in the magic hour

by: whisperedsilvers

prompt: "Maybe you're the miracle I've been waiting for."

summary: It's not perfect, but everything is beautiful. —Minato/Sakura

—

vii. you swept me off my feet

After baby Sasuke is born – she had to literally throw Fugaku out of the delivery room because Mikoto threatened to maim in horrific detail – and adult Sasuke never came back.

She knows it's for the best, but there's always that small piece of her that mourns to know, to wonder what happens in the future. But Sasuke had told her something that made her really think – being that Sasuke was a time traveler and all that – he said, "The present is called a present for a reason, don't spend time looking for the future when you have everything you want right now."

She thinks, for once, Sasuke is right.

All that angst, soul-searching, and life lessons have taught him something valuable.

Sakura looks down at a baby Sasuke with a smile and promises herself:

I'm going to make your life a living hell.

In the best way possible, of course.

.

The aftermath of the invasion brings more than just peace, it brings hope.

Sakura is in the training field with her kids, she gives them a chakra control lesson – now that Obito's sharingan has developed into the second stage, his control is genin-level at best – it's meditation and sharing chakra that has them all out of sorts.

Minato and Sakura had both figured out that chakra could be shared as long as it was converted into compatible forms. Converting chakra and transferring requires high forms of concentration and control; it's a good form of training for them, they had mused.

With the three of them back to back, a pyramid, and at ease—it's a nice picture.

.

Sakura thinks she's spoken too soon.

Minato materializes on the training fields, like lightning – because how else are you supposed to compare him? – he zips through the trees and tackles Sakura to the ground.

"This is assault!" she squeals when he pulls her into her chest and they roll around like hyperactive puppies.

"Sensei! You ruined my concentration," Obito whines, his head drops to Rin's shoulder in defeat.

Minato smiles sheepishly, "Sorry about that, Obito. I have news."

"What kind of news?" Sakura asks from underneath him, he shifts to lay on his side, and she tosses a leg over his hips.

"I just ate," Kakashi groans at the public display of affection.

"I got promoted," Minato beams.

Sakura sits up abruptly and gasps, "The kageship?"

"Wait—" Rin shakes her head, eyes widening and she sits up, "Wait—if you're promoted then that means..."

"You're going to be Hokage," Sakura grins and presses her lips to his forehead in elation. Then she flips her hair back and laughs, "I mean, I already knew this was going to happen."

"Don't steal my fun," Minato laughs despite himself, he sits up and presses a kiss to her a temple, "The coronation is tomorrow."

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this," Obito rubs his temples.

"Does that mean I have to call you Hokage-sama now?" Kakashi asks suddenly.

.

"I'm proud of you, you know," Sakura smiles at him when the sun dips into marigold and blush. On the Hokage mountain, they have a small clearing where they go to disappear from the world, and he loves that she loves it—because it's for them and only them.

Sunset.

It's their time.

When the sun meets the ocean, the earth meets the sky and the world spins for them.

Minato wants to tell her that.

He wants to tell her that he is grateful that the Gods brought her to him, that she's here with him, that he wants nothing but her and he wants to tell her all the things he's never told anyone before. Things that he's embarrassed by, things that he's scared of, his thoughts, his hopes, his dreams, but all that comes out is:

"Marry me."

.

Sakura's sea-foam orbs widen. The dips in blue and aqua color him blind. He watches her, committing the memory to his brain. The play of light, the rose of satin, and his heart twists in the cavity of his chest. He wonders if he's asked to soon. If he's rushing this too much because Sasuke just left and maybe he should have waited.

Minato knows, deep in his chest, in the bones that anchor him, in the cells that take refuge in his body, that Sakura is it for him.

Once upon a time, he was terrified by the overwhelming swell of emotions that bubbled up to the surface when he had met her. His feelings, his sanity, his rationality was threatened by this woman. And as much as he was terrified to open up each facet, examine it with the scrutiny of a scientist and understand the science behind the madness, it scared him even more to not be with her.

The thing is, Minato has loved Sakura from the moment he's met her.

It took days and weeks for him to fall in love with her. He knows that now. It was different with Kushina, he had loved her, but not in the way he loves Sakura. With Kushina, it was simple, easy, and comfortable, but with Sakura, every day demands to be lived to the fullest.

Perhaps, it's a strange thing. Love that is, but if he would ever demand for something, anything, selfishly, without question, without hesitation, it would be Sakura a thousand times over. For her, he would do anything to make her happy and he knows that the feeling is mutual—

"—now?" she asks with disbelief.

The thing is, she isn't saying no.

.

Minato and Sakura marry at dusk, on the eve of his coronation, with their students and the Hokage as their witness.

Rin sniffles and Obito downright bawls, but it's Kakashi who smiles through all their wedding pictures.

.

"What the hell do you mean you're all pregnant?" Sakura looks aghast at her friends. Yoshino, who is three months, Hikari who is two months and Tsume who is four months. "Did you all plan this?"

"It just…happened?" Yoshino grins sheepishly and Hikari blushes.

Mikoto laughs.

"And Tsume-chan! Who am I going to go drinking with when I start to lose my mind?" she scolds the Inuzuka clan heir.

Tsume shrugs, "Ask Tsunade-sama."

"It's your turn to jump the bandwagon, Sakura-chan," Yoshino giggles, "When do you think Minato will propose?"

"Soon, if he knows what's good for him," Tsume snorts.

Sakura smiles nervously.

Whoops.

.

"—your Yondaime, Minato Namikaze!" The Third Hokage announces, he places the headpiece on his successor and gives him a smile.

