A/N: Something quick, cute, and a change of pace! I wanted to see if I could capture a somber and more mature Sasuke. Also, I've never written a toddler before (I didn't grow up around babies or have younger siblings, I'm a twin) so I wanted to try my hand at it. Plus, the Uchiha's are my favorite family in the Naruto universe! So here's something cute and fluffy for all you Uchiha shippers!
"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother"
-Theodore Hesburgh
Summary: It is said that the soul is healed by being with children. A small peek at a moment between Sasuke and baby Sarada on a quiet night. Fluff. R&R.
Sasuke had been alone and sleeping in his bed, when all of a sudden he heard a soft whine from down the hall.
He rolled over in his dry, airy sheets and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
She might still be asleep, he thought quietly. Yes, she had merely woken herself up and would settle down again momentarily. Unfortunately, the whine came again, accompanied with a hiccup that foreshadowed the beginning round of tears.
Sighing, Sasuke heaved himself out of bed, sitting on the corner for a moment. His daughter, Sarada, was two years old, and often woke up in the middle of the night. They had been trying to wean her from sleeping in their bed for the past two weeks; it simply seemed that Sarada wasn't ready to take that step yet. Checking the clock on the bedside table, blaring red digital numbers formed the time.
Three-thirteen a.m.
Running a calloused hand through his inky hair, Sasuke stood and exited the bedroom Sakura and himself shared, and padded down the hall. He stopped at Sarada's door, quietly pushing it open.
There she sat, dark round eyes similar to his own staring around the lowly lit room with watery tears. Smooth layers of jet black hair covered her small head, stopping just around her ears and the nape of her neck. She didn't have enough to style yet— much to Sakura's exasperation—but she looked so much like Sasuke as a child that it was striking.
Sarada was working herself up to another distress call, but paused when she saw her Papa standing in the doorway. Grabbing the railings that lined her crib, she shakily stood on chubby legs and gurgled at her father. When he did nothing but look at her, her fat cheeks reddened. She screwed up her face to cry again, bouncing up and down impatiently.
"Sarada." Sasuke's rich voice rumbled.
She stopped at her name, blinking up at him in wonder, shining tear droplets clinging to her long lashes.
Sighing again (that's all he seemed to do these days), Sasuke pushed himself off from his leaning position and strode to her crib. He slipped strong hands underneath her armpits and lifted effortlessly.
Sasuke halted when Sarada began to fuss, kicking her small feet against his stomach and pointing to her cradle.
Oh. The stuffed dinosaur.
Shifting his daughter to one arm, Sasuke bent into the cradle and retrieved the beloved plushie, handing him to Sarada. She cooed happily and crushed the doll against her face.
"Hn, you keep waking me up little, one. I guess you miss Mama too?" He murmured softly.
At the mention of 'mama', Sarada planted a pudgy hand on her father's tired face and pushed off, nosily looking around with wide eyes to see where she was.
Pulling her hand away, Sasuke let out a throaty chuckle, "She's still gone. She won't be back from her mission for two more days."
Turning back when her father spoke, the child dropped her head into Sasuke's shoulder, knocking his chin in the process. She tucked her arms underneath herself for good measure. Apparently, she was still sleepy. It was three, almost four a.m.
When he went to lower her back into her cradle, she cried and clung to him; he simply rocked her for a few more moments and tried again, only to receive the same results.
Tears gathered at the corner of her almond shaped eyes as she sniffed in her Papa's arms, and Sasuke sighed for the umpteenth time that night.
"Okay, but this is the last time you sleep with me, hm? And you can't tell Mama."
Remembering to grab her pacifier, Sasuke made his way out of her room with Sarada dozing peacefully on his shoulder, shutting off the light and closing the door with a soft 'snick'.
A/N: Cute? Yes? No? Please review! I feel like a terrible writer when you guys don't! T.T
-n a y a