Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Papa doesn't like women.”

Then why were they married for over a decade?

The thing was, when Mama told her that Papa and her were getting a divorce, that Papa was gay, that Papa and Lord 7th were moving in together, she couldnt find it within herself to actually be surprised. 

Ever since that time she, Boruto, and Mitsuki had seen the two of them walking together that one night, Mitsuki smiling the way he did, saying “They really look perfect together,” she had known. She had ignored it, for the most part, but she knew. 

It felt like everyone in Konoha knew, besides maybe the two women they had married. Sometimes, she thought that they had known more than anyone, but had married them just because they didn't want to believe it. 

If anything, the weird thing was that her father was actually around. It wasn't that he never went on missions anymore, as there were certain things that only he could accomplish, a shinobi of his level, but more often than not, he was in the village. 

She had taken the divorce quite well, unlike Boruto, who seemed distressed and confused, even though they never showed it in front of either of their parents. Boruto kept on grumbling, kept whining and complaining. Himawari was a bit more quiet than normal, but did not seem actually upset about it. 

Her father and Naruto had bought a house together. It was a bit different than the ones she was used to. It was a traditional one, and her father told her it was the kind he had grown up with. Naruto told her her father was secretly hoping that she would like it. 

She didn't dislike it, that was for certain. Walking on the engawa to get around to different rooms had taken some time to get used to, but besides that, she quite liked it. She realized that this was how all Uchihas houses used to be, and felt she should learn to like it. 

It was somewhere between the house she had grown up in, and the house Boruto and Himawari had grown up with, but far off to the side, near one of the forests. There were four bedrooms, one of each of the kids, and the last shared by their fathers. 

There was a kitchen, bathrooms, and all the other normal rooms a house had. There was a garden too, a garden that, more likely than not, she came home to to find her father in it, poking around his tomato plants. He grew a lot of other things too, but he seemed to give them special attention. 

 The whole house was spick and span, never a particle of dust on anything, never a plate in the sink, never a muddy footprint on the engawa, never a mess in the living room. It took her some time to realize that it was her own father that was picking up around the house, since Naruto was, as her mother put it, one of the messiest people to ever live. 

Coming around to see him almost everyday, when she wasn't at her mother's house, had taken more time to get used to than the actual divorce. 

They had cats now too. Two of them. They lounged about the engawa or in the garden all day long, and regularly changed which one of the kids rooms they slept in by the night. They were both black, one of them a little older and a little fluffier, the other one sleek and shy, and her father told her they were brothers, but from different litters. Boruto had warmed up to them quickly, and did not seem as angry about life once he had. Apparently, his mother had been allergic to cats. 

She didn't seem to have the same issue with dogs though. Boruto had complained to her several times about all the hair Akamaru left around the house. 

Being at her father's home was slowly becoming to feel more normal to her than being at her mother's house. It wasn't that she suddenly disliked her mother, or being with her. It was that Rock Lee, of all people, was suddenly around all the time. It was that, suddenly, Metal was sleeping in the guest room and he and his father were spending the night on the weekends she was there, and probably when she wasn't there too. 

It was six at night, the sun was halfway set, she had a mission tomorrow, she, Boruto, and Himawari were sitting around the low table, and her father was making them dinner. Her father was making her dinner. 

Sarada was used to cooking, and she often did it for herself when her mother was working late, and she still did it when her father and Lord Seventh were off working. But she had come home from training, and her father was bringing in carrots from the garden, and telling her that he was making stew. 

The whole house smelled like stew and black tea, Himawari was poking at a half asleep Boruto, and her father was serving them tea and apologizing for dinner running late and she honestly felt like she had fallen into another reality. 

“Did your dad grow this?” Boruto said with a frown, sipping on the cold tea once her father had returned to the kitchen. It was a hot summer day, and though she preferred tea warm, she did think it nice that he had thought of them to take the time to make the tea in advance and then chill it for them. 

“Papa,” She called into the kitchen, inspecting her own glass. It was really a lovely color, like the expensive kind her mother bought her when she did exceptionally well. “Is this from your garden?”

“Mmm,” He called back after a slight pause. “Is it bad?” There was tension in his voice, as if he feared the answer. But that couldn't be it, right? 

She took a sip. It was rich and smooth and went down easy. “It’s good!” She called back. 

Her father hummed, and that seemed to be the end of that. Boruto was still staring at his glass 

Boruto leaned close to her, looking confused. “Does this mean your dad is the woman?”

Himawari punched him so hard he went flying into the wall. 

“There is no woman,” Himawari told him once he came crawling back to his place. “That's the whole point.” Sarada nodded along firmly. 

Boruto whined, rubbing his side. “Right, right, sorry.” 

There was a period of silence, only occupied by her father moving around the kitchen, separated by them by half a wall. 

“But...you know, he does everything mom used to do around the house.” Boruto said after a moment, keeping his voice low. Sarada really hoped her father wasn't hearing any of this. 

“Daddy doesnt know how to cook or clean.” Himawari reminded him. She had a look of concentrated patience on her face, as if she had dedicated herself to explaining these things out to her brother. Sarada didn't have that same patience, and Boruto’s words were starting to test her temper. 

Boruto winced. “Oh...yeah. You’re right.”

Sarada glared at him. “Boruto,” She whispered angrily.  “You know the whole point of the divorces is that neither of them actually like women, right? Men should know how to cook and clean anyways, it's not just a womens job.”

“I know how to clean.” Boruto whined, looking away from her with a pout. 

“Then what's the issue?” Sarada pressed. 

“Nothing!” 

“Do you really hate them just for loving one another?” 

“No!” Boruto yelled, eyes wide. The noise from the kitchen stopped for a moment, and then picked back up again when no more shouting followed. Sarada let out a sigh of relief. 

“I just don't…” Boruto trailed off, frowning so hard he made a ditch between his brows. 

“Just don't what?” Sarada asked, rolling her eyes faintly. 

“I just don't...get it.” 

‘

“What's to get?”

“I’ve just...never seen two guys together, I guess.” 

“So?” 

“So that kind of thing...is okay?” Boruto was suddenly looking at her, and she saw something in his eyes that was something more, something deeper. 

Sarada inhaled deeply. “Yes, Boruto. That sort of thing is perfectly okay. It's fine for two women to like one another too.” There was much more she could tell him, but she figured this was good for a start for him. 

“Oh.” Boruto suddenly looked much more relaxed. She stared. Had his parents really never explained this to him before? Neither of his parents seemed to be the kind to be judgmental about it, especially not Lord Seventh. 

Had he really been thinking and worrying about it for this long? They had lived in this house for three months already, and both of their parents had been divorced officially for five months now, and separated for even longer. Had they really not talked about it with him?

