Chapter 18

Sakura felt a silly grin spreading on her lips as she walked with Sasuke to their destination and couldn't help but wonder what really brought this on. Not that she wasn't complaining but Sasuke was not the sentimental kind of guy. But if he wanted to treat her, who was she to complain? He so rarely tried to be sentimental; but again, if she wanted the romance she'd have married someone else. All she wanted was to love her man and be cared for in return, and Sasuke had given her the best of this. So in return she loved him and tried not to lose him again, she worked really hard so he wouldn't be consumed by the hatred again. It was her worst fear.

To lose him to himself again, she didn't want to ever lose him again.

Grinning she peeked up to him again only to see his indifferent mask as they walked to the local restaurant for their anniversary dinner. She was just so happy that he even remembered their anniversary and that he wanted to celebrate it with her. She'd have settled for alcohol and wild sex honestly. There was no point in being a high maintenance where Sasuke was concerned; she'd just irritate him and herself. That didn't mean she didn't hope for the occasional effort, but she wasn't going to get her hopes up.

"Are you certain you want to do this Sasuke, we can go home and have a nice home cooked meal if you want," Sakura offered just as the restaurant came into view. Her husband gave her a bland look but he clearly wasn't going to back off of this dinner, to her secret glee and his obvious discomfort. But a night out sounded like fun.

"Tch, let's go," he grumbled and walked towards the restaurant, she hurried after him. They walked into the restaurant, she glared at one of the waitresses who ogled at her husband. Sasuke was hers' damnit! She had spent years working to get him and loving him and enduring a heartbreak which would never end but she had won in the end! And she'd be damned if she let some flouncy, flucy, dumb bimbo waitress ogle and flirt with him! She had endured enough of this before he was hers and now that they were married she'd hoped it would stop. Her emerald eyes narrowed dangerously on the waitress.

"Here are the menus a waiter will be with you momentarily," the hostess said happily with a slight bow as she left them. Sakura just grumble internally as she sat there looking over her menu deciding what she wanted to eat and how to kill the ogling waitress without rousing her husband's suspicion. Not that she would, but the mental exercise did her good as she sat there thinking about what to order. Something sweet so her husband wouldn't be like Sai or Naruto and siphon food off of her. And despite what the adoring public thought about Sasuke he did steal her food on many occasions.

"Stop glaring at the staff Sakura," her husband ordered and her emerald gaze flicked to his as she frowned.

"I wouldn't glare if you weren't so oblivious to their ogling at you," she grumbled and she'd have sworn to see something akin to an amused smirk on his lips as he leaned back in his seat to order. Sakura gave her order and had a sneaking suspicion that it would be messed up, not that she cared. She was out for a night, she was with Sasuke and she could enjoy her night regardless of the staff in this restaurant. And she was determined to enjoy the night out with her husband since he didn't do this all that often.

"Sakura, just enjoy the night, they mean nothing," her husband said softly and she smiled at the look he gave her as they sat there.

The dinner was good, she had had better in her time but it was still a nice dinner as she enjoyed the evening with her husband. She still shot dangerous glares at the women who dared to try to flirt with Sasuke. There was just no way in Hell she was going to give up the man without giving these women hell. Still, it was fun for her to harass the waitresses and to smile sweetly when Sasuke looked at her. There was simply no way for her to explain to him how much he mattered to her when he just wanted to be here.

They were walking home, and she wanted to hold his hand but she refrained so she didn't startle him. It wouldn't do for her to scare him as they were married. Suddenly his hand brushed hers' shyly and she smiled shyly as she peeked up to him and slid her hand in his. He entwined their fingers as they walked home and she leaned on him enjoying the feeling of his warmth as they walked. It was never going to be the big things, it simply wasn't, at least with Sasuke as her husband. But it was the little things, like holding hands and walking together in the darkness, which meant more to her than the date she had just silently endured.

"So, three years," she mused.

"Hn," was his answer but he squeezed her hand.

"Think we deserve a medal for not killing one another?" she asked him sweetly as she looked up to him. He smirked then he pulled her in front of her. Before she knew what he was intending to do his lips were on hers softly and she slid her arms around his shoulders as her fingers tangled themselves in his shaggy, heavy, thick black hair. He pulled her close, she gasped as her body was pressed up against his and he deepened the kiss.

"Thank you Sakura," he murmured when he pulled away from her.

"For what?" she asked sincerely, he didn't reply but he kissed her again then rested his brow on hers. She just savored this delicious moment because it was rare.

Sasuke couldn't answer the question, he just didn't know how to convey in words how much she had given him. Sakura had given him a home, she had given him a family, she gave him her love, and she gave him his trust; none of this he deserved after all the atrocities he had committed and dreamt of committing. But he would freely admit that these last few years had been best years of his life since the massacre and he couldn't even begin to describe just how much it meant to him.

