Why Orange?

(locks shackles) Ah that's better.

Ri: I hate you.

Danny: (pouts) But kitty I wanted to play some more

Sai: (tries to smooth down extreme bedhead) Hey T.W. what'd I miss? (blinks at Danny and Ri) Why are your muses chained together with Itachi's favorite bondage shackles?

Itachi: (narrows eyes) I'm going to need to disinfect those so you'd better have a good explanation T.W.

T.W.: (re-adjusts clothes and puts hair back into a ponytail) A reviewer gave me the excellent suggestion to chain Danny to Ri to control him and your bondage shackles were the only thing in arms reach. By the way thanks a ton BlackHeartX. (stretches) Now let's see. This chapter starts the skipping around to milestones, more specifically first words and steps. By first words I mean the ones other than mama and dada. Their first real word.

Itachi: Mama and dada aren't real words?

T.W.: Don't start you ass.

Ri: He's not the ass here today.

T.W.: Send Danny back and I'll remove the shackles.

Ri: I'm just going to leave and take my slave with me.

Danny: Ri-sama no please! I wanna stay with kitty!

Ri: Shut it Danny!

Sai: Why does he call you kitty T.W.?

T.W.: Mmm? Oh when he first saw me I was wearing pjs with kittens printed all over them, plus he says-

Danny: She's just like a kitty cat! Moody, playful, and sometimes she wants attention and sometimes she'll bite your head off if you touch her.

T.W.: -that. (knocks Danny out)

Sai: Kitty pjs?

Itachi: I thought you didn't wear pajamas?

T.W.: I don't unless my family is over then I kinda have to because my little cousins have a bad habit of barging in on me when I'm sleeping.

Itachi: So you first met Danny during a family function?

T.W.: Yeah why?

Itachi: You were writing a yaoi fic around your family?

T.W.: What's your point?

Itachi: Aren't most of your family...

T.W.: Prudish homophobes. Yes they are and if they ever saw what I write they'd have a mass coronary.

Sai: But your mother actually proofreads your fics right?

T.W.: My mom is one of the open-minded ones. She doesn't like yaoi but she's not all 'it's blasphemous, evil, sick, and wrong' like my other family members.

Itachi: So your mother is the only one who wouldn't die or disown you?

T.W.: Nah my brother and my dad are pretty cool with it too. Again not their cup of tea but they don't tell me not to drink the tea.

Ri: You won't be drinking any tea if I don't get out of these bloody shackles!

T.W.: Er, I think I'm gonna let you all read the fic while I try to calm Ri down. A pissed off muse is frightening.

'thoughts'
emphasis

Chapter 52

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triplets-9 months Mikomi-11

Naruto ducked as a tiny hand flung a slimy slice of peach in his direction. He eyed Arashi who just assumed an incredibly believable innocent expression. Hikari and Mikomi both chortled and Kaji seemed to have a tiny Uchiha smirk gracing his lips. Naruto shook his head and leaned down to look Arashi in the eye, "You're gonna be a handful aren't you little man?"

The baby boy put a juice covered hand on Naruto's cheek with a small smack sound, "Ka!"

Naruto stood up and wiped off his face, "I'll take that as a yes."

Naruto left the babies in their highchairs as he got busy cleaning bits of baby breakfast off of their faces. He had to take Arashi out of the chair though because the boy had a habit of smearing his food everywhere including on himself and whoever happened to be feeding him. Naruto put the little boy in the sink, sent a shadow clone to get the boy clean clothes, and started to clean him up, keeping an eye on the other babies from the corner of his eye all the while. Arashi slung the water all over the place and soaked the white T-shirt Naruto was wearing, plastering the now transparent material to the blond's chest. The blond man chuckled at his son's antics and when Arashi splashed again Naruto flicked a bit of water at him. The baby boy laughed and squealed, "Kaa!"

Naruto leaned down and nuzzled the boy's hair before finishing the bath and re-dressing the little imp. Sasuke leaned against the doorway and watched them with a smile of contentment that edged into slight lasciviousness when he saw just how well the wet T-shirt displayed his husband's upper body. He strode forward, intent on running his hands over the washboard abs that were displayed by the damp clinging cotton. A tiny hand reached out and swatted at him as a baby voice said, "Chi!"

