Memories of the Future sidestories

A/N: i know, i know. you're saying to yourself, "why is she putting up sidestories when she hasn't even updated the story story?" well, because i wrote this one specifically for a contest, haha. anyway, this is going to be a collection of oneshots that center around the characters in my story "Memories of the Future." sometimes there will be spoilers for the story, but i'll be sure to warn you and whatnot.

this first one takes place about a year before the start of "MotF."

enjoy!

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Long Live the Uchiha
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Naruto stared out of the bedroom window at the rain that refused to stop. His usual bright smile was gone, replaced by sadness, loneliness, and traces of fear. His fingers absently clutched his shirt around the middle, only to unclench and smooth out the wrinkles. It was an odd habit, one he’d taken to doing when nervous, which he never realized he’d had until Sasuke had pointed it out to him.

Sasuke…

Sasuke had been gone on a mission for three months now, to the last Sound base. Three months was an awful long time not to see a loved one, but Naruto understood; he was a ninja, too. But Pakkun had shown up in Tsunade’s office just yesterday, and Naruto had been called immediately. The look he’d seen on her face had nearly made his heart stop.

“The Sound base was not abandoned, as we had been led to believe. It was a trap.”

Tsunade had methodically explained to Naruto and the gathered ANBU what the situation was and what she was planning on doing. She’d assigned four ANBU teams to follow Pakkun back to the base, and the information floored Naruto. Sixteen of Konoha’s best shinobi were being sent to one Sound base? Why?

The answer came in a near earth-shattering blow. Tsunade had dismissed all but Naruto and one ANBU team, the one with Neji and Lee. Then she’d closed her eyes and sighed, a sound so despondent in the utter quiet of the office.

“Neji, I am sending your team for a reason, even though you are a newly appointed captain. Uchiha Sasuke has been gravely injured, and his team must fall back. You are to go to them and make sure they get back safely and with all due haste. You’re to take Sakura with you to stabilize the Uchiha until you return.”

Naruto sagged against the window, uncaring of the chill that entered his skin from the pane. He remembered how he’d nearly fainted, clutching desperately at Tsunade’s desk; how he’d almost hyperventilated, taking great, heaving gulps just to make sure his heart was still beating.

Tsunade had sent Neji and the others away before taking him to her hidden lounge behind one of the walls. She’d lain him down and checked his vitals, smoothing her hand over his hair the whole time. When his breathing had finally calmed down, she’d looked at him sympathetically, but sternly.

“He’s still alive, gaki. And he’ll stay that way. For you, he’ll stay that way.”

Naruto had wanted to scream at her, rave, something, anything – she didn’t know how he felt! But then he’d remembered what Shizune had told him long ago about Tsunade and her brother. And Dan. And from what Naruto had been able to piece together over the years, Orochimaru as well. Yes, Tsunade knew about loss.

“I want to go with them.”

Naruto had wanted so badly to go after Sasuke and make sure he was alive. He knew he was alive, but it was a burning need inside him to be there, by his husband’s side, to take down anyone who sought to finish what they started with the Uchiha.

“Not in your condition.”

He was surprised she’d known, though he shouldn’t have been. Tsunade was a doctor, after all. However, Naruto couldn’t think about that when the man he loved was at Death’s door, and he wasn’t there to comfort and protect him.

Naruto’s hand slowly began to move toward the window frame, intent on opening it, for what reason only Naruto’s subconscious knew. He couldn’t afford to just leave on a whim, but he knew if that window opened, he’d be out it and on his way to Sasuke. And yet his hand inched closer to its goal.

Thunder cracked seconds after lightning split the sky, and Naruto snapped out of his thoughts when twin shrieks of annoyance and fear reached his ears. His breaths were coming in rapid pants, and his fingers were just under the pane, the tips getting wet from the freezing rain.

Naruto jerked his hand back inside, letting the window slam down. He stared out the window a moment longer, wondering what in hell he’d just been thinking, before turning and jogging from the room and down the hall.

The shrieks and cries got louder as he neared the last door on the left, which was, oddly enough, still the room next door to his and Sasuke’s. Why the Uchiha clan needed such huge bedrooms was beyond Naruto, especially when the last ones alive – Sasuke and Itachi – made them out to be so reserved. Not that either of them were exactly sane, but in the less insane moments, they were like ice blocks.

Naruto chuckled to himself as he pushed the heavy door open, wincing when those cries hit him head on. He huffed and clicked his tongue before advancing to the two cribs on the far side of the room. He stood between them, looking back and forth from one red-faced squealing baby to the other. As if sensing his eyes on them, the two simultaneously stopped their wailing and glanced up at him. Naruto raised one blonde brow before eyeing the one to the right.

