Honesty
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I finally decided on whether or not I wanted to add some drama or continue the soothing vibe. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this chapter and finding out which way I decided to go.
Chapter Notation: This takes place three months after the last one.
Chapter 15
Karin was now five months pregnant and honestly, Sasuke was getting concerned. She had BALLOONED. He was hardly an expert on marine biology, but to him she now resembled a manatee.
Sasuke wasn't shallow. He certainly would never hold weight gain against a pregnant woman, but he was still concerned. Should she really get that big? Was that even healthy?
"Alright. Let's get you set up for the ultrasound here." Tsunade says gently to Karin and helps her on the table.
Jugo was standing by Sasuke's side as always. Suigetsu and Itachi had come along for the ride. The busty blonde hadn't been that fond of allowing a dog into the exam room, but Itachi had insisted that he would behave. Eventually, the medic had relented.
"I'm warning you. This is going to be very cold at first." Tsunade says.
"That's alright. Do we get to find out the gender today? I know that Sasuke has been really excited about that and he or she is kicking A LOT. Their going to be a Taijutsu expert at this rate." Karin observes.
Tsunade chuckles. Well perhaps that should have been expected. This was Sasuke's child. Of course he or she was going to be difficult. She quickly places the gel on Karin's belly and the red head lets out a shriek.
"I did warn you that it was going to be cold. Hmm let's see. Ah there we go." Tsunade says and Suigetsu looks curiously.
"Whoa! Definitely a boy. Damn Sasuke. Your kid is packing!" Suigetsu exclaims.
Sasuke twitches. He smacks the Hell out of Suigetsu. Pervert. He couldn't believe that he had said that about his child!
"You are such an idiot!" Sasuke growls.
"Suigetsu, that's his arm. You are right though. Congratulations, you are having a son." Tsunade says exasperation at the sword lover's antics.
"Something's wrong. He has three arms." Jugo says in horror.
Well that got everyone's attention. Tsunade blinks. She looks again and gasps. Hmm well that did explain a lot. Karin had gained more weight than would be expected for a single birth, but for twins she was right on track.
"He only has two arms. It looks like you are expecting twins. His brother or sister is just hiding behind him. Let me see if, I can get a better look." The medic informs them.
Sasuke blinks. Twins?! She was carrying twins?! He hadn't seen that one coming. He beams and Jugo kisses his cheek.
"Twi-ns?!" Karin asks and she looks ready to faint.
"Don't worry. The Leaf has some of the best medical care in the world. We have handled a fair number of twin births before. You aren't our first mother expecting two children to arrive on the same day." Tsunade assures her as she tries to determine the other baby's gender.
Suigetsu at this point was thinking of all the ways that identical twins could mess with people. Part of him was hoping that would be the cause just so he could sit back and enjoy the chaos. The other part of him was terrified of what that chaos might entail.
"Ah. Fraternal twins. One boy and one girl. It looks like your daughter is just a little bit shyer than her brother." The busty blonde muses after awhile.
"Two puppies!" Itachi barks happily.
Sasuke beams and places his hand on Karin's shoulder reassuringly. Understandably, she looked less than thrilled to find out that she was going to have to give birth twice in a row. She sighs and shakes her head. Well she probably should have seen it coming really. It was just her luck.
"I should have figured that you would be an overachiever, even when it comes to having children. Twins were almost a given, in hindsight." The red head mutters.
"Yeah! That's our Sassy. You know how he is. He's always got to show off. Hell, even his sperm is apparently the overachieving kind. Though it does explain so much. I just thought you were getting really fat, even for a pregnant woman. You're carrying twins though. So it makes more sense." The violet eyed ninja muses.
Sasuke and Jugo smack their foreheads. Yeah. It was rather obvious that Suigetsu needed his daily beating.
"WHAT'D YOU SAY TO ME?!" Karin snarls.
"I said that I thought you were getting fat. I guess I was wrong though. You just have two buns in the oven instead of one. That explains everything." Suigetsu continues, as if he completely unaware of the danger he was currently in.
The expectant mother gets off the table. She quickly yanks her shirt down and proceeds to chase Suigetsu. Sasuke blinks. It was somewhat disturbing to see a heavily pregnant woman chasing after a Prodigy in the Art of Murder.
"Jugo, is this really happening?" Sasuke whispers.
"I was about to ask you the same thing. Though this is great news. You are going to be a father of two." Jugo says with a smile and wraps his arms around his lover.
"No, WE are going to be fathers of two." Sasuke replies and leans back into the gentle giant.
Tsunade just shakes her head. She really didn't know what she was going to do about this very strange group. Jugo, Sasuke, and Itachi didn't seem to be too concerned though. So she was fairly certain that Karin and Suigetsu were merely playing around.
