(The next day)

"So, any news yet?" asked Fugaku the next morning at breakfast. (Toast)

Not that he meant to rush their decision; it just so happened that last night, after their little talk, he'd come across several bins of neatly folded baby clothes. The little onesies that Mikoto had dressed the boys in when they were newborns. Each with little uchiwa fans sewn into their shoulders or collars. He hadn't appreciated how happy those days had made him. Hearing baby laughter. Smelling baby talc. Falling asleep for a nap with a little one snoozing on his shoulder...

"Things are progressing at an acceptable rate," said Itachi, sipping his tea.

"And you, Sasuke?"

With deeper bags than usual under his bloodshot eyes, and his shoulder a bit off-kilter from taking a tumble the wrong way when the rope frayed faster than expected the night before, Sasuke's expression turned surly. "Yes. It's going well," he mumbled, swallowing a yawn.

"That's good," said Fugaku, opening the paper. "Let me know when you're ready to bring someone home for dinner." He shook out the pages of the paper and promptly ignored them in favour of the morning news: first stop, the obituaries. "Oh," he said after a moment. "Sasuke, could you reach the phonebook for me, please?"

"Hn," sighed Sasuke. From Fugaku's other side, Itachi produced a ruler and a pen.

"Thank you, boys," said Fugaku as he updated the Konoha directory.


"Training again?" asked Itachi as Shisui leaned against his doorway at ANBU HQ. As Captain, Itachi had a reserved office of his own. Perks for being a killer team lead.

Shisui flipped a deliciously sharpened fresh kunai around his fingers. "What, you have something better to do here? How far ahead are you with your planning?"

Seventeen months three weeks four days.

"I need to be available for emergencies," argued Itachi. Somewhat.

"Leave a note on your door. You're as bored as I am," said Shisui. "Come oooooon… We'll pass by the hospital on our way over…" He sing-songed.

"The hospital is on the other side of the Village."

Shisui shrugged. "Scenic route. Very scenic, hopefully," he said, winking at Itachi.

Itachi's ears burned.

Shisui's grin widened. "We should stop in and say 'Hi'," he teased.

"Enough," said Itachi, standing and locking his desk. He looked up and then glared at Shisui. "Get rid of that before I make you disappear. Permanently."

Shisui pouted, pocketing his, "Out with my matchmaker - back later!" sign that he'd specially designed just for this trip.

"Let's go see if she's working," said Shisui as they left ANBU HQ.

"Hn," murmured Itachi. His pace was, perhaps, a bit more gravel-eating than usual.


Itachi was ignoring Shisui's babbling as they crossed the market district—he had hoped to find some flowers for Sakura, but nothing looked quite right—when he feels Shisui trip into him and bump his arm.

Which, had it been Sasuke's friend Naruto, he would have easily ignored.

But Shisui didn't trip.

Ever.

Instead of turning to avoid Shisui, Itachi's eyes narrowed and looked in the direction Shisui was turning him away from.

And immediately spotted Sakura's petal-coloured hair pulled up in a loose, comfortable ponytail. While she shopped with his younger brother, looking over produce. They held several large, overburdened bags between them, and he heard Sakura chastising Sasuke over the din of the crowds.

"Sasuke, your dad loves fish! And haddock is on special. Of course we need to get green onions and lemons! It'll be a nice light flavour, to go with the miso soup and satay green beans. I promise he'll like it. Oooh, that's a nice bunch of asparagus, grab that, too…"

"Uh, Itachi, you might wanna… turn that off…" hedged Shisui, inching closer to his cousin.

"Hn?"

Shisui tapped the side of his face meaningfully and Itachi realized his Sharingan had activated of its own accord. With a shift of his chakra he released the pressure and felt his eyes fade back to black.

Shisui let out a small breath.

"So, looks like we can skip the hospital. Let's go train!"

"Hn," said Itachi, turning away from the pair shopping in front of him.

