Sasuke wore a black haori with the red and white fan of the Uchiha emblazoned on his back. Behind him, his father was garbed in the white and red cloak of the office of Hokage over his Konoha flak jacket while his mother wore an elegant black kimono. It was an unseasonably warm winter afternoon and the previous day's snow had already melted beneath the strength of the sun.

It was fitting weather for Lady Hinata's seventh birthday.

Sasuke was nervous. With his older brother away on a mission, it was his sole responsibility to represent the children of the Hokage. It was a pressure that his father had done little to comfort him about, but per usual, his mother had been there to gently remind him to just be himself. He'd prepared a gift for the Hyūga heiress, something that his mother said would be special. He hoped she was right.

The young Uchiha tensed when the doors to the Hyūga compound opened. A man stood in the doorway and wore a severe face with a black Konoha headband. His pale eyes looked over Sasuke's family.

"Lord Fourth," he said, bowing. "The Hyūga clan is honored by your presence."

Fugaku returned the man's courtesy with a quick dip of his head. "The honor is mine, Hizashi," he said. "Where is the celebration for Lady Hinata being held?"

"In the inner sanctum. I will escort you there," the man replied, turning on his heels. Sasuke followed his parents into the Hyūga estate and immediately noticed the guards that stood lined against the wall. They watched the Uchiha family as they passed and the boy felt a sense of unease underneath their gaze. His father's hand touched his shoulder, and he looked up at him. His face wasn't one of comfort, not the way his mother's would be, but Sasuke could tell from his expression what the look meant.

The same words he'd been told before they left.

They don't trust outsiders, Sasuke. When we see them, you must be steady and show yourself strong. You are an Uchiha.

I am, Sasuke thought. He fixed his face to be calm but still made sure to stay observant. The Hyūga estate was pretty and well-kept, although it seemed to be a relic of an older time. While his father had attempted to make some architectural changes to Konoha, expanding the district where the Uchiha lived first, it seemed that the Hyūga clan preferred to stick with traditional structures. Some areas looked closer to training grounds than anything befitting a noble clan and Sasuke couldn't help but feel like he was traveling through a foreign land.

They walked past a dirt square where a few of the Hyūga clan members had paused their training, watching the Uchiha warily as they passed. Hizashi led them up to a massive shoji door and Sasuke could hear music being played. Their escort slid the door open and the warm, soft tones of woodwind instruments filled the boy's ears.

To the left side, flutists whistled beautiful tunes together in harmony while another person rhythmically ran a stick through wind chimes. A man with the same face as Hizashi stood at the back of the room, turning when the Uchiha family entered.

He dipped his head in respectful greeting. "Lord Fourth."

"Lord Hiashi," Fugaku responded evenly. He put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I am honored to introduce you to my youngest son, Sasuke." The boy felt a chill slither up his spine as the Hyūga clan leader looked over him. He couldn't tell from his almost blank eyes whether his gaze was approving or not, but he tried his best to appear strong.

After a moment's pause, Lord Hiashi stepped to the side and said, "I present to you, the young Lady Hinata, my daughter and heiress."

Behind him, a little girl that sat in a raised wooden throne. She was dressed in a black and tan kimono adorned with her clan's emblem, a fire symbol surrounded by an upside down triangle and half-circle. Her dark blue hair was short with bangs that covered her forehead and chin-length strands on both sides of her face that served as a frame. Like the other members of her clan, she had eyes the color of a cloudy sky. However, to Sasuke, her eyes seemed to be different. There was a softness there that the others lacked and when the young Uchiha was beckoned forward, he couldn't help but stare into them.

She's pretty, Sasuke thought as he bowed as his father had taught him. "Lord Hiashi, Lady Hinata, it is a pleasure to meet you both." He took in a quick and shallow breath as he approached the girl's throne with his gift box in hand. It felt as though the music was swelling when he reached out to give it to Lady Hinata. The girl gently took it from him, her cheeks slightly reddening as she began to open it. Her small hands pulled free a necklace with a sun shaped medallion.

