Naruto 1. 01

this is my first time writing for this pair and i know this idea is overused, but i couldn't keep the little plot-bunny from assaulting my mind. forgive me. also, i don't use honorifics and i'm refraining from using 'dobe' and 'teme', as i write in english. the only japanese are their names and jutsu, because saying skill sounds weird. i apologize if this annoys anyone because that's not my intention.

title comes from a play off the song 'will the circle be unbroken'. i literally listening to 10 different versions of this song writing this for reasons unbeknownst to me. ha.

warning: ooc, mpreg, miscarriage, mild lemon scenes, language, angst.

disclaimer: i'll only say this once, i have no ownership rights.

* * *

The first time it had been brought to his attention was during the wake of their latest love making session. It had been a quiet statement, barely rolling off his tongue as he turned to face his panting lover, their chests raising and falling with the beat of their hearts. Truth be told, with the silence that greeted him, he wasn't entirely sure if he had said anything or not.

Naruto looked at him, eyes wide and full of undying love. A tan hand ran along his side, playing his ribs like piano keys as he leaned in to steal a soft kiss from his lover. Sasuke took this as a sign that he hadn't been heard.

"Naruto?" Sasuke grasped the hand that was caressing his body and laced their fingers together.

"Hm?" the blond hummed, bringing their conjoined hands to his face and pressing his lips to the back of Sasuke's hand. The small gesture earned him a gentle smile. In the dark of the night, Naruto was suddenly very thankful that Sasuke laid on the side of their bed where the moonlight would hit him directly. If not for this, he would've missed the rare sight.

"I want a baby," Sasuke whispered.

A weight that he hadn't known was on his chest had been lifted. Sasuke exhaled, tightening his grip on Naruto's hand.

"What?" Naruto asked, dropping their hands and reaching out to turn the light on the beside table on.

"A baby," Sasuke reiterated, "I want one."

Naruto sat up, legs crossed, and released Sasuke's hand. Blue eyes stared down at his black haired lover, confused and questioning. Sasuke lay, trying to keep himself jumping off the bed and jetting of the room. Pools of obsidian dancing with regret at a brief flash of pain that washed over Naruto's face. He'd taken him the wrong way.

"Hey, I don't mean like that." Sasuke said, trying to keep Naruto from coming to the wrong conclusion.

"Then how do you mean it, Sasuke?" Naruto questioned.

Sasuke pushed himself up slightly, his elbows digging into the soft padding of their bed. He tilted his head to the side, watching Naruto from the corner of his eyes and thinking about how he was supposed to word his idea. It would have to be in the easiest of terms; he wasn't sure how Naruto would take it otherwise.

"I'm not going to leave you just to have a child," he began, looking at the ceiling as if it held all the answers to life, "there's another way."

"You mean adoption? I thought you wanted an heir to carry on your name," Naruto said, toying with the wrinkled sheet beneath their bodies. The cool, silky texture felt good against his heated skin.

"No," Sasuke muttered. "There's another way."

"Oh? Do tell," Naruto ordered, eyes narrowing. If he meant that they get a surrogate, Sasuke may as well leave him and find some random girl to carry his offspring. He wanted no parts of that mess.

Sasuke sat up and faced Naruto, uncertainty masking his pale features as he brought a hand down to his toned stomach, fingers splayed across the flat surface. Sasuke had never felt more vulnerable in his life with Naruto's eyes following his movements and a crease of his brows when he realized what Sasuke was trying to tell him.

The silence was overwhelming. Sasuke could feel his heart hammering against his chest and he was sure that Naruto could hear it. He didn't think he could deal with Naruto's silent realization any longer.

"You aren't...?" Naruto's voice was small; something that didn't happen often.

Sasuke shook his head, looking down at his hand and imagining what it would be like if he was. It was a hard thing to do, but when he finally pictured himself with a small bump, a tiny smile crossed his lips with a dozen questions.

Would he be willing to experiment on himself? Was he able to subject himself to all the unwanted nonsense that would come with an unnatural occurrence? What would Naruto think? Would he stick by him if something went wrong? Who would be there when the time came to deliver? Would the child be born with defects? Not that he wouldn't want it; maybe he was just kidding himself. In retrospect, Sasuke figured he should have thought about it more since the cons were beginning to outweigh the pros.

"Before you brought me back," the black haired male started, looking up at Naruto's unusually pale face, "I found a jutsu. One that would allow us to stay together and have my name live on."

"How does it work? What would it do to you? How do you know it even works? Oh, God." Naruto's brain was on overdrive, filtering through what he really wanted to say and what he was actually saying. Of course, these were all the basic questions that Sasuke had asked himself. Naruto looked at him, eyes wide in horror at the idea of something going wrong. "What if it doesn't work?"

"We keep trying until it does," Sasuke responded, scooting closer to Naruto so that he could wrap his arms around the other's body, holding him, whispering sweet nothings against his hair. "We'll keep going until we get there. There's no harm in trying."

Naruto wound his arms around Sasuke's pale build, their bodies melding together as if the raven was his lifeline and he would die without him. Honestly, he probably would die and that alone was a scary thought that the blond didn't want to think about. He couldn't help it though, as he placed a trail of moist kisses from Sasuke's neck to his jaw, ending with a kiss at the corner of his lover's lips.

Instead of more questions, he tried to push all negative thoughts to the back of his mind, opting to think of the good that could come out of it. If Sasuke's attempt at talking him into it was any indication on how much he wanted it then Naruto could only go along with it. It wasn't often that the older male wanted something. Naruto would support him like any good boyfriend would and he would be there if anything were to go wrong.

Who was he to deny Sasuke the happiness he deserved?

"Okay," he said softly, his breath ghosting over Sasuke's lips. "We'll try."

*NS*

Naruto made it a point to tell Tsunade about their plans. After much deliberating, she came to the conclusion that it probably wasn't the best idea, but she couldn't stop them from doing something that they had their hearts set on. The shocking part of the entire ordeal had been when Sasuke announced that he would be the carrier, since he wanted to take some of the judgmental burden off Naruto.

Things really hadn't changed much since he returned after killing his brother, even though he was sure that the entire village would hate him. Instead, people tried to get into his best graces like they had before he abandoned his home. Naruto was still being shafted by nearly everyone, though many had turned a new leaf and saw the blond in a new light. It was still a fifty-fifty relationship with the people of the village and Sasuke wanted to shift some of that attention to himself. What better way to do that than an abnormal pregnancy? If that didn't shout judge me, then he didn't know what did.

Also, he wanted to do this for his sanity. He wasn't entirely sure what would happen and how his body would react, so when it came to deciding who would carry the child, Naruto was not an option. If it was going to kill either of them, he would prefer it to be him.

*NS*

"So when are we going to try?" Naruto asked one evening, completely out of the blue, while they sat on the couch in their one bedroom apartment with the television playing in the background.

Sasuke, startled from the sudden outburst, tore his eyes from the mind numbing show and looked up at his boyfriend's face. He momentarily found himself wondering what a child would look like with both their genes. If it would fit into the stereotypical stature of the Uchiha name.

"We've been trying," Sasuke answered, an eyebrow arched and a sly grin playing on his face.

"Oh?" Naruto breathed.

Sasuke brought a leg over Naruto's lap, effectively straddling the blond as he pressed their torsos together, his hands snaking into golden locks. Sasuke kissed the side of Naruto's neck, licking and sucking spots that he knew turned the blond on, stopping only to nibble on Naruto's ear and whisper, "we started trying the night we left Tsunade's office".

That had been news to Naruto, but he couldn't complain. He was satisfied with the way things were going.

Naruto could barely believe the transformation in Sasuke in the year he'd been back and Naruto could honestly admit that he hadn't been happier. If anyone had asked him before he managed to get Sasuke home what he was planning to do with the raven, he would've told them that he really had no plans. Naruto just wanted him home, knowing that he would do whatever he pleased with or without permission, so it came as a shock when Sasuke confessed that he wanted more out of their relationship.

"T-that night, huh?" Naruto bit back a moan as Sasuke lowered himself on the blond, his head thrown back and heart beating frantically. Naruto propped his feet up on the table so that he could bend his knees slightly and support Sasuke in the chance that he decided to lean back (because that one time didn't work out so well).

Sasuke pressed his lips to Naruto's, his tongue coaxing the other's mouth open so their appendages could dance, and his arms wrapped around Naruto's neck, hands gripping the back of the couch to keep himself steady. Naruto moaned into Sasuke's mouth, his hands finding home on the raven's hips and his nails leaving imprints as he tightened his grasp.

Neither one could say when they finally had enough of each other, if that could ever be the case, but after several times of intense— in Naruto's words —love making, they were finally calling it a night as they cuddled in their over-sized bed. Naruto lay down first, leaning back against the headboard and waiting for Sasuke, who decided at the last minute that he wasn't as sated as he thought. Naruto tried to talk Sasuke into doing his business in bed, but he wasn't having it.

"Feel better?" Naruto asked when Sasuke walked into the room his boxers hanging loosely from his hips.

"I can deal," the raven stated, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I don't think I can do another round even I wanted to."

Naruto snorted and crawled towards the end of the bed so that he could engulf Sasuke in his arms, his chin resting on the raven's shoulder. Sasuke relaxed as he leaned into Naruto, his bare back against the other's chest. It was with much thought that he realized that under any other circumstances they probably wouldn't be together the way they were.

Naruto would have never found him and brought him home, after much fighting and a promise to kill the nine-tail vessel. Sasuke wouldn't have received a full pardon, assuming he could convince Tsunade and the council that he was a different person from the one that had been on a murderous rampage for the last few years of his life. They wouldn't have each other; there would be no other existence than the hatred filled one he'd previously known— a life that would kill him if the right person came along.

Most importantly, though, there would be no love. An emotion that he thought was beyond his reach. It had become a staple in his life; something that he welcomed with open arms as long as it belonged to Naruto. Sasuke could be himself around the blond; a person that could smile, laugh, and offer the world something fantastic. To others, however, Sasuke remained reserved and cold, talking only when spoken to and offering nothing more than a calculating gaze. It was how they worked on and off the battlefield.

"You're thinking too hard," Naruto mused, pressing his lips softly to the nape of Sasuke's neck. "Feel like telling me what's up?"

"What if it doesn't work?" Sasuke questioned.

"Then it doesn't work," Naruto offered, moving around so that he could sit next to him, noticing the way Sasuke's eyes hardened at his words. "I believe someone told me that we'd keep trying until it does."

"Hn," he sighed, knowing that his words would come back to bite him in the ass.

*NS*

Naruto couldn't say when he noticed a change in Sasuke. They'd been too busy with missions and trying to make the impossible happen. Things were falling back into place; they were spending more time doing whatever Tsunade asked of them; they'd actually gotten team 7 together for a day, much to the surprise of their friends. It was like the last couple of years had never happened and it felt oddly surreal.

Sakura had made a couple visits on days where she wasn't working, despite the fact that she had originally been extremely angry upon learning of their relationship. It didn't take her long to get used to the idea of her teammates being together. When they asked why she accepted it so easily one night when they went out for dinner, and after a few drinks on her part, she told them, _"I kind of always knew it would happen"_. That left two very shocked men standing with their mouths agape as the pink-haired woman walked home with a buzz.

That was also been the night Sasuke learned that the jutsu had worked. He'd been making it a point to not use his sharingan, but for some reason, he decided that it really wouldn't do any harm. To say he was surprised— shocked, happy, worried, afraid, completely uncharacteristic —was an understatement. Sasuke wasn't sure what to feel, if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"You alright?" Naruto asked, stepping out onto their small balcony. "You've been standing here for a while."

Sasuke blinked, his eyes growing soft as he looked down at himself. Opening his mouth to speak, he found he was at a loss of words. For the first time in his life, the great Sasuke Uchiha was rendered speechless.

