Sacrifice and Surrender

30: Eventful

"Good morning!" Sakura sang brightly, waltzing into Hashirama's office like it was her own.

He looked up from his paperwork, slightly startled at her sudden and joyful appearance. He hadn't had time to see her since the anniversary three days prior and was just now seeing the changes his brother had noticed about her when they'd met the day before. She was, in many respects, lighter. Her countenance, her hair, her eyes, her smile.

"Good morning, Sakura," he said.

She was smiling widely at him, with a cheekiness he rarely saw in it, and he found it impossible not to smile back.

"You seem positively delightful today."

"I am, I am," she said with a nod.

The slightly distracted look in her eyes caused him a moment of concern.

"Is there something you need?" Hashirama prompted.

Sakura turned her gaze back to him and hummed hesitantly.

"Can I have my personnel file, please?"

He frowned at the request. "Yes. But why?"

"It needs an update," she said, smiling brightly again.

Hashirama reached into the bottom drawer of his desk, deactivated the seal that hid the false bottom to the draw, and removed Sakura's file with a sense of curiosity. He passed it over to her.

"So what updates, exactly?" Hashirama asked. An idea struck him. "Have you mastered a new jutsu?" He questioned with excitement.

Sakura laughed. "Do you really think I have time for that?"

She shook her head and opened the file, swiping a pen from his desk to write in it. She quickly scribbled something down and then thrust the paper in his face, grinning, though with a little shyness this time. His brow furrowed as he skimmed over it, looking for the additions she made, and then cried out in shock, horror and then excitement.

"Really, Sakura?" His eyes shone with anticipation.

"Really," she blushed and nodded.

"Well."

Hashirama dropped her file, bounded up around his desk, and scooped her into a hug. She let out a huff of air in surprise at his sudden outburst, but Hashirama spun her around with some excitement and she laughed and squealed in surprise.

"This calls for a celebration!" He declared loudly, as he put her back down on her feet. "I can't believe you kept this from me for so long!"

As Sakura straightened her clothes and shrugged in response to his outburst, hasty footsteps came from all directions to the door and Hashirama beamed at the people who appeared.

"Lord Hokage, is everything all right?" A harried aide asked.

Madara brushed past the aide and swept into the office inside while the aides stepped back. Hashirama grinned at him.

"You never said a word, you sly fox," Hashirama said.

Madara frowned and glanced between the two of them, and it dawned on Hashirama that he didn't know. He turned in surprise to Sakura who was looking at him sheepishly.

"No one knows?" He asked her suspiciously, though he was not-so-secretly glad to be the first to know.

Sasuke Sarutobi and Kou Inuzuka walked by and stuck their heads in, and Kou grinned sharply.

"What's going on, little Nara?" Kou asked, his voice loud and mirthful. "Got a secret you wanna share with the rest of us?"

Everyone looked at her with interest, but Hashirama was unable to contain his excitement and cut her off before she could speak.