He sighed as Naruto turned around with Arashi in his arms and watched Sasuke look down at Mikomi. The 11 month old raised her arms and said, "Up!"

Sasuke's eyes widened at hearing something other than 'chi' or 'kaa' from her and he reached down and lifted her out of the high chair, "Did you just say 'up' Komi-chan?"

The little girl giggled, "Up, up, up Chi!"

Naruto smiled happily as Sasuke lifted her high in the air, looked around to be certain that no one but Naruto could see him, and brought her down to blow a razzberry on her tummy as a reward for her first word. The little girl giggled and waved her hands, "Chi!"

Sasuke brought her to his chest as another little hand took a swat at him and he looked down into the pouting face of Hikari. The raven laughed, propped Mikomi on his hip, and reached down to pick Hikari up and prop her on his other hip. Naruto grinned and did the same with Arashi and Kaji while Sasuke sat in a chair and wrangled the girls around onto his lap, "There's my beautiful girls."

Naruto nuzzled the hair of his sons and felt his heart soar. It made him so happy to see Sasuke like this, free of the shadows of the past and basking in the sunshine of their future.

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triplets- 11 months Mikomi- 13 months

Naruto frowned down at Kaji. The baby was refusing to be put down for a nap, squirming so much that he nearly made Naruto drop him. The blond sighed exasperatedly. 'He's just like his chichue alright. Difficult as hell.'

"C'mon Kaji-chan let's take a nappy huh?"

Naruto tried to lay the boy in his crib again but stopped short when the mini-Sasuke opened his mouth and shouted, "NO!"

The blond daddy brought Kaji to eye level, "You're kidding me."

Kaji gave a perfect baby Uchiha glare and repeated himself, "No!"

Naruto started laughing, "Ha ha ha oh gods I don't believe it!"

"Don't believe what usuratonkachi?"

Naruto turned to see Sasuke framed in the nursery doorway clad in his ANBU gear, smiling wearily, "I'm sure you heard it teme."

Sasuke chuckled and walked over to Naruto, taking Kaji from him, "So you're first word is no is it Kaji?"

The baby boy gurgled happily at his chichue and Sasuke shook his head, "Well I'm sorry Kaji but you are going down for a nap."

Kaji frowned again and Sasuke swiftly set him in the crib before he could protest. As the boy opened his mouth to start and indignant wail, Sasuke leveled a stern look at the baby. Kaji stopped in his tracks and resorted to pouting as his parents walked out of the room.

Naruto turned to face Sasuke and brushed the Uchiha's bangs out of the former avenger's eyes, "Okakeri nasai teme."

Sasuke leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss over Naruto's lips, "Mmm it's good to be home."

Naruto tilted his head to the side as the raven pulled back, "What was that look you gave Kaji?"

The Uchiha chuckled, "It was one my father would give me when I misbehaved. Always worked. Even when I was determined to dismantle the baby gates."

Naruto shook his head, "I think that you were just as much of a menace as I was. You just hid it better."

Sasuke laughed and gave Naruto another quick kiss before heading off to a shower, "Heaven help whoever is our kids' sensei in academy then."

Naruto smiled and went downstairs to fix dinner before the babies woke up.

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a couple weeks later. Obito and Sai are away on a lover's retreat, Naruto ans Sasuke are on a mission

Iruka laughed so hard at the scene before him he was doubled over holding his stomach. Kakashi, however, was not amused. He'd pulled out the newest Icha Icha to pass the time while Iruka finished bathing Kaji and Arashi but a tiny voice had interrupted him by calling out, "Ewo!"

Kakashi's head had jerked up and he'd stared incredulously at the little blond angel looking at him and repeating, "Ewo," over and over. Such was the scene Iruka had walked into. The gentle teacher had managed to contain himself until he'd put Kaji and Arashi down inside the playpen but then he'd just started laughing and hadn't stopped yet. The copy ninja leveled a look at Iruka, "It is not funny Ruka."

The brunette just kept laughing, "Oh- ha-ha-ha- yes it- ha ha- is."

"Where did she even learn that word?"

