It's the Godaime that looks Naruto over for this month's checkup, halfway through his 27th week. It's Sakura's day off and Naruto doesn't want to disturb her rest.

Sasuke is outside the examination room, waiting as Naruto asked.

"Baa-chan," says Naruto after he's been prodded and poked and Tsunade has finished her exam, declaring he and the baby are healthy. "Is it… normal for me to… feel so heavy?"

"What do you mean? You're pregnant, of course you feel heavy," she says, writing down her notes on Naruto's file, pen scribbling fast on the paper clipped to a folder.

"No, I mean. The other night, Sasuke and I ate at Ichiraku, and I felt like I didn't have enough room to finish the ramen. And then I couldn't stand up on my own. Sasuke had to pull me up. It just… felt like a pile of rocks right here," Naruto cups the base of his domed belly. "Like… like I'll tear,"

"How much did you have to eat?"

"Just one bowl and I didn't even get to finish it," Naruto frowned. "Gave up less than halfway through. Sasuke switched the bowls while Teuchi-san was busy, so it'd look like I ate the whole thing. Didn't want to offend him. I've never walked so slowly in my life. It's like I had to carry my own belly home, it was awful,"

Tsunade stands from her table and opens a cabinet, and rummages inside it. "Did you tell Uchiha?"

"I told him how heavy I felt, but not how awful it feels,"

"Here," she says, "Get off the bed,"

Naruto hisses, hand under his belly still, as he slides off the slide of the high examination bed. "Baa-chan," he groans, close to shedding tears, holding his stomach, eyes closed and brows meeting in grimace.

"You're alright, you're alright," she tries to soothe him with a squeeze of a shoulder and a hand over his own under the curve of his belly. She lifts the oversized shirt, then wraps a band around his middle with fabric adhesive that fastens on his back, and suddenly Naruto's belly feels so much lighter.

"That feels so good, Baa-chan," Naruto says in relief, leaning on the edge of the bed.

"Don't wear this more than three hours a day, Naruto," she says seriously. "You're in a weakened state, being cut off from your chakra like this for so long, but relying on this band will make things worse, and your muscles around here," she gestures to his abdomen, "will get even weaker. And I can't feed healing chakra into your abdomen. There is risk of the baby absorbing it and that's not advisable for a body this underdeveloped. This is why I told you to stop working, to rest,"

Naruto nods. "Sorry,"

"Only wear this when you need to go out or walk. You're good to go, and talk to Uchiha, you brat," she tells him. "Don't overexert yourself. Let him help you,"

"Sure, thanks, Baa-chan,"

"I'll make sure Sakura has a free day on your next check," she says as Naruto leaves. "And no penetrative sex!" she manages to fit in before Naruto closes the door. "Damn brat going to be the death of me," she worries more about him than the paperwork these days.

Apartment hunting, turns out, is quite easy when you've got money. Landlords seem to forget Sasuke's sins when he says he can pay the whole amount. They even forget about the pregnant omega jinchuuriki looking around the apartment.

The apartment Sasuke chose is a little bit on the fancy side of the Hokage tower. They're on the fifth floor, there's an elevator, a small pool and activity center for the tenants. Sasuke did some investigating around this area right after Tsunade told him to move Naruto out, and this building was the better ones, and was within walking distance of the tower still should Naruto want to visit. And it's a respectable distance from Ichiraku that they can still walk and then walk off the food after. There aren't any bars or restaurants too near, and there's a small grocery store right across the street.

Naruto half-listens to Sasuke as he negotiates with the landlord, while he loiters around the mostly furnished apartment. There are two rooms, the bigger one with at least a queen bed, and the smaller one with a double. The living area has a sofa and a coffee table, the kitchen needs a fridge, and the dining area has a decent looking, sturdy, brown varnished, rectangular table with four seats. There's a washroom near the dining area, and the bathroom has a shower and a bathtub. There's a terrace and Naruto's trying to figure out how to hang the clothes when he finds the laundry room. There are fancy washing machines that beep when it's done, and the clothes come out dry. He finds himself excited to do laundry. The place is three or four times the size of Naruto's apartment. it's basically a house in the air.

