Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pre-Series

It was humid and sunny, something that while wasn’t uncommon for the Land of Fire, was unusually early, as it was only the early beginnings of spring instead of the smack dab middle of summer. Winter had only just ended a few weeks before and as she sat on the floor, in her eldest brothers bedroom, propped up against his bed, reading one of the many books he had on genjutsu— the ones he put on the highest self of his bookcase in what he liked to believe was out of hers and Sasuke’s reach —the Uchiha Clanheads youngest, five year old Uchiha Toshiko, couldn’t help but shift as sweat ran from the nape of her neck down her back.

The purple bear Shisui— her brothers best friend and pseudo-eldest brother which how he practically lived with Toshiko and her family —had brought home for her from his last mission sat next to her, leaning up against her side, as she read each line slowly, over and over, absorbing each and every instruction written before her. 

In several years time when she had her sharingan— because she would have it; it was expected of any Uchiha who donned the Leaf village headband —Toshiko knew she would be able to zoom through any book, absorbing all the information as easily as she breathed; but that was years away. So, she did as Shisui had taught her. When she was done with the page she was on for a second time she read it a third to make sure she understood what was written before her, fully understanding it as she took it. Only then was she allowed to turn the page. 

Whereas Sasuke, Toshiko’s older brother, the middle child between Uchiha’s Toshiko and Itachi was always so obsessed with learning some form of bukijutsu whether it be another shuriken-jutsu or another archery trick, Toshiko— at only five —was enthralled with ninjutsu and everything that fell under it. 

They both were determined though to be just as good as Itachi and Shisui; it was why, while she was squirreled away in her brother's room, reading and studying, Sasuke, in spite of the sweltering heat, was training away in one of the many training grounds that littered the Hidden Leaf village.

“Toshiko-chan?” The young girl heard her mother call out mid-page, “Toshi!” She snapped the book shut, not marking the page she was on as her eyes widened. 

While technically Toshiko wasn’t supposed to be touching either of her brother's things, she knew her mother would get upset— which was just a polite way of saying, Toshiko knew her mother would get mad if she was found out in her eldest brother's room —and no one ever wanted to see Uchiha Mikoto upset.

Itachi, though eleven, wasn’t a kid. He was an elite jounin of the Hidden Leaf village. He was to be the next Clan Head; he was the clan's shining star.

Which was why, before her mother could call out her name a third time— and probably final time, because even if Toshiko did respond to that call, her mother would come looking for her is she wasn’t in front of her —Toshiko threw the book under her brother's bed and grabbed her bear, Junko.

She would put the book back before her brother came home because Toshiko knew that if Itachi found out that she and Sasuke could reach them then he would start hiding the books on them and if she ruined this for her and Sasuke, Sasuke would start hiding her shoes on her again so that she wouldn’t be able to bother him, just because she was bored. 

“I’m coming mama!” Toshiko shouted as she ran down the hall of her family’s second floor, past Sasuke’s room and her fathers office, and down the stairs to where she found her mother waiting. 

Mikoto had her arms crossed over her chest and apron; her lips were pressed together suspiciously. Toshiko squeezed Junko against her front and blinked up at her mother as innocently as she could. 

It was a look that always seemed to work on her father and Itachi whenever they caught her doing something she wasn’t supposed to, which was probably a lot more than any of them would ever admit to Mikoto. 

“Yes mama?”

“Where were you just now?” Uchiha Mikoto asked. Blood rushed to Toshiko’s cheeks. 

“I was reading,” Toshiko stated, not at all answering her mother’s question on where she was.

“I assumed so,” Mikoto said, her arms moved and her hands were on her hips, “But where were you reading?” 

Toshiko wasn’t sure if the sweat that rolled down her back was because of her nerves or the heat or if the sweat slipping down the back of her shirt was from a combination of both. 

Lying was bad, or at least that was what Toshiko had been taught. Ninja’s lied for a living but when you were home and off the clock, nothing but the truth was expected. Which was why Toshiko didn’t answer her mother and instead tried to smile up at the clan's matriarch the same way she had seen Shisui do whenever he wanted to avoid one of her mothers probing questions about a mission he’d been on. 

Afterall, it always worked for him; and seemingly so— because all her mothers eyes did was narrow as she let out a sigh —it worked for her. Her mother ran a hand through her hair as her shoulder bent forward; “Come on.”

Toshiko followed her mother into the kitchen where she handed the young girl a bento box.

“Itachi forgot his bento this morning and your father ended up taking the one I made for your brother. Now it's almost lunch down at the station and while I would go down there myself the elders have called some kind of meeting which your father can't attend because he's working—" Toshiko watched her mother's eyes irritatedly roll as they so often did whenever the elders were brought up, "—So I need you to bring this to your father and your brothers bento to the mission’s office at the main building.”

“All alone?” Toshiko asked, to which her grimacing mother nodded. “Really!” 

Toshiko beamed; she never got to run errands like her brothers, she was always accompanied by one person or another, whether it be Shisui or Izumi or someone else from her clan, she was always with someone. And while it wasn’t like Toshiko hated people— she loved people and loved making friends —excitement bloomed in her chest at the prospect of the errand being given to her.

“Yes. To the precinct and then right to the mission desk, I mean it Toshiko, no wandering off,” Mikoto instructed. “Your father, the mission desk and then right home," she listed off on her fingers. "Am I understood?”

“One hundred-thousand percent mama!” Toshiko rocked forward on the balls of her feet. There was no way she would blow this, not when it meant— if she did blow it —no one would trust alone until the academy and that was over two and half years away. Closer to three than two; practically an eternity. "I'll give Papa his bento and then Tachi-nii-san his at the mission desk and then I'll come right home! I promise!"

"That's my sweet girl," Mikoto hummed, brushing the pads of her fingers through Toshiko's hair. Like her brothers Toshiko took more after her mother than her father, though she did have her father's nose and his mother's eyes.

Toshiko handed her mother Junko in exchange for the beautifully made bento before she spun on the balls of her feet and took off towards the front door of her family home.

Toshiko's heart fluttered excitedly in her chest as she set down the bent so that she could slip her sandals onto her feet.

After what had nearly happened to the Hyuga heiress six years ago, and what would have happened to her shortly after her first birthday had Shisui not been around to catch the rogue-ninja’s in the act, neither of Toshiko's parents had ever let her roam about the village without some kind of escort and while Toshiko knew she wouldn't be roaming— but rather carrying out a task; completing a mission —the young girl, as she stepped outside of her family's home, couldn't help but feel far more invigorated than ever before.

If her mother could trust her to bring her father his lunch, and then Itachi his, Toshiko was sure that had to mean her mother saw her as a big, capable girl and not the baby of the family any longer.

"Hime!" Toshiko, who'd only managed to get several feet from her home, spun. She saw Uchiha Yuki; both Uchiha’s Yuki, and her husband Lee owned the bakery that lay within the confines of the Uchiha district. There was no other place— In the world, Toshiko would boldly state —that served better melonpan.  

"Yuki-san!" Toshiko beamed, "Hi!"

"Hello Toshi-chan, what are you doing out here all alone?" Yuki looked somewhat like Toshiko's mother, enough at least that when she raised her brow and crossed her arms over her chest Toshiko could practically see her mother peering down at her.

"I'm taking this bento to Papa! Mama has important work to do so she said I can do this!"

"All by yourself?" Toshiko, with a vigorous nod, hummed.

“That’s right!” Uchiha Yuki’s brow fell and her face softened. “Mama trusts me to bring this to papa!”

“As she should, my sweet girl,” Uchiha Yuki said with a nod. The older woman fixed the basket on her hip so that she could pinch at Toshiko’s cheek and though the action somewhat hurt Toshiko didn’t flinch. Not because ninja’s showed no emotion— but also because of that —but because it would have been rude and if there was one thing Uchiha Fugaku drilled into his children, it was manners. They were after all, the Clan Leaders children, the face of the clan’s future. 

Uchiha Yuki patted Toshiko’s cheek when she was done manhandling it, leaving Toshiko to close her eyes and smile up at the older woman.

“I have to go,” Toshiko said, “Mama said it was almost lunch time at the station and I have to get papa his bento as quickly as I can.”

“Oh, of course,” Uchiha Yuki nodded. Her pink lips pressed together and her chest swelled with a deep breath, “Be safe.”

“I will!” Toshiko beamed.

“And tell your father I said hello.”

“I’ll do that too!” Toshiko smiled wider at the baker's wife before— after bowing her head in goodbye —taking off, towards the center of the Uchiha district where Toshiko knew the Konohagakure Military Police station stood. 

The Police Station wasn’t as old as the village; the Uchiha’s, though one of the village's two founding clans, hadn’t even been in charge of the police at the village's conception. There had been no police force when the village had been founded; back then the villagers worked on policing themselves. But after the death of the first Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the second Hokage— the Nidaime Hokage; Hahirama’s younger brother, Tobirama —formed the Konohagakure Military Police Force and to show how much he trusted the Uchiha he bestowed the clan full judicial control of the villages police force. 

That was why only Uchiha’s ever became Police; and why it was only ever the Uchiha’s Clans’ Head ever that ever became Chief of Police and though Toshiko was the youngest of her siblings— meaning she would never inherit like her brothers; like Itachi —she still wanted to be just like her father. Perhaps not Clan Leader— she could never imagine being Leader of the Uchiha; she could only ever imagine Itachi doing that, leading them all into the future —but, Police Chief. 

Her father said that protecting the clan and the people was his duty.  He had said he was proud to do so; that his work filled him with a sense of pride she would only ever understand once she was granted the rank of chunin and became an officer herself.

Toshiko couldn’t wait. If it were up to her she would enter the academy early, fly through the coursework and after swiftly becoming a genin, become a chunin before anyone knew it.

But it wasn’t; entering the academy came at a parents discretion and though Toshiko knew both her parents wanted strong shinobi for children neither of them pushed for either her or Sasuke to enter early. Which didn't make sense to either herself or her brother, Itachi had gone two years early; their father had pushed their older brother to take the entrance exams at six instead of eight. But Toshiko swallowed their fathers decisions a lot easier than Sasuke had. 

Whereas Sasuke was petulant and somewhat resentful— so focused on just how far he was falling  behind Itachi —Toshiko wasn’t. She knew her brother was the best and that there was no beating him so instead she focused on studying and getting better for when she could enter the academy. 

Shisui had explained it to her the year before after the first time she’d been told no to entering early; since she had all these extra years before entering she could study and get better then either he or Itachi were at her age, and by doing that, the chance of her graduating early— like he and Itachi had done; in under a year —became greater.

“Hime!” Was called out and Toshiko’s heels clicked together as she straightened. Her head swiveled to the side and Toshiko saw two of her fathers men, the police vests clean and the Uchiha clan's crest proudly on display.

“Yashiro-san! Inabi-san!” Toshiko beamed. “Hi!” 

Both Uchiha’s Inabi and Yashiro, along with Uchiha Tekka were three of her fathers closest confidants; never far from his side and always ready to jump at a moment's notice. Her father would call them proud. They were proud to be Uchiha’s. Proud to be officers. 

“Hello Hime,” Yashiro smiled. He was a half-blood; his mother had been from outside of the clan. It was why  unlike almost any other clan member, Yashiro had blonde hair. 

“Hi sirs!” Toshiko gave a shallow bow, her grip tight on the bento.

“Hello little one,” Inabi said, “What are you doing here all by yourself?” Inabi asked. He smiled kindly at Toshiko as he knelt down so that he was eye level with her. 

He and Tekka, unlike Yashiro, were full blooded Uchiha; if Toshiko could remember properly— and she could, both her and her brothers as part of the Main family had been made to memorize the clans bloodline all the way up Uchiha Madara’s father, Uchiha Tajaime —Inabi was her fathers fourth cousin while Tekka was his second. 

“Mama has a meeting so I’m to bring Papa his bento.”

“Oh?” Yashiro chuckled, he bent at the waist. “Then what are you doing out here?”

Toshiko felt the apples of her cheeks burn. “Thinking,” she said, “I wanna be an officer.”

“Not a wife? Don’t you want to be like your mother?” Yashiro asked, “She stays home and keeps house.” 

Toshiko’s gut twisted; Yashiro was a half-blood Uchiha. Toshiko’s studies of the clan's bloodline hadn’t included who his mother had been but in that moment he couldn’t look any more like an Uchiha. Even with his blond hair and gray eyes. He looked like Sasuke; whenever Toshiko’s brother was sure he had won something and got that same smug look in his eyes.

It was the Sasuke-esque look that immediately came to the forefront of Toshiko’s mind and  why she stood a step forward, loudly proclaiming,  “No!”

“I want to be like Papa!” She adds swiftly. 

Her father was the pinnacle of the Uchiha clan, in Toshiko’s mind there was no one— not her brothers, not her mother nor even her cousin Shisui —who was greater than he was.

“And you will be,” Inabi said, he threw a sharp look over his shoulder at Yashiro, one Toshiko watched mollify the older man. Inabi pat Toshiko’s head before— in one foul motion, and without any warning —sweeping her up into his arms.

Toshiko wobbled in his arms as her soul focus was the bento in her hands, she made sure Inabi knew that as they headed towards the precinct. “Inabi-san be careful please! I can’t drop Papa’s lunch!”

“Don’t worry Hime, I’d  never endanger the Chief's lunch, I know how he gets when he’s hungry.” 

“He’s not as bad as nii-san,” Toshiko said defensively. 

Out of her siblings she looked the most like her father— she had his mothers eyes and his nose —but Sasuke was the one who acted the most like him. Especially when he was hungry; whenever one of them got hungry they also got grumpy which was never a good combination as Sasuke was prone to lashing out— Itachi and their mother were always quick to break up any fights between herself and him least their father see —and her father was likely to lock himself away in his office until food was ready to be eaten as he didn’t want to snap and fight with any of them.

“Itachi-san?” Yashiro’s left brow raised as if he didn’t believe Toshiko. He moved in front of Inabi and Toshiko so that he could push open the precincts door.

“Sasu-nii,” Toshiko shook her head. Toshiko could hear her fathers raised voice.

“What the hell were you thinking Tekka! Never in—” Toshiko’s eyes widened.

“—Papa said a swear!—”

“—All my years have I ever—”

“—Chief!” Inabi shouted loudly across the station house. Uchiha Fugkaku’s head whipped around— away from Tekka and to Inabi —his nose was flared and his sharingan activated. Inabi held Toshiko out in front of him like a shield.  For as terrifying as Uchiha Fugaku looked— “Look who I found outside!” Inabi said —he also, in Toshiko's opinion, looked cool. He looked like the kind of shinobi she was read stories about at bed; strong, powerful, noble. 

“Papa!” Toshiko cheered, her tiny legs kicked the air Inabi was holding her up in. Fugaku twitched; his back straightened almost with a snap and his shoulders which had been hunched whilst yelling at Uchiha Tekka were pushed back.

“Toshiko,” Her father said evenly, the crease between his brows deepened as he peered past her, Inabi and Yashiro, “Where’s your mother?”

“A meeting—” Fugaku motioned for Inabi to put her down. Once she was on the floor Toshiko didn’t hesitate in scampering up to her father, “—She said you took nii-sans lunch so she gave me a mission to come get it!”

“Is that so?”

“Yessir!” Toshiko chirped, “I brought you yours!” 
Her fathers lips tipped upwards as he accepted the bento from her with a bow; a collective snicker that rang out around the room. 

Fugaku’s shoulders went up as his right brow twitched as he straightened his posture. It was the same brow that always twitched when she and Sasuke would fight and something had gone to far, causing him to end it. “Say thank you to officer Inabi for carrying you.”

“Okay Papa!” Toshiko spun on her heels, the hem of her dress hit her knees. 

“Tekka?”

“Thank you officer Inabi-san for carrying me! It was very nice. Thank you.”

“Yes Fugaku-sama?”  

Toshiko didn’t hear what her father said to Tekka as he had leaned over to whisper it into the man's ear, but as Inabi accepted her thanks with a chuckle, and Toshiko was left to see Uchiha Tekka’s face pale she could only imagine what her father had said to him. 

Or perhaps she couldn’t. For as terrifying as Toshiko had only just seen her father— for as stern of a man she knew him to be —she couldn’t picture him being scary. She couldn’t imagine him being mean; she knew her father struck fear into men's hearts, she’d heard the war stories at various dinners and from Itachi and Shisui, but she couldn’t connect that version of him to the man in front of her, at least, not in her mind.

No, in her mind Wicked Eye Fugaku was a very different person from her papa, Uchiha Fugaku. 

Uchiha Fugaku was her father, the man who would sneak her a sweet before dinner and another after, the one who would carry her on his shoulders after she showed him what she had learned from a book she wasn’t supposed to have been reading. He was her papa, her favorite person in the whole entirety of the world.

With the bento in one hand Fugaku flattened his vest out with the other before he held it out to Toshiko. Tekka carefully rushed past her— careful to avoid her and not to knock her over —and grabbed both Inabi and Yashiro by their arms, dragging the two half grumbling, half snickering men, back outside.

Toshiko took her fathers hand but dug her heels into the linoleum flooring before either of them could take a step towards his office. “I can’t stay, papa, mama said to get nii-san’s benito from you because you took it and to bring it to the mission desk for him. It’s my mission.”

“Oh?” He breathed, Toshiko nodded very seriously. 

“It’s my duty. I can’t fail!” Not if she wanted to be just like him one day. 

Her fathers face softened as Uchiha Daki, an investigator Toshiko had heard her father praise more than once— and who usually had candy hidden in his desk for her and her brothers —snickered loudly into the palm of his hand. Fugaku shut his eyes. 

“That is very noble of you.” Toshiko’s head cocked to the side, confused; she hadn’t needed to voice that before her father clarified. “I’m proud of your conviction.”

Toshiko beamed, her heart fluttered in her chest and she wiggled happily where she stood, unable to contain herself. Daki’s forehead hit his desk; Toshiko and Fugkau’s heads snapped in his direction and before she could ask if the older Uchiha was okay, Fugaku— with a hand on her back —was leading Toshiko to his office as, “That’s where I have your brothers lunch.”

“Okay papa! Hey papa?” 

“Yes, Toshi-chan?” Fugaku asked as he led her into the familiar office. Awards and bandages and weapons cluttered the walls; pictures though— of the family —didn’t. One singular picture— the family portrait both of Toshiko’s parents got updated every year —sat in the corner of Uchiha Fugkau’s desk. Shisui was in the one on the desk. He had been the last several; ever since he had saved Toshiko from an almost kidnapping sometime after her first birthday he had stopped being just the future Clanheads best friend and instead become part of the main Uchiha branch's family. 

“Do you think that if I deliver nii-san’s lunch to the mission desk quick enough I can come back and eat with you?” Toshiko asked sweetly, blinking up at her father with an innocent look and kind smile Toshiko watched as her father actively bite back a smile whilst he looked up at the ceiling of his office. He looked over his shoulder before placing the bento onto his desk and picking up the one that was already there. 

“I don’t see why not. But—” Toshiko’s father said to her as she  accepted her brother's bento from him, “Only if you’re quick about your mission.” Her father smirked, “That means no trouble, just the mission desk then back here.”

“You got it papa!” Fugaku let out a chuckle as Toshiko rocked forward on the balls of her feet and then backwards onto her heels. 

“You remember where the mission desk is, right?” Toshiko’s father asked her with his arms crossed over his chest and his hip against his desk.

“Yessir!” She’d hadn’t been there more than once but just like the clans ancestral lines and history and their kata’s Toshiko’s parents had made sure she and her brothers knew not just the entrances and exits for the villages tunnel system— should anything happen, such as an attack on the village, and Toshiko or her brothers found themselves alone their parents had wanted them to make sure how to get to safety as quickly as possible —but where all the important village landmarks laid in case there was some kind of emergency and they, for some reason, couldn’t find Mikoto and Fugaku at the station or Naika shrine.

“That’s my girl,” Toshiko’s father said swiping his palm across the top of her head, “Now Remember,” Fugaku added as he moved to go around his desk, “That while you're outside of the district you represent not just this family but the entirety of the Uchiha clan. This means you walk with your chin up and with pride in every step. Remember your manners and Toshiko?”

“Yes papa?” Her father gripped at her chin once more so that he could look her in the eyes.

“Be good.”

“I’ll be just like you papa!” Toshiko swore with her brother's bento between her hands. “I’ll be better than good, I swear!” 

And without waiting for her fathers reply— which was a simple throaty chuckle as he sat down in his chair behind his desk —Toshiko took off. Out of the Konoha Military Police Station and with a skip in her steps down the streets only to pause at the gates of the Uchiha district because for as excited about the mission she was, and for all she knew about the village— where certain buildings lay and where tunnels laid —she had never actually been outside the district. 

At least, not on her own. 

But ninja’s— good strong shinobi; Uchiha’s worthy of their crest —didn’t give into fear. A good shinobi looked fear in the face and laughed. And Toshiko, she had just promised her father not only to be quick about the mission her mother had given her but to be good. 

To represent the clan in a way it should be represented and allowing fear to stop her— to impede her mission —wasn’t something a good Uchiha would let happen.

So sucking in a deep breath of air Toshiko jolted forward, pushing herself past the gates of the Uchiha district and towards the faces in the mountain side, where at the base of the carvings of the past and current village Kage’s laid the mission desk. 

Toshiko walked down the dirt road that led from the Uchiha district; Toshiko paused in front of an old clan house. It'd been long forgotten about and half of the roof had caved in onto the home's second floor. ivy grew along the high gate surrounding the house.

Toshiko marveled at the house for a moment. It was beautiful in an almost ethereal sort of way that almost made Toshiko sad.

Toshiko wasn't sure which clan had once lived in the grandiose house. The chipped ocean blue paint of the home wasn't associated with any clan Toshiko could think of; the Uchiha often wore a dark, almost black sort of blue and they were the only clan in the village that used any sort of blue, and aside from the carved Konohagakure symbol that poked out from the ivy growing on the homes gate there were no other symbols.

No Uchiwa fans or Vajra-like symbols; just the Konohagakure swirl. 

Toshiko blinked at the gates of the house and turned; the home felt familiar. She felt as if she walked under the ivy and past the gate she would be able to navigate the halls of the home with her eyes closed just as she could at her own house.

The farther she walked from the home— the closer to the bustling village —the lighter the back of her head felt and the further she walked into the village's center the quicker she forgot about the ivy covered home; Toshiko marveled at everything around her.

She'd been into the village before,  but only ever with someone and only ever when running an errand which never left any time for Toshiko to gape at the bakery windows or the sweet shop displays like she could on her own.

"Fat-so!" A boy's voice called out. "This is why we don't want you on our team, you suck and we lose!" 

"Yeah!" Two more boys' voices chorused. 

Toshiko was at the mouth of a long alleyway that was sandwiched between a dim sum spot and the fabric store her mother would shop from at times; she saw four boys crowded together at the other end of the alleyway.

"I'm sorry!" A fourth boy— the one being yelled at —cried back; he was a tall, heavy set boy with wild auburn hair and whirlpool-like markings on his cheeks. "I didn't mean to make us lose!"

"You mean you!" The first boy snapped, he had dark hair and gray eyes, "Cause there is no us fat-so!" The heavy boy sniffled at the mean name.

Toshiko watched as the three boys moved to enclose the fourth against the furthest alleyway wall. She thought of how her father had told her to be good, how, ever since she was little he told her being part of the Military Police Force meant helping people and how the heavy set boy's face looked absolutely crushed.

Toshiko knew her father would never let an injustice stand, especially not when it was happening right in front of him even if, like her, he already had a mission at hand. Because that was the kind of man he was; good and just and honorable. So she did what he— what any Uchiha worth their crest —would do.

Toshiko set her brother's bento on top of one of the overturned boxes at the mouth of the alleyway, took a deep breath and raised her fists the same way her brother and cousin had shown her.

"Hey!" Toshiko called out, the three boys half turned to look at her over their shoulders, "Leave him alone!" 

"What?" The first boy— the group's ring leader —had asked in response.

"I said," Toshiko taking two steps into the alleyway, "Leave him alone! You're being jerks!"

The dark haired boy's face twisted at Toshiko's declaration. "Go away! This isn't any of your business!" 

But it was. It was the Niadame who had entrusted the Uchiha with the village's safety when he had given her clan governance over the villages police force and Toshiko wasn't just a Uchiha, she was the Clan Heads daughter, one of the faces of the Uchiha.

"Yes it is!" Toshiko snapped back, she felt her lungs swell as she shifted her weight and planted her feet more firmly in the ground. "He is under my protection! Now I'm serious, leave him alone or else!"

The dark haired boy turned fully; his friends pivoted half way as well and the heavyweight boy gaped at Toshiko, mouth opened.

"Or else what?" The boy snapped, "You're a baby!" 

Toshiko's cheeked, red hot, puffed out. She was not a baby! She was nearly six!

Toshiko clasped her hands together; ram-serpent-tiger.

A clone image of herself— not a solid shadow clone like Itachi or Shisui could make —appeared next to her. It had taken her weeks to get the jutsu down and unlike Itachi, who by her age could produce solid shadow clones of himself, Toshiko was still weeks off of being able to do that. But none of the boys in front of her knew that.

They reacted as if she had created a solid shadow clone of herself; the dark haired boy took half a step back before forcing his left foot forward.

"Okay so what, you can create a clone! So what, that just means there's three babies now instead of two!" Toshiko felt her lips pursed together.

She wasn't good at fighting; at least not the way  her brother's and Shisui were but she couldn't just walk away. Uchiha's didn't just walk away.

 So Toshiko sucked in a deep breath and raised her hands in front of her the way she had been shown. Her image reflection of herself copied her movement and the dark haired boy ran at her. 

Her image went right while Toshiko's back foot swept left and she dodged the boy's fist, batting it away with her hand. The boy spun.

"Don't dodge me, coward!" The boy spat. Toshiko's eyes narrowed; she was an Uchiha and Uchiha's were not cowards. She raised her hands in front of herself again and this time when the boy went to hit Toshiko, the smaller girl let her foot come up and the point of her sandal hit him in the shin.

The boy's leg popped up as he howled in pain. Toshiko sucked in a deep breath as the boy held onto his ankle so that he could stand on his other foot.

“That’s it!” The boy declared, “I’m done messing around.” Instead of swinging at her though the boy lunged. Toshiko’s eyes went wide, unsure of how to block his upcoming hit without dodging and besmirching the Uchiha name, only for the dark haired boy to freeze.

Panic quickly overtook the boy's face. “What? What’s happening!”

“I am,” a low sounding voice said from the mouth of the alleyway. It was another dark haired boy; this one in a ponytail and his hands in front of him, in the sign of the rat. “I have you trapped in my shadow possession jutsu.” The boy didn’t move from the mouth of the alleyway and Toshiko watched as the shadow that connected her hero to the boy who’d tried to hit her began to resemble waves.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to hit a girl? It's not manly.” The first dark haired boy’s lip quivered, he looked at Toshiko and then his friends. 

“Get them and help me!” He instructed and like dominoes that had been knocked over, the two other boys seemed to fall over each other as they rushed forward. One of the boys was quick to grab Toshiko by the scruff of her neck while the second dark haired boy was forced to break his shadow possession jutsu in order to avoid the flying punch that had come his way. 

The heavyset boy who’d originally been being picked on ran forward to intercept the dark haired boy who was set on teaching Toshiko a lesson. 

Toshiko’s bony elbow flew back and into the ribs of the boy who had grabbed her; he let out a wheeze before practically throwing Toshiko forward and causing her to fly head first into the side of the box that her brothers food had been set upon, knocking not just the food over, but her to the ground.

Though Toshiko felt her bottom lip quiver and her head throb she got back on her feet. The mirror image of herself had disappeared at some point during the scuffle and as Toshiko, with teary eyes, ran back at the boy to continue their fight both a seventh and eighth figure enraged at the alleyway. 

"What the hell is going on here?" A familiar voice questioned as Toshiko tackled the boy who had thrown her. Her knees dug into the ground.

"Hime?" Toshiko turned in surprise only to— when she caught sight of Uchiha's Tekka and Inabi —be bucked off and thrown to the ground. 

The boy Toshiko had started to brawl was quick to grab two handfuls of dirt to dump onto her face. 

"Hey!" Inabi snapped, "That is enough! Tek get the boys-you get off her!" 

Before Toshiko really knew what was happening Uchiha Inabi had her on her feet and was brushing dirt off her face.

"Hime," Inabi said softly, "Are you alright?" Toshiko nodded as Inabi brushed dirt from her hair. "Alright, that's good to hear. Now, what are you doing young lady? Fighting?" 

Inabi spoke sharply enough that Toshiko's eyes were cast downwards and the tears that had been building in the corners of her eyes began to spill over.

"I'm sorry Inabi-san, I just wanted to be like papa," Toshiko said wetly. Inabi gave Toshiko a look, using her to go on as he fished a handkerchief out of his pocket. "The boys—" Toshiko pointed the three out, "—Were bullying him—" Toshiko pointed at the largest of the boys, "—And Uchiha's protect the village, right? Papa says it-it's our duty. So I told them to stop!"

"And what, they fought you over that?" Inabi asked, he shot an icy glare over his shoulder at the boys, one that while was nowhere close to the kind of look Toshiko knew her father could give was scary enough to make every single one of the boys pale. 

Toshiko nodded; she then pointed at the boy with the ponytail. "He saved me Inabi-san. Or well, tried to." 

"Did he now?" Toshiko nodded solemnly and Inabi turned to Tekka who had pinned the boys up in front of him. "Ponytail and big kid, over here." 

Neither boy moved right away, Tekka had needed to tap them both on the shoulder but when they had gotten close Inabi smiled at them.

"I hear you two fought alongside our little Hime here." Both boys nodded; the one with the ponytail stuck his hands deep into his front pants pockets.

"You're a princess?" Toshiko felt the wet apples of her cheeks heat up. 

"Not really." It was just a title people called her; she was the only daughter of the main family. She didn't have any claim to power though, not like real princesses did. "My name is Uchiha Toshiko."

Both boys took in her differently; whereas the boy with the ponytail mouthed her name after she had said it, like he was trying it out the larger boys' brows knitted together like he was trying to figure something out.

"I'm Nara Shikamaru, this is my friend Akimichi Choji."

"Shikaku-sama and Chōza's boys?" Inabi's thin brows shot up at both boys' affirmative nods. He then looked at the splattered food before looking back to Toshiko, who, at the sight of her failed mission, began to once more look weepy. 

"You know, Toshiko's father is the head of our clan and the Chief of Police," Inabi said, "Tekka-san here should probably escort you all back to her house so the Chief can thank you both personally for helping out our Hime." 

The boy— Shikamaru's eyes narrowed —at Inabi. Like he was trying to see through the officer only to, a moment later, shrug. Inabi flashed them all a smile before he turned to Tekka.

"I'll take those three to the station with me."

"You're arresting us?" The dark haired boy who had originally tried to hit Toshiko cried. 

"No, you look far too young to be chargeable but your parents will all have to stop what they're doing to come pick you up from the station lest you sleep there for the night."

"Sleep in the police station?" The boy who had thrown dirt into Toshiko's face asked with wide eyes and a panic-stricken face. Inabi nodded.

"If you're too young to be arrested but you're still breaking the laws then you're much too young to be left without any supervision so unless your parents or guardian comes to collect you, you'll be sleeping in a cell until they do."

Toshiko watched the corners of Nara Shikamaru's mouth tip upwards at the sight of tears collecting in the boy's eyes.

Inabi passed Tekka and began to coral the other boys out of the alleyway while Tekka knelt down in the spot Inabi had been crouched in.

"I think you did a wonderful job Hime," Tekka said, "You saw someone in trouble and acted. Maybe we will make a Chief out of you yet."

Toshiko's chest swelled with pride. 

"Yeah?" Tekka ran his hand over the top of Toshiko's hair.

"Of course, now come on. I'm sure your mother will be done with the elders by the time we get you three home." 

Toshiko paused midstep as she thought of her mother with blazing eyes and no smile; the matriarch would be more than just upset when she found out that Itachi not didn't get his food but the food she had worked so hard on was just on some alleyways ground.

"What's wrong?" Choji— speaking for the first time since Nara Shikamaru had introduced him —asked.

"My  mama's gonna be so angry."

"Your mom’s a drag too?" 

"Scary,” Toshiko corrected.  Toshiko loved her mother and while she always preferred spending time with her father the time spent with Uchiha Mikoto wasn’t a drag as Toshiko always learned something new either it be gardening, sewing or the basic fundamentals of fuinjutsu that her mother had picked up from her time as an active shinobi. 

Nara Shikamaru made a noncommittal hum in agreement to Toshiko's whispered words. He let his elbow knock against Toshiko in a comforting way only two small children could ever really understand.

Which simply caused Toshiko to beam as they walked down the Konohagakure street behind Tekka because while she hadn't completed her mission— and definitely would not be allowed out again least without someone watching her like a hawk —Toshiko was sure, she had made not just one friend but, as Choji flashed her a smile, rather two.

Chapter Text

Pre-Series

It had only been six months since Toshiko had met both Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji but in those six months Toshiko— despite being younger than both boys —had turned their duo into a trio. 

With every passing day since that alleyway brawl, Toshiko learned another shogi play from Shikamaru as he kicked her ass across the board in the tabletop game he claimed as his favorite or had her pallet expanded by a new flavor of chip Choji introduced her as the Akimichi was apart of some chip of the month club that spread throughout all the elemental nations. 

And when she couldn’t spend time with the pair because they and Sasuke were at class, and Itachi or Shisui were on another mission meaning Toshiko couldn’t spend her day learning a new jutsu from them, Toshiko spent her time getting one step closer to becoming a ninja that could measure up to any of her brothers— Shisui included —all on her own by refining what she already knew. 

Her father always said the strongest shinobi was the one who had mastered the basics, not half-assed them so that could learn something to show-off. A man after all couldn’t build a proper house on a foundation of nothing but sand.

That was why despite the chill in the air and the reddening leaves, the rushing water of Naka Falls was the only sound around as Toshiko practiced her katas. 

Uchiha Izumi was her guard for the day. 

Ever since her failed mission her parents hadn’t let her out of someone’s sight. Even when she was on Nara or Akimichi— or even the Kurama clan, the Uchiha clan's oldest allies —land someone from her clan was always with her. 

Sometimes it was Shisui, when the curly haired Uchiha wasn’t on a mission he was the one escorting Toshiko around the village but for the past month because Shisui seemed to get one mission after another her guard had usually been Uchiha Izumi. 

Izumi was a half blood; her mother had been the Uchiha and though it was unusual for a child to take their married mothers name the notoriety of the Uchiha  name couldn’t be denied.  Nor could the Uchiha blood; despite her half blood status Toshiko knew it had been her father who had picked Izumi to watch after in Shisui’s absence because while Izumi wasn’t a genius like Itachi or Shisui she was the youngest in clan history to awaken her Sharingan. A protégée in her own right. 

“Toshi!” The young girl's head snapped to the side with a grin as Shisui emerged from the forest bush with a grin. 

“Shi-nii!” Toshiko took off towards the older Uchiha. 

Shisui was quick to pick Toshiko up and settle her on his hip. No matter how big she got or ninjutsu she mastered, Shisui always picked her up when he saw her and despite the fact Toshiko always pressed that she was a big girl onto those around her, the clan heiress hopped the older Uchiha never stopped picking her up. 

“Hey Shisui!” Izumi waves from her spot under the tree's shade. 

“Hey Zums!” Shisui greeted; “How’s guard duty?”

“Hey!” Toshiko exclaimed as Izumi giggled into the palm of her hand. Sure Shisui was right, Izumi was on guard duty— guarding her not only from threats but self inflicted trouble —but saying aloud almost seemed punitive. 

It hadn’t been her fault she'd nearly been kidnapped as an infant and while she had jumped into the alley fight of her own free will, it wasn’t like her father had been mad. 

In fact the man had been proud of her for standing on principle; though as far as Toshiko's mother had been concerned her and Uchiha Fugako had a stern talking to. 

“Right, right,” Shisui rolled his eyes, “How was watching this tiny terror?” He then pretended as if he were going to drop Toshiko and began hanging her upside down from her ankle. 

“Shi-nii!” Toshiko cackled; this was why Shisui was her favorite brother, Itachi never threw her around like a rag doll and Sasuke always played pranks on her when he thought he could get away with it because she was a girl. Not that he ever could, if Itachi wasn’t hovering when the prank was committed then Shisui was and if he wasn’t it was their father and if it weren’t him, it was someone else in the clan catching the Clan heads middle child mid-act. 

“Oh I’m so sorry Hime is this not how you’d like to be carried?” She asked, “Should I get the poliquin?” 

“Shi-nii!” Toshiko giggled in protest as Shisui began to sway her up and down. Her toes wiggled against the sky. 

“Come on Shisui, let her down. If you keep it up I’ll have to report you to the council for spousal abuse.” Izumi joked; Toshiko— whose eyebrows were knitted together, not quite sure the punchline of Izumi’s joke  —watched as the grin that Shisui had been wearing slipped into a pained grimace. 

“Right,” he said stiffly. Gently he let her down and Izumi, bashful looking, frowned at Shisui. 

“Look I didn’t mean—“

“—I know what you meant Izumi,” Shisui interrupted, his fingers tangling themselves in the tops of Toshiko’s hair. Her cheek rested against the teen's thigh as she wrapped her arms around his leg. 

Quite settled over the three of them. The birds that lived in the trees surrounding the Naka River cliff side chirped loudly. Toshiko looked between the suddenly stern looking teens 

“I came to take Hime-chan here to pick up Sasuke, Itachi was going to join, I figured I’d offer for you to come along,” Shisui said somewhat stiffly to Izumi. 

“Really?” The half-blood questioned. Her cheeks turned a bright rosey kind of pink. 

Toshiko felt her nose wrinkle at the sight of Izumi’s pink face. Toshiko lived her brothers— revered them —but she didn’t understand why anyone would like them. As cool as they were, Toshiko knew each of her brothers— Shisui included —were weirdo nerds. 

“You’re the one on guard duty.”

“Hey!” Toshiko cried in protest. She had finally managed to produce actual shadow clones, could make a fireball as hot as the mid-August heat, she knew her katas from memory, and was the best of her age group— and had even managed to beat several Uchiha boys Sasuke's age —in taijutsu training; she didn’t need guarding she was a perfectly capable Uchiha. 

“Right, right,” Shisui shook his head, as if he should have known. “My bad Toshi-chan.”

“It’s okay Shi-niisan, I’ll just hold Izumi-need’s hand on the way to see Sasuke.” And with that Toshiko had untangled herself from Shisui and instead trotted over to Izumi and slipped her hand in the older Uchiha girls. 

“What!” Shisui said in fake outrage, “You can’t hold her hand!” He very obviously pretended to protest. “What about me!”

“You can hold Izumi’s hand, cause I’m going to hold hers!” Toshiko responded firmly. 

“Come on Hime, how are you going to tell me to hold Zumi-Chans hand when we both know she’d rather be holding—“

“—Shisui!” 

“He’s right Izumi-nee, we both do know you’d rather be holding ‘Tachi’s hand.”

“I—“ Izumi’s pink flushed turned a deep cherry red. Her head then hung. “—I’m that obvious huh?” 

“Kinda,” Shisui shrugged. Toshiko patted Izumi’s hand. 

“If it makes you feel better Izumi-nee, anyone with eyes can see that Shisui likes that loud girl that hangs outside the dango shop so you shouldn’t feel too bad about being obvious,” Toshiko tried to comfort only for her eyes to go wide at the realization of what she had said. 

Shisui let out a loud cough; as if he were choking. Izumi’s own eyes went wide. Guilt settled in Toshiko’s gut. She had promised Shisui she wouldn’t say anything about his crush as he had claimed if anyone in the clan found out no one would be happy with him and out of all her brothers Shisui was her favorite; she loved him too much to get him in to rubble.

“Are you-is she talking about Anko, Shisui!” Izumi said in a scandalized sort of tone. 

Shisui’s brows shot up; his ears a tomato reddish color. He was then next to Toshiko; hand wrapped around the scruff of her shirt  

“You know what, how about you meet us later Zumi-chan, the Hime here and I can pick up the runt all on our own!” Shisui rushed out as he got Toshiko situated on his back. 

“The hell I will, Shisui we need to—“

“—Bye Izumi!” Shisui sang as he and the suddenly dizzy Toshiko disappeared into the trees that surrounded the cliff side leaving only the after images of themselves behind. 

Once they were far enough away, Shisui,  flying through the trees, huffed out a sigh. 

“I’m sorry Shi-nii, I didn’t mean to tell Izumi,” Toshiko apologized earnestly, her stomach twisting itself into knots partially because she felt terrible for spilling Shisui’s secret and partially because Shisui was just going so fast. 

“I know kid,” Shisui said, “I’m just happy it was Izumi you slipped up in front of. You have to be more careful Toshiko.”

“I’m sorry.” Toshiko said. The promise to do better was there, weaved into her tone.

“I know Hime,” Shisui nodded, he squeezed her ankle. “It’s okay.”

“I love you Shi-nii!” Toshiko declared, hugging the shinobi tighter around the neck; the young girl could feel the older boy smiling. 

“Love you too Hime.” 

0.0.0.0

Toshiko stood between Shisui and Itachi as they waited for Sasuke to get out of class. Guards to clan heirs, parents to non-clan kids and older siblings scattered the yard around the three though none too close to the three Uchiha. 

Toshiko watched the people around her as she ate the unagi onigiri Itachi had bought for her. The guards were watching them; the civilians gathered together in huddles talking to themselves but the shinobi who were to guard the underage clan heirs to and from school watched Shisui and Itachi. 

Toshiko leaned against Shisui’s leg as she watched the men and women who watched them, only to straighten up when she saw Nara Ensui and Akimichi Hama— Shikamaru and Choji’s usual guards —approaching the school, side by side. 

Nara Ensui’s hands were shoved deep in his pockets, his eyes were half closed with every step he took while Akimichi Hama, a heavy set woman with a sunny smile, ate what looked like a stick of sweet soy sauce dango. 

“Ensui-san!” Toshiko waved with a smile as the pair got closer, “Hama-senpai!”

“Hama-senpai, Uchiha-chan?” Ensui laughed; it was low toned, like a barely audible rumbling in the man's chest. 

“Since when do you call Akimichi-san senpai, Toshi?” Itachi wondered. 

“Since she showed me how to make dorayaki last time Shika and I went to Choji’s house. She promised to show me how to make more desserts next time I went over!” Toshiko bounced on the balls of her feet. 

“Oh,” Itachi observed, he then turned to the older Akimichi, “You’re why my sister’s been so preoccupied in the kitchen as of late then?” Itachi questioned; Toshiko beamed as a hint of a smile touched at the corners of her eldest brother's lips. 

Itachi was always so expressionless outside of their home and to see the older boy look almost amused at the fact Toshiko had found the joy of desert making from Akimichi Hama was almost too much for the young Uchiha’s heart to handle. 

“I suppose so Uchiha-san, I hope I haven’t caused any trouble doing so,” Hama responded. 

“Trouble?” Shisui mused, his hands sweeping under Toshiko so that he could pick her up, “Our Hime? Never, unless of course you're some bully in a back alley in which case watchout cause she’ll find you.”

Toshiko felt her cheeks puff out, her arms perched themselves on Shisui’s shoulders, “Shi-nii!”

“Ignore him Akimichi-san,” Itachi waved Shisui off, “Teaching my sister was no trouble-is no trouble, our father adores eating whatever Toshiko makes when our mother allows her to reign free in the kitchen.”

“That’s wonderful, I’m glad Uchiha-sama appreciates it, though it wasn’t hard, Toshiko-chan here is a natural student.”

“Genius more like it,” Shisui boasted, “She’ll be the first Uchiha not to need the Sharingan to be kickass.”

“Yeah!” Toshiko pumped her hand in the air.

“Shisui,” Itachi sighed scoldingly. Despite the fact Shisui had already— accidentally —taught Toshiko and Sasuke how to swear years ago, Toshiko’s eldest brother always got on his best friend for swearing around them.

“No Yuki today?” Shisui asked suddenly, seconds after silence had settled over him, Toshiko and the others. 

“Nah,” Hama answered, “Ino-chan stayed home today, it seems like she caught the flu that’s been going around the class.”

Toshiko frowned; “I hope she feels better!” 

Toshiko had met Yamanaka Ino several times during her friendship with Choji and Shikamaru and while the girl was loud and commanding Toshiko liked her. Ino always made sure to treat Toshiko with a level of care she never afforded either of her life long friends and in turn Toshiko took in everything Ino said about hair care and clothes and tried her best to apply what she understood dutifully.  

“I’ll make sure to pass on the message,” Hama assured. 

“Thank you senpai!”

“Mom!” The four shinobi and Toshiko looked to the opening doors, students began pouring out from the Leaf Villages Academy. First a boy with dark hair and choppy bangs who ran straight into the arms of his mother, then a girl with pink hair who beamed right on up to her proud looking father. 

Slowly as more and more kids poured out, Toshiko watched as a blonde boy with bright blue eyes ran from the sea of exiting students to the swing off to the side of the academy. 

Parents pulled their children away from the boy as he rushed past them; like they didn’t even want their son or daughter to accidentally bump shoulders with him. 

“Nii-san!” Toshiko’s head snapped away from the boy and in the direction of her beaming older brother. 

“Shi-nii, put me down, put me down-please!” Toshiko kicked her legs in the air until the older boy had put her down; from there she took off running in her brothers direction, tackling him before he got to Itachi. Arms around her brothers neck as he stumbled back.

“Toshiko!” Sasuke whined, “Let go, I want to say hi to Itachi!” 

“I want to say hi to you!”

“NO!” Sasuke protested as he tried to push Toshiko off, “Ew gross!”

“Sasuke,” Itachi scolded in the same voice he had used on Shisui; Toshiko crossed her arms over her chest as Itchi came up behind her. “Be nice to Toshiko, she’s our sister.”

Toshiko stuck her tongue out at Sasuke. The academy student grumbled under his breath as he kicked the dirt around his feet begrudgingly.

“Toshiko,” Itachi said, the girl's eyes flew up to her brother who stared down his nose at her, “Stop tormenting Sasuke, you know he doesn’t like other people hugging him.”

Toshiko visibly deflated. 

“Sorry ‘Tach-nii.” Itachi motioned to Sasuke and Toshiko laced her fingers together in front of her as she leaned forward onto the balls of her feet looking like the pinnacle of innocence. 

“I’m sorry Sasu, I shouldn't hug you without your permission.”

“Yeah! But—” Sasuke added after a look from Itachi, “—You’re my sister and I should be nice. Sorry.”

“It’s okay Sasu, I still love you!” Toshiko proclaimed much to Sasuke’s immediate redness. 

“So cute,” Shisui teased Sasuke, to which the younger boy glared furiously up at Shisui. 

“Can we just go now!” Sasuke stomped his foot; “I want to practice the shuriken jutsu some more before dinner!” 

“Can we get ice cream first?” Toshiko wondered with wide, upturned eyes. “Please nii-san, please?” She pleaded. 

“Ice cream?” Toshiko turned to see Choji and Shikamaru behind her: Choji looked extremely pleased at the prospect of ice cream despite the fact it hadn’t been offered to him and Shikamaru, though red-eyed and tired looking, smiled at Toshiko. 

“Shika! Cho!” Toshiko threw herself at her friends. Shikamaru, who was a head and half taller than her, caught her. “How was class?” 

Shikamaru shrugged; “Boring.”

Ensui chuckled, coming up to Shikamaru's side as Hama saddled up to Choji’s side, sandwiching the two clan heirs in between themselves; “What he means Toshi-chan is that he slept through it.” 

“Really?” While Toshiko could only imagine how boring it was to sit in class when you already knew what you were being taught, she couldn’t imagine falling asleep in class. Her father always said image was everything, especially when it came to Uchiha’s. 

Shisui snickered at Shikamaru’s pout; “Calm down Shikamaru-kun you’re not the first genius to be bored in class, Itachi here used to use clones to get out of class.” 

“Really?” Sasuke cut in, looking surprised at Itachi. 

“I wasn’t cutting class to do nothing,” Itachi defended himself, “I was training.” 

“That’s so cool nii-san,” Sasuke cooed. 

Toshiko could see the gears turning behind her brother's eyes; Sasuke had never put as much stock in ninjutsu as she had and yet there was a spark Toshiko saw in her brother's eyes that made her excited. 

If Sasuke got interested in anything other than bukijutsu then they could train together more! 

“Thank you Sasuke,” Itachi nodded. He then grabbed Toshiko’s hand, “We should get going Toshi, if you want to get ice cream before training we need to be quick about it.” 

“We can!” The corner of Itachi’s lip tipped upwards at Toshiko's excitement. “Can I get Taro, Tachi-niisan?”

“You can get whatever you want.” Toshiko threw a victorious fist in the air. With one arm as Itachi was holding her right hand, Toshiko— practically and visibly unable to wait for her ice cream despite the cool weather —hugged Shikamaru and then Choji. She bowed her head at Ensui and then Hama. 

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Toshiko promised her friends as she started to drag her brothers off. “Come on Tachi, you have to move faster!”

“Does he!” Shisui goaded.

“Yup!” And like usual Toshiko found herself behind held by Shisui; instinctively Toshiko held on tighter. She buried her face into the crook of the eldest Uchiha’s neck. 

Like so many of her clansmen, Shisui smelled like ash. 

“Shisui don’t you dare, she’s—“

“Sorry Itachi I can’t hear you cause I’m beating you to the ice cream shop!” Shisui called out as he began to take off. Toshiko squeezed her eyes tightly. 

“Nii-san, he can’t beat you!” Sasuke declared and Shisui cackled. 

Toshiko felt her heart lighten. It had been weeks since her brothers— because Shisui was her brother, he had a room in her family's home, he was in all their family pictures and her mother even called him hers from time to time —had been in the village at the same time. She never wanted this— their time together; the wings her heart had sprouted —to end. 

And as her father tucked her into bed that night, under covers and with the bear Shisui had gotten her, Toshiko wished the day could last forever, that it could loop on and on

Especially when the next day, early that next morning, both Toshiko and Sasuke were sat down at the kitchen table by their solemn looking mother and father. 

Itachi was nowhere to be found; Mikoto and Fuguku’s eyes were both rimmed red, like they had both been crying. 

“Mama?” Toshiko asked, rubbing her eyes as she leaned against Sasuke, a pit formed in the depths of her stomach. He didn’t shrug her off. If her father wasn’t bothering with hiding his tears something had happened. “Papa, what’s wrong?” 

“Sweetheart,” her father had started off softly, his voice thick with emotion, “Something happened last night that we need to talk to you two about.”

Her mothers shoulders shook with quite, bushes sobs.

Uchiha Shisui was dead. Toshiko had never wanted to go back— back to sleep, back in time because this had to be a nightmare, it couldn’t be real —before. Shisui had always preached about waking up with wide eyes and a smile and tackling the day because-

-Because shinobi never know when their last will be and life is precious. 

He would never grace their home with his laughter again. 

Dead. 

Shisui was dead.

Shisui had killed himself, unable to bear the life of a shinobi. He couldn’t take the weight of the duty he’d been given so he had thrown himself from the Naka river falls. 

Toshiko sobbed openly and loudly at the table as Sasuke clutched her hand in his. They had been there just the day before, laughing and kidding around. 

Shisui had said he loved them; that they were the best family he could have asked for.

Toshiko’s mother wrapped her arms around Sasuke as both his and Toshiko’s father picked her up and held her against his own rumbling chest. 

Shisui was dead and gone and Toshiko wasn’t sure how their family could function without him. She didn't know how she could live without her brother.

Chapter Text

Pre-Series:
Part One: “The Sharingan's Secret”

Genji, a Nara, one of Shikamaru’s older cousins, was watching them— Toshiko, Shikamaru and Choji as —they played at the edge of the Nara woodlands. If Toshiko pushed chakra into her eyes to enhance her vision like she’d been taught then she could just make out the shadows of the deer that Shikamaru and his clan cared for. 

“Come on Choji!” Toshiko cheered. 