"It's speech time!" Obito bounces on the balls of his feet and stares at him, "Minato-sensei actually did it!"

"He looks kind of nervous," Kakashi points out.

Minato looks as cool and composed as he usual, but Sakura can see the way his hands clench the podium, the strain in his smile as the crowd screams. Her husband – it really is a rush to even think about – straightens his shoulders and measures the crowd. He's nervous but happy.

And she is just so fucking proud of this man.

"He looks like he belongs there," Hikari muses next to her.

Sakura nods, "He does."

"God, his speech is so sappy," Tsume groans and rests a hand on her back, "How do you even stand that, Sakura-chan?"

"Minato is very romantic," she explains and then continues softly, "I've never had that before."

Yoshino wraps her arms around her and pecks her on the cheek noisily, "You deserve it, you know."

"—change is always a challenge. We changed from war to peace and now we are starting into a new future, a future where our children will get to grow up without the constant fighting, with both parents there to teach and nurture them. I want to make a future like that a reality, overcome the boundaries and create a brighter path for our future generations," Minato says, "With our neighbors, with our friends, with our teachers, with our students," he turns and winks to her, "With my wife."

Yoshino stills and Sakura freezes.

Oh no.

"You little—" Tsume turns her head to hiss at her.

"You got married and didn't tell us?" Yoshino shrieks and drops her arms.

Mikoto's sharingan flashes and she frowns, "Did you even have a wedding?"

"SAKURA!" Tsunade scowls as she stomps forward, "I am your teacher. Why was I not invited? I love weddings!"

Sakura uses the Hiraishin to appear on the balcony next to him and she squawks, "Minato, you idiot! Tsunade-shishou is going to kill us!"

Minato looks at Tsunade who is speeding past the crowd, there are three angry pregnant women and that one Uchiha, that's hot on her heels, and he pales. He smiles at the crowd, who inevitably starts laughing, he gives a cheesy wave and flashes away—hand in hand with Sakura.

.

They cave.

A week later, Minato and Sakura have a formal wedding.

Kakashi gives her away, Obito's Minato's best man – even though Shikaku demanded the position – and Rin is her maid of honor.

There are even more tears than the first time.

It's the biggest party of the century, she thinks.

Kakashi gives her a kiss on the cheek and she almost starts crying.

But when Minato looks at her, in her kimono, when she walks up the aisle, his eyes are brighter than the stars and grabs her hands—she loses it.

And then Minato starts crying because Sakura is crying.

Because they are so ridiculously, unforgivably, and stupidly in love that they cannot physically contain themselves.

"Good God," Jiraiya sighs and hands Tsunade a handkerchief after she threatens him with bodily harm.

.

"If I knew becoming Hokage would mean burying myself alive in paperwork I wouldn't have accepted the job," Minato groans into her ear, his body slick with sweat, hands mapping the sides of her hips and he pulls out.

"You love it," Sakura laughs as he flops onto his side.

"Maybe," Minato whispers into the moonlight, "I do like the haori."

Sakura swings a leg over his hips and sits up, "Do you now, Hokage-sama?"

He grumbles and rolls his hips, "Gods woman, don't ruin it for me."

She laughs, and it's a wonderful and beautiful thing.

.

One day, after back to back meetings with the elders, councilman and clan representatives.

Minato walks into a situation where there is no exit.

"Hokage-sama," Kumiko, one of the elders starts off with a cross of the arms and a crotchety stare, "We believe that it is imperative that you produce an heir."

Minato can hardly believe what he is hearing, so he inquires with minute disbelief, "Excuse me?"

"We have never had a Hokage quite so young before," she tells him and he has to fight the wave of revulsion that washes over him at the look, "You are young and in your prime. Producing an heir would give more of an ease to the older shinobi, who believe that someone with more experience and quite frankly, established, to handle this office. Producing heirs would help ease tensions and prove to the older generation that you are capable of such responsibilities."

He could hardly speak for the words have left his brain.

Kumiko goes on when Minato doesn't reply, "Is it Sakura-san? Is she—"

"My wife and our marriage have nothing to do with the Elders, Himura-san," Minato cuts in sharply, "It is inappropriate and it is unbecoming to have such questions directed to me and as Hokage. I am not of a clan and haven't married into one either. You are dismissed."

Kumiko flushes a burnt red but leaves with her nose high in the air.

Minato has had it with old foggies thinking they have the right to tell him how to run his life and treat his wife. He seals off the Hokage's office after his administration leaves for the day, flashes to the hospital, and kisses Sakura stupid.

Sakura grasps onto his Hokage's haori and whispers, "Where are we going?"

"The clearing," he grazes the skin of her throat.

And that answers that.

.

His teeth holds her nipple hostage as she swivels her hips down on him. She sets the place slower when she's on top. Sakura's hip rock onto him, her clit swollen and abused causes her to choke every time she slides back home. Minato holds her steady, bruising the expanse of her chest, her ribs, with his teeth and tongue.

Sakura groans when he tilts his hips upwards, catching that patch of nerves he has memorized – damn him and his photographic memory – and she shivers when he does it again.

"Hold onto me," Minato whispers into her mouth and grabs the back of her thighs.

He rolls her back onto the blanket that he planned for earlier.

Minato slips one leg over his shoulder, wraps the other around his waist, and presses into her. It's slower, deeper, intimate when he presses a kiss to her throat and flexes into her. He loves her under the night sky, with nothing but the moon and stars to witness.

And Sakura isn't surprised that she is right—

—Minato's eyes are brighter than starlight.

.

