Break's almost here, schoolwork winding down, writing time potential soon to be increased. Score. =)
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! =D
"C'mon Shunsuke, you can't let your guard down!" Sakura commanded as she leapt forward towards Shunsuke's back. The trio had decided to spend the Saturday working on Shunsuke's taijutsu, and so far, the five year old was proving that he was quite a handful. Shunsuke intentionally hesitated for a fraction of a second, spun quickly, and dodged the light punch just in time. Sakura's fist collided with Sasuke's jaw-who was previously engaging in a series of punches and blocks with the child. Because she was sparring with Shunsuke, Sakura's hits didn't have nearly as much force as they usually contained. Shunsuke smirked over his shoulder and watched as Sasuke lightly rubbed his jaw while Sakura took a moment to apologize.
Sakura prepared to launch another attack, running full speed for Shunsuke with Sasuke shrouded behind her. Shunsuke leapt left, rolled over his back, and propelled himself forward. Delivering a quick kick to Sakura's abdomen, he mimicked jokingly, "C'mon Mama, you can't let your guard down!"
At the point of impact, Shunsuke noticed Sasuke. Sakura had grabbed hold of his ankle and the young child twisted his body as much as possible to avoid the man's punch. In the dodge, Shunsuke managed to twist his leg free, and without taking a moment's rest, he shot his small frame forward once more and used Sakura's shoulder as a boost to sent a roundhouse kick to the cross block that Sasuke had barely formed to shield the side of his face.
Realizing he had unwisely positioned himself between the two adults, Shunsuke sprinted forward about a meter's distance-enough so that he could see them both at once and not too far so that he was outside of his reach disadvantage.
With a quick exchange of glances, both Sakura and Sasuke seemed to silently form a battle strategy and Shunsuke became anxious as he watched the two leap backward a few meters each bound. Since they weren't using weapons, Shunsuke didn't fear a long range attack so he pursued them quickly yet guardedly in the event that they used substitution jutsu and attacked from elsewhere. When they stopped, Shunsuke made the instantaneous decision not to stop as well nor to continue head on. Instead, he began a lateral sprint, keeping his eyes on both adults and unfortunately taking himself out of his attack range.
His eyes narrowed and he skidded to a halt as Sakura began charging at him while Sasuke stayed behind. He scrutinized the two and in a swift fluid motion, dodged to his right as Sakura delivered a punch from behind. The hit clipped Shunsuke's arm and he regained his footing as both Sakura and the clone came for him. After much difficulty, he managed to dismantle the imposter and watched as it puffed into it's original form of a log. Too preoccupied with Sakura, Shunsuke forgot about Sasuke's presence for a split second which was all the time the Uchiha needed. In an instant, Sasuke- the undisputed quickest of the trio- appeared behind Shunsuke, grabbing the young child's arms and pinning them steady. With a fierce grunt, Sakura lunged for Shunsuke and the young child winced his eyes closed. In a matter of seconds he was reduced to giggles as Sakura vigorously began tickling the young child.
"Okay! Okay!" he laughed, trying futilely to break free. "You guys win!"
Sakura laughed as Sasuke watched on with a smile and loosened his hold enough so the young child could wriggle free. Shunsuke collapsed on the ground, still smiling, with his small chest heaving heavily and his eyes closed.
"You did good," Sakura commended, sitting on the ground next to where the child lay. "Just remember not to lose focus-stay aware of your surrounding all around you." Shunsuke's smile didn't falter and he nodded, silently accepting the critique. Sasuke joined the two and stretched his long, pale legs out on the short, verdant grass.
"Can we work on my fire jutsu now Sasuke-sama?" Shunsuke asked, sensing the man's neared presence.
"We can tomorrow." Sasuke nodded. Shunsuke groaned slightly and Sakura poked his stomach.
"We just sparred for nearly two hours, take it easy kiddo." Shunsuke only groaned again in response to his mother but nodded in acceptance to the both. The trio sat in silence for a few moments.
"Hey Sasuke-sama," Shunsuke began as he flipped on his back and rested his head on his folded arms and looked towards the sky, "since you're so good. How come you're not a ninja no more?"
Sakura's eyes widened reflexively and her gaze snapped to Sasuke. Sasuke's jaw tightened automatically.
"There's a new generation of ninja now Shunsuke."
"Yeah well Uncle Naruto's a ninja still. Mama is sometimes too. And so's Kakashi-sensei. And so's-"
"Ok well my time as a ninja is over," Sasuke interrupted.
