I'm wanting to post another chapter December 16th in honor of this story's anniversary, five years! (Holy Fandom I can't believe it's been five years) Not 100% certain I'll have another chapter draft finished by then but I'm going to try for it.
Thank you's go out to The Dark CrimsonAngel(That's an interesting idea thank you for sharing-I'll look into it but I think I'm still set on the original plan), SweetJaneP's, Pixie07, yukino76, maxridelover, QyuYi, and omgitsdanimals(It would be very dramatic but I would probably die from anguish if I wrote that ending out) for reviewing the last chapter!
*IMPORTANT NOTICE!* As of 10/16/16, 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-sixth, still the thirty-third week,
The containment field was well outside of the village, settled in a dense clump of giant pine trees. Naruto had carefully maneuvered the rickshaw, avoiding as many roots and bumps in the barely worn path as he could. It was when Sasuke caught a glimpse of the cleared area through the trees that the blonde stopped.
"I don't think it can go much further." Naruto sighed. Craning his head, the Uchiha judged the distance from where they had stopped. It was easily walking distance; the only question would be how out of breath he would be when he got there. He was completely out of shape now that he was confined to bed rest and he'd need a breather before he inspected the containment field.
"That's fine. I can walk that far." Sasuke responded. He caught the profile of his husband's face nodding before facing away. The scars on his cheek were darker and deeper and his eyes were red. Naruto bent down and set the end of the rickshaw on the ground. Sasuke shifted towards the edge of the seat, pausing when his blonde moved closer and held out his hand.
"Let me help." His husband pleaded with hopeful eyes. Taking Naruto's hand, Sasuke gripped it tightly and heaved himself off the rickshaw. Sasuke leaned into his husband, who stood firm against his weight and successfully made it off the rickshaw without falling.
"Thank you." He told his husband. Their eyes met and Naruto nodded, squeezing the Uchiha's hand in response. It was a moment of silent communication; Sasuke could feel the determination emanating from his husband's posture and could see the promise in his azure eyes. The pregnant male nodded, trusting his husband to keep whatever silent promise he was making. Naruto seemed satisfied with his response and turned towards the containment field, still holding Sasuke's hand. As they got closer, Sasuke caught sight of Kakashi leaning against one of the humongous tree trunks. The older male had lifted his headband up on his forehead, revealing his sharingan eye and scar.
"Took you long enough, we're ready to go." He told them. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the white haired male as they passed the tree he was leaning against. The dark haired male watched him walk around the other side of the tree and nearly bumped into Naruto who had stopped walking. In front of them was the containment field.
It was, for lack of a better word, small. Sasuke surveyed it as he tried to ignore his aching back and regulate his heavy breathing. The trees were so densely populated, it shaded the tiny clearing from sunlight, leaving it dark and shadowed. Sealing tags were set up in circle, evenly spaced and no less than six feet apart. The ground inside the tags was filled with over a dozen circles of intricate seal work. Two tags in the circle stood out from the rest directly on the other side of each other. On either side of both tags were small circles of the seal work, where it would be activated. Looking up from the containment field, Sasuke found everyone there and staring at him. Apricot was on the other side of the containment field, Yamato next to her, paused in stretching his arms.
"You okay?" Naruto asked him. Sasuke nodded but his breathing was still shallow.
"Just out of breath." The Uchiha replied. He took two more deep breaths before continuing. "I want to check the seals before you start." Sasuke watched as Yamato and Apricot each glance to Naruto and Kakashi; he realized what was about to happen.
"No." Kakashi told him. Sasuke exhaled loudly through his nose, turning his head to glance at his husband. The red-eyed blonde was attempting to look contrite but with Kyuubi's characteristics enhancing his features, he looked dangerous.
"We know it would ease your mind to look at it but they work and we don't have time to wait for you to inspect every aspect of it." Naruto explained in a placating voice. It irritated the Uchiha, knowing he was leaving his husband's life in the hands of others but what else could he do?
"Fine." The pregnant male huffed. "Give me a minute." He turned around and walked away from the containment field.
"We dug a pit! Naruto, show him where it is." Yamato called out. Sasuke paused next to the trunk of a pine tree, waiting for the blonde to follow him.
"Kage bunshin no jutsu." Naruto called out. Turning his head, the dark haired male watched six clones appear in clouds of smoke as his husband walked toward him.
"I don't know what's worse, having to pee every hour or having to walk to the bathroom every hour." Sasuke grumbled. The blonde huffed out a quiet laugh and directed the pregnant male around a few trees and stopped where they had dug a pit into the ground. It was too cold to linger, so the Uchiha did his business quickly and walked back with Naruto at a slow pace.
