Chapter Summary: It isn't until Sasuke's recovered his breath that he recognises the feeling that flooded his entire system just now. Jealousy, he realises with disbelief that borders almost on horror.
Chapter Beta: Sakura's Unicorn
戦国時代
With Sakura's continued treatments, Itachi is soon at the point where he can receive visitors for longer periods of time. To make the most of it and to offer a show of strength, he asks Sasuke to convene a meeting one morning with his remaining advisors.
The war council of the Uchiha is a different sort from ages past; time and bloodshed have robbed them of the traditional council of twelve; these days, they settle for barely more than half that number.
The last member of their father's council, Yakumi, sits at attention beside Shisui and Obito, frowning at the younger men in disapproval. Obito's grandmother, Masumi, the oldest living Uchiha, sits beside Uruchi, Itachi and Sasuke's maternal aunt. Their Uncle Teyaki once joined them here, but his mind has left him in his old age and, as such, he's often left with an attendant. Finally, there's Itachi's mother-in-law, Hazuki, who's sat in since the death of her husband.
She peers worriedly at Itachi. "Are you well, my son? It's been so long since we've seen you, and I worry about your pallor."
"The healers assure me that I'll be back to normal soon," Itachi says, waving dismissively. Only Sasuke knows the effort he puts into the gesture.
They've continued circulating the story throughout camp that Itachi is fighting a stubborn strain of pneumonia. Given the poor battlefield conditions and the general stress of his position, it's entirely plausible, and even medics sometimes have difficulty with the disease. Many a common soldier has succumbed to it over the years.
"Healers?" Yakumi echoes. "None of our camp healers have been in to see you for weeks."
"One hopes it's because they are seeing to the men," Itachi says in a way that isn't really an answer to the old man's unasked question. "Let us return to the matter at hand. My brother assures me that the latest conscription efforts have been successful, and there are more than enough recruits at the ready should there be an imminent attack. Yet, the same cannot be said for our supply situation."
"Another eight months to a year, at most, barring unforeseen circumstances," Sasuke elaborates.
"There's a village to the southwest offering supplies in return for manpower," Yakumi says. "Enough to keep us going for another six years if necessary."
"You speak of Oto, yes?" Itachi asks, glancing at Sasuke in confirmation; he nods. "Then, no."
"But Itachi-sama—"
"Orochimaru betrayed the Senju to form his little mercenary state. There's no reason he wouldn't think to do the same to the Uchiha. His purposes are his own, separate from ours."
"Then the army will starve!"
"If our army is starving, you can be sure that the Senju army is as well," Shisui interrupts. "My people report that they face the same concerns over supplies and rations that we do."
"So, it's a long-game—who can outlive the other in the face of starvation," Obito says, grim.
"Or perhaps it's the opposite," Itachi suggests. "If we bring this war to an end then both sides will be able to focus on survival, and our children and their children will not have to die."
There's almost a palpable collective sigh. It's not the first time Itachi has expressed interest in armistice with the Senju, but given the unsuccessful nature of past attempts, everyone reacts with the same weary exasperation.
"Peace is obviously the preferable solution, but not if it comes at the price of the Uchiha being relegated to second-class," Uruchi says.
"I remember my mother telling me stories," Masumi says quietly. "Before the Madara and Hashirama's failed peace talks, of how the Senju tried to claim all Uchiha on their land as their serfs. They wanted us to be no more than a sentinel force, bred to serve and guard them."
"The Uchiha are not blameless in this," Itachi reminds her. "Madara and his vassals tried to utterly eradicate the Senju from the face of the planet."
"As a preventative measure to ensure our own survival," Yakumi reminds him. "If any of the Senju continue to sympathise with the ways of Senju Tobirama, there is no possible way to reconcile. We cannot be the vassals of our enemies, or war will begin again in another generation."
"There won't be another generation if we don't at least try," Shisui argues.
"But it'd be stupid to rush it just because we're desperate," Obito shoots back.
"Itachi—why not wait a little longer?" Hazuki suggests softly. "The floods will end soon. When they do, request a parlay with Tsunade-hime. Find out what they would expect for a truce—or a long-term peace. In the meantime, we can go amongst our people and learn what they will tolerate and what they will not. If we then present our conditions to the Senju, whether they choose to honour them or not will indicate whether they have the same wish for peace as you do."
"And if they do not accept everything, we simply continue as we have done for so long?" Itachi asks mildly, but his distaste for the idea is clear.
"Well, obviously, there are certain things we couldn't waver on, but we, too, can be flexible," Shisui suggests, briefly putting a comforting hand on Itachi's shoulder. "If it's just a matter of convincing our people what we should be willing to bend on, I can manage that."
"That's not an option I would like to pursue," Itachi replies darkly.
Obito snorts. "If, after charging it up for ten years, you're finally going to use your Kotoamatsukami, you should use it on the enemy. It'd be nothing for you to flutter those pretty eyes of yours and make the old woman do exactly what we want."
"You think I'm pretty?" Shisui asks, affecting an air of surprise.
