For Uchiha Sasuke, it's just another day when everything goes to shit and his view of the world is shattered for the second time in his short little life.
They're on a camping expedition with the academy, a waste of fucking time. He could be training, could be studying, could be doing anything other than being forced into pitching a tent with three other boys in preparation for their career as ninja.
Quite frankly, if you can't work out how to pitch a tent from the instruction manual on your first attempt, then you have no business being a ninja.
As they're (the others, Sasuke refuses to have a part in any of this) hammering in the second peg, everything goes up in flames. Well, everything on the north side of the clearing, that is.
His classmates scream, scrambling back and away as an older ninja clears the blaze, back to them as he waits for his opponent. Iruka is shouting for them to all stay together, to get back and away from what appears to be an enemy attack, but Sasuke is hypnotised by the figure walking out of the flames.
Taller than what he recalls, the face is wrongwrongwrong and the skin too pale. But the Sharingan eyes leave no doubt this is a Uchiha. A Uchiha that isn't Itachi who walks through flames that do not touch him, who is solely focused upon who Sasuke belatedly recognises as one of the Hokage's fellow elders.
What the actual fuck?
"You return to the village after more than a decade away and your first instinct is to attack an elder of the village." The other (Sasuke doesn't know his name and, quite frankly, doesn't care) states, though the grip on his kunai is tight. Sasuke can understand why; his grip on a kunai would be tight too at the sight before them.
"Do you really expect the people of this village to welcome you with open arms as you set their land on fire, Uchiha Indra?"
Indra. Sasuke, Sasuke doesn't recall an Indra. But the elder called him a Uchiha, he has a Sharingan; he was away for a decade. A decade. He wasn't here when the massacre happened and he's a Uchiha. Sasuke- Sasuke isn't the last of his clan. And then, then the Uchiha finally speaks, sword pointed towards the elder and Sharingan twisting into something… more.
"You stole Uchiha Shisui's eye and used his Mangekyō Sharingan to force Itachi into killing the entire Uchiha clan in order to implant more stolen Sharingan into your arm!"
From there, it's lightning and fire and wind and he thinks there's an elephant at some point. But Sasuke's not sure. All he can think, the thing that is dominating his mind, is the words.
Shisui's Sharingan, stolen. It- Itachi's hand forced. His family killed for their eyes.
"…Damn it, Indra, you over dramatic bastard." The voice is raspy, feminine and right beside him. Sasuke finally gains enough coherency, enough control of himself, to turn to the source. A woman kneels beside him, many, many exact clones of her gathered around his classmates. Oh. That's how they moved away from the fight. This woman must have snatched each of them up and transported them some distance away.
The trees are gone; this whole place is just a battlefield now and things keep- keep resetting. He's not sure what's going on but there's another Uchiha here claiming his big br- claiming Itachi's innocent. That he was forced to do it.
Sasuke recalls whispered conversations, recalls Shisui explaining to his father about his Sharingan and a genjutsu that can force the user to do anything at all.
He remembers piggybacks through the streets, soft words and fingers meeting his forehead.
Can it- is it possible that- does he dare hope?
"Shit!" The fire flares towards them and the woman (one of the clones?) snatches him up, others doing the same with the rest of his classmates. She even has Iruka over one shoulder as they dart out the way. But one of the jutsus is coming in too fast and he can't die here, he doesn't have his answers yet, he-
Something golden and bright, warm and wonderful, blocks the attack.
It's the woman, has to be the original with the amount of chakra pouring off her. She's cloaked in it, lighting up and there are nine tail-like appendages swinging back and forth behind her, one with a whirling blue ball at the tip that's getting bigger and bigger. The sphere slams into the second bout of wind-flames, disrupting the attack and forcing them to disperse harmlessly before they can even touch her.
He doesn't even feel the heat of the attack.
"Don't worry! As long as I'm here, I won't let Indra's smackdown bubble over to hit you, 'ttebayo!" 'ttebayo?' Why is that so familiar, why does that ring a bell.
Iruka's face is pale, his arms trembling but he's been like that since the woman in gold appeared, before she'd even spoken. Something about her worries his teacher, though Sasuke doesn't know why.
He can't ever remember feeling safer; this woman's chakra has brought the first ounce of comfort to him since… since that night. A night that he may have been planning the murder of the wrong culprit for.
A hand comes down in his hair, ruffling it, and Sasuke snaps to attention, staring at the clone of the woman. She doesn't have the glow of chakra, coloured instead by her blonde hair, tanned skin and semi-familiar blue eyes. What?
"Don't worry, Mini-Indra! He might be a bastard, but Indra'll do anything for family! I know that, I'm the one that's had to put up with that for years and pull his ass out of the fire!" She slams her fist into her palm with force; enough of it to dispel herself.