Sakura pales as she sits back onto the couch. She knew from the moment she woke up, that something was wrong. She threw up her tempura from the night before and her yakisoba. At first, she thought it might be the oil, but when the smell of shrimp nearly caused her knees to weaken—she had to call in.

"Tsunade-shishou," Sakura starts off when she drops off some paperwork at the hospital, "I think I might be sick. I won't be able to attend the banquet tomorrow."

"The Daimyo will be there, Sakura," Tsunade raises a brow. "What do you mean sick?"

"A gastrointestinal virus probably, I've had it a few years ago," she waves it off, "I get it every once in a while."

"That's not supposed to be going around this time of year," Tsunade points out with a frown, "Symptoms?"

Sakura's list them off absently and amber eyes stare at her.

"What?" Sakura asks self-consciously.

"Sakura," Tsunade snorts more out amusement than bewilderment, "Did you ever think that you might be pregnant?"

Sakura stares.

Oh my god.

.

In her defense, Sakura has never been pregnant. She doesn't know what it's supposed to feel like. She may know all the symptoms, stages of the fetus, and the mechanisms of giving birth, but she didn't know what it would feel like. She doesn't remember skipping out on birth control, she most certainly doesn't remember when it happens – Minato has the endurance of a fucking monster – but, all she does know is that every time she passes by the shops in the village square and smells tempura, she wants to hurl.

Tsunade insists on conducting the scan on her a few hours later, once there's a room and privacy.

"Four weeks," she had said, chakra humming and mouth frowning, "Didn't you get married three weeks ago?"

"Minato and his super sperm," Sakura grumbles, then snaps up in shock, "How am I supposed to tell him?"

"How do you think he'll react is the first question you should ask yourself," Tsunade says and swipes her stomach lower.

"He'll be ecstatic,"

"Then it really doesn't matter, but make sure to get something out of it. The baby looks healthy, no signs of stupidity—"

Sakura rolls her eyes.

"—and it's quite big for a month," she comments with surprise.

"Oh God, he's going to have Minato's head,"

Tsunade snickers, "You're in for it now kid," then pauses, "He?"

"I feel like it's a boy," she shrugs a small smile playing on her lips.

"I'll take that bet," she smirks, "Five hundred Ryo."

Sakura laughs.

.

She's pregnant.

It was as if Sasuke slammed a chidori straight into her chest.

The Elders are going to have a field day.

Sakura never really thought about having children – at the moment – because things just kept happening. Sasuke defecting, training with Tsunade, rescuing Gaara, finding Sasuke, Pein's invasion, Madara Uchiha, the war, Kakashi's Kamui, another war, Madara again, Danzo, and—

—it's a lot, okay.

Sakura had given up the idea of having children for the sake of a better future.

And now there is.

.

Sakura flashes into Minato's office – oh bad idea, the nausea is starting to catch up to her – she blinks slowly and frowns when she realizes Minato's in her face.

"Sakura," Minato repeats himself, a tendril of worry curls in the depths of his bowels, "Are you alright? You went a bit pale."

Sakura blinks again and asks, "Dinner?"

He stares at her, thrown by the non-sequitur, and nods slowly, "Let me just finish this, alright. Where do you want to go?"

"Hotpot," she says immediately, she's craving all sorts of spicy things today and rice. Lots of rice. She sighs internally, thinking of all the food she gets to eat.

"Are you sure?" Minato inquires with a quirked brow, he stacks a pile of paper onto the Jounin tables. "It's quite warm."

"I want hotpot, Minato," Sakura demands with a curl of the lips.

"Yes, yes Hokage-sama," he huffs a laugh.

.

"You know," Sakura starts off dipping a piece of tofu into the broth, "This is the first time we've gone out to dinner. Alone."

Minato startles at that for a moment, he opens his mouth and then closes it. He snorts, "It only took us a year and a wedding to get here."

She giggles – a baby too – and grabs a broccoli, "I hear Kakashi and Anko are dating."

"They're twelve, Sakura,"

"Rin told me she caught them kissing,"

Minato shudders and places a piece of chicken into her bowl, "Why can't kids stay kids?"

"The same reason puberty happens,"

"Sakura, I am trying to eat," he replies exasperatedly.

"Your point?" she giggles and almost chokes on her rice when his sandaled foot slides up the length of her calf.

Minato smirks with his chopsticks in his mouth – arousal surges up in her like a wave and she has to bite down on a carrot to distract herself – and realizes that her hormones are going be wild for the span of her pregnancy, "Just that."

This fucking man.

Sakura slides her foot up his thigh and rests it right—"

He inhales sharply and ocean eyes storm, "Sakura,"

She nibbles on a noodle and blinks innocently.

.

Sakura arches her back, her hair tumbling down her back sticking to her chest and her hands fist ino the couch. She thinks they're going to have to buy a new couch if she sinks her nails into this one and rips it. He holds her steady and takes his time.

"Minato," she inhales into a scream.

Sakura sits on the sofa with Minato kneeling in between her legs, his fingers are gentle inside her but his mouth is harsh on her clit. He rolls the bead in between his lips, suckling violently, she twists underneath his ministrations, and babbles, "Please, please, please, please—"

And he curls those wonderful fingers inside her.

.

"You feel different," Minato comments lightly, covers her, and brings her into his shoulder.

"What?" her mind is fuzzy.

"Softer maybe," he murmurs more to himself, his fingers trace her mound and dip in between her thighs, "More sensitive."

"You went down on me for more than a half-hour," she huffs.

