a helping hand

because mothers are nosy people
and they give the best female adviceto their clueless, stupid sons…
even when it's not their own son

-

a/n: ferserious! I really love Kushina, and I didn't know how to include her in one my awesome SasuSaku fics. xD you'll see what I mean. but here's the MinaKushi and FugaMiko! btw: this story is AU. no Uchiha massacre, no dead Naruto's parents… you know. 8DDDD This is Gift!fic for Xena! ...Because she always apologizes and draws me something when she accidentally leaves me hanging.

"Your son is quite handsome, Mikoto-chan!" Kushina gushed, flipping her red hair behind her. She grinned at the dark-haired woman, and the dark-haired woman gave a smile back. "Does he have an equally elegant and beautiful girlfriend?"

"Oh, but not as handsome as your son! He's so active and pleasant, totally unlike my brooding son. That ungraceful man." Mikoto had the same grin as they exchanged compliments. "Oh, but he does! She's wonderful, I tell you. Has beautiful manners. Her name's Sakura!"

"Sakura?" Kushina repeated, a sly smile slowing spreading across her features. "You mean Haruno Sakura? My Naru-chan's best friend?"

Mikoto nodded furiously. "Yeah. I knew one day that because Naruto hangs so much with my Sasucakes that she would meet him. They're totally in love!"

"My gods, how nice for you! You know, she has the most pleasant smile on earth! I'm jealous, Miko-chan!" Kushina cried, throwing her arms up in the air with emphasis. Kushina had always been a dramatic woman, Mikoto mused.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Mikoto waved her finger around in front of Kushina's face. "From Sasucakes, I heard that Naruto has got himself a wonderful admirer!" Then, Mikoto put a finger to her lips and pressing them tight together, she leaned in and whispered, "It's the Hyuuga heiress! Hyuuga Hinata-chan!"

Kushina gasped. "What? The Hyuuga heiress is after my Naru-chan? Why, I gotta knock some sense into that boy, dammit!"

"That's what Sasucakes tells me," Mikoto leaned back and crossed her arms. "He says that boy of yours is super dense!" The black-haired woman lifted her head and tapped her index finger to her chin; thoughts racing through her head. "And I recall that he told me since he and Sakura are always hanging out now, Naru-chan and Hinata-chan have been hanging out an awful lot, too!"

"Ooooh!" Kushina awed. "You think that means my boy will be dating one of the most noble and oldest family's heiress in Konoha?"

Mikoto nodded furiously. "As your best friend, I hope it with all my heart! Each of our sons will be marrying elegant, noble woman I presume!"

"I know, right? I absolutely cannot wait 'till Naru-chan drags Hinata-chan through my front door and introduces her to us! And I don't care if I'm being damn pushy, but I'm gonna hold her hands and then be like, Do you like my son? A lot? Do you love him?" She heard the onyx-eyed woman giggling behind her hand. "I—"

SLAM!

"Tadaima…" The two wives heard someone – in a very ill-mannered and bad tone – utter as he came into the kitchen.

"Okairi!" His mom answered with a sing-song voice. "Did you bring Sakura-chan?" Mikoto peered and didn't see any pink. "Come on, Sasucakes! It's your birthday for god's sake! Why in the world did you not bring her home for dinner? Actually, no – why are you here for dinner?"

"It's nothing, mom," the raven-haired boy ran a hand through his tresses. "She's busy tonight."

"Are you even trying to lie to me, Uchiha Sasuke?" Mikoto was standing up now, hands on her hips and glaring at her youngest son. "Sakura-chan is your girlfriend, Sasucakes, she would kill to be with you on your birthday night."

"Tch." He grunted and was about to walk up the stairs when he felt a pair of feminine hands grab onto the collar of his school uniform.

"Not so fast, mister!" His mother, with a harsh tug of her arm, pulled Sasuke onto the sofa – next to Kushina. "Tell us what you did, or you're grounded for three months – then you'll be sorry because then she would probably move on."

"Why do you assume we broke up?"

Mikoto sighed. "Look at you," she eyed him up and down, and we can't forget the look Kushina gave him either. "You're bummed out! Stop lying to me this instant, young man!"

"Tch." He scoffed. "We didn't break up. Not after two years," he closed his eyes, looking as if he was reminiscing. "She—" he stopped, his breath hitching. The two women looked at him expectantly. "She thinks I'm not romantic enough." he stopped, thinking back on her words again. "She thinks that I don't show enough affection,"

"What gave her that idea, Sasuke-chann?" Kushina asked, her eyebrow raised.

He looked down and rubbed his eyes. "That dobe," he told them and Kushina was taken back. What did her son do now? "He was cuddling with the Hyuuga heiress, kissing her every five seconds, complimenting her when her face is full of mud and holding her hand so tight I think her blood circulation got cut off."

"OHMYGOD, KUSHI-CHAN!" Mikoto squealed. "Your son is dating the Hyuuga heiress! You're so lucky!"

