Author's note: It seems to become a regular occurence for me that I am not capable of keeping a birthday fic to a decent limit *coughs* This story which was supposed to be a oneshot first turned into a threeshot. So there. All three will be fairly long as well.

First: happy birthday, Hikory! I hope you'll enjoy this story!

Now this is my first time writing a story with the Alpha/Beta/Omega theme, so I'm a tad nervous about the result ^^; Apologies if it isn't that good.

Fair warning: this will have GaaraxNaruto and SasukexNaruto as main pairings, though the latter won't appear yet in this chapter.

Warnings: established slash; AU: Alpha/Beta/Omega verse; MPreg; implied lemon (for full version, please visit my profile for more information); problems conceiving; some foul language; Naruto's pov

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.

Dedicated to: Hikory

I hope you'll like the first chapter!

Chapter 1

"I can't believe I'm going to be a dad soon, you know," Kiba said dazed, knocking back his second glass of beer of that afternoon.

"But you're happy with it, right?" Naruto grinned widely, signalling to the cute bartender for another glass.

"Of course I am, but what if I screw it up?" his friend asked with a terrified face. His hand shook when he asked for a third beer.

"And you claim to be an Alpha?" Neji sneered, throwing a derisive look at the other man. "Get it together or you'll lose your balls."

A whimper escaped Kiba, who paled drastically at the threat aimed at his manhood.

"You're ruthless, Neji," Naruto chuckled and the Beta man shrugged, his long hair cascading like a waterfall over his back. With his delicate looks, he was often mistaken for an Omega – until the person was introduced to his fists.

"Only speaking the truth," Neji muttered and threw a scrutinizing look at Naruto's hand. "Still no ring I see."

The idle remark caused Naruto to clench his hand and chuckle weakly while his stomach churned in unease. "Ah, yeah. We've decided not to marry after all. It's not like we need the ceremony to be a family."

"I guess so," Neji said softly, but his piercing eyes spoke volumes about his real thoughts.

Naruto gratefully accepted the new glass from the red haired girl, who smiled reassuringly. "How's Tenten doing?" he asked lightly.

Neji raised an eyebrow, but accepted the abrupt change in topic. "She's fine. She and Rock Lee have decided to teach martial arts to children. They are searching for an appropriate place now."

"I hope for those children that Tenten is in charge of the uniforms," Naruto snickered, remembering the green spandex suit the enthusiastic athlete liked to wear.

Neji rolled his light purple eyes and shook his head. "As long as they don't bug me about it," he retorted calmly.

"Guys, we were talking about me," Kiba whined, his large dog yipping in agreement.

How on earth Kiba managed to get away with having that large dog inside the pub, the world would never know.

"It's not like this is unexpected. You were trying after all," Neji pointed out exasperatedly.

"That doesn't matter," Kiba insisted with wide eyes. "Becoming a dad is fucking terrifying, man! I don't want to screw it up."

"Should have thought about that before, you shit for brains," Neji growled irritated.

Naruto chortled, almost choking in his beer, at the insult. Usually the older man was more refined with his insults. That just made it more hilarious.

Kiba whined louder, Neji ignored him and Naruto tried to be a sympathetic friend, but failed miserably whenever Neji made a snide remark, resulting in the blond laughing hysterically with tears streaming down his cheeks.

He knew there was a reason why he liked the stoic Hyuuga.

Two hours later, he said goodbye to the other two men, trusting Neji to get Kiba safely home to his wife, Hinata.

With a soft sigh, he started making his way to his own home at a leisurely pace. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he began humming the theme song of one of his favourite television shows, while around him people of all ages were mingling on the streets, taking advantage of the warm weather.

He was happy for his best friend; despite his panic, the blond man knew he would be a good father. Not only did he have experience with caring for children thanks to his younger brother and sister, but he genuinely adored children. He and his wife would be great parents.

A forlorn sigh escaped him and he looked up at the sky, which was dyed a colourful mixture of red, orange and light purple, due to the setting sun.

Hearing that another friend was going to have a baby made his own desire to be a parent flare up again. For a while now he had wanted a child, but so far he and his partner hadn't really discussed it. The whole conceiving part wouldn't be difficult – Naruto had been born as an Omega and out of the three species, Omega people were the most fertile. Especially when their mate was an Alpha – like Naruto's partner.

When he was a child, he had been uncomfortable being an Omega, but he had long since made peace with that part of him.

His lover didn't believe in marriage and while that admission still stung, Naruto had decided that it wasn't worth it to fight over that. But his mate couldn't possibly have something against having children, right? After four years of being together, they were steady enough to bring a child into the relationship in his opinion.

Maybe he should start this particular discussion and find out what the other one thought of it.

