Nobody asked for this...
“She looks like a deer about to bolt,” Jiraiya says fondly to his wife as they gaze across the courtyard to their youngest daughter, currently being asked to dance by one of the many dark-haired Uchiha clansmen. “I told you to slip her some plum wine beforehand.”
“She doesn’t need it,” Tsunade replies, looking on equally fondly as Sakura’s polite facade shatters and she stomps down on the young man’s foot when he seems unwilling to take “no” for an answer.
“Always right, my dear. Always right,” he admits.
She hums, vindicated, and sips her own drink a bit wistfully. “What a shame… I hate to have to give her away like this…”
“You’ve said that about all of them,” Jiraiya chuckles, looking across to see his other three children behaving themselves slightly better in front of their many official guests. “But they don’t all rebel. See? Look at Tenten! She and Neji-kun get on swimmingly!”
Tsunade’s smile returned a bit at that, seeing her feisty, weapons-obsessed second-youngest animatedly talking with eldest Hyuuga boy on the perimeter of the garden about his new sword. He tried not to show it, but someone like Tsunade could tell he was captivated by her energy, even if slightly afraid of it. But what did he have to fear? Being from the branch family, he was a distant third-in-line to the Hyuuga clan, not the heir. They’d be able to live as they pleased, wouldn’t they? At least one match seemed to be going well.
Then they both glanced across the courtyard to the gates to find Tenzo, their eldest, his tall and ominous presence guarding Ino, the beauty of the family, as she painstakingly did her duty to welcome all the guests to the feast. Currently, she was greeting Fugaku and Mikoto, her soon-to-be parents in law. Mikoto’s face was at least kind, but the two were intimidating; dressed like royalty, as only the Uchiha could. Though, once again, Itachi was nowhere to be seen. But it appeared young Sasuke-kun was in tow as expected. Like his older brother, he appeared to be the brooding type, but his darker aura seemed to surround him like a shield, whereas Itachi seemed more the unintentionally magnetic type.
“Do you think the boy is well?” Jiraiya asked his wife. “We rarely see him these days.”
“Itachi? Clearly the boy has been sick. But will anyone leave him to my care? No. Only clan doctors allowed. At least Ino will be with him soon,” she said in a huff. “Or did you mean Sasuke-kun? He’s clearly not well either. But that’s not something I can fix.”
Jiraiya could only laugh, glancing over to Sakura who was still fuming, so much like her adoptive mother it was uncanny. “Maybe Sakura can?”
His wife tsked, but looked at least somewhat hopeful. Tonight would be Sakura’s first time meeting Sasuke in person. The betrothal had only recently been decided, but Tsunade had been pleased to find that the younger Uchiha boy was just as strikingly handsome and well-spoken (when pressed) as his older brother, despite his gruff personality. Surely Sakura can handle him, she’d thought, mildly amused as she imagined the numerous ways her daughter might find amusement in tormenting him into a better attitude. Her hopeful imaginings were helped along by the fact that the boy was not first in line to succeed the Uchiha clan. If all went well, perhaps she could hope for an outcome like Tenten’s; a less stressful life for her precious youngest daughter who reminded her so much of herself. But despite these positive signs, she couldn’t fully ignore her worries about the boy’s peculiar darkness.
Up until now, Sakura’s entire experience with him had consisted of only a handful of letters. They contained almost nothing personal; how could they when the idea of thrusting them together was so sudden? They were pleasant nothings and formal well-wishes. And after the first few yielded nothing imaginative, romantic, or even warm in the slightest, Sakura had resolved to hate every minute spent both reading and writing them. Though she couldn’t tell her parents how she really felt – war alliances were more important, and she knew her place as a daughter of an important family. Not that she was going to fake being happy about it though.
