#v. CODIFYING CAUSALITY (New Era)

[hatredcurse]

Sakura had her camera in hand, taking pictures as their young daughter sat on the floor opening different presents. Looking happy with each one. Sasuke managed to outdo her in terms of gift giving. Not that she minded. It was cute that he put so much thought into it when it came to their daughter. To think, before she was born, he was worrying about not being a good parent to Sarada but in the end, he ended up being the best dad Sarada could have asked for. Sarada was just so attached to him. From the moment she could walk, she followed him everywhere around the house, and constantly wanted to be held by him. Sometimes she refused to take a nap unless she could sleep on Sasuke’s chest. Sakura was a small bit jealous that Sarada was so attached to him over her but still found it cute.  Sasuke and Sakura were sitting on the couch with Sarada on the floor practically swimming in wrapping paper. As Sasuke sat his coffee down on the table next to him, Sakura grinned, scooting in close to him. So she could lean on him, “Sarada wasn’t the only one I got gifts for.” Sakura pulled out a long box that she kept hidden at her side waiting for the right time to present it to him, “I had this made just for you.” Inside the box was a silver locket on a sturdy chain. On the front of the locket, the Uchiha crest was neatly burned into it. Inside the locket was a family picture of the three of them. One Sakura was insistent on them taking. In the picture, Sakura had her arms around him, while one arm was around her, and in his other was Sarada’s small form, clinging to his shirt. The three of them looking happy, “This is so, no matter how far you are from home, your family is always with you.” It was a bit cheesy, and it made Sakura blush but she always went out of her way to give Sasuke meaningful gifts or something he could use. She knew he wasn’t much for jewelry. Really the only thing he wore was his wedding ring but the necklace small enough he could tuck under his shirt so it wouldn’t get in his way. || @hana-akari

Sarada was finally old enough to pick her tiny fingers through the firmly wrapped boxes; just enough strength in those forming bones to tear through the paper. Sasuke watched her with such a great intensity, his dark eye spun with red threads, replacing old, hurtful memories with the momentous occasion of his pride and joy giggling at him each time she revealed the cardboard skeleton of her gifts.

She was so small, yet held within her was this happiness that washed the room out, even the incandescent lights. Old-fashion veteran coldness no longer lingered within Sasuke's heart, but nevertheless, his scowling features would peel away to a smile, much like hers, with all the maturity that aged it.

" Hm? " he called to attention when Sakura spoke, squaring his shoulders to her as if it did anything to hear her better. " Oh, you didn't have to. "

For years he's said that tired line. The usual insistence that he never really wanted Sakura to waste her time nor her money on him, yet she did, unrelenting in her want to embellish him with love woven into items he'd never imagine he'd possess ( a custom scabbard, a painting set, the sweater that fails to fit his broaden shoulders, but remains in the center of his closet smashed between several dress shirts ).

Lifting the lid, the silver shined with Christmas spirit, reflecting the primary colors of the string lights along the links down to the sparkling heart, still-beating at the bottom. Sasuke pulls it from its necklace-shaped casket, clicking open the locket, and seeing that picture Sakura clamored fretfully over for weeks. He could hear her frowning disproval over not picking the right outfit ( it had to have a level of cohesion with her and Sarada, to which he argued, if it's for his family, he should wear what represents him best ). It took some fine tuning to re-engineer what participating in ' family ' meant for Sasuke, but the picture came out perfect to him. Looked even better in the small heart where Sarada sat in the center like she did in their worlds.

Wordlessly, he went ahead to fasten it around his neck, allowing it to drop with a gentle chime, dangling at the base of his throat, imprinting the beating of his heart into it.

He pauses halfway into giving her a kiss of gratitude before he remembers between all the excitement, he had something to give to her as well. " One moment, " he bows away to his side of the couch, reaching over the armrest into the convenient hiding spot that he was sure Sarada would not sneak around in. Out came a smaller box that he passed along, tightly bound in green and blue wrapping paper ( the spare that he didn't use for Sarada's ). Within contained a red hairband, much like the one she had, but it was wrapped in a finer silk and embroidered with their inter-linked clan symbol on each tip. Beneath that, in the box, was also a small drawing the Sarada insisted on giving to her mama: a heartful depiction of Sakura holding their daughter with Sasuke holding the both of them up with some freeform decoration of rainbows and a sun in each corner shining on them.

" I hope it is to your liking, though I'm afraid it may be too soft to stay in your hair. "

[hatredcurse]

" I heard all I needed to hear, " he interjected before the boy both embarrasses himself and tells Sasuke something he doesn't want to hear.

The years really were relentless and unyielding. It felt like yesterday his daughter was this small tender child begging to be held up to view the sunset and now he was cruelly reminded that she was growing into herself and curating a life of her own.

"Treat her well, " he inserts the expected fatherly threat, " I don't need to outline what will happen if you don't. "

The air itself seemed tense while they walked, but was that just him? Probably. He couldn't tell if his legs were shaking.

...Huh? She talked about him?

"I...wouldn't know. I can't say for sure how she feels, but um..."

