Disclaimer: The characters are Masashi Kishimoto's property, I own the OCs.

Characters age:

Akane: 6 (39)

Itachi: 6 (22)

Shisui: 9

Naruto / Sasuke: less than a year

Kakashi: 14

I did not talk much. I would follow Kushina-san when she wanted me to go out with Naru and her, or I would go train with Kakashi when he was available. He was…strangely available for me. Maybe he was afraid I might turn like him after he had lost his father. He was a lot kinder than I remembered him to be at that age.

The only thing I would be interested in at the house was baby Naru. His birthday had become my mother's death date, but I could not resent him. He was a cute, innocent baby who had no idea of what had happened when he was born, or that him and his mom each had a half of Kyuubi. After three months, when he was moved to his crib in his room, before Minato-san's study, I started to climb in his crib with him. I wasn't really sure of myself at first because of my weight, but it did not break.

It was easier to calm Naru down when he was crying than picking him up with my size. Minato-san was still the Hokage, so working for the whole day and would try his best to be there at night for his baby, but the rest of the day, it was Kushina-san who took care of Naru, and me. With post-partum and Mom's death, she was clearly struggling.

It was strange. In my memories, they both knew what to do. Now, I could clearly see Kushina-san and Minato-san were so, so young yet, just twenty-four and already had so much to do. It was a wonder how they did not fight more often. Not that they had the strength to do so anyway.

I had been twenty-two and half when the twins were born and if it was not for Sasuke sticking around, I would have lost it.

"I thought I'd find you here," Kushina-san said as she entered the room. I was in Naru's crib, my hand on his belly. "Get down." I did. The last thing I wanted was to be an issue to them.

As soon as I could, I was out of here and in my studio apartment.

I raised my brows at Kushina-san when I heard voices downstairs.

"It's Naru's first playdate today!" she informed me, the grin on her lips contrasting with her dark circles.

"Playdate?"

"Yes! Miko-chan is downstairs with her boys, let's join them!" She took my hand and dragged me behind her.

As she had said, Mikoto-san was there, with Itachi and baby Sasuke. The Uchiha matriarch smiled when she saw us, gazing at Naruto in glee.

"He really did escape the red hair," she commented with a teasing smirk.

"Miko-chan!"

"Hello Akane-chan."

"Hello," I replied shyly. Mikoto-san was a very pretty woman, no wonder her sons were the lookers they were.

Itachi was looking around.

"I was thinking, we could let Itachi and Akane-chan watch the babies so we can talk."

"I'm not sure Miko-chan, Naruto is only three month-and-a-half and…" Mikoto-san put her hand on Kushina's arm.

"It is okay. Itachi is great with Sasuke, I am certain he can handle Naruto as well. Right?" She glanced at her son, who nodded without a world. He was the one carrying Sasuke after all. Kushina-san was hesitating, so I stretched out my arms to her.

"Are you sure Akane?" I nodded and ultimately, she gave in with a sigh and gave me her son. "Go to the nursery, there is a carpet and blankets and…" I nodded again.

"Follow me Itachi," I said to the kid, and we went up the stairs.

Both babies were quickly on their tummy on a blanket, Sasuke obviously having done it before. He was six-month-and-a-half after all. Naru was rolling from front and back while Sasuke was sitting against his brother, staring at me and Naru.

"You're good with him." I shot Itachi a look as I was gently rubbing my cousin's back. He was smiling gently at me.

"Thanks." I smiled at Sasuke, who blinked. "He's calm."

"He can be very loud too," he replied fondly, looking at his brother. "Right Sasuke?" Sasuke giggled at his brother, flapping his arms around. I smiled fondly.

I never had the opportunity to see them act as brothers, or even together…it was nice.

"Are you going to the Academy in April then Akane-san?" I nodded.

"Stop the '-san' please." I swore he smirked behind his collar.

After maybe half an hour, Naruto pooped in his diaper and started crying. I pinched my nose at the smell. Changing him was not my favorite to do and I shot Itachi a quick look. His eyes darted between Naruto and I and he shook his head. I pouted my lips and for a fraction of a second, his eyes reminded me of old Itachi when I'd do the same and he'd kiss me to make me stop.

"Meanie," I mumbled before changing Naruto. Once it was done, he gave me a hug.

"It looks like you have done it often before." I stiffened.

