Finally figured out how to work around the uploading issue! New chapter is here! Thanks goes out to Dragon77, Pixie07, Harco8059, TKM, maxridelover, yukino76, Killua17, & SweetJaneP's for reviewing the last chapter. Pokemon Go has been taking up my free time the last two-three weeks because I've been letting it. A decision I enjoy and regret simultaneously.
Note: Christmas, while celebrated in japan, is not considered a religious holiday (it's a romantic one). They also eat fried chicken as a special meal on Christmas Eve.
Real Life Note: I had a minor concussion and had some focus issues when I was writing this. If there are any inconsistencies or glaring mistakes in the last scene I apologize in advance.
*IMPORTANT NOTICE!* As of 08/21/16, this chapter has NOT been EDITED because it already abides the FFN guidelines.
I am abiding by FFN ratings and removing-anything overtly dark or violent, and the scenes of complete and unrepentant smut that are considered MA, from this site. I do this in order to protect reviews linked to my stories and account that I want to keep from anyone with an email account, hate for my stories, and want my account banned for whatever their weak excuses may be.
Warnings: Contains adult language, themes, and suggestions. It is not suitable for anyone below the age of 16 per FFN guidelines.
December twenty-fourth, the thirty-third week,
The house was quiet; Naruto was out of the village with Yamato, Kakashi, and Kyoko, testing out the containment field. Sasuke had been in bed for most of the day, reading through several scrolls on battle tactics and a book on Konoha History that Iruka had given him. Now, he was draped over the couch, several pillows propping him and his cumbersome middle up. Sakura had come over after her shift at the hospital and persuaded him to start a six hundred-piece puzzle with the promise that Iruka would be visiting after his students left the academy.
"What's wrong with your hand?" Sakura asked. The dark haired male looked up from the mess of puzzle pieces on the coffee table to see that his pink haired friend had given up on it to read a book. By the picture of a pregnant woman on the cover, it wasn't hard to figure out what she was reading. When he looked up from the book's cover, green eyes met his. "You keep clenching your hand into fists and rolling your wrist."
"It feels numb." He responded. Looking down again, Sasuke set a jigsaw piece into place before flexing his fingers in an attempt to work out the numbness. Sakura frowned and set her book down on the edge of the table.
"Just your left hand? For how long?" She asked. Leaning forward, she reached out for his hand and he met her halfway over the table. Sakura handled his wrist carefully, prodding and pressing his palm and wrist.
"A few minutes." Sasuke answered. He winced when she pressed firmly on his wrist and his fingers starting to tingle as the feeling began to come back. Inhaling softly, the dark haired male wanted to roll his wrist but forced himself to remain still.
"Have they've ever tingled or felt painful, like an ache?" His pink haired friend glanced up to gage Sasuke's expression. He could see her hands begin to glow green with chakra as she began to prod his hand and wrist again. "Can you move your fingers for me?" She asked. Sasuke forced his fingers to curl into a fist and then stretched them out again, the pins and needles feeling increasing to the point of uncomfortable.
"I've woken up with it tingling a few times. The feeling is coming back." He explained. Sakura let go and he gripped his wrist with his other hand, moving his fingers rapidly to force the nerves in his hands to 'wake up'.
"Sounds like carpal tunnel syndrome, the tissues in your wrists are retaining a little fluid. I can get you a brace to wear at night." Looking up, Sasuke dropped his hands into his lap, pressing them against the rotund curve of his abdomen. If he were developing carpal tunnel, how would he be able to throw a kunai or to fight?
"Is it permanent?" His voice came out level but Sakura's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, having read whatever micro-expression he couldn't hide from her. The studying look was gone after a second and she relaxed her posture, picking her book back up.
"You'll probably have it for the rest of your pregnancy and a few weeks after the baby's born but no, it shouldn't be permanent." She glanced to her book but Sasuke knew she was watching him from the corner of her eyes. The Uchiha sighed in relief, losing his ability to fight was one less thing he had to worry about. Though, it would still be months before he would be in any shape to go on a mission and even then, would he be able to leave the little passenger? He looked down at the puzzle, looking for a matching piece without even thinking about, too focused on his thoughts. By then, the little passenger would be months old and they would know if it was a girl or boy. "Something on your mind?" Sakura spoke up again.
Her voice broke through the Uchiha's thoughts and he clenched his hand into a fist again, a majority of feeling having returned and the pins and needles feeling had faded. Picking up a piece, he placed it neatly in it's slot, bringing him one step out of six hundred closer to completing the picture of the Hokage Rock before looking back to Sakura. "The baby is due in less than two months and we still haven't figured out names." Sakura tilted her head without looking up from her book, her eyes moving consistently with reading. They hadn't narrowed down the list of baby names because Sasuke rarely found himself in the same room with his husband for long.
"What have you narrowed the list down to?" Sakura asked. She glanced up from her book, most likely debating if the conversation would last long enough to warrant putting it down. Sasuke leaned forward to sit up, dropping his feet to the floor and shifting his weight off his side. It took him a few seconds to get settled again and Sakura had reached for her bookmark, her gaze focused on the half finished puzzle on the coffee table in front of him.
"If we have a boy, Minato, Ren, Haku, and Itachi." Sasuke listed them off. His pink haired friend stopped moving at the sound of his brother's name. Slowly, almost carefully Sakura lifted her gaze to his. A sharp edge of something Sasuke couldn't label in her bright green eyes.
