Н‘¾Ð‘¯Ð‘¬Ð‘Μ Ð‘»Ð‘¯Ð‘¬ Н‘¾Ð‘°Ð‘Μ𝑫 Н‘©Ð‘³Ð‘¶Ð‘¾Ð‘º €¢Ð’Ƒ𝒙Н’Ƒ• There is only You

AN: Warning, there might be feels later in the chapter.
I am not held accountable if you feel sad.
Peace out!
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Loud crying resounded through the house, filling the silent darkness which covered everything. Akashi shifted and sat up before he even opened his eyes. He blinked and lightly stretched, a soft yawn slipping through his parted lips, “Lay back down, I’ll go to him.” He heard the man besides him whisper, before something pushed him down by the shoulders.

“You went last time…” Akashi whispered, fighting against the urge to close his eyes.

The bed dipped as Sasuke pulled the covers off himself, “Sleep, I’ll be back.” He was dead-set on not letting Akashi get up, it seemed.

Albeit reluctant in doing so, Akashi agreed, “Fine.”

The room door clicked open, but no light came through it. Judging by the fact that it was pitch black, it was probably past midnight at that point… Well, they were prepared for things like that when they decided to have Yahan.

Also, there was no possible way for Akashi to be mad at the squishy baby. He was just too cute, and he loved him too much to do that.

So, he allowed himself to curl into the pillow and wait for Sasuke to come back.

It didn’t take long.

Almost soundless footsteps approached, and the door was closed as Sasuke stepped in, “Did he drop Foxy?” Akashi mumbled out, watching the faint outline of Sasuke’s form approach the bed.

“It was Wolfy this time.” The man replied.

Some of the things they’ve gotten for Yahan when they went to buy a crib, were also toys. Lots of them. Akashi zeroed in on a wolf and a fox toy, which he himself nicknamed Wolfy and Foxy. Kurama was a bit bitter about the latter, but when he saw how Yahan snuggled up to it, he decided that it was a good enough name for a fox of any kind.

The bed dipped once again, and Akashi immediately discarded the pillow, instead choosing to snuggle up to Sasuke, “I see… What did Karin say?” He asked, curling his arm around the other man’s middle.

“She was already up and besides the crib, tucking Wolfy back besides him. She was whispering to him, but I didn’t hear what she said,” Sasuke leaned closer to him and wrapped his fingers around Akashi’s wrist, “I didn’t go in, but I’m sure she noticed me.”

Akashi was also sure of that. Karin was a strong sensor, there was no way she didn’t notice him, “She got used to all of this pretty quickly, I applaud her for that.”

He felt the other man shift, before the two of them were eye-to-eye. Even in the pitch darkness of the room, Sasuke’s eyes were somehow even darker, “It would’ve been difficult for her if she failed to do so. She may have gotten used to us, and the ones closest to us, but she still hadn’t fully gotten used to everything else, you know that.”

Yes, yes he did know. That was precisely why he wanted to talk with Kakashi about making her a Konoha citizen, and a Konoha shinobi, if she wished so. It would make things easier for all of them, especially her. He hoped it would make her at ease, more than she already was, “I’ve been thinking about something.” Akashi leaned back, pushing himself into a sitting position.

His tiredness was pushed to the back of his mind.

“About what?” Sasuke asked, mirroring his movements.

Not answering him, Akashi grabbed hold of his wrist and lightly pulled at it, “Come with me.”

“In the middle of the night?” He did ask that, but he made no move to struggle against the other man’s hold. A few moments of silence passed, before he shifted closer to Akashi, “Were you planning on using the Hiraishin to get us there?”

Akashi nodded, his movement barely visible in the darkness, “I want to talk to you about something.” He noticed that Sasuke had gone still, not moving a muscle, before a light breath left the said man.

Taking that as a sign of approval, he activated the jutsu.

The immediate change in the air was obvious, and the light breeze that washed over them indicated that they were, indeed, outside. It seemed as if the sudden change surprised Sasuke, since the said man lightly stumbled as soon as his feet made contact with the ground. Akashi stabilised him, pulling at his wrist, “You could have at least let me put on some shoes.” Sasuke spoke, staring straight at him.

“I forgot about that…” Akashi trailed off, glancing down at his own bare feet.

A huff left Sasuke’s lips, “Of course you did.” There was no bite to his words, so Akashi wasn’t worried about him being annoyed with what happened, “What were you thinking about?”

