8:30 am

"What are you putting it down as?" Sakura had asked Tsunade, as Tsunade picked up her inkbrush to annotate Sakura's file.

Tsunade had raised one thin eyebrow. "Early pregnancy loss."

Sakura knew it was stupid, but she still breathed a sigh of relief.

The problem was, though... that after the, say, third time, you had to start calling it what it was. You started to slip out of the normal bracket of statistical probability and into that other place, the place for women who had repeated miscarriages. And you had not only start calling it that- miscarriage- but habitual miscarriage. And Sakura was only 18, she was in perfect health, her husband was in blazingly great rude health as usual... so what the freaking hell?

But she didn't want that word on her file. She didn't want it, it would start to sound like a life sentence. Habitual miscarriage. Fuck. She avoided saying it to Naruto too, she didn't want to freak him out. Not while he was dealing pretty well. Not like she didn't know his over-acted front of cheerfulness down to the letter by now.

But she had been planning to not think about it much, because that would make it seem less real. They'd keep trying. They'd have kids if they had to strangle the Kyuubi to do it, or go in for some more aggressive sealing. Sakura had already had this conversation with Naruto, the 'do you suppose the fox is involved' talk, and hell... Really.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Tsunade-sama had said, after the second one. "You're completely healthy."

"The fox." Naruto had said, his eyes turning distant sky-blue, his thoughts turning inward for a rare second. "That would be his style all the way, all right, but.." he'd glanced at Sakura, questioningly.

Oh hell, she supposed there could be genetic problems with the spermatocytes, maybe the Kyuubi raked his claws through the delicate stages of meiosis. With a demon coiled up in Naruto's belly, angry and captured and with a whole body available to mess with, it really could be anything.

It really was something too, living with a demon. Having a demon in her marriage. She was so used to Naruto that she managed to forget for an astounding amount of time, but still. A demon. And, anyway, it didn't really have anything to do with the thing with Hinata. Maybe Sakura was turning into one of those uncontrollably horny pregnant women. Or, at least, she may have been, but whatever, the estrogen hung around for a while. Three days ago. Eight weeks. Dammit.

She really had been half-planning to blame it on the pregnancy hormones. But maybe it really didn't matter, maybe everyone was a bit bisexual around the edges There was something to the way Naruto said Sasuke's name, too, and he admitted it freely. The heart and body were linked up tight in him, the Kyuubi knew no particular polite emotional law. Naruto barely remembered to be ashamed, really. And they both liked Hinata. Maybe they liked her as something just a bit more then a friend.

Maybe they should have wined and dined her, more then they already were. Courted her, done it properly, given the whole village a big new juicy rumor to chew over. Anyone else, and they might have done it. But Hinata wasn't just Hinata, she was Hyuga Hinata, and they had to tiptoe around her father. And her family. And her, her delicate feelings and their own baser instincts, even if Sakura knew that all they wanted was happiness for her. To just share the happiness.. why wouldn't that work? There would be tangled feelings and things could get bad, but they could carry that. They were all tactically trained, surely they could make this work.

Sakura thought it through and squared it with her conscience. It would be Hinata's choice. They'd go as far as she wanted. Hinata's family would never allow an open relationship, Sakura didn't even have to bother asking about that one. But she thought that her parents wouldn't kick up much of a fuss. Her mother liked Naruto and Hinata both. So why not? No good reason why not, so why not?

But they hadn't really planned properly, either. They'd just sort of let the events link themselves up. Naruto would be home that night, Sakura had asked Hinata over when Hinata came for her father's medicine. The monkey wrench flipped into the works when Sakura started bleeding a few days before.. but maybe she'd wanted to cut loose, a bit. This was how Naruto dealt with pain. But letting Naruto call the shots always landed them in these kinds of situations. But it had been all his idea, so hell.. why not do it all the way.

Ok, fine. It had been her idea. Never mind that.

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8:55pm

"Sweetie, it's ok," Sakura said to Hinata, like Hinata was a nervous patient, a pretty little skittish bird who would bolt at any second, who had to be coaxed to Sakura's hand.

