Part One
It was the first day of the Academy. Shisui Uchiha was a little bored, he had no real interest in becoming a shinobi, he would rather be outside playing with his best friend, eating and joking about, not sitting indoors studying. Everyone around him was chatting about while he lay across his desk daydreaming. He glanced up when he felt something soft fall into his hands, his hands were folded over the top of his desk, the girl that sat in front of him had pushed her hair back and it caressed his fingers. He couldn't help but stare at it, it was so soft, so smooth and thick. The girl had a lot of hair, it was very bouncy and a chocolatey brown, the light bounced from it making it look shiny and healthy, he found himself wanting to run his hands through her hair. He wanted to play with it, so he crawled over his desk and sat above her, she was utterly oblivious as she was focused on drawing, a sketchbook in front of her. He began playing with her hair, as he played with it, the other kids began to notice and started to snigger, he was enjoying himself so much, the scent and texture of her hair was heavenly. Their teacher walked in making the kids all jump to their seats apart from Shisui who carried on,
"Uchiha, this isn't a hairdressing class, so sit down, I do not think Arai is the subject of this lesson."
The girl looked up hearing her name, "What?" she turned around and then reddened seeing Shisui sitting so close with her hair in his hands, the class burst into laughter, Shisui just grinned a blush forming on his cheeks as he stared back at her, she was beautiful. Her eyes were large and brown like her hair, with long thick lashes, her skin was warm and smooth, she was small with delicate features.
"You are so beautiful," he gushed not caring about where he was or who was watching.
She was taken aback by his words she bit her lip and pulled her hair from his grasp making him sad, she grabbed her things and moved away from him taking a seat closer to the front of the class. They never once spoke during their Academy days, the only interactions they had were Shisui's repeated attempts at playing with her hair, she would always run away from him and had taken to tieing her hair in a bun to keep his hands away. The two along with another were sitting on some steps their eyes on their team leader, they had been assigned to the same Gennin team much to Shisui's happiness and her distress.
"So, Ria Arai, why are you a Gennin? What do you want to accomplish?" their Jonin-Sensei asked.
"I have no goal," she replied honestly.
"There is nothing you want?" their Sensei was surprised, he had never met a Gennin without a desire.
She shook her head, "No goal, no desire."
"Then why are you a Gennin?" he pushed forward, curious about this girl, she was striking even at 9 years old, he expected a girl like her to be interested in pretty dresses and playing house, not learning to fight.
"My father was a Jonin," she said softly playing with her fingers, it was a nervous habit of hers, "I never knew him, just what my grandma tells me about him. He died on a mission a week after I was born, he died helping to keep our village safe, I guess that's my only goal if you want to call it, that. To keep what he aimed to do going, Konoha is my home, why wouldn't I want to keep it safe? Anything else just seems silly to do."
The Sensei smiled, "Okay, well then Shisui Uchiha why are you a Gennin?"
He grinned it was his turn to speak, "Well to keep the Uchiha clan infamy going and," he glanced at Ria who wasn't looking at him, he suddenly put his arms around her, "So I can marry Rizzie!"
She threw him across the ground far from her scowling as the Sensei burst into laughter, "Why do you think you being a Gennin will make any difference to whether or not I would marry you, and don't call me Rizzie!"
He chuckled sitting up, "We are on the same squad we will train together, grow up together, have missions together, our lives are now one, it won't be long till you are madly in love with me and we get married. We will have lots of children," he went back and sat right beside her she tried to edge away, "And they will be stunning because, look at us," he tilted his head towards her, "We make a beautiful couple."
"I think this is harassment," Ria got up and sat beside their other teammate, "I would never marry you, you are a loser."
Kakashi was begrudgingly meeting Obito and Rin at his home in his village, he had never ventured in the part of the town where the Uchiha lived. It was unusual for him to see a community of people who were all related in some way or another, it was surprisingly jovial. His eyes caught a mass of dark brown hair, it was shiny and thick, belonging to a girl he had never seen before. She was wearing the shinobi headband which just made him stare at her, she was a Gennin? How had he never seen her before that moment? She was bouncing about the village as if looking for something, she suddenly stopped and landed in front of Obito, her eyes on him she effectively ignored both Rin and Kakashi who blushed under his mask, she was beautiful.
"Where is he?" she asked Obito.
"What did he do now?" Obito sighed, he knew the girl.
Before she could respond a boy with dark hair and a shinobi head protector attempted to jump on her his eyes sparkling but she moved out of the way sensing the boy causing him to fall on the ground she glowered at him, she pulled out a kunei in a flash and pointed it at the boy who was chuckling his eyes on her.
"Where is my book?" she demanded, her voice was sharp her eyes dark.
