This work is inspired by Troublesome Hormones by naruko75 of fanfiction . net, give it a read I absolutely recommend it!
"So should we hook up then?" Naruto wasn't even looking at Shikamaru, and she had a playful if a bit bored expression on her face.
The phrase was said in an impulse, and it was half a joke. Both knew it, and somehow, they ended up considering it. They shared a look and after an awkward silence that lasted for minutes they both tentatively nodded.
After an awkward long second it was Naruto who took the initiative, as always. She walked until she was in front of Shikamaru and leaned until their lips touched. Though war veterans they were, neither of them had had their first kiss - Sasuke didn't count for Naruto - so the kiss was clumsy and awkward at first. But the more they kissed the more confident they became, until a passion they didn't know existed in them took over. The blonde straddled Shikamaru and took control of the kiss with ease, and he let her. Like with everything else in his life, it was easier to just follow Naruto. From kisses on the mouth they passed to kisses on the neck and next thing they knew Naruto had her mouth around Shikamaru's penis.
Her mouth wasn't skilled, but it was hot nonetheless. Shikamaru was panting from the moment she made him orgasm. Then she was making him hard again, not letting him recover and before he knew it she was riding him on the ratty couch of her apartment. That night was followed by many others.
There wasn't love between them or anything like that. Just lust, passion and mutual loneliness that attracted them together. He was in love with someone who wanted to focus on her career and didn't believe in long distance relationships. Naruto was, as she always has been, starved for attention and love, and any kind was welcomed. She loved the feeling of being wanted, of being desired, it made her more confident in herself.
For both of them this was an outlet, a way to cope with their problems. Nothing more, nothing less. They left their friendship out of this, and keep it a secret. To everyone but to Sasuke, who found out when he walked in to them on an embarrassing night he decided he wanted to spar with Naruto at two in the morning -not that it would have been the first time he broke in her house for that purpose.
They were always careful about this, they always performed the jutsu flawlessly, so Naruto didn't understand what came out of Sakura's mouth. It just wasn't possible. It shouldn't be. But it seemed that Uzumaki's not only had healing, vitality and life spans beyond everyone else. They were extremely fertile too. Enough to override the standard contraceptive jutsu, and why the fuck had nobody cared enough to say that to her? And why had Sakura looked at her with an incredulous face and blurt out.
"You aren't a virgin?" Now that annoyed Naruto a bit, was she that ugly? She scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. Sakura must have read her mind because she lifted her hands in front of her chest in a placating gesture, an apologetic expression on her face as she quickly explained herself. "It's not that you're ugly or anything! You're really gorgeous! It's just that I didn't think you were interested in that kind of things, you never told us any of this either so… Anyway, who's the father? What will you do?"
Naruto scowl lessened as she let Sakura's words sink in and for the first time since she heard the news she realized what this meant. She panicked. Her breath quickened, her eyes glazed with tears, she started to scratch her forearms, drawing blood -an old habit of hers, she hadn't done it in years but old habits never die completely. What is she supposed to do? She didn't want to give up on her career! And Shikamaru- Oh god Shikamaru! He would panic too, and he would be forced to marry her and she didn't want to spend the rest of her life in a marriage without love and with growing tension for each year they're together because for a stupid mistake he had to give up on the love of his life and fuck what is she supposed to do.
Sakura was on her in an instant, she grabbed the blonde's shoulders and shook her a bit, repeating her name until Naruto listened. Snapping the other out of her near panic attack. Naruto breathed, trying to even her respiration. After a few long minutes of just Naruto's ragged breathes interrupting the silence she succeed and looked up at Sakura, who had a worried expression on her face.
"Thanks," She managed to croak.
Sakura nodded, still visibly worried. "So… what are you going to do? Who's the father?"
'Who's the father.' She knows the answer of course, and she was about to reply, but she ends closing her mouth without making a sound. She frowns and thinks. Does she really want to tell everyone her child is Shikamaru's? The answer startled her. No. She didn't want anyone to know. She didn't want to get married to him, she didn't want their friendship to turn into veiled resentment, didn't want her child to grow up in that kind of home. She didn't want Shikamaru, who she's sure didn't want either, to be the father. But he is, and will always be, biologically at least.
She sighs and shakes her head. "Not now, Sakura." At seeing her friend open her mouth she looks at her pleadingly. "Please, just drop it." Sakura jaw tenses but nods anyway and leaves the room.
