Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
"We are only as blind as we want to be."
— Maya Angelou
"Well," Uzumaki-dono says. "I will let you rest before the festivities tonight." There's the sound of silk sliding against itself. Perhaps Uzumaki-dono adjusted his sleeves? "I suggest you speak to Kanae before she leaves with you."
That would be a good idea. Knowing one's spouse is an important thing.
Niisan is silent. Heavily so. Izuna doesn't like it much, but there's nothing he can do, not truly.
He leaves it be, even as Uzumaki-dono's footsteps fade away.
He leaves it be, even as they walk to their own rooms.
He leaves it be for a while after that even.
No one would ever say that Uchiha Izuna's worst flaw is impatience after all.
Still, the silence presses too heavily after a while, and he has to break it.
"Niisan?" No response, so he continues. "Have you come to a decision yet?"
"No." Niisan slides the door open, and then, then he has the grand audacity to leave. "Wait here for me."
Well. Izuna thinks to himself. That went well.
There is still hope though, however faint, that Niisan will then proceed to go and talk to Kanae-san. Maybe there is even some hope that this conversation with be a polite one full of romance and — Oh who are you kidding, Izuna?
Niisan will set his own hair on fire again, and Kanae-san will thank her lucky stars when we leave.
Well maybe not that, but Niisan certainly will set his hair on fire.
He sits down on what he assumes is the bed. There's cloth covering it, and it feels about the right size for a bed, so that's probably what it is.
The weave is so fine for this.
The door slides open again. "Back again so soon?" He asks before he realizes that this is not, in fact, Niisan.
The chakra's too placid for that.
"I'm sorry." He says, because Uchiha Harumi raised at least one polite young man. Two, if Niisan can get his act together. "I thought you were Niisan. I'm angry with him right now."
He's greeted by a quiet chuckle. "Understandable."
"Really?" He still hasn't the faintest clue who he's speaking to. That's enough to make him wary. He doesn't know this person.
The person sits down on the floor and crosses his legs when he does so, evidenced by the soft drag of cloth on the wooden floorboards. "Well, I have four brothers, so perhaps it is that." A soft huff of breath. "They can be unfortunate sometimes."
Four brothers. If it was a perfect world, Izuna would also have four brothers.
"Are they all younger than you?" He doesn't know really what prompts him to ask this. He still doesn't even know the other person's name.
"I'm the second son. Three younger brothers and one elder brother." The young man across from him replies cheerfully.
Like me. Izuna thinks suddenly. In a better world, that would be me. He is Uchiha Tajima's second son.
"Oh!" There's a woosh of air — He's offering me a hand. "I've forgotten to introduce myself. Where are my manners? I'm Korui." He doesn't know who Korui is, but at least he has a name now.
He very carefully locates the hand — it has slight calluses on the first and second fingers, but the palm is soft — and shakes it. Not a shinobi. Whoever Korui is, he doesn't have kunai scars on his hands, which can only mean that he isn't a shinobi. "I'm Izuna."
"I'm actually here to check and make sure that your rooms are a good fit." Korui is perfectly still, and only the sound of his voice actually gives any indication of where he is. "Is everything alright?"
"Now that you mention it, it is a little cold." There's a persistent cold in this landscape, despite Kanae-san's remark that it is spring already in Uzu, that wraps its way around his bones. It must be a bleak land, despite how easily the people here ignore it.
Korui's hand had been perfectly warm.
"Oh, of course." A bit of scrambling, boots shuffle over the floor. "Just this part of the—" Korui breaks off. "It is our fault." He sounds a bit embarrassed. "We forgot that you wouldn't be able to see the sealing array for these sorts of things, which is really wrong of us, you know?"
Izuna's about to open his mouth and tell the young man that it's really not serious. He's not even that cold, when Niisan bursts back into the room.
"Izuna!" He barks. "Step away."
Why do you always set your hair on fire, Niisan?
"Oh, you must be our other guest." Korui replies, smooth and unbothered. "I was explaining the sealing array to your brother."
