The Land of Waves
“You want me to do what?” Naruto exclaimed.
The sudden shout garnered many irked looks from the patrons of the seaside cafe, causing Sasuke to groan in embarrassment.
“Can you ever be quiet for once?” Sasuke snapped.
Naruto continued, his voice now reduced to a harsh whisper. “You expect me to be quiet after you just asked me to do something like that? I mean, am I even qualified to-”
“So, you won’t do it?” Sasuke interrupted.
“What, are you kidding? Of course I’ll do it!” His voice rose once again, scaring off a nearby gull that had wandered its way toward their table. “But, don’t you want to have a wedding back in the village? Wouldn’t Sakura want everyone there to support you guys?”
“It was her idea in the first place. We’ll celebrate back in the village when we’re done with traveling.”
Sasuke thought back to the conversation that occurred a few weeks prior, the one that secured their decision to wed sooner rather than later. There was no intimate proposal. In fact, the idea came up suddenly and without fanfare. Their mutual agreement to go forward with a wedding was as natural as the changing seasons. The past four months of travel had undoubtedly bound them together. Marriage simply solidified that commitment to each other, giving it a shape in the form of vows and ceremony. Sasuke worried,however, that the private wedding would be inadequate, as he knew Sakura deserved more than the little he could give her on such short notice. But despite his worries, he agreed to move forward with the plan and when deciding who would officiate the wedding, there was no question who he would ask first.
Naruto’s brow furrowed in contemplation as Sasuke reminisced. He seemed to be thinking over the proposal much more than Sasuke had hoped. For a moment, he thought Naruto might walk back on his agreement to participate. But, his mind was eased as his friend flashed his familiar, toothy grin.
“Sounds good to me! Just let me know what to do and I’ll do it.”
Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He spent the next few minutes explaining the basics of the ceremony, a hybrid of Konohagakure and Uchiha Clan tradition. He watched as Naruto sat engrossed in the conversation, occasionally asking a clarifying question before returning to his astute position. He wondered how their paths had led them to where they now resided, in the Land of Waves discussing a marriage that just a few short years ago would have been unthinkable. Although he knew he would never admit it, he was deeply grateful for Naruto’s role in getting him to this place. A place where he could celebrate his love for the one he cherished most, without fear that it would all be taken away from him again.
“The most important part of the ceremony is the last one.”
Sasuke reached into his bag and produced a neatly folded pink haori, the Uchiha crest woven into its back. He placed it in front of Naruto, who picked it up and began to examine it.
“You’ll need to hold onto this until it’s time. After the vows are done, you’ll give it to me and then I’ll pass it off to Sakura. Once she puts it on, she’ll be an Uchiha.”
Naruto’s eyes lit up as he passed glances between Sasuke and the haori.
“Exchanging the crest, right?” He pushed his thumb into his chest and nodded. “You can count on me. I won’t let it out of my sight.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes and smiled. “You better not, loser.”
Naruto carefully slipped the haori into his own bag and returned his attention to Sasuke. A few moments of silence passed before Naruto continued, his voice more contained than before.
“You know, I didn’t even think about it until now. But after this, you won’t be the only Uchiha anymore, right?”
Sasuke nodded. "What about it?"
"Well, aren't you excited? To have another member of your family?"
"I am. I just haven't given it a lot of thought."
Sasuke had gone so long without family that the idea of it became foreign to him. Distant memories of his clan visited him like ghosts in the night. The sound of his mother's voice, the feeling of his father's embrace, Itachi's warm smile. They lived on as precious heirlooms, but they remained forever out of his reach. Now, there would be someone who would share his name once more and carry its impossible burden along with it. He wondered, briefly, if passing the Uchiha name to another would be a mistake. If the clan was truly cursed as their enemies once claimed, then his marriage to Sakura might spell disaster for the both of them. But, thinking back to those glimpses of the past, he knew that his family was more than just a solemn lesson to those around them. There was light within the darkness of his history, one that deserved to be carried proudly into the future.
As the two continued to enjoy their lunch, Sasuke caught a glimpse of Sakura making her way down the neatly paved street with a large bag in the crook of her arm. It seemed to him that the spending money he had given her earlier in the day was put to good use. Naruto waved her over as he rose from his seat and offered it to her.
