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moorPart One - The Senju and the Uchiha
Part Two - The Battle [first battle]
Part Three - The Battle [continued]
Part Four - The Secret [first secret]
Part Five - The Secret [continued]
Part Six - The Secret [continued]
Part Seven - The Secret [continued]
Part Eight - The Underground
The Underground:
“Which one today?” asked Sakura as Kakashi accompanied her to ‘work’.
‘Work’ changed a little bit day-to-day for Sakura, depending on which safe house she was directed to. It took her a bit out of her way but was far safer than risking treating anyone in her home. Kakashi, Jiraiya or Naruto always came to get her in the morning. Depending on what the work would be, she may be performing surgery (building 1), treating illness (building 2), following up with clients (building 3), or enjoying a mystery surprise in building 4, which could turn out to be almost anything. She both loved and abhorred building 4, as it was often the building where clients came to purchase unfortunate concoctions like poison and other narcotics, but also where sometimes women came to ask for help for what ailed them (usually their husbands). Kakashi was the one who handled booking her appointments and most often he accompanied her to work. That day, he had donned the sling while Sakura prepared for her day, and by the time she had her shoes on, he already had Yu loaded and ready to go. Yu loved reaching his hands out to his mother, who would take them in hers, pepper them in kisses and leave him giggling and laughing. Kakashi himself had softened up to his paternal role, too. It had been months since he went out all night drinking or carousing with Obito or their friends. He avoided establishments that permitted smoking inside, and even prevented their clients from smoking when Yu was present for ‘work’, which Sakura appreciated.
At six months old, Yu now sat cross-legged in his sling, facing outward. He loved going to work with Sakura and her ‘Senju family’, and looking at all the people they passed by, at face height with him. Some he recognized, too, from seeing them often at the market. They always had a piece of fruit for him, now that he’d started enjoying solid food. Naruto was notorious for mushing up and mixing pears and bananas in his cereal, to encourage him to eat more.
It was spring and they enjoyed a walk ‘topside’ that day as the sun shone down and the air had warmed considerably. For the last several weeks, Sakura had been feeling more and more frustrated and claustrophobic and had begged Kakashi to spend a bit more time outside. The fresh air helped lift her spirits, though the restlessness remained.
“Building 4,” said Kakashi. In the sling, Yu had grabbed his finger and was chewing on it, his cheeks red.
“Anything special,” asked Sakura casually as they crossed the road.
“Tsunade sent you this one,” said Kakashi. “She said Shizune was stumped and she didn’t have time to look into it.”
“Shizune was?” asked Sakura, surprised.
Kakashi nodded.
“Hm,” murmured Sakura thoughtfully.
“We’ve also had a few requests from the Uchiha,” said Kakashi, looking at Sakura out of the corner of his eye. “They’re willing to pay handsomely for your services.”
The niggling, squirming uncertainty inside Sakura writhed, coiling tighter. It was one thing to know they were watching her—she wasn’t an idiot, she knew they were—it was another to engage with them. She didn’t know what had kept them at bay so far but she had a feeling it had to do with Tsunade and Mikoto’s ‘peace’ treaty where it came to interaction with her. Basically, non-intervention as long as both sides went about their business.
“What do they want,” she asked cautiously.
“They seek your services as a healer only, according to what the request indicated. For the Uchiha Underground,” said Kakashi. “If you’re interested, I can speak to Jiraiya.”
They continued walking for a few minutes as Sakura considered the request. The money would certainly be welcome. It always was. Working with the Uchiha would earn a few brownie points for the Senju with the Uchiha, too, and may go towards repairing the divide between their leaders—or buying favours later. It was just a matter of her being comfortable inviting a potential fox into a hen house. And she was a hen.
“Is it safe?” asked Sakura. “There’s no chance of them coming after Yu, is there?”
Kakashi sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
“There’s no way to know that until they do it. Or don’t,” he said honestly. “But you’re never alone. And if you had an Uchiha there, we could certainly arrange for Yu to not be there, and to have extra protection, like the little prince he is,” said Kakashi in a baby voice, tickling Yu’s chin to make him baby babble and gurgle at him. Kakashi grinned back at Yu through his mask.