Just then, the door slid open, and Lord Seventh came in, leaving his sandals out on the engawa. 

“Hey, kids!” He greeted, raising his hand and giving them a broad smile. 

Boruto stared at him in shock, mouth hanging open. Himawari happily jumped up from her seat and went to hug him. Sarada and Boruto watched from their seats as he picked her up and swung her around a bit, her happy laughter filling the room. Sarada reached over and snapped his jaw shut for him as Himwari returned to her seat. 

Lord Seventh was smiling wider than Sarada had ever seen him. 

“Sasuke, I’m home!” 

“...I'm in the kitchen.”

Naruto quickly walked past, ruffling Boruto’s hair and waving to Sarada as he did. 

Boruto was still staring after him.

“He’s home?” He asked Sarada.

She nodded. “It looks like it.” 

“It's not a shadow clone??” He looked ready to go running into the kitchen and test it for himself. 

“Papa said if Lord Seventh ever sent a shadow clone home he would slaughter him.” Sarada told him pensively. She still remembered the Hokage going extremely pale at those words. Then he had clung to her father's waist and promised him he never would. 

Himawari took a sip of her tea, her face scrunching up. 

“You don't like it?” 

“Too bitter.” She pouted.

Sarada laughed. “I’ll get you some honey. Papa probably doesn't know you don't like bitter things.”

She grabbed the younger girls glass and got up to her feet. She quietly patted towards the kitchen, coming to an abrupt stop in the doorway. 

Lord Seventh had her father pressed up against the counter, one hand underneath his shirt, the other resting on his bottom, and her father's hand was caught in the Hokages blonde hair, twisting it between his fingers. 

She must have made some noise of surprise, because next thing she knew, the Hokage was being shoved almost across the room. 

“Sarada-”

“It's okay.” She smiled. “Parents can kiss in front of their kids, you know?” Though she would prefer if it wasn't so...intense. At least she could say for sure they really loved one another. 

She walked past her quiet father, and Lord Seventh who, for some reason, was looking at her like he was going to cry. 

“Naruto.” Her father said softly. 

She quickly added a good helping of honey and left the kitchen. 

“Help me bring the food out?”

“Of course, Sasuke!”

The way Lord Seventh said her father's name filled her with an undeniable warmth. 

It made her happy, knowing there was someone who loved her father that much, to say his name so comfortably, as if he was the most precious thing in the universe, and his name was sacred. 

The two came out a moment later, placing the food out quickly. The three kids had set the table up otherwise as soon as her father had told them he would be making dinner for them. 

A meow came from the door and Ita, the older, fluffier cat came into the room, curling himself up against Sarada’s leg. 

This was different than what she thought her family would be like. But her mother wasn't so lonely anymore. And her father was happy, and he smiled a lot more, and though it was different, she felt warm in this home, and could say for certain that she was surrounded by nothing but family. 

Chapter Text

“I’m tired, Naruto.”

Naruto didn't catch the words at first. He was too busy looking at Sasuke, thinking about Sasuke. He knew age and stress were getting to him, but as far as he was concerned, it had not affected Sasuke negatively at all. 

Sasuke had begun wearing his hair up around the house, when he was tending to the repairs, or working in the garden. His bangs and the first few sections of his hair were left hanging, the longer back tied up in a neat knot on the top of his head. It had gotten softer and silkier now that he had been home for awhile, like it used to be when they were kids. Before he had gone and lived his life moving place to place, living out of a bag with a few possessions. 

His waist was as trim as ever, his ankles and wrists still delicate, skin still smooth and soft where it wasn't worn with scars, fingers nimble and thin, collarbones still protruding a little, legs still slender and elegant. If anything, he had a few lines around the eyes and his ass was a little softer than it had once been, but he didnt think either of those things were worthy of complaining about. He quite liked both of those things, actually. 

“You're gorgeous.”

Sasuke paused, and looked at him. “Idiot, did you hear what I said?”

Naruto grinned apologetically, looking twelve and saying Sorry I graphetted the Hokages again... again “Ahaha...sorry, I was looking at you.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I’m tired.”

Naruto's heart almost stopped at that. Tired? Tired of what? Of him? Already? Did he want to leave again, already? Maybe it had been foolish, and he knew he definitely could be, but he had thought that Sasuke would stick around a bit more now. The two of them...they had missed so much of one another in their younger years, Naruto wanted to spend every moment he could with Sasuke now to make up for it. 

“I haven't had any place to call home for most of my life.” Sasuke said, sounding thoughtful as he looked out into the garden. It wasn't much of anything yet. Sasuke was still digging it all up and planning everything out. They had only lived here for a handful of days. A few birds landed in their bath and started twittering happily. Sasuke watched them with a slight curve to his lips. 

“I want to rest, I guess.”

Naruto's heart felt unbelievably soft. Sasuke had been moving from place to place most of his life, always out on missions, living out on the road, sleeping in tents or against a tree or in shitty guest houses with thin walls and no running water. 

Before that, he had been living with Orochimaru, in a place where he could never have felt safe. And before that, in the pristine little apartment, all by himself, lacking any warmth. And before that...it was so long ago, Naruto was sure Sasuke had forgotten what living with family was like. Naruto knew that what he clung to the most were the memories of what his parents and his brother looked like. 

Sasuke looked at him, and Naruto could tell he was worried about what he thought, even though nothing on his face showed it.   

Naruto was tempted to tease him, but he knew what Sasuke was feeling right now required for him to be careful, considerate, and patient. In their youth, he would have disregarded that, said something insensitive, prickled at Sasuke's already sensitive emotions, and only made things worse. He knew better now, finally. 

“Just so you know, money wouldn't be a problem.” Sasuke said, eyes leaving his face once again. “Over the last decade or so...I haven't spent much of it. Then there's the Uchiha money-”

“Sasuke.”

Sasuke paused and glanced at him with one obsidian eye through the curtains of his hair. “Yes?”

“You want to take care of the house, and the kids when they are here?”

“Mm. I guess that's what I’m saying.” Sasuke looked as if he himself couldn't believe he was saying any of that outloud. “I don't want to completely stop going on missions, but…”

“You want to be home more.” Naruto finished for him. 

Sasuke nodded. “I suppose.”

“How long have you felt this way?” Naruto asked him, wrapping his arms around Sasuke as he leaned back against Naruto's chest, baracadding him between the outer wall of their house and his lithe body. 

Sasuke was quiet for a moment, eyes running over the overgrown weeds at one corner of the yard. 

“Since Sarada was still young.” 

Naruto tensed. 

