Two weeks had passed since the dinner night, and Hinata's nausea was still going on. Aside from that, things were the same as always.

Or not.

Sasuke got up when he heard his wife calling him from their room, walking over to see her standing in front of the mirror. A look of frustration was etched onto her face. She was trying to zip up a dress. Amused, Sasuke walked over, only to find himself beaten by a stupid zipper. "I can't get it up."

"What do you mean you can't get it up? This dress was big before!" Hinata huffed, sucking in her gut as Sasuke attempted to pull the zipper up. Just as he was about to let go in defeat, he immediately noticed what the issue was. Judging from Hinata's gaping mouth, she had seen it right away as well.

Her abdomen was growing and it was clearly outlined because of the tightness of the dress.

"Sasuke, look!" She breathed, cupping the tiny bump that slightly protruded. Had she not tried to force herself into that dress, perhaps they would not have noticed it.

Taking a step back, Sasuke could see her body was changing. She had a slender figure, but her curves dipped in more than usual, with growth in every correct spot. Part of him felt a strange and foreign sensation of fear at the way his wife was changing so rapidly because of the being within her, and part of him wanted to run his hands along her sides.

He snapped out of his thoughts when Hinata took his hand, placing it on her abdomen. "Look!"

Sasuke felt awkward and filled with a strange warmth at the same time as he felt the growing spot on Hinata's belly. She smiled at him, her cheeks tinted pink, and then impulsively, she hugged him. When she let go, she gave him a small smile before going over to look for a different dress and then disappearing into the bathroom to change.

Things had absolutely changed between them. Rapidly.

Hinata had changed. She was still shy and kept her nervous habits, but she was definitely becoming much more comfortable when talking to him, the averting of eyes slowly happening less and less except (of course) when her husband was too close for her comfort. Sasuke found himself also opening up, although he felt an inner turmoil of confusion at the thought of expressing himself. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed, and although he couldn't recall laughing around Hinata, he could feel a part of him that he thought was gone slowly creeping back. The child within him that had once expressed an interest in things such as paleontology, the culinary arts, music and martial arts was trying to peek through the thick barrier he had built for himself. He recalled things he had profoundly enjoyed during the period in his life when he felt truly happy, when his mother would let him help her cook meals, when Itachi would play with him, chasing him down long corridors, causing the boy to laugh and shriek with happiness. A small spark had been lighted, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. A large part of him felt uncomfortable because he had grown so guarded and reserved, but another part of him craved that small spark that reminded him of home, of a time when he wasn't consumed by work and his father's expectations. A part of him ached for his mother and his brother, ached for a genuine smile to appear on his father's face. A part of him ached for touch, for human comfort, for the warmth of a hug and a back rub. A part of him wanted to laugh and sing.

Had Hinata managed to bring that out of him? Or had he done it himself, taking his own advice when he demanded his wife to break away from the shadow of her father?

Hinata spent the entire morning smiling and giggling, passing her hand hundreds of times over the small bump that seemed to have magically appeared overnight. She was full of happiness, and her newfound joy sparked the idea of remodeling. Before, she would have never even considered it out of fear of her husband's opinion, but this time, she simply could care less. She figured she'd create a healthy balance of colors so that they could both enjoy their home that currently lacked personality. Everything was so simple and tidy, and she itched to start decorating. She figured she'd surprise her husband, so she got ready and headed to the nearest bus stop to do some shopping.

Shopping turned out to be an overwhelming mess.

Hinata had no idea what things to get, specifically because there were so many options to choose from. Regarding color, she decided she'd go towards softer grays with complementary blues and lavenders so that their home could reflect both herself and her husband. She went through endless designs of covers, pillows, vases and curtains, always stuck with various options of each kind. She was ready to give up when she heard someone calling her. Recognizing her sister's voice, her mood brightened and she was hugged tightly a second later. "Onee-chan, what are you doing!? Did Sasuke bring you?"

"No. I took the bus." Hinata smiled, brushing back the stubborn strand of hair that hung between Hanabi's brows. Her younger sister shooed her hand away and then responded incredulously, "The bus? Can't Sasuke afford to get you a car? Can't you afford a car? You're a Hyuuga, for crying out loud!" Hinata giggled, pinching Hanabi's cheeks gently. "I don't mind taking the bus, silly!"