His contemplation was broken by a familiar tune, announcing he had received a text message. Startled, Naruto unearthed it from his pocket and a smile tugged involuntarily at his lips when he noticed that it was from his boyfriend.

'Don't feel like cooking and doing dishes. Want take-out?'

Ramen. Definitely ramen. There was no question about it. Hastily he typed his answer, clicked on 'send' and then crossed the street when the light turned green.

A few minutes later he received a confirmation and it was with a large grin that he entered their modest house, located at the outskirts of the small village. He was promptly greeted by two cats – one black haired with a white triangle on his chest and a grey haired one with some light brown spots on his back – who rubbed their bodies against his legs while purring loudly.

"Hey Kurama, Shukaku," Naruto greeted them, bending down to rub a hand over their arching backs. "Had a nice day?"

The two cats meowed in confirmation and followed him into the kitchen.

"Right, you two want to have your dinner, huh?" he muttered, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it over the back of his chair. "Let me grab your food."

He quickly opened a can and dumped the content on two small, plastic, blue plates. After he had placed the plates on the floor, he had a quick look at the list of ingredients. Apparently it contained some small pieces of carrots and some peas. Huh. Why anyone would put that in cat's food was a mystery to him.

He wrinkled his nose when he caught a whiff of cigarette smoke; one of the bad consequences of remaining in a pub for a couple of hours. A shower was needed and a change of clothes unless he wanted the scent to keep lingering on him.

Carefully stepping over the two cats – he received a faint growl from Kurama, who thought his owner was planning on stealing his dinner – Naruto made his way to the bathroom to take a quick shower before his boyfriend came home.

His clothes were carelessly dumped into the designed blue basket; he would need to wash their clothes soon, because the basket was nearly overflowing.

Grabbing the bottles of shampoo and body wash, the blond man stepped into the shower, sliding the glass door shut behind him, and shivered when he felt the cold tiles underneath his feet. Turning and adjusting the shower knobs until his preferred warmth of water was released, he soon started lathering himself up, enjoying the cascade of warm water on his body. His hands slid over his chest and lingered on his lower stomach; his fingertips teasingly caressing his sensitive skin. After a short, indecisive moment, he resolutely shook his head and continued washing himself. If he played his cards right, he wouldn't have to take care of himself tonight.

An excited grin unfurled on his lips while anticipation started to bloom and he ducked underneath the water spray to get rid of the soap suds covering his tanned body.

Ten minutes later, he was wrapping a towel around his hips while grabbing another one from the closet located next to the shower. He ended up in front of the sink when he dried his hair with the small towel.

Cerulean blue eyes caught sight of a rectangular, white box which was placed on eye level on a small, plastic shelf next to the round bathroom mirror. His hands stilled and he lowered the damp towel; his half dry, messy hair resembling a bird's nest.

The white box contained several strips with round, blue pills: his suppressants. As soon as Omega entered puberty, they had to take suppressants to ensure they wouldn't have children before they were ready. Every Omega went through a heat every month; it was the time when they were at their most fertile. Naturally they were fertile the entire month, but during these heats the chances of becoming pregnant were at their highest. Some heats were worse than others; during the months April, May, September and October the heats affected the Omega – and to a lesser extent the Beta and the Alpha as well – more and a lot of Omega would become pregnant then.

Naruto had been taking suppressants since he was thirteen – he was twenty-six now. He was one of the very few Omega who had been taking the pills for so long already without any interruption, despite having a mate.

He always took them at nine o'clock in the evening, but hopefully he wouldn't have to take them tonight.

Dumping the damp towels in a second basket, he leisurely walked to their bedroom, not caring one wit that he was completely naked. It wasn't as if anyone could see him anyway.

Half an hour later, Naruto was lounging around on the large couch, dressed in an oversized, orange T-shirt and a pair of knee-length, light brown trousers. He was avidly watching a program about foxes – next to cats, they were his favourite animals – with Kurama curled up on his lap, purring weakly, while Shukaku was kneading a pillow; occasionally his eyes flickered towards the other cat, as if he wanted to be certain that Kurama wouldn't try to steal his precious pillow.

Three pairs of ears perked up when the sound of the front door opening echoed through the house.

"Naruto?" a low voice called out, accompanied by the sound of plastic bags crinkling. Keys were dropped in the ceramic bowl and two muted 'thumps' announced that shoes were taken off.

"I'm in the living room," Naruto called back and he unfolded his legs, forcing the black haired cat to curl up next to his hip with a dismayed 'meow'.

Jade green eyes slid from the low table – set up with chopsticks, two glasses and a bottle of cold orange lemonade – to the blond seated on the couch, who grinned sheepishly at the unimpressed look he was favoured with from his boyfriend.

"We eat in the kitchen, not the living room," Gaara pointed out exasperatedly; his blood red hair glowing faintly in the setting sun.