"You look like you have some aggression to work out. Let's focus on that," said Shisui.

Yes, that sounded like a good idea to Itachi, too.


The light faded around the training grounds, and the pair of shinobi raced and slashed at each other, causing less damage to the terrain than some lesser shinobi, however attacking each other all the more viciously for it.

"Shisui," said Itachi as the sun slipped below the horizon.

"Ah!" huffed Shisui. Itachi was putting him through his paces that day.

"You caught me at an unfortunate time this afternoon."

"How so?" Shisui panted as Itachi disappeared from sight. He flickered around the training field, Sharingan whirling.

"It was unfortunate that we ran across Sasuke and Sakura in the market."

"Ah, yeah. You win some you lose some," said Shisui, looking around. "Phew! Ready for a drink? I brought drinks."

"Hn." Itachi attacked his cousin suddenly, forcing Shisui on the defensive with his fancy kunai.

Itachi's eyes narrowed.

"Those kunai are very high quality."

"Yeah. They were a gift," panted Shisui.

"From who?"

"Huh?"

Itachi charged Shisui and pushed him back, back, back until he tripped and landed hard on the packed earth, Itachi's kodachi at his throat.

"Who gave you the new kunai, Shisui?"

"Uhhhhh…."

"Shisui…"

The sharp edge of Itachi's blade kissed Shisui's throat, and Itachi's eyes hardened.

"He told me to keep you busy! He said he was getting something special ready for you and Sakura!"

Itachi blinked.

"He is," said Itachi before he disappeared in a burst of crow feathers. Sasuke was in for a world of hurt when Itachi got him alone...

Meanwhile, exhausted and panting, Shisui let his head fall back on the dirt. That… had been more than he'd expected.

Limbs trembling from fatigue and adrenaline—he refused to admit Itachi had unsettled him—Shisui looked at his new set of kunai.

"Worth it," he decided, flopping down again. And once his heart calmed enough to settle back inside his ribcage again, he'd catch his breath and be off home.

He lifted the kunai one last time, contemplating it.

...Then again, there were going to be some serious fireworks at the main house tonight...


Lifting his head from his clan intel report in his study, Fugaku sniffed. Cooking smells. Pleasant cooking smells.

Where were they coming from?

His kitchen, he realized a moment later, setting aside his work.

Who was cooking such tempting delicacies in their kitchen? Certainly he and the boys weren't slouches, but since Mikoto's passing none of them had taken the initiative to fill the kitchen with her warmth and care. Sustenance had been the name of their cooking game for half a decade now.

So it was with some eagerness that Fugaku entered his kitchen… to find his sons' teammate, Sakura, easily manning their six burner stove, a pot on each lit gas burner. Onions and vegetables, pork and tofu frying in a light sauce, asparagus steaming and—his eyes lit up—was that broiled haddock? On the counter he spied their ancient rice cooker steaming and tinkering away, obviously toiling under a full load of rice. Several side dishes had been prepared and set on the table already, he noted, his eyes widening, and he felt warmth pressing and expanding in his chest for the first time since…

He cleared the blockage in his throat, approaching Sakura from the side.

"It seems you have everything well in hand," he remarked, peeking over her shoulder.

"No pinching," said Sakura, smirking at him and smacking his hand with a wooden spoon as he reached for a bite of mini-corn on the cob straight from the stir-fry pan.

He gave her a mock wounded look. "Anything I can help with?" he asked, amazed. How had she made all this without him any the wiser?

"Sasuke helped me with the side-dishes earlier. Naruto and Kakashi should be here any minute —And that's probably them," she said as she heard the front door opening. "Sasuke nipped out to grab a bit more rice seasoning. Would you mind?"

"Of course," he said, automatically leaning in and kissing her temple before turning to the door.

He sensed Sakura stiffen behind him and immediately realized what he'd done. His neck was in flames as he cleared his throat.