Hanabi raised an eyebrow at her sister. "You look so happy. After everything that happened at dinner that day, I thought you'd still be fretting over it."

Hinata's smile dimmed down several notches. "A part of me still thinks about it but Sasuke tells me that I should let go of those kinds of things." She blushed at the thought of Sasuke kissing her forehead and holding her in his arms. Hanabi looked as if she had seen a ghost. "Never in my life did I think Sasuke was a feminist!"

Hinata giggled. "I think he just wants me to be okay...and I am! In fact, I'm so happy because look!" She opened her cardigan up, showing Hanabi the bump that had formed in her abdomen. Hanabi's eyes widened and then she grinned, hugging her sister again. "So cute! Onee-chan, I'm so happy! Also, what is all this crap you're carrying? Let me help you! What are you doing here, anyways?"

"I'm in the mood to decorate. I figured I'd come look for things to put around the house. I'm actually having some trouble deciding which covers I like better…perhaps these? They have this sort of lavender and bluish haze to it. I think Sasuke would like it as well."

Hanabi snickered. "Since when do you consider his opinions on these sorts of things? Looking for something pretty to lay on when, you know…" She raised her eyebrows suggestively, causing her older sister to shush her in embarrassment. "H-Hanabi!" The younger Hyuga howled with laughter and then helped her sister come to a decision on the things she had picked, later offering her a ride home.

Hinata stood back, observing her results with satisfaction. The house felt much more familiar and inviting when she saw the colors she loved, and she could feel her husband's presence every time her eyes lingered on the darker, cool-toned colors that he gravitated towards.

She nearly shrieked when Sasuke opened the door, huffing and puffing and muttering some unpleasant things under his breath. He literally kicked his shoes off and then looked up to find his wife staring at him wide eyes. "A-Are you okay?"

"What happened here?" was the response, the look of frustration and annoyance slowly lifting from his brow as he looked around, their home transformed drastically. Hinata fumbled with the buttons on her cardigan, smiling shyly. "I-I took the liberty to decorate...I-I hope you like it! I tried to incorporate the colors you like so that you could also enjoy the new additions…" Her voice trailed off as she nervously followed her husband, who walked around, observing the changes she had made with furrowed brows, as if he were performing a scientific experiment that required dedication and thought. He picked up an empty picture frame, and then stating the obvious, "There's no picture."

She blinked. "W-Well...perhaps we can put one in sometime."

Sasuke didn't respond and after peeking into their room to observe the changes, he stated, "It's nice."

Hinata felt unsatisfied. "That's it?" She was ready to apologize for her comment but stopped when she saw Sasuke's amused expression. "You didn't bring anything for-" He motioned with his bag at her abdomen, and heat flared up on her face. Weeks had passed since she'd delivered the news about her pregnancy and he was still reluctant to blatantly mention the fact that they were having a child, that he was going to be a father. A thought popped into her head.

"Maybe we can do that together?" She peeked at him past wispy bangs, her heart squeezing when she saw his eyes widened slightly in surprise and then glancing away, he scratched the back of his head. "I don't really know much about that stuff, but okay."

Hinata smiled and then added, "Also, I was wondering…do you maybe want to go out and see a movie? Maybe eat somewhere today?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you still feeling nauseous?"

"A bit...but I don't want that to keep us from doing things. Besides, we haven't really gone out at all. Wouldn't hurt, right?"

Sasuke looked guarded, even though the suggestion was appealing. She could tell he was stressed. She had gotten good at that, and his entrance proved it. After giving it a few moments of thought, he muttered, "Okay."

"Don't sound so excited…" Hinata mumbled, mimicking his voice, then giggling when he poked her in the forehead following his, "Hey…"

"Why were you so upset when you got home?" Hinata asked, popping a piece of glazed chicken into her mouth and chewing slowly, hoping her stomach wouldn't become upset. They were eating in a small restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere. Sasuke pushed some beans onto Hinata's plate without asking for her approval before responding, "I wasn't."

Hinata decided not to comment on his pickiness, finding it rather cute, but she would not let his outright denial slip past her. "Of course you were. You even kicked your shoes off and you were saying some rather offensive things."

Sasuke chewed slowly and meticulously on some omusubi, and when she didn't say anything to prompt his response, he sighed after he swallowed and then mumbled, "These are good."

"Stop avoiding my question...it's actually rude."