The golden one snaps to attention, swinging around to stare at him, the pupils of her eyes slit thin. Then, she laughs, effortlessly blocking the sudden onslaught she protects them from.
"Man, I remember when Indra was as small as you! You're way cuter than he was though!" She's smiling, looking so effortlessly powerful and her chakra feels like he could drown in it and be content.
He doesn't realise it right away, but this is the moment that Uchiha Sasuke develops his first serious crush.
Indra weighs the severed arm in his grasp, eyeing the ten (ten, the fucking bastard, not that he hadn't already known but still) stolen Sharingan that are now closed to the world forever. He would love to rip this monster's innards out with his own hands but Danzō's already dead. His Chidori had seen to that. Twirling his sword in one swift, sharp motion, Indra sheaths the blade back at his waist before turning to the audience that remains. The sheer amount of Asura's that reside there is a welcomed enough sight, but it's the glowing one that catches his attention, the original. It's always her. She just bleeds acceptance and warmth and love; the potent power that's haemorrhaging from her every pour is just as captivation but that's his Uchiha side talking. The adoration for the girl herself? That's all Indra, no genetics involved.
Even if the ancestors are probably screaming at him right now. Barring the owner of the eyes that he's just avenged, that is. Hell, he's reasonably certain that Shisui would be cheering him on in his quest to win Asura over.
ANBU arrive, the Hokage arrives, and one of Asura's clones breaks off to go and talk to them. Another approaches for the arm that he's still holding onto. He hands it over without a word, allowing the Sharingan to fade from his eyes as he walks over to Asura. All her clones are popping now, though she's still coated in the Fox's chakra. It flares a brighter gold before fading to the familiar acidic, malicious red that he'd faced near half a decade ago. Then, those flaming red tails are gone too, leaving only the girl that's the centre of his world.
Heedless of the blood on his shirt and sprayed up his arms, Indra stops before her, reaching for her hips. And, in typical Asura fashion, she takes complete control of the situation by throwing herself into his arms. She doesn't fit perfectly, he has to adjust his hold by the sudden attack of jinchūriki, but that's fine. He'll always do his best to make her comfortable. Her arms are a little tight around his neck but that's also fine. He never wants her to hesitate to hold him.
She's the only one that's allowed to hold him and he needs to make sure she knows that.
"You're a bastard you know; you just couldn't wait to start a fight, could-ya?!" Asura pulls back a bit to bellow her opinion and Indra lets his eyes slip closed, forehead resting on hers, thumbs stroking into the thick material of her shirt, massaging her lower back. She's in Uchiha clothes, he recalls, only the clan sigil is covered with her own.
"You're bastard," he agrees quietly, nose bumping against hers, one of Asura's hands finding the back of his neck to play with the short strands of hair there. He wants to sprint off into the distance, find a cosy little hole of a room somewhere and just nestle down with her to bask in her everything. He could waste days just lying beside her, luxuriating in the sensations of her chakra and touch.
Of course, the Hokage interrupts them.
Indra very rarely gets everything he wants.
But that's fine. As long as he's got her, that's all that matters.
"Should I expect any more traitors to be unmasked before the day is out?"
And well, that's just an open invitation, isn't it?
.
They end up walking to ANBU headquarters with two of the Hokage's guard carrying Danzō's body in a scroll, and Asura in full out golden Kyūbi mode, their former white-haired academy sensei held tight between two tails. He'd never really thought about why the other had gone missing just as they graduated, but he guess he has his answer now.
Indra's also not blind; he knows his younger self had tried to come forwards, probably to confront him about the whole 'other Uchiha running around and still breathing', nevermind all the accusations he'd thrown out at Danzō. But it wraps everything up nice and neat, doesn't it? Danzō blamed for the massacre, Itachi now free to come home to his deserved hero's welcome.
Now that they've dropped the would-be-traitor (or already a traitor? Indra isn't clear on the specifics) off with the ANBU team, and the Third has promised to catch their younger selves up with the 'truth', they're both free to make tracks to the Uchiha compound. Indra had every intention of picking out a house (not the old house, he can't stay there, can't build a happy home in one with such heavy memories), cleaning out the bedroom, and then sleeping for a week. If he's lucky, he can entice Asura into sleeping alongside him.
"How'd ya think little us are gonna react?" Asura asks, hands behind her head and face tilted up to welcome the sun's soft rays across her cheeks. "I think little me is gonna flip; she'll probably try barging into whatever room we're in when she finds out!" Yeah, Indra can see that happening; it falls right in line with what he'd expect from Asura at this moment in time.
He tells her as such and Asura laughs again, closing her eyes once one of her hands finds his. Indra links their fingers together with the utmost care, thumb brushing back and forth over the sharp jolt of her first knuckle.
"Little you look at me real funny though; I never say that expression on your face when you were that age, 'ttebayo!"