"Have some decorum," Yakumi snaps at the younger men.
"You know why that isn't an option, Obito," Masumi interrupts the argument, and her grandson frowns as if he's been chastised. "You too, Shisui. Peace that is not arrived at honestly will disintegrate. It would be a short victory for us, yes, but in another generation, the children of those you've ensorcelled will begin to question. And we will return to this same conundrum."
"Brother?"
The prompt makes Sasuke startle, and the rest of his relatives adopt an uncomfortable quiet. It's no secret that he doesn't support peace initiatives, that he believes them to be nothing more than idle fantasy and naiveté. His enjoyment of battle is also well-known.
But he envisions Sakura's eyes shining at him, and Naruto's idiot grin, and Hinata's hopes for peace before he is forced to kill the other man. And there are deep, secret hopes that he barely wants to pay attention to that linger in his heart and could only exist in a world where there is peace.
And so, out loud he says, "If armistice is what you deem best for the Uchiha, then it should happen as soon as possible."
There is a sense of astonishment and disquiet among his relatives, but Itachi nods slowly. He has an irritatingly unsurprised gleam in his eyes that suggests he expected Sasuke would say this.
"Go then," he tells the others. "Obito, inform our generals that we will continue this ceasefire as long as possible. Have them focus on finding new providers for our supplies. Shisui, you have a means of getting a message to Tsunade-hime's forces that we wish to consider a truce?"
"Of course."
"Keep it quiet. The fewer people who are privy to this—on either side—the lower likelihood of sabotage. The rest of you will go among the people; find out under what conditions a peace could be possible. But be careful in your information gathering. Sasuke—"
"Hm?"
"Speak with Hyūga Neji to gauge what his clan elders might think of the truce. It's best we know their frame of mind before we broach the subject in earnest."
"Fine."
As the other members of the council speak amongst themselves, Sasuke stands to leave. He pauses, sparing a moment to study his brother, who's smiling wanly at something Shisui whispers in his ear. For a brief instant, Itachi looks happy and hopeful, and Sasuke decides that alone is worth attempting a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
戦国時代
As he leaves the Hyūga compound later that day, Sasuke finds his way blocked by several of his relatives and members of their vassal clans. At the head of their little group is his cousin.
"Inabi," Sasuke says, attempting to walk around him, but the other man steps to one side, planting himself in the way. He stares down at him, jaw-clenched in the same annoyance he always feels when they interact. Inabi has never made it a secret that he dislikes deferring to Itachi and Sasuke in matters of leadership, especially given they are younger than he. But he has never tried to argue with clan law, at least. "Was there something you wanted?"
"You were in council with your brother this morning. What's the news? Should I prepare my raiding squads for departure?"
"It's been months since we've left this godforsaken camp," one of his cronies adds.
"The Senju still have many deaths to pay for," another agrees. "Their blood will be sufficient recompense!"
The statements are met with cheers of agreement.
"You are to continue to mind your posts and remain on the defensive," Sasuke says. "There will be no incursions into enemy territory until the order is given."
"If we simply wait, they'll take us when we least expect it!" Inabi protests.
"Then don't simply wait," Sasuke advises. "Spend your time doing something useful like rebuilding our fortifications or distributing the non-perishable supplies to our outlying caches."
"But—"
"Until there is credible threat, we are not launching any attacks," Sasuke snaps. "Those are our leader's orders, and if you disobey them, you'll answer to me—is that understood?"
He allows his Sharingan to spin to the surface, hammering the point home. Inabi steps forward, his own eyes bleeding red to meet the challenge, but Sasuke doesn't move, unimpressed by his cousin's show. They both know that in a fight, Inabi is no match for Sasuke.
Eventually, Inabi looks away and grunts, "Fine."
Nodding, Sasuke deactivates his Sharingan and turns his back on the group. He walks away.
"That's a change," he hears one of Inabi's lackeys mutter. "Remember the days when he'd have jumped at the chance to spill Senju blood?"
"He's gone soft."
Someone else snorts. "Some men are like that when they finally get a woman on her back."
"Heh," Inabi jeers, "who would've thought the great Uchiha Sasuke would turn into a weakling because of some common whore?"
Sasuke tenses.
His first instinct is to draw his katana and cut the man to ribbons at the insult, but he forces himself to stay utterly still. Killing these bastards now while his brother is desperate to promote peace, will be counterproductive. As he draws a slow breath in through his nose, Sasuke tries to ignore the disbelief and dismay that threaten him. He and Sakura have been very careful since Kakashi expressed his concerns. No one among the men should know of his dalliances—unless they noticed Sakura slipping away following those first illicit encounters.
"I bet if she disappears, he'll get his balls back."
The words are said at just the right volume that they could either be a passing comment between chums or an actual threat.
Rage at the audacity threatens to overwhelm him, and his fingers clench around his sword, but he stays his hand. If this is meant to provoke him, his reaction will show that they have touched on a nerve. That will make him appear weak, which, historically, would lead to a fight—either with him, or someone foolhardy enough to try to find Sakura.