Iruka managed to gain control of himself, "Probably from Naruto calling Jiraya Ero-sennin."

Kakashi rubbed his hand over his face, "Naruto's going to kill me when he learns that his daughter's first word was 'Ero'."

That set Iruka off again as Kakashi picked Hikari up and tried to get her to say something else.

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next week

Naruto and Sasuke staggered into their bedroom covered in blood, dirt, and other unmentionable stuff from their mission. They went straight to the shower stripped and washed up quickly, sharing the spray and scrubbing the places their partner couldn't reach. Any other time they would have played a bit and ended up jumping each other's bones but they were just too tired and their mission had just been too hideous to want to anything beyond get clean.

They got out, dressed in sweatpants, and went to look for their children. They found them in the kitchen with Iruka and Obito feeding them cheerios. Naruto just paused in the doorway and drank in the sight of home as Sasuke went to cuddle each of the babies one by one. As the raven got to Arashi, the baby boy squirmed and reached out for Naruto, "Kaa!"

Naruto walked forward to take Arashi from Sasuke. The baby boy touched the corner Naruto's lips, "Kaa 'mile!"

Naruto blinked at the almost stern tone of the boy's voice, "Huh?"

" 'mile!"

Sasuke went up behind Naruto and propped his chin on his shoulder, "If I'm not mistaken he's telling you to smile Usuratonkachi."

Naruto leaned back slightly into Sasuke's arms, let the feeling of being home wash over him, and did as Arashi asked. He smiled quietly and had the baby boy in his arms squealing happily now that he saw his kaa-san wasn't sad anymore.

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triplets 12 months Mikomi 14 months

Naruto and Sasuke frowned at Tsunade and said simultaneously, "No."

She blinked. This was the first time they'd ever refused a mission in their lives, "What?"

Naruto folded his arms across his chest, "No. The triplets are turning one today. I am not missing my children's first birthday."

Sasuke nodded, "In addition we have already planned a party for them. You got the invitation a week ago."

Tsunade sweatdropped, she'd forgotten about that. She also had to admit that she didn't need Naruto and Sasuke for this particular mission. Any ANBU would be able to handle it. She nodded, "Alright but you'll owe me."

Naruto snorted, "I already knew that."

The Hokage shuffled her papers and met Naruto's gaze, "How is Mikomi?"

"She's fine."

"Still hasn't walked on her own yet?"
Naruto shook his head, "No."

The Godaime hmmed, told them to keep her updated, and dismissed them. She was worried about Mikomi not walking yet. Everything else that babies her age did she had mastered and in fact she was ahead of her age in several things but she was lagging behind when it came to walking. The girl still just cruised using the furniture. The triplets had even begun to take a few halting steps but not walked yet but Mikomi apparently hadn't even tried to walk on her own yet. It worried the medic-nin in Tsunade.

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Naruto and Sasuke walked through their front door and gaped at the organized chaos that met them. Their kunoichi friends were giving orders to their husbands like seasoned generals and decorating like mad. Sakura just glanced at them and gestured upstairs, "Watch the babies. We've got this covered."

Naruto just shrugged at Sasuke and did as he was told. In the nursery there were babies everywhere already under Obito, Kakashi, and Iruka's careful watch. Sakura and Choji's daughter was on her back gurgling contentedly at the feather Obito held just out of reach, Shikamaru and Shizune's 2 month old son, Shikato, was staring out the window like his father did so often, Ino and Shino's week old twins, Shinori and Inomaru, were in a custom bassinet and sleeping peacefully.

TenTen and Kankuro's month old daughter, Lian, was curled up with Hinata and Kiba's son Koga on a blanket laid out on the floor, Iruka keeping an eagle eye on them. The triplets were in their playpen with Mikomi, who was doing her best to look over the side of the baby jail at Cho.

Naruto exchanged a glance with Sasuke and made the infamous sign for Kage Bunshin. Soon there were three more Naruto's helping look after the babies spread all over the place. Naruto picked Mikomi up out of the playpen and set her down when she kicked. She plopped down and stared at Cho with the single-minded intensity that only an Uchiha could display. Naruto turned his back on her for a few moments to lift the triplets out of the playpen one by one and when he turned back to her she'd disappeared. He looked around frantically for a moment then saw her toddling along awkwardly towards the object of her attention. He gasped and called out, "Sasuke look!"

