#that would never happen!!! he's just chilling on vacation with ash in the later games!!!!!

[silverselfshippingchaos]

FINISHED Y.AKUZA 3 BABYYYY! this shot kind of broke me ngl ajsjajsj the look in his eyes is just so....

(spoilers in the tags)

[uh-velkommen]

The White Lotus, HBOMax

Alright four episodes in and things are finally starting to ramp up. My face throughout the whole episode was stuck on discomfort. This show packs so much tension in every 45 minutes that I'm constantly waiting for somebody to pop off or something crazy to happen but instead we get teased with the smallest little plot pusher. Which is working. I'm officially intrigued. I do wish I knew the overall point of the show because that's what would've helped me decide if I wanted to keep up with but now my determination to find out how this all ends is doing just that...

Character breakdown + Spoilers/Predictions

Armond: The manager of the White Lotus resort. I love him in all his poor choices. He's just constant chaos simply because he has the power to create it. He's also the biggest driver of drama. He lies a lot, almost pathologically, and he will carry those lies to the grave for no real reason.

Nicole Mossbacher: Resort guest, Mark's wife, and Olivia and Quinn's mom. She's a pretty basic character who is teased about possibly having OCD and working during vacation. She was pretty chill in the first 2 episodes but every once in a while she says things that gives off I'm a centrist but my views lean a little more conservative.

Mark Mossbacher: In the beginning he's stressing about possibly having testicular cancer because his father died of cancer... Turns out his father had AIDs. He has a depressive episode over his dad being gay and then, while drunk, he inadvertently comes onto the Armond. The next day Armond tests the waters with Sober Mark and we get uncomfortably funny scenes of Armond coming onto Mark in front of the whole family. Mark's a very passive dude who doesn't do anything exciting in the show but we just find out that he has, in the past, repeatedly cheated on his wife and didn't tell her (he told his son that he did tell Nicole but I don't believe it) I think his theme is just being genuinely unhappy with his life at the moment.

Olivia Mossbacher: She's a college sophmore and has many moments where she calls out her parents questionable statements. She carries herself with a weird nonchalance where you'd think she's a mean girl but she's only ever expectedly mean to her brother. However, she brought along her friend Paula and we start to see that their friendship is built on some unspoken competition. The girls do tons of drugs on vacay until Armond gets his hands on them and breaks his 5 year sobriety. This is when and why shit starts to hit the fan. They know he stole the drugs but because everyone avoids admitting to having illegal drugs, no one is ever outright accused.

Paula: Olivia's poc friend, possible hypochondriac, and supplier of drugs, has secret rendezvous with one of the Hawaiian native resort workers. She refuses to say anything when asked about her nightly disappearances but Olivia knows why or for whom Paula keeps sneaking off. We learn that Paula doesn't want Olivia to know about her and her beau because Olivia always wants what she has. My theory is that this wouldn't be the first time Olivia has stolen a partner of hers and I think now because Paula isn't admitting to hooking up with this guy, Olivia is gonna steal him and use Paula's secrecy as a way of blame.

Quinn Mossbacher: Involuntary loner in my opinion. He comes off as a classic video game nerd, obsessed with the internet, cant live without his Switch and Fortnite. He doesn't have any friends and he takes all the teasing from Olivia and Paula without a fuss. But he starts sleeping on the beach alone and keeps running into these amazing sights to see. This is where we start to see him blossom and speak up. Its ever so slow but in episode 4 he actually walks up to a group of guys and introduces himself, interested in their boat related sport[?] (Or maybe even the guys themselves🤞) He's also the only one who knows about the Dad's affair and stupidly hints at it at the family dinner (he's just genuinely stupid).

Shane Patton: Also a resort guest and the funniest character to me. He's your run of the mill self-centered male Karen (Kevin if you will) and he arrives at the resort with his wife Rachel. They're on their honeymoon but so many moments make you question why in the hell did these two get married? He is in an unnecessarily one sided battle with Armond. First the resort accidentally downgrades his room. Armond gaslights Shane into thinking that he never purchased the bigger room. Shane gets a receipt. Armond tells him there's a German couple staying in the receipted room longer than Shane and his wife are there so the room will not be ready for them in time. Shane finds out the Germans are actually leaving wayy earlier. Armond apologizes and books them a romantic sunset dinner on a boat. The boat is actually a funeral where a strange grieving woman, named Tanya, fails to spread her mothers ashes in the sea. Shane confronts Armond and asks for Corperate's number. Armond creates a fake business card and when Shane realizes the number is fake, he bursts into Armond's office to find him rimming a coworker while high on Ketamine. Prediction: Armond's gonna get blackmailed for abuse of power in a classic Monicagate manner.

Rachel: Shane's wife. Rachel's a journalist who actually looked up to Nicole (her job as CEO of god knows what puts her in the public eye) but when she finally got to sit with Nicole over lunch, Nicole calls her out for writing an incredibly slut shamey article, claiming that Nicole used her femininity to get her where she is now. This is the first smack in the face that maybe journalism isn't for Rachel. Well that on top of the constant teasing from Shane about her career choices. Shane's family is much more wealthy than Rachel's and he always finds subtle ways to make it known. Shane also pays her no mind, flirting with Olivia and Paula and battling Armond. Even during their arguments (which happens too many times for newlyweds) Shane doesn't look at Rachel and just gives periodic "mhmm"s and "okay"s. Also Rachel hates the Mossbacher family simply because they all seem to be doing better than her.

Now for the boring ones

Tanya McQuoid: An eccentric resort guest (which is a polite way of saying, a weird ass person who is over polite and basically pushes herself into every other character's drama in the most unintentional way, she's also bad at reading the room) She comes off as calm and quiet but we find out that her mother recently passed and she's in Hawaii to spread her mothers ashes. She becomes creepily obsessed with the resort's massage parlor manager, Belinda, after a complimentary massage and suggests becoming a beneficiary so Belinda can open up her own massage parlor. Her "obsession" could possibly just stem from Belinda showing her an act of kindness during a hard time but I know I questioned Tanya's intentions for at least the first two episodes... In episode 4, some random dude, Greg, shows up and invites Tanya to dinner after "accidentally" mistaking her room door for his own. Tanya postpones a business meeting with Belinda so she and Greg can hook up that night. The presence of these characters feel a little out of place. Unlike the Newly Weds and the Mossbacher family, there is not a lot of plot overlap. Tanya will often pop up to converse with the others and brag about Balinda's skills but she doesn't cause any trouble. Tanya's also very wealthy so I definitely thing this "Greg" has some secret plot to take down Tanya or plant something or steal her cash and unfortunately I do not think Belinda will see anything bright in her future. Her plans will be left on the backburner which I say is unfortunate because she's a kind woc who is just trying to do her job and is clearly very skeptical about going into business with this strange, rich white, resort guest.

Honorable Mention

Lani: A Hawaiian native, trainee at the White Lotus. She shows up in episode one as her first day on the job. Later we find out she's also pregnant and goes into a premature labor on the job. She has her baby and disappears for the next three episode. Come back Lani, Armond has just started getting your name right!

Show Themes

The show does touch on conversations of race and class but I would not consider this a political show or one with an agenda (it's satire). I point out the characters of color here because their race becomes a device used to create tension but not in a Token POC kind of way. All the characters are rich and they are shamed for it by the show writers. By this I mean nobody is spitting in their faces and calling them Climate Killers but the choices the characters make, the things they say, and the way they act gives the viewer something to laugh at. Their ignorant entitlement juxtaposing with the beautiful Hawaiian beaches and tragic Hawaiian history creates an underlying experience of, look at these rich people not having a good time and they can't even realize why! As for the characters, there is plenty of time to sit back and question, is this character a good person, who's the real antagonist, how do these stories intertwine, who do we root for What story is attempting to be told here? What is the message!?

[saccharii]

Todofam Month, Day 19: Power

Those With Power, Those Without

AO3 Link

Todofam Month master post

@todofammonth

Notes: This fic is based off of the bnha/atla fusion fic: i will read ashes for you, if you ask me by @wellthengetouttathesoupaisle It won’t make much sense if you haven’t read it.