The boy who Kakashi recognized as Obito's cousin Shisui Uchiha grinned cheekily, "It's at my house, come on," he jumped up, "I'll take you."
"I don't want to go to your house," she narrowed her eyes, "If you ever steal any of my things again…"
"Well I wouldn't have to borrow it if you'd just come over sometime," he cut in feeling a little frustrated by her stubbornness, they had been on the same Gennin team for a few months and Ria had remained strong on keeping him out of her life.
She crossed her arms, "We might be on the same squad Shisui, but I am not spending time outside of missions with you."
"Wow," Obito widened his eyes, "That was cold," they all saw the pain in Shisui's eyes, he was clearly infatuated with her.
Ria looked away, "I am not trying to be cold," her voice was a little softer, "You just don't know me."
"I am trying to get to know you," he said hopefully, "I'm really trying."
"I don't want you to try," she protested her annoyance building up, "And now I've wasted all my spare time running after you, just stop being so selfish for once," she turned on her heel to leave.
"I am not being selfish!" he argued but she cut him off by leaving, he called out, "What about your book!?"
"Throw it away, it doesn't mean anything to me, anymore," she ran away not looking back at him, Shisui lowered his eyes kicking the floor, it was painful being rejected in front of his peers.
"Well go after her," Obito nudged him, "At least give back what you stole."
Rin stepped in, "You really should give her space."
"What would you know?" Shisui snapped scowling at Rin.
"I know Ria," she sighed, "She's a kunoichi, I'm a kunoichi you know there aren't that many of us and we do have separate classes to the rest of you. Do you even know anything about her?"
Shisui balked lowering her eyes, "She likes to draw, she's a kunoichi, she has perfect hair."
Obito sniggered whilst Rin smacked her hand against her forehead, "Boy's are impossible, go get her book, I'll show you what you don't know."
The four headed back into the main village of Konoha, they slipped down a district that Kakashi actually recognized as opposed to Shisui and Obito, it was where Kakashi was from. They spotted Ria at the market, she was buying groceries, she knew all the traders and dealt with them with ease and affection, she had a bright smile that was infectious. After shopping she carried the groceries to a small house, it looked well-loved, a family home but there were no children running around. It was a quiet house which didn't fit with how it looked. They were about to knock on the door when it was suddenly opened by a nurse, her eyes sparkled, "Oh sorry, are you Ria's friends?"
Rin nodded taking the forefront, "Yes, she's in isn't she?"
"Yeah, she is, go ahead, she's making dinner, tell her I won't be able to come tomorrow so she'll need to stay in," with that the nurse left. The four walked in, Ria's home was clean and warm. Kakashi felt like an intruder, he was the only one that had never met her before and was standing in her home. Rin led them to the kitchen, where they found Ria busy cooking, "What are you doing here?" she asked them not glancing at any of them, she had sensed their presence since the market but chose to ignore them.
Rin stopped Shisui from speaking, "Come on Ria, he's sorry for being an idiot."
"I never said he was being an idiot," she corrected Rin, "There is nothing to apologize for. I have other things to focus on."
"I bought your book back," Shisui said brightly showing her as she filled a glass of water and opened a box of medication.
She shrugged, "It wasn't important, I am not attached to anything, burn it, throw it away, leave it do whatever you want."
"Why are you so indifferent to everything?" Shisui cried out annoyed but then suddenly covered his mouth, "Sorry, I didn't mean…"
"Hold on," she walked passed them not reacting to his outburst, they followed her out into a living room where an old lady was sitting in an armchair, she was just looking out in the garden, Ria passed her, the glass of water and put the medication in it. The woman looked at Ria who began to sign something to her, surprising the others as the woman laughed and took the medication, she signed something back to Ria, glancing at the kids.
"This is my grandma," Ria explained to their clueless faces, "She says hi."
"You know sign language?" Shisui was stunned.
Ria nodded, "Yeah, how else do you think I talk to my grandma she's deaf," she said it so nonchalantly it was as if it was perfectly normal, they began having a conversation through signing, "She wants to know if you are staying for dinner?"
"We wouldn't want to intrude…" Shisui began, Ria sighed,
"You're here, I've made enough, just stay or she will moan about it all week."
It started to hit home by spending that one day with Ria that she wasn't indifferent out of choice, she was in fact a very bright and warm person who just had to be focused on someone else, her world revolved around caring for her grandma or her work as a shinobi. The fair few moments she got to herself she would spend on her art, it was all she had that was hers, she didn't have or wanted anything else.
She was selfless.
Shisui couldn't help but fall further in love with her after that day. He wanted to be able to put a smile on her face, he wanted to care for her. He truly adored her.