Here in the UK it is Mothering Sunday [March 22nd] I know other parts of the world have it on different dates e.g. US have it on May 10th. So this is a fic inspired by the fact it is mother's day.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Warning: slight SasuNaru at the end

--- --- --- --- ---

The noisy hum of children's chatter filled the classroom, the children sat around tables throughout the room. Each table filled with various materials such as card, paper and felt, pots of glue and glitter were also dotted around ready for use. One of the pots of glitter had already shared its contents with the table, caused by a straying hand of one of the 7 year old children.

The teacher smiled as he placed a box of scissors on each table. "Okay children you may now start, now remember you can do anything you want, you can make a card or a picture or anything else you can think of. Make it wonderful present for your mothers, after all it is Mother's Day this Sunday."

A happy chorus of "Yes Iruka-sensei" was returned to him as hands grabbed for materials, to begin on their work. Only two children made no move for the activity, one started down in his lap, his blond bangs covering his blue eyes slightly, which nervously took peeps at what the other children were making. The other, a complete opposite, he sat calmly staring out of the window, paying no attention to the class, an air of arrogance seemed to surround him, as if he were too mature to be playing around with glue and glitter. Iruka frowned slightly at the two, he knew why they didn't join in, some of the other kids knew also, but most just didn't understand.

"Iruka-sensei" he turned to the voice of the blonde haired boy, his adopted son Naruto.

"Yes Naruto?"

"What should I do?"

A pink haired girl from Naruto's table looked up from her glitter attacked card and giggled "Don't be silly Naruto; we're making cards like Iruka-sensei said" She reached out to pick up an orange piece of card and set it in front of him "You like orange right?"

Iruka smiled slightly at this "She's right Naruto, you can still make a card, or anything else you want"

Naruto's smile brightened then fell "But my mother? I don't-"

Iruka placed a hand on Naruto's hair and ruffled it slightly "If you want we could take it to her, she would love it. Or you could make a card for someone else who is special to you."

The boy smiled "Can I make one for you Iruka- sensei?"

"Dobe"

Naruto turned to the black haired boy and somewhat bane of his existence; they were forever getting into fights and had been put in timeouts with each other constantly.

"What Sasuke-teme?"

Sasuke turned his head to face Naruto "You have to wait till father's day to give Iruka-sensei a card, he is a man, not a woman"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at him, it might have looked aggressive if he hadn't had pouted also. "I'll make him a card if I want to"

Iruka saw the starts of a fight beginning and decided to step in before things escalated out of hand. "Sasuke, stop provoking Naruto, he can make a card for whoever he wants. And same goes for you too Sasuke, you can create whatever you want."

Sasuke folded his arms and replaced his gaze to out the window "I don't want to create anything. Mothers day doesn't mean anything anymore anyway; it's all just a way to make profits nowadays"

"Teme, you will do what Iruka-sensei tells you to."

The other children stopped their work to watch the two; they could all tell a fight was going to break out.

Iruka placed his hands on Naruto's shoulders to prevent him from jumping out of his seat and attacking the other child, his son could be so quick to anger, especially by Sasuke.

Sasuke sent one cool glance to Naruto "Tch, dobe"

Suddenly Iruka hands were touching nothing but air, as Naruto leapt over the tables knocking himself into the boy who had antagonised him and insulted the authority of his adoptive father. Sasuke was knocked out of his chair as the boys started grabbing at each other and wrestling on the ground. Iruka shouted desperately for the boys to stop as the class cheered on at them. Finally Iruka pulled them apart and hauled Naruto into his arms, who was still kicking and flailing his arms while yelling insults at Sasuke, who by now had stood himself back up.

Iruka put Naruto down and turned him to face him "Naruto what have I told you about fighting! How many times do I have to repeat it to you?" He pointed at Sasuke to come closer, then dragged them both to an isolated table in the back of the classroom. "And you Sasuke, I don't know why you like to see Naruto all riled up, but I expect better of you"

They both sat down at the small table opposite each other, both with their arms crossed and looking in opposite directions as Iruka began giving them materials for their craft assignment.

"Now you two are going to get along with each other and make something, a card or picture of anything for anyone, just make something, and no more fighting. Understand?"

The two children gave a grumbling sound which he took for an agreement "good" he left them to supervise the other children, who had already gone back to their works of art despite the earlier interruption.

Naruto and Sasuke turned to face each other then quickly turned away again once they caught each other's eyes.

After much bickering of 'you started it –no you started it' conversation they both ignored each other and occupied themselves in their tasks, Sasuke resumed staring out the window, not bothering to create anything. While Naruto immersed himself with making cards, cutting out pieces of felt and gluing on sequins and bits of glitter, one as he has stated previously for Iruka, and the other for his mum.

Sasuke broke out of his gaze to look at Naruto's card, confused as to why Naruto was making a card for his mother, when Sasuke knew Naruto had also lost his parents.

"Dobe, why are you making a card for your mother?"

Without looking up from his work he replied "Because I want to make something special for her when I visit her on sunday"

Sasuke was intrigued "Visit? But she isn't here anymore?"

"I can still go see her"

"How, where?"

Naruto looked up shyly at Sasuke "In the cemetery, that's where I go to see her"

Sasuke almost scoffed at this, the idea was ridiculous, Naruto continued. "You should go see your family sometime, so they don't think you've forgotten all about them. I bet your mum would love a gift."

Sasuke's eyes hardened "Dobe, don't talk to me about my family, just get on with your stupid cards" to his surprise Naruto let him be and asked no more questions, in fact he didn't even talk to him for the rest of the day.

