A/N:

At the very end is mild lime. You've been warned. I'm kind of worried. This is the first sex scene on this account. The usual stuff - please review and let me know what you think. Be honest. I am good. Just make sure you're logged in if you want to criticise me, just so I can contact you further about my improvement in the future. Thank you very much. Please enjoy your read.

- Athrna

Chapter 2 - Thinking, Missing, Loving

Sasuke opened his daughter's door slowly and entered the room stilly. He made sure his steps would not creek the wooden floor. He went straight to the bookshelf to put a signed copy of the latest installment of Sarada's favourite saga. Sarada switched side upon hearing quiet noise and Sasuke turned to check if he had woken her up. She was still asleep, snorting a little. She wouldn't normally. It'd seem she had caught a cold.

On her study desk, he found many books on Christmas. He turned the page swiftly like a picture in a film, checking up on her current interest. Sarada was very much looking to Christmas. That stocking hanging by her bed, which could well fit him in confirmed it.

When he walked closer to her, he found her shivering to the chilliness. The duvet was at the bottom of the bed. He sighed as he remembered his daughter had this habit of turning a lot in sleep. Sasuke tucked her in, but Sarada kept tossing around and refused to be covered. She wasn't sleeping well. She was tightly holding onto the duvet as Sasuke tried for the second time and to his best ability to not wake her up in the process. He stopped when Sarada subconsciously made a wordless sound of a complaint. Sasuke waited until she would calm down… and she switched side again.

Sasuke grew impatient and pulled the duvet of her grip. He managed to cover her fully in duvet. A smile graced her face as she found warmth. Exhaling as he rejoiced in silence, he sat by the bedside and just watched his daughter sleep in peace with a proud smile.

Memories of her growth were coming to his head as he stared at his child's face. He remembered the time when he was feeding his baby girl carrot. Sarada just wouldn't eat it. The nutrients in the root vegetable were good for her eyes and she just had to hate that one vegetable. It just happened to be carrot - something very helpful to her growth as Sarada was born to be extremely sensitive to light. Her photophobia was nothing major and did not have an effect to her health or development of her kekkei genkai, the Sharingan. The condition did make her life inconvenient, especially when she was an avid reader.

His daughter was a geek.

A bookworm.

Which partially made her even more antisocial.

And there was nothing wrong with that, because she was his daughter.

She was top of the class and well regarded as a child with much knowledge. He was proud of her. Her superior intelligence and comprehension in comparison to her peers, her more mature view of the world in comparison to children her age, and her talents as an elite ninja to represent the Uchiha clan as a proud descendant.

At that, Sasuke chuckled in his own amusement. He might have been very quiet, Sarada sprinted out her dreamland upon hearing her father's voice. He froze immediately and hoped that she wouldn't wake up. She did.

"Daddy?" Sarada greeted in a half-asleep voice. Rubbing her eyes as she reached for her glasses she put on the nightstand, she found nothing. Sasuke had already taken them and he carefully put them on her.

"Merry Christmas, Sarada." Sasuke turned on the bed lamp before going to the bookshelf. He went to grab the present to show his daughter. "As promised, I got you that book and a signed copy as well," he said as he opened to the page where the novelist gave his signature in gold sharpie against the black paper.

"Oh. My. God." Sarada took the book in her hands and her eyes enlarged in awe. The release would not a whole month later in the Land of Fire once all the official copyright and publisher would sort out the foreign retailing. "It was released in less than 24 hours, in the Land of Lightning. How on earth did you get the book and Omoi-sama's signature?"

With that honorific, it was pretty obvious that his daughter idolise Omoi, although Sasuke thought not too much of the man.

To Uchiha Sarada,

Merry Christmas! I wish the best and you'd enjoy vol. Eight. You shall be happy to know that Haruna gets her happy ending with Shun. Thank you very much for all your letters to me. I am very thankful for your support. Please continue to support this series.

