(re-uploaded)

1. OF RAINDROPS, DINNERS AND UNLIKELY EVENTS.

The sky was rumbling, dark clouds turning darker, torn every now and then by lightning. Heavy raindrops were falling, treading on the grass in the gardens and the fields of Konoha. The wind was shaking the trees so hard that she was afraid they might have crashed down on her; without noticing, she sped up. The guards at the gate were cursing their ultimate bad luck; of course, nobody would have liked staying right in the middle of such a storm, but after all, who were they to disobey to the Third's will? Just cursing was seemingly enough to them.

The girl understood them perfectly, but clinged to the thought that for her it would all soon be over; she was luckier than the poor guards. Soon she would have entered Konoha, and the thought of her warm home and a warmer bath were the only things that kept her from joining the guards in their cursing. The mission had dried her of any chakra, as well as stamina and whichever kind of energy, and she was quite surprised that her feet hadn't failed her so far, Home. On second thought, the storm and the mission were not that bad. The large Yoshizumi mansion wasn't exactly what she loved to call a home. She kept on calling it that, though, refusing to break the bond that tied her to the reminiscences of a past in which, she believed it, that building had really been a warm place, and she had laughed and she had been happy and thought that nothing could have ever changed that.

"State your name, your home village and business in Konoha!" said one of the guards spotting her shadow in the rain. Oh, so they had finally noticed.

"Koichi-san, you mean you really don't recognize me? Are a couple of days enough to forget me? Now, this is not the kind of welcome I was expecting. You should treat better your shinobis" the kunoichi replied, faking annoyance.

The man stared for a couple of seconds at the girl, quite tall for her age, hidden under a navy blue rain-coat and a strawberry-red umbrella. He wondered how he had missed something so bright.

"Asuka-sama! I beg your pardon, I… I mean, the rain is thick, I didn't see…I couldn't have recognized you…I mean…"

"No need to apologise. I understand it must not be pleasant to be stuck here in the rain. Well, if you don't mind, I'm really tired, and all I want is to go home" Asuka replied smiling, waving at the hooded men and entering her beloved village.

'Everything is where I left it… Konoha never changes' she thought, taking a look around. The rain kept falling, and she really wasn't in the mood for reporting the mission to the Hokage.

'Geez, I am growing more and more similar to Kakashi-sempai. I wouldn't be surprised if I began being late and inventing lame excuses! …Kakashi-sempai… I'm looking forward to seeing him again. I didn't even have the chance to see him before I left! He's such a great shinobi! Well, if one doesn't mind his lack of discipline. He's quite a lazy ass, and he's always reading those perverted books of his. Not to mention the fact that he's super-cute! Or at least I guess he is, under that mysterious mask. And that messy grey hair …wait. Is his hair grey or white?'

Suddenly a loud sob made her come back to reality. She stood still for a moment, before deciding it was a product of her imagination. She was so worn out she was imagining things, great. But again, a louder sob was heard. Asuka stopped in the middle of the street, trying to focus on the source of the weird noise. If she listened to it closely, she decided, it did sound like someone crying. She seriously had to consider putting less effort into B ranked missions.

"Sniff.."

'No no no, someone is definitely crying here'. The kunoichi began looking for the source of the sobs; the street was empty, and the curtain of raindrops made it hard to see things clearly. As the noise grew louder, she forced herself to have a better look. There was a little dark spot deserving to be checked. And in fact, there he was. The little crying bundle was soaking wet, and shaking both for the cold and the loud cry he was giving.

"Calm down, little one…what's wrong? Shh…" Asuka tried to calm down the child, but that did not seem enough to the little boy. He had dark, raven hair, sticking to his forehead because of the rain, and he was of an extremely white complexion.

"Sa…Sasuke-chan?" she stuttered. What was an Uchiha kid doing out of the Uchiha district?

The little boy lifted his head. "Asuka-neechan, is that you?"

The girl removed the hood of her coat and looked into the boy's red eyes. "Yes Sasuke-chan it's me…my, my, what are you doing here? Aren't you cold? C'mon, I'm taking you home" she said taking off her coat and using it to cover the boy who seemed very cold; she then lifted the boy and embraced him.

