Chapter 10: Rush
Notes:
Ahhh someone help me I can't stop writing them jokingly flirting until they fall into bed together *tears*
No but really, I hope there's still some of you left who don't hate me lol. I know this is so so late, but I hated literally every word I managed to write for a long time. I'm just now feeling like I'm not churning out total garbage, but even still, there are many parts of this I'm pretty dissatisfied with. I couldn't let myself go longer without updating though, so hopefully it's still enjoyable! :)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Naruto and Sasuke were sitting in the barbecue restaurant eating lunch before they were due to leave the village. It was supposed to be some sort of remnants of team seven meal before they were gone again for an undetermined amount of time.
They had all just finished placing their drink orders when Sai breezed in, the last one to show up for once, carrying a large wrapped—no. No.
Naruto's mind scrambled because he couldn't possibly have brought that here. To a restaurant no less.
Memories of making good on his, in hindsight, very unfortunately made promise bombarded him at the sight of the canvas. The source of his pain and now probably future embarrassment.
When he'd originally gone to Sai's apartment to sit for the painting, he'd known it would be weird just because of how Sai was. His mistake, somehow, had been in assuming Sasuke would at the very least not encourage the very unique brand of brashness that Sai happened to possess. After his very first sitting, though, those thoughts were out the window.
They'd gone to Sai's apartment as scheduled, Naruto still with innocence in his heart, unaware of what he was about to endure.
The second Sai had opened the door though, "Ahhh Naruto and Sasuke…good. Well no need for preamble. You won't need your shirt in here. You may as well take it off now."
Naruto was sure Sai was fucking with him in some way, but he was also sure the joke would be hidden among questionably serious statements he wouldn't be able to see the difference in. So he'd taken the easy route and lost his shirt, posed on the stool just the way Sai asked, and then. Then.
"This is how I pictured you in my head, but something's missing. You look too…" Sai gestured vaguely at him, "pure or—" His voice dropped off as he stood looking around the room and back at Naruto, as if searching for inspiration.
"Get him wet," Sasuke said, interrupting Sai's movements, surprising both of them enough that their heads whipped over to look at him.
Naruto was confused, about what Sasuke meant and why he'd even responded. "What?" He expected his feelings to be shared, but when he glanced back at Sai, his eyebrows were raised in understanding. "Guys." Naruto was starting to get worried then, that the idea was even being considered by Sai, that Sasuke was the one to suggest it.
"Wait here." Sai left him sitting, looking at Sasuke with narrowed eyes.
It wasn't until he'd returned with a large spray bottle that Naruto realized he'd taken Sasuke's suggestion seriously. "No wait I—!"
The unceremonious way that Sai sprayed him down was enough to have him sputtering and wholeheartedly blaming Sasuke for his predicament. If it weren't for the deal they'd made, he wouldn't have even still been there, but he had given his word and so there he sat, feeling water dripping down his skin and soaking into the waistband of his pants. Just when he thought Sai was satisfied, his hair was spritzed and tousled, and that was the last straw for him. When Sai finally backed away to observe him again, he made no effort to hide the irritation he felt simmering in his stomach.
"Perfect. Your Uchiha has good taste," Naruto felt his mouth open to protest Sai's words but got no chance. "Now, I'm gonna take pictures so try and keep your expression blank."
There the reference was again, of Sasuke being his Uchiha. The last time he'd heard that had been…before. Now though, it had a different effect on him, made him a little less pissed, a little placated at the reference of them being an item. "Oh I lied. I like the smirk better. Keep it."
Naruto was jarred out of his reminiscence when he heard Sai say his name.
"—he wasn't the best model of course because he never sits still but I still think I managed."
Sai was standing at the head of the table, moving to uncover the painting. Naruto had seen it in various stages of completion, and he'd been disconcerted by the way he was being portrayed even then. He'd not seen it since Sai put on the finishing touches, as he called them, but he didn't have high expectations for being any less miffed about his replica. As the last part of the wrapping fell away, Naruto rolled his eyes at being right.
