A Child's Love

Chapter 11

Koichi's giggle echoed through the snow covered garden.

"How do you like this?" Sasuke asked as placed the carrot in its place.

They were in the garden of the Uchiha house. Snow had covered every little surface and painted the world white. It had been a week since Koichi's latest chemo, and he was better now. Still, he was weary all the time and side effects ruined his body balance occasionaly.

"Kocci?" Koichi pointed the snowman they stood before. It was small, almost the same height as Koichi, and Sasuke had dressed it with one of Koichi's scarfs and coats.

"Yes," Sasuke smiled at his son. "Daddy tried to make you. Do you like it?"

"Yes, yes," Koichi nodded happily. "Daddy mek Kocci!"

"Yeah," Sasuke smiled again.

"Daddy," Koichi pointed his face. He had a mask covering his mouth as usual. He took off his mask and gave it to Sasuke. "Kocci..." He frowned as he tried to find the right word.

Sasuke swallowed a lump. "Put? Do you want me to put the mask on the snow Koichi?"

Koichi face lit up. "Yes! Kocci put mass!"

Sasuke nodded. He put small stones at the sides of the head of the little snowman and put the mask on it under the carrot. Sad, it was so sad. Koichi always wore masks, and the snowman of him needed the mask to be like real Koichi. One day, Sasuke promised himself, there was going to be a day that Koichi wouldn't remember his illness and the pain it gave him. One day, Koichi was going to be like other children at his age. He was going to run around without getting tired, he was going to play games to his liking, he was going to be a real child. Sasuke wasn't going to die before seeing that day.

"How is it now?" Sasuke asked.

Koichi smiled and then frowned. "Daddy," He pointed his head which was covered by a red beret.

Sasuke smiled softly. "It needs a beret, right?"

"Bewe," Koichi smiled and moved to take off his beret.

"No, no," Sasuke stopped his son, and took off his own black beret, putting it on the snowman quickly. "How about now?"

"Kocci!" Koichi giggled as he turned around he little snowman.

Sasuke smiled softly as he took of his phone. "Here," He instructed his son to stand beside the snowman as he prepared to take a photo. "Give daddy a big smile."

Koichi giggled and then smiled widely, showing off his pearly teeth.

Sasuke chuckled as he put the phone in his pocket again, and held Koichi in his arms.

"Mhhmm," Sasuke closed his eyes as Koichi wrapped his thin arms around his neck. "Your hugs make me feel so much better."

Sasuke truly loved his son. The feeling couldn't be compared anything Sasuke had ever felt before. Koichi had born loving him. Even if he had no idea who Sasuke was, he had never stopped loving Sasuke. Every time he looked at Sasuke with those adorning eyes, Sasuke felt like he could move the mountains with his bare hands. His son made him feel so strong and so vulnerable at the same time.

Sasuke experienced the things he had never thought of before. Every day, he learned something new from Koichi, and Sasuke could never let go of his son. The smallest thought of Koichi dying was enough to cause Sasuke to lose his sense in reality. Now that Sasuke had his Koichi and Naruto, there wouldn't be a life for him without them anymore. Like the air he needed to survive, Sasuke needed his family to be able to go on.