A/N: So, it's been five days since I updated. Honestly, I was aiming for a Saturday update, considering it's the first day of the weekend. As it is, I had to leave before I could finish editing the chapter, and didn't return home until 10 at night (It was my friend's birthday party, and since my laptop is too much of a jerk to be taken out in public, I lavished my attention on her turning 17 instead). I dislike updating at night, because I'm usually half out my mind and can't catch all the mistakes I make (not that I catch all of them anyways) so I decided I would update on Sunday, just this once. Maybe it'll become a regular occurrence, who knows. Sunday's are kind of nice :)
Anyway, a kind reviewer asked that the next chapter be not so dramatic. Here, you get a pick into the mind of Sasuke, but unfortunately, my ability to write in the male brain is kind of lacking. I'll have to work on that. Please, enjoy the show. Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but if I did, it would feature a lot more sexual tension between Sasuke and Naruto, 'cause I'm bad like that.
Chapter 3: In The Hospital/Confessions pt. I
"Hinata, get up."
Hinata blinked blearily at the sound of Sasuke's voice, turning to face her husband. He was half-dressed in a pair of slacks and wife beater, but he looked far more alert than she could manage at the moment. Sitting up, she tossed a curious glance to the alarm clock on the nightstand, then turned back to him, brow furrowed. It was just after six, so he had only just gotten up himself. What could he possibly need now?
She looked to Seiichi in his arms and felt her stomach drop as she reached for the toddler, who was only dressed in a white pull-up featuring the Power Rangers. "What's wrong, Sasuke? What happened to his clothes?"
"He threw up on them, and all over his bed," Sasuke stated, handing him over. She pressed a hand to the sleeping boy's forehead and grimaced at the heat. Gesturing towards the bathroom, she instructed Sasuke to find the thermostat. Seiichi whimpered in his sleep, his face blotchy red, his milky skin warm to the touch. She felt guilt rack her stomach as she cradled him against her chest, brushing his hair back. Perhaps his adventure in the koi pond involved a lot of splashing. But she hadn't noticed if his clothes were wet, and she hadn't heard him cough or sneeze all night, so she had just assumed that he was alright.
His eyes cracked open as Sasuke returned with the thermostat in hand. "Haha?" He twisted his face in a grimace and she managed to get him to a trashcan in time. Rubbing his back, she tried to remember the entire night. Sasuke stood over her and she let out a breath. "D-did you see him cough or sneeze anytime before dinner?"
He paused, then shook his head. "No. He looked fine to me." Another moment, and then he asked slowly. "Could it have been something he ate? Mikoto likes to feed him, and he isn't exactly prone to saying no to that."
Hinata sat back on her haunches, taking the thermostat. Seiichi obediently opened his mouth and she placed it under his tongue, studying the digital face. "... Could he have developed allergies to something last night?" She made a mental list of the ingredients, both of the steamed vegetables and of the poached salmon. "Did you see Mikoto feed him?"
Sasuke hesitated, before murmuring. "I did give him a bite of salmon. But he's eaten it before so I thought it was alright."
Standing, she eyed the thermostat and was dismayed at the result. "He's running a fever. He needs to go to the emergency room." She thrust the toddler into his hands and tugged on yesterday's jeans, and a thin sweater over her camisole. "Get dressed, I'll get the car."
He nodded, handing Seiichi back before they both rushed out, Sasuke towards the guest room and Hinata to Seiichi's. She changed the pull-up pamper, then stuffed him into a shirt and pants, her heartbeat loud in her ears. Seiichi, as far as she knew, didn't get sick. He hadn't ever had an ear or sinus infection, and very rarely did he sneeze or cough. The last time he had been to the doctor's offiice was a little after his first birthday, just a standard check-up, and as always, he had been in perfect health.
"Haha. It hot," he moaned softly, wrapping his arms around her neck. She cradled him close as she carried him down the stairs, seeing Sasuke rifling through her purse for the insurance card. He ushered them out the door and into the car, barely stopping to make sure Seiichi was properly in his car seat before they shot out of the driveway.
"Slow down," she said, eying the tension in his shoulders. "It will do us no good to get pulled over because you're speeding."
