15
The youngest Uchiha's arrival, when it happens, is remarkably silent. Only when a smirking Tsunade enters the waiting room, beckoning for Sasuke, does anyone even realise it has occurred.
Not surprising considering the noise they were making outside, but still unexpected.
Hinata is amused to note the usually stoic shinobi is a little nervous as he straightens up and heads into the delivery. He pauses only to indicate his daughter should go in before him. Sarada sports an identical expression, glancing back at Kakashi for some reason, before squaring her shoulders and leading the way.
"This is the way it should have been before," Naruto says with satisfaction, taking Hinata's hand as the door swings shut. She squeezes his bandaged one in agreement.
"Do you think Sasuke will cry?" Sai asks, coming up behind them.
"Why would he cry?"
"Because you did."
"So did you, asshole."
"I wasn't sure what the proper emotional response was."
"Bullshit!"
Boruto interrupts with a guffaw. "You cried when I was born?"
Naruto tries to save face. "Well, I knew what a troublemaker you would be."
"We all knew what a troublemaker you would be," Kakashi interrupts. "It only occurred to your father when he saw you that he was the one people were going to complain to about it."
"Hey!"
"Don't mind them," Hinata says, gently nudging her son. "Your father never met his family before, and suddenly he had you. It made him very, very happy. And I imagine that Sasuke is feeling the exact same way right now."
The former members of Squad Seven all exchange looks of understanding agreement. If anyone in the village understand the truth of that statement, it's those who fought hard to bring their lost teammate home.
When Sasuke returns half an hour later, he is holding a bundle of blankets expertly in his one arm. Sarada trails after him, pink-cheeked and keeping teary-eyes focussed warily on the newest addition to the Leaf.
Everyone immediately crowds forward to see, but Sarada plants herself in front of her father and brother.
"One at a time, you don't want to scare him," she announces, the hint of a threat in her voice. "And no making stupid faces!"
Naruto steps forward, followed closely by Kakashi. Hinata hangs back to give them their space, sensing that right now, this moment is reserved for the Uchiha and his surrogate family.
The moment a broken a mere second later when Naruto looks down at the baby and promptly bursts into delighted laughter. Sasuke frowns, seems to notice exactly what Naruto is chuckling at, and the frown becomes a glower. With an infant in his only arm, he can't even retaliate.
Sarada takes up the slack there, however, kicking Naruto in the shins. It seems she has finally lost that reverent awe for the Seventh Hokage. "Sh! You'll make him cry!"
The use of the Byakugan is only a slight cheat, but it allows Hinata to discover what the fuss is about.
Aren't you a lucky one, little boy, she thinks. Born surrounded by loved ones and while the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. A good omen.
And appropriate, considering the downy pink fuzz that covers the infant's head.
"I think it's lovely," she says loyally, earning an approving nod from Sasuke.
"I'm not arguing," Naruto protests, albeit a little quieter. "It's just... did you know it would do that?"
"Mom said that pink hair is a recessive gene and so everyone assumed Dad's genes would dominate," Sarada explains matter-of-factly. "But it looks like this is the exception."
"Whoever heard of an Uchiha with pink hair?" Naruto grins.
"You spent your genin days with one, don't you remember?" Sasuke grumbles.
"That so doesn't count – she wasn't an Uchiha then!"
"Oh, I think she was always an Uchiha," Kakashi comments easily. "It's just, none of us really knew that at the time. Least of all Sasuke."
"Hah, yeah, what a clueless idiot."
"Naruto, you of all people, have no right to say that," Kakashi points out.
"Hey!"
"How is Sakura?" Hinata inquires.
"She is well," Sasuke answers. "Asleep, now. Shizune said the birth was fairly straightforward, but she's exhausted herself by trying to keep her strength under control. She will likely sleep for another few hours."
Hinata isn't surprised. Men don't realise how much muscle control plays a part of childbirth. Given Sakura's sheer strength, it wasn't just Tsunade's hands that might have been in danger of being crushed.
