No response was given to his husband. Instead, uncertain looks were exchanged by his so called family, it was as if they didn't know how to respond. None of them. Which was total bullshit if you asked Naruto. It wasn't a hard question. At least, it shouldn't be. Sasuke was made to repeat himself like he'd previously spoken in tongues. Which did they care about more? Him or the coup de tat?

To Sasuke's credit, he didn't show any frustration on his face at the repetition or his family members hesitation to speak. His tone didn't raise. It stayed at the same even level. He wanted answers- answers that he could only get from the three soon to be deceased people before him. Patience it seemed was his only option. So he kept calm. They couldn't stay silent forever. If they tried, their silence would be taken as an answer in and of itself instead. As undesirable as that would be, he'd accept it if he had to.

But this was sick. Naruto was repulsed by the lot of them. He didn't understand what was taking so long. Their responses should have been immediate. How were they not? Why was it taking so long? Damnit. Did they actually have to think about it?

Sasuke had asked him a similar question one night. A long time ago...

They were young, late teens. It was about a year after the war. The two were merely dating back then. Naruto was still in kage training at the time, and honestly he'd messed up pretty bad. Kakashi Sensei let him assign some missions one day. Get him ready for the real thing, whatever. There was this one s rank that had looked really cool. Perfect for Sasuke from what he'd skimmed. Even though it was super important for the village the council didn't raise a single protest. They actually put a rush order on it. That should have been a red flag right there.

He'd been over confident. Proud even that he could separate his work and personal feelings like so many had doubted he could at the current time. Naruto insisted that Sasuke could get the mission done no problem. Except he should have read the whole way to the end of the file because the mission was anything but open and shut. It was hell, Sasuke almost died three times over - if he didn't have his Rinnegan he would have-and it was all the blonde's fault. When Sasuke got home, before he could make any apologies, he was leveled with the question.

"Which do you care about more? The village or me?"

As a budding Hokage, Naruto knew the answer expected of him. Not just by Sasuke in that moment but by everyone. He knew that the village should come above all else. He knew that probably more than anyone. His father had done that when he was Hokage, put the village before him and his mom, but staring into the depths of Sasuke's eyes, seeing all the fear and the dread of the answer -The Uchiha looked so damned hurt-the expected answer hadn't been the one he gave. He hadn't even had to think about it. Sasuke's name it just came out and the following 'You. The answer will always be you.' Just tumbled out straight behind.

Truthfully, nothing in this world mattered more to Naruto than Sasuke did. Nothing else ever would. Maybe it made him a bad Kage, putting Sasuke above the village, one life over so many others, but Sasuke was and will always be his most precious person. His husband took priority. Every time. It was non negotiable. Sasuke deserved to be put first. He really did.

"It's not a complicated question." Naruto spoke up, blue eyes threatening to dye red the longer Sasuke's loved ones stayed silent. Naruto starting to feel they were ignoring his husband. That they had no intention of giving him a straight answer.

"Naruto." Sasuke's hand rubbed his thigh soothingly. His voice softened towards the blonde. "Don't rush them, Usuratonkachi. Let them think."

"Think?" Naruto's head snapped to Sasuke. He leaned towards him voice lowering to an angered snarl. "What the hell is there to think about? Are you telling me there's an actual choice here?" One read of Sasuke's face and his eyes completely bled to red. "There shouldn't be one to make."

"I know." Sasuke let out a sighing breath through his nose, his head tilted. His free hand settled itself on Naruto's arm. "But there is. That's okay."

"Sasuke." Naruto's eyes were fierce. It was not okay. Not at all. How could Sasuke even say that? Naruto didn't understand. No-that wasn't true. Not entirely. Even if he couldn't follow Sasuke's line of thought right now, he knew his husband. Knew what kind of a person that Sasuke truly was. He was good. Too good for the likes of this family. They didn't deserve him. They didn't deserve his husbands loving heart. Not when they treated him like this.

"It's okay." Sasuke repeated voice remaining at that soft kilter. "I've waited this long...what's a few more minutes?"

The red trickled down revealing Naruto's blue eyes once more. His pupils still fox like. He didn't like this. But he wouldn't ruin Sasuke's final chance to get answers to things he couldn't in their time either.

"What do you want us to say, Sasuke?" Itachi spoke hand lowering from his head. The teen just sounded so impossibly tired. "The situations complicated."

"That's not an answer. Don't tell me crafted lies or half truths that don't mean anything. I'm sick of secrets. Especially coming from you." Sasuke pointed a finger at his brother. "I want the truth." Sasuke kept his head held high. "Whatever that may be. That's it. Even if it won't be what I want to hear. I deserve that much."

"The coup de tat is for you, Sasuke." Mikoto reasoned. "Its for the entire clan. It's not possible to care about it without caring about you at the same time. It's to better your future. The clan's future. They're one and the same you understand?"

"Oh shut up" The words left Naruto's mouth as disgusted with Mikoto's words as his younger self had been with the broccoli earlier. "That's such a smoke screen. Don't say that like you have Sasuke's best interest at heart with your little power grab. Not when your all actively ignoring his needs now."

