A/n: Thank you all so much for the positive response for this fic. I am excited to continue. Also, as a disclaimer Naruto doesnt belong to me! Enjoy! Please, continue reviewing. It helps me going. Also, if you have any prompts for this fic. Don't hesitate!
Two weeks had passed since Sasuke's return. 14 days. 336 hours. All moments she took with a grain of salt. Afraid this was a cruel dream…
Sakura could at last rest easy. Knowing he was staying true to his word, he'd promised Sarada after all. That he'd stay. That's what mattered most.
And so that meant many things for him.
One, he had to learn how to deal with a very intelligent two-year old. And her mother, (as well as wife.), who loved to school him on 'Sarada fun facts'. (Yes, that's what she liked to call them.) They weren't fun to the shinobi. Not one bit.
And so he learns a very, very important detail about his little daughter.
She was massively in love with him. So much so, she neglected the very woman who has put down her life for the girl.
Her love reflected the affection of the beautiful, pink-haired, doe-eyed mother of hers.
"Dinner is almost ready…Sasuke-kun, can you go wake Sarada from her nap? She's been out for two hours and I want her to sleep through the night."
Sakura shyly demands as she runs her hands through the warm water of the faucet in their small kitchenette, washing away the vegetables residue. Twisting the knob to dissipate the stream she took note of the very heavy silence of the man behind her. She knew his eyes were on her.
Turning slowly, she caught the brief glimpse of her husband who nodded to her request.
Standing instantly from the dining table in which he decided to reside in complete silence for the past forty-minutes of her cooking. She lets out a sigh as he moves toward the archway of the hall. He was so strange.
The sounds of his footsteps creaking against the wood until the sound of their daughter's door opens and closes with a whisper.
The pinkette turns off the burner and quickly removes the large pot full of delicious broth, placing it on the dining table with a cloth underneath, right beside the medium sized pot of freshly cooked rice and pickled carrots. A smile found its way to her ever so changing face.
Sasuke was home. A realization that smacked her in the face throughout each day. Bringing forth a wide, ear to ear grin.
Sasuke emerges from the hallway with Sarada in hand, who was yawning and teary eyed, clutching onto her father's shirt Sakura had just ironed. A small stuffed bunny was squeezed between the little girl and the chest of her father.
Since Sasuke's return, Sarada truly transformed from a Mama's girl, to a Daddy's girl. Overnight it seemed.
Sakura would have to fight with the tot to awaken her, taking a hefty ten minutes..or more! With Sasuke it barely took a bend of a finger...
Though, the scene made the medic ninja swoon with joy, she also sulked in the newfound sassy attitude Sarada now gave her.
"Did you sleep well?"
Sakura approaches the two, the small toddler nods slowly and wraps her small arms around Sasuke's neck. "Yes Mama." She coos and nuzzles her father's shoulder with her button of a nose. Moving away from her mother's nearing form.
The young mother stares in hidden jealousy, almost missing the lingering stare Sasuke gave the pinkette. In return, she flushes and returns to her motherly voice which had grown onto him, quickly.
"Good..are you ready for dinner Sarada? Mama made you rice. Do you think if Mama cut up some celery you'd eat it too?"
Sakura pokes the puffiness of Sarada's cheek and creates a storm of giggles from the small child who flails in Sasuke's right arm, her laugh was like thunder against the earth for the two indifferent parents.
A short smirk can always seen on his lips when the sound of Sarada's laughter takes over the vicinity.
"Yes Mama! Can I sit with Papa?"
Sarada pats Sasuke's forearm, her open-mouth grin wide enough for Sakura's heart to tear a little.
"You don't wanna sit with your Mama?"
"No. I sit with Papa!"
Sasuke blinks at the little girl in his grasp and his lips yet again disobey his usual stoic demeanor, as yet another smile graces the lips of the great shinobi when his two-year old stretches her neck, craning backwards to look him in the eyes. Giving him a silly grin.
A mixture of a sigh and grumble escapes the lips of the pink-haired woman, this was just too cute!