He imagines her crushing Inabi's bones for his trouble and smirks.
Turning ever so slightly—just enough to show that he's heard them—he meets Inabi's gaze. Perhaps he and his cronies note the expression and the message behind it, because a general atmosphere of uneasiness falls over them at the sight. Sasuke leaves them like that, his languid gait proving that he isn't worried about their bluster.
But when he is far from their line of sight, his mouth turns downward.
戦国時代
Whisperings of a truce aside, the temporary ceasefire is not utterly without incident.
During a routine visit to one of the nearby neutral villages to recruit workers for their fields, Sasuke and his men encounter Naruto, accompanied by his own cadre of men. It isn't the first time this has happened; there've been instances throughout the years where they've met outside of the battlefield. There's usually a tacit agreement not to cross blades until far from civilians, as these are the people who feed them.
Usually.
This time, certain words are exchanged—also, certain kunai—and the skirmish begins before Sasuke or Naruto can quite stop it. Once their hot-blooded comrades are set off, it becomes a chore for them to prevent any fatalities that might spark a full-fledged battle. The only saving grace for Sasuke is that Inabi and his crew are patrolling in a completely different area, or they would be knee-deep in their next siege.
"Since you're their leader, shouldn't you be able to better control them?" Sasuke sneers as he uses the hilt of his katana to knock a face-painted, Senju lunatic in the back of the head.
"I could say the same for you," Naruto shoots back as several of his shadow clones try to divert the growing melee away from any of the village's structures. "Or is it that you people don't have the same understanding of 'ceasefire' as we do?"
"That you understand what a ceasefire is at all impresses me," Sasuke snorts.
"Oi!"
Sasuke snaps at his men to fall back and leave the village, but they are too far away to hear him.
"Maybe you're just having an off day," Naruto suggests. "Could it be that you're a little…distracted? Possibly thinking how it's not worth it anymore? I bet you're getting tired of all this fighting, too."
"Don't project your wishes on me."
"Aw, come on—I say we get over the past and think of the future," the blond man declares, ducking a stray kunai. "I don't even know what we're fighting about anymore—your man insulting Kiba's mother or some pissing contest from way back."
"If you feel that strongly about it, you could always surrender," Sasuke suggests.
"Where's the fun in that?" Naruto shoots back as the momentum of the fight brings him and Sasuke into close quarters. Both of them have unsheathed their katanas, and the blades cross as they meet. "Speaking of fun, asshole—check out my latest jutsu!"
He disappears in a cloud of smoke and when it clears, a bevy of buxom, half-naked women stand in his place. It's a version of his favourite, idiotic technique which has never worked on Sasuke, who disperses it easily with a minor Katon.
"Moron," he adds as Naruto reappears, diving out of the way of the flames.
"You just wait! One day, I'll figure out what your poison is!" the other man insists with a grin that isn't affected by Sasuke's actions in the least. "Then you'll be knocked out cold on the floor and I'll win."
"Sure."
"And after that, we can put all this stupid clan stuff behind us and be friends again."
Sasuke bristles. "Who says were we ever friends?"
"We were when we were kids," Naruto reminds him insistently.
"Those days are long gone."
"So? We can start over. And I was also thinking-–"
"You? Thinking?"
"Shut up! Anyway, when this war is over-–"
As if it's the exercise of an afternoon and not a generations-long feud, Sasuke scoffs inwardly.
"—you should come over for dinner. We can eat ramen!"
"No."
"Fine. If you don't like ramen, I'll get Sakura-chan to make something else—but just so you know, she's a terrible cook."
Sasuke is startled at this. What does Naruto know about Sasuke's connection to Sakura? Is he somehow informed about their liaisons?
She wouldn't tell him… Would she?
Carefully controlled, he asks, "Why on earth would your medic be cooking your food?"
"Huh? I dunno… That's something a wife's supposed to do, right?" Naruto asks absently, pulling back his fist. "I mean, I guess we'll be married by then, but maybe you're right. Maybe we won't be yet…"
At this point, Sasuke is so caught off-guard that Naruto's next blow sends him reeling backwards. There are distant cheers from Naruto's people and rallying cries from his own, but Sasuke barely hears them. The words ring in his ears, over and over like the fading echoes of a bell.
Wife. Married.
His eyes film over with red.
"Oi! You were supposed to duck that!" Naruto yells at him, hurrying over. "Listen, that was not me breaking the truce, okay? I was just—"
Sasuke is barely cognisant of his palm full of electricity or his body moving forward. He's on a collision course with Naruto's face, and the other man barely dodges in time.
"What gives?" Naruto demands, but Sasuke doesn't bother answering, instead swerving around to take a second shot at him.
And suddenly, the light-hearted skirmish transforms into the usual duel to the death. Lightning and wind clash against one another until their comrades finally manage to drag them away from one another.
It isn't until Sasuke's recovered his breath that he recognises the feeling that consumed his entire system just now.
Jealousy, he realises with disbelief that borders on horror.
つづく
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