"I…have some experience," I replied hesitantly. In the span of a second, his eyes brightened then darkened before he was back to normal. I kissed Naru's cheek, which made him giggle.

It was a little awkward until they left. Itachi…he was weird. There was something off about him and I wasn't sure I loved it.

He was ninety percent sure it was the Akane he knew. A lot of things had happened since the Kyuubi attack. Naruto and Sasuke would have playdates and his mother had not lost her best friend, for one. The Uchiha clan was still relocated on the outskirts of the village, but his father was different. He even met the Hokage face to face one day as he was going home, still discussing with his father as he was leaving. Minato had asked him how he was with a smile, and if he was excited to start at the Academy.

He really was not, but he had little choice. He had to graduate to be a shinobi.

The Uchihas were still under suspicions, but his father was close to the Hokage now apparently. It was good, at least he hoped so.

The first day of school arrived quickly. He would spend his days trying to get back to his level, even if he knew it would take years with a body still growing, so months flew by quickly. He spotted Akane with Kushina-san, reading the list.

"Morning," his mother greeted them, pushing him gently before her. His father was quiet behind his wife, Sasuke in his arms, much like Naruto was in Kushina's.

"Miko-chan!" She narrowed her eyes at his father. "You." Itachi blinked and shot his father a look, who sighed and waved off his silent question.

He knew very little about the kind of relationship his father had with Kushina-san after all.

"Itachi-kun, you're in class A," Kushina informed them. He looked at Akane, who returned his glance with a bored one.

"Class B." He could not hide his disappointment. He had hoped to use class to get closer to her, but they were not in the same one.

"There are two classes?" his father asked the Uzumaki, who nodded.

"Minato decided to split it so that kids can have more time to properly learn everything. They both have twenty students."

"Oh I see," his mother said. She looked down at him and Akane. "Well, you can still see each other at recess."

His mother and Kushina-san both got in their head to make them befriend each other. Kushina had approached him once when she was over at their place and told him she was afraid Akane would stay alone and that if he could be her friend, it would be great.

He didn't need her to ask to do just that, but the fact she asked him…made him a little worried. On the outside, she seemed fine if not reserved, which he had seen when she was thinking deeply about something. It did not look like grief though, at least not anymore.

They went in the ranks when Minato was about to make his speech. His eyes would look at Akane, who looked bored. Then, he spotted Izumi behind, who waved and grinned at him.

He had done such a good job at avoiding her until then, but he could not anymore. He just hoped he would do a good job at hiding his shame around her.

Not being in Itachi's class was a relief. Being in Hyuuga Kou's was hell. For him, of course. I had known him; it was hard not to when he was so close to Hinata and I was Naruto's big sis after all. I loved annoying him and when I sat down next to him in class, I almost snickered to myself.

That would get my mind off…other things.

Nothing much happened since the attack. Minato-san was doing his Hokage stuff, Kushina-san was taking care of Naru and Naru was being an unbothered baby. I still would train with Kakashi or on my own, trying to get my chakra control back. I was a Seal Master before, and my theoretical knowledge was still there. Without chakra control, it was meaningless though.

Basically, I was going through all of my skills to see which one were okay and which one were for later. I still had no idea of what a Yuurei was, except it was what I was called, I guess. However, I was sure Mito must have had known what it was. Maybe there were stuff in her belongings somewhere, only God knew how Konoha's library was…generic, let's say.

There was no way I would get access to Mito's stuff though. I was six in a few days and barely at the Academy. When I asked Kushina-san if I would be able to learn more about our clan's techniques, she said that, due to their nature, it would wait until I was at least a chuunin.

I could very well be myself and be mistaken for a prodigy and become a chuunin quickly. There was one, well two, issues though. Prodigies, in Konoha, were preys. I knew about Danzou, if I showed too much…skills, he'd try to get me to his side, Hokage's charge or not. If anything, it might make him slyer. I had forgotten about the snake still lurking in Konoha's shadows.

Minato-san had taken me shopping for my first day. We met Orochimaru. I froze at his sight. Orochimaru was a nukenin to me, had always been and was bad, bad, bad news. I had not grown up in Konoha, so I had forgotten that he had defected when I was around ten. I joined Kiri at eleven and it was relatively new still, and Yagura had not liked knowing this snake was in the wild.