"And if she's a girl?" She asked. It seemed like whatever the pink haired woman was thinking, she wasn't inclined to share it. The Uchiha tapped his fingers against his round middle, the baby had hardly moved in response to his transition to an upright position. His little passenger was probably sleeping for the moment.
"Haku, Kushina, Mikoto, and Mei. Naruto really likes the idea of Haku if she's a girl." Sasuke focused his attention back to the puzzle in front of him, picking up another piece of greenery and fitting it in place with little effort. Instead of replying immediately, Sakura picked up another piece of the puzzle and set it in place. Her fingers tracing over the puzzle pieces thoughtfully before she pulled her hand back.
"I think you should talk it over some more. There's still time before you have to decide." Sakura explained in a neutral voice. Whatever her opinion was, Sasuke was glad she wasn't willing to share it. Even though she was his friend, the decision of picking a name for his child was between him and Naruto.
"I'd rather know now than trying to think of a name after the baby is born." Sasuke subtly shifted the topic of conversation.
"Well, sometimes the name that you pick out doesn't fit." Sakura shot back. She set her book down and raised a knee up to her chest, leaning forward to view the disgruntled Uchiha.
"What does that even mean?" The dark haired male grumbled. Opening her mouth to respond, Sakura paused at the sound of someone opening the front door. Listening attentively, Sasuke could hear the creaking of the door opening, the gust of cold air blowing into the heated house. The loud rustling of a winter coat blocked any other faint sounds the pregnant male tried to discern and he frowned.
"Sasuke?" Iruka's voice questioned from the entryway. He could hear the front door closing and shoes being toed off, the noises of the coat no longer the loudest sound. Even if he couldn't train his body physically, he could still keep certain skills honed as best he could.
"We're in here, Iruka-sensei." Sakura called out. She leaned back in her seated position, craning her neck to try to get a glimpse of the older man. Placing together several pieces in quick succession, Sasuke heard the coat being hung and the teacher's soft footfalls, he was wearing socks, come closer. The dark haired male looked up from the puzzle pieces to see Iruka poke his head into the room.
"Sorry for the intrusion." Iruka stepped into the room, smiling kindly at the sight of Sasuke on the couch, a puzzle on the coffee table and Sakura sitting on the floor across from him. The brown haired male unzipped his green vest, shrugging it off and folding it in his hands.
"It's no problem, sensei." Sasuke watched him walk around Sakura, taking a seat in the chair set up next the couch, angled at the coffee table. He set his vest over the arm, looking between his old students, as he got comfortable.
"We were just discussing what Sasuke should do if the baby name they pick out doesn't fit." Sakura spoke up. The dark haired male looked down to the puzzle, seeing the pieces and mentally setting them into place.
"Oh?" Iruka leaned forward. Sasuke reached out to place the pieces inside the puzzle, his gaze flicking up to Sakura.
"That doesn't make sense." He pointed out. The pink haired woman rolled her eyes, tapping her hand against the wooden coffee table.
"It doesn't have to make sense, if it doesn't fit you'll have to figure out a new name." She explained. Slotting a cluster of five pieces into the middle of the puzzle, the pregnant male surveyed the second Hokage's face and raised an eyebrow.
"That's why we're picking out a name before." Sasuke glanced at the few dozen pieces left. It would take him less than ten minutes to finish this puzzle. It had been a decent distraction but he'd probably have to crack open one of the thousand-piece puzzles next.
"It may be different, when you see your child." Iruka spoke up. Sasuke tilted his head to him as he smiled between his two old students. "When your looking at your child for the first time with the name you picked out. It may not feel right." The brown haired man tilted his head with a small smile and Sasuke looked down again. What would it feel like; to hold his child in his hands and know that the name that he and Naruto choose is wrong? How would he know?
"I agree with Iruka." Sakura added smugly. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her and the pink haired woman grinned right back. Tapping his fingers against the coffee table, the dark haired male held back a smart retort.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." The dark haired male responded. His pink haired friend raised an eyebrow at the concession but turned her attention to Iruka.
"How was your day, Iruka-sensei?" She asked the older man. Sasuke returned his attention to the puzzle, picking up piece after piece and connecting them to larger picture. He was down to the two-dozen pieces that remained; he already knew where they went. It was just a matter of setting them in place.
"It was good, we exchanged presents. The children were excited." Iruka explained happily.
"You still do that? That's so nice." Sakura slapped her hand against the cover of her book. Sasuke reached for another piece, it completed half of the puzzle and the other half was still missing a small cluster, plus a few random pieces of greenery.
"It never really gets old. I get a new class of students every year." The teacher explained. Sasuke went for the random pieces of greenery first, he got most of them to fit on the first try and the cluster would barely challenge him. "It's always been fun, even explaining the fried chicken."
"Speaking of, Naruto will be back soon. Hopefully he'll have remembered to get some chicken before they're sold out." Sakura sighed. Sasuke's fingers stilled mid-reach for a puzzle piece, something that both the pink haired woman and brown haired man froze seconds after he did.
"Chicken?" The pregnant male asked. He flicked his eyes upward to Sakura and tilted his head to the right. The green-eyed women raised an eyebrow, smiling back at him.
"We're making fried chicken tonight, didn't your husband tell you?" Sakura asked.
"He didn't." The dark haired male shook his head. He tapped his pointer finger against the puzzle and wondered how Naruto could have forgotten to tell him that they were celebrating Christmas Eve with everyone. What he was thinking must have shown in his expression to some extent because Sakura's expression changed slightly.
