Chapter Text
The pain wasn't so bad this time he came too, the ache wasn't too troublesome from when everything had gone black. He felt a warm hand over his chest, gentle press that didn't hurt in fact it felt like it eased the pain. he blinked his eyes, those mismatched brown and blues open slowly. The light wasn't so blaring for once, maybe it was evening.
The image before him was blurry, mix of the lights with green and brown - he'd know that face from any where. A likeness. A deep rooted connection that was settled in his genes. A sort of natural instinct to always spot, his father.
"Dad?" his voice was still hoarse and rough as itd been only the other day. "Hey son," Genma hand moved up running his fingers gently in his sons hair. "What happened to me?" The young boy asked shifting his eyes over to the weight over his arm that shifted.
The brush of a nose, blinking of eyes he knew so well. Eyes that had always looked at him with so much love, "Mum?" He said barely more then whispered murmur of the word. The woman was at her feet in an instant, wrapping her arms in around the teenager. "My boy" she cooed, nuzzling his neck, Zhao wanted to hug her back but his arms felt so stiff and heavy. His chest was starting to ache again.
"Oh baby, how are you feeling? How's the pain? How's your head feeling? Sakura gave you lot of sedatives to keep you under" Tsuki started to rattle off it was too fast for him to keep up. The pain wasn't that bad right now, his head was pounding, but it was okay... enough.
Genma reached out a hand, resting it on Tsuki's shoulder, the mother stopping her word dump. "He's not gonna keep up with that love." his voice was so gentle, that loving way they sometimes were with each other. "Sorry, sorry, Zhao", his mother said, combing her fingers in his hair, she settled herself on edge of the bed as close as she could get herself, busying with any little matter. Fixing his blanket, smoothing the bandage,
"Sorry, Dad," Zhao finally muttered, casting his eyes back across to the man who now leaned on the railing at the end of his bed "I still think Ita was right", the boy added. "Don't worry about it, mate. What are friends for?"
Problems GC
> Gen
5:23pm: Zhao's awake,
> Kuri<3
5:23pm: I'm so glad to hear that Gen. Hows he feeling? I'll let Mirai know.
> Rai can't use a phone
5:25pm: Great mate. Call you in bit.
> Gen
5:30pm: @Kuri<3 Putting on tough face. Pain meds are a great thing,
> Bad Hokage
5:45pm: Good! Wish him a speedy recovery!
5:46pm: @Rai cant use a phone who changed your name lol
> Rai cant use a phone
5:48pm: Asked Sato to fix this stupid thing. I dont know how to change it.
> Bad Hokage
5:48pm: Lol
> Gen
5:50pm: Suits you Rai
> Rai cant use a phone
6:00pm: :middle_finger:
> Snek Snek Anko
7:11pm: Lol Rai learn to use a phone dummy come on! it’s the nickname on the GC! Your a jonin! Settings in the top right corner where the little bars are xx
7:12pm: @Gen XOXO he's had rough couple days. Give him hug from me
> Gen
7:24pm: Sure thing Anko,
"Sato!" Raidou shouted down the hall, the front door closing behind him "Rai?" Kani looked up from the kitchen bench, spying her husband just around the corner in the hall by the front door. Slipping off his sandals and sliding his jacket off his shoulders onto the door. “Ah fuck did I do?” Sato groaned from the sofa, trying to shrink himself down. Denki glanced across to his friend and then back to the archway, waiting for Raidou to appear.
"Phone’s broke," Raidou supplied back to Kani, pulling off his headband, stepping around the arch, into the open living room space. Only to realise Satoshi was downstairs, not upstairs. The elder man stepped up towards the couch as Sato sank lower into it, “What’s wrong with it?” the boy asked, tipping his head to the side in a way that reminded him so much of Kani, “My name. In the chat thing. You changed it,” Raidou huffed. Sato snorts, pushing himself back up the couch “You don’t text your friends as much as I thought you did”, the boy says despite the frown on his father’s face.