Everyone at the table took the time to look over it though, none of them speaking a single word. By the time they all turned to look at Naruto, his irritation had peaked.
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't paint it."
Sakura's eyebrows drew together, "you don't like it Naruto? You look—"
"That's just it. I don't think I look like myself. I look—"
"Hot." What?! He didn't think he'd ever get over Sasuke Uchiha calling anyone hot, let alone him. Everyone else seemed to agree, if the way eyes shot toward him meant anything.
"Not the word I would have used, but yeah. It's…sultry, Naruto. You shouldn't hate it, for sure."
"You guys are nuts," he was trying to pretend he couldn't feel his cheeks heating up, "Sai went and sexed me up and you're acting like it isn't weird."
Sasuke and Kakashi both snorted out loud.
"Didn't know you were so opposed to sexing, Naruto." Of course. Leave it to Kakashi to brew up a comment like that. He was so beyond done with this conversation.
"Anyway," Sai said, his smile as close to genuine as it ever got, "I'm glad you like it, Sasuke. It's for you."
That, at least, seemed to stir up the Uchiha. "What?"
"You gave me something I didn't even know I wanted, back all those months ago. Memories of my brother I couldn't even recall myself. This is my way of repaying you."
The table was quiet again, eyes riveted to their exchange. "Oh—thank you." Sasuke took the canvas from Sai, somehow managing now to show an ounce of the discomfort Naruto could tell he was feeling, and looked at it again, up close, before he rested it against his own chair.
"Well this wouldn't be true team seven get together if it wasn't a spectacle," Kakashi said, his eyes crinkling fondly. It was the first thing Naruto had heard that he agreed with.
And he thought they were just having lunch.
Later when they'd finally left to start the trek toward Gaara's village, the painting safely stowed away in a sealed scroll, Naruto cornered Sasuke.
"Just what exactly is it with you and this painting. You've gone out of your by-the-book Sasuke way to encourage Sai with this and I want answers."
For a second Sasuke only smirked and kept walking. Naruto made no indication that he was willing to drop his question, so eventually, "I wanted it from the start. I mean, originally I was just going to record it with the sharingan, but that didn't turn out to be necessary did it." As if the words weren't enough, there was a smirk twisting up the corner of Sasuke's mouth. Naruto felt determinedly bitter over that.
"You hoed me out for a painting." His annoyance carried him into crossing his arms, his maturity obviously slipping.
Sasuke snorted, "hoed you out?"
"Yeah, Sasuke. You hoed me out."
"You did that to yourself. All I did was reap my own gain from it."
Naruto let a sigh be his only response. It wasn't like he really had a reason to be upset if he actually thought about it. Some part of the situation was rubbing him the wrong way though.
"Did you want me to be jealous?" Sasuke spoke again, his voice carefully blank.
"No way! That's dumb." Naruto felt a wall of annoyance raise up inside of him at that. He almost rolled his eyes.
"It is dumb. I'd rip him limb from limb, but I also know that I would never need to. Insecurity isn't in my nature and doubting you is not something that has ever crossed my mind."
Again Naruto didn't respond but he felt the last dregs of his irritation slip away. He really hadn't wanted Sasuke to be jealous, but whatever uneasiness that had been rankled deep inside of him was now smoothed out. If he hadn't known much better, he may have given into the tiny smile tickling his mouth then, but he just kept walking instead, the topic dropped for good.
The next couple of months were spent traveling and planning. They'd gone straight to Gaara after leaving Konoha, spent weeks getting everything in order and a timeframe nailed down, then worked their way to where they'd left Taka not so long ago.
The building they'd commandeered as a base outside of the village was a good hub for them, but it wasn't where they actually wanted to live. It was like their time spent helping the small town to rebuild so many months ago was perfect practice for them to build their own place to live.
But now, weeks even after that, they were slowly working their way back toward the sand village. It was in the plan they'd arranged with Sakura and Gaara that they try to be there at least a week before Sasuke's due date, so they'd left with much time to spare, to travel slowly and take their time stopping if they wanted. So far it was working out, giving them time to spend together before they had a baby to take care of.
