Chapter 4: Mama Said

She heard the bickering before she saw the dinner guest.

Staring at her hands, unseeing anything but the small child she had once held, Mikoto Uchiha frowned at herself.

Taking a silent deep breath to steady her irregular heartbeat, she was reopening wounds that were supposed to have healed years ago.

Naruto Uzumaki was a perfect mix of her father and mother. Her colouring was all Minato's, but the ears and every last facial expression was all Kushina. Doing petty pranks on those she disliked and vengeful ones to those deserve it, she may have not known her parents, but she followed their footsteps unknowingly. With the strong will of them both, her unknowing the status of jinchuuriki didn't keep her down in the dirt like them either. Instead she fought, fought, and kept fighting even more. Just like how everybody thought Minato was a lowly weak orphan who would never amount to anything, and just like how everybody thought Kushina would be a respectful and classy clan heiress to be married off - they were never what you really expected, and fought against it to be more.

Just like how Naruto would not give up to be respected in Konoha's eyes, to protect Konoha with all her strength. It was a shame that Naruto had especially inherited that feature.

'Being the jinchuuriki gives her too much strength,' Mikoto thought to herself.

Going against everything she had once agreed with just a week ago, she almost wish she could've changed her mind now. But she was thoughtful, curious, and if anything came out - she had proved herself to be more than disloyal.

She was a traitor.

She was not as strong as the Third or Fourth Hokage themselves, but she was as cunning as them. 'Naruto is love starved. I don't have to be her mother figure, I just have to make her believe she and Sasuke are friends.' Everything else she had thoroughly thought through was right down to a T, why would Mikoto be wrong about this when she wasn't about everything else, especially regarding Naruto?

"Aniki, don't show her around!" Whining either because the girl had his older brother's attention or because he didn't want said girl here anyways, the Uchiha Matriarch smiled to her hands as the blonde loudly huffed.

"Why, you scared I'm gonna tell your fangirls what you actually like so they ruin it?" An exaggerated hum followed before she continued. "Ya know, that's a great idea!"

"It's impossible for you to have any ideas though, dobe."

"Oh really - urk!"

The sudden silence after Naruto's throaty squeak almost echoed, making Mikoto pause in her cleansing of the pan she had just finished using to barely hear Itachi's voice. About to turn and enter the living room, the silence dispersed and their feet began thumping on the floor as they began running toward the backyard.

"I'll beat ya, I'm the best at hide'n'seek!" Naruto shouted excitedly as Sasuke scoffed from behind her.

"Not against Aniki!"

Only feeling his chakra signature, the Matriarch turned to her oldest son in the doorway. "We'll be out back until dinner, mother."

Smiling widely with some hidden relief, she nodded in approval. "Thank you, it'll be good for them to burn some energy off!"

And with that, he followed to the two out the back door. Standing still until she waited for him to slide it shut, she quickly returned to preparing dinner.

Distracted by the familiar actions, she had no idea what was going on in the large backyard.

Breathing lightly, in the hollowed out trunk of a large oak tree, Naruto could feel her muscles lightly strain. Deciding that she wanted to show Sasuke up at least in front of his older brother, running pass the obviously hollowed out trunk, for some reason she thought it was a smart idea to hold herself in the upper part that had a good half meter above the opening.

'Teme wouldn't think of looking up.. and Itachi? I'll at least beat Sasuke!' Grinning to herself when she heard Sasuke help Itachi look, she tried to stop her snickering when the younger Uchiha poked his head in and shouted that she wasn't here.

"Hn, you sure, little brother?" Leaning over Sasuke's short form, Itachi looked straight up with an amused look, his sharingan spinning to emit a red glow.

While the stars in Sasuke's eyes were weird knowing what his future dream was to be in a month, when Itachi closed his eyes once again, her rival gave her a determined glare before he disappeared into the trees with poorly concealed footsteps.

Jumping into the branches and swinging away after she tried to hide her chakra, she was laying flat against an extremely high and thick tree branch against the trunk. Trying to make sure that she wasn't leaving any shadows, the Uzumaki couldn't help but stare at the swaying leaves, feeling hypnotized.