"NO! No, please, nee-chan I don't want to go home! I can't!" cried Sasuke holding the older girl tighter. She sighed. Who in their right mind would spend a minute more in that weather?

"What about we head to your home and you tell me what's wrong? Is your mom mad at you? Did you do something to Itachi-san? Just tell me, and we'll try to fix it together, uh?" she stroked the boy's wet hair lightly. Sasuke, on the other hand, seemed lost in his thoughts, probably trying to figure out whether confessing his misdeeds was the best thing to be done. Eventually, he nodded and sniffed, not letting go of the firm grip he had around her neck.

She smiled and put a hand in the pocket of her coat; then, she handed him a handkerchief and a strawberry candy.

"But nee-chan, I don't like sweets! I'm not a little boy!" the child protested.

"I know Sasuke-chan, but I don't normally carry around a tomato in my pockets, now, do I?" the boy seemed disappointed, but put the candy in his tiny mouth and began chewing.

"It's not that bad, Sasuke-chan, is it?" said Asuka poking him in the forehead.

His eyes went wide with surprise. "Y-you poked me! You are just like Itachi-niisan, always poking me for anything! I hate being poked! How would you like me poking you, nee-chan?"

"Like Itachi-san, am I?" she rolled her eyes. All this was leading to nowhere. "Sasuke, quit avoiding the subject, and tell me what you did" the older girl told him looking all serious. It was quite difficult to hold the child and the umbrella at the same time, but Sasuke just didn't seem willing to let go of her neck. Her aching neck. Her aching, wet neck. Geez.

"I… well, nii-san was training, this morning, so I sort of entered his bedroom without his pemission, and tried to take that notebook he always writes in and that he hides on the top of the bookshelf, but see, it was too high for me, not that I am small but I just couldn't reach it so..." he sniffed "I sort of…I put a chair under it, you know, the bookshelf, but still it was too high…so…" he chewed his lip nervously "I tried to…climb on the bookshelf, but then the chair fell…and, and I had nothing under my feet, and suddenly the bookshelf moved…it...it just moved and…" a loud sneeze cut the last part of his sentence.

"And let me guess, it fell? But Sasuke-chan, you know that you could have injured yourself badly? You are lucky that you don't even have scratches on you." She checked him quickly with an expert eye. Lucky indeed. Really, what are the odds of a tiny child escaping a bookshelf crashing down on him without the tiniest scratch? Really.

"I…I know…but then I found the book…and I opened it…nii-san's writing is very nice, you know, I wish I wrote like him, but perhaps if I write a lot like he does I will write as good, too…but I was able just to read a couple of lines…there was a date, a couple of weeks ago, and then he wrote that he was training with Shisui and but that he couldn't stay focused on the training because of a thought that kept on crossing his mind...and he wrote that it was not like him, and that it was all that girl's fault, but I couldn't read anymore because then he came and saw me with the book and…and…he was very angry...and…he didn't…didn't even speak to me…he just looked angry, and disappointed…and he grabbed the book…and then I ran, I ran and I wandered and thought and cried until you… you found me…oh, nee-chan, I'm a monster! I disappointed nii-san, I don't deserve to be his brother! He was so angry!" even though she was used at her own little brother's ramblings, the ability of children of speaking and making extraordinary long sentences without breathing still amazed her. And confused her. She was not sure she had really followed.

Asuka stopped walking and looked at the little boy, who was on the verge of crying again, and shushed him.

"Well, Sasuke-chan, you did something bad to your nii-san. Not only you should never read somebody's diary, it is just rude" she started "also, you kinda risked getting badly hurt when the bookshelf fell...but why did you do that? I always thought you were such a good little boy"

"A…a diary? What is a diary, nee-chan? I just wanted to know what that book was, because nii-san seems to care about it a lot, and I thought it was a book on jutsus, so that I could learn a few cool tricks and show him and father...and" he sniffed again "… they would have been proud of me…" he looked away. Great. Just like her brother. Always listening only to the things they want to hear.

