An Inch of Gold

8

This chapter has been beta-read by: Sakura's Unicorn

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"What's a Mango Cute Sharingan?" Naruto asks.

"Mangekyō," Sarada corrects in a low voice. "It's an advanced form of Sharingan that can grant powerful abilities. But it comes at a great cost."

Her expression morphs into sudden understanding as if she's putting together something in her head. Her eyes, now back to normal, flit toward Sasuke, but he refuses to look at her.

His fists clench. "It's a secret of the Uchiha clan," he bites out. "You shouldn't speak of it so openly."

Naruto chuckles nervously and tries to joke. "Yeah, Sarada, listen to your father—"

"Shut up," Sakura orders. Her entire body is rigid, muscles coiled likes springs. While Naruto finds the whole situation astonishing and somewhat humorous, Sakura at least has the decency to be serious.

Sasuke doesn't even know how to react properly. He shuts his eyes, but the image of Sarada—his future daughter—refuses to abate. He feels like an idiot for not seeing it sooner.

Sarada looks like him—more than that, he can see the curve of his mother's smile in hers and in the softness of her features. There's a tiny line in her forehead that his father had when he frowned. And her eyelashes—long, just like Itachi's were.

Are.

An overwhelming wave of pain crashes over Sasuke as he realises the reason he didn't notice was because it's been so long. He's forgotten his family's features beyond what can be seen in photographs.

Photographs he has refused to look at for five years.

There are other characteristics, though, that don't resemble his at all. Sarada's eyes might be the same colour, but they are wider and oval-shaped, like a cat's. Her face shape is entirely different, and she wears glasses, which is an utterly foreign concept to him. Sasuke can't remember if there has ever been an Uchiha who wore glasses before.

But then he realises, with no other clan member to marry, he would—his future self must—undoubtedly choose an outsider. Likely, the weaker eyesight comes from that person.

Which brings up an even more confusing question.

Despite his earlier words, Sasuke can't help wondering who it is that he marries in the future. Based on what Sarada can do, and the things that she's said, her mother is obviously a formidable woman. It's simple and logical, and he supposes his future self would want the fittest candidate to ensure he re-establishes the Uchiha to be stronger than ever.

A tiny, nagging disappointment flickers at the back of his mind that it's not Sakura.

He never said outright that he doesn't like her; he doesn't dislike her and, amazingly, she's less irritating than the other girls from their age group. As a teammate, she's someone he trusts—possibly the only girl he's ever trusted. In a way, she's been his default choice the few times he's ever pictured himself married or with a family. A part of him has always expected that once he went off to kill Itachi, he would return, and she would be there waiting for him.

Now he realises how naïve that is. He assumed she would never get over the silly crush she has on him, but Sarada's existence suggests she did. Sakura will likely grow up, finally realise she isn't cut out to be a ninja and get over him. She will go on with her life while his future self makes more practical decisions concerning the future of the Uchiha.