“But I couldn't. Sakura would have...expected things of me. I don't think I could have done it regularly. It was hard enough the first time, when we made Sarada.” Sasuke's fingers twisted into the material of Naruto's long shirt, a finger flicking out to rub over his bandaged knuckles. 

“I really...missed a lot, I know.” He told the creaking wooden planks of the engawa. They would have to replace a few of them soon. The inside of the house was mostly freshly renovated, it was only the outside that needed a bit of work. 

Naruto hugged him tight. Sasuke let out a little gasping noise. It could have been in complaint from being held so tight, or a sign that he was close to tears. 

“I know. So have I.” Naruto reassured him. “The first few years, everything was fine, but then I started to...realize things, and it was complicated to be home at night, before they had all gone to bed.”

Sasuke rubbed at the hands around his waist. 

“It was hard for all of us.” Sasuke allowed. He didn't want Naruto to feel the guilt he himself had felt all these years. Sakura was truly one of his closest friends, someone he loved dearly, and he had really, really tried, like he never had before, but he just couldn't. 

“Kiba and Lee have to save the day again, huh?”

Sasuke snorted and elbowed him in the ribs, listening fondly as Naruto groaned and fell sideways. 

“You’re so mean, Sasuke.” Naruto whined, clutching his side. 

“Would you have loved me if I wasn't?” Sasuke asked, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk. 

Naruto considered that. “Mm...probably not.” He grabbed him around the waist, and pulled him down on the ground with him. 

Naruto shoved both his hands up Sasuke's shirt and gently bit into the side of his neck. 

“I’m going to show you how mean I can be, now.” Naruto warned. 

Sasuke let out a sigh and tentatively moved himself back against Naruto. 

“We never...finished our discussion,” Sasuke moaned out as Naruto groped him. 

“You’ve suffered enough. Do whatever will make you happy, and I’ll support it. Even if you never want to go on a mission ever again.”

Sasuke smirked. “I can't do that. Who will look after Lord Seventh if not me?”

Naruto hummed in acknowledgement. “Fair enough.”

Chapter Text

“Papa?” 

“Mmm?”

“When did you fall in love with Lord Seventh?”

Sasuke's teeth clacked together, completely missing the noodles that lodged itself halfway down his throat at that question. He smoothly swallowed and looked over at his daughter, who was innocently peering at him from the other side of the low table. 

It was a hot night, the door to the engawa left wide open, letting in any breeze they could get. Sasuke kept telling Naruto they needed to get a few fans but he had been ignored over and over again. Tomorrow, the first thing he was going to do was go and buy a few. For now, it was late, and it was only himself and Sarada for a late dinner. He had started cooking dinner later than usual, quietly hoping someone would come straggling in to eat with him. Naruto was still at the office, but Sarada had come back from training, it seemed she trained later and later everyday.

Himawari and Boruto were at Hinatas for the weekend. It was supposed to be Naruto's weekend, but they had something special to do, some outing with Kiba somewhere, and they all tried to be flexible with one another. 

Sasuke had made cold soba and cold tea, silently trying to make up for their hot house. It had only been a few weeks since moving in, and not yet everything was perfect as he wished it to be. He felt extra guilty because the tea was green, not black. He had forgotten to buy more when he had done the shopping. 

Sasuke stared at her, eyes shifting to the side after a minute. His face felt a bit warm. 

“Excuse me?” He finally settled on, unable to think of anything else to say. 

“Mama said you and Lord Seventh loved one another for a long time. So, when did you fall in love with him?”

How could she ask him a question like that with such an expressionless face? Sasuke silently convinced himself that she got that from Sakura, definitely not him. 

“When did your mother tell you that?” Sasuke redirected.

Sarada stared at him. “Why does it matter?” 

“Your mother married me. I’m pretty sure she had no idea.” Sasuke pointed out. 

“She said she was in denial.” Sarada insisted. 

Believable, for some people, he supposed. But did she really think it was going to work on him? Sakura had not been in denial, it was more like she had simply refused to notice it even subconsciously until they were a decade into a loveless marriage. 

“Uncle Itachi doesn't like liars.” Sasuke said. Ever since he had told Sarada everything there was to know about Itachi, and she had grown to love him as family, and admire him for his spirit and strength, despite what he had done, Sasuke had taken to lightly using his brother's name in such ways. 

“Uncle Itachi was the biggest liar in the five nations.”

“Well, Uncle Itachi wouldn't want you to take after him.”

Sarada just crossed her arms and pouted in response, and she looked so much like his younger self for a moment he had to blink to fix his eyesight. It was too much like looking in the mirror of the past, despite many of her facial features also holding lingerings of Sakura. 

“Alright. You have me. Mama definitely didn't know anything. I want to know. So, when did you fall in love with him?” Sarada said, leaning on the table to get a bit closer. 

“Are you really asking me something like this?” Sasuke wondered, carefully dipping his noodles in the sauce he had made. 

“Years and years, Papa, remember?.”

Sasuke sighed. How was he going to argue with that? His absence during her childhood no longer seemed to hurt her as much as it once did, or at least it had lessened enough that she now felt comfortable with using it against him easily. 

“What do you want, then? When I realized, or when it actually started?” 

Sarada thought that over for a moment, her food long forgotten. “Both, I guess.”

“I realized...well, I think I was forced to accept it after he married Hinata. As for when I realized it, even though I was in denial, well that was probably when…”

Sarada held up a hand. “How did you get forced to accept it?” 

“Due to certain reactions, I really couldn't lie to myself anymore.” 

“Certain what reasons?”

That stubbornness was from Sakura, it had to be from Sakura. It wasn't him, it definitely wasn't him. 

“I was...upset.”

“Did you cry, Papa?” Sarada asked. There was no malice in her voice, only genuine curiosity. Now he was just doubtful, were he or Sakura ever actually this nosy in all their lives? Maybe it was from Itachi. 

“Eat your food, Sarada.” Sasuke insisted.

“So that's a yes…”

If it was anyone else, he probably would have been glaring. Alas, she was his one and only precious offspring, so he could do nothing but take another large bite of his dinner. Sarada took after him, bringing a few small portions up to her mouth. 

“But when you fell in love?” Sarada pressed after a few moments of tense silence. 

Sasuke tried his best to ignore her. However, her stare was relentless, and even though her eyes were obsidian, it still felt like he was under the scrutiny of the sharingan. Perhaps that was just the power of a daughter though. 

“Or when you think you did?” Sarada offered mercifully. 

Sasuke's grip loosened on his chopsticks and he sighed. He gently placed them down and leaned back a bit. He avoided looking directly at her. 

“Prob…..we...gen…”

“Papa, no one can hear you talk like that!” Sarada chided him fearlessly. 

