As We Fall
Chapter One
Run Away
The buildings were burning, and smoke was thick in the air. The sound of angry rioters reached the ears of a little girl, no more than two years of age. Her green jumpsuit was covered in ash and soot, and she held her ears beneath her dark red hair, trying desperately to block out the horrorifying noises all around. She cowered in the corner of a crumpling living room, crying profusely.
A man and woman hidden beneath cloaks grabbed the hand of a boy who had dashed in through the wreckage. His silver hair glinted red in the fire as he pulled back, yelling something at the adults. They continued to run, leaving him and the girl behind. He glared after them a moment before realizing purpose.
Without another second's hesitation, he dashed to the side of the screaming girl. He grabbed her hand, unable to lift her.
"Aster!" he cried gently, tugging on her hand as hard as he dared. "C'mon, we have to go. Now."
"Hikaru!" she leapt up, clinging to his waist. "Nii-san, what's going on?!"
The door banged loudly as more angry mob people tried to break it down. The little girl screamed and began to tremble, hanging onto her brother for dear life. The door was beginning to give way, weakened by the fires.
Hikaru narrowed his eyes, coming to a sudden determination. He pried the girl from him. Gripping her wrist firmly, he took off with her in tow. Aster shut her eyes, stumbling after her brother in complete darkness. It felt like they had been running forever before she opened her eyes.
She stopped, staring back at the smoke coming from their home. "Nii-san… Our house… It's going down in flames."
He stopped too, giving their old life one last glance. Roughly, her pulled on her again. "We can't stay here and watch it burn, unless you want to burn too." Hikaru was only seven, but he had learned to grow up quickly.
They were able to keep going for only for so long before Aster's small legs began to fail her. She tripped and skidded, scraping her knees and elbows badly. Hikaru rushed to her side, sitting her up again, afraid to try to move her.
"Aster, are you-" He stopped short. She wasn't crying as he had expected. There was an uncomfortable pause as she stared him in the eye. In only moments, both of them had been changed.
"Niisan," she began quietly. "What happens now?" Hikaru stared back, at a loss for words. "We're homeless, and I don't see Mom and Dad."
He was unable control his anger for a second as a biting sensation tore through him. "We're not homeless. We don't need Mom and Dad."
Aster pushed her eyebrows together, confused by his words. She was too young to understand what was going on. "Niisan…."
Hikaru jumped up, swiftly putting her on her feet. "C'mon. We need to keep moving."
She watched his eyes for a moment, lips trembling with unasked questions. "O-okay," she stuttered, letting him guide her into the darkening distance.
-Nine Months Later-
Aster sat with her knees crushed against her chest, peering intently at the crying baby. Their mother was ignoring it, sitting at the table with her head in her hands. It's wailing. She bit her lip, mulling over the unpleasant images echoing in her mind with every scream the child released. A part of her wanted to reach out to the newborn boy, but she was afraid at the same time. What if I can't stop it? Fear held her in the corner of the bare living room in their new 'home.'
Hikaru burst in through the door, slamming it as he rushed to the beaten cradle. He picked up the baby, doing the best to comfort it as a seven-year-old boy could. Carrying his little brother, he surveyed the situation he come upon. Every fiber in his being wanted to scream at his mother for leaving the three of them to fend for themselves, but he couldn't bring himself to do it in front of Aster.
The way she stared with empty eyes, curled up defensively, always unnerved him. He wasn't sure how to comfort her, but somehow he always seemed to be able to bring a smile to her pale face. It was those moments he lived for. One day the child in his arms might do the same.
Shooting his mother another scathing look, he stalked up the stairs to his room silently. Hikaru slipped into his room, leaving the door ajar as he lowered himself onto his bed. The little boy, Idate, had stopped crying. Idate was asleep, snuggling close to him. Hikaru breathed a sigh of relief. The storm was over for now. He was ready to set up a makeshift crib with his bedding until he had to bring the baby back downstairs, but as he looked up, he caught sight of Aster in the door.
Her eyes were wide, lips pressed in thin nervous line. Something chilled him when he looked at his sister in this state. He was almost a genin, but somehow his sister had snuck up on him. They were silent as she shuffled in, sitting next to him. Her eyes were fixated on Idate, alight with a strange fascination. Hikaru leaned towards her, making to hand her their brother. It surprised him to see her recoil, fearful of touching the baby.
"Don't you want to hold him?" Hikaru asked gently.
"He's not like us."
Her answer caught him off guard. "What do you mean?"
