Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Listen to the song 'Once Upon a December', it is very pretty and very soothing. I love Anastasia.
Dedicated to AGENT JAZZ, A.K.A allurement, particularly for a couple pieces of very good advice.
Fugaku's first love was, and will always be, Uzumaki Kushina.
Mikoto understands this, as much as it hurts at times, even though she knows it shouldn't. Like her own dear husband, she too was once in love with someone bright and happy, who had a way of lighting up their surroundings.
Though her husband will never be that man, her special love, she can't help but be happy, for she has always loved him, though that love has shifted its form many times.
0
Her first memories of Fugaku are in the Academy. Already he is exceptional, praised by adults and his peers alike for his skills and precocious temperament. He is never seen without his close friend, Namikaze Minato. Though Fugaku does not measure up to Minato in terms of sheer talent, his hard work more than closes the gap.
Mikoto simply admires him and his friend from afar, but despite nursing a growing crush on Minato, she is too shy to go up to either one of them. Raised the daughter of a prominent, though not noble, clan, she is shy and reserved and formal beyond her years. For the most part, she keeps to herself and one or two of the other clan girls, playing generic children's games and watching, always watching and wishing she had a bravery to go up to those boys.
Her interactions with the two begin after they graduate the Academy, and become Genin. She cannot believe her luck, for not only was she placed under the tutelage of the great (if perverted) Jiraiya, but Minato is her teammate.
They lie in the grass together after their second meeting, just her and Minato, their sensei and third teammate having already departed.
"This'll be fun, won't it?" he asks, grinning at her in a way that makes her just want to melt into the ground. "Jiraiya's weird and all, but at least he isn't stingy and boring."
She nods in agreement, unsure of any other way to respond.
"Too bad Fugaku got put on another team, though. He'd like you." Minato continues, clearly needing no prompts to speak, "Not that what's-his-name is bad, but he's kind of forgettable."
"Don't say that," Mikoto scolds mildly, but silently admits that he is right, the third member of their cell is not going to have an easy time with them.
"Eh, it's true if you say it or not." Minato shrugs, propping himself up on his elbows, looking somewhere to his right. "Fugaku isn't like that—oh! Speak of the devil! Hey bastard! Over here!" He stands and starts to wave his arms extravagantly in the air, determined to have someone's attention.
Mikoto turns to where Minato is facing, and sees a dark-haired boy walking over to them, hands in his pockets, taking his time. Mikoto giggles at Minato's exaggerated roll of the eyes and muttered "slowpoke".
The closer Fugaku comes, the better Mikoto can make out his strong features—quite unlike the almost-feminine facial structure that Minato possesses. He looks much stronger than the waif-like Minato, and he isn't smiling.
"Minato." The blond's name is the only word Fugaku utters in greeting once he reaches them. His eyes slide over to rest on Mikoto, who smiles, a little unsteadily, back at him.
"Hello, Fugaku-san." She greets him. He inclines his head toward her.
"You're…Mikoto, aren't you?" He asks. At Mikoto's nod he continues, "I've seen you, around at those gatherings."
Mikoto nods; she's seen him too. But usually he's among the adults, very precocious for his age, while she immerses herself in the little ones, coddling and playing and watching them, reveling in the chance to act younger than she is generally expected to.
"You know each other already?" asks Minato, sounding a little surprised.
"Not well." Fugaku affirms for the both of them.
"Eh, doesn't matter, just so long as you aren't complete strangers. Anyway, you're right on time, Fugaku. I was about to ask Mikoto-chan to come to Ichiraku's with me." Mikoto blushes at the affectionate address, but mercifully Minato doesn't notice. "You can come, too."
"Hn." Fugaku simply shrugs, and Minato takes it as a sign of acquiescence, immediately setting off. Mikoto rises to her feet, taking care to brush the grass from her clothes. She falls into step with Fugaku, behind Minato.
"What's Ichiraku's?" She asks Fugaku. Though she should consider him more intimidating than Minato, her crush makes her inarticulate, and asking Fugaku is a more appealing option than simply waiting to see where they are going.
"A ramen stand." He replies, mouth twisting into half a smirk. "You better get used to it. It's Minato's favorite."
"Why?"
"Unless you want to be treated to an extremely incoherent lecture, don't ask."
-
The Ichiraku stand is well lit and cheery, and true to Minato's (admittedly superfluous) praise, the ramen is delicious.
