Anthology
By Laura-chan
Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura, minor couples.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Of course everything related to Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei, praise his genius! OOC characters and plot do belong to me.
Warnings: slightly mature contents. SPOILERS alert!
I am Italian, English is not my first language, please forgive my mistakes. I repeat, SPOILERS alert.
VII.
MARRIED LIFE
Uchiha Sasuke growled angrily at the sight of the empty room.
"YOU!" he barked to a guard who was cautiously walking towards him. "Where the hell is she?" He hissed, grabbing the (older) man by his yukata and shaking him.
"I-I-I don't know, Uchiha-sama!!" the other cried out, frightened by the Uchiha's rage. "Bu-But I'm sure th-that the guards outside will k-know!"
Sasuke threw him on the floor with a disgusted look. "If they don't, I will know who to kill." He warned in an icy voice, murmuring 'Pathetic!' when he saw that the man had pissed himself in his pants.
Fortunately for the man, the other guards knew what interested the enraged Uchiha.
"She went to the hospital, Uchiha-sama." One of them said, and almost apologetically added "She said she had your permission."
"Hn." 'I should have guessed: she's too smart for these guards' he thought.
Sasuke walked into the hospital, a disgrunted expression in place as he walked to the reception desk, not even acknowledging the people bowing down around him.
"Where is my wife?" he demanded dryly to the nurse behind the counter.
"How would I know?" she answered, not bothering to look up from her magazine and thus not noticing who was talking to her.
"Do you want to die?" Sasuke hissed darkly: he didn't feel very generous at the moment and the nurse was trying his patience.
The young woman snapped her head up and her face froze in a stunned and horrified grimace.
"Of-Of course not, Uchiha-sama! I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you!"
"Where is my wife?" he repeated, annoyed by the her babblings.
"She's visiting some patients, Uchiha-sama." The nurse hurriedly answered. "She's at the third floor."
"Hn." He nodded and proceeded to the elevator, imagining what he was going to do to his disobedient wife once he found her, not noticing the fainted nurse behind him.
Sasuke followed the directions he had extracted from frightened nurses and doctors and finally found himself in front of room number 315: he could hear his wife's voice through the closed door.
"What do you mean you can't transfer blood?"
"I…I am sorry, I don't know how." Responded a weak female voice.
"What!? What's the meaning of this? You are a nurse, you are required to know how to transfer blood!! This is basic training!"
"I am sorry, I am sorry!!" cried out the second voice.
His wife sighed. "Please, don't cry. I'll do it and you'll watch and learn, ok?"
Sasuke had had enough: his wife needed to stop playing doctor and start to actually behave like an Uchiha matriarch!
He slammed the door open and took a look at the scene before him.
On the side, a pretty young girl dressed in white was wiping off her tears; near the window there was a bed with a sickly-looking man laid down on it; and there stood also his wife, back to him, wearing a white coat, her long pink hair falling on her back.
The patient and the nurse turned their heads towards him and both paled (the man looking even sicker), before bowing (the man only his head) and exclaiming, "Otokage-sama!"
His little rebellious wife instead continued to stubbornly give him her back.
"What do you want, Sasuke?" she asked coldly.
"I thought I told you to stay in our room, Sakura." He answered in the same emotionless voice.
Sakura finally decided to look at him and he sucked in a breath; she always looked more beautiful with that angry expression on her face.
"I am doing my work." She hissed. "You always seem to forget that I am medic, a pretty damn good medic, probably better than the stupid Kabuto." She snorted. "Look at what kind of training he gives to the nurses! They're incompetent, pretty-looking fools. Sorry Ayumi-san, I don't want to offend you, but it's true."
The girl in the corner only nodded, actually looking a bit offended.
"Sasuke," she addressed him passionately "If you really want this village to live and grow, you need first of all to take care of your people's needs! And one of the most important needs is HEALTH! Do you want all of your shinobi to die because of insufficient care?" Sakura took some steps towards him. "You must tell Kabuto to start teaching seriously, or I'll take over. Let me take care of the hospital."
They were face to face: Sasuke had been silent throughout her speech, but Sakura knew it was a good sign, it probably meant he was actually considering her point of view.
"It's my duty as the Kage's wife to care about my people." She added quietly.
The pink-haired kunoichi didn't really think about Otogakure's inhabitants as her people, but she believed that it would serve her cause. No matter what, she couldn't stand the sight of children dying and people suffering.
A little part inside her asked her why she was doing this; she didn't even exactly wanted to become his wife. Sasuke had forced her when he had brought her to Otogakure, a year before.
