Hello, my most awesome darlings,

Thanks for hanging in there waiting for this update, I know I went from updating twice a week to only once, but I wanted to make sure I liked what I was putting out. My mood hasn't been the best and it's really killing my vibe here.

So...I think I finished this...but I just did that today so I'm posting this first half so I can sit on the second half for a day or two, to make sure that I really do like it, but after staring at it for hours on end seems I can't tell if I do or not anymore lol. The struggle.

I thought it was about time I gave you some nice fluff since we went a little dark in earlier chapters (honestly might be my mood bleeding into the writing-ugh-) I hope you enjoy this one ❤️

As always thank you for the kudos, bookmarks, and comments, sending hugs and love your way my lovelies.

Rating: M (Explicit): All the fluffiness on this one

Disclaimer 1: They are not mine ok? Any characters portrayed in this fic (except for Miki) belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I just use my writing powers to right his wrongs...mainly the fact that he never made Sasuke and Naru Canon.

The Help

Chapter 8: Free

Sasuke felt almost heady, it wasn't that he was proud that he had to literally stoop to Sakura's level to get her to sign. Still, after today she would be out of his life, after today he could move on, after today he could do right by Naruto.

Naruto who had driven with him to his parent's home knowing he would be less than welcome. Naruto who looked at Miki with love and adoration even though she wasn't his…Naruto who had come into his fucked up, monotone, sad life and shaken him back into existence.

He'd been a drowning man and hadn't even known it, fighting against violent waters, and now finally he felt like he'd touched land. Like he could breathe fully.

He'd called Naruto to tell him that Sakura would sign and relished in the blonde's sigh of relief "I'm glad…even if we hadn't…I'd be glad Sasuke" the blonde's voice filtered through his phone.

"If we hadn't what?" Sasuke asked knowing exactly what the blonde was talking about, but he always liked how flustered he got when the subject got brought up. He clicked the camera icon and Naruto's flushed face filled his screen, doing things to his insides.

"If we hadn't what—baby boy?" He asked mischievously, as he leaned back on his office chair. He was lingering by the house while the movers packed Sakura's belongings, and the cleaners were also taking care of the mess in the kitchen, foyer, and living area. He'd wanted to go straight back to the blonde, but it was important this got taken care of. Whether Naruto wanted to come back or not.

He wanted neither Naruto nor Miki to have to walk into any reminder that Sakura had been there in the first place.

"If we hadn't…gotten involved," Naruto said embarrassed as he looked around, it looked like he was outside in the garden, probably watching Miki play. He could see the one airpod on the blonde's right ear. He was watching what he was saying because of Miki, or his parents, maybe both.

He smirked "Involved? that sounds a little cold, that's how you refer to our passionate lovemaking?" The blonde spluttered his eyes darting around before they fell back on the screen "I–your mom is like a couple of feet away," he said, his eyes staring Sasuke down, which came off cute rather than scary.

"She can't hear what I'm saying, afraid you'll pitch a tent in front of my parents?" He asked with a shit-eating grin.

He didn't think the blonde could get redder as he stuck his tongue out at him, Sasuke laughed, and the blonde huffed "I'm hanging up"

"Is it really over?" Naruto asked Sasuke as he laid his head on the raven's chest, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction as the raven's arm pulled him closer and his hand fell on his shoulder rubbing small circles on it.

"I mean this is Sakura we're talking about…but I think it is, she's angry and humiliated, but the papers are signed and there's nothing she can do about it"

"She could try and argue that she was in no mental capacity to sign…" Naruto said softly, he wasn't trying to be negative, he really…just…wouldn't put it past her.

"If she does it, it would be to try and amend the division of assets, but if we end up going to court, she knows I'll bring up her affair, I don't think she wants the pictures I showed her sprawled on a courtroom. If she's smart, she'll take the thirty percent, her wounded ego, and be done with me" She certainly had the looks to try and get another poor unsuspecting victim to fall for her, Sasuke thought bitterly.

"Hey…" Naruto said softly, he couldn't see the raven's face but somehow it was as if the air had shifted in the room "Hey, I know she's done some awful things, but…don't let her do that to you…fill you with anger, what goes around comes around, life itself will take care of her" Naruto said softly, sprawling his hand on Sasuke's chest before hugging him closer.

Sasuke let out a sigh as he rearranged the blonde, pulling him right on top of him "Baby boy, you're too fucking perfect you know that?" he smiled softly at the pink that rose to the blonde's cheeks.

"It's called being a decent human being" the blonde muttered.

"And it's harder than you think," Sasuke said softly his hand coming up to move some of the blonde's hair off his face "I wish you'd never even met her," Naruto said letting his cheek fall down on the raven's chest.

