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Shisui has never been the favorite.
He felt it and knew it. But that didn’t mean that he accepted it. Despite all of his talent, handsome face, and charming personality, there was always someone more talented, more handsome, or more liked. Shisui, being the stubborn bastard he was, did everything he could to prove people wrong. This often involved mischief and the occasional petty revenge scheme. However, when his annoying little cousin Sasuke got married—Shisui is still shocked, but secretly glad—and had an adorable baby, his approach to proving people wrong changed. After all, fighting for the title of Sarada’s ‘Favorite Uncle’ was a position all the Uchiha men vied for.
Sometimes being too busy to raise your own child was a good thing because having a clan full of people who would gladly go to war to take care of your child was a blessing. Sasuke often had his inter-dimension training and missions on top of his police duties. While Sakura, being the city’s top medic—this is the part that surprised Shisui because how could a babe like Sakura ever like annoying little Sasuke still remained a mystery to him—took on double shifts to save as many lives as she could. As young parents, they felt guilty. Shisui didn’t. Baby Sarada never ran out of love or carers. She was their clan’s spoiled little princess and try as he might, he also couldn’t resist but spoil her as well.
Itachi and Izumi often won the babysitting gigs. Fugaku and Mikoto were a close second, mostly because they pulled the patriarch and matriarch card. Sometimes, Shisui won. And he would never admit it, but he loved taking care of Sarada.
He sat on his porch, the wooden swing’s chains creaked under his weight as he took a seat and shifted Sarada in his arms. Her big dark eyes remained focused on him as she sucked on her pacifier. He smiled at her.
“What’s up, kiddo? It’s not polite to stare, you know?”
The little baby only blinked and raised her grubby little hands up to his hair. Something in his chest tightened, and for a moment feared cardiac arrest, but the pain dissipated when he dipped down closer to Sarada, and she lightly pulled on his curly hair. Shisui closed his eyes. The warmth her little body emanated melted a part of him that he thought would remain bitter and cold forever.
“Why do you make life look so easy?” He chuckled. Sarada cooed and spit her pacifier straight into his eye in response. “Ah, fuck!” Shisui winced, but he couldn’t help but laugh. The little baby did, too.
When Sarada turned three, things were no longer so easy.
“Shit!” Sarada screamed in her high chair. Everyone present at the dinner table went silent.
Shisui’s blood drained to his feet. Even if he was not the only Uchiha who cursed, he knew Sarada learned that word from him two days ago. In his defense, that rock had no business lying on the road and stubbing his toe. How else was he supposed to react?
“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura turned to face her husband.
“It wasn’t me,” Sasuke denied. “It was Naruto.”
Mikoto shook her head, and Fugaku’s stare hardened. Poor Granddad Madara looked like he swallowed his chopsticks. Itachi looked at his wife, and Izumi could only smile in response.
Obito’s smirk broke the silence. “It’s always Uzumaki’s fault, isn’t it?”
Sasuke cut him a glare.
“That’s enough,” Fugaku ordered.
“Fugaku.” Mikoto touched his arm. For a moment, the crisis was resolved, but Sarada started talking again.
“Fucking shit! ” She banged her baby food on the high chair, spilling mushed-up carrots and beef on the table. “Shit shit shit!” She screamed, a wide smile on her face.
Shisui thought he was going to die, but Madara looked like he already had one foot in the grave.
“That’s enough, darling!” Sakura stood from the table and picked up her daughter. “That’s not a nice word to say,” she explained softly, her voice dying out as she walked into another room with Sarada.
“But whyyy?” The toddler reasoned. They were almost out of earshot when she said, “But Uncle Shisui says it all the time!”
All eyes were now on him, and this time, Shisui was sure he was dead.
“Uncle Itachi, that’s so cool!” Shisui could see the stars in Sarada’s eyes as she praised her uncle. It was adorable, but he still felt a little jealous. “Teach me, teach me!”
Itachi smiled and patted the top of her head. He procured three kunai in one hand in a flash and took a step towards the target. “Okay, Niece. Watch closely.”
Shisui rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest as he watched Itachi perform a trick that he taught him. Sarada didn’t know that, so the praise went to Itachi. He was too busy sulking that he didn’t realize Sarada took Itachi’s place to try it out.
“Do you think this will be impressive enough to ace my shuriken exam?” Sarada held the metal star in her hands and took her stance.
“Of course. Only someone as good as an Uchiha can pull this off at such a young age.” Itachi smiled.
Shisui agreed. “Yeah, but I taught you when I was only ten.”
Itachi’s smile melted. “And?”
And I’m better at shurikenjutsu! I should be the one teaching Sarada! Shisui almost blurted it out but he wouldn’t let his feelings out so easily. His pout should speak for itself.
“Oh, I did it!” Sarada cheered.
The two men swiftly turned to look at the target. They both grimaced. They missed watching Sarada’s first try!
“Did you see?” She grinned at her uncles as she pointed to the target. Dead center.
Shisui glared at Itachi, silently blaming him for missing it. Itachi did not blink. They both stopped their glaring contest when Sarada pulled on Itachi’s sleeve, asking him to teach her something else. Itachi obliged.
