures just because of it. I was thinking, maybe ‘no staying up this weekend’ as your punishment.” She tilted her head once she realized that he wasn’t following her. “Are you coming inside to eat or not?”

Naruto’s lip quivered, his eyes watered, and he blinked. “I’m coming.” He whispered, and pulled his shirt over his face as he began to cry. “Just wait for me, Himawari-san.” 

“You’ll fall if you cover your face like that, Naruto.” She waited for him to walk in front of her before directing him carefully into the house. “I’ll let you clean your face, we’ll be in the dining room, alright?”

“Mhm.”

Himawari looked at him and frowned. She let out a sigh and walked into the kitchen, ignoring Sasuke who stared at her with questioning eyes. 

“Isn’t that Naruto’s bag?” He finally asked as she put it to hang beside his own, and placed the lunch box on the table.

“It is. He’s back from school early.”

“Did something happen?”

“I guess he’s not feeling too well.” She lied. “Is it okay if he sits around while we continue your lessons?”

“That’s fine.” Sasuke continued eating his egg rolls and fried rice. He only stopped again when Naruto walked into the dining room with a new shirt on and his hair slightly wet from washing his face. “Hi.”

Naruto only waved, and settled into his seat where his unpacked lunch was waiting for him. It was warmed up, and his warm juice box was replaced by a colder one. He stared at his meal, and took multiple glances at Sasuke who was occupied with filling out whatever questions Himawari-san had given him during his earlier lessons.

“Naruto, are you going to join us for some training or do you want to take a nap?”

“Training?” He looked up, “I thought we don’t do training until we’re older.”

“Himawari-san thinks that that’s wrong.” Sasuke informed him, “I’m just learning the really important things before we actually train.”

“Okay! I…I want to train too.”

Himawari looked at her watch again, “you have a few minutes to eat.”

“Isn’t it bad to eat and then train? It’s like swimming.”

“Where’d you learn that?”

He blushed, “one of my books…”

“You’re right, you shouldn’t do that if you’re doing rigorous training. Do you know how long you should wait before you do intense training after eating?”

“Maybe an hour?”

“A little bit more, but it all depends on how much you’re eating and what you’re doing. Usually, I wouldn’t advise training as soon as you’re done eating, but Sasuke’s lessons don’t involve any crazy things so it’s alright.”

“Is that why you always pack light snacks for me? We usually have our sparring tests after lunch. The other kids have really big meals, and sometimes they complain about tummy problems.”

“Sasuke.” Himawari called out. 

“Can you share what you observed, Naruto?” Sasuke perked up as she called his name. 

“Huh? Oh…” He furrowed his eyebrows as he slowly picked at his food and ate. “It’s only the civilian kids who have that problem. The other children don’t complain about that because they have things like sandwiches, or fruits and granola bars before then.”

“What else?” Himawari urged him on.

“They have a lot of energy for sparring, and they win most of the time because their opponent gets tired from all the food they ate.” Naruto was quiet for a second. “How come I always get tired before then though? If they started slacking off because of all the food, why was I too slow when I ate less?”

“Do you want to answer that, Sasuke?”

He nodded. “That’s because you didn’t have the right things in your body. You weren’t eating; it has the same effect as eating too much.”

“Why?” Naruto itched his cheek.

“When you run, you’re burning energy, right?”

He nodded.

“When your body doesn’t have enough to use, you get tired faster. Not eating makes you too slow as a shinobi, just like eating too much. You need to find a balance.” Sasuke stopped himself from turning to Himawari for her approval. She’s been trying to get him to stop being uncertain about himself whether that was in the field or answering questions. 

“Do you understand, Naruto?” Himawari asked.

“I think I get it.”

“Have you gone over the food groups and a shinobi’s diet at school yet?” 

“I think I missed that.”

“It was a long time ago.” Sasuke answered, “I think you should teach him about it, Himawari-san. Naruto only ate ramen before you started helping him.”

“What’s wrong with ramen?” Naruto pouted.

“Too much salt.” Sasuke stared at him in disbelief, “you need to eat a lot of other things too. You’re lucky Himawari-san cooks all sorts of things, if you ate only ramen, I’m sure you would have stayed short forever.”

“Hey! I’m not short.”

“You’re shorter than me.”

Himawari watched them go back and forth while they finished their food. She smiled, and ignored the pang in her heart once she realized what she was getting herself into. “Come on, boys, let’s move things to the backyard.”

How many times was he going to sneak around and watch Himawari-san? Naruto sat on the stairs, staring through the wooden railing, watching as Himawari sat at the table with her head down a bit. He should be asleep, he knew that, but he had a question that he wanted to ask her.

He just didn’t expect to find her sitting there with such a sad look on her face as her shoulders shook a little bit. Naruto realized then that he’s never seen Himawari-san cry. 

She was always smiling at them, and speaking with a calming voice that he didn’t think that there would be a moment where she would look so distraught while she cried. Her hands gripped her chest, hitting it occasionally as she cried as quietly as she could.

His grip on the railing got tighter, angry at whatever made Himawari-san so upset. She lifted her head, staring at the ceiling as tears rolled down her cheeks and pooled at the collar of her sleepwear.

Himawari-san pushed her hands into her eyes, muttering something under her breath. Naruto could only make out the words of an apology, and blame. He wondered if she lost someone, or a few people.

Has Sasuke ever seen Himawari-san like this? Probably not, not when he was always her priority and she always made sure he was okay. Doing anything could trigger Sasuke, Naruto learned that whenever he watched him cry and thrash around after his nightmares. 

“Himawari-san.” He couldn’t stop himself from approaching her. He held the edge of the table, not stepping any closer as he stared at her. “Are you okay?”

She looked at him with exhausted eyes; ones filled with hurt and envy, which were quickly washed over by absolute fear. Not because of him, but something else. He knew she wasn’t scared of him, there was a sense of familiarity that covered her like a blanket; she looked at him as though she was looking at someone she knew and loved for years.

“I’m okay, Naruto.” She choked out his name, and ignored the fresh tears that fell from her eyes. Sniffling, she wiped her face quickly and cleared her throat. “Is there a problem?”

“I wanted to ask a question but I think Himawari-san needs to rest first.” He frowned.

“I’m okay.” She repeated, “what is it?”

He shuffled in his spot, then decided that sitting would hide his nervousness. He played with his fingers and swung his feet from side to side before he spoke up. “Can you teach me like Sasuke?”

Himawari straightened up. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to go to the academy anymore, I don’t learn anything there because the teachers don’t want to help me. I learned more with Himawari-san and Sasuke than I did with my teachers. I have Hinata and Ino now, I know, but that’s not the same. I just want to learn; I won’t cause any troubles for you! I will listen, study, and do my homework.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Naruto, I know you can learn when the person teaching you actually cares about your education.” She sighed, her shoulders feeling heavier. “But you understand that I can’t do anything even if I agree, right? The Hokage has to approve of it.”

“I’ll ask him.” Naruto muttered. “I’ll tell him that I thought about it for a while, and I really think you can teach me better.”

“That’s not something for you to—“

“I want to, and I will.” He stared her in the eyes, determination filling his system. “I will ask Hokage-sama, I will beg if I have to because I want you to teach me, Himawari-san.”

She rubbed her forehead, “alright. If the Hokage says it’s okay, then I’ll teach you.” The chances of the old man agreeing was very low. Adopting Naruto was one thing, teaching the jinchūriki was another. Who’s to say that her little scout [who was currently listening to them] wouldn’t triple and turn into a full squad if there was an agreement.

She couldn’t stand being under surveillance like this, especially when she knew that what she was doing for these kids was not wrong in the slightest. 

Naruto grinned and nodded enthusiastically. He calmed down after a bit, his excitement calming down into concern. “I hope you’re really okay, Himawari-san, I don’t like seeing you cry.”

She nodded, not having the heart to tell him that it was a regular occurrence of hers when she had enough alone time. Speaking of which, she needed to get him into bed and make sure that Sasuke was actually sleeping instead of waiting up for her like he did the last time she snuck out of the room.

“Let’s get you to bed. If you want to speak to the Hokage as soon as possible, you need to get up pretty early.” She stood up.

Naruto instantly attached himself to her side, holding her hand and giving it a small squeeze as she led him back up to his bed. “Goodnight, Himawari-san.”

“Goodnight, Naruto.”

In the morning, when he woke up, the sun hadn’t risen yet. Still, he heard some noises coming from the kitchen. Naruto was out of bed very quickly, he made it the way Himawari-san taught him, brushed his teeth and washed his face before heading downstairs.

She was already preparing breakfast, with a half asleep Sasuke at the table staring at her with half lidded eyes. Naruto knew that it was the normal arrangement around the house already; on days that Sasuke couldn’t sleep without Himawari-san, he would be in the kitchen sleeping at the table while she cooked.

“Good morning.” He whispered to a sleepy Sasuke who only groaned and closed his eyes.

“I told you that you should sleep on the couch, Sasuke.” Himawari smiled down at him as she placed a plate of pancakes in front of him. “Good morning, Naruto. I was going to wake you up in a bit to get you ready for your little mission, but you’re already awake.”

“Mission?” Sasuke opened his eyes a little bit wider. 

“Naruto has a meeting with the Hokage. We have to go along for a little support, and if we’re needed, but the real mission is for him.”

“You have to talk to the Hokage?” Sasuke still didn’t like the old man, there was just something about him that made his guts twist. 

“Mhm!”

“Are you scared?”

“A little bit.” Naruto answered honestly, sipping on his hot chocolate. “I don’t really go to his office unless I’m in trouble. I don’t like going there, but this is important.”

“I see,” Sasuke pulled his own plate closer to eat only the tomato slices. 

“I’m going to get ready first while you two finish your breakfast, once you’re done, you need to take a bath and get changed.”

“It’s so early.” Sasuke complained.

“Someone decided that they wanted to tag along and watch me make breakfast instead of sleeping a little bit more.”

He pouted and groaned.

The time they spent eating and getting ready flew by really quickly. Naruto thought that it was just his nerves that caused the clock to tick so fast; when Himawari-san was fixing his hair, he couldn’t help but stare at the clock. An appointment was set for them early because Himawari-san sent a notice right after she put him to bed. He didn’t know whether to thank her or regret ever bringing it up.

The walk to the tower was even more nerve wracking, he didn’t care about the stares of the villagers, probably shocked that he was so well put together. He didn’t even realize that they arrived until his name was called and Himawari-san, along with Sasuke, gave him a thumbs up and wished him luck.

Standing in front of the Hokage for such an important reason—not saying that the previous occasions where he was standing there because he messed up at school wasn’t as important—made his stomach drop to his feet. He shuffled in his spot, looked everywhere but the Hokage, and kept blinking rapidly.

“What’s the reason you wanted to talk to me, Naruto?”

He opened and closed his mouth, trying his hardest to find the right words. Stuttering through his words, he began to speak. “I came because I wanted to leave the academy and get home schooled.”

“Home schooled? Who will be teaching you?”

“Himawari-san. I asked her before I came here if it was alright. I didn’t want to be a burden and decide things without her accepting. She told me that I should ask you first, so she’s waiting outside.” He shuffled in his spot. “I thought about it for a while, and this is something that I want. I also think it would be very ben…benef…”

“Beneficial.”

“Yeah that, I think it would be beneficial for me.”

“Why? You have your teachers at the school who are more equipped to teach you.”

Naruto twisted his hands in his shirt, then smoothed it out knowing that Himawari-san had pressed it well for this occasion. He didn’t want to put wrinkles in it because of how nervous he was. “The teachers don’t help me, even when I ask for it.”

“Hm. Your grades are seeing an increase, is that not because of—“

“No. It’s because Himawari-san, Sasuke, Hinata and Ino are helping me with my work. She teaches me something new and tries to explain things so I can understand it. I’ve learned more from Himawari-san than I’ve learned from my teachers.”

“Hinata and Ino are still at the academy. Will you not miss your friends?”

“Sasuke is also my friend. Learning with him will be okay. Hinata and Ino also come over sometimes so I’ll be okay.”

The Hokage motioned for the door to be opened. Himawari-san and Sasuke walked in quickly, and greeted the Hokage before they joined Naruto.

“Himawari-san, Naruto tells me that he wants you to homeschool him, just as you are homeschooling Sasuke, are you aware of this?”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.”

“How do you feel about this, Sasuke?”

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, then the Hokage. “Learning with Naruto will help me be a better friend.” He didn’t mind it when Naruto took a step closer to his side. “He asks questions that I don’t ask, and I know some of the answers so I can help him when Himawari-san can’t.”

The Hokage stared at them, then the file in front of him. “Hm. Well, I’ll have to ask your teachers their opinions on the matter, then I’ll decide if this is the best course of action for everyone involved. I appreciate you having the courage to come here and ask for permission, Naruto.”

“What does that mean?” Naruto whispered to Sasuke.

“He’ll think about it. It’s not a yes just yet, but it’s not a no either.” Sasuke answered. 

“Okay.” He sighed, “thank you for seeing us, Hokage-sama.” Naruto bowed, and was quickly joined by Sasuke and Himawari-san.

“I’ll send a notice when a decision has been made. You are dismissed.”

Himawari quickly ushered them out and shared a glance with the Hokage before closing the door. As soon as they stepped out into the hall, she smiled at the tired look on Naruto’s face.

“That was scary.” He admitted.

“You’ll have to get used to it if you want to be a ninja.” Himawari said, “come, we need to get you both changed out of these clothes and start your morning lessons.”

“Uh, Himawari-san, don’t I have to go to school?” Naruto asked.

She placed her finger on her lips, “we can just say you haven’t been feeling well while we wait for confirmation.”

A mischievous smile spread on his face. “Okay!”

“Naruto, can you see who’s at the door? Don’t open it if you don’t know, just check through the window.” Himawari called from the bathroom. She was currently occupied with getting Sasuke cleaned after one of his episodes. 

“I got it!” He called out.

She checked her wrist watch and sighed. “I think that Utaha-san is here.” She muttered.

Sasuke stared at her with red, puffy eyes. 

“She’s just here for the next follow up appointment, remember? I’m glad that she came since we can’t go all the way there with Naruto.”

“Why?” Sasuke muttered.

“He’s not allowed outside of the village, for political reasons. If we left with him, they’d say it was a kidnapping and I’d get charged.” She lifted him out of the water and patted his face and hair dry. She frowned as she stared at the gashes on his thigh. 

“Himawari-san! There’s this lady with pink and black hair with weird things on her face waiting outside! I don’t know her.”

“Lady with pink…” She raised her eyebrow. “Can you head to the bedroom? I’ll be right back.” She wrapped him with the towel and watched him shuffle out of the bathroom. “I’m coming, Naruto.” 

She walked down the stairs, and met the blond boy at the bottom. His hair was a mess, filled with ribbons that he had been playing around with. She shook her head in disbelief.

“Who is that lady?”

“I’m not sure if the person I have in mind is the one outside the door.” She opened the door a fraction and stared at the woman with widened eyes. “Utaha-san?”

“Ah, Himawari-san! I thought I had the wrong house since no one answered.”

“Sorry, I thought you were someone else. You don’t look like the woman from…”

Utaha laughed, “sorry, yeah, that time I was wearing a wig, and these things weren’t there.” She pointed at the piercings under her lips. “I figured that if we wanted to have a more casual meeting, I should get a little comfortable instead of looking like a doctor. Can I come in?”

“Oh? Oh! Yes, sorry.” Himawari opened the door a little bit wider. “You can use my slippers since all the other ones are for the kids.”

“Thank you.” Utaha smiled again, and changed out of her sandals. She looked into the house and immediately spotted the mop of blond hair with colourful pieces of fabric intertwined with the strands. She waved. 

“I’m a little busy getting Sasuke ready, for now, you can get comfortable in the living room.” Himawari showed her the way.

“Who’s the little guy?” She asked, once again catching a glimpse of Naruto who had run to hide somewhere else.

“That’s Naruto, he’s another one I’m looking after. Naruto, can you please greet Utaha-san properly?”

He peeked out from behind the wall, “welcome, Utaha-san.” He bowed his head a little bit.

“Thanks for having me, Naruto.”

“Can you get Utaha-san something to snack on while I finish with Sasuke?” Himawari asked.

“Mhm.” Naruto quickly ran to the kitchen. He pulled out the container of cut fruits meant to make fruit salads, and quickly put some into a bowl. He grabbed a bottle of water, and a small fork for her as well. “Here you go, Utaha-san.” He announced his arrival as he placed everything on the coffee table.

He sat on the floor on the other side of the coffee table, and stared at her hair in wonder. He’s never seen a woman with the sides of her head shaved that way. Now that he looked properly, the entirety of her head was shaved except the top of her head and her bangs.

“What are those?” He pointed at his mouth.

“They’re piercings.”

“Did they hurt?”

“A little bit.”

“…They look cool.”

“You think so?”

“Mhm!”

“We’re back.” Himawari announced, walking into the living room with Sasuke’s hand held in her own. “Naruto, can you take your things into the dining room and play there? Utaha-san needs to speak with Sasuke alone.”

“Oh, okay!”

“I’d want to speak with Naruto as well at some point if that’s okay?”

“That’s fine!” Naruto called out before Himawari could speak. “I’ll leave now.” He skipped to the dining room and left them in the living room.

Utaha looked at Sasuke and smiled. “Hey, buddy, do you recognize me?”

“No.” Sasuke sat beside Himawari, even if he had to squeeze himself into her side. He didn’t really mind that part. 

“No one does.” She laughed, “I’m the doctor you spoke to last time.”

“Oh.”

“I just want to do a wellness check, then continue where we left off, if that’s okay? Just like last time, you don’t have to answer everything unless you want to.”

“Okay.”

“Good. Let’s start with the really simple questions; how have you been since last time?” She took out a notebook from her satchel and began writing down his answers. “Have you been eating okay? Finishing all your meals?”

“Sometimes.”

“That’s good, it’s better than last time. How about sleeping?”

“He’s been having a tough week, but he’s scaling it significantly lower than before.” Himawari answered for him. “He still sleeps with me.”

“I see, alright. Have you tried using a weighted stuffed animal? It tends to help a little bit whenever a child is struggling to sleep. It helps some adults too.” She smiled. “It would be a good idea to purchase one and try it out until our next meeting.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Tell me, Sasuke, how has the week been? Can you describe it for me?”

He played with his shirt. “I see things sometimes.”

“What things?”

“My family. They’re watching me; and they’re trying to warn me about him. Telling me to run away and hide.”

“What do they look like?”

“Bloody…” He winced. “They’re covered in blood.”

“Hallucinations? Himawari-san, you told me that he was put into a temporary coma where he was replaying the memories of that night, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Seems like we’re dealing with delusions here, and it’s only happened this week? I imagine you have vivid memories, especially from that night. Can you recall anything before that?”

Sasuke shook his head. “Only that.”

Utaha itched the tip of her nose and sighed. “Alright, you’ve been doing very good with these questions, Sasuke, so let’s move on to something else. Can you tell me what happened?” She pointed at his freshly bandaged thigh.

“I saw him.”

“Ah.” He didn’t say his name, but she knew who he was referring to. “Does seeing him make you want to hurt yourself? Or when you think about him?”

Sasuke was slow to answer. “Yeah.”

“Can you describe what’s going on in your head when that happens?”

He swallowed hard, his breathing getting heavier as he dug himself further into Himawari’s side. He felt her hand caress his back as she whispered for him to breathe and take his time. “I need to kill him. He hurt my family, I have to kill him so he doesn’t hurt them again. I’m too weak, I can’t do anything, but I don’t want him to kill them.”

“Your new family, or your old one?”

Sasuke looked at her, then Himawari. He turned his head towards the dining room where he knew Naruto sat. He faced the window, his mind far away as he thought about Hinata and Ino as well. “Both.”

“I understand.” Utaha wrote something down. “Let’s move on to a much more pleasant topic. Can you tell me what your favourite thing is? It could be anything.”

“…When Himawari-san makes tomato soup with grilled cheese, and dinosaurs. I like black and purple, blue is cool too…I like reading sometimes, and training.”

“What are your favourite books to read?”

“I can’t read the bigger books yet, maybe a little chapter book, but I have to write down words I don’t know.”

“That’s actually a very good practice, there are words even us adults don’t know either. Even then, what books are you mostly interested in?”

“Fantasy…Mystery?”

“Those are good. Do you like daydreaming? Or coming up with your own fantasy stories?”

He shook his head, “I can’t daydream.”

“Why is that?”

“They ruin it.”

“The ghosts?”

He nodded. “They always appear when I try to daydream.”

She wrote something down. “Do you have a better time daydreaming when you’re reading? Does it play in your head while you read along? Do they appear then?”

“I do imagine things better when I’m reading, and if I focus on the words then I can ignore them if they appear.”

“Mhm.” She smiled at him, “thank you for answering my questions. I’m going to need to speak with Himawari-san and then Naruto, can you give me a second alone with her?”

Sasuke was reluctant to leave but did so when Himawari gave him his dinosaur plush. She reassured him and told him that she will come get him when it’s over.

“He answered all the questions himself this time.” Utaha said, “which is a big step from the first meeting. I suppose living with you is helping him more than anyone might have thought. You’re doing a good job at handling the self harming, and I have nothing else to add except for that weighted stuffed animal. I would have suggested a blanket instead, but he seems attached to stuffed animals specifically.”

Himawari sighed, “I didn’t know about the ghosts.”

“He keeps that to himself, doesn’t he?” It was a rhetorical question. “He would, since seeing ghosts is not really a normal thing. As I said, we might be dealing with delusions here, it might be temporary, it might be permanent, we need to work that into his current situation. Keep an eye out for any signs of him blanking out. Is he in school?”

“He’s being homeschooled.”

“Ah, I’m glad that I didn’t have to raise that concern. Some parents choose to withdraw the child until they recover, I see you’ve already taken that measure. Alright, I think that’s all I have to say to you, Himawari-san. Just continue what you’ve been doing, and notify me if there’s any emergencies.”

Himawari nodded and smiled. “Would you like me to get Naruto?”

“Yes, please.”

She excused herself and quickly fetched the blond boy.

Naruto was nervous as he approached the woman again. He settled himself back in his original spot on the floor and smiled at her while he itched his cheek. “Why do you want to talk to me?”

“It’s about Sasuke.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

“What do you think about him?”

“Sasuke…Sasuke is in pain all the time. He doesn’t like showing Himawari-san but sometimes he would be too sick to talk. I think he doesn’t want to make Himawari-san worry too much, but she’s always doing that.” He thought back to seeing her cry. “He has a lot of sadness, and when he used to go to school, and something bad happened, he’d always scream. I want to help him, I just don’t know how.”

“Believe it or not, Naruto, being his friend, is very helpful.”

“It is?”

“Mhm. People like Sasuke sometimes have trouble making friends and keeping them, especially when he’s not feeling so well. Does he lash out at you?”

“Lash out?”

“Like yelling and screaming mean things at you?”

“There was one time we went to the park with Hinata and Ino, they’re our other friends, and something happened. He said he would kill me.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”

“I know, it made me upset, and then I was scared for Sasuke. It’s not the first time he said that; he told our teacher that too, and another classmate. That’s why Himawari-san took him out of school.”

“Do you think that was a good idea? Or should Sasuke be around other children again?”

“I think Sasuke needs to take a break before he meets the others again. Ya’know, children are weird, Utaha-san. Some of them like touching and poking things, even if they’re older than us or our age. They touch, and touch, and then something breaks. I don’t want them to touch Sasuke and break him again.”

“I understand. That’s a little frustrating, isn’t it? Seeing other people not care like you do. Thank you for being Sasuke’s friend and wanting to help him. I think he can get better with you nearby.”

“Really?”

“Just keep a look out for him, he’ll need someone to help him when Himawari-san can’t. Don’t stress yourself out either, little guy, you’re a kid too. Just make sure Sasuke also behaves like a kid and not an adult. Have fun with him, invite him to play, do silly little things like play pretend.”

Naruto nodded, “okay, I can do that.”

“Good. Thank you for talking to me and telling me the truth. You can tell Himawari-san that I left, I’ll send notice for our next meeting once I get back home.”

“Do you live far?”

“A little bit?”

“Have a safe trip then, Utaha-san. Thank you for helping Sasuke.”

They both stood up, and she quickly said goodbye. Naruto waited at the door, watching her through the glass until she disappeared down the street.

“Himawari-san, Utaha-san left!” Naruto called out. He ran into the kitchen to see Sasuke sitting on the counter while he drank some juice. “She’s a really nice doctor. Do you like her, Sasuke?”

“She’s okay.”

“I want piercings like her.” Naruto marvelled.

“Nuh uh, little guy.” Himawari immediately shook her head. “‘Not until you’re much older.”

“No fair!”

“I want a piercing.”

Himawari looked at Sasuke in disbelief. “That rule goes for you too.”

Sasuke smiled behind his juice box. “That’s okay, I can wait.”

“Hokage-sama, you can’t possibly think that this is a good idea? Taking Naruto out of the system and entrusting his education to a mere civilian is insanity!”

“Is that not what we do at the academy?” Hiruzen looked up from the files he was checking, barely glancing at Inu who watched him in disbelief and mute rage. “We gather these children and let mere civilian shinobi, a rank just above our genin, teach them because no clan shinobi will offer their time to do so. You know this, Inu-san.”

“But still! You asked me to watch this woman for a month, and nothing has happened. Now you’re letting her train our jinchūriki? Knowing that there are people out there who are ready to steal him away?”

“I know you don’t see him that way, Inu, you’ve never been able to see Naruto just as the jinchūriki. Your anger is rooted in jealousy, in fear that he would soon join his parents if you’re not the one in charge of him. But you know you’re not capable of taking care of a child, not with your condition.”

“Then why must I watch her? Why are you putting me on surveillance duty over her and the Uchiha child when I can be of service by watching Naruto?”

“You will betray your post and approach the boy.” Hiruzen gave him a knowing look. “I can not allow that to happen.”

“So you let him live alone, you let him struggle when I can—“

“As I said, you are unfit to be the boy’s guardian.”

“And Jiraiya?”

“He is carrying out a mission.”

Inu bowed their head, then clenched their fist. “So you’re letting this civilian train him, teaching him, why? And why am I left to watch it happen?”

“Do you not understand, Inu? You can not interfere with the boy, but you can watch him easily if she trains him. You can see her true intentions.”

“By handing her the vessel?”

“Precisely. I wish for you to drop this conversation, the decision is final and I’ve already sent her a letter about the approval. Naruto’s education will continue with her, I’m already seeing promising results with Sasuke, I would like to see what she can do with Naruto.”

“Hokage-sama—“

“The first evaluation is coming before winter, you will make your official judgement about my decision then. For now, you are dismissed. I’m expecting this week’s report on my desk by Sunday.”

“Understood.”

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 7 — Stone Heart

“Dismantle it.” 

Hinata scrambled to stand up, tripping over her own feet before she got to the dummy. Working as fast as she could, she took off the flak jacket, and the weapon pouches before dropping everything to the floor.

“Too slow, get back to your position.”

She ran back to sit down, and clenched her fists as she watched them put the different layers back onto the dummy.

“Dismantle it.”

She did as she was asked.

“You’re still too slow, get back to your position.”

Over and over again, she had to dismantle the dummy; getting rid of its weapons and anything it wore. Her hands became too sweaty to unzip the jacket, and her fingers shook as she tried to undo the straps of the ninja pouches.

She was a failure.

“You will not be leaving here until you dismantle it within a minute, do you understand?”

“Yes, father.” She muttered, feeling her eyes sting as sweat rolled down her forehead. She ignored the growling of her stomach. She did not deserve to eat if she could not dismantle an enemy.

Hinata’s legs gave out not long after, she fell face first into the dummy’s chest, sending pain coursing through her head as she blinked away her blurry vision.

“I’m hungry.” She stammered, “Pa—Father, please.”

“Get up.”

She stood up straight, her world swaying into focus while she dug her palm into the side of her abdomen. The pain in her stomach barely subsided as her body begged for something to eat. They’ve been at it since school ended, she hasn’t eaten dinner yet, and she skipped lunch earlier. 

“Dismantle—“

She fell to her knees, her head bowed in shame as she sobbed. “I can’t do it.”

“You’re not leaving here until—“

She pressed her forehead against the tatami mat, “please, I’m hungry.” She heard him scoff and internally flinched.

“Get up.”

Hinata raised her head.

“Let’s move on to your spars.”

She wanted to scream. Her body was too tired for sparring; her energy was low, she couldn’t focus, and fuck that stupid dummy for staring at her blankly like they all did. She couldn’t do it, they all knew that she couldn’t. She wasn’t the best fighter—she wasn’t really good at anything except for begging and crying like a baby.

She stood up and got into position, knowing that this wasn’t a spar. She ran at him, chakra lightly coating her hands because she didn’t want to hurt him. That sentiment was never shared by her father, even when she grovelled in pain, collapsing within seconds as her body convulsed, he never cared about whether or not she was hurt.

Strike after strike, in places she knew that bruises would form, Hinata wondered if her life was meant to be that way. Was she meant to be the family’s disgrace? The failure while her sister and cousin continue to gain praise? Was Neji right about her? 

She should have gotten that seal placed on her forehead. She should have been born within the Branch House; maybe then these expectations would escape her. 

She coughed as she fell to the floor, her body aching all over as her tenketsu weaped. Her father stood over her, she could see his shadow stretching to meet the wall.

“Get yourself cleaned, your dinner will be waiting in your room.”

“Yes, father.” She croaked out, yet she didn’t move.

Not until he left her alone to pick herself off the floor. Hinata pulled up the sleeves of her shirt, staring at the pink dots covering her arms from the constant usage of her Gentle Fist. She wasn’t able to use it for very long yet, and holding back her chakra was proving to be more dangerous.

Running a sweaty hand through her damp hair, she stood up and grabbed her things. Dragging them around the Hyūga compound, Hinata didn’t bother going up the stairs to her bedroom like her father expected her to.

She walked past the gates, ignoring the skeptical looks she got from those on duty, and headed towards the village.

Living so far was great for a secluded family like her own, it wasn’t imposed on them like the Uchiha, rather, it was just a personal preference that’s been passed down from the elders. She wouldn’t have minded living so far if it wasn’t so exhausting to be within the compound.

Her tears have already run dry, there was no reason for her to cry as she dragged her feet towards the familiar house. It was already late at night; the sun had set, and the moon was the only source of natural light.

The market district was vacant with only the shinobi sector being alive at this hour. She walked through without much thought, ignoring the drunken laughters of shinobi who have returned after long missions. 

Hinata stopped once she got to the fence surrounding this house. She held onto the gate, staring at the singular lit area in the quiet house. Opening the gate quietly, she made her way to the front door and knocked on it. 

The sight of Himawari-san, standing there with her hair a mess, made Hinata feel more pathetic.

“I’m sorry I woke you up.” She looked away, “I’ll leave you—“ She was already gearing up to head back home, even though the thought of going all the way back there made her pause in her step.

“Come in.” Himawari stepped to the side, motioning for her to make her way to the kitchen. “I’ll warm up some food and get the bath ready, you must be hungry.”

She’s never shown up to Himawari-san’s house looking like this; like she just got beaten to a pulp with her face swollen from her crying. The analogy wasn’t exactly wrong either. A part of her felt embarrassed for looking the way she did, she could have at least taken a shower before leaving the compound.

“Thank you, Himawari-san.” She stuttered. “The boys must be sleeping.”

“They are.” She filled a bowl with some leftovers from dinner and put it to heat up in the microwave. “Don’t worry about waking them up.”

“What about Sasuke? Hasn’t he noticed that you’re not in bed?”

“We got him a new plush that will help him. I won’t leave him for too long, but I think he’d be okay for a few minutes.” Himawari smiled, “here you go. I’ll get the bath and your bed ready.”

Hinata nodded in understanding, and thanked her again as she ate her food. All the while she spaced out, she was deep in thought as she listened to the sound of running water. 

She realized that she hasn’t been able to come over as much as she used to, and the only times she saw Himawari-san now was if she was at the library, or when she wasn’t expected at home for training. 

Hinata didn’t know why—she never knew the reason for anything—her father decided to increase her training. Was it because the accident at school was reported? She kept the accident to herself, nevertheless, the teachers were obligated to inform the parents of any mishaps that take place on school grounds.

It was just her luck that Hiashi was her parent and not someone nicer. She was sure that if her Momma was alive, the training wouldn’t be so harsh or painful. 

Finishing her food and placing the dishes inside the sink, Hinata walked up the stairs and made a beeline to the bathroom. A change of clothes was set on the vanity, along with a towel and some lotion.

“Naruto is asleep in the room, if he wasn’t, I’d let you get dressed in there.” Himawari’s voice startled her. “Is it okay if I check your injuries today?”

Hinata nodded. She missed when Himawari-san checked to see if she was hurt anywhere. She knew that she could go to the woman at any time for her to do so, but she didn’t want to be a bother. Today was just…awful.

Taking her shirt and pants off, she stood in the middle of the bathroom and turned around as Himawari checked on her bruise.

“When was the last time?” She looked through the cupboards for some bandages and ointment with plans to clean her injuries after her bath. 

“Yesterday.” Hinata answered, staring at the thin red scabs on her stomach from her unorthodox soothing method. “I didn’t do it today because…”

“You didn’t have the time to.” Himawari finished for her. “Can you go a week without doing it?”

“I tried.” Her life was just shit and she felt so overwhelmed all the time. The only way for things to feel less drowning is for her to mark her skin and watch blood drip down her stomach. With every droplet of blood, she felt lighter and as if she could breathe again. “It’s just really hard.”

Himawari frowned. “I understand.” She nodded, “alright, you should wash up so I can patch you up before bed. I’ll be in my bedroom when you’re ready.” Himawari excused herself.

Hinata stared at her reflection in the mirror; all she could see was everything above her shoulders, and she was grateful. If she could see the rest of her body, she wouldn’t like it very much. It was covered in purple bruises, white lines from where her scars have healed completely, and her arms were still covered in pink dots. 

The sight of her would make her very uncomfortable, which was why she preferred covering it with so many layers of clothing. No one would see it, just like she wouldn’t see it. 

The bath was warm, and although the toys were there for her to use, she preferred to sit in the water while staring at the bubbles. She washed her hair, rinsed herself and got out very quickly. Getting herself ready was easy since she never really had anyone at home to help her with it unless it was a special day.

The shirt was too big for her and fell to her knees. She instantly knew that it was one of Himawari-san’s shirts because of the smell of lavender and baby powder forever intertwined with its threads. 

Once her hair was successfully blow dried, Hinata put everything away and cleaned up after herself.

“Himawari-san.” She whispered, standing in front of the opened bedroom door. “I’m finished.”

“Wait for me in the dining room.”

She nodded and headed downstairs. Not long after, the older woman came carrying the bandages and ointment she had put out. She sat down in front of her and held her hand open. Instantly placing her hand in her own, Hinata watched as she inspected it very carefully.

“Have you massaged your hands before?” Himawari asked, covering her hand with a generous amount of the calming balm before rotating her wrist and pulling her fingers gently.

“No.” Hinata felt her shoulders relax as her hands were massaged.

“You should do it often as a fighter. You don’t want your hand cramping and your muscles being tight while you’re fighting, right?” She turned her around to massage her back as well. “Making sure your muscles are relaxed before bed is a good thing too.”

“Himawari-san knows a lot.”

She laughed, “I do, don’t I? Come, stand up and lift up your shirt.”

Hinata did as she was asked, and winced once the ointment was applied to her cuts. “That stings.”

“It’s going to help it heal faster.”

“Aren’t you mad that I’m doing this?”

Himawari looked up at her for a second as she continued applying the balm. “I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at the people who’ve failed you and pushed you into doing it.” She grabbed the bandages and carefully began wrapping her abdomen. “I’m mad at every adult who sees children like you suffer, and they don’t do anything about it.”

“You’re mad at my Pappa?”

“Very.”

Hinata smiled shyly, “I’m mad at him too, but I can’t say anything or else…”

“Well, as long as you’re here, I’m not going to tell him anything you say. It will stay between us.”

“I wonder if he misses Momma.” Hinata mumbled, “maybe that’s why he’s always mad at me. Everyone says I look like my Momma but I don’t remember her much.”

“Do you think he’s seeing her in you?”

Hinata nodded, “maybe I shouldn’t have been born if I cause Pappa to feel this much pain. Momma would be alive if she only had one child.”

“Don’t say that, Hinata.”

“Hanabi is better.”

“Hinata.”

She looked up. 

“Don’t say that.” She cupped her face. “Never say that. It’s not your fault that you look like your Momma, it’s not your fault that she died, and your Pappa not being able to grieve properly isn’t your fault either.”

“But—“

“Hush. I don’t want to hear you say that ever again.” She pulled her into a hug. “Don’t ever think that you’re the problem.”

Hinata was slow to respond, “okay.”

“Let’s get you in bed since it’s getting late.”

“Okay.” 

Himawari gave her a sad smile and a firm nod. She led her back upstairs and into the shared bedroom. Himawari watched as she climbed into bed and made herself comfortable.

“Goodnight, Himawari-san.”

“Sleep well, Hinata.”

“What’s something you want to do?” Himawari asked as she sat across the three children currently sitting around the dining table with their noses buried in books.

Hinata looked up first, “are you talking to me, Himawari-san?”

“I’m asking all three of you. What’s something you want to accomplish in the future?” She pushed a fruit bowl towards each of them while she ate from her own. “For example, I want to witness all three of you grow up into something amazing—I want you to be happy.”

“That’s your dream?” Naruto asked her, “that’s really simple.”

“A dream doesn’t have to be very complicated. As long as it’s something you want to do, and you know you will be proud of it, that’s all that matters.”

“I want to protect everyone that’s precious to me, and give my family a proper send off when I’m older.” Sasuke said quietly. “I have another one but I’m not sure about it yet.”

“That’s good. Can I ask why you want to wait to accomplish the second part of your dream? Why must you wait until you’re older?”

“Uchiha traditions—I can’t do the ritual until I’m old enough.”

“How old?”

“Sixteen.”

“Ah.”

“I also want to be better than I am. Going there isn’t going to be good for me yet.” Sasuke admitted. “I might mess it up if…”

“I understand.” Himawari nodded, “what about you Naruto?”

The blond boy looked at Sasuke, then Hinata. “I just want to be a good ninja. I thought about being the Hokage, but if I can’t be a good ninja then I can’t do that.”

“Why the Hokage?”

He shrugged, “I…I wanted other people to see me at first, but I think I have another reason.” He glanced at Sasuke. “I want to make sure that no one ever feels like me, or any of us.”

“And you think being the Hokage would stop that?” Himawari watched him with a smile knowing that although the reason had changed compared to her Naruto, he was still passionate about the position. 

“It would be better to see what’s wrong if I was the leader, right? I can help all the children, and make things easier.”

He didn’t quite know that it was much easier said than done, but it was possible nonetheless, Himawari thought to herself as she nodded. “A good idea is to make friends along the way, maybe people who you relate to, so you don’t forget why you want to be the Hokage. Wanting to be recognized as a good ninja first is a wonderful start.”

Hinata held her breath once it was her turn to share what she wanted to do. In all honesty, she hadn’t really thought about it beyond getting her father to like her. Every goal of hers was tied to getting his approval and love, anything outside of that was never thought of.

Telling Himawari-san that wouldn’t be a good idea seeing as she seemed to dislike her father a little bit. The woman didn’t have to say it all the time, but she had a look on her face whenever she saw Hinata. It wasn’t anger, rather sadness and familiarity as if she understood what exactly Hinata was going through—funny.

“I…” She started, “I don’t know.”

“How about something simple?”

She turned to Sasuke and remembered the way he used to stare at her when they first spoke. “I want to get rid of my stutters.” She breathed out, wincing as the words tumbled out over themselves. 

“Does anyone know how to help her with that?”

“Hinata,” Naruto leaned over to catch her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Hm? I am.” She blushed and twisted her hands in the oversized shirt she was being swallowed by. She should bring some clothes with her next time. 

“No, I mean,” he looked at Himawari for help. “Are you okay with yourself?”

Hinata’s eyes widened before she understood what he was asking.

“Can you explain why you asked that question, Naruto?”

“I start stuttering when I’m scared of something, I think everyone does it for that reason, but Hinata is always stuttering. I asked because if Hinata is scared of herself then that explains why she’s stuttering all the time.” Naruto shared.

Sasuke nodded, “she stutters when she’s not sure.” He added, “I hated it before, but I noticed that she doesn’t stutter when she’s relaxed and happy. Well, she does but only a little bit.”

“What do you think, Hinata?” Himawari smiled at her, silently supporting her and letting her know that it’s okay to voice her own opinions.

“I think…Naruto and Sasuke are right.” She straightened her posture and cleared her throat. “I’m a little bit scared all the time, and I hate it because it makes me weak. Everybody hates it, I know that, and I try to stop it but it never works.” She appreciated how they waited for her to finish speaking. By now, her other classmates, or even her own family, would have left her sitting at the table to take care of more important things instead of listening to her trip over her words. “I don’t know what to do to stop it.”

“Stop being scared.” Himawari answered. “You’re not always going to be right about everything, and some people just don’t care to listen anyway. If you stop being scared about messing up, about being wrong or saying the wrong thing, then you’ll gain confidence in yourself. Confidence is what you lack, Hinata.”

“Is it not strength?” She poked her fingers together. The critique was always in regards to how weak she was, she didn’t think much about confidence since she was focused on getting much stronger.

“You’re already strong.” 

Hinata knew what she meant instantly. The times where Himawari-san cleaned her wounds, and listened to her speak about her training came to mind. Had anyone else experienced this, they would turn out just like her; a child who did not see any value in their life if they were too weak. Strength was the greatest asset of a Hyūga, she just never thought that she had it. 

“Oh.”

“It’s not going to happen overnight, it’s going to take a lot of practice, a lot of work, and you might hate it too. Nonetheless, if you want to get rid of your stutter, and be more confident in yourself, I believe you can do it.”

“Will you help me, Himawari-san?”

“We all will help you.”

Naruto nodded enthusiastically and Sasuke’s lips quirked up just a little bit as he smiled at her.

“How can I repay you for your kindness?” Surely there was something she could do to make up for being a burden this time. After all these months of seeing the older woman, relying on her and viewing her as someone she could trust, she felt the need to pay her back.

Himawari laughed and shook her head, “there’s nothing you have to pay back, Hinata, I’m not charging you anything for my help. I just want to make sure you, and these two—“ She pointed at Sasuke and Naruto. “—have the equipment you need to go further in life and be the best versions of yourselves.”

“Himawari-san is very kind.” Hinata whispered. She knew that for a while now, yet she couldn’t help but be amazed by it every single time.

“She is.” Naruto agreed, “I like her!”

Sasuke stared at them, and back at Himawari who caught his gaze. His cheeks flushed red and he looked away. “Me too.”

Ino watched both dark haired individuals while she sat on the patio. A blanket was thrown over her shoulders, shielding her from the late autumn wind. Munching on another bag of chips, she expressed her amazement while watching Hinata train.

She decided to tag along for the day, having nothing better to do at home and she was curious as to why Hinata came to school seeming a little bit more relaxed than usual. Turns out, she would spend after school training with Himawari-san instead of going straight home—it did wonders to elevate her mood when she wasn’t dealing with her father.

Of course, that called Ino into question multiple times by her father. She was starting to get tired of the frequent questions which shifted from Himawari-san to what was happening at the house. She didn’t know the answer beyond the usual ‘we just hang out’, so here she was, on a Sunday, watching Hinata train while storing things away for later in case her stupid old man asked again.

The training didn’t look too bad from where she sat, she definitely didn’t find it crazy that Himawari-san was teaching Hinata something like flexibility [the way her body moved was insane, that shouldn’t be normal], that didn’t mean she was all too eager to join when Hinata asked if she wanted to. 

Ino was somewhat familiar with the Gentle Fist, Hinata would show her a few katas when they hung out in the training grounds after school. She expected Hinata to focus on those skills, she just never heard of a Hyūga fighting with anything but their hands. Himawari-san was a different matter altogether it seemed, since she sat down on the patio, she hadn’t seen the woman call for Hinata to use that cool technique of hers.

“Himawari-san, I’m tired.” Hinata turned her head a little bit, her leg still placed on the wooden post that was taller than her. It looked like it hurt, but she didn’t seem to be in pain.

“Can you take one more step? Then we’ll stop for a short break before we continue.”

Hinata bit her lip, then shuffled her foot a little bit closer until she felt a stretch in her hamstrings. “This is as far as I can go.”

“Hold it for ten seconds.” Himawari started counting down for her, “release.”

Hinata set her foot down and sighed. She knew she was going to be sore in her legs in the morning since she just widened the range of her splits today. Soon, she’d be able to kick way over her head without bending her back or knees. 

“Good job!” Ino shouted.

She smiled widely and made her way to her friend. 

“I’m curious,” she handed her a water bottle. “Why are you doing flexibility training?”

“It gives you a wider range of motion.” Himawari answered before Hinata could. “It also opens up the possibility to learn any other kata beyond the basics, especially foreign ones.”

“I thought you were sticking with the Gentle Fist?”

“I am,” Hinata nodded, “I want to try other things too.”

“Ooh, like what?” Ino skipped at her side.

Both girls settled at the table for Hinata’s break while Himawari went to check up on the boys. She didn’t miss Hinata’s answer to that question.

“Weapons.”

That was something to store away for later, Himawari thought. She forgot that there was a point in time where she was curious about using some sort of weapon to help with her inability to use her Gentle Fist properly. She supposed that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to actually do it this time, even though it wouldn’t be herself [this was getting confusing, Hinata was her and she was Hinata…]. 

“You pussy!”

Himawari blinked as she opened the bedroom door to see Naruto standing with his fists clenched while Sasuke sat on the lower bunk.

“Naruto.”

The boy turned around with fear in his eyes.

“Where’d you hear that word?”

“I…” He looked down. “From the villagers.”

“I don’t want to hear you say that ever again, especially at this age. What caused the outburst?”

“I accidentally stepped on his plush and he got mad at me for it even though I apologized!”

“You could have hurt him!”

“It’s not real!”

“I know that, I’m not stupid!”

“Then stop calling it ‘him’, it doesn’t have feelings.” Naruto huffed.

“You wouldn’t like it if I stepped on that stupid fox.”

“The fox isn’t stupid!”

“Both of you, stop!”

They clamped their mouths shut.

“Sasuke, if Naruto apologized for stepping on the plush, then you shouldn’t be mad at him. He said it wasn’t his intention. Naruto, I would prefer it if we didn’t jump to the name calling because of the matter. The both of you, apologize to each other.”

“But—“

“Now.” She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow, patiently waiting for them to defy her request.

“I’m sorry for stepping on Dino, and for calling you a bad word, Sasuke.” 

“I’m sorry for calling your fox ‘stupid’ and getting mad at you even though you said ‘sorry’ really fast.”

“If you’re really okay with the apologies you heard, shake hands.” Himawari watched them pout as they shook their hands and separated. “Good, now, I came here to ask you what you wanted for lunch.”

“Can we eat mashed potatoes with chicken?” Sasuke perked up.

“Is that okay with you, Naruto?”

“Can we get chips as a snack after?”

“That’s fine.”

“Then I agree with Sasuke.”

“Alright, I’ll let you know when lunch is ready. Make sure you take a bath before then. And leave the bedroom door open, there’s no reason for it to be closed.” She left them to continue their playing. “Ino, Hinata, we’re having mashed potatoes and chicken for lunch, are you girls planning on staying here for that or will you eat lunch at home then come back?”

“Are you kidding me, Himawari-san? We’re obviously staying!”

Hinata nodded, “I want to cook like you.”

“Me too!”

Himawari laughed, “maybe one day. Lunch will be ready within the hour. Hinata, I think we’re finished with training for today, sorry about that.”

“That’s okay.”

“I don’t think those boys will be racing for the bath so you can take one. Your bag of clothes is in my room, remember?”

“Yeah. Ino, I’ll be right back.” 

“Wait, Hinata has a change of clothes hanging around here?” Ino’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Can I also bring some clothes for sleepovers or something?”

“Ask your father.”

Ino groaned. “That old man will question me until kingdom come.”

Himawari pretended to not hear her as she put a pot of cleaned potatoes to boil. “I’m sure your father would like to know where you’re taking your clothes to and why, just let him know.”

“I will, I will.”

She hummed, “good.” She looked up and out of the kitchen window, staring directly at the tree that towered over the house across the backyard. She caught a glimpse of the ANBU mask and sighed. “Good.” She repeated and focused on seasoning the chicken wings.

She hated being watched.

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 8 — Shadow

Inu was getting tired of this; watching Himawari-san every day for the last month and a half was beginning to get on his last nerves even with the jinchūriki in the mix. She never gave him a reason to get involved since none of the children were in danger.

He watched as the Uzumaki and Uchiha child went through their katas while Himawari-san studied them. Part of him was intrigued seeing as the woman wasn’t stated to be a ninja and she hadn’t given him any reasons to suspect that she was. She moved like a mother rather than a trained assassin.

Hence why it was a little bit of a shock whenever the children had to train. He’s seen Himawari-san be nose deep in books, and upon further investigation, he noticed that they were simply books on different martial arts. 

It took her a while to settle on a fighting style for each boy; not because it was hard to do, but rather she had to get herself familiar enough with it to help them out. Those late night study sessions she had alone, sitting under the dim kitchen light while she took notes, was clearly worth it based on the proud smile she always had on. 

He’s watched her go back and forth between the public library and her home, stopping at the weapon shop on occasion to get new equipment for the children. He’s seen her bargain with shopkeepers, and provide some insight whenever someone has a question.

All while the children followed her like ducklings following their mother. They never left her side, or her field of vision. Whenever Inu felt the urge to approach the Uzumaki child, just to get a proper glance at him, she would reel the boy back in with a wave of her hand while asking him to not wander too far.

Naruto was doing well it seemed; he no longer looked underweight nor was he wearing worn out clothes. His hair was combed well enough [those spikes were practically untameable], he always looked clean, and his manners were the most shocking of the transformation. 

He waited his turn to talk both in and out of their lessons, raising his hand with excitement once he realized that he was interrupting someone. He spoke with a softer voice instead of shouting, and he only bounced off of the walls during his training period. There were a few times where he couldn’t contain himself, but he was learning to direct his energy towards something that called for it—which was why he absolutely loved training.

Sasuke was a whole other matter.

Inu didn’t know him enough to notice big changes in the way he acted. Compared to when he first saw the boy after the massacre, he was doing a whole lot better for someone who was still obviously dealing with what happened. 

He still remained attached to Himawari-san’s hips, never leaving her side until it was time to do their little exercises wherein he was supposed to be left alone without her. It was having its benefits, Sasuke would occasionally stick with Naruto instead, or one of the two girls who visited frequently, as opposed to losing his cool at the thought of Himawari-san not being around.

He slept in her room most of the time, but there were occasions where he’d try to sleep in his room with Naruto for a few hours before the nightmares hit. The nightmares were unfortunately a frequent thing which caused him to relapse more often than he preferred.

There was another party that intrigued him during his staking out beyond the children and Himawari-san.

Inu had seen that woman visit two times within his surveillance mission. She had been tailed by one of his colleagues the first time she came to Konoha, and was labelled as a non threat. She was simply a doctor from out of town; one that Himawari-san and the other children clearly trusted. 

She spoke to Sasuke most of the time, and occasionally had a few conversations with Naruto.

Shiwa Utaha, age thirty, was a regular civilian who studied to be a child psychiatrist, her reports were normal for a civilian. She worked part time at multiple shops within her village, stayed out of trouble, and preferred to spend her time at home outside of work. She didn’t have many friends, but everyone spoke highly of her since she was very respectful.

All in all, everyone who came in and out of Himawari-san’s home was never someone who would be dangerous to the village, and that was frustrating. She wasn’t a threat, Utaha wasn’t a threat, and the children were completely safe without there being some sort of conspiracy to kidnap them.

“I think that’s all for today.” 

Inu tilted his head, listening carefully as Himawari-san instructed the boys.

“What’s next, sensei?” Naruto asked. “We did math and history this morning.”

“According to the learning template—” Himawari handed them their water bottles. “—we should be touching base on how to decode messages.”

Naruto groaned. “I suck at it!”

“You haven’t even tried it before.” Sasuke nudged him. 

“I know but languages suck, and learning these secret codes is going to be hard.” 

“Tell you what, how about we skip the hard codes and move onto something I know shinobi use to communicate without speaking?” Himawari sat down on the patio, and patted the spots beside her to invite them to sit so they could catch their breaths faster.

“What is it?” Sasuke used his arm to wipe his sweaty forehead. He couldn’t wait to take a bath; even if the weather began to get colder, it didn’t mean that they wouldn’t be sweating up a storm while training. 

“Sign language.” Himawari answered, then proceeded to demonstrate by signing something. “It’s not only shinobi who use it, there are people who can’t hear or talk who rely on it, so it would be great to learn it as a method of communication.”

“What did you say?” Naruto questioned, trying to replicate what he saw her doing. After the first sign, he started moving his hands in whatever way since he couldn’t remember what he saw.

“‘You’re doing a good job’.” Himawari answered. “Shinobi usually have a set that’s specifically designed to be used during reconnaissance missions when they can not talk with their peers without giving their position away.”

“Oh, we spoke about rec…recon…”

“Reconnaissance—recon for short. Do you know any other words for it?”

“Scouting.” Sasuke said.

“Spying.” Naruto shared as well.

“Correct.”

Inu held his breath. 

“As I was saying, these signs will help you when you’re out in the battlefield and you do not want your enemy to know your next move while communicating with your comrades.”

“Does that mean Konoha has its own set? Wouldn’t it be a bad thing if everyone had the same hand signals?” Sasuke wondered out loud.

“Good question.” Himawari patted his head, “just like every nation has its own language and shinobi system, they have their own signals.”

“Isn’t that bad though? What happens when you’re not doing a mission and you come across someone who can’t speak or hear but you want to talk to them?” Naruto pouted, “that would be hard to do if we only learn one.”

“That’s the beauty of languages, Naruto. There are terms, phrases, and mannerisms that often overlap that allow you to communicate, even if it’s a little difficult. That’s why I mentioned that shinobi have a different signal system than the more widely known one. Sign language isn’t just made with shinobi in mind, it’s made for the disabled too.”

“It’s like dialects, right?” 

“It’s exactly like dialects.”

“What are dialects?”

“I think we should save this discussion for our next lesson.” Himawari looked at her watch. “You’ve been sitting out here with your damp clothes while it’s getting colder, I don’t want you catching the flu. Besides, it’s lunch time and you both need a bath.” 

“I call dibs on the bath!” Naruto scrambled to stand up and ran into the house.

“I wasn’t going to fight him about it anyway.” Sasuke muttered.

Himawari laughed.

Inu watched them leave the backyard and slowly lifted his mask. He sat there with his back pressed against the hard tree bark and sighed. 

“At least they’re learning.” The dog at his side said. “They won’t be like the others, would they? Dying in the field because they didn’t learn these things.”

“Should I be happy?”

“A civilian putting this effort into preparing them is…disconcerting…but she’s knowledgeable, and she’s clearly fact checking the things she teaches them. I’m saying, the surveillance is ridiculous if this is going to be beneficial in the future.”

“You’re concerned about that when I’m concerned about now. What if—“

“There you go again with the ‘what ifs’. I’m just sharing an observation, that’s why you summoned me here, isn’t it? You wanted another eye on the matter to make sure you weren’t missing anything.” The dog turned to him, “you’re not. She doesn’t smell like she would be a danger to Naruto.”

“What do I tell the Hokage?”

“The evaluation is coming next month, right? Wait until then to make a final decision.” It disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Inu ran a hand through his hair before putting his mask back on. Jumping down from the tree, he moved to a different position so he could look into the dining room where he knew they would be continuing their schooling.

Himawari lifted her head a little bit, checking to see if Sasuke had truly fallen asleep before getting out of bed. She fixed the pillows around him like she usually did, and placed his weighted plush [another dinosaur addition to his miniature collection] beside him.

Pulling her hair into a ponytail, realizing that she hadn’t cut it in a while, Himawari got herself changed and grabbed a duffel bag from her closet. She glanced at Sasuke one more time before she left her room.

She checked on a sleeping Naruto, Hinata and Ino—both girls decided to stay over for the weekend—as well, making sure that they wouldn’t wake up before she got back.

Slipping out of the house was easy to do when the only residents besides herself were a bunch of young children. She would have left a clone in her place had there not been someone currently looking into her home.

She knew she was being followed the moment she stepped out of the yard and into the barren streets of the village. Suspicions were in order since she wore dark attire, and it was the first time that she would be seen sneaking around Konoha.

Himawari pretended to miss the fleeting shadows that passed her as she continued to walk. She pulled the bag closer as she ducked into an alleyway to take a shortcut to her destination.

The dark outline of the barren compound greeted her when she arrived. The smell of blood was still in the air, no doubt woven into the very dirt and wood of each structure. Himawari sighed before she took a step forward, followed by many more.

What was she doing at the Uchiha compound?

Initially, she wanted to collect the rest of Sasuke’s things and then leave, but then she remembered the way the young boy had begged to clean his home. His dream of one day returning to put his family to rest also came to mind, and she couldn’t live with herself knowing that the compound was still stained with blood. She was here to clean.

Enough time had passed since the massacre, everyone refused to step foot inside the compound because of the rumours of ghosts haunting the place. Children whispered and adults fed their fears. It was time for a deep clean, one that would at least restore some semblance of life in the old compound.

“Clones would be great right now.” Himawari whispered to herself as she set the duffle bag down on the porch of Sasuke’s old home. “At least I’d be finished within a few minutes.” She checked her watch.

Dealing with a child who couldn’t sleep alone for very long meant that she would have to make frequent visits to clean the houses one by one during the night. She didn’t mind it in the slightest as long as it would be beneficial in the future.

Rolling up the sleeves of her sweater, Himawari got to work on cleaning the old, main Uchiha house first. She was quick with putting the remainder of Sasuke’s things aside while moving through the house. Any pictures of the family she thought he might like were carefully wrapped and placed in a cardboard box.

Starting from upstairs all the way to the foyer, she swept, mopped and wiped down any dried blood splatter from the wall. An hour had passed by the time she finished with the one house; as she poured the mop water out into the streets she finally caught sight of Inu in all of his glory.

He stooped down on the roof of the house across the street, not bothering to hide himself as he watched her. 

She knew he had been there, she just never made any effort to act like she did. Figuring that acting was the best way to go about things, she took a step back and placed a hand on her chest. “Hello?”

He tilted his head, looked around, then jumped down from the roof.

Himawari raised her eyebrow, then dropped the mop bucket as she made some space between herself and the ANBU agent. “ANBU-san.” She muttered.

“What are you doing here, Himawari-san?” He asked once he got close enough. “Are you aware that you shouldn’t really be here?”

“I thought I would collect all of Sasuke’s things and do a little cleaning.” She answered truthfully. “I didn’t know that we weren’t allowed to enter the Uchiha compound since it’s not restricted.” She pushed her hands into her pockets. 

“It’s not.” Inu looked past her and at the box and duffle bag that was currently sitting on the porch. “It’s late.”

“I’m aware.”

“Should you not be at home to tend to your child?”

“Sasuke isn’t my own.”

“Isn’t he? You treat him like your own.”

“Excuse me, I don’t think this conversation is appropriate…”

“Are you a mother, Himawari-san? Outside of taking care of the Uchiha and his friends. Your files do not state that you have children of your own.”

She bit her lip, “I used to.”

“What happened?”

“I do not wish to speak of this.”

“This is for the betterment of the village.”

“Is it?”

They stared at each other for a while.

She recognized the white, spiky hair and the almost tired way of speaking. The mask did nothing to hide the singular dark pupil of the shinobi in front of her. 

“You should get home, Himawari-san.” He disappeared soon after.

Her shoulders relaxed tremendously once she was alone again. She grabbed the mop bucket and placed it inside the house quickly, then turned all the lights off. She picked up the duffle bag and box, and quickly made her way out of the Uchiha compound while blinking back her frustrated tears.

The moment she got back home, she dropped the box on the dining table and sat down. Staring blankly into the kitchen, Himawari bit her lip and dug her nails into the back of her hands. 

There was a line that was crossed by her little spectator, she couldn’t react in any other way without more suspicions being placed on her, and that was angering. It was none of his business, nor the Hokage’s; her own children had nothing to do with this, and she was certain that telling them wouldn’t at all make the village better.

All it would do was provide them more leverage than they already have. If they discovered anything about her own life, anything beyond what she presented, then all of this would be for nothing. Sasuke would be taken away from her, Naruto would be forced to continue living his life being treated poorly, and Hinata wouldn’t have anyone to run to when she needed help. 

She couldn’t let that happen.

Yet the reminder that she was the mother to two children who were probably begging for her return, continuing their life without her there to witness it as the months passed, was awful. She hasn’t stopped thinking about it even as she took care of another; every night was spent dreaming about her Boruto and Himawari.

Every time she heard the stolen name, she would be reminded of her daughter who was growing up without her.

Himawari was startled when she felt a warm body get pressed into her own. She didn’t realize that the little Uchiha boy had wiggled his way into her arms while she blanked out.

“You weren’t coming to bed.” He whispered. 

“I’m sorry, I lost track of time.” She pulled him into her lap, mentally taking note of how small he was despite his age. Her Boruto didn’t have his sudden growth spurt until he was ten, would Sasuke be the same?

“You were hurting yourself.” He pulled her hand and turned it over to show her the nail imprints on her now pink hand. “Is something bothering Himawari-san? Are you seeing ghosts too?” His voice trailed off as he asked her the last question.

She had been spacing out just like he did when he was trying to catch a glimpse of the fleeting images in his peripherals. Utaha-san had asked him to tell Himawari-san whenever that happened, so he wondered if she was struggling with the same thing as him.

“I was just thinking, Sasuke.” She closed her hand around his smaller ones. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“You look sad.”

“Do I?”

He brushed his thumb under eyes, “you were also crying.” 

“I’m sorry for making you worry.”

He shook his head, “it’s okay for you to cry, you told me that. Sometimes you don’t feel okay, and that’s alright too. You always worry about me, Himawari-san…”

“You remember things too well.” She smiled at him sadly, “and you know a lot.”

“You taught me.”

Himawari brushed his bangs back, combing through his hair as she pulled him back to lay on her chest. “Let’s get you back to bed. Did you have a nightmare?”

“No, I just noticed that you weren’t there. I waited for a while, then I heard the door open.”

She scoffed playfully, “I suppose you’re built for keeping watch at night during your missions since you heard me.”

“I have very sensitive ears.” He played along, “I can hear Naruto snoring.”

“He doesn’t snore.”

“That’s what he says but I can hear him.”

They walked past the bedroom and quickly checked inside, true to Sasuke’s words, there was slight snoring coming from the resident on the top bunk.

“See?” He whispered, “Naruto snores.”

“He’s probably not sleeping in a comfortable position.” Himawari set him down and walked into the bedroom. Climbing up on one of the ladder’s steps, she shifted Naruto’s position and waited. 

“I take it back.” Sasuke muttered.

Himawari patted his head once she joined him at the door, “he sleeps in really weird ways.”

“If there weren’t any railings on the bed, I bet Naruto would sleep with his head hanging over the side.” 

“You’re one to talk, mister, if I don’t put any pillows around you, you’d roll right off of the bed.”

Sasuke blushed, “I wouldn’t.”

She raised her eyebrow, “next time I’ll let you fall off.”

He pouted.

“I’ll race you home!”

“Don’t forget about me.”

“Come on, ‘Nata.”

“Slow down, Naruto! Ino, Hinata, please be careful.” Himawari sighed as she watched the three children run up ahead. She looked down at the only child at her side. “I don’t know whether or not I should be happy that you’ve decided to stick around.”

Sasuke pulled his hoodie over his head as a gust of wind blew over the village. He pushed his hands further into his pocket while he fiddled with a dinosaur keychain. “It’s too cold, I don’t like being outside when it’s cold. It makes me tired.”

“We’re almost home.”

They had been out and about, taking care of some grocery shopping as well as buying new clothes for the winter. Of course, along the way, they had deviated from their original plans and decided that spending some time outside would do some good. The vote was three to two, much to Sasuke’s dismay. At least he got a new dinosaur trinket to play with for his troubles.

“Ah!” 

Himawari’s head snapped in the direction she heard Naruto’s scream. She sped up her walking and turned down a new street to see the Uzumaki boy sitting on his butt while Ino and Hinata tried to help him up.

“This is why I said to be careful, Naruto.” Himawari muttered and turned to the person he had bumped into. “I’m so sorry—Hokage-sama!” She bowed quickly.

The children quickly followed after, then hid themselves behind her as the Hokage looked down at them.

“Himawari-san, I see everyone’s being active today.” The old man smiled.

“We were just doing some shopping, we’re on our way home right now.” She laughed nervously, “I’m sorry about Naruto.”

“That’s okay,” he waved a lazy hand in front of his face, “you can never take the hyperactivity out of that one. How are you four doing? I hope you haven’t been causing any trouble.” His eyes settled on each child, musing at the way they all shook their heads and hid behind each other.

“They’ve been behaving extremely well, but children will always be children.” Himawari placed her hands on Sasuke’s and Ino’s heads. “I’m glad they’re enjoying their childhood.”

“Hm, don’t get too comfortable, everyone! I’m sure you’re taking your ninja training seriously, it’s not all fun and games out in the real world.” He laughed, “I will let you get home since the sun is beginning to set.”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama.” Himawari gave him a tight lipped smile as she bowed. “Please get back to your office safely.” She watched from under her bangs as he walked past them, her smile turning into a frown until she stood up straight. “Let’s get you four inside.”

“What did he mean?” Naruto asked as he walked beside the girls. “The real world?”

“Things don’t appear as sunshines and rainbows all the time, I’m sure we all know that.” Himawari said as she looked at each of them. “It’s others who do not know what the real world is like.”

By others, she meant the villagers who believed themselves to be safe and at peace. Every shinobi, every clan, everyone who has caught a glimpse of the reality of the world knew that that was far from it. 

Naruto knew based on the stares.

Hinata knew based on her training.

Sasuke knew because his family died.

Ino was learning to see what they saw.

“Enjoy your childhood, enjoy every moment you have to yourself and with those you hold dear. Smile, laugh, have fun when you can; that’s the very essence of being human. Love when you want, who you want, and however you want. You never know when it will be taken away from you.” She looked at Ino and Hinata, “don’t regret anything.” Her gaze shifted to Sasuke and Naruto. “Live your life how you want.”

“You should do the same, Himawari-san.” Ino finally spoke up. “You’re always looking out for us, let us look out for you too.”

The other three nodded.

“Himawari-san should also smile and laugh.” Naruto added.

“And love whoever she wants.” Hinata held her hand. 

“Don’t regret anything.” Sasuke finished.

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 9 — Fish Bowl

“You two must be nervous.” Himawari crossed her arms as she entered the bedroom. It was currently late into the night, the time trickling into a new day, yet they were all awake. 

Sasuke and Naruto were sitting on the fluffy rug, their legs tucked under them as they hunched over a pile of books. They were going over everything they had learned since they had switched from public school to homeschooling.

“Should we not be?” Naruto glanced up at her for a moment, the faux glasses he wore [the lenses were plucked out] sat on his nose bridge as he itched his cheek. 

“You can, but you also need to get a good night’s rest.” She checked her watch, “you need to be awake in seven hours.”

“Himawari-san will wake us up in time, we don’t have to worry about that.” Sasuke muttered underneath his breath, his pencil scribbling away as he transferred some of his notes to a pocket notebook. 

“Sasuke.” Himawari stooped down beside them, hugging her knees as she smiled. “Look at me.” Once his dark, tired eyes met her own, she tucked his hair away. “Sleeping is very important right now, you will find yourself forgetting everything if you don’t get a good night’s sleep.”

“I don’t want to fail.” He admitted.

“You won’t; I’ve spent the last two and a half months teaching and training the both of you, so I’m very confident in your abilities. Even if you don’t do as well as you think you should, this is only an evaluation so we can see what we need to touch base on later. You guys trust me, right?” 

Both boys nodded.

“Then believe me when I say that I think you will pass.”

“Will we make any mistakes?” Naruto sat back and played with his fingers. “Would it be okay if we did? I’ve never done well on tests…”

“Of course you will make some mistakes, that’s inevitable—“ She paused and allowed him to digest the words she just spoke. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t do perfect, as long as you learn from it, that's all I care about. Do you think Hashirama-sama got to where he was without making mistakes?” 

Naruto shook his head, “Hashirama-sama was a big clutz without his brother, he obviously made many mistakes.”

Himawari laughed and ruffled his hair. “Based on the stories, that is very true. If you look up to him, or any of the others for that matter, you need to be prepared to not be good at everything. It just means there’s so much for you to learn. Now—“ She stood up and sighed, “—let’s get the both of you into bed.”

They closed their books and placed them on the study desk and in the right places on the bookshelf. Naruto climbed up to the top bunk and got himself comfortable. 

“You can’t sleep with those glasses, Naruto.” Himawari held onto the railing as she stared at him through the wooden panels. 

“They’re cool though.”

“You haven’t taken them off since you got them.” Sasuke noted, “you look silly.”

“It’s because I won them! I worked hard to get these so I’m never taking them off.” Naruto huffed, pulling his fox plush closer as he turned his back to them. 

“Hand them here, little guy, or you will break them while you sleep.” Himawari laughed, “you’ll be more upset that they broke than if you take them off before you sleep and shower.”

“Himawari-san takes her glasses off before she goes to sleep, so she knows what she’s talking about.” Sasuke climbed up the ladder leading up to the top bunk.

With a pout on his face, Naruto reluctantly took the glasses off and handed them to Himawari. He didn’t bother to hide his displeasure as he stuck his tongue out at Sasuke. 

The young Uchiha simply rolled his eyes back and held his hand out in a closed fist. “Goodnight.”

“You’re not sleeping in the room today?” Naruto sat up a little bit.

“No, I don’t think I will sleep since I’m nervous.” Usually that was not a great combination with the night, it made him jittery, which made it harder to sleep. And when he does fall asleep, he wakes up because of his nightmares.

“Oh, then goodnight.” Naruto finished the fist bump and laid back down.

“If you need anything, just call for me.” Himawari said as she turned on the nightlight. “Sleep well, Naruto.”

“Goodnight, Himawari-san.”

She looked at Sasuke, “now it’s your turn.”

They left the room and turned the lights off while keeping the door open enough in case of any emergencies. Sasuke led the way into Himawari’s bedroom, his arms swinging at his side as he hummed softly. 

The bedroom had been redecorated a little bit with his constant visitations [read: semi-permanent stay]. Some of his things had managed to find themselves all over the floor; the wardrobe included some of his clothes, his study books would be piled up in the corner on school days, and an inflated mattress was right beside the bed for whenever he wanted to try sleeping on his own. 

“You don’t need water, do you?” Himawari asked as she took her hair out of its ponytail, and placed her glasses on the bedside table.

Sasuke dropped himself onto the inflated mattress, holding his dinosaur plush close to his chest as he shook his head. “I drank some before.”

“Alright, then do you need the nightlight on today too, or are you going to try to sleep without it?”

“Without it is okay.”

Himawari made sure he was in bed properly before turning off the overhead lights and moving to her bed. She threw the duvet over herself, then reached over to turn the lamp off, flooding the room with darkness almost instantly.

There was a moment of silence save for the rustling of fabric and the sound of breathing.

“Himawari-san?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been a while since you adopted me.”

“Almost four months.” 

“Do you regret it?”

“Why would I?”

Another sound of rustling of fabric which she could only guess was him shrugging.

“Uchiha children are hard to raise.”

“You’ve been a very good kid, Sasuke. I find that hard to believe.”

“Even with all of the screaming and crying? All of the mean words I say and hurting everyone?”

“None of the things you do are voluntary, you are aware of that, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then you know that I don’t find you hard to deal with just because you’re displaying signs of struggling, it just makes me want to try harder. Yes, you may say things and curse at everyone. Yes, you may hurt yourself and threaten to hurt others. Yes, you scream, shout and cry very loudly. It just means that you’re hurting and you don’t know how to handle all of it yet.”

“When do you think it will stop? I don’t want to be an embarrassment for you, or Naruto, or the others.”

“What did we say about that?”

“I shouldn’t think that way.”

“Why?”

“I’m not an embarrassment.”

Himawari sighed and turned to face where she knew his temporary bed was. She heard him move as well and knew that he was facing her. “Can I be very honest?”

“You always are.”

She snorted before she bit her lip. “There are veterans in the field who have not viewed as much death as you have even during a war. The things you saw and experienced is usually found in history books, a form of torture that others wouldn’t have survived.” She took a while to formulate her answer. “It’s going to take a long time to get you as close to what you were before it happened. We haven’t gone to therapy just yet, we’re just trying to figure out what exactly you need before you’re thrown into random situations to force some sort of healing.”

“So you don’t know when it will get better?”

“I can’t give you a time frame for that, it all depends on you. All I can do is be patient and supportive while it happens. Utaha-san is quickly working on a diagnosis so we can get you the right resources.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to heal enough to be a ninja? A proper one? All these tests would be for nothing if I can’t stop doing this first.”

“Do you think you’ll be ready?”

“I want to be.”

“Then you will. I believe in you.”

Sasuke turned around in his bed again. “Himawari-san?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for not giving up on me.” He closed his eyes, “I think I’ll pass the test later.”

She smiled. “Goodnight, Sasuke.”

It was the blaring sounds of the morning alarm that actually got Sasuke out of bed a few hours later. He was a little bit confused when he opened his eyes to see that Himawari-san was still asleep—and somewhere during the night he had snuck his way into her bed—yet the clock was flashing with the number seven and fifteen.

“Himawari-san! We’re going to be late!” Sasuke shot awake, he shook her hard as he watched the time jump from seven-fifteen, to seven-twenty. “Himawari-san!” He huffed. “Oh.” He groaned, “I’ll wake up Naruto.”

Jumping out of bed, he ran to his original bedroom and flung the door open. Grabbing the pillow on the lower bunk, he threw it onto the top bunk and yelled for the blond boy to wake up.

“Five more minutes.” Naruto groaned and threw a hand over his face.

“We don’t have five more minutes, we’re going to be late and then we’ll fail!” Sasuke groaned.

Naruto shot up with his eyes widened. “We’re late?”

“Hurry! Go take a bath, I’ll make cereal.” Sasuke rushed out of the room and downstairs. He listened to Naruto fall to the floor and then the sound of the bath running. “Himawari-san,” he whined as he used his stool to grab two bowls.

Making cereal was easy, it was something he resorted to whenever it was too late for breakfast but too early for lunch and Himawari-san was getting their afternoon classes ready. Right now, he was craving some tamagoyaki [egg rolls] but he wasn’t allowed near the stove.

Sitting at the table, he watched the time carefully as he ate as quickly as he could. Naruto was out of the bath in record time, just as he finished his bowl of cereal.

“Is Himawari-san still asleep?” Naruto asked, plopping himself in his designated seat. His hair was still a mess, but at least his clothes were matching for once. 

“Yeah, I’ll be back.” Sasuke excused himself from the table. He gathered his things, and headed straight to the bathroom.

With no clock to see if he was taking too long, he mentally counted as he soaped, rinsed and dried himself. He was out of the bathroom within ten minutes and back inside Himawari’s room. He approached her sleeping figure and shook her shoulders again.

“We’re really going to be late, Himawari-san. Naruto and I are ready; we showered, brushed our teeth, ate breakfast and now we’re waiting for you.” He pouted, “you said that you’d come with us, why aren’t you waking up?”

She disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke stepped back, he slid into his fighting stance quickly, scanning the room with narrowed eyes. “Naruto!” He called out.

The blond boy came running up the stairs, his eyes instantly surveying the area as he too got into a fighting stance. “Where’s Himawari-san?”

“Not here.”

“Genjūtsu?”

Sasuke frowned, “we haven’t learned that beyond theories yet.”

“Do you remember anything from the books?” 

“Ah,” he placed his hands into a simple seal and focused. Flooding his system with his own chakra, Sasuke took a peek at his surroundings.

“Did it work?”

“I don’t know, but if it did, we’re not in a genjūtsu—“ He paused as he looked behind Naruto. Signing quickly, he stared at the shadow of a figure. “There’s someone there.”

Naruto gave him a stiff nod.

“You two are really good.” Himawari quickly blocked the elbow jab directed at her stomach with her hand. 

“You’re alive!” Naruto said, lowering his elbow as he stared at her. “You scared us!”

“I had to make sure you were ready before I sent you to the academy for today’s evaluation. Seeing as you’ve gotten yourselves ready, you showed that you can move quickly and efficiently, and you were alert as soon as you saw that I left, I think the chances of you both passing with flying colours has increased.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little too much for a test?” Naruto muttered, “we’re only seven.”

“Seven isn’t too young to get ready. Being over prepared for a test is never heard of, you don’t know what you’re being evaluated on. As for the little evaluation I just gave you, think of it as my personal inquiries.” Himawari smiled at them. “Now, let's get to school before you’re really late.”

Sasuke was silent the entire time she spoke. He grabbed his bag, and didn’t mutter a word as they left the house and headed to the academy. The frown on his face did deepen the closer they got.

“I thought you left me.” He finally said as they walked past the courtyard gates. “I thought you were hurt.”

Himawari looked at him. “I apologize, I didn’t think that through completely.”

“Please don’t do that again.”

She wanted to point out that he could be in situations where she would be used as leverage, or someone would threaten to harm her [or anyone for that matter] but kept it to herself. That was a matter best saved for next time.

“I won’t.”

As soon as everyone realized who had showed up right before the day started, a small gathering was formed. The girls instantly flocked to surround Sasuke—leaving him more space than they usually did—while the boys observed from afar.

“Are you here for the winter exam, Sasuke?” One of the many girls asked.

“Of course we are.” Naruto answered, “now if you please, Sasuke and I have some focusing to do.”

“We weren’t talking to you—“ Another girl spoke up. She was instantly hushed when she glanced up to see the older woman staring at her. Purplish eyes watched her owlishly, waiting for her to continue what she was saying. “Nevermind.”

“Sasuke.” A pink haired girl pushed through the crowd, “it’s been a while!” She glared at Naruto before smiling at Sasuke again. “How are you?”

He stared at her, then turned towards Naruto. He didn’t bother answering, he didn’t really like talking anyway, and he knew that everyone else was aware of that. He just never understood why people expected him to respond when he clearly didn’t want to be talked to or included in a conversation.

“Yo, Sasuke!”

His head whipped to the side, a look of unamusement quickly turned to familiarity as a mop of blond and midnight blue hair broke through the gathering. “Ino and Hinata.” He nodded at them.

The other girls around slumped over, the pink haired one looking displeased with the display yet didn’t say anything. She simply watched.

“Did you study?” Ino asked, stuffing her hands into her pockets after she let Hinata go. “I bet you didn’t.”

“Himawari-san would never allow that.” Hinata said, taking her time to speak to minimize her stuttering. The practice she’s been getting was helping a lot.

Naruto walked in between the girls and threw his arms over their shoulders. “You will never know, we’ve been studying so hard I feel like my brain will explode.”

“I think we do know.” Ino itched her cheek. They’ve been studying more frequently at Himawari-san’s house since Hinata started training there after school. It just so happens that Himawari-san decided to tutor them a little bit when Naruto and Sasuke were busy with something else.

“Oh, right.” Naruto laughed nervously. “We’re very thankful that Himawari-san is a nice teacher.” He gave her a thumbs up.

Himawari laughed, “you’ll thank me even more when you pass. Since it’s going to start soon, I’ll be waiting in the hall like the other guardians.” 

“Can we go out to eat if we pass?” Naruto perked up.

“Your results won’t be out for another week.” Himawari informed him. “But yes, if you all pass, I don’t see why we can’t go out for dinner.”

“Yosh!” Naruto pumped his fist out. He quickly latched onto Sasuke. “Let’s show these kids what we got.”

The small Uchiha snorted before he nodded. “We got this.”

“Good luck.” Himawari wished them well as she left them alone and headed to the observation hall.

The room was filled with multiple teachers, and the special guest was the Hokage who sat in the front. He waved her over, and greeted her back while motioning for her to take a seat beside him.

“You must be nervous.” Hiruzen said as he watched the television which displayed the children as they began to get escorted to the classroom.

“Far from it, Hokage-sama.” She smiled.

“Oh?”

“I’ve spent hours with them, I’m sure they’ll do just fine.”

“And Naruto?”

“He’ll do much better than previous evaluations.” 

“I’ll look forward to it.”

The children were seated in random seats, and a small package was placed in front of them. Himawari watched as the teacher instructed them to start; her eyes were focused only on four individuals as the written portion commenced. 

Not worried at all about her children, she watched with narrowed eyes as they began to finish their package one by one. She could see the Hokage nod to himself as the other teachers took notes.

Soon after, the examiner called for everyone to put their pencils down before they moved onto the physical tests.

“They’re doing good so far.” Hiruzen noted out loud.

Himawari didn’t say anything, only ever giving him a smile which was quickly wiped away moments later. The physical tests would be happening in alphabetical order, so waiting for Naruto and Sasuke would take a while.

Watching the other children participate in the physical challenges [ranging from weapon throwing, to combat and speed] made Himawari wince. She couldn’t believe that the children of her time were expected to perform very well when most of them were ill equipped for it.

The first few fights were mediocre, and by the time they got to the letter ‘H’, the room was filled with utter silence.

“Hyūga Hinata.”

Himawari straightened up as she watched her younger self step forward. She was cheered on by her friends, and with one ruffle of her hair from Ino, she had gained confidence instantly.

Running the circuit and throwing her weapons had become second nature with how many times she’s found herself staying behind to practice those specific things. Hinata would often join Himawari [Sasuke and Naruto] on morning jogs on the weekends which was very beneficial.

It was the fighting that had Himawari at the edge of her seat. She didn’t focus on the Hyūga style when she offered to help Hinata with her katas, doing so would have drawn some suspicion, so she settled on teaching her how to utilize her legs to the best of her ability.

No one expects a Hyūga to throw kicks all over the place.

Had she been fighting her peers, they would have had a rough time blocking the kicks she threw their way. Hinata’s brows remained furrowed as she quickly rebounded and jumped away from her teacher before running forward and throwing a roundhouse kick to their calf. Spinning quickly, she thrusted her hand out and hit them in their arm to paralyze it.

“Pass!”

Hinata relaxed, her shoulders sagging as the adrenaline left her body. As soon as she heard those words, her eyes lit up as she turned to the small group that waited for her.

“That was much better than I expected.” The Hokage muttered, “I suppose that's your doing?”

“She was really good before she came to me, she just needed to be more confident.” Himawari answered.

They waited again for a more interesting spar to happen. There were a few notable ones, particularly from the clan children, but nothing really stood out.

When Sasuke’s name was called, the entire room went still as everyone held their breaths.

“Next would be Naruto.” Hiruzen turned to her, “is your teaching style better than those at the academy?” 

It was a rhetorical question, one that she didn’t bother answering.

Everyone wasn’t very surprised when Sasuke performed his weapon throwing and running tests well. They all waited with bated breaths when the sparring evaluation came up however.

The boy slipped into a comfortable position, he was focused on his opponent and didn’t make the first move even when he was asked to start.

“What is he doing?” One of the teachers in the room asked. “This is a timed test, if he stays still—“

“Silence.” Hiruzen’s eyes narrowed.

