She stood on her front porch, hand on her swollen stomach, the breeze making her white nightgown flutter gently. Her pale pink tresses were in a loose braid, trailing down her back, her lips pulling into a frown as she sighed.
It was natural to be nervous, right? This was her first child, after all...
"What's wrong, koishii? It's one in the morning, you should be sleeping." His hand settled on her bare shoulder,touching one of the thin straps that held up the diaphanous sleeping dress. His hand was slightly calloused, the rough skin making Sakura's ivory slightly-tanned skin tingle, emerald eyes slipping closed.
She hadnt even heard the door open, nor did she notice his quiet footsteps. But, that musky scent, a mixture of cinnamon and pine and something masculine, was purely his.
"I couldnt sleep. The baby has been kicking a lot. She'll be here, soon." Sakura's frown turned into a soft smile when her husband took her into his arms, his face pressed into the junction where her shoudler met her neck. He nuzzled her, hands resting on her stomach, rubbing absent-mindedly in circles. She leaned back against him, a feeling of security engulfing her as it always did when she was in his embrace.
"Let's go back inside, Sakura. We can cuddle until you fall asleep." The pregnant woman nodded, letting him guide her back inside the house. He always managed to calm her, and, somehow, also calmed the child inside of her. Maybe the unborn baby also felt the warmness, the security, and the assurance he bestowed upon those around him. Sakura blinked, her smile growing as she nodded. Yeah, that was it.
-
"What are little boys made of? Snips and snails, and puppy dog tails. That's what little boys are made of! What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice. That's what little girls are made of!" Sakura smiled as she sat on the porch swing, stomach now flat, white tank top spotted with different colors of bright paint, similar colors in her hair and on her cheeks, the tips of her fingers each a different color. A large purple spot was on the thigh of her light blue jeans, probably from the grape juice that morning.
"Okaa-san! What are you made of?" The young girl that had been singing asked, not looking away from Yoshiko, the large German Sheppard she chased. Sakura grinned, glancing over at her youngest daughter.
The three-year old was sitting in the middle of their yard, bright pink curls pulled into pigtails as she held a sippy cup of milk in one hand, a the arm of her teddy bear clutched in the other.
"I'm made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Is that what you're made of, Kotone?" The older sister nodded, stopping the chase as she looked up at her mom. Right as she did this, she was tackled by Yoshiko, causing Sakura to chuckle as the six-year-old pinkette squealed.
"Onee-chan!" The youngest quickly got to her feet, sippy cup and teddy still in hand as she hurried towards her sister.
"Save me, Katsumi!" Kotone exclaimed in between her laughter as she was licked by the lovable dog. Katsumi looked at loss what to do, so Sakura decided to help.
"Come on, Katsu! Hurry and get your daddy!" The little girl nodded, running inside to find her father.
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Help Onee-chan!" A few moments later, the befuddled father came out of the house, following by a smiling Katsumi. She climbed into Sakura's lap and the mother held her, giving the tattered teddy bear a brief pat. The dog was soon distracted by a thrown stick, and voila! Kotone was saved, clinging to her dad's leg as she laughed.
"Thanks so much, Otou-san!"
"Daddy's a hero!" Katsumi chimed in, and Sakura nodded, meeting her husband's amused gaze. They both smiled, the tall male reaching down to pick up the oldest child.
"I'll always save you. Okay, sweety?" Kotone nodded, grinning widely. Katsumi looked up at Sakura with wide, curious eyes as she asked,
"Is Daddy your hero, too, Mommy?"
"Of course. And, he always will be." the mother of two got up, putting the toddler on the swing before walking over to the man she married eight years ago. He put down Kotone, who ran to join her sister on the swing, and Sakura took his hand in her's.
"Let's go eat lunch. Even a hero like Subaku no Kankuro has to eat." And so, the Subaku family went into the house, each sitting at the table as they settled in for macaroni and cheese, fish sticks, and some watermelon afterwards. Later that night, with the children tucked into bed, the happy couple layed in bed, Sakura on her side, facing her husband. She smiled, reaching out, pulling him to her, pressing a kiss to his forehead as they snuggled.
"Sakura?"
"Hmm?"
"Sakura?"
"Yes, Kankuro?"
"SAKURA!"
Her eyes slowly opened, the pinkette staring at the ceiling, confusion taking over her features. She then realized where she was. Or, rather, what she was doing.
She was laying in bed, in nothing but her underwear and an oversized t-shirt, with her arms around a certain brown-haired Subaku's neck, the puppeteer's face barely an inch from her own. He was on top of her, arms on either side of her shoulders to keep himself from crushing the kunoichi, but other than that, they were against each other, the boy's face pink.
"...Kankuro?"
"Yeah?"
"...what's going on?"
"Well, I walked in, 'cause my sister told me to wake you up. So, I lean over you, like this, and all the sudden you grab me and pull me on top of you, getting all cuddly. And, then, you start talking and stuff, saying something about me being your hero. After that, well..."
"Well?"
"...you started cuddling."
"...oh."
"..."
"..." After a few awkward moments, the mortified puppeteer and equally-embarrassed kunoichi disentangled themselves, silently promising not to tell a soul. Once Kankuro had left, Sakura ran a hand through her hair, closing her eyes.
"It was all a dream..." But, she smiled slightly, sighing as she added,
"The best dream ever."