Raidou huffs, “You know phones are a new thing, right. In my generation, we went outside and talked. Or we waited till we saw each other. Or you could write a letter,” He pulled the phone from his pocket, holding it out towards his son with a sharp glint that held no room for arguing. “How’d you send each other memes...” Satoshi said, less of a question though still posed as one, as he unlocked his father’s phone, the passcode had never once changed. His wedding anniversary. Old man energy. “Didn’t have.. memes?” Raidou’s dark eyes glance over to Kani with a shrug. She hid her smile from him. Comedian and Techxerpt, her husband was not.
Raidou’s eyes cast back as Satoshi handed the phone back to him, “Back to Just Rai”, his son said. “Who’s this?” Raidou finally acknowledged the boy sat beside his son on the sofa, dressed in fine branded clothing, with not quite black hair and dark green eyes. “Ah! Denki sir. It’s an honour to meet you Mr Raidou” Denki stood from the couch, holding out his hand politely.
Raidou raised an eyebrow at the kid. Weird. His eyes moved across to Sato and then back again, both looked so nervous. The elder man reached out, shaking Denki’s hand with a firm shake that nearly knocked Denki off his feet, “Good to meet you kid” he offered simply, honestly. He was glad to see Sato with more friends. It was the only thing, as a shinobi, Raidou had close friends. The kind of friends you form deep, everlasting bonds with.
They’d lost brothers and sisters. It hurt, it hurt in a way that there weren’t words to really explain the grief. Even if Kani had tried once after the fourth great war to get him to do therapy at Sakura’s new mental health division. He’d hated it.
But Sato didn’t want to be a shinobi; he wasn’t going to force the boy, it didn’t even bother him. Kani was a civilian; she’d always been one, it didn’t matter if that was also what Sato wanted to be. But Sato was also anxious and shy; he struggled to make those friends. Well, he’d inherited that from his father. Making friends wasn’t Raidou’s speciality. Kurenai and Genma were his teammates; the close proximity made it easier to build that comfort and trust.
“Denki was going to stay over”, Kani calls out from the kitchen, catching Raidou’s attention. Sato's neck goes red, “Ahh yeah, you know, if um. That’s cool with yous”, he coughs, stuttering over his words, which only captures more of Raidou’s attention. Raidou shrugs, stepping away from the kids, “Eh, sure”, he says over his shoulder, coming into the kitchen beside Kani.
Sand Siblings + GC
> Windgirl
8:56pm: Did you guys get home alright? How is it?
> Puppet Guy
9:00pm: Ye we gud
9:01pm: Shinki on the phone to his little gf
9:01pm: Think he being so quiet but I heard him
9:02pm: Sandstorm comin tonight
> Windgirl
9:04pm: Your texting is getting progressively worse,
9:04pm: Don’t die in the storm. I’m too busy here to come to your funeral.
> Puppet Guy
9:07pm: Pft
9:08pm: I send official complaint to shadows
9:08pm: force you Tem
> Shadows
9:10pm: Don’t involve me in this
> Windgirl
9:10pm: You home yet?
> Shadows
9:10pm: Just in
> Puppet Guy
9:11pm: Grosssss
9:11pm: Just DM each other!
> Windgirl
9:12pm: Shut up Kankuro
> Sandman
9:13pm: I am home too brother
> Puppet guy
9:14pm: Gud
9:14pm: I have snacks and movie
“In bed already?” Shikamaru kicked the door shut behind him, pulling his shirt up and over his head. Temari didn’t even attempt to hide the fact that she was ogling his body. She only hummed his response, raising her eyebrows as his trousers came off left in just boxers. Shikamaru came around to his side of the bed, pulling the hair tie out of his hair and dropping it onto the bedside table.
“Stop looking so troublesome”, Shikamaru groaned, flopping himself onto the bed. Temari dropped her phone on the bed, shuffling down it a little. “Not looking troublesome”, she replied back ignoring the buzz of the phone’s notifications. “Yes you are” he slipped an arm behind his head and stared up at her.
Temari shuffled down closer laying on her side right beside him, “Hows our son?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at her husband “Alive, he was breathing when I walked by. Shocking, was in the bed not off it” Shikamaru yawned, his other hand coming up to stroke along the bare skin of her arm.