"Step away." Niisan growls as he pulls insistently at Izuna's elbow.
"Niisan!" Izuna hisses at him. "Uzumaki-san was being very nice about everything." He assumes that Korui is an Uzumaki, assumes it, because who else would be checking in on guests?
"That could be a lie." Niisan mutters, clearly loud enough for Korui to hear and oh god will he ever stop doing this?
Izuna wants to say that he's sorry, but—
"No need to be so unfriendly, Uchiha-dono." Korui seems to only become more cheerful the worse Niisan gets. It's a front. No one is happy to stand and listen to someone insult their hospitality. "You're marrying my sister, after all." Marrying— this is Kanae-san's second brother. "The name's Uzumaki Korui."
That means that he's a prince of Uzu, and Izuna's first words to him was—
Oh he could dig a hole and bury himself right there.
"You are related to Uzumaki-dono." Niisan sounds flat.
Oh, wow, Niisan. Izuna thinks. Can you repeat that one more time? He loves Niisan he really does, but sometimes…
People are not Niisan's strong suit. Bringing Niisan to social situations in general is ill advised.
"Ahaha." Korui-san sounds perturbedly awkward. "I'm his second eldest son, and heir. That's why I'm here to explain..."
"Your eldest brother is...dead, then?" Something about the way Korui-san said this was so casual. I'm his second eldest son and heir. One doesn't just set aside an eldest son for no reason, but Korui-san had also had a perfectly normal conversation with him about how his brothers were difficult.
"No." That's a relief, but still perplexing… "Kyoya-niisama is very much alive. It's just...you know, he's Anharaya-atawa no Kyoya, not Uzumaki Kyoya."
So Uzumaki-dono's eldest son is a bastard prince. Bastards are almost unheard of among the Uchiha.
There are rarely children born of wedlock to a clan that married often for love and rarely entered matrimonial arrangements with those not at least partially of Uchiha descent.
Niisan's particular red light district habits aren't typical.
He's had to reassure plenty of relatives that this is just a phase, that this is only Niisan's grief, that his heart loves as dearly and deeply as everyone who shares their name. It has not always been an easy battle.
But if Korui-san speaks of it so casually, then it must not register to him, which either means that it is normal, commonplace here, or that he loves his brother too much to care.
What sort of place must this be?
Uzumaki-dono had not seemed like a man to ignore the thoughts and feelings of his family. He clearly dotes on his daughters, but…
Ah, there is no need to think of this now.
"What were you explaining?" Niisan is still attempting polite conversation then. That is good.
"You see, the air can get very cold at night still." Korui-san kneels down again, and his booted feet creak with sound of old leather. "So this part is the one that allows you to heat the rooms at night, since we don't have a fireplace. All you need to do is add a bit of chakra for it to work, since that's already written into the matrix, and this is where you would place your basin, if you want to heat the water, and this one, this is if you'd like to contact anyone..." He trails off. Izuna will just trust that Niisan knows all about it. He still has no idea where this seal is on the floor. "I suppose there's no one on the island you really want to talk to, and that's a fair bit more complicated." Korui-san laughs to cover the tension in the air. "If you want anyone, just stick your head out the door and shout, no need to be formal."
They are so unlike a daimyo's family.
Any prince that Izuna has ever been bodyguard to in Fire Country has always been reserved at least, if not haughty and arrogant at least to shinobi guards. He'd managed to put up with them because they would pay him money.
Korui-san had acted like a normal young man. Izuna had had a rather fun conversation with him until Niisan's overprotective tendencies scared all the fun away.
Korui-san straightens with another desperate creak of his boots. "I'll be off then."
"You didn't say what the top part does." Oh. Niisan wants to know what the top of the seal does.
Izuna doesn't care the slightest. It's not going to be something that explodes in the middle of the night, and we're going to have a short trip the way you're carrying on…
"Oh, you don't want that at all. It's nothing for you to worry about, you'll be gone in a couple of weeks anyway." A few weeks? You still think we have enough of your sympathy to stay a few weeks? "Just don't touch that, you know."
