Nerdy

Twenty-Five

Mikoto smiled to herself as she arranged a photograph in the album - Itachi and Shion's wedding album. The wedding had gone surprisingly smoothly, considering that the bride was Shion.

Mikoto sat on the carpet with all the recently developed photographs scattered around her. She eyed each photograph for some time, taking in everything before placing it in the ablum. The ablum was cream-coloured with a golden border near its edges, like the theme of the wedding.

Itachi and Shion were on their honeymoon, Sasuke was at school, and Fugaku was on a business trip. Mikoto, who had nothing to do, decided to fill Itachi and Shion's wedding ablum with photographs.

In almost every photograph, Itachi and Shion were smiling and looking at each other with nothing but love. Mikoto felt something tug at her heart. She realized that her son was not only her son anymore. He was also somebody's husband. His priorities were going to change. His behaviour towards her and Fugaku might also change. He may not have as much time for them as he had before.

Mikoto dismissed the feeling. She had known Shion since she and Itachi started dating in their high-school years and could say that she was good person and a good wife for her son without the slightest bit of hesitation or doubt. She had grown to like Shion in a very short period of time. Mikoto knew that Shion was clumsy, childish, sometimes silly, too, but she also knew that she had a heart kinder than most and cared a lot for the people around her. She saw what Itachi had seen in her.

A particular photograph caught Mikoto's eye. She took it in her hand and looked at it, taking everything in. Her lips slowly turned into a smile. It was a candid photograph of Sasuke and (Name), probably bickering over something. (Name) had her hands crossed over her chest and was saying something and Sasuke was glaring at her intensely while copying her action.

Mikoto's smile kept getting wider.

Now that she had found a beautiful - both, outwardly and by heart - bride for one of her sons, she had plenty of time to concentrate on the other. Something kept telling Mikoto that if anyone suited Sasuke, it was none other than (Name). Someone like her with a little attitude was perfect to keep her son's big ego under check.

That was the thing with the Uchiha men. Their egos were bigger than their houses. To one, Itachi might seem like an exception, but who knew a son better than his mother ? Itachi also had his own ego, but he rarely showed it.

She also knew that Sasuke was already used to having (Name) around and their little fights over almost everything. She knew that (Name) was all Sasuke thought about most of the time. Maybe not in a good way, but at least she was on his mind. Sasuke may never accept it, but a mother always knows. Mikoto also knew about his little 'plans' from a personal spy - Itachi, of course.

Itachi had his sources. He always knew what was going on in Sasuke's life with Sasuke himself realizing anything. Mikoto always wondered if he was with the mafia.

She kept the photograph aside. She wasn't going to put it in the album. It was going to get what it deserved - a very good frame and a prominent spot on the wall.

Sasuke was in for a pleasant but not so pleasant surprise when he came home.