"But it's take out! It's supposed to be eaten in front of the television," Naruto whined; his nose twitching when he picked up the delicious smell of ramen.

Gaara rolled his eyes and placed the two bags on the table, nudging Kurama out of the way – who hissed vehemently before jumping on the arm chair – so that he could sit down next to Naruto.

"Don't get used to it," Gaara grunted and accepted the steaming carton and a pair of chopsticks.

The blond man was already digging into his own serving of ramen, relishing the savoury taste. Nothing beat Ichiraku's ramen, that was for sure.

"How was work?" he asked between two bites.

The other man released a sigh of aggravation and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Kankuro was being an idiot again," he replied irritated. "Nearly cost us a prospective client. Temari set him straight, though."

Naruto winced; Gaara's older sister had her own brand of tough love and he felt sorry for Gaara's older brother. On the other hand, he couldn't believe Kankuro kept acting stupid, despite years of being subjected to Temari's tough love. Was that guy suicidal?

The three siblings had inherited the lawyer business of their father and despite Kankuro's antics, their office was top tier and many law students longed to score a job there.

"How was your day?" Gaara scrutinized him. "It was your day off, right?"

Naruto taught art at the local college for four days in the week and the rest of his time usually went to creating his own art. "Yeah, I met up with Neji and Kiba today," Naruto answered, plopping the empty carton on the table and letting out a soft burp. "Excuse me. Kiba had good news: Hinata is pregnant. The dog freak was freaking out of course."

"That will be their first child, right?" Gaara asked, clearly not very interested.

"Yeah; they tried for four months apparently and Hinata had a check-up yesterday," Naruto answered and took a sip from his lemonade. He fed their two cats a small piece of pork and wondered whether now was a good moment to start the discussion. Biting his lips, he ignored the small, rough tongues lapping at his fingers while he went through a small turmoil.

"All right, what's on your mind?"

Gaara's imploring question pricked through his inner turmoil and Naruto started, turning his head to the red haired man next to him. "What?" he asked bewildered; his question joined by the 'yip' of a fox kitten on the program.

"I recognize that look on your face. You want to ask something," Gaara explained dryly. He threw his own empty carton in one of the plastic bags and grabbed his own glass, leaning back against the couch.

"Ah, eh, it's just …" Naruto hesitated, not knowing how to go on, until he thought, Ah fuck it. No sense in beating around the bush. "Have you thought of having children of your own?" he blurted out and grimaced at the ungraceful way with which he had breached the subject. Well, nobody had ever accused him of being too graceful.

Gaara blinked and the Omega felt him tense a bit. "Is this because of Inuzuka's news?" he questioned in a monotone voice.

Naruto shifted around nervously, wrapping his hands firmly around his glass. "Not exactly. When I heard Hinata is expecting a baby, I was reminded of my own children wish."

"Your own children wish?"

"I've always wanted children. Be part of a real family, you know," the blond laughed embarrassed. "I can't remember my own parents and I've never been part of a real family. Maybe it's because of my stupid Omega genetics, maybe just my own desire, but I really want a baby. I want your baby."

Silence fell over them and Naruto stared down at his nervously fiddling fingers. His cheeks were flushed and felt uncomfortably warm. Maybe he should have tried another approach; tried to be more convincing and have more arguments ready.

The problem was that he didn't have more arguments. He only wanted to have a child badly, but he didn't know how to explain that desire. That longing was just there. Slumbering underneath the surface, ready to rear up whenever one of his close friends announced a pregnancy.

Was it that bad that he wanted to have a baby of his own?

"You wouldn't be able to work for a while, you know," Gaara murmured, breaking the heavy silence.

"I know that," Naruto muttered, sneaking a glance at the impassive face of his mate. "I wouldn't mind. Jiraiya would be able to find a replacement for me."

His godfather would probably whine for a while, but he would give in. Naruto just hoped Jiraiya's perverted side wouldn't decide on a good replacement.

"You won't be able to go out with your friends as much as you do now," Gaara continued; his piercing gaze fixed solemnly on the blond man.

"I realise that, Gaara, I don't mind," Naruto insisted and his foot bobbed nervously up and down.

Did this conversation mean that Gaara was considering his request? Hope started to grow slowly. He knew it was stupid to hope, but …

"The house would need to be childproof," Gaara remarked calmly.

"No problem," Naruto reassured him quickly. He could look up information on how to child proof their home or he could ask advice from his friends, who had already become parents. He was more than willing to do all that.

Gaara pursed his lips and looked contemplatively at the other man, who tried not to come over as too eager. He wasn't certain whether he succeeded.

"You really want a baby, huh?" the red haired man murmured. "Even without us being married?"

"I don't care about being married anymore." Well, that was a lie, but he was willing to bury his wish to be married in favour of his children wish. "I just want to have a baby with you."