Hinata held it close to her and Sasuke grinned and looked back at his parents. His mother gave her usual sweet smile while his father looked on, his face a curtain of unflinching stone. His eyebrows slightly furrowed and Sasuke's grin faded. Had he done something wrong?

"T-thank you." Hinata's voice was airy and sweet, her cheeks now a bright red, and her shy smile creating dimples. That was all that Sasuke needed.

His father disappeared into another room with Lord Hiashi and Sasuke sat outside watching the Hyūga out on the training yard. His mother stood behind and inside, talking about motherly woes with a white-eyed woman. A boy with long brown hair and cloth around his head sparred against an older man. He darted to his side, leaving dust in the air as he skidded to the next spot. Sasuke watched as the man matched the boy step by step. Chakra, thick and blue, blasted in the air from their palms. He was surprised at how fast, strong, and precise their moves were. He'd never seen taijutsu like it.

And he wasn't supposed to. As soon as the pair saw the Uchiha boy watching them, they immediately stopped to stare at him. The boy folded his arms and furrowed his brow. Before he could say anything, Sasuke heard his mother's voice calling him. He turned and saw her looking out on the yard at the two Hyūga. The woman who she had been talking to was gone and his mother stood alone in the doorway.

He went to her, doing his best to hide his embarrassment. "I just wanted to watch them train."

"I understand," she said. "But certain clans have techniques that are only for the eyes of those within and for the Hyūga, that holds even more true."

"But we're allies and in the same village," Sasuke said.

"Would you want everyone in the village to know the secrets of the Uchiha clan?" his mother asked. This stumped Sasuke and he blushed, pouting.

"No, I guess not."

Mikoto rubbed his forehead and smiled at him. "You'll learn soon that secrecy is a shinobi's greatest weapon." She paused and then said, "Just try to be as respectful of other clans as you'd want them to be to ours."

Sasuke nodded then sighed. He'd be bored sitting with his mother while his father and Lord Hiashi were gone. He wished that he could at least talk to Lady Hinata, but she'd been taken away too. Maybe I can try to find her, Sasuke thought. "I have to use the bathroom," he lied. Before his mother could respond, he scampered down the hall to portray a sense of urgency. When he thought he'd cleared her vision, Sasuke smirked and started to creep through the building. The corridors were a maze with every wall appearing the type of wood and every corner leading to another turn. What started as an innocent trip to find where Lady Hinata had gone soon turned into Sasuke desperately trying to find his way back to the training yard.

When rounded yet another corner, he paused. He heard people talking behind one of the walls and followed the sounds of the voices. When he got close enough, he recognized his father's dry baritone. Though his tone sounded as even as it usually was, Sasuke caught hints of agitation when he spoke. The Uchiha boy knelt by the wall and listened intently.

"I noticed the bruises," his father said.

"Yours aren't the only eyes that see, Lord Fourth." It was Lord Hiashi.

"Indeed not," Fugaku answered. "I have no interest in meddling in the affairs of other clans. However, it would seem that a training session that would leave bruises on a girl the day that she meets her betrothed is extreme."

Bruises? Betrothed? Sasuke thought. Who had been bruised? He tried to remember Hinata's face, but could only recall that her cheeks had turned red when he presented the gift to her. Had she not truly been blushing that deeply but been hurt instead?

Lord Hiashi fumed. "You say this as you send your eldest son, still a child himself, to engage in shadow warfare?"

Sasuke's father said, "Itachi is a shinobi and has earned his place in the village already. Comparing an ANBU captain to a child..."

"She is the heiress to the Hyūga clan," Hiashi retorted. "This is the way we have functioned for decades."

"I understand," Fugaku replied, his voice simmering down now. "However, we are fighting a war now based on the fact that an enemy nation attempted to kidnap her. I...what are you doing?"

Sasuke froze as the wall slid to the side and Lord Hiashi Hyūga loomed over him. Veins popped out around his milk-white eyes that had a light lavender glow to them now. He felt like a rabbit stuck under the gaze of a wolf.

"It seems your son was listening," Hiashi said coolly. Sasuke bowed his head and stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." he said.