Well, Yagura, Obito, whatever.

The point was, I would rather stay under Orochimaru's radar as well. Although, Jiraya-san knew my mom, and dad, so Orochimaru also knew them, I was sure. Which meant, he probably knew, or suspected, I was their daughter, maybe. I hoped not.

Basically, if I made too much noise, they would have their eyes on me, and it was the last thing I wanted.

Classes were boring. History classes were nothing new, theory was…a joke and…yeah, everything was boring, and we would not start sparing until the second semester.

I did not see much of Itachi. It was fine by me. I would hear of Itachi though. The 'Itachi-kun' the girls would scream annoyed him to no end. Here I was, trying to eat my lunch quietly on the roof when I'd hear them squealing.

The worst was, the first time, I peeked to see if he was doing something special. No, he was walking. He spotted me looking at him and I hid quickly. There was no way I was getting involved with him with fangirls like them.

"You have the wrong answer," I whispered to Kou after a week of school. He glanced at me briefly, then my sheet of paper and scoffed. I was skipping some questions on purpose, answering the easier ones.

"Worry about your own work Uzumaki." I shrugged, my chin in my hand.

"Your loss Kou."

The next day, when the Gou-sensei handed us the papers back, Kou glared at his paper. I glanced at the correction. The answer I had told him was wrong was, surprisingly, well wrong.

"Told you," I whispered, knowing it would piss him off.

"You…" he started, only to attract the teacher's eyes.

"Yes Hyuuga-kun?" Kou flushed in shame and shook his head.

"Nothing, I'm sorry." Gou-sensei shot my smirking face a look and I looked away.

Whatever the age, being noticed for bad reasons by a teacher did not feel good. Not that I had ever been to an actual school before, but well.

When the bell rang for lunch, I went to the roof as usual, lunch in hand. It didn't take long for Kou to find me as I had my chopsticks in my mouth.

"How!? Your test was..how!?" I swallowed my food. "Are you failing on purpose!?"

"I'm not failing, I'm being average," I corrected him, going back to my lunch.

"Why? If you can be better, then why don't you do it?"

"Talent gets you attention," I replied simply, handing him an onigiri. "It's umeboshi." He just stared for maybe a minute before sitting down, accepting my offering.

"You're ruining your talent." I stretched my arm above my head and crossed my hands behind it.

"I'm too unbothered to care for my talent." I looked up at the sky, the clouds softly blown by the wind.

And you know what? Somehow, we started to hang out together at school. I couldn't deny it felt nice not to eat alone. Sure, Kou was a kid, had the mind of a kid and all, but he was from the Main Branch of the Hyuuga clan. Clan kids were another brand of kids.

Itachi was frustrated. As he had expected, the Academy was boring and annoying. Being surrounded by children his age the first time around was not necessarily a 'good' experience, neither were the girls screaming his name. He had all of that again and he could barely see Akane. She was in another class and when school was over, she'd go home immediately, sometimes with Kakashi-san. He had thought about lunchtime, but the split of seconds he had crossed her gaze was enough to make him understand he would not be welcomed.

The girls screaming his name were probably making her antisocial nature come back to the surface. Yet, a month after the beginning of class, he saw she was not alone anymore, but with a Hyuuga. They were speaking in hushed voices as they were going to the shooting range with their class.

It was great if she was making friends. He just would prefer if it was him and not some random Hyuuga boy.

The one good thing was that he could watch Sasuke grow up again and be more present this time around. He could, would, be a better big brother and not set him on a path leading him to self-destruction.

As he was watching Akane playing with him, Naruto sleeping next to them as he was doing his homework, it was all he could think about. Give Sasuke a better, happier life.

"He's not crying." Akane looked at him. Even if they did not see each other at school, they would at her house sometimes, for playdates.

"He never cries when I pick him up." Itachi furrowed his brows. "Once I met your mom in the street and she asked me to keep him while she went in a shop. He wasn't crying, he'd just stare at me. Then he pulled my hair."

"Sasuke is usually picky about who holds him." She shrugged, moving the baby closer to her face with a grin.

"You just love nee-chan, don't you Sasuke?" He pulled on her hair. "Ha Itachi, help!" Sasuke had a strong grip, but he managed to make him let go. "Come on, I don't want to be bald." He chuckled. "So not funny."

