#ssm21d7

[queen-serena]

[xlalalandx]

Day 7: Years Past - ssskmonth

Source: Ep. 109 from Naruto, Ep. 21 from Boruto

[airashisakura]

My first entry for @ssskmonth | Prompts used Glances and Years Past

Evolution

Summary: In the journey of life, they lost and found something along the path.

_

Fixing her red ribbon, Sakura glances at the dark-haired boy. Sakura looks around before looking at him again. The classroom is lively as ever — Naruto and Kiba are fighting, Ino is bickering with Choji while Shikamaru yawns and mutters something, Hinata fidgets uncomfortably in her seat while Shino observes everyone. Sasuke’s elbows are resting on the desk, his chin supported by his interlaced fingers. Sakura’s green eyes wander on his face, and a shade of red stains her cheeks. Lucky for her, his eyes are closed. She wonders what he’s thinking.

The classroom is too noisy for his liking. Sasuke wants for Iruka-sensei to start class as soon as possible, because his 5 year old brain thinks the sooner the class starts, the sooner it will end. Today, he wants time to fly fast because his nii-san has promised to pick him up after school.

_

Everytime Sakura glances towards Sasuke while Iruka-sensei lectures about five basic nature of chakra, she finds him gazing out of the window. Strange, she thinks, because Sasuke-kun is always attentive to lessons. She hears Naruto get scolded for not paying attention, and he grumbles that he doesn’t understand a single word. However, this is not the case with Sasuke. She is confident of that. She nods and tells herself Sasuke-kun is a genius. He already knows what sensei is teaching.

Sasuke doesn’t want the class to end today, because he has been tired of being greeted by an empty house and crying himself to sleep. It’s only been a week, and he misses his mother's lap, his father’s voice, and his older brother’s presence. But he shouldn’t miss his older brother, should he? It’s too hard of a question for an 8 year old to figure that out. He bites hard on his lower lip; he doesn't want to cry in front of his classmates.

_

Sakura glances lazily at the campfire in front of her. Still in slumber, she hears Kakashi-sensei waking Sasuke-kun up for the watch. She recalls they were returning from an escort mission, and they were all tired, especially Naruto, to return back to the village immediately. So they settled to sleep under the open sky accompanied by a summer breeze. Sakura smiles in her sleep, thanking her sensei and teammate for giving her some more time to spend with Sasuke-kun.

Sasuke looks toward the sky. The darkness of the night is fading slowly, and in the distance, he could hear the birds chirping, ready to start their day. Kakashi said he needed an hour of rest before they start again for the village. Sasuke doesn't like that. He frowns, mulling over the fact that he isn't making any progress in his plan of revenge with a lazy sensei and two unskilled teammates. However, the 12 year old genin hums in gratitude because these people protect him from lonely nights.

_

It's been a year since Tsunade-sama took Sakura under her tutelage. Sakura tries to slip into a dream where Sasuke hasn't left the village and Team 7 isn't disbanded. But the pain that washes over her body doesn't let her. Grunting, Sakura glances over the picture of Team 7 kept on her bedside table before she shuts her eyelids again. Her 14 year self doesn't know which was more painful — broken bones or a bruised heart.

_

Sakura glances at her reflection before she punches the mirror. Her knuckles bleed, but her punching doesn't stop. Her short breaths change into sobs while her body shakes violently. While tears overflow from her green eyes, she thinks it's better now because broken shreds can't reflect the dark marks of Sasuke's fingers on her pale neck. She cries harder, realizing that the mark would disappear after some days, but the pain that her love for Sasuke brings won't. Her 16 year self was now wise enough to know that bruised hearts hurt more than broken bones.

_

Sakura wonders whether the examination rooms of the hospital are too small? She presses her fingers gently on Sasuke's left stump, examining it. She applies more pressure and glances at Sasuke's face to determine whether his arm still hurts. Sasuke doesn't flinch, though his expressions are unreadable as ever. The 17 year old Sakura isn't naive to deduce a silly conclusion. Although she can't read his thoughts, she feels a pain stirring behind his mismatched orbs.

