#mshwrites

Team Gai made their way into past the gates of Konoha, returning from a mission, that in Neji's opinion, had lasted far too long. Gai-sensei and Lee had always had a bad habit of getting carried away, but the list of things that had gone wrong was... extensive. And all he really wanted was to make his way back to the Hyuga compound, and his own bed.

While most of the clan lived in large houses surrounded by family, Neji had a tiny place all his own. He liked it that way. Sometimes he just needed somewhere he could be alone. He touched his palm to the door, ready to unlock it with his chakra, but it wasn't locked.

Suddenly alert, He reached into this hip pouch for a kunai before opening the door fully. Finding nothing in the main room had been disturbed he activated his byakugan.

Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next. Right there, in his very own house, just on the other side of the wall were Hinata and Naruto, and they were... occupied. It was the last thing he'd expected and his shock was quickly replaced with rage at the intrusion.

Not bothering to knock, he shoved the bedroom door open. "What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

Hinata let out a squeak as she scrambled to the other side of the bed, and hid behind it. Naruto had no shame and turned to face Neji in all his naked glory. "Could you give us another fifteen minutes?"

"Naruto!" Hinata admonished as she tugged the blanked off to wrap around herself.

"Awe come on, Neji. Do you know how hard it is to get some alone time when your planning a clan wedding. This was the only place we could think of."

"You live alone!"

"And everyone would look for me there. No one looks for us here," Naruto replied, matter-of-factly, even as he snatched his pants off the floor and began to step into them.

Hinata, with the blanket now wrapped around her like a toga, stood up and came around to stand beside her fiancé, her face still red with embarrassment. "Naruto, we should go." She grabbed her clothes and darted out of the room and into the bathroom.

"She's right, Naruto. You should go. Now!"

Accepting defeat, Naruto raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. See you next week at the rehearsal."

The first two weeks of Sakura’s first C ranked mission as jonin sensei had passed uneventfully. Her team of genin medics had a simple task, visiting Kumogakure and exchanging research results, as well as giving her team the opportunity to learn new techniques.

As far as missions went, this one wasn’t too bad. Very comfortable quarters were provided for the team, and it had given Sakura the chance to catch up with friends she’d made during the war she hadn’t seen in a very long time.

It was until C was walking her home after their second dinner that she suddenly realized this was a date. A date she really hadn't known was a date, until he was holding her hand and leaning close to kiss her.

After a polite, but firm rejection, Sakura retreated to her room. But sleep didn’t find her, instead she spent the next several hours with her brain reeling. Why had she rejected him without a thought? They’d had a good time, and she couldn’t deny there was some chemistry bubbling.

She closed her eyes, trying to work it all out, but the details all seemed to swim about in her mind, and every time they got to that ill-fated good night kiss his blond hair started to turn silver, he was just a bit taller, and his smile was hidden behind a mask.

Sakura shot up, shocked at the sudden realization. When had that happened? Kakashi was her friend, her hokage, but he had never been more than that.

The question weighed on her mind for the next two weeks, and in true Sakura fashion she buried herself in her work, and did her best to avoid being alone with C, preferring to take at least one of her genin with her everywhere.

All things considered, Sakura was overjoyed when it was finally time to return to Konoha. The trip back was uneventful, filled with the gossiping of teenagers, and the talk of all the new friends they had made. With every step closer, it became harder not to think about Kakashi, until there was no hope of ignoring these new found feeling.

When they finally arrived back at the village gates, it was too late to report in. Sakura dismissed her team, with instructions to meet back for their debriefing tomorrow. She turned toward her apartment, and then her feet started to carry her to the hokage tower without her even noticing. She was standing outside the door to Kakashi’s official residence far too long. Long enough that she was sure the guards hiding in the shadows were begging to grow suspicious.

Finally, she gathered her courage and knocked lightly on the door. Hopefully so lightly that she wouldn’t be heard, and could sneak away as if nothing had happened. But Sakura had never been that lucky.

A moment later the door swung open and there stood Kakashi, freshly showered, water still dripping from his hair, in nothing but low slung jonin paints, and a mask. It was all Sakura could do to keep her eyes locked on his face.

