Chapter Twenty-One: Snuggle the One You Love

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The house was quiet. Kakashi had sent Anbu guards to watch over Shisui and his daughter in a nearby house- Shisui's old family home. Sarada and the boys were sound asleep. Sasuke held his wife, enjoying the sensation of having two arms thanks to the miracle of his son's otherworldly power — the same power of the Sun that Naruto healed Kakashi's eye back during the war.

Sasuke and Sakura had shared a very enjoyable shower together and now they were both incredibly relaxed and high on endorphins. They were naked under the covers, not able to get enough of each other. Sasuke had taken his mission of exploring his wife's body with both hands very seriously. His chakra reserves had fully recovered and he wanted to remind her of just what a legendary shinobi she'd married.

Their robes were hung on the post of the bed in case they needed to dress quickly to check on the children. He'd locked the cats out of the bedroom — he didn't want an audience or interruptions.

"How are you feeling?" Sakura's whisper roused Sasuke as he started to drift off into sleep.

Sasuke had a lot of feelings. He was bursting at the seams with them. "About having two hands? Being home? Our sons have the Sun and Moon seals? My brother's best friend returning? Being a stranger to our children?"

"All of it, none of it? Your choice," Sakura murmured. She pressed a soft kiss to the base of his throat. "You do better when you don't dwell on it by yourself."

"I have so many connections to Konoha now." Sasuke tightened his arms around his wife and rolled her to lay across the top of him, so he could stare up into her face comfortably. He couldn't do this with one arm and the prosthetic had never quite felt natural. "I saw another reality — one without the massacre. Everything seemed to go our way— there were hardly any hardships. But that also made us weak — we weren't hardened enough to defeat the Okotsuki."

"Well, we're in this reality," Sakura assured him. "We defeated them before and we'll do whatever it takes to do so again. This is our world, not theirs." She stared down at him, pale green eyes glittering in the faint light of night peaking through their curtains.

"This is a crazy thought, but, I think i want to talk to Orochimaru and Kabuto. I need to know where Itachi's body is," Sasuke said.

"To bury him on the family land?" Sakura asked. "I mean, his spirit is here— we can ask him if that's what he wants."

"No, I was thinking — if Myoken and Takashi have the Moon and Sun seals — his body could be repaired and his spirit could be reconnected with it. He could live again," Sasuke whispered, almost too nervous to say it aloud.

Silence stretched between them. Sasuke felt like a fool for voicing his selfish thought.

"Or—we need to see if he wants to go back to the Purelands," Sakura said. "He watches over the children, goes to the Academy with Sarada and observes, kept me company while you were gone. His existence defies all expectation. He's been able to learn things in only his spirit form. He had a girl he loved in his youth — Izumi. He deserves a chance to love again or reunite with her. I would selfishly love to keep him around — he's amazing, Sasuke."

"You're right. It's entirely his decision." Sasuke hugged Sakura again, enjoying the way her soft curves molded against his hard planes. "If he hadn't been here, you'd have gone off to the Purelands way too soon. I've been lost before." He brought his newly repaired left hand up to Sakura's hair, ran his fingers through her pastel tresses. "I don't ever want to try and claw my way back out of the darkness. I'd rather watch the whole world burn."

"Your brother might enjoy a chance to live without the entire village's fate resting on his shoulders," Sakura reasoned. "We can talk to him about it tomorrow." She pressed her lips against his. "Go to sleep now, my love."

Sasuke smirked up at her. "Maybe in a bit. I'm not tired anymore."

"I knew we were asking for trouble sleeping naked." Sakura giggled when Sasuke's thumbs dug into her ribs teasingly.

"Hm." He kissed that spot under her ear — the one that made her toes curl. "Well, we have a clan to build, right?"

"It's not even the right time of month for that, Sasuke-dear." Sakura traced her finger over his shoulder and down the length of his left arm until she threaded her fingers through his.