"Ready?" The blonde asked when they arrived back at the site. Apricot and a clone were inside the containment field, the clone was naked from the hips up, an intricate addition to the seal on his stomach. The redhead had shrugged off her coat and rolled up the sleeves of her green sweater, looking cold. They stood as far apart as they could without leaving the circle, the clone shivering and Apricot obviously forcing herself not to twitch or shift nervously. Kakashi and Yamato were on opposite sides of the circle, each sitting in front of a tag. Sasuke let his husband direct him to a comfortable looking base of a tree and helped him sit down. The ground was cold and hard but Sasuke could handle the minor discomfort. He was eight months pregnant and honestly, he'd been through much worse lately.
"Let's do this." Yamato said. He placed his hands in the two circles and Sasuke glanced to the other side of the containment field, watching Kakashi mirror the brown haired male. Blue light lit up around the two men's hands, it spread to the seal of the containment field, lighting the small area and casting longer shadows. Once the seal was completely activated, the outer rim of the seal rose up in an unwavering barrier. It continued to rise and Sasuke lifted his head, continuing to watch it rise along with the tree trunks into the natural rooftop made of pine needles.
"There are more seals in the trees, they're completely contained." Kakashi spoke up. His voice was strained and the Uchiha looked down again, the white haired male looked focused, his body was tensed and the muscles in his neck were pulsing. Naruto, the real Naruto along with the other five clones, had taken a spot on the other side of the containment field. His features seemed even more feral now, the symmetrical scars on his cheeks had widened and elongated. Even from this far away, Sasuke could see the blonde's pupils had become vertical slits and he stood out from his own clones.
"Okay, we're ready." Yamato called out. Sasuke glanced back to him and then focused his attention on the two inside the barrier. Apricot nodded and stepped further into the circle, Naruto's clone doing the same. The clone cautiously glanced to the Uchiha before holding out his hand, as if to shake the younger girl's hand. She held out her hand and clutched the blonde's forearm tightly. Sasuke waited for long moments and watched as nothing happened. They stood still, the only thing he was watching was them breathing.
"How long?" The Uchiha glanced around. Naruto's clones shifted around him but everyone remained still.
"The good ones last over an hour." Yamato spoke in a low voice. He didn't take his eyes off of the pair in the containment field.
"Should have made someone make me a fire before this started." The Uchiha sighed. He repositioned himself and felt the baby stir, the little passenger wouldn't stay still for long in the cold.
"Naruto's gotten pretty good with pine needles." Apricot glanced over to him, attempting to stay as still as possible. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and caught his husband's eye, a smirk forming on his lips.
"Want to bet on how long it'll take to get him to come close enough to Sasuke to build a fire?" Kakashi asked. Yamato snorted and the clone holding forearms with Kyoko frowned. Naruto smiled widely at the pregnant male from across the sealed area.
"He'll send a clone." Yamato replied. The Uchiha set a hand on his rounded stomach and grinned. He could see his husband's expression change but with Kyuubi's chakra enhancing his characteristics, the Uchiha couldn't quite make out what it was.
"That isn't funny." Naruto growled. Apricot visibly stiffened, Yamato and Kakashi fell silent, but Sasuke continued to grin. The clones' facial expressions ranged from angry scowls to worried glances with blood red eyes. Sasuke looked back to the two standing on the seal, both of their pupils had morphed into vertical slits, the clone's scars enlarged on his cheeks.
"Relax," The Uchiha called out. "They're just looking for a way to pass time." His husband's mouth opened in an obvious scowl, his incisors looking longer and sharper than normal. "What happens now, when the seal additions break down?" He asked. Even with the change in topic, tense gazes slid from Naruto to Sasuke and then to each other.
"You'll see. Judging by their eyes, it won't be long." Kakashi pointed out.
"How are you feeling?" Yamato asked. The redheaded girl opened her mouth and paused, blinking rapidly for a few seconds.
"There's pressure, I can't get it under control." She answered. "It's building up inside me, like I may explode if I don't let it out." The girl made a pained face and they watched as their held hands started to shake. Naruto's clone tried to pull his arm away, jerking back and tugging Kyoko forward. Red chakra blasted out from where the two were touching. It lashed out, deflecting off the barrier in a ripple of red and blue and Sasuke watched as more clung to the clone's skin. The chakra bubbled up along Naruto's arm as he tried to get away, covering it along with his chest in seconds. Naruto's clone was quickly morphing shape, half human, half Kyuubi as the chakra continued to escape. It happened in a second, the clone 'poofed' out of existence and with the connection lost, Kyuubi's chakra blasted itself from Apricot into the barrier before dissipating into nothing. Kyoko dropped to her knees, gasping for air. Sasuke tilted his head, watching her iris' return to their circular shape.
"Well, that's one more we scratch off our list." Yamato sighed. Sasuke watched as one of Naruto's clones moved to a nearby tree, pulling a scroll, a brush, and inkbottle out from under a root.
"This happens every time?" The Uchiha asked. Apricot shook her head and moved to sit down while the clone scratched out something on the scroll.
