Mikoto hummed softly to herself as she worked in the kitchen, only stopping her rapid footsteps as she tripped over one of her sons.

"Kichirou!" she cried out in surprise as she nearly hit the wall.

The four-year-old's eyes welled up with tears as he rubbed his nose.

"Are you all right?" Mikoto asked as she knelt and rubbed a smear of dirt off Kichirou's cheek. "Did I hurt you?"

Kichirou shook his head, his dark eyes wide in innocent refusal. He touched his nose again all the same, indicating a tiny bruise forming on it.

"Oh, you poor dear," Mikoto tutted sympathetically. "Didn't I tell you not to play in the kitchen?"

Kichirou nodded shamefacedly, choosing to stare at the floor.

Mikoto smiled and shook her head, stroking Kichirou's dark, feather styled hair. "Would you like some Ohagi?"

Kichirou's face brightened as he nodded vigorously. Mikoto laughed at his response and rose to her feet. Cutting one of the sweet rice treats in half, she gave one to Kichirou and set the other aside for if Sasuke wanted some.

"You know you spoil that kid," Fugaku's voice filtered in as he entered the room.

"Oh, nonsense," Mikoto shook her head with a pretend scowl. "He's only four after all."

"Sasuke's four, and I don't see you treating him the same way," Fugaku pointed out.

Mikoto sighed and put down the knife she had been using to chop cabbage. "He's so tiny, though," she said fondly as she looked down at Kichirou. "And he hardly says anything! I get worried about him sometimes."

Fugaku rolled his eyes, but Mikoto could see a twinkle in their depths. "Well he won't get any further advanced in the kitchen," he pointed out, "Especially if he keeps tripping you."

"Kichirou, your father's right," Mikoto adressed the child. "I can't make dinner if I'm worried about dropping something on your head. Why don't you go play with Sasuke for a while?"

"Sasuke don't wanna play," Kichirou pouted as he crossed his legs and held his ankles, rocking back and forth slightly. "He says he wants ta play with Itachi."

"I'm sure Sasuke wants to play with you just as much as he does Itachi," Mikoto comforted. "Why don't you go ask him?"

Kichirou shook his head vehemently at the suggestion. Mikoto sighed and shrugged helplessly at Fugaku. "Sasuke," she called, "Can you come here a moment?"

There was a brief pause before Sasuke scampered over, his bare feet nearly silent against the wooden floorboards. "Okasan?" he questioned as he entered the kitchen.

Mikoto smiled down at her second eldest son. "Sasuke, why don't you and Kichirou go play together. I need you two out of the kitchen so I can make dinner."

As she had expected, Sasuke grinned and led Kichirou back to the room the twins shared. Soon Sasuke's innecessant chattering could be heard as he led Kichirou into an epic battle between the stuffed dinosaurs.

"I knew it wasn't Sasuke's fault that Kichirou was getting left out of things," Mikoto said as she returned to making dinner.

"Kichirou's too shy for his own good," Fugaku nodded. "He's going to have to learn to break out of his shell someday."

"Remember, he's only four," Mikoto pointed out. "He hasn't gotten to the sociable stage in life."

"No, but his brother certainly has," Fugaku said ruefully as Sasuke's pretend roars echoed past the thin paper walls.

"You know, Itachi was the same way when he was Kichirou's age," Mikoto responded. "I think Kichirou just needs a little time to grow into things."

Fugaku stroked his chin as he thought of the possibility. Just then the door opened, interrupting further conversation.

Kichirou was having a fun time playing with his dinosaur, Aoi, and Sasuke was talking endlessly about 'Roary's' many adventures. The clicking of the door latch signified the end of play time.

"Nissan!" Sasuke called out as he dropped his toys and ran out the room.

Kichirou's face fell and he sat still a moment before putting everything away by himself. Picking up Aoi and hugging the stuffed toy to himself, he peeked around the doorway before entering the room.

"Nissan, please will you play with me," Sasuke begged, dragging his older brother to the door.

"Homework," Mikoto reminded from the kitchen.

Sasuke began pouting, and with a smile Itachi answered, "I can always do my homework afterwards. It is easy."

Sasuke began cheering and with a grin of his own Kichirou tossed Aoi into the bedroom and ran after his brothers.

"Nissan, can I - " The door closed in Kichirou's face, the thud alike to the hollow feeling in his heart.

"Kichirou? Is that you?" Mikoto came to the doorway and saw her youngest son slumped dejectedly against the frame.

"Oh, honey, did they leave without you again?" Her face showing her annoyance, Mikoto shooed Kichirou away from the door and called for Itachi. When no answer came, Mikoto closed it with a sharp click and brushed her hands off, her dark eyes dancing with irritation.

"What is it?" Fugaku asked as he strolled out from the kitchen.

