A/N: Here's the next chapter! Apologies for the later update.
Ah, also! Happy early New Year! As far as I know right now, the end date of this fic is going to be in late August/late September in 2020. I quite like the weekly uploads, because it's given me so much more time to be creative. I hope you'll stick with it until then.
Anyways! With that update out of the way, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 23: My Son
As they walked back from the shopping district in high spirits, bags in hand, Sakura heard a little boy shouting.
"Hey, give it back! That's my mom's!"
She turned and frowned, seeing a boy with dark coffee-brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail, his bangs framing his face. His black eyes were screwed up in anger as he tried to jump up to grab something an older, taller boy was holding.
The taller boy laughed, mocking him. "What, you gonna go crying to mommy, little boy? What's so special about this stupid hair thing? Is it yours?"
"I already told you, it's my mother's!" He shouted, his voice shrill.
Sakura had enough and finally walked over, calm as a cucumber. "What's all the ruckus over here?"
The boys looked at her. The older one looked her up and down before leering at her.
"Get lost, lady," he replied arrogantly. "We aren't doin' anything."
The little boy said nothing, but looked up at her with dark eyes shiny with frustrated tears.
"Really? It sounds like you have something you need to give back." She gave him a sweet smile, but her eyes were cold and intimidating.
He shivered a little, but glared. "Mother told me I don't hit girls, but you're makin' me get awful close."
"Trust me, you couldn't land a hit on a common housefly." She snorted. She grabbed for his wrist, holding it in a tight grip. "Now let go and give it."
He winced, but reluctantly opened his hand.
Sakura's breath hitched. In his hand, though sweaty and worn, was a beautiful hair ornamental comb. It had jade green leaves decorating the top, like a vine, and a single pale pink cherry blossom flower seemed to bloom on the left side of it.
She snatched it up and let go of his arm, pointing to the road. "Now get lost. I don't ever want to see you harassing this boy ever again."
He rolled his eyes, and with a muttered insult under his breath, turned and stormed off.
She turned to the little boy, looking to be about six or seven, and gently handed him the comb. "Here's your comb back."
"Thank you, miss," he replied gratefully, giving her a big beaming smile that showed off missing teeth.
"It's very beautiful," she continued, squatting down next to him. "Your mother has good taste."
"Mama says that it's one of her greatest things," he said, studying it in the sunlight with a fond little grin. "She says that before I was born, it used to be my big sister's."
A lump began to form in her throat at the information, and she swallowed thickly before asking, "You have a big sister?"
"Used to." The boy frowned and kicked at a rock near his shoe. "Mama says that she died a long time ago. Mama doesn't like it when I ask about her, and Papa... Papa works all the time, and whenever I ask about her, he just starts working again."
"Mama and Papa tell me stories all the time," he continued, folding his hands in front of himself. "I wish I could meet her. Mama always says that she would have liked me when she tells me stories."
Sakura tried to smile at him, but her emotions were raging and she could feel her face growing hotter. Now that she really looked at him, she saw a bit of a resemblance between him and the baby her mother had doted on so many years before. "It sounds like you really love her. Would you ever want to meet her someday?"
"Mama says that she's dead," the boy replied, scrunching up his little nose in confusion. "How can I meet her? Can you take me? I wanna give her back her hair thingie so Mama won't be so sad."
She didn't say anything in response and simply took him into a gentle hug, pressing her nose into his hair. She tried her hardest to stop her shaking shoulders, but when Noh's feather-light fingers touched her shoulder, she let out a tiny sob.
The brunette's fingertips brushed her bare skin, and all at once she felt even worse. Noh hadn't seen the baby she'd given up since Morino, and already she could see so much of her in the little boy's face. He had her straight brown hair and her nose, yet he had (what was assumed to be) Obito's eyes and his smile.
"Are you okay, miss?" The boy asked, sounding upset and a little scared. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry I brought up big sister."
She pulled back and gently ran a thumb across his cheek, swiping away a tear that had began to fall down his skin. The last thing she wanted was to make him start crying too.
"I can't give you back the family you lost, but I can tell you that your parents love you very, very much, young one," her voice was soft, almost reverent, as she spoke. "I know you have lots of questions about your sister, but please, be patient with them. Your mother... your mother has gone through so much."
