DISCLAIMER- I own nothing!
…
note: Someone wanted official age differences so here you go! As of this chapter:
Kiharu: 12
Shisui: 14
Rookie 9: 5-4
Future Team Gai: 5-6
Itachi/Hana etc: 10
Izumo/Kotetsu: 16
Iruka: 13-ish(?)
Ensui: almost 20
Kakashi: almost 20
Seiichi AKA Tou-san: 37
Hitoshi: 20 (human life-span to match partner)
…..
True Will Out...or some shit. Basically, no matter what, the truth always comes out in the end.
...Whether that's a terrible secret, telling people those boxed brownies were made from scratch, or conspiracy theories.
It just...does.
…..
This is a Very Bad Idea…I thought to myself, being all-but dragged through the corridors by Shisui.
The Hospital was mercifully quiet, only a few Nurses on hand in this ward, as Shisui and I ran through the halls. That was another eerie thing about Infirmaries; they were either filled with agonised moans or disturbingly quiet. The tomb imagery was…not great. We saw very few people, running like we were being chased, and I was incredibly grateful. If there were more staff on the floor or my best friend was setting a less demanding pace? We'd have been screwed.
Nurses are fucking scary, okay?
"Shisui," I panted, trying to keep up, "Shisui! Wait a moment!"
"What, Ki-chan?" he tossed over his shoulder, sounding impatient, and I gritted my teeth. Tch. We couldn't just rush and blurt everything out, dammit! If he went to Sarutobi - Would anything change or would Shisui die, only two years younger?!
We were in the last stairwell, halfway down the steps, when I finally lost my temper and ripped my arm from his grip.
"Shisui, just wait a moment, okay?!" From two steps above, I was taller and I took the chance to look down on him.
"What?" His jaw clenched, arms flying as he gestured furiously towards the exit before, catching the look on my face, he crossed them defensively. I felt a headache form. Stubborn!Shisui was impossible.
But, Stubborn!Kiharu won any day.
"Listen, we can't just stroll up to the Hokage!" I started, ignoring Shisui's harried expression, "What do you think he'll do if-" I cut myself off, shooting a suspicious look up the stairwell, before continuing in a low hiss, "-if he thinks a Clan is planning something?"
"But, Kiharu, that's the point! Hokage-sama will have a plan, okay?"
Sometimes I forgot that, just because I'd dodged the fuck out of the conditioning and propaganda, others hadn't...like Shisui. Silly boy trusted fucking Danzo.
"You know that chances are this is gonna get blamed on your Clan!" I growled back. "So, can we just talk about this, for a moment?"
Shisui, looking more frustrated and angry than I'd seen in years, shook his head in a vicious movement and started towards the next flight of stairs. The naked grief on his face was frightening and I wondered if the ramifications of Kamui had finally started to sink in. He looked like I did when I realised Tobi could just creep in and slit throats, disappearing into nothing.
Dashing forward, I grabbed his arm and he froze, muscle twitching beneath my hand.
I was absently grateful that he'd learned to control the impulse to flip me years ago. The first time had not been fun.
"Don't you trust me when I say-"
"Shisui!" I reared back as if slapped but didn't loosen my grip. Like hell was I letting him go. "Of course, I do! I told you, didn't I!? It's other people I don't trust as much!"
The stairwell was very quiet for a moment and I listen keenly, for any sounds of eavesdroppers – Shisui would tell me anyway, but still – and to the angry sounds of our breathing. When the older boy made no move to leave again, I continued.
"We live in a ninja village, Shisui. A military leadership is not gonna take even the possibility of a coup lightly. Sandaime-sama might be an advocator for peace, but not everyone in power is, okay?" I took a step closer, still leaning over the bannister to reach him. Once he looked up at me, I continued, tone regretful. "I…I think we need to be really careful is all. Who knows what the fall out could be?"
The fight left the older boy, arms falling to hang limp as he slumped to sit on the first step and out of my reach.
"…sorry." He whispered and, he sounded so sad, I felt all my anger start to drain away. Shisui…I'm sorry this is happening. You're only 14…we're both children, but, I wanted to spare you – from all of this.
Still feeling a bit hesitant after the rare show of genuine anger, I slowly made my way down the steps, turning the corner to stand beside his slumped form. When Shisui turned and tilted his head to lean on my legs, he continued.
"Okay, okay, so we're more careful. I still think we should go to Hokage-sama, though." He sighed heavily and I remembered he must be exhausted, straight back from a mission. "I'm a Shinobi of Konoha, Kiharu. I am loyal to my Kage and I can't keep something like this from him."
"I understand." My voice sounded terribly young, high and echoing against the empty walls.
"So, if we put this off, what do yousuggest we do first?"
My mouth opened but no sound came out. Who could we go to? In my books, Hokage-sama was out (may as well go up to Danzo and stick out my tongue for the seal – if he didn't kill me on sight). If I went to Ino-Shika-Chou, I wasn't sure if they'd defend the Uchiha and then they'd go to the Hokage…if Inoichi-Oji didn't try and Mind Walk me through the exact memories, first. Uncle or no, he was still the Head of T&I and he'd think it was a way of protecting me, ensuring no one could doubt my testimony.
Now, that could never happen.
Fugaku would…I didn't know. I just, I couldn't read him like I could the others. Over the years, I'd only really spent a few minutes at a time with the man. Obviously, I was considered below his radar (he'd regret that one day, I'd make sure) and I'd picked up on few things about him, like that he liked his tea scolding hot and he asked Itachi about his training every day. But politics? I hadn't a clue. What if he actually wanted the Coup? For all I knew, the man was feeling just as resentful as any of the other advocators in the Clan. We could risk it, I supposed, and appeal to him. If we presented it as proof that it was no one's fault but Tobi's…But, I couldn't anticipate his reaction and that was even more dangerous. Either way, I felt that he would tell the Elders, who'd then pull some shit inside the Clan and probably go ahead with the Coup out of spite.
The only one I could think of-
"Mikoto-hime." I blurted. Shisui's head snapped up to meet my eyes and I swallowed hard at the helplessness I saw there.
"We can't go to Fugaku-sama…he's probably one of the Elders invested in the idea of a coup. But, Mikoto…she loves the Village and would do anything for her sons…"
This time it was I who leaned down and offered a hand. Shisui took it without hesitation, pulling himself up and looking down at me. He gave my hand a gentle, comforting squeeze before he let go and I tried to return his shaky smile.
"You're sure Mikoto-sama is the one?" Dark eyes searched my face and, seeming to find something there, grew fiercely determined.
"If we can trust anyone, it's her."
The older boy sucked in a slow, fortifying breath. "Okay...okay, so, we're doing this."
A bang sounded above us as someone entered the stairwell a few floors up and, by wordless agreement, we turned and dashed down the remaining steps.
