Chapter 11

"Kazuki, give me a smile, cutie."

Six-month-old Kazuki blinked, staring at Sakura, before gurgling and clapping his little hands together. Sakura was trying to get her youngest son to smile, mainly because Keiji would smile all the time, but Kazuki rarely ever did so, unless Sasuke was around. That would make him smile like there was no tomorrow, but Sasuke was not at home that day, meaning Kazuki would not smile for anything, not even the faces Sakura was making at him.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head and looking at Keiji. "Hello there, sweetheart! Will you smile for mommy?"

Keiji cooed, giving her a small smile and reaching out, opening and closing his hands to tell her he wanted picked up. Sakura just laughed as she picked him up, giving Keiji a hug and looking at Kazuki who was still lying on the blanket spread out on the floor.

"I wish I could pick you two up at the same time. Six months after you were born and I still cannot pick the two of you up without Sasuke's help..."

Kazuki paid no attention, instead yawning and rubbing his eyes, making Keiji do the same after a moment. While Keiji hid his face in Sakura's neck, trying to sleep, Kazuki fell right to sleep after yawning, not giving a single care that he was fast asleep on the floor.

Sakura just smiled, patting Keiji on the back before laying him down beside Kazuki, kissing both of them on their foreheads.

"I love you both. Have a nice nap, and when you wake up, daddy should be home."

+!+

Keiji is very well known for having random fits of laughter. He will burst out laughing the second he sees a dog wagging his tail outside the grocery store, and even when a cat just meows outside their home.

Kazuki, on the other hand, was a crier. He would cry anytime any kind of foreign object touched him or made some kind of random noise. If a dog randomly barked or a leaf fell on him, Kazuki would burst into tears and bury his face in the shoulder of whoever was holding him.

Sasuke was a bit amazed to find out about the differing personalities his children hand. At first, he expected them to act the same for a long while, more than just six months. But that's how they were. Kazuki was emotional, Keiji was happy all the time.

Now, however, neither of them were showing off their personalities, as both were very sick and neither Sakura nor Sasuke knew why. Sakura was fairly convinced it was nothing but a cold that had hit the two six-month-old's rather hard, and Sasuke was in complete agreement, as both boys were running fevers of 101.2 degrees, had stuffed noses, and were coughing terribly.

Sasuke hated the idea of his children being sick; it reminded him of when they were in the hospital, all prepared to come home, before they had gotten ill in different ways and had to stay. He just hated the fact that his two little sons were ill and he could do nothing to help them, other than hold them and try to calm them as they cried.

And that's what he was doing right now. Kazuki was wailing, likely because of his fever but also because he might have been startled by a cat outside the house, Sasuke had no clue which one. All that matter was his youngest was bawling his little eyes for one reason or another, and he didn't know what. Kazuki continued wailing as Sasuke tried to hush him, telling him everything would be all right and asking the baby boy to stop hitting him in the chest, as Kazuki was flailing his arms about during his little fit.

"Kazuki, shh," Sasuke adjusting his hold on the small boy, moving him so he could see everything and wouldn't beat on him anymore, but it didn't help much. "Everything is going to be all right, Kazuki. Mommy's on her way with your medicine, don't cry, shh."

Kazuki's wails slowed after a moment, reducing to nothing more than hiccups and the occasional sniffle here and there. Sauske sighed, smiling a little bit as he sat in the rocking chair with Kazuki, adjusting once again so the tiny child was on his back and could look up at his father, which was obviously helping more.

"There, see? Everything is all right, Kazuki. Sakura's getting your medicine and she'll be home in just a few minutes to give it to you and Keiji," Sasuke laughed a bit as Kazuki sniffled, reaching up for his bangs. "You're funny, like Sakura. I love you and your bother so much, Kazuki, you will never truly know how much..."

"Sleep, sweet baby. You'll be fine."

Sakura kissed Keiji on his forehead, lying him in his crib beside the already sleeping Kazuki. Her young sons were still sick, but had lost the congestion and coughs, now down to fevers of barely 100 degrees. Sasuke watched her, sighing as he entered the nursery, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist as she straightened up and looked at him, a tired smile on her face.

"You look so tired, Sakura."

"I am tired, Sasuke... we've not slept much since they've been sick, have we?"

"No, we haven't." Sauske laughed lightly and shook his head. Keiji and Kazuki had been sick for nearly three days, and neither Sasuke nor Sakura had gotten much sleep as a result. They loved her boys, honest, but the no sleep thing was a pain in the neck, for both of them.

"Let's go to be, Sakura. They'll be fine."

She bit her lip, not entirely sure Sasuke was right, but nodded after a moment, kissing both her sons on their foreheads once more. "We love you both. Sleep well. We'll see you in the morning, sweeties."

Sauske smiled as he started leaving the room, knowing Sakura was following him as he heard her sigh after they left and made it to their bedroom.

"I'm still turning on the baby monitor."

"I never told you not to."

"Mm..." Sakura nodded, flipping the switch on the monitor and crawling into her place on the bad, instantly curling up beside Sauske once he was in his place. "I love you, Sasuke."

"I love you too, Sakura."

Author's Note: guys. i'm scared for this week's naruto chapter.
please don't die, babies. ;-;

A little shorter than my other chapters, but, hey. I'M BACK, BABY.

Oh, uh, also, sorry for leaving you guys for so freaking long. School and work hit me in the face, but, I'll have more free time this semester (hallelujah).

Guys, my mom and I figured it out.
We figured out all the things my future husband will have to be.
A Christian that is British(or French), a doctor, and doesn't mind my anime obsesson.
(that is a complete and total joke. i don't care what he's like as he loves God more than he loves me. xD)

See you all next time~!