"I guess he forgot?" She shrugged her shoulders. Iruka watched the interaction, fiddling with his hands in his lap.
"He's been busy lately." Sasuke replied. He reached for another puzzle piece and slotted it into place. "We've been focused more on getting ready for the baby." The pregnant male reached for the last few pieces, placing them one right after the other until the picture was complete, the Hokage monument staring back at him in it's completed puzzle form.
"Kakashi has been busy too." Iruka spoke up again. He sighed and raised his hands to his ponytail, tightening it. "I didn't think it was possible to spend any more time than they were before working on Apricot's seal. I guess it doesn't help that they're no longer in the compound." The brown haired male shrugged his shoulders and looked between his once-students. Sakura leaned forward, setting her elbow on the coffee table to rest her cheek against the palm of her hand.
"I'm a little worried about Naruto. He's stretching himself thin with both the seal and the baby." She sighed and looked down at the completed puzzle. Sasuke shifted, leaning back against the pillows propped up against the armrest.
"He wants to finish the seal before the baby is born." The pregnant male explained as he shifted awkwardly. It was hard to find a comfortable position without nearly falling off the couch.
"That's a tight timeline, isn't it?" Iruka pointed out. The dark haired male was frowning, obviously concerned.
"Five weeks, a little more than that." Sakura responded. She tilted her head, her chin still resting in the palm of her hand as she surveyed the older man's expression.
"Something like this, it could take years to get right." Iruka clasped his hands together; he looked down at them anxiously before looking to Sasuke. "Aren't you worried that they'll get something wrong?" The Uchiha's initial reaction was to snap at the older man, they wouldn't make a mistake because he had done all the research behind the seals they were testing. Letting that initial rage dissipate, Sasuke attempted to rationalize it, thinking of the position Iruka was in, not knowing just how much effort he, along with Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, and Apricot had been putting into this task.
"Luckily they didn't start from scratch. They only need to add another layer instead of creating an entire new seal." Sakura replied before Sasuke could formulate a response. She smiled at Sasuke who raised an eyebrow at her in response. Was he really getting that bad at hiding what he was thinking or did his old teammate know him too well?
"But they've only been testing seals for a month." Iruka persisted. He was concerned; it was easy to see in his posture and facial expression. The thought of Kyuubi escaping was real for the older man, he had lived through it and Sasuke could only imagine the kind of fear that instilled.
"There were three of us working on the seals until last week," Sasuke started thoughtfully. He respected his old teacher and tried phrase it without snapping at him. "We were working at an accelerated rate and even now, they're still working from early morning until well after dark." Iruka nodded at the explanation but still looked anxious on the topic. No doubt he'd be having a talk with Kakashi about it when he got home tonight.
"It's taking a lot out of everyone, which brings me back to Naruto, he's got that on top of a baby coming." Sakura piped up. "How is he handling the stress?" She asked. Sasuke thought about the question for a second.
"He sleeps." The Uchiha sighed. He stretched his legs out, feeling his calf muscles strain at the movement. Sakura frowned and straightened her spine, folding her arms across her chest. Sasuke had seen her go into medic mode more times that he could count and he wasn't surprised to see her go into it once again.
"Care to elaborate?" The pink haired woman asked. She raised an eyebrow and looked at Sasuke like he was the one she was trying to figure out. It made the pregnant male want to cross his eyes or at least flip the middle finger at her.
"We stopped going to Baby Basics because I'm not allowed to walk that far." Sasuke set a hand on his middle, pausing to think of what else had happened in the past week. "All he does now is go work on the seal, when he comes home, he stays awake long enough to eat something before crashing."
"Kakashi's the same way." Iruka spoke up quietly. He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Sometimes I don't even know if he comes home, I fall asleep before he gets back and he's gone before I wake up." Sakura's expression had gone from analytical medic to concerned friend when the Uchiha explained his Naruto's behavior and her frown only deepened when Iruka pointed out that Kakashi was behaving similarly.
"This isn't healthy, and I doubt Yamato and Apricot are doing any better. They're working too hard." She murmured. The last bit sounded like she was talking to herself, her attention seemingly focused elsewhere. Sasuke glanced to Iruka, sharing a mutual of look of cautious relief. If Kakashi was anywhere near as stubborn as Naruto, any attempt to get him to take a day off was brushed off with the excuse of there being too much to do. But, if Sakura wanted to try getting them to take a day off, she was welcome to try. "It's getting late, are we sure they're coming back in time for dinner?"
"They better be." Sasuke grumbled. "Especially if they're bringing dinner."
"I told them to be back before the sun set. They should be getting home any minute now." Sakura barely glanced up, her mind still elsewhere.
"Are you hungry, Sasuke?" Iruka asked. Tapping his fingers against his stomach, Sasuke sighed.
"If you offer me another apple, I'll throw it at your head." Sasuke looked pointedly at the pink haired woman. Sakura looked and made a face at him.
"Someone's grouchy." Sakura murmured. Sasuke heard the front door open and his eyes flicked in the direction of it.
"I'm home!" Naruto's voice broke the near silence, followed by the clattering of over half a dozen shoes being taken off. There was the rustling of plastic and paper.
"Finally." Sakura muttered under her breath. Sasuke tilted his head in agreement as he heard the door shut and several people started shuffling away from the front door and closer to them.