"Hey." Naruto whined. "You're starting to freak me out."

"I... we," Sasuke mumbled, placing a shaky hand on his stomach as he looked up, charcoal eyes locked on pools of blue.

"Holy shit," Naruto said, closing the gap between their bodies. "Are you serious?"

Sasuke, who was finding it hard to stand, wrapped his other arm around Naruto and gently pressed their foreheads together, barely whispering, "we did it."

That night they celebrated.

Celebrated how far they'd come, how they'd grown up, how they'd gotten over their pasts and were moving forward into unknown territories. But mainly, they celebrated for them and the small life they created. They defied the odds and were making possible all the things they were told they couldn't do together.

"How did you find out?" Naruto asked.

"Activated sharingan," Sasuke answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I thought you weren't doing that anymore," the blond frowned.

"And? I just saved us a month's worth of not knowing," Sasuke told him, rolling onto his side and yawning. "I'm going to sleep."

Naruto made a small humming noise as he joined the raven, pressing their bodies together as he laid a hand atop Sasuke's on his stomach, their fingers laced. For the first time in a long while, they both fell asleep with thoughts of a brighter tomorrow and a family they would be able to call their own.

*NS*

They kept the news to themselves for the first month, save for telling Tsunade that conceived.

She blatantly told Naruto not to get his hopes too high. The last thing she wanted to deal with was a crying blond and his distraught boyfriend if something were to go wrong. Of course, this conversation was held without Sasuke.

"Listen, brat," she began, motioning for him to sit down beside her, "there's a reason why this particular jutsu is forbidden."

"Why?" he asked.

"It doesn't work the way it's supposed to," she explained.

"W-what?" his voice cracked.

"The last known subject to attempt it lost his life," she sighed heavily, "and the baby at birth. I've never heard of a case where both parent and child lived."

Naruto blanched; a look that he'd grown accustomed to wearing ever since Sasuke started with his morning sickness, which really should have been called 'I'm-sick-at-all-hours-of-the-day sickness'.

"Why did you tell us?!" he all but shouted, pounding his fists down on the desk that she was signing a document on.

"You wouldn't have listened anyway," she said. "You would've done it just to prove that you can. Am I right?"

Naruto had been caught like a deer in headlights. "Probably, b-but that's not the point! You kept this from us and now I'm going to lose him. Oh, God. What if I do? I just got him back and, and..."

"He's strong," Tsunade told him. "He'll get through it one way or another."

Naruto didn't know what to think as he returned home that evening, heart heavy and eyes red. He couldn't fathom the idea of losing Sasuke after he'd finally gotten him back; this wasn't supposed to happen. Too much time had been wasted in finding the raven, too much energy spent in fighting to get him home, too much... _everything_ just to be told that it was all in vein.

How was he supposed to break this kind of news to Sasuke?

*NS*

In a twist of fate and nearly a week after his talk with Tsunade, Naruto had to watch as Sasuke crumbled on bathroom floor, a sob wrecking his body. He had to watch as the love of his life broke down over a life he hadn't known and he felt his heart break. Naruto didn't know what to do; he'd never dealt with something of this magnitude before.

How could he help Sasuke when he couldn't wrap his mind around what happened? What was he supposed to do? Naruto felt hopeless. The world was crashing around them and there was no one to pull them from its hellish reality. One that could have been prevented.

Naruto lowered Sasuke's exhausted body, placing him gently on the bed and pulling the blanket over him. At some point during Naruto's inner monologue in the bathroom, Sasuke's cries turned into soft hiccups as he slowly drifted to sleep in his boyfriend's arms. He wanted to join him, but he didn't know how the raven would take it when he woke up hours later.

Would he push Naruto away? Would he pull him close and hold onto him like he was the last person alive? Would he resort back to old methods in his moment of pain? Would he even be able to overcome this obstacle?

Naruto wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

If he felt horrible with his heart shattered into tiny pieces on the bathroom floor then he was certain that Sasuke felt a hundred times worse. Their baby had been growing in him and it had been his body that rejected the fetus. It had to take a strong person to deal with that kind of loss and he wasn't sure that Sasuke could handle it, no matter how sure Tsunade sounded the last time they spoke.

The days following found Sasuke lying in bed, staring at the ceiling with silent tears and a promise to be better next time. Naruto couldn't believe he was already thinking about trying to carry a second time; if it had been him, he would've given up.

"What's wrong with me?" Sasuke asked one night, months down the road, when Naruto climbed into bed. He had started sleeping on his side, trying not to get too close to the raven in case he decided to murder him in his sleep for something he couldn't control.

"Nothing," was Naruto's barely audible response.

"You're lying," Sasuke said, rolling onto his side so that he could face the blond. "I want you to tell me the truth, Naruto. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," he told him again, turning his head so that he could see Sasuke's face in the moonlight. "You're perfect."

"Hn. You're still lying." Sasuke told him. "I'm doing something wrong."

"Let's try again," Naruto whispered, breaking the uncomfortable silence that enveloped them.

"Seriously?" Sasuke questioned, his voice betraying his stone resolve.

"Yeah," Naruto confirmed, yawning softly. "I remember being told that we would try until we got it."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and gave a small, indignant huff. Naruto smiled for the first time in months.

Things would get better; they would be okay.

*NS*

It didn't take nearly as long to conceive the second time, though the sickness that Sasuke felt was_ much, much_ worse. He'd been taken off any missions, including light duty, until further notice. Not that he was complaining; he got to sit at home, watch television, eat enough for— "I'm eating for two, asshole! Stop your bitching!" —two, and give spend his time trying figure out what they're child would look and act like.

Sasuke had been thrilled when he made it past the third month and into his fourth, where his stomach was becoming more prominent. He could actually see the bump when he looked in the mirror (something he didn't experience with the first pregnancy), and his clothes were starting to become tighter. Sasuke resorted to wearing Naruto's baggy clothing, even if he hate the color orange. It was better than the constricted feeling he got when he wore his own.

"Hey," Naruto greeted him as he entered the apartment one night after finishing a mission, arching an eyebrow when he noticed that Sasuke was wearing one of his shirts.

"Hn," was the response given.

"You feeling okay?"

"Can you stop asking that?"

"Stop what? Asking if you feel alright?"

"Not when you sound like I'm going to break." Sasuke spat, pushing himself up from the couch and exiting the room with the slam of their bedroom door.

"The fuck?" Naruto asked the open air, confused.

Naruto wasn't sure he could deal with a hormonal Sasuke for another five months. He'd already been banned from sleeping in their room, in the bed he bought when he lived by himself, in the apartment he paid for. He couldn't touch— hadn't been allowed to since the second month —and he couldn't speak to Sasuke. Yeah, this pregnancy was beginning to take a toll on their relationship and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about it.

It was no surprise that when Sasuke woke up the next morning, he found Naruto sitting on the couch, still awake, looking at pictures of them from when they were still part of team 7. Back when they had been young, naive, and ready to take on the world. If he'd known then what he'd learned the past few years, things would have played out differently. Still, that didn't stop him from sitting down beside his blond haired boyfriend.

"Hey," he whispered, earning a tired grunt in response.

"Look," Sasuke started, leaning back and bringing a hand to his stomach, "I'm sorry. I can't help it."

He knew that he was being completely unfair to the blond, but he couldn't help it. Sasuke wanted to blame the baby, because he was sure that his out of control hormones were the cause of their distance. Naruto would tell him to stop being stupid, that it wasn't the baby's fault and that he was being unrealistic. The blond would take all the fault, asking Sasuke to not worry about him or what he felt.

"Yeah," Naruto breathed, stacking the pictures up on one corner of the table. "I get it, no worries."

"I don't believe you," Sasuke told him, a signature smirk crawling onto his features as he turned his head to look at Naruto. The inevitable was starting; he would take all the blame. Sasuke didn't want that to happen so, using the only method he knew to be effective when the nine-tail vessel was down, he finished with, "they always said you weren't brightest".

Naruto blinked. So now they were back to petty grade-school insults?

"Uhuh," he mused.

"Seriously, what's bothering you?" Sasuke inquired, scooting closer to Naruto, their thighs brushing.

"And they said you were the genius," Naruto huffed. "Riiight."

"Can't you just talk to me?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Cut the shit, Naruto. Something's up. What is it?"

"I'm going to bed," the blond told him as he stood, combing a hand through his hair as he stalked off towards the bathroom. "I'll see you later. Night."

There would be a later, but he wouldn't be awake to enjoy it. Sasuke crept into the room, donning one of his old shirts— one that he hadn't worn in months —and slid into bed. Slowly, he maneuvered himself so that Naruto was within reach, but very much unattainable.

Sasuke leaned up, supporting his weight with one arm, elbow pressing into the bed below as his eyes scanned over Naruto's face. Gently, he placed his open palm against the other's cheek, his thumb making circles over the scarred skin. He traced the outline of his jaw, his fingers airily trailing across his lips and up to his eyes, where Naruto stirred slightly. Sasuke flinched, afraid that he had woken the blond up and not knowing when he was going to get another chance at seeing him without his guard up.

"You always were the stronger one," Sasuke mused before laying down beside his sleeping lover.

*NS*

When Sasuke miscarried for a second time, two weeks after their first non-actual argument, Naruto fell to the floor with him, strong arms holding him. They couldn't tell where one's tears started and the other's stopped, just that they were there and that they were very real.

Naruto sat with Sasuke as he sobbed and twisted the fabric of his shirt in the palms of his hands, asking him with a strained voice, _"why? why me?"_. He couldn't offer the raven any words of comfort because he didn't know the answers; he didn't know why the world was against him— against them —and their dream of becoming parents. Naruto could only cry along with him, one hand placed on Sasuke's swollen stomach.

Like the last time, Naruto scooped him up bridal style and walked with his body to their bedroom, where he allowed him to sleep off his anguish. Watching him deal with this pain for a second time was more difficult; you never become accustomed to losing your own flesh and blood. Naruto didn't know if he take it for a third time.

He'd never been one to give up trying, but even this seemed like it was too much for both of them to handle. They'd kept both pregnancies a secret from their friends and prying eyes of the village, except for Tsunade, who was checking up on Sasuke's progress and had been doing so even thought she was dead set against the idea from the start. What was he supposed to do now? Was he to tell her that she'd been right from the start? Did he tell her that they were giving up?

They'd lost a second child; he couldn't lose another.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and before they knew it, things were finally beginning to no longer look grey and pointless. Sasuke had a hard time dealing with the second loss and an even harder time dealing with losing the baby weight. All the questions directed towards how big he'd gotten weren't helping him any, either. They made it worse.

The comments made him realize that his body wasn't perfect, despite Naruto constantly telling him otherwise. They made him rethink his decision to stay in the village. No one really wanted him there; he was a monster, someone that killed for pleasure, someone created out of revenge that wasn't supposed to be given the things he'd been handed. People only wanted him around for their own selfish reasons of hoping to get close to him and he hated it. Hated what they wanted from him and what they thought he didn't deserve.

Sasuke wasn't supposed to have a family. Naruto wasn't supposed to love him. He wasn't supposed to be alive, and yet, he wanted those things more than he'd ever wanted anything else.

"I killed Itachi," Sasuke said one lazy night as they sat on the couch, an open book on his lap and the rain coming down hard outside. "I became strong enough to do that and take on Orochimaru, but I can't carry a child to term. Where does this make sense?"

Naruto looked over at him, brows furrowed, waiting for him to continue before he decided to talk.

"What kind of bullshit is this?" Sasuke asked him, closing his eyes. "I thought I'd gotten over it, but I haven't and I don't know what to do. Why can't I carry my child? Our child without fucking losing it?!"

Naruto sighed; he'd also thought that Sasuke was over it. Maybe not completely, but enough to know that he wasn't his fault. That some things just happened and they couldn't be explained.