A small smirk appeared on his face. "My, you wouldn't have drilled me this much before."

"I'm only taking your advice," came the swift response.

Sasuke shook his head and taking his glasses off, he rubbed his eyes. "It was just a frustrating day at work."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hinata offered. She would have never pestered her husband as much as she was doing so at that moment, but she was doing her best to get him to trust her and talk about that his thoughts and emotions. Her stoic husband had to break a little, for his own sake and her sanity.

Sasuke shrugged. "My assistant went into labor so I was left with a lot of the work."

"How exciting!" Hinata's eyes lit up despite Sasuke's annoyed expression. "What do you mean 'exciting?' I had to do double the work and I was unable to finish my things. Father is going to be on my ass later." Then he added, "She wasn't even in her third trimester yet."

Hinata felt as if something cold had seeped into her. Suddenly the food didn't taste so great. "Oh…" She glanced down at her own abdomen, fear pulsating within her.

Sasuke picked up on her fears. "That doesn't mean that will happen to you." He reached out, his hand enclosing over hers. "Hey…" Giving it a gentle squeeze, this prompted her to glance at him. "You're going to be okay." Hinata gave him a small smile that quickly broke into a giggle when he pushed some more beans onto her plate.

"What movie do you want to see?" Sasuke asked his wife, who was observing the posters with great interest.

"Hm...this one looks interesting." She pointed at some sappy romance movie and he didn't bother hiding the eyeroll. "Hey!" was the protest and then she laughed when Sasuke pretended to gag. "Does it have to be this one?"

Hinata suddenly curled her arm around his, surprising him. She smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. "What is it?"

"Actually...I would like to go visit your assistant. Then maybe we can catch the last showing of the film."

Sasuke must have made a face because Hinata quickly averted her eyes. "O-Or not...it might actually be an inconvenience…"

During the time that the gap between them had started to close, Sasuke had learned that when something worried his wife, she couldn't rest easy until she did something to clear her mind of the problem, even if that meant facing it head on. It surprised him that the shy, awkward, and nervous girl he had grown up with, the girl with shaky hands who kept to herself, was not one to beat around the bush, at least not as an adult. He knew that the news of his assistant's premature child was going to worry her sick unless she could get positive news or face the issue herself.

"I'll send her a text."

Hinata's eyes lit up, but he didn't miss the nervous expression that settled on her face. She began to fidget as he waited for a response. The response was almost instantaneous. He expected nothing less from his assistant who despite being a source of his headaches, was always ready to answer any petitions and orders from him.

"She said she'd be delighted to see us. Her words, not mine." He showed the text to Hinata, who nodded vigorously.

Hinata hated hospitals.

Especially if she was there to visit an unfortunate soul going through a difficult time.

But nothing would've prepared her for the small, defenseless infant she would see that night.

"Come on in!" The woman resting on the hospital bed was clearly older than both of them, but she also seemed to have aged overnight. Dark circles and fine lines of worry were etched onto her face, but her welcoming smile reached her eyes. "Hinata-san! How are you?"

"I-I'm good...and you?" Hinata came over to the woman's side, taking the hand that reached out. It was warm.

"I'm good! A little tired, of course, but I'm glad that my little boy is here!" She grinned, although Hinata couldn't share her enthusiasm. According to what Sasuke had told her, this was the woman's first child after years of marriage, and it was possible that she had struggled with infertility. The thought of the poor woman struggling to have a family and then finally being granted that opportunity only to have a child who could face complications caused a great turmoil within Hinata. She wanted to cry for the woman and the child, but she was also happy that no matter the size of the baby, the woman had what she had wanted for so long.

"Would you like to see him?"

Hinata was taken aback. "Ah...i-is it allowed?"

"Sure! You can peek through the window. I'll have my husband take you there." As if on cue, her husband emerged from the restroom. The man was fatigued, clearly, with the same lines of worry settled onto his face. Nevertheless, he shared the same bright, warm happiness as his wife as he greeted them, happily accepting the task of showing them their child.

Hinata's breath caught in her throat when she saw the small, defenseless, beautiful creature that was hooked to machines. Her heart pounded loudly, threatening to break in sadness at the sight of seeing such a pure form of life attached to such cold, technological apparatuses. She moved closer to Sasuke, taking his hand shakily.

