{I don't own Naruto, or anything of any worth. u.u}

The Carving

Ch 12: Dinner At 6

"...Naruto-san!" Ayame all but leaped over the counter as she made her way to the front of the bar, "Who did this?"

"Duzzen madder," He shook his head and smiled a broken smile. The first of his teeth knocked out of his head, "Thank you, Ayame-sama. I brawt a pwetty fwower for you, 'cause you're Beautiful, and nice to Naruto."

Ayame felt her heart shatter and melt all at once, "Thank you. Thank you, Naruto-kun!" She took the offering and treasured it. She never told him but she pressed that very flower and hung it in her room to remind her how lucky she was...

Ayame called out one last good-bye as they disappeared from view, "Take care Naruto-kun!.."

...Naruto looked back and smiled waving goodbye before turning and rejoining The trio of Uchihas. "Ayame-sama is a nice girl," Naruto sighed making the two boys a bit jealous of the young woman. They looked back in time to see her turning to the bar.

"Does Naruto-kun have a crush?" Mikoto teased. Naruto blushed and shook his head no, "Ayame to pretty for me. She is really nice like a sister." Naruto nodded agreeing with himself, "Ayame is to big for me, she 'splained it to me. She has a boyfriend her size..."

"Oh, okay Naruto-kun," Mikoto chuckled behind her hand, "Come on now let's not dawdle we have kept Itachi away from his studies far to long." Itachi rolled his eyes and Sasuke snickered, 'Finally! I get my Naruto back!'

They deposited the older boy at the academy. Mikoto noted the time. It was close to two so they rushed back to the market place to pick up the boys' Kimonos before heading home. First they went to Shinju's first because she had promised her kimonos would be done by this time. And they were waiting in all their glory.

"I have out done myself I know, no need to say a word Mikoto-sama," She purred in a way that made Sasuke's skin crawl and made Naruto want to hide behind Mikoto's skirt.

"Well they are simply stunning, Thank you," She handed a pouch over. The woman opened it and smiled wickedly before opening her register and stashing her more then generous compensation. Sasuke always thought it weird how the woman did business, but he shrugged it off. He was just glad she didn't come at him with anymore straight pins. The two luxurious kimonos were placed in boxes and Mikoto cradled them in her arms. They said good bye and quickly made their way to the much less busy part of the market where Kotone's shop was located. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's tiny hand and started dragging him toward the shop, "Let's go my little fox! I want to see your kimono!" Sasuke giggled and Naruto blushed, Mikoto sighed but smiled at her youngest son, 'Sasuke seems to be quite infatuated with Naruto-kun, but I am sure it is purely innocent. After all, who could resist such a kawaii chibi?'

She sped up to catch the boys before they could get lost in the thinning crowd. She soon spotted them entering Kotone's shop and sighed once again...

Kotone heard her bell ring and came out from the back. She saw two out of breath little boys and smiled before offering each of them a sucker, "I assume you winded Mikoto-sama?" She scolded mockingly. Naruto tried not to flinch and found that a sugary treat helped a great deal in that matter.

Mikoto entered not long after panting clutching two boxes, "You...two...shouldn't have run off...like that."

"Mikoto-sama, please sit and rest the kimono will be finished soon, but I need to borrow Naruto-kun here for the final fitting." Mikoto nodded and took a seat in the straight backed cushioned chair that was offered to her. Kotone took Naruto's sucker, "Could you hold this for him, Sasuke-san?" Sasuke nodded politely. Naruto felt a little fear rise in his chest as he was lead away from his protection, and his precious sugar. Kotone was gentle with him and her fittings were nicer then Shinju's. She pinned in a few places where it was to loose and had nowhere that was too snug. The child was far to thin in her opinion, but he looked simply adorable in the outfit and the blue-green silk made his lovely eyes shine. The red embroidery was a nice touch and really made the outfit pop. She smiled thankful for the newfangled embroidery machine that did the design in mere minutes where it would have taken her hours to accomplish. Still she put little personal touches into it and the results were stunning. Kotone finished and trotted the shy blond out to model his outfit.

Mikoto was catching her breath as Sasuke stood by her faithfully holding Naruto's sucker for him. Naruto appeared from the back and both boy and woman gasped. Mikoto exclaimed, "Naruto you're so kawaii!"

Sasuke looked stunned blushing at the little boy before him, "You look like a princess." He smiled at the compliment he had uttered knowing it was a little backhanded, but Naruto did, really look feminine. To Sasuke the child was beautiful and princess like, "Naruto-hime."

Naruto's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "I'm not a hime! I'm a boy..."