Sakura allowed herself a half-grin at his antics.
“Careful, you’ll want one of your own one of these days,” she teased, bumping him with her shoulder.
“Nah, Yu is perfect,” said Kakashi, still playing with Yu. “One is enough.”
Sakura laughed.
And yet, when she replayed what Kakashi said in her head, her heart sped up and a blanket of uncertainty fell across her shoulders, weighing on her.
She looked at him again, unsure if she’d understood him correctly. He continued on as he always did.
She swallowed.
No, she was reading too much into it, she decided, pressing her lips together and facing forward again.
She had a terrible track record of embracing denial when it suited her, and she was holding strong to it.
“There’s no need to decide now,” said Kakashi as they walked, oblivious of Sakura’s internal conflict.
“Mmm,” said Sakura, her head a mess. “I’ll have a think about it.”
Kakashi nodded.
“It’s a stomach issue again today,” said Kakashi as they walked up the steps to building 4. “Same symptoms as the last few.”
“Another one?” asked Sakura curiously.
Kakashi opened the door for them and ushered Sakura in ahead of him, like a gentleman. Already they could hear someone groaning from the examination room. Two someones.
“I’ll take your coat and put the kettle on,” said Kakashi, already helping Sakura out of her outer coat.
“Thank you, I’ll go handle things. Could you keep Yu out of there until I figure out what they’re poisoned with, please?”
“Of course,” said Kakashi, heading for the kitchen. “Chamomile?”
“Please!” called back Sakura, already putting on her examination robes and hurrying to her patients. “Hello, I understand you’ve been poisoned?...”
***
By the end of the day, over a dozen patients had been sent to Sakura for review, each one exhibiting different severities of the same symptoms.
By suppertime, Sakura was very confused and frustrated.
“You’re treating them quickly,” said Kakashi.
He had wiped down the ‘staff’ room, a sitting room with a large window seat that Sakura enjoyed sitting on to nurse Yu on her breaks. He had tea and a few snacks ready for her. They had stayed at the makeshift clinic much later than anticipated, and Yu was hungry. Sakura had scrubbed herself down before she’d accepted Yu from Kakashi.
“Yes, but I can’t figure out how they got sick,” said Sakura, racking her brain to find some clue as to how the diverse people she’d treated that day had all been subjected to different strengths of the same poison. “It doesn’t make sense. Even if they were all Underground—which they weren’t—they all work in different parts of the city, in different jobs and professions. There’s no connecting thread between them,” she said, lifting her hand to gesture like a thread.
From his position on the floor by her feet, with his arms crossed over his knees, Kakashi leaned back against the bottom of the window seat and looked up at Sakura.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, his visible eye holding hers.
Sakura’s shoulders slumped as she shook her head. She looked down at Yu, stroking his cheek as he nursed, then back at Kakashi.
“I don’t know. This doesn’t feel normal,” said Sakura. She rested her head against the window. “It’s like someone trying out a new poison. It’s super strong in some people and watered down in others. But the cases are so spread out, there’s no way they would have been able to observe the results in their cases, so why do it?”
“Ah,” agreed Kakashi. “Tsunade mentioned the same thing.”
Sakura’s eyes narrowed in on Kakashi.
“What do you know?” she demanded. “How many of these cases have there been?”
Scratching at his face through his mask, Kakashi avoided Sakura’s gaze.
“A few,” he said vaguely.
“Spit it out,” said Sakura, kicking him in the shoulder (though not hard; she didn’t want to upset Yu).
“Mah, so rough, Sakura. Save it for later,” he teased, waving his hand at her while he cupped his cheek daintily.
Going pink to her hairline, Sakura’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head.
“Excuse me—” she screeched, furious.
The knock at the front door silenced both of them.
Their playfight was put on hold as Sakura held Yu closer.
“I thought you said we’d seen everyone today,” she said quietly.
“We did,” said Kakashi, suddenly serious.