"What kind of chakra nature do you think he'll have?" Naruto mumbled. They were sitting in the bathtub, Sasuke between his legs with his back resting against him. They'd been in long enough that Naruto's fingers were pruny, but neither of them seemed motivated to move.
"Mmm I'd be hard pressed to think he wouldn't end up with fire as at least one, since he'll be an Uchiha and all." Sasuke's voice was low. It was obvious the water was lulling them both after a long day spent walking. Naruto was sure that if he tried, he could fall asleep just as they were.
"As stubborn as you are, I wouldn't expect your genes to be any different," Naruto couldn't help but snort, "it'd still be cool if he has wind too. Then he'll have the power that we have together."
He could feel Sasuke's chuckle where they were pressed together, "and that's why everyone's already unsettled."
"I mean we are pretty badass."
"That's one way to put it," Sasuke said, his laugh fading into a sigh.
They'd been in the bath so long that their skin was flushed, and for some reason that always made him want to reach out and touch. "I love how soft your skin is," he said, finally giving in and running his fingertips along Sasuke's shoulders, down his sides, around the front of his stomach, leisurely in his pace. When his hands finally rested cupped around the swell of Sasuke's belly, he leaned forward to press his mouth against the crook of his neck before resting his chin there. "You're my favorite."
Naruto couldn't help but smile when Sasuke laughed in an embarrassed sort of way, "yeah?"
"Yeah. Couldn't ask for a better best friend."
"Naruto," Sasuke said, shaking his head. Naruto didn't have to see him to know he was rolling his eyes. "And here I was going to return the sentiment."
"Sasuke you don't even like anyone. I'm your favorite by default."
"That's not true."
"Oh?" Naruto said, making sure to emphasize the question in his tone, "who else do you like then?"
"My son."
Naruto jerked his head up so quickly he sloshed water. "YOUR son, huh?"
"Yeah, I made him." For the first time since the start of the conversation, Naruto regretted their position. He'd pay money to see the playful challenge he knew was in the Uchiha's eyes.
"And who helped you?"
"Some blond dude. I don't know."
"WHAT!?" Naruto didn't even bother not yelling. He stood up behind Sasuke and stepped out onto the rug, not caring if he dripped water, barely managing to hold in his smile. When he turned around, there was a mischievous glint in Sasuke's eye as he raked his gaze down Naruto's naked body.
"A hot one though." As if his words weren't enough, Sasuke made sure to smirk and raise his eyebrow salaciously. If they weren't knee deep in a joke, Naruto might have blushed.
"Oh so now you only want me for my body?"
"What else is there?"
Naruto gasped dramatically. "Too far."
Sasuke just sighed. "You know I'm joking. I'm stupid in love with you, now come help me stand up."
"Yeah stupid is about right," Naruto said, making sure to mumble, as he grabbed Sasuke's hands and hauled him up out of the water.
When he looked down though, it seemed Sasuke's body might not have been in on the joke. "Wait were you serious?"
"Yeah it turns me on when you yell and fling water everywhere."
Naruto gasped, but then he quickly narrowed his eyes, "you're still fucking with me."
"Yes and no." Mirth was all but pouring from Sasuke's eyes. It was throwing Naruto for a loop how he was swinging between moods.
"What does that even mean?"
"It means that I like messing with you, but I also like it when you stand all wet and naked." He paused at Sasuke's words, contemplating exactly how he wanted to respond to his obviously aggressive joking. When he spoke, he made sure to pitch his voice low, ensuring that Sasuke picked up on the shift in his intentions.
"How 'bout you get out of the tub then." Without saying anything else, he walked into the bedroom, knowing Sasuke would follow him, assuming Sasuke would be watching him. It was spur of the moment for him to turn around and wink over his shoulder, but then he got to watch Sasuke's gaze flick up from his ass and widen in surprise.
The gasp was like his own personal prize. "Naruto."
"Oh you know my name now?"
Sasuke was momentarily stunned. Naruto had just winked at him…again, and even more startling than that was the way it made pleasure burst in the pit of his stomach.