The three of them sat in a circle together; three had been playing sticks. Sticks was a game where everyone started with two fingers and then by using the process of doubling and dividing went around trying to be the last one out; that managed to happen when the winner was the only one with less than ten fingers in the circle.

Usually Choji was the first one out— not because of lack of strategy but rather Choji tended to snack during the game and constantly lost track of how many fingers he’d had out and in play —but in a surprising turn of events he had ended up facing off against Shikamaru; Toshiko had been the first one out. 

“Seriously?” Shikamaru raised a brow. 

“You always win Shika,” Toshiko rolled her eyes. She leaned more against the Nara boy, her head knocked against his shoulder. “You got this Choji!”

“Thanks Toshi!” Choji beamed. Toshiko beamed back; she always felt more at ease with Shikamaru— life with him seemed easy and simple because Toshiko knew that with her best friend at her side nothing was unconquerable  —but Choji made her face hurt from smiling so hard. 

They constantly pushed one another to do better, be more daring, take more risks. 

Shikamaru— and their guards, though namely Izumi as ever since Shisui’s death she had tended to hover when they weren’t on Uchiha or Nara land —was really the only reasons they hadn’t found themselves doing something too stupid as for every push Choji and Toshiko gave one another the Nara heir was always right there pulling them back from the edge they were about to leap off of without so much as a cursory glance of what laid before them. 

Choji then beat his three fingers against Shikamaru’s two. Shikamaru’s hand fell. Shikamaru then, on his turn, split the three fingers he had on his left hand, putting his right hand back up with one finger. 

Choji beat his three fingers against Shikamaru’s two. 

Shikamaru’s left hand fell. His right finger beat against Choji’s three— he had three on each hand —and quickly, Choji took Shikamaru out. 

Choji threw his hands in the air with a loud whooping yell before he fell back onto the grass. Shikamaru fell back as well, though unlike Choji who was relishing in his victory Shikamaru folded his hands behind his head and, with a catlike smirk closed his eyes. 

Toshiko’s bottom lip slipped between her teeth; Shikamaru had let Choji win. As the Nara heir basked in the sun that fact was obvious enough to the Uchiha girl. She didn’t say anything though as she laid in the grass next to Shikamaru. 

Toshiko closed her eyes. 

Her arm pressed up against his and the boy scooted closer to her. The heat of the sun prickled the young girl's skin; she then felt Choji lay down on her other side. 

Toshiko wanted to become a shinobi so bad she could taste it in her dreams sometimes. She studied and practiced when she could but in moments when the world turned slower and the fleeting summer air rolled over her and best friends Toshiko couldn’t help but want time to pause. 

She was sure this was what Itachi— and Shisui; Toshiko’s heart clenched at the memory of the older Uchiha, her brother in all but blood —always talked about when he told her to slow down with training and just be a kid, just a little bit longer. 

She wished— Toshiko prayed at the altar her mother had made in their home —Shisui had gotten to be a kid just a little longer. She wished he was still there, picking her up and swinging her around, bribing her with small treats not to tell Itachi or her father he had done something stupid and unbefitting of the Uchiha name in front of her. 

Toshiko didn’t think, no matter how silly Shisui had always been, he could be unbefitting of being an Uchiha. 

He was the best. Had been; always would be. 

“You’re thinking too loud,” Shikamaru grumbled. He always said that when Toshiko got lost in thought, caught up in her own thinking, lost to the memories. She didn’t know how he did it as it was the Yamanaka clan who held the ability to read minds. 

“I am not.” 

“Open your eyes.” Toshiko did and saw Shikamaru pointing at a fluffy deformed cloud. 

“It looks like your neighbor's cat.” Toshiko bit back a smile; it did. 

The old man who lived next to Toshiko had her family— Uchiha Shouta —had so many cats it wasn’t any wonder why the Uchiha district never had any pest problems. But the cloud Shikamaru pointed to looked like the cat that had been severely disfigured from a dog attack it had survived as a kitten. 

Missing back leg, half a tail, a nub of a left ear and a missing left eye. 

“That one looks like a turtle,” Choji pointed out. 

“An upside down one,” Toshiko added with a smile. 

“That one looks like the ninja who works at the front gate,” Shikamaru pointed to a third cloud; Toshiko tilted her head. 

For the next couple of hours the trio laid in the grass, pointing at clouds, giggling to one another, only to pause mid-joke when two familiar chakras could be felt approaching. 

Toshiko had popped up and taken off in the two signature directions before either Shikamaru or Choji could tell the girl to calm down. 

The boys followed after, though not even with a fraction of the energetic Toshiko had coursing through her. 

“Nii-san!” Toshiko leapt at Itachi; he was still wearing his uniform though the Weasel mask Toshiko had found one afternoon whilst snooping was nowhere to be found. 

Itachi been gone the past two weeks on one mission or another and with how tense the Uchiha district was— her father tried to hide it by sending her off to the Nara’s or Akimichi as often as he could but Toshiko couldn’t do anything but notice how everything had changed in the wake of Shisui’s death —it made the young girl so much more hyper aware her brother wasn’t home. 

She had missed him so much since he’d gone. 

Itachi didn’t hesitate to scoop her up despite the fact she was six and as their mother said she was becoming a big girl who didn’t need to be carted around like a baby anymore; much to Itachi and her fathers chagrins. 

“I missed you!” 

“I missed you too,” Itachi said as Toshiko buried her face into the crook of her brother's neck. He smelled like stale soap and mildew; he had showered whenever ANBU headquarters were. He then looked at Shikamaru and Choji and bowed his head in their directions, the Nara who had escorted Itachi onto the grounds had moved to hover behind the boys the same way Toshiko’s guards always hovered behind her. 

Like they were waiting for an attack at any moment. 
 
“Shikamaru-kun, Choji-kun, thank you for looking after my sister while I was away.”

“Nii-san!” 

“Toshi is our friend, we weren’t watching her,” Shikamaru muttered. He had always been friendlier to Shisui than either Itachi or Sasuke mainly because Itachi was always so formal and Sasuke was always so mean to Toshiko, hiding her shoes so she couldn’t try to follow after him or teasing her about how small she was when Itachi and their parents weren't around. 

“Be that as it may, thank you.” 

Shikamaru made a sound as Choji scratched the back of his head. 

“No problem.”

“We should be getting home,” Itachi said to Toshiko, “Mother will have dinner ready soon.”

“Aw,” Toshiko deflated in her brother's arms, “I can’t stay a little longer?”

It wasn’t like it would be a family dinner anyway; her father would still be at work as he had been pulling more and more hours at the department to the point Toshiko only saw him when she would drop off lunch to him and Sasuke had packed both lunch and dinner when he had left that morning so that he could practice until curfew. Now that he was in the academy all he seemed to do was try to catch up to Itachi; it was to the point that like her father Toshiko rarely saw her brother. 

Toshiko felt her brother stiffen; the nails of his fingers but into the girl's skin. 

“I’m sorry Toshiko, we have to get going.”

“Oh,” Toshiko frowned as she kicked her legs to be let down. When Itachi set her down Toshiko still clung to his hand. Unlike Sasuke who hated to be touched, Toshiko loved it. “Okay then, ‘Tachi?” 

“Yeah?”

“When we get home, after dinner, can we play shogi?” Toshiko wondered, “Shikamaru showed me a new strategy the other day and I want to try it out.”

“After dinner?” Toshiko nodded. 

“Perhaps.” 

“Cool!” That was the only confermated Toshiko needed before she let go of her brothers hands and tackled her friends into two tight hugs. 

Choji always hugged her back just as tightly. He was bigger than her and always picked Toshiko up off the floor when they said goodbye, causing the Uchiha to giggle, even after she had been let go. 

Shikamaru hugged her back as well but unlike Choji who always crushed Toshiko in his arms Shikamaru just held her securely against himself. 

Toshiko could feel the slow beats of his heart. 

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow when we drop Sasu-nii off at the academy.” When Itachi was in the village he would— rather than the usual guard that lorded over the Clan Heads middle child —always walk Sasuke to school; Toshiko would always join. Even if it wasn’t Itachi who walked Sasuke to school, Toshiko tended to join so that she could see her friends. 

“We’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Once Shikamaru released Toshiko, the girl scampered back to her brother's side. Effortlessly— like she weighed nothing —he picked her up and held her at his side. 

Itachi bowed his head once more as the Nara guard moved to escort the siblings out only to shunshin off the Nara lands. 

Itachi wasn’t as fast as Shisui had been— no one was; it was why Shisui had been dubbed Shunshin no Shisui  —it still made Toshiko’s stomach flip as they shot off to the gate that led to the Nara Clan compound. 

When they stopped outside the Nara’s lands Toshiko gripped her brother as tight as she could. 

“Are you okay?” Toshiko just nodded, scared that if she verbally answered her brother she would vomit on him. 

“I’m sorry about that Toshi, mother—“

“—I get it,” Toshiko muttered into the crook of her brother's neck. She hated shunsin, even when Shisui would do it to her Toshiko hated the feeling. 

She hoped when she learned to body flicker herself that the feeling would go away. The feeling had only started going away when before Toshiko knew it, they had taken to the trees. If they walked the the dirt path it would take an hour or so to get to the Uchiha district but with where the district laid in relation to the Naras, if Itach cut through the trees— and leapt through them as a ninja should —then it would only take several minutes to get home. 

“Nii-san?” Toshiko croaked— still queasy —several as they started walking towards their clans gates. 

“Yes?” 

“I missed you.”

“You already said that Toshiko,” Itachi replied. 

“I know nii-san but I did miss you. I always miss you when you’re gone,” Toashiko explained. 

“I miss you too Toshi-chan,” Itachi said; he then pointed at the woman just past the Uchiha Clan's gates. She, like Toshiko and Itachi, wore the clan symbol on her back. “Look it’s Aunty Mina.”

“Hi aunty!” Toshiko shouted with a beaming smile and a wave that destabilized her enough to nearly topple over from her brother.

Uchiha Mina, one of the two districts’ seamstresses. Her sister was a dressmaker and her elderly father was the clans tailor. He was training Mina’s husband Kirimaru to take over the business so that he could retire. 

“Hime!” Mina smiled, only for her smile to dim when she faced Itachi, “Itachi.”

Toshiko gripped onto her brother's shoulders tighter. 

The absence in her chest echoed loudly in Toshiko’s ears; a— light, practically non-existent but still there —pressure built up behind Toshiko’s eyes as she thought of Uchiha Shisui. 

She knew what her clan whispered whenever they thought her and her brothers backs were turned. She knew her godfather and the other men that followed her father all suspected Itachi. She and Sasuke had been there when they had barged into her home and tried to demand their father to allow them to arrest Itachi for Shisui's murder.

But Toshiko knew Itachi. He didn’t kill Shisui. He couldn’t have; Shisui was as much a brother to Itachi as Sasuke was and Itachi would never hurt Sasuke. 

“Aunty.” 

“At the Nara’s Hime?” Uchiha Mina asked, brow raised and calico smile playing on her lips. 

Toshiko shifted closer to her brother. Her clan always acted like this, either they chastised Toshiko for spending time outside her clan or they smirked as if they knew something she didn’t when talking about Shikamaru. 

“Yes.” Mina giggled. 

“I do hope you had fun.” The woman said, her eyes then flickered to Itachi. “I’m glad you’re home safe Itachi.”

“Thank you Aunty.” It was quiet for a moment. The crows that surrounded the land cawed loudly. “We should get going, our mother is making dinner.”

“Please tell Mikoto-sama I say hello,” Uchiha Mina said with the slightest of bowed heads. “And your father of course, please tell him hello too.”

“Of course,” Itachi promised before skirting around the seamstress; on the way home Toshiko waved at several more people. 

Uchiha Kai, Uchihas Maka and Tsubaki— twin sisters Sasuke's age that often braided Toshiko’s hair into intricate designs whenever they played together —Uchiha Mineta, and Uchiha Tekka. 

Tekka, Toshiko’s godfather, was her fathers man through and through as he often said. Whenever he would come  over for Sunday dinners the man would end up with more leftovers than he could usually carry whenever he left. 

He hadn’t been by for dinner since he and the other officers that had joined him had declared Itachi a person of interest in Shisui's death. Which is why as Itachi passed her godfather, the girl didn’t call out to him and ask for him to come home and eat with them as he used to but rather simply waved to him. 

Tekka waved back, a small smile on his face as he did so. 

It was only when they had approached their home that Itachi set Toshiko down onto her own two feet; his hand clasping hers. 

He stopped several feet before the hearth of their home. Itachi knelt down to Toshiko, his hands were on her shoulders. 

“After dinner I need to do something before we’re able to play shogi. I know you’re excited to show me the moves—“

“—It’s okay nii-san,” Toshiko cut her brother off. “Whatever you need to do, I’ll wait.” 

He looked so tired, so sad. Toshiko couldn’t imagine the missions he had to go on as a member of ANBU. After Shisui’s death all Itachi did was take missions or hover over her. 

Sasuke hated it, wanting Itachi’s attention but all Itachi ever said was that he had to watch her, like it was some sort of important job that the clan heir had to do. 

He never smiled anymore the way he used to. 

Toshiko grabbed her brother's face in her hands and used her thumbs to push the corners of her brother's lips upwards into the remnants of the carefree smiles he used to wear. 

Itachi’s hands left Toshiko’s shoulders and covered her hands. 

“You are very sweet Toshi,” Itachi murmured, “I hope you keep that.”

Toshiko’s head coked to the side.

“Where would it go?” 

Itachi’s smile became genuine, he grabbed Toshiko and held her against him for a moment before letting her go and standing up, hand on her shoulder like the past moment hadn’t actually happened. 

“Come on, I’m sure mother will be interested to know what you and your friends were up to today.”

“Choji beat Shika at sticks,” Toshiko said as they walked into the house. Toshiko could smell the fish her mother was making from the entryway. 

“Did he now?”

“Itachi? Toshiko?” Uchiha MIkoto called out, “Is that you?”

“Yes!” Toshiko called out, skipping further into the house once her shoes were off, leaving Itachi at the front door. “Hi mama!”

Uchiha Mikoto was the pinnacle of Uchiha women. She was beautiful, a former shinobi— Toshiko didn’t know much about her mothers days as ninja except that she had been on a genin team with the long departed Fourth Hokage —and she knew how to keep house like no one else. 

“Hello my darling girl.”

“Choji beat Shika at sticks.”

“Good for him,” Mikoto said as she grabbed the fish— mackerel —out of the oven and placed it onto the counter, “Is your brother going to be eating with us?”

“I-yes?”

“Go ask, and Toshiko?”

“Yes mama?”

“Wash up before you sit down, then you can tell me all about how Choji-kun beat Shikamaru-kun.”

“Okay!” And with that Toshiko was out of the kitchen. She’d shot up the stairs, down the hall and to her brother's room where the door was shut. Getting onto her tippy-toes, Toshiko  knocked twice. “Nii-san,” Tohsiko called out, “Mama wants to know if you’re eating with us or if we should bring your food up to you.”

It didn't happen often but in the immediate aftermath of when Itachi would get back home from missions, their mother would make an allowance for him to eat alone up in his room rather be surrounded by Sasuke and Toshiko asking him a million and one questions about what he had done, where he had gone and what it was like.

Shisui never took those allowances; he had always eaten with them when he could.

“I’m going to eat up here Toshi, but when you’re done, you can come up, okay?”

“And we can play shogi?”

“Maybe.” Toshiko frowned; whenever Itachi said maybe he meant no but he had said to come up and see him after dinner. 

“Okay.” Skipping back downstairs Toshiko saw her mother had set out two plates on the table. The tray her mother used to ferry food to Itachi— or her father when he was locked away, drowning in paperwork in his office —was already full. 

“Do you want me to bring that up to nii-san?” Toshiko wondered. 

“Did you wash up?” 

“Uh-no?” Toshiko smiled up at her mother, fluttering her lashes as she did so. Her mother giggled. 

“Wash up Darling, I’ll bring this up to your brother.”

“Okay!” And by the time Toshiko was done scrubbing her hands clean her mother was back downstairs already seated at the table. 

“So Choji-kun won sticks?” Toshiko’s mother wondered as they had started to eat. Her mother had piled her plate high with vegetables and rice, the short ribs on the plate 

“Well,” Toshiko said shyly, “Shika let him but Choji still beat him even if it was technically a forfeit.”

“Now why would he do that?”

“So we could cloud watch,” Toshiko said simply, “There was a cloud that looked like a seal mama.”

“Oh?” Mikoto wondered, “Which one?”

“The lock,” Toshiko answered “Not for the house but the one Tachi-nii has on his desk.” Shikamaru had been surprised when she had pointed out the seal not because he didn’t expect someone younger than him to know something he didn’t but rather because he was surprised anyone who wasn’t on track to become a Seal Master knew a locking seal from memory.  

But if the Uchiha clan knew anything they knew seals.

When the Uchiha and Senju had founded Konoha the Uchiha had leaned into sealing whether it be to fortify their homes— the clans had been at war for centuries and trust isn’t built overnight —or lock up journals so noisy sisters couldn’t snoop. 

Toshiko wasn’t quite sure where the knowledge had come from, that was never discussed in her lessons, just that the knowledge of sealing had been bestowed upon the Uchiha after the village's foundation as an act of good will. 

“And what are you doing finding out what seals your brother uses?”

Toshiko froze, her piece of fish only half raised to her mouth. “Well, um—“

“—I’m waiting, Toshiko,” Mikoto hummed with raised brows and a pointed look. 

“I was doing stuff I shouldn’t,” Toshiko muttered, shoulders hunched and mouth small and off to the side. 

“I figured,” Toshiko mothers hummed, “How many times do I have to tell you—“

“—I just wanted to read Itachi’s poetry,” Toshiko tried to defend herself, “I wasn’t looking for anything I shouldn’t.” Like the scrolls on dangerous jutsu’s she wasn’t ready for; Itachi had taken to hiding those from her after she had nearly blown herself and the house up.

“Your brother's love letters are something you shouldn’t be looking for,” Mikoto replied.

“But why? If he’s not giving them to ‘Zumi, someone should read them-mama, if no one reads them how can they get better?” 

Toshiko watched her mother pressed her lips together, they tipped upwards and then down and then her mother sucked in a deep breath of air.

“You cannot violate your brother's privacy in hopes he learns how to ask out a pretty girl.”

“But if he doesn’t he’ll die alone mama!”

Mikoto's brows shot up and she smiled as she leaned forward, “Who has said that?” 

Toshiko’s heart clenched. 

“Shisui, mama,” Toshiko answered, her mother’s small smile dropped almost instantaneously. “He always said that if Tachi-nii was so hopeless that he needed help not to die an old maid.” Usually Shisui offered to help him but Shisui was dead, he couldn’t help anyone anymore.

“Did he now?” Toshiko nodded. Her mother didn’t respond and a moment of silence blanketed the table, “He was a good boy, Shisui.”

“The best mama,” Toshiko agreed, “And he was right, nii-San is so bad at writing Zumi-senpai love notes mama.” 

Mikotos lips pursed together, “How bad?”

Toshiko felt herself smirk, she threw herself back against the tatami flooring and loudly proclaimed her brother's worst writing, “Her hair is as dark as dried flowers. Her eyes are the color of smoking coal. If only she could be mine, Izumi.”

“Oh,” Toshiko's mother smothered a snicker. When the quite laughter had subsided and Toshiko had once more sat up, catching her mothers eye she smiled widely; Mikoto grinned back at her. “Maybe Shisui was right.”

“Of course he was mama, that’s why I’m helping.”

“What about Sasuke? He’s not helping?” 

Toshiko felt her nose scrunch up at the mention of her other brother. She shook her head.

“Sasu-nii thinks it’s stupid that Itachi has a crush-he thinks girls are stupid mama!”

Uchiha Mikotos infamous glare appeared and Toshiko felt her stomach knot together though the look was in no way pointed at her.

“He said that?”

“Well, um—“ Toshiko was six and smart; she knew no one liked a snitch. “—Maybe?”

“Toshiko if your brother is disrespecting women you need to tell me.”

“But he’s not saying it to anyone,” Toshiko tried to defend, if Sasuke got in trouble because of her he’d hide her shoes again and her mother had already chastised her for going outside without them. She’s never leave the house again! “Sasu just thinks Itachi should be training him instead of kissing Zumi-senpai!”

“Your brother is kissing Izumi-Chan?” Toshiko felt the color drain from her face. Her brothers were going to kill her. Sasuke more so than Itachi but Toshiko didn’t want to think of her brothers disappointed face. It was the worst! “When did this happen?” 

Once; and Izumi had kissed him, Itachi had turned a tomato red color and shishuned off, probably to plan their future children’s names. He’d written them down in the margins of old notes Toshiko had come across while snooping.

He’d written them wanted daughters, maybe a son or so but four kids in total.

“Um,” Toshiko licked her lips.  “Tachi-nii said we could play shogi together after dinner mama, I-I should get my board!”

“Not,” Mikoto said, “Before you help me clear the table Toshiko.”

“I—“ Toshiko felt the words die on her tongue at her mothers severe looking gaze. “—Yes mama.”

“Good girl,” her mother cooed as she grabbed her empty dish and the half still filled bowl of rice. “Now about your brother kissing Izumi-chan?” 

Toshiko felt her face burn as she ducked her head and muttered something about Dango. And it wasn’t like it was a kiss-kiss, “Nii-San ran away right after.” 

Her mother’s eyebrow quirked upwards. 

“Is that so?”

Toshiko nodded, if her brother was even somewhat listening from his room then he was never going to play shogi with her again!

Morosely Toshiko helped her mother clean off the table and do the dishes. If Itachi never played with her again then she’d never get to play with anyone other than Shikamaru. Her father spent more and more time at the station, almost always coming home after she’d gone to bed and leaving just as she woke up, Sasuke refused to play with her because he didn’t see how a board game would help him catch up to Itachi’s level and her mother, for as clever as she was, sucked at the game.

"That boy," her mother muttered with a small grin, "Your fathers son, I sweat it." She began running the sink to clean the dishes.

"What do you mean mama?" Toshiko wondered, her finger's gripping the kitchen counter as she stood on the tips of her tows so that she could peer up over the counters edge.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart, you said you and your brother were going to play shogi?"

"Uh-huh."

"Have fun, and stop—" Mikoto said severely, "—Going through your brothers things."

"Yes mama." And with That Toshiko was off; she scampered up the steps and halfway down the hall to her pink and purple bedroom where, on her light blue bed, the shogi board Shikamaru had gotten her for her birthday, laid. Quickly she grabbed the board before rushing out of her room and the rest of the way down the hall to where Itachi's room was.

The door was shut; Toshiko knocked. She waited and then knocked again, only for Itachi to open the door a moment later. Toshiko frowned at her brother as he grabbed her by the shoulder and ushered her into the room; he was wearing his uniform.

ANBU wasn't supposed to let anyone see them in their uniforms— no one could know what their mask was; who they were outside of the village —and while Itachi didn't have his Weasel mask on, it was on his hip. 

"Nii-san, what's going on?" Toshiko held the shogi board close to her chest, like it was a shield to protect herself with.

Itachi kneeled down to Toshiko's level, his hand still on her shoulder, "Toshiko, I need you to trust me right now, alright?"

"Why?" She did of course, Toshiko trusted her brothers almost as much as she trusted her father.

"Because something bad is going to happen Toshiko and I need to keep you safe, alright?"

"But-what do you mean something bad is going to happen? Dose mama know?" Toshiko felt her gut twist; she could feel her dinner start to make a reemergence. Her father was at the precinct, her brother was who knew where on the training grounds. Fear surged through her at the thought of something happening to her family; Itachi looked just as sick to his stomach as she did.

Toshiko was sure that like her, he was thinking of the worst that could happen. 

"She will, but right now Toshiko I need you to get in here—" Itachi spun Toshiko around and lead her to his closet. Her bear, the one Shisui had gifted her long ago was already there, waiting for her. "—And no matter what you hear, I need you to swear to me you won't come out until I come get you."

"But-but—"

"—No," Toshiko had never heard her brother sound so harsh. Not when he fought with their father, not when their clansmen accused him of murder; never had Itachi sounded so serious. "Toshiko I need you to promise me, you'll stay in the closet no matter what. When everything is over, I'll come get you, okay? Me and only me?"

Toshiko felt her bottom lip wobble. 

"But what about mama and papa, I can come out for them right?"

"No, Toshiko, I need you to promise when you leave the closest it'll be with me and only me."

"Why?" Why couldn't she run to her parents; they were all she wanted at that very moment as fear seized her from the inside out.

"I need you to trust me. I'll explain after but right now, trust me."

"You'll come back?" Itachi nodded. Toshiko trusted her brother, she knew he always tried his best and that he didn't lie to her. He loved her and Sasuke; he always promised before every mission he'd fight to come back to them in one piece.  "You'll keep everyone safe?"

At this Itachi's face crumbled. 

"I'll keep who I can safe, okay?" 

Toshiko dropped the board and threw herself at her brothers midsection. After a moment Itachi pried Toshiko from him and pushed her into the closet.

"No matter Toshiko, stay in here and be quite, do not make a sound."

"I promise nii-san," Toshiko whimpered, terrified.

And she kept it, when the closet went dark and she pushed herself all the way to the back of it, hugging her bear tight, Toshiko kept the promise she made. When the screaming started— Toshiko knew those voices crying out; she didn't know people could make those sounds —and the pressure in her eyes started to build, she kept her promise and didn't make a peep or shoot out of the closet, not even when her father rushed in through the front door, calling her mothers name in a panicked voice she didn’t think was possible.

She flinched in the dark as the door shut after that and she was left alone in the house. The pressure behind her eyes kept building. The screaming stopped shortly after, Toshiko could hear wind howling through the streets of the district and for a moment the pressure behind her eyes started to quell. Her heart, she could feel beat in her throat.

She wondered who else had hid and when her brother would come get her. She shuffled closer to the door, bear in hand.

Shisui had once said if he couldn't be there to chase the nightmare's away for her the bear would be the next best thing. Toshiko hoped this was all just a bad dream, that the bear would wake her up any moment.

Only then then the screaming started back up; only it wasn't like it had been. Multiple voice didn't scream out in terror and pain again— there had already been so much screaming, Toshiko couldn't imagine who had hadn't heard —because the screaming that had started back up was Sasuke's screaming. He was calling out for help, to see if anyone was alive. 

He didn't know to be quite, he didn't know to hide. He'd been training when Itachi had shoved her in the closest. 

He was in danger and Toshiko felt her heart stop.

"Uchiha's—" Toshiko's father had once said after her and Sasuke had fought. They'd been trying to prank Shisui in Itachi's honor only he had arrived to early and they gotten caught and Sasuke, who could run faster because his legs were longer, had left her behind in the dust. "—Do not turn their back on one another. In this world, we are all each other have."

He was going to die and Toshiko couldn't imagine a world without him. She couldn't light the fire of his funeral pyre or pray at an alter her mother made with his face.

Toshiko felt herself tremble. She loved her brothers, more than anything.

"Mom! Dad!" 

More than her own life. 

And with eyes that practically glowed in the night, she shot out of the closet. 

Chapter Text

Pre-Series:

Uchiha Toshiko laid, stretched out on the grass behind Shikamaru's home. It was early, not quite early enough where the sun hadn't yet started to poke out but not late enough for anyone asides from Yoshino, Shikamaru’s mother or her brother, who had slept at the Nara's with her— where she went Sasuke did and where he went, Toshiko was made to stand in his line of view so that he was always acutely aware of just where she was —to be up yet.

Sasuke was practicing his katas in the grass as Yoshino made breakfast. Toshiko turned her head to watch her brother, red eyes taking in every move he made, committing it to memory. 

Their family was dead; Toshiko and Sasuke had watched as their parents were killed right in front of them. Their clan was gone; Toshiko could remember the screaming as clear as day.

She could remember how heavy her heart was when it had stopped. With the power of her Sharingan she could still see the bodies of her clan members in the street; strewn out on the ground, bleeding.  

She and her brother were the last two Uchiha's in Konohagakure because it hadn't just been that their clan was attacked; it had been Itachi who had attacked them.

And it was her fault. If she had said something, been louder-questioning her brother just a little bit more, something could have been changed, people could have been saved. 

"Are you going to practice?" Sasuke asked in between sets, "Or just watch?"

Maybe the only thing that would have changed was she would be dead too. Maybe Itachi would have killed her along with their parents.

"Can't, can't I watch?" Toshiko asked softly, her throat hoarse as she rarely spoke anymore. Not because anyone stopped speaking to her— ever since her clan had been killed everyone seemed to want to talk to Toshiko and her brother; people who had been rude to them before the massacre seemed to be incredibly sweet —but because every time Toshiko opened her mouth she wanted to scream and scream and—

—Sasuke spoke, his mouth small and twisted as he crossed his arms over his chest, "You're never going to get stronger just by watching. Sharingan or not."

Toshiko licked her lips. She wanted to tell her brother she didn't want to be strong, that all she wanted to do was cry for their parents and cousins and aunties and uncles and the fact that the brother she thought she had, had been a façade and she'd lost him too, hadn't she?

Instead though, she blinked her sharingan away, deactivating it. Though she tended to use it to commit whatever her brother taught her he tried not to use it on him outright because though she had seen her brother’s activate that night he hadn’t been able to use it since he woke up from the genjutsu Itachi had put him under. 

The iyro-nin called it a coma— Sasuke had been unconscious for twenty-three straight days —but Toshiko knew it was more than that. Unlike the doctors and nurses she knew what really happened to her brother even if he never— would never, if only to spare her from the truth —told her; Itachi had tortured Sasuke from beyond the village’s walls because that was just how powerful he really was. 

She stood and silently Toshiko followed her brother’s lead, going through each and every motion until it came like second nature, up until Shikamaru, yawning, exited his home.

”Mom says breakfast is ready.”

Toshiko broke from their exercise first, she met Shikamaru on the deck of his home. Like a timbering tree she fell into her best friend; if Sasuke had been like a ghost haunting Toshiko’s every step since the mass cure Shikamaru was like a second shadow, always there.

His arms wrapped around her shoulders.

”Good morning Shika.”

”Morning.” He squeezed her tight; “You fed the deer?” The accusation of, You didn’t wake me, floated unspoken through the air.

”You were grumpy when I tried to wake you.”

”I’m not that grumpy.”

”You’re kind of grumpy.”

”I—“

”—Gross,” Sasuke said next to Toshiko, his face twisted and lip upturned into a snarl; “Stop manhandling my sister.”

Shikamaru kept his arms around Toshiko as he shot Sasuke a withering, unimpressed, glare. "I don't manhandle Toshi."

"Right." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And the sky isn't blue." 

Toshiko could remember how her mother used to tell Sasuke that if he rolled his eyes any harder then they would roll right out of his head, and then what kind of ninja would he be; she wanted to say that, to smile the way their mother would, warm and teasing. Toshiko didn't, instead she leaned more heavily against Shikamaru.

“Be nice, Shika is my friend,” Toshiko grumbled at her brother. 

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, like he was going to say something, instead though, he sighed heavily. Like their father used to. 

 "Kids! Breakfast!" Nara Yoshino, Shikamaru's mother, called from the kitchen table. "Hurry up, the food is going to get cold."

Before Sasuke or Shikamaru could sigh at Yoshino's tone Toshiko slipped out from under her friend's arm and scampered off into the Nara's household. Both of Shikamaru's parents were already at the table; Yoshino was already fully awake, having gotten up around the same time as Toshiko to make breakfast and ready Shikaku, Toshiko and the boy's lunches'. 

 Shikaku was hunched over his morning coffee; it was as dark as his eyes. 

“Good morning Shikaku-sama,” Toshiko smiled as Sasuke sat her next to him; she was between her brother and the seat Shikamaru normally sat in. 

“Good morning Toshiko-chan, sleep well?” Shikaku wondered as his son slid into the seat next to the young girl. 

“Yeah,” She lied easily; Toshiko didn’t like lying to those she cared about but she knew the truth would just end her back in Inochi Yamanaka’s office. Besides, it wasn't like her brother didn’t lie too; neither of them had had a restful night since the massacre.

Toshiko never asked Sasuke what he dreamed about just as he never asked her. Though even if he did she wasn’t sure she would tell him the truth; Sasuke was already working himself to the bone to make sure he could protect her and avenge their clan and reminding him what haunted her— what she saw every night —would do nothing but force her brother to push himself harder.

Toshiko started to load up her plate with steamed rice and natto; Shikamaru made a face at her dish, to which Toshiko stuck her tongue out at him. Though it seemed like everyone in the Nara house hated Natto— with almost a humorous kid of passion —the only reason the soybeans were in the Nara household was because Yoshino had started keeping it around for her. 

“So you’re coming with me today Toshiko,” Shikaku said, “Yoshino has to run errands for the clan around the village.”

“Oh, okay,” Toshiko said, she then turned to Shikamaru’s mother, “You don’t need any help?”

“No thank you sweetheart,” Yoshino said with a small smile, “I’ll fine on my own-Shikaku however—” the Nara clan’s Matriarch turned to look at her husband who slouched under her attention, “—Will need help staying awake for all his meetings today.”

“Yes ma’am,” Toshiko said softly

Nara Shikaku was a fiercesom war hero, he was the Leaf Villages Jonin Commander and head of one of the villages Nobel clans. And yet despite all that the man let out a low sounding groan at the prospect of his usual afternoon nap being warded off. 

“And you Shikamaru-it would do you well to keep your eyes open today too. I saw one of your teachers in the market yesterday, Mizuki-sensei,” Yoshino said, “And he said your class is going to be performing mock team exercises.”

“Great,” Shikamaru grumbled over the mackerel his mother had made for breakfast, “What a fat loaf of trouble that’ll be.”

“You can say that again,” Sasuke muttered as he finished his plate.

“You guys aren’t excited for team exercises?” Toshiko blinked. If Toshiko was in school with friends like Choji— and Ino; though Shikamaru claimed she was A Drag Toshiko thought the girl was a riot —Toshiko knew she wouldn’t be anything but excited. 

“No,” both boys sounded off and Toshiko, who knew them both knew both nos were for very different reasons. She rolled her eyes at both her best friend and brother and in the back of her head she heard her mother warning her that if she continued doing that her eyeballs would roll right out of her head. 

Toshiko frowned at the little bit of breakfast she had left on her plate as she willed herself not to cry at the memory of her mother. 

Almost like he was more Yamanaka than Nara and reading her mind, Shikamaru grabbed Toshiko’s hand in his and squeezed it. When she looked up at him— with glassy eyes —she smiled at her. It was small and warm and comforting and Toshiko squeezed his hand back, thankful she had a best friend like him.

0.0.0.0

Nara Shikaku had an assistant, he was a thin man with whisky hair and a name no matter how hard Toshiko tried to, she couldn’t remember it. He was also who Nara Shikaku fostered her off to when he needed to go into sensitive meetings and couldn’t leave her alone in his office; he had learned that shortly after her clans deaths. 

Sasuke had been in his so-called-coma— it had only been a few days since the massacre had happened —and so, when Shikaku-sama had gone to a meeting with some foreign dignitary or another, Toshiko had slipped out of the village's main building and back into the clans compound, all alone and with only one thing in mind.

It hadn’t rained yet, blood still stained the streets, her mother— the perfect Uchiha, the very Uchiha Madara’s direct descendant —if she was alive would be beside herself at the mess that followed their clan's death. Her father would be horrified to know that their district was undefended against thieves; for as clever as she was, and a head of her years Toshuko was only six and a six year old was nothing against a fully and properly trained shinobi.

Itachi had proven that.

So she cleaned. 

When Shikamaru, his father and uncle had found her that day— once they realized that she hadn’t gone to Sasuke’s side at the hospital or the school to Shikamaru once she had snuck away from Shikaku-sama —she’d been sobbing as she and the handful of shadow-clones she’d made cleaned homes in her district. 

Red-faced and more than just teary-eyed, the Toshiko’s had been found scrubbing the floors of blood on their hands and knees and picking through them. Clothing with her clans crest went to the house next to Toshiko’s familial one so that she and Sasuke could pick through it and never be without in the years to come, anything that looked like clan paperwork and clan sensitive scrolls went to the hidden basement under the Naka shrine. 

Since then Shikaku-sama had started to set up D-rank missions for genin; they would clean the homes of her district, fix what had been broken that night while Toshiko, Sasuke— and Shikamaru and Choji more often than not —would help raid the houses for anything valuable. From there Toshiko and Sasuke would use the seals their mother had taught them to keep the jewelry and scrolls— and pictures; there were so many pictures —safe under the Naka shrine.

And that was why, once Toshiko had slipped from the wispy man Shikaku had left her with, she didn’t go back to hers and Sasuke district. All the homes had been scrubbed of blood that hadn’t set and stained, and broken doors and walls had been mended and all her clan's secrets were safe; there was nothing to do there all alone except talk to ghosts.

Instead, once she slipped away she went to the cliff her and her brothers— and Shisui —would train at. They’d all stopped coming after Shisui's death; Sasuke called it a murder and perhaps that was right but Itachi had loved Shisui, hadn’t he?  

Hadn’t he loved their parents too though?

Though the winter season was well underway there was no usual winter breeze or snowy ground underfoot; instead it still felt like late fall. Cool breezes and partially cloudy skies. 

Toshiko sat on the edge of the cliffside, reading a book on the history of her clan. Crows squealed in the background, chattering amongst themselves as she took in line after line of the book; the book had been one of the ones that she had moved to be stowed away under the Naka shrine. 

The scroll had once belonged to one of her clans Elders; Uchiha Gigi had been an elderly woman who had died alone— been murdered alone, throat slashed as she still lay in bed —as her son and daughter in law had both died in the second war and her grandson in the third.

Training wasn’t something that interested Toshiko anymore— Sasuke wanted vengeance and Itachi power, even at only six Toshiko knew neither of those things were something she wanted —but learning was something even the flashes of that night could not stave off. 

Her lip wobbled. 

She used to like to train; Shisui would encourage her and Itachi would guide and Sasuke chide, but all of them pushed her to be better. Now it was just Sasuke telling her she had to before Itachi came back.

His hands are in her hair, dragging her forward no matter how much she screamed. Sasuke is screaming— sobbing —and their parents are dead at her feet. Her feet are bare and her mothers blood is still warm as she is forced to step in it.

Toshiko shrieked as her brother pushed her down and forward. Her mother’s hair tickled her knee as she was forced to look at her mothers face.

Her Sharingan whirled as her mother’s face continued to pale. She would never forget this as long as lived.

“Look at her Toshiko, look-if you listened to me this wouldn’t be happening.” 

Toshiko stared unblinkingly at the page on Uchiha birthing traditions; not a word absorbed despite being committed to memory as she thought more and more of that night. 

Of her brothers promise not just to Sasuke but to her.

The sun had just passed its highest peak when the tree's leaves rustled despite there being no wind. 

Toshiko turned; she expected the wisp of a man who had been the one in charge of watching her to break through the treeline. She thought if not him then Shikamaru’s uncle Ensui who’d been sent after her when Shikaku-sama had found her missing after his meeting. But it was neither of them that emerged, instead it was a man Toshiko had never seen before.

He was a large man, taller than even the Akimichi’s Toshiko knew, though not wider. With long, untamable, white hair and red markings that ran from his eyes down to the underside of his jaw but none of that was as curious as the man's horned forehead protector.

“Hi,” Toshiko blinked as she eyed the man before her. “Who are you?”

Every hidden village had headbands that were branded with the name of their village; rough shinobi often used kunai to etch out their village names. The man, who had stumbled out of the brush though, his forehead protector didn’t have the name of a village. No, though the man exuded chakra and power his forehead protector simply had the kanji for oil on it.

Though the cliffside was technically part of training ground forty-nine and Toshiko had only known her and her brother to use it as it was too dangerous to do anything except taijutsu— lest someone slip and fall. even if the risk was nonexistent —the cliffeside was still very much on Uchiha land. Her heart sped up; she could hear her clan's screams echoing in her ears. 

“And what are you doing here?” She asked. Her throat tightened at the stranger. The man was big, wide and the laugh he let out was loud; and strangely enough, it reminded Toshiko of her mothers.

“You ask a lot of questions don’t you kid?” The man chuckled, still standing at the mouth of the forest.

Toshiko shrugged at the man's observation, unsure of what to say in reply as that night crossed her mind the way it always did. 

“You don’t answer them, do you?”

“My name is Jiraya, and I’m a writer!” The man said loudly, baring a bright smile. Toshiko’s brows shot up as she marked the page she’d been reading and closed her book.

“You write? What do you write?” The man’s hand ran through his hair, and sheepishly, as if he were caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he blushed. 

“Books I guess, more so for adult-but-uh less about me kid, what’cha got there?” The man— Jiraya, the author —took two steps forward and Toshiko, before the man's foot could fall a third time, shot up. 

“A book, about my clan.”

“Yeah? Let me guess, dark hair, dark eyes-so you’re not a Hyuuga but you’re young so you could be an Inuzuka?” Toshiko opened her mouth only for the man to shake his head, and disregard his theory, “Actually I take that back, I’ve never met an Inuzuka who could sit still long enough to read a book. Aburame maybe, or one of those half-breed Yamanaka’s, I guess.”

“Uchiha,” Toshiko corrected. She held her clan's book against her chest, like it could protect her against the world. “I’m Uchiha Toshiko. D-daughter of Uchiha Clan Head’s Fugaku and Mikoto.”

“A Princess then,” the man said softly; his silly expression had changed to a much more somber one. Toshiko’s own brows knitted together as the man’s change in temperament. He bowed deeply; “A pleasure Uchiha-hime.”

Pain shot through Toshiko and her heart twisted in her chest; almost, like, as if someone had reached into her chest cavity and done it manually. She hadn’t even realised she missed being called Princess until the man had done it.

Her eyes watered and the mans grew wide.

“Oh shit-fuck don’t cry, please-please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” Toshiko cried, “I’ll stop.” She didn’t. As the man approached her and bent his knee so that he was somewhat eye level with her— even bending down on his knees, he was nearly a whole foot taller than the sobbing young girl —she continued to cry.

She missed her mom. 

She wanted her dad.

She had Sasuke and Shikamaru and the Nara’s and Choji but she felt so alone.

And it was only when the man put his hand on top of Toshiko’s head, his thumb rubbing the middle of her forehead that she seemed to calm her down; her mother had always done the same thing. Whenever she or Sasuke were crying— truly and not just for attention —Uchiha Mikoto would rub the space between their brows, her fingers threading themselves through their hair.

“I’m sorry,” Toshiko whispered.

“It’s okay. I was traveling, looking for inspiration for my stories when I heard about what happened, I’m sure you miss them all.” Toshiko nodded. She did, more than anything. “I know how that feels, I get it.”

“You do?”

Jiraiya the author nodded; his eyes seemed to glaze over as he looked out at something that wasn’t really there. “I had students once,” he said. “Someone I thought of as brother too-a woman I loved. She didn’t love me back, and my friend, he is worse than dead to me and my students, who were the closest thing I had to kid’s I guess, they’re dead too.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, my students-two of them had families of their own before they passed.”

“Is that why you’re back in the village?” Toshiko wondered; she sat on the rocks behind her and Jiraiya moved to sit next to her. “To see your students families?”

“Sort of. It’s complicated, but in a way I am.” Toshiko nodded, she didn’t get how it could be complicated but she understood it could be nonetheless. Death was hard. “Why are you here?”

“What?”

“Why are you here, shouldn’t you be playing with your friends?” 

Toshiko shook her head, “My friends are in school, they’re my brother Sasu’s age.” She didn’t mention how before the massacre, on school days she would be with her father or Izumi or her mother, helping or learning; bettering life for her clan members whether it be by getting them groceries or training to be the kind of shinobi who could protect them.

She hadn’t protected them. She hadn’t asked questions. She had stayed quiet and listened as they died. 

It was all her fault.

Itachi had said so.

“Who’re your friend?”

“Why?” Toshiko asked.

“Again, with those questions.” Once more Toshiko shrugged. Jiraiya huffed; “Look, I just want to see what kind of kids a Princess hangs out with, think of it as research for my next book.”

“About a Princess?”

“Oh yeah, I think my next series will be about a shinobi Princess who falls in love with an older man she can’t stand.”

“Why not?” Toshiko asked.

“Well he’s a war veteran, and cocky-rightfully so though, he’s unlike any other on the battlefield and he doesn't come from royalty like her, he’s worked his way up through the ranks and he wants to marry her.”

“But she doesn’t like him.”

“She will,” the man said, “After they marry.”

“Shouldn’t it be before?” Toshiko asked, “Papa always said the man I would marry would love me and I would love him.”

“Some things in life aren't that easy kid, especially when you’re a Princess.” 

Toshiko bit her lip; her father would have made it that easy for her. He loved her and he always said he wanted her safe and happy; that when he grew old and frail and she would be taking care of him, her husband— a Nobel and strong man he picked for her —would be taking care of her.

“What’s the Princess’ name?” Toshiko asked. “Have you chosen that yet?”

“Got any ideas?” 

Toshiko nodded. She had one-thousand and twenty-three ideas; it was customary for Uchiha’s to name children, story characters, buildings— anything of significance —after someone important, and usually from within the clan. Sasuke had been named after the Sandaime’s own father, but Itachi had been named after her mothers cousin who had died at war and she had been named after her fathers mother.

“Chinatsu?” Toshiko suggested after several minutes. Chinatsu had been the youngest victim of her brother. Two weeks old; Toshiko had gone with her mother to see the baby the day before and check in on her mother Rina. 

“That’s a beautiful name,” Jiraiya said.

“Thanks.”

“Now, those friends?”

“Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji and Yamanaka Ino.”

“You’re friends with a Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka?” 

Toshiko nodded, “Shika is my best friend and Ino says she’s my best girl friend because that’s different.” Toshiko didn’t think it was but Ino was nice and she always did Toshiko’s hair whenever she’d barge into the Nara household.

“You know I’ve been told by a woman or two it is,” Jiraiya said sagely. And then he looked up at the sky; it was blue with sparsely a could or two in the air. “If you could join them in school would you?”

“Yeah,” Toshiko said almost automatically. “It beats being alone out here.” Alone.

“You know I’m pretty surprised Nara Shikaku let his sons best friend spend her day all alone,” Jiraiya said and Toshiko felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up the same way they had months before, when her mother would catch her doing something she shouldn’t have been doing.

“Oh-well, Shikaku-sama, he—”

“—You totally ditched his aid, didn’t you?”

“It was too easy, really I think I’m helping him become a better shinobi by ditching him. I mean if I can do it,” Toshiko left open endedly. Jiraiya stood up, his hand outstretched to Toshiko to take.

“Come on.”

“Shikaku-sama sent you after me, didn’t he?”

“Nah, but if I don’t return you and he finds out I saw you where you shouldn’t be, the man will make my stay in the village hell.”

“How?” Toshiko grabbed her lunch and tucked her book under her arm before grabbing Jiraiya’s hand. They were massive compared to hers.

“Well if I return you we don’t even have to think of all the places he can ban me from, so—” Jiraiya shrugged.

Toshiko did though; she could imagine Shikaku-sama being as vengeful as Shikamaru and banning the author from the best restaurants and inns, leaving the large man to starve and miss sleep. 

“Fine, but Jiraiya-san?”

“Yeah hime?” She smiled.

“Can you tell more about the Princess story on our way back to the village?” 

“Sure. So this warrior is a cocky-erm, arrogant dude and the Princess, she’s not having it. Even after they’re married, she’s supposed to hang up her kuani. And her sensei, a powerful and handsome Sage, well he says make him work for it ‘Koto.”

“Koto?” Toshiko tilted her head up at the man. And Jiraiya, with a sad look on his face— despite how tall he was, towering above her Toshiko could see the pain in the man’s eyes —flashed Toshiko a large goofy smile. 

“Chinatsu, right, sorry.”

“Anyway—“ Jiraiya continued on about the Princess and her warrior husband as they continued to walk back to the village and Shikaku’s office. 

When Jiraiya walked into the Nara Clan heads office hand in hand with Toshiko, Shikaku had Ensui, his assistant and a third shinobi, a jonin who— wore his headband as a cap and —chewed on one end of a senbon as Shikaku spoke to them. 

The three standing shinobi straightened their backs as Shikaku seemed to melt into his desk. 

“Toshiko,” Shikaku sighed; his eyes closed momentarily and his fingers pulled at the front of his ponytail. “There you are.”

“I found the kid out by Naka falls reading,” Jiraiya said. 

“Jiraiya-san has been telling me about his latest story!” Toshiko said.

Ensui, Shikaku’s assistant and the third shinobi all turned varying shades of red. Shikaku stood at her announcement. 

“Children’s story!” Jiraiya added on very quickly, “I've been telling the kid about an idea for a new children’s story.”

“I—Toshiko?”

“Yes?”

“Have you eaten lunch yet?” She shook her head no. She hadn't the chance to touch the food Yoshino had made her. “Okay, I haven’t either-Ensui is going to go with you to order us something from YakiQ. Jiraiya—“ Shikaku motioned to one of the seats across the desk from him. “—Genma, Jai-dismissed.” 

“Sir—“ Jai— Shikaku’s assistant —tried. 

“Dismissed.”

“Come on dude,” the Shinobi Genma clapped the chunin on the shoulder. “We can get a drink.”

“It’s not even two in the afternoon,” Shikaku’s aid said miserably.

And with that everyone in the room started moving. With a wink over his shoulder aimed at her, Jiraiya moved to Shikaku. Jai and Genma dispersed out the window and Toshiko, before scampering to Ensui’s side, put the lunch Yoshino had packed her and her book on the side table next to where she usually sat in Shikaku’s office. 

“By Jiraiya-san, I hope to read your story when you write it.”

“I’ll send you a copy when I write it.” Toshiko beamed; she moved to stand next to Ensui. Ensui grabbed her hand as they made their way to leave the office. 

“Have a good day Toshi?” Ensui asked. 

“Yeah.”

And the next; at dinner, when both Yoshiko and Shikaku came to her and Sasuke with a proposal, was even better.  Because if she maintained her morning trainings, and tested well when the time came the Hokage had agreed to make an exception for her; she could join the academy the upcoming fall, a whole year early. 

Her days wouldn’t be spent so alone anymore.

Chapter Text

Pre-Series

Uchiha Toshiko had been excited to start her lesions at the academy; she’d thought when she’d sat for her entrance ceremony with Shikamaru’s mother Yoshino there for her she would make friends with her classmates and learn everything she could under the tutelage of her sensei but dancing to the usual beat fate seemed to have in store for her, that was not what happened. 

By the end of her second week into her academic life, Toshiko had found herself just as alone as before; the other children— all of whom were a year or so older than her —wouldn’t talk to her. They’d make comments when she’d answer in class, always calling her a Know-it-all or a Nerd or pushing her in line, in the halls just because they could, because their sensei Funeno Daikoku never said anything.

Daikoku-sensei wouldn’t look at Toshiko; whenever he would call roll or ask her a question his gaze would be glued to the floor, never meeting hers. And though it pained Toshiko she understood why; Daikoku-sensei hadn’t just been Itachi’s sensei when he had been enrolled in the academy— though he had been, he’d been the man to recommend Itachi graduate three and a half years early —Daikoku-sensei was the man who’d taught more than his fair share of Uchiha’s over the years, watching them grow from young children to young shinobi only to be there and watch them all be burned and their ashes buried after they had been murdered.

Because she hadn’t spoken up. 

It was why Toshiko had taken to slipping out of class; putting to use what she had already been taught. Toshiko, in the weeks that followed her enrollment at Konoha's ninja academy, kept leaving shadow clones behind in her stead to learn and subsequently be pushed around when no one was looking. 

That’s why on one of the first days in December, despite the cold, Toshiko was outside, on a rooftop to some restaurant in the village with her lunch and several books she’d brought from home in her bag. She was wrapped up in the winter jacket Yoshino and Yamanaka Ino had helped her pick out— it was dark purple and had leaves embroidered into the sleeves of it —and an old red scarf she had picked from her mothers old things. 

