Chapter 6
“Wow Sasuke this is the best you’ve ever made! You’ve made some good meals, don’t get me wrong, but THIS,” Naruto said through a mouth full before he continued inhaling the food as everyone sat around the dining table. Sasuke’s eyes grew wide and his glare intensified, he could very easily set Naruto on fire, all he needed was a little to chakra channeled to his eye..
Itachi chuckled quietly.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Itachi’s cooking wasn’t THAT much better! What the hell! Damn Itachi..
“Actually, Itachi made it” Sasuke gritted out, glaring at Naruto.
Naruto stopped chewing and popped his eyes open wide, mouth still stuffed with food glancing at Itachi and then back at Sasuke.
“Ha- ah -um, I mean, y-eah no, it tastes alright lil salty for my taste” Naruto shrugged swallowing his food in a big gulp and began twirling his food with his chopsticks.
“Mikoto, my my you did such a wonderful job with these boys, Itachi you grew so much, so handsome too!” Kushina chimed in with a laugh.
Mikoto smiled and chuckled, but a glimpse of sadness flashed through her eyes that Sasuke caught. Conversation continued around the table, Minato and Fugaku discussed politics and told jokes only they thought were funny, some a bit inappropriate, and earned a frown from Mikoto or Kushina who mainly stayed wrapped up in their own conversation alternating between Naruto, Sasuke and Itachi, asking questions about different interests. Slowly, things grew more comfortable.
“You know, Naruto, Sasuke talked about you when he was younger” Mikoto stated with a warm smile.
Sasuke’s eyes grew wide as his head jerked to look at his mother.
“Did he?” Naruto smirked deviously looking over to Sasuke.
This can not be going anywhere good, Sasuke thought to himself.
“Oh yes.” Itachi agreed nodding.
“I remember one day he raced home from the academy, his face red, clearly irritable, mumbling on and on about a..oh what was the term he used…” Mikoto seemed to contemplate “Ah! Bumbling blonde” she continued.
“Oh, right I believe I recall a comment about sparkly eyes and spiky hair in there as well as he begged me to train so he could prove his skill” Itachi added.
Sasuke looked like he would pass out at this point, avoiding making eye contact with anyone.
“I also called him an idiot, and dead last” Sasuke muttered grumpily.
“Aw Sasuke you sweet bastard! In love with me all this time?”
“I am not afraid to stab you.” Sasuke said with a piercing gaze.
Naruto’s laugh rippled through his body and echoed throughout the room, contagious and spreading to the others at the table.
**
Naruto stayed behind to help Sasuke with clean up.
Sasuke was standing in front of the sink washing as Naruto reached around him to place the last of the dishes in to the sink and taking the opportunity to loop his
arms around Sasuke’s waist.
“Naruto” Sasuke said in warning as Naruto nuzzled his nose in to Sasuke’s hair
“Hm?”
“I’m trying to finish up here”
“And I’m trying to start something I can finish later” Naruto said smugly
“Our dead parents and brother are in the other room Naruto”
“Agh- why’d you have to- I’m not actually doing anything you grim bastard, just a little touching” Naruto said grinding into Sasuke and reaching a hand up to brush away some of the hairs at Sasuke’s neck before leaning down to brush his lips against him. And damn it all to hell if it didn’t make Sasuke shudder, and what’s worse is Naruto felt it. Sasuke just knew he did. Moron. He knew what he was doing. Knew Sasuke’s weaknesses.
“You’re such a brat sometimes, playing hard to get, aren’t you Sas?” Naruto murmured against his neck
“Ahem – am I interrupting?” Itachi said from the door way.
Naruto pushed away and straightened up immediately
“No!” Naruto shouted “Yes.” Sasuke said plainly in unison.
Naruto’s scratched the back of his neck, a burning flush spreading from the tips of his ears down to his chest.
“I uh- y-yeah be right there Mom and Dad!” Naruto yelled
Sasuke rolled his eyes and put his hand on his hip.
“He knows I was going blind before I died, not deaf, right?” Itachi asked watching where Naruto had just rushed out of the room.
“He’s just stupid” Sasuke sighed turning back to his task.
“Would you like some help little brother?” Itachi said walking behind him
“Nope, all good” Sasuke mumbled
Itachi didn’t move.
“I could wash the utinsils, those knives seem to be pretty sharp, you should be more careful in how you’re handling those you could easily cut yourself.”
Sasuke sighed loudly and turned off the water turning around.
“Itachi”
“Yes, hm?” Itachi broke his concerned gaze from the knives in the kitchen sink to meet Sasuke’s gaze.
“I am a trained ninja, a swordsman at that, I can handle a sharp knife perfectly fine. Need I remind you we battled? I am not weak.”
A pained look passed over Itachi’s features. His brow furrowed and he looked down.
A pang hit Sasuke directly in the chest. He could also see the guilt on Itachis face. It eerily mirrored his own.
“I’m sorry, forgive me, Sasuke. I have always felt the need to protect you, it had been the core of my existence for so long, though I failed to protect you from myself. I do not think of you as weak Sasuke. I know my past words and actions say differently, but I was even then only trying to protect you from what I thought was a greater threat. Now that the truth is exposed and the lies and great threats are gone, I don’t feel the need to put on a façade and I suppose I still feel a strong need to protect you, from even the smallest threats.”
Sasuke sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. “I know.”
Itachi nodded and looked out the window “It’s a nice night, I think I’m going to take a walk, let me know if you need anything?” Itachi said without looking away from the window.
“Sure” Sasuke said with a nod turning around towards the sink once more.
He felt Itachi continue to stand there for a moment, knowing his eyes had shifted back to him from the window once more before out of the corner of his eye he saw
Itachi just about to walk out of the kitchen. Sasuke watched his back retreating, and with another sigh
“Itachi?” Sasuke called softly looking back at the sink
“Yes?” He answered back
“Actually, I could use a bit of help if you don’t mind. There’s a dish towel there” Sasuke motioned nodding towards the towel hanging.
A soft smile graced Itachi’s lips as he swiftly turned and grabbed the towel coming to stand beside Sasuke. And okay, maybe Sasuke smiled a little too.