She hopped off the counter, yanked her panties back up and walked over to poor Hinata, who was standing rooted to the spot, her pretty white eyes about to pop out of her head. Hugging was still pretty neutral between friends, so Sakura pressed Hinata's shaking body against her own aching breasts and glanced over her shoulder.

And there was Naruto, grinning innocently and nonchalantly pulling the dishwasher open, his dick hanging out, glistening pleased pinkish in the warm overhead light. She hissed a half-warning at him, and he snickered. He tucked himself back in. He didn't even remember to be embarrassed, it didn't even occur to him. Sakura shook her head, suppressing a smile.

"Sakura-san.." Hinata whispered, her cheek trembling hard against Sakura's shoulder.

"We..." Sakura really had to think about that, how she could explain this. "We just sort of.. really like you, Hinata-chan.." she said.

"Yeah.. we like you." Naruto said, as if this was pretty much normal and would be perfectly ok with everyone, if everyone just had the sense to enjoy life as much as he did. "Like you, like you." He was loading the dishes all wrong on purpose, Sakura rolled her eyes and let him.

"We don't want you to feel like you have to do anything." Sakura said, leaning over to almost.. almost.. touch Hinata's pale little ear with her lips. Which probably wouldn't exactly be a normal neutral 'friend' thing to do. But.. ok, maybe it really was the crazy pregnancy hormones, because Hinata's perfume... Was it even perfume? Maybe Hinata just smelled like flowers naturally, she was just that unbearably cute. Sakura could kinda see that.

"But if you want to..." she said, catching her breath.

Hinata wriggled against her, nervously.

"I... I don't... know." she whispered.

"...and if ya feeeel, like ah feel.. baaaybee.."

Sakura looked over her shoulder to see Naruto's innocent angel-smile, like he wasn't singing under his breath. He put a handful of tomato-stained kitchen knives into the dishwasher with a satisfied clatter. "You stop that," she said to him, trying not to laugh.

His blue eyes flashed as they locked on hers, his hair falling in spikes into his face, sharp and dangerous like a jungle animal. It took her breath away, just a glance, she really had it bad, didn't she? Good thing she was married to him.

"I... " Hinata whispered. Her little fingers curled around the flimsy strap of Sakura's cotton undershirt. One of them brushed over Sakura's skin, and it was surprisingly warm. Something about Hinata made you suspect that she'd be warm under her heavy coat, but her cheeks would be cold, her hands would be cold. Maybe it was just the heat of the wine, warming her.

"...ain't nothing wrong with me.. loving yooouuu.." Dammit, Naruto was still singing.

"You stop doing Barry White right now," she hissed at him.

"Marvin Gaye," he said lazily, leaning one slim hip against the counter. "Hey, Hinata-chan... you like me singing, right?" he knit his fingers and pulled his tanned arms high over his head, stretching like a long striped tiger. Hinata turned her head to watch him, reaching on her tiptoes to move her eyes just a bit over Sakura's shoulder.

"Um.. well.."

"Don't encourage him." Sakura murmured. Hinata had soft hair.. how did she do that? Sakura's would never behave like this, but Hinata's just flowed like a river.

"I'll sing just for you," he said, his eyes sparking with a hint of intrigue. He flopped one of the dishtowels over his shoulder and came around the counter. Hinata quivered when he came closer, quivered at the sound of his voice. She almost.. gasped.. when Naruto leaned over her and sang in a whisper in her ear.

"..Naruto-kun.." Her hands were white-knuckle tight on Sakura's clothes now. Sakura raised her head from Hinata's and caught Naruto's gaze. She gave him the okay, go ahead look, and she watched him gently, with incredible care, blow the soft hair away from Hinata's cheek and brush his lips along it's soft curve. Then her jawline. Then, leaning down as Hinata raised her head, blooming deep pink now, Sakura saw him graze the soft skin of her neck with his teeth. Great, Sakura thought, he's turning me on. That wasn't the point! And anyway, she was already there.