"It is, a little." He let Sasuke crawl around. "Akane."

"Hum?"

"Do you avoid me at school?" he asked her seriously. She blinked slowly.

"Yeah." He was not expecting her to be that blunt.

"You're rude."

"The truth doesn't care about if I'm rude or not." It was in those moments where he was sure she was not a child. "I like my peace and quiet, you attract the opposite."

"Oh." He couldn't hide he was disappointed. She raised a curious brow at him.

"You want to eat lunch with Kou and I?" He felt his ears heating up. "Huh…I guess if you can lose the screaming girls I don't mind?" His eyes brightened at that.

"Really?" She nodded slowly, taken back by his enthusiasm. "Thank you."

"You're welcome? I didn't think you cared about socializing."

"I don't mind it," he said in a whisper.

The more time he'd spend with her, the more opportunities he would have to ask her if…she was like him. He still had no idea how it happened, but if there was someone to share this with…

In all honesty, he wouldn't want to share this with anyone but her.

A few days later, he slipped out of class when the bell rang for lunch and went to the roof. Kou was surprised to see him, but Akane jumped to her feet to check the hallway behind him.

"Okay, we're clear," she stated, closing the door.

"Of course it is," he replied calmly. She shrugged.

"There's nothing wrong with double-checking It…you." He raised a brow. "You never know who's listening. I don't want to summon anyone."

"Huh…what's going on?" They looked at Kou. "You know the prodigy of our promotion?"

"Yes, I didn't want to be associate with him at school because of the 'Itachi-kun!' girls." Hearing her use a high-pitched voice to imitate the squealing girls was sadly on point. And out of character.

But it was progress.

"How's your shurikenjutsu?" I almost choked on my omelet.

"Below average," Kou replied smoothly. I wouldn't say Itachi and him didn't like each other, but it was…awkward. Maybe it was because of the whole Hyuuga and Uchiha thing. They were civil to each other; it was all that mattered.

"Hey!" I glared at Itachi when I realized he had turned around to chuckle. "Not funny!"

I was getting better at shurikenjutsu, and it was something Shisui would not let me forget when we'd hand out. It would happen less now I'd spend my days at school, but it would. I would spar with Kakashi most of the time.

Which was the reason why my clothes were often dirty. He loved throwing me around.

"Kakashi!" I whined like the kid I looked like. He put his foot down.

"Don't let me kick you down then." I really hoped by the time I was a genin I would be a challenge to him.

It was so frustrating to know how to fight but not being able to because your body was not following my brain.

"You're already above genin-level Akane, you can chill out on the training you know." I deadpanned at him.

"You're the one to tell me this?" He sighed and jumped to sit on a tree breanch, moving his hand to indicate me to do the same. I did, limping though. I had a great view of the pool of mud I had created. I could use the Wild Water Wave Technique now, which was a beginning.

As a Hyouton user, my chakra would naturally change to an equal amount of Wind-natured and Water-natured chakra. I had always been more comfortable with Water though. The most I could do with Wind was sharpened my katana blade and the Whirlwind Technique, where two gusts of wind would grow on my sides and dive forward.

Anyway, the ground was soaked because of me.

"Are you okay?"

"I guess, why?"

"You're…different." I looked down, rocking my legs back and forth in the air. "I'm not talking about your speech; I knew you were able to speak like that and you just didn't do it. Why the sudden interest in fighting?" I shrugged.

"I can't lose control of my ice again."

"You have time. You look like you're in a rush." I frowned at him.

"I thought you graduated when you were my age." He pinched my nose, keeping me from breathing.

"Do as I say, not as I do," he reprimanded me, letting go of my nose when I opened my mouth to breath. "How is it at home?" I shrugged.

I tried to be home the least possible. The only…person I was interested in interacting with was Naru, and now he'd giggle when he'd see me, so I'd carry him. He was so important in all of our futures so…I had to watch over him. Mom asked me to watch over him.

I did not hate Kushina-san and Minato-san though. I just…had no interest in pretending I was their six-year-old relative. They were more roommates than anything else to be honest, and it was weird.

"I am not going to lie, sensei asked me to make you talk." I looked up at him, confused. He sighed. "Both him and Kushina-san are very worried about you. They say you're dissociating or something and that it started after Akiko-san…" He didn't finish.

