Heeeeeey guuuuuuys.
I know- I'm sorry this has taken so long. I'm in a writing mood tonight, so I'll see if I can get something else up for you guys too.
Also, stuff's swinging into motion. Omgsies!
Promises Not Made are Promises Never Kept
Flashback Thirty-Two: Restraint
"What is that girl's problem?!" Sasuke demanded as he stormed back into the house he shared with his two companions after the second week of training with his new teammate. Inaré, safe to say, had been nothing but a vindictive creature the whole time, hurting him whenever she could and treating him with scorn and distaste. Nothing that came out of her mouth when she spoke to him had been polite, and when they sparred she showed no mercy. Sasuke's immediate instinct had been to, in response, beat the ever-loving shit out of her, but Zabuza had warned him to stay civil. "I don't know why you couldn't just let me hit her a few times! It would serve her right!"
"Sasuke, think about it," Haku began patiently as Zabuza closed the door behind them, the eldest teammate's hands full of gifts and offerings that had been left on their doorstep throughout the day. Cakes and cups of rice and flowers and thank you cards and sake. "We don't know anything about this girl or where she comes from. She's basically been forced into a team that she doesn't know anything about." Pause. "And she resents you."
"BUT WHY?!" The boy demanded. "I haven't done ANYTHING to her!"
"You took her future away, you moron," Zabuza stated, not nearly as patient as Haku. "You're the jerk she has to marry when you turn eighteen. And then she'll have to have babies with you. She's only fourteen. And her entire life has already been decided for her. No wonder she hates you. You're evil."
Sasuke was appalled. "No I'm not! How could you even say that-?!"
"Maybe not to me," Zabuza interrupted. "But to her you are. To her, you're the devil."
"That I think I'll actually disagree with," Haku broke in from where he stood in the small kitchen. "If anybody is the devil to that poor girl, it's her mother. Have you seen the looks that woman gives Inaré? So much disappointment and scorn. How horrible!"
"You need to cut her some slack, Sasuke," Zabuza continued, making Sasuke scowl at the feeling of being ganged up on. "Eventually, if you don't fight back, she'll realize she's taking her anger out needlessly and stop. The worst thing you could do right now is fight back."
"Whatever. She's just a bully," Sasuke mumbled, vanishing into the bedroom.
"He's a beautiful thing, isn't he?" A harsh brush yanked itself busily through her hair as the words floated through her ears. "You're very lucky. He's going to grow up to be very handsome."
Empty eyes stared into the empty face that sat in the mirror as her mother smiled at her daughter's reflection, reaching over to caress the girl's cheek.
"Your children will be wonderful and so, so strong," she cooed, her nails scratching uncomfortably along the girl's skin before she withdrew her hand and continued brushing her hair. "As strong as the old god. And strong enough, I hope, to put the KriKo clan on the map of those to be eternally feared." Her mother smiled with those ruby red lips – a wicked, plotting little expression. "With the Sharingan in our blood, we will be perfect. My little Inaré…" Shifting, she sat next to her daughter, putting her arm around the girl's back and resting her head against the girl's. "There has never been a more important mission placed upon your shoulders before this." Reaching up, she stroked Inaré's face as the child stared wordlessly into the mirror. Undaunted, her mother continued. "You will be this boy's teammate, his partner, and in time his wife. You will take his power upon you and bless us with the power our clan justly deserves. This is the most important thing you will ever do in your life. This is what I birthed you for. Failure is not an option." Then, her mother looked at her as her long nails ran painfully through her daughter's hair, and her expression changed to one of cold and condescending disdain. Though Inaré didn't move to look at it, her eyes flickered to the reflection in the mirror. "You do this for me… and maybe, you will not have been a hiccup… after all…" Then, her mother stood and turned away, her white nightgown fluttering behind her. "Sleep well. My dear. For tomorrow, your future husband earns his place among us."
Then she vanished, and Inaré stared silently at her reflection for a few long moments before the emptiness in her eyes filled with absolute hatred, and her eyebrows narrowed.
"Hopefully, he dies," she breathed softly as emotions swam madly through her heart. "If not, then I just might have to."
And now, she had a day to decide if she truly had the courage to shame so severely the person that, though she loathed her with all her might, had been the only person beside her for her entire life.
Not that she necessarily had a choice.
"We'll see, I guess," she murmured. "We'll see."
End Flashback Thirty-Two: Restraint
Now onto real life!
Thank you for all of your patience.
Much love!
DDB