Hinata turned, and Naruto took her shoulders and gently pressed her back against Sakura. Sakura held her carefully, trying to make her feel protected and safe. Sakura hesitated, but then thought.. well, Naruto got to kiss her. She carefully bent her head and kissed the pinking lobe of Hinata's ear. The silver earring there tasted sharp and metallic against Hinata's soft skin. Hinata herself tasted like.. hmm. Sakura couldn't place it. The way paraffin wax smelled as it melted, the undertone of marzipan half-sweetness? So she did it again, realizing that she really hadn't planned on an open-mouthed kiss, that Hinata was quivering harder whenever the tip of Sakura's tongue brushed her skin. But she realized that way too late. Naruto was cupping Hinata's cheeks in his hands, stroking one with the back of one hand, little soft grazes of his knuckles.. so casually affectionate. Hinata was almost making soft sounds, little gasps.

"Sweetie, relax..." Sakura whispered in her ear.

"..unless it's just that good, huh?" Naruto said to her, wickedly wiseass. But softened, like he was being very careful with her. He closed his eyes and whispered close to Hinata's ear "Okay.. so.. you know how to stop me. Just say the word." He leaned in closer and though Sakura didn't see the exact moment when his lips touched Hinata's, she felt the soft moan start in her friend's throat, whisper around the edges of her covered lips.

"We'll stop anytime you want, ok?" Sakura whispered in her ear, trying not to brush her breasts against Hinata's tense, warm back. Her nipples ached.. stupid pregnancy hormones again... and Hinata was.. yeah, she was grasping at Sakura's shirt, the side of her pants. Hinata's hand was clutching at Sakura, blindly, even as Naruto leaned in, tilting Hinata's head slightly back, deepening it, that soft kiss. Sakura leaned her head against the back of Hinata's, felt Hinata's soft hair tickling her nose.. and could just imagine what that would feel like. For both of them.

"There." she whispered, stroking Hinata's soft shoulders as Naruto pulled back, and his strong arms squeezed them all together tightly. "It's ok.. he won't bite." she gave him a teasingly firm look over Hinata's head. "Don't bite her, Naruto."

"Who me?" he murmured innocently.

But Hinata was slowly, hesitently sliding her hand over Naruto's chest, her spread fingers searching, smoothing out the rumples of his shirt over hard muscle. Sakura reached around and placed her hand over Hinata's. Hinata's hand didn't shake, Sakura noticed. Not at all. "Naruto-kun..." Hinata whispered, her voice high and sweet. "...Sakura-san..."

"Sakura-chan." she whispered gently in Hinata's ear.

"I... I don't know... I want to show respect."

"Call her whatever you'd like," Naruto said, rubbing his cheek against Hinata's neck, the soft underside of her neck, like a cat rolling happily around in sun-warmed grass, Sakura thought. "...ah.. yeah. Hinata, we just love the hell out of you, you know that? You're so damn cute I can't stand it."

"We can't stand it." Sakura told her, a bit short of breath herself, now.

"Yeah." he laughed, husky and close, soft and bristled with his own quick breath. "That's right. We."

Hinata wiggled her fingers slightly under Sakura's hand. Then again, and it was clear that she was testing the way it felt, she wasn't trying to get away. She flexed her shoulders, shuddering, then shivered in a full-body wave, slow and ah.. like that.. Sakura wasn't ready to surrender to her inner horny pregnant lady enough to dry-hump her poor shy friend, but if her poor shy friend were to, say, press herself against Sakura, move just that way? Yeah, that was fine. Sakura had to bite her lip, her breasts were always too sensitive right around this time. Stupid pregnancy hormones.

And Naruto was watching her, he'd seen. His naughty little paw snaked around Hinata and found Sakura's breast, unerringly. He rolled her sensitive little nipple between his fingers and Sakura was gasping, now. It would only take a little bit of pressure to make her start moaning, and Naruto knew that, damn him. She swatted him lightly with her other hand.