The very air of the training yard wavers in the heat.

“You will be the Avatar—the most powerful bender in the world,” Father says.

The heat he radiates bears down on Fuyumi, and she struggles not to squirm away. Father hates it when she squirms.

“You will be the Avatar,” he continues, “and you will win this war and bring me glory.”

His eyes are bright, filled with an emotion Fuyumi doesn’t understand. She stares down at her hands to avoid meeting his gaze. Her palms still sting from when the flame flowed out of her.

She wishes Touya was here. Everything is easier when he is with her. But Father sent him away and told her that he wouldn’t be training with them anymore. Fuyumi wants him to come back, but she doesn’t protest. Father never listens.

“He’s so little!” Fuyumi exclaims as she stares into her baby brother’s unfocused grey eyes.

Natsuo wiggles and fusses in Mother’s arms. She hushes him, murmuring soothing sounds, and gently bounces him. 

“Not so loud, Fuyumi,” she says mildly. “You were this little when you were born, too.”

Fuyumi shrinks back a little. “Sorry,” she mumbles.

Touya nods seriously. “You were tiny when you were born, I remember.”

Mother lets out a small huff of laughter and smiles at her oldest. “Yes, Touya was just a bit younger than you are now when you were born. You are going to be Natsuo’s big sister, just like Touya is your big brother.”

“I’m still the biggest,” Touya says.

Fuyumi straightens. She’s going to be a good big sister and take care of Natsuo, just like Touya takes care of her. She remembers the time they went frog catching. Fuyumi couldn’t catch any, but Touya gave her the biggest frog he caught. She carried it proudly around with her in her bucket until they released their catch back into the wetlands at the end of the day.

“I will give you the biggest frog,” she tells Natsuo solemnly.

Mother bursts into laughter, jostling the baby in her arms. Natsuo cries, and she attempts to soothe him through her peals of laughter. 

Touya scrunches up his face and stares at her. “Why would you give a baby a frog?”

“Not any frog! The biggest frog!”

“It’s a frog! It’d pee on him!”

Mother laughs even harder, gasping for breath, and covers her mouth with her hand. Natsuo wails, his face red, and kicks with his weak little baby legs.

Fuyumi gently strokes the top of her little brother’s head. “It’s okay Nacchan, Mommy is just happy.”

Mother takes a couple of deep breaths in an effort to control herself, then smiles at Fuyumi. “You’re already a good big sister.”

Fuyumi ducks her head to hide her smile.

Fuyumi bolts down the hall as soon as her father excuses her from training. The tears build, and when she collapses against a pillar they spill out. She opens her hands and winces at the sight of her palms. The skin is bubbling and red, and the slightest movement sends daggers of pain through her hands. They throbs.

“Fuyumi... what’s wrong?”

Her breath catches and her head snaps up, but it’s only Touya. He slowly kneels down beside her and gently takes her hands in his.

“Hurts,” is all Fuyumi can say between sobs.

Touya lets go of her hands and clenches his own into fists, pressing his lips together in a thin line.

“Your brother is weak,” Father says later, after he is done with Touya. “He will only drag you down. Those without power should never meddle in the affairs of those with it.”

Fuyumi keeps her head bowed, her eyes locked on the spot of drying blood on the ground.

Touya’s not weak, she doesn’t say. Touya is brave and kind and gives good hugs. He always catches the most frogs, and when Lady Mitsuki’s puppy fell into the river he jumped in after it and saved it.

Touya’s the only one who’s ever stood between her and Father, even though he gets hurt every time. He’s the bravest person she knows, and she wants to be just like him when she’s older.

Laughter bubbles up in Fuyumi’s throat as she runs down the halls of their vacation house, her bare feet slapping against the wood. Instinct screams at her to be quiet, to slow down to a dignified walk, but she overrides it. Father’s not here. 

He left to oversee the colonies, and within the day Mother whisked the children away to the family vacation house on Ember Island.

She throws open the sliding door leading to her mother’s room and takes a deep breath of the salty air that permeates the entirety of the island.

“Mother!” she calls. “Wake up! It’s time for breakfast!”

“I’m awake. Just a moment.”

Mother walks out from behind a screen, pinning her hair back, dressed in a casual but elegant robe. She looks relaxed and happy, more so than Fuyumi has ever seen her.

The day passes in stretches of tranquility punctuated by bouts of frantic activity between the siblings. Fuyumi dumps a bucket of water on an unsuspecting Touya’s head, and he jumps to his feet with a shout and chases her around the beach. They take turns burying each other in the sand. They dig straight down and bury Shouto up to his waist.

“Look, Mother! Shouto’s a carrot!” Natsuo calls.

“I’m carrot,” Shouto says solemnly, and pats the mound of sand in front of him.

Mother smiles and laughs.

They splash in the water and play volleyball, (recruiting Mother to Natsuo’s team after he whines about Fuyumi and Touya ganging up on him) and catch frogs in the nearby pond.

Touya’s still as good as Fuyumi remembers. He crouches in the muddy water and the frogs practically crawl into his hands. Even Natsuo is better at catching frogs than Fuyumi is, and that’s just not fair.

Shouto toddles into the water, scaring away all the frogs. He pouts, but manages to find a snail and promptly tries to eat it. Fuyumi has to pry it out of his hand.

Even the two hours set aside for firebending training in the afternoon (a pre-emptive compromise, Mother knows what would happen if Father found out she let Fuyumi’s training slip) can’t bring Fuyumi’s good mood down. With Touya by her side it feels more like play. She knows that she used to train alongside Touya when she was little, but those memories have been overwritten by years of harsh one-on-one training with Father.

Natsuo and Shouto demand to join, despite the fact that Natsuo is a non bender and Shouto is too young, and soon it’s a game between the four. The royal firebending tutor is strict but kind, much to Fuyumi’s surprise. He patiently humors her younger brothers and lets her instruct them, saying that teaching others is a good way to learn yourself.

She corrects Natsuo’s technique on one of the starting katas. He may not be a bender, but what harm could running through a few forms do? (Father would call it a waste of time, but Father is not here.)

The day bleeds into night. Shouto and Natsuo chase fireflies without much success while Fuyumi stays curled up next to the fire. Several fireflies land in Touya’s hair and show no signs of moving, much to his younger brothers’ jealousy. 

They light sparklers, watch fireworks, and eat cinnamon candy until they all collapse in an exhausted heap on Mother.

“Mother?”

“Hmm?”

“Can we come back again next year?” The sand clings to Fuyumi’s candy-sticky fingers, but she’s too tired to get up and wash them off. Instead she stays slumped against her mother in a manner not befitting a princess of the Fire Nation. 

Mother is silent for a long moment. “Yes. I think I can manage that.”

Fuyumi smiles and nestles closer.

Six months later everything falls apart and their family is never the same again.

Fuyumi’s with the royal firebending tutor when the screaming starts. 

The sound cuts through the winter air, inhuman and bone-chilling. Fuyumi doesn’t recognize it at first. She’s heard screams and wails and other sounds of misery, but nothing like this.

The royal tutor goes ghost white. He tells her to stay behind and runs off. She remains in the courtyard for an hour before someone comes to get her.

“What happened?” she asks, but no one gives her a straight answer. 

The servants rush around, faces pale with shock and fear. She can only catch snatches of furtive whispers, enough to learn that something happened to Touya.

They take her to Mother, who sweeps her up into her arms and cries into her hair. 

She tells Fuyumi what happened. She tells her that Touya tried to get between Father and Shouto, that Father ‘taught him a lesson,’ that he was burned, that Shouto saw the whole thing.

Fuyumi stands there, face slack, body numb. To hear that Touya stood between Father and Shouto is no surprise, but this... but this...

No one will let her see Touya. Days pass, and she learns nothing new. Then the whispers start. Infection has set in and no one knows if he will survive. The servants gather in hushed circles, fretfully speculating what would happen if the crown prince died. What would be the fallout for the heir to be killed by his own father’s hand? The Firelord’s hand? Would the Firelord face any consequences at all?

