Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishi does. And I'm glad.

Note: I know, I kept saying I wouldn't write more of this, but I couldn't help it.

Epilogue Part Four

They decided to go to the Olive Garden. Naruto had never been to the Olive Garden, but he liked food, so adding good Italian food into the mix was a great idea.

They didn't dress up too much, but Sasuke looked heart-wrenching as usual in his black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

The hostess led them to a table and offered to get them drinks. Sasuke was fine with water, but Naruto wanted alcohol. Lots of it. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "One drink," he told him under his breath.

Naruto quickly perused the beer list and ordered a Stella Artois. Sasuke smirked.

"You hate beer," Sasuke commented when the hostess walked away, leaving them with their menus.

"I don't hate Stella," the blond mused. "Stella's great. Better than Guinness."

"Guinness tastes like urine," Sasuke replied. "You told me that a long time ago."

"I don't know what urine tastes like," Naruto laughed.

Sasuke shook his head and glanced over the menu briefly before closing it and folding his arms over it. Naruto, however, took a lot longer.

While Naruto perused some more, Sasuke glanced around. There were many couples here tonight. It was late in the evening on a Thursday, close to the weekend. Maybe it was a long weekend and he wasn't aware. A few families were here and there, but mostly couples. Beautiful men and beautiful women sitting across from each other, gazing at each other, flirting, smiling, blushing, giggling. Holding hands. Sasuke blushed. His pride was greater than his shame. And he was filled with shame at the idea of being affectionate in public with Naruto.

"Why are you thinking so hard?" Naruto asked, bringing Sasuke back down to earth.

"What?"

"Your eyes were really far away, and your eyebrows were all crinkly. You're thinking too hard. We're supposed to be relaxing, aren't we?"

Sasuke smiled faintly, caught, embarrassed. "Yeah."

"What were you thinking about?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes surprisingly clear. He wasn't being silly, he wasn't teasing. He was honestly interested.

Sasuke sighed. "There are too many people here."

Naruto knew immediately what he was talking about. "You're going to have to get over your stage fright eventually." Boldly, and to Sasuke's shock, Naruto reached across the table and took his hand. "It's been almost nine years since we first got together. You think maybe you'd like to hold my hand in public?" Naruto asked quietly, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes.

Sasuke sighed, his pulse racing. He knew people were probably looking. Or maybe they weren't. If they were, maybe they didn't care.

"Naruto…"

Their waitress walked up, surveyed the situation and smiled widely. "Hey, guys! I'm Vanessa, I'll be your server tonight. Have you had a chance to look at the menu and decide yet?"

Naruto grinned back. "I'm still not ready, can I have a couple more minutes?"

Vanessa grinned, winking. "Sure thing, hon. I'll be back in a few."

She turned and walked off, still smiling. Naruto raised his eyebrows. "See? Not everyone's all bad."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but studied their hands and allowed a small expression of softness to cross his features.

"Have you decided what you're having?" Sasuke asked, nodding towards the menu as Vanessa walked up.

"Have you guys decided?"

Sasuke pursed his lips. "You go first, dobe."

"Okay." Naruto looked up at Vanessa and grinned. "Can I have the spinach and feta alfredo with the angel hair instead of linguini?"

"That's fancy," Sasuke muttered with a smirk. Did Naruto eat fancy food? Didn't it all taste the same to him?

"Will do, sweetheart," Vanessa said, writing on her notepad. "Did you want chicken on it?" she added. Naruto nodded as she noted it. "And for you, honey?" she asked, turning to Sasuke, who was amused that a woman who couldn't have been more than five years older than both of them had called him 'honey'.

"I'll get the stuffed peppers…but could I have extra tomatoes, please?" he asked politely, closing his menu. "Oh, and an appetizer calamari as well."

"Did you want that first, hon?" Vanessa asked, jotting down details. Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who shrugged.

"Yes please."

"Will do. I'll be back in a few."

Sasuke smirked. "Will you eat calamari?" he asked.

Naruto frowned. "I don't even think I know what calamari is, other than the fact that it sounds like Temari's name."

Sasuke laughed. "It's squid, dobe. You didn't know that?"

