Never Leave Me - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Naruto stoked the fire as Sakura sat beside him. It was nighttime; the sun had fallen an hour ago. Yamato and Sai were off finding supplies while Sakura and Naruto had stayed behind to set up the tents and start a fire.
"Naruto, those kids. They're yours, aren't they?" Sakura murmured.
Naruto stopped poking the fire to sit back and look at her.
"What I mean is, you didn't adopt them; they're yours, your blood runs through their veins."
Naruto blinked.
"The resemblance is obvious. Daisuke has your eyes and Ginji is like your clone. Rin has the same chubby little cheeks you had when you were little, and she has the faintest etching of whisker scars on her cheeks too, just barely noticeable."
"Yeah, they're mine."
Sakura whacked him on the back of the head. "What's the matter with you? A father at thirteen..." She whacked him again for good measure.
"Sakura-chan!"
"So who's their mother?"
"I am. It's complicated, and you'll kill me if I tell you everything."
"We're friends, Naruto. I'll understand." She smiled at him sincerely.
The blond sighed before telling her about what the Kyuubi had told him about his pregnancy, as she already knew about him being the fox's vessel.
"So, you're gay?"
"I'm bisexual," he muttered crossly, puffing up his cheeks.
"And the kids' father is?"
"Never mind." Naruto shook his head.
Sakura was silent for several minutes. "It's Sasuke, isn't it?" she asked, a finger tapping her lips thoughtfully.
Naruto looked over at her, eyes widening.
"Again, the resemblance is obvious." She grinned. Seeing his panicked look, she waved her hand in the air. "Relax, I resigned myself years ago. Sasuke-kun is never going to like me, no matter what. So now, I'm not trying to bring him back for that reason. I'm doing it because he's my friend and my teammate."
Naruto nodded in agreement and understanding.
"Besides, he would have stayed if I meant anything to him."
"Yeah, he would have stayed if he had any reason to," the boy murmured forlornly.
"Do you love him?" She smiled gently at him, her eyes soft and understanding.
"I don't know." He sighed. "It was just a one-night stand and I thought it was just a dream until Kyuubi told me I was pregnant. But he never said a word, he didn't leave me a note, and he didn't even say goodbye. Like you just said, if I meant anything to him, he would have, should have stayed."
Sakura scooted closer and wrapped her arms around the blue-eyed teen, pulling his head to rest under her chin, as he looked as if he was going to cry. "Are you going to tell him about the triplets?"
"Only when he comes back to us willingly." He sniffled. "I'm scared."
"Everything will work out. I once heard someone say, 'It's not over until there's a happy ending'."
"Yea. I just want everything to work out." Naruto sighed, hugging her back. "I want all the bad people like Orochimaru and Itachi dead, and I want everything back the way it was. Oh God, Itachi."
"What about him?"
"He killed his clan to make Sasuke miserable, and he's still after me. What happens when he finds out about the triplets?"
"Nothing! We won't let him touch any of you," Sakura assured, hugging him closer.
"Sakura-chan, promise me something."
"What?"
"If anything ever does happen to me, make sure the triplets are safe, and keep Sasuke as your first priority, even if you're looking for me on the side."
"Naruto, don't say things like that!"
He clutched her shoulders and looked her squarely in the eyes. "Promise me! I want you to keep looking for him, keep trying to get him to return to the village."
"I promise. I promise I will."
He kissed her cheek and smiled. "Thank you."
"We're back!" Sai chirped happily, smiling as he and Yamato entered the campsite.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Let's go," Orochimaru announced as he released Sasuke's wrist.
Sasuke and Naruto stared at each other wordlessly before the Uchiha disappeared with Orochimaru and Kabuto in a fire-like cloud of smoke. Naruto frowned, bowing his head, and resisting the urge to cry.
"Naruto," Sakura murmured.
"Let's go home," Yamato said as he glanced at the blond.
Naruto stood on wobbly legs, stiffening slightly as Sakura threw one of his arms over her shoulders. She smiled weakly up at him. "Lets get back soon. I'm sure the triplets miss you."
His nose twitched, repressing an unknown expression or action. "Yeah. I miss them too," he rasped, voice thick.
Sai watched them as he stood and dusted off his clothes, his mind racing as he clapped his hands together. Despite Naruto's plans to tell the Uchiha about his kids after he returned to the village, would it be such a bad idea to tell him beforehand? Perhaps Sasuke would rethink his actions and stop hurting the poor blond. But, then again, Sai could understand why Naruto wanted to wait, what with being a fellow orphan. Sasuke shouldn't feel obligated to his own children.
"Sai, are you coming?" Sakura called.
Sai shook his head of his thoughts and followed as the other three climbed their way out of the crater.
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Yay!
As you can all see, Sai is going to be a little OOC, only because I don't know him that well and someone has to say the lines I make him say.