Lying in bed awake, the only sound that was heard was a single man's silent snoring. Sasuke stared up the ceiling as thoughts and feelings would not let him doze off.

Tomorrow was their daughter's funeral. They would have it at noon. He had picked out a black kimono that hanged over the chair; he wanted to be sure that everything went as planned. He had decided if anything, at least a good funeral he could give her.

Even though he still felt an immense emptiness inside him and grief from losing her, the more days which passed made it easier to deal. Naruto had given him the support he had never had before, and feeling the love from his children had also helped a lot. Looking up at the blond's face, Sasuke let a tiny smile grace his lips. His first smile since the accident.

He felt the arm around him tighten, a sign the other was waking up. He waited until lids fluttered open until he moved one of his hands to stroke a smooth cheek. "Mm, go back to sleep, koi." A tired mumble came from the blond. Sasuke did not answer though. He simply continued to watch the other's beautiful face.

Upon receiving no answer, Naruto became worried, perhaps the other had had another dream he figured and thus tiredly opened his eyes. "Something wrong Sasuke?"

However, as he suddenly saw a tiny smile grace his husband's lips, Naruto forgot all about sleep as he became fully awake. "What happened?"

"I was thinking… Thank you, dobe..." Falling silent for a second he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. "I-I really l-love you."

"Sasuke…" Taken back by surprise, Naruto did not know what to answer. The raven had never used the word 'love' easily and hearing it at that moment was something he had least expected.

As he could not word his happiness, Naruto chose to instead show it. Attacking plump lips, he moved aggressively at first to go softer and softer to the end of it. Feeling Sasuke return the kiss with just as much emotion, made the blond's heart lighten. It had been too long since the two had shared any sweet moments together.

Breaking their kiss, they were both left breathing harshly as they tried to regain their breath. However, Naruto did not wait long until he moved to attack a pale throat. Kissing mixed with biting; he started on making a nice hickey. As proof that they were still together, Sasuke was still his no matter the hardships they were going through.

Sasuke moaned in pleasure as pale hands moved to grasp blond tuffs of hair. "N-Naru."

Upon hearing his husband voice, saying his name, Naruto lost what little control he still had. His hands moved from stroking a pale torso to rubbing against a hardening erection. Kissing down a trail along Sasuke's chest, he quickly took in a nipple in his mouth as the other hand started rubbing the other.

Even though he was half lost in pleasure Sasuke's mind was widely awake. He knew where the two were going, and even though it felt amazingly good, he knew he was not ready yet to go down that road. He had just recently let Naruto start touching him again. Gathering up enough of strength to talk, he said; "Naru… Naru.. Please.." Stopping he inhaled a sharp breath as Naruto had started rubbing up against his now full erection. "Please, I-I'm not ready yet. Stop.."

However, the other did not stop in his motions too lost in the ecstasy of pleasuring his lover. Quickly panicking, Sasuke started to pull away from the hands but he was held down. Letting his arm strike out on its own accord, Naruto suddenly found himself flying off the bed.

"I-I'm not ready yet." He repeated, breathing heavily. "Sorry."

Xx

Waking up the following morning, there was no time for sleeping in. Sasuke was quickly up on his feet and pulled away the cover from Naruto and in turn made the other groan as it turned cold. "Sasuke, do you have to wake me up so cruelly?" The blond's voice came out muffled as he talked into the pillow.

Ignoring his lover's question Sasuke walked to their closet and grabbed a bath towel. "Get up and take a shower. You can't look like a troll on our own daughter's…" His voice turned quiet, then he whispered "funeral" as if that would make it less painful. After that he ran out of the room, he still would not enter their shared bathroom.

Naruto let out a last growl before getting up. He scratched his abdomen as he looked around the room. "So today's the day huh…" he stated to himself and then went to get ready in the bathroom.

As he was done showering he dried himself and then put on a pair of boxers. Putting on deodorant he then got ready to shave. Looking into the mirror for the first time that morning he suddenly noticed something was wrong with his face. His left side jaw was still a bit swollen from the night before. 'Shouldn't Kyuubi have healed that already?' Shrugging he continued shaving. Hopefully no one would ask about it.

