I don't own Naruto, thank you very much.
The Most Important Thing You Left Behind
Chapter 8 Nine Years Later
I am Uchiha Sasuke, thirty four years old, former ninja of Konoha and Oto. I have been living in Suna for the past nine years with my godson, Uzumaki Uchiha Seishi, who is now ten years old. We live with the Godaime Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara, his wife Miki, his brother Kankurou and his two daughters Ai (age 12) and Akari (age 9). It is almost about time for Seishi and me to return to Konoha. He has been attending the Academy here in Suna so when he transfers to the one in Konoha he will not have to start on the lowest level. I'm sitting in the living room with Miki, who is reading a book.
"Get off Ai-chan I can't breathe," whined Seishi. He walked in the room with Ai glomping the life out of him. Seishi was about a couple inches shorter than when Naruto was twelve. He has Naruto's gravity defying hair and Sakura's green eyes. It seems like I'm looking at Naruto's twin except the eyes. Unlike Naruto, however, Seishi does not have the whisker marks, Kyuubi made sure that they were not shown.
"Ai, let Seishi breathe," said Miki.
"But Kaa-chan, he's just too cute," said Ai. She is a genin already. Her hair is long and red like Gaara's and her eyes are the same as his. It is like looking at a female version of Gaara.
"He won't be cute anymore if you kill him with your hugs," said Akari, the younger of Gaara's two children. She has Miki's long dark pink hair and green-blue eyes. She however has an attitude quite like Gaara.
"Thanks Akari-chan," said Seishi, flashing his Naruto grin at her. I noticed Akari blush; something that I believe what makes her completely different from Gaara, her ability to get shy very fast. And I also saw Ai smile. I wonder what she is up to…Ai may not act like either Gaara or Miki, but she is very smart and mischievous. "Sasuke-ji, when do you want me to pack up for when we go back to Konoha?"
"We are leaving in two days," I told him.
"Okay I'll start now," said Seishi, running up to his room.
"Sometimes he acts like Naruto, and other times he acts like Sakura," said Gaara, entering the room. He usually tries to come home for lunch, because if Gaara says that he has work that is due tomorrow, he means it is due in two weeks.
"Those are both good things," I stated. Naruto's unpredictable nature with Sakura's brain and knack for problem solving together is a great thing for Seishi as a ninja.
"Of course they are," said Gaara. He turned to his youngest daughter. "Akari, your academy sensei tells me you got into another fight with one of the boys again." Akari thus bolted out of the room.
"Must you do that," said Miki, sighing at her husband's blunt behavior. "You know she does not start the fights."
"But she has to stop doing that," said Gaara, sternly. "I don't need the children to fear her."
"I have to agree with Gaara on this," I said, butting in. "Akari does not need children avoiding her like Gaara and Naruto were avoided as children."
"I'll talk to her," said Miki, sighing. I watched Ai and Akari grow up just Seishi, and did have a hand in caring for them. Every time Miki got sick, I would take care of all three of them. Usually Miki would just get over heated from originally being from Iwa and then moving to Suna. Thus, she went after her youngest.
"Che, two against one is never fair," laughed Kankurou, entering the house. He thought it was funny that Gaara, Miki, and I have this weird parenting relationship. He jokes that Miki has two husbands. He shouldn't talk because he can't keep a girlfriend more than a week. He just came back from the market obviously with all those food bags. Gaara could just hire the genin teams to buy his food, but he really doesn't trust them to pick out the best fruits and vegetables or meats.
"Shut up," growled Gaara. He doesn't like the idea of sharing his wife with anyone, not that I blame him.
"Relax," I said, sighing. I could just imagine what it was like when Gaara, Kankurou and Temari lived together years ago. I ran my hand through my hair. Hmm, I should get my hair cut before we leave for Konoha.
"I think I'll go help Kaa-chan with Akari," said Ai. Ai is actually a good big sister.
"Teme, I can see it now, my boy marrying one of Gaara's girls. That'll be an awesome wedding. The greatest Hokage's son marrying the greatest Kazekage's daughter, what a day that would be!" Great I'm hallucinating again. For a few years I have been hearing what I think Naruto would say in his voice. I really am losing my mind.
"You know I'm going to miss having you and the brat around," said Kankurou.
"Thanks I think," I told him.
Soon, Seishi and I were on the way to Konoha. It was such a familiar road to me. Seishi was really excited to be going back. It is not like he had no contact with Konoha. When Suna or Konoha hosted the Chuunin Exams, it would be a reunion. He knows Hinata, whom I'm still on shaky ground with, Neji, and the rest of my old comrades.
"I can't wait to see Hina-ba, Sakuya-chan, Keichii-kun, Kaka-sensei, Kagayakuu-san and everyone else," he exclaimed.
"I'm sure they'll be so very happy to see you again," I said, ruffling his hair making it messier if that was even possible.
"But I'll miss Ai-chan, Akari-chan, Miki-ba, Gaara-ji, and Kankurou-ji," said Seishi.
"And you know they'll miss you," I said.
"But you know I'm never alone because Sasuke-ji is always there for me," said Seishi.
"Thanks kiddo," I said.
"Ne, tell me how Otou-san defeated Gaara-ji and saved Okaa-chan again," said Seishi, as we went on into the forest.
"Well, it all started when I went after Gaara because I wanted to finish my match with him," I started. I told him stories of his parents from when I was there and the stories I got from the others. He loves them.