𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝙻𝚘𝚞𝚍𝚎r. (𝙶𝚊𝚊𝚛𝚊 𝚡 𝚘𝚌)

When the Husband's Away the Wife Will Play (Chapter50 )

The second year had rolled by and Osamu could make sentences that everyone was able to understand and answer. Like any other child, he always clung to Ura when they were in public together, but Ura didn't mind. As Osamu began to age into his 2 year old form, Ura could see how much he looked like a little clone of Gaara. Osamu's hair was a deep, crimson red like Gaara's, even the eyes were the same natural color Gaara has. What surprised Ura a little more was that Osamu was sounding like Gaara when her husband was around that age.

It was only two more years that they would be able to return to Ura's home country, and the Osamu would be eligable to join the Ninja Academy. Ura was counting down the months of her return, all that she wanted now was to see her husband again. Osamu was growing quite curious about who his father is, and was happy to hear that his father was the Kazekage of Ura's village. During the night-times, Ura would tell stories about her and Gaara on their mission to kill Kabutome, course she would leave a few details out seeing how Osamu was a bit young to learn about murder.

Throughout the year, Kankurou, Temari, or Shikamaru would periodically visit her at least once a year, for a month or two. Shikamaru had come down to visit his sister-in-law, and plus to see his nephew since he didn't have a kid of his own yet. As Ura was teaching a class, Shikamaru sat in her apartment watching Osamu chew on one of Naruto's stuffed bears.

"You know Naruto isn't going to like that," Shikamaru was getting tired of watching Osamu just chewing on the toy, "But i'm not going to stop you..."

Then Osamu took his mouth away from the stuffed bear, eyeing it like it was some type of jewel. Shikamaru then stood up, "I'm gonna take you to the park."

Osamu heard his favorite word, park, taking the bear to the door in a waddled run. Shikamaru picked up the child, then opened the door to descend the stairs to the park only a block away. Once they reached the park, Osamu just went to the sandy areas, where he began chewing on the bear again. The Jonin groaned in annoyance, didn't the kid do anything else besides chew on that stupid bear? Shikamaru was just about to go get the bear until...what he saw nearly made him pee himself. Osamu squeeled in laughter as he picked the bear up with the sand, Shikamaru froze when he saw the the sand cover the bear completely. Then, Osamur squezed his fists together, looking up at he sand with such excitement as the sand crushed the bear to mere dust.

Shikamaru fell back on the cement bench, too astonished for words that Osamu found his kekkei-genkai. He scratched his head as he continued to stare at Osamu with shock, "Oh man...why is it always my family that ends up being weird?"

"Did the kid find out he can use the sand to his advantage?"

The Jonin turned his head to see Sasuke, "Oh...it's you... Yeah, he did by turning Naruto's bear into dust."

"He's not going to like that," Sasuke sat besides Shikamaru, "Osamu's looking pretty bored with just sitting there, he probably wants to play with you."

Shikamaru glared at Sasuke, "Haha, you're funny... So why're you here? I don't ever remember you and I on any type of terms."

"Through your sister-in-law's friendship with my partner and your marriage with her sister-in-law, we're somewhat extended family," Sasuke commented as he also watched Osamu play with his kekkei-genkai.

"Techniqually you're right..." Shikamaru sighed, "This kid is too much of a hassle..."

"Wait until you have one of your own," Sasuke added as Osamu made a barrior around him with the sand, "So...any word on the Kazekage?"

"He sobered up and we released him from the cell, he hasn't touched any sake ever since we put him in. Gaara has changed though, he's more edgy and has been giving both Temari and Kankurou hard missions. I'm just glad that I don't have to have him as my Kage," Shikamaru explained, "I feel bad for Temari though...she's getting the blunt of his anger."

"I heard it was her idea to put him in isolation, so it would only be natural that she would get his full anger placed on her," Sasuke shrugged, "I don't blame him either..."

Shikamaru looked at his watch, "Ura should be heading out of the Academy now, i'm gonna head back. Oh, you can come if you like, Ura has been wanting to see you for awhile, but was too busy to visit you herself."

Both men stood up, Osamu noticed and walked over to them, "We go now?"

"Yeah, we're heading home now," Shikamaru answered as he picked up Osamu.

Sasuke glanced over at Osamu, he hadn't realized how much Osamu resembled his father, hopefully he won't end up like Gaara. The Uchiha knew he was forgiven by Gaara, but Gaara still didn't trust him enough, which could be understandable because Gaara was the one who basically told on him. They entered Ura's home, Sasuke hadn't been over there before and was amazed how homey and cozy it looked. There were little baby toys everywhere so Osamu was always entertained, and there were pictures of Osamu, Ura, and Gaara on most of the walls. Sasuke even noticed a few pictues of her friends in Konoha on the walls, one of him was in the kitchen.