Fuyumi’s mind is a vortex—thoughts swirl and crash into each other in an incomprehensible cacophony. She absently picks at her sleeves until the fabric comes undone, she barely eats, during training she stops without warning. If Father saw her he would be furious, but all of his attention is on Shouto now. Shouto, who saw the entire thing.

When she asks Mother what is going to happen, Mother just shakes her head and says nothing.

Eventually, one day, when no one is watching, she sneaks into Touya’s room.

The harsh and pungent smell of herbs and burn salve stings her nose. Touya sits in his bed, propped up by an array of pillows. He faces away from her, staring out the window. White bandages wrap around his arms and neck and face, leaving little skin exposed.

When she enters the room, he turns toward her and regards her with dead eyes. He says nothing. Emotion swells in her chest and throat, threatening to choke her, and she flees.

(She doesn’t see him again—not for a long time.)

“He’s gone. Concern yourself with him no longer.”

The room swims before Fuyumi and she sways on her feet. She tries to speak, to ask ‘when?’ and ‘why?’ but nothing comes out. Perhaps it is for the better.

Father glances at her with a critical look in his eye, then dismisses her with a flick of his fingers.

Fuyumi runs. She stumbles down the halls, barely avoiding servants and courtiers. She doesn’t know where she’s going and she doesn’t care.

Without her realizing it, her feet lead her to her bedroom. She throws herself on her lavish bed. She doesn’t know how long she lies there, sobbing in the silent room; no one comes for her. Eventually, a servant slips in and quietly leaves a tray of food on the table, then slips back out without a word. Fuyumi doesn’t care. Her stomach is too twisted to eat. 

He can’t be gone. It’s impossible. Touya has been a part of her life since she was born. How can she face the world without him here? How can she face Father?

Fuyumi screams into her pillow and beats her fists against the mattress. How could Touya do this to her? She needs him—they all need him! She hates him. Hates, hates, hates, hates him.

An overwhelming desire to destroy something comes over her. She jerks up and hurls her pillow across the room. It’s not enough. She throws herself to her feet and claws at her hair. She sweeps her arms across the nightstand next to her bed, sending the pitcher crashing to the ground and shattering it. It’s still not enough.

She paces the room like a wild animal, throwing whatever she comes across haphazardly across the room. Chairs clatter to the ground. Her jewelry box breaks open against the wall, sending necklaces and bejeweled hair combs scattering; she shoves an intricate vase over, cracking it down the middle, and kicks her dresser, hurting her foot in the process.

She limps back to her bed and falls backwards, drained and numb. She stares blankly at the ceiling, void of emotion. After a long while, she falls asleep.

The next few days are brutal. Rage rises up out of nowhere to choke her and make her head reel. The littlest things set her off. When her writing tutor comes she upends her inkpot onto the paper. She throws her brush at the governess. She knocks her tray of food to the ground and snottily demands something else. The servants take it with grace, and that only makes her angrier.

She hates and she hates and she hates. She hates Touya for leaving, she hates Father for hurting him and driving him away, she hates herself for being unable to stop it. She’s supposed to be the one with power, isn’t she? If she’s so powerful, why can’t she protect anybody?

On the third day Mother visits her in her room. She doesn’t even get to open her mouth before Fuyumi starts screaming at her. She screams about how it’s her fault, how she never really loved Touya anyway, how she never loved any of them. She screams at her to get out, and Mother leaves without a word, her head bowed.

Nobody bothers her after that. Trays of food appear in her room, and the devastation she leaves in her wake is cleaned up by people unseen.

After a few more restless days in her room, she can no longer stand being inside. Her feet lead her to the nearly empty private courtyard. The only other person there is Natsuo, who kicks a ball around in the corner, eyeing her warily. (How? How can he act like everything is normal? Like everything is okay?)

She scowls at the turtle ducks playing in the pond. A perfect little family with no concerns and no troubles. Petulantly, she kicks a rock, and it strikes one of the ducklings. Guilt and vicious satisfaction rush through her in equal measure.

“Hey!” Natsuo clenches his fists by his side and glares at her, his posture rigid, and, oh, he looks like Touya. “What’s wrong with you? Just because you’re upset doesn’t mean you can do stuff like that. We all miss Touya, too. It’s not just you!”

A scorching, blinding wave washes over Fuyumi. She knows she doesn’t mean it before she opens her mouth, she knows she’ll regret it, but she says it anyway.

“Shut up,” she hisses. “I wish Father burned you instead.”

Natsuo physically recoils. Tears fill his eyes, and his whole body shakes. 

The anger immediately drains out of Fuyumi. She reaches out her hand, but Natsuo turns and flees. 

She slinks back to her room, her stomach twisting with guilt. Not even ten minutes later, Mother storms into the room, her eyes flashing with fury.

“This ends now,” she says coldly. “Your behavior will no longer be tolerated. What you said to your brother was unacceptable, and once he calms down you will apologize and you will make it up to him. Do you understand me?”

Fuyumi nods, tears collecting in her eyes.

“Good. From now on you will be accompanied at all times. There will not be a repeat of this behavior. If you step out of line, even a little, there will be consequences.”

Mother sweeps out of the room, and Fuyumi covers her face in shame.

A blue light pierces the sky. Father’s fury is so great it shakes the very walls of the palace. Shouto runs and hides, but Father does not notice. Shouto is not the Avatar.

Father paces the throne room, his fire lashing out of control. Fuyumi bows before him, trembling.

“How dare he!” he roars. “All this time he was pretending to be weak. He knew he was the Avatar and he hid it from me.”

His eyes land on Fuyumi. “Bring him back to me. I am the Fire Lord and he is my subject. He owes me his obedience.”

Fuyumi bows lower, her hair hiding her face. Touya was not pretending, she knows that. He’d never hold back if it meant protecting his siblings. He’s always been the strongest in that way. But Fuyumi has grown strong, too. Strong enough to defy Father. 

She’ll bring her brother back, but not to their father. She’ll bring him back to the rest of their family, and together they will tear the Fire Lord down.

[thefangirlslair]

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME (A Sasusaku One-Shot Fanfiction) x Finally Home Part III

Note: This is the third and final part of my interrelated stand-alone fics. Finally!! Thank you to all who read them and left comments and likes! You can consider this as a peace offering to all who got angsty with Perpetual Winter (which I’m still deciding whether to leave it as is or write a sequel for more angst or make it  a 3-part stand-alone like this. please help!!!!) this is fluffy with slight lemon coz I love Sasusaku so much and it’s such a nice combo! As always, like and comment please. Thank you for reading and enjoy! Xoxo

PS. You can read the first two parts and the special chapter before you read this in the order below. 7 Seconds is set as Sasuke’s dream at the beginning of this. Thanks again!!

MTW | NAN | 7S

--

Excerpt: And even when their ashes scatter in the wind 50 years from now, he knows he will love her in the next life. It will always be Haruno Sakura for Uchiha Sasuke. And in return, he will always be hers.

-

Sasusaku Pairing (6,969 words)

A Poor Attempt at Writing Fics

SasuSaku Edition III

Feels Like the First Time

  Sasuke immediately opened his eyes once he felt a chakra inside their house. He was having a dream about his first kiss with Sakura. He's gonna kill Naruto for interrupting him.

 But I wonder why I dreamt of that memory.

He decided to take a nap after Sakura went to work. He felt so tired after their almost-chakra-exhausting shennanigans inside the shower. He can spend the whole day fighting and kicking ass without ever tripping, but having mind-blowing shower sex with his wife can really make him go weak. He can't believe he missed out all these when he went for his long ass mission.

Sasuke remembered how Sakura immediately went out of the shower and frantically dressed while combing her hair at the same time. When he emerged and leaned on the doorframe of the bathroom with a towel wrapped on his waist, Sakura, still with only her unbuttoned jeans and her red cotton bra on, stopped everything she's doing as she looked at him. Sasuke remembered how pink her cheeks were and how her green eyes glowed as she looked at him in awe. He remembered how satisfying it felt.

