Dreams of the Past

Heightened Senses

Chapter 25

Kakashi had been gone for nearly two weeks. Juggling Tenzō's needs, Kakashi-kun's education, and the grueling hours in the hospital was exhausting. Sakura had never in her life been so exhausted. She got home from the hospital and immediately needed a nap before she could do anything else.

Rin's mother, Jun, was really going above and beyond to help. With both of their husbands gone, the blessed woman had all but combined their households. She helped with Tenzō while Sakura worked, and dinner was often had together at one of their homes. On days when she worked, Jun prepared dinner with Rin and Kakashi-kun's help while she napped. When she was off, Sakura did the shopping and helped with dinner.

Several evenings after dinner, Sakura sat with Jun, watching their children in the Hatake field with the ninken. Sometimes Kakashi-kun—who had been annoyed to have Rin around so much at first—talked her into a spar, sometimes he sat with her, explaining the medical scrolls Tsunade had given them. Most of the time, they entertained Tenzō and just played. Kakashi had remarked more than once before he had left how strange it was to see. He didn't remember ever 'playing,' but then, he hadn't had a little brother to entertain.

"Watching them play, it's almost easy to forget their fathers are all away fighting a war." Jun sighed into her tea. "And that they're being trained to join them."

Sakura pursed her lips, leaning back on her hands. "Have the instructors said anything to you about Rin graduating yet?" Kakashi had mentioned Rin and Obito, both already two years older than him, had not graduated until they were nine. That was only a year away. Unless things changed drastically, the war would still be going. How would they protect them if Kakashi was away fighting too?

Jun sighed again, setting her tea down beside her. "Yes. I'm delaying them as long as I can but..." She glanced at Sakura from the corner of her eye. "We do not have the protection of a powerful shinobi and the safety of a clan. There is little I can do if they insist."

Her voice was even, but her words still stung. She was right, it wasn't fair that civilian children like Rin—like Sakura had been—were treated as little more than fodder. She wished there was anything she could do to change it. "Even with Sakumo's decision and the other clans watching how the Hokage reacts, he came here and demanded more. If the war drags on, I doubt even those things will prevent Kakashi-kun from being sent with all the other children. He's only six, Jun. If we weren't here for Sakumo... Well, things would be different."

Jun's shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry, Ayame. I didn't mean to sound so bitter. Were things really so bad for Sakumo before the Hokage's speech?"

Not wanting to share Sakumo's business, Sakura bit her lip, keeping most of the truth back. "Yes. It is lucky for all of us that my husband and I came to Konoha when we did." She looked out at a happy Kakashi-kun, imagining the life her Kakashi had lived. "I don't like to think about what would have happened to them."

Jun squeezed her knee. "I'm glad you're here then. Not just for them. I quite like your company."

Sakura relaxed a tension she hadn't realized she was carrying. "Thank you, Jun. I am glad we're friends, too."

"So," she smiled. "Did you finish that book I lent you?"

Sakura laughed. It was no Icha Icha, but Kakashi would have loved Jun's recommended reading. "I did. I loved it! You're terrible, giving me something like that when my husband is gone."

Jun smirked. "What do you mean? How else are we supposed to survive their absence?"

Rin and Kakashi-kun paused their game to look up at the cackling women before carrying on chasing the ninken.