Shikamaru crashed on the couch, he looked exhausted though he didn't do anything that meant hard work. As Sasuke sat down on the chair to the side of Shikamaru, Sasuke turned the tv on and began watching the news. While the Uchiha watched the tube for a few minutes, he noticed Osamu at his feet, looking up at him.

"What?" Sasuke didn't know what to do about kids, "There's a toy over there, go play with it."

"Tell me a story," Osamu lifted up his arms, a gesture to be picked up.

Sasuke looked over at Shikamaru, who was already sleeping away in his own world. So, the Uchiha picked up Osamu and placed him on his knee, "Fine, you'll get one of my own stories. There was a ninja who betrayed his own country by leaving his country to join an evil force called the Akatsuki. When he was brought back by his friend, he tried to go back to his normal routine, but was not able to because no one trusted him. The man was at the...a local place in his country and ordered too many drinks, where he met a girl who said she trusted him-"

"Hey Sasuke, I didn't know you were here," Ura stepped into the apartment.

"Mama-san!" Osamu lunged himself off of Sasuke's knee and ran to Ura, clinging to her leg, "Mama-san, look what I got!"

Sand began to pour into the room and settled at his feet, when he finished, he looked up at Ura with a huge grin on his face. Ura smiled back down at him, picked him up and hugged him tightly, "Good for you, Osamu, i'm very proud of you. Now, can you put the sand back outside?"

"No.." Osamu continued to smile.

"Then I guess i'll have to sweep it out, or... Sasuke, do you mind doing that while I go change Osamu?" Ura asked as she turned to Sasuke, she noticed Shikamaru sleeping and decided not to wake him.

"No, go ahead," Sasuke got the broom and began to clean up the mess Osamu made.

The Uchiha finished up the simple job, but then looked around the small apartment again. He didn't know when he would be able to see Ura again, and though they didn't have the greatest of starts, they still had to form some type of friendship. Once Sasuke put the broom back where he found it, he lightly kicked Shikamaru awake, "Hey, I need you to watch Osamu tonight."

"Why? I watched him all day, why can't you watch the kid?" Shikamaru rubbed his eyes aggrivatedly, "He's killing me..."

"I'm going to take Ura out for dinner then bring her back here," Sasuke stated, "That's why I need you to take care of the kid tonight."

Shikamaru looked up at Sasuke with his sleepy eyes, from what Temari had told him before, Sasuke was the one that got lucky with Ura that night Shikamaru got lucky with Temari. He didn't know whether to trust Sasuke on his word, he didn't know the Uchiha that well to agree or disagree. With a slight nod of his head, "Fine...but-"

"I know what're you going to say, I have Naruto to settle that deed for me, so I don't need Ura in that way anymore," Sasuke commented.

"Where are we going then?" Ura came back to the living room with Osamu in her arms, "If you're going to take me out for dinner, let me at least get Osamu dressed for his b-e-d-t-i-m-e."

"I'll do that, you go enjoy your night," Shikamaru got up and took Osamu from Ura's arms.

"Thank you, i'll bring you back what I don't eat," Ura left with Sasuke.

Sasuke and Ura walked down the pathway that was flooded with colors of the sunset in front of them. It has been a long while since Ura and Sasuke were allowed to have time alone together, and actually, it felt nice to be trusted. They found a good resturant where it was classy, but not fancy, Sasuke was going to buy some sake as well. As Ura sipped her sake slowly, noting to not get wasted this time, Sasuke was enjoying his own sake. Jokes were told, what they were going through went between their air, it was like they hadn't seen each other in years.

To Ura, it was very nice to get away from her son for just one night, where she could be with one of her friends without worrying about her son. The night life began to spice up as other people began to join in the resturant, Ura barely touched her food, she was too deep into Sasuke's conversation. Just like that night when they were reunited, Ura was mesmorized by his dark, warm eyes that just sucked her in like a portal to Hell. Sasuke noticed how deep she was staring into his eyes, searching his soul for anything to cling onto. The Uchiha knew one sin about him...he just never knew whent to stop him at a temptation so great, again. The way she had propped her elbows on the table, so intoxicated by his words as smooth as silk, he could see the sake slipping through her blood stream, poisoning her 'better' soul.

"How about we slip out and take a walk?" Sasuke offered as he layed down a few dollars for the food and the few bottles of sake.

"Sounds good to me," Ura did take a note that it had been awhile since she had been 'lucky'.