Figuring that Sasuke won’t move first, the teacher [disguised as an opponent] ran at him. Bending slightly, he ducked underneath their arm and turned to face them again.

“He won’t attack until they do. He’s on the defensive.” Himawari explained for those watching without a clue. 

When she had been teaching Sasuke, she had quickly noted that he was much stronger when he had assessed what his opponent could do. She taught him how to observe and look for any weaknesses that he could then use to his advantage—he obviously hadn’t gotten to the point that he could battle a low chūnin level shinobi, but she wouldn’t be shocked if he got there within a few months or a year. 

The things he could do when he’s actually being taught and treated like a student rather than as someone who was expected to be perfect in every single moment.

Just as she said, Sasuke ran towards his opponent, throwing out quick jabs as he pushed them towards the edge of the makeshift rink. He bent and twisted his body, snapping his arms quickly as he threw fist after fist in hopes of landing a hit that would be enough. The moment he flipped back to gather his breath and come up with another approach, he was announced to have passed.

Hiruzen laughed heartily as he watched the display. He clapped his hands, a satisfied look on his face. “As expected of the next Uchiha Prodigy.”

Himawari turned to him, “I hardly believe that Sasuke is classified as a prodigy.” She saw him work his ass off, referring to him with such a title undermines that and attributes his success to something that was predestined. It wasn’t written in the stars that he was a prodigy, he had worked hard to get there. 

Besides, how many prodigies has she seen before that ended up having the same fate? She was not going to let him be another unfortunate case.

“Yes, yes, our hard worker, Uchiha Sasuke.” Hiruzen laughed and waved a lazy hand in front of his face. “Naruto is next.”

She knew that by stamina alone, Naruto was already better off with fighting until his opponent tired out. His weapon throwing performance was much better than before, bringing him up to a little above average—hitting seventeen out of the twenty five targets—. The circuit running was his expertise with how many times he ran away from villagers, it was the only thing he had been good at prior to Himawari’s involvement.

Much like Sasuke, it was his sparring that everyone looked forward to knowing that the paper test wouldn’t be looked at until the end of the day. It was the only indication outside of weapons throwing that gave them physical evidence of his progress.

Unlike Sasuke, however, Naruto didn’t wait more than a few seconds before he was at his opponent. His kicks were hard, and his punches were just as strong and precise as he threw himself at them. Although his speed wasn’t an issue for a chūnin instructor, it was the sheer force of his attacks, and its unpredictability that made it hard to follow.

When everyone thought that they were beginning to understand what Naruto was doing, he would throw in a kick where a punch should have been, and a jab where he should have kicked.

“Pass!”

He stepped back quickly, his breathing heavy as he stared at his equally tired opponent. He threw a fist into the air and celebrated as he joined Hinata, Sasuke and Ino.

“Using his stamina to his advantage.” The old man nodded, “and his habit of never sticking to anything.”

“It does him good to not follow a regime.” Was all Himawari said.

The last of the class was Ino. The blond girl had waited patiently for her turn, silently cursing her old man for being born with a last name starting with ‘Y’. Everyone else had finished by now, and all eyes were on her specifically.

She wasn’t allowed to use clan techniques, which was alright with her in all honesty. She wasn’t worried about that seeing as she had been observing Himawari-san whenever she taught the others. So, Ino had a few tricks up her sleeve.

Himawari wasn’t disappointed in the slightest as the little girl immediately started talking as if she didn’t care. Ino had a sharp mouth and an amazing ability to read people even at her age, it was a Yamanaka specialty that wasn’t a secret—it was just very hard to duplicate.

All the while she utilized her knowledge of basic katas while mixing it with some of the moves she’s seen Himawari teach the others. 

“Inoichi will be proud of that one.” 

“I agree.” She remembered how hard working her Ino had been, taking up the mantle as both a clan leader and the head of the department her father specialized in. “He will.”

Ino had been announced to pass, earning a round of applause from those spectating in the room.

“That wraps up the evaluations.” The Hokage stood up, “that was a wonderful display of skill, Himawari-san.”

“It was not only my doing, those children worked hard.” She bowed.

“Nonetheless, I can see the benefits of having you as a teacher. Are you not interested in becoming an academy teacher?”

Himawari was silent for a second, “I thought about it previously but I believe that these children need me in a one on one setting.”

“It would be great having you as a teacher, please think about it. With these results, the council will be very eager to get Sasuke and Naruto back into the classroom. Of course, I respect both the children and yourself, so I will not force you.”

“Perhaps in the future, Hokage-sama.” She smiled. “Please, get to your office safely.”

“Hm. Tell the children that I sent my congratulations.” He was then escorted out by his guards.

Himawari remained standing there, staring at the blank television screen for a while before she let out a sigh. Gathering her purse, she made her way outside of the academy and to the courtyard where the children had been waiting.

“I think we really did pass!” Naruto ran to her, followed by the others. “You should have seen us, Himawari-san. The written test was easy too!”

She laughed, “seeing as you’re all happy, I suppose you all thought the same way.” She placed her hand on Sasuke’s head as he moved to her side. “How about we get some lunch then?”

“Can we have ramen? It’s been ages.” Naruto gave her his best watery eyes.

“I don’t see why not.” Himawari nodded.

“I’ll just order onigiri.” Sasuke said, resting his head on her arm as they walked out of the courtyard.

“You four could order whatever you like, it’s my treat.”

“Yosh!” Naruto yelled.

Himawari covered them one by one, fixing their blankets around their sleeping bodies as she hummed. It was a Friday night, which meant that Hinata and Ino were currently staying over for the weekend. The children had spent all evening fooling around; from playing outside in the freshly fallen snow to watching movies until they got bored.

She couldn’t help but marvel at how much different her life was going to be as she observed her younger self. Growing up, Himawari didn’t have any friends to lean on, or classmates she had been close with until her graduation. It was often her spending time alone or within the Hyūga compound which was not the very best atmosphere for her to be in.

Now, her younger self had someone else to rely on and two more friends she never knew she could actually have. A part of her was envious of this, realizing that her habit of keeping to herself was following her here.

She, however, was very glad that she had cultivated a space where this was very much possible for the children. She and her Sasuke had only exchanged a few words before, and that was because of Naruto’s involvement in some way. Now, she could confidently say that her younger self had become someone Sasuke could trust.

Himawari took a step back and observed the children. 

Sasuke and Naruto were sleeping on the lower bunk, both holding onto their respective plushies for dear life. They faced one another while in deep sleep, the sight was heartwarming and she hoped that Sasuke didn’t wake up too soon.

Ino and Hinata were occupying the top bunk for the day. Ino’s chest was to Hinata’s back, her hand thrown over her to keep her nearby in case she rolled too close towards the edge of the bed. 

“Sleep well.” Himawari whispered, flipping on the nightlight as she turned off the bedroom one and left the door open a fraction.

She headed straight to the kitchen with plans of cleaning it before actually heading to bed herself. As she wiped down the countertops and put the children’s toys away, Himawari felt someone’s chakra spike. Staring outside the window, she waited for a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of Kakashi or any of the guards that usually replaced him during the night. 

The kitchen light flickered before the backyard door opened. The cloaked figure came tumbling through the door, closing and locking it as he drew the curtains close.

“What are you doing here?” Himawari was wary yet never showed it as she looked at him. The metal chopsticks in her hand could very well act like senbon needles if need be.

“I—“ Itachi collapsed onto the chair, his hand pressed to his side as he tried to discreetly wipe away his sweat. “I heard about what happened with Sasuke.”

“You’re a month late.” She pulled out one of the first aid kits she kept in the kitchen. Not offering to help him, she put it down on the table and opened it. “What do you want?”

Itachi stared at the kit and back at her, he opened his cloak and lifted his bloodied shirt. “Is it true?” At her eyebrow raise, he continued. “Is he really that way?” He muttered.

“I find it hard to believe that you didn’t think this would happen. You’re praised by your mentors for being a genius, yet you couldn’t foresee that your younger brother was not going to handle any of this well?”

“They said they would take care of him.” He winced as he pressed an alcohol swob to his wounds. “I knew it would be hard…Just not like this.”

Himawari stared at him blankly. Perhaps it was her overprotective nature that came with being an actual mother that made her look at him with so much distrust. She understood that he was a child himself, but couldn’t stop herself from being upset about how his actions affected a very young Sasuke.

“What’s your definition of hard?” She was tired of seeing him sanitize his wound without a thought. Grabbing the swob from him, she took out a pair of forceps and sat down beside him as she cleaned his wounds.

“A few nightmares?”

Himawari bit her lip to stop herself from scoffing. “You’re a child, you wouldn’t know the repercussions of these things. You’re not very smart, are you?” She joked as she gathered a few plasters and ointments. 

“I suppose not.” Itachi mumbled, watching her cover each stab wound. He was shocked that she hadn’t quite asked why he was injured but figured that she didn’t owe him her worry. “How is he doing?”

“The rumours are true if that’s your concern.”

Itachi frowned and pulled down his shirt once she was done. He was quick to look away as guilt overcame him. “I didn’t mean for it to get this bad, Himawari-san. He was supposed to hate me, and then kill me.”

“He’s seven, Itachi, and you’re fourteen. He’s looked up to you his entire life, he loved you, and that won’t change in an instant. It sends him spiraling thinking about your death, even when he claims that he needs to do it, a part of him hurts at the thought. At the betrayal of his older brother, and what does he have to make up for it? Nothing.” She closed the kit. “He lost his family, but most of all, he lost his older brother who he loved. You’re out there hurting yourself, and he’s sitting in silence as his mind replays the horrors you showed him.”

“Are you mad at me, Himawari-san?”

She snorted, “would any normal guardian be happy with what you did?”

“My parents said they were proud…”

Himawari paused as she leaned back into the chair. “What’s your relationship with your parents, Itachi?”

He didn’t answer for a while, preferring to look at all the pictures plastered on the dining room wall. They ranged from pictures of Sasuke with a few children, to Sasuke and Himawari. What shocked him was the picture of his own family placed in between. He couldn’t even recognize himself.

“There wasn’t one.” He answered. All of his life, he remembered being entrusted with the future of the Uchiha clan. He was meant to be their way out since the day he could remember.

His father expected him to be the best shinobi, oftentimes ignoring the days he was exhausted because he was never allowed to slack off. His mother simply watched without raising any concern. He’s never had his mother or father—they were simply the Uchiha patriarch and matriarch to him. 

The burnout of a genius.

“I’m sorry.” Himawari ran a hand through her hair. Seeing his confused face, she smiled sadly. “I’m sorry that you weren’t allowed to behave like a kid, Itachi. I don’t know the full history of your clan, but I doubt that you’d just do it for a selfish reason like testing your skills.”

He avoided her eyes.

“Otherwise you wouldn’t be checking on your brother so frequently. I know selfish individuals when I see one and you’re far from it. You’re just…misguided.”

“You don’t understand.”

“I don’t need to.” She went to put the kit away, and remained in the kitchen. “I just have one question.”

He nodded.

“Do you still think Sasuke should go ahead with your plan, even after seeing what’s happening to him? You don’t have to answer me now, or answer me at all, I just want you to think about it. Take into consideration the things you’ve seen and heard about your brother.” She turned the kitchen light off, “we’ll be moving before the new year. You can come back with your answer and we will continue from there. Goodnight, Itachi.” 

He watched her leave and head upstairs. His sharingan was activated, spinning slowly as he took another look at the house. Itachi got up and walked upstairs as well.

He opened the first door slowly, knowing that his brother was inside. Staring at the sleeping figure of Sasuke, he felt his eyes sting and his heart sink.

“I’m sorry, Sasuke.” He whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

The little Uchiha boy turned onto his back, then opened his eyes as he sat up. Looking around the room, he narrowed his eyes as he squinted. Staring down at the blond boy who was currently tangled in the sheets, he was careful as he snuck out of his bed.

“Himawari-san?” Sasuke whispered as he opened her bedroom door.

She was unconscious in her bed, and didn’t respond. Closing the door behind him, Sasuke snuck into her bed and wiggled his way into her arms. He closed his eyes and went right back to sleep, missing the pair of sharingan eyes that watched from outside.

“This is ridiculous!” Hiruzen glared at the ANBU shinobi kneeling down in his office. “Do you understand the danger they could have been in? You let an S-class shinobi into the village, and near the jinchūriki. If he had seen it fit, he could have killed the entire household.”

“Sorry, Hokage-sama.” They chorused.

He had received the news that Itachi had been in the village the night before from none other than Himawari-san who had come stumbling into his office. He saw the distraught look on her face, and her frantic eyes as she flinched at every sound.

He had been suspicious at first, thinking that the woman had lied, yet when he also received a report from Inoichi, he knew that it was serious. The ANBU who were meant to look over the house had been found unconscious, the effects of the sharingan no doubt. 

Hiruzen rubbed his forehead. “You all are dismissed, check in with Inoichi in a few minutes so that an assessment can be done to make sure that you’re not mentally compromised.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.” 

“Dismissed.”

He grabbed his pipe and hat as soon as he was alone. With one place in mind, Hiruzen walked out of his office and headed for the T&I department.

He was greeted once he was seen, and escorted to the observation room. Sitting in the room below him was Himawari-san. She had her eyes closed as Inoichi pressed his hand against her head.

“What’s it looking like so far?” He asked one of the employees.

“She answered all the questions we asked without waiting.”

“What about the lie detector test?”

“All the things she said came out as true. Inoichi-san is surfing through her memories of last night to see if the things she said lines up with what she saw.”

Hiruzen nodded. “I don’t know what it is about you, Himawari-san, but you get thrown into things as though luck is never on your side.” He muttered.

A few minutes later, when Inoichi and Himawari opened their eyes, he perked up and waited. 

“You’re free to go, Himawari-san.” Inoichi smiled at her, “thank you for being cooperative.”

“Will the children have to do this as well?”

“No, you don’t need to worry about them. We just had them answer some questions, but as you said, you had put them to sleep before you came face to face with those sharingan eyes.”

“Do you think he would return?”

“I can’t be certain, Itachi is a powerful individual, but we will be sure to take the necessary measures to make sure that you and the kids are alright.”

“Okay, thank you, Inoichi-san.” She bowed and grabbed her things before leaving.

Inoichi soon joined the Hokage in the observation room. He gave him a tired look and sighed.

“Nothing?” Hiruzen raised his eyebrow.

“Itachi had her placed into a genjūtsu like the others. It’s not the usual ones which can be dispelled, hence why she freaked out once she woke up. She was just lucky that he didn’t cause her any harm.”

“Hm.” 

“If I may, Hokage-sama?”

“Go on.”

“I think it’s a good idea to keep them under watch until they’ve moved out.”

“I wasn’t planning on dropping my guard before then, but I’m glad that you also think the same. Itachi knows the whereabouts of his brother currently, I doubt that he would approach them in the future.”

“Is it secured?”

“Possibly; I doubt he would want to cause a stir in the shinobi sector of the village, that’s all.”

“Ah, she’s moving nearby.”

“Only a few blocks away but it’s within the vicinity. It would be hard to sneak in, or out in that case.”

“You’re having the other clans keep watch?”

“Unknowingly, yes. The presence of the ANBU would be felt by the others and notifies the families of their arrival.”

“Which allows you to dismiss the ANBU while still keeping an eye on Himawari-san.” Inoichi nodded in understanding. “The children will think nothing of it seeing as Ino and Hinata are both clan children. It would be convenient for them to live nearby.”

“Precisely.”

Inoichi laughed, “you are very smart, Hokage-sama.”

“I’m old and paranoid.” He laughed back. “Those children need to be safe, especially with Itachi snooping around. Himawari-san refuses to place them in the care of others since she’s bonded with them, and I think it’s very beneficial based on their performance results.”

“The Uzumaki child showed quite an improvement.”

“Indeed.”

“The Uchiha was a little expected, he has always been good at those tests.”

“Hm.” He thought for a while, “I will leave you to work, Inoichi-san, thank you for your service.”

“My pleasure, Hokage-sama.”

Chapter Text

Act 2: Scene 10 — Winter of 1994

“Make sure you boys have everything you need.” Himawari called out as she went around the house checking the boxes that began to pile up. “The genin team that’s helping us will be arriving soon.” 

“Can I hold Dino while we walk?” Sasuke asked as he stuffed some of his clothes into an empty box. 

“I thought you wanted to carry some boxes with us.”

“I do, but it’s only one trip we’re making. If there’s too many boxes then I’ll help.” He entered the storage room where she was. “I don’t have to carry Dino, I just want to.”

Himawari stood up straight, placing her hands on her hips as she sighed. “You can carry it, I don’t mind at all, just make sure you’re ready to put it away to help if you’re asked.”

“Understood.”

“Where’s Naruto?”

“Erm, I think he’s folding the towels like you asked, he was in the linen closet the last time I saw him.”

“Alright,” she checked her watch. “I think most of our boxes are packed and ready to go. I’ll stall for as long as I can if they aren’t, these teams are really hard to hire.”

“Why is that?” 

“I had to book them in advance and reserve a time slot so they could give us a hand. It’s winter, and generally, the Hokage is less willing to have the young kids out and about inhaling the frigid air for the sake of doing chores other people are too lazy to do.” She turned off the lights to the storage room and closed the door behind her.

“This isn’t a chore though.”

“It isn’t, but I don’t want them out in the cold either. Let’s just make their job easier so they can return home before it starts snowing.”

Sasuke shivered and frowned, “I hope I don’t have to work through the winters.”

Himawari laughed as she double checked the cupboards to make sure that they were empty. “Unfortunately, the likelihood of you not being picked to do something silly like shovelling the park pathways after a snowstorm is extremely low.”

He groaned, “maybe I shouldn’t be a ninja.” He looked at her, “what do you think I’m good at?”

“It’s a little early for that answer, but you have very steady hands, so anything can work out for you.”

“Like a medic?”

“Do you want to work at the hospital?”

He shrugged, “I don’t mind…as long as I don’t deal with the bloody things.”

“Ah, right.”

He seemed to have developed a little bit of apprehension about blood. She wasn’t so sure about whether or not it was something that was short term, based on the Sasuke she’s dealt with in her time, he didn’t really care about it all too much. Then again, she wasn’t there to see if he had a fear of it in their younger days. He was an amazing fighter, and a ninja many of his peers looked up to, no one really cared about what he was scared of.

“Perhaps you don’t have to work with patients that are shinobi, I’m sure there are other positions in a hospital for you. That's if you want to work as a medic though, you can do something simple too.”

Sasuke thought for a moment. “Ino and Hinata are learning how to cook from you already…Can you teach me how to do that thing you do with the needles?”

“Knitting?” She leaned against a stack of boxes. “Do you want to make clothes?”

“I don’t know what I want to do, I just think I should have some backups in case I don’t want to be a shinobi in the future. I can be a tailor or something boring.” He smiled at her, then laughed. “I’m kidding, I don’t mind doing chores if I get paid. I do want to learn how to knit though.”

She watched him smile as he twisted his hands into his shirt, a habit he definitely picked up from a certain young Hyūga girl. A smile, yet alone a laugh, from Sasuke was generally a very rare thing to witness. She was just glad that he was getting comfortable in acting more like his age. “Sure, I’ll teach you.”

He nodded.

“And Sasuke, if you don’t want to be a shinobi, I don’t really care. You shouldn’t feel pressured to be one, and you have a lot of time to make up your mind about that matter.”

“I understand, Himawari-san, I’ll think about it again later. I’m going to go help Naruto.”

“Please make sure he labeled his boxes properly.”

He gave her a thumbs up as he left.

Himawari pushed her hands into her pockets as she pushed the boxes with her feet. Once she got to the stairs, she took a quick detour to her bedroom where she knew she had left a box.

Seeing her room so bare reminded her a lot of when she initially moved in.

Opening the closet door, she took out a small box and placed it on her bed. Peering inside, a sad smile appeared on her face as she pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt. They were dirty; dirt and grass stains covered it. 

It was the clothes she wore the day the unknown man had decided to get rid of her.

Sitting on her bed, she pulled it to her nose and breathed in deeply. It smelt like the fabric softener she used for her children’s clothes—faded, but still present.

Himawari wasn’t ready for the day where her old clothes would no longer smell like her children. Thinking about it made her eyes water slightly. Once the clothes get rid of its scent, she wouldn’t know what she would do with herself. It was the only reminder she had of her life.

Although painful, there were still some things she missed; Ino’s arms, Himawari’s hugs, Boruto’s smug smile, and Naruto. He may have hurt her then, and she might have hurt him too, but she still appreciated him.

There was a knock on her door before a mop of blond hair appeared. He looked at her and cleared his throat, “Himawari-san, the genin team is here.”

Quickly wiping her face, glad that her back was facing the door, she nodded her head. “I’ll be right down, I just forgot something.”

“Okay! Sasuke and I finished everything.”

“Thank you so much for your help.” She covered the box and picked it up.

“I’m so excited.” He let her lead the way downstairs as he added a bounce in his steps. “I’ve never lived in the shinobi district. I haven’t even been there!” He jumped down from the second last step and dusted his hands. 

“Really? Not even on a little walk?”

He shook his head, “I was too scared to. I’ve heard some stories about that place from the villagers. They’re scared of the shinobi too.”

“That’s understandable, shinobi are very powerful compared to an average civilian. You would be scared too if you weren’t training to be like them.”

“Are you scared of shinobi, Himawari-san?”

“Do you think I am?”

“No, you’re really strong that’s why. You’re even better than the teachers at the academy! If you couldn’t defend yourself then I think you would be a little bit scared.”

“I used to be scared of them actually, I’ll tell you about it next time.” She ruffled his hair and opened the door. “Thank you so much for coming.”

The team in front of her peered into the house as their sensei simply smiled.

“Everything is packed and ready to go.”

“Sasuke, come on!” Naruto yelled. “We’re going to a bigger house.”

“I know.” He rounded the corner carrying a bag over his shoulder, and a box light enough for him to carry with Dino sitting on top. “I’m…excited.” He smiled shyly.

“Yosh! Let’s get going!” Naruto pumped his fist into the air before grabbing the nearest, lightest box he could find.

Himawari smiled as she shook her head. 

“I must say, it took quite a while to find this place.” Utaha laughed as the door opened to reveal Himawari with Sasuke currently pushing his face into her stomach.

“Hello, Utaha-san.” His voice was muffled as he greeted her. He only took a peek at her to make sure that she was aware that he knew she was there.

“Hello there, Sasuke, it’s the first time you’ve actually greeted me at the door.” 

“It’s a little involuntary on his end, he just didn’t want to let me go today.” Himawari sighed and moved back with some difficulty to let Utaha inside. “It’s a good thing it didn’t snow today, it would have made finding us a little harder.”

Utaha waved a hand in front of her face as she slipped off her shoes and replaced them with the pair of slippers that waited for her. “I would have found it eventually, and I don’t mind the little guy being so attached. Before, he would hide away until we called for him.” She looked around as she was led into the living room. “It’s really nice, a little traditional but it’s beautiful.”

Instead of the two floored plan of their previous home, their current one was all on one floor. It was a small manor meant to accommodate the children’s lives as training shinobi; with a training area, an outdoor bathhouse, and a few trees for shade during the summer. 

Inside the house itself were the sleeping quarters with four bedrooms and the bathroom to one side, separated from the open living room, kitchen and dining area. The storage was a lone standing building across the training field. All in all, the house was much bigger than their previous one but not obsessively so. 

“I thought so too.” Himawari sat down, and brushed her hand through Sasuke’s hair as he shifted to find a comfortable position to hold her in.

“It must have cost a lot.”

“It would have been easy to manage on a shinobi allowance, but I’m receiving funds to make sure that he grows up well. Part of that I decided to direct towards a home more fitted for his growth, and it was suggested by the Hokage, I couldn’t turn down the offer.”

“I see.” Utaha nodded, “that’s great. Well, I came all the way to do a check up like I usually do, but after this, it would be more spaced out. Instead of the usual biweekly visits, we’ll be doing one every two months unless there’s any changes in his behaviour. I think I have a diagnosis ready for you, which I’ll forward to you in the mail.”

“I understand. Sasuke, I have to leave you alone for this portion, can you please talk to Utaha-san? I’ll be waiting for you in the kitchen.”

He lifted his head, “do I have to?”

“It’s your last check up for the year, then you won’t see her for a while.”

He sat up straight. “Fine.”

Himawari shared a glance with Utaha, “remember you don’t have to answer everything.”

“I know.”

“Alright.” She nodded, “I’ll let you handle it then.”

She was hesitant to leave him behind but quickly made her way to the kitchen. Himawari exhaled loudly as she wiped her hands against her pants. 

“Utaha-san is here?” Naruto asked as he walked out of his shared bedroom. 

Himawari nodded, checking on the pot of food she had cooking on the stove. “She just arrived.”

“Is she staying longer today?”

“Why would she?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know, I just thought she would. She stays longer every single time she visits.”

“You’ve been timing her?”

“Sasuke doesn’t like talking to her for a long time, especially about bad things that happen in between her visits, so I always count to see how long it takes.” He grabbed a pear from the fruit bowl as he used his stool to get onto the counter. “She spends more time talking to you.” He smiled mischievously. “What if Utaha-san likes you?”

Himawari was stunned by his words, so much so that she forgot his initial answer to her question. “Naruto!”

“It’s a joke!”

“I’m the guardian of her patient, that would not be a proper thing for her to do. We talk about Sasuke, that’s why she spends more time discussing things with me.” She stirred the pot of stew and checked on the cooking rice. “I doubt Utaha-san is interested in me beyond a professional level.”

“I said it was a joke, Himawari-san, you look disappointed that she might not like you.” He propped his chin up on his knee as he took another bite from his pear. “Himawari-san…Do you like women?”

She opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. “I like everybody, Naruto.”

“Yeah, but do you like women?”

“And if I do? Is something wrong?”

“I don’t think so, but other people might find it weird.”

“Why do you think so?”

“People talk all the time, Himawari-san, especially those villagers who are always looking into things they shouldn’t. They always say mean things because of little rumours about someone liking a man or a woman. I don’t want them to say mean things about you, they don’t know you, they don’t know how nice you are and how much you like everybody.”

“So what would you do? If your friend liked someone of the same gender?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t really care. I mean, everyone loves different things, so why can’t they love who they want? Sometimes…sometimes I don’t like anybody, but then…”

She lowered the heat underneath the pot of stew and turned to him fully. “You’re really young, I’m sure these things are confusing for you.”

“Love is confusing, I don’t understand it. Everyone hates me—except for you guys of course. I only know that I love you because…because that’s what children should do with their parents, right? You’re not my Momma, I don’t want you to be, but you're someone I love.” He stared out of the window, swinging one of his legs back and forth. “It’s because of Himawari-san that I even know what love is—I know what the other children feel when they’re taken care of. It’s warm, and nice, that’s love, right?”

“It can be. There’s no set feeling associated with love, and there’s different kinds of love.”

“Different kinds?”

“The one you joked about, when you said Utaha-san might like me, is romantic. What you feel for me is familial.”

“What about what I feel for Hinata and Ino…and Sasuke?”

“I can’t tell you, but I would think it’s platonic. You love them as your friends, right?”

He was quiet, and slow to answer as he nodded his head. His eyebrows were furrowed as he thought to himself. “I like that they’re my friends, I like when we play together and we hug each other goodbye.”

“Mhm,” she nodded. “A lot of people feel that way about their friends. It’s a nice feeling no matter what, love is great.”

“Can I love anybody romantically? No matter the gender, like you?”

She smiled, “when did I say that I liked anybody that way?”

He laughed, “you said you loved everybody!”

“I do.”

“Romantically?”

“Are you asking me if I care if someone’s a man or a woman?”

“I guess.”

“Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” She placed a finger on her lips. “You’re the only one who knows this.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I swear!”

“You better not.” She playfully raised her eyebrow and gave him a suspicious look over. “I used to be with a man who was just as enthusiastic as you. He was great; funny, caring, and he loved everybody the same. I was also with a woman who was as kind and mouthy as Ino; she knew how to speak her mind, didn’t sugarcoat her words, and was very beautiful.”

Naruto gasped, “was the guy handsome? I bet he was if he was as hyper as me.” He puffed out his chest and giggled when she ruffled his hair.

“I suppose he was. No one thought he was cute before but I liked him a lot.”

“What happened to them then? Did you break up with them? Is that why you’re single?”

Himawari scoffed and closed her eyes. “I suppose so. I couldn’t apologize to him, and I wasn’t able to tell her how much she meant to me. That doesn’t mean you can go around telling everyone that I’m single and looking for a partner!”

“Damn it, I was going to see if Utaha-san was single too.” He frowned.

“Naruto!”

“It was a joke!” He jumped down from the counter. “She's finished with Sasuke now. So, it’s my turn. Oh, by the way, Himawari-san.” Naruto paused and smiled at her, “I saw Utaha-san before she came inside and asked her if she wanted to stay for dinner. She said she would love to as long as you’re alright with it.”

Himawari just couldn’t believe it as she watched him scurry into the living room to take Sasuke’s place. 

“That boy will kill me.” She muttered.

Himawari grabbed the envelopes from the mailbox as she balanced a bag of groceries on her hip. She wiped away the few drops of cold sweat that blurred her vision, pushing her glasses up to hold her hair back as she shuffled through the mail.

Walking past the gate, she opened the door and immediately set the bag down onto the foyer sofa and opened a brown envelope. It was addressed to her, and marked with the Konoha symbol on the flap.

“Sasuke? Naruto? Can you please come here?” She called for them as she flipped through the sheets of paper. Her eyes scanned the documents with amusement.

“Yeah?” Sasuke answered with Naruto echoing him.

“So, the results of your evaluation just arrived.”

Both boys straightened up, nervousness visible as they shuffled in their spots.

“Are you curious about your performance?” She hugged the papers to her chest.

“Was it bad?” Naruto whispered, “gods, I hope it wasn’t bad. I hope I didn’t fail.” He bit his lip and breathed heavily. 

“I suppose making you wait will make you more anxious.” She held out his own report for him to take in one hand, and Sasuke’s in the other. “You both passed, and your performance was extremely good. The Hokage added small notes at the end specifically for you. The real amazement is how you did, Naruto, it’s noticeably better than the previous year.”

He took his report and glanced at all the things they said, his focus zeroed in on the seventy-four percent highlighted at the bottom of his page.

“You went from scoring within the thirties, to meeting the class median. You got a few questions wrong on the written test, and you did miss a few targets during the shuriken throwing portion. Other than that, you did amazing!” Himawari smiled at him and clapped. “Sasuke, there was some expectation of your grades taking a hit because of what happened, but you managed to do even better than before. You went from scoring in the eighties, to passing with a ninety-one percent. I’m so extremely proud of the both of you.”

Naruto’s eyes widened, then his face got bright before he jumped around while celebrating loudly. He did a silly dance before running into Himawari, giving her a big hug. “I couldn’t have done it without your help, Himawari-san, I’m so grateful for your help. I thought I would have to drop out of the academy next year but now I can continue, and I know how to do better.” He hiccuped, “thank you for being patient with me.”

She stooped down to his level and hugged him back. “You were an amazing student, Naruto, and I look forward to teaching you some more after the winter break. I’m glad that you continued to work hard even when you got frustrated. This is proof of your hard work.” She let him go and cupped his face, wiping away his tears as she kissed his forehead.

“Himawari-san.” 

She looked up at Sasuke then held her arms open. “Come here.”

He hugged her instantly, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “Thank you for teaching me.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

“Thank you for helping me.”

“Mhm.”

“Thank you for not leaving me to handle things alone.”

She didn’t respond, instead, she closed her eyes and rubbed his back soothingly. “I suppose I owe you two a celebratory dinner. It just so happens to be a special day for a certain girl in your friend group as well, so how about we all go out?”

“What’s the special day?” Naruto asked, handing her back his report once Sasuke stepped away.

“It’s Hinata’s birthday.” Sasuke answered.

“How’d you know that?”

He shrugged, “she mentioned it once.”

“I can’t believe you don’t like her.” Naruto muttered and crossed his arms. “You always remember things about her but not about me.”

“Are you jealous, Naruto?” Himawari laughed as she went to put the groceries away. 

“No! I’m just saying, Sasuke remembers things Hinata says but whenever I mention something, he’s clueless. Watch.” He looked at Sasuke, “what’s my favourite colour?”

“Orange.” Sasuke answered as he helped with packing the groceries. 

“How’d you know that?” Naruto raised his eyebrow. 

“It makes up half of our closet.”

“Well, he got that one right but that’s besides the point, Himawari-san. I think Sasuke likes Hinata!”

“I do not.”

“Then explain why you remember everything she says, because you don’t even pay attention when Ino talks.”

“Hinata asked me to point out when she stutters.”

“Okay?”

Sasuke sighed, “I don’t want to talk anymore. I’m going to get ready to go out for dinner.”

“Eh?” Naruto flailed his arms around. “He doesn’t even want to answer me!”

“Sasuke means that he remembers what Hinata says easily because he’s always paying attention to call her out on her stuttering.” Himawari ruffled his hair.

“Why didn’t he just say that?”

“He did, you just didn’t understand. Now, how about you get ready too while I give Hinata and Ino a call to ask them if they can join us?”

Naruto slumped his shoulders and nodded.

An hour later, they met the two girls outside Konoha’s famous barbecue restaurant. Hinata was wrapped in a warm, birthday kimono, with Ino hanging on her arm donning a simple pair of pants and her jacket. 

“Hey guys.” Naruto waved at them. “Happy birthday, Hinata.” He held out a gift bag. They had decided to pick something up for her before they arrived.

“Hi Naruto, Sasuke, Himawari-san.” She bowed, “thank you for the birthday wishes.” She smiled. Her stutter wasn’t as bad as it usually was, which spoke true of her improvement.

“You should open it when we get inside.” Sasuke suggested, “it’s too cold out here.” He pulled his jacket closer with an annoyed look on his face.

“I made a reservation so it won’t take long to get to our tables.” Himawari said as she opened the door for them. “How has your day been so far, Hinata?”

“It’s been alright. I haven’t done much…” 

“Hinata couldn’t come out to hang out with me for her birthday, which is why I’m so grateful you were able to convince her old man to let her out of the house.” Ino huffed. “Why is your father so uptight?”

A hostess motioned them to their table and had them seated before handing them their menu and steaming towels to clean their hands. 

“My performance on the exam wasn’t good.” Hinata answered truthfully, she didn’t seem angry about it either, she simply cleaned her hands and smiled. 

“What? But you scored higher than me!”

“Pappa doesn’t think it’s good enough.” She waved a hand in front of her face, “I’d like it if we…don’t talk about Pappa right now. I wanted to enjoy dinner with everyone.”

“Right…” Ino frowned and covered Hinata’s hand with her own. “Let’s eat until we can’t eat anymore.”

“Oh, I should open the gift before the food comes.” Hinata perked up. She pulled the bag onto her lap and carefully pulled the wrapping paper out. “A sweater?”

“You really like them.” Sasuke answered before Naruto could. “Himawari-san said it might be a little bit too big right now but…”

“You love big clothes, it’s all you wear.” Naruto finished. “I think it’s perfect for you. Maybe you can wear it when you’re older?”

Hinata held it close and nodded, “thank you again. And thank you for taking me out for dinner, Himawari-san. I know it’s to celebrate us passing the exam but—“

“It’s also for us to celebrate you, Hinata.” Himawari interrupted her. “It’s a day you should have fun.” She ordered them some food and smiled.

“Speaking of celebrating,” Ino raised her eyebrow at her, “all of our birthdays passed, but I haven’t heard anything about Himawari-san’s birthday.”

She scoffed, “was I supposed to tell you?”

The children stared at her with exasperated expressions. “Yes.” They all answered. “We want to give you gifts too.”

“Hm.” Himawari picked up her menu and looked at it again although she didn’t need to. “My birthday is today.” There was complete silence. It made her look up with curiosity. “What’s the matter?”

“You share a birthday with Hinata?” Ino and Naruto chorused.

“We’re born on the same day?” Hinata asked at the same time. 

Sasuke simply stared at her.

“December twenty-seventh? Yeah.” Himawari nodded. 

“That’s insane!” Ino yelled, “so this is technically a dinner for you too!”

“Mhm.”

“I can’t believe it.” Naruto muttered.

“You look like her.” Sasuke spoke up.

Himawari smiled at him, “I suppose I do.”

Their waitress interrupted them by placing down the plates of raw meat for them to cook along with some side dishes and their drinks. The moment she left, Himawari was then bombarded with a truck load of questions which she answered delightfully as she cooked them their food.

“Can you share your secrets? You look so young.” Ino held onto her arm as she stared at her with sparkling eyes. She didn’t care about the plate of beef that Himawari placed down in front of her.

“Just drink water and sleep well. Eat all your food too, there’s no use starving yourself as a shinobi.” Himawari answered. “You’re too young to worry about aging anyway.”

Ino pouted and ate her food.

Sasuke scooted closer to her as she served him as well. “How old are you this year, Himawari-san?” 

“Hm…thirty-four?”

“Ino, you made it sound like she was in her sixties!” Naruto ate his food happily. “Don't listen to her, Himawari-san. I mean, you look young, that’s true but not young as in you’re supposed to be really old and wrinkly—“

“Naruto, I think she understood what Ino meant.” Hinata whispered.

“You’re younger than my Momma.” Sasuke whispered. The thought of Himawari being the same age his mother was when she died made him feel weird. Would she die too when she turned thirty-five? “I hope you live until I die.” 

“I’m not planning on dying before then.” She whispered to him. “I promised that I would watch you grow up.”

“Good.”

“Come on, eat everyone. Don’t think I’m letting you leave here without eating enough food to last you the entire winter.” Himawari quickly spoke up before the other children could get curious about what she said to Sasuke.

“I don’t think that’s responsible.” Hinata smiled but grabbed another plate of pork. 

“First to five plates wins.” Naruto called out.

“You’re so on, Uzumaki.” Ino glared at him.

“Please don’t throw up.” Hinata looked at her friends with worry.

“Be careful you two.” Himawari warned them. “Sasuke, you’re eating faster than you normally do.” She noted.

He looked away as he continued to eat. “I’m going to win.”

They all laughed as they continued to eat while Himawari tended to the grilling meat.

The new moon signified a new month and also the transition into the first day of the new year. Himawari sat on the roof of the house, her eyes closed as she breathed in the cold air of the night. She didn’t open her eyes when a figure landed beside her, nor did she give any indication that she saw him as a threat.

“You’re back.” She turned to him, then patted the empty spot beside her. “I’m assuming you came with your answer ready, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”

“There are no ANBU around.”

“I noticed. I suppose the Hokage got rid of them since I’m surrounded by very capable clans who will notify him if anything is amiss without him having to expend his resources.” 

Itachi sat down slowly, leaving a couple feet of space between them as he folded his legs under him. “How is Sasuke?”

“He’s adjusting well to the new house. He still sleeps in my room mostly but he tries to sleep with Naruto on occasion. He’s eating well, and his training will resume when school resumes as well.”

“That’s good.” He was silent for a while. “I’m glad.”

“Is that alluding to your answer?” Himawari watched him from the corner of her eyes. The deep stress lines on his face at such a young age made her frown.

“I don’t know.”

“Hailed as a genius, with the knowledge of a Hokage, yet you do not know whether or not your brother will be okay with carrying out your plan? You didn’t plan that very well.”

“I’m aware.” He grimaced. “I did not intend for it to be so complicated.”

“You didn’t want to acknowledge that it was. Now you can see what you missed; you saw Sasuke as a way out of your guilt, and ignored that he too was just a child. Don’t make the same mistake your parents did.”

“Are you doing this for Konoha’s sake as well? Will you tell the Hokage that I’ve been around?”

“I’m doing it for Sasuke’s sake. I would desert this village for him as well if I have to, I just want to make sure he’s alright.”

“And the Uzumaki child?”

“Let’s say I’m ready to be in the bounty books for these children.” She smiled. “The Hokage doesn’t need to know what won’t hurt him.”

He nodded in understanding. “I can not stay here…I don’t want to be a bother to Sasuke. He hates me, I know that’s very clear with his outbursts—“

“He loves you just the same. He’s conflicted; he loves his older brother, but he hates the monster you showed him that night. That’s all he remembers, Itachi, the monster who took over his brother’s body and wears his face. He misses his brother.” She paused, “though, I was never going to ask you to stay within the village knowing that that would be an issue in itself.”

“What do you propose then?”

“Talk to him. Stay one night and speak with him when you think he’s ready. Don’t wait until he grows up to have a conversation with him, you’re not an adult that requires another to have a discussion with, you are a child who needs to talk to his younger brother. Sasuke needs it, and you do too.”

That was easier said than done, they both knew it yet didn’t say anything to deny that a conversation needed to be had.

“Don’t let him hate you until you’re gone, Itachi. Don’t let him do something so you can free yourself of guilt only for him to carry resentment for himself and his family as he grows older. The truth will be learnt one way or another, he will discover that his brother was not a monster but a child much like himself.”

“What do you know, Himawari-san? I can’t help but feel as if—“ He paused when he caught her eyes. “—you know.”

“What the Hokage doesn’t know won't hurt him.” She repeated cryptically. “Will you be visiting again?”

“I’m heading for Lightning Country, I won’t be in Fire Country for a while.”

“Be safe then.” She pulled a clothed parcel onto her lap. He didn’t notice it before. “This should last you a few days.”

“How did you know I was in Konoha?”

She tilted her head and smiled again. “Goodnight, Itachi.” She placed it beside him and jumped down from her roof before entering her house.

He remained sitting there until he heard her bedroom door close. “Goodbye, Himawari-san.”

Chapter Text

Deleted Scene — The Purple Brachiosaurus  

It was a frequent occurrence to see him sporting something dinosaur related; if it was not Dino in his arms, then it was a dinosaur keychain attached to his bag or a dinosaur trinket in his pockets. 

Sasuke avoided conversations about the matter, choosing to brush it off even as it became apparent that he was not going to let go of his fixation very soon.

Utaha had shared that it might just be his way of retaining some semblance of normality in his life after the massacre, the dinosaur was just something he clung onto so things wouldn’t be so bad. Well, that would explain his habit for the first couple of months, but it had become somewhat of a hassle whenever he refused to do something without getting a trinket in return.

Like when they went out shopping on a cold winter day.

He had refused to actually join them, claiming that he could stay home alone without a problem [a lie that Himawari-san was able to figure out easily] because outside was too cold. It was only when she had promised to buy him whatever he wanted at one of the stands in the marketplace that he agreed to go.

His reward? A purple brachiosaurus keychain that he kept fiddling with as they went around buying clothes. He didn’t really care when the Hokage stopped them, only ever tuning in when he noticed the way Himawari’s body froze, but he resumed playing with his new toy.

The keychain would soon be joined by a few new plushies, some graphic pyjamas, keychains and whatever movie and game with dinosaurs that Himawari-san could get her hands on.

Making his bed—or leaving Himawari’s room—in the morning was beginning to take longer than usual with how many things he had to place on it when he was finished. He made sure to organize them well, if not by colour, then size or name. 

Where exactly would his extensive knowledge of dinosaurs be applied wasn’t a problem for him, it would remain as something he indulged in to feel better when the days got hard and he was having trouble with sleeping.

Sasuke liked when his dreams would be an amalgamation of stupid things that happened throughout the day with the presence of a triceratops or a tyrannosaurus hiding behind the foliages of whatever forest he woke up in. Perhaps his vivid dreams had their perks whenever he wanted to be somewhere other than Konoha for once. 

He never spoke about them much though, it was his little secret even though he told Himawari-san, and Naruto on occasion, about his adventures in the sky while riding on the back of a pterodactyl. 

It was silly, and it was fun.

Childish.

And that’s exactly what Himawari-san wanted from him; for him to be into silly little things that made him happy just like the other children his age. His happiness just so happens to be the dinosaurs that he loved reading about.

Even when he remembers that Dino was played with by his older brother. It wasn’t so bad to be reminded that Itachi had once roleplayed with him about dinosaurs. It was a great memory; seeing his brother smile and make stupid noises that dinosaurs would make only for Sasuke to point out that that was not what a tyrannosaurus sounded like. 

A memory that would then turn into Itachi’s face morphing into that of a velociraptor as it dug its face into the stomach of a poor triceratops. Its snout was covered in blood, its sharp teeth smiling at him.

He hated thinking of Itachi as those vicious dinosaurs. He much preferred when his brother was a brachiosaurus who remained passive, eating calmly while being caring and protective of its own. 

Itachi killed his family.

“Do you want to pick another one?” Himawari looked down at him, and glanced back at the shelf of keychains on display. 

“I’ll have the blue stegosaurus.” He pointed at the one he wanted. “I don’t have a blue dinosaur yet.”

Himawari smiled at the store clerk as they retrieved what Sasuke asked for.

“That one will buy up our entire inventory.” The clerk laughed as they wrapped it carefully and placed it in a small bag like they usually did. Sasuke never saw the use in it since he picked it himself and it wasn’t a gift but he didn’t say anything.

“I’m sure he will.” Himawari thanked them again and handed Sasuke his newly purchased dinosaur keychain. “Let’s get you home.”

Deleted Scene — Momma

The first time it happened, he had been helping her out with cleaning the house while Naruto was away on the weekend. The blond boy had promised to return, citing that he had a meeting with the Hokage for the day and he had yet to actually tell him that he was staying with Himawari-san so frequently.

Sasuke was working diligently; wiping down the countertops and putting away any garbage while she organized the pantry and stored away some groceries.

He had been listening to her hum while she worked, reminded of his own mother who he had lost just under three months ago. It still made him upset whenever he was reminded that his precious Momma was gone, forever a memory in his little head, surrounded by flowers and then pools of blood.

He was trying to work through it, but some days he’d end up in bed with his thigh bleeding and his lips quivering as he called out for his Momma and Pappa to come back.

Today, he just listened to her hum that familiar melody as he closed the garbage bag and set it to the side to take it out later. 

“You don’t have to do that, Sasuke.” Her voice startled him as she poked her head out of the pantry. A smile was plastered on her face; a smile that never left whenever she talked with him. “I appreciate the help but I assumed that you wanted to relax today since your lessons were cancelled.”

“I’d like to be of some help, Himawari-san,” he responded, “I don’t do anything around the house and…” He itched his thigh, not hard enough to cause marks but it did catch her attention. “I wanted to help.” He reaffirmed with a nod.

“Well, if that’s what you want, I won’t stop you.” She nodded back, “I’m almost done here. Would you like to help with cleaning out the yard? All those leaves are piling up in the front.”

“I’ll get started.” He picked up the garbage bag.

“Thanks.”

Sasuke gave her a watery smile in response, then made his way to the side of the house where the garbage bins as well as the shovel [for snow] and rake were. With a huff, he hefted the bag into the black bin and grabbed the rake.

The leaves weren’t plenty, just the remainder from the hedges and the tree that separated their house from their neighbours. The cool gust of wind made him pull his sweater [it was Himawari-san’s, he stole it from her closet and she didn’t really mind] close as he worked.

He couldn’t hear her hum from where he was, and a part of him was a little dejected by her absence, yet he didn’t make a big fuss about it. 

Gathering the leaves quietly, he looked up when his name was called. His response made him pause, however, his blood froze as he stared at her in embarrassment.

She pretended not to hear him though, and he was grateful for such as she approached him with a paper bag meant for the leaves. “You work really fast.” She had said to distract him, yet the blush never left his face as he nodded. “Thanks again, Sasuke.” 

“No problem, Himawari-san.” He muttered.

The second time it happened was during their first spring together. Himawari-san had suggested that they book a training ground for their spars instead of using their backyard like they usually did. Naruto was excited for it, he had never been in a training field before since he wasn’t allowed near one.

Sasuke had always found himself in one to practice just for the sake of receiving praises from his father.

The trees had started to bud, oak saplings flying down like helicopters as the wind shook them free from their branches, and the smell of freshly cut grass permeated the air. 

Himawari-san had packed them their lunch in a basket, with a blanket wrapped around it carefully. She had set up an area for them to relax after their spars, and proceeded to guide them to the main field after making sure that they had everything that they needed. 

Their training proceeded as usual; they did their stretches and ran laps around the field, before being made to fight the training dummies before they fought her. 

He had been so focused on what he was doing, that when she called him to come eat since he had refused minutes prior, he responded with that name he swore he wouldn’t call her by.

Naruto had noticed quickly, and the look on his face made Sasuke self conscious. The thing about Naruto was that he could never let something go after he caught on to it. He had looked at Himawari-san, wondering if she heard the name Sasuke called her, then back at Sasuke to make sure that he had indeed heard him right.

The small Uchiha boy pretended to not notice the looks the Uzumaki was giving him as Himawari-san handed him a sandwich with his bowl of sliced tomatoes. He ignored him when Naruto nudged his side with his eyebrow raised, and he didn’t say anything when Naruto whispered that name back to him while Himawari-san tended to their next lesson’s preparation.

Sasuke swore that he was going to strangle the blond kid when it was their turn to spar against each other. Every kick was followed by a little snicker, and whenever he tried to tackle him to the ground, Naruto would smile at him knowingly. 

On their way home, Sasuke’s face was twisted in disdain while Naruto smiled mischievously. 

That night, right after Himawari-san had tucked them into bed while handing him the offer to sleep in her room if he needed it, Naruto had snuck into his bed and faced him. Sasuke had turned his back towards him, holding onto Dino for dear life, hoping to the gods that he would just drop the conversation and never speak about it again.

It was a mistake.

Just like it had been the first time.

“I don’t blame you.” Naruto had whispered, his breath tickling the base of Sasuke’s neck as he shuffled closer. “She’s nice, and I would have said the same thing if…”

“Shut up.”

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed.”

Sasuke turned to him with a glare. “It was a mistake.”

Naruto watched him silently then shrugged. “If you say so.” He got out of his bed and made his way to his own.

They no longer had a bunk bed system. The room was big enough for them to fit two separate beds with space to spare even with all the furniture. 

“Goodnight, Sasuke.”

It became a frequent thing for Sasuke to refer to Himawari-san as just her name without the suffix before he moved on to using a completely different name for her. A name he didn’t think that he would be using ever since his mother was confirmed dead. 

She didn’t mind it when he dropped the honourifics from her name, even when others would raise their eyebrows every time they heard him speak about her while they were out and about in the village taking care of their tasks. It would be otherwise disrespectful had Himawari-san actually raised an issue with him.

She, however, couldn’t help the pang in her chest whenever he would slip up and call her by a name she swore she would never hear again. Not from him or anyone for that matter. It had ceased to surprise her as much as it did the first time, yet it didn’t make it easier to hear him cry out knowing that it was not his own mother he wanted but her.

The night he had crawled into her bed, well past his eighth birthday and approaching the anniversary of his clan’s massacre, he had called out to her and held onto her as he cried,

“Momma,” he had croaked out, pushing his face into her bosom, his arms wrapped around her as best as he could while his tears soaked into her nightgown. “Please, don’t leave me.”

Himawari felt her own eyes water, hearing him call her that without being embarrassed like he usually was. She could hear her own children’s voices in his own, begging for her to come back and cradle them because of how much everything hurt and scared them. 

“It’s okay, Sasuke, I’m here.” She would whisper, soothing him as best as she could while he cried. 

He would mutter her name, or rather the new title, over and over again until exhaustion got to him and pulled him into deep sleep. Sleep that would be contaminated by bloody imagery and screams of help which would wake him up in cold sweat.

The process repeated every night for weeks until the month of August was over and no one was able to remind him that his clan’s massacre had taken place. Still, he never stopped calling her ‘Momma’ as things moved along.

Even with Utaha’s visits, he did not stop referring to her that way. Hinata’s and Ino’s sleepovers didn’t derail him from calling her by that name because she really had found a place in his life where he could look up to her as such.

It didn’t mean he was replacing his own or forgetting about his actual mother. No, he made it very clear in his own way that Himawari would never be able to replace Mikoto.

When he finally had the courage to visit the land wherein his family had been buried, he didn’t cry, but made a beeline for his mother’s grave as if he had been there before. Finding her was easy, and he led Himawari there by her hand.

They had sat there, staring at the gravestone now decorated with flowers that Sasuke had insisted on buying. There were others there, from Naruto, Hinata and Ino who had all decided to leave it up to Himawari instead of intruding on the private moment.

She had listened to Sasuke speak quietly; telling his mother that he was okay while he glanced at her. She's never met Mikoto before, so her words were few when Sasuke asked her to say something. She figured that praising him, and speaking about him was her best bet in appeasing the dead woman, and she wasn’t disappointed in the slightest.

Words left her mouth without her thinking about it; recounting every experience she’s shared with Sasuke until she paused at his building habit of referring to her as his Momma. 

She had apologized then, asking for forgiveness that she rooted herself in his life that way when she didn’t intend for it to happen. Sasuke had laid his head on her arm, shaking it as he told her that it was okay.

They had remained there until it became harder to ignore the blistering sun above. A chipmunk had seen them off, sitting on the gravestone of Uchiha Mikoto as they bowed and excused themselves.

Sasuke had looked back, waved, and slid his hand into Himawari’s as he squeezed it lightly. “Thanks for coming with me…Momma.”

Deleted Scene — Small, Regrettable Accidents

Hinata wasn’t one to get agitated easily; she was known to be extremely passive, annoyingly so even when she was provoked constantly. Others would have thought that to be an asset but not her family, never her family.

Being passive and slow to react was the antithesis of what it meant to be a Hyūga. They weren’t martyrs, peacemakers, or saints, they were ruthless fighters who carried themselves with grace. 

It was why she was looked down upon by her family. She would never choose to fight if the other option was peace and tranquility. She would never hurt someone unless she was forced to, and even then, she would regret it and apologize profusely. 

Her family hated everything she stood for because she was different. She didn’t believe in the Hyūga, or ninja way of battling things out which could be resolved with a proper understanding of each party’s situation. Why must she fight for the sake of scores when its benefits were not worth it?

They would die anyway.

That was her thinking every single time she was kicked down by her father during her training sessions. Times where she could not escape the compound and be with Himawari-san were spent in the exact position she laid in, with the thought that they would all die.

The world will cease to exist, she would no longer be a bother with or without training, and all of this meant nothing because death was inevitable. 

Hinata constantly saw her life as disposable. She never shared this with Ino, or Himawari-san for that matter, knowing that they would try their hardest to get rid of that mindset, and in some ways, they do make it more bearable. Yet she couldn’t help but scorn her life and wish for it to stop.

She didn’t realize how negative her thinking had been, nor how it affected her. The concerned looks from Ino during class, or the lingering gaze of Himawari-san whenever they all met at the library was ignored by her.

Hinata had finally snapped when she was once again forced to fight at the academy. It was cold outside, and snow was on the forecast for the day despite it being early autumn. She didn’t feel like doing it; her body still hurt from training early that morning, she forgot to eat breakfast, and the urge to run away and harm herself was higher since she hadn’t done it for a week straight.

Unlike many others, however, Hinata’s resolve finally breaking didn’t mean that she went berserk and attacked with harsh abandon just so the fight would be over with, she instead remained standing there.

With every call of her name, she stared straight ahead and pretended not to hear anything. Ino had whispered in her ear, asking her if she was alright as she laced their fingers together. The other students watched her, muttering amongst themselves as she continued to stand there.

“Hinata, if you do not complete the spar, I’m afraid that I will have to fail you.”

Failing was better than fighting.

“Hinata…Hiashi will be made aware of this.”

She looked into her teacher’s eyes, disbelief, hurt and anger swimming in her own as she planted her feet well into the dirt. She will deal with the beatings disguised as training, she will let him degrade her for all she cares, but she didn’t want to fight and that was that. 

“Fine.”

She sighed, her shoulders shaking as she gave Ino a watery smile to let her know that she was okay.

“What about your father?” Ino whispered, holding onto her as she moved her out of view of the others. “He’s not going to like it.”

“Sensei isn’t going to tell.”

“How are you so sure?”

Hinata lifted her head and craned her neck for Ino to see the small bruise there. She had made sure it was visible a little bit more, tired of hiding how much pain she was in, it was the only cop out she could think of. If her teacher actually cared, he wouldn’t make it worse for her.

“Hinata!” Ino hissed, “why didn’t you tell me? When did this happen?”

“It’s okay, Ino.”

“It’s not. I’m tired of that stupid, old man putting his hands on you and causing—” she waved her hand up and down, motioning to her body. “—this! I need to ask my Pappa if you can live with us.”

“That’s alright, Ino, you don’t have to.”

“Bullshit!”

Hinata frowned, she didn’t like it when Ino swore sometimes.

“You’re being abused.” She muttered harshly, “and I’m not going to pretend that it’s not happening just because you say it’s okay. Your father shouldn’t beat you until you’re black and blue.”

“It’s training, Ino, every family does it.”

“My Pappa doesn’t fight me until I’m a heaving mess, ‘Nata, not everyone’s parents are that way. Your father is a bad guy! Please, just let me ask my Pappa to take you for a week or something.”

Hinata shook her head, “no, Ino.”

“Why do you let him do it? Why don’t you say ‘no’ or not do anything like you just did?” Ino asked innocently. In hindsight, it did sound as though she was blaming her friend but she didn’t know how to word her concern. 

“Pappa is bigger and stronger, Ino…I’m okay.”

She frowned and huffed. “I’m going to ask my old man to take you in for the week whether you like it or not.”

“No.”

“I will.”

“No!” Hinata yanked her arm away from Ino as she yelled. “Pappa would ask why and he’d know about this. I don’t want that.”

“You need to be—“

“I don’t care! I will deal with it later, I’m okay, and I don’t need help.” Her breathing was heavy, her chest falling up and down as she stared at the wide eyes of her friend. She didn’t care that the others were listening now. “I’m going to the nurse, I have a headache.”

“I’ll come with—“

“No. You haven’t done your spar yet.” Hinata muttered, “I’ll see you after school.”

Ino watched her walk away and only then did she notice the limp in Hinata’s walk.

How many more accidents was she going to be punished for until she let her step in? Ino was tired of watching it happen while not being able to say or do anything because Hinata said she was alright.

She wanted to save her friend.

Deleted Scene — Sunflowers and Bolts

Himawari felt her breath get caught in her throat the first time she saw him. His hair was as long as ever, his forehead bandaged just like his hands as he walked around following Hinata. She didn’t realize that she was standing in the middle of the marketplace until Sasuke and Naruto tugged at her shirt to move her out of the way.

“What’s the matter, Himawari-san?” Naruto asked, glancing around to find out what she was looking at. “Did something happen?”

“Sorry, I’m alright.” She apologized quickly, “I just remembered something that I forgot about.”

“Oh, you scared us. You just froze up and didn’t say anything when we called your name.” Naruto pulled a bottle out of the little bag he carried with him. “Drink this.”

“Thank you.” She ruffled his hair and took a sip of the water. Handing it back to him, her gaze once again found her younger self and the boy following right behind.

“Isn’t that Hinata?” Sasuke asked, tilting his head towards the crowd.

Naruto squinted before perking up, “I’m going to go greet her.” He didn’t wait for Himawari to respond before he sped off towards the two Hyūga children.

She looked at Sasuke then back at a running Naruto, “I suppose we should say ‘hello’ too.” She followed right behind with Sasuke at her side. 

They arrived to hear only a little bit of whatever discussion Naruto had managed to start.

“Hinata,” Himawari smiled, “it’s nice seeing you out and about at the moment.”

“Himawari-san!” She bowed, “I thought Naruto was out by himself again.”

“Nah, we were just coming back from the library.” Naruto grinned.

“I was just heading there.” Hinata confessed, “I wanted to read some books about the things we spoke about, Himawari-san.”

“I see you’re taking it into consideration.” She nodded, “it’s good that you decided to read about it first though.” 

They had spoken about getting some sort of weapon for her to use beyond kunai and shuriken during their separate training. It was a passing conversation, one that didn’t really lead anywhere since Hinata was hesitant to deviate from her Hyūga training, but clearly she had thought about it for a while.

Himawari’s eyes trailed to the hardened eyes looking at her, she smiled as she stopped her heart from leaping out of her chest. “And who might you be?”

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t introduce my cousin yet. This is Neji.” Hinata smiled shyly.

“Neji…Nice to meet you.” Himawari bowed her head slightly. “I’ve heard your name a few times, it’s nice to finally put a face to the name. I’m Himawari.”

Neji glanced at Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke before he looked back at her. “You’re the one Hinata runs to because she’s too weak.”

Himawari pretended to miss the way Hinata winced as Neji muttered her name with venom laced in it. As if her name was poison. “I suppose I am.”

“Pathetic.”

“Neji, please, Himawari-san is—“

“I’m not interested. You must return to the compound within the hour, or are you going to stand there and speak with…them…instead of doing as you had planned?” He said while he walked ahead.

Hinata bit her lip and nodded. “Sorry, I’ll get going. It was nice to see you guys.” She waved as she excused herself.

“What a jerk.” Naruto muttered, “who shoved a stick up his ass?”

“Naruto, language.” Himawari watched the children disappear into the crowd. 

“Sorry, but I mean, he really is a jerk. He didn’t even greet me when I introduced myself. And the way he talks to Hinata is disgusting, I can’t believe that’s her cousin, she’s way too kind for this.”

Sasuke didn’t say anything as his eyes followed the dark haired boy until he couldn’t see him anymore. “He talks like Itachi when he’s tired.” He said, “I’m hungry.”

“Your brother spoke like a Grade A—“ He stopped when Himawari gave him a look. “Whatever, I hope I never see him again.”

Curse him and his very big mouth.

Naruto was shocked to find Neji on the other side of the door that evening when he opened it. He couldn’t help but mentally groan as he came face to face [or face to chest, the kid was tall for his age] with those cold, calculating eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Naruto crossed his arms. He’s already labelled Neji as someone he didn’t quite like, and nothing was changing that unless he treated Hinata better. Judging by the annoyed look that seemed to be permanent, that was not going to happen any time soon.

“Is Hinata-sama inside?” 

“And if she is?” He tried his best to block his vision, standing on his tippy toes in case Neji decided to peer inside the house.

“She’s needed at the house. It’s late.”

“This is my first time seeing someone coming to pick her up, what are you, her keeper?” He tried to not let Neji’s eyebrow raise annoy him. “You’re doing a horrible job at it since she’s always here without your family questioning her whereabouts.”

“I simply do not care unless Hiashi-sama requests her presence, which he is. I do not have to explain myself to the likes of you.”

“Well she’s not home.” She’s supposed to have a sleepover right now, and frankly, Naruto didn’t want her going home with the Grade A Asshole [he mentally apologized to Himawari-san for swearing]. “I’ll tell her you’ve been around though if she comes by.” He made a move to slam the door shut in his face only for Neji to sneak his foot into the way.

The veins around his eyes were prominent as he looked into the house. He didn’t say a word as he pushed past Naruto without bothering to wait for an invitation.

“Hey! Get back here!” Naruto grabbed the first thing in his way, which was a pair of sandals, and threw it at Neji. “Why you—“ He cursed as Neji simply dodged the flying shoe without looking at him. “Who said you could come inside?”

“Hinata-sama!” Neji called out. “Hiashi-sama wants you back home. I know you’re here, there’s no point in hiding.”

Sasuke rounded the corner with Himawari’s sweater swallowing him whole. He peered at Neji from under his hood, a frown on his face. “Hinata isn’t here.”

“Don’t lie to me, I can tell that you are.” Neji’s byakūgan was very much activated as he still looked around the house. He could see her chakra signature, he just didn’t understand why she was trying to hide. “Hinata-sama!” He called out again as he started to walk by Sasuke.

He reached out to stop him, only narrowly avoiding a Gentle Fist strike to his arm as he twisted his body and kicked out his leg in return. Neji blocked him and was about to throw another jab at him until a hand caught his own and disrupted the chakra in his hands.

“There will be no fighting in my house, Sasuke, I thought you knew better.”

“Sorry, he attacked first.” Sasuke’s stance relaxed as he put his hands down and sighed.

Neji stared at the hand around his wrist, and then the woman who had managed to cut off his chakra flow with a single touch. “Who are you?” He looked at her suspiciously. 

“Nice to see you again, Neji. I know that it’s your first time here so I’d like to extend my apologies since those two decided to shield their friend.” She let him go, “Hinata is currently asleep in my bedroom, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Hiashi-sama—“

“—wants to see her, I’m aware since you’ve said it earlier. I will send my word of her status with you, I assure you her father will be fine with my decision once he knows she’s with me. Would you like something to drink?”

Neji massaged his wrist as he shook his head, “no thank you. If Hinata-sama is staying for the night then I will get going.”

“It would be great if you apologized to Sasuke and Naruto as well.” She smiled at him.

He didn’t like that smile; it felt as though she was taunting him, holding information above his head that only she would know. He turned to the two boys who had been waiting there with their arms crossed [in Naruto’s case] and a bored look on their faces.

Scoffing, he rolled his eyes, “sorry.”

“We don’t forgive you!” Naruto nodded, “now get out, you big jerk.”

Himawari didn’t say anything as Neji glared at the two and made his way back to the foyer. He hadn't taken his shoes off, so he opened the door and stepped out into the night.

“I will inform Hiashi-sama of Hinata-sama’s whereabouts. Goodnight.” He bowed his head and left quickly.

“I really don’t like that guy.” Naruto grumbled.

Himawari only laughed as she ushered them inside and to their room. “Oh, I know.”

Deleted Scene — Cherry Blossoms On A Rainy Day

She didn’t know how to feel seeing Ino look so happy while she distanced herself from her other friends to hang out with that quiet girl. It started when she noticed that Ino wasn’t in the school courtyard during lunch; usually, they would be butting heads there for Sasuke’s attention but neither of them were there that day.

Sakura had sat around waiting, hoping to see her blond best friend turned rival arrive with that smug look she always had on her face. Yet, Ino never came. She thought that something had happened, and a part of her [that inner voice that was very loud and brash] told her to not worry at all. They weren’t friends, she had broken up their friendship, so she had no obligation to worry or even think about Ino.

That had continued for a week; she would watch and wait, only for Ino to never step outside once the teacher declared that they were on their lunch break. 

She would soon discover why that was when she showed up for school one day and Ino’s arm was thrown over the shoulders of that weird Hyūga girl who always gave her the creeps a little bit. Her eyes were weird, she was way too quiet, and when she spoke, it was excruciating to listen to her stutter. 

Sakura had watched from the sidelines, quietly observing as Ino gushed over the Hyūga girl, poking light hearted fun at her while said girl blushed and poked her fingers together.

She knew that Ino had a habit of gravitating to some outcasts, look at her, she went from being bullied to having her own circle simply because Ino stepped in for her. So it wasn’t really a shock that Ino found herself attached to the only other student Sakura knew to be labelled as a Class A weirdo.

No one paid any attention to the Hyūga, and she assumed it would have stayed that way for years if Ino didn’t wake up randomly and decided to befriend her.

Was that jealousy she was feeling every time she listened to them talk about miscellaneous things? That didn’t matter.

For a while, Sakura ignored Ino’s budding friendship with Hinata [she figured out her name once]. She would scoff and surround herself with more friends who believed everything she said. It was nice not being in Ino’s shadow anymore, she was no longer attached to anything Ino did and that felt great!

It meant that she finally had a chance for Sasuke to see her as Haruno Sakura, a pink haired beauty who was the best at studying and would be a great wife for him. Well, that flew right out of the window when that woman came in to say that Sasuke was no longer going to be attending the academy until further notice.

Her chances were shot and she didn’t know what to do.

Unlike before when Sasuke had his family and would go back home, she didn’t know where he lived, so approaching him became impossible. No one, none of the girls or the guys, knew where Sasuke stayed and whenever the conversation came up, Ino would get really quiet.

Ino, Hinata and Naruto. 

Sakura had her suspicions, it would be Ino leading these conversations amongst the girls; figuring out where Sasuke was and what he was up to so they could all fawn over him. Yet, she was now diffusing such conversations whenever she heard it.

“Let’s leave him alone guys,” she would say, “he’s not feeling well right now and we shouldn’t bother him.” 

Hinata, who would be attached to Ino’s hip, would quietly nod along as she pushed her hands into her pockets.

Sakura wasn’t stupid, she was far from it, so she knew that Ino definitely knew where Sasuke was, but that inner voice told her that she was just being crazy. 

How would she know if he wasn’t feeling well, Inner Sakura would then whisper, making her frown as she listened to Ino once again sharing that Sasuke wasn’t in a good place mentally. 

It only clicked when Sasuke had returned for the exam. Sakura was shocked to see him in the courtyard when she arrived at school. He was surrounded, only given a little space thanks to Naruto and that woman. 

She hadn’t even noticed that Naruto was no longer in school. He had stopped pestering her months ago, and she simply assumed that he gave up his silly, childish crush on her. Yet there he was, so close to Sasuke as he answered every question for him.

She had approached them with a smile, thinking that it was finally her chance to get his attention, only to be disappointed when Sasuke ignored her like he usually did. She frowned, and took a step back—at least he was there to see how well she would do, that’s all she thought as she tried to rationalize his reaction.

Then Ino and Hinata appeared, greeting him so easily. 

Sakura thought he would ignore Ino like he did her, it was a common occurrence for him to not pay any attention to anyone. She was getting ready to stick her tongue out to Ino, a lie forming to trick her into believing that Sasuke greeted her instead, only to have a rug ripped out from under her.

Sasuke greeted Ino.

Sasuke did not ignore Ino.

Sasuke looked happy to see Ino.

Sakura felt her world shake.

The ground underneath her trembled, opened up and swallowed her whole. She couldn’t believe her ears or eyes. This wasn’t happening.

The anger she had felt had completely blinded her through her exam. She made more mistakes than she usually did, and the furrow of her eyebrows never left her even when everyone went home.

That night, she tossed and turned, her dreams tainted by the reminder that Sasuke had acknowledged Ino’s [and Hinata’s—why Hinata?] presence and wasn’t annoyed with her. She's never seen that look on his face directed at anyone before.

For a week straight, it bothered Sakura. When her mother called her name, all she heard was Sasuke repeating Ino’s. Even seeing the colour purple and black, the colours of Sasuke’s and Ino’s respective wear that day, made her blood boil. 

On a rainy day, she finally built up the courage to find Ino and approach her. It took her a while, she wasn’t in the usual places she stayed, but when she found her, all sense of rationality left her. 

Ino was in a clothing store, a pile of outfits held in her arms as she walked around gathering some more. She had a smile on her face, and a small blush as she picked at a dress while muttering something under her breath.

“Ino!” Sakura called out, closing her umbrella as she walked towards her.

She looked up, a confused look on her face before it settled into a gentle smile and a shy wave. “Hey, what’s up?”

“We need to talk.”

“We do?”

“Now.”

“I’m sorta busy, Sakura, can we do this another time?” She glanced back at the changing rooms. “I’m with someone right now.”

“What? Is it Sasuke? Are you out here shopping with Sasuke? On a date?”

Ino raised her eyebrow and took a step back. “No? What gave you that—“

“Cut the bullshit, Ino, I know that you’re close with Sasuke! You’ve been lying to me.”

“Sakura, I don’t think it’s a good thing to be shouting in the—“

The door to the changing room opened. A small bundle of midnight blue hair was seen before pale eyes settled on both girls. “Ino? Is something wrong?” Hinata stuttered out, her eyes wide with concern as she looked at Sakura and then Ino.

She’s learned a thing or two about body language from her new friend, partially because Ino had a very bad habit of pointing out her own mannerisms whenever she was lying about something. She could tell that Ino wasn’t comfortable at the moment, and there was a sad look in her eyes that she only got whenever she was reminded of the pink haired girl in front of her.

Sakura stared at Hinata, and back at Ino. “We need to talk.”

“Can it wait?”

“No.”

“It’s okay, Ino, I’m okay. I can wait for you here.” Hinata shuffled in her spot, “I haven’t finished trying on the other clothes yet…”

“Great.” Sakura didn’t wait for Ino to set the clothes down, she grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to a corner in the store.

“At least let me—“

“No.”

“You’re acting like a bitch right now.”

“Here comes the insults.”

Ino glared at her, “you shouted at me and accused me of things and you expect me to not say anything back?”

“You’ve lied to me, Ino, you’ve always known where Sasuke was.”

“And?”

“And? You kept that to yourself when we were all curious! You were probably planning on getting him for yourself anyway, that’s why—“

“Sasuke’s whereabouts aren’t of any concern to you.” The level of patience in her voice made Sakura clamp her mouth shut. She’s never heard Ino speak in such a manner before. “I kept it a secret because he needs his space. We’ve all seen what was happening to Sasuke, why would I cause it to happen again because everyone can’t respect his space?”

“And you do? Who are you to decide—“

“Who are you to judge, Sakura? Seriously? Think for once! Does it look like he’s accepting all the attention after that happened? Even before that happened? Listen, I know you like him, and I like him too—” She paused and thought for a second. “—but Sasuke is my friend first before a stupid crush, and as his friend, I promised to look out for him. I’m not going to break my promise just so you can be a little creep and stalk him.”

Her cheeks felt warm, “I don’t stalk Sasuke!”

“All of you do! I used to! We made it a game to find him and watch him all the time, to see who can get closer to him and figure things out about him. That’s stalking, and I’m tired of doing it.” She huffed, “if you think I’m doing this because of some stupid rivalry, then you’re wrong. Grow up.” She stepped away from her, “and I have something to do with Hinata, please get home safely.”

Sakura stood there in disbelief. Embarrassment refused to course through her veins, instead, she found herself feeling more angry and annoyed at Ino’s responses. 

Friend? Since when were they friends? 

Every single thing she knew about Ino [and Sasuke] made it hard to believe that they were simply friends. That couldn’t be possible, not with their history, and not with love in the game. 

Ino was lying.

That was Sakura’s conclusion as she left the clothing store with a huff. Ino was lying to her like she always does to get her off her back. 

And honestly? Screw her for lying.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 1 — Reset

It was a little overwhelming.

Sasuke stood in front of the mirror for a long time. He brushed his hair to and fro, fixed the collar of his shirt, picked at his lips and spun around to get a good look at himself. He had grown taller over the years, coming in at just under five feet, and his hair now brushed the nape of his neck. It stuck out all over the place, but not as much as it did when he was a child—at least now it was flattened a little bit, no one could call him ‘duckass’ [courtesy of Naruto] as an insult anymore. 

“You’re going to crack the mirror the longer you stand there.” Naruto mused as he finally put down the comic book he had been reading. He was sprawled out on his bed, dressed in a black, long sleeved shirt and his orange pants. He finally grew into his spiky hair, yet his cheeks remained rounded from baby fat that he was determined to lose sooner rather than later. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes and strapped his pouch to his hip. Throwing on a large, dark purple sweater that reached mid thigh, he once again studied himself in the mirror. “Aren’t you nervous?”

Naruto raised his eyebrow, “that’s an odd question coming from you. Since when were you nervous about anything?”

“It’s been five years since we left the academy and we’re going back today, does that not bother you?”

He shrugged and sat up, “no, not really. I mean, I’ve thought about it for a while. It’s not like we’re going to be there for an entire semester, it’s only for a few weeks until our official graduation.”

“Hn.”

“I can’t read your mind, Sasuke.”

“We could have graduated a long time ago.”

“Yeah, we could have, but you know Himawari, she would never let us take up that mantle as shinobi at the age of nine. She hates the system as much as any logical person would, the only reason she’s agreed to let us continue is because we practically begged for it.” He glanced at the clock, “we’ll be late if we sit around letting anxiety take a hold of us. Come on.”

Sasuke ran another hand through his hair, ruffling it up a little bit to make it somewhat messy before he grabbed his bag and followed Naruto out of their bedroom.

“Ya’know, I’m kind of curious to see how the other kids are doing, I guess that’s why I’m not nervous. You don’t like people, and you don’t really care that much for their opinions and progress anyway, but you must admit that you want to know how much the academy prepared them for the life of a shinobi.” Naruto eyed him as they walked into the kitchen. “G’Morning, Himawari.”

Mid length, dark blue hair came into view just as she raised her head to greet them. There were a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth that were only visible because of the wide smile she gave them. “Good morning, you two, are you ready for school?” She went back to filling a few flasks with some broth as she got three lunch bags ready.

“As ready as we will ever be.” Naruto answered, “except Sasuke is being a big wuss worrying about filling in those big boy shoes.” He waved a lackadaisical hand around as he leaned against the counter. He winced slightly when said Uchiha walked by him and elbowed him in the side.

“Good morning.” Sasuke muttered, approaching Himawari to peer over her shoulder. He was almost her height, and the thought of towering over her in a few years was a little comical to him. 

She pulled him in for a partial hug, patting his head and resumed her task. Closing the lunch bags, she handed him one and pushed the other towards Naruto. “There’s nothing to worry about, you’re not the same little boy you were before, so you don’t have to be scared about anything.”

“I’m not scared.” He threw a glare in Naruto’s direction, knowing damn well that the mischievous Uzumaki had had this conversation with Himawari earlier.

“Returning to school is scary, Sasuke, I know a part of you is a little bit weary if you’re not outright terrified.” She placed the last remaining lunch bag into a tote bag and threw it over her shoulder. “You don’t really see your classmates until it’s exam time and even then that wasn’t for very long. You’ll have to converse with people other than Ino, Hinata and Naruto once you get there.”

“I don’t really have to.” 

She gave him a look; one he knew the meaning of from years of dealing with it.

“I’ll try.”

She smiled, “good. Now, a certain pair of girls should be waiting for you two outside, I’m sure Ino isn’t too happy about this time stalling you guys are doing.”

“We’re not stalling time.” Naruto pouted, “he’s just a little self centred and had to look at himself in the mirror a million times.” He huffed as he led the way to the foyer where they began putting on their shoes. “We get it, Sasuke, you think you’re good looking.”

“Will you shut up?” 

Himawari shook her head, “I will never understand why you two keep going back and forth about this sort of thing. Five years and it’s still the same.”

“It’s fun bothering Mister Grouchy Pants. Seriously, that nonchalant look never leaves his face sometimes, it’s like something crawled up his a—I mean ‘butt’—and died every morning.”

Stifling down a snicker, Himawari opened the front door as she ignored the annoyed look Sasuke gave Naruto. It was their way of communicating every morning; and the bored look on Sasuke’s face only lasted for a short while because he absolutely hated mornings. Naruto just so happened to know the right buttons to push each time to speed up the morning lag effect. Whatever worked for them, she wasn’t going to complain about it.

“Finally!” 

“Good morning, Ino, Hinata.” Himawari waved to them slightly as she waited for the boys to step out to lock the door behind them. “I hope you weren’t waiting for too long.”

“We were waiting for hours, Himawari-san.” Ino exaggerated as she slouched her shoulders and threw an arm around Hinata. “I got dressed up specifically for this.” Donning a pair of purple, tight fitted pants with a matching crop top, Ino motioned to her outfit that she had carefully picked out for the day. Her hair had been cut shorter, returning back to the hair cut she had as a young child. “I even crafted Hinata’s outfit for her.”

The girl smiled shyly as she spun around on Ino’s cue. The brown sweater she had been gifted for her birthday years prior was opened, revealing a purple, loose shirt underneath that went with a pair of dark purple khakis. 

“You and that colour purple, Ino, I swear to the gods.” Naruto muttered.

“You’re one to talk, Uzumaki, you’re always wearing that stupid orange colour. If it’s not your shirt, then it’s your pants or a sweater.” She glared at him.

“Whatever, you two look good.” He pushed his nose up in the air as he crossed his arms.

“Good morning, Sasuke.” In the heat of Naruto’s and Ino’s bickering, Hinata slowly detached herself from her blond friend and found her place beside the equally quiet boy. Her stutter had been reduced to nothing, the only habit remaining being that she still spoke softly.

“Morning.” He answered back, pushing his hands into his pockets as they began to walk. He looked at her up and down, then gave her a nod. “The sweater finally fits you.”

“I thought it never would.” She admitted. Her weight had been fluctuating so much over the years, she thought that she would never be able to actually use her gift. She was just glad that whatever was causing the constant weight loss and gain had finally settled itself. 

“Hn.”

The four children talked amongst themselves as they walked to the academy with Himawari in tow. She didn’t say much, choosing to watch them with amusement as they continued to change places. She didn’t really mind when Sasuke fell in step with her as they got closer to the academy.

“I don’t like crowds.”

“I know.”

“They’ll swarm me.” He frowned and pulled the hoodie of his sweater over his head. 

His style changed completely thanks to her, the difference was almost staggering compared to the Sasuke she had grown up with. It wasn’t even her intention but seeing him with a sweater that was bigger than him reminded her of when he would steal her own out of her closet without asking. At least he rolled up his sleeves to show the black bracelets around his wrists, a dinosaur charm was carefully hidden amongst each ringlet of black beads. 

That, and there was an appearance of those faux piercings he had in wait of finally getting them done when he was old enough. Seriously, she had no idea how that ended up happening [a certain woman did come to mind, and it was easy to see why he was obsessed with those body modifications], but she wasn’t going to discourage him. 

Himawari was sure that that alone would give the other children and teachers a crazy whiplash. Out of the two boys, Sasuke being the one to actually stick with his wish of getting those jewellery pieces permanently attached to his skin was actually surprising. Naruto was the one to express his wish of receiving them first, but he chickened out when Utaha told him that they could hurt.

It’s been a while since she’s seen her. 

Sasuke sneaking his hand into her own caught her by surprise a little bit as the gates of the academy came into view. He usually avoided the public display of his dependence on her, he did grow out of needing her comfort twenty-four-seven, yet he couldn’t help but squeeze her hand before letting go.

“It’s going to be alright, I’m going to be here the entire day. You can join me for lunch if you don’t want to be around your classmates.” She offered him quietly. 

He nodded.

Just as Sasuke assumed, the entire courtyard got instantly quiet when he and Naruto appeared. Everyone stared, more so at him than Naruto, trying to get a glance at his face as he bowed his head and ducked out of sight. 

Ino immediately stepped in front of him with Hinata following right behind as they continued their conversation. They didn’t bat an eye as everyone grew courageous enough to approach Sasuke, instead, they turned their backs to them and huddled around him.

“Gods, I hate when they do this.” Ino grumbled, “it’s not like they haven’t seen you before. Alright!” She shouted as she stood up straighter, “fun’s over, nothing to see here, mind your damn business!”

“Everyone, please give him some space.” Himawari said as she laid her hands on Sasuke’s shoulders and gave it a small squeeze. “I understand that you all are excited to finally have Sasuke back in your class, but you must understand that it’s overwhelming when you all flock towards him. I’d appreciate it if you respected his personal space.” She felt him cover her hand with his own. “Do you all hear me?”

“Yes, Himawari-sensei.” They chorused as they took a step back and created a bigger circle around Sasuke.

It was the best they could do.

“Thank you.” She nodded and let him go. “I’m going to get my class prepared, I’ll see you at lunch and the rest of you after school. Please be good.”

“Bye, Himawari-san.” Hinata and Ino chorused as she excused herself.

With her absence, the other children got a little bit closer but not too close to Sasuke. The girls gathered on one side, and the boys on the other as they all exchanged glances to decide who was going to approach him first.

“It’s great to have you back, Sasuke.” A familiar mop of pink hair and emerald eyes came forward. “We all waited for you.” She glanced at Ino and Hinata with a sneer, then resumed her smiling facade.

Sasuke simply nodded, yet it was enough to make her happy. At least he wasn’t ignoring her like he always did.

“I hope you have a great day at school,” she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she pouted. “I was wondering if I could sit with you today.” She fluttered her eyelashes and blushed. 

“No.” Sasuke answered. It came out harshly when really he just didn’t want anyone to sit with him that he didn’t really know. 