The only sounds were the echoing of our footsteps and those of the person above us. I knew it was probably just some nurse but, well, my imagination had always been overactive.
Mental imagines of eavesdropping shinobi and/or ROOT (they'd just Shunshin and kill us- or rather, me. Shisui would definitely duck, hopefully, get us out of there, hopefully, catch the agent and then bring them to Sarutobi, out Danzo and the- nope, getting too far.).
"Shisui," I whispered and the older boy immediately reached back for my hand, clenching it tightly in his larger one.
"Shhh, it's okay, Ki-chan, just a Medic-nin."
The reception desk had two drained-looking nurses behind it and they looked up when we walked past. Not in the mood for pleasantries, we completely ignored them, rushing out into the street.
The night was coal black.
"Shoot," I mumbled, "It's really late….it must be nearly midnight."
Shisui chuffed a little laugh, still looking tense around his eyes but slowly relaxing. "It's closer to 2 am, actually, Ki-chan. You always lose track of time in the Hospital."
The street lights were on but the night was still unnerving, like the whole world was holding its breath, paused in that strangely muted stillness reserved for extremely late nights or early mornings. Not even the wind was rustling. We were stood near an orange street lamp and the coloured light cast strange shadows over Shisui's face, hiding his eyes and making the stressed line of his shoulders all the more severe.
"It's really late," I whispered again, just to break the stillness, maybe pull Shisui from his thoughts.
Even happy soul's like his got heavy sometimes.
"Come on, let's go back to mine…will you stay over? I just…after that, I don't really want to be home alone, you know?"
Shisui's face finally broke into a smile and I internally sighed in relief, falling into step beside the older boy as he started in the direction of mine.
"Seiichi-san not home tonight, hmm?"
Huffing out a breath, I turned my head to look at the bottomless sky. "Nah, he's on border patrol again, said he'll be back in the morning."
…..
"Nekki!" Warm laughter bubbled behind me, achingly familiar, and my old nickname rang in the summer breeze. "Nekki, come on, it's time to go!"
...Kaa-san...
The meadow was beautiful, filled with a cloud of wild flowers and long, yellowed grass brushing my fingertips. The sun filtered through the leafy canopy and lazy clouds in golden beams, making the clearing dozily whimsical and the surrounding trees strangely mysterious.
Absently, my fingers tickled as they brushed through the long grass and I rubbed them together, bemusedly looking down at them.
They were covered in blood.
"Ah-k-!" I gasped, throwing my hands out in front of me and staring at the red that dripped between my fingers. "What-?!"
Staggering back another step, I bumped into something hard."Kiharu-chan, there you are!" A deeper voice laughed behind me and I spun around, almost falling over my own feet. The meadow tipped and twisted like the ground wasn't even really there and-
"Mi-Minato..." My face felt numb, lips fumbling over the fondly-remembered name. "Yo-the blood,"
Warm hands wrapped around mine, heedless of the crimson smearing everywhere, dripping down our arms and staining sleeves.
"Oh, don't worry about that, Kiharu-chan," He smiled, face bright and sapphire eyes fond, "...that's just what happens when you kill people."
I threw myself upright, gulping on air and trying desperately to stay quiet.
The living room was dark, no lights and no signs of life. As my eyes adjusted, breathing deeply to try and slow my racing heart, I peered around the still room. The entire house was silent, broken only by the ticking of the kitchen clock and Shisui's gentle snores beside me.
Our sandals were piled by the door, my coat thrown over the back of the sofa, and Shisui's Katana lovingly rested on top of the coffee table.
A dream, I reminded myself, one hand pressed to my speeding heart. Just a stupid dream.
But..what if it was real, one day? I'd done nothing to save Minato and Kushina, Kaa-san and Noko and so many others, what would happen tomorrow or with the Hokage? Would I be the one, this time, to see Shisui die in the Naka or would Danzo just kill us both, straight off?
A hand, calloused from weapons and slightly sweaty, wrapped around my shaking wrist. A glance to check, but Shisui's eyes were still closed, his breathing still deep. Dammit, he looked so young, even younger than 14 and I felt so very small.
With a heavy swallow, I tried to go back to sleep anyway.
(Shisui, woken by my first jolt, fell back asleep shortly after)
My pillow was soft and smelled like toffee and fresh grass and I sighed, burrowing closer and nuzzling my nose into it.
I was exhausted, Shisui and I having come in late, wet from the light shower that had started to fall halfway back to mine and dizzy with nerves for the next morning. We'd ended up staying up even later, fluttering around the living room (me) and fussing over weapons (Shisui) as we tried to calm ourselves down.
The temptation to run over to Ensui's flat and tell him everything, just so he could roll his eyes at us and make everything better with his cool, logical drawl had been almost overwhelming.
But, Shisui and I were in this alone, for the time being.
Hopefully, we'd have another person to depend on tomorrow and, hopefully, we could figure out what to do. There would be no more running to Ensui for a while now, at least not about this. Shisui and I...we were responsible. I mean, Shisui had always been responsible, he was an Elite ninja! He hadn't received those promotions, at so young an age, just because he was good with the weapons and fighting side of things. And I? I'd been running my own business for years, in some form or another. I'd previously struggled to share my burdens.
But..this was different. Shisui wasn't following orders or a mission directive and I wasn't baking for orders or stumbling along, trying to passively shift Canon..the ball was truly in our court, here. And that was terrifying.
So, we'd been up half the night trying to hash out a plan and I'd been so stressed recently, falling asleep was more like falling unconscious. Shisui had apologised again for his words but I simply told him I was feeling the pressure too. The fear had slowly left our systems and, over a cup of tea, we'd started to feel the pull of sleep. But, since when was my bed this comfortable?
When the arm around my shoulders hugged me closer, I couldn't help but smile, thoughtlessly burrowing further into the warmth.
Unfortunately, I was jerked from my very warm and cosy sleep when my 'pillow' was rudely grabbed from under me.
"Why?!" I snarled in aggravation, already in a terrible mood and sitting upright to extract vengeance. Couldn't I just sleep for once? – Ugh, story of my life.
When I angrily pried my sleepy eyes open, I was greeted to the sight of an empty living room.
"Urgh," I groaned, scrubbing my hands – marked in weird red lines from being squashed under Shisui's torso – over my face and wondering why everyone was so dramatic.
My bare feet padded on the cold wooden floors as I stalked into the kitchen. Hands found hips when I saw Shisui – adorably sleep-rumpled with a bewildered look on his face and a bit of dried drool on his chin (I bet he slobbered on me. Again.)– sat stiffly in a chair.
Which was turned around to face the kitchen counter, where my Tou-san, casually nursing a cup of tea, was glowering resentfully.
Well, so much for him liking Shisui.