Asuka was a little taken aback by Sasuke's words, though. It was evident he cared a lot aboutr his brother and father's recognition and affection. She couldn't help but think it very sweet, from a certain point of view, that he tried so hard to be seen by them.

"A diary, Sasuke-chan, is a book in which you write what happened to you a certain day, and things like what your thoughts, your worries, your hopes are. It is very personal, and it is understandable your brother reacted that way. If I had caught somebody reading my diary, I would have been angry too, because in diaries are written things that you do not want other people to know, but that you need to…confess, somehow. If you read someone's diary it's like reading the heart, the mind and the soul of this someone. Can you understand that?"

"I…I didn't mean to...to spy on nii-san…I was just curious…I didn't mean to…" tears filled the boy's eyes.

"Sasuke-chan" she said sweetly "don't cry…haven't I told you that I hate to see my super-cute Sasuke cry? Mm? And then you have nothing to worry about. Your nii-san, I am sure, is not mad at you anymore. I suppose that he's worried, as well as your mother and father…and then, if you tell him that you are sorry and that you won't do it again, I'm sure he will forgive you. And if you want, I may talk to your brother and your mother, too…ok? We are going to fix it, so stop crying and show me one of your beautiful smiles!" Sasuke seemed relieved by Asuka's words, and rubbing his red eyes with tiny hands, he managed to smile to the older girl.

Asuka didn't know what she had done to make Sasuke so fond of her. She just remembered finding him sitting on a swing at the park on his own, looking quite sad, and thinking no four-years-old should be that sad on a bright day. To cheer him up she bought him an ice cream, which did not seem her enough to conquer someone's heart, also because he had stared at her all seriousness and declared something that sounded like "tomatoes are much better than sweets anyways". The ice cream had quickly vanished, though. And then they had "plaid ninjas"

She had often seen him since then, while waiting for her friends to join her at the park, and Sasuke seemed to enjoy her company somehow. He often told her about the academy, his training, his brother, about the cool jutsus Itachi had mastered, about the forehead poking, and about his rivalry with nii-san to gain his father's attention. By the way Sasuke talked about Itachi, Asuka couldn't clearly understand whether it was love or hate that shone in the eyes of the little boy at the mention of his aniki. Perhaps a mixture of both…but that didn't seem important, at the time.

The wind was blowing harder, and the rain was still as thick as before, if not more. Asuka was grateful when they entered the Uchiha district, because Sasuke-chan had begun sneezing and coughing, and his cheeks were quite flushed. As they entered the massive stone portal, Sasuke insisted to walk on his own. "Uchihas don't let people carry them like babies", he said. The narrow streets were empty, and the only light showing her where she was walking was the one coming from the windows.

Asuka had been to Fugaku Uchiha's mansion before, but she couldn't seem to cease to be amazed by how severe and traditional it looked, and by the way in which the feeling of coldness she had felt the first time she had entered it hadn't abandoned her yet. In a way she particularly disliked, it was not that different from the Yoshizumi district; not that different from her own home.

Eventually, Sasuke approached a rice-paper door, and slid it open; he then turned to his older friend and grabbed her hand, as if looking for help. She smiled, and followed the child as he entered, trying not to look to embarrassed.

Quick footsteps were immediately heard, as well as a woman's voice calling the child's name.

"Sasuke-chan! Sasuke-chan! Oh my god, you are home…where have you been? We've been looking the whole day for you…we were so worried! Itachi-kun is still out looking for you…please, please don't do that again! We were so worried!" exclaimed Sasuke's mother hugging the little boy.

"Kaa-san! I'm so sorry! I swear I won't do it again…I… I was so afraid that nii-san and you would be really mad at me! I … I didn't mean to worry or upset you…besides, Asuka-neechan, here, found me, and she brought me home..." Sasuke explained to his mother, feeling really guilty.

The eyes of the woman on her, Asuka bowed and greeted politely Sasuke's mother.