Toshiko sat with her back up against the roofs front facing half wall so that none of the shinobi jumping from any of the adjacent rooftops could spot her. 

The rooftop she was on was still close enough to slip back into the academy with ease when it became time for the last bell of the day to ring. Usually around then, Toshiko would slip back into class before the last bell rang and someone— Shikamaru or Choji —would come pick her up to walk her to the Nara district or— when Sasuke would collect her after class —home to train even more. 

Sasuke always trained; he never seemed to stop. He ate only what would yield the highest protein and would practice his katas and bukijutsu until he would collapse. 

He was running himself into the ground for her, so that he could protect her and avenge their clan. 

Because she had just let Itachi leave to slaughter their clan. 

“Hey!” A voice yelled through the streets, interrupting Toshiko’s reading. She’d been devouring a book on different poison types and their uses. “Get back here you little rat!” 

Toshiko stuck the corner of the page she was reading down, ear-marking it as she peered over the half wall of the rooftop. She watched as a boy— blonde, dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit —in Sasuke, Choji and Shikamaru’s class ran through the streets, and three shinobi chased after him.

Toshiko squinted over the rooftops edge as she tried to remember the boy's name. Sasuke almost exclusively referred to him as a moron but Shikamaru and Choji, both of whom were friendly with the blonde— Choji would say he and the boy were cool and Shikamaru would say that he was loud and obnoxious, troublesome, but a good guy —had introduced Toshiko to him at least once before.

She just couldn't remember, for the life of her, what his name was.

One of the ninja chasing after the blonde boy was Sasuke and Shikamaru’s teacher. Umino Iruka was a chunin, nice and always let Toshiko sit with Sasuke and Shikamaru when both their classes were in the library together despite not having to let her. But as he sped through the Konoha streets after the cackling orange blur that was her brother's classmate he  looked anything but the usual, calm, cool and sweet instructor Toshiko usually saw around the academy. 

Toshiko watched as the boy turned the corner of the building she’d set up camp on and though she couldn’t see it from her angel, Toshiko was sure the blonde's face had fallen when he was faced with the back of another building, only for his head to shoot up and his eyes meet Toshiko’s. 

“Hey!” Toshiko threw herself back from the edge, puffing out a hot breath as the sounds of feet hitting stone filled the air. Before Toshiko knew it the boy was on the ledge of the roof, his finger was outstretched and pointed at her. “I know you!”

“No you don’t,” Toshiko replied. “And be quiet and get down,” she hissed, “They’ll notice you.”

“Naruto!” Sasuke’s sensei called out just as soon as she’d spoken to the boy. Toshiko’s mouth dropped ever so slightly open at the boy's name; Naruto! That’s it! “I see you up there! Come on down now!”

Toshiko gaze met Naruto’s; she didn’t want to go back to class. Not with more than half the day still having to be done. She frowned at Naruto, silently pleading not to tell any of the academy’s facilities about her.

His lips pressed together and his eyes— Toshiko had never seen someone with eyes so blue; they reminded her of a clear noontime sky —flickered to her bag in the far corner of the roof. A brow shot up quizzically; like he was asking her what she was doing. 

Toshiko held her book on poisons up as if that was a good enough answer— by the look on the blonde’s face it didn’t —as the two chunin who had accompanied Iruk on his Naruto-chase grumbled something. 

“I’m not joking Naruto! Now!” Naruto turned and looked down at where his sensei and the two other chunin were. 

“I’m coming!” Naruto snapped. “Keep your panties on, will you!” He moved to jump down from the rooftop edge as his teacher squawked in protest to Naruto’s disrespect. And just like he had appeared in one moment, in another the blonde was gone and once more Toshiko was alone on her rooftop. Toshiko let out a breath of air only for the next one to catch a moment later when she heard Iruka say something to which Sasuke’s classmate let out a groan.

“It was no one Iruka-sensei!” Naruto said, “Really.” 

But before Toshiko could move to gather her belongings and move to another spot to spend her day a shadow casted itself over her. Iruka-sensei; his hands were on his hips and his nose and cheeks were red.

“And what do you think you’re doing out of class young lady?” Iruka-sensei asked. 

“I-” Toshiko swallowed as she looked up at the shinobi in front of her; “I was reading.”

“You can do that in class and how did you even get up here-did someone put you up here?” Toshiko shook her head, 

“No sir, I got up here myself.”

“Yourself?” He squinted at Toshiko, “But you’re a first year student aren't you? You’re Uchiha Sasuke’s sister, right?”

Toshiko nodded, “Yes sir.”

“And you got up here all on your own?” Iruka asked once more. Again, Toshiko nodded.

“Yes sir.”

Iruka-sensei seemed lost for a moment before collecting himself and nodding to no one and nothing other than what was running through his mind. 

“Can you get down on your own?” 

“Yes sir.”

“Alright then, come on, I’ll go down first and if you have any trouble just drop, okay? I’ll catch you,” Iruka-sensei instructed. 

“Do I have to?” Toshiko asked, not with a whine but genuinely. She blinked at Iruka-sensei, “I’m not doing anything bad, I promise, I swear, I’m just reading.” 

Sasuke’s sensei frowned at Toshiko, his brows knitted together and his headband, marking his loyalty to the village, slipped lower onto his head. 

“Why don’t you want to be in class?” Iruka asked, “I heard you’re a genius.”

“I like learning,” Toshiko said; people had been calling her a genius ever since Shikaku-sama had brought her before the Hokage and made her showcase— practically perform like a tiny dog —her abilities to be able to enroll in the academy a year early but she didn’t see it. Sure she was ahead of the curve; a prodigy like Sasuke maybe, but she wasn’t like her brother. She was no genius. 

“And you can’t do that in a classroom?” Sasuke's teacher asked. Toshiko shrugged. Umino Iruka squatted down to her level, making her meet his eyes.

“Uchiha-chan, I’m serious, you can't do that in a classroom?” 

“They all hate me,” Toshiko muttered, “I don't want to be somewhere I’m not welcome.” It was hard to learn when all you wanted to do was cry.

“I’m sure not everyone in your class hates you. I mean sensei Daikoku, he’s the friendliest man in the academy.”

“He hates me too,” Toshiko declared, “ He won’t even look at me but, it’s fine though.”

“Is it?” Iruka-sensei asked.

“Yeah because I have my books and Sasu-nee, he makes sure I practice my kata’s and Shika, he helps me when I don’t understand something and his mom is really nice, she says when I get older she’ll teach me what the academy cant on being a kunoichi.”

“It sounds like you have all your bases covered then,” Iruka said.

“I do. And besides I always go back for the practical lessons. I swear, so I’m not missing out on anything.”

“Except for making friends.”

“I have friends and I told you, everyone in my class hates me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. I mean, they probably just haven't been given the chance to like you.” Toshiko shot the chunin a flat look. “Look, believe me or don’t but you have to come back with me.”

Toshiko huffed; “Fine.”  She, under Iruka’s watchful gaze, collected her bag. 

“Are you sure you can get down on your own?” Iruka asked.

“Yes sir,” Toshiko said as she jumped down from the roof to the wall of the adjacent building. Unlike Iruka-sensei who was skilled enough to just drop, Toshiko jumped from that wall to the one of the lower levels of the fire escape of the building she’d been on; she hung down from the fire escapes railing before dropping into the dirt alleyway.

Naruto, who stood between the two chunin that had accompanied Iruka-sensei in chasing him down, smiled guilty at Toshiko, as if to apologize for giving her away.

Toshiko shrugged. 

“It looks like you have everything handled here Iruka, do you need us to stick around?” One of the chunin, a girl with curly black hair that made Toshiko think of Shisui, asked.

“No, I got it from here. Thank you for helping Kurani, Izumo.” 

“Don’t sweat it,” the male, Izumo shrugged; and then, just as Iurka and Toshiko had come down from the rooftops the two shinobi took to them, jumping to the building's rooftop ledge and then disappearing from view over them.

“Now I don’t need either of you trying to make a run for it-Naruto take Toshiko’s hand.”

“You want me to hold her hand? But sensei,” Naruto cupped his hands over his mouth, failing to make his whisper quiet and instead projected it. “She’s a little girl. They have cooties.”

“Hey!” Toshiko cried, “I’m not little!” As if to contradict her, Naruto looked down at her. She pouted, her arms crossed over her chest as her cheeks puffed out. “And I don’t have cooties,” Toshiko said confidently, “Shika says so.”

Sasuke, before the massacre had tried to claim she had cooties and that she’d spread them if she touched his stuff, and when Toshiko, crying, had told Shikamaru she could no longer hold his hand as they walked least he get infected he had called her brother stupid because cooties weren’t even real, before hugging her so, bone crushingly tight, and claiming that even if they were there, he was infected too.

“No way that’s how I know you! Naruto cried, “You’re Shikamaru and Choji’s friend!”

Toshiko nodded, remembering the first and only other time she had ever been introduced to the boy. 

It’d been back before Toshiko had been enrolled in the academy; Shikamaru, Choji and another one of the classmates— aside from Naruto; Toishiko couldn’t recall his name, just that he belonged to the Inzuka clan —had cut class and on their way to the hill they were going to cloud watch on, had picked Toshiko up to join in on their day of delinquency. 

Toshiko had fallen asleep by Shikamaru’s side, under the cloudy blue sky, with the Inuzuka boys sleeping ninkin puppy by their feet and woken up to Sasuke standing over here, annoyed and huffing over something as he pulled her home.

Naruto then held out his hand for Toshiko, “If you get lost going back to school Shikamaru will kill me.”

Toshiko took Naruto’s hand— Iruka let out a content hum as he began to lead both children towards the mouth of the alleyway —and grimaced; “It’s sticky.”

Red brushed over Naruto’s face, “Sorry,” he apologised as they walked forward. He went to take his hand back but Toshiko kept her hand clamped around his. 

“It’s okay,” Toshiko said softly.

“So,” Naruto asked as they and Iruka-sensei walked through the busy and bustling Konoha streets, back to the academy, “Why’d you skip classes?”

People were looking at them; sneering for some reason. Both Naruto and Iruka-sensei walked like every other person wasn’t trying to burn a hole into them with a simple gaze. 

Toshiko did too; with her chin held high like her parents had taught her she looked at Naruto.  

“Why did you?” Toshiko shot back.

Naruto shrugged, “Cause it doesn't matter no one cares what I do except Iruka-sensei here-isn’t your family going to be upset?” 

Toshiko’s gaze fell. She looked at her shoes as they walked; she shrugged too unsure of how to answer because it was just her and Sasuke at home in the Uchiha district but the words refused to come out as she thought of Nara Yoshino and Shikaku’s disappointed faces.

They were Shikamaru’s parents, his family but they had opened their home to her and Sasuke when they lost everything. 

Yoshino was their emergency contact the same way she was Shikamaru’s.

“Probably,” she said after a moment, “But my class hates me.”

“Pft,” Naruto autobly huffed, “Tell me about it, my class hates me too.”

“Naruto—”

“—They do!” Naruto cut Iruka off. Toshiko’s brows furrowed as she frowned. “Everyone does!”

“Shika doesn’t,” Toshiko said, both Naruto and Iruka-sensei looked at Toshiko, “Neither does Choji! They like you.” 

Naruto blinked at Toshiko, she watched his face twitch in surprise, like he hadn’t expected Toshiko to chime in, in disagreement. Naruto didn’t respond; instead Iruka set a hand on the shoulder of the boy's orange jumpsuit. 

“See Naruto, I told you so.” Toshiko saw the corner of the boy's lip tip upwards as he knocked his teacher's hand off his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Naruto grumbled with a faux pout, “Yeah whatever.”

The three of them turned a corner and Toshiko, dancing on her toes and around Naruto to get out of the way, very nearly ran into a man. He was tall, heavy set and had a thick beard that curved over his stomach, stopping around where his belly button would be. 

“Watch it!” The man snapped, he looked at Naruto who had moved so that Toshiko, who had twisted out of the man’s way, was closer to the wall than him. “Fucking demon brat!”

The man leaned back on his heels, as he glared down at Naruto Toshiko blinked. The man looked ready— arm half pulled back and a sneer on his lips —to hit Naruto over something he hadn’t done. 

“Hey!” Iruka-sensei snapped, as Toshiko frowned at the man. Naruto seemed to just curl into himself in that moment, head hanging.  Iruka-sensei moved so that he was between Naruto and the man. “Watch your mouth!”

Toshiko moved so that she was no longer behind Naruto and instead next to him.

“Or what?” The man sneered, “Chunin or not you’re what? Twelve? Oh I’m so scared-come back in a few years kid, when your balls have grown some more hair than just peach fuzz and then maybe I’ll give a shit about what you say-headband or not.”

“Look, sir, you can insult me all you like but you cannot insult my students,” Iruka snapped as the man had started to swear. First about loud mouth kids and then demon brats bastards all while poking at Iruka-sensei’s chest. Toshiko could see the tips of Naruto’s sensei’s ears getting red as he tried to control himself and not lay hands on the man in front of him.

For as much as a shinobi’s life was spent fighting, for a ninja to lay hands on a civilian— even a civilian who deserved it —was taboo. Ninja should be able to just walk away from confrontations with civilians, but every time Iruka went to leave the man went to block him so that he could continue his yellings. 

Naruto looking anywhere but the fight in front of them. 

And she remembered what her father had taught her; of her— it seemed childish now, after everything —dream of becoming Police Chief just like him. 

“Uchiha’s helped found Konoha and perhaps the village is not perfect, it’s our duty to keep it safe.”

So, when the man grabbed the front of Iruka-sensei’s flack jacket, before the academy instructor could do anything— Toshiko could see it, he was thinking of the least physical ways to get out of the situation —she leapt at the man. Her arm shot out and the ball of her palm hit the man’s nose with a force that sent him to let go of Iruka-sensei staggering back. 

Blood trickled down the man’s chin, dripping into the ground. Toshiko’s heart beat in her ears at the sight of it. 

“Uchiha-chan!” Iruka-sensei snapped, eyes big-eyed as he gaped at the girl. 

“You can’t talk about Naruto or Iruka-sensei like that! Not in front of me!” Toshiko declared as her hands shook. She couldn’t look away from the man’s bloody nose. Her arms raised to be in front of herself, in fighting stance. Iruka-sensei was a ninja of Konoha, honor bound to uphold its laws. He couldn’t strike civilians. But Toshiko was seven and had not taken any oaths yet.

She thought of her mothers blood on her knees; warm under her feet. Of her cousin Taiko, a boy slightly older than Sasuke and twice as fierce. She’d slid in his as she’d run. It had matted her hair. 

Naruto said something encouraging under Iruka-sensei’s admonishment. 

Her clan was dead. It was her fault and if anything it made the weight in Toshiko’s shoulders heavier because it meant that only she and her brother were left to uphold the Uchiha legacy.

“You bitch! You—“ the man paused misstep and Toshiko’s eyes flickered to the man’s feet. She saw a shadow connected to his, locking him still under a familiar justu.

Her dark eyes flickered forward; her shoulders raised in embarrassment and Iruka-sensei groaned, slamming his face into his palms before straightening himself up and standing at attention for a superior ranking shinobi. 

“Shikaku-sama,” Toshiko smiled shyly, embarrassed to have been caught doing things she knew she wasn’t supposed to, “Hi.”

The man, Shikamaru’s father— the man who on more than one occasion had woken up with her screaming, sobbing, night terrors and stayed awake with her until sleep had taken her once more —let out a long, suffering sigh. He dragged a hand down his scarred face. 

“Sweetheart, Toshi,” Shikaku asked, “Why aren’t you in school?”

Toshiko felt her stomach knot itself up; she couldn’t lie to Shikaku or Toshiko anymore than she had ever been able to get over on her own parents. It was like they had a sixth sense and knew when she even tried. 

“I was reading when Iruka-sensei found me.” It wasn’t technically a lie and yet Toshiko felt the apples of her cheeks warm as Shikaku shot her a flat look.

“You know that’s not what I mean Toshi.”

“I—“ Toshiko kicked her lips. She shrugged, “—Promise you won’t be mad?”

“At you?”

“At anyone else.”

“Well you know I can’t do that,” Shikaku said slowly, “Take this guy, disrespecting an accomplished and distinguished shinobi, and swearing at two kids. He makes me furious.”  Toshiko could feel the air around them twist in response to the chakra Shikaku was letting off; the air caught in her lungs as she tried to breathe. 

The man looked ready to pee his pants as Shikaku turned his attention to him; he didn’t look any less acted as Shikaku's attention turned back to Toshiko. 

“Now, what are you doing, not in class and beating unruly civilians up?”

“I wasn’t lying when I said I was reading, honest. It’s just I was reading on a rooftop by the academy when Iruka-sensei found me because other kids make fun of me-please don’t tell Sasuke and Shika, I don’t want them doing anything to get themselves into trouble,” Toshiko begged as she launched herself at Shikaku’s leg. 

Shikaku took a knee so that he was eye level with Toshiko. The man he was still connected to took a knee. 

“Sweetheart, why haven’t you said anything?”

“Because I like school!” Toshiko responded, “I like walking with Shika and Sasu-nii in the mornings and to home in the afternoons and I do like taijutsu classes and learning, and!” Toshiko took a deep breath in, “If I told someone, what if you all pulled me out until I was actually old enough? I don’t want that again?”

“You didn’t like coming to work with me?”

“I did but I like school Shikaku-sama, I do. I just don’t like the people,” Toshiko said earnestly. Shikaku’s eyes flickered up to Iruka before falling back down to Toshiko. 

“Right-okay. We’ll talk more about this later, okay Sweetheart?” 

“Okay.” 

“And Toshiko?”

“Yes Shikaku-sama?”

“Nice hit but please refrain from beating  civilians-this is going to be so much paperwork.”

“Sorry.” And just like her mothers always had, Shikaku’s brow rose with her lie. “I’ll try harder next time.” 

“Right, of course you will,” Shikaku-murmured sarcastically as Iruka began to coral her and Naruto back in the direction of the academy all the while he grumbled about children and how he was too young to be going gray and maybe missions were easier than teaching. 

As they walked up to the school Naruto's still sticky hand grabbed the wrist of Toshiko’s jacket. 

“Thanks.”

Toshiko smiled; it was wide and genuine as they walked into the warm school entrance and Naruto’s grip on her clout sleeve tightened. “It’s no problem protecting the people of Konoha, that's what Uchiha do.”

“Is that your nindō?” Naruto asked as they walked the stairs of the academy. “Protecting people.”

“Nindō?”

“Your ninja way-your promise to the world,” said Naruto as he let go of Toshiko’s jacket. “Mines, I’m going to be the next Hokage, believe it!” 

“Oh.” Toshiko frowned; she thought. The Uchiha’s motto— her clan's nindō —had been a promise to always fan the will of fire. Sasuke always said he would get revenge; was that his? What was hers? Was it protecting people? “Maybe. I don’t know,” Toshiko said earnestly as they approached her class. 

“Uchiha-chan, if you could please disperse your clone,” Iruka-sensei asked tiredly. 

“No way you can make clones! Full on shadow clone!” Naruto demanded, feet stilling midstep causing Iruka-sensei to run into him.

“Uh-yeah. My brothers showed me how to.”

“NO way! That's not fair!” Naruto said with a grin, Toshiko wasn’t quite sure what wasn’t fair but didn't feel discouraged as Naruto turned to his teacher, “Iruka-sensei! She can create clones! Like full on shadow-clones, why the hell can’t I do that yet!”

“Yes-yes I know Naruto-probably because you keep cutting class!” Iruka-sensei snapped, not meanly but exasperatedly. “Uchiha-chan please?”

“Do I have too?” Toshiko asked, “Can’t I sit in on your lessons Iruka-sensei?”

“Yeah! Yeah! Iruka-sensei, Toshiko can be like the class pet!”

“Pet!” Toshiko cried indignantly as Iruka let out a sad, almost pitiful groan. Toshiko felt for the man in front of her; he looked wilted, like Shikamaru when he wasn’t able to take a nap.

She crossed her hands in front of her and focused her chakra inwards until she left a jump in her chest the way she always did when her clones dissipated and disappeared. A pain shot through her head and things— memories of the day —filled the back of Toshiko’s mind.

“Now come on,” Iruka-sensei demanded as he trudged both Toshiko and Naruto to the end of the hall where her class was. Toshiko could hear her class chittering amongst themselves as Iruka-sensei shuffled Naruto behind him and her in front of him as he knocked on her classroom door before opening it. 

“Oh great she’s back,” was the first thing said as Toshiko was nudged into her classroom. Toshiko hung her head.

Daikoku-sensei was up at the board, chalk in hand. The disbursement of Toshiko’s clane hadn’t seemed to phase him; most likely because between her and her brother he was used to an Uchiha exploding into smoke before him.

Daikoku-sensei was a large, tan man with a wispy goatee and dark bags under his eyes. 

“Iruka?” He didn’t look at Toshiko; did not acknowledge her. Toshiko felt herself lean more against Iruka, who planted his hands on her shoulders.

“I seem to have found one of your students, Daikoku-san.” Daikoku-sensei continued to look at Iruka-sensei.

“Right, it seems you have. Uchiha, please take your seat.”

“Yes sensei,” Toshiko murmermed, only when she tried to move she found herself unable to. Iruka-sensei, still had his hands clamped on her shoulders.

“Iruka?” 

“I just wanted to remind you Daikoku—” there was no honorifics this time, Iruka-sensei’s voice was sharp, “—That the academy has a full stop rule on bullying. Any student caught doing so gets an automatic suspension. Any student caught bullying a comrade after that is expelled and their hope of becoming a shinobi crushed. Some of the staff seems to have forgotten that.”

The class was quiet but Iruka-sensei’s intention was not. The breeze from outside the window was able to be heard.

Toshiko felt herself warm from the inside out.

“Yes. I remember,” Daikoku-sensei said tightly. “Uchiha— he still didn’t look at her, “—Your seat.”

“Yes sir.” This time Iruka-sensei allowed Toshiko to move to her seat in the back of the class, though not before she turned to Iruka-sensei and smiled. “Thank you for walking me back to class sensei-and bye Naruto.” 

“Bye Toshiko!” Naruto yelled and several of Toshiko’s classmates scoffed at the sound of his voice. 

“It’s no problem Uchiha-chan. My pleasure.” Toshiko heard the door close as she turned to walk to her seat. Her seat was closest to the window; in the mornings if she got to the academy with Sasuke early enough, it was easy to slip out the window and leave her clone behind, leaving no one the wiser until it’d disperse. 

In her seat Toshiko set her chin on her palm and faced the window.

“Right then…” Daikoku-sensei started back up as Toshiko thought, just what was her nindō.

Chapter Text

Pre-Series

Part Two: “The Sharingan's Secret”

Sometimes, when she couldn't sleep— because of bloody nightmare's; of a promised future or a horrific past —Toshiko would climb onto the roof of her and Sasuke's home and wait for the sun to rise. Sometimes she would bring a book up with her but for the most part, she would clamber up to the roof and look out at what had once been the great and bustling Uchiha district. When she’d been younger the district had been her world, her universe, her life would start and end each day within the walls of her neighborhood.

But then she met Shikamaru and Choji and her world expanded, if just ever so slightly.

And then, Itachi, one night, three years ago, had killed everyone. Every man woman and child, no matter how old or small, no matter how little they risked one day opposing him, he had struck them down. He had said he wanted power; he had claimed to have killed Shisui and their parents and aunties and uncles and cousins, all to be the strongest.

Toshiko looked out at the desolate district. 

How many times had he told Sasuke power didn’t matter? How many times had he told her that in a shinobi’s life being the most powerful wasn’t a thing; there would always be someone stronger and it was just best to be happy and safe for as long as possible because all shinobi die one day, it just depended on when.

Ivy grew over the walls of homes, engulfing them. Roads that had once been busy and bustling, laid unturned. Moss grew over the smallest of unturned pebbles.

Uchiha Toshiko’s world was filled with ghosts.

And a single ANBU operative. 

For months, ever since Iruka-sensei had found her cutting school, whenever Toshiko would climb her roof there would be a shinobi— dressed in black with only the exception to that being the ANBU white, crow ANBU mask they wore —sitting on a home as well, several rooftops over. The ANBU wouldn’t say anything, they wouldn’t sign anything to her either, and most mornings they wouldn't even look in Toshiko’s direction, they like her, would stare off into the distance. 

Toshiko couldn't even imagine what they would think of while on the rooftop. ANBU was the village's Black Ops team; they were sent on the hardest, and worst missions, always at the Hokage’s behest and for the village's betterment. 

Itachi had been ANBU; the youngest ever. Shisui had never wanted to join, though he went where Itachi did and probably hung around other members of the ANBU Itachi had known when they weren’t in-mask. Shisui had always claimed he wouldn't be caught dead behind a mask; “I’ve got a devilishly handsome face Toshi,” he had said once, “And well, come on, masking it would be a crime-robbing the world of looking at it.”

Toshiko wondered if the Crow had known them or if the Crow was young; if all he had ever heard of Itachi was his fall from the villages good graces and how Uchiha Shisui, the villages brightest— he had been the sun to Toshiko’s universe, bright and fun, when he was around he was warm and full of love —shinobi since the Yondaime, had— the the villages general conscientious —cracked and killed himself.

He hadn’t though. Itachi had killed him too.

“So you’re up here,” Sasuke said. Toshiko turned away from the ANBU operative and saw her brother, barefoot and like her, still in his pajamas. He’d brought a blanket with him wrapped around his shoulders. Uchiha Mina, an elderly woman twice Toshiko’s mothers age, had knitted it before her death— before her murder —she had knitted everything in the district, from sweaters to gloves and socks to the softest blankets. Toshiko had her used but loved, prized, knitting needles next to the jumbled heap of yarn in her room; for as talented as she was, she could not knit or crochet for the life of her. 

“I couldn’t sleep,” Toshiko said earnestly. She saw her brother's face twist, his shoulders raised and he clenched his fists before he blew a hot breath of air out through his mouth, deflating in front of her as he approached.

“Neither could I.”

“I miss them,’’ Toshiko croaked. “All of them,” she added. Because she missed just more than their parents; she missed their uncles and aunties and cousins. She missed Izumi and how soft she was, she missed the old man who would feed the district cats and the twins who would braid her hair whenever they’d find her in the street.

She missed her family.

“I’ll avenge them,” Sasuke said, swearing to her the way he had in the hospital; he said so surely, like there wasn’t a possibility that he would fail and leave her all alone, to their eldest brother's mercy.

Sasuke was screaming. Itachi had put him under another genjutsu. Blood was everywhere; her mothers blood was on the soles of her feets and her knees, her cousin's blood cakes to her front; her hair, tangled and matted, smelled overwhelming of copper. 

Itachi kneels in front of Toshiko; he had their clan members' blood covering his front, splattered across his face and though his red eyes swirled nothing happened. Unlike Sasuke she wasn’t forced to see anything other than her brother, the monster right in front of her.

“Sasuke will have to kill me Toshiko,” Itachi said, “If he wants to protect you.”

“Why?” Itachi’s thumb rubbed the curve of her cheek, his red— bright, bloody red —eyes swirled as his frown deepened. 

“Right,” Toshiko said softly; she turned to look in the direction of ANBU’s Crow only to see the rooftop empty, leaving her alone with her brother. Toshiko leaned against Sasuke’s shoulder, “Do you think—” Toshiko paused, “—Do you think mama and papa and everyone else, do you think they’re happy where they are now?”

Sasuke turned to her, brow furrowed and a snarl half baked on his lips, “I think they’d be happier alive.”

“They’re not though,” Toshiko whispered.

“I know that!”

“I’m just—”

“—Well stop it,” Sasuke snapped. Toshiko felt her bottom lip tremble thunderously. “Don't look on the brightside here or whatever you normally do Toshiko, everyone in our clan is dead and our brother murdered them all. Someone they all knew and trusted, they died scared and betrayed.” 

“I know that,” Toshiko whispered, “I just, I don't want to think of them that way Sasu. I want them to be at peace.”

“They won’t be,” Sasuke snapped, “Not until I bring Itachi to justice.”

Toshiko blinked as tears collected in her eyes. Sasuke was wrong; but Toshiko didn’t argue with him as she turned away, back to the rising sun.

Uchiha customs didn’t dictate that justice was necessary for peace, in the clan's Book of the Dead, for a soul to pass from the land of the living to the pure lands all that was needed was for an Uchiha’s body to be whole. Every piece of the body had to be washed and placed under the burial shroud that had the clans crest on it and a fire— lit by the next of kin —to pass over an Uchiha’s body, reducing it to ash. The fire would protect their eyes from falling into untowardly hands and send the soul of the departed Uchiha in one part to the pure lands and in another to everyone in the Land of Fire, feuling the people’s will. 

For the next several moments looking at the rising sun was all Toshiko did; that and think about their mother.

The Sharingan imprinted memories— images —to its user's brain, branding them with what they observed with their dojutsu. Sasuke had tried to shield Toshiko from the carnage in the streets when he had seen her eyes but nothing could have protected them from what they saw in their family's own tea room.

Especially when Itachi had made her look at it; guilt pooled in Toshiko’s chest.

If she had warned her mother she could have warned the clan. 

Toshiko's lip curled.

Would that have helped? When the screaming had started Tosdhiko couldn’t imagine members of the police force— chunin and jonin —not trying to fight Itachi and protect their clan and yet he had still killed them, slaughtering them where they stood. 

Maybe other kids could have survived?

Toshiko thought of Tsu and Maka, of Izu, Taiko and even baby Chinatsu. Her father used to be proud; there had been more young Uchiha, ready to carry on the clan than ever before. 

Now there was only Toshiko and her brothers. Tears collected in her eyes. Her chest tightened. 

Her clan was dead and gone and life, despite the academy and her friends and the Shika deer in the Nara forest, seemed so much dimmer than it had before the massacre. 

Sasuke sighed audibly next to Toshiko. 

“Look,” he said, Toshiko didn’t turn to look at her brother and instead continued to stare out at their empty district. “I’m sorry. I-we can’t just let Itachi get away with what he’s done.”

“I know,” Toshiko said softly. She looked at her brother when he grabbed her hand. 

“I’m sure everyone is as happy as they can be.”

Toshiko wanted to call her brother a Liar. Because he didn’t believe that; but instead with wet eyes Toshiko threw herself into her brothers arms and with a trembling chest she sobbed. 

“I want papa!”  Sasuke pressed his lips firmly against the crown of Toshiko’s head. His arms were wrapped tightly around her as she sobbed. 

“I do too.”

And they stayed like that, until the sun had fully risen over Konohagakure, the village's last two Uchiha stayed up on their roof, crying for their family. 

The only reason the siblings didn’t spend the day crying in the warm September sun was because they had things to do; on the anniversary of an Uchiha’s death certain customs had to be adhered to, and with no one else to carry them out, the duty fell to them. 

That was why, after having eaten— neither Toshiko or Sasuke had eaten much, a bit of toast, a piece of fruit and enough green tea to help settle their thunderous stomach —and dressed themselves in white mourning robes that had originally belonged to two of the clan member a they were commemorating Toshiko and Sasuke had headed met a handful of Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi— namely and most imporantly Shikamaru, Choji and Ino and their parents — and various members of the Kurama Clan heads at the districts gates. 

Though the Kurama had seemingly closed theme levels off in the past few years— before even the massacre had happened —neither Toshiko nor Sasuke were surprised to see Yakumo or her parents talking quietly to the Yamanaka as Kurama and Uchiha clans were old allies, predating the village's conception. During the warring eras the two clans would band together to protect their land from the Senju and their allies like the Hyuuga. Like the Hyuuga, the Kurama were one of the first clans to sign the Leaf Villages charter. 

They however were surprised to see, within the group, Sasuke’s sensei Iruka. He had been to the clan's mass funeral— most of the village had —but he hadn’t come to mourn with them since then like the others had. 

“Iruka-sensei?” Sasuke asked, not saying the quite What are you doing here aloud. Iruka-sensei like the others wore dark funeral clothes. 

“Sasuke, Toshiko, hello. I figured I would see how you were  holding up today.”

“Thank you sensei,” Toshiko said softly as Shikamaru moved from his parents to her. Without looking she held out her hand for her friend; Shikamaru wrapped his fingers around her wrist. Looking up at her best friend through her wet lashes Toshiko offered him a wet and wobbly smile.

“Thank you for coming to Shikamaru,” Toshiko said. She then looked at the small crowd that had come to mourn with her and her brother. She bowed deeply; Sasuke did the same.

“Thank you all for coming to remember our clan with us,” Sasuke said with a strong voice; it was thick with emotion, anger, sorrow and longing.

Their family was dead and they had the rest of their lives to live without them. 

Three years after the horror that was the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Toshiko could still see it everytime she closed her eyes— she could hear her clansmen' screaming as she hid —and her hands still shook as she passed incenses’ out to those who had arrived at the district's gates. 

Ino, who usually couldn’t keep her eyes off of Toshiko’s brother when he was within a mile of her, wrapped the girl in a tight hug when she passed the blonde and her parents their set of insenses. Ino buried her face into the top of Toshiko’s and Toshi grabbed Ino back just as hard. 

Ino was nice as odd as some in the academy might find that to hear but with Yakumo practically sequestered in her clans district Ino was the only girl Toshiko knew that liked her, and perhaps that was in part because of Shikamaru and Sasuke but Ino nonetheless took her duties as Toshiko’s friend seriously weather that meant hair braiding, gossiping, fashion advice and kunoichi tips and for that Toshiko was grateful.

When everyone had a stick of incense, Toshiko stepped back behind her brother. The sun beat down on all of them; the wind was nonexistent. 

Sasuke was Clan Head, Toshiko— until he had a family of his own one day —his heir and second. That was why he spoke, carrying on the memorials entrance; despite the fact he couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes and instead looked at the unburnt end of his incense. “T-Three years ago one thousand and twenty-three Uchiha died. Today we remember them. Customs in our clan say that a candle has to be lit for each life that was lost and a prayer be said.” Sasuke’s voice shook. He licked his lips and Toshiko shuffled closer to him so that he could feel that she was with him. “We can’t do that today.” There wasn’t enough time in the day for prayers to be said  over a thousand candles. “Instead, my sister and I ask all of you to light your incense so that it can burn as we walk to our clan's shrine.”

Shikaku was quick to pull a lighter from his robes; he handed it to Sasuke  who used it to light his incense. “I lit this incense for Uchiha’s Fugaku and Mikoto, fair and just parents who I will make proud.” 

Sasuke then lit Toshiko’s for her. “I lit this incense for the civilians who died. Innocent and kind, I will embody our ways and make you proud.”

Sasuke handed Shikaku his lighter back and instead of lighting his own incense he handed the lighter to Yakumo and her parents. Her father Enji lit his incense, and then hers; “We lit this incense for the officers who lost their lives. Good shinobi who died in battle, their sacrifice will be remembered.”  Yakumo’s mother’s incense was dedicated to the mothers who died; a fellow mothers sorrow would not be forgotten and the grace of holding her Yakumo just a little longer would be done.

Sometimes civilian Uchiha who had never or couldn’t awaken their Sharingan for whatever reason— usually having to do with the chakra coils in their eyes being malformed —married into the Kurama clan. Their children never carried the genes needed to awaken a sharingan but it gave them near, sharingan-like abilities over genjutsu and the Kurama clan members who hailed from one Uchiha or another and had come with Yakumo and her parents, lit incense for their fallen kin.

Shikaku then lit his incense. “I lit this incense for the scholars of the Uchiha. Knowledge lost is a burden we all feel. I will carry their memory.” 

Yoshino lit hers for the iyro-nin. “You forwent the blade to heal the world. We will remember your contributions and strive for a better tomorrow.”

Shikamaru lit his own incense as he looked at Toshiko. She tried to blink away the tears as Shikamaru spoke, “I lit this incense for Uchiha Shota,” the elderly man who had lived next to her and her family; the one who fed all the local cats. “A man who lived to a very old age and had a very happy life. I hope to follow one day.”

The Nara’s that had come with Shikamaru and his parents, his uncle, and cousins who Toshiko knew had been on teams or at least worked closely with her clan members all lit their incense for the person they were specifically mourning. 

Ino’s father and mother lit their incense for iyro-nin and the shinobi who had fallen against Itchi’s blade as well. Ino’s father Inochi named Uchiha Hyuang, a council member Toshiko was sure her mother had complained about at least once, as an old childhood friend who would be missed.

Ino named Izumi for whom she lit her incense for; a shinobi who’s heart was still so full of love. Choji named Izumi as well but because she had been kind. She kept her heart open and smiled at the world and Choji hoped to always do that while his mother had lit hers for the fallen cooks and bakers. 

Choji’s father surprised both Toshiko and Sasuke as he lit his incense for their mother; “I lit this incense for my fallen comrade Uchiha Mikoto. From academy to battlefield we might not have been on the same team but she and hers saved my skin enough times on the front lines for me to carry her hard work and sacrifice with me for life.” 

Toshiko looked between Choza and Choji and then Choza and Shikaku; though she didn’t ask, she wanted to know what stories of their mother did Choza have to share? What connections could he offer that Toshiko had thought were gone and lost?

Two of Choji’s older cousins lit incense for the same girl; Uchiha Maomo. They both said that she was the only reason they survived their tenure as genin.

Iruka sensei was the last to light his incense. “I lit this incense in the name of the students who will never graduate. The academy halls miss you dearly.” 

Toshiko let out a hiccuped sob. Sasuke tensed and turned. Toshiko sucked up a deep breath of air as she held the agarwood incense against her chest and turned. Sasuke stepped next to her and they began to hum.

The Kurama’s began to hum with them.

Toshiko wasn’t sure what the song they were humming was called, just that Kurama Enji had taught it to her at her clan's funeral. He’d said it was what their clans would sing to their dead on the battlefield, back in the warring era. 

It was somber and low pitched. 

And as Sasuke and Toshiko led the walk to Naka Shrine, she looked at the ground, scared that if she looked anywhere else she would see remnants of that night. A flash of a memory. The echo of a voice.

Toshiko took the handful of steps leading up to Naka Shrine slowly. Her knees wobbled as she climbed them and passed under the torii. 

Her mother used to bow her head at the door and smile; “The Gods aren’t always looking down at us sweetheart so we must always be respectful because if we aren’t even just once, we risk that being the time they cast their eyes over us.”

Iruka-sensei was the one to close the doors of the shrine. Everyone except for Sasuke took a seat on the tatami mats; Sasuke stood in front of the snake god that for centuries had protected the Uchiha. Naka, the clans' patron god, was supposedly a large snake with horns that grew from its head and a third eye that after a great loss, became the Sharingan.

The books Toshiko read never said what the loss was, just that it was great and painful and that because of the pain, Naka feld his home and settled in the mountains the Uchiha clan originally descended from. There Naka watched as the Uchiha, back when they were small and few, sustained attack after enemy attack and became endeared to them for though their numbers were small they were a mighty clan, even with no dojutsu to aid them. 

Myth had it that when only one Uchiha was left standing on the battlefield— a woman, who had lost her husband and father and brothers and mother and children, all in battle —Naka came to her aid, he had seen her throughout the years and though he was a god he thought her brilliant, kind and resourceful.

Gods can't love humans but they can come close.

So Naka, Lord of the Mountain, gave her his third eye and with the human pain she had experienced and the resources of a god, the Snake Gods three tomed Sharingan became a Mangekyou Sharingan. And with that the mother of Uchiha was able to win the battle.

From there, with her loyalty pledged to Naka the Snake God, she refounded the clan, determined to not let the God's gift fade from her bloodline; from there came Madara and from him Mikoto and from her, her three children. 

Or so the books Toshiko tended to read said. 

Sasuke cleared his throat as he began the clans, Hi-Fu-Mi norito. The Hi-Fu-Mi norito was— a prayer of purification, with the power of changing misfortune into good fortune —shorter than many other norito’s the Uchiha clan had and the reason he did that was because the norito Toshiko read aloud in a thick but  intoned, rhythmic, sing-song voice was longer. The norito she read aloud, in front of her friends and their family and Sasuke’s academy instructor was, like Sasuke's, about purification.

Purity was a staple of the Uchiha; pure intentions, pure strength of will, pure of heart, those were the Uchiha clan's core tenements.  They were the pillars every Uchiha parent brought their children up under before letting them out into the world to defend their village and carry on the will of fire.

When Toshiko was finished Shikaku rose from where he’d been seated; the Nara had different patron gods than the Uchiha and they had different prayers but as he stood in front of Toshiko and her brother and the others he didn’t offer a prayer or a story of some god neither Uchiha had heard of before. Instead Nara Shikaku looked at Toshiko and Sasuke with sad, tired eyes.

“Your father was a kind man. He did his best by the people of both his clan and the village even when I’m sure it was hard for him to do so. I had tea with him just some nights before he died and we talked about Shikamaru and you—” he looked pointed at Toshiko, “—And how we were proud you two were building bridges between clans that didn't have that between them.” Sikaku then looked out at the small group and though he wasn’t saying anything anybody didn't already know he let out a low sounding hum. “Uchiha Fugaku loved his children. He loved his clan and the village, he was a proud man who asked me to watch out for his daughter.”

Both Sasuke and Toshiko sat up straighter. 

“He had said Toshi-chan is at your clan's compound often enough that she can be Uchiha-Nara Toshiko on Wednesdays and Fridays and when your boy comes over on Mondays and Thursdays he can be Nara-Uchiha Shikamaru-he’d said how Mikoto had always wanted another child and I made a joke how a getting daughter was always something to cross off my to-do list but I always seemed to sleep right through it.” Choza, Enji and Inochi all laughed, though Toshiko wasn’t sure what the laughter was for. Shikaku hadn’t said anything funny. 

“We ended that night with a game of Go,” Shikaku said, “And I understood Uchiha Fugaku more than ever before and I mourn the friendship that could have been. He was a good man.” And then he sat down, Kurama Enji stood up.

“If we’re telling stories, Fugaku saved my life during the war. I saw him earning his name Wicked Eyes on the battlefield, taking out entire battalions of enemy shinobi, but I also saw him get married and have a family. He was one of the first people to hold my daughter. Shikaku-sama is right Fugaku was a good man, he was better than most when faced with an unfavorable hand.”

“What about Mikoto?” Yakumo’s mother and Enji’s wife chuckled wetly, “She was a hellon. Anyone who wanted proof that she was of Uchiha Madara’s line just had to watch her haggle, the woman always got her way.”

“Tell me about it. Back during the war-you remember Inochi, Shikaku? The way she used to fight Minato-sama,” Choza ribbed from where he sat, “He used to say something he thought was poetic and deep around the fire and she used to try to throttle him for wasting the air around her. Those two were worse than cats and dogs.” And the room went silent as the head of the Akimichi clan finished. Red, matching the color of his hair flooded the man's face.

Sasuke and Toishiko shared a quiet and questioning look as Choza received several heated looks from other adults; Who was Minato? Obviously he was someone on their mother genin team; she had retired from her duties as a shinobi after making the rank of jonin and that had been before the Third Great Shinobi war had even started.

“Maomao used to steal apples from the local stall and the one she was caught she blamed me,” one of Choji’s cousins— Dai —said loudly, drawing the attention from his Clan Head to himself. “She said my blood sugar was dropping and I needed the apple right away before I died right there in the street and that I would pay for the apple when I was able to.”

“Did the seller let you?”

“Yeah-you try looking Uchiha Maomao in the face and telling her no.” Several people laughed and just like that the tension passed and more and more stories were shared. Hours passed, the noontimes sun began to set and Toshiko learned so much about her fallen clansmen that she never thought she’d have been able to learn. 

Shikamaru had long thrown an arm over Toshiko’s shoulder so that she could cry into his robes at any given moment when the sadness got too great and she couldn't hold her sobs back. His thumb ran up and down the side of her arm comfortingly. 

Sasuke stood up. His hands shook.

“My father once told me the Uchiha were a proud people. We were strong-we helped found the village and put an end to a period of war and he said that it was our duty to care for it. He always said that; the village is important and we need to care for it like our forefathers. He-he-he—”

Toshiko stood up, out from under Shikamaru and grabbed her brother's hand as he turned his head in the direction of Lord Naka’s shrine. 

“—Our papa would be happy to know you all care for our clan the way he cared for you and the village. Which is why Sasu-nii and I are asking all of you to join us in releasing lanterns. In-in our clan's culture-no,” Toshiko stumbled as she gripped her brother's hand tighter. Shikamaru wrapped a hand around Toshiko’s calf, encouraging her to go on.

“The Uchiha clan crest is a fan because we’re forever fanning the will of fire, to us you’re not part of the clan until you can form a fireball and we light these insinese and candles and cremate when saying goodbye to people who have died because file is supposed to purify. So when we light Lanterns Sasu and I made, we're hoping that they make it to the Pure Lands and our family can see we’re still thinking of them. Missing them.”

“We’d be honored to release Lanterns with you two,” Yamanaka Inochi said warmly as he stood. Sasuke and Toshiko lead everyone out of Naka Shrine and to what was the heart of the Uchiha district. The sky was streaked pink and purple. 

“Sasuke will have to kill me Toshiko,” Itachi said, “If he wants to protect you.”

“Why?” Itachi’s thumb rubbed the curve of her cheek, his red— bright, bloody red —eyes swirled as his frown deepened. 

Dozens of red and blue floating lanterns sat on the ground unlit. Toshiko grabbed one and Sasuke grabbed the large box of matches they’d left with the lanterns. When everyone had a Lantern and a match Toshiko closed her eyes.

“Because at the end of all of this Toshi, only one of us can have you. It’s why I got rid of Shisui and why if Sasuke doesn't become strong enough to kill me I’ll end him. You’re mine dear sister, and I’ll come back for you when you’re ready for me. Hopefully Sasuke won’t fail you when that time comes either.”

She opened her eyes; bloody red and with only one tome per eye. In the distance, a top a far off rooftop. Toshiko spotted a familiar avian-type ANBU mask.

“Hi papa, hi mama. Shi-nii, I hope you’re all at peace. I hope you're all happy,” Toshiko whispered before sending her lantern up into the sky. Sasuke sent his up after hers and the Shikamaru; dozens of glowing, floating lanterns filled the air above the Uchiha district. Toshiko reached for her friends hand; Shikamaru laced their fingers together and Toshiko as she looked up at the trail of lanterns, not for the first time, wished her dojutsu allowed her to rewind time.   

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

Part One: “Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!”

The late March sun was warm against Toshiko's skin as she walked the streets of Konoha. Unlike her brother and friends who were in a warm, poorly ventilated classroom, in their last year at the village's ninja academy, only a day or so away from graduation and becoming fully fledged shinobi, Toshiko was on and nearing the end of her summer vacation. Classes for her— the start of her final year at Konoha’s ninja academy —would begin days after her brother got his genin team assignments and began his life as a ninja. 

Toshiko walked through a long and narrow alleyway, her lunch basket in hand, filled with snacks from one of the many local Akimichi food stalls; though the village had many great eateries that weren’t owned and operated by the Akimichi Clan— like Yakaku Q, a barbeque spot and Ichiraku, a ramen shop —to Toshiko there was nothing like— nothing better then —the Akimichi clans onigiri food stall. The stall was run by two of Choji’s distantly related civilian clan members, Spirit and Hikari and they made the best onigiri in all of Konoha. Perhaps the entire Land of Fire if not the world. 

She had four different types of rice balls in her wicker basket; two spicy eel’s, a spicy crab and shrimp tempura filled one, and a mackerel stuffed one for Shikamaru as he’d promised to meet her at Naka falls to cloud watch after he got out of class before they’d head to dinner at Shikamaru’s with Sasuke.

A familiar manic giggle filled the alleyway, and Toshiko, recognizing the laughter, paused. She turned and with raised brows and a small smile saw a familiar looking blonde racing through the streets, both hands carrying three different paint cans; Toshiko could hear the shouts of academy instructors behind Naruto but she couldn’t yet see them.

“Hey Naruto,” Toshiko smiled. 

“Hey! Shikamaru’s friend!” Naruto paused in his getaway, dirt kicked up around their ankles at his breakneck stop. After they’d met that snowy day, her first year at the academy neither of them had become friends per say but they were friendly; even if he couldn't remember her name for the life of him. 

Toshiko couldn’t hold it against him; they didn’t talk much. Sure they said hi to one another in passing and they of course would chat when he would join her and Shikamaru and Choji for lunch or to hang out after classes— the only time they ever found themselves alone together was in moments like this, when they ran into each other while skipping classes —so Toshiko didn’t hold it against him for not always remembering her name. 

He remembered more often than  not and besides, Toshiko knew names weren’t everyone’s strong suit, the only reason it was hers was because her father had always stressed the importance of a name especially in their way of life. A shinobi had to know the names of their allies and foes, they had to know the names of both domestic and foreign dignitaries lest they insult one and turn an ally into a foe.

More often than not, Toshiko’s father had drilled into them, Names were a matter of life or death. 

“Yeah-why are you running? Shouldn’t you be cramming for graduation?” Toshiko asked. Naruto’s kind smile morphed into a shy, troublesome one as his ears dusted themselves pink. His bright blue eyes sparkled under the June-time sun.

“Cram? You mean study? Please, a great ninja like me doesn't need to study!”

“He went this way!”

“Ah shit,” Naruto swore. Toshiko looked over her shoulder and still didn't see any of the shinobi chasing after him. “Help?”

“I thought you were a great ninja?” Toshiko smirked. “Since when do great shinobi need the help of little girls?”

“Come on! I’ll owe you!” Toshiko could hear the footsteps of the shinobi that had been chasing after Naruto. They were close.

“What did you even do?”

“I’ll tell you later, promise!” Naruto’s pupils got wide and Toshiko felt her will waver under the weight of the older boy's guilt tripping puppy-dog eyes. “Just tell them I went that way!” Naruto begged as he threw an arm out, paint swished over the rim of their respective pail and onto the dirt alleyway causing Toshiko to take half a step back to avoid getting green and orange onto her feet.

Uchiha’s help those in need.

“They’re not going to buy that Natuto,” Toshiko sighed, “You’d have to have passed them if you went back down that way.”

“Ah shit!” Naruto swore again. 

Uchiha’s help those in need; even if those in need are idiots. Especially when said Uchiha was on summer break and there was no real skin in the game when caught helping said person in need.

Toshiko placed her whisker basket of onigiri between Naruto’s spread feet, she put her hands together into the hand sign of the Dog-Boar-Ram; “Transform!” 

“Woah, you look just like me!” Naruto cooed, “Wait-why do you look like me?” 

“Because you’re going to hide over there—“ Toshiko pointed to the mountain of empty wooden crates, “—With my lunch while I lead whoever you upset away. We can meet up in my clan's district-you know where that is right?” 

Naruto shook his head and Toshiko resisted the urge to sigh; she got why her brother thought he was an idiot but then she thought about the day they met, after class when Naruto had tried to stand up for her— though it hadn't worked he had loudly proclaimed that any kid who wanted to try shit with her would have to get through to him  —and didn’t, instead opting to smile at the blonde. 

She wasn’t sure if Naruto didn’t know where the Uchiha district was because he couldn’t remember her name or because he just never went to the district and therefore didn’t know where it was in the village.  

He was an idiot but kind and to Toshiko that was what mattered. 

“The Uchiha district Naruto, meet me there,” Toshiko instructed in a voice that was in no way her own as she took the paint cans from him. 

“You got it, Shikamaru's friend!” At the blonde's smile Toshiko sighed— though not without a matching smile of her own —before springing off, stopping at the other side of the alleyway so that she could see Naruto hide and the chunin chasing him— them —could spot him with a loud, “There he is!”

“Stop right there Naruto! You’re in for it if you don’t!” 

“Just try to catch me!” Toshiko shouted as she sprung off down the block. Paint trailed behind her in the street as she sped through one alleyway after another and then onto the street. As Toshiko put some distance between her and Naruto, she wondered just what the blonde had done.

Last time he had used paint in a prank Shikamaru had told Toshiko Naruto had painted all of the chunin instructors ninja weapons bright pink shortly before they needed to be used leaving several dozen hands also pink because the class that was supposed to use the throwing stars had wrongly assumed the paint was dry.

