The Return

Chapter 48

The Summit

"Want me to use my Susanoo just to be safe?"

"Sasuke, stop being weird" Sakura punched him in the arm a little too hard. "We're going to the Leaf Village, not an enemy lair."

"I know. I just want to be careful. There's no harm in being prepared, especially with Momoshiki on the rise. I'm sure there will be plenty of targets aimed at the Leaf with Naruto's presence and the Hokage Summit being called. I just hope that this meeting goes better than the last." He looked away, ashamed of his past. How had he been so blind back then?

"Sasuke" she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Things are different now. There are new Kage and Naruto will soon be joining them at this rate. We all trust you. I trust you. And I can protect myself just fine."

Sasuke didn't look convinced but followed alongside her as they approached the village. The gates seemed so much larger than he remembered, and the village was built up even more than before. The technological advancements were evident even before they entered, with wires lining the rooftops and large buildings under construction in the background. It was hard to believe how much had changed.

"Ready?" Sakura smiled turning to face him.

He didn't realize he'd stopped and was staring at the village in the middle of the road. "Yeah, sorry" he shook his head and followed her towards the gates.

"Hey! We've been waiting for you, dattebayo!" a familiar voice called.

"Naruto! Hi!" Sakura called, running over to him.

"Be careful, Sakura! Oh, who am I kidding? She's just going to run off anyways" Sasuke muttered, watching his wife nervously. She was going to be the death of him.

"S-Sakura? What happened to you?! Did you eat too much pork? Or is it...oh. Ooooooh. Wait, what?! That didn't take long. You got busy fast, huh Sasuke?"

"Shut up, loser" Sasuke rolled his eyes, trudging behind his wife.

"So, we're going to be dads huh? This is perfect! We'll be able to see which one of our kids is stronger at every milestone, dattebayo! I bet my son will outrank your child in no time. They'll be even stronger than you" he cackled.

"You are such a loser! Why do you have to make everything a competition?" Sasuke retorted.

"You're going to have a son, Naruto? That's so exciting!" Sakura exclaimed, unfazed. "How's Hinata? I'd love to see her."

"Uh, yeah" Naruto laughed nervously. "Hinata's resting at home. Just a few months left, and we'll have our baby boy. Do you know what your kid is going to be yet?"

Sakura shook her head, smiling at her husband. "We want it to be a surprise."

"It doesn't really matter to me." Sasuke turned away. This conversation seemed like it should be more private, not something you discuss in the middle of the road. "Nevermind, let's just go. You wanted to see Shizune before the Summit too, right, Sakura?"

She nodded. "I figured I should get a proper physical exam while I'm here." She walked ahead and waved back to them. "I'll see you in an hour or so. See you, Sasuke! Bye Naruto!"

Sasuke watched her leave anxiously. Be safe, he thought.

"Worried?" Naruto asked slyly on seeing his expression.

"As if" he punched him. Still, he felt oddly protective of her lately. He wondered if this annoying feeling would ever fade. He hardly wanted to leave her side at all, let alone go on missions without her. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if he had to leave for an extended period of time.