"Welcome back." Sasuke said loud enough for everyone to hear him. Naruto poked his head in first, before holding up a plastic bag in offering. The red eyes shouldn't have surprised him, with all the time the blonde was spending with Apricot; her seal had to have been weakening exponentially. From the way Naruto's eyes widened, he had seen Sasuke's surprise.
"Before you ask, I remembered the chicken!" The blonde told them happily. Naruto smiled at Iruka and Sakura, his gaze slowly returning to the pregnant male cautiously. Schooling his features, the dark haired male motioned for Naruto to come closer. He walked into the room, Kakashi and Yamato following him. "We got cake too, and strawberries."
"Dessert? We really are in for a treat." Iruka clapped his hands against his knees and stood up. Naruto ignored Sasuke's request, moving toward the kitchen instead. If anyone noticed, they didn't comment. Apricot quietly stepped into the room, Sasuke barely noticed her until she moved to follow Naruto. She was getting better in stealth, he would have to remember to tell so and ask what else she had improved on recently.
"If someone else wouldn't mind cooking, I could seriously use a break." Yamato made his way quickly to the chair Iruka had just vacated, looking relieved when he collapsed into it.
"Worked hard today?" Sakura asked the older male. She moved to stand, stretching her arms over her head. Kakashi and Iruka moved into the kitchen and Naruto moved to follow them. The Uchiha shifted his gaze, feeling guilty and uncomfortable simultaneously.
"More like everyday." Yamato hummed. Sakura looked around, surprised that people were already disappearing into the kitchen.
"Oi! Get back in here!" Sakura called out. The sound of bags being set down followed Naruto coming back into the room, Kakashi leaning in the door frame, practically sagging against it as Iruka stood behind him. Iruka seemed to be more focused on Kakashi, watching him carefully.
"Sakura-chan, come on! We've hungry and I bought chicken just like you asked!" Naruto whined. The pink haired woman ignored him, pointing to the blonde, then Kakashi, Apricot, and Yamato each.
"You all are taking a day off tomorrow, no excuses." She stated. Sasuke watched the way Naruto's expression fell, how Kakashi didn't even seem to react, and the way Yamato slouched even further into the chair.
"Okay." Kakashi responded almost immediately. He raised his head a little higher, eyes settling on Iruka.
"Sounds good to me." Yamato gave the pink haired woman the thumbs up tiredly. Naruto looked between the two with his blood red eyes, older men, mouth open as if he were about to protest.
"Thank you," Apricot sighed loudly. "I don't know how much more of this I can take." She walked over to the coffee table and collapsed next to it, folding her arms over it before setting her head down on top of them.
"But-" The blonde began. He opened his mouth and when he couldn't think of anything to say, he shut it again.
"You've been outvoted, Naruto." Sakura hummed. She seemed satisfied with herself and turned, giving Sasuke a smug look.
"Are we going to fry this chicken or are we just going to stand here all night?" Kakashi sighed. Sasuke shifted, he could feel the baby moving, just small squirming. The little passenger must have woken from their nap.
"No, give the chicken here." Iruka answered as he moved back into the kitchen. Naruto tried to follow him but Sakura stepped in front of him, pushing him back.
"What?" The blonde asked. Sakura raised an eyebrow, twisting her expression into one that had meaning behind it. It put the dark haired male on edge, knowing she was communicating about him.
"Too many cooks in the kitchen and all that. I think Sasuke could use some help clearing that puzzle away and starting a new one." Sakura said out loud. Even that was laced with an underlying meaning. The pink haired woman disappeared into the kitchen and Naruto slowly turned and awkwardly made his way to the coffee table.
"You finished that one already? You hadn't even started it this morning." Naruto chuckled. Sasuke looked to the puzzle as Naruto kneeled down in front of the coffee table. He was careful to avoid touching Apricot and picked up the box. "Do you want to keep it on piece?"
"No." The Uchiha responded. He swung his legs off the couch and moved to stand. "I'll get the next puzzle." Apricot hummed noncommittally and Yamato grunted out a wordless sound. Sasuke watched as the brown haired male shook his head and motioned for him to remain seated.
"Sit down, I'll get it." Yamato sighed. He stood up slowly, moving in a way that clearly indicated physical exhaustion. The dark haired male narrowed his eyes but remained in his seat as the older male moved past him.
"They're in the hallway closet, pick one of the 1,000 piece puzzles." Sasuke called out. Yamato lifted his hand in a half formed gesture as he disappeared down the hallway. Naruto had picked up the puzzle box and was breaking apart the completed puzzle.
"We saw some pretty neat light displays on our way back today." The blonde spoke up conversationally. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, wondering why he was bringing light displays up. A year ago, Naruto had gotten permission from the Hokage to let Sasuke out on Christmas Eve. They had walked around the village, looking at the different light displays. It had been nice, even if he had been wearing chakra-dampening cuffs and constantly supervised by a guard of anbu.
"And a ton of people, they were all couples." Apricot pointed out. She shifted away from the coffee table, scooting back towards the wall. Naruto let out a huff of breath that was meant to be laugh as Yamato walked back into the room. He set the box on a clean space on the coffee table and dropped back into the chair.
"That's how it's supposed to be." Sasuke pointed out. Looking to his husband, the pregnant male waited for Naruto to look to him and then held his gaze. Was Naruto remembering that night a year ago? The blonde's blood red eyes met his for a solid three seconds before he looked away again, focused on putting away the rest of the puzzle.
