Equinox

Summer: Chapter 6

"This might constitute an HR violation, you know," Madara warned as he heard the door to his office open. Then close. He finished typing his email before he clicked send. Turning away from his computer, he swiveled his chair toward them.

He eyed the both of them. Gaze lingering the longest on Sakura, who had no makeup on. His lips pursed as he watched Tobirama rest his hand on her back as he guided her to a chair. She plopped down in it, head lolling to one side as she stared off into nowhere.

"Have you been drinking?" demanded Madara.

"No," Sakura snorted.

"Well, you should be." As he spoke, Madara turned to the bookcase to the left of his desk. He pulled an entire stack of books off the shelf to reveal that they were decorative covers. Underneath was a collection of bottles.

Madara poured three glasses. He took one and clinked it against the other two before he pushed them across the desk.

"Drink up, darling. You look like you just crawled out of the Pit," Madara urged.

Sakura took her time sipping her drink, both hands cupped around the crystal glass. Ankles crossed, elbows up on the armrests, she looked everywhere but at the other two people in the room. When she set the empty glass on the desk, she felt ready to talk. But Madara held a finger up.

"Should I make him leave?" he inquired.

Tobirama glared at him. It didn't affect Madara at all.

"If you're looking for someone to blame, blame yourself. I don't blame Sakura for being uncomfortable. Not with you gushing desire all around her. You do realize that you're not a lawn sprinkler, don't you?" Madara went on.

A smile pulled at the corners of Sakura's mouth. She pursed her lips to quell the expression.

Shaking her head, she said, "It's fine, Madara."

That made Madara still. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the both of them. His gaze honed in on the lapis lazuli dangling from her neck. The golden fissures in the crystal shone especially bright against her black t-shirt.

He settled back in his chair. Eyes gleaming a little brighter as he gestured for her to go ahead.

Sakura looked at Tobirama. He gave a little nod.

"Well, Madara, you're... knowledgeable about... a lot of things, right?" she began.

Madara nodded.

"What... what do you know about... sirens?"

Madara's smile faded. He blew out a sigh, tilting his head to one side, then the other. "You're going to have to be specific, Bunny." But then he frowned. Nudging the glass aside, he held his hand out to her, palm up. She placed her hand on top of it. Feeling his cold fingers squeeze around hers.

Madara's eyes drifted shut. And then he took a deep breath. When his eyes opened again, he was smiling. He released her hand, shaking his head a little.

"I take it back. Poor Tobirama. No wonder he's in such a frenzy," he amended.

"And no need to elaborate. I think I know what's going on," added Madara.

Sakura stole a glance at Tobirama, not sure whether she should be embarrassed or not. He raised his eyebrows at her a little. Apparently, he wasn't sure either.

"Well, you, my darling, are nesting," Madara declared. Sakura's gaze flew back to him.

"I'm what?"

"I bet this idiot told you you were going into heat," Madara added, jerking his chin toward Tobirama. Tobirama raised his glass to his lips, stubbornly avoiding the other man's gaze.

"Although, he's not to blame. This is actually rather rare to be able to witness," Tobirama assured him. And then he turned his attention back to Sakura.

"I've avoided saying this in all the time I've known you because I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. But you're... extremely fragrant, Sakura. Even for a half," Madara explained.

"It's three-quarters, apparently," Sakura replied.

Madara paused. Blinking a few times. "Well, even with that. I've met some full-bloods who aren't anywhere near what you're at." And then he rubbed his chin as he thought.

"If most half's are like beer then most full's are like... hm... a glass of wine," he tried to explain.

"Then what's she like?" interjected Tobirama.

"A glass of fortified wine. A bit stronger. But still wine," Madara decided, scrutinizing Sakura. She scowled.

"But I'm still a quarter human. How does that math work out?" she asked.

Madara took a sip of his drink. "It's not all human. I've seen this before. You've probably got a drop or two of fairy blood mixed in there somewhere up the family tree. Fairy and siren magic are similar enough that they interact and amplify each other."

Sakura's forehead wrinkled. "That's a thing?" she wondered.

"Like Cleopatra. She had the entire Roman Empire tripping over themselves for her," he added as an example.

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "Not the most flattering example. Wasn't she a mess?"