He did as he was told, but it hardly made a difference. "Sorry. Just..." He didn't have to say the rest, not when he was caught between watching traffic and his son in the backseat. Seiichi, half-asleep, moaned and wheezed softly in his car seat, burning up with fever.
Hinata heaved a sigh, but didn't reach out to comfort Sasuke. "I suppose you'll be late to the office today, hm?"
He blinked, then let out a bleak chuckle. "They'll deal."
"The stock market waits for no one."
He shot her a look, a very slight smirk tugging at his lips. "I own half the goddamn stock market." Settling back in his seat, he draped a wrist over the steering wheel, more than grateful that all the traffic lights he had passed were green. He just hoped his luck kept up. "Besides, Neji gets in as early as I do, so its fine. Oh, speaking of Neji – Mikoto wants to throw a dinner party."
She tilted her head, frowning. "At our house?"
"Yes. Whenever it's convenient for you, so she told me. She probably wants it within the week." He turned on the radio, only to find Seiichi's children's music disc in the deck. A small, tired giggle from the back urged Hinata to turn around and she noted with relief that Seiichi was somewhat more conscious, though his face was still blotchy and his eyes were dim. Guilt clogged her chest and she edged back around, running a hand through her hair. She hadn't even brushed her teeth, just ran out the house.
It took a few more minutes before they were at the emergency room, Sasuke having barely parked before she hopped out and freed Seiichi from the car seat. He clung to her, quietly studying the world through heavily lidded eyes as she tramped inside, Sasuke hot on her heels. The receptionist, a young, upbeat woman in Mickey Mouse scrubs cooed with sympathy to the toddler before she directed them towards the nearest pediatrician. Hinata gritted her teeth against the thought of if that was the type of woman Sasuke liked, someone who was easily approachable and cheerful to all who passed her way.
Dr. Sakimoto greeted them with stethoscope at the ready. He slipped his hand beneath Seiichi's shirt and Hinata finally let herself relax, sighing a breath of relief. Seiichi sat on the edge of the examination table, complaining about how hot he was, how cold the stethoscope felt, and what he wanted for breakfast (cereal was the only breakfast word he knew). She glanced over to Sasuke, who had seated himself in wooden armchair, a small smile hovering over his lips as Seiichi babbled tiredly. At least he was feeling better.
"Well," Sakimoto murmured, finishing his examination. "From what I can tell, he's running a fever, but it's coming down. I don't notice anything serious, so I'll say it could be some kind of allergic reaction." He smiled at Seiichi. "He probably has a sensitive tummy is all, nothing more. What did he have to eat last night?"
"Steamed, seasoned vegetables," Hinata murmured, running a hand through her hair. "And a little bit of poached salmon." She didn't have to look at Sasuke to know that he felt just as guilty as she did. How many times had they given just a bite to the toddler, who delighted in all kinds of foods, meat or vegetable, fruit or candy? He wasn't very picky, as long it was made well and easy to eat. But perhaps there were limits to everything.
Dr. Sakimoto smiled reassuringly at them. "Don't worry, this is very common. It's usually around this age that kids start to develop allergies and such. You say he's capable of eating salmon – was there anything you cooked with it last night?"
She knew the recipe by heart, having discovered it one evening and only just then wanting to try it out. "Mmm, lemongrass and lime juice."
"Has he had either before?" At her no, he nodded. "Alright, I'll run a few simple allergy tests, see what he can and can't have. Is there anything else he might have ate last night? It could also be that he had too much."
Hinata grimaced slightly, folding her arms across her stomach. "A little bit of apple pie and ice cream, and two cups of juice."
"Does he drink milk?" Sakimoto quickly jotted down the list, nodding.
"Soy, and almond." She couldn't look at her husband. "Sasuke is slightly lactose intolerant."
Sakimoto cast Sasuke a look. "Ah, that might also be it as well. What about the vegetables?"
"Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash, and asparagus." At Sakimoto's approving look, she felt a tiny bit of satisfaction. After the wedding, she had done all the research she could on infants and toddlers, wanting Seiichi to grow up healthy and strong. A fever was nothing, she told herself. Seiichi would be just fine – they'd just have to be more careful from now on.