Sakura, twenty years old at the time, had been on A-rank mission when she had crossed paths with the Uchiha survivor: word that he had defeated Orochimaru had been leaking out since the sannin's disappearence, six years prior. He had told her what had really happened - how he had attached Orochimaru, only to get trapped in the dimension of the soul exchange ritual: there, Sasuke's eyes and will had destroyed the dimension created by Orochimaru and he had taken over the snake sannin. But Sasuke was not the same that Sakura had known in their genin days: a bit of Orochimaru's malice had passed onto his own soul, already tainted by the hate for his brother and his ambition.
That day, he had also told her that he had finally defeated Itachi: with the added power of the curse seal and an ally (a certain Suigetsu, he was one of Sasuke's closest collaborators, but Sakura didn't know much about him) his own sharingan had prevailed against his brother's.
Then, they had fought.
It had been one of Sakura's hardest battle: and not only because the adversary was exceptionally strong, but because she was still emotionally attached to him.
She had managed to injure him, she wasn't the Godaime Hokage's apprentice for nothing after all, but in the end he had her pinned to the ground: he and Naruto had always been stronger than her and moreover her work was to heal, not to kill.
Tears of frustation had gathered in her eyes, but she had refused to let them fall. But for once in her life, Sakura had seen Sasuke watch her with something akin to interest and admiration.
"You've grown stronger." He had said.
She had scoffed and then had replied derisively. "Were you thinking I was still the pathetic girl I was eight years ago? Sorry to interrupt your dream, but people change, Sasuke." Sakura had spat out his name. "And you should know that well enough."
He had kept on looking at her for a few minutes and she had stared back with a calm she hadn't been really feeling.
When he had smirked down at her, she had shivered.
"You are the one."
"Uh?" had been her intelligent reply.
"You are coming with me to Otogakure."
"What? You can't make decisions for me! I won't come!" Sakura had been appalled by his words. He had gripped her waist with bruising intensity, red eyes glaring down at her.
"I am the Otokage, I have been since Orochimaru's…death." Sasuke smirked again evilly. "But first of all, I am an Uchiha and I have a duty towards my clan. And you will help me."
She had looked at him confused.
"You have already killed Itachi… what do you have to do? And why would you need my—" she trailed off as her jade eyes had widened in realitation, before narrowing dangerously. "Oh, no." she had whispered. "I won't become your baby factory."
"You were always smart." He has grinned, before standing up and taking her with him.
"Hell no, Sasuke, I'm not going to Oto with you to help you resurrect your clan! You can forget about it!" she had began yelling, wanting so much to slap him, but knowing that she had no more chakra in her body.
Sasuke had thrown her over his shoulder with amazing ease, while she had continued screaming all the way to Otogakure.
After a year of marriage, she still hadn't give him an heir: and it wasn't because he didn't try, because every night he would possess her and he found extreme pleasure in doing so. Actually, Sakura still hadn't gotten pregnant because everyday she would do a contraceptive jutsu without Sasuke knowing it.
"Why me?" she had asked once, after a particularly intense sex session.
"Because you're the perfect Uchiha matriarch: beautiful, strong, kind, smart, loyal." Sasuke had grasped her chin, making her look at him. "If you were a bit more obedient… that will be perfect. Stop trying to escape."
"Never." Sakura had said in challenge.
That had earned her a smirk. "I like your fiery spirit: that was another good reason to choose you as my wife. You already were feisty when we were young, but now you're not as much annoying."
"I was stupid." She had closed her eyes and turned on her side to sleep, her naked body shivering under the blankets. Sasuke had gathered her closer to his body and she had let him, silently enjoying his warmth.
Now they were facing each other, Sasuke quietly calculating what she had said: she was always very passionate about things that mattered to her and he knew she would never give up. In one year of marriage he hadn't been able to break Sakura like he wanted and he found himself enjoying it.
Sasuke enjoyed her attitude, which kept him always on his toes, not that he was ever going to admit it; he liked her body, her loyalty, her stubborness, her company, her new-found strenght.
He cared for Sakura and he would die before admitting it to her, or to anyone else.
Sasuke was still quite angry at her defiance, but decided to give in to her about medical matters, and only about that.
"Very well."
She blinked at him, a look of innocence that made him want to take her on the spot, ignoring the nurse and the patient.
"You will be the new head of the hospital, higher even than Kabuto: do whatever you think necessary to stabilize the situation."
His breath caught in his throath as Sakura answered with a wide, happy smile that lightened her face; since he had taken her to Otogakure, she had never smiled, at least, not like this. He remembered the large, beautiful smiles she used to give him when they were in Team 7 together; and suddenly, Sasuke realized he had missed them.
