Acceptance
Neji Hyuga hadn’t slept much , He was tired—exhausted, really—but he couldn’t sleep., if at all. He layed staring at the ceiling, his mind restless, flooded with thoughts about the baby, about Sasuke—what he felt, and what he was supposed to feel.
His thoughts kept him awake, spinning in circles about what might happen next. He knew tomorrow was the day they would get a clearer picture of the baby, and possibly even learn its gender. The scan, all he could think about was about the scan, The weight of the upcoming scan seemed to settle over him more heavily with each passing hour.
Every time he closed his eyes, images of the ultrasound danced in his mind—the child they were about to see, the future that was unfolding before him. He couldn’t shake the feeling of restlessness. His thoughts kept circling back to the baby, to Sasuke, to everything that had happened, and everything that was yet to come. He knew that he didn't have any right , he was overthinking, but it didn’t stop his heartbeat from racing at the thought . That thought filled him with a mix of emotions that he wasn’t sure how to process.
Restless, Neji shifted in his chair, running a hand through his hair. No matter how much he tried to close his eyes and sleep, his thoughts kept returning to the baby and Sasuke .
Sasuke, on the other hand, was still asleep.And he seemed to be having one of his best nights of sleep in a long time. Neji found a strange comfort in seeing him so calm, breathing evenly, almost as if he’d finally found some peace.His chest rose and fell slowly, his breathing steady and calm. Neji was glad for that. At least Sasuke was getting the rest he needed.
Neji leaned forward, brushing a few strands of Sasuke’s hair out of his face. Sasuke’s hair had gotten a bit longer during his hospital stay, and Neji had gotten used to tucking it behind his ear whenever it fell into his eyes. It was something small, but it had become part of their routine. The routine they had built together, without ever really talking about it.
As the morning sunlight began to filter into the room, Neji couldn’t help but feel a little on edge. Today was a big day. They were going to see the baby again, and maybe even find out its gender. Neji’s heart raced a little at the thought. Why did he feel so strongly about this baby? It wasn’t his child, yet it felt as though it was.
When dawn broke, Neji was already alert, watching Sasuke as he stirred awake.
Sasuke began to stir, his eyelids fluttering open as he woke. Neji was ready. He handed Sasuke a glass of water from the bedside table, watching as Sasuke took a sip, still half-asleep. Neji didn’t say much; he rarely did. Instead, he helped Sasuke sit up, adjusted the pillows behind his back, and made sure he was comfortable.
"Good morning," Neji said quietly, his voice calm.
Sasuke nodded in acknowledgment, not saying much. He was still waking up, and Neji could tell he wasn’t in the mood for conversation just yet. Neji had learned to understand Sasuke’s silences. Sasuke didn’t need to say much for Neji to know what he was feeling. He had always been quiet, and after everything that had happened, that hadn’t changed. But there was something different about Sasuke now. Since he had been in the hospital, he seemed softer, more vulnerable. Neji wasn’t sure if it was because of the pregnancy or because Sasuke was simply tired, but something had shifted between them.
Today, though, there was something different. There was a tension in the air that hadn’t been there before. They both knew what was coming—the scan.
Sasuke shifted in his seat, his fingers twitching slightly. Neji noticed the subtle movement, his heart clenching. He knew Sasuke was anxious about the scan, though the Uchiha was doing his best to hide it. The scan would make everything real. Seeing the baby on the screen would cement the reality of the situation.
When breakfast arrived, Neji, barely hungry himself, carefully laid everything out for Sasuke, made sure that Sasuke ate his breakfast. It was part of their routine , He had become attuned to every small detail of Sasuke’s care, from adjusting the pillows to making sure the blanket was always pulled up just right.Ensuring he took his vitamins and finished the meal. He felt a quiet sense of responsibility; making sure Sasuke was cared for felt like the least he could do.
. Neji could tell that Sasuke was anxious about the scan, even if he wasn’t showing it outwardly. There was a certain tension in the way Sasuke’s eyes occasionally flickered to the clock on the wall, in the way his hands fidgeted ever so slightly.