Sasuke suppresses a gasp when Sakura touches his arm. It hurts a little when she prods him with her fingers, but he doesn't complain. However, it hurts more to accept that Sakura has forgiven him. He wants to jerk away from her touch and tell her not to treat him so gently. He doesn't do that and diverts his mind to search for answers that trouble him — the definition of home, his loyalty to Konoha, and his bonds with Team 7. His wandering mind is dragged to the present moment when Sakura applies more pressure. It hurts more than before, but he doesn't flinch. Instead, he notes that he should thank Sakura before he leaves for his redemption journey tomorrow.

_

After taking a shower, Sakura settles with a cup of tea beside the window. She sips the jasmine tea and hears the sound of falling rain along with metallic sound coming from the room. Sasuke, on the other side of the room, is busy taking care of his chokuto. It has been months they've been married, but Sakura still blushes on the thought that they share a room together. Perhaps she won't ever stop feeling giddy around him, but the 19 years old Sakura knows Sasuke better than before. She knows some of his past, can tell when he is bothered although she doesn't always know the reason, and has seen the little upward tilt of his lips when he is happy. She steals a glance at Sasuke before closing her eyes, and a satisfied smile creeps on her face.

The summer rain had drenched them badly, and out of habit Sasuke settled on the floor after a shower to wipe off the water from his and Sakura's weapons. He almost smiles when Sakura fumbles with the tea pot and watches her as she settles beside the window. He sighs and wipes his chokuto. He is still amazed by how comfortable he is around Sakura. It's the same feeling he had when he was around oka-san, otou-san, and Itachi; he realizes. His fingers abruptly stop on the blade when he remembers something oka-san had said years before. He looks towards Sakura — eyes closed, smiling — and realizes a rented room to take shelter from rain can turn into home because Sakura is there with him.

_

Sakura is tired. The exhaustion from the hours of labor has seeped deep in her bones. She glances at the dark ceiling of the hideout and clutches the sheet closer to her body. She cranes her neck to see the little human she had given birth to, and she smiles softly. Sasuke is curled on the other side of bed, watching their newborn daughter with awe. She catches something in his eyes that she has never seen before, and she feels tears pooling in her eyes. Sakura has once accepted that she couldn’t give Sasuke what he had once lost, but little Sarada has proved her wrong.

Sasuke watches as Sarada scrunches her eyes and wiggles. Sasuke places his index finger on her little palm and starts counting her fingers. Although he stops when she hears Sakura giggling softly. “She is so small,” he tells her, and Sakura says, “She is only a day old.” He hums and though he doesn’t say it out loud, he thanks her as he stares into her green eyes. Sarada’s little adorable fingers wrap around his index finger, and he realizes that at 20 he has found what he lost at a tender age of 8.

_

Sasuke glances at the clock before he slips under the sheet beside Sakura. It's late, and he almost groans on the thought that he has to leave early in the morning for a mission without seeing his daughter. At the age of 33, he wonders sometimes if he has taken the right decision to spend his life out of the village, working from the shadows, protecting the village. He turns around to face Sakura's back and snuggle closer to her body. Sakura stirs in her sleep and sleepily murmurs, “Okaeri.”

“Aah, Tadaima.” He realizes this way he can always come back to Sakura — and come back to his home.

_

FFN | AO3

[cherrynojutsu]

Title: Years Past

Summary: Sakura haunts their small home in grief, feeling already a ghost even while surrounded with beautiful raven-haired children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As she sees each and every one of them over the months that follow, a select few stare back with her own eyes. Most of them are so like her husband's, though, luciform soot flecked with silver, and she feels so sorry when she looks too long and starts to cry. Romance, Character Death, Sad With a Happy Ending, Sakura POV.

Disclaimer: I did not write Naruto. This is a fan-made piece solely created for entertainment purposes.