"I... apol… Force of habit," he said, unable to face her; his shoulders were ramrod straight.

"It's nice to be appreciated," said Sakura a half-beat later, teasing in her voice. "No more freebies, though. You need to help with dishes if you want sugar! Er, that is… Oh geez… I'm…sorry."

They stewed in awkward sauce a moment in the steaming kitchen before Fugaku shook his head and let a small chuckle bubble up in his throat.

"Hopefully Naruto brought dessert," he said smoothly as he met the newest guests at the door.

"Yeah," breathed Sakura, mortified. "Now would be a good time for the ground to swallow me up," she muttered under her breath; but Fugaku caught it.

Ah, he could admit he'd missed some of the silliness that came with a full house. Well, could admit to himself. No one else ranked high enough to be graced with such knowledge.

"... you said to bring something to share!"

"Like a dessert, Naruto." Fugaku heard Hatake Kakashi sigh. "Why did you bring a head of broccoli?"

"Because she told me not to bring ramen! This is healthy!"

"Hatake. Naruto," greeted Fugaku.

Clad in his regular jounin gear, Kakashi nodded back and lifted a frosted glass decanter of saké. "Is there a pan free for a water bath?"

A little disturbed at the cutesy anime characters dancing in the blowing sakura blossoms depicted on the bottle label, Fugaku pointed to the kitchen. "Sakura will see to it."

"Thank you," smiled Kakashi, joining Sakura in the kitchen. "My cutest student is wearing her cute apron again tonight!" Fugaku heard him exclaim.

Sakura's retort made Fugaku swallow a choke. "Eff off and die, Kaka-sensei. And where did you find that? Did you draw that label yourself?"

"Sakura, I'm hurt…"

"You did. I can see the marker smudging."

A bit unsettled, Fugaku turned back to Naruto who had finally slipped off his nin sandals.

Realizing he was alone, Naruto looked at Fugaku in unease. "Uh…"

Fugaku stared the public nuisance down.

"Here!" Naruto thrust up the giant head of broccoli in greeting, and bowed. "Thank you for hosting our Team Night!"

Resigned to being at least a non-murderous host for the night, Fugaku reached out and accepted the hefty vegetable.

"Please make… yourself useful to Sakura," corrected Fugaku.

"Hehe, all right!"

Naruto charged past, joining Sakura and Kakashi and making appreciative noises over all her hard work.

Fugaku shook his head and was closing the front door when he felt a simmering killing intent blanket the front porch.

"Good evening," said Itachi, slipping through and setting his nin sandals in the shoe cubby.

Fugaku looked his agitated son over; there was something cross in Itachi's sharp features, and Fugaku nodded. "Wash up. Dinner will be soon. Sakura put in great effort to prepare everything, don't be late," he said, defending his favourite member of Sasuke's team, outside Sasuke himself.

Itachi nodded and disappeared down the hall to the bathroom. A moment later Fugaku heard the shower, and then Sasuke was rushing through with a shopping bag of assorted rice seasonings and everyone was gathering around the table. The tightness in his chest twisted when he saw that Sakura and Sasuke had inserted the leaf in the middle to expand it so everyone would fit around.

A very full house, Fugaku thought to himself, taking his regular seat. To his pleasant surprise, Sakura had set a glass of wine by his plate. He looked up at her bustling about and carrying dishes here there and everywhere, and felt his expression soften as she badgered Naruto and bossed Sasuke and harangued Kakashi into helping.

No wonder their team does so well, he mused.

"Are we waiting for anyone else?" asked Sakura as she set plates down on the table; Sasuke passed out glasses.

"Itachi will be down in a moment," said Fugaku.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he paled. Fugaku watched his son with a raised brow.

"Should we wait?" asked Sakura, checking the number of seats. They would be fine.

"No need," said Itachi, sweeping in the room with his exposed chest glistening and rivulets of water dripping down from his hair to his collarbone. "Good evening, brother, father." His dark eyes softened and shone as he met Sakura's gaze. "Sakura."

