"Aoba…"
After a few more cups, Shirogumo Aoba still did not feel anything special.
But Uchiha Mikoto was already squinting, her head resting on his shoulder, starting to whisper drunken words.
He glanced again at Kushina, and found that she was looking at him too, smiling brightly.
"Looks like Mikoto might be a little drunk."
"I'm not drunk! I can still drink!"
This drunken married lady seemed to hear Kushina's voice. She immediately lifted her head, puffed up her cheeks, and retorted.
Then she tried to continue pouring the drink into her mouth.
But a hand stopped her.
"Aunt Mikoto…"
Shirogumo Aoba took the cup out of her hand before he even finished speaking.
Uchiha Mikoto slumped forward onto the table, showing only half of her adorably dazed profile.
"…"
"Looks like she really is drunk."
Kushina looked curiously at the Mikoto lying on the table. She poked her cheek and couldn't help feeling doubtful.
Logically, this amount should only stir up someone's emotions, not make them fall asleep.
Mikoto's reaction seemed a bit too extreme.
"Since Aunt Mikoto is drunk…"
"Since Mikoto is drunk, then Aoba, you should stay here and take care of her."
Kushina directly cut off Shirogumo Aoba's words.
"Hm?"
"Hm?"
Shirogumo Aoba and Sasuke both looked at her in surprise.
Kushina explained with a completely serious face, "Aoba must have taken care of drunk Sister Tsunade many times before, so he definitely has more experience with this."
"Being drunk is really uncomfortable. Sasuke, do you want to watch your mother suffer all night?"
"Ugh—"
Right on cue, Uchiha Mikoto groaned softly, her brows furrowing like she really felt terrible.
"This…"
Sasuke was at a loss for words. He really had no experience caring for someone drunk.
But leaving Shirogumo Aoba alone with his drunk mother…
Shirogumo Aoba also had nothing left to say. "Then I'll stay until Aunt Mikoto feels better before I go back."
"In that case, Mikoto is in your hands, little Aoba."
A smile appeared on Kushina's face, and in her narrowed eyes flashed a hint of a scheme succeeding. Then she grabbed Naruto beside her and stood up.
"Naruto, we should go home now."
"Eh? We're not waiting to walk home with Aoba?"
Naruto looked completely confused.
"Wait for what? You'd only make things more chaotic. And you too, Sasuke, come with me!"
Sasuke: ?
Isn't this my house?
But his opinion didn't matter. The two boys were dragged away by Kushina.
Shirogumo Aoba stood at the entrance watching their backs, speechless.
So this was Kushina's plan?
But Mikoto was already so drunk she couldn't even stand. There was no way he could take advantage of her while she was like this…
Wouldn't that make him a beast?
But if he didn't… did that make him worse than a beast?
Clink—
A teacup suddenly fell and shattered in the living room.
Shirogumo Aoba hurriedly returned to the living room to find that Uchiha Mikoto had somehow woken up.
She was crouched on the floor, cleaning the broken pieces of the cup.
She was so unsteady that he worried she might fall over at any moment.
His worry was not unfounded…
"Kya!"
Just as she finished gathering the pieces and tried to stand, her foot slipped, and she was about to fall backward.
Shirogumo Aoba flickered across the space and appeared behind her in time.
Her soft, delicate body fell directly into his arms, and even with all his experience, he couldn't help silently marveling.
Uchiha Mikoto was completely pressed against him.
He could clearly feel the weight of the generous curves.
Definitely enough to envelop him entirely.
"Aoba…"
Uchiha Mikoto didn't have to guess who was behind her. She nuzzled lightly into his chest.
"Aunt Mikoto, I'll take you back to the bedroom to rest. I'll clean the rest."
Shirogumo Aoba held her plump, soft waist. At this distance he could smell the faint fragrance of alcohol on her breath.
Uchiha Mikoto actually had not drunk that much. Kushina had only brought one bottle of sake.
Even though she was an Edo Tensei body incapable of tasting alcohol properly, she had played along and had a few cups because the mood was right.
Shirogumo Aoba, on the other hand, had drunk more than she had, so Uchiha Mikoto had actually consumed very little.
"Sorry… Auntie seems to have overestimated her alcohol tolerance… I caused you trouble again."
Uchiha Mikoto apologized, her voice soft and a little slurred, unexpectedly adorable.
"It's no trouble. I'll take you to bed first. You'll feel better after sleeping."
"Mhm, Auntie can still handle it…"
Though she said that, she was clearly only one step away from completely collapsing.
He couldn't slap her awake. So Shirogumo Aoba simply scooped her up in a princess carry.
"Ao… Aoba?!"
Uchiha Mikoto startled, and her already flushed face seemed to deepen.
Honestly, it really was strange.
He had drunk with Uchiha Mikoto before.
She had also drunk with Tsunade. By all logic, she shouldn't get this drunk so easily.
Could Kushina really have added something?
But he had eaten and drunk everything as well. He didn't taste anything strange, and he didn't feel any unusual effects.
Could it have been in her cup specifically?
Now wasn't the time to ponder. Things had already progressed this far.
Once inside Uchiha Mikoto's bedroom, Shirogumo Aoba carefully laid her onto the bed.
He intended to help adjust the blankets and let her sleep comfortably.
But as soon as Mikoto touched the bed, she curled into a ball with the blanket, leaving Shirogumo Aoba at a loss for what to do.
Uchiha Mikoto wasn't Tsunade. If it were Tsunade, he would just crawl in and sleep beside her.
"Aunt Mikoto, loosen the blanket a bit. I'll tuck you in properly, or you'll catch a cold tomorrow."
"Mmm—"
Uchiha Mikoto gave an adorable little nasal sound and nuzzled the blanket again, but she did not loosen her grip.
"…"
Shirogumo Aoba sighed helplessly. No matter their personality, drunk people were all troublesome.
He could only think of taking the blanket from her first.
But just as he moved close—
Before he could reach out, Uchiha Mikoto suddenly opened her eyes. Her mature body leaned forward on its own.
One hand wrapped around his neck, the other lifted his chin.
In Shirogumo Aoba's vision, Uchiha Mikoto's flushed and beautiful face rapidly grew larger.
Shirogumo Aoba's eyes widened instantly. He could clearly feel the burning heat radiating from her body, mixed with the rich fragrance of alcohol, like savoring a cup of smooth, vintage fine wine.