"Alright. Alright. You don't want to overdo it. You can beat him up later. Sasuke, perhaps it would be best to get Karin home. She should get some rest. Twin pregnancies can sometimes be more difficult than single pregnancies." She reasons.
"Yes, of course. Come on, Karin." Sasuke says as he slides out of Jugo's embrace and teleports her back to the Uchiha District.
Jugo briefly mourns the loss of contact. He shakes it off though. The large man knew exactly where his lover was going.
"Itachi. Suigetsu, let's get head back." Jugo says with a smile as he heads off with the other two members of Taka.
Suigetsu quickly follows his teammate. He couldn't believe that Karin was pregnant with twins. Oh this was going to be a Hellish next four months. He could only imagine what'd she be like once she went into labor.
The white haired man shivers. Karin was a banshee on a good day. He could only imagine what'd she be like when she had to shove not one, but TWO babies out on the same day.
"Don't be afraid. Lots of females have more than one puppy." Itachi says comfortingly as he fluffs the violet eyed ninja's legs.
"Yeah. That's more common with dogs than people. It's kinda a big deal when a human has twins though." Suigetsu says as he leans down and gives Itachi a brief scratch behind the ears, before they continue on their way.
Jugo chuckles. No one could say that Itachi wasn't very excited to see the "puppies." He smiles as they make their way into the Uchiha District.
Meanwhile in the Stone Village, Onoki sighs. Word of Karin's pregnancy had spread. It was now common knowledge that Sasuke was restoring his Clan with the red head.
To the elderly ninja, it mattered very little that the conception had been more clinical than romantic in nature. The main point was that she was carrying an Uchiha in her womb. In his mind, that just wouldn't do.
"It's bad enough that Sasuke was reinstated as a Leaf Villager. If the Uchiha Clan is allowed to be revived in the Leaf Village, history will just repeat itself. That and the balance of power will likely be shifted." He sighs to himself.
He had no great love for Sasuke, but that didn't change the fact that he felt guilty. Onoki was a grandfather and a father himself. He knew of the powerful bond that existed between a parent and their child. Unfortunately, it would have to be broken.
Oh he wasn't cruel enough to kill a pregnant woman or a newborn child. The Stone Kage was cruel enough to kidnap said pregnant woman and fake her death. He could make it look like an accident.
"If the child grows up in the Stone Village, away from Sasuke, perhaps things can work out better. It would be tempting fate to allow the child to be raised by him." He mutters.
Sasuke and Naruto were arguably the two most powerful ninjas on the planet. The fact that Sasuke had sired a child with an Uzumaki was even more concerning. Those two bloodlines merging wouldn't end well.
The Uchihas were prone to insanity. It wasn't entirely their fault. It was the Curse of Hatred. The Sharingan was a bloodline that was built on just that. Blood.
He had to move quickly. Onoki had subtly sent a spy to the Leaf. The spy had been watching Sasuke's behavior rather closely and he had passed along some very valuable information.
"The best time to strike is during the day, when most of Taka will be away. Karin is already five months pregnant, she won't be able to put up much of a fight." He murmurs to himself.
Onoki summons some of his most loyal Jonin to his side. He was confident that they could strike quickly and get Karin out of the Leaf, before her teammates came home. That would be ideal.
"Your mission is to abduct Karin. I want her unharmed. You are to make it look as though she died. Then get her back here and we shall proceed. Do you have any questions?" He demands.
"Are you certain this is wise? What if the Uchiha realizes that she is not actually dead? What if he comes looking for her and his child? It will mean war. You know what he is capable of. I say this with all due respect, of course." One of the Jonin says.
Onoki sighs. He couldn't be angry with Shiro. The man wasn't saying anything that he hadn't thought himself at least a thousand times. Still it had to be done.
"We don't have another choice. That child will be far too powerful to leave in the Leaf Village. The balance of power will likely be tilted. I am certain that this the best course of action to take. I know that it is an unpleasant one, but it must be done. Now go." He states and the Jonin quickly head off.
Meanwhile back in the Leaf, Sasuke had helped Karin get into her bed. About thirty seconds after that, Itachi came running in. Sasuke raises an eyebrow.
Well he was certainly a very protective guard dog. Which was good thing. They were going to need that.
"Stay with Karin. She needs her rest. Make sure no one bothers her. Alright?" He asks as he pets Itachi.
"Arf! Arf! Okay." The puppy says as his tail wags excitedly.
"Good boy." Sasuke says with a smile as he heads back to his own home, knowing that Jugo would be arriving shortly.
