Sasuke the Manny

Chapter 4: Cry Baby

::

Sasuke didn't exactly know what came over him but he woke up pretty early in the morning. That wasn't as strange as him having the urge to call his brother.

The Uchiha looked over at the clock and read: 4:03AM. He pushed himself up and grabbed his personal cell phone since Hinata gave him one strictly for calling her, any other emergency contact she listed.

He let out a breath and scrolled to the familiar number. His finger hovered over the 'Dial' button for a long moment before actually pressing it. Sasuke brought the phone to his ear and listened to empty ringing.

Voicemail.

"You have reached Uchiha Itachi, ple-" Sasuke hung up and stared at the screen that was too bright for his eyes.

That was stupid, he concluded as the screen went blank.

Suddenly the phone lit up and vibrated in his hand. He was calling back. Sasuke bit his lip and slid over the 'Answer' button.

"Sasuke? Is that you?" His brother's deep yet alarmed voice came through the phone.

Sasuke sighed. "Yo," he started. "It's me."

There was the sound of a sigh. "How are you, brother?"

Sasuke absently rubbed his left eye and yawned. "I call you at four in the morning and you don't sound at all tried."

There was shuffling. "I am just leaving the office," he explained.

"Long day then," Sasuke looked forward at the mirror opposite of his bed. "I'll let you g-"

"No. I'm fine. It is good to hear from you, Sasuke." Itachi confessed. "Are you okay? Is there a reason to call this late?"

"No. It was on a whim."

"A whim?" Itachi mused. "Good to know you care."

"Aa."

There was more shuffling and the sound of wind rushing by the phone. "Are you by any chance interested in the job?"

"No. I have a job."

"A salesman is hardly sufficient."

Sasuke was regretting this call. "Which is why I am no longer a salesmen."

"Then what is your occupation?"

Sasuke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's none of your business, brother. I have a stable job isn't that what you wanted?"

There was a long pause, then the sound of a car starting up hummed in the background. Itachi cleared his throat. "Yes. I must leave now."

Sasuke squeezed his eyes close before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Aa."

"Sasuke?" Itachi added.

"Mm?"

"Do call more often," without giving him a chance to reply Itachi hung up. Sasuke tossed the phone to the end of the bed before getting up.

A walk would do him good.

Sasuke grabbed his jacket and shoes then headed out the door. The entire house was quiet save for the soft noise from the kitchen and vents. He walked down the staircase and bent to tie his shoes.

"Sasuke?"

He looked at the kitchen doorway at the Hyuuga heiress. Her hair was pinned up and she wore a black running suit. If he hadn't noticed her body before-

"What are you doing up this early?" She finished zipping up the jacket.

He stood. "Going for a walk," he told her. "The same as your self."

A smile formed. "I run." She corrected and walked pass him out the front door.

He pocketed his hands and jogged down the steps. "Tch, have fun with that." He gave a lazy wave. It was way too early in the morning to even think about walking besides...

His eyes lifted to the pale blue sky.

...why miss this view, he thought.

He heard approaching footsteps that quickly passed him. Hinata was jogging in front of him which lead Sasuke to enjoy a completely different view. "Hyuuga-san," he called before she broke off into a sprint.

The woman looked back. "Huh?" She answered from the end of the street, still jogging in place.

"Can I join you?"

Her eyes widened for a moment, a smile then a nod. "If you can keep up." She have a final wave before moving ahead.

Sasuke tightened his shoes quickly before jogging towards her.

It started off innocent until they got competitive. Sasuke would jog forward, Hinata wouldn't have that so she'll jog forward until they were just racing back home.

Sasuke almost collapsed against the door. "I - win," he breathed as his boss tried catching her breath.

Her brows were knotted and lips parted. "I... Y-you cheated." She accused walking up to him.

The Uchiha tilted his head with a smirk. "Did - Did I?"

