Mahou no Kotoba, Would you marry me? Chapter 4, a naruto fanfic

Mahou no Kotoba, Would you marry me
by Masked Lover

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Crap, is... Argh.

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Chapter Four

---

Naruto slept soundlessly on the bed that had less free surface space when he shared it with Sasuke. Instinctively, his body pulled away from the awake Uchiha, searching for privacy from the prying red eyes.

There was a silent calm in Naruto... Despite his sudden marriage to the illustrious Sasuke Uchiha. Less noise and resistance than the old Naruto would have produced. The Naruto from his memories would have kicked his feet and screamed and cried when Sasuke penetrated his virgin body.

The new Naruto was more than what Sasuke was accustomed to, he was used to having Naruto tell him he was mad and it was strenuous for Sasuke to search out reasons why Naruto was suddenly shy and secretive. Something that would have never been a problem before.

But of course, before there were never children.

Sasuke noted how effected most children were effected by their guardian's behaviour, especially a stranger walking around the Uchiha Compound would be scrutinised by their small eyes and watched.

The former Uzumaki was somewhat distant when talking about his pregnancy, which he had always be resistant towards before but Sasuke was hoping that Naruto would be excited, so at least the expectant father could be taken along with the festivity. Sasuke sighed.

Naruto rubbed his eyes, and his hand fell back to his chest, pulling the sheet over his body.

Sasuke looked over the form of his wife, if Naruto was to be called something so frail like that.

Naruto being his wife... It felt odd.

Naruto was a shining hero that smelt of sunshine of honey rather than the Uchiha's scent of lavender and ocean breeze.

Naruto was more of a hero than he thought he was, and braver still for agreeing to continue being with Sasuke, sleeping with him, even to bear his child.

Something about Sasuke had become calm and loving when lying beside Naruto.

That something was growing every day as Sasuke watched on, infatuated by every movement and sound the sleeping beauty made. Soon Naruto would have a child, and that silence would be shattered but he planned to take more time off than he did with Hoshino.

Hoshino was an adoring baby, and quite good for a small child that Sasuke literarily hauled to Kages meeting and work until he reached an age which he could be happily left at home.

There was no smile on Sasuke's face as he picked up another book on pregnancy, the Uchiha had decided being the perfect parent was his next hobby but he knew of his own history of pretty neglectful of the child he already had.

Letting the child's probable fate rest on Gai's return that evening.

Naruto seemed to outright hate the Uchiha family style of raising children and he often found the smell of icing and gingerbread on Hoshino's hand masking the lavender base. Naruto made it his duty to make sure that Hoshino was loved and cared for as much as he cared for Raiden. Raiden was got along with Hoshino and was more than happy to let Sasuke know that she loathed him immensely. Raiden was a sweet girl to Hoshino, so Sasuke held in his complaints.

He flipped the pages, to the parts that he had skipped when Sakura was pregnant.

Sakura had fallen out of love with the Uchiha during in his pregnancy and he had lost the opportunity to experience being with a pregnant woman (which he was grateful for) and his once fiancee.

Yamato was very grateful to the Uchiha head for doing so, having claimed Sakura and the pair allowed the Uchiha to take custody of Sakura's son.

Not that Sakura was a bad mother, her priorities were with the medical team and not raising children and Sasuke respected that. And she did take time to see Hoshino, but the boy was so distant from his own maternal mother and closer to his step-mot her, he could see the lines of worry gather of her face when he passed by her that she would be replaced even though Naruto wasn't like that.

Naruto was Naruto and Sasuke was Sasuke.

Everyone in the village had to admit that the pair made a magical couple, almost never falling down and tossing the other to new heights.

Sasuke being ultra-handsome and Naruto being masculine, dependable ninja and a model citizen and nurturing mother. Everyone watched them as if they were tall statues to be admired, giving them little privacy outside their large estate.

It was all more than he could ask for, Naruto was sweet, and gentle and treated Sasuke lovingly, being more gruff and rough looking then the sensual, sexy Uchiha.

Sasuke had trouble maintaining his composure, married to a sweet and loving step-mot her to his son, Hoshino. And now Sasuke was somewhat father to whining Orochimaru look-alike which was probably the only downside but he was at fault more than the Sannin's daughter.

The only major problem in his life was that Raiden hated him and the stoic Hokage really wished that he hadn't told the girl Santa wasn't real and it was really Naruto.

"Sasuke," the fluttering blue eyes looked up at the book, "you shouldn't read in the dark." Sasuke's expression was as loveless in the pale lemon light. He could smell the faint scent of his favourite soap on Sasuke's chest. Buttermilk with honey.

Sasuke flipped the page, maybe he could be there when the child was born too, but it looked like Naruto would have final say in that.