With a quick look at each other, Kakashi rolled to his feet with a silent grace that never stopped surprising Sakura for a man of his height. He looked down at Yu as he continued feeding, his expression conflicted.
“He’s quieter on the boob if we need to hide,” said Sakura.
His shoulders slumping, Kakashi nodded and went to answer the door.
“We’re closed for the evening,” said Kakashi from the next room, as Sakura listened, holding her breath. “Would you like an appointment for tomorrow?”
Sakura strained her ears to hear who it was. Kakashi hadn’t tapped the door in their usual ‘HIDE NOW’ signal, but that didn’t mean all was necessarily well. He may still be gauging their visitor’s intentions.
“We aren’t here for treatment,” said a familiar voice Sakura tried to place. “We’d like to ask some questions.”
“Mah, it’s late,” complained Kakashi loudly. “Is it written down? We can have the answers ready for pick up tomorrow morning?”
Not for the first time, Sakura wished she had a way to see through to the front door from her sitting room. She didn’t like Kakashi being on his own, any more than he liked her being unprotected when she was nursing Yu at work on the rare occasions when he would be called away.
The shared vulnerability made Sakura reconsider the Uchiha’s request, as she closed her eyes and focused on the speakers at the front door. Being able to afford extra protection would be a considerable relief for days like this, where so many had come through their doors they struggled to track them all.
“Will you be back here tomorrow?” asked the voice at the door.
“Possibly. Would you like to book an appointment?” asked Kakashi.
“How much would it cost to book the full day?” asked the voice, shocking Sakura still.
Kakashi named an exorbitant amount that nearly made Sakura choke. She put a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing, it was so high, and she knew he’d only said it to get rid of the person on the other side of the door. Well, that was one way to keep out the ones who weren’t serious, she thought, shaking her head.
Silly Kakashi, that man was going to turn around any minute and tell him to go to—
“Accepted. We’ll see you and your doctor at 9:00am,” said the visitor.
Sakura nearly toppled off the window seat.
“Payment is due upfront,” called Kakashi.
“We’re good for our money,” said the other voice from further away, rather drily. They must have been walking away by then.
The sound of the door closing shocked Sakura as much as anything else that had happened that day. She was still staring in its direction when Kakashi rejoined her.
“I take it you heard everything?” remarked Kakashi, taking in Sakura’s ashen complexion.
“What… Who… Was that real?” Sakura asked, flabbergasted.
Inhaling deeply, Kakashi nodded, exhaling very slowly.
Sakura’s head made a thud as it hit the window again.
Kakashi chuckled.
Yu gurgled happily.
“Who was it?” asked Sakura, still trying to wrap her head around the strange arrangement. Normally all ‘business’ went through Tsunade or Jiraiya. Was Kakashi allowed to make deals on his own?
“Ah, about that… It was Itachi. And his brother, Sasuke.”
Kakashi paused as Sakura’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’ of disbelief and horror.
“Also, Yu finished eating and your nipple is out,” said Kakashi, rubbing at the back of his head.
Sakura kept staring at Kakashi.
What was today?
It was crazy day, that’s what it was.
And apparently, it was tits out for Uchihas and Hatakes day, too.
Cursing under her breath, Sakura tucked herself back in while Kakashi chuckled and lifted Yu up. He settled him on his shoulder, already covered with a blanket, and began gently bouncing and burping him.
“Did you have enough to eat?” Kakashi asked Yu, rubbing his back.
Yu wiggled excitedly, gurgling with happy baby bubbles that made Kakashi chuckle again.
Against her will, Sakura’s insides twisted at the easy way they interacted.
It’s make-believe, she reminded herself mockingly. Nothing to see here. We’re all playing our roles, that’s all.
And then the loneliness that was never far away pulled the blinds down over Sakura’s brief moment of domestic peace. Unconsciously, she rubbed at the mark on her neck that she was careful to always hide under her clothing. Normally it provided some relief, but that day, it worsened her longing.
