Lovely #26

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There's no time for an umbrella. No time to think about properly putting on socks and shoes so he'd only shoved his feet into his sneakers. The ones with holes along the front that Naruto swore up and down he would repair but Sasuke will probably just go out to buy new ones anyway for optimal play time with Natsuki.

Although, there was no other thought in his mind at that time except for the need to go, faster, run, harder, get there, help—all building up in his mind and Sasuke really did have to grit his teeth against the harsh wind and rain pouring down outside the school. The water was sloshing around and down the street and there were very few people wandering around outside, attempting to collect and bring in their belongings so they didn't get swept away. Granted, while he and Naruto had been watching the news and keeping an eye on the storm that had been brewing all morning, neither could be too worried since the reports said their part of town wouldn't get over a foot of water.

And wouldn't that be something else? A month after they get a brand spanking new house, they get flooded! Preposterous!

But there were bigger worries churning in Sasuke's mind, especially since Naruto had called the school to see if everyone was okay and both of them only had to hear that Kurenai sensei was the only one on duty that day for the boys to go into action. Sasuke wanted them both to go over to check, but Naruto surprisingly had a more level head in the situation. Sasuke was to go over first and check on the kids, making sure to call Naruto if they really need anything.

And while Sasuke was wandering through the sloshing water into the front of the school and trying to keep the door closed properly, Naruto was cleaning up at home, some sort of foreboding that they might have more bodies than normal to bring home.

He loathed that his pants were getting completely soaked, but he only had to wander down the first hallway to hear it—a little sniffling sound and Sasuke nearly stuttered in his tracks, working his way around the next corner to find—

"Ryo?"

"S-Sasuke-san!"

"Wait, what are you doing out here? And where are the others?" And it didn't even matter how much he didn't like the brat; when Ryo tried to keep himself from reaching out, Sasuke instantly scooped the little boy up and out of the water. "Ah, you're soaked…"

"They're in the classroom. I, ah… I went to get Kurenai-Sensei her phone because I heard pregnant people can't move around that well."

Sasuke nearly rolled his eyes, knowing Kurenai was probably half out of her mind, pregnant or not, with one of her students missing in action.

"Well, you shouldn't worry her like that."

"I was just trying to be helpful," the little boy muttered, chin still held high even as his eyes glistened slightly with unshed tears and instead Sasuke sighed and headed back the way he came towards the classroom.

"…Are you scared?"

"N-no."

Sasuke really DID roll his eyes that time, the stutter in the little boy's voice giving him away completely and so he hiked him up higher on his waist, pulling out his phone when an idea crossed his mind. "Well, sometimes the scariest things make a man stronger, and you want to be a big, strong man, ne?"

The speed at which Ryo's head whipped up to stare at Sasuke was faster than a cheetah, he's sure of it, and Sasuke almost dreaded the fact that he put those sparkles back into Ryo's eyes. But then the runt was piping up with a, "Of course!"

Nodding, Sasuke stopped outside of the classroom where the rest of the children and their teacher were; he could hear voices and knocks against the glass before wriggling the door handle.

"Kurenai-Sensei? Are you guys all right in there?"

Little voices piped up then and one stood out clearer than the rest as a squeal of, "Papa!" rang down the hall and a little grin spread across Sasuke's face before he nudged closer to hear what Kurenai was telling him. Ah, the door is jammed.

"Hold on, I'll be right back." With that, he turned and deposited Ryo on the table just a little ways away, the boy instantly sitting up on his knees.

"What can I do, Sasuke-san?"

He regarded the boy a moment before pulling out his phone, this being neither the time or place for immaturity, and handed it to Ryo. "Naru-san is on speed dial 1. Call him and let him know we're bringing everyone back to our house. Can you do that, Ryo?"

And another cheetah quick nod, Sasuke turned and, spotting the fire extinguisher post earlier, went down to break it quickly from the glass. He took a strong hold on the cool metal, colder where water touched, and went back to the door. Commanding quickly, "Stay away from the door for a moment." He waited for them to step back before lifting the extinguisher above his head and slamming it down on the doorknob. It only took a few hits, Ryo's voice a surprisingly soothing lilt in the background as he relayed the message to Naruto perfectly, and the doorknob gave way, allowing Sasuke to shoulder into the room to…

"Children." He shot a deadpan state around the room, about ten little kids huddling atop their desks that had been smooshed together and Kurenai standing right next to them.

The relief on her face was palpable, Sasuke meeting her halfway across the room as she rounded the door and, though he couldn't see it, either hugged or throttled Ryo for running off. Didn't matter though since Sasuke instantly zoned in on his daughter looking like she's about to jump across the water to him. He put up a placating hand, quickly going to the desk and lifting her off. She pulled back from his face to look into his eyes, her own pretty orbs still sparkling and bright though most normal children would be freaked out. Nevertheless, Natsuki just threw up her hands with an excited, "It's raining!" and Sasuke couldn't do much more than let a little smile grace his face.