Sakura was aware that she’d be meeting Sasuke in person tonight, but how their introduction would go was anyone’s guess. Jiraiya and Tsunade knew practically nothing about the boy either. Only that for some reason he was never praised as highly as his elder brother by the clan members, and most especially his parents. His perpetual sour mood and expression didn’t do much for his reputation either, but at least he was accompanied tonight by his lively-looking friend – an Uzumaki it seemed! They were a well-known family as well, not only for their creativity and dedication to Konoha since its founding, but also for their perpetually sunny and uplifting personalities. They were, quite possibly, the most charitable family in all of the 5 nations. If only they had a daughter! I should have liked to introduce her to our dear Tenzo... Tsunade lamented to herself.
With his gaze still set near the main gates, Jiraiya continued to observe his two eldest children. Ino, who had just finished her greetings, was looking surprisingly relieved. Tenzo appeared disappointed, and seemed to be speaking to her with a worried expression. Ah, that’s my responsible boy, Tenzo. Worried she’ll put her in-laws off by acting so relieved once they’ve left, Jiraiya thought. And then his thoughts returned to Sakura, whom he’d realized was standing alone in the middle of the garden, looking very smug with herself and clapping along to the musician’s new tune. Huh, where’s Sakumo’s boy? He ought to be over there doing the same for Sakura. She can’t keep being so unsociable. “Where’s that Hatake gone off to?” he asked his wife.
Tsunade actually smiled this time. “Just like his father, that one. Look,” she pointed off to the edge of the garden, several yards away from where Sakura had just started chatting with the eldest Hyuuga girl – the beauty of them both stunning and unapproachable to the other men; none willing to meet the same fate as the first Uchiha who’d tried to acquire a dance. Kakashi had his nose in a book, but was armed to the gills and was looking up every paragraph or so to make sure Sakura was fine. He was doing the absolute bare minimum of his job description. “Completely anti-social.”
“Some choice of guard, my dear. I know Sakumo was your guard as a girl, before he defected from village life. And you turned out…. fine,” he coughed, trying to tease her, “But really? Our plan seems to be going awry… Must we choose him?”
“We must,” she said firmly. “You’ll see. I’m always right.”
[ Several weeks ago… ]
Dearest Sakumo,
How have you been these many years? You recluse! You better respond to my letter this time, or else!!!
Jiraiya has heard during his travels that your son has grown up splendidly. The spitting image of you, I hear. And an excellent swordsman, too. I hate to trouble you with village matters; I haven’t forgotten your distaste for them. But I wonder if you could spare him for an important mission of sorts?
I have… a daughter problem. My youngest has become feisty, rambunctious, and won’t listen to a thing I say. And you know how it is now, with war looming on the horizon. I’m afraid she’ll get herself in trouble if she keeps going off gods know where and coming home all bruised and dirty. She vehemently refutes my suggestion that we hire her a guardsman, but I’m putting my foot down this time. We’ve finally succeeded in arranging her betrothal, and I am anxious for it not to fall through; though I’m terribly disappointed to be letting her go like this. I wish it were a different world, just as I did long ago. But what else can I do as the head of this clan? I know I chose this life, but I really understand why you decided to take a different path, and I envy you that.
Do you think your son is up for the challenge? If he’s anything like you, I’m sure they’ll get over their differences in the end, if you know what I mean…
And you can assure him it will pay handsomely, though I know you don’t care about that either.
Sending you a long overdue kick in the shin~
x Tsu
Jiraiya read over the letter and raised an eyebrow at his wife. “My dear, you are too harsh on the poor man! You play with his heart far too much! He’s already lost you, and his wife! And now you want to steal his son away? How troublesome you are…”
“Well, how else am I supposed to obtain the only decent swordsman in the country for this job? We’ve seen every trained man in a 3-village radius and none of them come close to Sakura in skill. They’d be pointless! Sakumo’s boy is our only hope, so forgive me for singing the songs of yesteryear to sway him. Our dear friend needs the sweet words of a woman after all this time, don’t you agree? You’d love to hear some such drivel from me!”
“I certainly would! What I wouldn’t give for a loving kick in the shin…” he smiled at her teasingly, “But the poor man, he may never see his son again if you tempt him like that!”
“So you think it’ll work?” Tsunade perked up, “You think he’ll send the boy over to us?”
“If you ask, my dear, how could anyone say no?”