"And in all the years we've been together, you've never told me what calamari was?" Naruto asked with a wink. Vanessa had taken their menus and now there was a lot more room for their hands, which Naruto promptly took again.

"So," Sasuke said softly. "What do we talk about?"

"We're not big talkers, are we?" Naruto asked with a grin. "I've a question, though."

Sasuke nodded, waiting for his question.

Naruto sighed and let go of Sasuke's hands to gesture with his fingers. "Whose cruel idea was it to put the letter 's' in lisp?"

Sasuke paused for a moment before his lips broke into an amused grin. "Someone who hated homosexuals."

Naruto immediately broke into a 'gay lisp'. "They so totally did, you know? I don't know why everyone's gotta hate on us so hard. Maybe it's because we're all so much prettier and smarter and…"

"Okay, you know, it actually frightens me that you're so good at that."

"I should be, don't you think? Fits the profile." Naruto grinned and wrinkled his nose in amusement. Sasuke chuckled.

"Anything else that's weird and messed up running through your brain?"

"Yeah," the blond replied with a frown, placing his hands flat on the table. "Why do they put Braille on drive-through bank machines? Since when do blind people drive?"

Sasuke shook his head. "You serious, dobe? Did you get these off some random internet site?"

Naruto shrugged. "Maybe… Or maybe I'm really a deep thinker."

"You might be. I have caught you reading my history books now and again."

"My DS was dead and there was nothing on TV," Naruto said in his defense, sticking out his tongue.

"You're a liar. Did you learn anything?"

"That Hitler's a psycho."

"Anything other than what we learned in high school?"

"You know I didn't pay attention in high school."

Sasuke nodded. "You were preoccupied."

"I was a little distracted for the last two years of it, I'll remind you."

"I remember it well, and rather fondly, if we're being honest."

"House parties. Good times," Naruto said with a grin. "We never leave the house anymore, you know that? All of our friends are growing up, getting married, having kids…being adults."

"We're married, and we're adults," Sasuke reminded him. "Why the angst-fest all of a sudden?"

Naruto sighed. "I just feel like you and I are being left behind."

"By them?"

"Yeah. I mean…you're slowing down on school work as your apprenticeship starts, so we're both available. When was the last time everyone had a party?"

"Why don't you throw one?"

Naruto thought. "I could…but Shikamaru and Temari wouldn't come. Lorraine's all colicky and I can't hold her all night. Tenten's miserable because she's having a rough pregnancy, and Lee and Sakura still live super-far away."

"Leaving it with just us and Gaara."

"As usual."

"That's not much of a party."

"Our numbers have definitely dwindled," Naruto said softly, sadly. "I kinda miss Neji sometimes."

"Really?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

"Yeah. I don't know why. We were never friends…"

Vanessa walked up with a plate of steaming calamari rings and a bowl of tzatziki dipping sauce in the middle. "Enjoy guys."

"Try one," Sasuke encouraged, taking a ring without dip and eating it.

Naruto studied the calamari he'd selected and frowned, pursing his lips with curiosity. He dipped the ring and put it in his mouth, chewing in silence for a moment. "Weird."

"You get used to the texture. Have another one."

Naruto ate a few more in silence, his curious, concentrated expression bringing a smile to Sasuke's lips as he watched him.

"Good?"

"Still weird. But pretty good," Naruto concluded, taking another one. "But I'm definitely getting more beer."

"No. One drink. I don't like when you drink. Bad things happen."

"Let it go, man!" Naruto joked. "I know, you're not referring to high school anymore. I won't get drunk."

"Whatever you say…but you can't have more beer. I hate how it tastes on you."

"Oh?" Naruto asked with a grin.

Sasuke nodded. "I hate beer. And I can always taste it on you after you drink it. It's revolting."

Naruto scoffed. "You could have told me sooner; does this lessen my chances?" A grin, and a lewd one at that.

"No, not at all. I just wish you'd get something else if you were going to drink."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, anything that's not beer."

"Even hard liquor?" the blond asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Even vodka or rum is better than beer."

"Woo!" Naruto cried. "Bellini time for me!!"