"I have got to talk with that oldest son of yours," Mikoto shook her head. "Kichirou always gets left out of things. It's not fair to him."

"Well, I could always find out where they are and walk Kichirou over there," Fugaku offered. "Would you like that, son?"

Kichirou sighed. "No. They don't want me around." Putting his hands in his pockets, he trudged out of the room.

Mikoto gave her husband a helpless look and muttered something about her inconsiderate eldest child. Fugaku stood there for a minute, considering the situation. Walking over to Sasuke and Kichirou's room, he peeked inside. "Kichirou?"

Kichirou was practicing a very sloppy handstand when he heard Fugaku's voice, and with a sigh he let himself drop into a roll, landing in a cross legged position. Fugaku raised an eyebrow at the maneuver. It was rather complex for a four year old.

"You know, it's my day off today," he informed Kichirou. "I could teach you a few moves that Itachi learned at the academy."

Kichirou's eyes brightened and he grinned broadly. Fugaku led the way to the back yard, Kichirou close at his heels. Fugaku found himself wondering how much he knew about his two younger sons. For nine years he had devoted his attention to Itachi. Had he neglected his other children during that time?

Kichirou skipped along beside Fugaku, his laughter ringing through the yard as he jumped into a leaf pile that Fugaku had hired some unfortunate genin team to clean up.

The training began simply enough, with a few lessons in kunai throwing as well as hand to hand combat. Fugaku was astounded at how quickly Kichirou caught on. The boy was nearly as good as Itachi had been at his age. Fugaku wondered how he could have misssed this second clan genius.

"All right, now if you hold your hand like this..." Fugaku had begun explaining another throwing technique when he was rudely interrupted.

"Otosan, can you teach me Nissan's fire technique?" Kichirou asked out of the blue.

Fugaku started slightly, then smiled in bemusement. "It's a bit complicated for someone your age. Are you sure you want to try it?"

Kichirou nodded. "I wanna do what Nissan does, an then maybe you'll be proud."

Fugaku's smile disappeared and he turned Kichirou to face him. "I'm already proud of you, Kichirou. Both you and Sasuke."

"But you always talk to Itachi," Kichirou hung his head.

Fugaku's heart was torn by his son's accusation. Was this how the twins considered him? A neglectful and ignorant father?

"Itachi has, ah, special skills," Fugaku fumbled. "He required my full attention so that he could learn to use them well."

"So if I learn like Itachi, then you'll pay attention to me too?"

Fugaku didn't know what to say. Right then and there he vowed to start spending a little more time with both his younger sons. The rift between them was already uncomfortably wide, and he didn't know how to close it.

Fugaku cleared his throat nervously and straightened. "Um, here, let me show you how the fire technique works," he said as he began walking Kichirou through the hand movements.

Kichirou's fingers were clumsy but his mind was sharp, and he was soon speeding through the sequences as though it were natural. Needless to say, Fugaku was quite impressed. Next he explained how a ninja focused the chakra in their bloodstream, centering it around the hand signals to complete the jutsu. When Fugaku caught the gleam of understanding in Kichirou's eyes, he launched his own fireball to give an example.

"All right, you want to give it a try?"

Kichirou's brow furrowed in concentration. Fingers flying, he took a deep breath and blew. Nothing happened.

"Don't worry, it usually doesn't happen on the first try," Fugaku reassured as he patted the boy's dark hair.

Kichirou sighed, and Fugaku sensed with dismay that another question was coming. "Otosan, why don't Itachi like me?"

Fugaku blinked, wondering where the idea had come from. "What makes you think he doesn't like you?"

Kichirou drew in the dirt with his bare foot. "He never talks to me, an he's always playin' with Sasuke. I think he forgets I'm even around."

"That's not true," Fugaku was quick to point out. "Your brother cares about you very much, Kichirou. Remember that toy fox he got you for your birthday?"

Kichirou nodded. 'Foxy' was hidden under his pillow, a sad reminder of someone he never had around. "Okasan made him get something."

"Your mother and I knew nothing about it," Fugaku shook his head. "Itachi got it of his own accord."

"But why does he always play with Sasuke an not me? He won' even do his homework if Sasuke wants ta play."

Fugaku rubbed his neck, trying to think of an answer. How could he explain the special bond between Itachi and Sasuke? Something was there that had never existed for Kichirou. It was hard being the third wheel amongst one's siblings.

"Everyone is... different," Fugaku sighed. "Itachi will always treat you and Sasuke in seperate ways, but that doesn't mean he cares about Sasuke more than you. He just has a different way of showing his affection."

Kichirou shrugged. "Maybe I'm jus' invisible ta him. Maybe if I practice more, then I'll become uninvisible."

Fugaku's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out a four-year-old's logic. Seeing his father's confusion, Kichirou dropped the conversation and stepped forward.

Raising his fingers to his lips, he blew a perfect fireball.