"I didn't hear you complaining," Minato shot back wickedly and asks more seriously, "Tsunade-sama said you weren't feeling well, is that it?"

"Did you really have sex with me knowing that you could get sick?" Sakura chuckles with amusement rather than irritation.

"My tongue has been inside you more times than I can count today,"

She flushes at his audacity, "You're getting bolder, Hokage-sama,"

"What can I say, Namikaze-sama," Minato teases her, fingers tracing her flush down to the base of her neck, "You bring out the lewd sides in me."

"Or you're spending too much time reading Jiraiya-sama's books,"

"…"

.

"Ugh, I don't want to be here," Sakura scowls strapping on her sandals, "Is this even necessary?"

"The Daimyo thinks so," Minato sighs and zips up the back of her dress. It's a deep blue sundress, with thin straps and flares at the waist. It's the most simple piece of clothing she owns and if they are to be walking around the Hyuuga compound, she needs to be as comfortable as she possibly can be.

"You look beautiful," he says and kisses her gently.

She frowns, "If Ryuu-sama tries to touch me again, I'm breaking his arm,"

"I'll take a picture," Minato nods, "Or you can hold him and I can get a hit in."

Sakura giggles, "I'm a bad influence on you."

"No man has the right to touch my wife," he replies darkly, then smiles brightly, and whispers in her ear, "And besides, you fucking like it."

She hates this man; using her own kinks against her.

Diabolical.

They're over two hours late.

.

"I've perfected it!" Kakashi laughs maniacally.

Sakura and Rin take a step back.

"Perfected what?" Minato raises a brow – he's taken a break from Kage duties to oversee his students – and crosses his arms.

"My jutsu! One Thousand Birds," he grins.

"Is it necessary to laugh like that?" Obito inquires with a timid smile.

"Uh yes. It took me three years to complete it!"

"So, are you going to show us?" Rin prompts.

"I have to build up to it, Rin," Kakashi answers, he looks over at Sakura and chuckles, "As my student, Sakura-sensei, we should test it out."

Sakura stares at him, "What does that even—?"

Kakashi throws a barrage of kunai at her and Sakura uses shunshin to reach the other side of the field, she scowls, "Kakashi!"

"I need a head start," is his only explanation and then springs towards her.

Sakura leaps backward, she avoids tall places and the trees. She dodges another blow and hisses, "Kakashi! That's enough! Stop this right now—!"

She shunshins back to the center of the field to avoid an explosive tag.

"Why isn't she using her hiraishin?" she hears Rin asks Obito.

It makes her nauseous.

Her chakra control has been acting up since the start of her pregnancy, she can't heal more than a gash and it's driving her insane. Her shunshin is okay, but it still disorientates her from time to time. Sakura tries to steady herself and shrieks, "Kakashi stop!"

This is not how she wants to tell Minato.

The chirping birds remind her of Sasuke and she almost hurls right then and there.

"But I'm almost there!"

He's running and—

"—Kakashi, I'm pregnant!"

His voice is muffled and he can't stop. He can't stop because the chakra output is too much and there is no outlet—

—then there is lightning.

.

Minato cannot unhear those words, even if he tries.

Once the word pregnant registers, he's moving before he even registers it. He grabs Kakashi's wrist and throws him into another direction. The chidori goes threw a tree, his fist inside the hollow circle and he yanks his fist back, stumbling with a gasp.

Obito is there to steady him.

Minato grabs Sakura, uses Hiraishin, and pulls her back from the circle of destruction.

Then she shoves a fist into his stomach once they stop, pushes him backward, and heaves in front of the weeping willow.

.

Minato holds her hair back as she empties the contents of her stomach. He doesn't even wince, his fingers make soothing circles on her back and she coughs, "Water."

The taste of her own bile makes her want to curl into herself.

Rin gives her a bottle of water and she rinses her mouth.

When she stands up, she leans into Minato and tells him with a pale face, "I think I need to lie down."

.

Sakura's head rests on Minato's thigh as she tries to steady her center of gravity. His fingers stroke her hair, blunt fingernails gently scraping her scalp and massaging the small throbs of pain from her violent upheaval. "Ugh, I'm going to miss this."

His fingers still, "What?"

"Laying on my back," she opens her eyes and stares at her with sky-blue eyes, "Hi."

Minato blinks rapidly and helps her sit up. He doesn't know what to feel, there is apprehension, nerves, confusion all twisting up in his throat, "You're," he breathes and then asks softly, "Is it true?"

"That I'm pregnant?" Sakura blinks in disbelief, "I just threw up my insides and you're asking me if it's true?"

"I," Minato stammers – he must truly be confused if he's resorted to stuttering. She thought she shocked that out of him – he shakes his head quickly and then cups her face. Eyes softening seas and turquoise breeze, "Tell me, please."

She smiles shyly at the intensity and whispers, "It's true."

The air escapes his lungs, he stares at her with stars in his eye and realizes, "So, I'm going to be a—a father?"

Sakura nods, laughs, and brings her forehead against his, "And I'm going to be a kaa-chan!"

Minato laughs, suddenly brightly, it pricks tears and it squeezes his heart. He cups her stomach where the life they made grows inside, he doesn't know what position to hold her in, he can only stare at those jade-colored gems she calls eyes and just look at her because—

"I love you."

.

"Where's Kakashi?" Sakura asks after sipping a bowl of miso soup. Simple foods are the only things she can stomach right now, after a bowl of rice and steamed fish, the color in her cheeks reappear.

Minato cooks every meal.