“Sakura,” he said, sounding both pleased and surprised. “I didn’t know you were back.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she blurted out, starting to panic. “I should have waited until tomorrow. It’s just…”

“It’s just what?” Kakashi asked, leaning up against the door frame.

Sakura looked around, and though the bodyguard still remained hidden, she could feel their judgmental gaze. “Um… would it be possible to talk in private?”

Stepping back from the door, Kakashi welcomed her in and closed the door. Sakura had been in this room thousands of times before, both when it belonged to Tsunade and Kakashi. It had never felt so large.

It was too late to back down now. Sakura took her usual seat and tried to relax. It wasn’t easy with Kakashi watching her so closely, and for some unknown reason he still hadn’t put on a shirt.

Keeping her focused straight ahead, and just over Kakashi’s shoulder, Sakura said, “Well the thing is, I missed you. And I didn’t even realize it until the date. Well the second date. Well, more like when C tried to kiss me.”

“Sakura,” Kakashi interrupted, sounding just the tiniest bit jealous, “when did C try to kiss you?”

“After the date, I swear I didn’t even know it was a date.” Finally, she turned to look at him. “It’s just that the whole night felt less personal than the nights I’ve spent with you. And after he left, I started thinking about why I wasn’t attracted to him, but all I could think about was… you.” Gathering all her never, she continued. “I think I might be in love with you.”

Kakashi’s face lit up, and even with the mask Sakura could see his smile in every line of his face. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time.” And a moment later his mask was discarded on the floor and he crossed in the room in one breath.

Taking in all the lines of his face she’d never seen before, Sakura asked, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Itachi was weary as he pulled the door open to his building. How anyone had talked him into a fourth floor walk-up, he would never know. As much as he wanted to just collapse on the couch for a nap before studying, he was expecting two new textbooks to be delivered, and he really needed them for his project. 

Sighing to himself, he turned away from the stairs and into the mailroom. His package had been delivered, and was sitting atop another much larger box also labeled 4D. He ripped the first package open, moving the books to the messenger bag hanging across his chest, then studied the second. 

He could just leave it. It wasn’t like he was obliged to lug large cumbersome boxes up three flights of stairs just because it was addressed to his boyfriend, but that seemed like a shitty thing to do. Seeing no reasonable way out of it, Itachi crouched down, and wrapped his arms around two sides. Then, bracing himself, he carefully rose to his feet, shocked at how light the box was. 

It wasn’t heavy but it was cumbersome and by the time Itachi reached his door, he was planning all the ways Kisame was going to pay him back for this. Shifting the bulk of the box to one hand and balancing it on his knee he reached his free hand into his pocket in search of his keys. 

Before he could slide the key into it’s lock the door opened, and Kisame smiled at him over the cardboard box. “What did you order?” he asked.

Itachi scoffed, blinking at this lover over the box. “I didn’t order anything. This is yours.”

Excited, Kisame ripped the package from Itachi’s arms and turned away leaving Itachi standing in the doorway slightly confused. After a moment for his brain to catch up he stumbled into the apartment. 

“Samehada,” Kisame called out, ripping the tape off the top. “Here kitty kitty kitty. Daddy got you a present.” 

As usually there was no sign of the cat, he wasn’t going to come just because he was called, but that didn’t deter Kisame who was digging through the styrofoam packing peanuts in search of his purchase. “Samahada,” he called again. 

Itachi picked up the bag of treats sitting on the counter and gave it a couple shakes, and got an excited meow and the click of nails padding on the wood floor as a reply.

“There’s my good boy,” Kisame said, as if Samahada was answering his call and not just thinking with his stomach. “Look what daddy got you!” He pulled a fat, hollow, blue shark from the box presenting it to the feline with a smile. 

“That giant box, for a toy shark?”

“It’s not a toy,” Kisame protested, turning back to Itachi pointing to the large opening between its plushy teeth. “It’s a bed.” 

“So does that mean he will stop sleeping in our bed,” Itachi asked hopefully.

Kisame stared it, him with his mouth hanging open in shock. “Of course he’ll sleep in our bed. This is for naps.” 

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.”