Naruto sighs again and goes to her home. She found Sasuke leaning against her door, waiting for her, no doubt to ask her to spar. But he took a look at her face and gestured to her to open the door. She complied and once both of them were inside, a mug of tea in their hands he spoke. "Spill it, what happened?"
Naruto never had secrets with Sasuke, Sasuke was family in a sense nobody else has ever been. Not even Sakura and Kakashi, Sasuke was her best friend, her brother. He knew everything about her, every dirty and embarrassing secret, and she knew everything about him in return. She was the only one he let read him like an open book, and she soaked in all his secrets and emotions with understanding and open arms and she's the only one he ever dared to let himself be vulnerable around. So the thought of lying to him never crossed her mind and before she registered she muttered in a numb state the words that will change everything forever.
"I'm pregnant."
He looks at her, raised eyebrows morphed in a frown was the only sign he gave that expressed his shock. "I thought you took precautions."
Naruto sighed, looked at him, and exploded. "WE FUCKIN' DID BUT APPARENTLY WE UZUMAKI'S ARE WAY TOO FERTILE FOR THE NORMAL JUTSU TO WORK AND WE SHOULD HAVE USED A SEAL BUT NOBODY CARED ENOUGH TO TELL ME CUZ APPARENTLY NOBODY EXPECTED ME TO EVER HAVE SEX AND FUCK I'M PREGNANT SASUKE! AND I KNOW SHIKA DOESN'T WANT A CHILD OF SOMEONE HE DOESN'T LOVE WHEN HE'S STILL TRYING TO GET TEMARI TO LOVE HIM AND I DON'T WANT TO BE THE REASON FOR HIM TO GIVE UP ON HIS LOVE AND I DON'T WANT US TO GET MARRIED AND LIVE RESENTING EACH OTHER I DON'T WANT THAT FOR MY CHILD EITHER AND FUCK I JUST DON'T WANT SHIKA TO BE THE DAD AT ALL!" She ended the yell with a strangled sob, her elbows on her knees, her hands clutching the sides of her head in desperation. She looked lost and desperate and it made Sasuke to want to kill the Nara.
Sasuke looked at her with a contemplative face, and said the words she never thought he wouldl ever say to her. "So don't make him. Have someone else to be the father of your child."
Naruto looked at him with an incredulous stare. Did he really think it was that simple? "And who the fuck would be willing to do that Sasuke?" She retorted, her voice dripping sarcasm and a bit hysteric.
Sasuke didn't miss a beat. "Me."
She stared. And stared. And stared. And decided he had actually said that.
She couldn't help it. She laughed. It wasn't one of her typical joyful smiles, it was a hysterical and desperate laugh. "Really Sasuke?" She said between laughs. He merely nodded. She sobered up after that gesture, and couldn't believe she was actually considering it. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized it was her best option. She could trust Sasuke with her life, and with the life of her unborn child too. They loved each other in a brotherly way, Sasuke didn't love anyone else and won't resent her, not if he had offered himself for this. And she could actually imagine herself living her life alongside Sasuke. Not in a romantic way. They will never be lovers, but they would always be best friends. They were already a family, being parents together will only cement that. Both were alone, both loved each other even if not romantically, both desperately wanted a family. It was her best chance. She sighed and looked at him with a determined expression. "The catch?"
"We will have at least one child that's biologically ours." And he actually grimaced, no doubt at the necessary prospect of having sex with his sister.
She grimaced too but nodded. "I can do that. Would be awkward as hell, but as long as we never talk about that once we're done with it I'm good." Sasuke nodded and Naruto sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I suppose it's a good thing Sakura finally got over you and moved on, this would've destroyed her no doubt."
Sasuke grunted. "She really loves that Chunin."
"She does! He's good for her too!" She grinned happily for her friend. Then looked at Sasuke with a determined expression. "Okay so, I don't want anyone to know. Shika will discover it no doubt, but he won't want anyone to know the truth either so we're good. I'm thinking we should make him the godfather, so he could have an excuse to be close to our child if he wants to and all, what do you think?" Sasuke grunted his acceptance, it was enough for Naruto. "'Kay, everything decided then! So let me tell you this, I won't give up on my career!" She pointed a finger at Sasuke, a serious expression on her face and fire on her eyes.
He snorted. "Never thought you would. We'll take turns to take care of our child, so we can switch on missions."
She clasped her hands together, a bright and delighted grin on her face. "That's a GREAT idea! I LOVE it! Now all we have to plan is the wedding! Oh I'm the last of the Uzumaki clan, so don't think I'll ever drop my last name! I'll be Uzumaki-Uchiha Naruto! And so will our first child! The second will be Uchiha-Uzumaki, sounds good?"