"Sasuke, calm down." Naruto instructed, pushing himself off the couch so that he could stand in front of the hysterical raven.

"I am calm," he said, digging his nails into the palms of his hands.

"You aren't," the blond started, grabbing Sasuke's hands and emphasizing his point as he held them up, small lines of blood seeping from the indents, "you need to stop doing this to yourself. It's not healthy."

"What do you know?" Sasuke inquired, looking up at him, eyes red and full of anger; he didn't know if it was directed at himself or Naruto. "You don't know what it feels like, Naruto. You don't know how it feels knowing that one minute there's life and the next it's gone. You don't get to tell me that I'm okay, or that I need to calm down, because you don't get it."

Sasuke's eyes were wide and he was shaking; this is what he'd been waiting for. Naruto wanted him to crack, needed him to break under the pressure he'd set for himself. There was no way they could get around it and try to mend their relationship otherwise.

"I don't understand, but," he said, crouching down so that he was at Sasuke's seated level, bright eyes swimming with tears, "I was there with you both times. I hurt, too, Sasuke. It might be different from what you feel, but it's there. I helped you created both those little lives and I was there when they were taken away, so don't tell me how I fucking feel."

"Man up and deal, Sasuke. It isn't going to get any easier and this isn't going to bring our children back. They're gone." Naruto winced at his choice of words. "The only thing we can do is forget this happened or try again, and so help me God, Sasuke, you will not be carrying next time." Naruto said, his voice wavering and tears trailing down his face.

Sasuke sat, stunned and silent. Black orbs watched as Naruto's strong demeanor fell to a pile of broken sobs over the lives lost and a relationship he wanted so badly to fix. It was apparent that Naruto wasn't ready to give up and all Sasuke could do was nod.

*NS*

It had been a month after their mutual breakdown before something happened, and even though he was expecting it, Naruto wasn't sure what to think. It had been different when it was Sasuke carrying their child, but with it growing in its tiny bundle of protective chakra inside his body, Naruto honestly didn't know what to feel. He knew it was there, he could sense it, even though he was far too early to have been able to tell.

Sasuke was constantly on his case, trying to find out any information about what he was going through. If he'd conceived, if they had to keep trying, if his body was even suited to take the jutsu without rejecting it first. The blond didn't tell him anything, instead asking him to pay extra attention to detail and telling him that if he did then he might get his desired outcome.

Two months had gone by, putting Naruto close to the third month, when he decided to break the ice. Earlier in the day he talked Sasuke into taking a mission Tsunade tried giving him, and with some convincing, his black haired boyfriend agreed. Of course, he found it odd that Naruto didn't want to do his own work and he considered using his sharingan to find out if Naruto was with child. He didn't, opting to do the mission with thoughts of _'he's doing this for us' _and waiting until the blond was ready to tell him he was pregnant, if he was.

When Sasuke returned home that evening, he got the surprise of a lifetime when he was greeted with a warm smile and Naruto reaching out to grab his hand so that he could place it against his clothed midsection. Black eyes widened, glistening with tears. Sasuke barely had the door shut behind him when he fell to his knees, his hands immediately pushing Naruto's shirt up to reveal the small curve of his bump.

He couldn't remember what happened after that. Sasuke had taken him to bed, being extra careful and more attentive than usual, and crying against Naruto's shoulder as he thrust into his body. Every touch, every kiss, every word, every sound, from Naruto was like heaven to Sasuke and he wanted to prolong his momentary ecstasy for as long as he could.

"Hey," Naruto poked his side, looking over at him.

"Yeah?" Sasuke muttered.

"I'm going to tell you this one time," the blond said, inhaling deeply before continuing, "don't get your hopes up until I make it past the fifth month. I talked to Tsunade today and she said if anyone could do this, I can."

"She's right, you know," Sasuke murmured, pulling Naruto's body toward him, after he stopped to let the woman's words set in.

The fourth month came with much puking. Sasuke even asked Naruto one afternoon how he dealt with his morning sickness. Naruto smacked him on the back of the head, telling him that he put up with it because he loved him.

"Loved? As in past tense?" Sasuke questioned.

"Love, as in present tense." Naruto retorted, slinking his arms around Sasuke and pressing their bodies together as much as he could with his growing bulge in the way.

Sasuke smiled— something he'd been doing a lot of —and brought a hand down to rest upon his stomach. He vaguely wondered when he was going to be able to feel it movie and if Naruto would even let him feel. He remembered not knowing how it felt and being very afraid to let his blond lover touch him in case something went wrong. He didn't want Naruto to get too attached if he screwed something up; this was something he never told the nine-tail vessel.

Naruto's cravings became more intense as the month progressed, and before they knew it, they were creeping through the fifth month and into the start of the sixth month. When they realized that they'd made it past the point of no return, they both let out a very deep breath they didn't know they were holding.

"It's kicking," Naruto said softly one evening before stepping into the shower. He had his shirt off, which was a rare thing, as he'd increasingly become more self-conscious. Naruto hated the seal on his stomach, and now that it was becoming distressed as he grew, he was beginning to hate it even more. It wasn't his stomach that he hated, because he couldn't be mad at his body for making sure it was big enough to house his— their —child.

Sasuke stared at him, eyes taking in the sight he hardly ever got see, as the blond walked slowly over to where he sat on the bed. "Can I?"

"Duh," he rolled his eyes.

Sasuke lifted both his hands and softly pressed them against his stretched skin, moving them around and feeling the small bit of chakra seeping through. The color was off, he noted, recalling the one time he decided to use sharingan to tell him the sex of the child. It didn't work out the way that he assumed it would. Either the baby didn't want to be found out or the fox was purposely keeping it from them.

"That's so weird," Sasuke muttered when he finally felt it kick against his hand, eyes automatically darting up to catch azure orbs.

"You think it's weird? Try feeling it from my point of view," Naruto told him, almost instantly regretting his words when Sasuke froze. "I didn't mean it like that..."

"I know," Sasuke whispered.

Naruto had been put on bed rest in the middle of the seventh month; orders given by Tsunade after he lost his balance in her office one morning. She'd never been more scared in her life and she wasn't sure if it was because he actually fell or because she would have to deal with Sasuke when he found out about the accident. Both of which turned out to be okay; Naruto didn't do any internal damage and the baby was fine, if not more lively than it had been before. And Sasuke, he'd been angry upon hearing the news, but he quickly got over it when Naruto told him that the kid wouldn't stop moving.

Sasuke was a total sucker for feeling it kick, apparently. Naruto never would have guessed. Or, maybe it had to do with what he missed out on, in which case, the blond really couldn't blame him because it was an amazing thing once you got past feeling horrible most of the time, the odd cravings, constantly being horny, and not being able to see your own feet.

"What do you say about moving into the manor?" Sasuke asked him one day as he trying to get out of bed so that he could pee.

"W-what?" Naruto sputtered, looking at him like he had three heads.

"The manor. You know, where I grew up?"

"I know what it is, bastard!"

"What do you think about moving there?" Sasuke asked again, coming up behind him and pressing a feathery kiss to his shoulder. "It has more room for a kid to grow up in, and maybe a sibling or two. " Sasuke said, preparing himself to be smacked for even implying that Naruto have to endure another pregnancy.

"Okay," Naruto said, shrugging his shoulders and not giving it much thought as he awkwardly wriggled our of Sasuke's hold, "but first I really have to pee."

*NS*

The fist time Sasuke had the pleasure of seeing Naruto that day was before he was ordered out on a small mid-day mission. The blond had been hyped up, full of more energy than he'd had in a long time, and it surprised the hell out of them both. Naruto called this his nesting phase, something he'd read about in one of the many parenting books Tsunade instructed they read.

Also, the day Sakura bought Kakashi over for lunch one lazy afternoon, the pink-haired woman talked more it. Answering any questions he had related to the topic.

Of course, on that particular day, Kakashi turned into nearly every person that he knew or hung out with on a regular basis before Sasuke came along and turned his life upside down with a not so simple request. It was a good thing they'd finally moved into the manor, otherwise there would have been no room for anyone, literally. Most people would have been awkwardly standing on the balcony or on the porch outside the front door. That wouldn't have worked out very well.

"Oi, Sakura!" Naruto yelled over everyone else in the room, gathering not just her attention, but everyone else's as well. He had been sitting in the kitchen with Hinata and Ino, listening on the gossip that was going around. Some of it he found entertaining, while the rest he just rolled his eyes at.

Sakura peered over Hinata's shoulder, eyes widening at the panicked expression crossing his face. "Yeah?"

"It hurts," he said, gritting his teeth, remembering once that Tsunade told him the kid would come at any time after his eighth month. It wasn't a traditional pregnancy and the child probably wouldn't make it to term. Upon hearing that news Naruto's heart sunk, but she quickly made amends by telling him that it would survive.

Sakura shouted for everyone to clear out and make a path so that she could get him out of the manor and to the hospital without any trouble, ordering someone to locate Sasuke and inform him that he had another mission to attend to.

The second time Sasuke had the pleasure of seeing Naruto that day was when he rushed into the operating room, scrubs on and stupid smile plastered on his face. Naruto looked at him, blue eyes half-lid and thoroughly drugged, without a care in the world.

Sasuke knew the moment he heard the soft cries of his child that everything they'd gone through to get to that point had been worth it and the reward was far greater than he ever expected.

* * *

i apologize to anyone that wanted the sex of the child or the name, but i wanted to that up to you guys. it is epilogue compliant, so maybe i'll add a little something extra if it strikes my fancy. perhaps a name for the child or an idea of something they go through as new parents. i don't know.

anyway, i hope it wasn't too horrible for my first time with these guys, though it was slightly rushed.

review, please? thank you.

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	2. Overnight Duty

after little thinking, i decided that i would continue to add onto this whenever the notion strikes. it's probably going to be little instances like this one where they're experiencing first moments as parents. if you have any ideas you'd like me to write out, please let me know! i've been writing a lot recently and don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

also, there is a gender, but i haven't given a name. my reason for this will be in the bottom A/N.

i apologize for lack of dialogue, i couldn't make it flow with this to save my life. i hope you understand.

enjoy~

* * *

**the first time Sasuke tackled overnight duty alone.**

**.&.**

Whomever said having a child was a walk in the park had another thing coming to them. They obviously hadn't dealt with not knowing which cry meant what problem; hadn't been forced to give up their normal routines— they apparently didn't have to deal with any little thing that came with having a newborn.

Sasuke could barely register what he was doing when a small whimper came from the bassinet beside their bed. It was his night to take care of the infant, seeing that Naruto was in desperate need of a break since he had taken sole responsibility of their baby since they had been released from the hospital a week earlier. The raven felt it wasn't fair for Naruto to deal with it constantly, so when he suggested that the blond take a night off Naruto didn't bother to argue. Instead, he informed Sasuke of the whereabouts of every essential that he would need over the course of the night.

Thinking back on it as he nearly tripped on the sheets wrapped around his foot when climbing out of bed, Sasuke almost wished he hadn't decided to be on baby duty. Getting up every couple of hour didn't sit well for him; he didn't know how Naruto or anyone else did it without complaining. Call it maternal— paternal —instinct, something that Sasuke obviously didn't have at one in the freaking morning. He just wanted to sleep.

The journey to the small bassinet at the end of their bed felt like it took forever. Sasuke turned on the small lap that was sitting on the dresser, just bright enough to give him enough light to see what he was doing, before he turned to watch the child wrapped up in a light blue blanket. Sasuke stared in awe at the little life; the ivory skin and thin coat of dark hair, the light blue eyes that Sasuke hoped would stick around in the following months as the baby got older. Sasuke couldn't believe that they had finally been blessed with a child— with a son.

