The group finished eating quickly—none of them drank alcohol, and being young meant smaller appetites. Hanekawa glanced at Tsunade, already on her third sake bottle, and made a decision.
"We should probably head out," he said casually to the table. "Teacher looks like she's settling in for the long haul."
Kurenai tilted her head. "Should we wait for them?"
Hanekawa considered for a moment. "No need. I'll take my teacher home before she gets any worse."
Can't have her causing a scene at an Uchiha clan event. That's the kind of thing that makes headlines.
Kurenai didn't argue. Even she could see that Tsunade was becoming increasingly unreliable as the evening wore on.
"Leaving already?" Obito looked between Hanekawa and Rin. "While we're here, want to see the Uchiha compound? I promised Rin a tour."
Rin's eyes lit up. "I'd like that. Will you come?"
"Might as well," Asuma said, standing up. "Sitting around watching people eat gets boring fast."
Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. "Careful. Your father might hear you say things like that."
"He's not here," Asuma shot back, glancing around. "What's he going to do?"
"Actually, he might be watching right now," Hanekawa said mildly. "The Third has a crystal ball, and tonight's a pretty big deal for the Uchiha. Odds are good he's taking a peek."
Asuma's confidence wavered for just a second before he straightened up. "So what? I'm not afraid of him."
"Let's go!" Obito was already heading toward the exit, Rin in tow, completely uninterested in the conversation.
The Uchiha compound was impressive—sprawling grounds with everything a small village could need. Obito played tour guide with obvious pride, pointing out the Nanga River with grandiose gestures while Hanekawa mentally noted the location of Nanga Shrine downstream. That stone tablet's going to cause a lot of problems down the line, he thought. Assuming my butterfly effect doesn't change everything anyway.
Shisui led them to the clan leader's residence but hesitated at the gate. "The patriarch's away, so we shouldn't—"
"I'm sure his wife would love to see us," Obito interrupted, already moving forward.
Shisui sighed and spoke with the guard. Moments later, Uchiha Mikoto emerged—a young woman with gentle features and kind eyes.
"Shisui," she greeted warmly. "Please, bring your friends inside for tea."
"I told you!" Obito announced proudly. "I'm well-respected here!"
Inside, Mikoto's attention immediately found Hanekawa. Tall, handsome, hard to miss, she noted with a knowing smile. "Hanekawa, it's been a while. Is Lady Tsunade attending tonight?"
"She is," Hanekawa confirmed.
"How wonderful," Mikoto said, and Hanekawa caught the flash of disappointment cross Obito's face. Still competing for attention, I see.
After tea and pleasantries, Hanekawa checked the sky. "I should find my teacher. See you all tomorrow."
"Go on," Kurenai waved. "Get home safe."
---
The banquet was winding down when Hanekawa found Tsunade. She was flushed, glass in hand, while Minato looked like he was managing a natural disaster.
"Lady Tsunade, perhaps you've had enough—" Minato was saying carefully.
"Enough?" Tsunade's eyes flashed dangerously. "I can drink circles around anyone here!"
Minato's eyes lit up the moment he spotted Hanekawa. "Hanekawa!"
"Minato-senpai." Hanekawa assessed Tsunade's condition—definitely drunk, definitely dangerous. "Has my teacher been causing problems?"
"You!" Tsunade glared at him, pointing with her glass. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"No problems at all!" Minato said quickly.
Hanekawa reached over and gently took the glass from Tsunade's hand. "Time to go, Teacher."
"Give that back!" She tried to grab it, her movements clumsy.
Minato tensed, ready to use Flying Thunder God if things escalated. He'd seen Tsunade angry before—it wasn't pretty.
"I'll let you have it next time," Hanekawa said, keeping his voice light. Then he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Unless you want to skip our casino trips?"
Tsunade's entire body went rigid. Her eyes cleared slightly, focusing on him with sudden intensity.
She stood up, swaying a little, and staggered toward the exit.
Minato blinked, completely baffled. How did he...?
"Teacher, careful," Hanekawa said, moving to steady her by the waist as she stumbled.
Tsunade immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing against him. "You threatened me today!" she accused, her words slurring slightly.
The scent of sake and something floral surrounded him. Hanekawa kept his breathing steady and his hands professional. This is fine. Totally fine. Not awkward at all.
"Yes, it's all my fault," he said smoothly.
Tsunade blinked at him, confused. "Why... why are you apologizing?"
"Wouldn't want to make my teacher angry," he said with a slight smile.
She stared at him for a moment, then reached up and pinched both his cheeks. "Forget it. Teacher forgives you!"
"Thank you, Teacher."
After a few more unsteady steps, Tsunade suddenly pulled him in front of her. Before he could react, she jumped, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
Hanekawa froze, caught completely off guard. Did she just...?
He automatically crossed his arms to support her, his hands settling on her hips. "Teacher?"
But Tsunade had already closed her eyes, her breathing evening out into sleep.
Great. Just great.
Getting her home was an exercise in careful balance. He managed to open the door, navigate to her bedroom, and turn to lower her onto the bed—but she pulled him down with her.
He pushed himself up immediately, standing before he could think too hard about the situation. Tsunade was sprawled across the bed, completely relaxed and utterly unconscious.
Hanekawa deliberately looked away and bent down to remove her shoes, revealing pale feet with a faint pink tint. He quickly tucked them under the quilt and left the room without looking back.
I need a drink. Or therapy. Possibly both.
---
The next morning, Tsunade woke with a pounding headache and fragmented memories. She sat up slowly, holding her head, and immediately noticed the glass of water on her nightstand—still warm.
That's impossible.
She got out of bed and followed the sound of movement to the kitchen, where she found Hanekawa cooking, his back to her.
"Good morning, Teacher," he said without turning around.
"When did you get here?" she asked, her voice rough.
"About ten minutes ago." He paused in his work. "Go wash up. Breakfast will be ready soon."
Tsunade nodded absently, but her eyes lingered on his figure as she left the kitchen, her mind churning with questions she wasn't quite ready to ask.