"When is your next heat?" Gaara asked abruptly, placing his glass on the table.

Naruto silently counted out the days and replied surprised, "It should start … tomorrow." He hadn't realised his next heat was so close already.

"Have you taken your suppressants today?"

Naruto shook his head and held his breath in anticipation.

"You can throw them away then," Gaara retorted calmly.

Naruto gaped at him, not daring to believe what he had heard. "You mean it? We're going to try having a baby?"

Gaara nodded silently and grunted in surprise when a pair of tanned arms – deceptively strong – wound themselves around him, hugging him tightly. A shower of enthusiastic kisses came down on his face, while a weight settled down in his lap.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm so happy!" Naruto exclaimed laughing, pressing a flurry of kisses on his mate's cheeks and lips.

Excitement brewed in his stomach and he wiggled around, barely able to restrain himself. He could hardly believe that Gaara had agreed so quickly. He had anticipated a lot more arguments about this particular subject, but he wasn't about to complain.

They were finally going to have a baby together. No longer did he need to feel jealous of his friends who were having children. No longer did he have to walk around with this desire.

He would finally have a baby. Gaara's baby. A child with the man he loved.

He couldn't help but laugh giddily. Why had he been so afraid of asking Gaara about it? His apprehension seemed so silly now.

Gaara smiled bemused when he finally pulled back.

"Go to the bedroom. I'll join you after I have cleaned up."

"Okay!" Ignoring the wary looks of the two cats, he jumped up and hurried to the bedroom, where he hastily slipped out of his clothes and crawled into the large bed, feeling the cool sheets caressing his naked skin.

He was so happy he could barely sit still and the grin on his face seemed to be permanent now.

He looked down at his stomach – adorned with an intricate tattoo – and his grin widened when he imagined himself full with a child.

It was still only an abstract idea for the time being, but it wouldn't remain that way for long anymore.

Naruto looked up eagerly when the click of the door alerted him to the red haired man's presence.

"Where are Kurama and Shukaku?" Naruto asked curiously. Usually at least one of them tried to sneak into the bedroom as soon as realisation dawned upon them that their owners were going to sleep.

"Prowling around outside our room; they're pissed they can't come here," Gaara replied dryly; calmly unbuttoning his shirt after removing his expensive watch.

After the shirt, his slacks followed at an almost leisurely pace, making the impatient blond in the bed squeeze tightly into the thin sheets and bite his lower lip. Was Gaara slower than usual or was he just more impatient than the other times?

Finally, his mate was completely done with undressing himself and he stepped naked over Naruto's own pile of clothing, which littered the wooden floor.

"So impatient you couldn't even put away your clothes decently?" Gaara snorted and shook his head.

"Shut up," Naruto pouted and beckoned the other to come closer. Who cared about some stupid clothes when you had more important matters to attend to? "And come here."

Jade green eyes rolled, but his mate complied with his demand, slipping into the bed without any fuss.

Pale hands softly glided over his arms – providing a sharp contrast to his tanned skin – to his shoulders and mapped out his entire chest slowly, before they suddenly slipped down and came to a halt on his hips, making Naruto buck his hips automatically.

Thumbs thoughtfully rubbed circles over his slightly protruding hipbones.

"You really couldn't wait, huh?" Gaara commented; a hint of teasing in this voice as he referred to the blond's utter lack of clothes.

"As if you're still wearing underwear," Naruto huffed petulantly.

A shiver rippled through him when those hands dipped lower and he held his breath; releasing it in a disappointed gush of air when fingers skidded to his chest again. He squirmed when his nipples were flicked and rubbed slowly until they hardened into small pebbles.

Not wanting to be the only one affected, Naruto bent his head and fastened his lips on the junction where Gaara's neck met his shoulder and he gave it a quick swipe with his tongue – tasting the faint bitter taste of cologne – before his lips closed around a small, vulnerable patch of skin, sucking it between his lips.

His own hands glided firmly over the other one's chiselled chest, feeling the hard muscles ripple and contract underneath his teasing touch. Releasing the abused skin with a soft 'pop' sound – the skin was already a fiery red and it would worsen by tomorrow, the blond knew – he slid his leg between the other man's, pushing them apart, so that he could slip his leg higher.

A low hiss escaped him at the exquisite sensation of pain and pleasure blending together and blooming up in his neck when Gaara bit him.

"You better hope I can hide the hickey," Gaara muttered, licking the bite mark to soothe the lingering ache.

"So you bite me in return?" Naruto snickered, rolling half on top of his mate. "You know I don't mind the biting," he added cheekily.

Bite marks in the neck were seen as one of the ultimate signs of someone being mated. There were slight variations, but Gaara had never given him the one where they would be bonded for life, stating he thought it was a barbaric tradition. Naruto thought it was a shame, but at least his lover wasn't opposed to all bite marks.