He makes it a priority to keep the refrigerator well-stocked and if he or Sakura cannot get to the store, a few of his guards do it for them. He won't take chances with her health, "As the Hokage's wife, there will be lots of eyes and intentions towards you—good and bad."

Sakura had scowled, "I don't need chakra to break someone's face, Minato."

He wasn't very pleased.

"I'm the Hokage and my duty will always be to my village and I may have a lot of patience and self-restraint, Sakura," his eyes narrowed, "But I will absolutely not tolerate any harm towards my wife and unborn child."

Sometimes, Sakura wonders if Minato knows that his devotion, protection, and just in general, his consideration for her being, does to her hormones.

It's genuinely not fair.

"Sulking," Obito sighs and takes a seat at the table, "Rin's tried to get him out of the corner in the living room, but I'm pretty sure he's taken root and growing his precious enoki mushrooms."

Minato rubs his face, "It's been three days."

"He's feeling pretty guilty," he points out and snacks on a riceball. He smiles then, "Did I tell you congratulations yet, Sakura-sensei? You're going to be the coolest kaa-chan!"

Sakura cannot contain the urge to crush him to her chest.

He chokes and squirms, "Minato-sensei," gasp, "Help!"

Minato snickers, "You're on your own, Obito."

.

"Kakashi," Sakura starts and kneels towards him, "C'mon, you've been sitting here for three days. You need to get up and eat," she wrinkles her nose, "And shower."

"Why are you still nice to me?" Kakashi interjects quietly, so quietly that Minato almost misses him, "I almost killed you and the baby."

She snorts and decides to snap him out of it the quickest way she knows. Anger, "You think too highly of yourself, it's going to take more than a chidori to kill me and the baby."

"You said you couldn't use your chakra!"

"I don't need chakra to throw you into a tree," Sakura replies dryly, "My chakra just helps my strength."

"So, I wouldn't have hurt you?" he asks softly.

"Nope," she says and cocks her head to the side, "And besides, Minato was there. He would never let anything happen to me."

Kakashi remains quiet.

Her heart breaks at the solemn look on his face, "Kakashi—"

"I'm sorry, Sakura-sensei,"

Dammit.

Sakura pulls Kakashi into her chest and holds him there. Her fingers stroke his unruly hair – the same way Minato does when she's overwhelmed – and tells him, "I know you were excited and we were too. Just don't be so hasty all the time, okay?"

And fuck, those are tears on her collarbone.

Kakashi nods into her neck and his voice cracks, "Okay."

"Oh," Sakura sniffles, holds him tighter, and then starts to sob, "Kakashi don't cry because you're going to make me cry and I've been crying at all sorts of things this week!"

Minato really has his work cut out for him.

.

"It's a bump!" Sakura looks at the mirror, Minato, who's getting ready to the office looks back at her and stares at the small mound appearing on her stomach. His hand, strong, steady and warm cups the bump.

His thumb strokes the sides and he beams, "The baby is growing, when can I feel it move?"

"I'm only three months, Minato," she says a matter-of-factly, "Maybe in another two months or three."

"That long?" Minato actually whines.

She laughs, "Yes, development and all that."

Minato kisses her sweetly, "Lunch?"

"Come find me,"

.

"Minato sure works fast," Yoshino stares at Sakura's four-month' bump, "How many months? Five?"

"Four," Sakura corrects and drinks her water, "We should start a club."

Tsume who is rolling around at eight months, snorts, "A pregnancy club? By the time we hit ten members, I'll be ready to pop!"

"All of our kids will be in the same class," Hikari says with a smile.

Mikoto blinks at Sakura's answer, "Four? Wouldn't that mean—?"

"The night of coronation! Right?" Yoshino exclaims and then presses, "I'm right, aren't I?"

Sakura flushes.

"Super sperm, indeed," Tsume grins.

"I'm going to hide all of Tsunade-shishou's sake," Sakura grumbles under her breath.

.

"Is that a bear?" Minato asks with hesitation.

"It's a platypus," Obito corrects.

"But why does it have a pink bow?"

"What if it's a girl?"

"What if it's a boy?"

"We can take off the bow?"

"What if—"

"Just accept the gift, Minato-sensei!" Rin scowls and then pouts, "Obito worked really hard on it!"

It's a beat-up plush platypus in a neon orange, with two different sized eyes and a red beak. It's unique but odd and so very Obito.

Minato smiles, "Thank you Obito, I'm sure the baby will love it."

The baby will love it if the baby is colorblind.

.

Sakura walks around Minato's office as if she owns it – she owns him and he has the mark on his ass to prove it – and she does. He sits at his desk with an amused smile on his face, she wears his Kage's robes and struts around the room with a binder in her hands.

"Well, if I was Hokage," she starts off with a twinkle in her eyes, the baby bump growing more and more pronounced as the days go by, the Kage robes fluttering around her like a blanket, "I would suggest checking over the finances of the civilian district. They don't need as many funds as shinobi need."

Shikaku blinks in surprise, "She has a point, Minato."

Minato snorts and then asks wryly, "And what else does our highly-esteemed Hokage suggest?"

"Well," Sakura stresses and points to the binder, "Since you've asked so nicely, I also suggest—"

—a solid blow from the inside causes her to double-over in a gasp and drops the binder.

Minato is in front of her before she has the time to think.

"I'm getting Tsunade-sama," Shikaku stiffens and disappears with concern.

"Sakura," Minato's voice is slightly hysterical – it's funny, she's never heard his tone reach that high before – his hands cup her swollen belly gently, and demands, "Talk to me, love."

"Nothing, I just thought—"

Another swift kick.

Minato stills at the blow.