Her navy hair stuck to her face and jacket had long been tied around her waist. Sasuke managed somehow to keep his eyes on hers instead of her heaving chest. Hinata's face was flushed from exhausted.

This was a bad idea. She had to go to work in an hour. "Y-you did," she pressed, feeling incredibly light headed.

He noticed Hinata clutching her damp head. He reached forward to touch her shoulder. "Are you okay-" he was cut off as she fainted, luckily he caught her.

The Manny cursed under his breath, picked up his unconscious boss bridal style and rang the doorbell. Soon one of the maids, Amaye opened the door. "I... She fainted." Sasuke explained. "Call someone."

Amaye shook her head slowly. "No, no, Uchiha-san. Hyuuga-san tends to faint frequently."

"What?" Sasuke questioned.

The dark haired maid nodded. "Please take her upstairs. I will bring water."

He stared at the retreating form of the girl then down at the face of his boss. "Dammit," he mumbled as he carried the woman upstairs. "I'm taking care of three kids."

Upon arriving to her room, he placed her on the bed. Sweaty or not, that wasn't his problem. Her eyes fluttered for a moment before whispering a strange name.

"No," he corrected. "Sasuke."

Her opal eyes squeezed. "Ah, Sasuke..." She sat up and repeated his name and paused. "S-Sasuke?!" Her face turned an interesting shade of pink.

"Yes?" He watched as the once business woman turned into a blushing school girl.

"I... I'm sorry," she apologized. "I shouldn't h-have pushed myself."

Sasuke waved it off dismissively. "You should warn your new employees of your fainting fits."

She nodded and apologized again. Why did it seem like he was her boss? Hinata looked up at the stoic male then to Amaye standing outside her door. "Come in," Hinata beckoned.

Amaye handed her boss a glass of water. "Hyuuga-san, you should know better! I'll have to tell Chouji-san about this."

Sasuke watched in disbelief as this younger woman scolded Hinata. Hinata nodded like a stubborn child. "I'm fine." She assured the girl. The Hyuuga heiress looked at the time of her nightstand and jumped up - again.

"Hyuuga-san!" Amaye called as the woman ran into the bathroom. "She works so hard," she mumbled before turning the confused Manny. "Uchiha-san, we should leave now."

He nodded absently and followed the girl out. His boss was a strange woman, he figured it was because of her last name. Hikari and Aisa ran out of their rooms with excitement.

"Ew, Sasu-Chan," Hikari ran into his arms. "You smell like puppies!" She gagged playfully.

Aisa stepped away. "You do stink."

Sasuke nodded sarcastically. "Good morning twins," he all but dropped Hikari on Aisa and marched to his shower.

Hikari giggled and grabbed her brother's hand. "I think we - we made him sad?" Aisa just shrugged and followed his hyper-active sister.

::

Aisa would prove to be a prodigy, Sasuke was almost sure. It ran in his Hyuuga blood. It was clear he didn't have to work hard to be good at anything. The boy would be gifted one day.

Hikari not so much.

Sasuke asked her if Hinata made her join ballet and Hikari gave him a bright smile. "Nope. I told her I wanna be a real good ballerina! I can do it too! Wanna see, Sasu-Chan!" She threw up her arms in happiness.

He was about to decline until Aisa ruffled his sister's hair. "I want to see, Kari." After she ran to change with the help of a maid Aisa sighed. "She'll just cry, you know."

Sasuke hated ballet. There was nothing he liked about it besides the order and elegance.

When Hikari presented herself in front of them, she smiled and started her routine. Sasuke didn't know much about the dance but he knew one shouldn't look sick and stiff. The girl twirled in her tutu but trip over her foot. Sasuke wasn't fast enough to catch her before her head hit the floor.

Aisa and Sasuke stayed deadly silent. Hikari slowly lifted her hit up revealing rug burn on her forehead. Large lilac eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered.

The boys just watched her and she watched them. For a long time Sasuke didn't think she was going to cry, really. It really looked like she would be fine.