Rating: T

A/N: A little late to this prompt, but better late than never, I suppose. This has been sitting in my drafts since June, but reading it made me emotional and I got distracted by writing things for Like Gold. I apologize for the tardiness!

Sasusaku Month 2021, Day 7 Prompt: Years Past @ssskmonth

AO3 Link - FF.net Link

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Sakura passes in her sleep, marcid and weary of a broken heart and missing mismatched eyes, at the age of eighty-two.

It is longer than most Shinobi make it by far, but she doesn't feel very grateful for it, in the last five excruciating months of her life.

Her husband hadn't made it to eighty-two; Sasuke-kun passed in December. It had been peaceful, all three of their children, most of their grandchildren, and even some great grandchildren, the ones not on missions outside of the village, at his bedside.

Sakura had been there, too, old and frail and holding his hand. She'd kissed him goodbye tearily, sensing it was almost time after decades of watching it happen to others inside secluded hospital walls. It had been in front of nearly all of their descendants, family the only thing helping to hold her together in his final moments.

He hadn't complained. He'd kissed her back, for everyone to see, and Sarada and the twins had started crying, then, squeezing their hands around those of their parents, because they knew it really was time.

He had thanked her, said her name one last time, all equanimity even then. Then, so softly, "I love you. I'll see you next time," before he went, bones settling wearily at long last.

There had been melancholy in his expression even in death, wrinkled skin turning glaucous and beginning to sag against old, hardened muscle.

Sasuke-kun was buried next to Itachi’s memorial. There is a plot he saved for her on his other side, his right arm, the hand she held so many times in life.

Sakura haunts their small home in grief, feeling already a ghost even while surrounded with beautiful raven-haired children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As she sees each and every one of them over the months that follow, a select few stare back with her own eyes. Most of them are so like her husband's, though, luciform soot flecked with silver, and she feels so sorry when she looks too long and starts to cry. Little Satoko, their newest great-grandchild all of eleven months old who she dotes on endlessly, reaches at her wrinkled cheeks to try to wipe them dry, babbling out a garbled version of "Oobasan, no cwy." He is talking earlier than most babies, stormy eyes eerily full of awareness and an endless lineage, just like Sarada at that age. Sakura laughs as she sobs, cradling him close to her heart, and looking out her window at their daughter's visage on the mountain. It is also Satoko's grandmother's image; it is hard to believe their sweet little baby is now old enough to be a grandmother. She remembers the first time Sarada had smiled at Sasuke-kun, the first time he held her at only an hour old, and he broke down sobbing.

She makes the trek to Sasuke-kun's grave every day for 138 days, each step an arduous agony, before stooping down to lay a fresh daffodil atop the soil where her husband's bones rest. She has also planted white lilies around his headstone, the same as those that surround Itachi's and the Uchiha Memorial Stone. Her children help her keep them watered as needed through a short spring drought; she is too old to carry a watering can now without spilling.

She misses him. It hurts worse than Sasori's poison or Madara stabbing her or giving birth or a giant shuriken nearly cleaving her in two.

There is joy to be found in the desolation, too, in her last few months of life. Their progenies throw her a birthday party like none other, and she eats her fill of cake while watching little hands eat some, too. Little Satoko dances, or moreso balters, with Sarada in time to a dramatic song he finds by pressing buttons on the radio; it is not a very appropriate tune for a dance with a toddler, all clumsy crescendo and orchestra, but amusing all the same. Sasuke-kun would have smiled, if he were there.

The white lilies bloom before her eyes one last time, resplendent and perfect. She gets to hear about Haruki making Chunin on the first try, every bit the pride of the Uchiha, reborn anew with Sharingan blazing. She even gets to see Akiko make Jonin in person, ambitious and ingenious with Sharingan and diamond seal on her forehead setting her apart from her adversaries in the arena.