Sakura could only stare, Fugaku noted, as the dish in her hand began to slide to the side...

"Hey Itachi!"

"Hn."

"Yo."

"Kakashi."

"Uh, Sakura, you okay?" asked Naruto as Sakura just stood there, gazing at Itachi's perfectly formed pectoral muscles. Which were wet. And glistening.

"Sakura?" asked Kakashi, looking up from his saury; Sakura always made it specially for him on Team Night. Beneath his skewed hitai-ate his brow furrowed. "Sakura," he said, in his Commanding Sensei voice.

Startled, Sakura jumped a bit and shook her head, swallowing. "Yes?"

Kakashi gave her an eye-crease grin. "Could you please pass the green beans?"

"Oh. Yes, of abs. Course! I meant, of course," said Sakura, blushing crimson.

Fugaku glanced up at Itachi. His eldest's eyes were crinkled in knowing amusement, though his smirk had softened. Fugaku's shoulders sagged understanding now what his son was playing at.

"Do you need to catch up on your laundry?" he asked Itachi, redirecting his son's attention from poor Sakura.

"Hn."

Was Itachi… purring?

With long years of practice, Fugaku ignored Itachi's antics. "Sit and eat. Sakura went to a great deal of trouble. Thank you, Sakura. It has been a long time since we've enjoyed a family meal like this." He nodded to her, and was rewarded by a warm smile.

"You're very welcome, sir," she said. "And Sasuke helped."

"Really? Well done, Sasuke."

"Which parts did you do?" asked Naruto. "Oh, I brought broccoli!"

"I made the side dishes," said Sasuke. He kept one eye on Itachi, Fugaku noticed. Not that father blamed son; this had become more than a meal to them, obviously. He was expecting treachery. As he should. Fugaku didn't doubt that Sasuke had tried to sabotage Itachi into missing the meal, earlier. Itachi wasn't above retaliation, either.

The dinner was now a farce of a mating ritual, masquerading as a front for an epic scale payback. Fugaku wanted to sigh.

This haddock was fantastic, though.

"This saury is tasty, Sakura. Thank you very much," said Kakashi, smiling at Sakura. She winked at Kakashi, surprising Fugaku. There was something familial in the gesture, he thought. Another way of her showing Kakashi that she had his back. He remembered with a pang how Mikoto used to wink at him like that, when the boys were young.

Fugaku surveyed the rest of the table as he ate, noting how each member reacted to Sakura; and was less and less surprised to find each one turned towards her, in one way or another. Naruto was the most obvious, talking her ear off most of the evening when he wasn't arguing with Sasuke. Sasuke himself was focused intently on Sakura when he wasn't sneaking glances at Itachi. Itachi kept up a polite conversation with Sakura and Kakashi, who, himself, was half-turned towards Sakura through the evening meal.

It was only when Sakura announced that dessert would be served soon that Fugaku realized he'd spent most of the evening facing her, too.

It was an uncomfortable feeling. Normally during meals with his sons they kept conversation to a minimum, clan affairs or local news. Personal business was private. Prior to this, though, his meals had been spent listening to Mikoto chatter on with his children and he'd always listened…

Listening, he realized. He was listening again. Passively participating. And while there were more faces around the table, and different voices, he recognized how comfortable he felt there among them. This group of people who'd been part of his extended family, of a sort, for nearly a generation. It was strange how natural it was to share his home with them. He'd expected to feel more alienated, more put out by their noise and camaraderie in his stable routine.

Instead, he fought the urge to interject and participate. Especially with Sakura keeping everyone on their toes. How was it she was unmarried, at her age? She was the same age as Sasuke, he remembered. Possibly a few months older, if he remembered Mikoto's words correctly. No wonder the boys were so attached to her.

Fighting over her, he reminded himself with an internal sigh. Ah yes.

