Sasuke slightly opens his eyes and looks over to his clock, reading 7:35 am. Who could possibly be awake this early?
"SASUKE-KUN! I NEED YOUR HELP HERE!"
Hmph? Who is that yelling out my name. And what do they want?
Naruto runs to the door and stands in the doorway, holding a small child in his arm, and two sets of footsteps follow behind, "Sasuke, I kind of need your help here. Would you mind taking Naoko and Sachi to school? I'm a little busy with Ainoshi, she's been fussing all morning and I don't know what about. I have a very important meeting with the Kage of the Sand, Gaara, haven't seen him in awhile, wonder what it's about. Anyway, Naoko and Sachi want pancakes for breakfast again, and Sachi is having his presentation and he says it's about you…"
"It's like parent's career day, papa," chimes in Sachi.
Naruto and Naoko turn to Sachi, "How come you didn't choose Dad for it? He's the hokage after all."
" Also, Sakura-chan said that she has the food pills you asked for?"
Sasuke sits up in bed, "Hmm right. The damn food pills. It's for the mission I'm going on tomorrow. Sachi… you didn't tell me about that presentation?"
"'Course I did, papa, last night at the diner. I mentioned it. Naoko was rambling about her science fair this weekend, but Dad already covered that," smiled Sachi.
How did I end up having three kids and the Hokage as my spouse? What went through my head when I said "I do" to Naruto ten years ago. He took a sip of his water sitting on the night table and smiled at Sachi, "Well then what's your presentation about?"
"It's about when Pain started the Third Great Ninja War and how afterwards Dad brought you back with all his love and strength."
Sasuke nearly choked on his water and Naruto almost dropped Ainoshi, "WHAT?" they both asked in unison. Ainoshi giggled for the first time all morning and started babbling, Naruto turned to walk away from the door, "Well, uh, I'll let you discuss this in private, Imma go get ready for the meeting, I'm taking Ainoshi with me, so you don't have to call Ino in to babysit.
Come on, Naoko, let's get you ready for school too. Konohamaru said you guys are learning the shadow technique jutsu?"
"Wait, Naruto. Aren't you gonna help me out here? He's your kid!"
"Our kid. He's mine as much as he is yours. I got the girls, you get the boy," smiled Naruto.
"Fine," mumbled Sasuke as he sat up on the edge of the bed, "So Sachi, why exactly did you choose that part of my lifetime to do your presentation on?"
"We're talking about the Hidden Leaf's history today, and Konohamaru-sensei told us we could choose any topic we'd like. And since I have the greatest parents in all Konoha who had amazing sensei's and were taught by two of the Legendary Sannin other that Grandma Tsunade teaching Auntie Sakura, I'm pretty sure you two had a great impact here. So I did some research and found out about uncle Itachi and what happened to the Uchiha clan, and the nine tails, and what Grandpa Minato did to save Konoha, but none of that sparked an interest in me. I was gonna cover when you brought uncle Itachi back but Shikage beat me to it. And Inodai is covering when you came back to the village and peace was restored once again. Come to think of it, Ino and Shika aren't all at that different as they claim to be. I beat Kaiya to the Third Great Ninja War, so yeah."
Sasuke sighs, basically today's the day where my kids find out I almost fucked up our village and they almost weren't born, great; "Right, so, why do I have to go?"
"Konohamaru-sensei said we'd have to bring a witness on such events. I'm not sure why. I'm pretty sure he lived to see most of the things that happened. But Shikage and Chojimai thought it'd be cool if I brought you instead of Dad."
"Wait, so you were planning on bringing Naruto instead of me? That's unfair."
"Papa, he's the hokage. He's the hokage for a reason right!" Sachi smiles, "Besides, you were a major part too and everyone rather see you. See your point of view."
Sasuke smiles and gets up, "Fine let's get ready, we have a presentation to give."
Naruto drags himself through the door, and Ainoshi yanks his hair, "baba, baba, p-pa…"
Naruto's eyes widened as he hears Ainoshi trying to pronounce "papa", he looks at the backpacks lying on the floor and realizes Sasuke and the kids are already home.
"Sasuke! Naoko! Sachi! Come here! Ainoshi is trying to say something!"
Sasuke is the first one to run out their bedroom and crashed on the floor trying to turn a corner, he quickly gets up and sits down next to Naruto.
"Pa...Pa...Baba...Paba.."
"Naru-kun," whispers Sasuke, "She's gonna do it! She's gonna say papa!"