“Since when did you become such a gentleman?” Sakura asked as she sat down in the now-open chair.
He narrowed his eyes and huffed as he pulled another chair from a nearby empty table.
“Come on, why’re you giving me such a hard time? I already have to take a bunch of crap from Sasuke as it is.”
Sakura and Sasuke laughed as Naruto continued to sulk in his chair. After a moment, Sakura put a hand on his shoulder and offered him a smile.
“I’m sorry, Naruto. We really are glad you’re here. We haven’t all been together in so long.”
“You’re telling me.” Naruto said. “I don’t remember the last time I could get Sasuke to actually sit down and get a drink with me.” His eyes drifted up and thought before landing back on Sasuke. “Come to think of it, have we ever even grabbed a meal together since you’ve been back in the village?”
“I’ve got more important things to do than have cheap ramen with you.”
Sakura shot Sakura a disapproving look, causing him to wince.
“Besides, we’re here now. So it doesn’t matter.” He added, glancing over at Sakura to judge her reaction. He watched as she rolled her eyes and shook her head, seemingly forgiving his brash response.
“Well, you owe me a bowl of Ichiraku when you guys get back to the village.”
“We’ll buy you as much Ichiraku as you can handle just for being here. Especially on such short notice.” Sakura looked nervously at Sasuke. “You told him about the wedding, right.”
“Oh ya, I know all about it.” Naruto said, proudly. “I’m not sure why you’d wanna pick a guy like me to do something as important as that, but I’ll do my very best. Don’t you worry.”
Sakura’s eyes softened as she observed Naruto’s enthusiasm.
“There’s no one else we’d rather have. Isn’t that right, Sasuke?”
Sasuke felt Sakura’s foot tap him on the ankle from underneath the table. He heaved a heavy sigh, reluctant to budge on the matter. He was overjoyed that Naruto agreed to be a part of the wedding but that didn’t necessarily mean he had to show it. They were still rivals, after all.
“Ya, but don’t let it get to your head.” He mumbled.
The trio sat in silence for a few minutes, letting the sound of the nearby ocean waves carry across the warm afternoon air. Naruto hailed the waiter, who quickly brought another pot of fresh tea to the table. He took a large gulp before wiping his mouth and training his bright eyes on his companions across from him. Sasuke immediately sensed an air of nervousness from him, an uncommon trait coming from someone like Naruto.
“I don’t think I’ll ever have a good time to tell you guys this, so I think I’ll just come out and say it. I actually have some news to share myself, too.”
“News? Is everything alright?” Sakura asked, concerned.
“Oh, don’t worry everything is okay. Great, actually. It’s just, well…” He paused, straightening up in his chair to his full height. “Hinata is pregnant. We just found out a few days before I left.”
A grin spread across Sakura’s face as she glanced excitedly between Sasuke and Naruto.
“Naruto! That’s wonderful! That’s…”
She stopped herself as she focused her attention on Sasuke, her eyes swimming with words only he could read. Sasuke could feel Naruto’s nervousness transfer to his mind with ease, as he struggled to translate what Sakura could not bring herself to say. The truth was the wedding was not the only milestone they were celebrating as a couple. There was another that was not intended to reach their friends until they returned to the village. But now, the confession seemed inevitable as Sasuke reached under the table and grabbed Sakura’s hand gently in his own.
“Sakura is pregnant, too.” He said bluntly. “We weren’t going to say anything until we got back to the village, with the baby.”
Naruto’s eyes widened as the reality of the moment set in. Sasuke thought about how ridiculous it all sounded. Some days he felt like they were all still themselves kids, trying their best to navigate the world around them. He wondered if that feeling would ever truly go away.
“You are?” Naruto exclaimed. “You are, too? That means we’re all going to be parents then?”
His smile widened as he reached across the table to pull the both of them into a haphazard hug. Sasuke watched as their tea cups were pushed to the side by Naruto’s motion, spilling the fresh tea into pools on the ground. He pulled back and looked down to see the growing mess on the table, and chuckled nervously.
“Sorry! I’ll go get something to clean this up.”
They both watched as Naruto rushed away back into the cafe and out of their view.
Sakura sighed and shook her head. “Some things never change, do they?”
“Having a kid isn’t going to make him any less of a clutz.”