"Only with the weaker combinations." She gasped softly. "I think I've got it under control." The redheaded girl motioned to lower the barrier. Both Kakashi and Yamato's body posture relaxed and they slowly brought the barrier down before pulling their hands away. The seal turned black as it was powered down and Apricot slowly got up and walked out of the containment field.
"Has it ever faltered?" He asked. Motioning to the seals, he looked to Kakashi and Yamato for an answer.
"No, the Hokage's people have done a good job." The white haired male sighed. One of the blonde's clones pulled off his jacket and shirt, shuddering at the cold as another clone held out the brush, scroll, and inkbottle for Yamato to take. The shirtless clone sat down and straightened his back, giving the brown haired male as much skin as possible to paint on his stomach.
"Hn." The pregnant male responded. He had to admit to himself, the live demonstration had been effective in answering a majority of the questions he had. Yamato had opened the scroll and started painting on the blonde's stomach, carefully replicating from the scroll. Apricot was pacing along the curved tree line, shaking her arms and rolling her shoulders every few seconds.
"Is she okay?" Sasuke asked.
"She's fine." Kyoko stated before anyone else could answer. She glanced to the Uchiha without faltering in her pacing but tilted her head from side to side. "It's, it's disconcerting. Losing control like that, it doesn't feel good." The redhead tried to explain.
"Disconcerting, that's a big word. Looks like her one on one time with Iruka-sensei is finally paying off." Yamato responded distractedly. The remaining clones chuckled or laughed and Sasuke smirked when the redheaded girl glared at the group of red-eyed blondes.
"Ready to go or do you want to stay?" His husband asked. The real Naruto was standing apart from his clones, leaning against a trunk of one of the surrounding trees. He was concerned, as far as the Uchiha could tell with Kyuubi's chakra exaggerating his characteristics.
"I'll stay for one more." He responded. "I want to see what happens when the seal is strong." Naruto looks unhappy but nods anyway.
"Just like that, but not as pretty." Kakashi pointed out. Apricot let out a high pitched-giggle, shaking her head out of nervousness. Sasuke watched her while readjusting his coat with a grimace. The baby was kicking again, right against his bladder.
"You know there people moving into the compound next week? Shouldn't we be getting ready for that?" Kyoko spoke up questioningly. She was still pacing, whenever she turned around she looked the Uchiha over, as if he would do something unexpected when she wasn't looking.
"The only thing left is triple checking the keys are labeled correctly." Sasuke answers absent-mindedly. "When did this start happening?" The Uchiha pointed to the redhead. Apricot stuck her tongue out at him until she turned around to pace away.
"She lost her proverbial grip a few days ago, went a little nuts. Took a couple minutes to get Kyuubi's chakra under control." Yamato explained. He tilted his head, no longer completely focused on the clone's stomach and seal he was drawing on it.
"You didn't tell me." Sasuke pinned the blonde with an irritated look. If his husband was feeling guilty, the Uchiha couldn't tell by his expression.
"Didn't want you to worry." Naruto scoffed just loudly enough for the dark haired male to hear. Kakashi sighed loudly and Sasuke watched him from the corner of his eye turn around, watching Apricot pace.
"Give me a minute, okay?" Apricot nearly shouted. Turning his full attention to the younger girl, the Uchiha watched her come to a stop, her hands clenching and relaxing as she glared determinedly at the white haired jonin. "This is scary and stressful and I'm never going to be ready so let's just do this." She rambled. Kyoko stopped her pacing and walked back into the containment field. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the girl, surprised by her frantic outburst.
"Someone needs to take a deep breath and calm down." Yamato called out. He set down the brush and the clone carefully stood up, the brown haired male checked his stomach for smudges before waving him into the containment field. "Alright, time to do it again." The brown haired male set his hands in place and Kakashi did the same. Sasuke glanced to his husband, narrowing his eyes at the currently red-eyed blonde. Naruto stared back, his expression unreadable with the help of Kyuubi's chakra.
"Hang on." Sasuke spoke up. He stared at his husband, refusing to look away. "I have to pee again." The Uchiha watched Naruto's face break out into a wide grin. His elongated teeth and darkened scars on his cheeks made him look feral.
"Didn't you just go?" Apricot huffed with a frown. Sasuke set his hands on the ground, intent on standing up. One of Naruto's clones quickly moved, hurriedly walking around the containment field and held out a hand for him to take.
"I'm pregnant, what did you expect?" The Uchiha replied. He took the clone's hand and grunted with effort to stand up. Glancing back at his husband, the pregnant male was happily surprised to see him still grinning.
January first, the thirty-fourth week,
"You're supposed to be resting, remember?" Naruto sighed, frustrated. Sasuke huffed as he leaned against the wall, glaring at his husband. It was too early in the morning to fight.
"I need to do this, today." He responded. Today was the day they opened the compound, where people moved in and started living here. The last thing he needed to before they started letting people in was to shut down the barrier.
"Can't I do this?" The blonde tried again. Sasuke shook his head and moved to straighten himself up, grunting with effort.