She just walked the few distance from them and, to his surprise, grabbed his face down and kissed him hard on the mouth. Soon, her tongue was already in his mouth and tracing his teeth. Sasuke was so surprised at first but kissed her back the moment she parted her lips. But before he could even wrap his lone arm around her, she let go and told him she'll be late on her shift.

Sakura detached herself away from him and picked up her sleeveless shirt on the floor. As she was buttoning it up, Sasuke moved forward and buttoned her jeans for her. He remembered how she laughed at herself for forgetting and how he frowned. She claimed it was his fault for being such a huge distraction.

She kissed him one last time and murmured 'I love you so much' against his mouth. Sakura grabbed a black cardigan on the chair in front of her study table, blew him a kiss, and was gone. It all happened in the span of 2 minutes.

And then he slept. And he dreamt. And now, he was awaken by his idiot brother. He wonders now if he will use chidori to execute him. Or maybe a kitchen knife will do. He can try. Besides, it's Naruto. Knowing him, he might even entertain the idea.

But then, Sakura will beat them both when she learns how they tried to kill each other inside their house. The thought is amusing to Sasuke that he even smothered a chuckle that threatened to come out of him.

He went out to the living room where he found Naruto. Or more like his clone. Sasuke never really liked talking to his clone, it feels uncomfortable and off.

"What do you want?," Sasuke bluntly asked as he entered the living room. The Naruto clone turned around to face him and gave him a big smile.

"Teme! Let's have lunch together with Kakashi! He just came back from his vacation," the blond clone said.

Sasuke sighed and rubbed his temple, "Is that it?"

Naruto clone pouted and it made Sasuke's face crumple in disgust, "Why? Don't you want to see me? Come on! You just got back. You must have missed me!"

Sasuke just walked towards the sofa and slumped there sleepily, "You interrupted my nap."

"Why do you have to nap? You have always been an early riser. That was never a problem for you before," Naruto answered as he threw himself beside him on the couch.

"I trained with Sarada this morning," Sasuke simply said. He didn't mention the shower which is the main reason of his exhaustion.

Naruto nodded in approval, "She's getting better and better everyday, teme. She might be even better than you one day."

Sasuke just simply nodded his head as his eyes were closed. He also thought of this when they were training. With her inherited Sharingan from him and chakra control and strength from her mother, Sarada would definitely be a powerful kunoichi one day.

Naruto continued, "Thank god you only have Sarada. I can only imagine if there's another Uchiha running around and training in the academy right now."

That made Sasuke stop thinking. He opened his eyes and look at Naruto's clone. It's so weird talking to him about things like this, but what can he do?

The clone saw his expression and smirked, "What? Don't tell me there's another one coming up?"

The black haired man continued to look at him. Eventually, he shook his head no. "Of course not. I just got back."

The Hokage laughed and asked him, "Do you want to have more kids?"

Sasuke considered the question. One of his goals was to repopulate and revive the Uchiha clan. It was fulfilled when Sarada came to this world. He have a daughter full of life, hope and love from them all. And it was enough for Sasuke.

But has he ever considered Sakura's thoughts about this? He assumed that Sarada was enough for them. Besides, it was hard to leave them both for his mission. It would have been harder for Sakura to raise not just one child.

But now he's back for good. He can finally stay with Sakura throughout the hardships of her pregnancy and taking care of their future children.

Future children, he thought with gentleness and fascination. I wonder how would they look like.

Thoughts of a boy with his hair and a girl with his wife's was beginning to form in Sasuke's mind.

A little me? Or a little Sakura?

Now the thought becomes more appealing to him. All that's left with is Sakura's approval. Whatever Sakura decides, he will respect it. They need to talk later. But first, this blond idiot clone of his blond idiot best friend.

 Sasuke looked at him and saw him simply smile. Just like Sakura, he can easily read him like an open book. It's annoying to Sasuke, really. It makes him look predictable, but only to people close to him.

But Sasuke just frowned at him, "Stop smiling, dobe."

As if a light came to his head, the Hokage clone brightened up. He snapped his fingers, "I have a great idea! I will help you, teme! Just wait and see!"

Sasuke can only look at him blankly. He hopes Naruto becomes busy with his work to remember this promise. He's dreading what the blond idiot will do.

--

 In the end, Sasuke ended up agreeing with Naruto's clone to have lunch with him and Kakashi but not before throwing a shuriken at it when he stood up to go back to the bedroom. The clone went off with a poof even before it yelled at him. He heard the yelled curses at him when he met the real Naruto at lunch in his favorite ramen place with Kakashi.

The three met up there and ate lunch together filled with the Hokage's obnoxious loud voice and Kakashi's ever-present amused eye. Sasuke? Of course with his usual self.

They talked about Kakashi's vacation which almost took a few months and that he seem to have enjoyed. Naruto even teased him that Kakashi may have even met a woman. Kakashi just snorted and smoothly changed the subject. There are things you really can't change.

Sasuke shared some improvement on Sarada and he thanked his former mentor for guiding his daughter with her Sharingan when he was away. Kakashi simply shrugged and Naruto pouted at Sasuke and also demanded a word of gratitude. The blond exclaimed that he also helps Sarada by giving her and her team challenging missions for them to develop their own skills and camaraderie. By hearing this, Sasuke saw Kakashi almost gleam with pride and endearment. Team 7 really did absorb the most important thing Kakashi taught them.

Naruto almost choked with how he remembered his clone and Sasuke's conversation earlier in the morning and told Sasuke that he already took care of it. Sasuke frowned at him.

"You'll know when you see and talk to Sakura and Sarada," Naruto simply answered. Then added, "I expect results, teme! It's about damn time!"

Kakashi looked at him in amusement and asked him, "Do I even wanna know?"

Sasuke couldn't help but sigh in defeat. He simply looked blankly at the silver-haired man and grunted. Kakashi chuckled.

And now, Sasuke's walking back to their house. It's still too early so he's not expecting Sakura to be back. The cool breeze for the upcoming winter is becoming even more chill. With his black turtleneck and shinobi pants, he still felt the goosebumps all over him. The wind swept his long hair on his face and he irritably pushed it back.

He walked across an antique shop and saw his reflection in the mirror. He was never the vain type, he never much cared about his appearance. But now, he can see how long his hair had become and he kind of feels like he's becoming more of his brother look-a-like. He frowned.

Then an image of his wife suddenly went through his head. He rarely surprises her anymore because his wife knows him really well. Even his attempted surprise when he came home last night failed.

You need to step up your game.

An idea came up to his head. He decided to pick up Sakura later at the hospital when her shift ends. But that's not the only thing he has on his sleeves.

With a quick scan of his surroundings, he found the brick wall of the building he was looking for. He walked towards it and silently smirked.

Wait for me, Sakura.

--

 If there's one thing he hates the most, it's how women can't seem to leave him alone.

Ever since he was in the academy, he was always surrounded by hordes of girls. He can't go anywhere without encountering at least one of them. It annoys the hell out of Sasuke before and it still stands that way until now.

Sasuke thought that maybe once women knew he's already married and a father, they would leave him alone. But no, it actually attracts more of them to irk him.

Just like now while he's standing at the hospital lobby waiting for his wife. He asked at the reception desk where could he find Sakura and the nurse behind the counter just stared at him for a long time. When he gave an impatient noise, the girl went red and stammered as she told him he could wait in the lobby.

He's now standing against the lobby wall and staring straight ahead in the hallway where he was expecting Sakura. From his peripheral vision, he could see a fair amount of women murmuring and giggling. Sasuke's fighting for self control because he wants to burn the hospital now. Even some of the women in the lobby stopped whatever the hell they were doing and just looked at him in awe. One even made a move to talk to him but he just gave her a deathly glare. The said woman recoiled in fear but when it subsided, still made an amazed expression. Sasuke fought a groan. He almost wished people still look at him as if he were a criminal just so he wouldn't feel their ogling.

He remembered how Naruto always seemed to be annoyed and envious at him for still having fangirls, as the blond calls them, even at their age.

