In this chapter, Boruto and Sarada talk to their parents together about their plans for their kids and are given some expectations from their parents. Honestly this might be the proudest chapter I've ever written.

The beginning of the chapter will be what happened between Boruto and Sarada. I feel like it's more of a summary which I'm not sure I like since I feel like it doesn't really deliver on the set up, and I'm considering making a one-shot really going through details if I can figure all of those out. If you think they are acting ridiculous it's because they are- dang teenagers, am I right?

This flashback is in italics so if you just want to skip to the present-day plot, scroll past it- I won't be offended. :)

MORE NOTES: I'd love to hear your ideas! :) I was originally going to have the showdown with Kawaki happen during the pregnancy, but I feel like his defeat will take so. freaking. long. and end up taking away from the rest of the story of the babies actually coming. Kara is definitely going to be a big part of this no matter what (and hopefully we start really seeing this in the anime?!), but I don't want to set up the Big Fight™ with Kawaki/rebuilding of Konoha and wait even longer for the "real" story to start, especially when the first 7 chapters were already a semi-slow burn. It comes down to this: I don't want to rush and I want to make this worth it, but I also don't want to take forever to get to the main plot with Boruto and Sarada's kids if that makes sense. Any thoughts or ideas would be helpful on what you'd like to see, especially regarding the whole Kawaki situation! Personally I think he'll be a Gaara-like character and think he'll have a huge change of heart, but I'm all for ideas on how to weave him into this.

It was simple really, the reason they fell apart. Simple and absolutely stupid, a teenage folly.

Truthfully it wasn't just one event, but little ones that made the biggest differences because their emotions were magnified. If it was someone Sarada didn't care about, she wouldn't have cared at all. But because Boruto loomed large in front of her, taking up most of the space in her heart, everything he did brought her to the extremes of her emotions.

Sarada could trace their first mistake to the rule they made minutes after they peeled themselves off each other the first time: No strings attached. "I don't have time for dating," Sarada had said coolly. "Plus we wouldn't work anyway. Could you imagine?!" She laughed at the thought of them together- though she trusted him with her life, it was impossible to think of them actually dating.

Boruto had laughed, a small chuckle, but even he could hear how forced it was. Both felt a small seed take root inside them, the teenage flutter of liking a person, though they'd never admit it aloud. It was manageable so they thought they could squash it, never having to consciously think of the attraction they felt between then. As smart as they both were, they were delusional if they believed their mutual attraction wasn't what brought them falling into each other's arms, that they could pretend it was all hormones with no emotion behind it.

But the truth was that Sarada felt her heart skip a beat when he looked at her and Boruto felt his skin catch fire every time she brushed past him.

They were safe. Lying against each other, lips touching, heavy breath of the other against their ear, neither had ever felt more safe or alive. They had something that was just for them. And yet they continued to lie to themselves and to each other that this was all just for fun.

But after every time they left, they felt more electrified and alive than ever, and they could never relish in it.

That lie, believing they didn't have feelings for each other, burrowed a hole that would begin to separate them even as their strong emotions began to wind tightly around each other into knots. What normally wouldn't hurt them would sting so badly, causing them to lash out at the other to protect themselves. Everything hurt more- Sarada's annoyance grew as she ignored the growing love inside her chest, and their fear of what those feelings meant compounded it all. They were both scared of those feelings-of what could happen, of getting hurt- and so they did anything to push the other away, sure the other one didn't care since they promised no strings attached. But how could they stick to that rule when they were already closer than close? To pretend they had nothing there was to deny parts of themselves. But they had to act like they didn't care so they could hide from the truth of their emotions and from each other, all to keep their rule and to not appear weak.

At night Boruto and Sarada would lie awake at different ends of the village trying not to think of the other, growing more and more frustrated at their prospects. In the end, this bite and game of pretending who could care less broke them down, finally coming to a head just two weeks before.

It started with a rumor.

Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki sat around a fire on a mission before heading to sleep. Sarada had been having difficulty concentrating that day, failing to ignore Boruto as much as she usually could. Three times that day her heart skipped a beat when he looked at her, and she even caught herself fantasizing about grabbing his hand as they walked lazily beside a stream for water.