The pit of his stomach had a knot in it. He didn't like this. Ever since Kyuubi's chakra started leaking, the blonde had been, the only word that came to mind that accurately described it, absent. He was hardly ever home, barely let himself be touched when he was around, and tiptoed around the Uchiha every second they were together. Naruto seemed to spend every minute he was with Sasuke controlling his every thought and action. Sasuke knew it was out of fear, fear that he would accidentally let out Kyuubi's chakra, fear that he would hurt Sasuke, fear that he would hurt their baby.
Even knowing why Naruto was doing it didn't make him feel any better about it.
"Why is Christmas Eve a couple's holiday?" Apricot asked. She seemed genuinely curious as she sat in the doorway to watch whatever was happening in the kitchen.
"No idea." Sasuke answered. Naruto flipped the lid on the box closed and set it underneath the coffee table. He reached for the new box and looked at the picture on the lid.
"This one looks hard, it's all scenery." The blonde murmured to himself.
"That's why I picked it out." Sasuke told him. He leaned forward as Naruto opened the box and began dumping out the one thousand pieces.
"How long are you going to stay tonight, Apricot?" Yamato interrupted the stunted conversation.
"I at least want to eat." The redheaded girl answered. "Fried chicken sounds really good right now." Yamato hummed in agreement and all the dark haired male could think about was the way Naruto had held his hand as they stood in front of a building decorated in multi-colored lights. Reaching out, Sasuke ran his fingers over the small pieces of cardboard before brushing his hand against Naruto's. He watched the blonde freeze, fear over what he could do paralyzing him. It hurt more than he thought it would when the blonde retracted his hand and avoided making eye contact.
"Don't stay too long after, we don't want your seal to weaken unnecessarily." Yamato pointed at the younger girl. Apricot nodded and both she and the older male were either pointedly ignoring what was happening between Sasuke and Naruto or were oblivious to it.
"I got it." The redhead replied pointedly. Sasuke could hear Sakura and Iruka talking quietly in the kitchen; Kakashi had probably sat down at the table and fallen asleep. Of course Naruto was the only one stubborn enough to hide his tiredness from the Uchiha.
"What are you going to do tomorrow, Yamato?" Sasuke spread out the puzzle pieces, flipping over ones that were upside down and refused to acknowledge that the blonde was carefully moving his hands, making sure they didn't touch on accident.
"Sleep, for one thing." Yamato stated. "If I could sleep all day tomorrow, I would." Apricot hummed with a nod of her head in response. Sasuke could hear the sound of something frying in the kitchen over the sound of soft voices.
"You, Naruto?" The redheaded girl looked to the blonde and Sasuke focused on searching for corner pieces of the puzzle.
"Sleeping in wouldn't be too bad," Naruto answered tentatively. He glanced up again and found Naruto looking at him. Before he good show a tentative smile, the blonde looked away and the almost-pain his gut seemed to get worse.
He's avoiding me. Was all Sasuke could think as he picked through puzzle pieces.
December twenty-fifth, still the thirty-third week,
Cold. Feeling the cold came first, at the tips of his fingers and then his toes. The darkened room swam into focus, a small, barely furnished living room of an apartment. Sun was setting, casting shadows through the windows when there had been none before. He was sitting on a lumpy old couch; the thing had been designated as his bed but it was likely he'd be sleeping on the floor sooner or later. Sasuke looked down to the hands in his lap, his wrists cuffed and chained together until Kakashi returned and decided to take the chains off. This was day one free from isolation but Sasuke didn't see the difference.
The hand on his bare shoulder caught him off guard, not a brush of fingers but a warm, squeezing grip. It was the first solid touch the Uchiha had felt in weeks and he hadn't been expecting it, or his own reaction. Jerking away, Sasuke whipped his head to the side and found Naruto Uzumaki kneeling next to him. He hadn't heard him come in, hadn't heard him get right fucking next to him. How messed up was he?
"Shit, you're freezing!" Naruto hissed out. The blonde seemed completely oblivious to Sasuke's reaction as he stood up and darted around the couch, leaving the dark haired male on his own. His heart was hammering in his chest; everything seemed to come into focus, louder, brighter. Adrenaline always did wonders. "How could Kakashi leave you like this? You're only wearing underwear." He called out. His adrenaline spiked again, his head beginning to pound with the sudden change in blood pressure.
Craning his neck, Sasuke peered around the small apartment and watched his old teammate come out of Kakashi's bedroom. Two blankets in hand, the blonde came back to the couch. He dropped one blanket on the couch to drape the other across the handcuffed male's shoulders. Sitting down on the couch, Naruto adjusted the blanket, running his hands down newly covered arms. The touch was, Sasuke couldn't put a name to it, couldn't think past the barrage of emotions bubbling in his chest.
"How long were you sitting here without heat, huh?" His voice was soft, comforting. It made Sasuke want to vomit.
"What are you doing here?" The Uchiha rasped. His voice cracked from lack of use and dehydration.
"I'm here to see you," Naruto answered. His impossibly blue eyes seemed to stare right at his soul when their eyes met. "They wouldn't let me back in isolation." The blonde huffed a quiet laugh and grabbed the second blanket. Setting it over Sasuke's lap and bound hands, Naruto busied himself with tucking it under thin, pale legs.
"Why are you here?" Sasuke tried again. His voice caught in his throat and he coughed to try to clear it. The Uchiha raised his hands, dislodging the blanket and leaned away from his old teammate. Naruto was tucking in the blanket back the moment he stilled. He tried to shove those warm, tan hands away but stubbornness was ingrained in the idiot. They fought for a few seconds, which was all it took for the Uchiha to tire out. He dropped his hands back into his lap with an indignant sigh, arms shaking and shoulders aching. Glaring, the Uchiha watched Naruto grin victoriously and clasp their hands together.