He can have them for all I care.

Suddenly, a flash of red and pink at the end of the hallway caught his eyes. Sakura was talking to some nurses beside and behind her as they're walking. She's holding the back of her neck as she massages it.

Now that's the only fangirl I care about.

From what he can read in her mouth, she was giving them tips and suggestions on how to make their chakra flow easier throughout their body. One of the nurses beside her saw him and stopped walking and gasped. Sasuke almost rolled his eyes.

Yeah, it's just a face.

He looked back at Sakura and waited for her to notice him. She noticed how one of her companions gasped and stopped on her tracks. She turned to the young woman and asked her what's wrong. She saw how the nurse turned red and widen her eyes as she stared ahead.

 Sakura followed her line of sight and gasped herself. There he was, Sasuke, looking tall and proud as he stared back at her. But the thing she was surprised about most was his hair.

It was now shorter than it had been a few hours ago. It doesn't reach his shoulder anymore and more like his hair back when he left Konoha for his redemption trip. The bangs he used to cover his Rinnegan is still there, but it's much shorter than before. He looked like a man in his early 20's rather than 30's. Sakura blushed.

 Sasuke saw how her facial expressions changed again and again as she saw his appearance. And on cue, his wife blushed. Sasuke smirked at her and saw her eyes look down for a second and breathed out deeply. Sasuke was so amused at her that he didn't notice the women around him sigh in unison as they saw him smirk.

 Sakura excused herself to her medical students and approached her husband. She can't look at him straight in the eyes at first but when reached him, she gathered all her courage to look at those intense eyes of his.

"Hi," she murmured under her breath. She was not sure why she was so shy. They did unspeakable things to each other earlier in the comfort of their shower and didn't feel remotely shy when he watched her dress for work. But now? Sakura can't even look at him for two seconds without blushing hard.

Sasuke soften his gaze down on her and murmured back, "Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

He reached down and traced his finger up, from her fingers to her arm and shoulder. His hand reached her hair and tuck tendrils of it behind her head, "Picking you up. It's almost 4."

He saw goosebumps all over Sakura's arm and he couldn't help but smirk at her. Sakura was looking up at him with wonder and love behind her emerald eyes.

"What did you do?," she asked as she touched the mane of his newly cut hair.

His voice was playful when he answered her, "Decided to make you flustered the whole day."

Sakura gasped at his answer and saw how his eyes danced in mirth. Then Sasuke added, "But I know I already did."

She can feel her neck and cheeks heat. She cleared her throat and looked at him defiantly, her lips almost in a pout.

"And what makes you think you made me that way the whole day, huh?"

Sasuke gave her a smile that promised her question was the wrong one, "You already forgot this morning? You wound me, Sakura."

Sakura might have melted on the hospital floor with the look Sasuke gave her if not because of her grip on the hem of Sasuke's black shirt. She closed her eyes and fought a groan. She can feel the eyes of everyone around them. At least they can't hear what they're talking about, she and Sasuke's still whispering to each other.

 Sasuke remained staring at his blushing wife. He can hear the murmurs around but it all faded into the background when Sakura subtly shook her head, as if not believing he said those words. Then she spoke with a disbelieving smile.

"You.."

"Uchiha-san," a voice interrupted Sakura's remark. Both of them turned their head to meet one of the doctors. The man was startled because the two of them wore the same expression, stern and impatient.

"Uhh..", the doctor trailed. He looked from Sakura to Sasuke, who glared at him, then back to Sakura. "I-.. I mean.. S-sakura-san.. You can go now. It's o-okay. I'll take it f-from here." The doctor can't seem to know what to call Sakura. He wanted to call her Uchiha-san for respect but when he did that, her husband also turned to him. So he settled to call her by her name which also does not sit well with her husband, hence the more deathly glare.

Sakura soften her expression and gave the man an appreciative smile. The older doctor blushed a deep red and Sasuke's eyebrows met.

"Are you sure, Ryuu-san?", Sakura asked. "Megumi and her team still need guidance for their practical next week."

"Ah.. D-don't worry, Uch- ah, Sakura-san. I can do that," Ryuu stammered. He's not sure if it's because the beautiful head of the hospital is talking to him or it's because of her husband throwing daggers at him with those eyes.

Sakura gave him another smile and he conluded it was because of her. Anyone who could see that smile will definitely lose their mind for a minute.

"Thank you, Ryuu-san," she said as she passed the chart to him. "See you on Monday."

She turned to her staff and loudly exclaimed, "Good job today! See you on Monday! Work hard!"

 They greeted her back as she gave them a big smile. Sasuke couldn't help but feel proud of his wife for being amazing. Not only is she a great mother and wife, but she's an even greater Konoha medic-nin. He also felt a deep satisfaction upon hearing her subordinates call her Uchiha-san or Uchiha-sama. He actually felt a little smug.

Yes, that's my wife.

Together, they pass through the hallways to Sakura's office. After discarding her lab coat and putting her cardigan over her shirt, they walked side by side as they leave the hospital.

Just like inside, the people of Konoha gaped at the couple as they walk home. It's been a while since the Uchiha patriarch was seen in the village, and it's a sight to see him together with the well-loved medic.

She's walking a little ahead of him so he could see how she turns her head and smile everytime she's called by the villagers. He could also see how there's a skip or bounce in her steps which makes him stifle a smile.

She's still like a child.

An image of a blushing Ryuu earlier came to mind and the child remark immediately vanished from his mind.

No. Not a child.

'Fuck me.'

He then heard his wife's voice earlier in his thoughts. Now that sealed the deal for him. His wife is definitely not a child anymore. She's a woman who can make any man blush (yes, including him of course) and who can make him hard with her smell and make him lose control with two words and kill him in 7 seconds.

Speaking of..

"I dreamt earlier," he muttered.

Sakura turned around to face him, a fond expression on her face. "Is it any good? What was it about?," she asked him.

He nodded, "Our first kiss."

Her eyes soften, "That's a good dream, indeed."

"I'm just curious why I dreamt of that."

She thought for a moment. He saw how her eyebrows met in concentration and her teeth bit her lower lip. Sasuke just stared in fascination.

After a while, she looked at him and spoke. "It's maybe because you're home."

She added a soft smile reserved only for him and he felt his breath catch. Sasuke thought about what she said and immediately agreed to it. That kiss was the start of something new for Sasuke. It was weeks after he got back from his journey, but he felt truly at home for the first time when she saw Sakura under the rain and they kissed.

 He never knew kissing someone for the first time because you're in love with them was such a cathartic experience. He never knew of heart skipping a beat when you saw someone's neck; or a hand trembling so hard because you want to hold their hand for no reason; or eyes that can't seem to blink when they talk for you not to miss a single thing. Sasuke only knew hate and revenge and self-pity. But that kiss changed him and let him know freedom and tenderness and salvation.

I'm eternally grateful.

 Sasuke stopped walking, and it made Sakura halt as well. He gave her a smile that seems to agree with her and held her hand. Sasuke laced their fingers together.

He can feel his ears burning, not because of the cold breeze. He forgot how simple hand holding means so much to someone like him who only knew of hands inflicting pain and blood. He looks down for a moment at their intertwined fingers to gather his wits and then directly looked in her eyes. As always, she was blushing. After all, Sasuke is not one for public display of affection.

He whispered, soft as the air around them, "Thank you."

He watched her eyes shine and her cheeks glow. She smiled that breathtaking smile and Sasuke couldn't help but lean down and softly kiss her there in the middle of the street, with every nosy village people around them gawking. He couldn't give a shit because there's no more pretending not to be hopelessly in love with her and show her exactly that.

No teeth, no tongue, no movement. Just lips pressed against each other.

 One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

 He counted in his head, recreating the beautiful memory of their first kiss. They pulled away from each other but their foreheads met. Sasuke opened his eyes and saw Sakura with her eyes still closed. He stared at her, savored the moment, and stored it in his heart she helped him pick up the pieces again.

 Sasuke took the opportunity to tell her something, "Don't talk to that Ryuu guy often. I don't like the way he looks at you."