"Hmm..." He looked down at Naruto who looked up his with tired eyes.

Sasuke's arm reached over, the tips of his digits brushing back Naruto's hair.

"You're going to lose your eyesight," came his hoarse voice. "Turn on the light."

Sasuke obeyed, and Naruto noticed yet another pregnancy book in his hands.

Naruto felt that weird feeling he had been having, his own insecurity and uncertainty, he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

He felt Sasuke drop the book off the side of the bed, make a sound, and then shut off the light again.

His body shifted closer to Naruto, wrapping an arm around Naruto protectively.

"Eight," Naruto mumbled, with an insecure voice that made Uchiha an octopus, wrapping his arms and brushing his black spikes into Naruto's blonde mussled hair. "Do Raiden and Hoshino count?"

"Absolutely."

Sasuke responded without hesitation, Naruto pressed his face against Sasuke's beating heart.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, and don't cry."

But Naruto couldn't help it.

Sasuke took in a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight."

There was a soft sobbing that could be heard in the darkness, that Sasuke tried to cover up by embracing the sound. Perhaps next time the answer would be pried from Naruto's mouth.

Maybe.

---

Jackie was a darling child, born to the arms of Gaara of the Sand and Rock Lee, a Konoha Jounin. His energy was enviable, youth burning like a newspaper factory on fire. He bore Gaara's red hair, and a Lee smile and the posture of Gai-sensei. His green body suit was similar to his father's, only he wore a daring, flamboyant red-passion pink jacket. In the dwindling snow he looked like a christmas tree with a splash of red.

Just... Not bright.

So he and Hoshino were good friends, if not the best. Hoshino, a promising young man, his Uchiha breeding overshadowing his pink hair. With a name like Uchiha, no one would ever know that the young boy didn't know the difference between a ounce and a pound, but it didn't matter because soon he would harness the powers and gain a menacing stance to convince a well educated man both were used to measure candy.

Leading the way, was the child of two of the legendary Sannin, people say that women are four years older mentally, then men and it applied to the young, white haired girl.

The streets were still full of close-knit families and rambunctious sellers. Closing time was in a few hours, therefore Raiden suggested after they left Jackie's house, they pass through for snacks, just in case. Which all three agreed on wholeheartedly. They stood at the stall and looked at the selection, Hoshino bought a tiny package of snack cakes, a guilty look on his face. Both Raiden and Jackie didn't have much of a sweet tooth, so their selection ended up being mostly dried fruit and juice.

"Oh, it's Hoshino." Shikamaru looked up from the chocolate bar he was buying. It was Chouji's recommendation. The boy responded, facelessly dipped his body in a small bow.

"Shikamaru!" Raiden bounced beside the little boy and waved cutely. "And Jackie's here too! We're on a mission!"

Shikamaru couldn't help but snicker at the obliviousness of the children, Naruto was acting oddly and he couldn't help but wondered if he took Sai's words seriously that night. Sai was a pushy man when it came to talking about having children and Kakashi had no restraint in telling them how babies were made. Sometimes, accidents happen, but there were times Shikamaru wished he had waited a year before having his children. The Jounin really didn't want to squash the children's dreams of being taken seriously as Sasuke's parenting strategies were selfish and to gain free time to do as he pleased.

The children seemed powered up and adamant at located what ever their target is.

Hoshino looked up at the tall man, who surveyed the scene. Hoshino carried his snacks in his right hand and something that looked like a tent in the other.

"We're looking for someone," when the target was Shikamaru once a long time ago, Hoshino was smaller and could barely say his name.

Shikataro. That was what Hoshino called him. And then fell over, being top heavy. Luckily the missions were, during that young age, in the main building with Jounin, Chuunin and Gennin running around.

Hoshino had infiltrated the Jounin office with Neji's assistance in opening the door, the couple spent that night teaching the clever boy how to bake a cake.

That was probably when Neji started getting ideas about having a baby or two, he smiled at the though of the Branch family head fumbling with a baby in his hands. Neji hated the fact that he was feeding his baby nothing but junk food, but pregnancy was something to be celebrated and embraced, as Gaara would say when he ate his snacks.

"Who are you looking for?" He asked for, but with Jackie, it was probably Gai.

"Gai-sensei." Bingo, Shikamaru enjoyed the small victory.

The adult tried to remember the last mission Gai had been on. "I think he's off on a mission, but he should be back tonight. But he lives next door to Iruka, so you can hang out with Iruka-sensei until then."

"IRUKA!" The man was the same as a dolphin to the children, a bringer of happiness and joy. "Is it okay?"

Iruka lived alone and mostly kept to himself, there was no signs that the man was lonely but there was no signs of anything else. "I think Iruka would like that."