Sasuke knew immediately by the way his little fingers curled into a fist and his brow creased that his little boy was going to cry. Taking a look at the alarm clock that was sitting on the bedside table, Sasuke noted that it was getting close to feeding time. He reached down into the bassinet and scooped up his child, cradling him against his body to momentarily please him before he let out the loudest noise known to man— something he didn't want to happen in fear of Naruto being woken up.

The gentle swaying movement of Sasuke kept the infant content long enough for him to turn the lamp off, leave the room, and blindly search the wall for the light switch in the kitchen, a task much harder to accomplish when holding a child. By the time he turned the lights on over the bar soft whimpers started behind the blue pacifier. Sasuke glanced down and tightened his grip, readying himself and wondering how he was going to get the bottle fixed while holding his son.

"Hey," he whispered, bringing his free hand up so he could lightly trail his index finger over the boy's pale cheek. Blue eyes looked up at him briefly and Sasuke couldn't stop the smile that crept onto his face.

While he was new to taking care of a fragile life, the raven liked to think that he wasn't doing a bad job. It wasn't like he hadn't made a bottle before or fed him, because he had, but it never dawned on him that he hadn't done with the baby in his arms. Inhaling deeply, Sasuke decided to go with it— being a new parent allowed trail and error periods. Plus, he'd never learn how to do things if he didn't try. However, by some miracle, when he went to open the cabinet door above the sink that housed the powder formula he noticed a note tapped to the glass, written by Naruto, stating _I made a few bottles to get you through the night, they're in the fridge_.

Sasuke had never been more thankful in his life.

"Okay, let's do this," the raven said, fully aware that he wasn't understood. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out the first bottle he saw before popping the plastic covering off the top and turning around to face the microwave. From experience, they'd both realized that he liked his formula warmed up.

Sakura hadn't bothered to tell them that while in the hospital they were warming up his formula, so when they got home and being as inexperienced as they were, they thought it was alright to give him his bottle cold— not chilled, not freezing, but barely room temperature. That had been one big mistake after the other. Instead of drinking it, he wailed at the top of his tiny lungs. Something that had been inherited by Naruto. They were at a complete loss, afraid that they'd hurt him and for a split second, Sasuke could remember Naruto telling him that he was sorry and _"I don't know what I did"_. The blond had been frantic as he gently passed the infant to Sasuke, afraid that he'd drop him in his moment of parental weakness.

They called Sakura after Sasuke calmed Naruto down, asking her for help and wanting to know what they did wrong. She offered a sincere apology, telling them that she honestly hadn't meant to forget to inform that he liked his bottle warmed. Naruto almost cried when the baby finally took the bottle, his eyes no longer wide and frightened. Sasuke made it a point to remember— even if he forgot everything else he'd ever learned —to warm up the bottle before feeding him.

When the microwave beeped after the twenty seconds he set it on, Sasuke stuck the bottle in his mouth and squeezed it with enough force so that a few drops of formula could land on the wrist of his free hand. The liquid was warmer than it had been when removed from the refrigerator; it was barely above room temperature. Sasuke felt that it was fine, afraid that if he were to give it a few more seconds then it would be too warm. The raven decided to press his luck as he pulled the pacifier out the infant's mouth, earning a wave of unhappy whimpers as he opened his mouth to let out a blood curdling cry.

"Shh, it's okay," Sasuke cooed affectionately, placing the pacifier on the counter and rubbing the clear nipple of the bottle against the boy's lips. Almost immediately he latched on, greedily feeding on the few ounces that were given to him.

Sasuke rounded the small bar separating the kitchen from the living room as he sought out the comfort of the couch. The same object that had been abused that faithful night months ago that forever changed their lives. He could still remember that night, surprisingly. Under normal circumstances their nights together were barely remembered, but even before he found out the significance of that particular night, he could remember every detail.

Maybe it had been the way Naruto looked at him when he entered the apartment after being out on a mission, silently pleading for Sasuke to take him over and over again until he could barely stand the next day— something that happened quite a lot during their trying to conceive period. Naruto had been asking for it that night and Sasuke, always one to indulge his blond haired partner, wanted nothing more than to give in. However, he'd been entirely too tired and asked Naruto for a rain check; a decision Naruto found worrisome. In the end, after he relaxed, Naruto finally got his way and it was a good thing he had.

"Stupid rag," Sasuke grumbled as he laid the fabric on his shoulder, making sure that enough of it was draped over his back. Regretfully he pulled the bottle away, placed it beside him, and held the baby up with both hands. Tiny fingers balled up into two fists and he kicked his legs with what little bit of energy he had. Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle as he gently placed him against his shoulder, mindful of his head, and situated the baby on the rag so that he could burp him.

If anyone had asked Sasuke if he'd ever imagined himself being the kind of person to use baby talk when burping a child, he would have said no, he didn't do baby talk; it was below him. But, no one asked him. Still, he didn't want to admit that when he burped the child he would say things that were sickeningly sweet and embarrassing if anyone were to ever hear him. Sasuke's infamous line (between him and Naruto, of course), in regards to burping his son, was a simple, "c'mon, little man".

The entire process took about fifteen minutes. Sasuke would gently rub or pat his back; at times he would stand and walk around the couch, listening out for the not so little noise that came out of the tiny body. Words of encouragement spilled over his lips, praising the infant as Sasuke sat back down, returning to their prior position to try to feed again.

Sasuke watched with curious eyes as formula escaped from the side of the baby's mouth, a sure sign that he was done eating. Lifting the bottle to see how much was left, the raven noticed that there was roughly an ounce remaining— he'd eaten fairly well for Sasuke's first time alone with him. Sasuke wiped the liquid off his face before returning the infant to his shoulder to repeat the burping process once again.

Standing up, one hand supporting the petite body, Sasuke maneuvered around the living room and into the kitchen with grace, emptying the bottle of its contents and filling it with water so that the formula wouldn't spoil and make a bigger mess to clean up in the morning. It didn't take nearly as long to burp a second time around, which Sasuke was thankful for. He was beginning to get tired; he should have listened to Naruto when he asked him to sleep earlier than normal so that he could attend to the child overnight.

Soft cooing brought the raven out his thoughts and he looked down, obsidian orbs capturing light blue as they watched one another. The corners of his lips pulled up slightly and his grip tightened, holding the child close. Slow but precise movements of his son turning to curl against his body— most notably towards the warmth Sasuke was emitting —made his eyes soften.

It was in that moment, standing in the dimly lit hallway, that Sasuke felt, for the first time, like an actual father.

Of course, the desire to protect his family had been there since the day he'd found out about Naruto's pregnancy, and the paternal instincts kicked in when he held his son just minutes after being born, but he hadn't felt like a father. Sasuke felt horrible; here they were, bringing a new life into the world and he felt no different than before. Elated, nervous, and even a little sick. Those were the normal emotions on becoming a first time parent, so they were expected.

When Sasuke finally brought up his concern one night after they'd put the baby to sleep, Naruto explained to him that sometimes it took a particular event or moment to make one realize their new role. He told him that it wasn't always an immediate thing and that he would get there sooner or later. This did very little to ease Sasuke's mind. It made him feel worse. Still, he didn't stop helping Naruto take care of their son; he didn't ignore the tiny human they created.

He played the role very convincingly.

Sasuke didn't remember walking into their bedroom, but at some point during his fascination he had done just that. Reaching down to turn the light on, he contemplated putting him back to bed, seeing that the baby had fallen asleep in his arms. He looked at the bassinet and then at the bed, eyes latching onto Naruto as he continued to sleep. Sasuke decided against laying the infant down, instead opting to savor the moment as he sat on the edge of their bed.

The black haired male brought his free hand up to gently cup the baby's head, his thumb gingerly caressing the light layer of hair. Sasuke trailed his fingers along the side of his small face, relishing in the fact that he was one part of the equation that made such a perfect being. He realized with tears collecting at the bottom of his eyes, that this little life would be dependent on him and that he would be willingly to do anything to make sure that he always had a smile on his face. Sasuke wanted to be the father that he never got. He wanted to be his son's role model, his happiness, his inspiration— everything the infant was for him.

"I love you," Sasuke whispered, lightly pressing his lips to the baby's forehead.

When Sasuke finally laid his son back down and after he turned the light off and climbed back into bed, he made a mental note to tell Naruto that he would gladly take more night shifts. If he'd paid any attention while he was turning onto his side to draw the blond into his arms, he would've noticed that Naruto had been awake for the last five minutes to witness the rare change in Sasuke and the tears that were freely flowing. The last thought on Sasuke's mind as he drifted off into a light sleep, was that he wouldn't have wanted things to be any other way.

And, for the first time in his life he felt like he had done something right.

* * *

sorry for making Sasuke so OOC. i feel like giving him more than an angry, revenge fueled personality. i like writing him as soft and loving. ha.

and, for the baby name, if anyone has an idea... please tell me. i want to keep the name as a past character, possibly one that's died. i'm not really keen on using OCs of any form, but if the right name comes along, i may consider and use it. please help me with that and ideas for first time things parents do! i appreciate it.

review, please. thank you.

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	3. Learning

i went along with using Neji for the baby's name, as suggested by Common Phenomenon. i passed on his name when trying to find a name, but the more i thought about it and with the reason given, it stuck and it works wonderfully. i love it. i hope it's okay for those of you reading this. i'll eventually have Naruto asking Sasuke why he agreed with the name, but that'll be in a later chapter.

enjoy~

* * *

**the first time Naruto teaches a word.**

**.&.**

It'd been nearly a month since Sasuke had been sent out on a mission to bring a stop to a group of rogue ninjas ransacking neighboring villages. Originally it was supposed to take a week, two at the most, but things didn't go as smoothly as planned. Sasuke, along with the others in his group, were instructed to stay until they eliminated the unruly bunch. While this didn't please Naruto, he understood better anyone else that somethings were necessary.

It also didn't hurt that Sakura came by to check on him several times a week, bringing with her news of how the mission was going and a timeline of when Sasuke would be coming home. The last he heard Tsunade was looking at another week if everything went accordingly and there were no complications. That had been two days ago and his heart beat frantically at the thought of Sasuke returning. Until then, he had his friends and son to keep him company.

Only, things were far from perfect as he struggled with a seemingly permanent fussy baby in the beginning. With little knowledge of what was going on, even after having read all the books about early childhood development, Naruto fought to help his son while he began teething. It had been taxing, but eventually he got it after little sleep, constant crying, irritability, and a stubborn refusal of a teething ring.

"Awake already, Neji?" Naruto asked as he entered the nursery in their newly purchased house. It was the only room that was completely finished with pale orange walls and white furniture. Sasuke had been hesitant with Naruto's color choice, but when he walked into the room for the first time, he knew that he'd made the right choice. It was fitting, not at all overbearing like he thought it would've been.

A soft string of "ooh"s and "aah"s came from the crib located against the wall next to the door and wide blue eyes stared up at him; the only trait Naruto had contributed to their son, despite Sasuke insisting that he was wrong. Naruto smiled down at the the boy before picking him up and settling him on one arm.

"Hey, baby, " Naruto cooed, grabbing the green pacifier from inside the crib and sliding it into his pants pocket. Neji's response was a happy squeal and a tiny laugh; sounds that made Naruto's heart soar.

Walking into the family room— that was nearly bigger than their old apartment —he sat Neji down on the blanket spread out on the floor that was surrounded by brightly colored, obnoxiously loud toys. The hour following Neji's afternoon nap was one of Naruto's favorite times of the day, second to getting up in the morning to a sleepy smile and third to their bonding time at night when Naruto cuddled Neji against his chest while he drifted off to sleep in the bed he shared with Sasuke. If the raven found out about that Neji slept in their bed, he'd be more than a little angry. Sasuke had been against co-sleeping from the very start. Naruto didn't care, seeing that he would put Neji in his crib after he was certain that the boy wouldn't wake up.