"I love you." Naruto stated. There was something in his voice that made the dark haired male's stomach roil into a nauseating swill.
"Stop." His voice caught in his throat and he coughed, trying to clear it. "Stop saying that." Sasuke croaked out. The memory of what had happened in isolation surfaced, sent a shiver down his spine and a twinge in his chest. Naruto tilted his head and gave him a soft smile.
"What? That I'm in love with-" He tried repeating it, something the Uchiha couldn't stand to hear.
"Stop saying that!" Voice cracking again, Sasuke jerked his hands out of Naruto's grasp. The chains on his cuffs rattled as he turned away from the blonde.
"Hey, calm down." Naruto gripped his elbow gently. It stopped the dark haired male from standing up, left him trapped in the blonde's clutches. His chest was constricting again and he could hear himself breathing loudly through his nose.
"I killed my own brother!" He shouted hoarsely. Sasuke tried pulling free but the grip on his arm tightened.
"Listen to me," Naruto tried to placate him. The Uchiha couldn't do it. Naruto had been his teammate, had been the voice of reason when he first left and had ultimately been right. He should never have left Konoha. It was getting harder to breath as the other male manhandled him by his arms roughly. His vision was darkening and through the haze of turmoil he recognized that he was on the verge of passing out. "Teme? Hey, look at me!" The blonde genin shouted. It shocked the Uchiha out of his spiraling mental state and he sucked in air through his mouth noisily.
"Something is wrong with me." Sasuke gasps out when he finds his voice. At the admission, Naruto's expression morphs into something akin to confusion and worry. The dark haired male can feel the grip on his shoulders loosening as the blonde scoots impossibly closer. Wherever their bodies touched, heat seared across his flesh and sent goosebumps prickling across his arms. Something had to be wrong with him. For something as simple as being touched to affect him like this.
"Isolation messes with your head. Nothing is wrong with you. Not really." The blonde state adamantly. Sasuke stares into unearthly bright blue eyes in the growing darkness and wants to believe him. He can't though, not after everything he's seen and done. Those two and a half years with Orochimaru, chasing down his brother and murdering him. Looking away from the azure gaze, Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, fists clenching weakly.
"You don't know what I am." The Uchiha mumbled.
"Do you not remember?" Naruto blurted out. His old teammate stood up and loomed over the dark haired male. "You told me all of it on our way back to the village. I know what your brother did for you." Not knowing what to say, Sasuke remained silent. He had been weak and delirious from his injuries, the blood loss and fever, from the shocking realization of the lie his life-long mission had been. The blonde was silent as the dark haired male tried to relive the few solid memories of those days that felt like a lifetime ago. There was a shift and from the corner of his eye, he could see Naruto kneeling down next to him.
"I'm here for you, Sasuke." He set a hand down on Sasuke's bony, blanket-covered knee and gave another small smile. It made the dark haired male's stomach flip and he purposefully looked away. Ghost sensations of being pressed into Naruto's back as he was carried, their knees knocking against each other and arms wrapped around him when the blonde had squeezed them both into his sleeping bag. The closest he had physically been with someone in years and he hadn't had much physical contact since. What Naruto had left unspoken hovered in the air; forming a tension Sasuke doesn't know how to handle.
"Don't say it." The Uchiha growled half-heartedly.
"I won't." With a laugh, Naruto rubbed his thumbs against his blanketed knee before standing up again. "Have you eaten, or had anything to drink?" The blonde asked. Sasuke heard his old teammate move through the apartment, choosing to remain where he had been sitting for hours and watched a light being turned on in the small kitchen behind him.
"Hn." He replied quietly. There was more rustling, the sound of the tap turned and water pouring into a container. Shifting, Sasuke turned his head and blinked rapidly as his eyes began to adjust to the artificial light. Naruto's form moved around the kitchen, returning to the couch with a glass of water. Holding it out, the blonde waited patiently for the Uchiha to take it. His attempt to raise his hands left them trembling, proof of how weak he had become in the past weeks. Unaffected by Sasuke's weakness, the blonde set the cup in his hands before working the locks off of the chain that held his cuffs together. He set the chain of metal links aside and watched the dark haired male slowly lift the cup of water to his lips.
"I'd take these off if I could." Naruto said softly once the cup had touched Sasuke's lips. He sipped at the room temperature water, immediately feeling the relief in his throat. The blonde touched the links of his handcuffs and reluctantly, he lowered the cup from his lips. Meeting Naruto's ridiculously blue eyes, the dark haired male could see every intense emotion flitting across them. It didn't make any sense, why his old teammate said the words, why he felt the way he said he felt.
"You can't." Sasuke responded. Taking another slow drink, the Uchiha watched a grin flash across his old teammate's face.
"If I could." The blonde repeated adamantly. Sasuke frowned and swallowed down the last of the water, his response on the tip of his tongue before he had the conscious thought to say it.
"Idiot." If it was possible, Naruto's grin grew wider. Reaching for the cup, the blonde let his fingers drift over pale skin stretched across bone before gripping the plastic. His cell in isolation flashed before his eyes, the fake anbu, Naruto's face covered in blood, the sound of human flesh being torn from bone ruthlessly rang in his ears. With his heart pounding against his ribcage, pumping adrenaline into his system, he shoved the cup and hand away. Sasuke can only watch as Naruto takes the cup, his grin becoming brittle and forced. He seems to come to a realization as the Uchiha tries to control the inner turmoil he feels from something as simple as physical contact.
