And here is the event with Sasori and his puppets! Some cute things, because well Nicola and also the start of some drama perhaps? Enjoy the read my lovelies.

...

Well, this was going to be a long evening, but the art gallery looked great. Sasori really had done his best to make the best looking puppets. They kind of looked lifelike. It still surprises me that Sasori was an artist as well and had so much passion for wood and what he could create with it.

I give everything one last look, making sure everything looks great, just like the entrance painting I made so long ago. But it was beautiful and it would never leave. Most works were for sale, but this one would never be. It wouldn't matter how much people were willing to pay for it. Everything looked great and the puppets fit quite beautiful with my paintings. But we will see how tonight goes and then I'll judge of it was the right decision or not. The puppets have to bring in some money, otherwise they had to go.

Somewhere in the corner I see Sasori standing and for a second time I actually see him showing some emotion. He was very nervous, almost trembling out of his shoes. It must be frightening a first night of having your best work in display like this. For me it was easier. I opened it and showed off my work the first day, having the welcome party a week later. But it was still exciting. Even now when I sell one of the big paintings my heart makes a little jump. This job is so much more fulfilling than my previous one.

The redhead can fend for himself a little since he wasn't much of a talker anyway and I wanted to find my boyfriend and my baby girl who should be around here somewhere. She had been so sweet the previous night and even today she just crawled around and explored the apartment. Ita had some troubles with her, but he moved so swiftly around the room that he easily escaped her little grasping hands. Feeding was easy as well, so at least where she had been staying had been a good place and also very easy to hold and dressing didn't go with much struggling either, except hair ties. Apparently those were evil or something, because she pulled them out with some sort of weird scream that almost seemed like a power call. Quite cute.

And I find them by the front desk, Deidara flipping through some last papers to make sure they had arranged everything and Nikki crawling on the floor, playing with a small puppet Sasori must have made for her. 'Everything going according to plan?' I ask as I approach them, giving Deidara a kiss on the cheek and then bend down to play a little with Nicola.

Instantly she recognises me, happily crawling towards me and offering me her new toy. Deidara still busied himself with the papers, not really answering my question and then just walked off as if he was happy that I was there to pay attention to our little girl for a moment. The blonde couldn't handle stress very well and apparently something needed to be discussed with Naruto, who we had hired as a waiter together with some of his friends. Not Sasuke's friend though. They did not really like my little brother so it seemed, but Naruto assured me their opinion didn't matter to him.

I hadn't been able to talk to Sasuke yet, but Naruto told me he was still just living at home and actually wasn't forbidden to see the blonde. It surprised me and I wondered what exactly he had said to father. It couldn't be that he had a change of heart. No way would he suddenly approve of his younger son having a relationship with another man while he almost tortured me until I left. But Sasuke would also stop by tonight, together with my mother of course, because she had to be invited. This was also kind of the day that they all got to see Nicola for the first time.

As I check my watch I notice it is almost time and Deidara was still busy. Well, I'll just take Nicola with me then as I give the introduction. I'm sure the audience wouldn't mind and she might just brighten the evening even more. Not many would be able to resist her sweet face and she wasn't very loud or anything.

Carefully I lift her up and walk over to the entrance painting of the angel, Sasori having accompanied her with two of his puppets, also not for sale. He called them his mother and father puppets which seemed odd, but apparently they both died in an accident. I hadn't known the three red brothers were orphans and it wasn't something I would just ask.

Sasori takes place next to me, murmuring his speech under his breath. He still seemed to freak out at any minute, so I give his shoulder an encouraging squeeze and Nicola saw this as the opportunity to introduce herself to the redhead or something, her little hand going out and slapping him in the face. Yes, slapping him right on his cheek. It wasn't hard, but still quite funny and I couldn't help but laugh. Eventually Sasori joins in and laughs as well, the tension slowly ebbing away.

My lovely boyfriend proceeds to open the door and people start to move in, an actual crowd forming around us already. Many of them are friends and I see my mother and Sasuke among them as well, my mother of course getting all teary eyed at the sight of Nikki and even if it annoys me somewhere, I can't help but smile and give the little girl a kiss on her forehead, earning a tug on my hair back. Such a sweet sweet girl, isn't she?

A kiss is shared between Naruto and Sasuke and somehow they seem happy, even if some sadness still crosses Sasuke's eyes. I wonder why, but I'll ask about that later. And then drinks are being served, the guests either drinking champagne or orange juice and I am handed a glass as well, drinking orange juice since I am driving home and I am also holding a baby.

Slowly the talking quiets down and I know it's time that I start my part of the speech. I switch Nicola to my other arm and curiously she eyes the crowd, her fingers going up to her mouth. She glanced up at me for a moment, as if to ask if this was okay and I just give her a smile. As she turns back to the crowd she smiles at the people, already liking them. She was born to be on a stage or something like that.