"Even if I know it, you can't make me say it." He didn't know why he said it, didn't know why he'd let their joking mood carry him into baiting Naruto, but the words were already out of his mouth. It was too late to take them back.
"A dare? Really? You wanna go there?" As if Sasuke wasn't going to rise to his own inadvertently made challenge.
"Tch when have I not."
"Sit down then." The calm suggestion made him a little wary, but he sat on the edge of the bed anyway. He followed his every movement as he seemed to stalk closer to him, but then all Naruto did was cup his face then lean down to kiss him.
The kiss was slow, slow and thorough, he licked and sucked every part of Sasuke's lips before he allowed his focus to move on. Then his tongue was sliding with Sasuke's, sensuously, wringing out every sensation that it could, mapping every surface inside his mouth that it could reach. The kiss felt powerful…even though it wasn't fast, even though it wasn't rough. Every movement was dragged out and Sasuke could still barely keep up.
By the time Naruto moved to feather gentle kisses all over his face, there was no part of his mouth that felt untouched, no part uncoerced into the simple pleasure of being worshipped by Naruto. He kissed his nose, his forehead, his eyelids, every once in a while coming back to press against his lips. When he finally pulled away, Sasuke felt the loss of his mouth like an ache, and it was then he realized, Naruto wouldn't be wrecking his body until he had no choice to scream his name. He'd be wringing Sasuke's heart for it instead.
His lips were only gone for a short time before they were wrapped around his earlobe, then trailing wetly down the side of his neck. When they reached the curve that started his shoulder, Sasuke couldn't help but shiver, the sensations giving him chills. But Naruto never stopped, just continued working his way down, across his collar bones, around each nipple. At some point he nudged Sasuke back until he was laying, still trailing over his skin with his mouth, his tongue, his fingertips.
Every inch of his skin felt alive, warmed by Naruto's efforts, until it seeped inside him and melted his heart too. Their connection felt so strong in that moment that he could feel Naruto's intentions rolling off of him, could see the feelings he was trying to convey every time their eyes met. It made his emotions rise to the surface too. Like they were baring themselves completely, so nothing was hidden, every moment shared between them until it felt like they were one and the same.
When it felt like Naruto had managed to touch every part of Sasuke, when he felt like his body was singing from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, his feet were planted on the bed, his hips drawn to the edge, and Naruto finally moved to press inside him, after waiting until Sasuke's eyes were locked onto his. His pace was so unhurried, Sasuke could feel the stretch of every inch, could feel every second they came closer to being joined together. The pleasure of it surged low in his belly. He could see the same pleasure warming the blue in Naruto's eyes, mixing with the affection he'd already made known with his lips on Sasuke's skin. And when their hips pressed close, Naruto paused, and it gave Sasuke time to settle. Time to focus on Naruto's hands squeezed tight on the top of his thighs, time to bask in the alluring scent that was his mate, time to give a tiny smile in answer to the raw emotions in Naruto's expression.
"You're…amazing," Naruto blurted then, as he finally withdrew and moved back in, setting a pace just as languid as the start. Sasuke could tell it was an honest admission, surprising Naruto almost as much as it did him. He'd never needed Naruto to voice compliments out loud, but they still made his stomach flutter, even the rushed, in the heat of the moment ones. Sasuke's eyes must have betrayed his reaction because Naruto kept going.
"I'm so thankful for you, Sasuke. For being you. For loving me." Sasuke's heart was hammering in his chest. It was so rare for Naruto to feel the need to explain his feelings so plainly to him, he couldn't help the words that rushed from his own lips in answer.
"You act like it's a chore."
"It's—"
"Trying not to love you was always the chore, Naruto." Sasuke felt that wobbly fist on his throat again, like his feelings were bubbling up from the inside. He'd never set out to speak so much affection. They always communicated in other ways, with their eyes, their actions, their fists, but now…Naruto was changing things around. Now Sasuke was faced with just how much he loved him, overwhelmingly and painfully so.
