The week ended and March began. Seina and Naruto completed the renovations on their house and furnished the bedrooms, studies, and bathrooms to their liking. They planted seeds of necessary plants for their potions and the fruit trees Naruto bought. The spare room, previously for guests, was converted into an armory/infirmary where they also added a pantry from wall to wall with all the potions they were producing and the bottomless trunk filled with scrolls.
When they finished decorating and furnishing the entire house, they almost cried with relief. They completed the renovation by adding the finishing touches with runes and spells and dove headfirst into the pool.
"CANNONBALL!" Naruto yelled, jumping in wearing conjured swim trunks. He surfaced to take a breath before continuing to yell, "This is AMAZING!"
Seina laughed at her brother's joy and happiness, knowing he had never had a home of his own before, unlike her. She looked up at the sky, thinking of her new parents, and promised to take care of him. A wave of water to her face made her cough.
"What are you doing, Naruto!"
"You're too serious!"
"Serious? Take this," and she used the new jutsu to shoot a mini stream of water at his face. "Suiton: suidan no jutsu!"
"ARGH! THAT'S CHEATING!" Naruto yelled, shielding his face with his arms.
They played for a long time until their fingers wrinkled, and hunger began to roar in their stomachs. They prepared dinner and ate while talking about the house, the village, the nearest stores to buy food, and the missions.
"I'm tired of always doing the same D-rank missions," Naruto grumbled, eating his portion of salad. "Why can't we do something more interesting?"
"Kakashi-sensei decides if we're ready for a higher-ranked mission," Seina shrugged. "You have to convince him."
"How could we not be ready, Seina-nee?" he asked irritably. "From what Ino told me, they're still teaching them how to walk on trees, and they don't even train with weights to improve their taijutsu."
"Yeah. It's really weird," Seina thought out loud. "At first, I got the impression that we would have to beg Kakashi-sensei to train us. Don't you remember that day? He called Sasuke emo and was totally distant."
Naruto thought about that day and nodded when he realized she was right.
"Is it because we beat him the next day?" Naruto asked uncertainly. She shrugged.
"It could be... actually, no, I don't think so. I get the feeling he realized that treating us like all the other genin wasn't going to work. We beat him by changing the time on the clock and using his porn book against him," she chuckled, and Naruto smiled broadly. "That's the last thing a normal genin team would have done."
Seina, thinking about it a bit, realized that Kakashi Hatake himself wasn't a normal jonin. If she compared him to the other jonin, it was obvious that Kakashi-sensei not only was much brighter but also seemed more distant. Different. Did he feel that way, or was it just her imagination? Perhaps he had seen something in them that reminded him of his old team, of himself. What she was sure of was that the day they took those two bells, something changed regarding Kakashi from the previous day.
"I'm going to bed, I'm exhausted," her brother told her, and she nodded.
"Goodnight, Naru."
The next day, Seina yawned as she walked alongside Naruto to the training field. Naruto, who seemed to have had an energy drink instead of a glass of milk, couldn't stop talking about his plan to get Kakashi-sensei to give them a C-rank mission.
"Ugh, Naruto. You know I don't care if it's a D or C-rank mission. You have to convince Sasuke before Kakashi-sensei. If the three of us aren't on board, I don't think Kakashi-sensei will even consider it."
"Couldn't you talk to him now? Kakashi-sensei will take an hour to get here, we have time."
"No. You're the one with the plan. Talk to Sasuke."
"Ugh. Fine. I'll talk to the teme."
"What are you talking about, dobe?" a voice asked from behind them.
Seina saw Sasuke catch up to them and left a space in the middle for him to talk to Naruto while she tried to shake off the morning drowsiness. Sasuke, as usual, ignored her generous offer and walked on her left side, leaving her sandwiched between both idiots. She spent the next few minutes listening as, amidst insults, they agreed to pressure Kakashi-sensei into giving them a mission that didn't involve domestic chores.