Hoshino liked Iruka almost at a fanatical state and was often seen outright stalking the older man in broad daylight, Iruka seemed oblivious to the fact as well. Where Hoshino's favouritism came from was something of much debate, but it could be attributed to Iruka's kindness towards all children. Hoshino looked at the middle of Shikamaru and decided to ask. "Hey, I heard from dad you're gonna have a baby."

"Hm?" Shikamaru covered the area of Hoshino's gaze.

"Where do babies come from?" Hoshino asked. Raiden gaped, and then shut her mouth very tight.

The adult though for a gap of time, until the words came to him but he couldn't say them to Sasuke Uchiha's child. That was probably a later part of the Uchiha education regime, and he dared not to tread into those shark infested waters.

"They come from mothers." Raiden lied.

Hoshino's mouth gaped, "Really?!"

He didn't know how well the Uchiha sexual education was, but he thought it was sparse. Raiden seemed to be slightly surprised by the reaction, but said nothing.

Hoshino turned back to the tall adult. "So how do you know that you're a mom or not?"

Shikamaru decided to follow in Raiden's steps. "Well, you start feeling strange. This is difficult, hmm... You go to the doctor's and he or she tells you."

"Oh! Then your stomach starts to grow big right?" Hoshino linked his fingers as one would after a large meal and then pulled his hand out, using his arms as a round hoop, symbolising the pregnancy of a woman. "Like POOM!"

'Like poom?' He felt bad for Hoshino, like most people did, as the boy had very little expression due to being an Uchiha but a dramatic voice to suffice. Hopefully, the girls would leave the boy alone, but he knew that when he reached the age of requirement the males would be after the bubbly boy later, if not sooner. Half of the recent births were being planned around the ages of Hoshino's generation, and the probability of Naruto's pregnancies. "Not that fast, it takes around 9 months."

"That's almost a year!" Hoshino reacted moving his hands, with the plain face of his. Shikamaru had around a little less then six months, his kid might be born before then. And his parents were more than glad to be expecting a next generation to the Nara family, though they bemoaned the unmarried status of their son

"Really..." Jackie tried to wrap his head around the idea, but couldn't even fathom it. Come to think of it, his parents were talking about him getting a brother or sister soon, but he kept checking the mail and postal office and they just laughed at him and told him to check home every time.

His mom also had a big stomach too.

"EHHH??!! Does that mean my mom is having a baby?"

Raiden sighed, she was glad that she had an over protective father like Jiraya, who more than noticed the parade of boys after his little girl. Soon her father would be back on his feet, something she had never experienced of seen before. At times like this, seeing Hoshino and Jackie, he wondered what he could possibly do.

"What's all the commotion!" Came a silky voice that could only belong to one boy in the entire village. The only boy who kissed the children and made them cry.

"EW! It's HATAKE SAKE!" Raiden nearly dodged his embrace and kiss but she was caught and felt the kiss on the palm of her hand. "No!" She pushed him away and he went for Hoshino who was too Uchiha for kisses and demonstrated his prowess with the Katon: G®≠kaky®± no Jutsu, something that he hadn't mastered yet as his flames were oddly sakura pink and white.

Not wanting a mouth full of fire, he didn't bother turning to Jackie. Still remembering the boy's father who didn't even resist teaching him a lesson in the responsibilities of youth.

Children, Shikamaru just watched over the little people playing out their own dramas.

"Don't the three of you look cute-cute. One day, one of you is going to be my wife, so you better start learning how to cook barbecue eel because it's my favourite dish." Hoshino made a note to never learn how to cook barbecue eel. He hated the stupid boy, Sake and hoped he would go away soon.

The flames from his mouth died, but he covered his hand over his mouth so that the young Sake couldn't kiss him. "So who do I want... Do I want strong children," his eyes falling upon the strong Jackie, "or do I want to become the head of the Uchiha household and make babies all day," he moved over to Hoshino whose clasped mouth steaming grey smoke. "Or do I want big breasts?" He looked over at the heir of Orochimaru who recoiled, he hands cupping her non-existent chest. "Or can I have all of you?"

"NOO!" The three called out in unison.

"I don't have breasts yet stupid!" Raiden was almost in tears.

"You'll have to get through my fists first, Hatake!" Jackie struck am a taijutsu pose.

"I don't know how to make babies yet!" Hoshino cried out, much to the surprise of his colleagues. He really was crying, and it was the most emotion that Shikamaru had seen on the boy. "Go away! Stupid! Hatake is stupid! Stupid Hatake! Stupid!

"Nobody wants to marry you, Sake!" Hoshino cried out, swinging his arms in the air.

Sake mocking clenched his heart in fake heartbreak.

Shikamaru watched on, recording the scene before him in his memories. For now, he was more interested in the drama unfolding in their young lives at the moment then the one in his own. Later he could wonder of his own unmarried state.