His words must have struck a chord with Naruto too because his eyes had taken on an extra sheen, but Sasuke had only spoken the truth. There was no surprise in what he said. Still, it had impacted Naruto and now words were tumbling from his lips. Words that Sasuke was scared to want to hear.
"It's like I'm addicted to you. You're my favorite smell, my favorite taste. Loving you is my favorite feeling…there's no way I'll ever get enough." His words were softening Sasuke up, calling up his own emotions in an overwhelming sort of way. All of this combined with the purposefully slow movements of their bodies together, and Sasuke wasn't in heat, but Naruto was too far away. He needed to be closer to him, to be able to feel more of him.
"Please, can we move?" His voice sounded raw even to his own ears, and he was thankful for the instant understanding in Naruto's eyes.
He had to pull all the way out, something Sasuke's body lamented the second it happened, but they were quickly back together, Naruto spooned behind Sasuke, his lips trailing across the skin at the nape of his neck.
"Mmm this is just like the beginning, remember?"
Sasuke did remember. During his heat when there was fire under his skin and his body craved as much of Naruto as possible in any way that they could manage. He could never forget. Even now as a much more tempered version of those flames were unfurling low in his belly, their new position focusing Naruto's movements against his prostate, and his arms wrapped around Sasuke to press them close.
"I could never forget," he finally mumbled, his breath hitching as Naruto's pace picked up at his words. Sasuke's hands grabbed at the arms wrapped around him.
"Good 'cause you're mine and I'm yours and nothing's ever gonna change that." There was a growl in Naruto's voice as his composure shattered. He'd finally been drawn into the rougher movements Sasuke was more accustomed to, and the gradual rise of pleasure inside him skyrocketed. The sudden assault gave him no time to prepare, just ecstasy flooding over him, prickling across his skin in an all too familiar feeling. He had no way to hold it back, all he could do was feel until his nerves were raw with it.
"Naruto," he said then, his voice heavy and thick with the absolute devotion blooming inside his chest. He felt demolished, his heart had been battered in the most Naruto way possible, by an amount of love unattainable by anyone else.
In the next moment his body seized up, all his muscles clenching, his senses blurring as they were assaulted by pleasure. He simultaneously felt soft and tense, his body cradled against Naruto's, as his arms crushed them together through his own climax. Even as the sharp edge of his orgasm faded away, his nerves tingled under his skin, his stomach jolted every so often with the dissipating waves of euphoria.
Each time they managed to get tangled up he was reminded of Naruto's inability to do anything halfway, to be anything but intense. Even long before he'd developed feelings, he felt bowled over by their every interaction, and the feeling remained in a way so different but achingly familiar. He could laugh at the idea of there ever being anyone for either of them but each other. They were mated to the soul, their bond deeper and more genuine than anything Sasuke had ever experienced, and as his body lingered over the blissed out post orgasm feeling, he felt more at peace than he ever had.
They were laying, wrapped around each other as they could manage, when Naruto woke up. He felt the sun slanting across his face from the window, felt his arm wrapped around Sasuke, and his nose still buried in his dark hair. By the time he cracked his eyes open, his hand was already rubbing across the swell of Sasuke's stomach, hoping to feel an answering kick.
It had been months now since he'd finally been able to feel his son push against his hand, and he still wasn't over the thrill of it. Every morning he sought it out, touching and talking to Sasuke's belly until he'd coaxed their son into moving. He'd always expected Sasuke to eventually get fed up with being touched first thing in the morning but he hadn't shown even the slightest hint of irritation, so now it was a ritual. One that Naruto never missed, that always started his day off reinforcing the warm feeling he now got whenever he thought about their child.
"I'm gonna miss your belly I think," Naruto mumbled when he felt Sasuke stir awake.
"Mmm I'm definitely not." He could tell Sasuke was smiling when he spoke, just as well as he knew there was no joke in his words. "Our son will be out here with us, there will be nothing to miss."
"Yeah well," Naruto's voice faded away while he stretched, "it's way less scary while he's still inside."
Sasuke snorted. "Scary?" He turned back to look at Naruto and when he realized he was serious, he laughed again.