And then Korui-san is gone and it is just Niisan and himself.
He can feel the fatigue rolling off Niisan in waves. He must have spoken to someone, and likely it was Kanae-san.
Oh, he hopes this conversation went well. "Niisan? How did your talk with Kanae-san go?"
Niisan sighs and drops something perfectly smooth into the palm of his hand. "I received a gift."
This is… a pearl? It is smooth like one, and soft like one, shaped roughly like a tear. Oh, well, if that's the case, then all the better.
He brought a present that Niisan can give Kanae-san, and that would make things quiet even between them. Not to mention, gifts are supposed to be romantic.
"You should give her something." He tries to keep this light. See, Niisan, I even brought a gift for you to give her. "You might not like this very much, but we do need a Lady Uchiha."
Niisan sighs again, mightily. "Have you seen her?"
Seen— His hand rises despite itself. "No, Niisan." He deadpans. "I have not seen Kanae-san." If there is a problem with Kanae-san, then he ought to just say so instead of commenting.
Besides, it is not as if a wife with half her face burnt off is truly so terrible.
Izuna doubts that Kanae-san doesn't look at all pretty or has a horribly disfiguring injury. Her sister is a legendary beauty after all.
"I didn't — didn't—"
He's forgotten that Niisan is frailer than he acts. This guilt is not something he wanted to give his brother with his eyes, but it seems that they must take the good with the bad.
It is certainly not his brother's fault that Izuna unilaterally thought that this was a good idea.
"Hush, Niisan." He sinks to the floor, because sometimes, his shoulders just feel so heavy. "I know you didn't mean it." No, Niisan wasn't mocking him for his lack of sight, and Izuna didn't think of it as such. It was just a joke, is all. A joke that can't be made between them. "And from what I understand, there is nothing particularly ugly about Kanae-san."
Niisan doesn't comment. Clearly this is not something that needs to be disputed.
Kanae-san is not ugly. Point noted.
Her gift ought to be here somewhere. He feels each object he lifts out of their pack carefully. A hairpin is easy to stab oneself with and easy to lose, but he's kept this one for a long time now.
This was the only hairpin of their mother's he could salvage from the wreckage of their camp so many years ago. He'd kept it ever since.
"Give her this, Niisan."
They come in good faith, and this one thing, Haha-ue would have wanted it to go to Niisan's wife.
"No." Ah, there is so much pain there, but where from, Izuna doesn't know. It could be many things. It could be one thing. It could be everything and nothing. "Uzumaki Kanae doesn't need a hairpin."
He tilts his face up to where he imagines Niisan is and hopes that he isn't focusing two inches to the left of Niisan's face. That would be awkward and sad and all sorts of uncomfortable. "Why do you dislike Kanae-san, Niisan? She seems nice enough."
"She's a little girl." Oh, that is angry, but not at Izuna, not even at Kanae-san or this situation either. What are you so angry about Niisan?
She's not a little girl.
"She sounded old enough to be married." He wraps the hairpin away. A better day then. He'll choose a better day to ask Niisan to give a romantic present. Niisan at the moment wouldn't be able to handle such affairs. "And that makes her a young woman, not a little girl." He sighs. "Tell me the truth Niisan. Why do you dislike her so?"
Is it because she is not Senju Hashirama?
Be real with yourself, Niisan. If Senju Hashirama loves you, he wouldn't have married another.
The silence between them stretches deep.
He doesn't get an answer.
The low, dull throb of the drum is heady, and the music's more sorrowful than happy or festive. Still, it's a good time. From what Izuna knows of parties, there should be dancing going on about now. The music certainly seems to imply it.
Still, even the music cannot drown out the waves, or his own thoughts. Niisan doesn't like parties, doesn't like the cheer of it, and he's been fidgeting all night, stiff and wooden.
Izuna is convinced that Uzumaki-dono is just giving them face by not mentioning it, and that Uzumaki-san is...well, too polite to say anything on the matter. She seems like the type of woman to hold herself to impeccable standards.