The eldest Uchiha was right about that assumption. It only took Jugo about five minutes for him to soon join his lover back in their home. Sasuke smiles and greets him with a kiss.
"So twins. That's great news! Though I think Suigetsu is a little terrified." The gentle giant observes.
"He has good reason to be. That idiot is always provoking her. You don't provoke a red head or a pregnant woman. You especially don't provoke a red headed pregnant woman. I swear he's a masochist or something." The raven haired ninja says.
Jugo couldn't exactly argue with that. He had wondered that more than once or twice himself. Still that didn't matter at the moment. Today, was a very special day. Sasuke had just found out that he was going to be a father to twins.
"We should celebrate the good news." The orange haired man announces.
"What'd you have in mind?" Sasuke asks.
"Well we could check out your family's wine cellar and hot springs." He suggests.
Sasuke smirks. He knew there was a reason that he loved this man. Well other than his honesty and the great sex. In his own way, Jugo was very smart. He certainly knew how to utilize his environment.
"Alright. You go pick us out something to drink and I'll meet you at the hot spring." Sasuke says as he walks outside the door.
A few minutes later, Sasuke smiles when he sees Jugo approach him. He was already in the hot spring. It looked like the gentle giant had found some bottle of wine. Sasuke wasn't a heavy drinker, but Jugo was right. This was a special occasion. It should definitely be celebrated.
"You know if you sold your wine collection, you'd be richer than the Hyugas." He notes in amusement.
"Probably, but I think we are more than comfortable enough at the moment. I think I'll worry about restoring the crushed buildings before I think about additions." Sasuke replies as he takes the glass that Jugo had pour from him.
Jugo nods in agreement. That was a good point. Baby steps. Speaking of babies, this mean that they were going to need two baby names.
"Have you talked to her about names yet?" The orange haired man asks as he joins his lover in the hot springs.
"Not yet. Maybe I should let her name them. I mean she is doing us a big favor. I should probably at least let her get the chance to name them, if she wants." He muses.
Sasuke wasn't entirely certain what kind of names Karin might suggest. So that was a gamble. He knew it. Of course, he'd step in if she wanted something completely stupid. Despite the risk, it was only fair to give her a chance.
"I'm sure that the two of you will come up with wonderful names." Jugo assures him as he kisses Sasuke's forehead.
The eldest Uchiha smiles. Before Jugo, it had been a long time since he could rely on anyone for reassurance of any kind. The last person that had freely offered it, was Itachi.
His lover was obviously in a different category though. Still it was nice. He wasn't alone anymore. He had Jugo, his children, Taka, and Naruto. For the past few months had brought him something that he hadn't had in years, a sense of contentment.
"Thanks. You've been very understanding about this. I know it can't be easy for you." He says.
"I would never intentionally lie to you, but it's harder than I thought it was going to be. I know that you don't love her and you don't want her to be your lover, but she can give you something that I can't. That does hurt in a way. It doesn't matter though. You've been very good at reminding me that I'm your most precious person. Well other than the twins of course." Jugo says as he kisses Sasuke.
Sasuke smiles and returns the kiss. He was extremely lucky. Sasuke wasn't entirely certain what his reaction would have been if positions were reversed. He would like to think that he could be logical, but he'd be lying if said that he wouldn't be jealous.
"I know you wouldn't and you definitely are my most precious person. Well my most precious person that isn't related to me anyway." Sasuke assures him, after breaking the kiss.
There was nothing stronger than the bond between a parent and their child after all. Jugo was aware of that. He smiles and nods at that declaration.
"Hey, bastard! You here?! Today, was the big day right? You were supposed to find out if it's a girl or a boy!" Naruto's excited voice is heard calling out.
Sasuke sighs. Sometimes he wondered if the entire Leaf Village was participating in a new sport. It was called Cockblock the Uchiha. Naruto was definitely aiming for first place in this event.
"Naruto, will you be quiet?! Karin is trying to rest." He grumbles.
Well that annoyed response was really all Naruto needed. He was able to figure out where Sasuke was by the sound of his voice. The blonde blinks when he saw Sasuke and Jugo alone, together in the hot spring.
"Wow. I guess you guys really are together. I mean it's one thing to hear about it. It's another to see it." The blue eyed ninja observes cheerfully.
Sasuke merely rolls his eyes at his friend's antics. Naruto meant well. He was still processing the whole some men liked men thing though. It was ironic, but the savior of the Ninja World was really an overgrown child.
"Yes, we are really together. Yeah. We went to see Tsunade. Karin's carrying twins. Fraternal. A boy and a girl." Sasuke says proudly.
"Wow. You really are an overachieving bastard. Two for the price of one, huh? That's great news though!" His friend replies.
