A/N: Sorry, I had a delayed moment when I realized this story was actually…done. And there was a request made for a Gaara/Neji sidefic to this story, so I will attach it at the end. I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. :]

Chapter 20

Courtship 20

It had been a few days since the failure to comply with authority and no police officers had come to haul Sasuke away. Naruto held the letters in his hands recalling how in 100 years he found find them and hold them once more and fall in love with his own love story. From time to time he thought of Kiba, Ino, Choji and everyone else. It kind of hurt to think about them and how much he missed them, but the loves of his life existed in this time and he was willing to abandon his friendships and everything he loved and cared for in exchange for them. He couldn't imagine a more perfect daughter or would be husband.

His biggest pain was that he missed his grandparents. The people who raised him. Naruto got dressed in a nice outfit since Nozomi, Sasuke and himself had a photographer coming by to take a picture of them which would become a yearly tradition.

New Konoha was well on its way to being built and the city was finished being repaired. His first year here would be one to most definitely remember.

After their photo session-Naruto really hated not bring able to see it until it was finished. Digital cameras were wonderful. Naruto took his daughter to the park and watched her run around the park playing. She had her arms spread out to her sides and Naruto felt warm and happy seeing the pure joy across her face even as her hat came off her head. Naruto made to get up when a blonde haired little boy with green eyes came up and picked up her hat. Naruto stared the boy down as he flipped the hat over studying it before walking over to Nozomi and handing it back to her. The boy turned bright red and ran away after she said something and his daughter cocked her head to the side.

She came running up to her Papa with a confused look on her face. "Papa... Why won't that boy marry me?"

Naruto choked and grabbed her hand and walked off coughing and trying not to make a scene. He was not dealing with this right now.

"Papa are you ok? Do you need kisses?"

"I'm fine, just tired."

They walked back to the house briskly and Naruto walked in and Sasuke greeted them downstairs.

"Nozomi, why don't you go play with your toys?" Naruto suggested and she ran over there to play.

"Why are you home so early?" Sasuke said with concern.

"Papa said he's tired!" Nozomi yelled.

"She asked a little boy to marry her!" Naruto said in a harsh whisper and Sasuke looked scared.

"Our daughter proposed to a boy..." Sasuke started. "Well then, it's decided, all girls school it is then. " Sasuke pursed his lips.

Neither man wanted to deal with that topic until she was much older.

According to the birth certificate Sasuke had finally recieved it seemed their 3 year old was nearing 4. Sasuke was going to have to start looking into all girls school very soon in order to make the best choice for when she turned 5 and he didn't give a damn how much they would cost. No boys would be near his little princess.

"Sasuke... Looks like construction is on schedule and houses are nearing completion. A few of them have been bought!" Naruto said with a grin.

"That's wonderful news." Sasuke said listening to the rain fall outside. Sasuke walked over and wrapped his arms around the smaller man and held him to his chest and kissed him on the lips. "I wish we could marry..." Sasuke said with a sad voice.

"I would love to marry you... We could always start a gay marriage rights movement and get Gaara and Neji to help with it. Give it some time and people will come around." Naruto said with an all-knowing smile.

"Yes... Long after we have died."

"We just have to live to 125..." Naruto said with a laugh.

"As wonderful of an idea as that is, I think it would be best for us to stay out of politics my love." Sasuke spoke quietly while pushing some hair behind Naru's ear. "How did I get so lucky?" Sasuke wondered out loud.

"You probably have some wonderful awesome people looking out for you someplace in another dimension or time who figured I would be the perfect person for you."

"We'll then, remind me to seek them out and thank them before I die."

"What if I die first?" Naruto spoke quietly not know which one of them actually goes first.

"Then remind me once I see you again." Sasuke pressed a kiss to Naruto's forehead, then nose and finally his lips.

"Papa! Daddy! Can we go now?" Nozomi yelled from downstairs.

"We should go..." Naruto said with a smile.

"You two are going to get fat from ramen." Sasuke replied unenthusiastically.

Sasuke held Nozomi's hand as the trio walked to Ichiraku's and Naruto and Nozomi didn't even have to order... Perks of being a regular. Nozomi dug in happily as Sasuke settled for his usual and a side of naruto.

Naruto realized his parents had a twisted sense of humor naming him after an ingredient in ramen. But it might also explain why he loved it so much.

Naruto looked over to Nozomi who had stopped eating and Sasuke looked down at her as well. They followed her line of sight and saw the same blonde boy who Naruto had seen giving her back her hat.

"That's my future husband." She said confidently.

"Nozomi... How did you find out about marriage?" Naruto asked out of concern.

"Sakura silly. A boy keeps asking her to marry him. I asked her what it meant. How come you and Daddy aren't married? You live together..." The child asked.