Yet, she felt a pang of sadness over the lost affection. Or rather, the now shared affection that Sarada was mostly forking over to Sasuke, leaving the bare minimum for her Mama!
No. No. This was pure. Beautiful. A sight Sakura should never take for granted.
"Okay Sarada, you sit with your Papa."
Sakura agrees with a nod and twirls around to lead the family to the dining table. The young wife pulls out a chair for her silent husband who nods to her in very 'thankful' manner, taking a seat he carefully rests Sarada on his right knee as he scoots his chair closer to the tabletop.
"Sasuke-kun, do you want some pickled carrots? I think I found the perfect recipe for them, they're a tiny bit spicy though.."
Sakura's voice breaks as she asks such a simple question, here she was nervous as all hell to speak to her own husband who noticed the sheer pink on her cheeks as she met his gaze.
A brow of his raises and he analyzes the sliced carrots in the white bowl. Eyes narrowing, lingering from the produce up to the sparkling eyes of his wife.
"I will try some. Thank you."
His voice is low and hushed, Sarada looks up to him again and smiles, causing another one to burst like a balloon onto his face. The pinkette's face reddens as she quickly gets to serving dinner. Her and daughter husband were so cute!
"Mama can I have some too!" Sarada barks bouncing up and down.
"Hm? Oh no, these are too spicy for you. Maybe when you are older."
Sakura hums as she dishes out Sasuke's food, halting mid motion when Sarada slaps the tabletop with both hands. Letting out a bout of gibberish until her final words come out.
"You're mean Mama. Not fair!"
"Ehh? M-mean?"
She repeats her daughter's hurtful words as a lone carrot slice slips from the serving spoon she held in her left hand. Her stare dead set on the pouting toddler who had furrowed brows and began sticking her tongue out.
"Now, now. Don't speak to your mother that way. She is a great mother to you, Sarada."
Sasuke leans forward to meet Sarada's angry eyes with his own serious ones, his voice was loud and clear, which brought a warm, fuzzy feeling to envelope in the center of Sakura's tummy. He was standing up for her…
Sarada hushes with a quickness and turns to the medic ninja who places a small bowl of broth, rice and pickled carrots in front of the shinobi who reaches from behind Sarada's back to take the hot ceramic bowl from his wife's hand. Dark eyes captivating the soft green ones.
Gradually the mother's cheeks rise in temperature.
Their finger's graze for a split second and Sakura snatches her arm away at the sudden contact. As if she'd been stung with electricity. Her neck heating up…Dear lord. Why was she like this?
A lingering smirk was to be seen on his face as he wavers his dark eyes from hers to the bowl of rather inviting food in front of him. It'd been awhile since he'd eaten this way. He'd forgotten how good Sakura was getting at the culinary arts…
Sakura watches closely as he takes his first bite, clutching a tiny plate to her chest as her eyes widen when the chopsticks meet his lips.
"Is it…" she trails off as he chews, his eyes shut momentarily.
Then he swallows and is silent. Aside from the humming toddler on his lap who kept reaching for his bowl of searing hot broth, in which he kept having to readjust his position to keep her from severely burning herself.
Seconds felt like minutes as he conjures up a reaction.
"You did a great job..Sakura."
…
"Mama! You're red!"
Sarada giggles and points before falling back into her father's chest in a fit of laughter.
/
The night sky was full of twinkling stars and the full moon was strutting it's blinding light with force into the Uchiha's household as Sakura Uchiha ran around the home with a towel in hand trying to keep up with a naked Sarada who would not bathe unless her 'Papa' tells her so.
Sasuke had gone on a stroll to relax after dinner, leaving Sakura with the battle between toddler and bath time.
"Sarada! You need a bath before bed! Get…over.. here- Ah!"
Sakura stumbles over a small wooden car, causing the heel of her right foot to slide under, buckling her ankle, lunging forward she landed on her knees with a hard thud.
Sarada lets out a mischievous giggle and claps her hands as her mother balances herself on her right foot ready to aim after the disobedient child, a playful look runs over the little Uchiha's face as trots away with a hearty laugh, running down the hallway and into the living room. Disappearing from Sakura's sight.
