The apartment windows looked out onto a courtyard that was usually noisy with playground sounds. But not this evening. On New Year's Eve, the playgrounds fell quiet, ceding space to empty swings and silent slides. All the families were streaming to the main squares, parks, and embankments—to stroll, admire the holiday lights, and launch the first impatient fireworks. And Shisui...
"Okay. Duck's in the oven, salads are done, cake is in the fridge, soda and juice are on the balcony. Don't think I forgot anything," Hashirama paused in the middle of the kitchen, surveying the culinary chaos he'd orchestrated, and smiled with satisfaction.
Shisui gave a slight nod and turned back to the window, flicking cigarette ash into an ashtray. He'd be the one cleaning all this up later, of course...
"Aha! Shisui!" The voice boomed right behind him, making the young man start and instinctively press a hand to his chest.
"What's with the yelling when you're already inside?"
"Himawari's sleeping, so keep it down!"
"Are you serious?" Uchiha narrowed his eyes.
"Anyway, keep an eye on her, I'm running upstairs to Tobirama. If anything comes up—call me or just bang on the door."
The man began bustling around, pulling on a garishly bright knitted sweater before darting out of the apartment. And finally, a long-awaited, soothing quiet settled in.
Shisui let out a breath, watching his cigarette smolder slowly between his fingers. He didn't have any special plans for New Year's Eve, which is why he'd agreed to babysit Hima—the neighbors' daughter. Her parents, it seemed, had left on an urgent business trip and left the girl with her grandfather, Hashirama. The poor man was being passed around like a hot potato. Shisui knew that feeling better than most.
"Yo, Shisui," a familiar, muffled voice floated up from below.
Uchiha leaned over the windowsill and saw Itachi and Kakashi in the twilight of the courtyard.
"Look who it is," he smirked. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Kakashi silently pulled a box with the D&D board game from his bag, and Itachi held up a bottle of whiskey and cola. A festive, slightly tipsy session of slaying dragons. Well, of course.
"You're cleared. Come on up," Shisui nodded toward the door, smiling.
After putting out his cigarette, he closed the window, then the balcony door, and tiptoed to peek into Himawari's room. The little girl was softly snoring, having already kicked off her blanket. Shisui smiled gently, fixed the covers, and let his hand linger for a second on her fluffy dark hair. At that moment, a cautious knock sounded at the apartment door. He slipped out, carefully closing the door behind him.
"Keep it down," he whispered, bringing a finger to his lips as he let his friends in. They nodded in response and moved silently into the living room.
From time to time, Shisui broke away from the game to check on the duck in the oven, returning each time with a new plate of snacks. At the table, a fierce battle with another ogre and its retinue was already in full swing. Itachi rolled the dice—a critical hit flashed up—and his paladin sent one of the goblins to the afterlife with a single blow, then immediately cast a healing spell on Shisui's monk.
"The ogre flies into a rage and bellows at you: 'Grunkus thraka!'" Kakashi even added a guttural accent, imitating orc-speak.
"Doesn't sound like a dinner invitation," Shisui chuckled, setting a plate of cheese on the edge of the table.
"Well, maybe as the main course," Itachi countered.
"Hashiramaaaaaa!" A voice echoed from the floor above, making all three of them flinch involuntarily.
"Good grief. Does he want to become our ogre?" Itachi smiled, studying his character sheet.
"Seems like they're already plastered up there," Kakashi joined in the joke.
Himawari came out of the room, clutching a stuffed rabbit almost as tall as she was.
"Hima, sweetie, why are you awake?" The young man quickly went over to her and knelt down.
"The uncles upstairs are being loud..." The little girl peeked out from behind his back, curiously eyeing the suddenly hushed guests. Kakashi and Itachi gave her awkward little waves. "Hi, I'm Himawari."
"Why are you wearing a mask?" She sidestepped her babysitter, focusing all her attention on the most mysterious guest.
"I'm... sick," he said, his eyes crinkling in a semblance of a smile.
"Maybe you need some warm milk with honey? It always helps me," Himawari offered matter-of-factly, settling into Shisui's armchair. "What are you playing?"
Shisui realized there was no chance of putting her back to bed now—too many impressions in the last two minutes. But D&D was clearly not a game for a six-year-old. Kakashi, however, adapted instantly.
"Oh, this is D&D. It's like... a play. I'm the storyteller, and Itachi and Shisui are the actors. Right now... hmm, ogres have stolen Christmas, and our heroes are trying to get it back."
Himawari listened, holding her breath, and seemed instantly captivated. Kakashi began reshaping the entire campaign on the fly, turning it into a fairy tale they now told together, the three of them. And her delighted eyes, full of interest, and her infectious laughter became the most unexpected and most precious treasure they found in that improvised New Year's game session.
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