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If there’s one thing many people don’t really realize about Uchiha Sasuke...it’s that he does have a sense of humor!
It’s just...rather hard to find sometimes.
After all he’s gone through over the years - life nearly a nonstop cycle of painful pitfalls and damning disappointments from age seven - humor isn’t exactly something he can bring himself to feel all too often. Especially not during his journey out on the road. There’d been no time, no cause, no justification for laughter or merriment. He’d had objectives to reach. Goals to bring to fruition. Fun and games were the last thing on his mind at that time.
And during his first few months in Konoha, returned to help his brother acclimate after a daunting revival, he was anything but amused. Planning to confront the council and unite the clans in order to pardon Itachi and bring the massacre to light was a serious undertaking. With their Hyūga allies it was, perhaps, easier. But still a stressful time with little left over to let down his guard.
But as time passed, he slowly reintegrated into a village that had once damned him, and that he became determined to change. If for nothing else, then for his brother’s family. Friendships were...strained, if not broken. Even his team felt fractured, poisoned by both sides. By Sasuke’s behavior, and Naruto and Sakura’s as well. Both had amends to make to the other. And so for a time, Sasuke distanced himself from them, first working on himself and his own healing.
And part of that came though rebuilding the Police Force alongside their new allies. And who happened to join but an ex-heiress with her own doubts about her path?
The rest, as they say, is history.
She fit to his edges like no one else ever had. Her patience helped soothe his temper. Her stubbornness gave him reason to stop and think when they butted heads. Her kindness was salve on a wound long festering. And her faith in him - her understanding of his past, given their parallels - was an all-too-welcome relief. Even upon his first return, her knowledge of all that had led to the massacre as the Uchiha clan’s allies had meant she met him without animosity. Because she understood better than most.
So their working together in the police had meant a partnership that quickly evolved into friendship...and then something more.
A scant two years after his return to Konoha - something he’d dreaded for ages - Sasuke married the last person he ever expected...but the first to truly win his heart.
Which leads us to his current predicament.
His son, eight months old now, is in need of breakfast. Something the boy doesn’t seem to want to do. Though already a quiet child, Tenkai has his moments of rebellion, and one of them in full swing this morning.
Doing his best to be patient, Sasuke holds a small glass jar of pureed baby food in one hand, the other holding aloft a spoon. “Come on, Tenkai...you’ve got to be hungry, right?”
The only response he gets is a stubborn whine, the child leaning back in his chair in avoidance.
Sasuke’s head bows with a sigh. Hinata’s running a quick errand this morning, and according to the schedule they run on, this is the tail end of when their son should be eating this morning. He never fusses for Hinata...what’s the deal?
“Come on...I bet if you just take one bite, you’ll decide you’ve changed your mind,” he mutters, offering the spoon again and dodging a striking hand trying to bat it away. Sasuke then gives a deadpan one-eyed stare. “...Tenkai, you’re grounded if you don’t eat your food.”
His son just whines again, threatening to break out into a full-blown sob.
Taking a deep breath, Sasuke holds it...and then releases slowly. “...just one bite, little man. That’s all I’m asking. Don’t you wanna listen to your dad? If you eat this food, you’ll make my day.” He offers the spoon again, butting it up against Tenkai’s lip. “Just a bite. You gotta have your breakfast kiddo -”
With a squeal, a little hand bats the spoon, which goes flying and splatters baby food all over Sasuke’s face, earning a flinch.
At the same moment, Hinata walks through the kitchen door and jolts to a stop. Tenkai’s now giggling profusely, hands flailing at his father, now painted in puree. “...um…”
Turning slowly toward his wife, Sasuke gives her a look as her expression slackens in surprise. “Don’t. Laugh.”
Shoulders shaking, Hinata draws her lips in between her teeth to stifle any noise. But jolting breath through her nose is verging on a snort.
“Hinata…”
Her convulsions get a little worse.
“Uchiha Hinata, if you laugh at your husband right now, he’s going to make you regret it.”
Arms wrap around her middle, tucking forward and shaking as she leans against the doorframe. And then she draws a deep breath, which cascades back out as a waterfall of laughter.
A dangerous smirk curls her husband’s lips. “Oh... now you’ve done it…!”
“Sasuke, n-no!” Tripping over herself as she tries to retreat, Hinata squeals as Sasuke catches her from behind around her waist, hauling her up as her feet kick. “P-put me down right now! ”
Her demand goes ignored, carrying her back into the kitchen Tenkai is shrieking with laughter as Sasuke spins her around several times before setting her on her feet. Deft hands turn her around to face him. “Hinata…”
“N-no!”
“Hinataaa...”
“NO!”
Grinning, Sasuke attempts a kiss, only to be blocked by palms. Taking her wrists, he holds her arms apart and lunges, connecting before rubbing every inch of baby food-covered skin against hers he can manage until they’re both a sloppy mess.
“S-Sasukeee, I just took a shower this morning!”
“Well now we’ll just have to take another one. You can thank your son for that.”
“He’s your son too!”
“An Uchiha never behaves like that.”
“Oh really ...?”
“Yes really.”
“Then what do you call your behavior right now?!”
“Simple. We vowed to face every challenge together when we got married. Little did you know, that means even the small stuff. Like this. I’m just making sure you’re upholding your half of the bargain.”
“I really don’t think that’s what those vows meant, b-baka!” There’s a few more tugs, trying to get her wrists free as she continues to giggle. “What even happened in here?”
“Tenkai’s being difficult. And I’m not the best negotiator.”
Hinata sighs with a roll of her eyes, clearly exasperated. “...I’m going to go wash my face. Then I’ll give it a try. Maybe all that laughing built up his appetite.”
“It better have. Because if I got covered in pureed...whatever that was for no reason, I’m going to be very upset.”
“Welcome to being a parent.”