"You guys do realize we've only done like 8 missions, right? There are teams that take months before their sensei accepts a mission like this for their genin."
Naruto and Sasuke groaned in frustration.
"Whose side are you on?"
"I'm on the side of let me sleep," she grumbled and flopped onto the grass, using her fanny pack as a pillow.
Knowing Naruto was awake and present, and that Kakashi-sensei would take a while to show up, she closed her eyes, ready to sleep. Then she had an idea. Could her clones sleep while she slept? Could they sleep while she was awake and then send her the "rest" they had recovered without her having to sleep? If so, she could stay awake for several days. Interesting.
"What the hell... Kage bunshin no jutsu."
Naruto and Sasuke stopped arguing. They watched as Seina's clone positioned itself like her in the grass, ready to sleep.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked incredulously.
"An experiment. Wake me up when he gets here."
And she fell asleep.
She snapped awake when she felt someone gently nudging her foot. She looked around and saw Kakashi-sensei looming over her with an amused look. Naruto scolded him, for the umpteenth time, for being late while she stretched and sat up on the grass, yawning. Her brother turned out to be a Naruto clone left beside her.
"I know, Naruto. I saw an old lady and had to stop to help her. You know how it is," he waved a hand, as if that explained everything, the troll. "Good nap, Seina?"
"Incredible," she said, then looked at her clone and saw that it was asleep. "Huh. Now, that's weird."
She dispelled the clone and suddenly felt even more energized. She raised an eyebrow, realizing that it had indeed worked.
"Don't tell me you used the clone to sleep twice as much..."
Kakashi-sensei's voice snapped her out of her musings, and she smiled, saying nothing. The jonin looked at her intently, with that expression she was starting to recognize as bafflement and astonishment, then shook his head.
"And? Did it work?"
"Yes. I'm feeling much better now!" she heard Naruto's shouts and the clashing of kunais in the distance. "Are Naruto and Sasuke training?"
"It seems so," Kakashi-sensei raised an eyebrow. He noticed she had turned in the direction of the sound. "Let's go find them. Today, I'm going to teach you something new."
"Oh, really? What is it?"
"What is what?" Sasuke asked, pushing Naruto's head away and resting his posture.
"Kenjutsu!" Kakashi-sensei said with a smile. "I know you've only used the weapons from the academy so far, but I'd like you to choose another weapon to practice with. You never know when you might need something with greater range than a kunai. Plus, it will take you a long time to learn to handle another weapon and become proficient, so I thought the sooner we start, the better."
"Sugoi!" Naruto exclaimed, delighted with the idea. "What weapons could I pick? A sword? No! A hammer!"
"It has to be something manageable, Naruto," the jonin shook his head. He looked at Sasuke and her. "And what about you? What catches your interest?"
"A katana," Sasuke said.
"Hmm... I'm not sure. I'd like something that doesn't take up much space and that I can attack with quickly."
"A short sword or a wakizashi could be useful for you," Kakashi-sensei said, examining her up and down. "They usually measure 60 cm so you could carry it without a problem. It's twice as long as a tanto so the distance between you and your enemy will be greater. Plus, since it's not as long as a katana, it's perfect for combat in confined spaces.
"I like the sound of that."
"Alright. Let's go to the armory right away. Seina and Naruto, you can leave a few clones here and practice your aim in the meantime."
The journey to the armory was somewhat long, but luckily, there was no one there when they arrived. It wasn't the first time Seina had entered, as she had bought shurikens and kunais there before making them herself at home, along with explosive paper and other items. She saw the walls filled with different weapons, and her eyes went to the short weapons, just as Kakashi-sensei had pointed out, while Naruto was unable to decide what he wanted.
"You again, Kakashi?" the shopkeeper asked with a smile. "And accompanied by your genin! I never thought this day would come."
"Guys, meet Daisuke, retired ninja and professional blacksmith. Daisuke, these are Naruto, Sasuke, and Seina, my genin," he introduced them, patting their heads. "We're here because they need some kind of weapon to learn kenjutsu."
