Title: "New Traditions"
Summary: The new Uchiha generation deserves new traditions, no one better than Sakura Haruno— ahem, Sakura Uchiha to start them.
Warnings: Shinobi AU where Sasuke goes on regular mission (not that forever mission -.- because he doesn't deserve that, neither does Sakura and Sarada-chan) and lives in Konoha.
Rating: K+
Words: 1767

New Traditions

Ever since Sakura became a constant in his life, Uchiha Sasuke learned that there was more to a touch than simple skin to skin contact.

When they were genin, she would use any moment and excuse to initiate contact. Take those confusing bear hugs to thank him for saving her life, for example.

At the beginning it was annoying, because it was the same way those fangirls would try to throw themselves at him. He didn't need another fangirl; one that would spend most of her time around him being a nuisance, while he trained to get stronger.

Although, Sakura's hugs didn't border on forceful or disrespectful. And with time, they were not as annoying anymore. They were easier to accept, especially because of their meaning: gratitude, care, friendship.

He couldn't remember the last (or first) time he'd received support from someone close to him. He didn't remember if he ever did, to be honest.

Trying to recall, he remembered his mother's support through her caring words and sweet smiles… he wasn't sure if there were more examples, though.

Did she hug him? Did she kiss him goodnight?

If she did, his mind couldn't confirm it, and it was too painful to decide between yes or no.

There was also Itachi's forehead poke (which he didn't take as a caring gesture until much later on).

But that was it.

No more memories of anyone extending a hand, literal or not.

Then there was the Forest of Death.

When he was twelve, going through the most scarring and physically painful experience of his life (at that point at least), she was there.

Sakura was there, holding his hand, their fingers interlaced and crushing one another, conveying all the emotions they could not say out loud:

"I'm here for you", "everything is going to be ok", "please be ok", "if I could, I'd take that pain from you".

Sakura's touch brought him reassurance, the support that he didn't even know he needed, but received anyway.

Over the years, those touches were less and less constant (which was his own fault for running away and taking so long to finally go back home), but they were still there.

A light touch on his forearm during missions.

A hand on his shoulder on those particularly difficult days (how she knew he needed that was beyond him, and he'd never ask).

A brush of her fingers against his forehead, swiping his ebony bangs away during checkups.

She didn't hug him though; she didn't need saving anymore.

Sometimes, Sasuke wished she did.

When he finally grew a pair (Naruto's words) and asked her out, the touches increased in frequency, and then there was a brand-new spectrum of possibilities that he never imagined existed.

They held hands now.

He thought it was stupid, unnecessary, and meaningless… at first.

It didn't take long for him to understand why everyone did that though. The comfort that her small hand brought him was startlingly welcome.

It reminded him of those days when she did so, many years ago. It reminded him of their history. And it reminded him that he was not alone, and he didn't need to be… not anymore.

There were old touches and new touches. There were touches that were only his, and there were touches that they only shared in the privacy of their home. Each one of them carried a message; each one of them meant something.

And the best of all, she taught him all that.

Haruno Sakura – now Uchiha – taught him how to touch; how to feel, how to convey a whole message, emotions, and everything in between with actions.

And although Sasuke was never a man of words, he lacked the knowledge, or experience to be a man of actions.

He could punch Naruto until next week; show his frustration, anger, hatred, and loneliness with punches and kicks and flawless, flashy justus. But explosive actions that would tell how he felt were never actions that he could deliver to her – even though he did once, he vowed he'd never do it again.

So, when Sakura taught him all these new things, it was like he'd received a whole new set of tools; things he could do to show her everything he couldn't say.

He couldn't count how many they were, but there was a particular one that irked him every time she did. It wasn't a negative thing though; he just didn't understand the meaning behind it.

It started when they were dating.

She would lean in, when they were sitting beside each other, and her head would find support on his shoulder. Sometimes, when they were particularly comfortable, she would nuzzle and press her face to his biceps.

When they shared a bed for the first time, his arm went around her waist, and she rested her head on his chest. Not long later, when no protest from his part was made, Sakura, much like a lazy cat, snuggled on him, finding the perfect spot to sleep; in the crook of his neck.

After that first night, it became a regular thing, and Sasuke being Sasuke, could not understand why she would prefer his bony shoulder instead of a pillow.

