Title:
"Afternoon Tea"
Author/Artist:
Yukari
Rin
Pairing:
Yondaime Hokage x Uchiha Shisui
Fandom:
Naruto
Theme:
#06, the space between dream and reality
Rating:
K
Word
Count:
1,206
Notes:
Written for The
Lady Lamb
for her birthday. I'm sorry it's late, but I hope you enjoy it
nonetheless. I apologize if Itachi is OOC to any/all
degrees.
Disclaimer:
Naruto
and related properties belong to Masashi Kishimoto and related
parties.
"Afternoon Tea"
The blond man sighed and scratched the back of his head as he once more turned down the wrong street. He knew the Uchiha were proud of their clan, but the way they decorated the Uchiha District left it confusing for outsiders to get through. 'Maybe that's the point,' he sighed, looking for a street sign. Aside from Shisui's house, he had never had any real reason to cross through the District, but now that he was Hokage he had certain duties to attend to.
Meeting with the Uchiha Head being one of the more important ones.
Shisui had promised to take him to her uncle's house, but when he arrived at her home a note was stuck in the doorjamb telling him she had gone ahead of him to help her aunt with something.
Two wrong turns and a helpful older woman later, the Yondaime Hokage had finally arrived at the Uchiha estate. Several minutes late (no thanks to Shisui). He swallowed the fear in his throat as he wondered how to announce his presence. He was worried Fugaku wouldn't meet with him because of his tardiness. "Nothing to lose," he muttered to himself and knocked strongly on the fence's door. He pushed it open after a moment and peeked onto the property. Shisui was walking towards him, eyes brightening after she registered it was him.
"You got lost, didn't you?" she asked him teasingly with a straight face.
"Slightly, yes. But at least I'm more familiar with your family's community," he replied slightly abashed.
"Uncle had to step out for some family business, but he should be back soon. Aunt Mikoto, Itachi, and I were just about to have some tea, join us while you wait," she tilted her head in the direction of the house and waited for him to join her.
The home was one of the older structures in the entire village, but it had been well cared for over the generations. Its interior was clean, the public areas traditionally decorated, the family's wealth underlying everything, but discreetly. Shisui's relatives were just inside; a few of the sliding doors open all of the way to let the afternoon breeze wander through the rooms. He and Shisui slid their sandals off and stepped into the room.
"Thank you for coming all this way," Mikoto spoke with a warm smile. She pressed one palm against the low table to stand.
"It's my pleasure," the Hokage returned bowing. "Please do not trouble yourself to stand. Your due date is near?" he inquired sitting on the seat beside Shisui. He glanced at the young boy sitting between the two women. He was eying the blond with partially narrowed eyes, face otherwise blank of expression.
Mikoto laughed softly and laid one hand on her son's jet black head and the other on her large stomach. "At the end of the month. Itachi's looking forward to being a big brother, isn't that right?"
The boy in question nodded his head once, still watching the Hokage. Shisui noticed and poked him above his ear. "I bet you want a little sister, don't you? So you can protect her."
Itachi drew his brows together and finally drew his attention away from the visitor. "She'd be an Uchiha; she wouldn't need to be protected."
This caused Mikoto and Shisui to laugh. Rumpling his hair Shisui told him, "She won't always be able to defend herself, though, Itachi. Babies need to be taken care of quite often when they're first born."
If the fact alarmed the boy, he didn't show it. Shisui smoothed his hair and picked up her tea cup.
"Oh, have you been reading up on child care, Shisui? Planning for your own-"
Shisui began coughing into her cup, slapping her hand against her chest to clear her throat. The Yondaime felt his ears heat up as he tried to hide his own blush by taking a sip of his tea before it cooled. Mikoto didn't bother hiding her sly grin as she watched her niece and village leader react to her teasing. "It's perfectly natural you two. After all, you've spent nearly every day of most of your lives together. And don't think that others haven't noticed the way you look at each other sometimes."
"Aunt Mikoto-"
"Lady Uchiha-"
Mikoto shook her head and waved one of her hands in front of herself dismissingly. "It's about time you two got married and started a family. You're the Hokage now, after all-"
"But he's not an Uchiha," Itachi's young voice asserted. His eyes had narrowed even more at the man he now considered unwelcome.
The three adults instantly quieted, unsure of what to tell the boy. Telling him that didn't matter was pointless. At five years old he was already wise beyond his years. He knew there were certain things the clan members did and didn't do. But could they give him reason to think otherwise? The young Hokage looked to Shisui, wondering what was going through her mind as she stared at the gleaming surface of the table.
"It's awfully quiet in here," a deep voice commented, jarring the adults from their thoughts.
"Welcome home, Fugaku," Mikoto rose slowly, walking over to place a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Hello, Uncle," Shisui nodded. Itachi watched his father with an expression the Hokage didn't understand.
"Lord Hokage, I'm sorry to have been out when you arrived," the older man bowed.
"I understand how as the head of your family your voice is important in certain matters," the blond rose and bowed. "You have nothing to apologize for."
Fugaku eyed him, inspecting, before turning to his wife. "Please bring some tea into my study. The Hokage and I will speak in there." He turned and the Yondaime followed him, glancing once more at Shisui before leaving the room. Mikoto left the room after them to prepare the tea, leaving Shisui alone with her cousin.
"Shisui?" he asked after being sure no one was nearby in the hall.
"Yes, Itachi?" she asked, looking up from the table into black eyes like her own.
"Do you want to have a family with him?" The curiosity in his voice was mixed with a hint of something else. Shisui looked at him and tried to place her finger on it. Jealousy? Sorrow?
She wrapped her hands around the tea cup and sighed. "I'm always honest with you, aren't I, Itachi?"
He nodded.
"Then I won't lie to you now. I care deeply for him, but I don't think I could ever have a family with him."
"Why?" he asked, scooting closer to her.
She bit her bottom lip. "Just as your father cares about our family, and is always taking care of it, the Hokage cares for and loves everyone in the village. He can't pick one person to care for more than any other. We may be in the Uchiha clan under the guidance of your father, but we're part of Konoha's family, too, and the Hokage is the village's father."
Itachi placed his small hands on hers. "But which family is more important to you?"
Shisui closed her eyes and took a deep breath, asking herself that question yet again.