He said it so softly that Sakura might not have even heard him over her beating heart. But when the words seemed to seep through her, she opened her eyes and chuckled under her breath. Sakura thought he looks so cute when he's embarassed and jealous.

"Uchiha Sasuke being jealous. I think this is a first," she teased him. She saw how her husband's face turned pink. She laughed again as he groaned in response and hid his face against her hair.

"That's right. Hide your face, Sasuke-kun," she looped her free arm around his waist and whispered in his ear. "The people might see you blush. There's too many women. I don't want them to die of cuteness."

Sasuke gave a low chuckle under his breath and inhaled her scent, "Shall we go then? I don't wanna be blamed for all the casualties that may ensue."

A split second later, the village people ogling at them was surprised to see the beautiful couple gone, with only a trail of leaves and flowers behind.

--

 Sakura was laughing when they emerged inside the house, still with hand in Sasuke's. She was laughing because she can imagine what the people busy watching them must look like when they vanished into thin air. Sasuke hides his amusement. They can go crazy for all he cares.

 Sarada came out of her room when she heard a noise. She saw her mother laughing in the foyer. She saw her covering her mouth with her hand, the other one tightly held by his father.

That's the first time she saw them in physical contact with each other. The last time Sarada remembers was when they saved Sakura from Shin. And to be honest, that contact was just helping her to stand up. But now, she can see how their fingers are laced together. She felt herself smile as she continued to watch. Then, something peculiar caught her eye, aside from his father's newly cut hair.

When Sarada first saw Sasuke look at her mother, she saw the question behind them. When Sakura went to punch the hell out of Shin before she got kidnapped, Sarada saw her parents talk about her and saw how her father seemed to ask a silent question to her. When they saved Sakura, Sarada saw the concern mixed with mild rage as Sasuke saw her mother injured. When they went home and spent time together, she saw how her father's eyes seemed to be saying thank you to her mother as she placed food in front of him. Those were the only emotions she got from looking at the way her father looks at her mother. But today is different.

Sakura was still laughing softly as she was mumbling things to him in amusement, but Sarada's focus is on Sasuke. She saw how her father's eyes crinkle at the corners and his usually straight face lift infinitesimally. If she look closely, she swears she can see a tiny patch of color in his cheeks. She watched as Sasuke's eyes roam around Sakura's face, then he leaned in and hid his face on the side of her mother's face.

Sarada felt like she walked in on a very private moment so she averted her eyes. She felt weird in her stomach all of a sudden, not sure what to do about this new emotion. When she looked back in the foyer, her parents were gone. Her eyebrows met in confusion. And then, she felt a prickle of chakra behind her and she whirled around to see both of them. Sasuke was leaning on the wall and Sakura was bending forward slightly while smiling at her. Sarada blushed. She feels kinda embarassed and guilty at the same time for kinda spying on them.

 "Tadaima, Sarada," Sakura sweetly said to her. She was still chuckling under her hand when Sasuke leaned in and whispered into her ear that Sarada was hiding and watching them. They looked at each other then and shared the same thought, as they always do.

Sarada stammered slightly and answered her mother, "O-..Okairi, mama." She looked at her father, "Papa."

Sasuke watched as his daughter blush like her mother. He couldn't help but remember how Sakura did the same thing when she felt flustered. He gave Sarada a fond look and saw her smile back.

"I have a mission tomorrow," Sarada informed them. "Lord Seventh called us earlier before lunch and insisted that we should take it."

Before Sakura could say anything, Sarada already said, "Don't worry, mama. It's just B-rank within the borders. We'll be back tomorrow evening."

Sakura smiled at her, "I know you and your team can handle it. I was just gonna ask when are you leaving? Your papa and I will go somewhere."

Sasuke’s brows furrowed in confusion, We are?

"Oh," Sarada replied sheepishly. "At dawn tomorrow, but can I stay at Boruto's? Nanadaime said Himawari wanted me to have a sleepover."

He did?

Sasuke feels like something is up but he doesn’t know what. It’s that feeling when you know your best friend is being a dobe more than usual.

Apparently, Sakura seems to be confused as well.

“That’s odd. Himawari never asked you for a sleepover before. It’s mostly Chou-chou,” Sakura said, her brows in confusion as well as Sasuke. “But if Naruto insisted, then I don’t see why not.”

Sarada seemed to brighten up, “Thank you Mama! Anyway, where are you going with Papa?”

Sasuke looked at Sakura then, at the same time Sakura turns to him. She gave him a sheepish smile, “Ino wanted us to meet with the rest of the guys. You know.. a night out with friends without the kids and work. She said everyone’s gonna be there. It sounds fun..”

Upon seeing Sasuke’s ever-stoic expression, Sakura added a rushed “But we don’t have to go if you don’t wa-“

“Okay,” he interrupted.

 Sasuke already made up his mind once she gave him that smile. He would gladly say yes to everything she asks of him if it would make her happy. And even though he doesn’t feel like socializing (when did he ever?), seeing Sakura beam that beautiful smile was enough for him to push through.

 Sakura smiled at him and shyly said, “Thank you, Sasuke-kun.”

Sarada watched how her parents talked to each other and noticed how pink both their cheeks are, especially her dad. She felt something in her stomach again as she watched and she couldn’t help but smile as well.

Sasuke watched as his girls give him their own bright smiles and felt as if his heart got bigger just to accommodate the love and affection clearly reflected through greens and blacks. He is grateful, forever and ever.

 “Well,” Sakura suddenly stated. She kissed Sarada’s cheek and said, “Might as well have an early dinner.”

She gave Sasuke a soft gaze full of love, and just like it has always been, he understood.

Us three. Finally. Together again.

“Aa,” he softly answered with a curl on his lips. “I’d like that.”

—

 Their reunion dinner went by quickly and smoothly. It was full of enthusiastic remarks from his daughter, quirky comments from his wife, and of course, monotone one-liners from him that’s why they both made fun of him. He half-heartedly scowled the entire time.

 But now, it’s different. It’s their friends who are making fun of him at the moment, and he couldn’t help but glare at Naruto who has always been the pain in his ass.

They’re in a barbecue restaurant (‘Thank god it’s not in Ichiraku’, Sakura whispered to him once they entered the place) and alcohol is freely flowing on their table, courtesy of the Hokage. Everyone is drinking, even Hinata. A few hours in and Kakashi came as well, late as always.

It was so loud and rowdy, but Sasuke doesn’t seem to mind. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Sakura beside him with her chin on her hands as she leans on the table listening to Hinata who is sitting beside Naruto who is across from him. She’s wearing this royal blue turtleneck shirt that’s too big for her and black pants that hug her slender legs. A tiny Uchiha fan decorated the cream scarf bunched on her lap. Her cheeks are a bit red from the cold and the alcohol. She looks so young and vibrant. She suddenly looks at him, smiled, and he feels like he’s aged backwards as well.

This was, of course, taken notice by Ino, “Would you both stop with the eye sex already? There are other people here too, you know? Geez!”

Sakura just rolled her eyes and stick her tongue out to Ino.

“You can’t blame him,” Kakashi interrupted. “He just got back and finally saw his wife again. Cut him some slack.”

Sasuke noticed the way Naruto mildly glared at Ino and the way Kakashi and Naruto glanced and grinned at each other. (He can tell by the slight movement under Kakashi’s mask)

Just what the hell are these idiots up to?

Just before he calls Naruto on his bullshit, Ino interrupted again.

“Okay fine. I’ll refrain from teasing them too much for now, since I have a very special announcement,” Ino declared, her blue eyes sparkling. He then noticed her untouched bottle of sake.

“What is it?”, Sakura excitedly asked.

Ino smiled widely and announced, “I’m pregnant!”

A series of congratulations and hugs went on, and of course Sakura might’ve shed a tear or two. He also sent his timid congratulations through a murmur and a nod to Sai, which the latter gave back.

“Wow, Sai! I still couldn’t believe you had it in you!” Naruto teased, his loud voice obnoxious and ringing throughout their space. Laughter ensued.