Admiring the view, figuring it'd be a wait since Sasuke couldn't climb trees, the familiar sound of footsteps on branches made her heart leap.

Holding her breath and slowly looking over the side of her branch, she saw Itachi peak around a branch.

Trying not to fling herself back into place, Naruto slowly brought herself up to her feet, and with a sudden burst of chakra, jumped 10 meters away.

Hearing him before she saw him when she turned around, the chase was on.

Hearing the sliding door almost slam open on its breakers, Mikoto could feel the anger of Fugaku before he entered her view.

"What is the jinchuuriki doing in the compound?"

"She's having dinner with us tonight, dear." Almost using force as she set down the bowl, she wore a large smile as she turned to her husband.

The argument that he assumed been put to rest last week exploded. Keeping their voices hushed, it was the blurs by the window minutes later that made them pause.

Activating their sharingans simultaneously, they quickly went out the backdoor and could see a determined Itachi chasing a grinning Naruto through the trees.

Swinging and flinging herself naturally without almost no chakra, the lack of sharingan alight in Itachi's eyes made the two parents continue to watch in silent interest.

Snap

"Kaa-chan, tou-san, what's going on?" Trying not to stomp as he walked to them, Sasuke's frustration at not being found for a few led him out of his hiding spot. "Where's Aniki and the dobe?"

The violent shaking of a large branch led him to look up to see Naruto hanging upside down, arms and legs wrapped around a branch. Blowing a raspberry to the younger Uchiha, she squeaked and released the branch in surprise as Itachi appeared below her.

Flailing as she dropped fast, Mikoto's breath caught in her throat as she took a step forward - about to jump up to catch the blonde until a dark blur did so.

Skidding lightly on another branch on the other side of the small clearing, Itachi's back was turned to the group as he held Naruto in his arms. With her spiky pigtails having come undone, that when they turned around and gently landed on the grass, deja vu consumed the husband and wife, leaving one swallowing his disagreement. One arm underneath her legs and the other across her back, the same concern during potential accidents the Uchiha heir showed to his younger brother was nowhere to be seen - a different light was in his eyes as the blonde was wildly looking around, eyes unfocused as she unknowingly have wrapped her arms around the rescuer during her brush with death, her unusually pale face turning a bright red when she was slowly allowed her to go back to her feet.

The wife, feeling her resolve come together, only gave her husband a subtle smug glance.

"I believe it's time for us to go inside, with no more scares and for some delicious dinner!" Clapping her hands together before her, with a sharp eye she noted each action between Naruto and Itachi, easily twisting and turning each gesture and look into what else it could be, a new plan had came together in her mind.

Over the serving of curry rice and mochi ice cream, it was easy to laugh at the banter between Sasuke and Naruto, to compliment the achievements of her children and the Uzumaki, giving advice from her old kunoichi classes on other studies that they use to be upfront about - seduction, poison, and medical. The sharp look Fugaku gave when she hesitated as the blonde grinned and mentioned her interest in sealing and toads was only noticed by Itachi, him taking over in her place to explain to Sasuke on what sealing was and summoning contracts.

The way the Uzumaki's eyes lit up at it created another childish argument on who could be better at it, the younger Uchiha trying hard to stay ahead from her despite the extra curriculum classes she could take. Fugaku's naturally frowning expression hid most of his overall displeasure until their argument took a turn.

"I could seal you away, dobe."

"Only my chakra! Don't ya know that ya can only seal certain things in one thing?"

Sipping his tea and gently setting it on the tray, the two children froze at his voice. "Considering you know quite a bit at your age, Uzumaki-san, are you interested in Konoha's Sealing Team?"

"Uh, maybe. I think I might be more of a front liner." Nervously pushing around a clump of ice cream as she avoided looking Fugaku in the eye, Mikoto smiled brightly at the opportunity.