Madara's eyes widened. "On the contrary. She was a lovely woman. Pretty enough, I suppose. But she was incredibly smart. A talented tactician. And she thrived in a world where women were considered accessories on the arm of an angry little man with a sword."

But then he waved his hands. Like he was scattering all the thoughts. "Anyway, the matter of nesting." Madara pointed at Tobirama.

"It's not simply a matter of feeling comfortable. A siren has only nested when she's established a secure nest. That includes the occupants of that nest. Idiot."

Tobirama's eyes narrowed.

"But the number of members a nest can support is proportional to the charm of the siren that establishes it. For most, one or two is a solid number," Madara went on, looking at Sakura now. "In your case... well..."

"Even Cleopatra only had one at a time, didn't she?" she asked.

"That you know of, darling," Madara corrected with a faint smile.

There was a long silence. For several minutes, none of them spoke. The only sound was Tobirama gulping down the rest of his drink. Silently grimacing at the taste of hard liquor.

"Obviously, all of this is a lot to take in. But what's troubling you the most at the moment about this?" Madara then questioned. Tobirama stared down at his empty glass. Madara pushed the decanter over to him so he could refill it before he returned his attention to Sakura.

She let out a loud sigh. And then wondered, "Do I... have to?"

"Have to what?"

"Do I have to have... multiple... y'know...dudes... guys..." she mumbled, feeling her face go hot.

When the meaning clicked, Madara hardly blinked. "Well, no. You don't have to do anything. It's entirely up to you."

"Am I always going to be so... eager... to..." Sakura trailed off, sucking in a sharp breath. Tobirama's mouth puckered like he'd just swallowed a particularly aggressive lemon. He pretended to be very interested in the ring on his thumb.

Madara thew his head back and laughed. "Oh! That's what's been worrying you?"

He reached out to take her hands. "Bunny, darling, be very honest with me. Have you ever wanted to sleep with me?" he inquired. She ripped out of his grasp.

"Ew! No! You're like... you're like my weird incubus-dad!" she retorted.

"What about Kakuzu? Or Hidan?" he pressed.

"Of course not!"

Madara's eyebrows rose. "See? You've just been very lucky... or maybe unlucky- to meet so many compatible people at once."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"Well, darling, you'll only be very attracted to the people whose pheromones indicate a good match to yours. And guessing from Mr. Yankee Candle, you've got a halfway decent candidate right here," added Madara, pointing. Tobirama frowned.

"That's definitely an HR violation," Tobirama declared.

"This entire conversation has been textbook HR violations. The only way it could get worse is if I hired a stripper right now," quipped Madara.

"Please don't," sighed Sakura, head in her hands. She didn't look up as Tobirama refilled her glass and slid it back over toward her. It bumped against her elbow.

Shrugging, Madara leaned back in his seat. He eyed the both of them. Rolled his eyes when Tobirama abandoned his glass and took the decanter instead.

"So. What's the plan, you two?"

"Drink myself into oblivion. Buy a yurt. Or maybe an igloo. Never talk to anyone again," Sakura grumbled, rubbing her hands over her face. She looked up when Tobirama nudged her elbow with her glass again. She saw him holding the bottle out to her. Laughing a little, she clinked her glass against it.

"I can't help you with the real estate," Tobirama said as she took a sip. "But I know a wine bar near here that makes lamb meatballs. And baked brie."

"That sounds awesome," replied Sakura, perking up a little.

Madara rolled his eyes again. It had taken them less than 10 seconds to completely forget his existence. Which he supposed he should be used to by now.

"And then I'm going to try really hard to make you fall in love with me. For real," Tobirama then announced.

Madara's eyebrows rose.

Sakura pressed her mouth to her shoulder, trying to hide the smile creeping across her face.

Tobirama took in her silence with anxious eyes. It was clear that the burst of courage that had let him make such a bold statement had already run out.

"Do you hate it?" he wondered.

"No. I like it," replied Sakura as she stood. "Let's go."

Tobirama hurried to his feet. He took her hand, half-dragging her out of the room.

"Bye, Madara. Thanks," Sakura tossed over her shoulder. Like a hasty afterthought. Tobirama didn't even bother to say anything to him.

