Crimson Crows

Pairing: Uchiha Itachi/Kuro Tsutsuji-hime – Azalea Henriette Black-Potter

AU. Non Massacre.

Uchiha Itachi was seven when he met with his intended bride.

Inspired: While Laughing… by Shinhwa

Mikoto still remembered bit and pieces of the last visit from her future daughter-in-law. Rather small with untamable short hair, bright green eyes, the mud that stained half of her clothes and her sweet laughter.

Itachi used to bring her in the home when summer came. They would play with Sasuke for hours and for once, her son stopped training; enjoying the warm weather while languidly watching the clouds together.

Once the season ended, the little lady would travel back, a little far away to her big compound.

Sasuke, fourteen years old and enjoying his career as chuunin with his team was rather freaking out when he saw her, thinking of a bolder version of his brother's fan girl visited their home before his mother took a look and ushered her into their tea room.

It was a guest room, remodeled for her son's fiancée favourite room, with bookshelves, fireplace and table. Mikoto brought a tray of tea and laid it carefully on the table.

She asked her younger son to call Itachi. Her heir hadn't had a mission which was so fortunate. It had been a little of two years from her last visit and she knew her son missed her, his eyes were colder and he was more closed off once she hadn't around.

Mikoto observed her closely.

Those green, green eyes were more jaded now.

There was a premature frown on her forehead and around her mouth, her pale skin wasn't glowing like usual and The Uchiha Matriarch could see her cheekbones more pronounced

"Mother."

She nodded to her son and left the room, smiling softly when Itachi leaned closer and kissed his betrothed's forehead.

Sasuke looked at the fragile, too thin hands that skillfully bandaged Naruto's wound.

They were ambushed when they got back from mission, the wound was deep enough and the dobe lost a lot of blood.

Luck was on his side when he spotted his brother's bride-to-be. The rather young woman hurriedly let them in, treated their wounds and let them refreshed.

The house was old, Sasuke noted. Portraits, paintings, silver snake-carving chandeliers, gothic furniture, brick fireplaces filled it.

With dark wine-coloured soft carpets littered, silk and chiffon curtains in heavily ornate golden velvet, it screamed of old money.

A noble huh, not bad.

He didn't notice any servants and assumed that this princess was living alone.

The food was warm and delicious, a bit different from his mother's but strangely pleasant enough. One look at Naruto's beaming smile, he could see that the blonde idiot certainly thought so.

They were leaving in the morning, his would-be-sister-in-law waved her hands and Sasuke would imagine his peace loving brother standing next to her, arms draped possessively and happy smile on his lips.

"Itachi."

"Hn."

"Can I stay with you?"

He knew she didn't like to be alone. Not since she had lost her father figure, Kuro-dono.

They slept in separate futon in his room whenever she visited, even if it was against tradition.

Itachi had his nightmares; Kuro-hime had her own.

The Uchiha Heir inclined his head in acceptance.

"I mean, forever."

Those phrases were uttered in wishful tone, so soft like a wisp of morning wind, like the brush of finest silk. He found himself touching her face, fingers carefully mapping each part of the only woman's he'd ever loved.

"Yes."

The rings were simple. His mother presented him the night before. They were gold bands. His had an onyx and three rubies circled it, whereas hers was the opposites. Dark ruby was circled by three small onyxes.

It was a small ceremony. They only invited a handful of people. Once it finished, they moved outside the compound, back to her gloomy house.

It was strange. That place radiated darkness, something that both of them didn't need.

The main chamber was more airy than other rooms. The carpet was in pale green, covered the stone floor; the bed was in grey cotton sheet and the silver embroidered blanket and pillows placed according a pattern of Sirius constellation.

His bride, Tsutsuji-hime was lying there, in azalea-patterned pale pink kimono with dark green obi. Her hair was loose, cascading like a curtain of midnight. There was silver and jade; fan and snake-carving comb that he presented her as a courting gift, she wore it tonight and Itachi found himself caressing her dark locks.

She didn't ask anything about the war. Tsutsuji-hime just locked her eyes on him before he'd said goodbye and her hand just subtly moving in circular motion in her belly.

His eyes widened just a little and the dark haired man murmured a promise to come back.

Naruto stared hard at the five year old girl, who dressed in immaculate dark red kimono and speaking in unnaturally clear tone, free of baby grumbles and carefully lifted her.

She was beaming at him, the dark eyes and thin lips and the fan symbol stitched on the sleeves, hidden from civilian eyes.

He'd brought the child to Ichiraku; whoever the little Uchiha's parents were obviously lacking in taste department when he looked at her bentou; steamed broccoli and carrot, egg rolls and sesame rice.

This kid certainly needed ramen.

Sakura looked so dumbstruck, eyes fixed at the little girl who skillfully knotted her own dark hair and pinned it with turtle shell, ignoring her presence since fifteen minutes ago and climbed on the oblivious Naruto's lap, tiny fingers tracing the kanji.

"Naruto! Who's the child?"

The little girl seemed interested in her, dark eyes shone like laser and Naruto grinned at the child unrepentantly before answered.

"I found her in the park, near the Academy."

"And you just bring her home? Do you even know her name?"

"Suikazura. And I'm right here, Harpy."

Sai hadn't batted an eyelash at the little girl, who walked at him and proceeded to comment on his paintings. When the stoic ex-Root called his team member as Ugly, Dickless and Sas-gay, Naruto could swear he saw an approval in 'Zura's eyes.

"Would you accept me as a part of your life?"

"Yes."

"Would you? Even when your husband and children died of old age? When humanities fall? When there's nothing except you and I?"

She mocked the young woman barely in her twenties, the only one who was worthy of her title; Vanquisher, Conqueror, Master of Death.

Those green eyes were dead while the bloodied lips uttered a firm yes.

Suikazura cradled in his father's arms, her uncle stood anxiously. Grandma Mikoto was cooking and Grandma Andy was ordering Kreacher to clean the crimson blood, which stained the marble stone floor in the tea room while Grand Aunt Narcissa was making tea.

Mother's glacial cold fingertips healed the most cut and she kissed her forehead lightly.

There was a dangerous glint in her eyes; the bloodthirsty smirk, so alike with the bijuus that Zura'd been told by Naruto.

She closed her sleepy eyes, succumbed in Morpheus embrace, knowing that she was safe, Mother was still alive and her family was here and there was nothing worth worrying.

Suikazura: Honeysuckle

This one was fast paced. Like drabbles in chronological order.