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The moment Kakashi told him Kushina Uzumaki was pregnant, Qianyu vanished. He reappeared at his own front door, wrenched it open, and slipped inside, easing it shut behind him.
Six months in, Kushina's belly had a significant, beautiful curve.
She lay on her side in the bedroom, breathing evenly, deep in sleep.
Qianyu reached out, his hand trembling slightly. He wanted to touch that swell.
He snatched his hand back.
He might wake her. She was pregnant. Rest was paramount.
Outside, Kakashi let out a huge yawn. Finally. A full night's sleep.
Kushina's growing belly limited her movements. Despite the snake guardians, Kakashi had worried he wouldn't get to her in time if something happened. So, for weeks now, his nights had been spent hidden in the shadows near Qianyu's home. Working for the Leaf Village Defense Force by day, standing guard by night—exhaustion didn't begin to cover it.
Now, with Qianyu back, he could finally rest.
Inside the bedroom, Qianyu just stared. He watched Kushina's sleeping face, his mind blank, his heart full.
A wave of guilt washed over him. She'd been carrying their child, and he hadn't been here. What kind of husband was he?
Thank god for Kakashi and Orochimaru. Without them… he couldn't imagine how hard it would have been for her alone.
He stayed there, watching, until dawn painted the room in soft light.
As sunlight spilled across the floor, Kushina stirred.
She opened sleep-blurred eyes and saw him. Staring. Just like that.
"Huh? Qianyu? Am I dreaming?" She rubbed her eyes.
"It's me. Not a dream." His voice was rough.
She lowered her hands. Saw him. Saw his smile.
"Qianyu!"
She launched herself from the bed toward him.
Qianyu's heart damn near stopped. Every hair on his body stood on end. He shot forward, catching her, his hands firm on her arms. "Kushina! You're pregnant! Don't do that!" He'd never been this terrified in his life. His pulse thundered in his ears.
She buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I missed you," she mumbled, voice muffled.
He wrapped his arms around her gently, resting his chin on her head. "I'm sorry, Kushina…"
She pulled back to look at his face. The smile was there, but it was strained. Tight.
"Why are you apologizing?"
His voice dropped. "When you needed me most… I wasn't here."
Kushina let out a soft laugh. "I'm fine. When they confirmed it, you were already at Ryūchi Cave. You didn't know. How could that be your fault? And you were training for our future. So, no apologies. Okay… father of my child?"
Father of my child.
Qianyu's eyes burned. He blinked rapidly.
Kushina saw it. Panic flickered across her face. She'd never seen him cry. Not once, from their childhood until now.
"Q-Qianyu, don't cry! I'm really okay! I'm not angry at all!"
He pulled her back into his embrace, holding her close. He took a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you, Kushina. For everything. Really. Thank you."
Safe in his arms, Kushina smiled. "You're welcome. Our family's getting a new member soon. Looking forward to it."
He nodded against her hair, hard. "Yeah. Looking forward to it."
He helped her sit down on the edge of the bed with extreme care.
"You don't have to be so careful," she sighed, amused.
"Absolutely necessary. You are the number one priority. No mistakes." His tone left no room for argument.
His eyes drifted back to her rounded stomach. "Kushina… can I…?"
Seeing him so tentative, she almost laughed. "You're the dad. Of course."
He rubbed his hands together nervously, then slowly, gently, laid his palm on her belly.
He froze. "Kushina! It… it moved!"
"That's the baby kicking. Maybe he knows his dad's home and wants to say hi."
"Really?"
Delight spread across his face. He carefully leaned down, pressing his ear to her abdomen. His voice dropped to a soft, warm murmur. "Hey. It's Dad. I'm home."
They shared a look, smiles spreading, pure happiness filling the space between them.
"Oh, right," Kushina said, remembering. "Since it's been six months and everything's developed, Lord Orochimaru checked. It's a boy, Qianyu. You can start thinking of names."
"A boy… Naming him is a big responsibility…" He sat beside her, brow furrowed in thought.
He stayed silent for a long time. Then, a spark. "How about Cang M? Uzumaki Cang M. Cang means brightness, hope. M means 'peaceful sea.' A wish that our son finds calm seas while chasing his dreams. What do you think?"
Kushina repeated it a few times under her breath. It felt right. She smiled, rubbing her belly. "Cang M… I like it. Do you hear that, little one? Daddy named you. You're Uzumaki Cang M from now on."
Qianyu stood up. "Kushina, the sun's nice outside. Let's go for a walk. I'll buy some groceries and cook for you later."
"Aren't you tired? You just got back."
He shook his head. "Not tired. Not at all. Don't worry about me."
He had been tired. He hadn't slept, standing watch over her all night. But now… energy buzzed under his skin.
He helped her up, supporting her as they left the house.
They walked through the village streets, talking, laughing.
Then, Qianyu spotted two figures across the way. Miyuki Uzumaki—her belly noticeably larger than Kushina's—was speaking with a woman holding an infant.
The woman was Uchiha Mikoto. And the baby in her arms was Uchiha Sasuke.
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