"I-I didn't mean to make you mad. It's just you're so pretty," Sasuke turned away feeling he had put his foot to far into his mouth to gracefully remove it.

"You look fine Naruto-kun," Mikoto reached for the boy and brushed his bangs out of his face. She had to agree with Sasuke somewhat. If she had not bathed the boy and seen his anatomy she would have been fooled, and Naruto was indeed very pretty, "You are a handsome little fellow."

He beamed, "Really?"

"Yes, now could you change out of it so it won't get dirty? We have a lot to do before getting dressed for dinner. They went home and Mikoto called out a few favors. Her neighbor, best friend, and sister-in-law, Kiyomi, to help in preparing the food. Sasuke and Naruto were charged with cleaning the formal dining hall and when finished with that, which consisted mostly of dusting and spreading the fancy table cloths on the western style tables, they were put to task peeling potatoes. They carefully executed that until Sasuke decided to start a potato skin war with Naruto and they had to clean up their mess and each spent ten minutes in opposite corners of the kitchen thinking about how to better use their time then throwing scraps around the kitchen. Mikoto and Kiyomi prepared extravagant dishes and had a nice pig roast going. Finally all the food was prepared and being kept warm, or cold if necessary.

Mikoto took the two boys and plunked them into the bath. Sasuke blushed as he was stripped bare in front of Naruto. Mikoto left the two of them to wash going to get their kimonos laid out for them. Then she got ready changing into her formal Kimono.

"I'm home!" Itachi called as he ran through the door. Mikoto came down to the main part of the house and greeted her son.

"Itachi-san, go wash up and put on your kimono," he nodded and ran up stairs.

Sasuke pulled the blushing blond out of his room. Naruto was really nervous about meeting Sasuke's kin, "You'll be just fine, just do like I do...keep your mouth closed and your ears open. Follow my lead and you will be fine!" Sasuke grunted loudly as he pulled the little blond out of his room. He tumbled backward Naruto following, both were stopped by Itachi's firm grip.

"Oi gaki! You could have hurt Naruto, or ruined your kimono! You know that the elders are coming tonight don't you?" Itachi berated his brother then pushed him away hugging onto Naruto, "Are you hurt Naru-tenshi? Naruto smiled as Itachi inspected him for injuries. "You are a very beautiful little angel." Naruto blushed. Sasuke grumbled that Naruto didn't seem to mind very much if Itachi called him beautiful. He was ignored as Itachi lifted the blond to his feet and straightened his clothes for him. "That kimono suits you very much. I'm sure they will like you very much."

"Really?" Naruto tilted his head causing both brothers to practically gasp at his cuteness.

"Duh! Of course they will love you Naru-chan!" Sasuke butted in tired of his Naruto looking at his annoying brother, "Come on Naruto! Let's go down stairs and see if Okaa-san needs anything else?" The younger Uchiha dragged Naruto from his dominating older brother.

"Oh, good you two are ready, and you both look so adorable!" Mikoto walked over to the two boys and pinched their little cheeks. Naruto was looking slightly healthier then the day before. His bruises even seemed to have cleared up almost completely and he would not need any cover-up to hide them from the elders. The woman did not question it, only thanking Kami that the boy seemed to be a fast healer.

"You two will greet guests. Now Naruto don't worry nobody will bite," She smiled, but her choice of words was a poor one. Naruto backed away fearfully, "Oh Naruto-kun it was only a figure of speech." She gently took his hand and patted it comfortingly, "I mean to say you will be safe. Nobody will hurt you. I won't let anybody hurt you." She prayed that the elders did not make her into a liar.

Sasuke and Naruto were charged with seeing people to their seats. Itachi was greeting them and taking coats and shoes. Mikoto and Kiyomi would be serving and Fugaku would be at the head of the table playing the part of clan head. The two senior most elders were seated to his right and Mikoto would take the seat to his left.

The elders were shown in and many commented on the polite little blond boy. They could only guess what they were called there for and half of them already suspected the truth had to do with the child that only a few recognized as Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto was quiet and meek he kept behind Sasuke most of the time, but a few times one or more of the elders (there were twenty in all) called him over to examine him. Some tisked at his poor health, still obvious despite his healing bruises. Others admired his beauty. He was a rare beauty with his gold hair and ocean blue eyes. One even commented on the resemblance he had to Yondiame. Naruto and Sasuke had no clue who this Yondiame was. Naruto didn't care—it did not seem a bad thing to them that he looked like that. Dinner was soon served and Naruto sat Nervously beside Sasuke poking at his food with his chopsticks. Before he could get three bites Kiyomi came to clear the table for the next course. It was a painfully slow meal. Finally it was late enough to send the youths to bed and the true purposes of the meeting were revealed...