“Probably...when we were on our genin team.” His face felt warm and he purposefully looked down at the floor. Memories of the past traveled through him, of Naruto slinging an arm over his shoulders, grinning like a fool, that ugly orange jumpsuit that smelled like ramen and clove, and feeling warmer than he had in years. After a while, he looked up, and his heart fell.

Saradas eyes suddenly looked very wet. 

“Papa...you loved him for twenty years.” Her voice wobbled. 

“I wasn't aware of it for quite a few of them.” Sasuke offered, feeling a bit panicked. 

“That doesn't make me feel better at all.” Sarada said, lifting her arm up to her eyes. Sasuke looked around for something to offer her instead of her own arm covers. He came up empty handed. 

Sarada was quiet then, and Sasuke watched her expression carefully. At first, she just looked extremely sympathetic, and then quickly pained, a few more tears falling on his behalf while he sat there, feeling utterly useless. Then, to his horror, she looked at him in the eyes, and her face screamed guilt. 

The door slid a little more open behind him. Naruto was home, loudly kicking off his sandals, loudly exclaiming about how good it smelled, asking Sasuke what he had cooked tonight. 

Sarada watched him enter, she looked between the two of them. Something else crossed behind her eyes, and her face crumbled. Sasuke felt as if a dagger had been buried in his chest. 

“I don't regret it,” Sasuke said, loudly. Naruto went quiet, and Sarada looked at him, eyes wide. “Marrying your mother, and having you. I would do it again, as long as I got you in the end. That idiot can wait, you know? It wasn't like I was going to let him go anywhere. If he dared to die, I would simply follow him and bring him back, because he's not allowed to get away from me.”

Sarada stared at him, and for a moment he worried he said something wrong, and then she was laughing, wiping her cheeks clean. Another laugh came from behind him, and he felt a weight settle in against his side, a warm arm wrap around him. 

“Bastard, who chased who again?” 

Naruto kissed his forehead, and then offered Sarada a grin, his eyes unbelievably soft. 

“I hope you kids don't worry about that sort of thing. I know you think we’re really old, but we still have plenty of years left. Your dad and I will be together now, and on until we look like raisins.”

It wasn't that easy, they all knew that. But it was also known that wherever one of them went, the other was sure to follow. 

“What, your lazy dad made you soba?” Naruto asked, suddenly across the table. It effectively distracted Sarada, who laughed at his choice of words. Her eyes curled at the sides, just like his brothers used to, 

“Lazy? Who does all the cooking for you and cleans your house?” Sasuke asked, suddenly searching the table again for something to throw at him. 

“Is it any good?” Naruto asked, making a show of observing her food. He grimaced dramatically once he took a smell of it. 

“I think Lord Seventh should find his way to Ichiraku for dinner tonight.” Sasuke suggested dangerously. Sarada looked thoroughly entertained, eyes flashing back and forth between them. 

“Fine by me. Ow, I was kidding! Sasuke! Sarada, protect me!”

Chapter Text

The warmest parts of spring were finally coming, more and more with each passing day. It was finally at the point where for a few hours during the day, they could all strip off their sweaters and feel the warmth of the sun, at least when it wasn't raining. 

It had been the hottest day of the year so far. Sweat clung to her skin as she walked back from training, a light breeze sticking her hair to her neck. There was pollen in the air, making her throat scratch faintly, but except for that, it was quite pleasant. 

The sun was setting behind the city, Chocho talked to her about whatever, and she listened with a smile. Days would someday not be this calm, a part of her knew they were approaching the prime of their most youthful years, and the peace she felt at the moment would not always be there. One day, she wouldn't get to walk with her friends home like this. They'd be busy, just like their parents. 

For now, she didn't let herself think too much about it. Chocho asked if she wanted to get ice cream at the store on the corner, and she found herself agreeing. At some point, Boruto caught up with them, arms crossed behind his head as he walked. 

The streets were quiet for this time of day. They had reached a part that had once been part of the main village, and it was even quieter there. Everyone was at home, having dinner with their families, civilians finally getting off their day jobs and heading home. There were a few academy students heading home after extra practice, and genin like themselves unwinding after some training. 

“Sasuke!” 

They all looked up. Sarada at the name, and Boruto at the voice. Chocho was the one who found them first, gesturing across the street, her eyes blown wide, mouth fallen open in shock. 

Boisterous laughter echoed off the shops lining the streets.

Lord Seventh ran energetically down the sidewalk, his orange sweater tied around his waist, cinching the gray undershirt to his skin, the bandages of his arm on full display, his short sleeves rolled up to his shoulders. He had a smile on his face that would probably split anyone elses right in half. One arm was occupied with waving around a froggie coin bag, and the other was behind him, pulling along her father. His shirt was swoop necked, long sleeved but thin, lilac in color, his empty sleeve waving behind him. He was smiling behind his hair, head tilted down towards the earth. 

“I don't like sweet things,” Sasuke called back to him, letting himself be pulled down the street at a speedy run. 

“Earl grey isn't sweet! You’ll like it.”

They looked good together. 

No, it was more than that, they looked as if they belonged together. 

They hurried into the shop they were just about to cross the street to enter themselves, looking like a pair of lovesick children. She turned to find Boruto watching just as she had been, wearing a thoughtful expression. 

“Home?” She offered.

“I want ice cream,” They both argued, and she gave herself to fate, following them across the street. 

They all let out a sigh of relief when they entered the cold shop. Lord Seventh and her father stood at the counter, her father frowning down at the flavors displayed, probably wondering why they didn't have a tomato flavor or something equally as ridiculous. Lord Seventh had his arm half wrapped around her father's waist, his hand coming to rest at the top of his bottom. 

She had seen the sight over a dozen times already, all when they thought they were out of the sight of their children, and she found herself wondering why everyone wanted to grope her father so badly. 

“Papa,”

Both the shinobi at the counter nearly jumped right out of their own skin. That was how much they had not been paying attention. 

Her father had a guilty expression on his face, as if he had done something scandalous. He stepped out of Lord Sevenths hold, glaring when the hand tried to continue clinging to his waist. 

“Sarada.” Her father greeted her softly.

The divorce was still fresh. 

Her father and Lord Seventh were living in an apartment together in the old part of the village. It was small and stiff, with only a small extra room that was used for storage and the like. There was a futon squeezed into the corner where she, Boruto, and Himawari would take turns sleeping in on the weekends, depending on who was spending that weekend with their father. Her and Boruto tried to stay out of the apartment as much as possible. Not because they didn't like to be with their fathers, but because it was awkward and hard to be comfortable. Most of the time, Sasuke would be begged to give them some training if he was around. 

They were looking for a house, Sarada had heard from her mother. She wondered when her father was going to tell her that, or if he ever planned on it to begin with. 