The subject was brought up, and Akashi turned away, eyes glued to the barely visible moon, “I’ve mentioned to you how I want to make Karin the citizen of Konoha, and a shinobi if she wanted so, haven’t I?”

“Yes, briefly. What of it?”

Akashi glanced back at him, certain that what he was about to say wouldn’t bring out a positive response out of the man, “I want to do missions for Konoha again.”

And, just as he predicted, the response was as expected, “What?” Sasuke asked, staring at him with furrowed brows, “You want to go back to being a shinobi?”

Akashi could understand why he was reacting as he was, he really could. He probably didn’t expect something like that to happen. When the thought first passed through Akashi’s mind, he dismissed it, seeing himself as a fool for thinking so. To go back to being a shinobi for Konoha would mean he was submitting to the pain that he went through while staying there.

At least that was what his sixteen-year-old self would’ve thought.

At age twenty, it meant a different thing—he was making peace with the past, but he would never be able to let it all go. There would never be a way for him to let it all go—to give it all up.

The… repulsion was still there, prickling at the back of his mind, reminding him of everything.

But, he had far more important things in his life, than that.

The man before him was… He couldn’t even label what he meant to him. Everything? That seemed to be a far too little title.

The baby back at their shared home? He’d lay his life down for Yahan. He’d do it without a single thought, without wasting a single second to at least think of the consequences.

He’d do anything—risk anything—for their safety.

Even his own thoughts and feelings.

There was no way he would ask of Sasuke to support all three of them—four, since Karin was with them. That seemed to be too much to ask for. He wouldn’t allow himself to ask for that.

“Yes, I want that,” he confirmed Sasuke’s question, “We don’t only have ourselves to take care of, there’s Yahan and Karin. They both need us.” He reached his free hand forward, and brushed his fingers down Sasuke’s pale cheeks.

The said man’s own hand reached up, and took hold of Akashi’s wrist, “You don’t need to do that. The Uchiha treasury is filled with enough resources to last us years.”

Akashi instantly shook his head, “You know I can’t accept that. I don’t want you to support us on your own, you should know how I am by now. I don’t want to be dependant on anyone, except on myself.”

His ANBU savings were nearly depleted, since he had brought most of them when he and Sasuke left Konoha after the war. The amount that remained was used when they came back, and it was almost gone by then.

“I know…” Sasuke trailed off, “Still… I’m saying this for your own good, but can you handle going back?”

Going back… It would be hard, he knew that, but… “I don’t plan on joining the ANBU again, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’ll follow in Naruto’s steps and try and get promoted to Jounin. It won’t be that hard, I guess. If I managed to get into ANBU, it’s going to be easy to get promoted.”

Joining ANBU would be a bad decision on his part. He had become too dependent on it at some point, far too dependent. The mask almost became a part of him.

“I’ll do the same.”

Akashi was caught off guard by the sudden proclaim, “Huh…” That was certainly… unexpected, but it was welcomed, “I guess I should have predicted this outcome.”

“You should’ve. I’m not letting you do this alone.” Sasuke’s grip on his wrist tightened as they stared at one another.

Alone…? “Of course you aren’t,” The warmth in his heart spread, much like when a flower blooms in spring. The hand around his wrist was cool, and he peered at the pale fingers as they pressed into his skin, “You’re cold.” He stated, inching closer.

“I’m not.” Sasuke denied his words as he averted his eyes.

Raising his brows, Akashi let out a light hum, before he spoke, “Really?” He leaned forward and blew at his exposed neck, watching as Sasuke flinched back, a tremble shaking his shoulders. He pushed down the snort that threatened to escape, “Let’s get you warmed up, shall we?”

“What are yo-?” Sasuke didn’t get to finish his question, before Akashi’s arms wound up around him. Skin pressed against skin, and Akashi sighed as Sasuke’s coldness seeped into him.

Akashi further leaned into him, almost making him take a step back, and gently brushed his lips over the side of Sasuke’s neck, “Thank you.” He whispered and closed his eyes in the process, resting his cheek on Sasuke’s shoulder.

“What for?” The man asked, lightly trailing his palms across the expanse of Akashi’s bare back.

He was even asking that? What for…? “I don’t even know what I’m thanking you for… I’m just thankful.”

The arms around him tightened ever so slightly, but Sasuke said nothing in return. There was nothing that he needed to say—Akashi understood everything even without him speaking.

And then, as the dawn washed over them, their combined body heat warmed them more than the morning sun ever could.