"Are you sure you're not interested in becoming a medic-nin or a seduction kunoichi?" Watching the blonde make the familiar expression of Kushina when she dislikes the sudden turn of conversation, her smile only grew. "Well, based on your elemental affinity, you may be suited perfectly for an offensive front liner!" Excusing herself for a moment, she heard Fugaku and Itachi explain elemental affinity to Sasuke in depth, the dead last of the class somehow knowing already.

Finding it suspicious and keeping that information close to her as she assumed Fugaku did the same, the mother grabbed two cards and came back. Handing one to Sasuke and to Naruto, she happily explained how to do it. How when they got older, they may take on a second affinity and that it comes from ones lineage.

Sasuke's had turned to ashes as expected of an Uchiha, his older brother affectionately resting a hand on his shoulder at the news of the fire affinity.

And Mikoto had to stop herself from reeling herself back at Naruto's splitting in half.

She already had his coloration, what more would she have to have of him?

Gathering herself once more, the smile plastered on her face felt quite fake. "Wind is perfect for being an offensive front liner. There aren't many Wind Users however, it being an extremely rare in element, especially in the fire nation."

The mischievous spark in Naruto's eyes made her feel uneasy despite the bad news. Knowing how far her parents have gone despite being told they couldn't do something, Mikoto dreaded to see the results in a few years. Fugaku's gruff voice interrupted her falling facade, a simple knowing glance giving her a reason to end her part of this day.

"Sasuke, knowing your element now, I believe I should teach you another Uchiha Clan jutsu." The gleam in his onyx eyes at the realization of another jutsu, one on one time with his distant and cold father, and something he could lord over the orphan with no wind jutsu teachers made him almost visibly bounce on the heels of the Clan Head. Using the excuse of cleaning up the ashes the youngest boy left on the floor, Mikoto disappeared out to the back for a breath of fresh air.

The meal was not at all tense and was proof of great progress for their great family. The smirk that she'd long ago noticed that Sasuke had a perfect copy of graced her lips, the feeling of lack of control dispersed as her mind created a plan after plan. Suppressing her chakra and re-entering her home, she could hear said son's chatter faintly from her husband's office.

Standing in the shadows of the hallway looking into the kitchen, each second watching the young Uzumaki and her eldest child was filling her with further sickening deja vu.

Opening the cupboard that he had filled with ramen he never touched, the blonde's excited gasp made Itachi's lip twitch in a small smile. Taking the time to choose and fill a bag with flavors, the grateful grin as she began to grab the bag with her thanks only faltered when he didn't let go of the bag immediately.

"No, thank you, Naruto-chan." Locking eyes into an intense stare before the teen did the familiar forehead flick he reserved for her brother, the surprised laughter from the blonde made Mikoto's breath catch in her throat once more and felt the need to interrupt.

"When you're ready to go home, Naruto-chan, Itachi-kun can walk you home to ensure you're safe!"

The beaming and slightly less grateful grin at her was only bringing up so many memories she wanted to forget. Politely excusing herself for the rest of the night, she silently left the kitchen and made her way to her bedroom. If it hadn't been for witnessing that special moment between the two, she would've only assumed that Itachi was only teaching her. Whether it was for the good of their clan or for his own interests, she had to admit she was proud. She didn't need to do any of the teaching or take the lead in how to get the jinchuuriki on their side, her prodigal son already was doing it on his own.

However it reminded her of her hope and dreams once a time, of being as wild as Kushina could get, of going on adventures like Kushina was allowed to do, of being as uncaring and free as she could be, and of being called Minato Namikaze's wife. The pressure of her own clan was too much and Mikoto didn't have the energy, so with defeat she had settled and accepted that she was nothing like the Uzumaki woman. Living through her, being in either the front or second seat for the chaos that followed the woman, it was enough for her.

Occasionally regret would boil in the back of her mind but it didn't take much for Mikoto to remind herself. After all, the adventurous lifestyle Kushina had led was because of the resealing of a chakra monster in her stomach, later bringing her an early death.

Having watched Itachi and Naruto interact, if their genders were switched, it had been what the Uchiha Matriarch once wanted for herself. The no named orphan to romance her, to save her from her duties. 'If Naruto wants Itachi, she can have him for now.'

Posted 02/15/2019