Jugo nods in agreement. He smiles and kisses Sasuke's cheek. The blonde was just offering his congratulations. He knew that Naruto hadn't meant anything by his awful timing.
"Yes, it is. We were just discussing potential names. Sasuke is going to ask Karin, if she wants to name them or not." The orange haired man explains.
Naruto blinks. Hmm that was a good point. What the Hell did you name a pair of mini Sasukes anyway?
"Yeah. Their definitely going to need names." The blonde says as if this was some profound discovery.
"Obviously, idiot." Sasuke mutters and rolls his eyes good-naturedly at his friend.
The next day, Sasuke heads back to the Academy. He still didn't think that teaching at the Academy was really his calling, but he had fallen into a routine that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Besides, it was still better than chasing cats.
"Alright, can anyone tell me about the Warring States Period?" Sasuke asks.
He was currently teaching his twelve year old class. So yeah, it was more advanced than teaching the rugrats. Several hands went up, mostly from the girls.
He mentally sighs. Sasuke highly doubted that was a coincidence. The boys were still being boys. The girls were apparently just old enough to get their first crushes. Mostly this appeared to be on him, much to his annoyance.
"Alright. Why don't you start us off, Kusha?" He asks a blonde girl in his class, who begins promptly launching into an explanation of what little she knew of that era. (Which Sasuke privately admitted was likely more than most of her classmates.)
Elsewhere, Jugo and Suigetsu were heading off. Jugo was going to work with the Naras as usual. The white haired ninja had been assigned his first combat mission. A solo one.
"Be careful." The other member of Taka warns him.
"Pft. Please. I can't wait to get back into it. It's about time they recognized that I'm the best in the business when it comes to assassinations." He says cheerfully.
Jugo rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He wasn't really sure that it was a good thing that Suigetsu was so happy about getting placed on an assassination mission. Still he was happy that his friend was happy.
"Of course. Well I'll see you later." He says as he walks towards the Naras and the white haired ninja heads towards the village exit.
If they had been aware of the Stone Jonin who had arrived earlier that day, none of them ever would have left for work that day. The Jonin smirk when they realize the three men of Taka had left the pregnant ninja alone. Well other than a puppy.
When they arrived in the Uchiha District, they were greeted by Itachi. Needless to say, the Ninja Dog was not happy about seeing the intruders. Itachi might still have been young, but he was a big dog by this point.
"This is the Uchiha District. Only Uchihas, Taka members, and Naruto are allowed here. Unless you are the Hokage, you aren't any of those people." He growls.
"Awe man. Are we really going to have to beat up and overgrown puppy?" Banko asks.
"Nah. I'll just knock him out. You get Karin." Shiro answers him as he makes a dash towards the stairs.
Itachi was on him in a flash though. His fangs were bared and he slashes at him with his claws. The man's cries of pain had alerted Karin.
The young woman peeks down the stairs and gasps when she saw the Ninja Puppy engaged in combat with two foreign ninjas. She was about to teleport off when she winces in pain. A tranquilizer dart had hit her in the neck.
"Calm down, Fluffy. We aren't going to actually hurt her. If we wanted her dead, we would have laced the dart with poison instead of a sedative." Banko says in an effort to get Itachi off the first Jonin.
"Fluffy?!" Itachi snarls in outrage.
Oh that was it. No one called him Fluffy. He was proud Ninja Dog, not some pampered house pet. He charges at him and bares his teeth, breathing out a fireball. (Just like how Master Sasuke taught him.)
"Oh for fucksake, the dog breathes fire?!" The Jonin mutters in annoyance as he hurls a Water Dragon Jutsu at Itachi.
It knocks the dog unconscious almost immediately. Banko shakes his head. Honestly, dumb dogs.
"Are you alright, Shiro?" He inquires.
"I got some fucking nasty dog bites and slashes, but I've had worse. Come on. Let's get her back to the Stone Village before the other members of Taka get back here." Shiro grumbles.
Banko shakes his head. He couldn't believe a fucking puppy had almost gotten the better of Shiro. The man was an elite ninja. A Jonin! That was supposed to mean something.
"Hmm that's weird. I though that our Kage said that she was only five months pregnant. She looks more like eight. Better be careful with her. The last thing we need is for her to go into labor on the way there." He says as he grabs Karin and the two of them teleport off.
They couldn't go through the way they came. Not when they were carrying an unconscious pregnant woman. No. They had to teleport to the Forest of Death and then take it from there.
"Yeah. That is a little bizarre. Anyway, let's get going. The other members of Taka will likely be back soon. I'm not a coward, but I don't want to deal with that group when they are angry." Shiro reasons.
"I can't blame you there." His partner agrees as they start making the long trek home.