'Thank you all for coming tonight,' I start out, making sure my voice is loud enough for everyone to hear. 'Most of you have already been to my art gallery and have seen my work, but today I work a new artist to this gallery with a style of his own. Respect him as you do me and enjoy the rest of the evening. I will give the word now to my companion, Sasori.' And I step back, the redhead immediately starting his speech, sounding a little emotionless as he had rehearsed his words too much. But I don't pay attention to it, having heard everything about his art before.

I move away from the crowd, searching for Deidara who is just watching the speech from afar, a pleased smile on his lips. As we get closer, he reaches his arms out to take little Nicola and immediately she does the same. It felt strange how easily she accepted us, but maybe this really all was just meant to be. Nicola was meant to be with us, just like Deidara and I were meant to be together. We fitted perfectly like a little puzzle of three pieces.

Suddenly soft lips are pressed on mine and I glance up at Deidara, staring deep into those beautiful blue eyes. 'You were great,' he murmurs, lightly bouncing Nikki in his arms. She giggles happily and as if the sound was the sign for my mother to come over, the clicking of her heels was heard.

She keeps her distance, standing a few feet away as she looks at us, Sasuke joining her soon, staring at Nicola with an unreadable expression. As soon as Deidara notices them, he walks over to my mother, happily greeting her. Oh, that little bastard really had been meeting a lot with her behind my back. They were too close for my liking, but if I would say something about it, I would get in a fight about me getting closer to her. So let him be close and I'll keep my distance. My mother never protected me from my father, even when I was little, so why should I so easily forgive her now.

But with Nicola gone and Deidara gone from my side, Sasuke takes his chance and moves over to me, standing next to me and for the first time in years he reaches for my hand and holds it, as we had done when we were little and went somewhere to play together. More must be going on than I realise, but we hadn't have a chance to talk yet.

'How did everything go?' I ask lowly, feeling like this is our moment to talk and the soft squeeze Sasuke gives my hand tells me that was the right decision.

A soft sigh escapes his lips and he leans a little closer, as the little brother he is. 'It was a little weird. Father stayed quiet for a long time and I really thought that he was planning on killing me or something, but then he suddenly responded with an okay and then his phone rang, so he dismissed me and we didn't speak of it again. I don't know if he approved or not, but I'm still living there and it all seems fine.' That was quite the surprise. But it did explain why Sasuke was still living there. But why did father not say anything about it and kind of just pretend it wasn't there.

'Well, it's good you can still live at home, right?' It was the only thing I really had to say about the subject, somewhere feeling a little jealous that Sasuke got away with it all. Father's favourite child perhaps? Couldn't be the reason, but you never know.

I feel Sasuke's head resting against my shoulder as we both stare at our mother now holding Nicola in her arms. It's been a long time since she looked so happy and Nikki gladly went along with it, giggling and letting out sounds of happiness. Deidara goes along with it all, tickling the little girl's sides and ruffling through her soft blond curls. We both stare at the scene for a moment longer, Sasuke never replying to my question.

And then he suddenly speaks up again, for the second time surprising me with his words. 'It feels like I'm being replaced by that small child. As if she is stealing my brother away.'

My eyes move down to him, blinking in confusion for a moment and then I realise he thinks we'll never be able to hang out as we did, because he wasn't allowed to live with me if he told father. 'You'll never be replaced,' I simply say, looking back up at my little girl. 'Yes, my time will involve Nicola a lot and I may not be able to spend time with you as much as you'd like, but you are still my little brother and if you need me, I'll be here for you. But we are brothers, so we can't be together always. You also have Naruto and I am sure he doesn't want to share you with me.' Maybe a weird example, but it felt right to say. Sasuke needed to think of Naruto at this point and maybe even think of how they might want to adopt a child of their own. Things change when you get older and we will spend less time together, but my child replacing my brother isn't even possible. They play such different roles in my life.

Sasuke never replies to that, different words leaving his mouth again and it was as if he wanted to shock me every time he spoke. Almost like he was punishing me for not calling him sooner or something, but I know that isn't true. These are just things he needed to share, especially this last thing.

'Father has been asking about you a lot. He even asked where you lived, but I didn't give him your address. I think he has something to say to you.'

And now it was my turn to not respond as the words keep playing in my head. He has something to say to me? What would the man even want from me? It wouldn't matter anyway. There was no way I was going to get in contact with him. Not with the way he treated me before and later on how he treated Deidara. The man was an asshole and he had no right to even want contact with me and he definitely couldn't know where I lived.

As the evening proceeds and my brother and I part again, I still can't get the words out of my mind. And as people come and go, my mind is elsewhere. Eventually I take Nicola home with me earlier than I intended, but after Deidara asked me what was going on with me, I know I had to go.

And as I drive home the only thing going through my mind is. Why now?

Characters © Masashi Kishimoto

Let me know what you think! What would Itachi's father be up to?