Chapter 46: Winter

Snow fell softly outside, blanketing the rooftops and streets of Konoha in a fine layer of white. The chill in the air was balanced by the warmth radiating from inside Kūga's home, where the cozy glow of the kitchen hinted at the feast being prepared.

It was winter, a time when the village came together to celebrate the season's calm and spend time with family and friends.

In the kitchen, Kūga was carefully roasting lamb over a steady flame, basting it every so often while the tender aroma filled the air. Next to him, he arranged trays of vegetables... bright orange carrots, crisp brussels sprouts, and slices of sweet potato all roasting to a perfect golden brown.

The scent of savory herbs and roasting meat mixed, creating a homely, inviting warmth.

At the counter, Reifū was busy with her own task: making stuffed mushrooms. She filled each mushroom cap with a mix of cheese, herbs, and breadcrumbs, focusing carefully as she pressed the filling in just right.

Beside her, Kenta was helping as best he could, cutting up extra vegetables under Kūga's and Reifū's guidance. His brow was furrowed in concentration, a little proud to be involved in the meal's preparation.

Reifū's gaze drifted over to Kenta, noticing how he had grown in the last year. His shoulders were broader, and his height had crept up to nearly match Kūga's. A faint smile played on her lips, amused by his growth spurt.

Kenta, noticing her look, straightened up and grinned. "Pretty soon, I'll be taller than Kūga," he said cheekily.

Kūga glanced over, shaking his head with a light smile. "Is that right?" he mused, feigning disbelief. "Growing tall won't save you from more training, though."

Kenta just laughed, then paused, his grin turning a bit bashful. "Sakuna's supposed to be here soon," he added, glancing toward the door.

Kūga's eyebrows rose, his smile widening. "The pink-haired one, huh? Your girlfriend?" he teased.

Kenta's face flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-Yeah," he muttered, but there was a glimmer of pride in his eyes.

Kūga let out a low chuckle, amused as he turned back to the lamb, checking its progress. In the meantime, Reifū poured fresh apple juice into a jug, placing it on the counter.

A knock sounded from the front door, and Kenta perked up, wiping his hands quickly on a towel. "I'll get it!" he said, darting out of the kitchen.

As he opened the door, Kenta was greeted by Madara Uchiha and a woman who bore a striking resemblance to him. A female version of Madara, even, right down to the intense gaze and long dark hair.

Both of them held bottles of sake in one hand, their faces relaxed and lightly flushed from the cold outside.

"Good evening!" Kenta greeted with a polite nod.

Madara gave a curt nod back, while the woman smiled warmly. "You too, young man," she replied, her voice smooth.

Kenta moved aside, letting them step inside. Madara and the woman glanced around the house, and the woman immediately commented on the white decor, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

"The decor here is beautiful," she said, her eyes shining with admiration as she took in the simple yet elegant surroundings. Madara, standing beside her, nodded in agreement with each of her comments, though he said nothing.

Kūga, who was tending to the lamb, whistled lightly, not missing the dynamic between them. With a slight grin, he called out, "You know, this is the first time I've ever seen you so tame, Madara."

Madara shot him a look, caught off guard by the remark. "I'm not tame," he grumbled, though his companion only chuckled, placing the sake bottles on the kitchen counter.

The woman turned to Kūga with a wide smile. "So you're the Kūga I've heard so much about! You know, you're practically all Madara talks about," she added, grinning at her husband. "Even on dates, he goes on about how strong you are and how he's planning to defeat you one day."

Kūga raised his eyebrows, genuinely surprised as he turned to Madara with a smirk. "Well… ain't that a surprise, Madara."

The woman laughed, holding out a hand. "I'm Izumi Uchiha," she said warmly. "Madara's wife. A pleasure to meet you all."

Kūga shook her hand and gave a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Izumi."

Reifū stepped forward with a smile, nodding politely. "I'm Reifū," she introduced, her tone friendly. "Welcome to our home."

Kenta followed suit, his posture straightening. "I'm Kenta. Nice to meet you, Izumi-san."

Izumi's smile widened. "It's lovely to meet you all," she said. Then, glancing around the room, she clapped her hands together. "Now, what can I do to help?"