"Oh, Sasuke, thank you!" She squealed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, his face hidden in the hollow of her neck, and he wondered how something so simple to him had made her so happy.
Sasuke liked seeing Sakura happy.
He reciprocated the hug, his arms wrapping around her slim waist, imagining himself doing the same motion with her belly stretched because of his unborn child inside her.
The twenty-one years old Otokage took his radiant wife back to their home: and for the first time since their marriage, Sakura forgot the contraceptive jutsu.
§
The pink-haired kunoichi gasped.
She kept looking at the blue stick in her hands, sitting down on the toilet.
'How can it be? I always…I always did the contraceptive jutsu Tsunade-shishou taught me… maybe something went wrong? Or…' she blanched even more. 'Or maybe…I forgot once?'
Sakura felt weak and confused: she wanted to cry. The young woman shook her head.
'Crying is not going to solve anything.'
"I'm not sure I want this baby…" she murmured, wrapping her arms around her stomach.
Sasuke would be overjoyed, she imagined: after all, he had married her to rebuilt his clan. But in reality, she was very much confused and felt nothing like the strong kunoichi she was used to be.
'I don't even know how to tell him.' Sakura thought bitterly.
To be honest, lately things between them had been going… okay: she was allowed to work at the hospital and at the medical school and Sasuke had been slightly gentler – he had even bought her flowers once!
"This…" she muttered, "…this is going to bring things back as they were: with Sasuke only interested in a heir and me caged in a room, him trying to mold me into the perfect Uchiha matriarch."
Silence filled the room.
"I don't want that."
§
Sasuke frowned.
He knew something was bothering his wife, it was obvious by the way she would sometimes stare in space. And when he asked why was she so distracted, Sakura would laugh nervously and answer 'Nothing!'.
The pink-haired nin caught the glare her husband threw her from across the room and sighed; it was getting more and more difficult to hide her pregnancy, and she still hadn't decided what to do about the child. An insistent voice in her head, one she hadn't heard for a long time, kept telling her that Sasuke, being the father, had every right to know about the child growing in her belly; but her fears of how his behaviour would change kept her from talking.
A grip on her chin made her turn to face her husband.
"Sakura." His voice was flat, only tinged with irritation. "Tell me what's wrong." He added more softly.
Jade eyes watched him in silence, observing his aristocratic features, his handsome face, his dark eyes. Sakura bit her lip.
"Damn it." She whispered.
She had just realised she still loved him.
Sasuke's frown deepened as he watched Sakura free herself from his grip and run out of their room: he grabbed a shirt and put it on, before following his wife.
The Otokage found her in her favourite place; the garden behind the Kage's house. She was sitting with her back to a cherry tree's bark; it was april, and her namesake was in bloom. Sakura looked at peace, but when Sasuke approached her he could see a troubled light fill her eyes.
"Sakura, tell me what's wrong." He asked gently, sitting down to be at her same level.
"Do you really want to know, uh, Sasuke?" she bit out bitterly.
"Yes."
Suddenly she couldn't keep it all inside: two weeks of hiding had tired her. A tear traced a path on her cheek, but a hand was ready to wipe it. Sasuke cupped her cheek.
"Tell me." He repeated.
There was more silence and he patiently waited.
"I…" her voice caught in her throath. "I realized I still love you." Sakura said in a rush, not looking at him in the eyes.
"And I found out that I'm pregnant."
There.
She said it.
No turning back now, Sakura.
Her eyes shut down, but she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"Look at me, Sakura." She could hear a slight trembling in his voice: he was excited.
She obeyed: Sasuke was much nearer than before.
"How long have you known?"
"Two weeks."
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
She tried to look away, but Sasuke didn't allow her. "Look at me in the eyes."
"I was scared." It came out in a whisper. "I was scared that…things would be back as they were when you brought me here."
The young man said nothing for a long time, and Sakura felt dread filling her; she couldn't stand to look at him, so she simply resorted to stare at the ground, teeth nibbling her lower lip.
"Sakura."
She still didn't look up.
"Sakura."
'Don't raise your eyes, don't do it.'
"Damn it, Sakura, look at me!"
She obeyed.
He looked annoyed, but also happy: his dark eyes were fixed on her belly, his hands clenched in fists. Finally, he reached out to gently touch her.
His embrace was hesitant and tentative, he wasn't used to be the one to initiate contact: Sasuke pushed his face into her belly, ear pressed against the slight roundness of it.
"A child." He breathed. "A mix of both you and me."
Sakura was amazed: she had never seen him behave like that, with such reverence to her body, such gentleness in his touches.