Sakura blinks wondrously and puts a hand on his, "Did—Did you feel that?"

Blue orbs shimmer with salt and moonlight. He smiles all wobbly and his eyes—they are beautiful in all its awe and wonder, "The baby—"

"It's moving!"

Minato starts to sniffle because it hits him that he's going to be a father and accuses her, "You've affected me with all your hormones, Sakura,"

"It's not my fault you're such a sap,"

.

Tsume's birth is painful, but Kiba is adorable.

Hikari's birth is pleasant compared to Mikoto.

Yoshino's birth towards Shikamaru led to Yoshino breaking Shikaku's hand.

Yoshino had looked at Minato with a wicked smile, "You're next."

.

"A baby shower," Sakura looks at the village square in a grimace, "I don't mind it, really. But is it necessary to invite the entire village?"

"Tsunade-sama threatened me with bodily harm," Minato smiles sheepishly.

"She just wants an excuse to drink," she grumbles and puts a hand on her back, "I hid all her sake bottles! Shizune even dropped a few outside. It's revenge, I tell you. Revenge."

"Well, at least we'll be well-stocked when the baby comes," he points out and kisses the top of her head.

.

"—then, I said, Sak'ra don't you think you're pregnant?" Tsunade laughs into the mic and Sakura cringes into Minato's shoulder, "Some kind of apprentice!"

"Someone stop her," she groans.

"On it," Rin disappears and reappears next to Tsunade.

"What is she doing?" Minato whispers.

"I don't really know," Sakura shrugs and then smiles, "Rin-chan always thinks the best on her feet. She's my apprentice, you know."

"Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama said your breasts were fake!"

And then there is silence.

Tsunade slams her glass down and scowls furiously, "Where the hell is that idiot?"

"She's an absolute genius, that is what she is," Minato whistles.

Rin turns to the couple and winks.

.

"To Minato-sensei and Sakura-sensei," Kakashi lifts his cup of tea – she and Minato both checks her student's cups because they were not having a repeat of her birthday party – and finishes his speech, "May you have many more children and many more problems."

Sakura chuckles at his grin, "He's still angry we left the compound, huh?"

"He'll get over it," Minato calms the crowd with a wave of his hand and places a hand on her back, "After all, he's going to be part of the security detail for the baby."

.

"I say, I hit it,"

"We're using the kunai, Sakura,"

"But I haven't used my fists in months!"

"It's a balloon, not a rock,"

.

They decide to use Minato's special kunai.

Sakura grabs the kunai with her right hand, Minato steps behind her, trails his hand up her arm and steadies her wrist.

"You know, we've never done this before," she says casually.

"What? Pop a balloon?"

"That and target practice," Sakura rolls her eyes.

"Let's just hit the mark and not embarrass ourselves," Minato's hand rests on her stomach and angles her feet.

"If we can hit it,"

"Sakura," he sighs into her cheek, "I don't miss."

"Remember, when I broke your kunai?" Sakura breathes wistfully.

"We promised to never speak about that again,"

"Ready!?" Obito calls out from the other side of the crowd.

.

Minato gives him the signal.

Obito releases the balloon.

The expecting parents aim the kunai, pull back, and release.

And then there is a pop.

.

"I knew it!" Sakura beams and jumps up as the crowd screams it's congratulations, "It's a boy!"

Minato stares at the blue confetti that's still falling from the sky, turns to look at his wife, pulls her in his arms and spins her around.

There is laughter, smiles, and a little bit of tears.

"A boy," Minato whispers in awe and cups her belly.

"A son," Sakura kisses him on his open mouth.

.

"What do you mean insert x into L2?" Minato scowls at the pieces of the crib in frustration, "None of these instructions make sense!"

"I told you to let the workers do their job," Sakura sang when she walks into the room, she's holding a bowl of tempura crisps and chews nonchalantly, "They are very eager to help their highly-esteemed, Hokage."

"You're patronizing me,"

She snorts, "Just a little."

There's a poof and a leg over the windowsill. Kakashi stares at them and waves, "Yo."

"I thought you and Rin were training?" Sakura frowns.

"Obito said you were going to start painting," Kakashi lifts up a paintbrush, "I brought some of my tou-chan's things."

"You brought…one paintbrush?"

"How many do you even need?"

.

It takes a few shouts.

A thrown hammer.

A few tears.

A couple shots of sake.

And four cups of ramen to put the crib together.

.

"It's going to be green, Minato."

"Blue! Everyone likes blue!"

"If you're somehow carrying this baby and pushing him out, it's going to stay green."

They compromise on yellow.

.

"Gentle, Minato. Gentle," Sakura hisses when his tongue flicks the tip of her nipple and then uses his thumb to smear his saliva, "I'm sensitive!"

"I know," he says with awe and presses a kiss to her sternum, "You came at least twice and I didn't even touch you."

"It's my hormones," Sakura whines when he circles her clit lightly and wiggles down onto his groin, "They're trying to strangle me."

"I'm not complaining," Minato gives her lip a gentle nip, "Think you can go again?"

"You know I can,"

"I will always ask, you know," he kisses the corner of her mouth.

"I know," Sakura sighs into him when he slides home.

.

Pregnancy brings so many changes in Sakura that it makes Minato twitch in anticipation. Her pink hair is lustrous – even when she cuts it down to her shoulders because it started to suffocate her in her sleep – her eyes are even greener, her skin is warmer, softer, sweeter and she smells incredible.

And Minato isn't the only one who notices.

"You're absolutely glowing, Sakura-sama," Hideki – the current ambassador of Iwa – compliments, his beady little eyes stare at her baby bump.

