In this chapter, Fuyu is turning 10, and Sasuke is 11. I *tried to portray Sasuke as not completely shut out, but not completely open either. I'm not sure if I succeeded in that though.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading it~

p.s.
Koibito is a Japanese nickname couples use for their significant other. (: I always thought it was adorable.

:-:-:

Fuyu 01

"I can't believe it's been over a 2 years since it's happened." Chifuyu whispered as both she and her husband quietly slipped out Fuyu's childish, lilac colored bedroom.

"I refuse to believe it happened on our daughter's birthday." Yukito responded, walking through the hallways of the Saatchi compound's main house.

"Do you think she remembers?" Chifuyu asked, slowly trailing behind her husband.

He rubbed the temples of his head gently before shaking his head. "I don't think it's possible to ever forget that, Chifuyu." he paused "Then, Sasuke's a constant reminder."

"My heart aches the same way it did the day it happened. I'm constantly worrying about Sasuke, even if he claims he's alright." she responded as she gracefully took a seat on the windowsill.

A few moments passed by without either saying a word as the both thought about the effects the event that took place November 7th, exactly a year ago, had on the young Uchiha.

I still pray he won't become like Itachi. That would just…kill Fuyu. Chifuyu thought to herself, as she absentmindedly clutched her heart through her shirt.

"He is an Uchiha after all." Yukito voiced, just above a whisper "I think he's more than capable of dealing with his feelings."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't have them." Chifuyu countered. "To suddenly be alone like that, would devastate anyone, no matter what clan their from."

Yukito looked over at her with his honey colored eyes. "Every shinobi faces death-"

"Don't, Yukito." Chifuyu interrupted. "If myself or Fuyu died, you know for a fact you'd be devastated, much less a little boy."

Yukito sighed loudly. "Iruka commented on how he's slowly shutting people out."

"I can only imagine."

"Including Fuyu." he added. "Even though she's been his friend ever since it happened."

"There's only so much she can do."

There's no guarantee that a close friend can change fate. Chifuyu thought to herself.

"Who would've known this would be affecting us this deeply."

Chifuyu sighed quietly, as she slowly shifted her gaze towards a wide window that allowed the winter sunlight to flood inside. She smiled lightly as she placed her palm lightly onto the chilled glass. "It's snowing." she whispered. "Fuyu loves snow."

Yukito looked over at his wife, carefully studying her features that he already knew so well. The same features that gave away any thought she was thinking, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. "Koibito." he called lovingly, gaining her attention away from the snow "Do you remember the promise we made before we got married?" he asked, cupping her face lovingly.

A light blush formed on Chifuyu's face. "How could I forget, Yukito?"

"Do you also remember what we promised when Fuyu was born?"

Chifuyu's gray eyes gazed into Yukito's honey ones as she mentally searched her memory of said promise.

"I don't think I remember." she whispered, looking down at her hands shamefully. "How could I have forgotten?" she asked herself aloud.

Yukito chuckled lightly. "We promised that we wouldn't doubt her, no matter the circumstance-"

"I wasn't doubting her."

"Your thoughts and expressions said otherwise." he responded softly. "It might be hard to have faith in an 9 year old, Chifuyu" he paused "But she is our daughter. That in itself should instill more faith in us, should it not?"

She shamefully looked down at her hands once again. "I wasn't doubting her…I was doubting Sasuke." she explained "You know well what his clan does, what their fate is. I can't help but think that the cycle will never end."

Yukito sighed quietly, before having a light smile grow across his lips. "Only time will tell what Sasuke and Fuyu's fate are. Until then, we can't make any predictions to how their lives will turn out, it'll only be unfair to both of them."

Chifuyu gently clasped her hands together. "It's hard not to." she whispered.

"But not impossible." Yukito smiled before he planted a light kiss onto her forehead. Nor will it be impossible for Fuyu. he thought confidently.

Unknown to the clan leaders, Fuyu caught onto every word spoken.

She wrapped her small hands around her arms as tight as she could. So he is pushing me away? She asked herself as a single tear ran down her right cheek.

Slowly rubbing the stray tear away, she looked out at the slowly building up snow that surrounded the Saatchi compound.

Does that mean I'm failing you, papa? she added, as she ran to her room as quickly and quietly as she could.

Why did this have to happen? Why did it have to happen on my birthday? On the first day of winter. Why did this have to happen to Sasuke?

"Why did Itachi do this?" she asked mouthed inaudibly as she finally reached her room.

Swiftly shutting the door, an overflow of tears ran down her round, rosy cheeks.

"Why do I feel like I'm not helping Sasuke?" she asked aloud as she crawled into her bed, completely ignoring the tears that stained her otherwise tan face.

Why couldn't things happen another way?

:-:-:

"I'm blessed to have such a wonderful daughter, almost as much as Sasuke is blessed to have such an amazing friend." "Take as much time as you need, Fuyu."

Chifuyu and Yukito's voices rang through their daughters mind as she slowly made her way to Sasuke's lone apartment.

She hugged herself tightly, countering the snow that gracefully fell around her, and gently littered her light brown hair.

How can I be an amazing friend if I can't even be there for him properly? Fuyu asked herself as she slowly neared the snow covered apartments.

2nd floor, door 82.

"Knock Knock Knock."

Almost as soon as the third knock emitted from the dark wooden door, the locks on the inside of the door clicked opened, followed by the door swinging opened swiftly causing Fuyu's light brown hair to blow around more than it already was.