"I never saw anyone as impressive as you at that age."
"Ah! Bastard, don't say weird things like that!"
"It's not weird. You're the strongest person I know," he confesses, feeling only that much more justified in his words as he walks down the entrance to the Uchiha compound and doesn't feel the ghostly stares of his long dead family. Only Asura' warm palm against his own, the soft whisper of each of her breaths. "I think you're supposed to tell the love of your life they're impressive."
Asura fucking squeaks and it's cute as hell. How has he got so lucky?
"Got everything? Got your bentos? Weapons? Homework?"
"They're not even out kids," Indra grouches, arms folded across his chest as he resolutely does not look down at the miniature versions of himself and of Asura.
It's been two days since they'd been introduced; his younger self is still struggling on how to handle their 'sibling relationship' and seems to fall somewhere between determinedly ignoring him and asking (begging) for more training. The young Naruto, on the other hand, has taken to both of them like a fish to water, a pig to muck, an Uzumaki to a ramen stand. He can't exactly blame her; he knows if a long-lost relation of Asura's who was older than her turned up, then the love of his life would bask in the pampering she'd receive too.
But seeing them off at the academy like this seems a little much, doesn't it?
"Yes, I've got everything," Sasuke grunts, looking away from Asura' concerned features with pink cheeks. Well, Indra can't blame the kid for crushing on Asura. If he'd been introduced to her at the same age, he'd have the same reaction of falling head over heels for her. Power and family warmth in one package? She's perfect. It's exactly why he's dating her (planning to marry and live out the rest of his life with her).
"Heh, it doesn't matter that we missed two days! We're so good we'll catch up in no time!" Ah, the usual pre-genin confidence from Naruto there. It's nostalgic, really. Indra smiles, nudging Asura in the side, much to her visible irritation.
"Tch, as if, idiot," Sasuke grunts, taking one last glance at Asura before he spins on his heels, marching for the academy entrance where so many students (and teachers, can't forget the teachers) are staring at them. Asura must see it too, for she clambers up onto his shoulders without a word to holler after the boy.
"Have a nice day at school, Sasuke! Your big brother and I will be here to pick you up at the end!"
The kid fucking flushes, looking over his shoulder with an embarrassed scowl and Indra laughs, taking a gentle hold of one of Asura' ankles with one hand, the other reaching out to ruffle Naruto's short hair.
"Get going. Don't let that brat put you down."
"Ah- Will do, Indra-nii!" And then she's off, bouncing after his sullen younger self, accompanied by a back-pack of homemade food for what is probably the first time ever.
It's a bloody good thing he knows how to cook, because Asura's near hopeless in the kitchen. Beginning to teach her how to prepare a meal last night had been pleasant though. A homely activity; one they'll keep up.
"So, what now?" Asura asks, one hand on his chin, tilting it back until he's looking her in the eyes. Not exactly the way he'd been expecting to get his head between her thighs, but there's time for that later.
"I mean, Zetsu's done, Obito redeemed, I've got a meeting with Nagato coming up and with Orochimaru dead, there's no way that Madara'll get resurrected. What's there left to do?"
Indra hums, stroking the sharp jolt of ankle bone in his grasp, turning away from the academy now that the two kids they're responsible for are inside. It's a good question. All his life so far, there's always been a task; overcome Itachi, kill Itachi, avenge Itachi. Defeat Asura, fight with Asura, woo Asura. In fact, he's not one hundred percent certain he's completed that last one. Eh, it can be a lifelong goal. He'll always be able to better himself in that regard, won't he?
"I'll bring Itachi home," Indra muses as his passenger slides herself down and around his body, until she's once again back on the ground beside him. Their fingers link, hands joined and Asura swings the two limbs back and forth, all happy smiles and sunshine. "Then, you'll become Hokage and probably do something about the Biju-" she cares for them, doesn't she? "- and then we'll spend the rest of our lives in an Asura enforced peace."
She laughs, bumping her shoulder against his own but she doesn't retreat from the contact, leaving them standing side by side, looking down the main street of Konoha as it bustles with life.
"… I thought you said you wanted to be Hokage. During the war," she pitches her voice low in the latter part of her sentence, eyeing him suspiciously and Indra does his best to hide a laugh in the curve of his shoulder. From the look on Asura's face, he fails.
"I didn't know what I wanted. Other than you."
Asura squawks, hiding her face in his arm, her shoulders shaking as her head whips back and forth. "You're ridiculous, bastard."
And he takes a leap, pushes that little bit further because that's what he's always done. Always pushing his luck, always chasing things he shouldn't (things he doesn't deserve) and always unsatisfied.
"You love it."
And, with Asura's disbelieving laugh, with her breathy admission of 'I do, love you that is', Indra thinks that maybe, he'll be able to find that fulfilment his life has been missing in her.