A/N: YAAAAAAAAY! Freaking hell, I am so happy with this chapter. It was so nice to see Sasuke again! Plus I felt that this was a good time for everyone to be introduced to the twins. And now people are starting to get together after a very long time (and awkwardly trying to be normal).
Disclaimer: Just a reminder, I don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does. Pretty sure he didn't make SasuNaru canon.
But Sanyu and Suoh are totally mine.
Just saying.
This was stupid. All of this was stupid. Sasuke sat cross-legged on the tatami floor with his arms crossed over his chest. Damn his brother for all he was worth. He wasn't a fucking princess so he shouldn't be fucking treated like one. He reached out and tugged the rope cord and closed the drapes in front of his cage.
Sadly, that wouldn't be enough to drown out all the noise and all the incessant cheering ringing around him. At least he didn't have to see their superficial faces.
He really wanted to see a certain loudmouthed blonde in the crowd, but he could go and visit him personally later. He would have sneaked into Naruto's apartment the second he got back, but Itachi made sure his little brother did not leave his sight. Hopefully, Naruto wouldn't take it to heart if he couldn't see him tonight with all these damn festivities.
Sasuke fidgeted. Damn, he was so antsy today. He really, really, really did not want to be here right now. And he really, really, really needed to expel sexual frustrations right now. "Fuck." He muttered as he shifted again. 'Sex now greetings later' would be his demand if Naruto were right in front of him.
"Suoh says that's a bad word, mister!" The drapes parted and a bright blue-eyed dark haired four year old popped his head in. His little hands gripped Sasuke's loose pants as he pulled his chubby legs onto the floor. Sasuke blinked down at the boy with his eyebrows furrowed.
"What are you-"
"Sanyu, get back here!" Another kid, an identical but more serious kid, clambered after him, grasping the other's ankle. "Papa said to stay with Uncle Sai!"
Sasuke shook his head. Uncle Sai? Sai was an uncle now? The one named Sanyu shuffled closer to him and peered into his face. "You aren't a princess." He stated with a disappointed huff.
His brother Suoh sighed the same time Sasuke did. "Of course he's not a princess." Suoh's darker blue eyes met Sasuke's and he blushed a bit. "C-come on, 'Yu, let's go back before we get in trouble." Suoh tugged at Sanyu's orange shirt. Visibly pale, Suoh bowed. "Sorry for bothering you." He squeaked.
Sanyu resisted and his warm hands cupped Sasuke's cheeks. The raven flinched and made a noise, but Sanyu's startling blue eyes caught his attention. Naruto came bidden into his mind and his heart sung. Those eyes reminded me him that he was going to be truly home with the person he loved most. Having people fawn over him for a few days wasn't going to change that, no matter how annoying. "You're real pretty!" Sanyu's face broke into a wide smile.
Sasuke cracked a grin; letting his lips lift in the corner and snickered. "Thanks, I guess." Sanyu's grin grew brighter and he plopped down in Sasuke's lap like he'd been doing it since he was born. Sasuke pat his head, hesitantly. He caught Suoh staring and he stared back, unsure of what to do. Sasuke then glared at the opposite wall as he held out a hand. "Come on, don't stand there all by yourself."
Sanyu moved to the other half of his lap and pointed at Sasuke's slightly red face. "The princess is really nice!"
"I thought you just said I wasn't." Sasuke retorted.
"But you're pretty!" Sanyu insisted. "Princesses are always pretty!"
Suoh looked wary as he sat down next to his brother, but Sasuke pat his head as well, more naturally than before. Suoh smiled a bit then and Sasuke gave a quiet sigh of relief. This was his first interaction with kids, so maybe the smile meant he wasn't doing too horridly. "Princesses are girls." Sasuke said with a slight grumble. He tried not to let the face of disgust slip with the thought. Him doing women? His skin began to crawl. Gross. "Where are your parents?"