She beamed, took the letter back from him, and had it sent off immediately.
* * *
Several weeks passed and the house was all a-flurry when a letter arrived with no address, marked only with “-S.H.”
Jiraiya called his wife down to the library to open it together, and they read it with bated breath.
My, my. Well-played Tsuna-hime,
I’m glad to hear you are well and utterly mired in the troubles from which I have so luckily escaped! Daughters… oh dear. I’m sure you have your hands full. Though I have to say I have my hands full with my boy as well. The real recluse is him! Nose always in a book… but I have to say, your request is… well-timed.
You know I’ve already lost my wife, and will do anything to keep my only son out of the war that is sure to come, though he seems hellbent on joining up at the soonest opportunity. I’ve struck a deal with him, just for you two, my long-time friends (yes, you too, Jiraiya, I know you’re in on this too. You better be well, you old toad!). He’s agreed to a trial period – up until her marriage. He’s never served as a personal guard before, and isn’t too keen on the idea. So don’t get your hopes up. But I’ve promised to let him join the draft if he will do this one mission for me. He should be arriving shortly after my letter, once we’ve finished the harvest at home.
Please be good to him, and relay to me what sorts of antics they get up to. If your daughter is anything like you, he’s sure to never want to join the draft.
And I’ll take you up on that kick to the shin. I’m terribly starved of entertainment these days.
- Sak
“A fox if ever I knew one,” Jiraiya said lovingly with his arm around his wife’s shoulder.
“Who? Me? Or him?” she asked, feigning shock.
“Nine-tailed? Or silver?” he answered, placing a kiss on top of her head. “Your choice.”
They both laughed. But little did they know, what they had just set in motion would shake the foundations of every clan in the nation.
Several days passed before Sakumo’s son arrived at the Senju compound. Tsunade had gone out for her afternoon walk with her assistant, Shizune, who suddenly pointed out toward the village gates. When Tsunade saw where she was pointing she could have sworn she’d been transported back to her youth. A silver-haired young man strode up to the wooden entrance, shoulders slumped and with his face in a book; a short sword twirling skillfully in his other hand.
“Is that…? No, it can’t be! He looks just like Sakumo-san!” Shizune whispered behind her hand.
“He certainly does,” Tsunade said, catching her breath and composing herself in preparation for their introduction.
“Sakura will be in for quite the shock,” Shizune continued. “He’s so handsome!”
“That’s the point,” Tsunade snickered, a sly twist to her smile.
“But she’s betrothed!” Shizune whisper-shouted to her mistress.
“And is she happy about it?” Tsunade asked, daring her confidant to disagree.
“Well… clearly not! But, isn’t it risky? The alliance with the Uchiha clan could go south if she doesn’t get along with Sasuke-kun…”
“You might as well be one of my daughters, Shizune. Always worried about doing the right thing... But you’ve seen the boy and his demeanor? Don’t you agree there’s a worryingly large chance Sakura won’t take a liking to him and want to call it off? She may be playing nice and trying to hide her distaste from us now, but who knows about when things get more serious. And we’ve got Ino all set with dear Itachi-kun anyway.”
“It does seem like she’d want to call off just about any match you try to set her up with these days, my lady.”
“Well, we can thank our Sakumo for possibly supplying the solution to our worries. Now, let's welcome him and get him acquainted with the job.”
* * *
It’s not that they’d snuck him in. No, not at all. All they’d wanted was for him not to run for the hills. That was why they’d given Kakashi several days to get settled in, armed him to the teeth, and fed him all the best dishes their kitchens could supply. He’d even been given a guest room in the main house rather than one of the dull, spartan rooms in the guard’s quarters.
They’d even sent Tenzo out to train with him – a gesture of friendship and welcome, even if it was meant to subtly assess Kakashi’s skills. According to Jiraiya, who had been out to observe on the second day, they were already getting on splendidly. According to anyone else, Kakashi had actually been having a field day teasing his newfound friend; you could just see the light in his eyes to finally be interacting with another young man his age and of comparable skill level. And Tenzo surely felt the same despite his complaints and rosy cheeks.