He heard a knock on the door and then the door opening… and closed his eyes a moment when he heard who had arrived.

Things were about to become… louder.

"Hey! You didn't tell me you were having a big dinner! Why wasn't I invited?" pouted Shisui, wedging up a seat between Sakura and Sakura, directly across from Itachi. He waggled his eyebrows and Fugaku prayed for patience. "Plate?"

Sighing and shaking her head, Sakura stood. "I'll grab one."

Sasuke leapt up. "No, it's okay. I'll get it."

Fugaku nearly huffed aloud when Itachi, already on his feet, smoothly swept to the kitchen. "I'll take care of it."

"Then I'll get a glass for our latest guest," said Sasuke, eyes narrowing at his brother.

"Don't forget cutlery," said Itachi, voice like silk.

"I won't," bit out Sasuke.

Oh no, thought Fugaku. It begins.

"Naruto, Kakashi, could you please help me collect the dishes from the table? We can start washing those while Shisui catches up," said Sakura, voice tenser than before.

"Sasuke, run the hot water," said Itachi. He gave the plate to his cousin with a warning look. Shisui grinned at him.

"I will. Once I get Shisui his cutlery," snapped Sasuke, glaring at Itachi. "Here," he shoved the cutlery and glass at Shisui. "Help yourself to juice."

"We have wine," said Sakura, turning around from the counter where she was slicing pie. "Who would like pie?"

"Me!" said Naruto, holding out his hands for bowls. "Uh, you sir?" he asked, looking at Fugaku.

Fugaku shook his head. "No, thank you. Tea will be plenty for me."

"Oh," Sakura's expression fell. "I remember Mikoto mentioning before how much you enjoyed pavlova… I made one this morning… Is it too much?"

Fugaku's eyes widened. Pavlova? He hadn't had pavlova in…

"It would be remiss of me not to enjoy such a special treat," he said, the usual lines around his eyes and mouth softening. "That is very considerate of you, Sakura. Thank you very much."

She sent him a wink, taking him aback. I got your back, too, it said.

Oh, she was a treasure, he thought, smiling to himself as she set a loaded plateful in front of him with passion fruit and sliced kiwi on the side. Who wouldn't want such a delight in their—

"It's okay, you don't need to carry that many bowls over, Sasuke," warned Sakura, turning back to the counter to see her teammate balancing a dozen bowls on his arms and a surly expression on his.

"I'm fine," he said. "Who wants pie?"

"Uh, I already passed out the pie," said Naruto.

"I cut up pie, who wants pie?" repeated Sasuke, looking around the room. "Kakashi?"

Kakashi held up his plate of pavlova, shaking his head. "Perhaps next time."

"Saké?" asked Itachi, holding aloft the now warmed carafe of Kakashi's sake. He had wrapped it deftly with a fancy napkin… hiding the illustrated label.

"Please," said Shisui, still eating his first course.

"You don't count," said Itachi.

"Taich—Itachi?" said Sakura, catching herself. Right. Like they didn't all know Sakura subbed in on Itachi and Shisui's ANBU ops, thought Fugaku. A small headache niggled in the back of his mind, and he brushed it aside. They were having a lovely evening. There was nothing to worry about. It would be finishing soon. Now, to enjoy this beautiful pavlo—

"Sakura, pie?" asked Sasuke.

"I'm sure Sakura would prefer saké," insisted Itachi.

"Pie." Sasuke turned to glare at his brother.

"Saké," repeated Itachi, taking a step closer to Sakura at the counter.

"Uh," Sakura looked between them, then at Naruto and Kakashi. "I'm—"

"I'll take pie and saké!" called Shisui from the table, mouth full, holding up his glass.

"Shut up, failure," snapped Sasuke at Shisui before he snarled at Itachi. "Or we wouldn't be having this discussion."

"There is no discussion," said Itachi, eyes narrowing on his younger brother.

Boys, sighed Fugaku to himself. Where was Mikoto to… Oh. Yes. Time to parent.