"Do you have a service that can help us move our belongings? We'd like to move in today," Sasuke asks the landlord, reviewing the rental contract. "We'll only be staying a while," he says, "Two months at the most, but I can pay that and the deposit outright if you need it,"

Sasuke gave him the two months and the three months deposit, which he made the landlord sign on that he'd return the deposit once they leave at the end of the second month, and also the payment for the moving service, which will start moving Naruto's belongings after lunch. It's currently ten-thirty in the morning.

When the legalities and signing are done, Sasuke looks for Naruto who's deep in the apartment, in the ensuite bathroom of the master bedroom. "Naruto?"

"Sasuke, look!" Naruto's sitting on the edge of the bathtub. "We can fit!"

The Uchiha chuckles. Leave it to Naruto to note fitting in the bathtub, but not the queen bed in the bedroom. "We sure can,"

The blond snickers. "You looked so cool talking to the landlord,"

Sasuke shrugs. "I only pretended to know what I'm doing. He seemed like he wanted to run with the deposit, so I threatened him a little bit,"

"The deposit is why I couldn't move," he says, "They ask for too many months in advance. Wait, why would he return the deposit? We're not staying here?"

"That's what I want to speak with you about," Sasuke offers his hand. Naruto takes it and Sasuke leads them to the living area, and he sits Naruto down on the sofa. "I've been made aware by the Godaime that there's land available to purchase at the edge of the village. She wants me to settle us there. There's already a house there for us,"

"Settle?"

"Look, I know this is moving a little fast, but… I thought about what she said, and I… I can… I want to give this to you,"

Sasuke can't put it into words as well as he'd like. But it's also some kind of pressure he's putting on himself, when he realized he's the last of his clan, basically clan-less head. It's not that he'll expect Naruto to birth him an entire clan, but he wants to reestablish the Uchiha name with Naruto beside him.

"Sasuke," Naruto lightly pinches his cheek then leans over to peck where the pinch tingles. "You're already here. That's more than I ever prayed for,"

The revelation stuns Sasuke. "You… prayed for me?"

"Of course!" says Naruto, like he thinks everybody prays for Sasuke. Naruto smiles that bright smile, like this revelation isn't baring to Sasuke his very soul. "That you're always safe, healthy, strong, fed, sheltered, and clear and open minded. That you overcome any endeavor.

"I wished for you to come back, sure. But I always thought, you needed to find what it is that your heart and mind are looking for out there, and when you find it, when you find your fulfillment, I hoped you'd think of coming to visit, if you didn't want to come back. If all I could have, was to see you every few years I would've… been okay with it if it meant you were healthy and at peace,"

Naruto really is… too good for him. What Naruto sees in him, he'll never understand. "Would you… have told me about the baby?"

"Oh, yes. I wasn't sure if I could put him in your family registry to give him your name, so I was sad about that. But I would never use the baby to make you come back or stay,"

"Naruto," Sasuke says his name with resolve, "I've been selfish all my life. Never thought about anything else but myself and my revenge. But you. You've never once thought about yourself, and even now when you're supposed to, you still don't. So I will be selfish for the both of us," because it took a while for Sasuke to realize his heart will only ever be full when he's with Naruto.

"What do you mean?"

"I will literally give you everything you've never had the luxury of having, everything denied from you, everything taken from you I will strive to give it to you because no one else deserves the good things in life more than you,"

"Then…" Naruto reaches for Sasuke's hand to squeeze it. He can't let Sasuke do all the giving. He can't just take and take because Sasuke's gone through so much, too. "Then I'll love you harder, better! And I'll give you that clan you want!" he says with conviction as he presses Sasuke's hand to the top his belly, where the baby's feet are, and Sasuke feels the child move under Naruto's skin. "And… and I know I'm weak right now. But I will birth a healthy baby for you. I promise,"

Sasuke panics at the word, weak. "What do you mean weak? Naruto, did the Godaime say something this morning?"