"Would your family...?" she said to Hinata, trying to keep half-reasonable, even though Naruto was still.. still.. doing that. And it was hard to manage actual sentences.

"I think that they would only object to.." she heard Hinata say close against her. Sakura swatted Naruto's hand away, leaning over Hinata's shoulder to kiss his wrist sharply as he pulled that hand up Hinata's arm. Sakura saw the deep red flush fade in to the side of Hinata's neck. She raised a clinical eyebrow, half-managing it.

"Non-penetrative?" she said, snapping into straight-forward doctor mode instantly. Hinata winced in embarrassment, but nodded, with a trace of relief. Sakura shot Naruto a warning look. "Non-penetrative." she said to him, firmly.

He shrugged, leonine and relaxed. "Hey.. we can do other things." He was rubbing his cheek against Hinata's neck again, Sakura's hand, any part of Sakura or Hinata that he could reach. Slow, languid.. Sakura leaned her head back slightly, ran her fingers through his messy hair. "...or you can do that to me, and other things..." she said, distantly.

"Maybe.. they wouldn't mind." Hinata whispered suddenly. Urgently. Her hands clutching at Sakura's hand, Naruto's shoulder. Hard.

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Meanwhile, in the future, deep in the spring, Sasuke set his teacup down with a definitive clink.

"Pardon me, but you did what with Naruto?"

"Not with.. him." Hinata murmured, blushing. She turned her eyes to the solarium garden and the birds.

Sasuke took a deep breath and sat back down. He didn't want to loom over her like that, it was unseemly, and anyway, he didn't want to frighten her. "So, not with Naruto."

"With Sakura..." she whispered.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"While Naruto-kun..."

"Yes?"

"...watched.."

"I see."

"Are you angry?"

".. I suppose not." he pressed the pads of his thumb and forefinger to his eyelids gently, sighing.

"..disappointed in me?"

"..what? No. No, it's all right." Absolutely speechless, maybe. Very, very surprised, to be certain. No, not disappointed, young ninja did all sorts of things, and it wasn't as if he could really throw stones, was it? He sighed, again, raising his eyebrows slightly. With Sakura, too. That was a surprise. He wondered for a second if Naruto knew about this, and then remembered that, well, Naruto had been there. Watching. He frowned, not certain if he liked that, even if he really had no right to object, not retroactively.

He saw her tilt her head, her long silken hair drifting to the side in a gleaming curtain. "...curious..?" She was too embarrassed to meet his eyes, but not too much to say it in the first place, he noticed.

He blushed, felt himself doing it, which was mortifying. And then she leaned over the little table and kissed him right on the hottest part of his cheek- and he knew she could see. "I have to get back to training," he mumbled, blushing harder. "I'll be home in a few hours."

He could feel her soft smile, that strange alluring glint in it. "...all right."

She waited until he was halfway to the garden's iron gate, which just proved that she was up to no good, that none of this was an accident.

"Naruto-kun..." she said, softly.

He paused, his hand on the cold metal latch.

"...mostly just watched."

He shook his head. "He's possessed you. You know that he's a demon, right? I'll arrange for an exorcism." And then he really did have to go because otherwise he'd end up doing something like killing Naruto, jumping poor Hinata, or worse: asking her for further details. And that would be improper.

And fascinating.

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A/N: I'll work on the update for Still Waters today too, as soon as the coffee shops open. This story practically writes itself.

I don't know if the Sasuke/Hinata conversation will be canonical to Still Waters, but hell.. might be fun if it WAS. XD

Maybe it's a stylistic mismatch to have the fertility problems stuff creep in to this story. But that's where I was planning for Still Waters!Narusaku to be. Secretly. They wouldn't have told Hinata about that even in that story, yet.

Yeah, yeah.. I know there's no Dr. Phil or Marvin Gaye in Konoha or the setting of Naruto. I feel like an occasional anachronism can be tolerated by the mood of the story well enough. I guess it might bother some people.

To be continued! Just in case there was any doubt.

And yeah.. still don't own Naruto.