That would work out in itself soon, as he recognised the longing expression on Neji's face.

Nara Neji. Shikamaru knew that Neji was settling with the sound, he also got the feeling that the Hyuuga Branch leader liked the rhyme. But his duties, if he left then there would be no one to care for his Branch members... But Neji was allowed to be selfish, and the Branch was also assisting Neji's desire by persuading their leader to leave.

Hoshino was young, but he would soon be the leader of the restored Uchiha family. That crying boy would lose all his emotions and take his father's place with little complaint. Hatake Sake was wise for his young age and looked over the Uchiha heir with stride, almost becoming a secret guardian for the young boy. Sake himself was a lot like Kakashi, using his father's comedic act to cover up his scarf covered face, much like Hoshino did.

Shikamaru surveyed the scene, he hated Neji's sense of duty.

Raiden and Jackie were throwing snowballs and Sake and Hoshino was blowing wispy flames out of his mouth. The four seemed to be having fun.

Shikamaru rested his hand on his stomach and walked home the long way, past the Hyuuga compound, on his way back home.

---

Jiraya tried to kill himself under the pillow, the sounds were bringing back memories of his own awful pregnancy.

Being on that dirt floor, in a ball, hoping he would die. He was in critical care, but he felt a lot healthier since Raiden had been visiting him.

Raiden was a good kid and Jiraya was glad to see her grow up to be the age she was, but she gave him the hardest time of his life when she came into the world and then never gave him problems again.

He hated hearing the hiss of Gaara's voice, breathing techniques that no one taught him when he was having his child, the grinding of a hand on a rail.

It was unnerving.

"Can you be more quiet."

"I wish."

Gaara had thrown off the trio of wailing attendants and hid in the room in which the former pregnant man was trying to rest. The birth seemed to escalate and become more and more urgent with each hour.

"Don't call the doctor," Gaara threatened, he hated being touched in labour which caused much grief for his family that raced by the room again, treading quietly. Gaara clasped his belly, that was grinding in pain.

Jiraya pulled the fluffy pillow from his face and pushed it under his aching back again.

"Don't dream of it," he added with a rude tone, "I ended up in this hospital because I gave birth in a bad condition. But you'll hold it together being a young-Gah!"

He winced hearing the sounds of childbirth, he could see the shadow of the red headed Kazekage in that odd position trying to rid his body of the pain.

"I gave birth to my first son alone," Gaara looked to that memory hazily, it was a bit cruel to do this to a man like Jiraya that experienced life threatening injuries due to having his daughter. "But my husband was... Meddling. Ah-shit."

The room fell silent, then there was a sound of struggling and then the Kazekage began to stream profanities from his mouth that Jiraya noted to copy if he could remember.

The small mewls of the child penetrated the room, Jiraya fell back into his pillow. The tension was cut, and the room became hospitable again.

"Congratulations." There was a deep groan of a misery as Gaara fumbled with his baby, trying to wrap the stained child. "What's wrong?"

"Twins." Gaara rasped, his face looking over the figure of a man that was drinking sake from the bottle. "You're going to give me a bottle of that after, righ/"

"Of course," Jiraya added, taking another swig.

He really missed his daughter right now.

---

The boy sat rigid.

The Hyuuga head was sprawled, an unpleasant sight to the young boy as her body was boyish and displeasing.

"What do you think of Hoshino Uchiha?" The Hyuuga heir looked at his cup of tea, much like the tea, Hoshino was mild and refreshing with a subtle flavour underlying the taste. The room was dark and regal, the wood a deep brown and the world was cut and shaped into a pristine palace of asian sensibility.

"He is an adorable boy," he felt the flavour leave his mouth. The hot tea was to the lady Hyuuga's preference, scalding. "Mother."

The words that left his mouth scalded him.

The seven teapots that sat on the table were the objects of Hanabi's affections, she drank from the spout, greedily.

He was not deaf and not much escaped his gaze, but he saw very little profit in joining the Uchiha to the Hyuuga. He set his cup on it's resting place and folded his hands on his lap, "Are you thinking that I should wed him? I don't see any benefits."

His mother let out a cruel and rumbling laughter that almost caused his spine to straighten in a more vertical line... If that was humanly possible.

"Don't be stupid..." Hanabi set her glass down, pulling his cloth over her breasts as politely as possible. The woman... It wouldn't matter if she was naked and her legs were sprawled open, no one would dare look at her or approach her. The little boy felt Hanabi raise his chin up, his eyes rising to meet the woman he despised, "like your mother."

"Yes, mother."

Her hand was clasped around his throat and he could say no more words before he was thrown across the room.

The boy rolled into the door and rose up like a puppet. A true heir.