The sounds of her pitter-pattering footsteps caused the pink-haired Uchiha to groan in the nearing defeat.
Tensing her fists, she grabs for the towel and steadily returns to her feet. This wasn't over yet…
Sarada entered the living room and aimed straight toward the couch, climbing onto it's surface she sits silently as her mother inches slowly down the hall and through the archway.
She wore a look of complete annoyance. Still, this didn't scare the tot. She only crossed her arms and kicked her legs out.
"Sara-da..Uchi-ha, get in the bath tub. Right now!"
The pinkette grumbles, fisting the towel in her grasp as she catches the rival eyes of her competitive two-year old.
"I waiting for Papa!" She shouts, her cheeks red as she announced the same statement for the fifth time that night.
"Papa is outside. He won't be home till late. Now, come…if you listen Mama will take you to the lake tomorrow…."
Sakura hums, hiding the pure outbreak of stress that was seconds away from exploding and taking over her senses…
"Then I stay here..for Papa!"
"Sarada…please listen to Mama-"
The two were so immersed in their rather ridiculous fight that neither noticed that the raven haired Uchiha had returned from his stroll and entered through the back door moving upon the floor boards with ease, he was truly a master at sneaking up on his enemy. In this case, his bickering wife and two-year old. Such a pitiful sight to see.
Narrowing his eyes he lets out a low, vibrating grumble from his throat and rocks on the heel of his feet as he sets off toward the misbehaving child.
No child of his was going to disrespect their mother.
"Sarada Uchiha, are you being good for your mother?"
Sasuke passes the pinkette briskly, reaching his right hand from his tethered cloak he tears the towel from her fingers, causing her to flush in shock and clasp a hand to her chest as she watches her husband stand before their disobeying daughter tossing the towel over her small form.
Silence. Utter silence.
His dominating shadow casted over the fair skinned babe who seconds ago wore a scowl, now her lips were converted to a beaming grin.
"Yes Papa!"
"Then listen to her and go bathe. Now."
Sasuke demands, pointing his right index finger toward the hallway.
"Go on." He adds as he watches his daughter slide off the leathery furniture and onto the pads of her tiny feet which stuck to the wooden boards as she padded against it, wrapping herself in the warmth of the textured towel, sadly walking to Sakura's waiting form. She crouches down to pick the child up.
"Thank you, Sasuke-kun.."
Sakura murmurs as she turns to bathe Sarada, she could get used to this two-parent household after all…
"Papa. Read me a story before bed?"
Sarada whispers as she sneaks into the living room where her father sat on the couch, looking over a photo album that he'd found in the bookcase by the front door, her whisper was rather loud, disrupting the shinobi's thoughts.
Peering down to her through his outgrown bangs, he sighs and puts on his best 'Dad voice' (There really wasn't much of a difference).
She was supposed to be asleep. Sakura had tucked her in twice and read her two books before bedtime.
"Sarada, your mother read to you already. Go back to bed." He mumbles, tracing his index finger over a photo of newborn Sarada. Taking him back to the night she was born…
He'd suspected she was gone by now, as she wasn't by the couch any longer. It was silent for a few minutes until his nerves jolt in the assault against his steady heart beat. She popped her head out from behind the arm of the couch and squealed into his ear.
"Please! I'm not sleepy yet! Read me this!"
The little girl waved a book in his face as she circled around the furniture fumbling her right hand to knead the surface of the couch until she could pull her weight (barely slipping and falling on her bottom) onto the couch, the cardboard of the child's book flung into Sasuke's view as she sat on his knees, facing him with evident sleepy eyes, her hair (which Sakura spent minutes combing through before putting her to bed) was already matted and sticking up right.
Sasuke was not lost in his daughter's cuteness. He just knew how to handle it properly (his idea of 'handling emotions) unlike his wife who was far too excited about things like this. He could see why, though.
"Come."
