Characters react to EBNB

Ch 5: Rest is Needed

"I'll be back." Mikoto patted her husbands hand and rose from her chair. She walked over to where her son's were sitting. "How are things over here?" She placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder. Eyes first going to her eldest. "Are you doing alright?"

"Things are okay given the circumstances." Itachi replied accepting a hug from his mother. "I'm more worried about Sasuke."

"Itachi's just being dramatic." Shisui spoke up. When wasn't Itachi worried about Sasuke? Granted he had a right to worry given the screen events, but Itachi could really be such a mother hen about him. "Everything's cool over here."

"Is that so?" Mikoto's eyes turned to her youngest. She was more than a bit surprised to see Naruto and Sakura sitting in the same seat as her son. The dividers done away with so they were pressed right up against each other. Something Mikoto hadn't been able to see from her seat. She was uneasy. Sasuke must be dying for more personal space. He must be feeling suffocated with them so close. She knew her son well.

"Yeah, we're fine mom." Sasuke nodded slowly in agreement with Shisui. "You don't need to worry. Kakashi Sensei's right here if I need him."

Mikoto looked back at Kakashi. Her stare was cold. It would seem Sasuke didn't get it all from Fugaku. A chill travelled up Kakashi's spine. Mikoto didn't need a sharingan to be terrifying. She held a grudge from the way he'd rattled her husband like a cup of dice. It almost made him regret the action, almost.

"Mm. That's nice dear," Her eyes flicked back to Sasuke. "But I would still feel better if you came and sat with me and your father."

"But mom..." Sasuke's protest was immediate. "...I want to stay here. It's okay if Itachi's with me."

"Itachi's going to come too." She rested a hand on Itachi's shoulder and smiled at Sasuke. She pointed to her smile. "We're going to watch the rest of this as a family, okay?"

It was on the tip of his tongue. Three words that had the power to start an argument of a lifetime. One that would probably end in a lot of heartbreak all around. He wanted to say 'I already am.' Naruto and Sakura, he didn't know when it happened but they had become more of a family to him than his own. But right now, with everything going on up on that screen he just didn't have the courage to tell his mother that. Mouthing off to his mom it wasn't the same as sticking it to his dad. There was no vindication in it. No sense of justice. But Sasuke wasn't against arguing with her enough that he wouldn't put up a respectable fight for his partners. "But I'm watching with my team already."

"Goodness. So stubborn. You can watch with us instead. You can even have your own chair again instead of having to share. You three look awfully crampt."

Sasuke frowned. He didn't want his own chair. He didn't want to go sit somewhere else. He wasn't cramped at all. Actually it was quite cozy like this. He could feel the warmth of their bodies. He could feel them breathing with him, as they tried to match their rhythm and keep calm together while they watched this horrid disaster scenario. Most of all, he felt loved. He was in the perfect position for stolen touches, kisses, glances, and embraces to be exchanged. He wanted to be in Naruto and Sakura's embrace and steal and return as much love and comfort as he possibly could for as long as humanly possible. If he went with his mother he wouldn't get any of it. "I don't have to share. I'm willing to share with them. There's a difference."

"Well, that's very nice sweetheart. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist. Let's go boys." Mikoto ordered beginning to walk away. Itachi gave a wave to Shisui and went to go sit by their father. One boy had yet to move. When she realized he wasn't following her stare grew stern. "Now Sasuke."