"No, you can't." He responded. Naruto hovered next to him but kept enough distance to not crowd him. "The barrier comes down today." They started walking again, a few blocks from the courtyard at the center of the compound.
"Should have kept the rickshaw." Naruto muttered under his breath. "You're going to get me in trouble with Sakura and Taji-san." He said a little louder. The dark haired male rolled his eyes and chuckled softly.
"Hopefully. I'm tired of being the only one." Sasuke replied. He glanced back to see his husband looking irritated and very much not amused. "We're almost there." The Uchiha huffed.
"I know." Naruto sighed. They made it to the small courtyard without having to stop again, which the pregnant male was grateful for. He would have done this by himself if had still been able to bend down properly, or be able to get up from sitting on the ground without help. Breathing a little heavy, Sasuke paused in the middle of the courtyard, eyes scanning for the circular piece of glass.
"Right there." The pregnant male pointed out. Naruto bent down, scraping away dirt and straightened up with a smile.
"Got it." He lifted the glass up for Sasuke to see. The Uchiha nodded and tried to look down at the small opening of the seal and gage where he should place his hand over it. His problem was his protruding middle; he couldn't see his feet, or the ground in front of him.
"Make sure my hand is over it." Sasuke sighed. Holding out his hand, he let Naruto grab his wrist and place it in the air over the open seal. Naruto's fingers lingered, tracing the outlines of his bones and sending shivers down the pregnant male's spine.
"Okay." The blonde murmured. He pulled out a kunai from his pouch, pressing the pointed tip to the inside of the Uchiha's palm. Naruto glanced up, meeting Sasuke's gaze. Nodding, the dark haired male looked down to their hands, feeling the pressure increase. Pain registered but he ignored it, watching the kunai pierce his skin, blood welling up at the cut. Sasuke let his husband tilt his hand, turning his palm to the ground and he watched as the blood followed gravity. It clung to his skin before dripping down. One drop was all it took. Sasuke raised his head, watching as the barrier dissolved in the sky above them. There was a subtle change, the sky seemed brighter, and the clouds less fuzzy in their outlines.
"That's it?" Naruto asked softly. Sasuke returned his attention to his husband, watching him look around.
"Yes, we should be able to feel a breeze soon." The Uchiha responded. He tried to pull his hand out the blonde's grip but Naruto squeezed his wrist tightly and returned his attention to him.
"Let me take care of that." Naruto stated quietly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow but didn't protest. The blonde dropped his weapon and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a white cloth and pressing it to the Uchiha's small wound. "You want to sit down?" He asked. Nodding his head, the Uchiha reached up, freeing his hand from his husband's grip and put pressure on the cloth-covered wound. Naruto bent down to pick up his weapon and Sasuke turned, heading to the nearest bench in the courtyard. It took some uncomfortable effort but he managed to sit down and watched his husband clean his kunai against his pant leg.
"That's going to dry and be a pain to get out." Sasuke pointed out in irritation. Naruto slipped the weapon back into his pouch as he walked over, smiling at his pregnant male.
"I'll wash it, don't worry." The blonde sat down next to him and proffered his wounded hand before Naruto could reach for it. Naruto took it gladly, pulling the cloth away to reveal the quickly congealing cut. "Looks good, I'll put a bandage on it in a few minutes." The blonde murmured.
"Thank you." Sasuke replied. He leaned as much as he could, placing his head on Naruto's shoulder. "How many clones are you going leave?"
"I was thinking twenty or so. Enough to make sure you don't get bombarded and a few to help people move their stuff." The blonde explained. Naruto's fingers were gently mapping out Sasuke's hand. His fingers grazed the tips of his fingers, the back of his palm, and the bones of his wrist. Naruto's thumb rested against his radial artery, feeling his pulse.
"That should be more than enough." Sasuke responded. His husband continued to fondle his hand for a few more seconds before shifting, not so subtly wanting him to lift his head. With a sigh, the dark haired male did so and tried not to mourn the loss of the short lived affection he had been craving. "Get the bandage, we need to unlock the gate still." Naruto reluctantly let go and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"Relax, it's not like we're going to be late." The blonde hummed as he pulled out the bandage and started to unwrap it. Sasuke rolled his eyes but peeled off the blood-splotched cloth from his palm and let his husband stick the bandage on. "There, all fixed." Naruto claimed as he smoothed his fingers over the bandage.
"Help me up then." Sasuke wrapped his fingers around the tan palm and tugged on it gently. The blonde smiled and stood, his grip tightening in preparation for helping the pregnant male stand. As he was hauled onto his feet, the dark haired male felt a small breeze of air whoosh across his cheek. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air as Naruto turned his head towards the wind with a smile.
"There's that breeze you were talking about." Naruto grinned. Sasuke smiled back, not at all excited for the walk to the gate.