"Fuyu." Sasuke greeted with a small smile, before noticing the small smile she gave back. "Is anything wrong?"

She shrugged her shoulders in response. "Nothing important." she replied quietly. "What are you up to?" she added, forcing her smile to grow larger.

"Well first, come in you'll die from a cold if you stand out there." he responded, moving from the doorway to allow his close friend in. "Now, close your eyes."

Fuyu absentmindedly cocked her head to the right in curiosity. "Why Sasuke?"

"Just do it, I have a surprise for you."

"I don't like surprises Sasuke." she replied quietly "You know that."

"I promise you'll like it!" Sasuke reassured "Just please, close your eyes Fuyu." Sasuke repeated, walking over to a small lilac box that sat on the side table.

Fuyu sighed quietly. "If you say so." she mumbled, putting her hands over her eyes.

A small smile formed on Sasuke's face as he looked down at his closest friend whom he easily towered over. "Hold your hands out."

"But then I'll see what the surprise is."

"Then just close your eyes Fu'." he replied, laughing slightly.

Fuyu laughed quietly, holding her hands out.

Without a moments hesitation, Sasuke planted the small box in her hands. "Open 'em." he whispered.

Fuyu slowly cracked open her left eye before fully opening both of them. She looked at the box, to Sasuke and back several times. "What is it?" she asked cluelessly.

"Open it if you want to find out." Sasuke replied, walking over to the small kitchen towards the back of the house.

Fuyu gently lifted the edge of the cover of the box before taking it off fully.

As soon as she opened it, the light glistened off a small jewel in the center of a small lilac flower hair clip.

Fuyu let out a silent awe as she looked up at where Sasuke previously was. "Sasuke?" she called quietly as she made her way to the small scullery. "Why did you give this to me?"

Sasuke's light smile slowly shrank down to an emotionless face. "For starters, it's your birthday. Second, I saw you looking at it last Spring, I wanted it give it to you earlier but I couldn't find it during the Summer or Autumn." he replied simply "Do you not like it?"

"No!" Fuyu countered "I…love it." she answered quietly. "I just don't deserve it though."

"Why not?"

Fuyu shrugged her shoulders as small tears formed in her eyes. "I didn't do anything to receive this." she paused, biting her lower lip. "If anything, I should be giving you something because of what today is."

"Today? Today is your birthday." Sasuke countered.

"Sasuke…today's the day Itachi-"

"It was yesterday actually." he interrupted "When they found me that day, on your birthday, I was unconscious for an entire day but everyone thought it happened that morning, including you."

"But my parents-"

"They're wrong too. But I'm sorry for allowing you to think that happened on your birthday."

A sad smile graced Fuyu's tan features. "So…you don't think today's…"cursed"? Fuyu asked, allowing a single tear to run it's course down her cheek before quickly whipping it away.

"Why would I?" he asked, allowing a small smile to form. "In contrast, I'd rather it be today than yesterday."

To his surprise, Fuyu shuffled over into the kitchen, and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you, so much Sasuke." she said muffled. "It's the best thing I've ever gotten." she added.

Reluctantly, Sasuke hugged back halfheartedly.

Finally pulling away, Fuyu gently closed the box again before looking back up at Sasuke.

"How'd you know lilac was my favorite color?" she asked out of the blue.

"'pa told me." he replied quietly.

"oh." she responded quietly looking out towards the window "It's snowing outside. I can't remember the last time it snowed."

"…want to go play outside?"

"Of course!" she replied, running to pull her jacket back on. "C'mon Sasuke! We don't want the snow to melt."

"I doubt the snow will be going anywhere, Fuyu." he mumbled to himself as he took his time in pulling his jacket on.

In this case, lying is for the best. Sasuke thought to himself as he slowly trailed behind Fuyu's footsteps.

:-:-:

"Sasuke." Yukito called from behind the young Uchiha, gaining his attention.

"Yes, pa?"* Sasuke responded, pausing his current training session.

"I need you to do something for me." he responded, walking over to him. "Do you think you can do it?"

"What is it?"

Yukito looked down before crouching to Sasuke's level. "Tomorrow, you know what tomorrow is, right?"

Sasuke's eyes grew sad before he nodded his head slowly. "It's the day Itachi-"

"It's alright, you don't have to continue." Yukito interrupted "But it's also Fuyu's birthday, I'm sure you remember that also."

Not being able to find is voice, Sasuke nodded his head slowly in response.

"Could you please…reassure her that her birthday isn't the same day that happened." he whispered "I know it sounds hard, but I just can't bare to see her cry again."

"I'll do it." Sasuke whispered "I can do it, pa." Sasuke whispered confidently.

A sad smile formed on Yukito's lips. "Thank you, Sasuke." he whispered before pulling him into a tight hug. "Come on, I think you've done enough training for today, Mama's making you and Fuyu's favorites."

Sasuke's eyes lightened up slightly. "Really?"

"Really, Sasuke." Yukito replied quietly. "We don't want it to get cold, now do we?"

Sasuke shook his head, forcing a small smile onto his face.

I guess I'll just have to hid how I feel even more tomorrow. He thought to himself as he walked in step with Yukito, back to the Saatchi compound.

*This will come up more as the story progresses, but Sasuke refers to Yukito (Fuyu's father) as Pa because he somewhat like a dad to him.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!~

Thank you so much for reading! Every read that my story gets means a lot to me. :)
Please leave a review/comment about what you think about this chapter, and what I can/should work on. I'd really appreciate it!

-EZ