AN: Please do not just favourite this; please do take the time and review; Tell me how I can improve or how you felt about it. I like these things. Thanks for reading; and I hope you all enjoy this story.

Small Welcoming Hands xx;

Mother Knows Best.

Her first child is born on June 9th; a cold and windy day arises in the Uchiha district, but she does not let that affect her mood in the slightest. It hurts her insides, and it harms her arm muscles as she holds tightly onto the sheets around her - refusing her husband to be present in the scene. But he doesn't want to be there anyway, she knows this quite well after three years. Her beautiful brown eyes are shut tightly and her raven hair is knotted together in sweat and blood she somehow manages to reach into the long locks. She doesn't suppose it matters right now; because all she can focus on is the gentle sobs coming from a few meters away from her.

She rests as she realises; the fight to life is over - and she has drawn with the child. She brushes her hand over the nurse's fingers and looks desperately for some water and a cool towel to place on her forehead. The nurse nods in understanding and reaches to her side, placing a cool flannel into icy water and then placing it on the creamy skin of the lady Uchiha, a pleasant smile on both their faces.

"Mikoto-san," The nurse whispers, holding a bundle of life in her arms. Quiet and content the baby lays, snuggling into warm blankets and clutching onto them with fragile fingers. "Your baby, I presume, would prefer his mother than a stranger." A beautiful laugh is erupted from Mikoto's lips as she brings her weak arms around the baby places to her chest. She nuzzles her nose softly into already growing black locks and overlooks her beautiful baby.

"Itachi," She whispers admirably, "My darling boy; you're so beautiful." She lets one of her hands caress his cheek as tears make their way into her eyes. She shakes her head, trying to rid of them as Itachi looks at her with large; soft eyes as if telling his mother to be content as he is. Mikoto looks over the lines down his cheeks and laughs softly as they represent his father's; only much bigger and robust. Itachi brings his small fingers to curl around his mother's index finger as she brings it toward him.

A small whimper escapes him and he yawns; a huge loss of energy building up inside of him. He closes his eyes and gurgles innocently as his mother presses a kiss to his nose; wishing him a peaceful sleep and a happy dream. For he deserves it.

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Itachi looks toward his father with a small glare. There is no bond between the two, no love or overcoming joy that suppresses inside of them. Nothing but the understanding of the other's presence. A burden to one another and a mere excuse to happy themselves and to keep their mother from scolding them with their petty arguments. Though she agrees now that her baby boy of only five years; is quite the gentleman Uchiha.

"Itachi-chan," She sings loudly, wrapping her apron around her and smiling to her baby, "Would you like to help mummy bake some cakes my sweet?" Itachi smiles softly towards his mother, a smile that he will only give her - and her alone. She returns the smile and holds her arms out - the small child stands proudly and walks towards her, confident and proud of his steps. Mikoto takes him into her arms and swings him around, careful to not injure him.

The two of them leave Fugaku to his reading as they disappear into the kitchen, her smile remains. But Itachi's fades as he is placed on top of the counter. "Mother," Itachi whispers softly, not quite confident enough to call his mother, mum or mummy. He is too proud; even at such a young age. He has picked his father's traits. This disappoints Mikoto, but she is only proud he is her child and she has given him life. She will never regret that choice.

"Yes, my beautiful boy?" Mikoto hums softly, bringing out the ingredients they need for the joy ahead of them.

"Why does Father dislike me?" Itachi asks.

The lady of the house smiles heavenly, laughing gently at her son and stroking his hair from his face, sorting it out and humming again. "Itachi, your father does not dislike you. He loves you. He is very proud of you. He is just too proud of himself to admit so, you see?" She explains, stroking and caressing his cheeks enlined with fragile pale colours. "Never think differently Itachi, you are his pride and you are his joy - I am sure of this."

Itachi nods and leans into his mother's touch; content.

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Two years later, when Itachi is six years of age; Mikoto gives birth to another on July 23rd. Unlike Itachi's birth, this birth is held on a beautiful sunset, there is no pain but there is no pleasure in the making of it. She still holds the sheets in some harsh feelings, and fragile stings. But there is no sweat and blood; and certainly no Fugaku, but there is her darling child Itachi, sitting in the other end of the room reading a book and waiting for his baby brother to be born. He is smiling a wider than he has smiled at his mother.