"Die?" I finished for him, not blinking an eye. "It's what happened, no need to walk on eggshells around me. Mom died, like Onii-chan."

"See, it's the way you're talking about such a subject that is worrisome."

"What am I supposed to do? Wail all of the time because I want my mom?" I retorted quietly.

In all honesty, I lost my mother when I was sixteen. Now everything was back to being calm, I had realized seeing her everyday for a month was weirder than not having her around. I had a breakdown following the Kyuubi attack but now…I was good with not having her around.

I felt incredibly guilty because I felt responsible for her death, but…I was okay. It was weirder to wake up and have Kushina-san making breakfast for all of us.

"No, of course not but…you could not be grieving properly." I blinked at him. "I…lost my father when I was five and I struggled for a long time after that. I don't want you to do the same." I smiled faintly at him.

"I'm really okay Kakashi-san." I pursed my lips. "Can I just call you Kakashi?" He nodded. "Did they tell you why he never talked to me about my ice?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"He didn't?" I shook my head. "I thought he…never mind. I'm sure he doesn't want to overwhelm you." Huh, maybe, who knew.

"They're busy with Naru too you know," I said. "I can handle myself just fine."

"I don't think you realize how 'handling yourself' is complicated when you're a kid." I shrugged.

"When I'm genin, I'm moving out." He widened his eye. "I'm not part of their family."

"Is that why you call them by their name?" I nodded.

"They're not my aunt and uncle. Kushina-san is a distant cousin and Minato-san her husband."

"He's your godfather."

"Verbally only." I tilted my head on the side. "Do you have what you were looking for?" He sighed.

"Yes."

"What are you going to tell them?"

"That you're okay." We both jumped down and I winced when my foot touched the ground. "Your ankle?"

"Your fault!" I jumped on his back.

"How is school by the way? Sensei told me he was surprised to not…hear anything from your teachers." I furrowed my brows. "Isn't it…too easy?"

"Oh, that. Yes. He doesn't have to worry, I'm staying average." Kakashi nodded, a harsher glint in his eye.

"Friends?"

"I hang out with Kou. And Itachi for lunchtime."

"The Hyuuga I saw you with at school and an Uchiha? It's a funny combination." I leaned my cheek on his shoulder.

"If you say so." I knew it was but…I couldn't care less.

Kakashi took me home, putting me in the couch before Kushina-san put an ice pack on my ankle.

"How hard are you two training exactly?" she asked Kakashi, her fists on her hips.

"I kick her down." Kushina-san's brow twitched. "But she is fine!"

"Actually I'm in incredible pain," I corrected him with a smirk. "Aouch."

"Cut the cr…" He was hit on the head with a spatula.

"Language Kakashi!" He left promptly, knowing he wouldn't win.

Naruto, who was playing on the floor, stretched his arm at me. Kushina-san gave him to me when she was I was struggling to move without moving the ice. I sat against the armrest of the couch, Naruto standing on my thighs.

"Kushina-san, did Mom leave anything for me?" She was startled and glanced at me. "I mean, clan things."

"Oh. Yes. There is a summoning scroll among other things. Why?"

"Can I have them?" She furrowed her brows, her chopsticks stopping to stir her meal.

"Minato and I agreed on giving them to you progressively. Some of them are high-level things even I had forgotten about."

"I didn't agree."

"We thought it would be better for you Akane."

"Did you wait until you were a genin to have access to the Uzumaki knowledge?" She frowned.

"No but…it was different."

"How? I'm a foreigner trying to connect with my roots like you were." It seemed to strike a chord and she went back to her cooking.

"I can teach you Fuinjutsu if you want to, but for further knowledge you will have to be a genin. Even I didn't have everything at once." I looked at Naru's grin with a thoughtful look.

"Okay." I saw her raise her head. "If you have time to teach me, I'd like it." Naru baby slapped me, still giggling. His mother turned around with a hopeful grin, the chopsticks dripping on the carpet.

"Really?" I nodded, Naru trying to put his fist in my mouth. "You won't regret it kitten, I'm way better than Minato!" She had stopped using 'baby' as a nickname for me once Naruto was born.

She would call me 'kitten' occasionally, though.

Even if I didn't see them as family, it wouldn't hurt to get training from experts.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have liked it, please do let me know in reviews!

Bye!