In the cold of space you find the heat of suns

Thank you for the reviews. They inspire me to continue this story.

Please read the author’s note at the end.

Thanks to Small Fox for beta-ing this chapter.

Apologies if the characters have grown differently in their new environment.

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Spacer crews travel the Far Borders and the Fringe of occupied space, trading. Spacing is an ancient and honourable profession carved out by millenniums. Most spacers start out as fourteen-year-old boys seeking a future. Few survive a decade spacing.

91. New Uchiha

By the fifth day, Sasuke still had not decided on the kits’ names. He was struggling because the babies had names beginning with ‘H’ but Kazuki did not.

He did not want all the kits’ names to begin with ‘K’ because that would divide the kits from the babies.

Giving each kit a name beginning with a different letter would be an imperfect solution. There would still be the question of why the babies had related names and the kits did not.

If only nine had divided by two, then a few of the kits could have names beginning with ‘H’, the rest with ‘K’ and the problem would be solved.

He had almost decided on a four-five split when it struck him. Nine divided by three and six divided by three.

He looked at the three by three arrays of lights on his wristcom. They could be named for birth order. The top row, containing Kazuki, would have names beginning with ‘K’. The bottom row had names beginning with ‘H’.

He searched through the lists of name he had made. The middle row would have names beginning with ‘Y’.

He decided on the names and went to look at the kits.


They were in the basket with the babies. Naruto was in the nest with them, napping. When he heard Sasuke he opened his eyes and smiled.

Sasuke began describing how he had come up with the names. He was a quarter way through the explanation when Naruto interrupted him.

“Teme, sometimes you think too much,” he complained. “Have you got five names?”

Sasuke nodded. He looked at the second and the third kit, who would have names beginning with ‘K’. He touched the red haired kit. “Kuuya,” he decided. He then touched the kit with no whiskers, “Keizo.”

Naruto did not object so he continued. “Yoshimi,” he said as he touched the kit with twelve whiskers, then “Yuki” for the quiet yellow haired kit and “Yasushi” for the heavy-set kit with five whiskers a side.

Naruto nodded. “Ka-chan, Kuu-chan, Kei-chan, Yo-chan, Yu-chan, Ya-chan, Ha-chan, Hi-chan, Ho-chan,” he listed touching each kit or baby in turn.

Sasuke was pleased that Naruto had noticed that the shortened forms of the names did not clash. He was about to comment on it but Naruto had fallen back to sleep.

He settled into the rocking chair to watch them; his Naruto and their children.


Naruto was pleased that Sasuke had settled on five names. He liked the names Sasuke had chosen. Initially, he had been equally positive about the naming ceremony. It had seemed a good idea to get everyone together to celebrate the babies’ and kits’ birth.

That had been before Sasuke had gone all Uchiha about it.

It had to be in the hall. It had to include all the legalities. Sasuke and Naruto would be recognised as the parents of each child, with Iruka and Kakashi as parents-in-reserve. The wording had to be perfect. Sasuke and Naruto had to be wearing formal dress. There had to be three Witnesses and a Guardian for each child. Each male child should have two male Witnesses and one female. Each female child should have two female Witnesses and one male. Witnesses continued to play an important role in the child’s life, so choosing them was important.

The only easy part was what the kits and babies should wear; one of Haku’s sleepsuits would be perfect. Naruto could have kissed Itachi for remembering the crest-embroidering machine. Or maybe not; Itachi smelled too much like Sasuke. As he admitted to Shi-chan, it would be creepy.

In the end, Naruto had to insist Sasuke give up the tradition of male and female witnesses for each child. Once you set aside Kiba, who would be named Guardian for every child, there were twenty-seven members of crew other than Naruto, Sasuke, Iruka and Kakashi. They would be their twenty-seven witnesses.

Naruto could see Sasuke struggling with the notion of someone like Tatsuji or Tayuya having an important role in one of his children’s lives. However, Naruto kept looking at him in expectation and, finally, Sasuke nodded.