Reifū exchanged a quick look with Kūga before saying, "Could you help set the table? We'll need it ready for twelve."

Izumi nodded without hesitation, waving Madara over with a grin. "Come on, help me with this," she ordered, a hint of mischief in her tone.

Madara sighed, but without argument, he moved to help her, arranging plates and silverware as she directed him. Kūga watched the scene, his eyes glinting with quiet amusement as he continued his work in the kitchen.

.

Another knock came at the door, and Kenta, eager as ever, rushed to open it. When he pulled it open, a large group of familiar faces greeted him.

Hashirama and Mito stood at the front, followed by Izuna and a woman who bore the Uchiha features. Behind them were Tobirama and a Senju woman, Sakuna Haruno (Kenta's girlfriend), Hiruzen Sarutobi, and a few others.

Each of them carried a warm, friendly smile, and Hashirama, Izuna, and Tobirama held bottles of sake in their hands.

Hashirama grinned widely as he entered. "Kūga said there's a celebration tonight," he declared, "so no one's exempted!"

Kenta greeted each of them, stopping by Sakuna and holding her hand as he introduced her to the others. "Everyone, this is Sakuna Haruno," he said, his face lighting up. "She's, uh… she's my girlfriend."

Sakuna gave a small, respectful bow, her cheeks flushed as she added, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

The group exchanged warm nods, and Tobirama's girlfriend introduced herself, stepping forward with a confident smile. "I'm Itsuko Senju," she said, her voice calm and steady. "Jonin of Konoha and daughter of Kudamo Senju."

Izuna's girlfriend, looking very much like a female version of Izuna himself, introduced herself with a polite nod. "Katsumi Uchiha," she said, "daughter of Kajima Uchiha."

Finally, young Hiruzen spoke up, his tone respectful. "I'm Hiruzen Sarutobi, student of both Hashirama-sensei and Tobirama-sensei, son of Sasuke Sarutobi." He gave a slight bow, his face eager but disciplined.

Seeing Sakuna after Hiruzen's introduction, Hashirama's eyes widened, recognizing the family name. "Hazashi Haruno's daughter?" he said with a chuckle. "Your dad's a lively one! Always bickering with Inoue Yamanaka at every council meeting!"

Sakuna's eyes widened, her cheeks reddening as she murmured, "I… I don't like his daughter either." Her expression turned to one of mild annoyance.

Hashirama let out a booming laugh, amused by her reaction. Kenta joined in, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. As his laughter died down, Kenta noticed the bottles of sake in the hands of Hashirama, Izuna, and Tobirama.

"Um…" he began, his tone a mix of curiosity and caution. "Are you all… planning to get drunk tonight? Why so much liquor?"

Hashirama's grin only widened, and he raised his bottle triumphantly. "Like I said, Kūga declared tonight a celebration! And we're all grown-ups here, Kenta!"

Kenta glanced over at Kūga, a questioning look in his eyes. Kūga simply gave him a nod, his smile relaxed.

"That's right," Kūga said with a playful glint in his eye. "We're all getting wasted tonight."

Kenta chuckled, looking both amused and slightly wary as the group settled into the warmth of the home, the cheerful atmosphere already filling the air.

.

As Reifū set the plate of stuffed mushrooms on the dining table, Mito wasted no time grabbing her hand, pulling her over to where Izumi, Itsuko, and Katsumi were chatting. The conversation quickly drifted from one topic to another, from little quirks about their partners to plans for shopping trips, the laughter and easy banter flowing between them.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen, Kenta, and Sakuna had gathered in a corner. Hiruzen and Kenta discussed different jutsus, comparing techniques they'd learned from their teachers. Sakuna listened with interest, even though she wasn't a kunoichi herself, nodding along and occasionally asking questions as the boys eagerly shared their knowledge.

Over in the kitchen, Madara and Tobirama sat on stools near the counter, while Hashirama stood beside Kūga, his gaze fixed on the nearly-finished lamb. Izuna leaned against the counter, listening in with a relaxed smile as Hashirama reminisced.

"It's funny to think about how there used to be just the three of us," Hashirama said, his tone filled with nostalgia. "Then you two joined us," he continued, nodding at Tobirama and Izuna, "and now look at us... this big group."