He moved the opened scrap book from his lap and replaces the open space with his tiny daughter who willingly crawled into his open arm. She smelt of syrup for some reason, the scent growing stronger as her head neared his chin. Despite being bathed. And not being anywhere near the sweet, sticky substance.
He guessed it was better she smelt of syrup than something else.
"Hurry Papa."
"Be patient." He breathes out as Sarada peers up to tug on his hair. She huffs and in that moment he could see the pink-haired woman in the tiny girl. The her cheeks puffed out and her eyes narrowed. So much like her mother.
Holding the book in his hand he examines the short story briefly by flipping open the first page and being met with the epilogue:
It was about a long lost princess who longed to find her parents. Who went missing in a magical forest. With only a photo of her parents in a locket she was left with, she was determined to find her parents and reunite their family.
Sasuke twitched an eye as he read on.
"You..like this story, Sarada?" It didn't seem much like a story a child would like. Or understand.
He murmurs and Sarada instantly chirps out.
"Yes Papa. Mama used to read this to me all the time. She say that I am that princess and you and mama are the parents..Oh! Papa I forgot my tiara, can I go get it? I like to wear it when Mama reads it!"
Tiny splayed out hands tap his forearm as he raises it to let her out of his grasp. Watching as she ran straight through the archway and into the hall. He waited until she called for his help. He knew she would.
"Help!..Papa..Pa-"
"I'm here, Sarada. Stand on your toes and you'll be able to reach..See..I'll show you."
Sarada lets out a tickled giggle when Sasuke crouches down to take ahold of her small ankle, gently moving it up until she was standing on her toes. Very easy for her to catch on.
"Now reach up." He removes his hand, resting it upon the cap of his knee as he watched her small hand wrap around the brass knob.
A unison of smiles grace the faces of father and daughter when she opens the door without fault.
"I did it! Yay!"
"I knew you could."
Sarada bounces throughout the room. The tiara completely flew out of her mind as she began naming off her toys to him. So..many..toys.
Knowing this will take some time, the raven haired man took a seat on the end of her small bed. His eyes following the hyper girl. Amused at how fast she moved from place to place.
"Papa, this is my favorite bunny. He help me sleep when I'm sad. He makes me happy!"
Sarada squeaks as she tips into the large toy box, he recognized the bunny. The one she holds when she naps. She raises the beige bunny high in the air as she stumbles back onto her bottom. Victory!
"I see."
"Look. He's missing an eye." Sarada pokes at the bunny's left eye which had been pulled off. Unlike it's right button eye.
"He is."
"Hey…do you wanna sleep with him? Maybe he'll make you happy too, Papa."
"What makes you think that I'm not happy?"
Sasuke questions as the girl hums to her stuffed toy, cradling it in her arms akin to a mother and baby. Her large eyes meet his and she puckers her lips.
"You don't smile much, Papa. You look sad."
Sarada begins to tremble her lips, Sasuke has seen her 'act out' her emotions many times, so he quickly dismisses this as another one of her skilled jokes.
That is, until tears began to well into her eyes.
"Papa, I don't want you to go away again.."
She whimpers, closing the gap between her and the stuffed animal. Clinging it to her puffy cheeks. Her eyes shut tightly.
"I don't wanna see Mama sad again."
Sasuke was at a loss for words. What do you say to your daughter? Your two-year old. When they say something so heartbreaking like this? He was skilled in many areas. But talking to his toddler about his missions and feelings for Sakura was not one of them.
"Sarada. I won't leave you. Or your mother..you'll understand when you're grown up."
This caused a smile to crack onto the girl's face, she sniffles between giggles, her breath hitching when her father moves toward to swoop her into his chest, relishing in the feeling of her tiny fists clutching the fabric of his shirt.
"Do you want me to read to you?"
It took a moment before it clicked in the girl's mind that she had to find her tiara! Especially to hear this special story.
Sasuke helps the tiny Uchiha find her tiara which was encased in a slew of toys and clothing, once found Sarada was racing to her bed in order to hear the story. But this time, told by her Papa.
"Are you..ready?"