She pointed at him, her kimono splitting oven and her bare breast bursting from the cloth like a bean in a pod.

"Get out," she pulled her lover over her body like a shawl, it made the boy feel cold as she watched his guardian wrap the lover around her pale body.

He almost pitied the lover of the week, walking out of the sliding door. The vomit filled his mouth, and he swallowed it down.

They always ended up face down on his floor, decapitated.

He awaited the day his mother would return and then she would kill everyone, he was sure of it.

Just like Itachi Uchiha, his hero.

---

Neji pressed his hand against his forehead, palm against his cursed symbol. "And then he proposed."

Chouji stuffed more of his chips that Neji had bribed him with into his large mouth, in a nonchalant manner. "Well, I think it's funny. You should marry him."

"I was asking for advice!"

Chouji munched on, "Sounds like you're afraid of commitment."

"Commitment..." He hissed, he thought about Shikamaru having to raise his child by himself. It was not uncommon, single parent families. But he didn't want to produce a child with his lover, and then abandon the both them, nor did he want to abandon his clan and his station.

Shikamaru was so charitable, he gave the cold Hyuuga many things. And now a way out.

"I want to take care of Shikamaru and our baby."

"So what are you going to do?" Chouji couldn't care less about Neji, and was more than disappointed when he chose Neji over Temari. But Temari and Shikamaru maintained a good relationship, both knowing that Neji despite being strong and reliable needed someone behind him to be his shadow.

"Marry him, I love him after all..." He ran a hand though his long hair, cursing under his breath.

A hard hand hit the father-to-be on the back with a hearty laugh. "Then stop looking so glum! You're gonna be a daddy. I know I was more than happy when I became a father." His son was more of a Yamanaka than a Akimichi, though, and never got fat with his high metabolism.

"How is it," Neji drank another cup of sake, he would never be able to travel home alone and would probably grow to be a burden on his confidante. And it was not like he could ask Lee, he was more of a girl than a guy and Gaara was more of a fatherly figure in the family, forcibly putting his foot down before his green beasts tore Konoha apart.

Chouji wasn't the one to mix chips with sake, but he was not below mixing chips and beer. He chugged the dark liquid down and moved onto his meal that had arrived at the table.

"My son hasn't been that much of a problem growing up, but Ino's father is meddling." He closed his eyes and opened them, with a passionate fire burning in his eyes, "but I have to thank him for giving me a hot wife."

"Isn't Ino useless in the kitchen?" Neji replied, catching the Akimichi on his words.

Chouji ruffled his hair in frustration, being a man in today's society was harder than it used to be before. "Pretty much."

Both men sighed.

"You're going to work twice as hard," Chouji rattled on, hazily, Ino was going to kill him at any rate. So drink up, he rationalized. "Shikamaru is lazy."

"That's good. I think I'll have to escape into work anyway." A bad joke that induced fits of laughter from both men. It was an easy way out for fathers who were ninja, .

"That's the cheap way out."

"You do it too," Neji pointed out, finally able to actually enjoy the coming child.

He raised his glass to Chouji, a man who was just a fatty before, now a friend. "To fatherhood."

"Cheers!"

"Cheers."

The glasses glinked in unison upon collision.

---

The stone fireplace was cooking stew, the rice a leftover from lunch. The log cabin smelled like dog, and it was as expected being a glorified dog house, that had lodgings upstairs for the couple that had build it, with the help of Yamato.

Kiba looked into the puppy eyes and was not affected, the dogs passed around their legs whining for attention. Akamaru weaved between the two who stood face to face. Growled at the man in question, Shino, a bug trailing across his face as he stood and pressed against the man begging for Kiba to indulge him. Kiba knew a lot of puppies. In fact, Akamaru had a small litter of four with some wolf he had come in contact with and they eventually had a litter after three years. The little puppies were adorable, scrappy and cute. But when they were being bad, he scolded them and they understood.

Unlike cats.

He hated cats.

And Shino was being catty.

"No," Shino was a very quiet man, but he was hard to ignore when crawling with bugs.

"Nekomimi."

"No nekomimi."

Defeated he retreated to his favourite chair. He sat on his rocking chair dejectedly, rocking back on the curves. It was the only chair he was allowed to sit on because he was a living hive for insects.

Kiba turned back to his dogs, trying to pretend he just didn't lose a sex opportunity and was okay with it. Because he was a full-blooded male, and there was no way he could continue to wait out.

---

Iruka had a special chair at his table for Hoshino and that was Hoshino's chair and no one else's.