Relying on the mark that day, abusing it, also unravelled a layer of the self-control she kept in place, the barrier between her and her mate. Her yearning for what she wanted, that little bit more stability with a partner she could love and trust, to raise her son with, leaked through. Yu was everything to her; she wanted to be everything to him, too, but also to someone else, cherished and held tenderly, loved romantically and… carnally. She wanted to give her love to someone, provide for them, see to their happiness and success, as she saw to Yu’s.
Kakashi’s genuine adoration for Yu had pulled that thread loose in her, and Sakura scrambled to catch it before it was caught in the wind and pulled harder.
—Even if there was a growing part of her that wanted to be free of the rope that it wove that tied her down.
“Shall we get supper on our way home?” asked Kakashi, bouncing a giggling Yu on his shoulder. He lifted Yu up and rubbed his masked face in his baby belly, calling, “Ha-pa-pa-pa-paaaaa! Ha-pa-pa-pa-paaaaa!”
Yu giggled louder, soon shrieking with laughter, and Sakura grinned at their play, pushing away the forlorn feelings that pressed in her chest and throat.
She nodded to herself, forcing herself to tidy up and get ready to go. The next day would be a trial; there was no sense in torturing herself that night, too.
***
At the castle, Izuna caught his brother yawning for the third time that evening.
“Are the herbs not working anymore?” asked Izuna.
He and Madara were huddled in a meeting room reviewing the latest training reports and requests for budget increases for weaponry. Normally it was a fun evening of reminiscing of past battles and laughing about how many ‘extras’ to order, ‘just in case’.
Unfortunately, that night, Madara had grown an unsettling sense of… fiscal responsibility. Izuna normally would have been quite encouraging of this, but not when it was for his war budget.
Madara frowned at him.
“Do you really need this many double-sided blades?” crabbed Madara a minute later, pushing Izuna’s lovingly crafted report away.
Izuna gaped at his brother, the reformed war-monger (barely reformed).
“Yes!” Izuna exclaimed, incredulous. Since when did Madara deny sword commissions?! “They need new weapons! If we’re attacked again, we need to have a steady supply.”
Madara grumped, rubbing at the nubs that were beginning to show above his hair.
Izuna tried not to stare, but it was difficult when Madara would play with them in front of him.
“Could we… recycle the old ones?” asked Madara.
“You want to… recycle... the old swords?”
“Yes. Would it save more energy? All that smelting doesn’t smell healthy,” argued Madara.
Izuna looked down at the report.
Then back at his brother.
Then down at the report.
Then back at his brother again.
“But how am I supposed to win with recycled swords?” asked Izuna.
Madara frowned at him again, then shook his head.
“You have too much time on your hands. You need to settle down with a good mate. Choose one,” Madara said. Then, reconsidering. “Or two, I won’t judge.”
Without a word, Izuna got up and left the table.
Madara sighed.
***
That night, Izuna pounded on Hashirama’s door, no doubt waking the neighbours.
“Izuna?” mumbled Hashirama when he opened his door. “What’s wrong?”
“The herbs aren’t working,” snapped Izuna. “Fix them.”
“What do you mean? I prepared them myself,” said Hashirama, clearly offended.
“Hashi? Why are you at the door in the middle of the… Oh. Hi Izuna,” muttered Mito, stumbling to the door. “Should I put on coffee?”
“They’re not working. He’s completely out of it,” said Izuna, gesturing wildly. Then, to Mito, he added, “Please don’t worry about me, but thank you for offering.”
“Is this about Madara again?” sighed Mito, lifting a hand to her face. It was far too early for them to be up. It was Saturday, too.
“Yes,” said Izuna.
“No,” said Hashirama at the same time.
“Ugh, you guys and your boy problems,” grumbled Mito. “I’m going to put on coffee.” She turned and then swiped at her husband’s general direction. “Don’t make him stand out there in the middle of the night, it’s rude. Invite him inside,” she said, yawning. “Make yourself at home, Izuna.”
“Thank you, Mito. I love what you’ve done with the place. Are these floors new? They really bring the entry together,” said Izuna, trying to ease the awkwardness.
“They are! That’s so nice of you to say, thank you, Izuna,” said Mito, smiling wanly as she filled the kettle. She turned and levelled a frown at her husband. “See, I told you people would notice.”
