Title: Present
Rating: T (because it may be considered a tiny bit explicit for the queasy)
Genre: Angst/General
Pairings: Past SasuNaru
Summary: When his daughter asks him whether or not her father really is dead, he won't let himself let the subject drop.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters; I just use them for the plot bunnies that continually bother me.
WARNING: This drabble contains spoilers for the movie Premonition, as well as implied SasuNaru.
Naruto hugged them both close, searching out that heartbeat he knew instinctively was there. It soothed him in a way he had experienced before with only one other person; Sasuke.
Sasuke, who he had known since college. Sasuke, whose nicknames were as demeaning as his attitude toward him. Sasuke, whom he had somehow fallen in love with. Sasuke, who had died only a day ago.
Sasuke, who was his husband.
One of them twisted away, and he let that one go only half a foot, not willing to lose another piece of his family. Sarel didn't move farther than that, and he waited for her to speak.
"Daddy," She started, tilting her head. He tilted his head in an awkward response, noticing her eyes were pink and swollen from crying too hard. "Daddy... What was Dad's death like?"
Naruto straightened his neck, pursing his lips as he considered. He looked down, flinching a little as he imagined the possibilities. The autumn-colored leaves crackled underneath his knees as he moved closer to her. William moved back in response. "I-I don't really... know, honey. I wasn't there." He lifted his eyes to her again, his head tilted in apology.
She stayed still a moment, watching him, unsatisfied. She pursed her lips in a pout, making the situation feel a little surreal. It almost felt as if she were just disagreeing with him about a chore arrangement. "But then how do you know he's dead?"
William gave her a bewildered look, but Naruto's eyes slowly widened as hope filled him.
They made their way toward the church, walking slowly. Sarel and William both held loosely to his hands, eyes downcast as the thunder rumbled above them.
A movement caught his eye and Naruto looked up and around to see a long black car pulling in next to the church. A determined look seeped into his eyes and he pulled Sarel and William around and thrust their hands out to one of his friends.
"Take them." He hissed. He shook their hands as Sarel and William looked around at him, a little hurt. When Shikamaru gave him a bewildered look, he forced both the children's hands into his and turned to stalk off to the black car.
One of his friends followed behind him, anxious.
One of the people greeted him as he strode up, a smile on her face unbefitting of a woman in the funeral business. "Hello Mr. Uzumaki, I'm sorry we're late, we're just about to bring the cascet in."
He ignored her, striding up to the two men opening the trunk. They didn't spare him a glance until he spoke. "Open the casket." He said, his voice tight as his throat clenched with bright hope. The men looked up at him from where they were slowly easing the casket out of the trunk, innocent confusion lighting their young faces.
The woman turned a tight-lipped stare on him. "I'm sorry sir, but we can't-"
He gave a loud sigh, his teeth grinding and mouth frowning. "Open the casket." He said more firmly.
Gaara came forward, sliding his hand around his wrist and pulling him back. "Naruto, I don't think you should-"
"Open the casket!" Naruto shouted, wrenching his hand from his best friend's grip.
"Sir," She shouted, eyes flaring, "We cannot allow you to look-"
"OPEN THE CASKET!" He hollered, and both men holding the casket started, and the casket slipped from their grip to the ground. The polished top slipped off with a bang and something flew out.
It landed with a stomach-rolling bang, plop!
Naruto shrieked, turning around and turning back almost immediately, his eyes landing on the thing with a morbid curiosity and a sick dread. Gaara grabbed onto him, yelling at him, an arm thrown around his chest, pulling and pushing him back while Naruto shrieked and twisted, desperate and unwilling.
A jacket was thrown over his cause for distress, and both boys hurried to shield his view of it as they picked it up carefully and moved it back into the casket.
Naruto continued to scream, yelling for something he knew would never come back but had hoped would never leave.
Later on, as Naruto carried Sarel up to bed, holding onto William's hand unfeelingly, his drifting mind was brought back to earth when Sarel brought her comfortably warm head out of the crook of his neck. She looked up at him, eyes searching his face, but he didn't look back at her.
Finally she spoke, slowly. "Was Dad there?" She sounded so hesitant, so dreadful; Naruto didn't want to look at her. William lifted his head, watching silently, needing the answer yet not desperately wanting it.
Naruto stopped, swallowing, gripping William's hand almost painfully and loosening it several times before he could gather the courage to look down at his daughter. His throat tightened painfully and he choked on his words as tears filled both children's eyes. "Yes, honey. Yes he was."
The End.
This has been posted on my LJ, lonely, for a while. Hope you enjoyed.