"Naruto, have you woken Shunsuke and Kei yet?" Upon being startled, Naruto squeaked and ended up cutting himself. He turned with a glare to Sasuke, wondering why the other couldn't had warned him first. "Don't friggen do that shit, Sasuke. You made me cut myself just now."

Sasuke quickly shushed him and spoke with a scowl on his face. "You're such a big whiny pant, Naruto. It's probably already healed by now anyway." Freezing outside the door, obsidian eyes were trained on only the blond. "Now, are they up or not?"

Finishing shaving, Naruto put aftershave on his face and then walked out of the bathroom. "No, I haven't had the time to yet."

Throwing his hands in the air, Sasuke hissed like a cat. "I can't believe you. This day is important, moron. They should've been up by now. You're like a woman when it comes to shaving. You take forever!"

Scoffing in defense Naruto crossed his arms as he stared intently on the other. "Just because I have to shave every morning and you don't, doesn't mean I'm a woman. It's more like you're the woman. What man does not have facial hair? No one, I tell you."

Sasuke sent a glare at his husband. "For your information Neji doesn't have it either!" With that he ran out the room like the drama queen he was.

Naruto only smirked in victory.

Xx

Sasuke stared at the urn containing his daughter's ashes. It was small, too small he commented to himself, with a white background Sakura blossoms where scattered across it, making it seem as if they were blowing in a soft wind. It was an urn worthy his daughter.

He felt his eyes tear up as it had during so many times already, it was anything but fair. His daughter had been so young. She had not even had the chance to see the world.

A small hand suddenly grabbed onto his leg which made him look down, Kei was standing beside him looking lost. "Don't be sad, kaa-san. Kei don't think Ako-chan want that."

Sasuke bent down and took his son in his arms, he hugged him close and wiped at his tears. "Thank you Kei-chan." He then smiled and with a last look slowly turned away.

Xx

Cleaning up after all their guests was hard. He felt he was physically exhausted but knew it had to be done. After all it was not as if his lover would do it, said person being the lazy person he was.

Sakura had offered to stay and help, so had Iruka, but he had kindly declined it as he had felt the need to be alone after a hard day, filled with more emotions than he himself could process.

As he stood by the kitchen sink washing plates, two hands suddenly hugged his hips and pressed his back into a firm chest. Relishing in the familiar warmth, Sasuke felt the tension leave his shoulders in a heartbeat. Naruto was good that way. The smallest thing would make Sasuke feel calm, safe. 'If only I had had this when I was younger…'

"Sasuke, you don't have to do that… let someone else take care of it." he heard the other say with a hint of worry.

Sasuke huffed. "Okay, and who would that be?" His tone was filled with doubt, "Everybody has already left and I declined those who offered."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto smiled as he turned the other to face him, still in his arms. "I'm Hokage, have you forgotten? I can just order a Genin team over and let them clean." Waiting a few seconds he realized the other was still not convinced as the man started to shake his head in a refusing manner, however before the other had the time to voice his opinion Naruto cut him off with a finger to plump lips. "And I know just what you need."

"What?" Sasuke doubted the other really knew what it was he needed, as the other had put it.

"You and me, one on one combat, no jutsus, only old fashionable taijutsu. After that a hot nice bath for two, massage included."

Staring at the other in shock, Sasuke could not deny it sounded tempting. Giving it one last thought, he quickly decided the other knew him all too well. "You're such a woman Naruto. A hot bath? Massage?" He snickered silently but smiled nonetheless. Giving the blond one peck to the lips he untwined himself from the other's hug and then left the kitchen with a sly smile on his lips. "Tell me when you're ready to get your ass kicked, dobe."

Xx

"Mm that felt nice." Sasuke said as he sunk down further in the water. Chuckling from behind the raven, Naruto put his hands around his lover's waist as he leant his head against a pale shoulder.

"Cheater."

Smirking, Sasuke only closed his eyes as he submerged further, letting his tensed muscles be soothed by the hot water. "Just because you lost doesn't make me a cheater. It makes you weak."

"You used sharingan! I said no ninjutsu." He said in mock anger. 'And for the record I went easy on you.'