Naruto's shoulders drop and breaks eye contact with Sasuke. This is it. this is asking for help from his alpha. He feels so ashamed. An omega should be able to do pregnancy easily. It should be breeze. His body is made for this, to bring his alpha's children into the world, continue the dying line of Uchiha blood. But Naruto's pregnancy has been nothing but complication after complication.

"I… remember, the other night, when you had to finish my ramen for me?"

"Yeah,"

"And I couldn't get up on my own?"

"Naruto…"

"I just… my stomach felt so heavy, Sasuke. Just so heavy. And I…" Naruto's breath hitches. "And I felt so awful. I didn't want to worry you. I thought… I thought feeling the heaviness of the baby meant it was good, healthy. But it felt like the baby was going to tear me open and they weren't even kicking. I had to… to me it felt like I carried my belly home by my hands while we walked," he pulls up the shirt and shows the band supporting his stomach. "Baa-chan gave me this to help with the weight, but I can't wear it for very long,"

"You should have told me," Sasuke pulls Naruto into his chest for a hug. "We shouldn't have gone out so much if you told me,"

The blond clings tightly onto his mate. "I'm sorry. It's just been so hard," he admits.

"Naruto." Tell me, goes unsaid.

The omega pulls away. "I… I've bled. Twice before. I… I begged Baa-chan to save your baby,"

Your baby.

Sasuke remembers what the Godaime said. He's got his own piece of you with him now.

"When was this."

"The worst one was about four or so weeks ago? Tried to make a bunshin to help me with some groceries, and I bled. Baa-chan put me on medical leave but my funds were dwindling fast, and I had to go back to work—"

Sasuke held him by the shoulder and met his mate's eyes. "You're not doing anything other than rest and grow our child, do you understand, Naruto?" the omega nods. "I'm here now. We have enough, so please, let me help you take care of yourself,"

"I will, I'm sorry,"

Nothing's easy especially when there's no money, the song reminds Sasuke. Even as a child Naruto had this problem because Sarutobi didn't think Naruto needed more to be able to grow into a healthy child. Never again. Naruto and this child will never want for nothing again.

Sasuke succeeded in moving Naruto into a new place, and all of their belongings are now in the new apartment. It's half furnished, so most of the things they moved into the new apartment are the essentials. The rest that they don't use every day, Sasuke will have to send to the house with the land as soon as he acquires it.

He's out buying some groceries for the week when he decides to stop by the library to do some reading. These are one of times he desperately wishes he still had family left. Clan children are bound by tradition Sasuke doesn't know anything about, only that his mother and father had dreams and plans for him and Itachi to lead.

Sasuke finds himself picking up a book he never thought he'd ever even dreamed of reading, not even as a spare being brought up to support the heir, to father more spares. He hadn't been old enough to learn what this book contained when it happened.

Clan Etiquette in Courtship and Marriage for Alphas and Omegas

Preface

This may or may not be accurate to how Clan Heads rule or reign over their clan, and they may not practice all or much of what this book contains. You may also find that may be a clan centric, traditional, and conservative book. Clans have their own practices and traditions. This is a guidebook, not an instruction set in stone. It is in the discretion of the Clan Head, and their delegation and council if applicable, to adopt or observe all, most, or none of the practices listed. These guidelines are generic and may or may not be applicable to non-shinobi clans.

Clan Heads must always decide and act in the best interests of the clan and their members.

Kami, Sasuke thinks. Is this the burden clan head like himself must carry?

He skims through the next few paragraphs.

While the purpose of marriage between an alpha and an omega is for companionship, procreation, and support, it is often seen as a circumstance that can serve as an initiation or guarantee of peace or alliance between clans, against the threat of another clan.

Okay, he understands that.

For shinobi clans, it is a method of ensuring peace between clans, and introducing the possibility of a Kekkei Genkai or other genetically inherited skills or talent into the blood of the clan receiving the partner.

And that's something that flew over his head but now thinks he should probably watch closely. He skims though the next few pages, then catches something.