"Konbanwa, Mikoto-san. I guess he caught a light cold, he was soaking wet when I found him"

"Konbanwa, Asuka-chan" Makoto-san smiled and bowed back.

The girl knelt down to look Sasuke in the eyes, and smirked. "See, Sasuke-chan? No need to be worried, we fixed it all!"

Sasuke nodded smiling and hugged the girl. "Arigato nee-chan! Really!"

"I guess that now that Sasuke is safe and sound, my presence is no more needed…" Asuka was all prepared to leave, when the Sasuke's mother hugged the girl tight.

"Arigato gozaimasu, Asuka-chan! I don't know what I would have done without you! Please, stay for dinner, would you? It is the very least I can do for you now!"

The young girl's cheeks colored lightly; she wasn't used to such displays of affection, and didn't really know how to behave. "I…well, I am coming home from a mission so I would like to go home and…"

But Mikoto insisted, still smiling and hugging her little boy. "Please Asuka-chan, I would be very pleased if you did stay. Besides, the storm outside is said to be getting worse, I wouldn't like to know that you're out in the rain. If a warm bath is what you need, then there is no problem at all."

The thought of a bath warmed the girl's heart; after all, it was since the bloody morning that she was walking in the damned rain, and hot water was all she desired at the moment. Seeing how further resistance would have been useless and not polite, Asuka removed her shinobi sandals and followed Mikoto to a small bathroom; the house was really tidy and clean, and smelled a little bit like incense.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe that place was more of a home than the Yoshizumi mansion; the sound of Uchiha Makoto's voice brought her back to reality, interrupting the mental countdown that separated her from her father and little brother's break from the embassy-mission in Sunagakure.

"There you go, Asuka-chan." Mikoto said handing the girl a few towels and clothes. "I will be in the other bathroom helping Sasuke. He really needs a bath, the steam will do him some good for that cold…"

"Arigato gozaimasu, Mikoto-san." The woman smiled and closed the door behind her.

Finally she was alone again. She panicked for a moment, thinking at how, why she had found herself stuck in the Uchiha district like that. Embarrassing. To say the least.

Taking her wet clothes off, and opening the water to fill the bathtub, Asuka began brushing her waist-long dark hair, untying the high ponytail. It was wet. Soaking wet. So wet that the normal dark brown tint looked dark black. Entering the bathtub she tried to calm down.

'Embarrassing' she thought 'Oh kami, that's embarrassing. Look where I am. Aren't good actions supposed to be like, rewarded? So much for a reward! Dinenr at the Uchiha's! and if I get lucky, dinner at the Uchiha's with Itachi! How lovely!' sighing, she sank lower into the tub. "It's not that I don't like him. I never crossed the 2-words barrier, like, good morning, or good evening, that sort of stuff! Not that conversation would be possible, he is always so polite and formal…'

She briefly considered escaping from the window while drying her hair, but that wasn't very likely to happen. She looked at the clothes Mikoto-san had given her to replace her wet ones, trying to figure out how to make it look like something. She put the long sleeved t-shirt and the shorts on, and adjusted the large collar of the shirt so that it wouldn't bother her. Boy clothes. Very likely belonging to the older Uchiha brother. Black boy clothes. Did they not realize that black made them look like ghosts? As if they were not pale enough already… Yes, definitely not her size, Asuka thought contemplating her figure in front of the mirror. She let her hair free, and parted the fringe to one side. With uncertain steps, she left the bathroom.

Venturing into the maze-like corridors, she thought at how she should have paid more attention when Mikoto-san had shown her to the bathroom. Before she decided to give up on the last strand of dignity and use her kekkai genkai to find the kitchen, Sasuke-chan ran into her screaming.

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan! See? See? I'm all better now…I almost don't sneeze anymore!" she smiled, relieved that the boy was fine, and that she had someone to guide her to the kitchen.

"Come on, this way" Sasuke grabbed the older girl's hand and started walking towards what she hoped was the kitchen "the storm outside isn't getting any better, want to see how strong the wind has gotten, ne, Asuka-chan?" Awesome, just awesome. Kami-sama tell her when she'd be able to go home now!