"Just because you're afraid." Sasuke smiled fondly as he heard the other's sputters. "By the way, didn't you say I'd get a massage by you?"

"You called me a woman, bastard." Naruto objected.

Knowing just how to persuade the blond, Sasuke slightly turned so that their faces almost touched. He put on a small pout and then started to move his hand up and down a firm thigh. Every time coming closer to the spot he had neglected for almost 3 weeks. "Naruto…"

"Sasuke, that's unfair…" Naruto inhaled deeply as he tried resisting the power of his lover but realized he had failed quite hard as his mouth suddenly mouthed; okay.

Turning back around happily, Sasuke hauled himself to a sitting position. "Thank you."

A few minutes into the massage, Naruto grew tired of the silence that had fallen upon them and decided to break it however Sasuke surprisingly beat him to it. "Thank you…"

Furrowing his eyebrows, Naruto slowed down his kneading hands and made the other turn in his arms. "What for?"

"For everything, dobe… Thank you for making me feel safe and stuff." The last was said in a whisper as the Uchiha quickly looked away so that his lover would not see his blushing face.

Rolling his eyes at the other's obviousness, Naruto forced Sasuke to look back at him. "You're the dobe, Sasuke." Sasuke frowned but was cut off as Naruto continued. "I love you."

Staring deep into his lover's eyes, Sasuke was absorbed by the love sparkling in the deepest of blue. "I.. love you too."

Their lips met half way and what they shared at that moment was a sweetness indescribable by words. It was a kiss with so much love poured into it, a kiss that showedeven though their life had been thrown around like a volleyball, their love was still as strong as ever. "Hey, I just realized… you've become unhealthily thin. I can feel your ribs quite sharply."

Sasuke sweatdropped. "Way to ruin the moment, stupid."

"Teme, I just want you healthy!" Naruto scoffed feeling offended. "No need for name calling."

"Baka, baka, baka, baka." Sasuke teased as he took a handful of water and threw it at the blond's face.

Opening and closing his mouth like a fish, Naruto stared surprised at the one before him. "Did you just… throw water at me?"

Smirking, Sasuke wittily replied; "Are you that stupid you can't even remember what happened, you have to ask about it?"

"Oh you…" Naruto started crawling over the other, with eyes so similar to a predator looking at its prey, making Sasuke back up to the other side of the bathtub, with Naruto hovering over him. Stealing a kiss, Naruto painfully bit Sasuke's under lip to give him entrance and then plunged his tongue inside the familiar hot cavern.

"nngh." Though it felt nice, Sasuke felt fear settle in his stomach and his body started trembling. He was cornered and his hands were tightly bound by the blond's hands. He pulled away from the kiss and inhaled much needed air.

Meanwhile Sasuke was regaining his breath Naruto moved down to suck on the brunet's nape. Upon earning a moan from his lover, Naruto smiled in satisfaction. However his smile quickly dissipated once he noticed Sasuke was trembling uncontrollably. "What's wrong Sasuke?" He stopped his advances and searched black eyes.

"I-I told you earlier… I'm not… not ready." Sasuke looked away, afraid of the sure disappointment that would be evident in the other's eyes. He never meant to push away his lover but it was hard when he was afraid of the connection they had once had. He had changed, he could no longer bear children and he was afraid once Naruto realized it, he would also change. As long he put off any sort of sexual connection between them, he would be safe.

Naruto stood from the bath and stepped out. Drying his body with a towel he stared at Sasuke. The brunet looked like a lost child with his back slightly hunched, his arms hanging loosely down his sides and eyes trained down in shame. He wanted to comfort him, to take him in his arms and just hold him so that nothing could ever hurt him, but the other's uncertainties was starting to take a toll on him. He tried to support Sasuke, he stayed away, he told him he loved him, he would listen if the other only chose to talk, but all his efforts proved to be useless. Sasuke would still not give him what he craved most of all; his trust.

"I'm going down stair. You don't need to be afraid anymore." With that said Naruto put on a pair of clean underwear and then left the room.

Sasuke submerged further down the water and covered his eyes with an arm. 'Why?' Questioned Sasuke silently as tears threatened to fall.