#good singing

Kakashi was in his bedroom, not hiding. Nope, he just left his office early, through the window, ditched his ANBU, and snuck into his old apartment because he could. It had nothing to do with a certain senbon-obsessed shinobi or his ridiculous birthday party. 

He was quite sure the entire thing would be a disaster. Everyone would be there, everyone would be drinking, and Genma would expect--no demand--he participate. If Genma didn’t make him, Gai certainly would. 

There could be no worse punishment than this. So he would spend his evening sitting on the floor in a bare room, and he couldn’t have been happier about it.

There was a sharp knock at the door quickly followed by a most youthful yelling. “Gai-sensei, Gai-sensei! It is time for us to go to the pub.” 

Gai pulled the door open and greeted his student with a jaunty thumbs up and a blinding smile. “Ah Lee, you are correct. We must get going if we are going to pick up Neji and Tenten. I would hate for them to miss this after all our practicing this week.”

Lee dashed away as his sensei closed the door. “Yes we must hurry! Gai-sensei, this will be my opportunity to woo the lovely Sakura. I am sure I can impress her with our display of youthfulness.”

“Mom, Dad, hurry up! We don’t wanna be late. Hinata will be there,” Naruto yelled up the stairs. 

"Oh, well if Hinata will be there we really must hurry," Kushina said as she came down the stairs, still struggling to clasp her earring. "We really shouldn't keep my future daughter-in-law waiting."

Minato, only two steps behind her, shook his head. "She is only your future daughter-in-law if your son actually gets around to asking her out."

Kushina whipped around and stuck her tongue out, earning a chuckle from her husband.

"I told you it's not like that," Naruto protested as they filed out of the door.

Minato pulled the door shut before putting an arm around Kushina and pulling her to his side. "At this rate we are never going to get grandchildren."

"Neji, if I have to go, so do you," Tenten protested sitting on the side of their bed buckling the straps of her pointy heels.

"You do know people will actually see us there?" he asked with an exaggerated roll of his pale eyes.

Tenten stood, took a moment to check her balance in the unfamiliar shoes, then took his hand. "If you go, and don't complain more than absolutely necessary, I will shampoo your hair."

Neji took a moment to consider her offer. He knew she enjoyed showering together as much as he did, so it wasn't much of a bribe. Even so, it was an offer he could not refuse, but she didn't have to know that. "Will you dry it too?"

Bang. Bang. Bang. --came the forceful knock at the door. "Neji! Tenten! Gai-sensei and I are here! We can all go to the pub together."

Tenten shook her head--the two of them had no idea how to do anything at a normal volume. "Yes, I'll dry it too," she agreed, still shaking her head. "We’d better go before they piss off the neighbors again."

Shizune was attempting to exit the shower, for the third time. "Genma, let go. The hot water is all gone, and you can't be late for your own party." She reached for a towel, but Genma grabbed it first. He patted his lover dry before wrapping it around her torso.

He pulled her close for one more searing kiss. "Fine, I'll let you get ready, but just know whatever you wear is subject to being destroyed when we get home tonight."

Shizune was dressed long before Genma. She wasn't remotely surprised by this. He always spent too long on his hair, and it always looked exactly the same as when he started. 

“Come on,” she whined. “We still have to go track down our illustrious Hokage.” 

“I’ve got that covered. I’m sending the best.”

Sakura looked herself over in the full-length mirror. Ino was truly a miracle worker. She had pulled, pushed, and blinded Sakura into someone she almost didn’t recognize, before slipping a red strapless number onto her.

“You look great. Honestly, I think it’s my best work yet.”

“I don’t know how you do it. No one would know I just spent fourteen hours at the hospital.”

Ino’s eyebrow raised dangerously until it was lost behind her long blonde bangs. “I thought you said you only worked twelve hours today?”

“Well... there was a nap at my desk, and I had lunch so I really only worked twelve hours,” she stated proudly. Ino would see right through her, but hopefully she would just drop it.

Ino help up her arms in mock surrender. “Whatever you say. Now are you going to tell me why you are so worried about tonight?”

Sakura bit her lip, considering how to answer. Telling the truth would make it real, but lying to Ino was impossible. After everything they've been through together, Ino deserved the truth. 

She took a deep breath, and turned to face her friend fully. “He kissed me.”

Ino’s eyes were as wide as her smile. “Where?” 

“On the lips?” Sakura replied, confused. 

“No, where were you? When? How was it? Was there a mask?” Ino’s questions were flying out so fast Sakura couldn’t comprehend them all. 

“Um, how about I tell you all about it later, I’ve gotta go,” she answered with a shy grin, then took off down the stairs and through the flower shop. Ino heard the ting of the door chimes as Sakura ran out. She smiled at her own image in the mirror. Took them long enough. She smoothed the sides of her violet satin dress, and headed down the stairs. This was shaping up to be Genma’s best party ever, and she wasn’t going to miss a moment of it. 

Kakashi had known she would be the one to find him. There was no getting out of it now. He opened the door just as she was raising a hand to knock. “How’d you know?”

“I just did. I can always find you,”  she said, reaching out for his hand. 

His fingers wrapped around hers. “Fine, I’ll go, but I am not singing.”