The inside of Tazuna's house was small, but warm, the air thick with the scent of wood, salt, and something vaguely herbal. The old bridge builder led them inside without much ceremony, muttering something about "bratty shinobi" before pointing toward a room for Kakashi.
Sasuke and Naruto half-dragged, half-dumped their unconscious sensei onto the futon, adjusting his limbs so he at least looked comfortable. Sakura fussed over him, checking his pulse, murmuring about chakra exhaustion, but Kakashi just lay there, utterly still.
Naruto nudged his foot. Nothing.
"Think he's dead?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "He's breathing, idiot."
Naruto hummed. "Happens sometimes."
Sakura glared at him. "What do you mean happens sometimes?"
Naruto just shrugged.
With Kakashi taken care of, they finally left the room, stepping back into the dimly lit hallway. The wooden floors creaked beneath their feet as they followed Tazuna into the main area of the house, where a woman—Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter—was already preparing food.
"Inari!" she called. "Come meet the ninja protecting Grandpa!"
A small boy with tanned skin and a scowl waddled into the room, giving Team 7 a slow once-over. He lingered on Sasuke and Naruto the longest before his scowl deepened.
"You're all gonna die," he announced.
Sakura gaped. "Excuse me?"
Inari folded his arms. "Gatō is too strong. You should just leave. You're wasting your time."
Sakura sputtered. "What kind of greeting—"
Sasuke just clicked his tongue and turned away, obviously uninterested in arguing with a child. Naruto, however, tilted his head at the boy, blinking slowly, before saying, "Okay."
Inari blinked. "What?"
Naruto yawned. "Okay."
"…Okay what?"
Naruto wandered over to the couch, flopping onto it. "Okay. We'll die."
Sakura threw her hands up. "Don't say that!"
Naruto ignored her, curling up slightly, tucking his arms in. His glowing blue eyes flickered once before slipping shut, his breathing already evening out.
There was a long, long silence.
Then—
"…Uh, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered. "Why is Naruto… sleeping on the couch like a cat?"
Sasuke didn't even look. "Don't ask."
Inari just stared at the boy, utterly perplexed.
Tsunami, however, smiled. "He must be tired. Let him rest."
Sakura pursed her lips but didn't argue.
Sasuke sat against the wall, arms crossed, settling in for a long night of brooding.
Naruto, meanwhile, simply dozed, utterly at ease, curled into himself like he was made for it. His chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm, face peaceful, hair spilling messily over the cushions. He didn't snore. Didn't move. Just breathed, quiet and deep, as if he'd already tuned out the world.
Tsunami covered him with a light blanket before returning to the kitchen.
The night stretched on.
Sakura tried to keep her thoughts away from the battle earlier, from the eerie masked shinobi, from the way Kakashi had collapsed without a second thought.
Sasuke kept his eyes on the window, sharp and watchful, always waiting, always on guard.
Naruto just… slept.
And for once, the house was quiet.