"Well, good morning, Neko-tou." I smiled sweetly, channelling 'little girl' as much as possible. It worked perfectly when dad's eyes softened as he turned to look at me.
"Good morning, hime!" Wow, what a perfectly innocent smile, dad!
When I turned to greet Shisui, as if nothing was wrong, I could almost feel dad's gaze burning over my head and into my best friend.
Poor boy, this was the consequence of being best friends with a girl whose father is all but allergic to boys being near her. Or smiling at her, come to think of it. Looking back, I remembered that one boy who'd been 'too touchy' when I passed him his change…
"Late night, Ki-chan?" dad asked casually, turning to pour me some tea. I noticed that Shisui didn't have one – this was getting ridiculous – and got a cup from the cupboard for him. When my dad didn't make a move to fill it, I leaned over and grabbed mine before placing it in front of the Uchiha. My lips pressed together to hide my amused smile at Tou-san's sigh of frustration behind me.
Kami-sama, we were children. All three of us, apparently.
"Yeah, we got lost track of time in the Hospital and it was really late, so we came back here."
"Why, Nekki-chan?" Dad cracked, frowning – pouting – in aggravation. "Why were you sleeping on top of a boy?"
Sigh. I was only 12, for crying out loud. And Shisui was. Right. There.
Besides, today was not the day for this crap…!
"First of all," I calmly ticked off my fingers, leaning back against the table. "It wasn't any boy, Dad, it was Shisui. So, it's different and what are you even talking about?! I once put him to bed, drunk, after Ensui's party, in between Hitoshi and I!" I ignored the low growl radiating from his chest. "We came in late from the hospital and were talking on the sofa and then, obviously, fell asleep!"
I stood back up, walking over to the cupboard and pulling out a packet of flavoured rice-cakes, staring with narrow eyes as my dad slowly deflated. "Secondly," I continued to mercilessly tear apart his argument, "Just, really, Tou-san? Are you annoyed I was out so late?"
Tou-san looked to the side, like some moody teenager, and I rolled my eyes, like the ceiling could answer me. What was he even thinking?
"Anyway, we've got to get going soon…we need to talk to Mikoto-hime about something important, so I'll see you later."
With a frustrated sigh, dad slouched like a deflating balloon and stalked to the fridge, looking greatly offended. What a ridiculous man. It's not really my fault if I just yanked the higher-ground out from under him. It's his for making it so damn easy!
"And you," I leaned down to help the older boy up, cocking an eyebrow when he staggered a bit. "What the hell was that? If someone grabs you, fight back! And, next time," I ignored how Shisui paled and mouthed 'next time' in horror, "-land on your feet!"
Rolling eyes, Shisui puffed out his cheeks as he followed me back into the living room. "Hey, my legs were dead, okay? You're heavy-"
He cut off when the sofa pillow was lobbed at his face.
"Excuse you, I'm a delicate flower!"
Ignoring how Shisui was whining over how mean I was in the mornings, I pulled my coat on, casually cast aside the previous night, before jerking a thumb towards the door. "And, just for that, you're not getting any of my breakfast – we're leaving now."
With a low groan, Shisui reached down to grab his sword from the low table and smoothly slid it back into its holster before blindly reaching up, plucking his sandals from the air. I'd unapologetically aimed for his head.
"Bye Tou-san!" I called without ceremony, slamming the door after us as we left.
"It's almost 7 o' clock, if we hurry we'll have plenty of time to tell her the basics before Nekki's opens." I thought out loud as we started down the street, trying to pretend all of that didn't just happen. Why did dad have to be so weird in front of my friends?! Was it like an instinctive parental thing? Even if Shisui had witnessed (and caused) a lot of embarrassing things over the years *cough* period *cough*, it didn't make them any less awful.
"Don't you want to wait 'til we have more time? I mean, surely it can wait for this evening instead of rushing?" Shisui shoved his hands in his pockets, eyeing me out the corner of his eye. Hmm, he was the one desperate to run to Sarutobi last night, I internally grumbled, uncharitable as fuck.
"We could but admitting my theories out loud - It made it feel so much more real, Shisui," I rubbed my arms before tucking a hand into the older boy's elbow. He flinched minutely at my cold fingers but didn't even try to move away. "I guess I need the reassurance, as soon as possible."
The Jonin snorted a bit under his breath, a rueful smile twitching his lips. "Now, that I can't argue with."
"For once," I teased up at him – damn 4-inch height gap –, unable to resist.
"For once," Shisui agreed with a tiny, little grin.
We got to Nekki's just after 7, the Market only just starting to stir to life. Shopkeepers were bringing out their wares or doing some last-minute cleaning, some of them calling out a greeting when they saw me.
I could only pray my smile didn't look as stressed as it felt.
As we walked into my stall, I couldn't help but pause on the step, admiring the pretty picture Mikoto made in her apron. Her uniform wouldn't be ready for a while yet but the pale blue yukata she wore instead was still lovely. She was humming happily, cleaning down the surfaces before we opened in a bit, and the smile slipped from my lips. Shisui and I would be ruining moods left, right and centre, it seemed.
"Kiharu, Shisui, good morning," Mikoto looked up when we entered, a gentle – if, understandably, confused – smile on her face. "I thought you weren't coming in today, Kiharu-chan?"
Shisui sighed heavily, obviously feeling as depressed at what awaited us as I did. Stepping to the far wall, he started pulling the metal cage (that we pulled down every night to protect the stall) along the front of the shop, closing the catch with a resounded snap. I walked further into the stall, twisting my fingers together and wondering why I felt like Shisui and I were about to admit to breaking her favourite lamp or something – although, this was a great deal more serious. Moving passed Mikoto, I reached to turn off the loud mixer, flicking the switch on the ice-cream machine as I went. Didn't want to have to raise our voices over the machines, after all.
Abruptly, I longed to just be coming in for another working day, filled with smiling customers and delighted children. I wanted to tease nee-chan and Raidou over lunch, charging Genma full price whilst Raidou was showered with freebies. I wanted to deal with those overzealous academy children, moving flawlessly around Mikoto like a well-oiled machine as we dealt with the flood of orders.
I really hated Tobi.
I can't believe I read so much Fanfiction about that arsehole.
"Change of plans I'm afraid, Hime…," I smiled shakily and the older woman frowned, straightening from where she had paused as she wiped down the counter-tops. "We need to talk to you," I shared a glance with Shisui, who nodded at me seriously, "Right now."
"And about what, exactly?"
I leapt a foot into the air.
"Akane-sama!" I whirled around, spluttering, "What are you doing here? I-er-that is-" I threw Shisui a desperate look but the older boy merely blinked, turning towards to the elder woman and trying for a smile. It wasn't anywhere near as bright as usual, but it was a better attempt than I could go for right now.