“I didn't know you ate ice cream.” Was what came out of Saradas mouth, and as soon as it did, she felt a little ridiculous. “I mean...I thought you dont like sweet things?”

“I don't. But the idiot insisted.”

“Hey! That's Lord Seventh to you!” Said Lord Seventh wrapped his bandaged arm over her father's shoulders and fixed them all with a grin. 

“In your dreams, perhaps.” 

“Oh, definitely in my dreams.” Lord Seventh's smile turned a bit pervy. She was sure her and her friends' faces all showed their distaste for such an expression.

Her father didn't even blink, rearing his foot up and then back into the Hokages shin. 

“Ow, Sasuke!” 

“Idiot. Not in front of the children.” His voice was low, but Sarada caught it. 

“Right, right. Sorry,” Lord Seventh recovered from his slight injury and beamed at them brightly. “Hey, what do you kids want? Sasuke will buy you anything!” At her father's one eyed glare, he quickly redirected himself. “Kidding! I’m treating, obviously! Jeez, Sasuke, no need to get mad.”

“You’ll know when I’m mad.”

“I’m sure I will.” There was that look again. Gross.

Boruto quickly shoved his way between the two of them. “Aren't you supposed to be working?” He grabbed onto his father's arm, pulling him towards the counter. The remaining three followed them in silence.

“Sasuke wanted to go on a date, and I just couldn't say no. I’m going back to the office in a half hour.” Naruto patted his son's head gently. 

Her father looked flustered, and both Sarada and Chocho had to rush to hide their amusement. 

“Naruto! W-When-” Was her father stuttering?!? “ When did I ever say such a ridiculous thing to you?”

Lord Seventh shot her father that same blinding grin from before. 

“Now, Sasuke, no need to be shy.”

“I’m not shy, you-”

“Hi! Could I get a scoop of mango swirl, a scoop of earl grey, two scoops of chocolate fudge, two scoops of black tea, and- What do you want Chocho-yes, two scoops of strawberry! Thank you! Oh, and please put the earl gray on a cone!” 

The attendant behind the counter momentarily looked frazzled, but quickly went to fill the order given to him. As soon as the mango swirl and earl grey were ready, Lord Seventh nestled his own into his elbow and gently handed her father his cone. 

She knew her father had only had one arm since before she was born, but still, it warmed her to see someone being so accommodating and thoughtful when it came to it. Her father could definitely manage either way, just as he always somehow did, but she still found it to be quite nice. 

Lord Seventh ushered them forward when their own ice cream came out, shuffling around in his froggie bag while her father stood quietly by his side, ignoring Boruto’s head constantly jamming into his side as he terrorized his father about one thing or another. He ate his ice cream quietly, seeming to like it. Herself and Chocho were quick to give their thanks before collecting their little foam bowls from the counter. 

“Hey, old man, who said I wanted chocolate fudge?” Was what Boruto came up with as he collected his own. 

“Well you never get anything else!”

As they left the establishment, Chocho had distracted Boruto long enough to get out of his father's hair and had him launched into conversation. Their fathers walked a few steps ahead. 

“Yo, Sarada! We’re going this way!” 

Sarada waved to them and continued down the path she was already one. It was a Friday, and was technically her weekend to stay over, if she so wanted.

“Bye to you too, brat!” Lord Seventh yelled after his son.

“See you later, dad!” 

Lord Seventh grumbled as he turned back to her father, though she didn't hear much of it. She stopped walking, wondering if she should have just gone with Chocho and Boruto. The two ahead of her probably wanted to be left alone, perhaps it was best for her to just go to her mothers, and stop by her fathers the next day. 

“Sarada, aren't you coming?”

She looked up. They had both stopped, Lord Seventh was smiling back at her, and her father looked a bit confused, as if wondering why she was lagging behind. 

She beamed. 

“Yes, Papa!” 

These days were fleeting and sweet. She would remember them forever. 

Chapter Text

Every morning spent together was bittersweet.

Naruto groaned miserably when his alarm went off at five thirty in the morning. The time changed a bit by the day, but never more than an hour or so either way. He reached over blindly to shut it off, not wanting to leave the warm body trapped under him.

He had a bad habit of sleeping all over Sasuke when they were in bed together, especially after they had done certain things. It wasn't that he was using Sasuke as a pillow, more so Sasuke was using him as an extremely heavy, warm blanket that covered him head to toe. Sasuke, reluctantly, had admitted to him it felt rather warm and safe, and having his weight on him didn't bother him at all, despite Naruto being a bit bigger than him. Still, he did try not to suffocate his lover every night.   

Naruto sat up slow, trying his best not to wake Sasuke. He got about half way before Sasuke's head popped up, eyes blinking sleepily up at him from underneath his nest of bedhead. 

Sasuke sat up a bit on his elbow. "Do you want breakfast?" His voice was thick and deepened from sleep, and Naruto found himself wishing he didn't have a meeting at seven he had to get ready for. He was going to tell Shikamaru no more morning meetings, he was. This time, he really would tell him. 

Naruto swept the hair out of his face to press a kiss against his forehead. "Nah, I'm okay. Go back to sleep." 

He stood up from the bed and heard the rustling of sheets as Sasuke stubbornly followed his example. It didn't surprise him. Sasuke had never listened to him much, whether it was the best for him or not. Naruto caught himself staring at his long, lean figure as he sat all the way up and slid to the side of the bed, feet twitching when they came in contact with the cold floor. Naruto’s eyes traced the shadows of purple on Sasuke's hips as he stood to his full height. 

They had taken advantage of the weekend. The shadows of purple were various different shades, some a day or two older than others. Somehow, Shikamaru had gotten all his meetings done during the week, and had told Naruto not to mind whatever paperwork had to be done, which was little. He had been confused, but then Shikamaru had grinned, reminded him that all the kids were with their mothers that weekend, that Sasuke would be home, having nothing of particular importance. Finally, he had been thrown out of his own office with the promise that if anything serious came up, Naruto would be alerted. 

It wasn't like his friend to take extra work upon himself, and it had been years since he had gotten two days off in a row, much less an actual weekend, so he let himself take advantage. 

He had thought of all the things he and Sasuke could do together, and then had not done much of any of them. He had helped Sasuke with some things in the greenhouse late Friday night. They were quickly getting it together in preparation for the cold months, and then they had gone to bed, and stayed there well...until at least Saturday afternoon. Then he had helped Sasuke pull up some carrots and cabbage, and then had watched as he made them a late lunch. They had eaten, and then gone back to bed, and well…Sunday had been much the same. 

Only leaving the bed to bath, eat and change the sheets once or twice, it wasn't a bad weekend, in his opinion. 