"Pleasure to meet you, Team Kakashi. You've come to the right place. So, what kind of weapon do you want?"
"Sasuke wants a katana."
"With his build, he could wield one perfectly," Daisuke nodded and turned to look at the swords. "Perhaps one of these will suit you."
Seina left them looking at the swords while she approached to explore the short weapons. There were many types, from short scythes to staffs, spears, and even axes and maces. An axe wouldn't be bad either since it would also serve her for chopping wood, but it would be more cumbersome to carry. One wrong move and she could cut herself. Plus, she didn't need an axe to cut wood. She saw the tantos Kakashi-sensei had talked about, but passed them by. They were little more than oversized kunais. She needed something more substantial. Then she saw the perfect weapon.
It had the typical handle of a katana, black and silver, as well as the characteristic curvature of the blade. The difference was the length of the weapon. She took the weapon from the wall and unsheathed it. She felt the weight in her hand but, although it was heavy, she could hold it without any problems. She sheathed it again just as the footsteps of the stranger approached from behind her.
"Ah! I see you've discovered the wakizashi," the blacksmith said, nodding his head. "Good eye. It's perfect for you. Do you like this one? How does it feel?"
"It's perfect."
She examined the black sheath and saw that it had cords near the handle so she could tie it to her waist. She already knew where she planned to tie it.
"How much does it cost?" Seina asked.
"About 55,000 ryo."
"I'll take it."
She approached Sasuke, who seemed to be amazed by a rather long katana, and waited for Naruto to finally decide on a single item. In the end, he chose a ninjato. Basically, it was a wakizashi, but longer. They left with their new toys. Seina wasted no time in tying the wakizashi to her fanny pack, putting the weapon between her waist and her backpack so it wouldn't sway with her steps. Plus, there was no safer place since no one could take it away from her except herself.
"Well, guys, now comes the fun part."
When they arrived, she dispelled the clones and waited for the jonin to give them new instructions.
"Sit down, sit down... I'll start by talking about how to take care of your new weapons, as well as anything else I can think of that you should know," he informed them. Naruto groaned in frustration, but didn't say anything. "Then we'll move on to the practical part."
Seina listened attentively to how she should take care of her weapon. How to sharpen it, how to clean it, how to unsheathe and sheathe it, where she couldn't carry it tied, where she could tie it to increase speed and strength when wielding it... Kakashi-sensei knew much more than she had imagined about weapons. Not only about katanas, the favorite weapon of many ninjas, but also about swords and the wakizashi. Despite having received sword classes for years in her previous life, she learned things she didn't know. Without a doubt, Kakashi-sensei had spent years practicing and noticing the small differences that gave him an advantage when using a weapon in real combat.
"All right. The long-awaited moment has come! Who wants to go first?"
"ME!" Naruto shouted, like a little child about to receive a prize.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, but didn't complain. Both of them watched, seated on the grass, as Kakashi-sensei instructed him on the proper stance to hold his ninjato and taught him a few combos. Then he did the same with Sasuke, also showing him how to consider the length of his blade relative to his teenage body.
"It's your turn, Seina," Kakashi-sensei smiled.
She got up from the ground and adopted her usual stance as if wielding Gryffindor's sword. Kakashi-sensei raised an eyebrow when he saw her, but just nodded.
"Not bad. Move your feet a bit to shorten your stance," he said, and she did as he ordered. "Your form would be perfect if you were wielding a sword the length of Sasuke's katana or if you were taller, but with the wakizashi, you need to consider the reduced length of the blade. Otherwise, you'll lose balance more easily."
She nodded. Her teacher went on to explain a few combos, then picked up a log from the ground. He swung it a couple of times like a sword and took the same stance as Sasuke, who was practicing a few meters away. He signaled her to attack. She was surprised, but then shrugged. She swung the wakizashi a couple of times to get used to its weight and feel and then launched herself at the jonin.