Finally, Mikoto's struggle at giving birth is over; and her young son is born, cleaned and wrapped up in a warm blanket that Itachi demands they use for his brother. The baby is given to Mikoto and Itachi places his book on the table and steps up, walking beside his mother to see the small bundle of life she has given him. A brother. A sibling; someone to love and show life to. His smile softens, and his eyes cloud in love and peace; because he will love and protect this child as much as he will his mother.

"Would you like to hold him, darling?" Mikoto whispers - tired.

Itachi nods softly, taking the baby and holding him safely and correctly. He supports the baby's head with his arm and cradles the small child with his strength; whispering a word that they all think as they glance over him. "Beautiful baby,"

"Say hello to your brother, Itachi-chan. We shall name him Sasuke, is that a nice name for him?" Mikoto asks her eldest as she watches him rock and hum to his baby brother. He looks at her for a matter of seconds and smiles softly, still humming - he nods softly; continuing to sooth his beautiful brother into sleep. Mikoto watches her boys and smiles softly as she turns to the nurse, asking with her lips - in silence - for some water. The nurse nods and brings her some as they continue to watch the older brother sooth the younger with lullabies.

"My baby brother," Itachi whispers, kissing the baby's forehead.

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Sasuke's small hand curls around his bottle as he glances at his older brother from his mother's chest. Reluctantly, he reaches out and throws his bottle onto the floor, then reaches for his brother who takes him automatically with an approving look of their mother.

"It's lovely how the two of you get on so well, darling." Mikoto sighs, sweetly, kissing Sasuke's head and Itachi's cheek as she shuffles the two into the kitchen, picking up Sasuke's bottle from off of the floor. "Silly boy," She giggles.

Itachi sits himself down on the cushion by the table and sits his brother on his lap. Fugaku glares at the two and gives a small nod of acknowledgment to the baby; this angers Itachi slightly but he brushes it off as he has had worse.

"Otouto," Itachi sighs as the little baby clutches onto the table spread, tugging it slightly and earning a disrespectful glare from his father, "Stop it. Now."

Sasuke listens to his brother and hides his head into the older boy's chest. "..'nik...i." Sasuke gurgles into his brother's chest. Itachi's eyes widen slightly as he looks toward his mother – she too is also shocked.

"Darling did he..." Mikoto cuts off as Sasuke playfully tugs on his brother's shirt, pulling himself away but smiling proudly to the elder.

"A...niki..!" He cheers.

Mikoto claps her hands together as Fugaku merely nods a small, proud smile on his face. Itachi remains shocked and still as he looks down at the proud boy on his lap. "Mother, would you like me to put Sasuke down for a nap?" He asks; voice struggling not to shake.

Mikoto nods and presses her lips to Sasuke's cheek. "My baby! Your first word, oh how precious!" She smiles, taking her camera from the drawer and stopping Sasuke and Itachi from going anywhere. "Hold on Itachi; I want this moment on a picture." She giggles, snapping the two together as Sasuke gurgles more nonsense.

"Say goodnight to Mother, Otouto." Itachi demands softly.

"Mama..!" Sasuke coos, reaching over to his mother and pressing his open lips to her forehead. She laughs softly and pets his hair.

"That's right, beautiful. I'm mama!" She beams, then turns to the oldest, "Would you change his nappy and put him into his pajamas too, darling? Or would you like me to do so?" She asks.

Itachi hands Sasuke over, and Mikoto laughs softly. "You can come too, Sasuke's changing stuff is in the baby room now - since it's all done - so you will have to put him to sleep after - you know how sad he gets when his oniisan does not wish him goodnight." She tickles Sasuke's cheek, "Isn't mummy right, Sasuke-chan?"

Sasuke giggles and snuggles into Mikoto, looking toward his brother with a small smile on his lips; knowing Itachi will follow. Itachi shakes his head softly a smile on his lips as he follows his mother to change the baby.

Mikoto sets Sasuke on the changing table, ridding him of his small trousers and top, and unbuttoning the vest that she put on to warm him up. Sasuke curls his toes and fingers, eyes on his brother the entire time. Itachi watches as his mother throws the nappy in the bin and gets out a new one, cleaning Sasuke up and putting it on him with ease.

