Do you hate me?
After all, hatred is apart of being a shinobi.
When you become strong, you become arrogant and withdrawn.
I believe the day will come when people can truly understand each other.
'In the end we can not trust one another.'
If that is how humanity looks at the world, we will have no future.
In trying to save someone precious, conflict is born.
As long as love exists, so does hatred.
And shinobi consumed with hatred will be used.
As long as we bind ourselves to the system we shinobi have, this monstrous hate will give birth to another.
xxXXxx
Sakura saw the destruction coming her way from at least two miles.
What the?
What's causing so much ruckus?
Something leapt towards her, and she caught it by it's scruff at the last second before coddling the animal with a familiar red bow.
"Target locked!"
Using her spare hand, she caught Konohamaru's head before he attacked her.
"Sakura-chan!"
Moegi ran up to her, hands on her knees clearly out of breath.
"Sakura-san!"
Udon ran up beside her, pulling Moegi up by the back of the shirt.
"Hey, Sakura! What's the big deal?"
Konohamaru pouted, crossing his arms.
She started laughing.
"Konohamaru, was your mission to capture Tora-chan?"
"Our missions are classified!"
"No, D ranked missions are not classified. Besides, team 7 did this exact mission."
She shook her finger at him, grining none the less.
"Why bother with a cat that's going to just keep running away then?"
Konohamaru reached for the cat but she stopped.
"Ebisu-sensei, we accomplished the mission. Bringing the target back now."
Udon removed his hand from his ear, listening to their sensei confirm.
Sakura handed Tora to Moegi before putting her hands on her hips.
"Because it keeps genin like you entertained for a moment! I'm going to inform Ebisu of the chaos you three caused. You need to take responsibility for making a ruckus."
"Oh come on Sakura-chan!"
Konohamaru went to stop her but she held out her hand again.
"I won't budge!"
Walking past them, she turned around before cooly holding up her thumb.
"Do you best you guys. You'll get there."
Right now she had to pick up the trafficking report from the morning, now that it was noon. A remedial task that she used to do in the beginning. Frowning to herself she realized she hadn't been asked to do this chore in months. However the fall breeze was coming in nicely. Her hair flowed behind her in certain gusts.
She was wearing her new ninja uniform of forest green short shorts and a dark blue halter top. Her weapons pouch was on a sling that hung crookedly from her hips and a kunai holder was strapped to her right thigh. The boots she wore were only half a size bigger, but the same black knee high ninja shoes she used to wear.
When she got to the stand though, she let out a high pitched scream and a few tears.
"Oh my god!"
She threw her arms around the both of them, just like when they left and she started to bawl.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! You're here! All of you!"
Kakashi chuckled and put his hand on her head before kissing her crown.
"Jiraiya and I will give our reports to Tsunade-sama."
Pulling away, she hugged Naruto first, then Sasuke.
Sasuke pulled back from her hug and wiped away her tears with his thumb. That's when she realized they were both a head taller than her. She had to use her tip toes to hang her arms around them.
"Sakura-chan, we didn't die."
His voice was deeper, that caused her to cry harder.
"Let it go Naruto."
His was too.
"You're both taller than me still. Sasuke-kun, your mother's going to flip."
"Aa."
"Oh that note."
In a second she used her super strength to knock them both back, Naruto with a fist, and Sasuke with a kick.
"WHAT THE HELL!"
"Sakura!"
"You bastards stopped writing me right before my birthday! I thought you died! You both promised-"
"Sakura-chan! Why are you yelling?"
Mikoto ran up to her with a ten month old Fu-chan in her arms, and Fugaku with arms full of groceries. When Mikoto saw who was behind her, she screamed and gave Fu-chan to Sakura immediately to hug the boys.
"Hey there handsome!"
Sakura rubbed her nose with the baby's, watching him laugh before crying out his favorite word.
"No!"
"You're not handsome?"
"No!"
Looking up, Mikoto was starting her examination on Naruto, but Sasuke was looking right at her. More like, right at the baby. Walking up to him, Sakura pointed at Sasuke and spoke very clearly to Fu-chan.
"Fu-chan, this is your Uncle Sasuke."
"No!"
She just smiled, but Sasuke wasn't. In fact, she gasped at the red in his eyes.
"Sasuke-kun! Don't use your sharingan at him!"
"Did he return?"
Sakura huffed before adjusting Fu-chan on her hip.
"No. Fu-chan's mother didn't have time to talk, she was dying and in labor. They came not long after you left, she died almost right after he was getting cleaned up. Your parents have been raising him. Fu-chan, Fugaku that is, he has his mother's lips and ears. But everything else is very Uchiha. Right Fu-chan?"
"No!"
Mikoto had finished Naruto's check up and turned to do Sasuke's before hearing what Sakura said.
"Yes Sasuke, and he's been a joy ever since. I can't wait until you have babies."
Sasuke turned bright pink and Mikoto used her chance to do his check up.
"You boys have grown! We need to get new clothes for the two of you. Sakura, would you like to baby sit while Fugaku and I get things situated for the boys? Oh a dinner is definitely needed, we need to invited Jiraiya-sama as well, Kakashi too!"
She handed over Fu-chan's diaper bag and Sakura shouldered it happily as Mikoto and Fugaku walked away. More like Mikoto pulling Fugaku away.
Fu-chan waved 'bye-bye' to the Uchiha's figures before turning back to her and finding her necklace.
"You two are welcome to my house for a shower and some tea. Until then I have a quick errand to do before going back."
"Sakura-chan, you look like a mother."
Naruto's blunt confession made her blush before waving her hand.
"You two have missed a lot. The twins are getting bigger, as well as Kurenai-sensei's baby."
Walking up to the desk, she grabbed the paper from a jonin with a thankful quick now, she walked back to the two.