Kanae-san's mother reminds him a little of her daughter, Mito, except sadder. It's clear that she is not happy to be here if her frosty silence after her greeting is any indication.
Uzumaki Kanae isn't what he'd expected of a princess from Uzu, hadn't been much like the daughters of Daimyos that he's guarded over the years, though not entirely unlike either. She'd been kind, sensitive, careful, and Niisan hadn't found her objectionable except apparently she looks like a little girl.
Perhaps Niisan is just making excuses, because she neither sounds nor acts like a little girl.
Izuna thinks, personally, that it's just because Niisan doesn't want to give up on his fixations. Senju Hashirama loves his wife, and Niisan will hurt himself over that a lot.
At least, that's what the gossip says about the matter, that Hashirama is forever gushing over Mito this and Mito that.
The drumbeat throbs and pulses in his heart. What it must be like, to be happy in love, to be settled into the motions of family? It's been a long time since his own was unbroken. And he wants to fix his, but it will take a lot of glue to put everything back into a resemblance of what life used to be.
Bare feet creak over the wooden dias, and the rustle of silk in their direction is unmistakable. Silk slides over itself in a sort of whisper unlike other clothes. "Chichi, Haha." A pause, and Izuna imagines that she bows. "And a good evening to you, Madara-sama, Izuna-san."
Kanae-san's voice only vaguely reminds him of her sister's. They hit the same range of notes, they speak with almost the same formal tone, but while Kanae-san speaks in smiles, an upturned beat to the end of every sentence, Mito speaks hesitantly to the Uchiha and quickly, sometimes tartly to her husband and Tobirama.
"Yes." Niisan says, and Izuna resists the urge to bang his forehead on the table, repeatedly. Any fool with half a brain would be able to hear the reluctance in that word. Could you have said no more obviously? You might as well just say no instead of trying to hide behind the polite responses.
"Niisan thinks the music is wonderful." At least, he hopes Niisan makes the correct facial expressions, and he doesn't make himself look like a dolt by saying this while Niisan sulks in a corner. I think parties are fun. Most of the time.
Kanae-san giggles. "I'm sure, Izuna-san." So she knows that he's covering for Niisan, but she doesn't mind it the slightest. She takes his hand. "Won't you come down to dance as well?"
He freezes. Surely, she means Niisan?
No, it is my hand that she has taken. She means me.
"No, Kanae-san." He'd muss up the order of the dance floor. People would have to mind their step because of him, and that-oh but how he wants. "I would not be a good dance partner. You should offer to dance with Niisan instead."
Oh, Niisan won't be offended if Izuna wants to dance, but he needs to actually talk with Kanae-san to know her. He can't marry a woman he doesn't know. It doesn't matter much if Izuna knows her. That's not how this works.
Niisan's decided that he'll marry Kanae-san, so they ought to talk and do things together. Activities that normal people do.
It is necessary.
Then, Izuna doesn't think that Niisan is capable of being normal. Oh why is this so, so...Everything's a mess. He decides. And of course, Kanae-san would rather dance with the one of us who seems more normal.
Not that he is normal.
Kanae-san's hand tightens around his. She will not consent to let him go then. "Izuna-san, dance is for the heart, and you'll have fun." She pulls him up. "Come on. No one will think that you don't dance beautifully."
He smiles despite himself. He'd liked dancing once, even though Niisan never enjoyed it as much as he did. Kanae-san makes it easy to be happy.
He lets her lead him off the dias. Just one dance. Four steps to the edge, step down. She doesn't tell him that he ought to be careful, or that they ought to go more slowly. She doesn't slow her stride for him, all eager, pulling hands and quick feet.
Her hands are calloused, as if she's held a blade before, though not any blade that he's aware of.
After two years, his own hands are smooth. He has no more use for blades. It is a strange dichotomy, because he is certain that she has no use for war.