Sighing heavily, Hashirama dropped his face in his hands.
“I just thought the other one would be easier to clean,” Hashirama moaned into his hands.
It was obviously an argument that had been fought many times before, and very obviously lost by Hashirama’s side.
Izuna fidgeted on his seat, feeling out of place.
“Two sugars, right, Izuna?” asked Mito, yawning.
“Yes, please,” said Izuna. How Mito knew everyone’s favourite drink always amazed him.
“I’d like extra sugar in my—”
“No sugar for you, it’s bad for you,” snapped Mito at Hashirama, smacking his hand away from the sugar bowl. “And you left our guest outside.”
“Uh, about the herbs,” hedged said guest cautiously. “I think they need to be tweaked. He’s not himself at the moment.”
“Huh,” said Hashirama, casually leaning towards the sugar bowl. “What’s wrong?”
Mito lifted her cup to her lips but did not drink. Her beady eyes were boring holes into her husband’s head.
Said husband began to sweat and leaned away from the sugar bowl again.
Izuna sighed. “They just aren’t effective. That first batch we came for was amazing. He even kept a pouch of it in his robes. But after a few weeks, he finished them, and none of the batches since have worked as well.” He dragged a hand through his hair, raking his scalp. “Was there something different about that first batch?” he asked, desperate.
Some unnamed emotion passed over Hashirama’s face then, and a memory floated up in Izuna’s mind.
“That night,” started Izuna, straightening. “That night. She was here. Or rather, at the hospital. She made the medicines that night, didn’t she? But someone else has been making them since.”
With a nod, Hashirama slumped in his seat, wrapping his large hands around his cup of sugar-free coffee.
“If you’d like, I can request that she specifically make more. I’m not sure if it will have the same effect, but we can try,” offered Hashirama.
Leaning back in his seat, Izuna shook his head. “That’s why,” he mumbled to himself. “Mito, this coffee is magic, thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome, Izuna. You’re always so polite. Why don’t you have a boyfriend yet? Or girlfriend, no judgement,” said Mito.
Izuna muffled his snort in his cup. “I don’t want to give up my swords yet.”
Mito nodded. “I thought it would be a boyfriend, for you.”
Hashirama sighed and made a sneaky grab for the sugar bowl, only for Mito to slap his hand down. “No!”
“What about the stevia?” whined Hashirama.
“No sweets after supper!”
Calmly getting up to set his empty cup down by the sink, Izuna bowed gratefully to his hosts. “Thank you very much for your help tonight. Let me know when the herbs are ready and I’ll come collect them up right away. Money is no object,” he assured Mito and Hashirama, inching toward the door. “Extra would be much appreciated.”
“I’ll speak to Tsunade and send an official request,” promised Hashirama
“And I’ll make sure he does,” added Mito. “Let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.”
Meeting Izuna at the door, Hashirama saw him out with a last wave.
It was only once he had cleared the block that Izuna allowed himself a small, very small, shivery cringe, hidden by his cloak.
Why did he keep forgetting that Hashirama and Mito always slept nude?
TBC
Sweeter than Hashi's Tea
Date: 2022-03-10 12:47 am (UTC)Things are getting interesting! Is Sakura catching feels for Kakashi or is she just lonely? Kakashi makes a cute surrogate father and him nonchalantly calling out Sakura's nip slip was hilarious. I feel like this fic has been angst-heavy so these fluffy moments help balance it out and ease the pain in my heart for MadaSaku. 🥺 I hope Sakura gets to make more herbs for Madara...who is now in to recycling 🤣? Wonder if that's why Itachi came by?? Great chapter. Thanks!
Re: Sweeter than Hashi's Tea
Date: 2022-12-21 08:17 pm (UTC)As for Sakura, I think it's a bit of both (feels + loneliness). NGL, writing 'almost!babydaddy!Kakashi has been hitting me hard and making me want to write a separate fic where he's in a similar role and they do hit it off together, hahaha (oh god, the plot ideas, so many plot ideas...)
Thank you so much for reading and commenting, I hope you have an awesome week!