_

Akashi flicked the stray water drops at Sasuke and watched as he scrunched up his nose at the actions, “You’re childish.” Sasuke reprimanded him, wiping the water from his eyes.

Ignoring his words, Akashi did it again, “Be childish with me.” He told him, leaning against he back of the bathtub.

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “We’re twenty.” It was as if he was reminding Akashi of that fact.

“And? One is never too old to have some fun~” Grinning, he submerged his hand in the water, before he splashed it at Sasuke.

The water splatted against the man’s face and dripped down his bare body, mixing in together with the rest of the water in the bath. Slowly, he opened his eyes, infinite black boring straight at Akashi, “Fun…? You want to have some fun? Is that what you want?” He questioned, hands taking hold of the side of the tub.

It would be a lie if Akashi said he didn’t regret doing that. There was a certain kind of edge to Sasuke’s words, and he didn’t look amused. He didn’t look amused at all, “Uh… You know what? I’ll pass!” As soon as the words left his lips, he turned to the side, prepared to jump out, but a hand around his wrist stopped him.

He died on the inside a little.

You’re so going to get it. He heard Kurama speak.

Be just a bit concerned about my well-being! Akashi hissed back at him.

Concerned? You’re the one who messed with him, now reap what you sow.

Kurama?!

There was no response. Great! Just great!

“Let’s have some fun.”

Akashi peered back at the man, and noticed that he had an unusual smile curling his lips. Oh no… Oh no…! No, no, no! That could only mean one thing! One thing! “Listen, whatever it is that you’re about to do, we can talk about it!” His heart slammed against his rib cage and he could hear its drums in his ears.

“No more talking.” With those last words, Sasuke’s fingers dug into his sides.

Akashi couldn’t even yell or struggle, in fear of waking up Yahan, but he couldn’t stop the laughter. He thrashed as quietly as he could, in hopes of knocking Sasuke back, or at least to take in air, but no.

Sasuke was determined.

“Please! Stop! I’ll do anything!” Akashi whisper-yelled, hands futile trying to push Sasuke away. The laughter had drained his strength, and he couldn’t even get out of the bath.

Sasuke shook his head, “No, I’m not falling for that!” He leaned over Akashi, trapping him beneath, “You’re going to suffer for your actions!” He declared.

Shaking his head, Akashi reached one of his hands up and wrapped it around the back of Sasuke’s neck, “So are you!” Using the last bit of his strength, he pulled Sasuke to the side and managed to reverse their positions. Sasuke sank under the water, but he resurfaced not a second later. His hair was stuck to his skin and his lashes were clumped together, forcing him to blink to try and clear the liquid away, “How cute.” Akashi grinned down at him. Drops slid down his own hair and lightly splatted against Sasuke’s skin, before they slipping away.

Sasuke clicked his tongue at him.

Akashi was offended, “Don’t you click your tongue at me, young man!” He mock scolded him, jokingly glaring down at him, “That’s no way to behave towards the love of your life!” He pressed down on Sasuke’s shoulders, pushing him against the tub’s hard surface.

“Hmm? How should I behave?” Sasuke questioned, lightly tilting his head.

Oh? Well wasn’t that an interesting turn of events, “Do you need me to teach you?” Akashi felt his lips curl into a smile as he stared down at Sasuke. His hands slid down over Sasuke’s collarbones and across his chest, “I wouldn’t mind doing that, for a price, of course.”

The man beneath him shifted, his hands coming to rest on Akashi’s thighs, before they slid up, over his hips, and pressed into his sides, “Name your price.”

His price, eh? Akashi leaned down, the tips of his hair brushing across Sasuke’s jaw, “You.” He whispered, right next to his ear, and pulled back, awaiting the response.

Sasuke shifted once again, and sat up, before he pulled him further into his lap, “Your wish is my command.”

He wasted no time in leaning forward and closing the distance between them.

_

Akashi yawned as he patted his hair with a towel.

“You can go sleep if you’re tired.” Sasuke spoke from behind him.

Akashi pulled the towel away and hung it on a nearby chair, before he glanced back at Sasuke. The said man just finished pulling a shirt over his head, “It’s too late for that, besides, I wanna see Yahan!”

“He’s certainly already awake. Let’s go?” Sasuke gestured at the door, but Akashi was already walking past him, a light skip in his step. He intertwined their fingers and pulled Sasuke along.

_

“Do you want to go outside~?” Akashi asked, cradling Yahan to his chest.

