Winter's Fate

Chapter 20

Song: Running by Abi Ocia

You fully never appreciate summer until you step outside and can watch your own breath crystallize into tiny frosty clouds. It was one of the coldest days since winter rose its ugly head and yet there was no snow to show for it.  The holidays had passed quickly and Naruto couldn't believe that they had already celebrated their second wedding anniversary.  He was wishing for warmer weather as he thought about the vacation they took last month when they returned to the Zamani Islands where they celebrated their honeymoon.

Their honeymoon had taken three weeks and it was a absolute bliss with walks along the beach hand-in-hand almost every night reminiscent in each other's companionship.  Itachi introduced him to amazing cuisines and the onsens were amazing. When it rained they hung out on the yacht watching movies and eating dessert's (well within in Itachi's terms of moderation not wanting him to get wired out on a sugar high).  Passing the time leisurely on the water.

But for their second anniversary the blonde wanted to return to Australia's wonderments, with the white sands between his toes and surfing the coastline's spectacular waves.  They slept in and lazy around, feeling it was well deserved after being married for two years and both having returned to working full time.  His new pastime was being spent relaxing in the security of Itachi's arms.

'If it really needs to be this cold at least it should snow' Naruto thought dismayed as he stood outside the hospital doors, lightly bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet with his face buried in the thick fluffy scarf that Itachi had recently bought him.  The material was amazingly soft made of merino wool and dyed a beautiful shade of apricot.

He found himself lost in another world until the honk of a horn startled him.  The driver rushed out of the vehicle opening the back door for him.  Naruto hated the attention despite knowing that it was something that came with living in the Uchiha's world, it still made him feel a bit uncomfortable.  Itachi was insistent that he be driven to and from work.  He tried to protest but was learning that the raven could be quite stubborn and some battles weren't fighting because he would only lose in the end.

"Gomen'nasai! Master," Arata apologized, "There was unavoidable construction causing me to be delayed."

"Arata for the hundredth time, please just call me Naruto and it's fine, I wasn't waiting long." Naruto smiled widely at him in the mirror from the back seat.  Arata seemed to relax and they fell into comfortable conversation as they frequently did during the commute.  The blonde enjoyed the company of the middle aged gentleman who was one of the house security guards.  He was married with five children and had interesting stories to tell that Naruto never grew bored of hearing about his four year old daughter who was proclaimed as being an 'oops', the result of an unplanned pregnancy, yet a joy to their lives.  The little girl was the youngest within her circle of siblings whose ages ranged from fifteen to nineteen years old.  She was already a spit fire at such a young age.  Arata swore that every grey hair he had grown was her doing and it didn't help that her older siblings had her spoiled to the core.

Naruto laughed at the current story as he related this morning's conference at school with the teachers about how the child was boldly debating with her classmates, including the teacher like she was an adult.  "She's going to be the death of me Naruto.  I mean if she's like this now, I don't know what I'm going to do when she's sixteen.  Promise that you'll visit me when I'm sent to the city's loony bin." 

Naruto unconsciously touched his stomach reflecting on how ready he was with wanting to have a baby but lately he and Itachi were at odds on the topic of family planning.  The raven still wasn't up for it after the traumatic event that took place eight months ago.  The affliction was a dark epoch for them both but because of the tenacious fears that Itachi had a tendency to cling to, Naruto needed to choose the perfect timing before presenting a compromise, aware that his husband was excellent at rationalizing his own reasonings on subjects matters he wanted to eschew.