She felt Noh stiffen behind her, and she blinked away her own moisture before continuing, "There is so much that you simply cannot understand right now, but I promise, this war will be over soon."
His eyes widened innocently, and he gasped, "Are you Riot people?"
She turned to share a look with Noh. The older brunette shook her head softly, with an amused smile.
Sakura turned back to Arata and chuckled. "If you can keep a secret."
"I promise, I promise I won't tell nobody!" He nodded, eyes as wide as dumplings. "Wow! Mama always says that you're heroes. I've always wanted to meet you!"
Noh tucked a bang behind his ear with bright eyes. "It's an honor to meet such a brave soul," she said, though her voice sounded slightly choked.
"I can't wait to tell Mama about you." He breathed, reaching out to touch Sakura's hair with his tiny fingers. "You're really pretty. Mama says that my big sister was really pretty, too. And so was my angel!"
"Your angel?" Sakura asked indulgently, her lips curving upwards.
"Yeah! Mama says that an angel gave me to her! Mama always talks about my pretty angel that always watches over me."
He looked up at Noh, who seemed invisibly upset. With childish wonder, he exclaimed, "Wow, Mama's not gonna believe it! You look just like my angel!"
The brunette's lip trembled, but she gave him a smile. "Is that so?"
Arata nodded happily, and that beaming, gap-toothed smile was back.
Then, faintly, Sakura heard her mother calling. "Arata! It's time for dinner!"
"Oh, I gotta go," he said, eyes wide. "Thank you for getting my comb back."
"You're welcome, Arata," Sakura said.
Noh hesitated for a moment, but bent down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of the boy's head.
He wrinkled his nose and rubbed at his hair seriously asking, "If I get Angel Cooties, does that mean I'm an angel too?"
Noh chuckled with him, patting his head. "I'm afraid that's not how it works, young one."
Then they heard Mebuki's voice again, and both women stood up.
Arata turned to go, but he paused and turned back to them, giving them pleading puppy eyes. "Don't you wanna stay? Mama makes really good soup!"
"I'm afraid we can't, but thank you for offering," Noh replied with a warm smile. "Be more careful with the comb; I have a feeling your mother would be upset if it got lost."
"She would," Arata agreed, frowning lightly. Then he smiled at them and turned, running off, yelling "Thank you!" over his shoulder.
Noh and Sakura looked at each other, nodding slowly in understanding.
"Your son is turning into a wonderful young man," the pinkette said, rubbing her eye again, careful of her eyeliner.
"And your brother seems to really idolize your memory," the brunette responded, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her back to camp.
If either of them noticed the tears in the other's eyes, neither said anything in silent empathy. It was only when they got back to camp that they split their purchases, handed out the foodstuff, and went to their respective corners for a silent weeping.
That night, Sasuke stood out on his balcony, gazing at the dark clouds on the horizon. A terrible feeling swept over him at the sight of the rolling gray.
"What's up?" Naruto asked, casually putting a hand on the railing. When he looked up at the sky, he whistled. "Damn, looks like it's gonna rain."
"I have a feeling," Sasuke simply replied, his eyebrows dipping lower on his face. "Something doesn't feel right."
"You sure that's not just the rainclouds?"
The boy shot him a look.
Naruto rose his hands in defense. "Okay, okay, not the rainclouds."
Meanwhile, Sakura sat underneath a tree, gazing up at the darkening sky with concern.
"It'll rain during the night," Tsunade piped up with a sigh beside her.
"Yeah..." The pinkette trailed off. "It feels like a bad omen."
The blonde turned to give her a questioning gaze. "What, you mean about the infiltration mission?"
"Yes." Her eyes were still vaguely red from earlier. She merely shook her head. "What if this is a sign that we shouldn't go through with it? What if..."
"Sakura, listen to me. Having doubts is normal. It's a simple fact of life. But we've come too far to quit now." She grabbed the girl's shoulder, looking over each part of her face. "We must go through with this. Why give us a sign so late in the game to turn back?"
After a few moments, she reluctantly agreed, "I suppose so."
A/N: Ah, angst. I hope you enjoyed seeing Arata for the first time.
Tell me what you thought, feel free to speculate, and I'll see you next week.