The boy was something that cat had dragged in, some innocent thing with a poker face and usually that was something of trouble to a ninja, but it wasn't like Hoshino was the enemy. Iruka could tell the boy was really annoyed as he sat in his chair immediately, it was too big for him now, but eventually the boy would grow into it but as Naruto did into his own special chair. It was often that the Uchiha heir came to his doorstep, wandered through his doors to the kitchen just to sit and say nothing. He hadn't expected much from the boy, just silence.

But today was unusual.

Raiden clocked in early, taking a spare mattress and blanket and camping out beside Iruka's bed. Jackie was nodding off on the couch listening to the radio. Kakashi's son was pestering Sasuke's son about things.

Today seemed to liven up his life a little.

"Do you want some milk with your cake?" Iruka asked the boy who looked up at him with a surly face, Sake was seated in Naruto's old chair and leaning towards the young boy.

"Um..." Hoshino nodded, trying to push the amorous older boy away.

"Che, you kids don't know nothing do you." Sake seemed to be the most upset, catching the tail end of Shikamaru's exchange with the children. Iruka looked at the boy with a growing concern, this boy... was Kakashi's child. And not only that, Sai's child.

"A man takes is pe--" He looked at the only adult in the room who was struggling not to drop the tray as he fumbled to find a place to rest the drinks and struggling to keep throwing the whole thing at the naughty, young boy. Sake's voiced dropped and his lips were moving, Hoshino's eyes widened.

"Stupid Hatake!" Hoshino cried, hitting Sake over and over again with, coincidentally a book of sexual reproduction, crying a waterfall before dropping the book and running into Iruka's free arms.

"Irukaaaaa!!" Iruka caught the strange look on boy's face, which was much like this only streaming with tears: (o-o)

"I'm sorry, Sake--"

The boy tightened the scarf that covered his mouth, much like the mouth guard on his father's. "I'm okay, I'm gonna leave soon too. My parents are probably waiting."

"You bet we're waiting..." The older man leaned on his son's shoulder and nodded to the Academy instructor. "Thanks for looking after my kid, I just got back home after a mission and what do you know, my darling son is missing."

He pulled on the boy, who was more embarrassed of being touched in any sort of way by his dad in public.

"I'll be sure to discipline him for teaching Hoshino the ways of the world..." Hoshino's face was pressed against Iruka's thigh, and at the moment the old teacher really felt like a mother. Kakashi bowed again, grabbing Sake by the ear. "Thank you for having us."

Iruka nodded, but the pair was gone in a puff of smoke. "Your welcome..."

The little boy had stopped sobbing and peeked at where his bully disappeared.

"I'm going to go to bed," Hoshino concluded, after realising the coast was clear.

"Goodnight, Hoshino." The boy nodded, sleepily. Neglecting his cake and milk, and dragging his half-conscious friend up the stairs to bed.

Iruka shook his head with a sigh.

He lifted the glass and drank the contents happily, and then put the glass into the sink. The food was packed into the fridge and labelled and he moved on to other things. Being a meticulous man, he swept the counter and floor quickly and moved on to the chairs.

Pushing in Hoshino's, Naruto's, his chair and the forth chair that was shaky and beaten down. He smiled, he'll have to remember to welcome him back. Gai would be home also too, so it wouldn't be odd to drop gifts to all three of them.

He sighed, when Iruka reached the living room and absently looked at the devious photo planted by his lover. Now he was just scheming for opportunities too.

---

Lee was a doting man, he was a good father, although his role was more of that of a housekeeper and he went on very little missions. He was dedicated to raising Jackie, so much so that he boy came to be a near replica of himself, and in turn Gai.

The dedicated man loved his husband Gaara to bits and clumps of sand, and Gaara in return, hated the display of public affection when food wasn't involved.

When Gaara took the leaf ninja to the sand after their Wave Country wedding ceremony, he had expected as much yelling and fights, interrupted trains of thought and gifts of cute little things he didn't like.

Like anyone who would be a spouse of a hyper wife, he did what he did best when Lee smothered him with chocolate and love.

He ran.

For the hills of sand, or more into them. Building caves, slides, things that would make a man happy for hours as he relaxed in an underground spring.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

Lee eventually mastered the technique of finding Gaara in the desert.

It was when Jackie learned how to walk, Lee lost the boy in the dessert and discovered that sand around Gaara reacted to their son. With this information, Lee manipulated his first child's gift of sniffing Gaara out in the desert.

However, once Gaara moved to Konoha for his second birth, he settled immediately and disappeared enough to make an nin-hunter cringe. Gaara loved Konoha because he could find any nook or cranny and disappear for hours a time. Sometimes he would hide in Konoha when he didn't want to do something and Kankuro and Temari would have to retrieve him, and basically rent a room and wait until Gaara felt like making an appearance and going home.

"Gaara!" Lee hissed, calling out the unresponsive man. The patients in critical care were to be avoided and not disturbed, and he knew where his husband could be but he couldn't bring himself to believe that Gaara would disturb the injured.