He questions, looking at how ridiculously (cute) she looked with her plastic tiara. It really went well with her mismatched pajamas.
"Oh, Papa look, that's the king. He looks just like you!"
Sarada points to the 'king' of the story and Sasuke hides an insulted grunt.
The little index finger navigated his eyes to an old man, with gray hair and wrinkled skin.
How in the hell did that look anything like Sasuke.
Sakura lay in bed, waking in a panic every hour or so. Nervous to find that Sasuke had left, afraid to find a scroll with another painful goodbye written against the material. Her heart would calm and eventually she'd fall back onto the bed. Waiting for him to join her.
Either he'd be on the roof. Or living room. She'd always find him asleep beside her in the morning. He was always so quiet. Never waking her. That wouldn't bother her. Being awoken by the very man of her dreams wouldn't hurt.
On this particular night, Sakura decided to check on Sarada.
The pinkette swings her legs off the bed as she yawns and brushes her long hair over her shoulder, eyes squinting at the bright moonlight that intruded the dark room through the window.
Sakura stands and closes the curtains, not before checking if Sasuke was anywhere to be seen. No such luck.
Instead she's met with a stray dog that is sniffing around in her back yard, along with the swaying of cherry blossom branches and the beautiful rain of starlight that made the nighttime in Konoha so peaceful and mysterious.
The tired medic ninja returns to her duty and lazily walks from her room and down the hall, again checking if her husband was on the couch. He wasn't. Just the gloomy sight of their living room. Lit with a blue and purple hue of the dark sky.
"Hmm..I wonder where he's at.."
She whispers to herself as she feels her heart race. He didn't leave. Did he?
Sakura nears Sarada's room and halts, immediately noticing the door is ajar. Peering in slowly she is met with quite a sight.
Sasuke sat beside the slumbering girl, who cuddled next to the bunny Sasuke had picked out for her when she was just 10 months. Sakura always thought she'd hate it.
The pinkette watches as Sasuke leans over the small toddler, lingering over her face. Brushing his rough fingers over her forehead, taking a moment to take in the beauty of his daughter.
He feels the silk of her dark hair she'd inherited from him. She may have looked like an Uchiha. But she didn't remind him of one. That made him happy. So happy.
Next, he runs the pads of his fingertips over the curvature of her cheek. Tracing to the slope of her chin.
Leaning closer so his lips were just inches from her ear he whispers into the night air. Quiet, but loud enough for Sakura to catch wind of.
"I love you. Sarada."
Then he does something that causes the heart of the pinkette to explode. Her eyes widen when he brushes his lips against the smooth skin of Sarada's cheek.
Sakura moves from the crack in the door and holds her fingers to her lips.
Should she say something? No. That'd ruin everything-
"Spying on me?"
A husky voice brings forth a yelp from the woman as she jumps in her skin when Sasuke pokes his head from the door.
"N-no! I came to check on Sarada.."
She explains, cheeks blazing.
"I read to her not too long ago. She's asleep now."
"Oh no..did she bother you?" Sakura steps back as he enters the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
"She's smart." He says. Pausing before adding onto the broken sentence. "She reminds me of you."
This caused a blood vessel to rupture in the pink-haired woman's face, she presses her right hand to her cheek and smiles nervously.
"R-really? She reminds me so much of you. She's got your good looks.." Sakura whispers her last statement and averts her eyes to his, which narrow with a sly grin.
"Are you going to bed? You work early, no?"
He turns to head to their room, opening it slowly before turning to look at her form in the hallway.
"I work a night shift tomorrow."
"I see. That gives us enough time then."
Sakura furrows her brows as she approaches him slowly.
"Us? What does that mean, Sasuke-kun..?"
Sasuke smirks again. A smirk that only Sakura recognizes.
She gasps and purses her lips tightly, clenching her fists as her entire body is washed in red.
"You're being perverted. Sasuke."
"Hm. I didn't mention anything. It is you, who brought that up."
He snickers as he enters their room, leaving a frustrated Sakura to fume in the doorway.