She was even staring at him now and pictured his lips on hers instead of the water bottle he was bringing to his mouth.

"So I heard something interesting about you, Boruto, yesterday before we left and I'm wondering if it's true." Mitsuki's announcement broke her thoughts.

"Me? Hm?"

"You don't usually listen to rumors," Sarada pointed out.

Mitsuki shrugged. "Just making conversation."

"What is it?" Boruto asked.

"Well." He shifted nonchalantly, not knowing the weight of his words. "I heard Sumire really likes you and was going to ask you out before we left but didn't because we had to leave so soon after receiving the mission. I wonder if she'll say something upon our return. Do you like her?"

"Wait, what?"

"If she asked you out, what would you say?"

Boruto froze, water bottle still in hand, while Sarada's stomach turned to ice. She stared at him, mouth slightly agape, waiting for an answer from him.

Obviously no, of course Boruto didn't like Sumire like that at all, but looking over he noticed Sarada staring at him which caused a thought to start forming. Maybe this was his way...maybe he could make Sarada jealous and get her to crack first. Anything to end whatever this was and he would finally be able to admit that he liked her- but he needed to hear it first.

"Sumire? Yeah, she's cool." He leaned back against the tree behind him and tried to smooth out his voice like he didn't care. "I could date her." Come on, Sarada, notice. Say something, he wanted to say.

But Sarada immediately felt her brain shut down as she misread the situation. He likes Sumire. How could he use her like that?! This whole time he was sleeping with her...he wanted Sumire?

She forced herself to scoff in an effort to push him away. I don't care, I don't care, I don't-- "She'd be an idiot to like you," she blurted.

"What?"

"Why the hell would someone like her like someone like you?"

Boruto's body tensed up. "What do you mean?"

"She's so strong and you're just…" Her eyes looked him up and down but this time she didn't allow herself to picture what was underneath. "You're just you."

Just you…? So that's what she really thought of him? "Well that's kind of hypocritical, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

He forced himself to smirk at her. "You're not exactly any better. You're just jealous because somebody actually likes me and nobody wants you." His eyes trailed over her too, cutting her down. "Who the hell would want to date someone so controlling?"

Sarada's breath snagged. "Then why don't you just team up with her then if I'm so controlling?!"

"Believe me, I would if I could! Someone who maybe actually cares about their teammates like Sumire does. You just look desperate. It's not a good look, Sarada."

Sarada jumped to her feet. Desperate? So this is how he really feels… "I hate you," she cried, abandoning all pretending she didn't care.

"Excuse me?"

"I said I hate you."

Boruto blinked in shock and even Sarada's chest seized up, but it was too late to take it back. The damage was done.

"So your real feelings come out!" Boruto heard himself spat before he had a chance to stop himself. This whole time she— "If you hate me so much why do you still bother talking to me?! Why don't you just leave?"

"Gladly! If you think I'm so desperate, don't talk to me after this! We're chunins anyway- we don't need to be on the same missions anymore!"

"Great! I'll tell my dad right away to not put you anywhere near me anymore!"

Sarada finally turned to stomp away, legs shaking in anger, having heard enough. So it was done: after weeks of escalation, of their tensions rising in not knowing where they stood with one another, their team was over. Her eyes may have burned with tears but she wouldn't let them fall- she didn't want to cry over the boy who clearly used her body while pining for someone else. The person she believed would always be there to protect her turned out to be the one to use her and throw her away.

Both teens felt their hearts numb and close down as neither wanted to think about the unexpected ending to their friendship. Both told themselves they didn't need the other- they only became friends because they were on the same team, that not everything lasts forever.

But laying awake at night, her mind racing in anger because of him, Sarada felt something was missing, an open void. It was him. The boy she'd go to when she needed to talk. The boy she trusted to protect her with his life. The boy who was more in sync (and out of sync) with her, who understood her more than anyone else, who knew what was wrong just by looking at her— he was her missing piece.

She just wouldn't let herself think about it.

On return from their spectacular falling out, Boruto never did go to Naruto to request himself off missions with Sarada. He told himself it was because he was too lazy to do so and he didn't want to answer any of his fathers' inevitable questions, but deep down it was because he hoped, wished, prayed that someday she'd come back.

