Present for Sarada (Naruto Fanfic)

Present for Sarada

Certain traditions faded into the past, slowly becoming forgotten just as certain individuals ended up growing apart.

After all, both Itachi and Sasuke had their shinobi missions while practically never being able to team up with each other, though one thing remained apparent—when Sasuke did see his brother, Itachi smiled. There was the normal smile and then that mischievous one where Itachi was up to something. When Itachi showed up at the door of the home Sasuke shared with Sakura with a box held out in his hands, it was that smile on his face and Sasuke felt a feeling of dread deep in his gut.

Whatever Itachi was up to, Sakura would not be please, and a displeased Sakura was not—

Sasuke's frowning at his brother was interrupted by a small hand grabbing onto his pants and a small voice saying, "Hi." Sarada then said, "Who are you?"

Instead of answering Sarada's question, Itachi said, "I brought a present for Sarada, Sasuke."

Sasuke stared, knowing Itachi was up to something and then decided. "I don't know you. Sarada, what have we said about talking to strangers?"

"We don't talk to strangers," Sarada parroted after him and Sasuke closed the door in Itachi's face, deciding it was better not to deal with a lecture from Sakura regarding how he'd messed up as a parent again, yet he should have known it wouldn't have ended here as Itachi was trouble. Itachi was always trouble, something his father started drilling into his head as he got closer and closer to graduating.

Something about Itachi showing major disinterest in family politics, though Sasuke showed he had little interest in the family politics when he married Sakura who wasn't of the Uchiha clan which caused its kind of uproar. He started walking Sarada into the living room, freezing as Itachi waved at him, the box under one arm. "Hi!"

A scratching noise came from the box which meant there was an animal in the box which meant Sakura would be pissed. "Get out."

"Oh, come on. I brought a gift for Sarada, and..." Itachi looked around, suddenly frowning.

"Sakura's not here."

"And?"

"Sakura's not here."

Itachi stared. "Are you implying that Sakura would be upset?"

"Yes."

Itachi sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sure Sakura wouldn't mind."

"I'm sure she would."

"Why?"

"You have that look, that look when you're up to something."

"Well, I am." Itachi smiled, setting the box with the animal down and opened it so he could retrieve something. "It's tradition though."

"Tradition?" Sasuke didn't know what an animal had to do with tradition as Itachi hid whatever he had behind his back, leaving the box on the table he'd set it down on before stepping closer, ever so slowly.

"You need to lighten up," Itachi smirked. "It would do your marriage good."

"Our marriage is just fine." Eventually, Itachi made a move which made Sasuke's eyes widened. "What did you just put on my head?"

"Sasuke, why do you have cat ears on your head?"

He turned, seeing Sarada holding onto her mother's hand, meaning...

~

Sakura felt a tug on her sleeve which drew her attention down to a familiar face. Her lips pushed together. "Sarada, you've been told not to bother me at the clinic unless it was an emergency, but I've told you that your father not knowing how to do something doesn't count unless he's burned the house down, or is close to doing so."

"There's a stranger in the house."

"Why did you let a stranger in the house."

"They let themselves in."

Sakura's mouth twisted into a deeper frown. "Sarada—does your father know you're here?"

"No. He doesn't know the stranger either. He said so."

Her mouth opened slightly, knowing Sasuke would say he didn't know somebody when he did know them when he thought they were up to no good, particularly when Sarada was involved. "Um—"

"They brought me a present."

"Anything else?"

"They look like daddy."

"Oh. Let's go."

That was how she arrived at the house to see Sasuke with cat ears on his head. "Sasuke, why do you have cat ears on your head?" She watched her husband look at the other person in the room, absolutely mortified regarding the cat ears, but her eyes widened. "Oh! Hello Itachi."

"So not a stranger?" Sarada piped up.

"He's your father's older brother."

"Why did daddy lie?"

"Why indeed?" Sakura gave Sasuke a look which made him wither even though he wasn't in trouble, but he did know he'd done something backward again.

"Because—he's up to something," Sasuke muttered.

"Oh. Seems your father is trying to protect you when he doesn't need to." Yet, the look on Sasuke's face, the one of horror, said he didn't agree.

"So, I can have the present that Uncle Itachi brought me?"

"What present?" She watched Sasuke's head turned to the box which was when she heard scratches coming from the box. Her mouth twitched. "Itachi, did you bring my daughter a pet."

Itachi sighed. "Did you have to ruin the surprise?"

"An animal?" Sarada booked towards the box while Sasuke held out his hand, panic setting in only for Itachi to grab his arm.

"It's okay. Seriously."

"It's okay?" Sasuke was pale, choking as he looked at his older brother. "What could you possibly..."

"A kitten! And more cat ears."

Which, of course, didn't seem like some kind of dangerous thing and Sasuke suddenly looked confused. She watched as Sarada put the cat ears on her head before scooping out the soft white kitten and snuggling it close to her. Hopefully, she wasn't allergic, or Sasuke would likely go into a panic mode again, fretting over not doing things right.

"See. It's okay."

"Why a cat?" Sasuke seemed baffled.

"You don't remember?"

"Remember?"

"There's a picture of daddy and uncle Itachi with cat ears on their heads."

"Oh..." Sasuke's eyes blinked. "That..."

"That," Itachi laughed. "Seriously, what did you think would happen?"

"You're not interested in the family, except—"

Sakura bit back a laugh as Itachi flicked Sasuke in the forehead. "Except you, but you can include any adorable nieces and nephews in that as well. You misinterpret things way too easily."

"That's for sure," Sakura chuckled. "Stay for dinner Itachi, or do you have an ANBU op going on that you can't tell us about."

"Not at this point."