“Oh.” She threw another glare at Ino, believing that this was somehow her fault. “Okay.” 

He nodded again and turned to Naruto. “Let’s get inside, we don’t have to wait out here.”

“Phew, I’m with you on that.” Naruto threw a hand over his shoulders and led the way into the classroom.

Everyone else followed close behind since Sasuke said so. Seriously, what was with them and following his orders when he didn’t give any? He was only speaking to Naruto, and by proxy Hinata and Ino, yet the entire class followed them into the classroom.

Their teacher, who introduced himself as Umino Iruka, was shocked to find his class completely full and seated well enough that he didn’t have to direct them around much. This was unlike them, but seeing who was in attendance made him mentally gulp.

He’s heard quite a bit about Uzumaki Naruto—the reports were caught in the middle of calling him a trouble child in his earlier years to uncertainty since he had been homeschooled—and Uchiha Sasuke—another child who had mixed reviews, most of which turned the tide after his clan’s massacre—. 

“As you all know, your graduation exam is approaching. We have a month to go over whatever material that you’re confused about before then. So, I’d appreciate it if everyone took out a piece of paper and wrote down anything you think we should review and place it into the box at the front of the class. This is anonymous, so you don’t have to worry about your classmates figuring out that you’re struggling with a topic.”

Everyone did as they were told.

Iruka marveled at how quick and quiet his class worked. His eyes settled on Naruto, and then Sasuke who sat beside each other. His curiosity about whether or not they had a topic they didn’t learn about was instantly piqued when he realized that, unlike their classmates, both boys didn’t seem to write down anything.

As the class came forward one by one, dropping off their papers into the box, Iruka wondered if he was prepared enough to deal with the two boys who constantly passed their exams over the course of five years.

“Gods help me.” He muttered.

At lunch time, Sasuke immediately made a break for it without waiting for Naruto and the others knowing that they were planning on sitting at the picnic tables outside. Don’t get him wrong, he would have loved joining them had it not been for the hoards of people, trickling from the other classes, who also wanted to take a peek at him.

Hiding himself in broad daylight was easy considering the dark attire he shrouded himself in. Unless someone had his clothes memorized [this obviously excluded his three friends] they wouldn’t even realize it was him walking around the hallway and through a sea of students. 

Finding Himawari’s classroom was easy; he had her chakra mapped in his brain from years of dealing with it and finding comfort in it. She was in the kindergarten section of the academy, and wasn’t alone just yet.

When he stepped into the classroom, she was finishing up with one of her students. She didn’t need to look up to know that it was him, and when she finally dismissed the little girl in front of her, she motioned for him to take up the seat in front of her desk.

“I’m not really surprised that you took up the offer to spend lunch with me.” She took out a folder of sheets with colourful writing on it. From what he could see, they were introduction worksheets. 

“They won’t give me space.” He opened his lunch bag and instantly went for the container of tomato soup and the wrapped grilled cheese sandwich. “It’s annoying.” He watched her flip through the pages while taking bites out of her own food. “How’s the class so far?”

“They’re a bunch of sweethearts, a little loud but they listen well when I’m speaking.”

“Why'd they make you into a teacher when school is almost over?”

Himawari shrugged, “I guess they wanted me to familiarize myself with the children first before their break. They’ll be my students until they’re eight.”

“For two years?” 

“Mhm.”

“That must be nice.” 

They ate quietly as Himawari continued to work. Sasuke would get up on occasion to walk around the classroom and glance at all the drawings on the walls before sitting back down.

“You’re getting older.” He finally said as he lifted someone’s notebook from their desk. He flipped through it and set it back down.

“I’m aware.”

“Without someone.” The smile on his face was visible from where she sat.

Himawari scoffed and shook her head. “I’m also very aware of that.”

“I thought you would get with Utaha-san, she seemed like a nice lady and she was really caring. You clearly liked each other too but neither of you confessed.”

“I feel as if Naruto put you up to this.” She gave him a suspicious look.

“I was just thinking about her,” he pulled at his faux snake bite piercing. “Why didn’t anything happen between you two? Were we reading it wrong?”

“She was your doctor, Sasuke, I couldn’t compromise her position because she was lovely with you. If she was involved with me, you’d need a new psychiatrist and frankly, you were my biggest concern.”

“Would you have pursued her if she wasn’t?” He sat down in front of her desk again and leaned forward. “If you had the chance to be with Utaha-san outside of her being my psychiatrist, would you have met with her and started a relationship?”

“Possibly, I can’t say for certain.”

“She’s not my doctor anymore though, so you can.” He poked her hand as she worked. 

“She moved to Iwa.” She muttered, “it’s hard communicating with anyone from there but that’s where her family was.”

“History stops you two from being together, that sucks.”

“I’m not upset about it. As long as she’s happy.”

“When will you be happy?”

“I am.”

He stared at her. 

“What?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“I don’t think I’ll be very lenient with the whole dating thing.” He smiled, “you’re too young for that sort of thing. People are awful.”

Himawari laughed, “I should be saying that to you, little guy. Promise you’d tell me when you get a girlfriend—“ She stifled another laugh at the look on his face, “—or a boyfriend.”

“I’m not interested in that stuff.”

“Oh?”

He leaned his head against the desk. “It’s not that I don’t think I’m capable of loving anyone, I just don’t see the need to. It’s not something I’m really concerned about like everyone else.”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone to change that way of thinking. There’s no rush.”

“Isn’t there? As shinobi, we risk our lives all the time to protect our loved ones and the village. Some of us would like to have kids one day to continue our lineage. It’s better to do that sooner rather than later because we never know when we will die.” He frowned, glad that his face was hidden. “I don’t want my clan to die out completely either, but I just have no interest in continuing it.”

“Is it because you’re scared?”

He looked up.

“You don’t want your family, or anyone you love, to be taken away from you again. So you tell yourself that you don’t really care about dying as the last Uchiha, or finding someone you really like. I mean, you don’t have to care about it if you don’t want to, but I’m sure you realize that you’re speaking from a place of fear.”

He rubbed his eyes, “I don’t like it when you can tell these things so easily, Momma.” 

She ruffled his hair, “as I said, you might find someone who would change your feelings about the matter. Who knows, perhaps you’d have the same way of thinking but not because you’re scared, rather you would just come to peace with the fact that you just don't want to do the things everyone else does.” She glanced at her watch and back at him. “Do you think Itachi has had the same thought?”

They’ve spoken about his brother a few times, throwing questions at each other much like they were doing at the moment to ease his thoughts about him. At first, a conversation centred around Itachi was difficult to have; it would result in an angry Sasuke who would lash out at the slightest mention of him. That was four years ago.

Their conversations had become so frequent that Itachi was just another person in his head, much like a character in a story, rather than the monster a part of him still saw him as.

“Guilt would influence it, but yes. He must have thought about starting again; or not starting at all.”

“I see.” She nodded, “well, lunch is almost over and you've yet to finish your food. I’m going to go use the bathroom, make sure you’re not late for class. Oh, I might be a little late coming home today, so tell Naruto that, no, he can’t sit down and watch his shows for the entirety of the day.”

“I will.”

“Thanks.”

“You completely bailed on us at lunch time, Uchiha.” Ino hooked her arms in with his own as she held Hinata’s hand. She shared a smile with the blushing girl before focusing on him again. “I know you were with Himawari-san but a heads up would have been great.”

He didn’t mind the hold on him, not as much as he did before, yet he still shrugged her off a little bit because he knew where things were going to go. He may be stronger than Ino, but he knew better than to fight her back only to hear an ear full when she loses. “Sorry.”

“No hard feelings…as long as you cook us something nice to eat while we wait for Himawari-san to get home.” She nodded. 

“If Sasuke ends up cooking, he’d just make multiple renditions of tomato dishes and onigiri.” Naruto moaned, “I say we should just order some ramen and hunker down in the living room to watch some movies.”

“Himawari said that you can’t do that.” Sasuke quickly notified him, “you have some training and homework to do today.”

He groaned, “come on! A little television wouldn’t hurt.”

“Erm, respectfully, Naruto, you tend to lose track of time easily when you watch movies so you neglect your chores and stuff.” Hinata informed him with a sorry tone. She didn’t want to get in trouble for endorsing his bad habit, not like she usually did with Himawari-san, but she wasn’t going to ruin the woman’s perception of her.

He slouched his shoulders. “I’m very aware of that, I was just hoping to catch some slack. It’s not a usual occurrence for us to be completely alone in the manor.”

“Himawari-san can send someone over to check up on us, ya’know.” Ino rolled her eyes. “I’ve already gotten into enough trouble with my old man, I’m not trying to get in trouble with her too. We’ve never seen Himawari-san when she’s upset, and we’d like to keep it that way.”

Both Naruto and Sasuke got extremely quiet as she said those words.

“Yeah, let’s just keep it that way.” Naruto mumbled.

“What, has she gotten mad at you two before?” Ino’s eyes widened in curiosity, “you have to tell us.”

“Not with us.” Sasuke answered, “with someone who overstepped and stuck their nose into her business.”

“What was it like?” Hinata questioned.

“Let’s just say that I don’t think the guy is going to think about women like Himawari without second guessing himself. She beat his ass.” Naruto shivered. “I’m glad that she’s so nice to us, if she was really serious about teaching us a lesson, things would have been different.”

Sasuke couldn’t help but agree.

Once they arrived at the house, the quartet immediately went to put their things away and take care of whatever review work they had left over from class.

Studying wasn’t needed seeing as they knew the material, and no questions were asked as they finished it up. After taking care of their work, Naruto and Sasuke went to take a shower while Ino and Hinata began to prepare something for them to eat.

The boys soon joined them. The kitchen was filled with the smell of cooked chicken, rice, and side dishes. While the aromas wafted around, the children spoke amongst themselves.

“Man, I really am grateful that we learned how to take care of ourselves. Imagine being in the middle of the forest and you have no clue how to cook.” Naruto tasted the food and gave them a thumbs up. 

“Life skills not being learned in the academy is such bullshit.” Ino nodded, “as you said, imagine being stuck in a place with little to no access to cooked food.”

“Himawari-san is strict about cooking and scavenging.” Hinata drank from her water bottle.

“Ah, right, you had one-on-one lessons with her outside of the group lessons. Was she really that strict? She’s so nice when she was teaching us easy recipes.” Ino asked, setting down her spoon in place of a pair of chopsticks.

Hinata nodded, “it was fun sometimes but she made sure I knew enough in case of emergencies. It was like she was preparing me for the worst case scenario. I couldn’t even use notes.”

“But it helped, didn’t it? You make really good food, and the balms you spend your time on not only smell nice, but it helps with my bruises from training.” Naruto encouraged her. “I should have asked if I could do those lessons too.”

Hinata blushed, “I like making balms. I’ll make some for our graduation, as an official homage to our time spent learning.”

“Speaking of graduation,” Sasuke finally said, “are you curious about the teams?”

“Is there any way it’s specifically organized?” Naruto questioned.

Hinata shook her head, “Neji’s team is random, and so were his other classmates’. I don’t think there’s any plans to organize us in terms of abilities outside of who scored higher during exams.”

“That’s stupid.” Ino said. “I know my team is predetermined. I’m with Chōji and Shikamaru.” She frowned. “It would have been cool to be in a team with you, ‘Nata.”

“We don’t know who’s going to graduate either.” Sasuke nodded in understanding, “I was just curious. It would be an asset to have someone specializing in specific things on each team.”

“Like fighting ranges?” Naruto itched his cheek. “That’s how it is in those online games, and a medic on the team too!”

“If anyone had a good chance to be a medic, I think it would be Hinata or Sasuke.”

Sasuke raised his eyebrow.

“Chakra control.” Ino reasoned. “You two are great with it, and you have a bigger reserve, Sasuke, but you’re skilled. It would be really cool for an Uchiha to be a medical shinobi instead of a front runner, don’t you think?”

“Yeah! That sounds awesome. You can probably come up with some really insane abilities as a medic too.”

“I already use senbon needles as one of my weapons.” Hinata confessed, “and as a Hyūga, my knowledge on the human body is extensive. I can see why you think it suits me…I just don’t like it though.”

“Understandable.”

“I’m still iffy with blood.” Sasuke confessed.

It didn’t bother him as much as it used to, but it still made his skin crawl when he saw too much of it.

“It was just a thought, you two don’t have to follow what I said.” Ino began clearing the table. “We should get to training in a bit before Himawari-san gets home.”

“Oh, right.” Naruto stretched. “I’m going to take a fat nap when we’re done.”

Ino shook her head and smiled.

Sasuke remained sitting there as he thought about Ino’s suggestion. He knew that he did have a similar conversation with Himawari a few years back, but to hear another person say that the medical arts would suit him made him think about it.

“You coming?” Naruto asked, standing up as he waited for Sasuke.

“Yeah, sorry.”

It was something to store away for later. He’d think about it some more, maybe he’d visit the hospital to make up his mind.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 2 — Unfair

In the early morning light, the Hokage monument loomed over the village as its residents got prepared for the day.

Two weeks into the month, and thereby into the remaining time left in the school year, Himawari was already used to her hectic schedule. It consisted mostly of waking up at five in the morning, making herself and the children breakfast and lunch, walking with them to the academy before heading for her own classroom where she would proceed with her lesson plans until the bell rang. On occasion, she would stay at the academy until well into the evening. 

By the time she would return home, exhausted from dealing with a classroom of six-year-olds who were aspiring to be ninjas, dinner would have already been made and served while her dark haired chef waited at the table for her.

He would greet her with a lazy wave, ask her about her day, clearly knowing the answer, and then inform her about what they did after school. 

It gave her somewhat of a whiplash every time she realized that the little boy she had adopted and raised had grown into someone who really didn’t need her all that often. Soon, he’d be amongst the ranks of the shinobi, and he’d make all of his legal decisions without ever notifying her.

Sometimes it scared her a little bit knowing that things would never really be the same the moment he goes out on his missions. She was terrified of what the outside world would do to him; no amount of training, love and care could make one ready enough for the absolutely horrific life of a shinobi. She just hoped that nothing would unravel all of her efforts. 

Today, she was running a bit late for work. Naruto and Sasuke had already gone ahead with Ino and Hinata like they usually did, but they only left since she said that she would catch up to them. Himawari could practically hear the school bell ring and the confused questions and worry of her students bouncing from wall to wall as they waited for her.

Thanking the poor part timer at the grocery store, she grabbed the paper bag filled with apples and broke into a light sprint.

The lingering parents in the school’s courtyard stared at her, some of them waving upon recognizing her, as she ran past them. 

Just as she expected, her students had already begun wandering around the classroom as they waited for her. It didn’t take any effort to have them seated in their right placements, her presence alone calmed them down enough.

Setting the paper bag on her desk, and hanging her tote bag and sweater on the hook beside the window, Himawari sighed and clasped her hands together. “I’m sorry that I’m late, I decided to pick up some things from the store so we can continue where we left off yesterday.”

A hand immediately shot up; its owner being a small boy with a chipped tooth and brown, shaggy hair. “What’s in the bag, Himawari-sensei?”

“Some apples.” She took out a bright green one and showed it to them. “For today’s first lesson, we’re going to learn about the benefits of fruits, and I’m going to teach you how to cut one carefully.”

“Why are we learning how to cut one?” The same boy asked.

“Good question, Ren, as shinobi, you must be very precise with your weapons, correct?”

The class nodded in unison.

“So why not learn how to handle a kunai by cutting yourself an apple?” She set the apple down on her desk. “Usually, the other teachers make you learn how to throw your weapons because that’s what shinobi do.” 

She pulled out a demonstrative kunai, it wasn’t sharp enough to harm anything except specific materials. It was perfect for dealing with little children who were prone to cutting themselves on the specially crafted knife. 

“I think a good place to start is learning how to handle the weapon. You need to learn what the kunai is, how sharp it can be at certain angles, and how to use it for things other than throwing. You’d one day have to use it to skin an animal, or cut out defective parts of the food you find in the wild outside of battles.” She began peeling her apple, making sure it was visible for every student. “Careful.” She said as she cut out a slice and held it out for the blushing little girl in front of her. It stuck out from the end of a kunai, the point showing through the other side glinted in the sunlight that streamed through the windows.

“Can you all form a line in front of my desk so I can hand you an apple and a safety kunai?” Himawari asked.

Her class moved quickly, quietly murmuring in excitement as she handed them their materials.

“After we’re done with this lesson, we’ll move onto our notes and talk about what you learned and where else you can apply your knowledge. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Himawari-sensei.” They chorused.

“Great.”

At lunch time, the class cleared out with the sound of the bell as her students ran into one another in hopes of securing the best table in their lunch area. 

When her door opened and closed again, Himawari assumed that it was Sasuke once again seeking refuge in her classroom only to be met with a covered face and gravity-defying silver hair. She instantly recognized who he was, mostly due to the fact that she couldn’t unhear the echoing voice in her head that belonged to him, questioning if she was doing things for the village’s sake.

“Himawari-san.” He smiled down at her, choosing to sit on one of her student’s desks. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“How can I help you, Kakashi?” She asked, glad that she didn’t have to act as if she didn’t know who he was. Her position as an academy teacher excused her knowledge of him and his abilities.

“You’ve heard of me?”

“You’re in the bounty book, something I need to teach my students about, so, yes, I’m very aware of who you are.” She muttered as she flipped through the pages of class notes her students handed in. 

“Ah.” He nodded, “then I suppose you’re aware of the reason why I’m in your classroom at the moment.”

“Graduation is soon and each future sensei must meet with the guardians of the students with the highest potential to succeed as shinobi.” She looked up at him and folded her hands under her chin. Her glasses fell to the tip of her nose, and she made no move to push them back up seeing as she didn’t actually need them. “You’re here to ask me about Sasuke, and possibly Naruto since I’m technically responsible for him as well as being his previous teacher.” 

He nodded and made himself comfortable. “Frankly, I’m not too interested in their progress or what they do; that’s well documented enough. I just need your opinion on their abilities and if it’s suited for the field.”

“You said it yourself, their progress and what they do is well documented, why not go look through the files for your answer?”

“I have a feeling that we would not get along well, Himawari-san.”

“Are you going to be their sensei?”

“Possibly.”

“Then there’s always the chance to get along. I just won’t make it easy, I know your track record, Kakashi.” 

He scoffed under his mask, his singular eye turning into a crescent as he smiled. “If you know it well, it would be great if you answered my previous request.”

She frowned, “they’re good at working with each other. If they ever fight, just give them their space, they’ll figure it out. I don’t think it’s a smart idea to test those two and their limits, that’s a precaution, not a challenge. They’re still trying to figure themselves out, so I’d prefer it if you don’t try to influence them in any way if you are their teacher.”

“Ouch.” He knew that she was talking about his horrible habit of being extremely late to important things. “And their field experience?”

“They’d be able to take care of themselves if you decide to drop them into a random forest and ask them to find their way back home.”

“Hm.” Well that was definitely something to note for later. Actually, that made the cogs in his head turn with a loud shriek. “Alright, the others will be seeing you over the course of the week, it’s not guaranteed that I will be their teacher. We’re just getting to know what we’re dealing with and making sure that the parents are on board. Have a wonderful day, Himawari-san.” He gave her a two-finger salute and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Himawari sighed, rubbing her forehead as she grumbled.

“Who was that?”

Her head snapped up instantly. “Sasuke, I thought you weren’t going to come today.”

“I was waiting outside actually, I saw you talking to someone so I didn’t want to interrupt.” He set his bento box down on her desk and grabbed a chair to sit on. “You look exhausted.”

“That’s going to be a frequent look on me I’m afraid.” She gave him a tired smile. “How’s your morning?”

The next person to interrupt her class prep time was a face she didn’t expect to see so soon. 

Himawari was carefully organizing her classroom; moving desks around to create small groups, in hopes of getting the children to talk to people they were not close to, when someone walked into her classroom.

Standing up straight and smoothing out her long skirt and blouse, she tucked her bangs away from her face as she smiled at the new arrival. She didn’t mean for her face to drop and her eyes to widen upon seeing the woman who stood with her back towards her.

She had forgotten about Kurenai, and seeing her alive and well—with no child or a ring on her finger just yet—made her heart slam against her ribs.

“How can I help you?” She steadied her voice and put the smile back on. She stopped her eyes from watering as her previous sensei turned around.

There were no worry lines on her face anymore, and her hair was pitch black unlike the usual streaks of grey she was used to seeing. 

“Himawari-san, I’m Yuhi Kurenai, one of the future teachers for the graduating class.” She bowed, and smiled when Himawari did the same. “I just have a question in regards to one of the students.”

“Is this about Sasuke?” She had already spoken to quite a few curious shinobi instructors over the course of the week, so she wasn’t at all surprised if Kurenai was here for the same reasons too.

“Ah, no, actually.” She sat down at one of the desks, motioning for Himawari to join her. “This is about Hyūga Hinata. It’s not a usual occurrence for us to reach out to someone other than the legal guardian of a student, but her father insisted that I spoke with you instead.”

“Oh? Can I ask why?”

“Have you met Hyūga Hiashi?”

Himawari shifted in her seat, “no. We only speak indirectly through relayed messages, we’ve never formally met before.”

“Yet he allowed you to care for his child? I find that hard to believe.”

“I don’t think it is.” She frowned, “Hiashi doesn’t seem to be all too keen about Hinata’s wellbeing. I stepped in because she asked if I could train her. I suppose her father just didn’t want to make a big issue about the matter so he allowed it.”

“So you know?” Kurenai folded her arms.

“Know what?”

“Hiashi is under the impression that I will be Hinata’s teacher—as he should be—. I’m the only female instructor amongst the others and I’m great for tracking missions. With Hinata’s byakūgan, she would be a great asset as a tracker shinobi.” She continued when Himawari nodded to let her know that she was following along. “He seems to have disowned Hinata a long time ago.”

“Disowned? Why would he do that? As far as I’m concerned, Hinata hasn’t done anything legally questionable that would make him think that such an extreme is an acceptable solution.” She hated this. She knew it was going to happen, and she spent the last five years making sure that Hinata was mentally prepared for the day her father would outright disown her. She just disliked talking about it. 

“Unfortunately, I can’t tell you why he’s done so. Hence why I’m here, you’re the only other adult, outside of her teachers, present in her life, and who’s also spent some time with her to give me your opinion about her. Her father was a little bit…harsh…when giving his opinion.” 

Himawari sighed and bowed her head. Biting her lip, she blinked several times before nodding. “She used to have extreme self esteem issues, and had a tendency to harm herself when she gets overwhelmed. I’ve broken her out of the habit, but there are occasions where she would sneak off to take part in those behaviours, so I suggest keeping a keen eye out for that one. 

“You would need to encourage her sometimes when she gets self conscious about her abilities, trust me, it was worse years ago, but there is still room for improvement. She’s not too quick to share her opinion, preferring to let someone else do the talking unless push comes to shove.

“Beyond that, Hinata is a hard worker who tries her best everyday. She’s great at long range combat, I’m sure you’ll see why that is when you evaluate her, but she’s just as skilled with close range fights even without her Hyūga techniques. I’ve trained her to scavenge and create healing balms in case of any emergencies where a medic is not available. She prefers to take the passive approach over brute force if it allows for it, but don’t think she won’t fight when she has to. She’s a great child, Kurenai-san, she just needs more people on her side so she can bloom.” 

Kurenai smiled, “I’m glad I can get a sneak peek at what she does from someone who’s invested in her. I learned more through you than her father.” She scoffed and twisted her fingers, “I’ll keep the self harming bit in mind, the last thing I need is for her to hurt herself during an important mission and the enemy uses it to their advantage. I’ll try to have a talk with her father again, but thank you.” 

“You’re welcome. If there’s anything else you need, I’m always available.”

“Have a wonderful day, Himawari-san, and good luck with your class.”

“So what are you four planning on doing once you graduate? Any guesses as to who your teammates might be?” Himawari asked as she placed down a bowl of rice in front of everyone sitting around the table. She took her place at the top and waited for them to serve themselves before portioning out her own food.

Ino raised her hand first, gulping down her rice and chasing it with a sip of lemonade as she formulated her answer. “Since I know who my teammates are, I’m going to answer the first question. I may not like combat all too much, and my position in the Ino-Shika-Chō formation doesn’t really focus on fighting, I’d like to pick up a specialty outside of mind control. I don’t know what I want just yet, but as long as I can avoid the T&I Unit, I’ll do anything.”

“You’re going to inherit the position since it’s your father’s, Ino, you’d never escape The Unit.” Naruto muttered as he pushed a piece of braised pork into his mouth. He really did love meat, but not as much as Himawari’s homemade ramen.

“Can a girl just dream without you interjecting?” She huffed and frowned. “I might talk with my father about doing something else, we’ve never really spoken much about what I want to do. My duty as the Yamanaka Heiress is to continue in the line of work my father does, but I’m not too enthusiastic about that.”

“You’re only twelve, Ino, you don’t have to worry just yet.” Hinata comforted her. 

“Why can’t that dumbass be like you? You always know what to say, ‘Nata, that’s why I love you.” Ino ignored Naruto’s ‘hey’ as she gave Hinata a side hug, completely missing the blush on her face.

“Yeah.” Hinata stuttered out then hid her eyes behind her hand as she focused on eating. 

“I’m going to focus more on taijūtsu maybe. I hope my sensei is some crazy taijūtsu specialist.” Naruto answered. “For my teammates, I haven’t really thought about it much. I don’t know anyone’s ability outside of you guys’, so there’s always room to learn and adapt with my teammates. I hope I’m not on a team with Kiba though.”

“Oh? Why is that?” Himawari asked. It was her first time hearing Naruto be so annoyed just muttering someone’s name. She was aware that her Kiba wasn’t too much of a fan of Naruto at a younger age, she just didn’t know that the feeling was mutual. She was trying to remember if he ever stated why that was. 

Naruto ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back. “My memory is lovely, and I just so happened to remember that Kiba was one of the kids who would make fun of me. I’m sure he remembers too since he’s always staring at me and giving me a certain look as if he wants to kick my a—I mean ‘butt’—. If I end up on a team with him, I’ll make him absolutely miserable.”

“That’s amusing. I wasn’t aware that you two had a shaky foundation. It would definitely be a disaster if the Hokage sets him as your teammate…I’d be looking forward to a meeting with Tsume if that happens.”

“And I wouldn’t be in the wrong at all!” Naruto gave himself a pat on the back as he nodded. “Besides that, I think I’m going to have a talk with the Hokage.”

“What for?” 

“I’d be a genin ninja, which is technically an adult in this system, right? I can ask for you to be my legal guardian and he won’t be able to refuse because I won’t be considered a child anymore.”

The table got quiet.

“I forgot that you weren’t officially adopted.” Ino muttered, “I still don’t understand why he was against you finding a family.”

“Me neither but who cares now? I’ve been living with Himawari-san for five years, and that was great.”

“I’d be happy to be your legal guardian, Naruto.” Himawari said after a while. 

“I want to get better at using my weapons.” Hinata interrupted. “I don’t know who my teammates are, but I think I’ll end up on a tracker team. If I get better at using my weapons, I can be an asset for the team at a longer range.”

“Are you kidding me, Hinata, you and that thing is a scary combination. You’re insanely good at using senbon needles alone, imagining you in the forest, covered by the leaves, and hurting your enemies from far away is scary.” Ino shivered.

“I still think there’s some work to be done, I keep missing a few of the—“

Ino covered her mouth and shook her head, “that’s enough talk from you. You’re obviously not a master just yet, but you’re a lot better than anyone would expect you to be. You’re a Hyūga who is going to use those eyes for something other than shutting off chakra points. The shinobi world doesn’t know what sort of beast is about to be released.”

“I’d have to agree with Ino.” Sasuke encouraged her, “you make it a problem for me during our sparring because I can’t get close to you. You’ll be fine, and your teammates will be really impressed regardless of if you use what you’ve learned from Himawari or your clan.”

Naruto nodded enthusiastically, “you even scare me sometimes! I’d be doing something and bam! You’d purposely miss me by a few inches to scare the living sh—I mean ‘crap’—out of me.” He really was trying to not swear around Himawari. If she found out just how foul mouthed he was, she’d take away his television privileges for a full year. Or worse, until he’s thirty!

Hinata’s shoulders sagged as she looked at Himawari to see if she agreed with the others. 

“You’re doing perfectly fine, Hinata, there’s no rush.” She pushed the plate of pickled radish towards her so she could take the last bit. 

“Then what about you, Sasuke? What’s your plans?” Naruto asked.

“I thought we had this conversation before.” Sasuke muttered, wishing that they had missed the fact that he didn’t say anything.

“Yeah, but we did that when Himawari-san wasn’t here.” Ino pouted. “We didn’t talk about it as much either, we focused on the team formations.”

“I was thinking about the medic stuff again.” He admitted. 

“That’s a kunoichi dominated field, were you aware?” Himawari asked him as she started stacking the empty plates. 

“No. It’s not like I care about it being that way.”

“You should.”

“Why?” Hinata was the one to ask that. She did notice that there were a lot of female medical shinobi on teams than there were males. In fact, it was so rare for a man to take up the mantle as the medic of his team, she didn’t even think much about it when Ino said that Sasuke was good with chakra control. Really, she thought he’d apply it somewhere else, like in jutsū related specialties. 

“Pay attention to how many female instructors there are at the academy, and those in the field, what do you notice?” Himawari asked them all while cleaning up the table. 

“The ratio between them is five-to-one. Out of six female shinobi, five of them choose to be academy teachers and one chooses to pursue a career as a higher ranking shinobi.” Ino answered, “my father spoke to me about it once, I just didn’t really care.”

“Do you know why that is?” 

They all shook their heads.

“Kunoichi do not get the same opportunities as their male counterparts most of the time.”

“I just thought that women were more hesitant to join the forces.” Hinata muttered. “Even now, Himawari-san, there are more boys in our class than girls.”

“How many do you think will pass to the ranks of genin?”

“There are a few who are really good at the lessons, like Sakura.” Ino confessed.

“Can I ask you a question about her?”

“Mhm.”

“Do you think that with just her book knowledge, Sakura could make it beyond the genin ranks? Could she be a jōnin in the future?”

“Not if she doesn’t change a little bit. She’s somewhat childish and sees the world through a perfect lense. She also focuses a lot more on other things—” She glanced at Sasuke. “—and her fighting is a little bit mediocre, which is fine for a genin but not for a chūnin or jōnin. There is a lot of time before then though. She can improve.”

Himawari nodded at her analysis. “And how would she?”

“If she got trained.”

“By who?”

Ino shrugged, “her instructor?”

“Back to our previous discussion, the number of kunoichi instructors in the ranks are low. This requires them to be trained rigorously to prove that they’re able to not only lead, but take charge of a genin cell to train.”

“So the male shinobi outnumber the kunoichi, I’m still not following.” Naruto itched his cheek. “What does that have to do with whether or not Sakura gets trained?”

“How many male shinobi do you think are willing to train a female student on a one on one basis when they have two other male students to teach as well? The opportunity there is unfair for the female student, it’s why a lot only make it to the chūnin rank and choose to be an academy teacher.”

“Wait, does that mean our teams will be organized with two male students and a female one?” Naruto interjected.

“Mhm.”

“And there’s a higher chance that our instructor is male because female instructors are scarce?”

“Yep.”

“Because the male teachers have to pick between training their male students versus their singular female student, there is gender bias and favouritism at play that will only benefit the male students. Thereby creating a bigger gap between each member of the team, which results in the male students advancing while their female teammate is stagnant. That then leads to the female teammate dropping out to become an academy teacher because they do not receive the same attention and training to become a higher ranked shinobi.” Naruto said, explaining things using his hands while his eyebrows were furrowed. “What does that have to do with Sasuke being a medic then?”

Himawari laughed, “all the higher ranked kunoichi who have managed to bypass that singular situation are reduced to the role of a medic until they’ve proven themselves to their teammates. It’s unintentional on the male counterparts’ end, but when you’re not used to having very capable kunoichi on your team along with the clear bias going on, you undermine their other abilities and push them into a position that you think is fitting. To climb the ranks, a kunoichi picks up multiple skill sets, which includes medical ninjūtsu so as to not be a burden to their teammates—“

“Yet that’s all they’re known for because at that point, the male shinobi has already filled in the gap and it doesn’t matter if a kunoichi knows how to fight, or cast genjūtsu. I have a theory, Himawari-san.” Hinata twisted her shirt in her hands. At Himawari’s cue, she continued. “Is it possibly because Senju Tsunade is the greatest kunoichi alive and she’s a medic?” 

Himawari felt proud. Snapping her fingers, she grinned. “Exactly. I was hoping that I didn’t have to connect the dots all the way so you can understand where exactly the push for medical ninjūtsu on the higher ranked kunoichi populace comes from. It’s not Tsunade-sama’s fault that her specialty was used to deter women from going above and beyond. When she asked for medical ninjūtsu to be introduced, she kept it gender neutral so as to encourage male medics in the field. Over the course of time, it was only readily available for women, and the only acceptable position as a kunoichi outside of being an academy teacher. The chances of you coming across a kunoichi who knows her way around the medical arts in the field is almost guaranteed compared to coming across a male shinobi who knows the same.”

“Then Sasuke being considered a medic would be a turning point, would it not?” Naruto asked, “I mean, look at it, everyone expects a lot from him. We can practically feel it in the air, everyone’s looking at Sasuke to figure out what he would do as a shinobi. The boys want to one-up him constantly, and the younger kids practically idolize him.” Which was crazy to him considering that Sasuke had been out of everyone’s eyes for so long. Just under a month back at the academy, and everyone wanted to be like him in some way. “No one expects him to join a field that they’ve already disregarded because Sasuke is a boy. If he does, not only would the younger kids follow, but some of our own classmates might be interested. ‘What’s so amazing about the medical arts that Uchiha Sasuke decided to study it?’ would be their thoughts.”

“What do you think, Sasuke?” Himawari finally turned to him. 

He had been quiet throughout the discussion, and a part of him just couldn’t believe that he didn’t think about it much. 

“That…” Despite the chances of dealing with blood, he must admit that having a medic on the team would be beneficial. However, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to take up that mantle considering his partial fear of blood. If his teammates needed him, then he’d need to be ready to see the most unpleasant things. Though, pushing a teammate into that position when he was the one to first contemplate it was a little bit unfair. “I’ll make up my mind once the teams are set. I will discuss things with my teammates, and whoever my sensei is, so we can decide the best course of action as a team rather than individually.”

“That’s a good plan.” She sighed, “I apologize for the heavy discussion, I just thought it would do some good for you guys to be aware of the differences between the four of you. This obviously doesn’t take into account those who are privileged and those who aren’t, but that’s a whole other topic that you can look into on your own time. Or we can talk about it at a later date. You have the rest of the week off because of your graduation, so I’ll let you stay up an hour past your bedtime.”

“Yosh!” Naruto pumped his fist into the air. “And the discussion was great, Himawari, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it to be honest. It makes being a medic even more inspiring, or a kunoichi for that matter.”

“Yeah, I think I’m going to break that stupid stereotype once I graduate.” Ino nodded, “I hope the other girls get determined too. In the future, I’ll take a genin team of my own to teach, and I’ll ask for it to be a team of only girls!”

“Is that possible?” Hinata questioned, “a team of only girls?”

“Absolutely.” Himawari answered. Glancing at the pile of dishes left for her to wash, she muttered something under her breath. “You know, as chūnin, you can decide if you want to continue to be with your teammates or be put on another team, or both. If you girls want, you can discuss it with whichever other classmate that graduates and you can form a special cell consisting of only girls to take care of missions.”

“Wait, that’s so cool!” Ino cooed, “I don’t have to always be with Chōji and Shikamaru, I can be on a special team with you too, ‘Nata.” She pulled her in for a hug. 

“That would be nice.”

“Can I join?” Naruto whispered over their shoulders. 

Both girls turned around to see him with extra long pigtails, a dress on, and a slight bust.

“What the hell?”

He smiled and winked at them. “I’m a girl too.”

“Oh, shut up!” Ino pushed him away, “if I catch you looking at yourself naked in the mirror with that transformation on, I will kill you, Naruto!”

“I wasn’t even thinking of that!” He dropped the henge. “You have a dirty mind.”

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 3 — Whirlpools

“It would have been better if today was a half day or something.” Naruto grumbled as he got himself together. “I mean, it’s our final exams, usually, that only takes up half the day but they want us there for the full seven hours.”

“It’s because it’s our last exam that we’re stuck there for the full school day.” Sasuke said as he threw him his shirt while pulling his sweater on. He pulled up his sleeves to his forearms and put on his bracelets. 

“Fair point, I just think it’s really stupid. It’s a short writing exam, at least it should be, and instead of doing the usual spars, it’s testing us on our ability to do certain techniques.” Naruto frowned, “speaking of which, as long as I’m able to skip past that clone one, I’m all set. Even if I fail that one, I can always earn whatever points are left if I actually ace the written exam.”

“Hn. Good luck.” 

“Pray for me.”

“I’m not religious.”

“It was a figure of speech, or whatever.” Naruto rolled his eyes.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Himawari’s head poked through and she greeted them with a wave.

“You two should probably leave right now. Your lunches are on the table.” 

“Do you think I’ll pass?” Naruto asked as he finally picked up his satchel in place of his backpack. 

“That’s a silly question; you’ve spent the last few years getting more confident in your test taking abilities, going from barely passing to the top ranks, Naruto, of course you’d pass.” She encouraged him. “Even if you don’t, I’m sure the Hokage would advocate for you, he’s seen your progress and it would be extremely silly to hold you back.”

“You’re right.” He gave her a large grin. “I totally got this, and if I fail, I’m blaming it on him.” He pointed at Sasuke who simply ignored him.

“Are you two sure you don’t want to eat before you go? I know I said you’d be late, but you skipped breakfast to study.” She leaned her head against the door frame and crossed her arms. “I can make you guys a protein shake instead.”

“We can stop by the convenience store on our way to the exam hall. It’s just at the corner of the street.” Sasuke declined, “you should just relax today. There’s no classes, and you stayed up last night correcting whatever work your students did last week.”

“How’d you know that? I made sure that you were asleep.”

He shrugged, “a guess?” He had stayed up as well, only falling asleep a few hours before the sun began to rise. It wasn’t his intention, he was just thinking about some things.

“Whatever you say.” She rolled her eyes, “do you need extra money to buy a snack or are you good?”

“I spent mine on ramen the other day.” Naruto muttered. Alright, despite how much Himawari has tried to get him to be more conscious about his spending habits, there were a few occasions where he would go on a shopping spree. The other day, he just so happened to spend it eating a mountain of ramen as a celebration for finally making it to the last stop before he becomes a full fledged ninja.

“I got it.” Sasuke responded and grabbed his wallet from his drawer. “Let’s go, I don’t need Iruka questioning our whereabouts.”

Himawari followed them to the door and watched as they got their shoes on and took one last look at themselves. “Good luck.”

“Hn.”

“Don’t you worry about us, Himawari-oba-san.” He smiled cheekily, ignoring the twitch of her eyebrow.

“It’s either no honourific or you go back to referring to me as ‘Himawari-san’.” She said with her teeth clenched, “unless you want to use it again.” The aura around her shifted and the air felt cold.

“I apologize, Himawari.” He bowed his head and scurried out of the door quickly without waiting for Sasuke.

“He keeps pushing your buttons.” Sasuke noted, “it’s funny.”

“Do you want me to sneak sugar into your cereal tomorrow, Sasuke?” 

“No, thanks for the offer though. I’ll see you later.” He waved goodbye and ran to catch up with Naruto.

The blond Uzumaki stood at the curb of the main street, his hands in his pockets as he kicked around a rock. He didn’t need to look up once Sasuke finally rounded the corner to immediately begin walking. 

“Are we really stopping at the convenience store?” On cue, his stomach growled, making him turn his nose up with a blush and a ‘hmph’. 

“You’re hungry.”

“How come you’re not?” 

“I’m not the one stuffing myself full of sodium and snacks for lunch instead of actually eating something good. Besides, I never have a big appetite.” 

“You know I only do that once a week!” Naruto slouched his shoulders as he followed Sasuke to the convenience store. “Other than that, we eat the same food all the time. I think it’s because I have more stamina than you. I can eat an entire grocery store and still have some room for seconds an hour later.”

“It’s not your stamina, it’s your metabolism and your chakra. You have more energy than any normal person.” 

They stood in front of the fridge, eyeing the prepackaged meals there. Sasuke grabbed himself a pack of [tuna and pork] onigiri, while Naruto itched his chin trying to make up his mind.

“You have five minutes.” Sasuke called out, already moving on to the drinks section. “You can’t buy anything, so be mindful of what you’re making me pay for.”

“Ugh,” Naruto groaned and rolled his eyes as he settled on a chicken sandwich. Choosing a strawberry and kiwi flavoured juice, he joined Sasuke at the cash counter. “I wish I could buy one of those spicy ramen packs, they’re so good.” He lamented as he thanked the cashier. 

“Your liver is crying for help.” Sasuke shook his head.

“Let it cry, I will never stop my tongue from experiencing the finest foods even if it kills me.”

Sasuke scoffed.

They ate their quick meals on their way to the academy’s exam hall, thankful that it actually took a while so they were the last to arrive. Throwing away their garbage quickly, they joined their class’ line and spoke amongst themselves.

The exam hall was much different than where they usually did their test taking; it was larger, and meant to accommodate the other graduating class. In total, there were about ninety students ready to become shinobi. Of those ninety, it was expected that only thirty-nine students would be considered shinobi. 

No one in the room knew that that number would also be cut down significantly once team assignments began.

“Ready?” Iruka called out as he stood in front of the class. He scanned the entire room, his eyes settling on a few children before he made eye contact with his fellow teacher standing at the back of the class. This was to prevent cheating. “Begin!”

The sounds of flipping paper filled the room, along with graphite and frustrated grunts. The written test alone was meant to weed out any of the children who would not be able to think logically or under pressure; the room was gradually becoming hotter to simulate this. 

A shinobi must not lose his cool under any circumstances, if any mistakes are made, then the mission is at risk.

Of course, they never kicked the child out, they simply let them make mistakes on their test. Unfortunately for some of the teachers who had their eyes set on a certain student, he didn’t seem to budge as they amplified the heat. Even when the temperature got to near freezing, he did not look up or curse under his breath.

An hour and a half later, the written exam was finally completed and the children were dismissed for the next hour in preparation for the next portion. During that time, the teachers would work to grade their tests quickly.

“Was the thermostat broken?” Ino rubbed her arms as she tried to get her body to heat up again. “I swear, that thing was all over the place.”

Hinata pulled off her sweater and threw it over her shoulders. “I think it was done on purpose, the quickness of its changes meant it was being manipulated.”

“That sucks.” Ino thanked her. “How do you guys think you did?”

Naruto shrugged and leaned his back against the tree that they decided to gather around. “That was okay, I didn’t even realize what was going on. I just zoned out and got straight to answering.”

“I’m surprised that you were able to sit still for so long. I mean, you weren’t even bouncing your leg or hitting your pencil on the desk like you usually do.” 

“Are you kidding me? I was twirling my hair around and had to close my eyes more than once to focus. Beyond that, it’s because I realized how important this was.” Naruto blew out a puff of hair to move his hair out of his face. “If I failed, I wouldn’t want to repeat the grade or drop out of the academy altogether. I trained for this.”

“What about you, Sasuke?” Hinata nudged him lightly, bowing her head a little bit to take a glance at his face.

“Do you think I should get these permanently done?” He pointed to his faux snake bite piercings. “I was thinking of getting my ears pierced too.”

“Seriously?” Naruto deadpanned.

Hinata giggled and nodded, “they’d look good.” She knew that he was asking because he was certain that he would pass. He’s always reminded them that he would get his piercings once he became a genin. “There’s no rush either.”

Sasuke hummed.

“I never pictured you with piercings.” Ino propped up her chin on her hand. “I thought you were joking a few years back, but then you started wearing those and now I know you’re completely serious. Are you trying to start a trend?”

“No one’s willing enough to get those done, Ino, especially when it’s not even a beauty standard.” Naruto dismissed her.

“Fuck the beauty standards, Sasuke practically started one because of rumours.” She felt Hinata tug on her arm at the swear word. She was definitely going to get her to slip up one day and use ‘fuck’ and its variants in a sentence. Ino wasn’t one to give up easily.

“What rumours?” He raised his eyebrow. As far as he was concerned, he wasn’t even at the academy long enough for there to be any rumours. Or perhaps he just didn’t pay attention during the first few years. 

“That you liked girls with long hair. Why do you think everyone started growing their hair out?” She motioned to the field of girls who pretended to be doing something else other than staring at them. “I decided to cut mine because who cares! I don’t even think you like people who change themselves just to appease you. I mean, who would?”

Hinata shrunk back a little bit, something that neither of them noticed. 

“Oh.” He looked at the girls again and back at Ino. “Where did that rumour even come from?”

“I have no idea, but I sure do know that Himawari-san’s presence amplified it. You like her, she started growing her hair out instead of keeping it in a bob, and everyone thought it was because of you.”

Naruto started laughing. “No fucking way.” He gave an apologetic smile to Hinata, aware that she too didn’t like when they swore. “Sasuke can’t even tell you what his favourite colour shirt—“

“Black, purple or blue—“

“That’s besides the point! What makes them think that he’s concerned about looks other than his own? He’s self absorbed and stands in front of the mirror every day.” Naruto began poking fun at him.

“I stand in front of the mirror to make sure I’m not seeing things.” Sasuke shoved him with a glare plastered on his face. “You know that.”

“I do but making it into something funny instead of saddening is fun! You should do that more, that’s what Utaha-san said two years ago.”

Sasuke got extremely quiet.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to upset you.” Naruto frowned, “forget everything I said guys, I…”

“It’s fine.” Sasuke murmured as he got up. “They’re calling us for the second portion.” 

Ino and Hinata exchanged glances then got up as well. Running up to catch up with Sasuke, Ino left Hinata behind who waited on Naruto.

“We know it wasn’t your intention.” She started, clasping her hands behind her back as Naruto looked down. “Sometimes we never know what’s going to upset each other. It’s good that you apologized immediately, but it’s not my apology to accept so I can’t say much.”

“I just need to learn to shut my mouth sometimes. I’m still trying to not offend him all the time, and I fail because I get too absorbed in the moment that I miss when I should simply drop a subject.” He finally stood up, “thanks for waiting for me.”

“I’m sure Sasuke isn’t as mad as he seems. He has that look on his face that’s a little bit scary, but it just means that he wants some time alone. It’s going to be fine.”

Naruto nodded in agreement, “I know. Come on before they close the doors.”

Hinata smiled at him, and he returned it.

The second portion of their graduation exam was just as he had feared. As the class settled and they waited in their respective seats, the teachers slowly came in to hand them back their written tests. All while announcing that they will be evaluating everyone on their completion of the Transformation, Replacement and Cloning techniques.

Naruto slammed his head on the table as soon as they left. One look at his written exam and he could see that he had indeed passed with perfect scores, however, the cloning technique was worth quite a bit of his final score. Of course, he could simply make up for it by being great at the other two, but he knew that there were teachers who were waiting for him to mess something up.

It was just his lucky day that he was going to hand them one.

“Let’s just hope that they give me some leeway, I’ve busted my ass off over the last five years for this. If they look at all my other test scores and decide that I’m unfit to be a shinobi, I’m going to have to take that up with the Hokage himself.” He muttered under his breath as Himawari’s words echoed in his head.

It’s been so long since he’s actually seen the Hokage; the bimonthly visits had dwindled to barely a visit every year. Speaking with the old man was no longer a pass time now that he had other people to converse with. Would he be mad if he showed up after so long just to demand that he get a hitai-ate for his efforts?

Peeking through his fingers, he made eye contact with Hinata who had turned around to give him a thumbs up. She mouthed some words of support just as she was called in by one of the teachers.

This shouldn’t take long since there were multiple rooms where the second portion was being evaluated, Naruto thought in horror. Sooner or later, it would be his turn.

As the time ticked and the classroom emptied out, he felt his heart drop to the pits of his stomach. Since they were going in alphabetical order, the remaining students were him, Sasuke, Ino, and quite a few unfamiliar faces.

“Uchiha Sasuke.”

“Uzumaki Naruto.”

Two teachers walked into the room calling their names. Both boys exchanged a look and then proceeded to follow their respective instructor to their rooms.

Naruto planted his feet in front of the desk, his eyes focused on the hitai-ate carefully lined up and taunting him.

“Alright, Naruto, all you need to do is perform the three techniques to perfection. Any defects will be points taken off of your final grade.” Iruka said with a nod.

“Do your best.” The teacher beside Iruka had white hair with blue streaks. Naruto didn’t recall him ever working at the academy but didn’t dwell on that. The smile on his face made Naruto pause.

He performed his transformation first, turning into an exact replica of one of the teachers he noticed today. It was great observation skills since he was not familiar with many of them. 

His replacement technique went just as well; he switched his spot with a chair from the classroom next to where he was. 

When he walked back to the front of Iruka, he bit his lip and began to go through the hand seals for the clone technique. Praying to every god he knew, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and waited.

Opening his eyes, he noticed the passed out clone beside him, and the frown on his teacher’s face as he noted something down.

“Are you aware that the clone technique is a basic jūtsu that everyone must perfect before moving on?” Iruka started.

“I am.”

“Then you must know that it takes up quite a bit of your score.”

“I do.”

“Although you passed by completing the written exam perfectly and the other two techniques, you will not be receiving full marks nor would you be placed in the honour category with a consideration for mentorship. Congratulations on graduating, Uzumaki Naruto, your final score is seventy-five out of one hundred.” He pushed a silver plated forehead protector towards him.

He couldn’t complain. Naruto bowed and thanked him as he took a hold of his new accessory.

“I see you’ve passed.” Sasuke greeted him as soon as he stepped outside of the academy. 

“Barely, the clone technique almost fucked me over. I was hoping we didn’t get that one.”

“Hn, as long as I’m not stuck in the system on my own, I don’t care which jūtsu they failed you on.” They walked over to Ino and Hinata who had been waiting for them as well.

“Looks like we’re all shinobi.” Ino grinned, “dinner at my house, who’s up for it?”

“Sure.” Naruto smiled, “Himawari wouldn’t mind.”

“I’m okay with that.” Hinata nodded.

“Naruto!” Just as they were about to walk out of the courtyard, the same white haired teacher appeared. “Can I speak with you for a second?”

Naruto glanced at his friends, “I’ll join you guys later, you can go on ahead.”

“Are you sure?” Sasuke stopped him from walking away, the grip on his wrist tightening as he looked at the smiling teacher. “Will you be alright?”

Raising his eyebrow, Naruto hummed. “Why wouldn’t I be? Stop worrying, you’re not Himawari, let her do that. Speaking of, you should probably call her when you get to Ino’s house to let her know where we are.”

The frown on Sasuke’s face was minuscule as he let him go. “Fine. Don’t linger around.”

“I know.” Naruto waved at them and ran up to the unknown instructor.

Sasuke stayed standing there for a while until Ino practically dragged him away with Hinata following behind. 

“You probably don’t know my name, I’m Mizuki.” The instructor said as he led him inside to one of the vacant classrooms. “I’m sure you know that Iruka didn’t mean to offend you or anything when he mentioned the mentorship, you were just one of the ones expected to pass with perfect scores.”

“I wasn’t offended.” Naruto itched his cheek, “I knew that I had some trouble with the clone technique anyway, so I didn’t make a big fuss about it.”

“Oh! I thought that would upset you, it was why I spoke with Iruka so we can give you a second chance. I would hate for a star student to not get the same opportunities just because of one mistake.”

Naruto perked up, “a second chance?” If he could get a perfect score, he’d be extremely happy. Besides, it upped the chances of being placed on a good team. The last thing he needed was for someone’s bias to get to them and he was placed with the failing students just because he wasn’t liked. He may not show it, but he was still very much aware that some people didn’t like him.

“Yeah, you just have to do a mission. Once you complete it, the Hokage will personally see to it that you’re placed as a priority on the mentorship list. It’s the first time we’re testing this out.”

“I see…What’s the mission then?”

“It’s a stealth mission that will test you on the application of everything you’ve learned; you must sneak into the Hokage tower, and capture a special scroll before dropping it off at the shack located in Training Ground Twenty.”

Naruto blinked, “that’s easy.”

“Yeah? Then I suppose you have no issue doing it now?” Mizuki checked the time, “you have until sunset to get it done.”

“You’re on.”

Sasuke didn’t stay long at Ino’s house.

After the first three hours and signs of the sun setting without Naruto showing up, he had expressed his desire to return home without telling the two girls why. The walk to the house was spent deep in thought, he wondered about why Naruto was held back, and when his theories came up short, he thought about something else.

Like why there were shinobi currently running towards the Hokage tower as if it was an emergency. 

The moment he opened the front door to the house, he was immediately pulled into a hug. He didn’t really complain, but a heads up would have been great.

“Where‘s Naruto?” Himawari asked as she looked him over. There was worry in her eyes, and disbelief, yet he couldn’t understand why that was.

“I assumed that he decided to come here instead? One of the instructors asked for him to stay back for a second. I came home because he didn’t show up at Ino’s place.” He answered her and followed her into the living room. 

“Naruto didn’t come home and I just got notified by one of my colleagues that he stole something.”

“He what?”

“I need to go out to look for him, I was hoping that he was with you but he’s clearly not.” She ran a hand over her face. 

Sasuke walked back to the foyer.

“Where are you going?”

“Outside.”

“Why?”

“To go look for Naruto.”

“Sasuke, no, I need you to—“

“You should stay here, Momma, I’m going to go look for him and bring him back. I’ll find him quickly and make sure he’s safe.” He looked back at her, “you need to stay in case he comes running here.”

She bit her lip and sighed, knowing that it wasn’t something she could fight him on. He may look annoyed whenever it comes to Naruto, but that was his friend and he was going to see to it that he’s alright.

“I’m the one who left him behind instead of waiting for him, so I’m going to find him.” He put on his shoes again.

“Take the first aid pack with you in case he’s injured.” She grabbed a special pouch from underneath the coffee table and threw it at him. “If you’re not back within the hour, I will come looking for you too.”

Sasuke gave her a firm nod and strapped the small bag across his chest. “I think he deserves some ramen after today.”

“I’ll get that started.”

He ran out of the house and headed for the academy immediately. He knew the chances of Naruto actually being there was going to be low, clearly he wasn’t there if other shinobi were out looking for him. He couldn’t even question why Naruto was able to hide away from several chūnin, possibly jōnin instructors. The blond Uzumaki had a knack for hiding and running, they were playing in his territory, and frankly, the chances of them finding him was decreasing as the sun set fully.

“Come on, Naruto.” Sasuke muttered as he ran around the village. 

Once he covered every nook and cranny of every district, he finally decided to check the training grounds. If Naruto wasn’t within the village itself, then he must be in the training sector. It was the only place that made sense.

A shadow flickering past him made him stop running. With furrowed eyebrows, Sasuke made a quick detour and followed the path of the shadow. 

Not sure if it was a trap or not, he kept some ways away as he scanned his surroundings. When he no longer saw the back of the shadow, he sped up and stumbled into a clearing.

“—you are the Nine Tailed Fox!”

That same white haired instructor stood on top of a tree as he hurled a three pronged windmill shūriken at Naruto. Sasuke felt his body freeze as he watched it fly through the air. His world started spinning when blood spilled on the dry grass below that shadow.

“Iruka?”

Naruto’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. Sasuke’s hands shook once he realized just how much blood was pouring out of Iruka who remained hunched over Naruto. His words were inaudible as he wept, yet he could see Naruto’s teary eyes as he listened.

“I’m going to kill you, you stupid demon brat!”

“Mizuki, stop!” Iruka yelled again as Naruto crawled out from under him.

“You can try.” Naruto stood up and strapped a large scroll to his back. “I’m not going to let you lay a hand on Iruka or myself. You fucking traitor.”

“Oh?”

“You thought I didn’t know? I’m not that stupid. There’s no such thing as ‘second chances’ in the ninja world. Once you fuck up, it’s over, you die. Iruka would never allow for there to be special treatment; what about all the other children who deserved a chance at passing? Why was I singled out?” He clenched his fists. “You’re going to pay for betraying Konoha and for hurting one of my allies.”

“You can’t do shit, you demon brat. You’re weak!”

“Am I?”

Sasuke watched as Naruto appeared behind Mizuki, having done a replacement jūtsu with one of the branches above him. He took the chance to run to Iruka as Naruto engaged in a taijūtsu battle with Mizuki.

“Sasuke? What are you doing here?” Iruka heaved.

“Stop talking.” He felt his eyes water as he pulled the vest open to reveal the large gash on his back. There was just so much blood.

Blood on the walls.

Blood soaking the floorboards.

Blood seeping out of his parents’ corpses.

He bit his lip hard as he applied pressure on the opened wound. Struggling, he poured some saline on it and immediately got to wrapping it with fresh gauze.

“You work fast.” Iruka huffed, wincing as Sasuke secured the gauze with some plaster.

“It would be great if you don’t remind me.” He wanted to throw up. 

“Sorry.”

Another body dropped beside them, battered and bruised with a black eye and swollen cheeks. Sasuke looked up momentarily to see a heavy breathing Naruto staring at him.

“We need to talk.” Naruto said as he dropped down beside Iruka.

“Hn.” Sasuke finally closed the first aid pack and sat back. “I’m assuming you’ve alerted your colleagues of your location?”

“I have.” Iruka thanked him and sat down with his shoulders hunched. “Naruto, what made you think of stealing the Forbidden Scroll?”

He shrugged, “if it wasn’t me, it was going to be another student that Mizuki would just kill and discard. I didn’t understand at first, but when I realized how heavily guarded the scroll was, I knew that this wasn’t some silly test.” He closed his eyes, “I’ll leave the scroll with you, I’m a bit tired.”

“Ah, right, it’s late and your team placements are tomorrow. You two can leave, thanks for helping me again Sasuke. Naruto…I’m sorry…I don’t hate you like Mizuki said.”

“I know.” Naruto gave him a tired smile, “I can tell easily who hates me and who doesn’t. We don’t really know each other, nor are we familiar with one another, so I wouldn’t even mind if you did. It’s nice having a sensei who doesn’t hate my guts.” He looked at Mizuki, “he won’t be awake for a while.”

“What did you do?” Sasuke asked as he noticed that the beating was a lot worse than normal. It looked as if multiple people beat the shit out of the man.

“I put my newly acquired technique to use. Not by much, just two or three clones.”

“Clones?”

Naruto stood up, “I can explain it to you while we walk home, I’m sure Himawari is worried.”

Just as he said so, multiple shinobi appeared in the clearing. Iruka waved the two boys off before they could be discovered, which Naruto was grateful for.

“You should visit him at the hospital if he’s still there tomorrow.” Sasuke said.

“I’m surprised that you managed to patch him up without any trouble.”

“I still feel like I need to throw up.”

Naruto laughed.

There was a moment of silence as they walked out of the training sector and into the village.

“Did you hear what he said? About the Nine Tails?”

“I did.”

Naruto frowned, “I don’t want to be a threat to my friends, or my teammates. What if he takes over me like Mizuki said he would? I’m not a monster, am I? You don’t think they’ll hate me once they find out, right?” He turned away as he began to cry. “I’ve always hated myself because everyone else hated me and I never knew why. It’s because I’m that stupid demon. I’m the one who killed their families. I probably killed my own too and I’m going to kill—“

Sasuke slapped his hands against his face as he cupped his cheeks and forced him to stop. “Shut up. You’re not the Nine Tails, and you’re not going to kill anybody. Do you really believe what that traitor said?”

“How can I not? I’ve always felt something within me, and I always heard a voice in my head that was darker than my own. A part of me always knew but didn’t want to acknowledge that there was something evil there.”

“So what?”

Naruto’s eyes widened.

“So what if you have the Nine Tails in you? So what if you hear voices and you dream stupid dreams, and your obsession with foxes is because you’re the host of the Father of all Foxes? So what, Naruto?” He glared at him. “That’s not going to change the fact that you’re Uzumaki Naruto; my friend, Hinata’s stupid playmate, Ino’s teasing partner, or Himawari’s sunshine. That doesn’t change how caring and friendly you are, or how much you can’t shut up about anything. You’re you and the Nine Tails is a separate entity.” 

Sasuke let him go and took a step back as he let him cry. “You’re our knuckle-headed, hyperactive, special Uzumaki who spends too much time watching some silly show. Not the Nine Tails.”

Naruto’s shoulders shook as more tears fell from his eyes. “Can…Can we not tell the others about it? Not until I’m ready.” He stuttered out.

“Whatever you say.” He gave him a small smile. “Now, we have five minutes to get home before Himawari comes looking for us.”

He nodded yet didn’t move.

“Do you want a piggyback ride?”

“Seriously?” Naruto scoffed. “Sure.”

Sasuke turned around and stooped down to let him get on his back. Standing up straight, he grunted and began walking. “You’re a cry baby.”

“Shut up, pussy.”

The door was open by the time they got back to the house, and Himawari sat on the front steps. She immediately stood up once they came into view, and she held her arms open.

Climbing down from Sasuke’s back, Naruto walked into her arms and apologized profusely.

“As long as you’re okay.” Himawari whispered. “I’m glad Sasuke found you. He told me I should make you some ramen.” She cupped his cheeks and kissed his forehead. “Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

“I could use a nice warm bowl of ramen, oh, and a hot bath.” Naruto smiled.

Sasuke followed them inside and didn’t miss the grateful nod Naruto gave him before he took a detour to the bathroom.

“Where’d you find him?” Himawari asked.

“The forest, dealing with a traitor.”

“Gods.”

“Only one person was injured.” Sasuke informed her as he unclasped the pack from his body. “I stopped the bleeding enough so he could get to the hospital without complications.”

“Will you be sleeping in your room tonight?” She gave him a look, knowing that blood tended to trigger a bout of nightmares for him.

“I’ll try, but if anything, I can roll out the air mattress.”

“Alright. You should get cleaned as well, I made some beef curry for lunch, so you can have that instead of the ramen I made.”

Sasuke gave her a nod and excused himself.

Himawari checked the time and sighed. She was glad that the kids were home, she just hoped that nothing crazy happened. 

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 4 — Lavender & Daffodils

Team placements genuinely scared Sasuke.

It wasn’t that he didn’t think he would be a great teammate, or able to pull up his own weight when it comes to his responsibilities, it was the aspect of being on a team with someone he wasn’t familiar with that scared him. 

Being homeschooled clearly had its setbacks, despite him being far above his grade level in terms of his abilities, he had no friends beyond Naruto, Ino and Hinata. With the teams being random, and there being thirty nine graduating students, there was only a seven percent chance that he would end up on a team with his friends.

That would definitely impact his team’s dynamic. They wouldn’t know much about him, and he wouldn’t know much about that. Recalling the fact that the last impression he left on his classmates was one where he had lashed out and swore at them, Sasuke didn’t think he’d be having a good time as a genin.

They had gathered together at the back of the classroom, sitting in a small circle as they talked amongst themselves. More so Naruto did the talking, Ino responded, and Hinata was more occupied with trying to get the two to stop insulting each other even as a joke. He, however, remained quiet as he tugged on his faux piercings.

“Did you talk to Himawari-san about them?” Hinata finally escaped the other two, having given up on getting them to calm down. She moved closer to him as she spoke.

Over the years, the two of them had become much closer, which was hard to picture for everyone. His daily task of calling her out on her stutters meant that they spent a lot of time talking to each other. Adding to the habit she had of hanging around while he trained because she couldn’t help but admire his strength despite the mental turmoil he was going through, and they just piggybacked off of one another. 

On occasion, she would naturally gravitate towards him since he was just as quiet as her, and they didn’t always have to talk unless they wanted to. It was a great change of pace compared to the constant yapping that happened with Naruto and Ino.

“I’m going to get them done next week, hopefully.” He nodded.

“What colour are you getting?”

“I can always change them but black is fine. It would stand out against my pale skin.” 

“Hm.” She studied him for a moment then gave him a nod of approval. “I can see that.”

“What about you? Are you planning on doing anything to celebrate?” 

Hinata caught Ino’s eyes and immediately looked away, “do you think she’d say yes?” She didn’t answer his question directly, but he could tell what it was.

Sasuke followed where she had been looking, copied Ino’s confused expression, and then focused on Hinata again. “Why wouldn’t she? Aren’t you two best friends?” 

She had been meaning to ask her if she wanted to go out to dinner as a celebration since last week, yet never got around to doing it anyway because she was scared. Besides, she was needed back at the compound for a miniature lecture about being a good shinobi once she graduates which happened every other day.

“Still…I feel as if we live two different lives. I’m always busy when she’s free, and vice versa. I don’t want her to drop her plans just to eat with me—she’s still the Yamanaka Heiress, unlike me.”

“You’re stuttering again.” He smirked, “you haven’t done that in a while.”

Hinata blushed and nudged him lightly, “it’s because I’m deep in thought…and I’m nervous.”

“Ino’s not going to reject you.”

“I didn’t mean it like that!” She hissed, her face turning bright red. “Don’t turn it into something it’s not. We just haven’t had the time to have dinner alone like before.”

Sasuke stifled a laugh, only a small smile appeared on his face, which was promptly wiped off as he crossed his arms. “I didn’t mean it like that either. You’re the one who thought of it.”

Hinata covered her ears, feeling them get extremely warm as he continued to corner her. “We’re friends, Sasuke, don’t make it awkward.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re putting thoughts into my head.”

“Seems like you like it with how red you are.”

“Are you two flirting?” Naruto squinted at them. They didn’t realize that their blond duo had stopped their bickering to listen to what little conversation they were having. “I didn’t know you liked each other.”

Hinata dropped her hands and clamped her mouth shut as she took notice of Ino’s expression. It was solemn, and blank. She just stared at her as if she was trying to figure something out before she looked at Sasuke instead.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Sasuke finally broke the silence that had followed Naruto’s accusation. “We were talking about our plans.”

“To date.” Naruto wiggled his eyebrows. “Look at you, before you couldn’t even stand her and now you’re flirting out in the open. Please tell me when you make it official.”

Hinata pouted, then she frowned as she distanced herself from Sasuke. “It’s not like that, Naruto.” She moved away a little bit more, her eyes still on Ino as she silently begged her to see how she didn’t like Sasuke that way.

It couldn’t be that after all these years, she still had feelings for their friend, right? Ino couldn’t possibly be in love with Sasuke after getting to know him and what he was like. She even persuaded the other girls to leave him alone, and used the excuse of friendship as to why she was looking out for him. That couldn’t have been a lie…right?

Why did it matter anyway? It wasn’t like Ino owed it to her to tell her about every crush she had. They lived two different lives, and liked different things—which meant that they liked different people too—but why did it make her frown when she saw that hurt look in Ino’s eyes.

The door bursting open was a perfect distraction from the situation. A stampede of girls came rushing into the room, all yelling loudly about their placement at Sasuke’s side.

“I guess we should find our seats now, Iruka should be arriving soon.” Ino muttered as she stood up. “I’m going to sit with Shikamaru and Chōji since I’m their teammate.”

Hinata bit her lip as Ino left their little circle without even looking at her. “I’ll sit at the front of the class today.” She quietly communicated as she too got up.

“That’s our cue then.” Sasuke muttered, finding his way to an empty table now that their little group had split up. He sat at the edge of the long table while Naruto occupied the middle seat. 

Resting his head against the cool, wooden desk, he closed his eyes and barely opened them when a voice called his name.

“Can I sit here?” It was then followed by a chorus of the same question.

He didn’t bother answering, only turning his head away to let them keep fighting over who took the last seat. It’s not like they’d be beside him anyway, Naruto was clearly taking up the space between him and the remaining spot.

“You’d think they’d get the hint.” Naruto said under his breath. “Listen, ladies, I understand that you all like Sasuke, but it would be great if you settled this somewhere else.”

“Who are you to decide that, Naruto?” 

He raised his eyebrow as he sized up the pink haired girl in front of him. “Sakura, right?” He definitely knew who she was. How could he not when they were just talking about her last week during one of their discussions with Himawari? Her hair suited the name too. 

She crossed her arms and gave him a look of disbelief. He had crushed on her for a year straight, the chances of him forgetting who she was seemed almost impossible. You don’t forget your first love, right? That’s why she would never forget Sasuke.

“Alright, I’ve been friends with Sasuke for years, and I can tell you right now, he doesn’t like loud noises—“ He motioned to their group, “—or this gathering for that matter. You all are extremely loud, annoying, have zero boundaries, and frankly, I have no clue how you’re planning on surviving out in the real world if you’re so boy-obsessed.”

Someone had managed to raise their hands before she could, and part of her was actually grateful after seeing the look Naruto gave them. He held the poor girl by her wrist, raised one slick eyebrow, and studied her before pushing her back into the group. 

“Now, please find your seats, there is one vacant at this table. I, and everyone else, would appreciate it if you figure out who takes it quietly instead of making so much damn noise.” He sat back down and slammed his head on the table.

Sasuke elbowed him and gave him a thumbs up underneath the table.

The girls scattered upon Naruto’s request, ashamed that they had caused such a commotion on an important day. Sakura quickly sat down at the table, yet didn’t say nothing seeing as her two desk mates were currently laying their heads down while turning their bodies away from her.

Clasping her hands on her lap, she kept peering at Sasuke and didn’t bother to tease Ino who was sitting right behind them.

Iruka showed up not long after, once again surprised that his class had settled down before he said anything. Bandages were visible from under his vest, sparking the curiosity of his now graduated students, yet no one asked any questions.

“As you all know, you’ll be placed on your teams today.” Iruka began, flipping through his clipboard. “There’s not much words I have to say to you all other than that I am proud of you. It was wonderful being your teacher, for as long as that lasted, and I hope you make me proud.” He scanned the room with sad eyes. “The teams will consist of three graduates and a jōnin instructor; you will be doing all your missions with this team until you are prepared to advance.”

“Is there a specific way we’re being organized?” A civilian student asked.

“Actually, this year, we decided to take out the usual ‘top student is paired with the lowest ranking student’ tradition seeing as all of you passed with great scores. So, the teams will be random and based on your abilities as shinobi.” Iruka answered. “Let’s begin.”

Sasuke counted down in his head as each team was announced; ticking off the names he didn’t recognize, he realized that the chances of being on a team with one of his friends was increasing as they moved along. That, and the fact that the formation would always be two boys and one girl. If he didn’t end up with Hinata, then it was definitely Naruto.

“Team Seven: Uchiha Sasuke—“

He sat up.

“—Haruno Sakura—”

She yelled loudly, completely missing the frown on his face.

“—and Uzumaki Naruto—.”

Sasuke smirked and Naruto grinned, they both ignored the way Sakura slumped over at the mention of his name.

“Team Eight: Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Hyūga Hinata.”

They were just a breaths away from getting Hinata on their team. The thought of having her made both boys exchange a glance, hypothesizing about what could have been.

“It makes sense, she assumed she’d be on a tracker team.” Naruto shared quietly. “She’d be a force to be reckoned with, no one’s ready for what she has in store.” 

Sakura glanced at Naruto then at Hinata upon hearing his words. Frankly, she didn’t see anything special about her considering that she wasn’t really a fighter. During their years together, Hinata was a pacifist; she hated sparring, her grades on kunai/shūriken throwing was okay, and even the questions on solving conflicts were answered in a peaceful manner. She couldn’t hurt a fly in Sakura’s books.

“I’m going to talk to Himawari about something.” Sasuke muttered.

“What? Is it about Hinata?” Naruto questioned.

“—Team Ten: Ino Yamanaka, Akamichi Chōji, and Nara Shikamaru—”

They turned around to give Ino a thumbs up before continuing their conversation.

“Hn. She doesn’t want anything as a congratulatory gift, but I have an idea in mind.”

“Let me in.” Naruto leaned towards him. “What are you thinking?”

Sasuke whispered something into his ear.

“A custom one?” Naruto hummed, “that’s a good idea. She’d like it.”

Sakura just couldn’t believe her ears, what the hell were those two talking about? And why was it about Hinata specifically? She glanced at the Hyūga girl again who had turned back around after staring at someone. She narrowed her eyes.

“That’s all the teams! Your jōnin instructor should be picking you up during and after lunch, so please stay with your new teammates within the academy’s boundaries. Once again, congratulations on being shinobi, I look forward to seeing you amongst the ranks.” Iruka bowed and excused himself.

Naruto immediately got up and made his way to Hinata, he flung himself over the desk with ease, using the others as steps. He plopped himself down in front of her and grinned. “Congratulations! You figured out you were going to be on a tracking team.” He cupped her face knowing she found said action embarrassing no matter who did it. 

“Congratulations as well, Naruto.” She finally smiled, “you can pester Sasuke all day long without him being able to escape.”

He rubbed his chin while deep in thought. “I actually never thought about that, thanks for the idea.”

“I’ll make sure you get extra veggies in your ramen next time.” Sasuke said as he walked down the stairs towards them. He acted as if he didn’t notice the trailing shadow he had, even when Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow at him. “Looks like Ino went out with her team.” 

“I should too.” Hinata mumbled. 

“No! Don’t leave me.” Naruto begged as he hugged her close, “I’m not safe here. Sasuke always threatens me when you aren’t around.”

“If you liked her, you could have just said that.” Sasuke teased.

“Ew, gross dude, I only see Hinata as my little sister, are you insane?” 

“We’re only two months apart, Naruto.” Hinata interjected, not minding the little sister placement she had in his faux family. 

“Two months is enough time to consider you as my little sister, I don’t care if it’s physically impossible to give birth to a child within the same year.” He huffed. “Anyway, please don’t leave me, I promise dog breath isn’t any better.” He whispered to her as he caught Kiba’s glare.

“I think you’re going to have to get along soon.” Hinata said as she stood up, “we may be in teams but there will be a time where we all have to work together.”

“Fat fucking chance, I hate that guy.”

“Hate is a strong word, Naruto.” Sasuke reprimanded him, he knew how much he absolutely hated it too. “You mean you dislike him.”

“Shut it, duckass, I have no clue why you’re talking as if you don’t hate ninety percent of the class.” 

“Sasuke doesn’t hate his classmates,” Hinata corrected, she caught sight of the emerald eyes that looked and listened carefully. “He just doesn’t care about them that much, which I suppose translates to hating.”

“She got you there.” Naruto snickered.

Sasuke glared at her before rolling his eyes. “You should go speak with your teammates, Hinata, and get to know them.”

“Have fun with your team.” She grabbed her bag and left them standing around the now vacant desk.

“So, what do we do?” Naruto asked as he finally acknowledged Sakura. “Do we just sit down and wait for our sensei?”

“I guess.” Sasuke muttered, sitting on top of the opposing desk as he brought out his own bento box.

“Oh, let me grab mine.” Naruto once again used the desks as his steps. He returned with his orange bento box, ignoring the look of disapproval he got from Sasuke. “What did Himawari pack you for lunch?”

“Chicken cutlet with cherry tomatoes. You?”

“Replace the tomatoes with corn and spinach. What are you having for lunch, Sakura?”

She jumped as he called her name. Her face turned just as pink as her hair while she shrunk in the background some more. She half expected them to continue to ignore her as they spoke, and the attention suddenly turning to her made her nervous and embarrassed.

“Nothing.” She answered. Today, she decided to skip lunch since she needed to lose some weight. There was another rumour that started about Sasuke hating heavy girls, and she was definitely on the heavier side.

“Seriously?” Naruto stared at her in disbelief. “You’re a shinobi.”

“I’m aware, and shinobi don’t need to eat constantly. If you wanted to stuff your face full of food, you could have just said that. I’m not hungry anyway.” She huffed and went back to their desk.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look.

“Catch.” He said as he threw her a pear and then a juice box. “You need energy.”

“I don’t need your food, Naruto.”

“Then throw it out, I don’t give a shit, I’m just not going to let you starve yourself under the dumb guise of ‘shinobi not eating often’. You know that’s bullshit because you learned otherwise.” 

Sakura looked at the pear and back at Naruto, then searched for a reaction from Sasuke. He had yet to say anything to her, and he didn’t seem to care as much about her starving. Which probably meant that he understood why she was doing it and he wasn’t going to notice her until she was his ideal weight.

Taking a bite out of the pear, she pushed the juice to the side and continued staring at the two boys as they conversed. The entire time, she couldn’t help but get curious about how they were able to freely talk with Hinata.

She’s always had her eyes on that Hyūga girl since her fight with Ino all those years ago. A part of her whispered about Hinata being in on Ino’s plan to steal Sasuke, and since then, she hasn’t liked her.

There was nothing to actually dislike about her, but her relations with Ino, and seeing her talk with Sasuke during exam days before he returned last month placed her on her enemy list. Even now, Hinata was able to hold a conversation with Sasuke without the boy ignoring her.

After a while, her thoughts weren’t as entertaining. Daydreaming about her time with Sasuke didn’t really keep her occupied for too long. Sakura quickly noticed how the class emptied out until it was only them inside. 

It was at five in the afternoon, two hours after school had officially ended, that a silver haired jōnin showed up. He poked his head through the door, stared at his team and deadpanned at how clearly separated they were.

Sasuke and Naruto were still talking to each other while Sakura looked as if she was on the verge of passing out.

“My first impression of you all is that you’re boring.” He stood up straight, “meet me on the roof.”

“Why can’t we do it right here?” Naruto questioned as he unfolded his legs so he could stretch. “You’re already extremely late, which would have gotten us killed on a mission, and you’re making plans within the first second of meeting us. Let’s have whatever discussion you want to have right here.”

Kakashi couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief. Since when was Naruto so well articulated? He knew that he was stubborn, something he undoubtedly got from his mother, but the way he expressed his wishes to not go anywhere shocked him. 

“Fine.” Kakashi walked into the classroom and closed the door behind him. Leaning against the chalkboard, he once again gave his team a look over before he spoke again. “Let’s all introduce ourselves.”

They stared at him.

“Your likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams would be a perfect start.”

Sakura raised her hand, “why don’t you start first? It’s our first time meeting you.”

He smiled behind his mask although it never reached his eyes. “I’m Hatake Kakashi, I don't have anything I like or dislike. My hobbies are none of your business, and my dreams are also a private matter. Let’s start with you.” He pointed back at her.

“Jerk.” Sakura muttered before plastering a smile on her face. “I’m Haruno Sakura, I like…” She glanced at Sasuke. “I dislike Ino. My hobbies are…” She looked at Sasuke again. “And my dream is to…” She giggled as she stared at Sasuke.

“Well that was informative.” Kakashi deadpanned. “How about the blond one?”

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto. My likes are gardening, eating ramen, taijūtsu and camping. My dislikes include, but aren’t limited to; plant destroying insects, waiting for ramen to cook, getting sore muscles from training, and mosquitos. My dream is to be the Hokage so I could change the system and how it treats orphans or children in general.” He gave himself a proud smile as he itched his cheek. He’s spent a while thinking about this, so he was happy with his own answers. 

“That’s nice.” Kakashi mused. His dream being the exact same as his parents was genuinely heartwarming. “And finally, the one hiding behind the hoodie.”

Sasuke pulled his hoodie down and stared at Kakashi. He didn’t speak for a while as he contemplated what he wanted to share. “I’m Uchiha Sasuke. I like tomatoes, dinosaurs and sitting outside in the rain. I dislike blood, loud noises and physical touch.” He got quiet again. “My dream…I wish to restore honour to my clan and find my older brother.”

Half expecting him to say that he wished to kill his brother, Kakashi was shocked to hear him speak so softly in regards to Itachi. He remembered seeing how hard the event had hit the young boy years ago, to see him talk about it without any anger in his voice was surprising. 

“Alright.” He stood up straight, “with introductions out of the way, I suppose I should share with you the final exam.”

“Final exam? Didn’t we have that yesterday?” Sakura raised her hand again to ask.

“That was simply meant to weed the others out. Tomorrow, you will be taking part in the ultimate test to determine if you are truly worthy of the genin title. I will not be saying anything beyond that so save the questions.” He held up his hand to stop her from speaking. “Meet me at Training Ground Seventeen at five in the morning. I advise you to not eat breakfast and don’t be late. Gather all the things you think you’ll need as well.” 

Just as he was about to disappear, the door opened and a woman stepped in. 

Naruto instantly brightened up as Sasuke sat up straight. 

“I apologize for interrupting, I noticed that they were still here and I was wondering if they were alone.” Himawari smiled as she waved at the two. “Nice to see you again, Kakashi-san.”

“Himawari-san.” He bowed his head, “I was just about to dismiss them for the day.” 

“Oh, I’ll wait outside then.”

“No need, you two can go now.” 

They instantly gathered their things and headed for the door. Each giving her a slight hug, Himawari continued holding eye contact with Kakashi as she returned the hugs.

“I hope you stay true to the time you scheduled them to be outside for. The sun would still be behind the hills, and the moon just passing over. I would hate for the children to be alone in the forest at that time without their instructor.” The smile never left her face.

“Of course.” Kakashi nodded. “I’ll see you three then. Get home safely.” He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“Is Ino and Hinata coming over for dinner today?” Naruto asked as Himawari’s attention shifted to them.

“No, Hinata said she had something to do, and Ino is with her team. Let’s get you two home, we have some things to pack for your little assessment tomorrow.” She looked up at Sakura, “get home safely.”

“I will!” She blushed and bowed her head.

Himawari simply chuckled as she led the boys away.

“Ino, wait.” Hinata called out as she ran to catch up with her. She stopped her by grabbing her wrist, yet let go as if something had burned her. “I was wondering if you were busy today.”

Ino faced her with a frown, she could hear Hinata’s laugh echoing in her head as she spoke with Sasuke. “I’m not, why?” She answered quietly.

“Oh, good.” She smiled softly and played with her fingers, “I was wondering if you wanted to come to the new bakery that opened down the street with me. I heard they make really good flan.” 

“Shouldn’t you be preparing yourself for your team’s assessment tomorrow, Hinata? You know your father is going to be disappointed if your team fails.” 

She frowned and took a step back. She felt her heart ache at the reminder of her father’s habits. “I…I was going to get ready after we…I…” She hid her hands in her sweater to hide how they began to shake. “I was hoping to spend after school with you first. We don’t know when we’ll see each other again because of missions.”

“We don’t even know if our team will pass the last test.” Ino huffed as she tied her hair back.

“I know, it’s just a precaution, maybe? If you don’t want to, that’s fine too, I can go alone.” 

“You shouldn’t eat sweets before a mission.”

“I…I know that too…I just…I’m sorry.” She apologized. “You must be stressed about your team’s assessment too. Sorry, I’ll go home and get ready. Good luck, Ino.” She didn’t wait for her to respond as she walked past her.

Her quick walking turned into a jog, which turned to a full blown sprint as she ran away. Hinata berated herself as she thought back on their conversation, and how upset Ino had looked. It was her fault, she caused it somehow.

Her breathing was heavy by the time she made it to the shinobi district. As she stood in the middle of the street, listening to the silent sprinting of passing ninja, she felt like an idiot.

“I should have waited.” She muttered. It would have been better had she asked her once all of it was over. Or maybe on a day where they didn’t have to be up so early for something important. “You’re so stupid.”

“Hinata-sama.” 

The voice of her cousin startled her.

“What are you doing standing around like a fool? Must you be such an embarrassment to the Hyūga?”

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking.” She answered quickly. “I did not mean to appear as a fool.”

Neji scoffed, “you must get home. You know that there is training that needs to be done. Running away to Himawari-san will not be acceptable.”

“I’m aware.” She followed behind him as he started walking towards the compound. 

