By the time the full moon rose over the Hokage Tower, Tsunade was done for the day.
Well, technically, Shizune was.
Tsunade pulled off her cloak as she entered her home, fingers running through her blonde hair with a long sigh.
"Poor Shizune… I owe her another foot massage." She stretched her arms. "Maybe two."
The house smelled like grilled meat and roasted vegetables, clearly, someone else had already eaten. She stepped into the main room to find Anko lounging on the couch, Mei reading a scroll upside down, and Kurenai sipping tea with a calm smile.
"Welcome home," Kurenai said gently.
"You all look too relaxed. Did I miss something?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Just a little feast. You were working late. Again." Anko grinned.
"Hey," Kakashi's voice came from the hallway. He entered holding a scroll wrapped in dark green silk with a wooden clasp. "Since you're off tomorrow… thought we could finally look at this."
Tsunade's eyes locked onto the scroll. Her heart skipped.
"That's… from Grandpa's?"
Kakashi nodded. "Sealed techniques. Original wood release jutsu. I've been decoding them. Want to train with me tomorrow?"
She walked over slowly, her fingers brushing the edge of the scroll. A rare emotion filled her chest.
"…Yes," she said softly. "Let's do it."
…
The Next Morning–Training Ground
The air around the training ground shimmered faintly.
Barrier seals danced along the trees, cloaking them from every direction. Not even birds flew too close.
"This is overkill," Tsunade muttered.
"Better safe than causing an international panic," Kakashi replied, tying off the last seal tag.
She smirked. "You always did love your privacy."
They stood at the center of the wide clearing, the grass fresh and untouched. Tsunade wore her green top with the sleeves rolled, and her hair tied into a high ponytail. Kakashi stood nearby with the scroll unrolled before him.
"Let's start simple," he said. "Wood Style: Nativity of a World of Trees."
Tsunade raised her hands, focusing her chakra. She had Hashirama's blood. The potential was there. All it needed was the right coaxing.
She exhaled. "Mokuton: Hōkai no Mori!"
The ground cracked.
From the soil, thick vines burst forth, twisting upward into young trees. Bark hardened and split as branches grew outward in a spiral.
"That's not bad at all." The grass bent from the force, and Kakashi raised a brow.
"I didn't even push my chakra that much." Tsunade blinked.
"It's not about the amount," Kakashi said, walking up to inspect the bark. "It's the nature of it. Hashirama's chakra naturally blooms, yours is similar, but now with stronger life essence from the synthesis."
"Let's try another." He flipped the scroll.
…
Hours passed.
She mastered the Wood Clone Technique after two tries, although one of her clones immediately punched her in the face and then tripped over a root. They both laughed.
She tried the Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique and a whole wooden mansion erupted from the earth, only for Anko to later complain that they could've just moved in there permanently.
By the time they reached Wood Dragon Technique, sweat poured down her back.
"We can pause anytime." Kakashi sat cross-legged under a growing tree.
"I can rebuild lungs faster than I can rest. Let's take five." Tsunade dropped beside him with a grunt.
"You're progressing fast." He passed her a bottle of water.
"Try watching me when I'm not this rusty." She smirked.
They sat quietly for a moment, the leaves above them rustling gently. For the first time in years, Tsunade felt a strange calm. Not from escaping her duties, but from tapping into something ancient. Something alive.
"Thanks," she muttered.
Kakashi tilted his head.
"For helping me touch a part of Grandpa I thought was lost forever."
He didn't reply with words. He simply reached out and took her hand in his.
She squeezed it gently.
…
The sun dipped low again as Kakashi and the four women walked toward the familiar barbecue shop.
Anko twirled her chopsticks in one hand. "Tsunade's finally joining us. Can we go double on meat this time?"
"After all that training? Triple." Tsunade stretched her arms behind her head.
"Spoken like a true glutton," Mei teased.
As they reached the door, a familiar voice called out from inside.
"Kurenai-sensei!"
It was Hinata, peeking around the corner. Her cheeks flushed when she saw Kakashi walking beside Tsunade.
"Hinata, Kiba, Shino, you're eating here too?" Kurenai smiled warmly.
"Hey, sensei! We've got our own table. Join us!" Kiba's head popped out beside Hinata's.
"Why not?" Kakashi glanced at Kurenai, and she nodded.
They entered together, taking up two conjoined tables in a cozy corner of the shop.
Hinata scooted slightly when Sakura arrived minutes later, followed by Naruto, Karin, Sasuke, and Ranmaru. The table grew louder with each new addition.
"Oi! Move over!" Naruto slapped the table.
"Why should I?" Kiba growled.
"Because I'm a Chunin now. You still aren't."Naruto grinned smugly.
"Say that again, dead last!" Kiba's brow twitched.
"Oh, former dead-last," Naruto said, smugness cranked to the max. "Now I'm your superior!"
"This is why I avoid group meals." Shino sipped calmly beside them.
Though no one paid attention to him.
Ranmaru sat beside Karin and Sakura, glancing nervously at the chaos. Sakura leaned over to Hinata, who was twiddling her fingers.
"Hey," Sakura whispered with a grin. "You doing okay?"
Hinata smiled shyly. "I-I'm fine… Naruto-kun is… energetic."
"You'll get used to it," Sakura giggled.
"Alright! Let's eat until we pass out!"Anko dumped a pile of meat on the grill.
"Now this is the reward I wanted." Tsunade took a long sip of sake.
Kurenai shared sake with Mei while keeping a watchful eye on her students, especially Kiba, who was now arguing with Akamaru, who had stolen his piece of grilled beef.
Choji, who'd wandered in from the next table, looked at the grill mournfully. "It's already gone…"
Ino rolled her eyes. "Because you were talking with your mouth full again."
"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, laying his head on the table.
—
Kakashi sat in the middle of the now-lively crowd, content.
He looked around the room, his team, Kurenai's, and pieces of his past and future all at one table. Laughter, arguing, teasing, it was all so familiar… and different.
"Not bad for a day off, huh?" He felt Tsunade lean against his shoulder.
"Perfect."He looked down at her and smiled.