Okaerinasai

"Welcome home."

Bruised, exhausted and spent — that's how he was greeted by two of his most precious people. A façade of nonchalance will always be present, but only few can see the slight curl of his lips and the radiant glow from his eyes as they wrapped their arms around him.

It was a tough battle, but he never once thought they would ever lose. He was not alone; he will never be. He can see it clearly now unlike years ago when he was blinded by the rage and vengeance in his heart. Now he's here, surrounded by comfort and love from his beautiful family after a long fight, patching him up with their warmth.

Black orbs same as his looks up at him in silent awe and admiration, with her soft voice asking for time with her and promising him of dinner; reminding him of a time where he was the same old as she and receiving the same promise, but from a green-eyed girl in red.

Memories came flooding in his system as Sarada Uchiha grabs him by the arm, excited as a child can be, and Sasuke Uchiha smiles.

Hours passed by quickly and even with the training they did, both Sasuke and Sarada are exuding with energy. They went home greeted by the smell of food, the sight of their precious person, and the feel of her strong arms around them.

He has decided, and he's sure his daughter as well, that Sakura Uchiha is probably the best they could ever have.

As food was served and conversation was made, the Uchiha family once again shared the same dining table as they eat together; the same look as they watch each other; and the same feeling as they are finally one after a long time.

In the corner of his eyes, he watched as his daughter excitedly talk to her mother about their training. He listened half-heartedly for he was busy looking at his flesh and blood, bursting with energy and enthusiasm he never possessed. One, because he was never the type; and two, because he never really got the chance.

Dwelling with the past has never been a good idea. Besides, he already accepted that. He can finally say he's at peace with his present, and is looking forward for his future. It is all possible because of these two right here, and they're all made possible by one of them.

Sakura.

And as always, as if she can hear his thoughts, he saw his wife turn her eyes away from their still animatedly-talking child and met his.

Emerald eyes that has always been a constant ache in his heart looked straight at him — fierce and loving at once. He has no idea how one person could make his heart hurt. In a good way though, for his wife has always been a gentle soul. He felt his chest expanded as he sucked air when she gave him a soft smile before returning her focus on their daughter.

The night was quiet and his family is reunited, and Sasuke Uchiha smiles.

Home.

The word still tastes foreign in his mouth after all this time. His concept of this has always been different from others. Some call it a place where you were born and grew up in; others say it's more of a feeling rather than the actual meaning of it. Home is where the heart is, he heard a few times.

Maybe all of them are true. Maybe he will never know. Maybe he already knows it.

But as he retired for the night and closed their bedroom door after watching as his daughter falls asleep, he realized he's still learning the true meaning of it. He's learning it everyday, whether it's together with his family or apart from them.

His feet brought him to his wife, standing by the window with her back on him. He reached her and saw the familiar symbol of his family passed through generations etched on the back of her robe.

His fingers, once coated in revenge and hate but now purified by grace and love by this woman, traced it; earning a shiver from her. Inwardly, he reveled on the fact that after so many years of being married, being in love, being apart — he can still make her like this.

He knows that she knows. Their time is limited and he still has to go; to protect them from a distance, to love them from a distance. His eyes suddenly burned and he closed them, wishing he would never see the pain reflected in hers.

Moments passed and he felt her move. He never dared open his closed lids, afraid of what he'll see. His lone hand is white from being tightened too much. Whether it's to refrain from punching the window or for holding her, he doesn't know. All he knows is that it hurts.

He felt warm and soft hands travel from his stomach to his chest. Familiar surge of anticipation and desire came down to his whole being, igniting the spark she planted ever since she set him on fire when he first knew how it feels to be inside her, making the length of his spine tingle as the memory of hearing her moans last night flashed in his brain.

Her hand stayed against his chest, her other one held his face. He fought the urge to open his eyes when she cradled his face in her gentle hands and swiped her thumb on his bottom lip. He quivered from within.

Without even saying anything, he knew what she wanted. By then, he remembered his promise to himself — he will always try. For her. For them. For his family.

And so he opened his eyes, and met the familiar green of her irises.

He doesn't know what he expected in the first place. Deep inside, he knows he's still not worthy of her. So at the bottom of his recovering soul, he thought he will finally see the realization in her eyes that she deserves better. Maybe he also expected the disappoinment through them. Resentment? Exhaustion? Anger?

But his wife will always be herself — stubborn, loyal, and Sakura. He's met with relief that he's safe and sound; he's met with respect that only a fellow shinobi could understand; he's met with gratitude that he spent time with their eager daughter; he's met with concern that only a medic could exude; and he's met with fierce but quiet understanding that only a wife could give to her husband, especially when he's leaving her again.

He's met with different emotions from her just by looking at her eyes, and he felt it was too much that he looked away. Her hand cradling his face earlier looped with the other now on his neck. She's looking up at him as if he hung the moon for her and he's looking down at her feet, still reeling from the emotions she evoked from him.

Her fingers found his chin and slightly lifted it up to see him directly, and he shyly looked at her, ashamed of what he's been giving to her as her husband for the past decade.

And he saw love; in its rawest and truest form, reflected through the eyes he will always miss. It took his breath away.

Finally, he found the courage to wrap his lone arm around her and bury his face against her neck, pink strands of her hair ticking his cheek. He felt her arms embrace him back and hear soothing noises coming from her mouth caressing his heart. He pulled her in harder against him, knowing that this might be the last one for a long time. Tomorrow is another day, and tomorrow is another challenge for his emotional and physical strength to be away from her and their family.

But tonight, right now, he has this.

He has her.

He has them.

Home has lost its meaning to him for a very long time. But as he moves to the bed to bring them together once again, he thought:

Maybe home is when a taste of homemade cooking makes you feel like king; maybe home is how you teach your child how to breathe fire; maybe home is what anchors your whole being to reality that you are not alone and you are loved; maybe home is where you kiss your wife senseless and show her how happy she made you just for being yours; maybe home is why you're tearing up with your spouse as you make love, knowing that you won't see and hear and feel each other again like this for another long time.

Maybe home is this — wrapped in the arms of Sakura Uchiha and hearing her beating heart, reminding you that you both have Sarada Uchiha through mutual respect and faith and love.

Knowing all these, he finally whispered to his thoughts, and Sasuke Uchiha smiles.

Welcome home.

~fin~

A/N: Wow! Look who got inspired from today's episode from Boruto? Hahahha! Thank god we had some uchiha fam action, esp that hug and the whole softness from sasuke huhu i cried a bit. Please leave a review and click that heart button. Thank you for reading! Xoxoxoxo

PS. Also, please bear with me with regards to the updates on perpetual winter. It's so hard to write, i have so much angst. I hope this will somehow be a good bribe. This is up on my tumblr as well! Thank u!