“Your team’s first assessment is tomorrow, correct?” He didn’t wait for her answer. “Do not be a burden.”

She clenched her hands. 

“We do not need the outside world knowing that there is a weak Hyūga amongst us.”

She just wanted to have something to eat with Ino, yet she was being led to her demise. All those years and still this one thing hadn’t changed. Was it possible for her to live somewhere else once she becomes an actual genin? She would be an adult then, no?

If she was disowned, then she could run away. No one would care.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 5 — Survive

Everyone [read:only those closest to him] knew that Sasuke just hated mornings. 

It hadn’t been that way before; he would get up early just so he could see his older brother before he left on a mission. Mornings used to be a time where he would sit with his Momma on the porch, watching Itachi put on his shoes and his Pappa sliding on his police vest. It was eventful, yet quiet and he liked it.

Not so much now.

Mornings now meant that he would have to spend the day looking over his shoulders to make sure that he wasn’t hallucinating. It meant opening his tired eyes, sleep still evident, and getting out of bed when all he wanted was to be wrapped with his blankets. 

This morning was just awful.

“Come on, Sasuke.” Himawari called out as she sat at the edge of his bed. She lifted the duvet from her his head, curling it at his waist so he couldn’t pull it back up again. “You have a meeting with your team today.”

“Five more minutes.” He tried to turn away from her, pushing one side of his face into his pillows and Dino who resided beside him. “I’m still tired.”

“I know you are, that’s why I gave you an extra forty minutes to sleep.” 

He opened one eye, “what time is it?”

“Almost five.”

“Ma’, are you insane?” He sat up and ran a hand over his face. Patting his cheeks, he crawled out of bed once she got up to give him space. “We’re going to be late because of me.”

Himawari shrugged, “I’m sure you’re going to get there before Kakashi-san does. You’ll learn to adapt based on his timing, the man has a horrible sense of time.” She ruffled his hair as he pulled his shirt off and grabbed his towel. “Breakfast is waiting for you downstairs.”

“We’re not supposed to eat.”

“Says who?”

“Instructions from Kakashi-sensei.”

“You believed him?”

“He’s our instructor, I don’t see why I have to question his reasons for the stupid rule. We’re probably going to do something extensive.”

“Sasuke…Since when was it acceptable for a shinobi to skip a meal before a mission?”

“Since never, I’ll take a bath and come eat breakfast.” 

“Good.” 

Himawari moved out of the way as she let him pass. Heading for the dining area, she heard the television playing loud and clear despite how early in the morning it was.

Naruto sat in front of it, his breakfast on the coffee table as he ate slowly. No matter how old or tall he got, he still looked like a little kid whenever he spent his mornings watching cartoons.

“Shouldn’t you be making sure that you have everything with you?” She picked up the pillow cushions from the floor and organized them again. 

“I did that last night, and I double checked it before I turned on the TV.” He answered, taking another bite of his waffles and followed it with a sip of apple juice. “How long do you think it’s going to take Kakashi-sensei to meet with us again? Yesterday, he showed up four hours after the initial time Iruka gave us.”

“That all depends on how long he intends on testing you for.”

“Meh, I think he’s going to be there early. You did threaten him a little bit yesterday, and it’s still dark outside.” Naruto checked the time as he cleared his plate. “Speaking of, can you pack something light and healthy to eat? Just for safekeeping.”

“Sure, do you have anything in mind?”

“Fruits, and maybe a protein shake?”

“How much?”

“A small container and one bottle.”

“Got it.” She nodded, “don’t stay watching that thing for too long, Sasuke should be ready soon and you know he dislikes it when you get ready before him but he’s the first one out the door.”

“Yeah, I know.” He waved a lackadaisical hand.

Himawari chuckled while she made her way to the kitchen to do just as he asked. She didn’t have much fruit in the fridge, so she made a mental note to go out to get some after work. Chopping up some apples, strawberries, kiwis and cherries, she used them to make a fruit bowl and a smoothie. 

“Don’t stuff your face, Sasuke, you have enough time to eat.” She said over her shoulder as she packed yogurt and vitamin gummies at Naruto’s request. “I purposely made sure your breakfast wasn’t heavy so there’s no need to worry about throwing up or having an upset stomach all morning.”

He didn’t even question how she knew he was there, it always felt as if Himawari had eyes at the back of her head and he was used to it. Slowing down his intake, he stared at the time and his plate constantly. 

“Naruto! The lunch bag is beside your own.” She called out.

“Thank you!”

“I’m going to get ready for work, I’m sure you two don’t need me walking you to your meeting spot, right?” 

Sasuke shook his head and ate the final pieces of scrambled eggs on his plate. Drinking his juice quickly, he wiped his mouth and cleared the table. “We’ll be fine.”

“Okay, good luck with today. You too, Naruto. Do your best.”

“Of course.” 

Grabbing his backpack, Sasuke didn’t wait for Naruto to come collect his own before he went to put on his shoes. He didn’t pay attention when said blond sped past him.

They were out the door just as the clock struck five minutes past five. Despite Himawari’s assurance that being late wouldn’t be a problem because of their sensei’s bad habit, they still hurried to get to their meeting spot.

Sakura was already waiting there. Her shoulders were sagged, her hair was combed haphazardly, and she looked as if she was going to collapse any second.

“You two are late.” She called out once she saw them, she only pointed an accusatory finger at Naruto, not daring to shout at Sasuke. “What took you so long?”

“He decided to sleep in.” Naruto pointed at Sasuke then threw her a lunch bag. 

“What’s this?” She caught it and held it to her chest. Doing that knocked the wind out of her and her vision went blurry for a moment.

“Food.”

“Sensei said we shouldn’t eat.” She frowned and sat down when they sat down. “That’s breaking the rules.”

“I said yesterday, shinobi need to eat. Rule or not, you need the energy for whatever we’re doing today. I’m not going to let you pass out and ruin it. It’s not a full meal, I just had Himawari pack some fruits and a shake for you.”

Sakura glanced at him and back at the bag. Opening it carefully, she laid out the container of fruits, the small pack of gummies, a yogurt cup and the bottle of smoothie. “Oh…This is nice.” What was she supposed to say? She didn’t need him getting the wrong idea; doing this for her wouldn’t make her like him.

“You better hurry up before Kakashi shows up.” Sasuke muttered as he pulled his bag onto his lap to double check his supplies. 

Blushing, just glad that he actually addressed her, Sakura got to eating. Even with the little food that it was, she felt full once she was done. Her energy was much better than an hour before, and she wasn’t as sleepy.

“Thanks.” She mumbled, closing the empty lunch bag and passing it back to Naruto.

“Mhm.” He placed it in his backpack which he was currently leaning against. “We're thirty minutes late, and he's an hour late. The sun isn’t even up yet. If Himawari hears of this, she’s going to make sure he’s never late again.”

“By doing what?” Sakura asked curiously. As far as she knew, Himawari was supposed to be a very nice woman who kept to herself. She’s never actually spoken to her before, but she has seen her around the academy in the past month.

“Probably getting the Hokage to be more strict with him; he’s a teacher, and teachers should be available at the time they set for themselves. It makes no sense to have us waiting for hours, what is that teaching us exactly?”

“It’s a good thing that I’m not too late then.” 

Naruto didn’t flinch when he looked up to see Kakashi sitting on the tree branch above him. He simply blinked and turned back to Sakura, “he narrowly dodged a meeting with the Hokage.”

“You’re late, sensei.” Sakura pouted as she crossed her arms.

“I apologize, I was getting some things ready for today and I lost track of time.” He hopped down from the tree and stood in front of them. Checking his watch, Kakashi smiled under his mask and clapped his hands. “Today, we’re going to be doing something very different. Usually, I’d just go ahead and evaluate you individually, but there’s no fun in that.” He pulled out two bells. “What better way to test you three than to see how fair you are with this?”

“What is it?” Sakura itched her cheek. “They’re bells, but what does that have to do with us?”

“You need to get them.”

“Why are there only two then?”

“Simple; only two of you would pass and advance as genin, the one who fails to get a bell before tomorrow morning will go back to the academy.”

“Tomorrow morning?” Naruto raised his eyebrow.

“We’ll go back to the academy?” Sakura questioned at the same time.

“Ah, let me explain.” He sat down in front of the three. “The reason this is going to take all day is that we’re going to be doing something else while you try to get the bells. As you can see, Training Ground Seventeen is a wild forest. Do you know what forests are great for?”

“Survival.” Sasuke answered.

“Bingo; you’ll be surviving here with me for a full day. As for the ‘going back to the academy’ part, if none of you get a bell, you will all return.”

“That’s not fair!” Sakura cried, “we trained for so long, what do you mean all of that would be for nothing because of some stupid bell? And survival? We did that in the academy too.”

Kakashi shrugged and smiled again, “if you think you can’t do it, you can always leave and I’ll proceed with Naruto and Sasuke.”

“She’ll stay.” Naruto shook his head. Remembering the conversation they had with Himawari, he gave Sakura a look and frowned. “She’ll do this, right, Sakura?”

“I…” She felt nervous all of a sudden. Would she be able to get a bell? What about the other two? If Naruto got one then Sasuke would go back, but if Sasuke got one then she’d be on a team with him alone. “I’m staying.”

“Good, now, follow me. We should get further into the forest and find a place to set up camp. There are no rules on how to get the bell, by the way, you can try as much as you want within the next twenty four hours. They’ll remain right here on my hip.” 

The three students nodded and proceeded to follow Kakashi as he led the way further into the training field. As the forest swallowed them, they couldn’t help but wonder how any of this would go.

Something felt off.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ino groaned as she fell back against the lush grass. It was just eight in the morning, which wasn’t very bad, but she didn’t like what they were doing.

The whole double test thing was time consuming and boring; she’s already proven herself to not only her academy teachers, but her parents as well. Them passing this too felt like a guarantee, otherwise they would be a disgrace to the Ino-Shika-Chō formation. 

“I’m hungry.” Chōji groaned as he clutched his stomach. They had left their bags behind after being tricked into playing an idiotic game with their sensei.

“This is stupid.” Shikamaru sat down beside her and rubbed his forehead.

They’re been at it since the early morning, their task? They needed to capture their sensei’s flag from wherever he hid it while also hiding their own. Currently, Ino had it folded and shoved under her shirt where she knew he would never think of looking for it. Besides, it was a perfect chance to embarrass him as payback for doing this to them.

“Capture the flag in a forest? Is Asuma-sensei fucking insane? His flag is green for gods’ sake!” Ino sighed, “and we can’t even find him.” She’s tried mind swapping with the animals in the area in hopes of spotting her teacher, yet she came up short.

“Let’s think of something else.” Chōji said under his breath as he looked around. He really was hungry; the instruction to not eat in the morning had been hard for him. Of course, he tried to make up for it by munching on some chips but those had no nutritional value. 

“Where could he possibly be?” 

Shikamaru was quiet for a while, “do you think he bailed?” 

“Can he even do that?” Chōji frowned, “he can’t just leave us in the forest like this.”

He shrugged, “it’s possible. It’s not unheard of for an instructor to abandon his team. Unless it’s an emergency, I don’t see why he wouldn’t make his position somewhat obvious to help in the evaluation. It makes no sense.”

“We’re not a tracking unit, we usually just sit back and provide support!” Ino threw her hands in the air in her defeat. “What is strategizing and mind control supposed to do when we’re looking for him? None of the birds in the sky have any vantage points either.”

The frown on Chōji’s face deepened as his eyes began to water. “Are we going to fail?”

“Oh brother, come on, Chōji, there’s no time for crying.” Ino sighed, “I’m just saying that the expectation to find a jōnin in these conditions when one of us is hungry, and the other two can’t come up with anything, is a little unrealistic.”

“We should think of the worst case scenario and work our way from there.” Shikamaru finally stood up and stretched. “Our sensei is either compromised, or he abandoned us. In both scenarios, what should we do?”

“Ask for help?” Chōji said with uncertainty. “We should find someone to help us.”

“But we can’t, that was against the rules.” Ino felt as if her head was going to explode. First no eating, and now they couldn’t look for outside help.

“That was against the rules of capture the flag, but there’s a chance that someone is in danger. We don’t know our way back out of the forest though…” Shikamaru stared at the clouds through the open canopy above. The trees sure were tall in this area, he thought. 

“We should find somewhere to make it into our base camp and branch out from there until one of us finds a passing chūnin or something.” Ino suggested, “if we can’t find anything within fifteen minutes, we meet back at our base camp.”

“We should look for something to eat too,” Chōji perked up. “Sensei said we had twenty four hours to capture his flag, and we haven’t gotten closer to that point, so it’s best that we also gather some supplies in case we have to stay the night.”

“Good idea, Chōji.” Shikamaru nodded. “Let’s head west, I’m sure we’d meet a stream before noon. Camping near water is always a good idea.”

She was tired.

As she sat perched up in a tree with her byakūgan straining, scouting the area for any signs of her sensei, Hinata felt as if she was going to pass out. They've been at it all morning, and it was past midday, yet none of them have caught sight of Kurenai.

“Do you see anything, Hinata?” Kiba called out from below her. He was covered in sweat from running around with his dog, Akamaru, every time he thought he had Kurenai’s scent. 

She felt sorry for how short her visual range was, if she could see out further, she was sure that she would have spotted her sensei’s chakra network. “No, sorry.” She shook her head and deactivated her dōjūtsu.

Climbing down from the tree, she met him on the forest floor and offered him her canteen. 

Thanking her, Kiba took a large drink and sighed as he handed it back. “Shino is having no luck too.”

Speaking of, the quiet boy practically materialized beside them as he walked out of a bush. A beetle crawled over his face and promptly disappeared as he pushed up his glasses. 

“We must eat.” Shino said, “lunch will pass and we have yet to have a decent meal beyond breakfast. We need to replenish our lost energy.”

“I thought you’d never say anything.” Kiba groaned, “I burned up all my energy running around like a fool. Her scent just keeps coming and going, leading me in a circle and it’s frustrating.”

“Do you think Kurenai-sensei is using genjūtsu?” Hinata asked. She was a genjūtsu specialist after all, so it made sense for her to utilize it during their test.

“Can’t be, you would have noticed by now.” Shino shook his head and began walking in a random direction. 

“Then why is it hard to find her? She should be in here somewhere, and you can cover a large area with your bugs alone. Considering that Hinata is a Hyūga, she could see the areas that you missed. None of us have found anything.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “It’s like she just stopped existing! One second she was with us, and the next, she’s gone. A shinobi always leaves a trail, but there isn’t any.”

They got extremely quiet as they continued to walk, all thinking of what could have possibly happened to their sensei. Were they supposed to keep this up for a full day? The chances of finding Kurenai just dwindled, and it discouraged them.

“Wait.” Shino called out up ahead. “There’s someone here.” 

Kiba took out a kunai while Akamaru growled softly. Hinata immediately activated her byakūgan but calmed down when she recognized who it was.

“Team Seven?” She muttered as she stepped in front of Shino. “Why is Team Seven here?”

As soon as she broke through the tree line and into a clearing, she narrowly dodged a barrage of kunai and an explosive tag. Flipping out of the way, Hinata landed on a tree branch and waved a hand in front of her face as she coughed.

“It's me.” She called out as the smoke and dirt cleared up.

“Hinata?” Naruto questioned as he approached her. Catching sight of her teammates as well, he looked confused. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We’re looking for our sensei.” Kiba spoke up, stepping in front of Hinata to protect her while she got down from the tree. “What are you losers doing here?”

“The exact same thing.” Sasuke answered.

At the same time, Sakura screamed as she threw a kunai into the bushes. She cowered away as the leaves ruffled before blond hair and teal eyes appeared looking not too happy.

“What the fuck?” Ino asked as she stepped into the clearing with her team behind her. “What the hell are all of you doing here?”

“We were just going over that!” Sakura huffed as she crossed her arms and stepped closer to Sasuke who distanced himself from her. “Kakashi-sensei left us because he heard something and he hasn’t been back since.”

“Kurenai-sensei can’t be sensed within an eighty metre radius, so we decided to start looking for her.” Shino shared.

“Asuma-sensei just disappeared out of nowhere.” Chōji informed the others as he settled down under a tree. He was tired and hungry, and that was an awful combination in the midday heat. 

“So, all of our instructors are gone.” Naruto ignored the look Kiba gave him as he took a hold of Hinata’s wrist to pull her towards his team. “I’m assuming that we’re all stuck here for twenty four hours?”

With a chorus of ‘yeah’s, he groaned.

“Was this planned?” Sakura asked, “and if it was, what was the reason?”

“Take a wild guess.” Kiba made himself comfortable in the shade. “We all have different missions though, Team Eight was meant to track down our sensei.”

“Team Seven was to get a pair of bells from our sensei.”

“We were playing capture the flag.”

“See, all different missions so this was definitely not a planned thing, at least, not to this extent.” He closed his eyes, “perhaps doing it all in the same training field was as far as they got to planning, but disappearing wasn’t it.”

“Sakura, you mentioned that Kakashi heard something before he left you three alone, do you have any idea what that was? Did you hear anything?” Shikamaru motioned for her to speak.

“No, none of us knew what he was talking about. He did look somewhat distressed before he left, but Kakashi-sensei’s face is hard to read with a mask covering it.” 

“What direction were you heading?”

“Uh…” She looked up at the sun. “West, I believe? There was a stream nearby and we were going to set up camp there before going through a survival guide. We obviously didn’t make it there though.”

“Good, we were heading for the stream too.” Ino tied her hair out of her face and fanned herself. “We should all settle down over there; it’s good access to water that we can drink and use for cooking. We left our bags back where we started, so sorry if we can’t help with supplies.”

“Who said we wanted to team up with the likes of you?” 

Sasuke and Naruto looked at Sakura as she crossed her arms and glared at Ino. In all honesty, they didn’t quite know the history between the two, but seeing Sakura get annoyed just at the mention of working together made them scratch their heads.

“This is a separate evaluation for each of our teams, we don’t need anyone’s help in finding Kakashi-sensei.”

“Sakura—“

“Shut it, Naruto. They’re not the ones who will go back to the academy if they fail, we need to figure things out on our own.”

“Who said we don’t also risk the chance of returning?” Ino glared back at her. “As far as I’m concerned, we all have had our jōnin instructors disappear without a trace, so the evaluation doesn’t fucking matter of they’re not here to grade us anyway!”

“Ino…Sakura…Please don’t fight.” Hinata approached Ino as she played with her fingers. She still remembered what she said yesterday and she wasn’t sure if she was still mad at her. “Sakura, I think teaming up is a good—“

“Of course you think it’s a good idea, the both of you just want to spend time with Sasuke!”

“What?” 

“Seriously?”

“Women.” Shikamaru muttered.

“You can’t possibly be thinking about some silly fucking crush in the middle of an emergency? We’re genin now, Sakura, why does it matter to you if someone likes Sasuke? Shouldn’t you be focused on being a good teammate instead of a hypothetical, overbearing girlfriend?”

“What did you fucking say?”

“Oh my god. Shut up! Please!” Hinata screamed.

The clearing got dead silent as she stood there with her fists clenched and shaking and her eyes squeezed shut. 

“Nobody cares about this stupid love rivalry when we’re in the middle of a forest trying to survive for the next eighteen hours. Our instructors are either in danger, or they’ve abandoned us so we have to decide right now. Are we going to split up over this fight, or are we sticking together to help each other out in finding our instructors?” Her breathing was heavy by the time she finished talking.

Opening her eyes, Hinata felt self conscious as everyone stared at her in a mix of shock and agreement. 

“Hinata has a point.” Shikamaru stepped forwards. “Team Eight specializes in tracking, they could be our eyes and ears. Team Ten, we know our best bet is to provide support and form our plans from here on out. Team Seven?” He looked over at Sasuke.

“We’ll help in any way we can.” Sasuke pointed to their bags. “We have supplies.”

“Good.” Shikamaru felt exhausted already, he just wanted a place to rest his head. “Let’s head for that stream and set something up. You three,” he pointed at Sakura, Ino, and Hinata, “you should gather something to eat. Ino has extensive knowledge about edible plants, Hinata, I’m sure your byakūgan can spot some animals, and Sakura…Just help them out, you need some time to cool off.”

Ino and Hinata nodded as Sakura kicked the rocks at her feet.

“Let’s move out.” Naruto instructed. “We’re all probably hungry and tired. The quicker we get this done, the more time we have to look for Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma.”

It seemed as if the trees would be a place she would find herself in constantly for the rest of her life. Hinata sat on the highest branch, waiting patiently as a rabbit ducked down to eat from a berry bush, her eyebrows were furrowed and her breath was held as she focused.

The whooshing sound of an arrow piercing the air followed by the squeak of a rabbit was the only indication that she had been there. 

Lowering her bow, she replaced her arrow and got into position again as she fired in another direction.

“That should be enough.” She muttered to herself as she climbed down the tree and placed her bow and quiver back into the sealing scroll she had attached to her hip. 

Gathering the three dead rabbits, she tied them together and hefted them over her shoulders without taking the arrows out. The last thing she needed was for her sweater to be stained with blood, which would be an unpleasant sight for Sasuke.

“Three is a lot.” Ino joined her, yet kept a little distance between herself and Hinata. In her hand was a basket of wild mushrooms, potatoes, berries and carrots. “The forest is really built for hunting and gathering.”

Hinata didn’t know how to respond, so she nodded and bit her lip as the grip on her catch tightened. “Where’s Sakura?”

“As if I know, she stormed off in a random direction.” She rolled her eyes, “she’s probably back with the boys.”

They had been out collecting some things for about an hour now so it made sense that Sakura decided to return to camp. 

“Ino?”

“Hm?”

“About the other day; when Naruto assumed I was flirting with Sasuke…You know that wasn’t true, right?”

“Sure.”

“I really mean it. We were talking about what we would do to commemorate our graduation, and I wanted to have dinner…with you…” She studied the path in front of her, finding it more interesting than risking seeing the look on Ino’s face. 

“Oh.”

“Yeah…I…I would still like to have that dinner. I don’t know when, since our lives as genin will be hectic if we pass this assessment, but…”

“Sure.” Ino smiled, “I can make some time to go get something to eat with you. It’s been a while since we actually had some alone time without those two tagging along.” She ate one of the berries from her basket. “I wasn’t mad at you, I was just confused and I needed a moment.”

Hinata’s face brightened as she smiled, “that’s a relief.”

“I can never be mad at you, Hinata, you’re just too cute.” She nudged her and laughed. “Who could ever get mad at such a pretty, little thing?”

“Thank the gods that you guys are back, Chōji is five seconds away from eating someone’s face off.” Kiba interrupted them as they appeared. He stared at the rabbits attached to Hinata and raised his eyebrow, “erm, none of us know how to actually prepare meat. I thought you’d catch something that didn’t require—“

“Shut it, dog breath.” Naruto pushed past him, “do you need help with that, Hinata?”

“No, I got it.” She lifted her sweater and pulled out a hunting knife.

“What the fuck? You’ve been carrying that with you?” Kiba took a step back. 

“We all carry one.” Naruto rolled his eyes, “now, be of some use, dog breath, and get some water so Hinata can start cooking.”

“Why is she in charge of our meals? What if she poisons us?” Sakura muttered under her breath. She was currently sitting with her back against a fallen log while watching Sasuke set up a tent. 

“She’s the best cook out of any of us.” Sasuke responded, “unless you want to be in charge of that and be useful.” He barely spared her a glance as he hammered the last tent spike into the ground. 

Sakura’s face turned red at the callout. “I’m good, I don’t know how to skin an animal anyway.”

“You can watch.” Hinata suggested. Walking over to the stream, she motioned to the small basin to be filled with water.

“Oh…” Not sure how to decline the offer, and too embarrassed to just sit around while everyone did something, she did as Hinata silently asked.

“Sasuke,” Hinata called out, “can you heat this up quickly? I need it boiling hot.”

He came over without saying a word and proceeded to do his fireball technique. “Is that enough?” He said after a while, stepping back as she put the dead rabbits in the hot water while taking the arrows out. He quickly averted his eyes as blood poured out of the wounds. 

“This should be good, thanks.”

“Hn.”

Sakura watched the ordeal quietly, when Sasuke left again she turned to Hinata who stared at the rabbits soaking in the hot water. “What’s that supposed to do?”

“It makes it easier to scrape away the fur.” She answered, then flicked the skin to show how easy it was to pull it out. 

With quick hands Hinata pulled the smallest of the dead animals out of the water and got to cleaning it. She zoned out as she worked, barely remembering that Sakura was there watching her. 

She worked fast; gutting the animal—ignoring how Sakura gagged and ran away—and chopping it into pieces before she washed it in the river. Repeating it twice, she joined her comrades around the fire that had been built for both cooking and keeping them warm once the sun sets. 

“Ino, do you want to season it while I cut the veggies?”

Ino looked up from what she had been doing, “oh! Yes, please. I hate preparing these things, seasoning is fun.” She slid her own basket of now washed vegetables to her. “Did you bring your seasoning pack?”

“I forgot to carry it, I thought you’d have one on you.” Hinata frowned.

“I have one.” Sasuke said, rummaging through his bag. He threw the small scroll at Ino. “You both owe me.”

“Whatever, Uchiha.” Ino rolled her eyes.

The remaining children watched in amazement as Ino and Hinata got to work making them their lunch [and dinner]. Naruto and Sasuke leaned back, talking amongst themselves while the others gathered around the two girls.

An hour later, with a pot of rabbit stew simmering on the fire, all nine children sat together to eat. 

“This is good.” Chōji marvelled. “You’re amazing at cooking, Hinata, I didn’t know that!”

The others nodded in agreement, which made her shy away as she thanked them. 

“We would have been screwed if we decided to part ways.” Kiba shared, “well, not Team Eight, but—“

“I’m able to cook too, dog breath.” Naruto interjected with a glare. “So can Ino and Sasuke. Would it be as good as Hinata’s cooking? Probably not, but it would be good.”

“Seriously, dude; what the fuck is your problem with me?” 

“I should be asking you that.” 

“I have no problems with you.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.”

Kiba tilted his head in confusion, setting aside the remainder of his food and giving it to Akamaru, he removed the hoodie from his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t seen you in years and you come back with a hate boner for me.”

“Ew!” Sakura grimaced. “Can you two fight it out somewhere else?”

“No, actually. Before I miraculously disappeared from your life, Kiba, you made mine a living hell.” 

“This is troublesome.” Shikamaru mumbled, yet he didn’t stop them. This was clearly something that had been brewing for years. It wasn’t really his business, still, it should be settled before it caused more issues later. “Everyone just seems to love fighting.”

“I don’t get it—“

“You made fun of me all the time, called me names, and stole my shit just for a laugh. Whenever we had to spar, you purposely ignored when the instructor would call it off so you could get a few hits in. All that for what reason? You hated me? Or were you just glad that there was someone dumber and weaker than you that you can pick on?”

“Ooh, that’s why you have your panties in a twist? You come back to the academy a little bit smarter and stronger and now you can talk shit? That was years ago, Naruto, grow the fuck up. You’re still that weakling from then if you’re hung up on it.”

Everyone cleared out as both boys stood up.

“You think you can fight me?” Naruto taunted. “Are you going to use your stupid little dog to win like before? What? Are you nothing without the mutt, dog breath?”

Without saying a word, Kiba lunged at Naruto and growled when the boy side stepped his attack. 

“How does it feel, Kiba? Trying to stand up to the person who’s making fun of you?” He hit the back of his head with the blunt end of his hunting knife. “It doesn’t feel great, right?”

“Shut up and fight me, dumbass!” He sent a barrage of punches at him, his attack sporadic and messy.

Waiting for an opening, Naruto blocked his punches then kicked his legs out from under him. Catching him by his jacket before he could hit the ground, he pulled him close and kneed him in his stomach before throwing him against a tree. He held his knife at Kiba’s neck, silently daring him to move.

“I won’t let you pick on me any longer, Kiba, and I won’t let you forget about today until you apologize for the shit you’ve done. I don’t give a fuck if you don’t remember, but every day, it bothered me. No one stood up for me and protected me, just like no one is doing for you right now.”

Kiba looked at the other children, all standing there with their eyes averted as they finished their meals. The sun was still high in the sky, yet the atmosphere felt dark and gloomy. He shifted only to be shoved back into the tree.

“I think that’s enough.” Sasuke finally said, “Naruto, you’re in charge of packing away the remainder of the food, and Kiba, you’re going to clean up.”

Naruto let him go with a nod.

Kiba simply huffed as he fixed his jacket and brushed his hair out of his face. “Whatever.”

As Naruto returned to his disregarded, lukewarm stew, Sasuke stopped him.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine.” He mumbled.

He gave him a quick look over and nodded. “Okay.”

Shino cleared his throat as everyone resumed eating, “I think it’s a good idea to start preparing ourselves to find our senseis.”

“We’ll talk about it once those two have calmed down.” Ino agreed. 

Again, everyone looked at Naruto and Kiba before averted their eyes.

This was going to be troublesome.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 6 — Teamwork

The girls were promptly separated from the boys as the small group of nine finally decided to rest up. The sun had set, and the tense atmosphere that arose from the little kerfuffle between Naruto and Kiba had settled somewhat. They didn’t say much to each other, no one had the energy to actually argue about the sleeping arrangements.

Sasuke made himself comfortable in his sleeping bag; he was put on guard duty with Shikamaru for the first two hours. They were to rotate until everyone had a good amount of sleep in their system. 

The clock counting down the remaining hours was beginning to stress them all out. With less than twelve hours left to actually complete their task, they were constantly at a crossroads with finding their instructors or giving up altogether.

“Goodnight.” Naruto said from his tent. It was then followed by a chorus of ‘goodnight’s from the others.

Silence settled upon them, the only sounds that were heard was emitted from the crackling fire and the insects hidden in the bushes. 

Sasuke stared up at the stars knowing that he would never actually be able to sleep out in the open like this. Not that he needed an actual bed to sleep, he just didn’t feel as safe as he should be despite being within Konoha’s walls.

Shikamaru tossing and turning in his own sleeping bag made him look over to see the lazy Nara also gazing at the stars. 

“This sucks, doesn’t it?” He broke the silence first. If there was a competition for how bored someone could sound when talking, no doubt Shikamaru would win. It must have been a Nara trait. “Stuck in the forest instead of at home, looking for the people who should be protecting us, and fighting amongst ourselves.”

“Hn.”

“You don’t talk much, do you?” Shikamaru didn’t wait for him to answer as he nodded to himself. “I respect that, sometimes talking is exhausting.”

They allowed the songs of the night to play between them as they continued their star gazing.

“I never liked you.” He finally admitted, his eyebrows were furrowed, but Sasuke could see the thoughtful expression he had on his face. The glowing embers of the flame illuminated his features. “There wasn’t a reason to like or dislike you, but I never liked you. To be honest, it’s because of how noisy and loud your fangirls were, that was annoying. It wasn’t your fault, they stopped when you left, but resumed when you came back.”

Sasuke scoffed and shook his head. “You’re not the only one who hates that. I never understood why they liked me to begin with, I’ve never spoken to any of them.”

“Women, I tell you, sometimes they do things that can’t be explained. I guess they found you attractive, but what do a bunch of girls know about that stuff? They watch it on the television and fantasize about it all day.” He sighed, “I thought you’d be a big jerk, a little bit stuck up, and overly arrogant. But you’re just quiet.”

“Gee, thanks.” Yet there was a small smile on his face. 

“You’re freakishly quiet actually.” There was that small jab, not meant to insult him, it was a genuine observation. “You don’t talk much unless it’s with Naruto, Hinata and Ino. That’s on purpose, isn’t it? Even then, it’s not for very long that you say anything.”

“Talking is exhausting,” he repeated his earlier words. When Shikamaru scoffed, Sasuke continued, “sometimes I don’t want to speak, other times I just can’t be bothered. They do the talking for me.”

“Has it always been that way?”

“What are you, Nara, my psychiatrist?” 

“Just curious and trying to make conversation.” 

“You sure it’s not Ino putting you up to this to get in my head? She’s been trying for months, it’s her favourite pastime.”

“Oh? Care to elaborate?”

“If she could read me, she could read anybody. Her words, not mine. Apparently my mind is complex and she wants to be the one to figure all of it out, whatever that means. I just let her do whatever she wants.”

“Are you two friends?”

“What else are we supposed to be?” He raised his eyebrow. At Shikamaru’s hesitation, Sasuke’s eyes widened a little bit and heat rose on his face. “Don’t even think about it, Nara, that’s disgusting. I’m not interested in Ino, or anyone for that matter.”

“I’m just saying man, your little friend group is a bit secretive sometimes that I have to wonder if you guys are—” He waved a lackadaisical hand around. “—covering for each other or something. Didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Mind if I join?” Hinata’s quiet voice caught their attention. She shuffled around in her spot, ducking her head further into her jacket as she waited for them to answer.

“Can’t sleep?” Shikamaru motioned to the open spot between them.

“Too worried to do that.” She sat down and wrapped her arms around her legs. Resting her chin on her knees, she stared into the flames. “What were you guys talking about?” 

“Sasuke’s reluctance to actually speak.”

“Oh…” She nodded in understanding. “I’m the same way, why doesn’t anyone question that?” 

Shikamaru shrugged, “you were always quiet, and no one really paid attention—no offence.”

“Ah, I don’t think Sasuke spoke often either when he was at the academy.”

“Point taken. I guess it was the attention doing the talking for him.” He muttered, “what’s bothering you?”

Hinata pulled her sleeves down to cover her hands. “Do you think we’ll be able to find them before sunrise? Whether we complete our actual assignments doesn’t matter if we can’t find them.” She frowned. “I thought I could prove myself as a shinobi, a strong kunoichi, but this had to happen and…”

“Don’t think about it.” Sasuke sat up, “I know it’s because of your father that you’re really worried.”

She bowed her head further, “he’d be disappointed.”

“When is he not?”

Her lower lip quivered. “I promised that I would pass the assessment, I said I’d prove them wrong, but…”

“Hey,” Shikamaru stared at her with concern. He never really paid attention to his other classmates, and Hinata was easy to miss, but even he could feel pity. “We’ll find our dumb senseis, demand for a retest, and actually pass it. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you have all of us here and we’re going to make sure that everyone passes one way or another.”

Hinata wiped her eyes as she nodded, “I know.” She was just scared. She hated being that way too but she could picture her father’s angry face instructing her to do better while constantly repeating how awful she was.

“You’re pretty cool, Hinata, especially with your hunting skills. It would be a waste to have you back at the academy when you’re so helpful and not annoying.” 

She let out a choked laugh at the slight jab. “Thanks, Shikamaru, Sasuke.”

“Man, I hate seeing people cry.” Shikamaru muttered as he laid back down.

The three of them sat there in silence, only occasionally striking up a conversation as an hour passed by. Hinata would drift in and out of sleep, her head nodding as she blinked back her tiredness. Sharing her worry had helped alleviate her anxiety, and all that remained was exhaustion from running and using her byakūgan all day.

Barely forty minutes after she finally gave up on keeping her eyes open, she jumped awake after hearing the sounds of people running and orders being yelled. Standing up quickly, she looked at Shikamaru’s and Sasuke’s sleeping bags realizing that both boys had drifted off to sleep as well.

Shaking Sasuke awake, Hinata looked around frantically and activated her byakūgan while ignoring the throbbing in her head as she strained to catch a glimpse of the people she heard. “There’s an enemy camp nearby.” She whispered to him.

It took a while for him to register what she said, but he was out of his sleeping bag and moving to wake up the others.

Everyone was groggy yet alert once they were gathered, they surrounded Hinata who was still straining her eyes. 

“They stopped moving, but they’re definitely not Konoha shinobi.”

“Deactivate your byakūgan.” Shikamaru instructed, “we’re going to think of a plan, and I have a feeling we’re going to need you to conserve your energy.”

She nodded and let her eyes relax. She was immediately hit with a wave of nausea that passed after Ino handed her some water to drink.

“What do we do?” Sakura inquired. “We don’t know how many there are, or even how they managed to infiltrate Konoha of all places.”

“Infiltration is apparently easy.” Naruto spoke up, “I dealt with a traitor in our own ranks the other day. Who’s to say these people weren’t always here, we just so happened to stumble across a meeting of some sorts.”

“Hinata’s byakūgan can help with figuring out how many—“ Chōji began to suggest.

“No, she’s not going to do that, she’s exhausted.” Ino interjected, “I have a better idea for that.”

“Share.” Kiba urged on. “We can’t read your mind.”

Ino smiled, “nocturnal animals are great creatures to take over. I’ll swap minds with one to scope the area out and I’ll let you know what it looks like. We can continue to plan from there.”

“I agree with Ino’s plan.” Sasuke nodded, “let her check out the camp, see if anything suspicious is going on, and then we move out from there. We need to know if it’s better to inform the Hokage upon our return, or to take care of the matter ourselves.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Don’t mess this up, Ino.” Naruto encouraged her with a pat on her shoulder.

“I kind of need something to—“

“There’s a family of raccoons nesting nearby.” Hinata shared, “I noticed them when I heard those noises.”

“Great!” With Hinata’s guidance, Ino quickly found where exactly the small family was residing. “Protect my body.” She muttered as she performed her Mind Transfer technique.

Everyone held their breath as Ino’s body slumped over and was promptly caught by Shino. They waited patiently for any indication that the technique worked. When a raccoon came stumbling out of the bushes, they all sighed.

“Be careful, Ino.” Chōji wished her well before she ran away.

Being in the body and mind of an animal was not going to be a frequent thing, Ino decided as she ran through the forest in the direction Hinata had pointed to. Not only was the movement genuinely difficult, but sometimes it felt weird to see through their eyes as well.

Raccoons were small little creatures, so the forest looked a lot more daunting and scary than it actually was even with her vision adjusted for the night. 

It didn’t take very long for her to catch sight of light, and soon, she was hiding in a bush staring at a small camp that seemed to have been built overnight. 

Climbing onto one of the biggest rocks she could find, Ino looked around carefully in hopes of finding something of importance. There were five shinobi in total, and they were currently all sitting in a tent discussing something. She couldn’t hear what it was they were saying since her focus immediately shifted to a holding cell.

She squeaked loudly, [Translation: “Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai!”], ran towards where they were and stared into their jail cells. Scratching her nails against the bars to get their attention, she felt her heart drop to the pits of her stomach once she realized why they disappeared.

Kurenai stared at her in confusion, the silent question of why a raccoon was currently gazing at them with so much fear was easily understood.

Ino tapped the bars again, making sure it was loud enough for them to hear.

“Morse code?” Kurenai whispered, getting the attention of the two men at her side.

“It’s me, Ino.” She tapped, then waited for them to understand. “What are their grades?”

“Chūnin to low tier jōnin.” Kakashi answered. 

“Abilities?”

“Taijūtsu and genjūtsu.” Asuma shared.

With every answer, Ino felt like they should call for backup. The problem was, how could they do that? The band of shinobi were clearly able to take out their senseis, perhaps it was an ambush. How were they going to free them?

“I’ll be back.” She didn’t wait for them to respond.

Being careful, she snuck through the camp again and ran back in the direction she came. 

The other children immediately stood up upon her return, and they waited for her to transfer back to her own body.

Ino blinked, then frowned as she flexed her fingers. “We either go big or go home.” She muttered.

“What? What happened?” Sakura swallowed hard, the fear in Ino’s eyes made her uneasy. “What did you see?”

“They have Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai.” She rubbed her eyes. “They were ambushed by a team of chūnin and jōnin, I think the noise Kakashi heard was to purposely attack him.”

“How many were there?”

“Only five that I could see, but there might be more around. They were talking and heavily distracted so they didn’t notice me.”

“Did you ask about what those shinobi specialize in?” Shikamaru pulled out a blank scroll and sat down in front of it with his legs crossed.

“Taijūtsu and genjūtsu.”

He nodded in understanding. “Give me a moment.”

Everyone watched as Shikamaru closed his eyes and placed his hands on his lap as if he was meditating. After a while, he opened his eyes and made eye contact with everyone.

“Listen to me well, and listen to me carefully. There’s no time for fighting, arguments, claims of being weak and strong. We need to get them out of there, and we need to do it fast. We may be outnumbered, but by the time we go running for help, it might already be too late.” Shikamaru said. “I have a plan and I need your cooperation. Are you all with me?”

They nodded.

“Good, let’s start with our surveillance.”

Naruto pressed his back against the wall of the makeshift hut as he held his breath. His eyes were narrowed as he looked into the camp to make sure that there was no one in his vicinity. 

On the other side, Sasuke hid behind a tree. He poked his head out, and signed instructions to him.

“The area is clear, tell Ino that she could move out.”

“Got it.” Naruto nodded and looked into the forest. “Ino, go ahead.” He signed to her.

With a deep inhale and exhale, Ino walked into the camp without hiding herself. Immediately catching the attention of one of the guards who had full view of her, her heart pounded in her chest as she focused on him just as he was about to alert the others.

The guard paused, and blinked, before returning back to the game of cards that was currently taking place.

“Ino got in.” Naruto signed back to Sasuke.

“Shino, get Ino’s body, the coast is clear.” Sasuke whispered to his current teammate. “Sakura, Chōji, move out.”

They all nodded as they quietly and quickly made their way into the camp. Shino picked up Ino’s body and moved her out of the way, setting her at the base of the tallest tree in the area.

Sakura and Chōji snuck around to the jail cells. The area was dimly lit, which was great for them. They hid themselves as best as they could behind a tipped over wheelbarrow and pressed their fingers to their lips as their teachers caught sight of them.

From where Naruto was, he looked up and squinted as he silently communicated. “Hinata, visuals?” 

She held her breath as she activated her byakūgan and held her bow steady. Taking a look around, she signed back to him quickly. “Three to the south, one located north-east, everything is clear in your area.”

“Permission to take them down is granted.” He nodded to her.

With a steady resolve, and the trust placed in her to provide cover for them on her shoulders, Hinata cleared her mind of fear and uncertainty. With her arrows carefully coated in a sedative to knock out anyone it hits, she fired at the lonely guard.

The next signal was given as Kiba made himself known to the other three guards. With Hinata’s overhead support, he took them down and gave her a thumbs up to let her know that it was clear.

Now they only needed to deal with the five shinobi in the camp.

“I feel as though they were overestimated by Asuma-sensei.” Shikamaru muttered below her. “Four out of nine taken out with ease?”

“Perhaps it’s our visual advantage that’s aided us.” Shino said. He stood there with his arms stuffed into his pockets, yet beetles poured out of him as they headed towards the camp. 

“Hinata, ask Naruto about Sakura and Chōji, have they managed to open the lock yet? Ino can’t keep this up for very long, she’s struggling.” Shikamaru patted Ino’s sweaty forehead dry.

“Got it.” She flashed Naruto for a moment with a penlight to get his attention. “Sakura and Chōji?”

He nodded and directed his attention at the two who were currently huddled around a lock.

Sakura pulled out a bobby pin from her hair and got to work. She’s only ever seen lock picking in movies, but doing it herself was proving to be difficult. “Come on.” She hissed in frustration. “Please.”

Chōji glanced around, looking over her back as he kept watch. He froze when he caught sight of a green flag. “Sakura?”

She grunted in anger as the locks fell back in place. She was just so close to figuring it out, she just needed a few more minutes.

“Sakura.”

“What?”

“Aren’t those the bells your team should get?” He pointed to the log post that both the green flag and the bell sat on top. 

She paused as she turned to look at where he was pointing. All of a sudden, she realized the gravity of the situation. If she freed their sensei, then they’d have to run for those bells. She could give one to Sasuke and Naruto would go back to the academy.

“Sakura, what are you doing?” Shino practically materialized beside them. His face was covered in insects, which made her scream. By the time he clamped her mouth shut, the enemy shinobi had heard her.

“Shit!” Naruto yelled as they came barraging out of their tent.

Ino had quickly lost control of the body she had been occupying. She gasped once she returned to her own body, and muttered multiple apologies as Shikamaru helped her stand up.

“It was too good to be true, it’s not your fault. Hinata!”

“Yeah?”

“Continue to provide support from above, we’re going to help Naruto and Sasuke.”

“I got it!” She got her bow ready once again.

“Come on.” Shikamaru took Ino’s hand and pulled her along towards the camp.

When they arrived, Naruto was struggling to hold off someone who clearly seemed like the leader while Kiba provided support. Sasuke was off to the side fighting two shinobi at once.

“You help Sasuke.” Ino said, “I’ll go help Chōji and Sakura.”

A swarm of beetles rushed past them and towards the one enemy who was trying to circle back from behind them. An arrow shot out from over their heads, joining the swarm of beetles in neutralizing their attacker.

Getting down on one knee, Shikamaru watched as his shadow stretched out to capture the fifth enemy who was trying to overtake Sasuke. He felt frustrated knowing that he couldn’t exactly help with taking out any more. His capacity was currently one, high ranked chūnin, not multiple. 

“Ino, duck!” Naruto called out as he threw a kunai past her. “Come on, Sakura! Get them out of there.”

“I’m fucking trying!” She felt ashamed. Her hands were shaking and the voice in her head yelled at her about fucking up. She was the reason things went south. 

“You got this, Sakura.” Chōji whispered. “Just breathe.”

“It’s my fault.” She felt her eyes water. “It’s my fault.”

“There’s no time for all of that, let’s get them out of here before the others get tired.” Ino covered her shaking hands with her own suddenly. “I’ll cover the both of you but you do need to hurry up. We came here to do this together, we’re not putting blame on anyone. Get this done and you can beat yourself up later, right now, your teammates need you.”

Sakura stared at her and bit her lip. Blinking back her tears, she focused again on the lock.

At the same time, Sasuke threw a roundhouse kick at his enemy before twisting his body and dropping to the ground to avoid the other. Pushing himself up quickly, he pivoted and punched the strongest one in the face and elbowed him in the stomach.

“No blood.” He whispered. “Don’t make them bleed.” If they bled then he’d freeze, and his team would be in danger. He couldn’t let them get hurt because of him.

An arrow was fired, whipping past his head before hitting one of his enemies. Averting his eyes and focusing on the last remaining shinobi, he was grateful that Hinata had swapped her arrows for something more blunt to paralyze their enemies instead of making them bleed. He’d have to thank her for that later.

“Need help?” Naruto said from over his shoulder.

“Took you long enough.” 

They stood beside each other and studied the jōnin in front of them. They knew they couldn’t really take him down alone, but there was a chance to do so together.

“I got it!” Sakura yelled just as they ran to attack.

No one paused to celebrate, they were too focused on taking down their enemies to do so. 

Shikamaru quickly dropped his Shadow technique as Shino drained the chakra from the poor chūnin. Kiba threw the passed out body of two other men to them. Hinata soon joined them, her cheek scratched from where she had hurt herself from switching her arrows too quickly. 

Helping their instructors out of their jail cell, Sakura, Chōji, and Ino joined them just as the final shinobi fell to his knees after being knocked out. Sasuke and Naruto were both hunched over and exhausted, trying their best to catch their breaths as they joined the crew.

“Let me check them.” Sasuke mumbled, pulling out a pen light from his pocket. Kneeling in front of Kakashi, he shined the light into his eye, then repeated the same for Kurenai and Asuma. Checking them over for injuries, only finding a few cuts and scratches that he quickly treated, he sat down and sighed. “They’re okay.”

Everyone let out the breath that they had been holding. 

“We should tie these guys up.” Ino said, “before they get up for another round.”

“I got it.” Naruto nodded.

“Can you get up?” Hinata asked Kurenai as she held her hand. “We’re going to bring you to our camp.”

“I can walk.” Kurenai nodded.

They waited for Naruto to tie up all the shinobi, locking them in the cell so that the patrolling ANBU could get them in the morning.

The walk back to their makeshift camp was silent and long. Everyone was tired and on the verge of collapsing.

As soon as their senseis were propped up against a tree, Hinata went to serve them something to eat while the others got them water and blankets for the rest of the night. No one said a word as they all chose to sleep in the open instead of their tents.

The exhaustion knocked them all out, their bodies and minds were tired from the stress, and genuine fear that coursed through their veins. Only adrenaline had pushed them through, they all knew this.

Shino was the first to wake up that morning, the humming of his beetles, whispering for him to get up had been the reason that he opened his eyes. He wanted to roll over to go back to sleep, but seeing his own sensei standing there with a smile on her face made him blink back his tiredness.

Shikamaru and Sasuke soon joined him in getting up. Followed by Hinata, Chōji, Sakura and Naruto. Kiba didn’t take too long but the surprise was Ino who didn’t wake up even when everyone began to shake her.

“She used her Mind Transfer technique all day, and last night, she needs a few more hours.” Hinata whispered, covering Ino with her own blanket.

“That’s alright, I’ll share the news with her later.” Asuma sat down in front of them. 

“The twenty four hours are over.” Kakashi announced.

They got quiet, bowing their heads in shame knowing that they didn’t complete their task within that time. 

“But you all passed.” Kurenai finished.

They all raised their heads quickly, their eyes widened as they shared glances. 

“What?” Sakura asked? “But we didn’t get the bells? Or that flag? And Team Eight wasn’t the one to find you?”

“You’re right,” Kakashi nodded, “but the objective was far more than that.”

“What was it then?” Chōji raised his hand to speak. “You three were in danger, shouldn’t that call for the assessment to be nullified? You couldn’t grade us.”

Asuma laughed, “us being captured was part of the assessment.” He stood up to join Kurenai and Kakashi. “We wanted to test you all individually and collectively on teamwork. Initially, it wasn’t planned, but with someone’s passing comment, we thought that we should throw you right into a scenario where we could truly see how you worked in an emergency.”

“Does that mean you’ve been watching us the entire time?” Kiba lazily ran his fingers through a sleeping Akamaru’s fur. 

“Precisely. You were never really alone. The camp wasn’t real, the shinobi you caught last night were also not real. We watched and studied all of you through the cameras that are actually placed around the training field.” Kurenai motioned to one that was perched on top of a branch. It was carefully hidden, the red light only visible now that she pointed it out. 

“Why? I mean, we get that it was to see how we worked together, but why?” Sakura frowned. It was a very frustrating and tiring situation. She had been stressed the entire time; for it to be a simulation made her want to cry out. 

“Because teamwork is the very foundation of our shinobi system. Your missions are to be carried out in teams, everything you do is with the aid of a comrade. When a training cell does not understand the importance of teamwork, it can affect the outcome of a mission. The chances of failing will be higher when a team can not get along. You saw that last night.” Kakashi explained.

“Sakura,” Asuma called out, “you had put your team in a tough spot when you had revealed your position. Instead of being angry at you, or reprimanding you at that moment, what did Ino do?”

Sakura glanced at her sleeping rival, “she encouraged me and told me to focus on the task because my team needed me.”

“A key note?”

“Ino did not abandon me, no one did. Instead, everyone got ready to cover for me while I carried out my own duties.”

Asuma nodded.

Kakashi continued, “although neither of you had completed the initial mission given to you at the start of the day, you all stuck together in hopes of finding us. You realized the importance of our attendance, and prioritized getting us back.”

“We did notice the hesitance on your part, Chōji, Sakura, when you noticed that the objects you needed to earn were right in front of you. We purposely set them in sight to see what you would have done; abandon your comrades to pass, or continue to work together. Had you done the former, you would have failed.” Kurenai shared. 

“So, the actual mission was for us to work together?” Naruto questioned. 

“Exactly. We watched as you all got together, devised a plan once you realized that you were faced with the same situation, and executed it. From gathering food, to taking down what you believed was an enemy base. We thought that the miniature fights would have separated you on more than one occasion, but it seemed to have made working with each other a lot more bearable.”

“I expected for there to be a lot more hesitance in the teamwork department but you all have made us proud.” Kakashi smiled, “we’d like to leave one thing with you all before we dismiss you. Remember that in this world, those who abandon their mission are scum…but those who abandon their own comrades are worse than scum.”

“Team Eight—”

“—Team Ten—”

“—Team Seven—”

“You all pass!”

They exchanged some glances, then some smiles, before all laughing as they fell back against the soft grass. They were relieved, and still sleepy, but proud of themselves.

“We’ll give you all the weekend off.” Kurenai clapped, “a notice will be sent early on Monday morning notifying you of where your team’s meeting spot will be. Again, good work everyone.”

“I need a hot bath.” Naruto sighed.

“You’re not the only one.” Ino muttered.

“You’ve been awake the whole time?” Kiba raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah, I was just too tired to open my eyes.”

“Pft. Sleep it off, we all deserve it.” Shikamaru stood up and stretched. “I never want to see a forest again.”

“Me too.” Chōji muttered.

Everyone laughed as they agreed.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 7 — Interpersonal Connection 

Sasuke took back what he said about not minding doing chores for other people.

The first day as a full-fledged shinobi was uneventful in the morning; they got ready, ate their breakfast, hugged Himawari goodbye, and met up with Sakura at the bridge which would be their meeting point from now on. Having gotten used to Kakashi’s late hours of arrival, at Himawari’s suggestion, they didn’t bother to wake up very early or meet at the exact time Kakashi set in place.

Seriously, the man was a jōnin yet his time sensitivity was so severe it was becoming a hassle to figure out whether he was going to be an hour or five hours late. How did he make the cut? He must have been an amazing shinobi for the Hokage to simply let that habit go unchecked.

Sasuke separated himself from both Naruto and Sakura thereafter, not that he minded being away from them, he just didn’t care for the constant lecture Naruto gave the girl about her supposed ‘diet’. For someone so smart, ranking high in their exams, she sure was stupid enough to think that a kunoichi should worry about their weight.

“Sorry I’m late.” Kakashi sat on the branch above him, a book opened yet out of sight as he sent them a small salute.

“You’re late.” Sakura reprimanded, pointing a finger at him. She was hungry as it was, and they were going to be out and about today, the least Kakashi could do was show up early.

“I’m aware.” He stepped down and shoved his book into his back pocket. “I was getting our mission list for the day; we have quite a few to do.”

She muttered something under her breath, and glanced at Sasuke to see if he had anything to say. Being on a team with him was great; she got to see him more, be a little closer to him, and she heard him talk more. Well, the talking part was a little once in a lifetime thing, she didn’t realize how little he did so. It just made him all the more alluring.

“First on our list is digging up some potatoes.” Kakashi clapped his hands and smiled.

That’s how their entire day went, and Sasuke built up a steady dislike for lazy villagers who refused to do their own work. Farmers who refused to farm, chefs who refused to cook, delivery men who refused to deliver—how the hell did the village function when everyone left their own work for the genin kids to take care of?

By the time the sun began to set, he had a mean scowl on his face and his arms were promptly crossed. Even Naruto wasn’t able to lift his mood, which was a statement in itself. Sasuke just wanted to go home, probably fall into Himawari’s lap, and complain the night away while asking if he could switch professions.

“Here you go, don’t spend it on silly things.” Kakashi said as he handed them each an envelope of the money they earned for the day.

Well, at least the pay was somewhat decent for all the work they did. It wasn’t anything crazy, but it was enough for them to get anything to eat if they wanted to. 

“Do you think Himawari is home?” Naruto asked as they began to walk home. “It’s past the time she’s usually at the academy, she must be on her way home too.”

Sasuke shrugged while he counted his money. Stuffing it into his ninja pouch, he looked behind him to see Sakura following quietly. Raising one singular eyebrow, he shrugged again and continued walking.

It wasn’t that he hated her obsession with him, frankly, he couldn’t care less about any of those silly crushes people had on him since he didn’t like anyone in return. It was just unbelievable that she’s kept it up for so long even when he doesn’t pay her any attention—like right now.

“Are you going to join us for dinner, Sakura?” Naruto finally said as they approached their home. He was tired of ignoring her presence; usually he was the one taking notice of her seeing as Sasuke didn’t concern himself with that. 

“Oh, if you don’t mind?” She blushed and glanced at Sasuke, hoping that he too would say something to her.

“I’m sure Himawari wouldn’t mind, you can formally meet her today.” Naruto nodded and pushed his hands into his pockets while he kicked the rocks at his feet. “If she’s home…I hope she’s home.”

“Is she usually away?” Sakura sped up her walking to match his pace, and took up the spot to Sasuke’s left.

“Now that she’s an academy teacher? Yeah.” Naruto answered, “she’s going to be home for the summer since school is almost out, but right now she’s a little bit busy wrapping things up for her class.”

“I see.” She bit her lip. “Is Himawari-san as nice as everyone says she is? She seems a little bit intimidating, especially when she spoke to Kakashi-sensei that day.”

“Honestly, she’s very nice! Her talk with Kakashi-sensei was just out of worry for us, so she gets a little bit more scary when she’s being really serious. Other than that, she’s wonderful and you might like her.”

As they spoke [Sakura kept asking questions and Naruto was willing enough to answer them] Sasuke sped up his own walking. Approaching the house, he wasn’t very surprised to see Ino and Hinata on the porch playing amongst themselves.

“You two are finally back.” Ino said as she looked away from Hinata for a moment. Her eyes immediately caught the emerald ones that stared at her with a mix of annoyance and anger. “Oh, you brought Sakura.”

“She followed us.” Sasuke answered as he unlocked the door and let Hinata inside first while Ino remained standing there. “What?”

“What are you doing here, Ino?” Sakura crossed her arms, “I thought you didn’t know where Sasuke lived?”

“I’d prefer if we don’t do this right now.” Ino muttered and entered the house. She was quick to trade in her sandals for her own pair of house slippers and made a beeline for the kitchen.

“Do what? I just wanted to talk with you.” Sakura followed behind quickly. She at least had the decency to take her sandals off, but she didn’t have her own pair of slippers to use unlike the others. 

“About what?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to hang out with my friends, you know, like I usually do. It’s not my fault that you think I’m here to get in Sasuke’s pants.”

Sakura’s face flushed pink as she looked at Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata who had all settled around the table to discuss their day amongst themselves. It was as if she wasn’t even there, or that she wasn’t even fighting with Ino. It felt embarrassing.

“I was not thinking that!”

Ino raised her eyebrow, “then I don’t think you should mind my presence.” She pulled out her own chair and sat down with defiance. 

She kept biting her lip, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the blond girl in front of her. “You lied to me then and that pisses me off!” Sakura finally admitted, “I knew you lied but a part of me wanted to believe you.”

“I lied to you because it wasn’t any of your damn business! It’s always been about Sasuke; always caring about Sasuke, talking about Sasuke, saying you love Sasuke. Your whole schtick for being a shinobi is about Sasuke! It pissed me off that when he left the academy, instead of focusing on your own shit, you were still going on and on about Sasuke. So what if I lied? The only way to get you to stop talking was to say that I don’t know what he was up to, at least then you’d shut up about him.”

“Unbelievable,” Sakura scoffed, “you were mad because I was in love?”

“You weren’t ‘in love’, Sakura, you were deluded into thinking that you were because of some rivalry that I don’t give a flying fuck about. You don’t even know what love is since you can’t even look at yourself in the mirror and love what you see.” 

Everyone raised their heads and looked at Sakura who stood there in shock.

“You don’t like yourself so you focus on everyone else. You hate your looks so you love Sasuke’s, you hate your brash personality so you adopt a softer one, you conform to whatever standards placed on you by those other girls who call themselves your friends because you’re lonely. You don’t love yourself, you don’t love Sasuke, you love the idea of loving someone and that’s why you’re pissed off that I’m somehow taking it away from you.”

“Ino, I think that’s enough.” Hinata tried reaching out for her, quickly noticing the way Sakura’s eyes watered and her shoulders shook slightly. “I think she—“

“No! No, not after she spent so long acting like I didn’t exist. You don’t deserve to be happy knowing that you can live in your delusions while hurting everyone else around you. You don’t deserve any of it!”

“I think that’s a little bit harsh, Ino.”

None of them noticed that Himawari had arrived, so enthralled by the argument that was happening, they didn’t hear the door open or her footsteps. 

Sakura shook as gentle hands were placed on her shoulders from behind, the breath she had been holding was promptly exhaled as she bit her lip and cried. She clenched and unclenched her hands, twisting her foot into the floorboards as Ino’s words echoed in her head.

“Ino, Sakura, come with me for a moment.” Himawari smiled down at the poor girl who was trying to cry as discreetly as possible. She motioned for them to follow her to the backyard where they could talk quietly without the others hearing. “Sasuke, Naruto, I bought some groceries, it would be great if you could put them away for me.” 

They both nodded and got to work. Himawari gave Hinata a reassuring nod, silently letting her know that she’d make sure that Ino was okay.

As the door closed behind her, and the girls stood away from each other, Himawari crossed her arms and looked at the both of them with some pity. She had heard the entire conversation, listening to them speak to see if they were able to solve the issue themselves. She decided to step in when Ino was on the verge of insulting Sakura even further.

“Have you two actually spoken to each other outside of conversations about Sasuke?” She asked as she sat down on the veranda. Pulling off her cardigan, she folded it neatly and placed it on her lap. 

“No.” Ino crossed her arms and turned away. “She doesn’t know how to talk about anything else, and it’s always been about Sasuke. She refuses to talk to me beyond bragging about her future with Sasuke.”

“Is that true, Sakura? You’ve never spoken to Ino about anything else?”

She wiped her face quickly, her eyes narrowed as she nodded. “Why should I? We love Sasuke, and we fight about him all the time. There was nothing to talk about.”

“My understanding is that you think Ino likes Sasuke, correct? I’ve spoken to Ino about this before, but seeing as you’re going to be around a little bit more often as his teammate, I figured it was best to deal with this overgrown issue so it doesn’t cause any fights.”

“Think? I know she likes Sasuke.”

“What makes you say that?”

Sakura clamped her mouth shut. “She didn’t deny that she liked him all those years ago, and she accepted my request to be rivals and not friends.”

“Hm. What sparked your thoughts about Ino’s crush?”

“There were rumours.” She whispered.

“You believed the rumours first instead of asking her yourself? For a smart girl like you, I’d think that you would be less likely to blindly accept what rumours were spreading.”

“I—“

“Ino, can you tell Sakura why you accepted to be her rival instead of her friend?”

She looked at Himawari, then Sakura. Playing with her hands, Ino closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “If we couldn’t be friends then I was fine with being rivals, at least then we’d still talk and do stupid things together, even if it was about Sasuke. I didn’t want to stop being your friend but you wouldn’t accept my friendship over a stupid crush.”

“Why didn’t you say that?” Sakura frowned.

“You wouldn’t hear me out. Every time I tried to approach you and talk about being friends again, you’d think it was to get in the way of you and Sasuke. Frankly, I don’t care about Sasuke that way. I love him…I just know he doesn’t love me and that’s okay. Being his friend is better.”

“What do you think, Sakura? Do you think you can reconcile with Ino and be her friend again?”

She stared at Ino, remembering every instance of them playing together until she had declared that they couldn’t be friends anymore. She had been the one to ruin a perfectly fine friendship, and she regretted that, but even she knew that Ino wasn’t going to be so forgiving.

“I’m sorry, Ino.”

“I don’t accept your apology.”

She felt bad. She was the one to do this to herself; she destroyed what could have been the most beautiful thing between her and Ino. She saw everything she wanted to be in the girl in front of her that she got jealous, and scared. Sasuke had the chance to love Ino; she was nice, headstrong, and beautiful. She was everything Sakura was not, and her jealousy had pushed a friend away. 

“That’s okay.” Sakura whispered.

“Ino, can you leave us alone for a moment?”

Ino nodded and quickly escaped as she hid the stray tear that fell from her eye.

Himawari looked at Sakura then patted the empty spot beside her. “Come, sit down.”

Shuffling her way towards the older woman, Sakura sat down and let her shoulders shake as she cried. She didn’t say anything, nor did Himawari mutter a word for a while as she rubbed her back soothingly.

“I know you regretted what you did, especially now that you know that Ino never saw you as a threat or a rival the way you saw her.” She started, rubbing circles on her back as she cried harder. “Ino has never stopped caring about you; she was the one who asked Naruto to look out for your eating habits. She would come to me just to talk about how much she worries about you. Her little outburst today was the piling up of that worry.”

Sakura pushed the palms of her hands into her eyes to stop the tears that kept flowing. 

“She wants you to be happy, Sakura, with yourself and everyone around you. She doesn’t want you to flush your future down the drain because of some boy. I’m sure you’ve noticed that Sasuke doesn’t really care about your crush on him, or anyone’s feelings for him. A part of you always knew that he didn’t like you the way you liked him.”

She nodded reluctantly, feeling disgusted now that snot was running down her nose as well. A tissue was promptly shoved into her hand for her to blow her nose.

“I heard what Ino said about you; how you struggle to accept yourself and you want to change it. Change is a good thing, it really is, but sometimes you have to know what you should change and what you shouldn’t. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you, Sakura, nonetheless, what I think doesn’t matter when you yourself think there’s something wrong. You don’t have to act a certain way, be a certain way, or even look a certain way for you to be accepted. I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

She glanced up at the woman through her hair. “What is it?” She croaked out.

“Sasuke would be more willing to be your friend if you stop trying to be someone else. Be loud and brash, be a little bit stern if that’s what you are as a person. He hangs around with Naruto, and Ino, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if there was another hot head around.” She chuckled. “I’m saying, Sakura, be yourself and maybe you’ll start loving what you see. Of course that’s not going to happen overnight, it’s going to take a long time for you to get to that point, but it’s possible.”

“Do you think Ino would forgive me then?”

“I can’t tell you what Ino would do, and I won’t give you any false hope, but she’d see that you’re trying. Ino’s not heartless, she has a soft spot for you, she just gets hurt by the things you do and say so she’s not as willing to let it go like she was before. You can work it out with her, maybe try again a few times and be sincere. Be your authentic self when you approach her again, not the version of Sakura you want everyone to like.”

She nodded after some time. “Okay…Thank you, Himawari-san, Naruto was right about you being nice.” Sakura bit her lip again, looking off to the side. “Can you help me?”

“With?”

“Accepting myself?”

Himawari fixed her hair out of her face, staring into those bright emerald eyes that stared at her with some hope. “I can try.”

Sakura sniffled. “Thank you.”

“Let’s get inside, I need to start making dinner. You can use the bathroom to clean yourself so the others don’t see you.”

She nodded and followed her back into the house. Sakura bowed her head quickly and left to use the bathroom after receiving directions from Himawari. 

She couldn’t get Ino’s words out of her mind, and frankly, she didn’t think that she would ever be able to.

It was early in the morning, the sun hadn’t yet risen, and the night critters were getting their last songs in. Himawari walked around the kitchen table, her hair tied out of her face as she packed four different lunch bags. 

Moving around the kitchen quietly, she ate as she got everything ready before the children woke up. Mornings like this was normal for her; she would eat while she made them their breakfast and lunch for the day right after she was done with organizing her files for her lessons. 

“Gods!” Himawari jumped when she turned around to see Naruto taking a peek at his lunch box. “You scared me.” She shook her head and sighed, “what are you doing up so early?”

“Couldn’t sleep for very long.” He muttered.

“Usually that’s Sasuke’s thing.” She cracked a joke as she proceeded to seal the three scrolls with the lunches and set them to the side. “Something must be worrying you.”

“Can we talk?” Naruto sat down and played with his thumbs as he swung his legs back and forth. He was still in his pyjamas, and his hair was all over the place. She had to stop the urge to cup his face and ruffle his hair. 

“Sure, bud, what’s up?” Settling down in the spot beside him, she bent her head slightly to look at his face. There were some bags underneath his eyes that she hadn’t noticed. “Have you been sleeping okay?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah, just a little bit later than usual. I’ve been trying to figure out how to talk to you about this so…”

“I’m all ears.”

“You’re not from this village, right?”

She nodded. That was a lie that she wasn’t willing to let up even for his sake.

“Do you know about the Kyūbi Attack?”

Oh.

That’s where that was going.

“I do, yes.”

“It would have been better if you didn’t, that way I can tell a cool story.” Naruto choked out a laugh as he sighed. “I learned recently, on the night I graduated, that…that…” He bit his lip and blinked several times.

What are the chances that she would hate him for housing the Nine Tails inside of him? Would she throw him out on the street after finding out that he was a demon? He remembered what Sasuke said, about being Himawari’s sunshine and not the Nine Tails, but that was just Sasuke’s thoughts. Would she think of him differently?

Himawari covered his hands with her own, stopping the way they were shaking as he struggled to find the words. “I know.”

Naruto looked up with widened eyes. “You did?”

“Mhm. I don’t care, I’ve never really cared since I found out. Why should I? I’ve had the pleasure of being around you, of teaching you and raising you, I would never be angry at that. Besides, I knew before that point too.”

“You decided to take me in anyway?”

“That’s right; I know it’s hard for jinchūriki to live amongst people because of prejudice and hate. People don’t understand that there is a stark difference between a jail and its prisoner. You were forced into that role as a baby, and then you were promptly shunned and lied to.”

“Why couldn’t anyone tell me? Why didn’t anyone say anything?” He felt angry.

“It was an S-Rank secret, if anyone were to say anything out loud, they were to be executed. That, however, didn’t stop the rumours from spreading. I’m sorry that it made your life hard long before I met you, and I’m sorry that the people have failed you.”

“I was so scared…” His lower lip quivered. “I thought everyone just hated me because I was an orphan, but it’s because they thought I killed their family. No one wanted to pay attention to me, and that fucked me up—“ He didn’t care to censor his words. “—and look where I am now. What would have happened if you weren’t here, Himawari? What would my life be like if I didn’t have anyone to take care of me?”

She pulled him into her chest and wiped his tears away. “It would have been different but I don’t think you would have lost your sunshine. It would have been harder to make friends, and to trust others, but you would have pulled through, I don’t doubt that for a second. Someone would have noticed you and loved you even from afar, they would have silently supported you.”

He held onto her arm and whimpered. “I thought you would hate me if I told you. I thought you’d abandon me and ask me to never return.”

“Oh never that, Naruto, I would never do that. I’ve known you for so long, I would never ever do that to you just because you’re a jinchūriki. The little boy who would run around the house causing trouble is who I adore. I've had the pleasure of raising you as an unofficial son, I would never throw you out because of something that isn’t your fault.”

“I’m scared to tell the others.”

“You don’t have to, that’s not something they’re really obligated to know, but if you do decide to, I’m sure I can explain some things to them. We’ve covered the topic of jinchūriki in the past, have we not?”

He was slow to nod his head, recalling their lessons he answered her question with one of his own. “There’s more out there like me, right?”

“There are.”

“Do you think they’re facing the same issues as me?”

“The chances are very high, jinchūriki across history aren’t necessarily treated very well. Some people see them as threats, others see them as weapons. Many are allowed to live on their own, without the interference of their nation unless the time calls for it. We haven’t had a war in years, so there’s no need for a jinchūriki other than to make sure the Tailed Beasts aren’t roaming around.”

“Why don’t we just leave them alone? They were here before us, weren’t they? Why did we capture them and seal them away? No wonder they go on rampages when they’re unsealed.”

“I can’t answer that, but it was said that it was to stop other nations from discovering them and using them as weapons. Which ended up happening anyway.” Himawari let him go and cleaned his face. “It’s unfortunate, if it was possible for them to be sent somewhere where they could do as they pleased, I’m sure more people would be in support of that.”

Naruto nodded in agreement. “It would be nice to meet another jinchūriki. The chances are really low since there’s only nine in total and I’m Number Nine, but it would be nice.”

“They may be low, but it’s not impossible.” Himawari smiled, she instantly thought of a certain red haired jinchūriki. “You should get ready for today, I’ll let you watch your morning cartoons today since I know Kakashi-san will be late again.”

“Seriously, what’s his problem?” 

“I don’t know, you should probably ask him if you’re curious.”

“I’ll make note of that.”

He was glad that their conversation went well, but his happiness was immediately flushed down the drain once he realized that he would one day have to share this jinchūriki status with Ino, Hinata and possibly Sakura so they weren’t scared of him. 

He wasn’t really looking forward to that.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 8 — Tolerance

“Are you nervous?” Naruto kept glancing at Sasuke that morning, watching him play with his faux piercings as he ate his breakfast. It was their first [official] day off.

“Why would I be?” Sasuke muttered, shoving another spoon of soggy cereal into his mouth.

Raising his shoulders and dropping it back down, Naruto kept looking at him carefully. “You’re really getting them done today, I thought you’d be a little bit nervous or something. I mean, I’m nervous for you, I’m sure they’d hurt a lot. You might bleed.”

Setting his spoon down into the bowl of cold milk, he stared into his bowl and watched the milk ripple. There were some stray cereal bits floating around but he’d get that later. “The pain doesn’t really matter.” He itched his thigh.

It’s been a long time [read:just under a few months] since he’s actually caused himself any type of harm. The pain he would experience from getting his lips pierced surely would be nothing compared to what he’s been through.

Naruto reached under the table and held his hand at his wrist, “sorry that I reminded you of that sort of stuff. I was just curious, ya’know.” There were a few words he wasn’t able to mutter around Sasuke, any reminder would have the poor boy blanking out on occasion. 

They’ve worked on it over the years, usually, it took a lot to send Sasuke into a fit. Of course, there were special circumstances that couldn’t really be avoided when it happened, for instance any long exposure to blood even if it was his own. Right now, it was clear that he was thinking deeply about this, hence the immediate reach for his thigh at the slight mention of the pain it would cause.

Sasuke’s pain tolerance was concerningly high, and it was theorized by Utaha that it might have been caused by the constant phantom pains paired with the imagery of his family dying. It just never really phased him when he got hurt. Sasuke’s pain was simply blood. He didn’t feel it unless he saw it; he never knew if he was hurt unless there was a physical indication involving that godforsaken fluid that made him spiral. 

“Are you okay?” Naruto whispered, turning his hand over so he could hold it better. When Sasuke squeezed his hand, he let out a sigh and waited for a few moments. “I won’t be with you guys today, Himawari wants me at the academy to watch over her class while she takes you to that appointment.”

It took a while for him to get Sasuke to physically answer, but at this point Naruto had already familiarized himself with his friend's quirks. He sure was grateful to Utaha for teaching him a thing or two to help Himawari with Sasuke, moments where the woman wasn’t available wasn’t as frightening as before now that he knew what to do. 

“Will you come with me or are you going to wait for Himawari here?”

“Dropping by the class would be fine.” Sasuke answered and blinked. He promptly let Naruto’s hand go, wiping his own sweaty palms against his sweater before standing up. “We need to hurry though.”

“Agreed, I don’t need to hear an earful about being late like Kakashi.” Naruto laughed.

They were out of the door soon after. Despite the hot weather as summer was approaching in full swing, Sasuke still had his hoodie up with his sleeves pushed back to his elbow. At least it wasn’t as bad as Hinata walking around with her thick jacket without breaking a sweat—the little Hyūga had a few tricks up her sleeve to keep cool—.

It had barely been two weeks since they'd fully graduated and became genin, yet being back in the academy’s courtyard brought back memories as if it had been years. It was clear for the most part, only lingering students from outdoor classes were spread around, so no one directed their attention at the two boys.

Sasuke was the one to lead Naruto to Himawari’s classroom having been there multiple times before. Knocking on the door, he opened it and stepped inside just as Himawari finished handing her students a few colouring packages.

“You’re here.” She waved them in as she approached them. “You brought Sasuke too.”

“He wanted to meet with you here instead.” Naruto itched his cheek and looked around the classroom. For the most part, it didn’t seem like they’d be causing any trouble, but he wasn’t going to put it past a bunch of six and seven year olds to make it hard for him. 

“Well, the shop is closer to the academy than the house.” She nodded and grabbed her tote bag with her purse. She left behind her cardigan on her chair since she’d be returning before noon to resume her teaching. “All you have to do, Naruto, is make sure that they finish their work. They’re well behaved, but if anyone causes any trouble, just write their name down on the board.”

“I got it, it shouldn’t be too hard since I’m a fun person.” He grinned and plopped himself down on her swivel chair. “Enjoy your little adventure, Sasuke, I want pictures.”

“You’re going to see me as soon as I’m done.” He rolled his eyes, “it’s not like we don’t live with each other.”

“Yeah, whatever, I still want pictures though.” He waved a lackadaisical hand around. “Go before you’re late, you’ve been sitting on this appointment for a while.”

“I’ll see all of you later, please be nice to Naruto.” Himawari smiled at her class when they responded with a chorus of ‘okay’s. She let Sasuke lead the way out of the academy before she spoke to him directly. “It would have been better if you got it done when you were off of shinobi duties for a month at least.”

“This is the only break we’d be getting for a while, it was now or never.” He responded, playing with his black beaded bracelets. “I know how to care for them, don’t worry.”

“Infections are still possible. I know it’s simple D-Rank missions that you’re getting, so there’s no fighting, but be careful not to get hurt with them. I don’t need you coming home with a ripped up lip.”

“You worry too much, Ma’.” He stepped closer to her as they walked down the crowded streets. “Do you think they’d look any different?”

“You’ve been wearing those fake ones for a full year, I don’t think the real ones would be that dramatic of a change. Unless you get the spikes over the hoops, it’s not going to appear any differently than it does now.”

“I was thinking of the spikes, they look cool. Utaha-san had the rounded ones, the loops are great sometimes—“ He pulled the fake looped piercings off. “—but spikes would really catch people’s eyes.”

“I thought you didn’t like the attention.”

“I don’t sometimes, but it gives them something to focus on instead of this.” He pointed at his leg. Although his pants and his sweater were long enough to cover his thigh, he still felt self conscious enough about the scars there. Scars that would often be joined by fresh wounds sometimes. Sasuke felt like it was the first thing people noticed when he took his sweater off.

“Mhm, no one expects to see anyone with piercings really, it’s unorthodox especially for Konoha shinobi, so I see your point. You’d look good.”

They arrived at the piercing shop that was tucked away safely on a practically vacant street. It was easy to miss if they weren’t looking for it. Tattoos and piercings were really somewhat taboo in Konoha; no known ninja had either, and anyone who did was just a little bit intimidating. It wasn’t everyday that one would see someone with body modifications, to some that was just a bizarre thing to do. 

A young woman greeted them. Her hair was pitch black with a singular blond streak. She wore a tank top that hugged her small frame and did nothing to hide the tattoos that covered her arms and chest. 

“I’m guessing you’re our morning appointment?” She barely looked up from the computer she sat in front of. Her gum chewing was a little irritating but easily ignored. “We don’t really get anyone around here, especially kids and their mothers.” She glanced at Sasuke and then Himawari. “It’s nice that you don’t have to go behind her back to get this done.”

Himawari smiled, “how are you able to keep this place in business if you don’t usually get customers?” She looked around and took notice of the pictures and decorations. It was a nice place, really, which meant it was well taken care of. 

“I should clarify—” She stood up and motioned for them to follow her into one of the rooms. “—we don’t get people like you around here. Delinquents, strays, rebels, or even war veterans and foreigners are our normal customers. You two seem well off, and proper.” The woman shrugged. “I’m Kimiko.” 

When she smiled, Sasuke finally took notice of the piercings she had on her cheeks that caused slight dimples. She even had tattoos on the side of her face. 

“Have a seat, let’s get this over with for you. The last thing I need is for you to freak out on me and bail.” She joked as she sanitized her hands and put on a pair of gloves while motioning for him to take a seat. “This will hurt, and some people generally bleed quite a little bit. Are you sure you want to continue?” 

Himawari immediately reached out for Sasuke and took his hand in her own. “I’m here.” She muttered.

“I am.” Sasuke answered after a while, he calmed his breathing and felt his heart hammer against his chest. Seeing Kimiko take a long needle out practically made him jump out of the chair.

“Which jewelry do you want?” She pointed at the small rack that he hadn’t noticed. There were a multitude of colours from the classic silver and gold down to neons. 

“Black.” He pointed at the spiked jewelry, “and can I get the spiked hooped ones too?”

“That would be an extra bill but yeah, that’s okay as long as it’s okay with her.”

Himawari nodded quickly, “that’s fine.”

“Great.” Kimiko picked up her tools after getting the jewelry, once again sanitizing what she was going to use. “Now, I need you to take a deep breath as I do this, there’s going to be a sharp pain and a little throbbing.”

Sasuke closed his eyes and nodded.

The feeling of the needle against his skin made him freeze, and when it was pushed through in one smooth motion, he flinched. He felt Himawari’s finger brush what little tears fell from his eyes. Knowing that it was going to happen again, he held her hand tighter and breathed in again with Kimiko’s guidance. The second piercing was quickly added.

“You’re done!” She stepped back and placed the needs onto the tray. 

“Don’t open your eyes.” Himawari muttered as she cleaned the blood that fell from his new piercings. She silently asked for Kimiko to get rid of the bloodied needles as well. Wiping Sasuke’s sweaty forehead, Himawari counted down the seconds before he opened his eyes.

A mirror was instantly shoved into his hands.

“What do you think?” Kimiko grinned, “they suit you well.”

He turned his head this way and that, checking out his piercings. “Thank you.” He nodded. “It hurts to speak.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be a little bit hard to speak and eat.” She grabbed a small zipped up pouch and handed it to Himawari. “That’s the care kit, there’s instructions inside on how to clean it, what to avoid eating, etcetera etcetera. I threw in a freebie along with the other piercing jewelry you asked for.”

“Thank you so much.” Himawari nodded. She brought out her purse as they were led back to the front of the shop. Paying the price and a little extra as a tip, she looked around the shop again. “I hope your business continues to do well.”

“Thank you. Say, brat, if you want any more piercings or even a silly little tattoo, you know where to find us.” She winked at Sasuke. “Have a great day.”

Sasuke nodded in thanks again and followed Himawari out of the door. He had the urge to touch his lip but ultimately decided not to in case he caused something to go wrong.

“They look nice.” Himawari finally complimented, “the others are going to like it.”

“They better.” He mumbled. It was really going to be a pain to talk, at least he wasn’t very talkative to begin with so it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Himawari-san, can I ask you—“ Iruka opened the classroom door and froze when he realized that the mop of blond hair sitting on the large carpet at the front surrounded by all the children did not belong to his female colleague. Blue eyes met his own, followed by the warmest smile that made him smile back. “Naruto, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’m covering for Himawari, she’s out with Sasuke right now and she should be back in a few minutes.” He set the little boy who had been sitting on his lap down so he could stand up. “I’ll be right back guys, continue your story telling while I talk to Iruka-sensei.”

They stepped out of the classroom for a second, keeping the door open just a little to keep an eye on the children. 

“How are you? Are you healed?” Naruto looked him over carefully. “Sorry for causing that—“

“It’s okay, Naruto, I’m fine.” Iruka laughed nervously. “How are you holding up, ya’know, since the news?”

He scratched his head and looked away. “Everything’s okay, I still think about it sometimes but the people around me know and they don’t mind at all.”

“I’m assuming you’re talking about Sasuke and Himawari-san?”

“Mhm. Sasuke heard what Mizuki said, and he didn’t really care about it. I spoke to Himawari last week and she knew already so that wasn’t a hard conversation to have.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Iruka felt awkward. This was the longest conversation he’s had with the boy. “Then how is your genin life going? A lot of your classmates returned, I was relieved to hear that you passed.”

“Other than the boring D-Rank missions, and my sensei’s horrible habit of being extremely late, that’s going okay too. I have a few complaints about those missions though, I’ll take that up with the Hokage.”

“You are aware that—“

“They’re ranked for a reason and genin are only equipped to take care of the lower ranked missions to build experience? I’m very aware, I just don’t think it’s beneficial.” 

“Do you want to share why?”

“What does it do when we make it to the chūnin rank? The level of our missions increases but the experience is non-existent. There’s nothing similar between digging up potatoes and fighting three shinobi at a time while on a mission outside of the village.”

