Ibiki’s eyebrows rose, too, but not because of anything Tsuma was doing. He hadn’t even spotted her yet, distracted by her huge, black familiar, wearing a pink rhinestone eyepatch, a gaily striped party hat, and trailing a bright green feather boa, who was trotting up, head high and single ear pricked forward.

“Niisan is so in ANBU,” Idate declared hotly. “He’s got the tattoo and everything.”

Ibiki pried Kiba loose. “Happy birthday,” he said. “This is your mom’s familiar, right? He’s very... uh... decorative.”

Kiba gave the dog, who was strutting proudly, tossing his head so that the boa ruffled, an uninterested glance, then launched himself at Ibiki again, trying to scale the tall man. “Show, ‘em, Ibiki! Show ‘em your tattoo!”

Idate took a step closer to his brother and reached up for Ibiki’s left arm. “Yeah. My big brother is too in ANBU. ANBUs don’t have to wear their uniform all the time, right, niisan? ‘Cause they have their tattoos.” He made a valiant attempt to reach Ibiki’s sleeve.

“Yes, I’m part of ANBU, just like Kiba’s mom,” Ibiki said. He pushed the sleeve of his t-shirt up, revealing the red swirl indelibly inked on his left biceps. “Does she wear her armour all the time?”

“Nuh-uh,” several children chorused.

“What about your moms and dads who are ninja, do they have to wear their uniforms all the time?”

There was a fresh series of denials.

“My mom wears a dress sometimes,” one little girl offered.

“My dad has pajamas for night, they have bears on them,” said another child.

“Are your parents still ninja when they’re wearing dresses and bear pajamas?”

“My dad doesn’t wear dresses,” someone protested. But there was a general consensus that even out of uniform, a ninja remained a ninja.

“Come on, you gotta see my cake!” Kiba declared, putting an end to the discussion. He grabbed for the hand Idate wasn’t holding and tugged Ibiki towards the other adults.