Midthought, as she continued to think of just what Naruto could have done, Toshiko found herself cut off by two Chunin instructors. Iwana-sensei, a balding man with an eyepatch and Bekko-sensei, who constantly tripped over his own two feet whenever Toshiko saw him in the streets, outside of school.

“Got you now you little rat!” Bekko-sensei snapped as he made a grab for Toshiko. Toshiko dropped the paint cans, causing them to clatter and splash paint onto both her feet and the feet of several outraged civilians as she ducked under Bekko-sensei’s grab.  Toshiko— Naruto —frowned at the names they called her.

Toshiko jerked left, ready to throw herself into a crowd of women passing by, and drop the transformation when someone— Iwana-sensei —grabbed her collar.

The transformation dropped via a cloud of chakra-smoke. 

“Uchiha-chan!” Bekko-sensei gasped as Toshiko, who had been listed off the ground by her collar, swayed,  “Where the hell is Naruto!”

“Probably still running from you guys sensei,” Toshiko said earnestly. Iwana-Sensei sighed as he put Toshiko onto the ground. Iwana-sensei rested his hands on his hips.

“Uchiha-chan, why were you transformed as Naruto, do you know what he’s done now!” Toshiko shook her head. “He graffitied the faces of Hokage rock!”

Toshiko felt her eyes close at the information; that was by far worse than dying ninja tools.

“Come on-wait until Iruka-sensei gets a load of you!”

“What?” Toshiko asked, “Why would Iruka-sensei care, he’s not my sensei!” She was on summer break; she hadn’t been skipping!

“Cause if Naruto is pulling underclassmen into his shit Iruka needs to hear about it, now get moving!” Iwana-sensei answered with a snap. With a huff Toshiko moved her paint covered feet back into the direction she’d come from.

“I wouldn’t say Naruto is pulling underclassmen into his pranks,” Toshiko grumbled as they entered the first alleyway. Her head hung low.

“Yeah?” Bekko-sensei asked roughly, “Then what would you say? Did you help him graffiti Hokage rock? Are you a co-conspirator in defacing one of our village's greatest monuments!”

“No!” Toshiko cried as her head snapped up so that she could look at both Bekko and Iwana-sensei’s incredulously, “Never!” Her shoulders fell as pink spread across her face; she could only imagine what her parents— her clan —would say if they were alive at this moment. Uchiha’s didn’t cause trouble; they didn’t get accused of crimes. “I helped after the fact-I aided and abetted, I didn’t commit,” Toshiko mumbled, her fingers twisting the front of her shirt guilty.

She looked up at Bekko-sensei and Iwana-sensei through her lashes, both of whom looked to be fighting off smirks. The pair of chunin shared a look between each other and never before had Toshiko wished for the abilities of a Yamanaka. 

“Iruka-hey!” Bekko-sensei threw his hand up in the air, Iruka-sensei had one hand on Naruto’s shoulder— Naruto had been bound in ropes the way the Police force used to bind criminals they had arrested — leading him back in the direction of the academy and the other was holding her basket. “We caught Naruto’s co-conspirator.”

“Toshiko?” Iruka-sensei blinked. “You helped Naruto graffiti Hokage Rock?”

“No!” Toshiko denied. “I already told you sensei,” Toshiko said looking up at Bekko-sensei, “I aided and abetted in a getaway, I didn’t help desecrate—” Toshiko’s head snapped to Naruto’s direction, “—Hokage rock!” Toshiko glared at Naruto, “I asked what you did!”

Naruto’s shoulders raised as he let out a weak and pathetic laugh, “Yeah, my bad.” Besides that and the laugh Naruto didn’t offer any defense and in that moment Toshiko understood why more often than not her brother came home in a huff over the blonde's antics from that day because in that moment Toshiko— if Bekko and Iwana-sensei didn’t have a hand per shoulder —could see herself trying to throttle Naruto the way Sasuke usually threatened to try one day.

“Huh,” Iruka-sensei’s chin tipped upwards, he looked at his two fellow chunin. “How’d she’d aid and abet?”

“Get this, she transformed into Naruto!” Bekko sensei said. Toshiko watched as Iruka-sensei’s brows shot up under his hitai-ate.

“No way."

Toshiko looked at Iruka-sensei with the kind of puppy dog eyes she’d use when Shikaku-sama caught her and Shikamaru napping instead of training or when she was trying to talk her brother into getting her undeserved sweats as tried to mentally cajole the sensei into letting her go.

It didn’t work because Iruka-sensei sighed heavily and moved her lunch basket to the cook of his elbow so he could wave her over. Bekko and Iwana-sensei handed Toshiko to Iruka, thankfully, didn't wrap her in rope. 

“You’re coming with us Toshiko.”

“Alright-can I have my lunch back though sensei? Please?”

“Sure.” Iruka-sensei handed Toshiko back her wicker basket and as Iruka began to read Naruto the riot act as they all walked back to the academy— while Iruka walking Toshiko and Naruto back after finding them cutting class was a weekly occurrence she hadn’t thought it’d happen on her summer vacation —Toshiko took out a spicy eel onigiri to eat.

As she ate the rice ball she glared at the snickering civilians that passed her, Iruka-sensei and Naruto by. Beast , they had called her when they’d thought it was him. Demon-brat. 

Why?

She looked at Naruto who’s brow had come down onto his eyes causing the bright daytime blue she was used to, to darken, and Iruka-sensei who looked exhausted as he repeated the same old lecture on why cutting class was never going to help Naruto get ahead in life; “Do you guys want a rice ball?”

Iruka-sensei stopped mid-lecture and Naruto perked up the way he always did when Shikamaru offered part of his lunch to him.

“What was that Toshiko?”

“I have extra rice balls-the mackerel is for Shika but I have another spicy eel and a crab and shrimp tempura if you guys want one?” Toshiko offered before she took another bite of her riceball. 

“Yeah!” Naruto jumped with a beam, “Hell yeah!”

“Naruto you don't have hands to eat with right now-I’m okay Toshiko, thank you though. You can give them to your friends at lunch.” Toshiko’s brows knitted together, she cocked her head to the side and the corners of Iruka-sensei’s mouth turned upwards, like he was holding himself back from laughing. “You’re going to be joining my class today.”

Toshiko thought of her brother and how he’d probably try to kill her for getting herself into trouble— with Naruto of all people —and then of Shikamaru and she tried to think of his reaction. Shikamaru liked Naruto and it wasn't as if she had pulled him into a troublesome mess in trying to help Naruto. Toshiko assumed he'd laugh at her the way he'd laugh at Choji whenever he'd overeat and get himself sick.

“I am?” Iruka-sensei hummed out a yes. 

“How else am I going to make sure you help Naruto here clean up the great stone faces.”

“But-but I didn’t even paint them!” 

“No but you helped Naruto try to escape justice, what did you call it?” Toshiko felt her shoulders slump forward. “Aiding and abetting?” She nodded. “Look when you become a ninja, when your teammate gets into trouble that makes it your trouble too and the consequences of that trouble Toshiko, also becomes yours.”

“Yes sir,” Toshiko groaned as they came upon the academy. Iruka made sure Naruto was in front of him with every step they took; he guided Naruto up the steps and into the building, carefully making sure he didn’t trip as he marched Naruto— and Toshiko —to his class. 

Iruka-sensei opened the door, Naruto went in first and several snickers rang out as Toshiko walked in after him. Sasuke, who sat next to Shikamaru— mostly because Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto weren’t aloud to pair up and sit together anymore and according to Shikamaru, Sasuke was the only one in class who wouldn’t bother him whilst he napped the class away —was quick to catch her eye.

Pink, Toshiko ducked her head and turned to smile at Ino who smiled at Toshiko almost knowingly. For as in love with her brother as Ino claimed to be, Ino had always encouraged Toshiko to be as loud and unapologetic as she was when she thought it was appropriate, even if it annoyed Sasuke. 

Naruto, still bound by ropes, sat on the floor by Iruka-sensei’s desk. Toshiko stood next to him and Iruka-sensei stood in front of them with his hands on his hips.

“Toshiko please go take a seat by your brother and Shikamaru.”

“Yes sir,” Toshiko said as she moved up the landings. She passed Choji the crab and shrimp onigiri when she saw he didn’t have a snack in front of him— “I’m at the end of my rope Naruto!” Iruka-sensei started  —and continued up the classroom steps until she got to the very top row where Sasuke was looking at her expectantly with his arms crossed over his chest and Shikamaru was looking up at her, his head in his hands and a lazy smile on his lips.

Like Sasuke though his eyebrows were raised expectedly; questioningly. Toshiko ignored both of their looks as she sat next to her brother causing him to shuffle over and knock into Shikamaru.

“What did you do?” Sasuke asked.

“Technically nothing,” Toshiko muttered as Iruka-sensei continued to tear into Naruto. She slid Shikamaru his mackerel stuffed onigiri.

“Thank’s Toshi,” Shikamaru muttered thankfully as he took the snack. Toshiko handed her brother the other spicy eel only for Sasuke to grab her wrist as she went to hand him the snack; Shikamaru’s back straightened. “Hey—”

“—Stay out of this Nara,” Sasuke snapped barely sparing Shikamaru a look, “What did you do?” 

“I just tried to help Naruto, really,” Toshiko said, Sasuke narrowed his eyes and dropped Toshiko’s wrist as Iruka-sensei demanded everyone upfront to once again— since Naruto had missed it —practice the transformation jutsu before her brother could demande details on just how she had helped Naruto. Toshiko looked at the chunin, her hand flew to the air, “Do you want me to come up to Iruka-sensei?” she asked before being called on.

“Yes Toshiko, you too-you can go first actually.”

Toshiko moved with Sasuke and Shikamaru’s class as Iruka-sensei began to untie Naruto; at the bottom of the stairs she stood between her brother— who was glaring at Naruto as he was between him and Shikamaru —and a pink haired girl named Sakura. Toshiko had met Sakura a handful of times since her brother and Shikamaru had joined the academy mostly because she knew Ino.

Though they— Sakura and Ino —always bickered, worse than cats and dogs, whenever it was just Ino and Toshiko, Ino would call Sakura her best friend.

“Toshiko,” Iruka motioned for Toshiko to step up.Toshiko did and Iruka whistled so that the class of chittering four years was focused on him. “Uchiha Toshiko here is a third year student here at the academy, she’s going to start us off-if she can transform into a perfect copy of myself none of you should have any trouble, is that clear?”

A loud and harmonious— though somewhat monotone — Yes rang out.

Toshiko, standing in front of the class made the hand signs— Dog-Boar-Ram —and just as she had done earlier in the street, she transformed, though unlike before when she had transformed into Naruto she became Iruka-sensei’s perfect replica. 

“How’s this sensei?” Right down to his voice and shy smile.

The real Iruka-sensei smiled, “Great Toshiko.” 

With a bright smile Toshiko turned as chakra smoke enveloped her. As the smoke cleared away she smiled at her brother who though had his arms crossed over his chest did look proud of her— Toshiko’s heart squeezed in her chest because he looked like their father; he had their fathers eyes and no else in the world would ever see that —and Shikamaru who was smiling back at her, still with his small lazy smile that made her feel warm from the inside out.

Toshiko moved back up the stairs as Sakura took her place, transforming into Iruka-sensei. 

“Yes I did it! Sasuke, did you see that?” The pink haired girl— Ino’s best friend —asked as Iruka-sensei called Sasuke up. By the time Toshiko was once more seated, this time on Shikamaru’s side of the table  her brother had transformed into Iruka-sensei.

“Good work Sasuke-Naruto you’re up.” Sasuke started up the stairs, Toshiko could see from the look in her brother's eyes there was no getting out of explaining just how she had helped Naruto.

From her spot in the back row Toshiko watched as Naruto pushed off the desk he’d been leaning against. Naruto had only just started the hand signs to transform into Iruka-sensei when Sasuke had made it halfway up the stairs.             

Only he didn’t become Iruka-sensei. He became a beautifully naked woman. Chakra smoke swirled around him, keeping bits and bobs of himself— herself — mostly covered. 

Toshiko’s eyes went wide as her brother’s instructor took three steps back and blood pooled out of his nose; two of Naruto’s classmates took a step forward, and Sakura rushed forward to Iruka sensei as he fell backwards, tripping over the leg of his chair and Shikamaru’s head fell into his hands all while Sasuke, who had turned to look over his shoulder turned a bright, violent shade of pink.

Naruto cackled as he transformed back into himself, “Gotch’a Iruka-sensei! That’s my sexy jutsu!” 

Toshiko perked up in her heat, she turned to her beat red brother and grabbed his sleeve, “He created that?”

“Don't sound thrilled, it’s a degenerate’s jutsu,” Sasuke snapped. 

“Who cares he still created a jutsu-do you think he’d give me tips?” Toshiko asked, thrilled at the prospect of creating her own jutsu. Only the top shinobi were able to do so; the last time an Uchiha had created a justu it had been before either of her parents had been born, back when the village had still been new and the flow of ideas and information between newly united clans was fresh. 

“I'd kill him if he does,” Sasuke muttered as he slouched in his seat. Hyuga Hinata had gone to help Sakura help Iruka-sensei up. “What did you even do that Iruka-sensei caught you?”

“Tried to help Naruto make a clean getaway-Bekko-sensei and Iwana-sensei caught me.” Sasuke sucked a sharp breath of air up through his nose, he leaned forward and grabbed Toshiko’s wrist once more, only unlike before when he had demanded answers, he didn’t squeeze her wrist tightly and he didn’t look unbelievably cross. 

Instead he looked tired and to Toshiko, perhaps that was worse.

Iruka-sensei got to his feet as he began to once more yell at Naruto.

“You can't get in trouble Toshiko, not before I’m a chunin-or you’re a genin,” Sasuke stressed and Toshiko looked down at her and her brothers lap.

“I know.”

They’d only been allowed to stay in the Uchiha compound, together, because of Shikaku-sama promising to watch over them and guide them. Originally, when Sasuke had been in his comatose state following the massacre, the idea of an orphanage had been floated around; unsupervised kids with too much time and a boat load of chakra and curiosity at their disposal, tended to get into mischief more often than not and until they were both shinobi— or Sasuke was at least a chunin, if that came before she got her headband —the threat of the villages local orphanage hung over them.

Even if the Nara swore up and down they would never let that happen. 

“Do you?” Sasuke asked, “Toshi, I can't lose you.”

“I know Sasu, I can't lose you either,” Toshiko said softly.

“Good. Now does Iruka-sensei have you writing lines after class or anything?” Toshiko shook her head.

“He said I have to help Naruto clean the great stone faces.”

“What the hell did that idiot do to the faces?”

“Painted them.”

“Seriously?” Toshiko turned from her brother to Shikamaru who stood on her otherside with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped forward.

“Yeah-I can’t coud watch, Iruka-sensei has me helping Naruto—”

“—I heard,” Shikamaru said as he slid into his seat, trapping Toshiko between him and her brother. He threw an arm over Toshiko’s shoulders, pulling her close and resting his cheek against the top of her head. “Nice work up front.”

“Yeah?” Shikamaru hummed. “Do you think you can help me create a jutsu?”

“What kind?” 

“I don’t know yet. I just know I want to create one,” Toshiko said surely, her mind swirling with different possibilities.

“Troublesome,” Shikamaru muttered, “You kind of need to know what you want it to do-do even you know if you want it to be genjutsu, ninjutsu, or what?”

“Ninjutsu definitely.”

“Well figure it out, and maybe dad can help you come up with something,” Shikamaru said as he rubbed his cheek against Toshiko’s hair, signalling that he was going to nap. Quickly, the same way all Nara did, Shikamaru fell asleep. His breathing evened out as Iruka-sensei who was back on his feet coustined to go through the line of soon-to-be genin.

Naruto sat tied up in the corner of the classroom in the same ropes as before and Toshiko wondered, as class ticked by, what kind of justu she’d like to create.

0.0.0.0 

The sun was hot as Toshiko and Naruto cleaned the half dried paint off of the great stone faces. Shikamaru was at the very top of the monument— either asleep or cloud watching —and waiting for Toshiko to finish. He had promised to walk her to his for dinner when she and Naruto were done even if it was kind of a Drag to cloud watch from the monument instead of his favorite hilltop.

Naruto muttered as he scrubbed the rock.

“You’re not going home until you’ve scrubbed every drop of paint,” Iruka said, arms crossed over his vest. Unlike Naruto and Toshiko who sat on swings used to upkeep the monument, Iruka-sensei was  precariously perched upon  the third Hokage's nose.

“So what!” Naruto snapped, “It’s not like there’s anyone waiting at home for me!” Toshiko looked up at Iruka-sensei and frowned, her heart twisting in her chest as she scrubbed the green paint off of Lord Fourths nose. 

Even though her clan was dead she had Sasuke. Even though her family was gone she had the Nara.

Like Naruto she and Sasuke were orphans but in no way were they alone. 

Toshiko peaked over her shoulder, down at Naruto as Iruka-sensei offered to take him out for ramen. “What about you Toshiko? I’d be happy to get you a bowl as well,” Iruka-sensei tacked on as Naruto began scrubbing at a breakneck speed over the prospect of ramen. 

“No thanks sensei, Sasuke and I are having dinner with Shikamaru and his parents tonight. His mom’s making udon tonight.”

“Sounds delicious,” Iruka smiled. Toshiko nodded.

“Shika’s mom is the best cook,” Toshiko said. She didn’t say ever though, because everytime she went over to the Nara Clans land and had dinner with Shikamaru and his family all Toshiko ever thought of was her own.

The Nara didn’t eat their food as spicy as the Uchiha did, though Yoshino tried to make sure hot sauces and red pepper flakes were always available. 

Toshiko thought of how her mother would sing while she cooked and her father would carry her to the table. Sasuke would dramatically tell a story from his day and how on the rare nights towards the end when Shisui and Itachi were able to join them laughter was an abundance at the table. 

She missed her clan.

She wanted her mom and dad.

Toshiko moved from the smear of green paint on Lord Third to the orange unibrow Naruto had painted onto the Second Hokage. Still thinking Toshiko knew that no matter how much she missed her clan— blood was on the bottom of her feet, in her hair, she could hear her clansmen screaming as her brother cut them down —she was still luckier than the blonde below her.

She had lost so much but she still had— the memories of her family, the knowledge that they had loved her more than anything in the world, the pride in her clan's name —her brother Sasuke. 

And later that night as Toshiko as Shikamaru and Toshiko walked through Konoha and the sun was setting over the freshly cleaned Hokage Rock, Toshiko slipped her hand into her best friends. They’d been talking about what kind of jutsu she’d like to come up with.

Probably some type of fire release as all Uchiha’s primary elemental release was fire. 

A fire dragon like Lord Seconds water dragon would probably exhaust her chakra reserves and burn down part of the village so that was out; also if it hadn’t been done before then there was probably a reason.

Shikamaru looked over at Toshiko, though he didn't take his hand from her.

“You’re my best friend Shika,” Toshiko said simply. She had her brother but without Shikamaru she wouldn’t have so much more; not even the Kurama clan had stepped up to help her and Sasuke the way the Nara had in the massacres aftermath. 

“You’re mine too.”

“Good.”

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

Part Two: “Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!” & Part Three: “The Sharingan's Secret”

It was bright and sunny as Toshiko sat in the Nara’s backyard with Shikamaru’s uncle Ensui, who was, according to Shikamaru’s mother Yoshino, not babysitting her. He was watching her and apparently that was different. Ensui wasn’t there to make sure she stayed alive until Sasuke and Shikamaru were finished with their graduation exams, the way a babysitter did, but instead was just supposed to keep her company so that she wouldn’t get herself into any more trouble like she had the day before as the academy’s graduation exam was twelve hours long and that left more than enough time for Toshiko to wander into something— some place —she shouldn't be.

But that also meant Toshiko had more than enough time to zoom through the small mountain of books she and Ensui had fetched from the Uchiha district after dropping Sasuke and Shikamaru off.

She sat next to Ensui reading a book on the foundation all jutsu’s were built off of; if she wanted to create her own the way Naruto had she needed to truly understand the basics. Or at least, that was what Shikaku had said the night before at dinner when she and Shikamaru had broached the subject of helping her create a jutsu.

She knew it was going to be a fire-type of release as even without access to chakra paper Toshiko knew her elemental affinity was fire. All Uchiha’s were; even the Uchiha’s like Inabi, who weren’t pureblooded had their primary release be fire. 

You weren’t an Uchiha if you couldn’t form a fireball. Itachi had managed a large, long burning fireball on his first try. Sasuke had released the largest their father had ever seen after a week of practice and Toshikio, when her father had taken her to the lake on the edge of her clan's land, just as he had her brothers, Toshiko had breathed out fire, nearly white hot on her second try.

Sweat had dripped down her father's neck as they’d walked away from the pier and back to their home.

Toshiko paused at the bottom of a page and looked to Ensui who had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. Anyone who didn’t know the Nara would assume he was asleep, his breathing was steady and he hadn’t moved since Toshiko had opened her book but the way his brow twitched everytime a leaf made a sound, like he was ready to react within millisecond of something happening let Toshiko know the Nara beside of herself was anything other than asleep. 

“Hey Ensui-san?” Toshiko asked, he hummed, eyes still closed. “Sasu-nii's going to pass-Shika and Choji and Ino too,” she said in a very it’s obvious kind of tone, “Who do you think their sensei’s going to be?”

Ensui’s right eye, the one closest to Toshiko cracked open; “Are you asking me for my opinion or because you think I know?”

“Can’t it be both?”

“And what makes you think I would know?” Toshiko shot the jonin a flat look; though she knew Ensui wasn’t Shikaku’s brother— but rather Yoshino’s younger cousin —she knew the two men were close. Shikaku had been Ensui’s own jonin instructor and since then their relationship had grown; Ensui was Shikamaru’s godfather, he practically lived on the Clanheads couch after missions. “Right-I have a few ideas.”

“Can I know them, Ensui?” Toshiko asked, “Please?”

“You’re not going to go telling the kids are you?”

“Swear it,” Toshiko held her pinky out. Her cheeks were puffed out, pink and the look in her eyes was serious. Uchiha’s kept their word; Toshiko took few other things more seriously than a pinky promise. 

“Keep your pinky kid, I don’t need to add it to my collection if you run your mouth to Shikamaru by accident.”

“I won't,” Toshiko swore; she was also intrigued. She wondered if Ensui really had a collection of pinky’s— she wouldn’t put it past him to —or if he was just saying that. 

“Right.” Ensui breathed out as he sat up. His eyes half open and ready to close the same way all Nara’s eyes stayed, “Look there’s about twelve instructors taking on new teams this year but there’s only three adept to handle your brother and Maru-kun.”

“Who?”

“Well there’s a new jonin, Kurani-you may know her, she works pretty close with the Kurama clan—” Toshiko rocked where she sat as she could kind of picture the jonin Ensui was speaking of. Toshiko was sure she’d met her once or twice on the Kurama clan’s land when visiting Yakumo. Like Sasuke after the massacre, after the fire that had killed her parents Yakumo had become a recluse. “—Right now she’s the villages’ strongest genjutsu user.”

“So she’ll be Sasu-nii’s sensei?”

“Hopefully but probably not-if anyone’s going to be stuck with your brother it’ll probably be Hatake Kakashi, the Copy ninja. They say he knows over a thousand jutsu.”

“Why him?” 

“He has experience working with Uchiha and the sharingan,” Ensui answered easily. 

“Why shouldn’t he be Sasuke’s sensei then?” Toshiko asked. He sounded more qualified than Kurani if he had experience working around the sharingan. 

Toshiko only half wondered who he knew from her clan. She also wondered why he never came to mourn with them on the anniversary. 

“Because Kakashi’s never passed a genin team he’s been handed, he fails them all and throws them either back to the academy or to the Corps.”

Toshiko leaned forward, losing her place in her book, “What do you mean he fails them?”

“Come on chibi-chan,” Ensui grinned roguishly, his teeth sparkled in the sun that streamed through the leaves almost dangerously. Like a hungry predator ready to snap its prey up in its maw; “You don’t really think the test to become a shinobi ends today, do you?”

“I—” Toshiko pressed her lips together, her brows furrowed into one as she thought about the graduation exam her brother and friends were taking. The first was a six and a half hours of the academy’s final exam were a written exam going over everything from the laws the governed the world shinobi live in as they abided by a different set of rules than civilians did, the history of the village— and apparently very briefly the history of other villages as diplomacy was a big part of what a ninja did least another war break out —and things like that. The second was a village wide obstacle course; apparently it changed every year so as not to allow anyone to cheat; but everyone was timed from the moment they set off. And lastly the practical exam; every student would be given a different jutsu to perform under the watch of both their homeroom teacher, and the head teacher. “—I guess not. What does Kakashi-sensei make his teams do?”

Ensui shrugged against the tree; “Everyone makes their team do something different. When I had a team I had them steal something from Shikaku-sama.”

“You did?” Toshiko only half wondered what she had meant by that; part of her was astonished he had set a trio of genin after a newly appointed jonin commander but another part of her was astonished that Ensui had, at one point, a team. “Did they pass?”

Toshiko watched as Ensui’s smile turned from sharp to sad. His eyes got dark and Toshiko’s heart clenched for the man next to her; she knew well enough what that look meant. She saw it often enough on her brother's face whenever they walked their district's streets. “Yeah.”

“Did you like being their sensei?” Toshiko asked softly.

“More than anything kid.” 

Toshiko wanted to ask their names, to ask what had happened. Were their names etched on the large stone walls that lead the way to the village's shinobi cemetery? Were they buried in their clan's lands-were they even dead?

Perhaps Toshiko had read Ensui wrong and his team was alive but couldn’t handle it. Toshiko had heard stories of shinobi so traumatized or so brutally wounded from missions they hung up their kunai and buried their heads in the village's sand, hoping that one day they’d get better from whatever they’d gone though.

She asked none of the questions she wanted to though.

Toshiko leaned against Ensui and smiled brightly at him, the corners of her eyes closed as she beamed. The sun was warm against her skin and the ends of her short hair blew as a light breeze of wind blew past her and Ensui.

Ensui’s eyes widened just a fraction of an inch.His face softened.

“I bet you were an amazing Ensui-sensei.” Ensui sucked a deep breath in. 

“Thanks kid,” Ensui said softly. “That means a lot.”

“No problem!” Toshiko beamed, “What about Shika?” 

“What’s that?”

“If Sasu’s probably going to be stuck with Copy-sensei, what about Shika? Who do you think he’ll get as a sensei?” She asked. “Kurani?”

Ensui laughed at that; “No way, if Kurani doesn’t get your brother I doubt she’ll get Maru-kun. If he gets anyone it’ll probably be Asuma.”

“Why him?”

“He’s Lord Third's son, he’s returned to village-the man’s a cocky shit,” Ensui told. “The only reason he’s becoming an instructor is because Shikaku-sama gave him the choice between this or Hokages platoon.”

“Oh-he’s good though?” Toshiko didn’t think Shikaku would assign a dunce as Shikamaru’s jonin-sensei but worry still clawed at her gut. Sasuke, Shikamaru; they were all Toshiko had left. 

She couldn’t lose them. Either of them, ever. 

“One of the best,” Ensui said. 

“Okay,” Toshiko said softly. The wind rolled over her and Ensui and the pair looked up in the direction of two warbling crows. “Hey Ensui-san?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think we can take Shikaku-sama some lunch?” 

Ensui’s brow rose, curving over his twinkling eye. “Oh? Looking to do some recon are we?” 

“No,” Toshiko lied. It was obvious by the color in the apples of her cheeks, Ensui though, chuckled. 

“Right. What are you thinking of bringing the old man?”

“He likes fish, maybe we can bring him fish soup. Yoshino-sama’s soups always help me sleep.”

“Buy him with food and naps, smart,” Ensui said as he moved to stand. Toshiko scrambled up after him; Ensui began helping her pick up the stack of books she’d intended to read. 

“Hey Ensui-san?”

“Yeah kid?” Ensui sounded amused as, with an armful of books, he looked at Toshiko.

“Can you tell me more about this Hatake Kakashi?”

“Are you going to tell your brother?”

“Not unless he asks me,” Toshiko answered honestly and Ensui smirked; they both knew Sasuke would never ask mostly because why would he?

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“Everything?” Ensui chuckled. 

“Sure you do kid.”

0.0.0.0

Toshiko figited at dinner as conversation— reminiscent stories and excited hopes —flew across the packed table. Shikamaru’s home was packed;  Sasuke and Shikamaru had passed, as had Ino and Choji and— sans Naruto —most of their class. 

Music played from the gramophone in Shikamaru’s living room; his mother had put it on when they had all arrived back at the Nara homestead after Shikamaru, Ino and Choji had all gotten their ears pierced. Apparently it was something their clans did when promoted to rank of genin.

They had invited Sasuke; Ino had gushed over how cute he’d look with studs but Sasuke had declined. The Uchiha’s usually gave each other a sword but with everything in the district being theirs Toshiko and Sasuke had more than enough swords. They’d both agreed to get each other something when they made chunin. 

“Hey Shikamaru,” Ino asked from her spot next to Sasuke; he was between her and Toshiko and Toshiko was between him and Shikamaru while Choji sat across from Shikamaru. The long grown Ino-Shika-Cho trio sat next to their giggling wives. 

Shikamaru made a sound from the back of his throat indicating that he’d heard the blonde. 

“What do you think our first mission will be like?” 

“It’ll be a D-rank, Ino we just became genin” Choji chimed in before Dhikamaru could answer, “Besides who cares about the mission when it’s after the mission that matters!”

“Oh?” Toshiko blinked. 

“Dad said he used to take his genin team to a barbecue after a successful mission-I hope our sensei does that!” 

“Choji!” Ino grumbled as she white knuckled the Nara’s extended dinner table. “Can’t you think of anything else, other than food!”

“Nope!” The Akimichi heir said happily as he snagged another sliver of beef from the middle of the table.

“Who do you think you’ll get on your team Sasu?” Toshiko asked her brother as Ino and Choji bickered between one another. Ino, Shikamaru and Choji would all be on a team; Yamanaka’s, Nara’s and Akimichi were always— and moreso specifically their clans heirs —were always grouped together when they could be mostly because the allyship between the three clans predated the foundation of hidden villages.

“Who cares,” Sasuke sniped as he set his chipsticks down, “I’m not on the team to make friends, Toshiko, I’m there to reach my goal.”

To kill Itachi and protect her.

Toshiko’s heart twisted in her chest— Itachi had slaughtered their clan, tortured Sasuke, dragged her by her hair to kneel in their mothers blood; but he was her brother as much as Sasuke, wasn’t he —and under the table Shikamaru’s knee knocked into hers.

Toshiko’s flashes fluttered in her brother's direction, “You could make friends too Sasu. You might smile more.”

“You do have a nice smile Sasuke,” Ino chimed as Sasuke, over her— ignoring the compliment and Ino’s twinkling eyes —muttered, “I don’t need to smile anymore then I already do.”

“Which is never,” Toshiko pointed out. “You never smile Sasu.”

“Why do you even care how much I smile?” Sasuke snapped. 

Toshiko blinked at her brother. “Because I want you to be happy.” Toshiko said in a isn't-it-obvious sort of tone, the same way she might if someone asked her if the sky was blue or what hand sign lended themselves for a transformation jutsu. 

Ino cooed over Sasuke’s shoulder, hands clasped together and pressed against her cheek; Sasuke’s cheeks heated up as he looked away from Toshiko and instead focused on his plate. 

The ends of his chopsticks hit the dishwater curve as he caught Toshiko’s gaze from the corner of his eyes; “I don’t need to smile Toshiko,” he said softer than he’d spoken before. “I just need to be strong enough to keep us safe.”

“Right,” Toshiko said instead of what she wanted to— she said that instead of But papa wasn’t or No one else was and, What if you never are — not because she didn’t believe in her brother but because reality was harsher than dreams. Sweat and tears could only get Sasuke so far, determination and grit would help but Itachi was someone who had been born lucky in a way only a few shinobi a generation were. 

And her and Sasuke, they weren’t. They were good students; people said they’d be talented shinobi but no one needed to verbalize the truth; they would never be better than Itachi. 

Toshiko set her utensils down and threw her arms over her brother's side, “I love you Sasu-nii.” He froze the way he always did— same way he’d done when they were younger —when met with surprised physical affection. 

“Awww!” Into contained to coo. 

“Yeah,” Sasuke shrugged Toshiko off. The corners of his lips curved upwards as he picked his chopsticks back up and, like Choji, snagged a slice of marinated beef. 

“So Toshi-chan,” Ino asked as she peered past Sasuke, “Are you going to miss us now that we’re genin or what?” 

“Of course,” Toshiko said sincerely; “But I think I’ll cope.” Toshiko fought off the urge to allow the creeping smirk to overtake her face. 

“Yeah?”

“Mostly because even if I can’t see you as much Ino I’ll always be able to hear you.” 

Shikamaru snickered loudly as Ino's eyes narrowed. Sasuke hid his smile behind a half raised hand; Choji laughed unabashedly. 

Toshiko was out of her seat before Ino's chopsticks hit the table. 

“Girls!” Yoshino called as Toshiko ducked Inos grab and shot out of the Nara’s dining room with Ino hot on her trail. 

“Get back here you weasel!” Toshiko could hear the laughter in Ino’s voice as they spilled out of the house and onto the Nara’s front yard. 

“Never!” Toshiko shot back as she cartwheeled out of Ino's reach. Where Ino was quick witted, trying to catch Toshiko midstep before she even made it, Toshiko was small, two years younger and quicker than anyone else in her year. 

“Go for her knees!” Toshiko’s eyes slipped from Ino to the crowd that had spilled to the Nara’s front porch; Shikamaru smiled the same sharp way his uncle and father— and rest of his clan —did when they’d managed to king you only three moves into a game. 

She smiled back; it was instinctive. 

Time on her end slowed and the air felt crisper against her skin and for a moment it felt as if the cock had spun back. Toshiko’s chest felt full with more than just air as she ran. Sasuke leaned against a post and smiled at her— and Ino —and it was almost like they belonged the way Ino and Choji belonged with the Nara, not like they belonged because they were friends with Shikamaru and his parents were nice but, in that moment the Nara front yard felt almost like home. 

Ino, in that moment of distraction, caught Toshiko around the waist and then the world stopped. The warm spring air chilled to the bone and the mirth that had blanketed the group disappeared because as Ino pulled Toshiko to her chest, the village's alarm went off.

Toshiko’s heart leapt to her chest.

The last time it had been sounded Itachi had slaughtered their clan. Someone had found the ANBU he’d cut down on his way to escape and when no Uchiha-Police officer responded to the call the village had been alerted to what had happened.

“Dad?” Toshiko pushed away from Ino and ran to Sasuke who had met her halfway between where she’d been and the porch. “Whats going on?”

“Sasu—” Panic ran though Toshiko. She could see it on her brother face; fear had rached down deep and gripped him too.

Bile rose in Toshiko’s throat as the adult’s  stances changed; the light hit their faces changed and they went from parents happy about their children's graduations to seasoned shinobi. Yoshino ushered Shikamaru and Choji inside as Inochi ushered his daughter forward and inside the house.

“You’re mine dear sister, and I’ll come back for you when you’re ready for me”

“You two, too,” Yoshino snapped. Inochi and Choza had asked their wives— Ino and Choji’s mothers —to go back to their clans and hold down the fort. Everyone had to shelter in place until otherwise instructed. Every clan’s district has a route— if not multiple —to the tunnels that ran under the village to the bunkers used in times of war and invasion.

Could Itachi really drive an entire village underground? Did he really have that type of power?

Toshiko’s knees buckled as Shikaku came up to her and Sasuke. “You heard Yoshino—”

“—We can’t, I need to see—”

“—Nothing,” Shikaku cut Sasuke off. “Right now  you kids need to get to the cellar and stay there until someone comes to get you.” 

"He will, but right now Toshiko I need you to get in here and no matter what you hear, I need you to swear to me you won't come out until I come get you."

“But if it’s him—”

“—Sasuke!” Shikaku snapped. Toshiko had never seen the man look so severe, “I’m ordering you downstairs with your sister.” And though Sasuke looked like he wanted to fight Shikaku’s order with his pitched lips and chalky face, Toshiko's grip fell from his shirt to his hands.

“Sasu-nii,” she begged, “Please.” Don't leave me. Don't die. 

Toshiko watched her brother's face twist. From panic to anger. He looked so much like their mother; he had her eyes and curve of the cheeks. He had their mothers hair.

Toshiko knew what that hair looked like matted with blood.

Toshiko’s dead mother lying in a pool of her and their fathers blood eyes open and darkening, face paling; the Sharigan never let its user forget anything seen by it no matter how much they wanted to.

“Come on.” Sasuke dragged Toshiko back into the Nara household and the adults scattered before the door had even shut. Shikamaru met them at his cellar opening, his face steely, any traces of the smile he’d just been wearing gone. 

Sasuke handed Toshiko to Shikamaru who pulled her under his shoulder; Toshiko though didn’t let go of her brother, no matter how harshly he snapped at her to “Let go!”

“No! Cause you’re going to leave me!”

“What do you mean leave you?” Choji asked, he and Ino weren’t fully in the cellar either, instead they had waited on the cellars steps for Toshiko and her brother. “Shikaku-sama said to wait here.”

“I need to go.”

“You’ll die!” Toshiko snapped. “If you go out there he’ll kill you!”

“You-you guys think it’s him then?” Shikamaru asked slowly. Choji nearly coughed on the protein bar he’d broken out, inhaled audibly; neither of them needed a name to know where Shikamaru’s thought process was going.

Itachi .

“I know it,” Sasuke snipped, eyes focused on Toshiko. “Which is why I have to go. It's only a matter of time until he comes here, I can slow him down.” Sasuke didn’t say stop and Toshiko let go of her brother and instead tried to opt into hitting his chest, trying to knock some sense into him only for Shikamaru to grab Toshiko’s wrists.

Toshiko shot Shikamaru a scathing look, as if to tell her best friend to butt out and let her knock some sense into her brother. She frowned at Sasuke when she turned back to him. 

“You can’t die on me Sasu.”

“And I can’t let him get you!”

“What?” Shikamaru’s voice was sharp, “The hell does that mean?” 

Sasuke gave pause. He looked from Toshiko to Shikamaru, his tongue darted out and wet his lips. 

“You don’t-she hasn’t told you?” Sasuke asked. He jerked forward and grabbed Toshiko from Shikamaru, his grip iron around her upper arm, “Toshiko! How could you not tell him!” 

“Tell me what dammit,” Shikamaru snapped, though not over Toshiko’s loud declaration that if Shikamaru knew the truth— “You’re mine dear sister, and I’ll come back for you when you’re ready for me.” —then, “He’d be an idiot and die too!”

“Alright that’s enough!” Ino’s voice was loud and sharp, she had shouldered her way past Choji and taken to standing where Shikamaru had before he’d stopped Toshiko from beating sense into Sasuke.  “Enough with these half answers you two, what the hell is going on in your heads, what hasn’t Toshi told us!”

Toshiko met Sasuke’s flint gaze, “Please—” she whispered. Please don’t tell. 

But Sasuke had never done what Toshiko wanted before; before it’d been mean, childish pranks, the kind that every older brother played on their sisters. Ever since the massacre it was what was best for her. Whatever kept her safest. Even if she hated it. 

“Itachi’s come back for Toshiko like he said he would.” Toshiko felt Shikamaru sway; physically knocked off kilter from her brother declaration.

“Why would you keep that from me?” Shikamaru asked Toshiko, his voice low; confused. He looked down at her like she had grown a second head.

“Because you’re my best friend,” Toshiko said just as softly, “And if you thought he—” Toshiko naturally still wanted to call him ‘Tachi-nii, no matter how much it hurt her to want to do so “—Was going to come back for me, you’d do something stupid like think up a plan to save me.”

“You don’t want to be saved?” Ino asked unsurely and Toshiko snapped her head in the blonde's direction.

“I don’t want anyone I care about to die! Which you’re going to do if you face him!” Toshiko snapped mostly to Sasuke. 

“It’s not about winning Toshiko, it’s about getting you far-far away, safe—”

“—Until he finds me and you’re too dead to help then!” Toshiko took two steps back from Sasuke and Shikamaru. “If either of you try to do something stupid like fight him-or, or think of a plan to try to fight him and die I’ll-I’ll—”

“What?” Sasuke asked sharply, like he was challenging her.

“I’ll kill myself!” Toshiko declared hotly. The silence that followed was astounding. Sasuke took a step back, like Toshiko had landed a swift kick to his midsection. Shikamaru took a step forward, it was slow and messured.

“You don’t mean that Toshi,” Shikamaru said.

“Right?” Choji asked from the cellar stairs.

“I do,” Toshiko’s bottom lip wobbled. She could still see it, the bloody streets, and hear her brothers shriek as Itachi tortured him. She could feel her mothers still warm blood under her feet. “If you guys die, I’ll throw myself off of Naka falls. You’re all I have.”

“So what?” Sasuke asked sharply, “I let him take you?”

“You’d be alive.”

“You think he’d let me live?” It was rhetorical. “Because what, you ask him to?” Sasuke didn’t think Itachi would but Toshiko nodded.

“He did last time.”

“You can’t hurt him!” Toshiko said, her voice shaky, barely audible under Sasuke’s screaming. “I won’t let you!” She had a kuani in hand, pointed at Itachi. She didn’t think she’d ever have a weapon pointed at one of her brothers.

Her heart was tearing itself in half. Her eyes swirling with every move.

“Please!” Toshiko wasn’t quite sure what she was begging for. Please don't make her do this? Don’t hurt Sasuke? Don’t let this be real? “Stop!”

“You won’t let me kill our wretched brother here and now, will you baby sister?” Itachi knelt in front of Toshiko; he had their clan members' blood covering his front, splattered across his face and though his red eyes swirled nothing happened. “You and your baby bird heart, soft even in this moment.”

Unlike Sasuke she wasn’t forced to see anything other than her brother, the monster right in front of her.

“Sasuke will have to kill me Toshiko,” Itachi said. He said it like he was teaching her something new. He said it slowly so as if she wouldn’t miss it. “If he wants to protect you.”

“Why?” Itachi’s thumb rubbed the curve of her cheek, his red— bright, bloody red —eyes swirled as his frown deepened.

“Because at the end of all of this Toshi, only one of us can have you. It’s why I got rid of Shisui and why if Sasuke doesn't become strong enough to kill me I’ll end him. You’re mine dear sister, and I’ll come back for you when you’re ready for me. Hopefully Sasuke won’t fail you when that time comes either.”

Sasuke’s face twisted the way it had when Toshiko had told him what had happened whilst he’d been put under Itachis tsukuyomi. It was as if he was mad at himself; like he wasn't eight and a child up against a foe most grown ninja never wanted to face.

“And what?” Shikamaru asked, “We’re supposed to live with you in his hands?”

“If it means living!”

“No!” Toshiko jumped; Shikamaru never raised his voice. “You can’t expect us to just hand you over to him anymore than we can expect you to just let us die for you.”

“You’d be alive!”

“We wouldn’t have you!” Shikamaru grabbed Toshiko and while his grip was harsh it wasn’t unforgiving like Sasuke’s. It was firm, the way you’d hold into a precious piece of glassware so as not to let it fall from your hands. “We can’t be without you Toshi, anymore than you can be without us. Do you get that?”

No, because neither he or Sasuke saw what Itachi could do to someone but she could. She knew how Itachi could cleave through grown shinobi; she had seen the blood on the Police station walls, the marks in the plaster and with her dojutsu she could all but see Sasuke or Shikamaru there in place, crucified for all to see because they had tried to do something dumb like stop Itachi.

But like always Toshiko bit back the fire she wanted to spew and tampered down the righteous flames building within her. 

“Yeah,” she lied, voice soft and eyes closed as she fought the urge to keep her sharingan activated. 

“Good,” Shikamaru didn’t sound as if he bought it but his hands moved from her upper arms to her shoulders. “Now come on,” Shikamaru said, “If mom comes back and finds us not in the cellar she's who we’re going to have to worry about.”

Slowly Toshiko opened her eyes. Shikamaru’s face was still dark, frown marring it. But his eyes were soft the way they always were when Toshiko met them. 

“Sasu?” Toshiko called out over Shikamaru’s shoulder.

It was silent.

“Sa—”

“—I’m coming,” Sasuke said. Shikamaru turned Toshiko, walked her past Ino who waited until Sasuke was in the cellar before closing the door behind her. When Shikamaru sat Toshiko on the cot in the cellar next to him, Sasuke sat on the floor, his other side. Ino sat on Toshiko’s other side, wedging herself between the Uchiha girl and Choji.

The light of the moon streamed though the tiny, cat sized window at the very top of the far wall and as the wind blew across the woods that was the Nara's land Toshiko's bright red eyes blinked blankly into the distance, trying to understand where Shikamaru was coming from but constantly unable to whenever thought-one tried to turn to thought-two.

If they were all alive what did it mattered if she suffered?

They'd be safe.

Toshiko rested her head on Shikamaru's shoulder and he drew her close. Her leg was thrown over his. She breathed.

Toshiko could recall how her father was slumped over her mother. How that meant he had died last.

Toshiko tried to think of what he might have said to Itachi. And then, the alarm stopped.

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

“Filler”

Toshiko was awake before the sun had even begun to rise over the trees that hid Konohakagure away from the world's most prying of eyes. Neither she or Sasuke had slept after the adults had made their way back to the Nara’s; according to Incohi and Choza— both of whom arrived with the news of what had happened hours before Shikaku, the villages Jonin leader had been able to make his way back home —it hadn’t been Itachi who set off the villages alarm but rather one of Naruto’s pranks gone awry. 

And yet the fear that had gripped the hearts of both Uchiha siblings hadn’t faded because even though it wasn’t Itachi this time, the next time those alarms went off it could be. 

One day it would be. 

Sasuke had slipped out of the Nara’s home just after sunrise; he’d muttered something about training to Toshiko as he had peeled the covers of their shared cot back. 

Toshiko, had tracked her brother across the room as he’d collected his things before leaving through the bedroom window. She knew she would have to peel her brother out of a puddle of sweat and blood, off the training field and practically carry him home so that he could make his team placements the next day. 

But until then she planned to stay in bed, under the covers of her cot, not reading or sleeping, or like Shikamaru would do, thinking of new shogi strategies but hiding. Hiding from the truth, the future; hiding from reality.

Under the covers she could pretend everything was okay, her brother's bloody shadow wasn’t looming over her, threatening Sasuke’s life just by living. Under the covers Toshiko could close her eyes and imagine she was a world away, where her family was alive and together. 

But then the wind would blow, rolling through the Nara’s forest or a deer would let out a bleat or Shikamaru would stumble into the room quietly, climb into bed, where Sasuke had been just hours before and look at her. He never looked at her with pity; according to Shika it wasn’t cool to pity people. Instead, he looked at her the way he looked at a shoji board, like he was trying to piece her together in his head which was somewhat confusing on Toshiko’s part as she didn’t think she was all that complex. 

Shikamaru’s hand circled around Toshiko’s wrist; the comforter was heavy over them, almost stifling so. 

“Morning,” he said.

“Hi.” Toshiko focused on Shikamaru’s neck, the curve of his collarbones and the dip in his skin where his neck met his chest. “Morning.”

“Sasuke left then,” it wasn’t a question. Shikamaru had found her brother gone before even his mother had woken up more than once over the years.

“Yeah, he’s going to train.” Because one day he would stand against their brother.

And die. For her and their clan but mostly in her name. He had sworn to protect her—or die trying —too many times to count since the massacre and an Uchiha’s word was their bond.

Shikamaru’s fingers left Toshiko’s wrist and inched upwards towards her hand; the rough and calloused pads of his fingers pressed against her palm.

“You’re my friend Toshi, my best friend.”

“Choji’s your best friend,” Toshiko said deflecting though she felt warm at the sentiment.

“Don’t be a drag,” Shikamaru muttered, the corners of his lips turned upwards, “You know what I mean.”

“I do,” Toshiko whispered, “And that’s why you can’t stand in his way when he comes for me, please Shika,” she begged. “Sasu-nii—” is going to die. Itachi had beaten Shisui; killed him and framed his death to look like a sucicide. He had slaughtered their kin, their father and mother had let him cut them down but even if they hadn’t, would it have even mattered? Itachi was so, so strong.  “—I just can’t lose you too, Shika. Don't make me.”

Shikamaru’s fingers pressed more firmly into Toshiko’s palm, his brows furrowed. 

“Instead you’re asking me to lose you. Toshi, you can't ask me to do that.” Toshiko felt her bottom lip wobble and Shikamaru shuffled closer, “You won’t lose me Toshiko. I talked to dad when he got home.”

“You did?” Shikamaru hummed,

“Your clan, they were unaware, unprepared to be attacked especially by one of their own,” Shikamaru said firmly, “We won’t be.”

“What if he kills your clan members—” Toshiko shot up in bed, the blanket fell around her waist. Shikamaru followed her up, still holding onto her hand, “—I can’t be the reason anyone dies!” 

“Toshi, you can’t just expect us to hand you over.”

“Why not?” Toshiko asked, “Everyone just expects me to watch them die so why can’t I?”

“Because we care about you.” 

Toshiko, with wet eyes and pinkened cheeks, looks at Shikamaru. “I care about you too Shika, I care about you and your parents and Ensui-san so, so much,” she told her best friend, “I can’t go through losing anymore people I care about.”

“You won’t,” Shikamaru swore.

“But—”

“—Toshiko,” Shikamaru said with a fire behind his eyes and steel in his voice, “I promise you, you won’t.” And even though Toshiko couldn’t think of a single person stronger than Itachi aside from perhaps the Hokage himself, she nodded because while an Uchiha’s word was their bond, Shikamaru’s promises to her were golden. 

“Okay,” she smiled softly.

“Now come on, before mom bursts in here,” Shikamaru said as he rolled off the bed and threw himself to his feet. 

“What?”

“Yeah,” Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, “She sent me in here to tell you to come eat breakfast and we’ve been in here a while-she’ll probably come kill us if you don’t move it.”

With a giggle and grin, Toshiko threw her pillow at Shikamaru; Shikamaru, despite now being a ninja— a true Shinobi of the Leaf —let the pillow hit him as Toshiko jumped from the mattress. She grabbed his hand.

“Come on!” Nara Yoshino had made it clear that she and Sasuke had long ago stopped being guests in the Nara homestead and that she would punish them the same as she would punish Shikamaru if need be; it was her way of saying Sasuke and Toshiko were family. 

0.0.0.0

Nara Shikaku was tired; the dark bags under his eyes felt like they had bags of their own. He was operating on no sleep, his mind reeling from the million and one thoughts that raced through it. Inochi and Ensui walked with him through the streets of the empty Uchiha district.

Uzumaki Naruto knew he was the nine tails, he had stolen Lord Seconds scroll of forbidden jutsu’s and mastered the multi-shadow clone jutsu in only a handful of hours. One of his son’s sensei’s was a traitor. And yet as he walked through the empty district, the last Uzumaki and the mischief he had caused the night before was not at the forefront of his mind.

The blonde was a genin for now which meant he wouldn’t be Shikaku’s problem for at least a couple of years.

Wind blew past them, rolling over the ivy covered rooftops of empty homes. Shikaku could remember when the streets were filled with the laughter of children and the scent of sweet smelling bread. Back then, wherever he was picking Shikamaru up from the Uchiha household Yoshino had made him bring a loaf or two back for her; there had just been something about the Uchiha district’s bread that not even the Akimichi had been able to recreate.

Ensui was reinforcing the seals on the main house, adding several more protective layers that would let the Nara know in seconds if something happened within the district.

He could feel the district's relatively new, resident ANBU watching them, hovering over every move they made. Crow had come to Shikaku two years ago, begging to protect the last two Uchiha. He’d sworn that he had already failed them once, he had sworn to lay down his life for them if the time ever came. At the time Shikaku had been grateful, a guard dog especially while the village vultures circled overhead, would always be welcomed but now, after last night— after this morning —Shikaku wasn’t sure even Crow would be enough.