He loved spending time with the kids, he did, he loved having them around, in their house, after fearing that he would never be able to see them, that they would despise him. He loved watching them grow, to laugh around the house and run around the yard and the gardens. 

But really...the times he and Sasuke got to be alone together in the house, for such a long time, were far and few between. He wasn't ashamed to say he had taken advantage. Sasuke had seemed all too happy to do the same. 

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's orange robe off the back of the desk chair and slid it on, securing it tightly around the waist.

"Take a shower," Sasuke said as he passed, absentmindedly running a hand over Naruto's bare waist as he did. "It'll be ready by the time you're done." 

"You don't need to-" Naruto tried to argue. 

Sasuke slipped on a pair of slippers and slid the door shut before he could finish.

Twenty minutes later while trying to button up his pants with cold stiffened fingers, Naruto walked haphazardly down the engawa towards the dining rooms. The floorboards creaked underneath his feet, he would have to remind Sasuke to tell Boruto that he needed to fix boards if he and his group of terror reigning friends were going to run and jump all over them and use them for their home practice. There was a dent from a kunai that almost tripped him up as he went to slide the door open. 

The smell of grilled fish welcomed him back inside. Sasuke had just finished laying out breakfast for two and was pouring them warm tea. It was early fall, but the mornings were already chilling them both down to the bone, their aging bones already aching a bit from it. 

“Sasuke, can you tell Boruto that-”

“He’s coming to fix them Friday afternoon,” Sasuke interrupted, taking his seat at the table. Naruto quickly sat down and took a second to appreciate the sight of the warm, tasty food before helping himself to some. Once he had taken his first bite, Sasuke delicately broke off a piece of egg and started eating as well.  

These mornings were different from the ones he had grown used to over the years. There was no Hinata gently making conversation with him as he ate, no Boruto who climbed all over him while he tried to eat like he had once done when he was young, no Himawari who stubbornly got up in the early morning to see him off, both of his children talking a mile a second, despite how early it was. There was no ache between his temples, no longing for someone deeply hidden away in his heart, one that he tried to hide away, one he did his best to ignore.

When they had married, Naruto had had the distinct thought that, Mom really would have liked her. And once he had done that, he didn't think it was right for him to have second thoughts. 

It had been a good life. Hinata was a beautiful, kind wife who loved him. He had two adorable children who adored him, and who he adored. He had had the type of life that most men in Konoha would have killed for. He knew that, he never tried to take it for granted. When he had found his heart aching, he had ignored it and pushed it to the back of his mind. He could be happy, he would be happy, just as things were. He would be happy as is, with Sasuke as his right hand, his best friend and confidant, and that would be enough. 

Or so he had thought. 

Naruto ate fast, but not because he was in a hurry anymore. Sasuke just knew how he liked his food. He sometimes wondered when he had figured that out. Had he told him, all those years ago? He couldn't remember. He had told Sasuke so many things, it was hard to keep track of it all if it wasn't particularly meaningful. 

Naruto finished, and thanked Sasuke for the food, leaning back on his hands and watched as Sasuke picked at his dishes. 

“You’ll be late.” Sasuke told him, taking a sip of tea. “Don't worry about me and go.”

“It’s still early,” Naruto shook his head. “I’ve got time.” 

“Stubborn,” Sasuke sighed, but did not push any further. 

How many times had he dreamed about eating with Sasuke when he was young? How many times had he wished he had anyone to eat with? More than he could ever count. He had never taken it for granted with Hinata and the kids, when he was able to, and if he had to rush to make it to the office in time, that was fine.

What could be more peaceful than this? What life could be better than this one? The windows were open, letting in the sound of chirping  birds in the canopy of trees surrounding their house, and the cats meowing in the garden. He had a stomach full of warm, tasty food, cooked just the way he liked it. He had a house of his own, he had a family, he wasn't lonely anymore. He had two cute little cats, with whiskers just like him, who let him hold them whenever he wanted. They had a garden full of vegetables that were always turned into something delicious, and what seemed like a never ending supply of tea, warm and cold, sweet or bitter. His clothes were thick, warm, and felt nice on his skin, and he had more than a few pieces to choose from. He had the love of so many people, he had been seen and heard and adored. 

And most importantly, they were together, Sasuke sat across from him, warm and soft in the robe that was too big for him. Orange looked nice on him, any color looked nice on him, but Naruto was particularly fond of this color on him. He still recalled Sasuke making fun of his jumpsuit when they were genin. The thought forced a laugh out of him. 

Sasuke's eyes flickered up to his face. 

“What?” He asked softly. 

“You look nice in orange,” Naruto grinned. 

Sasuke froze, chopsticks half raised to his mouth. He looked down at himself, and placed the utensils down. Naruto watched gleefully as his cheeks turned a soft pink. 

“Thought it was mine,” Sasuke mumbled, before going back to his food, eating quicker than before. 

Naruto smiled, and didn't call him out on the lie. The only time Sasuke wore his own silk, lilac robe was when Naruto was wearing the orange one for himself. 

Naruto watched him eat with a smile on his face, now feeling completely awake. He could do a few hundred laps around the whole of Konoha at the moment. But no, he would sit here and look at Sasuke instead, because he was so beautiful it made his chest ache, and looking at him made him so happy he thought he might cry. It had been months since they had gotten together but... no, he should say years, since it had all begun between them, but that overwhelming feeling never, ever left him. Not when it came to Sasuke. Whether they were together or not, he would have always felt this way when he looked at him. 

“You should get going,” Sasuke said, as he finally finished. He immediately started picking up the plates, and Naruto hurried to help him do the picking up. Together, they carried them into the kitchen and loaded them into the sink. 

“Your lunch is in the refrigerator,” Sasuke said, and then went and got it before Naruto could. It was wrapped in a plain, dark blue fabric, and it made him smile. Sasuke handed it over, and then immediately went to the sink, turning on the water. 

“Get going, before Shikamaru comes to get you.” He was dismissed. 

Naruto watched him fondly. 

I really want to kiss him. 

He looked at the clock. It was late. He had fifteen minutes before his meeting started, Sasuke had always been a slow eater. 

“Sasuke.” He called from the doorway. 

“Hmm?” 

“I love you.” 

Naruto left with a grin before he could hear an answer, he knew he would get one when he got home anyways. 

He never wanted to leave on mornings like these, but he knew with utmost certainty that, eventually, they would always come back together. 

Chapter Text

Boruto sometimes wondered if Sasuke was lonely.

The truth was, most of the time he lived in an empty house. Often the only company he had was the cats. Boruto honestly thought he was even more isolated and lonely than his mother had once been, because at least his mother actually left the house nearly everyday, had had them around most of the time, and had plenty of friends she constantly spoke to and visited with. 