"Gimme," Seiichi murmured, reaching for the stethoscope and Dr. Sakimoto handed it over willingly, chuckling. "He seems to be better now. Do you have an estimate on when he might have thrown up?"
"I checked up on him around six," Sasuke said, sitting back in the seat. "By then, the vomit was drying, so I would guess around five fifty, maybe earlier."
Sakimoto frowned lightly, but nodded. "Hm. Well, I'll run some tests, which shouldn't take too long." He pulled a pad from his pocket and wrote a small prescription of antibiotics, to be taken twice a day, when Seiichi woke up, and before he went to sleep, for the next three days. It was only a slight fever, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Quickly, he swabbed an area on Seiichi's arm and drew enough blood for a few tests. The boy's face twisted with pain, but not a peep left his lips. Something else he had learned from Sasuke.
Hinata studied the prescription as Sasuke handled Seiichi and his fascination with the stethoscope. "Thank you for seeing us this early, Dr. Sakimoto."
"You're very welcome. Don't hesitate to call back if he isn't feeling better. Otherwise, the tests should be in by noon tomorrow." Sakimoto pulled open a drawer and took out a plastic stethoscope, handing it to the toddler. "Now, you can be a doctor too."
"Doctor!" Seiichi gasped, astonished as he took the red and blue toy in his hands. He turned to Sasuke, grinning weakly. "Doctor! Chichiue! Dare you!"
Hinata furrowed her brow as Sasuke hauled the kid up and onto his shoulders. "Dare you? What does that mean?"
"Haha, no!" He tugged on Sasuke's hair, whispering. "Chichiue, dare you!"
Sasuke grimaced as Seiichi scowled. "I have no idea. But I responded once and now I'm in on it – whatever it is."
Hinata looked to Seiichi as they left the doctor's office and entered the elevator. "Seiichi-kun, are you feeling better?"
Seiichi cocked his head, as if contemplating what she said, then smiled sweetly. "Better, haha."
"Good," Sasuke said, patting his leg. "How does breakfast sound, my treat."
Hinata frowned as they crossed by receptionist, shaking her head. "Sasuke, you have to go to work. I'm sure Fugaku-san and–"
"I think they won't mind if I miss a day to hang out with my wife and sick kid," he stated simply, pulling the boy from his shoulders and placing him on the pavement. Seiichi reached for both their hands, walking between them. Sasuke tugged at his tie, and it came apart easily. "Besides, I deserve a day off."
"W-what about Neji-niisan?" She didn't want him in the house, so close to her, after all they had been through yesterday. She needed him out of sight for the day, so she could recollect herself, to build back up the defenses she hadn't realized she'd dropped so long ago. "Y-you can't just leave him alone like that–"
Sasuke's smart phone rang and she took Seiichi, yanking open the car door. She listened silently as Sasuke spoke first to a disgruntled Fugaku, then Neji, who seemed to hold empathy for their situation. Seiichi toyed with the stethoscope around his neck, and craned his head to see his father. "Chichiue! Go now?"
Sasuke cast them a look as he ended the conversation. "Any place specific you want to eat?"
"I-I'm not dressed to eat out." She closed the door, holding her breath as he stood before her. Suddenly, the thin sweater was too hot, despite the cool morning air, and her face flushed. She looked away, unable to face him.
"Do you hate me so much that you don't want to be seen with me?"
Her eyes snapped back up to his as she furrowed her brow. "No! I … I don't hate you, Sasuke. I hate what you've done..." She paused, then bit her lip, looking over his shoulder. "... I wanted some time to myself, to think–"
"Well, too bad. We're having breakfast together." He was resolute, moving past her. "I won't let you out of my sight."
She stiffened, her voice tight. "... Are you afraid I'll take Seiichi-kun away from you?"
"Hell yes." She clamped her eyes shut as he sighed, his tone softer. "But I also don't want to let you go." Sucking in a breath, she finally faced him, but couldn't find her voice. Somehow, he was saying all the right things, but she wouldn't give in. He'd have to do a lot more than charm her with some pretty words.
He opened the passenger door, arching an eyebrow. "And you look fine. I'm sure no one will care too much how you look where we're going."