"Sasuke." The dark haired male heard his name being called out. He shifted, becoming aware of the cold and his up-right position. Tilting his head, he felt heat flare against his cheek. The pregnant male cracked his eyes open and caught sight of the metal fire pit and pile of logs Naruto had pulled out for him a few feet away from the desk. "Sasuke." Sakura's voice called out again.
"Hmm." The Uchiha answered. He blinked and shifted again, looking around and catching sight of the pink haired woman standing across the table from him. It didn't take long for him to remember where he was and what he was doing, so he must have fallen asleep during a lull of people coming in. Based on the position of the sun, it was still early afternoon; he'd probably slept for an hour, maybe two.
"You really shouldn't fall asleep out here." She stated crossly. Sasuke rolled his shoulders, stretching out as he shook off sleep. He took in the mess of the papers on the desk in front of him, frowning when he realized people had checked in and gotten their keys while he had been sleeping.
"Weren't you the one to tell me I should take more naps?" The pregnant male asked. He reached out, pulling the sheets of paper closer to take a look at them. Sakura huffed and set her hands on the table, leaning over it to stare the pregnant male down. Sasuke glanced past the pink haired woman, watching people walk past the open gates, some curiously peering in.
"Not outside." She commented pointedly. Not bothering with a verbal response, Sasuke flipped through several pages, reading the half-illegible scribbles of Naruto's handwriting. It seemed the blonde's twenty clones had managed to stay organized, though none of them seem to be around now. Craning his head, Sasuke looked around and caught sight of one clone dropping down from a nearby rooftop.
"Relax, Sakura. I was keeping watch on him." Naruto's clone called out. The blonde jogged over and breathing a little heavily. "I only stepped away to help someone catch their escaped cat. Sleep well, Sasuke?" He asked. Nodding, the dark haired male held up a handful of paper and set them down again, shuffling them together neatly.
"You're sure you kept track of everyone who's moved in?" Sasuke asked. He glanced down to the board of keys, neatly organized by address and half them already gone. The pink haired woman turned around and stepped to the side, Sasuke glanced up to see a man and a woman walking in, toting as much luggage as they could carry with them.
"Yeah. We wrote everything down, just like you told us too." The clone answered with a smile. He waved to the couple to come closer before glancing back to Sasuke. "If you want to go home, a couple of us should be on their way back. We can take over." Naruto's clone looked between Sasuke and Sakura with a grin.
"Hello." Sasuke called out when they were close enough to speak too. The male was dark haired, wearing a purple shirt and black pants and the brunette woman following him was in a yellow shirt and dark pants, her hair pulled into a bun. Each carried an individual suitcase in each hand, the male had a backpack, so full it looked like it would rip apart at the seams at any moment.
"Hi, we're here to move in." The young male told the Uchiha. They both set down their suitcases and the male held out his hand for the Uchiha to shake. "Tomaru and Hibari Minakura, we're renting an apartment near the commercial district on the west side." Sasuke glanced between the smiling couple as he took Tomaru Minakura's hand, remembering them vaguely from all those weeks ago.
"27A, yes." He murmured. Looking through the papers in front of him, Sasuke pulled out the one for their apartment. "If you could sign here that you're receiving your keys." The dark haired male slid the paper across the table to them and leaned over to the board of keys to find Naruto's clone was already pulling the two from their hook.
"Do you need any help, or directions?" Sakura asked. The Uchiha held out his hand and the clone placed the keys in his hand as the couple signed.
"Oh no, I think we can manage. We've got friends and family helping us move all of our bigger things tomorrow." The young woman, Hibari, shook her head as she explained. Her male counterpart slid the piece of paper back over to the Uchiha and he held out the keys, passing them over with a nod.
"Thank you." Tomaru spoke up, still smiling. He passed one of the keys to Hibari and they both tucked them into a pocket before picking up their suitcases again.
"Let us know if you need anything or have any issues." Naruto's clone told them as they passed the desk. The couple nodded, still smiling happily.
"Didn't they go to the academy?" Sakura asked as they walked away. Sasuke tilted his head and pulled a folder on the edge of the desk closer and slipped the signed piece of paper in it.
"Yes. He made chuunin and she's taking the exam next year." The Uchiha set the folder down and moved to stand slowly, using the desk as support. He stretched and tried to work out the kinks in his back. "They've been together since their academy days, still lived with their parents since they couldn't find a place they could afford." Sasuke explained.
"Look at you, being friendly with others outside our little circle." Sakura told him teasingly. Scoffing at her, the dark haired male turned his attention to the street behind him, watching as three clones were running toward them.
"They wouldn't shut up about it when I was showing them apartments." The pregnant male grumbled. Naruto's clone huffed out a quiet laugh before wrapping an arm around Sasuke's shoulders.
"And you didn't have the heart to tell them to." The clone replied. Sasuke rolled his eyes but he leaned into the clone's embrace anyway. "Knew you were a softie on the inside." Naruto laughed and pressed a kiss to the pregnant male's forehead.
