Epilogue

And suddenly Kakashi's team was no longer falling apart. In fact, the two youngest members seemed closer than ever.

It was in the way that Sakura always agreed when Naruto suggested getting ramen. It was in the way that Sakura's voice sometimes lingered on the last syllable of Naruto's name when Sakura thought Naruto wasn't paying attention to her. It was in the way that Naruto no longer objected to having Sakura participate in his training. It was in the way that Sakura knew exactly what to say to keep Naruto calm (and keep the demon caged) when Kakashi didn't. And it was in the way that Naruto didn't speak to anyone in the entire village except Sakura for three days after Jiraiya told him about his parents.

-

Kakashi was sitting at an open booth in the dango shop, casually reading his little orange book, when he heard his name.

"Kakashi."

"Jiraiya-sama," he greeted in return.

Jiraiya sat across from his student's student, smiling slightly at Kakashi's choice of literature.

"How is Naruto's training going?"

Kakashi put his book down because he could hear the words underneath the Toad Sannin's inquiry.

"He has been improving, but he had a small set-back a few days ago."

Jiraiya nodded like he had expected this. Kakashi moved to amend.

"I think he's mostly over that now."

"And Haruno Sakura is still helping?"

"Yes."

Jiraiya nodded again, though this time it seemed less like he expected it and more like he was relieved to hear it.

"Well, if he gets too bratty, send him to me."

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask and inclined his head. Jiraiya stood then and walked away, leaving Kakashi to his book.

-

Sakura found Naruto sitting on top of the Hokage monument. She was well-aware that this was the place he always went when he needed to think, and he had been doing that a lot lately.

What Jiraiya had revealed about the Fourth had surprised them both, but Naruto had been more affected. She had never seen him so speechless, and she hadn't been there when Jiraiya had told him. They had been training when Jiraiya had shown up on their obscure field and taken Naruto for a walk. After an hour, Jiraiya had come back without Naruto only to tell Kakashi, Yamato, and Sakura that Naruto's training was over for the day.

Sakura hadn't seen Naruto for two days after that, and neither had anyone else. He would come back eventually, she knew, because he had promised not to run away anymore. Still, she didn't expect him to stifle his instincts overnight. It would take time and patience and proof. However, when she had gotten tired of being worried and when she had realized that no matter how much she bothered Jiraiya he wasn't going to tell her what the purpose of that walk was (all she could get from Jiraiya was a cryptic "He'll tell you when he's ready"), she had gone out to find Naruto on her own, no longer willing to wait complacently while he struggled on his own, because after all, hadn't she also made a promise to him?

When she had found him, he was quiet, withdrawn, and confused. It had taken some effort on her part to find out what was bothering him, and she realized that while he trusted her, he wasn't used to sharing things like this. Even so, she hadn't been prepared for what he told her, nor had she been prepared for how it made her feel.

They had talked about it until the sun set on that day, but Naruto still came back to the monument almost every night, which was why Sakura found herself there now. Naruto was sitting silently, a serious look on his face. Sakura tilted her head.

"I think you look like him," she couldn't help saying.

Naruto looked at her, unsurprised to see her, but he didn't say anything.

"That's a good thing," she reassured him as she sat next to him, rubbing against his shoulder. Naruto remained silent, but he didn't look quite as serious as he had before.

"And… and I think he would be proud of you." Naruto gave her a crooked smile now. Sakura was content with that and neither spoke for a few minutes. In the end it was Naruto who finally broke the silence.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Hm?"

"What's it feel like to a have a family?" Naruto was still smiling, but there was doubt in his eyes and sadness clinging to the corners of his mouth. Sakura looked away to think of an answer.

In all the years she had known Naruto, he had never been particularly poetic with words, but he always had them, always used them to the fullest advantage, even when he was saying the wrong things at the wrong times. It balanced out, she supposed, because he often said the right thing at the right time in a simple way. Sakura knew she didn't have the same ability, but now she needed it, needed something. If she couldn't give him the right words, she wanted to give him something tangible, something he could hold onto.

"Like this," she responded. Then Sakura kissed Naruto and it felt like summer rain, deserted beaches, fresh flowers, and clean sheets, like hot chocolate on a cold morning, like the first cherries of spring, like waking up to the smell of breakfast. Good, right, comforting, warm, exciting.

Naruto may have always had words, but Sakura thought it was time for him to have something more.