The outside was significantly warmer, as expected from summer, than when Akashi and Sasuke were outside, so it would be fine to go out, “I think he’s saying yes.” Sasuke commented from over his shoulder.

A light laugh came from behind them, and the two of them turned around, “He’s very happy when you take him out, even for a bit.” Karin was smiling as she looked at them through the mirror.

“Are you going out?” Akashi asked, noticing how she was messing around with her hair.

The question seemed to have caught her off guard, since she stopped whatever it was that she was doing, “Oh… Uh, yeah?” Her answer seemed more like a question than an answer.

Akashi was suspicious, “My match making senses are tingling.” He blurted out.

“Your… match making senses are… tingling?” Sasuke sounded like he was amused.

Karin was still frozen still.

His suspicions were growing, “Oh, yeah,” Akashi confirmed, “So, Karin. Who got your heart?” He wasn’t too keen on being… sneaky about those things. He rather enjoyed being straightforward.

“Nobody has my heart, I’m just going out with Sakura.” The redhead replied, averting her eyes.

With… Sakura, eh? That was… unexpected. Glancing back at Sasuke, Akashi grinned at him, “I told you it’s my match making senses.”

Hearing that, Karin’s eyes widened, “What are you talking about?! Sakura is a friend!” She spluttered, a blush as red as her hair coming to rest upon her cheeks.

“That reaction tells me otherwise.” Akashi pointed out, tilting his head.

A hand rested on his shoulder, before Sasuke spoke, “Leave her to her private matters. Don’t get involved.”

Huffing, Akashi looked away, “Yeah, yeah…” He muttered out.

There was brief shuffling, before Karin was walking past them, “I’m going, I won’t be out long.”

Akashi turned towards her, “Say hi to Sakura for me and Sasuke!” He called out, almost making the poor woman stumble.

“I will!” And she was out of the door, disappearing in the hallway.

A light sigh filled his ears, “You’re unbelievable.” Sasuke commented, stepping in front of him. He was looking at the baby in his arms with a fond expression. Seriously… That kind of look was illegal. The things it did to his heart…

“Karin obviously likes her, but I don’t know about Sakura. She liked you before, but maybe she also likes women, hopefully.” Akashi glanced down at Yahan, and was met with onyx eyes staring back at him, “I’m glad he got your eyes.”

Infinite abyssal pools.

“Really? I’m glad he got your hair,” An arm reached towards him and swiped at his hair, “This strand has not listen to you once in your life, has it?”

That one strand was the one thing about him that never changed, “It’s determined to remain that way, I can’t do anything about it.” Akashi shrugged his shoulders.

“I remembered something,” Sasuke suddenly said, making Akashi look at him, “Way back, before I left, we got that mission to escort a runner, I think.” He furrowed his brows as he talked.

Runner…? “Oh! Idate!” Akashi exclaimed, the memory hitting him full force, “What about the mission?”

Sasuke nodded, “Do you remember when we stopped by that tea house?” He continued at Akashi’s nod, “I went under the table to try and hear how far away he was, and you followed.”

Oh, no. Akashi already knew where that was going, “If you’re about to say what I think you’re about to say, please don’t say it.”

A light smile made its way onto Sasuke’s features, “I brushed your hair away and you got flustered and… you hit your head against the bottom of the table.” He turned away, as if to mask his amusement.

Embarrassment raked at the back of Akashi’s mind, “I knew it…” He mumbled out, grimacing. That truly was something he never expected, nor was prepared for. It seemed that his heart wasn’t, either. He remembered how it drummed inside his chest, and he was caught off guard by the feelings that bubbled within him.

“When did you start liking me?” His embarrassment was short-lived, and quickly died out when Sasuke asked the question.

That was an awfully… hard question, to which he didn’t get to give an answer because Yahan shifted in his arms, “What’s wrong, little one?” Yahan’s dark eyes bore straight into his own, and Akashi glanced as Sasuke, “Let’s go to the backyard, we’ll talk there.”

Sasuke only nodded in return.

_

Akashi sat on the wooden floorboards and made kissy faces at Yahan. The little boy would giggle and try and reach towards Akashi, to which the man would lean forward and allow his son to press his squishy fingers against his face, “You’re the cutest!”

From besides him, Chrono quietly lay, intently staring at Yahan with his golden eyes, “He is.” The big wolf agreed, before he stood up and inched closer to them, “Do you want us to take the little one for a bit? Your lover is staring at you, and it looks like he wishes to talk to you about something.”