Temari leaned across, pressing her lips to his in a gentle, soft kiss. That soon began warming, pressing a bit closer, then her phone buzzed between them. “Damn brothers”, Temari snarled, leaning heavily onto the young man. Shikamaru picked the phone up between them, holding down the power button till it switched off and fumbling behind her to drop the phone onto her bedside table.
He kept pressing his lips to hers, along her cheek and down her neck. Temari started giggling under him, a sound that only ever happened in the privacy of their family. A rare sound that Shikamaru craved. “Shika, if you turn it off, my alarm won’t go off in the morning”, Temari complained between her giggling,
“Good, we can sleep in”
> Shinkiiiiiiiiii <3
Rin 3:58pm: [new photo]
Rin 3:58pm: We’ve been working on rebuilding!
Shinki 4:00pm: Good Work.
Shinki 4:00pm: I’m a Chunin.
Rin 4:06pm: Ahh!!
Rin 4:06pm: Shinki!!
Rin 4:07pm: That’s awesome!!
Rin 4:07pm: Congratulations!!
Shinki 4:10pm: Thank you.
Rin 4:12pm: Shikadai is a chunin too, Of course it was you two lol!
Shinki 4:15pm Next exams.
Shinki 4:15pm Visit Suna again, we’ll train.
Rin 4:20pm: <3
Rin 4:20pm: They’re putting all the genin on cleanup after the attack.
Rin 4:21pm: So might be a while :(
Shinki 4:23pm: I’ll speak to Gaara if we can visit sooner than.
Rin 4:30pm: <3
Shinki 4:48pm: [Sent photo]
Shinki 4:48pm: New books.
Her phone buzzed at her side, She was sure it’d be Shinki, She did want to talk to him but as she slid open the screen door, she met the still back of her brother, who’d been sitting out there on the steps. Father had stepped out here earlier, sat with the young man for a while when she’d asked her mother, told only that it was to do with a mission.
Itachi had barely spoken since the other night when he’d come home, father's arm around his shoulder. He’d had this look about him that wasn’t like her brother. There wasn’t that carefree bubbly self. No one would just tell her what it was about.
“Ita?” She asked as she stepped out, sliding the screen shut behind her. Taking a seat down on the old wooden steps beside her brother.
Itachi hummed, glancing those grey over at her “Yea?” he asked he smiled despite it all, the smile didn’t reach his eyes like it normally would or was it filled with the kind of warmth it normally help.
Rin leaned her shoulder into his searching his eyes and trying to prompt him to speak without asking, but it was little use. “What happened last night?” she sighed finally pressing to ask.
“Mirai, Zhao and I just did a mission, and ah. Zhao’s back in the hospital, so it went well,” he shrugged clearly with sarcasm thick in his voice.
Rin straightened up “What! Wait, where? What mission? How’s Zhao now!” That wasn’t what she was expecting to hear, but it still seemed off. Yet Zhao was her brother's best friend, they’d really never not been friends. For as long as she could remember, the two boys were thick as thieves.
“Mirai text me, he’s awake. Just needs some time to recover there.”, Itachi answered simply, she saw the phone sitting on her brothers other side. Face up, just there. Untouched, uninterested.
“Why aren’t you there..?” Rin was confused, almost concerned to ask the question, because why wouldn’t he have been there?
Itachi smiled weakly, humourless laugh, “Dad’s grounded me” he shrugged refusing to look his sister in the eyes. Instead casting them out into the massive stretch of backyard they had off the Hatake estate.
Rin narrowed her eyes, begging him to just tell her without prompting, she huffed out a frustrated sound, “Why?” she bumped his shoulder, searching for his eyes. “Because I did something I shouldn’t have. That’s it Rin, just go back inside,” Itachi's voice turned colder as he spoke, surprising his younger sister.
Rin leaned back, surprised by the change. So unlike him. “Thats not really like you..” Rin trailed off her words, but Itachi didn’t even glance her way. His eyes fixated away into the forward before them. She waited longer, waiting to see if just the uneasy silence would prompt him but he wouldn’t budge.
