Disclaimer: Naruto does to belong to me

Ages:
Naruto: 21
Sasuke: 23

Beat The Odds
Chapter 10: Deeper Connection

January 6 2009 - 2 years and 4 months together

Mikoto peered inside Sasuke's old bedroom and saw him sitting on the bed looking a bit lost. She hesitantly stood there before deciding to knock gently on the open door drawing his attention. His eyes locked briefly with hers and she smiled before stepping into the room.

The amount of times she had passed this room and just stepped inside it to be closer to her son was astounding. But having him in his old room was almost too much for her heart. Sometimes she wished they were still teenagers and all living under the same roof.

"How are you doing?" she asked in her 'mother' tone and took a seat beside him.

He glanced at her wearily and rubbed his hands together.

"I am fine mother."

She almost wanted to roll her eyes. Her kids and husband think they're good at hiding their feelings, but to her they are an open book. These were her children, the ones who gave her unbelievable amounts of pain as she was in labour and the ones who would point fingers at each other when they got into trouble. You would think they would they learn a mother knows when they're lying?

"I'm sure." She replied quietly and patted his leg, "but tell me what's bothering you anyway."

Sasuke glanced at her loving eyes and turned away. He huffed and leaned back into his bed, glancing around his old room. It felt like he stepped into a time machine when he entered it, the old books he had but didn't want to take with him, and old posters he didn't feel like taking off the walls.

"Itachi just said some things," he muttered, "it's no big deal."

"Hmm..." she played with his hair earning a trademark scowl. "What did he say?"

Sasuke gently swatted her hand away from his head and turned his attention to the only picture he had in his room. He had wanted to keep it but felt weird removing it from the bookshelf. It was always there, ever since it was taken and he never had the heart to remove it from it's place. It was a picture of the two brothers, Itachi was probably fifteen and Sasuke was around ten.

"Just..." he searched for the right words, "just mentioned a bunch of things I didn't want to hear."

"Did you need to hear it though?"

Sasuke frowned, "no."

Mikoto softly brushed her hands through his hair again earning another swat and a soft whine. She smiled, and placed her hands on his leg.

"What did he tell you?"

Sasuke turned his eyes away from the picture frame and back to his mother. He tossed the words around in his mind trying to form the right way to word what he wanted to say. He was never good at talking about relationships. Especially since this one was so unique.

"He thinks I'm wasting my time."

"With what?" Mikoto asked softly, noticing the frown work onto her son's pale face she suddenly realized. "Or who?"

He stiffened and she felt like chiming out 'bingo' but held back to wait for him to begin.

"With Naruto. He thinks I'm wasting my time with this relationship."

Mikoto nodded. "Do you think you are?"

"Never," he whispered and Mikoto felt the love her son had for that boy. She frowned at the thought. It's not that she didn't approve of the relationship she was concerned. It was complex and it was so easy to cheat, and although she knew Sasuke was a man of honour - she didn't know Naruto well enough to say he was one as well. Actually she never even met Naruto, but she knew quite a bit about him.

"Then why is this bothering you?"

Sasuke flicked his eyes around the room, already knowing the answer to that question but not really wanting to admit it out loud.

"Itachi said it," he hurriedly told. The underlining message of what Itachi's opinion meant to Sasuke.

Mikoto could almost feel the pain of having to admit to that but she smiled gently and nodded her head. He had always looked up to the elder and it warmed her heart.

"Did you tell him that he was wrong?"

"Of course."

"Why is he wrong Sasuke?"

Steely eyes met her and he pulled away from her with realization that smacked him in the face.

"You agree."

She didn't deny it and she bit her tongue. She never wanted to lie to him but she also would never want to hurt him either.

"I-"

"You do."

He stood and stared at her in disbelief. "You think this is a waste of time."

She flinched at the tone and the wording. No, she never thought it was a waste of time, but she was concerned. A mother had a right to be concerned.

"No I do not-"

"Liar."

She stood up and glared at him, making him shrink back at the anger rolling off her.

"Sit down." She commanded, her voice cold and detached. Sasuke stared at her before shifting back to the bed and sitting down. Mikoto stood in front of him and stared down angrily at him with hurt flickering in her usually warm eyes.

"Now listen here, Sasuke Uchiha." She kneeled in front of him to be eye level and placed her hands in her lap. "I do not think you are wasting your time with Naruto. I am actually really proud that you found someone who makes you so happy.

"But I do not know Naruto. What I do know is: one, he lives in Canada and two, you live here. That being said, it is easy for him to walk away and break your heart. It is easy for him to tell you he was with his friends when he could have been with a woman or another man. It is easy for him to do a lot of things, and I respect your decision and choices in a life partner sweetie but I worry.

"I worry that he will break your heart and I can't kill him. I worry that this relationship is doomed to fail. Most long-distance relationships don't work."

Sasuke nodded, "Mother we are not most people, and you do not know Naruto."

"I know I don't know him, and that is why I worry."

Sasuke digested that and ran a hand through his hair. "I know most long-distance relationships don't work. I know this, and I can accept that logically. If he were to walk away today, I couldn't stop him. If he were out screwing someone else, it would be hard for me to find out. You are right.

"But mother," he placed his hand on her cheek and smiled, "Naruto...he's different."

Mikoto watched as his faced softened with the thoughts of his boyfriend. Just in that simple facial gesture she knew that Sasuke thought he was worth all those risks.

"He is loyal to a fault. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, forehead and will spell everything out for you in case you missed it. He feels guilty when he leaves the pets at the pet store because he can't take them home. He is annoying, obnoxious, and can never stop eating...but he can make me smile by just saying good morning."

"Sasuke," she sighed and leaned forward to hug him. He stiffened but relaxed allowing his arms to snake around his mother's form. "You truly care about him. I know you do."

"But..."

She smiled and pulled back, "but I still stand by what I said."

He groaned and stared at her, "you don't understand-"

"No I don't," she agreed, brushing her hands again through his hair and this time not receiving any disapproving look. "But I know that there are certain physical needs you guys are not getting. Have you thought of pursuing an open relationship? That way you still can get the physical but keep the -"

"Never," he practically spat out and it startled Mikoto. "It's not that I'm opposed to having some physical intimacy but I don't want anyone to touch Naruto. I can't expect him to allow that double standard."

She saw the raw possessiveness in him, as well as a glint in his eyes showing a deeper connection. A connection that respected his partner's rights and a love that shined whenever he spoke about his boyfriend. His eyes screamed, 'he is mine: physically, emotionally, spiritually.'

She smiled and ruffled his hair, earning the scowl that reminded her so much of her husband's.

"I see." She stood up and dusted off her jeans, before staring down at her youngest son. "Well Itachi doesn't know anything now does he?" she winked and briskly left the room.

She placed her hand on her heart and smiled. Her son was in love. The way he spoke in a slightly gentler tone just cemented that he was in for a full relationship, nothing half-assed. He was going to cherish everything that Naruto had to offer, and he would always fight to keep it alive. It was precious to see her little boy in love.

"What's with that look?"

She turned her eyes to her husband and slowly moved towards him. She placed her arms around his neck, his automatically attaching to her waist as she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

"Sasuke's in love."

Fugaku rolled his eyes and removed his hands from her waist. He gave a cocky smile as he walked past her. "You just noticed?" he replied before entering their bedroom leaving behind his bewildered wife.