"I missed you." The blonde's gaze grew soft at the admission and Sasuke's chest grew tight once again in response. "I know you're hurting, what happened in isolation certainly didn't help but you will get better." His words echo in the Uchiha's ears as his minds attempts to comprehend the meaning, still too worked up to think rationally. Whatever expression he shows as a reaction, Naruto responds to it, his tender expression replaced with a cheerful smile. "How about ramen? I'm pretty sure Kakashi has a stash of the instant kind around here somewhere." The blonde doesn't touch him as he stands up and returns to the kitchen, something the Uchiha is uncomfortably grateful for.
"Good morning." Naruto's voice whispered. He opens his eyes in surprise, the memory fading as he took in his surroundings. Lying down on his side in bed, wrapped in blankets with the blonde sitting on the edge, Sasuke had been reliving the past in a dreamlike doze.
"Are you okay?" The blonde asked. His hand was carefully set against his Sasuke's forehead and the Uchiha raised his hand out of his blanket nest to grab the hand. He stared Naruto down, those bright blue eyes watching him with affection.
"Come here." Sasuke murmured. "I missed you." The dark haired male gripped Naruto's wrist just as he started to pull it away. The affectionate smile was still there but something in his eyes changed, the twinkle no longer there. He tightened his grip on Naruto's wrist, tugging it closer.
"I'm right here." The blonde laughed quietly. He started to stand up and the pregnant male reached out with his other hand, his thumb resting in the crook of Naruto's elbow, fingers clutching at where his arm and forearm connected. Naruto's laugh dissipated when the Uchiha didn't smile back.
"Don't leave." Sasuke told him. He was done letting Naruto avoid him. The blonde's mouth dropped open slightly, surprised at the serious tone he was using. A mirage of emotions surfaced across his face, slack-jawed surprise, guilt, nervousness, and then finally regret.
"Sasuke." Naruto chided gently. He tried to pull his hand away, which Sasuke refused to let happen. Pulling almost roughly, the dark haired male watched the blonde lean closer, unwilling to yank his limb back. Naruto started to frown, his mouth closing as he tried to formulate a reason as to why he should leave. His main excuse wasn't going to work today, Sakura had forced him, along with Kakashi, Yamato, and Kyoko to take today off.
"I need you to stay." The dark haired male told him. Blue eyes met his and the Uchiha refused to look away. His husband was the first to look away, glancing down at his arm and then back to Sasuke's face.
"Okay." Naruto sighed. It was stuck sounding somewhere between defeated and relieved. Not trusting the blonde, he didn't bother letting go. Huffing a soft breath of laughter, Naruto maneuvered himself on the bed and over the pregnant male. Sasuke shifted with him, lying on his side with his grip on the blonde's wrist the entire time.
He watched Naruto burrow his feet under the blankets before shimmying his entire body down onto the bed. The blonde pulled from the Uchiha's well-made nest of warmth and Sasuke let him, it was worth it to have him close enough to cuddle again. Naruto continued to shift, the hand in Sasuke's grip moving this way and that but still, the pregnant male refused to let go. After what seemed to be half a minute of constant shuffling, twitching, and moving, the blonde found a comfortable position and was once again trying to tug his hand free.
"Why did you wake me?" Sasuke asked instead. He moved his own feet, pressing their legs and shins together and brought Naruto's hand under the blankets.
"You were dreaming," Naruto replied steadily. He reached with his free hand trying to free his wrist without prying Sasuke's hand off. "You were so stiff, I thought it was a nightmare. Was it?" The blonde asked. They fought with their hands for a few more seconds; Sasuke let go but only to press their palms together, trying to intertwine their fingers.
"Not really." Sasuke murmured. He moved closer, refusing to give the blonde any kind of space. Naruto tried to look uncomfortable but he wrapped an arm around the pregnant male's waist and the tension in his shoulders had lessened. "I want to go see the containment area." The Uchiha blurted out. He probably should have waited until Naruto was relaxed and dozing but this was something that had been on his mind for weeks.
"No." The blonde responded immediately. Craning his head, the blonde glared at the pregnant male. "No way." Sasuke glared back, bristling at being told no.
"You're not going to stop me." The Uchiha retorted. Naruto gave him an incredulous look, huffing in irritation.
"It's miles from the village, there's no way you can walk there." The blonde pointed out. He was trying to hold back his anger but it was written in his body posture and the frown lines of his face.
"I'm doing it." Sasuke stated with finality. Naruto sighed loudly and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. Walking several miles was out the question this far into the pregnancy but he had no intention of walking. He'd have to talk to Sakura sometime later in the day to ask for a favor.
December twenty-sixth, still the thirty-third week,
"I think it's a bad idea." Naruto pointed out for the tenth time in twenty-four hours. Pulling on his shoes with effort, Sasuke knew the blond had crossed his arms over his chest.
"I don't care." The Uchiha answered. He successfully put on his shoes without sitting down, reached for his jacket and pulled it on, all without looking to see his husband's expression.
"Sasuke." Naruto sighed. Sasuke rolled his eyes before pivoting around, meeting the blonde's annoyed stare with an irritated glare of his own. "Walking out of the compound and through the village is unnecessary stress but if you think you're going to walk all the way to the containment area you're out of your mind." The blonde stepped into his own shoes as he explained and Sasuke zipped his jacket pointedly over his rotund middle. Refusing to say anything in response, the pregnant male opened the front door and stopped in surprise, Kakashi was standing in front of him.