The man pressed his hand to the glass, his eyes filled with love and warmth. "Isn't he beautiful?"

"Yes…" She breathed, realizing her voice was hoarse and shaky. He must have noticed too, because he glanced at her. "You are pregnant, aren't you, Hinata-san?"

Both Sasuke and Hinata looked at him with raised brows. He smiled at them. "Congratulations. I could tell as soon as you walked in by the way in which Uchiha-san has been watching you." Hinata glanced at her husband, who avoided her eyes, remaining stoic. The man looked back at the small boy, smiling. "When my wife's water broke early this morning, I became extremely terrified because it was still too early. I thought, 'we have been trying to have a family for so long and now this? What if our baby dies?' I thought it was unfair and I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I was shocked when my wife was so enthusiastic and excited. I thought she had gone mad!" He chuckled. "She said to me, 'I'm ready for my baby boy whenever.' She gave me strength and hope, and look at him now. He's going to need some help here at the hospital before we can take him home with us, but we have hope, and so far he's doing well!" Hinata could see the man's eyes becoming glossy, and she had to swallow hard and avert her eyes to avoid bursting into tears. "I'm just happy that he's finally here and I have my own little family." He turned to both of them and he reached out, placing his hands on her arms. "I am happy that you will be having a family soon, too. Congratulations."

Hinata's grip tightened as she fought the emotions bubbling in her throat. It was Sasuke who answered first with a simple, "Thank you." He led them back to the room where his wife was dozing off. She sat up when she saw them enter, another warm smile appearing on her face. "He's a cute little thing, isn't he?"

Hinata nodded, smiling. The man came over to his wife's side. "Did you know that Hinata-san is pregnant, dear?"

The woman's eyes widened. "What!? Boss, you didn't tell me! Congrats!" Her eyes welled up with tears and she reached out with incredible strength, bringing in the young couple for a massive hug, squeezing tightly. "Be careful!" came Sasuke's protest. She grinned sheepishly, letting go out them. "I'm just so happy! You're going to be great parents!"

When Sasuke and Hinata left, there was silence between them in the car. Sasuke was about to turn in the direction that led them to the movie theater when Hinata said, "Actually, I want to go home."

Sasuke didn't question her until they got home. "I thought you really wanted to watch that movie."

Avoiding his eyes as she was taking her shoes off, she mumbled, "I'd rather just stay home and we can watch a movie here."

If Sasuke was surprised, he didn't show it. He shrugged. "Horror?"

Hinata shook her head vigorously. "N-No! I can't watch horror movies. They're too scary!"

"That's the point," Sasuke snorted.

"Maybe a comedy?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I've never seen one that makes me laugh, but sure." Hinata giggled and then announced that she was going to shower. She washed away her worries for the moment, letting the warm water beat down on her exhausted body. Pregnancy was exhausting, and she wasn't even into the second trimester. When she got out, she changed into a fresh pair of pajamas and came out to find Sasuke dozing off in one of the armchairs that was in their room, his laptop balanced precariously on his knees. He opened his eyes when he saw Hinata come out and he set the laptop aside to shower as well. While he was gone, Hinata took the liberty to search for movies on it, but stopped when she noticed a particular tab.

It was a file. A book on pregnancy.

Hinata felt a ticklish feeling in her stomach, and she smiled, the warmth reaching her cheeks. Who would have thought that the stranger who had originally disagreed with her pregnancy would take the time out of his day to download a book on that specific topic?

She became engrossed in reading, and yelped when Sasuke came out, drying his hair with his towel. He was wearing clothes this time.

She quickly switched back to the search engine, pretending to search for movies. Too bad she tried to outsmart an Uchiha.

"You look like you were switching from porn or something."

"W-What!? N-No!"

Sasuke snorted and he came over. "Oh. That." He scratched his head. Were his ears a bit redder? "I figured I'd read up to help, you know."

"Thank you." Hinata climbed into bed, Sasuke following suit and they got comfortable as they searched for movies. At Hinata's request, Sasuke begrudgingly got up to make popcorn before settling down to watch some random movie they settled on. He was knocked out almost immediately.

Hinata squeaked when Sasuke slumped in her direction, leaning against her. She slowly pulled his glasses off, earning a quiet grunt from her husband. She shifted so that Sasuke could lean against her more comfortably, only to have his head rest on her shoulder, his lips millimeters away from her neck. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as Sasuke's breathing deepened, warm on her skin. She pressed her cheek to his head, his hair still cool and damp. She inhaled his clean scent and before long she was also asleep.