He had noticed that, when it was his and Himawari's week at their dad’s house, his dad was around just a little bit more than he was before the divorce. Boruto took that to mean his father was trying to get his work done as quickly as possible, and tried his best to come home every day, if he could manage, and did not linger about on his way home as he once had. 

Boruto didn't see Sasuke around the streets of Konoha as he once had, and even then it had been rare. Now it seemed to be even more unlikely. He occasionally quietly left for a mission, leaving the house cold and lonely, leaving Boruto and Sarada to come and feed the cats. During those times, his old man avoided the house like the plague, and slept in the office more than anything. Now that he was older, he understood more that his dad hated being alone, and hated it even more to be in an empty house. That fact had only increased by the fact Sasuke was the one leaving him lonely. 

Sasuke never complained or showed signs of stress the way his dad did. He always kept himself busy, always in the middle of some activity or another when Boruto popped in without pre-warning. Most of the time, he was in the garden or, now that it was getting colder, in the greenhouse. A few weeks ago he had been making the last touches on the few rooms they had added onto the house, it was two more bedrooms that he couldn't see a purpose for. Weeks later, they were still empty. 

Boruto still remembered the out of body experience he had when he came around to find Sasuke walking along the engawa one hot summer morning, basket of laundry tucked under his arm to hang up on the line when they had first moved in. Seeing him do such normal, everyday things had taken some time to get used to. It had been so weird at first. 

The old man was already gone for the day when Boruto woke up on said man's birthday. When he wandered into the dining area, Himawari was already sitting at the table with Sarada, the two of them eating breakfast, Sarada listening to Himawari talk her throat dry. 

He shuffled over to the table to see their bowls of eggs over rice, stomach growling faintly. Sarada waved him towards the kitchen and he shuffled his slipper clad feet. He was somewhat surprised Sasuke had not already appeared to tell him not to drag them. 

He walked into the kitchen finally to see Sasuke stirring a giant bowl of something that smelled like heaven and quickly hurried over, peering inside to find a light brown mixture. 

“What are you making, Sasuke-san?” He asked, looking around then at the flour and other ingredients left on the counter. 

“Pumpkin cake.” 

There was indeed what looked to be pumpkin skins in a plastic bag on the counter, which Boruto knew would soon meet its fate with the compost bin. 

“For the old man?”

Sasuke didn't even give him his usual agitated glance whenever he referred to his dad as that. Sasuke just hummed and nodded once. 

“You think he’ll be home in time to actually eat it on his actual birthday?” Boruto asked, and then realized he probably should not have right after the words were out. Sasuke didn't say anything for a moment, and then sharply smacked his spoon against the side of the bowl, getting off some of the batter.

“It doesn't matter. He can have it whenever he comes home.”

Sasuke brushed past him and fetched some of the pans from underneath the counter, coming back with three round pans. Boruto watched as he began cutting pieces of parchment paper to line them. 

“Your breakfast is on the stove under the lid,,” Sasuke told him. “I didn't know what time you’d be up.”

Boruto muttered his thanks and went over to the stove, picking up the giant metal lid to find two bowls of eggs over rice on a tray. He grabbed utensils and a cup of water, muttered another thanks that didn't get an answer, and hurried back to the dining room. 

It was a rare day that they didn't have training or a mission. The day had just so happened to fall on a Saturday as well. Like every year since he had been born and even before that, there were festival's all across the five nation's celebrating the anniversary of the end of the war. 

Usually, Boruto would have left after breakfast and went to see if any of his friends were around and available. That or he would have just gone to the festival and found them himself. It had always distracted him from the fact his dad hardly was able to be with them even on his own birthday. 

However, this year, he didn't want to leave the house. 

He didn't know why. It wasn't like his dad would come home anytime before nightfall. For some reason, the thought of leaving Sasuke alone in the house that day didn't feel right to him. 

Himawari and Sarada seemed to be having the same idea as well. His sister was playing in the one garden that actually had space to move around in, where they would sometimes do light training, while Sarada was sitting with her feet hanging off the engawa, wearing a warm sweater and reading a book. 

Usually, Himawari would have already been tugging their mother along on the way to the festival, cutely telling her to hurry. 

The house was quiet, which was unusual when all three of them were staying over at the same time. Some way or another, one of them managed to always make a racket. Sasuke hardly ever scolded them for it, unless it was after dark. Now, they were all quiet, and kept to themselves. Not even Himawari was making much noise as she began some standard shuriken practice. Sasuke came out for a bit to watch and assist her in the late morning, but went back inside before long. 

Right at noon, Sasuke came and told them food was ready if they wanted to eat. The three of them had immediately put what they were doing down and hurried inside. They had been getting teased from the smell dancing out the kitchen window for the last half hour. While the three of them ate their fill, Sasuke didn't seem to be hungry. Boruto peeked into the kitchen while eating, and saw him dutifully icing the three layered cake that had been cooling the last few hours. It had been calling his name all day long, even though it had been plain the last few hours. It must have been hard with only one hand, and Boruto figured he didn't have much baking experience, but Sasuke still managed to make the cake prettier than any he had ever seen in a bakery window. 

Boruto had forgotten about his food and watched in silence as Sasuke gently added cinnamon to the top, not a single fleck falling on the counter. When it was done, he swung the fridge open and carefully placed it into the fridge. 

The sight had his chest aching a bit. 

It was only then that Sasuke joined them at the table, eating while listening to Sarada talk about the book she was reading, a small smile on both their faces. Boruto was sure he had imagined the slight pain that had flickered across Sasuke's face as he had gone to put the cake away. 

"None of you are going to the festival?" Sasuke asked them when the conversation had died down.

They all shook their heads. None of them asked Sasuke if he was going. He had never gone to one, his dad had told him so. Boruto could only guess some of the many reasons as to why that was. 

Boruto didn't hear Sasuke talk again until he was calling them for dinner hours later. Unlike many parents, Sasuke didn't ask them to help him cook or set the table. If his old man was home, Boruto always got the fun show of Sasuke making him help, but he never asked them. However, he always took their help if it was offered. 

He hadn't heard the man walk around the house and its lands, but that was nothing abnormal. Unless he was in someone's direct sight, no one could actually tell where he was if he didnt want them to. Boruto had seen him ironing clothes when he had walked past their bedroom a few hours before. He had seen him walking in and out of the house a few tables, entering the greenhouse, sweeping the engawa. 

Boruto noticed sometime in the day that Sasuke was treating the day as if he would any other. He had his hair up and was dressed casually, and he seemed to never take a moment to rest, always finding something to do around the house and doing it without rest. He was always like that when the old man wasn't home. The only thing that would stop him was if the cats or kids wanted his attention. 