"Tell me honestly, Kanae-san." They are on the dance floor now. He knows this dance, though he doesn't know where the other dancers are. The music moves too loud and fast for him to keep track of other people while still holding a conversation. She corrects his path lightly, and he tries not to be irritated, to smother the spark of frustration in his chest. It is only his own blindness that makes everything hard. It's not her fault. She's not treated him with pity yet. "Why did you ask me to dance and not Niisan?"
Does she not want to spend time with his brother? He's not supposed to be more interesting than Niisan, though he supposes that he does seem more palatable...and she is not marrying Niisan because she loves him.
"Madara-sama looked tired." That's not what she means, but she's trying to be considerate. Niisan doesn't look tired. He looks broken. It's not fatigue carving a line down his shoulders. It's despair, but Izuna wants to forget that.
Wants to forget what peace has done to his beautiful, fiery brother. Two years of peace has broken more of Niisan's heart than a lifetime of war. It is not fair, but nothing in life ever is.
"Besides." She sounds pensive, sounds sad. "He didn't look like he cared for dancing while you seemed to want to step off of the dias and out here with us."
"You should have asked him." Niisan might not have cared much for dancing, but he would have been happy that someone cared for him. They've left him alone, and Izuna doesn't like it. Too late he remembers that his brother has an unnatural tendency towards contemplating his own death. He will be unhappy." He had left him with Uzumaki-dono and his wife on the dias near the sea.
And he is afraid.
There is always the fear that leaving Niisan alone would be the same as killing him.
"Yes, of course." Kanae-san lets go of him. "I'll talk to him." Good. They will have time to grow closer.
He doesn't want to trust someone else to save Niisan's heart, but he has to. He can't reach Niisan anymore, he's gone so far away. It'll have to be Kanae-san. He wonders if she knows how much of his hope is riding on her shoulders.
"Uchiha Izuna-san?" A woman, about five feet tall from the way her voice carries. She has rougher hands than Kanae-san. "I'm Okui Chihaya." Not an Uzumaki then. He has no idea what she looks like, only that she is likely a friend of Kanae-san's to be entrusted with him so.
So it is true that Uzu has more than one clan.
He bows in her direction. "It's good to meet you." The dance floor is colder without Kanae-san.
Okui-san makes a sound of affirmation. There's a pause and then a sigh. "Uchiha-san, I'm worried about your brother."
"How so?" There is a lot to worry about when it comes to Niisan, a lot to be concerned over, a lot to stress, but that does not mean what he worries over is the same as Okui-san by any account.
"He is a powerful man, no?" He isn't sure if this is an answer to his question. He doesn't want it to be an answer to his question.
He shrugs. "You could say that. He doesn't often think of how much power Niisan has, and he certainly doesn't worry over it. He is there when Niisan tears himself up all night, and he can't erase those memories from his mind.
"Kanae-chan is my best friend." Okui-san says suddenly. "And, oh, it's not personal, but your brother looks like he's a survivor of a wreck at sea more than he looks like a lord."
"You're afraid that he'll hurt her." Are there really so many objections to Niisan? Does his brother really encourage this sort of reputation? What can he do? What can he say? Kanae-san never has to fear Niisan, no one who Niisan calls family has anything to fear. "Niisan loves me, and I love him." Oh, everything's a mess really, and he cannot see the knots to undo to salvage the situation. What strings can he pull to calm these fears among strangers when he cannot even truly do it for his clan? "I don't think he's dangerous." He smiles and tastes the bitter tang on his tongue. "But then, I'm not the best person to ask." Even if I hurt for Niisan, it wouldn't matter. "But if it's any comfort to you, I promise that Kanae-san won't be hurt by him. I won't let something like that happen."
If Niisan is to go well and truly mad...no, best not think it. Niisan is not dangerous, not to those who are not his enemies.
"I didn't want you to say that, exactly." Okui-san pulls him off of the dance floor. The sand feels different beneath his feet. The dance floor was… polished stone, worn smooth by many feet. "Uchiha-san, Kanae-chan can take care of herself. I was worried for your brother."