On this particular day, since Neji appeared to be happier than he had been over the last few weeks, Naruto decided to try something different. Neji was almost nine months and aside from his constant gurgles, giggles, cries, and normal baby chatter, Naruto wanted him to say more. Neji had begun mimicking "ba" effortlessly after Sasuke worked with him on saying "mama" when he was six months old, much to Naruto's displeasure. He may have carried and given birth to Neji, but that didn't mean he wasn't a man. If anything, being able to put up with that kind of excruciating pain meant he was more manly than Sasuke, though he'd never tell him that since the raven went through his fair share of pain and heartbreak to get their little bundle of joy.

Naruto sat down on the blanket next to him, rubbing circles on the baby's back as he tried to push himself up. It would be a matter of time before Neji would start crawling, if the rocking he did was any indication to go by when Neji finally held himself up on his hands and knees. A tiny hand tried to move forward and Naruto watched, there to catch him if he lost his balance.

"Aah," Neji cried crocodile tears when he felt himself fall. Naruto shot a hand out, grabbing his son before he was able to face-plant on the floor and whisked him into the air with a soft _whoosh _sound and a smile. A round of giggles erupted from Neji as Naruto, with much grace and practice, laid down on his back so he could hold Neji up.

"You're flying!" Naruto exclaimed, chuckling at Neji's confusion. Two impossibly blue eyes watched Naruto as he gently moved him back and forth, lowering Neji down so that he could shower his face in kisses. A different set of sounds and laughter came from Neji; they were airy and playful, completely unlike the normal noises he made. They had to be new— recently developed.

"Hey," Naruto whispered, lying Sasuke's clone back down on the blanket and turning onto his side. Neji cooed in response, little fingers curling around the set of plastic keys that Naruto dangled in front of his face. "Say dada."

"Ba," Neji said.

"No, Neji. It's da."

"Ma?" Neji questioned, flailing his arms and smacking Naruto in the face.

Naruto offered the boy a quizzical look and rubbed his face where Neji's hand collided with his cheek. He was definitely their child.

"Ma," Neji giggled, rolling onto his stomach. "Maaaa."

"It's da," Naruto told him. "Y'know, like dada. Can you say it? Daaaaa."

Neji looked at him with an unknown expression and opened his mouth. The blond stared at him in anticipation. Naruto had been working with him for the last couple of days, hoping that Neji would get the sound down before Sasuke came home. The suspense was killing him as Neji repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, testing the position of his tongue against the roof of his mouth. It felt foreign.

"Baaaaa!" Neji shouted, looking at Naruto for approval with his own baby version of a cheeky grin.

"Ugh," Naruto mentally face-palmed and sighed in defeat. "It's da, baby."

"Ba?" Neji asked.

"Yes, baby. Ba," Naruto said as he stood and picked up Neji, who was smiling widely as his father carried him to the kitchen. Naruto was determined to get through to him, but it would have to wait until after lunch. He was hungry and Neji had to eat.

Lunch took longer than expected. Neji decided to throw a fit the minute he was put in his high chair, which was completely uncharacteristic of him. No amount of toys Naruto could fit on the tray appeased him as he cried actual big, wet tears. It broke Naruto's heart to watch him cry, his chubby arms reaching out to him. The blond could hear Sasuke disagree with him as he unlatched Neji and settled the baby against his hip. Sasuke told him several times that he didn't want Naruto spoiling their child, but he couldn't just stand there and ignore Neji.

That had only been the beginning, much to Naruto's dismay. Neji didn't want to be put down when Naruto finally gathered everything and placed it on the table, so he caved and began to feed the boy on his lap. This seemed to work for Neji until he refused to eat any of the food Naruto was giving him. Instead, he wanted what Naruto was munching on. A ripe banana.

Of course, Naruto gave in and offered him small pinches of the fruit. Neji happily ate them, squishing the pieces in his hands and making a mess of his clothes, Naruto's shirt, and the table top. At least he was eating more than he had been, so Naruto really couldn't find it in him to complain or be frustrated. Neji's teething right after Sasuke left had taken a toll on his mental stability; so much, in fact, that he asked Sakura to keep Neji a few days in order for him rest.

When Neji decided he was full and after eating all he could of Naruto's snack, he snuggled into Naruto's side with a contented sigh. A faint smile played on Naruto's lips as he gazed down at his son. It was surreal— the little life looking up at him with satisfied eyes, a lazy smile, and small bits of banana stuck on his cheek. Everything he'd been through to get Neji had been well worth it, up to and including the bad days where all Naruto wanted to do was lock himself inside his bedroom and forget that he had a kid. He'd never do that, though; Neji depended on him.

Naruto had reserved himself to never having children of his own when he finally admitted that he was in love with Sasuke. It came as a shock to him, but there really wasn't anything he could other than hope that Sasuke felt the same way. When Sasuke broke the silence that one night so long ago with his confession about wanting a baby, Naruto felt an overwhelming sense of loss. Sasuke would have to leave him because he couldn't give the man what he wanted, but as fate would have it, their lives were, once again, called anything but normal. They defied the odds; their proof was cooing softly to himself against Naruto's side.

To say he'd never felt anything like the love for his child was understatement. It was a feeling he would never get used to, no matter how hard he tried. Neji was his life.

"Let's get you cleaned up, little man," Naruto said as he stood, leaving the mess on the table for later.

"Ma," Neji agreed. "Aah."

"One of these days I'll have you saying da, I swear."

Naruto nestled Neji in the pillows to support him as they sat on the couch, a book in his hand and the television on for Neji. Laughter filled the room as Neji clapped, eyes and ears glued to the music wafting from the television and the bright colored shapes bouncing around the screen. Naruto briefly looked up from his book, glancing down at Neji and then to what was playing; he vaguely remembered watching the same show as a child.

They were content in one another's company. Naruto was thankful to have such an easy child, despite the aggravation he'd felt earlier in the day. He hadn't experienced any of the horrors other parents dealt with and he hoped he never would. The blond wondered if his son's passive nature was something he inherited by Sasuke because he sure as hell hadn't gotten it from him. It was too early to tell, though— Neji was still in the process of trying to figure himself and develop his own personality. For all Naruto knew, the boy would end up being as hyper as he'd been and that frightened him. Sasuke would have his work cut out for him.

"Ba?" Neji questioned, turning to look at Naruto.

"Yeah, baby?" Naruto gently rubbed the top of his head.

"Ba," Neji confirmed with a smile that rivaled Naruto's.

Naruto nodded in response and went back to reading. He wiped the drool off of his hand as Neji leaned over toward him from his pillowed confines. Tiny hands grabbed at the fabric of his pants and pulled. Naruto gently pried his fingers from his clothes and set him upright, earning a look of confusion and a frown. The sight made Naruto laugh before going back to his book.

"Da!" Neji squealed. "Daaaa!"

"What?" Naruto blinked, folding the corner of the page he had been reading and placing it on the arm of the couch. "Can you say that again, baby?"

"Da!" Neji repeated, looking past Naruto and at the figure creeping up on the side of the couch.

"You said it!" Naruto beamed, shooting up from his spot and excitingly taking Neji into his arms. Naruto kissed his face before holding Neji close and turning around with a startled gasp and wide eyes.

"Sasuke," he breathed. "You're home."

"Yeah," the raven said, a soft smile gracing his lips. "Did he just say...?"

"I've been working with him," Naruto explained. "Wanted to surprise you."

Sasuke nodded and closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around his small family and pressing his lips gingerly to Naruto's. Neji squirmed between them, his hands fisting the sleeve of Sasuke's jacket as he pushed against Naruto's side with what little strength he could muster. Sasuke chuckled when he pulled away, black eyes locking with blue as he watched Neji lean towards him.

"Daa," Neji cooed as Sasuke took him.

"Welcome home," Naruto whispered, leaning into Sasuke's touch.

Sasuke smiled down at the blond as he tightened his hold on his waist. It felt great to be back.

* * *

i'm really not good with keeping these guys in character. oh well, i think it works. wouldn't want new parents being complete hard asses.

if you have any instances you want to see written out, let me know. i like writing these little events. keep in mind i'm trying to go with milestones in a baby's life. next will be learning to walk, just a heads up.

review, please. thank you.

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	4. Accepting Imperfections

so the idea for this chapter was completely derailed. i started it with wanting to do one thing, but ended it on another.

also, sorry for the lack of Neji. i wanted them to have some time together.

* * *

**their first intimate moment since having Neji.**

**.&.**

Sasuke could barely remember his life before Neji. He could recall moments spent with Naruto, but only the ones he considered important. Other than that, the rest of his life seemed like a blur. It was probably for the best, he reckoned. Sasuke refused to believe that at one point he'd been the revenge fueled, easily angered, hate riddled person that only had one goal in life.

He was no longer that person.

Pushing the blanket off, Sasuke yawned and diverted his gaze to the sleeping blond beside him. Naruto was curled on his side, pillow held tightly to his chest as he slept. A soft smile crept onto Sasuke's face as he remembered how much hell he had to go through before he finally caved and got Naruto that pillow. Naruto claimed it was to help him sleep during his pregnancy, but he barely used it. In fact, he got more use out of it after he had Neji.

He glanced over at the alarm clock on the night stand and groaned. It was way too early to be awake, but he found that he couldn't sleep anymore. Sasuke hated that he'd become accustomed to sleeping in short intervals— something that started when Neji was a newborn. Sasuke couldn't blame his son for that, though. Nor did he regret losing sleep over him. Sasuke enjoyed their nightly bonding periods.

However, the thing he did regret was that he missed out on a lot of Neji's life. Sasuke missed many of his baby milestones, though Naruto or someone else always managed to capture the moment on film or in a picture. While it wasn't the same as actually being there, it would suffice.

Some would even go as far as to tell him that he should be thankful that he didn't go through certain things— Neji's first time teething was a good example.

Sasuke could only roll his eyes at these people; he didn't care how horrible it was, he still felt cheated. It wasn't that he didn't want to be home to experience these moments, but that his job was keeping him away. He'd been given a significant amount of missions over the past ten months, much to his annoyance. Sasuke kept reminding himself that he was doing it all for his family, though there were instances where he felt like it wasn't worth it. Yes, he was getting paid generously for his work, but Sasuke couldn't help but feel like he'd rather be at home with Naruto and Neji.

At least they were well off and it wasn't just because they had the Uchiha name behind them.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered, poking Sasuke's side and pulling the raven from his train of thought.

Sasuke blinked and rolled onto his side. "Yeah?"

"You're thinking," the blond told him, pausing to yawn and stretch. "What's up?"

"Nothing," the black haired male responded.

Naruto shifted, discarding the pillow he was previously attached to. The dark blue sheet covering his lower body slid off as he turned to lay on his side, mimicking Sasuke's position and muttering a quick "tch, I don't believe you".

Sasuke snorted. What else was new? Naruto rarely believed anything he said when it came to what he was thinking. It was like he was in tune with Sasuke's thought process and could visibly see the words and sentences cross his mind at any given time. Sasuke seriously hoped that Naruto wasn't a mind reader.

This hope was mainly for his sanity, but also because he didn't want Naruto to know that he stashed an engagement ring somewhere in their room and that he was planning on proposing to him the next time they could find a babysitter willing to take Neji for the night.

"You really wanna know?" Sasuke asked, arching a delicately sculpted eyebrow. Black orbs watching with mild amusement as a curious look fluttered across Naruto's face.

"Of course," Naruto said. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

Scooting closer to the blond, Sasuke stopped, their faces merely inches apart. He could feel the warmth radiating off Naruto's skin. They watched one another, neither one daring to make the first move. A light blush found home on Naruto's cheeks; it had been far too long since they'd been together.

