WANTED: Itachi Uchiha

Hachi

Reina barely touched her food. The thought of chewing and swallowing made her stomach churn prematurely. She wanted to eat it, she truly did, her stomach simply did not. She couldn't remember her last proper meal; thinking back it was likely the occasional bite of stale pocky she had laying at the bottom of her bag whilst Baa-chan had a scan. 

Mikoto watched as Reina pushed the rice around her bowl, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. She'd never forget the image of Reina, bloodied and broken in Itachi's arms. It was like looking at one of her own children; her stomach had turned to lead and it felt as though her heart had momentarily stopped before jumping into action. It was an image that was permanently burned into her mind. 

"I want to be the first to say that we are so sorry for your loss." Fugaku said, placing his chopsticks down on his hashioki, the small porcelain dish shaped like the Uchiha sigil - a homemade Christmas present from Sasuke. Reina paused, her chest immediately tightening. "Tomo-sama was a formidable leader and an incredible individual, one that will be dearly missed."

"I…" Reina choked, her words crumbling on the threshold of her lips. "Arigatou, Fugaku-sama."

"Please, you've been coming here since you were a little girl. You don't need to address me with such honorifics." Fugaku smiled, well, his version of a smile where the corners of his mouth twitched for the briefest of moments before disappearing in its entirety. 

"You're like family to us." Mikoto smiled, placing her hand over Fugaku's who nodded silently. 

"Even if you do cheat at Go." Sasuke muttered, still sour about his most recent defeat against the Hitori Heiress. Reina swallowed hard, tears already rolling down her cheeks. 

"Which is why," Mikoto interjected, shooting Sasuke a look which was only achievable by mothers. "we want you to stay with us for the time being." Reina opened her mouth to intervene. "Hear us out." Mikoto replied, cutting Reina off before she could shoot the proposition down. 

"When Itachi brought you here, you were a complete mess." Fugaku stated bluntly. "You were severely dehydrated and malnourished. Even now, you're refusing to eat and give your body the fuel it so desperately needs."

"I don't need babysitters. I'm more than capable of looking after myself." Reina replied, her voice wet with tears. 

"Clearly not." Sasuke muttered, taking a sip of his tea. 

"Reina," Fugaku cleared his throat. "When your parents and Grandfather passed, the grief you felt was dulled by your Grandmother. Tomo made sure you ate and gave your body the chance it needed to recuperate from the emotional wounds that had been inflicted. She was your buffer. And now that she is gone, you are having to deal with that monumental loss without the support system that got you through the previous trauma."

Reina couldn't breathe. Her entire chest cavity was crumbling rib by rib. Fugaku was right. Her Grandmother had wrapped her up in so much cotton wool that she could never have been fully prepared for a life without her. She was so lost. 

"I...I don't know what to do." Reina whispered, her eyes streaming miniature rivers. 

"You don't need to know right now." Mikoto offered, her own chest aching. 

"Whether you like it or not, you're going to stay here. You look like shit and you're basically a borderline anorexic."

"Sasuke Uchiha!" Mikoto scolded, her tone crescendoing in pitch. Reina winced. 

"Sasuke has a point, Mikoto. Reina has barely touched her food and despite the bagginess of her shirt, I can practically see her bones. She is wasting away before our very eyes." Fugaku replied, his reply saving his son from a major beating.

Silence.

Reina avoided their eyes, she couldn't bear to look at them knowing full well how they viewed her. Weak and fragile. They were right. She had neglected herself. Her body was so terribly weak that her head spun any time she stood up. She was falling apart piece by piece. 

"We aren't saying this to be cruel, Reina." Fugaku said, his tone much softer than previously. "we are saying this because we care and know how difficult these past weeks have been for you."

"You've done so well, my love." Mikoto whispered, shuffling around the table to fold Reina into her arms. Mikoto smelled of ginger, sweet yet spicy; the scent instantly soothing, Reina found herself leaning into the gesture, her fingers closing around the collar of her blouse. 

"Okaa-san is right, Reina." Sasuke began. "I heard what you did to Atsushi alongside saving Riichi's life as well as maintaining two clones simultaneously on barely any chakra." He smirked, remembering how people described Atsushi screaming like a pig. "I'd cut yourself some slack." Fugaku nodded in agreement. 

"Then it's settled." Mikoto whispered whilst stroking Reina's hair. "You'll stay with us whilst you get yourself back on your feet. Sasuke and Itachi will help you bring any things you may need from home. And Fugaku and I will help with any of the funeral arrangements or clan matters." Reina nodded sniffling, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. 

"Thank you." Reina whispered. "Thank you so much."

"Don't thank us yet." Sasuke said casually, leaning his chin on his hand. "You'll be begging to escape before long."

"Sasuke…" Mikoto warned and Fugaku sighed. 

Things were never dull in the Uchiha household.