"I'm so proud of that boy!" Kushina clapped her hands childishly. "Tonight, I'm going to make him an extra big bowl of miso ramen! He deserves it!"

"I'm leav—"

Before Sasuke could even finish his sentence, his mom had taken his hand and pulled him down back onto the sofa. "Stay," she hissed. "We need to fix that problem of yours. You're a stupid son, seriously," she sighed and turned to Kushina. "Seriously… he's worst than Fugaku!"

"What?" Sasuke growled. "What in the fucking world did I do wrong?"

"Language, Sasucakes!" Mikoto glared at her son. "Anyways, back to the issue. Did you just imply that you do not cuddle with her, kiss her every five seconds, compliment her when her face is full of mud and holding her hand so tight she might just die from disturbed blood circulation?"

"I don't do that," he scoffed, turning away. "It's stupid."

Mikoto's hand came up and smacked him lightly on the head. He glared at his mother, rubbing his head lightly. "What was that for?"

"BEING STUPID!" She bellowed. She huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.

Kushina cut in – seeing the drama fold across her eyes was amusing. "Boy, what I think your kaasan is saying is… You may be a good-looking boy – looks sent straight from Kami-sama, I tell you – but that does not give you the right to not be romantic or affectionate!"

"I didn't know there was a rule to be affectionate with your girlfriend,"

"Dammit, Miko-chan, your son is a dumbass – I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Kushi-chan! It's not my fault my son is as retarded as ever when it comes to romance." Mikoto huffed. "I think he got those genes from Fugaku."

"Oh geesh," Kushina gushed. "It runs in the family,"

"Women," Sasuke exasperates. "Are you going to help me or what? The fight was yesterday, she STILL hasn't talked to me yet. She ignored me all day."

"You're screwed," Kushina laughed lightly.

"Seriously…" Mikoto agreed.

"Tell me what I should do, goddammit!" Sasuke slammed his fist onto the sofa and hissed, glaring at the coffee table.

Mikoto put her finger to her lips and smiled. A glimmer shined in her eyes as she looked mischievously. "To make it romantic… When she's turned around, you have to slip – sneakily, of course – your arms around her waist. Of course, in your hands is a beautiful batch of flowers – white and pink. They're supposed to be right under her nose now. Rest your head on her shoulder, and peck her on the cheek."

Kushina cut in, "Then you have to whisper – lovingly, you jackass – in her ear – oh and tenderly, too, you jerk face – that you're sorry, and that you'll show even more affection than my son – even though I know that's not possible – in public."

"What?"

Mikoto and Kushina both glared very scarily at the man. Sasuke didn't faze, of course, but he seemed uncomfortable. "Uchiha Sasuke," Mikoto started. "If you don't fix this relationship with such an elegant and nice girl, I swear to Kami-sama that you are never gonna see the light for the next ten years."

"…Fine."

The next day, Sasuke followed Sakura to grocery shopping. When she picked up a ripe tomato, and a sad smile came across her features, he decided to close in.

His arms wrapped around her fragile frame as he rested his head on her shoulder. He felt her shudder and tense in his arms – and he knows he would've gotten hit if she didn't recognize his scent right away. The flowers were stuck right under her nose now, and slowly, he felt her relaxing.

His lips slowly caressed her cheek, his lips moving slowly and nipping at the soft skin. He could feel the heat emitting from her cheek, and from the corner of his eye he could see that it was glowing red.

She was blushing.

"I'm… sorry, Sakura," he sighed, continuing to nip at her cheek. "I know I don't show enough affection in public…"

"Mmm…" She absentmindedly replied.

"But… you know I still love you right? I don't think I could ever let you forget that," he smiled against her cheek. "I love you,"

"Yeah," she mumbles, turning around for a kiss on the lips. "I love you too."

A/N: You know you died of cheesiness, Xena. xD I know you did, don't lie to me! But review it… So… review? BTW! Keep thinking about SasuSaku, no matter WHAT happens in the manga! OKAY!?

- NaruSaku is NOT gonna become canon due to Sai's stupidity. And if they do, I'm sure their love is gonna be sooooooooo true on behalf of Sakura... Because she totally does not pity Naruto. (No offense to Naruto, but he's causing himself all this damn pain.) [/note the sarcasm]

- Destroys the theme of the story completely. Bonds, never giving up and loyalties? Bonds: Where in the hell did Sakura and Sasuke's bond go? Never Giving Up: So, NaruSaku forgot all about Sasuke and left him to kick his own ass and dig his own grave while they ran around in sunflower fields? Oh, that's so Naruto. 8DDD Loyalties: I think Sakura's for Sasuke flew out the window next to that bird.

I could give you more, because I am part of the debate thread and come up with these things daily... But fanfiction is for my happy SasuSaku fluff-filled fanfics. I love you guys! Review moar, again, PLEASE! I faint at the sight of having lots of reviews!