The room plunged into utter silence as Iruka somehow managed to whip out a camcorder from heaven only knows where and began filming Mikomi as she took her first, unassisted steps towards Cho. She stumbled and fell down once and whimpered a bit before getting back up and wobbling towards Cho once again. Naruto felt something brush past his legs and his jaw dropped when he saw Hikari, Kaji, and Arashi following after their cousin, falling down every few steps but getting back up to continue after their objective.

Mikomi got to Cho, sat down, and reached out to touch the baby's cheek. Soon the triplets caught up to where Mikomi was sitting and plopped down onto their bottoms around their cousin. Naruto looked over at Sasuke, "What just happened?"

Sasuke, being the bastard he is, smirked, "They walked usuratonkachi."

Naruto growled, "You know what I mean teme. Why now? Especially Mikomi."

Sasuke shrugged, "I suppose nothing interested her enough to exert the effort until now. As for the triplets, you know they don't like being separated from Mikomi. Going after what we want is a normal Uchiha trait."

Naruto face-palmed and chuckled, "And that answer is a normal teme trait."

Iruka laughed as Naruto went to cuddle the new walkers and Sasuke joined him.

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The triplets were arranged around a chocolate cake with a candle in the middle. Sasuke had decreed that they would not light the candle so the babies didn't decide to grab at it and get burned. The birthday song was sang with Naruto and Sasuke holding the babies back from diving into the cake. As soon as the song was over and the babies were released, they plunged their little hands into the cake and began eating whatever cake they didn't squish out of their little hands. Mikomi joined them soon and chocolate icing smeared all over their clothes, faces, and hair. Naruto winced, knowing that the chocolate stains would be hell to get out but when he heard the giggles of four happy toddlers he smiled and shrugged it of as being worth it. His children would have the childhood that neither he nor Sasuke had, one full of love, happiness, and such moments of magic that only children could experience when they discovered something new.

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Itachi and Sai: (eating popcorn and watching T.W. negotiate with Ri)

T.W.: Ri I can't have him loose around me right now I have too much to do.

Ri: I'll send him away on one condition.

T.W.: (eyes Ri warily) And that is?

Ri: I wanna see the baby pictures of your niece!

T.W.: (falls down anime style) That's all you want? Why didn't you just ask sooner?

Ri: Didn't think about it.

Sai: What baby pictures?

T.W.: I became an aunt on the 4th. Ri wants to see the three measly pictures that my brother sent me.

Itachi: Your brother spawned?

T.W.: Itachi you say one negative thing about my niece or my brother just one and I'll peel the skin of your penis back like a banana and salt it down before I skewer your balls.

Itachi: (blinks) You just threatened me?

T.W.: You bet your hot ass I did. You do not mess with my bro and you sure as hell had better not mess with my niece.

Sai: Whoa. Ri is it just me or is T.W. getting a scary aura that would make Kyuubi run for cover?

Ri: Oh it's not you honey. Tee may not be the most badass of chicks but when it comes to protecting her family she'll chew anyone up and spit them out. And now that her big brother's a daddy and she's seen the pictures of the baby she's ten times worse.

Sai: I think her aura right now would give even Madara pause.

T.W.: Thank you Sai. So Itachi you were saying?

Itachi: Nothing. I said nothing.

T.W.: That's what I thought. Ri here you are (hands Ri the pictures) now get rid of the horndog.

Ri: (snaps fingers and Danny disappears) Awwww she's so cuuute!

T.W.:....Sai did my badass muse just squeal like a little girl?

Sai: Yes.

T.W.: Okay then. Well regarding this chapter, it was actually supposed to be part of chapter 51 but I felt that 51 was already long enough. Both the walking and first words came from personal experience. Several of my younger cousins took their first steps at the same time, it was freaky. And my own first word was 'no'. My brother's was 'perv' I didn't bother asking my mom where he'd learned it. 'Smile' came from my cousin that I babysit and 'up' was my best friend's little sister's. Well that's all for now. Take care of yourselves Ja ne!