Chapter 19: Year 6, Month 5

"C'mon, Keiko! Try walking!"

The ten-month-old girl blinked her large green eyes, before gurgling and laughing, hitting the rattle in her hand on the floor, enjoying the sound it was making.

Sanosuke, however, just sighed and blew his bangs out of his face, watching his little sister. The six-year-old loved his baby sister, he really did. He just wanted to help her start walking before their mother got home that day. While she was working at the hospital, Sasuke was watching the two of them that day, finding it very amusing every time Sanosuke told Keiko to try walking, that she would stare at him, before laughing like her brother was insane.

"Sanosuke, let your sister do what she wants. She may not be ready to walk yet."

Sanosuke pouted, sitting across from Keiko. She babbled a bit, hitting her rattle on the floor once again. She was enjoying herself just by sitting on the floor, doing everything and anything she wanted. Sanosuke, however, thought his baby sister needed to learn how to walk. He had learned when he was nine-months-old, so, he believe Keiko needed to learn at ten-months-old.

"How old was mama when he started walking?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I have no idea. You'd have to ask her."

"What about you?"

"I was eight-months-old, but that was because I wanted to play with your uncle all the time. Leave Keiko to herself for a while. She'll figure it out, Sanosuke."

Nodding, Sanosuke stood up and headed for his room, leaving Sasuke and Keiko alone in the living room. Keiko hadn't noticed Sanosuke leave, and when she realized he was gone, her eyes filled with tears and she was close to crying.

"Hey, what's wrong Keiko?"

Sasuke knew, he was just hoping Keiko would say her first word while sitting there. Sanosuke was missing, and Keiko looked up to her big brother more than anyone else, even more than Sakura.

"Keiko, what do you need?"

"Sss…" Keiko made a noise that sounded like a snake hissing, before she burst into tear, being unable to express that she wanted Sanosuke back. Sasuke sighed, smiling a bit as he picked Keiko up off the ground and started comforting her as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"It's all right, he'll be back soon."

"So'ke! So'ke!" Keiko started shouting while she cried. It didn't even shock Sasuke that she started yelling Sanosuke in her baby talk, he was expecting it.

"Sanosuke! Come in here!"

A minute later, Sanosuke had run into the room, looking at Sasuke with a curious expression. "What? Did something happen?"

"Someone is looking for you." Sasuke nodded at Keiko, who had just lifted her face out of his shoulder in time to see Sanosuke standing there.

"So'ke!"

Sanosuke titled his head, pointing to himself. "…is that how she says my name?"

"Mm-hm. She can't say your name correctly yet, but, this works, right?"

Sanosuke nodded, smiling and waving at Keiko. "Hi, Keiko!"

"So'ke…"

The next day, Sakura was home with the two, watching Sanosuke as he tried to get Keiko to stand on her feet. Since she was close by, Sakura had no worries if Keiko were to fall. Sanosuke was very careful and gentle with his small sister, and Sakura knew he wouldn't let her fall.

"Here, Keiko! Like this!" Sanosuke smiled as Keiko set her tiny feet on the ground, blinking a bit before looking back at him. He pointed over at Sakura, who was sitting on the floor right across from them with her arms open.

"Here, Keiko! Come to mama!"

Keiko blinked once again, before reaching for Sakura. Realizing her mother was too far away, Keiko furrowed her eyebrows before moving her left foot and then her right, finding she was slowly getting closer to Sakura.

It took a few minutes, but Sanosuke eventually helped Keiko walk over to Sakura, before the ten-month-old started whining, more than likely from being tired. When Sakura got a hold of her daughter, she looked at Sanosuke who was smiling.

"She walked, mama!"

"Yes, she did! The exact same way you did!"

"…really?"

"Mm-hm! Your dad was holding onto your hands, and helping you walk over to me… I thought it was so cute to watch him help you walk for the first time!"

Sanosuke blinked, before smiling and nodding.

"Then she can help our next sibling!"

"What? You want another sibling?" Sakura laughed a bit as Sanosuke nodded again.

"I want my brother!"

"We'll see! Your sister is only ten-months-old!"

"All right!"

END CHAPTER 19

Author's Note: First chapter for the day is done! There will be a second tonight, just for Sanosuke's birthday.
Titles of chapters have been changed again. xD This is because my plans went a bit haywire the other day when I was figuring stuff out. ^^;

I, also, ended the poll asking for names for Sasuke and Sakura's twins. I had to write down the two choices that were tied, and got my mom to pick a paper. The names are a secret until I get the fanfic written.
The final poll, for now, is asking what day you want the twins birthday to be. Pick one and I'll close the poll on Wednesday once I'm awake.

I have two exams on Tuesday back-to-back that I have to study for. Since the first one doesn't take long, I'm taking Howl's Moving Castle to read, and I may take a notebook to get this new fanfic planned.
The good thing about exams is that it means school is almost over for the year. 3 I will have plenty of time to write after May 16, my last day of tests. I am, however, taking some summer classes online this year to help me get ready to graduate next year (hopefully!).

I need some opinions. I really, really want to write a parallel to this fanfic for Itachi and my character, Asuna, and their son Reyke. I just want to know if anyone would read it. I also may end up making Itachi OOC for the purpose of the fanfic, but, I think it would be good.
So, yeah. Just give your opinion, and I'll see if I can make it work the way I want it to.