Naoko and Sachi quickly follow behind and sit down on the floor facing their parents and baby sister. Sasuke takes hold of Naruto's hand and squeezes it, excitement shining bright in both of their eyes. Ainoshi giggles and looks at Naruto, "baba… baba… p...pap...papa!" Naruto and Sasuke yell with excitement, "She did it, Sasuke-kun! Our baby girl said 'papa'!"
"Oh my God, this calls for some Ichiraku Ramen!"
"Yay! Ichiraku Ramen the best! Thanks Papa!" say Naoko and Sachi as they run off to change.
Naruto turns to Sasuke, "You only said that so you wouldn't have to cook tonight, huh?"
Sasuke smiles sheepishly, "No, I know how much you love ramen… so yeah."
Naruto laughs, "As if I didn't know you, Sasuke-kun. We've been married for almost eleven years. I know you from head to toe. Inside and out," Naruto winks and Sasuke blushes harshly, "Naruto! Not in front of the baby! It's not like you're trying to have another kid, are you? I think three kids is enough, I'm happy with the family I have," Sasuke kisses Naruto lightly on the lips, "Let's go get some ramen, yea?"
"Sure, let's," smiles Naruto. How do I tell him we might have a fourth kid coming along?
After the Uchiha-Uzumaki family got home, Naruto went to bed as Sasuke was putting Ainoshi down in her crib. He kissed the twins goodnight and tucked Ainoshi in before heading into his room.
"How will I tell him? It's not like I can pop out of the blue and be like 'hey, we're having a fourth kid' it's not that simple," Sasuke approached to their doorway and froze in his steps as he heard Naruto talking on the phone, "I mean I didn't tell him about Naoko and Sachi until I was about six months pregnant! And Ainoshi? God, he had to eavesdrop on the conversation I was having with Sakura-chan. I mean, Kakashi-sensei, what do I do? He clearly feels good with just three kids. I don't want him to feel like we're going too fast. I mean yea, we've been married for ten years already but still..."
"Well," He heard his sensei start, "You can start by being less of a coward and confront him about it. Jesus, Naruto, you're the hokage! You should man up and tell him already, you already have a set of twins and a baby of four months. And if he's dumb enough, which I doubt, to not love your fourth baby, then Naruto, I'm sorry but he wasn't the one."
"Why you emphasize on four? What's that supposed to mean?" He could picture Naruto blushing.
"Let's just say you two have been keeping yourselves busy," Kakashi laughed.
"Sensei!" Naruto awkwardly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well, as much as I like hearing about your love life, I have to prepare for the mission I have tomorrow with Sasuke, Kiba and Shikamaru," Kakashi paused, "Also, tell Sasuke he needs to stop eavesdropping. Bye-bye now!"
"Wait what?" asked Naruto but Kakashi had already cut the line, "Ugh, what to do! I don't feel comfortable enough to tell him yet. I don't want to upset him. I love him and I just… it's so hard announcing it to him, Ino-chan and Sakura-chan made it look so easy, and when Hinata got pregnant with Kiba's sixth child, he seemed very happy," whispered Naruto, sitting on their bed with his head between his hands.
"Naruto…" Sasuke started, standing in the doorway, he decided to just play dumb and see if Naruto would just tell him they're having another baby.
Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin,"Sasuke-kun!", he turned a crimson color when he saw a very tired Sasuke standing in the doorway.
"Who were you talking to just now?" Sasuke sort of looked annoyed.
"Just Kakashi-sensei, nothing important. I was just wondering if he could train me on how to sort some foreign papers, that's it," Naruto shrugged looking down, he hated lying to Sasuke, but he didn't want to tell Sasuke just yet.
"Naruto…" Sasuke pried on, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
Naruto looked up, blushed when he saw his lover's eyes staring directly into his and violently shook his head no.
"Naruto, we've been married for ten years and a half, we have lived under the same roof for about twelve years and I've known you my whole life, I know you more than anything. I know when you're lying to my face and when you're being honest. So spill it."
"Sasuke…" Naruto paused, avoiding Sasuke's gaze completely, "it's just… I… I'm... "
Sasuke started to get impatient, "I'm, I have to do something early tomorrow morning so I'll probably won't be able to say goodbye to you before you leave on your mission," Naruto rushes.
He tried to kiss Sasuke, but Sasuke moved out of the way, "Fine, if you want to keep lying go ahead. I'm so done with you hiding stuff from me, Usuratonkachi." He picked up some pillows off their bed, got some blankets out of the hallway closet and headed downstairs. Naruto rushed behind him, "Dattebayo, what are you doing?"
