Unplanned

Kakashi

20

Thirty-one days after Itaku Uchiha is born, Sakura and Sasuke invite everyone to attend the omiyamairi at the Naka shrine.

Although Kakashi has visited his former students several times since the birth, it's the first group celebration that the Uchiha have attended since the baby was born. They haven't really gone out in public since his naming ceremony when he was a week old.

Both Kakashi and Manako were invited to that, the importance of which was not lost on him. Usually only grandparents and immediate family are present for such an occasion, and so it made sense that Sakura's parents were there. However, given that Sasuke has no blood relatives, his invitation for Naruto and Hinata – and Kakashi and his wife – how his concept of 'family' has evolved.

The ceremony was short and simple though it need not have been. The newest Uchiha was serenely quiet in Sakura's arms – a stark difference from Kakashi's own experiences. His twins screamed bloody murder through theirs, and Obito cried the whole time because he wasn't fond of new places.

Itaku, on the other hand, simply stared around in curiosity, taking in the world with an absurdly adult kind of gravity. Sarada insisted on being the one to hold him through the ceremony. Kakashi was pleased to see that she had lost a lot of the surliness of the past few months.

It makes him happy to think he had helped her; he still regrets that he wasn't a better teacher to her parents in the past.

Today's celebration was short and tasteful, with the whole thing presided over by an old friend. Sora, who following his travels returned to rebuild the Fire Country's order of ninja monks, happened to arrive in town to see Naruto a few days back. After the obligatory barrage of insults between himself and the Hokage ("Is there anyone in the world Naruto hasn't managed to piss off at some point or another?" Sasuke wanted to know.), the head of the order offered to be the one who introduced Itaku formally to the gods when the time came.

Afterward, Manako seemed to come down with a rare case of sociability, and invited everyone back to the Hatake household for a celebratory gathering. Which resulted in Kakashi hurrying home to whip up a few presentable things to eat while his sons flitted through the stores trying to pick up enough food to fuel an impromptu party.

"She doesn't exactly think her plans through, does she?" Mebuki Haruno remarked to Kakashi when she and her husband arrived – thankfully with a few homemade desserts.

"It keeps life interesting," Kakashi replied, directing Sakura's mother to where she could be of most help.

"Good to know our former Hokage is a full-service man," Kizashi chortled, before heading out of the kitchen.

Short notice aside, the impromptu party turns out to be a success, and welcomed by everyone who attends. It's been far too long since anyone has had time for a celebration lately. Preparations for the Chūnin Exam are underway, along with selecting who will attend and which ninja will be assigned on protection detail. The event is being held in Cloud this year, meaning there will be travel involved and diplomacy needs to be at its best.

Kakashi is so glad that he isn't required to worry about such things anymore.

At the same time, it reminds him of something he needs to address with Sasuke.

It doesn't take Kakashi long to track down his former student. The Uchiha patriarch is seated on the front porch in the relative quiet of the evening, holding his infant son and staring off into the distance.

His expression is one Kakashi knows intimately: the facial equivalent of 'how the hell did I end up here?'.

"Too much excitement inside?" Kakashi asks, taking the spot opposite Sasuke. He smiles down at baby Itaku, never failing to be amused or gratified at the sight of the pink head of hair.