She lost track of time. Suddenly, it was like being back in her training at Potter Manor. It took her a few minutes to notice the differences in the weapon and to compensate automatically, never stopping attacking Kakashi-sensei. The jonin, on the other hand, seemed very focused on their combat. They exchanged blows, feints, stabs, low blows, high blows... She didn't stop moving her body for a second to prevent Kakashi-sensei from having more chances to hit her.
"Stop," he said finally, when he saw that she didn't seem tired. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"
She shrugged, sheathing her weapon. She noticed that both Naruto and Sasuke seemed to have stopped their training and were watching her confrontation intently. Kakashi-sensei didn't say anything more at her response, but she knew he wouldn't forget it. Even so, he did her the favor of not probing further on the matter.
"You did well. You could become an expert in kenjutsu in a relatively short time if you keep this up."
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."
"As for you two... from what I've seen, you need to train hard, but I think you'll quickly reach a good level."
That day they practiced with their new weapons for hours. At the end of the day, Kakashi-sensei gave each of them three more ninjutsus to learn for the next day of training. Sasuke, who was already able to use shunshin and paralyzing jutsu, gladly accepted the lightning nature ninjutsus that the jonin gave him. He seemed determined to catch up to both of them, especially her. Seina didn't mind. She had taught him the paralyzing jutsu and also the kage bunshin, although Sasuke still didn't have enough reserves to create more than a couple of clones half the time.
"Rest well, little genin!" Kakashi-sensei bid them farewell that afternoon. "Tomorrow we'll have a new mission. Be at the mission department at 8 sharp!"
Kakashi-sensei disappeared using shunshin, to the confusion of all of them.
"He seemed to be in a hurry."
"Hn," Sasuke said, nonchalantly. Then he turned to her with an expression that she had begun to understand. "Seina... could you teach me to fight like you with the katana?"
"HEY! ME TOO!" Naruto shouted, not wanting to be left behind.
Seina sighed. She knew she was going to say yes simply because Sasuke had made an effort to ask for her help. At first, when they started as a team, Sasuke was totally distant from them. When he saw how Seina, and Naruto, surpassed him in some things, he spent a couple of days deciding whether or not to approach her; who wasn't his eternal rival, unlike his brother, nor one of his hysterical fans. Not wanting him to think he couldn't trust her, she offered to help him before he could ask himself, instead of forcing him to ask himself. She knew that for someone as proud as Sasuke, asking for help should be downright painful. In fact, every time he did, he seemed reluctant, but as she didn't mock him, not even Naruto, little by little it became easier for him to relate to the two of them and come out of his shell.
At the moment, the team was hanging by a thread, something she had more than emphasized to Naruto so that he wouldn't mess things up with Sasuke. Any wrong move and Sasuke would retreat like a scared stray dog. She knew because she had been like that many years ago. Sasuke had been a child when he saw his brother kill his entire clan. Like them, he had no family to take him in, but rather anbu who cared for him from afar or at least observed him. He learned to take care of himself without the help of others. The sad thing about Sasuke was that he didn't have a twin sister to remind him that he wasn't alone. It was distressing to think that the only family left to Sasuke was precisely the murderer who took away all the other relatives.
In the academy, Sasuke made sure he was left alone, probably out of fear of getting close to someone only to lose them later. Perhaps also because he was used to not depending on anyone for anything. There, as no one forced him to work as a team, he spent the years away from everyone. However, now he was forced to be on a team and interact with Naruto and her. Surprisingly, Sasuke was trying. If the two of them messed up now, just the first time Sasuke exposed himself to people in years, she knew something terrible could happen. That's why she couldn't refuse him, not on the important things. So, she could only respond with one thing.
"Okay. I don't know if I'll be much help, but we can practice."
Sasuke nodded, visibly less tense.
"When can we start?"