Sasuke brushed his lips against Naruto's in a barely there kiss and he relished in the tingle that shot down his spine. Kissing Naruto was akin to breathing and Sasuke couldn't get enough. The smallest touch of their lips brought forth a surprised moan from the blond, who took it upon himself to push Sasuke back so that he was sprawled out on his back. Naruto climbed on top of his lover and lowered himself so that his clothed chest was pressed against Sasuke's bare torso. He wasted no time reconnecting their lips, his tongue darting out to run along Sasuke's bottom lip. Sasuke obliged his request and opened his mouth to allow Naruto a brief moment of dominance.

Pulling back, Sasuke changed their positions in one swift movement. In the span of several seconds they went from Naruto on Sasuke to the blond lying against the mound of pillows he insisted they keep on their bed at all times and Sasuke resting between his open legs.

"Do you still want to know?" Sasuke questioned, kissing a spot on Naruto's neck as he created a trail along his neck, across his jaw, and stopping playfully at the corner of his lips.

"Yes," Naruto breathed, turning his head slightly so that he could meet him halfway.

Sasuke moaned into the kiss, grinding his hips down against Naruto in attempt to tell him what he was thinking about and what he wanted. He honestly hoped that Naruto got the idea. It had been a while since the last time they had been intimate— that had been roughly right before Naruto had Neji. While they were unable to do much without risking premature labor, they did manage to please one another on a level neither thought possible. When Tsunade gave them the okay to start having sex again four months after Neji was born, Naruto started coming up with excuses. His most famous line was that he was too tired, which Sasuke understood completely. Taking care of an infant full time was tiring.

"I'm thinking about," Sasuke started as he leaned down to seductively whisper in Naruto's ear, "what I want to do to you."

"Oh... oh!" Naruto gasped and arched upwards as Sasuke reached down to knead his erection through the thin cloth of his orange boxers.

"Does that feel good, baby?" Sasuke asked, offering the blond a quick peck before reluctantly pulling his hand away and pushing his oversized shirt upwards. He littered kisses along Naruto's neck, stopping to suck on his pulse as a distraction. Sasuke knew how Naruto felt about having no shirt on; the scar from the c-section was the only scar that hadn't faded.

"Y-yeah," the blond stuttered.

"Good," Sasuke purred, gently removing the offending article of clothing and tossing it to the side. He resumed his task of pleasing the blond as he brushed his lips over Naruto's collar bone and down his sternum, leaving behind a trail of saliva. Naruto shivered, watching with half-lid blue eyes as Sasuke lowered himself down his body, getting closer to the tattoo on his stomach and the spot he hated.

"P-please don't," the blond cried out, fisting Sasuke's hair in one tan hand.

"Don't...?"

"The scar," Naruto whispered, turning his head to the side as to avoid direct eye contact. "Don't look at it..."

"Why not?" Sasuke pushed himself up. He gently grasped Naruto's chin and turned his face so that they were looking at one another, a frown in place of his smile. Sasuke hated seeing the blond in such a state. It wasn't like him to care about something so trivial, but he did and Sasuke was genuinely concerned.

"It's ugly..." Naruto admitted, trying his best to not focus on Sasuke's intense gaze. "I don't like it."

Sasuke couldn't lie and say he wasn't curious. Naruto never let him the scar, opting to keep it hidden underneath shirts or a towel tied around him after a shower. It couldn't be all that bad.

"I doubt that," Sasuke said. "There's nothing ugly about you."

Naruto flushed at his words as he shook his head, clearly against Sasuke seeing the scar and seeing him in such a vulnerable position. The blond couldn't pinpoint when he came to look at his c-section scar like it was the bane of his existence, but he remembered how he felt when he ran his hand along the slightly puffy, raised skin. It felt foreign; he didn't like it.

"Naruto," Sasuke purred, running a hand along Naruto's side. "Do you know what that scar means? What it signifies?"

The blond focused his gaze on Sasuke, shining pools of blue locking with affectionate black eyes. Naruto nodded and leaned up to capture Sasuke's lips, though it didn't last nearly as long as he wanted because Sasuke pulled away before Naruto would divert his attention elsewhere.

"Are you sure you know what it means?" Sasuke asked, resuming his ministrations by following the previous trail of kisses down Naruto's body. "I'll tell you just in case you forgot."

Each kiss placed on his tanned skin made his curiosity grow. Each lick had him closing his eyes in anticipation of Sasuke's next action and explanation. Each time the raven sucked on his flesh the blond elicited a moan and fisted the sheets.

Sasuke paused over the scar that stretched across his lower abdomen and just above his boxers. It was pale against his darker pallor, despite it still being red— pale pink —in color. The scar itself didn't look as bad as Naruto thought, but Sasuke understood where he was coming from. It was noticeably visible— it was the only scar that the nine-tails chakra hadn't completely healed. Eventually, and within due time, Sasuke was sure that it was fade to the point of no longer being recognizable. Naruto's disgust would, he hoped, fade as well.

All in all, where Naruto saw a flaw, Sasuke saw something beautiful.

"This scar," Sasuke whispered, his voice just loud enough for Naruto to hear, "shows the struggles we went through." And it was true; that one small line was made to bring their son into the world.

"It's a testament to what we went through," Sasuke looked at him as he reached a hand out towards Naruto's and lacing their fingers together. Naruto's eyes were wide and full of wonder, silently pleading for Sasuke to continue.

"I think," he placed his lips gingerly at one edge of the scar and pressing a series of kisses along the length, "there's nothing disgusting about it," he stopped in the center to give an experimental lick and smirking when Naruto shuddered beneath him, "and that it signifies the life you brought into this world." Sasuke pulled back and sat up, his gaze lingering on the scar for a second before he climbed back up the bed so that he was laying on top of Naruto. "It's perfect; you're prefect. I love you."

"I love you, too," Naruto whispered against Sasuke's lips, crying. His voice wavered and his body shook as he wrapped his arms around Sasuke to pull him closer. Their noses touched and for a few minutes they did nothing but look at each other. Sasuke would, at times, bring a hand up to wipe at his tears or he'd kiss the salty substance away and Naruto would offer him a small smile.

* * *

i didn't mean to make it so fluffy... ish, but i hope it's okay.

the next chapter is where Neji starts walking, just sayin'. that's going to be interesting. :D

review, please. thank you.

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	5. Walking

i'm having way too much writing this, especially when they interact with Neji. i hope those of you still reading this are enjoying it. haha.

* * *

**the first time Neji walks.**

**.&.**

Muffled laughter came through the monitor sitting on the bedside table, the little green light flashing in indication that it was working properly. A series of gurgles followed shortly after, gradually increasing in volume. The majority of the noises were incomprehensible, but Sasuke could recognize several of the sounds as he cracked open his eyes and yawned.

Waking up and going about the morning with Neji had become routine ever since Tsunade allowed him to have a few weeks free of missions. Sasuke couldn't complain, he was thoroughly enjoying his free time. He was sure that Naruto appreciated his presence as well; any help with Neji was more than welcomed.

Sasuke opted to remain in bed, not by choice, however. Naruto had claimed his right side and was undoubtedly drooling on his arm. With a grimace the raven gently pulled away to wipe the saliva off. The blond stirred, rolling over to face away from Sasuke and exposing his bare back, the night's activities still visible in the form of fading red lines. An all knowing smirk crept onto his face.

Eventually and with much resistance (not to exclude sweet talking) Sasuke was able to get Naruto to feel comfortable in his skin. The blond no longer looked at his scar like it was something horrible; he'd grown to accept the fact that it wasn't as bad as he originally thought. Sasuke couldn't have been happier.

A squeal emitted from the monitor and Sasuke jumped, reopening his eyes. With a quick glance around the room and noticing that Naruto's position changed again, he realized that he'd dozed off to his thoughts and Neji's talking. Despite his early to rise demeanor, sometimes it was too easy to fall back to sleep, especially when he was comfortable.

It took a whimper to set him in motion. Sasuke pushed the blanket off and sat up as he ran a hand through his dark locks. Waiting until Neji was fussy to finally get his ass in gear was probably a bad idea, but he totally lived for the smile his son would give him when he peeked around the corner to look at him. Sasuke was amused with how simple minded Neji was.

"Okay," the raven yawned. "I'm coming."

Stumbling and with little grace, Sasuke managed to leave his room, walk the short trip down the hall, and stop at Neji's room. A soft orange glow was coming from the room, courtesy of the sun shining in the window opposite the door. Sasuke stepped into the light and shivered, immediately warming up and questioning how he didn't realize that he was cold. For a quick moment he felt stupid.

"Da!" Neji shouted excitedly as Sasuke peered around the corner, his lips pulling up into a smile and his whimpers subsiding.

"Hey little man," he said upon entering the room, noticing that Neji was, for the first time, standing up and stepping back and forth with help from the railings of his crib.

"Ba?" the boy questioned, bright eyes swimming with wonder as he bounced on his chubby legs. Sasuke could feel the edges of his mouth pulling upwards— from sheer cuteness overload or the fact the he was witnessing something Naruto hadn't seen, he honestly didn't know. All he knew was that, as he watched Neji mumble to himself in some random unintelligent language, he felt oddly proud. Sasuke vaguely wondered if his father had been proud of his first accomplishments.

"No, baby, he's still sleep." Sasuke told him.

Neji frowned in response. Sasuke chuckled, clearly entertained. Neji didn't normally ask for Naruto during the morning ritual of changing, feeding, and playing. It had turned into their new bonding time, seeing that the boy had been sleeping through the night ever since he was two months old. That had been a scary event for them, as they truly didn't expect him to go an entire eight to ten hours without waking up. Sasuke could remember how frantic the blond had been that first night; he woke up once every hour and got out of bed to go check on him. Sasuke assured him that everything was okay, but Naruto didn't want to hear it— he had to visibly make sure there were no problems.

Call him paranoid, but sudden infant death syndrome was always looming in the back of his mind. Naruto had heard too many stories about it happening and that there was never an actual reason other than it _just happened_. They went through too much to get Neji for him to be taken away with no reason.

After changing his diaper and his clothes, Sasuke put him in a light blue onesie with their clan emblem adorning the back. It showed its age, as the black haired male found it one day while he was digging through old boxes and ridding the place of all its horrible memories. The little suit was only fitting for the sole Uchiha heir.

"Daaaaaa." Neji drawled before sticking his thumb in his mouth. He greedily sucked on the appendage as Sasuke carried him around the kitchen, pulling out a can of formula and a bottle and placing it on the counter beside the array of cereals and jars of fruit. Neji giggled as he bounced, reaching up to wrap his tiny fingers around a stray strand of Sasuke's hair and yanking roughly. Sasuke let out a pained howl, glaring down at his son as he began to gently pry his fingers away. His pain only made the boy laugh more.

"It's not funny." Sasuke sighed, garnering another round of giggles.

Pick one," the raven told him, leaning down so that Neji could grab a jar. It seemed a little weird, considering the fact that he wasn't fully able to make his own choices, but Sasuke wanted him to try. There was no harm in starting early— he'd be able to make his displeasure known earlier on. "Bananas? Again?"

"Aga? Aga!" he answered.

Breakfast was always eventful. Neji liked wearing his food more than he liked to eat it, save for the bottle— barely a drop was wasted as the little boy happily downed its contents. Neji placed the nearly empty bottle between him and his father as Sasuke placed the dirty dishes in the sink and began to walk back down the hall so they could wake Naruto like they always did. Only, this time, the raven had a different approach.

"Da? Ba!" Neji cried happily, releasing his grip on the bottle and clapping his hands as they neared the master bedroom. Sasuke looked down at Neji with a questioning gaze as he idly wondered why he took to calling the blond ba. Wasn't that normally used when a child was wanting a bottle?