"Get up, Sasuke." Fugaku's voice was sharp and stern. His onyx eyes glanced to Lord Hiashi. "It is about time that we leave anyway." He dipped his head to the Hyūga leader. "Thank you for your hospitality and give Lady Hinata my well wishes."

Sasuke saw Lord Hiashi's eyebrows crinkle, but he dipped his head in response. "As you wish, Lord Fourth."

Fugaku led Sasuke through the hallways and the boy noticed the turns he'd made to get lost. There must have been different groove patterns in the wood that helped to determine what part of the compound you were in that his eyes hadn't been perceptive enough to see while he was panicking.

When they had gotten a fair distance away from the back room, his father spoke. "How much did you hear?"

I shouldn't lie, Sasuke thought. He remembered his mother's words though. Secrecy is a shinobi's greatest weapon. "You were talking about Itachi to Lord Hiashi?" he said. His father looked down at him and for a moment, Sasuke knew that he had been caught.

But Fugaku didn't press him any further. Instead, he said, "Not exclusively."

Sasuke blinked and then looked around. "Father," he said. "Is it true that somebody tried to kidnap Lady Hinata?"

"If you heard as much as you say, you should already know the answer, son," Fugaku said. Sasuke dipped his head in acknowledgment of his father's words. Maybe he knows I'm lying about how long I was out there, he thought. His father's eyes were no longer on him now, instead staring ahead. Sasuke saw his mother still standing in the doorway and her concern turned to relief.

"Did you get lost?" she asked him.

"He did," Fugaku answered. "I found him on the way out." Sasuke blinked at his father then looked around. Several more Hyūga clan members had gathered out onto the yard, wary eyes watching the Uchiha family. "Let's go," Fugaku said as he politely dipped his head. Sasuke could feel their eyes on his back as they left the compound and started down the dirt path to Konoha.

His father split away from them and headed into the Hokage's office to complete his daily duties. Sasuke and his mother journeyed back to the Uchiha district. From what his mother had told him, their clan had been initially confined to a small corner far away from the center of Konoha. As Hokage, one of his father's first actions was to expand their holdings and move the clan's activities closer to the administrative center of the village. It helped to secure their position within the leadership of Konoha and kept the Uchiha near the Hokage.

Sometimes, it just reminded Sasuke about how far off his father could be even when he was near.

When they arrived at their home, Sasuke immediately went to his room to change out of his formal wear into a jacket, shirt, and pants. He made sure that his pouches were filled with ninja tools just in case in ran into a wild animal. After rechecking his supplies, Sasuke grinned. "Mom, I'm going to go train!" he shouted as he headed towards the door.

He thought he heard his mother say, "Just make sure to be back in time for dinner tonight", but the gust of wind in his ears as he ran had deafened her voice. He practiced his agility and speed by running across the rooftops. His foot slipped on a piece of snow and ice that hadn't fully melted by Sasuke caught himself and maintained his balance, landing in the dirt road without issue. Grinning, the boy kept going until he'd cleared the more crowded neighborhoods of Konoha and into the forests that surrounded the area.

Elm trees cast their shadows over the forest floor and Sasuke took in the sounds of nature. In the canopy above him, a squirrel rustled in the branches, it's cheeks full of food it must have hidden away. The sudden thaw and warmer weather must've caused it to come to collect on its stash. Sasuke watched as the little animal sprang and darted around from branch to branch. It reminded it of him earlier, racing to get out here. Maybe I can keep watching squirrels to see how they move, the Uchiha boy thought.

When the squirrel took another jump, a hawk dove between the spaces in the tree canopy, opening its wings and extending its talons to snatch the rodent into its grasp. It swept upwards and landed on a branch. The hawk dipped its head, tearing tufts of white and grey fur from the squirrel's body before finally ripping a bloody chunk with its beak.

In that moment, Sasuke suddenly realized that perhaps it'd be better to be a hawk than a squirrel.

He kept walking through the woods until the elm trees began to be replaced by grass in the clearing and a large open lake that fed into a river. It was wide enough that he could practice without harming the area. Smiling, Sasuke sat on the sandy shores with his legs crossed and relaxed, building his chakra. When he felt he had enough, he stood up and prepared himself.