He then escaped into his office and began juggling names.


A day later Sasuke had a list of Witnesses and was committing it to memory. He insisted that Naruto test him.

“Teme!” Naruto complained.

Sasuke scowled at him. “I am not going to refer to a list when I am asking people. It would be rude.”

Naruto sighed and took the sheet of paper. “Kazuki?”

“Dan, Itachi and Fu,” Sasuke answered without hesitation. They continued through to Hoshi. “Jiraiya, Rin and Kurenai,” Sasuke recited.

Naruto considered querying some of Sasuke’s selections but was loathe to restart the process. He decided to ask only one question. “Did you consult with Shi-chan about Haru?”

“Yes,” Sasuke replied. “He picked Neji. He then chose Kisame and Konohamaru. Now you say the Witness’s name and I will tell you the kit or baby,” Sasuke insisted.

Naruto rolled his eyes. The sooner the naming ceremony was over the better.


Sasuke quickly realised that Naruto had been correct about the Witnesses. Tatsuji actually wept with joy when Sasuke asked him. Asuma reacted as soon as he realised everyone was included. He sought Sasuke out and told him that he had never been prouder to be sworn to Uchiha.

Luckily Naruto pinched Sasuke to stop him admitting that it had been Naruto’s idea.


Naruto also prepared for the ceremony. He began bringing the babies and the kits into the kitchen to accustom them to being out of the nursery. Once that hurdle had been jumped, he tackled the problem of deciding which Witness would hold each baby or kit during the naming. Shino would hold Keizo, Asuma Yoshimi, Shikamaru Hikaru and Kurenai Hoshi. Naruto was less certain about who would hold Haru, Yasushi, Yuki, Kazuki and Kuuya.


Haru proved not to be a problem. Neji was obviously experienced; he sat on the couch in the crew room holding Haru with Shikamaru beside him.

Ibiki proved similarly skilled with Yasushi. Shino was happy to coach Anko as to the best way to hold Kuuya.

Terai and Tayuya stared at Yuki’s tiny form in horror. Then, to Naruto’s surprise, Haku plucked him from the basket.

“I am planning on wearing my best kimono, Naruto-san,” he warned, cradling Yuki with casual confidence. “If he pukes on it there will be trouble.” He frowned at the kit, who did not appear in the least intimidated. “I hope you heard that, Yuki-chan,” he added.


Dan appeared both confident and competent but Kazuki paused for only a moment before beginning a typical Kazuki wail. Everyone within hearing range stiffened. It was a new experience for most of them; the nursery was extremely well soundproofed.

“How can something that small produce so much noise?” Konohamaru asked.

“He is talented that way,” Naruto acknowledged.

“He isn’t calming down,” Dan observed. “Maybe he would be better with Fu.”

“Not me,” Fu declared from the doorway to the fighters’ crew room.

“We will try Itachi,” Haku insisted and went to fetch him.


Itachi peered at the screaming infant. “He’s a lot smaller than Sasuke was,” he said warily.

Dan handed the kit to him.

“Careful of his tail,” Naruto warned. “Support his head.”

“I know about supporting the head,” Itachi assured him. “I confess tails are new.”

Kazuki paused when transferred. Naruto tensed, certain that he would start wailing again when he realised that the person holding him was unfamiliar.

The kit looked up at Itachi and gurgled.

“You smell like Sasuke,” Naruto admitted, his tongue loosened by relief.

“I do?” Itachi queried.

Naruto flushed. “You smell familiar, so he is happy,” he explained hurriedly.


Next it was clothes. Naruto was not impressed by the kamishimo he was expected to wear. There was far too much of it: a kimono, a pleated floor-length overskirt and a sleeveless jacket with ridiculous projecting shoulders.

He did not mind the sword.

“It is only for one day, Naru-kun,” Iruka reminded him. “It will make Sasuke happy. It will mean something to him and to the others who were part of Old Uchiha.