"I wouldn't change a thing…" Sasuke murmured as his fingers threaded through the blondes hair You think we would have met if I didn't meet her?" he added, and Naruto rubbed his face on the raven's chest, Sasuke would go through all of that if it meant they got to meet in the end…he was the one that was fucking perfect.

"I love you, so, so much" There was the smallest intake of breath from the raven, before he flipped their position on the bed, hovering over the blonde.

Naruto couldn't help but give him a goofy smile as he noticed the light pink on the raven's cheeks for once, and Sasuke's own smile.

"Cute" Naruto said playfully "I see now why you like to make me blush so much" Sasuke laughed as he leaned down to kiss the blonde "You want to say it again?"

"Not until you say it back" The blonde muttered against the raven's lips, leaning up to kiss him softly again.

Sasuke finished climbing over him, leaning down to nip at the blonde's lower lip, before kissing a path down to the blonde's ear "I love you, baby boy, I really do"

Naruto was more than ready to show Sasuke how happy those words made him but both adults were interrupted by the rattling of the doorknob.

"Naru?" Miki's soft voice rang from the other side, Sasuke grunted a bit as he allowed his weight to fall on Naruto for a few seconds, burying his face in the blonde's collarbone and placing a small kiss on the skin before he rolled over.

Naruto walked over to the door and unlocked it, opening it to see a pouting Miki looking up at him "Naru why are you locking the door?" She looked to the side to see Uncle Sasuke sitting on the bed and frowned. Not letting Naruto give her an answer as she walked inside the room, climbed on the bed, and made her way to Sasuke.

"Uncle Sasuke, you have to share, or I'll be angry" Naruto smiled amused from the door, and he could see Sasuke holding in his own laugh.

"Yeah?" He asked the little girl.

"Yeah, he was mine first," She said as she crossed her arms, Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that "Yours?" Miki nodded and Naruto did laugh a little this time, spotting how hard it was for Sasuke not to argue that statement with his four-year-old niece.

"Bug, he's very special to me too," he said instead, and the annoyance left the girl's face, and with a last roll of her eyes, she allowed her little body to fall on the bed "If you get to sleep with him I do too," she said.

"Anybody want to ask me if I want to sleep with either of you?" Naruto asked playfully as he walked over to the bed climbing over.

Both Uchiha's gave him an incredulous stare as if he was asking the most irrelevant question in the whole world, and he laughed as he pulled the covers over Miki and himself.

The little girl giggled, as she scooched over so her uncle could cuddle her while she turned over to Naruto "Tell me a story"

"I read you two before bedtime," He said amused.

"Please," She asked in that cute little voice she used to get what she wanted from absolutely everyone.

"All right doll face, let me think something up," He said softly "Once upon a time there was a handsome prince, he was strong and smart, and he would be a great king" He started his eyes falling on Sasuke across from him before he continued "But he had been trapped under a spell by a beautiful princess, who pretended to be good just to gain access to his kingdom, to take over everything he had" Miki gave him her undivided attention, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him before he laid down, his heart beating in his chest with the need to pull the blonde close, but he settled for outstretching one of his arms above his head so he could grab the blondes hand.

Naruto squeezed his hand back "Did the prince realize she was evil?" Miki asked.

"Well one night the prince was down by the kitchens, confused about his own feelings, and he ran into someone from the help, not only were they beautiful but they were also kind and caring, so the prince began making a trip down to the kitchens every night after the princess was asleep. The prince and the servant grew closer each night, and as they fell in love, the princess's spell on the prince broke" Sasuke had taken over for the second part of the story "She was sent back to her kingdom, banished never to return again"

"Did the prince live happily ever after, with his new love?" She asked as she yawned her little eyes already closing.

Their eyes shifted from the little girl back to each other "I think they will, live happily ever after that is" Sasuke said softly.

"I love you" Naruto mouthed at him

Mikoto was laughing, she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed that hard. Naruto and Miki were making cookies in the kitchen, she was sitting by the peninsula watching the blonde patiently explain the steps to Miki. Sasuke was sitting across from her his eyes glued to the blonde.

Naruto had turned to grab the wet ingredients and Miki had turned the mixer on, flour exploded all over the kitchen, caking both Naruto and Miki on it.

"Opsss" the little girl let out between coughs

"Oh my god Miki we're going to be cleaning flour off your Grammy's kitchen for weeks"

He looked over at the older lady ready for her to be upset but she was laughing

"Sorry Grammy"

"Oh darling, your dad and uncle never had an interest in baking with me in the kitchen, this is great," She said as she looked at her granddaughter lovingly.

"How about we give it another try? She asked as she ruffled Miki's dark hair, flour powdering around her.