Madara's tail nudged the empty glasses away from the edge of his desk. He picked up the decorative books to set the back on the shelf. "I wonder if I can get in trouble for being so damn nice," he sighed. Before he drained the last few drops of brandy left at the bottom of the bottle.

Dinner with Tobirama was the right blend of awkward and exciting. Feet nudging under the table. Wine flowing into glasses. Until the fancy names on the labels blurred into each other. And it wasn't like she was listening anyway. Not when Tobirama was in front of her. Sneaking secret smiles when she teased him.

She stayed the night at his apartment. But it was spent just sitting on the sofa and talking. Which helped Sakura realize that she knew so little about him.

Tobirama talked about his three brothers, who she never would have guessed existed in a million years. He showed her the photos of him playing the violin as a little boy with chubby cheeks. He even tolerated her peals of laughter when she found photos of his old Halloween costumes. Especially the year he'd been a pumpkin.

In turn, she told him about how her siblings would try to leave birthday presents for her signed 'Mom'. How she had learned to recognize the forgeries from the way Hamura's l's curved to the left. And then she recalled what it'd been like moving to Empire City with so little. What it had taken- who it had taken to get to where she was today.

There was a moment when both of them ran out of things to say. And they just sat there. Dumb, half-buzzed smiles on their faces. Her foot resting on his ankle as they slumped on his dark grey sectional.

"Hey," he said.

"Yeah?" she replied, eyes closed. Fingers tapping an idle rhythm on the cushioned seat.

"I really wanna make a song with you."

Her eyes opened. "Right now?"

"Yeah. I already have a hook I'm thinking of."

Sakura couldn't tear her gaze from Tobirama as he hummed the melody for her. With the lapis lazuli around her neck, she knew she wasn't being controlled by charm. Or glamour. Or whatever she wanted to call it.

This was just Tobirama. Stupid in-love with music. More dorky than hot as he began asking her opinions about reverb. And it was like he was someone else. Leather jacket discarded on the kitchen island. Just a guy in a t-shirt with a chord diagram tattooed on the inside of his left wrist. Hair falling flat against his forehead because he had run his fingers through it so much that it didn't stand up anymore.

Shaking her head, Sakura laughed at him.

"What? No reverb?"

"Reverb is good. All the reverb you want, Tobirama," she giggled, giving his thigh a light kick.

He offered to drive her home in the morning. Half-asleep, he roused from the end of the sofa when he heard her digging through the hall closet for an unopened toothbrush. Tobirama gave up when she reminded him that she had driven them. Sakura promised to drive his car down to him sometime next week. But he was already sleep before she finished her sentence. She brewed plenty of coffee before she locked the door and slipped out of his apartment.

Kakashi greeted her as soon as she crossed over the town's limits. She let her car roll to a stop as she lowered the windows. The air conditioning was blasting despite the early hour. It was going to be a humid day. Even Kakashi's fur seemed puffier than usual as he walked up to her. His tongue lolling out.

"Hey, Sheriff. Got a sec?" she greeted, leaning out the window.

Even though she'd seen him complain to Tsunade and to Ino that phasing wasted too much energy, Kakashi didn't hesitate. His black, smoky body stretched upwards. When the black wisps cleared, Kakashi was resting his elbow on the roof of her car.

"I've got a couple, actually," he quipped in return.

"Let's go for a drive. I wanna talk to you about some stuff."

Kakashi's smile faded. "Uh-oh. Am I in trouble?" he asked. Only half-joking.

"...No. If anything... I might be... ugh, just... please," Sakura said, pointing at the passenger seat.

Kakashi studied her face for a moment. And then he reached in through the window to ruffle her hair.

"Tell you what... you look hungry. How about we go to my place, I make you waffles, and then you tell me what's bothering you?" he suggested instead. Sakura's lower lip stuck out a little.

"You might not want to feed me waffles after I tell you," she warned. But Kakashi still walked around the hood of the car to hop into the passenger seat. He flashed a smile as he closed the door behind him. "That's why I'm feeding you before," he answered.

The smell of smoke often raised alarm bells in a heavily-wooded town like Old Pines. But in the case of a real emergency, the weres would've been the first to raise the alarm. Their panicked howls filling the air- day or night.