"Hikari..." He whispered. He messed up.

At hearing her name the girl made the loudest cry Sasuke ever heard. Tears streamed down her heated face. Sasuke almost freaked out thinking Aisa would enjoy in. Didn't twins feel each other's pain but the boy stayed quiet.

Sasuke reached and picked up the sobbing girl. Above all else he hated women crying and Naruto. He hated Naruto crying most of all. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't a comforter. "How-"

He looked over to see Aisa walking away. That little traitor, Sasuke thought bitterly. Hikari buried her face in his shirt and continued to cry. "Does...it hurt?"

"N-no," came her muffled response.

"Why the fu-" he cleared his throat. "Why are you crying?" He pulled her away to see her hot red face.

"C-cause...cause," she sniffed. "Cause I em-em...berry-ahs myself!" She rubbed her nose and dropped her head lower.

"Em-berry-ahs?" He repeated. "Embarrassed? You were embarrassed." She nodded and hide in his chest. "Tch, why?"

"Ai-nii and - and you," she turned her head to speak.

"You're fine," he tried. This was not his thing. If it was Aisa then he could make up a 'real men aren't afraid to get bruises' but it was Hikari. The girl probably thought 'Princesses are perfect.'

"I r-really like ballet, Sasu," she confessed to him. "Mommy s-said I don't have - have to be the best."

"She's right."

Hikari curled up to him. "But... I wanna be," she clutched onto his shirt. "I..."

"Go to sleep, Hikari." He sighed. Her breathing slowed and he knew she was trying to fight it. It didn't take another minute for her to pass out completely. The Uchiha picked the little girl up and carried her to bed.

Aisa was waiting by the door. "She's sleep?"

"No thanks to you," Sasuke thumped him on the nose. The boy yelped and clutched his face. "Why is she into dance?" Sasuke knocked on the boy's head.

The navy haired boy huffed and tried pushing Sasuke away. "Eh, mama was," he jumped on the man's leg. Sasuke walked into the next room with Aisa latched onto his leg. "She told us."

Sasuke smirked against his wishes. Hinata in a leotard? Well...

Aisa watched his Manny face curiously. "Sasuke-kun?" He removed himself and stood back far enough to the onyx eyed man. "Do..." His eyes darted away. "D-do..." He trailed off. "Never mind."

Sasuke picked the kid up. "Either you spit it out or stop doing that." Aisa feet dangled from the ground as he glared at the older man. Sasuke put him down with a sigh. "Her ballet practice is in an hour, go tell Chouji to make snacks."

Aisa nodded and ran out the room.

::

Apparently all parents and guardians had to stay in what the teacher called 'The Mirror Room' where they can see the dancers but the dancers can't see them.

Sasuke and Aisa sat off to the side as the parents crowded the mirror space. Aisa was coloring as usual and Sasuke sat with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

Sasuke liked to believe he had a Stupidity Radar, at one point he thought Kiba and Naruto broke it but no... It was still perfectly intact. His radar was going off as an older man sat down.

His own scowl matched Sasuke as he looked at his daughter, Sasuke assumed, dancing. The Uchiha's eyelids lifted slowly seeing the guy lend forward to look at Aisa. "Do you need help?" Sasuke strained.

The man shook his head. "I'm just surprised there's a kid in this day and time that rather color than text." He chuckled and sat back. "I'm Hiro and you're a good father I see," he leaned over to nudge Sasuke with his shoulder.

"I'm the Manny," he corrected. Aisa wasn't paying attention to this idiot anyway.

The light smirk that played on Hiro's face sank into a frown. "Isn't that a woman's occupation?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Depends if you live in the stone age."

Before Hiro could speak Aisa did, "You like it?" He showed Sasuke the picture of a blue lion and green sky.

"Rad." Sasuke ruffled his hair. Aisa giggled against his will and blushed for it. Sasuke nodded. "I'm moving forward to watch your sister. Don't talk to anyone," he motioned to Hiro.