"I'll do the clean-up," Naruto said guiltily.

She raised her eyes to him and smiled softly "We'll all clean after, it will go by fast"

"How about I start with getting you clean?" Sasuke had stood up and somehow walked up behind the blonde, his arms circling the blonde's waist as he pulled him flush against his body. Not one bit bothered by the flour getting on his clothes.

The blonde blushed, and Mikoto rolled her eyes at her son "Your niece is right here" The raven kissed the blonde's cheek.

"Naru gives me baths all the time," Miki said obviously oblivious to what her uncle really intended to do to Naru in the shower, moving her stool to get the flour from the pantry so they could try again.

"See it's perfectly normal Grammy get your head out of the gutter," Sasuke told his mother with a mischievous grin

The blonde was speechless and adorably flushed as she swatted her son's arm "Get out of my kitchen before you corrupt your niece"

Sasuke laughed as he dragged the flustered blonde with him out of the kitchen. Mikoto shook her head as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her son was definitely the one taking advantage of the poor nanny.

Mikoto closed Miki's door quietly, she was fast asleep. Naruto would prep her for bedtime, read to her and then kiss her forehead as he tucked her in. She knew Miki would be sound asleep, maybe it was the motherly instinct in her, but she still checked, always, just as she had with Sasuke and Itachi before their teenage years had them locking their doors at night.

She allowed the fond memories to filter through her bringing a soft smile to her face as she walked down the hallway and stopped as she heard voices filtering through Sasuke's room, the door slightly ajar.

"Sweetheart stay put"

"Sas no I'm scared" her son's soft laugh reached her ears.

"The doctor said we could just cut the stitches and pull them out, they also said it wouldn't hurt" Shuffling inside the room "Ok, but really—put the scissors down and wait just a sec!"

"Don't make me straddle you" Sasuke's voice filtered through, and she held in the chuckle that rose to her throat, walking past the room quietly and to the kitchen to make herself a tea.

She'd seen Sasuke around Naruto the past week, and most importantly she had seen Naruto around Sasuke, his eyes held nothing but adoration for her son. She had reflected on Naruto's words. He'd stood by her son; he'd protected her son…and only now did she realize how long it had been since she'd heard Sasuke laugh like that. This last week had been like seeing someone else, maybe a forgotten version of her son…how could she have forgotten he used to be mischievous and witty…how did she not see the change?

With Naruto here, she had seen that part of her son resurface, she had seen tenderness and love. How was she supposed to be upset at that? If Sakura had been the right person for her son, she would have brought that side out, wouldn't she?

She'd called her again, shortly after she'd been discharged, begging her to talk to Sasuke, saying that she'd made a mistake but wanted to make things right. But Mikoto couldn't consciously push Sasuke back to her. Not when the difference between Sasuke being with Sakura and Sasuke being with Naruto was day and night.

Her job wasn't to look out for Sakura, it was to look out for her son, and that's what she would do.

The week had been enough for Naruto to mostly come down from all the chaos Sakura had brought on to their lives. The house was Sasuke's and the last thing he wanted to do was allow Sakura to chase Sasuke out of his own house even when she wasn't there anymore.

So, when Sasuke asked him if he would be ok going back, he said yes. Even though Sakura's actions had kind of soured the place up a bit, he wanted to think about all the good memories he had. How he'd first seen Sasuke there, how Sasuke had pulled him over his lap on the patio, pushed him against the fridge in jealousy…

There was more good than bad.

By the end of the week, they were packing up the car, Miki not entirely happy with having to go back to school because 'it was funner with Naru and grammy'

As for Mikoto seeing them go was hard, she was half tempted to go stay at Sasuke's place. She'd never realized how much she'd missed the noise, and couldn't wait for Itachi to be back so she could have them all over.

Maybe she should nag them to visit her way more often…

Sasuke had been out doing field reports and was running late for dinner. So, when the doorbell rang the blonde walked over a little confused since they weren't expecting anyone. Sasuke had changed all the locks wanting to make sure Sakura could never come into the house again. But the blonde kept forgetting to ask Sasuke for the security login since Sasuke was often just—home.

He opened the door a little hesitantly and then his eyes widened as he stepped back and stared. He'd seen him in pictures, the built body, and mid-length hair framing his face, he was just as pale as Sasuke, his eyes the color of charcoal. There was no mistaking him.

"Daddy!" Miki's screamed as she walked over to see what was taking Naru so long and her amber eyes fell on her dad.

She ran big fat tears already streaming down her face as the raven leaned down in order to catch the little girl in his arms, hugging her "Hey princess, I've missed you so much" The little girl couldn't formulate a sentence between hiccups and little gasps.