On this particular day, the weres were loud. But for a different reason.

"Are you crazy? You can't just throw the steaks on now, kiddo!" Kiba exclaimed.

"Why not? It's hot, isn't it?" his nephew retorted.

"Sure, if you like undercooked steaks, go right ahead! Next you'll pour ketchup directly on the fries," grumbled Kiba.

"Oh, come on, Uncle. I'm not an animal."

Kiba chuckled at that. He reached over and ruffled his hair. "I'm gonna go see if there's anything else. Don't throw those on the grill until it's nice and hot. Give it about five minutes," Kiba instructed as he headed up the steps. He crossed through the mudroom and down the hall.

"Woah. What smells so good?" asked Kiba, walking into the kitchen. Bull immediately barreled into him, stumpy tail wagging. He fell on his ass, but he gave a good-natured laugh as he patted Bull.

"Bacon," answered Kakashi from behind the stove. He wore a black apron that said 'I just want to pet my dogs' in big, white letters.

"Nice," Kiba said, sniffing at the air again.

"I'm putting it in a salad and pretending it's healthy," Kakashi then added.

"Less nice," Kiba amended, wrinkling his nose. He glanced around the otherwise empty kitchen. "Any word from the others?"

"Ino and Tenten are on their way with dessert. Your sister should be here soon," Kakashi told him. He turned the burner off. Tossed his spatula into the sink.

Kiba noticed the cardboard box sitting next to the kitchen island. He peeked inside and found shawls in a rainbow of colors and packages of wood chips. He lifted one to his nose and let out a noise of surprise. The fragrance of the bacon had masked the floral, smoky scent. "From?"

"Kisame. Says he's sorry he couldn't make it," answered Kakashi. He jiggled the contents of the pan once before he turned off the heat.

"Man. Jaws always sends the weirdest shit. Where's he this time? Dubai?" remarked Kiba. The box also included photos of the treasure hunter, grinning as he held up battered vases and water-logged chests filled with coins. Kakashi nodded as he wiped his hands clean on a towel.

Bull butted Kiba's shoulder, whining. "Aw, sorry, big boy. C'mere," Kiba cooed. He rubbed Bull's ears a few times. But there was a kissing noise from further in the house, and the dog abandoned him without a second thought.

"You're a damn traitor, Bull!" Kiba called after him. And then he looked up when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Kakashi held his hand out to him. Kiba thanked him as Kakashi pulled him to his feet.

They glanced around the house. Kiba's ears twitching a little as he listened for noise. There was something. A faint sound pulling from the back of the house.

Last summer, Kiba and his crew had spent a few months adding on to the modest cabin. It now extended further into the back, including a mudroom to store shoes, gardening equipment, and the hydroponic herb garden Kiba had given to Sakura for her birthday.

As they walked through the mudroom, they saw Shiba and Pakkun napping next to a cool vent. Kakashi nudged Pakkun with his big toe as he passed. The pug snorted, but didn't move. He chuckled.

"There are studies that show that Mozart is good for a baby's development," they heard Itachi say.

Kiba and Kakashi exchanged knowing looks. "There he goes again. Next he's going to insist that we buy that stupid baby wipe-warmer thing," sighed Kiba. Kakashi elbowed him, whispering, "Be nice."

They opened the door to find Sakura sitting in the armchair by the window. Her cheek in her hand. A mildly-amused expression gracing her lips. Bull lolled near the door, while Biscuit had managed to worm his way under Sakura's chair.

Itachi sat on the white and grey rug, legs crossed. In his lap sat a bluetooth speaker. The box and instruction manual lay beside it.

Tobirama sat next to Sakura, his elbow resting on her lap. Which seemed to be shrinking each day. On right upper arm, covered in plastic wrap, was his most recent tattoo. It was of a compass, the black arrow pointing north. Sighing, he let his head fall back, against Sakura's stomach. When he stared up at her, she simply raised her eyebrows. In a sort of 'what are you gonna do' expression.

"Are you seriously... trying to tell... Sirens... what kind of music is best?" Tobirama spelled out. Slowly. Patiently.

Itachi froze. "Oh my god. I sound like an asshole," he realized.