"Where are we going?" She conceded, taking her seat as he slid behind the wheel.
"This little ramen shop. I eat there with Naruto sometimes. Apparently, he's been going since our days at the Academy."
"You want to eat ramen for breakfast?" Hinata's voice was low as she studied the menu for Ramen Ichiraku, which featured many different types of soba, udon and ramen to eat, and not too many choices for breakfast.
Sasuke ignored her jab, adjusting Seiichi's booster seat strap. "They have other stuff."
"Manju, yokan and taiyaki are not breakfast foods." He looked over and rolled his eyes at the stern look she was giving him. "Seiichi-kun needs something other than sweets. And you can't possibly think I'll allow you to eat ramen this early in the morning."
"Alright, fine. What else is there?" He propped his chin in his hand, watching as she continued to pursue the menu, her brow furrowed in concentration. Seiichi waved a pair of chopsticks over his head, making faces as he chanted in a deep voice. From what Sasuke could tell, the kid was pretending to be some kind of sorcerer, which would mean he had been watching a little too much magical girl cartoons.
"Natto," Hinata replied sharply, placing the menu in the holder. "We'll have natto with rice, and miso soup." She looked to Seiichi and sighed, finally giving in. "And I suppose I'll split some taiyaki with Seiichi-kun."
Sasuke nodded at the girl behind the counter, who ran off to get their order. Hinata ran a hand through her hair, then tugged it back into a ponytail, keeping it out of her eyes. "I don't mind having to make breakfast."
"And I don't mind having to pay," he replied easily, sipping from his cup of green tea. "Calm down, Hinata. No one cares what you look like here."
She frowned at him. "I care what I look like." Her fingers ghosted across her lips and she sighed softly, turning away. He watched as she studied a woman across the shop, a woman who wore red lipstick and her dark hair in bouncy waves, a far away look entering his wife's eyes. His stomach twisted as Hinata smoothed a hand over her cheek, and he could see that she was comparing herself to the glamorous woman in the booth.
"It isn't polite to stare," he murmured and she blinked, silver eyes wide. He cocked his head and she flushed, looking to the bowl of natto and rice before her.
Seiichi clapped as she sliced half a taiyaki into easy squares for him, delight in his eyes at the prospect of something sweet. Sasuke kept silent as his wife handled their son and ate her breakfast with the ease of someone who had done it a hundred times before. If this morning had gone the way it normally did, he'd have left the house by seven, and by then, Hinata would have just been waking up, getting prepared for her own day.
He glanced to his watch, and finally took notice that it was a little after eight. "Hinata, what are you going to do about work?"
She looked up sharply, a gasp leaving her lips. "Oh! I-I … It completely slipped my mind!" She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone, easily dialing her office as she wiped red bean paste off Seiichi's chin. "Yes, hello! Good morning, Hideo-san..."
He listened as she apologized to her boss, answering a flurry of questions to ease the man's worry. Turning away, he felt his stomach twist with the sudden remorse, unwilling to process the natto and rice. When he had been with those women, he had thought briefly of what Hinata would do should she find out, but it never quite stuck, or at least well enough to make him reconsider what he was about to do. Fuguka had once tried to convince him that even if Sasuke did have an affair, Hinata wouldn't mind, that she would simply act the way she needed to. At the time, he had been disgusted in his father's reasoning – what married woman wouldn't get upset knowing that her husband was fucking other people behind her back?
And then he had turned around and done as his father expected.
Clenching his jaw, he fought back the anger that erupted in him. His father, fucking Fugaku. Somehow the man was always in his life, always just off to the side with a condescending look in his eyes. He was so smug about it too – like his youngest son wasn't capable of anything, and Sasuke knew it. Every time something went wrong, Fugaku was the first to point his finger in Sasuke's direction, the first to blame everyone else, but as soon as things were going well, he was right there to take some the credit. At least Hiashi understood what were his mistakes and what were others – the man was made of honor and would accept the good and the bad that came along with running a company. But Fuguka was sneaky. Beneath that monotone voice and stern words was a man constantly planning the next move, the next attack, the next victory. And somehow, Sasuke was fucking up everything for him. He just couldn't do anything right.