If he closed his eyes he could bring himself back to the night of the massacre. The streets had been soaked with blood; they had stayed red for months afterwards as if the earth had soaked up what Uchiha Itachi had spilled.  Toshiko had looked so small that night, covered in the blood of her kin— of her mother —when he had approached she had looked almost wild. 

Like she would have done anything to protect her brother, including fighting him and the rest of the world if they’d dared breath in Sasuke’s direction wrong. And that hadn’t changed. 

His son’s words— the fact that Uchiha Itachi wanted and would come back for Toshiko —all but echoed in Shikaku’s mind.

“Sasuke says Itachi wants her, that he’ll stop at nothing to take her for himself and Toshi, dad, she’s so scared of Itachi killing him and us—” Because there wasn’t a world out there where Shikaku’s son stood aside and let something else happen to his Toshiko, “—She was just willing to give herself up.”

Like hell anyone would be touching one of his kids. He had helped win a war, he could protect his future daughter in law and her arrogant shit of a brother. 

“Shikaku!” Inochi called out from the window of the Uchiha’s Naka shrine. Shikaku looked away from the flower that had grown over where Uchiha Rumi had been slain and up in his old teammate's direction. “I found something in here!”

0.0.0.0

Shikamaru had said they could do anything she wanted on his last day free of adult responsibilities; technically she should have had him getting ready for his team placements given what Ensui-san had told her but like him it was also her last day of freedom. Sort of. Because just like every year before, Toshiko knew she wouldn't spend more time in the classroom than out of it, especially with those she held close no longer in the academy with her.

So instead, with Choji in tow, the trio padded down a beaten down path as they edged out of the village's heart, towards the village's south gate. Between the trees, amongst picnic tables there was a vending machine stocked with snacks found mostly in the Land of Tea.

Shikamaru had one hand in pocket and the other in Toshiko’s; she walked three steps in front of him— their connected hands swaying with every step —with Choji. Choji was eating an extra large bag of barbeque chips; his favorite flavor. 

They were both wearing their Leaf Village issued headbands; Choji had his over his head, with two holes cut into the fabric so that tufts of hair could stick out while Shikamaru’s mother had already sewn his onto the arm of his jacket.

“Do you think you guys will like your sensei?” Toshiko asked Choji and Shikamaru. Though technically they hadn’t formally been assigned to a team yet everyone knew they and Ino would all be on a team together. The heirs of their respective clans always were. 

“Maybe,” Shikamaru replied, “Hopefully he’s not a drag.”

“And if he is?”

“Guess I’ll forever be a genin,” Shikamaru smirked. 

“Like your mom will let that slide Shikamaru,” Choji snorted, he then turned to Shikamaru, “As long as he likes food.”

“Choji, buddy, everyone likes food to an extent.”

“Yeah but not to an acceptable extent,” Choji said superiorly as he munched away on his chips The sun reflected brightly off of the plate his headband turned cap. “Food, it’s an art, same as genjutsu or origami.” 

Toshiko shot Shikamaru a smothered look of amusement before turning back to their friend. Toshiko loved Choji, maybe not the way she loved Shikamaru— Shika was her best friend after all, her family —food related quirks and all.

“I think the best you can hope for in a sensei is someone who doesn't have the worst taste in food ever,” Toshiko said. “Like someone who thinks plain tofu and white rice is a filling meal.” Choji scoffed at the notion of someone being like that. “Or—” Toshiko added with a mischievous smirk, “—A sensei that believes in fasting.”

Choji paled. “Fasting!”

“Be nice,” Shikamaru muttered to her. 

“Sorry,” Toshiko blushed, she looked at Choji and let go of Shikamaru’s hand— wrangling her hand out of his —and wrapped her arm around Choji’s, looping them together. “I’m just joking Cho, I promise. No way Shikaku-sama gives you a sensei that believes in intermittent fasting.”

“You don't think so?”

“No way,” Toshiko shook her head. “And if he does I’ll eat your headband.”

“What?” Choji tilted his head at her, confused. Toshiko felt her heart twist in her chest as she shrugged.

“‘T’s just a saying Tekka-san used to say when he didn’t think something was going to happen. He didn’t like betting—” Putting his money where his mouth was as Dai, an older Uchiha in the Police force, once who always kept candy on hand for her, would call him out on, “—So instead he always promised that if he was wrong, he’s eat his headband, plate and all.”

“That would probably taste terrible,” Shikamaru mused.

“Oh yeah, though Inabi always offered to have his girlfriend cook it up so that we could all watch him eat it.”

“I wonder what sauce you would need to make a headband taste good?” Choji wondered aloud.

“Cho—” “—Buddy—” Both Toshiko and Shikamaru started, only to break out into a pair of smiles when they saw Choji’s own smirk. 

“Nice,” Shikamaru muttered; his voice coated in fondness.

They continued to walk, joking and laughing with one another until they passed a large diamond shaped, obsidian carved statue. The names of dozens of shinobi carved upon it and the air of joy that had surrounded the trio died almost instantly as they looked at the statue.

The kanji for MEMORIAL OF THE FALLEN was carved into the stone at the statue's foot. Flowers, pictures and candles littered the statues' base.

Toshiko felt her lips press together at the sight of it. Most of the names had been carved during the last Great War but Toshiko could see the discoloration in names carved lower down the statue. Newer, fresher names of the shinobi who gave their lives for their village. Most of the newer names were those of jonin who had been overwhelmed and over powered on whatever A-rank they’d been given, a genin too arrogant to take their C-rank seriously and chunin who’d been posted on the border falling in whatever skirmish had broken out. 

The arm that was still wrapped around Choji’s tightened. 

Death was no stranger to shinobi, it greeted them at dawn and tucked them in at dusk, and walked side by side with them on the path of life. Toshiko knew that; but it still terrified her. The fact it was indiscriminate, didn’t care who or when it reached out and grabbed the shinobi by the collar was horrifying.

It was worse when it wasn’t a shinobi it took.

And even worse than that was the death you had to watch; had to listen to from the back of your brother's closet, too naive to understand what was actually happening at that moment. 

“You guys have to come back to me, you know.” Toshiko said seriously, “If you don't I’ll haunt your graves.” 

Choji’s arm slipped from Toshiko’s and wrapped itself around her shoulder, it reminded her Shisui and how, whenever he bent down to her height he would do the same thing.

“I don't think that's house haunting works Toshi, ghosts do the haunting.” Toshiko didn’t mean to but she scoffed at her friend.

“Yeah that's what you think.” They didn’t get it, losing someone— losing everyone —wasn’t just something that happened, it was something you had to live through. Something you had to wake up every morning and face, something that would never change. Something that hollowed you out, and left behind a gapping wound that, sure, some days felt smaller and more filled, but never completely paved over.

“Hey,” Shikamaru moved so that he was on Toshiko’s other side, fingers lacing together with hers, “We’ll come back.”

“Yeah?” His pinky hooked together with hers; the pads of their thumbs were pressed flushed with one another.

“Yeah now come on, the faster we get your snacks the faster I can take my nap,” Shikamaru pulled Toshiko, she slipped from Choji’s arm and quickly fell in step with her best friend.

“Hey Shika?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we play sticks before your nap?” Though Shikamaru let out a forced sounding sigh, the corners of his lips curled upwards and the pinch that had been between his brows flattened out. Toshiko giggled as her friend, looking far more relaxed than he had a moment before feigned annoyance. 

“I can’t believe you’re making me work before tomorrow.” Toshiko beamed at her best friend, her grip tightened around his hand. She pressed her cheek against Shikamaru’s shoulder, 

“You’re the best Shika.”

“Yeah,” Shikamaru hummed back, “I know.”

0.0.0.0

Deep in a cave, hidden under the Earth, a young man sat facing the stone wall of what was his cave. A cot was in the corner, a dresser besides that; books littered what was tantamount to his home. A prayer, for strength, balanced itself on his lips, unable to come out.

The candles, the only light the young man had access to at that moment, flickered as he breathed. Once upon a time the heat of a flame would have made him smile; the flame— the warmth —would have reminded him of his mother’s hugs. Of the sun in the fields he had grown up training in; of his father’s pride.

What good was a prayer to a devil? What grace did the gods have to give a sinner such as him? 

Not for the first time, but unbeknownst to every other lifeform in the system of caves the young man inhabited, the young man grabbed the purple bear that he had brought with him, up to space under his chin. 

The fur was still soft but it had long ago lost the smell of camaille years ago but even without the calming scent the bear helped still his hammering heart.

And a prayer for forgiveness fell from him. Forgiveness for what he was about to do. What he had done. 

He’d had to; there hadn’t been another way.

But did that matter? The dead told no tales, no lies, would they, when he joined them, tell him they understood?

“One day,” the young man said to no one— to the ghosts that haunted his every step, the ones that loomed over his still breathing chest when theirs had stopped by his hand —but himself, “It’ll be over.”

It had to be. One day the weight of everything he had done had to be gone, off of his chest, rotting him from the inside out.

But he knew that was still years to come. So he pressed his nose to the bear's fur, closed his eyes and breathed.

If he forced himself to, he could delude himself into thinking he was twelve and home again. He tried not to think of how much he wanted his mother’s hugs.

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

“Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?”

Toshiko and Sasuke didn't scramble the morning they were both due back at the village's shinobi academy despite the fact that they had both woken up somewhat late. Sasuke didn't because all he needed was his lunch as the only thing he’d be doing is being placed with his genin team and Toshiko didn't because she knew her last year at the academy would be no different than any other and she’d be back home before she knew it, pouring over ancient scrolls.

As the Uchiha strolled through the streets, towards the school the morning sun felt almost cold at the back of Toshiko’s neck. Toshiko clutched at her brother's hand as they walked, ignoring the pitying look older shop owners threw their way and the whispers that followed them. It appeared neither Toshiko or Sasuke were the only two who had thought Itachi had come back to finish the job. 

A pit formed at the basin of Toshiko's stomach as she looked at her brother; at the glimmering, unblemished metal of his headband. He was a ninja now. He had signed all the documents, taken and sworn to all the oaths; he was going to die.

Toshiko’s eyes flew up and away from her brother's headband and to the great stone faces that towered over their village. Senju Hashirama had created Konoha with Madara— whenever Toshiko thought of her mothers great-great grandfather, she always wondered if she looked like, if her brothers had his eyes or laugh, how much of him lived in them —as a place for peace. They had looked at the war and bloodshed around them and tried to forge a world with none of that.

And her brother was going to die; he was going to stand between her and Itachi until his very last breath. And even if he didn't, even if he lived, one of her brothers was still going to die. For as monstrous as he was, nii-san still came as naturally as it had years ago. Toshiko still thought of how kind he had once been, how great he once was. 

No matter what Toshiko would lose someone else; no matter what brother she lost it’s just be her losing another brother.  She’d be forced to wash another body. Forced to recite prayers in front of a shrine, over a grave, and light another lantern with words she’d never say out loud because she wouldn’t know how to. Grief would swallow her whole no matter what side of the coin fate flipped landed on.

“Hey Shika,” Toshiko smiled at her friend; Shikamaru leaned against the chain link fence in front of the academy with his hands deep in his pockets. His hitai-ate glimmered brightly from where his mother had sewn it into his sleeve. The lone swing by the academies front doors swung in the wind behind him. 

Shikamaru straightened ever so slightly as he smiled.

“Hey Toshi. Sasuke.” Sasuke made a sound at the back of his throat at Shikamaru’s greeting.

“You’ll see Toshi to class?” Sasuke asked Shikamaru. Though she still held his hand, Toshiko glared at her brother.

“You know I'm capable of walking by myself.”

“Sure,” Shikamaru said, the corners of his lips curling into the begging of a teasing smirk. Toshiko shot her friend a dry look, her bottom lip jutting out only to pause her pouting when Sasuke turned to her. 

“I’ll pick you up after class.”

“You get out before me,” Toshiko said knowing she’d be skipping class at some point during that day, “Just meet me at home.”

“Toshiko—”

“—You should go grab a seat,” Toshiko interrupted her brother and his skeptical look, “Before you end up sitting next to someone who wants to marry you.” Sasuke’s eyes narrowed at Toshiko, like he wanted to say something to her before— thinking better of whatever quippy remark hung off the tip of his tongue —and turned, walking into the academy, leaving Toshiko and Shikamaru.

“Shouldn’t you be going in too?”

“I  said I would walk you in and what kind of man doesn't keep his word?” Shikamaru shrugged, kicking off the chainlink fence. He threw an arm around Toshiko as he led her inside the building. “Besides, dad says you and Sasuke should come around for dinner tonight.”

“Yeah?” Even though Toshiko and Sasuke practically lived half their lives on Nara land Toshiko was always pleasantly surprised when Shikamaru told her his parents wanted her and Sasuke to come back around. 

Younger classmates passed the pair in the halls, spying them with wide unabashed looks which just caused Toshiko to shuffle closer to Shikamaru.

“To celebrate team placements.” They began to walk up a flight of stairs. 

“Sure,” Toshiko nodded as they entered the corridor that lead to classroom, “It was my turn to cook dinner anyway.”

“You can still help mom cook,” Shikamaru snickered, only to quickly sober his face once they approached  her classroom. His shoulders pushed themselves back, broadening and his chin tipped upwards. Shikamaru suddenly stood four inches taller. Ever since Iruka-sensei had found Toshiko that first time and the bullying in her classroom had come to light Sasuke and Shikamaru had taken to glaring at her classmates.

Shikamaru opened the sliding classroom door for Toshiko, she shuffled through it and the usual spot in the back of the class, closest to the window, next to one of Ino’s cousins was open. His dark eyes swept the classroom until they landed on Toshiko; Toshiko could feel her classmates looking at them. 

“I’ll see you later, try not to cut class so early.”

“I’ll see you later,” Toshiko smiled. Shikamaru’s lip twitched as his arm slipped from Tohsiko’s shoulder; he paused for a moment, like he wanted to do something— his hand hovered not at his side for a moment longer than just a split second —before he took a step back and Toshiko took one forward into her classroom. 

Mostly everyone was there. The door closed and Toshiko blinked at her classmates; several of which openly glared at her. Toshiko made her way to her desk but didn’t sit, instead, as she stood behind Ino’s cousin Inogami as she created a shadow clone. 

Yamanaka Inogami was by no way Toshiko’s biggest fan— In Toshiko’s opinion, Yamanaka’s were born practically pathological, always knowing what buttons to press to bring their subject to tears —but he had never targeted her the way other children like Albarn Natsu or Yagami Giriko. It was the only reason Ino hadn’t— in the most literal sense —made her younger cousin eat dirt when Shikamaru had told her what was happening in Toshiko’s class.

Toshiko felt her chakra pull from her and form into an identical look alike. She gave her bag to her clone; everyone was still looking at her and then, skillfully, like she’d done it a hundred times before— because she had, nearly every day since her second week at the academy —Toshiko climbed out of her classrooms window and plopped down, back outside the academy where she took off, right on home to study the scrolls she’d come across.

They’d been locked away in a safe that had once belonged to one of clans elders; Uchiha Uza. The layers of seals had taken Toshiko years to safely peel back which was ironic as from what she had gathered so far, every seal in the safe was on some kind of sealing.

0.0.0.0

The knock at the door came sooner than Toshiko had been expecting it as it wasn’t even lunch; she hadn’t even begun to crack to scroll on sealing she and Sasuke had freed from Uchiha Uza’s safe as the seal itself— and the other seals that were in the safe with it —were all, also individually covered in protective seals that would probably fry her, her brain and the house if she wasn’t careful.

Uchiha’s had learned the art of seal when the village had formed; some sister clan that’s name had been lost when the clan had died out but whose lessons were still practiced. Toshiko’s own mother had been the best at sealing, supposedly studying under a seal master as a shinobi.

Her notebooks had been strewn out in the living room when the knock had come. With low hung shoulders and a long face Toshiko answered the door thinking perhaps it was Iruka on the other side of it, or someone he had sent only to pause when she saw two men. One was in a jounin flack jacket, he had white hair that made Toshiko tense at the sight of— an ANBU operative, hidden behind a Hounds mask with his hands up, just trying to help, surrounded by Toshiko’s fallen kin and yet, despite the genuine intent rolling off of him, all Toshiko could see was her brothers Weasley mask as he slaughtered their clan  —and the other man was the Hokage, smoking his pipe.

The apples of Toshiko’s cheeks reddened at the sight of her village's leader catching her skipping class redhandedly. Though she supposed the Hokage was a better option than Shikamaru’s mother. 

“Home today Toshiko-chan?” The Hokage asked pleasantly with a small smile that curved around his pipe. 

“I don't know what you’re talking about Hokage-sama, I could totally be the clone and the real me could totally be in class,” Toshiko answered impishly. The jounin blinked down at Toshiko with his one uncovered eye.

“Of course Toshiko-chan, if you wouldn't mind though, might we be able to come in?” The Hokage asked, still suckling on the end of his unlit pipe. 

“Of course sir,” Toshiko nodded, “Just give me a second please.” And then she turned to the homes doorframe and began to unseal several dozen protective seals so that both the Hokage who Toshiko assumed was Sasuke’s new sensei could enter the house without being turned into piles of meaty-goo. 

The pair took their shoes off and followed Toshiko to the living room; though no one took a seat. Toshiko shifted in front of her mothers journals when she saw that the Hokage was peering down at them not because she wasn’t willing to share the knowledge with her Hokage but because she wasn’t willing to share the remains of her mother with the world.

In the margins of her mothers journals, after long, run-on sentences Uchiha Mikoto had written, trying to understand sealing, she drew. Flowers, birds, a lighting bolt striking a pepper. 

“Shikaku-sama said you and Sasu-nii’s new sensei would be coming around to figure out how to best teach him?”  Toshiko said to the Hokage, though her eyes kept flickering back to the jounin in her living room.

Toshiko wondered if he remembered her at all or if the night was a blur for him.  Did he remember her screaming? The trail of bodies that led into the district, not out of it? 

Did he have a scar from the kunai she had thrown?

“Yes, if you don’t mind—“

“—Sasu doesn’t like anyone in his room. Hokage or not,” Toshiko said apologetically to the Hokage but her brother was protective of his space; Shikamaru had once called him anal-retentive . 

“How else are we to get to know your brother?” The Hokage wondered, his hands folded neatly in front of him; if Toshiko didn't know any better she would have thought the old man before her was some elderly grandfather, not The Professor, the man who knew everything.

Every Hokage had a nickname, Senju Hashirama was known as the God of Shinobi , the man who could tame all nine demon beasts and build the society they lived in simultaneously.  His brother, the second Hogake, Senju Tobirama was known as The Technician. Lord Tobirama had led the Leaf Village after his brother and through the final battle of the First Great Shinobi War; he was a machine— the epitome of shinobi  —who created more jutsu’s than anyone before him. Lord Fourth, hero of the village and hero of the Third Great Shiobi War, was known as the Yellow Flash; the stories said that he was so quick in battle he could defeat two thousand men before an entire minute passed.

“You could talk to him yourself,” Toshiko said as she thought of what Ensui-san had told her about Hatake Kakashi. 

“But how am I supposed to know how to speak to him, if I can’t get a sense of who he is?” Hatake-sensei asked. Toshiko blinked in his direction, her head cocked to the side. 

“Shikaku-sama says you’re a genius. Jonin by twelve, chunin at six I’m sure you can figure it out sensei,” Toshiko said almost dryly. He was the only hope her brother Sasuke had at living; he couldn’t screw it up.

“Did he tell your brother any of this?” Toshiko shook her head.  She wouldn’t let Hatake-sensei or Sasuke screw it up.

“Sasuke doesn’t ask questions.” The distaste for a student who didn’t ask questions was evident in Hatake-sensei’s voice. 

“But you do?” He asked; his voice just as dry as she’d be.

“Yup. Life is easier if you take the path of least resistance first in order to get what you want,” Toshiko answered, just repeating what she had learned from every Nara she’d ever encountered. 

“And what if that path gets you nowhere?” 

“Ensui-san says then you better be able to fight for what you want,” Toshiko said.

“And what do you want Uchiha-chan?” 

“My brother, to be safe,” was her automatic answer. “Sasuke wants revenge for what Itachi did, he’s sworn it and he won’t stop until one day he’s powerful enough to avenge our clan.” 

“And, you don’t want that?” 

No was caught in her throat. Yes burned on her tongue.  Her hands balled into fists. 

“No.” She didn’t expand on her answer because she doubted the Hokage— who had started to lean in, waiting for her answer —would like why she didn’t want her treacherous brother dead. Instead she looked up at Hatake-sensei with wide eyes and an almost-pout and added; “But I know my dumb brother well enough to know he probably won’t ever stop going after Itachi so you’ll train him right, right sensei?” 

“That’s my job.” 

“Yeah but, Ensui-san says you’ve never passed a team before.”

“He has, has he?” Toshiko nodded. “Now, I can’t pass your brother just because you asked me to Uchiha-chan.”

Toshiko took two steps forward, away from the living room table. 

“I wouldn’t want you to, Sasu-nii, he’ll pass on his own. I know he will, my big brother isn’t a pushover! But—“ she added, “When he does sensei, promise me, you’ll take care of Sasuke until he’s no longer your student?” 

Hatake-sensei nodded; “Of course Uchiha-chan,” his voice was quiet, he leaned back on the balls of his feet, like her question had knocked him off kilter and perhaps it had.  Toshiko didn’t care if her brothers sensei thought she was odd for the request, sure ninja died but her brother didn’t need to be allowed to dive head first into his grave.

So she beamed.

“Thank you sensei!” Toshiko then hugged him before he could stop her. Enseui had said Kakashi Hatake knew a thousand jutsu’s, Shikaku-sama had said he was the kind of shinobi that only came around once every generation and as he placed a hand on her head, Toshiko just hoped he was the kind of sensei that could keep her brother alive because she had seemingly failed on that front.

0.0.0.0

Dinner had been lively; Choji, Ino and Shikamaru had all been placed on a team together under the tutelage of Lord Hokage’s son Asuma. Sasuke had been placed with Ino’s friend Haruno Sasuka and Naruto, all under Hatake Kakashi.

Toshiko had ignored Ensui’s pointed look when Sasuke had told everyone at the table his sensei seemed dull, and instead focused on her roasted pork. She hadn’t even been thinking of what he had told her the day before; ever since Hatake-sensei had come through with the Hokage Toshiko hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the night Itachi had slaughtered her clan.

The shinobi that had come after him, with Shiakaku.

Hound and his white hair and gentle stance. He had picked Sasuke up that night— as Toshiko had timbered into Shikaku —and instinctively cradled him, like he was willing to throw himself over her brother's body if Itachi came back to finish the job.

If Sasuke passed he would be safe.

Hatake-sensei had promised so.

But ninja die. The life of a shinobi was short, the better you were the shorter you lived and Sasuke, he needed to be the very best if he wanted to outlive Itachi. And while they all had some sort of test to complete early in the morning, Toshiko found herself playing shogi against Shikamaru late into the night, long after everyone else had gone to sleep.

“You can talk about it you know,” Shikamaru said, “Whatever you’re thinking of.”

“How do you know I'm thinking of something?” Toshiko asked in a quiet voice.

“Because you keep losing.”

“I always lose Shika,” Toshiko deflected, though she knew exactly what he meant. Usually Toshik put a fight up, and went down swinging in shogi hard enough to make Shikamaru think, but her mind was clouded; drenched in red— screams rang, echoing in her ears —so much so Toshiko could still smell the blood that had been caked into her hair years ago.

“Toshiko.” She sighed.

“I’m scared Shika, for Sasu, and you and Choji and Ino. What if-I don’t want to lose you. Any of you.” But they were all shinobi.

“Toshiko we’re genin, we won’t be sent out on missions anytime soon,” Shikamaru said but Toshiko slipped her King onto the palm of her hand and squeeze because sooner rather than later she too would join them in the ranks and soon enough, they’d all be running towards their ends.

Shikamaru reached across the table, his fingers encircling Toshiko’s wrist and she looked at him.

“So seriously, don’t be a drag-what are you thinking? I can't read your mind,” Shikamaru probed. Toshiko felt her bottom lip wobble. Tears welled up in her eyes and the King piece bit into the skin of her palm as she squeezed it.

“I see them all the time, and I hear them no matter what Shika. Everytime I close my eyes mama and papa are there and sometimes I close my eyes and I think I'm back in the closet hiding-it’s my fault Shika, Itachi killed them all because of me and Sasuke’s going to die because of me and if you try to save me it’ll be my fault too!” Toshiko sobbed, “And I don’t know what to do because I don't want anyone to die anymore! I don't know if I can take it!”

Not even Itachi. Not even after everything did she want him dead and Toshiko thought herself terrible for it. What kind of daughter was she, if she wanted her parents' killer to walk free?

Gods be damned, all Uchiha Toshiko wanted to do was sit up on a hill with her best friend and close her eyes and not be reminded that she and her brother would only ever hug their mother again when they were dead.

Shikamaru stood up, he knocked the shogi board to the side in his haste to get to his feet. Toshiko, as he pulled her to her feet, stepped on pawns and knights. Shikamaru dropped Toshiko’s wrist and opted to wrap his arms tightly around her shoulders. 

Toshiko felt her sobs catch in her throat as Shikamaru buried his face into the crown of her hair. 

“You don’t have to Toshi. Your worries, your fears-let me help you.”

“How?”

“You’re my best friend Toshiko, you always have been. Since we met, I promise you, I’ll always come back to play shogi or cloud watch, or just nap while you read. I mean it, I swear it.” And how many times had Shikamaru said he was going to be the kind of man that kept his word?

“You can’t promise that Shika,” Toshiko said against the wet collar of his nightshirt. “You’re a ninja now.”

“Have you ever heard that there’s only two things in life to fear?”

“No?” Maybe? Toshiko feared quite a few things herself; way more than two.

“Dad says besides fear itself the only thing our enemies should fear is a motivated Nara-Toshiko, you’re my best friend, what kind of man isn’t motivated to stay by his friends side?” Toshiko felt herself smile despite the fear and grief that still clawed from the inside of her chest; hemorrhaging from her ever wounded heart.

Her mother’s hugs had been warm and her fathers love and pride like a fire in the hearth. Shisui’s laughter had been like a fuzzy blanket you wrapped yourself in during a harsh snow storm in order to stay warm. 

They said the will of fire burned bright and hot.

Shikamaru’s words were just as comforting; they lit Toshiko alive— warm and full of hope —from the inside out.

“You mean that?”

“Don’t be a drag,” Shikamaru chuckled into her hair, “I say what I mean.”

“A good shinobi never reveals their true meanings,” Toshiko sniffled, a cheeky glint in her eye sparkled under the moonlight that streamed into Shikamaru’s room. Shikamaru’s face was still pressed against the top of Toshiko’s head; she felt him smile against her.

“I plan to be a perfectly average ninja Toshiko, I’ll leave spectacular to you,” Shikamaru said. It was quiet; Toshiko could hear the owls that had made a home in the trees outside of Shikamaru’s room fluttering around on the branches.

“You’re my best friend Shika,” Toshiko said, “I love you.”

It was quiet, so quiet Toshiko wasn’t sure Shikamaru was still breathing as he held her against him tighter, like he was tethering himself to her, grounding himself to her tiny body so that they could never wander too far away from one another.

Toshiko wasn’t sure if she had ever told her best friend that before. She knew she said she cared for him, that she was grateful for him, that she wouldn't be able to live in a world without him but as she searched her memories she couldn’t recall if she had ever used those words before.

“I love you too Toshi.” He said much more quietly. “You’re my best friend too.”

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:
“Pass or Fail: Survival Test” and “You failed! Kakashi’s Final Decision” and Part Four: “The Sharingan's Secret”

It was still dark when Sasuke woke Toshiko up to leave for his test; Hatake-sensei had said to be at training ground nineteen by six and not to eat anything before, lest he or his teammates puke during it. Which Toshiko had to admit, was pretty hardcore. 

The sky was pitch black, at its darkest point before the dawn. 

“Can I come?” Toshiko asked, sitting up in their shared bed, rubbing her eyes with her closed fists. The shirt she stole from Shikaku-sama years ago— in the nights she stayed at the Nara’s following the massacre —still hung off of her, slipping off her shoulder when she sat up and dragging along the floor by her feet whenever she got up in the middle of the night. 

“Toshiko—”

“—I just want to wish Naruto and Sakura good luck,” Toshiko interrupted quietly, “Please? I leave when Hatakate-sensei shows up. I promise,” Toshiko smiled.

“Why do you care to wish them luck?” Sasuke asked as he began to change.

“Because they’re your teammates,” Toshiko said.

“And?”

“Why are you so bad at having friends?” Toshiko shot back as she slipped out of bed, suddenly not caring what her brother said to her request. 

“I don’t need friends on the path I’m taking,” Sasuke snapped. Toshiko glared at her brother as she grabbed clothes from the dresser she and Sasuke shared at the Nara’s; dark blue overalls that had once belonged to Sasuke and an old shirt that had once belonged to Shikamaru. She would wish Naruto and Sakura luck, they would become friends with Sasuke and he would live a stupid long time with her and Itachi—

Toshiko grabbed the pink socks she’d worn the day before and nearly allowed her nails to bite a hole through them at the thought of her oldest brother.

Itachi would be nothing, he’d be far away. They’d never see him again— Itachi would never show his face in Konoha again —so much so that by the time they reached the Hokages old age neither she nor Sasuke would remember much of him. It would be as if he was a horrific figment of their imagination, the only reminder that he was ever real being their empty district.

“Whatever, Naruto is my friend—” Sort of, not really, but Sasuke needed friends; allies if anything and he would never get them on his own. Yoshino-sama had once said that between her and Sasuke, she was their parents' personality hire; whatever that meant. “—I’m coming with you.”

“You have to leave when Kakashi shows up.”

“Ka-you mean Hatake-sensei?” Toshiko cocked her head to the side. She had picked up her school bag from next to the dresser; though she had little plans of going to class— there was so much to learn when it came to seals, things her mother hadn’t been able to teach her firsthand but had written down from years of being around seal masters —whatever clone she sent in her steed would need it.

“He said to call him Kakashi-sensei,” Sasuke defended with a shrug

“You didn’t though,” Toshiko lectured with a hand on her hip the way the mother always had when they were in trouble. “You called him Kakashi, not Kakashi-sensei!”

“Dose it matter, the man seems like a total idiot.”

“Dose-Sasu, he’s a jonin! He’s not an idiot! And Ensui-san said—” Toshiko’s eyes went wide at her slip of the tongue, Sasuke, who had been packing his bag at the end of the bed, paused. Toshiko’s arm fell from her hip. 

“What did Ensui-san say?” Sasuke asked, eyes narrowed and body posed to jump over the bed and tackle Toshiko. 

“He-uh, he said Hatake-sensei was a genius. That he worked with our clan in the past.”

“He has?” Toshiko nodded as she looked at her fingers and wondered which one Ensui-san would want. She hoped it was her right as she was left handed.  “I guess that’s why I was put with him then,” Sasuke said. Toshiko nodded. “You can come.”

“What?”

“I said you can come,” Sasuke said, “You should meet Kakashi.” 

Toshiko nearly twitched under her brother's eyes; she wanted to tell him she already had, twice over but the words caught themselves in her throat as much like what Ensui and Shikaku had shared Hatake-sensei and the Hokages visit to their home was need-to-know. 

“Okay,” Toshiko nodded. “Thanks Sasu-nii.” Like she would have listened even if he had said no but like the Nara said, the path of least reactance was best to travel. 

The pair finished packing in silence when a memory struck Toshiko over the head, reminding her of what Shikamaru had told her when they’d started playing shogi the night before. Her lips curled upwards and something— mischievous —sparked to life in her eyes. 

“He Sasu?” Toshiko asked as her brother slipped his bag over his shoulders. He made his way to the window of the room they stayed in when sleeping over Shikamaru’s. 

“Yeah?”

“Is it true you kissed Naruto yesterday?” Though it was dark— the morning sun still hadn’t risen over Hokage rock —Toshiko watched her brother's face turn a violent shade of red. 

“I-forget it,” Sasuke hissed, “Stay here.” 

“What?” Toshiko asked as her brother threw open the window they used when they had to leave the Nara’s earlier than usual so that they wouldn’t wake anyone up. “No! You already said I could come!”

“I changed my mind!”

“Because you kissed Naruto?” Sasuke jumped from the room to the windowsill, to the outside of the Nara’s home. His face was burning and the skin between his brows was pinched. 

“I didn’t kiss that idiot!” The corners of Toshiko’s lips stretched across her face as she followed her brother. “What are you doing Toshi! I said stay here!”

“You already said I can come!” Toshiko responded on the other side of the window; “Besides you totally kissed him! Shika said so!”

Sasuke muttered something that sounded like a threat against Shikamaru— something like “I’m going to smother him in his sleep, I swear it,” —as he turned away from Toshiko. “I didn’t kiss him-he fell on me.”

“And your lips met?” Toshiko asked, with her hands behind her back as she began to keep pace with her brother. Deer, hidden in the trees, moved with them as they walked through the Nara compound. Toshiko smiled at the sight of an incredibly, almost unusually large buck. 

Shikamaru had introduced her to the deer after the massacre. He had said that because she would be staying with him and his clan, at least until Sasuke woke up— and if not thereafter —the deer would have to recognize her as they do other Nara. And the first one to come near her— accepting her as Shikamaru’s friend —was the largest Nara buck; Osamu.

“I didn’t kiss him!” Sasuke repeated; denying the accusation.

“You totally did!”

“Not-uh!” Sasuke sped up, lightly  jogging away from Toshiko. Toshiko chased after him.

“If your lips met you kissed him nii-san!”

“No way!” She was once again keeping pace with him. Sasuke sped up once more and then, as their back and forth argument continued a chase commenced. Sasuke just slightly in front of Toshiko, telling her that there was no way he had kissed the idiot that was Uzumaki Naruto, and Toshiko, smiling, ever so slightly behind her brother, accusing  him of doing so until they came to the training ground where Hatake-sensei and Sasuke’s teammates were supposed to be.

Only, as they breached the treeline Hatake-sensei wasn’t there waiting for Sasuke and his teammates, ready to test their limits as newly graduated shinobi but rather, as Toshiko and Sasuke— bickering —arrived at the training ground all they saw were two exhausted looked teammates.

Haruno Sakura rubbed her eyes while Naruto let out a sad sound as he stretched, throwing his arms up over his head.

“Morning,” Sakura yawned as she opened her bright green eyes; her thin pink brows came together. “Toshiko-chan?” Her head cocked to its side. “What are you doing here?”

“Since you're Sasu-nii’s teammates now, I wanted to wish you and Naruto good luck on  your test!” Toshiko said breaking away from her brother and skipping up to Sakura. “So good luck!”

“Aw—” Sakura had started to coo, only for Naruto to loudly cut in. He ignored Sakura’s thunderous glare as he declared, “No way, thanks but no thanks Toshiko! A ninja as great as me doesn't need luck!” 

“That doesn't mean I can’t wish it Naruto!” Toshiko shot back, a hand on her hip, “You’re Sasu-nii’s teammates now and that means I want you to succeed as much as I want him to!” Naruto’s pinched face of pride smoothed out and softened at that.

“Yeah?” 

Toshiko nodded her head firmly. She looked at Sakura, “I want you guys to pass just as much as I want Sasuke too!”

“That’s really sweet Toshiko,” Sakura said to which the young Uchiha beamed. Toshiko pointed at her brother, 

“Sasuke is really sweet too and I hope that now that you guys are all teammates, you guys will be his friends too!” Toshiko said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her plan would work, her brother would make friends! As it stood, Shikamaru, Ino and Choji were her friends; Sasuke only ever hung around them because of her. If he was ever going to forget his plan of vengeance then he would need friends of his own to fill his time.

Sasuke’s head fell into the palm of his hand as Sakura’s eyes went wide and Naruto crossed his arms over his chest.

“I would love to be Saskue’s friend!” Sakura said, her eyes darting back and forth between Toshiko and Naruto. 

“Well not me!” Naruto declared, “There’s no way I’m going to be his friend!”

“What!” Toshiko looked crestfallen, “Why not! Sasu-nii is super cool, and he cooks, and he’s totally kickass! You should totally be his friend!”

“Knock it off Toshiko,” Sasuke grumbled as he came up to her, he put his hands on her shoulders and began steering her away from his new teammates, quietly he added; “I don’t need you making me seem like some sort of loser who needs friends.”

“But you do,” Toshiko said plainly. “They’re your teammates Sasu-remember how mama would talk about hers?” Uchiha Mokoto had never given names when speaking of her old genin teammates— the only name Toshiko and Sasuke had was Minato because of Choji’s father —but she always said she loved them. That they had been the best friends she could have ever asked for; it was obvious that they had died long before their mother but the sentiment had always still been there. Uchiha Mikoto loved her friend long after they died.

“And father never spoke of his.”

“That’s not true,” Toshiko said with a confused expression, “Tekka was on his team and so was a Hyugga. Papa said he died right after I was born which is why we never met him.” Back before her world had even started falling apart— before Shisui had died and she had met Shikamaru and Choji —on the days Toshiko got to bring her father lunch and they would eat together he would tell her the most amazing stories of his youth.

He had said once, before the Sanin had gotten their name and taken on teams of their own, and before the war had started, he had once followed one of them around for a near month before they had agreed to teach him a style of kenjutsu they’d come up with.

Her father had said the unique style was something that helped him to fight through two wars and survive. “A sharringan is a powerful weapon Toshiko, but it can never be an Uchiha’s only weapon. A shinobi with only one trick gets made rather fast.” 

 “Oh,” Sasuke said quietly. “He-he never told me.” Toshiko felt her face fall at her brothers; his grip on her tightened and Toshiko felt her stomach twist.

“Mama never taught me to garden,” she said, almost hopeful that that tidbit would turn her brother's mood around. The grip on her shoulders loosened and Toshiko turned to face her brother. “Can I stay until Hatake-sensei gets here. I just want to meet your team.”

“You know them.”

“Not really.” Her bottom lip popped out and her eyes became soft, “Please nii-san?”

Sasuke held out a minute longer than Shikamaru and Choji ever did when she pulled the eyes, but still, he gave in. Nodding, then allowed Toshiko to scamper back over to Sakura and Naruto, both of whom had been chatting lowly, to one another. 

“So Naruto,” Toshiko  broached, “What’s your favorite food?” And practically with stars in his eyes, the blonde began to ramble about ramen. Both Ichiraku’s and cups of ramen. 

“Don’t you ever eat anything else Naruto? All that ramen can’t be good for you!” Sakura said. 

“Please, ramen is the best food ever!” 

“What do you like Sakura?” Toshiko asked. “Cause Sasu-nii loves tomatoes-especially curries. He always makes those when it’s his turn to cook dinner but he never makes them super flavorful because he says the flavor doesn’t help with protein intake so why bother which Choji nearly has an aneurysm over every time he says it because food is supposed to be fun and delicious. And I love natto in the mornings, so what do you like?”

“Oh,” Sakura’s eyes were wide— and then drooping, sleepy and ready to shut — at Toshiko’s quickly exposited information. “I like umeboshi and anmitsu.”

Slowly the sun began to rise over Hokage rock. Their shadows got longer and longer.

“So sweet stuff?” Sakura nodded. “What about spicy?” Sakura shook her head.

“Not really. It’s not my favorite, but if it’s yours I’m sure I can give it a try.” Toshiko smiled.

“Yeah? You mean it?” Toshiko asked, suddenly excited. If she and Sakura went out for food she would bring Sasuke and then Toshiko could pretend to use the bathroom and leave and while she slipped away Sasuke and Sakura could get to know one another and they could be friends! 

And then once Sakura— and Naruto, Toshiko would figure out a way to make him and her brother friends if they didn’t figure it out on their own —and Sasuke were friends they could be friends!

Sakura nodded, she smiled somewhat tight as she looked at Sasuke before looking back at Toshiko. 

“Yeah.”

“That’s awesome Sakura!" Toshiko threw her arms around Sakura’s waist, hugging her. Sakura was quick to hug her back, and when she released Toshiko, Toshiko threw a look over her shoulder at Sasuke, who had been watching them with raised brows, only to see her brother quickly look away.

And so it continued. Until the sun had nearly fully risen in the sky, and exhaustion slowly settled on her shoulders, bringing her, Naruto and Sakura all to the grassy ground, Toshiko kept speaking to her brother's teammates. Toshiko kept trying to bring her brother into the conversation every other sentence; mentioning his favorite book or spot to train only for him to never comment and allow himself to be brought into the fold.

“Hello everyone,” a familiar voice said. Naruto and Sakura jumped to their feet in one move. Toshiko got to her slowly as both the pink haired and blonde genin threw their hands out and chastised their sensei for being late. 

Hatake-sensei threw his hands up in front of him and let out an innocent sounding chuckle. Toshiko cocked her head to the side and squinted as she tried to figure out his angle. Shikaku and Ensui had said he was a genius; the rules of shinobi said to always look underneath the underneath as there was always something else hidden to be found.

“Oh yes well you see, a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way.” Naruto grumbled at Hatake-sensei’s excuse. The jonin pinned Toshiko with a curious look. “And what do we have here-I could have sworn I was only given a team of three.” 

“You were Hatake-sense!” Toshioko said with her hands joined in front of her, “I just wanted to wish Sakura and Naruto good luck on your test. If they’re my brother's teammates I have to wish them luck too!”

“Is that so?” Hatake Kakashi sounded both surprised and amused. “That’s very sweet Toshiko-chan, though I will have to ask, did you send a clone to the academy again?"

“No-wh—” Toshiko closed her eyes in realization. The sun was almost fully overhead, their shadows were nearly gone. Half the day had already passed; she was— any clone she would send in her stead —more than just a little late. “—Oh no.”

“That’s what I thought, it’s okay though how about you do me a favor Toshiko-chan and I help you out by squaring this away with your sensei at the academy.”

“Anything Hatake-sensei,” Toshiko said as she grabbed her bag and trotted over to Hatake-sensei.

“Please call me Kakashi-sensei,” the man chuckled as he brought out an alarm from his bag, along with three bentos. He set them on two of the three training ground posts.  He then picked Toshiko up and put her on the third. “Now the alarm has been set for noon. Toshiko-chan—” he said directly to her, “—You need to make sure nothing happens to the clock or the food by staying right here.”

“Uh-alright sensei.”

“Don’t move, got it?”

“Yes sensei,” Toshiko promised.

“Good. Now you three, your assignment is very simple.” Kakashi-sensei drew out two bells from his flack jacket, “You just have to take these bells from me. That’s all there is to it.” He then clinked the two bells together. “If you can't get them by noon then you go without lunch—” Kakashi-sensi motioned with his dead to the posts where Toshiko sat “—You’ll be tied to those posts and forced to watch me eat my lunch in front of you.” 

Toshiko’s face smoothed out in understanding. So that was why he told Sasuke and his teammates to skip breakfast.

“Wait a minute!” Sakura said, stepping forward, “There’s three of us! So how come there's only two bells?”

Toshiko nodded from her seat on the post. Sakura was right.

“Well,” Kakashi-sensei chuckled, “That way, one of you ultimately ends up tied to the post and disqualified for failing the mission. That one goes back to the academy. Though that does also mean all three of you can flunk out together." Toshiko felt her eyes widen at Kakashi-sensei’s statement. “You can use any weapon, including shuriken. If you’re not prepared to kill me, you’re not prepared to take the bells.”

Toshiko’s fists balled against her thighs as she watched her brother with narrowed eyes. As Naruto laughed and Sakura stepped forward, saying something about how weapons like shuriken were dangerous— and she was right; the instructors at the academy had explicitly disavowed practice on school grounds with them after a student several years ago had died —Sasuke tensioned where he stood, His back going rigid and his rounding adams apple bobbing as he looked at his sensei. 

“Class clowns are usually the weakest links,” Kakashi said, pinning the blonde with a dry and tired look. “You can safely ignore them. Lowest scores, losers, really.” Kakashi straightened before slouching, his shoulders went forward. “When I say start you can begin.”

Toshiko threw her hand up.

“Uh-yes Toshiko-chan?” Kakashi-sensei asked.

“Can, I mean, Shika says I should usually ask, but can I please use my sharingan to watch you all?” Toshiko asked.

“Ah,” Kakashi-sensei seemed to smile below his mask. Naruto— growling, and with a kuani in hand — ran at Kaskahi-sensei. Before Toshiko could blink, Kakashi-sensei had Naruto’s hand behind him and  the tip of Naruto’s very own weapon pointed at the base of his own skull. “Don’t be in such a hurry, I didn’t say start yet,” Kakashi said to Naruto before turning to look at Toshiko once more. “While usually I wouldn’t mind, and love to promote learning opportunities for kohai like yourself, I don’t really see the point in using up so much energy at the moment.”

“No?” Toshiko’s stomach knotted itself twice over at the low sounding chuckle Kakashi-sensei let out as he let Naruto go with a firm push, sending the blonde stumping forward..

“No. I just don’t see you learning anything today.” He looked at Naruto. “But you did come at me with the full intention of destroying me so, how can I say this? Good job, keep that up and I might even start liking you. Now get ready—” Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura bent their knees, ready. “—Start!”

And off they went. Sort off.

While Toshiko watched both her brother and Sakura disappear into the brush surrounding them, Naruto stayed right where he was, with his chest puffed out and hand on his hip.

“You and me, right now! Fair and square!” Naruto demanded his sensei.

Toshiko saw Kakashi-sensei’s singular unobstructed brow rise. She felt her own doing the same. “Naruto, you do know that a ninja must know how to conceal their movements and hide effectively, don’t you?”

“I don’t need to sneak attack you sensei, I’m more than ninja enough to take you head on!” Naruto declared.

“You know compared to the others you’re a bit weird,” Kakashi-sensei commented. 

“Oh yeah?” Naruto asked, the balls of his feet dug into the ground, “The only thing weird here is your haircut!” Toshiko tilted her head as Naruto took off running at Kakashi-sensei. She supposed Naruto had a point; between the premature grey and the uneven lengths that made up his cowlick hair, Kakashi-sensei did somewhat resemble a scarecrow.

Kakashi-sensei slipped his hand in his pocket. His shoulders rolled back; Toshiko leaned forward on her post. “Shinobi battle techniques, part one,” Kakashi-sensei started. “Taijutsu-the physical art.” 

Toshiko felt herself almost deflated as Kakashi-sensi pulled out a tiny orange book. She squinted at the title printed on the book's cover, wondering if perhaps it was a book on fighting only be confused when she read Icha Icha Paradaisu. 

“What?”

“What do you mean what? What are you waiting for, make your move,” Kakashi-sensei encouraged. 

“But why are you reading that book!” Naruto asked.

“To find out what  happens in the story of course. Don’t let it distract you, I mean with your weak attacks it won't matter if I'm reading or doing whatever,” Kakashi-sensei said flippantly. And while Toshiko knew she should be taking note of how her brother's sensei was purposely riling his students up— a shinobi who acts on emotion, acts to fail —she was more stuck on the fact he was reading a book called Make out Paradise.

“I’m going to crush you!” Naruto went flying at Kakashi-sensei. Kakashi-sensei blocked Naruto’s incoming punch without so much as a fleeting look in the blonde's direction. He dodged Naruto’s kick without breaking from his spot on the page. Naruto went to hit him again but Kakashi-sensei moved quicker than any academy student or genin could track; ending up behind Naruto before the blonde's arm could fully extend. 

Toshiko leaned forward, her heels kicked at the wooden post as worry pooled in her gut. Kakashi-sensei was crouched behind Naruto, his hands in the sign of the tiger, a fire sign.

“Dont let your enemy get behind you all the time,” Kakashi-sensei lectured. 

“Naruto, get out of there quick!” Sakura’s voice called out from the brush, “He’s going to destroy you!”

“Too late,” Kakashi-sensei said, "Left village secret finger jutsu: a thousand years of death!”

Toshiko felt whatever breath she’d been holding exhale as Naruto went flying. She could practically hear her brother calling both his teammate and sensei idiots. 

“Okay, where was I?” Kakashi-sensei asked himself as Naruto landed in the river that cut through the training ground. He opened his book up once more.

“Hey sensei?”

“Yes Toshiko-chan?”

“What kind of book is that?” The man went rigid at her question. “I mean it’s called makeout paradise. Is it a romance? Cause Ino read romances and I’ve never seen it and she had a whole bunch of romance stories in her room sensei.”

“Oh well you see, this is-um how do I put this—” Kakashi-sensei allowed himself to be cut off as he caught two ninja throwing stars with his fingers. The stars came to a stop at his gloved knuckles. 

Naruto, coughing water up and soaking wet, clambered loudly to the riverside. “What are you doing?” Kakashi-sensei asked him, “You know you won’t get lunch unless you take a bell by noon.”

“I know! I know!” Naruto snapped, “You told us that already.”

“You look pretty wobbly for someone who's going to surpass the Hokage,” Kakashi-sensei said— his voice was almost teasing as he looked down at Naruto —as Naruto’s stomach let out a loud and audible gurgle. 

“You told us not to eat breakfast, how am I supposed to fight when I'm starving to death! I mean, you caught me off guard! That’s all it was, believe it!” Naruto said as he made it to his knees. Kakashi-sensei had started walking away from him.

“I don’t know Naruto, you can barely even stand,” Kakashi-sensei said over his shoulder.

“Believe it sensei, I’m going to get one of those bells and I’m not going back to the academy!” And then, at that moment several Naruto jumped from the water. Toshiko nearly slipped from her spot on the post.

“You’re over confident sensei! That’s why you weren't ready for a shadow clone attack-my best jutsu!” Shadow clones were already hard to accomplish; it had taken Toshiko months under both Shisui and her brother's tutelage to create even one. And still as the years went on she could barely handle more than two. But as the clones leapt from the water Toshiko counted seven— eight in total —Naruto. 

“Great technique," Kakashi-sensei congratulated as his legs widened ready for the attack, “But I don't think you can maintain it for very long,” Kakashi-sensei said. And Toshiko’s eye’s caught a ninth flash of orange. “I mean you talk like you're the best but you’re still the worst student Naruto. You can’t beat me with this jutsu.”

The ninth flash of orange leapt at Kakashi-sensei from behind, grabbing him under the arms and around the waist; completing the diversionary tactic. 

“Didn’t you say not to let your enemies get behind you sensei?” Naruto chuckled as his clones began to dogpile Kakashi-sensei. “That’s pretty good advice-belive it!” Another Naruto— Toshiko couldn’t tell if it was the clone or the real one —dove for Kakashi-sensei elbow first. “Now this is for getting me in the butt earlier!” The diving Naruto yelled only to himself when landing the punch. 

Kakashi-sensei, no where to be found. 

Toshiko felt her eyes spark to life; for a second, red clouded her vision as tome swirled. Body replacement jutsu’s though ninjutsu technically, were one of the harder ones to pull off as a shinobi could only ever switch themselves with something they could both carry— usually someone at least equal to their own weight; though the more handy the shinobi the more likely they were able to cut that in half —and what their chakra reserves allowed.

“It’s you!” Naruto accused his own clone, “You transformed into Kakash-sensei using a jutsu!”

“Tell hell I am!” His abused clone yelled, “You are!”

“Yeah you probably smell like an old man!”

“Do not-this one dose!” Toshiko’s sharingan quickly faded as Naruto punched Naruto, dogpiling on top of one another. 

“Let’s just undo the jutsu!” A Naruto called out, “That way there will only be two of us!” 

“I should have thought of that sooner!”

“Yeah jerk!”

“You know what f—” Whatever the clone had been about the say was cut off as Naruto dispelled the jutsu, leaving him standing alone and bruised.

“What the hell, where’d go?” Naruto spun, “Toshiko did’ya see what way Kakashi-sensei went?”

“Sorry Naruto, I lost him when he hit you with the replacement jutsu,” Toshiko said sweetly. “Though probably the trees, right?” Naruto had started to nod before freezing up, his eye drawn to the bright glittering bell at the root of one of the training grounder batter tree trunks. 