Eventually, Rin gave up, sighing as she got back to her feet. “Goodnight, brother... Hope Zhao’s okay” Rin rested her hand on his shoulder for a moment before turning away back indoors.
Itachi sat there, letting the cool breeze wash over him. Blue dragon, with striking whites and gold lines over his long, snake-like body, slinks up closer, resting his head at the last step of wooden stairs.
“Did you know him, Zircon?” the young boy asked, shifting his eyes down to meet the pale white orbs of the dragon. The dragon who remained silent. Unable to find a way to answer the boy he was now connected to. vs the connection he still shared with Kai.
They’d just about made it back to Mirai’s house when Kakashi appeared in a flash, “Kids” he sat with a soft wave, Neither said anything as they stared up at the tall, retired hokage before them.
“Heading home Mirai?” Kakashi said with clear intent. It was posed so gently, so casually, but Itachi knew immediately. His father knew what had happened. If it were Genma or Lord Sasuke who had told him.
“Eh.. Yes, Kakashi-Sensei” she said quietly. The rain drizzled down, lightly but constantly. Mirai cast final glance at her teammate, her friend, “Text you if I hear anything about Zhao”, she said as a final passing.
As Mirai begins to vanish down the street father and son stay standing in the drizzle as if daring the other to break first.
Itachi didn’t say anything, nor did Kakashi, not for a moment and then another. Both men turned and began the slow walk home in the rain.
They’d crossed most of the village before Itachi was finally the one to snap. His patience expiring before his father’s, “Who was he?” he came to an abrupt stop on the brdige balling his fists as he kept his back to his father behind him.
“Who?” Kakashi said too casually, it only spiked his anger. “Itachi Uchiha. Why do we share a name? That file wasn’t that old,” Itachi said again, feeling the presence of his father coming up behind him. Standing now at his back.
Kakashi seemed to think on his words for a minute, “He was a friend of your mother, and I’s” he said placing a hand over Itachi’s shoulder. “Why does he have a file there..” the boy asked, “Because he was part of a massacre. They all were remember, Sasuke is the only one left” Kakashi’s tone stayed so neutral. So calm and collected. As if he’d already planned out different ways this conversation might go.
“Why is everyone so secretive about it. Why won’t anyone speak on it?” Itachi finally turned around, staring straight into his father’s eyes, trying to look for what was being hidden.
“It was a massacre of an entire clan, Itachi. Have some respect for the dead,” was Kakashi’s answer. So simple.
He sounded so.
Bored.
It didn’t bother him; he didn’t sound like he cared. It wasn’t important. It just was, what it was.
For the first time in his life... Itachi wanted to punch him. Obviously, the great copy-ninja of a thousand jutsu wouldn’t even need to blink to stop his fist. But.
So they kept walking home.
Sarada watched her parents from the kitchen table as Sasuke worked beside Sakura on they’re family dinner. Her father chopped vegetables with quiet precision, movements clean and efficient, like everything he did. Sakura moved around him in contrast, quick, fluid, juggling three things at once. Tending to the pot simmer on they’re oven, and the medical file lay open at the far end of the counter that she kept glancing back to between steps.
Her phone sat closest to Sasuke,
Every so often, Sakura would lean in, nudging it toward him. He’d pause, glance down at the screen, just barely his expression would shift to slight smile that she felt was more for her mother’s benefit rather then he really cared for whatever it was. Sakura, on the other hand, would giggle outright.
Her father didn’t have a phone, Sarada had asked once, and Sakura had laughed, explaining that Sasuke would either lose it, forget to charge it, or break it somewhere halfway across the world.
“Ino’s hilarious,” Sakura said suddenly, her voice bright as she angled the screen toward him again. Sarada perked up slightly in her chair, her attention sharpening. “What is it?” she asked, leaning forward just a little. Sakura turned the phone so both of them could see. “She sent a picture of Sai trying to ‘help’ with dinner,” she explained, already smiling, “He cut everything into perfectly identical squares and labelled them.” Sarada blinked. “…Why?” Sakura just laughed in response, “Exactly,” she replied. Sarada watched as her father seemed to perk up at the sound. It was cute. Sasuke said quietly, “Efficient” Sakura shot him a look, “That’s what he said”, she giggled again, showing Sasuke the screen.