Madara chuckled, nodding in agreement. "It's crazy to think it all started with us throwing stones at each other."

Kūga smirked, adding, "Well, you guys were throwing stones. I was just eating on top of a cliff, watching you two."

Hashirama's smile widened at the memory, and his gaze shifted to Tobirama and Izuna, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Remember that one sparring session against Kūga? You two refused to eat beforehand."

Tobirama's cheeks turned pink, and he muttered, "Why do you always have to remember that specific moment? Maybe you should focus on your duties as Hokage, brother."

Hashirama just waved a hand in mock dismissal. "Blah blah blah," he teased, drawing a laugh from Izuna, who finally let out a loud chuckle.

Madara watched Izuna laugh, a rare smile spreading across his face, and Kūga took the moment to lift the lamb from the oven, placing it carefully on a large tray. The smell passed through the air, drawing everyone's attention.

Together, they all made their way to the dining table, following Kūga as he set the lamb down, its rich aroma filling the room. Izumi's eyes widened, and she nudged Madara with a grin. "So this is what you meant when you said he could cook!"

Across the table, Mito was practically drooling at the sight, her gaze fixed on the lamb as her mouth watered.

Once everyone had settled, Kūga began serving, and soon plates were filled with lamb, roasted vegetables, and stuffed mushrooms. The meal quickly became lively, with jokes, stories, and laughter filling the room.

Halfway through the meal, Mito's curiosity got the best of her, and she looked over at Izuna, a teasing smile on her lips. "So, Izuna," she began, "how did you and Katsumi meet?"

Izuna paused, glancing at Katsumi with a fond look. "We met during a clan meeting. She nearly knocked me over during a sparring match." He gave a small chuckle, and Katsumi nudged him with a grin, clearly remembering the moment.

Mito then turned to Tobirama, her smile widening. "And you, Tobirama? How did you and Itsuko meet?"

Tobirama started to answer, his tone almost too casual, but he missed a few key details, prompting Itsuko to click her tongue and shake her head. Kūga noticed, smirking as he raised an eyebrow at Tobirama.

"Forgotten some of the important moments, huh?" Kūga teased, leaning back as he watched Tobirama's face go red.

Mito's gaze then drifted to Kenta, and he quickly straightened, clearing his throat. "Oh, we met a while ago," he said, nodding toward Sakuna. "She was always around, so we just… kind of clicked."

The room shared a warm smile, each person taking a moment to appreciate the bonds that had grown between them. But before Mito could continue her questioning, Hiruzen cleared his throat, giving her a hopeful look. "Aren't you going to ask me, Mito-sama?"

Mito blinked, looking slightly puzzled. "Hashirama said you didn't have a girlfriend," she replied with a shrug.

Hiruzen's shoulders slumped, his gaze shifting to Hashirama with a wounded look. "Sensei… you're too mean. I'm just waiting for Biwako-chan to say yes, that's all."

Tobirama rolled his eyes with a smirk, leaning back. "Then you're still waiting, Hiruzen. Maybe you should focus on training more instead of mooning over a girl. Just look at all of us—we're strong, and we all have partners."

Kūga, sensing the sting in Tobirama's words, raised his hand, his expression a mix of amusement and sympathy. "Hey, take it easy, guys."

With a small wave of his fingers, he used Aether to lift a small cup of sake, setting it beside Hiruzen's empty plate. "Here, Hiruzen, have some."

Without hesitation, Hiruzen grabbed the cup, downing it in one gulp. "More!" he declared, slamming the empty cup back down, his cheeks already starting to flush.

Everyone paused, exchanging glances as they looked at Kūga, eyebrows raised. Kūga just gave an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

"Well… I guess it's time for drinking then?" he offered, a sheepish smile spreading across his face.

The group burst into laughter, lifting their glasses as the mood in the room lifted even higher.

.

An hour had passed, and the once-lively dining table was now littered with empty cups and half-eaten food. Kenta, Hiruzen, and Sakuna were slumped over the table, all sound asleep, completely knocked out by the sake.

The rest of the group was still enjoying the last few sips when Izuna, hiccuping loudly, looked up with bleary eyes.