Yours faithfully,

Omoi

"AND THERE'S A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO ME! THE WRITER HIMSELF WROTE BACK TO ME!" Sarada screamed as she was waving the book up and down with overjoy. She was so pleased about it. The smile on Sasuke grew, then he instantly gestured for silence and promptly pointed to his room's direction, to remind his little girl that her mother was sleeping. Sarada put the book on her knees and covered her mouth with both hands.

Sasuke was trying to think of something to say, without having to tell a lie, and be nice about it. While the book was released on Christmas Day in the publishing country, Sarada didn't need to know how her daddy got the author's signature and in time for his return by Boxing Day early morning.

Omoi was very popular. He had dedicated fans whether they were children, teenagers, or adults. He wrote for the masses. It was not just romance, heroic account, or a series of jokes. It was the story of how the shinobi world united.

It was a fictional world created by Omoi, the seasoned Kumo shinobi who went through the Fourth War for his country. He met many people and saw. To pass on his experience and note down the birth of a brand new world, he took up another role as a fiction novelist. He wrote the story of changes in the shinobi world as a metaphor, turning events of their generation into a series of one big story, giving all the characters different names and transforming their past into inspiration for the next generation.

Omoi of course had written about Sasuke. He did play an important role under another name - good and bad.

Omoi knew how much fans would appreciate responses from him. However, he never once returned Sarada's letters before, but Sarada expected that. He was a famed writer. It wasn't unusual for him to ignore her fan letters. As for Omoi, he didn't know what to reply. Her surname told him exactly whose child she was and the postage stamp from Konoha only made him scare to reply. Omoi did not want to risk the chance of including any non-approved materials in his letters back to one of his most loyal fans, and her father happened to be one of the main characters in his novels, who happened to be one of the two most powerful men on earth. He did not want to lose this fan, but he was more concerned about angering the father in any way.

25 December that year, a stormy winter day in Kumogakure, five minutes after midday, right after the release of the latest installment of his series, Uchiha Sasuke appeared in front of his house's front door holding out his book in his hand.

Omoi was asked to sign the book.

In all abruptness, he had no idea what was happening… Not that he did need to be asked twice! Inviting the Uchiha into his house right away, he eyed his wife to get the guest some tea as he went away to get a pen for signing.

"Can you also leave a message for Sarada? She writes to you often and you've never replied," Sasuke spoke after taking a sip of the green tea as he was warming his hands, holding the cup.

Then, Omoi understood. "W-w-w-wait a second. You came all the way from Konoha to get your daughter my new book?" And in that weather.

"Yes." Sasuke answered that simply and took a pause. "Anything wrong with that?"

That question was not meant to be answered, and so it wasn't. Omoi quickly opened the book and signed it.

"Leave a message," Sasuke reminded Omoi as he finished his signature. "Please," he added for the formality rigidly.

Omoi didn't know what he should write to Sarada. She always talked about how she had this love-and-hate thing going on with the fictional version of her father and how she pitied the fictional version of her mother. He wasn't sure how much Sasuke knew of his work; he wasn't sure if Sarada knew they were indeed her own parents in the past.

"Do you know what I write in my…"

"Yes, I am well aware. I read with Sarada when I'm home."

Sasuke's face didn't show the slightest annoyance. Omoi felt better about it. He did not want to their child getting the wrong idea or blackmail her parents in this fact-diverted imaginary dimension. A reliving smile brought up on Omoi.

"Does your daughter know?" Omoi regretted asking it, because Sasuke fell in utter silence.

He didn't mind the question. He just didn't know how to answer that. He didn't want to answer. He would like to think Sarada hadn't figured it out yet. He wanted to keep it to himself, but he should thank Omoi. Because of his story, even if he was only a part of it, his daughter was introduced to his dark past in a fond manner. Just a story. Sasuke would have it easier to tell Sarada one day. He could not hide from her forever. One day she would know it all. At least the story was helping him to overcome his biggest fear yet since her birth.