He grunted again, never having expected anything else. She wasn't someone he could dominate, and he didn't want it any other way.
They spent the rest of the evening making up a story. Everyone knew they had a strange relationship, so nobody would be suspicious about them having a child together. They decided to not try to behave like other couples, they weren't normal anyway and they didn't want to feign all their lives. And finally the wedding. Naruto was two months pregnant, so they decided to marry next month. There was no better moment than the present and none of them thought there was a point in waiting for Naruto to start showing belly. It would be a hassle to find a dress for a pregnant woman elegant enough for a wedding and comfortable enough for Naruto's standards.
Once everything was ready they started packing Naruto's things. It wouldn't do any good to have her living alone now that they knew she was pregnant, and Sasuke was determined to take all responsibility. He owed Naruto that much, and she was his best option to restore his clan, he won't treat the future matriarch of his clan with anything but the utter respect she deserves.
When all Naruto's things were accommodated in Sasuke's house, he went to search for something he had seen his father show him and Itachi when they were both little kids. He came back with the traditional Uchiha engagement ring, the one the clan head had given to the future matriarch for generations even before Konoha existed. The ring itself was an artwork, silver surrounded a round ruby with three small obsidian tomoes, a replica of a standard sharingan made of gemstones. He personally put it on the fourth finger on her left hand and kissed it, as the tradition dictated. Naruto cringed and Sasuke barely repressed his own cringe out of pure will, but he didn't regret doing it. If they were going to do this, they'd do it right, with all the traditions. If that meant a lot of awkward and uncomfortable moments then so be it, he knew Naruto understood.
Naruto in return took out a sealing scroll where she had put the things that belonged to the Uzumaki clan she had brought back from Uzu's ruins - and from the other nations, who gave her back what was rightfully hers. She spreaded the contents on the floor and rummaged through them until he found what she was looking for. She took a ring with a red garnet circle and a silver swirl on it - the Uzumaki emblem - with a triumphant expression.
Before he knew it, she took his left hand and put the ring on his fourth finger, kissing the ring and managing not to cringe in the process. This time was Sasuke who couldn't help but cringe. That was awkward as hell, but he knew that it was also tradition, Naruto had told him every last bit of information she found about everything related to Uzu no Kuni and the Uzumaki Clan. Traditions were not an exception, even marriage ones. And contrary to popular belief, Sasuke actually listened to Naruto's constant blabbering. That's why he knew that the Uzumaki clan was matriarchal, and that the engagement ring was indeed made for the fiance, in this case him. He smirked. This could actually be fun, mixing both clan's traditions.
The reactions were mixed.
They decided to organize a dinner at the Uchiha house. It took hours of convincing but at the end Naruto managed to convince her fiance that they had to, in the name of traditions, and wasn't it funny that it was her out of all people who was advocating for traditions? They hadn't told anyone about the reason for the dinner, and once everyone was full Sasuke brought one of the finest sake he - they - had. At Kakashi and Tsunade's raised eyebrows he answered the unspoken question.
"We are celebrating," he said indifferently as he put the sake on the table and sat down next to Naruto.
"Oh? I knew there was something else hidden here, you would never throw a dinner just because. What it is?"
"Yeah! What are we celebrating?"
Sasuke opened his mouth, but Naruto beat him. "I'm pregnant!" She said with a bright and wide grin on her face, arms outstretched on the air for dramatic effect.
Everyone but Sakura stilled, shocked at the news.
Iruka was trying to understand that his cute, sweet, innocent student wasn't so innocent as he thought she was. He had never expected her to not be a virgin, and for her to be pregnant at her age. Granted she was nineteen already, soon to be twenty. But still, in his mind she was way too young for this.
Kakashi wasn't faring the news very well. He had never expected this. It amused him a bit that the first one who will form a family from his students will be the one he least expected it from, but it also made him worry. What will Naruto do now? Will she give up her dreams? That didn't sound like her at all. He supposed she will find a way to be Hokage and a mother at the same time. And knowing her, she will do great in both things.
Shikamaru felt like his life was crumbling. There was no way out of this, he will have to marry Naruto instead of her and raise a kid he didn't want and fuck Naruto could've at least told him in private, to let him get used to the idea that his life was ruined.
And then someone asked what everyone wanted to know.
"Who's the father?"