"We can practice tomorrow after the mission," she thought out loud. "Where do you live? We could train somewhere closer than field 33 that suits both of us."
"I live in the Uchiha complex."
Seina stopped abruptly, in shock. She felt, even before seeing Naruto's expression, the feeling of horror that froze her body. Sasuke, seeing that they had stopped walking, looked at them over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. He almost seemed not to understand why they were astonished and frightened.
"Why?" she asked, almost afraid to touch his sensitive spot.
Sasuke looked ahead, giving them his back, and was silent for a long time.
"That house is the only memory I have left of my family."
"No. No, no, no..." she denied, unable to let it be.
"It's late. We should go home," he interrupted her and began to walk as if nothing had happened.
Seina and Naruto watched him disappear into the crowd. Through their bond, she felt Naruto was no longer horrified but deeply saddened. She wasn't the only one. It was the first time in her new life that she felt like sobbing for real. She choked back the tears and pushed the lump in her throat as far down as possible. When they arrived home, she couldn't contain herself, overwhelmed by Naruto's identical emotions. She didn't know how long she had been trying to dry the tears that kept falling from her eyes.
"This world sucks," she thought aloud.
"What are we going to do, Seina-nee? We can't let him live there!"
She thought about how to remedy the situation. Sasuke was living in the house where his parents had been killed by his brother, and it seemed like NO ONE was able to realize what a terrible idea it was. She became infuriated realizing that they had left him there, abandoned. Perhaps it had been at Sasuke's own request, but damn it, wouldn't it have been better to upset a child and endure a tantrum than leave him alone in that house? She thought about how she had coped with the death of her parents, the few memories she had, and an idea struck her.
Naruto looked at her hopefully, sensing the drastic change in her emotions.
"Sasuke feels connected to that house because of his memories. That's what he said. All we have to do is give him something else that reminds him of his parents and allows him to leave that house."
"Like what?"
"Like a photo album," she said, knowing that ninja photographs weren't very common in this new world. "Maybe he has one, but shinobi don't usually take many photos, for security reasons."
"Yosh! We have to get photos of Sasuke's parents!" He turned towards the door. Seina grabbed him by the jacket and rolled her eyes. "Hey!"
"Wait, Naruto. Where are we going to get the photos from? Maybe it would be better to wait until tomorrow and ask for Kakashi-sensei's help. Besides, it's very late. What would we do with that album now if we can't give it to him until tomorrow?"
"No!" Naruto shouted, his expression serious as he faced her. "We can't waste time! Every hour that passes is an hour he's surrounded by those bad memories. Weren't you the one who said we have to include Sasuke and help him feel normal again? We have to help him now! Not in 3 days!"
Seina looked at Naruto surprised. She could hardly recognize the joking clown in his serious, determined blue eyes. She thought about what she had just heard, her brother's wise words, and realized he was right. What did it matter if it was late? What did it matter if it was difficult to find those photographs? Damn it, maybe she was too old to remember what it was like to be young and impulsive like her brother.
"You're right."
She turned around and walked out the door. She didn't even know where to start. Luckily, Naruto seemed to have had an epiphany because he headed towards the Hokage Tower and sent a few clones around the village.
"I sent them to the library, the academy, and the old archives. Maybe we'll find something there."
"We could send a clone to the Uchiha clan," she thought aloud, getting herself into gear as she felt her twin's emotions. "Maybe one of the other houses has photographs."
When they arrived at the Hokage Tower, there weren't many people around. It wasn't very late, but the sun was already setting. The secretary, upon seeing them, informed the Hokage and then ushered them in. She thanked the heavens that they didn't have to ask for an appointment. It's the least they could do for the two of them after swallowing so much shit from the village.
"Naruto, Seina! What a joy to see you! What's going on?"
"Jiji, Sasuke is still living in his parents' house!" Naruto shouted as soon as they entered. "How could you let him stay there!?"
The Hokage seemed to shrink with sorrow and sighed.