"I'm hoping she feels the same--" wait, was he supposed to be confessing to her dad right now? In a more obvious attempt to calm himself, he patted his chest, as if telling his heart to calm.

[hatredcurse]

[ needs ] sender asks receiver what they need — Naruto || @kitxkatrp

Sasuke raised a questioning brow at Naruto. His hands idly touched about his own chest and arms, wondering if he was bleeding and didn't notice— no, nothing.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

[hatredcurse]

Continued » @hana-akari

The first kiss was accepted with all the grossness and embarrassment that two loving parents can share with each other, indulging Sakura with what she receives so little anymore.

" Is she? " he asks, feeling a little more hopeful than he was earlier about it. A smile warming his expression as he gazes down over their daughter. " I'm ready. "

Sasuke delivers another squeeze to Sakura's waist in good parting before extending a hand out for Sarada, seeing if she is ' too old ' and ' too cool ' to hold her father's hand anymore.

" It's been rumored that tenants from the local shrine have been decorating the main pathways of our garden, " he paused, feeling as he forgot something, " -was your day well? "

[hatredcurse]

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked Naruto || @kitxkatrp

Fingers laced together in thought, Sasuke thought himself alone at the rooftops tonight. At least, he wanted to think so, but he somehow always found himself in company of a particularly insistent man. Not that he had any reason to complain about it; it was like Naruto just happened to know whenever one of his bad moods spurred on.

"There isn't anything to talk about that you don't already know," Sasuke replied, eyes fixed on the sights of twinkling lights and the slow path of the moon over the sky. "You should be at home, in bed by now, you know."

[hatredcurse]

"There should be." He didn't have to measure to see what if they were clever with the placement, they would have more than enough for their batch.

Looking between the snowmen and the little trees, he deferred towards his daughter," which one did you want to ice first?"

@hatredcurse continuing from this.

"Yup!" Haruhi answered with a smile.

It was a rare moment of father-daughter time around the holidays but Haruhi enjoyed it. Baking was usually reserved for her and her mother, but she went out for a bit.

She went to grab the icing that they had made prior from the refrigerator. It was a simple one made with milk and confectioner's sugar. She also got the candy sugar to decorate with as well.

"Hopefully there's enough for all the cookies."

[hatredcurse]

Continued || @wiindblume

Naruto's smile could rival the likes of the sun; bright, illuminating even the darkest corners of Sasuke's heart. It warmed the icy layer that sealed in this stoic look upon his face, allowing the slightest contour of a smile to break through.

"Sure, if that's what you think."

Sasuke "wiped" the edge of his smile with a fist, as if trying to rub the glee off his lips before the other noticed. Which by now would have been too late.

"You're going to break your neck holding your chin up that high," he remarks, finding himself standing taller now that he was side-by-side with the Uzumaki once again.

[hatredcurse]

Sasuke Uchiha was an intimidating man. Many fearing him, many avoid him. Expect one. One, tiny little tot, with hair as pink as the beautiful cherry blossoms trees that danced in the spring and eyes as dark as the rarest gemstones of obsidian. Little Yuri wore an adorable little grin as she wobbled after cloaked figure, the Uchiha having caught her innocent eyes. Kyosuke followed a little ways behind, chuckling at how cute his daughter was. How sweet her interactions with his twin were. Her eyes would just light up at the sight of him. Yuri didn't view his brother as a villain, a traitor. She just saw her Uncle, her Sasu. "Sasu!" The little girl babbled with a giggle, eager to get her uncle's attention. Tiny hands reach out, making desperate grabby hands. "Sasu Sasu Sasu!" || @twinuchiha

For once, in a very rare while, Sasuke took some time away from the office to visit his family. The stress etched crescent moons beneath his eyes and his shoulders started to slouch whenever he wasn't at attention.

With family, there was no need to bother with being on high alert. Purposefully withdrawing his radius to allow for the natural mesh of chakra and energy to float by him, he came in contact with what's only natural; his brother and his wife.

And, of course, their newest addition.

It took some getting used to ( that he won't admit ), the idea of the Uchiha line continuing and the proof of that in the darks of her eyes and the kindness in her hands.

"I hear you," he turned, not really able to force a smile of any kind, but knelt down either way to greet her; like a raven perched on a branch lowering itself to inspect a small sparrow nested next to it. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

From that dark obelisk of a cape, he outstretch his hand to her, allowing to grab onto it— should she want to.

[hatredcurse]

"Please please ~ I'll kill the two of you if you won't stop screaming ~ nee." Kisame complains angrily as he lay down a strawberry adorned cake in front of Sasuke. (The uchiha's symbol was made out of strawberries.) Juugo was the only one quiet, sat around that little square table while Suigetsu and Karin wouldn't stop fighting over who would get the first slice of cake. (Kisame's fault on telling them about that Brazilian Kiri's tradition of who gets the first slice means they're the most loved.) "The first slice is going to the shrine." He poins at the photo of Sasuke's family." Neee. Quit the fighting." They were in the Uchiha's compound on Sasuke's birthday, Kisame had invited his old team and almost regretting it now for that special day. Specially since none of them liked sweets that much—help to finish that exaggerated cake Kisame had brought on impulse was a needed. After things quieted down and they sign a cheerful happy birthday for the 30 years old teenager man. He smiled kindly as he waited to him to blow the candles. "Happy birthday!!! Go on! Go on! Make a wish! Sasuke kun." || @sharkfinx

Sasuke stared at this cake in front of him, ignoring Suigetsu and Karin's little quips back-and-forth with each other ( he had made sure to sit on the end of the table to avoid their slap fight ).

