Note: Thanks for all your reviews! Alas, this is my last fic for the Kissing Booth Challenge from the SasuSaku Prompts community, an on-going community reminiscent of SasuSaku Month. You should all check it out and participate! And make of the bird here what you will. ;)

x. secret kiss

The twins were eight-months old when Itachi decided a party of sorts was necessary to celebrate that they were starting to walk. While he insisted that the party was for his younger siblings and only for his younger siblings, Daddy seemed to suspect that the desire for "Naru-jiji and everyone" to come over was based on Mommy's latest change to the household that concluded sweets were no longer allowed. Thus, to Itachi's oh so calculating mind, having a little party for his brother and sister was a great way to get some cake in the house.

But his parents didn't need to know that.

Itachi sat on the roof, his little legs dangling over the sides. He was sitting over the porch and watching the sunset. Inside, Naru-jiji was probably being pestered by everyone for still being what he liked to call a "pimpin' bachelor." But Itachi had a feeling the fact that his own Daddy now had three kids while Naru-jiji had none sort of annoyed Naru-jiji. Itachi shrugged and spooned some more cake into his mouth. Naru-jiji would always have him, at least. And besides, Naru-jiji wasn't that old. He liked to tell everyone that he was twenty-six but the way that Mommy and Daddy usually rolled their eyes at that told Itachi otherwise.

A crow landed beside Itachi, drawing him out of his thoughts. The bird looked at Itachi's food: a slice of strawberry short cake, two fruit tarts, and three sticks of dango.

The boy immediately glared at the crow.

"Mine!" he yelled. He immediately cringed and prayed that Hana and Satoshi were being loud enough that no one could hear him. Itachi scowled at the bird, blaming it for his loud voice. "You can't have any! It's so hard to get sweets nowadays. Mommy's being mean. Daddy says it's because it's that time of the month, but I don't know what that means…"

The bird was staring at him in a way that made Itachi feel a bit wary – as though it could understand him.

Itachi pursed his lips in thought, knowing that some animals, especially ones that you could summon, were actually exceptionally smart. Perhaps this bird was someone's partner? Itachi examined its lithe form but could tell that beneath those feathers was pure muscle. He sighed.

"Fine," he relented with a pout. He pulled one stick of dango off of his plate and put it down a foot away from him for the crow to chew on. "But you only get one!" Itachi said sternly. "I'm probably not going to get anymore treats 'til my birthday and that's in so long—"

He immediately cut himself off when he heard the doors beneath him slide open. Itachi quickly drew up his legs and glared at the crow to tell it to make sure it made no noise.

"I just want to go to sleep." That was Mommy.

"Tch, and leave me to deal with the idiot?"

"You can't keep calling him that, you know. He's the Hokage now."

Daddy snorted. "That doesn't make him any less of an idiot."

The wood creaked as his parents moved to sit at the edge of the porch. Itachi flattened himself against the roof so he could watch them without being caught, making sure to check up on his feathered companion every so often to make sure it kept silent.

"God, I'm so tired. Why are all these people in our house?"

"Because your son wanted to have a party."

Mommy laughed. "Well, at least other people are watching the twins for us." She paused. "Where is Itachi, anyway?" Itachi stiffened and held his breath. "Last I saw he was with Kakashi trying to show him some new technique but… eh, he's a good boy. I'm sure—"

"Thank you."

"…huh?"

"Thank you," Daddy repeated. "For…" He couldn't quite see but he was sure his Daddy shrugged. "Itachi. The twins. You. Just—everything. Thank you."

He heard the wet smack that usually resounded after Mommy and Daddy kissed. "You're welcome."

Itachi heard nothing else for a good minute or two. Eventually, the porch doors slid open again and Itachi let out a sigh of relief now that he was alone once again. Or well, sort of. He glanced at the crow who hadn't moved at all since he had given it the stick of dango.

"Do you not like dango?" Itachi asked, confused as to why it hadn't started eating.

But the bird only blinked at him once before following his lead and eating too.

Itachi grinned. "I love dango."

He continued to ramble about anything and everything and the bird eagerly listened, while inside, the Uchiha household held nothing but peacefulness.

fin