The oven pings loudly; telling her the pie she made is done.

"Darling, could you take over for me? I'll be up soon to kiss him goodnight. Okay? Just put on those pajamas set over there, and he's good to go!" She smiles, kissing Sasuke's nose and tickling his bare stomach.

Itachi nods and lets his mother past. He steps toward the writhing baby on the table and smiles down at him. Picking up the dark blue pajamas, he picks up Sasuke's legs and slips his small feet through the feet part of the pajamas, then slips Sasuke's arms into the holes and buttons the pajamas up, picking up his baby brother and rocking him softly as he walks across the room and places him in the large cot, placing the blanket over his hips and smiling as Sasuke's head reaches the pillow he donated.

Sasuke curls up and reaches up into the air for Itachi's comfort. Itachi smiles as Sasuke's eyes light up. "A-niki?" Sasuke gurgles softly, his fingers squeezing into tiny fists, and normal again; begging for Itachi's attention.

Itachi sighs in defeat and leans down, his hand on Sasuke's hair as he strokes the small black locks, smiling as Sasuke curls into the embrace and comfort. Itachi leans down more and presses his lips to Sasuke's cheek, close to his lips and smiles as he retreats.

"Sleep well, Otouto. Mother shall come and wish you goodnight after I leave." Itachi explains softly, stroking Sasuke's hair and running in between his fingers, "Be good tonight and do not wake Mother up too much, she needs her sleep. Sleep well." Itachi whispers, watching Sasuke's eyes lid slightly.

Itachi lets go of Sasuke's hair and reaches over to the lamp by the cot, dimming the light on it slightly so the room is dark, yet not too dark for Sasuke. The room light is turned off and Itachi turns to see his mother standing there with a beautiful smile.

"Thank you darling," She says softly, walking over and petting Itachi's hair, looking down at her baby. "You look so alike. Such beautiful boys I have, such a lucky, lucky mother I am." She smiles, patting Itachi's cheek softly as the elder smiles back.

"You're far too kind Mother." He replies softly, watching as she turns on the baby monitor and finally leans down to kiss Sasuke's cheek whispering, a gentle, "Goodnight, angel," before turning and ushering Itachi out of the room and closing the door with a gentle..

Click.

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Sasuke's eyes open widely as Itachi pokes his forehead. His lips curl into a sad pout as he turns and storms out of the kitchen. Mikoto smiles beautifully at him as he walks past but notices the tears in his eyes – she stops him and brings him toward her.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" She asks.

Sasuke curls into his mother's embrace, "Itachi-nii doesn't want to play with me today, 'kaasan. Itachi-nii does not love me." He sniffs softly, arms wrapping around his mother's neck. Mikoto smiles and glances up as Itachi walks out of the kitchen.

"Foolish, Otouto. Of course I love you. I'm just busy, later okay?" Itachi softly says, kneeling down to the height of his kneeling mother and baby brother, stroking Sasuke's spiked up hair and nodding to his mother with a smile. "I'll be in my room if you need me." He tells her.

She nods and hugs her youngest tighter, "See, Sasuke? Itachi does love you – he is very busy with school work and such my dear. Soon you will have a lot of homework, and you would not be happy if you could not get it out of the way, ne?"

"..I guess you're right." He sniffs softly. "Will you play with me, ma?" He asks childishly. Mikoto giggles and stands up, brushing her apron down and removing it, throwing it onto a peg as she pulls Sasuke into the kitchen.

"I'll show you some pictures Sasuke, and maybe then you could go into the back garden and play yes?" She says.

Sasuke nods and smiles as Mikoto brings a book from the drawer and sets it down on the table, along with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for the young boy. "This is a photo album of you and your brother – but mainly you, as it is your baby pictures. There are various pictures in here of the two of you either together or alone. Many are together."

Sasuke nods again and reaches for a cookie, holding it to his mother's lips but she shakes her head with a smile. He smiles and eats it himself slowly, careful not to get crumbs on his lap or the photo album.

Mikoto opens to the first page, a picture of Itachi holding Sasuke. "This is the day you were born. I asked Itachi if he wanted to hold you and he took you into his arms, and do you know what he said?" She asks rhetorically.