“Touya?” The baby in question furrowed his brows, almost glaring at the blonde. Naruto swung his eyes to the left to give the other baby the brow.

“Kei?” This one giggled and drooled, and Naruto let out an affectionate sigh.

These two were daddy’s little angels, and if the gods thought it fit to take Sasuke from him, he’d at least thank the teme that he’d given him these two precious boys. And they looked so like their father. Hair so black it shone blue, and eyes so deep and endless, they took Naruto’s breath away, much as their Oto-sama’s did. He had three dark and beautiful Uchiha in his life, and he couldn’t even begin to imagine how he’d gotten so lucky.

Shaking off his melancholy, Naruto lifted first one baby and then the other out of their cribs and sat on the floor, one baby to each hip. They giggled and cooed as he made faces at them, and then they squirmed free of his grasp.

Naruto watched as Kei sat on the floor, giggling and clapping his hands together. His happy laughter filling the room made Naruto smile and laugh despite his miserable mood. Then he turned his eyes to Touya, who was teetering precariously on his legs, but after a moment, he was walking quite steadily.

Touya had started to walk just two months ago, and Naruto had been so proud and happy. He’d told Tsunade, gushing excitedly as he’d held his two sons closely, filled with so much joy, it almost hurt. Tsunade had been happy for him and told him that Kei wouldn’t be too far behind. Then he’d have a hell of a time running after two little Sasuke clones at all hours of the day.

And when she’d mentioned Sasuke, he’d felt so bad that the father of his children hadn’t been there to see his first-born take his first steps. And just like that, Naruto’s depression was back with a vengeance. It didn’t help that he was suddenly overtaken by the first waves of pain and need of his condition.

He clutched his abdomen and leaned over, trying to stifle his sobs by biting his upper lip. This was all so stressful! At this time of year, for him to get such news of his husband, his mate, getting injured and possibly dying was almost too much for him to take.

Naruto let his lip go and cried out loud, silencing the still giggling Kei and stopping Touya in his wobbly tracks.

Dying! Sasuke was more than likely dying, and he wouldn’t be there. Naruto wouldn’t be able to comfort him or tell him he loved him. And Sasuke! Sasuke wouldn’t be able to see his children, to say goodbye to his sons, his heirs, his revived clan! His children would grow up without the Uchiha’s stoic, graceful influence, without his logic and reason, and without his love, that vast amount of love that the Uchiha kept hidden deep within his heart.

His children would grow up like Naruto.

No, not like him. Naruto would love Touya and Kei enough for both of them, unlike what Naruto had been given as a child. Naruto gasped at the level of bitterness in that thought. How could he think such things? His parents had loved him. He spared a thought for his father, Minato, the fourth Hokage. What had that man felt as he held his baby son for the last time, knowing at the end of it all, he’d be dead and his son would be more than likely cursed?

But at least he’d gotten to say goodbye. Sasuke didn’t have that opportunity, and the grief washed over Naruto once again. He lowered his head, the pain racing through him, both physical and emotional, and attempted to stop his sobs again.

“Ouch!”

Startled, Naruto glanced up through his bangs, unable to lift his head because Touya had a firm hold on his hair. His small, pitch black eyes gazed at him steadily, the brows lowering until they were an impressive imitation of his father’s glare.

“Do-be.” Naruto’s eyes widened in disbelief as Kei’s hysterical laughter sounded from behind his glowering son. Had this little imp just called him dobe? And then it hit him that his son had just spoken.

Springing to his feet despite the pain, Naruto grabbed Touya and pulled him to his chest, swinging him around the nursery.

“Touya, you spoke! You spoke! Despite your poor word choice, you are a little genius, just like your Oto-sama!” Naruto paused long enough to pick up an overjoyed Kei and continued his waltz around the room. He came to a stop next to the cribs and looked at Touya. “Say it again!”

Touya just glared at him more, his bottom lip jutting out in the most adorable pout Naruto had ever seen. If that was what Uchiha looked like when they pouted, Naruto was bound and determined to get Sasuke to do it, too.

“Aw, come on, my handsome little man. Say it again for daddy!”

Kei chose that time to poke his chubby little finger into Touya’s chubby little arm, almost as if he were prodding him to do as Naruto asked. The blonde’s eyes sparkled in happiness when Touya opened his mouth, overly excited to hear his son speak again.

“Dobe.”

The sound pierced through Naruto’s heart like a flame-licked sword. The word was right, but the register was all wrong. His wounded heart beat wildly in his chest as he slowly turned around. His sons were squirming in his arms, trying to get away, but he held them tightly, almost afraid to let them go.

There, in the doorway of the nursery, was the man he’d despaired of ever seeing again.

“Sasuke.”