“I could say the same to you since you’re dickless right? How did you do that?,” Sai bit back. He turned to Hinata and innocently asked, “How did he do that?”

“Hey! I’m your Hokage! Show some respect!”

Even Sasuke couldn’t help but fight back a snort from their banter. Seriously, nothing ever changed with them. Kakashi still reads porn, Naruto is still a dobe, and Sakura is still beautiful, especially now as she laughs and joins in making fun of Naruto.

When the situation finally simmered down, Hinata suddenly dropped a question that shook him.

“How about you two, Sakura-chan? Do you have plans on making another Sarada-chan?”

He heard a gasp from his side, and he looked at his wife. She’s still red from the alcohol and probably from the tears and all that laughing.

She seems to contemplate her answer. He could feel her fidget a little and saw her lick her lips, a habit she might not know she does when she’s nervous.

Everyone is anticipating an answer from either of them. Sasuke can feel even Shikamaru’s curiosity to where he’s seated. The problem is, Sasuke doesn’t know how to answer. He looked down instead.

 Sure, he’s content with her and Sarada. He’s happy. He truly is. But he also wants to make their family a bit bigger. He doesn’t want Sarada to grow up without experiencing the joy of having a sibling. A smiling Itachi looking down on him when he was a child suddenly came to mind and his heart ached a little. He still misses him to this very day.

But he’s not sure if that’s what Sakura also wanted. He doesn’t want to put Sakura in an awkward situation, especially in front of their friends. He wants to say that it’s their issue and they should talk about it in private when Sakura’s soft voice pierced through the silence.

“Whatever you want, Sasuke-kun.”

He immediately looked at her, so sudden that it might’ve given him a whiplash but he didn’t care. She was already looking at him the moment he looked down. He saw the familiar faith in him through her eyes and he couldn’t say a thing. She knowingly smiled at him.

Sakura just put her hand on his thigh and gently squeezed it. She turned her gaze on all their friends and smiled softly, “Whatever my husband wants.”

His heart skipped a beat. It actually skipped a beat. He thought he already know a lot of things, but Sakura just keeps on proving him wrong.

 Because Sakura still continues to teach him things like this — that it’s possible to be this selfless just for the sake of someone tainted like him. She always puts him first. His wants, his needs, his dreams. She always puts him and Sarada on the top of her priorities before her friends and her duty as a medic and a kunoichi and her own self.

He’s speechless and deaf for he couldn’t hear a thing. He couldn’t see anything other than Sakura’s smiling face.

Sakura. Sakura. Sakura.

Maybe it’s the alcohol, or the depth of emotions he didn’t know he had, but he grabbed the back of Sakura’s head and turned it sideways just to put his mouth on hers.

He didn’t see the wide eyes of Shikamaru and proud angle of Kakashi’s shoulders. He didn’t hear the gasp of Hinata and Ino, and the choked sound from Sai. And Naruto? He feels like a proud father at the moment.

All Sasuke knows is to just feel and smell and taste Sakura. Sakura. Sakura.

He broke the kiss and saw how breathless his wife was. He’s proud. He suddenly stood up and pulled up Sakura into a standing position. Sasuke turned to them all and said, “Excuse me, but my wife and I need to talk.”

In the blink of an eye, the couple was gone.

 Kakashi suddenly said, “I’m pretty sure there won’t be any talking that’s gonna happen.”

This was followed by a bright, cheeky and a bit drunk grin from Naruto, “Believe it, old man! Congratulations on a successful mission, guys! Thank you for cooperating with me! Now it’s just a matter of time before a new Uchiha is cooking up inside Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme better kiss my ass for this, ‘ttebayo!”

They raised their glass for the two Uchiha’s and the future Uchiha baby that will surely be on its way.

They drank their glasses when Sai suddenly asked, “Are they always like that? Referring to each other as ‘my wife’ and ‘my husband’ while being on each other’s company? Ahh. And they say I’m weird.”

—

 They barely made it through the hallway. They barely made it through bedroom door. They barely made it to their bed. Sasuke has never thanked Naruto’s daughter in his life for inviting Sarada for a sleepover than now because at this moment, they look like drunk teenagers making out throughout their house. He honestly could have taken her right then and there at their living room. Hell, he could’ve taken her right on the floor. He’s burning with so much passion and love right now that he couldn’t contain himself.

It was all a blur. One minute they’re stumbling on their bed and he’s fumbling with his clothes, and the next second he’s inside her. But once he’s in her depths, everything seemed clearer now. He could see every labored breath she’s taking, every sweat drops on her skin, every ounce of love and lust on her eyes that was surely reflected on his as well.

They’re both breathing hard, both unmoving, both relishing their union. He’s on top of her, his whole body cradled by hers, his whole heart completely owned by her. He’s so overwhelmed by so much feelings. He knows he’s a bit intoxicated with alcohol but he’s more intoxicated by her beauty and love. He loves her so much and now it’s not just enough to think or feel it.

 “I love you,” he murmurs to her, his lone hand on her face with his thumb tracing her cheeks and lips. His eyes are following his thumb and his lips followed suit as he kisses her softly. His eyes found hers and he saw how teary it is and he knows they’re happy tears so he lets them flow freely. He kisses her eyes and her cheeks and her jaw and her lips again and again and again, with him unmoving and still deep inside her.

“I know I don’t say it often, but I really do. I love you,” he softly continues against her mouth. He breaks the kiss and looks at her, “And I know you may think I already forgotten how to. I couldn’t even remember the last time I said it to you. Knowing you, you probably do.” Sasuke received a slight nod from her that made him smile a little.

Of course you do. You love me too much and I will never understand how you do but I want you to know that I love you too. I love you I love you I love you.

He moved a little bit and earned a gasp from her. With him being on top and her long legs wrapped around his hips, he pushed forward again and fought back a groan against her throat when she moaned his name.

Sasuke looked back at her again and saw her face contorted in pleasure with her eyes closed and her mouth slightly opened. While moving slowly and gently back and forth inside her, he called her.

“Sakura.”

Green eyes peered at him, clouded in haze of love. He softly gave her a smile and said, “This family we made together is the greatest thing you’ve ever given me, Sakura. Thank you.”

He watched as tears formed again in her eyes. But he’s not yet done. His hand left her hip to poke her softly on her forehead, before returning to clasp her hand on his and intertwine their fingers.

“You’re my wife. You’re an Uchiha. And you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me,” he continued as his hips meet hers. He wanted to close his eyes so badly but he couldn’t look away from his wife.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said aloud. Sasuke heard her whimper, moved by his words. He felt her hand held tightly by him unclasp with his to roam around his back and his hair until both of her hands found his face and held it.

Words have never been his forte, but for her, he will always try. “Let’s make our family bigger, Sakura. I want to give you more children. I want to make you happy.”

Her tears are flowing down her cheeks now, but her smile is radiant as ever. She kissed him hard on the lips and whispered, “You already make me happy, anata.”

 With the sway of her hips and the moan of her name from his mouth, Sasuke made love to her as if it was their first time. Every kiss lingered, every touch burned in the right way. Every look is a blessing and she is the greatest blessing herself.

Sasuke repeatedly said he loves her throughout the entire time until they both came together. Saying those three words have never been so easy for him until this moment. He promised himself he will say it to her every day for the rest of their lives together.

And even when their ashes scatter in the wind 50 years from now, he knows he will love her in the next life. It will always be Haruno Sakura for Uchiha Sasuke. And in return, he will always be hers.

—

 9 months later, male twin Uchiha babies with black hair and green eyes were born. And the Hokage demanded Sasuke the gratitude he deserves for the next 5 decades.