A boy who took who much resemblance to the master of the house walked in. He ran to his father to show him a photo of the snowman he built. Omoi laughed with his son and pointed at the uneven body of the snowman. Sasuke might not know it, but he was smiling when he was looking at the father and son. Omoi soon sent his son off to somewhere else for the two men to continue their conversation.

"Later, dad. Nice to meet you, uncle Sasuke." The boy politely greeted both his father and Sasuke with a light bow before going away.

"Sorry about that. Where were we?" Omoi gave an embarrassed smile and Sasuke gave a light chuckle to show his understanding.

They stayed in silence. Omoi was sitting on the edge. While he waited for Sasuke to speak, he was pondering on what he should write to Sarada.

"I don't know, but thank you for writing." And that was said sincerely. Omoi could hear it.

He contently made a start to writing a personalised message for the visitor's daughter.

"He's an old ally."

Sasuke was slightly making this up. It was not a lie though. He would not lie to his daughter. He could choose not to tell, but he would never ever lie to her. That was the true lesson he learned from his older brother. All shinobi countries were allies. He had never met Omoi for real until yesterday. They knew of each other, but they never even greeted each other. Sasuke was surprised to find the novelist was a tolerable and intelligent man.

"You're the best, daddy," Sarada exclaimed as she hurled to hug her father.

Sasuke shushed Sarada to calm her as he patted her head gently. "Get back to sleep now, princess." He adjusted her pillow to make her comfortable after she took off the glasses.

Sasuke was about to make his way back to his room. He heard noises in the living room, but he heard no sound coming from the master bedroom. It couldn't be Sakura, he thought. To be cautious, he went back to the living room to double check.

Standing before the Christmas tree, he found a person dressed in a red suit lurking around suspiciously. With a large white bag at the side, the figure stood facing downward. He was reading something as far as Sasuke could tell from behind. He was tall and the belly was full and somewhat abnormal looking. The fake fat stomach was so badly done. This intruder was wearing a wig. Sasuke could tell, because the curly, frizzy white hair was out of place in contrast to the natural short, bright blond hair beneath.

Sasuke appeared in front of the man in a blink and he greeted his best friend, very annoyed, "What the hell are you doing in my house, dobe?"

Naruto jumped and took a step back. "Holy cow!" He nearly tripped over when Sasuke suddenly appeared before him. He breathed out deeply and wiggled his shoulders. "I'm santa-ing. Can't you see?" Naruto then held up his bag of presents with a deadpan look.

"Are you going to every house with a child?" Sasuke was lifting the long beard that was firmly glued on Naruto's face. He knew he was speaking to his friend's original. The blond could easily do it with his army of shadow clones.

"I'm the Hokage. I'm here to do my job properly."

"Yeah right." Sasuke looked at Naruto almost grudgingly. When did playing Santa become a part of the Hokage's job? "Crashing into my house without my permission and at this late hour?" He couldn't completely rule out the unlikely possibilities.

"Oi!" Naruto felt insulted. "I have a beautiful wife and two lovely children back home." Then he remembered what Boruto did right before the Hokage summit, painting the Hokage Mount and made an ambush attempt on him, the Hokage and foremost, his own father. "Okay, maybe not my son sometimes. He can be a bit... extreme," Naruto trailed off. He knew perfectly well he had done the same in the past just to get a little attention. He had done worse.

Sasuke retorted, "You can't blame me. You had a crush on her."

"C'mon!" Naruto exclaimed in a sceptical voice. He threw his arms in the air and eye-rolled. "You narrow-minded prick! That's years ago. It was more like a competition between you and me in some weird way. Sakura's like my sister." A look of disgust was taking over his goofy expression.

Sasuke smirked, because Naruto was totally fooled. Naruto actually thought he was furious about him breaking into his house. Naruto then figured out it was just Sasuke's poor sense of humour from that smirk.