"So Fugaku, howsh yer theam?" Asks Minato through a mouthful of noodles. He sits between Fugaku and Mikoto, the latter of which tries to keep from blushing too hard at his proximity.
"Fine, I guess." Fugaku scowls into his bowl. "But I'm wondering who had the idiocy to put Yoshino and Tsume together with me, of all people. They fight like crazy."
"I thought they were friends?" Asks Minato, brow furrowed.
"Who knows? They jump on each other every other second."
"Sounds like friendship to me."
"Yeah, right."
"Minato-san, aren't you going to get sick from all that ramen?" Mikoto cuts in, looking at the blond with concern as he orders his third bowl.
"Minato can't get sick—his stomach is an internal black hole when it comes to ramen." Fugaku points out from Minato's other side.
"At least I eat like a normal person, and not all prissy." Minato glares at Fugaku, before turning back to Mikoto with a smile. "You don't have to be so formal, Mikoto-chan. Call me Minato."
"Are you sure—"
"Positive. You're just really polite, you don't have to be.
Mikoto nods, "Sorry. It's just the way my parents raised me."
"Never said there was anything wrong with it, in fact, the block of granite over here could probably learn a thing or two from you." He jabs not-so-lightly with his chopsticks at Fugaku's temple, ignoring the vein starting to throb there.
Before the boy can retaliate, someone suddenly yells Minato's name.
"That would be Kaa-san." He mutters, looking a little hunted. "Be right back." He jumps off the stool and runs, leaving Mikoto and Fugaku alone together.
"So, how long do you plan on keeping this up?"
"I beg pardon?" Mikoto looks at the Uchiha, confused. Fugaku lets out a sigh.
"Your emotions for him." He states, matter of fact. Mikoto turns from him and stares into her broth, not blushing but still clearly embarrassed.
"What of them?" She mumbles.
"He's not going to figure it out on his own."
"I know that."
"You'll need to tell him if you want him."
"We've only really talked once." She protests, even more embarrassed than before.
Fugaku shrugs. "I'm just stating facts." He looks ready to say more, but is cut off by the sheepishly slouching Minato's return.
"I gotta go," the blond grouses, self-consciously rubbing a new lump on his head, courtesy of Mrs. Namikaze. "Kaa-san wants help with the groceries." He looks at Mikoto in a way that almost makes her melt, but not quite. "I'm sorry that we couldn't talk more today, Mikoto-chan."
"That's okay, Minato…kun." She smiles a little at the look of mingled surprise and pleasure on Minato's face.
"See, that wasn't so bad, was it? Keep it up! See you tomorrow, Mikoto-chan! Bye bastard!" With those elegant parting words, Minato scampers off.
"I should get going too, my kaa-san must be wondering where I am." Mikoto places some money on the counter and inclines her head at Fugaku. "Very nice speaking to you, Fugaku-san." She hops off the stool and begins the long walk towards her house.
Footsteps first behind, then besides her startles Mikoto. She looks up to find Fugaku in step with her, hands shoved in his pockets.
"I'll walk you," he tells her, "my house is on the way."
"Oh." Again, she doesn't know what to say. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." They walk in silence, with Mikoto occasionally glancing up at him. Fugaku doesn't seem to notice, appears to be lost more in his own thoughts than anything else. He didn't seem to mind walking her, but the growing feeling of awkwardness makes her feel as though her presence is somehow bothering him.
Luckily, the walk doesn't seem to take very long, and she is able to escape him fairly quickly, with a proper 'thank you' and a short bow. But before she reaches the door, she hears him call her name, and reluctantly, turns to face him.
"If it helps anything, Minato does like you a lot." Fugaku says, making her recall their extremely brief conversation about Minato. Despite the partial irrelevance, it has the desired effect, makes her mouth curl up at the corners with shy relief. She bows to the Uchiha a second time, and runs into the house, nearly missing his slight smirk and rueful shake of the head.
0
There is a party going on, and it is boring.
Mikoto is half-asleep already, listening to the drone of adult voices as they speak to one another. The younger children have been whisked away for a nap and all the others are too old to be interesting.
Except one.
Mikoto looks over to Fugaku, who is looking unusually cross (not that it is an especially large deviation from his normal expression) and surly. His arms are crossed and there is a hank of hair is falling over one of his eyes, completing the picture of a boy who would rather not be there. He's leaning against the wall of the building, trying to remain apart from the crowd of people in the Uchiha grounds.