"At this point it's more like waddling." Kakashi pointed to the Uchiha's stomach. The fact that he had at least heard the last of their conversation made Sasuke's ears burn.
"Shut up." Sasuke huffed. He stepped outside and did his best to walk straight, knowing he couldn't stop himself from widening his gait to accommodate the soon-to-be person inside of him.
"It's not your fault your middle is so large you can't walk straight." Kakashi told him with a glance to Naruto. He walked up to Yamato and stopped next to him, the brown haired male looking more rested than he had two days ago.
"That's not nice." Yamato spoke up. He inclined his head to Sasuke and the pregnant male nodded back.
"We doubled the perimeter guard today." Kakashi told the dark haired male quietly. "There haven't been any more sightings of your team Hebi but we thought it wouldn't hurt." The Uchiha nodded as he remembered the conversation he and Naruto had with Tsunade weeks before. He had almost forgotten about them, there hadn't been any more news and the Uchiha had been busy with the baby and Kyuubi.
Shifting his weight, the dark haired male turned around, blinking in reaction to Naruto's eyes bleeding red. The sound of wheels caught Sasuke's attention and he turned his head in the direction of it. Apricot came into view pulling a rickshaw behind her. "What is that?" Naruto asked. He shut the front door and followed Kakashi out into the street.
"My ride." Sasuke explained. Upon seeing the group of men, Apricot started to jog, tugging the rickshaw to speed up with her. The Uchiha smirked. "I didn't say I was going to walk." He mentioned. Kyoko tried to stop in front of them but seemed to overestimate her momentum and she jerked forward a few steps. She came to a stop with a laugh and set the rickshaw down.
"Hey guys." Apricot stepped away from the mode of transportation and set her hands on her hips. "Ready to go?" She asked.
"Where did you get a rickshaw?" Naruto asked to no one in particular.
"We're renting it for the day." Yamato answered. "And you're pulling it." He motioned to the front of the rickshaw before pointing to the blonde.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto asked Sasuke incredulously. The Uchiha tilted his head and raised an eyebrow to the blonde's heated stare.
"You'd just have found another reason to say no." He replied. Sasuke turned away, wanting to get into the rickshaw and to the containment area as quickly as possible.
"No, I wouldn't have!" The blonde yelled. Sasuke hadn't expected the outburst and stopped walking. He turned and found Naruto's blood red gaze had changed; his pupils were vertical slits instead of their normal round shape. It was awkwardly quiet, he could hear the blonde breathe through his nose and everyone else had gone still.
"We're," Kakashi started to edge away. "Going to go on ahead and let you two figure this out." Yamato followed and Apricot pointed to the men walking away before following them and Sasuke was left with his obviously pissed off husband.
"You're mad." Sasuke pointed out. Rage swelled in his chest but he kept it contained. Getting into a shouting match wasn't going to help the situation.
"You let me believe you were stupid and stubborn enough to risk walking to the containment area. Why?" Naruto spit out. Frowning, the dark haired male straightened his posture and stood firm.
"Because I'm sick of you avoiding me." Sasuke stated. The blonde blinked once and scowled. His mouth opened and Sasuke could see his teeth were elongated, the incisors looking razor sharp.
"I was with you all day yesterday, how is that avoiding you?" Naruto snarled. Sasuke glared back as he let his anger get ahold of him.
"You're scared to touch me!" Sasuke shouted.
"Of course I am!" Naruto bellowed back. "I could kill you!" He wanted to yell again, rage at the blonde. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke huffed and shifted his weight.
"I know you don't want to hurt me but you are." He said in a calmer tone.
"What?" Naruto blinked. His pupils were reverting to their original round shape and his teeth no longer seemed enlarged. Sasuke couldn't be sure if the changes were because the blonde was calming down or because there was a growing distance between him and apricot. Choosing his words carefully, the Uchiha explained.
"I need you with me more than I need you to protect me." The dark haired male shifted his weight again. His feet were starting to hurt from standing for an extended period of time. The blood red color of his husband's eyes started to fade, giving way to his natural blue color.
"Sasuke." Naruto murmured guiltily. The dark haired male sighed and continued.
"You won't even touch me." He stated in a disappointed tone.
"I'm afraid to hurt you." The blonde explained. "With Apricot's seal getting weaker, there's no telling what could happen. Hurting you is the last thing I want to do." Naruto stepped forward and awkwardly raised his hand, first to Sasuke's cheek and then to the curve of the Uchiha's middle.
"You're rushing to get the seal finished so you won't be a danger to me." Sasuke stated.
"Yeah." Naruto replied lamely. Exhaling loudly through his nostrils, Sasuke reminded himself that he hadn't expected anything less.
"You better fucking hurry it up then." The Uchiha told him. He watched Naruto slowly start to smile, reassured that they were going to be okay. Stepping closer, Sasuke held out his arms and pulled his blonde into a hug. Squeezing tight and holding him close for a few seconds, the Uchiha was reluctant to let go. "Let's go. My feet are starting to hurt."
Naruto pulled back with a bright smile and sidestepped him, moving towards the rickshaw. Sasuke turned around and waddled his way to the seat of the wooden vehicle. There would be time for them to bicker over Naruto's decisions and his priorities later. That is, if Naruto survived taking the other half of Kyuubi's chakra.