"You have to make a wish with these things?" this unlocked a deep memory in his mom. His eyes flashes and before him was Mikoto, Fugaku, and Itachi. He was 5 again and everyone was smiling with both their eyes and mouths. The image fades to his little mismatch crew of misfits ( those of which he'd trade his life for all the same ).

Suigetsu stares with anticipation —a little snide hurry up I'm hungry and I know you're not gonna eat that which was met with a rightful glare— and Sasuke thinks what could he possibly want in the world that he didn't have at this table before him.

With a deep breath, he blows out the candles, allowing Kisame to handle the cake cutting since he had the size to fend off the fiends. "Thank you for putting this together, Kisame and Juugo."

[hatredcurse]

[ want ] your muse telling mine they want them. (Hinata to Sasuke) — @historias-multorum

To want, to yearn, to crave — these were emotions of which Sasuke was intimately familiar.

And right now, head fixed between Hinata's thighs, all of those nebulous feelings applied to her. His greedy hands were looped around each thigh, prying her apart as he helped himself to the taste of her; lapping headily as if there were nothing else to satisfy this thirst for him.

Yet, it was never enough. The soft her skin pressing against his temples, the delicious whine of her moans, the way her long indigo hair just barely curtains over the indecency of her perfect porcelain chest. Sasuke wanted more, to feel her in all the ways he wasn't already.

"I want you, Hinata," he presses a hard kiss into her inner thigh, asking for her permission," please."

[hatredcurse]

Continued || @historias-multorum

"Trust me, I remember," he bit the gauze with his teeth, keeping the cloth stretched and taut before laying it down firm over her forearm. "Not knowing how to dress a wound makes you a liability to your teammates."

Squeezing along the bandage, he felt for sag and potential loose edges," how did you manage this, anyways?"

[hatredcurse]

“Merry Christmas!” A cheerful Kyosuke says, bags in hand with presents for his brother and his little daughter strapped to his chest. “Yuri, what do we say to Uncle Sasu?” The little pink haired tot stared at her Papa for a second, then at her at her Uncle. “Me…Merry Christy!” Her little slip up makes Kyosuke chuckle fondly. Almost. // @twinuchiha

Sasuke smiled thinly at both his brother and his niece. Grabbing the presents from him, he hesitated to pass back his own, given that Kyousuke was holding his daughter and Sasuke wasn't sure if he had the arm space.

"Merry Christmas," he nodded to him before lowering himself down to his niece's eye level," merry Christmas to you too."

From his pocket, he procured a small package, one he was certain she could hold and held it out to her.

[hatredcurse]

[🍪] bake & decorate christmas/holiday-themed sugar cookies — Haruhi || @historias-multorum

"Careful..." Sasuke hastened around Haruhi to grab the baking sheet, worried that the rest of the metal pans on top would fall on her. The other free hand pressed to her back, so she didn't back up into him," can you get the icing that we made last night?"

[hatredcurse]

Kikyo made her way over to Sasuke, giving him a small bashful smile she held out a bento box with omusubi with okaka and tomatoes, leaning forward she kissed his cheek, hand resting on his chest. " Happy Birthday Sasuke." / From Kikyo knowing he doesn't like sweets so makes him homemade omusubi. || @goldmuses

He returned her kiss with a share on top of her hair, stroking away a few stray hairs from her forehead as another hand took the bento from her," thank you, Kikyo."

[hatredcurse]

Continued || @sharkfinx

As fast as Sasuke offered it, Kisame took it from his hands.

"Anything to help the seniors of today," he remarked, hiding a wolfish grin somewhere in the depths of his brood.

He ignored his passive-aggressive smile. That is what the shark man gets for dragging the man to a store to do groceries. On his day off of all days.

[hatredcurse]

Naruto hid something behind his back, face splitting into two from how wide his grin were. “I hear it's your birthday, teme.” As if Naruto didn't count the days until Sasuke's special day. He brought forward his hands, revealing a neatly wrapped gift. “Happy birthday,” he wished, leaning forward to peck the raven's lips in a quick kiss. “I have another surprise, but open this first.” Eagerly pushing the gift into Sasuke's hands, the blond couldn't hide the twinkling in his eyes or the amusement that was written all over his face. “A special gift for a special man.” He winked, stealing another kiss before the Uchiha could push him away. || @blonduzumaki

Sasuke wasn't prepared for the rampage barrage of affection coming through at least 3 different love languages. He managed to find his words after the final kiss, hands finding themselves to the prettily wrapped box.

"Thank you," he sat it down on the nearby table, tearing it clean, reversing Naruto's wrapping instead of tearing it apart. "What is it?"