Naruto One Shot for One Shot Contest

Please Stay

"Dinner time!" I called out catching everyone's attention as they stopped doing whatever they were doing. All except for a young boy with spiky black hair and matching eyes. He was the youngest of your children and the one who looked the most like their father and not only by looks, but on the inside as well.

"That goes for you too, Yukio" I told him making him look at me with large eyes.

"But okaa-san, I wonna wait for otou-san" he told me. I felt my chest got heavy as a sad sigh escaped from my lips. I walked over to him and pulled my youngest close to me, stroking his hair lovingly.

"We'll never know when he get's home, sweetheart. It could be tomorrow, in a week, or by next month"

Or never… I thought sadly, not wanting to upset him buy telling him the harsh truth it was that his dad might never come home again. "So come on, let's get inside and have some dinner"

Closing my hand around his smaller one, we walked inside where the others were already eating. Once we sat down 5 people were sitting at the table chatting throughout dinner, all but two with black hair and eyes, my oldest and myself shared the same golden brown eyes that I had inherited from my dad.

"Okaa-san, could we get some new clothes for me before we're placed in teams?" the oldest, Masaki asked looking over the edge of his bowel, having just prated it from his lips. His long black hair fell in front of his shoulders and his bags got into his eyes, he didn't mind however being used to it.

Masaki had just graduated at the academy and had recklessly walked around impatiently waiting to know who were gonna be his team mates and to meet his new Jounin sensei.

I still remembered back when I had graduated in the Village Hidden in the Mist,, it was well past the time where we'd have had to kill other students, which was a good thing seeing as I had been one of the weaker ones back then, only having a little more than my smarts. What irony it was, I became the best of my year.

Over the years I got stronger and passed both the Chunin and the Jounin exam before my 5th year as a ninja.

That was when our team had been given i that /i mission…

I looked at him knowing that he really needed some new clothes, the ones he had were worn and patched up a little, but being a lone mother, most of the time anyway, and not living inside the village meant that we didn't have that much money.

"We'll see what we can do about it" I told him, thinking about where I'd get the money from because Masaki should have his clothes, they all should so why not when I was already at it? Besides it weren't very often they ever asked something of me, so when they finally asked for something I'd do my best for them to get it, especially when it was something useful such as clothes, kunai, and what else a young ninja might be in need of.

Though all of this would have been so much easier if their dad had been here too. One thing is to be a large family, another thing is to be alone to provide for it.

If he dared dying on us, I'd kill him my bloody self, that is if I could ever make myself do that. I couldn't back then so why would it be any different now that I've given birth to 4 of his children?

Back then I'd never have guessed that I'd fall for the man I was supposed to kill, or that I'd betray my team, friends, family, my entire village just to be with him.

I had had him cornered; my team was taking care of his allies. I'm positive that I'd have been able to kill him if it hadn't been for the night before. He had accidentally walked in on my in a hot spring close by and despite what people had told me about him due to this mission, he was kind and helped me cover myself up by lending me his shirt until I had redressed myself properly in the bushes where I had left my clothes. I don't really know what happened afterwards. I returned his clothes and then we just stood there in an awkward silence, well to me it was anyways he didn't seem bothered at all. None of us spoke or even tried to, not that I'd have been able to even if I had wanted to, we just looked at each other and for quite a while might I add. That was how it felt like that anyway.

And then without warning, he leaned in and whispered into my left ear, 3 short yet powerful words to be spoken to a girl, no matter who's saying them.

"I like you" there was no emotion in his voice, but the words still shocked me and echoed in my head, and before I realised it, he was gone.

I remember the walk back to the camp, never have I been so confused, I kept telling myself that he only had been messing with my mind, or that I had just bumped my head while bathing in the hot spring. There was no way in hell that he could have both said and i meant /i it. Besides I couldn't fall for the enemy just because he had told me that he liked me, not even if he actually did, which I highly doubted.

But when I stood there, ready to deliver the final strike, after a short, almost absurd battle where he did nothing to defend himself, he didn't even have his Sharingan activated, not even once, he whispered those 3 small words again, this time barely a whisper, but still as emotionless as the first time.

That was when it happened, the thing I had sworn I'd never do. I dropped my kunai and walked away, leaving my team mates looking with shocked expressions and a few seconds later, when they realised what had just happened they started yelling in protest or called out orders for me to come back and finish what I had started.

But I kept walking and that's why I'm able to sit here at the table, enjoying a simple dinner with my 4 beautiful children, waiting for him, the love of my life, to come home, to join us. So I can't really say I regret anything, not that I do, I'm not one to regret things. It's not like I can change anything anyway even if I had wanted to.

