Hey there readers. Hope you're having a fantastic day! I love you all.. Don't give up. Here's a little fluff, hope you enjoy even though its short. Sorry..

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO (Do I have to say that?)

Restoration

Chapter 6: I can

Tenten rose early the next morning, looking around her room eagerly to see if Sasuke had returned from his sudden mission yet, but she hadn't seen any sighs. Frowning subtly, she climbed out of bed and pulled her brown locks into messy bun and walked to the nursery to check on Nanami, and nearly jumping out of her skin when she spotted Itachi sitting in the rocking chair fast asleep holding Nanami who was also sleeping like a rock.

Her widened eyes softened and a smile crept onto her face as she gazed upon the peculiar sight before her. She recalled that Itachi had swung by the night before, he must've stayed the night. Nanami seemed as though she was sleeping fairly soundly, so she decided it would be okay if she snuck away and took a quick shower.

Tenten rushed to her bedroom and grabbed some clean clothing before walking into the bathroom, closing the door and disrobing. A small sigh escaped her lips as she recalled the fateful night when Sasuke had rescued her, carrying her home and they ended up in the shower together. She found herself gently touching the shower curtains as she remembered that time, her heart began to ache deeply. She missed him. She missed him terribly, his voice, his touch, his silence. Every bit if Sasuke she found herself longing deeply for. How long will he continue to skip out? It's almost As if he's d-. She found herself blinking away warm tears. She refused to finish that thought and forced herself into the water.

Kirigakure was filled with many memories, particularly of a specific swordsman and his pawn. But aside from that, things had been rather uneventful. Although, the Mizukage had come onto Sasuke rather strongly, commenting on his eyes and hair, mumbling something about wanting his body. Sasuke didn't really remember, he's forced it out of his mind. Some old woman, attractive or not, wasn't about to deter him from Tenten.

But as he began to think about Tenten, he found himself realizing that he hadn't seen much of her lately. He couldn't be sure if this was Naruto's doing as the new Hokage and wanting to send his best friend out as often as he could, or if Sasuke was purposefully though unknowingly avoiding Tenten and their newborn child.

But there was no way that could be the case, no Sasuke wasn't one to abandon the ones he loved. What was his problem? He found himself longing for the days when she was yelling at him, refusing to acknowledge him. When she was stubborn and difficult to get to know. When they fell in love. He needed to be with her more often, this he knew. He probably wouldn't be experiencing the feelings that he was.

But what was keeping him at a distance? Was it because there had been so much talk and fuss about the two of them not being married? What was so difficult about marrying someone that he carried genuine feelings for?

Many people had been asking him when he would ask Tenten for her hand in marriage, they had a child together after all. But that didn't matter to Sasuke. It didn't matter what the other people of Konoha had to say about the two of them. So long as he loved her, was there really even a reason to marry her? He couldn't be sure. Why wasn't that enough?

Regardless of all of his whirling thoughts, Sasuke knew he needed to get back home to Tenten and Nanami. He resolved not to take any missions for a week so that he could do just that.

She got out of the shower quickly and dried off her body as fast as her plush towel would allow. She looked down at her stomach and frowned slightly, she was in desperate need of training. Her body wasn't nearly as toned as it used to be. Perhaps this was why Sasuke had been away so much.

Growling to herself, she turned away from the steamy mirror and threw on her clothes, leaving her long hair down and wavy. After picking up her nightclothes from the bathroom floor and discarding them in a laundry basket in her room, she once more checked on Itachi and Nanami.

This time, Itachi was awake, and he had just lay Nanami down in her crib when he turned to look at Tenten. "How was your shower?" He inquired, gesturing to her wet locks.

Tenten looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Oh, um." Her cheeks pinked a little. "It was fine, thank you." She paused before smiling softly. "You stayed all night?"

Itachi's facial expression was somewhere between bewilderment and concern, if that was even possible. "Oh, yes. Like I had informed you yesterday, Sasuke wanted me to check on you." To him, Tenten seemed a little upset, her eyes were red like maybe she had been crying, and from what she told him last night, she probably was. She was tired of him leaving and being gone so often, but Itachi couldn't blame her in the least. He felt bad for her, but he also knew that Sasuke had some things to sort out.

"Well, are you hungry?"

Sasuke walked into his respective home completely exhausted. After closing the door, his nose and lungs were filled with the hearty aroma of breakfast coming from the kitchen and his stomach growled loudly as soon as he smelled it. But his stomach went from hungry to churning when he saw his brother in the kitchen with Tenten.