"Kay, Sasuke." Aisa went back to coloring.

The Uchiha moved smoothly to a vacant spot. Hikari was bouncing more than dancing but she seemed to be having the most fun. Her smile fell when a girl in front of her did. Hikari helped the girl without hesitation.

The teacher spot the music and a woman beside him ran in the dancing area. Sasuke looked back to see Aisa still coloring. "Ai, let's go."

The boy sadly put his crayons up and followed Sasuke. Turns out the girl hurt her foot...but Hikari was crying. Sasuke held onto Aisa since he had a habit of walking away when his sister started crying.

"Why are you crying now?"

The girl tried wiping her face but tears kept falling. "Be-be-cause," her lip quivered. "S-she's hurt!"

Sasuke sighed. "Was she your friend?" Hikari shook her head. "So...you're crying because a girl you don't know hurt her toe."

"Fooooot!" Hikari corrected and lifted her leg. Tears still spilling over her cheeks. Sasuke knew all it was her being tired.

"It's time for a nap," Sasuke decided. Hikari went spineless and fell to the floor. Aisa simply turned away from the ordeal. His sister was a drama queen.

Sasuke picked the crying ball of Goo from the floor and put her over his shoulder. Aisa followed closely behind.

::

"Sasu," Hikari called from her car seat. He grunted in response. "I... I'm sowwy." She apologized.

"Aa."

She poked her index fingers together seeing him look at her from the rear-view mirror. "A-Are you mad?" Her voice was so small.

"Nah," he answered. "Do not do it again though." He demanded.

Her eyes widened at his hardened glaze and nodded. Hikari looked at her brother, who didn't do anything wrong, freezing at his tone. "Y-yes sir," they squeaked out.

Sasuke drummed his fingers against the wheel. "When we get home I want you both to eat and take your naps."

"Yes sir," they repeated.

Sasuke brows dipped. Had he just called their house his home? Well, he was living there. No matter.

Arriving home, both of them fell asleep. Sasuke managed to carry both inside safely. It was decided then when Aisa latched onto his shirt, Hikari buried her face in his chest and the staff smiled at him.

This was kinda his home now.

::

Hinata kicked off her shoes and walked upstairs. The twins were fast asleep. She had missed dinner and they would be upset with her only because she forgot to tell everyone she would be working late.

It didn't matter. Tomorrow was Sunday, it was her only off days. She walked to Sasuke's room to let him know about Sunday also being his off day. She knocked at the door. "Sasuke-san."

A moment later the door opened revealing Sasuke trying to finish putting on a shirt. Her cheeks warmed. "I... You're off tomorrow."

"I know," he smoothed the wrinkles from the shirt. "I'm going to my friend's for the night. I was actually waiting until you got home."

"Oh..." She mumbled. "Do the twins know?"

He nodded and opened the door to let her in. Hinata followed him and was amazed how the whole room smelt...manly? Was that the smell? Cologne and after shave?

He walked to dresser and picked up something. "I told them I'll be back Sunday night or Monday morning before they wake up."

Hinata kept her sweaty palms behind her back. "How did they take it?"

Sasuke folded a shirt. "Hikari just whined but Aisa," he paused and looked at heiress. "He hugged me and after that they to sleep."

"Ah," she smiled. Sasuke stared at the woman longer than he realized. She had discarded the blazer and was left with a plum blouse and black knee-length skirt. Her hair was bone straight down her back but the fly always and darkening lines under her eyes was the only evidence she was tired.

"W-what?" She stepped back.

He blinked. "Excuse me. My eyes just process things-," he shook his head. "Uchiha thing." He concluded.

"Oh," Hinata clasped her hands. "Well, have a wonderful time."

"Aa." He replied as the woman left his room. Sasuke shook his head. "Uchiha thing? Get it together," he scolded himself.

Hinata walked down the hall to her room. "Stupid," she whispered to herself.

::

Author Note: Woo... They are so awkward I love it.