Day 8: Ancestral

Sasuke was never really sure what he was supposed to bring as grave offerings. When they visited the ancestral tomb together, Sakura always brought the necessary paraphernalia: flowers, offerings, incense, and a million other things to burn. But when he went alone, he was never really certain.

The first thing he brought was baby Sarada. He'd seen the anxiety in Sakura's eyes, but when he said he'd wanted to introduce their daughter to her grandmother alone, she'd understood. Even with that understanding, he knew she'd waited up for them.

But he wanted to introduce his mother to her grandchild.

Sarada was so light and so tiny, a terrifyingly small bundle that held half of his heart now. She slept as he made his way into the secret hideout that housed the ancestral tomb. He'd have to teach Sarada the way here, someday. Just like he'd been taught. Sakura knew, but she'd leave the teaching to him. They were the only ones left, now.

At that moment, he realized that he should have understood Nii-san's role in the whole thing because his parents and all their relatives were buried in the graves here. Who else could have done it? Sasuke had only been a child back then. And whatever that bastard's name was, he wouldn't have done it.

He rubbed his fingers over his mother's name. Uchiha Mikoto. It was crude, carved on a simple stone compared to all the grand and polished tombstones for the generations before. But now, like a veil being drawn back over his memories, he recognized the handwriting.

"Okaa-san," he murmured, testing the word like he would a disused hinge. "I wanted you to meet Sarada." A bit self-conscious, he added, "My daughter. Your granddaughter."

Sarada yawned and blinked awake sleepily, rubbing one tiny fist over her eyes. Hesitantly, Sasuke took down the bag Sakura had handed him, laid out a tiny blanket and some of her toys, and put the little girl down on it. Sarada reached for the tiny rattle in the shape of the Uchiha crest Naruto had managed to find somewhere. Her happy baby babbles filled the whole cavern as she played with her toy, and as he watched and listened, Sasuke understood why Sakura had packed the bag for him.

"We'll be alright, Okaa-san."

The second thing he brought was Sarada's shuriken, the night of that first Parent and Child Day. This time, he came to his father's tombstone and placed the little weapon in front of the grave.

"Otou-san," Just facing the name - Uchiha Fugaku - on the gravestone made him feel as nervous as he'd been when he was a child, showing his father his fireball technique. "Today, I learned that Sarada… wants to be the Hokage someday."

All the things he couldn't say, about the coup and the massacre and their family's tangled history with the seat, stuck in his throat. Instead, he continued talking about his daughter, "She's so powerful, too. Sakura thinks she's like me, but I know it's her mama's strength."

A rare smile - not so rare these days - crossed his lips as a thought crossed his mind, "I think you would have liked your daughter-in-law." Maybe not at first. But definitely after Sarada.

"I think she'll succeed, Otou-san. I think there might actually be an Uchiha as Hokage someday, and the village will cheer for her."

The third thing he brought was a bottle of sake, the night of Sarada's inauguration day as Hokage. This time, he went to the lump of stone that had no name on it, no body buried beneath it, but still, Sasuke had wanted something for his big brother. Even if they couldn't carve his name into the stone now, later generations would.

"She did it, Nii-san," Sasuke murmured, pouring out a saucer for his brother before taking one for himself. "She became the hero you always wanted me to be."

Sasuke might not have his wife's drinking capacity, but one bottle wasn't going to get him drunk. He could still go home tonight, to his celebrating daughter and his wife who'd watched him go with worried eyes. But first, he'd drink.

"I wish you'd been there to see her do it."

The sake was a bit salty that night.

AN: This ficlet really encapsulates why I'm working on this challenge. I have to admit that I came to the SasuSaku ship because I was a huge Sakura stan, and whatever Sakura wants, Sakura gets, at least in my books (LOL). I know I have some readers who really enjoy my Sasuke characterisation (which I mean, omg, tysm) but sometimes I feel like I can get away with just making him say less and letting the reader project whatever they want onto him. So yes, I know it's SasuSaku Month, but this whole ficlet exercise is meant to improve my chops as a SasuSaku writer. So for this ficlet (and this one only, please), I would appreciate any feedback you have on my Sasuke writing. Thanks guys~