The problem, Sasuke knew, was that he wasn't Itachi.
He cut of his thoughts right there, not wanting to go into a rage over something he couldn't change. A long time ago, he accepted that Itachi wasn't coming back. But what he wouldn't give to see the motherfucker one last time and bash him in the face, snap the strong nose, shove those teeth down his insufferable throat and watch the bastard choke on the ground. It was only a fantasy, and he knew the minute Itachi showed his face around these parts, he'd do little more than rant and rave – he was still that little boy from years before, begging for attention from men who weren't prone to giving it. At least Itachi had obliged his selfish requests for a little bit. There were fond memories of running around a field, playing ninjas and samurais, cops and robbers, kicking a ball, laughing as the summer rain came down fast and hard and sudden.
The sigh that left his lips was tired and he set aside the half-empty bowl of his breakfast, no longer hungry. Thoughts of Itachi always left him straddling the line between anger and sorrow. It was of Itachi's own violation to leave, even if he did it the way bastards chose to; quietly and quickly, efficiently cutting off ties with his family. Mikoto had cried for a week straight, scared her eldest had been kidnapped. Then the letter came and she cried harder when she realized he hadn't been taken; he was just gone, and perhaps for good.
Oh, Sasuke had cried too, not that he would readily admit it, but how could he not. His teen years had been bad, just a sad tangle of bad sex, bad thoughts, and badly spent time. College had been a reprieve from that – he could breathe there, away from the scrutiny that everyone seemed to have for him. Itachi hadn't gone where he had, despite being one of the best schools in the country, and he wasn't under constant surveillance. His teachers and courses had pushed him, made him work for things he hadn't had to work for before. He spent a lot of his time studying for tests, and trying to ignore Fugaku's claims that the college degree wasn't necessary, that he could just come work for the company right away. He had a new goal: to prove that he was far better than his brother was. And yet here he was, with a broken family, a piss-poor attitude, and still struggling in the shadow of his older brother.
"Chichiue!" Seiichi shoved a piece of taiyaki in his face and Sasuke opened his mouth obediently, letting the toddler feed him. The red bean paste tasted like he expected it to, too sweet and thick in his mouth, coating his tongue in sugar. He chewed slowly, and swallowed when he realized Seiichi was watching too closely for him to casually spit it back up in a napkin. Seiichi grinned, waving another piece in his face. "It good!"
Three more pieces and Sasuke had enough. He shook his head as Seiichi tried to feed him again. "No more, kid. I'm finished."
"Not all gone!" Seiichi pointed at Sasuke's bowl of food, and scowled, wagging a finger in his face. "Not all gone, chichiue!"
Sasuke shot a look to Hinata, who was smiling as she stroked the toddler's head. "I'm pretty sure that's the longest sentence I've heard him say."
She tilted her head, eyes only for her child. "... I suppose it is. He's a fast learner. I was told they don't normally babble this way at his age."
"... So he's smart?" Sasuke arched a brow as Seiichi continued to scold him. "I guess it comes from my side of the family."
A smile blossomed across her pretty face, just a small one, filled with brittle humor. "I could talk at his age – I was just too shy in front of other people to do so."
"You trying to say he's got your brains, hm?" Sasuke waved for someone to get their things as she looked away, that smile still ghosting her lips. "We'll see who's right when he grows up. He's just a brat now." He tapped the center of Seiichi's forehead with his fingers and the boy gasped, placing his hands over the spot before he burst into laughter, bean paste and taiyaki cake clinging to his chin. Hinata leaned over and cleaned him up before she led him from the shop.
Sasuke pulled his wallet out, and noticed the sweet smile the girl behind the counter was giving him. She accepted his money, looking starry-eyed. "He's adorable, your son."
"Oh... Thank you." He bit back the guilt that built in him. The whole breakfast, he had tried not to think that one day, Hinata just might walk off with the kid.
She glanced toward the entrance, where Hinata was knelt before the boy, straightening his clothes. "How old is he?"
"He'll be two in a few weeks." Would he be gone before then? Or would Hinata decide to wait until after his birthday to take off? Casually, he glanced over his shoulder, spotting Seiichi's bouncing steps as Hinata led him towards the car.