"I'm going home." The Uchiha muttered. After a long moment, he shrugged off the clones arm and pulled away. The clone didn't seem disheartened, just stuffed his hands into his pockets and nodded to his duplicates as they slowed down to a walk before stopping in front of them.
"I'll go with you, I haven't had lunch yet and I'm sure you could eat something too." Sakura spoke up. "Think you four can handle things here?" The four clones all spoke up at once, confirming that they could man the desk for the rest of the day if need be.
"Don't forget to bring the paperwork home with you." Sasuke told them. The four blondes nodded in understanding as one took the dark haired male's chair and another kneeled next to the fire pit, pulling a log from the pile and setting it in the fire pit. With that, Sakura and Sasuke turned and walked away from the open gates of the compound at a slow pace.
"I'm thinking a vegetable stir-fry for lunch, interested?" Sakura asked him as they walked.
"Hn." The pregnant male responded noncommittally. "I'm supposed to have a doctor's appointment this week." Sasuke mentioned. He glanced to the pink haired woman who didn't look remotely surprised by the question.
"Taji-sensei wants to do a house visit rather than have you come all the way to the hospital." The pink haired woman responded. She glanced over and zipped her jacket up a little more. "I told her I'd check with you what day was good."
"Doesn't matter." He told her. "It's not like I have anywhere to be." They turned a corner, pausing as they caught sight of people walking down the street. It was, strange to see other people here, Sasuke had gotten used to the compound being deserted. It was a family with two little girls, the children excitedly carrying toys from an opened box while the parents took unopened boxes from a large dolly stopped next to a building. The pregnant male stood still for a second before continuing down the street, Sakura following closely behind him.
"Relax, Sasuke. If you really think about it, this is the calm before the storm. You're going to have a baby before you know it." Sakura explained with a smile. The parents caught sight of them, smiled and waved at the Uchiha and Sakura as they walked by. He wasn't caught off guard by the comment. After all these months of pregnancy, the idea wasn't new. Sasuke nodded to the parents and ignored the way the children stared at his stomach.
"With Apricot and my husband's lives in the balance of completing his seal, I wouldn't exactly call it calm." He murmured.
January fourth, still the thirty-fourth week,
"Good morning." Taji told Sasuke as soon as she stepped into the room. The elderly woman found him lounging on the couch, one leg resting on the armrest and the other dangling, his foot resting on the floor. Sasuke tilted his head to see her, then struggled to sit up, pushing himself up into a reclined position.
"Can I get you tea, or something to eat?" He asked. Taji shook her head and raised her hand, motioning for him to remain seated. Sasuke relaxed with a huff, watching his obstetrician take a seat in the chair next to the couch.
"I'm fine, thank you." She replied. He watched as she set a gray medical bag on the coffee table, the "Though I do hope that tea is decaffeinated." Taji teased with a smile. Raising an eyebrow, the Uchiha moved to sit up, and pointed to the kitchen.
"It's Sakura's." He explained. The obstetrician laughed softly as she opened the medical bag. Sasuke watched Taji-san pull out a blood pressure cuff and held out his arm expectantly.
"I'm bumping our visits up to once a week." The elder woman told the pregnant male as she wrapped the cuff around his arm, securing it tightly.
"Was wondering when that would happen." He replied nonchalantly. Patiently, he let his obstetrician take his blood pressure and when she pulled it off, he lifted his shirt for the next part.
"I'll have Kusushi come next week as well. We'll be bringing a portable ultrasound." Taji explained. The elder woman pulled a stethoscope out of the bag and turned back to the pregnant male. Sasuke nodded as she pressed the end of the stethoscope against his bare chest. "Take a breath for me." She murmured. He followed her directions quietly, going through the motions until the obstetrician was satisfied.
"That was quick." Sasuke mentioned as he pulled his shirt down. Taji-san glanced over to him.
"I still need to look over the little one." The Uchiha sighed and eased himself onto his back, rolling his shirt back up to his chest. Taji kneeled down in front of the couch, her chakra glowing green.
"Anything interesting happening this week?" He asked conversationally. Placing her hands on his middle, she felt around, pressing slightly in seemingly random places.
"Kidneys will almost be fully developed, lungs seem to be maturing well." The obstetrician murmured. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the information but chose not to comment. She reached over the expanse of his stomach, pressing firmly near his hipbone. "Everything feels normal. How are you doing?" Taji asked. She lifted her hands, the green glow fading as she let her chakra dissipate.
"Still constantly need to pee." Sasuke replied. He pulled his shirt down again as the elder woman slowly rose from the floor. "Having some trouble sleeping through the night but I have plenty of time during the day to nap."
"Any heartburn?" Taji asked as she sat back down in the chair. Raising an eyebrow as pulled his shirt back down. He craned his neck to look at his obstetrician, remembering that she had asked about heartburn before.