She'd stretch around him, head in that same nook, and then all of the sudden, she'd press her entire face against the column of his neck, sniffing it soundly and pressing her lips on it once or twice before falling asleep.

Sometimes, when she wasn't as tired, she'd lift the arm that was usually thrown on his middle, and she'd splay her fingers on his bare chest, drawing lazy patterns. Then she'd run her fingers up his neck and through his dark locks. Those days, he'd fall asleep before her.

He couldn't say he didn't like the treatment, but the logical shinobi in him could not understand why she did that.

When Sarada came along, their bundle of joy was the cutest little thing he had ever seen. Not that he'd say that word out loud, it was never in his microscopic vocabulary in the first place.

Sasuke was always protective of those he loved, and learning how to take care of Sarada was his priority when he became a father. He would not be in the sidelines watching his wife do all the work; Sakura deserved his unwavering support, and he'd go above and beyond to offer everything he could to his little girl, too.

He carried her around, fed her bottles, put her to sleep, gave her baths, and even changed diapers. He was the dream husband, the 'whole package', as Sakura liked to brag.

Sarada was two months old when she started falling asleep while in his hold. It happened instantly. He would pick her up, she'd lay her tiny head on his chest, and she'd be out.

In the beginning, it prompted some jealously.

Sakura would pout and complain how Sarada preferred him. In two months' time, his wife was thanking Kami and all the deities for his magic touch, because Sarada was teething and would not stop wailing.

When she was about six months old, Sarada learned that there was this spot above Papa's chest, where her little head would fit perfectly, between his shoulder and neck.

Sasuke wondered if it was genetic, or if she'd seen his wife doing that same puzzling action and repeated it.

After that, every time he'd pick her up, Sarada would do the same, finding that perfect spot that was more of a pillow than anything else now.

She'd do it when they were walking around the village, when they were at home… she'd do it anytime, whether she wanted to sleep or not.

Sarada was five years old when Naruto became Hokage and her Papa was added back to the ANBU roster.

Sasuke, being one of the most powerful ninjas in the village, was still on active duty, going on missions every now and then. In times of peace, they were scarcer – but due to his abilities, he'd go on some S-rank missions.

Naruto liked to say that he'd be sending his best men squad to a particularly tricky and dangerous mission when in reality the only other person in the room was Sasuke. His wife, the brains of this operation, cracked the knucklehead's attempt of joke as apparently, the new Hokage counted Susanoo as the second man in the cell.

It was upon returning from one of those missions that he stumbled upon a scene he'd never forget.

He arrived back home past midnight, and to avoid waking up his daughter, he entered his house through his bedroom window.

There, in the bed, bathed by the moonlight, were his two precious girls.

Sakura laid on her back, arm extended to accommodate Sarada who rested her head on her Mama's shoulder. Sakura tucked her baby under her chin, nuzzling her hair while Sarada rested in the comfort of her neck.

His first thought was that it was adorable. Then he scratched that because there was a weird feeling curling in his stomach that tasted much like betrayal.

How dare they snuggle each other like that?

That was his job! To offer his shoulder, the nook of his neck!

He stalked towards them, leaning on his side and glaring down at his wife and daughter.

Traitors!

In his state, he must have forgotten to be careful, because Sakura stirred and fluttered her lashes, opening her green eyes to find his.

He intensified his glare on purpose. But then, slowly, she stretched her lips into a smile that disarmed him and then, it grew into a grin.

"Come here," she whispered, patting the side of the bed and opening an arm, "I saved this space for you."

He slipped out of his cloak and uniform, grabbing his sweatpants from the armchair and making a beeline to the bathroom. Sasuke scowled during the whole process of getting ready for bed.

When he finally laid down, Sakura snaked an arm under him, cradling his head and bringing his face to her shoulder, and for the first time in his life, Sasuke rested in the crook of her neck.

As Sakura played with his dark hair, the combined feeling of her warmth, her touches, and the comfort that her body was providing, slowly sank in and he finally understood why this was so special for his wife and daughter.

He felt safe, he felt protected, he felt cared for.

He felt at home.

There, in that bed too big for two, laid three Uchihas, wrapped around each other, creating new traditions.

A/N: yay an update! :D

Ok, this was random and it came to me yesterday and I wrote it during my lunch time.

I was in the mood for some fluffy/feel good story.

Let me know what you think!

xoxo