"Sorry, Akane-sama, but we need to talk to Mikoto-sama for a bit."
That's not what I meant.
"Oh?" One regal brow rose before I rushed in again.
"I meant what are you doing in the storeroom, Akane-sama if you don't mind my asking?"
Akane didn't look too impressed, crossing her arms and cupping her chin with her hand. I could see there was no way we were getting her out of here, short getting Shisui to throw her. Even then…
This was decidedly not part of the plan.
But…I trusted Akane-sama. She'd never given me any reason to doubt her and I'd noticed she garnered considerable respect inside the Clan. I mean, even Mikoto called her '-sama' and she was the Clan's Matriarch. I looked over at Shisui…well? I tried to ask him, blue staring into black. His eyes closed for a moment before he let out a long sigh. When he raised his head again, he sent me another searching look before slowly nodding.
"I…are you absolutely certain, the both of you?"
"I," Shisui glanced at my pale face, "…Yes, Mikoto-sama."
Mikoto was leaning against the counter-top, an untouched cup of tea beside her (I'd made it when Shisui started talking about Kamui, needing to do something with my hands and unable to just stand there, thinking about the effortless damage Tobi could wreak) and a pinched look on her face.
Her eyes were guarded when she looked up at us and I internally mourned the way the light had faded from her lovely face.
"Why tell me?"
"Please, Mikoto-hime…" I took a step forward, desperately grasping her warm hands between my own, relieved when she didn't pull away. "You're the only one…we don't know how anyone else would react. I," I swallowed. Fuck, it was all coming out now, wasn't it? "I didn't want anyone to blame the Uchiha, I-we couldn't be sure how the Hokage or Elders might react. And if we went to the Clan directly…" I trailed off, giving a helpless little shrug.
"You believe the Elders would cause even more damage," Akane spoke up from where she sat beside Shisui. Her own cup of tea was gracefully cradled between her ageing palms and I marvelled at her composure.
Fucking wish I knew how to do that.
"Yes, Akane-sama…it's just that we don't know who can be trusted, in the Clan or the village."
Shisui inhaled sharply.
"I'll take it you are unaware that I am an Elder, in that case?"
W-what?
My eyes widened but I stopped myself from reacting further. Heart falling, I bit the inside of my cheek.
"And…what will you do, now you know?"
Black eyes, that glittered like onyx in a beautifully aged face, stared at me for a long moment.
Was I the only one sweating?
"A long time ago, I believed in the idea of a Coup," the older woman started, her voice strangely loud in the silent shop. Mikoto was frozen, face pale, and Shisui slowly walked to stand beside me, deceptively casual.
"The Uchiha, one of the two Founding Clans, had been sidelined for too long. I was there when this village was built, even if only as a child. It was wrong, that Konoha would turn on us so. And then, the idea of a coup, to right the distribution of power, was introduced. The idea has often been turned over in our Clan, brought up every few years, but it was only in the aftermath of the Nine-Tails that discussions turned serious."
Mikoto looked like a ghost, eyes filled with regret and grief, and I wondered if I was imagining the barely-there shiver that had wracked her frame.
"I…was not particularly concerned. The idea seemed justified but, as the resentment grew, the means to go about it grew increasingly…unappealing. I was a medic-nin, I made a vow to heal, even if I knew how to fight and kill. Even after I retired," a hand came up to rub at the stump where her arm ended half-way up her forearm, "I did not relinquish those values. But, I still said nothing.
"And then, one day, Shisui brought a young civilian girl, a non-Uchiha, to me for healing," her face finally, finally warmed and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "You held no fear or resentment towards me, only gratefulness, and you and Shisui laughed the entire time you were there. It made me wonder if it wasn't also our fault that our Clan was viewed so poorly. We had pulled back, hidden away behind walls and masks. But, I wondered if you were just a child, innocent of such things.
"And then you came to me, with your ninja father and a Nara. And, again, they held only good-will to me for my services. And I saw you in the Compound, every week, bringing cakes and asking for nothing in return. A smile was enough, it seemed." Her expression softened into a loving smile and I wanted to cry.
I'd thought when she said that she was one of the Uchiha Elders, that this was it. The moment I was betrayed by the ninja culture, when one wrong move ruined everything.
But this was Akane. The woman who healed me with a roll of her eyes, looking as regal as any Queen, and was always having tea with Yuri-oba and helped me pick out dresses.
A tear dropped, anyway.
And a wrinkled thumb wiped it away. Akane smiled down at me, loving as any grandmother, and I couldn't contain the little, choked laugh of relief that bubbled in my chest.
"And then, it started outside of the Compound as well. Market Stall owners smiled at me, open and friendly. When you asked for my help, I met Yuri and, suddenly, every shop owner knew my name and welcomed me without reserve. And I don't want that to ever go away again, Kiharu-chan."
Taking my hand in hers, she looked between a shakily-smiling Mikoto and a relieved Shisui.
"What do we do?"
…
We opened Nekki's half an hour behind schedule, apologising profusely to the waiting regulars (the ones who'd bothered to hang around) citing that one of the ice-cream tubs had spilt everywhere.
I mean, I'd turned off the machine when we came in so we were missing the mango flavour.
As business started up, I tried to focus on the task at hand, even though I was feeling like I could finally breathe again.
This is it, I told myself. You're not alone anymore. Shisui, Mikoto and Akane-sama know. We'll all do something.
At that moment, Itachi came in with a happily bouncing Sasuke, an hour into service. Mikoto's youngest was a little ray of sunshine, grinning at his 'nii-san' and mother as he rattled on about the training Itachi had helped him with that morning. Although, when I asked Sasuke what he wanted, he scrunched up his nose in disgust.
"I don't like sweet things, huh!"
If anyone else…*shakes fist threateningly*…but Sasuke, at this age, was a precious kitten. And from a girl who was half-raised like a panther cub?
"Sas-kun, how about I make you something extra special, hmm?"
Ignoring his dubious expression, I waved him over to one of the stools to wait.
Luckily, I still had some stuff in here for lunches (or dinners, if I ended up staying late when I did my baking quota), so I took a few moments to whip something together on the back hob. I used a small saucepan, grateful that the scent wasn't really disturbing the sweeter smells from the counter. Some spices later, a few herbs and liberal use of a grater, and then I was setting my creation down in front of a wide-eyed Sasuke.
"Ta-dah!"
The youngest Uchiha brother hesitantly ripped a piece off, popping it into his little baby mouth. The look of shock on his cute cherub face almost made me start squealing. At least the little tyke had cheered me up.
"Tomatoe?!"
Beaming down at the little boy, perched on one of my few stools and feet swinging almost two feet from the ground, I resisted the urge to scoop him up for a squeeze. "Yeah, Sas-kun! It's a tomatoe sauce, herb and melted cheese pretzel!"