Kankuro huffed and puffed, but he himself, was blowing over onto a blue seat.

Temari had long given up and was more than happily enjoying the baby viewing area.

She was more than respectful of the Kazekage's privacy and understood how the men in Gaara's life could be seen as irritating and annoying.

"Hey," she pointed to the new pair of twins the nurse brought in. The babies were nestled in pink blankets, they were so pink and tiny and cute and obviously Gaara's with their red tuffs and pouting mouths. "Look."

Twins.

Lee had thought as much, between the hits to his face.

He had, at that time, made the mistake of saying "twins" out loud with the combination of the word "bigger" with ugly results.

"Twins." Lee spoke in a soft tone, he felt the air of anxiety blow out of him.

The tingle of guilt of not being present at another birth spread through him.

Kankuro was more than amazed, he tapped on the glass and called the nurse out and was ferociously reprimanded for tapping on the glass as the sign said. He managed to get out the questions he needed and slunk away guiltily as the tiny nurse went on to acknowledge the father of the twins.

"Ah, Lee! Gaara told me to call on you," Lee smiled warmly, the nurse was overjoyed of the arrival of the twins. There was a lively sway of her mood. The woman loved babies, ugly or cute and was in her element. "Yes, Gaara is doing perfectly well. He's sharing a room with Jiraya in the critical care unit."

"Critical care!" Lee's back arched in comedic shock from a fast-cutting heart attack, if he had gone on a rampage, they would have to call everyone to stop him from levelling the hospital. "WHY?!"

"Oh no, he's 100 fine." Lee was still panting and waving his hands, slightly frightening the nurse until Gaara's siblings stopped him. "Tsunade and the girls are over there right now."

She pointed in the blind direction of a distraction, took off carefully to the happy pink room with the crying, smiling baby. Temari laughed quietly, and patted her brother-in-law's back. "I'm gonna make sure these babies are properly loved here, I'll bring them over." Lee nodded blankly, as he usually did, burning out after learning the birth of their children.

Lee didn't budge.

She shook her head and directed her brother to drag him off to see Gaara.

When Lee came to, he was flat on the the floor. Sprawled on his back with huge, dilated eyes. Sakura looked down at him with sympathetic eyes, somehow feeling that these feelings would be shared with fifty percent of the father's in the population in the coming year.

"He's out of it Gaara," Kankuro spoke the the sleeping red head.

"WHAT!" Lee shot up only to be hit by a pillow.

"Shut up, some of us are in critical care." Jiraya hissed, annoyed and tired from reliving his own painful memories.

Lee muttered some apologies and made his way to the bed.

"Gaara," Lee beamed, completely free of his trance. He searched his hands, with a complete lack of flowers and teddy bears. "I'll get you some flowers later, I just want you to know that I love you.

"Loud." Gaara frown, pulling the sheets over his head.

Lee stood over the hiding man so he could hear the shy response, "I love you too."

Tsunade opened the door, a bleary eyed Shizune and a yawning Sakura pulling the smiling father and tired uncle out of the door. "Our patients need so rest. And it looks like you also do, Shizune will sent you to some beds. Tomorrow we'll switch rooms and everything will be back to normal."

Gaara peeped up from under the sheets with a smile.

He loved Lee, but Lee was so clingy. At least Lee had a set of twins to care for, perhaps he could get some rest and relaxation again.

---

The window shut delicately, the white curtains pull together again.

"Oh," Iruka's hollow eyes taken into the man presence, his mind slipping away in the haze.

There was the smell of smoke and blood, medicine, cigarettes.

The cold air hit his face like a hard slap, which made him shiver and pull the sheet around his body. He rose, only because the drew close and he wanted to be at his level when berating him for breaking and entering.

But he couldn't bring himself to.

"It's you," was all he could say. It's not like the boy came back from the dead a man, but the way his face was cut and crusted with blood made him compassionate.

"Yes," the dark man leaned into Iruka's lips, chaste lips bouncing off the older man's. The touch burned Iruka's lips, even after they had parted.

Flames continued to devour him, he still carried a torch for this man... No matter how many years had passed. He came back and kissed him like this, "I wanted to see you briefly."

The man's eyes softened, centimetres away from Iruka's face. "I wanted to see you badly."

Iruka waved his hand, like a priest. And because he had taught half the population, he was pretty much a saint who couldn't touch his students despite how old here were and how pushy they got.

"Is Gai back too?" Iruka asked trying the change the subject, Iruka's words burned him and kept him from entering the house. "You can't just walk in and out."

"That boy can." The man scoffed with a hint of jealousy.

"He's a boy," Iruka caught the defiantly look dying in the man's eyes.