Naruto scowled at him. “Sasuke does not want me to wear my tags.”

Iruka sighed. “We are within the household. The only outsiders are guests like Gaara, Lee and Tsunade. Wearing the tags implies that you do not trust family and guests. You will be wearing your plaque on the platinum choker.” He studied Naruto’s face. “What is wrong, Naru-kun?”

Naruto shook himself. “I am not sure. It’s like Sasuke is trying to increase my status. I do not want to be above others.”

Iruka smiled. “So it would have been better if we all had to wear kamishimo?”

“Yes,” Naruto admitted. “Or traditional dress of some type. At least Haku is wearing his number one kimono.”

“Don’t give Kakashi ideas,” Iruka muttered.

Naruto grinned. “Kakashi-sensei would like to see you in one of Haku’s kimonos?” He considered. “You would look lovely.”

Iruka blushed. “I will investigate whether it is practical to make the whole occasion traditional dress. There are closets and chests full of clothes in the old household. I will talk to Jiraiya and to Asuma about whether it would be acceptable to use some of them. If they think it would be, I will raise it with Sasuke. At the very least, Kakashi and I will dress formally,” he promised.

“Thank you, Iruka-sensei,” Naruto replied with heartfelt gratitude. “Haku could dress everyone up,” he added. “He would love that.”


In the end, Naruto decided that his main task in the days running up to the ceremony was to make sure that Sasuke’s head did not explode.

It had been tempting to tear up all his lists, but Naruto had resisted. Instead he was so supportive that his whiskers hurt from keeping an attentive and interested expression on his face. When he could not stand it any longer he would distract Sasuke with a baby or a kit.

He found himself fantasising about fucking Sasuke and turning him into fluffy-soft-Sasuke. All Naruto could manage was for Sasuke’s mind to switch off briefly when he climaxed.

Iruka and Jiraiya did their best to help. Each time Sasuke made a decision they would implement it, show him the result and Sasuke would cross it off the master list.

By the day before the ceremony every item on the master list had a small, neat cross beside it. True, there was another list, with times, for the day of the ceremony but even Naruto thought that might be useful.

He had asked Kiba if he could manage the kits and babies overnight. Kiba had smiled at him with a surprising glint in his eye and agreed.


That evening, Naruto tacked his list to the wall of their room as he followed Sasuke into the nursery.

Once each baby and kit was fed, changed and settled, they returned to their room, sliding the door closed behind them. Naruto pretended not to see the sheet of paper on the wall nor Sasuke’s puzzled expression as he stopped to read it.

“What’s this, dobe?” he asked.

“It is my list,” Naruto answered. “You have lots of lists. I thought that I should have one.”

“Plan for making Sasuke go fluffy-soft.” Sasuke read aloud. He took the paper from the wall. “Dobe?” he queried, his tone dangerous.

Naruto favoured him with a sunny smile. He walked over to the switch for the speaker connected to the nursery and switched it off. He then picked up the pen that he had borrowed from Iruka, plucked the sheet of paper from Sasuke’s hand and made a show of marking a small cross next to the second item on the list.

Sasuke reclaimed the sheet of paper. “One: ask Kiba to mind the kits and the babies overnight. Two: switch off the speaker in the bedroom. Three: switch off the speaker in the bathroom.” he read. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“To switch off the speaker in the bathroom,” Naruto told him. When he returned he reclaimed the list and added another small cross.

“Are you teasing me, dobe?” Sasuke growled.

Naruto was all wide-eyed innocence. “How could you think such a thing?” he replied. He consulted the list. “No, there is nothing that says ‘tease teme’,” he confirmed.

Sasuke tackled him. Naruto allowed Sasuke to push him back onto the bed and kiss him. It might not be in the plan but it confirmed that he had Sasuke’s full attention.

When Sasuke paused to take a breath Naruto stood up, throwing Sasuke over his shoulder.

“Dobe!” Sasuke complained.

“Bathroom,” Naruto informed him and strode through the doorway.