It brings something dark and paternal out in him.

Minato's eyes narrow – she swears her heart just jumps when he gets like this – he places his brush back onto the Hokage's desk and leans into his chair. "My wife's pregnancy is going very smoothly, Hideki-san, and it will continue to remain that way."

It's a threat, very subtle, and diplomatically crafted.

Hideki-san stiffens at the promise.

This was the man who single-handedly defeated Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha.

"I see," he nods, "I hope for an easier birth, Namikaze-sama,"

Sakura blinks at the name.

Minato smiles smugly behind his hand.

.

Sakura splits her time from the hospital – doing mostly paperwork and assisting in surgeries – to assisting Minato with political and trade deals. Time as the Hokage's apprentice and Kakashi's advisor has given her skills that even Minato doesn't have.

"What's this?" Sakura asks accepting the drink from Kakashi's bag.

"One of aunt's blueberry tea," he answers with a small flush, "It's supposed to help with your headaches."

"I can't even stand up to hug you because I'll squish the baby and it's too much work," she pouts, all her emotions a jumble and the sudden, rapid swell of affection she feels for the baby Hatake is overwhelming.

Kakashi shrugs nonchalantly.

"You can hug me though," Sakura smiles sweetly.

He freezes and then laughs awkwardly.

"Kakashi has accumulated the social skills of a giraffe," Obito snorts from the corner.

"That's an insult to all giraffes," Rin snickers.

Kakashi scowls.

"Remember when Rin-chan never used to agree with Obito?" Minato shakes his head in amusement.

"I happened," Sakura takes credit for their close-knit partnerships, "And puberty."

"I told you not to bring that word up around me,"

Sakura laughs, "Minato is scared that you all are going to abandon him when you get older,"

"We'll never abandon you, sensei! Even when you're on your deathbed all wrinkly and old!" Obito declares fiercely.

Minato blanches.

And Sakura laughs even harder

.

"Hokage-sama," Chouza breathes heavily as he reaches the door of his office, his hand rests on the door as he wheezes to catch a break.

"Chouza," Minato sighs, "I've told you, you don't have to call me Hokage-sama when it's just—"

He waves his hands furiously, "No, it's—"

"Chouza! I told you, I wanted to surprise Minato! I haven't seen him in almost two years—"

Minato stands up abruptly and stares with disbelief, "Kushina,"

.

"WHERE IS HE?" Sakura's voice booms as she furiously stomps down the hall, well, she waddles, as fast as she can in her white sundress and loose bun. Chouza turns to look at Inoichi in poorly masked trepidation.

Shikaku tries to save himself, "Sakura-chan, maybe you should wait outside—"

"He was my husband before he became Hokage and if he wants to remain, my husband, he will answer to me and my baby!" Sakura picks up a paperweight from Chouza's desk and stomps towards the door.

Inoichi whimpers, "I have lived a very long life."

Sakura yanks the door open and hurls the paperweight at the Kage's desk.

.

Minato hears Sakura before he sees her.

When the door slams open, Minato ducks and the paperweight flies threw the window. He notices the fury in her emerald eyes and swallows nervously, even at nine months pregnant, Sakura still manages to look terrifying.

She waddles through the door – frightening and horrifyingly adorable as she wobbles towards him – and he stands up on instinct, "Minato Namikaze, you have exactly three seconds to explain to me why I had to hear from Tsunade-sama that you took me off the hospital roster for maternity leave, without telling me!"

"Sakura," he starts, attempting to placate her, and walks very slowly towards her, lest she decides to throw him out the window too.

"Don't you Sakura, me. I want answers!"

"You need to calm down, it won't be good if you stress out and the baby—"

"Don't use the baby as an excuse for your cowardice!"

Minato winces.

"Should we come back at another time, Hokage-sama?" Another voice chimes in, his hand on the back of the redhead's waist.

.

Sakura turns her head to look at their guests. One is a man with hair shinier than Neji's, a soft pastel blue and gold eyes, and the other is a woman with fiery red—

Oh.

Sakura stiffens.

Because Minato is Minato, he sees and observes everything, and right now insecurity and self-doubt have no place in Sakura's body, in his wife's body. He straightens up and helps her into his chair.

"Sakura this is the Daimyo's son, Daichi-sama, and his wife Kushina, er—Mikan-sama," Minato introduces gently, his fingers brush the stray hairs at the back of her neck and press into the tendons.

She softens up a bit.

"Daichi-sama, Mikan-sama, this is my wife Sakura," he concludes, "She is Tsunade-sama's apprentice and currently the new Chief of Medicine in the new hospital in the Southern District that we are still developing."

Kushina blinks, "You've gotten married,"

"Yes, almost a year now," Minato smiles at that, his hand strokes the back of Sakura's neck soothingly.

"And you're going to be a father."

"Yes," Minato grins at that.

"I'm happy for you, Minato, Sakura-san," Kushina smiles.

Sakura stills beneath his fingertips, then tenses her shoulders, and pulls out her most diplomatic smile, "It's nice to meet you, Daichi-sama, Mikan-sama. I've heard from our representative that you will be starting a new trade draft with our international headquarters. It's a good step in the new direction, I believe that we will benefit from our agreement despite the losses we took during the war."

Daichi blinks at her, almost surprised by knowledge and background information. His smile is friendly and Minato isn't sure if he likes it, "You're very well informed, Sakura-sama. Whirlpool still has lots of construction and repairs to oversee, but we believe with our newest agreement as well as our new political system, we shall see new prospects and progress as time goes on."