He moaned softly when his mouth was forcefully pressed open, a tongue slipping inside to curl around his own and suck on it sensually. Gaara's hands found their way on Naruto's arse, squeezing the firm globes softly while Naruto pressed himself closer, feeling Gaara digging into his lower stomach. Their kiss grew sloppy while they rocked together, filling the room with a mixture of muted moans, weak whimpers and open mouthed groans; their hearts beating madly against their chests.

They broke the kiss when air became a necessity and Naruto inhaled sharply when a finger slipped between his cheeks and circled slowly around his opening – which by now had become fairly wet.

Gaara smirked; his finger pressing deeper. "I had almost forgotten that this is one of the benefits of you not taking suppressants."

"Bastard," Naruto huffed, but couldn't help but wish that Gaara would use more fingers – or even more preferably: just fuck him immediately.

Omega were capable of producing their own lubrication like fluid to aid during the mating, but the suppressants stopped this process, forcing the couple to buy artificial lubrication.

"So wet already," Gaara breathed out and he pushed two fingers deeply inside the blond, making the man clench around him.

Naruto writhed and squirmed when those slim fingers went deeper, skimming across the hidden spot, sending sparks of pleasure through his entire body.

Skimming his mouth across Gaara's cheek, he breathed in his ear, "I need more." His demand was punctuated by a loud moan when fingers pressed firmly against his sweet spot.

"Patience was never your forte," Gaara huffed amused; green eyes glinting deviously.

Naruto nipped at his reddened lower lip as punishment and reached between their bodies to grab Gaara firmly between his legs. "It's not like you can wait any longer. You look ready to burst. Don't come before you're in me," he retorted tauntingly.

His breath was knocked out of him when Gaara suddenly flipped them around with a snarl.

"That big mouth will get you in trouble one day," he growled and before Naruto could offer a smart reply, his legs were wrenched open and his lover drove in him without warning, not stopping until he was completely inside.

The blond threw his head back with a primal yell and his arms shot out to close around Gaara's trembling shoulders, his nails digging into his skin while he tried to adjust to feeling his lover inside of him. A whimpered moan escaped him, trailing off into a whine when Gaara pressed against his hidden spot.

"Move," Naruto hissed, raising his legs to clasp them around Gaara's waist, tightening so they were pressed together; their chests rubbing together.

Gaara grunted and drew back slowly, causing Naruto to shut his eyes and enjoy the friction, before he slammed back in, setting up a harsh rhythm that left them both a panting mess. Their mouths sought each other out and they kissed hungrily; their tongues busy stroking and sucking, lapping at the palate, dancing across teeth.

Gaara thrusted deeply, their hips slamming together. Naruto writhed on the bed under the onslaught of pleasure, trying to remember to keep breathing.

Fuck, he absolutely loved it when Gaara let himself go completely. He liked the tender way they made love, but he could appreciate this harsh, passionate way as well. His entire body seemed to be on fire; his skin tingling with heat and he gasped for breath, feeling sweat coating their entwined bodies, while Gaara sucked a bruising kiss in his neck. A clammy hand gripped his right leg and threw it over a tense, strong shoulder, causing the dishevelled blond to arch his back and scream soundlessly when his hidden spot was assaulted directly.

A raspy chuckle vibrated against his sweaty skin and Gaara kept him in this position, torturing him by pressing against the spot dead on.

"Fuck, right there," Naruto groaned; his nails drawing red lines over the other one's pale back. Forcing himself to open his eyes, he bit his lip when he took in the sight of the fierce look on his mate's face, the jade green eyes burning heatedly.

"Al-almost there." Naruto squirmed, grabbing Gaara's head to kiss him sloppily, but fiercely while the fire in his stomach only grew hotter.

"Come on, Naruto," Gaara whispered in his ear, pressing closer.

Not even a few minutes later, Naruto tensed up and let himself be thrown over the edge; blinding white light filling his vision while he shook and quivered. He was only vaguely aware of Gaara joining him a couple of seconds later.

Their bodies remained joined for a little while longer until Gaara lowered his still shaking leg and laid down next to him.

Naruto sighed and turned to lie down on his side, throwing a leg over Gaara's thighs, paying no need to the stifling warmth their bodies created. He would need to wash the sheets tomorrow, but for now he didn't care about that.

"If we keep at it like this, I bet it won't be long before there is a baby," Naruto grinned, nuzzling Gaara's neck with his nose. It would probably take a couple of more times, but he knew the test would colour positive soon.

He could hardly wait.

"Let's make sure we get enough sleep now then," Gaara murmured sleepily and his arm went around Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto chuckled; his lover always became very sleepy after such a vigorous session. "Good night," he whispered lovingly and closed his eyes, joining his mate in the dream world.