Sasuke groaned as he woke up, his neck hurting. He blinked in the darkness and he squinted, trying to make out what time it was. Two in the morning.

He nearly got whiplash when he realized he was practically squashing his pregnant wife and he jumped up. Shit.

Hinata was snoring lightly, which Sasuke found cute, but she was in such an uncomfortable position that it made him cringe. He put his laptop on the armchair and then pulling the covers back, he gently nudged Hinata, trying to prompt her to shift into her normal sleeping position. She mumbled something, but didn't move.

Sasuke sighed and hooking his arms under her armpits, he pulled her up high enough to move her over to her pillow. Her head lolled back and a snort escaped her nose, which nearly made him lose it and drop her. How could she be so knocked out?

Sasuke pulled one arm out, putting his hand on her back and using his upper body strength to hold her up while with his other hand, he pulled back the covers far enough so that he could wiggle her into them. Good thing she was pretty small. Setting her down gently, he pulled the covers over her and then sighed, climbing into his spot. He stared up at the ceiling, realizing he hadn't even watched the movie.

"Sasuke, have you met Hinata, yet?"

"Is Hinata the girl with the short hair?"

"Yes. She's a beautiful little thing, isn't she?"

Sasuke turned to look at Hinata, who was sleeping peacefully, her face turned away from him. He could see her round, soft cheeks outlined by the moonlight that always seemed to filter through the curtains.

Who would've thought that the small girl with the short hair and a slight stutter would one day sleep so peacefully beside him.

Feeling an aching sensation within him, he inched closer to her and draping his arm over her abdomen, he gently pulled her towards him, burying his face into her long locks, inhaling her sweet scent that had always been there since he could remember.

"Yes."

When Hinata woke up, she felt warmth against her neck. It brought back memories of her mother holding her during storms, with Hinata's head resting on her shoulder and her mother's breath warming the back of her neck. She missed the gentle back rubs, the soft murmuring of stories, the scent of flowers.

She squinted up at the ceiling and then after blinking a few times, she glanced over to see Sasuke's face pressed against her shoulder, his breathing warming her neck. She realized with a jolt that his arm was draped over her and his body was pressed against hers, his other hand resting above him on the pillow, his fingers in her hair.

How did she end up in her regular spot? Hadn't she fallen asleep during the movie? Hinata's heart was pounding loudly, but she couldn't move, or else she would wake him. And he looked so peaceful…

She slowly turned her head to really look at him. His cheek was pressed against her shoulder, squished, his lips pouting. She swallowed a giggle. The mighty Uchiha Sasuke with the serious, no-nonsense face slept like a child. She reached out, gently brushing away a strand of hair that was on his face. She observed his brows, his lashes, his nose. She was about to run her fingers through his hair when he opened his eyes, causing her to freeze. He blinked a few times before realizing that he was staring at her, and then he sat up quickly, pulling her hair in the process. "Ow!"

"Sorry." Sasuke muttered, detangling his fingers from her hair. He sat up, his ears red as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. Hinata must have looked like she was on the verge of laughing because he frowned at her. "What?"

"Your hair is a mess…"

"So is yours!"

Hinata giggled, trying to smooth her hair down. Sasuke turned his smirk down to his fingers. "I need a haircut."

"I actually don't mind your hair like that. I think it suits you."

Sasuke blew a strand of hair out of his face. "I could use a trim at least."

"Me too."

"No." Sasuke responded immediately, surprising both of them and he scratched his head, avoiding her eyes. "I like your long hair."

Hinata felt something tickle in her stomach and she smiled down at her hands, both of them jumping when the alarm went off. Taking it as her cue to get up, she pushed the covers off with her feet and climbed out, heading towards the door. She stopped when Sasuke called her name.

"You're not going to cut your hair, right?"

The look on his face made Hinata's stomach twist like a pretzel and she wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around him.

"I thought I was free to make my own choices?"

Sasuke scratched his head, averting his eyes. "Yeah, you are."

Hinata smiled, partially because he was adorable and partially because she was happy that he respected her autonomy and hadn't gone back on his word.

"I'll keep it long for both of us."

She closed the door behind her, smiling like an idiot.