Dino-san's first snow day

Since their cozy night, Fugaku was called affectionately as "Dino san" by his family, even by his serious father. Hinata tried to get him to call their baby "Dino chan," because it is oh, so much cuter. But Sasuke stuck to "Fugaku" or "Dino san" when addressing his chipmunk cheeked son.

It would make her laugh when Sasuke turns to Fugaku and calmly calls him in a soothing, almost formal tone, "Dino san" on the dinner table. Sasuke with chopsticks placed in his long white fingers would turn to Fugaku who was wearing an Uchiha signia sewn bib.

Then her tiny son would actually watch him intelligently with his pretty grey eyes. As if he understood that it was his second name. And that it was his stoic father addressing him.

Hinata overjoyed at this sight, cannot resist wondering if her baby was already a genius—like all young mothers secretly do.

And her husband was the only one who she felt comfortable enough to vent her heart felt musings about her son's future.

"What if he says he wants to be an infamous ninja like his father?"

She worried out loud in the middle of the night on their bed. She started to feel her thoughts reeling like a hamster on a wheel. What if she has to send him to a bigger elementary school after kindergarten? What country would offer the best preliminary education? She read in the news that the Land of Clouds is offering free education for children who could recite poetry or 'rap,' as the new art form is called. Maybe since her son is already understanding language, he could read and later recite too! Then he'll recieve his first ever scholarship!

Sasuke innerly chuckled. He wondered if shy, timid Hinata will turn into a tiger mom. But he had a feeling that Fugaku will be no easy match. Even though their baby practically worshipped his mother in his quiet, unassuming way, he was quite stubborn sometimes.

Her husband who was secretly a big cuddler for a man of his size and icy looks, turned to her and wrapped his arms around her, "He can't even sit on his own because his neck is too weak to support his head." Nuzzling close to her, he murmured "Go to sleep."

He was closing his eyes as he nuzzled his face beneath her chin, his breath quietly fanning her neck.

It was true. If they were ever going to make baby Dino sit on his own, the baby will fall backwards because of the weight of his head and weak neck.

Hinata guggled softly, imagining their son falling backwards, his butt lifting from the floor. Sasuke groaned, "you've been on this for days. Go to sleep."

She loved how Sasuke would speak to her in a low, half asleep, sandy voice as he closes his eyes and curls like a kitten on cream next to her.

She turned her face to him. He cracked open a bleary eye, "what?"

Then she kissed his forehead, and he didn't move.

She also loved how he would still freeze at her initiated kisses. As if he can't get used to them even after they did pretty much everything. Everything that led to having a healthy baby.

Sasuke was actually quite shy. Nobody would expect that from his haughty demeanor, blessed good looks, and his passion for Hinata. But he rarely initiated loving, affectionate gestures like hugs and kisses. So he would mentally curl into a ball of embarrassment whenever he was being touched. At least when it came to kisses and hugs his wife surprises him with.

She looked beyond the transparent curtains, the winter wonderland view.

She couldn't believe the foot length of snow piling out outside. The snow was fluttering like tiny down feathers, flowing here and there, there and here, as they descend onto the white snow. The lit candle by their bedside window illuminated the snowflakes that descended near the glass. A tiny wet moist halo decorated the tiny flame.

"You smell nice." His voice was groggy as he was deeply sleepy and it has gotten very cold and snowy where they lived.

She smiled as she lied down on her side, facing him, "I just nursed Fugaku."

She was wearing a pale nightslip that showed her soft, milky breasts. She was not into wearing revealing clothes, but her growing baby needed to be fed regularly even during nighttime. So she chose an attire that could be easily slipped off. Sasuke never complained.

He continued speaking with his eyes closed. Hinata could barely count his thick, black lashes.

"Fugaku" he uttered, "smells like poop."

She laughed, holding him close so his nose would be buried between her breasts, "it's because you were changing his diaper!" She wasn't able to see him, but she felt his lips crack into a smile as she buried his face between her soft, pale globes of flesh.

"Whenever I hold him," he spoke slow and languidly, "he smells like poop."