He stripped Sasuke, washed him, rinsed him and lifted him into the bath. Sasuke permitted it without objection. He sat on the shelf that ran around the sides, the water up to just below his nose, and watched Naruto expectantly.

Naruto began to dance. His body swayed and flowed. Then, gradually, he removed his clothes. Sasuke watched avidly as his tan skin with its glorious golden sheen was revealed.

Sasuke’s hand strayed to his erection.

Naruto stopped moving immediately. He raised a finger. “No touching,” he ordered.

Sasuke considered being disobedient. It would be interesting to see how Naruto would react. Then he imagined some of the possible consequences and put his hands on the edge of the tub where Naruto could see them.

Naruto smiled at him and danced towards the shower.

By the time Naruto finished his display in the shower, Sasuke was rock hard and desperate.


Naruto turned off the faucet. Sasuke was exactly where Naruto wanted him. He moved towards the bath but stopped halfway and posed. “Teme?” he queried innocently.

Sasuke’s incoherent grunt of need was very satisfying.

Three steps and a jump and Naruto was in the bath beside him. His hand closed around Sasuke’s erection. A few pumps and Sasuke came.

Naruto savoured the moment.


Three orgasms later Sasuke was as fluffy-soft as Naruto thought possible. He was soon deeply asleep without a thought for the naming ceremony.

Naruto studied him. It reminded him of when he used to watch Sasuke when they were cats together. He remembered seeing him asleep in his bunk that first time, when Shikamaru had sent Naruto to wake him up. Sasuke had been pretty then.

He was beautiful now.


Naruto woke at the usual time the next morning. He stretched carefully to avoid waking Sasuke, slid out of bed and pulled on some clothes.

It had been good to sleep through a night without waking to feed the kits and the babies but he had missed them. He suppressed the urge to check on them. If the kits smelt him they would start demanding milk and he needed to feed himself first.

He went through to the kitchen, kissed Iruka and sat down. Tayuya, Inari and Konohamaru had started breakfast early; Kono-kun placed a plateful of food in front of him within a few minutes.

“One more day,” Iruka said to him with a small smile.

Naruto smiled back. “I have decided to enjoy it,” he replied. “Does everyone know what they are wearing, Haku-san?”

Haku sipped his tea and assured him that all was well.


Naruto woke Sasuke before he fed the babies. Sasuke sat in the rocking chair, feeding Haru and watching Naruto with the others. He did not seem in the least stressed.

It was nice.


They followed the schedule Sasuke had prepared. At the appointed time, Naruto and Sasuke donned their kamishimo, Kiba dressed in his kimono and they went to the hall. Naruto carried the basket of kits and babies, Kiba the supplies and Sasuke the nine official Uchiha tablets.

The hall was full of their family and their guests. Naruto smiled. Haku had persuaded each one of them into some form of traditional dress. They looked amazing. Haku himself looked incredible wearing the kimono Naruto had given him. Sumaru had been allowed to wear one of his swords. Tayuya was a doll-like beauty in kimono and obi. Kisame and Ibiki looked magnificent in kamishimo. Iruka was wearing a kimono that, Naruto suspected, was a compromise between what Haku or Kakashi would have chosen for him and the simple outfit he would have selected for himself.


Kazuki was first. Kiba took him from the basket and handed him to Itachi. Itachi, Dan and Fu stood to the left, Naruto and Sasuke in the centre and Iruka and Kakashi to the right. Kiba picked up the tablet that had been keyed to Kazuki, handed it to Sasuke and took up his position on the far right.

Sasuke placed his thumb in the depression on the frame, held the tablet so that it could read his iris and spoke the words that appeared on the screen.

“I, Sasuke Uchiha, recognise this individual as my son. I name him Kazuki Uchiha.” He passed the tablet to Naruto.

“I, Naruto, Beloved Companion of Sasuke Uchiha, recognise Kazuki Uchiha as my son.” He handed the tablet to Iruka.

