Characters: Shī, Yugito
Summary: It's so stupid to be scared of her. Yet, it's not.
Pairings: None
Author's Note: The more I compare pictures of Shī and Yugito the more I think "These two have got to be related somehow". They look way too much alike for it to be a coincidence.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Shī doesn't like to think of himself as a coward. After all, he's eleven years old and he's just graduated from the Academy in Kumo, at the top of his class. He's Midori-san's apprentice in medical ninjutsu and given just how frightening the woman is he likes to think that it takes courage just to be in the same room with her for more than five minutes at a time.

And yes, he can stare down the Raikage for a good three and a half minutes without flinching. Shī doesn't know a whole lot of people who can do that; even his friend Darui, who's four years older, has to duck his head when he addresses the Raikage.

Shī's confident in his abilities, but there's a problem.

He really isn't the best around when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, devoid of weapons or genjutsu. And the older boys all know it.

Now, Shī finds himself in a position all too familiar to himself: down on his face in an alleyway, feeling so sore that he's not sure he can move at all.

Oh… I think that last hit broke something… Shī tries to move and a vicious pain erupts in his chest. It must have been a rib.

"Hello." A soft, small voice, unmistakably feminine, sounds above him. At first, Shī doesn't recognize the girl's voice; he's still lying on his face and Shī can't quite summon the energy to look up. In his opinion, one girl is much like another, be they kunoichi or not.

Then, he senses familiar chakra.

Familiar, death-tinted chakra.

And Shī ignores all the pain in his chest to dredge up every bit of energy he possesses to scramble away, ending up slumped against the opposite wall, staring wide-eyed and wary at the newcomer.

Yugito just stares blankly at him.

Shī thinks he can be forgiven if he is more than a little leery of Nii Yugito; he doesn't know anyone who isn't, save perhaps the Raikage—even Kirabi thinks of her as a bit uncanny. Where as Kirabi, Kumo's other jinchuuriki, is well-liked and even popular among the shinobi of Kumogakure, Yugito… is not. The fact that she's such an uncanny little girl probably has a great deal to do with it.

Uncanny? That's not the word I'd use to describe her. Creepy, more like.

To the untrained observer who doesn't recognize her, Nii Yugito probably seems pretty harmless. She's nine years old—and when you're eleven two years makes all the difference so Shī still sees her as a little kid—and though she's tall for her age she's almost ridiculously slight. Waif-like, almost. Almost, but not quite. In the half-light of the alley (bright afternoon sunlight is just outside but it doesn't hit there), Yugito's pupils are dilated to the extent that they look normal for once. Her long fair hair's loose; odd, considering that the few times Shī had seen her, her hair was usually bound in bandages.

Yugito, sitting on her knees, continues to stare blankly at him, and Shī decides that yes, karma must really hate him. Even if she is a nine-year-old girl, he really doesn't want to be alone in an alley with her.

"Erm…" It won't hurt to be polite, he decides "…Erm, hello, Nii-san." Shī never takes his eyes off of Yugito, who continues to examine him as though he is some particularly fascinating lab specimen; he decides that she's probably aware of just how disturbing that is.

Finally, Yugito speaks again, her disconcertingly soft voice toneless. "Shī-san…" Her voice loses most of its softness as it hits a jagged edge "…have you been fighting again?"

Despite himself, Shī feels embarrassed color rise in his cheeks. "Yeah, that's right Nii-san. I've been making a fool out of myself again," he adds bitterly, applying a bit of healing chakra to his bleeding wrist. He winces when he catches sight of Yugito watching the sluggishly dripping blood with fascination.

Then, he sees the bruise and the smear of blood on her cheek. All fear of Yugito flies out the window.

I guess she really can get hurt.

"Nii-san?"

"Yes, Shī-san?"

"How'd you get…" Shī touches his cheek for emphasis, too embarrassed to go on. I can't believe I'm asking her this question.

Yugito acts as if surprised, and a bland smile—Shī shudders—touches her pale lips. "I was paired against one of the older girls in training and told to use nothing but a bo staff and taijutsu. It was…" she nibbles on her lip in concentration "…Matsumoto Tetsuko, I think."

Again, Shī winces. Tetsuko, he recalls very well (he's still nursing the bruises from the last time he ended up paired against her in the mock battles organized for genin every other day), is fifteen and probably about twice Yugito's size. I'm surprised it isn't worse, even if she is really fast.

"Why hasn't it healed yet?" Shī asks, curious despite having told himself that he would not ask questions of this sort, not of Yugito. "I mean, with the Nibi and all, you usually heal a lot faster than this," he adds to clarify.

She only shrugs. "The Nibi said I was asking for it and won't heal it."

Man, only she would talk about a bijuu, especially a nekomata, in that nonchalant tone of voice.

After a moment of indecision and an application of healing chakra to his midsection, Shī waves Yugito over. Up close, he can see that their faces, for a few minor differences, are nearly perfect mirror images of each other now. He raises a hand glowing with emerald chakra to her face and Yugito flinches and pulls away. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

I have completely lost my mind. Well, Kaasan's always said I have the clan's sense of honor—render air to damsels in distress. Shī rolls his eyes while Yugito's not looking. Nii-san's definitely not a damsel in distress. I'm not sure she's even a damsel. A little killing machine maybe, if her progress on the battlefield's anything to go by, but definitely not a damsel.

The work's done soon enough and Yugito is fingering her cheek, now pale and smooth even if crimson is still smeared like lipstick that's missed the mark. For a moment she tilts her head, letting silvery wisps of hair slide across her face, then she nods a little. "Thank you," Yugito responds, in such a way as though no one but the Nibi has ever healed her wounds before.

Most likely, no one but the Nibi has ever healed her wounds before.

"How are Samui-san and Atsui-san?" Yugito asks suddenly, looking at him out of her eyelashes.

Frowning before answering, Shī shifts his weight a little bit. "They're fine. Samui's quiet, as usual; she takes after you in that respect. Atsui wants his sippy cup back and he's raising Hell 'cause Tousan won't give it to him."

"How old are they?"

"Samui's five and Atsui's three."

Shī squints at the hot sunlight outside the alley, and the reminder that it's the middle of the afternoon makes him remember something else. "Nii-san… Aren't you supposed to be with the Raikage tight now?"

Yugito shrugs as if this is of little confidence. "Yes."

Oh, boy. Shī flinches. "And why aren't you with him?"

"I thought I'd go get some sashimi today." For the first time, Shī sees the little lacquered box tied shut with string sitting by Yugito's knee.

"Ah." It must be nice to be able to blow off Raikage-sama like that and be completely unconcerned with the consequences. "You know, Nii-san, it might be best to get back to the Raikage before he starts busting down walls looking for you. Again."

The little girl tilts her head to one side. "Yes, that would be inconvenient."

"Very inconvenient," Shī asserts firmly. He groans. "Come on, help me up. I'll walk you back to Raikage's compound."

Pale blue eyes go wide, as Shī struggles to his feet and Yugito pulls one of his arms over her shoulders; she fits neatly inside, even if she does seem to squirm a little at the close contact. "You'd do that?"

Shī smiles ruefully. "Yeah. You are family after all." They walk out into the sunlight. "Cousin or half-sister, depending on who you ask."