NARUSAKU ;; crooked noses and blue eyes
Sakura knocked on the door lightly, mostly because she wasn't really sure she wanted anybody to answer. A red eyed boy swung open the door anyway. He didn't necessarily care about Sakura's qualms but when he saw her making herself small on his stoop, he turned and yelled into the depths of the house.
"Mom!" he called. "It's for you!"
When he was done hollering, he addressed Sakura. "You can come in if you want."
Sakura found the grace to smile and thanked him before crossing the threshold. The boy smiled back, a smile that dimpled his cheeks, and with a pang of something that wasn't quite sadness Sakura realized he had Asuma's crooked nose.
"Sakura!" She turned at the sound of her name in time to see Kurenai wiping her dainty hands on her apron. "I wasn't expecting you."
"I – I'm sorry," Sakura said. "I should have…"
Kurenai waved her hand dismissively, "It's no problem. I was just finishing up lunch if you don't mind?"
"Of course not."
Kurenai's son slipped away to the living room towards the soft crackle of the television, and Sakura followed the older kunoichi into the small kitchen where the stench of several simmering pots assaulted her nose. Feeling lightheaded, Sakura slumped at the cramped table and covered her mouth. Kurenai didn't say anything immediately; she finished her task at the stove and lowered the heat, then sat down across from Sakura.
"How far along are you?" Kurenai asked softly.
Sakura panicked. "How did you – ?"
"Intuition," Kurenai said. "So, how far?"
"Eight weeks," Sakura answered.
Naruto had been dead for six.
"I'm sorry," Kurenai said. Something about her words stung despite her softened tone, and Sakura began to cry.
"How did you do it?" Sakura asked wretchedly.
"The same way you'll do it," Kurenai answered. "One miserable day at a time."
She reached across the table and took Sakura's hand in comfort. Sakura squeezed hard, and she thought about the boy with the crooked nose watching TV in the next room and imagined her own boy with gleaming blue eyes.
"Is it worth it?" Sakura whispered.
Kurenai smiled, for what it was worth. "I think so."
Sakura chose to believe her.