Though they have only really talked in Minato's presence, and even then have not become especially friendly with one another, Mikoto finds that boredom can draw one to strange bedfellows, and so with effort rises from her seat and walks over to where he is resting. He lifts his eyes to meet hers as she draws closer.
"Yes?" He asks, always cordial, at least to her.
Mikoto takes a deep breath. She doesn't like to take initiative for anything, not even for small, simple requests. But some things require sacrifices, and Mikoto thinks that if she has to endure one more moment of doing nothing she will go insane.
"Would you like to spar with me?" She asks him. Fugaku appears to be a little surprised by the request, as he tilts his head to one side and offers her a questioning look.
"I know we haven't really talked much these past couple of months or so—but you're as bored as I am and there has got to be something we can do." Mikoto finds it amusing when he blinks in surprise and stands a little straighter.
However, it is her turn to be surprised when he smiles. It is small, and it is fleeting, but it is a smile nevertheless; something she had never thought she would see on his generally stern features.
"Let's go to the backyard," he tells her, pushing himself off the wall and motioning for her to follow, "that way no one will notice. Do you spar with Minato?"
"Yes, most of the time."
"Don't expect me to be like him—I don't let myself get distracted."
They circle to the back of the compound, where true to Fugaku's words; there is plenty of room for a good spar. The droning is significantly less than on the other side of the compound, and a great relief for Mikoto's poor ears.
Fugaku stops leading and turns to face her.
"Ready?" He asks. Mikoto grins and widens her stance, fists clenched and steady.
"Ready." She says, and they begin.
When their parents find them a couple hours later, they are covered in dirt, sweaty, their kimonos are slightly tattered and both of them are in a much better mood than they had been previously in the day.
From then on, it becomes a tradition of sorts, for Mikoto and Fugaku to find refuge for their sanity with the company of each other during such stiff gatherings.
And slowly, very slowly, but surely, they become friends.
0
Being on Jiraiya's team, Mikoto learns, is possibly one of the strangest experiences she will ever have. She's learning a lot of being a ninja, true, but all of the knowledge Jiraiya passes on to his students come in an exceedingly roundabout manner. Her mentor can act almost childlike at times, forgetting appointments, arguing vehemently with her male teammates over trivial matters and boasting constantly about his conquests of women and "research". In fact, Mikoto learns so much about voyeurism and how it can be accomplished that she is becoming slightly paranoid.
Nevertheless, he is a good man, and she is fond of him and both her other teammates. The boy whose name she can never remember is very friendly, though he prefers to spend time with his old Academy friends than with her and Minato.
Mikoto's more than happy that she and Minato are becoming good friends. He has such a calming presence, and his occasional bursts of spontaneity always keeps the times she spends with him interesting. Her crush on him has become less crippling, and it's easier and more enjoyable now to talk to him.
It's become a habit, for the two of them, to lie in the clearing after a team practice or mission, talking about whatever comes to mind.
It is during one of these talks that Mikoto learns more about Fugaku, and how he thinks.
"What do you think of him?" Minato asks, lying flat on the grass with his hands pillowing the back of his head, eyes closed. Mikoto is on her stomach, absently fiddling with pieces of grass.
"Fugaku?"
"Yeah. He's told me that you two are talking more. Are you?" One eyelid cracks half open, and a bright blue eye regards her sleepily.
"We spar together during formal gatherings, yes." Mikoto replies, turning towards him.
Minato chuckles. "I'm glad. Other than me, Fugaku doesn't really hang out with anyone else."
"Why not? He's very highly admired and everyone's always praising him—"
"That's why. Half of our class is scared of him, 'cause of how strong he is."
"You're at least as strong though," Mikoto says, brow furrowed, "maybe even stronger. Everyone is always seeking you out."
"Well, I don't look it. Fugaku does, and it doesn't help that he's one of the so-called 'noble clans'." Minato pulls a ridiculous face. "They have something stupid about always being all reserved and everything. It doesn't help Fugaku's social life, I'll tell you that. And his being clan heir and all that—it really doesn't help. His mentality and everything are all screwed up."
He sits up and pats her on the shoulder. "That's why he needs us around. I screw with his head enough to provoke reactions and you just…be you, I guess."
Mikoto smiles, but says nothing. Her empathy for Fugaku has grown quite a bit, as her situation, while much milder, at times feels just as stifling. She can also see how two such different boys can be such good friends; his cheerfulness and silly antics draw Fugaku to him in much the same way it draws Mikoto.
It's one of the reasons she and Fugaku get along so well. They understand one another.