Then again, Neji wasn't exactly a normal baby. At least, his existence and the way he'd been brought into the world wasn't.

"Hey, who is that?" Sasuke asked him as they entered the room. Neji tilted his head and looked up at the raven with a smile, two small top teeth present.

Naruto rolled over onto his stomach, his arm dangling off the bed. The action caused an eruption of giggles to spew from Neji as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. This had Sasuke smiling.

"Baaaa!" Neji said, wriggling excitedly.

"Ma, little man." Sasuke told him. "That's Ma."

"Ma?"

"Yes, now..." the raven crouched down beside their bed and sat Neji on the floor. "I need you to wake him up. Got it? You can be as loud as you want, just wake him up."

Neji stared at him like he'd grown two extra heads; it was only natural for him to not understand a single word his father said. Babies typically didn't know what was being said to them and Sasuke knew this as he unconsciously started a staring contest with his son. Black eyes were locked on blue— a color Sasuke was thankful he hadn't lost. If anything, the once light blue eyes that Neji sported when he was a newborn had intensified. They were almost as bright as Naruto's eyes.

"Da?" Neji questioned as he pushed himself onto his hands and knees to crawl over to the side of the bed. Sasuke sat down on the floor next to him, readying himself in case the boy couldn't stay balanced long enough to surprise Naruto with his biggest achievement— at least, according to the raven.

"You got it," Sasuke cheered him on as he reached the bed and plopped back down on the carpeted floor. For a moment Neji looked like he was ready to cry. "C'mon, little man, try again."

"Gaaaa!" Neji rattled off as he grasped the sheet with both hands and balling the thin fabric into his palms. He slowly started to pull himself up, his legs shaking as he leaned against the mattress with a wide grin on his face. Neji knowingly put all his weight against the bed and allowed it to support his body. He'd been practicing this move for a while; mainly it was when his parents weren't around.

"Da!" Neji squealed, pleased with himself. Sasuke figured that the reason for Neji's earlier laughs and giggles were because he finally nailed being able to stand up. "Guh. Ba? Baa!"

Sasuke stood, scooped Neji up from his spot and placed him on the floor next to the blonds' side of the bed. "Naruto, wake up."

Naruto stirred and batted at him with the hand that had been hanging off the side of the bed. Neji laughed and Sasuke frowned. The blond turned his head and buried his face in the mound of pillows.

"Hey, c'mon," Sasuke whispered as he leaned down, his breath ghosting over his ear. "I have something to show you."

"Mm, go 'way." Naruto mumbled, cracking an eye open. "Too early."

"Naruto, please?"

"Later, 'kay? Not now," he yawned.

Sasuke sighed and looked back at Neji. His plan was to wake the blond up so that he could watch Neji; he knew that Naruto wouldn't believe him if Neji was just simply up against the bed and looking at him. Naruto would probably tell him that it was too soon for him to be standing, let alone walking, and insinuate that the raven placed their son there just to get him hyped up.

"I'll let you top tonight," Sasuke purred.

"Oh?" he looked at his partner with an eyebrow arched.

"Yeah," Sasuke answered.

"Okay, I'm up." Naruto muttered, rolling onto his back and opening his eyes. The way Naruto looked first thing in the morning was to die for— not that he wasn't any other time of the day. There was just something about seeing him slightly confused as he tried desperately to figure out what was going on.

"Good." Sasuke said. "I have something I want you to see."

"It better be important or you're a dead man," Naruto threatened. He wanted to keep sleeping. It was a rare occurrence for him to sleep in. Sasuke being given a few weeks off was a definite life savor.

"It is, now sit up." Sasuke ordered. Naruto groaned. "Or, roll over to face me." That was something Naruto could do without putting forth too much effort. "You good?"

"Mm."

"Okay."

Sasuke turned around and, for a second time that morning, pulled Neji away from something that he'd found rather entertaining. Neji was busy playing with one of Naruto's jackets, the zipper was what captured his attention.

"Hey baby," Naruto cooed as Sasuke walked back to the bed with their son nestled in his arms, an obvious look of displeasure adorning his little face. It was a look he'd grown used to seeing on the raven. Naruto snorted. "He's definitely your son."

"I hope so," Sasuke shot.

"Baaaaa!" Neji shouted— his lungs were definitely from Naruto.

Neji leaned forward with his arms stretched out, but Sasuke held him back. It wasn't going to be that easy; he had to work to get Naruto to pick him up.

"Okay," Sasuke said as he sat down, legs crossed and Neji in his lap. "Watch him."

"Alright."

He placed the boy down in front of him, making sure that he was seated properly before he let him go. Neji rocked a little and, just like before, he slowly but surely rose to his hands and knees so that he could begin his short journey toward Naruto.

"Is this it, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "I've seem him crawl before, he's been doing it for a while now."

"No, just watch."

"Ba!" Neji laughed as he stopped beside the mattress. He looked up and held his arms out again, indicating that he wanted to picked up. "Ba? Gaaaah!"

"What, baby?" Naruto asked him.

"Aga!" Neji laughed.

"What in the hell does that mean?" the blond looked at Sasuke for the answer.

"I don't know, he said it this morning when I asked him if he really wanted to eat bananas again."

"Maybe that's his way of saying again," Naruto said thoughtfully. "But, then... that means he wants to do something again."

"Possibly," Sasuke said knowingly. "Just keep watching."

Naruto sighed, but did as told. Neji grabbed onto the blanket that was falling off the bed and he lifted himself up. Again, his little legs were shaking, but he seemed more capable of supporting himself this time. His balance wasn't nearly as wobbly, but Sasuke still scooted a tad bit closer for safe measures. Neji continued to pull himself up until he was able to straighten himself out, his hands stretching upwards and finding purchase on Naruto's bare arm. With wide eyes and toothy smile, Neji looked up at the blond.

"Oh," Naruto whispered, his lips tugging upward. "Oh my God, Sasuke. He can stand!"

"That's how I found him this morning," Sasuke chuckled.

Had they not been caught up in Naruto's shock and their conversation about Neji's milestones, they would've noticed Neji slowly side-stepping until he reached the end of the bed. When he laughed joyously at himself and what he achieved they finally realize that he wasn't standing in the same place and that he was rounding the corner of the bed.

"He can walk, too?" Naruto asked, completely surprised.

"Apparently, he was moving back and forth earlier when I found him standing." Sasuke said. "Perimeter walking is what they call it, I believe."

"Still, he's walking. For how long, I wonder." Naruto mused as he sat up and leaned back against the headboard.

"I'm guessing a while now, he seems like he has it down."

"How did we miss that?"

"I honestly don't know," the raven answered. "Maybe he does it when we're not around? I mean, he is our child. It's only natural."

Naruto chuckled. "Probably. Can you grab him for me?"

Sasuke nodded and did as asked. He sat down on the bed and placed Neji between them and, as if it were instinctual, Neji pulled himself up to stand against the headboard. A jumble of baby words filled the air as the boy talked to them about nothing and everything. They nodded, smiled, and put in their two cents as if they could understand every word he was saying.

Things were going to start getting more interesting.

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yes? no? any ideas for later chapters?

review, please. thank you.

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	6. Arguments and Misunderstandings

so this chapter was difficult to write, mainly because i don't do well with writing out arguments. i had this idea for quite some time and with the suggestion for a chapter by artforlife, i decided to put them both together because i don't think i would've been able to get past this, considering.

i apologize for my crappy execution, but i'm oddly okay with it enough to post.

enjoy.

* * *

**their first _big _argument about Neji.**

**.&.**

Naruto thought that he was more prepared, but he was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

He knew that he couldn't hide from the inevitable, but he wanted to. Naruto couldn't keep dodging the conversation— he'd done so too many times and Sasuke was starting to get aggravated with him. The blond knew that he would have to suck it up and just deal; the old saying that _whatever happens, happens _doing little to calm his nerves. Naruto didn't want to face the _whatever_, but he knew that he had to.

The last time Sasuke brought it up they had put Neji down for the night, and instead of going straight to the bedroom like they normally did, they decided to stay up and spend some quality time together without engaging in some type of sexual activity. While the blond may have wanted it— craved it —sometimes it felt nice to just enjoy each other's presence in the silence of their home, or with a movie and a bowl of popcorn. The popcorn mainly being for Naruto.

Sasuke smoothly tried to edge it into their small conversation about missions that he'd been assigned. Naruto nipped it in the bud almost immediately, claiming that his head hurt and that he was barely able to focus on the movie playing out before them, so there was absolutely no way he'd be able to hold any type of conversation. Sasuke rolled his eyes in response and offered his trademark grunt. The blond didn't care how upset he was— the simple fact was that he wasn't ready to breach the subject. Sasuke would have to get over it.

It came as no surprise that, one night, after they'd spent themselves, Sasuke decided that they were going to talk about it. There was absolutely nothing Naruto could do or say to get out of it. Sasuke wanted to get his point across and he figured that they could go from there. Maybe they'd work something out or maybe they wouldn't, but regardless, they were having the conversation.

"Naruto," Sasuke spoke, his voice rough.

"Mm," the blond hummed, burying his face in his pillow and inhaling deeply.

"I need you to listen to me." Sasuke said, turning on his side to face his tired lover. "I don't want any interruptions until you've heard everything I have to say." He pushed himself up so that he was sitting, the blanket pooling around his waist as he scooted backwards until his back met the headboard. "Do you understand?"

Naruto gulped and nodded. He hated when the raven took on his 'I-mean-business' tone. Nothing good ever came out of it— he was almost certain that Sasuke was only using it because he knew that the tone of voice made Naruto uneasy.

"Neji's almost a year old," he started, placing a hand on Naruto's head and running his fingers through his hair. Naruto offered him a pleased moan. "He's my pride and joy— he means the world to me —and I don't know how I could ever thank you for giving me him." He paused his comforting gesture long enough to ask Naruto to come out of his blanketed shell and talk to him face to face.

Naruto groaned as he hesitantly pushed back the blanket. He was warm, ready to go to bed, and Sasuke's ministrations on his scalp felt amazing. He didn't see why he needed to inconvenience himself by sitting up. Sasuke may have had his expectations, but Naruto didn't care or want any parts of them. All he wanted to do was listen and fall asleep while doing so.

The blond grasped his part of the blanket and wrapped it around his nude body. A very distinct ache was forming in his lower back, but he fought to keep his displeasure at bay so that Sasuke wouldn't scold him for making noises that could possibly interrupt him. Naruto wasn't looking forward to anything he had to say.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted as he watched Naruto get comfortable. "As I was saying, you've given me something that I never imagined possible, and I know you don't feel like talking this through or even dealing it— yes, I know you've been purposely ignoring me every time I bring it up. But, we need to make sure we're on common ground here.

"I don't know if Neji has inherited the sharingan, but if we find out that he has... well, I want to train him to use them. I need to make sure that you're okay with it." Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who was busy studying the lines on the palm of his visible hand, the other hidden within the folds of the blanket and gripping the fabric. "What do you think?"

"No," Naruto said. Simple and straight forward.

"Why not?" Sasuke asked, taken aback by Naruto's immediate response.

"Because," the blond stated.

"I need a reason."

"I don't have a reason," Naruto told him. "Just no."

Sasuke shook his head and inhaled, trying to collect himself. It would do him no good to get Naruto riled up— he'd been on the receiving end of his anger more than he wanted to admit. Mentally counting down from ten, he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead before even daring to continue the conversation.

"I need you to hear me out before you tell me no," Sasuke explained, glancing over at Naruto.

"I don't care," he spat, slinking down until he was lying on the bed, his eyes trained on the ceiling. "We're done talking. I'm tired and I want to go bed."

"That's where you're wrong, Naruto." Sasuke said.

