If Only I could have spent a little more time with you.

I do not own Naruto.

Fugaku doesn't know what to think other than How has it become like this?

He has always tried to do what is best for his clan. Sacrifices have to be made for the good of the clan. He is the clan head after all. Itachi is the clan heir. He will need to lead the clan someday and he needs to be prepared for that. Fukagu wanted Itachi to see the reality of the world they lived in as a shinobi. He thought Itachi needed to see it to be prepared. Mikoto had hit him for it. Itachi started training even harder then he already had after that. Fugaku saw this as a good sign. He thought that Itachi understood, he has to be strong in order to fight and survive. Fugaku thought he was lucky that his oldest was a genius. Itachi is smart, strong and mature. Fugaku focused all his attention on Itachi, he was the clan's future after all. He was sure Itachi understood his position. That Itachi understood that they needed to do what is best for the clan. That he agreed what was best for the clan.

But maybe he is wrong.

Maybe he doesn't know Itachi that well after all.

Itachi has been distancing himself from him and Mikoto for a while now. From the whole clan now that he pays attention to it. He can't fathom why he had never seen it before. He always knew that his oldest didn't like fighting. But he had thought Itachi understood the importance. Now he isn't so sure anymore what Itachi thinks. Had he judged Itachi wrong? Is it just like how Mikoto says? That they should stop assuming and start talking? When was the last time he had held a normal conversation with Itachi that didn't involve his training, missions or the clan?

But Itachi isn't the one Fugaku is the most worried about, no the one that has changed the most is Sasuke. In just a few weeks Sasuke's behaviour changed drastically. His youngest that always was attached to Itachi now evaded him like the plague. He didn't want to train with his brother, he didn't want his brother's help with his homework and he barley even talked to him.

Of course Fugaku didn't notice his son's changed behaviour immediately. He barley spend time with Sasuke and often only saw him only during dinner time.

When he looked into the sharigan red eyes of his youngest he didn't know what to think. On one hand he was happy and proud that Sasuke has awakened his Sharigan at such a young age. On the other hand he worried how his youngest got the sharigan. He knows that his own experience just like Miktoto's and Itachi's weren't happy occasions. What could have happened in their own home? But Mikoto didn't want him to push Sasuke. He had decided to listen to her, she was so upset she wouldn't have taken a no for an answer anyways. Still Fukagu didn't like not knowing. But in the end one thing had to happen now. Sasuke needed training to control his sharigan. So he told him.

''We can begin training now.''

He had expected Sasuke to be happy. Training with him was all Sasuke had ever wanted and yet...Sasuke looked disappointed and Fugaku couldn't fathom why? Fugaku didn't understand. Sasuke always wanted his attention, his time and his approval. This feeling of confusing continued during training. Sasuke excelled better then Fugaku thought he would. Not as good as Itachi but still faster then he himself or Mikoto had when they were young. Had he underestimated his youngest all this time? Sasuke also talked back against him. He never had done that before either. He also said he didn't like being compared to Itachi. But didn't he want to be just like his brother? And now he is suddenly saying they are different people? Of course Fugaku knows they are different. Itachi is a genius, his oldest, the heir to the clan and Sasuke is not.

Sasuke also still didn't want to tell them how he got his sharigan and retuned late form the academy. Fugaku was happy for Sasuke that he made friends his own age. He himself knows the importance of friends. They saved his life multiple times. But he needed to know who they were. It is important because who Sasuke hangs out with will reflect on the clan. But again Mikoto told him not to push. She seems to have noticed Sasuke's change as well and wants to give him space.

Then he found out Naruto Uzumaki was Sasuke's friend. The boys acted like they were childhood friends with how close they acted. Fugaku's first thought was how suspicious the other clans and council will be if they learn of this. Especially Danzo. He thought it might be best if Sasuke didn't assoiciate himself with the blond boy so that no one could accuse his clan of anything. But when he saw the look in Mikoto's eyes when she looked at the boy he could see he would not win that battle with her. He would never use the boy for his own gain. He also knew Minato and Kushina after all. But nothing would stop people from thinking that and the elders might see it as a chance.

But Fugaku notices that Sasuke was smiling in the boy's presence and Naruto himself was smiling too and Fugaku knows how the villagers treat him. In the end he decided they are just two boys who are friends. If anyone has a problem with that they can deal with Mikoto. She has never been so determinded before. Where at first Sasuke was practically attached to Itachi's hip now he was attached to his mother. Or to be clear Mikoto attached him to her hip. She wouldn't let Sasuke out of her sights and it seemed Sasuke didn't mind at all. He spend time trianing with her and apparantly even cooking with her. Fugaku was surprised to hear that. Sasuke never showed that much interst in cooking before and according to Mikoto he is relly good at it. Sasuke also helped around the house more. Before he alwas complained when his mother told him to put his laundry away and to clean up his room. Has Sasuke suddenly matured without him noticing? Maybe he should have spend more attention to sasuke.

But the biggest change in behaviour was how Sasuke avoided his big brother. Which Fugaku also didn't undertstand. According to Mikoto and Itachi they didn't have a fight and Fugaku could see it affected his oldest to.

He needed answers. He wanted to know what was going on between his sons and how Sasuke got his sharigan. When Sasuke refused to even answer Itachi he ran out of patience and demanded to know how he got it. Sasuke got angry and talked back to him again. Sasuke never was rude to him before and then he implied that he didn't care about him, which is nonsense of course he cares about him.

''Sasuke I do care about you.''

''Do you? Because its seems to me you only care about brother's strength and skill.''

But Sasuke didn't believe him and even implied he didn't love Itachi as a person either. How could he think that? It is true he has spent a lot of time making sure that Itachi is strong and that he finds Itachi's skill and strength important. But he does love his sons. But like he said earlier sacrifices have to be made. They need to do what is best for the clan. He thought they understood. He thought they knew he loved them but he is Clan Head. He cannot show weakness and needs to prepare Itachi as clan heir.

''We are going to stop assuming things.''

It hurt.

Sasuke implying he didn't care about them hurt. He does care. Can they not see what he does for them? Doing what is best for the clan will benefit every member of it. Don't they know how much he does for the clan? To protect it? To protect them?

But how can they know? Especially Sasuke. He almost never talks to him and he doesn't include him in political talks like he does with Itachi. He thought it wasn't needed to bring Sasuke. He is not the heir after all.

''Fugaku... when was the last time we have hugged Itachi? When was the last time we have said we loved him? When was the last time he has hold a normal conversation with us? When was the last time we asked if he was okay? When was the last time we asked him what he thought? When was the last time you hugged Sasuke? When was the last time you said you loved Sasuke? When was the last time we hugged?''

In his actions to do what is best for his clan has he neglected his sons? He never wanted that to happen but Mikoto is right. Fugaku has no idea anymore what Itachi is thinking and Sasuke has changed so much in such a short time...

They are losing them.

He doesn't know his own children anymore.

That has to change.

Author's note

Thank you for all your explanations!

Another long chapter and another hard chapter to write...

Fugaku is hard to write.