Boruto half expected ramen for dinner, but Sasuke fed them red bean soup, with the usual sides and a few sausages that he wrinkled his nose at when he placed them down. Boruto knew he didn't like meat unless there was nothing else for him to eat, and only ate seafood as long as it didn't look like the animal it had come from. He knew because his old man always, always talked about Sasuke, spewing off random facts about him like someone had asked. Which they had not. 

Sasuke had been quiet during the meal. He sat with his back towards the door, and only ate a small bowl of soup, ignoring the rest of the food on the table. When they were finished, Sasuke went back to the kitchen. Boruto held his breath for something, but Sasuke just came back out with a plate of cut up plums and pears. 

At dusk, Sasuke began to linger around the dining room and kitchen, going back and forth between the two rooms casually. The dishes that had oddly been left in the sink for the last few hours were washed, dried, and put away, Sasuke taking an unusually long amount of time to do so. 

He then started cleaning the entire dining room. Himawari had escaped back to her room, since Sasuke always kept them in once the sun had gone down. Sarada was seated in the doorway that connected the inside hall and the dining room, keeping out of Sasuke's way, while Boruto paced around the halls, wishing he could go back out. The cats were inside, curled up in one of their many beds in the corner of the room. Sasuke swept around them. 

It was late by the time Sasuke had finished. Boruto knew he could have gotten all the work done in minutes if he really wanted to, but instead he had taken his time. Usually, Sasuke would have retired to the family room or the greenhouse by now, but he didn't. Boruto found it odd. 

“He’s really taking his time today,” Boruto said aloud to Sarada as Sasuke went to grab another spray bottle from the kitchen. 

Sarada looked up at him with expressionless eyes. “Wow.” Her voice was flat. 

“What?” He demanded, feeling foolish even though he didn't know why he should be feeling like that. He was just saying what he was seeing. Sasuke was being weird. 

“Nothing. You really are just clueless sometimes.” Sarada got up from her place and walked to the kitchen. She stood in the doorway, nose scrunching up at the stench of chemicals. 

“Papa, I’m going to bed.” 

“Mm. Goodnight.” Sasuke's voice responded softly. Boruto wondered if all those chemicals were getting to his head. 

Sarada rolled her eyes at him as she passed, as if she couldn't believe he had not picked up on whatever it was she thought he should be picking up on. Boruto told her goodnight and she gave him a lazy wave as she disappeared around the corner. 

Boruto went and bothered the cats for a while, he didn't know why he didn't just go to his room and leave Sasuke to his own company. One of them swatted at his hands while the other stuck both sets of his claws in his pant leg and kneaded. 

“I’m hungry.” Boruto announced as he walked into the kitchen some time later, once the cats had returned to napping. Sasuke looked over from where he was cleaning the inside of the oven. He walked towards the cabinets, Sasuke remaining on the floor, and then changed his mind, he changed course for the fridge, wanting something cold and light. 

“It’s late.” Sasuke said suddenly, getting up and beating Boruto to the fridge. While Sasuke nearly always prepared the meals for them, he usually left them to their own devices when it came to any extra food they desired. Nonetheless, Sasuke put something together for him and handed it over.

“You usually don't stay up this late,” Boruto noted. He glanced towards the clock and saw that it was already a few minutes past ten. By that, he meant Sasuke didn't stay around in rooms that were not his own unless it was time to harvest something or something mission related, he nearly always retired to his room by this hour. 

Sasuke didn't answer him. 

Once he finished, there was no other reason for him to stay, so he told Sasuke goodnight, and left the man to whatever he was getting up to. He just hoped he could whip himself up something in the morning for breakfast, or maybe Sarada would take mercy and cook for them. It didn't look like Sasuke was going to bed anytime soon, maybe the man would sleep in for once the next morning. 

Boruto showered, and then hurried to bed, his eyes and limbs feeling very heavy. Even though he really had not gotten around to doing much physically that day, he still felt a kind of tiredness he couldn't shake. He had already decided the day before that he would give his dad his present on Sunday morning. 

He didn't stay asleep long, maybe half an hour. His throat was burning when he woke up, and he got up to go and get himself some water to satisfy the sudden thirst he felt. The house was quiet, and he didn't expect to see anyone when he cracked the door to the dining room open. It had seemed like Sasuke had finally gone to bed. 

He cracked the door to the dining room open a centimeter, and then stopped. 

“Sorry I’m so late, Sasuke,” His old man said, wearing an extremely soft and apologetic look. Sasuke was kneeling very close to him, both of them seated at the table. The cake Sasuke had made earlier in the day was seated in front of him, a single candle lit, the only light in the whole room besides any moonlight that streamed in through the cracks. 

Boruto watched as Sasuke leaned forward and pressed his cheek against his dad's shoulder. His dad raised his hand and gently placed it on top of Sasuke's head. 

“You don't have to apologize. You’re the Hokage,” Sasuke said with finality as he raised his head back up. 

His dad leaned forward and gave Sasuke a kiss on the forehead. The kiss made a soft noise. 

“You made this for me?” His dad was suddenly grinning broadly down at his cake. It was just as lovely looking as it had been earlier on in the day. 

“Mm.” Sasuke hummed, sparing it a quick glance. His eyes quickly went back to Boruto’s dads face.. “Blow it out before it's too late.” It must have not hit midnight yet.

“The kids will be upset they didn't get any,” His dad laughed, and Boruto almost rushed out and kicked him. “I can't believe you teased them with it all day.”

“It’s for you,” Sasuke said sharply, eyes flashing at the mention of someone else eating the cake. “They can have some tomorrow, if you want.” He didn't look as if he liked the idea of it.

“I have tomorrow off,” His dad told Sasuke, even while the candle continued to burn. Boruto was watching it anxiously. 

“I know. People are coming over.” Sasuke said, and while he didnt show it, Boruto knew he didn't completely like the idea. “It's unfortunate so many meetings had to be on your birthday.”

“It's fine, Sasuke.” Even as his dad said it, he looked tired. 

“Idiot, blow out your candle, it's melting.” Sasuke suddenly said. “Make a wish, or whatever.” 

His dad reached out and swept Sasukes hair behind his ear. 

“I already have everything I want.” 

The couple shared a smile. 

His dad turned back to the cake and hummed loudly, rubbing his chin. He only stopped when Sasuke hit his arm, and with a laugh, leaned forward after another second of quiet thought and blew out his candle. 

The room was bathed in darkness, a sudden flash of lightning and booming thunder came from outside, lit up the room, making Boruto have to see his old man lean in and kiss Sasuke. 

Boruto grimaced and covered his eyes, but when he turned to go back to bed, he wore a smile.