Mikoto-san was all busy with pots, vegetables of all kinds and meat.

"May I help, Mikoto-san?" Asuka offered.

Looking around, Mikoto pointed at a shelf. "Oh, well, yes…would you mind setting the table? The dishes and all are in that shelf over there…yes, that one." The girl began disposing the dishes on the table; Sasuke was just sitting, with his head resting on the table, and was looking at his mom and his friend chatting. Asuka gladly found herself less stressed as time went by.

"It's very nice to have you here Asuka-chan, I don't have much company when I cook. Except for Sasuke-chan, of course" she added when she noticed Sasuke's disappointed look.

"I always keep you company when you are cooking, mom! It's Itachi-nii-san the one disappearing in his bedroom to write in that book of his or something." he grumbled attacking a tomato. It was then that Mikoto realized that one of her sons was still missing "Oh my god! Itachi-kun! Why isn't he back yet? Did something happen to him?" she let down the spoon she was holding, and began panicking.

The Yoshizumi girl suppressed a laugh; as if a storm could harm Uchiha Itachi!

"Kaa-san, don't worry, Itachi is veeery strong, even if there is some enemy ninja who sneaked into the village to kill the Hokage and steal forbidden scrolls Itachi would like soooo beat him, even if the other is the most powerful shinobi out of Konoha, even if he has unknown powers and jutsus that are even cooler than nii-san's, which is very unlikely, well, then Itachi-niisan is going to take a bit longer perhaps, but even if wounded he has the Sharingan and he will defeat his opponent. So, kaa-san, please, do not worry for nii-san, please?" Sasuke's attempt to calm his mother seemed to produce the opposite effect. Asuka was still looking for words that could convince her of the contrary, when the door opened to reveal a wet, wet, wet Uchiha Itachi.

His eyes fell on Sasuke. "Ototo, so you're here. I've been looking everywhere for you." The little boy ran towards his aniki. "Nii-san! Nii-san please forgive me! I've been bad, but now Asuka-neechan explained me that what I did was wrong and I promise I won't do it anymore!" Itachi looked the child who was now pulling at his black shirt.

"Asuka-chan?" he questioned, raising a brow, but Sasuke didn't seem to hear, or to mind. After all, making sure aniki was definitely not angry was the most important thing on earth. "Please, nii-san! Don't be mad at me!" at that, Itachi's expression softened, and he lifted that cutest little brother of his, whose watery eyes seemed those of a puppy.

"And who told you that I was mad at you, you silly thing?" Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Demo! Demo! You looked very, very angry this morning when you found me…I was afraid…I was afraid that you didn't like me anymore, and that you wouldn't have wanted me as Ototo…" Itachi poked Sasuke in the forehead.

"I was just worried. Now, Sasuke, be a good boy and stop worrying. You already understood that what you did was wrong, and as long as you promise you won't do it again, I have no reason to be mad at you." Sasuke seemed the happier little boy on earth. Aniki wasn't angry! He didn't plan to ignore him, he could still be aniki's little brother! Oh, how good and kind his aniki was. Were all older brothers like his? Sasuke really doubted it.

"Hello, Itachi-san." Asuka greeted. Itachi nodded and greeted her "Good evening. I suppose it's you who found Sasuke. Thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome…I mean…" Asuka found herself wondering why she had formed the most embarrassing habit of always stuttering around Uchiha, as she did not even stutter around Kakashi-sempai.

'He'll think I'm a total loser or something. Great. Yeah well, in the end, who cares, it's not like I care about Itachi-san's opinion anyways. Let him think I am unable to form complete sentences. Whatever.'

Itachi nodded again and after greeting his mother headed toward the bathroom without seeming willing to push that non-conversation any further. Or so she had thought.

"And by the way, Asuka-chan…it's Itachi." he added without turning back.

"Ha-hai…" and after that umpteenth demonstration of wit from her side, he closed the kitchen's door.

Asuka was, for lack of a better word, astonished.

'It's just Itachi…who the hell does he think he is? It's just Itachi…who does he think I am? One of his crazed fan girls?' Asuka's angry thoughts were interrupted by Sasuke's voice.