0
A full year after Mikoto becomes a Genin, Jiraiya puts her team up for the Chuunin Exams. As he tells them (puffed up and full of pride) the importance of these tests and how proud he is of them, Mikoto feels alternating excitement and dread.
She isn't entirely sure that she's ready for the Exams, and remains unsure even after they reach the preliminaries.
"That was so freaking COOL!" Minato has no such qualms, whooping and punching the air in excitement.
"Minato, only you would find something with the word 'Doom' in the name 'cool'." Remarks their third teammate (whose name she still can't always remember to save her life), shaking his head.
"Well, duh!" Minato rolls his eyes in exaggeration. "What wasn't cool about it?"
"I don't know: the genjutsus, the scariness, the fact we almost got strangled to death—"
"That snake was just playing!"
"It was thirty fricking feet long!"
"Boys…" Says Mikoto icily, instantly shutting them up. She smiles a little at this strange reaction of theirs, though at times she feels as though she is mothering her team, instead of simply restraining them from stupid antics. Jiraiya isn't much of a help, and after learning that he regularly encourages their wild behavior, Mikoto has learned not to rely on him.
"Hehe, sorry, Mikoto-chan." Says Minato, smiling sheepishly at her. Their third teammate stands beside Minato, looking properly chastised.
"It's fine." Mikoto returns his smile, ignoring the little flip-flops in her belly that have become so commonplace. She looks around at the other teams that made it through, quickly spotting Fugaku among them.
She calls his name, drawing his attention to her. Once sure she has it, she beckons him over, a gesture he follows without complaint.
"How did you get through the forest?" She asks, once he is close enough.
"Easily enough." He shrugs, hands in his pockets. "Of course, it helps that Tsume recognized most of the traps and we managed to get around them."
"Cheater." Mikoto mock-pouts at Fugaku, who merely smirks. Minato, who has by now noticed Fugaku's presence, bounds over to join them.
"Hey Bastard! I call dibs; we're fighting!" He jabs his index finger into Fugaku's chest, a gesture the Uchiha merely glances at.
"Do you want to get your ass kicked that badly, idiot?" Asks Fugaku, eyes gleaming with the idea of the challenge.
"You can't win with the Sharingan forever; I can beat you with my hands tied behind my back!"
"Then why haven't you tried that theory yet, since you haven't been able to defeat me with your hands free?"
"HEY!"
Mikoto mentally debates the merits of stepping in on their macho exchange or simply letting them get on with it, but is mercifully kept from that decision by an announcement that the tournament is going to start within the minute.
"Feh, either way, I'm not going to go easy on you." Fugaku lets out a disdainful snort. "And that goes for you too, Mikoto." He adds, turning to her.
Though surprised, Mikoto is also oddly touched that Fugaku thinks highly of her skills.
"I would probably castrate you if you didn't." She tells him with a cheeky smile, allowing the adrenaline of anticipation of the upcoming matches' override what would be for her a generic response.
Fugaku simply rolls his eyes at her and her current bout of silliness, while Minato stands by, looking a little confused. Any further conversation is stopped by a loud announcement.
"If we may have your attention, the opponents for the first match are about to be selected."
The trio turns to face the flashing screen.
0
Mikoto is the first one of them to have a match, against none other than Inuzuka Tsume. She is not especially pleased; though she bears no grudge against Tsume herself, Mikoto has never been very good with dogs. Particularly large, wolfish ones.
"Good luck, Mikoto!" Minato calls from the stands, ever exuberant, "Send that dog out with her tail between her legs!" He quickly hides behind Fugaku when Tsume snarls up at him.
"If you're going to call me names, at least use the proper ones. A female dog is a bitch." She turns her attention to Mikoto and gives an evil grin. "Make sure your friend knows that, the next time he wants to call me something, got it?"
Mikoto doesn't respond, unsure of what to say, and the match begins.
Tsume, as predicted, is a very dangerous opponent. Where Mikoto is light and fast, Tsume is physically strong, and adds a certain advantage that Mikoto does not have.
She throws kunai in an attempt to keep Tsume at bay while she tries to think of a plan, and unable to come up with any. Tsume generally fights fairly, but isn't above clawing or biting her opponent. Mikoto's body is soon covered with cuts and bruises and aches from Tsume's attacks. One such swipe of her claws rips out Mikoto's hair band, making her hair fall around her face. However, the accessory gives Mikoto an idea of a plan, one she immediately sets into action.
