The corridors were still that night. Days after days of continuous funeral processions and ritual incense quieted even the winds.
Argument after argument had tired out the couple. Yet it was better when they were arguing.
They laid on the bed backs facing each other.
Itachi and Sasuke were fast asleep in another room. The responsibility of taking care of Sasuke had fallen to Itachi. He wanted to keep Sasuke away from the yelling.
Mikoto was a hysteric mess.
Postpartum thoughts, Fugaku's frequent absence, rumours and the unhealed stitches exacerbated her anxiety. All the worst scenarios played through her mind haunting her.
She had tried to be understanding. She really did. But each time she heard people crying outside the clan's courtyard walls, she'd be reminded of that child in the cot.
It had been two whole days and a half since they spoke to each other.
The last they spoke was when Mikoto screamed at Fugaku about a divorce after he returned two days later without any contact. Her disheveled appearance and constant nagging made Fugaku berate her in anger.
Theirs were hearts separated on ends of the oceans and their bodies separated on the ends of the bed. Those few centimeters were like an impossible chasm.
"Fugaku. That child will die."
Fugaku stayed silent. She was too far for him to hear her cries.
"He'll die, Fugaku."
No answer.
"Kushina's and Minato's child will die!" Mikoto screamed as she got up to face Fugaku's back.
"Fugaku."
Deaf ears.
"Fugaku!" She crossed that chasm and held onto his clothes and sobbed.
"Fugaku, they'll starve him," she rested her forehead on his arm, "they aren't feeding him, Fugaku."
"I'm begging you, Fugaku. Let me at least breastfeed him."
Hiccup.
"Please, Fugaku. I have Sasuke so I can feed him my milk. There's no other woman in Konoha who is willing to feed him, Fugaku!"
She sobbed away over Fugaku's side. "And the nurses! They're giving him half a bottle just twice a day! He's a baby, Fugaku. Fugaku, please. Please. Please!"
"Hic! Uwagh. Sniff. Hic!"
"We'll not adopt him, Fugaku. I'll not ask to adopt him anymore. Just let me feed him along with Sasuke, please! I'll just nurse him till he is four months old," she sobbed.
'Hic- hic!'
"I'll stay under any surveillance they ask. Even if they want to watch me bathe naked I'm willing! Just let me feed him and Sasuke, Fugaku! If not that, then let me just feed him and I can get another lady from our clan to feed Sasuke until then."
Sasuke was almost two months old now.
"Fugaku, everytime I feed Sasuke, I remember him. I remember Kushina. She spoke to me just before- before she- she even wanted Sasuke to be friends with him!"
"There's no one else there for him, Fu-Fugaku... "
Fugaku could no longer hold it. He got up still facing his back to Mikoto.
He had tried. He had even used up all his connections to find a way to get custody of Naruto. Even finding Naruto a family or getting him a willing wet nurse who was lactating was proving to be impossible.
YOU ARE READING
Naruto: Distorted Daydream
Fanfiction"Mom, who took care of Dad when he was a child?" One innocent question created a butterfly that brought chaos to the minds of Konoha's citizens. Hinata never expected she would ever regret such a day. That day that opened secrets that her h...