Naruto's grin widened. "Why, my fiance here of course!" She proudly displayed the Uchiha's engagement ring while her other hand took Sasuke's left hand and showed it, giving everyone a good view of both their rings. Sasuke remained impassive, not really caring for their reactions. Even after all this time he just sincerely cared for three people's opinion on him and he knew both Sakura and Kakashi won't have a problem with this.
Just as Naruto thought, everyone's shocked faces were fun to watch. But the most priceless was Shikamaru's. The face of shock and the flash of utter relief that crossed it for a second before he hid it made Naruto want to take a picture. The Nara made a discrete signal that he wanted to talk with her after this, she gave him an almost imperceptible nod in return and Shikamaru forced himself to relax and smile lazily at them.
After the first seconds of shocked silence Kiba laughed, he laughed so hard he fell to the floor. Ino followed and soon almost everyone was laughing or at least chuckling. Once they regained composure Kiba was again the first to speak. "Who would have thought that you two were shagging!"
Ino butted in. "True! Both of you looked so… asexual! It's really a shock you two were banging each other!"
Everyone nodded, Iruka took his turn to ask a series of quick questions about Naruto's health and pregnancy that both Naruto, Tsunade and Sakura answered the best they could and then he asked something everyone wanted to know. "So… now what? Will you keep being a ninja?"
Naruto scoffed. "Of course I will! Having a child won't stop me from being Hokage!"
"...But how would you do it? I mean you have to take care of your child, right?" The moment Kiba saw Naruto's expression he knew he had said something he shouldn't.
"Oh? And why is that? Am I a single mother or what? You think Sasuke's just a decoration here or what?" Her voice was steadily rising, becoming more and more high pitched, making almost everyone flinch. "Well he isn't! And he has the same obligations as me! Don't know about you Inuzuka's, but we Uzumaki's are a matriarchal clan! So IF ANYONE HERE SHOULD BE STAYING AT HOME RAISING CHILDREN, THAT SOMEONE SHOULD BE SASUKE!" She ended yelling, startling everyone. Sasuke gripped her shoulder and she sighed, leaning back on her chair, having unconsciously leaned towards Kiba while speaking. She kept talking, calmer this time. "We will take turns to stay at home, one month worth of missions each.
Tsunade, and everyone present, nodded approving at the idea. "That's an excellent idea. Must have been difficult to convince Sasuke, Naruto."
Naruto smirked. "It was Sasuke's idea to be honest." She laughed at everyone's incredulous expressions. "The bastard knows I won't give up on my career, I won't be a submissive wife and he won't want it that way either. He loooves me the way I am~" She ended with a playful grin at Sasuke, who scowled but said nothing in return, just glared at her in something only she recognized as embarrassment. Naruto just smiled innocently at him in return.
The rest of the evening they answered questions in the most vague possible way. Fortunately they bought it, and Shikamaru was impressed on the level of thought they put to this. They weren't faking being all lovey dovey, which was probably for the best. And they actually made a good couple, he was starting to believe they could actually love each other in a romantic way.
When everyone else left he stayed there. A serious expression on his face.
"So… the child…" He didn't want to complete the phrase for fear of the answer.
Naruto looked at him with a tired and serious expression. "Yeah, it's yours."
Shikamaru's shoulders slumped, he had had a small hope that it was actually Sasuke's. But still… "So… you're not going to make me marry you?" He cursed himself at how hopefully he sounded, that was rude for Naruto.
Luckily for him, she didn't take that as an insult. Naruto snorted. "What for? To make us resent each other? Make my child grow up in a house without any trace of love or even friendship between their parents? No thanks."
He flinched at the blunt truth, and nodded grateful. He was a coward. "I… thanks."
Sasuke looked down at him and Naruto shook his head, an unreadable expression on her face. "I didn't do it just for you, but for me and more importantly, my child too."
Sasuke spoke, an indifferent expression on his face. "Our child will be in good hands." He narrowed his eyes in a threatening way, sending the barest amount of killing intent, putting Shikamaru on edge. "And I don't need to tell you what will happen if you ever let the fact the child is biologically yours get known to even just one person, Nara."
Shikamaru nodded, knowing Sasuke was dead serious about his threat and taking note on the fact Sasuke said 'our child' like he was perfectly comfortable with the idea. And speaking about that… He fidgeted and looked at them, uncomfortable with what he will ask, knowing he had no right to do so. "Yeah. But… I know this is too much to ask but, could I, you know, have a place in the child's life?" He asked more out of obligation than another thing. He felt he should be part of the child's life, even if small.