"Once he's out we have to worry about him and keep him happy and stuff!" He could feel himself getting defensive over Sasuke's reaction though he knew he was just teasing.
"Naruto Uzumaki, scared of an infant."
He just sighed, "you always have to be mean to me even as soon as you wake up."
"Aww poor Naruto. You want a kiss to make it better?" Sasuke wasn't even looking at him, but he could still see the smile on his face. He made sure to huff dramatically.
"Nope, I'll talk to our son instead." Naruto flung the covers off them and shimmied down until his face was beside Sasuke's stomach, his hands wasting no time in reaching out and searching for the way his son was laying. It wasn't long before he felt a limb pressing against his hand in answer. No matter how macho he liked to pretend to be, there was nothing about his son that didn't make him go all gooey inside.
"Hey buddy. Glad to see you're not gonna be mean to your daddy this morning too. Your—" A gasp from Sasuke cut off his words. He was about to come out with something smart until he looked up and saw the stricken look on Sasuke's face. He could practically feel his thoughts kick into overdrive trying to figure out what he'd said to put that look on the Uchiha's face, and then… "daddy?"
He watched Sasuke slowly reign in his expression, like it'd taken him a second to realize how loudly he'd just reacted. "I just—"
"If you want him to call you daddy Sasuke it's fine. He can call me papa." Naruto was trying not to react at all, to make sure Sasuke really knew it wasn't a big deal, but another part of him also couldn't believe he'd never called himself that before now. Another thing, just like the compliments, that he must have just been saying in his head and never out loud.
Naruto must have gotten lost in his thoughts for a second because the next thing he knew Sasuke had tears gathering along his lashes. "No no hey, please don't be upset. I'm sorry, Sas." He was floundering. He had no idea what was actually upsetting Sasuke or how he could fix it. Sasuke having such an emotional reaction like that to anything at all was so rare.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm not actually upset. It just—" Sasuke paused to take a deep breath that wobbled at the end, "startles me sometimes how much I love you."
Now it was Naruto's turn to be surprised. Their conversation had taken multiple turns by now and he was struggling to keep up. But no matter what, he couldn't help his reaction every time he heard those words from Sasuke's lips. He didn't need them, of course, but he would never tire of them either, that or the ridiculous way it made him go all soft and warm inside.
The next couple days they continued on their way to Suna. They didn't have very far to go, but they were taking their time, making sure to travel between towns so they could find good places to sleep and eat.
Sasuke was glad he never had to ask Naruto to slow his pace or for them to not sleep on the ground anymore. The blond just adapted himself, paced his walking with Sasuke, assumed they would only sleep in inns, which was just as good for him because everyday that went by, his body seemed to protest the walking more.
So when they woke up on their last day of travel, Sasuke was relieved. He didn't feel the need to get to Suna as soon as possible like Naruto, but he did want to get where they would be staying and settle in. His morning started with back pain, as usual. It also started with Naruto's hands and cheek pressed against his belly, so he couldn't find it in him to complain. The pressure in his stomach had been growing by day as well, but he had no doubt his son was almost out of room, so that hadn't surprised him either. He'd just taken to having baths every night to let his body soak and hadn't complained when Naruto started massaging his back before bed.
They started their day like usual, eating breakfast and then heading out. They'd be reaching Suna by afternoon and hopefully getting all their last minute arrangements situated. He didn't have much of an appetite that morning, but everything out of the ordinary with his body anymore, he just attributed to the baby he was growing. So they'd set off without a concern.
It didn't take long of them walking, though, for Sasuke to be in much more pain than usual. His body had been going through practice contractions off and on for the last few weeks, but they'd always luckily been while he wasn't walking for an entire day. He really didn't think he'd been acting like he was in pain, it wasn't like he hadn't experienced worse, but of course he knew there was no way Naruto wouldn't notice the change even in his body language.
"Are you hurting bad?" His face was a mask of concern, though Sasuke could tell he was dutifully holding himself back from freaking out. He'd already done that once before.