"Sakura has quite a bit of experience playing with politics, as an ambassador to Suna, an advisor in tactics and war veteran she has seen more things than she would've liked to," Minato pauses and massages her neck with two fingers, "We all have."

Sakura clears her throat, embarrassed by her husband's sudden praise, "Is there a specific reason for this visit? If we knew the family of the Daimyo was arriving, we would've held a banquet in your honor."

"They're visiting, Kushina wanted to know why we haven't gone to her wedding," Minato answers for her.

"Oh. Well, after the war, there was an invasion," Sakura says bluntly, "There was some fallout. We had to take care of it and then Kakashi had his ANBU exams."

"Kakashi!" Kushina beams, "How are your students? I haven't seen them in quite some time—"

"They're fine," Minato calms her, "They're out on a mission right now, their ETA is still up in the air."

"They'll be fine, Minato," Sakura rolls her eyes, "Our kids are more than capable of handling it."

"I still worry," he admits sheepishly,

She squeezes his chin with affection, "I know,"

"And the reason I took you off the roster is because you need to focus on the new hospital," Minato starts quickly before her temper starts to kick in, "You're getting closer and closer to your due date and you shouldn't be running around so much. I know you'll get bored, but think of how much gray hair you'll stop from sprouting on my head, hm?"

Sakura frowns as logic takes over, her embarrassment flaring, and then it drops the second acceptance takes in, "You need to stop being rational, it's making it harder for me to argue with you."

Minato chuckles and presses a kiss to her hair.

Kushina stares at the picture in front of her. Minato was never affectionate with her in public, ever. He held her hand at times, but he would never kiss her or touch her, even absently. He always held a sense of reverence, restraint, and propriety between them. She had thought that he was embarrassed or uncomfortable showing his affections towards her in public, but he wasn't with her.

And he was going to be a father.

It's like the world had stopped spinning.

Kushina shakes her head, even though there is that tinge of regret inside her for leaving things as they were, she is still happy and wishes nothing but the best for Minato; after all he did save her.

.

"Oh," Sakura winces once they left the tower, she rubs her stomach gently, "That was a hard kick."

"He's still active?" Minato places a hand on her back and they walk slowly to their home.

"He's sparring, most likely," she snorts, "Always jumping around and moving."

"He takes after you," he grins.

"You mean you," Sakura sniffs and leans into him, "Can't stay in one place for too long, hm?"

"It's almost time," Minato reminds her, "Kushina bought a toy for him, just before they left to go back to Whirlpool. I left it on my desk."

"She's beautiful," Sakura remarks absently, quietly.

"Who? Kushina?" Minato blinks confusedly and then shrugs, blue eyes crystals and sapphires, "She is, I suppose," but then his fingers tangle in pink locks, "But I prefer softer colors."

"I see Jiraiya-sama needs to write a new book," Sakura huffs, "Your compliments are worse than your flirting."

"It wasn't that bad!"

"Page fifty-seven, when Junko enters the Rusty Nail and—"

Minato kisses her on her open mouth.

.

"You're really…big, Sakura-sensei," Obito remarks with wonder as he stares at her on the couch.

"Are you calling me, fat?" Sakura scowls into her ice cream.

The Uchiha quickly shakes his head.

"He's calling you flabby," Kakashi adds in helpfully.

And Sakura's eyes well up with tears, "Minato!"

Minato, who is in the kitchen with Rin, molding riceballs, takes one look at Sakura's face and then glares at his students.

Kakashi has the nerve to grin, cheekily.

Even though Obito slaps the back of his head.

.

Sakura's water breaks three days before Mikoto and Fugaku's wedding anniversary.

"Do you have my bag?" Sakura asks and changes into a simple day dress.

"Yes," he throws the rag full amniotic fluid into the sink, "And for the love of God, wear a jacket. It's fall!"

"It's hot!" Sakura hisses, "And I'm in labor."

"What if the baby gets cold?"

"He hasn't even left the womb!"

.

Minato is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He paces furiously outside of the hospital room, Hokage robes fluttering behind him and a nail in between his teeth. His students watch him with an owl-wide gaze and Shikaku is the one to talk some sense into him.

"Sit," he says, "Drink," he hands him a bottle of water, "Wait."

"Easy for you to say, you had yours a few months ago," Minato rambles, "But this is Sakura, she could probably shove her entire arm up her—"

"—there are children here, sensei!" Obito squawks and cringes into Rin, who just rolls her eyes.

Then the door slams open, Tsunade calls out, "Minato, we're ready for you. Go into the spare room and scrub up."

.

"I swear to God this baby has your head, Minato!"

"It takes two to—"

She breaks a few fingers.

.

Eighteen hours, many broken phalanges later, Sakura's son is brought into the world by a very loud scream and Minato's tears.

She's glad, she's cried enough this entire pregnancy.

.

"He's beautiful," Sakura stares at her son sleeping on her breast, fingernails the size of a half-grain of rice, scrape the underside of her chest.

"I'm so proud of you," Minato plants butterfly kisses all over her face and looks at his son with pride, awe, and adoration, "What should we call him?"

He has a shock of blonde hair but has yet to open his eyes.

"Naruto," Sakura smiles as his eyes widen.

Tsunade walks in with a clipboard, "Naruto? Like from Jiraiya's book?"

The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi.

Fitting, isn't it?

"Yes," Sakura turns to grin at Minato, "After all, it's what brought us together."

.

The clock strikes twelve.

.

And Naruto's eyes are of sea-foam, ocean, and moonlight.

.

Thank you for reading :)