The alpha must then arrange a visit with the omega's parents. They must bring offerings or gifts for the omega and the parents. Alphas must bow to the parents and state his intention. The omega may or may not be present for this.

That would mean Sasuke would have to go to Kakashi, even if Naruto isn't a Hatake, since Kakashi is the family head, the alpha who raised him.

Courtship must be approved by the clan head of the alpha/omega match. If the match was made during childhood, it is customary that the courtship begins only after the omega reaches sexual maturity to ensure the health of the omega during pregnancy, and the survival of the mother and child at birth—

Sasuke closes the book. The last line of that paragraph bothers him. Naruto's pregnancy isn't a walk in the park even if he's already an adult. And it's his fault.

And he isn't even going to ask permission for courtship anymore. He's going straight to marriage. He already put a baby in Naruto, so what's the point of still going through courtship?

He takes the book, then checks out some other baby books.

"We should invite Baa-chan, Sakura-chan, and Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei for a housewarming!" says Naruto three days after they've settled. Sasuke has already warded the place.

He's currently not wearing the support band since there's not much he does around the apartment other than cook meals, clean up after meals, and study any papers Tsunade sends him.

"You're not supposed to be working," says Sasuke, setting a glass of cold oolong down on the dining table where Naruto's papers are spread about. The radio is playing a song in the background with a low volume as silent noise, and Sasuke hasn't heard a depressing song come from Naruto's lips so far.

"Thank you," he takes a sip of the tea. "Oh, this? That's ok this is just a small thing. Shizune-neechan isn't familiar with this pile of documents, so I'm the one looking it over for Baa-chan, but also leaving notes for Nee-chan," he neatly piles a set of papers and puts it back into a folder which seals itself shut. "Keep that Sharingan dormant, teme. This is confidential stuff,"

"The Godaime wants me to train for the assistant post,"

"She said that?" Naruto signed off on a document that needed his review. "When?"

"When she summoned me,"

"Why would she want you as an assistant?"

"For Kakashi,"

"He doesn't need an assistant, he's a genius!"

Sasuke shrugs.

"Eh, you still can't look at the papers," Naruto shrugs it off as well. "He's probably gonna slack off anyways. You're there to keep him in line," he puts some notes down a notepad to stick on another document. "Can't have the Rokudaime-sama reading porn in public,"

The Uchiha snorts. It's weird, hearing Naruto put the man who helped raise him, basically his father, on a pedestal like that because he serves the Hokage tower, unlike when he calls the Godaime his grandmother both in social and formal visits.

"What about you, though? When you come back?"

"Well," he continues to write on the margins of a document. "That just means I'm taking like, a second assistant role. Doesn't mean I'm under Shizune-nee-chan, Shikamaru, or you, just that, Shikamaru, you, and nee-chan may have responsibilities and tasks with more weight than I will, or Shikamaru, you, and nee-chan will get to handle more important things, and then delegate less urgent things to me. Could also happen that everything you and I do will go through nee-chan for checking and filtering before sensei sees it. Depends on what kind of things he wants us to do or focus on. I usually focus on administrative stuff,"

"I see,"

"Oh, and I'm thinking coming back part time after the maternity leave, so I can take up classes on geopolitics and economics, and the other sciences that's needed for law or whatever. That's what sensei's been reviewing other than the things with the actual paperwork Baa-chan's been sending him,"

Sasuke watches as Naruto work. Even though he's still loud and noisy, still gives him a smile as bright as the sun, still goes in head on without thinking, but he's so much more mature now. The younger Naruto he knew wouldn't have thought of taking those classes—all he wanted was to achieve his dream and becoming hokage.

This change… it's hella attractive. The way Naruto bites a pen when there's something that needs thinking over while he reads; the way he taps his left-hand fingers on the table when he's deciding what to write down. Naruto's penmanship has even improved—it's not as chicken scratchy as before.

The wards nudge Sasuke; their guest is not a threat. There's a knock on the door and he gets up to answer it. It's an ANBU.