Vanessa returned five minutes later to take their appetizer and to refresh their breadsticks. Naruto ordered his Bellini and beamed when she brought it to him.

He gulped the first sip and then screwed up his face for brain freeze.

Sasuke laughed and took the glass, taking a sip of his own.

"That's a much better taste," Sasuke concluded as Vanessa brought them their entrees.

"Enjoy guys. Give me a wave if you need anything, okay? I'll check on you in awhile."

"Thanks Vanessa," Naruto said with a big smile.

"You realize I have to tip her huge, right?" Sasuke said, resting his chin on his fingers. "All because of you."

"Because I'm being nice?"

"Because she's being just as nice. I swear, dobe, you're going to exhaust me of all my funds…"

"And yet, I'm the one with the job," Naruto reminded him with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't have to remind me. I'll get paid during the apprenticeship, and that starts in two weeks when finals are done. It's not going to be long now," Sasuke assured him, digging into his peppers, smiling at the heaps of tomatoes.

They mostly ate in silence, but agreed to taste test each others' food. Naruto wasn't keen on tomatoes, but ate some of the cheesy-pepper part.

Vanessa brought them the check and the trademark Andes mint chocolates, of which Naruto ate both. "Take care, guys. Come back soon, okay?" she added with a wink.

Naruto grinned. "Absolutely. We'll call ahead and find out if you're working first, okay?"

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "I can't wait."

They went up to the front to pay the bill and Naruto wandered aimlessly around the semi-crowded foyer as he waited.

Sasuke nodded curtly to the man who was manning the register and took his receipt, saying nothing as he walked straight for Naruto, his face as cold as stone.

"What was that about?" Naruto asked as Sasuke roughly grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the restaurant.

"That was the manager. He just told me that if we wanted to come back we have to refrain from any 'public displays of affection', just for future notice."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, earning a few looks from people in the parking lot.

"Or he'll have to ask us to leave," Sasuke added with a firm, forced smile. "I'm not amused."

"That's…okay. Well, we'll just have to go back when Vanessa's there and the manager isn't. They can tell us that on the phone, can't they?"

Sasuke couldn't help it. He melted into a real smile, worn down by Naruto's eyes, full of adoration for one of the few people who was actually accepting of their relationship.

He put his hand on Naruto's face, cupping his cheek lightly. "Let's…just go, okay? I don't want to hang around here anymore."

Naruto smiled and took Sasuke's hand for a moment before Sasuke smoothly managed to slip his hand, single, into his pocket.

"Don't let it ruin our night, okay?" Naruto pleaded softly as they turned onto the next street, stopping at a crosswalk amongst many other busy people. Naruto liked this about New York at night. Everyone had places to be, but when he was out with Sasuke, it was like it was just the two of them. The world was just background noise.

"We should get ice cream," Naruto announced, breaking the silence between them as they walked along the busy street.

"We just ate, you dork. Are you honestly hungry again?" Sasuke's hands were in his pockets and Naruto took his arm.

"Obviously. I'm always hungry. This stomach of mine is a bottomless pit. Or I have a hollow leg."

"Or both," Sasuke said with a chuckle. "I think you eat more than four times of what I eat."

"So how is it that we both stay the same size?"

"Good question. Metabolism? We haven't been sparring lately."

"Well, my physio is over now, so it's not like we have to wait for anything," Naruto suggested.

"Let's fight right now on the street. See what everyone does."

"Or we could make out on the street."

"Somehow I think that would get a similar angry reaction," Sasuke said with a smirk.

"So then…?" Naruto asked, looking up at Sasuke with a sly smile. Sasuke shook his head and leaned down so his mouth was against Naruto's ear.

"At home," he whispered. His breath brought chills down Naruto's back, but they both just grinned, sharing their own private joke as some people stared. Sasuke settled for having his arm slung around Naruto's shoulders as they walked, and the blond seemed more than okay with that. The hand holding…wasn't really Sasuke's thing.

He'd make it up to him later.

"I'm glad you got the Bellini," Sasuke whispered in between kisses. "It tastes a lot better."

"I brushed my teeth already," Naruto said with a laugh. They had only made it to the couch, elected throwing a movie on and had barely made it past the opening credits when Naruto found his mind wandering to the dark haired man beside him.

