Here's Chapter 2! If you like it, please review. I'd really appreciate it! Especially since I am new to all this. Oh, and if any of you are confused, this takes place back when Sasuke and the others were 10 as seen in flashbacks of Sasuke's and Itachi's pasts and the flashbacks in Naruto in general.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto', neither do I own any other of Masashi Kishimoto's works. I only own my characters which are incorporated into this story!
We were all sitting around the table. It'd have been completely quiet if it weren't for my brother's chatting and snickering away. This made me feel uneasy. Judging by the look on father's face; He was not pleased, and I was worried that the talking of my brother's would provoke and fuel him to anger even more. But I hope that the meal I made had taken away some of that rage...
Though this was the norm. My brothers had no sense of respect towards my father, or to anyone else for that matter. They also didn't know when to shut up, but father has never punished them for that. He liked my brother's more than me, and it's most likely partially because they inherited his looks; Jet-black hair and cyan eyes.
It was a tradition in our family; to have black hair. But eye-color varied. Like my Uncle has brown eyes, while his sister had a pair of emerald-green one's. But over all others, I prefer the dark onyx eyes of my grandmother, they just seem more enchanting to me. Then again; everything which I personally don't posses always seems fascinating.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, waiting for father to say something. I had already finished my dinner, so I didn't have much of a choice other than to sit and wait until everyone was done. Just then, the talking of my brother's had been abruptly cut off as my father's voice boomed through the room.
"Leave, boys. I require to speak with your sister alone."
Picking up their plates and cups while pushing in their stools, they started chuckling.
"Busted~"
Cooed Seiichi, tugging at my hair strongly while Akihiro and Tadao followed suit. 'Generously' dumping the dirty dishes in the sink for me to clean, they strolled out of the room and with once last mocking glance over his shoulder, Seiichi and his 'followers' left. My brothers obviously had something against me, but I like to think that they're just following father's example.
An unnerving silence followed, an uncomfortable pause in the not-yet unpleasant nature of such silences is close to unbearable as I was slowly becoming anxious.
Had I done something wrong?
My father had always liked to pick up even the minimal flaws, whether intentional or not, and this built up the burden of the butterflies in my stomach. I started to feel the pressure on me to be the first to initiate the talk and speak up but am unsure of what to say.
What if I unintentionally offend him?
I mean, I want to start the conversation... But I think I'll leave that task to Father...
"I reckon that you know that we shall be paying a visit to the Uchiha's tomorrow, am I correct?"
"Of course, sir."
Ah yes, father has talked about this in the past. My first meeting with the Uchiha's; from the main branch, of course. I know that my brothers have already met them plenty of times before when they had decided to tag along with father. They'd always come back home in fury, yelling about how Fugaku was talking non-stop about someone by the name of 'Itachi' who was supposedly his eldest son. I also know that he is the man who I have been promised to. But father didn't know that I knew, and what he didn't know won't hurt him... Will it? My only hopes are that he isn't going to be a stubborn and stuck-up man, especially with all the praise I've heard he's been getting lately.
"I expect you to be on your best behavior. If you make a fool of yourself, you shall have to work very hard to stay alive. Do not forget, child."
"Yes, sir. I understand completely."
"Good. One false move is all it takes, Kaori. Only 1."
Father had hired a maid to dress me. I can understand though, someone as incompetent as me wouldn't be able to handle a Maru Obi, the most formal and delicate one of all I currently owned. The kimono I was required to wear was purely white with a pink floral pattern, made of silk with cotton lining. The Obi was a soft baby-pink tint, tailored to fit my small frame, but long enough to fit my height and form. I stood on a small wooden stool as the maid fiddled around with the last adjustments and replaced my dark pink ribbon-headband with a softer, milky white one to match the kimono.
Tightening the bow at the back of the Obi and adjusting my blue flower in my hair, she helped me off the stool and bowed down.
"Thank you." I bowed my head back.
"You are welcome, Nagatomi-san."
And with those last words, she backed out of the room and closed the door. As soon as I was sure she wouldn't return, I started shifting around and itching my side where the cotton lining was pressed against. I found this really uncomfortable, but I had to do this, for father.
"KAORI!"
The sudden voice of my father scared me as I hurriedly checked myself over in the mirror and ran towards the door, throwing it open and then running down the stairs.