"We must go inside: you'll get cold here." He said quietly, standing up and taking her in his arms. She was dazed, confused but also feeling addicted to this new Sasuke.
They got back into their room; Sakura lied down on the bed, emotionally drained, while he sat down next to her, caressing her hair – a gesture he used to do after they had sex. Sasuke chastely kissed her cheek, surprising her once again.
"Keep loving me." He whispered.
And she fell asleep.
§
Sasuke watched his wife sleep: it had been a week since she had given him the news. Now that he looked closely, he could see a very little bump showing him she was two months and half along.
The Otokage sighed and smiled a rare, little smile.
She had given him a child.
He was going to resurrect his clan, he was going to finally have a family again. Sakura mumbled something in her sleep and turned her back to him; he wove a hand through her long pink hair and smelt her flowery scent.
He cared about Sakura, and one day he will have to tell her.
§
§
§
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and looked at the Hokage seated behind the desk.
"I've brought a message from the Otokage, Hokage-sama; he would be glad if you read it."
"Kotetsu."
"Yes Hokage-sama."
The Konoha jounin took the scroll from Kabuto and handed it to the Hokage, who unrolled the parchment.
"Kabuto, tell me why the Otokage couldn't come himself: it isn't written here. And I'm really curious to know his identity; it seems that Orochimaru has been dead for some time..."
The grey-haired medic smiled unpleasantly.
"Yes, he had been killed by our current Kage, but our leader is a bit…reserved about his identity: of course, you will know him if you decide to accept our offer and come to Otogakure - after all, we are allies now. And the Otokage is deeply sorry for not being able to meet you in person now, but his wife is pregnant and he truly doesn't like to be away from her for too long."
"Hokage-sama…" A jounin in the back began, "…I don't think it's wise to…"
"Aye, aye, Shikamaru: I'm truly interested in this new Otokage – if it's true that he defeated Orochimaru, he must be quite talented." A scroll was handed back to Kabuto. "Tell Otokage-sama that I accept his offer to come to visit his village to establish a strong bond between Otogakure and Konohagakure. However, I won't travel without a proper escort."
Kabuto bowed, together with the three other Oto shinobi who were with him.
"It is obvious, Hokage-sama. I will bring your answer to Otokage-sama and I'll be back in a month to lead you to Otogakure."
He smirked.
"It's been a pleasure to see you again." And with that he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Tsk, that Kabuto is a sly fox…"
§
"Did they accept?" she asked hopefully.
The Otokage smiled slightly at his wife, still clutching the parchment. "It seems so, Sakura."
He was reclining down on the bed, the young woman leaning against him, his hand rubbing her large belly.
"So in a month we will see them? Oh God, I miss Naruto, Kakashi, Sai, Ino, Hinata and the others so much…I hope to see Tsunade-shishou too. They must think I'm dead."
Sasuke watched her; Sakura truly looked happy and he felt a pang of guilt for having kidnapped her away from her home and friends, but he didn't regret it. He had everything he had longed for since Itachi had killed their clan – power, revenge and a family of his own.
Her yawn grabbed his attention.
"You're tired, you need to sleep."
"The next Uchiha is keeping me awake most of the time." She smiled sleepily. "He or she likes to kick me often."
Sasuke smirked, the hand on her rounded belly stroking it gently. "He is already strong."
"He?" Sakura arched an eyebrow.
"I feel it's a male." Then he added, "But I don't mind a female."
"Mph, I hope so." She grunted. "Next time you get pregnant; I really can't take it anymore –I'm already at the seventh month and I want he, or she," Sakura glared at him " out of me as soon as possible."
"You still have two months, Sakura." He explained patiently.
"I know that." She huffed. "But I don't like going to the bathroom every five minutes to find I have nothing to…" she blushed, "…to do, I don't like being this large when you look amazing as always—Sasuke, don't you dare smirk!" Sakura exclaimed as a large grin found place on his face.
"So, I look amazing, hn?" he whispered in her ear, making her shiver.
"Damn you, you cocky basta--!"
Sasuke cut her off by kissing her passionately on the lips.
§
"Mh…so this is Otogakure?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. If you and your escort would follow me, I'll bring you to your quarters…"
"What!? Don't we get to meet with the Otokage?"
The man the Konoha's shinobi knew as Suigetsu blinked.
"Of course Hokage-sama, but I thought you would have liked to refresh yourself…"
"Ah…"
"Hokage-sama, we have been traveling for five days… it wouldn't be a bad idea to bathe ourselves before meeting with the Otokage."