Besides. Who wanted to watch Lord of the Rings when someone like Sasuke was hovering so close, smiling that delicious smile. Lord of the Rings was a long movie. They didn't watch any of it.

Sasuke woke up around three, according to his watch, his arm supporting his head as he'd fallen asleep pushed into the back of the couch, Naruto sidled up beside him, their legs intertwined. The blond had fallen asleep with his head on the unoccupied part of Sasuke's arm, which was probably why he couldn't feel his right hand anymore. Sasuke shook Naruto gently, not wanting to, but knowing it was necessary.

Naruto stirred but didn't wake. Sasuke left him for another moment, studying him. Naruto was around the same size as he was, but he seemed smaller. The blond was tilted just so he was mostly on his back, his right arm draped across his middle. Naruto's left arm was curled up by his face. He smelled like sleep. Sasuke loved this smell, Naruto's sleep-smell. It was kind of the way a child smelled after a long nap when their hair was sweaty, but not unpleasantly so.

Naruto groaned when Sasuke shook him again. "No, go away," Naruto murmured, turning onto his side towards Sasuke. Sasuke was amused. Naruto hated sleeping in jeans, yet he'd fallen asleep in his jeans and tshirt, without a problem. The jeans were twisted around his legs and he hadn't woken up and ripped them off in an angry huff as he'd been known to do.

"I just need my arm back," Sasuke said softly, prying his arm out from under Naruto's head, trying not to cry out in pain as the blood rushed back into his fingers. Once the pins and needles stopped, Sasuke glanced at the clock on the DVD player, and debated going to bed. He reached for the remote behind Naruto's head and turned the TV off. They hadn't seen a moment of the movie. Sometime during a scary scenario, while Frodo was in deep trouble as usual, Naruto had been smiling gently, probably breaking the kiss for a breather, his fingers tangled in Sasuke's hair.

Naruto sighed in his sleep, his breath warm against Sasuke's neck as Naruto snuggled in closer, wrapping his arm around Sasuke's waist and tangling their legs together further. Sasuke decided the pain in his neck the next morning from sleeping on the couch would be worth it, placed his free hand that wasn't tingling on Naruto's hip, and fell asleep a little while later.

Gaara woke shortly after six that morning and smiled at his wife who was finally asleep. He'd stirred and looked at her around three, when he saw her force a smile at him and roll over. He'd put his arms around her and drawn her close, feeling her relax against him and fall asleep shortly after.

He took care to get out of bed quietly and as gently as possible, careful not to wake her. After he showered and dressed, he kissed her temple gently. When she stirred, she opened her eyes briefly and smiled faintly. "Bye," she whispered.

He smiled and brushed her bangs out of her face. "I love you," he whispered back, leaving their bedroom and heading downstairs. He wrote her a quick note on a piece of scrap paper, reminding her of her lunch with Shikamaru, and left for work by the time seven AM had rolled around.

The earlier he was done, the earlier he could come home to her. Hopefully he could be done by five.

Naruto woke up first. He was tangled so much with Sasuke that he knew he wouldn't be able to get off the couch without waking him up first, so he leaned forward an inch or so and kissed Sasuke's neck. "Wake up," he whispered.

Sasuke groaned and tightened his grip around Naruto's waist.

Naruto glanced back at the clock on the DVD player and smirked. It was just after seven. They'd been on that couch for ages. "Get up, Sasuke. It's after seven."

"Piss off, dobe…" Sasuke muttered. Naruto figured the best way to get him up and awake was to attempt to get up. Untangling their legs, Naruto began to move away, and swung his legs off the couch. Sasuke clung to him. "Don't get up, it's cold…"

"You're the one who's closest to the blanket," Naruto said softly, referring to their folded throw blanket on the corner of the couch behind Sasuke's head. Sasuke just continued to groan and tucked his head against Naruto's shoulder.

"My neck hurts, and I blame you," he mumbled. Naruto chuckled.

"Did you try to wake me up, because I don't remember."

Sasuke grunted but said nothing.

The blond sighed. This was going to take awhile.