As his younger brother started digging in furiously, I shared a laughing glance with Itachi (his eyes were achingly warm when rested on his brother) and Mikoto, from behind the counter.
-"even if I have to fight, I'll do this. As a mother, it is my duty to protect the futures of my sons-"-
The Uchiha Matriarch smiled in welcome at a new customer but I was distracted again. Mikoto…she had such hidden strength, I'd never even realised in the manga/anime. She was so smart and strong, I couldn't believe she had the patience and grace to fade behind her husband, as I'd always thought she did and, even now, seen her do when the situation called for it.
It was Mikoto who surprised me the most.
After the initial shock had worn off, the sweet and gentle mother that I had come to adore like an older sister/Aunt transformed into the Uchiha Matriarch. The woman who demanded the respect of an entire Clan of prideful dojutsu-users, who dealt with scorn and simpering on a daily basis without batting an eyelash. Her expression grew sterner, movements surer and her eyes glinted with resolve. In response, Shisui and Akane-sama had straightened as well, and I'd wondered if I'd be asked to leave.
This was Clan business, after all, surely I would not be welcome? When I suggested it, Akane-sama clamped her hand on my arm before I could move and told me I was foolish to think I didn't deserve to be part of this. I was the one who'd heard about the Sharingan from Hitoshi, the one who had put the clues together and had told them all. Who else would they confide in?
Then, we held what was essentially a Council of War.
"What do we do?"
The question hung in the air, like a threat. A crossroads. Do we do this ourselves or do we go to the Hokage?
"Nothing." Mikoto's voice cut through, keen eyes staring back when I turned to her. "We do nothing. For Now."
Akane reclined back against the counter again, expression shrewd, but Shisui couldn't let something like that slide. Face shifting closer to 'panic', the older boy spoke up, sounding lost.
"But, Mikoto-sama, how will that fix anything? Ignoring the issue?"
"For now, Shisui. Or, at least, we make it look like we're doing nothing. Our Clan is in a very precarious position, at the moment. One step too far one way and the Village will take action against us. And one step in the other direction will see us at the whim of the outside player. We need to change the Clan, first." As her plans picked up speed, Mikoto began to pace slightly.
I'd never seen her so…empowered.
"The two of you will go to the Hokage tomorrow. I know you have training today Shisui and I know how strict you are with your regime so, if you miss it, people might wonder if something's happened or where you were instead. Go in the daytime, tell him you were talking over what happened that night and Kiharu didn't realise that the red eyes could be the Sharingan as, as you said, Kiharu-chan, Hitoshi didn't recognise the scent after visiting the Compound for years. Say you thought it was a foreign assailant, there are plenty of red eyes out there in the world. Shisui," she dipped her chin at the slowly nodding Jonin, "you recognised that the technique must have been from his Mangekyou, as space-time jutsus without hand seals, summoning's or seals are very-nearly impossible otherwise."
– Okay, I might have expanded slightly on Hitoshi's words but…I had to. This could not be brushed off–
"When you go to Hokage-sama, make it clear that this is an issue inside the Clan, the theft of our Dojutsu, and that, as such, is classified as internal Clan Politics. Tell him that I am the one handling it."
Her soft hands – that had wielded Katanas as skilfully as her calligraphy brush or a piping bag, that were soft even when she worked so hard, that were mother's hands as much as Shinobi's – came down to rest on our shoulders and she finally smiled, even if it was only a tiny one.
"Akane-sama and I will start shifting things inside the Clan, sounding out who would stand against us. Fugaku…" The torn look in her eyes made something in my chest ache. To not even be certain in your other half… I knew that Mikoto and Fugaku had had a political marriage, but I could also see the genuine affection that had grown between the two. It wasn't a fairy-tale, whirlwind romance but, especially in a Clan, they had both been luckier than most. And I could see how much it shook Mikoto, not knowing if the man she had shared her life with was going to be stood on the other side.
"I'll discuss this with Fugaku, see if I can sound out where he stands amongst the Elders…Akane-sama will be our eyes and ears inside the Council. The Elders will not discuss such things so openly with me, I have become too 'entangled' with the Village for that, but they will speak freely to one of their own.
Don't look so frightened, you two. The four of us will work something out."
"A platoon of Churros, kiddo." A lazy drawl had me snapping back to reality.
Jerking violently in surprise, I spilt chocolate sauce all over my hands – had I been doing the orders on fricking autopilot? – and I gasped at the hot chocolate on my skin. "Ow! Ow!" I flapped my hand, grabbing a dishcloth from the sink and frantically wiping at the spill.
"Shit, sorry, kid-!" Genma-nee panicked behind me and, when I finally got the sauce off and ran my hand under the water, I held up my bright-red hand with a deadpan expression.
Cringing slightly, Genma shifted the senbon around his mouth like a cigarette. "Ah, sorry about that, kid…"
Sniffing with dignity, I moved to clean up the rest of the mess, keeping my eyes cast downwards. "Just for that, you don't get anything bigger than a small." A tiny smile quirked my lips when he let out a pained moan and I turned to look for Raidou-
"Err, where's nii-san?"
Recovering quickly, Genma rested his crossed forearms on the counter as I started in on his order. "Mission." He grunted shortly. Oh. Well-
"Do you miss him?" I didn't even have the heart today to tease.
Genma squinted at me suspiciously, ignoring how Mikoto was blitzing through the orders whilst we had an impromptu heart-to-heart. Sorry, Mikoto…the older woman was going to get a huge lunch break. "You didn't even bother to say that suggestively." His voice was a strange mix of concerned and incredulous and I smiled ruefully, despite myself. "What's wrong, squirt?" and I swallowed hard. It wasn't the truth but I couldn't tell my own older brother what was really going on.
Oh, nothing much, you know, just trying to save the Uchiha from itself whilst worrying that Tobi will kill Hitoshi and me in our sleep and Danzo will destroy everything and anyone I love. How are you?
So, I twisted it a little.
"…Hitoshi."
And it wasn't a lie. Not only did that one-word cover how this great, big clusterfuck came about – or rather, came to light – but I was still bleeding inside from what had happened. It felt like I was missing something, a limb, too used to the warmth of my summon against my hip. It felt wrong, walking around and knowing he wasn't just chilling in a patch of sunlight or half-a-step behind me and I hadn't felt this…lonely…since, well, since Noko died.
My bed was too cold these days.
A muttered curse and then, when I passed over Genma-nee's order, I found my hand gripped firmly, pulling me around the edge of the counter and into a hug that smelled of fern-leaves and polished metal. Genma held me tightly for a long moment, before gruffly releasing me and gently pushing me back to my station. "It's okay kiddo, that cat's too proud to go like that. He'll wake up and be complaining like usual before you know it."