"ANBU-san, you're early," says Naruto, "Does Baa-chan have more papers for me? Come in. I can't get up,"

"Naruto-san," says the masked ANBU, stepping into the apartment when Sasuke moves out of the way. "Hokage-sama is requesting file AD-105648 for return to the office,"

"Ah, yes. I got that one done already. Tell Baa-chan I told you to tell her to come to hour housewarming tomorrow night at seven," he hands the sealed envelope to the ANBU, who nods and immediately takes his leave. "You know? I could totally work from home. I'm not doing anything else. Though I'm not sure if this is total abuse of power on the ANBU, using them as courier service,"

"No," says Sasuke. "You're supposed to be healthy, rested, and bored out of your mind and growing our child,"

That makes Naruto grin. "Sasuke-papa, are you worried about me?"

"I'm always worried about you, Naru-mama,"

"It's gonna be so weird you calling me that. Never call me that in public, teme,"

"As if, dobe,"

Naruto returns to the documents. "So what do you think about the housewarming for tomorrow evening? Sakura-chan's shift ends at noon so she can catch up on sleep a little bit, and everybody's free in the evening,"

"That's alright. We're not cooking, though,"

"I can't even lift my own body. Of course we're not cooking. We're getting takeaway,"

Naruto leans over to get a document from the other side of the table, exposing a lot of his chest.

Sasuke's never really been a sexual kind of alpha. He's never looked at someone's body and blood would rush to his crotch or think that he'd want to knot them. If there's anyone he's actually wanted a sexual relationship with, or looked at like a starving animal, it's Naruto. Anyone else he's had the unfortunate chore of fucking during his ruts after he left Konoha, were just faceless bodies he used to relieve himself.

But then Naruto started wearing those yukatas at home. He'd tie the sash above his belly, accentuating the swell, like he's proudly showing Sasuke the time they spent together six months ago had borne fruit. Sasuke realizes he'd fucked a baby into him.

And then just now, Sasuke got a flash of breasts while Naruto reached for documents. Breasts that had swelled even more since the false heat. Naruto isn't even doing anything remotely sexual but sit here, eat, sleep, and be pregnant with Sasuke's child.

Yet Sasuke has been walking around this apartment half hard the last three days. Because Naruto is pregnant. With his child. When had he become so attracted to and aroused by pregnant omega? He's never even looked at one during his travels. But Naruto… maybe it's just Naruto?

"I'm going to the hospital," Sasuke gets up from the table before even more blood rushes to his dick. Maybe a walk to the hospital can calm him down. "To get my suppressants refilled,"

"Oh, then will you please get me some dango on the way home?"

"Alright," Sasuke bends down to give Naruto a kiss.

Again, he gets a peek at Naruto's chest. It's not like he does it on purpose! Those aren't pecs anymore; those are proper breasts, waiting to be filled with milk.

Yabai. Yabai, yabai, yabai! Sasuke turns around. He wants his mouth on those so bad. "Ittekuru," I'm going, he says, slapping a fresh scent blocker on from his bag. Those are for the baby, Uchiha, get your shit together.

"Itterasshai," Come back safe.

Sasuke half-slams the door behind him. Fuck. Fuck! What the fuck is wrong with me?

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura throws himself at him when he enters the examination room. She lingers a little longer, squeezing him tight, and pressing her neck to Sasuke's shoulder.

"Sakura… hisashiburi,"

"Sorry, that was unprofessional, but welcome back!" she pulls away and leads him to sit on the chair by her table. "I heard from Tsunade-shishou that you're looking for an apartment,"

"Yeah," he answers.

"Have you seen Naruto? You smell like him," she opens his file and writes down the date and anything she observes about him.

Sasuke sometimes forgets that some of the most powerful and deadly ninjas in Konoha are omegas. "Yes,"

"Poor Naruto," she says, scribbling down more on Sasuke's file. "He's so topped up on scent blockers, that's bad for the baby,"

She might not know Sasuke's the father. He feels like she's filling him in. Naruto hasn't worn blockers for more than two hours a day in the last week and a half, only during short shopping trips, and Sasuke's been scenting him non-stop, so he's improved much.