[bigbrotherorre]

EPISODE SIX: “IF ONE MORE PERSON TRIES TO BUILD THE PEACE IN THIS HOUSE I'M GOING TO THROW THEM THROUGH THE CLOSEST POSSIBLE WINDOW” - ALIVIA HOH: SAMMY EVICTED: RANDY - 7 TO 4

So... as expected Ricky went and I'm in mourning. I love Ricky SOO much! with my WHOLE hort. Otherwise, this HoH comp is AWFUL, everyone is gonna be FIGHTING. For this week, I would like a Bryce/Jose HoH because I think I'd be safe and because they'd go after Blake/Alivia/Lynn. HOWEVER, then next week, I'd like Alivia to win HoH and get Randy out because I do NOT trust Randy. Basically, provided I can get past this week with all the messy twists... I feel cautiously optimistic? Like I'm playing both sides and hopefully that'll work to my advantage? Eek we will seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Another day another lost comp

SO, tea time with Ali! Except... not really. I'm literally about to set a BB Pokemon record because it is literally week 6 and I'm in 0 ALLIANCES. This is a MESSY MESS MESS. I wanna be in alliances, I want safety. Meanwhile, conspiracy corner... John was given the Jigglypuff, he didn't play it. The phrasing on the wiki & the posts were all.... off. I think Randy gave it to him, but I also feel like everything sketchy that happens is.... by Randy. Like I think Randy is the bot, and Randy is being this cracked mess... According to Sammy at least, the bot is now sending fake screenshots? WHAT KIND OF CRACKED JUJU IS THIS. I dont love this at all asjlkdfa In other news, Bryce & Jose _will_ be this season's F2 and I will not accept otherwise. Bryce is such a solid ally, like he is so sane, so nice, so good. Jose is the love of my life lkjafdsa, he is SO SWEET. like a good, wholesome boy right there is Jose. I LOVE THEM BOTH, THOSE ARE MY BOYS. I am a feminist, but I will convert to meninism if it means my faves make F2. ANYWHOMST. I love the hosts, Dennis added me to his Havana host chat and idk why he did that, since he _totally_ lays out his strategy in that... why did he do that, I am always booboo the fool but he can take that title from me for today. and thats how sue sees it, bye for now woooooooooooooooo!

I think I'm going home this week and I'm really worried. Like really worried, I've played badly and I'm now really expendable, and people are gonna send me home i literally spent a total of like 6 hours prepping for veto and I still screwed it up. I got 9 songs in like 7 minutes, but it took me like 30 more to find the last one ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (unfaithful by rihanna will literally be my downfall). I'm really scared. I think I would have Autumn & Jose's votes, but against Ashvika I think thats when it dries up askjldfa. I'm really really scared, I'm not ready to go home, I am such a bad player :( I don't even feel like Bryce is in my corner anymore, and I think Autumn could keep Ashvika like except for Jose I feel so alone :( I love Jose so much, I'm so lucky to have him in this game with me, but I'm also so scared :( I'm not ready to go home :( But I've let myself down and played badly.

Can y'all believe my son Samuel future nominated me and I get to sit here in peace? Maybe we're related after all I'm so used to being nominated it doesn't even phase me. Like I forget that you can actually go home because I.... can't relate. People are freeeaaking the fuck out and I'm just chilling, knowing my ass is immune and that my silver power of veto will snatch wigs. So to pass the time I'm currently on call with my new alliance, Jose and Ali, and Ali is legit shitting himself I feel terrible. But like it's fine cause I pulled him off, he just doesn't know yet. I'm honestly just ecstatic that everyone I love is gonna be safe- me, Sammy, Ash, Ali, John. I really just need Jose to not get nominated and then this streak of ugly weeks will come to an end wooooo

im just... not a fan of ppl  SJDJHFSJDK everyone has such annoying ideas and im like... u do u but maybe dont!! Everyone keeps having opinions that are different than mine??? like cut it out. dennis cant literally do the bare minimum and not come across as sketchy for 1 second, and he also cant campaign to stay apparently??? hes a lot to deal with. and then randy is coming at me/sammy/zeezo and trying to seem smart for doing so, like wow you got us! go home maybe!! alivia has been very volatile all week and i have to deal with it. and ali is snapping because he thinks he would have gone home which i hope wouldnt have happened but i also dont know b/c theres an assumption that he isnt playing the game b/c hes vague and he might have went home because of it. but now he is being vague again and i think its prob b/c randy is campaigniing to him and trying to paint me/zeezo/sammy as a trio. when honestly we arent even.. theyre like a duo and im there!! also im a lynn warrior but we never talk so its awk. and also ali ratted to randy that if he wants to stay he needs LAB's vote and now alivia is mad he brought her name up and ugh ppl are doing so MUCH. also dennis just msg'd me like do i have ur vote?? who's voting me. MAYBE TALK TO PPL MORE AND NOT BE SKETCHY AND I WOULDNT HAVE TO BE THE MIDDLE MAN.

[ONE HOUR LATER]

omg..  i didnt mean those mean words. i love everyone in this cast. ali is so nice and trustworthy. alivia is feisty and full of energy, always keeping the game fun. dennis is actually like real fun to talk to and always feigns interest in w/e im saying (EXCEPT WHEN HE LIED ABOUT NOT HAVING LEGALLY BLONDE ON NETFLIX WHEN I KNOW HE DID). And randy has made this game so exciting!!!

[ONE HOUR LATER]

I TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID ABOUT ALI. HE IS FAKE FAKE FAKE SO FAKE FAKE FAKE. SAYS HE DOESNT KNOW WHOS HE VOTING AND CAMPAIGNS TO KEEP RANDY AND DUMB DUMB DUMB  JOSE FALLS FOR IT. IF RANDY STAYS IM SCREAMING

[30 MINUTES LATER]

i am so sad for randy he really wanted this and dennis is kind of ugh to work with but randy was just too scary. he had the best exit so far tho and ill miss him so much. ALI CHOKE AHAHHAHAHA YOU THOUGHT!! ALIGNING ALL THE FLOATERS NOPE!!! TRY AGAIN.  I LOVE ALI BUT I WAS LITERALLY SCREAMING B/C LIKE 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE VOTE ZEEZO IS LIKE DONT TELL ANYONE BUT ALI CONVINCED JOSE TO VOTE DENNIS OUT. SIDE NOTE i love john!!! he is so nice and ratted jose out like wig!!

woo okay soooo i haven’t been able to make one of these in awhile cause I’m on vacation so i apologize if this is long....so to sum up everything I won hoh with the help of zeezo and Bryce. I had to nom ali and ashvika because i knew it wouldn’t cause that much drama. Then....they both got taken off so I nommed Dennis and Randy. I wanted randy gone from the getgo because he is very smart and sneaky. I’m pretty sure he was behind the Nicolas Julia account as well which really made me upset. He also never responded to me but would tell ppl to pm him and yeah. Other than that, the conversations i did have with him were great, and he’s super nice and even made me the birthday video. I just wasn’t too close with him. I just made up a random excuse for Dennis because I had to hide the fact I’m in an alliance with Kat and Jose but also zeezo and Bryce. and alivia and John couldn’t have been nommed....so if i had to make another nomination it would’ve been Lynn and Bryce....so that would’ve been very very bad for me because like I’m also close to blake so i can’t nom him. Anyway randy was crying on call and it made me super super sad and i felt like a bad Person so i was like wow:/ I have to decide which alliance I’m gonna choose but it might be zeezo and Bryce because like Jose and Kat don’t tell me everything and don’t like agree with me about votes and i think ali autumn Jose and Kat voted Dennis. Idk I’m just so done haha 

if one more person tries to build the peace in this house i'm going to throw them through the closest possible window. i honestly feel like ali and dennis might have accidentally stumbled into the wrong game bc this is bb pokemon not whatever snowflake athena series you probably came from. i've tried to help ali throughout this game and explain to him that this isn't some summer camp where you braid each other's hair and make friendship bracelets but the kid just doesn't get it. i give up, and i think we need to focus on getting all the snowflakes and fatties out of this house as soon as possible. right now in the game i think that i might actually be in a pretty okay place. the house seems to be pretty divided vote after vote. there's the scammers, bryce, ashvika, sammy, and zeezo vs. the fatties: jose, john, ali, kat, and autumn. and as of now we outweigh the other house so we have a pretty good unofficially aligned group going here so hopefully we can keep that going!

CAST ASSESSMENT