"Well? You two aren't just going to stand there are you? My parents are gone on a mission, they'll be back in a few days though. So go ahead, wear some of my dad's clothes if you need to. I'll meet you both there."
xxXXxx
When Sakura arrived back, she saw Naruto was pouting on the kitchen stool.
"What is it?"
"Sasuke took the shower."
She just giggled and sat Fu-chan on the counter.
"So this is Itachi's son?"
"Mhm. Fu-chan, blow Naruto a kiss!"
"No!"
"Blow Sakura-chan a kiss?"
The baby turned around and pressed his hand to his mouth before extending it, his way of blowing a kiss.
Sakura leaned over and kissed the baby on his forehead.
"That's a good boy! Hm, it's not noon yet. You're not hungry are you?"
"No!"
"Is that the only word he knows?"
"Nope, he speaks 'Uchiha' very well. He knows yes, and he's being honest when he says 'no'."
"I see."
"You'll never guess who Konohamaru has for a team, let alone his teacher."
"Who?"
"Well he has Udon and Moegi as his teammates, but his teacher is Ebisu."
"Ah! No way! Those poor kids, they need a real teacher!"
"And would that be you? It would be nice to fight against them one day."
"I agree, where are they?"
"Cleaning up the mess they made chasing Tora-chan."
"That stupid cat?"
"Yeah! Funny right?"
Naruto just smiled and continued to stare at Fu-chan.
"Dobe, shower's free."
"Dobe!"
Sakura looked to Fu-chan with a sigh as he looked at her and then pointed to Naruto.
"Dobe!"
"No Fu-chan, that's Naruto!"
"Dobe!"
"Damn Uchiha's, they all think the same."
Naruto got up and grabbed a towel from the linen closet she assumed they found before heading to her parent's bathroom.
Sasuke took his seat and quietly stared at the baby who was chewing on the teething toy Sakura had brought out when she saw he was starting to drool.
"Why is he so wet in the mouth?"
"He's teething Sasuke-kun, you're lucky he's not in a bad mood."
"Hn."
"Fu-chan, who's that?"
"…"
"Oji?"
"Oji!"
Sasuke just nodded and moved from the seat to stand in front of her.
"Sasuke-kun?"
His fingers went to her hair, pulling it from behind her back to her shoulder, seeing how long it was. Then his fingers went to her face, touching her cheek. She used her right hand to pull it away, knowing that he noticed the glint of the ring by the soft smirk on his face. Sakura just smiled softly before reaching on her tip toes and kissing him softly.
Except the small sparks she felt before were nothing to how she felt now. Heat rose up her neck as the sensation was foreign but lovely.
A part of her was surprised when Sasuke deepened the kiss, forcing her back to her feet and leaning over her, gripping her fore arms.
"Kiss!"
Pulling away, she smiled up at him, face still pink and he just smirked gently.
"Kiss!"
Laughing softly, Sakura turned and kissed the baby's forehead before picking him up off the counter and laying him on his belly in the living room.
"Where were we?"
Sasuke's gruff voice behind her startled her slightly before his hands held her waist and pulled her in for another kiss. Feeling bold, she bit his bottom lip lightly and he groaned. His tongue peeked between hers and she shyly opened her mouth, feeling him experiment and coax her own tongue out of her mouth.
Hearing the bathroom door open, Sakura pulled back with another smile before quickly stealing a peck.
"I've missed you."
"Hn."
"Would you two quick sucking face for a minute? Your nephew wants in the toilet."
"Ah! Fu-chan!"
Moving quickly, she pulled the baby up in her arms and rubbed their noses.
"You're such a trouble maker!"
"Oh, that's right. I have something for Kakashi-sensei."
Going through his bag, he held it up for them to see.
"Hn."
"You have got to be kidding."
"Nope! It turns out those books he's always reading were written by Jiraiya. This hasn't been released yet."
"Food!"
Looking at the baby in her arms, she frowned.
"What do you say Fu-chan?"
"Onegai!"
"That's right. Let's see what Ba-chan packed you."
"Sakura-chan, do you mind if I leave?"
"Well sure Naruto, I'm not keeping you here. Going to visit Hinata-chan?"
He turned red and mumbled before leaving, promising to be at dinner.
Sakura opened the small bento and smiled when Fu-chan started clapping. Grabbing the chipsticks, bento, and the baby, she sat them both on the floor, with the baby between her legs, sitting cross-legged as a make shift barrier.
Sasuke sat next to her, and watched her feed the baby who was distracted by his Oji.
"Oji."
"Hn."
"Hn."
"Sasuke-kun! Fu-chan, is this your Oji?"
"Aa."
Sasuke's head snapped to look at the baby.
Sakura giggled and gathered more food before feeding the baby some more.
xxXXxx
Sakura brushed aside the hair of the sleeping baby as he took his afternoon nap on her parents bed since it was downstairs before stepping out, leaving the door open, and sitting next to Sasuke on the couch.
"How old is he?"
"He'll be ten months next week."
"Aa."
Sasuke's arm reached around and silently pulled her into he chest. She pulled her knees up onto the couch, tucking her feet behind her as she sighed.
She wanted to ask him if he still felt the same about Itachi.
She wanted to ask if he wanted to leave.
She wanted to ask about the courtship.
She wanted to kiss him again.
So she did.
The first kiss was soft, still nervous as neither had kissed anyone since he left.
"Sasuke-kun?"
He moved his lips to her neck, experimenting with pressure, tongue, and teeth.
"Hn?"
"Have you, I mean, I understand if you had needs but-"
"You accepted the ring right?"
He pulled away and she realized at one point she had moved to laying on her back.
"Right."
"I've never done anything, with anyone else, but you."
Her eyes filled with tears but she just nodded, pulling him in for another kiss.
xxXXxx
End!