Sasuke shakes his head anyway; not realising.

"He said, 'Beautiful baby. My baby brother,' your brother was and is a very, very proud brother. The first few days of your birth he refused to be away from you; scared you would hurt yourself. He constantly held you whilst I tried my best to work around the house and cook. He fed you, and sang to you, much like he does now." Mikoto hums softly and turns the next page, a small smile gracing Sasuke's lips.

"This is when you were sleeping, and your father leant over and whispered, 'Another boy; just our Uchiha luck,' your father, too, was also very proud. As he is of both you and your aniki." Mikoto smiles. "But he is a very private person; his thoughts are his thoughts and are never spoken aloud."

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"Itachi, you know the number. It's on the fridge beside the number of your uncle Madara, in case of a large emergency that needs quick attending to. If anything bad happens, then please call okay?" Mikoto frets. Fugaku wraps his arm around his wife's waist and pulls her toward him with a small smirk on his lips.

"Sasuke, you behave yourself with Itachi now. Itachi, I am giving you full responsibility with this. You are to heat up the dinner your mother left and put Sasuke to bed at a reasonable time; and honestly, boy, would you tidy that messy study of yours?" Fugaku orders.

Itachi nods silently.

Mikoto leans over, kissing her two boys on the forehead and hugging them both; embarrassing one and annoying the other. "Be safe you two, we'll be home tomorrow morning; and we'll call to let you know we arrived, okay?"

Itachi nods again.

"Have fun, mother."

"Bye 'kaasan! 'Tousan," Sasuke says softly, nodding toward the two. Fugaku nods back and Mikoto waves her fingers toward him with a gentle smile.

"Bye boys."

The door closes, and silence swims through the house. Itachi waits for a few seconds, waiting for the signal that his mother and father are actually gone. He turns to Sasuke and smiles a small smile before poking the boy's forehead.

"Come on little brother, let's get you some food." He mutters walking into the kitchen and kneeling down to the oven.

"Aren't you eating 'niisan?" Sasuke asks, his eyes growing innocent. Itachi nods softly.

"Yes. I am." He replies softly, turning the dial on the oven and standing up; patting Sasuke's head as he does so. "Get some dishes and some cutlery, baby brother. You may also get a drink if you wish for one." Itachi says, walking out of the kitchen and toward the living room, switching off the T.V.

"Itachi," Sasuke whispers as Itachi walks back into the room. Itachi turns to him with a blank expression, a small feeling in his gut as Sasuke glances away, tears in his eyes as the rain falls harder onto the ground. "May.. I sleep with you tonight?"

Itachi blinks for a moment, frowning slightly in thought before turning fully to face the innocent child that adores him. He nods, "Yes, Sasuke. You may."

Sasuke's lips grow into a small smile and he wipes his tired eyes. Itachi frowns at him for a while before shaking his head, turning off the oven and setting the plates and cutlery back. "Come on, Otouto. We'll run you a bath and we'll get you off to bed."

"Aren't, you going to as well, 'niisan?" Sasuke asks, slightly frightened.

Itachi ushers Sasuke out of the kitchen and sighs, "Of course I am Sasuke, but I must tidy up the study first, then bathe then change and go to sleep. It will take quite a while. But by the time you have bathed I shall be done cleaning and I may just change and sleep. Okay?"

Sasuke nods.

"Shall we call 'kaasan and tell her?" Sasuke asks.

Itachi nods, "Hai, Otouto. Soon, now, go run yourself a bath and get cleaned up. I'll wait for you okay?" Sasuke nods and presses his lips to his brother's cheek – a normal occurrence in the Uchiha household.

"Good boy," Itachi whispers, watching his little brother run off into the bathroom.

Smiling.

Itachi strokes his own cheek, a small smirk coming to his lips. "Good boy, indeed baby brother."

x - x – x – x

"Itachi-nii!" Sasuke calls, skipping into his brother's bedroom in his pajamas, hugging himself. Itachi glances up from his book and removes his glasses with a small smile. He places the book on the side and nods toward the door which Sasuke then closes.

"Good boy," Itachi gently whispers, moving the duvet aside and letting his brother bounce over and jump in. Itachi reaches over to the lamp and switches it off, turning on his side and facing the nine year old. "I called Mother, she and Father have arrived and are well, they wish you goodnight."