He just would never admit it.

Sarada awoke first with a jolt, the dream of their argument pulling her back up to consciousness. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was, but suddenly Boruto reached up in his sleep and pulled her closer to him as a lazy mumble escaped his lips.

Oh my gosh— Boruto is HERE.

She let herself lay against him for a few more moments in an effort to remember the night before. They had made up. They confessed their love for each other— he said I love you!— and somehow in the middle of it all they had drifted to sleep wrapped up in each other. Was this the dream?

"Mm, what time is it?" Boruto mumbled and shifted again.

Sarada turned to face her alarm, shimmying out of his arms slightly. "7:30."

"Mmm, one more hour please."

She turned back to see his eyes were still shut. If he was phased by having spent the night in her bed, he clearly wasn't showing it.

"Are you going to lay back down or do I have to go get you?" he asked after a moment, almost like he had read her thoughts.

She was glad his eyes were closed because she could feel the pink rising in her cheeks as she settled back against him; her mind couldn't help but think We fit so perfectly.

"Shouldn't we get up?" she asked before she could drift back into him. "Your parents are probably wondering where you are. I mean, you spent the night here."

"What trouble could I possibly get into? I already got a girl pregnant."

Sarada couldn't stifle a laugh quick enough, and Boruto's eyes popped open at the sound as he grinned back at her. "Ya' like that?"

"I have to admit, I did miss your stupid humor."

"Who wouldn't? I'm hilarious."

He pecked her quickly on the cheek then sat up to stretch. "I haven't slept that well in weeks." He yawned and reached his arms above his head, pulling his shirt up with him. Sarada's eyes traveled down over his abs, the soft skin that she had been dreaming about for weeks beckoning her toward him.

Boruto caught her eye, causing her to look away blushing. "You know…it has been a while…" he said.

She forced herself to shake her head and disarm the thoughts tightly taking root in her brain. "No. Someone could be here. And I feel disgusting."

"Later maybe…?" He reached up to flip her hair playfully, but she leapt off the bed before she could change her mind.

"Maybe. But I desperately need to eat— for once I'm not nauseous and I don't know how long that's going to last."

Boruto sighed but took that as his queue so he pushed himself off her bed and began walking toward the door.

"So I really can't cook very well," he said following her into the kitchen, "but I think I make some pretty mean eggs— OH."

They stopped in their tracks as they came face to face with Sasuke sitting at the dining room table eating.

Sasuke couldn't contain his own surprise at seeing both of them coming out into kitchen together. He regarded their messy hair, clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them, and pieced together the night before as he stared between them. His eyes finally came to rest on Boruto's as he took another bite of breakfast. Neither teen moved or spoke as he took his time chewing, eyes never once moving from his student's.

Finally, after what felt like hours to Boruto, he swallowed. "So your talk went well I see?" he asked coolly, putting down his chopsticks.

"Yes, sir," Boruto responded before Sarada could.

Sasuke nodded slowly, continuing to look between them. "You know that wasn't an invitation for you to spend the night whenever you want, right?"

"It was on accident," Sarada blurted.

Sasuke smirked. "Hm. Well, if anything I am glad to see you're talking again. May I ask what you talked about?"

They two broke their stare away from Sasuke to look at each other. Did they still feel the same way today—

Boruto nodded at her. "I decided I'm having the babies," she said, not breaking her stare away from Boruto's.

"Hm," Sasuke repeated. "In that case I expect to see you in Naruto's office at six this afternoon."

"Wait?" Boruto finally broke his gaze from Sarada to look back at Sasuke. "Why?"

Sasuke got up from his chair and walked past them to bring his dishes to the sink. "Don't you think we need to discuss this a little bit more?" he asked then paused. "As a…family?"

Boruto and Sarada exchanged a glance.

"While you two were sleeping your father and I already had a conversation regarding this. As you both are already aware of this prophecy, there is certainly a lot to discuss and you should be there."

"So what should we do before then?" Sarada asked.

Her father turned back to face them and shrugged. "Get cleaned up I guess. See you at six." He walked past them and out the front door.