He watched silently as the two of them talked, laughed quietly and kept each other's company contently and quite well. In fact, he had never seen Itachi smile like that, the way he was with Tenten. It made him sick, angry and... Jealous. Tenten kept her distance, but seemed to be enjoying his company, happily serving him a plate of breakfast that they had seemingly prepared together.

He was not having this. Clearing his throat and dropping his bag at the door, he walked briskly into the kitchen and looked at the two sternly. "What-" He began before he felt a sudden rush of warmth.

Tenten's arms had flung around his neck and she had pulled him into a tight embrace. "Sasuke." She muttered, resting her head on his shoulder.

Sasuke's anger subsided substantually, and slowly he wrapped his arms around her in return. "I'm sorry I had to go." He said huskily. "But I'll be home for a while now." He informed her.

Itachi was quite torn. He wanted to stay, but it just wasn't his place. These two needed their space, and he was well aware. He bid them a quick nod before disappearing in a puff.

Tenten looked after him breifly before looking at Sasuke and sighing. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." He admitted quietly, still curious as to what Itachi's intentions were with Tenten. He had threatened to take her once before. But he knew that Tenten wasn't interested, at least not much, judging by her actions toward him when he had first arrived.

"Sit down, eat." Tenten urged, walking him to the dining room table with a plate of steaming hot breakfast. Eggs, toast, bacon, potatoes. His stomach growled again, and he happily took a seat.

Tenten was just about to join him when she heard Nanami's quiet cry in the distance. Smiling to Sasuke, she excused herself and rushed to the nursery to care for their child.

Sasuke looked after her and sighed quietly. She was tired, worn even. She'd been working so hard to take care of him, and Nanami. She rose early to make sure he had brekfast and clean clothing, and to do whatever cleaning needed to be done, and she stayed up late when Nanami was fussing. It turned out that parenting was almost harder than any ninja work out there. But Sasuke hadn't really been a part of that.

He turned his attention to his breakfast, and though he was hungry he pushed it aside and stood, following Tenten to the nursery.

She was just picking the fussy infant up, gently cooing and doing her best to sooth her when Sasuke walked into the room. She turned around abruptly noticing the strange and determined look that was plastered upon his face.

"Let me do that." He comanded, looking at her seriously.

"Sasuke," Tenten protested, cradling Nanami gently. Nanami still didn't hush, if anything her cries intensified. Sasuke saw the frazzled look in Tenten's eyes and he slowly approached the two.

"I can do this. Go." He frowned at her, tilting his head to the side peircing her with his wide and ebony eyes.

Tenten wasn't sure what to do or say, but slowly she handed their child to him, a little hesitant and reluctant to let go.

"Go." He urged once more, giving her an incredibly stern look that told her she best not defy his wishes.

She gulped and nodded, quickly making her way back to the kitchen. Slowly, she sat at the table, feeling a strangeness overcome her. It was odd not to be doing anything at all. Even though she had only been sitting for a moment.

She heard their child fussing, and fussing even more, and she fought with the urge to rescue the poor thing. But Sasuke insisted. He could do this. So she would sit it out until he asked for her help.

Sasuke looked down at the tiny being in his arms, desperate to get her to stop crying. He tucked her in close to his chest, and slowly bounced her up and down. This did not help. The child continued to cry, and he was beginning to feel helpless like the day before when Tenten had to come to his rescue. But no matter, he was going to get this kid to stop crying. Okay, what about this? He thought as he brought her up, chest to chest where her head would rest upon his shoulder. This failed as well. Sasuke groaned, growing more impatient. Okay fine. He thought angrily as he held her out in front of him and glared. "Stop."

Nanami looked at her father with big, watery eyes as he mumbled an incoherent request. When he did, she kicked her feet and cried as hard as she could, desperate to get away from the scary man.

Sasuke saw the terror in her wide little eyes and immediately regreted his harshness. "I'm sorry." He cooed quietly, drawing her close and petting her head instinctively. This was odd for him, but somehow it felt natural. Her crying slowly quelled, and was reduced to small sniffles when another idea struck him. "Here." He said, holding her out once more. In one swoop, he lowered her a bit before tossing her up into the air and catching her just as quickly.

She gasped loudly, eyes widening and she shook just a little before bursting into joyus laughter that cold melt even the coldest of hearts. A gummy smile spread across her face as she kicked her feet and squealed as if to ask her father to do it again. So he did. And she laughed, she squealed and he sighed in releif.

Okay, maybe I can do this.