"No, how common is heartburn during pregnancy?" The Uchiha asked as he shifted onto his side. She tilted her head, humming noncommittally.
"Very common, seems you're one of the lucky ones." Taji answered after a moment. The elder woman was smiling but Sasuke could see that it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Now, I think we need to talk about your escapades last week." Her less than genuine expression faded, a stern look replacing it.
"Who told?" He asked. His attempt at keeping a straight face didn't seem to fool the older woman. Maybe it was because she knew him too well or he was getting predictable but she crossed her arms and shook her head.
"You think I'm going to tell on the tattletale?" Taji-san questioned. Sasuke scowled at her and raised a hand to his head, running his fingers through his recently cut hair.
"It's that or I punish them both." He commented. The pregnant male wasn't all that serious; he'd gotten what he could get out of going to the containment field. His obstetrician stood up and gave him one last glance-over with a knowing smile.
"And who said it could only have been Naruto or Sakura?" She asked. Sasuke stared up at Taji-san with a shrug of his shoulders. "No more extraneous excursions, do you understand?" Taji set her hands on her hips as she stared the dark haired male down. The Uchiha nodded under the scrutiny, which seemed to appease the obstetrician. "You'll see Kusushi and I next week, don't forget."
"Will the portable ultrasound machine be able to take a picture?" He asked.
"I'm afraid not." She replied with a shake of her head. "Do you want to go to the hospital next week to get one?" The Uchiha considered the option for a minute, weighing the pros and cons of trekking all the way to the hospital and back.
"No, it's not necessary." He answered after a few seconds. Taji-san nodded at his response and smiled kindly.
"I'll see you next week then." She told the pregnant male as she moved across the room, headed for the front door.
"Next week." The Uchiha called out as he watched the obstetrician leave. He watched her disappear past the doorway and heard her open and shut the front door. Quiet took over the house and Sasuke relaxed into it. It wasn't complete silence. He could hear things happening outside of the house, all of it forming into an indistinguishable hum that the pregnant male had gotten used to quickly. Having the compound full of people was, good.
Most days, Sasuke didn't mind how small Kakashi's apartment was. The white haired male was hardly ever there, on missions or spending his nights at Iruka's. Sasuke had also grown used to Naruto's almost constant presence. Coming over to the apartment whenever he was able, spending hours, sometimes several days with the Uchiha. He'd gotten used to the strange routine that had been the last month, grown comfortable in having the blonde there with him.
Today, the apartment was stifling.
"We need to talk about this, Sasuke." Iruka told him carefully. Opening his eyes, Sasuke stared at his chakra cuffs and the chain that had been put back on by the anbu. Physical reminders that he was still considered a prisoner, the only reason he'd been taken out of a cell altogether was probably Naruto's doing. "Sasuke?" Iruka asked softly.
Lifting his head, the Uchiha was once again reminded just how small the apartment was. Three anbu were positioned around the apartment, one behind him in the kitchen, another standing in front of Kakashi's bedroom door and the other at the front door. Iruka was sitting on a chair, one that had been dragged from the kitchen across from Sasuke's spot on the couch. Kakashi stood next to the academy teacher's spot, the Hokage, a furious looking blonde woman he'd only met once since being brought back to Konoha, stood on the other side of Iruka. It was unnerving to be around this many people after weeks of being practically alone in the apartment.
"You think his obsession with me is unhealthy." Sasuke said as he met his old teacher's concerned gaze.
"So you do recognize Naruto's attentions and feelings toward you as an obsession?" The Hokage pointed out. Sliding his gaze towards her, the Uchiha regarded her carefully. Naruto had talked about her extensively in their time together, though he seemed to talk about everyone and everything when he got bored of the silence. She seemed to be exactly how the blonde in question had described her, from the size of her bosom to her abrasive personality. The Hokage glared at him, her golden gaze hard and unwavering. It seemed Naruto was oblivious to how protective the 'old hag' was of him.
"I'm worried about you, both of you." Iruka amended as he leaned forward. Sasuke returned his gaze back to the brown haired male. "I fear you might become dependent on Naruto's attentions and that he might become reliant on your dependency." His eyes dropped back down to his chakra cuffs and the chain. The blonde hated the cuffs, voiced his disgust every time he'd visit and had to unchain them.
"I am dependent on him." Sasuke answered truthfully. He lifted his head and watched as the three people in front of him stiffened. "But you're wrong about him wanting me to be." The Uchiha continued purposefully.
"You might want to explain that." Kakashi's visible eye looked him over as the white haired male set a hand on Iruka's shoulder. Sasuke remained quiet, remembering dozens of moments from over the course of the last month that added up to this moment.
"Naruto's the only person who's come here willingly." The dark haired male answered after what must have been several minutes.
"You are under house arrest." The anbu by the door mutters. Sasuke grits his teeth and holds back a retort. Kakashi's visible eye is carefully blank and the Uchiha looks away.