But finally, at long last, it is her culminating day. 138 days doesn't seem like a long time to be without him, compared to the larger number of days he was absent in their youth, but she finds it is worse, following their life together.

She tells them all she loves them and falls asleep for the last time, watches their confluence of family say goodbye from above. Sarada and the twins cry the hardest, clinging to her body as her heart finally pumps for the last time. Satoko is too young to understand, but he pats at her, too, in a sea of dark-haired descendants that she knows will continue to bring honor back to a clan revived at the brink of death. She takes in each and every one of their beautiful faces one last time, faces so similar to Sasuke-kun's; not a single one of them has her nose.

It is a legacy of love they have created, exactly the dream they started willing into color the day they discovered they had made Sarada together.

Then, she is on a dock that has slightly singed edges, looking over a small, familiar pond.

It is a spring evening, the sun just falling beneath the horizon and cherry blossoms abloom, and she thinks that is strange, because it is June and Hanami has already passed them by. Satoko had been so cute in his new outfit; she had made it herself, not much else to do in their empty house filled with aching memories. The tiny uchiwa on the back of his collar was sewn with the utmost care, the kind that came from decades of practice.

Crickets chirp, cicadas buzz, and there are a few fireflies leaking out of the greenery, soft light reflectant in the stillness of the water. It is serene. She had sat on this dock many times with her husband, when he was alive, on his right side so she could hold his hand. He told her she was beautiful during Hanami here, every year. She shifts to begin the process of sitting down, planning on leaving the space he'd taken up in life empty for him, in case his ghost is around. She has felt it, sometimes, tugging at her own spirit; she leaves his side of the bed empty every night, trying to will him back to her.

As Sakura shifts, she looks down, and she is startled to see pink hair instead of white, and no wrinkles. She crouches to analyze herself more closely in water still as glass, and there are no creaking old bones. She is young again, somehow.

She is overjoyed; she will be able to water the white lilies herself again. She can even dance with little Satoko now.

Light footsteps sound behind her, and just as she stands and turns, she is being swept into an unfamiliar yet comforting pair of arms. A woman with long inky hair, black as night, is hugging her tight.

"Thank you for loving my son," she breathes immediately, and Sakura starts crying, because she somehow knew who it was before she even said anything, without even seeing her face. When her eyes focus blearily through tears over Mikoto Uchiha's shoulder, Sasuke-kun's brother is walking up not far behind her.

Itachi Uchiha is smiling at her like she's done something wonderful, like he has been waiting for years to meet her. He is younger, healthier here, flecks of silver dancing in eyes just like her husband's, just like their childrens'. There's an impossible ache in her chest.

He waits patiently for his mother to pull back. When she finally does, Sakura looks into her eyes, and Mikoto is smiling at her so big, like she hung the moon in the sky, beginning to peek out from behind clouds above them.

"I have waited so long to meet you," she says, eyes shining, and her eyes are like Sasuke-kun's, too. "You are so beautiful."

Then Itachi is embracing her, and Sakura cries harder, because his arms feel almost like Sasuke-kun's arm had felt, slipping around her for sixty-one years of marriage, the same height and strong.

"I have waited, too. It's an honor. Thank you, for everything," Itachi says as she sobs.

"They are so beautiful, too, Sakura," Mikoto adds softly, hand at her shoulder, and she knows she means their children, Mikoto's grandchildren that she hasn't gotten to hold yet, Sarada and the twins and their children and all the others. Little Satoko had made twenty-seven blood relatives; including spouses who married into the clan, the number was thirty-eight, and there were two more babies on the way, yet.

Itachi lets her go, smile tender when he pulls away. He directs his gaze momentarily to the path leading up the hill, as if he's looking for someone.

She follows his gaze; Fugaku Uchiha is coming over the top, all stoicism even as a spirit. He stops momentarily and gives her a nod of recognition, not breaking eye contact for a long time.

Then, he glances back over his shoulder, tilts his head as if telling someone to follow him down the hill, and Sakura is running, though she hasn't been able to for years.