"Papa is at home." Suoh spoke up. He looked over at Sanyu and held his hand. "We don't have a mother." He said in a hushed voice.
"Ah." Sasuke's eyes softened. These kids were just like Naruto and himself growing up, but at least they had someone. "You said you were with Sai?"
"Yep! And Uncle Kiba." Sanyu bounced a bit and poked Suoh's cheek. "I had to explore but Su' chased me!"
"Don't call me Su'!" Suoh pinched Sanyu's elbow.
The floor creaked from the door at the opposite side of the room and all three froze. Sasuke maneuvered the two kids behind him and scooted back a bit so he had them in between him and the corner of the wall. He looked over his shoulder and Suoh nodded, looked over to his brother and held a finger to his lips.
Itachi opened the door and entered, his eyes scanning the room. Even though Sasuke hardly believed in gods, he sent a prayer anyways that Sanyu and Suoh wouldn't be caught. Itachi's eyes narrowed as if he sensed something was wrong but didn't know what. He faced the closed veranda and frowned. "Sasuke why are the drapes down." He said smoothly.
"Because I want them down." Sasuke said stubbornly as he sat up straighter.
"The queue is starting to get lengthy, Sasuke. I expect you to greet each person with respect."
"Right." Sasuke said slowly.
Itachi gave a graceful glare. "This is for you, and for your wife."
Sasuke snarled. "I'm not marrying Sakura, Itachi. We had a deal."
"She bears your daughter and we will not have that kind of reputation for our growing clan. Do not dare taint our parent's lineage by not marrying the women who has honored us with a child."
Sasuke seethed, his hands turned into fists. He struggled to keep his voice even and but he let the fury in his eyes shine. "Fine." His lips barely moved. "I will do my duty, but to my parents not to you."
Itachi's careful stare lingered a few seconds more until he silently left the room. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. "I'm sending in people now. Do not disappoint me."
Sasuke waited a few seconds and jumped when Suoh's fingers clutched his yukata as he peeked out from under Sasuke's arm. His blue eyes were calculating, his mouth turned into a serious frown on his cute face. Sanyu mirrored his twin's actions on the other side. He was shaking more than Suoh was and he buried his head in Sasuke's arm, one eye peeking at the door, waiting for the monster to return. "That guy is scary."
"Yeah well." Sasuke draped his arms around the boys. "Better get going. You guys will be all right on your own? I wish I could take you but I'm being forced to stay here."
"I know the way home." Suoh nodded.
"Su' can do anything." Sanyu chirped. "He always finds papa!"
"Do you guys know Naruto?" Sasuke started. He hadn't breathed that name in public in such a long time. But at least he didn't have to hide his connection with these boys. "Blond hair, blue eyes and sort of…" he placed his hand in the air and moved it to his shoulder. "-short?"
Sanyu looked cross-eyed for a second. "Um that sounds like-"
"Maybe your papa might know him." Sasuke continued in a rush. He sneaked a hand into his yukata and slipped the jade necklace from his neck. He handed it to Sanyu and clasped his cold hand over it. "Tell your papa to give this to Naruto Uzumaki and tell him… tell him…" Sasuke sighed and ran his other hand through his long hair. "Just tell him I'll be back to get this from him again." Sasuke stood up and pushed the twins toward the drapes.
"But that's our-" Sanyu halted his feet at the opening as Sasuke yanked the drapes back.
"We promise to give it to him." Suoh interrupted and grabbed Sanyu's hand. "Come on, Sanyu."
"I can count on you can't I Sanyu? Just think of it like a ninja mission." Sasuke knelt down and looked at both boys. Sanyu looked over at his brother who nodded. Sanyu puffed out his little chest and raised his left pinky.
"I pinky swear I'll get it done!"
"Good." Sasuke smiled. His pinky wrapped around the little one and he squeezed lightly. "Thanks."