"I'm just happy that I don't have to deal with her, un. She's a lovely woman, but she is driving me insane with her chatter. It's not like this is the first time for me," the man with long, golden blond hair complained. His baby blue eyes narrowed at the small, dark haired boy, who was making a mess of his strawberry cake. "Akihito, don't play with your food," he reprimanded his son.

The five year old pouted, but nodded, returning to eating his dessert properly.

Cerulean blue eyes slid from the familiar scene to outside, where the grey sky darkened further, releasing snowflakes, which soon formed a white carpet on the street.

It was the middle of November and winter had announced itself early with rainstorms, howling, icy winds and now a layer of snow.

"Naruto-kun, is something the matter?" his friend, Deidara, asked softly.

Naruto expelled his breath slowly, cursing himself for letting his mask drop. He hadn't wanted to worry the other blond.

"It's …" he trailed off; his hand weakly waving around, disturbing the thin pillar of steam exuding from his latte macchiato.

Involuntarily his eyes flickered over to his godson, wondering whether this particular conversation was suitable for his young ears.

Deidara caught his fleeting glance and his face lightened up with understanding. "Aki, here, you can watch your show," he murmured and after tapping and swiping a couple of times on the brand new iPad he had retrieved from his bag, he handed over the device to his son, together with a purple set of headphones.

Akihito's face brightened and he eagerly shoved the headphones over his ears, enjoying the rare opportunity of watching his show on his daddy's device.

As soon as the little boy was immersed in the animated series, Deidara stared with piercing eyes at the younger man. "Spill," he ordered.

"Nothing really. Just that the test was negative again. You could say I'm a bit disappointed," Naruto chuckled self-deprecatingly. Disappointment was an understatement. He knew that it could take a while, but nearly four months? That was just unheard of and he was starting to fear something was wrong with him after several negative pregnancy tests.

"How long have you been trying?" Deidara inquired softly.

"Since August and so far nothing," Naruto answered and swallowed around the lump of bitterness in his throat. His eyes stung with the threat of hot tears. He didn't want to cry, because grown men didn't cry due to disappointment, but it hurt. It hurt seeing his own tests glaring at him, taunting him with the negative symbol, while his best friend was glowing with his own pregnancy, his rounded belly clearly outlined through his dark green sweater. Every pregnant Omega seemed to stand out now, reminding Naruto cruelly of what he didn't have.

Why was it taking so long for him to expect a baby? He wasn't that old yet!

"What does Gaara-san say about this?" Deidara asked; his eyes glowing with concern.

"He says we just need to keep trying," Naruto snorted harshly, glaring at his cup. Gaara's unconcerned behaviour was honestly starting to irritate him. It was as if he thought it was normal for them to not have conceived a baby yet.

"Do you think it's taking so long, because I took the suppressants for so long?" he asked, clenching his fingers in the folds of his woollen sweater. Had he damaged his body by repressing his hormones for so long? Was he still capable of carrying a child or … Had he become barren?

The icy grip of fear tightened around his heart.

"I don't know, Naruto-kun," Deidara replied; his tone troubled. He tapped his fingers on the polished table. "I've never heard of suppressants having an influence like that."

"What if … what if we don't succeed?" Naruto whispered, not registering the stinging pain of his nails digging through his sweater into the vulnerable skin of his stomach.

His head shot up when a warm hand touched his hand and he stared at the older blond, his sight blurring with unshed tears.

"You shouldn't think like that," Deidara scolded him gently. "You'll have a baby soon, you'll see."

Naruto really wanted to believe that, but after seven failed tests, he was starting to lose hope. It only should have taken them a month at most to become pregnant – it never took more than a month for Omega to fall pregnant. He was the exception of that rule and he wasn't happy with that at all.

He sniffled and rubbed the stray tears away, clearing his throat. "I know, but it's just so hard, you know? I don't understand why it's taking so long."

"Well, have you thought about visiting a doctor, un?" Deidara suggested, cocking his head slightly. "Maybe they can find out why you're having trouble, hm?"

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't know any good doctor," he admitted sheepishly. He never became sick to the point he needed a doctor and therefore didn't have one.

"Why not go to Itachi's brother?" Deidara suggested and a smile lit up his face. "He specialises in pregnancies; in fact, he helped me with check-ups when I was expecting Aki and he's performing the check-ups for this baby as well, so I can vouch for him. You won't find a better doctor than him, I promise."

"I thought doctors aren't allowed to help their family?" Naruto replied bemused.

Deidara waved his hand impatiently, clucking his tongue. "He knows how to be objective and he's the best one in his field. Itachi wouldn't have even let me seek someone else." His eyes softened at the mention of his husband.

