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Title: A Night With the Uchihas
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Itachi's family was just a family of three, plus baby Sasuke, four, so their dining table was just a square chabudai, a short legged table. We weren't being served dinner by the way, we were just dragged here by Fugaku who insisted I had a talk with him. Itachi, Izumi and Hana just followed along and were quietly sitting behind me as I locked eyes with the man.
The man's gaze was something but I don't know if he was testing me for something since he hadn't said anything. I wasn't one to bend unnecessarily, even as a child so I just held his gaze.
A good thirty minutes had passed since we began the stare down. Mikoto had come in once to serve us tea but we still didn't break eye contact.
Something weird about all this is the fact that I felt he could see my eyes despite it being blindfolded. I mean, I had the feeling he was looking into it as I was looking into his.
Mikoto came back, this time with Sasuke with her and couldn't stand the atmosphere any longer and said. "It's been some time since we last met, Shun. How are you doing?"
"Ah, quite nicely Mikoto-san. Hiruzen has had me cooped in his compound for the remainder of my days in Konoha." I responded as I took that opportunity to break eye contact. This man was weird.
"I see, I'm sorry for what happened to Kushina and Minato, I heard it was someone from the clan..." She apologized.
"Don't mind it Mikoto-san, I was there and I was the one who even fought him so I know. If he was in this village, I would be the first to notice." I waved off her concerns.
"By the way, I hope those old men aren't giving your clan any pressure..." I asked while glancing at the man who still had his face cultured to a frown.
"It's nothing serious. It'll pass soon enough." Mikoto said not wanting to dwell on it.
"Hmm, whether it passes or not, you just have to say the word and I'll have our Kage talk to yours... We do have a standing alliance after all."
"We'll keep that in mind." She said and Sasuke began shuffling around in his blanket causing her to begin to coo him. "By the way, I don't know what brought you here."
"Oh! It's nothing Serious. Kushina just asked me to take care of little Naruto here so I decided to introduce him to his first friend." I said and stood up.
Walking towards her with the weirdly quiet Naruto, I said. "Kushina did say that they too would be classmates after all, and as the Clan head's son, I understand that he'll have a rather isolated childhood."
"Why would you think so?" The silent Fugaku finally decided to speak.
"Ah. So you do speak, for a moment there I thought..."
"Answer the question Shun." He asked, his frown deeper than before.
"Geez, chill out mate. I just meant that with how Itachi is and all, coupled with how the Uchiha will probably be treated soon, Sasuke would probably need to grow up with someone who won't see him as the clan head's son, but as any other boy." I explained. "Simple as that."
There was a moment of silence as Fugaku thought over what I said while still locking his eyes on me.
"Is that all?" He asked.
"Of course... Why else would you think I would do this?"
"For Naruto in your hands."
"Pshh. You worry too much. Naruto would have a wonderful childhood with me as his big brother." I said with a proud smile.
"Is that so..?" Fugaku asked tentatively. Wha-What is going on in this guy's head right now? Of course it's not all but you adults are not supposed to read too much meaning to what a child says, you know.
"Itachi tells me you are a genius."
"Heh. The one and only. I mean, my name says it, hell, even my entire presence should tell you that." I answered. This man does know how to press my buttons. I like him already.
"And apparently, you're strong enough to beat up four seasoned Chunin of the Uchiha clan..."
"Yeah. It comes with the package, I thought he also told you that."
"Yes, he did. And thanks to you, he is even stronger than I ever thought someone his age could be..."
"Well, you don't need to thank me... You know what they say, if you stick with a stupid group, you'll end up being stupid too, but if you end up with a genius such as myself, it'll eventually rub off on you." I said and for some reason, I feel like I'm using this adage wrongly...hmmm... Nah, it must be my imagination.
"Hmm, that's good... That is also the reason why I can't help but wonder why you really came here... Your reason is good and all, but... Your 'genius' compels me to look deeper." He said.
GAH! Seems like my genius has come to bite me in the ass... As if I'd let it.
"I understand where you're coming from, old man, honestly, I do, but sometimes, you just have to take things at face value. That way, things wouldn't be so complicated."
"Hmm, but you do know that my entire life has been one of a Shinobi. We need to look beneath the underneath when it comes to things that may or may not affect us, positively or otherwise."
"Like I said, man, you're thinking too much." I said and began to get annoyed but the old man just squinted his eyes at me to which I held back.
CLAP.
"What a wonderful idea, Shun-chan. I'm sure my husband would come to understand you in years to come..." Mikoto said with a very kind smile which reminded me of my mother's.
Hmm, seems like I need to go home and receive my full due of mother's love.
"It's good that you understand, Mikoto-san."I said as I watched the two children who hadn't even begun to develop proper bones scowl at the sight of the other.
Wait, was that just me seeing things? I looked at everyone in the room but they didn't seem to be seeing what I was seeing. Hmm? Oh, they're just playing around... I see... Not! They're obviously not playing around.
Damnit! Bringing Indra and Ashura so close to each other this early seems to be causing me to see things, Eh?
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Sigh... After that, Mikoto was a dear who made enough food for all of us to which we ate happily. I also took the opportunity to talk about random things which I hoped this old man would pick up on.