Iruka stared at him in stunned silence. He knew that Naruto was able to articulate himself well, he’s seen him do so on multiple occasions, it just shocked him every time he had the chance to actually listen. “I suppose you’re right.” He nodded. “I’m glad that we have someone amongst our ranks ready to question things out of curiosity.”

“Curiosity is the first step to gaining knowledge, isn’t it? Enough about me, how is it teaching a new class? I know we haven’t really spoken to each other before but…”

Iruka scoffed, “it never gets easy. The new class has the Hokage’s grandson and he’s a little bit of a troublemaker.”

“Ah, Konohamaru, right? I’ve heard his name a few times. I thought he was getting taught privately?”

“Hokage-sama thinks it would do him some good to socialize and make friends with his own generation. He still gets tutored but he hates that sort of thing. Poor boy, he wants to be just like his grandfather.”

“He wants to be the Hokage?”

“Mhm.”

“Looks like I have some competition then.” He laughed, “I’ll let Himawari know that you were looking for her when she comes back. I must get back to the class before one of those kids does something. It was nice talking to you, Iruka-sensei.” He opened the door wider and stepped inside.

“Hey, Naruto,” Iruka shuffled in his spot. “Would you like to get something to eat together sometime? It was nice talking to you, I’d like your insight on a few things.”

“Oh? Sure! As long as I’m free, I don’t mind. Just let me know when you’re ready. Have a good day, Iruka-sensei.”

“You too.” He smiled and waved.

Closing the door behind him, Naruto stared at the children who sat in a circle and stared at him.

“Now, who wants to hear a scary story?”

“Me!”

It would get a little awkward whenever Sakura came over after Team Seven finished their missions for the day and Ino would be at the house waiting. The day after they had initially fought and ‘resolved’ their issues with each other had been so quiet that the others refused to break the silence.

They’d sit at the table or on the porch, waiting for Himawari to come home, without muttering a single word to each other. Hinata, Naruto and Sasuke would exchange glances, talking amongst themselves as Ino ignored Sakura’s entire existence.

The poor girl couldn’t say much either, she was the one intruding on the friendship that the small group had cultivated for years. It seemed as if there was no space for her in their little circle, so Sakura would stare off into space and pretend that she wasn’t the outlier.

It did get somewhat better as the days moved along and Sakura’s presence was obviously not going to go away. They still kept their distance, and silence would reign in more often than not, but Ino wasn’t quietly making it hard for Sakura to speak.

She would weigh in on some topics, sharing her opinion when she knew she wasn’t going to be shut down. Hinata seemed to be more encouraging than before, listening quietly when Sakura spoke instead of following Ino’s footsteps and ignoring her.

Sakura supposed that that was what made Hinata and Ino different as opposed to her and Ino. Hinata didn’t blindly follow along in hopes of being like Ino, she didn’t do things just because Ino said so, nor did she let Ino’s opinions influence her own. They were friends, not a henchman and her leader. 

She felt bad that her thoughts about the Hyūga girl had been mean and nasty. She barely knew her and had made up her mind about her; seeing how she actually behaves made Sakura regret the awful things she’d thought about Hinata before.

Beyond the small group, Sakura tried her best to find Himawari when she was alone. Being around the woman was much better than constantly reminding herself that she wasn’t completely welcomed in the quartet.

Himawari was nice to her, even when she was a little strict in regards to Sakura’s eating habits. Whenever she stayed for dinner, her plate would be monitored by the older woman. Not that she forced her to eat, she just made note of what she liked, what she didn’t like, and tweaked the menu from there.

There were times where Himawari would pull her aside after dinner, right before she let her go home, where she would ask her about what she ate during the day. It was a little overwhelming to share that information with her at first, Sakura was ashamed that diet culture had gotten its filthy hands on her, but Himawari never shamed her for it. 

She simply nodded, told her that she should come over for breakfast some time, and let her go. 

She realized that she liked Himawari. Not in a super weird way, but she admired the woman a lot. In the short time they’ve spent together, and the little conversations that they’ve had, Sakura couldn’t help but stare at her in awe. She would often have to catch herself before Himawari would look at her, but there was always a glint in her eyes as if she knew that she had been staring.

Soon, the focus was no longer on the quartet who were trying to include her in little things like when they watched movies—even then, Ino still wasn’t being open with her, which upset Sakura—it shifted to the woman who watched over them.

When she had days off, she would leave the house early enough to catch Himawari on her way to school. She’d spend the entire day volunteering in her classroom, watching and listening to her teach. There were a few things she learned from and about Himawari; things she didn’t think about or catch easily.

At some point, it had become some sort of game for her. She would run away from Kakashi just to sit underneath the window to Himawari’s class just so she could listen in on a lecture. The woman would always find her too, no matter where she decided to hide.

“Running away from Kakashi-san again?” Himawari would ask as she leaned against the window and stared outside without looking down at her. “What is it? Does he want you to walk some dogs? Shovel manure? Go fishing?”

Sakura would then jump out from the bushes, blush, twist her foot in the ground, then say; “please don’t tell him I’m here.”

Himawari would laugh, she always laughed when Sakura would ask that her little infatuation stay a secret. “He knows that you’re here without me telling him. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t get in trouble, come inside, I think I can use some help with the kids.”

She liked sitting in that classroom, reading Himawari’s notes and talking with the children.

“How are things with Ino?” Himawari asked one day, breaking her out of her reverie as she sat underneath the windowsill like she usually did. It was raining heavily, and her pink hair was matted to her face. 

Kakashi would never find her in this type of weather.

“It’s…” Sakura shrugged, “she still doesn’t want to talk to me.” She played with her fingers, patting her wet dress down in a failed attempt at keeping it still. “I don’t think she wants to be friends anymore.”

“I think Ino is just scared.” Himawari held her hand out and pulled her up. Carrying her through the window with ease, she set the soaking wet girl down on the floor and immediately went to look for some towels in the closet at the back of the class. “She doesn’t want to get hurt again.”

“I’m not going to hurt her.” Sakura frowned while letting her dry her hair. 

“That’s not what she thinks. You didn’t mean to hurt her then either, but it happened anyway. Give it a little bit more time.”

“How much time is enough? It’s been three weeks.”

“I can’t say.” Himawari frowned. “You’re going to get a cold if you stay in those wet clothes.” She muttered under her breath. “Stay here, I’m going to see if I can secure some warm clothes for you.”

“That’s okay, Himawari-san, I should get back—“

But she had already left. Sakura bit her lip as she continued to dry her body. It was no use seeing as her wet clothes were still dripping but she needed something to do instead of standing there like a statue.

“These are the smallest sizes they have.” Himawari returned with a small box of shinobi attire. It was the uniforms the other teachers used. “You should take these to the bathroom and try them on. I’ll be here.”

Sakura nodded and grabbed the box. 

The bathroom was thankfully vacant. She could hear the heavy rainfall through the opened window. 

“How did Kakashi-sensei expect us to work during this?” She mumbled as she looked through the box.

She wasn’t very big seeing as she was severely underweight. Avoiding looking at herself in the mirror, Sakura quickly found a pair of pants and a long sleeved shirt to fit her. Changing into the warm clothes, she squeezed the water out of her dress and shorts before folding them neatly.

Himawari was sitting at her desk with the windows now closed shut when she returned. She motioned outside and then the chair in front of her, “I don’t think Kakashi-san is going to continue whatever he had planned for today. That’s some heavy rainfall. I hope Sasuke and Naruto make it home safely.”

“Would they be okay being home alone?”

“They’re equipped for it, not that I like to leave them in the house on their own, but they can take care of themselves.”

“That’s good.” She nodded, “do you think they’re going to let the kids out early today?”

“Not a chance, we’d probably keep them back until their parents can pick them up. If I need help, I guess I can hire you to drop some of them home with an umbrella if their parents don’t show up.”

“You can count on me, Himawari-san.” She perked up.

She beamed as she ran a hand through Sakura’s still wet hair. “I should hire you as my personal assistant so you can skip out on your missions without losing money.”

“I don’t care about the money—“

“All of you kids care about the money, you like being able to buy anything you want.”

Sakura blushed, admitting that Himawari was right.

“Say, if you hide away from him again and help me out, I’ll pay you instead of letting you go without anything to make up for that time and work.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

She blushed again. “Why are you so kind to me? I hurt Ino, I said mean things about Hinata, I didn’t like Naruto and I’m still trying to respect Sasuke’s boundaries. Doesn’t that upset you?”

“What am I? A child? Of course it doesn’t upset me, you’re all children who are still learning. You’re trying to make it up to them and that’s all that matters even if it gets hard. Their personal thoughts have nothing to do with my own. You just need a little guidance and help, Sakura, and you asked me to help you.”

She bit her lip, feeling a little awkward. “I, erm, I ate a full bowl of cereal for breakfast today.”

“Oh yeah? What type?”

“The colourful, fruity ones. They were really sweet so I didn’t like them, but I finished it.”

“I’m proud of you.”

She felt her face get warm again. “I think I’m going to eat some mashed potatoes for dinner.”

“Will you be making it?”

“I don’t know how to cook, I’m going to order—“

“Save your money and come over, I’ll make some just for you.”

“Really?”

“Mhm.”

Sakura shifted in her seat as she continued to talk with Himawari as the rain poured outside. She hung around as the children returned for their class after lunch in the cafeteria. 

She couldn’t help but laugh and smile as time ticked by. She was still sad that she wasn’t as accepted in the quartet of friends just yet, but she was happy enough that there was someone else that she could spend her time with.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 9 — Fears

They’ve never formally met the Hokage as a team before. Naruto marvelled at that fact as they walked up the stairs towards the mission room with heavy anticipation. Kakashi would usually get their missions for them early in the morning so they didn’t have to do that themselves. Then again, he might have done so to make sure Naruto didn’t share all of his complaints.

He had quite a few that he wasn’t so secretive about. That was very worrisome for the young jōnin who was forced to listen to him curse the higher ups at any given moment while doing chores.

 Naruto sure did have a mouth on him sometimes.

The door opened and they stepped aside, letting a team who had just been given what they could all assume was some boring mission, judging by the disgruntled look on their faces, pass by. Shuffling through the door in a single file line, they all took their places beside each other and greeted the old man behind the desk and his fellow shinobi at his side.

There wasn’t much to say now that they were in front of him. All the memories of dealing with him on occasion, especially in Himawari’s presence, came back in full force and Naruto suddenly remembered why he had been hesitant to approach the Hokage on his own.

Some things just weren’t as pleasant as the younger version of him had remembered; one of which being the very fickle relationship he had with the man if he could even call it that. It was one sided at best, and that’s all he could really say now that he had someone else to compare it to. Between the Hokage and Himawari, he realized that the old man just wasn’t as caring as he should have been.

“Good morning.” Kakashi greeted on their behalf, bowing low and with a rigid back before standing up straight. The book he usually had in his hand was put away. “Team Seven reporting for morning duty.”

“It’s great seeing you three, I’ve heard quite a bit about you.” Hiruzen stared at them all, yet his gaze lingered on both Naruto and Sasuke as he took in their appearance. 

“It’s been a while, Hokage-sama.” Sasuke choked out as he avoided the old man’s eyes. It wasn’t really a secret that he was uncomfortable with the man. For years, that pit in his stomach and the voice in his mind had warned him about him. 

“That it has.” He agreed, “how is your team?”

“We’re going alright. We’d just like our missions so we can complete them quickly.” What was with all the small talk anyway? He knows that he engaged first, and he regretted that, but you’d think that the leader of the village wouldn’t hold a short conversation with a mere genin. 

“Understandable.” He flipped through some files, muttering some things to the shinobi at his side, before pulling out three scrolls. “For today we have; catching Tora, helping Ikemoto-san with his garden, and walking the Inuzuka dogs.”

“Absolutely not.” Naruto spoke up quickly as he shook his head in disdain. “I refuse to do another mission where I’m just taking care of some chore that a civilian can do.”

“Naruto—“ Sakura hissed as she laughed nervously. There was no way she was going to get in trouble because of him. She did agree with what he said, but come on, this was the Hokage he was speaking so casually to. “We should save it for another time.”

“What benefit do these D-Rank missions have that everyone is so adamant about us completing them? Don’t tell me teamwork; walking some dogs is not helping with that. The academy students should be doing D-Rank missions, that is in their capacity, not a genin shinobi. We should be out there learning about the field, not doing chores.” He crossed his arms in defiance. “I refuse to dig another potato, walk another dog, chase another cat and deliver another package. Until our skills are acknowledged, I’m not doing anything.”

“I’m sorry, Hokage-sama, it is my fault that he’s fallen out of line—“ Kakashi began, throwing a heated gaze at Naruto with plans of talking to him later concerning his stubborn attitude. That was no way to talk with the leader of their village—at least he omitted all those curse words he knew—. 

“That’s quite alright, Kakashi.” The man leaned back in his chair and took a puff out of his pipe. Chuckling heartily, he nodded in understanding. “I see, Naruto, you have matured since the last time I spoke to you.” That was some time ago. Looking through the mission scrolls again, Hiruzen glanced at a simple C-Rank mission that would give Naruto the experience he so desperately wanted. “Your mission is a simple escort one outside of the village, you must return the client to his hometown as safely as you can.”

Naruto’s eyes lit up, and he quickly turned to Sasuke who stared at him in partial disbelief and amazement. It’s been a long time coming that they’d receive a mission like this, especially with how much he’s heard him talk about missions in general. A part of Sasuke didn’t think it was possible simply because the handling and separating of missions was strictly done to keep genin within Konoha’s boundaries.

“Bring the client in.”

The door opened soon after to reveal a drunkard who was still very much indulging in some saké. Team Seven looked at him in disbelief, just as he did them.

“A bunch of kids?” He slurred, eyeing them wearily, trying to find fault in them as a person. “A brooding child, a dumb one, and a little girl?”

None of the team members spared him their attention as they turned to Kakashi and promptly ignored the drunk man. 

“Meet me at the gates at noon. Make sure you pack everything you need for the trip, it’s not customary to find shops on the side of the road. I’ll deal with our client.” Kakashi instructed as he dismissed them. “Don’t be late.”

“We should be saying that to you.” Sakura muttered as they walked out of the office.

They separated as soon as they got to the main street, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone as they walked home.

“Our first mission away,” Naruto wondered out loud. “Do you think Himawari would be happy with the Hokage’s decision? She’s very protective and she can’t be that way with us out of the house.”

“That’s a question you know the answer to.” Sasuke responded as he removed the hood from his head. Looking up at the clear sky, he couldn’t help but silently admit that Himawari was not the only one who would be worried. He’d be away from the house, away from her, for who knows how long? It was different than staying home while being aware that she was in the village.

This was going to be harder on him. 

“I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.” Naruto said to himself as he pushed his hands into his pockets. “It’s a simple mission, and in case of emergencies, we know how to take care of ourselves very well.”

They got themselves home quickly, and were greeted with the smell of fresh, baked bread as they opened the door. Making a beeline for the kitchen, Naruto inhaled deeply and sighed out loud as he leaned against the counter while Sasuke sat at the table.

“Change of plans today?” Himawari asked as she set the hot bread on the cooling rack. It was officially her summer break; school had been dismissed for two months so she was back to staying at home everyday beyond her volunteer work at the library. 

“We have a mission outside of the village.” Sasuke informed her as he tapped his fingers on the table. “We came home to pack our things.”

“Oh.” She turned to them for a moment, hiding the uneasy look on her face by playing with her bangs. “What’s the duration?”

“We don’t know but it’s an escort mission, so maybe a week at most?”

“Will you be alright?”

Sasuke resisted the urge to bite his lip, his piercings were still somewhat fresh and a little sore. He settled on biting the tip of his tongue instead. “I believe so. Naruto is going to come with me, obviously, so it wouldn’t be too bad.”

“Do you need me to pack anything?”

“A first aid kit should be the only thing I need beyond my clothes.”

“What about Dino?”

As Sasuke thought for a second, and with Himawari distracted, Naruto attempted to sneak a roll of bread off the rack. He yelped when his hand was smacked, and laughed nervously as Himawari peered at him. She still let him take a roll of bread though before he excused himself to begin getting ready.

“Dino can stay, I’ll bring something else with me.” Something preferably smaller. It would be embarrassing to be seen sleeping with a stuffed animal, but he’s been doing it for so long that the habit didn’t seem like it would just go away anytime soon.

“Okay, I hope Kakashi-san takes care of you well. I don’t want you to be late for your mission, so go get your things ready. Lunch would be on the table for you to take with you.”

Sasuke nodded and excused himself as well.

Packing for a mission outside of the village wasn’t very hard—she’s taught them how to properly prepare themselves before—it was the silent worry that Naruto and Sasuke shared that was proving to be somewhat difficult. No one said it, however, even as they folded their clothes and put away a hygiene pouch. 

Twenty minutes before they were to meet Kakashi at the front gates, they stood on the porch with Himawari. She hugged them tightly, whispering instructions about being safe and careful, and they hugged her back.

“We’ll be back soon, don’t worry!” Naruto grinned, yet he couldn’t stop his heart from dropping to his stomach. He’s been asking for this for so long, and now he was hesitant to actually go.

“Don’t stay in the house alone.” Sasuke tried his best to inhale her aroma and map it out in his head. It wasn’t very hard to do since he was so familiar with it that he could smell her out in a crowd of people, he just didn’t want to ever forget it while he was away. 

“I’m not, Hinata is going to come over a little bit more often for some training.” She ruffled his hair. “Your care kit is in your bag, right?” She pointed to her lip, or rather, the places where Sasuke had his piercings.

“I’d never forget that, an infection is something I’d avoid no matter what.” He gave her a smile and finally stepped back. “It’s only for a week, maybe two at most. We’ll send a notice if something happens.”

“Which I’m sure isn’t going to!” Naruto interjected, “an escort mission means only a few low ranked bandits. By the looks of it, our client isn’t really wealthy to begin with so we might not see anything on our way there.”

Himawari knew all of that, but she nodded anyway. “That’s a relief then. Go, you’re going to be late if you linger around.”

They took a step away from her, and multiple others as they waved and ran out of the manor.

As the gates came into view, Sasuke couldn’t help but look behind him at the direction they just came from. The frown on his face was quickly hidden as they met with Sakura who had been waiting for a few minutes.

“You guys ready?” She asked, placing her backpack on the ground as she sat down under the booth. 

“As ready as we could ever be.” Naruto joined her while Sasuke stood beside him. “Did you pack everything you need?”

“I had to buy some things but yeah.” One of the lessons she had listened to during Himawari’s teachings was specifically about packing for missions. Had she been the same girl from a month ago, she would have packed mostly pretty clothes, maybe some makeup, and a few ninja tools. Now, her bag was filled with enough clothes, some snacks, extra weapons and some bandages. 

“That’s good. How much do you want to bet that Kakashi would be early?”

“Early and Kakashi in the same sentence should be criminal. I’m not betting with you.” She crossed her arms and huffed. “He’d be late anyway.”

Unfortunately for her [or fortunately], Kakashi did arrive right on time with their client at his side. Sakura stared at him with disbelief, as with her teammates who couldn’t help but gape at the older man.

He didn’t really say anything, he simply nodded after seeing the bags they had strapped to their backs and led the way out of the village. Team Seven didn’t have to be told to follow him, so they caught up quickly and walked both in front and beside their client.

“Where do you live, old man?” Naruto asked as he shielded his face from the sun. He was already sun-kissed, and he liked his tan, but the way it practically boiled his skin was a little annoying. He should have brought an umbrella or something.

“Old man? I’m the Great Bridge Builder—Tazuna!” He yelled as he pointed at Naruto. “Put some respect on my name.”

“Hm…So, where do you live, Tazuna-san?” Naruto asked again, making sure to stress the honorific to annoy him. 

“The Land of Waves.”

“Just offshore of Kiri then? Nice.” He nodded, “nice place last time I heard of it.”

“You’ve heard of—“

“You think I’m dumb, of course you’d also think that I suck at geography. It’s pretty misty this time of year, and a little humid, isn’t it? Is it still beautiful like in the pictures?”

Tazuna pursed his lips and nodded reluctantly. “Yes, I believe so. It’s been a few months since I’ve gone back, I was out looking for some workers.”

“For the bridge you’re building, I’m assuming?”

“Right.”

“Hm.” Naruto nodded again. “Do we need to protect you while you do that? It’s an escort mission only, so we’re only obligated to take you home and leave. Unless you want to pay a little extra.” He said as he glanced at the puddle of water they passed.

On a hot day? Seriously?

“What’s with all the questions, Naruto?” Sakura muttered as she approached him. She had been quietly listening to them, and something told her that her teammate wasn’t just making small conversation. 

“I’ve only read about the villages and towns outside of Konoha, I was just curious.” He assured her with a smile.

“You’re always curious.” Kakashi noted as he flipped a page in his book. “Curiosity will one day kill the cat.”

“Satisfaction brings it back though.”

The team continued walking after Naruto’s miniature interrogation with Tazuna. There wasn’t much to talk about, which was usual for them if Naruto decided that he wasn’t into the whole talking business.

Just as they got to one of the outside posts belonging to Konoha, there was a sudden whistling sound followed by the clambering of chains. 

Turning around quickly, Team Seven watched in mute horror as Kakashi was attacked and successfully decapitated. Pieces of his body fell to the ground as their attackers laughed.

“One down.”

“Sakura, move!” Naruto yelled as he ducked and brought their client down with him to avoid the chains that passed overhead.

She was frozen and couldn’t think as she stared at the pile of bloodied chunks that belonged to their sensei. Her eyes watered and her hands shook as she brought it to cover her mouth. Bile quickly rose to the back of her throat and a choked scream was heard.

She barely felt when her arm had been scratched, but she could make out her two teammates who ran quickly to cover her and disarm their attackers. 

“Are you okay?” Kakashi asked as he made her sit down.

When did he get here? What happened to his body? She swore that she saw him get chopped into little pieces—where his body had been was a pile of wood chunks. 

“Kakashi-sensei?” She asked, glancing between him and the substitute log. “You’re alive?”

“Yes, I’m alive, but I need you to breathe and focus. You’re bleeding and you’ve been poisoned.”

“I’ll take care of it while you interrogate those shinobi and our client.” Sasuke quickly spoke up as he opened his bag and took out a first aid kit. He kneeled down beside Sakura and ignored the blood that streamed down the side of her arm.

“I’ll leave it to you then.” Kakashi nodded.

Opening the kit, Sasuke took out some gauze, saline, a syringe, a needle and a thread. “The gash is pretty big.” He said as he caught her eye, “I’m going to stitch it up.” 

She nodded.

“It’s going to hurt.”

“I understand.”

Naruto quickly joined them once he noticed what Sasuke was doing. Taking up the spot beside Sakura, he patted her forehead dry with a cloth and bit his lip. “You froze on us.”

“I know.” She whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” He glanced at Sasuke’s shaking hands as he pulled the infected blood out of her wound. “That’s fine, you were scared.”

“Why weren’t you two afraid?”

“Adrenaline.” Naruto answered quickly, “it makes us do silly things. It’s our fight or flight. We were terrified, actually, we just wanted to make sure everyone else was safe.”

She frowned, “I’m not cut out for this shinobi thing.” Every single time she’s ended up in a tough situation, they would fail because of her. “I should just quit.”

Naruto held her hand as he shook his head in disagreement. “You shouldn’t. This is the first stage, we weren’t even supposed to be doing this because our mission never stated that we would be dealing with B-Rank bandits. Perhaps that’s my fault for not taking into consideration that some of us weren’t ready to be outside of Konoha.”

Sakura winced as the needle pierced her skin. She hadn’t even been focusing on what Sasuke was doing, or the fact that the boy looked so pale and ready to throw up as she continued to bleed. “I’ve read about these scenarios, I don't know why I couldn’t do anything.”

“Reading and applying that knowledge are two different things. None of us have faced something like this, so it’s understandable that you couldn’t recall anything you’ve read. That’s okay, Sakura, no one’s blaming you.”

“Done.” Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut as he cleaned her wound again with some saline and promptly wrapped it tightly. “Just keep it clean while it heals.”

Sakura moved her arm and smiled sadly. “Thank you, you’re really good at stitching.”

“He’s been practicing on stuffed animals.” Naruto winked as he tried to lighten the mood. “Come on, I think Kakashi is done being angry at our client.”

Kakashi had indeed been finished with their client. There was a lot one could tell by glancing at the only visible part of his face, and it was obvious that he didn’t like their circumstances at all. When his genin team gathered in front of him, one looking so unbelievably pale and on the verge of throwing up, while the other cradled her arm in shame, he let out a sigh.

“Our best bet is to go back to Konoha and have another, well qualified team to take our place in this mission. Its rank has gone from C-Rank to A-Rank. This will not be our last opponent we’ll face today if we continue.”

“Does the client have money to hire more shinobi?” Naruto itched his cheek. He knew that returning was what they should do, but he wasn’t going to let the Hokage give him a smug look as if to say that he warned him. 

“With the state of the Land of Waves compared to before, the country is so unbelievably poor that a C-Rank hire was the only one he could afford.”

“Poor?” Sakura asked, “for what reason?”

“There is a tyrant named Gatō who is stopping all trades from entering and leaving the country, which messes with their economy and has sent the land into a state of famine. The bridge that Tazuna-san is set to build will once again open up trading for them and allow them to build their country back up.”

“Which is why that Gatō guy is dead set on getting rid of him? Take the bridge out and he’d continue to run the country. That’s awful.” Sakura frowned. “I understand that I, personally, am not equipped for this mission but I’d hate it if we left him here to fend for himself and his country.”

“Agreed.” Naruto nodded, “we’re the only shinobi he could hire so we should do our jobs. The last thing we need is for word to get out about Konoha’s refusal to help poorer nations.”

Kakashi studied them carefully. “Are you certain? One of you can get injured on the field again.”

“I think we all agree, Kakashi-sensei.” Sakura let her arm go and stood up straighter. “We’re Konoha shinobi, we will always help others in their time of need.”

Tazuna stood to the side and let out the breath he had been holding. When Kakashi looked at him again, he straightened up and prayed to the gods that he’d agree with what his students were saying.

“Alright, we will continue the mission. Let’s quickly get to the Land of Waves before nightfall.”

She wasn’t one to slam the door when she was angry, but the urge to do so was strong as she entered her bedroom. Hinata threw her jacket on her bed, pulled her shirt over her head and proceeded to crouch down as she pushed her palms into her eyes to stop her tears.

Another awful day spent in the presence of her father. She wished that she could cut him out completely, yet that was easier said than done. She was stuck here no matter what, and even if he had disowned her, he refused to let her go.

It was a constant cycle of acknowledging her as his failed daughter, making sure she knew that he had little faith in her as a shinobi, and telling her that she couldn’t leave even if she wanted to.

The thought of running away was also persistent in those scenarios; ideas of getting out of the house and never returning. Perhaps changing her name and her appearance would do some good so they couldn’t drag her back.

She wanted to leave.

Throwing some clothes into a duffle bag, Hinata hiccuped as she haphazardly packed a bag. Her jacket remained on her bed, and her oversized shirt was replaced with a long sleeved one before she jumped out of her window.

Sneaking out of the compound was easy when everyone ignored her so easily. Seeing her meant nothing as long as they didn’t mutter her name. The only one she tried to avoid, knowing that they would be concerned on her behalf, was Kō who was out on a mission anyway.

It was just past noon when she walked out of the compound and into the main streets of Konoha. She knew where she was heading, and that she would be accepted without hesitation, but she still lingered around in case she changed her mind.

It ended up like this on more than one occasion.

She would get angry, pack her things, and walk around Konoha only to end up back in the Hyūga compound anyway because she didn’t have enough courage to follow through with her plans completely. That in itself annoyed her.

Why couldn’t she escape the place that made her feel so awful? Why was she sorry? Afraid? Why couldn’t she speak her mind when in the presence of her father?

“What are you doing out so late?”

Hinata was startled when she looked up to see the woman she had been thinking about standing there with a bag of groceries in her hand. She couldn’t say anything, her throat felt as if it was closing as she stared at her. Instead of answering, she burst into tears and ran into Himawari’s arms.

“Please, save me.” She begged, “I don’t want to go back.”

“Hey,” Himawari kneeled in front of her, putting her bag down as she cupped her face and wiped her tears. “You’re okay, you’re safe. Did you run away from home?”

She nodded as her lower lip quivered in an attempt to stop her crying. “I can’t stay there anymore, Himawari-san, I can’t. They don’t listen and, and—“

“I know, and I understand.” She used the back of her hand to wipe her face again. “Come, the boys aren’t home for the next couple of days so I can use the company.” She smiled and picked up her grocery bag.

Hinata held onto her dress as she followed Himawari to her house. Being inside, and in a place that she knew her family weren’t too thrilled to be in made her feel a little safer. She, however, couldn’t stop looking around as if someone would burst through the door to take her back home.

A cup of cool water was placed on the coffee table in front of her, and her bag was promptly separated from her death like grip as Himawari went to prepare the other bedroom for her. 

When she returned, Hinata was curled up on the couch with a cushion hugged to her chest and her eyes half lidded.

“Are you tired?”

“Mhm.”

“You must have finished training with your father.”

“My body hurts.”

“I know, honey, we should get you into a warm bath to help you relax.” She whispered as she petted her hair. “You don’t want to get up either, I know that too, so how about we spend a few minutes here until you’re ready?” 

Hinata nodded and closed her eyes.

Himawari couldn’t help but feel angry on behalf of her younger self. Gods, even if she knew where things were heading despite her involvement, she couldn’t help but feel so much rage knowing that there really wasn’t much that she could do as long as Hinata stayed there.

She’s tried proposing that the young girl stay with her more often, yet Hinata had been a little hesitant in fear of her father being angry. It was a valid fear, one that was cultivated from years of dealing with him, and it was hard to overcome. For once, she wished that she was able to put herself forward instead of taking a step back to please others.

She would have spoken to Hiashi too if a part of her wasn’t worried about the fact that he might recognize her. No matter what, a father recognizes his child, and the last thing she needed was for him to become so weary that he stopped Hinata from visiting completely.

The Hokage quickly came to mind.

“Hinata.”

“Hm?”

“Do you think you can talk to the Hokage and Kurenai-san about your living arrangements?”

“Why?”

“I need you in a safe place but I can’t interfere unless you get your sensei to speak on your behalf with the Hokage. She’s aware of what your father does, but she won’t do anything unless you ask.”

Hinata sat up. “You want to take me away from my father?”

“Not take you away, I want you to have less exposure to his harsh ways because it’s clearly affecting you. You can live with Kurenai-san, or me if you choose, but your time at the Hyūga compound needs to be minimized for your safety.”

Hinata pulled at her shirt, twisting the fabric in her hands. “Would it stop him from beating me? Would he be angry at me?”

Himawari winced at the reminder. “It will and he might be upset but he can’t refuse orders from the Hokage. He’s already disowned you, Hinata, there’s no reason to keep you there unless he wants to put a mental and emotional strain on you—which he’s been doing for years. This is for your safety, I won’t stand for you being there any longer. Besides, you’re old enough to make your own decisions according to the shinobi system, you have the right to choose.”

“I don’t want him to be angry. What about Hanabi? She would be there alone, even if Pappa likes her more…Will I be able to see her?”

“You’re still going to be able to come and go into the compound as you wish, the restriction would simply be on your father. He can’t demand that you return to the house, and anytime you visit, you would be accompanied by someone to make sure that you’re safe.”

Hinata was quiet for some time as she thought about Himawari’s words. “I just need to talk with Kurenai-sensei and Hokage-sama?” Was solving her problem that easy? Sure, the solution was there, but she was scared to go through with it.

She couldn’t help but think about the father that she had loved, and wished he had loved her the same way. The thought of him being upset was the reason she stayed, she couldn’t picture herself away from him even if it hurt to be around him.

“That’s it.”

“I’ll think about it.” She laid back down.

“Don’t just say that only to guilt yourself back into that spot, Hinata, I know it’s hard to make decisions for your benefit alone, but this is about your future. Being there is going to keep making things worse no matter how much progress you make outside of your family.” Himawari sighed. “I’ve watched you go from that extremely shy, self conscious girl to someone who can laugh and smile with her friends without any fears. I hate seeing you revert back to the former every time you come to me.”

“I hate it too, Himawari-san.” Her face twisted as her eyes filled with tears again. “I hate that I can’t leave when I want to, and I can’t do anything when I’m there. I hate crying, and I hate myself for being so stupid. I hate it.” She began hitting her chest as her heart ached.

Himawari’s warm hand was quickly wrapped around her fist as she continued to cry.

“I hate his words, I hate every time he says we have to train because he wants to punish me. I hate when he tells me that I’m nothing. I hate when he says I’m an awful daughter. But I can’t hate him. Why can’t I hate him? He’s hurt me, Himawari-san, he always hurts me but I can’t hate him. It's not fair!”

Himawari pulled her up into her arms as she cradled her. Hinata’s choked sobs made her own eyes water as she felt all of those ignored emotions return. She was mourning the loss of her past self while listening to Hinata heave and cry in her arms. “I know, honey, I know.” She rocked her back and forth. “It's going to be okay, I’ll make sure that you don’t feel that way again.”

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 10 — Determination

They made it to the other side of the shore after some time. The heavy mist made it hard to see yet they were quick to trudge through the swamp-like area. Every member of Team Seven was on the lookout, although some of them [Sasuke] did so very discreetly. 

As jumpy as ever, Sakura stuck to Kakashi’s side while she held her hands to her chest, praying that nothing goes wrong. She should have listened to her guts earlier, the atmosphere was getting so intense that she regretted agreeing that they should continue the mission.

What was she thinking? She was clearly not cut out for this, and she was a liability. There was nothing she could do in case of an emergency except for freeze, cower, and whimper like a baby. She was ashamed, that part was clear, that she had neglected some parts of her training. 

Perhaps Ino was right.

A hand was briefly clasped onto her shoulder, snapping her out of her daydreaming as it forcefully pulled her down. Ready to ask what was going on, Sakura’s question was immediately answered when a large sword flew over their heads and into the trunk of a tree.

She watched in amazement as a shinobi—clearly indicated by the headband on his forehead—landed on it with such grace. Had it not been for the large sword flying through the air, they wouldn’t have heard him at all, and that scared her.

“Zabuza Momochi.” Kakashi called out.

“Kakashi of the Sharingan.”

At the corner of her eyes, she saw Sasuke tense up severely as he watched Kakashi with newfound weariness. 

“I just want the bridge builder and I’d be on my way.” This Zabuza fellow turned to face them fully, crouching down on the hilt of his sword with perfect balance. “Or, I can kill all of you here and take him with me.”

Sakura thought about it long and hard [read:for five seconds] and figured that the bridge builder couldn’t possibly mind if a genin like her were to throw him under the bus. He was old, probably dying anyway, and she was young. Who could blame her for her thoughts? Judging by Kakashi’s rigid demeanour, and the instructions he gave them to protect Tazuna, this was not going to be good.

Her prayers did not work.

She felt her hand shake as she shuffled into her position, her throat felt dry as she swallowed what little saliva her mouth produced. Kakashi stood in the middle of the clearing, his other eye fully uncovered, revealing a spinning red eye. The mist around the area was thick; so thick that she could barely see her teammates.

“Naruto? Sasuke?” She choked out, her legs shaking as her guts twisted and churned in pain. 

“We’re right here, Sakura, no need to worry.” Naruto’s voice came from her left, followed by a soft grunt from Sasuke.

She couldn’t see, but she could tell that the other two were just as scared as her. That fear amplified as Zabuza’s figure materialized in front of her. She didn’t know if it was real, the surroundings were so shrouded that she couldn’t discern if they were in a genjūtsu or not.

“Sakura, calm down, I’m not going to let any of you die.” Kakashi called out. His face appeared a few feet away from her, his eyes crinkled into a smile before he turned his full attention back to his opponent.

No, something was very wrong. Kakashi’s words did nothing to calm her racing heart and worried mind. Her hands still shook, her legs could barely keep her up, and that sense of foreboding never left her.

When Zabuza started listing off the places that he could attack, Sakura felt like crying. It was then that it hit her that the life of a shinobi was never going to be easy. She could never traverse the world with such fear if she planned to be yet another kunoichi in the system.

How foolish of her to stand idle and let lies, and stupid fantasies sway her away from the duty she swore to serve by. All those days in the academy, seeing the world in a picturesque lense where nothing could ever go wrong, came flooding back. How dare she become a shinobi when she still thought that death wasn’t possible because she was a child? 

Here she was, standing in mist so thick that it looked like cotton, listening to the clanging of kunai on kunai as Kakashi fought to keep them alive. She should move, she should tell her teammates that it was a good idea to run and hide with Tazuna, yet she couldn’t say anything.

The mist slowly cleared until it hung around the very parametre of the field. She could see Kakashi clearly now. Kakashi who had been kicked into the water. Kakashi who begged for them to run away because Zabuza was an S-Class Missing Ninja who was going to kill them.

Her knees buckled under her, the heavy atmosphere finally did her in and she fell under the weight of her own fright. She didn’t hear when Naruto spoke to Sasuke; she didn’t listen when they spoke of a plan to buy them some time.

All she could register was the fact that she would die. She would die without ever apologizing to her parents for badmouthing them. She would die without Ino ever forgiving her for hurting her and ruining the friendship they had. She would die without ever finding her purpose because she had prioritized those fantasies above the harsh reality of the shinobi world. 

“I’m sorry.” Tazuna whispered as he watched her from above. He too had been afraid, yet he remained standing. “I brought you children with me.”

No one responded.

Sakura wanted to hold onto his clothes, twist it under her hands as she begged him to take her back to Konoha. He could hire better shinobi who were ready to die. She wasn’t ready to face the Shinigami just yet. She was young. 

“We’re going to get Kakashi-sensei back, Sakura, don’t worry.” Naruto’s bright smile nearly shined in the dull atmosphere. “It’s my fault that you’re here with us, so I’m going to make sure you make it out by any means necessary.”

“Naruto! Run, he’s no match for you!” Kakashi seemed to whither in silent fear. His eyes were widened, horrors displayed themselves in front of him as he imagined them dying. Children on the battlefield who trusted him to protect them—gone because he severely underestimated his opponent.

“Sasuke.” Naruto cracked his knuckles and pulled up his sleeves. It wasn’t that he was the best jūtsu user—he didn't know enough to get that title—but he was great with taijūtsu. Crouching down low, stretching his body, Naruto silently evaluated Zabuza’s clone. “Cover me?”

“What else am I supposed to do?” Sasuke muttered as he equipped a few shuriken and kunai. He wasn’t a direct fighter, although he could hold himself well against an enemy in hand to hand combat, he preferred to play the supporting role. That way, he could scope out the area and figure out the weaknesses of his opponent without jumping straight into battle like Naruto.

They balanced each other out. 

“Sakura, get up and guard Tazuna.” Sasuke threw her a pair of kunai without glancing at her. “If things go south, you take him and run on our signal.” He made a sign behind his back so Zabuza couldn’t see.

Wiping her face quickly, she picked up the kunai and stood up again. Backing up until she was closer to Tazuna, she wished them luck and held the kunai in position in case of an attack.

Zabuza’s laugh made her skin crawl as he mocked them. His deep voice, dripping with killing intent, made her swallow hard. His story had her fighting to keep bile in her stomach as he went on and on about death and killing.

Would she be able to take the life of an opponent to ensure her survival? Sakura wasn’t sure about that, the chances of her ever getting to that point seemed slim. She would rather give up instead of surviving, it was the easiest thing to do.

Yet, watching as Naruto ran into battle in a blur of fists and kicks, a part of her rebelled at the idea of laying down and being killed. Seeing Sasuke tag team with their blond teammate, switching between taijūtsu and using the weapons in his arsenal, made her a little more confident.

They won’t die today, and they won’t die ever. 

Standing even straighter, Sakura calmed her breathing as best as she could and cleared her throat. “Just stay behind me, Tazuna-san, my teammates will make it through.”

Her eyes followed their fight with worry, every time one of them was kicked down, she winced. Nothing seemed to stop the duo, however, they communicated using hand signals that flew over her head. When they stepped back, heaving in exhaustion while Zabuza’s clone stood there with smugness rolling off of it in waves, she thought that it was over.

“Ready?” Sasuke asked, catching her off guard as he pulled a large windmill shuriken out of his bag.

“You better aim right.” Naruto teased as he formed a few more clones and got into position.

“Like I’d ever miss.” Sasuke rolled his eyes and ran forward before using one of Naruto’s clones as a stepping stone. Throwing the windmill shuriken at the original Zabuza, he landed a few feet away and watched silently as Naruto’s clones got to distracting the clone.

“That won’t work.” Sakura muttered in fear. She could see that the shuriken was going to miss, it was off by a few feet. 

Her pessimism didn’t last long, however, when she noticed the delayed shadow from under the windmill shuriken. She looked around the field for Naruto, and noticed him laying on his back underneath the water clone’s foot. Though, something told her that it was a ruse.

“You think that can stop me?” Zabuza laughed as he caught the original windmill shuriken. Spinning it in his hand, he was quick to jump over the second before laughing again.

That laughter was quickly silenced as the second shuriken was quickly replaced with the original Naruto. The Naruto underneath the water clone’s feet disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto threw a barrage of kunai at the original Zabuza, watching in triumph as he pulled his hand out of the water prison that kept Kakashi locked up. 

“Get out of the way, Naruto.” Sasuke yelled, taking notice of the building chakra in both Kakashi’s and Zabuza’s body. 

Swimming out of the small pond, Naruto joined his teammates and watched as Kakashi fought Zabuza once more.

“When did you two come up with that plan?” Sakura couldn’t help but ask as they joined her in their original formation again. 

“Halfway through Kakashi getting his ass kicked.” Naruto answered. “We came up with quite a few.”

“You didn’t speak though?”

“We didn’t have to.” He said as he signed.

Sakura watched his hands move. “You four did that when we had our evaluation.”

“Sign language? Yeah, we all know it.”

“Teach me?”

“Ask Himawari, you like running to her all the time.”

Sakura puffed out her cheeks, “I thought that was a secret.”

“Nope.” Naruto smiled and turned back to Kakashi’s fight. “Holy shit!” He marvelled at the twin water dragons that flew at each other. “That’s going to cause a large splash, everyone, step back.”

They did as they were told, and didn’t regret it when the dragons clashed and pools of water flooded the area. Zabuza’s body was tossed towards a tree just as the water settled down, and Kakashi emerged with soaking, wet clothes.

“That should do it.” He muttered. As he approached the unconscious body, senbon needles flew down from the tree line and straight into Zabuza’s neck.

“It was a pleasure seeing you fight, Konoha shinobi.” A masked ninja appeared soon after. “I’ve been chasing Zabuza-san for months, it’s a shame that your kin have found him before I did.”

“Who are you?” Sakura raised her kunai.

“It’s a Kiri ANBU agent.” Kakashi answered, “they deal with the missing ninja from their village by killing them.”

“So, he’s dead?” Sakura asked, skeptical as she watched Zabuza for a while.

“You can check.” The masked shinobi motioned to Zabuza’s body. “If you’re curious.”

Kakashi was quick to press his fingers against the side of Zabuza’s neck. “No pulse.”

“I will take my leave then—“

“Cut his head off.” Naruto crossed his arms and glared at the shinobi. “You’re a special Kiri ANBU agent, your task is to decapitate any missing ninja—so cut his head off if he’s dead.” 

Sasuke’s face turned pale at Naruto’s provocation. He moved away and squeezed his eyes shut as images of blood stained walls filtered through his mind.

“You are children, I would prefer if I did not do such an act in your presence.”

“We’ll close our eyes and our sensei will watch.”

Sasuke stepped back some more and crouched down. It’s been so long since he’s had a flashback that his world began to spin. Blinking rapidly, muttering to himself that what he was seeing isn’t real, he tried to block out the conversation happening around him. 

“Sasuke?” Sakura turned around to stare at him in worry.

“Kakashi-san!” Tazuna called out as Kakashi collapsed.

Looking at his sensei and Sasuke, Naruto’s focus shifted from the masked shinobi to his comrades. Using the distracting moment to their advantage, Naruto cursed once he realized that the Kiri ANBU had taken their moment of worry and disappeared with Zabuza’s body.

“Naruto, something’s wrong with Sasuke.” Sakura called for him. Too frightened to touch the quivering boy, her hand hovered over his back as she looked at his widened eyes and trembling lips.

“Shit. Fuck!” Naruto ran towards him and took his hand into his own. “Hey, Sasuke, stay with me.” He kneeled down in front of him, squeezing his hands a little bit as he caressed his knuckles. “You’re alright! You’re safe. There’s no blood anywhere.”

A stray tear fell from Sasuke’s eyes as he listened to Naruto’s words.

“What’s happening?” Sakura asked, not speaking louder than a few decibels so she didn’t accidentally undo whatever Naruto was doing. 

“I’m so fucking stupid.” Naruto muttered and pulled Sasuke in for a hug. “I forgot that he already saw blood earlier and me asking that ninja to—“ He made a head slicing motion. “—Zabuza was the nail in the coffin. He’d be okay, it’s just flashbacks.”

Flashbacks? Blood? What happened to Sasuke that he could possibly be triggered from seeing, or even imagining such a thing?

She remembered his clan massacre and things just started to make a lot of sense. “Oh, gods! He…He stitched up my arm without saying anything.” The way his face had paled earlier was missed by her, she thought it had been because he was dealing with her. She knew Sasuke wasn’t really her biggest fan, beyond being on the same team, he paid her no mind. She didn’t know that his unease was because of how much blood was pouring from her wound. “Why would you, asking that shinobi to do that, trigger him?”

“Memories, not so pleasant ones, some of which deal with that action specifically.” Naruto picked Sasuke up with a grunt. “We need to get the both of them inside somewhere warm.”

“I didn’t want to intrude but my house is not too far from here. We were really close.” Tazuna interrupted. He held Kakashi on his back, having silently picked up the man while the two children spoke amongst themselves.

“Great, let’s go before that shinobi comes back.” Naruto nodded. “Sakura, you’d have to be on guard for a bit.”

“I can do that.” She nodded and stood up with newfound determination.

She was going to make sure that her team made it to Tazuna’s house in one piece.

She couldn’t put her down.

Even when Hinata fell asleep in her arms after throwing what was akin to a tantrum, she couldn’t bear to put her down and let her wrap herself in a blanket to make up for the comfort she had lost. When Hinata finally calmed down, her bouts of self depreciation and trying to hit herself despite how much Himawari soothed her coming to an end, Himawari sat there staring out the window with tears running down her face.

No one could ever fathom just how much she had struggled with herself as a child. No one would ever know how much pain she had endured, how much anger she had harboured, because she slapped a smile on her face while whispering words of encouragement to others. 

Seeing it now, from an outsider’s point of view all while knowing just how much her heart hurt, it made her want to cry out again. It made her want to walk up to her father and yell about how much he had failed her; how he had set her up for an unsatisfying life because he refused to show her proper love. 

She’s tried rationalizing her father’s behaviour towards her for years. Perhaps it was due to the loss of his brother, and then his wife, that made him the man she could never whisper ‘I love you’ to. Maybe there was underlying trauma that he had experienced that made him angry at her.

Yet, all those excuses fell through whenever she thought about it deeply. He should not have treated her any different than he did her sister. There was no reason for him to stare at her with so much disdain, so much hate as if she did not deserve to be in his presence. 

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Himawari pulled the body of the small child closer to her chest. She caressed her cheek, played with her hair, and fixed her clothes over and over again just to find something to do. 

“I’m sorry.” She apologized to herself, “I couldn’t save you earlier, and I’m sorry. I knew and all I could do was let you go back because I was a coward.” She admitted.

Every day over the last few years, she had spent it wallowing in fear and pity. In depression and loneliness knowing all that she does yet being unable to do much. There were times where she wished that she could wake up back in her world where her children would greet her because she felt inadequate to build something new. 

The moments where her younger self would come running to her to escape whatever torture happened at home frightened her. She didn’t think that she was doing as much as she should be, especially regarding the young girl who was a carbon copy of her. 

She should have stepped in sooner, and gone to the Hokage for help, but what was she supposed to do? In and out of custody because of suspicions surrounding her, she wouldn’t dare ask that another clan’s child be given to her unless she risked raising the children in a world where they would forever be watched. A world of paranoia and fear as shadows floated in and out of existence. She would never do that to Sasuke, Naruto or Hinata.

So she let it happen; she let her father beat it into her younger self that she wasn’t good enough even with all her friends. She winced at any reminder Hinata brought of how harsh living in the Hyūga compound was; whether that was all the bruises she had or the bags that formed under her eyes from nights of training. She watched and prayed that their one on one sessions were never a reminder of her father.

It was the least she could do.

Making herself comfortable on the couch, Himawari laid down and kept a sleeping Hinata on her chest as she threw a warm blanket across their bodies. Wrapping her arms around her, she closed her eyes and hoped that the child wouldn’t wake up with the urge to hurt herself again.

Naruto sat in the corner of the room, Sasuke held in his arms as he spoke to him softly. Sakura couldn’t do much but watch it all happen while squeezing a wet cloth to place on Kakashi’s forehead. They arrived a few minutes ago and were immediately greeted by Tsunami, Tazuna’s daughter. She helped them into a room and was currently preparing them something to eat.

“Will he be okay?” Sakura asked, sitting back with her hands on her lap as she stared at them. The gentle touches Naruto used surprised her. He was always a little loud and hyper whenever he was comfortable, seeing him so mellowed out just to take care of Sasuke was genuinely baffling.

“Yeah, he just needs a little bit more time.”

“His fear of blood is really bad then. Picturing it alone sending him into that state is worrisome. How—Why did he choose to be a shinobi knowing that he had a debilitating weakness?”

“He wants to save his brother.” Naruto answered her with a sad smile, “it’s been his dream to find him and talk with him.”

“But he—“

“Don’t say it.”

“Sorry.”

“Sasuke knows that, he just wants to ask him some questions and figure things out. He can’t do that if he’s a mere civilian, the Hokage would never allow him out of the village unless he was part of the shinobi system. He only wants to become chūnin so he could leave the village without issues.”

“I see.” She moved to sit a few feet away from them. “I didn’t know much about Sasuke even though I claimed that I loved him a lot. I still don’t know anything beyond his name and how well he did in school.”

“How’d you develop a crush if you knew nothing?”

Her face turned pink as she puffed out her cheeks. “He was cute…He never spoke to me but I found him attractive.”

Naruto shook his head and scoffed. “I never understood developing crushes when you barely know the person. Not one conversation, not one acknowledgment from him, but you were planning your future together. I get that we were kids but…”

“It was naive of me and disrespectful to think that I deserved a place in his life because of a crush, I understand that.”

“Do you still like him?”

“Duh.” She stammered.

“Even though you know that he doesn’t like you, or anyone for that matter?”

“Is he really that way? I thought it was to get me off his back.” She did feel bad that she doubted not only Ino’s words, but Himawari’s as well. She just thought that it was to sway her from focusing on him too much, which slightly worked, but still. 

“He’s always been uninterested in relationships. It’s really funny, even when it concerns other people, he could care less about it. That’s sort of his style, there’s too much on his mind anyway, I think he just doesn’t really care about falling in love. It’s not the be-all and end-all of life.”

“He can though?”

“He sure can, but are you okay with it being someone other than you? That’s really the question here; if you genuinely like Sasuke, would you be alright with him picking someone else?”

She bit her lip, in all honesty, she hadn’t really thought of a reality where Sasuke would be with anyone other than her. In her mind, she was the only one who deserved him, and that was a childish way to go about it, but that’s how she felt. Secretly, and a little bit embarrassingly, she didn’t really think about what Sasuke wanted in any scenario as long as she was the one he would be with. 

Looking down in shame, she shook her head and answered honestly. “I wouldn’t be.”

“You need to grow up out of it, you’d end up stopping yourself from receiving actual happiness. Besides—“ He closed Sasuke’s eyes after realizing that the boy had fallen asleep with his eyes half lidded. “—we’re shinobi. I’m sure you understand that love, and happy endings, isn’t really a common thing in our world. You saw it today; how we almost died. It was a huge wake up call for me, and I hope it was one for you too.”

Sakura moved out of the way for Naruto to lay Sasuke down on the available futon beside Kakashi. He still remained at his side, holding and caressing his hand while letting him know that he was there.

She thought about his words deeply, and the countless others she’s heard from Himawari over the course of a month. Truly, how did she think she was going to make it if all she concerned herself with was a boy and whether he liked her or not?

“Naruto,” she called out.

“Hm?”

“Do you think I could be a good kunoichi?”

“If you want to be, I’m sure you can.”

She smiled at him and gave him a firm nod. “Then I’ll be one.”

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 11 — Pivotal Moments

“I’m glad you could make it, I’m sorry that I impeded your training time with your students but it’s very important.” Himawari opened the door to let the dark haired woman inside. She stepped out of the way, motioning to a pair of house slippers she had set out for Kurenai.

“It’s alright; I was getting worried about her not showing up to our missions and training. I’m glad that she’s with you. How is she?” Kurenai looked around the house, mentally taking note of how spacious yet cozy it felt.

Himawari frowned and bowed her head as she walked past the living room. She avoided looking inside, and made a small gesture for Kurenai to simply follow her to her makeshift office instead. 

Leaving the door open just a little bit, Himawari sat on her desk while Kurenai took up residency on the small sofa pushed against the wall. They traded some looks, a moment of heavy silence passing between them, before Himawari sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“She's not doing well.” She finally answered the question. “Disassociating mostly when what she’s feeling becomes too much. She’s in the living room, watching some shows I would hope, and she’s been that way since earlier this week. I can barely get her to eat, she sleeps so that’s a relief—but that takes up her entire day—and I’m monitoring her for any self harming behaviours.”

Kurenai crossed her hands as she leaned forward, her eyes darkened as she stared at the pictures on Himawari’s desk. The small smiles of little children greeted her; there was a picture of them all wrapped up in blankets, one standing in front of the house, and what seemed to be a graduation celebration. Seeing Hinata in all of them, with her timid smile and her red cheeks, was sort of a whiplash.

Whenever Hinata was with Kurenai, she was so extremely shy, and uncertain about things, as if she wasn’t sure if she could trust the woman. Over time that did get better, yet it wasn’t on the same level as her trust in Himawari. She wasn’t complaining, however, she understood that Himawari had been in her life much longer than her. 

“Is that why you wanted to speak with me?”

“By proxy? Yes, it’s about her wellbeing and her current housing arrangement.” Himawari picked up the small, crocheted animal on her desk and played with its ears. “I need you to speak with the Hokage and get Hinata out of the Hyūga compound.”

Kurenai straightened her posture, “it’s them again?”

“Mhm.”

“Goddamn that son of a bitch—excuse my language.”

“That’s alright.”

“I spoke with Hiashi about this before, he didn’t seem to take it seriously but I would have hoped that he retained something from our conversation. This is my fault, I should have pulled her out of there the moment I spoke with her father and he expressed that she was disowned.”

“It’s on me as well, I knew about her living arrangement yet did nothing about it. All I’ve done was make sure she wasn’t completely isolated but even that didn’t help.” Himawari shook her head.

“Hm. I think it was best that you didn’t involve yourself with the clan matter, especially as a non shinobi. You already have Uchiha Sasuke, who you’re legally caring for, and Uzumaki Naruto. I imagine that getting involved with Hinata as well would have made a lot more people raise their eyebrows. I’m quite glad you came to me, I can get things in order without suspicion.”

“What do you propose then? I can’t have another repeat of surveillance because I took Hinata in.” It slipped her mind, and before she could retract her statement, Kurenai had already caught on.

“You knew about the surveillance?”

Himawari avoided her eyes and she picked at her lips. Nodding in hesitation, she brushed her bangs to the side and stared at Kurenai’s feet instead of her face. “I noticed the extra shadows, and sometimes I’d hear things when there was complete silence. I thought I was just imagining things but it persisted so I assumed that I was being watched. Not that I blame anyone for being wary, I do have Uchiha Sasuke with me.” She omitted her knowledge of Naruto’s jinchūriki status, in case Kurenai decided that the Hokage needed to be made aware.

She trusted her, obviously, otherwise she wouldn’t have called her over to discuss things about Hinata, she just couldn’t trust her completely. Himawari wasn’t as naive as she was before, she was an adult, one that was very familiar with the system. Trusting Kurenai or not, her duty required her to make note of anything and report it back to the Hokage. 

“Ah, well, it’s great that you’re aware of the little things. I suppose you also noticed when they no longer hung around.” She laughed, then cleared her throat. “Beyond that, I think I can arrange something where you can be a caretaker, seeing as Hinata is very comfortable with you, but…” 

“You can be one as well.” Himawari perked up. “I think Hinata needs some more adult support in her life, and you being her sensei is a great way to form a strong connection with her. You care about her, and I’m sure she’s starting to like you too. The last thing I would want is Hinata being forced to live with someone she barely knows.”

“We’d have to ask her about that, I don’t want to make that decision without her thoughts on the matter.”

“I completely understand.”

“Is it okay if we call her in now? Or should we save it for a later date?” Kurenai glanced at the clock on the wall. She didn’t have anything important scheduled for the day but she would like to book an appointment with the Hokage as soon as she can. 

“There shouldn’t be a problem with asking her right now. I’ll go get her.” Himawari nodded and pushed herself off of her desk, and put the crocheted animal back. “Would you like something to drink, Kurenai-san? I forgot to offer you something when you came, I apologize.”

“I’m quite alright, thank you.”

“I’ll be right back then.” 

Himawari smiled. As she walked out of the office, she felt the tension in her shoulders leave. Sighing softly, she walked into the living room and stood to the side as she looked at whatever it was Hinata was watching. 

Hinata barely looked at her from where she was wrapped up on the couch. Her hair was the only visible thing, that and her hands that clutched the ivory blanket close. She blinked when Himawari obstructed her view.

“Kurenai is here.” Himawari crouched down to her level, and pulled the blanket back just a little bit so she could brush her hair to the side. “She wants to speak with you about something, it’s not going to take very long.” 

Lifting her head out of the blanket, she opened and closed her mouth a few times before she croaked out. “Is it about Pappa?”

The sad smile on Himawari’s face told her that it was indeed about her father. Shrinking a little bit, she averted her eyes to what little she could see on the television screen.

“We’re going to help you, Hinata. Just come with me for five minutes and you can go back to laying on the couch. If you want to, I’d even let you go back to the room for a few hours.”

The room was the only other place she would be; lying there staring at the wall as she thought about how different her life would be if her mother had been alive. Himawari had put a stop to the self isolation, not by much, but she made sure that Hinata was within seeing distance all the time. 

Hinata sat up and nodded.

Following Himawari to her office, the thick blanket trailing behind Hinata in a comical, yet adorable way as it swallowed her whole, Hinata didn’t say anything for a while when she saw Kurenai sitting there. She settled on waving a little bit as she sat beside her.

“How are you doing, sweetheart?” Kurenai bent over a little bit to catch her eyes. Understanding the Hinata genuinely had a bad time maintaining eye contact, she smiled and leaned back. 

“I’m okay, Kurenai-sensei.” Her answer was more so a default response. She wasn’t okay, she wasn’t anything really, but that was all she could say.

“I suppose you know why I wanted to talk to you?”

She nodded.

“What do you think about living with me for some time? It won’t be a permanent arrangement, I would like it if we rotated where you were for the week. You’d be staying with Himawari-san and myself; one week you’re with her, and the other you will spend with me.”

Hinata bit her lip, “would my Pappa be mad at that?”

“We haven’t asked, we haven’t gone to the Hokage to finalize it either. I just wanted your thoughts before then, to see if that was alright with you. Of course, you can also just stay with Himawari-san and spend the weekends with me, if that’s better.”

Staying in new places was hard for Hinata, it scared her a lot if she was being honest. It wasn’t that they made her very uncomfortable, it just took a lot of energy to be alright with staying away from home. Even when she first started having sleepovers at Himawari’s house, she would always worry about what her father would think.

He didn’t care, she obviously knew that, she just didn’t want him to be mad at her for it. 

“We…” She paused, “we can do that one until I’m ready to live with Kurenai-san for a longer time.”

Kurenai hummed, “that works. As long as it’s something you want.” She looked at Himawari, “I’ll talk with the Hokage about intervening and getting Hinata away from the compound. I don’t think it would take very long to get him on board, but I can’t make any promises. The Hyūga are a very private clan and we try not to interfere too much, but this is clearly an important matter and one of our shinobi is at risk.”

Himawari clasped her hands together and held it to her chest. “Thank you so much, Kurenai-san, this means a lot.”

“Anything for my lovely student.” She petted Hinata’s head with a sad smile. “I hope I can see you back at our training ground when you feel better, Hinata, don’t force yourself until then. I’ll check in again as soon as I hear a word from the Hokage.”

Sasuke flipped through his first aid kit, absentmindedly organizing it and making note of his inventory as he took out a roll of gauze. He sat on a small wooden bench just at the outskirts of the near barren market, a small calico cat on his lap as he wrapped its injured paw.

“There.” He mumbled, setting it down to see if it was able to walk. The cat stared at him warily, then walked away with a little limp in its step. He wished that he had some food with him, maybe some fish, since it had been so malnourished that he could still feel its bones. 

“Another one?” Naruto rounded the corner with a paper bag in his arms. He had been out and about, checking out what little the village had available while handing out some roasted fish. “That’s the fifth one this week.”

He sat down beside Sasuke and put the empty bag down. 

“They have a lot of cats.” He noted as he closed the kit and put it back into a sealing scroll which he promptly attached to his hip. Sasuke rolled his sleeves up and played with the beads of his bracelets. “We should head back before Tsunami-san gets worried, it’s almost lunch time.”

“I promised to get some things for her to cook but,” Naruto laughed nervously, “I got carried away with sharing my spoils and now I have nothing. I’m sort of tired of fish and rice, but I understand that it’s the only thing they have to eat for the time being.”

“You just had to be stupid and use your rations because of your picky eating too.” 

“Do you still have some?”

“Of course I have, I haven’t touched them because there’s no need to. Even if I hate the never changing menu, I’m not going to use our emergency supply.” He got up and stretched. “Kakashi also wanted to see us so let’s just hurry.”

They had been out and about while their teacher had been passed out and incapacitated for a week. He would wake up on occasion, but exhaustion would quickly spread before he fell asleep again. That, and Tsunami had been very adamant about Kakashi staying in bed. 

It had slowed down their mission significantly; with Kakashi out, the three children had done nothing but hang around their client and his family. They couldn’t exactly accompany Tazuna to the bridge and supervise him when their instructor hadn’t ordered them to do so. 

At least the old man still got to work, although with some caution, so it didn’t stop the progress of the bridge. More so the progress of the team, it put their mission at stake, but that's besides the point. 

“He should be out of bed now. I wouldn’t think that a jōnin would need such a long recovery time, but some injuries aren’t really visible.” Naruto wondered out loud as he led the way back to Tazuna’s house.

“Or he’s just lazy.”

“You don’t like him, do you?”

“Kakashi of the Sharingan, are you kidding me?” Sasuke grumbled as he pushed past the overhanging branches of the trees. “He’s sitting there with my family’s eye in his socket and doesn’t say anything about it knowing that I’m an Uchiha. Had I been a stupid, annoying child, I would have done something insanely irresponsible as a shinobi on the battlefield.”

“Understandable, if I found out someone in the village was carrying around some sort of Uzumaki heirloom, I would have lost it—“ Naruto paused. “Wait, everyone carries it. They all have my family’s crest on their clothing but I guarantee a lot of them don’t even know it’s for the Uzumaki.”

He’s learned about his family via his trips to the library on the weekend. Himawari had made it a habit over the years to frequent the library, especially because she volunteered there. He stumbled across a book about Uzushio, and read it with fascination. Knowing he had his own clan that was promptly wiped out long before he was born was somewhat relieving.

Unfortunately, no survivors were actually recorded to his knowledge, and if they were, it was definitely classified to keep them safe. The path to find out who his mother or father was had promptly been blocked before he could even figure out that his last name wasn’t just made up.

“Imagining the Uchiha crest on the backs of the shinobi that refused to step in when my family was slaughtered is angering.”

“Your thoughts are very much valid,” Naruto nudged him, “just don’t let Kakashi or anyone else hear you say that. Any criticism or disdain is brushed off, they hate that sort of shit.”

“Hn.”

“You two are back, I was on my way to find you.” Their conversations stopped as they came face to face with Sakura. She stood there with her hand on her hips, her hair tied up to keep it away from her sweaty forehead.

“Is Kakashi fully coherent now?” Naruto walked past her and into the house. He slipped off his shoes and frowned as his bare feet touched the wooden floor panels. He missed his fox house slippers. 

“He always has been.” Sakura walked behind them and up the stairs. “I swear he was pretending to be unwell.”

“I won’t be surprised if he was.” Sasuke muttered and opened the bedroom door.

Kakashi sat on his futon, his book held in his hands as he barely greeted his students. There were three pillows beside him, carefully laid so they could sit down comfortably while they discussed whatever it was they needed to.

“Feeling better?” Naruto settled in the middle, leaning against his propped up knee. “Had any nice dreams?”

Kakashi chuckled and closed his book. “It’s good to see that you three are indeed doing alright. I didn’t want to delay this talk for another day, I’m sure you three are tired of being in this misty weather.”

“You know it.” Sakura huffed. “It’s so humid.”

“Well, you did choose to continue the mission but that’s besides my point. I just wanted to make sure that you three are aware of what’s happening. That Kiri ANBU was indeed working with Zabuza, and the chances of them returning is extremely high. Now, according to Tazuna, nothing has happened when he goes to the bridge but he is still being careful.”

“We know that already.” Sasuke nodded. He did not freak out for a full day at Naruto’s prompts to decapitate Zabuza for him to just forget that crucial detail about the ANBU agent. 

“Oh, good! Then I suppose you’re not opposed to any training?”

Sakura perked up at the suggestion. The last few days, she had been thinking about how she could be a better teammate and kunoichi; Kakashi proposing training was great. All their time together had been mostly spent doing missions, this was the first time they’d actually train. 

Or, he might have trained Sasuke and Naruto whenever she ran off, but she tried not to think about that too much. That would make it her fault and she didn’t like the idea that her lack of training with her sensei was because of her.

“Absolutely no training.” Tsunami opened the bedroom door and walked in with a tray of food for Kakashi. “You’re still injured, so I won’t let you put yourself in danger.”

“I’m quite alright, Tsunami-san, I’ve gotten a lot of rest. It’s time for us to actually complete our mission, these kids shouldn’t be out here for too long with such a high threat.”

“And training would keep the danger away? What if you get attacked while you’re out there?”

“With all due respect, we are shinobi equipped for spontaneous battle, so I think that would be alright. Besides, I doubt that Zabuza and his lackey would come in such close range with us at this moment. He’s still recovering—he’d been put in a near death-like coma—and it takes a few days to get full control of his body, yet alone being able to fight. We will be okay.” He reaffirmed with a smile. “If it makes you feel better, we won’t be very far and I will be using some crutches.”

Tsunami frowned but understood that, as a civilian, she didn’t know much about shinobi or their rigorous lifestyle. Nodding, she placed the tray down on the desk in the corner of the room and wiped her hands on her apron. “Oh, alright. Just be safe, please.”

“We will.”

As soon as she left them alone, Kakashi turned to his team and removed the blanket from around his legs. He stood up without a problem and summoned some crutches.

“Alright! If you could all be a doll and follow me.”

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Sakura pointed to his food. 

“When I come back, I don’t have much of an appetite.” 

The trio followed Kakashi out of the door and to a nearby clearing surrounded by thick oak trees. They stood in silence, waiting for him to speak as he observed the trees and said something to himself.

“We’re going to be climbing trees.” Kakashi said as he turned to them. “Not with our hands, but with our feet.”

“Our feet?” Sakura questioned.

Naruto and Sasuke stared at Kakashi in disbelief. To say they were disappointed would be an understatement, they were annoyed that Kakashi had spent a week lazing in bed only to teach them something they’ve known for years. 

“Are you serious?” Sasuke couldn’t help but say as he clenched his fists. Listen, he’s learned quite a lot while being taught by Himawari, so much so that he was already at a low chūnin level. He just expected that their jōnin instructor would have something other than tree walking ready for them.

Kakashi laughed, thinking that his students were so enamoured by the thought of walking on trees. “Very serious.” He pushed chakra into his feet and walked up the tree with ease. Settling on the lowest branch, he threw three kunai at their feet. 

“No, I mean, are you seriously going to only teach us chakra control?”

Sakura watched in stunned silence as Sasuke glared at Kakashi. She’s never seen him be so angry before. The entire trip to the Land of Waves had thrown her off so bad; everything she thought she knew about Sasuke wasn’t even scratching the surface. The months as a team didn’t give her enough information about him either.

Sure, the concept of chakra control wasn’t foreign to her, they’ve done the leaf sticking exercise at school before, but tree walking definitely was. She just didn’t understand why the new exercise annoyed Sasuke. When she glanced at Naruto in hopes of understanding Sasuke’s reaction, she was met with an uninterested look as he threw and caught his kunai over and over again.

Why did they seem so disinterested in the exercise?

“It’s the only thing you genin need to know at the moment, so yes, I’m only teaching you chakra control until further notice.”

“Further notice? Care to explain what our schedule looks like for the next month, Kakashi?” He dropped the ‘sensei’ title and placed emphasis on his name. He so desperately wanted to point out that they hadn’t done any training up until that point beyond having small lectures about teamwork. The least the man could do was throw in some taijūtsu training or something. 

He frowned behind his mask, “Sasuke, if you continue to have your outburst, I’m afraid I’d have to make you sit out. Or worse, let the Hokage know that you’re unable to follow instructions.”

Sasuke’s glare worsened. “Himawari should be our instructor.” He grabbed the kunai at his feet.

“Your mother isn’t suited to be your teacher any further.”

That annoyed him greatly. Sasuke was fine with insults being thrown at him, he was completely okay with Kakashi reporting him to the Hokage because he could care less, but he drew the line at the jab at Himawari. She spent so long teaching them, even though she was not an actual shinobi, he wasn’t going to listen to his incompetent teacher say that she wasn’t suitable for the job.

“Had you been trained at the academy, you wouldn’t let your emotions get to you so easily.”

Naruto reached out in a failed attempt at stopping Sasuke from doing anything irrational. He watched as his friend ran towards the large tree in front of him before climbing it with such speed and ease. 

They’ve done tree climbing so much before that it was second nature. Sasuke made it to the top and purposely threw his kunai where Kakashi sat, missing him by a few inches. The kunai embedded itself deeply into the trunk of the tree, the bark splitting and falling apart where it hit.

Kakashi didn’t blink, he stared at Sasuke through the leaves of the tree, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Had ‘my mother’ been my instructor, I wouldn’t be stuck here with the likes of you learning something I’ve been doing since I was nine. I’m finished here. Talk to the Hokage if you want to, Kakashi of the Sharingan, I couldn’t care enough.”

“Sasuke—“ Sakura called out.

“Hm.” Kakashi turned to his remaining students. “I’m assuming that you know how to do it as well?”

Naruto slowly nodded.

“Go deal with your teammate. Sakura, can you proceed with the exercise so we can return back to the house?”

Sakura looked at Naruto, watching him walk off in the direction Sasuke went, before nodding and picking up her kunai. She looked at the tree in front of her and huffed.

She wasn’t sure if she could do it well but she focused as best as she could. Trying to take her mind off of Sasuke’s own outburst, she pushed chakra into her feet and ran up the tree.

Shocked that she was running well enough without slipping, Sakura stopped at the highest branch and looked to Kakashi for his approval.

“You have really good chakra control.” He noted, “that’s great. I suppose this means you’ve completed the task.”

“Is that really it, sensei? Are you not going to teach us anything else?”

Kakashi frowned and shook his head, “I thought this would occupy the three of you for a while so I didn’t think of creating any other exercises. I suppose, in the meantime, you can focus on your weapon throwing skills.”

Sakura simply nodded, disappointed that there wasn’t anything much that she could learn. Staring at the other trees, she spotted a taller one and nodded to herself. “I’m going to keep practicing, sensei, I think you should head back to the house and have something to eat.”

“Will you be alright?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“The fuck was that?” Naruto asked as he walked up the shore to see Sasuke sitting there in the sand. He was sprawled out, his hood pulled up fully as he watched the waves crash against the lone standing rock offshore.

“What was what?”

“You could have gotten into some deep shit with Kakashi, you’re lucky that the man is practically nonchalant about everything.” Naruto pushed his hands into his pockets as he stood some ways away from Sasuke. 

“Tell him to keep his mouth shut next time.”

“That’s very unlike you; what’s with the sudden hostility and anger? Directed at Kakashi no less? I know it’s because of the sharingan but that can’t be all, is it?” 

“Until you know what those eyes do, I don’t think you’ll fully understand why it pisses me off.”

“Then tell me so I can learn, talk to me and I’ll listen.”

Sasuke looked up at him, his hoodie obscuring his vision, but he could make out Naruto’s face well enough. “My brother has those eyes; everyone in my family does. They were the last things I saw the night he left.”

“So you’re scared of them, that’s why? You’re trying to defend yourself from a threat that isn’t there because knowing Kakashi has the sharingan means accepting the possibility of being on the other end of it again one day.”

“I hate you.”

Naruto smiled. “No, you don’t, you just hate that I kept paying attention to everything Utaha-san said when she used to visit.” He finally sat down beside Sasuke. “I understand that well enough, not in the same capacity obviously, but it’s still frightening. You wanted a reason to lash out so you got offended on Himawari’s behalf—which was an asshole move on Kakashi’s end but anyway. He gave you a reason for you to actually dislike him so you wouldn’t have to acknowledge that it was because of the sharingan.”

“I hate those eyes.”

“You used to see them often in your nightmares.” Naruto pulled his knees to his chest. “I remember waking up to you screaming about it, and that was the frequent image you’d draw when Utaha-san asked. Your two biggest fears are associated with that night, how could I blame you for your reaction?”

Sasuke bowed his head and bit his lip, he pulled at his bracelet instead of digging his fingers into his thigh. The reality of his anger, being dismantled so easily by the blond boy who had done nothing but listen carefully and pay attention to him for years, finally dawned on him and his eyes began to water.

At his silence, Naruto knew that he was crying. He didn’t say anything when Sasuke’s shoulders began to shake, but he did sit a little bit closer so he knew that he was there. 

“It’s not your fault, Sasuke. You being born as an Uchiha, with those eyes as your inheritance, isn’t your fault at all. What happened a while ago, and all those years ago, wasn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”

“I don’t want to see them again.” He croaked out. It would have been great if Himawari was around, at least then he would be able to crawl into her arms without feeling so stressed. His mind constantly being on alert, flashback after flashback, nightmares of his worst fears, and stupid outbursts to protect himself was becoming so exhausting.

“And I completely get that, I think it’s a good idea for you to sit out here a little bit longer. Listening to the waves always helps. We don’t have to go back unless you’re hungry.”

“Why are you so smart, you dumbass?” He attempted cracking a joke to distract himself from his emotions. He hated focusing on them, so moving on to another topic would be completely welcomed. Although Himawari, and Utaha-san, have warned him about putting off such intense emotions, he couldn’t help but do it. He will wait until he gets home to acknowledge them fully. 

“I read.” Naruto nodded with pride, laughing loudly when Sasuke scoffed. “Someone had to be the emotionally intelligent one amongst us, you suck at that shit.”

“Full offence.” 

“Come on, look me in the eye and tell me that you’re so in tune with your emotions that you can say, right now, how you’re feeling.” Naruto stared at him.

Sasuke could barely hold eye contact. “Alright, I get it. Shut up.” 

“It’s fun teasing you.” He threw a comforting arm over his shoulder. “I’m just glad that you know why you’re mad at Kakashi, that’s much better than cursing him and wishing for his death.”

“I’ve come a long way, you know?” Sasuke wiped his eyes. “I’m above telling people I’m mad at to hurt themselves.”

“I can’t believe you had that phase. You should bring it back, but use it on the battlefield. Imagine fighting you and you stare at your opponent, then you tell them to die, and bam! They explode. Pretty sick idea.”

“That’s very counterintuitive if I’m going to be a medic.” Sasuke laughed.

“Fair point.” Naruto stared at him as his eyes crinkled and he threw his head back a little bit. Sasuke didn’t laugh very often, but whenever he did, Naruto made it his duty to be the one to cause it or to never miss it. “You can revive them again.”

He pushed him away as his laughter died down. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Unpredictable, get it right.”

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 12 — Safe & Sound

Ino didn’t expect her team to be hired so quickly after their little break. It wasn’t that she wanted more time to slack off with the excuse of there not being anything to do, she just didn’t know how to feel when her team was assigned a mission so early in the morning.

Shikamaru and Chōji had shown up at her front door, donning their ninja attire with exhausted looks on their faces. She didn’t doubt for a second that she looked the exact same; albeit with her hair in a clump of tangles and dried drool on her face.

They didn’t give her very long to get ready, and by the time the clock struck nine in the morning, they were on their way to their meeting spot to wait for their sensei. 

It wasn’t a surprise when Asuma walked into the clearing at the same time as them, it had clearly been a planned affair—and the message hadn’t reached Ino at all, otherwise she would not have stayed up the night before—. He greeted them with a solemn wave, and brought out a scroll soon after.

Their mission was simple, they needed to do some ‘babysitting’ for Himawari. 

Her team had turned to her quickly, knowing that she was familiar with the woman. In fact, when Asuma skimmed over the mission assignment before reading it out loud, he glanced at Ino with a sad look on his face. 

She wouldn’t understand why that was until they were standing on Himawari’s porch, glancing into the house while the woman quietly went over some things with Asuma. Kurenai was there as well, her arms crossed and a serious look on her face that made Ino’s stomach turn.

“She’ll be okay as long as Ino is there, it won’t take much longer and if we don’t come back by the time we discussed, I’ll send word.” Himawari took a quick look at the blond girl and gave her a reassuring smile that did everything but. 

Ino pushed her hands into her pockets, playing with the loose thread inside the cotton pouch as she tried to catch a glimpse of whatever they were talking about. 

“You can head inside now, Ino knows her way around the place so if you need anything, ask her.” Himawari pulled her cardigan closer.

From where Ino stood, she could see the whites of her eyes that were currently a slight pink. Had Himawari been crying? The question would never be answered, but Ino was a smart girl for a reason.

The moment she stepped into the house, and took a strong whiff of the lemongrass and jasmine smell, she knew exactly why her team had been called. It was hard to get rid of the scent when it was such a staple for her friend, it practically stained any surface she touched. Ino had no idea if it was because she had found herself being in love with the aroma or whether her long term exposure had been the source of such recognition for it. 

“Hinata?” She called out soon after, stepping into the house after changing her sandals for her purple house slippers—not to be confused with Hinata’s matching lilac ones—. 

A mop of midnight blue hair peeked out of its hiding place—between a pile of blankets and pillows on the couch—and light, periwinkle coloured eyes widened in familiarity. “Ino?” Her voice was hoarse, evidence of her crying, as she croaked out her name. She shrunk back into her protective cocoon not long after as she took notice of the three other people standing behind Ino.

Not caring that her teammates and her instructor were currently standing like a bunch of deer caught in bright lights, Ino rushed into the living room and threw herself at Hinata. She wrapped her arms around the awkward burrito Hinata had managed to roll herself into and buried her face in the small roll of the blanket.

“Are you okay, ‘Nata? What are you doing here?” Ino moved back to give her some space, but kept herself on her lap as she cupped her puffed out cheeks. The blanket didn’t reveal much except for her pink nose and cheeks, as well as her tired eyes and her messy hair. Ino caught herself quickly before she could coo and kiss her forehead.

“I’m staying with Himawari-san.” She responded in a hushed voice, looking away from Ino and choosing to focus on her team instead. “You can sit down if you’d like.”

Ino followed her gaze and deadpanned. The fact that they all stood there looking very stupid made her feel embarrassed. Motioning to the empty seats in the room, Ino focused on Hinata again. “What happened? Why are you staying with her?” At Hinata’s hesitation, the look of fear and hurt swimming around her beautiful eyes, she understood everything. “Him again?”

Hinata nodded.

“I told you I could have helped all those years ago, ‘Nata.” She frowned, “I’m not going to reprimand you for staying but…I’m just glad that you’re going to be somewhere safe from now on.”

“I’m scared, Ino.” Hinata looked up at her, her eyes watering, and the blanket covering her mouth trembled as her lower lips quivered. 

“I know you are.” She hugged her tight. “I’m here, and so is Himawari-san and the others. We’ll support you and protect you no matter what. Your old man is just lucky that I’m a mere genin, otherwise I would have kicked his ass into an early grave.”

Hinata laughed as she closed her eyes and snuggled herself into Ino’s arms. She had the decency to open up her little cocoon to hold her even closer, promptly hiding half of Ino’s body away from any spectators.

“So, why did Himawari-san, and Kurenai-sensei call us over? Other than to watch over you, of course, what’s their plan?”

“They spoke with the Hokage a few days ago…Today, they’re picking up most of my things from the compound to bring them over here or to Kurenai-sensei’s house.” Hinata answered as she laid down, Ino joining her since she wasn’t able to refuse from her position in the blanket cocoon. 

“Wait, you’re moving out today?”

She nodded.

“Hinata, how long have you been at Himawari-san’s place?”

“Two weeks, I think?”

Ino pulled back a little bit to look at her face. “You’ve been here for two weeks? Why didn’t I hear anything until now?”

“I didn’t want to talk to anyone.” She blushed, “this is the most I’ve spoken since I’ve been here. Himawari-san was getting worried about it so I think she hired your team instead of leaving me alone with Kurenai-sensei.”

“Oh, gods! I should have suspected that something was up when I didn’t see your team running around like everyone else. Speaking of ‘everyone else’, where the hell is Team Seven? I haven’t seen them either.”

“They’re on a mission outside of the village.” Asuma answered. He had been silent and quietly watching his female pupil while battling the urge to light a cigarette. All while trying to not get the boys to wander around the house in search of something to do—boredom was prevalent and they’ve only been here for twenty minutes—. 

“What? That’s not fair, is it?” Ino perked up a little bit. “Why do they get to go outside of the village?”

“Naruto didn’t want to do those chores anymore.” Hinata poked Ino’s arm to get her to lower her volume. “Himawari-san spoke about it when she was trying to get me to sleep. Apparently, Naruto was close to fighting with the Hokage on the matter.”

Ino looked at her team. “We need to start arguing for better missions too, that’s totally not fair.”

“You wouldn’t be wrapped around Hinata if we had a better mission lined up for us.” Shikamaru groaned as he laid down on the carpet while staring at the ceiling. He noticed the glow in the dark stickers and wondered if he should get his own for the nights he couldn’t sit outside to stare at the stars. 

Ino’s face flushed pink before she threw a pillow at Shikamaru. “What do you even mean by that?”

He raised his head so the pillow landed under it before staring at her in confusion. “I didn’t mean anything except for the fact that you’re getting paid to sit around and talk about girl stuff. That’s right up your alley.” He muttered and went back to ‘star gazing’. Too bad it was bright outside, he’d love to see them in the dark. Were they bright, or subtle?

“Oh, shut up, Shikamaru!”

“Do you guys mind if I join?”

Sakura had spent the last few days alone in the forest, from dusk until dawn, trying her hardest to make herself better. With her sensei completely tapped out, and her teammates choosing to be on their lonesome, all while they rotated in keeping watch of their client, she had been hard at work trying to learn something.