"Nozomi darling, what do you think marriage is?" Sasuke asked and the reply almost had him laughing.

"It's when two people live together and get to play all the time! So I want to get married so I can have so done to play with when Sakura goes home." She said with a pout.

"Remind me to give Sakura a pay raise..." Sasuke managed to say while cracking a smile.

Naruto didn't even hide his amusement. He just chuckled to himself. Nozomi went back to eating annoyed that her Papa and Daddy thought it was funny.

Naruto found himself walking around old Konoha visiting the all girls schools his Teme was adamant about sending Nozomi too. Naruto hated all of them. They had no life and were completely dull. The teachers were mean, and had the authority to spank their little girl if needed. Nozomi had turned 4 and Sasuke practically bought her all new toys and dresses. Naruto realized he had been here for a year and a half. Their daughter would be starting school and Sakura aphid finally succumbed to Rock Lee's charms. Took long enough.

Naruto walked up to a school for all girls with a boys school directly across the street.

"This will already be a no in Sasuke's book." Naruto said crossing this one off the list. The doors to the school had opened and a somewhat familiar face jumped out from the school doors- a very young Jiriyia followed by a creepy pasty boy with long hair... He watched his grandpa hit the street and yell "Freedom!" The doors to the girls school opened and Naruto tore his eyes away and wasn't disappointed when a young Tsunade walked out. They both had to be around 5 years old. Naruto watched as his grandma held a very irate look and his grandfather became love struck.

If Naruto remembered correctly he was going to be privileged enough to witness their first interaction and confirm which of them was telling the truth.

Jiriyia ran over to her at top speed, scratched the back of his head, say something- and Naruto actually bent down and laughed as his grandma's jaw dropped and got angry and punched him clean in the face.

His grandpa got up and looked teary eyed as she took off running. Naruto walked over and offered a hand to his grandpa.

"Jeez, how do you get a girl to like you...'

Naruto paused and thought about the one thing his grandpa always said to him,"Never give up. Persistence is key with anything you want, especially a gorgeous woman."

Naruto watched as his grandpa took off full speed after her. Had anyone other than his grandpa asked, he would have said charm her, impress her and become a perfect gentleman. But he knew for a fact his grandma marries Jiriyia because he never gave up and didn't take 15 years of rejection from her. He kept on it.

Naruto kept walking and walked past a jewelry store. He stuck his lips out and entered the store. He tried on a few rings and watches before settling on a braided gold ring and a plain gold ring. Naruto walked home with the pieces of jewelry in his pocket and arrived back and he could hear the two of them playing in the front room. Sasuke was very animated when it was just the two of them. Naruto knocked on the door before walking in.

Sasuke came up and Naruto knew what the question would be.

"Every school in this entire city sucks. I don't want Nozomi at any of them."

"Why not?"

"They beat the children Teme! I don't want our daughter getting hit for something ridiculous like her hair not being out of her face."

"Naru... I don't know what kind of school you went too... But this is normal. I used to get hit with a switch if I touched a girl... Which normally it was them touching me."

"That would explain why you are a homosexual." Naruto said.

"Probably." Sasuke admitted. "Neji got hit if his hair was too long."

"This is unacceptable. Can we just keep her at home?"

"No, I'm afraid not. She does need to make friends."

"If she comes home with any marks I'm going to hit the teacher." Naruto threatened.

"And I will stand and watch that unfold."

Naruto stood and stared at Sasuke's eyes that even though where darker than night held warmth. Naruto reached in his pocket and pulled out the rings holding them out in the palm of his hand.

"We can't get married and I am ok with that. But, that doesn't mean we can't commit to one another in the same fashion. Marriage is a piece of paper and a promise to love, protect and hold someone else until death. We can't have the paper and you can't have my last name... But we can wear rings and make the same promise. And if we live to see marriage for people like us we will be the first ones in line." Naruto finished with a smile.

Sasuke traced each ring and picked up the simple gold band and slid it on his ring finger and picked up the braided gold band and slid it onto Naruto's ring finger.

"I promise to love you, and only you, for the rest of my life Naru." Sasuke said sincerely and simply.

"I promise to do the same." Naruto put his lips over Sasuke and could feel he was going to be getting some loving tonight. Naruto pushed him back slightly with a smile and walked over to their little girl who practically jumped in his arms. Sasuke went upstairs and flipped the ring over in his fingers. He'd never worn a ring before, but he wasn't planning on taking this one off ever again. It was there to stay as a symbolic promise that he was going to be with his blonde for the rest of time. Sasuke phoned Neji and told him the update of his and Naruto's indefinite engagement and Neji asked if Naru had ever used the present Neji had arranged for him. Sasuke lied and said Nozomi had ruined it.