Sasuke sneered at him and Naruto smirked, both saw through him but chose to say nothing, Sasuke deemed him so beneath him to bother and Naruto did it out of kindness. Something that made Shikamaru grateful even through his shame. "You'll be the godfather." Naruto's voice was serious, yet filled with kindness.
"Godfather." He let the word roll experimentally on his tongue. Godfather of his secret first biological child, eh? He supposed he could with that responsibility. So he nodded, expressing his gratitude on his face and left the house quickly, wanting nothing more than to disappear from their sight.
Even when Naruto's understanding but a tad sad smile, and Sasuke's disrespecting sneer will haunt his dreams for years.
Even when, years after that, he will look at his and Temari's first son and think of his actual first born. The one who was a secret. The one who he had abandoned. Even if he still took care of the child from time to time, he was just one of the child's uncles. Hatake Kakashi and Iruka would fill the role of substitute dad for the child more than himself. And even when, much to his shame, he doesn't regret his decision at all, he will still felt perpetually guilty. His failures and fears came to meet him each time he sees any member of the Uzumaki-Uchiha -as Naruto calls it, or Uchiha-Uzumaki, as Sasuke calls it- family.
He doesn't cut ties with any of them, but he knows both Sasuke and Naruto know what he sees when he sees any of them. Neither of them force him to face them, and let him stay a coward. Let him spend only the minimal amount of time with the child he's supposed to as godfather - of the secret child he never wanted, the one he abandoned, the one he keeps abandoning - and even less time with the parents, just enough to not be seen as rude.
He both resents and loves them for that.
He swore he wouldl never tell anyone. And that includes Temari, his now -finally- wife. If he is honest with himself -something he rarely lets himself be- he won't ever tell her, even if Naruto would let him. Because he is a coward. And he doesn't want to face Temari. Doesn't want to think about what would have happened if he had married Naruto instead. Doesn't want to think if he would have ever come to love her or if they would actually grow to resent each other and their - no, not theirs, Naruto's. He lost the right to say it was his child the moment he let the Uchiha say he was the father with gratitude - child in turn. Doesn't want to think on how he most likely would have ended as a househusband. Because there was no way Naruto would have stopped being a kunoichi and even the thought of argue with her about it felt too troublesome to care.
So he doesn't think on any of that. Expect for when he sees that family. When it's time for his self imposed monthly visit to the child that he should regret not having raised and to that cursed compound that screams Naruto and Sasuke and a happy life that will never be his and he hates himself for how grateful and relieved he is for that fact.
He is a coward, he knows it, the Uzumaki-Uchihas -at least the parents- know it. But they're the only ones.
And he lives in fear that someday someone would discover the truth and he will be forced to face everything he has been avoiding for years. He lives in fear and he can't help but resent Naruto a little. He knows it's stupid, and he knows it makes him a complete asshole. But he sometimes needs to put the blame on someone else and Naruto is so easy to blame for all this mess, even when she was the one who managed to pull him out of it unnoticed. But she lives a perfect life without the fear of being discovered because neither she nor Sasuke have anyone who would scorn at them, because they did the right thing.
It was him who lived with fear, because he knew he had fucked up big time. And Temari would be disappointed, and his son would be disappointed. And he knows his late parents are disappointed in him. Choji would look at him with that stare and Ino would yell at him for hours before stop and deem him not worth it and Iruka would yell at him even more and Kakashi would try to kill him and the elders of his clan would deem him an embarrassment for the clan and- And. And. And. He would deserve it all. But he didn't want any of that to happen.
He didn't want to face the consequences of his actions, and he hated himself for that a bit. Because he still doesn't feel any regret for anything more than having sex with Naruto.
He lives in fear. He is not happy about it, but he hides it well and he's happy enough with his life with a family he truly loves even when he will always be on edge. He is a coward, and even after years of trying to feel regret he can't bring himself to feel it when he sees his first - official - son. Even when the boy reminds him to his first - not his, theirs - child, he sees the son he had decided to raise, the one he truly loved - because he had never managed to love that child, and he hated himself for it - and doesn't feel regret for any of his actions. Because in his twisted way, he is happy.
Sasuke had known since the moment he made his decision that it would be the decision that would allow him to be the happiest he could ever be. And he was right. It was impossible to not be happy with the ray of sunshine Naruto was. Someone who was his family, someone who would give him the biological family he had craved since that night and help him with the restoration of his clan.
An equal, someone he couldn't dominate even if he tried. Someone he loved, granted not as a lover, but he knew he would never love someone that way and Naruto was the person that understood him the most. The person he loved the most, the one who would never give up on him, no matter what. The one who will be forever by his side. And he would go through hell for her.