"Wow, three sentences. That's slightly above average," Naruto teases. "I think you were a bit more worried about all this than you let on, Sasuke."
Hinata gives her husband's hand a chakra-infused warning-squeeze. There's only so much teasing, however good-natured, that Sasuke will take from him before he snaps. While she's sure he would put the baby down before doing so, she can also picture him attacking Naruto head on all while holding the baby bundle.
And come out of the whole thing with both of them looking disgustingly unruffled.
"Oh, look! He's looking at me! Hi, baby!" Himawari cries in delight, cutting off the opportunity for just such a grudge match. She is straining on her tip-toes to see the pink and wrinkled newborn over Sasuke's elbow.
"I read babies aren't able to see well until much later," Sai remarks. "He's probably just following the sound of your voice.
"Not really," Sarada says. "Most Uchiha are born with excellent vision from birth. He sees as well as you do."
"If Uchiha see well, why do you wear glasses?" Boruto demands, nudging forward to investigate as well.
"I said most, moron, there are exceptions to every rule. Like how the rest of your family has talent but you're useless," she sniffs.
"Hey!"
"He has your eyes, Uncle Sasuke!" Himawari points out.
Hinata's daughter is correct. The infant is staring up at them with a grave, almost appraising expression, his eyes already a match for his father's despite his newness.
"That's kind of creepy," Naruto says. "Not even an hour old and he already inherited your broody stare."
While not wanting to put it as bluntly as that, Hinata is in agreement; she has never seen such a young infant look so aware. It's an oddly familiar gaze, too. Even though the baby looks unquestionably like Sasuke (except for the hair), she wouldn't say that the effect is entirely similar.
"Does that mean he'll have the Sharingan?" Boruto questions.
"Perhaps."
There's a minor note of curtness in the response, and Hinata frowns. Sasuke has been in high spirits this whole evening – or else he wouldn't endure the impromptu social gathering, Sarada's well-meaning gestures or not. He's gotten better at tuning out Naruto, and he doesn't tend to be touchy about his family's kekkai genkai, so...?
Hinata glances to the dark-eyed baby and back to Sasuke.
And then she recalls: Naruto once told her that the eyes Sasuke now possesses were not the ones he was born with.
The baby does not, as Himawari suggested, have his father's eyes.
At the same time, Hinata remembers exactly where she's seen that sombre gaze before.
Long ago, before the massacre of the Uchiha that left Sasuke an orphan, Hinata remembers a formal meeting. A discussion between leaders of the two clans that inherited the strongest kekkai genkai in the Leaf.
Fugaku Uchiha was accompanied that night by his heir: a polite young man that smiled at her when her mother ushered her to bed.
For years, Hinata had trouble reconciling the sombre, gentle face of Itachi Uchiha with the crimes for which he was accused. Even long after the truth of that night has come out, Hinata still can't imagine such a kind soul carrying out such a horrible deed.
It seems through some kind of genetic twist the baby has inherited the same eyes as his uncle.
The reason for Sasuke's change in demeanour makes sense now.
"... Dad says not every Uchiha awakens it," Sarada is saying, a bit of bragging in her tone. "Kind of like how not every Hyuuga awakens the Byakugan, right, Boruto?"
"Oh, shut up, Mom says I'm a late bloomer."
Hinata's son is still touchy about the fact his younger sister inherited the clan's bloodline ability and he didn't. And the fact that in the past, Himawari has beaten him within an inch of his life.
"Whatever you say," Sarada smirks, crossing her hands. She mutters under her breath, "Dead last..."
Deciding that this time she will be the one who heads off an incoming Uchiha-Uzumaki death match, Hinata pipes up, "Have you decided on a name yet?"
For months now, whenever anyone asks, both Sakura and Sasuke have remained evasive. Whether it stems from wanting to keep it private until the birth, or simply not being able to agree on it, no one knows.
"Of course we have," Sarada beams.
"Well, are you going to tell us, or keep it a secret?" Boruto demands. His father doesn't appear any less patient.
"His name," Sasuke says in a soft voice, "is Itaku."
TSU