"I'm sleeping on the couch, I don't feel like sleeping next to a liar tonight," he coldly stated before setting up the couch and laying down on it, "Don't bother saying goodbye tomorrow either."
Naruto was deeply hurt by Sasuke's actions, and he wanted to head down there and tell Sasuke the truth but he refused to let him know under these circumstances. When and if he told Sasuke, it'd be in a cheery, happy moment where the rest of the family was involved.
"Fine, if you wish that, then do it. We're too deep in marriage to be acting like brats and I will not stand this attitude from you, Uchiha Sasuke," his voice cracked with anger and pain, as he left Sasuke lying on the couch, feeling cold as ever, and headed up into their room.
When morning came, neither of them said a single word to each other, Sasuke made breakfast for the kids, while Naruto got them ready, but this time Naruto refused to eat breakfast with Sasuke around. Usually, they'd be all lovey-dovey and smiling but today, those two seemed so distant, as if they were strangers living under the same roof. It continued like that even after Sasuke came back from his 5 day long mission, all bruised up and hurt. Of course, out of instinct Naruto worried about his lover. But when Sasuke was brought home, they still refused to sleep in the same bed, but they'd exchange a couple of words like "your turn to take Ainoshi to Ino" or "Sachi and Naoko are ready for school, I'll take them" or "If you just hadn't lied in the first place, we'd be fine" or simply "don't talk to me".
Kakashi and Sakura had been over to their place a couple of times with their two kids, Saburo and Kaiya, and Kakashi's only son with Iruka, Nirako, and they had sensed the tense situation between the two lovers. They tried to help as much as they could, Sakura was giving Naruto one-on-one talks about confessing to Sasuke but Naruto still refused to do so. Their twins even begun to notice how hostile they had grown towards each other and it was affecting them academically. Konohamaru had to call both of the parents up along with Kakashi and Tsunade.
"Look, whatever is happening at home, Big Brother Naruto, I'm sure you'll work it out with Sasuke. But right now, Naoko and Sachi have been dropping their grades and Sachi isn't as cheerful as he usually is. I love those kids as my own nephew and niece and I don't want anything to go wrong between you two, but they seem to think you two are on a highway for divorce."
"You idiots!" yelled an angry Tsunade, "If you had only stopped acting so childish and took into consideration you're way too old for this and you have THREE kids who see what you two are doing 24/7 and who will always look up to you guys, maybe none of this would've happened. Rightnow, you cannot blame each other, this responsibility lies upon BOTH of your hands. So we're not leaving until one of you apologizes or at least makes an attempt to fix this."
Kakashi sighed, "Guys, come on, Naruto you know that call you did the other night? You spoke so easily to me, and I used to be your sensei. Sasuke is your best friend and your lover; you formed a family with him for a reason. Why is it so hard for you to tell him what's really going on?"
Naruto looked over at Sasuke with tears in his eyes, Sasuke refused to look at him. He couldn't look at those big blue, watery eyes because he certainly didn't want to break down in front of Kakashi, Tsunade and Konohamaru.
"Sasuke, look at me, please..." whispered Naruto, "Please, I don't want the kids to think we're getting a divorce. I love the life we have. I love the family we have formed, I love you. I don't want to lose you."
"Then why..." Sasuke's voice cracked, "why couldn't you tell me we were gonna have a fourth child, huh? Why was it so hard?" Tsunade, Konohamaru and Naruto gasped, "You know I love you so much, Naruto. It's really easy to just tell me. I'm your husband! I'm gonna be here for you! And don't come at me with that same thing you said to Kakashi-sensei, 'I don't want to upset him', Naruto! Naruto, I married you for a reason okay? I formed a family with you for a ton of reasons. Yes, I was happy with three kids, but this child, whatever it is, will make me just as happy. Because we conceived it. You and I, and that's all I want. You and our family is all I care for."
"So you knew!" Naruto screamed, tears streaming down his face, "All along you knew! And you dare call me a liar! You made me feel like crap in front of the kids and you couldn't even tell me you knew! I really thought I had messed this all up for us, but you did your part too!"
Sasuke and Naruto stood up, in perfect synchrony, "Yea, well at least I don't hide stuff from you all the time do I? You use that Hokage title to your own advantage! When you're tired of me, you say you're working late so you won't come home and deal with the problems you have at home with me! You avoid responsibility with me at all costs! You're a perfect father, Naruto, I just wish you were the perfect husband too," Sasuke cried with so much pain.