"Naruto." Sasuke said his husbands name sharply.

"Look, I'm sorry if that was rude," his head swiveled to his husband. "But it's true. You're being neglected, Sasuke. It's the only word for it. You might have your basic needs being met here, food, clothes, shelter-whatever. But can you honestly tell me that the same is happening when it comes to your emotions?"

Sasuke remained completely silent.

"Yeah." Naruto studied Sasuke's face. "Didn't think so."

"You've got some nerve-" Fugaku glared.

"Damn right I do." His eyes shifted to Sasuke's father leveling him with a ferocious glare of his own, a dangerous glint of red in his blue eyes. "Unlike you I love him."

Itachi's eye balls practically popped out of his head as his eyes went impossibly wide. Mikoto's mouth fell open, eyes trembling with shock.

Fugaku was fuming mad now. "How dare you even presume to-!"

"Don't raise your voice at my husband." Sasuke looked his father in the eye as he cut him off. His voice remained calm and collected. He held up a hand. "We're keeping this civil, remember? Naruto isn't presuming anything. His conclusion isn't baseless. If he's wrong it's because he's going off of what I told him about my own feelings. What he's witnessed thus far doesn't paint a pretty picture either. Actions speak louder than words. I'll consider your inability to answer the first question as an answer in and of itself."

Sasuke rested his arms on the table. "Next question. Father why do you care about Itachi more than me?"

"Sasuke." Itachi was truly horrified. "You can't ask such a thing. That's not true. He loves us both."

"He loves you more."

"You don't really believe that." Itachi protested.

"He does." Naruto chimed.

"Well, He's wrong." Itachi frowned eyes shifting to the shadow kage. "He doesn't love me more than you."

"Hmph. Feels that way to me, but fine. We'll let that one go. Let's move on." Sasuke's calm was fading. His irritation growing. These questions weren't for his brother and he was interfering again. "Father, tell me, What do I have to do to make you care about me too? Is that a better question, Itachi? Or Oh, I know. What is it going to take for you to be proud of me? How hard do I have to train before you acknowledge me without me having to perform some momentous feat.? How's that for a question? Why do I have surpass Itachi just to get a glimmer of recognition? Is being a kage seriously not enough to impress you? Can you not see I have boundless potential that your squandering? Why can't you ever spare five minutes to show me how to do a shuriken jutsu? What did I ever do to become such a disappointment in your eyes? Was I an accidental pregnancy? Did you ever even want a second son? What did I ever do that was so wrong other than exist?"

"I've heard enough of this." Fugaku got up from the table. He turned his back and walked towards the door.

"It's enough when I say it is." Sasuke slammed his hands down and shot to his feet. "For once in my life you are going to listen to me. You're going to answer me. All of my questions. Every single one. I've earned that right. You owe it to me. I'm your son too -" Sasuke grit his teeth. "Stay and talk to me damn you!"

"The Coup de tat."

Sasuke froze where he stood. He felt the crushing weight of disappointment settle upon him. He didn't know whose it was anymore. His or his fathers. But either way it hurt.

Fugaku made no attempts to turn around as he spoke. It was just like that day on the dock. "It matters more than you at the present moment."

His father walked out of the kitchen without another word.

Despite that answer confirming his assumptions about their silence, Sasuke desperately wanted to know why. Why did he feel that way? His father owed him a proper explanation as to why the coup mattered more than his own son. Was it merely because he had a responsibility as head of the clan or was it just because he hated him? Millions of questions swirled in Sasuke's mind.

He looked back at his husband. Naruto sent him a comforting partial smile. He'd calmed somewhat since Sasuke started getting proper answers . "Go." He nodded out of the doorway encouragingly. "I'll make things right with these two here. Get your answers, Angel. It's okay."

Sasuke nodded, "I'll be back." He promised before he went to track down his father. Their conversation wasn't over. This was just getting started.

"Okay. So..." Naruto smoothed out his napkin. "...we need to talk about Sasuke now. Yours not mine. Sas is fine with letting all your behavior towards his younger self continue cause he's used to it but I'm not. I won't turn a blind eye to Sasuke's suffering. Not in a million years. Your his family. So you all need to open your eyes and wake up before it's too late."

And that's where I'm stopping this chapter! Sorry for the wait everyone! So intense! Much drama! What did you think of everything that happened? All the questions and responses? Did anything shock you? Or hit you in the feels? I wanna know your reactions! Type em out in the comments!

Also if you have some extra time here are some more questions to vote on! Sorry if me asking is annoying, I'm just indecisive and your guy's input really helps!

1. Who do you think little Sasuke needs a big tight warm hug from the most and why? Mikoto? Itachi? or Fugaku?

2. Do you think Naruto's accusations of neglect are well founded or do you think little Sasuke's just too sensitive and Naru's going off of some shoddy info?

3. What's your favorite moment that happened in this story thus far and why?