A wide and cheesy smile stretched across Naruto's face and Toshiko felt a grimace stretch across her own as her eyes flickered through the tree tops, trying to spot both Kakashi-sensei and what trap he set up while Naruto had fought himself.

Though a shinobi was always prepared. Kakashi-sensei had picked the training ground; Topshiko wasn’t sure the jonin hadn’t set the trap up hours before any of them had even arrived. 

Naruto ran forward and just as he reached out to grab the bell, a rope sprang tight around Naruto’s ankle, snapping up the tall length of the tree. “No! Come on, let me down! Let me down!”

The leaves of the trees rustled and Kakashi-sensei appeared under Naruto, picking up the bell with a sigh.

“Think before you attack Naruto, or else your enemy might use your own jutsu against you.” Kakashi-sensei straightened up and smiled under his mask. He threw the bell in the air before catching it. “And also,” the jonin added with a laugh, “If the bait is obvious, don’t take it. A ninja must see through deception.”

“I get it!” Naruto growled as he swayed. 

“No you don’t,” Kakashi-sensei sighed, “I’m telling you this because you don’t. You think you get it, which isn’t the same as actually getting it. Get it?” And then without warning, as Kakashi-sensei sighed, with his hand on his hip, kunai and shuriken flew out from the brush and hit Kakashi-sensei from both sides.

Blood flew from the jonin and once more Toshiko’s vision went involuntarily red. The scream— shrill, loud and nearly blood curdling —left Toshiko immediately. 

Blood was everywhere; her mothers blood was on the soles of her feet and her knees, her cousin's blood cakes to her front; her hair, tangled and matted, smelled overwhelming of copper.

She jumped down and left her post and started running towards where Kakashi-sensei had started to fall, ready to help administer aid. Time felt slow; the man looked as if he was falling through syrup rather than space and time. 

“Dammit Sasuke!” Naruto shouted from his spot in the tree, “You didn’t have to kill him!”

Only Toshiko froze several feet from Kakashi-sensei and Naruto because when Kakashi’s bloody back hit the ground and a puff of smoke clouded him. Seconds later a log appeared in his place riddled by Sasuke’s weapons. 

Toshiko’s throat felt tight.

Nobody had gotten hurt. 

Everybody was okay. And yet Toshiko’s palms still felt sweaty as the sounds of trees rustled loudly around her. Sasuke and Sakura were changing their positions, staying on the move ready for the attack. Toshiko stepped backwards, her chest heavy as her eyes closed.

A log, riddled in her brother's weapons.

Not the body of her mother and father.

Not a cousin thorn through a shoji door; entrails spilled out around them. 

Not a clan member slain in their crib or on the street or crucified within the police station. 

A log.

Toshiko sat down on the grass with her knees to her chest. And then she heard Sakura’s scream and Toshiko was back in the closet. She was six again and the walls were caving in. She couldn’t breathe.

Itachi kneels in front of Toshiko; he had their clan members' blood covering his front, splattered across his face and though his red eyes swirled nothing happened. Unlike Sasuke she wasn’t forced to see anything other than her brother, the monster right in front of her.

“Hey! Hey! Toshiko!” 

Toshiko threw her eyes open, the sob had already left her throat as Naruto who had somehow managed to get himself down, reached out for her. She threw herself at him, shaking. 

“Hey,” Naruto said again, softer. He pulled away and held Toshiko at arms length. “It-its okay, it was just a genjustu, nothing too serious.”

A genjutu. 

A log; Toshiko looked from Naruto to the log. Her brother's weapons were buried in the logs bark deep; but there was no blood anywhere to be found. 

“Oh.” Naruto let out a chuckle, one hand on the back of his head and the other still on Toshiko’s shoulder.  

Sakura screamed again; the birds that hadn’t already flown the training grounds scattered, cawing loudly in fright as it rang out.

“Yeah the old man totally got me there too for a second, believe it! But he’s totally fine, you heard Sakura screaming, he probably got her good too!” 

Toshiko swallowed the leaden lump in her mouth, trying to squeeze the ball of emotion down her tight throat. She just nodded as Naruto talked, smiling at her. She focused on his smile. 

“Come on, you look like you could use some food.” Toshiko let Naruto lead her back over to the post Kakashi-sensi had placed her on at the start of his and Sakura and Sasuke’s test; her mind was reeling as she tried to focus. She couldn’t focus. 

It was a log. 

There was no blood on the tree or anywhere else to be seen. 

“Now I’ll let you pick whatever one you want first since that’s the kind of guy I am.”

“Is that so Naruto?” Kakashi-sensei said from a top of the post that Toshiko had abandoned. Toshiko’s eyes flew from the grass she had tried to focus on to her brothers sensei; relief like she had never known flooded thorough her. 

“Sensei you’re okay!” The tears were back in the corners of Toshiko’s eyes as she threw herself forward from Naruto and to Kakashi-sensei.

“Oh Toshiko-chan,” Kakashi-sensei chuckled as he stepped off the post, “You were really worried about me there, weren’t you?”

“I—” Toshiko’s hands clawed at the front of her overalls, “—Yes?” 

Kakashi-sensei pat Toshiko on the head as if to say there-there now child. 

“It’s going to take a lot more than a lone genin to take me down.”

“Okay,” Toshiko nodded as Kakashi-sensei turned a fierce eye onto Naruto. 

“And you Naruto, taking advantage of a crying little girl, is that the man you are now?” Naruto let out a shaky, guilty sounding chuckle as the alarm  Kakashi-sensei had set the hour before went off. “Right then,” Kakashi-sensei said and Naruto made to make a dive to the right only for Kakashi-sensei to catch the blonde by the scruff of his neck with one hand and tie him to the middle of the three posts with the other, all before either a downtrodden looking Sasuke and Sakura broke through the tree line.

Toshiko sat on the ground, between Naruto and Sasuke; Sakura sat on Naruto’s other side as Kakashi-sensei stood in front of all four of them. Sasuke had one hand holding the back of Toshiko’s overalls, as if he was anchoring her down and as if by letting go she would fly off into the atmosphere, far away from him, never to be seen again.

Toshiko, looked between the weapon-riddled log and her brother's sensei as he puffed out his chest at the sound of Sakura’s growling stomach.

“So about this exercise, I’ve decided I won't send you three back to the academy,” Kakashi-sensei said.

“I passed?” Sakura mumbled to Naruto’s excited  right, “All I even did was faint and pass out.”

“Then that means all three of us—” Naruto had started to cheer,

“—Are being dropped from the Leaf Village shinobi program, permanently!” As Sasuke’s nails bit through Shikamaru’s old shirt Toshiko’s gaze fell sharply from the weapon covered log to her brothers sensei.

“What do you mean drop us from the program!” Naruto demanded, kicking his feet against the post he’d been tied to. “That means we can never be ninja! You said if we couldn’t take the bells we’d be sent back to the academy! You can’t just change your mind and kick us out! Why would you even do that!”

“Because you three don’t think like ninjas, you think like little kids-like brats.” Sasuke had barely let Kakashi-sensei finish his thought before he had jumped up and charged at him and before Toshiko had even managed to raise up onto her wobbly knees Kakashi-sensei had her brother pinned; one foot against the back of Sasuke’s head as one hand held his arm against the small of his back. “You think it’s all about you,” Kakashi-sensei said looking down at Toshiko’s brother.

“Let Sasuke go!” Sakura demanded as she jumped to her feet, “You can’t just step on him like some bug!”

“You three think this is just some game,” Kakashi snapped at Sakura, still on top of Sasuke, “Why do you think we put you on squads? Did any of you even consider that for one moment?”

“I don’t understand what you mean,” Sakura replied softly, confused. Toshiko just looked at her brother, struggling under Hatake Kakashi and felt the ever growing pit in her stomach tug at her heart and gut and soul.

Her brother didn’t know when to quit. When to stop and think; not really, because if he had, if he ever did— “I mean,” Kakashi-sensei said as Toshiko spiraled, “You never realized what this exercise is all about. Not even close.” —he’d realize he was fighting a losing battle.

He wasn’t a match against his sensei. He wouldn’t pose a challenge to Itachi.

“What’s it about?” Naruto echoed.

“Yes, that's what determines whether you pass or fail,” Kakashi-sensei nodded from his seat atop Sasuke.

“But that’s, I mean, I wanted to ask you about that from the start,” Sakura said, only for Kakashi-sensei to scoff at her.

“Use your heads-how come the academy student is the only one who gets it!” Kakashi-sensei snapped and suddenly three pairs of eyes were pinning Toshiko with varying looks of confusion; she wasn’t quite sure how she understood the jonina lesson. She was pretty sure the only thing she understood was that her brother would die in the upcoming years and Hatake Kakashi was something of a sadist. He hadn’t needed to throw in all that blood when casting the genjustsu. “I thought you’d had it Naruto but it was all an act!”

“What the hell are you even talking about?” Naruto demanded. 

“Teamwork!” Kakashi-sensei snapped and Sasuke seemed to freeze at the word. “If all three of you had come at me while working together, you might have had a chance to take the bells. But well what do you know, time’s done, it’s over.”

“Wait a minute!” Sakura demanded, voice raised and fists at her side, “But you set it up! There are three of us here, and only two bells! You said that the two who got the bells would be the ones passing, which would mean if we had worked together the squad would’ve broken up anyway from infighting!”

“Yes I purposely pit you against each other, I wanted to see if you three could get over that and put the squad ahead of yourselves,” Kakashi-sensei lectured, “A genin should have a natural feel for teamwork-but you three? It never even crossed your minds! Sakura, you obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto was right in front of you and you wouldn't lift a finger to help him. Naruto, you do everything on your own-everything! And Sasuke, you thought the others were so far beneath you that they were worthless. Arrogance," Kakashi-sensei hissed.

“A ninja’s mission is carried out in a squad. Of course you need your individual skills but teamwork is your most essential element. Every shinobi worth their hitai-ate knows this because when individuals start putting themselves above their squad death and failure are sure to follow. For example—” Kakashi pulled a kuani from his pocket and held it to Sasuke’s throat, the world froze for Toshiko.

Sasuke’s head was in her lap, he had stopped moving Toshiko didn’t know how long ago. They were both covered in the blood of their parents and clansmen. The only indicator that Sasuke was alive was the shallow breaths he took.

“Stay back!” Toshiko had ordered, her ruby red eyes swirling, taking in every movement,  ready to take on the next oncoming threat as a masked ANBU operative— a lethe man wearing the mask of the Hound and who had grey, unevenly cut hair —landed in front of her and Sasuke. His hands were up, as if he didn't mean any arm.

But Itachi was their brother; he was never supposed to mean arm either. He took half a step forward when Toshiko had sent the kunai flying, slicing the operative's shoulder just below the tattoo every ANBU member got when joining the villages black-ops division.

 She felt her hands twitch as she met her brother's eyes; she could hear it— him telling her to back off —without him needing to say anything.

“—That’s what happens on a mission,” Kakashi said as he pulled the kuani away, spinning it as if he hadn’t just held it to Sasuke's throat. “The enemy takes a hostage and you have to make an impossible choice and no matter what, someone always ends up dead.”

Kakashi got off Sasuke. “On every mission your life is on the line-you all know the large diamond shaped monument at the base of Hokage rock, don’t you?” Toshiko nodded; Sasuke, as he stood, did as well. Neither Sakura or Naruto did but Toshiko hadn’t expected either of them to as, as far as she knew, neither of them came from a clan like her and her brother. “It’s at the base of the mountain because it’s good shinobi who hold this village up, who have to make impossible choices and give their lives so that the men women and children in this village can even hope to live another day,.”

“What do you mean sensei?” Naruto asked.

“The statue he’s talking about is the KIA one, isn’t it?” Sasuke asked, brushing himself off. Kakashi nodded. 

“The names of my closest friends are carved on that rock.” Naruto kicked his feet as Toshiko felt her heart twist for her brother's sensei. 

“That sounds so cool!”

“It means killed in action, Naruto,” Sakura said softly. “Kakashi-sensei is talking about a memorial stone.”

“Oh.”

The wind blew by the four of them and the Kakashi turned. He looked at Naruto and then Sakura, Toshiko and Sasuke and sighed.

“I’m going to give you three more chances, I’m going to be much harder on you then I was this first time around.”

“Okay! No problem sensei!” Naruto grinned.

“Oh really?” Kakashi-sensei crossed his arms over his chest, “You three will have three hours to try to catch a bell, Sasuke, Sakura, you two should eat up and gather your strength, we’ll start when I get back. Toshiko-chan can have the third bento since Naruto is tied to the post. Naruto?” Kakashi-sensei said looking at the blonde, “You get nothing-it’s your punishment for trying to trick sweet little Toshiko over here and eat by yourself. Anyone who feeds him while I’m gone automatically fails, am I understood?”

“Yes sensei,” Toshiko and her brother and his teammates murmur before Kakashi-sensei flickered away; though unlike what Toshiko and Sasuke had grown up seeing when Shisui had used the move no after image was left of Hatake Kakashi, just rustling leavings.

Sasuke sat back down on the left of Toshiko, he handed her one bento, and then Sakura the other before taking the last one for himself. Toshiko used the disposable wooden chopstick to pick up the piece of chicken in it and turned to Naruto. 

“What are you doing?” Sasuke asked, grabbing her elbow, his bento balanced on his lap.

“You need to pass,” Toshiko whispered, her throat still tight, and her still hammering in her chest, “Kakashi-sensei is a genius.” He was the only chance Sasuke had staying alive; she needed her brother to pass the mans test. “And he said—”

“—He said Naruto doesn’t get any,” Sakura cut in.

“Or whoever feeds him fails. I’m not taking a test. I don’t have anything to lose,” Toshiko said, holding the piece of chicken up to Naruto’s mouth, only for Sasuke to push it and her away. “Sasu?”

“You didn’t eat breakfast and you barely touched your dinner last night, Yoshino-sama even said so. He can have some of mine,” Sasuke said, “We need to get those bells as a team after all.”

“But you do have something to lose,” Sakura said worriedly, “We both do.”

Naruto’s stomach growled loudly and Sasuke sighed as he stood up and moved over to Naruto instead of just leaning over Toshiko.

“Kakashi’s gone and Naruto will be ineffective and weak if he’s too hungry. That hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission.”

“What about the bells?” Sakura asked, “There’s still only two.”

“Kakashi said teamwork was the goal right?” Sasuke asked. Sakura, Naruto and Toshiko all nodded. “Something tells me the number of bells won’t matter so long as we work together—”

“—And complete the mission together like a real squad!” Sakura finished in a rush, she then turned to Naruto and held out half of the egg that had been in her bento. 

“Thank you,” Naruto said far more sincerely than Toshiko had ever heard him. “But I can’t.” 

“What do you mean you can't, we need to work as a team!” Sasuke hissed. “ I’m not failing because you're scared of Kakashi!”

“I’m not scared!” Naruto shot back hotly, “My hands are tied! You have to feed me!”

One of Sakura’s eyes twitched as she snarled at the blonde. Though she fed the blonde half of the egg nonetheless. Sasuke gave him a piece of his pork. And then, just as Naruto had opened his mouth for another bite the wind picked up, trees swayed and Toshiko would have sworn she felt the temperature cool.

The bentos flew from their laps and Sasuke grabbed Toshiko close to him as she felt herself be moved back by winds sudden uptick in speed. 

“YOU!” Kakashi-sensei appeared screaming, “You broke the rules so I hope you’re ready for my punishment!”He weaved several hand signs and the skies darkened. 

Sasuke pushed Toshiko between him and Naruto who stood unmoved, tied to the pole. 

The ground shook.

“Any last words?”

“But you said-you said—” Naruto’s voice got louder with every roll of surprise thunder, “You said that there were three of us and that's why Sa—” Naruto cut himself off. Toshiko looked over her shoulder and saw Naruto’s guilty face looking between Sasuke and Sakura, unsure.

He couldn’t defend their decision without fully admitting guilt.

“We’re all on this squad!” Sasuke cut in, chest puffed up, “And we’re all in this together!”

“Yeah!” Sakura nodded, “The three of us are one! That’s why we gave him our lunch-we’re a team!”

“YEAH!” Naruto shouted, “Yeah! Believe it!” 

“The three of you are one, that’s your excuse?” Kakashi-sensei reiterated, hands on his hips as he leaned forward. 

“Yeah!” Naruto doubled down, "Believe it!” 

Kakashi-sensei made a sound— a happy sound —in the back of his throat. “You all pass then.”

“What?” Sakura asked, voice flat. “What do you mean we pass? How?”

The sky which had become dark and stormy started to clear as Kakashi-sensei straightened his back. “You pass because you didn’t fall into my trap. No other team I've ever been given has passed because unlike you three, they couldn't think for themselves.”

“How so sensei?" Naruto wondered.

“Like I said before, a ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world those who break the world are scum, and that’s true. But those who abandon a comrade-or even worse, those who abandon a friend, are worse than scum, which none of you did." Kakashi-sensei said, looking at all of his students and Toshiko, who was still somewhat hidden behind her brother.

Again his mask shifted; Toshiko assumed from the squint in his only visible eye he was smiling. “Squad seven starts its first mission tomorrow!”

“Yeah! Yeah Yeah!”

“And I expect our team mascot to be there after class, at the mission desk!” 

“What?” Sakura’s head tilted to the side and Toshiko tried to see what Kakashi-sensei was looking at behind her and Naruto only to relaise— perhaps at the same moment her brother did —that Kakashi-sensei was talking about her.

Sasuke turned to look at Toshiko with a poorly concealed smirk. 

“Do I have to go?” Toshiko asked quietly. 

“Class is important Toshiko, how else will you meet your future teammates unless you go?”

“I know them,” Toshiko muttered, “They just don’t like me.”

“Of course they don’t,” Kakashi-sensei said warmly, “They don’t know you yet. How about I walk everyone home and while we do that, we come up with a battle plan on how to  make friends.”

“Sensei it’s class not war, it’s different, especially for girls!” Sakura chastised though Toshiko couldn’t help but think Kakashi-sensei was on to something. She then looped her arm with Toshiko. “If you want to make friends, I’ll help you.”

“Really?” Toshiko wondered, her voice barely above a whisper as they began walking.

“Hey guys—”

“Sure thing, squad seven has to stick together after all,” Sakura giggled. Toshiko couldn’t help but smile herself.

“—GUYS I’M STILL TIED UP HERE!”

“Right!” Kakashi-sensei laughed as he turned on his heel, back to Naruto. Toshiko looked at Sasuke who was chuckling into his balled fist— something he never did; Toshiko couldn’t remember the last time her brother had laughed —and for the first time in days felt confident that maybe, Sasuke wasn’t doomed.

 Maybe they weren’t doomed.

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:
“Filler”

The very real, very original copy of Uchiha Toshiko sat in class, only because she had come to an agreement with her brother’s sensei Kakashi. If she went to a majority of her classes during the week then on the few days she didn’t, so long as Team Seven was training and not on a mission— even one within the village walls —she could join them; watch, learn and cheer.

But Kakashi-sensei hadn’t said she’d needed to pay close attention in class so as she sat in the back of the room, next to the large window she usually snuck out of, Toshiko ignored Daikoku-sensei’s lecture. She already knew the basic fundamentals behind elemental chakra— Uchiha’s weren’t considered Uchihas until they could create a fireball after all —as she practiced the tracings for explosion tags. She’d been tracing the tags patterns for days on end until the curves of each kanji had started haunting her.

Explosion tags were just another form of funjutsu, one that had bled so much into modern day shinobi life so much so that no one ever realized they could go farther than just buying them at the weapon supply stores. Her mothers notes spoke of a woman— Kushina —who’s clan had once been able to live and breathe sealing and how stories of her childhood showed Mikoto that there was so much more to sealing then what most ninja could even think about.

In her mothers last journal entry before marrying her father she’d spoken about how her genin sensei had given her a scroll on sealing living people for a temporary period of time. Apparently he had been exploring one of the other five great nations and saw it and thought that her mother could use it when Toshiko’s father got annoying.

Looking out the rain coated window, with a heavy heart, Toshiko smiled as she thought of her parents and Shisui and then as her eyes swept across the classroom and her stomach tightened she couldn’t help but count up how many more seats should be full. Though she was the only Uchiha born ten years ago and Sasuke the only one two years before that; eleven years ago there had been five born into her clan. 

Three boys and two girls. They had been Toshiko’s friends; Kenji, whose family used to live behind Toshiko’s and used to to play with her and Sasuke— and Choji and Shikamaru when they would visit her —was the one she was probably closest to. He always used to play the evil ninja in charge of stealing her away from her brother and, when he would get roped into the game, Shikamaru. Choji usually ended up on Kenji’s team if only because Kenji would let Choji sit out and snack while he would pretend to fight Shikamaru and Sasuke so that he could - “Keep the princess all for myself, forever!”

His head had nearly been severed from his neck the night of the massacre; whoever had prepped the bodies for their funeral hadn’t been able to make the stitching obscure. His mother and young brother's neck had been slit as well, though not nearly horrifically. 

Toshiko had made sure that when she lit their pyres— Sasuke had been under Itachi’s genjutsu; she had burned their clan alone, felt the fire of their parents' funeral pyres hot against her face, alone —they went together. 

Students began to move around Toshiko. She looked at Ino’s cousin wordlessly, but very obviously questioningly. 

“Lunch,” Inogami said simply, “You would’ve heard Daikoku-sensei dismiss us if you were even half paying attention.” Toshiko wasn’t sure if it was just Ino’s branch of the family or if it was  all Yamanaka’s that mastered the board yet accusatory look on Inogami’s face because Toshiko was sure she’d seen it on Ino a million times over, over the years. 

“Yeah but it’s borning,” Toshiko said.

“Yeah? What's so much more interesting?” Inogami asked as he and Toshiko got up to grab their lunches from their cubbys on the side of the room. Usually they would all eat outside but with the rain they would be allowed to remain indoors until lesions resumed. 

“Oh!” Toshiko flipped open the notebook which she had nearly closed when she’d gotten up. Almost proudly she held it to her chest, so that Inogami could see the dozen and a half seal markings she’d drawn over the page, over and over. “I’m trying to memorize the seal used for paper bombs because I want to see if it can be used as a touch-and-place seal.”

Touch-and-place seals were advanced forms of funjutusu; as they were seals formed by nothing but a shinobi’s chakra. Toshiko’s mother had mentioned how her friends clan had specialized in those types of seal, and how her mothers genin sensei was one of the only few people outside of her friends clan to master that type of funjutsu.

The only other person Toshiko knew, who could use touch and place seals like they weee nothing was the Fourth Hokage.

“Are you kidding me! Are you crazy!” Inogami leapt three feet from Toshiko as the class watched. The already pale boy turned sheet white. “What if you accidentally channel chakra into that! You could have blown us up!” He pointed at Toshiko, “I sit next to you, you nutjob! You could have killed me!”

“No way!” Toshiko denied letting the book drop to her side. “I have excellent chakra control!” 

Everyone always said it was an amazing feat as usually people with larger than average chakra reserves had harder times controlling and properly channeling their chakra and she had both unusually large chakra reserves for an Uchiha and excellent control.

“Yeah well that’s what everyone says before they blow themselves sky high-besides why do you even want to do that, people make paper bombs for a reason!” Several of Inogami and Toshiko’s classmates snickered loudly.

“Well my papa always said that a well versed shinobi was a dangerous one,” Toshiko said softly.

“Yeah but he’s dead so who cares,” a new, familiar voice cut it from behind Toshiko. Yagami Giriko was a stringy, brown haired civilian-born boy who had spent their years at the academy being as cruel as possible to Toshiko and everyone else around them. Though since she had entered the academy as the smallest and youngest student in their year, Yagami Giriko seemed to take a specific kind of pleasure by making her life hell.  

“Shut up Yagami,” Toshiko hissed; the space behind her eyes pulsed as she bit back her chakra, “No one was talking to you.”

Yagami Giriko was quick to grab Toshiko by the scruff of her shirt's neckline, her notebook dropped, clattering to the floor as she was momentarily lifted off of her feet. The classroom hummed to life; Toshiko’s hands wrapped around Yagami Giriko’s wrist. 

The only reason she didn’t snap the boy's wrist in her grip was that she couldn’t get in trouble; her and Sasuke had to be model citizens until either she became a genin or he became a chunin. Whichever came first; the Hokage had made it clear the last time she’d gotten into a fight— some boys in Shikamaru’s class had been calling Ino horrible, horrible names —that anymore trouble would mean that she could be placed with some clan, other than the Nara, as their ward, and separated from her brother until she came of age.

“No what was that?” Yagami hissed. Toshiko looked to Inogami for support— help —only to find the Yamanaka boy had taken three more steps back. Everyone in the class least they get in the boys way and end up like Inzuka Tomeru as Yagami Giriko  had broken Tomeru’s arm the year before in a sparring match with a dirty move. When the sensei’s had started chewing him out over the recklessly cruel move Yagami Giriko had simply cited that there was no fair fights in real life. 

“I said,” Toshiko said quietly, “Shut up, no one was talking to you! And let me go!”

“Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what to do!” Yagami Giriko— again lifted Toshiko off her feet, as he —shook her. “You think you’re so special cause you can memorize shit from a book, but guess what no one cares nerd. Hell, I bet your parents didn’t care before they died!”

Anger, red hot, anger bubbled in Toshiko’s gut. “I said let me go!”

Yagami Giriko dropped Toshiko and pushed her forward; her hip hit the corner of desk. She turned, with a half held back snarl when the boy went to grab at her again. “I bet your parents didn’t care before they died-I bet they're happier to be dead and away from you!”

And then like an autumn leaf barely hanging on caught in a breeze that was just too strong, Toshiko snapped; she felt the power behind her eyes explode to life as her sharingan swirled to life.

Someone screamed— Toshiko always heard her clans' screams ringing in her ears, no matter what she did she heard them —as she let Yagami Giriko pull her forward and with a clenched fist she landed a hit against his nose. 

“I said shut up!” Toshiko shrieked. Blood poured from Yagami Giriko’s nose.

It was warm under her knuckles as she punched him again; as she hit the boy in his solar plexus quicker than he could stop her from doing so all Toshiko saw was blood.

Her mothers blood on her knees. Kenji’s blood on the yarn used to bind his head to his neck. Shoto’s in her hair.

A shinobi’s life was drenched in the blood of their enemies and their comrades. One day Toshiko would wash one of her brother's bodies clean of blood before lighting their pyre. 

Her life was covered in blood.

Her fist was too as she hit Yagami again; this time his tooth cut her third knuckle but despite the pain that radiated from her hand Toshiko continued to go after the older boy. Toshiko’s right foot slipped behind his left ankle and as the Yagami boy went down, Toshiko was quick to follow him down. Her knee was pressed against his chest so that he couldn't get a full breath as she continued to hit him.

He hit her too; but as she wailed on him— the chattered of her classroom had turned into the buzzing of bees, she knew her classmates were yelling, some were cheering but what she heard was nothing more than loud near deafening buzzing —Yagami GIriko found that no force he could muster from the classroom was enough to knock the young enraged Uchiha off of him.

In fact the only reason she got off of him moments later, still swinging— clawing at his face demanding in a voice Toshiko didn’t even realize was her own, that he “Take it back! Take it the hell back!” —was because both Daikoku and Iruka-sensei came running into the classroom.

0.0.0.0

Hatake Kakashi was twenty-six and yet he felt closer to sixty-six. He was older than his own sensei had been when given him and his team and much younger than Jyirya-sama had been when taking on his team; and yet all Kakashi wanted to do as the rainy Wednesday dragged on was sleep. He couldn't remember his own sensei being this tired when taking on him and his teammates. 

“Don’t call me an idiot, bastard!”

Though perhaps that was just because he’d been six and completely unaware of other people's feelings until more recently. 

It had been two and a half weeks since Team Seven had managed to pass his bell test and eighteen days and while there had more than minimal infighting going on, there had been next to no muder attempts between the kids. 

Sure there had been one incident between Sakura and Naruto— she had nearly strangled the blonde jinjuriki to death, only stopping because the team's mascot Toshi-chan had cut in, stopping her —but Kakashi was firmly on the side of that was much more of a lesson Naruto needed to learn, as all young men do as he had accidentally called Sakura “Underdeveloped.”

“Don’t be an idiot and I won't call you one,” Sasuke snarked as he, Naruto and Sakura stood in the rain drenched. They had been practicing running the same formations they’d been drilling the past week in the rain as not every elemental nation had the same delightful climate as the Land of Fire.

Maybe it’s karma, Kakashi surmised from under a tree as he tried to finish the chapter of Make Out Paradise he’d started the night before.

Maybe Lord Third had given him this team— his sensei’s son who was so much like Obito it hurt, a girl who reminded him so much of Rin, two Uchiha, one who reminded him so much of himself and one that reminded him of his own teams mascot —as a way to punish him for being shit a little shit in the past. 

Sasuke and Naruto slipped into the wet, muddy grass as Naruto tackled Sasuke with a growl. Naruto threw dirt and grass at Sasuke as the Uchiha bucked the blonde off.  

Kakashi felt his shoulders drop as Sakura began to yell at Naruto. His head started to hurt as memories from his youth swirled to life at the scene before him.

Yeah, this is karma. 

Just as Kakashi had begun to push off the tree he’d taken refuge under he paused; Sakura hit Naruto over the head and his three students' heads swiveled right to look at the absolutely drenched chunin who was quickly making his way towards the four of them.

“Iwana-sensei?” Kakashi kept his eyes on the other one-eyed shinobi as Sakura stepped forward. The man walked with his shoulders hunched forward. “What are you doing here?” 

“Sakura-chan,” Akame Iwana said with a nod, his dark, singular eye darted from her to Sasuke to then Kakashi. “Hatake-san, sir,” Iwana said, “I need Uchiha Sasuke to come with me.”

The hair at the base of Kakashi’s neck stood on end as a million possibilities of what could have happened at the village's academy raced through his mind from most probable to least.

“Why?” Sasuke was already on his feet, dusting himself off, wringing the lumps of mud from his shirt. “What’s happened to my sister?”

“There’s been an incident and with Shikaku-sama in meetings all day and his wife being unreachable, you're the next contact for her.” 

“Shikaku-sama? Shikamaru’s parents?” Kakashi heard Sakura mutter as he stepped forward, out into the downpour. His book safely tucked away. Unlike either the blonde or the pinkette Kakashi already knew of the Nara’s guardianship over the Uchiha’s; it wasn’t so much unlike the guardianship his own sensei had extruded over him after his fathers death.

It was why he had been placed on Minato-sensei’s team; by the time Rin and Obito had graduated several months after his fathers death. Kakashi— retrospectively knew that he—was a brat and after months of working together and training, Minato was the only jonin he didn’t try to prove something too.

“What kind of incident? Is she okay!” Sasuke demanded to know, fists clenched at his sides.

“Hatake-san, sir, Lord Third is demanding Uchiha Sasuke, he said to be quick.” Kakashi’s head bobbed up and down— Sasuke looked as though he could barely contain himself; like he was going to run off to the Hokages office half-cocked and knowing him, he was going to —as Naruto, still in the mud, leaning up on elbows cocked his head to the side.

“What’s the old man doing involving himself with academy business anyway?” The blonde asked loudly, “Usually that’s Suzame-sensei’s job,” he added on, mentioning the academy’s most senior instructor. Kakashi knew her in passing, from what he understood the war had changed her from a hard headed kounochi to a spoft spoken germaphobe who worked mainly on the village’s academy administrative side. 

“Watch how you address Lord Third brat!” Iwana snapped with the kind of force that had Kakashi’s automatically heckles raising. The wounded look on Naruto’s face reminded him of how Kushina looked after the kannabi mission; though he was quick to cover it up with a snooty glare of his own, “After what you pulled the other night you’re lucky he still allows you to walk free.”

“Okay,” Kakashi said cooly, the muscles on his shoulders tight as they held their arms down at his sides. Back in ANBU, when he was captaining he’d punched men— other operatives, comrades —in the throat for less than a tone he didn’t like. “Sasuke, you and I will go see what’s happened to Toshiko. Sakura, Naruto-I want one of you to go wait for Shikaku-sama and let him know I’m with Sasuke and not to worry while the other goes and finds Nara Yoshino, his wife.”

“Yes sensei,” Sakura nodded as Naruto got to his feet, nodding but still mumbling about “Another lame ass mission, aw!”

“Hatake-san, sir, Lord Third didn’t mention—”

“—Sasuke is my student and this my responsibility and so any and all of his responsibilities are mine as well,” Kakashi said. “I’m sure you understand.”

Akane Iwana fidgeted like he didn’t understand but Kakashi was him, a friendkiller, the man who knew a thousand jutsu’s and so like all his enemies, Akane Iwana fell into submission. The bald chunin nodded.

“Right then, we shouldn't keep Lord Third waiting.” And then Iwana was off, Sasuke was quick to fall behind him and Kakashi fell right in at his students' side; from his peripheral Kakashi saw  Sakura and Naruto ran off in the two separate directions. Sakura disappeared in the direction of the Nara’s land while Naruto leapt in the completely wrong direction of the village's administration building.

Kakashi sighed and quickly sent a clone to catch up to his hairbrained blonde. One day Naruto would learn.

Kakashi hoped.

0.0.0.0

With worry bubbling away in her gut and a heavy heart, Toshiko had been standing outside the Hokage office— practically since Iruka-sensei had pulled her off a sobbing, bloody, piss-smelling Yagami Giriko —and the longer she stood just right of the door the more she could smell the smoke of whatever Lord Third stuffed in pipe. 

The side of her face was sore where Yagami Giriko had sturk her in an attempt to defend himself; she could practically feel the bruises forming over the curve of her cheek and the corner of her eyes.

Toshiko fidgeted under Daikoku-sensei’s gaze; he hadn’t said anything when he had been bandaging her hand— she had split her knuckles against the Yagami boy's face —nor while they waited for Sasuke before entering the Hokage’s office. He just stared as she pointedly looked away; Toshiko wanted to remark that Daikoku-sensei was looking at her more than he had in the past three years.

She didn’t, she was in enough trouble as it was— Toshiko tried not to think that she was going to be torn from her brother and taken from under the Nara’s rather lax-watch and instead placed with an uptight clan like Hyuuga, she hoped that if she was going to be placed far from Shikamaru and her brother it would be with a clan like the Inzukua —but she thought it as she picked at the half-dried blood in the corner of one of her cuticles.

Toshiko wasn’t sure if parents would be disappointed in her; she’d beaten a boy bloody in the most undignified manner which she was sure they would have a problem with, Uchiha were proper when conducting themselves in the village, they were a founding clan, the villages Police force, they had to maintain decorum.

But he had been speaking ill of them. Her parents had loved her; they cared about her and Sasuke and their interests.

Toshiko couldn't even could— she could barely remember —just how many nights, when telling her a story hadn’t worked in putting her to bed, that she and her father just talked about their days until she passed out asleep mid-sentence or just how long her mother would let Sasuke talk about weaponry uninterrupted. One time her mother had let Sasuke go on for hours and hours because he’d read about the history of shirrukin. 

“What happened!” Toshiko’s head snapped up and to the right to see a heaving Sasuke in the mouth of the corridor that led to the Hokage office. He looked pale, sweaty and covered in mud and more than ready to raise hell for her. Kakashi-sensei with his hands buried deep in his pockets turned the corner second after Sasuke; not out of breath or covered in mud, just slightly damp.

Daikoku-sensei moved from against the wall he was standing against to greet Kakashi-sensei. Toshiko looked down, away from the world and at her feet, embarrassed to be in trouble in front of her brother's super cool, super genius, jonin sensei. “I got into another fight.”

Sasuke was quick to grab her uninjured arm and drag her closer than she already was; Toshiko, when he met her brother's eyes, could see the panic— the fear —in them.

“What do you mean you got into another fight,” Sasuke hissed, starting a lecture Toshiko had heard before, “Toshiko—”

“—He was running his mouth about mama and papa, I wasn’t going to let him!” She snapped, she saw her brother's face twist in outrage at her declaration,  “Yagami said that they were happy to be dead and away from me,” she said much more quietly. “I’m sorry I got mad and lost it but I’m not sorry for hitting him!”

“And that’s okay,” Kakashi said easily as he stood behind Sasuke, “It sounds a lot like he started it after all.”

“Hi sensei,” Toshiko said quietly.

“Hello Toshiko-chan, Daikoku-sensei says you broke your classmates face in self defense.” 

“Hatake-san, that's not what I said! ”Daikuko-sensei quickly spluttered in denial loudly from where he stood, his hands up and shaking in front of him.

Kakashi-sensei shrugged. 

“Good,” Sasuke hissed, he then grabbed Toshiuko by the chin and tilted her face back so that it was directly under the hall light. He then turned to Daikoku-sensei and glared at the man much more harshly than he usually did; “I would have killed him.” 

“Iruka-sensei pulled me off him before I could,” Toshiko muttered. If the teachers hadn’t come swarming into the room she wouldn’t have stopped; no one but the teachers were making her. She would have killed Yagami Giriko in a blind rage and their classmates would have let her and some inside of her twisted because of it.

Ninja killed, it was a fact of life; kill or be killed. They talked about it in the academy, they went through classes on how to do it and how to clean up after doing it and how to compartmentalize about it. And yet the thought of taking someone’s life made Toshiko feel almost queasy.

And yet despite the queasy feeling and the crazy feeling that flooded her senses at the sight of blood— when she saw it, blood that was, it was if she was no longer in control of her own body; everything she did felt as if someone else was doing them —Toshiko knew she could do it because as she thought of what Yagami Giriko had said and the anger bubbled back up in her stomach the more she wanted to find her classmate and make him regret opening his mouth.

Her parents had loved her. She knew that the way she knew the sky was blue or grass was green.

The Hokage’s door opened and a near visible cloud of smoke billowed out of the room. An elderly man with thick green glasses stood in the doorway; Toshiko recognized him from her time before entering the academy, when she would join Shikamaru’s father at work.

Councilman Mitokado Homura; Toshiko was sure the council woman that was always at his and the Hokages side— Utatane Koharu —was, like Lord Third on the other side of the door.

Mitokado Homura narrowed his eyes at Kakashi-sensei who moved so that one hand was on Sasuke’s left shoulder and the other was on Toshiko’s right.

“Kakashi-kun, I didn’t realize we sent for you,” the councilman sniped. “I could have sworn we sent for Uchiha Sasuke when Shikaku-san was found to be in meetings all day.”

Toshiko looked up at Kakashi-sensei.

“Yes, well like I told Iwana, Sasuke is my genin, anything that concerns him concerns me.”  Kakashi’s shoulders were taught— his fingers were digging into the fabric of Toshiko and Sasukes’ shirts —head was cocked to the side. Whatever smile he wore under his mask was fake; Toshiko didn’t need to see it to know. His over friendly tone told her that well enough.

Councilman Mitokado pursed his lips together, looking as if he had swallowed a lemon before sidestepping and allowing the three of them and Daikuko-sensei to step into the Hokage’s office. Lord Third looked relaxed at his desk, hat tipped high and more like the old men playing dominoes in one of the village's parks rather than one of the strongest shinobi alive. 

“Kakashi,” Lord Third said looking at the jonin, “I see you’re taking your responsibilities to your students rather seriously.”

“Thank you?”

“Right.” 

Councilwoman Utatane coughed. She was at a desk separate from the Hokage, she and Councilman  Mitokado sat together to the man's left. 

“Uchiha Sasuke, your sister has gotten into another fight, this time she may have blinded a classmate.”

“From what I hear he deserved it,” Sasuke snapped. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Nonetheless,” Lord Third interjected, “She attacked someone who could very well be her future teammate with a savagery that one Leaf Village shinobi should never show another. She may very well have ended his life as a shinobi before it even began.”

“Yagami Giriko is a bully and an idiot,” Sasuke said firmly, “He’d make a piss poor shinobi, my sister saved him from a life of disappointment.”

“I see what the Nara have been teaching,” the councilman muttered and the breath that had nearly caught in Toshiko’s throat froze as the Hokage held his hand up, almost as if to silence the council members. Lord Third leaned forward, his dark eyes piercing Toshiko as he focused on her.

“You understand what you have done, don’t you Toshiko? A comrade who may very well have gone far in the village's name, might never get to do that now?”

“He-I do, but Yagami doesn’t! He would never go far because he doesn’t understand that to be a good shinobi you have to work with others to complete a mission!” Toshiko said firmly, “He was never going to be a good shinobi because he likes hurting others.”

“Daikoku, is this right?” Lord Third asked.

For a moment Daikoku-sensei said nothing and then following a long, drawn out sigh, Toshiko’s academy instructor nodded. “Yes sir, it is. Yagami Giriko has a history of bullying classmates, going as far as breaking limbs of his designated enemies in training exercises.”

“Why wasn’t anything done about him before?”

“He’s been given detentions, made to run laps around the academy until he collapses, he’s been punished when he acts out.”

“Did he act out here?” The Hokage asked, “Is Uchiha Sasuke right? Did he, as said, deserve it?”

Daikoku-sensei was quiet for a moment. He looked away from the Hokage and at Toshiko; Toshiko looked at him and wondered just what was he thinking?

“By all accounts taken Yagami did attack Uchiha Toshiko.”

“Very well,” The Hokage muttered, he turned from the academy instructor to Toshiko. “Toshiko, you get into fights quite often, how are you any different from Yagami Giriko?”

Toshiko felt her cheeks burn. She shrugged; “I do get into fights sir but I don’t like hurting people. But like my papa always said,  it’s an Uchiha’s job to protect the village-Lord Second gave us that responsibility and it’s a duty we must carry with us at all times, and I won’t let injustice happen especially right in front of me, even if it means doing something I don’t like.”

Toshiko saw the corners of the Third Hokage’s lips twitch; his eyes darted from Toshiko to Kakashi-sensei. The Hokage picked his pipe up from his desk as he stood to walk around his desk. Despite his age he was still a large man. He leaned against his desk, his shadow stretched across the room, between Toshiko and Sauke, shrouding Kakashi-sensei almost completely.

“We came to an understanding the last time you got into an altercation Toshiko, should the Nara fail to guide you and should your brother fail to lead you down a less trouble-filled path, you were to be warded with a clan who could, did we not?”

“Lord Third—” Sasuke tried only to be silenced by both the Hokage and Kakashi. 

“Yes sir, we did,” Toshiko nodded. She reached for Sasuke’s hand. 

“If you remember, at the time both Homura and Koharu offered to step up should the Nara not be able to—”

“—They are though!” Toshiko, cutting the Hokage off, ignoring the pressure Kakashi-sensei was applying to her shoulder, interrupted fiercely. “Yoshino and Shikaku are amazing! They’re kind and they care about me and Sasu when they don’t have to! They’re great people!”

“You are truly your mothers daughter,” the Third said with a low sounding chuckle.

“What?”

“I fear you can not maintain under the Nara.” 

Toshiko felt her heart break as her brother's nails bit into the spaces between her knuckles. They would have to pry her from Sasuke; they would have to rip him away from her and hide her away from him for them to be separated. 

“I love them.” 

Lord Third smiled at Toshiko as he crouched down. 

“And they love you but every action must have a consequence.” Dread filled Toshiko. “Yagami Giriko attacked you, so you, in turn, fought back. Because of that, he may be blinded, at least partially. That’s a consequence, this too must have one. A shinobi-a good one, knows the extent of their power, they know their limits,” the Hokage lectured.

She felt her hands shake at her sides. She looked at both the village council members that sat behind Lord Third, they both looked excited at the prospect of her world falling apart.

“I’ll take her,” Kakashi said. Both Sasuke and Toshiko’s heads flew up to look at the underside of Kakakashi-sensei’s masked chin. He held them both closer to him.

“Hiruzen!” 

Lord Third leaned back against his desk, almost pleased.

“You mean that Kakashi? Toshiko will be your responsibility until she graduates from the academy or her brother becomes a chunin-you understand that can be well over a year away.”

“I do.”

“He is an active shinobi, one who is a jonin-sensei,” Council woman Utatane snapped; she stood from her seat. “He cannot give the Uchiha girl the-the attention she needs to become a-a formidable shinobi of the Leaf.”

“Last I checked Lord Third warded the younger brother of one of his students while he was a sensei,” Kakashi rebuked. “The precedent is there.”

Toshiko watched Lord Third’s face smooth out at the mention of whoever he warded; Toshiko knew he was the man who had taught the three legendary Sanin but had never heard that any of them had had a brother. His eyes unfocused for a moment, like he was remembering something.

“Yes and look how that turned out,” the council woman snapped.

Oh, that was why. Toshiko watched as the Hokages face pinched at the councilwoman's callous tone. 

“The girl should be placed with me.”

“Or me,” councilman Mitokado huffed but Lord Third held his hand up to them and pinned Kakashi with a steady, expecting gaze.

“Ther’e no shrugging the responsibility off here Kakashi, if you’re to be given guardianship over Uchiha Toshiko, I need to know that you’re serious.”

“Toshiko is already, very much, Team Seven’s unofficial mascot so to say. She comes to trainings and waits for us at the mission desk every day, having her under my purview Lord Third will just make keeping track of her a lot easier. It will also help my actual student—” Kakashi-sensei jostled Sasuke, “—Here won’t be worried about her.”

Sasuke’s eyes met Toshiko’s before darting to the Hokage. “Kakashi is right, I’ll be less detracted in my training if I know she’s placed with him.”

“She can’t get into anymore fights,” Lord Third said, “While I understand from the testimony of her classmates that young Yagami grabbed her first such viciousness against a comrade, even one you perceive as terrible as Yagami Giriko, won’t be tolerated.”

“It won’t happen again," Kakashi-sensei said. 

“You cannot be serious,” the councilwoman hissed. Lord Third ignored her. 

“Toshiko will have to serve detention for the forcible future, to be determined by the extent of Yagami Giriko’s injuries.”

“Team Seven is taking D-rank missions in the village for the forcible future, I don’t see why she can’t join,” Kakashi-sensei said. “She’ll stay under my watchful gaze and she’ll lend an unpaid hand to the village.”

“Huh,” Lord Third sounded as he picked up his pipe, “Unpaid D-ranks as detention. What a thought, perhaps we can start to employ that tactic more?” The Third said almost to himself, scratching his chin. “Why not?”

“You are rewarding her!” Councilman Mitokado snapped as he stood from where he and councilwoman were seated; his chair scrapped against the wood of the Hokages office, “Lord Third you are rewarding the Uchiha with—”

“—Nothing Homura. The Nara’s are losing guardianship over Toshiko here and she is being given an indeterminate length of forced-unpaid labor to atone for mauling and perhaps disfiguring a comrade. Do not forget Kakashi was quite a slave driver in his ANBU days, I doubt Toshiko here is getting off easy.”

“She’s not,” Kakashi-sensei promised and Toshiko felt her shoulder wilt under his hand at the unspoken promise— threat —of being worked to the bone. 

“Very well then, dismissed,” Lord Third said as he began to puff on his pipe despite the councilmembers discount grumbling; Kakashi-sensei was quick to steer Toshiko and Sasuke out of the office and down the corridor to where they ran into Naruto, Sakura and Shikamaru’s parents.

Both Shikaku and Yoshino looked distraught; Yoshino carried a thick manila envelope under her arm that she almost nearly dropped at the sight of Toshiko’s bruised face.

“What happened,” Shikaku-sama demanded. Toshiko wasn’t sure if he was talking to her, Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei but it was Kakashi who pushed Toshiko to Shikamaru’s mother and the village's Jonin Commander to the side. Naruto and Sakura hovered on Yoshino’s sides as she took Toshiko’s face between her hands.

Yoshino had been a surgeon before she had Shikamaru. Her hands glowed as they exuded healing chakra. 

Nara Yoshino’s chakra was warm. Like a sunny day. It was also familiar, between all her tips and tumbles from training and playing, and the bumps and bruises Toshiko had gotten from previous fights over the years, she was no stranger to Shikamaru’s mother patching her up. 

“Are you okay Toshi?” Sakura asked, her eyes focused on Yoshino’s glowing hands, while Naruto nodded his head, “Yeah you look rough-the other guy’s worse though right?”

“She put him in the hospital,” Sasuke said before she could. 

“Good,” Naruto nodded, “Kick ass and take names-the Team Seven nindo!”

“That is not our ninja way, idiot!” Sakura hissed, “And besides, don’t encourage her-Sasuke’s said how much trouble she can get in if she keeps fighting people!”

“I got in it,” Toshiko said, looking at Yoshino apologetically. She hated disappointing Shikamaru’s family. 

“Who were you placed with?” Yoshino’s voice was tight with worry in a way Toshiko had never heard it before.

The Nara loved her.

“I-Kakashi-sensei, he told Lord Third he would be my guardian,” Toshiko said and Yoshino nodded. She turned to look at her husband and Kakashi-sensei— both who had traveled to the end of the hall to speak in hushed whispers, digesting that information —before turning back to Toshiko.

“No way, really?” Sakura tilted her head.

“What’s that mean?” Naruto asked. Toshiko felt her brow furrow as uncertainty clawed at her gut. She too had no idea what Kakashi-sensei being her guardian meant.

The Nara had been her friends parents, Kakashi was her brothers sensei.

The aspect of change pulled at the hairs at the base of Toshiko’s neck  

“I-I don’t know.”

“We’ll discuss it over dinner, sweetheart, okay?” Yoshino said, loud enough that Kakashi-sensei and Shikaku-sama had paused whatever they’d been talking about to turn back towards the five of them.

“Whatever you want dear!”

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

Part One: “A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!”

“I’m at point B,” Sasuke's staticky voice rang out in Toshiko’s earpiece. Toshiko pushed herself firmly against the bark of the tree she was hiding against. The collar of her radio-earpiece set rubbed uncomfortably against her neck as she sucked in a deep breath of air. 

In the month following Kakashi-sensei becoming Toshiko’s legal guardian everything had changed. 

Everything and nothing. 

The first thing that had changed was Toshiko was tired constantly now. The Hokage had been right, Kakashi-sensei was a slave driver. Kakashi-sensei had started making Toshiko wear heavy weights around her wrists and ankles, from morning to night, during training and the D-rank missions she was forced to partake in as her punishment. Kakashi-sensei’s reasoning was that “You can’t run your hands if you can’t move them.” 

He had said he got the idea from a good friend and an even better shinobi.

Another thing that had changed was that Yagami Giriko had been moved classes; he had lost his right eye from Toshiko’s attack and while more than just Kakashi-sensei proved that a shinobi could be missing an eye and be superb the academy wasn’t going to just release a newly one eyed boy into the genin ranks without making sure his skills had adapted to his new handicap and so the school had pushed him back two years. 

He was the largest second year anyone had ever seen. 

What hadn’t changed was Toshiko’s living situation. When the threat of being taken away had first been thrown out onto the table the year before, the Hokage had explained that being a ward to another clan meant she would leave her brother and be fully under the control of the clan she was placed with. Only Kakashi-sensei lived in a studio apartment and his lease had another six months to it— so as not to in his words “Shell out Naruto’s weight in ryo to a slum lord” —Toshiko got to stay with Sasuke in their childhood home. 

She also still saw the Nara constantly. Only differently, under different circumstances rather than what they had all grown accustomed to over the years. Sure they still all had dinner together from time to time but it was a lot less frequent than before Toshiko’s change in guardianship and Shikamaru now slept over at hers constantly. He came to the Uchiha district after a day of training or D-rank missions and passed out in her bed rather than Toshiko and Sasuke falling asleep in their room at the Nara’s. Sasuke kept throwing a fit about it whenever Shikamaru came over as “It’s not proper” but Shikamaru was her best friend, he knew her perhaps better than Sasuke himself did. Toshiko didn’t see a problem with sharing a mattress with her best friend especially because whenever they fell asleep next to each other Shikamaru always made sure Toshiko was cocooned in the blankets with him, unlike Sasuke who always stole them. 

“I’m at point C,” Sakura said into Toshiko’s ear. 

That was where Toshiko had left Shikamaru— curled up and sound asleep under her floral pink comforters, wrapped around one of her stuffed animals —before leaving the house in tow with her brother, so that they could once again, for the fourth time that month alone, track down Tora, a noble lady's fat, escape artist tabby.