She stared at him, pondering how best to word her misgivings. "They hate us." Aster caught Hikaru's eyes. "They hate us because we came from Kirikagure. He didn't. He was born here, unlike us."
Hikaru suppressed a shudder. Her childish observations were disconcertingly true. "How does that make him any different? So what if he was born in Konoha? The three of us are still of the same flesh and blood."
She relaxed a little, nodding her head slightly in agreement. Both of them sat, watching the sleeping baby. A moment of peace. Hikaru sighed softly.
"Niisan," Aster asked meekly. Hikaru raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to elaborate. "Didn't you say they burned our house because of our blood?" He bit his lip. The reason for her listlessness was clear now. "Will the same thing happen here?"
"No," Hikaru forced the baby into her arms, holding her eyes. "Nothing will happen to us here."
She nodded, trusting him completely. Aster held Idate as far from herself as she could. Hikaru pushed her forearms back, wrapping her small arms around the child. "I don't want him." She mumbled.
"And you think I wanted you?" he asked with a smirk that told her he was joking, but her mouth dropped open. "W-what is it?"
She watched him for a minute, looking him up and down. "Niisan… I'm not like you."
He stopped himself from laughing; he had thought he had hurt her with his joke. "No, but you're an older sibling now. You need to be strong and set an example for him."
Aster swallowed a lump in her throat. "He has you. He doesn't need me to show him what to do."
"That's not true," he shot back quickly. "Just wait, one day he'll look up to you and seek your advice."
She let out a small sigh, rocking the baby. "Niisan, you don't need to lie to me. I'm a big girl."
Again he couldn't help but be thrown off by her. "I haven't lied to you, and I never will. Don't forget that."
Aster gave him a trusting gaze and pulled Idate closer to her. "Teach me to be a good sister. Please, niisan."
-Five Years Later-
Aster trudged home with Idate from the ninja academy. She straightened her back, determined to stand tall, her big brother was now a chunin. He was someone important, someone to be proud of.
Idate scuffed his toes in the dirt path, scowling at the ground. "I don't wanna go home."
A knot tightened in her chest. "Well, do we really have a choice? We don't have anywhere else to sleep."
"Tch," Idate clenched his fists in his pockets. "I'll find somewhere."
"Good luck," she muttered, waving a hand flippantly at him.
Idate stopped, stomping one of his feet. "Just you watch! I will find another place to stay! I don't have to go home if I don't want to…"
Aster turned to face him, letting her expression fall slack. "Idate-chan… Be reasonable."
He looked at her; she was standing with her hands on her hips and lips pressed together in a commanding way. "Who do you think you are?"
He smirked as she gasped, crossing her arms. He had hit a nerve. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Idate glared at her, cutting her heart. "Do you think you're Hikaru now?"
Tears sprung into her eyes and her lips trembled. "Fine, I won't try to tell you what to do… See if I care." She turned her back towards him.
It was a knife for a knife as Idate gritted his teeth. "Like you cared before!"
Aster whipped around, but he had already run off and was out of sight. Only the sound of a carefree summer breeze through the afternoon trees was left. It made her ache inside. The tranquil joy all around was so entirely opposite what she felt. "I did care…"
There was nothing to be done about it; she had to go after him. If Hikaru had taught her one thing, it was to never let go of those you cared about. Things needed to be righted.
It wasn't hard to follow his trail, even for an average student at the academy. She found him by a stream faster than either of them anticipated.
Aster stood behind her little brother. Idate sat at the edge of the river running through the training grounds. He let the water run over his toes absently. She leaned against one of the numerous trees. "You need to be more careful about what you say.." she said. Idate crossed his arms and refused to look at her. "Don't ignore me!" she cried. "Idate, listen to me! Please!"
He turned suddenly, looking her into the eyes with all his anger and hate. "Shut up. You don't know anything." Aster stared at him, shocked that he had given up his act of ignorance. "I hate you! You act like you're so smart! But you've never done anything smart!" his voice was becoming shrill with anger. "Do you think you can outdo Hikaru or something? Why don't you just leave me alone?"
"I'm only trying to help you!" Aster said, raising her voice.
"I don't want your help.." he hissed, words like venom.
Aster stood away from the comfort of the tree, her body and face were limp and pale, even in the bright sun of the afternoon. "That's good, because I won't help you anymore. If you hate me, I hate you too." She said it emotionlessly.