Sasuke-kun is all of twenty again, young and strong, too handsome for his own good and every bit the sweet but stoic man she fell in love and grew old with. He's smiling at her, just for her, and she's in his arms - he has both, here - in the blink of mismatched, teary eyes.

His arms feel like home, two spirits together in permanence at long last. It is the same feeling as the little piece of heaven they touched together whenever they made love, souls intertwining, but this time for good. She has missed him. Oh, she has missed him.

"...I told you I'd see you next time," he murmurs against her hair.

[pinkhairedlily]

Betting over the years

Prompt: Years past | AO3 link here. Connect with me on Twitter. Happy SS Month everyone! 🌸🍅🥗 @ssskmonth

“She’s bringing who?” Shisui’s voice rises an octave higher.

“Is it gonna be the annoying orange, the pansexual, or the Sasuke version 102?” Obito also quips.

“Whoever it is, they can spare time for a quick test, right?” Itachi removes his anbu jacket and displays a myriad of tools on the dining table. Izumi, his wife of more than 10 years, giggles beside him and adds her dagger to the mix.

Sakura sighs at this jock of overprotective Uchihas. “She’s bringing Chouchou.”

“And Chouchou is?” Fugaku raises a brow.

“A girl and a classmate so please stop overthinking,” Sasuke says from on the other end of the room. His exasperated voice pulls in Sakura into his space, and she immediately wraps her arms around his waist.

“No need to worry, dear. We all know we’re not the ones Sarada’s friend is gonna be afraid of.” Mikoto appears from the kitchen and carries a freshly baked pie from the kitchen. “Pie, anyone?”

-----------------

It’s a one of a kind family gathering, considering there is no special holiday preceding it. Present on the very long Uchiha dinner table are Shisui, Obito, Rin, Itachi, Izumi, Fugaku, Mikoto, Sasuke, Sakura, and her overbearing parents – Kizashi and Mebuki. Overbearing is an understatement and overprotective might not cover it. Kizashi was supposed to sit on the other end of the table, facing Fugaku, but he and his wife insisted to be seated in front of Sarada and her first visitor to the Uchiha family compound. The tension rose too high when the two kids finally entered the room, greeting everyone a good evening and bowing to the elders.

Sakura immediately flashes her parents a firm gaze, but they are both looking away from her and eyeing Chouchou up and down.

“Grandpa Kizashi! Grandma Mebuki!” Sarada sees them less compared to Fugaku and MIkoto as they are living outside the nin districts. The two offer her quick, warm hugs and kisses on top of her head.

“See me later for your gift, okay?” Mebuki tells her.

Sarada nods happily then pulls Chouchou to her side. “This is Akimichi Chouchou. She’s my best friend at the academy. She’s very good with lightning release.”

“Oh, hi Chouchou. Nice to meet you.” Similar words of welcome ring throughout the table, even Fugaku smiles towards her way. Kizashi and Mebuki, however, are mum tight.

“Chouchou, right?” Kizashi starts. Sasuke sighs loudly and hides his face on his hand. “Do you like our Sarada?”

Shisui almost gags out the water he is drinking. “Dinner hasn’t even started yet,” he whispers to Obito who picks on his napkin just to avoid the interaction.

“Like? Yes, I love my best friend, Sir,” Chouchou gleefully replies, and Sakura shrinks lower to her seat.

Before Mebuki could further grill her, Mikoto interjects, “Dinner! I made my special miso soup for our cute visitor today.”

There is a collective release of held breaths across the table, and Chouchou raises her brow to Sarada who gives a shrug in return. The dinner course starts off smoothly regardless of the awkward introductions earlier. Ever the duo, Obito and Shisui overtake the spotlight as they continuously bicker over the little things – like who gets the last slice of okonomiyaki or the last topping for the sushi. Sakura’s parents give her a reassuring look while they go through the appetizers and main course dishes, but manju and tea allowed room for discussion.