"Aya, are you feeling well?" Sakura brushed her daughter's dark hair away from her pale skin. The frail girl nodded once and held tighter to her mother's hand. She looked about her in wonder at the bright lights and all the noise. Shopkeepers called out to the crowds and she could see games and other children playing together.
Aya looked at the impending men that traveled with her and her mother all the time. She felt like she was always being watched. But mother said they were there for protection. One man's eyes met hers and she quickly looked down at the ground. Her mother glared at them and tightened her grip on Aya's hand. "You can leave now." She stated.
"But ma'am, Itachi-"
"Well I am the future Uchiha wife to his younger brother, and disciple of Tsunade. You will obey my orders." Sakura relented a bit. "Just for a few hours. You are making my daughter uneasy. Just let her do what she wants."
The men looked at each other. "Just 2 hours Haruno-sama."
She nodded as the bodyguards slinked away. She caught Aya staring at something in the crowd and followed her gaze. Two raven spiky haired boys, hand in hand, weaved in and out of the crowd. They were coming closer to them and Aya observed them with curiosity in her dark eyes. "Would you like to say hello?" Sakura knelt down and pat her head. Aya nodded slowly, her eyes still trained on the two.
The one leading with a determined look on his face came a to a slow pace as his cerulean eyes met Aya's. He gave a tentative smile and Sakura watched Aya's cheeks lit up with a red tinge. The boy looked over at his twin brother and said something. His twin with the wilder spikes looked around bewildered. He then spotted Aya and waved his fist in the air, a glint coming from all the surrounding lanterns reflecting off a necklace on a silver chain. Sakura's eyes zoned in on it, noticing the familiarity about it. Beside her, Aya raised a hand and slowly waved with an emerging smile on her face. The boys skipped towards her and Sanyu spoke up first. "Another princess!" he squealed. "You're really pretty too!"
Sakura couldn't help but laugh at the enthusiasm, "My, aren't you really lively."
The serious brother bowed. "Sorry, papa always has to warn him not to be so loud in public. I am Suoh Uzumaki and this is my twin Sanyu Uzumaki."
Sakura froze. "Your last name is Uzumaki?" her voice cracked at the question. She hadn't seen Naruto at all after Aya was born and she had no knowledge of any children, wife or even a girlfriend. That one time when he barely saw her through the gates she figured he was babysitting, but not that these children were his own. She gaped at the identical blue eyes and happy go lucky aura emanated from them.
Naruto impregnated a woman through wedlock? Was this adoption even if they looked strikingly like him? Worse, was her best friend married and she didn't even know? Was their mother here in Konoha? Did she know her? Her head began swimming with too many questions. If only Itachi let her out of the house just once, she would go and see Naruto. Guilt touched her heart. Then again, she hadn't told him she was pregnant either.
He acted like his normal happy self when he found out, and didn't ask any questions. That's the kind person he was though; what kind of friend was she to completely ignore his matters throughout her pregnancy and raising Aya? Naruto was Aya's uncle, and if these boys really were his children, she wanted to be part of their lives as well.
"Yes! That is our papa!" Sanyu laughed. "He said you and him went on missions together to defend Konoha!" His eyes shined when he said this, his love and pride for his father very clear to her.
"H-How old are you?" she looked down at them.
"We just turned four." Suoh grinned. "We're going to school soon!"
"Me too..." Sakura looked down in surprise at Aya's words. Aya's long hair covered her eyes, but she smiled shyly at Suoh.
"Then I hope we'll be together." He replied honestly.
"Aya would you like to be our friend?" Sanyu shoved the necklace at Suoh and held out his hand.
"You know my name?" Aya spoke up louder this time.
"Yep. And I want to be friends with pretty people." Sanyu giggled.
She hesitantly took his hand while Suoh scratched his forehead. "Sorry, he doesn't make sense half the time." He shoved the necklace in his pocket and handed Sanyu some pocket money. He looked over at the shops and pointed to a man selling odango on a stick. "Go over there and buy her some okay, 'Yu?"