Ura and Sasuke walked out of the resturant and noticed how long they were really gone, the moon was already rising. Though Ura barely had her stance down, she managed to walk along side of Sasuke as they went through the main cherry blossom park of Konoha. The spring months were approaching, the signs were in the warm night air as Ura became slightly closer to Sasuke. When they stood in front of the lake that held the moon in the middle of the lake, Sasuke remembered looking into that lake so many times, asking why he was there. He had found his reason, Naruto loved him and adored him dearly, the Hokage would do anything to keep Sasuke happy. But, hey, when Sasuke saw his own chance at laying down the best kunoichi of Sand yet again, what was stopping him? Naruto was too far away to sense their presense as one, plus Naruto was probably too far in his own sleep.

"Sasuke...this time, we can't get caught, and it's only this once," Ura's reddened face looked over at his own, "I love Gaara too much for him to get hurt, plus I don't want to lose my son. I want this to be rough and hard, not any of the soft, sweet, sensual shit that you gave me last time."

"Then why do you want to do it if you love Gaara so much?" Sasuke asked as he looked at her with some distaste, "Unless you're a-"

"I'm not a whore, Sasuke, but not being slept with for over two years is driving me crazy. Believe me, if I could see Gaara instead of you, i'd go to him. But since I won't leave my son in this village alone, I have no other choice besides you. I can't wait it out, and i'll be thinking of Gaara as you screw me."

"Fine, but I wasn't the one that told him last time, it was you and Lee, not me. So don't screw anything up and don't tell anyone, Shikamaru will only think you had a good time," Sasuke added, "Don't tell anyone, do you understand?"

"Yes, now let's go," Ura took Sasuke's hand and led him to the nearby forest......



***Gaara***



It had been such a long time since any sake had reached his lips, the only thing he drank now was either coffee or tea. On some occasions, Gaara had one of the Leaf Shinobi come over so Gaara could see how his wife and son were fairing in Konoha. Shikamaru was sent out to live with Ura for a month and a half, but sent only a report stating that Ura worked all day and came back to take care of Osamu all night. Gaara felt slightly guilty that he was making his wife work so hard with a son to deal with, but when she returned Gaara would see to it that Ura would have a long break. Besides, she was his loving, and doting wife that was loyal to him, didn't she deserve a break?

Today was another blistering, hot day, but at least he didn't have any work to do. So...what was there to do anyways? Gaara sat in the library room, the room where he had shared his first kiss with Ura, but this time he wanted to relax in the room for awhile. How long has it been since he had last layed eyes on Ura? 2 years and a few months? By now his son should have already realized his ability, Gaara wished he could've been there when that happened. Ever since Gaara had stopped drinking, he became more of his usual, calm self, not like he was before when Ura was around. Though, he did enjoy the fact that he will see her again, Gaara did not hold the stronger feelings that someone else would've had.

"Lord Kazekage..."

Again, Leila kept pestering him about how he was doing, though she was techniquely family, Leila did not always have to be around. Gaara, who was annoyed that he had to get out of his relaxtion, "What do you need now?"

"Shikamaru has sent back a report on Ura, he says that Sasuke took Ura out for a friendly dinner, but he also says that they aren't back yet," Leila skimmed through the letter.

Gaara looked out the window, the moon was high in the sky, midnight was just above the Sunagakure. A sigh was released from Gaara's lips, surely nothing was going on behind his back...again. No, that was not like Ura to purposely go behind his back, Gaara knew his wife would never hurt him like that. Leila looked up from the letter, "Your son is learning how to speak, his first word was 'Kazekage'. And he has found the ability to manipulate the sand like you can."

Leila noticed the eerie silence of Gaara's intense thinking, of all things Leila didn't want was for her sister and Gaara to lose touch of one another. She folded the letter and held it with both hands, "If it pleases you, I could get a report myself by going."

"That's not neccessary, leave," Gaara wasn't in a mood to talk anymore.

The saying did go 'out of sight, out of mind,' but would his own wife would betray his trust all over again. Gaara sat at his windowsill, his head resting on his bent knee, as much as he wanted to trust Ura's judgement Gaara knew he could never get the thought of her in the Uchiha's arms out of his head. She was his wife now, betrayl meant more than what it did two years ago when his brother had slept with Ura. Of all the times Gaara had stopped drinking sake, if he could have at least one sip now then the Kazekage would be content while his thoughts lingered to his wife. The Kazekage did love Ura boundlessly, and no matter how much he detested the idea of Ura in another man's arms, he couldn't stop his infatuation towards her. Deep down, beyond the alcoholic that Ura was, Gaara could see that she loved him too much to fully desire someone else's touch besides his own. That's how she fell for him, probably, that Ura was able to see past his own problems and saw him for who he really was. So Gaara felt he had to do the same in order to keep his marriage alive with her.