Oh. He'd thought, had thought — why did his mind jump directly to negatives? It's been so long since people looked at Niisan and saw someone who needed care.
The village at large can't see past their own noses. The clan looks to Niisan to help them, to lead them.
Everyone expects Niisan to be strong.
"I don't know what to say." He really doesn't. Niisan's despondency is the heaviest weight on his own heart.
"Then don't say anything." A cheerful voice cuts in.
He's heard this voice before. "You're… Ashiro-san?"
"Wow, brother mine." Another, nearly identical voice chimes in. "The blind man can tell us apart."
"You both sound similar, but you're not identical." Ashiro-san's voice has a slightly rougher undertone, and he bites his vowels more softly than his brother.
"We're keeping this one, brother." An arm's slung over his shoulders, and Ashiro's brother starts to drag him away.
"You can't do that." Okui-san protests.
"We'll watch him for you, don't worry." Ashiro chuckles from behind him. "We'll keep him very safe so Shiko-chan won't be unhappy, Chihaya-chan."
This doesn't sound particularly comforting, but he's alright for the most part, and they seem to be heading back to Uzu proper. The sand is becoming stone beneath his feet.
"So what's your name?" He asks the man whose arm is still about his shoulders.
"Who do you think I am?" The two who have dragged him off whistle a cheery tune through the streets. It sounds like the cries of a gull.
Kanae-san has five brothers — Kyoya, Korui, Masato, Ashiro, and Aruta. He has met Korui-san. Ashiro-san is behind them. Kyoya-san is not on the island.
"Are you Masato-san?" If not, he has to be Aruta-san.
The man hisses and seemingly tilts backward though he's careful not to tip Izuna over with him. "Brother mine, he thinks I'm Masato-nii. Masato-nii, can you imagine? How will I survive?!"
"Well, dearest brother." Ashiro chuckles, and slings his own arm over Izuna's shoulders as well. Now they walk three abreast. "It looks like you've become the resident grouch."
Aruta — and it has to be Aruta, it's practically confirmed by this point — makes a noise between a strangled duck and a wail. "Oh, my handsome face has been replaced with Masato-nii's grouch face!"
Ashiro bounces. "Oho! This means that I'm the more handsome brother now, Shiro!"
"I thought you were Ashiro." The man on his left was Ashiro, and the man on his right was Aruta. He'd thought that but—
"No, I'm Ashiro." Claims the one on the right.
"No, no, brother littlest." Says the one on the left. "I'm Ashiro."
"No you're not."
They sound more and more alike until they're practically indistinguishable.
"You two have to be irritating for your parents to keep track of." He doesn't mean to say this. For one, it's insufferably rude. For another, he's normally never inadvertently rude. At times, he will be rude to Tobirama for propriety's sake and to cool his own rage, but that is purposeful. This is not.
"Oh, we're absolutely insufferable for everyone who knows us." The one of the right responds cheerfully. "Absolutely, positively."
"We're the Terrible Twins for a reason, you know? It isn't because we're sweet and kind." The one of the left chirps.
"We're even worse for people who can see where we're taking them." There's a zither playing somewhere close, through a wall perhaps, and the sound of a dice game going on among a rowdy group of people.
"Where are you taking me?" Unlike Niisan, Izuna privately doubts that the Uzumaki are out to get him. Still, the happy way they mention it is very concerning.
"A bar."
"A strip bar."
"And why are we going there?" Would Niisan — What Niisan doesn't know, won't hurt him. Izuna decides. It's not as if he wants to run off to a strip bar on a normal day, but now that he's here, he shouldn't worry over how Niisan will take it.
I am an adult. I do what I want. Even if I can't see it. He's been to a bar before, for heaven's sake. It's not the end of the world like Niisan seems to think it is.
"To play strip poker, Zuzu!"
"Can we call you Zuzu?"
"Um..." Izuna isn't all that long of a name. Most people don't care to shorten it.
"We'll call you Zuzu."
He's more concerned about the strip poker part. "Also, in case you missed it," He tells the man on his right. "I'm blind. Playing strip poker with me won't be fair."