Akashi peered at Sasuke, and indeed, he was staring at him.

Glancing down at a giggly Yahan, Akashi saw how he was making grabby hands at Chrono, “Okay, I trust you and the others to take care of him.” He agreed.

Chrono nodded, before he let out a howl.

Akashi immediately sensed the familiar chakra signatures of the rest of the pack, and they appeared before them in a few seconds, “Layla, I’ll be leaving Yahan in your care for a bit.” He spoke to the only female wolf in the pack.

She approached him with a skip in her step. Mura slowly followed after her, not taking his eyes off her. Akashi bit back a smile at the male wolf’s protectiveness. They really were an odd pair, those two. Layla, who was as energetic as a newborn pup, and Mura, who was as energetic as an old man, “It’ll be our pleasure!” Layla replied, her tail excitedly wagging behind her.

Mura stopped besides her and stared straight at Yahan, “Not a hair will be missing from his head.” The wolf promised.

Akashi trusted them all, very much. They were there for him when no one was, “I know.” Slowly, Akashi bundled Yahan up and placed him in a small basket that he brought along, before he gestured at him. Mura was the one to take the handle in his jaws and gently pull it away, towards where the rest of the pack was. Chrono nuzzled into Akashi, before he, too, went into the grass to join the others. Akashi could hear Yahan’s giggles and he knew that his son would be safe with the pack.

There was a light thud as Sasuke dropped down besides him. His hand covered Akashi’s own as he pressed their shoulders together, “You have an answer I need.” Sasuke reminded him, even though Akashi didn’t forget.

“I know.” Akashi rested his head onto the other man’s shoulder and breathed out. The question…

“When did you start liking me?”

That was something he was also wondering about. He… couldn’t name a specific moment, as unreal as that sounded. Was it… over time? Little by little, bit by bit? Was that how it all worked? Maybe he started liking him sooner than he realised that he did? He didn’t really know… But, he knew at what moment he kind of realised what was going on.

“When you saw your brother for the first time after everything, and you ended up at the hospital. I… don’t know when I started liking you, but I think that was when I realised it,” Slowly, he pulled away and found himself already being looked at, “You were saying how weak you were, but it was quite the contrary. I guess that was the moment I realised. You were brave and strong, and most of all, you risked your life for Naruto on our very first mission. That was more than what anyone had ever done for me. That was something I’ve never forgotten. I even asked myself what I was doing and if I was allowed to feel something like that…” He watched the wolves nose at the basket, and Yahan’s giggles filled the area around them. His little chubby hands peeked out of the basket and grabbed at the fur of the wolves, “It was a new experience for me, and I was scared. It didn’t matter that we were both boys, I’ve told you this before, but I was still… frightened. And yet, I… didn’t know of what.”

Slowly, he felt Sasuke’s fingers intertwine with his own, and he glanced at the said man. He was looking at him with a… surprised expression? His brows were furrowed, his eyes were wide, his lips were parted. It was as if he could barely believe his own ears, “You…” He sounded breathless, like he ran for miles and miles, “That same day, at the hospital, was the first time I acknowledged what I was feeling towards you,” It was Akashi’s time to be surprised. What were the odds? “It was the first time I’ve felt like that—like my heart was going to burst out of my chest—and as you said, it was a new experience, and I, too, was unknowingly scared of it. But, for me, it did matter that we were both boys. Me liking a boy meant that my odds of restoring my clan would significantly drop. I was scared, I admit that now, I was… frightened, but I knew of what,” He raised his other hand and gently placed his palm onto Akashi’s cheek, and the said man leaned into the touch, “I left and I carried those feelings inside me for years. Deep inside, I… craved for our meeting—for it to happen as soon as possible. And it did, two years later. That day, when I saw you at that field, looking so… different, yet the same—I found myself craving for you.”

Another giggle resounded through the air, and the both of them glanced towards Yahan. Unknowingly, yet knowingly, their hearts were overflowing with fondness and love towards that little baby. Towards that little bundle of joy. Towards their little sun.