"You know what? Don't even bother coming home, if I'm such a bad husband, I don't see why we should be together. Konohamaru, I promise you Sachi and Naoko will start doing better in school, without You, Sasuke," Naruto stormed out of the room.
"Naruto, get back in here!" raged Tsunade.
"Naruto!" yelled Sasuke, trying to catch up to him but Kakashi stopped him, "Let me go, Kakashi-sensei I have to talk to him."
"He'll come back, I promise," Kakashi hugged Sasuke, and Tsunade let a tear slip down her face as she saw Sasuke break down into Kakashi's embrace, sobbing loudly.
So this is how it felt back then huh? When I left the Village, when I walked away from you all those years ago. This pain in your chest, not knowing if I'd really come back to you. Naruto…
Naruto stormed into their house, slamming the door behind him. He leaned back onto the door, closed his eyes and sighed, "Sasuke…" he whispered. Sachi and Naoko ran into the living room, "Daaaad! Pa-" they looked around to see if Sasuke was home too, "- where's papa?"
Naruto looked at his two little kids, looking like the perfect combination of Sasuke and himself, Naoko's hair being long and bluish-black, with sky blue eyes, and Sachi having golden hair with his papa's onyx eyes. His home had every scent of Sasuke and himself everywhere. There were tons of pictures of them all over the house, of their wedding, of their kids, of their family adventures, of their missions, of everything. He missed Sasuke. Not as a lover, not as a father but as a friend, as a lifelong companion, as his other half… "He'll be home soon," Naruto said with tears in his eyes, fidgeting with his wedding ring, "Now, I know Konohamaru left homework so go do that, 'kay?" Sachi and Naoko turn to look at each other and then at Naruto and slowly nod, returning back to the kitchen, where they had been waiting for them.
Sasuke had stopped sobbing by now, but he was still sniffling. He knew he couldn't go home, so Kakashi walked him over to Itachi's place. Kakashi knocked on the door and a very pregnant Deidara answered.
"Oh it's the copycat ninja, Kakashi, what a pleasure! How can I help you?" Deidara smiled, he turned and looked at a red-eyed, crying Sasuke in his arms, "Oh, come on in please, Itachi's making dinner."
"Who is it, honey?" Itachi's voice resounded, not looking up from the soup. When suddenly he sensed Deidara, Kakashi and a sad baby brother walk into the kitchen. He dropped his spoon and turned with his Sharingan activated, "What did that baka do to you this time, Sasuke?"
He rushed over and pulled open a chair for Sasuke and Kakashi, but Kakashi refused to stay, so he bowed and left them alone. Deidara said he'd be back, since their baby girl, Hatsu, had woken up crying. So it was the two Uchiha brothers left alone. Sasuke had calmed down a bit.
"So… what's wrong, Sasuke?" Itachi said in a low, comforting voice, "I'm your big brother, you know I'll always be here for you."
Sasuke started sniffling again, "I… I just don't want to lose him, Nisan, I love him so much. He's the only one I can rely on. He's my family, and we have three beautiful children. But I'm just tired of him hiding stuff from me. I don't hide stuff from him do I? I mean, we're going to have a fourth baby, and…"
Itachi abruptly interrupted him, "Wait what? You're going to have a fourth baby! That's so good! Congratulations, what's so bad about that?"
"Yes, I know it's good news, if I had been the first one to know about it. Everyone knew about it but me. Sakura and Kakashi knew. Hinata and Kiba knew. Ino even knew too. Except I. And I'm the father of that child. I'm tired of Naruto hiding our pregnancies. I just want to be a mature couple, obviously I'll never leave him, but I'm not so sure he feels the same, Itachi. The kids think we're going to get a divorce, and by how hostile the situation seems to be getting, it looks like we're heading there. It's been weeks since we last slept in the same bed, and he practically kicked me out today. I just… I don't want my family to break apart," Sasuke sobbed.
"Ototo…" Itachi desperately hugged Sasuke in his arms, not knowing what to say. After a few hours, Itachi finally convinced Sasuke to go back home, he even offered to walk him home, but Sasuke said he needed some time alone, he had grown aggravated with everyone trying to comfort him. As Sasuke was walking home, he passed by the Hidden Leaf Village's cemetery. From within he heard an awfully familiar voice float through the air. His curiosity got the best of him as he went in and found Naruto crying on a grave.