"I guess I've just always been lucky to have the practice contractions when we were at a stopping point or at night."
"You're sure that's what they are? Kurama could probably tell since…"
"They don't hurt bad enough. I still feel like I can keep walking, so there's no way they're real. Besides I'm not yet even 39 weeks, it's too early." Sasuke looked up to Naruto's face, "I'm sure Kurama could tell, and I appreciate it, but I don't think that's necessary right now." Naruto looked like he might say something else, but he must have decided against it. Sasuke couldn't fault him for worrying, it was in his nature to be protective, and he was sure Naruto didn't like knowing he was in pain, but Gaara and Sakura were expecting them today. "Let's just keep going and if they get much worse, we can stop?"
Naruto looked into his eyes for a second before nodding, almost reluctantly, but they kept going. It was slow moving, Sasuke knew that, but the false contractions weren't letting up. Hours went by before he would admit to himself that they were definitely getting worse, and not only worse, but closer together.
"Hey there's this town right outside Suna and they have the best selection of restaurants. We could stop and eat and then it's not long at all until we're there." Naruto's voice was a little on edge, like he was trying to force himself to sound normal. For a second Sasuke said nothing. He wasn't interested in food in the least, but he thought he could make it to the town. They could already see the buildings ahead, and he could just tell Naruto once they made it there.
"Okay, that's fine. Let's go."
It was maybe ten minutes that it took them to get there, but they never truly made it to the center where Sasuke assumed the restaurants and shops would be. He stopped abruptly and couldn't help but lean against the nearest building.
"Naruto, I don't think I'm gonna make it." As if his words were even necessary. The second Sasuke stopped moving, Naruto was at his side.
"They're real contractions." By the look on his face, Naruto was just trying to convince himself, like he almost couldn't believe it, but before either of them could say another word—
"Oh no." Sasuke's whole body felt stiff as a board. He was fighting against the pain of the contractions, sweating with the effort, and now there was fluid spilling down his legs.
"Sasuke! Holy shit! I can't—what—I—" Naruto's face was nothing but panic. Sasuke felt the same trying to claw its way up from his stomach, but he was somehow managing to shove it back down.
"Naruto!" Sasuke's voice was like a slap to the face. Naruto physically jerked, stopped his frantic pacing, and closed his eye as if to collect himself.
Eventually, "I'm sorry Sasuke. I didn't mean to freak out."
All he could do was sigh. He didn't feel like talking anymore. As a matter of fact, he just wanted this to not be happening.
"You're getting to Suna no matter what," Naruto said then, and just by the tone of his voice, Sasuke felt his worry evaporate. Naruto was forming hand signs to make clones, sending two of them on as fast as they could go to warn Gaara. The last one stayed with them. "We'll both have to take an arm and carry him. It's less than an hour to the gates of Suna and we're making it."
It'd been a while since he'd heard that familiar amount of determination in Naruto's tone and it reassured him in the same way that it always had.
Sasuke was barely hanging on. His contractions were coming closer together now, he was in pain and uncomfortable, he felt like he'd been held up between Naruto and his clone for hours even though he knew that was impossible. He could distinctly remember Sakura saying he would most likely go over 40 weeks, since it was his first baby, and that his labor would be slow. If he was in any other situation, he might have laughed, but then another contraction was squeezing his abdomen, and laughter was suddenly very far from his mind. He must have made a noise out loud then because Naruto was suddenly talking to him.
"I can see the gates now, Sasuke, please. I know you can make it."
For some reason them actually arriving in Suna made fear sink in Sasuke's stomach. He'd thought he had time before this was going to happen. He thought he would have time to prepare himself mentally for this and now…
"Naruto."
"What Sasuke, talk to me, anything."
"I'm…scared."
"What?!" Naruto's head whipped sideways to look at him, like he actually couldn't believe what Sasuke'd just said. Sasuke couldn't meet his eyes, his reaction made him feel worse, like with all the things going on right then, Naruto thinking him a coward was the cherry on top.