Without casting him another glance, Aster walked away silently. Idate stared after her a minute, shocked and scared. That was it. No longer would he depend on her. It didn't matter that she was his sister. All he needed was Hikaru. Aster didn't need to be comforted; she could walk alone if she wanted. But not him, he would stay with Hikaru.
Aster walked into their 'house', a few hours after the sun had set. The door clicked quietly as she mentally prepared herself for the usual routine. She tiptoed towards the staircase to her room, to safety, but she knew it was too late as she heard a chair scuff the wooden floor.
"Where the hell have you been?" Her mother glared at her. Aster struggled to keep still, hoping her knees weren't shaking they way they seemed to be. As the silver haired woman stood, it became obvious she was drunk.
"I-I," she stuttered and then stopped. Praying her voice wouldn't tremble, she continued on. "I was just out, training. Like you said I should…"
"Damn you!" her mother was a truly beautiful woman, and her rage was frightening. Her shining hair flew around her elegantly as she slammed her fist on the table, shaking it dangerously. Even with fury contorting her features, she was still striking to look watch. "I was worried about you! Fuck!"
Aster began to curl in herself, trying with all her might to merely speak. "I'm sorry… It won't happen again…"
"Shut up! You're not sorry!" She advanced on Aster, towering over the small girl. "Don't you fucking lie to me!" Her hand was raised to smack her.
Aster gritted her teeth, bracing for the blow, but it never came. There was a slam as Hikaru rushed into the house. He had seen the whole exchange as he had walked up to the house. She opened her eyes to see Hikaru holding their mother's wrist, staring her in the eyes defiantly.
"Leave her alone…"
Her slender hand twisted out of his grasped and struck his face. Aster could only stare in horror as her brother took the blow unflinchingly. "Don't talk back to me!"
Hikaru shook it off, straightening back up. "Does that make you feel any better?" Chills went down Aster's spine. It petrified her to see him openly disobey their mother and father.
"Shut up! Being a prodigy doesn't give you more privileges in this household!" But even with those fighting words, she turned away, going back to her seat at the table.
Hikaru glared after her, his eyes carefully concealing his feelings from his little sister. It was a moment before he was able to pull himself away. Then, wrapping an arm around Aster, he made his way up the stairs. He let go of her when they reached the landing, leaving her to go to her own room.
As he reached for the door handle, he realized Aster hadn't moved from her spot behind him. Something had been out of place, now it was clear to him. "Aster-chan… Where is Idate?"
She looked ready to cry. "Niisan, I don't know..!" Her knees shook and she lowered her head and in shame.
"What happened?" Hikaru put a comforting arm around her.
"He said he wouldn't come home! I didn't think he'd actually-!" Breaking into tears, she buried her head in his shoulder.
He rubbed her back before pushing her away softly. "Aster, I need to find him. Stay in your room. I'll bring him home." He leaned down to her level, smiling weakly. "Okay?"
Hikaru shot her a smile that was meant to comfort her, but only served to depress her more. Then he climbed out the hall window. Aster rushed to window sill, staring down as he made a perfect landing and disappeared into the darkness. "Please come back niisan…"
The forest was filled with small sounds in the night, concealing Hikaru's footsteps to the unskilled ear. Idate sat in a tree, overlooking the clearing. He was freezing, but there was no way Aster would take him home. The night was wearing on, and his eyes were failing him now. He leaned into something warm behind him without stopping to think what it was.
"What do you think you're doing otouto?" Hikaru sighed, pinning Idate's hands behind him.
The boy gasped. "How did you find me?!"
"You're not hard to find," his brother's lips curled at the corners. "Time to come home."
"What home?" Idate asked sullenly.
Hikaru sighed again. "Idate-chan, what happened?"
"Nothing that I didn't see coming."
"Idate…" he twisted the little boy's wrist, knowing exactly how to cause pain without hurting him.
"Ow! Stop it!" Idate squirmed. "It's not like anyone wants me there. What's the point in going home, other than seeing you?"
In the darkness, Hikaru blushed. He had only done what he felt was right all these years, and both of his siblings gave him their complete trust. "What about seeing Aster? She's your sister, you should be glad to see her."
Yep.. Chapter one! This is shaping up to be another freakin novella.. If u want to know what Hikaru and Idate look like, I'll have pictures up on my deviant art accound asap. If u enjoy this or are just impatient to see Itachi and Sasuke, read Sight and Sound too. I can understand being impatient for Itachi, but Sasuke?? lolz.. Okie dokie. Well, I hope you liked it! Tell me what u think a review!