The man asked about our Academies and we all happened to be doing well in class except for yours truly.
"Hmm? Don't look at me that way. I couldn't be bothered to show off my Genius to a bunch of idiots who don't even know the next best thing about Life." I said as the topic was brought up.
"So you do know more than them? About life?" Fugaku asked.
"Heh. Of course, even the famous Sannin, Orochimaru, came to me for life's advice." I said, making sure my pride was materialized so they could see it.
Like, imagine pride coating your entire body like an aura or something, and everyone could see it. That's what I was trying to accomplish, but alas.
"You don't say." The man said skeptical but I merely harrumphed. "You can ask your dearest son. He was there."
Fugaku looked at Itachi who nodded, causing him to look at me with a different light.
"Don't stare too much, Oldman, I might blush." I said while blowing myself with a fan I bet they're wondering where it came from.
Our talk continued for a good while till Izumi and Hana fell asleep. I didn't have any plans of going home today. Izumi didn't have anyone but her mother now and Hana well, her clan can be heartless sometimes.
"Are you kids planning to stay the night?" Mikoto couldn't help asking what had been on her mind for sometime now.
"You mean it, Mikoto-san? Thank you for allowing us to stay the night. We'll be staying in Itachi's room." I said clasping the angelic woman's hand in my small ones.
"Fufufu, don't mind it Shun-chan, will the girls be with you two too?" She asked.
"Of course, we're all kids afterall. You don't need to bring your adult mindset down to our level." I rolled my eyes as I answered that.
"Fufufu." She just laughed and I heard the old man muttering something like, 'This is still my house right?'
Heh. Look at him... Despite Mikoto being all calm, refined and traditional, one has to know that once a strong woman decides to become a housewife, that house is no longer the man's.
Been married for close to Seven years and he doesn't even realize that? Humph.
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"We should do this some more." Itachi said as soon as we were all lying down. Izumi and Hana were already dead asleep leaving only us two awake.
"Yeah?"
"Hmm."
"I've never seen Tou-san and Kaa-san that talkative before." Itachi said, my Empathy picked up on his excitement and joy causing me to smile.
"Well, he does have a lot on his plate, you know. Being the clan head and the chief of police at the same time." I said.
"Yeah... It must be tiring."
"You have no idea.... We both don't." I said knowing he was about to pick up on my way of talking again.
"I guess that's why he always expects a lot from me, huh?"
"Oh? You figured that one out? As expected of my friend, my genius really does rub off on others."
"Don't be an idiot for once Shun, I'm being serious."
"I know you are, this is me being serious too."
"..."
"You know, you gotta get stronger faster..."
"Why? Aren't we already way ahead of others our age?"
"Of course you are. But that's not what I'm talking about."
"Then what are you talking about?"
"I'm getting there, Itachi, be calm. What has gotten into you tonight? You're usually calm."
"Hehe. Must be the excitement."
"Haha, I see. But you have to learn to remain calm even in times like this. Okay?"
"Hmm,"
"That's good. Now, the reason why you have to become stronger faster is because, Sasuke may experience what you went through if you don't. Simple as that. You don't want that do you?"
"Never. I have to protect him."
"Shut the f**k up!" I shouted. Damn, who censored my words? Anyways... "Who are you protecting him from? Listen, you dolt. you gotta learn something very important right now. Family... They're First. No matter what. Do you remember how long your mother carried Sasuke?"
He nodded.
"Do you remember the periodic pains? The midnight stress? The sickness? The backaches? The worries? Do you remember those things?"
He nodded again.
"Now, she did this for nine full months. And then brought him into this world. What do you think that is? Do you think she'd ever hurt him?"
He shook his head this time.
"Now, this also happened in your case. Both your father and mother want what's best for us and him, so you just gotta understand that. But then... Do you know what will happen when this son a mother has carried for so long, bore tremendous pains to bring into this world, turns around and hurts them...even kills them... Do you know the amount of pain that'll cause the mother?"
He stayed silent. And that was good. Let him think it through but... "I personally regained consciousness in the womb, you see. I felt everything happening around me. I felt my mother's care, I felt my father's gentleness for her and me when he touched her belly. I understood a lot from there."
He looked at me with a sorrowful gaze which is normal for anyone who isn't me.
"That's why I cherish family." I said. "If I hear something like that, a father or mother killing her child, a child killing his/her parents, brothers. I'll make sure I mete that person with so much pain that he'll wish he were dead." I made sure to say with killing intent.
The temperature of the room reduced so much that If it wasn't for Izumi and Hana groaning in discomfort, I wouldn't have noticed.
"Let's cherish our families through thick and thin, hmm?" I told Itachi who was looking at me with concealed horror. I raised a pinky finger at him with a smile.
My smile seemed to have cleared his doubt and he smiled too and brought out his pinky. "Let's cherish our families."
"It's a promise. Let's get some sleep. Goodnight." I said and quickly fell asleep. I was seriously exhausted, both mind and body.
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Itachi's POV
Shun was an enigma…
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Complement of the season guys. Don't forget those stones. Also…Read extra Chapters on my Patre@n
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