Well, it wasn't like they were children. They were adults. They would listen to reason.

This should be easy.

Now, to diffuse the situation with aplomb and authority:

"Stop fighting. You are embarrassing yourselves," he said.

There. That should do it. Mission accomplished. He lifted a forkful of the tempting pavlova to his mouth, its succulent golden passion fruit bursting with freshness—

"She can decide for herself!"

Sasuke's outburst jarred Fugaku from his bite. A vein in his head throbbed.

"I'm sure she would if you would give her a chance to speak."

And now Itachi was being passive aggressive. Fugaku closed his eyes, reaching for calm.

"Uh, guys," tried Naruto, lifting a tentative hand. "I think we're pretty good for dessert."

"Sakura, would you like to join us?" asked Kakashi, turning in his seat. "You have been working all day, please come relax."

"Yes," said Fugaku, straightening and glaring at his sons. "Sakura," he said, gentling his voice. "Please. You did a great deal of work. I am sorry my sons are shaming themselves so adamantly," he grit out, glaring at them once more for good measure. "Mikoto raised them far better."

The room went silent at his last words.

"I apologize for my overbearing manner," said Itachi after a moment. He turned and set the saké on the table before pulling Sakura's chair out for her. "Father is correct. Please relax. We will take care of the rest."

Lips pressed together, Sakura nodded and sat, fidgeting with her plate.

Features tense, Sasuke was left standing in the middle of the room with his arms full of pie.

"Set them down, Sasuke," said Fugaku with a shake of his head. Every bit of his tone confirmed how disappointed he was.

With a glare at his father Sasuke ditched the pie pieces on the counter with a jarring crash before storming from the room. Naruto was following on Sasuke's heels, blond brows drawn together, before Sasuke had cleared the doorway.

Fugaku gathered his composure around him and continued eating. Finally.

Sakura sighed, setting her napkin beside her plate. "I've eaten way too much," she said after several minutes had passed. She had barely touched her dessert. "I'll start on the dishes." She pushed her chair back only to feel it hit a speedbump and stop. She looked to the side only to meet Kakashi's eye crease smile.

"Tea?"

Her shoulders relaxing, she nodded. "Please," she answered, grateful.

Kakashi looked even more pleased.

Then he turned to Itachi and Shisui. "Go make Sakura some tea."

Fugaku ignored the narrow-eyed look Itachi gave Kakashi at that presumption, instead giving Shisui a warning glare. Knowing what was good for himself, Shisui hopped to the kitchen and put the kettle on.

With an internal sigh Fugaku shook his head and finished his dessert. He would speak to his boys after supper.


As Sakura and Kakashi packed up Sakura's things in the kitchen and Shisui washed the dishes with a clone to dry them, Fugaku and Itachi sought out Sasuke and found him in the garden with Naruto. It only took a look to get Naruto to skitter to the house to help with the clean-up and Fugaku was left with his fuming, sabotaging sons in the darkness.

"I don't need to tell you how poorly your behaviour reflected on the clan tonight," he began, looking between them. His hands folded inside his sleeves and his arms crossed, Fugaku's voice was quiet and firm. "That was a disgrace."

Itachi remained impassive, however Fugaku noted Sasuke flinch.

"You cannot both chase after the same woman!" He said, voice rising. "Are you trying to make us as laughingstock?"

Sasuke looked away but Itachi's eyes narrowed as he stood taller and addressed his father. "I think you should look at the big picture, father. She is the best candidate for both of us."

"Yet she didn't show any romantic or possessive interest in either of you through the entire meal. Keep searching. At least one of you will have to, anyway. The other will need to buckle down and focus on wooing her, and that looks to be an uphill battle for both of you." Fugaku's frown sharpened, deepening the stress lines down his face. "Your mother would be ashamed of you both."

"Don't bring her up," growled Sasuke, fists at his sides. "She would have never embarrassed us at the table with the intention of cutting us down the way you did."

