Chapter 7
The next day would be the day I finally met his family, the day I came home with him. I woke early after Kakashi had left two hours ago. He'd had a mission that day. So I asked Itachi if he had a mission. He'd told me yes. I would not likely forget the short conversation afterward, or my own foolishness.
I knew it, too good to be true.
"Keitara, my mission today is you. Family comes first." He looked back at the fire.
"I plan on leaving today. With winter set in, getting up through the mountain pass will be difficult," he said nonchalantly.
I knew it, the goodbye. I didn't meet his eyes. "I should have enough for a few months. I can always hunt more if I -"
"What makes you think I would leave you alone up here for three months?"
Only then did it dawn on me what he asked of me. He meant me to come home with him.
"What if they don't like me?" I worried.
"My mother will treat you as her own daughter, Keitara. God knows she's wanted me to have a girlfriend long enough, not to mention wanted a daughter."
Before we left he gave me a very expensive looking lavender kimono. I suspected the reason was to make a good first impression on his parents. Also a brooch for one of the furs as it would be nippy out.
Outside we found a jet black horse tied to a tree near the cabin. Our way down the mountain as Itachi put it. Taking it by foot would be difficult. Still it took two hours to make it down.
I wouldn't soon forget my first impression of Itachi's mother, Mikoto.
Itachi led me to the second level of a tall wood building that looked more like an apartment complex. Sasuke bolted out of the third door down.
"You came! You came!" the boy squealed, jumping around us. He grabbed my hand and pulled both of us toward the door.
He released my hand and rushed into the house again. He came out pulling the hand of a pale black haired woman. Like all Uchiha's it seemed, she had pure onyx eyes that shone brightly with her smile. Like Sasuke's, her hair carried almost blue streaks in certain light. She wore a light blue satin yakata.
"You must be Keitara. I'm glad to finally meet you, I'm Mikoto."
Not knowing what else to do, I made a brief bow. Her smile told me I didn't need to be nervous, but that didn't stop my self-consciousness.
I felt Itachi's hand close over mine. It calmed me somewhat.
"Come in, come in. You must be cold by now, going all the way down that mountain!" Mikoto welcomed, beckoning us into the house.
Sasuke, of course, was bubbling over with excitement. Itachi and I met his father, Fujihito, at dinner. To say the least, he was less delighted about me than Mikoto was.
That night I lay beside Itachi in his bed, thinking of his family. Though Fujihito didn't seem to like me, I had to stay strong. I wanted to make this work, for both Itachi and I.