The sound of soft footsteps approached, and Neji looked up to see Kakashi entering the room. Kakashi was rarely this early, but today was different. He had promised to be there for the ultrasound, and he hadn’t let Sasuke down. His usual carefree attitude was still there, but there was a seriousness in his eyes that showed he understood how important this day was.
"You’re up early," Kakashi said with a casual tone, though his eyes showed warmth.
“Kakashi?” Sasuke’s voice was sharp, surprise evident in his tone. He had expected Kakashi to show up eventually, but certainly not this early. Kakashi was notoriously late to nearly everything.
Sasuke glanced up, surprised. “You’re early,” he said, unable to hide his slight disbelief.
Kakashi gave them a brief nod, his eye crinkling in amusement. “Don’t look so shocked. I can be on time when it counts,” he said with a chuckle, stepping further into the room.
" Wouldn’t miss this for the world, I thought I’d shake things up,” he replied, looking between Sasuke and Neji the smile in his voice clear even with the mask covering his face.
Sasuke shook his head, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Sasuke hadn’t expected Kakashi to be so… present. But when he had asked him to be there for the scan, Kakashi hadn’t hesitated. Something about that had caught Sasuke off guard, but it had also made him feel something he hadn’t felt in a long time—safe. Kakashi’s presence was oddly comforting, though it didn’t erase the tension swirling inside him.
Not long after, Tsunade and Shizune arrived, their usual professionalism in place, but with a hint of tenderness that hadn’t been there during their initial checkups. Tsunade, in particular, seemed more grounded today. Perhaps she, too, understood the significance of this moment.
“Alright, Sasuke,” Tsunade said as she approached the bed, “today’s the big day. We’re going to move you to the other room for the scan, and we’ll be able to get a clear look at the baby.”
Sasuke glanced up at her, his face impassive, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—anticipation, perhaps.
“And…” Tsunade added with a small smile, “if you want, we can find out the gender.”
Sasuke hesitated for a moment, and Neji noticed the way his hand instinctively moved to rest on his belly. It was a subconscious gesture, but one that Neji had come to recognize as significant. Sasuke wasn’t just thinking about himself anymore. He was thinking about the life growing inside of him.
“Let’s do it,” Sasuke finally said, his voice quiet but steady.
“Alright, Sasuke,” Tsunade said, her tone professional but kind. “Let’s get you to the examination room for the scan.”
Neji and Kakashi stood back as the nurses helped Sasuke up and guided him towards the examination room, where the ultrasound equipment was set up. Neji walked beside him, never straying far. Kakashi followed, his presence a quiet support in the background.
When they reached the room, Sasuke was helped onto the examination bed, and Tsunade began preparing the ultrasound machine. Neji took his place beside Sasuke, his hand brushing against Sasuke’s for just a moment before he pulled back, unsure. But then, without a word, Sasuke’s hand reached for his, and they intertwined their fingers.
Neji’s heart skipped a beat.
The touch was so simple, so understated, but it carried a weight that Neji hadn’t been prepared for. It was the first time Sasuke had reached out to him like this, the first time their hands had entwined in a way that wasn’t accidental or circumstantial. Sasuke’s grip was firm, his fingers curling around Neji’s with an unspoken need for reassurance. Neji held on tightly, feeling the warmth of Sasuke’s hand seep into his own.
Tsunade and Shizune prepared the equipment for the ultrasound, and soon enough,the scan began .Sasuke was lying down, his shirt pulled up slightly to expose his abdomen.
The cold gel made Sasuke flinch slightly as Shizune applied it to his stomach, and then Tsunade pressed the ultrasound probe against his skin. For a moment, the room was filled with nothing but the quiet hum of the machine, and then—
“There,” Tsunade said, pointing to the screen. “There’s the baby.”, and the room fell into a hushed silence. Tsunade moved the wand over Sasuke’s stomach, her eyes focused on the screen. And then, there it was—a tiny figure on the screen, small and fragile, but unmistakably a life.