Sakura smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. “He’ll make a great dad, don’t you think?”
Sasuke pondered the question for a moment.
“He's completely clueless. But he's still one of the most capable people I know. He’ll figure it out.”
As the afternoon winded down to early evening, the three retreated to the onsen they would call home for the next few days. Sasuke spent the remainder of the day by Sakura's side, lounging in their shared room as they chatted about nothing in particular. He hated small talk, but with her there was nothing that could drive him away. He could wrap her in his arms and listen to her speak until the shadows of the day grew long. Even then, he wished he had it within himself to ask her to continue long into the night.
Once the sun had dipped well below the ocean’s horizon, Sakura retired to bed leaving Sasuke alone in the darkened room. He sat at the small table, watching Sakura’s steady breath as she dozed on their shared tatami mat. Eventually, he rose and made his way out of the room and down the moonlit walkway. The seaside onsen housed a small deck overlooking the shore, just close enough that the crash of the ocean waves could be heard even over the midday chatter of the town. It was peaceful, the perfect place for Sasuke to rest his racing thoughts. He took a seat at one of the cushioned benches and gazed out at the dark expanse of the night sea. Its inky black waters advanced and retreated ceaselessly in total darkness, drawing him into their hypnotizing rhythm. He wished he could stop time just for a moment so that he may keep a fraction of the calm the scene brought him. The news of Sakura’s pregnancy and the decision to go forward with the wedding was, admittedly, a great deal to handle. His newfound identity as a future father and husband placed an incredible amount of responsibility on his shoulders. He was used to dealing with the village’s problems on his own, protecting its people while remaining hidden in the hokage’s shadow. But caring for a family required that anonymity be stripped from him. His isolation would be a detriment to Sakura and the child. It was a truth that he had to accept, no matter the stress it placed on him.
“Can’t sleep?” A familiar voice asked from behind him.
He turned around to see Naruto, still dressed in the robes provided to him by the inn. He narrowed his eyes, annoyed that his momentary peace would be interrupted this late into the night. He figured that he should’ve expected it from someone as restless as Naruto.
Sasuke turned back toward the ocean and sighed. “I know I invited you here, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow me around.”
“What?” Naruto said, puzzled. “I mean, I can go if you want me to.”
On any other day, Sasuke would have taken him up on the offer. But the idea of company wasn’t entirely unbearable.
“Just sit down.” Sasuke said as he gestured toward the bench next to him.
Naruto obliged and made himself comfortable on the large cushion. A moment of silence washed over them like the waves on the shore. Pleasant, and welcomed.
“Are you having some last-minute wedding anxiety?” Naruto started.
‘You could say that.”
“I totally understand. You should’ve seen me before my wedding. I mean, I know I looked alright on the outside but every night I would stay up staring at my ceiling for hours. When the day came, I was afraid I was going to fall asleep during the ceremony!”
He flashed his bright, toothy smile as he reminisced on the day and laughed.
“You only have to worry about embarrassing yourself in front of two people. Not two dozen.”
Sasuke shook his head. “I’m not worried about that.”
“What is it, then?”
He considered the question for a moment and wondered if he should even continue the conversation. He didn’t owe Naruto his worries, just as Naruto didn’t owe him his own. Then again, he didn’t just invite Naruto to the Land of Waves to officiate the wedding. He wanted him present in order to witness an important moment in his life. The best of it and the worst of it. The joys as well as the fears for the future.
“The wedding doesn’t concern me. It’s what comes after.” He looked at Naruto, steady anxiety rising in his eyes. “Do you really think that we're cut out for this?"
"For what?"
"Being parents."
Naruto thought for a moment, staring out at the ocean. "Ya, I think we are. And even if we aren't right now, we'll figure it out. I don't think anyone is ever really ready for a change as big as that."
"Maybe you're right." Sasuke said. "But I'm not the same as you. You'll be able to give them what they need. Things like that come easy to you."
Naruto let out a dry chuckle. "I think you're forgetting who you're talking to. Believe it or not, but I'm just as insecure about this as you are."
"I'm not insecure." Sasuke interrupted. "Just concerned."