Tenten was exhausted. Shikamaru felt bad for her because she had dark circles under her eyes, hiding a lot of the 'pregnant mother glow' she was supposed to have.

"You must be having an alien baby, the way it's sucking the life out of you."

"Alien or not, I still love him," she said, wrapping her arms around her middle.

"Oh, you've decided on the sex, have you?" Shikamaru asked with a raised brow before taking a drink of lemonade. They were out for lunch, after Shikamaru's morning lectures were finished. With Tenten now on maternity leave, they didn't see near as much of each other as they were used to.

"Yes I have. It's a boy. I'll be very surprised if it isn't."

"Speaking of sex," Shikamaru asked nonchalantly. Tenten laughed.

"I knew that was coming."

"Yeah, that too. Talk to me. How is it?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, waiting patiently for her response. She sighed.

"If I had something to talk to you about, I would."

"Really?" Shikamaru asked, frowning. "What's going on?"

"I'm in so much pain as it is, I can't really focus on anything else. I feel really bad for Gaara because I know I'm keeping it from him, but not by choice. It's hard on both of us because I really, really want to, but…"

"Wow. I'll have to babysit or something after you deliver this kid so you can make up for lost time."

"Were you and Temari…?"

"More than usual, yeah. I don't know, I guess I got lucky in that respect," he said, smirking at his unintentional joke.

"Oh…" Tenten said, looking down at her half-eaten sandwich.

"How often was it before you got pregnant?"

"Honestly?" she asked, blushing. He nodded, smirking.

"Obviously. Aren't we open about these things?"

"You're the voyeur, not me."

He chuckled and took a bite of his own sandwich. "Just answer the question."

"Every day."

Shikamaru choked on his sandwich, coughed a little and took a swallow of lemonade to clear his throat. His eyes were tearing up when he finally calmed his choking. "Are you for real?!"

Tenten blushed rather furiously. "Well, I mean…as often as was possible."

"Temari never really cared all that much, but this isn't about us, this is about you," Shikamaru replied with an ever-growing smirk. "How can we fix this?"

"Oh trust me, I'm looking forward to the near future when the back pain ceases. I've got raging hormones and aches and pains to stretch out," Tenten said with a chuckle, which turned into a bit of a wicked grin.

Shikamaru shook his head. "Any names yet?"

"I've been thinking about that, but I know he hasn't. I ran some past him the other day that he wasn't crazy about."

"Yeah?"

"He's not keen on the idea of using Neji's name in any part of our child's name."

Shikamaru burst into laughter. "Can you imagine? Oh man that would be weird!"

A waitress retrieved their empty plates and offered the bill, which Shikamaru accepted.

"Can I walk you home, O Pregnant One?" he asked, offering Tenten his arm.

Tenten just laughed and took his outstretched arm.

Naruto left for work that morning, opting to change into his scrubs when he got to the clinic. He knew he didn't have to wear scrubs, but some of the therapists did, so he figured he would too. They were comfortable, and pretty cheap too. And on days when he had kids on his list, he wore fun scrubs with Snoopy on them.

Today was an interesting line up. A woman with neck problems from a car accident, an old man with a hip injury and a bad back. And…Mrs. Krstic.

Naruto groaned and Melanie, the receptionist glanced at his chart and grinned. "Sorry, Naruto. You had to know she'd be in this week."

Mrs. Krstic was an eighty-five year old Russian widow who came once a week for a full body massage to keep her circulation going. She always arrived with a flourish, smelling strongly of floral perfume and faintly of vodka. Each week showed her in a different wig, always covered with various colourful silk scarves, even if it was the middle of summer.

Naruto came back from his lunch break, finishing his can of Sprite quickly and dumping it into the recycle bin as he walked up to the desk to get the next chart. He could smell her before he could see her, and smiled faintly as Melanie handed him the chart. "Mrs. Krstic," he called. She made a big to-do about getting out of her chair, very noisily, in fact.

"Coming!" She wore a bright red and pink scarf over her powdery yellow wig, curled and done up in a very Marilyn Monroe-esque style.