"It wasn't my idea, I assure you. The council requested that those lands be requisitioned, as no one lived on them. While it's true that it's a lot of land that could be used to house many villagers, it still belongs to the Uchiha family. To Sasuke."
"And if Sasuke lives on the property, legally it can't be requisitioned," Seina retorted, having just realized everything.
"That's right. This possibility was presented to Sasuke, and he didn't want his family's lands, his parents' house, to be sold."
"Did you talk to Sasuke about this when he was 6 years old, after he found out his whole family was dead!? Are you crazy!?" Naruto shouted, more furious than ever.
Seina vibrated with anger. It was worse than she thought. Seizing the lands of a clan, despite not being extinct, taking advantage of a defenseless child. Trying to pressure the Hokage and Sasuke himself to leave there on his own when he was unable to bear that house any longer, only to then keep all the cake for themselves. She heard Naruto's teeth grinding with anger and knew she had to calm down, or she would explode.
"Calm down. We're not going to let that happen," she assured him, and then she had an idea.
"What are you thinking?" Naruto asked, sensing her malice and excitement.
"That the Uchiha complex should disappear under the Fidelius once Sasuke moves out of there."
Naruto understood instantly, seeing her thoughts, and began to laugh like a maniac. The Hokage looked at him alarmed, and Seina mentally urged him to shut up as quickly as possible. After the last few weeks, the last thing she wanted was for the Hokage to think they needed a mental evaluation.
"Ask him about the photographs of Sasuke's parents," she said, too exhausted for more confrontations.
Seina listened in silence as Naruto asked the Hokage for help gathering photographs of Sasuke's parents. Luckily, the Hokage provided them with a few photographs that, curiously, he kept in one of the filing cabinets next to his desk. When they left the tower, Naruto informed her that his clones had obtained a few more at the academy, from when they were children and graduates, and from the archives, from Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha's wedding.
"Let's see if my clone found anything," Seina said, heading towards the Uchiha complex with Naruto.
"Here," Naruto handed her several stones from the ground, "for the album and the portrait."
When they arrived, the lights of the floors and houses were on, and there were few people on the streets. Seina took advantage of the fact that the Uchiha complex was practically a ghost town to transform the materials into the album and the frame.
"What do you think of this photograph?" she asked her brother, putting the Uchiha wedding photograph in the frame. "They seem happy."
Naruto nodded. Seina heard her clones approaching and saw that they had a few more photographs to add to the album. When everything was ready, they ventured into the Uchiha complex in search of the only house with light. Seina and Naruto looked around, seeing the large blood stains that time had not been able to erase. She wondered if anyone could live like that forever without going crazy.
"Look, there it is."
She saw the two-story house in the distance. Dimly lit by the light from a window on the lower floor. Even dimly lit, it seemed like a desolate home. How did Sasuke manage to live like that? She couldn't imagine living in Godric's Hollow, alone, for years. It was no wonder he couldn't relate to other kids normally if he lived in the house where his parents were killed since he was 6 years old. When they reached the house, Seina knocked on the door a couple of times. There was a cold silence as they waited for Sasuke to open the door, but it didn't. Naruto looked at her strangely. Seina knocked on the door again, louder.
"Sasuke! Open the door!" Naruto shouted, and heard the echo of his voice resounding through the empty streets.
She heard Sasuke walking to the door, first hesitantly and then with firm steps. He opened the door with a completely surprised expression.
"What are you doing here?"
"We've come to get you," she replied firmly, "take this."
She handed him the album and the frame with the wedding photo. Sasuke took it, confused, and then realized what it was. Speechless, he stared at the photograph of his parents smiling at the camera. Naruto, uneasy, vibrated in his place as he waited for Sasuke to say something, but he just kept staring at the photograph.
"We want you to come with us. Home," she continued, unable to bear another moment there.
"What?"
"We're not going to leave you alone, Sasuke! Forget it!"
"Dobe, you don't even know what you're talking about," Sasuke said, more disheartened than angry.