"What?" snapped Fugaku.

"Sasuke," warned Itachi, turning to his brother. To Fugaku's surprise, Itachi's eyes had softened as he looked at his brother. "That's enough," he said, softer.

"Tch," spat Sasuke. And then he proceeded to turn away from Fugaku and Itachi. "I should just emancipate myself. She's too good for this clan, anyway," he muttered.

"Sasuke!" roared Fugaku, taking a step towards his youngest son. "You dare insult your clan?"

"This is exactly why we need her," said Itachi, voice calm and firm. "We do need someone with her intelligence and self-determination to help guide us. She is respected through Konoha and the shinobi nations for not only her diplomatic experience, but her many abilities and compassion. Her patients, her team, her co-workers, they all benefit from her gifts," said Itachi. He relaxed as Sasuke looked at him with understanding. Itachi gave him a small smile. "Which is why I intend to envelope her in the fold of the Uchiha. She will make a wonderful matriarch, and someday, mother for my children. The elders have already begun considering my petition."

Sasuke's eyes widened before sharpening to knife edges on his brother. "She will never accept you," he said, voice shaking with anger.

Fugaku watched Itachi's features set with confidence as he arched a silky brow at his furious younger brother. "And she'll never see past your indiscretions," he replied smoothly.

"Boys," warned Fugaku, trying to regain control of the conversation. "You're to be praised for setting such splendid expectations for a potential mate; but this matter is not going to be resolved tonight. Itachi, with your deadline looming nearer, I think it best that you pursue Sakura—"

"What!" Sasuke cried, anger and desperation flaring in his eyes as they bled crimson. "Why does she get to be the mother of Itachi's children? I'm her team mate! Why couldn't she be the mother to mine?" His Adam's apple bobbed as he struggled with his emotions. "She's one of my best friends!"

Fugaku shook his head. It was obvious even to him that Sakura had been keeping Sasuke at a brotherly distance, and possibly further, since he started his campaign for kunoichi (and civilian, he'd recently learned with disdain) sexual domination. While he had no doubt Sakura would have excused a history of proper relationships, Fugaku knew that Sakura, with her ties to the Hokage's office, would not be able to tie herself to someone whose reputation was that tarnished with such a track record of indiscretions and lack of self-respect; certainly she wouldn't open herself up to mothering a philanderer's children.

"Sasuke, stop embarrassing yourself. And the clan," said Fugaku. He turned away. "I trust this matter is resolved. Itachi, you are permitted to proceed. Sasuke, I recommend you look… outside the Village," he said, shaking his head again. "And I extend your deadline to three years. Wait at least a year before you begin searching, so your shameful behaviour has a chance to be forgotten by the populace."

Shoulders straighter, Itachi nodded, serene. "Of course, father."

Shaking and mute, his complexion white as snow, Sasuke stared after their father.

"Hn," said Fugaku. "And I expect both of you to be on best behaviour going forward."

"Yes, father," said Itachi.

Fugaku returned indoors. Hopefully there was still some pavlova left.

The door had barely shut behind him when a war broke out behind him in the garden.


AN: Hope you enjoy this very OOC and very fun trundle down FugaSaku lane. Things pick up in the relationship direction next chapter!

Reader Review Replies!

Animelover5107: Excellent! If you're laughing, then my goal is reached!

Hime-SaMa'sLynx: I'm not sure I know what's good in the FugaSaku fandom; this story's a bit out in left field (even for me, hahahaha!), but it will turn down the FugaSaku path very, very shortly. Do you have any FugaSaku recs to pass on?! (Also, "Who" is a fun guilty pleasure, eh? Hee hee)

Yami no Emi: Awesome! :D

Guest: It is evolving as we speak!

Hitomi Star: Yes, the pairing is correct… give it time. winkwink.

Mieko-chan12: Hope you enjoy this one, too!