"I didn't get to check him the other day, but Tsunade-shishou said he'll be fine with a little help," she sighs with a frown. "He doesn't let us help, though,"

"He's… stubborn like that,"

"Right, what can I help you with?"

The change in Sakura from his friend and former teammate to doctor is a line that's thick and physical. "I need a refill of suppressants,"

Sakura writes that down. "And how long have you been on suppressants without breaks?"

"Around three months," he lies. He's been on suppressants since before Naruto got pregnant.

She reaches for a prescription pad and writes. "I know that you know that being on suppressants for more than year is inadvisable, so I need you to tell me the truth, Sasuke-kun,"

"I need to be on it a little longer,"

"May I ask why?"

He really wishes he was given to another doctor. "The partner I'm with… is not well enough to spend my rut with me,"

Sakura tenses and stops writing. Then resumes. "I see."

Sasuke doesn't know if she's over her little crush.

"How long will this partner be indisposed?"

"I… don't know. Six months?"

She hums, lips drawn thin, then starts writing. "I need you to sign here that you're doing this against advice," she hands him the paper and another pen, then writes again on a fresh sheet. "But this doesn't mean we won't treat you if something goes wrong. This is prescription for six months and two weeks. You'll slowly go off the suppressants after the sixth month, stretch the last few dosages over two weeks, to avoid your rut hitting you too fast, and to give your partner time to prepare,"

Sasuke signs and his consent is filed with his folder.

"Take this to the pharmacy," Sakura tears the sheet off the pad.

"Thank you," he takes the paper and moves to leave.

"Sasuke-kun," she says before Sasuke opens the door. "Take care,"

Sasuke leaves. He doesn't tell her about the housewarming.

When Sasuke arrives back at the apartment, the dining table is free of documentation, and he takes a breath before setting the dango down.

It's quiet, so Naruto must be napping.

When he gets to the master bedroom, again, blood rushes to Sasuke's dick. This is exactly why he went out to cool himself down. How is it that his own mate will be the cause of his blue balls.

Naruto is on the bed, laying on his side, the fan blowing a light breeze on him. A plump hip and thigh are exposed as a pillow is between his legs, and the neckline of his yukata revealing a shoulder and open enough to bare the soft mounds on Naruto's chest.

These yukatas. They'll finally be the death of the Uchiha bloodline.

He wants to touch the bare thigh but keeps his hand to himself and lets Naruto sleep. After all, growing a child is tiring.

Sasuke returns to the living area, leaving the bedroom door open, and fetches the documents Naruto turned over to him to review more of the papers, and the notebook the omega got him from a general merchandise store nearby the other day. He sets them down on the coffee table and spreads out the documents that needed more perusal, then gets himself a cold glass of tea to help with the heat.

He looks around the apartment. He would've liked a kotatsu instead of the more modern couch and coffee table, but Naruto would have a difficult time getting himself down and up from it. Maybe in the house he plans to build for them, they can have both.

It's a while of sipping the cold tea and writing down notes on the notebook, going over the insurances and trust repeatedly. In a separate page, he notes down again the items that need to be gone over and finalized before he gets construction going. The first thing he needs done are the gates, then have those warded.

"Sasuke?" he hears Naruto's voice from the bedroom. "Are you home?"

"Tadaima," I'm home.

"Okaeri nasai," Welcome home, Naruto sees Sasuke enter the bedroom. He yawns. "Did you get your suppressants?"

Sasuke's always taken pride in his iron will. Today that iron will is being tested. Naruto is sitting on the bed, yukata is off one shoulder, and a leg is peeking out of it. "Yes," he joins Naruto on the bed.

He doesn't know what happens, but it's like a switch flips. One second, Naruto looks like he's relieved to see Sasuke home safe, the next he looks terrified of him.

"Take it off!" Naruto demands, pulling at Sasuke's clothes as tears threaten to fall, then rips the scent blocker patch off Sasuke's neck. "Take it off!"

"What? Naruto, what's going on?" he asks, and wants to ask more questions, but Naruto is halfway to hysterical, so he removes the clothes and throws them to the floor.