“I’m at point D,” Toshiko said. As much as the Tora the cat missions were getting repetitive and as annoying as it was she wasn’t getting paid for her work— yes she had blinded a boy but he had put his hands on her first and like Ino always said “talk shit and get hit” —a thrill ran down her spine as she shifted against the tree she was positioned at.

“I’m at point A,” Naruto said, "Believe it.”

“Go slow Naruto,” Kakashi-sensei sighed over the radio; Naruto had scared Tora away five separate times already, leading to what should have been an incredibly short mission to last several hours. Not that Toshiko minded, in a weird way her brother would make fun of her for if she ever said it out loud, she was having fun with Team Seven.  “Now squad seven and Toshi get-the target is moving!” Kakashi-sensei rushed, cutting himself off, “I repeat the target is moving, go after it!”

And so they did; Sakura took the lead in the chase, Toshiko took the tail just behind her brother, Naruto kept to the trees as they settled only slightly away from the noble lady's cat. 

“What’s your distance from the target?” Kakashi-sensei asked.

“Five meters,” Naruto responded, “I’m ready this time sensei, believe it-give the signal.”

“I am too.”

“Same here.”

“Yeah-huh, me too sensei,” Toshiko chimed in. 

“Alright then,” Kakashi-sensei radioed, “Move.”

And they did, while Naruto dove at the noble lady's cat, Sasuke, Toshiko and Sakura formed a circle around the blonde so that the cat couldn't escape again. Naruto grabbed the tabby around it’s middle— the cat hissed and clawed at Sasuke’s teammate —and Toshiko pressed her finger against the button on the side of the radio collar.

“We got him Kakashi-sensei.”

“Is the ID confirmed?” Kakashi-sensei asked, “Can you verify the ribbon is on the right ear?”

Sakura and Saskue both leaned in as Naruto wrestled to keep the cat within his grasp. Sasuke answered as Toshiko scooped the cat up and away from Naruto and immediately began scratching the spot at the base of its neck. The cat instantly relaxed in Toshiko’s arms. 

“Yeah the ID’s confirmed.”

“Alright then team,” Kakashi-sensei said as Tora leaned against Toshiko so that her nails would scratch just right, “Lost Pet Tora: mission complete.”

“Can’t we get better missions than this!” Naruto demanded, his cheek bleeding from where Tora had scratched him, “I hate cats!”

“Come on Naruto,” Toshiko laughed, “Cat’s aren’t that bad!” She held Tora against her like a baby so that she could scratch the overweight cat's belly. Tora purred loudly. 

“You would say that!” Naruto scoffed as Sakura helped him up, “That demon cat loves you!”

“Tora is not a demon!” Toshiko snapped defensively as she turned away from the blonde, “He’s a sweetheart!” Tora purred audibly to the team and Toshiko as if agreeing with her. 

“Sasuke, your sister is crazy!” Toshiko watched as her brother's lips twitched upwards, only for the dark haired boy to cross his arms over his chest and his chin to tip upwards, superiorly. Like he had never called Toshiko crazy before. Toshiko rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t call me sister crazy, idiot,” Sasuke sniped with a long sniff. Toshiko caught her brother's eye and the siblings pointedly looked away from one another. 

The last time he had, had been before the massacre, their mother had made Sasuke apologize and threatened that if they couldn’t get along she would tie them together until they— namely Sasuke, as at the time he had seemingly hated spending time with Toshiko —could get along.

“Dont call me an idiot you bastard!” Tora gave a jump in Toshiko’s arms and Sakura’s balled fist quickly came down on Naruto’s skull. Naruto was quick to cradle his skull.

“Don’t be too loud, you’ll scare the cat Naruto!”

“Why do you always hit me?” Naruto cried as he rocked back and forth, cradling his blonde crown. 

“Why do you always do stuff that gets you hit?” Sakura asked sourly, shaking her fist. Toshiko couldn’t help but giggle as she scratched under Tora’s chin. 

“Uh-guys?” Kakashi-sensei’s voice filtered through the radio, “Are you guys coming?”

“Of course sensei!” Sakura said sweetly. Toshiko, as she readied herself to follow her brother and his team, tucked Tora under her arm like a scroll or a pillow. Tightly, securely and close enough so that when the cat started to purr it tickled Toshiko’s armpit. 

“Come on Tora, let's get you home,” Toshiko said to Tora the cat and almost as if Tora understood Toshiko, the cat let out a sad-sounding whine. “I know but just think, you get fish when we get you home.”

Again, as Toshiko took off after Team Seven, Tora the Cat let out a sad sound.

“Yeah,” Toshiko nodded, “I know.”

“She’s talking to the cat!” Naruto’s hands flew over his head, as he looked back at Toshiko. Their eyes met and he smiled teasingly, the same— brotherly —way Sasuke and Choji always did when making fun of her. “How is she not cra-damnit Sakura stop hitting me!”

“What did Sasuke just say about calling Toshi crazy!”

“Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto cried over the radio, “Sakura is hitting me!”

Sakura’s back straightened at Naruto’s tattling; it was quiet for a moment as Kakashi-sensei didn’t answer right away. “Do you deserve it?”

And just like Tora the cat, Naruto let out a sad sound as they soldiered on forward through the trees back to the mission room.  Sakura peeked over her shoulder and at Toshiko. Sakura rolled her eyes and stuck the very tip of her tongue out at Toshiko; they shared a giggle.

0.0.0.0

Naruto was laughing, as Tora the cat's owner, a Lady with gems adoring each finger and golden hair pins stuck out haphazardly in her hair, squished the growling cat against her.  

“Who’s my good boy, who’s my baby,” the Lady crowed,roughly scratching the space behind Tora the cats ears. “I was so worried about you, my fuzzy-wuzzy-wuzzykins!”

Toshiko couldn’t help but look sympathetically at the cat; perhaps Tora was a pain to catch nearly every week but Toshiko knew that if she was the Lady’s cat, like Tora she too would constantly be playing escape artist every time the Lady turned her back. 

Sakura’s elbow knocked into Toshiko’s upper arm, and the young girl's eyes flew from the scratch cat to the pinkette. 

“No wonder it ran away,” Sakura muttered.

“I know right,” Toshiko replied just as quietly. Sakura giggled which caused Toshiko to giggle; Sasuke turned around with a raised brow. “I’ll tell you later Sasu. Sakura’s just really funny.”

“Right,” Sasuke replied to which Sasukura turned just as pink as her hair. He turned to face the Hokage who had just cleared his throat.

“Now for Squad Seven’s next task there are several available missions. There’s babysitting the civilian board’s chief counselor's three year old, or helping his wife do the shopping. Helping some of the farmers that reside on the villages southern walls digging up potatoes or—”

“—No!” Naruto whined. Toshiko’s eyes flew from the Hokage, whose eyes had gone wide— everyone's had at Naruto’s tone —to Naruto. “I want to go on a real mission, something cool and challenging and exciting! Not this little kid stuff! Come on old man I know you’re holding out on us!”

“Naruto!” Iruka-sensei, who tended to help out at the mission desk after class and on weekends, stood up, “You’re a genin, you’re supposed to start with simple missions, just like every other genin before you!”

“Are you serious? Babysitting isn’t even a mission!”

“It is if we say it is Naruto! The whole point of these missions is to help you hone your skills and prove to the village that you’re trustworthy and reliable!”

“What skills do we hone by pulling potatoes or helping with shopping! Besides we’ve been doing these stupid tasks for weeks! We’re reliable!”

“Naruto!” The Hokage cut in, “It seems that you do not understand the tasks that you and your team-and young Toshiko over there—” Toshiko smiled at the Hokage as his eyes flitted from Naruto to her, he smiled back, “—Have been given. You see, many different kinds of requests come into our village every day, from babysitting, to simple maintenance to assianation. These requests are carefully ranked,” The Hokage had started to lecture only for Naruto to mutter,

“We were taught this in our first year at the academy, boring!”

“You’re the one that got him started,” Sasuke sniped back just as Sasukra asked, “Were you even there for that lesson.”

“Of course I was,” Naruto snickered, “I only started skipping class after the first week, I’m not Toshi-can over here.”

Toshiko’s eyes went wide, her face heated up. “I-I went to my first day of class, I only started leaving after the third.” Her brother’s teammates devolved into a fit of giggles over her answer whilst Sasuke simply facepalmed. 

“Silence!” The Hokage snapped, causing all of Team Seven— and Toshiko —to straighten up where they stood. 

“Sorry about them sir,” Kakashi-sensei apologized, though he didn't sound the least bit sorry.

“Naruto rolled his eyes as his shoulders slumped forward, “You’re always lecturing me like you're my grandfather or something but I’m not a little kid anymore, I don’t pull pranks all the time and I’m not an idiot! I’m a real ninja now! Iruka-sensei passed me himself and I want to prove it! I want a real ninja mission!”

Kakashi-sensei’s hand swiped through his hair, pulling at it as he muttered something under his breath. Toshiko was sure, just as he would hear about Naruto from the Hokage, they would all be sure to pay for the blonde's outburst in training.

“So be it,” the Hokage said, “Since you are so determined, I’ll assign you a C-rank mission. You’ll be bodyguards on a journey.”

“Really?” Naruto leaned forward, “Who? Are we guarding a princess or some big wig counselor?" 

“Don’t be so impatient Naruto, bring in our visitor,” the Hokage ordered before he turned to Toshiko. “I am afraid that you won’t be going on this mission with Team Seven, Toshiko-chan but that doesn’t mean your punishment has ended.”

“No?” Toshiko cocked her head to the side; she felt her brother’s knuckles brush against her own.

“No, I am sure Kakashi here can find another suitable jonin to watch over you whilst he and Team Seven are away.” 

“I have someone in mind,” Kakashi-sensi said simply.

“Okay,” Toshiko nodded, trusting her brother's teachers completely. Sasuke however narrowed his eyes,

“Who?” The doors opened to reveal an old man with a straw hat covering his head, wreaking of alcohol, before he could get an answer. The man, Team Seven’s client, frowned at the sight of them.

“You’re kidding me, my guards are a bunch of snot nosed kids?” His face was red, flushed and beaded with sweat. He leaned against the door so as to catch himself from swaying forward

“You, the yellow haired one with the idiotic look on your face, you really expect me to believe you’re a ninja?” 

Toshiko looked from Team Seven’s client to Naruto whose head had cocked to the side. 

“Yellow haired?” Naruto muttered aloud, scratching his head, “Who’s that?” Only for a lock of blonde to get caught around his index finger and his eyes to go wide. Toshiko could tell the exact moment reality hit him because his face twisted. “Oh I’ll demolish you!”

Kakashi-sensei was quick to catch Naruto by the back of jacket's neck.

“You can’t demolish him, he’s the client Naruto, it doesn't work that way.”

‘Yeah but who the hell does he think he is! Calling me idiotic!”

“It doesn't matter Naruto—” Kakashi-sensei had started to explain when the client, after taking the last swig of the bottle in his hands, announced, 

“—I am Tanzuna, a master bridge builder and I must return to my country. The bridge I’m building there will change our world.”

“And, if you don't mind me asking,” Sakura asked, “Where is that? Your country, I mean?”

“I hail from the Land of Waves on the island closest to the mainland, Shikoku island.”

“The mission is about getting Tazuna to his island safely. It should take a week or so, pack accordingly and payment for the mission will be issued upon your return,” Iruka-sensei said.

Toshiko felt her heart drop into her chest. It wasn’t rational, it was stupid, Toshiko knew her brother was a shinobi, that he would get missions outside of the village one day but a week.  Toshiko had never been alone— not really, even in the aftermath of her clan's massacre, when Sasuke was in the hospital he had been somewhere reachable —and suddenly she’d be alone for a week. Toshiko felt her lungs knot together.

Sasuke pressed his arm against hers and she sagged against him. 

Toshiko knew she would still have Shiakamru and her friends, she knew she wouldn’t be completely alone but what would it be like to not see her brother everyday? What would life be like without Sasuke waiting in the wings for her to follow?

“Right then,” Kakashi-sensei dedicated, his chest puffed out and shoulders back, “Team Seven while Tazuna-san here sobers up, I want all of you to go home and pack your mission packs. You should all know what goes into a mission pack already but if not, there’s lists downstairs. And Toshiko?”

“Yes sensei?”

“Help your brother pack while I go speak to a comrade about you.”

“Should I pack a bag too sensei?” Just because she didn’t live with Kakashi-sensei didn’t mean this other jonin wouldn’t take their temporary guardianship seriously. 

“Not yet.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll meet you all at the Eastern Gate in two hours,” Kakashi-sensei said, and then, in a puff of chakra-dense smoke, he was gone. And like usual, when he did that Toshiko blinked at her brother.

“Kakashi-sensei is so cool.”

Sasuke scoffed, “You’re easily impressed.”

“No way, I just know cool. When I see cool, I say cool. You’d get it if you were cool,” Toshiko smiled. Sasuke was quick to knock his shoulder into hers. Toshiko was equally quick to grab her brother's hand as he, Sakura and Naruto made their way to leave the mission office. 

Sasuke didn’t hesitate in squeezing her hand back, though he did let go a moment later before moving over to Naruto.

0.0.0.0

Hatake Kakashi always had a mission pack ready to go. After twenty-one years of serving his village it became commonplace to always have one by the door to his apartment which is why he sat in the jonin commander's— Nara Sikaku’s —office so that they could discuss who exactly should be left Uchiha Toshiko.

“She could learn a lot from Gai,” Kakashi said, “I trust him to keep her safe.” Because it wasn’t just about making sure she was left with a jonin-sensei she could learn from, but one who could make sure the village's last female Uchiha was well protected, even if she didn’t know it.

“She’ll take to him rather well, do you want a third Might Gai running around the village?” Shikaku asked dryly. They’d all thought it was bad enough when Rock Lee, Gai’s student, started taking after him in every conceivable way. 

Gai was amazing, a great shinobi and wonderful man but by the gods, was he a lot. 

“You could let Asuma watch her,” Shikaku offered. “He has his hands full with Team Ten but that’s a team Toshi knows so she won’t be out of her depth.”

“And of course you’d get to see her more,” Kakashi remarked with a half hidden smirk under his mask. 

“Can you blame an old man, when you have kids Kakashi, you’ll understand.” Kakashi didn’t bother to hide his eye roll from his commanding officer. He knew the village wanted him to settle down as much as they wanted him on the battlefield but he knew that would never happen.

A gentle smile, calloused hands and hazel eyes all flashed through his mind.

It was too late for him. 

“I think if we're going to ask Asuma, we may as well just ask Kurenai to take her while I’m gone at least then she'll learn something,” Kakashi said lightly. Though they refused to come right out and say it, everyone with eyes knew that Asuma and Kurenai were together, just like everyone knew that despite his sharingan, Yuhi Kureni was the best genjutsu user in the village. She was better than most Kuama clan members. She’d been taught— her own genin sensei —had been the Uchiha Clans best genjutsu user. 

“Asuma can teach her too, he can help her hone her elemental jutsu’s.”

“She’s not a Nara yet sir,” Kakashi said, Shikaku waved his hand like the semantics didn’t matter and perhaps it didn’t. Shikaku had told him all about his sons fixation on the youngest Uchiha when he’d taken over her guardianship. “She needs to get better with genjutsu."

“She and Sasuke are naturals.”

“There’s a difference between good and the best. Sasuke has me to back him up but when Toshiko gets sent out on her first mission I want her to be able to hold her own,” Kakashi explained and flushed when he saw Shikaku’s poorly concealed smile.

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s just good to know you care about the kids Kakashi.”

“I care about them like I care about having a hole in my head,” Kakashi lied. He hadn’t had his team long but he hadn’t needed to; like the pests they were, they had slowly started making their homes in his heart. Uchiha Toshiko especially. 

“Right, right-so Kurenai? So I have her meet you at the Eastern gate?”

“I’ll get her myself, I still have an hour and half.”

“Alright-and Kakashi?”

“Yes sir?”

“Be well. Keep the kids safe.”

Kakashi thought of Obito, half crushed and still talking, offering to give Kakashi more, like he hadn’t just saved Kakashi’s life in the first place. Of Rin, and how sticky her blood was and how she’d died with a smile knowing she’d saved her village. Of his sensei and Kushina, wrapped in one another's arms; they died saving thousands of lives.

Of his father and the comrades who he had saved.

“Of course.” He would die for them. They were his team. 

And a small part of him, one he refused to hear whispered out that they were definitely more than that.

Those kids, against his better judgement, were becoming like his pack.

0.0.0.0

Shikamaru had been at their home waiting for them, his hands had been in his pockets and his shoulders had been slouched forward as he waited for Toshiko and Sasuke on the steps that lead up to their home. Toshiko hadn’t been surprised to see him despite it being the middle of the day; Sasuke had asked Naruto as they’d left the missions office to send a clone to get Shikamaru.

“You came quick,” Sasuke said as he undid the seals that locked their house and pushed open the door. Toshiko kicked her shoes off whereas Sasuke and Shikamaru were careful to take theirs off. 

“Figured I’d help pack, real men help their friends and all.” Toshiko couldn't help but smile, happy her best friend and brother could consider themselves friends. 

“We’re friends?” Sasuke asked as Shikamaru and Toshiko followed him to his room. The bag he would be using for missions was thrown emptily onto his bed. “Toshiko?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you get me my cloak from downstairs?” Konoha had mission regulated rain and snow cloaks for their shinobi so distinctive in color and ring patterns that even in a hurricane or a blizzard another shinobi from the leaf would be able to recognize it.

“Actually your cloak is in my room?” Sasuke's brows came together,

“Why?”

“Yoshino-sama was helping me with something.”

“Right-just go get it.”

“Okay-Shika?”

“I think I’ll help your brother here.”

“Okay!” And then she was gone, down the hall— like always Toshiko paused for half a step in front of her parents room; the door was shut and Tohiko could see the dust collecting under its gap —and to her room. It was still the light pink color her parents had painted it in preparation for her.

The ceiling's border was of her clan's symbol and on the far wall, next to the large window that overlooked most of the district were photos. Some were in frames, some were just taped, and one of them Toshiko had sealed to the wall to see if she could.

Her mother had been so upset about it; her father had been proud, though he had punished Shisui— as he was the one who’d taught her the seal —by making him work the graveyard shift at the precinct for nearly a month and half. 

Toshiko grabbed the cloak she and Shikamaru’s mother had stitched together from her closet and started to make her way back to her brother's room only to pause and grab the omamori from her bedside table. The cloth bag that held the charm was a faded red color and the string that tied  close at the top was no longer the same original string but instead a green one Toshiko had used to keep the charm shut inside.

Shisui had given it to her when she’d been very young; so young she could barely remember why. But the omamori was sentimental to him— his older cousin had given it to him in hopes it could ward off nightmares —and he had given it to her and while technically you were supposed to replace the omamori every year there was no way to give the charm back to the original source.

Shisui had said his cousin died, and so he supposed by giving it to her it renewed the blessing inside and gave it new life.

“—Her no matter what,” Shikamaru said.

“What?” Toshiko asked as she entered her brother's room with the cloak in one hand and omamori in the other. 

“What?” Sasuke asked back.

Toshiko narrowed her eyes at both her brother and best friend before thrusting the cloak out; Sasuke took it from her and held it in his hands. He turned the cloak over and inside out; where the outside of the cloak was cream with dark blue stripes at the bottom of it, the inside was a dark blue with the Uchiha clan symbol.

Sasuke didn’t look away from the cloak as he ran the pads of his fingers over their clans symbol.

 “It’s one of papa’s old ones. Yoshino-sama helped me reline it with one of mama’s old coat’s and stitch it in with new seals so that it’s weather proof. I thought you’d like this one better than any store bought one.”

“What made you think of this?” Sasuke asked quietly. His voice wobbled. “I mean why do this?”

The cloak in his hands shook ever so slightly. 

“You’re supposed to say thank you,” Shikamaru hissed with his eyes narrowed and lip pulled up into a half snarl. Toshiko grabbed her best friend's elbow and stepped forward, closer to her brother. Finally Sasuke looked away from the cloak to Toshiko. 

“I’d thought you’d like having a piece of home with you.”

He grabbed her, wordlessly, Sasuke pulled her to him and crushed her against him.

“I’ll be back,” Sasuke promised. “Iruka said a week, I’ll come back.”

“Promise?”

“Nothing is going to take me away from you Toshiko, okay?”

“Alright.” 

When Sasuke let go of Toshiko, Toshiko held up the omamaori. “Shisui gave this to me to help with bad dreams-I think, I mean that’s why he got it. He’d want you to have it for your first mission.” Toshiko knew he would; Shisui hadn’t been the eldest child of Uchiha’s Fukaku and Mikoto the way Itachi was but he had been their older brother. He cared for them, looked after and protected them the way a brother did.

“What about your bad dreams?” Sasuke asked as he took the fabric omamori.

“I have Shika,” Toshiko shrugged to which Sasuke scowled. 

“He can sleep in here-I won’t be home, he'll have the extra bed.”

“I’m good,” Shika replied with a yawn as he threw an arm over Toshiko. Toshiko watched as her brother barely contained a fully body twitch.

“I’m going to kill you one day.” Toshiko glared at her brother as Shikamaru snickered into a closed fist.

“Leave Shika alone, he hasn’t done anything!”

“He better not!”

“What are you even talking about!”

“Nothing! Just—” Sasuke handed Toshiko three sets of sealing scrolls “—Go downstairs and seal some food in there, I’ll take care of my clothes and weapons and take him with you!”

“Why’d you even invite Shika over if you were gonna be mean to him.”

“Yeah Sasuke, why invite me over?” Shikamaru goaded, to which Toshiko nudged her friend with her elbow. Her brother looked like he was contemplating just how to kill her best friend. 

“Come on, Kakashi-sensei said he had to be at the Eastern Gate in two hours.” Toshiko muttered to Shikamaru as she dragged him downstairs by his hand. 

0.0.0.0

Saruobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure— the Professor as he was monikered —sat in the mission office alone. After Team Seven had left he had cleared it out.

Smoke filled the room. Smoke and a single ANBU operative; a young man in a crow mask knelt before him.

“I know I have had you watching over both Uchiha Sasuke and Toshiko at night when they are both in their own district but young Sasuke is leaving the village on a C-rank mission, his sister will be left alone and with the Nara no longer having charge of her she will be vulnerable. I want you shadowing her, around the clock you do not let her out of your sight.”

“You think he’ll try something?”Crow's voice was raspy and garbled, like gravel under two dragging feet.  ANBU weren’t supposed to talk but Crow wasn’t supposed to be ANBU anyway.

“No but I do think he will but even if he doesn’t I don’t need anyone else emboldened to try. Word will spread that she is alone.”

“She's not,” Crow hissed; the Third Hokage could feel the young man's rage from where he knelt. 

“It’s better that they think she is.”

“For who?” Hiruzen felt her brows twitch as he took a long drag from his pipe. That was the million ryo question wasn't it; who was this all for anymore? The massacre, the coverups, the lies and the secrets? Guilt weighed in his chest like a leaden weight.

“That’s all for now,” Hirzen dismissed and Crow stayed for a second before disappearing into the shadows the way all ANBU members did and after he was gone and all who was left in the mission room was Hiruzen, the man stood up and leaned against the window that overlooked the Western part of the village.

He knew who this had been for; who the lies were to protect.

And he knew he was wrong it. As Hokage the village was supposed to come first, before friends and family, before ones own child the good of the village was supposed to prevail. 

Hirzen took his hat off and held it against his chest.

He had failed, he knew. Ghosts of the past, memories of when his life wasn't like this— covered in blood, heavy with choices he didn't want to make, regret that clawed at him from the inside out —rang out like echoes in his ears.

“Tell me what to do sensei.” Please guide me. "Let me make the right choice for once."

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

Part Two: “A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!”

When they had been younger, back when life had seemed so simple, Sasuke had hated his sister. It was stupid, and if he could go back in time Sasuke knew he would shake the younger version of himself by the collar until he understood what a gift Toshiko really was but back then, before the massacre, it had been easy to want nothing to do with her.

Everything she did seemed like a slight against him, she was better at everything with a quarter of the effort and he used to take it personally. Back then it had been easy to think she woke up everyday planning to outshine him and push him to the corners of their family. Between that and the fact she was their fathers favorite— their mother, when teaching him how to  garden, would say no parent had a favorite but their father let her trail after him, call him papa and if no one was around he allowed her to get away with everything sort of murder.—it was easy for Sasuke to torment her under the guise of brotherly-teasing.

Especially when Itachi would go out of his way to smother her with affection. In the weeks leading up to the massacre, in the aftermath of what was Shisui’s death, Itachi had glued himself to Toshiko’s side, and at the time it made Sasuke want to do nothing more than to lock Toshiko in the basement and forget there was a youngest Uchiha. 

But then the massacre happened and suddenly his sister who never once held his teasing and torment against him, put herself in harm's way for him. She flung herself over him, to protect him. Sat by his side for days on end only ever leaving his bedside when a Nara would tear her away to bathe and eat and properly rest. She would have withered with him by choice because to her that was the only choice and suddenly, after he had left the hospital and stood in the empty Uchiha district— the smell of blood was still thick in the air; the smoke from the bodies when Toshiko had burned them still seemed to have lingered —he understood what his mother had meant.

She’d said it when they’d been gardening together, lecturing him over hiding Toshiko’s stuffed bear so that she’d be too preoccupied looking for to follow him around; “One day your father and I won’t be here on this Earth anymore and it will just be you and your brother and Toshiko and you’ll understand what I mean when I say your sister is the heart of you three.”

Toshiko was it for him, the only family he had, the closest friend; the most precious thing in the world, which is why when they, and Shikamaru— who had been, in the most literal sense, dragged along by Toshiko; not that he complained —met up with Kakashi he scrutinized the jonin-sensei by his side. She was older than him, had wild hair and a kind smile that made Sasuke’s eyes narrow on instinct.

Soft shinobi didn’t make it far in life and Toshiko, she had to be prepared if he failed.

He wouldn't fail though; when he faced Itachi he would cut the kinslayer down. He couldn't fail because if he failed then Itachi would come for Toshiko and Sasuke knew that Nara Shikamaru would lay down his life for his sister— Shikamaru had sworn it several times over the years; he would die for Toshiko same as Sasuke —but what was a Nara to an Uchiha?

What was anyone to Itachi? The shinobi who slaughtered the best and brightest of one of the village's oldest and most noble clans? The man who took out both Shisui and their father?

His team's client Tazuna stood by the village’s Eastern Gate still drinking, muttering to himself. 

“Toshiko, Sasuke,” Kakashi introduced pleasantly, his mission pack leaned against his side, “Shikamaru,” Kakashi could hide his smile under his mask but he couldn’t hide the mirth in his voice. At least not from Sasuke. “This is Yuhi Kureani. She's going to be the jonin taking temporary guardianship over Toshiko for the duration of Team Seven’s mission.” 

“You’re Yakumo’s sensei, right-or, I mean, you were before she got sick?” Toshiko asked, and for the first time in weeks Sasuke thought of the red haired Kurama heiress. Sasuke looked at the dirt his feet had kicked up. The last time Sasuke had seen her was at her parents' funeral. Their mothers had been the best of friends, growing up together as their repetitive clans heiress and Toshiko and Yakumo had connected where he and Yakumo couldn’t. Though just because Sasuke wouldn’t consider Kurama Yakumo a friend, didn’t mean they weren’t friendly; over the years Sasuke could hardly count the amount of hours they spent debating theory and books.

Yakumo liked the same cheesy romance novels Toshiko thought she got away reading behind his back.

“That’s right,” Kurenai nodded, “Though now I’m team eight’s jonin sensei.” Sasuke’s eyes flew up.

“Hyugga Hinata’s on that team, right?” Sasuke asked— somewhat rhetorically —but to which Kureani nodded. Sasuke let out a low sounding hum from the back of his throat. He supposed if the head of the Hyuuga clan could allow Yuhi Kurenani to teach his daughter, the jonin had to be at least somewhat strong and able to hold her own.

“Now Toshiko,” Kakashi said, “I’ve already told Kurenai here about your weight training—”

“—That’s what we’re calling it sensei?” Toshiko asked impishly. Sasuke couldn't help his own small smirk from forming. When his sister had come trudging through the door after Kakashi had first fitted her with weights around her wrists he had thought it was genius; not that he would ever tell Kakashi. Something told Sasuke the man already had an ego and if he told him ‘good job’ Kakashi would never let him forget it. 

“—Yes, that's what we’re calling it. She knows when you’re able to pick up speed to increase the weight and to make sure you do your laps at night.” Sasuke watched as his sisters eyes got wide and her bottom lip curled; he couldn't help but twitch— Sasuke had to remind himself that he couldn’t hit Shikamaru because his sister was blind and wouldn’t understand it —when Nara Shikamaru let out a cooing sound at the sight of his sisters pout. 

“Will you run with me at night sensei, Kakashi-sensei never does.”

“What do you need me for, you have Sakura.”

“Sakura runs with you?” Sasuke couldn't help but ask, he then turned to Kakashi with narrowed eyes, “I thought you were running with her.” The only reason he wasn’t joining on the twilight runs around the village was because he had assumed Kakashi— a jonin level ninja —had been joining her. If he’d known otherwise he would have ran with her as more often than not she finished well past nightfall!

“She has Sakura.”

“Like she’d do any real damage,” Shikamaru muttered, taking the words right out of Sasuke’s very own mouth! Sasuke knew what his teammates were capable of and it wasn’t very much. 

Toshiko was quick to turn on her heel and face her best friend. 

“Sakura can totally do damage to an enemy ninja! Besides, you can’t be mean to her. You’re only allowed to be mean to Ino and me.”

“Oh?”

“Ino says it's misogynistic for you guys to mean to girls you don’t spend the time getting to know and only judge on superficial levels. And you know what? I totally agree with her,” Toshiko lectured to the Nara, though Sasuke supposed her lecture was for him too as she threw a well meaning look his way. “It is mean and misogynistic and I won’t stand for it!”

Sasuke watched as Shikamaru’s eyes narrowed petulantly at his sister, “I know more girls than just you and Ino.”

“Name five and that doesn't change the fact you can’t be mean to Sakura.”

“...You are so troublesome, you know that?” Toshiko took Shikamaru’s lackluster response as a win— as she should, the Nara’s shoulders slumped as he let out a heavy breath of air —and with a beaming smile, turned to start chatting with her new temporary guardian and Kakashi.

“You have got to be stronger than that,” Sasuke hissed to his former classmate; Sasuke caught the mention of genjutsu training from his sister's conversation. “Grow a backbone why don't you.”

“Shut up.” By the gods Toshiko would eat him alive when they all got older; not that Sasuke thought the Nara deserved anything less. His sister was the best thing in this life, she deserved the world but still, Nara Shikamaru could save a little face and act like he wouldn’t start claiming the sky was green at the drop of a hat, if only because his sister said so. If only because it was embarrassing to watch. 

“Hey!” Sasuke didn’t need to turn to know the voice belonged to the village idiot he called a teammate. “Shikamaru? What are you doing here? Did your team get a super cool C-rank mission too?” 

Sasuke turned to see Sakura at Naruto’s side.

“No Naruto, I just came with Toshi to see you guys off,” Shikamaru said, dabbing up the blonde. Naruto’s pack was twice the size of Sasuke’s, over and haphazardly stuffed past its brim. “I figured I’d walk her back home for lunch after this?”  The question was for Team Eight’s jonin-sensei who looked up, away from Toshiko and Kakashi.

“How about I take you guys for lunch?”

“Can we get spicy onigiri?"

“I don’t see why not, and then maybe you can show me what you got?”

“Totally! But uh-does Shika have to come and train too or can he take his nap after lunch?” 

“Stop drooling over my sister!” Sasuke hissed at Shikamaru when he caught sight of the Nara's googy-looking smile.  Sasuke had half a mind to wipe the soft, admiration filled look Nara Shikamaru sent his sister off of his face. Yes he knew how Nara Shikamaru felt— Shikamaru had declared his intentions to one day marry Toshiko enough times over the years —but that didn’t mean the thought of someone being in love with Toshiko didn’t disgust him. 

She was his little sister after all. 

“Why would Shikamaru be drooling over Toshi, she’s a kid?” Naruto asked, blinking. His bright blue eyes narrowed at Shikamaru and for the first time since being placed on Team Seven, Sasuke felt thankful for Uzumaki Naruto. Finally he wouldn’t have to watch Nara Shikamaru pine over his sister alone anymore! Or put up with it silently! Because neither the Yamanaka heiress or Choji counted; they were counting down the days until Toshiko became Nara Toshiko and Sasuke became the villages very last Uchiha. 

“I wasn’t-go fuck yourself.”

“Okay!” And with that Kakashi clapped his hands together, his single visible eye shit and turned up almost like a smile in it of itself. “Team Seven I think we should get going!”

“I’ll miss you guys!” Toshiko explained, she then leapt at Sasuke, head first into his sternum. If Sasuke didn’t fall it was only because Naruto— the idiot —managed to help steady Sasuke and his sister. 

“I’ll miss you so much Sasu-nii!” They had never been apart. Following the massacre on the nights she slept at the Nara’s so did he. Sasuke tried not to acknowledge the fact his hands trembled against his sisters back. “I’ll pray to Lord Naka every day and I’ll train so hard you’ll be proud.”

I’m always proud of you. 

Sasuke had grown up in a clan full of ninja. He had seen his parents murdered two hundred and fifty thousand times. He knew life was short. 

He knew he should say everything he wanted to just in case. He didn’t. Instead he just hugged his sister tighter than she was hugging him and when they had to break apart, his hand rested on her shoulder. 

“Stay out of trouble.” Toshiko’s wobbly lips quirked upwards. 

“I’ll try.” Sasuke met Nara Shikamaru’s eyes over his sister's head. Past conversations filtered though the forefront of Sasuke’s mind as Shikamaru nodded wordlessly. 

“I’m not strong enough to fight him and win,” Sasuke said in the Nara’s basement, under his breath as he tried to steady his thoroughbred heart, “Not yet but I can stall. If he comes I’ll throw everything at him and you get Toshiko into your clans woods so deep no one can ever find her.”  Sasuke had heard the horror stories the Nara told their young, ninja lost so deep in the woods the Shodai Hokage grew they would die there before they'd see the light of day again.

“You’re an idiot,” Shikamaru said, “Crazy and stupid.” Yamanaka Ino sucked in a sharp breath. 

“Go f—“

“—The justu my clan is known for is made for stalling.”

“Shika—“

“—No,” Shikamaru cut the horrified Akimichi off, “It’s true and you and Ino know the woods around here just as well as I do.”

“So we let you die?” Ino sounded on the verge of tears but Shikamaru leveled Sasuke with a look he’d only seen once. His fathers lieutenants had come with a warrant to integrate Itachi over Shisui's death and Itachi, as he stared down their uncle and kin, looked steadfast in the decision he’d been about to make. Their father had stopped the fight from breaking out then. Looking back, their father stopped Itachi from demolishing his men; if he hadn’t Sasuke was sure Itachi would have put his plan into action then, at that moment. 

“Yes.” Shikamaru looked at Toshiko, his face softening. “What kind of man would I be if I let my future brother in law die for me when I could spare his life?”

“Seriously?” Sasuke hadn’t been able to stop himself and Shikamaru’s chin tilted upwards the same way Sasuke had seen Shikaku-sama do whenever he thought he was being cool in front of Yoshino-sama. "You don't even like me."

“I don't," Shikamaru agreed, "But Toshiko can’t live without you, Sasuke-you’re the only family she has left and I've told you just like I've told her. I’m here for her, I’ll protect her no matter what. And if taking care of her means dying for you, so that she has someone to keep coming home to, then that’s something I’m okay with.”

“You’re so manly Shikamaru!” Choji cried. 

Toshiko took a step back from Sasuke and Sasuke was only half turned when his sister then threw herself at Naruto. Naruto fell to the ground, unprepared for her surprise hug. 

“Toshi! What the hell!” Naruto’s arms flew around them widely as Toshiko squeezed him tightly around the middle, uncaring that they were on the ground and that her knees would be bruised by the force in which she used to accidently take the blonde down.. 

“I’m wishing you well to Naruto! Please come home safe!” Sasuke saw Naruto’s face drop and rise in quick succession as his arms lowered to gently hug Toshiko back. “And don’t let Sasu bully you too much on the mission!”

“I-no way! Believe it! I’m Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage! No one bullies me!”

“If you say so, Naruto.” And then Toshiko was in Sakura's arms. Naruto sat on the ground for a moment with a hand clutching the front of his jumpsuit. His eyes were focused on his feet like he was realizing something for the very first time. Sasuke watched as the smile that was already stupid looking grew ten times across Naruto's face before looking away and to his sister who had ended up with Sakura.

Sakura brushed some of Toshiko’s hair back as they bid one another goodbye. 

“When we get back I’ll let you practice braiding on me.” 

“Can we have a sleepover?”

“If that’s what you want, why not.”

“Of course!” And not for the first time since passing the bell test Toshiko and Sakura devolved into a pair of giggles. Sasuke couldn’t help but smile at the sight; happy Toshiko had another girl in her life. 

Yamanaka Ino was a lot but she wasn’t enough and for the first time Sasuke didn't mean that in a cruel way but Toshiko was a girl and girls had girl friends, before Team Seven all Toshiko had was Ino and Shikamaru's mother. 

“Oh! Kakashi-sensei, before you guys go here!” Toshiko pulled a small, travel sized bento out of her backpack once she and Sakura had sobered up. “Sasu-nii had me pack his provisions and I figured since you were busy getting Kureani-sensei, you probably didn’t eat lunch, right?”

“No I didn’t-this is really thoughtful Toshiko. Thank you.”

“It’s no sweat, you’re best sensei and if you’re going to lead the team you’ll need your energy up!” Kakashi looked close to tears as he accepted the bento. 

He pat Toshiko’s head and then turned to Team Eight's sensei. Kurenai looked amused, with arms crossed over the jonin issued flack jacket, “I'll trade places with you, right now.”

“Have fun in the Land of Waves Kakashi.” And like a sunflower on a cloudy day Sasuke watched his sensei wilt at the other jonin's tone. 

“Alright, come on Team Seven.” Sasuke looked at his sister who had settled under Shikamaru’s arm. 

If Sasuke could leave Toshiko with anyone in his absence he supposed it would the Nara.  

“Come on guys, the Land of Waves awaits!” Naruto cheered, rushing forward, out of the village's gate. 

“Naruto!” Kakashi-sensei called out as he rushed forward several steps, “Wait up, you can’t just leave the client behind!”

Idiot, Sasuke thought with a sigh as he trudged forward. He caught Sakura's eye— twinkling green eyes — from where she was standing next to the client and though she went as pink as her hair she laughed into her closed hand.  

“Naruto, what are you even getting so excited about?” Sakura called out. Sasuke could hear the smile in her voice.

“We’re travelers now, Sakura, believe it!”

“I’m supposed to entrust my life to this runt?” Their client snapped as Naruto, with his hands on his hips sucked in a deep and over exaggerated breath of air.

Sasuke looked back again as the village gates began to creak closed. Toshiko was beaming at him. 

“You got this Sasu! I’ll see you in a week!”

I’ll see you in a week. Sasuke wanted to shout back. I love you. 

Instead he smiled his usual half smile and trudged forward. 

He had to complete the mission. Had to get stronger; he’d be able to prove himself as a brother— a son, a good and worthy son —by protecting her. 

It was the only option he had in life. 

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

Part Three: “A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!” 

They’d been walking for just about a handful of hours or so when Sakura put her hands behind her back and leaned forward, around Kakashi’s front. Kakashi had long finished the bento Toshiko had made him when none of them had been looking; apparently she had made their sensei eggs, fried rice alongside fruits along with a slice of lukewarm pork. Kakashi had said it was delicious, not that Sasuke was surprised. His sister had always been the better cook between them; learning one recipe or another from the Akimichi clan, even before their clan had been murdered.

If Toshiko wasn’t born to be a shinobi, Sasuke was sure she’d find a life as a restaurateur. Not a baker though, Toshiko couldn’t bake for the life of her, not that she never tried, but for the sake of their kitchen it was better if she didn’t, or at least did it under strict supervision as it wasn’t that she couldn’t follow the recipies— she could —but rather because once the baked good went in the oven, her mind wondered until all that was left of batter or dough, was a burnt, and crispy piece of charcoal and what was once a pan. 

“Say Mr. Tazuna?” Sakura asked.

“What is it?”

“Well your country is the Land of Waves right?”

“What of it?”

“Well, Kakashi-sensei, why are we being hired, doesn't the country have their own shinobi?” Sakura wondered.

“No actually. There’s no ninja in the Land of Waves, at least not from a village like our own.”

“What do you mean by that?” Sakura implored. She brushed strands of pink out from in front of her face and behind her ear. Sasuke looked away from the long pink stands blowing in the wind and to Kakash; his sister liked her. 

“Well while many nations have their own hidden villages, both great and small, not every one does and this is mostly because of a few things. Some nations can’t afford to house their own village so instead, in the long run it’s cheaper to hire out help like the Land of Tea for example. The Land of Waves though has natural protection in the water that surrounds it so a hidden village never took root there the way it has here on the continent.”   

“That and we used to be under the protection of a great clan,” Tazuna said reminiscently as he held his bottle up, as if to clink an imaginary glass. “They fell years ago, sometime during the Second War but before that we didn’t have need. I’m sure the runt can tell ya’.”

“What the hell do you mean by that?” Naruto snapped.

“You’re an Uzumaki, aren’t you?”

“Damn right I am!”

“So you should know!”

“Know what!”

“Uh-Mr. Tuzuna,” Kakashi said with his hands up placatingly, “Naruto here is an orphan, he wouldn’t have any stories of Uzushiogakure.” 

Sasuke watched both Tuzuna and Naruto’s face fall and twist. Naruto glared at the trees they passed and Tazuna nodded before lifting the mouth of his bottle of sake to his lips and for the first time in his life Sasuke felt his heart twist for Uzumaki Naruto.

Sasuke had thought about it over the years. Not that he would ever admit to it out loud but— when the pain in his chest got so bad and the memories of Itachi slaughtering his parents played over and over in his head until all he wanted to do was scratch out his own eyes —once or twice over the years Sasuke thought that maybe Naruto had it easier in not knowing his parents, where he came from.

He wasn’t even sure if Naruto knew what had happened to his parents and when all Sasuke could see sometimes was his parents' blood splattering across the tea room, ignorance seemed like a boon.

But as they walked and Sasuke heard Naruto say Uzushiogakure several times, almost like he was testing it out, feeling the word against his tongue— fitting it into his vocabulary —Sasuke had never felt more foolish. He was the son of Uchiha Mikoto, daughter of Uchiha Jinshi, grandson to Uchiha Izauna, eldest son to the great Uchiha Madara and he wasn’t sure who he would be without that.

Yeah he would be Uchiha Sasuke the same as his team's idiot was Uzumaki Naruto, but without knowing the weight behind the name, what did Uchiha Sasuke even mean?

Fleetingly, Sasuke wondered, what did Uzumaki mean?

“They were strong,” Tzauna said, “I met one-an Uzumaki once, back when I was still a boy. After they had come back from a mission, they had stopped in my village for a rest.” Naruto had stopped walking, they all had, as Tazuna spoke, “A friend of mine said the man had fought a squad of Iwa jonin.”

“Just him?” Sakura blinked and Tazuna nodded.  

“The Uzumaki were small in numbers but there was no one like them.”

“What happened to them?” Naruto asked, his voice was thick with emotion and Sasuke could see the tears clouding his eyes starting to gather. 

Sasuke thought of his fathers blood leaking into his mother, she fell and then him and their blood, still stained the family tea room. Toshiko put a rug over it but Sasuke could still see it whenever he’d walk into the room, unsteady on his feet and the image of his parents being murdered playing over and over at the forefront of his mind.

He could never not know what happened to his parents. Even if Naruto didn’t know who his parents were— what clan he belonged to —did he even know what happened to them, or was that too a mystery?

“They died. They faced a force so great not even they could stop it.”

Sasuke squinted at their client's non answer. 

“Oh.” Sasuke had never heard Naruto so quiet, so disheartened; Blue met charcoal and Sasuke froze. He knew what to do to cheer his sister up; he had no idea what to do when it concerned literally anyone else. But then suddenly and all at once, like a switch had been flipped, the tears that had formed in the corners of Naruto's eyes disappeared and the blonde was grinning. His hands were on his hips. “I guess that just means I have to show the world there’s still one kick ass Uzumaki still walking around!”

“I don’t know,” Tazuna said with a smirk, “You’re kind of short.”

“Will you shut the hell up old man!”

“Naruto you can’t speak to a client this way!”

“Yeah well, he started running his mouth first!” And just like that the somber tone that had befallen the squad disappeared. They continued on, Kakashi lecturing Naruto with every step on diplomacy and mission regulation, Tazuna continued to sip on his drink while Sakura watched the sky and Sasuke couldn’t help but think of the stories his mother would tell him and Toshiko about Uchiha Madra, the Konohagakure Devil - one half of the villages founding men.

Toshiko would always ask why they were proud to be Uchiha Madara descendants if he defected from the village, left the clan and then tried to kill the first Hokage. And their mother would brush Toshiko’s hair back and call her noble; “Like your father.” The mother always made it sound like that was the best thing someone could be, noble and good - but where did that get them?

Dead at the hands of their eldest son.

“But,” their mother would say, “The reason we’re proud is because for all his faults and despite inevitably turning his back on the village, Uchiha Madara has been the strongest Uchiha since Uchiha Naori, his foremother.” Uchiha Naori, the mother of the Uchiha, the woman who fell in love with a god and founded the clan.

“Who cares how strong he was, he turned his back on the clan mama. On the village!”

“How can you say that? Who cares how strong he was, he’s one of the strongest shinobi ever!” Sasuke would always resort. He would always get to his feet, confused. The strong ruled, the strong dictated the lives of those around them that was why the Warring Period ended, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara had been strong enough to change history.

Itachi had been strong enough to change history; Sasuke— as he absentmindedly stepped around a lone puddle —felt his molars grind into one another. 

He had to be stronger. He had to be the strongest, for— his parents, bloody and piled on top of each other, for Shisui who had been lost to the waves of the river, for his clan, dead in the ground —Toshiko. Itachi would destroy her— bile rose in his throat at the thought of what their brother would do to her if he got his hands on her —piece by piece if he didn’t. 

He had to-it happened so fast. Toshiko had said the massacre seemed to go on forever. That while she stayed in the closet, the screaming seemed to have gone on forever and ever. The night to her had been never ending but this— one second Kakashi had been there, reading his soft-core porn book and the next he was gone —happened too fast to think. 

It was over— KakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdead —before Sasuke had even known it had started.

Blood splattered against the dirt road and though Sasuke could feel that something was off— the blood and flesh that landed against the road didn’t look right; the hair at the base of his neck stood up on its ends and his stomach twisted and churned —everyone was screaming and he couldn’t think. 

Sakura, Tazuna, Naruto, their screams reverberated in his ears.

Sasuke wanted to. The scream lodged itself in his throat as a million different things hit him all at once. 

His knees bent; his parents murder flashes before his eyes. Their blood looked different from Kakashi’s. He could almost hear his sister screaming again; Sakura sounded so much like her. 

Toshiko still woke up screaming, sobbing, begging for their brother to stop, to spare him. 

Two shinobi in ragged clothing appeared; joined together at the wrist via the sharp, spinning chain they had used to rip Kakashi apart. KakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdead. The symbol on their hitai-ate representing their village— Kirigakure no Sato; the Village Hidden in the Mist —had been defaced.

Rouge ninja.

His feet turned. His parents had been dead for what was going on five years. His sister was in the village, safe.  They were on a mission. His sensei, who his sister adored— who Sasuke had liked and at times thought was funny —was dead. Someone else had been killed right in front of him.

Failure pooled in the pit of his stomach.

When he failed people died. KakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdead. Fear quelled up inside of him like a balloon. If he failed, his sister, she’d be worse than dead; Itachi would do worse than kill her and the Nara for all the love he had for Toshiko, would be no use in protecting her.

What were shadows and deer against the Mangekyo Sharingan?

If he failed, Naruto and Sakura would be dead. KakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdead. Their client would be dead. 

Sasuke moved with the enemy; he leapt into the air. He couldn’t fail. “Shinobi who abandon their friends are worse than scum.” He couldn’t let his team get hurt. KakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdeadKakashisdead.  As the enemy leapt towards Naruto— Naruto’s eyes were wide, he was frozen stiff with fear, he looked so much like his sister in that moment —Sasuke threw a throwing star at the curve of the enemy’s chain, catching it between two links and then to catch his star he threw a kunai.

The throwing star hit a tree with a  and before either enemy could pull free Sasuke’s kunai landed in the throwing stars ring, jerking the two enemy shinobi back, giving Sasuke the time he needed to land on their gauntlets. Sasuke kicked off of the enemy’s weaponry and the soles of his sandal hit both former Kiriakure shinobi hard enough for their heads to jerk back and the spinning, stalled out, chain that had been attached to them to break. 

As Sasuke landed on the ground the enemy ninja wasted no time. They pushed against the direction they’d been kicked, Sasuke spun and saw that it wasn’t Naruto they were going after it was their client.

“Stay behind me!” Sakura snapped. Sakura, who Sasuke thought could do no harm. Sakura who had befriended his little sister and went on runs with her and had taken Toshiko under her wing. She had thrown herself in front of their client with a feral look in her eye and a kuani of her own brandished. 

She was willing to defend their client, a rude man they’d only just met because it was their duty, their job. Sasuke thought of his mother, of  her laughter as she called his sister “nobel”. 

Once more Sasuke felt himself just moving. He threw himself in front of Sakura who was in front of their client; with his arms out in front of him, ready to take on whatever the enemy dished out and deliver it back ten fold only nothing came because as the enemy shinobi leapt at them— at him —a familiar face appeared, grabbing the, around the necks.

“Hi.”

Sasuke blinked as the enemy and let out two different, undignified sounds before— surprisingly —going limp in his very much alive sensei’s arms. Several things threw through Sasuke's mind as he looked at his impishly smiling sensei.

The first being that he was glad Kakashi was alive. The Hokage’s council was one day further from getting their old, liver spotted hands on his sister.

The second was a fleeting “Show off.”

Third was how, like the rest of his class, Sasuke had been taught that after seven seconds of immense pressure, a victim of strangulation can be rendered unconscious but somewhere in the back of his mind Sasuke— before watching two rouge ninja collapse at his sensei’s feet —had just assumed the extremely short timeframe was an over exaggeration.

But, apparently not. 

“But-but! Oh man Kakashi-sensei, you used a replacement jutsu?” Naruto cried out as he got to his feet. Sasuke’s eyes flickered to what he had seen, blood and flesh pile only see logs piled together. 

“And a genjutsu,” Sasuke hummed. He had known the blood looked wrong; he had felt it in his bones. Failure pooling in shit gut; he was an Uchiha, son of the main branch and yet, in the moment he had needed to, he hadn’t been able to name the genjutusu in front of him.

“I did-Naruto,” Kakashi said solemnly as he dragged the enemy ninja forward, “I’m sorry I didn't help right away, I didn’t think you’d get hurt. I just didn’t think you’d freeze up that way.” Sasuke couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled up in his chest. “Good job Sasuke, you too Sakura, you were both very smooth.”

“Thank you Kakashi-sensei, I’m happy you’re okay though!” Sakura beamed; Sasuke turned away from her bright smile and caught Naruto’s wide, shaky eyes as he approached them all. Sasuke knew what to do with Toshiko, he knew how to calm her down; Naruto was in uncharted waters and yet Sasuke shot the blonde a small smile.

“You’re okay right? You’re not hurt?” He paused, “Scardy-cat?”

“Sasuke!” Naruto had started to yell only for Kakashi’s firm, commanding voice to cut in and stop whatever he’d been about to say with,

“Naruto, stand very still! These ninja have poison in their claws, we need to take it out of you very quickly.” Naruto let out a sound more akin to a puppies yelp after being accidentally stepped upon in the middle of the night. “We’re going to need to open the wound. The poison will be in your blood so don't move around too much.”