As Tsume closes in for another attack, Mikoto jumps out of view of both her and Kuromaru. With a quick back flip, she lands right behind Tsume, and wastes no time using her hair band to bind Tsume's hands—literally—behind her back. Once the precaution is in place, Mikoto taps certain points on Tsume's body that will render her unable to continue, and Mikoto is declared the winner of the match.
0
The second she steps out of the arena, Minato grabs her and draws her into a tight embrace, disregarding her squeaks of minor pain.
"That rocked, Mikoto-chan!" He draws back and grins at her. Then for some reason, his grin drops into an open gape.
"Minato-kun?" She asks, a little concerned at the sudden change in expression.
"Mikoto-chan—why didn't you tell me you looked so cute with your hair down?!" Minato demands, looking completely baffled. Mikoto blushes a dark pink while Fugaku lets his face drop into his hand with an exasperated groan.
"You only just noticed that, Minato?" Fugaku asks, still not looking up. "How much of an idiot are you?"
Minato glares daggers at Fugaku, but for once says nothing. Instead, he turns to the still-blushing Mikoto.
"Hey Mikoto-chan, what's wrong? Your face is all red. Did you get burned?" He touches her cheek, and Mikoto is about ready either to faint or run in the opposite direction as fast as she can, when there is an announcement for a new match.
"Our next match will be Uchiha Fugaku from Konoha against Uzumaki Kushina, from Whirlpool. Will the contenders please enter the arena?"
"All right!" Whoops Minato. "You're up, bastard!" He slaps Fugaku on the back, sending the taller boy stumbling forwards. Fugaku catches himself and glowers at Minato.
"Great," mutters the Uchiha, squinting up at the large screen, "do you have any idea who this Uzumaki is?"
"She's that redhead in orange." Still blushing but in better control of her senses, Mikoto goes up to Fugaku and points out his opponent. "Apparently, her jutsus are wind-based, so you might want to be careful."
"Thanks." He begins to make his way down to the arena.
"Good luck!" Mikoto calls at his retreating back. Fugaku actually pauses at the sentiment.
"…Again, thanks. You did really well, by the way."
Mikoto just shakes her head, smiles at the compliment, and turns back to the arena so that she will be able to watch the proceedings. And more importantly, this Uzumaki Kushina. Mikoto has already had a couple of unsavory encounters in the forest with one of this girl's teammates; she wonders if this girl will use similar tactics.
Kushina is a very pretty girl; that much Mikoto can already tell. Her hair is short and unevenly cut, flaring out in odd spikes, she is tanned from a lot of time spent outdoors, and her eyes are the same shocking shade of blue as Minato's, glinting with a similar mischief. She wears an overlong orange shirt and black shorts, with a large swirl emblazoned on the front. When Fugaku comes to stand in front of her, waiting for the match to begin, she speaks to him. Though Mikoto can't make out the words, she can tell by the tone that they are words clearly meant to rile up her opponents. Judging by the stiffening of Fugaku's spine, Mikoto guesses it is working at least a little.
"She looks pretty tough." Minato comments, stretching his head to look over the others in the audience. "Even Bastard might have trouble with her."
"He might." She replies, though more inclined to believe that Fugaku is more that tough enough to come out of his first round.
She is correct, of course.
The fight doesn't last very long, as Kushina does not seem to even try to use any strategies. However, the girl shows incredible promise with the sheer power of her winds, almost on par with Fugaku.
Fugaku seems to recognize this, and in a very strange (for him, anyway) gesture, goes up to Kushina after he has been declared the winner of the match, helps her up from where she has fallen, and speaks to her.
"Wow," Minato scoffs from besides her, "the one time the bastard's actually polite to a girl—she's the enemy!"
"She's just an opponent." Mikoto points out. "Whirlpool isn't the village we need to watch out for anyway—everyone knows it's Mist that's the problem."
"Eh, politics—they bore me." Minato waves a dismissive hand. "I don't care. I don't like her."
"Just from watching her fight Fugaku, you can tell?" Mikoto asks, amused.
"Yep." Minato nods vigorously.
"The next match will be between Namikaze Minato and Subaku Yashamaru. Will the contenders please enter the arena?"
"My turn!" Minato grins and stretches, working the kinks from his back.
"Good luck."
"What? No good luck kiss?"
Startled, Mikoto turns to face Minato. The grin on his face suggests that he is joking, and an identical one crosses Mikoto's face, but for a different reason. Turning around fully, she takes the two steps required to be right up to him, and kisses the startled Minato on the cheek. She lingers for a few moments before stepping away from the blond.