"Geez, Kakashi, I know that! Well then, where are our rooms?"
"Follow me, please, honoured guests…."
From a window, a lonely figure was observing the Konoha's shinobi.
"Well, isn't that a surprise…" he whispered amazed.
"I see you're surprised too, Sasuke-sama."
The Uchiha looked back at Kabuto. "You didn't tell me." The medic nin just smirked, then his face was serious again.
"Are you sure that it's wise to have so many powerful ninja in the village? I mean, other than the Hokage, Jiraiya-sama and Hatake Kakashi are here…"
"Kabuto: I know them. They're Konoha's ninja, they are loyal and honest." Sasuke sat down in his chair. "And I have no need to attack them: I wish to create a solid bond between us and Konohagakure."
"As you wish, Otokage-sama."
"Where is my wife?"
"At the hospital, as usual."
Sasuke sighed. "Ah, damn it, she's at the eighth month and she still wants to stay in the hospital."
Kabuto laughed. "You know how dedicated she is to her work and to the people."
The youger man shook his head. "I know." Then he added in a whisper. "That's another reason why I admire and love her."
Some time later, a knock on the door and Suigetsu's voice echoed in the Otokage's room.
"Otokage-sama, the Hokage and his escort are here to meet with you."
"Let them enter." Sasuke said, turning his back to the door and watching out of the window.
The first ones to enter from the door, after Suigestu, were the Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto, and his wife, formerly known as Hyuuga Hinata. Behind them was the Hokage's advisors, Hatake Kakashi and Nara Shikamaru, and the two remaining sannins, Tsunade and Jiraiya. Then entered Hyuuga Neji and his wife, Hyuuga Tenten, Yamanaka Ino, Rock Lee, Akimichi Chouji, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and the Root member, Sai: Konoha's élite shinobi had been chosen to be the Hokage's escort to Otogakure.
The first thing Naruto noticed as he walked in the room was the huge red and white uchiwa fan on the wall: not wanting to harbour false hopes, he looked at the Otokage's back.
He would recognize that hair everywhere; and after all, the uchiwa fan sewed in the back of the coat was a dead give-away.
"Ne, ne, so you became a Kage too, teme?"
The Konoha's élite stiffened as they recognized the term used by the Rokudaime, while Suigetsu and Kabuto just arched an eyebrow; instead, the Oto guards in the room audibly gasped at the disrespect in the Hokage's voice.
"Do not insult our Otokage-sa--!" one of them started yelling, but Sasuke's raised hand stopped him.
"Calm down, Fuzuwara."
"But Uchiha-sama…"
The dark-haired shinobi turned to watch his former companions, a little smirk lifting a corner of his mouth.
"I was about to ask the same thing….dobe."
The two of them moved too fast for the other people in the room to follow: fists were exchanged, but when they stopped, everyone could see the huge grins on their faces.
Naruto and Sasuke looked at each others for a long time, grins still in place, Sasuke's right hand blocking Naruto's punch and Naruto's left hand gripping Sasuke's wrist.
"Hn. You've gotten better."
"You too."
Finally they let go of each other, the other ninja sighing in relief; the two rivals/best friends shook hands, behaving almost like they forgot they hadn't seen each other for six years.
Sasuke looked behind the blond Rokudaime and nodded especially at Tsunade and Kakashi. The Godaime grimaced.
"Uchiha, you sure have a lot of nerve."
"Tsunade-sama, he is an Uchiha after all…" Kakashi's only eye twinkled in amusement. He walked forward and shook his former student's hand. "It's good to see you again, Sasuke." He said lowly, as Sasuke just nodded, not wanting to admit that he had missed them.
"So, you managed to kill Orochimaru…" Jiraiya said.
The dark-haired Kage smirked.
"Well, more like I took over him."
Oh, how he liked to see the surprised and suspicious looks around him - his sadistic side murmured.
"What happened?" Tsunade asked.
Sasuke stared at her emotionlessly, then sighed and sat down behind his desk, inviting his guests to sit down, too, on the chairs that had been prepared for them.
"It's quite a long story, but I guess we have time…"
"Sasuke-sama." Suigetsu interrupted; he had opened the door and was peeking out of the room. "Your wife is running again."
Everyone could see the scowl on Sasuke's face, as Naruto snickered.
"A wife, ne, teme?"
"Hn. Lately she's getting even more annoying: how many times must I tell her not to run or do anything strenuous? She's pregnant, damn it!"