"He looks just like you. I bet when he reaches your age, he'll be a real heart breaker." She laughed warmly, a sheepish look to her eyes as Sasuke blinked. "Oh – I'm not flirting! I just... Well, you're very handsome. And your wife, her eyes are just so striking! You two make a gorgeous couple. And your son just finishes the picture." She handed over the receipt, grinning. "Have a great day, sir. Thank you, and come again."
He nodded, having no words to say to the young woman. There had been countless people who had told him the same thing: Hinata and he were beautiful together, Seiichi was the greatest child ever, their little family was the epitome of the idealistic dream. Once the tabloids had learned Hinata was pregnant, they had spent the entirety of her pregnancy counting down the days, taking pictures of her baby bump and asking for an interview she just wouldn't give. When they had learned Seiichi's birth date, and did the math, they had gone wild. He had read a lot of magazines about the beauty that his life held.
But never before had it hit him so hard that his family was so... perfect.
"Chichiue!" Seiichi reached for him and he took the toddler in his arms, settling the kid on his hip as they walked to the car, parked in a garage across the street. Seiichi rested his head on Sasuke's shoulders, quiet as he grew sleepy. Hinata walked just ahead of him, arms at her side, back straight, the picture of Japanese beauty and prestige. You couldn't tell that beneath that porcelain skin was tightly controlled anger – he had done wrong by her, very wrong. And she was righteously angry, expecting more than an apology for his stupidity. Yet he couldn't seem to find a way to fix this problem. Fugaku had pointed the blame in his direction for so long, he had come to expect it, and was usually prepared for when things got ugly. But this, he hadn't been ready for. He hadn't thought he would be caught, hadn't thought past getting out of the hotel room before his bedmate could think about saying anything else.
He bit back the guilt and placed Seiichi in his car seat. Fast asleep, the boy didn't even stir as he was belted in and they drove off, snoring softly. White-knuckling the steering wheel, Sasuke considered his options in the classical music Hinata turned on. But there wasn't anything he could think of. How do you prove you are trustworthy? How do you go about regaining what you've lost? Material things were easy to replace, but trust was abstract, even in its own definition. Loyalty was hard to gain, but betrayal easy to come by. This wasn't like a project rejected, or a client lost – this was his wife, and his child. He wouldn't be able to solve this with a few meetings and a lot of overtime.
Manju are steamed bun sweets that are usually filled with some kind of bean past.
Yokan is a thick jellied sweet made of azuki paste, which is just red bean paste.
A/N: 100 reviews! 100 reviews and we're only 6 chapters in! You guys are amazing! I can't possibly tell you how beautiful you are to me! Kisses and hugs to all my lovely duckies for making this possible! How often do you get to say you made it to a 100 reviews? Not very often! Who's willing to stay and make it to 200?
Now, for the guest reviewers:
MinaSmile209: I already stated, I wouldn't be doing the jealousy thing. Two wrongs don't make a right, you know. Anyway, she is making a stand. Sasuke has to fix this himself if he wants to keep his family together. She won't let him get away with cheating, that's for sure. Thank you for reading :)
Xi chen chen: You're reading my mind honey, that's exactly right :) And Seiichi is the greatest, I want a kind just like him (I will give birth two years after the wedding) Thank you for reading!
chibi beary: Fugaku knows that Sasuke messed up big time, yes, but he doesn't know what Sasuke did to get to this point. He just likes to gloat that he understands Sasuke better than his son wants to admit. As for bashing Sasuke - at this point, he's my character in my story. Right now, his personality and issues are things that I've created, and it hurts to see you just go to town on my story like that. I understand that what he did was wrong, but if you would keep reading, you'd see that he's trying hard. And reviews are just meant for saying "Sasuke sucks! Make Hinata like another guy!" they're for critiquing or telling me what you thought of the story. Telling me Sasuke sucks doesn't help with my writing any. As a reader of fanfiction, I know what it's like from the readers stand point, and I've done my fair share of reviewing. I also know that writers just don't want to hear that all the time. Next time you wish to review, try saying something about what you liked about the story instead of telling the writer that his or her character is a jerk. Just saying.