"I don't know what to anymore, Iruka-sensei. I wish you or Jiraiya were here with me, but Jiraiya is off on some mission right now. I don't want to lose him. You know how much he means to me. But it seems he's grown tired of me. Everytime he thinks I'm working late, he gets angry but he doesn't know I'm here with you or with mom or dad. I miss you guys so much. I miss when you'd be here, helping me out. Why? Why'd you go off and die! It's all my fault, I shouldn't have sent you out on that mission! I'm so sorry, Sensei. I am truly deeply sorry. I hope someday you or Kakashi will forgive me. I hope Nirako understands what I have done to you. I'm so sorry. I know deep down Kakashi still misses you deeply. You were his first love after all. As Sasuke is mine. Our kids think we're getting a divorce, can you believe that?" he kind of laughed, kind of sobbed, "I don't want my family to fall apart. I love Sasuke so much. I just don't know how to tell him anymore. I mean, he already basically knows. But I wanted to be the one who told him in an amiable environment. Where all of our friends, and family were there. In somewhere where the love was felt, where it's all happy. But I think he's going to file a divorce. I don't want that!" Naruto cried, pain present in his voice.
"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered to the back of his lover, he reached out and touched his shoulder. Naruto jumped and saw Sasuke standing behind him, with tears in his eyes, "Sasuke…"
They instantly hugged each other and sobbed into each other's shoulders. Sasuke was the first one to pull away, "I love you, Naruto. I don't want us to fall apart. I know this isn't how a father is supposed to find out he's going to have another baby, but please… let's just put all of this behind us. Please… I didn't know you were here all those night when you'd come home late. I really thought you would leave me soon, and I was so scared because I don't want our babies to grow without a family. I don't want to lose you, you're my other half, without you, I'm incomplete. Naruto, please… please…" Sasuke cried uncontrollably.
"Sasuke, ai, I would never leave you! I thought you would be the one leaving. I miss you so much Sasuke. I miss holding you at night, having breakfast with you. Your scent is everywhere in the house. Sasuke… I love you so much. Please come back home. Please never leave me again. Please…" Naruto leaned down to kiss Sasuke, and tasted the saltiness of their tears mixed with the sweetness of each other's lips. After a few minutes had passed by, and they had calmed down, they talked things through. After a long day, they finally headed home to their sleeping kids and after two weeks, finally slept in the same, warm bed as they always had.
After the two lovers had left, Kakashi jumped down from the tree he had been resting on. He walked over to Iruka's grave and leaned on his grave, looking up at the stars, "Guess it all really works out in the end, huh, Ru?" a tear streamed down his left eye, "God, I miss you so much. Nirako does too. He keeps wondering when you'll come back from your mission. He's so young, Iruka, why'd you leave us? And why'd you take our baby with you? If Naruto had known you were carrying another baby of ours, I'm almost certain he wouldn't have sent you. You were like his father, and he keeps blaming himself over and over and he apologizes non-stop to me and Nirako. Ru, you're still in my heart. And there's not a day that goes by where I don't miss you. Nirako is a spitting image of you, and it breaks me so much seeing our only son grow without a father. He keeps wondering why he doesn't look like me or Sakura… and I don't know how to break it to him. Ru, why?" Kakashi's left eye had blurred as his eye overflowed with tears, "Iruka, I love you. Rest in Peace, my love." He kissed his index and middle fingers and pressed it on what read Rest in Peace to a beloved friend, husband, father and sensei: Iruka Umino and then glanced at the name under Iruka's, And in remembrance of the unborn Ikaki Hatake-Umino. His walk home was solitary, and as he passed by Naruto and Sasuke's house he saw two figures kissing each other and saw Ainoshi in Sasuke's arms. He wiped his eye and he looked up to the sky and saw Iruka smiling down on him, wind blew onto him and Kakashi just knew everything would be okay, there would be a day where Nirako would know the truth about his origin and his other two kids, Kaiya and Saburo, would love him just the same. He knew Jiraiya would come home safely to Tsunade's open arms and he knew Itachi and Deidara's daughter and son would grow up healthy. He knew all the kids in Konohamaru's class would grow to be fine shinobi, just like Iruka's class had. He knew Sasuke and Naruto would have an everlasting love, and their family would be a great one, the lineage of Uchiha-Uzumaki would be continued. He knew the day would come where Naruto came to terms with the pain and guilt he carried because of Iruka's death. But most importantly he knew the day where his pain subsided and Iruka's death would be nothing but a simple goodbye, he knew Iruka would always be looking down on him and Nirako. He knew his love for him would never falter, and he knew everything would one day fall into place; where it belonged.