"Well, a congratulations is definitely in order," Gaara emphasized. "This has to be exciting for your family."

Naruto sighed. "As excited as I can be about my seventeen year old becoming a father."

The Kage all nodded over their respective screens. Naruto called another meeting to discuss the prophecy, but didn't want to bring everyone back to the Leaf Village, so they all joined back together over their computers.

"How do you see this complicating things, if anything?" Gaara asked.

"We finally hit a year of being back on our feet," Naruto reminded them. "Kara retreated but Sasuke has been tracking them since then. We don't know what will happen but they definitely aren't done."

"This would motivate them to act," Chojura agreed. "I think they'd definitely come after your family."

"Easy targets," Darui echoed.

"We will keep an eye out and report if we hear anything as usual, but what can we do for you right now?" Gaara asked.

Naruto sighed again. "Keep this situation under wraps please." He paused, remembering his village in crumbles just a year before. "Please."

Boruto finally left the Uchiha household to go get ready at his own home, where Sarada promised to meet him as it was closer to Naruto's office. Neither had any idea what to expect, and Boruto even considered dressing up to appear older and more mature at this meeting, but he decided at the last second to dress in his regular attire to keep some sort of normalcy.

Finally around 5:30, Sarada arrived to retrieve him.

"Is your mom here?" Sarada asked as Boruto locked the door behind him.

"I haven't seen her all day. Hima's at school, so it's just been me."

They shut the gate behind them and slowly followed the route to the Hokage's office.. "Why do I feel like I'm walking to my execution?" Boruto asked.

"I feel the same way. How many times have we walked this road but today feels totally different…" She rubbed her temples and tried to slow her breathing in an effort to calm her rising nausea; she didn't know if it was from the pregnancy or nerves. She didn't know if she could face her whole family and Boruto's, already picturing Naruto's face etched in disappointment.

As they turned the last corner onto the street to face their futures, someone yelled their names. The teens turned to see Konohamaru waving at them and stopped; at the same time they both realized they hadn't seen him since before Boruto truly knew she was pregnant.

"Where are you heading?" Boruto asked as Konohamaru jogged over, a suspicion rising in his chest.

"To see your dad," he chirped.

"That's where we're going too…" Sarada replied slowly.

Konohamaru nodded once, his lips thinning into a straight line. "I know," he said gruffly. "How are you feeling by the way, Sarada?"

Sarada tore her eyes away as his tone said it all. "Fine…" She was too embarrassed to stare into her sensei's face, the guilt and shame reddening her own.

Boruto groaned as they started walking again. "Oh no, why are you coming? I thought Sasuke said it was supposed to just be family."

"Uh, excuse you. I basically am family."

"So you know?" Sarada asked Konohamaru softly.

He sighed and climbed the front steps to the building slowly. "I know that you're going to be just fine and you have a lot of people who love you both," he replied as gently as he could. "Lord Seventh asked me to be here. As your sensei I don't see that as a bad thing."

The teens felt their legs turn to jello as they stepped inside the building. The familiar smell clogged Sarada's nose and she tried to breathe slowly to stop herself from throwing up.

"Hey, you're okay." Konohamaru noticed and squeezed her shoulder. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

They finally approached the top floor and Boruto had to will his legs to move toward the door. Finally, as they arrived, Konohamaru took the lead and knocked on the door before pushing it open.

"Oh, what the hell," Boruto blurted as he stepped inside.

Inside his father's office sat Naruto at his desk with his mom and Sarada's parents flanking the side, but surrounding the perimeter of the room stood Kakashi, Tsunade, Shikamaru, and Hanabi.

"Is this some kind of intervention or something?" He deadpanned as they walked further inside and Konohamaru branched off to stand next to Hanabi.

"We're glad you could be here," Naruto said, ignoring him. "Why don't you guys sit down?" He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk.

"It's weird if we're the only ones sitting, you know," Boruto said, eyeing the jonin around the room cautiously,

"It's okay, we can stand," Kakashi replied, his face crinkling in a smile to disarm the nervous tension in the room.

Boruto and Sarada gingerly sat in front of Naruto and placed their hands in their laps, unsure of what to say next.