"Why-hic-wereyou-hic-gone-hic-forsolong" The raven rubbed soothing circles on her back as he carried her up, and Naruto finally snapped out of his socked state.

"Please come in, let's get her some water, do you–do you want something to drink?" Itachi walked over to the kitchen and plopped down on a chair by the small table, setting Miki down on the table and wiping at her tears.

"There princess, I'm right here, I'm sorry I was gone for so long" the intense stream of tears had stopped and she was now sniffling and hiccupping, dropping herself on her dad's lap "You can't leave again" She ordered

Naruto placed a cup of water down on the table for Itachi and then handed Miki a small plastic cup "Here doll face, drink some water" He smiled softly at her.

He stepped back awkwardly not knowing what to do, should he leave, give them the room?

"Who are you?" Itachi asked as he fully took the blonde in, Naruto smacked himself, introduce himself, maybe he should introduce himself.

"My name is Naruto—I'm" He stopped for a second, Sasuke's boyfriend? Itachi probably didn't know… "Miki's nanny," he said after a slight pause.

His hand hugged his little girl as his other arm extended "Itachi Uchiha" Naruto shook the raven's hand with a slight blush, it was almost like looking at Sasuke but different.

"Sorry, it looks like I caught you off guard, I wanted to surprise her" The blonde shook his head "No, well I mean yes I was a little surprised but I'm very happy to see you" he laughed softly "I know we've never met but this little doll face has told me all about her dad" Miki smiled pleased with herself on her dad's lap.

Itachi's eyes lit with understanding, and he took his phone out of his pocket clicking on a message thread from an unknown number. He'd never say it out loud, but he cried when he'd opened it, straight out of his assignment and raw with having missed his little girl so much.

"You're whom I have to thank for this?" He said softly and Naruto blushed. He'd asked for Itachi's phone number shortly after he'd gotten hired. He figured eight months was a long time to be away, Miki was already bigger, her hair no longer by her chin but down to her shoulders. She had told Naruto she didn't want to cut it until her dad got back.

Realization hit Naruto that Itachi himself kept his hair a little past his chin, she was imitating her dad…

The screen lit with the daily pictures one after the other, Miki after she'd chosen her clothes for the day, playing in the pool, getting dropped off for school…having breakfast. Naruto had sent a picture every day for seven months. Itachi felt like he could fall for whoever had done it, just by the sheer emotion he felt at the thoughtfulness behind the action.

Naruto blushed a bit as he dropped down on the chair opposite to Itachi "I hope…I hope it'll give you back some of the time you might have thought you lost"

Miki took her dad's phone looking through the pictures "You should have told me they were for dad" Miki said with a small blush as she noticed some of the silly faces she sometimes made.

"I love them all princess, we'll make an album you and I, and you can tell me all you've been doing while staying at Uncle Sasuke's"

Bringing up Sasuke's name had him look up at the blonde "Sasuke and Sakura not home?" he asked, and Miki looked up at him "Aunty Sakura doesn't live here anymore" Itachi lifted an eyebrow at that and his eyes shifted back to the blonde, who despite his best couldn't help but blush slightly. Something told him Naruto did not go unnoticed by his little brother…he'd always thought his brother could do better than Sakura.

Naruto could technically see the wheels turning in the raven's eyes and didn't even know what expression to make or what to say "Sasuke's out doing field reports, but he shouldn't be long—actually, I should just call him he'll probably want to—" But Naruto didn't have to do anything because the front door opened and Sasuke's voice filtered through

"Baby boy?"

Naruto was pretty sure he was red from head to toe and capable of physical combustion as a smirk settled on Itachi's face.

"Just the nanny?" Itachi asked amused

"Kitchen!" Naruto hollered, instead of answering Itachi's question. Sasuke's voice still rang over his "Itachi's car is in the drive—" His eyes landed on his brother holding Miki on his lap on the kitchen table and he let out a small breath, as he closed his eyes relief washing over him.

Itachi gave his brother a soft smile as he stood and both ravens crashed in a hug, Miki grunting a little "Hey! You're squishing me!"

"So…you're banging the nanny?" Itachi asked quietly before taking a step back to see his brother rolling his eyes at him with a stupid smile on his face.

Ahhh I can't ever help but write Itachi as this awesome human being (^_^) so happy Miki gets her dad back safe and sound ❤️

Sasuke calling out "Baby boy" with an unsuspecting Itachi in the kitchen gives me life lol. I hope this chapter got a couple of laughs or smirks out of you! Still working on Gateway, crossing my fingers that I'll be able to get you a timely update tomorrow.

As for this one, you can expect our last chapter to be posted towards the beginning of the week.

Until the next one my darlings, can't wait to read all your feedback,

Chio~