Snake.

Ram.

Monkey.

Boar.

Horse.

Tiger.

He performed the hand seals intently, feeling the chakra surge in his stomach before the heat rose in his throat. Fire fanned out in front of him as a giant, orange sphere and burst across the lake, spreading the water in its wake. It was the biggest one that Sasuke had ever been able to produce since he learned the technique a few months ago.

"Impressive," a voice said.

The young Uchiha gasped, grinning as he turned. His older brother, Itachi, stood behind him. A soft smile lined his lips but weariness was in his eyes, Sasuke noticed. He was still in his ANBU uniform, a grey flak jacket with a black jumpsuit underneath. The slate grey hilt of his sword poked behind his head and in his hand, he held the white hooded coat of a squad commander.

"Big brother!" Sasuke exclaimed. "When did you get back?"

"A little while ago. I had to see Father first then Mother said that you'd gone out to train," Itachi replied. "I heard you had an eventful morning."

Sasuke shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"You got to meet Lady Hinata, right? How was it?"

This caused the boy to blush. "I gave her the gift," he said. "I think she liked it, but I don't think that her father likes me."

Itachi looked at him for a moment then nodded. "Lord Hiashi is a difficult man to please or impress from what I've heard of him," he said.

"Yeah. I heard him and Father talking." Sasuke hadn't realized that the words came out of his mouth until he saw a curious expression on his brother's face. Secrecy is a shinobi's greatest weapon. But he didn't need to keep secrets from Itachi. "They were talking about Lady Hinata being bruised, your missions, and the war. Lord Hiashi caught me listening, though."

"I see," Itachi said, his tone distant and detached. He stared out over the lake as if something was on his mind. Less than a moment passed before he turned and looked at Sasuke, gently smiling. "I'm sure that as you get older and stronger, you'll end up earning Lord Hiashi's respect, if nothing else. Just focus on doing that and you won't have to worry about Lady Hinata getting hurt."

Sasuke nodded then smirked. "Hey, big brother. Can you teach me some cool jutsu to help me get stronger?"

"I've just gotten back from a mission, Sasuke," his brother reminded him before poking him in the forehead with his ring and index finger. "Maybe another time, after you've at least had your first day at the Academy." Sasuke winced and stared up at his brother, frowning. He wanted to be mad at him but Itachi's smile always disarmed him. He also had a point, Sasuke supposed. He wouldn't know what he needed to practice or learn until he could properly compare himself to the other children in his class. Although he wanted to start with as much of an advantage as possible, it wouldn't hurt to wait a few days. That is, if Itachi kept his word.

And when does he ever? Annoyed, Sasuke pouted and folded his arms. "Yeah, fine. Next time."

The sun had started to set when the Uchiha brothers left the elm forest. Shops had begun to close down in Konoha, with only restaurants still maintaining their red lanterns to signal they were open for business. As they walked through the village streets, Sasuke saw a blonde man and boy sitting at a ramen bar. They were near mirror images of each other with wide grins as they laughed. Sasuke felt something sharp hit his stomach. Initially, he thought it was hunger but when the feeling touched his heart, he knew that maybe it was something more.

"Father should be home with us for dinner," Itachi said. Sasuke looked up at him and his brother continued. "My report was detailed enough that he shouldn't have too much paperwork to fill out."

This made Sasuke smile but it was a faint one. He looked back at the blonde pair at the ramen bar then sighed. Father would never do something like that with me, he thought. His eyes glanced behind them as he and Itachi traversed the illuminated streets. The shadow that his brother cast engulfed his own and Sasuke couldn't help but feel that as he walked behind Itachi, this was the place he'd always be. At least that was the way that his father made him see himself. He's only ever proud of you, talking about you. He felt that feeling in his stomach and heart again, then tried hard to shake it off. His time at the Academy would begin at the start of the new year. He'd have an opportunity to prove himself to his clan, to Lady Hinata, to Lord Hiashi, and to his father. He would be better than Itachi.

Will Father see me then?