--- --- --- On the Sunday [Mothers day] --- --- ---

Sasuke kept his face blank as he walked through Konoha, he had really chosen a bad day to leave his house, despite the fact that he really needed to get out of it, even for just a day. Visions of happy families surrounded him, children with their parents, being especially attentive as thank you for their great mother's day gift. He bit back the loneliness he felt as the family outings continued around him; once or twice he would see the look of pity in some of the mother's eyes, which just made him angrier. Oh that poor poor boy, he doesn't have a mother to look after him, let's take pity on him and try make him feel better. Sasuke snorted at this, what a way to pour salt into the wound, by giving him a glimpse of what he could never have. He couldn't have his family anymore; he couldn't give his mother gifts at Christmas, on her birthday or, on Mother's Day. No more giving her, her favourite flowers and seeing her smiling face as she laughed and took him into her arms for a kiss.

He continued his walking till he came to a flower shop, the lady at the counter smiled at him as he made his purchase, asking sweetly if they were for his mother and if he would like a card for it. Sasuke remained blank faced as he paid and left, she obviously didn't know about his family, and was one of the very few who didn't in this city.

He found himself walking to a place his hadn't been since the funeral, a place he swore he would never go again, surprised at himself how easily he was going because of something an idiot had said to him.

Before he knew it he was knelt down in front of his mother's grave, he traced over the lettering 'Mikoto Uchiha' tears sprung to his eyes as he remember her, the newly bought Japanese quince fell from his grip, a brilliant red contrasting with the pure white of the headstone. And that young boy did which he had not done since his family died, he cried.

--- --- ---

"Sasuke-teme?"

Sasuke sat up suddenly, his legs cramped from being knelt down for so long, he wiped the tears from his eyes to see the person who was trespassing on his mourning, of whoever had seen him so weak.

His eyes widened ever so slightly to see Naruto, the dobe was sure to use his act of weakness against him in their next fight.

"Are you okay Sasuke?" The young boy sat down next to him, slowing reaching out to brush away Sasuke's dark bangs and wipe away tears which still accumulated on his cheeks. Sasuke didn't trust him and knocked away the hand.

"What are you doing here dobe?"

Naruto gently held a card he made in his hands "I'm visiting my mum, she's over there" he pointed and Sasuke followed, his eyes came to rest on a headstone.

Now he remembered. "Oh"

"I'm going to give her the card I made, like I said I would"

Sasuke sneered, still feeling vulnerable for been caught like this. "Tch, dobe, your mum can't accept it, she isn't here, she isn't alive anymore, and neither is mine."

Naruto smiled softly "But she is, I can still talk to her, just because she isn't physically here doesn't mean she's not watching over me, your mum too. You don't have to forget her and shut her out."

Sasuke glared at him, "You say a lot of stupid stuff dobe"

Naruto just smiled and stood up "I'm going to see my mum, then me and Iruka-sensei are going for ramen, do you want to come too?"

Sasuke turned his head away "Dobe" Naruto sighed and went to his own mother's grave, leaving Sasuke thinking.

A while later Iruka was surprised to see a happy Naruto dragging a grudgingly looking Sasuke behind him. "Iruka-sensei! Sasuke-teme is coming for ramen too!"

Sasuke's face twitched, as if he had smiled for just a moment, and Iruka beamed at them. "That's great Naruto, I'm glad you're joining us Sasuke" Naruto turned his smile on Sasuke, and try as he did, he couldn't help but smile back.

--- --- --- 15 years later --- --- ---

Sasuke stood once again in the Konoha graveyard, a branch with flowering Japanese quince grasped gently in his hand. The wind blew through his hair as he sighed softly, coming to visit his family's grave was no longer a forbidden thing for him, he sometimes visited them on their birthdays or even just to talk, but he always came for Mother's Day, with a branch of his mother's favourite flowers.

He sat down in front of the grave and ran his fingers lightly over the words, as he had done so many times, "Hi mother, it's me Sasuke, just wanted to say 'Happy Mother's Day'."

"Hey Sasuke!"

Sasuke turned his head toward the shout, he smiled as he saw a blond man running towards him, he quickly came over to him, sitting down next to him and placing a quick peck on his cheek.

"Heh, always late aren't you dobe"

Naruto stuck out his tongue at Sasuke before turning to the grave "Sorry Mikoto-san, didn't mean to be this late"

Sasuke smiled at his dobe as he chatted to his mother "Hey dobe, have you been to see your mum yet?"

Naruto turned to him, "Not yet, I just thought I'd drop by here first" he turned back to the grave "Okay Mikoto-san, I'll leave you two alone, I've got a visit to make for myself."

He smiled at Sasuke "See you in a bit Sasuke, I need to show my mum the card I made her"

Sasuke smirked at the card Naruto had made; his craft skills hadn't much improved in the past fifteen years "Overdose on glitter much?"

"Well I like it; it gives it a nice touch"

Sasuke ran his fingers through Naruto's hair which led to a falling of glitter "Yes it also gives you a nice touch, at least now I know why you were late, putting finishing touches on your mum's card."

Naruto stood up and placed a finger to his lips "Shh, don't tell her that" He gave the still seated Sasuke a quick kiss and then travelled thought the graveyard to his own mother's grave, before sitting down. Sasuke smiled at his dobe, and turned back to his mother's grave.

"I hope you like the flowers; again, I know they're your favourites but sometimes I wonder if I should mix it up a bit." His eyes strayed to his blond who was talking animatedly with his own mother, then back to the graves in front of him. "I know I've told you this before, but I really do owe everything to him, he's changed me for the better, if it wasn't for him I might have shut you out forever for fear of being weak. We're really happy together, and I couldn't ask for anything more" A rare smile graced his lips as he touched the headstone one last time.

"Happy Mother's Day, I love you"

--- --- --- --- --- --- Owari --- --- --- --- ---

Sure it's after midnight, but whatever, I was busy. Please drop a line and tell me what you think

^_^