"Yes, we do," she interrupted, and Sasuke looked at her, surprised again. "We've spoken to the Hokage. We know what's going on. Please... take all your things, come with us, and trust me. These lands will remain yours until you decide otherwise, not a second before. I give you my word."
Seina and Sasuke looked at each other. She felt her heart beating strongly. She wasn't just nervous about Sasuke's refusal, but also about what she was going to do. Reveal a secret. Since when had she become so distrustful of showing her abilities? She couldn't believe that if she showed what she was capable of, someone wouldn't try to use it against her. For so many years, in the magical world, they had made her do what they wanted. Even Dumbledore had sacrificed her. When she had the power to defend herself by any means necessary, she realized what true freedom was and vowed that no one would ever subdue her again. A vow she kept until her death. And yet, in this new and strange world, she was weak again and at the mercy of others. Perhaps-
"Alright," said Sasuke, and she blinked, losing track of her thoughts. "Give me 15 minutes."
Naruto and she took a deep breath, relieved, and heard Sasuke moving around the house, gathering his things and storing them in scrolls. In less than 15 minutes, Sasuke appeared at the door with several scrolls, a backpack, and his new weapon. They left the property and, after making sure they weren't being watched, Seina turned to the walls of the Uchiha estate.
"Fidelio," she intoned, and the spell began to come to life.
She knew, from Naruto's thoughts and Sasuke's surprised gasp, she had succeeded. Then, she reached into her pouch and pretended to search for a piece of paper and a pen. She took the conjured items and wrote down the address of the Uchiha complex that she perceived in her soul.
"Here. Read this."
Sasuke took the piece of paper and read the address of his property, still in disbelief. Then, astonished, he watched with wide eyes as the houses appeared before him.
"W-what is this?" he whispered. "Genjutsu?"
"No. It's a technique that allows hiding something under a secret. I am the bearer of that secret and the only one who can tell others where your property is. Basically, it's like I've put all of this into a pocket dimension to which only I have access."
"Does that mean no one knows where the p-pro-"
"You can't say it. Only me," she reminded him, and Sasuke stopped trying. "Now no one remembers, except the three of us, where it is. So, no matter how much they try to requisition these lands, they won't be able to because they won't even be able to find them. Not even if they try to find the address in the registry. Every trace has vanished."
Sasuke's lips trembled and then slowly widened into a grin from ear to ear that turned into laughter. When he recovered minutes later, some of his previous coldness had disappeared. Seina and Naruto pretended as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
"Let's go. I'm starving," Naruto ordered.
"Have you had dinner yet?"
"No. Wasn't hungry."
Seina felt Naruto's compassion. She engaged in conversation for the remainder of the journey, asking them what they wanted for dinner and what they thought about the mission for the next day. When they arrived home, Seina told him the secret of the property, and she saw how Sasuke looked impressed at the improved three-story house.
"Come in. You're home, teme."
"You can take one of the rooms on the third floor for yourself," Seina told him. "That same floor has a large full bathroom that you'll use alone. Decorate the room however you like, it's yours."
Sasuke went to put his things away, and they began to prepare dinner. She realized, standing next to Naruto and boiling the rice, that her anger and horror from an hour ago had already passed. My, how quickly things could change. They dined amidst jokes and ridiculous arguments between Naruto and Sasuke. Later, defeated, they went to bed.
Naruto entered his room after saying goodnight. She was about to do the same when she felt a hand grab her arm. She looked at Sasuke and saw him watching her with something she couldn't identify, besides gratitude and relief.
"Thank you."
"You're part of the team, and the team is family. You don't have to thank me."
Sasuke looked at the ground, contemplative and sad, and she approached him to give him a hug. He stayed frozen in her arms until, like Kakashi-sensei, he relaxed and hugged her back, burying his face in her neck. Seina pretended not to notice the tears falling onto her skin and hugged him tighter.
"You're not alone anymore."