She would sit in the forest, staring up at the tallest of trees while trying to think of anything she could focus on for the day. Chakra control was great and all, but that was all she could really do with her limited [read:inapplicable] knowledge on many things. Theories were great, but they were theories for a reason.

Rotating between practicing her shuriken throwing skills, giving herself obstacles to work around, and climbing trees until she was practically exhausted, Sakura felt hopeless. Even on days where she would opt out of using chakra to climb and jump through the trees, trying her best to build up her stamina and agility, there wasn’t much she could do because no one supervised her.

She’s asked Kakashi, she wasn’t exactly stupid to think that she would get far without a teacher of some sort, but he had been confined to bed on more than one occasion on Tsunami’s orders. If he wasn’t with Tazuna, he was lying in bed with a fretting woman at his side.

It would have been great if he was able to supervise her; possibly give her pointers or tips to improve in her own way. And she didn’t dare ask Naruto or Sasuke for help because she didn’t want to be any more of a bother than she knew she was. Outside of Naruto making sure that she ate her food—Himawari’s orders no doubt—she barely spoke to the boy, and Sasuke was completely out of the equation.

So, as the hours ticked by and she realized that her team was doing fairly well without her interfering, she grew more nervous to ask for help. It had been that way at the academy as well; she did great in school and her parents barely concerned themselves with the matter since they weren’t shinobi and their daughter was smart. Asking for help more than once was out of her scope, and embarrassment would no doubt settle in.

Today, Sasuke and Naruto were going out into the forest for some scavenging training and she wanted to join them. It took a lot to build up her courage, something that was so easily faked on her end, and even more time to convince herself that she wasn’t being clingy for asking.

“Sure, why not? It might do you some good.” Naruto answered as he pulled on his shoes and strapped a small bag to his back. Whatever they caught out in the forest today would be used for dinner, so he was hoping for something good. A wild pig would be a gift from heaven.

Sakura turned to Sasuke, wanting to make sure that he was on board as well. She didn’t want to intrude in his space; she was really trying to learn to be a better teammate and friend rather than thinking of herself as his future lover. The brief thought almost made her miss his answer.

“That’s fine.” He nodded as he checked his small hunting kit. 

“Great! What do I need to carry? Should I bring a bag?”

“What are you three up to?” Kakashi entered the room, his double crutches were replaced with a singular one. His jōnin vest was also swapped out for a very casual shirt. He looked like a civilian had it not been for the hitai-ate that covered the singular sharingan in his socket.

“We’re going out for some stealth training.” Naruto shared, “and maybe we can catch something to eat for dinner. It would be great if we could have something other than fish tonight.”

“I see, well, please be safe. Don’t stay out there for too long.”

“Understood.” He nodded. “As for your question, Sakura, just your weapons should be fine.”

“Okay!”

She met them at the door soon after with her ninja pouch strapped to her leg and her red dress traded in for some more muted colours to blend into the forest [courtesy of Tsunami].

Naruto was the one leading them up front, his steps confident as he weaved through the trees at a leisurely pace. No one said anything, not for a while at least.

Sakura was more concerned with trying to pull up any memories, possible tricks she could use, from listening to Himawari teach. The older woman had covered the topics of hunting on occasion, not truly in depth since her class consisted of a bunch of six and seven year olds, and Sakura had the pleasure of helping out in simulated hunting. 

Of course, that was different from actually doing the act; there were no humans dressed as animals and rubber kunai to use. They were in a forest that she hadn’t explored fully, in an unknown land, and with heavy fog obstructing their view.

“I set up some traps last night, so we should check those out first.” Naruto rested his hand on a tree; it wouldn’t be until Sakura passed it that she would notice the red paint marker on it. 

“If you did catch something, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of stealth training and hunting?” Sakura questioned, huddling a little bit closer to Sasuke unintentionally. She was the one who couldn’t see well in these conditions, and Naruto was way too far for her to blindly step forward and lose them. The fog wouldn’t be lifted until high noon. 

Naruto shrugged out of habit, “we still need to gather things like mushrooms and herbs. I spoke with Tsunami-san and she said there are wild vegetables around as well, so our ‘hunting’ isn’t over even with our hypothetical catch.”

“I see.”

The only sounds that transpired between them as they continued was that of their footsteps. The damp leaves under their feet quieted their steps, so they didn’t have to worry about being heard. 

When Naruto came to a complete halt after they checked three out of his five traps, Sasuke immediately pulled out a kunai, and Sakura did the same once she realized how tense they were.

“What are you doing here out so early, ma’am?” Naruto called out, his eyebrows furrowed as he studied the back of the small lady who sat in a clearing while picking some herbs.

She looked up at him, then at his team, before resuming her task. “I wasn’t aware that there was a time frame for me to gather the things I need. How may I help you, shinobi-san?”

Naruto looked around, assessing the area before putting his kunai away. His team followed along as they joined him at his side and stared at the woman clad in a pink kimono. Her hair cascaded down her back and framed her face, they couldn’t tell if she was a threat or not.

“May I ask why you’re out here so early? It’s my first time seeing Konoha shinobi out this far.” She glanced at their ninja pouches and the bags on their back. “Are you training?”

“We are.” Sakura answered, “sorry for disturbing you.”

“That’s alright, I heard you getting closer but I didn’t know if it was a family of deer. I’m glad it wasn’t a threat.” She sat back and pulled her basket onto her lap. “What are you training for, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, are you training for yourself or for someone else?”

The trio exchanged some looks, confused and a little bit weary as the woman continued to study them silently. Her laughter made them freeze.

“What’s so funny?” Naruto asked, itching to pull out his hunting knife since it was much sharper than his kunai. If she was a threat, he wouldn’t hesitate to fight her.

“Do you all have someone who is important to you? Is that why you crave to be stronger and you train all the time?”

“If we do?” Sasuke discreetly assessed the situation, looking for ways to escape if the woman in front of them dared to attack. He had no doubt that Naruto and himself would be okay, but one glance at Sakura made him unsure if they could protect her in case she was the first one to be attacked.

“That’s a good thing. One can’t be strong, or get stronger, without having something important to protect. That can be your family or your friends, perhaps a lover.” She giggled again. “I’m sorry for keeping your time, I must get back to someone I need to care for, please enjoy your training session. It’s very admirable that you’re awake at early hours in search of ways to improve.” She picked up her basket and stood up. “Good luck, shinobi-san.”

Team Seven watched as she began to walk away, completely confused about what happened and who the woman was. When she paused in her step, they tensed up once again.

“Oh, by the way, I’m a boy.”

The look of absolute bewilderment on their faces made him laugh as he left them alone. Naruto rubbed his eyes while Sasuke simply stared at where he had been sitting, Sakura was worse for wear.

“He was so beautiful.” She muttered, looking at Sasuke and back at the receding figure of the boy. “So beautiful.” If she didn’t have any shame, she would have told Sasuke that the stranger was prettier than he was, but she kept the comment to herself.

“I…” Naruto shook his head. “Let’s continue where we left off.” Yet he didn’t move as he continued to stare. The miniature speech given barely registered in his head, and when it did, he looked at Sasuke wondering if that’s what he felt like when it came to his family. “If there are deer wandering around here, that means we can get something good today.”

“Will you help me identify the edible stuff?” Sakura asked, taking up Sasuke’s spot in the middle of their makeshift line as she followed behind Naruto.

He pulled his bag off his back, looked through it, and threw her a small pamphlet. “That’s a list of all the edible plants in the area, I can give you the book to study once we get back to the house.”

Sakura caught it and opened it, she stared in fascination at the handwriting. “Did you write this?”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Nothing.” His handwriting was much neater than she thought it would be. She could have easily mistaken it as someone else’s if she saw it. “Thank you.”

“Mhm. We’re near the fourth trap, let’s all hope it’s the one that caught something.”

Sasuke followed behind them silently, his mind still on what the stranger had said. Pulling his hoodie over his head, he allowed it to shadow his face as he mulled over those words. He wondered if the short speech could be applied to his brother.

It was an idea he didn’t dwell too much on, Naruto’s shouts of celebration took him out of his mind before he could delve deeper into his thoughts. In the blond boy’s hand was the limp body of a small doe. 

“Deer stew tonight! Let’s get to cleaning this beauty. Sasuke, you can go look for those wild plants and mushrooms while I take care of it.”

“Can I come?” Sakura held up the pamphlet, “I need to take my own notes.”

Sasuke shrugged and walked off into a random direction with Sakura following behind. He just hoped she didn’t take it as an invitation to bother him about matters outside of their impromptu scavenging. If she ruined what little camaraderie he felt for her at the moment, that would solely be on her and he wasn’t going to feel guilty about it.

“Are you as good as Hinata when it comes to this stuff?” Sakura spoke up after ten minutes of following him. The path he took was jagged and all over the place yet he walked with confidence. She didn’t know what to talk about now that they were alone. Pestering him about feelings while they were ‘training’ would be very un-kunoichi like, so she saved it for a different time. 

“Not as good, she knows more.” He answered.

His response made Sakura nearly stumble over an overgrown root. She didn’t expect him to answer, then again, the question was pertaining to one of his friends rather than solely him. 

“Himawari-san must have taught her.”

“Mhm.”

“How is Himawari-san, as a teacher—or a sensei?”

Sasuke looked back at her for a brief moment. “Are you going to ask her to train you?”

Sakura’s face flushed pink, matching her hair which she promptly tucked away as she stared at her feet. “I was thinking about it, I always listen to her when she’s at the academy, but I was curious if she was different outside of that space.”

“Not that much.” Sasuke paused before turning in a different direction. Really, his walking pattern made it hard to discern where they were heading. They were definitely moving away from the ocean. “A lot more strict, and there’s more work, but that’s a good thing. If you want her to train you, you can ask.”

“You don’t think she’d refuse?”

“Why would she?”

She played with her shirt and cleared her throat. “Because she’s taking care of you, and a lot of others. I’d be intruding like I always am, and there’s no reason for her to train me personally. She’s already doing a lot for me…Training is a whole other matter.”

“If that was a problem, she would have said so. Himawari won’t lead you on like that unintentionally. You already sneak away from our missions to spend it with her, she would have reprimanded you already if she didn’t think that was beneficial.”

Sakura smiled, not because of his response—well, partially—but he spoke to her in complete sentences. It was the first time too, usually it was Naruto relaying some sort of message, but here they were, actually talking and he didn’t absolutely hate her for it.

“Why don’t you use honorifics when you speak about her?”

“I’d prefer not to answer that.” He stopped walking and pointed at a patch of odd leaves. “Those are potatoes.”

Sakura looked at the patch and approached it slowly. Taking out the pamphlet Naruto gave her, she scanned it to find the matching leaves of the plant and mentally marked it. “Thanks for talking to me, Sasuke, and answering my questions. You didn’t have to.”

“Hn.” He stooped down some ways away from her and began digging. 

Once her first potato emerged, Sakura felt a boost of energy, feeling proud of herself. She was quick to put them inside of Sasuke’s bag as they continued to dig up potatoes before moving on to find some mushrooms. 

She much preferred this over doing it for some lazy civilian back at the village—and she got to spend some time with Sasuke even if it was in complete silence after the boy had mentally checked out of any conversation. 

“I’m going to tell Himawari-san about this.” She said to herself as she checked on a troop of mushrooms. She double checked to see if they were the edible kind and carefully cut them to place them inside the small bag Sasuke handed her while he looked for other things.

She was excited to share her scavenging adventure with Himawari, hopefully that would prove to the woman that she was very serious about learning a lot and becoming better.

Her nightmare would mark the first night away from the Hyūga compound completely. Hinata opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling, her heart pounding in her chest as sweat dripped from her forehead. She couldn’t remember what exactly she had dreamt of other than the fact that it clearly startled her.

At her side was a sleeping Ino who had her legs thrown over her own while she snored lightly. She took the time to watch the blond girl, unconsciously using her presence to calm herself down before she fully relaxed.

Climbing out of bed quietly, Hinata’s feet touched the warm carpet. It took some time to accept that they were not the dark oak floors of her old bedroom, and that made her a little bit uncertain.

One look at the clock and she could tell that it was still very much late. It was only half past midnight, yet it felt as if she had been asleep for hours. Sneaking out of the room, she knew that Himawari would be awake, and wasn’t disappointed when she walked into the kitchen to find her sitting there staring at some pictures.

“Nightmare?” Himawari asked, barely looking up from the frame in her hand.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that, Hinata, it’s just your subconscious dwelling on things. It’s going to take a while for them to stop, but you’re in a safe place now.” She motioned to the chair at her side.

Hinata took up the empty spot and immediately rested her head on Himawari’s arm, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as she relaxed some more. “Did you have nightmares as a child, Himawari-san?”

“A lot.”

“What were they about?”

“My mother. I would always lose her no matter how much I begged for her to stay.”

Hinata grew rigid, “did you lose your Momma too?”

“I did.”

“Oh…I’m sorry.”

Himawari chuckled and pulled her closer. “It doesn’t get any less scary seeing her face in my dreams, because I’m preparing for a moment where she’d leave again. I always recognize them as dreams when she shows up, but I can’t wake up and I spend my time chasing her.”

“That sounds like my nightmares, but I also see Pappa…He’s always crying, and always angry. Then he looks at me with hatred and says that Momma died because of me.”

“I hope you don’t listen to those words, Hinata.” Himawari frowned, very familiar with the nightmares her younger self was describing. She had been stuck in them too many times to not remember them. She also knew that she had listened to those nightmares on more than one occasion.

Hinata bowed her head. “I try not to but they sound true…I know Pappa is mad because he misses Momma…I look like her.”

“Does that make you upset?”

She shook her head, “I can look in the mirror and imagine what she looked like. Maybe a bit like you, Himawari-san, with longer hair, and paler eyes.” She touched her cheek. “Did Pappa see you yesterday?”

“No, I stayed outside while Kurenai-san handled the matter.” She had come up with an excuse to never enter the compound. She didn’t want her father to see her for that exact reason. 

“Oh, if he saw you, I’m sure he would have thought you were her.” Hinata got quiet. “Thank you for saving me.”

“You don’t have to thank me, I always wanted to help, I just didn’t know how to.”

“I understand, the Hyūga clan is very influential. I wouldn’t want you getting into any trouble. I’m still grateful.” She felt tired all of a sudden. “What would Naruto and Sasuke say when they come back? I’m living here now.”

“They wouldn’t mind, I’m sure. It wouldn’t be very different from when you used to sleep over.”

“You’re right, I’m thinking too much about it.” She closed her eyes. “At least I didn’t cause Himawari-san to move to a different house for my sake.”

“I would have done so without an issue if that was a concern.”

“I know. I like that about you, Himawari-san, you’re very truthful and kind. I wish everyone in my family was that way.”

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 13 — Behind The Mask I

“You know, you shouldn’t be out here so late.” Naruto pushed past the overhanging branches and stepped into a clearing.

It was nearing midnight, there were thick leaves of the surrounding trees disguising the night sky, and had it not been for how dark it was no one would notice the time. 

He could see perfectly fine, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light just fine. He wasn’t so sure if she could make out anything ten feet in front of her though, so he reached out quickly to stop her from tripping over a fallen tree. 

Once she was balanced enough, Sakura covered her chest with a hand, breathing deeply as she squinted to catch a glimpse of his face. “Naruto, what are you doing here?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” He shrugged and sat down on the same tree she would have found herself sprawled over. “You weren’t in the house, so I came out looking for you.”

“You didn’t have to, I’m perfectly okay.” She sat down beside him and brushed her legs and arms. Although she was sure he couldn’t really see her in detail—he could but he wasn’t going to tell her that—she still patted down her hair until it was in place. Her face was covered in dirt and grime, mixed in with her sweat and the tears of frustration that she shed earlier.

“You’re my teammate, Sakura, I have to make sure you’re safe. Besides, there’s still a chance of getting ambushed out here even though it’s been safe for the last couple of weeks. We can’t let our guard down.”

“I know, I’m just…” She shrugged her shoulders, hoping that the silence would finish her sentence. She didn’t know what to say. She had been training and was frustrated with herself and her very little progress. She felt like she should be doing a lot more than she currently was, yet there was no way to change that now that she was away from Konoha. Away from Himawari who she had been thinking about every single time she found herself in the forest alone climbing trees and throwing kunai.

Unlike everyone on her team, she didn’t have much training to fall back on—things for her to work on while she was away. She’s seen Naruto and Sasuke wander off, both with plans on honing whatever skills they had been working on previously, and she was envious. She knew that those skills, that much self awareness to understand what they lacked and to train themselves without a guide, were obtained with the help of the woman. A fool could figure that out.

So she compared her progress with that of her teammates, and felt as if she couldn’t do much. All that was left is to not get in their way. 

If anyone were to ask Sakura what her dream was at the moment, she would once again shrug her shoulders and look off into the distance as she pictured something that seemed unattainable. Forget Sasuke, that was a dream for another time, she wanted to do better. 

Death was going to knock at her door one day, and she knew that she didn’t have the ability to fight it because she was weak compared to everyone else. She had been training, hoping that all the trees she had climbed and the kunai she had thrown was enough to thwart its attempts if it decided to visit her soon. Even she knew, deep down, that that wasn’t enough.

“I want Himawari-san to train me.” She finally admitted, missing out on whatever encouraging words Naruto had for her. She had been caught in her thoughts again, and when she came to, sapphire blue eyes stared at her with so much intensity that it made her feel embarrassed. “I don’t want her to focus on me only, she already has all of you to train—“ She began to ramble, trying to defend herself from whatever accusation Naruto was gearing up to throw at her.

Instead, she was shocked when he laughed. He threw his head back, clutching his sides as his laughter rang through the clearing—not too loud, but definitely not quiet enough since the night critters paused in their music—. 

“You didn’t have to say it, it was very obvious.” His laughter finally died down, the smile on his face never disappeared however as his eyes softened. He propped his cheek up on his raised knee, staring at her still as if he was trying to figure her out.

If she had been the same naive girl who sort of hated his guts prior to actually talking to him a little bit, she would have thought that he was once again crushing on her. There was this feeling swimming in Naruto’s eyes; not love or whatever stupid emotion associated with it, but hope. He had faith in her.

“It was?” She blushed and looked out into the forest, unintentionally moving a few inches away from him as she discreetly gripped her dress.

“I mean, yeah? You stare at her a lot, you sneak away during our missions, whenever someone mentions her name you perk up and listen.” Naruto’s face contorted into a mischievous smile. “You probably have a fat crush on her, too bad she’s nearly forty.”

Flushed, a little annoyed, and absolutely embarrassed at the accusation, Sakura threw a punch at him while seeing stars. She wasn’t so shocked when he dodged it, and she didn’t exactly refute the silent invitation to spar as he threw his own punch. 

“I don’t have a crush!” She finally said as she ducked down under his kick, she knew he was going extremely easy on her so she didn’t complain as he accommodated her speed. 

“Eh, an infatuation then? You like her a lot! You might compete with Hinata for the award too, she absolutely loves Himawari. We should put you three in a room to see which one of you two would fold and stare at Himawari with sparkling eyes.”

“Naruto!”

“Scratch that, Sasuke might win and he won’t even be in the room!” 

Sakura paused in her attack, her arm outstretched to hit him, as he mentioned Sasuke’s name. She dropped her fighting stance and stared at Naruto. “Sasuke really likes her, huh?”

“Yeah, we all do. He just likes her a lot more and I can’t blame him, she was there when he needed her the most, even if he didn’t know it.” 

Sakura looked down at her feet, “can you tell me more about the others, and how they got close with Himawari-san? If that’s okay? You don’t have to! That’s a private thing and I’m not really obligated to know because I’m intruding. Forget what I said—“

“Sure, I can tell you a little bit about everyone’s first encounter with Himawari. Come, sit down and I’ll share. We’d have to go back to the house soon, but I don’t think it would be bad if I spent twenty minutes telling stories.”

Her eyes widened in anticipation as she followed him back to the fallen over tree.

“Oof!” Hinata muttered as she blinked back the sleep in her eyes. Her blanket made it hard for her to see her surroundings well, but she definitely noticed the extra weight currently wrapped around her.

“Wake up, Hinata.” Ino’s voice broke through the static in her ears as she was pulled up and held. “Himawari-san made you some cinnamon rolls—obviously that’s saved for lunch time but she still made them—you definitely don’t want to miss out on it.”

“Ino.” Hinata blinked again, yawning and wiping the stray tear that fell with her blanket. “You’re hurting me a little bit.” Her knee was currently placed on her thigh, digging into her flesh in an uncomfortable manner. 

“Oh, sorry.” She laughed shamefully as she switched to straddling her. She still kept her in her arms, however, with no plans on actually letting her go despite her begging for Hinata to get out of bed. “You’ve been in bed all morning.”

“You wanted to stay up all night.” She fell back against her pillow, wanting desperately to turn to the side and resume her sleep. Having Ino wrap herself around her made doing so extremely hard. 

“Yeah, because for once it was just us two in the house with Himawari-san instead of having Thing One and Thing Two with us.”

“To be fair, Ino, it was their house more than it was ours.”

“So? Now you live here so it makes it your house too! I’m so glad that your stupid old man won’t stop us from having sleepovers anymore. I bet Kurenai-san would be fine with me showing up on her doorstep with a duffle bag ready.”

Hinata couldn’t help but laugh as she took a peek at Ino. She felt her heart skip a beat as she stared into the teal coloured eyes that looked at her with so much joy. She’s never had someone look so happy just to be around her before, and it was still hard to get used to it despite Ino staring at her that way since they became friends.

When Ino’s eyes softened, with a gaze she couldn’t exactly decipher, Hinata’s cheeks turned pink and she kicked her off.

“Ah!” Ino screamed as she hit the soft carpet that did nothing to stop the fall from hurting. Rubbing her butt, she gaped at Hinata who stared at her from the cocoon she had crafted for herself. “What happened?”

“Reflexes?” She stuttered out, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to kick you off.” She covered her face until only her eyes were visible. “Forgive me?”

“I wasn’t mad.” Ino stood up while still rubbing the sore spot on her behind. “I should have gotten off completely instead of trapping you in your bed.” She stretched. “Anyway, breakfast is ready and Himawari-san wanted me to get you. I wanted to have breakfast with you before I went out with my team…”

She flung the sheets off and got out of bed quickly. Slipping on her bedroom slippers, Hinata stood up straight in front of Ino, not minding at all that she was still a head shorter than her. The perfect height to get a forehead kiss from the blond girl—as a friend of course, because they were friends. 

“Why are you still blushing?” Ino tilted her head. When she made eye contact with Hinata, coming face to face with the still flustered girl, she smiled and poked her cheek. “You’re so adorable when you’re blushing.” She squealed. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Let’s go eat breakfast, Ino, I don’t want you to be late for your team meeting.” Hinata stepped away quickly.

“I’m sure Asuma-sensei wouldn’t mind if I was ten minutes late.” She followed her out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. She greeted Himawari again as they settled at the dining table.

“You’re already ten minutes late.” Himawari put down a plate of waffles and fruits down in front of her as she chuckled. 

“No shit?” 

“Language.”

“You’re serious?”

“Very.”

“Oh, I’m so screwed if word gets to my father.” Ino pouted, “I’m so sorry, Hinata, I wanted to stay a little bit longer but—“

“That’s okay, Ino, you should just eat and go. I’ll still be here when you’re done.”

“You’re not meeting your team today?”

Hinata shook her head, “maybe next week? Kurenai-sensei gave me a few more days to settle down completely. I want to train today though.” She turned to Himawari, “can I do some training today?”

“If that’s something you want, then that’s fine by me.” She said as she began washing the dishes. “Any idea what you want to focus on? I don’t want you overexerting yourself.”

“Maybe my target practice? That doesn’t take a lot of effort.”

“Sure.”

Hinata smiled as she began eating her breakfast. “Ino, are you going to stay over tonight again?”

“Of course I am!” The blond girl huffed as she gobbled down her food as fast as she could. She still took her time, Himawari’s lingering gaze made her slow down, but her plate cleared faster than usual. “You won’t get rid of me so easily, ‘Nata, you’re stuck with me forever.”

She giggled.

Hours later, just a little bit past noon, Hinata stood in the backyard with her bow in hand and her quiver strapped to her back. Her hair was braided and clipped out of her face, and her eyebrows were furrowed as she glared at her moving target.

At her own request, Himawari summoned three clones for her to practice with. It had taken a lot of convincing on her end—trying to get Himawari to not worry about her was extremely hard—but she managed to get the woman to comply with her impromptu training.

“Have you used your skills with your team yet?” Himawari asked from where she sat. A book was opened on her lap, and with a quick glance Hinata could see that she was studying poisons and the likes at the moment. Perhaps it was for the upcoming school year. 

“I don’t have the chance to. Beyond using the byakūgan, there’s not much I can do with my arrows.” Hinata answered as she hit one of Himawari’s clones. It was quickly replaced by another.

“I should talk with Kurenai-san then, perhaps having you three do something beyond search missions would do some good.”

“You don’t have to, Himawari-san, I understood the moment I chose the bow as my weapon that I wouldn’t have many chances to use it as a genin.”

“You’ve thought about becoming a chūnin then?”

“Jōnin.” Hinata corrected as she focused again. “I want to be a Hyūga jōnin who’s climbed up the ranks using something other than the Gentle Fist.”

“Good for you, I’m sure you can do it.”

Hinata pursed her lips and nodded, “as long as I keep training I think I can do it too.”

The morning was uneventful for the most part; Naruto and Sakura dragged themselves out of bed and missed breakfast simply because they had spent the previous night once again in the forest. He had decided to accompany her every single time, keeping track of the minutes that went by while also sparring with her when she asked.

Today, they were both exhausted since they had wandered off last night and gotten themselves lost not long after.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this.” Sakura groaned as she stretched. She walked behind Sasuke who followed Kakashi and Tazuna. He didn’t seem to be in a good mood either, but that might have been a personal thing since they were all required to be at the bridge today instead of rotating like usual.

“Nah, it’s fine.” Naruto rubbed his eyes and pulled a small sack out of his pouch. He held out a bunch of coffee sweets, offering her some silently. “They’ll keep you stay alert for a while, and they taste much better than chakra pills.”

“Is it an alternative?” She thanked him and studied the coffee candy before eating one.

“Not really? I’m not exactly sure. Himawari has a bunch of these in her bag and she eats them in the morning before work. They seem to do the job so I stole—I mean, I ‘borrowed’—some.“

“You took something you don’t know the effects of?” Sakura raised her eyebrow, feeling uncertain since she was currently enjoying one. They tasted good, that’s for sure, but if there was a side effect that ruined her day, she was definitely going to try kicking Naruto’s ass during their sparring. 

“I mean, I haven’t exploded yet so…”

“You two are a little bit loud.” Sasuke grumbled as he fell back to match their pace. He would do anything to be away from Kakashi at the moment. Call him petty, but he still had an issue with the whole sharingan thing Kakashi had going on. 

He was hoping to avoid the man like he had been during their entire trip, yet he ended up in this predicament since Kakashi thought it would be great to take them all to the bridge today. Not to mention how the man could clearly tell that Sasuke wasn’t so much of a fan of him, so he went out of his way to call his name or check up on him with that godforsaken crescent smile of his. He can take his check ups and shove it up his—. 

“Sorry.” Sakura apologized immediately. “Seems like we’re all a little tired and miserable today. I hope we can finish things up at the bridge quickly.”

“We’re almost finished!” Tazuna called out, “it’s a good thing that the blond kid can do that trick of his—with the clones—otherwise we would have spent at least five months working on it.”

The three children blinked.

“Five months?” Sakura itched her arm. “I can’t be away from home for five months, my parents would start worrying.”

“Don’t worry, Sakura, I’ve already sent word to the Hokage that the mission’s duration has increased. Your parents would have been notified long before you realized that you’ve been away for so long.” Kakashi waved a lackadaisical around as he dismissed her anxiety.

“Oh.”

“You two don’t seem so concerned, wouldn’t Himawari-san be worried about you as well?” He looked at Sasuke specifically, his gaze lingering on the boy as he ignored the way he glared at him.

“Worried? Sure, but she knows what shinobi do, and she knows that there may be delays on missions. I don’t think she’d be fretting over our whereabouts. Besides, if you notified the Hokage, she must have heard too.” Naruto answered before Sasuke could.

Sasuke pushed his hands into his pockets and pulled his hoodie over his head. He kicked the rocks at his feet and muttered something under his breath as they continued walking.

“Shit.” Naruto huffed after a while, his eyes focused on something to the far right as he stopped walking. “Hey, Kakashi-sensei, I think I forgot something back at the house. I’ll just go get it really quick and I’ll join you guys in a bit.”

Both Sasuke and Sakura looked at him in confusion, which he quickly dismissed as he smiled at them. 

“If this is an excuse to get out of guard duty—“ Kakashi began to say.

“—it’s not, I really did forget something. I’ll be back within a few minutes, I promise.” He turned to leave but was quickly stopped by Sasuke.

“What’s going on?”

Naruto looked up to make sure that the others weren’t listening. Seeing as they decided to continue walking while he spoke to Sasuke, he whispered just in case. “Katana marks on the trees heading in the opposite direction, right back to Tazuna’s house. I think something’s going to happen today. Be careful.”

Sasuke looked at where he was pointing and took notice of the same marks that he hadn’t noticed. Nodding in understanding, he let Naruto go. “Come back alive.”

“Those bastards won’t know what hit them, of course I’m coming back alive.” He grinned.

He watched as Naruto left, lingering in his spot a little bit longer before walking quickly to catch up with Sakura. He didn’t say anything when she raised her eyebrow, but he was alert as they approached the pathway leading to the bridge.

“I just wanted to stay in bed today. I’m so sore.” Sakura complained as they walked to the bridge. “Another fifteen minutes of sleep would have been wonderful but those coffee candies are great.”

“Don’t eat too much of it.” Sasuke muttered, subtly scoping out the area. He wished he had a way to see further, but the thickening mist already told him more than he needed to know. 

“I won’t.” Sakura squinted, “it’s getting hard to see.”

“Rightfully so, we have some guests.” Kakashi announced as they finally made it to the centre of the bridge. Around them were the unconscious bodies of the workers who had been there all morning.

Sasuke frowned as the two figures of Zabuza and the Kiri ANBU finally came into view. He looked at Sakura, Tazuna and at Kakashi, trying his best to figure out how exactly things were supposed to play out. He might not be a pacifist, but it would have been great if they decided to show up at a more convenient time. With Naruto’s absence as well, things were going to be a little bit iffy.

“Sasuke!” Kakashi yelled his name, a call to action.

Had it not been for his pure reflexes, he would have been dismantled in an instant. Ducking as a kick was directed at his head, Sasuke jumped away from Sakura and Tazuna, giving them time to find a better place to stay.

“What the fuck?” He muttered, wondering why exactly he had been put on the spot when he had been assessing the situation at hand. He could have figured out a way to get Tazuna away from the bridge, thereby saving their client, while they dealt with Zabuza and co in wait for Naruto's arrival. 

“Your sensei seems to have a lot of faith in you.” The masked shinobi said as they locked arms with him. “You’re fast as well.”

“Kakashi!” Sasuke growled, catching the man off guard while he fought with Zabuza. 

He couldn’t believe this. 

He couldn’t believe him.

Sasuke wasn’t the fighter on their team; sure, he was great at taijūtsu and could hold his own fairly well because he’s trained for this, but he wasn’t the one to run into the fights. That was Naruto’s expertise. For Kakashi to throw him into the pit despite knowing that—who knows, maybe he didn’t know that since he barely paid attention to his team—it made him frustrated. 

If he didn’t know how to fight, his opponent would have killed him at this point.

Twisting his body, resting his hand on the concrete to balance, Sasuke flipped them over and kicked the Kiri ANBU away.

“Haku, stop playing around and finish the boy!” Zabuza yelled as he blocked an attack from Kakashi.

“Sorry, Zabuza-san.” Haku apologized quickly just as he threw himself back at Sasuke. He didn’t give him much time to counter his erratic yet fluid approach, blocking off every attack as Sasuke’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration. “You’re letting your emotions get to you, Sasuke-san.”

He pulled out a kunai and stabbed it harshly through Haku’s body. When it erupted in a burst of water, he jumped back quickly and got ready for another attack. He hated the focus on his emotions; he barely felt them as it is, for someone to say that he was letting them get to him when he didn’t even know how he felt in the first place was really grinding his gears.

Alright, he was definitely angry. 

Sasuke threw his elbow back as Haku appeared behind him. Using the sudden burst of energy, he sent a roundhouse kick at Haku’s head and felt proud when it made contact with him instead of a replacement clone. He huffed and looked back to make sure that Sakura was far enough away, he was about to signal her to move further in case things got out of hand when Haku caught his attention again.

“Unfortunately, I can’t admire your strength here, I must finish this and kill the bridge builder.” 

Large ice mirrors appeared around Sasuke, towering over him until they formed a dome. His eyes widened in mute fascination and worry when Haku melted into the ice and appeared in every single mirror.

“You won’t be able to escape, Sasuke-san, so it would be great if you just let me finish you off.”

He took out a kunai, ready for whatever it was that Haku had planned. 

Haku’s scoff echoed all around him before absolute pain spread across his body. Sasuke was frozen in place as time flashed before his eyes. One moment he was staring at one of the many Haku reflections, and the next his body had been pierced by multiple senbon needles before he could lift his hands to protect himself.

He wasn’t sure if he had cried out; if he yelled and shouted for help as his skin was pierced. He wouldn’t be sure for a while as he was only allowed a moment to realize what was happening before he was attacked again.

Frightfully going through familiar hand signs, he blew out his biggest fireball in hopes of the ice melting. To his surprise, and genuine worry, the ice did not budge and Haku stood there with his blank mask taunting him.

He knew things would get worse when he noticed the blood that dripped down his arms. His own blood that he had promised himself to never see again.

Sakura felt stuck.

As she watched Kakashi fight off Zabuza, and Sasuke hold off Haku while looking as if he was physically sick and trying to find a way out of his predicament, she felt as if she should be doing something.

Standing in front of Tazuna wasn’t helping anybody, and that became clear when giant, ice mirrors formed around Sasuke. She felt her stomach drop to the floor, watching in mute horror as Sasuke crumbled and screamed.

She’s never heard him scream before. Even when she witnessed his erratic behaviour after having a nightmare, or how he raised his voice in annoyance whenever Kakashi did something to push his buttons, she’s never heard Sasuke scream in so much pain.

She understood why when she caught a glimpse of his body; covered in needles and dripping blood. Blood that she knew he didn’t like the sight of. It was hard to discern if his screams were because of the pain or the absolute sickening sight of the red fluid that flowed out of each wound the needle left. 

Before long, Sakura found herself standing outside of the mirrors. She didn’t know when she moved—when she left Tazuna wide open with a kunai in his hand—and she wasn’t sure why she was there to begin with.

“Sakura! Get back to your position!” Kakashi shouted at her. He made a clone quickly to cover Tazuna, yet it barely made it to the poor man before Zabuza cut it down.

“Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke is in trouble!” She yelled, taking a kunai out and strapping an explosive tag onto it. 

“Sasuke will be alright.”

No he wouldn’t. 

She could see that he wouldn’t; not with the way he crouched down while holding himself. Not with how he gripped his head with his hands shaking as blood flooded his vision. Haku’s attack on him didn’t stop either, so she knew Sasuke would not be as okay as Kakashi says.

“No!” She yelled, and threw the kunai at one of the mirrors. She watched in disappointment as Haku slipped out of his position to catch the explosive kunai and threw it over the side of the bridge where it promptly exploded.

“Sakura! Get back to Tazuna. You will do nothing but get in Sasuke’s way and put him in danger. You can’t do anything.” Kakashi yelled again.

She froze as tears welled in her eyes. She clenched her fists and resumed her position in front of Tazuna. Her shoulders shook as she listened to Sasuke scream, Kakashi’s words echoing in her ears.

She knew he was right.

She knew that she was too weak, too much of a burden to be of any help to her teammates if they were to be in danger. She’s told herself those exact words multiple times, yet hearing it from her sensei made her heart ache. Hearing that she was useless, that she would simply cause her teammates to trip over their own feet if she intervened, made her angry.

Tazuna’s hand that was placed on her shoulder was shrugged off as Sakura cried angrily. She glared at the ice mirrors—she glared at Haku, at Zabuza and at Kakashi. If she could, she would have glared at herself as the word ‘useless’ rang through her ears.

She’d change.

She would make sure that she would find something to do on the field, a way to help her teammates and herself. She would make sure that Sasuke never has to see her bleed again, and Naruto no longer has to stare at her with worry.

She’d be a strong kunoichi for Team Seven, with or without her sensei’s help.

Chapter Text

Act 3: Scene 14 — Behind The Mask II

Sasuke huffed as he sat there on his knees, his arms placed on his lap as his eyes focused on the amount of blood he was losing. He didn’t know how long he'd been sitting there, or how long ago he had stopped screaming. His throat was sore, he could barely mutter a word, and his head began to hurt.

The pain of senbon needles entering his fragile skin had settled into a dull throb every attack. He couldn’t help but think that that was his punishment for surviving all those years ago. Itachi wouldn’t be the one to kill him off, a random stranger had decided to do it for him.

It’s been so long since he’s thought about his brother so negatively; wishing that he had come back to finish the job. He’s never felt a craving so strong, yearning for the arms of death to encapsulate him, because then the pain would stop.

It seemed as though Haku felt some pity as he watched Sasuke give up. His speed slowed down, his attacks became more sparse as if he was waiting to see what the boy had been up to. When Sasuke raised his head, noticing that it had been thirty seconds since he was allowed to actually breathe, Haku couldn’t help but gasp.

Ruby red eyes, two black tomoe in his right iris and one in his left, flickered in and out of existence as if it wasn’t sure whether or not it needed to be activated. 

A loud noise caused Haku to resume his attacks, his weariness increasing as Sasuke’s head turned every which way to follow him. Haku recognized those eyes, not out of familiarity, but the stories he’s heard about them. Kakashi too had the same eye in his socket, yet nothing came close to seeing an Uchiha wield the sharingan.

He questioned why Sasuke had yet to notice his eyes, his newly obtained ability after being brought to his lowest. Why didn’t the boy defend himself? 

Sasuke attempted to move some of the senbon needles out of his arm, using what little knowledge he knew about the weapon to avoid hurting himself further. Nudging one caused electricity to shoot up his arm, and pulling it out completely made him feel weak.

“I’d advise against that.” Haku’s voice echoed around him. “You can paralyze yourself if you’re not careful.”

He didn’t answer him as he focused on another senbon needle. If he could get them out then he could patch up his arm and he wouldn’t have to see how much blood he was losing anymore. He knew that the aftermath would be worse, his mind was already gearing up to throw him into a flashback. The past crept up his spine and brushed against the nape of his head, its cold fingers taunting him as he tried to even out his breathing.

He needed to get away from Haku, and possibly away from the battlefield in general. He would—could—be a danger to both himself and his teammates. The last thing he needed was to be a liability. His thoughts quickly shifted to Kakashi as he pulled a few more needles out of his body—why Haku hadn't taken the time to attack him again was unknown—his barely contained annoyance made him shake.

He wouldn’t be here in the first place had Kakashi given him a heads up instead of throwing him to a pack of wolves. Sure, the shinobi world was filled with unexpected hassles that one could never predict, but this situation would have been avoided if Kakashi chose to make an escape instead of fighting for once.

He’s done it before, engaging with Zabuza at the risk of his team’s life, and he was doing it again. How easy could it have been if the jōnin scouted the area and noticed the inconsistencies in the weather around them. Mist that had been thicker, air that felt stifling, and hidden bloodlust that any hound could have sniffed out. 

Inconsiderate or not, Kakashi had once again led his team into a fight knowing that he had not prepared them personally to face Zabuza and his lackey. A simple chakra exercise was not going to close the gap between Team Seven and Haku. 

Sasuke looked through the crack of the mirrors, staring at Sakura and Tazuna who switched between watching him and Kakashi. He wondered why Kakashi had yet to tell them to run and find Naruto. Why were they standing there in the open, mere metres away from a gruesome battle of S-Rank shinobi, where they could get hurt? Surely he didn’t think Sakura was enough to protect Tazuna currently? One wrong move and the old man, and the poor girl, would be dead.

Sasuke could see it now; Zabuza’s giant cleaver being thrown over the head of Kakashi, making it to Tazuna long before anyone could stop it. Imbedding itself in the man’s stomach, and with it, the frightened face of his teammate. One wrong move and Sasuke could witness another death that would send him spiraling because he couldn’t do anything.

“Sasuke.” A pair of hands caught his attention through his peripherals.

His eyes widened with some relief as he followed them to see blond hair and bright blue eyes smiling at him. Naruto stood on the other side of the mirrors, using Haku’s moment of hesitation to his advantage as he got Sasuke’s attention.

“Are you okay?” He signed, concern swimming in his eyes as he noticed the blood that surrounded Sasuke, as well as the needles he had pulled out. Those were going to leave really bad marks when they heal.

Sasuke inclined his head a little bit, an answer between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ as he slouches his shoulders. He was tired, and his head was filled with static. He couldn’t get out of the dome either, he tried during his fit of madness; running every which way only to be pulled back in.

“I’ll get you out.” Naruto pursed his lip and took a step back to observe the mirrors. Taking a glance at Sakura, he huffed before running towards her. “Yo.”

“You’re back!” She hadn’t noticed him while she was worrying. The relief that washed over her made her eyes water. Clasping her hands against her chest, Sakura looked over Naruto and back at the ice mirrors. “What took you so long?”

“There were some bandits heading over to Tsunami and Inari, I had to take care of them really quickly. Beyond that, I think I’m going to need your help.”

She perked up a little bit, “with what?”

“Have you tried to do anything with those mirrors? Maybe attacking it from the outside?”

“I have, he just stepped out of it and stopped my attack. Fire doesn’t work either, Sasuke tried with his jūtsu. I don’t know what else we can do, it seems like he knows what’s happening outside while keeping enough tabs on Sasuke to keep him in there.”

Naruto placed his finger on his chin, his eyebrows furrowed as he continued to study Haku’s ice. “That’s not a regular ability, is it?”

“No, it’s a rare bloodline limit.”

“No wonder fire doesn’t work.” He pulled a scroll out of his pockets, and summoned a few sheets of explosive tags. 

“I’ve tried that already.” Sakura frowned.

“Alone.” He winked. “I need you to form a distraction, don’t worry, I’ll have clones do it with you. Place one of these on the mirrors you can reach and on the ground. I doubt he could stop all of my clones at once without betraying his position. It’s either he protects himself or he takes the damage just to keep Sasuke from escaping.”

Sakura held the stack of tags in her hand, their weight suddenly tripling as she realized she was once again needed to do something. Her thoughts went back to their teamwork mission where she had betrayed their plan, she didn’t want to make that mistake again. Giving him a firm nod, she watched as Naruto created a few clones and transformed them all into her.

“The moment things go south, they’ll cover you and allow you to return back here with Tazuna.” He studied Sakura well, a frown on his face as he turned to look at Kakashi’s fight and Sasuke’s stalemate. “Listen, I want you to be ready to run with that old man if all three of us get incapacitated. You need to protect our client. I know you think you’re not strong enough to do that, but you have to find that strength to make sure that our mission is completed.”

“You’re not going to leave me, right? Will you come back safe?”

“I can’t make promises, not out here on the battlefield, so prepare for the worse. What I will do is make sure that you get somewhere safe if push comes to shove. Do you hear me, Sakura?”

She bit her lip as she nodded. 

“Good, let’s get Sasuke out of there.” He gave her a thumbs up as a small signal to begin.

Masking herself using Naruto’s clones as a shield, Sakura felt her heart racing and blood pumping all the way to her fingertips. She pushed chakra into her feet once she got near the mirrors, somewhat grateful that she’s gotten confident in doing the simple action without pausing. 

Jumping as high as she could, genuinely shocked that she could do such a thing, she slapped three explosive tags on the highest mirror she could reach. The clones around her did the same.

It didn’t take very long for Haku to realize what was going on. He quickly sent senbon needles at the clones, yet they never seemed to stop as Naruto kept forming more to transform them into an exact replica of Sakura.

When her legs began to hurt, Sakura settled back down on the bridge to cover the ground with the remaining tags. She narrowly dodged a needle directed at her, a clone quickly took her place to stop Haku from noticing that she was the real one.

“Now!” Naruto yelled.

Jumping back a few feet, Sakura covered her ears as Naruto ignited the explosive tags. One by one, causing a chain reaction, they exploded loudly. She watched in anticipation, waiting to see if a mirror or two had been completely crushed.

Stumbling out of the smoke was a disoriented Haku whose focus zeroed in on her. Sakura felt her body freeze as coldness ran up her spine. She wanted to move, she yelled at her legs to move as Haku ran towards her. She couldn’t reach for a kunai either. 

“Leave her alone!” Naruto yelled as he jumped in front of her to kick Haku away. “Sakura, go! Move, now!”

She blinked. Then again before his orders registered in her head. She knew that he was telling her to take Tazuna and go. She didn’t want to leave him there to fight Haku alone, but she knew that there wasn’t much that she could do.

“Come on.” She whispered as she ran to Tazuna and grabbed him harshly. “Follow me, quietly.” She looked back at Naruto only to see him get grabbed and thrown into the same ice dome that Sasuke was in. Haku’s face melting into the final mirror made her heart sink.

Naruto felt his collar get grabbed as he watched Sakura make an escape. The grip on his clothes, along with the harsh tug, nearly cut off his airway as he was dragged. Even when he dug his foot into the ground with chakra, forming small pits under his heels, he was picked up easily and thrown.

Groaning when his body hit the hard concrete, he got up and looked around only to see Sasuke staring at him in fear.

“No, you’re not supposed to be in here.” He scrambled up to stand, a newfound strength giving him a burst of energy as he gripped Naruto’s shoulders to keep himself balanced. “You’re not supposed to be in here!” He yelled, his eyes widening as they watered. Again, his vision blurred and cleared itself up in intervals.

“Sasuke…” Naruto wanted to point out the sharingan that faded in and out of existence. He wanted to tell his friend that he needed to calm down because of the change happening to his ocular pathways. Surely deactivating and reactivating the sharingan in three second intervals was not a good thing. “Sasuke, calm down.”

“You’re going to get hurt.” He croaked out. “You were supposed to run before he got to you. You should have listened to me. I don’t want you to die with me.”

“I’m not going to—“

“You need to go!” He pushed him back harshly, yet it did nothing but cause Haku to kick Naruto back into his place. 

“We can figure something out! I’m sure we can get out of—“

Their short conversation was interrupted as Haku sped past them while throwing his needles. Naruto cried out when the sharp objects embedded themselves into his skin, ripping apart his clothes as they scratched him all over. The cold temperatures that radiated from the ice did nothing to soothe his newly obtained injuries.

Sasuke did nothing except wince as he too was attacked. He glared at the mirror in front of him, waiting and watching as Haku moved. He didn’t understand why things were so clear, and he didn’t linger on it for very long. He wasn’t the only one stuck with Haku at the moment, and he sure as hell wasn’t worried about himself. 

By the third wave of Haku’s attack, influenced by his irritation at having his mirrors messed with, Naruto was down to one knee while Sasuke swayed. He knew that he couldn’t last very long, the only reason he had remained standing was so that he could cover Naruto.

Yes, he was noticing that the needles flew in a sporadic manner. He was also noticing the after image of Haku that lingered between his attacks—whether it was the hem of his pants or his ribbon, Sasuke could see it. 

During the fourth wave, he finally built up enough strength again to summon another flame. Sasuke watched and waited as he panted, trying to catch a glimpse of Haku again. His vision zeroed in on the burnt pant leg and he felt somewhat more confident.

“This is fake.” He straightened up as he looked at every mirror. “There’s not more of you—” He made eye contact with each Haku he could see. “—you’re just moving too fast for anyone to see.”

Haku didn’t respond, but the tilt of his head was enough for Sasuke to tell that he was right. The issue wasn’t that there was only one Haku causing so much damage, it was that despite there being only one of him, Sasuke couldn’t escape.

He couldn’t get Naruto out of there because he wasn’t fast enough to counter Haku. 

“Naruto?” Sasuke called out, trying to get the blond boy’s attention in hopes of formulating a plan. He had something else to focus on for a change, and he was going to use it as a crutch to make it out. 

When Naruto didn’t respond, Sasuke turned around to find him sprawled out on the cold concrete, his chest rising and falling slowly as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

“Naruto?” Sasuke took a step closer to him, his hand outstretched. All he could see was the blond’s dead body; his skin turning a sickly gray before disappearing into a pile of bones. 

Naruto turned his head to look at him with a smile, “sorry, it just hurts all over. I’m not healing fast enough.” He raised his hand slowly to show that the senbon needles were stopping his wounds from closing. Unlike Sasuke, he wasn’t very comfortable with pulling them out. 

“I thought—“ Sasuke caught a glimpse of Haku moving before the needles came. He noticed their trajectory and felt his legs move before his mind could fully register what was happening.

“Sasuke?” Naruto sat up quickly. He caught Sasuke’s body as he fell forward. “Sasuke, hey? Are you alright?”

Sasuke blinked, he felt his chest grow warm before he coughed up blood. He could see Naruto’s sapphire blue eyes staring at him, yet the words he wanted to say, to reassure him, were choked down by his own blood. 

“Hey! Stay with me, Sasuke.” Naruto patted his cheek, “you didn’t have to protect me. You didn’t have to take the hit for me, I was going to be fine.”

Sasuke laughed, only for it to come out in a cough as he listened to Naruto lose his mind. It was okay, he was going to meet his Momma and that was alright. “I said that I didn’t want you to die with me.” He finally managed to speak, his head rolling to the side to take a good look at Naruto. “If one of us was going to make it out of here, it would have to be you. You can comfort Momma.”

“Sasuke, no, you’re not going to die! You’re not.” His hand hovered over his chest, shaking as he tried to figure out what to do. Sasuke was the one with the medical knowledge, Naruto couldn’t even wrap gauze around his arm properly! His voice broke as he listened to Sasuke heave. “You said that you wanted to meet your brother, Sasuke, you can’t die here.”

“You’re such an idiot.” He remembered all the times Naruto got himself hurt. “I just moved, ya’know?” All the moments where he would sneak into his bed to bother him at night. “It happened so quickly.” When he cried and laughed. “I didn’t want you to feel any more pain.” When he called him names and shouted at him. “I just wanted to save you because you mean a lot to everyone…to me…” 

“Shut up.”

“You have to live, Naruto.”

“Shut up, Sasuke.”

“Tell Himawari that I’m sorry.”

“You’re going to tell her that yourself.”

He smiled.

“Did he mean a lot to you?” Haku’s voice broke through the silence that followed once Sasuke’s chest stopped moving. “Are you angry?”

Naruto pulled Sasuke closer, crying into the crook of his neck as he thought about their stupid little fights. If he knew that he was going to lose him so quickly, he wouldn’t have pushed his buttons so often.

“Will you kill me?”

Red chakra leaked out of his body as he continued to rock Sasuke’s body back and forth. It enveloped him, pushing the needles out of his body as he cried. 

“What is this?”

Naruto faced Haku just as he began to approach him. His eyes were red, his pupil turned feline-like as his canines were elongated. He laid Sasuke down carefully, and dropped down on all fours as he hovered over him.

Haku took a step back, fear dictating his moves as he watched Naruto. He knew he was in danger when killing intent got a hold of him. When he tried to slip onto his mirror again, his wrist was grabbed and his body was pulled.

A fist made contact with his cheek, its force pushing him through one of his mirrors causing it to break instantly. Ducking and rolling, Haku wasn’t allowed any spare time to gather his bearings before Naruto was in his face again.

He brought his arms up to block a barrage of attacks, its speed and unpredictability making it hard to throw in his own. With the illusion of an opening, Haku formed a hand sign in hopes of gathering the remainder of the water on the bridge to create ice needles. Before he could send them at an erratic Naruto, he was once again grabbed and thrown over the side of the bridge.

Crashing into the water, pain rippled across his skin as he felt his insides get crushed. The disturbed water surface notified him that Naruto had followed soon after, his own goal to avenge his teammate and friend, even if it ended with the boy’s death. 

Haku allowed himself to be pulled out of the water, and used the moment to kick his legs out. Making some space between himself and the animalistic figure, he tried to catch his breath while thinking of a way to make it back to the bridge. 

It seemed as though Naruto was never going to give him time to think or do anything. Ten seconds was the most he could get as he observed his surroundings. Infinite water meant infinite ice needles yet he could barely use it to his advantage as Naruto once again engaged in a taijūtsu battle.

Taijūtsu wasn’t Haku’s specialty, although he was good at it, Naruto’s raw strength made it hard for him to counter his attacks without risking an injury. His wrist was promptly broken when Naruto realized that he was trying to form some more ice mirrors around him as protection.

“You killed him.” He finally growled out as he grabbed Haku’s face and slammed it into his knee. “You killed my friend.”

The mask cracked just as the smell of lightning filled the air. Haku knew that he wouldn’t be able to move anytime soon.

“I’m going to kill you.” Naruto kicked him high into the sky before appearing above him and hitting back down into the water.

Haku felt a part of him shatter as he plunged into the water. Something told him that things weren’t going to turn out too great for his mentor. He was shocked when he was pulled back out of the water instead of being left to drown. A fist was poised at his face, ready to hit him again. Brown eyes studied the tattered black sleeves that covered the arms of the blond boy. Sapphire blue eyes stared back at him, filled with tears as blood dripped from his nose.

“Why?”

“I was asked to.” Haku admitted.

Naruto punched him and picked him up again. “You saw him, you spoke to all of us, but you did not hesitate to kill him.”

He didn’t say anything.

Naruto let him go. 

“He isn’t dead.” He whispered.

“What?”

“I did not kill him.” He cried, his heart breaking. He could smell the lightning fading, and his mentor’s blood. He knew that his purpose had been unfulfilled. He failed to do his mission and protect his mentor. He couldn’t kill anyone. 

Naruto’s eyes widened, then narrowed. 

“Zabuza-san.” Haku clenched his fist and began hitting his chest as he cried. “I’m a coward—a failure. I’m nothing.”

Naruto looked up at the sky, then at the bridge. “Come.” He didn’t allow Haku to protest as he grabbed him by his broken wrist, being careful as he pulled him towards shore. Throwing the boy over his shoulders with a grunt, Naruto was silent as he walked back towards the bridge.

The imagery that greeted him wasn’t so great; Zabuza stood there with a family of hounds biting into his flesh, a large hole where his heart should be. Sakura had managed to make it back to the bridge as well, with Tazuna standing right behind her as she held Sasuke.

When Naruto made himself known, dropping a catatonic Haku onto the ground, Sakura quickly got up to hug him.

“I thought you were gone.” She cried, pulling him closer as she clung to him. “I don’t know how to help, I don’t know what to do. He’s…He’s hurt and I can’t do anything. His breathing is shallow.”

That was enough for Naruto’s shoulders to relax as he hugged her back. She didn’t know that Sasuke hadn’t been breathing the last time he held him, and he was glad that she didn’t think that he was dead unlike him. 

“It’s going to be alright.” Naruto whispered, more so to himself as he stared at Sasuke’s moving chest. He felt his ears ring as he remembered the amount of anger and pain he felt when he thought that he had died. There was another emotion there, something akin to the feeling of being alone and hurt. He didn’t know how to explain it but it scared him. 

“I’m sorry.” Haku croaked out, his broken wrists resting on his lap as he stared at Sasuke.

Sakura let Naruto go and approached the boy. Instantly recognizing him, she frowned yet didn’t stop herself from slapping him across the face. She didn’t say anything, there was nothing much to say, yet the feeling of betrayal filled the air.

“Seems like everyone is having a hard time.” A new voice entered the field, distracting everyone from what they had been doing. It was a short man, surrounded by a few bandits who grinned at them. “It’s a good thing that that demon is dead. Unfortunately, his stupid brat is still alive.” He looked at Haku.

“Gatō.” Haku muttered and stood up. He shrugged Naruto off as he approached the man and his lackeys. 

“Coming to grovel at my feet?” Gatō closed the distance between them. “That old man isn’t here to protect you anymore.” He reached out to touch Haku’s waist but was stopped when Sakura gripped his hand.

“Get your hands off of him, you dirty old pig.”

“Why you—“ He was kicked away before he could raise his hand to hit Sakura.

Haku stood in front of her, his eyes narrowed. “I no longer want to do business with you now that Zabuza-san is dead.”

“You’re under contract!”

“Not anymore.” He winced as he formed a singular hand sign and a giant icicle formed. It whizzed past his head and straight into Gatō's chest thereby killing him. 

Sakura looked at Haku in amazement, shocked that he had protected her. When he smiled, she felt her cheeks get warm.

“Does that mean you’re on their side now?” One of the many bandits questioned.

Haku looked back at the team, and his mentor’s dead body. He shrugged. “I don’t have a purpose anymore.” He felt his heart ache as he acknowledged his predicament. “I don’t mind dying today.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Naruto shook his head, “you need to help Sasuke.” 

He stared at the boy, realizing how serious he was being, then nodded. “Fine.”

“Then it’s free reign to kill you people!” Another bandit called out. It was soon followed by some cheers as they began to approach the small team.

“Not on our watch!” An arrow was shot into the air and landed just a few ways away from them. The culprit was none other than Inari who stood there with the residents of the village backing him up. “We will defend our home!”

Naruto smiled and formed a multitude of clones. “They’re not the only ones either.”

Kakashi, who had been taking care of Zabuza’s body with plans to bury it, placed his hands on Sakura’s shoulders as he joined his team again. “I still have a little bit of chakra in me.” A few more clones appeared at his side.

The bandits watched in horror as the small crowd increased until half of the bridge was overrun by clones and villagers. They slowly backed off before running away as Naruto playfully turned his clones into some lions.

A quiet groan caught Team Seven’s attention soon after, Sasuke’s grumbling making them drop everything as they approached him. He barely had time to register that he was awake before Naruto’s arms were wrapped around him followed by a hesitant Sakura.

“I told you that you were going to tell Himawari that you’re sorry.” Naruto whispered, yet his tough act didn’t last long as tears of solace poured down his face.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Sakura said. She was quick to let Sasuke go, knowing that, unlike Naruto, she wasn’t close enough with him for her to hug him for so long. She watched her teammates with a smile on her face.

Far away, Haku picked up Zabuza’s cleaver and held it in his hand. Taking out a scroll, he sealed it away and stared at the pool of blood that he knew belonged to his mentor. He bowed his head, shame filling him once again at the thought of not fulfilling his purpose.

“Do you want to come back with us?” Naruto’s voice broke his moment of silence. “You don’t have anywhere to go, do you? Sakura said that things aren’t so great in Kiri for those with bloodline limits.”

“Why would I? I attacked Konoha shinobi and nearly killed one of your own.”

“You were under orders.”

“I don’t see why you want me to follow you.”

“Because you’re like Sasuke.”

Haku glanced at him.

“If Sasuke had been taken in by a missing shinobi, groomed into being a weapon for their sake, I would still show him compassion even if he didn’t have my full trust.” Naruto frowned. “I’m not saying that Konoha will accept you like I would, my team is conflicted with your existence, but I think leaving you out here where someone else will take advantage of you wouldn’t be a good idea. I know someone who can be a great mentor for you, without the whole ‘purpose’ thing.”

“Kakashi-san?”

“Nope.” He smiled. “I think it would be great to introduce you to a woman called ‘Himawari’.”

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 1 — Snow Flower

Himawari didn’t know what to expect when she opened her door that afternoon, but it definitely wasn’t to see Naruto and Sasuke standing there with clothes she knew didn’t belong to them. That and a nervous, beautiful girl who kept biting her lip and looking away whenever they made eye contact.

“We’re home!” Naruto grinned as he held his arms open in hopes of getting a hug. “We’ve been gone for nearly a month and we came back with a guest, which I’m sure you’re going to like. Haku, come on, introduce yourself.”

Haku, who froze at Naruto’s slight nudge, shuffled forward and bowed. “I’m sorry for intruding, Naruto-san insisted that I meet you.”

“I…” Himawari’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at all of them. She half expected Sakura to pop out as well, but it seemed as though the young girl had decided to meet with her parents first after spending so long away from home. “Come on in.” She stepped out of the way and motioned for the children to enter.

Naruto was quick to lead Haku inside the house, talking excitedly as he offered him a pair of house slippers. He didn’t take long to drag the poor boy out of the foyer and towards the bedrooms. It was then that Himawari took notice of the extra bag Naruto held.

“That’s a boy, just so you’re aware.” Sasuke informed her as he also changed into his house slippers. 

“Oh! I thought—“

“We all did.”

“May I ask why he’s here then? Surely he’s not just a friend you met out on the mission.”

“Naruto offered him a place to stay after his mentor died. It’s hard to explain; he tried to kill me, and should really see the Hokage before he settles down.” He said it so nonchalantly as he placed his bag on the table to begin unpacking his laundry and supplies. He frowned when he pulled out his ripped up sweater, and promptly threw it out after coming to terms with the fact that he couldn’t salvage it.

“I’m sorry, he tried to do what?” Himawari blinked several times. “What happened on your mission, Sasuke, and why did you both bring home someone who is clearly dangerous?”

“It’s a little complicated.” He frowned as he sat down and motioned for her to do the same so he could recount how the mission went. “He’s only a year or two older than us, his family had been killed, a missing ninja from Kiri took him in and he was following orders. He has this sort of distorted view of the world, thinking that he’s only here to serve someone as a weapon, so bear with him a little bit? That's why he’s here, Naruto managed to convince him that you can help.”

Himawari couldn’t believe her ears as Sasuke went into more detail about his mission. There were things he was obviously omitting, especially when it came to Kakashi, but what he did share made her feel conflicted. Especially in regards to Haku. It didn’t seem as though Sasuke had any bad blood with the boy despite the murder attempt, and perhaps they dealt with it on their trip back home, but it was hard to wrap her head around it.

“I just gave Haku a tour of the house!” Naruto announced as he entered the dining area again. 

Haku still followed behind him like a lost puppy, his eyes wide as he studied every decoration and plant he came across. He seemed anxious as it was, which was expected since he was in a new place.

“Naruto, I’m going to have to talk to you later.” Himawari announced as she looked at Haku again. “You two need to do your laundry and get cleaned while I talk with Haku for a second.” She smiled at the boy, trying to calm his nerves.

Naruto and Sasuke excused themselves, exchanging some looks with each other as they left Haku alone. The taller boy watched them leave, getting increasingly more anxious as the seconds passed.

“You can take a seat, Haku.” She motioned to the chair across from her. “Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat, or drink?”

“I’m alright, Himawari-san.” He crossed his hands on his lap as he raised his shoulders to cover his ears a little bit. “I’m sorry again.”

“That’s okay.” Himawari bit her lip. “Sasuke tells me that you haven’t met with our Hokage yet since your predicament is a little…complicated?”

He shook his head, “Team Seven offered to accompany me when I’m ready. I’m not quite sure how to go about anything.” He hasn’t done anything for himself all his life—all his needs were taken care of by Zabuza and he didn’t bother familiarizing himself with life as a whole having come to the conclusion that he would die for his mentor—so settling down in a village he wasn’t familiar with was going to be daunting.

“I see…Are you alright with staying in Konoha then? Are you looking to become a shinobi as well?”

He shook his head at the shinobi question. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go, Himawari-san. I thought I would die on my mission but…I can’t go back to Kiri knowing that there are people there who would rather kill me than open their homes to my kind.”

Himawari frowned at his answer, “alright.” She nodded in understanding. “I have two spare rooms available; you can stay in one of them while you get yourself situated. If the Hokage decides that Konoha cannot house you, then I can’t do very much beyond providing you with some things for your travels. I don’t think it’s likely that he would say ‘no’, however, I would advise that you keep your bloodline limit a secret.”

Haku perked up at her suggestion.

“If you do not plan on being a shinobi, it would be a good idea to keep that to yourself. Although Konoha’s reputation is very…accepting, I do not want you to feel pressured to utilize your abilities for the sake of this village unless you want to.”

He understood her underlying message. Kiri may be more dangerous, but Konoha can also be a threat if they decide to take him for advantage. “Thank you for your hospitality.” He bowed his head.

“Do you have enough clothes for the week?”

He frowned, “I’ve been sharing clothes with Naruto.” The entire trip back was spent swapping clothes with the boy while he waited for his kimono to dry every time he decided to wash it. 

“I’ll check the storage for some clothes, and I’ll get the room ready.” She stood up, “just make yourself comfortable. If Naruto and Sasuke trust you, I don’t see why I have to be weary.”

She excused herself, leaving him sitting at the table as she made her way to the boys’ bedroom. She supposed she also had something to tell them, specifically about Hinata who was currently away for training with her team. She’d be returning when she was finished.

Naruto was sprawled out on his bed while Sasuke dried his hair in front of the mirror while examining his healing injuries. They both looked up when she entered, well, Naruto did while Sasuke continued to get himself ready.

“Care to explain to me why you thought bringing a stranger to my house was a good idea? I know your intentions were pure, but it would have been wonderful if I received some word prior to your arrival.” She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “I’m not mad, by the way, I’m just trying to understand why you decided to do that without notifying me.”

Naruto itched his cheek while looking away. “I admit that that was irresponsible of me, I didn’t take into consideration that you weren’t exactly ready to have another kid under your belt. I just couldn’t leave him out there because he reminded me so much of myself and Sasuke. I assumed that you’d be alright with it since you accepted us, and I knew Haku needed someone like you in his life. I apologize for not telling you before we came, it slipped my mind.”

Himawari rubbed her forehead and sighed. “I’m going to help him settle down and get his speech ready for the Hokage before you decide to take him there. You’re taking full responsibility for his actions until he’s completely situated in Konoha. Do you understand?”

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Lunch will be heated up and on the table when you both are ready. I’ll be in the storage house if you need me.”

Naruto waited until the door closed behind her before he turned to Sasuke. “I fucked up, huh?”

“Not really, it could have been worse.” He shrugged as he carefully cleaned his piercings. He looked at Naruto through the mirror while the blond boy laid down with his eyes closed. Sasuke thought back to their trip home and how awkward it was between the two of them and frowned.

There was something happening and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

“I’ll see what Haku is up to.” Naruto mumbled as he got out of bed. “I might as well take him around the village. I’ll see you later.”

She was busy at the market, gathering things to make dinner now that she had more mouths to feed, when she spotted a mop of pink hair amongst the crowds. Craning her neck slightly, Himawari smiled when Sakura took notice of her.

“Himawari-san!” Sakura waved brightly as she rushed towards her. Her eyes sparkled and a smile blossomed on her face as her cheeks turned pink. “I was just on my way to your house since I wanted to talk to you about something. I’m glad I caught you here instead, I wasn’t sure if you were busy or not.”

Shouldering her bag as she motioned for Sakura to follow her into one of the many grocery stores, she hummed. “Oh, what can I help you with? I was just getting some things for later.”

“Right, you must have met Haku. I tried telling Naruto that it might not have been a good idea to bring him along just yet but he never listens to me.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I wanted to, erm, speak to you about possibly helping me out again?”

“Hm? With your diet? Did something happen on your mission?”

She shook her head as she peeked over her shoulder to also check out the raw meats Himawari was poking at. “No, I was eating pretty well I think. We went foraging, Naruto, Sasuke and I, so it was fun to eat the things we found. There were some times where I didn’t eat at all but I don’t think it’s set me back too much.”

“That’s good, I’m proud of you.” Himawari smiled at her and ruffled her hair as she placed a few trays of beef into her basket. 

Preening at the praise, Sakura’s blush never left her face as she followed her around while mentally taking notes of the things Himawari bought so she could look into them later. She was trying to learn how to cook for herself too, since her parents weren’t home all too often, and she’s already asking for so much from Himawari that she didn’t want to intrude more than she was about to. Though, she doubted that Himawari would be mad if she were to ask her to teach her some cooking skills. 

“I want you to train me.” She blurted out after a moment of silence. She was quick to step away and hide her face, scared that Himawari would reject her despite how much Naruto had reassured her during their trip back home. “I know you’re not actually a shinobi, and there are restrictions since you’re an academy teacher but I really think I can learn a lot from you. I won’t be a bother; I’ll listen and practice everything you’ll teach me. You won’t be disappointed!” 

The atmosphere in the grocery store seemed to go cold, everything coming to a standstill as she said those words. Sakura held her hands to her chest, her eyes downcast as she felt Himawari’s stare on her. Taking a peek out from under her bangs, she felt even more embarrassed when she noticed the way Himawari was peering down at her.

“You don’t have to…” She began to take back her words, ready to be rejected since it was always that way for her. Kakashi refused to train her, so why would Himawari accept? There was no reason to, and she was already doing a lot by letting her hang around her classroom. It was a shame that school was out currently, otherwise that’s where Sakura would be at the moment instead of standing like a fool in the middle of the store.

Himawari ruffled her hair again and laughed. “Since you’re aware that I’m an academy teacher, I suppose you won’t be disappointed when I have to focus on my class once their vacation ends. I don’t mind, Sakura, I’ll be glad to train you during my breaks.”

She lightened up. “Really?”

“Mhm. You’re always sneaking off from Kakashi-san anyway, so why not use the current time to do something that will greatly benefit you as a kunoichi? Come by whenever you’re not busy or you don’t want to do any boring missions, if that becomes an issue, I’ll just hire you personally for some ‘house work’.” She winked.

“Do I need to get anything? Maybe some weapons? Books? New training gear?” The store ambience was drowned out effectively by her excitement. Sakura barely realized that they were outside again and heading in the opposite direction of Himawari’s house.

“We’ll see once I evaluate you and ask you some questions. I’m going to need to talk to some other people as well to figure things out, but for now, just your normal mission equipment should do.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She nodded. “By the way, where are we going?”

Himawari checked her watch as she pulled her cardigan out of her bag. “Hinata should be finishing up with her team meeting soon, I’m going to pick her up.”

“Oh? Why? Doesn’t the Hyūga family have people to do that? I usually see her with one of the members.” She pursed her lip, “then again, that was back when we were younger.”

“They do, but Hinata doesn’t stay at the Hyūga compound anymore. I haven’t spoken to the boys yet about the matter, but she’s going to be living with me and Kurenai-san until she’s ready to either go back or move into her own apartment.”

“Something bad must have happened then.”

Himawari frowned. “Unfortunately. It’s for her own safety.”

The walk to Team Eight’s training ground was quick and silent. 

The field was filled with arrows sticking from the ground, a few holes and multiple kunai littered around. Sitting in the middle of it all was a heaving Team Eight with Kurenai standing over them with her hands on her hips.

“You’re dismissed.” Kurenai nodded as she took notice of Himawari approaching. “Great work today.”

“Himawari-san.” Hinata stood up and dusted her knees as she approached the woman. She looked at her arrows that were all over the place and sighed. “Wait, one moment.” She held her hand up and quickly ran around to collect her arrows.

“Kurenai-san must have pushed you to the max today.” Himawari held Hinata’s face to inspect her carefully after she had gathered all her things. 

“It wasn’t so bad, she went easy on me since I’m still recovering.” Hinata didn't mind the miniature check up she was getting. It felt nice to have someone look out for her; although she didn’t remember her mother enough, she imagined that this was what it felt like to have one fretting over her slightly. It was nice. 

“I guess that means I’ll have to up your training next week.” Kurenai approached them as well. She raised her eyebrow at Sakura, noticing that the small girl had quickly shied away and hid herself slightly behind Himawari. It still amazed her that the woman seemed to have some sort of atmosphere surrounding her that attracted the children—which wasn’t bad as much as it was extremely admirable.

“I’ll continue to work hard.” Hinata nodded firmly and held Himawari’s hand. “Thank you for your help today, Shino and Kiba.”

Both boys made themselves known as they came forward. Kiba itched his cheek and grinned, a blush on his face as he shrugged off Hinata’s gratitude. Shino simply nodded as he pushed his hands into his pockets.

“We’ll see each other again tomorrow at our usual time. Enjoy the rest of your day.” Kurenai smiled at her students before disappearing in a swirl of leaves. 

Hinata waved at her teammates as they both decided to leave. She turned to Himawari soon after, and only then did she notice Sakura’s attendance as well. “Oh, good evening.” She leaned over and waved her hand shyly. “Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“Hey, Hinata.” Sakura smiled back and waved. She stared at Hinata’s interlocked hand with Himawari and felt envious. “I hope you don’t mind me hanging around.”

“Not at all.” Her stomach growled.

“I suppose we should get home so I can get started on making dinner. The others must be hungry too.”

“Is Ino coming over?” Sakura asked. 

“She usually does, and since Hinata is staying with me, she’s going to be around a lot more often. I haven’t gotten word from her yet to suggest that she can’t make it.”

“I spoke with Ino this morning, she might be late but she should be there.” Hinata confirmed. “She won’t miss it because she has to make sure that I’m doing alright.”

Himawari smiled as she led the girls back to her house. “She really won’t leave you alone even with all the assurance that you’re okay.”

“She’s just worried.”

“She’s been worried for two weeks straight.”

Hinata blushed as she looked away. “That’s how she is.”

Unlocking the door, Himawari let both girls inside before following them. 

Sasuke was currently curled up on the couch, wrapped in the purple blanket that Hinata had previously hijacked and Dino in his arms, while a cartoon aired on the television. 

“You’re back.” He acknowledged, barely looking up from his spot when he felt the couch dip to accommodate Sakura’s presence. “You didn’t see Naruto?”

“No, I thought he was here.” Himawari answered from the kitchen as she beckoned for Hinata to go get herself cleaned so she could help out with dinner. “Is he still outside?”

“He’s been out since your whole talk about Haku. I didn’t think it would take that long to show him around Konoha.”

“Naruto was showing Haku around? I didn’t see them…” Sakura interjected. “He must have taken him out to eat or something.”

Sasuke glanced at her then shrugged. “Not that it concerns me, we just have a little curfew to uphold. With Haku’s presence, I would think he’d take it into consideration.”

“A curfew?” Sakura tried her best to relax on the couch but it was the first time she was sitting near Sasuke since the whole hugging ordeal back in the Land of Waves. It felt weird, but at least he wasn’t scooting away from her like she would assume he would. 

“Nothing serious, it’s for Naruto’s sake. He loses track of time easily.” Sasuke mumbled. He omitted that the curfew was to make sure that Naruto was safe. 

Despite being around Himawari a lot, and getting some help over the years, there were still people outside of their circle who hated Naruto. So much so that if he was still caught outside alone once the sun sets, an ‘accident’ would happen. To avoid it, Himawari had set up a curfew for his safety. 

“Would you mind looking for them, Sasuke?” 

He checked the time and passed the remote to Sakura. “If I can’t find him within fifteen minutes, I’m coming back to get Hinata’s help.” He unwrapped himself from his blanket with a frown. 

“I’ll help.” Sakura offered. 

“I’ll be fine—“

“Take her with you. If Naruto doesn’t want to be found at the moment, he wouldn’t be, and I think Sakura can treat this as a miniature assessment.” Himawari interrupted him. 

“So she asked you?”

“Yep. Care to oversee this? Let me know how she does.”

Sasuke looked at Sakura and nodded. “Fine. We’ll be back soon.”

“Mhm.”

Sakura quickly followed Sasuke back outside with her hands clasped in front of her. She didn’t say anything as he led the way around the shinobi district, and tried her best not to bother him by walking some ways behind him.

“You’re supposed to be leading.” He finally said as he turned a corner. They had been walking in circles, he was hoping that she would have noticed it sooner. 

“Oh, I wasn’t aware.” She blushed and sped up her walking to overtake him. 

Pausing as she stood in front of a building, Sakura looked back at Sasuke and bit her lip. She didn’t really take the lead in anything, always choosing to hang back and let someone else take the mantle. Standing in front of Sasuke while knowing that he was waiting for her instructions made it harder to focus. “I think taking the high ground is a good idea. Since none of us have the byakugan, only height will be to our advantage.”

She didn’t wait for his approval, knowing that he wouldn’t give it to her if he was really evaluating her on Himawari’s behalf, as she pushed chakra into her feet to begin climbing the side of the building. She didn’t have to look back to see Sasuke following behind without muttering a word.

As they stood out on the roof, the entire district in a block radius coming into proper view, Sakura tried her best to remember what exactly Naruto had been wearing. It was just their luck that they were losing daylight quickly.

Taking off in a random direction, putting into practice the tree running she had done before, it took a second to find her balance before she was able to run on top of the roofs without stumbling. 

“Checking the ramen stand is our best bet, I see him there sometimes outside of our missions.” She notified Sasuke as she led the way. It was hard navigating the village from an higher point of view, but not impossible. With her speed, something she knew that Sasuke was accommodating, they jumped down into the restaurant district of Konoha.

“Should we split up here or…?” She wasn’t sure if he wanted to go another direction while she checked the ramen stand. It would make it easier to find Naruto, but Sasuke had to evaluate her. 

“I don’t think we need to.” He tilted his head in the direction of the restaurant in question.

Sure enough, Naruto sat there with Haku at his side and Iruka sitting with them. Sakura felt herself let out a sigh once she realized that it was a good call to check where she usually sees Naruto instead of running around like a chicken without its head in hopes of impressing Sasuke, and thereby Himawari. 

“I guess my evaluation is over.” She smiled and turned to Sasuke. Her smile quickly dropped once she noticed the look on his face.

His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips set in a frown as he watched Naruto laugh at whatever it was he was saying to Haku. As quickly as it came, it disappeared as he approached the stand and moved back the flaps.

Sakura couldn’t do anything except follow him, feeling slightly awkward as she tried her best to figure out why Sasuke looked so displeased. 

“Are you forgetting your curfew?” Sasuke asked as he sat beside Haku. He barely looked at the older boy as he leaned forward to watch Naruto.

“A curfew? Oh my, I’m so sorry. I’m the reason Naruto is out so late.” Iruka smiled at him, and at Sakura as he waved at her. “I saw Naruto walking around and asked him if he wanted to have something to eat while he talked about his mission.”

“Yeah, I just lost track of time. Sorry, Himawari must have been worried.” Naruto itched his cheek as he pushed his empty bowl away. “Since these two are out here looking for me, I guess it’s time to go. Sorry, Iruka-sensei.”

“No need to apologize, Naruto, I should be doing that. It was my fault.” He turned to Haku as he smiled again. “It was nice meeting you, Haku-san. I cut your little tour off, so I apologize.”

“That’s quite alright, Iruka-san, it was nice meeting someone Naruto likes.”

“Please, get home safely, all of you, and tell Himawari-san that I apologize for keeping you both. I’ll pay—“

Naruto slapped down a bill quickly and grabbed Haku’s hand long before Iruka could pull out his wallet. “Thanks for the meal, Iruka-sensei, I’ll see you some other time. Come on, let’s go.” 

Sasuke and Sakura watched as Naruto ran off with Haku. 

“Please give this back to him.” Iruka laughed as he folded Naruto’s wrinkled bill and pushed it into Sasuke’s hand. “Don’t tell him that I paid instead. Have a good night, you two.” He placed down his own bill and left the ramen stand as well.

Sasuke stared at the bill and back at the empty bowls of ramen that had yet to be cleaned by one of the workers. He pushed it into his pocket and sighed. “Let’s go, fifteen minutes are up.”

“Oh, right.” Sakura nodded and followed behind him again. She couldn’t get that look of annoyance out of her mind; she just didn’t understand why Sasuke looked upset at Naruto when they found him.

It’s been that way since they finished the bridge.

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 2 — Symptoms

He didn’t mean to slam the door when he arrived home, nor did he mean to ignore Hinata’s and Ino’s greetings as he walked through the house. Sasuke just could not be bothered as he grabbed his purple blanket, his dinosaur plush, and threw himself on the couch as he turned the television on.

Sakura followed behind him wearily, giving Hinata and Ino an awkward smile before she sat down and pulled her knees to her chest. She couldn’t say very much, especially since she didn’t know the cause of Sasuke’s irritation, she just hoped that it wasn’t because of her.

Naruto joined them in the living room not long after, obviously having taken a shower to get himself cleaned judging by his dripping wet hair. He sat down on the floor, and rested his arm on his propped up knee while he dried his hair lazily.

“Where’s Haku?” Sakura asked, picking at her lip as she noticed Sasuke raising the volume of his cartoons. 

“Helping Himawari in the kitchen.” Naruto answered without hesitation, he muttered something under his breath before turning to Sasuke. “You’ve been here watching your shows all day, can I pick something for us to watch after dinner?”

Sasuke didn’t say anything for a while, it seemed as though he didn’t hear him, or he was purposely ignoring the question. He flipped through the channels, and settled on the show he knew Naruto liked.

“Thanks…I guess?” Naruto raised his eyebrow then shrugged. 

“I’ll be in the kitchen.” He got up, dragging his things with him as he ignored their trailing eyes.

Sasuke crossed his arms as he sat down at the table, focusing on Haku who walked around the kitchen following Himawari as he helped her cook. He expected Hinata to take up that mantle seeing as she loved helping out the woman, but it seemed as if Haku decided to take her place for the day.

His eyes softened as his shoulders sagged, deep in thought as he watched the display. 

“Is something the matter?” Himawari asked as she placed down a small bowl of sliced tomatoes. It was clearly some leftovers from the ones she used for the beef stew she was making. 

“I’m just tired.” He shook his head. The light snack didn’t look all that appealing to him at the moment, which said something since he barely rejected his favourite food unless he was sick. “The mission is catching up to me, I think.”

“I’m not very surprised, it was your first extensive one, and things clearly didn’t go as planned. Dinner will be ready soon, so you can eat and get some rest after.”

His frown deepened, “I’m not hungry.” He pushed the bowl to the side, missing the concerned look Himawari held for him as she plated the side dishes.

“Are you sure it’s the mission?” As she organized the table, she lifted her hand to make sure he was aware that she was going to touch him. Placing the back of her hand on his forehead, and then on her own for reference, Himawari hummed. “You’re not running a fever…”

Sasuke wanted to hold her hand, or better yet, to have everything stop for a second so he could hug her. It’s been so long since he’s seen her, and there was this deep feeling inside that he couldn’t quite decipher, that he just wanted a moment alone. Unfortunately, Haku was there and his presence was beginning to annoy him a little bit. 

“I’m going to lay down.” He mumbled.

“There’s something I needed to talk about with you and Naruto, are you sure you don’t want to stay a little bit longer? You need to eat too, Sasuke.”

“I’m alright.” He wasn’t. He was frustrated, confused, and now that he was home, he was ready to let all of the tension in his mind go. “I’m really not hungry.”

Himawari watched with a frown as Sasuke collected his things again. She could see how tired he was; his posture was rigid and his jaw was clenched. She sighed, turning to Haku with an apologetic expression on her face. “I’m sorry that everyone won’t be present for dinner.”

“That’s alright, Himawari-san.” He brought over the bowls of rice, omitting one now that Sasuke wasn’t going to be eating. He was sure to set it aside for later in case the young boy felt hungry again. “Having me here must already be weird, he doesn’t have to eat with me too.”

She rubbed her forehead and nodded. “Guys!” She called out, “dinner is ready.” Himawari picked up the cast iron pot of stew and carefully placed it at the centre of the table as the children gathered around the table. The empty spot beside where she was set to sit really did bother her, Sasuke never missed dinner even if he wasn’t going to eat.

“Thanks for the food, Himawari-san.” Sakura thanked her as she served herself. “I love your stew, it makes me want to eat the entire pot.”

“I suppose I’ve found a way to make you eat a lot then.” She smiled, yet it never reached her eyes no matter how much she wanted it to. 