Suigetsu smirked. "Well, more than running she is wobbling…"
"I'M NOT WOBBLING, SUIGETSU! I AM WALKING!! TRY WALKING WITH A LARGE BELLY, THEN WE'LL SEE WHO WILL BE LAUGHING! WHERE IS MY DAMN HUSBAND? HE PROMISED TO TELL ME WHEN THEY ARRIVED!"
Kabuto and Suigetsu tried to keep their faces expressionless, but mirth was showing throught their eyes; the Konoha shinobi just looked atonished, and Sasuke rubbed his temples. "She gives me a headache."
Nonetheless, he stood up and walked out of the room.
"Sasuke!? Are they here?" could be heard from outside.
"Yes. You shouldn't tire yourself like this, walking from a place to another – and stop going to work! The hospital is not going to fall down because you're not there for a month."
"I'm pregnant, not ill, damn it! It's better to work that do nothing in our room."
Naruto had stood up as soon as he had recognized the voice, one he hadn't heard in almost two years. All the eyes were on Sasuke as he entered hand in hand with a pink-haired woman holding her rounded belly.
"Hey, guys!" Sakura waved happily "It's been a long time!"
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto came forward and enveloped her in a crush hug.
"The baby, baka, the BABY!" Sasuke exclaimed, pushing the Hokage off his wife, who looked a bit dazed.
"Oh Kami-sama, we thought you were dead Sakura!" Ino screeched, kissing Sakura on the cheek and hugging her, being careful with her belly.
"Sakura." The Godaime looked moved as she embraced her former apprentice. "How along are you?" she then asked watching her with medical eyes.
"Eight months." Sakura answered, a light blush on her cheeks.
"Ok, you two, now EXPLAIN!" demanded Naruto, exchanging stares with both his former teammates.
Sakura sighed then smiled. "Well, two years ago I was on my mission, when I met with the cocky bastard over here." She said, pointing behind her, where her husband was scowling. "he kidnapped me," at this all Konoha shinobi glared at Sasuke. "…and forced me to marry him."
"WHAT!? You bastard!" Naruto growled, facing Sasuke. "How could you do this to her?? And then, you also got her pregnant… what's wrong with you?"
Sakura noticed Sasuke's dark look and immediately got between the two of them. "Stop Naruto." She said mildly. "Everything's okay."
Sakura surprised herself: only nine months ago, she would have been overjoyed at the prospect of leaving Otogakure to return to her life in Konoha… but now, she had seen a different side of the cold-hearted bastard she thought Sasuke was and, true to be told, she was enjoying herself in her new village. She didn't have the heart to leave Sasuke alone another time in his life.
Silently she took his hand and gripped it firmly. Sasuke sent her a questioning look, then smiled gently and squeezed her hand
The intercourse didn't go unnoticed by the Konoha's shinobi: Naruto's angry expression relaxed in a content one; Hinata, Ino and Tenten glanced at each other and then smiled slyly; Kakashi, Sai, Jiraiya and Tsunade still looked a bit suspicious, while Shikamaru, Neji and Kiba smirked at Sasuke's crumbling cold façade. Shino and Chouji seemed not to care about anything.
Suigetsu secretely smiled: Sasuke had saved him from Orochimaru and had become his friend – he was glad that the Otokage had found a woman worth to be his wife, a woman who loved him and had managed to catch his attention. He cleared his throat, interrupting the moment between husband and wife:
"I believe we should talk about those commercial trades between Oto and Konoha…" he grinned.
Sasuke's face immediately turned serious.
"Sakura," he addressed his wife, "Why don't you take Hinata-san, Tenten-san and Ino-san and go do… your girl talks?"
The pink-haired woman looked at him atonished then laughed out loud.
"Woman, what's wrong with you?" Sasuke growled.
"Ah, Sasuke, sometimes you talk like a child; but expect me to ask about those trades…I am interested too." She smirked. "Ino-chan, Tenten-chan, Hinata-chan, follow me… we have some… 'girl talk' to do." She mocked her husband, ignoring the furious and embarassed look he threw her.
As soon as the door closed, Naruto snickered.
"Man, you're whipped."
"Shut up, dobe."
§
"What do you think of it?"
"Of what Kakashi?"
"Sasuke's and Sakura's relationship."
The Konoha shinobi were on the roof of the house where they slept, the darkening sky clear of clouds, a chilly breeze ruffling their hair.
"They seem happy. At least, as happy as Sasuke can be." Naruto said, taking off the Hokage hat.
"Sakura told us that…" Ino hesitated, but Tenten nodded. "She told us that she has fallen in love with Sasuke, again; she said that he has changed, that even if he is still the same cold person he shows more emotions."
"Maybe we can give him a chance, then." Tsunade smirked.