"We wanted to discuss the situation—" Naruto began but stopped as Hinata cleared her throat. He shook his head and restarted. "We wanted to discuss the new additions to our family."

Boruto smirked. This wasn't a 'situation'— this was about two lives, and leave it to his mother to make sure they were treated as they should be.

Naruto continued. "We asked the others to be here to weigh in with their professional input to come up with a plan that we can revise later if we need to. I wanted us all to be on the same page."

"A plan?" Sarada asked. "What kind of plan?"

"We want to think ahead for the future so we're not caught off guard later," Sasuke clarified.

"We'd like to make a plan for the next few months up to their birth. Life is finally getting back to normal as you both may know, but things are not in the clear just yet. There are people and forces who would absolutely take advantage of your children if they knew of their existence. We might not have heard from Kara in a while, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there— Sasuke has found some concerning information, but we remain hopeful we have it under control."

Boruto winced, thinking about Kawaki who sat in the Shinobi Allies' high security prison. Sarada immediately reached out to grab his hand in understanding of how difficult the last few months had been between trying to get over basically losing a brother and moving back toward normal life and a peaceful era.

Naruto's eyes traveled to their hands and back up to their faces. "Our propositions so far are this: Sarada, you're to stop missions immediately."

"What."

Her stomach dropped even though she wasn't that surprised by the demand. She knew it was common for kunoichi to retire or to stop missions while pregnant, but hearing it made it all too real and she wanted to argue back.

"You know how dangerous that would be," Sakura piped in, narrowing her eyes at her daughter.

She dropped her eyes to the floor and drew her hand back from Boruto's. "I know."

"We also do not want word of you being pregnant to get out of the village, so this one might be a little harder…" Sakura took over. "We're going to ask that you stay on bed rest almost full time."

"What?! Mom no!" Sarada cried out and snapped her head back up to glare at her mother.

"That might be a little much," Boruto agreed. "That sounds unfair."

"We don't want you out that much for your own protection," Sakura continued. "It's not that you can't go out, it's that we want to limit it. Again, if anyone finds out, it could prove fatal."

"But what happens after they are born?" Sarada asked. "What then? Am I going to be in hiding forever?"

"By then we'll have more barriers in place for your protection and theirs," Sasuke answered. "We should also have more of an idea of what we're up against. And by then you should be able to go back to work so you will be a big help as well."

Sarada's fists tightened. How could she let this happen? Her life had been going so well, a straight trajectory into the stars to steal them for herself and achieve her dreams, and now in such a quick turn around she was stuck in the Hokage's musty office while people plucked the stars from her one by one. Though tears burned the back of her eyes, she didn't want to give them more reason to believe she was too immature to handle herself and therefore take even more away, so she bit her tongue and leaned back as far as she could against the chair.

Naruto drummed his knuckles on his desk in thought. "The birth will be at an undisclosed location and we'll have tight security around that as well. Am I forgetting anything?"

"We'll be helping out with that," Tsunade piped in. "I'll be in the delivery room with your mother and Kakashi will help with guarding in case your fathers are away."

The Fifth Hokage would be delivering her children? Sarada knew she would be in good hands regardless, but now she still couldn't shake the nervous jitters rising in her stomach. To ask Lady Tsunade, to set up these barriers, they truly believed something would happen. She understood being someone's target, but this was even above her head.

Next to Sarada, Boruto was also in the throes of gripping his life only to have it sift through his fingers like sand. It was surreal to have adults bark orders at him when months earlier he had helped save his father and the village, and now it was like he was right back to being a kid again, all because they believed his own children- his, who he made and was supposed to be in charge of- could be in danger. Hadn't he proved how strong he could be already?

"So if you don't want anyone to find out, are we just not supposed to see our friends?" Boruto then piped in.

The parents swapped glances. "No, you are allowed to tell your friends," Naruto began.

"— but they will be under sworn secrecy as well," Shikamaru finished. "Once you tell Shikadai I'll sit down with him and the others too to make sure they understand."

Sarada glanced over at Boruto who was staring down at his shoes. In a matter of days their world shrunk to a quarter of its size and she could tell he felt like he was losing control.