“I bet if you pack her stews and soups only, she’d finally be able to build up some muscles.” Ino added without much thought. “Probably filling out her body so her clothes don't hang off of her.”

Sakura shrunk in her seat at Ino’s comment, a nervous laugh filling her silence as she pushed a spoon of rice into her mouth. Her weight was still a very delicate topic, especially since she was trying to gain some after a very long, extensive talk about it with Himawari.

“Ino…” Hinata nudged her slightly. 

“What?” Ino looked up from her food, she was occupied with packing her bowl full of the softened carrots from the stew. At Hinata’s signal towards Sakura, her cheeks turned pink with guilt. “I didn’t mean it that way, I just think it’s good that she’s finally eating something. I just suggested that stews would probably—oh, never mind, I already said too much.”

“It’s okay, Ino.” Sakura smiled softly, remembering what Himawari said about her old best friend worrying about her. “I understand.” 

They continued to eat at a leisurely pace, talking amongst themselves as they cleared their plates. Seconds were passed around, courtesy of Naruto who still had enough space in his stomach for food even after his earlier meal with Iruka, and conversations quickly wandered to catching up on things.

“Hinata’s going to live with us from now on.” Himawari quickly interjected as the topic drifted towards the small girl. 

“Oh?” Naruto perked up. “As a forever sort of thing or is this temporary? Did something happen?”

“I think we can go in detail some other time, but she’d be rotating between living with us, and her sensei until she wants to move out. I was hoping to tell both you and Sasuke at the same time, and I didn’t think that we’d be having another resident here as well but…”

Naruto itched his cheek, now understanding why Haku’s sudden arrival was a shock. He really should have told her something before they got back to Konoha. “Well, it will just be like a forever sleepover, which I don't mind. I don’t think Sasuke would mind either, he likes Hinata.”

“Not in that way!” Hinata blushed and shook her head quickly before anyone could get any ideas. “As friends, he likes me as a friend.”

“Whatever you say.” Naruto stole the last bit of stew with a cheeky smile. “You two would look good together I think.”

“Naruto,” Ino glared at him, “please shut your mouth.”

“Just an observation.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Come on, look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t think Hinata and Sasuke would be a cute couple. Kind of like you and me, Ino. Blond hair, blue eyes, extroverted, and a little silly? They’re the complete opposite and that’s—“ He ducked as Ino threw her spoon at him.

“Don’t ever suggest something as stupid as me and you being an item, are you insane?” She stood up, “I’m finished with dinner. Come on, Hinata, let’s go to the room.” She grabbed her hand.

“Oh, I was going to help Himawari-san with the—“

“It’s okay, Hinata, you can go ahead.” Himawari laughed as she watched Naruto shrink a little bit at Ino’s glare. 

“Are you not coming?” Ino stopped as she looked back.

Sakura’s eyes widened, she looked around to make sure that she was the one being addressed before she stood up as well. “Sorry, I didn’t know—“

“Enough chatting, hurry.” Ino motioned for her to follow them to Hinata’s bedroom. “We’re having a sleepover.”

“I didn’t bring my things—“

“You can share mine.” Ino’s voice became less audible as they closed the door behind them.

“You two can go if you’d like.” Himawari stacked the bowls and plates, getting them ready to be washed. “The television turns off in three hours, Naruto, and then it’s bedtime.”

“I know! Haku, do you wanna join? Or are you going to get situated in your room? Wait, you can sleep with Sasuke and me! The girls are going to be in one room, so we can be in the other.”

“I…” Haku followed him into the living room. “I don’t mind as long as Sasuke is okay with it.”

“He’d be fine!” Naruto waved his hand in a dismissive manner. “Now, what’s your favourite show?”

“I don’t have one.”

“You’re kidding me.”

He was not fine.

When Sasuke turned over in his bed to find Naruto and Haku talking amongst themselves with Haku occupying the spot between their beds, he wasn’t fine in the slightest. He sat up, glaring at the wall for a moment before he pulled himself out of bed.

“Where are you going?” Naruto paused his conversation with Haku to address him.

“Himawari’s room.” He answered, taking his pillow, Dino and his water bottle with him. 

“Did you have a nightmare?”

No, but he wasn’t going to tell Naruto that. He didn’t even realize that he had fallen asleep earlier, and his dreams were blank since he couldn’t actually recall anything.

What even happened? He had laid in bed for a few minutes, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he tried to understand what he was feeling on the inside. He wasn’t so great at recognizing his emotions very well, beyond a few of them, he just couldn’t tell why exactly he felt so irritated.

Ever since he saved Naruto from Haku’s attack, putting his life on the line as he reminisced about his life up to that point, he’s been unable to look at the blond boy and his new companion without being slightly annoyed. There was a feeling in his chest that made it hard to breathe sometimes, one that had his heartbeat lagging behind as he thought about all of it.

To make matters worse, he and Naruto hadn’t really spoken since that day beyond curt conversations and a few words. There was nothing to really talk about, especially now that he was more concerned with the brunette who was tagging along than whatever was going on between them.

If there was something going on between them.

Sasuke didn’t know, and it frustrated him. What the hell even happened for things to get so awkward? He had hoped that it was exhaustion, maybe things would go back to normal after they rested, but that wasn’t the case. 

There was also something Naruto wasn’t telling him. Judging by the quick looks and the focus on his chakra output sometimes, it was definitely something he was worried about yet he wasn’t saying anything. 

Whatever the problem was between them, it better fix itself before he lost his mind. He can’t stand being studied so silently without hearing some snarky, cheeky jokes from Naruto.

“Yeah,” he lied. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He left the bedroom quickly. 

Sasuke closed the door behind him and waited for a moment. The lights in the house were shut off except for the ones in the kitchen. He checked there quickly, knowing that Himawari had a habit of sitting there late into the night. When he didn’t find her, he went to her bedroom and knocked on the closed door.

Peeking inside, he saw her sitting with her back against the bedrest while she read and took notes. 

“Can’t sleep?”

“Just woke up.”

Sasuke made himself comfortable on her bed, sitting in the same position she was as he played with the arms of Dino. He didn’t say anything as he simply listened to her turn the pages of her book while she wrote.

“Is that Sakura’s lesson plan?”

“Mhm.”

“I didn’t tell you how she did.”

“Care to share?”

“Her chakra control is really good, she can think fast, and her general observation skills are alright.”

“Something I was already taking into account, I was going to look into her school records as well to have some sort of idea about what to do. She's more theoretical than practical, which I’m going to work on.”

“What are you going to teach her?” His curiosity was piqued. He’s never really put in much thought about the things Sakura could do on the field, she hadn’t really given him a reason for him to believe that she could do much anyway. Beyond the book smarts, and the thirst to gain more knowledge, she didn’t seem all too fit for much. 

“That’s a secret.” Himawari winked as she closed her book quickly before he could take a peek at its contents. “Care to tell me what’s been bothering you, though? Is it about your mission?”

“Not really?” There was definitely something he should mention now that he thought about it. His nightmares haven’t really been back since the fight on the bridge—then again, he hasn’t really been sleeping after that. Even on their way back to Konoha, he had agreed to keep watch instead of actually sleeping, and when he did sleep, it wasn’t for very long.

That might have been the reason for his irritability. Lack of sleep, yeah. 

“Actually,” he paused to think. “There were many accidents during the mission.”

Himawari straightened up. Call her overbearing, or too weary, but there was a reason she wasn’t so much of a fan of Sasuke being out and about in places she couldn’t be. He’s barely left her side, and the one time he did, things obviously went extremely wrong. 

She only knew about the attempt on his life, everything else had clearly been omitted. She wasn’t sure if that was a conscious decision on the boys’ part or not. 

“Accidents?”

“Sakura got injured, we were ambushed three times, blood, I learned Kakashi has the sharingan, and I haven’t really slept for a while.”

“Sasuke.”

“Hm?”

“How are you feeling right now?”

He shrugged. 

Himawari faced him, crossing her legs as she motioned for him to position himself in the same manner. “I’m going to touch you.” She said before she cupped his face, and then massaged his temples. Her hands began to glow in a soft, blue light. “You’re emotionally numbing yourself because of the amount of stressful situations you’ve been put through. You haven’t fully relaxed, poised and ready for an attack that isn’t really coming because you weren’t allowed to do so while on your mission.”

Sasuke felt his body relax before an intense emotion filled him. His eyes began to water, and it got harder to breathe as she continued to massage his head. Whatever it was that she was going, it was clearly causing something to happen to him since he was becoming overwhelmed.

“It’s okay, you’re safe.” She soothed him gently, watching as he fell forward. She caught him, one hand still working on loosening up the building pressure in his head as she rubbed his back. “There’s no threats right now, no blood, no enemies. You’re home, you’re with me, you’re not out there anymore. It’s okay for you to calm down now, nothing wrong is going to happen.”

She felt him grip her shirt before a choked sob rocked his system. He began to shake as he tried to calm down his breathing, yet it was no use as his body relaxed further.

“A lot of things might have happened, some of them you probably forgot, others you just powered through. How did Kakashi’s sharingan make you feel? Sakura got hurt, what were you thinking of? Are you angry at Haku for what he did?”

He tightened his hold on her, burying his nose in the crook of her neck as he cried. “Kakashi shouldn’t have those eyes. He doesn’t deserve them—he doesn’t deserve to use them. They scare me. What if he uses it on me? What if—“

“Perhaps there’s a reason he has the sharingan—not a good one in your eyes, but there might be one. I’ll make sure you’re never on the receiving end of them again, no matter what.”

“Sakura was bleeding. I just wanted it to stop. There was so much blood; hers, Momma’s, Pappa’s, then mine. Mine was everywhere.”

“You did stop it, you patched her up really well and she’s okay. You’re not bleeding either, Sasuke, you’re all healed too.” 

She noticed the small, circular scars left behind. They looked like her own from when her tenketsu had been released. The scarring was out of her control now, if he had received attention from a medical shinobi, they would have disappeared. Now, he was going to have the reminder tattooed on his body.

Sasuke didn’t answer the question regarding Haku. He didn’t know if he was angry at the boy for trying to kill him, or for a whole other matter. He decided to focus on her voice again instead of his thoughts on Haku.

“You’re going to get really tired.” Himawari worked her chakra into his system some more.

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“You need to, especially after what I just did.” She usually avoided using her chakra on him unless he was hurting himself and she needed to subdue him. “You’re going to sleep with me, I won’t carry you to your room.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

He nodded.

She slowly helped his muscles relax before knocking him out. As he went limp in her arms, she pulled him closer and petted his hair. 

Himawari made a quick note to talk with Kakashi about something before she tucked Sasuke into bed.

Sakura felt anxious.

That was a feeling she would never get rid of for the foreseeable future. As she packed her things for the day, ate a light breakfast, and got herself ready, her anxiety reached its peak. It knocked at her skull, and made her stomach do flips as she left the house that afternoon.

Today, she would be training with Himawari instead of joining Kakashi and the others for a mission. Well, to Kakashi, she was on a personal mission, when in reality Himawari just ‘hired’ her for the day. 

It was slightly windy today, which was great seeing as it was very hot outside. The walk from the civilian sector all the way to the shinobi one was long and tedious. Some people greeted her, having recognized her because of her parents, while others simply smiled as she walked by.

When she arrived at Himawari’s house, she paused in front of the door and took a deep breath. Himawari was home alone today, everyone was outside doing something [or exploring some more in Haku’s case]. Knocking on the door, it didn’t take long for the woman to let her in.

Her hair was tied up, and her hands were carefully bandaged. Her usual blouse and long skirt that Sakura was used to seeing her in—save for the pants and oversized shirt combo she wore in the house—was swapped with a pair of ninja pants, and a mesh shirt underneath a loose, black top. 

Sakura couldn’t help but stare at her chest, slightly envious of its size as she stared at her own for comparison. She was really trying to stop the constant nitpicking of her appearance, but it was hard to do so when there were so many other body types that she wished she had. 

“I’m glad that you’re here on time. There’s not much that I plan on doing with you today, it’s just a quick session to decide what’s best.” Himawari led her to the backyard. “You can set your things down and get started on your warm ups.”

“Thanks again for accepting my request, Himawari-san.” Sakura set her bag down, took out her kunai pouch and everything else she thought she would need. As Himawari suggested, she situated herself somewhere and began to jog in place to warm herself up. 

“No need to thank me, the last thing I need is for one of you to be ill equipped for the battlefield. I’m glad that you took the initiative to help yourself instead of waiting for some other person to push you to get better.” Himawari opened a folder as she sat down on the veranda. “Now, it took a lot to pull your records from the academy, but I thought it would be a good idea to discuss it with you to see if you have any goals you want to achieve based on them.” 

Sakura nodded in understanding as she awkwardly started to do some lunges. If she was being honest, she would admit that she’s never really done any warm ups before training. Kakashi usually just jumped right into things if he even decided to initiate a session.

“It says here that you’re really good at genjūtsu? You scored pretty high on your tests, both in theory and practice.” 

“It’s interesting to me; it plays on your senses and your mind, it can make people do things and all of that fun stuff. I was interested in it for a while.”

“Interested, how?”

“I read about it sometimes. Psychological discussions and how it’s used during interrogation for some people. It’s really crazy, but of course, I don’t know much and I wasn’t allowed to look into it a lot. Shinobi clearance or whatever it was, there’s some things I couldn’t access as a civilian.”

“You read books on the matter? Weren’t you too young? Not to insult your intelligence but some of the concepts and words do get a bit…”

“I read them, I didn’t say I understood all of it. I just skipped over the things I didn’t get, but the theories were found in some of our academy books.” She smiled, feeling proud of herself. “I didn’t look back on genjūtsu though—I didn’t look back on a lot of things. I just…” She shrugged. “I don’t know what I want to do, or what I can do. Especially for my team, ya’know? Naruto is great at taijūtsu, and he seems like he’d be wonderful at ninjūtsu as well. Sasuke was a little hard to figure out, but it looks like he’s getting into medical ninjūtsu. What’s left for me?”

“There’s a lot left for you, don’t think otherwise just because your other teammates have their own strengths. Even if you have an overlapping ability, let’s say taijūtsu with Naruto, it will still be beneficial for you. Sasuke is also very good at hand to hand combat, he just takes a step back and prefers to be on standby instead of running into battle.”

Sakura laughed, “yeah, I learned that during our mission. What do you propose then?”

“Let’s play on your strengths for now—which is genjūtsu—and figure out another ability along the way. I’m sure you already know how beneficial genjūtsu is on the battlefield, especially during reconnaissance missions. Even as a fighter, you can use it to your advantage.”

“But, Himawari-san,” Sakura raised her hand slightly to interrupt her. “You’re not a genjūtsu specialist. How are you going to train me on the matter?”

“I did say it was hard to get your files from the academy. It wasn’t because of the restricted access.” She pulled out another folder, “it was so I can also get my hands on some low level genjūtsu techniques that you can work on. Now, this is a small list, ranging from D Rank to C Rank techniques. With your chakra control, you’d be able to do these with only a little difficulty.”

Sakura felt excitement course through her veins. She could almost feel herself bouncing in her spot just at the thought of learning some techniques, no matter how basic they were. 

“First, let’s do a little review before we get into dispelling genjūtsu. I don’t want you to accidentally put yourself in one without knowing how to take yourself out.”

“I’m so happy, Himawari-san!” She finally blurted out as she shifted in her spot. Her face brightened up as a grin spread across her face. “I’ll do everything to the best of my abilities, you won’t be disappointed!”

Himawari laughed, “then I have nothing to worry about. Come, join me on a little jog around the manor. Enhance your pace with some chakra to get it flowing. I’m going to ask you some questions as we move along.”

“Understood!”

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 3 — Rewind

“Behind you.” Someone whispered into her ear, a flitting voice carried by the wind as it disappeared.

It would have scared the wits out of her had she not been the reason it existed at the moment. Goosebumps littered her arms as she tried to ignore the phantom touches and whispers she was hearing, even when her legs began to shake.

Flooding her system with chakra again, Sakura opened her eyes to be met with the bright, green leaves of the oak tree she had been sitting underneath. The sun was hidden by clouds today, but the summer heat was still persistent. 

She had been training all morning, the genjūtsu scroll Himawari had gotten her was laid across her lap. Beside her was her own notebook where she kept her notes. There wasn’t much inside beyond small doodles and ideas meant to bring up with Himawari later in the day.

“It took you ten minutes to get yourself out of your genjūtsu today.” Himawari sat on the branch above her, a book sprawled on her lap as she read carefully. It was a weird sight to see the otherwise reserved woman look the way she was currently.

Over the course of the last two weeks, Sakura’s image of Himawari had completely transformed. True to Naruto’s [and Sasuke’s] words, training was a whole other matter with Himawari. She was still nice, and very understanding, but she was extremely strict. She pushed her until she collapsed from exhaustion, while lecturing her through it all.

Sakura had already come to her own conclusions about the shinobi world after her first mission outside of Konoha—that in itself had been a major wake up call for her—but Himawari had definitely reinforced the notion that it wasn’t something that would be smooth sailing. Especially as a civilian in the field; it was going to be a different experience than what she was used to in the village.

“That’s much better than last week.” Sakura wiped her forehead, leaning back against the tree to catch her breath. She knew that she was going to be asked to practice her senbon throwing skills soon.

“It is.” Himawari agreed. “You can take a break before continuing if you’d like.”

“I just need five minutes.” She began stretching her arms and massaging her wrists.

Her senbon training was a little bit confusing, she wasn’t sure why Himawari wanted her to learn the skill, but she wasn’t going to complain. It had been difficult getting used to the size of the weapon, it was much harder to hold and throw. A part of her applauded Haku for mastering the skill.

Speaking of the boy, she heard that he was accepted as a refugee thanks to the advocating Naruto had done on his behalf. It felt a little bit odd that they had someone who is technically classed as an enemy living in the village. He was also living with the person he tried to kill—that wasn’t a personal matter for her to concern herself with but it was definitely something to be wary of—. 

She was sure that Sasuke didn’t like it either, with the way he seemed annoyed whenever Haku tagged along for their Team Seven missions [at Naruto’s request], she knew that there was some bad blood between them. She couldn’t say or do anything, however, she wasn’t close with either of them to suggest a way for them to talk it out.

She wasn’t really the problem solver of the group, that was usually Naruto’s role surprisingly, and Naruto seemed to have taken a liking to Haku with how much they hung around each other. That was definitely not part of the personal mission the Hokage had assigned him to since Naruto was responsible enough. The mission was just a bonus, otherwise, he didn’t mind at all watching over Haku and being responsible for anything he did. 

Again, she knew that that annoyed Sasuke. Haku was everywhere Naruto was; at home, during team meetings, and even when he wasn’t with Naruto, Sasuke would bump into him throughout the village. Whatever was happening with Sasuke, a personal thing from what Sakura could observe, was beginning to affect the team.

Sasuke was already not so open with the team beyond Naruto, that she had accepted after her little talk with her other teammate during the Land of Waves, but he had completely blocked out everyone. He took care of his part of any team mission, then quickly left to go back home. 

Naruto would shrug, Sakura would apologize on their behalf, and they would all head to Himawari’s house where Sasuke’s attitude was just so much worse. He wouldn’t talk to anyone, he barely ate dinner at the same time as the rest of the group, and he ignored them when they spoke with him.

Even Hinata and Ino had a hard time talking with him. They hadn’t raised the issue with Himawari yet though, figuring that they should deal with the matter without the older woman playing mediator. It was more so Ino’s suggestion that influenced their decision to not look for the woman’s advice.

Although they knew that Himawari would have a better time getting to the bottom of the problem, it wouldn’t be very beneficial if they couldn’t figure things out on their own. If a matter much like this one were to happen again on a mission, Himawari wouldn’t be available to fix the problem for them.

That being said, no one had any idea how to approach Sasuke, so they left him alone hoping that time would fix things. Missions would be awkward, dinner time would feel stifling, and they couldn’t hang out with each other, nonetheless, they weren’t equipped to talk things out just yet.

“What’s got you caught in your head?” 

Sakura jumped in surprise when she blinked to see Himawari sitting in front of her. She didn’t realize that she had been sitting in silence for a while. “Nothing.” She muttered as she looked away. A blush spread across her cheeks when Himawari tapped her cheeks to turn her head back towards her.

“Something’s worrying you. Actually, something is bothering all of you, yet no one can tell me anything.”

“We just don’t want to worry you, Himawari-san…We want to figure it out on our own.”

“Figure what out?”

She promised Ino that she wasn’t going to tell her. Her friendship with Ino was slowly building itself back up again, even if they didn’t spend time alone without Hinata, she was still being invited to silly little things instead of being excluded. She didn’t want to make Ino mad, but she also didn’t like lying to Himawari.

“There’s a problem…One of us is clearly mad at the other but we don’t know what to do. We think just letting the matter be would fix everything but it’s starting to affect everyone else.” She tried to be as cryptic as possible. 

“Hm.” Himawari nodded and smiled. “Letting things be is much better than interfering and it getting worse, however—“ She paused for a second, her eyes brightening as if she figured out who they were talking about. “—you should definitely all discuss things, on a one on one scale if doing so in a group would be difficult.”

“What if they can’t stand each other though? Clearly they wouldn’t want to ‘discuss things’ if they can’t even be around one another without a silent battle going on. I think it’s one sided too, so how do we fix that? Communication? Yeah, that would work if they weren’t shutting everyone out.” She huffed in frustration. “It’s affecting our team, Himawari-san.”

“So this is about Sasuke.”

Sakura pursed her lips. 

“I’m not going to tell anyone that you told me. I just figured that it was since he was fitting the description a little bit too well. Don’t worry, he has moments like this where he’s trying to figure things out for himself. He would self isolate which is an issue already, but that’s just how he is because of the things he’s been through. I’m sure he’s not going to keep it up for very long, it would start to bother him that the issue isn’t a big deal for everyone like it is for him.”

“Are you sure, Himawari-san?” She looked at her with uncertainty. Sakura understood that Himawari was well acquainted with Sasuke’s habits since she practically raised him, but even she had her doubts. Surely things wouldn’t be resolved so easily.

“Absolutely. If things keep up for too long, you can just come to me again and I’ll try to talk to Sasuke. The last thing I want is for it to cause a split within the group.”

“That’s possible? Would Sasuke really…”

“When he self isolates for too long, it does cause some riffs and difficulties maintaining his relationships. Fortunately, the others have also experienced it so they’re not too quick to abandon him even if he’s trying to push them away. I suppose that’s why they didn’t tell me anything, usually I’m the one who eases Sasuke into opening up again. This is your first time being a part of Sasuke’s circle, although he hasn’t outright called you a friend, you’re around pretty often. I understand why you’re worried that it would cause a lot of damage.”

Sakura sighed, slouching her shoulders as she nodded in consideration. “I’ll try not to worry too much.”

“Good.” Himawari ruffled her hair. “How about you continue your training and I’ll get something prepared for lunch? There’s also someone I want you to meet, but I’ll save it for another time when you’re not too trapped in your thoughts.”

“I think that’s enough for today.” Kakashi closed the book he had been occupied with, stuffing it into his pocket as he smiled down at his students. He pretended not to notice the annoyed look Sasuke gave him before he turned his back in preparation to be officially dismissed for the day.

It was a little bit amusing [read:puzzling] to see such a complete one-eighty [was it really when he barely knew the boy] from the Uchiha child. He had already been quiet, but his recent attitude was just slightly entertaining. It clearly bothered everyone around him, yet he didn’t seem all too concerned about what they thought. 

Kakashi still couldn’t tell why that was, but he did have a few guesses—he quickly glanced at the brunette boy who had been sitting to the side during their team missions—.

“Please be at our meeting spot tomorrow morning, bright and early, I’d like to go through some things with you three—or four—before we continue our missions.” He placed his hand on Sakura’s shoulder as he continued to talk. “No, I won’t be late like I usually am.”

“Bullshit.” Sakura muttered under her breath as she crossed her arms. She tried not to shrug him off, she just didn’t feel all too comfortable with him just yet. Although he was her instructor on paper, she viewed Himawari as her sensei more than Kakashi. No offence to the man but the reason seemed pretty justified in her eyes. 

He laughed and patted her head. “You may go.” He was ready to disappear in a swirl of leaves, with plans on going straight home to lay in bed and do nothing except read his special book, when Naruto’s lingering figure stopped him.

Kakashi waited patiently, with one eyebrow raised as Naruto watched everyone else leave after saying something quickly to Haku. He put his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the bridge’s banister, quietly wondering what the young boy wanted. Very rarely would Naruto even talk to him, which was sad as it was, but who was he to feel upset about that when the boy didn’t know him well.

“I think we need to talk, Kakashi-sensei.” Naruto turned to him, his face serious as he looked at him. His gaze was focused on the carefully covered sharingan, his eyes narrowing as he thought to himself. “It’s about Sasuke.”

“Oh?”

“Call it a hunch, maybe it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but I don’t want you training Sasuke and his sharingan. He’s awakened it, during the Land of Waves, and I didn’t tell you for the simple fact that I assumed that you would approach him on the matter. I’m saying it now so no one else can influence your decision; don’t train Sasuke, and don’t mention the sharingan around him.”

Kakashi was taken aback; he was very aware that Naruto wasn’t the dumb little child that used to run around causing trouble, nonetheless, it was still so surprising that he just knew things based on observation before anyone said anything. He had thought of going to Sasuke, offering to train him to not only use the sharingan to his advantage, but to help him activate it.

He wasn’t aware that the latter had already been accomplished nearly a month ago.

“Might I ask why?” He blurted out before he could get his thoughts in order. If Naruto was telling him to forget about the sharingan altogether, there must have been a valid reason as to why he came to that conclusion. 

“You know Sasuke doesn’t like you.”

He chuckled as he nodded. That was definitely a fact that was hard to miss.

“It’s because of the sharingan you have. Must I explain the rest or do you understand now why I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to push him to use his eye?”

“Humour me.”

Naruto inhaled loudly, raising his shoulders as he furrowed his eyebrows. “Don’t tell him I said anything to you but Sasuke is unstable. Years of therapy gets undone with a simple trigger sometimes, and the sharingan is a major one. When he activated his eyes during our mission, they couldn’t last for very long, which no doubt strains his optic nerves. He’s unaware that he even did that.”

“So you want me to keep it a secret, even if it might put him in danger if he doesn’t know how to utilize his ability—or get accustomed to it so it doesn’t cause any damage when he does use it unwillingly—because he’s unstable?” Kakashi nodded in understanding. “Thanks for the suggestion.”

“That’s not a suggestion, I’m begging on behalf of Sasuke and everyone else around him. You don’t know what would happen, and I don’t need him to be a danger to himself because of some power trip the village has.”

He frowned at the village comment. “You do understand that as a shinobi of Konoha—“

“Sasuke can be asked to do things, I do get that, but come on.” He clenched his fists. “Use me instead, if they need someone strong, use me and leave Sasuke alone. I’m the jinchūriki, I’m of more value than Sasuke is with his sharingan.”

“You’re worried about him.” Kakashi came to that realization quickly as he stared at Naruto. 

“Of course I am.”

“You two look as if you had been fighting since that mission.”

Naruto took a surprised step back, “what? Sasuke and I aren’t fighting.” He did notice that Sasuke pulled himself away, but he assumed that it was because of how emotionally and mentally exhausting the mission was. 

He thought giving him space was better than pushing him further. He’s been quietly watching out for him since they got back; from taking on the heavier loads during their missions, to volunteering to do things before anyone could ask Sasuke to do it.

He even got Haku to agree to take care of some things on Sasuke’s behalf to help him out a little bit. As a way to make it up to him for the whole attempted murder thing.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Certain.”

“I suppose that’s not a mutual thought.” Kakashi smiled. “Anyway, I’ll take your suggestion into consideration. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He disappeared before Naruto could stop him.

It took him a while for him to move from his spot, Kakashi’s accusation echoing in his ears as he stared at the treeline. Were they really fighting? Did he just not pick up on the silent arguments? He did notice when Sasuke left the room when he entered, or he ignored him when he spoke, but again, he assumed that he just needed some time alone.

Walking home, completely alone since he sent Haku on ahead, Naruto was deep in thought. When he arrived, Himawari was just returning from some grocery shopping. He barely noticed her until he almost bumped into her.

“Sorry.” He muttered.

“What’s wrong?” She looked him over. “Did something happen during your missions?”

He shook his head, “nothing for you to worry about.”

“Oh…” She let him walk into the house first as she unlocked the door. “I don’t suppose that you know where Kakashi went after he dismissed you then.”

“Huh, why?” He helped her with the bags after realizing that he had completely ignored how many she held. 

“I needed to speak with him about Sasuke.” 

“Is it about his eyes?”

Himawari paused, “how’d you know that?”

“I already spoke to Kakashi about it, don’t worry.”

“You did? What did you say?”

“Just a warning.”

“I see…Thank you.”

Naruto gave her a tight lipped smile, still thinking about the supposed fight happening between Sasuke and himself. He really didn’t understand why Kakashi would think there was one.

“I think it would be a good idea to have them train together for the time being.” Himawari said as she pushed a folder forward. She picked up her cup of iced tea and took a sip while consuming some of the cake on the shared platter between them. 

She couldn’t help but stare at the dark haired woman across from her, tracing her features and marvelling at how much younger she looked. It was a little weird knowing that she was currently older than her, a part of her was sad at that fact, but it was nice to spend time with her old teacher again.

“She’s learning about genjūtsu?” Kurenai looked up from the evaluation paper Himawari had given her on her pink haired ‘student’.

“I know there might be others who might be better than you, but I think Sakura needs another woman to look up to. That, and you have no one to teach your skills to since Team Eight is mostly meant for tracking. It would be a great learning experience for her, and Hinata needs to step out of her comfort zone a little bit more.”

“Genjūtsu doesn’t necessarily work on the byakugan.”

“I’m well aware, I was thinking that Hinata needs to be comfortable enough to work with people who she’s never really been close to. Sakura may be present now, but they’ve never actually spoken to each other, yet alone have some alone time without Ino being the bridge between them. That, and they can piggyback on each other.”

“Hinata can help with her senbon training, and Sakura can do what for Hinata?”

“Bring the fire out in her.” Himawari smiled. “I’m sure you’ve heard about Sakura’s more…brusque personality?”

“I have but wouldn’t Ino have a better time doing that?”

“Not when she has a soft spot for her. She’s done a great job over the years but Hinata needs to be a lot more aggressive and less defensive of herself. I think Sakura could bring that out in her, and it would be a good thing for Sakura as well. She plays it too kindly, trying to hide who she is even when I encourage her to drop the act. If she sees that Hinata isn’t going to take matters into her own hands, she’d lose her head.”

Kurenai laughed. “Ino does like Hinata, doesn’t she? She comes by when her team is finished early, and it distracts Hinata a lot.” She thought to herself for some time. “Alright, I’d like to see what she can do, and we can move on from there.”

“Great. I didn’t want to bother you about training Sakura on my behalf, but the school year would be beginning again in a little over one month and I wanted everything sorted early instead of waiting. I didn’t want to leave her to her own devices while I continue teaching at the academy; the last thing I would want is for her to feel as though she’s being left behind.”

“Understandable. It does get hard to find a mentor as a kunoichi, there’s not many options left for us, and even fewer people are willing to take a young girl under their wing. It would be great teaching Sakura with Hinata.”

“I’m sure Ino would like a hand at it as well now that I think about it.”

“I guess I’ll keep a spot open for her if she wants to join. Her father does a good job at teaching her though, she’s lucky to have him.”

“Thanks again, Kurenai-san.”

His knuckles were bloody yet he ignored it as he continued to punch the tree in front of him. The sun was beginning to set, and no one was home except for him; everyone else was busy for the day. Very rarely is Sasuke left home alone, the reason being that he could get a little bit out of control sometimes.

Just as he was currently.

He was losing it.

His head hurt, his body felt numb, and there were a million thoughts floating around his head. All he could focus on was just how angry he was beginning to feel; and how much his body didn’t feel like his own as he continued to punch the tree. 

He’s been floating between consciousness for a while, his body moving on its own, while his mind was elsewhere. When he wanted to ignore things, he just simply stopped perceiving everything around him. Every time he came to, he was filled with this sense of urgency and danger that he just went right back to disassociating. 

Sasuke hasn’t told anyone about it. He didn’t go to Himawari, although he slept in her room every night, nor did he even bother staying in her presence for too long in fear of her figuring things out before he did. It was bad on his end, he knew that there was no chance that he would be okay without venting in some way, but he couldn’t find it in himself to look for help.

His anger quickly blossomed into annoyance, before it settled into shame and sadness as the voice in his head reprimanded him. The only reason he was hurting now was because he was jealous. That was the emotion that had been brewing in his stomach for weeks, causing him to be irritated.

But jealous at what? Of who?

Their face was a blur in his mind, their name could barely be heard as if it was being said miles away. Their scent was hard to decipher, and their chakra felt cold. Yet Sasuke knew for sure that he was starting to dislike them.

Why was he jealous?

They were taking away the things that he’s spent years trying to keep to himself. They were becoming important to his people, interfering with the bonds that he had struggled to maintain so easily. They were going to take everything away from him and he didn’t want that.

Sasuke stared at the blood on his hands, not realizing that it was his own as he continued to breathe heavily. The face of the person he was beginning to hate was becoming clearer by the second the longer he stared at the red, copper-smelling liquid. The sight of it made his mind wander, images of needles and ice appearing as the name of the perpetrator echoed in his head.

“Are you alright?”

He looked up quickly, catching the brown eyes of the older, and taller boy. He looked at him with genuine concern and softness, a gentleness that made Sasuke’s skin hurt as he took a step back.

“Sasuke?”

He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “It’s none of your business.” It was him. He was the one who was going to take everyone away from him. He already took Naruto.

“You’re bleeding.” Haku reached out for his hand, ready to go inside the house to gather the first aid kit to clean him up. He wasn’t at all familiar with Sasuke’s behaviour. He didn’t know that the boy was just a few seconds away from losing his mind completely. “Let me help.”

“No.” Sasuke jerked away harshly, ignoring the pain that erupted in his side as he hit the tree. “I don’t need it.”

“Sasuke, I don’t want Himawari-san to worry when she arrives home from her meeting at the academy. Please, let me help you.”

“Get away from me! Why do you always want to help? You’re always there; standing around, waiting for someone to need you. I don’t need you! I don’t need your help, and I don’t want it. ” He shouted, clenching his fists at his side. “You’ve hurt me and you think I can just forget that? You tried to kill me and now you want to dress my wounds. You’re taking everything away from me! I don’t understand!”

Haku held his breath as he watched Sasuke’s eyes flicker to life, he bit his lip as he squeezed his fingers. He frowned, however, as he listened to Sasuke’s words. He always knew that there was an issue between them, he just didn’t know what it was, but hearing Sasuke finally say it made him feel guilty. “I apologize, I didn’t mean—“ He bit his lip. “You’re going to hurt yourself more.”

He didn’t know what he could say at the moment. All the words he wanted to speak were stuck in his throat, none of them feeling sufficient enough to make it up to Sasuke. Apologizing wasn’t going to fix things. Besides that, he could feel the chakra building up in Sasuke’s system as his eyes continued to flicker between his sharingan and the usual obsidian eyes. 

“You—“

“Your sharingan is activated.” Haku blurted out before he could continue. “Again, it’s activated again. I guess that means you’re angry at me once more.” The guilt was getting to him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as his head began to throb. He knew he was getting anxious, he just wasn’t so sure how to calm himself down. If he made Sasuke angry, then Himawari would be upset. He’d be kicked out of Konoha, and forced to return to Kiri where he would be killed. He really had nowhere else to go.

He should have died instead of Zabuza.

Sasuke felt his blood run cold as Haku’s words cut through the angry clouds building in his head. The word ‘sharingan’ made his skin tingle as if multiple, thin needles were being pulled out. Soon, static took over his hearing as he dragged his feet.

He didn’t say anything as he walked past Haku. His breathing was shallow, fear causing him to sweat as he walked up the stairs of the backyard veranda, and towards the glass door. 

Standing in front of him was his reflection; red eyes with a singular tomoe in one eye and two in the next. It flickered between black and red, yet he knew what he was staring at. 

Suddenly it became hard to breathe as he stared at himself.

“No.” He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, wishing that what he was seeing was a simple trick his mind was playing. “No!” He dug his fingers into his sensitive flesh, screaming in disbelief as he continued to stare at the sharingan in front of him. 

Falling to his knees, his body feeling too heavy, Sasuke slammed his head against the glass door. Listening to the sound ricocheting off of the thick glass, he screamed as clawed at his face and shook his head.

He was cursed.

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 4 — After All This Time

Deep crimson skies touched the soft, black hills of the horizon. Thick, grey clouds rolled over them, strangling the atmosphere with heavy, burning rain. 

Sasuke stood underneath, his eyes widened in fear as he watched the people around him move. At some point, they began passing through him, a cold, lingering feeling that only increased the longer he remained there. He knew where he was, how could he not?

The familiar foundation of the Uchiha compound, stained in blood that trickled from each step, creeping towards him, made his skin crawl. He recognized where he was and he absolutely hated it. 

Red eyes stared at him in mute anger, and blame. A figure that was once known as his brother was replaced with a reflection of himself. It took a long time for him to hear what was being said to him, every step his shadow took made his ears ring as they began to pick up the words spoken.

“You’re nothing.”

“You’re weak.”

“You’re not strong enough.”

Sasuke couldn’t take a step back. He couldn’t turn around to run, and in some ways, the voice that kept whispering harshly at him as it cackled, was being truthful. He wasn’t strong enough to turn away, he couldn’t close his eyes and remove the image of dead bodies around him.

He couldn’t shield himself from the flames that fell from above as the red skies weeped. No, he couldn’t shake his head and rid himself of the image of a blood red sharingan staring back at him. 

It was his own; the eyes that had been his birthright. He knew that they were there. He could feel his chakra twisting and turning in the pits of his stomach as blood rushed to his head to accommodate his inheritance. Yet he ignored the inkling feeling; the brush of cold fingertips against his neck, the whispers in his ears, and the feeling of blood between his toes as the ghosts of his family cheered.

The Uchiha will prosper—they always will.

Anger dissipated to welcome shame and despair. He will forever be an Uchiha no matter how much he tries to change. He will always be beneath his brother in every aspect, forever trapped in the silhouette of what could have been and what has happened.

The sharingan was a curse to him.

A morbid reminder that his family was dead and his brother had done it. 

Nevertheless, Itachi did not come to mind as Sasuke’s knees became weakened and his hands flew to his eyes. The stress lines on his brother's face, and the smile that stretched across it, was merely a blurry image in Sasuke’s mind. 

The scream that left his sore throat sounded as if it came from over the hills. So far detached from him that he could not recognized it as his own, just as he could not recognize the blood falling from his eyes.

Haku wasn’t sure what to do when Sasuke collapsed on the veranda. His shaking hands, coupled with the tears that prickled the corner of his eyes, made it hard to focus on the screaming child in front of him. 

He had done this—although unintentionally—by reminding Sasuke of a past he wasn’t all too aware of. Haku remembered how cold he felt when he realized that his family was gone; just as cold as the frozen, red icicles that coursed through his veins. Blood that had been given to him, a target on his back, a notice that he would always be an outsider no matter where he was.

Sasuke’s pitiful screams and cries as he thrashed on the floor caused Haku’s heart to lurch forward in both compassion and fear of the pain Sasuke was going through. Still, he was the one to have caused this, and he could feel the palm strike against his cheek as Himawari shouted at him. A made up fantasy that had him flinching all too often as he imagined the backlash, and blame he would receive for hurting Sasuke.

“Please.” He stuttered out, holding his hand to his chest as he reached out with the other. “Let me help.”

Perhaps Sasuke didn’t hear him, Haku couldn’t quite blame him if he didn’t. The screams were too loud, drowning out his quiet voice as he stepped closer to the shivering boy.

He took notice of the way Sasuke dug his fingers into his skull, as if to pull his eyes out. He saw the blood caked underneath his fingertips, and his cheeks stained red from his tears. He didn’t know what to do, or think, but ice shot out of him without hesitation.

It pinned Sasuke’s hands to his side, the temperature a direct contrast to the heat radiating off of him. It made him lurch forward in shock, his eyes still squeezed shut as he screamed.

Haku panicked in place. He didn’t know where Himawari was, or Naruto for that matter. He shouldn’t have come home so early, maybe he should have waited for them to return. 

His moment of lament was interrupted with a kick to his abdomen that sent him flying back. He had been so caught up in his anxious, racing thoughts that he didn’t sense the killing intent that flooded the area.

Haku blinked.

Then he blinked again.

Naruto stood in front of him, eyes red and teeth bared as he glared at him. Himawari, and Hinata were behind him, trying to get Sasuke to calm down.

“What did you do?” Naruto opened and closed his fists, fighting against the voice that told him to rip the boy in front of him to shreds. He didn’t like that voice—deep, and heavy—yet he couldn’t completely dismiss it. 

“I…Nothing. I was trying to help and he—“ Haku squared his shoulder, his mind in another plane of existence as his body went on defence mode. If he was going to be hurt, he might as well prepare himself for it. The chakra that rolled off of Naruto was identical to the one used during their fight nearly a month ago. He was prepared this time, at least that’s what he thought.

Off to the side, Himawari couldn’t help but panic as she pulled Sasuke’s hands out the thin sheets of ice Haku had covered it with. She picked him up, pressing his cheek to her chest as she snuck her hand underneath him to close his chakra points.

Hinata stared at her, a knowing glance as she quickly took notice of how Sasuke went limp in the older woman’s arms. She didn’t say anything, however, feeling worried herself as she looked between Sasuke, Naruto and a detached Haku.

She knew the look on his face all too well. His eyes blank and clouded, his body poised and ready for an attack, and his lips stretched into a thin line. She could almost hear his heartbeat pounding inside of his chest, trying to keep up with the physical toll anxiety had over his body whether he was aware of it or not.

Before she could shout out for Naruto to stop as he lunged towards Haku, Himawari had already set Sasuke down to intercept the fist that would have collided with Haku’s face.

Hinata watched carefully, shuffling herself closer to Sasuke’s limp body as she clutched the edges of his shirt. She heard Himawari say something as she deflected every erratic punch coming from a disoriented Naruto.

Fists coated in red chakra were easily pushed aside with a gentle hand before surprise took over Naruto’s initial wrath. His wrist was bent enough that it hurt, his body was quickly twisted and thrown to the ground as Himawari kneeled on his other arm to restrain him.

“I said to stop.” Her voice was stern, yet soft as she pushed him down to reiterate her point. “You lashing out at Haku isn’t going to help Sasuke. He’s not present.” She caught Haku’s glossed over gaze.

She’s found herself accustomed to the hardened look of a soldier ready for a fight. She too had dawned such an expression during her service as a shinobi. She didn’t like it.

Naruto allowed himself to calm down as he watched Haku as well. He felt resentful, yet it didn’t last long as grievance took its place. “Okay.” He muttered, letting his anger dissipate as Himawari slowly got off of him.

“Haku.” Himawari called out.

Brown eyes matched her blank stare, blinking only when a strand of hair brushed against his forehead. He stood at attention, ready for an order as if Himawari was his instructor. 

“Calm down. I’m not going to punish you.”

The boy blinked, unfamiliar with the instruction. Every time he was in this mode, it was favourable for Zabuza. He was poised and ready for a fight, to be told that there was no reason to be in that state made his mind short circuit.

“You tried to help, and you’re probably scared on the inside. There’s no reason to be angry at you. I want you to go inside and take a bath, eat whatever snack you find in the pantry, and drink some water. I’m going to take Sasuke to the hospital, and because you’re the oldest, you need to look after Naruto and Hinata while I’m gone.”

“I can take—“ Naruto was ready to refuse her proposal. He had spent his time alone in the house without supervision before. He wasn’t a little kid that needed to be watched, especially since he was wary of Haku at the moment. He hurt Sasuke—nobody hurts Sasuke.

“I will see you both soon.” Himawari didn’t spare him a glance, nor did she acknowledge his displeased look as she picked up Sasuke. 

“Is Sasuke going to be alright?” Hinata asked, stepping out of the way for Himawari to get into the house. 

“I would hope so. His reaction was harsher than before.” Her lips were pressed into a thin line. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he gets treatment if there’s anything wrong.”

Hinata couldn’t heed her words. She knew that Himawari was scared. If the hesitation in her voice wasn’t enough of an indication, it was the sad look in her eyes as she stared down at the boy in her arms.

She’s witnessed moments where Sasuke had flashbacks, or woke up from nightmares. She knew how hard it was for Himawari to witness the ways Sasuke destroyed himself even with all the preventive measures she’s taken over the years. To see him revert back to the little boy who struggled with the pain he felt after the massacre clearly made her heart ache.

In a way, Hinata felt her own heart hurt as well. She hoped that Sasuke was alright, and that whatever he had seen to cause him to scratch his face so badly would never make itself known again.

It was all she could do as she watched Himawari leave the house with Sasuke’s head resting on her shoulder as she carried him away.

Himawari found herself pacing the halls of the hospital as the sun’s rays finally hid themselves to be replaced by the haunting moon above. The clock’s ticking coming from down the hall did nothing to quell her worries as she waited for the doctor to return with Sasuke.

The look of curiosity, along with ones that just screamed ‘I told you so’, was forever imprinted on her brain. She had walked into the hospital with Sasuke, frantic eyes looking for a nurse willing enough to take the boy and help him. 

It felt as if time had stood still as everyone walked around with their eyes to the floor as a way to ignore her presence. The frustration she felt caused her to shout for help, and soon after, a small medical team took Sasuke from her.

They spoke amongst themselves in hushed voices, giving her looks over their shoulders as they went around gathering the things they needed. No one had said anything to her until they were wheeling Sasuke off to the operation room.

His chakra pathways had been abused. 

She would have known that had she activated her byakugan the moment she saw him on the ground. The scratch marks on his face were just the physical indication of the damage he had done to himself. 

It wasn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed, yet it worried her nonetheless as she waited for them to bring him back to her. She didn’t trust them; she had learned not to over the years of seeing how things worked behind closed doors.

Still, she couldn’t demand that she be let into the operating room to see what they were doing. Instead, Himawari excused herself every few minutes to stand in the bathroom with her byakugan activated.

“Himawari-san?” A young nurse called out for her as they removed their mask and gloves. Behind her were her subordinates who wheeled out a still unconscious Sasuke. “Everything went well.”

She sighed out of relief but also to get rid of the tension in her shoulders as she watched them escort Sasuke into a room for the night. “What happened?”

“As I said before, there was some abuse to his optical pathways from the constant activation of his sharingan. There wasn’t enough damage to cause blindness, nor did he lose the ability to reactivate his eyes, however, he would be a little bit sensitive to light for a few days.” She smiled in reassurance. “Though, it was a little bit fascinating that he had placed himself under a genjūtsu without really meaning to. As for the scratches to his face, they should heal and fade quickly.”

“Thank you.” She bowed her head slightly. “Do you know when he will be discharged?”

The young nurse frowned as she looked away as if she knew that the answer would not be favourable to Himawari. “We would hope that he doesn’t have to stay for more than a few days, but with his sharingan’s activation and the fragile mental state he’s in…”

“You’ve informed the higher ups.”

“That is my job.”

Himawari felt her hands get colder. “What do they want?”

“An assessment.”

“He’s had one done before.”

“I understand that, but this is so that an incident like this doesn’t occur out on the battlefield. Uchiha Sasuke is a shinobi of Konoha, just as I am a medic in this hospital. There are responsibilities he has agreed to uphold once he accepted his role as a shinobi. The assessment would be held, and those in charge will decide whether or not he is suitable to continue on the field. I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but as his guardian, I would not want to keep you in the dark and further upset you. Sasuke’s room is on the second floor, have a good night, Himawari-san.”

Had she been the kind of person her Ino was, she wouldn’t have received those words in such a calm manner. It betrayed her inner feelings, the placid look on her face did not match the fear and anger that tossed around her head. 

Sasuke’s safety had always been her priority. She had purposely avoided dealing with Konoha’s medical team in fear of them violating Sasuke’s boundaries just for the sake of having another prodigy in their hands. 

As she leaned against the door frame leading to his room, staring at the unconscious body of the boy she had raised, she couldn’t help but remember the pain she felt after she heard of the massacre. She had watched him the same way; feeling as if she could have done something different so he didn’t end up hurt again.

Closing the door softly behind her, Himawari took off her cardigan and let down her hair. She got herself situated on the armchair beside the hospital bed, her eyelids feeling heavy as exhaustion washed over her.

“You’re back here again.” She whispered as she stared at Sasuke’s sleeping face. She reached out for his hand, yet stopped herself as she continued to study him. “How many times will you be here? Under their watch? No matter what I do, you always come back.” She looked down as her eyes filled with tears.

Himawari has never truly sat with her fear for more than a few moments. As Boruto’s mother, when he had first been born, she kept her anxiety to herself. She feared that she would be just like her father: too stern and emotionless that it would cause her child to struggle unnecessarily for her approval. When her daughter had been born, she couldn’t help but see herself in her eyes, and that anxiety was amplified.

She worked night and day to build a family where they would never know the pain of disapproval from her. In her hard work, she patched up the walls of her broken marriage, wishing that they weren’t visible to the onlookers—to her children. 

Being back in the past, given a chance to change things, she had that same worry. Would she be capable enough to seal the cracks and be good enough to change things? Was she suitable to embark on this personal journey? 

Would she fail as a mother again? Would the family that she built up be broken? Would the children she swore to protect be safe? 

Every time she accompanied Sasuke to the hospital after an injury she could not heal on her own, those questions popped up in her head. She berated herself for not planning ahead, and for not being able to do everything at once. She promised over and over again that he would not come back, fearing that his frequent visits would cause the Hokage to take him away, yet those visits barely dwindled.

Now he was back in their grasp, in a place where they could get him, and she couldn’t do much to protect him. An assessment that would violate him, and shape him in a way she could not predict. It was her only hope that they did not do anything beyond asking him a few questions.

Surely someone would advocate on her behalf. Sasuke, the child who called out to her in his time of need, needed to be protected. She had promised she would do her job diligently. 

He called her ‘Momma’, and that’s exactly what she was going to be. 

His hand holding her own shocked her. Himawari’s head snapped up to look at him, his eyes were still closed, yet his hand had sought her out with ease. She pulled herself closer, getting up from her chair to sit down on his bed. 

Himawari reached out to brush his hair to the side, cupping his face as she caressed his cheek with her thumb. “I’m here.”

He didn’t say anything, but he leaned into her hand some more as his grip tightened. A stray tear from his eyes was quickly brushed away just as she pressed her forehead against his own.

“You’ll be okay.”

She would make sure of it.

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 5 — The Same

Sakura only heard the news regarding Sasuke while she was walking down the market district towards the shinobi sector. The smile on her face had quickly been wiped away, and the bounce in her step was gone. Her initial excitement had been replaced with a pit in her stomach as she sped up her walking.

Himawari wasn’t home when she arrived at the house, nor was Sasuke. All that remained was a tired Naruto who barely returned her greeting, an upset Hinata, and Haku didn’t bother stepping outside of his room. The atmosphere around the house was so dense that she could barely breathe.

Naruto sprawled himself out on the couch, his arms folded as he glared at the ceiling. As for Hinata, her knees were pulled to her chest as she sat on the floor while playing with her fingers. Sakura wanted so desperately to know what happened, to hear it from the people who seem to know more than the whispering villagers, yet she couldn’t find the right words.

Instead, she made herself comfortable beside Hinata and cleared her throat. “Is Ino coming over today?” She glanced at Hinata briefly.

All she got in return was a short shrug and a frown. Many awkward seconds passed in complete silence by the time Hinata opened her mouth again. “She might have a mission today, so I don’t expect her to rush over here before the evening. Was there something you wanted me to tell her?” She was so used to being the one relaying messages between the two girls while they tried to get over their personal hurdle that she assumed there was another problem. 

One that she could fix since [clearly] she wasn’t able to help much with Sasuke. 

“No, I was just curious since…” She clamped her mouth shut in fear of saying something that would further upset Naruto. “…everyone is here except for—“

Naruto’s sudden movement made her pause. Her eyes followed him as he left the living room.

“Naruto, where are you going?” Hinata called out.

“I need to speak with Haku.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”

The cold look she got from him made her blood run cold. Hinata had never been on the receiving end of such an angering look from him before, and she immediately shrunk into the oversized shirt that she had on. The urge to instantly apologize overcame her, yet she didn’t have the chance to say anything as Sakura shielded her from Naruto’s hard gaze.

“What’s going on between Haku and yourself?” Sakura tried her best to appear stronger, she could visibly see Naruto trying to restrain himself as he clenched his jaw at the mention of Haku’s name. “…What’s going on with Sasuke?”

Hinata reached out for her hand, holding it gently as she pulled her, trying to get her to stop for her sake. She didn’t want Naruto to access that intense chakra she felt yesterday; there was no way for her to calm him down the same way Himawari did. She was wary. “Don’t, Sakura.” She whispered.

“I’m curious. All I heard on my way here were a bunch of whispers and rumours about Sasuke, but I want to hear information from you first. Clearly it has to do with Haku…Did he hurt Sasuke?” She squeezed Hinata’s hand in worry; whether it was for Sasuke himself or to stop her racing heart didn’t matter. Her eyes remained wide open, filled with hope that what she heard wasn’t right. 

Naruto bowed his head and took a deep breath as he ran his hand through his messy hair and rubbed his eyes. He knew he was wrong for directing his anger at the girls in front of him, and a part of him was terrified of the way they stared at him as if he was going to hurt them. He ignored the dark voice in his head, whispering words of contempt as he shuffled in his spot.

He had the right to be mad at Haku, but half that anger was directed at himself as well. If he had not brought Haku here, none of this would have occurred. Sasuke would be getting ready for some training at the moment, possibly standing in the bathroom while he poked his healed piercings, or talking with Himawari. Yet he wasn’t, because of Haku—because of Naruto. 

“Sasuke had a flare up yesterday.” He finally answered.

“A flare up?” Sakura looked at Naruto, and then Hinata in confusion. “What do you mean? Did he get sick?”

Hinata sadly shook her head. “He had a breakdown.”

“Worse than the little moment he had during our mission.” Naruto added, he knew that Sakura would instantly understand if he gave her a point of reference. “I don’t know what really happened, but Haku was there and Sasuke…Sasuke was unresponsive with his face covered in scratches and blood.”

Sakura went still as the words finally reached her ears in totality. 

“He’s at the hospital with Himawari-san.” Hinata whispered. “She said she would take care of everything so we’re waiting for any updates.”

“Can we visit him?” She stuttered out. “Is that alright? We can go together if that’s better. We need to check up on him!”

Nobody said anything at her suggestion. Frankly, the thought had crossed their minds all night as they tossed and turned in their beds. Last night, Naruto had found himself sleeping in Hinata’s room. The absence of Sasuke felt much heavier knowing that he was in the hospital rather than in Himawari’s room.

They had spoken last night, however brief it was, about what everything meant for Sasuke. The worry regarding his current life, and the future was shared. As well as the regret of not being able to completely take his pain away despite being around him for years. It was still something impossible, and it would remain that way whether they liked it or not.

“I’ll go find Ino.” Hinata interrupted the silence. “I’ll let her know what happened. I think we should just wait for Himawari-san…We might not be allowed in without permission.”

Sakura’s frown deepened. “Can I speak with Haku?”

Naruto held his breath.

“Sasuke?”

He turned his head to the side where her voice came from. Although his vision had been obstructed by the bandages that wrapped themselves around his eyes, he knew who it was who said his name. 

She had stayed at his side all night; her chakra humming gently even in moments where she would doze off. Even now, her chakra covered his hand, enveloping it in warmth amidst the air conditioning in the room.

He didn’t answer however, his throat too sore and dry for him to say a word. He wanted to see her face at the moment. Was she looking at him in concern? Or was pain etched into her face, forever printing its cruel hands on her skin because of him? If he could speak, if agony didn’t grab his throat and squeezed as tightly as it could, he would have apologized to her.

She would tell him that there was nothing to be sorry for, but he knew that her anxiety always spiked because of him. Himawari never spoke of her own turmoil, especially of the crippling anxiety that would sometimes keep her up at night as she watched him sleep. He knew she stood outside his bedroom door when she felt restless, occasionally peering in to make sure that he was sleeping well.

He ran to her when he needed help; and in return, he was the only one who she let her walls down for. He still didn’t understand why. Himawari stayed strong for everyone, ready to fix their problems before her own, yet it was as if her own problems were woven into his. She didn’t feel at peace completely unless he was within sight, and he knew that.

So he wanted to apologize for resorting back to the weak child that she had tried so desperately to protect. For causing her to sit beside his hospital bed again with her chakra fluctuating every few minutes to make sure he was alright.

Sasuke opened his mouth, waiting for a sound to come out, but all he let out was a warm puff of air. He tried not to relax too much in the hand that laid on his head, even though his racing mind settled down, because he could feel her heartbeat quickening through her fingers. Something was wrong.

Under the bandages, he furrowed his eyebrows, trying to decipher the silence coming from Himawari after she muttered his name. He shifted a little bit, ignoring the pain that shot up his legs as he turned to face her fully.

“You’re going to be assessed again.”

His heart dropped to his stomach. 

He felt his insides twist; his intestines wrapping themselves around his stomach as bile climbed up his esophagus. Sasuke shook his head, his mouth opening again to refuse yet the sounds never came out.

He hated being assessed by Konoha. He learned to appreciate Utaha’s presence and help after dealing with a few medics at the hospital. Sasuke could safely say that he much preferred the quirky woman with her silly hair and piercings rather than the nurses here who would poke and prod him.

“I don’t want it to happen either.” Himawari squeezed his hand, ignoring the way he began to shake as she caressed his knuckles. “I tried to refuse but…”

The Hokage.

He knew that it was the Hokage’s doings, so there was no point refusing the assessment. Why the old man was so concerned with Sasuke’s well-being still puzzled the boy. He hadn’t done anything to prevent the massacre, and he hadn’t bothered to speak with him either. Had it not been for Himawari, who knows where Sasuke would have ended up? 

“I’m sorry, Sasuke.”

The sound of the door opening, followed by the somewhat quiet footfalls of whoever had entered, instantly caught Sasuke’s attention. He’s felt this presence before, although briefly, still, it did nothing to calm his anxious thoughts as reality dawned on him. 

“Inoichi-san.” Himawari stood up as she greeted him, bowing her head slightly as she tried her best to not shake under his intense gaze.

They’ve never been on good terms despite Ino being very good friends with Sasuke. Himawari would be foolish to think that Inoichi wasn’t at least wary of her in some way. She knew the ins and outs of the interrogation system, that in itself was enough means to make the two keep their distance.

“Himawari-san.” He nodded back. Blond hair swayed as he turned his gaze to the pale skinned boy on the bed. His lips twitched just slightly, curiosity creeping up the back of his neck as he studied him quietly.

Inoichi had received his task early in the morning; a scroll placed on his desk with the Hokage’s seal on it. Sasuke had once again been admitted to the hospital. The contents of the scroll was a simple request, followed by advice from Hatake Kakashi.

It seemed as if the young Uchiha had appeared unstable during his mission, and the obvious breakdown from the night before had been enough means to involve Inoichi himself. Of course they could have gotten a simple practitioner to ask Sasuke questions and make sure he was alright, but this was the only time they could get close to the boy and they would seize that opportunity no matter what. 

“Can you step outside of the room please?” He ignored the shocked look on Himawari’s face, as if she wasn’t expecting him to ask her to see herself out. 

“I think it’s better if I remain here.”

He noticed how Sasuke’s grip on her hand tightened, a silent protest from him. He too wanted Himawari to stay.

“Unfortunately, it’s protocol. Obviously, I’m not going to interrogate him like some sort of criminal. However, I would like him to give me his honest answers—“

“—And he can do that in my presence. Please, Inoichi-san, I can’t leave Sasuke alone at the moment, even if I trust you to be gentle. You understand, don’t you? I would never allow Ino to—“

“—Ino isn’t the subject matter.” Inoichi was well aware of his daughter’s proximity to the woman. As a parent, he too understood Himawari’s concern, nonetheless, this was for Konoha. If he had to take in personal requests as the head of the interrogation department, the system that they had built would have crumbled long ago. “I don’t want to get anyone else involved, Himawari-san, please cooperate.”

She planted her feet firmly, squaring her shoulders as she shook her head in defiance. “I can’t let you do that.” She wouldn’t leave Sasuke alone here, within reach of someone who could very easily break his will. She knows how the interrogation process worked—her Ino had taught her well—even if Inoichi silently promised to not force Sasuke to answer against his own interests.

She, however, couldn’t do very much.

Sasuke heard more people enter the room, their chakra being a stark contrast to the familiar warmth of Himawari’s. He listened as they approached his bed, he silently pulled Himawari closer even as other hands pulled her away. He tried to ignore the distress in her voice as she was dragged outside of the room.

What once was a warm room filled with her presence had turned shockingly cold as Sasuke realized that he was alone. She wouldn’t be able to protect him, even as he listened to her struggle outside of the room.

Inoichi stepped closer to him, his hand outstretched as he cleared his throat. “I just have a few questions, Sasuke, the other guards in here are meant to protect you if anything happens.”

They would hurt him.

He didn’t believe Inoichi’s words.

And he was right as he lashed out when an unfamiliar hand wrapped themselves around his wrist, scorching his skin as another pressed themselves against his forehead.

The words that had been lost earlier quickly found their place as he screamed. “Momma!”

Sakura stood outside the bedroom door awkwardly, contemplating whether or not she should actually knock on the door. Naruto had reluctantly guided her to Haku’s room, more so because he was practically itching to confront the boy again. As she stood there, alone and in complete silence, she tried to figure out what exactly she should say to Haku.

They weren’t exactly close, nor have they really spoken to each other very much outside of greetings. Yet she wanted to resolve whatever conflict that had happened, as a way to clear the air in hopes of making it easier for Naruto. Without Himawari there to play mediator, she had to be the one to make sure that there weren’t any physical altercations.

“Haku? Can I come in?” She finally managed to say as she pressed her ear against the door. 

There wasn’t a sound for a while, so she thought he might have still been asleep, but the click of the lock and the door suddenly opening shocked her. Taking a step back, Sakura peered through the small crack in the door, trying to catch a glimpse of Haku.

The room was dark; the curtains were drawn to keep the light out. Pushing the door open a little bit more, Sakura slipped inside of the room and looked around as best as she could.

He laid on his bed, wrapped in his duvet with his back towards the door. From what she could see, he was curled up into a ball, his hair let down from the usual bun he kept it in. 

“I just wanted to check up on you.” She admitted as she twisted her hands in the fabric of her dress.

“There’s no need to do that, I’m alright.” His voice was hoarse, evidence of his crying as he cleared his throat. 

“No, you’re not.” She sat down on the floor beside the bed, pulling the duvet slightly to reveal his body some more. “I know we’re not really close, and you don’t have to talk to me about anything, but…I am worried.” When he didn’t respond, she continued to talk. “I heard about what happened yesterday from Naruto.”

His body went rigid as he held his breath as if he was anticipating her anger. 

“Are you alright?”

Haku turned to face her, his eyes mapping her face as he tried to figure out why she was here. Sure, she had stated her purpose, but he couldn’t wrap his head around why she was doing it. “Are you not angry at me?”

Sakura itched her cheek and tilted her head. “Why would I be?”

“Is Sasuke not someone that you love?”

Her cheeks turned pink as her eyes widened at the blunt words Haku spoke. “I, yeah, but that’s not the point!” She stuttered, looking away quickly. “I figured that it was all a misunderstanding; there’s no way you would have willingly hurt Sasuke, especially when Himawari-san allowed you in her home. You may be dangerous, but you’re not exactly stupid enough to attack a Konoha shinobi within Konoha, in the shinobi district no less.”

He brushed his hair out of his face as he blinked. He couldn’t keep eye contact with those emerald gems that stared at him with trust. “I was just trying to help.” He muttered. “I know Sasuke doesn’t like me, and I was hoping to reconcile with him in some way but I…” He wasn’t good at the friendship thing—there was a reason why Zabuza was the only person he was familiar with. Friends had never been of concern, practically because they were hard to come by as someone with a bloodline limit.

If someone was his friend, they were an enemy as well. At any moment, they could hurt him. 

“Can you tell me what happened? From your point of view?” She brought her knees up to her chest, ready to listen to him carefully.

“He was hurting himself and I offered him my help, then he—“ Haku made a gesture with his hand, not being able to find the right words for him to explain Sasuke’s outburst. “I’m not sure how I felt at that moment, but I noticed his eyes and I pointed it out. I wasn’t aware that it was such a touchy subject for him.”

He should have known though, that’s why he felt so guilty. He should have known that the sharingan was a hard topic for Sasuke to talk about, just like he had struggled with accepting his abilities after he killed his father. It was all a reminder for Sasuke, and Haku should have known that.

“That’s okay.” Sakura’s voice snapped him out of his guilt. “I wouldn’t have known that either, and I’m on his team. There’s things we don’t know about each other, so we can’t blame ourselves when we make a mistake.”

“You’re supposed to be mad at me.” He hurt someone Sakura loved—the boy that she had devoted her life to…unless he was getting mixed signals from the girl. 

“Yet I’m not.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “I know now that you were trying to help. It wasn’t your intention to hurt him, or to cause him to have a breakdown. Why should I be mad at you? Besides, Hinata seems a little bit worried and Naruto is trying to get to the bottom of this in his own way. I just thought I could be the bridge to help you relay that it was a simple mistake. The last thing I would want is for this to get in the way of my team and also your relationship with everyone else.” 

Haku sat up, the duvet falling around him as he reached over to turn on the bedside lamp. Light illuminated the room, but most of all, Sakura’s kind features as she smiled at him. “Your personality…”

She raised her eyebrow in confusion. “What about it?”

His lips quirked up a little bit. “I was under the impression that you were a little…harsh? Uncertain at most, but you’re clearly not scared to speak your mind. It’s…confusing?” 

Being a blank slate, Haku couldn’t quite figure out how emotions worked very well. He was either focused on the task he was assigned to, or anxious when he was left to his own devices. There was no time for him to build his own personality unless it was beneficial to whoever he served. For Zabuza, it meant nothing, so Haku became nothing. 

Sakura seemed to be the exact opposite. Although she hid how she truly felt sometimes, as well as her tendencies to switch from her bashful self to ecstatic at simple prompts, she was everything Haku was never able to be. That in itself was something he had observed whenever he stood to the side to watch over the children in Himawari’s absence. 

Again, her face erupted in flames as she tried to hide her cheeks. “I’m not harsh!” She let out an exasperated huff.

She remembered Himawari’s words regarding her own behaviours and sense of self—she was trying her best to not put on an act for people who clearly weren’t looking. Sakura was aware of her own faults, and her inner voice was a lot more scandalous than she would like to admit. She just didn’t think that anyone would catch on as quickly as Himawari had, yet alone someone who she barely spoke to.

“Bold?” He suggested. “Perhaps ‘harsh’ isn’t the right word. You’re not mean, you’re just—“ He used his hands again to express the words that he couldn’t find. “It’s nice.” He folded his hands on his lap. “Different.”

“I’ll take ‘bold’.” She muttered. “How did you know?”

“I know when someone’s faking.” Because he was used to playing roles given to him. 

“I see…”

“Thank you.”

She removed her hands from her cheeks. “What for?”

“For not being angry at me.” His anxiety had convinced him that the world cultivated around him during his stay in Konoha was not as safe as he thought it to be. He was scared of leaving his room, uncertain of how Naruto, or the others would act once they saw him.

For Sakura to come look for him herself, and speak with him, it meant a lot. Although he was still somewhat nervous at facing Naruto, and then Himawari after what happened, the load didn’t feel as heavy as before knowing that there was someone who didn’t hate him. 

“Have you eaten breakfast?” Sakura tried to switch the conversation quickly, unsure of how to receive Haku’s gratitude. 

“I’ve been here since last night.” He shook his head.

“Let’s get you something to eat, and we can do something else today. Maybe you can come with me to the library or help me with training.”

“I’d love to.” He tried to smile—a real one this time. Receiving a smile in return made him feel more at ease. Being away from the house might help him feel a little bit better, he needed time away, just like he knew Naruto did as well. “I hope Sasuke is alright.” He muttered as he got out of bed and reached for his ribbon to tie his hair.

“I hope so too.” Sakura agreed as she stood up. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 6 — Brisé

This was part of the job, that was what Inoichi told himself as he stood facing the door. He took a deep breath in, closing his eyes as he tried his best to erase the empty eyes that looked back at him. He could feel them piercing his skin, targeting his lungs as they forcefully squeezed the air out of it that he had tried to save.

It was his duty, those words rang in his head as he blinked away the incoming headache. He could still hear them; the begging and pleading. He could feel the light tremors under his skin, and the way blood rushed into every part of his body.

If he didn’t do it, then someone else will. That thought swam around his mind, as a way to soothe the unease he felt in his stomach knowing that the woman waiting on the other side of the door would want nothing to do with him.

They just didn’t want a repeat of last time. 

Sasuke was a threat, he could be a threat and that’s what they were trying to avoid. They didn’t want the boy to run amok, unattended and mentally compromised. They didn’t want him to turn into another Itachi.

Would he have done the same if it had been Ino sitting in that bed; a notice stapled on his wall notifying him of his daughter’s seemingly erratic behaviour, asking him to take care of the matter—would he have done the job expected of him then? He tried to think rationally, this was for the village; for the betterment of the people. So, yes, he would, even as his guts twisted and his brow became sweaty. He would do it if Ino was a threat—but his Ino wasn’t a threat.

She was a sweetheart, a little hot tempered, but a sweetheart nonetheless. She wouldn’t do what Sasuke would. He wasn’t undermining her strength but he knew Ino, and she would never disrespect those above her. She would be loyal, he was sure.

Was that true though? Would Ino put her life down for the sake of her village even if that meant her friends would be in danger? Would she have the heart to sacrifice others for the sake of keeping Konoha strong?

That Inoichi couldn’t answer, and the pressure building in his chest, guilt moving rapidly through his body with every pump of his heart, became hard to bear. His step faltered as the remaining ANBU left the hospital room just as the curtains blew in the wind. Gone as if they had never been there, and no one would be able to point out their previous presence except for the boy sitting on the bed.

His eyes were widened, the scratch marks and stitches around them visible now that the bandages hung loosely around his neck. His grip on the sheets were tightened, his knuckles white as he breathed slowly. 

Inoichi had to force himself to rip his gaze away from him, bile rising in his throat as he mentally prepared the words he wanted to say to Himawari once he allowed her in. He let out another sigh, rested his hand on the door handle, and slid it open.

The blaring white lights in the hallway, combined with the sunlight that streamed through the floor to ceiling window at the end of the hall, made him wince. It only lasted a moment, before the worried face of the woman he had internally been dreading to see came into focus.

Her bottom lip was swollen, her wrist pink, all proof of the anxious picking of her skin. Her frantic eyes, the continuous struggle to really breathe as she tried to formulate an appropriate question that would not betray her contempt, were hard to miss. 

“Are you finished?” She settled on that as she straightened her hair. She rubbed her eyes, and pulled her sleeve down to hide her irritated skin, marked with her fingernails. Himawari tried to stand still, holding herself back from pushing past Inoichi to get to Sasuke.

Things had gone quiet once she was escorted out, so she knew that they had placed a privacy seal around the room to stop her from eavesdropping. To make matters worse, she was unable to use her byakugan to make sure that Sasuke was alright.

The nurses had tried to calm her down, they offered her some water and snacks, but Himawari’s interest in refreshments were little to none. For the entire hour, all she could do was sit and wait.

Wait until she hears him scream.

Wait for the bad news.

Wait to be told that she failed.

“I am.” Inoichi pursed his lips. “I will be writing my report to the Hokage.”

“Can—“ She stopped, unsure if her question was appropriate. “Can you tell me what you were looking for? What was the real reason behind his evaluation?”

He tried to look away from her, to avoid her glossed over eyes as her brows furrowed in more worry. His mind went back to his own daughter; he would have been in a similar position of anxiety had it been Ino in Sasuke’s shoes. 

It was against his obligations, however, this was confidential, and there was nothing he could do about it. Well, that’s what the head of T&I would respond with, but as a father—a parent—Inoichi guided Himawari to sit down as he settled beside her.

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he rubbed his chin for a moment. “I was given the instruction to carry out an assessment of Sasuke’s current psyche and behaviour. It was prompted by a report from Hatake Kakashi who had expressed concern after Team Seven’s mission to the Land of Waves. That was it initially, just a mark on his file, but then we received word that he was admitted into the hospital after another breakdown…” He looked at Himawari, waiting to see her reaction to the news.

She clasped her hands between her thighs to hide how shaky they were getting. She nodded in understanding nonetheless, piecing things together mentally as her heart refused to accept their violation. Kakashi could have spoken to her, she could have handled things better, but he was an instructor—one taking direct orders from the Hokage—. His duty was to report to Hiruzen, not her. 

“We just wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t turn into…another Itachi.” He whispered as he stood up. “I will speak with the department’s nurse to see that Sasuke may be discharged by this weekend at the latest if they’re not finished with him. Have a good day, Himawari-san, I’m sure the Hokage would let you know if he decides to take any further action to ensure Sasuke’s safety.” He forced out the last sentence, knowing that that wasn’t the case. 

This was to ensure Konoha’s survival.

Himawari listened to him walk away, her head bowed as she stared at the tiled floor. She didn’t want to get up just yet, sure that her legs would begin to shake if she did. 

They saw Sasuke as a threat, that was all that went through her head as she tried her best to choke down her disappointment in herself. Despite how much she worked with him, teaching him everything she knew, Konoha still saw him as another accident waiting to happen. 

Rubbing her eyes again, Himawari stood up and approached the partially opened door. She brought her shoulders up to her ears, ignoring the ringing in her ears, a warning that something was wrong, as she took a step inside.

She felt her voice leave her as tears sprung forth at the sight of Sasuke sitting there with his body hunched over and vomit dripping down his chin to join the mess around him.

Hinata sat at the table, her hands folded on top of the book she had been occupied with as she watched Haku and Sakura in the backyard. Despite the tense air in the house due to Naruto’s struggle to face Haku with anything but misdirected anger, they managed to eat breakfast together.

At the moment, Sakura was trying her best to play mediator as she distracted Haku from Naruto’s lingering gaze. She would laugh and push him gently as a silent encouragement as he helped her with her senbon training. It was going somewhat well from what Hinata could see; at least Haku and Naruto weren't fighting.

“You alright?” 

Hinata looked up with a small smile as Ino slid a bowl of cut apples in front of her before taking a seat at her side. The blond girl instantly attached herself to her; wrapping her arms around one of her own as she laid her head on her shoulder. 

She had finished her missions early—well, she dropped them once Hinata came looking for her to inform her of what happened. Asuma had been kind enough to let her run off, understanding that Ino wouldn’t be able to focus if her friend was in the hospital. 

“I think so.” Hinata whispered, picking at her fingers as her heart hammered in her chest. She tried telling herself that it was all due to her worry for Sasuke, not so much for the way Ino was touching her. The heat she felt circulating her chest was due to anxiety, definitely not because she could feel Ino’s warm breath against the side of her neck.

They were friends.

“Don’t think about it too much, I’m sure everything will be okay.” Those were empty words, practically because they knew how bad things were for Sasuke to end up in the hospital again. A few breakdowns that were manageable was fine, but this…this was different.

They couldn’t help but feel it deep in the pits of their stomach, telling them that something was about to change, yet they couldn’t place their fingers on it.

Hinata nodded silently, her eyes still trained on Sakura and Haku. “She's getting better.” She tried to shift the conversation to something lighter.

Ino followed her gaze. She remained quiet for a while, before she sat up a little straighter. Still, her arms remained wrapped around Hinata’s. “Do you think I’m being too harsh on her?”

“Hm?”

“On Sakura. It’s been months since she became a part of our little group, and I can tell that she’s trying to rekindle things, but I feel like I’m being harsh for not forgiving her despite her efforts. I just…I don’t know.”

Hinata pulled herself away a little bit in order to face Ino fully, she was quick to replace her hold on her arms with her hands instead. She tried her best to focus on Ino’s face rather than the way her hands have always felt smaller compared to her friend’s. They fit well together. 

“She hurt you before, and it’s hard to trust her again in the same way you did previously, but you’re both trying. You’re both scared of completely making up because you fear that it would be a bad decision, that something else would come in between you two and you’d be back at square one.” Hinata bit her lip; she was trying to comfort Ino as best as she could, but there was only so much she could say and do. Considering that, unlike Ino, Hinata didn’t have any experience with friendships beyond their group, she was approaching it as carefully as she could. “I think you’re trying your best, there’s no deadline for you to forgive her. Although, I would speak with her one day to let her know how you really feel again. I’m sure it will work out.”

Ino squeezed her hands, interlocking their fingers as she nodded. Her eyes were trained on Hinata’s patchy skin from chakra irritation. Unconsciously, she rubbed her thumb against the peeling skin and smiled. “You’ve been working really hard.”

She attempted to pull her hands away, suddenly self conscious of how pink and patchy they were, yet Ino pulled her back with a laugh. 

“I think they’re beautiful.” She brought her hands up to her lips, kissing her fingers gently. 

“Ino…”

They instantly separated when they heard the front door open. They stood up and ran towards the foyer, their cheeks pink as they observed a tired Himawari taking off her shoes and cardigan.

“Himawari-san.” They echoed as they craned their heads to see if Sasuke was with her.

“Oh, girls, hello.” She avoided their eyes, knowing that if they saw how red hers were, they would be worried. She didn’t want them to feel concerned about anything, even if they were to question her to oblivion. 

“Where’s Sasuke?” Ino blurted out.

“He’s at the hospital still,” Himawari answered as she walked into the house. “I just came to pick up some clothes, Dino and snacks for him.”

“When’s he getting discharged then? Is he okay?” Ino frowned as she followed the woman to her bedroom. She made herself comfortable on her bed, patting the empty place beside her, inviting a timid Hinata to join her. 

Himawari pulled her shirt over her head, changing it quickly as she tried to tie her hair up as well. She wouldn’t be able to fully relax if she stayed at the house for longer than needed, which meant ignoring the children’s questions. 

“Himawari-san?” 

She stood up straight, staring at the picture on her dresser. “He should be out before the weekend, perhaps another overnight stay and he’ll be back home.” She answered softly. “No need to be scared, I’ll be with him.”

“We’ll tell Naruto you’re here, he wanted to ask about something.” Ino offered, pulling Hinata quickly so they could leave Himawari alone.

As they closed her bedroom door behind them, they stopped in front of the kitchen, silence ringing in the air.

“Something’s wrong.” Ino whispered.

“She’s been crying.” Hinata added. “Is it because of Sasuke?” She poked her fingers together, turning around to stare down the hall. 

“Let’s keep that to ourselves, and get the others so she can see them before she leaves.” 

It didn’t take very long to gather everyone together before Himawari entered the kitchen to pack some snacks in a bag. She hadn’t noticed them for a while until Naruto stepped in front of her. He studied her quietly, his brows furrowed as he looked at the bag she had strapped to her side and the one she was packing. 

“An extended hospital stay?” Was all he asked, ignoring how he desperately wanted to lash out at Haku for causing this as reality hit him again.

“Yes. I’m sure you three, well, five, can take care of things here? I’ll be popping back in until Sasuke is completely discharged—hopefully by tomorrow afternoon.” 

“You look tired, Himawari-san, did you sleep?” Sakura felt her heart skip a beat at the thought of Sasuke being in the hospital for longer than they anticipated. 

“A little bit, I will get some rest when I return to Sasuke’s side.” It’s been fifteen minutes already, she hoped that he was alright. “Hinata, I’m putting you in charge of ordering whatever food you guys want to eat, just have it put on my tab and I will pay for it when I return.”

“Can we visit?” Naruto dismissed her words, not caring about food or that they were to stay home alone again for another day. 

Himawari pursed her lips, “if he’s not back by tomorrow, then I think you can.”

“Okay.” He sighed. “Alright, take care of yourself, and get some rest, I’m sure Sasuke doesn’t like that you’re not sleeping because of him.”

She blinked back the tears that flooded her eyes as she nodded. She knew Naruto was right, his concern was justified, yet she couldn’t help but push herself to make sure that Sasuke was completely okay—even if that meant ignoring how tired she was. 

“I’ll see you guys soon.” She closed the bag and flung it over her shoulder. 

Her gaze remained on Haku as the children nodded and dispersed quietly. Just like her, guilt radiated off of him in waves as he followed Sakura back outside. She could see that things haven’t really resolved themselves in her absence, yet she didn’t have the time to fix things.

Everything seemed as if they were falling apart too quickly for her to catch its pieces.

The way his heart lurched in his chest before it settled as a hand touched him made Sasuke want to scream until he realized who those hands belonged to. He turned slowly at her provocation, unable to actually sit up as she made her presence known once more.

It was late, or at least, he assumed it was since the curtains were fully drawn and barely any light came through. Her smile was small, the corners of her lips barely turned upwards as it failed to reach her eyes.

He reached out for her hand, wanting to feel something other than pain for once as he brought it towards his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, he was aware of that, and in return, she allowed her chakra to wash over him to provide him some comfort.

“I brought Dino.” Himawari whispered, pulling out the green, stuffed dinosaur for him to see. “I also brought some food.”

He frowned and shook his head at the mention of a meal. His stomach has been eating away at itself all day, and the fear of regurgitating all over himself again after she had pleaded with the nurses to let her clean him was persistent. Still, he wanted to try for her, to at least alleviate some of her apparent worry. 

“Not too much.” He answered, letting his bangs fall over his face partially. He decided to keep the bandages off, the dark scared him at the moment. 

“Is this okay?” She reached into the bag again, pulling out a supplement drink and a muffin. “Just so you’re not too weak to move.”

He looked at his options with some hesitation, they weren’t bad, but the chances of throwing up was high if he ate anything solid. “I’ll take the drink.”

“Do you want a straw?”

“I’m fine.” He pulled himself up with her help, raising the bed a little bit so that he wouldn’t choke on the drink. 

The taste was vanilla, it masked the otherwise bitter flavour of all the essential vitamins found in the drink. It wasn’t bad, however, and he finished it with little difficulty. 

“Did you manage to sleep a little bit while I was gone?” Himawari asked as she began to unpack some of his clothes. She knew he hated the hospital gowns, and that made her smile as she thought about his obvious dislike for the fabric. 

“Only five minutes.” 

That was a lie.

He could barely keep his eyes closed.

“That’s better than nothing.”

“You need to sleep.” He said as she sat down at his side again. He brought his hand up to touch under her eyes, noting how they began to swell slightly from exhaustion, and perhaps tears. “You don’t want to look ugly, what if a hot nurse comes in the room and sees you?” 

Himawari scoffed in exasperation, just glad that he had enough in him to make a joke. “Like that would ever happen.” She removed his hand as she shook her head.

“You can’t predict the future.”

“I can tell you right now that there are no hot nurses in this hospital.”

His smile was wobbly, but colour returned to his cheeks as his eyes became brighter. “So you’ve been checking them out?”

“I did not say that.”

“You said there aren’t any hot ones, so you’ve been checking them out.” He teased her some more, internally content that he could see her shoulders relax bit by bit. He didn’t want to worry her with what actually was going on in his head at the moment. 

That was scary.