Akashi tore his eyes away from Yahan and leaned closer to Sasuke, wrapping his arms around him in a tight embrace. He felt how strong his heart was in his chest—how it drummed, unstoppable, “I-“

“I wasn’t finished,” Sasuke interrupted him, breathing in, “I still have more to say,” Akashi nodded against his shoulder, but did not let go, “When I saw… Shinya appear between us two, I thought I had forever lost you. And even when I left, even when I knew you found someone for yourself, the feelings—the cravings—didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop myself from wanting you. Just you,” His arms tightened around Akashi, “Months later, we met again, but Shinya was no longer by your side. As was nobody else. You were alone, and so was I. But you did not accept me,” It pained Akashi to hear him speak of such things. It wasn’t like Sasuke to be… so vulnerable. But, every man and woman had a weakness for something, and Akashi was Sasuke’s, just as Sasuke was Akashi’s, “Our next meeting was inevitable, but you had… changed. I was… too caught up in my feelings and I had failed to see that you didn’t need those feelings. You were betrayed and hurt by everything around you, and I was glued to you, unable to let you go. You left, as I left you that day all those years ago. I really thought it to be fate when I found you half-dead after you left Konoha. But, once again, our feelings weren’t the same. Our feelings couldn’t reach one another, and you left. At one point, before or after that, I realised that if I let you go—if I lost you—not even the restoration of my clan could replace you.”

Akashi bunched up Sasuke’s shirt in his hands as he gripped onto him, afraid to let him go. For Sasuke to lay those feelings bare like that, all his sorrows and regrets… It hurt as much as it brought him joy that he would admit all of that. For more than three years, they’ve been together, but that was the first time Sasuke ever opened up on such a scale. As much as Akashi would’ve loved to say that he already know of all that, he couldn’t. He didn’t know about those things. About how he felt all of that time. And to think that Akashi was… using him? He was using him and hurting him. What a dumb boy he was. Naive and dense. He didn’t even… “I can almost hear you thinking, stop. I didn’t say all of this so you could pity the both of us. I never held you accountable for anything that happened. I never blamed you for my feelings, nor for your own. I was blind as much as you were. We both made decisions that we both regret, but that all has passed, and it will never repeat again.” Easy as that was to say, Akashi couldn’t just… He swallowed, feeling his throat close up. Desperately, he held onto Sasuke as his heart screamed out.

Don’t let go. Don’t let go. Don’t let go. Don’t let go. Don’t let go.

Never let go. Never let go. Never let go. Never let go. Never let go.

He won’t. He promised. He won’t let go. Never. He will forever hold onto him, never to release him, never to leave him.

They’ve suffered enough at the hands of one another.

Never again.

“I was stupid… So, so stupid,” He mumbled out against his shoulder, voice muffled by the fabric of Sasuke’s shirt. He was glad because of that, at least that way he wouldn’t notice how shaky his voice was, “I’ve hurt you more than you could ever hurt me, and I regret it. I regret is so much that it pains me.”

Something soft pressed against his temple, “Don’t regret. All that has happened has brought us here, to this moment. Don’t regret.”

That wasn’t fair… All that had happened? How can he…? What about the things that could have happened, but didn’t? That day, on the last day of the war, Akashi contemplated ending it all, didn’t he? Tsunade and Ino swore that they wouldn’t reveal such a thing to anyone, and Akashi believed them, but… One day, the time to reveal it all will come… Akashi will be forced to reveal it to everyone—to Sasuke.

What would he say? What would he do? What would happen when he finds out?

“I love you,” he whispered, “I love you,” His eyes stung, “I love you,” His throat felt like sandpaper was dragged along it, “I love you, so, so much…”

He did. He truly, truly did.

He loved him. He loved him. He loved him. He loved him. He loved him.

“As do I,” Sasuke pulled back and his teary eyes met with Akashi’s own, “I love you,” he brushed his thumb across Akashi’s scarred cheek bone, “I love you,” he pressed his lips onto his forehead, “I love you,” he brushed them over his cheek, “I love you.” With a final press, their lips came together as their tears slid down.

They pulled apart and stared at one another, “You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wished for, and more,” Sasuke took hold of his hand and raised it up, their matching rings glinting under the sunlight, “I will love you until the end of my days.” He gently pressed his lips against the silver band.

A light whine came from the side, and the basket was settled next to them. Yahan’s giggly features filled their vision and the two of them inched closer to the baby, “As will I. Until the last breath leaves my body, my mind will be filled with the thoughts of you, and my heart will be filled with my love for you.” Akashi promised, biting back a new wave of tears.

Both of them allowed Yahan to wrap his hands around their fingers. They knew, that in their heart, all that they said was true. There was no denied their words, they were true, as true as something could become.

And, as they watched Yahan cover their skin with his baby saliva, they knew that they would never be apart.

In that life, or the next.