Chapter Text
Sasuke was always prepared.
He'd studied for every test, he took notes in every class, and when it came time to get his license he'd read the manual three times.
That was until he became pregnant.
Because, for all his caution, a condom apparently slipped his mind!
And at first, he'd panicked a bit; but eventually he figured, it was okay! Having a baby couldn't be the worst thing to happen to a man. He would meet this as he did every thing else. He was constantly on parenting blogs, forums, and reading every single edition of What to Expect When You're Expecting.
But, then he'd actually had his baby and realized no amount of studying was going to help him in the real thing — having a baby wasn't like a school project.
Kurumi was here. She was crying all of the time and needed to be fed constantly and because of the suppressants he took Sasuke couldn't scent Kurumi to calm her cries either. And Sasuke wasn't any better off, with terrible moodswings and his body aching all of the time. Still, even in the chaos, Sasuke loved his baby and the life he was building.
Then came Kurumi's first birthday, then her second, then the third and she wouldn't speak. The omega must've taken her to thousands of doctors before she'd finally been diagnosed with NVLD - Nonverbal Learning Disorder. And of course, Sasuke was panicked. He immediately signed her up for speech therapy, read thousands of forums with parents going through the same struggles and the two learned ASL together and found their normal.
It'd been a year of their quiet routine. Sasuke worked from home, ready to attend to Kurumi's every need. He'd been lucky though, Kurumi was a gentle toddler. She'd play with her toys and babble here and there.
But of course, life never stays the same for very long.
Sasuke was, again, panicked and unprepared.
(He was starting to think a large part of parenthood was being unprepared.)
Kurumi had turned four years old and it came time for her to be enrolled in kindergarten.
The thought frightened Sasuke to no end. Kurumi wouldn't speak a word, she only babbled and signed. Even then, he wanted the world to be kind to his girl. How would he know if they weren't? Would Kurumi tell him? His best-friend growing up was bullied and he saw how that affected him. What if the teacher is inconsiderate too?
The last thing —
A clap behind him pulled him from his thoughts.
He looked to see Kurumi standing there, two dolls in her hands, and she glared up at Sasuke.
"You're right." Sasuke nods, "I'm probably overthinking it." He pushed off of the counter he sat on, meeting Kurumi's height. She stared at him blankly.
"You'd tell me if someone bothered you, right? I don't want you to bear anything alone." The omega mumbles, twirling his pup's long black hair. Again, he was met with no response besides the doll shoved into his hand.
Kurumi raised her own, signing 'P-L-A-Y' shakily.
Sasuke smiled and nodded. Kurumi clapped excitedly and took off running to her room.
The omega followed behind, deciding to let go of his worries for awhile.
⋆˙⟡ —
The blaring of his iPhone alarm startled Sasuke as he fumbled to turn it off, "Alright Princess, we've gotta get to the store," he put the Barbie in sitting position, leaving her in the dollhouse.
Kurumi looked up, confused.
"Tomorrow we're going to meet your teacher and we have to bring supplies, so store." Sasuke explains.
Kurumi nods, then runs out of the room — still holding her doll. Sasuke laughs and follows behind her. She was already at the door, holding up one of the shoes that was already on her foot, velcroed in place.
Sasuke gasps, playing along, "Wow, did you do that all by yourself?"
Kurumi nods excitedly.
The trip to the store didn't take too long and the second they arrive Sasuke is ready, school supply list in hand.
He grabs glue sticks, tissues, crayons, but stops when he gets to the notebooks. Kurumi is in kindergarten, shouldn't she just be coloring? What does a kindergartener need a whole ass college ruled notebook for? He rolls his eyes, throwing it in the cart anyway.
Sasuke is looking at different pencil brands when behind him, he hears a loud gasp. Sasuke immediately turns around, looking towards Kurumi — who was pointing at a pink backpack with a unicorn on it. Once she noticed the omega had turned to her she signs 'P-L-E-A-S-E' excitedly.
He smiles, shaking his head, but walks towards the pink backpack anyway. He grabs it, holding it up to her and frowning.
"Kurumi," He pauses, looking to her, then the backpack, and back again, "this backpack is bigger than you."
She could probably fit in the backpack, honestly, but Kurumi just gives him a look — her signature — her lips curved down and an eyebrow raised. She doesn't care about the backpack being big as long as there is a unicorn on it. Sasuke sighs, but he's ultimately a pushover, so he puts in the cart. Kurumi smiles, touching her fingertips to her chin and moving her hand forward — the sign for 'thank you.'
Sasuke nods.
Kurumi keeps playing with her doll. Sasuke snorts and pushes the cart out of the aisle.
⋆˙⟡ —
You'd think it was Sasuke's first day of school with how nervous he was.
Ever since he'd woken up this morning, there was a pit in his stomach and he felt ill.
He made himself coffee and tried to get some work done before they needed to be at the school, but absolutely nothing would quell his worries. Eventually, it neared noon and Sasuke dressed Kurumi, grabbed the supplies they'd bought yesterday, and left. The school was only a block away from their house and he'd decided it'd be nice to walk.