Sarada huffed a quiet laugh, watching the two of them. It was… strange, sometimes. He looked almost normal just cooking dinner with his wife.
Sakura slid the phone aside and clapped her hands lightly, “Alright, food’s ready.” They moved to the table together, plates set quickly, the conversation carrying over easily. “So,” she said, glancing between them, “how did training go earlier?” Sarada lit up immediately, “Good!” she beamed, sitting up straighter. “Dad’s is so powerful, but we really need my fireball to be better without such chakra drain.” Sasuke nodded once, calm.
Sakura smiled softly at that, resting her chin lightly in her hand. “You’ll get it,” she said, “Took you a little while to perfect it, didn’t it Sasuke?” Sakura turned towards him with a smile lit with bright green eyes.
Sasuke met her gaze, expression unreadable for a second before he answered, “Yes, I burned my throat from too much training” Sarada’s eyes lit up staring at him with amazement to hear something so real of her father’s past. Sakura smiled knowingly, “But don’t you go doing that Sarada, just because I’m a doctor,” she chided before Sarada got any ideas of mimicking her father too closely. Sasuke didn’t respond to that, but there was something quieter in his expression now, something softer that Sarada didn’t miss. Dinner passed easily after that, conversation drifting between small things, it felt… normal. As it should do.
Afterward, Sarada stood, gathering plates without being asked. Sasuke followed without comment, already moving toward the sink. Sakura stretched slightly, “I’ll finish that file,” she said, tapping the papers on the counter. “Be a few minutes, you two, I just want to get it sorted for Yugao before tomorrow. Then we could do a movie?” Sakura gathered up her paperwork, flicking her eyes back up to the pair who both nodded in unison.
Sarada set her phone down on the bench, letting the sink fill with warm, soapy water.
> ChoCho
ChoCho 6:37pm: Saradaaa!
ChoCho 6:37pm: What you doin tonight???
Sarada 6:40pm: With my parents. Sorry ChoCho!
ChoCho 6:41pm: AwwOk!
ChoCho 6:41pm: [Sent photo]
Sasuke turned the sink off Sarada jumped, having forgotten about it, “Oops!” She hummed. Sasuke offered back light barely there smile, “Is it something funny?” he asks abit little awkwardly. Nod of his eyebrow at her phone.
“Oh!” Sasuke hms, “It’s just ChoCho. She’s going out tonight with some of the others,” Sarada said, starting to clean up their dishes. “You don’t want to go?” Sasuke asked, Sarada shook her head, “I can hang out with ChoCho anytime, you I can’t” she shrugged, handing over the plates to him. Somehow, with one hand, her father made easy work of him, but Sarada had to think that he’d been living with one missing for long enough now that, of course, he’d have learned to do everything without it.
“You know”, Sarada started slowly, “You could get a phone. Mum, and I could text you”, she chanced a look up at her father towering well above her height. Sasuke seemed to consider it, “I think I’d break it”, he finally uttered. Sarada dropped her gaze back down, “But you're right. I should”
“Goodnight, team. Call me if anything comes up,” Shizune bid them all farewell as she stepped out of the hospital doors. The nightshift team were more than capable. She and Sakura had trained them all so well.
It didn’t stop the little bit of worry for Genma’s boy. He was good kid, after all Genma had always been one of her closest friends. They’d all been so close then. War did that, brought people closer. But it also brought them a part. The lies, the propaganda, everything that led to the deaths of the Uchiha.
Shisui.
Shizune took a turn, the opposite way from her house, leading out to the memorial that was set in place of the old gates into the Uchiha Compound that had long since been destoried. New homes, new buildings had taken it’s place. His old home was gone now, Shizune couldn’t help wondering what he’d think.
Home is more than just a few planks of wood.
He’d said that once to her. Such a philosopher. It didn’t him wondering what it’d been like to have him still here. Living with her. He’d have been an excellent advisor to Naruto. He’d have been a great Hokage.