"Are there… any more sake?" he slurred, glancing around the table with a hopeful look.

Kūga leaned back with a sly smile. "Hold on," he replied, rising from his seat. He disappeared down the hallway and soon returned, carrying a basket of unfamiliar-looking bottles.

All eyes turned to him, surprise evident on their faces. None of them recognized the labels or the bottles. Izuna squinted, his hiccups continuing as he asked, "Is… is that sake?"

With a grin, Kūga gestured for the plates and silverware to lift off the table, his Aether effortlessly directing them to the kitchen sink. He set the basket of liquor bottles on the table with a smirk.

"Picked these up in the Land of Iron during the Kage Summit," he said, giving the bottles a little nudge towards them.

Mito, already red-faced, reached for a bottle and held it up, squinting to make out the name.

"Iron Kidney?" she read aloud, her tone incredulous. "What kind of name is that? And… forty percent alcohol? Isn't sake alcohol?"

Kūga chuckled. "Sake's only around fifteen percent. This… this is the real deal."

Hashirama's eyes sparkled, and he grinned with a challenge in his eyes. "Bring it on," he said, while Madara chuckled beside him, looking just as eager.

Reifū, her cheeks already flushed, took a cautious glance at the bottle, her face turning an even deeper shade of red.

As they opened the bottles and poured drinks, the evening continued with more laughter and stories, each round loosening their inhibitions further.

.

Another two hours passed, and the group grew increasingly tipsy. Izuna and his girlfriend stumbled to the door, barely making it outside before succumbing to nausea.

Hashirama, visibly wobbly, leaned back in his seat with a sigh, glancing over at Kūga. "Hey… do you mind if we stay the night?" he asked, his voice slurred. "I'm a trained shinobi, but that stuff's a killer."

Kūga laughed, shaking his head. "Of course, stay as long as you need." He gestured toward the nearby rooms. "There are a couple of rooms right there. Reifū and I will take my room."

At this, Reifū looked up from her seat, her face a vivid shade of red. She flashed a mischievous, drunken grin at Kūga. "Oh no… the great Kūga-sama is going to touch me," she declared, her voice overly dramatic and sultry.

For a moment, everyone froze, blinking at her in shock before breaking into chuckles, each of them realizing just how drunk she was. Kūga could only smile, amused as he rose from his seat.

With a soft wave of his hand, he lifted Kenta and Sakuna with his Aether, guiding their still-sleeping forms gently down the hall and onto the bed in Kenta's room.

Returning to the dining area, Kūga turned to Hashirama.

"You'll need to carry your student to the couch," Kūga said, nodding toward Hiruzen, who was sprawled awkwardly on the table, his mouth slightly open.

Hashirama waved a hand, looking drowsily at Kūga. "Can't you just do it with your powers? If I use Mokuton, I'll probably end up breaking something…"

Kūga raised an eyebrow. "And you can't lift him physically?"

Hashirama gave a lazy grin. "I'm drunk."

Kūga sighed, his eyes shifting to Tobirama, who met his gaze for a split second before looking away, clearly wanting to avoid the task.

With a resigned shake of his head, Kūga lifted Hiruzen with Aether and carried him over to the couch, adding a pillow and blanket from Kenta's room to make him comfortable.

Hashirama and Mito made their way to Reifū's room, while Madara and Izumi claimed another. Kūga watched as they all settled in, his gaze softening as he took in the rare sight of his friends in such relaxed, carefree states.

He then turned to Reifū, extending a hand to help her up. She looked at his hand, a grin still playing at her lips as she made no move to take it, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Kūga let out a small laugh, catching on. "Okay, okay, I get it," he said with a smirk, bending down as she finally accepted his hand and stood up, swaying slightly.

Without missing a beat, he scooped her up in a princess carry, her laughter filling the room as she nestled against him. Turning to the others still lounging at the table, Kūga gestured toward the remaining rooms.

"Feel free to make yourselves at home," he said. "There are still a couple more rooms available."

They nodded, their laughter continuing as they clinked glasses for one last toast, while Kūga carried Reifū down the hall. As they entered his room, the lively sounds from the dining area faded, leaving a peaceful quiet to end the night.

.

So they did some naughty naughty stuff hehe...