"It means he is strong and healthy," she giggled. "Your hold must be doing wonders for his gut health."

He smiled, a half smirk begrudging smile, but still a smile.

He liked hearing that he was being a good father. In whatever shape or form.

Even if it meant feeling the need to dry heave in the bathroom everytime.

Hinata's giggle settled comfortably into silence.

Then she suggested,

"Tomorrow, we should take Fugaku out for his first snow day!"

He asked her, "When are you out from work?

"Five."

It would be best if he picks up Fugaku from the nursery himself instead. "Then l'll wait for you with Fugaku at the playground."

She smiled brightly. "Okay."

The sun was out, making the peoples' eyes hurt by the sunlight radiating off from the blindingly white snow. Sasuke glared at the sunlit snow as he left his shop.

It has snowed the entire day before, and it hasn't snowed since. But the cold weather they had for two days was keeping the snow from melting too fast. Sasuke was amazed by how much snow was still left. He was pretty tall but his foot would be buried ankle deep in the pile of snow.

Sasuke was donned in a aero-pilot style leather jacket that one of his old customers at his tailor shop ended up not retrieving at all. It would be a waste to throw away a perfectly altered leather article because of a forgetful owner. So Sasuke just claimed it himself. He slung a grey knitted winter hat over his dark, messy hair and headed to the local nursery where Fugaku would be waiting for him.

He slid open the door to the local nursery, and the ladies all turned and couldn't help but gasp at the sight of the adult version of Fugaku.

Those long legs, well developed torso, broad shoulders, and on top of that a timeless face with porcelain skin and feathery dark hair. The cold set lips and smoldering eyes with suspiciously darting orbs still set women into a dazed trance.

He looked down at a short lady who seemed to be the principal of the nursery. In a low, favorably husky voice, he introduced himself as Fugaku's father and asked for his son.

The principal blushed, as well as the rest of the ladies, including some of the babies' mothers. They cannot help but appreciate the presence of Fugaku's father who stood out from the rest of the male population, even the young bachelors, in their village. He has this aura that sets him apart from the civilian men they knew.

Also it was not often the crowd-shy tailor would come out into the open, without his wife. Some would wonder what such a gorgeous man was doing with such a frumpy wife with plain tastes. His wife's manners were shy and sweet, but not refined or dignified like the fashionable upper class ladies. She wore unflattering shoes and wasn't good at touching her hair. She was on the short and plump side, and to be honest, the villagers were at first spooked by her pale pupils that seemed to be merged with her pallor.

When a shyly blushing young woman came with his son in her arms, he continued looking down at the baby with a stoic demeanor.

Fugaku was clung like a koala to the young lady's arm, but when he saw his father, his grey eyes started to light up and he reached out his tiny hand to him. An unexpectedly quite exuberant expression of delight from the serious baby.

With his mama, it was expected that she would come for him, but his papa was an exception.

But the father passively looked down at his son without making a gesture to hold him like his mother. It was his first time claiming his son from the nursery. Baby Fugaku stared up to him, not quite sure what his father was doing there. Both the father and son were terribly confused even if they don't show it in the open.

Finally, Sasuke held his son, adjusting him so his plump rear would sit snugly on the crook of his elbow. With his son in his arm, he signed up the papers and they left the nursery.

When the door all closed, the ladies all let out a little melancholy sigh.

"Hinata san is one lucky girl," a child's mother spoke dreamily.

"Ha!" Another young mother snorted, "he doesn't look manly enough. Definitely not my type."

"Hmm- didn't you just ask Fugaku's father about arranging a play date for Fugaku and Yume chan?"

Yume's mother blushed a deep crimson.

"And talking about manly, have you heard of the story about the daimyo's son?"

"Why, that was even before Fugaku was born."

"Way before. About...three years ago, the Uchihas were newly weds. Enjoying their honeymoon."

"And before Uchiha san came to our village, the daimyo's sons were such a nightmare."

"Why, they're bad already! Can't do the tax money justice."

"Oh, they were worse!"

Then the door slid open abruptly and Sasuke was leaning his hand on the door sill, panting. The ladies quickly shut their mouths.