He held Kurumi's hand, focused on the steps ahead.
Halfway through their walk she tugged his sleeve.
"Yeah, baby?" Sasuke asks, looking down at her.
She pulls on his sleeve until he crouches, meeting her eye level. Kurumi nods, then taps his head twice and kisses his cheek. Sasuke could feel his heart melt, it was the same thing he'd do with her when she was upset, his daughter was really so bright.
"You're right," he takes a deep breath, "there's nothing to be worried about. You're gonna be fine, aren't you?"
Kurumi nods.
Okay then, Sasuke stands and they continue their walk. He had to have faith in himself as a parent, if there was something wrong, he would know.
They'd made it to the school, the doors were propped open and it seemed inviting at the least. Kurumi didn't hesitate to walk right in, practically dragging Sasuke behind her. He followed after her, scanning the hallway. There was a decorated kindergarten sign, leading the two down the hallway and to the right. There were three posters, organized by room. Sasuke scanned them all carefully.
Room 228 - Kurumi Uchiha.
He takes a deep breath, looking towards Kurumi, "Alright baby, you ready?"
Kurumi nods and they began their journey down the kindergarten hallway. He walked into Room 228 holding Kurumi's hand — the room was mostly empty, save for the teacher who sat on top of his desk. The moment his head lifted, Sasuke's heart stuttered.
"Hey guys, you're really early, welcome in!" the teacher hopped off his desk, smiling warmly.
Sasuke would recognize that smile anywhere.
"Naruto?" He finds himself saying, as easy as it were breathing air. The last time he'd seen him, he was a scrawny teenager not anything like the man standing infront of him.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asks, his smile even bigger if that were possible. He makes his way towards the two and Sasuke isn't sure if he wants to run towards or away from the blonde.
Naruto crouches to meet Kurumi, "and who's this? Your niece?"
Kurumi tightens her hold on Sasuke's hand, stepping behind Sasuke's leg — for extra measure she hides her face with her hands. Naruto only giggles.
"No, actually, she's my daughter." Sasuke answers — snapping out of his trance, he pats Kurumi's head. Part of him felt he should be embarrassed for having a kid so young, but when your kid is Kurumi, there's not much to be embarrassed of.
Naruto looks up towards him, mouth agape, "Daughter, wow! Well, it's nice to meet you." He holds out his index finger, presumably for Kurumi to shake, but instead she only looks from the finger, to Naruto's face and back again.
"Okay, soo," he draws out the 'o', "not big on handshakes, I see you take after your Dad." Naruto grins, standing again.
Seeing Naruto interact with Kurumi, he thinks it was silly to worry these past few days. With Naruto as her teacher she was sure to be taken care of, he breathes easily for what feels like the first time in days.
Naruto clicks his tongue, "Well, this is the classroom. She's with me, right? Room two twenty eight?"
Sasuke nods.
"Cool, I'm honored to teach an Uchiha! So — " Naruto continues to talk, but Sasuke wasn't listening. He was more focused on how the blonde had held up after all these years. His biceps were basically protruding out of his shirt, he was tan, and Sasuke wasn't blind, Naruto was handsome. Nothing like the boyish charm he'd had when they were younger.
The loser seemed to be doing well for himself.
Sasuke had kind of a thing for Naruto when they were younger, but he was far too stubborn to admit it. Then his parents passed and he had to move in with Itachi, so his little crush never mattered much anyway.
"Alright," Naruto says and Sasuke snaps out of of his thoughts, "'any questions for me?"
Sasuke chooses to ignore the fact he hadn't been listening for the past five minutes because asking him to repeat everything he just said would be dumb. Sasuke chooses not to be dumb today, so he shakes his head and hands him the supplies he'd bought yesterday.
"Oh thanks, not many parents actually bring this stuff in!" Naruto smiles, placing the bags on his desk.
Sasuke nods, "Bye."
He and Kurumi are about to walk through the door when Naruto calls out his name.
Sasuke turns around.
"Hey — um, it was really cool seeing you again actually. I think — maybe we could meet up sometime? There's this really cool cafe with a playground and stuff for kids and they have tomato juice and — I mean .. if your alpha would be okay with it, obviously. Is that .. cool?" Naruto rambles, scratching the back of his head as he finishes. He smiles awkwardly and Sasuke rolls his eyes (fondly).
Sasuke nods, "Fumbling to invite me out, I feel fifteen again. That'd be fine, loser."
"I'm gonna ignore the fact that you insulted me after I so graciously invited you out," Naruto says dramatically, "um, well here's my number. Text me, kay?" He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to Sasuke.
"You just carry your number around in your pocket?" Sasuke deadpans.
Naruto flushes, "Well maybe I was hoping to run into a cute omega today. Oh — and his lovely daughter."
Sasuke pauses — feeling his face flush.
"I'm leaving now," He says curtly, picking Kurumi up and speedwalking out of the classroom.
If he texted Naruto as soon as he got home, well that was nobody's business but his own.