"Ok well why?" Shunsuke prodded, matching Sasuke's tone. Sasuke sighed sharply through his nose in frustration at his own ineffectiveness.
"Sasuke didn't want to be a ninja anymore," Sakura tried.
"Ohh-kayyy. Why?" Shunsuke repeated stubbornly.
"Why are you so interested?" Sasuke asked sarcastically, hoping to divert the focus of the conversation. Shunsuke shrugged casually and continued staring at the sky.
"I just told you guys. You're really good so I wanted to know why you decided not to be a ninja anymore."
Sasuke rubbed his eyes wearily. "The ninja lifestyle just wasn't for me anymore Shunsuke, I can't explain why."
Shunsuke didn't realize that the reason Sasuke "couldn't explain" wasn't because he didn't want to, rather the child thought it was because he couldn't effectively convey his reasoning. As a result, the boy nodded in reluctant acceptance and wordlessly dismissed the matter. Sakura released a quiet sigh of alleviation and gave Sasuke a small, sympathetic smile. He raised his brow back in relief and shook his head slightly.
"Would you two like Ichiraku's?" Sasuke stretched as he stood from the ground. As hoped, Shunsuke's pensive mood changed immediately and he popped up.
"Aw yeah let's go! Thanks Sasuke-sama!"
Sasuke nodded back and the Sakura and Shunsuke stood and the trio set off for Ichiraku's.
"So what'd you do?" Sasuke asked over his shoulder as he watched Shunsuke glumly eating from a bag of chips. It was three days since Shunsuke had sparred with Sasuke and Sakura, and today-after being forbidden by Sakura to go over to Aito's house as typical when the two boys were done with classes-Shunsuke was required to go over to Sasuke's house until Sakura was done with work.
"Nothin'" Shunsuke grumbled as he took another angry bite of his chip. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow with intuitive suspicion and his pointed silence made Shunsuke sigh concedingly.
"Hisashi-sensei caught me skippin' class with Aito, Mamorou, and Asuko an' he told Mama."
"Sakura won't let you go to any of your friends' homes all week because Hisashi caught you skipping once?" Sasuke asked with a feeling that Shunsuke was still leaving something out. As upset as she may have been, Sasuke couldn't imagine Sakura being that angry; she was usually less stern in disciplining the child-typically she would have only revoked those privileges for a day or so.
Shunsuke sighed heavily again and cocked his head downward and to the side, looking away from Sasuke. "Well I kinda told her that I did it before without a problem."
Sasuke rubbed his eyes and fought a laugh. "And you did that because…"
"I didn't mean t'," Shunsuke clarified huskily.
Sasuke shook his head slightly and shrugged. "You'd oughta be glad she was that lenient."
"Huh?"
"Forgiving." Sasuke explained and watched as the muscles of Shunsuke's face contorted into a scowl.
"Nuh uhn," he objected quickly. "Aito's only in trouble for the next two days and Asuko and Mamorou didn't even really get in trouble at all."
"Well they're not Sakura's children are they?" Sasuke pointed out, using the typical parental adage.
Shunsuke indignantly crossed his arms over his chest and muttered, "Or Mama's just being a mean jerk."
Sasuke's head snapped to Shunsuke in surprise; it was the first time since he'd known the boy that the child had every badmouthed his mother. Sasuke stared out the window and thought on how he should handle the act of disrespect-or if he should even address it at all. A minute passed and Shunsuke remained brooding at the kitchen table until Sasuke rose suddenly.
"I want to take you somewhere, Shunsuke," Sasuke said with a distant, firm look in his eyes.
"Right now?" Shunsuke questioned as he snapped from his ireful daze. "It's rainin' out."
Sasuke nodded, staring out the open window. "Yeah, I know." He went to the hall closet, grabbed an umbrella, and handed it to Shunsuke. "Use this."
The puzzled look on Shunsuke's face remained, but he obediently took the umbrella, put on his light jacket, and followed Sasuke out of the house. The two walked through the emptying village streets and around them, people scurried to return to their homes or dashed under shop awnings.
"Where're we going Sasuke-sama?" Shunsuke asked as he held tightly to the older man's hand. Shunsuke looked up from the shield of his umbrella and peered at Sasuke's face. The older man had an unwavering expression-somber yet focused-completely unfazed by the rain pelting against it.
"You'll see," Sasuke answered simply and Shunsuke nodded hesitantly and held the man's hand tighter before turning his attention back to the pathway before them. They walked in silence for awhile until Shunsuke realized where they were headed. The cemetery.