"You think he can help me?" Naruto asked uncertainly, biting his lip.

"Naruto-kun, he has never failed a patient before. You can trust him," his friend reassured him. He riffled through his bag and grabbed a pen together with a piece of paper. "This is the number of his practice. Call this and you'll get an appointment with him."

Naruto stared at the numbers written in an elegant script. Well, it wouldn't hurt to visit this doctor, right?

All his hope was now fixated on Uchiha Sasuke.

On the twenty-sixth of November, Naruto hurriedly gathered his belongings and locked the door of his classroom as soon as the last student left the room. He had an appointment with Doctor Uchiha at three forty-five and the drive there would take half an hour from the college building. He had enough time to get there, but he didn't want to push it too close.

Slamming the trunk of the old Ford shut, he stepped into his car and checked his phone one last time before he started the engine.

His stomach churned uneasily when the simple, orange background greeted him. No messages. He had hoped Gaara would message him.

When he had called to make an appointment, he and Gaara had had a fight. The red haired man thought it was useless to visit a doctor and refused to accompany Naruto. The blond man knew his mate didn't like anyone getting into their business, but four months later the test still announced a negative result.

Naruto was embarrassed to tell a complete stranger about their problem, but his desire for a child was bigger than his shame.

He had reminded Gaara about his appointment this morning, but the red haired man had simply scowled and left without a word.

It seemed he would have to go alone after all.

Pursing his lips, he stuffed his phone back into his pocket and started the car, backing out of his parking space carefully while a cheery woman on the radio informed him of the news and the weather.

By the time he turned into the street where the practice was located, rain was steadily pouring down, ticking on the hood and roof of his car.

Luckily for him, he managed to find a parking spot close to the doctor's building.

He practically ran towards the large building as soon as he had locked up his car. Water in the puddles splashed up when he tore through them and he grimaced when his trousers were soaked with the ice cold water.

Shivering violently, he shook his head when he stood dripping in the hallway. A receptionist with a low cut shirt and dark red hair looked up bored; ceasing her typing on the keyboard. "Name?" she asked uninterested.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he answered, hoping he wasn't dirtying the carpet too much.

The woman pointed towards a dark brown door on which a golden plaque read 'Waiting room'. "You can wait there. The doctor will be ready to see you soon."

"Thank you," Naruto murmured, bowing his head shortly, before he entered the waiting room. Warmth hit him as soon as the door clicked close and he sighed relieved. There was no one else here and he looked around curiously. Ten comfortable chairs were lined up against the cream coloured walls and the low, round, glass table contained the obligatory pile of old magazines, which were found in practically every doctor's office. The walls were adorned with shiny posters containing information about suppressants and pictures of expecting Omega with their proud mates hugging them.

Naruto swallowed and tore his eyes away from a poster displaying a couple beaming with a positive test clutched between them. He wandered further into the room, his footsteps muffled thanks to the thick, rich blue carpet. Aside from the door he had just went through, there was one other door at the right side. The golden letters on this door announced that it was Uchiha's practice.

Not interested in the pile of old magazines, he bypassed the table and approached the large window. Pushing down the white blinds, he stared out of the window. The sky had darkened even further during the time he had been inside and the rain was coming down with buckets, obstructing the view of the street.

Eugh, he would need to go through that storm again later. He could only hope the storm would have passed by the time he was finished here. He didn't fancy arriving home looking like a drowned cat.

The door opening startled him out of his thoughts.

"Uzumaki-san? I'm ready to see you now," a deep, baritone voice spoke up calmly.

When Naruto breathed in next, he nearly doubled over when the doctor's scent slammed into him. Raw. Male. Alpha. He practically exuded power and the Omega in him purred in delight at being surrounded with so much tantalizing power. His heart beat accelerated and he helplessly inhaled deeply again, letting the heavy, overpowering scent cloud his mind. Even Gaara hadn't managed to overwhelm him like this and he was one of the strongest Alpha Naruto knew.

The blond man was jolted out of his daze by a hand squeezing his shoulder.

"Uzumaki-san, are you feeling all right?" Uchiha asked concerned; dark eyes slightly narrowed.

Naruto swallowed, his mouth abnormally dry, and nodded slowly. "I'm fine," he smiled feebly, trying not to become distracted again. What was wrong with him?

"Follow me then."

Scolding himself for reacting so strongly to one scent, Naruto followed the doctor meekly into his spacious practice. The room contained all supplies that a doctor's office needed, but it all looked very expensive, making him almost too afraid to touch something.

"Have a seat." Uchiha waved at the two chairs in front of his imposing, mahogany desk while he sat down in his large, leather chair.

Feeling a tad uncomfortable, Naruto sank down on the left chair, which creaked softly. The entire room bathed in Uchiha's scent and he breathed shallowly through his mouth. Why hadn't Deidara warned him about Uchiha's powerful aura?

