#demigex

Being a single mom had its challenges, and Sakura was ready for them. Right up to the moment Sarada asked to host a sleepover.

Initially Sakura thought it would be simple, Chocho would come over, have dinner, and they’d stay up too late. Nothing to it.

Friday night, when her house was filled with pre-genin, Sakura knew she had never been more wrong. It had only been an hour and already she was exhausted. Ino’s advice to take the day off rang in the back of her mind as she confiscated shuriken before one of them ended up in her wall.

Finally deciding it was all too much to try and cook Sakura ordered pizza and sent the kids into the back yard. She needed to reset to gain control over the situation, and it wouldn’t be dark for a couple hours yet. They wouldn’t be able to do that much damage outside.

She had never been more wrong. In the time it took to place an order, Sarada had decided that the best way to roast marshmallows was a fireball jutsu, and reduced Sakura’s favorite tree to ash.

After a series of apologies to the neighbors, she ushered the kids back inside. She managed to keep them calm until they were fed, and thought full bellies would slow them down. Instead it only left them more rambunctious than they had been before. In hindsight, Kool-aid might not have been the best choice. The last thing this bunch needed was sugar.

She was trying to clean the kitchen when Boruto crashed down onto the island spilling a full pitcher of the sticky sugary blend all over the last two pizzas and the floor. Apparently they were trying to cross the house without touching the floor and the kunai he’d stabbed into the ceiling hadn't been enough to hold him.

Finally, they were all in their sleeping bags, and while there was too much giggling for anyone to be sleeping, they seemed content not to destroy anything else. Sakura stared at the mess that had previously been her kitchen and knew she should clean it up, but everything in her said it could wait until tomorrow. Instead she grabbed a bottle of wine, being sure to seal the cabinet, and went to hide in her room until morning.

Ino was the first to arrive the next morning, bringing Sakura a very large latte. Sakura could having kissed her.

“Were we this bad when we were kids?” Sakura asked, taking her first sip and finally starting to feel like a human again.

“Yes,” Ino replied. “I’ll hang around and help you clean up.”

“Sakura-chan! I’m here!” Naruto yelled, unnecessarily from the door as he let himself in.

“In the kitchen,” she yelled back.

Sakura darted off to get rags for herself and Ino, when she came back Naruto was standing at the island, sticky pizza box open and empty before him, chewing. “Please tell me you didn’t eat that.”