"People will talk," Iruka pressed on, "please leave."

A gentle hand guiding the unannounced guest out the door.

"No one is talking." Then man cupped Iruka's shoulder, smouldering flames melting inside his stomach. "Look, I love you. Let's leave, let's get married."

Iruka looked back, thinking of a sleeping Hoshino and the other children upstairs. "I think you should leave."

"Again." The was an exasperated sigh, followed by a childish slouch and the wibblings until the man fell into Iruka, despondent. Iruka let the stranger press his face into his shoulder, growing fragile with time and in his growing age. "A man can hope."

He pulled away and looked at Iruka longingly, only with childish love.

It was a dangerous love.

"I can hope too," Iruka replied, the figure paused and looked back with a teary smile. Iruka noted that he was still a boy in many ways, awkward at any age despite being a man. Once a student, now a hunter-nin, times had changed and times had changed both men. "I'm also a man."

Then Iruka remembered he was a teacher again.

"Now go!"

"Yes sir!" Came the reply with a salute.

Iruka then decided it was time to resign, it was about time. Perhaps he could take up a hobby or two as an excuse to have his lover over. That would be fine.

---

The next day word had spread about the Kazekage delivering twin girls, and there was much speculation on what Gaara had done to Lee after giving birth to twins. Male pregnancy had not been kind to Gaara in the past, and the fact that he ran away (and the fact he got pregnant) again just showed the village how much of a glutton for punishment (and food) Gaara was.

But to the village's amazement, Lee was very much in one piece, carrying half the stock of the Yamanaka's Flower Shop down the street, followed by a streaming rainbow of balloons with his son in tow.

Gai had been located, and the note delivered.

Gai could only smile and shake his head as he waved the children off, proud of being shinobi and being good at their jobs.

The remaining pair, with their mission accomplished arrived at their door only to find a unfamiliar face to greet them.

"Daddy?" Hoshino looked at his dad's face, "where is Naruto? Why aren't you at work?"

"OH! I hate your face!" Raiden wailed, tossing the sleeping bag at Sasuke's feet.

Sasuke didn't even bother to tell his son that Naruto was out of commission from out doing himself.

"Isn't it more important..." Sasuke slowed down his speech, speeding it up from excitement, "that we're having cake for breakfast!"

"YAY!" Hoshino cheered!

"You're the best daddy ever!" Next to her own father, Raiden whispered, and after Naruto.

Little did they know that Sasuke baked the cake.

It was made from a cake mix so it was all right.

---

TBC

Author's note:

Well that was... A lot of words. Now I'm tired. Sorry you 42 Alerts and my favourite-ing readers. m(v-v)m

Sorry for the wait, I have been enjoying your reviews. The more you guys review sporadically, the more shitty I feel for not updating on time.

Next, my responses to your reviews:

NaTsUkO-ChAn, the reason why the pairing are strange is because I'm experimenting with the couples. It's fun and keeps things wtf.

qhernadez07, yeah, Sasuke is going to be a jerk. Naruto's going to slip back into character on and off. It's all gravy.

As for their ages, kitsunechibiko, Hoshino, Raiden and Jackie all four. Sake is SIX! Perrrvert... Just like daddy.

takuya, Nusku, makacatori, I am updating two and a half weeks late. Please forgive me. Hypergirl321... o-o;; Thank you.

Chria, I'm glad you agree with my decision. Man these like... HUGE chapters are hard to write. Thank you for your kind words.

darkneko666, you reviewed two of my stories. Ha ha ha, thankyou! I think it was you. I'm sleepy. ANYWHOOOO! It's four chapters now.

Phantomsnow, thank you! Those words helped motivate me to finish this. I like to compared to those romance novels! Now which romance novels were they. Mission accomplished! (cue FF Victory Music)

Review and read?! Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!

So read, sit on it and come back and tell me what you think.
-as-as
-as
Asloooong as you review!

---

Omake:

Gaara lay still.

His eyes closed.

Jiraya twitched, he wasn't used to this.

"Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Shut up." Gaara was too used to Lee's sneakiness. "Shh, someone is coming."

The door creaked open, heels clacking musically.

"It's all right boys, Lee's in bed!"

The lights came on, and the three head doctors stood with their clothes loose and some of their buttons undone. Big smiles on their faces.

Tsunade puffed her cigar, blowing smoke in the air sexily.

"Did I say congratulations a fucking 'nough?"

Gaara peeked his eye opened, "No."

Sakura and Shizune held up their happilyheisted bottles in their hands.

"Hey!" Jiraya pulled out the bottle of champagne, busting the cork-sending foaming bubbles all over the floor. "Let's party!!!"

The old man narrator took the pipe out of his mouth, and spoke in a regal voice.
"And party they did."