"Yeah," I sniffed a bit, starting on the matcha-waffle order Mikoto slid to me with a knowing smile and I smiled back, just a bit. "Yeah…thanks, nee-chan…"
Seeing the queue start to grow as the lunch rush began, I made an effort to brighten my features. Pausing to warmly greet a few recognisable regulars, I turned back to my orders and started making two orders of crepes simultaneously. When they were well on their way, I yanked a sly grin across my lips and I turned to eye the Tokubetsu Jonin as he started in on his snack.
"…but, honestly, was that a sigh of longing I heard for Raidou-nii?"
"Brat."
…..
We closed a bit earlier than usual that day, Mikoto citing a headache- I couldn't blame her - and I was pale enough recently that people didn't even have to ask. When the older woman left, leaving with a determined nod and eyes that practically glowed with the strength of her resolve, I wondered if she planned to confront her husband immediately.
Poor Mikoto…please don't break her heart, Fugaku. Think of your sons. The determination in her eyes earlier…even if it breaks her heart, she'll take you down if she has to, for the sake of her children. Just…be the better man I know you could be, think of family before your stupid pride or pointless grudges.
I was halfway home when I passed Yuri-oba's shop and stopped, still feeling pensive.
Akane-sama valued her time with Yuri-oba over the decades-old resentment of her Clan. Maybe…there is hope for us all, yet.
Today had been a day of revelations...Shisui, Akane's change in attitude towards the village, Mikoto's resolve to go head-to-head with her Clan...even if that meant opposing Fugaku.
"...One more question, Kiharu...how did you know about the Mangekyou? Information on such a form of our dojutsu is something the Clan does not discuss openly. So, how?"
It was silent for a moment.
"...I kind of guessed."
Seeing the unspoken demand for an explanation, I gestured helplessly.
"...Last summer, Shisui was showing me his Sharingan and mentioned that it was different from everyone else'..." Mikoto glanced at a sheepishly blushing Shisui out of the corner of her eye and I hurriedly continued. "He didn't really say anything else but it made me curious! I thought, you see, that everyone's Sharingan was the same. But then, I remembered a history book in the library, one of the old ones about Hashirama and the founding of Konoha, that mentioned that Madara had an advanced form after his brother, Izuna, died, which was super powerful and they called it 'Mangekyou'...I, er, I already knew that Itachi," I smiled awkwardly, cautiously taking in the expectant looks trained on me. "activated his on the same mission he lost his teammates and that sometimes, when he's angry or upset or worried, Shisui accidently activates his."
Shrugging helplessly, I tried to piece together the evidence in a way that made me look innocent. I'd not really thought too far ahead, the idea that I may be asked how I knew only really hitting me early this morning. Furiously thinking back to any and every clue dropped, I tried to jumble my way through. I mean, I couldn't just say 'Hey! I remember all this from my previous life!'
Shit, I really should have planned this speech beforehand. Was this even making sense?
"So, I thought 'What if the eyes activate under emotional duress? But, Shisui said that he activated his Sharingan when he was even younger, but the way he said it made it sound like his special technique came later. Shisui already had the Sharingan before that...bad...mission and now his eyes are special, so is he the same as Madara, who's eyes were special after his brother died?
"Can the Sharingan develop more?
"And, I think the Clan would have boasted or reacted more if Shisui had the same skills as Madara and Shisui himself, as an Uchiha who must know what Madara's special eyes could do, still said his were totally different. Last night, when I told all this to Shisui, he called it 'Mangekyou' as well, he didn't correct my assumption, and the rest of his reaction confirmed it."
Shisui was bright red at this point, firmly looking away from his Elders and I grimaced at him apologetically. I hoped he wouldn't get into trouble...In all honesty, Shisui was really good at keeping secrets if he had to, he was a ninja after all, but, well, when you grow so close to someone, you really relax and things inevitably slip. I was Shisui's best friend and he was mine, we'd both told each other things no one else knows.
"Now, I'd been thinking about the man who attacked Hitoshi...why was he at the Naka Shrine, why didn't he just run when he realised he'd been found? I don't know why and neither, probably, does Toshi. But the Shrine. It's Uchiha territory, as far as I'm aware, and there's not a lot of reasons for a Shinobi to go there. So, either he was an enemy of the Uchiha, looking for something or going to do something, or he was an Uchiha. And that's when I realised I needed to talk to Shisui.
"So," I realised I'd probably rambled on way too much, so tried to wrap it up. Shit, had that even made any sense? "When I realised that Shisui – a Jonin and an Uchiha – didn't recognise the Ghost-ability, I knew that the Sharingan that attacked Hitoshi must've been special. If he didn't recognise the jutsu/ability, then the man either has a completely new technique or a mysterious Mangekyou, thus proving that each one is different."
The stall was silent for a long moment.
"Clever." Mikoto murmured under her breath, eyes boring into mine. Akane-sama looked fascinated by my apparent deductive abilities (gods, I was such a fake) and Shisui was staring like I had three heads.
"So very clever, Kiharu."
Shouting kids a couple of streets over roused me from my thoughts and I blinked hard, still frozen outside of the dress shop. Breathing deeply, I moved on, passing by Yuri-oba's.
They'd seemed to accept my logical, if rambling, approach easily enough, knowing how 'advanced' I was for my age. I knew that most people who knew me had come to view me as a little, civilian Itachi, whether consciously or subconsciously, and I'd kinda been relying on that. If I'd been dumb-as-shit, they would've been so much more suspicious. As it was, they all trusted me and would vouch for me to anyone else.
I could only hope I'd sufficiently covered my bases.
The evening was setting in, sunset painting the sky pink under a huge, threatening cloud that was rolling in from the West. Absently, I wondered if it would storm tonight, something blown over from Whirlpool country's monsoon season. The air felt tingly, like rain and thunder and lightning and I didn't want to go home.
Hitoshi, for all he was proud and strong and a fierce warrior, hated thunderstorms.
When I was younger and a storm would start up, Hitoshi would be the one flinching at every lightning strike and every crack of thunder. He was always so defensive about it, denying it contemptuously, saying that it was just because his ears were so sensitive. But then, the sky would light up again and I'd see the panicked flare of his pupils.
We'd cuddle like kittens under a duvet too small for the both of us.
Even if he was asleep, maybe I should go to him, anyway. I mean, what if he woke up during it?
Glancing over at the sky again, bruising lavenders and purples as the sun dipped low, I turned around in the street, one foot swinging from an aborted step forward.
Ichiraku's for dinner and then Hospital, it was.
And, that night, the sky howled.
Heavy winds shook the trees and the Village was drenched from the downpour within a minute of the clouds breaking. Lightning flashed a scarce minute before thunder broke, the heart of the storm almost directly overhead, and lit up Hitoshi's room in sharp cracks of light. And so it continued until the early morning.