"Sasuke-sama…why're we goin' here?" Shunsuke asked nervously. The young boy had never been a fan of cemeteries and internally hated when the Academy required the students to clean up the endless plots as a part of their duty.
"It's up ahead," Sasuke nodded without directly answering the child's question. They passed the giant sculpture at the cemetery's entrance.
"What is?"
Sasuke didn't respond and Shunsuke sighed through his nose in irritation, and stopped walking. His hand slipped from Sasuke as the older man continued on a step before realizing the child had stopped. Sasuke turned to face the stubbornly immobile child and sighed in understanding and squatted down under the umbrella to get on Shunsuke's eye level.
"Just trust me for one moment will you? There's something I want you to see." Shunsuke's jaw clenched in thought and he finally nodded slowly at seeing the intent look on Sasuke's face. Sasuke nodded back gratefully and stood once more, jerking his head toward the middle of the cemetery. "We're almost there."
The two finally stopped in front of a series of headstones and Shunsuke's eyes narrowed as he realized a commonality between them: a seemingly endless sea of tombstones that read 'Uchiha.' They stood in front of the two belonging to Mikoto and Fugaku.
"Who are they?" Shunsuke whispered. He looked at Sasuke who's dark eyes were fixed on the late female's headstone.
"…Other than you…my family only exists in only within these plots. And my memory." Sasuke said flatly and surprisingly unemotionally as he squatted to place a hand on the smooth stone, tracing the engraved characters with the flats of his fingers. Shunsuke remained silent and watched him intently-the young child's wide eyes clouded with shock.
"What-what happened to them?" Shunsuke asked hesitantly. The rain had completely soaked the older man and the droplets ran over his stone smooth face-they were the closest he appeared to crying. Sasuke didn't flinch, but chose his words carefully.
"They were murdered. All of them." Shunsuke's eyes widened at Sasuke's the indifference Sasuke seemed to portray and by that apathy, the child could tell that the incident had once greatly upset him. Sasuke knew not to go too far in to depth, after all Shunsuke was still only a child. He could feel the boy's widened gaze bearing into him, and he continued speaking.
"You're lucky…to have Sakura for a mother." Sasuke noted, his hand and eyes fixed on Mikoto's stone. "She's the kind of person who never gives up on you…whose goal is for you to be content no matter the cost to her. And even when you screw her over…she'll always be there for you…and despite it all still love you. If she pushes you, it's because she believes in you. If she punishes you, it's because she cares. If she pursues you…it's because you're important to her…she'd be damned if she let's you out of her life. There are many people like that left in this world. You're lucky to have a mother like her Shunsuke…Remember that."
Shunsuke was soddened by a wave of immense guilt and stared unblinking at Sasuke. The young boy's mouth hung slightly open and he was completely unsure of what to do next. After a few seconds, Shunsuke lifted his hand from his hold around the umbrella and hesitantly was about to place it in Sasuke's when he stopped. His throat was tight and his body burned with uncertainty, but then, in a surge of resolution, he dropped the umbrella and flung himself toward Sasuke and wrapped his small arms around his neck and lay his head on the older man's shoulder.
Sasuke's eyes flew wide as he realized what was happening. It felt like everything including the rain froze as still as his breath. Sasuke unconsciously lifted his arms in slow shock and then quickly wrapped them around the child's body. Shunsuke's eyes were squeezed shut tightly and the rain mixed with the tears that managed to leak out.
"Me and Mama are gonna be your family now." He hiccupped quietly and reassuringly as his hold around Sasuke tightened. "I didn't mean what I said. I don't want anything t' happen to you guys. Ok Papa? We're a family now 'member?-You said it Papa me an' Mama are your family now."
Sasuke's jaw tightened in emotion and his hold constricted around Shunsuke's body. It took one month, two weeks and four days, but finally Sasuke felt the indescribable sensation of feeling Shunsuke's small arms willing embrace him. He finally felt the ineffable warmth that first enflamed his ears then swelled rapidly throughout his entire body when he heard Shunsuke refer to him as his father.
He was overcome by the alien feeling of his heart palpitating within his chest and his entire being overheated with uncontrollable emotion. He held tightly to his son whose face was buried in his shoulder. And like Shunsuke, the heavy rain mixed with the tears that managed to leak from the older man's tightly shut eyes.
"So you ready to leave or you wanna stay here?" Sakura asked with a sarcastic smirk as she arrived to Sasuke's house to pick up their child. Hearing her voice in the doorway, Shunsuke immediately straightened up and turned to face her. He flew out of the chair-knocking it over- and ran for her, wrapping his arms tightly around Sakura's legs.