"I was worried you weren't going to make it back for Christmas. Sarada would be so disappointed. I might have to resort to henge into you." Naruto held the note for Santa Sarada had written. "In the Academy, we're introducing foreign customs to the children. This is a cheerful one. I thought they might enjoy that. I just thought I should use this chance to give people a festive season."

As Naruto talked with his gaze squinting at him, Sasuke truly realised how many years it had been. He might be giving him the evil eyes like he would have back when they were young, the way he talked was different. He might have the same playful personality, he had gained maturity of a competent leader. He spoke and expressed like one. That mindless and silly deadlast Naruto was long gone. He was the Seventh Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. At the same time, a busy man like himself spared his free time and thought on his behalf. Naruto took the time to consider his daughter's happiness. He was a true friend and it only made him feel so blessed to have this second chance.

Naruto found Sasuke smiling so genuinely, and frankly, he found that creepy. Sasuke did not smile. Like Kakashi said, every time Sasuke smiled, a puppy would die. Not that often as far as he knew. Sasuke was in his own world and Naruto was sure he wasn't listening to him anymore. He said 'yes' and just agreed to everything Naruto was saying.

"Teme, are you even listening?" Naruto clicked his fingers to catch Sasuke's attention.

As soon as he was called a bastard - that decade-long label Naruto tagged him -, Sasuke snapped out of it.

"What?" Sasuke fired back, irritated.

Why did Naruto have to destroy that brilliant impression he just made on his mind?

"I was just saying you probably don't need this." Naruto took out a packet from his pocket. It was a pack of condom. He grinned boldly as he pointed at Sarada's second wish.

And now Naruto had used up all the brownie points he earned.

Sasuke did not need anyone to interfere his sex life. That included his best friend. It was none of his business. He was so in his own world that he wasn't registering how Naruto was talking about different positions best for conceiving. Plainly, just sex talk.

"Fuck off."

"Okay." Naruto took out a present from his bag and put it under the tree for Sarada before tying it up to leave. "Fucking off now." With each steady, slow step he took, Naruto thrusted his hip as a mock.

Sasuke just couldn't and Naruto couldn't even.

"I'll give you three seconds. Once that's up, don't cry your sorry ass out when I burn it off your backside," Sasuke gave his warning with only coldness in tone.

"Hell no! How dare are you to threaten your Hokage?" Naruto wiped his head back to see Sasuke's face.

"Three."

Sasuke was dead serious.

"Hey! It's a joke. You were just making one earlier and that wasn't even funny. This is!"

"Two."

There was a line not to be crossed. No exception.

"Was just wishing you a 'good' night. Why so serious?" Naruto was really trying to calm Sasuke down. While Naruto was too concerned about his best friend's short temper to notice anything else, Sasuke heard a faint giggle in the background. She was there listening to them. Spying. Sneaky. Definitely.

It wasn't working for Naruto.

"One."

Sasuke had activated his Sharingan, more than ready to set off Amaterasu. Naruto could feel it. Less than a friction of a second, he went away. The Second Coming of Yellow Flash.

A grin took his lips knowing they were alone now.

Just as Sakura was about to get back to bed, pretending she wasn't there at all, still sleeping soundly and had not been woken up by two rowdy men in the living room talking about sex, Sasuke knew she was there all along.

When Sakura was about to walk away, Sasuke called out.

Longing.

"And where do think you're going?"

Before the pinkette could walk back to the bedroom, she was pinned to the nearest wall in the corridor. Her husband captured her lips in a hungry kiss to clench his thirst for her loving, his fingers entwining with hers. She felt dizzy upon his bodily scent. Sasuke reached down with one hand as he used the other to hold up her chin to meet her gaze.

Yearning.

"Sakura," he whispered into her ear.

The tingling sensation of hot breath meeting her skin made the inside of her uncoiled. Adoringly, he began to trace butterfly kisses down her neckline. Arching against his hardness, she supported herself placing one hand on his chest as she reached to stroke him tenderly. He trapped her between his knees, settled himself within the cradle of her thighs. She felt him.

Loving.

Both the body and the mind.