Despite the Hospital's policy on visiting hours, I stayed the entire night.
The next morning, I felt drained, like I had a bad cold coming on, and was just about ready to call out the window "NOT TODAY", for any and everyone to here.
The nurse who came in to check 'Toshi's vitals took one look at my huddled figure, curled up in my usual chair like a very angry and purposeful hobo, and rolled her eyes. I stuck my tongue out behind her back.
Teenagers! Think they know everything!
Okay, so I was being a brat. I was allowed to be.
Luckily, the bathroom was just a few corridors away and I took the opportunity to freshen up, washing my face and straightening yesterday's clothes. In the unflattering white lights, I looked like I was a patient here. My hair was a rats nest, unbrushed and tangled from two days neglect, so I just decided to screw it and threw it up in a ballerina bun. My simple blue yukata was a bit rumpled and my face was peaky.
Wow. I definitely looked fit for an important audience with the Sandaime.
Leaving the toilet, I made my way back to Hitoshi's room, grabbing my coat off the back of my chair and smoothing my hand through his inky fur a final time.
"Here's hoping I'll be back soon, 'Toshi," I mumbled into his fur, pressing one last kiss to his forehead before I leaned back. Hitoshi didn't move a muscle, only the almost-silent rasp of his breath, the slight movement of his chest and the beep of the machine letting me know he was still with me.
I sucked in a slow, calming breath and closed my eyes for a moment.
If I pretended really hard, I could imagine that everything was seconds away from fixing itself. Hitoshi would wake up and Danzo would hand himself over. Done. The end. Tobi would die in a ditch somewhere of very slow and terrible hypothermia…and then his corpse would spontaneously burst into flames, hurting him in the afterlife somehow, where Rin was painfully castrating him forever and ever!
My eyes opened and the machine continued to beep, Hitoshi's eyes stayed closed and I was due to meet Shisui in 5.
A cheap street vendor just outside the hospital provided me with a matching shitty breakfast ( weird-looking pork buns) but I was so hungry I scarfed them down anyway.
Shisui, meeting me at the end of the street and looking annoyingly fresh-as-a-daisy, took one look at me and blanched.
His arms opened quickly and he pulled me into a hug, ignoring how I grumbled angrily and stabbed his ribs with my fingers. "Good morning!" he beamed as if he could force the bad mood away. As if he wasn't shaking inside as well. "Ready? Remember what Mikoto said? I'll talk the most, then, hopefully, you won't look as involved and get into trouble." We garnered some weird looks from the passers-by, but most people waved the spectacle off. Shisui and I were just a bit notorious, especially when spotted together.
He then took advantage of the strong grip he had on my, slightly-shorter, body and Shunshined us inside the tower. Grrr, he does that on purpose!
"Gahk-!" I yelped, shoving myself back with a pout (scowl! It was a scowl), swatting at the older boy as he started apologising, the mischievious smile tugging on his lips giving the game away. "Don't do that so suddenly! You know how much it makes me feel sick!"
An almost-silent laugh behind us reminded me we weren't alone and I spun around with an embarrassed blush. The kunoichi leaning against the wall was tall, a lovely ebony-haired woman with ruby eyes and a secretive smile.
Kurenai!
"Sorry!" I smiled sheepishly, "We didn't mean to disturb you-"
The genjutsu mistress smiled politely, although it became slightly forced when she caught sight of Shisui's Uchiha fan. "Yuuhi Kurenai."
"Dazai Kiharu!"
"Kiharu, come one! Sorry, Yuuhi-san, but we have an appointment to keep!" Shisui's hand latched onto my arm and, grinning sheepishly at the older woman, dragged me to the stairs. Barely managing to wave behind me at Team 8's Future sensei, I thundered up the stairs after the older boy.
Sometimes, I think Shisui forgot that one, I couldn't run like he could, and two, I wasn't trained to move silently like shinobi were. Meaning? I sounded like a hippo coming up behind him.
So embarrassing in a building filled with ninja.
"Good morning, Tanaka-san! We need to see Hokage-sama as soon as possible, please." Shisui smoothly cruised up to the secretary's desk, looking unruffled and cheerful.
And I? I was stood a few feet back, hands on knees and wheezing like a 60-year-old obese man forced to run a mile. My face was scarlet and I felt sticky. Dammit, Shisui! I couldn't fricking sprint up eight flights of stairs with such ease, like it was a peaceful summer's stroll!
"Oh, Uchiha-san…Hokage-sama is in-between meetings at this time, so you'll only have to wait a few minutes," She cast a slightly dubious glance at my suffering form, "Please feel free to take a seat whilst you wait."
Gulping a breath, I collapsed into the nearest chair and Shisui leaned against the wall next to me. "Why…do you do…this to me?"
"Exercise is good for you Kiharu-chan-"
Evidently, my expression was a sufficient deterrent against continuing that sentence. We waited in silence for a few more minutes.
At this time, my breathing had finally returned to normal and the flush faded from my skin. The nerves, now I was no longer distracted (Shisui probably did this for that exact reason…brat), returned full-force and my fingers were shaking as I twiddled them.
Meeting the council for the Market stall was nothing to this.
I mean, I knew I wasn't going to die or anything if the meeting had gone wrong, at least. Here? I wasn't so sure. I'd been desperately lucky, for the most part, in my life here so far. Almost disturbingly so. And, whilst this might continue through this meeting, would this be the day fortune failed me?
"Hokage-sama will see you now."
…..
Pressed into a corner, the bed gave the illusion of safety.
Breathe, Kiharu, breathe.
My knees were crushed against my ribs, forced into such an awkward position I could almost hear my joints creak in protest. My feet, freezing cold despite my boots, were pressed against the wall and my head was ducked into my chest. The dust, sparse but still there, made my eyes itch and I swallowed painfully around my rapid breaths.
I had seconds-
Let's rewind an hour.
"Hokage-sama will see you now."
Tanaka-san looked up from her desk, gesturing for us to move into Sarutobi' s office and I stood up with an audible gulp. Shisui looked unruffled, face serious but no outward signs of stress visible (at least to my untrained eye) and calmly walked to the large doors, opening one and going in first.
Sarutobi was sat behind the desk, looking for all the world as if he hadn't moved since that night Hitoshi was hospitalised.
"Shisui-kun…and Kiharu-chan," his gravelling voice greeted us, only the quirk of his brow hinting his curiosity as to what could bring the two of us here, together.
"We have something to talk to you about, Hokage-sama," Shisui started, kneeling like he was giving a report. I bowed respectfully but then paused. Was I supposed to kneel too? Well...I wasn't a shinobi…I straightened up. "Are we alone?"
Old and shrewd eyes narrowed minutely and, then, the walls briefly washed a faint yellow light. Security seals of some kind?