"Oh, we don't care about fair." They're inside now, and the Twins navigate the three of them through the crowd of people. "We care about fun."
"Shameful." Izuna mutters to himself. "I won't even be able to enjoy the view when you lose." He keeps no secrets from himself. He likes men and women equally well. So yes, he is highly disappointed he won't get to enjoy the view when he wins.
No one in the clan ever wanted to play with him after a while, because he can embarrass anyone enough to trick them into losing.
They both burst into raucous laughter. "We don't lose!"
"Say that again when you do lose." Izuna mutters. He used to be so good at card games. The sharingan helped, of course, but he's not good anymore. At least, he doesn't think he is. It's been awhile since he's played, so it's hard to tell.
Still, it's the thought that counts.
As it turns out, the Twins take him to play strip poker with the officers of their crew — sans Okui-san, who everyone he speaks to that night calls "the best harpooner on the western blue."
So that is why her hands were so rough. He can't imagine killing whales with one's bare hands to be an easy task.
There he falls into a partnership with Nanami-san. "You know, I normally play this game with Chihaya-chan, but I might have to steal you for future games."
Ihara Nanami has a smoky voice and evidently a very friendly demeanor, because she's got an arm slung over his shoulder.
"I live in Konoha." Izuna protests rather weakly. He hasn't been back for a long time now.
"Doesn't matter." Nanami-san laughs next to his ear. "I'll kidnap you, and we can run away to sea together, Zuzu."
"I'd be useless at sea." Maybe Niisan is searching for him. That would be rather problematic, because a Niisan who doesn't know where he is is a worried Niisan, and a worried Niisan is a destructive Niisan and oh…
It's only one night. One night where he can pretend that he's just a normal young man and go out with friends even if he doesn't know them all.
"Aww." Nanami-san sighs. "It would be so much fun though. We'd see the Captains like this every other week. It'll be great."
"I can't believe it." Kawate slurs from the other side of the table. "The Captains lost this game so bad."
"Is it at least a good show?" Izuna asks.
From what he can understand, the Twins have stripped down to their boxers, and would have stripped further except the rest of the crew had screeched something about sensibilities and bleeding eyes so they'd stopped.
"Of course we're a good show, Zuzu." The two of them chirp. "We're the best show around."
They seem to be taking the loss well though.
The rest of the crew seems to be in various stages of undress as well by this point.
He, himself, happens to be shirtless, though he's managed to keep the rest of his clothing on.
As it turns out, he's still good at card games. He's rather pleased by this realization.
It's warm inside the bar though with everyone crowded around a table.
"Don't believe them." Goto mutters. "They make my eyes bleed."
"You keep saying this," Izuna takes another sip of his sake. Okay, he might be deep in his cups by now, but he isn't slurring his words yet, so it's fine. His head might ache later, but it's not the end of the world. "But have your eyes ever actually bled from them?"
Rumi laughs. "What about that one time when Captain Ruta slashed Kawate over the eye, does that count as bleeding from the eyes?"
"No, no." Kawate intercedes. "That's called bleeding from above the eye."
"Prince Aruta, Prince Ashiro?" This is a more middle aged voice that the various members of the Twins' crew. "As much as I am grateful for your patronage, it is getting close to closing."
"Got it, Ibi-san." This sounds like Shiro. "We'll clear out."
The six or seven of them part ways as they exit the bar.
On the way back, they walk three abreast as Shiro and Ruta sandwich him between them and try to teach him a sea shanty.
"To me way-aye!"
"To me way-aye!"
"Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down!"
"Blow the man down!"
And so singing, they make their way back to the house of Uzumaki Ashina.
A.N. In which Izuna is frustrated and meets far more Uzu people than Madara who spent the night with Kanae sitting on a rock. One of them is the better socially adjusted brother.
Real life is really hectic right now, so if I don't see you all before Christmas, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! (Hopefully I do see everyone though, because there are several chapters of stuff that are just so close to done that I can taste it.)
Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and followed!
~Tavina