He, instead, focused on her face as it contorted in displeasure at his accusations. Sasuke laughed, it was airy and barely audible, but he laughed. That was enough to make Himawari smile fully.

“Can you sleep here?” He asked.

“Where?”

He shuffled a little bit in the bed, scooting to the side to make some space for her. He wasn’t very big to begin with, and neither was she. He just knew that if he really did have to close his eyes for the rest of the day, it would be easier knowing that she was there to stop anyone from touching him.

“You’re not seven anymore.” She pretended to scold him as she got up to turn down the lights. 

Unfortunately, he felt like he was seven again. Seeing things, and hearing words from people that weren’t there. Phantom pain covering his body at every rough texture that brushed against his skin. He didn’t say anything, however, he just frowned.

“Do you want the blanket or are you alright?” She offered him as she took off her shoes and sat on the bed. 

“The blanket is fine.” He shifted again.

Himawari laid down with her body turned to allow him some breathing room. There was still some significant space but she wanted to make sure that he didn’t feel as if he was trapped. That, however, didn’t last long as Sasuke pulled himself closer and buried his head in the crook of her neck.

She didn’t realize that he began to shake and cry until his hot tears turned cold as it slid down her skin. She wrapped her arms around him, petting his back soothingly as she remained quiet.

“I hate them.” Sasuke murmured. “I hate them all.”

“That’s okay.” She whispered back. 

“What did I do?”

For his family to get killed.

For him to be haunted by blood.

For guilt to consume him.

For him to live.

“Nothing. You did nothing.”

Those words would never be able to sooth the pain and suffering he felt at his core. They would never touch the guilt that implanted itself into the corner of his brain; screaming and lashing out at him for surviving. 

They were nothing.

Just like their hands had been nothing when they restrained him.

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 7 — Time’s Hands

Name: Uchiha Sasuke

Ninja Registration Number: 012606

Sex: Male

D.O.B: 23/07/1987

Status: Suspended *until further notice*

Himawari sat in front of the hospital room, the letter opened on her lap as she read its contents over and over again.

Suspended.

They had been quick to make their final decision on the matter, and the message was delivered rather quickly. Still, she could not seem to decipher the true meaning of the words bolded on the page. 

Until further notice.

Did they see no value in Sasuke anymore? Was he being cast aside, a reminder of what should not be done, just as his brother had been? Perhaps she had been too hopeful to think that someone would have advocated for Sasuke in some manner. Surely this wasn’t it; there was more he could do—more he was ready to learn.

Suspended.

He wouldn’t be able to complete his goal, that thought made her frown deepen. He strived to continue through his struggles, swallowing his fear just so he could one day reach his brother. Suspension, with a very minute chance of it ever being lifted, meant that Sasuke would never be able to step outside of Konoha unless he himself gave up his ninja status. 

She tried to see the good in it—at least he wouldn’t be in danger out in an unpredictable world where she could not reach him—but the alarm bells blared in her head. Ringing, reminding her that she was here to make sure that her future would be better. That this wasn’t a selfish decision anymore, she had involved herself too much to simply roll over and let things happen how they were meant to.

Not after she spent years showing those children love and care, protecting them as best as she could just because her hope that tomorrow would be better was persistent. She should not keel over at the fork in the road that appeared—unpredicted and uncertain as it was—too much had changed for her to give it all up now.

So what should she do? What were her options? There had to be a positive outcome to this that wouldn’t fling everything back to stage one—she could not, would not, let her life amount to nothing once more—she prayed that there was.

The door opening startled her slightly, Himawari was quick to fold up the letter and push it into her pocket. Its weight felt too heavy to bear. The decisions written there in such fine ink were like shackles around her feet, dragging her down to the bottom of the ocean despite her attempts to make it to the surface.

Sasuke stood there in a pair of white shorts and a blue shirt, the collar covering his chin when he looked up straight. It was an old shirt belonging to Itachi, the style very similar to what his Uchiha clansmen wore everyday. Although, the crest was currently patched up and hidden, for his sake.

“Are you ready?” Himawari asked as she wiped her sweaty palms against her covered knees. She hoped he couldn’t sense her unease, or how she could not look him in the eye. The word ‘suspended’ was plastered on his forehead, just a little reminder that she was unable to stop it from happening. 

“I don’t see why I have to go to the cafeteria to eat.” He muttered as he nodded solemnly. He itched his arm, as opposed to reaching for the scars around his eyes. He had studied them for some time as he was getting himself ready. 

Another mark joining his already tainted body, done by his own uncontrollable hands. They weren’t as bad as the semi-permanent wounds on his thighs, at least they would heal in a few weeks. He hoped. 

“I just want you to move around a little bit, you’ve been in bed for hours.” She began walking, leading the way to the elevators while she ignored the looks the nurses gave them.

A little under two days have gone by, yet they were still being looked at as if they were an odd bunch. Scratch that, their presence was seemingly a constant in the hospital over the years, nonetheless, those eyes followed them. Murmurs trailed off as they passed by. 

“I prefer the bed.”

Himawari held the elevator open while another patient entered. She didn’t mind when Sasuke shuffled a little bit closer to her despite how much space was between him and the stranger.

“And I prefer you not getting weak because you refuse to get out to take a short walk.” She hung her arm around his shoulders, pulling him to her side as they continued on their way to the cafeteria. 

“Hn.” He grumbled slightly as he picked at his piercings. At least they didn’t take those off during his operation. 

The menu options weren’t at all very appetizing to him, it was the same food they would have served him regardless of if he got out of his room or not. It consisted of: a bowl of soup with dumplings, a fruit cup, and his choice of juice. 

They sat down at the table furthest away from the other patients who decided to come get their own food. He wasn’t sure if it was a conscious decision on Himawari’s end, or just a coincidence that she had him sit away from whatever commotion was happening, either way he appreciated it. 

Sasuke brought his spoon up to his lips slowly, pulling down the collar of his shirt as he blew on the steaming broth. The taste was alright, although he wasn’t much of a fan of the seasoning choice.

“Is something wrong?” 

He looked up at her. “No.” He shook his head slightly, “I’m just thinking.”

Of nothing.

His head has been empty since last night. It felt like he was missing something, that there was a part of him that just wasn’t present, yet he couldn’t exactly figure it out so he let it be. Honestly, all Sasuke could say was that he felt tired, a little lazy, and his memories felt a little bit foggy for the most part.

Still, there was just something he was sure he was missing. Something bothersome.

“You’re pulling your hair.” Her hand was wrapped around his wrist, tugging his hand away from his head as she slowly uncurled his fingers. 

He didn’t realize what he had been doing. “Sorry.” He furrowed his brows and continued taking small sips of his now cold soup. How long has it been since everything had turned cold? Sasuke couldn’t help but take a peek around the room.

They were alone.

“You’ve been spacing out a lot since yesterday.” Her face was passive, as blank as a canvas as she studied him.

He couldn’t decipher her thoughts anymore, and that made his stomach twist. What was she thinking about? Was it about him? Did he do something? Was she starting to hate him?

“Sasuke.”

He blinked. His food had been finished, the tray put away and the table cleared of any little crumb. “I…”

“It’s alright, let’s go back to your room.”

The passage of time felt unreal. One moment he was just getting up from his place at the table, and the next, he was hunched over the toilet bowl as Himawari wiped his forehead with a cool cloth. A second seemed to have passed, but the sun that had been streaming into the room earlier had been replaced by a full moon.

When did he fall asleep?

“You’re alright.”

What did she mean?

He felt her pull him closer, whispering more words to him as she tried to turn the overhead lights on. Sasuke did not realize that he had been hyperventilating, tears and mucus mixing as it slid down his face. His body did not feel like his own; the burning in his chest was a dull sensation that did not warrant the look of panic on her face as she used her shirt to clean his own.

Her words were no longer audible, and her frantically shaking him did not help his eyes remain open as they rolled back. 

He didn’t understand it.

“Sasuke, stay with me, I don’t want you falling asleep again.” Her broken voice cut through the fog that clouded his mind. 

His only response was a rumble at the back of his throat as he tried to look at her. He didn’t feel real. This didn’t feel real.

He felt her lift his body again, the stiffness of the bed quickly left its imprint on him as she carried him to the bathroom. He only knew it was the bathroom from the sound of water running. 

Sasuke lurched forward when cold water soaked him, his eyes widened in shock as his lips quivered. She still held onto him, her clothes just as soaked as his own as she sat underneath the shower head. 

“You’re okay.” She repeated, brushing his wet hair out of his face so he could see her fully. “You just woke up from a nightmare and had a panic attack.” She informed him gently. 

“I’m cold.” His teeth chattered as he spoke. They must have been sitting under the water for a long time before his mind registered how cold it was getting. 

“I know.” She turned the water off. “I just…I did not want to get the nurses involved.” Himawari helped him stand up before leaving for a short second to get them both some towels and a change of clothes. She was glad that she had the foresight to pack herself some as well.

“I’m sorry.” He said after a long pause of silence. 

“Don’t do that.” She shook her head as she allowed him some privacy to change. She still remained in proper distance in case something happened but her back was turned. “You didn’t have full control of yourself when you were unconscious.”

He noticed the reddening skin of her face, where he assumed he had hit her while she was trying to help. Guilt filled him as he tried to recall what happened, yet his mind was blank once again. 

“I’m not mad at you.”

He zipped up the large sweater and pulled the hoodie over his head despite his still damp hair. 

“Do you understand?”

He was slow to respond.

“I love you.”

Guilt turned to shame.

“I love you too.”

He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel as he got up that morning. At first, there was a sense of foreboding, a pit forming deep in his stomach as his mind reeled with made up scenarios that just assumed the worst. Then came the genuine happiness at being allowed to finally visit him after waiting another day.

Initially, they intended to all visit the moment Himawari had informed them that it was safe to do so if Sasuke was still hospitalized. However, upon further discussion, they thought it was best to allow him some more space to recoup a little longer.

Now, it was finally the day where Naruto would lay his eyes on his friend after two painstaking days of him not being in his sight. He wasn’t aware of just how much he missed Sasuke until he woke up in the morning to see the bed beside his own empty and untouched.

Breakfast had been quiet between Hinata, Haku and himself. Training was done in the same manner, and very few words were exchanged whenever Ino and Sakura came over. What was there to say? If he were to open his mouth, insults would be the first thing to fly out, directed at Haku who had tried his best to apologize almost every hour.

“We’re going to be late, Naruto.” Hinata knocked on his door before poking her head in. Bags were forming under her eyes, testament to the hours spent sitting awake rather than sleeping, worrying about Sasuke. 

His absence always hits their group really hard, especially when the duration was almost hard to predict. One day was fine, but they had to last until the weekend.

Just three more days and they’d be back to normal.

Hinata, Ino and Haku were waiting for him outside by the time he finished putting himself together. He wasn’t exactly sure why he had been so nervous when picking out his outfit, or brushing his hair, it wasn’t like he had to groom himself for some sort of approval from Sasuke. 

The mood in the group was rather solemn despite their inner excitement at finally being able to meet Sasuke. No one spoke, and not one breath was exhaled too loud as they walked down the streets of the shinobi district. 

Others looked from within their homes, after all, the small group were a sight to see so early in the morning. The reason behind their gathering being known by the masses without anyone muttering a word. 

Sakura joined them once they made it to the civilian district, donning a small reiteration of her usual outfit. Perhaps it was a style she picked up from Ino, or just something that was trending these days. Her dress was replaced with a buttoned, sleeveless shirt in her signature colour, that only showed a sliver of her stomach before meeting a pair of black shorts that fell to her knees.

“Good morning.” Her voice was quieter than usual, missing the grit and faux confidence that she was filled with. Not waiting for a response, simply accepting the small waves of everyone, she took up her spot alongside Ino and Hinata.

Again, the group fell into silence as they made their way to the hospital. 

The receptionist was kind enough to guide them through the halls upon their arrival, instructions were clear once he left them at the elevator with Sasuke’s room number. No one questioned how he knew that they were there to visit the Uchiha, not with the looks that still followed them.

Naruto hung back once they got to Sasuke’s presumed room.

He wasn’t sure why, nor did he want to think about it, as he watched Ino knock on the bedroom door before opening it. There was that pit in his stomach again, filled with an emotion he couldn’t put his finger on, but he knew that it was strange. Himawari’s voice did nothing to calm him down, and he barely noticed her questioning gaze as she ushered them into the room.

His eyes instantly found Sasuke, and anger coursed through his veins. Anger directed at who didn’t matter, it was there, and it was persistent.

“Hey.” Sasuke looked up from the book he had opened on his lap. His eyes also found Naruto’s. 

Sapphire blue met obsidian black, and it felt as if they both couldn’t breathe.

Naruto took notice of the scars around Sasuke’s eyes, and his disheveled hair. His cheeks were pink, and there was a slight sheen on his forehead that Naruto knew was caused by some sort of prior discomfort. With the way Sasuke’s hands were pressed into his stomach, an unconscious behaviour that would have otherwise gone unnoticed had it not been for Naruto’s analysis, he knew that he had been throwing up.

“Hey.” Naruto finally managed to respond, finding a seat near the window as everyone scattered around the room. “How is everything?”

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and flipped his page. He could barely focus on the diagrams and texts of the book, instead, he kept taking quick peeks at everyone around him. Were they judging him? Would they notice when he was no longer mentally present? 

“It’s as good as it can get.” Was his only response. There really wasn’t anything for him to complain about. Other than the food, of course, but that’s a matter that could quickly be resolved with some home cooked meals once he was discharged.

“Anything interesting happened?” Ino sat on the bed. The plastic mattress dipped a little bit from her weight, but she paid no mind to it. “Usually, they wheel in these little gadgets for kids, and you can watch some shows.” She tried to smile, to ease him into his answer, but even she knew that that was never an option for Sasuke. He was too old for it. A child who had received the adult label because he was now a shinobi.

Sasuke couldn’t look her in the eye, it was something Ino noticed as he shook his head and directed his gaze over her shoulder. He couldn’t look at her, it was as if seeing her made his insides hurt and she could see that. She could feel it like pins in her arms as he stared at everyone but her.

“I’ve made some proposals with the nurses about the menu.” He said, “they’re not going to change it for health and dietary reasons, but…”

“Your picky eating persists even when your options are limited.” Hinata rested her hand on Sasuke’s covered leg. She was quick to pull it back in fear of him being uncomfortable, but the quick tug of Sasuke’s lips told her that he was fine with the contact. She smiled for him, hiding a giggle behind her hand as he playfully rolled his eyes.

She never said anything; not to Sasuke, Ino or Himawari, but she did start seeing him as an older brother of sorts. One that tried his best to not worry her even in his moments of weakness. It was a contrast to Neji’s behaviour…A contrast that made her wince as she turned her head away from Sasuke.

“Kakashi called us for a meeting today.” Sakura finally managed to speak up after huddling in the corner at Haku’s side. “Not sure what he wants, but I can come back to share the news if you like.” Her cheeks felt warm. It wasn’t meant to be seen as her taking advantage of Sasuke’s current position to weasel her way into his space, yet that thought came across her mind.

A bitter voice that muttered about whether or not she was being genuine with her words without having an ulterior motive.

She closed her eyes for a second longer to get rid of it. Her smile was small, even as she held onto Haku’s sleeve for support.

“Sure.” Sasuke nodded. “If you’d like to.”

“Great.”

“I suppose I should leave you six to catch up before your teams’ meeting. I’ll be in the hall if you need me.” Himawari smiled at them all, and excused herself.

Her eyes still lingered on Naruto, who had remained quiet the entire time as he pushed his hands into his pockets. She knew that look on his face, one that came from deep contemplation as he tried to solve his problems on his own. One quick glance at the subject of his focus, and she questioned if it was a good idea to raise the children as friends.

It seemed as if that would be a hurdle they would have to get over on their own.

Haku waited for everyone to leave once it was time for their shinobi duties to resume. Himawari had seen him when she came back, and decided that he must have wanted some time alone with Sasuke since she had once again excused herself. 

The sound of the door closing echoed in the room, followed by the legs of a chair dragging against the tiles before coming to a stop. He sat down some ways away from Sasuke, his hands folded on his lap as he picked at his fingertips. Another minute must have passed by before Haku found the words that had been lost in his mind.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled. “Had it not been for me, you wouldn’t be back here again. You wouldn’t have had them—“

“How’d you know?”

He looked up quickly. 

“How’d you know what they did?” Sasuke repeated himself, pulling his sheets closer to his stomach as his head began to spin. 

“I…I have a bloodline limit…I know what they do to people who have a dangerous one. They make sure they’re not a threat, keep them tamed and controlled. If that’s not possible, they—“

“—kill them.” Sasuke’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“Yes.”

“Still—“

“You don’t like being touched, or held down in any manner. That is something I learned while living with you, but something I disregarded when I tried to help you stop hurting yourself. It was a boundary I crossed that threw you over the edge…And that boundary seemed to have been crossed again.” He stared directly at the red marks up Sasuke’s arms. Fingernails embedded into his skin in places that were easy to miss unless they were being looked for. “For that, I am sorry for causing all of this.”

Sasuke gnawed at his bottom lip, feeling his hands shake despite them being clenched into fists. He didn’t like this—He didn’t like that Haku made it hard for him to hate him. He didn’t like that Haku reminded him of someone who behaved the same way.

Kind, smart, always giving, never taking, protective…Protecting. Killing. Killing everyone. Strong. Too strong to stop. Kind. Yes, still kind. 

He reminded him of Itachi.

Once he realized that, he couldn’t help but turn his head away from the brown eyes that still looked at him, waiting for his answer. How could he save his brother, speak with him, if any reminder of him made his guts twist in disdain? Talking about Itachi was alright, it was fine because there was nothing except words and analogies that made up his existence.

Itachi was a theory, a concept that he discussed over time that did not feel like a person the more he rationalized his brother’s thoughts and feelings.

A theory that came back in the human form, as a stranger who had tried to kill him, yet who turned around to show him kindness. As the boy who sat across from him, just a year younger than Itachi, who shouldered the responsibilities left to him by his family. 

And Sasuke hated that. He hated that, only in theory, was he able to discuss and think about Itachi. A future that was far away, an ideal one where he fantasized about meeting his brother. Did he mean that? Was his dream really to talk with his older brother?

Haku had been the impersonation of that angering voice that reminded him that things weren’t so easy. That they never had been. His presence was enough to evoke those complicated emotions regarding his brother, and he only realized that now as the boy apologized. As he stared at him, with kindness on his face, despite how placid it looked, and understanding ready to be given.

Just like Itachi.

“I think it is best that I leave.” Haku stood up.

“The house?”

“You understood without me saying those words.” Haku smiled softly. “It is for your safety, and mine as well. I do not want to repeat this accident again. If things do not go as planned, I will leave Konoha.” He began to walk towards the door.

“Stay.”

He could work on things if he was given a chance. 

“You don't have to leave because of guilt or fear that you might hurt me. I should be apologizing for hating you when I didn’t know how difficult things were for you.”

Sasuke let go of the sheets, smoothing it out as his heartbeat hummed in his ears. 

“I’m willing to try…to see you differently.”

As Haku, and not a copy of Itachi.

Haku paused as he rested his hand on the door handle. “We can try.” 

“Good.” Sasuke whispered as the door closed. 

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 8 — Moving Forward

“What’s wrong, Naruto?” Sakura couldn’t help but ask as she lagged behind to walk at Naruto’s side.

“Hm?” He looked up, blinking quickly as if to clear his head.

“You’ve had that look on your face ever since we left the hospital. You were also very quiet during our visit. Is something wrong? Is it about Sasuke?” She knew that it was, because everything is always about Sasuke.

Despite Sasuke being on the quieter, reserved side most of the time, he was like a beacon of comfort for everyone in his own way. That seemed to be especially true for Naruto. Sakura didn’t really understand it though. She knew that they were close friends, some would even mistake them for brothers, but that look on Naruto’s face was just so familiar that it made her stomach hurt.

Was it the disappointment that rang a bell? Or the warmth that blossomed in his eyes whenever Sasuke’s name was mentioned? It was one of them, and gods, Sakura hoped that it was the former. 

“I’m just a little worried.” Naruto shook his head and muttered, yet the solemn, pondering look on his face remained. “I spoke with Himawari before we left, she thinks Sasuke should be home by tomorrow, maybe the day after. As long as the nurses think he’s fit enough to leave but—“

“You don’t trust them enough to allow that.” She finished for him. “I figured.” She played with the collar of her shirt. “It seems like you’re all used to things not going how you’ve hoped for so long that you’ve just learned to let it be. I’m still learning about everyone, and this is my first time being there to see Sasuke this way, but I’m worried too.” 

“It’s not just that.” Naruto sighed as he gave her a small smile. “He’s trying to hide how much discomfort he’s in, and that bothers me. I can’t put my finger on it this time though, it’s not easy to put the pieces together because I wasn’t there to witness the cause of it all.”

“You still think it’s Haku?” She frowned. Sakura wished that Naruto would let the small grudge go, for Haku’s sake at least. That’s all the older boy was bothered with whenever she tried to distract him. 

She couldn’t pick whether to side with Naruto because Sasuke had been hurt, or with Haku after knowing that that just was not his intention in the first place. 

“Can I be honest?”

“Mhm.”

“I don’t know what it is, and that’s why I’m frustrated. It’s not Haku, it’s like my heart refuses to accept that it’s him despite the resentment hammering against the walls of my mind. It feels wrong to keep that grudge longer than necessary, and in a way, it might just be me directing my guilt at someone else. I just—“ He frowned.

“That’s okay. You don’t always have to have the answers, Naruto. We’re still pretty young, we’re still growing and learning about ourselves and everyone else. Sometimes, we experience moments like these where we don’t know how to feel or react.” She nudged him a little bit. “Look at the bright side; at least Sasuke will be back home soon and things can go back to normal again. You, him, the rest of the crew, it will be back together soon.”

“Thanks, Sakura, I really appreciate it.” He relaxed his shoulders as he stood up straighter.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“Like what?”

“Like I’ve got something on my face.” She wiped her cheeks to make sure there really wasn’t anything. “You had the same look back during our mission in the Land of Waves.”

“Oh. It’s nothing.” He smiled.

“I doubt it’s ‘nothing’. Tell me.”

“Well, I just think it’s nice that you’re slowly changing and you don’t realize it. You from the academy days wouldn’t have said a word to comfort me; yet alone put others’ feelings above your own in such a tricky situation. You mentioned the crew being back together, but didn’t make it about how things will be normal again for you. You’re part of the crew too, now that you tag along almost everyday with your little crush on Himawari—”

“—I do not have a crush!”

“It’s nice seeing it, and experiencing that change. I think the younger you would have been enamoured with the current you right now. And the you of today would be even more fascinated with the you of the future.”

Her face felt warm as she looked away. She herself hadn’t realized how much she’s changed in such a short time, and having it pointed out made her feel embarrassed.

“It’s thanks to you guys that I got the chance to change.” She mumbled.

Naruto threw his arm over her shoulders as he pulled her closer to his side to ruffle her hair. Being taller sure did feel great in that moment, besides, he knew she spent quite some time on her hair, and messing it up was tempting. “You wouldn’t have changed if a part of you didn’t want to.”

She swatted his hand away as she patted down her now messy hair while she pouted. “Yeah, whatever.”

“You two seem to be getting along well this afternoon.” A voice came from behind them. Once they made eye contact with their mask-wearing instructor, he gave them a smile and a slight wave as he turned the page of his book. “Missing one more but we can proceed as scheduled since this won’t take long.”

“What’s with the emergency meeting?” Sakura leaned her head against Naruto’s shoulder seeing as he had no plans to let go of her once they made it to their meeting spot. She crossed her arms and raised a sleek eyebrow at Kakashi.

“Nothing, dearest, just these forms I need you three to fill out.” He pulled out three sheets respectively, all while not taking his eye off of his book. 

“What are these for?” Naruto questioned as he grabbed the forms. He looked at them carefully, letting Sakura sneak one out of his grasp as he turned the paper to read the back.

“The Chūnin Exams?” Sakura read outloud.

“I’m assuming you both know what that means? No surprises?”

“I—“ Sakura opened and closed her mouth, trying her best to swallow the lump in her throat. She ignored the sneering voice in her mind as she carefully folded her form and stuffed it into her pocket. “I know what it is, I just thought it wouldn’t be for another year or two. Isn’t it too early?”

“Ah, it’s to be expected that you would know about them.” Kakashi closed his book and smiled again. “Yes, it is considered early to submit Team Seven as participants, however, I think you all are very capable of competing.”

“Based on what metric?” Naruto muttered. “What makes you think we’re all capable?”

“Your performance during the Land of Waves.”

“And your own personal teachings?” 

Kakashi stared at Naruto, and Sakura bit her lip. 

“There is nothing left for me to teach you as genin. If you make it through the exams, a plethora of possibilities will open up for you to learn more than you do now.”

Naruto had to bite his tongue to stop himself from saying anything more. He didn’t know whether his suspicion was acceptable at the moment.

“Are you sure it’s not because you don't want to be our sensei anymore?” Sakura whispered.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Naruto and I will think about it and speak with Sasuke as well. Is that all you needed to tell us?”

“Hm. Just make sure you submit these within two weeks at the academy. Other than that, Team Seven will resume our usual schedule starting tomorrow morning. Are there any more questions?”

Both children shook their heads.

“Alright, I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

Sakura watched as Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke before she turned to face Naruto. “Would Sasuke be able to join us within that time?”

“I would hope so.” He tucked the papers under his arm. “There’s no real rush, and I think we should sit down to really talk about it once he’s back. If Kakashi nominated us for the exams, I doubt the other instructors wouldn’t do the same.”

“So Hinata and Ino might also be going.” Sakura said thoughtfully as she followed him. “That’s two weeks to get stronger.”

“I’m sure you will pass, Sakura, you’ve come a long way.”

“But is that enough?” 

Her mind told her it wasn’t even as Naruto reassured her with a smile. She knew that she wasn’t prepared; not in her current state. 

“If you’re feeling worried, why don’t you just talk to Himawari like you always do?”

“Oh…You’re right.”

“Come, let’s go peep on Team Eight and Ten since we don’t have any missions to do.”

“Do you want a piggyback ride?” Himawari ruffled Sasuke’s hair as she shouldered his overnight bag. 

“What am I? Eight?” He pulled the medical mask over his nose and raised his hood after fixing his hair again. 

“Are you too grown for piggyback rides all of a sudden?” She closed the door behind him as she followed him to the elevator.

Today was finally the day that they would be saying goodbye to the pristine white walls, and the disinfectant smell of the hospital. The both of them had been itching to get out since the very first night, and they were glad that the hospital staff were just as angsty to get them out of the building.

Despite the sun’s rays that streamed through the windows, the sky was rather bleak and grey. It seemed as though it would rain.

“I don’t need one.” 

“I remember when I would carry you on my back after a visit to the hospital.” Himawari reminisced.

It felt weird to look back on memories that were of her and Sasuke rather than her and her children. In a way, even if she found it hard to fully accept, Sasuke was her child here. She raised him when no one else would, and took care of him to the best of her abilities.

“You look like you’re going to cry. Is it because I didn’t want the piggyback ride?” Sasuke broke her out of her reverie as he stepped closer to her to take a peek at her face. When she turned her head away to blink back her tears, he craned his neck to see. 

“It’s not that.” She shook her head. “I just…had a thought.”

“About what?”

“You won’t find it sappy, would you?”

“As long as it’s not about you having a crush—“

“—Sasuke—”

“No, I won’t be. I like just listening to you talk sometimes, it calms me down.” If he could allow her the same space to express herself just like she’s continuously done for him, he would. It was quite rare to find Himawari in the mood to talk about something she thought about, especially if it was something that evoked that feeling of sadness she rarely displayed.

“It’s just that…you’re already thirteen. A few moments ago, you were just seven when I met you. I…You’ve grown.” She let out a watery laugh. “It feels like I birthed you. I shouldn’t be the one crying here, when it should be your mother witnessing your growth. She should be here loving you and taking care of you.”

He pulled his mask down so she could see his face fully. 

“I don’t know what’s come over me, I was just—“ She shrugged her shoulders as she fixed the strap of the bag. “I was just thinking about my children…And how my memories of them are being replaced with you and I don’t know how to feel about that. It’s been seven years since I lost them, and six years since you’ve lost your family, and that doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel like enough time has gone by for me to forget them when I promised myself that I wouldn’t.”

Sasuke was quick to pull her to the side once he realized that her shoulders began to shake. Hidden in an alleyway, he watched as Himawari desperately wiped her face as if it would stop the tears that continued to flow against her will.

He didn’t know how to comfort her, he wasn’t great at providing emotional support, so he stood there as his heart ached. He couldn’t relate to the feeling of losing one’s own child, however, he knew the numbness that sometimes became unbearable after losing something so precious. 

It’s for this reason that he simply hugs her and lets her cry. He couldn’t apologize for replacing her memories of her children’s faces with his own, partially because he felt selfish. A good thing was given to him even if that meant others lost it, and that made him feel bad as his hold on her body grew stronger.

“You replaced my Momma.” He whispered into her chest. “I was scared when I kept dreaming of you, and not her.”

“Oh, Sasuke.” She enveloped him in her arms, pressing his warm face to her chest as she brushed his hair.

“I think it’s okay.”

Himawari closed her eyes.

“Forgetting is okay, it doesn’t mean that you didn’t love them. It just means that your heart is learning to let them rest.” He didn’t know where those words were coming from. “They wouldn’t want to see you suffering every time you force yourself to remember them in a painful way.” He looked up at her, his hoodie falling and letting his untamed hair loose. “In a way, you’re not forgetting or replacing them though, because you think of them when you see me. Just like I think of my Momma when I see you. It’s a good thing.”

She smiled at him, cupping his cheeks as she kissed him on his forehead. “You’re a sweet child.”

“I’m a grown up.” He closed his eyes as his lips quivered into a small smile. “But…A piggyback ride at the moment doesn’t seem too bad.” He added quickly, knowing that it would get the joyful reaction he was looking for.

“Hm, but I don’t feel like offering it anymore.” She laughed as she let him go. Wiping her face with her sleeves, Himawari pretended to not see the look of pure disbelief on his face as she began to walk back into the street. “Hurry, before the others get home, I have to make lunch.”

“You’re no fun.” He grumbled as he instantly latched on to her cardigan as he followed her. “You can’t offer something like that and take it back.”

“You’re the one who said you weren’t a kid anymore.”

Sasuke pouted as he looked away in defiance of the truth. Maybe he did say that, and maybe it did cause a moment of weakness in her, but he thought she would still keep the offer on the table like she usually does.

“I can’t continue to baby my kid anymore, he’s a very capable shinobi and person.” Himawari’s smile reached her eyes as she turned back to look at him. Even with the letter of his suspension residing in the pocket of the bag, she didn’t care. She knew that her words were true, and nothing would change that.

Sasuke’s eyes widened at the little moniker. He remembered her calling him ‘little buddy’ quite a few times, but never had she ever referred to him as her child. Not until today. His eyes softened as his cheeks began to turn pink. 

“I won’t let you down, Momma.”

“I know you won’t.”

“Himawari-san, can I speak with you?” Sakura’s voice came from the doorway following a soft knock.

A few days had passed since she returned home, and resumed her preparations for the new school year at the academy. Today was one of those times where the children would all have a sleepover, however, the reason was different. They practically refused to leave the house now that Sasuke had made a return.

They provided him space since it looked like he needed it, but they all lingered around to catch a glimpse of him whenever he stepped out of her room—which he was currently occupying with his air mattress and Dino.

During that time, Himawari could tell that something important must have transpired within the group for the atmosphere to be so heavy. Putting aside the short conflict they had with Haku—Naruto assured her that he no longer wanted to claw Haku’s face off (not those exact words but that sentiment was there)—something else had clearly been bothering them. Or rather, bothering Sakura, which bothered Haku, which bothered…The point was that Himawari was definitely missing something important.

“Sure, come in.” She closed the binder she had been occupied with.

Sakura gently closed the door behind her before she sat down on the small sofa pushed against the wall. She picked up a cushion and played with it for a while, trying to find the right words to express herself. She knew that Himawari had a lot on her plate, and she hated that she was about to add more to it, yet she couldn’t keep this to herself.

“The Chūnin Exams are in about two weeks.” She started as she traced the sunflower design on the cushion. “Kakashi-sensei gave us the forms a few days ago, and told us to make the decision ourselves.”

Himawari couldn’t hide the shock on her face at the announcement. Of all things she had been concerned about, the Chūnin Exams had completely slipped her mind. She unintentionally glanced at the folded note on her desk, Sasuke’s suspension letter suddenly felt so much harsher than before,

“You don’t want to go.” Himawari got up from where she sat to join Sakura. She pulled her small hands into her own, and caressed her knuckles.

“No…” Sakura frowned and looked at her with a pained smile. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to do it. Naruto and Sasuke have a better chance of passing than I do. I’m just book smart at the moment, even with all my training, and the exams are serious. No doubt there would be something to test actual shinobi skills rather than what you can memorize from a book. I’d just hold them back if I go.”

“What makes you think that you’re not capable enough? I’ve seen you train relentlessly with Kurenai and Hinata, I’ve even heard that your affinity for genjūtsu is so much stronger than we all assumed. Sure, there are things you can improve on, but that only comes with more time and experience. Frankly, I think you’d do great at the exams, even if you’re not selected for the role of chūnin.”

“It’s not just that, Himawari-san…” Sakura’s frown deepened. “I just think it isn’t fair.”

“What isn’t fair?”

“Kakashi-sensei said that he thinks we’re capable because of our performance during the Land of Waves. I know he only meant Naruto and Sasuke, because I did nothing. I stood back while they did all the work, he refused to let me be of any help, saying that I would just get in the way.”

Himawari’s brows furrowed. “Kakashi said that?”

Sakura was slow to nod. “He said there was nothing for him to teach me after I completed the tree walking exercise. It made me upset; that I’m being left behind since Naruto and Sasuke already know so much. No matter how much I try, I would still be the girl who would only get in their way instead of helping them. And that’s not fair; it’s not fair that I’m only seen as a liability even if I work hard to change.”

“Hey—” Himawari lifted her chin so she could see her face. “—don’t let Kakashi’s words get to you. There’s a reason he refuses to give you the same opportunities, attention, praise and focus as your peers. It’s not because you’re weaker at all.”

“What is it then?”

“It’s because you’re a girl.”

“…Asuma doesn’t think of Ino that way…Why does Kakashi-sensei think that me being a girl is a flaw?”

“Asuma is different, he is aware of Ino’s role in the Ino-Shika-Chō dynamic. Whether or not she’s a boy or a girl doesn’t matter because their team wouldn’t be able to function without her. He’s not only forced to acknowledge her—if he had any plans on having a bias in the team—but he has to work with her to make sure she’s able to take up the space her father would leave behind.” 

Himawari sighed as she rubbed her forehead, she had hoped that Kakashi would have been a little bit more open-minded when it came to his student. Other than the fact that he barely played his role as their instructor, it was just unacceptable that he would treat Sakura that way, unknowingly or not.

“It’s just how shinobi think—kunoichi will always be a liability, an accident waiting to happen for them to clean up. He might be doing it because he doesn’t want to see you get hurt, but he’s also ignoring your potential out of his own fear. I truly don’t know what to say…I expected more from someone with so much experience, especially with his female peers.”

“I see…I suppose Hinata is lucky to get the only female jōnin instructor on her side.”

“The statistics of kunoichi who’ve made it to the role of jōnin, and being seen as a candidate to handle a three-cell team, is severely low compared to their counterparts. There’s not many of them who’ve made it that far because of the same thought that women are lacking in the same skills as men. It’s unfortunate, and I don’t see it changing for a while, but it’s true. However, never let that discourage you from being the one in a million to break that barrier.”

Himawari patted Sakura’s cheek as she stood up. 

“What do I do then, Himawari-san? Should I fill out the form?”

“If you don’t think you’re able to do the exams this year, and you want to focus on training some more, then by all means, take your time. The exams happen twice a year, there are many opportunities for you to take that step when you’re ready.” She crossed her arms as she stood in front of her. “But I will be accompanying you and Naruto in the morning to meet with Kakashi. I don’t think his judgment of your skills, while not teaching you a thing, is unbiased.”

“You don’t have to! You’ve done so much already, and I’d hate to—“

“You’re my student, Sakura. You’re also Kurenai’s apprentice, and she would have done the same had you sought comfort in her instead. We won’t let you be hindered by prejudice, not when we’ve faced it ourselves in our own way. You, as well as Hinata and Ino, are going to be the next generation of kunoichi who will force your peers to acknowledge your skills.”

“I…” She bit her lip before giving Himawari a firm nod. “I won’t let you down!”

“Good, now, do you want some tea before going back to bed?”

“A cup of ginger tea would be great, thank you.”

“Come along then, little blossom.” 

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 9 — Snakes & Ladders

“What did you do?” Ino walked into her father’s office and slammed the door shut behind her.

“Ino…What’s wrong?” Inoichi looked up from the book he had been occupied with. Its contents were no longer important, so he closed it and got up. 

What was wrong indeed.

Ino couldn’t quite wrap her head around any of it, simply because it was all an estimated guess. Something that had been itching under her skin for the last five days, and she’s had enough.

“What did you do to Sasuke?” She bit her lower lip to stop it from quivering. Her shoulders were hoisted high, her hands clenched and her posture frighteningly straight as she stared at him. Tell her she was wrong; tell her that the feeling that brewed deep in her stomach had been for nothing.

“What do you mean?” He avoided her eyes, staring right over her head instead. He knew exactly what she meant; his daughter was smart, and would no doubt surpass him when it comes to reading people. Then, he shouldn’t have been shocked when she clenched her jaw. Or when her cheeks turned pink in anger as her eyebrows furrowed.

“You did something.” It came out as a statement rather than a question. An exasperated breath that lingered in the air with the silence that rang afterwards. 

Inoichi pursed his lips. 

“What…What did you do? What did they order you to do?” Her eyes softened, filled with hope that maybe she was wrong. She stared at him the same way she did as a little girl, in absolute awe and wonder. Yet, fear mingled with it, turning it into one of absolute disbelief that the man in front of her was her father. Or that her father had hurt someone she cared about.

“It was just an assessment.” The rest was classified, it should be classified. He shouldn’t tell her, no, he couldn’t tell her. The voice at the back of his head reminded him that he had already broken his vow to not speak a word of this. 

Did she hear it from Himawari-san? Did the woman inform her of how awful her father was? Did she spew nonsense, distort the truth—but it wasn’t a lie, he did those things—and feed it to his little girl? 

“Bullshit.”

The word cut deep, leaving its mark as he winced. He didn’t like when Ino swore, although he knew that she picked it up from him, but this hurt him. This felt like a stab to his heart, hearing a singular word laced with such wrath and mistrust, from the child who believed his every word from the time she could understand him.

“He can barely look at me, Pappa.” 

Inoichi looked away, shame filling him as he realized that his actions, his wish for Konoha to be safe—for Ino to be safe—had inadvertently caused a rift between herself and a precious friend. The way her voice shook as she continued to speak made him sit down as he listened.

“He sees me and he’s scared. It’s like…It’s like he’s waiting for me to hurt him and I was so confused. I was confused because why? What did I do? I was worried since I heard he was in the hospital. I've been by his side for so long, he trusts me, but the look…” She shook her head as she squeezed her eyes shut. “The look on his face when we make eye contact, when I sit close to him, when I speak—it’s just fear. Please—Please tell me you didn’t do anything bad, that this is just a big misunderstanding?”

“It…It was my duty—“

“—That’s not what I want to hear!” She yelled. “Tell me you didn’t hurt him.”

“My intentions were not to hurt him—“

“—Fuck your intentions—“

“I did not foresee that the tampering with his memories would cause a relapse of some sorts. That was not something I could have predicted because…”

What was the reason?

“…because an Uchiha has never gone through a mental probing process.” He should have known, and he kicked himself for overlooking it. “Other prisoners—“

“—Sasuke is a shinobi of Konoha.”

“Right, sorry, other people who I do this to have mild reactions. They’d be a little dazed, maybe confused, but they’d be fine. I just…If I had known, Ino, I would have just asked him questions instead of—“

“Oh gods.” She covered her mouth. “You violated him.”

“It wasn’t my decision to hold him down. That was the orders given to those in attendance, and I was not in a position to negate them. I was simply asked to check his mental state and report back.”

“You could have asked…You could have come to me to know more about him! You—“ She heaved. “—failed to do research on your patient and violated his boundaries. Now I have to deal with him seeing me as he does you. I…I…”

“Ino, I’m so—“

“I’m going to take part in the Chūnin Exams.”

“I won’t allow—“

“Someone’s going to take over your position and change how that shit show deals with those who are mentally unable to afford such infringements, especially if they are citizens of this village. And I will make sure that it happens even if I die.”

“Ino, you promised that you will not attend the exams this year. You acknowledged that it is too soon, and I agreed with you. Do not think irrationally, don’t let your emotions make you go into this unprepared.”

“Did you let your emotions get to you when you decided to do those things to Sasuke?”

“They were orders—“

“Did you, or did you not, let your emotions and wish to keep this village safe get in the way of conducting the assessment? Did you let logic win, or did you listen to that voice of justice, when you went into that hospital room to see a weakened Sasuke?”

He clamped his mouth shut.

“I will be entering into the Chūnin Exams, and I will right the wrongs of this godforsaken system. You hurt my friend, this village has constantly hurt my friends, and I’m tired of not being able to do anything about it.”

She did not wait for him to say anything as she left his office the same way she came in—a door slam was the only thing that reminded Inoichi that the conversation that just took place was, in fact, real.

“Hey, I’m going to drop Naruto and Sakura off at the team’s meeting spot, will you be alright staying alone with Haku?” Himawari gently shook him awake. She knew that he had a rough night if his tossing and turning had been any indication of it, so it made sense that he was still asleep at the current hour.

Sasuke turned his head, pushing his face into his pillow as he slowly nodded. He could barely make out her words, muffled as they were with his ears partially covered. 

“I should be back within the next forty minutes; but if not, I left pancakes covered in the microwave, and there’s some sliced fruits in the fridge. Don’t eat too much, but don’t skip out on breakfast either.”

“Mhm.” He pulled the blanket—that he stole off of her bed—over his shoulders.

“I love you.”

He cracked open an eye to look at her, the twitch of his lip indicating a small smile before he went back to sleep again. “I love you too.”

Himawari lingered for a moment longer, brushing his hair back a little bit before she stood up to leave. Sasuke has been stuck in her room for a week now and it was beginning to worry her. He would be awake before she was most of the time, wrapped in his blanket as he sat on the windowsill staring at the stars.

He’d tell her that he was doing alright, but he refused to show her his face at those hours. Even when he would sneak his way into her bed, finding the air mattress unpleasant, to wrap his arms around her as he buried his head in her turned back, he would never tell her what was wrong.

She was trying to give him space; allow him to reach out when he wanted to instead of doing so herself. It was something he struggled to learn despite how long it’s been—he would rather keep things to himself. She would have asked by now, whether he’s having nightmares or not, or if he’s been crying. There were no new self harming indications on his person that she could see, and he did eat whenever he was hungry. 

All in all, physically, Sasuke seemed to be completely fine, but mentally was where the uncertainty lied. 

“Are you guys ready?” 

Naruto and Sakura looked up from what they had been hunched over as they nodded in unison.

“It must be really important if you’re speaking with Kakashi-sensei.” Naruto said absentmindedly as he watched Himawari put on her shoes and grab her sweater.

Sakura shuffled in her spot, twisting her hands behind her back as she looked away. She knew the conversation Himawari was planning on having, so she just hoped that it didn’t cause any issues for her team. If it did, she would be to blame for that too.

“It’s very important.” Himawari followed the two out of the door, allowing them to lead the way to their meeting spot. “The Chūnin Exams are taking place next week, I would like the matter to be settled before then.” She gave him a smile, silently asking him not to worry too much about it.

If things were to go as planned, the conversation with Kakashi shouldn’t be too strenuous or long. She was hoping that the younger man would be understanding, perhaps a bit lenient and accepting of her criticism. It would also be beneficial if they could have the conversation away from Naruto and Sakura, just so that they wouldn’t get the wrong idea. The last thing she wanted was for them to assume that she didn’t think them suitable or capable enough to enter the exams.

“Well that’s a first.” Sakura muttered just as they began to approach their meeting spot.

Kakashi stood there, his book in hand as usual, but it was his presence that raised some eyebrows. Although his habit of being late wasn’t as severe as it was at first—Himawari’s warning regarding his tardiness has sparked some criticism from his colleagues—he was never the first one to arrive.

“Good morning.” Kakashi looked up from his book, and had to do a double take when he took notice of the older woman that followed behind his students.

He hadn’t seen Himawari-san in a while; the last time being when his students had just graduated. Her hair was braided over her shoulder, her outfit consisted of a long skirt with a shirt tucked into it carefully, and a beige sweater folded in her arms for when she wanted to wear it. 

Appearance wise, she still looked strikingly young, and only a trained eye would notice the wrinkles forming around her mouth and eyes from how many times she would smile. Still, Himawari-san’s beauty had never been up for debate. 

“Himawari-san.” He respectfully put his indecent book away as he greeted her. “I wasn’t aware that you would be joining us today.”

“It was a last minute decision, but it is an urgent matter that I wanted to discuss with you before you, and Team Seven, begin your duties for the day.” Her smile was warm, yet it never reached her eyes as she stared at him.

She didn’t have an issue with Kakashi, far from it, but knowing that the man wasn’t as cooperative as she was led to believe made it hard for her to see herself having idle conversations with him. Back in her time, she wasn’t really close with Kakashi, only ever talking with him when the subject matter was Naruto.

She hadn’t heard complaints then, and didn’t have enough information about him to make a fair judgement of his character. However, ever since the passive aggressive conversation they had six years ago, something easily forgettable for Kakashi, she couldn’t see him the same way. 

Adding to the issue at hand, she really dreaded talking to him in fear of him reporting it all back to the Hokage. Something needed to be done though, and no one would do it except for her. For Sasuke’s sake, and Sakura’s.

“Sure.”

Himawari looked at Naruto and Sakura. “Is it alright if we do this privately? I don’t think the children should hear this.”

He followed her gaze, raising his eyebrow at the question. “If it’s appropriate enough for you to seek me out during Team Seven’s training session, then I think you can speak about the matter in their presence.”

“I wasn’t aware that I had to look for you once you were off the clock, Kakashi-san. I assumed it would have been easier if we had this conversation earlier rather than for me to look like a fool in my attempt to find your location. You’re not very easy to find.”

“We can leave, Kakashi-sensei, I’m sure it wouldn’t take up too much time.” Sakura began feeling uneasy as she noticed the stiffening of Himawari’s posture. 

“Stay right there, Sakura,” he smiled at her. A fake smile that did nothing to quell her worries. “I believe Himawari-san has no problems with your presence. Or Naruto’s.”

Himawari closed her eyes and sighed. Whatever problem, or resentment Kakashi had for her, was clearly going to be a barrier. She tried to figure out why he would have this sort of aggression towards her when she had done nothing to deserve it. Did she say something to him before? Bump into him without realizing? 

“This is about the Chūnin Exams, or rather, your hastiness to sign Team Seven up for it knowing that one member is currently absent and the others haven’t received significant training. Not by your hands.”

“Oh?”

“I’m asking you to take them out of the exams. I’m aware that the decision is ultimately theirs, however, I do not want them to feel pressured into doing it simply because their sensei failed to consult with them prior. I’m quite honestly confused as to why you decided on that choice knowing that you haven’t taught them anything.”

Kakashi crossed his arms as he listened. “I have taught them the value of teamwork, which is what the Chūnin Exams are for at its core. They’ve also been training in hand to hand combat and effective communication.”

“Is that all that’s required to be a chūnin of Konoha?” Himawari’s eyebrows furrowed at his somewhat dismissive response. “You do not spend one on one time with your students, figuring out what their weaknesses and strengths are, for you to create a training module fit for each of them. My issue is that your lack of training will undoubtedly set them up for bigger failures if they pass the exam. And again, one of the members of Team Seven is currently unable to participate, which I’m sure you’re aware of since you had been the one to report him.”

Sakura’s head wiped towards Kakashi at the revelation. She remembered Kakashi’s remark back during the Land of Waves regarding Sasuke’s attitude. She simply thought he had been joking, maybe just a slight warning to scare Sasuke. Never had it crossed her mind that he was being serious.

As for Naruto, he stared at Kakashi in disbelief. Was it what he said that made Kakashi think Sasuke was unsuitable as a shinobi at the moment? Did his request that Kakashi not push Sasuke’s buttons, especially regarding the sharingan, make him finalize his decision? It couldn’t have been that. 

“I wasn’t aware that my note had been taken into consideration.”

Bullshit, was what she wanted to say as she sucked in a breath. He didn’t know that his report was ultimately the fuel used to suspend Sasuke? He did not know that his so-called ‘concern’ had caused his student to be decommissioned? He didn’t even bother with knowing about Sasuke’s whereabouts after he had been missing from their meetings for a few days.

“Did you not question why he hasn’t been present?” She asked in shock, her words laced with disbelief as she stared at the man her Naruto had praised.

She couldn’t believe that they were the same person. Surely Kakashi didn’t disregard Team Seven this way? Was he really this negligent when it came to his students that their training, yet alone their health, hadn’t once been a concern to him? 

“Sasuke clearly has a dislike for me, I assumed that he had been skipping out on team training in favour of spending it with you. Just like Sakura had done previously.”

Himawari winced. “I…”

“Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura spoke up, “what do you mean your ‘note was taken into consideration’? What did you do? What’s going on with Sasuke?” She looked at Himawari for answers, and Naruto to make sure that he was just as clueless as her. Judging by his equally confused expression, he had no idea what any of this meant.

Himawari shook her head. “Sasuke has spent a considerable amount of time training to be a shinobi of this village, to fulfill his dreams, and become stronger for both his sake and his brother’s. He worked diligently, even when he struggled with certain aspects!”

“We do not need a shinobi who is unable to put aside their personal fears while on the battlefield.” 

“Shinobi aren’t robots! Many have fears, many struggle with something, what made Sasuke different?”

“Hematophobia is a ridiculous thing for a shinobi to have, don’t you think, Himawari-san? We’re surrounded by blood every day, I believe it’s not a suitable environment for Sasuke. Additionally, it is his refusal to follow orders without fighting back that led to my complaint.”

“So you decide that suspending him was the best decision?”

Silence rained down on the small group.

“Sasuke…Sasuke is suspended?” Naruto turned slowly to Himawari. 

“Kakashi-sensei…” Sakura murmured.

“For a ‘ridiculous thing’, one of our strongest shinobi—a kunoichi—sure has built a name for herself despite it. I…I can not believe that these are the thoughts of such an acclaimed instructor. Not only do you have a bias when it comes to training, refusing to work with Sakura when she asks for help, but your clear disregard for one of your student’s struggles, labelling it as unfit for a shinobi, is very dangerous. Sasuke has proven that he can push past that fear if his comrades are in danger, Sakura has shown determination when it comes to learning new things, and you, Kakashi-san, are unfit to lead a team on your own.”

“I appreciate your criticism, Himawari-san, and the concern for your son and his friends, but one of us has been a shinobi for years and I’m afraid it isn’t you. You may be an instructor at the academy, well versed with knowledge at your fingertips, which is praise worthy, but you are no kunoichi. You do not see the horrors outside the gates protecting Konoha, therefore you do not know what is and isn’t needed on the field. Had you known them, you wouldn’t have pushed for Sasuke to pursue such an unattainable goal knowing that it could lead to his demise. Unless you did know, and you didn’t care.”

Himawari felt her cheeks become warm with anger. The simple accusation that she would send Sasuke out there to die made her blood boil as she glared at Kakashi. The insult regarding her current position as an academy teacher—a civilian—didn’t matter. To call Sasuke ‘her son’ in the same breath as to say that she was sending him to his death was enough grounds for her to clench her fists and grind her teeth.

Naruto had to step in front of her, Sakura at his side as they stared at Kakashi with wariness. 

“However, I do see your concern in how early it is for Team Seven to take part in the Chūnin Exams. I will not withdraw them, it is their decision if they show up to the academy next week or not. We have some missions to get to before noon, I wish Sasuke a speedy recovery and I hope to see him doing something suitable for his…disability.” Kakashi turned to leave, or rather, lead the way to Team Seven’s first mission.

Naruto and Sakura hesitated, unsure if they should stay with Himawari or complete their duties for the day.

“Go.” She said in a hushed voice. “I will see you both later.”

“Himawari-san…” Sakura grabbed her hand, holding it close as she whispered her name. “I’m sorry, this wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t tell you—“

“It’s alright, Sakura, I already had my mind set on speaking with Kakashi-san prior to our conversation. It’s just that the current circumstances pushed it up on my list. Don’t worry yourself about it, you too, Naruto.”

“Will you report Kakashi-sensei to the Hokage?” Naruto questioned. Surely this was enough to report the man for some sort of incompetence. 

“In a world where a shinobi is placed higher on the hierarchy of society, I’m afraid my simple complaint as a civilian—a guardian or a mother—wouldn’t be enough for him to be reprimanded. I don’t want to keep you two here when you have missions to accomplish. I’ll see you two at home.” She slipped her hand out of Sakura’s with a sad smile before she turned her back to them.

Sakura couldn’t help but hold her stomach and run to the bridge’s side to throw up her breakfast. She choked on her cries as Naruto patted her back in comfort.

None of this would have happened if she wasn’t so weak.

“He hasn’t come out of the room yet?” Himawari asked Haku as she sat down at the kitchen island while she watched him clean up after himself.

“Not since you left. Although, he might have gotten a juice box and a muffin from the fridge since one of each is missing. I didn’t see him though.” He answered as he wiped his hands. 

Haku studied Himawari quietly, noticing the way she zoned out as she frowned. He knew there was something on her mind, but he didn’t know what. “I don’t want to add to your distress, but there was something I wanted to speak with you about.”

“Hm? Ah, I’m not distressed. Just…The conversation I had with Kakashi-san wasn’t so pleasant. But you can go ahead, I can listen and help you with whatever you’re dealing with.” She smiled at him and patted the stool beside her to invite him to sit.

He was hesitant at first, unsure of whether or not he wanted to be close with her as he spoke. Her reaction was something he was dreading, and seeing as she was already dealing with internalizing a previous situation, he knew this would just add to her list of problems. 

Himawari had already done so much for him while he was under her care despite how many people relied on her. From Sasuke to her students that would soon be returning to school, she really was a busy woman who still managed to have time to listen to everyone’s worries.

He wondered if there was someone else she confided in; someone who could lighten her burden. Not a lover, but a friend. He hasn’t seen Himawari hang out with anyone of interest when her schedule is clear. Except for the occasional meetings with Kurenai-san when she visited to pick up Hinata for the weekend, Himawari didn’t speak to anyone else.

She kept to herself for the most part, letting her worries consume her and dissipate over time instead of handling it first. Haku wasn’t very well versed in Himawari’s life, however, he did know that despite her being alone, others viewed her positively.

Not positively enough if she still hadn’t made a close friend according to the passing conversations he’s heard between Naruto and the others. The blond boy has been trying desperately to bridge a gap between Himawari and any other adult he knows, although with no success. 

Haku wondered if her upbringing had anything to do with her reluctance to truly open up to strangers and create friendships with others. She was great at taking children under wing, but not as well versed in letting someone take care of her.

“I think it’s best that I leave here, or Konoha in general, to pursue a life where I don’t disturb anyone.”

Himawari blinked for a second, trying to digest his words. “What?”

“I appreciate your hospitality, and how welcoming everyone has been, but I don’t think I fit in here. I don’t fit in anywhere, but I’ve made a severe mistake at the cost of Sasuke’s health despite my best intentions. I don’t know where I will go, or what I will do, still, I think not being in an area where I can make more mistakes would be beneficial for everyone.”

Himawari covered his hand with her own, leaning down slightly to look at his hidden face. “You think it would be beneficial, you don’t know that for sure. It’s your decision regardless, however, I’ve seen you become more comfortable despite how much you think your presence isn’t appreciated. You didn’t cause anything, don’t blame yourself for that, and the others would question where you went if you were to leave.”

“I’m aware…I just—“

“I can’t keep you here if you don’t want to be, just like I can’t force you into this family unless you want to be part of it. However, I think it’s best that you continue to try, if that’s away from this house, then that’s alright. You have nowhere to stay though…What did you have in mind?”

Haku shrugged his shoulders. He really didn’t think that far; because of his bloodline limit, everyone out there would take advantage of him. Sure, he had been okay with that when it was Zabuza who took him in, but he’s had so much free will living with Himawari than he’s had with anyone else. That made him scared.

If he were to fully leave, he would never get that same freedom. Yet, the fear of hurting Sasuke, or anyone for that matter, was bigger than that. He didn’t want to be a threat to anyone, especially those who helped him in some way.

“Have you spoken to anyone else about it?”

“No…” Although he did say something in passing to Sakura, he wasn’t sure if she remembered it.

“Hm, tell you what; I’ll let you think about it some more, and we can speak again at another time. Whether that be a complete plan on what you want to do and where you want to go, or if you want to retract your statement, it’s up to you. I’ll try my best to get things sorted for you based on your decision. Understood?”

Haku nodded, “thank you, you are very kind.”

She smiled and ruffled his hair, even at his unfamiliarity with the action. She helped him fix the fly away hairs and rested her chin on her hand as she faced him. “You’re a good kid, Haku, the last thing I want is for you to feel like you don’t belong.”

“Thank you.” He whispered again.

Chapter Text

Act 4: Scene 10 — Weakness

The atmosphere was tense after they finished their missions for the day. Things had been awkwardly quiet between Naruto and Sakura as they followed Kakashi around. No one complained about the chore-like missions, nor did they utter a word of dissatisfaction when their pay was cut short by a few yen. 

Once they were left alone, Sakura couldn’t help but rub her arms nervously as the earlier occurrences came rushing back now that she was allowed to really think about it. It had taken a while for her to get herself together after emptying her stomach, and even with the bottle of water Naruto had pushed into her hands, nothing managed to calm the nausea that persisted.

She was trying not to blame herself, gods knew that she was, yet that guilt continued to spread its nasty fingers around her chest. It seized her heart, and laughed in her ears every single time the image of Sasuke’s sunken face flashed before her eyes. She couldn’t help it, nor could she fight it.

As for Naruto, he had been frighteningly quiet; more than he was on a usual basis. Sure, he wasn’t as energetic as he used to be as a child—especially when the situation called for some sort of seriousness—but the silence from him was unbearable. 

The warm aura that surrounded him almost every single day had been absent ever since they learned of Sasuke’s suspension. He barely listened to Kakashi’s orders, only ever doing so when Sakura would mutter under her breath that he should pay attention.

Everything felt as if they were spinning out of control. Nobody seemed to have a clear hold on any of the things that’s been going on. Everyone felt as if they were to blame for one thing or the other, even if they had no hand in the matter. It was beginning to get under their skins, a tingle and itch that could not be relieved no matter how much they itched it. 

“Are you going straight home today?” Sakura glanced at him from under her hair. Her headband was held in her hand rather than sitting on top of her head. The long, pink strands framed her face and directed his attention to her emerald eyes.

“I don’t know.” How could he? If he went home right away, he’d be met with Sasuke, and then he’d remember that his friend was no longer able to be a shinobi like he had wanted to be. He wouldn’t be able to fulfill his dream now that he was forced to stop.

“I don’t feel like going home either.” Sakura admitted as she traced the lead insignia on the metal plate. “We’re not a team without him.” She murmured. “There’s no such thing as a two-cell team. It’s always three…What if they replace Sasuke?”

Naruto stopped in his tracks as she asked that question. He tried not to think about it; a team with someone else other than his best friend. Sure, he had entertained the thought prior to their graduation seeing as they didn’t know they’d be on a team together. This was different, however, they’ve worked together as a trio for a few months now, and if that changed, he wouldn’t be able to familiarize himself with his new possible teammate.

“I don’t want them to, but…”

“Are you going to the Chūnin Exams?” Naruto faced her, his face as passive as he could make it.

“I…I wasn’t planning on going. Like Himawari-san said, I haven’t been trained enough for me to enter the competition. There’s still some things I have to learn and having an…incompetent—“ She cleared her throat, hoping that Kakashi wasn’t listening in on their conversation. “—teacher wouldn’t benefit me. Unlike Ino and Hinata, I come from a civilian family, so I had no background in combat until fairly recently.”

He nodded in understanding. “I see.”

“Besides, going as two instead of three wouldn’t feel right even if I was capable enough.”

“I wasn’t going to join unless you and Sasuke decided to go.”

“Why would you hold yourself back for our sake? Both you and Sasuke are far beyond the genin rank, I have no doubt that you’d ace these tests and be appointed chūnin.”

“It’s not that…I just…” He bit his lip. “I wouldn’t want to be put in a new unit with people I’m unfamiliar with.” People that could hurt him and scorn him because he was the jinchūriki. Of course, he hasn’t told Sakura about the little tenant inside of him, but he was sure that she would have a better time accepting him than new faces would.

New to him anyway, he knew that he had a reputation—despite his good behaviour and manners—amongst his seniors. Rumours spread, lies were told, and the adults did nothing to clear up the smoke of a fire that attracted predators. The chances of him facing issues outside of the space he had cultivated with his friends were high. He would never risk that just for some title.

“I suppose that’s really the scariest part—being thrown into a new team with people you’ve never worked with before. There are so many other Konoha genin, people outside of Iruka-sensei’s graduating class, that it’s a little intimidating.”

“There’s no rush in becoming chūnin, it really is just a status thing.” Naruto sighed as the tension in his body was slowly let out. 

“What do you mean?”

“At the end of the day, we’d all be seen as the same enemy no matter our rank. A genin would look like a jōnin to a bandit. Our lives end the same way as shinobi, genin or not, we’d still die with our kunai in hand.”

Sakura bowed her head slightly as she took in his words. “We could have died as genin back in the Land of Waves. That’s true…Zabuza didn’t care that we were children, neither did those Demon Brothers. We really don’t have much choice in how we die as shinobi.”

“Mhm.”

“But we do have a choice in how we live; what we do, what we say—we can be of help to others or navigate the world without caring for anyone but ourselves. I think that’s the beauty of being a shinobi; that decision to protect everyone at the cost of your life, just so that someone else would be able to wake up safely the next day.”

“That’s a nice way to look at it.”

Sakura smiled and bumped his shoulder. “I heard that you wanted to be Hokage. That’s a big dream.”

“Yeah?” He matched her bright smile with one of his own. “What about you then, what do you want to be?”

She itched her cheek sheepishly as she turned away. “I was thinking of maybe taking on my own genin team once I make it to jōnin. There’s not many kunoichi in that rank, so I want to be an example for other girls, and show them that they can do it too.”

“I thought you wanted to be Sasuke’s wife and carry his children.” He veered back as she got ready to elbow him in his stomach. The mischievous smile on his face failed to disappear as Sakura glared at him. “I was kidding!”

“Don’t ever say that again, are you insane?” She felt embarrassed all of a sudden. Hearing it from someone else, she realized just how foolish her fantasy was. Gods, she had to stop herself from cringing as she thought back to her initial introduction as Haruno Sakura of Team Seven. 

“I mean…”

“I’ve gotten over that stupidness!”

“Does that mean you don’t like Sasuke anymore?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“So you do want to marry him?”

“Naruto, shut up before I kill us both.”

“I was just pulling your leg.” He raised his hands in surrender before he approached her again. “Just needed a way to make the conversation a little less serious. We’d talk ourselves into depression if we continued going on and on about that stuff.”

Sakura huffed, but allowed him to once again throw his hand over her shoulder. She didn’t know when they’d gotten so comfortable with the foolish display of closeness, but she had no complaints. It was nice, for a change, having someone treat her like a friend after she’s been undeserving of such.

The blond and pink haired duo continued walking around the shinobi sector of the village with no destination in mind. They were both avoiding returning home too early, in fear of being alone in their thoughts, so they walked until the buildings began merging together.

Streets, unfamiliar and familiar in the same, didn’t matter as they took turn after turn while being absorbed in whatever topic they rambled about.

“Let me go!”

A shout halted their conversation. The struggling cries of a little boy, followed by pleas of two other children, made the genin duo share a look before running into action.

Rounding the corner of a small alley, they were met with the sight of a little boy being held by his long, blue scarf. The perpetrator was an unknown boy, twice the height of the one held in his hand. His face had odd paintings on it, and there was a suspicious item being carried on his back. 

Behind him was a girl with ashy, blond hair and dark green eyes, who seemed just about ready to leave had it not been for the commotion going on.

“Please, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking at where I was running.” The young child kicked his legs to and fro in an attempt at loosening the hold of his scarf.

Naruto stepped forward, his arms crossed as his eyes narrowed at the two strangers. “I would listen to the kid if I were you.”

“Oh?” The cat-hat wearing boy raised his eyebrow as he stared at him. “Why should I? This little twerp is disrespectful.”

“The ‘little twerp’ is the grandson of the Third Hokage, I’m sure you Suna shinobi do not want to cause any problems between our nations while you’re here.” He pulled out his hunting knife, knowing that it was an overkill, but it helped make his words seem more menacing. “Put him down.”

“Hmph.” The boy huffed and let go of the scarf in his hands. Instead of letting the little child go unscathed, he reared his leg back in an attempt to kick him.

Two senbon needles were quickly dispatched, ripping holes into the black pants. Sakura was quick to grab the little boy while the two foreigners stared at them in shock.

“Are you alright?” She whispered as she dusted his hands and knees. She checked his face for any injuries and then looked at his friends. “What are your names?”

“I’m Konohamaru.”

“Moegi.”

“Udon.”

“Nice to meet you three.” She smiled, “I’m sorry about this, but you’re okay now—”

“—Fighting is prohibited within Konoha’s borders unless supervised by an instructor.”

She raised her head to see Naruto standing in front of her. Although his posture was lax, she recognized the rigidness in his stance that was easy to overlook. One glance around him and she could see that the girl held a large fan open, while the boy removed whatever contraption he had on his back.

“Please don’t fight, the old man would have my head knowing I was causing trouble.” Konohamaru pleaded, yet his eyes remained transfixed on Naruto. There looked to be sparkles in his eyes as he stared at him.

“Both of you, stand down.”

A new voice entered the clearing, followed by a wave of tension and the smell of blood. Naruto was quick to direct his attention to the sudden arrival of a red haired boy standing upside down on a tree.

His eyebrows furrowed as he heard a growl in his ears. He knew who it was from, he had become almost accustomed to it, but he didn’t know the reason behind it.

The red haired boy disappeared in a swirl of sand before reappearing in front of his teammates.

“I’m sorry, Gaara.”

“Shut it, Kankuro.” He said in quick dismissal as he sized up Naruto. “You, what’s your name?”

Naruto looked around, then pointed at himself in a silent question. At the silence that followed, he figured that the question was directed at him since no one else spoke. “Uzumaki Naruto.”

“Naruto…Mother would like your blood.” A slow smile appeared on his placid face.

A chill went down everyone’s spines as he turned around and motioned to his teammates.

“Temari, Kankuro, let’s go. Baki is looking for us.”

“That Gaara guy sure is something.” Sakura muttered as she stood up. She didn’t mind at all that the three children instantly grabbed onto her as they hid behind her as best as they could.

“Hm.” Naruto put his knife away and turned to face her. He stared at the three children and smiled. The sudden change in the atmosphere when he spoke calmed them down in an instant. “Let’s escort you three back to the Hokage, I’m sure someone is looking for you.”

“You’re so cool, Big Bro.” Konohamaru praised as he hid his face behind Sakura’s leg. 

“Big Bro?”

“Can I call you that?” He stuttered in embarrassment.

Naruto looked at Sakura, who looked at him, before shrugging. “What the hell, sure.”

“Take care, Hinata.” Kurenai waved at the timid girl as she bounded down the stairs and into the open street.

“Thank you, Kurenai-san.” Her smile was bright as she shyly waved back before fixing the strap of her duffle bag.

Her week spent with Kurenai had just come to an end and she was set to spend the following one with Himawari and the others. It had taken some time for her to get used to being away from the older woman, but Kurenai was just as nice as Himawari. 

They did fun things together if they weren’t training. Kurenai would teach her how to knit, and Hinata would share her love for flower pressing. Sometimes they’d sit together in the evening, watching whatever soap opera was on while they ate dinner.

Asuma would come over a few days in the week. He wasn’t quite ready to see the opaque eyes of the disowned Hyūga child, especially because his relationship with Kurenai had been a bit of a secret. He warmed up to her though, bringing her small things he picked up on his way, as a precaution. 

Hinata would giggle each time he placed some sort of offering in front of her bedroom door, as if to silently ask that she tell no one of his dates with Kurenai. She didn’t mind at all, but she wasn’t quick to tell him that she had no interest in airing out their business since she wasn’t that type of person.

Ino, however, might be what Asuma was fearing, and everyone knew how close she was with Ino.

The sun was setting over Konoha quite late for a summer day, Hinata’s small smile didn’t leave her face as she made her way back home. It was a bit weird referring to somewhere other than the Hyūga compound as her home, but it was nice.

She did not have to worry about a curfew, or meeting expectations that would determine how her day would go. She felt a little bit more free, and supported, which she supposed was Himawari’s goal all along.

Never would Hinata have imagined that her life would turn out the way it had been. She pictured herself still striving for her father’s approval, dealing with extremely low self esteem, and her addicting habit of hurting herself to take her mind off of everything.

Perhaps something would have changed along the way, though she highly doubted it, especially with how her father refuses to soften his words. 

“Hinata-sama.”

“Hinata!”

She stopped instantly, hearing those familiar voices just as she was getting ready to take the memorized path back to her home. She didn’t expect to see them, not this late anyway, and she couldn’t help but play with her hands and look to the ground as she turned to face them.

“Neji…Hanabi.” She muttered, her cheeks pink as guilt filled her. They probably saw her with her stupid smile on her face, everyone knows a Hyūga should never look so foolish in the eyes of the civilians.

“You’re out late.” Hanabi sized her up a little bit, taking note of the bag strapped across her shoulders, and the lighter jacket that replaced her thick, oversized one. 

“I was just heading home.” Her voice was soft, and she cursed herself for reverting to her meek personality as a way to appease the two in front of her. 

“To that woman?” Her younger sister raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Why don't you come back with us? You’re a Hyūga, not some sort of orphan.”

She was an orphan though, by every metric in the book. Her father didn’t want her, her mother was dead, and she had no other legal caretaker in the compound. 

“Himawari-san treats me fairly.” Hinata couldn’t bear keeping eye contact as she looked into Hanabi’s eyes before diverting her gaze.

“She is making a fool out of you.” Neji interjected. “A weakling running to another useless person. The name of the Hyūga truly has been soiled.”

She winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you attending the Chūnin Exams?” He sneered down at her, his eyes narrowed as his tongue was poised to attack her based on her answer.

Truth was that Hinata didn’t want to take part in the exams. She was too scared to, despite knowing that her training and ninja skills were quite advanced for her age, she would prefer it if she could spend a little more time preparing herself mentally.

She, however, knew that if she were to not attend, that her clan would be ridiculed. She would once again bring shame to her family even if she wasn’t seen as a Hyūga in their eyes. 

“I—“

“Do not allow your weakness to taint the name of our family. It would be foolish to hide yourself and be defeated before the challenges begin. You’ve already caused an issue as it is, moving away from the compound and into the home of a commoner, do not do it again by skipping the exams.” 

“I wasn’t going to skip them, I just…It would be better if there was more time to prepare—“

“Aren’t you sick of needing more time? Week after week, month after month, you just ‘need more time’ to not be weak. Isn’t that always your excuse? The reason why you’re scorned within the family despite being the original Heiress of the Main Branch?”

Hinata pulled at the fabric of her sweater, feeling her stomach twist as all the happiness she built up was quickly snatched away. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it, I expect to see you at the academy next week, Hinata-sama. If you embarrass the Hyūga once more, I’m sure Hiashi-sama wouldn’t be so lenient as to let others oversee your growth and training.”

She could feel her skin tingle, phantom pain of the multiple strikes to her body spread across her skin. She felt her stomach curl up, hunger burning her throat as she pictured herself begging for permission to eat before continuing her gruelling training.

Hanabi watched the display, scoffing under her breath at the pitiful sight in front of her. Growing up, she had always seen the issue with her older sister. The things she heard from her father, and Neji alike, were not so pleasant, and she couldn’t help but see Hinata as the weakling she was. Her older sister was just an example of what not to be as the new Heiress. 

“Let’s head back home, Neji. Enjoy your night, Hinata.” Hanabi tugged at his shirt and began walking away.

Neji gave Hinata one last look before following his new protectee.

She waited until they were out of sight before her shoulders fell and her eyes watered. So much for the excitement she had to return back to the comfort of Himawari’s home, it had all been drained in a single moment.

Hinata bit her quivering lip as she inhaled sharply and continued on her way. She barely managed a small greeting once she arrived at the house, and was quick to escape to her room where she would cry herself into a restless sleep.

Even when Himawari came to check up on her later that night, she did not budge from under her sheets as the words Neji spoke echoed in her head. 

She didn’t want to go to the Chūnin Exams.

Sweat soaked his clothes and stuck him to his sheets once Sasuke opened his eyes and realized that he had been dreaming again. The moonlight streamed into the bedroom, illuminating the relaxed figure of Himawari whose back faced him. He glanced at her before slowly sitting up while pushing the duvet to his knees.

Running a shaky hand over his face, Sasuke stared at the plush that had been kicked to the edge of the bed.

Another nightmare.

It became more frequent as of late, and that made him feel sick. He hasn’t said anything to anyone, preferring to keep it to himself in hopes of getting over it, but it never stopped. Every single time he closed his eyes, or found himself spaced out for too long, he’d feel those hands pulling at his arms and legs, forcing him to stay still.

His throat felt raw as if he had been screaming again. And his head throbbed from an incoming headache. 

Everyone knows that he hates being touched for extended periods of time, especially if he didn’t quite allow the person to do so. It was more so for their sake than his, he would lash out in defence of what he felt was his safety being violated. It was a normal occurrence for others to be at least a little bit more weary of his quiet outbursts in fear of sending the boy into a panicked state.

That, however, didn’t mean that it was noted down in his files. It’s something easy to overlook, perhaps it was just a phase that would die down if he got more help. But Sasuke has gotten help; he’s been assessed over the years, reading up about his diagnosis, and taking the preventive measures to make sure that he did not end up in a debilitating condition that would hinder him. 

It’s why he’s tried time and time again to familiarize himself with his triggers, and avoided them most of the time. He knew that the shinobi world was bound to cause a few relapses, and he was ready to face them as long as he would get the space he needed to recover every now and then.

That just didn’t seem to be ideal for the system. He knew that he was considered a liability; an unpredictable factor on the field despite how much of an asset he was as a skilled genin. So he worked hard, he trained harder, and he spoke with Himawari often to alleviate any anxieties he had. 

It just wasn’t enough.

They touched him over and over again; twisting his arms when he broke free, covering his mouth as a way to silence him despite the seal they put up for privacy. They listened as he struggled with the foreign hands holding onto him, scorching his skin and leaving their disgusting marks all while his mind was violated.

He felt every poke and prod; every pull at a hypothetical drawer in his mind to check his memories. He felt it, and he saw it. He saw their deaths again, he saw his weakened state, he saw the nights he would lurch forward in fear, he saw the times he’s thrown up his food, he saw the blood—he saw how much it hurt. 

Then they left him like that. A mess with his mind in disarray, and his skin burning as his body ached. It wasn’t a surprise that he found himself waking up after barely sleeping every night, with those phantom touches plaguing him once again.

Crawling out of the bed, Sasuke took one more look back at Himawari and left her alone in her room. He dragged his feet towards the main bathroom, thinking that it was better to use it rather than the private one connected to her room. 

The lights were off around the house except for the one in the main hallway. Even if they had been turned off, he would have easily navigated the hallway with familiarity.

Shutting the bathroom door behind him, Sasuke flicked on the light and stared at himself in the mirror. His hair was a mess, bags formed under his eyes, and his cheeks were perpetually pink from how flushed he gets after waking from a nightmare. 

He pulled at his eyelids, checking his eyes in curiosity. He knew he had the sharingan, it was hard to ignore how his chakra pathways behind his eyes felt so different to accommodate the new development. He just didn’t like it very much, so he averted his gaze to focus on how thin he was getting.

It wasn’t anything too noticeable for others, he had always been a little bit on the leaner side than muscular, but he could see the difference in his size. It was to be expected seeing as he had been skipping meals or just not getting enough in him until his body practically begged for some sort of nutrition. By then, a simple, small bowl of rice and whatever stew, soup or curry Himawari made that day would suffice.

He looked extra pale as well, and knowing that he wasn’t too keen on eating the things he needed, as well as the very obvious signs of a developing deficiency, he figured that he was a few weeks away from developing mild anemia. It is what it is, he told himself as he stepped back and took in his entire appearance.

A thought hit him there, as he stared at his bare arms and unwrapped fingers. His nails were cut short again, a habit he picked up so Himawari didn’t have to take the time out of her day to do it herself. 

Images flashed through his mind; blood and a sense of euphoria that joined it as he continued to stare at himself. He was scared of the substance, enough for him to have unpleasant dreams for a while, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t also crave to see it pouring from his own body.

Explaining it was odd, no one would understand. How was he so afraid of blood yet had little to no reaction when he hurt himself? It could be that it was the sense of control that made him feel indifferent about it. He would be able to handle it as long as it was something he wanted to expose himself to.

Other people’s injuries made him quesy, the sight of blood from mishaps and wounds sustained in battle made him want to throw up. Imagining the blood of others was enough to make his entire insides shake. 

His own blood, however? His own injuries that he’d inflict on himself? That was something he could control. That was a decision he was making, and it gave him the power over the images in his head. It gave him control of the memories regarding the red, tainted waters that rushed at his feet, originating from the pile of bodies that would flash in and out of existence. 

Sasuke sucked in a breath, realizing that he had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had moved to take out the razors from the medicine cabinet. He’s known about their existence for a while, they were used for when Himawari would patch up and tailor their clothes on the go. 

They were specifically placed out of reach for Hinata, the girl was too short to reach the upper shelf. She was the one with the habit of cutting into her skin, not him, no. His problem was his fingernails.

How different would it be?

Would it hurt?

He slid off the protective visor on the singular blade and stared at it. He’s gotten to the point that this felt right in a way. In his attempt to deal with things on his own, in guilt and fear of burdening Himawari further, he stood there with the blade in hand.

Just one swoop, he mumbled under his breath, one motion and it would be over. Just one, and not two, or three. He wouldn’t do so much that it was noticeable, one would be sufficient.

Would it?

He dropped the razor when he blinked. Blood dripped from his inner wrists and into the porcelain sink. One had turned into five. They weren’t deep enough to cause any serious damage, but there was a lot of blood. 

He knew it wasn't a good idea.

He knew that his frequent tendency to block out the world, his actions, and every feeling in his body, would cause him to do something he wasn’t completely aware of. 

The stinging hit then, a throbbing that made him panic as he opened the tap on and pushed his hand under the cold water. He pulled a few tissues out of the box on the vanity and pressed it into the wounds as he cursed under the breath.

“It would have been best if you didn’t do that.”

Hinata’s voice startled him. She stood in the doorway, red, puffy eyes evidence of her crying as she kept looking at the bloodied tissues, the discarded razor, and Sasuke’s panicking eyes.

“I know it makes you forget things in the moment; makes it a little bit more bearable, but it’s…It doesn’t get rid of the problem.” She took a step into the bathroom, closed and locked the door behind her. 

Sasuke watched as she closed the tap, wrapped the blade and threw it in the wastebasket. She rummaged through the medicine cabinet; taking out some iodine, ointment, cotton pads, gauze and tape before she sat on the floor.

“Sit.” She motioned to the empty spot in front of her.

Sasuke did as he was told, still holding his wrist close to his chest. “Are you going to tell Himawari?”

“Why would I?” Hinata reached for his arm, slowly prying it away from his body as she began taking care of the cuts.

“I don’t know…” He frowned. He was able to clean his wounds himself, he’s had enough experience with them to know what to do, but having someone else play medic felt nice at that moment. “Isn’t this triggering for you?”

“Sure.” She wiped away any leaking blood until only the redness surrounding the wounds remained. She worked quietly as she disinfected them carefully. “I don’t mind right now…I just wished that you didn’t end up doing this too.” She frowned.

“I’m sorry.”

“Life hasn’t been easy on us, has it?”

Sasuke saw the way she slumped over some more, and knew that something was up. If it had not been for her clearly disheveled state, it was definitely the way her voice broke every few words as her stutter returned.

“I saw Neji earlier.” Hinata muttered, working absentmindedly.

He didn’t mind that she kept passing the cotton pad soaked in povidone iodine over his clearly disinfected wounds. “What did he say?”

She stared up at him through her bangs, then threw the cotton pad into the wastebasket before moving on to the soothing ointment. “How much of a failure and embarrassment to the clan I am…” 

“You’re—“

“I’m attending the Chūnin Exams.”

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Of course he knew that the Chūnin Exams were taking place, he also knew that, because of him, Team Seven wouldn’t be able to attend. Especially because he was still recovering. “I thought you weren’t going to go?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Then you don’t have to.”

“You don’t understand, Sasuke.” Her voice broke again, she was interrupted by a shaky breath. She was quick to wipe the wandering tears that fell onto his hands. “I’m already scorned enough as it is, I can’t sit out this time or else…Or else it would get worse. It doesn’t matter if I lose—if I don’t attempt, they’d hate me.”

“You don’t live with them anymore.”

“That doesn’t stop them.” She quickly wrapped his wrist and let his hand go. However, Sasuke was quick to pull her hands into his own to stop her from twisting her fingers as a way to soothe herself. 

“The choice is yours, ultimately, I have no way to make you change your mind, but know that their opinion doesn’t matter. Not here.” He wiped her face. “You’re great, Hinata, I’ve seen you grow a lot.”

She let out a choked laugh as he leaned down to stare at her face since she wasn’t willing to raise her head. “I’ve seen you grow too, Sasuke.” She touched his thigh. The usual bandages that covered the scars there were gone, so she could see the stark white marks left behind by his own self harming. “I don’t want you to do what I do.” She covered his bandaged wrist with a warm hand. 

“I…I can’t make that promise.”

“I know…”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be…What made you decide that this was your getaway?”

He straightened his back and ran his hand through his hair. “They’re back.” He mumbled.

“The nightmares?”

He nodded. “They’re so much worse and I…I don’t want to worry Momma.”

“I’m sure she’s worried regardless.”

“I’m aware, I just…I want to figure this out on my own. I have to learn to get through it without being guided and babied. If this…If this is the only way I can help myself, even if it’s for a moment, I’ll use it.”

“Don’t depend on it. Find something else to help.” She leaned forward and rested her forehead on his shoulder. “It’s addicting.”

“I will if you decide to as well.”

She scoffed and closed her eyes. “Touché, Uchiha.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve called me that.”

“You used to call me ‘Hyūga’.” She reminisced. “Especially if you caught me stuttering.”

He pulled her closer as he moved them to sit against the wall. They’d have to get up soon anyway, they couldn’t spend the entire night holed up in the bathroom. “I know. It’s weird.”

“What’s weird?”

“We could barely stand each other—well, I couldn’t stand you.” He laughed when she poked him hard in the stomach. “But now we’re like—“

“Siblings.”

“Yeah.” He whispered. “I always wanted a little sister.”