"Our privacy is guaranteed." I wondered if that included ANBU and any ROOT plants. I could only pray.
"Mikoto-sama has sent us here to inform you that she is personally handling internal issues inside the Uchiha Clan. And I have come, with information from Kiharu-chan, to report an issue we may face outside of the village."
"Go on, Shisui-kun."
"A Sharingan, in the hands of a hostile shinobi."
A heavy presence materialised and weighed down on my shoulders, forcing me to my knees with a choked gasp. W-was that fucking Killing Intent?! Shisui didn't even twitch…either he is stronger than that or…that was barely anything-
The impossible press disappeared and I choked on my breath, slowly rising to my feet, and Hiruzen sighed, looking out of his window. Had that been just a simple reflex or intentional?
If it was as if I hadn't almost swallowed my own heart at the twinge of KI.
"You are certain?"
"Hai." Shisui didn't even blink.
"And your evidence?"
I swallowed hard, loud in the silent room and the Sandaime slowly turned to look at me.
Shit, shit, shit, okay.
"I…Shisui and I were in Hitoshi's room and talking about what happened again, trying to think of who it could have been. Shisui, he activated his Sharingan to look at Hitoshi's medical record and I-I remembered! Hitoshi said, just before Naru-chan arrived, that the man had "eyes so red" but-"
Sarutobi' s own eyes narrowed.
"-but I didn't really think anything of it! Naruto was already making noise in the bushes and I was distracted and…well, how many people in the world have red eyes? It wasn't until Shisui's Sharingan reminded me and I told him, that he figured out that the ghost-like ability and the red eyes must be connected."
My babbling thankfully seemed to convince the old shinobi that I was genuine. He started setting up his pipe, puffing on it slowly in thought.
"…the Mangekyou, Shisui. You are reporting a Mangekyou outside of the village, not inside?"
Shisui opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off before he had the chance.
"Please, Sandaime-sama – Hitoshi and I have been visiting the Compound for years and, because Hitoshi was searching for intruders, he obviously didn't recognise the person. Also, as they attacked Hitoshi, who is a well-known summon throughout the village, they were evidently up to something. So, it cannot have been any current members of the Clan. Any Uchiha outside of the village is an enemy of Konoha and, therefore, not the fault of the Clan."
The clock ticked above the door and Sarutobi said nothing.
I licked my lip, the slightly wet sound loud in the still room, and Sarutobi said nothing.
A thousand different scenarios of ROOT agents falling from the ceiling flashed through my head and Sarutobi said nothing.
"You were afraid for the Uchiha, Kiharu-chan, and it was you who placed the pieces of this mystery together."
Shisui twitched, faintly but it was all but a confession. My eyes closed in defeat.
God of Shinobi, indeed.
And yet, I said nothing.
There was nothing to say. What could I possibly say? I don't trust you, your Council, your old teammates, anybody. I don't trust in your decisions and your judgement.
"Mikoto-sama tells me that she is taking the Clan into hand and that she considers this issue as part of Clan business, except for the possible theft of the Sharingan dojutsu by an unknown aggressor…"
Dark eyes turned, from where they had been boring like a drill into my forehead, to the kneeling Jonin to my left.
He smiled kindly in my direction. like he was genuinely pleased that I had come to confide in him, and one wrinkled hand smoothly gestured towards the door.
I wasn't fooled for an instant, feeling the 'noose' loosen and slip from my neck.
"Thank you for your input, Kiharu-chan. Shisui-kun and I have something further to discuss, but please feel free to go about the rest of your day."
Swallowing hard, I glanced over at Shisui'd still-kneeling form and his eyes flickered across to meet mine for an instant, onyx warm and relieved.
I wasn't feeling quite so optimistic.
I left the tower in a dream-state, barely even noticing all the stairs this time. The village was busy, bustling with life and filled with noise and colour, but I manoeuvred my way through the rush without thought.
I was outside of Hitoshi's room before my mind returned to me.
He…he let me go. He let me live.
"Hitoshi…" I breathed, entering the hospital room and already peeling off my coat and moving to sling it across the chair. "It's done now, cat. We've done all we can…"
Something was off, I noticed immediately, like a sixth sense twinging in the back of my head. Walking further inside, I closed the door behind me and cast my eyes around the room.
Something touched my boot…a tube?
"Toshi-"
Scrambling over to the bed, I frantically reached for his pulse with shaking hands, feeling my vision go slightly grey at the edges until I found the strong pulse thrumming away. But, then, wha-
Green eyes cracked open.
– DUCK –
Something flew over my head, but I didn't waste any time looking for what it was, ignoring the painful red line that burned like a firebrand across my throat.
That should have slit me open-
Throwing myself forward, I hit the bed with all my weight, sending it crashing over and the alarms wailing, spilling Hitoshi and me out onto the floor.
Pressed into a corner, the overturned bed gave the illusion of safety.
Breathe, Kiharu, breathe.
My knees were crushed against my ribs, forced into such an awkward position I could almost hear my joints creak in protest. My feet, freezing cold despite my boots, were pressed against the wall and my head was ducked into my chest. The dust, sparse but still there, made my eyes itch and I swallowed painfully around my rapid breaths.
I had seconds-
Shouting and running feet in the hallway, a chilling white mask in the corner of the room-
My fingers flashed through the signs, smooth with adrenaline and the frantic need to survive, and we were gone.
There was green everywhere, like some ancient rainforest.
The sky was a canopy of endless jade treetops, a celebration of colour and teeming with life. The earth beneath us was springy and warm, the soil a rich brown, and the air was humid as a sauna.
But I was distracted for only a moment-
"Toshi-"
Warm emerald eyes cracked open, exhausted but very much awake, and glinted back at me.
"..cub."
…
A/N- I had the chapter written out and ready by Friday but then some guest reviewers decided to tell me on AO3 and on here (mainly here) that I was a "Shitty writer" who should "go fucking die" and it really pissed me off. Constructive criticism, that's fine! I have no beta, I'm popping out chapters all by myself so I need a second pair of eyes to spot stuff. But flamers, especially people who think it's okay to just tell someone to die? That's appalling. I don't normally rant guys, you know this, but there is nothing worse than encouraging someone to kill themselves. I have author friends on here who struggle with things like that and what if a single comment like that is enough to push them over the line? DON'T DO IT. You don't like this fic? Just close the tab. You should Never, Ever tell someone they deserve to die. *frustrated sigh* Okay, I'm done.
I'm really sorry to everyone else who's been very supportive and loving and to those innocent readers who just came here for a story. I've deleted the comments, you guys didn't deserve to stumble across filth like that. Please enjoy this fricking-ass angsty chapter and I hope you have a nice week.
P.S- Happy 2-month anniversary of this fic, as of tomorrow! X