"Uh…" Minato seems at loss, rapidly turning a shade of red Mikoto has never seen on a human before. Her peripheral vision shows her that Jiraiya is struggling not to fall over laughing; same goes for their last teammate.
"What are you waiting around for, idiot?" Minato yelps at the sound of Fugaku's voice; both he and Mikoto turn to look at the Uchiha. "Are you deaf? You're going to be disqualified if you don't get your ass down there now."
"Oh! Right, um, yeah—I'll be going now." With an embarrassed nod in his team's direction, Minato leaves.
Mikoto, blushing slightly, moves over to allow Fugaku room to sit besides her. He takes it.
"If anyone asks why the idiot got his ass supremely kicked, I'll blame you." He tells her, mock-stern, very amused.
"Whatever for? Expressing a small part of my emotions for him?" Mikoto looks at him, all doe-eyed and innocent. The corner of his mouth twitches imperceptibly, and he focuses his attention on the match taking place in front of them. Mikoto follows suit, still smiling, as she watches her crush win his first victory of the night.
0
There is another party.
This one, however, is much less boring than the ones Mikoto usually attends with Fugaku. The chief reason being, of course, that this party isn't being thrown by their parents, but by teachers in celebration of the three students who have made it to Chuunin, and the rest who will certainly be made Chuunin the next time the exam rolls around.
Fugaku is one of the three, the other two including Nara Shikaku and Aburame Shibi. Mikoto is slightly disheartened by the fact she was knocked out in her second round, but also finds an odd sort of relief. She still doesn't feel like she is ready to move up, and is content for another year of training.
Minato is running from Tsume and not in the room, and Mikoto is tired of just sitting pretty alone while her peers are yelling, dancing, mock-sparring, and getting happily tipsy, so she goes off in search of Fugaku.
She finds him outside, sitting on the steps leading up to the house. He is looking up at the sky, apparently lost in thought. He gives no sign that he notices her when she sits beside him, hands folded on her lap, but she knows he knows it's her.
"The sky is really pretty tonight, isn't it?" She asks him, looking up into the stars. From the corner of her peripheral vision she sees Fugaku nod.
"Congratulations." She tells him. "How does it feel to be a Chuunin?"
"Not much difference from being a Genin—at least right now." He replies. "But that'll change. I've already been assigned on a mission."
"So soon?"
Fugaku shrugs. "Supposedly, my skills are perfect for the mission."
"Oh." She could ask what the mission is, but Mikoto has no wish to hear anything dry and boring tonight, of all nights. "Minato'll be jealous."
"He'll get over it. It's not a very exciting mission." He casts a considering look. "Besides, he should have more time to figure out that you actually do like him, and if he doesn't, I'll beat it into him."
Mikoto flushes, but is inwardly pleased that Minato seems to be confused by her actions. Maybe he'll come out of the confusion with recognition of her crush. If not, Fugaku's promise has its perks.
A loud crash from inside and barking indicates that Minato has reentered the room.
"That would be Minato-kun. I'm going to help him. Want to help?"
Fugaku shakes his head. "I'll stay here, thank you. No way am I getting in between a raging Inuzuka and her prey."
Mikoto smiles. "I thought that would be your answer." Leaning over, she kisses him lightly on the cheek.
Startled, Fugaku looks at her. "What was that for?"
"A second congratulations. I hope it'll be enough, since you didn't get it from Kushina."
"What are you talking about—"
She pushes on, drowning out the beginning of a protest. "You have a high regard for her, and I saw the way you looked at her."
"You are too observant." He mutters, looking away. Mikoto notes that his skin isn't quite as pale as usual.
"Maybe. Well, when you want company, Minato-kun and I will be waiting for you." She stands, and begins to make her way up the steps and inside.
Footsteps behind her make her pause at the entrance of the threshold.
"Minato's actually right, for once. You do look nicer with your hair down. Come on, it'll take a lot of chakra to keep Tsume from ravaging him."
Mikoto just smiles.
So…
This will be a completely confusing, drabbleesque-but-not-really fic, detailing Mikoto and Fugaku's friendship and later marriage. It was supposed to be a one shot, but it got too long.
It'll be a bunch of things, with angst, romance, humor, tragedy (everyone knows that one's coming) and just regular friendship.
Reviews will be greatly appreciated. I'm very nervous about putting this story up and I would love any kind of feedback.