Sasuke stood there, leaning against the jamb, his amused smirk in place and a brow quirked. He looked fine, not gravely injured like Tsunade had said. But that didn’t matter. Sasuke was home.

Naruto didn’t know what to do. He wanted to run to his teme and hug him and cry, hit him and cry, or yell at him, hit him, and cry. But he didn’t want to squish his children, or harm them inadvertently while hitting the Uchiha, but he didn’t want to set them down now that his family was altogether again. So he did the only thing he could think of; he cried.

As the warm tears streaked down his face, Sasuke’s smirk smoothed out to a small smile that only Naruto got to see, and he made his way over.

Naruto watched through his tears as Sasuke leaned over and grabbed his children, pulling them away and hugging them closely. His sons were so excited to have their father back that they were grabbing and pulling at whatever they could. Sasuke grunted as Kei pulled on his hair, and as soon as those little fingers loosened, the Uchiha pulled his head away and raised an eyebrow at the munchkin.

“Kei?” The little boy giggled and clapped his hands, moving one up and lightly patting Sasuke on the cheek. Sasuke smiled and turned his upturned brow to Touya.

“Touya?” The eldest Uchiha heir glared at his father and reached his hand out to grab one of his long bangs.

“Do-be.”

The look on his husband’s face had Naruto laughing like he hadn’t laughed in three months. The disbelief and near-offense present in Sasuke’s face was the funniest thing he had ever seen in his life. Sasuke sent a small glare his way, and Naruto tried to stifle his laughs to spare the man’s wounded pride.

His laughs died down when he thought of how close he must have been to losing Sasuke, and he looked at the man anxiously. “Are you okay, Sasuke?”

Sasuke turned his eyes up from his children, his expression solemn. “I am. Jiraiya-sama was close to our location when it all went bad, and when I was injured, he sent me home on one of his toads. I was close to Konoha when I met up with Neji’s team, and Sakura escorted me back to Hokage-sama’s office.” He paused for a moment then smiled wearily at Naruto. “I’m fine, koi.”

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief, but had to cut it off, as it became a gasp. Another wave of pain passed through Naruto, something he could deal with, but the wave of need that came with it was beyond anything he had previously come across. It must have been because of the worry he’d experienced over his husband, and now having that husband alive and near him had his hormones in a state of euphoria.

Naruto grimaced and grit his teeth until it passed, not looking forward to the next assault, and when he looked up, Sasuke was staring at him in concern. Naruto smiled shakily, but he frowned when Sasuke walked the children over to their cribs. The Uchiha kissed each boy’s temple before putting first one and then the other into the cribs, covering them up to avoid the chill.

Then he was walking over to Naruto, enveloping the blonde in his strong arms. Naruto buried his face into Sasuke’s neck, inhaling his husband’s natural, sweet scent, heightened by his need and enhanced senses. Being this close to Sasuke, Naruto’s blood began to boil, his heart to race, and his arms tightened around the Uchiha’s waist.

“Naruto,” Sasuke breathed into his ear before tilting Naruto’s head up for a kiss. First he licked Naruto’s lips before pressing them together. It was chaste at first, exactly what Naruto had missed from him, but not what he really wanted right now. Naruto took control of the kiss, pushing his tongue past Sasuke’s unresisting lips, hungrily tasting every bit of Sasuke’s mouth. His hands moved from around Sasuke’s back to his front, intent on divesting the man of his clothes.

Sasuke’s hands stopped his, and the Uchiha pulled back, lust banked in his eyes, an amused smirk on his face. “Are you in heat?” he whispered.

Naruto blushed and nodded his head, not looking Sasuke in the eyes. It was so embarrassing! Ever since the damn fox had nearly made him a woman, female demon, whatever, he had more animal traits than he was happy with, including this heat. But, Naruto thought, it wasn’t as bad as it could be. Because Kyuubi was a very powerful, male demon – well, mostly male – his reproduction season only came every so often, perhaps every two years, sometimes later. Thank the gods for small favors.

“Well, we’ll just have to take care of that, won’t we?”

Naruto cried out in surprise as Sasuke swept him up in his arms and headed for the door. His arms went about Sasuke’s neck to steady himself, and he looked back towards the cribs to see two sets of black eyes staring at them through the bars.

Naruto cooed and waved at them. “Goodnight, my angels.”

Sasuke stepped into the hallway and pulled the door to with his booted foot. Then he leaned down and captured Naruto’s lips with his own. Naruto happily answered the kiss, tightening his hold around the Uchiha’s neck as Sasuke moved down the hall to their bedroom. He was about to experience the most pleasurable several days of his life with the man he loved, and he was happier than he could ever remember being.

He had his life, his love, and, most importantly, his family. And who knew? At the end of this cycle, he might even be adding to it. Naruto smiled impishly. Long live the Uchiha.


~owari~