"Hi, Mrs. Krstic. How was your week?" Naruto asked as she puttered slowly to him, her cane in one hand, her oversized vinyl purple handbag in the other. Naruto had always wanted to ask her what kind of weird things she carried in there, but he never would, because she would actually open it up and show him, and there was a large part of him that didn't want to know. Some mysteries were better left mysterious.

"Oh, little bubula, week was good. But really, I can't feel much of legs." She looked up at him as he held the door open for her. "Did you get cuter?" She reached up with fake nails and stroked his cheek. "Much cuter. You are still single, yes?"

Naruto glanced back at Melanie who was giggling with her hand over her mouth. He grinned and winked at her, before ushering Mrs. Krstic inside the room. "Mrs. Krstic, I haven't been single for a long time; I tell you that every week."

He went over to the opposite side of the room to get her a screen where she could put her robe on, but she'd already started undressing.

"Wait, let me get you a screen!" he cried, turning around as she dropped her shirt on the floor.

Mrs. Krstic just continued to undress before taking the silky robe he handed her and draping it over her wrinkled body. "But I swear you told me you were looking for girlfriend," she muttered to herself.

Naruto chuckled. He wondered what she'd say if he told her he was married to a man.

"That wasn't me, Mrs. Krstic."

"You are sure? I have very pretty granddaughter. She is good at the cooking and the cleaning and is looking for good cute man. I would think you are good cute man, yes?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Krstic," Naruto said with a smile, reaching for the bottles of lotion to begin her massage therapy session.

"But really, Russian granddaughter is good for you. Back in my days in old country, I would run free and go visit my soldier boyfriend. My old mother never knew I was gone, poor woman. If she knew what I was up to, oh! She would have heart attack? Or roll over in grave, I think."

Naruto just smiled, deciding not to be disturbed by the weird things he was sure would come from her mouth momentarily. She was a crude woman, though he was fairly certain she didn't mean to be. In fact, it was part of her charm, and he was used to it. Whenever she made her appointments, she asked for him by name. As far as 'bubula' got her. The girls at reception knew who she was talking about.

Mrs. Krstic never went to anyone else.

When her appointment was over and she was dressed, Naruto walked her to reception where she made her appointment for next week. Reaching into her purse, she gave Naruto and the girls at reception some strange Russian candies and waved goodbye with her manicured pink fake nails.

"See you later, sweet kidlings!" she called as she left the office.

As soon as she was gone the air seemed so much sweeter. No more floral perfume and vodka for a week.

Sasuke and Naruto lay in bed that evening, Naruto playing a puzzle game on his DS while Sasuke read a book. Naruto was talking about his crazy day with Mrs. Krstic, but Sasuke was barely listening.

"…and you know, no matter how many times a day I see them, and even after all this time you think I'd be desensitized, but really, Sasuke, I'm really tired of seeing wrinkly, sagging old lady boobs."

Sasuke frowned and turned to Naruto, his attention caught. "What did you just say?"

Naruto started laughing and took Sasuke's book from him, closing his DS in a fluid motion and putting both on his nightstand before crawling onto Sasuke's chest. "You weren't listening, were you?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke smirked. "Not really, no," he admitted, running his fingers through Naruto's hair. "Did you have that creepy Russian lady again?"

Naruto grinned. "Well at least I know you listen sometimes." He sat up and kissed Sasuke's nose lightly. "Yes. And she was trying to set me up with her granddaughter again. I keep telling her week after week that I haven't been single for years, but she can't seem to remember that."

"You're damn right you're not single," Sasuke said, putting his arms around Naruto's waist and pulling him closer.

"She can remember my face, tell me how cute I am, remembers to give me candy, but still…she tries to set me up with her granddaughter, doesn't wait for the screen before she strips down and goes on and on about her strange dalliances with soldiers in the war back in 'the old country'."

"Sounds like a treat," Sasuke muttered, his face buried in Naruto's hair.

"You don't have to rub her down during all of that," the blond replied, wrinkling his nose.

"Let's stop talking about wrinkly old Mrs. Krstic, okay?" Sasuke suggested with a smile. Naruto nodded.

"A great idea."

"Shall I distract you?"

"Do you have to ask?" Naruto asked, still smiling as Sasuke kissed him.

Annnnnnd…next chapter should be the last. Promise. 3