Shizune’s pace slowed as she made it to the memorial. There she stood for a moment just staring at it. The lives that’d lived there, the lives lost there. Never did they find his body; it always left her wondering if maybe he could’ve been alive. Wounded and lost.
Shizune gently ran her fingers through his hair as he slept beside her. Slowly moving it away from his eyes. His chakra was buzzing enough under his skin for her to know he was faking being asleep at this point, but he didn’t move as her finger traced line of his jaw, the slow crease of her thumb over his lips -
She was met with the bright red of his sharingan. Three stark tomoe in slow rotation. “What's that for?” she asked, sliding her fingers down his neck, resting them on his chest. Over the steady beat of his heart.
“I’ll remember this is crystal clear clarity” his voice had that just-woken-up gravel thick in it that made her blush.
Shizune shifted forward, pressing her lips to his, Shisui pressed back, cradling her head with one hand and letting the other slide down her waist with slow, warm fingers. “Please, can’t you stay?” she whispered in the space between them.
Shisui hummed that little noise he made when he was trying to figure out a way to avoid it. His clan would never allow him… he couldn’t leave them.
“You and me, our own apartment in the middle of the city…” she kissed him again, felt the smirk plastered across his face, “Two kids” he said Shizune bit her bottom lip, “Uchiha clan would like that”
Shizune’s phone buzzed loudly shocking her back from her thoughts, pulling the device out from her pocket
Head Medical team GC
Sakura 7:30pm: @Yugao Got that paperwork finished!
Yugao 7:32pm: Thank you Sakura
Yugao 7:33pm: @Shizune You in tomorrow?
Shizune quickly typed back her yes. She’d be back in. She couldn’t stay here all night dwelling on the past, on something she couldn’t have.
> Gf
Koito 7:08am Hows your arm xx
Hoshi 7:10am Healing fine babe dw
Hoshi 7:10am Lunch ?
Koito 7:16am Please look after yourself xx
Koito 7:17am Yes to lunch!!
Koito 7:17am <3<3<3
Koito 7:18am Want help in the shower xx ~~?
Hoshi chuckled under his breath, tapping the kitchen bench as he thought up an answer that would match her. “Morning Hoshi”, His mother said, causing the boy to jump, putting the phone face down on the stone bench, “Morning mum! Sleep well?” he said, already getting out another bowl for her, pouring out cereal from the packet they both liked. Yugao couldn’t help the little sense of curiosity, knowing it’d be Koito he’d been texting, but she let the feeling wash away. He deserved his privacy.
Yugao thanked him, quietly taking the cereal bowl from him, “Slept well, you? Shoulder not bothering you?” she asked, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. He’d at least had the sense to keep the bandage and sling on. “It’s okay mum, seriously. Only a busted shoulder, I’m um. Still going out to help some of the Jonin but Genma’s put me off missions until my cleared by medical” He joined her, coming to sit beside her. That smile was just like Hayate, the little ways he sits and walks remind her so much of the man she loved. It’s funny to think, he’s never known Hayate. He never had the chance to know his father, and yet, they’re so similar. Her boy inherited her hair, her eyes yet every little action is so very Hayate.
“How's Koito?” she decides to shift the course of chat between them, he’s kept acting the injury wasn’t serious - Sure it wasn’t as serious as it could have been. Not as serious as Zhao’s was, how she knew how worried Genma and Tsuki were. Knowing how much she’d struggle if Hoshi were in that position. But Hayate would come home with black eyes, cuts, bruises and odd broken bone. She’d lost him, she’d lost love of her life. The woman was sure she wouldn’t have been able to cope with losing Hoshi on top of that.
Hoshi spluttered his food, coughing as he looked across at her. “Ah? Fine? Good...” he coughed again, turning back to his food to start eating faster. “Mm”, Yugao hummed, he shifted on the chair. Yugao couldn’t help thinking how cute he looked. “Don’t want to tell me anything?” she asked gently.
The phone buzzed between them. Still sat facedown on the counter. “Sounds like you already know”, Hoshi laughed, keeping his eyes fixated on his cereal. “Mother's instincts then”