Orange Sunrise
After her talk with her younger self, both Sakura’s returned to the campsite. They shared a comforting look and went lay down on their own sleeping bags. Sakura slept soundly through the night, they hadn’t let either of them take a night shift for lookout but she didn’t mind. She needed all the sleep she could get, seven months of pregnancy mean an alert baby and this baby liked to move and react to everything.
Especially at night.
That’s how Sakura found herself waking up early in the morning, with a very shark kick to a kidney. Or more accurately, because of the very sharp kick to her kidney. “Oh? Sakura-chan you okay?” Naruto quickly moved to her side and helped her sit up, she guessed it was his turn to take guard while everyone else slept. His intentions had been sincere, but the quick speed made her head spin more. The blonde gasped, noticing her swollen belly.
Reason being that although they had been traveling for an entire day, Sakura never mentioned she was pregnant. The cape also helped hide her bump and even if it was her first pregnancy, she didn’t show as much as other women did. Sure, she had dealt with swollen feet for a couple days, and the morning sickness gets to her when certain smells are around her, but nevertheless she could call it a fairly smooth pregnancy.
Sakura knew that the less they knew the better, time-travel or dimension jumping, knowing too much would cause trouble later on.
But she kept slipping on her one, self-imposed rule, which was becoming rather annoying.
“You- you’re- your-!” She put a hand on his mouth, silencing him. “Shhh! You’re going to wake the others up. Calm down okay?” He nodded vigorously. She moved her hand away and sighed, putting a hand over her stomach and rubbing it. Naruto leaned closer, whispering “Are you okay Sakura-chan?”
She nodded with a smile, “Are you sure?” his eyebrows furrowed, “You look like you’re in pain!” Sakura hummed, “Only a little, but I can take it no problem. This baby is just very hyperactive at night.” she whispered back, the blond’s face contorted in awe. “Are you going to be a mom soon Sakura-chan?” She nodded again.
He gave her a very soft smile, “So, in the future, you’re building a family… That’s… I’m very happy for Sakura-chan.”
She knew that look, she saw it every time he remembered what was taken from him before he even opened his eyes for the first time.
She would forget sometimes that Naruto was an orphan, it was hard to even think about it. Her Naruto was cheerful and ambitious, his determination and willpower made him stand so tall. He is always surrounded by loved ones, by bonds he built as he grew up. The Naruto she knew had gained a family, and he was also going to start one of his own with Hinata. The last she exchanged letters with him, she found out he was going to have a baby boy.
Seeing him as a 12 year old Genin, it forcefully reminded her of how lonely he had actually been in his childhood. The hardships he had to go through, the many breaking points he had faced and conquered, too many times where even she would belittle and ridicule him.
Her heart ached painfully. “You know Naruto, not all families are built the same.” Blue eyes looked up at her, “Some are made of a mother and a father and their kids, some families are made of a group of close friends, others are couples raising a child who isn’t their own, some are just one parent taking care of their child on their own. Blood bonds are not the only ones that are strong.”
His eyes were wide open, “...Really?” She nodded again, opening her arms. Naruto wasn’t sure at first why she did so, affection was still so foreign to him. She gave him a sympathetic smile, leaning closer to him and wrapping her arms around his small frame. He timidly wrapped his arms around her growing torso, gently as if scared he would hurt her if he hugged her harder.
Sakura pet his blonde hair, her voice was soft when she spoke “Keep living as you currently are Naruto, you’re not alone in the world. I will always support you, I promise.” He stilled for a bit in her arms. He wasn’t used to this, he grew up with disapproving glances from the elders and curses or threats from adults. Even his classmates don’t see him as anything more than an annoyance.
Neglected. Ignored. Alone.
She wasn’t gonna let him keep living like that any longer.
“Ouch! What was that for?!” Naruto moved back and held his stomach in discomfort. A very deep frown on his face.
Sakura laid a hand where her baby had kicked, wincing at the discomfort. “I think she is also saying that she’ll support you too,” she joked. Naruto was in awe, “Woah, you can tell that?” The pink kunoichi hummed, agreeing “Alright, no more frowns.” she pushed herself up as far as she could, the blonde genin helped her stand up to her full height. “Let’s start breakfast.”
Naruto smiled, “Alright, breakfast!” he exclaimed loudly while throwing a fist at the air. A pillow hit him square in the face, “Shut. up. Naruto.” threatened a barely awake Sasuke. Sakura couldn’t help but chuckle, no matter the years that passed the Uchiha will always hate being woken up.
Sasuke’s face blushed a pale pink at the sound. He got up and started to put his sleeping bag away, probably to hide his embarrassment if she were to guess.
A soft yawn came from Sakura’s right, her younger self was barely waking up too due to the commotion. She stretched her arms, a barely audible ‘morning’ coming from her lips, she too got up to start the day.
The oldest kunoichi looked upwards, staring directly on a hidden branch from the tall tree across from her. She smiled and mouthed a ‘Good Morning Sensei’ to Kakashi, turned and walked with the young blond boy towards the nearest body of water. Leaving a still skeptical grey haired shinobi even more wary.