Sovereign Of The Dragons

The Baby's Coming

Naruto awoke as he knew he would, alone.

Sasuke had left earlier that morning. Naruto was half awake when he had gone; the sky was still heavy with darkness and only a few strings of light illuminated through the clouds. Sasuke had kissed him goodbye and left for the routine Uchiha council meeting.

A couple hours had passed since then. The sun was now fully out and shining as brightly as a summer sun always did. Naruto withheld the urge to cry. He felt so terribly alone. He wanted to go pray. He had had the dream again. He wished he could remember at least what it was about. When he tried to recall it only blurry images streamed through his mind. He rubbed his stomach. He felt the dream had something to do with his baby. It was an omen Kaguya was gifting him but he couldn't see it. He prayed to the sacred mother everyday to deliver him clarity and to show him what she was warning him about but no amount of prayer ever cleared his vision.

Deidara found Naruto deep in thought with both his hands over his stomach when he came into the room ten minutes later. Naruto didn't even rouse when the door thudded closed. He stared ahead at the wall like a life size porcelain doll that sat on a shelf never moving. The odd behavior never failed to worry Deidara.

"I'm glad you're awake." Deidara flitted over and closed the curtain. He could see by the goosebumps that covered Naruto's naked legs and bare arms that the cool sunny morning breeze was too cold for his cousin. "Did you sleep well?"

Naruto gave no reply.

Deidara hadn't expected one. He poured water from a pitcher into a bowl and set a towel beside it. He jogged over to the closet and picked out an all red chiffon kimono.

"Are you ready for me to dress you?" Deidara asked once everything was in order. He snapped his fingers in front of Naruto's vacant eyes.

Naruto blinked rapidly as he came out of his stupor. He hadn't even realized Deidara was in the room. "What did you say, Dei-nii?"

"I asked if you're prepared for me to ready you?"

"Oh," Naruto dropped his hands from his stomach, "yeah, I am."

Deidara quickly undid the buttons of Naruto's night slip and slid it off, "sorry if I'm rushing. Your mother asked me to hurry preparing you."

"My mother?" Naruto echoed. He had forgotten his parents were even here.

"Auntie Kushina has made you breakfast. She cooked it herself especially for you."

"So that means we can't go pray today?" Naruto was happy his mother had cooked him breakfast but prayer was important to him. It was the only thing that gave him sanity while Sasuke was away.

"No, there's no time for that today." Deidara was glad; Naruto had become compulsive with his prayers. It'd do him good to take at least one day off. "I'll pray to Kaguya in your place. You have much to do. You have to go greet some guests."

"They've arrived already?!"

A smile spilled across Deidara's lips, "yes, a very special guest and they're very excited to see you."

Naruto was anxious, who could this important guest be?

He asked Deidara numerous times as he readied him but his cousin remained tight lipped. All Deidara would say was-

"You'll see soon enough."

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The instant Naruto stepped into the tearoom he was enveloped in a tight embrace. He already knew who the culprit was by their smell. He'd know his grandmothers scent anywhere.