Boruto suddenly felt like he was sucked backwards to observe this meeting from above the room, with one foot in his father's office and another under the cascading summer leaves where he and Sarada breathed heavily against each other's skin. Two fumbling kids, half-lidded and heady, seemed like a far cry from the power they allegedly made and the fear and seriousness surrounding them now. Surely power didn't come from awkwardness like that: it came from sureness and precision and purpose. He wasn't exactly trying to do anything like that; he just wanted to come. In that moment slick with sweat, this didn't seem like the likely outcome, that what they did could produce such a fuss and result in him sitting in a room surrounded by some of the most powerful shinobi in his village. And since he wasn't trying to create this, it seemed misguided that he was in charge. He couldn't be. It was wrong. Misdirected. How could their awkward sex potentially produce the end of the world or put their village in danger?

"Are you listening, Boruto?"

But he was in charge. And since this was his reality, that he was the one to blame for this happening, he had to take that charge. Adults may have been dictating his life, but he was still in charge of this happening, no matter how surreal it felt.

"Shouldn't you have asked us what we wanted before you started dictating all of this?" he suddenly asked. He looked up to glare at his father.

"What do you mean? It's what's best for you," Naruto maintained. "That's why we're telling you this now."

"Nobody even asked! Can't we have a say in what our lives are going to look like?" He gestured to Sarada with both hands. "Do you even know Sarada? She's, like, the hardest working person I know and she just has to sit here until she pops them out?"

Sarada winced at his crudeness. "Boruto, stop," she mouthed.

"I just don't want to be told exactly how to live our lives. Sasuke, didn't you just tell me to make a move when it comes to family? Well I'm making a move! Aren't these our children after all?"

"And you're our children," Naruto snapped. "You don't understand what this could mean. This isn't just someone targeting you for the hell of it: if there's a prophecy, we don't know what this power could look like and we need to remain vigilant about it!"

Sasuke raised a hand to Naruto to stop him from speaking, and turned back to Boruto to address him calmer. "It's our job to raise them up to keep whatever is out there at bay. Do you understand? We have to keep your children safe and on the right path, and make sure we're ready for whatever is out there. Do you understand?"

Boruto nodded. "Of course I understand, but I don't give a damn about some prophecy. These are my children, right? So I'd like more of a say."

"But remember, Boruto," Naruto cut back in. "The prophecy says that 'Based on the vigilance of the current sun and moon, they will either save the world or destroy it. You are in control now of this convergence,' meaning me and Sasuke. So we are going to be a big part of this and you will have to trust us, Boruto. You can't be pushing back like a little kid anymore."

"And again, I understand that; honestly I'd feel better if you were there helping us. I just want to be strong for my kids and I want to have a say."

"So what don't you agree with then— what do you want to change?"

Boruto thought for a second; he didn't get that far. "If my kids could be in danger like you say they are…" he began, "then I want to be close to the village for missions to be near Sarada. Or I want to go with Sasuke to train harder. If it's far away just as a regular mission then forget it."

Naruto leaned forward, his chin balancing on his fist. "Deal. That can be arranged."

"And..and I'm asking for a raise."

"What?" His father scoffed, pulling backwards. "You know the rates of each mission."

"If I'm supposed to support a family then I want more money or higher ranked missions only."

Naruto sighed and tried not to roll his eyes while Sasuke fought a smirk. "Fine. We can discuss that more later, but fine. Anything else?"

Boruto sat back and grinned, proud of his demands. Maybe he was getting this whole 'adult' thing. "No, that's it for me. Sarada, do you have anything?"

Sarada shook her head in surprise of Boruto and said, "Nope."

"Well then. Anything else, Dad?"

Sasuke let himself smirk at Boruto in pride over his student's complete turn around, while Naruto glared down at his son, the two Uzumaki men drilling holes into each others' bodies.

"No. No, I think that's all I have for right now."

"Well, if you don't need us anymore, we'll get out of your hair," Kakashi announced. "We fully understand your rules so let us know if anything changes and we'll assist however we can."

"We appreciate you coming," Naruto said as the jonin moved toward the door.