"But he has never tried to take away what little self-agency I have left." He clarifies when he sees Iruka's troubled expression has darkened. The Uchiha lets his gaze travel to the Hokage; her expression still barely contained fury.
"Who is allowed to see him?" Iruka whispers.
"Kakashi, and Naruto." The golden eyed woman answers. There is a second of silence, the teacher waiting for her to continue but as Sasuke knows; there are no more names forthcoming. Sakura had made over a dozen attempts to come see him; Naruto told him each time she tried to get past the anbu guard. The academy teacher stands up suddenly, the chair scraping against the floor as it moves. He watches Kakashi and the Hokage step back as the brown haired male turns around.
"I need to speak to you, outside." Iruka hisses out angrily. He steps to the side and Sasuke finds himself at a loss of words when he sees the teacher from his childhood glowering at the leader of Konoha. She seems to be just as surprised, eyebrow raised as she follows him to the door. The Uchiha watches the anbu step aside, allowing Iruka and the Hokage to leave. When the door shuts, Kakashi's shoulders droop and he takes a step forward. The white haired male sits in the chair and slouches in it, head angled towards the door.
"Do you hate me?" Sasuke murmurs. Kakashi's eye trails over to him slowly. For the first time since Naruto had first surprised him in this apartment, the Uchiha feels a knot form in his chest. His hands clenched into fists and the chain connecting his handcuffs rattling at the movement. The three masked guards shift in response and Kakashi's eye darts between them.
"I thought you and Naruto needed time alone to figure your relationship out." Kakashi answered when his gaze flickered back to the Uchiha. Frowning, Sasuke wants to ask what he means by that but before he can, the front door opens again. The Hokage is scowling when she walks back in and Iruka looks furious. Kakashi stands back up, allowing Iruka to reclaim his seat as the Uchiha tries to prepare himself for the worst.
"Sasuke, we think it'd be best if Naruto stopped visiting you for the time being." The brown haired teacher begins in a tone of forced calmness. It was exactly what he had feared. "Kakashi will take some time off doing missions to be here with you and if you'd like, I'm sure we can arrange for Sakura or I to come visit." Iruka continues. It feels like Sasuke's heart has stopped beating. "There are even a few people here in the village that might have had similar experiences with Orochimaru you could talk to. I know you're not one to open up to strangers but it is an option." Leaning forward as far as he can without leaving his seat, the Uchiha analyzes the man's expression and can only find sincerity. Knowing that his old sensei has no hidden agenda or some unknown goal is almost too good to be true.
"Why?" Sasuke asks after a long moment of silence.
"Because we want to help you." Iruka answers. "I may not know the details of what happened while you were with Orochimaru or the circumstances of how team seven found you but you will always be my student. I want to be here to support you any way I can." The man sounds unwaveringly sincere. Sasuke bites the inside of his cheek as he turns the offer over in his mind.
"And because your current and only support is obsessed with you." Kakashi adds. Surprised by the quip, the Uchiha can only watch as Iruka twists in the chair and hits the white haired male in the stomach.
"You're not helping." Iruka snaps at him. He doesn't know why the interaction affects him and the Uchiha surprises himself when he starts to chuckle. The Hokage looks genuinely surprised, Iruka is stunned, his fist still pressed against Kakashi's middle, and the white haired male is trying very hard not to smirk under his mask.
"I don't think you can stop Naruto from visiting, Iruka-sensei." Sasuke stops his chuckles but he can't seem to wipe the smile off his face. "But I have missed you, Kakashi." The Uchiha sighs.
"I'm sure of it." Kakashi responds with a shrug of his shoulders. It catches the imprisoned male off guard and he dissolves into a bout of silent chuckling. His shoulders shake uncontrollably as he shifts around on the couch, no longer concerned with the anbu watching his every move. "We'll start with some one on one time together and if he's feeling up to it, you can give back Sakura's access to my apartment and then Naruto's." The white haired male clapped his hand on Iruka's shoulder as the Uchiha slouches in his seat, still grinning.
"Hey there, are you sleeping?" Sakura's voice interrupts his dream. The Uchiha's eyes opened and he blinked rapidly. It took him that long to become aware of his surroundings, in bed with Sakura leaning over him. "You were smiling, so I wasn't sure." The pink haired woman told him.
"Hn." Sasuke hums before yawning. The pregnant male stretches his limbs, several of his joints popping at the movement. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he watches his friend take a step back.
"Are you hungry? I can make a snack before we start on dinner." The pink haired woman walks around the bed, carefully watching the Uchiha's movements.
"No, I'm good." Sasuke replies. He winces at the feeling of a muscle in his back twinge but other than that he feels pretty well rested. Sakura hovers in the doorway in case he needs help standing, which is quickly becoming a common occurrence. Once he's on his own two feet, Sakura leaves him to follow at his own pace. Sasuke waddles slowly down the hallway, his mind replaying the memory he'd dreamed.