Chapter Text
The first time they met was in their first winter.
"Merry Christmas!"
In the doorway of the Uchiha household were the three members of the Namikaze family. The husband was tall with blond hair framing his face. He wore a sweater that was the same shade of blue as his eyes, or was it that his eyes emulated that same deep blue sweater? The wife reached just a little above her husband's eye level. She was stunning with her long red hair which stood out in the white background of winter snow. In her arms was the newest member of their family. Just two months old, the little boy was a beautiful miniature of his father with blond hair and blue eyes but the boy's eyes were a lighter shade of blue, like the sky and he had the strangest lines on his face, like whiskers. All three were looking at him with smiling eyes.
"Well, come in." Stepping aside to let the family in, he heard the rapid footsteps of his wife as she ran down the stairs. "Kushina!" Uchiha Mikoto all but tackled the redhead as she pulled her long time best friend into a hug. "Mikoto!!" The two women pulled towards each other, almost squishing the little bundle still in Kushina's arms. But the magic of women, mother's specially, was their unconscious awareness of children. The two hugged without so much as disturbing the blond nestled between them. Pulling away, his wife finally took in the little boy.
"Is this him?" She said in wonder, eyes scanning a little baby boy. A light flush adorned her cheeks as she looked at him. Fugaku smiled a how cute his wife looked as she fell in love with the child. He remembered how she'd looked at Itachi and Sasuke like that when they had been born. No doubt she'd already welcomed the boy in her heart. "He's perfect." She whispered with pure love.
He turned to his friend then. The man was also watching the little scene their wives made with a gentle expression. As if sensing his stare, the blond looked at him and grinned. "So where do I put the gifts?" He asked as he raised a big paper bag filled with presents. He smirked and led the way to the Christmas tree.
Minato almost laughed out loud as he finished setting down the last of the boxes. Minato was a loving man and he enjoyed giving presents to the people he cared about. It usually meant that they had a huge credit card bill by the end of December but that didn't matter. He enjoyed it and Kushina, though unhappy with how much her husband would spend, loved this side of him. It also helped that he was the mayor of Konoha and had a generous income. The Uchiha were also well-off, owning several successful hotels and minor businesses made possible by Fugaku, ambitious and prudent as he was. But Fugaku was also a competitive man and that's why Minato found it so funny that Fugaku would match him. The pile of presents they'd brought was as big as the pile of presents under the Uchiha's tree. Which was a sizable pile given his tendencies. 'Never one to be beat, huh old friend?' he thought to himself.
From the corner of the stairs, Itachi peered to see who had arrived. He recognized his aunt and uncle immediately. Turning away, the five year old made his way into his parent's bedroom and straight to the cradle at the foot of the bed. His little brother lay there, fast asleep. The little boy opened his eyes as soon as he'd sensed his brother approach. With a giggle, he stretched out his hand towards the older boy, asking to be picked up. "Sasuke, we have guests today. Behave, okay? You're meeting Kushina-sama and Minato-sama." He smiled at his little brother before gently picking up the boy like his parents had taught him. The warm weight in his arms felt so light and comfy. Setting Sasuke so that he would be comfortable, Itachi made his way to the living room.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw his eldest son arrive with a little bundle of black hair and sparkling dark eyes. He motioned for him to come and join them.
The three other adults noticed the boy's arrival and two eyes immediately landed on the bundle he carried.
Each couple settled down on the couches opposite each other. Kushina and Minato looked at the boy now in their arms. He was a pale little thing. He looked almost fragile but then he smiled and they could've sworn the boy did it to melt their hearts. "Minato, he's so cute! Look at him." The man raised a finger to touch the boy but tiny hands caught it and curious dark eyes studied the appendage. Minato, mayor of Konoha, the man everyone looked up to as their pillar of support, cooed.
In front of them, a similar thing was happening. Fugaku held the blond boy in his arms. "Mikoto, take him. I think I'll drop him." The boy he held was an angel from one of those renaissance paintings. Rosy cheeks, light skin, big blue eyes and blond hair. In a way, he'd felt just as nervous if not more so than when he'd first held his own sons. The little life seemed to glow brightly as it peered at him. His wife giggled at his foolishness and only reached out to gently stroked the boy's head. "Fugaku, I want another one." She smiled and he was sure that he blushed before understanding that his wife was mostly joking. "Maybe...when Sasuke is older." He silently grunted back.
Itachi sat on his mother's lap, studying the baby as he'd studied Sasuke on the day his baby brother was brought home. He was just as big as his brother and really cute too. But the babe was cute in a different way though he didn't have the right words to describe it. He didn't touch him and just admired the boy in his father's arms. Those big blue eyes turned to him and surprisingly just stared at him before an inexperienced arm moved as if trying to grab something but ultimately just turning into an adorably squirming bundle. Yes, he was just too cute.
With the introductions of the two new additions to the families made, the day went on to evening and they sat warmed by the fire place. "I think it's time for presents." The Uchiha patriarch announced. Having been tired out, the baby boys were now in Sasuke's cradle, sleeping side by side. Until one blue eye opened followed by the other. A pair of dark did the same. The wiggling his arms, Sasuke tried make enough noise to call out to his family. Why did they always leave him in the cradle? He didn't like being alone! His little hand brushed something warm beside him and he tried to touch it again. And again. And again. Curious to see what was in his cradle with him, Sasuke wiggled and squirmed until he succeeded in turning himself to face the thing. IT WAS AS BIG AS HIM!
Little Naruto felt something keep touching his side. It was actually really irritating and the first thing he wanted to do was cry out for his mother but then he felt the bedding shift and the thing stopped touching him. He managed to roll away until he felt something looking at him so he turned to the thing's direction. Sparkling dark eyes looked into crystal blue ones and they just continued to look and look. A chubby hand reached out to the person next to him and the person reached out a paler hand to do the same but stopped short just inches from actually making contact. Naruto almost cried when the person was too far away that his little arms couldn't close the distance. He struggled continuously.
Sasuke did the same, upset as the boy he was trying to reach. He continued to reach for him. Why did he have to move away in the first place!? Little Sasuke was frustrated.
After a struggle, little hands clumsily swatted each other. Eyes looked at each other again and just stared. Naruto felt so happy that he laughed. A sound so fitting for the season of joy and giving. Sasuke too felt joy so different from when his mother held him. Their tiny fingers touched and soon the giggles turned to silence as they fell asleep once more.