“So….who do you like Sarada?” Mebuki asks as she takes a bite from her bun.

Sarada shakes her head rather vigorously. “Huh, me? No one.”

“Oh I know who she likes!” Chouchou says beside her friend. The rest of the heads turn her way.

“Chouchou! I said, no one!” Sarada says through gritted teeth.

“Again, is it the annoying orange, the pansexual, or the Sasuke version 102?” Shisui stands up in anticipation and goes over to their side to better hear the reply.

Sarada slumps in defeat as Chouchou nudges her shoulder. “Well, the annoying orange and you did have a lot of history.”

“Pay up.” Itachi tells his wife with his palm open and Izumi dejectedly fishes out a bill from her breast pocket.

“I was rooting for Mitsuki. They also did have a lot of history,” Izumi pouts in return. Seemingly taken aback by her gesture, Itachi lands a soft kiss on her cheek. “Stop whining, love.”

“You spied on them, didn’t you?” Rin says in between her chuckles.

“Why are you two betting on my daughter?” Sasuke asks incredulously.

“Oh don’t feel so special, cousin. We betted on you, too.” Obito tells him. Upon hearing this, Shisui runs back to his seat and smacks his cousin on the back. “He’s not supposed to know this, Obi-idiot.”

“Bet?” Sakura asks, her curiosity rising.

“Well, Sakura dear, there were several bets,” Rin supplies. “Should I tell her?”

“Please do tell!” Chouchou and Sarada reply in unison. Kizashi and Mebuki do not mind the change in discussion either.

“Oh my god, Rin, not you too! And here I am thinking I’m the one who cannot keep a secret,” Shisui ruffles his own hair in frustration but immediately turns back on his own statement. “The first one was whether you’ll give her the chocolates Aunt Mikoto baked after you graduated from the academy.”

“It was you?” Sakura’s eyes widened incredulously at this new information. “You said it was Lee!”

“The second was if he can ask you out on a date within thirty minutes,” Obito recalls. “I remember sitting with Rin on top of a tree and almost sleeping because, damn, it took him an hour.”

“Not including the time he had to convince subtlyNaruto and Kakashi to leave them alone.” Rin laughs at the memory.

“The third one was whether you’ll be asking your mother for the family engagement ring or opt like your brother to buy a new one,” Fugaku says as he finishes sipping his tea.

“I think that’s all…at least all that are child-friendly,“ Izumi starts but Itachi thankfully covers her mouth with his hand

“The fourth was when we betted over Sakura’s first boyfriend….and whether he would stay the night,” Kizashi contributes to the history as well.

“Oh my god, please stop Dad!” Sakura yells. “Sarada, cover your ears! You too, Chouchou.”

“I still remember slipping Sakura some protection in her drawer,” Mebuki smiles fondly at her husband. “It was your idea after all.”

“Can hardly sleep throughout the night. The creaks were too loud.”

A collective groan passes through the table.

-----------------

“Your family is....contrary to what I’ve heard. Dr. Uchiha’s father is really scary compared to Sir Sasuke’s,” Chouchou trails off the events of the night. “But they’re quite fun.”

“You have a weird definition of fun, Chouchou,” Sarada tells her. “They are really overprotective though.”

Chouchou snickers. “It’s a good thing then that I didn’t tell them you like all three.”

“Chouchou!”

Serving you Uchiha and Haruno family dinner in a non-massacre AU! This was originally intended to be a snippet, but it got longer as I trudged through it….so please enjoy! Song while I was writing: Scenarioart’s Sayonara Moon Town: Youtube | Spotify

[kishillaa]

SSM21 Day 7: Years Past

Sasuke smiles as he watched two almost identical boys insulting at each other while one of them gurgling with laughter, running away for escape.

"Satoru!" He heard his wife's voice shouted from the direction of their kitchen calling for their youngest son. "Stop mocking your brother."