"Ne…nee-chan…why are you blushing? Your cheeks are red, you know."

Her eyes went wide. Blush? Who? Who is blushing? At this Sasuke put on a smart expression, and a look that seemed saying I-know-what-you-hide.

"Asuka-neechan! Itachi-niisan spoke to you and you blushed…that means just one thing…"

Asuka suddenly regained the will to speak. "Oh, really? What does it mean, Sasuke-chan?"

Mikoto was pretending not to listen, but was actually quite amused.

"Aaah, but, but, it's obvious! Asuka-neechan loves nii-san!"

Asuka's eyes widened more. Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes then closed to tiny flaming lines. She tried to give to herself the 'he's just a child' line, but that did not seem to work.

"Come here Sasuke-chan! You'll pay for this!" she exclaimed with an evil grin. Sasuke chuckled and then began to run around the table, followed by the older girl trying to get him.

Only the voice of the Sasuke's mother made her realize that, as an elite ANBU, such behaviour was untolerable.

"Sasuke chan, why don't you call Itachi-kun? Dinner's ready!" said Mikoto, putting a couple of rice cups on the table.

"Kaa-san, shouldn't we wait for father to come home?"

Mikoto shook her head and replied "No, Sasuke-chan, your father is on a mission, and he won't be home before tomorrow evening".

He cleared his throat. "Uh…ok, then ITAAAAACHIIIII NIIISAAAAAN!" Sasuke shouted.

"Sasuke! I wanted you to go to his room and ask him! It didn't mean for you to scream at the top of your lungs and deafen us!"

"Gomennasai kaa-san…Asuka-chan, will you accompany me?" Sasuke asked holding Asuka's bigger hand in his tiny one.

Too cute for his own good. "Of course, Sasuke, as long as you don't start again with that thing about me liking your nii-san."

"Oh, if you are blind and don't want to see then it's none of my business" Sasuke replied, looking like a wise-man talking to his disciple. She decided to let that one fall.

They walked the corridor taking to Itachi's bedroom.

"Itachi" she paused, surprised at her own self "may I come in? Mikoto-san says dinner is ready" Asuka had knocked lightly on the door, and Sasuke opened the door without waiting Itachi's reply.

Itachi was sitting on his bed, looking extremely concentrated while writing in a small book. With just his pants on. Typical. Why bother dressing up.

He lifted his head. "Sasuke, you should wait for a reply, before opening somebody's door" Itachi scolded Sasuke.

"Gomennasai nii-san! But dinner is ready and I am very, very hungry! So come quickly, or else I'll eat your dinner, too!" Sasuke exclaimed laughing.

Itachi nodded, and then stared at Asuka. "Well?" he said in his badass tone, still staring.

"Well? Well what, Itachi-san?"

"Well did you have to something to tell me, too?"

"I...no, I didn't. Why?" Eh?

If Itachi had been the kind of boy who rolled his eyes, he would have rolled them; and if he had been the kind of boy who snorted, he would have snorted. But Uchiha Itachi kept his stoic expression and simply replied "Because you are still standing on my door while Sasuke is desperately trying to gain your attention and pulling at your left sleeve in order to move you. Is there something on my chest or something?"

Oh. Oh. Oooh. Staring. She was the one doing the staring. Oh. Oh sorry. Really, sorry. The girl looked down to find Sasuke-chan was actually pulling at her sleeve trying to move her. How come she hadn't noticed? That was rather strange. No. That was embarrassing. Very, very embarrassing. Again. Asuka wished that she knew one of the Third's Doton jutsus to and dig the deepest hole on that very ground under her feet and disappear in a puff of smoke, but again, that was unlikely.

"Gomennasai, Itachi-san" she said taking quick steps and heading to the kitchen.

When she was sure she had placed enough distance between her and the Uchiha, she sighed.

"Nee-chan?" Sasuke sounded worried.

"Yes, Sasuke-chan?"

"If you don't like nii-san, why are your cheeks this red?"

"…"