"I'm wrong?" Naruto asked. He was tired— beyond tired thanks to Sasuke pounding him into the bed before deciding to talk —and he could feel his blood beginning to boil. He'd given his answer; he didn't want to say anymore. "How am I wrong?"

"We're not done talking," the raven said. "In fact, we're just getting started."

"You might be," Naruto muttered, rolling over so that he was facing away from him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's childish antics. He didn't know why it surprised him that the blond hadn't grown out of throwing a fit, but it did. He had hoped that Naruto would be able to hear him out and have a civil conversation with him. So much for that.

"Naruto, seriously? Stop acting like a child!" Sasuke chided.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"No, I'm definitely not."

"Can you just be quiet and listen to me?"

"Can you stop being a bastard? I told you no and that's final!" Naruto nearly shouted, sitting up and glaring heatedly at the raven. "I don't want Neji being trained to use it, in fact, I hope he doesn't have it. Now, leave me alone!"

Naruto stood, looking around the room for his discarded clothing. All he wanted to do was sleep. They could deal with it in the morning.

"I'm not going to leave you alone until we've settled this," Sasuke told him, warily watching the blond slip on a pair of orange boxers.

"Then you better feel like waiting because I'm not going to budge," Naruto hissed.

"Stop acting like this."

"Like what?"

"Like a child, damn it!" Sasuke screamed.

Naruto turned his back on him as he bent down to pick up a white wife-beater he'd spotted in his search for something to wear. Yes, he was stubborn— maybe even a little bit hard headed —but he didn't act like a child. It was perfectly reasonable to not want to explain himself or bother with something he didn't agree with. Sasuke was just mad that he'd put his foot about something and he wasn't satisfied with the answer. His Uchiha pride was showing.

"Sasuke, please." Naruto said. "I'm really tired and I don't feel like dealing with this at the moment. Can't we talk tomorrow?"

"No, we're going to talk about it now." Sasuke reiterated.

"Fine, state your peace." Naruto crossed his arms, puffing out his cheeks.

"You know what my two goals were before we started this— before we had Neji. Hell, before I even knew that I really wanted to kill Itachi," Sasuke told him. "I accomplished one, and the other is just starting. You knew going into this that I wanted to rebuild my clan and that I wanted an heir to carry on the sharingan."

Naruto flinched at his words— or maybe it was the way he said them. Maybe it was the meaning behind them. Either way, the blond felt something in him snap before Sasuke could even open his mouth to keep talking.

"Is that all I am to you?" Naruto asked, voice dripping with pain. "Am I just here so that you can make sure your powers are carried on? Tell me, Sasuke! I'd really like to fucking know!"

Sasuke looked stunned at his sudden outburst.

"Or, better yet, did you want to combine my lineage with yours to create something that could destroy the world? I mean, for all I know you're still plotting to destroy everything I've fought for," his words spewed like vomit; his mind not able to keep up.

"Where'd you get that idea from?" Sasuke inquired, standing up and rounding his side of the bed so that he was feet from the blond. He clenched his fists as his side.

"You said it yourself!" Naruto shouted. "You wanted to carry on your stupid eyes, you wanted someone willing to give you that!"

Sasuke thought back to the last several minutes, trying to wrap his mind around what he'd said to Naruto. He couldn't recall telling him anything that would relate to him thinking that he only wanted someone to rebuild his clan. Yes, he'd mentioned that it was one of his goals, but that wasn't all he wanted.

"That's not wh—"

"Oh, so now you're calling me a liar?"

"No, but I don't remember saying anything like that." Sasuke tried to reason with him, hoping that the blond would listen and calm down. It was weird not being the enraged one in an argument.

"You didn't have to say it, Sasuke! It was there," Naruto seethed. "You just wanted a willing person to carry on your name. Well, you have that heir, Sasuke! Too bad you picked the wrong person to have him with!"

"W-what?" the raven stuttered.

"You heard me." Naruto deadpanned. "You would've been better off with Ino, or maybe Sakura... she was in love with you, y'know? Hell, she might still be! They wouldn't care what you wanted to do with _your_ heir!"

"I just want to train him if he has it, Naruto."

"And I said no, but you wouldn't take that for an answer! You had to keep going, had to explain to me like a fucking child about goals I knew about when we were children!" Naruto cried out, trying to collect himself. He hadn't been so angry in a long time and he wasn't about to let it get to him.

"You weren't listening to me! You still aren't listening to me!" Sasuke yelled, wanting to desperately get his point across. "If you'd just shut up for once and listen then you'd understand where I'm coming from!"

That caught Naruto's attention— it had been a while since Sasuke told him to shut up.

"Are you good? Can I continue without you opening your mouth?" Sasuke asked as he took a step closer towards Naruto.

Naruto watched him, eyes focused on Sasuke as he attempted to get closer to him. If he didn't know any better things would end the way they always had. Naruto would continue to rage, allowing his pent up emotions to get the best of him and then Sasuke would swoop down from his pedestal and tell him that it was okay and that _he forgave him_. It was always the blond that was in the wrong— nothing he said or did was taken to heart when he voiced his opinion. It went in one ear and out the other.

And here was Sasuke wanting him to listen. Why should he listen to him? Why should he be the one to change his mind? It wasn't fair. Why couldn't Naruto come out on top for a change?

"I know that you want you want to train him, work with him if he has your eyes, but I don't want that, Sasuke. If you think so little of me and don't want to respect my wishes then this isn't going to work anymore," Naruto said softly, diverting his gaze to anywhere but the man before him.

"What?" Sasuke gaped, eyes widening. "What do you mean it isn't going to work?"

"You're not stupid, you know what I mean."

"You're going to end this— end everything we have because you refuse to agree with me or give me a reason for why you don't want me working with him?"

"Why should I be the one to constantly give in? I'm his parent, too, in case you forget. I don't want him knowing how to use the sharingan. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Because there's no reason behind your decision!" Sasuke shouted, aggravated with the blonds' behavior.

"I don't need to explain everything, you should trust me." Naruto voiced as he looked at Sasuke, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Something you obviously can't do."

"That's not true," the raven uttered. "I ju—"

"Save it," the blond said as he pushed past Sasuke, jerked the door open and exited the room. He was tired of dealing with him— tired of looking at him; he just wanted to be alone.

Sasuke turned sideways, body shaking as Naruto stormed out of their room. For the first time in his life (and certainly not the last time) he regretted not listening to the blond. He'd been so adamant about not having the conversation. Why hadn't he listened to him? Why did he keep pushing it?

Because he didn't want Neji to deal with the sharingan on his own and he thought that Naruto would be behind him. So much for thinking.

The room felt empty as the silence engulfed him. He felt small, unsure of himself and everything they'd been through and would continue to battle. The future he planned out was beginning to look like a unattainable dream. Their past was a safe haven— a period where Sasuke could run to when things started to get too difficult. A place that he could return to, a place where there was always someone seeking him out, vying for his attention, and making promises of a life much better than the one he'd been a ghost in.

Naruto's smile was the only thing he looked forward to seeing when they would cross one another on the battlefield. Just knowing that the blond hadn't given up on him had been enough to get him by, enough to keep part of himself intact. Naruto had been his everything during his darkest period, he'd been the only good thing to happen in his life.

And... the light that he'd grown accustomed to was dimming. It was becoming weak, a mere shadow of what it once had been. Naruto was letting it go out.

Sasuke couldn't remember how long he spent standing in the center of their room, or how much time he spent thinking about everything they'd been through together and all of the things he wanted Naruto to experience with him. He let his thoughts run wild as his heart began to shatter— a literal pain in his chest when he thought about Naruto not being there in the morning. Or, hell... in a couple hours.

How had they come to this? Sasuke trying to hold himself together while replaying the blonds' words, _this isn't going to work anymore_. Naruto sitting on the couch he'd become friends with back when Sasuke was convinced that he could carry to term, a stream of tears steadily falling.

The raven moved on autopilot. He let his feet guide him out of the room and down the hall, stopping at Neji's room where his child— _their_ son was peacefully sleeping. Sasuke wanted to enter the room, pick him up and cuddle him, he wanted that sense of security he always got when Neji was in his arms or looking at him with his wide, impossibly blue eyes.

Reluctantly he resisted the urge, continuing his journey down the hall and into the main room where he knew Naruto would be. A low light came from the television as an old movie played, muted to keep their voices from breaking the silence of the room. Naruto sat, head in his hands, as it played.

Sasuke wasn't sure what he was doing or how he was even supposed to approach the situation, but he knew that he had to do something. Their future together depended on it.

"Naruto?" Sasuke called out to him quietly, easing himself closer to the couch and the hunched figure. Naruto made no movement or noise to indicate that he'd heard him. Sasuke briefly wondered if he'd fallen asleep or if he was just ignoring him; the latter seeming like the most likely option.

Naruto wiped at his eyes when he heard Sasuke's voice.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke murmured. He paused at the edge of the couch, afraid that if he got any closer that Naruto would jet. While he vowed to chase him to hell and back, much like the blond had done for him, he didn't want to start in the middle of the night.

"I don't want him going through what you did," Naruto whispered. "I don't want Neji getting hurt because of it. I know what you went through and I know the effects, and I don't want that for him.

"He's just a baby, Sasuke. He doesn't need to deal with that right now— if ever. You and Itachi went through so much because of your eyes and I don't want him to be looked at like some kind of prize, or to know that he could lose his sight from using them too much. I don't want him knowing that your clan was killed for their visual ability. I don't want any of that for him."

Sasuke walked around the couch, crouching in front of Naruto and taking his hands within his own. He could feel the blond shaking, he could feel his erratic pulse against his fingers. The raven was sure that he was in a similar state.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "For doubting you, not trusting you, not giving you the right as his parent— as my partner —to do what's right by his needs. For everything."

Naruto looked up, their eyes locking as another set of tears fell. He tried to pull away from Sasuke, tried to keep to his resolve. The blond didn't want to give in to his words, didn't want to hand himself over to the warm hands holding his or the dark eyes mirroring his own.

"I won't train him, won't even mention it to him." Sasuke told him, his stoic exterior finally cracking and exposing the person he had been trying so hard to hide. "Anything to keep you from leaving me. You're worth more than my clan, more than the sharingan. You, Naruto, are my goal— my light —and you have been from the start. I don't want to lose that."

With each word he spoke, Naruto felt himself break. The tears turned into a wrecking sob, assaulting his ribs as he tried to catch his breath. He wasn't used to such sincerity, to be treated like he was gold or something equally as precious.

"Say something?"

"I don't know what to do anymore," Naruto managed to get out as he struggled to gather himself.

"You don't have to do anything," Sasuke said. "Just be you."

"But that's not enough."

"Yes it is. It always has been, I was just too stupid to see it before."

"I'm sorry," the blond hiccuped, sliding off the couch and onto the floor. Upon contact he wrapped his arms tightly around Sasuke, laying his head on his shoulder and holding him like he was his lifeline. Which, he could have been, for all he knew. "I didn't mean to explode on you."

"I know," Sasuke voiced quietly, rocking them back and both.

They remained on the floor for quit some time before Naruto fell asleep, his head resting against his chest. Sasuke stood, picked him up bridal style and carried him back to bed, where he laid beside him, his arms wrapped securely around his body. Eventually he allowed sleep to take him, the soft breathing of Naruto filling his ears as he closed his eyes.

They'd be okay. They would get through it and come out stronger.

* * *

yes? no?

so i have this goal for the year and i need all the help i can get to accomplish it. thankfully i've been in a writing mood lately. my goal is to reach 300,000 words by the end of the year. with this chapter posted i'll be over 210,000. this is where you guys come in with ideas for chapters or whatever.

i also have what was supposed to be the next chapter, but i decided to make it the last one. if i post it then this story is officially done. i'm not trying to do that. i think there's still some ideas left before Neji turns a year old.

leave an idea! review! thank you!

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