Love In A Mug

Chapter 2

The raven hair man sat up on his bed. Once again waking up before his alarm could rouse him from his sleep.

He yawned before giving his tired limbs a good stretch.  Getting out of bed he instantly moved to start his morning workout before doing anything else. He likes rising early and getting an hour's worth of running and lifting some weights before he wakes his son.

He opened the curtains even though the sun was barely over the horizon then made his way to the bathroom to wash his face. He brushed his hair pulling it back into a ponytail before changing out of his pajamas and into a pair of sweatpants and a short sleeve shirt for working out.

He peeked in on his 4-year-old son before heading downstairs to the room where a treadmill and weight set were.

Stretching his body first and then doing two sets of 20 push-ups, he slipped the ear pods in before starting the machine for a 45-minute run.  He enjoyed the morning routine. It helped him get his thoughts together before starting his day.  Even though he enjoyed his job as a professor at the University,  some days stress him out but not as much as the days he has to deal with his son's mother.

He set the treadmill on a different path. Mostly uphill. He needed the challenge. He listened to a lecture during the run breathing heavily as the machine adjusted for the uphill climb. 

After the course finished he did a few bench presses and then headed upstairs to shower and get ready for the day.  Once dressed in a striped blue Hemsworth suit and tie he prepared himself for the mission of trying to wake up his son.  

He was thankful that he prepared the night before all the things his son would need when he drops the little one off at his grandmother's before work.

He walked into his son's room quietly,  opening the curtains to let the sun's rays fill the room.  He sat next to the little boy, kissed his tiny forehead, and called out his name. "Kiyoshi, time to get up." This only gained him whines and the little body hiding further into the cocoon he has made himself over the night.

Itachi smiled and chuckled as he ruffled his hair encouraging him to wake.  He was so much Sasuke when it came to waking in the morning.   With a few gentle shakes, "Come on.  Sobo is probably cooking your favorite breakfast already.  We don't want to be late."

With that, the small frame sat up. He loved going to his grandparents' house on the days that his father worked. He yawned big and rubbed his eyes. "You think baa-baa is making waffles?"

"Hmm, maybe." Itachi helped him choose the outfit that was already laid out the night before.  It was a routine that the organized raven established with them both making life in the morning less hectic.

He placed a wash bib around Kiyoshi's neck so he could wash his face and brush his teeth without getting his clothes wet. He helped Kiyoshi make his bed before the two went downstairs where the little one's backpack sat ready next to his father's briefcase.

Kiyoshi spoke in a jumble of words about his dream that Itachi could hardly understand as they made their way out the front door, but he always responded with amusing sounds every time he paused his story.  He helped him into his car seat in the backseat behind the passenger's side then made his way to the driver's seat putting on his seatbelt as well.  Itachi turned his head around taking another glance at the child for one last security check before driving out of the driveway and heading for his childhood home.

Kiyoshi swung his legs back and forth as he looked out of the window.  Everything is just sunshine and rainbows for him.  He is but a child.

Itachi played the preschool songs on the radio finding himself singing along with the little tyke.  He was internally grateful that his son was happy despite the situation with his mother.

"Daddy?" Kiyoshi called. "Yeah, buddy," Itachi responded as he kept his eyes on the road. "Uncle Sasuke said mommy is a bad person. And bad people like to hurt other people's feelings and that is why you're always sad. Is mommy hurting your feelings, daddy?"

The raven looked up into the rear view mirror with quick surprise before taking his focus back onto the road. Cursing his little brother for being an idiot once again. "That's not true, son. Mommy isn't hurting daddy's feelings." He didn't want his son to be involved with the issues between himself and his mother.

Itachi glanced up again into the rearview mirror to see his son looking back out of the window.

His family didn't like Cassandra for what she was trying to do to them which was using Kiyoshi as a ploy in her failed plans.

"What brought that up, buddy?" He asked out of curiosity. 

"Mommy says mean things about you to her friends. I told uncle Sasuke about all the things she says. Then uncle Sasuke told me it's because mommy is a bad person."

Itachi sighed.  "Well, sometimes people say things about other people when things don't always go the way they are hoping. Understand?" He tried reasoning with him but explaining adult issues to a 4-year-old wasn't easy even with Kiyoshi being intelligent.

He had gained full custody of Kiyoshi about two years ago whenever Cassandra tried using the Uchiha heir to her financial advantage after being caught in an adulterous affair.  His father's powerful head attorneys representing him caused her to lose the battle in court.

But unfortunately one of the kids in Kiyoshi's classroom was friends with Cassandra and of course the scornful woman didn't hold back talking about him freely, the soured conversations falling onto innocent ears. 

His hands tighten on the steering wheel. Feeling tense.  His parents' home came into view. Itachi saw the excitement in his son's eyes as Mikoto stepped out of the house to greet them. As soon as Itachi freed Kiyoshi from the car seat and placed him on the ground, the little boy ran to his grandmother. "Baa-baa." He greeted with excitement and said woman lifting him in the air, spinning them both around before securing the little body close to hers in her arms. "There's my little sunbeam." Pampering his face with kisses which gained a mouthful of giggles from the smallest Uchiha.

Itachi smiled watching them.  His mother was such a great help with Kiyoshi.

"I made waffles today." She announced. 
"Yay," Kiyoshi hopped up and down before rushing into the house.

"Okāsanお母さん." Itachi politely greeted her and kissed her on the cheek.

Mikoto eyed her son, sensing that something was off and she would bet her money she knew what it was.  As much as she wholeheartedly loves her grandchild her feelings weren't the same for the woman who gave birth to him.

"Good morning, my love. Is everything ok?"  Kissing him on his cheek like she usually does. Her children might think they are too old for hugs and kisses but they are still her babies.

"I'm fine," said Itachi.

"I don't believe you." She said locking her arm around his as they walked inside.

"I promise I am. Let's get in and have those waffles you mentioned before dad eats them all."

She chuckled reluctantly, but let it go knowing that her son would talk to her when he was ready.