𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑪𝒀𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑵 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

hell down here ~ Age 15

AN: Not me saying I'll update every day until it's done and then disappearing for six weeks. Definitely not me...

It was afternoon and it was bright out and the hand in his own felt cold amids the scalding mid-summer breeze. No words were exchanged between them, no meeting of the eyes or the tightening of their intertwined fingers. It was summer, and the sun was piercingly hot, and he held the hand of the one he loved, yet it was cold. They stood there, in silence, in utter and complete silence, and stared ahead.

It was silence, until it was not. "Are you not going to go to her?"

"Why?" He didn't even have to think before asking.

Kakashi's hold tightened all of a sudden, and he shifted in place. "Just...wondering."

There was no use in wondering, was it? He had no need to go to her. He made it clear a while ago. He made it clear to Minato than he wanted no part in their lives, nor did he want them in his own.

So why bother asking?

But it wasn't meant to be, it seems.

"Is that you, Aizen?!" Mikoto's voice rang out, and her dark, dark eyes zeroed in on him. "Come here, I want you to meet someone!"

Great. He even had a bad feeling about going out today, but he still did exactly that.

Again, Kakashi asked, "Are you not going to go to them?"

Soundlessly, Aizen could only clench his teeth and pull Kakashi along as he stepped forward.
.
.
.
The baby in her arms was quiet—sleeping.

Kushina didn't say anything to him. It was better that way. He wasn't sure he'd be able to stay quiet if she brought up the topics of their past conversations.

But, he knew why.

The only reason she didn't say anything was because of Mikoto and the newborn in her arms.

"His name is Sasuke..." Mikoto shifted so she could show him a better view.

Pale skin. Raven black hair with thin, dark lashes. Then, when he opened his eyes, there laid a matching set of dark, dark eyes. A perfect Uchiha, wasn't he?

Sasuke furrowed his brows and all Aizen saw was Itachi, Itachi, Itachi.

"They look alike, don't they?" As if she could read his mind, Mikoto softly smiled. "Itachi was absolutely ecstatic."

Of course he was. That sounded just like him. He was probably so excited to be an older brother.

An older brother...

There was sudden pressure on his hand and he turned to look at Kakashi, who offered him nothing except a small eye-smile.

"Oh my..." Mikoto spoke up, "The two of you..."

Aizen looked back at her, and saw the way she stared down at his hand. "Yeah." That was all he told her, but it was enough to see her smile bloom like spring-time flowers.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," She laughed. "You did use to talk to me about him sometimes."

His insides twisted.

"I vividly remember you being all caught up with the fights you two had, and the way you complained about him." Again, she laughed, even when Aizen didn't see a reason for laughter.

This wasn't what he wanted to talk about. Matter of fact, he didn't want to talk at all.

"Ah, young love," Mikoto smiled, lightly shaking her head. "Fugaku was so awkward in the beginning." She looked, off into the distance, as if recalling everything. "Treasure what you have, will you?"