There were no words he knew to convey the gratitude he had for the small pinkette. Not for lack of trying, but he wasn't like his friends and did not have a way with words. And so he had thought to use his actions again to convey this to Sakura.

In fact it had been a letter from Naruto which had made him think he needed to take her out on a 'date' for their anniversary. Something Naruto had mentioned about a night on the town with Hinata, without Boruto and distractions, just so Hinata could feel good again about being a woman. Also, so she could get away from the baby for a night and enjoy the night.

Sasuke hadn't thought too much about this as he had then gone about arranging the date, and he had enjoyed her company. He could see the appeal of dates, especially since Sakura had gotten all dressed up and was wearing the hairpin he had given her. It was a beautiful sight, seeing her dressed up with a smile on her lips. He had felt his breathe catch as they had walked together to the restaurant, and for a moment he had wished he had known how to convey what he was thinking and how he felt about her. But alas, verbal communication was not his strong suit so he had hoped she'd understand just how much she meant to him.

But he couldn't so here he was holding her tightly against him wishing for a moment they could just leave the shinobi life behind and live here in peace. But he wasn't going to bring it up with her again because they both knew there was a particular blonde dobe back home who would track them down and drag them back home.

"We should do this again, it was a nice date," Sakura mused as he just looked into those bright emerald eyes filled with joy, love, happiness, and other emotions he craved to never lose from her.

"Yes," he decided and she laughed a bit as she then rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, Sasuke, I love you," she whispered softly and he just held her tightly against him.

He craved to respond to her declaration of love but there was just no way for him to tell her cared about her when he wasn't even certain how much she mattered to him. Instead he just kissed her again as they walked home. She laughed, a sound he truly enjoyed as he scooped her up again and carried her to their bed. Dropping her unceremoniously on the futon she let out another throaty laugh and he came atop her to kiss her again. There may have been no words he could use to convey how much she mattered but he would use his actions as he deepened the kiss. He would spend the night expressing just how much she mattered to him.

"How are Sakura and Sasuke doing?" Hinata asked him now that she had finally put Boruto to sleep and joined him on their couch. Naruto looked over to his beautiful wife who just looked utterly exhausted. He decided that the fates had cursed them by giving them a child exactly like him but he didn't mind and neither did Hinata as he grasped her hips and pulled her to straddle his lap. He always liked holding his wife, neither of them had been held or coddled as children and he enjoyed the feel of Hinata against him.

"They are good, I'm guessing, they're missions really all they write about when they write," Naruto grumpily admitted. He wanted to know how his two best friends; well best friend and practically adopted sister; were doing but it appeared they weren't going to discuss their marriage much. But he guessed they were fine, if they weren't then Sakura would've sent him a scathing letter about Sasuke; he'd only received one of those but it was enough to know she was alright.

"Mmm, well, I'm certain that if they weren't fine they'd tell you," Hinata reassured him. He grinned as her fingers shyly slipped through his hair. Nearly five years of marriage and she was still shy about being affectionate with him.

"Yeah, still, just worried, but they don't matter tonight. What was that news you wanted to give me?" he asked her as he pulled her hips closer to his hoping to get lucky again. He craved her again, and still loved her body.

"Yes, how would you feel about another baby?" Hinata asked him and he straightened a bit.

"Uh…haven't thought about it, and isn't Bolt enough of a handful at this moment?"

He saw her bite her lip and mentally kicked himself for not just saying yes. But he had serious concerns about having more children, most of them involving their already exhausted state.

"Well, Boruto will be turning three this year and I thought…now's a good time to give him a sibling…" Hinata sounded uncertain and he sighed.

"Hinata, I want a big family, but only if you want a big family," he finally decided this was the best answer to save his hide. And he was pleased to see his wife perk up, also he finally noticed how tightly fisted her hands were at her chest.

"G-g-g-good, here," she suddenly held what she was holding for him to see and his eyes widened.

There, just right there was a pregnancy test and if he remembered correctly this meant it was positive as he stared at the double lines. His blue eyes meant Hinata's mysterious silver ones which were filled with pride and joy, and before he could stop it he felt a stupide smile spread on his lips.

"We're having another baby," he said softly.

She nodded.

"We're having another baby," he repeated louder. She giggled but continued her nodding. He laughed as he hoisted her up by the waist and spun her around planting a huge sloppy kiss on her lips.

"We're having another kid," he shouted and she laughed as she hugged him. He just held her close and enjoyed feeling her in his arms as he grinned stupidly and then hauled her to their bedroom. Another kiss, she gasped and before he even really thought about his next actions he was peeling off his wife's modest clothing and enjoying every moment of it as every possible worry was forgotten.

"I love you Hinata," he whispered.

"Love you too," she replied in a gasp and he smiled.