Sasuke came home to noise from the kitchen but no visible wife. He rounded the counter to see Hinata sitting on the floor with the contents of the cabinet all around her in a bucket. She was titling a ceramic bowl that had been stuffed in the back.

"Decluttering?" He asked.

She looked up and shook her head. "I broke a jar. It went everywhere. Where did we get this?"

He lent down and considered it. He shrugged. "That was one of the pieces that you brought into my apartment when you were bringing me food. Not sure where you got it."

Hinata frowned at it.

"Do you remember something about it?" He wondered.

Hinata shook her head. "No, I was just wondering why it was all the way back there." She shrugged, putting it to that side. "I guess people have that feeling after a time. People lose things in the back of drawers and wonder why they were there years later. They forget what they own."

"I certainly forgot it was back there." Sasuke had been worried that she might become upset. He could tell that with time, she was accepting that she just couldn't remember, but there were those days where things struck a chord in her heart, and she was sad that she didn't have the memory.

He was just happy that she had chosen to stay. She didn't have to love him again.

"If you like it, we can keep it out." He said, picking the bowl up. "Might be nice for fruit."

Hinata nodded with a smile. "We should."

Hinata curled up to her husband's bare chest. She was hoping he wouldn't wake up feeling guilty again. She enjoyed herself, she asked for it, but she wondered why he still seemed to think that he was taking advantage of her.

Hinata stretched and got up. She wanted her spicy snacks.

She found something to put on and head to the kitchen. She could laugh. Sasuke already had a packet of crispy spiced treats in the bowl she had dug out the day before.

Hinata opened it and dug in. Maybe he wouldn't feel so bad in the morning.

Sasuke looked around the nursery, leaning against the door with arms crossed, his head against the door frame.

He was hit with a very odd feeling of longing for it to be filled, and he couldn't explain where it came from. Maybe it was visiting Hanabi, maybe it was running into Ino and having some genuinely happy congratulating her. Maybe it was cleaning the birth control out of the drawer. Maybe it was Hinata's insistence that she wanted children with him as they were now.

Sasuke didn't want to talk about it more than they already had. He didn't want to push the subject because, as eager as she insisted she was, he wanted her to set the boundaries.

Her visit with her sister had become frequent. He didn't always go, like today, they had Hyuga things to talk about.

His eye caught something on the bed. Was that there before? He moved from the door frame and picked up a small stuffed duckling. He rolled it over, it had no tag, but the stitching was too nice to be Hinata's. He didn't remember it being added. He placed it down. Maybe his memory was just failing him today.

Hinata placed a few items on the counter before padding over and kissing her husband's forehead. He was asleep soundly on the couch, which was perfect. She grabbed the few secret things in the bottom of the bag that Ino had gifted her and proceeded to find places for them in the nursery.

Ino was ecstatic to give her some hand-me-downs. She just instituted she get some in return if she had another.

Hinata wondered how long it would take before he would ask her.

Sasuke was observant, but he didn't always put things together, and he didn't always find things important enough to ask.

He would find out in time.

Sasuke was now sure things were being added to the room. There was something new every time Hinata came home from the compound. The little duck was just the beginning. A few more stuffed animals joined it. It took a few weeks to notice that the drawer has been filled with little blankets, bibs, cloth diapers, and other odds and ends. In the closet was a baby bath tucked behind a box. He wasn't even sure how she got that one in the house without him noticing. All the things for a baby they hadn't bothered putting together for the nursery the first time.

Hinata wouldn't remember when they said they wouldn't collect until she was pregnant to not make it hurt too much if it took a while.

If he had to guess, they were getting the surplus from Hanabi. It made sense, no reason for her to mention it, and she might be avoiding it to not concern him.

Hinata picked up the big bag she took to her sisters. Inside was always a large book with a black sleeve and a Hyuga seal. It was nice to see her bonding with her sister.

She kissed him. "Can you pick up more peppers at the market?" She asked as she put on her shoes.

"More?" Sasuke wondered. He had been picking up peppers more recently in addition to her spice snacks. "You've been cooking with peppers a lot recently." She shrugged. He laughed after a moment of thought. "Trying to tell me something?"

"Maybe." She smiled, heading out the door.

"He hadn't got a clue," Hinata told Hanabi.

"He can't be that stupid." Hanabi huffed her son lying peacefully in her crossed legs, with his little strap-on glasses. His normal eyesight was poor, but they were unsure yet if it would affect his Byakugan, there was no way to know until he started his training.

"I know he's noticed the items coming in. He's observant, he just I don't know…" Hinata sighed.

"Stupid." Hanabi finished.

"No, more unbothered? He doesn't always care that he doesn't know." Hinata tried to explain. "He probably thinks I'm nesting. I just hope that he's not spiraling. He does that without telling me until it is too late."

"I think he will be fine." Hanabi waved her hand. She tapped the book. "Stop worrying and get back to work. The sooner you get this done, the sooner he can know."