Truth of the matter, Sasuke had grown suspicious of Neji giving Naruto a gift and opened the envelope. It was a letter addressing his terrible manners and arrangements to attend a finishing school. Sasuke knew that would sit well with Naru and burned it when his beloved was out.

Sasuke hung up and decided to look over deadlines. But that soon became a bore. Sasuke looked at his ring and smiled. He picked up a pen and paper and decided he might as well...

"To Naru,

Today you managed to make me even happier than I already was. I forever get to call you mine and you will get to call me yours. If we were able to get married, we would be surrounded by friends, beautiful flowers would adorn the tables, you would be dressed handsomely in a suit and I would match. I would arrange Ichiraku's to cater our wedding because I know it would make you happiest and I front of all those people I would profess my love for you and not even feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. Feeling this peculiar piece of jewelry now adorning my finger is going to serve as a constant reminder that you will always be there for me and I for you. I do hope that one day, we really will get married and I would be giving you the last name Uchiha. Sorry to destroy your hopes my love, but I would not be taking your last name. If it matters that much we can hyphenate our names. I love you Naru, your the perfect husband that I wish I could have and hopefully one day will.

Yours eternally,

Your would-be husband- Sasuke. "

Sasuke put it in an envelope and sealed it. Sasuke carried it downstairs and handed it to Naru who beamed at him. Sasuke still didn't understand the importance of the letters... But it made his beloved happy. He would write many more if needed just to see that smile.

Sasuke cooked steak and potatoes for dinner which Naruto was more than happy to clean his plate. Sasuke let Nozomi go to bed and Sasuke pulled out the bottle of champagne he'd bought around Naru's birthday.

"I think we have a cause for celebration don't you?" Sasuke said holding up the bottle.

Naruto looked at it and nodded. Sasuke popped the cork and poured them both a glass.

"Oi, Sasuke, you better be able to do at least half of this bottle."

"Naru, I am ashamed to admit this but I can do the whole bottle." Sasuke said while making a face.

They polished off the bottle and Sasuke got up and put some music on. Naruto turned bright red but stood and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck and swayed his hips slightly. Sasuke put his arms around Naruto and kissed him on the lips and took a proper dance stance with his hand holding one of Naruto's and his other hand on his hip. Naruto slid his other hand to Sasuke's shoulder and let him lead. Naruto had always been a terrible dancer, but to tell the truth Naruto felt like he was center stage at the moment. Sasuke was an amazing dancer in his opinion. Sasuke led him around the room and finished the song with a small and light kiss.

"I think... It's time to move upstairs. How about you?" Sasuke whispered while placing kisses to Naruto's lips and his cheek and down to his neck.

"Yes..." Naruto breathed out.

Sasuke started to strip Naruto down where they stood. Sasuke kept kissing everything he managed to expose and dropped to his knees. He took Naruto's length in his mouth and caressed tanned cheeks. He ghosted his finger over his blondes entrance and Naruto groaned.

"Upstairs Teme." Naruto strained to say.

Sasuke popped his mouth off and gazed at his naked blonde and licked his lips. He carried him upstairs bridal style and set him on the bed. Sasuke stripped down and Naruto beckoned him with his finger and tried not to laugh and how Sasuke's posture dropped while he laughed at the motion. Sasuke climbed over Naruto and started to stretch him while kissing him.

When Sasuke finally got inside His blonde he tried not to just hammer away. He wanted to really enjoy this. In a sense... They would be consummating their 'marriage' and that should be love-making, not rushed.

Sasuke finally started to move and he kept it slow as he slightly thrusted but mostly grinding up into Naru. He kept his eyes glued to blue eyes when they were open and parted lips when they weren't. He dipped in for kisses occasionally covering Naru's soft lips and neck. He felt Naru's hand travel up his upper arms tracing the dips and over his shoulder blades. He felt blunt nails dig into the skin and drag slightly. Sasuke shut his eyes allowing his everything to just be melded in this precise moment. He re-opened them but only slightly and he kissed Naru's lips and smiled when he felt his blonde do the same.

Naruto pulled Sasuke into a hug and moaned lightly in his ear. He could feel he was close and warned Sasuke. Naruto got caught up in the moment as his breathing shallowed.

"I love you..." Naruto whispered right before he came and shortly after he felt Sasuke do the same.

"I love you too." Sasuke whispered back and placed a kiss right above his jaw. Sasuke pulled out and laid down beside him.

"I'm so grateful to have you in my life..." Sasuke trailed off.

"I am happy to be in it." Naruto said with a small sincere smile.

Naruto shuffled over to the dark-haired man who he would love for the rest of his days and climbed into his arms that wrapped securely around him.