He was holding his son like a luggage by his waist. Fugaku was busily sucking his round fist with an innocent look in his big eyes, unaware of the catastrophe he has created for his father.

Sasuke pursed his lips and tried to muster as much dignity as he said "may we use the bathroom, please?"

The ladies looked at Fugaku and to his blushing, agitated father.

With understanding looks, they ushered Sasuke to the changing room.

XxX

They finally got to the playground. It was just too much drama in the nursery for Sasuke. A lot of women were giving him flirtatious looks, even mothers of babies he knew through Hinata. One even had the audacity to ask if he could 'measure' her assets because she needs to go lingerie shopping. He bluntly referred her to a female tailor in the town, but she wouldn't quit. It was disturbing. Thanks to Fugaku's case of being a stinky rose, he had to go back to the nursery. The women were offering to give him a hand at changing the diaper, but Sasuke refused.

After efficiently dumping his soiled diaper and wiping his bum, Sasuke got Fugaku and himself out of there. As he left, he hoped Hinata wasn't too close with any of the ladies who went there.

Otherwise, everything seemed to be going well for Fugaku's first snow day.

Fugaku was wearing chunky knitted ugg style boots and a blue snow jacket and pants. Covering his head was a knit hat with bear cub ears.

Father and son were waiting for Hinata in the empty playground. The kids were more excited to play snow fights or go sledding so the playground was quite deserted. Sasuke appreciated the quietness. He didn't particularly like children. He saw them as noisy and obnoxious.

Awkwardly standing by the swings, Sasuke asked solemnly.

"Fugaku."

The little baby turned his eyes up to his father in question.

Sasuke broke the silence.

"Why are you so poopy when you're with me?"

Fugaku continued to stare up to his papa with his sweet, crystalline eyes women would gush over. Then he became decidedly indifferent to his father's genuine grievances and turned away and sucked on his yummy fist. His tiny chubby fingers were soon shining with saliva.

"Stop sucking," his father frowned, a deep scowl sharpening his eyes, "here." Sasuke produced a light green pacifier from his pouch and stuck it into Fugaku's mouth.

As soon as his mouth sucked on the pacifier, Fugaku's eyes closed and he bowed his tiny head.

Not even flutterig his eyelashes, Fugaku went out like a snap of fingers.

His fingers that were gripped in a fist loosened slack and his short legs went limp, dangling in the air.

"Fugaku?!" Sasuke accidentally raised his voice.

He cupped his son's plump cheek, "Fugaku?" Did his son just pass out after biting on his paci? What was his paci—some tranquilizer? "Fugaku, wake up!"

But there was his son, slightly opening his grey eyes as he busily suckled on his paci for life. To Sasuke's surprise and bemusement, his baby son gave him a slightly irritated glare as if he didn't approve of his father making such a big fuss.

Sasuke felt a little embarrassed. A slight color of red suffused his face.

"Ha" Sasuke released his grip on Fugaku's face. "I don't know where you got that bad temper from."

Not even pretending to listen, Fugaku shut his eyes again and settled himself in a relaxing state.

Sasuke huffed, "and that arrogant attitude."

"Anata~"

Sasuke turned to see the one face he was dying to see, especially after the exhausting ordeal with changing Fugaku's diaper and dealing with the chattering, overexcited ladies in the nursery.

It seemed as if angel wings were sprouting from his little wife's back as she approached them with a bright smile on her face.

"Anata, did you wait for a long time?"

"No," he replied brusquely.

"Is our baby asleep?" Hinata looked into the face of her baby and looked as if Sasuke had the world in his hands.

Fugaku's closed eyelids had a delicate blue vein showing through the thin, translucent skin. His cheeks busily moved as he sucked on his paci, but otherwise he looked fast asleep.

"No, his mouth is moving," Sasuke pointed to the busily moving cheeks.

Hinata smiled, "he is half asleep. He does that when I feed him too."

He non-committedly hummed, "so he eats and sleeps." He imagined Hinata nursing Fugaku who is relaxing as he suckled on her milky teat. ' It must be nice,' he mused.