Sasuke smiles softly and curls into his brother's side smiling when the elder Uchiha wraps his arms around the other protectively – possessively.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you 'niisan." Sasuke whispers into Itachi's neck. Itachi nods and strokes his brother's back. "You're such a nice brother." The child murmurs.

Itachi chuckles softly, shuffling Sasuke so he can grip his chin, "I'm a wonderful brother, aren't I, sweet Sasuke?" He whispers, brushing his lips over Sasuke's small, fragile ones.

Sasuke – confused – presses his back to his brother's, trying not to frustrate the elder more than he wants to. He smiles when Itachi pulls away and kisses his cheeks, eyelids and forehead. "But, you, Sasuke. You are such a beautiful brother," He sings, "My beautiful baby brother."

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"Itachi," Mikoto calls, knocking softly on the door of her eldest's study. "Breakfast is ready, darling. You've been in there since five this morning. Take a break, dear. Oh, and please wake up your little brother." She says through the door.

Itachi turns from his desk, head in his palms as he sighs toward the door. Picking the books he has sprawled out across the desk, he places them back on the shelf and turns to the picture on his desk. He smiles softly.

Sasuke and himself in a frame. Both smiling. Both happy. So naïve and young, Sasuke is. But that's what makes Sasuke love his brother even more. Just how fragile and beautiful he is. That's just Sasuke – and it's just what Itachi loves.

Itachi stands from his desk, gracing his fingers over Sasuke's face before walking out of the study and closing the door softly behind him. He steps out into the hall and turns toward his brother's room, knocking softly on the door before stepping in.

"Baby brother," He murmurs, closing the door. "It's time to wake up."

Sasuke shuffles in his bed, groaning. "..'Niisan?" Sasuke asks, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Itachi steps over and sits on the bed, brushing Sasuke's bangs from his face. "What are you doing in here? 'Kaasan and 'Tousan are in and –"

Sasuke is cut off when Itachi presses his lips to Sasuke's, "Mother told me to come and wake you herself. I'm sure she'll think of it as me just struggling to wake you up." He whispers, his hand pushing the duvets away moving to Sasuke's hips and pushing the pajama bottoms and briefs down to expose Sasuke.

The boy moans softly as his older brother brushes his fingers over the slit, smirking at the fragile state his brother is in. "Isn't this fun, baby brother?" Itachi murmurs softly into Sasuke's ear – licking the shell. "Spending time with your aniki. It is fun isn't it?"

Sasuke nods, clutching onto Itachi's shirt and biting into the palm of his other hand.

"Good boy, Sasuke," Itachi whispers, "Such a darling boy; never bad. Never wrong." Itachi hums softly into Sasuke's ear, gripping Sasuke's slowly hardening member and pressing his lips to Sasuke's neck. "Such a beautiful, beautiful baby brother I have.."

Sasuke moans into his hand; both at the words and the way Itachi chose to use his hands. He cries out softly as Itachi's hand speeds up its movements, and whimpers at how Itachi pushes him back, continuing to pump his brother until he lets himself go; and spills onto his oniisan's hand.

Itachi chuckles softly, licking the evidence up and removing Sasuke's hand from his mouth and replacing it with his own lips. He's gentle and soft with his brother and sits up, allowing the other to move with him.

"Now hurry down, Otouto. Do not make 'kaasan cross, we have some suprises." Itachi whispers, knowing well that their mother never scolds or gets angry at them. She is always a happy woman with a beautiful look on life and on her children.

Itachi leaves the room, and closes the door behind him.

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"Goodbye, Mikoto-chan," Fugaku says softly, pressing his lips to his wife's cheek and moving out of the kitchen door and leaving for work. Itachi watches him with a scowl on his face, and Fugaku gives him one back but doesn't comment it.

Sasuke slithers into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and scratching his flushed cheeks. "Well hello there sleepy head," Mikoto laughs, hugging her son into her arms and spinning with him, "Happy birthday darling!"

Sasuke's face flushes bright red as Mikoto brings out a rather large present, with holes in the box. He blinks at his mother and then to Itachi, "Oh Heaven's, darling, it's not my present to you, this is from Itachi. My present is in your study." She sings.