“I, Iruka, sworn to Uchiha, declare myself parent-in-reserve to Kazuki Uchiha.”

Kakashi accepted the tablet from him. “I, Kakashi, sworn to Uchiha, declare myself parent-in-reserve to Kazuki Uchiha.”

Kiba took the tablet. “I, Kiba, sworn to Uchiha, accept the role of Guardian to Kazuki Uchiha,” he said and then carried the tablet to Fu.

“I, Fu, sworn to Uchiha, stand witness to the naming of Kazuki Uchiha.” He passed the tablet to Dan.

“I, Dan, sworn to Uchiha, stand witness to the naming of Kazuki Uchiha,” he said and then held the tablet so that Itachi could touch it while cradling Kazuki.

“I, Itachi, sworn to Uchiha, stand witness to the naming of Kazuki Uchiha,” Itachi said. He then walked over and handed Kazuki to Sasuke.

Sasuke presented Kazuki to the audience. “Kazuki Uchiha,” he declared.

Naruto tensed, expecting Kazuki to mark the occasion with a wail but he was silent. He took the kit from Sasuke and gave him a cuddle before returning him to the basket.


With pauses to check or cuddle babies and kits, they worked their way through the litter. The only variation, other than the Witnesses, was when they reached Haru. Sasuke added an acknowledgement that Shikamaru was Haru’s genetic parent and Shikamaru held the tablet between Kakashi and Kiba, speaking words to confirm his part in Haru’s conception.


When Hoshi had been named the formalities were over and the celebrations could begin.


Kakashi looked about the room. He studied the fusion of old and new Uchiha: Asuma, his oldest friend, surrounded by his family; Shikamaru, who was far more than Kakashi had imagined; Iruka, who insisted on loving him; Sasuke, who had been his reason for existence until he had found a life worth living.

His eye came to rest on Naruto: the fox-boy who had mysteriously appeared in their lives and changed everything; the gift to Sasuke from the past; the catalyst that had transformed Kakashi’s wildest hopes into reality; the accelerant that was propelling them into the future at breakneck speed.

Kakashi watched him with the babies.

Of all the decisions Sasuke had made, this one might prove to be the most important. His children would know Naruto. They would be raised by him. Due to Kabuto’s interference they would live surrounded by his bright shadows.

This was Uchiha’s future.

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For those of you who want to know the kits’ witnesses: Kazuki - Dan, Itachi and Fu; Kuuya - Izumo, Anko and Kunugi; Keizo - Shino, Kotetsu and Inoichi; Yoshimi - Asuma, Sumaru and Tatsuji; Yuki - Haku, Terai and Tayuya; Yasushi - Ibiki, Choza and Hamaki; Haru - Neji, Kisame and Konohamaru; Hikaru - Shikamaru, Gai and Inari; Hoshi - Jiraiya, Rin and Kurenai.

And the meaning of the kits' names

Kazuki - harmonious hope
Keizo – blessed keep
Kuuya – expanding sky
Yoshimi – to rejoice in beauty
Yuki – blessing; snow
Yasushi – peaceful honest

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Dear Readers

I orginally asked readers what they wanted, for me to continue this story with chapter 92 or begin a new tale. I decided to go with the majority view and finish this story at chapter 91. It seemed the correct time and the correct moment in the story.

There will be a sequel. Until it comes out there will be a series of stories called 'Tales in Tarrasade'. These will be shorts and they will take readers forward across the next three standards to the start of the new arc.

'Tales in Tarrasade' will be posted in the 'Naruto/Sasuke' section because that is the home of this fic.

I would like to thank all the readers who have been with me on this journey. What started out as something very small, a little project to reignite my interest in writing, became huge and totally involving for me as an author. I have discovered the wonder of interacting with readers and I would like to thank all those who have contacted me via reviews or email. My email is mannahpierce@ntlworld.com.

Many of you have contributed to the way this story developed.

The first chapters of 'Tales in Tarrasade' is up.

Kind regards and many thanks

Mannah Pierce