Neji stared at the image, his breath catching in his throat. He had never seen anything like it before. This tiny being, this child, was real. It was there, growing inside Sasuke. And in that moment, Neji felt something he had never felt before—an overwhelming, all-consuming love.
It hit him like a wave, crashing over him with such force that he had to blink to steady himself. This child… this life… it wasn’t his. It wasn’t part of him. And yet, he felt as if it was. He felt a connection to it that he couldn’t explain, as though he had been waiting for this moment his entire life without even realizing it.
His grip on Sasuke’s hand tightened, and Sasuke’s fingers responded, squeezing back just as firmly.
Sasuke, too, was staring at the screen, his expression unreadable.His breath hitched as he looked at the screen, his eyes widening. There, in the grainy black-and-white image, was a tiny figure. His child. His mind went blank for a moment, overwhelmed by the sheer reality of what he was seeing. But Neji could feel the change in him, could sense the shift in the way Sasuke was thinking. This child was real to him now, more than it had ever been before. And for the first time, Neji saw something in Sasuke’s eyes that hadn’t been there before—love.
It was subtle, but it was there. Sasuke’s gaze softened, and Neji could see the way his other hand moved to rest on his stomach, as if acknowledging the life inside him in a way he hadn’t before.
Kakashi, standing to the side, watched them quietly. He hadn’t said much since the scan had begun, but Neji could see the pride in his eyes. Kakashi wasn’t just proud of Sasuke for facing this moment—he was proud of what Sasuke was becoming.
And Kakashi noticed, too, the way Neji and Sasuke’s hands were still entwined. He didn’t say anything about it, but there was a glimmer of understanding in his gaze.
“Everything looks good,” Tsunade said, her voice breaking the silence. “The baby is healthy. she confirmed. “Would you like to know the gender?”
Sasuke hesitated, his eyes flicking towards Neji for a moment. Neji caught the glance, understanding the weight of the decision. He wasn’t sure if Sasuke was ready to know, if naming the child’s gender would make things feel even more real, more irreversible. But after a moment, Sasuke nodded, his jaw set in quiet determination.
And it’s a boy,” Tsunade added with a small smile, glancing at the screen. “Congratulations.”
Sasuke’s eyes flickered, but he didn’t say anything. His grip on Neji’s hand tightened again, and Neji could feel the weight of that moment—the realization that Sasuke was going to have a son.
“A boy…” Neji repeated softly, almost to himself.
The image on the screen blurred slightly as Tsunade moved the wand, and Neji found himself staring at it, memorizing every detail of the tiny form on the monitor. This child, this boy, wasn’t his. But he knew, in that moment, that he would do everything in his power to protect him. He would....
Tsunade and Shizune finished the scan, wiping away the gel and helping Sasuke sit up slowly. “We’ll keep monitoring the pregnancy closely,” Tsunade said, her tone gentle but professional. “But everything looks good so far. You’re healthy, and so is the baby.”
As the scan concluded
Would you like pictures of the scan?” Tsunade asked,
“Yes,” Sasuke said, his voice steady. He wanted to keep a reminder of this—of the moment he finally began to accept what was happening.
Tsunade handed Sasuke the scan pictures, and the moment felt oddly complete. For the first time since this ordeal began, Sasuke felt a small sense of peace. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for now.
They returned back to their room followed by Kakashi
Soon Tsunade and shizune followed
“Good news, Sasuke,” Tsunade announced. “You’re in good enough shape to leave the hospital.” She paused, handing a folder to Neji, “But,” she added with a look that left no room for argument, “we’re giving you strict instructions. You need to follow this diet to the letter.”she announced, her tone firm but reassuring. “You and the baby are healthy, which is a relief. But,” she continued, “you’ll need to follow strict guidelines—diet, vitamins, and tablets. And Sasuke, you must return for checkups every two weeks.”
Sasuke nodded slowly, absorbing each instruction with quiet resolve. He could feel the weight of this new responsibility, a strange but solid awareness that he needed to keep himself and the baby safe, regardless of how uncertain he felt inside. Tsunade glanced at Neji, her expression making it clear that she expected him to help Sasuke keep on track.