Her footstep falls beside him attracting his attention to look up at her, "Sasuke-kun," She stressed out, eyes zeroed on his, "Can you please not encourage them further?"

He returned his gaze to their 6 year olds. Satoshi, the eldest is pointing his finger at Satoru saying something that makes his brother's eyes glinting teasingly at him. "They're fine."

Sakura let out an exasperated sigh as she lowered herself down to sit beside him, "You pamper them too much, Anata."

"Ah." Was his only response, before they were distracted by the running Uchiha twins.

"Kaa-san! Tou-san!" Onyx eyes, raven haired Satoru shouted as he giggles trying to quicken his pace, avoiding his elder brother from reaching him.

"Satoshi-nii likes Akane-chan!" He continues, almost tripping on his own leg before shot up to jump on Sasuke's lap, making him startled at the sudden action, and quickly wrapped his lone hand around Satoru. The boy laughed loudly and hide onto Sasuke's chest.

Green eyes, equally raven haired Satoshi glares at his twin, "Shut up! Why would I like someone so annoying." his head was thrown to the side as he closes his eyes, hands folded over his chest.

Blinking her eyes a few times, Sakura chuckles lightly at her children while her eyes flicker to her husband for a moment, "Funny, Satoshi-chan. You're so like your Tou-san."

She pulls the little boy closer and peck on his cheek, to which Satoshi–much like his father–wipe it away, embarrassed but comply to sit on her lap.

While pecking a light kiss on Satoru's temple who is still hiding in Sasuke's embrace, she runs her finger along Satoshi's hair before she continues, "He found me annoying when we were younger too."

Satoru gasped loudly and turn to look at their father, "Why would you say that to Kaa-san, Tou-san?" His eyes were filled with accusations as he said that, pointing his cute little finger at him. Sasuke didn't look offended though, rather amused by his youngest born.

Sakura lightly slap Satoru's hand, "No pointing, remember? It's not good."

He pouted, "But Satoshi-nii do it all the time."

"I've noticed." Sakura said, taking her gaze to look down at the other boy, "You shouldn't do that, Satoshi-chan, even if only to your own little brother."

Satoshi crossed his hands over his chest again as he huffed and making a 'tch' sound. Very much like his father.

Witnessing all of that using his own eyes, Sasuke can't help but soften as his lips stretched into a faint content smile. His embrace on Satoru tighten, as he place his chin on top of his head.

"I'm home." A feminine voice of their first born ringing through the house, startling both her younger brothers who quickly move out of their parents lap and race to meet their sister, each of them shouting their own version of welcome home.

"Nee-san, you promised to teach us shuriken jutsu today!" Satoru was first to voice out his thought followed by Satoshi's.

"Alright, alright. Geez, can't your sister rest a while?" Sarada said. Her voice however sounded fond as she spoke.

Sakura's chuckles makes Sasuke turn to look at her, he smiles before slowly move closer.

"You're teaching me first!" Satoshi said, grabbing his own set of weapon and run off to their backyard where Sasuke had set up as their little training ground, fully complete with targets at every angle and a few dummies for their kids to play–train, as said the twins–with.

Together, Sasuke and Sakura stand on their foot following their kids, with their hands intertwined with each others as Sakura leans onto Sasuke.

"I'm so happy," Sakura murmurs, her head resting on Sasuke's shoulder while watching Satoshi and Satoru aiming on their target at the same time trying as hard as they could to follow Sarada's instructions.

"Me too."

Sakura's smile was wide when Sasuke glance at her.

"I wouldn't trade anything for this moment."

"Ahh," Sasuke responded, pulling their joint hands up to kiss his wife's hand. "Me too."

The two of them has been through a lot over the past years. He knows he and Sakura at least deserve this precious moment, with their precious children in their precious home well built–and not collapse. They deserve each other, to make out of all the wrongs he had done in the past, all the waiting Sakura had to endure. This is his family, a small happy family, one thing that he never thought he is capable to call his again.