But it wasn’t all going to be easy as pie. He still had yet to meet Sakura.
Or at least that’s what everyone thought at their formal introduction…
Little did they know, little miss youngest had been out in the woods with her shadow clones, training with her borrowed (i.e. stolen) swords just when Kakashi had been out for a walk to find a decent tree to read the afternoon away in.
He heard the noise of clanging swords before he saw anything, and was immediately on guard. He’d been hired for this express purpose, and the food was good, so he thought he ought to at least help out with any hooligans trespassing on the property. But when he stepped through the dense undergrowth toward a small clearing, the sight he saw through the trees mystified him. What on earth are three teenage boys with pink hair doing sword fighting in the yard of a great house?
He couldn’t contain himself. He knew a perfect chance to surprise a pack of scallywags when he saw one, and this was it. He hid his chakra presence and jumped silently into the branches above, looking down at the peculiar battle below. Triplets? he thought, bemused. Must be rough having siblings…
But then, one disappeared in a puff of smoke when a second landed a hit to the shoulder! Kakashi had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. How could they be shadow clones? Their chakra was so dense; so real! But sure enough, a second puff of smoke appeared when a roundhouse kick to the chest caught the last of the three off-guard. Now that he had a better view of the only remaining fighter as they looked skyward shouting in triumph, he was shocked to see the pouty pink lips and finely arched brows of a girl! A very beautiful girl with a very sweet voice and intensely green eyes… What on earth?
He had to get a closer look.
Unsheathing his short sword, he jumped down from the branches and landed noiselessly behind her. Only when the edge of the blade grazed the skin of her throat did she gasp.
“Who are you!” she shouted, tensing immediately.
“I should be asking you the same question,” he replied, not dropping the blade. She barely came up to his shoulder and probably weighed no more than a sack of rice.
“How dare you! You scoundrel! Get the hell off my property before I call the guards!” she shrieked.
“Guards? I am the guards,” he said coolly, thinking he’d called her bluff.
“What the fuck is your problem?” she grunted, clearly exasperated but without a trace of fear. Turns out she didn’t need any guards, because she’d already lithely twisted in his grasp, the slight cut to her neck unnoticed as she flung her arms around his midsection and hoisted him into the air as if he weighed nothing, and slammed him into the ground behind her before he could even register what was happening.
Ah. A rival, was his only thought as he felt his shoulder dislodge on impact.
“You finished now?” the pink haired girl asked, hands on her hips staring down at him from above. Her green eyes sparkling with mirth.
“I might be…” he groaned as he stood from his crumpled heap. “What kind of guard gets ippon’d by a little girl.”
“Little girl?!” Sakura scoffed, affronted. “You want me to throw you again?”
“No no!” he quickly said, hands up, waving in surrender. “I need the job!”
And then recognition dawned on her face.
And when he saw it, recognition dawned on his face too. “No way…” he said, scraping a hand down his face. “You’re the one I’m supposed to be guarding?”
“I know, right?” she said, also in disbelief. “I didn’t ask for this, by the way.”
“Neither did I!” he retorted, horrified at the idea of her thinking he’d asked for the position or some ridiculous thing. “This is clearly a set up!”
Surprisingly, that made her giggle. And it was a startlingly lovely sound for someone who had just thrown a full grown man flat on his ass. “It absolutely is,” she agreed.
“I promise not to tell if you don’t?” she offered after a moment of thought, gesturing to her muddied clothes and “borrowed” swords when he didn’t seem to understand.
“Ahem,” he coughed. “Fair enough, Miss… ?”
“Sakura.”
“Fair enough… Sakura.” Her name tasted tart on his tongue, and he found himself thinking of a juicy red cherry.
“I’m going in first,” she called over her shoulder, friendly as if she’d known him all her life. “I have no idea who you are, and you’ve never heard my name once in your life, got it? I’ll see you in a few hours at our first meeting!”
And then she waved. Waved! As if it had all been in good fun.
What on earth had he gotten himself into...