"Okie Dokie!" his brother chirped as he dragged Aya away.
"Suoh Uzumaki!" Sakura and Suoh turned to see Kiba and Akamaru pushing through the crowd. "What in the freaking hell do you think-" Kiba came to a halt. Something like fear flickered in his eyes and shock took over his features. He stood there stupidly, staring at Sakura with his mouth slightly open.
Sakura stepped back and gasped as Sai came up jogging behind him. He in turn, refused to look at her and stepped in front of Kiba. In one swoop he picked up Suoh and held him in the air. "Damn brat, where did you brother go now?"
"Uncle Sai, don't swear." Suoh had his feet dangle in the air and his voice sounded tired. "I found him and we're okay."
"And if I told your father what would he say?" Sai shook him a bit. Suoh suddenly looked stricken. "Now." Sai said with less of anger in his voice. "He wouldn't be happy. Be good so you don't worry him." He set Suoh on his hip.
Kiba found his voice and pointed. Sai seemed pretty calm for right now which was either a good thing because he was truly calm, or he was actually fuming on the inside. Sakura was still staring at Sai, speechless and remarkably pale. "Sai, 'Yu is over there with Aya-chan." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Erm. Hi Sakura. How are you?" he stated lamely. He shrugged mostly to himself. If Sai was going to act like she didn't exist, then he didn't want to make it more awkward than it had to be.
Sakura finally turned her head, still overwhelmed. "Mother." Aya's lyrical voice brought her back to earth. "Look, 'Yu got me a treat. It tastes good." Sai suddenly turned to look at her. Something flickered in his eyes but he looked away again, staring off into the distances instead.
"Uncle Kiba!" Sanyu ran and jumped into Kiba's arms. "I met two princesses tonight!"
"Well that's nice." Kiba couldn't help but chuckle as he wiped some pastry off of his mouth. "Don't run off like that though okay? We were really worried, you should have seen Sai." He said lightly. God, he was glad Sanyu was such an easygoing kid. Saying this meeting was perplexing and unpleasant was an understatement.
Sai turned his back on Sakura. "Shut the hell up." He snapped at Kiba. Suoh tugged on his hair, looking apologetic and depressed. Sai pat his head. "I'll let this slide, just this once." The boy nodded appreciatively. "Don't go wandering off Suoh, not even after your brother. I almost got your father involved."
"Papa's here?" Sanyu looked around expectedly.
"No but you would have a long time out if he was here." Kiba conked Sanyu on the head with his fist. The boy yelped and immediately started to become teary. "Don't run off Sanyu. Never do that again. If you want to see something, say so."
Sanyu frowned and sniffed. "I'm sorry." He hung his head rubbed the top of it.
Sai snickered. "You better as well hell be sorry. Let's go back home. You've had way too much freedom, brats." He started walking back into the crowd.
"Sai!" Kiba looked back at Sakura. "Sorry Sakura, we have to get going back home." She only stared, stiff as a board.
Sanyu waved both hands in the air. "Bye-Bye Princess Aya. I'll see you again!"
Aya squeezed her mother's hand and smiled. "Bye-Bye." She studied as they walk away with a full smile on her face. Her cheeks felt warmer and her heart felt lighter. She hoped with all her heart she would see them again. "Mother, will I see them at school."
Her mother continued to stare at Sai's back. "I don't know sweetheart. I just don't know." I don't think I want you to.
A/N: As you may have noticed, there's no timeline. Well, Sasuke's back now, I don't see a need for one.
Next chapter: Sasuke meets Naruto/ Sanyu and Suoh start school/ Sasuke meets Aya (because technically this is his first day back and Itachi has a hard enough time getting him to his welcoming festival) Kiba and Sai… talk.
Also do you guys mind the longer chapters? I usually assume 2500 words should be the cap… but tell me what you think .
Please review my lovelies! Those always give me energy!
Have a lovely day!