"Then we can practice." Sasuke bit down on the upper swell of her breast enough to bruise, but not hard enough to pierce the skin. They'd made love sweet and slow, fast and heavy, but they'd not have rough sex in literal years. He liked it when his wife grew violent. He'd never been on the receiving ends of her fists like her old teammates Naruto and Sai. Sasuke's experience with Sakura's violence was quite more enjoyable.

"You know, it's always the quiet ones that have hundreds of thoughts going on in their heads," Sakura whispered.

"I'm just thinking about you and different ways I want to make love." Sasuke bucked his hips and then there were no more words between them. He always considered himself a man of action anyway.

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The Academy students listened attentively to Shino Abarame as he instructed them on a new topic. Itachi drifted along the rows of desks in a daze. He'd spent more time accompanying his niece to the Academy than he'd ever spent as a student. There was more to learn than just the jutsus and the laws of shinobi. They also learned this history of not only the Land of Fire, but the other four lands as well as several of the smaller villages. There was literature , mathematics, engineering, and science.

When he'd been a student, the Academy focused on ninjutsu and ninja arts only. He would have loved to have learned about flora and fauna, microbiology, fungi, the solar system, super novas, the periodic table. He'd learned some of these topics on his own— reading whatever books he could get his hands on. Kisame had been a surprisingly literate man and they'd studied all sorts of topics together. He was what you'd call self-taught.

It made him proud that his sacrifices meant this generation had the chance to learn subjects unrelated to war and battle. Occasionally, he'd visit some of the other class rooms. Sarada was one of the younger students and it was the older classes that Itachi was able to hear knowledge he'd never heard before. He often found himself standing behind a young Hyuga girl — Hinata's sister perhaps? She was in her final year at the Academy.

The teacher had called her Hanabi. And unlike her older sister, she wasn't shy at all. She made him think of Izumi from his youth. A pang of sadness caused his essence to fade just a bit and he had to focus to remain present at the Academy. He returned to Sarada's class and watched as she, Boruto, and a young boy named Mitsuki whispered to each other during a short break.

Sarada glanced over her shoulder and gave him a brief wave. She wasn't supposed to acknowledge him in public, but Itachi found himself waving back. It was a reminder of why he was here. His duty was to watch over Sasuke's family.

And now, Shisui, against all odds, was alive and present.

There was only so much he could do and so much he could know. With Sakura being a Senju and Sasuke an Uchiha — their children were a blend of Asura and Indra's bloodlines. Is that why the boys were born with the Sun and Moon seals? They'd completely reconstructed Sasuke's lost arm. What more could they do?

The bell rang in the classroom, dismissing the children for lunch.

Itachi followed after Sarada and her friends. The little Chocho was by far his favorite — she was always obsessed with food and she kept his overly serious niece from brooding. Shisui had been like that to him. Itachi's father had been a serious brooder, always a sour expression on his face. He still didn't understand how his mother put up with it. She was always so cheerful— at least until the night he killed them both.

That night, Mikoto Uchiha had been serious, composed, resolute, and in one-hundred percent agreement with her husband. They accepted their deaths as fair price if it meant Sasuke would be spared. And now, twenty years later, Sasuke was flourishing with a loving family and loyal friends. He was certainly strong — no question. Unrivaled save for his best friend, Naruto Uzumaki. Thankfully, their rivalry ended and their team-up began at the end of the war. When Sasuke's Susanoo combined with Naruto's tailed-beast it was magnificent.

"Psht, Uncle, are you okay?" Sarada whispered, walking around the tree and out of earshot of her friends. "You look sad today."

"Just thinking, little one. I apologize, I will try to be more focused." Itachi smiled down at her best he could.

"It's okay. You're not the one in school," Sarada reminded him. "You're not going to be taking a test or anything."

"One should always strive to learn."

"Is it because your friend showed up? What happened to his eyes?" Sarada asked.

"A bad man stole them," Itachi explained.

Sarada's hands flew up to cover her own eyes.

"He can't hurt you." Itachi reached for the top of her forehead and did his finger flicker move. In his astral state it would have little if any effect. "Your Daddy defeated him. I'm fine. I appreciate your concern. Please, go back to your friends. You're not supposed to talk to me in public."