"Sasuke you're the strongest person I know. You can do this, I don't have a single doubt. There's nothing in this world I think you can't do, and this is included. It's okay to feel that way, but just know that you can do it. I have faith in you, and I love you."
His tongue felt stuck to the roof of his mouth, there were so many emotions warring through him in that moment. Naruto's words bolstered him, made some of the panic drain out of him, but still—
"Please don't leave me, don't let us get separated."
"Never Sasuke. They could never keep me away from you."
He was refusing to get emotional right now. His body felt like it was going through hell, the last thing he needed was feelings tangling up with the pain. Thankfully, they were finally walking the last stretch toward the gates. The closer they got, the more Sasuke could make out the entrance, and a little ball of dread settled in his chest anyway. This was supposed to be as secretive as possible. They would be too vulnerable if—
"Gaara!" Naruto's voice rang out over the short distance. Just when Sasuke thought he really couldn't take the jostling of their awkward walking anymore, he felt them stop moving…or at least they weren't walking anymore. He and Naruto had been lifted by Gaara's sand and were flying through the air. Sasuke barely registered Naruto's clone beside him poofing out of existence at the same time that they caught up to Gaara and the sand they were standing on merged with his.
"Sakura is ready. Don't panic, we will make it." Gaara's voice was the same monotone timber that it always was, but Sasuke could see the hints of determination on his face. He was willing to take reassurance from anyone at that rate because his body felt so out of control. He had no way of knowing how far he actually was in the labor process, but he didn't think they had much time. Gaara was speeding them over his village, everything blurring below them, though Sasuke didn't have the headspace to pay attention if he wanted to. His hand was fisted in Naruto's shirt where his arm was still slung over his shoulder and every so often he would whisper in Sasuke's ear.
"Don't forget to breathe. We're almost there. We're going to make it, and then Sakura will help you, and I'm not going to leave you. We're going to do this together. I promise Sasuke."
The words were carrying him through, but time was starting to feel fuzzy. The next thing he knew, they were standing on the ground and Gaara was turning toward him to grab his other arm before Naruto spoke out.
"No, I've got it." Gaara stopped short from touching him, the brief expression on his face softening away as Naruto moved to scoop Sasuke into his arms. Any other time he may have analyzed the small exchange between them, but his mind was otherwise occupied
"Just follow me," Gaara said, and then they were speeding through hallways, taking turns at breakneck speed. Later Sasuke might hate that he let Naruto carry him, but his body and mind were exhausted and in pain and he just didn't have it in him to fight it.
They finally barged through a set of double doors and Sasuke heard Sakura's voice.
"Oh my god. Lay him down! What are you waiting for? Gaara get out. Help me get him in a gown, Naruto, and tell me everything."
Sasuke was grateful, as Naruto retold everything relevant that had happened since they woke up that morning, that he barely had to move to help him tug his clothes off. Sakura was flitting around them, every action purposeful and already working to make Sasuke feel comfortable. Her confidence was reassuring, as he'd known it would be when he'd decided he'd trust no one else to help him through this.
"Alright that's enough. I have nurses on standby, but they can only be for emergencies. I need to know if you're capable of helping me or if I need to call them in now." Her eyes were looking at Naruto, then, and there was no doubt she was all business.
"I'm helping. No one else is in here or touching him unless they have to."
Sakura accepted that, and started moving around him again. "I'm assuming since his body went into labor naturally, that the rest of this will go smoothly and without intervention. I need you to leave your emotions at the door Naruto and do exactly what I say as soon as I say it." Sasuke watched Naruto nod from beside him, his face full of resolve. "Okay good," Sakura's hard expression cracked briefly and she smiled, "you're having a baby today."
Notes:
I know the "falling in love" part of this story has ended, and I've definitely noticed interest tapering off, so I just thought I'd say how much I appreciate the readers still left hanging in here with me! I have one more chapter planned that picks up where this left off but also skips ahead a while and has another mini conflict. Also of course (because I'm ridiculous) I've written an epilogue/stand alone oneshot that's set in this AE canonverse in case I haven't written enough smut in this story so...yeah... thank you for reading !