Pulling her to him again, he muttered, "I can see that, but it's far too cold to stay here so were going home where it's warm." Turning back to Kurenai now, Ryo in her own arms, he mentally checked her over. It was true that as a pregnant woman, she shouldn't be stressed, but she looked fine enough and so they began figuring out how to get the kids to Sasuke's place.

"We have floaties? Maybe an inner tube. It might be uncomfortable, but it would work, just in case."

He nodded, that being a good idea and they went about blowing up and distributing the arm floaties once they were brought out of a side closet. Going back to get another, Sasuke turned around, suddenly feeling a little more relieved as he pulled out a large blue and yellow rubber raft. "This will work even better!"

And it seemed that it only took a few moments from there to pile all the kids, completely floatied, into the little life raft, covering them in a few blankets as Sasuke and Kurenai Sensei pushed them out into the hallway and down towards the entrance to the school.

Luckily for their little bunch, the rain had let up, although the water level had now raised far past the lying news report and Sasuke's lips pursed as he turned back to Kurenai. She… looked mildly ridiculous with that large inner tube around her lower waist but, ah, pregnant. He really didn't want something happening to her—to ANY of them really, and so asked, "Will you be okay pushing?"

And it was with a small smirk of her own and a huffed laugh that she patted her enlarged stomach consolingly. "What kind of teacher do you think I am? I have to deal with, ah, 'little disasters' daily."

An eruption of 'Awww, Kurenai Sensei!' and 'That's not nice!' wafted through the room, the kids seeming like they were having fun now that they were with another grown up than the scared way they had been huddling on their desks from a little water.

It was about a half hour later that they finally FINALLY were able to push in through Sasuke's front door, Naruto coming down to meet him as they, quite literally, handed off children before Sasuke was helping Kurenai through the door with a hand and up the stairs. Naruto was already on top of everything, he noticed coming to the second floor. There were blankets spread all around Natsuki's room as well as their own room and the bathroom, little pillows for little children to squish their faces into as Naruto grabbed whatever clothing would fit them and, with Kurenai-Sensei's help, had the children change into clean, warm and, most importantly, dry clothing. Sasuke himself went directly to their room, grabbing a large set of his work out clothing and, returning to the others, offered for Kurenai Sensei to change into them, an offer she took graciously and left for the bathroom.

"Oi, teme, you need to change too. You're soaking my floor!" It was paired with insistent hands shoving Sasuke back out onto the banister and down the small hallway to their room where he was given his own clothing to change into. "You need to get warm too with how long you took."

"You weren't the one dragging a dozen kids down the river—oh, I mean our street."

"There's only ten of them!"

"And a pregnant woman!"

"She doesn't count if she was pushing too!"

And that was when Sasuke did something he would never, ever own up to even when he was dead and simply… stuck his tongue out at Naruto before pushing past him.

"W-where are you going?" he heard from behind him, his blond lover sounding a bit flabbergast with how childishly he'd responded but he'd spent the afternoon with 8 years olds and that was a perfectly acceptable reason in his mind.

"Gotta get them something to eat while there's still time, right?" He called over his shoulder, rummaging down in their pantry for snacks and other food items requiring no cooking. For the next hour or so, Naruto and he continued to build up their little fortresses on the second floor, children already dropping one by one into sleep with such a nerve wracking day. Luckily, both he and Naruto were able to salvage their phones and, with a little persuading with Fruit Roll Up's, had all the children call their parents to let them know they are safe.

A little while later, Sasuke's closed the door to Natsuki's room with a soft snick, feet padding as he wandered back over to he and Naruto's room, watching as the other helped Kurenai into their bed since she needed the most rest out of all of them. Sasuke leaned against the door jamb, arms crossed while his lover turned the light off before making sure the window to the balcony was all locked.

"Everyone out?" Sasuke asked as Naruto joined him just outside on the hallway to which the blond head bobbed in a nod.

"Poor Kurenai Sensei should have gone on maternity leave a week early. Heh." He laughed softly and Sasuke threaded the fingers of their hands together, smiling something soft now that the need to rush, go, faster, help is over. They were both in clean, warm clothing, the children all safe and sound and even the thought of Ryo snuggling up to Natuski protectively didn't bother him. He still took a deep breath, not knowing if he'd be able to sleep and pulled a little on their conjoined hands to look over the banister at the water logged first floor. The damage probably wasn't too bad with their house already being on a raised foundation, but they might have to replace the wooden flooring. Clicking his tongue on the top of his mouth, he pulled his free arm up to wrap around Naruto's neck and bring his lover into a hug. 'I'm glad they're safe,' is what he was saying without really saying the sentiment, but he knew Naruto heard it loud and clear with the tight squeeze to his waist.

And then a moment later, the soft sound of water plopping around, Naruto asked into his neck, "Where are we going to sleep?"

Whoops.