Hanabi stopped at Boruto's chair and reached down to hug him. "Ooooooh, you're going to be such a good dad," she squeaked in his ear.

"Big Sis, I can't breathe," he choked out, clawing at her arms to release him.

Konohamaru knelt down beside Sarada. "Hey," he said quietly, his soft voice bringing her back to herself. "I'll come visit. You're not alone, okay? If you need anything, I'll always be your sensei." Sarada felt her lip quiver as she reached up to tightly hug him and bouy herself back to something familiar. "Thank you," she whispered, the sound muffled in his flak jacket.

They let go of the parents-to-be and followed the former Hokages out the door.

That left just the family.

"You do realized we're just trying to do what's best for you, right?" Naruto asked as soon as the door clicked shut.

"Yes," Sarada replied before Boruto had a chance to speak and shot him a look. "We do. We do see that."

"So what about after the birth?" he asked. "Do you have any plans for that?"

"Well, after they are born I assume they'll be living with us," Sasuke said.

"You? Why you?!" Naruto asked defensively.

"Because they obviously have to be with their mother," scoffed Sasuke.

"So what, they're just never going to stay with us?!"

"Well I don't see why they ever would need to—"

"You're always like this, Sasuke! We're just as much of their family as you are!"

"Knock it off!" Sakura brought her fist down on both her husband and best friend's heads to quiet them. "You want to lecture them on acting like children? You two haven't changed since you were twelve!"

"Sorry…" Naruto mumbled and rubbed his head as Hinata just giggled beside him.

"We're supposed to expect you two to be in charge?" Sakura rolled her eyes. "We're in for a long journey then. Obviously we'll each have a nursery."

Hinata clapped her hands together. "Oh, I miss decorating nurseries!"

"Oh I know." Sakura's eyes lit up as her mind traveled back in time. "Sarada had the cutest little white crib—"

"And we clearly need new rocking chairs for both nurseries—"

"Did you see those new machines that track heart rate as they sleep?Where was that when they were growing up?!"

The Uchiha and Uzumaki patriarchs and kids stared at the moms like they were aliens as they gushed. "You realize I'm only eight weeks along, right?" Sarada asked blandly.

"It's never too early to start!" Sakura snapped then turned back to Hinata and sighed sweetly. "Oh, what if there's a girl? We can go buy her little bows to match all her outfits!"

"I think we still have a lot of Himawari's! And I think we still have some of Boruto's baby shoes! Oh, remember when they were so tiny?"

"So tiny!"

"As soon as I get home I'm going to see if I can find pictures of them as babies— oh, you two were so precious." Hinata smiled at Boruto and Sarada, her mind also clearly flashed back to an easier time. She then looked up at her husband and Sasuke whose faces were still steel as they regarded their wives.

"You know you're allowed to be excited and worry about their protection at the same time, right?"

"Right," Sakura agreed. "You're going to be grandfathers— you can act happy about it."

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other. After all the years of rivalry between them, bad blood and competition, they were expected to help raise up the same grandchildren. It all came down to this.

"I'll let my guard down when I feel it's safe to let it down," Sasuke replied, not pulling his eyes away from Naruto's.

Naruto's face pulled up into a grin to appease his wife and he held his hand out to shake Sasuke's. "But I guess there's no harm in celebrating too, right? Congratulations… Gramps."

Sasuke grimaced, pulling his hand back as soon as the word 'Gramps' left Naruto's mouth. "Don't call me that."

The kids exchanged their own glances as they watched their fathers attempt to navigate their new roles as leaders of the village and their families. "Don't worry, we can raise them to not be so obstinate." Boruto winked and Sarada let herself smile, her body relaxing against the chair for the first time since they arrived.

"Well," Hinata suddenly announced, "there's a lot to prepare and Hima will be home from sparring practice soon." She turned to start heading toward the door and nodded at her son as she passed. "Since you didn't come home last night— and I shouldn't have to tell you that I don't want you doing that anymore— your sister still doesn't know. You going to tell her?"

He felt his face instantly grow hot. "Oh, shit… Hima." How was she going to take it?

"Have Sarada come with you. She might be less disappointed if you have her there," Hinata joked and winked at them before heading out the door.

Thanks for all your support! :)