"I'm sorry Mama," he nearly sobbed. "I love you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Sakura's brow furrowed in worry and she quickly looked to Sasuke for an explanation. The Uchiha only shrugged with a small smile and said nothing. With concern, Sakura pursed her lips and reached down to pick up Shunsuke who immediately captured her in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry," He repeated again.
"It's ok Shunsuke," Sakura soothed rubbing his back and once again shooting Sasuke a confused look. Said man simply nodded with an approving look and Sakura's confusion deepened.
"So does this mean we can go home with no problems now?" Sakura teased and tickled Shunsuke's side, hoping to comfort him.
He laughed slightly and winced away from where she tickled him and nodded. "Yep!"
"It's getting dark, I'll walk with you," Sasuke offered and Sakura accepted with a smile and a nod.
"Ok," Sakura laughed and set Shunsuke down, then moved to reset the fallen chair. "Go get your schoolbag."
Shunsuke nodded. "'Kay! Papa where's my schoolbag?" Shunsuke asked walking away in search of the small black bag. Sasuke jerked his head toward the sitting room. Sakura froze with the upside down chair in her hands and looked to Shunsuke and Sasuke.
"You threw it in there at one point." Shunsuke nodded and ran went to the room while Sakura remained frozen. Shunsuke nodded and headed off to the room for his bag.
"Papa?" Sakura gaped incredulously.
Sasuke smiled. "Eventful day."
"What'd you do?" Sakura hissed elatedly.
Sasuke gave a half smile and shrugging his shoulders replied, "I finally became a father."
An enormous smile broke across Sakura's face and, setting the chair down right-side up, she went to Sasuke and threw her arms around him. The palm of his hand spread against her lower back as he pushed her tighter to him.
"Will it get even more eventful?" he smirked cunningly and lightly danced his nose against the skin below her ear and along her neck. Sakura bit her lip and threw her head back to allow him more space which he gladly accepted by caressing the curvature with his open mouth.
Suddenly Shunsuke's footsteps were heard. "Got it guys!"
"Guess not," she laughed in amused disappointment Sasuke's lax lips remained on Sakura's neck for a moment before he straightened up before the young child entered. Sasuke shook his hand in shared sentiment and loosened his hold around Sakura just as Shunsuke returned to the room.
Sakura reclined along her couch, drinking from a mug of hot tea and leafing absently through a magazine. It was slow at the hospital, so Tsunade had her on call for the past two days and for tomorrow as well. So far, she hadn't been called into the hospital and after getting over an initially bout of stir-craziness, the medic-nin had finally managed to enjoy her tentative vacation. Shunsuke was gone for the night; his class was camping out in one of the forests of the village as a survival lesson. As Sakura relaxed, enjoying her rare moment of solitude, there was a knocking at her front door.
"If you ignore they'll go away…" she muttered to herself as she flipped a page. After a few seconds the knocking repeated with more force and Sakura sat down her magazine with a heavy sigh. She shuffled her way to the door and opened it unenthusiastically.
"Sasuke? Wha-" Sakura's question was cut off as Sasuke stepped into the house and pushed himself further inside by pushing his lips on Sakura's. She managed to push the door closed with her hand before Sasuke had pushed her inside too far. Immediately her fingers snaked desirously through Sasuke's thick, raven locks. Sasuke hoisted Sakura up from beneath her bottom and spun the two around so that he had Sakura pressed to the wall and sealed her neck within his ravening mouth.
"You've been off for two days and Shunsuke isn't here and you didn't think to tell me?" Sasuke's eyebrow lifted lustfully and mischievously.
"I didn't think-"
"You're damn right you didn't," Sasuke interrupted gruffly, then a slow, sly smirk formed on his lips. "Don't worry, I'll make up for lost time."
A shaky moan escaped Sakura's swollen lips as Sasuke stuck his hand down Sakura's sweatpants and stroked Sakura's equally swollen lower lips with a tender hand. Sasuke leaned forward to kiss her again, deeper this time and her eyes rolled closed slowly and pleasurably. As much as she loved her son, at that moment she was more than happy that he would be gone until the following afternoon.
Didn't wanna write a full lemon, but I felt the dire need for some SasuSaku action. Of course they'll be more in the future. Soooo lemme know what you think, you know how.
Please review guys, thanks! =)
And also, thanks to pocybandits89 for the suggestion of taking Shunsuke to the Uchiha graves.
See ya soon! xoxoxoxoxo