"Why, what would have you done? Taken her from him?" Tenten rolled her eyes. "They're married now."
"Why can't we just let them live their own life?" Neji said uncaringly.
"Good idea, Neji." Shikamaru looked bored. "Why should we interfere in their relationship?"
Naruto leaned on the balustrade and sighed: as he lowered his gaze, his blue eyes widened slightly.
"Hey guys, here they are."
The Konoha shinobi gathered around their Hokage and looked down: Sasuke and Sakura were walking slowly, hand in hand, in the garden behind their house. They were talking quietly, and the others, being on the fourth floor, couldn't hear what they were saying.
Sakura was enjoying the breeze: it had become a habit of theirs to take a walk at sunset, when they were both free from their obligations. Sasuke squeezed her hand and looked down at her.
"Are you sure you're not tired?"
"Sasuke, stop asking, I'll start thinking you worry about me." She taunted. "I treasure our little walks and I wouldn't miss them for nothing in the world."
The dark-haired man remained silent for a while, then whispered.
"I worry Sakura. I do." He looked at her in the eyes. "And I like our walks too."
"Then stop asking if I'm tired and enjoy the walk." She said, caressing her belly.
They kept walking in the garden, the grass soft under their feet, the last sunrays giving the sky a violent red hue. Sakura sat down with her back against a tree's bark.
"It's so quiet here, ne Sasuke?"
"Hn." He sat down next to her, dark eyes fixed on the bump under her stomach.
"….Is it really okay?"
"What?"
"What you said to Naruto… don't you regret me kidnapping you?"
He wasn't looking at her, no, he even had his eyes closed: Sasuke looked like a man ready to be hanged. His head didn't turn even when she took his hand.
"Sasuke, I told you I fell in love with you again: that was not a lie. I…" she fought to find the right words "I regret you brought me here the way you did…but now I like being here, with you." Sakura smiled sadly. "I guess it became my home."
He crushed her to him, mindful of the life they created together.
"I'll find a way. We'll be happy, even if I am bastard traitor and you an annoying, loud woman."
"Hey!" she pulled his hair. "I'm not annoying! And after all…" his wife cupped his cheek lovingly. "Aren't we happy now?"
She grasped his hands and put them on her rounded belly.
"This is the start of our family."
He smiled slightly, a tiny, rare smile that made her heart beat faster.
"I guess we are happy."
The Rokudaime grinned as he watched his two former teammates embrace.
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"Shinji! Shinji, where are you?"
A black-haired young kid snickered softly as he hid behind a tree; as the feminine voice got angrier and more frantic, the grin on his face grew wider.
"Shinji! Please, stop hiding!" the young girl was now pleading "It's not funny anymore!" a hint of worry tinged her voice.
The boy took out a kunai and prepared to leap; the girl's back was to him and she seemed unaware of what was going to happen.
Shinji appeared behind her and the girl screamed as she turned and her kunai blocked his; Shinji frowned but smugly said. "You must always be aware of your surroundings, imouto-chan."
"Nii-chan!" the younger girl cried, "You scared me!" she hugged him and Shinji sighed.
"Stop crying Sayaka-chan. You're a kunoichi now."
"No, I'm not." She retorted. "I just entered the Academy and you know it: you're the genin in the family, nii-chan."
Shinji arched an eyebrow, "Since when are you so smart?"
Sayaka looked offended "I've always been smarter than you, that's what Okaa-san says."
The boy smirked, "Yes, but I am the one with the sharingan!"
"Because you're older!"
"No, it's because I'm better."
"Ooooh, you… wait 'till I'll be big enough to smash you!"
Shinji laughed as Sayaka tried to punch him in the face, but being shorter than him, she only managed to hit his shoulder.
"Shinji-kun, Sayaka-chan!"
The two children turned and the girl squealed happily, "Haruna-chan! What are you doing here?"
A young girl with blond hair and white eyes ran towards them, followed by a boy with black hair and blue eyes.
"Dad had to come and we followed him!" the other girl smiled, embracing her friend.
"Oh, it's been a long time since we've seen each other!"
"Uzumaki."
"Uchiha."
The boys squared each other as the girls sighed. "Why do you always have to fight as soon as you see each other?" Haruna said, hands on the hips. Her brother shrugged then smirked. "I guess it is in the blood."
Shinji smirked too. "Hn. We all know that my father is better than yours."
Takeru glared at him. "My father is the Hokage."
"Mine is the Otokage."
"You're a teme, you know that?"
"And you a dobe."
"What!? I dare you to repeat it!"
"Dobe."
"I'll kill you!"