"So, Uzumaki-san, is this your first time seeing a doctor for this particular issue?" Uchiha started professionally and he opened a dark blue file. A thin, elegant eyebrow arched in surprise at the information he encountered.

"Yes," Naruto confirmed and involuntarily his hands clenched into his wet jeans.

"I notice that the information regarding your previous doctor was left blank. Who was your previous doctor?" Uchiha inquired; a pen hovering above the paper.

"Eh, I don't have one," Naruto admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Who do you visit when you are ill?"

"No one in particular. I don't get sick easily."

Uchiha stared at him for a moment, before he snorted. "You're one of the lucky few then," he remarked dryly.

Naruto offered him a crooked smile; this wasn't the first time he had been told that.

"Tell me why exactly you need my help," Uchiha said in a no nonsense tone.

His smile disappeared like snow underneath the sun and lead seemed to fill his stomach. "My partner and I are trying to conceive, but so far we haven't succeeded," he explained; the red flush of shame colouring his cheeks. No Omega liked to admit that they had trouble getting pregnant.

"Hm. How long have you been trying?"

"Four months."

Uchiha stilled and studied him intently, causing him to squirm a bit. "How long have you been taking the suppressants?"

"Almost fourteen years," Naruto answered softly, doing his best to ignore the voice in the back of his mind which was informing him that the doctor surely thought he was a defect freak.

"How long have you and your mate been married?" Uchiha asked while he was jotting down some notes.

"Oh, I'm not married," Naruto replied, feeling a bit embarrassed at the surprised look of the other man.

"My apologies for the assumption," Uchiha murmured, composing himself quickly. "How long have you been together with him?"

"Nearly five years."

"Is he Alpha or Beta?"

"An Alpha."

Uchiha hummed thoughtfully. "Have you ever taken any form of drugs?"

"If coffee counts, yes. Otherwise, no."

"Do you smoke?"

"No. Never tried it either."

"How is your alcohol intake?"

"Only a couple of beers throughout the month, but no more than that."

"Ever been in an accident?"

"When I was seven, some windows broke when I was near them and left me with the scars on my face, but other than that, no."

Uchiha closed the file and clasped his hands together on top of it; a faint frown etched into his forehead. "Based on the information you have given, there should be no reason why you cannot conceive. I am honestly a bit baffled that it is taking you so long," he admitted honestly.

The leaden ball in Naruto's stomach grew. "I – I was thinking that it had something to do with how long I've been taking the pills," he said uncomfortably.

"I have never heard of such a side effect, but to be certain I'm going to take some of your blood to have it examined. If there are still traces left behind from the pills, I'll prescribe you something that will flush them from your system," Uchiha stated calmly and stood up to retrieve his equipment.

"Roll up your sleeve," the doctor instructed, preparing a needle.

Naruto nodded mutely and bared his right arm, holding it up.

Uchiha searched for a good vein – Naruto had to suppress the idiotic urge to shiver when those slender fingers touched his skin gently – and carefully inserted the needle. His lips twitched into a faint smile when Naruto hissed at the sharp sting, making the blond huff in annoyance and turn away. Who cared if he wasn't fond of needles? That was a natural reaction!

After filling three small tubes with his blood, Uchiha measured Naruto's height and weight as well.

Naruto had just finished pulling on his shoes, when the doctor spoke up again.

"Uzumaki-san, as soon as your blood results are ready, you'll be notified and you'll need to make a new appointment," he informed the blond man while filling in some papers. "Depending on the results, we'll decide how to proceed then."

"Okay." Naruto nodded and his fingers twitched in his wide sleeves. He wondered whether Uchiha really as capable of helping him.

The dark haired doctor must have picked up his heavy mood, because he clucked his tongue and a smirk unfurled on his handsome face. "I've never been beaten by a challenge, Uzumaki-san, and I'm not planning on letting that happen any time soon. I'll figure out what's keeping you from conceiving. In the meantime, just continue trying." His eyes flashed oddly.

This time Naruto's cheeks heated up for a completely other reason than shame or embarrassment and he stammered out a goodbye before he left after quickly handing over his payment.

He didn't acknowledge the fact that his heart only started slowing down once he was almost home. He was just not used to the sudden influx of power after so much time spend around the same people; that was all.

The rain had stopped, allowing a very thin ray of weak sunlight to break through the heavy clouds.

AN2: Poor Naruto ...

Please let me know what you thought about it! If there are any mistakes left behind, please point them out to me!

Next chapter will appear in two weeks - as my exams have started now - and will have more meetings between Naruto and Sasuke.

See you all in the next chapter!

Cuddles

Melissa

P.S. For more information about my upcoming and posted stories, please visit my profile.