"Right, well whatever you're feeling I'm feeling it too." He paused, his eyes ripe with a long-held sadness. "I didn't have a dad. Not in the normal way that other people do. So I'll be pretty much completely in the dark. But, I know I've got a lot of people around to support me. I just have to keep that in mind, ya know?"
Another long moment of silence fell over them as Sasuke mulled over Natuto's response. His thoughts were interrupted by his friend's words once again.
"I know reaching out for help isn't really your style. But, there are so many people in the village who have your back. All you gotta do is ask."
"Getting help isn't going to be enough. Not for me.”
Sasuke thought back to his experiences with his own father. A cold and distant man focused solely on his work and the betterment of the clan. He cherished the moments where that sturdy brick wall showed cracks in its foundation. When his father would offer him advice or even praise instead of unaffectionate criticism. He never wanted his own child to feel that same endless yearning. Yet, he feared that his own blunt nature would perpetuate that same behavior he wished to avoid.
Naruto crossed his arms as his eyes lit up with sudden recognition.
“Well, let me ask you this.” He said. “When your kid gets older, like old enough to have responsibilities and stuff, what are you gonna expect of them?”
“What do you mean?”
He looked up at the dark sky above and smiled. “Every parent has expectations for their child, right? My parents wanted me to be strong and happy. I’m sure your parents wanted something like that from you, too.” He fixed his gaze back on Sasuke. “So, what do you want them to be?”
Sasuke thought there may be a right or wrong answer to the rather simple question. In a different time, he would have admitted that he had high expectations for this new child, the heir to the Uchiha clan. He would want them to hold their head high, to be a shining example of the honor and dignity of Konoha’s most prestigious family. They would be the one to continue that proud legacy and, if all went well, revitalize the clan into what it once was. However, he was no longer the boy that held those archaic beliefs. How unfair it was to burden a child with the task of representing a clan whose name had been scourged from the earth by one of its own. He knew what it felt like to carry the name of the Last Uchiha. The many eyes that fell salaciously upon him as he walked to the academy from an empty apartment. The whispers of contempt as his classmates heard rumors of his father’s traitorous plans. The memories caused an ache deep within himself, one that he would never dream of passing on to the future of his clan. The title of Last Uchiha would die with him, he was sure of it.
“I want them to break the cycle of hatred that killed my clan in the first place.” He said. “More importantly, I want them to love and be loved. And to be a good person. That’s my only expectation of them.”
Naruto nodded. “The Will of Fire, right? Wanting our kids to live better lives than we did.”
“If you want to look at it like that.”
Naruto heaved a heavy sigh of contentment.“You won’t have to worry about that then. They’ll be well taken care of. They’ve got you and Sakura, and if my kid isn’t friends with them then I’ll make them be. That’s a promise.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes and smiled. “Not sure that’s going to help them or ruin their life.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.” Naruto said.
A few short days later, the three members of Team 7 gathered atop a rocky cliff overlooking the calm sea below. Long shadows graced the shoreline as the sun began its lazy descent beneath the horizon. Beneath the orange and pink light of sunset, Sakura and Sasuke stood patiently waiting for Naruto to begin the ceremony. Wedding attire was difficult to find on such short notice, but the Land of Waves offered more options than the couple both anticipated. Their choice landed on the traditional, a simple white shiromuku kimono for Sakura and a black montsuki kimono adorned with the Uchiha crest for Sasuke. Both kimonos were purchased secondhand, but Sasuke was able to have his crest embroidered just in time for the ceremony. As for Naruto, a simple white dress shirt with a tie was all he could muster before the day came. He feared that he would appear too informal for such a momentous occasion, however, no one present seemed to mind.
As the chilly wind proclaimed the start of the ceremony, Naruto cleared his throat and reached into his pocket to retrieve a scrap of paper. Notes, to ensure that his role in the wedding would be played perfectly down to the last moment. Little did the others know, his time in the hot springs late at night was not for relaxation. He had practiced the script to the moon and the night birds dozens of times, until the words were so engrained he could see them when he closed his eyes. He looked expectantly at his friends who realized that it was their turn to participate. Sakura reached forward and took Sasuke’s hand in her own, holding it out between the two of them. Naruto nodded and began.
“Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. May my ancestors and yours look favorably upon your union of love, which soon will be bonded by the sacred act of marriage…”
Naruto continued his opening remarks, the words flowing unnaturally from his lips and spilling out into the ocean below. He was keenly aware of how awkward he looked in such a position of authority, but he figured that trying was the only thing that mattered.
“If there are no objections, then you can now read your vows.”
Naruto took a step back, allowing the couple a bit of privacy. Sakura’s eyes met her fiance's as she smiled warmly.
“I suppose I’ll go first then.” Sakura said.
She shifted in place and took a deep breath.
“When we were both little, I remember you were the only thing I thought about. I used to go out into my hideout in the woods and play “he loves me, he loves me not” with Ino’s flowers until the sun went down.” She laughed and shook her head. “It just goes to show that I’ve always been hopelessly in love with you. Even when you didn’t think you had anyone else in the world, I still loved you. Even when…” She trailed off for a moment before catching herself. “Even when things seemed like they would never get any better. In the middle of the war, all I could think about was you. And when you left the village for Master Kakashi, I hoped every day that it would be the day you came back to us. The day you back to me.”
Her eyes began to well up with fresh tears. She swallowed hard, wiped them away, and continued.
“Sasuke, you will always have my love. All of it, no matter what happens. Until the day that I die, I will be here alongside you. You will never be alone again. I promise.”
There was a long pause as the words settled into all of their minds. Sakura wished she could say more to him but she knew that if she did, her words would carry them long past nightfall. Taking a step back to examine her vows like a freshly finished painting, she saw in them the truth of her love for her soon-to-be husband. For that, she felt satisfied.
Sasuke waited for the moment to pass before preparing to speak. He glanced over at Naruto, who gave him a quick thumbs up, before affixing his gaze on Sakura. Struck by her beauty, he found himself struggling to begin. There was no act in the world that could make him worthy of calling himself her husband. No words could express the love he held for her within his mind, his heart, and his soul. But despite this inadequacy, he knew she deserved the best he could offer. So he retraced his muddled thoughts and spoke, his voice clear and calm.
“I’ve never been good with words, especially around you. But, I want you to know that there isn’t a day that goes by where I take your love for granted.” His next words were like a whisper, soft as the tide along the shore. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I wish I could’ve told you that sooner and if you need me to say it a thousand more times, I will.”
He squeezed her hand as she began to cry again. The thought that his words might bring her to tears hurt him, but he knew he was not finished.
“I’ve put you through so much. When I came back to the village, I thought for sure that you would hate me.” He paused, breaking his gaze from hers. “But, you didn’t. You never doubted me, even when I did everything I could to destroy myself. I don’t have the words to describe a love like that.”
He caught himself smiling. A genuine, wholehearted gesture preserved only for her. He did nothing to repress it.
“You are beautiful. You are brilliant and kind. You are everything that I will never be. I want to be with you, and only you." He paused and drew her in closer, so close he could feel her soft breath on his face. “Will you bear this burden with me, Sakura?”
She smiled through her tears and nodded.
“Yes, of course.” She responded.
Naruto, caught up in the beauty of the moment, suddenly jerked with an “Oh!”. He reached into the small woven basket he brought with him and retrieved the pink haori, adorned with the Uchiha clan crest. He handed it carefully off to Sasuke, who barely noticed the gesture at all. Still in a daze, he turned to retrieve it and unfurled it to its proper length. He held it out to Sakura who took it, donning it with purposeful care. Naruto grinned and took a step forward, eager to complete the ceremony with a bang. He raised both hands out into the air over the couple and spoke, excitement teeming in his voice.
“I now present, Sakura and Sasuke Uchiha!”
Before Sakura could react, Sasuke had already pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I love you.” He whispered.
She took his face in her hands and kissed him. He was happy to return the favor. And as the final beams of the setting sun dipped underneath the waves, Sasuke remembered the feeling of her lips the very first time they kissed. How she breathed solace into his drowning lungs and brought him back to the safety of the shore again. How her own bright light broke through his dark tide and made him anew. He wondered if she knew that kiss saved him, much like how this kiss would change him again.
Sakura drank in the tender moment as deeply as her new husband did. Her many harbored anxieties of the past few weeks melted away like snow after a thaw. In his embrace, she knew that things could never break her down the way they did years ago. Not while he stood steadfastly by her side. Not while his hand held her own.