Sayaka got between the two boys, her seven-years body too little and fragile compared to those of the two eleven-years old. "Please, stop!"
Takeru blushed slightly and immediately stopped, looking at her a bit ashamed.
"Sorry, Sayaka-chan, I know you hate it when we fight."
Sayaka glared at him, making his cower, and then slapped her brother on the chest. "Why do you always have to fight Takeru? He is a good person!" she didn't notice how said boy looked happy when she said that.
"Hn." Shinji looked away.
"Kids, what are you doing?"
"Okaa-san!" Haruna exclaimed, running towards a black-haired woman, who was walking with a pink-haired one.
Sakura glared at her son and Takeru. "I guess you two were fighting, again."
Now even Shinji looked ashamed; he adored his mother, and seeing disappointment in her eyes made him want to crawl under a rock and hide there. "Sorry, okaa-san."
She sighed and hugged her baby-boy. "You two are too much like your fathers; they used to fight like this, too."
Shinji's and Takeru's eyes shined: their fathers were their role models.
Sakura sighed again, but an amused smile was on her face.
"C'mon, lunch is ready: I guess you're hungry right now."
"Yes, ramen!" Takeru yelled and Hinata rolled her eyes. "Too much like his father." She said knowingly at Sakura and they both laughed as the children ran ahead of them.
§
"Damn Naruto, he's not going to back away from that trade…"
"You know it's important also for Konoha." Sakura said calmly, combing her long hair. "But I trust both of you to find an agreement."
Sasuke Uchiha watched his wife as she prepared to go to bed: they both were still quite young, in their first thirties, and she still looked beautiful – sometimes he had to fight for what was his when they went on diplomatic trips in other villages, too many men looked at her appreciatively.
Sakura joined him on the bed, laying her head and torso on his chest, and sighing when she felt his hand caress her hair.
"Shinji and Takeru are just like you and Naruto: they always fight." Then she smirked. "But it seems that Takeru has got a little crush on our Sayaka."
"There's no way I'll allow my little girl to date with that dobe's son." Sasuke said stonely and his wife laughed softly.
"You're too overprotective. One day she will have to date too."
"Not if I have a say---" he was cut off by her lips on his and Sasuke closed his eyes, enjoying the kiss.
They broke apart and she rubbed his cheek gently. "You stupid man." Sakura said lovingly.
"Hn." He smirked. "Annoying woman."
"You know, you haven't said it today."
He raised an eyebrow "I told you yesterday, Sakura."
She pouted cutely, "But not today."
He sighed while she waited expectantly; reluctantly Sasuke gave in and murmured.
"…I love you…"
Anthology VII: End
Author's Note: Oh, my, that's a LONG one! 14 pages! My longest one-shot ever. I hope you appreciate it – it took me four days to write. Thanks to ALL of you who gave me the translation of 'getsu'; as you can see, I put him here, ahahah! I edited the chapter, changing the name from Mizugetsu to Suigetsu
Thanks for your reviews! Sushi and Pizza (the true Italian Pizza!!) for you! Or maybe you prefer Pasta? Oh well, just ask, ahahahah!
Wolfgirl21, seraphina2735, genrou (yes, I found out later), HPBabe91, hArUnO1004, edge of dawn (your reviews always warm my heart), Sasuke-kunAikoka, C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only (thanks for the information!), Ur2tRoUbLeSoMe90, kunoichi13 (I love your review!), Your Mother (to be precise, his name is Mizugetsu…I was just wondering what Getsu mean – smile), anna (no sorry, I haven't seen Bleach, even if I'm tempted to buy the manga), TooLazyToThinkOfName, pinkrazor, I play wid fir3, ello, E-chan Hidaka, The Orange Girl (Wow, what a long review! Thanks for the information – they were very useful!), yumi hasegawa (well…thanks!).
Kineticfairy: oh my God, you reviewed my story! I was so happy I almost fainted! Yes, I know Naruto's a voyeur, but he is also a masochist because even if he knew it hurt him, he watched Sasuke and Sakura together.
hugsanimekisses04: Don't worry about it, it was no trouble (smile). I'll promise I'll try to write a Sai/Saku, or at least something similar to it. I just don't know WHEN I'll write it, I have to be inspired.
Aerissy: Sei brava in Italiano! You're good! Did you study it? Well…why do I like SasuSaku? I don't exactly know, they seem to be made for each other! Sakura loves him and may be able to melt down that icy behaviour of his, and Sasuke showed her indirectly how to be strong. I actually don't mind the ItachiSaku pairing… but I prefer SasuSaku.
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Ok, that's it for today... Don't forget to review! Reviews always make me happy (smile)