He knew Naruto felt the same, so it was only natural for them to make things official. He would have probably suggested this deal when they were thirty and still single anyway, child or not. But this worked perfectly too, less questions.
The first month they are together as an official couple feels so natural to both of them it's surreal. The news of their engagement spread like wildfire over all the continent and they spent the month busy with the wedding preparations. All the Kages are invited of course, and Sasuke knew they would come. They loved Naruto, everyone loved Naruto, the difficult thing was to not love her.
The wedding day came quickly and to this day was one of Sasuke's most precious memories. They followed both Uchiha and Uzumaki traditions. They exchanged rings as both clans demanded, made their mutual vows as the Uchiha demanded and danced the ceremonial Uzumaki dance with all the grace a month of practice would give. By the awed expressions of their audience he would think they succeeded.
The months of her pregnancy were filled with Naruto's constant morning sickness and mood swings and her craving for strange combinations of food at the least convenient hours. Even though most of the time she wanted to go buy them by herself Sasuke had sworn to be by her side the whole process and that included this. So he stopped her and went himself to buy and cook all she could possibly need, and as time passed and she started to feel more and more tired she fought less and less with him over these little things. But she also felt frustrated.
She was far too independent for her to be comfortable with how many things she needed Sasuke's help for now and that angered her. So she yelled at Sasuke, she screamed and cried and insulted him. And Sasuke being Sasuke didn't hesitate to scream back and they end up yelling insults at each other at three in the morning over stupid things. But that was their thing, it had been since they were in the Academy.
So they yelled and screamed and insulted without a care if they hurt each other's feelings, and after they had stopped bickering both would feel more at ease and work with each other instead of doing the things their own way. It was eccentric, but it worked and their children became used to their parents' constant bickering with the ease that the practice gave. They knew it was nothing serious, and the way they would smile at each other seconds after insulting each other would only cement that belief.
The moment Sasuke saw the child. Who fortunately had inherited almost all of Naruto's genes - it wasn't a surprise the powerful Uzumaki and Namikaze genes had overpowered the Nara ones in an overwhelming way. But both Sasuke and Naruto felt grateful about it nonetheless, less questions - only having his biological father eyes that could easily pass for Sasuke's. He knew that he would love her with all his heart for the rest of his life.
Because he already did. In the months Naruto had been pregnant he had slowly started to love his daughter, and seeing her now. Looking at him with wide and impressionable eyes, so frail and small made his heart constrict and his throat to tighten. He knew that moment that he would die for this child to be happy, the same way he would die for Naruto's happiness. Sasuke smiles. He had a daughter.
Naruto had never been this happy. Not when she received her hitai-ate from Iruka, not when the ninja and villagers acknowledged her, not even when she managed to drag Sasuke back. But this moment. The moment when she saw her first daughter's face after she came out of her - her vagina was stretching so much, what the fuck she still can't believe this is happening, Sasuke's nervous pacing and embarrassed and awkward stares didn't help at all - she knew that she couldn't love anyone else more in the world. The same way she now knew that she would love her second child with the same fierce intensity.
And then she saw how Sasuke took his just cleaned daughter. Saw him smiling and she knew, without a trace of doubt, that Sasuke loved his daughter the with the same intensity that she herself loved her. She knew that the both of them would gladly die for her to smile and be safe and happy. She saw Sasuke's face and saw the father of her child, her companion for life, her - if she's caught feeling extremely sappy - soulmate. Her most precious person - though now he shared the spot with their daughter. She saw all these things and couldn't be more grateful, because she knew that Sasuke - her husband - hadn't done any of this out of guilt or obligation. It wasn't because he felt indebted with her for life and would follow her to hell if she so wanted him to, and even if she didn't want him to.
No. He was there. Completely willingly, because he wanted a family and couldn't think on anyone better to start one but her. And deep down, she knew that she couldn't think on anyone else who could be the father of her child, there's nobody else she would want to marry. Because her love for Sasuke wasn't something that could be overpowered. She loved him in a way she couldn't love anyone else, he was her partner of life, someone who will forever be by her side and help her go through things.
The love she felt for her daughter, if just as overwhelming, was different. She loved Sasuke as her brother, as a platonic soulmate - the sappiness was the hormones' fault - as the father of her child. She would die for Sasuke to be happy. She knew Sasuke knew, the same way she knew Sasuke would die for her too. Because there wasn't someone over the other in their relationship.
They were equals, and she wouldn't want it any other way.
Thanks to my amazing beta Darkwoods!