"I am on my way, Father!"
I jumped down the last few stairs and stopped running as I rounded the corner to where my father stood at the exit, tapping his food impatiently.
"What has taken you so long? I had demanded you down here by 12."
"I am very sorry, Father. I shall make sure this doesn't happen again."
With a sharp grunt directed towards me, he flung the door open and walked out, me trailing along behind him; trying to keep up with his swift, quick steps. This was the first time that father took me outside with him, so I didn't dare say a word.
After a while of walking, I could see the village side slowly starting to become plastered with the Uchiha clan's symbol; A white red-tipped uchiwa fan. Father came to a sudden stop, forcing me to stop beside him.
"We have established the rules, am I correct?"
I nodded, staring up into his eyes.
Once again, we continued on and in about another 2 minutes, I could already see the narrow pathway that led to the house I assumed we were heading to.
Stepping onto the porch, father knocked on the door, waiting for it to be opened. I could hear shuffling inside of the house before the door had finally opened and a man stood in the doorway.
"Ah, Izanagi."
"Fugaku."
The both entered the house and embraced in a brotherly hug. Never before have I seen my father do this. Not even with his own brother.
I shyly stood at the edge on the door, peaking my head around it to watch another woman walk in and shake hands with father. Behind the woman were 2 boys following her. While one of them looked around my age, the one to the left looked much older than him and so I assumed that it was the man they called Itachi. I watched him as he bowed his head to father and shook his hand; A lighthearted smile gracing his lips. Though the one next to him lightly bounced in excitement and he shook father's hand, too.
After engaging in a short 10-second conversation, the woman looked around questionably.
"Now, where is that girl of yours?"
Father's head snapped to look over his shoulder, noticing that I was missing.
"She was right h-"
I slowly emerged from my position around the corner, now standing dead-center in the doorway, shyly looking at the ground and folding my hands in front of me.
"Ah, There she is!"
The woman walked up to me and kneeled down to my height, holding her hand out to me.
"My name is Mikoto, Itachi and Sasuke's mother."
She smiled gently. Her presence was welcoming, so I did the right thing and took her hand, bowing my head low in respect.
"I am Kaori. It is my pleasure to meet you, Uchiha-san."
She chuckled lightly at my words and clasped her other slender hand over my tiny one. I looked up at her, surprised.
"Please, just call me Mikoto-san, dear."
I smiled back at her and nodded. She confirmed with a nod of her own and stood up, leading me towards the other's. I slowed my pace to make an attempt to hide behind her, but she tugged at my hand.
"Don't be shy, now. It's alright."
I innerly sighed and walked by her side, stopping once I was by my father again. Fugaku nodded towards me with a straight face.
"It is an honor to finally meet you, sir."
I spoke and bowed my head to him, too. With the straight face he was keeping, he was staring to make me think that I had done something that was out of line. I worriedly glanced up at Mikoto once I resided from my bow, and I think she understood what I meant because she then turned me towards the 2 boys.
The boy who was around my age tugged at his elder brother's shirt with his cheeks tinted pink. He slowly began to stand on his tiptoes to try and whisper something into his brothers ears, but before he could get out a word, Mikoto had let go of my hand to walk behind them and slapped the young boy over the head. He clutched the back of his skull as his cheeks began to switching from pink to crimson.
Mikoto rolled her eyes and put her hands on both of the boy's shoulders.
"Kaori, these are my sons; Sasuke and Itachi."
Itachi reached out his hand to wards me, putting a smile on his face once more. His large hand clasped over my smaller ones, practically consuming them in his.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, Itachi-san."
His chuckle ringed in my ears. The aurora he gave off way similar to his mothers, yet his looks resembled the ones of his fathers.
"The pleasure is all mine, Kaori-chan."
I smiled up at him and then sidestepped towards Sasuke. This time, I had held my hand out.
"It's nice to meet you, Sasuke-kun."
He hesitantly reached his hand out, and lapsed onto mine. I shook our hands gently. His eyes were onyx.
I knew Fugaku had been watching this whole time, but I could sense his gaze turning away from us and towards father.
"Now, shall we go and have some tea? Mikoto?"
Mikoto nodded.
"Of course, Darling. Let me go and fetch the snacks."
Before walking off, she patted my back and looked at us.
"How about you all go out for a walk?"