Unaware of the rather inappropriate thoughts he was having, she giggled, "Yes, that's a baby's job. Eating while sleeping."

Looking down at his wife, Sasuke wondered how in the world Hinata could be always so excited and enthralled with their baby. Sure, he loved his son, but surly there must be times when she would want a break. It would help if she takes a break from thinking her baby is the center of her universe or some angel-sent gift from God. Literally, she would look at him as if he was a living, breathing treasure 24/7. It was rather unrealistic.

He was slightly worried that she would overly coddle their child and spoil him rotten with her lavish affection.

"Hinata," Sasuke spoke up, "Fugaku is burdensome." He spoke bluntly. He didn't feel that way right now, but he wanted to see what her reaction will be like.

Hinata stared at him. Monster-her eyes seemed to say.

His wife would gasp at his accusations of her being a blindly adoring mother. In her eyes, her three month old baby could do no wrong. He just wasn't capable of any evil.

"Then I will hold him!" She stretched out her arms, but Sasuke walked past her.

She continued begging to hold him like a little girl, but he told her no and insisted on holding the child himself.

"Please, anata, can I please hold him?"

When he responded with nothing,she crossed her arms, "how could you be so cruel to such angel?"

Then it was his time to gasp. Him, cruel? Did she forget who he used to be? Also, he was the one who had to take his son's attitude when he realizes that it was his walking ice block dad, not his soft, cuddly mother who smells like milk who came for him.

It was abundantly clear who Fugaku's favorite was, but here he was, out of fatherly duty, changing his poopy diapers, mixing his formula, and carrying him like an emperor everywhere they go.

Looking at his expression of disbelief, she smiled, "But of course, I couldn't beat Fugaku's love for you. He always looks for you, did you know?"

She spoke soothingly, to placate her husband's pouting.

A corner of Sasuke's mouth lifted in a cynical smirk. He looked down at his son. Meanwhile, Fugaku had opened his translucent grey eyes and he was staring up at his father.

"Oh, look! See, Fugaku loves you~" she cooed. Her voice was adoring and full of love.

'Fugaku...loves me?' Sasuke wondered and glanced down at his son.

But despite Hinata's cooing, he wasn't so sure if his son's look was necessarily a look of 'love.' In fact, Fugaku looked rather disapproving, his puffed up cheeks snugly placed against the round paci, his fuzzy brows snapped in a frown told him all.

But blind to the dirty look on her baby's face, Hinata kept cooing, "Fugaku loves you~" Sasuke could almost snort. As if Hinata professing his son's pure love would make it reality. Meanwhile, his son who "oh so loves him" was narrowing his glittering eyes at him as in warning. But Sasuke decided that the incongruity was cute.

"Fugaku loves you~"

Then Fugaku's ears perked up as he heard his dear mama's soft voice. His brows lifted as he turned his eyes to his mama, and he lifted his tiny hands up towards her. His tiny, stubby fingers moved slowly in want. His wet grey eyes glistened in hope, Mama, I love you. Please hold me.

But the sadistic side of Sasuke couldn't let his duplicitous son have his way, so he swayed Fugaku to and fro in his arms and kept walking.

Again, Fugaku's brows knitted in disapproval at his father. Then he huffed and started moving his tiny hands up towards him, as if to grab his father's face. His tiny fingers twitched and the baby grunted, but it was all in vain. But his son still tried.

Sasuke smirked. It amused him greatly that this little runt of a son was daring to challenge him. The little baby must already be feeling possessive of his mother.

In the baby's eyes, Sasuke was a cruel obstacle to mama's love.

"You can't grab me," Sasuke taunted, being immature for his age and fatherhood "your arms are too short." He whispered.

"Urgh!" His son fiercely grunted and kept reaching for his father's arrogant, smirking face. His round face was turning red in frustration.

But Sasuke was having a ball of his son's frustration. In fact, he liked his son's spirit. He would be a great warrior.

When Hinata saw Sasuke's retreating back, she smiled.

"He's definitely a daddy's boy," she sighed.