I'd fear for the time he'd have to leave again, as he always did. I understood him, I really did, but I'd just whish he'd just stay home and be with me and the children. I'd miss him the moment he leaves by embrace after giving me a tender kiss as a goodbye and I knew the children missed him just as much, maybe even more, but I was happy, the children were happy, and, even though he wasn't very good at shoving it, so was he.

Dinner ended and the twins Akina and Akira cleared the table before they went into their room to do whatever they were up to, you could never really tell with those two, but judging from the contents of Akina's bag they were working on some minor explosives. It might sound bad, but really it was no big deal, if they should be so unlucky that it exploded in their hands, they'd only receive a few burns. Besides the small almost unnoticeable explosive notes they were making were only used in their pranks, so you had decided to look through fingers with it.

Masaki went outside probably to pace around or train as he usually did, while Yukio went into his room after his book and then sat down at the table again and started reading. He was a smart one, always studying so that he'd be the best in his class when time came, just like Masaki, his dad and I were. I take it, it was something that ran in out blood on both sides of our family, not that that was a bad thing, no not at all.

When I was done with the dishes I sat down at my usual seat at the table where I started to think about how I'd get the money to give the children some new clothes. I could always get myself a night job, but I weren't so sure if that was a good idea. I worked at the hospital as a medicinal ninja during the day and that took quite some energy, and I wanted some time with the children too.

Well there was always one place I could get some money, but I'd never make myself ask him for some, even though I'm more than sure that he'd gladly pay for everything I'd ever need if I asked him to, but I couldn't do that. I didn't like taking advantage of Naruto and it does feel a little wrong when the Hokage's asking "how high?" when I ask him to jump.

Speaking about jumping, I nearly did when Yukio rose from his chair so fast making it overturn and ran outside as fast as his small legs could possible carry him. I wondered about his sudden activity and change in mood for a moment and was about to call out to him when I heard him yell outside.

"OTOU-SAN!! YOU'RE HOME!!" that made me raise from my chair and go to the door that Yukio had left open in his hurry to get out and welcome his dad.

I didn't even notice when my lips started slightly curving as I watched Yukio hug his dad tightly around the legs, burring his small face in his waist. His dad, who looked like an older version of his youngest son, ran his hand over his head a couple of time with a rare, loving look on his face before he picked him up and carried him back into the kitchen, where his black eyes fell upon me.

He put down our son, who hurriedly ran into the twins' room to tell them that their dad had come home, before they'd all climb out of the window to find Masaki in the usual clearing where they'd have a hard time coming in contact with him. He was always deeply concentrated whenever he was training, even if it wasn't serious, but when they've finally made contact, after convincing him that it wasn't some kinda joke, they'd all be rushing home to greet their dad.

"Welcome home" I told him, still with the small yet all saying smile playing on my lips, making him give me a genuine smile in return, which was also a rare thing, making me cherish the moment even more so.

I went close to him and hugged him around the neck as he sneaked his arms around my waist, hugging me back. I rested my head in the crook of his neck, taking in his scent, how I had missed it. His voice, his warmth, his scent, everything about him, and even his bad habits. The last part scared me a bit from time to time.

"Good to be home" he said as he gave me a sweet kiss. His kisses were always, which was very surprising. When you looked at him you'd expect his kissing to be controlling and demanding, but they weren't, they were as sweet as candyfloss and I craved for them and his touch.

"Good to have you home, Sasuke" I said as I kissed him one more time, as if to ensure myself that he indeed was here, that he had returned. Part of me still wouldn't believe my own eyes.

There was something different about him, I couldn't quite place it, but he seemed even more satisfied than normal when he returned. However before I got the change to ask him the children burst through the door and literally tackled him to the ground and seeing as he still had his arms around my waist, he took me with him in the fall.

After a touching reunion and a cosy evening everybody went to bed. Sasuke and I were lying on the bed. I could feel his breath on my neck as he was resting his hand on my stomach, lightly caressing it with his thumb. As he started placing small kisses on my skin I turned around and looked him in the eyes.

"Something happened when you were gone, tell me" I said. At first he looked a little surprised, then a little slightly irritated from being disturbed in what he was doing, but then a weird look of relief fell upon his face before he pulled me close, burring my face in his chest.

"We have nothing to fear from i him /i anymore…" was all he said as he ran his fingers through my hair. His answer saddened me a little, knowing full well what he meant and yet, despite that it had been on such a high price, a small hope started growing in me, a hope that Sasuke might stay home now.

Just maybe.