Shisui silently retreated, hating the ugly feeling in his chest.
“Sarada.” Sasuke knocked on her door, then sighed when she half screamed, half-sobbed something in return. He sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. He stepped away from the door and looked soullessly at Itachi and Shisui. “I’m going to kill that brat.”
“I’m ready,” Itachi replied, drawing a kunai out of thin air.
Usually, Shisui would be the first to declare and commit bloody murder against anyone who hurt his family—especially Sarada. But some Pro-Boruto demon must have possessed his body because he blurted out, “Aren't we being too hasty?”
Sasuke and Itachi glared at him with blood-red eyes, Sharingan at the ready. Normally, Shisui would not flinch under their gaze, but he understood their fury well. Still, he held his ground. “Sarada’s obviously upset because she loves that idiot. Shouldn’t we focus on making her feel better first, then we kill the bastard?”
Sasuke frowned. “We kill him first. And then we focus on making Sarada feel better.”
Sasuke always did have his priorities straight. Shisui groaned. “Sometimes I don’t know how you landed a wife, for fuck’s sake.”
“Sasuke has a point,” Itachi agreed.
Shisui took a deep breath. “You really think killing Boruto is going to make her feel better? Don’t you think she wants to do that herself for—you know—revenge ?”
Sasuke and Itachi straightened, finally seeing reason. The two brothers looked at each other, nodded, then looked back at Shisui.
“Then we’ll capture the brat and make it easier.” Itachi walked past Shisui.
“Look after Sarada while we’re gone,” Sasuke added, then followed Itachi out of the house.
As soon as the door closed, Shisui sighed a breath of relief. “Geez, these two know shit all about love.” He knew that was a lie, of course. But He knew that was only partially true, but at least that would redirect their anger and worry, and not kill Sarada’s stupid boyfriend. For now.
He knocked on Sarada’s door. “Kiddo?” He called out. With all the fake animated happiness he could muster said, “It’s your favorite uncle!” He was met with silence after a while, he relented. “If you want anything, I’ll be downstairs, alright? It’s just you and me at home and… I convinced them not to kill Boruto.”
More silence. Shisui took a few steps down the hall, but Sarada’s door clicked open. He looked back and saw her peeking through the gap. Her face was red and puffy, cheeks still wet. It broke Shisui’s heart, and he wanted to run after Sasuke and Itachi to convince them to kill Boruto with fire.
“C-can you stay with me?” She asked.
Shisui swallowed. His body moved on its own before he could reply. He followed Sarada into her room and they sat side by side on her bed. She didn’t explain what happened or told him why she was crying. She simply leaned on his shoulder and after a few beats, whispered, “Thank you.”
Shisui felt his broken heart slowly being pieced together. Loving his family often felt like a thankless job, but now, he felt acknowledged.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close, letting her cry to her heart’s content. It was the only comfort she wanted. Although Shisui would have killed to cheer her up, he decided that if holding her close meant more to her, then he would put aside his own anger to give her what she needed.
“What a beautiful affair,” Naruto cried and blew his nose into a tissue before making his way to the stage for the family photos.
Shisui grimaced. He never thought that the Uchihas would be united with the Uzamkis via matrimony. Even more so with the Hyugas. But here he was, in his best suit, writing a check for his niece and her husband. He shuddered upon thinking of the word. He still couldn’t believe it.
Sarada looked beautiful in her gown, positively glowing. Boruto looked like the happiest and luckiest little shit in the entire world. Because he was. Shisui definitely thought it and said it to Itachi more than once. Sarada deserved the world, and although he and the clan shared the same sentiment, no one dared to deny her when she declared she was going to marry Boruto.
And here they are now, taking photos with the immediate family. Each table would be called, the host said. Shisui sat at his table, eyes trained on the happy couple. He swallowed when Itachi was asked to stay—a solo photo with the newlyweds. When they finished, he expected to be called, but they called Himawari next.
Shisui looked down at his check and tucked it in the envelope labeled, ‘From your favorite uncle.’
“Get over it,” he muttered to himself. “You’re not the favorite.” Catching bitter and selfish feelings was not on his to-do list today, neither was it something he knew Sarada would want. So, he shook it off. He took the envelope and made his way to the wedding planner to hand over his gift.
Once the picture taking finished, it was time for the bride and groom to have their first dance. Shisui sat back down at his table to watch. He zoned out a bit but snapped out of it when he saw Sarada approaching him.
“Uncle Shisui,” she said, “I’ve been calling you!”
“Huh? Oh, sorry, Kiddo. Must have been spacing out. What’s up?”
She offered him her hand. “Dance with me.”
“What, why?” Regardless of the reason, he took her hand.
Sarada giggled. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “It’s only right that I dance with my favorite uncle on my wedding day.”
Shisui choked. He couldn’t believe it. He held her close, and she laughed to see him crying as they swayed to the music. Shisui couldn’t help it. His heart was so full. “Thank you, Sarada.”
Sarada smiled warmly at him. “No, thank you.”
Shisui grinned, heart full and warm upon finally being acknowledged, and confirmed as his favorite niece’s favorite.