"She scented you!" Naruto cries.

This is precisely why Naruto told only Tsunade even if Kakashi and Iruka can keep secrets, and why he preferred it if she did the checkups instead of Sakura. He's afraid of what they'd think, because despite their reminders to be careful, whether it's Sasuke or not and especially if it's Sasuke, he still got himself in this position. Naruto knew he'd have a difficult future ahead of him if he hadn't been careful, if Sasuke had successfully planted himself in his womb. And Sasuke did.

"She scented you so take it off! She has everything! She can't have you, too. You're mine!"

"It's off, it's off,"

"She can't have you!"

"And she won't!" Sasuke doesn't know how to handle this, how to calm a hysterical omega. The only thing he can think of is to pull Naruto to him to let his mate scent him back.

Naruto, uncontrollably sobbing, presses himself as best as he can in a desperate hug wrapping his arms around Sasuke, with his belly in between them, to get rid of her scent. He wants Sasuke to smell like he bathed himself in his scent.

She can't take him. Naruto loved him harder, at his worst, at his best, when he wasn't here. He'll never let Sasuke go. He worked too hard to get him here.

He wouldn't know what to do with himself if she took Sasuke from him. He knows she's never really gotten over that little crush, never told her about his feelings for Sasuke, never admitting what was between them, their little clandestine meetups arranged by letter, bodies pressed together under the shade of trees, and each other's scents washed off by strong disinfectant soap in the nearest body of water.

Was it selfish of him? To want Sasuke to himself? He's… chased so long. Loved, dreamed, prayed, hoped, let down, let go, and now, he's supposed to be looking forward. Because Sasuke is here, with him, seeking to settle down, they're about to have a baby, and yet. And yet something is always trying to take happiness away from him.

Does he not… deserve to be happy? Because it's difficult now, to keep pretending to be.

It's not like… he can have anybody he wanted. He's not pretty like her. She's smart and respected. He's dumb and ostracized. He knows he's not a catch. He's loud, annoying, a troublemaker, the Hokage and the next one are his surrogate grandmother and father. He's a vessel for the fox who devastated this village and many still harbor anger for him. Who wants to bother? Even he wouldn't bother with himself.

Naruto sobs and sobs into Sasuke's neck, nosing his gland, and pressing his own to Sasuke's shoulder, where Sakura had pressed hers. It takes a while before Naruto calms down enough that his sobs turn into double breaths and whimpers. He pulls himself off Sasuke.

"I'm sorry," he says in between the involuntary gasps of air. "I don't know what came over me. I'm not… preventing you from seeing people, Sasuke. She's your friend, too,"

"If she doesn't stop, then she's not a friend," says Sasuke, brushing the tears off Naruto's whiskered cheek. "Naruto. I promise to bite you when your health is back. Just tell me, and I will do it," he presses a kiss to the omega's forehead.

The reassurance lifts the heaviness in his heart. "I… don't want her at the housewarming,"

"Good, because I didn't tell her. Tomorrow is for your grandmother and your parents. I'll drop by the Hatake compound later today,"

Naruto lays down with his back to Sasuke, exhausted from the breakdown. He's not sure he wants to face his parents either. He's disappointment enough.

Sasuke spoons him, hand over the yukata covered belly. "I love you. Only you,"

Naruto puts a hand over Sasuke's. "I love you, too,"

"Do you want to come with me?" Sasuke, showered to get rid of the last of Sakura's scent, and dressed in fresh clothes, asks as he prepares to leave.

Naruto, at the dining table with a cold glass of tea and half eaten stick of dango, shakes his head tiredly. The breakdown must've been exhausting for him. "I don't think I'm well enough for a walk that long,"

"I won't be long,"

"Take your time with them," Naruto tells him. "They raised me, Sasuke. They're my parents. They were our teachers,"

"I'll be polite," says Sasuke, leaning over to kiss him.

Naruto chuckles. "S-class mission, I'm sure,"

"Ittekuru," I'm going now.

"Itterasshai," Come back safe.