He watched as she returned to her friends. Boruto gazed in his general direction, but the boy no longer seemed able to see Itachi. Which was fine, he just worried that one day his niece wouldn't be able to see him.

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The Sixth Hokage closed his laptop with a heavy sigh, only partially hidden by his face mask. His sharp gray eyes stared across his desk at the two men — honestly they were family at this point. "No, you cannot join Anbu, either of you."

"I don't get it! You were in Anbu!" Naruto argued. "How can I be Hokage if I never served in Anbu?"

"Your father wasn't in Anbu," Kakashi argued. He pointed at Sasuke. "And you, you have a family too and just got back. Why would you think I'd let you into Anbu? I'm not giving Sakura reason to want me killed. She's my doctor!"

"I'm only here because Naruto asked me to come with him," Sasuke said. He shrugged. "It's all the same to me."

"There's no need for either of you to hide in the shadows. It is your very identity and your reputation that keeps us safe from outside threats —at least from humans. The aliens—," Kakashi waved his hands in exacerbation. "Well you are descended from them." He gestured towards Sasuke's left hand. "Are we going to talk about you having two hands again?"

Sasuke raised his hand and wiggled his fingers. He resisted the urge to laugh. It felt good to be complete. "My son did this. The one with the Sun seal on his hand."

Kakashi touched under his left eye where the scar bisected his cheek. "Just like when Naruto grew me a new eye."

"I need permission to speak with Orochimaru," Sasuke stated. "I have questions about my brother's remains." He wasn't worried about Orochimaru betraying him. When Itachi had been resurrected the first time, he'd used Izanami on Kabuto to change the very nature of the former villain. Because a large portion of Orochimaru's life-force had been stored within Kabuto, he'd also been affected by the forbidden technique. Orochimaru would be devoted to helping Sasuke for the rest of his life.

Naruto turned towards Sasuke immediately, his chair toppled over in the process and he rose to his feet. "Why do you want Itachi's body?"

"I want to know my options," Sasuke murmured. He promised Sakura he'd talk to Itachi, but he wanted to know if it was even an option first. He would not dangle an impossible idea in front of his brother's spirit. "If Takashi can do this, he can heal Itachi's body. And if Myoken has the Moon seal — it could tether his spirit." He only had the Moon seal for a short while himself, but he remembered its abilities.

"Sasuke, I know how tempting it is to have your brother back, but you have to let him rest in peace." Kakashi's voice was quiet and sad. "You have been given a chance to reconnect with your kin— Shisui. Ibiki has confirmed, it really is him. I've granted him and his family permission to immigrate back to Konoha. His wife and other children are being escorted by a team of Anbu operatives as we speak."

"Can I just get the tattoo?" Naruto asked, his lips spread wide in a cheeky grin.

"If you just want a tattoo, ask Sai to draw you something. You don't have to join Anbu to get a tattoo, Naruto," Kakashi explained, trying very hard to be patient. "You've got two more years before I dump this job on you Uzumaki."

"The Hokage is in charge of the Anbu," Sasuke pointed out. "It actually does make sense for Naruto to know what a soldier in Anbu experiences."

"Are you volunteering for Anbu bootcamp?" Kakashi asked. He grinned. "This could be fun. Here's what we'll do, every morning — the three of us will meet on Training grounds three. I'll treat you exactly how I would anyone in my Anbu team back from when I was a squad captain. I can call Yamato to join us too—." Kakashi cursed. "Well, he's still on assignment. It will just be the three of us. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like Sakura will be pissed if we don't include her," Sasuke answered.

"I don't think she'll mind, but she's your wife, you'd be the one to know," Kakashi reasoned. "I know my girlfriend would be glad to sleep in."

Sasuke enjoyed sparring with Sakura privately — especially now that he had two hands again. It made for some more interesting counter moves. He also made sure he worked with his children learning basic forms — with Itachi's supervising spirit ready to call out any mistakes. "Sakura will at least want to be there to make sure we don't hurt each other too badly."