"Mm... yeah," Sakura had to agree. Shaking his head, Itachi began laughing. And Tobirama even chuckled a little too. He noticed Kiba and Kakashi enter the room and nodded at them.

"I feel like you're spending more time here than anywhere else," remarked Kakashi, crossing his arms. He leaned against the doorway. Kiba nudged past him. He crossed the room in a few big steps before he knelt in front of her. Tobirama moved his arm so that Kiba could put his hands on Sakura's growing stomach.

"It's pretty. And so much light gets in here," Sakura replied. "And that tickles," she scolded, poking Kiba in the forehead.

"Sorry. Sorry. It's just... sounds crazy in there. The heartbeat, I mean," Kiba apologized, pulling away. He left his hands on her stomach though.

"I'm still not sure about the color. Maybe we should've gone with something more green," Kakashi remarked, looking around.

"He did a great job. I love the color," Sakura insisted. The walls were a mellow, peachy shade. Kiba had spent hours on his hands and knees, sanding every inch of the floor to make sure that there were no splinters. The window frames gleamed white in the afternoon sun. The double-panes would make sure to keep the room toasty in the winter and cool in the summer.

"I don't really see how this is supposed to be gender neutral," Kiba wondered, not for the first time. He had voiced the same concerns as he painted the walls.

"Who cares? It's pretty," Tobirama scoffed.

Kiba and Kakashi froze at the same time. Kakashi sniffed once at the air.

"What's done?" Kiba asked him, twisting around to look at him.

"The cheese cornbread," answered Kakashi. And then the oven timer went off, as if to support him.

"I'll get it. You savages'll eat half of it before it hits the table," Kiba sighed. He grunted as he got to his feet. He knocked his shoulder into Kakashi's on his way out of the door. They snickered at each other.

They chatted for a little while longer. Just enjoying the quiet. Because soon, they wouldn't have time to relax like this. Tobirama took Sakura's hand as she spoke. She had complained so many times about them swelling, so he found time to massage them every once in a while. He wasn't particularly skilled, but it made her smile all the same.

Kakashi broke off mid-sentence, eyes darting around. Which meant that someone else had arrived. The front door banged open. Hidan yelled, "The party's here!" And then Hidan swore once, likely as Madara slapped him with his tail.

"Hello? We brought non-alcoholic beer and sparkling cider. And, unfortunately, we brought Hidan too," Madara called.

"Sorry about that!" Temari added.

"We should've brought a gift receipt," snorted Kakuzu, making his friends laugh.

"Fuck you guys! You're a bunch of fucking assholes!" complained Hidan. Heaving a sigh, Tobirama got to his feet. Sakura squeezed his hand once before she released him. Raking his hand through his hair, Tobirama strode out of the room. Sakura glimpsed Shiba rolling onto his feet as Tobirama walked past. Tail wagging as he followed him down the hall.

"Hidan, watch your mouth. The kid's going to end up sounding like you," she could hear Tobirama warn, voice growing farther and farther away.

"Hey! Can we get something out here for the steaks? Where should I put them?" Kiba's nephew suddenly inquired.

"I'll handle it," Itachi announced before anyone else could budge. He pushed the bluetooth speaker to the side. Putting a hand on either side of Sakura's head, he kissed her forehead. Giggling, she pushed him away, saying, "Go."

Kakashi still lingered in the doorway. He was still smiling as he watched her.

"I'd be a bad hostess if I stayed holed up in here all night. Help me up?" she requested.

Kakashi eased her to her feet. His hands lingered on her waist. Her center of gravity had shifted so much in the last few months. Sometimes it took a moment to find her balance. And even when she was steady on her feet, his hands stayed there.

"I feel like a whale," she sighed.

"Well, then call me Ishmael," he quipped in return. That made her laugh as he wrapped his arms around her. And she stopped laughing when she caught him staring at her again. That same smile on his face, like he was half-in a dream.

"Why're you looking at me like that?" she wondered.

"Oh. No reason. Just basking in all the glory of holding a beautiful woman who I love very much," he retorted. Sleepy eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Why? Is there a problem with that?" he then questioned.

"No. No problem at all. Carry on," she answered, pulling him in for a kiss.

End