Sasuke opens the box carefully, a small meow escapes the box and he jumps slightly – shocked at the sound and confused as well. He reaches in and smiles as he touches fur. He pulls the cat out carefully and examines it.

It's black, with red eyes, reminding him very much of his brother. He smiles and leans up to his brother kissing his cheek as a thank you and kissing his cat's head, "Thank you 'niisan." He whispers softly.

Itachi runs his fingers through his brother's hair and smirks at him. "It's your birthday Sasuke, do not thank me."

Mikoto giggles softly and ushers both boys out of the room and into Sasuke's study. She covers the boy's eyes with her hand and closes the door behind them. "Ready?" She asks. Sasuke nods and smiles as his mother takes her hand away from his eyes.

On his new desk is a new laptop with a large photo frame of the Itachi and himself, and his mother, father and himself. He smiles and turns to his mother, cat still in his arms. "Thank you, 'kaasan! So much!" He beams, kissing her cheek.

She laughs softly, "No problem, my darling."

Itachi smirks at him from behind his mother and watches as Sasuke blushes a bright pink. Their mother – completely oblivious.

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Itachi's fingers scratch down Sasuke's back, blood mixing with sweat and some droplets of lube and water which still hung onto Itachi's fingers. Sasuke clings onto his brother, his back cold against the mirror of the bathroom as he moans loudly.

Itachi thrusts into him, giving his brother time to relax as he continues his thrusts at a slow speed. After several whimpers and moans and whispers of each other's names, Itachi begins to pick up the pace for both of their sakes.

The nineteen year old lets out a small whisper of Sasuke's name and presses his tongue to Sasuke's bottom lip. Sasuke parts his lips and allows that tongue to dip through finding his own and beginning a battle and a trust formation.

After all – only Itachi is allowed to do this to Sasuke.

Only Itachi is allowed to touch Sasuke in such forbidden, pleasure and pain mixed ways. Only is he allowed to hear the beautiful moans escaping those fragile lips that he captures with his own tongue.

Only him. Because, it's always him.

"Itachi," Sasuke whispers, "I can't hold on –" He whines, clutching onto his brother and scraping his fingernails down Itachi's back, whimpering and moaning Itachi's name as he spills himself between the two.

Itachi thrusts a few more times inside of Sasuke before spilling himself inside of the younger Uchiha, a whine of Sasuke's name falling out of him.

Sasuke strokes Itachi's arms and back, running his fingers through the other's hair and ridding of the annoying band that holds such beautiful silky hair away from him. He kisses Itachi's face. His nose, eyelids, cheeks, lips and his jaw. Until he can't find the energy to move.

"I love you, 'niisan.." He pants softly.

Itachi smirks, "I love you too, Otouto. Now… Get up, so we can get cleaned up and go downstairs. Mother and Father will be home soon."

Sasuke nods and clings onto Itachi, shivering as Itachi pulls out of him and gives him a gentle kiss before pulling him into the shower. Where they most likely will go up for round two Uchiha battles. But neither of them mind; as long as it's with each other.

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Her creamy knuckles knock on the oak door in front of her, the beautiful, new cottage. It's white, with a black roof. The door is black, with a welcoming doormat, with small hands curled around it. She smiles down at it and brushes her shoes against it making sure she has does not dirty such a beautiful creation.

The door opens, and before her stands her two beautiful boys, who are now men – but still her boys. She smiles to them as they lean in to kiss her cheeks delicately. Itachi first, and then Sasuke. Fugaku is not with her, because they divorced as soon as the two were found out.

Mikoto lives on her own, a few seconds away from her two darling sons and in a small cottage of her own. But not as beautiful or as big as the one before her. Their home now.

She smiles and steps inside, removing her shoes and placing the flowers in Sasuke's hands before running her fingers through her hair and laughing as Itachi hooks his arms around Sasuke's waist.

"My beautiful boys," She whispers, proud of the two of them. She is a different proud. She is not Uchiha proud; and she is not full of herself proud. She is motherly, and happy proud. Proud that she could raise two beautiful and smart children, and have them find love in the other. Though it was deemed wrong in many ways – for them it was right. It was always right. Because she always knew.

It's as they always say.

Mother's instinct.