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When Sasuke returned home after picking up Sarada from the Academy that evening, it was to a house full of delicious aromas. His in-laws had come over and helped Sakura prepare dinner. She'd cut back her work hours so that she could be home earlier. Kizashi played with the twins in the yard and Itachi's spirit was beyond Sasuke's perception.

It could be his brother didn't want to talk to him.

There was no way Itachi could know what Sasuke had been thinking.

He let Sarada run after her grandfather and siblings into the yard and found Sakura in the kitchen. Sasuke hugged her from behind, feeling grateful to be with her that he didn't even care about the knowing smile his mother-in-law directed at them. Sasuke was done fighting to restore honor to his clan's name by himself — he had family to do it with.

"Hi there," Sakura said, angling her face over her shoulder and gazing up at him. "Where have you been all day? Mom and Dad said you called them over this morning to watch the boys."

"I'll let you two have some privacy." Mebuki gathered the meal and carried it to the dining room. She let the door swing shut loudly as she retreated. Sasuke really liked his mother-in-law and her knowing just when to make herself scarce.

"Naruto and I met with Kakashi. The idiot wanted to join Anbu." Sasuke almost laughed at the look of horror on Sakura's face. "We're not, don't worry. But, Kakashi agreed to give us Anbu-style bootcamp in the mornings. We'll be meeting on Training Field Three. You're welcome to join us." He swayed them both side to side gently. "You can watch me kick their butts."

"Do you want me to watch you train, Sasuke?" Sakura asked quietly.

He nodded. "Actually, I do. I kinda like impressing you with my skills."

Sakura giggled. "You know those aren't the skills that impress me."

Sasuke turned her around in his arms and cradled the back of her head. He stared into her eyes. "Which skills do you prefer?"

Sakura reached up and tapped his forehead painfully, Sasuke's arms loosed and she danced out his embrace. "We can talk about those skills when my parents and kids aren't running around the house. Did you ask him about the other thing?"

Sasuke nodded. Sakura agreed that before even telling Itachi about his half-baked idea, they needed to even know if it was possible. If his body was stored somewhere, or if it had been cremated. Regardless, nothing could happen for years anyway— the boys were much too young to accomplish such a difficult task. Weren't they?

"I should have never taught you that forehead flicker," Sasuke grumbled. He reached up and rubbed his brow.

"It's cute. It has special meaning to our family, Sasuke dear." Sakura reached for his face and traced her fingers along his high cheekbone. "Later, tonight, I'll make it up to you. But we're about to have guests for dinner. Mom and I used your mother's cookbook. We made a traditional Uchiha dinner to honor our guests Shisui and his daughter."

"You invited them over to our house?" Sasuke felt his hairs rise at the idea. It was dangerous to have outsiders within the confines of their house.

"He checked out, Sasuke. He's the real deal. Our family — our clan— is getting bigger by the day." Sakura flattened her hand against his cheek, stood on tiptoe and kissed him closed mouth softly on the lips. "I'm sorry I flicked your forehead. You've gotten much better at expressing yourself."

Sasuke leaned his forehead against hers. "Okay, any other surprises?"

"Yep! Mom and Dad are staying the night so we can go out after dinner," Sakura explained. He could smell the faint whiff of wine on Sakura's breath.

"Go out? What do you mean?" Sasuke asked. He didn't go out. He liked nights in.

"To a bar with music. You can bring your flute and I'll sing?" Sakura suggested, cheeks red and giggling.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "First of all — I know like one song and it's a lullaby. And another time, Sakura. I need time to prepare to go out."

"No time. It's for Hinata's birthday. Naruto was supposed to tell you earlier," Sakura said. "And I only had one glass of wine." She closed her eyes and her body glowed a faint green. "There, all metabolized! I'm completely sober!" She took his hand. "Let's go help the kids wash up and enjoy dinner with our ever growing family!"

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A/N: Apologies for the delay. I've been working on my other projects and it was hard to get away from writing angsty Sasuke and return to family-man Sasuke. And I was having an existential crisis on the fate of Itachi for the last six weeks, I've finally decided what to do with him. Hope you enjoyed!