Sasuke didn’t like his teammates, he tolerated them just fine but he didn’t like them the way Toshiko liked them— like friends —and yet fear prickled at Sasuke’s heart at the prospect of Naruto, his idiot, loudmouth teammate dying.

Because Toshiko would be hurt, Sasuke told himself. If Naruto died his sister would be heartbroken and it was Sasuke’s job to make sure that never happened. 

“I’ll help him Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura said scurrying over to Naruto, with her bag already half off of her shoulder and the village's standard first aid kit nearly completely out and open.

“Right, Sasuke tie these two up—” Kakashi tossed Sasuke a rope that he was effortlessly able to catch, “While Tazuna and I talk.”

“Yeah, about what?” Tazuna snapped as Sasuke tied the two rouge ninja to the tree their chain had become embedded in.

“The fact that these are two chunin from the village hidden in the mist, they specialize in relentless attack.”

“Hey Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura asked as she held Naruto’s hand up to the sun. Sasuke stepped back away from the tree, "How'd you prepare for their attack?”

“A puddle on a clear day when it hasn't rained in weeks?” Kakashi scoffed. 

“Yeah then why leave it for the genin to do the fighting?” Their client scoffed.

“Becaause,” Kakashi’s voice, though was slow and drawled out dripped in condensation, “While I could have taken them out quickly if I had, I’d have learned nothing. Like who their real target was and what they were after.” Sasuke’s eyes flew from Kakashi to the client; the man had paled considerably as Kakashi too turned to look at him.

“What are you getting at?”

“They were after you. I left the fight up to my students because I needed to know if this was just a situation of ninja attacking ninja or if they were after the Master Bridge Builder.”

“You care,” Tazuna sneered. His chest puffed up and Sasuke glared.

“Please,” it was harsh and quick from Kakashi, “When you put in your request you asked for standard protection from the standard robber and highwayman, not ninja. You said nothing about ninjas coming after you, hunting you down and seeing as you’re not surprised at all of this, I have to assume you knew they'd be after you which leaves me with why?”

“Why what?”

“Why put in for standard protection? Why lie.”

“I have my reasons.”

“I’m sure you do but lying to us about who you need protection from is unacceptable . If we had known the truth we could have staffed differently.”

“Charge differently you mean,” the client snapped and Sasuke watched as Kakashi leaned back, his shoulders sagged like he’d gotten what he’d wanted as Sakura began to bandage Naruto’s hand.

“We should go back,” she said, "The missions too advance for genin of our level and Naruto’s hurt, he needs a doctor to get the poison out properly and back in the village we can do that.”

“Sakura here has a point, Naruto’s hand could cause us a problem,” Kakashi said, “I guess we should head back to the village.”

“What, no way!” Naruto responded hotly as he jumped back from Sakura, like he’d been scalded. He then drew out a kunai from his pocket, lifted it over his head and stabbed his own wound, letting blood burst out as he ripped his weapon out of himself. 

Sasuke couldn’t help it but he flinched at the slight of Naruto’s blood. Something— the sound of his own blood —rushed to his ears as Naruto spouted something idealistic about getting stronger and becoming a strong ninja and the next Hokage. 

Sasuke couldn't have cared less— how many times had Naruto spoken about becoming Lord Fifth just that morning —and even if he could have, all he thought of as Naruto’s blood dripped on the ground below his bleeding hand was of parents and how their blood pooled on their families tea room floor. 

“Naruto,” Kakashi said in a board tone of voice, “Really neat how you took the poison out and all but you’re going to die.”

‘What!” Naruto shouted, waving his hand around, blood splattered around him and Sasuke couldn’t breathe. His knuckles turned white at his side. Toshiko had told him all about how she had frozen during Kakashi’s bell test at the sight of blood, how she had freaked out.

Sasuke was better than that. He was better than her— his genius, prodigal, born-to-get-everything-right-first-time-around sister —he had to be. If he wasn’t, if he froze up like her, an academy student then what good was he to her? 

Kakashi approached Naruto,  bandaged in hand.

What good was he to this team?

“Serves you right Naruto,” Sakura lectured from Kakashi’s side, hands on her hips. “You have a self abusive personality-masochism and no patience at all.”

“I’m sorry Sakura! Don’t let me die!”

“You’re not going to die, Naruto!” Kakashi snapped. Sasuke looked from a loudly blubbering Naruto to their client who had saddled up beside him.

“You going to help calm him down?”

“Why would I do that?”

“He’s your friend, ain’t he?” Sasuke thought of Shisui and Izumi; no one was closer to Itachi than them, not even him. They were his friend and he had slaughtered them for power.

For Toshiko.

“No,” Sasuke said, blinking away the sight of red, spinning tomes, “No I’m not.” The client let out a low sounding hum from the back of his throat as Kakashi stood up.

"There you go, Naruto, you should be fine. Now Team Seven, are we ready to go?” And though Kakashi had posed the question to the three of them, it was Sasuke whom he had pinned with a look. Sasuke could see the concern in his sensei’s eye— Kakashi had the look directed at Toshiko more often than not after she leapt before looking during training —and turned away from it.

“Hell yeah we are!” Naruto cheered, skimpering away from Kakashi, with his head held high and a whistle already coming out. The heavy, leaden ball that was seemingly always anchored in Sasuke's gut felt heavier than ever as he walked forward and he wondered what his father would think of the shinobi he had grown into.

0.0.0.0

“Is she beautiful?” The voice of a young teen boy asked. He was shrouded in the darkness of the cave he’d come to call home though even if he wasn’t buried miles and miles under the earth's surface with the layers he had on the young teen supposed he would still be shrouded.

He could still hear it, his maker's one rule— even after nearly two full years away from under the Snakes thumb he could hear it —itching under his skin, reminding him to Never be seen. Not even by the other experiments.

Which is why when he had heard the whelp was out of the village he had sent his fellow creature to watch over her. If the whelp would abandon her for the whims of the Leaf he would make sure he stood ready to defend. 

“Her smile master, it lights up the sun,” A small, monstrous creature croaked, “Her laughter is the reason the moon rises.” He had never seen the sun, not directly but he could imagine it pale in comparison to his Lord Itachi’s lady wife's smile. He had seen the moon and with a laugh that could enchant even his Lord the young teen was sure his subordinate was telling the truth.

He wondered if when he saw it with his own eyes would it burn him like a live fire or warm him like a lantern.

“She is kind?”

“Oh master the kindest, so protective. She is what a real Uchiha Matriarch ought to be.”

“And if Lord Itachi took her as his wife do you think he would care for me?” The young teen asked earnestly, excitedly. His Lord Itachi had left him in the caves he now called home after saving his life but he had promised to be back when he was ready to restart the Uchiha Clan.

Lord Itachi had seen him, he had saved him and his Lord Itachi had promised that after his business was done and his sister had been taken to wife then they could be a family. He wouldn’t be alone anymore.

“Master I watch-I only watch so I have not met her but she cares for her customs and she cares for those around her—”

“—Will she love me!” The young boy snapped, voice raised and heartpounding, “Can she!” 

He knew he was hard to look at, his Lord had rarely looked at him, even after saving him/

“Of course Master!” His creature squeaked, “Like a mother should!” The young teen leaned back, hope alight in his chest.

When his Lord’s business in the world had finished he would come for him. 

Shin wouldn’t be alone.

Chapter Text

 Naruto Series:

“The Assassin of the Mist!” & “The Oath of Pain” & “Kakashi: The Sharingan Warrior!" 

By the time the four of them had reached the edge of the Land of Fire and their feet were pressed up against the shore it had long surpassed midnight. Sasuke didn’t bother looking up at the stars at their waiting point, he knew they were the same ones he could see from his family home's roof. Though he did stare up at the moon.

His mother used to tell him a story about the moon goddess; back before the massacre, before Toshiko had made friends with the Nara and Itachi made jonin. It wasn’t action packed or entrenched in their clan's history like the ones of Lord Naka, the snake God but it was a nice story to hear after a long day, back when everything had seemed so simple.

Kakashi had, had to practically pull Naruto from the water— Naruto hadn’t even rolled up his pants before taking off into the oceans water, just ran and then stopped, like he had seen something none of them could; but he couldn’t, with the midnight fog rolling in Sasuke doubted even Kakashi could see anything that wasn’t right in front of them all —to get him into the tiny row boat their client had charted for them all once it had arrived under the cover of night.

As they boarded the tiny wooden boat Sasuke thought of his mother and father, not bloody and dead in the family tea room, at his brother's feet but at how proud they had been of Itachi when he had graduated. Sasuke was sure of it— the same way he was suddenly sure he hated sailing and water the more the boat rocked —they would be proud of him too. 

He had stood between their client and Sakura and certain death; he had acted as a true shinobi. A real Uchiha. 

But they were dead, they weren’t proud of him because he had been a good shinobi. The only way he could make them proud would be when he cut Itachi down and brought justice fourth for them.

“The bridge isn’t far now,” the man whose boat they were in announced quietly, they’d been sailing for hours; the seasick feeling that knotted in Sasuke’s stomach when he had set foot on the boat settled into his gut as if it would stay there forever. “Shikoku island is just ahead.” And just as the words left the man's mouth the shadow of a half finished bridge loomed over them.

“Woah!” Naruto rocked the boat, “It’s huge!” 

Sasuke nodded. He had never seen a bridge as big as the one they sailed alongside.

“Quite!” The boatowner snapped, “I’ve already told you, no nose, why the hell do you think we’re traveling like this! Cutting off the engine, moving through the fog so they don’t see us!” Kakashi’s shoulder went tight.

“Tazuna,” Kakashi said through what Sasuke imagined were gritted buck teeth. “Before we reach the pier I want to ask you something, because obviously now, those shinobi from earlier weren’t just ninjas looking to ransom you, a valuable bridge builder-who the hell are we hiding from and why are they after you?” Kakashi then leaned forward. “If you are anything less than truthful with me Mr. Tazuna, I’m afraid we’ll have to end the mission as soon as we reach the shore.”

Their client let out a low sounding grunt.

“Fine then,” their client grunted, “It appears I have no choice but to tell you. Just as you said before this may be beyond the scope of the mission. I am being targeted by a terrifying man. He’s short but he casts an incredibly long shadow.”

“A terrifying man?” Kakashi asked skeptically and Sasuke understood why, to a jonin like Kakashi there were probably few men— few shinobi —he considered terrifying.  

Sasuke, though only a genin himself, considered only one man terrifying. 

“You guys have probably heard at least his name before,” their client muttered, “A shipping magnate by the name of Gato.”

Sasuke could feel Sakura perk up next to him in the boat. She leaned around him and cocked her head in their client’s direction. 

“What? You don’t mean Gato of the Gato Company? One of the world's richest men?”

“You’ve heard of him, then,” their client nodded. Sakura shrugged. Naruto shook his head.

“I haven’t,” the blonde declared. He then turned to Sasuke, “Have you Sasuke?”

Sasuke felt himself shrugging, “I think I’ve seen the name,” he muttered, lying. The name sounded familiar but Sasuke couldn’t swear to have ever seen it on something he’d bought in the village's market place before.

“You probably have,” Sakura said knowingly, the same way she used to speak in class when answering one of Iruka-sensei’s questions. “My father’s a merchant, he trades along the coastline. He says the Gato Company is run by a dirty sleazeball," Sakura said and Sasuke blinked at the information. They’d been teammates for a month and this was the first time he was hearing what her parents did; Sasuke wondered if his sister already knew the information.

“Dirty sleazeball is one way to put it,” The boatman muttered.

“Ito-san is right, Gato is the worst of the worst. On the surface, he's the chief executive of a shipping company. But underneath it all, he is into drug trafficking and deals in contraband using gangs and Ninjas. Moreover, as a way to run this despicable business, he ruthlessly takes over weak nations the same way he does small enterprises.”

“And I’m to assume the Land of Waves is one of those nations?” Kakashi asked rhetorically. The client nodded.

“About one year ago when that man first set his eyes on the Land of the Waves he used his wealth and violence to enter this country, and before anyone knew it, he had taken complete control of the island's maritime transportation and shipping. Having a tight grip on the ocean, in an island nation like the Land of the Waves, means having control of finance, the government, the people, everything. The one thing Gato fears is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for some time now.”

“I see,” Sakura nodded, “Since you're the one building the bridge, you’re standing in this gangsters way.”

Sasuke nodded along with his pink haired teammate, “Then, those Ninjas from before were Gato's men.”

“But I don't understand,” Kakashi said, “Your opponent is a dangerous one, who would send ninja to stop you, why did you hide that fact from us when you made your request?”

“I’ve told you, you would just jack up the price!” Their client snapped, and for the first time since the start of the mission Sasuke saw true emotion flicker over the man's face. Rage and embarrassment. “The Land of Waves is a very poor nation, and even the few feudal lords who rule over the land have little money which means we ordinary citizens, the ones building this bridge for a better life, have no money. My people cannot afford to make requests of Rank B or higher, especially now with Gato’s foot on our necks. If you pull out of the mission when we land ashore, there will be no bridge. I will, no doubt, be killed sometime before I make it home,” their client said somberly. He breathed deeply and Sasuke felt his lips curl together inwards.

“But there's no need for concern!” Their client said in a thick, emotional voice, “Should I die, my cute grandchild will only cry his heart out! Oh! And my daughter will only blame the Hidden Leaves Ninja for the rest of her life and grieve in solitude!” Their client waves his large, calloused hands, the emotion in his voice leaving with every wave as he shrugged. “Oh, it's not your fault at all though so don’t feel too bad if you abandon the mission and leave me to die, I won’t blame you like my family will.”

Kakashi turned to Sasuke and the others, Sasuke closed his eyes and thought of Toshiko. She was probably sleeping at the Nara’s, safe and sound. She wasn’t expecting him back anytime soon and if he returned home with their client laying in the ditch; Sasuke could only imagine his sister's reaction. Sasuke’s gut knotted at the thought.

He wanted to make his parents and clan proud from beyond the grave but more so he wanted his sister proud. He wanted the shame he knew she had to feel whenever she thought of Itachi— because he felt it every time he thought of Itachi —to be so far overshadowed by the immense pride she felt for having him as a brother.

He couldn't do that if and his team peeled out of the mission, leaving their client for dead and a Nation to suffer.

Sasuke peeled one eye open and nodded. 

“Well,” Kakashi said in a strained voice, “I guess we have no choice. Let's continue as your bodyguards.”

“Oh!” Their client said with a large grin, “I am most grateful!”

“We’re going to be approaching the shore soon.” Relief at the prospect of no longer being on the water hit Sasuke the same way exhaustion did after a long day of training; suddenly, all the once, and just slightly too soon.

A wave rocked the boat and Sasuke breathed in through his nose and held it as they entered a long and dark tunnel. When they exited several moments later the fog was gone and the morning sun had only just started to rise, though that didn’t take away from the Land of Waves beauty.

Before the massacre, when he would walk around the district with his chest puffed out as a Son of Madara, tired and dirty from doing nothing but training, everyone had always told Sasuke— his parents, Izumi, Shisui, everyone —that he didn’t understand life. That to him his world was small because it was just the village, that he had to “Just wait until your first mission out of the country,” to understand everything in perspective.

And he didn’t understand what any of them had meant but as they sailed, and the boatman and Tazuna exchanged words, Sasuke understood that the world around him was beautiful. Trees shot up from the water, leaves like he had never seen before were dewying in the morning light and birds he wasn’t used to hearing sang out their morning calls. 

Sasuke turned to his sister— excitement sat on the tip of his tongue —only to see Sakura beside him, taking in the world around them, smiling brightly at the world around them. Sasuke was quick— just as she had started to turn her own head —to turn back. He continued to look forward as he and the others stepped onto the dock.

“This is as far as I go,” the boatman said, “Good luck.”

“Thank you for taking such a risk.” Without another word the man turned the motor of his boat on and sailed away ten times faster than he had sailed to shore when picking them up. “Right then, take me to home alive and in one piece.”

Sasuke felt his ears twitch at the client's tone; weren’t they doing him a favor by not leaving him for dead?

“Come on,” Kakashi said, taking point, “Let’s go!”

“Awesome!” Naruto beamed as he ran ahead.

“Sasuke, Sakura?” Kakashi didn’t outright ask for them to catch up with the blonde, but rather motioned to him with a wave in his hand. Sasuke rolled his eyes and followed after Sakura who was quick to fall in step with Naruto, leaving Kakashi to guard their client.

Sasuke rolled his soldiers back as they made their way though the row of houses and onto land. Sakura saddled up beside him.

“What do you think Toshi’s up to right now?” Sakura asked him, “The Land of Waves-at least Shikoku island is in the same time zone as the village but she’s said she likes to wake up early, right?”

“Why do you care?” Sasuke snapped. He had seen his sister's face when defending Sakura. Toshiko liked the older girl a lot and Sasuke felt something pool in his gut at the thought of it not actually being reciprocated. Sakura wouldn’t be the first girl in his year to be nice to his sister in hope that it got him to pay attention to her.  

“What?” Sakura blinked, “Toshiko’s my friend.” 

“She’s two years younger than you, Sakura.”

“She is?’ Genuine confusion took over Sakura’s features. “But she’s only in the year below us.”

“Toshiko entered the academy a year early,” Sasuke explained, he could have sworn the fact that Toshiko was graduating early was common knowledge, “She’s ten, she turns eleven in a few months.” A month and a half exactly; Toshiko’s birthday was August second, the Nara Shikamaru usually bought her something to wear like jewelry or a jacket with the Uchiha chest proudly displayed and the Nara one hidden away for his own sick pleasure. 

By the Gods, Sasuke resolved, I’m going to have to beat him once before they marry. Not because he thought Nara Shikamaru was a threat— of any kind whatsoever —to his sister's happiness. In fact Sasuke trusted no one more with his sister than him, but because Nara Shikamaru was so sickeningly in love with her that every time Sasuke thought about it, he felt the need to wash his hands and for that he needed to beat Nara Shikamaru into the ground.

“Oh,” Sakura, said, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts on just how he would beat Nara Shikamaru without Toshiko ever finding out— because as slow to the uptake on being in love with him as she was, Toshiko was fiercely protective over him under the guise of friendship; poor bastard —and back to the present. “We’re still friends.”

“Right,” Sasuke huffed. He caught the sight of Sakura’s face twisting as he moved to walk next to Naruto, the well-meaning idiot. Sasuke thought of the first time he had ever felt anything more than irritation for his blonde teammate.

It’d been his second year at the academy, his family was dead and apparently his sister was being bullied. Iruka-sensei had pulled Nara Shikamaru and the Akimichi boy Choji to the side after lunch to explain that when he had left to go to wrangle Naruto he had found Toshiko on a roof reading in hopes to escape her classmates.

Iruka-sensei had told them in hopes that in the future they would come to him or at least, if she didn’t go to them, they could encourage her to find an instructor. He hadn’t meant to incite Sasuke and Nara Shikamaru, though he had. Only when they had sent Choji to keep Toshi busy so that they could handle— Sasuke was going to break her classmates; he was going to make them regret targeting his sister, he would protect her in a way that if their parents were around, his father wouldn't be able to hide his pride —the boys bullying her, they found their class’s loudest student already on a boy from Toshiko’s class.

Uzumaki Naruto had Watabe Jun with his arm behind his back and his face in the dirt. The Watabe boy was crying; there was a bruise on Naruto’s face like the younger boy had hit him.

“—Leave her alone!” Shikamaru moved first. He sauntered up to Naruto, hands in his pockets and the shadows around them stretching out towards him. “Shikamaru hey!”

Nara Shikamaru squatted so that he was eye level with the blonde. Sasuke just watched.

“Hey Naruto, what are you doing?”

“I-well, he was teasing your girlfriend!” Naruto answered. Sasuke assumed there was more; Uzumaki Naruto was stupid, he was a loud mouth and the class clown but he didn't just start fights out of nowhere, especially with younger students who bullied girls he didn’t know. 

“So you decided to take care of it?” Nara Shikamaru’s eyebrows rose, and Sasuke had half a mind to hit the Nara over the head for not clarifying that Toshiko wasn't actually his girlfriend but instead a friend that was a girl. She was too young for a boyfriend, even if that boyfriend was him. 

Uzumaki Naruto’s face took a bright red huge as he pressed more of his weight on the writing boy beneath her. 

“I-she, I mean, she’s nice,” Naruto mumbled. Sasuke could see the boy was thinking about something— Toshiko had done something for him —Shikamaru’s eyes narrowed and though the Nara hummed he looked put off. 

“Right,” Shikamaru said as he reached to grab the boy that was under Naruto. 

Naruto rolled off their underclassmen and what had been a partially cloudy day suddenly, seemingly, became dark as the shadows around them encroached on the four of them. And as Watabe Jun was pulled to his feet by Nara Shikamaru, his eyes were red, glossy and watery and most importantly as Sasuke finally moved towards him; panicked. 

“Make Uchiha Toshiko cry again and I’ll kill you,” Shikamaru said.

“I won’t,” Watabe Jun swore. Sasuke grabbed the boy from Shikamaru and he— Watabe Jun —let out a sad, pathetic whimper. “I won’t make your sister cry anymore, I’ll leave her alone, I promise!”

“You better because I won't just kill you if I have to find you again, I’ll show you what an Uchiha can do. I’ll make you wish you were dead.” Watabe Jun let out a loud sob.

“I’m sorry!”

“What’s going on out there!” A woman's voice yelled out from the academy, “What are you doing to that boy!”

“What a drag,” Shikamaru muttered loudly.  “Ah shit!” Naruto swore simultaneously, “Come on this way!” And then he was running. Shikamaru followed— Sasuke wasn’t sure he had ever seen the Nara run that fast —and Sasuke, after shaking the nearly hysterical boy once more, threatening him to keep his mouth shut, ran after.

Sasuke smiled at the memory. Though his sister's bullying had never gotten better— the transferring of her guardianship was evident enough —Watabe Jun had pissed himself so badly that day he had withdrawn from the academy the very next day. Last Sasuke had heard, he had begun to learn woodworking under his father.

Nara Shikamaru had bought the hair comb he’d gotten for Toshiko for her last birthday there. Apparently Watabe Jun had nearly pissed himself at the sight of the Nara.

Sasuke’s trip down memory lane was cut short when Naruto rushed ahead, pulled a kuani from the [pocket of his pants and threw it. “Over there!” The blonde had yelled, pointing top where he had thrown the weapon.

Sasuke spread his feet out as Sakura covered their client’s front with her body only for their teams blonde idiot  to straighten up when nothing— no enemy shinobi, hired by the head of Gato Corporation —came from the bushes.

“It must have been a mouse?” Naruto supposed.

“Yeah right!” Sakura snapped, over their clients chiding. Sasuke stuck his hands in his pockets as Kakashi began to read Naruto the same riot act he’d heard from his parents when he’d been young. “Kuani are not toys Naruto! They're dangerous weapons!”

“I thought I sensed something from over there!” Naruto defended.

“Naruto there’s no one over there!” Sakura snapped.

“Yes there is!” 

‘Stop trying to scare me you scruffy little—” Naruto took off as their client had been snapping at him, rushing through the bushes. Sasuke took off after him, and then Sakura, Kakashi and their client only to find Naruto knelt before a tree, with a white rabbit in hand.

The rabbit looked petrified; fur— hair, Sasuke hadn’t the slightest about animals, he knew birds had feathers and fish had scales and the cats his sister liked to feed always tried to find their way into their house during the winter months —from atop it’s head, where Naruto’s kunai had skimmed it was missing.

“I’m so sorry little rabbit! I thought you were an enemy!”

“Seriously?” Their  client asked, motioning to Naruto’s watering eyes, “All this fuss over a rodent?” 

“Look out!” Sasuke had never heard his sensei’s voice so loud. “Duck!” Without question they all did and Sasuke, from the ground, watched a large sword sail through the sky— it would have cut them in half; their blood would have stained the grass —and into a tree. 

Not even a full second later Sasuke saw a man on the grip of the sword; scar covered back to them. 

Sasuke got to his feet with his team; Kakashi was quick to  get between them all and the enemy. Though Kakashi still had his hands in his pockets and his stance too relaxed for Sasuke’s liking. Naruto trembled from his spot next to him.

The man didn't wear chainmail like them, his sandals wrapped up into his light blue pants and though Sasuke could only see part of the enemies face from how he was standing, Sasuke saw that it was covered in wrappings. The headband tied to his head, like the enemy shinobi from the day before, was also run through.

Another rough ninja.

“If it isn’t Zabuza Momochi,” Kakashi called out. Naruto made a movie to step forward— to attack the ninja in the tree, balanced on his sword —only for Kakashi’s hand to shoot out. “Stay back. All of you,” Kakashi ordered. “This one isn’t like those other ninja, he’s in a whole other league. If he’s our opponent I’ll need this.” And then before Sasuke could wonder what the hell his sensei was talking about, Kakashi lifted the village's headband and showed a bright, swirling, already activated sharingian.

Sasuke felt as if the ground had opened up beneath him as the enemy ninja let out a low deep sounding chuckle. 

“So I was right,” the ninja said as the air escaped Sasuke’s lungs. “I do have Kakashi of the Sharingan before me.”

Sasuke’s mind swirled. 

Kakashi had the Sharingan; he was known for it. But he wasn't an Uchiha. He couldn’t have been; Itachi had killed them all. Itachi had made him relive him, killing them all, two hundred and fifty thousand times. Kakashi had introduced himself as Hatake Kakashi; only he had one eye red and swirling as their enemy turned to face them.

He had the Sharingan.

“Hand over the old man Kakashi.”

“Mangi formation!” Kakashi ordered, “Now! Protect the bridge builder and stay out of this fight-I taught you three teamwork, and now it’s time for you three to use it.” 

Sasuke got into formation; without air in his lungs, a weight— not because of an impending battle but because of the million and ten different questions racing through his mind, clouding his brain —in the stomach and fear tickling the base of his spine.

Sasuke wondered, just for a second— the shame that washed over him for even wondering hit him before the question had even been fully thought —if his sister knew.

“You want a fight?” The enemy cooed at Kakashi, “Should I feel honored to have the sharingan used against me, Kakashi?” Mist rolled in and settled around the five of them. “You knew Kakashi, in the assassination unit back in the Hidden Mist, we had standing orders to destroy you on site.” Kakakashi didn't respond, instead the enemy, as the fog got thicker, kept talking. “Your profile’s in the bingo books. It calls you the man who’s copied over a thousand jutsus. Kakashi, the copy ninja.”

“Damn sensei, you’re famous?” Naruto snickered from his spot on Sasuke’s left. Though the blonde's tone of awe was unable to be hidden. Their sensei was perpetually late, he was more oftentimes than not lazy and found lounging around reading what Toshiko thought were gooey romance books but Sasuke knew was basically just smut; to think he was infamous enough to have a page in another village bingo book was insane.

Almost as insane as Kakashi having the sharingan. 

“Hand over the old man Copy Ninja, and I’ll let your brats live,” the enemy spit. Kakashi didn't answer, his feet spread, widening his stance. “Fine then, I guess I’ll be eliminating you first then, eh, Kakashi?” And then he was gone from the tree. In one swift movement the enemy had pulled his sword from the trunk of three and disappeared into the mist around them.

The water on the river they had been walking next to seemed to bubble louder than it had been moments before.

And though his back was to the water, it was Naruto who called out, “He’s over there! In the water”

Sasuke saw the enemy not drenched in the river water, but standing on top of the rushing current with his sword strapped to his back and hand signs kicking up a circle of water around him.  Sasuke could practically taste the man's exuding chakra before the fog got even thicker and it became nearly impossible for Sasuke to see even his own teammates next to him.

“Sensei,” Sakura called out softly. “I can’t see him anymore.”

“He’ll come after me first Sakura,” Kakashi said almost placatingly.

“I get that but who is he? You said his name-do you know him?”

“Of him,” Kakashi corrected in his answer, “He’s Zabuza Momochi, one of the seven deadly swords men and the ex-leader of the Hidden Mists assassination unit known for his mastery of the silent killing technique.”

“S-silent?” Naruto asked. 

“As the name suggests it happens in an instant, before you can even speak. By the time you realize it, it's possible you may find yourself already dead and the sharingan cannot fully neutralize it—” Sasuke blinked, surprised that there was something his clan's kekki genki couldn’t do, “—So don’t lower your guard.”

“The mist is just getting thicker and thicker,” Naruto said.

“We’re surrounded by the ocean,” their client responded, “The mist is an ever present reality.” 

“Sensei!” Sakura shouted as Kakashi disappeared from view, the mist seemingly swallowing him.

“Eight points,” a voice ran out. Sasuke tensioned. “Larynx, spine, lung, liver—” Sasuke felt his lungs contract in what he knew well enough to be fear as he realized as the voice continued to count off, the body parts being listed were kill zones. Areas of the body academy students were taught to aim for in a fight so as to end it. “—Now, which will be my kill point.”

A gust of manufactured wind blew the mist around them, kicking it up as Kakashi’s chakra became nearly visible leaving Sasuke and the others to see him once more and suddenly Sasuke found himself eight years old again, surrounded by his murdered clan members, in front of his big brother.

In the academy they call it Killing Intent; a light form of genjutsu any shinobi can use to weaponize the very air around them. The academy taught the larger the reserves the more you can put out, intensifying it, making it seem almost too thick to breathe and attacking your opponent psychologically before physically. Back then he had thought Itachi’s palpable chakra was intense but compared to Kakashi's, Itachi’s was nothing.

What an intense thirst for blood, Sasuke thought. The hair on the back of his neck stood up on its ends as his hands began to shake.

“Calm down!” Kakashi snapped at— him —them. “I will protect you all with my life,” Kakashi swore. “I will not allow my comrades to die,” and then Kakashi turned his head with his eyes upturned like he was smiling. “Trust me.” And for a second Sasuke got it, his sisters praising of just how cool Kakashi was. 

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” their enemy snapped, appearing suddenly behind them. Sasuke had only turned his head when Kakashi flew, between him and Naruto and the client and the enemy, pushing past all of them to face the rouge ninja head on. Only when Kakashi drove his kuani into the enemy’s stomach was blood that pooled on the ground, but rather water that poured out of the wound, around Kakashi’s weapon. 

“Sensei, behind you!” Naruto shouted, still on the ground, finger pointed behind Kakashi to where another— the real —enemy ninja was. The ninja swung his cleaver like sword at Kakashi as his water clone disappeared into a puddle. 

“Die!” Only it wasn’t blood and flesh and bone that cut through the air as the enemy cut Kakashi in two but water as well. The enemy ninja froze midstep as he and Sasuke, who was also still on the ground, came to the same realization; Kakashi had used the Sharingan to copy the enemy ninja’s moves despite the mist.

Kakashi used the enemy ninja's moment of realization to come up behind him, pointing the tip of kuani at his jugular. “Don’t move.” 

“You’re so full of surprises aren't you Copy Ninja? You’d already copied my water clone jutsu when you made the cute little speech, didn’t you?” The enemy didn’t give Kakashi time to answer— not that Sasuke was sure he would —before sucking his teeth and continuing on, “It was very skillful Copy Ninja-to use your clone to draw my attention but it’s no matter though. Your technique is nothing but a crass imitation. I won’t be defeated by a mere copycat like you, especially because I’m not easy to fool.”

And the ninja that Kakashi had his kunai too, melted into water like the previous clone— “No way that one's a clone too!” Naruto shouted —as a third Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi. Zabuza swung his sword hard enough so that when Kakashi ducked it became embedded into the dirt. The enemy ninja swung then pressed his weight against the hilt of the partially buried sword and used the immobile object to press off as he kicked Kakashi in the chest, sending him flying back into the water. 

The enemy ninja was quick to follow Kakashi into the water— onto the water; like before the enemy walked on top of the river —and Sasuke understood that the ninja before them wasn’t just skilled in one area of the ninja arts; he could wield his sword, he was a master at ninjutsu and he had great physical skills. 

Kakashi’s head had only just popped up out of the water when the enemy appeared behind him.

Sasuke had never wanted his sharingan more than ever. Toshiko had said he had awakened it the night of the massacre; she had sworn she’d seen it and that Itachi hadn’t touched him so that it was sealed away within him in the most literal sense but unlike her he had never been able to activate it since. But as the enemy ninja before them trapped Kakashi in a water prison jutsu Sasuke couldn’t help but think that if he had his sharingan, things could have been different. 

They would’ve been; because if he had his sharingan he would be more powerful. He’d be better than he was; he had to be better.

Sasuke watched as the ninja with one hand held Kakashi captive and with another summoned a third water clone. 

“Let me teach you brats one last lesson since your sensei can’t," the water clone spat, “Wearing a headband doesn't make you a ninja. When you hover between life and death so many times it no longer fazes you, that's when you may call yourself a ninja. When you’ve become so deadly that your profile is entered into my bingo book, then you may have earned the title  ninja but to call upstarts like yourself ninja?” The water clone chuckled, as it summoned a thicker mist to conceal itself in,  “What a joke.”

Naruto went flying, his headband flew off as he arched in the air and the enemy was quick to step on the metal engraving as the blonde hit the ground hard enough to roll several feet. 

“You’re all just brats,” the rouge ninja said. 

“Get the bridge builder and go!” Kakashi shouted from his water prison “You three have no chance but as long as he has me trapped in this Water Prison, he won't be able to move from here!  And a water clone can’t be too far from the body of water it was summoned from. In any case, you all just run for now!”

Sasuke squared his shoulders. Fear had enveloped him; his heart hammered in his throat but running— the thought of it —wasn’t an option. Not to him, not with Kakashi caught and though his sister would throttle him for it, not because of sentimental reasonings. 

Their enemy was powerful. It wouldn't matter where they ran, he would find them. Sasuke had thought of all of this before, years ago he had wondered about running. Taking his sister and running to the ends of the world where he thought Itachi would never find them. But an opponent like Itachi— like Zazabuza Momochi —would never be content with letting them just hide and— complete the mission —live out their lives.

Not when weakness bred contempt. If they were on their own he would find them. He would kill them. Their only chance of survival, at that moment, was rescuing Kakashi. 

Toshiko’s only chance was him; he had to live to get stronger to make sure that when the contempt was too much for Itachi and he came for him and for Toshiko, he could protect her. 

Sasuke launched himself at the water clone. He threw star after throwing star at the clone hoping to puncture it’s skin and disappear it, only for the clone to use its copied sword to swipe every star away. Sasuke leapt into their air, kuani in hand, ready to stab down on the clone only for it to catch him mid air around the neck.

Sasuke hadn’t meant to but he dropped his kuani in favor of prying at the water clone's hand but instead of crushing his windpipe and ending it there, the clone threw him. 

“Sasuke!” Sakura called out worriedly from her spot next to the client. Sasuke had only gotten to his feet when Naruto charged at the clone. “Naruto what are you doing!” Sakura called out over Kakashi’s warbled, worried shout of discouragement. 

The waterclone was quick to bat naruto away with a closed fit; Sasuke watched as blood spurted from his teammates nose as the clone hit in squarely in the face with enough force to send him back towards them. 

“Oh, Naruto!” Sakura scolded, though Sasuke could hear the worry in her voice as she rushed to their teammate leaving him to stand in front of the client. “What were you thinking? Charging off on your own! Even Sasuke is no match for him,” Sakura rambled, “Look matter how hard we try, we’re genin are no match for-your headband,” Sakura cut herself off to observe as Naruto held the headband that had been under the enemy ninja's foot up.

Naruto, shaking, with blood running down his nose, stood up, headband in hand. “Hey freak with no eyebrows,” Naruto said in a voice Sasuke had only heard once. Years ago right outside the academy. Sasuke watched Naruto tie his headband around his forehead once more; double knotting it. “Put this in your Bingo Book, my name is Uzumaki Naruto and I’m going to become the Leaf Villages very next Hokage and I never know when to back down!”

“Sasuke,” Naruto said, “I got a plan.”

“Yeah?”

“Sakura stay with the old man, Sasuke, remember when Toshi-chan was talking about coming up with ninja moves with Shikamaru?” 

“I see where you’re going,” Sasuke remarked as he remembered pretending to puke because Toshiko wanted to create a cool ninja move that worked well with shadows— because ”Shika said we can be a duo when I make jonin one day and don’t famous ninja pairings have cool moves that show off both their abilities so that even our enemies know we’re best friends!” —and the only idea Kakashi had come up with was the shadow shuriken jutsu, a fairly simple formation most people never saw coming when accompanied with shadow clones.

“So you brats think whatever plan you're cooking is enough to keep you in the game? Big words for small boys.”

“What are you guys doing!” Kakashi snapped from his water prison, “I told you to run! This fight was over the minute I got caught! Our mission isn’t to prove how brave you are, it’s to protect the bridge builder!”

“Old man?” Naruto looked at the bridge builder.

“Your sensei’s right, the mission is about me and my desire to live but I won’t let that stand in your way of saving your sensei after you've all come so far for me now. Do what you all have to do.”

Sasuke couldn't help but smile, “Alright then, you ready?”

“Belive it,” Naruto nodded. The water clone began to laugh, his shoulders shook as he rolled his head back and a familiar— bloodthirsty, empty —glint shined in his eyes.

“You brats haven't learned anything have you? You all still want to pretend to be ninja, you think you have a chance to defeat me when I was your age, this hand—” the rogue ninja lifted his left hand, “—Was already stained red with blood!  Years ago, in my village of the Mist our graduation exam used to be different than what is now. Back then us students killed each other. Classmates who had trained together, grew together-friends, who used to talk about each other's dreams and aspirations made to kill one another. The test only ended when one of them died.”

“So you killed your friend because someone told you to?” Naruto asked, the disgust in his voice plain to hear; “That’s cruel," Sakura added on. Their enemy chuckled at them. 

“No,” the rogue ninja said, “Back when I was a young boy who didn't even have the qualifications for being a Ninja, I took it upon myself to annihilate over a hundred examinees. No one told me to, I did it because it was looked like fun.”

“Why?” 

Sasuke was on the floor of their family's tea room, eye level to their parents. Their blood shined in the moonlight that leaked in through the windows. If it wasn’t for the blood Sasuke would think they were asleep; their father was cradling their mother even in death.

Itachi had Toshiko’s hair fisted in his hands as he made her kneel in front of their parents as he told her to apologize for disobeying him; she was sobbing hysterically. 

“Itachi, why would you do this?”

His ears were ringing with the screams of their clansmen, Itachi hadn’t just shown him their deaths but had forced him to live it. His brother, his hero, the person he loved most in the world had done all of that; had killed everyone they knew and loved.

And he had their sister. Toshiko was forced to move with Itachi as he moved from their parents, pulling her by her hair. Sasuke had never felt the urge to protect Toshiko before; she was smart and there was a long line of people ready to step in before him. He had never wanted to before but as Itachi dragged her forward all Sasuke wanted to do was make sure she— the only person in the whole word he had left —was okay.

“To test the limit of my ability,” Itachi said simply. He let go of Toshiko’s hair, dropping her to the wooden floor hard and though she was sobbing, their sister was quick to run to him. She had always run to him when they’d been smaller, always chasing after him. He had always pushed her away. This time though Sasuke grabbed her, pushed her behind him as he got to his knees, not understanding anything that was going on other than he had to keep her safe.

“You’re telling me that you butchered every single member of our clan so you could test your abilities!" 

And just like it had been years ago, Sasuke was too slow. The Water clone moved, knocking into Sasuke, rolling him away from the others, before driving his elbow down onto him. Sasuke felt a rib snap under the water clone's weight. The clone then pressed his foot against Sasuke's aching chest and he felt a second rib snap. 

“Sasuke!” For a moment Sakura’s voices faded to Toshiko’s. He was eight and chasing after Itachi and Toshiko refused to be left behind, begging him to just stop and stay. She’d slipped in their cousin's blood chasing after him.

“You’re nothing,” Zabuza said. And though he was a decade older, broader and couldn't look any farther from what Itachi did; Sasuke saw his brother above him. 

They were on the street, the world was spinning and Sasuke needed answers. Toshiko stood behind him, clinging to him; she would have once clung to Shisui or Itachi when looking for protection but Shisui was dead and Itachi was this. All she had was him. 

“Don’t be an idiot brother, you’re not strong enough to defeat me, not yet-no right now you’re nothing.”

“What?”

“Right now you are nothing more than a wretched welp, still sniveling because I allow it, because you have a unique potential Sasuke, one no one else in this clan had.”

“And what's that?” Sasuke sneered; he was crying. Tears clouded his eyes, his head felt like it was on fire. 

“You can test the limits of my abilities. Now that you hate me, now that you have the desire to defeat me I’ll let you live with our dear sweet sister.” Sasuke’s skin crawled as Itachi looked at Toshiko, he moved so that she was fully behind him. “For now, for my own benefit of course because just like me you may be one of the few people who are able to use the Mangekyo Sharingan. However,” Itachi took a single step forward. “There is a catch to it, you see, to unlock the Mangeyko Sharingan, you have to take the life of your best friend just like I did.”

Toshiko’s hiccupped sob was loud in Sasuke’s ear; though not nearly loud enough to drown out the sound of the blood rushing to his ears. 

“You killed Shisui?” Sasuke’s voice warbled. 

“He was in my way to everything I wanted.” Suddenly Sasuke was sicker than he had been moments ago. 

“Stop right there!” Naruto shouted, creating the sign for shadow clones. Dozens of Naruto’s appeared around them. The rogue ninja’s water clone stepped off of Sasuke who rolled out and away from the enemy, hiding himself in the fifty-count of orange knuckleheads. “Here we go,” they said in unison before leaping at the water clone and dog piling it. 

Though they were quickly thrown off.

“Sasuke!” Naruto shouted as he threw his large shuriken. Sasuke caught the weapon— Naruto’s disguised clone —with one hand and spun, smirking as he opened the weapon ready to start the plan: demon wind shuriken.

“A shuriken?” The water clone chuckled, “You’ll never touch me with that.”

Ignoring him, Sasuke leapt high into the air, threw the disguised Naruto, past the water clone in which it missed by a wide berth and to the actual rogue Ninja and their sensei. Like Sasuke imagined he would, the rogue ninja caught the first shuriken and then dodged the shadowed second.

“I told you a shuriken can’t touch me!” Sasuke smirked as the second shuriken transformed into Naruto’s clone, kuani in hand. 

“Eat this asshole!” Naruto snapped, throwing the kuani. The rogue ninja leapt to the right, pulling his hand from Kakashi’s prison, freeing him and dropping the concentration needed to create a water clone. The water clone turned into a puddle as the kuani fell somewhere into the water.

“I’ll kill you!” The rogue ninja snapped ready to leap at them with the shuriken in hand only for Kakashi to stop the seized weapon with the hack of his armor plated glove. Naruto’s clone disappeared as soon as it hit the water. 

“That was an excellent plan Naruto,” Kakashi praised, not moving an inch from his space atop the water. “You’ve really grown haven't you?”

“Hell yeah sensei, believe it!”

“Please I was distracted,” the rogue snapped.

“Don’t lie,” Kakashi scolded with a bite. Sasuke could hear the pride in his voice, “You were forced to let go. Now your technique worked on me once, but that won't happen again so what’s it going to be?” 

The rogue closed the shuriken and continued to press down onto Kakashi’s hand until the weapon was knocked out of the enemies hand and both Kakashi and the rogue leapt away from one another.

They both landed on top of the water. Sasuke couldn't see the hand signs being made but as he, Naruto and Sakura once more surrounded the bridge builder in mangi formation,  he watched as two large water-style water dragons formed and came to life, one attacking the other as Kakashi and the rogue went at it themselves. 

The rogue swung his sword which Kakashi was impressively able to stop with a kuani and his own brute strength. As they pushed away from one another Sasuke watched as Kakashi copied everything the enemy ninja did, from how many steps circled to each attempted jutsu. 

“He’s not copying him anymore, he’s moving at the same exact time.”

“How he’s doing that?” Sakura asked.

“Yeah! Toshi-chan has those same eyes right-hey Sasuke, I thought your sister said that those freaky eyes were your clan's kekki genkai, is Kakashi sensei related to you two?”

“No he’s not related to Naruto!” Sasuke snapped; if they were Kakashi would be able to activate it in both his eyes. “And the sharingan isn’t freaky!”

Before Naruto could respond, the large vortex of water that Kakashi had created washed over them. Sasuke quickly grabbed onto Sakura and braced against a large tree as Naruto grabbed onto the old man and did the same. 

As the water began to recede Sasuke watched the rogue ninja wash up against a large, unmoved tree trunk before Kakashi hit him with several kuani, all striking vital parts of the body, before landing on the branch above him, dry as a bone. 

“I don't get it,” their enemy slurred, “Can you see into the future.”

“Yes,” Kakashi said simply, “This is your last battle ever,” but before he could jump down and finish the battle two throwing needles shot out from somewhere Sasuke couldn't see and struck the rogue ninja in the side of the neck with enough force to send him to the ground as less blood than Sasuke would've expected from a neck wound spurted out. 

Sasuke and Sakura turned in the same direction Kakashi did and saw a girl in a mask standing on a branch in the corner of their makeshift battlefield. The mask had the symbol for the Village Hidden in Mist carved in it. 

“You were right,” the masked woman said, “It was his last battle ever, I thank you for that.”

“You’re a tracker ninja then?” Kakashi leaned against the tree he was in.

“What the hell’s a tracker ninja?” Naruto whispered loudly to Sasuke.

“From the village Hidden in the Mist,” the other shinobi answered as Kakashi went to inspect the enemy ninja’s body.

“We learned about them in class Naruto,” Sakura replied, though she answered the blonde's question nonetheless, “Tracker ninja pursue rogue ninjas in order to avoid having the secrets of the village that are ingrained in their bodies being leaked.”

“That’s not true,” Sasuke said before he could stop himself.

“What do you mean it’s not true, Iruka-sensei—”

“—I just mean,” Sasuke cut Sakura off, correcting himself, “In our village at least, rogue ninjas that belong to a clan with kekki genki are subjected to their clan first and foremost. The tracking corp only tracks ninja with no clan or ninja whose clan give the okay.” Sasuke didn’t have to worry about anyone else killing Itachi, as head of the Uchiha, with Shikaku-sama’s help filling out the paperwork, he had first dibs on his brother's head.

“Oh I didn’t know,” Sakura mumbled.

“Most people don’t,” Sasuke was quick to snap. The tracker ninja leapt down, next to Kakashi and grabbed the enemy ninja’s dead arm.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Naruto demanded on the tracking ninja, 

“Naruto,” Kakashi said, sounding far more tired than Sasuke had ever heard him sound, “Leave it.”

“It’s fine, your students are curious,” the tracker said with a wave. “I must get rid of the remains because they contain many secrets and I cannot allow them to fall into the wrong hands. Thank you for your help in apprehending Zabuza but your battle is over for now so, please excuse me. Farewell.”

And the body and the tracker were gone and Kakashi had knelt over hitting the ground hard enough to make Sasuke’s heart leap into his chest.

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sakura shouted, running up to him. 

“What the hell happened-is he, you know, alive Sakura?” Naruto asked and Sakura pressed two fingers to the side of their sensei’s neck.

“Yeah he is.”

“He’s probably just low on chakra,” Sasuke said.

“But that can be fatal!” Sakura worried. 

“He’ll be fine,” their client said, resting his hand on Sakura’s shoulder, “If he’s not bleeding and all he needs is proper rest, my daughter can look after him. Now come on you brats grab a body part and start heaving.”

 Sasuke grabbed Kakashi’s shoulders and as he walked backwards, following the sounds of the bridgebuilders footsteps, he looked at the eye Kakashi had covered before passing out.

Kakashi had the sharingan, but only one. He wasn’t an Uchiha. Someone had given him their eye. And suddenly, as they were making their way to the bridge builders house, Sasuke remembered what Toshiko had said the morning of the bell test, about Kakashi having worked with their clan before, in the past.

So he wondered, with every step, who had loved his lazy, smut reading sensei enough to give him that.

And why the hell his father had let him keep it.

Chapter Text

 Naruto Series:

“Filler” 

When the village gates closed and Toshiko was left standing between Shikamaru and Kurenai-sensei she found herself biting her bottom lip, willing herself not to cry. 

They were ninja, it was their duty to the village to go and complete missions and yet fear and worry tore at Toshiko’s heart because, what if something happened?  What if something happened to Sasuke and she was alone in a way she had never been before.

A hand— Shikamaru’s warm, calloused hand —circled around Toshiko’s wrist. The pad of his thumb pressed against the slightly protruding vein in her wrist and rubbed it.

Toshiko’s watery eyes flickered up, Shikamaru was already looking at her. 

“He’ll be fine,” Shikamaru said with a warm tone that helped loosen the ball of anxiety in Toshiko’s chest. “Your brother’s too damn stubborn to die.” 

“Yeah,” Toshiko nodded, using her other free hand to dab at her eyes, “He is, isn’t he?” Toshiko was sure Shikamaru was right. There wasn’t anyone more stubborn than Sasuke in the entire world except perhaps, Uzumaki Naruto himself and Naruto, Toshiko knew, wouldn't let anything happen to her brother. 

“Hey,” Kurenai-sensei said, pulling both sets of eyes to her. “How about that onigri?”

“Yeah totally!” Toshiko said with a wide, only slightly forced smile.  Forced because even though Toshiko’s best friend was too smart— knew Sasuke too well —to be wrong, so he had to be right, the same dread that hung around Toshiko’s neck day in and out climbed up to her shoulder and reminded her, in the world of ninja, anything could happen. 

“So how do you like Kakashi's teachings?” Kurenai-sensei asked. 

“I love it,” Toshiko said, “Kakashi-sensei is so cool, he lets me use my sharingan to copy his moves and he lets me play as the client when Sasu-nii and the others have to practice their formations.” Toshiko breathed. She thought the way he trained her as her guardian— the weights, the practice touch and seals, the laps around the village —were all cool as well even if he had started to disappear during her and Sakura’s run. He said that he started disappearing so that she could track him down— he said it was to help sharpen her sensory skills, that he had gotten the idea from more talented shinobi —but Toshiko knew the truth. Kakashi-sensei had started disappearing so that he could hide up some tree or on some rooftop and reread the same cheesy romance book he was always reading

“Though Kurenai-sensei,” Toshiko started to ask, smiling as she thought of Kakashi-sensei’s quirks. 

Kurenai hummed and looked at her with raised brows; wordlessly encouraging her to go on. 

“Whats up with those romance books he's always reading?” Toshiko asked as she thought about the book. She had seen Kakashi-sensei carting around other books, he recommended her enough to know that his Make Out Paradise wasn’t the only thing he ever read even though that was what it seemed like. 

Shikamaru let out a low sounding snicker as Toshiko watched as her temporary guardian's cheeks turned from a pale, milky white to a bright hot pink that reminded the young Uchiha of Sakura’s hair under the noontime sun.

“He, uh, reads those around you four?” 

“Oh yeah,” Toshiko nodded as they got closer to the village, “And I don't get why he keeps rereading them, you know? I get a book being good and all, but I think it’s the only thing he reads sensei, and neither Ino or I can find them anywhere to read ourselves.”

“You looked for the book with Ino?” Shikamaru asked, voice raising an octave. Toshiko’s head swiveled from Kurenai to her best friend whose cheeks had suddenly taken on a dark reddish hughe. 

“And Sakura, Ino saw us last week after our run,” Toshiko explained, “And we were going to Mirio’s anyway—” Mirio’s was a small bookstore Toshiko and Ino got their cheesy romance novels from, “—And we wanted to see if Kakashi-sensei’s Make Out Paradise was there because I figured if he’s always reading it,” Toshiko stressed, she didn't think she had ever seen Kakashi without the book in his hands aside from when he took her and Team Seven out for food, "It has to be good, right?” 

“I-well,” Kurenai-sensei started, her cheeks still pink, “I think Kakashi likes the book more because it came from someone dear, and less because of how it’s written.”

Someone dear.

Toshiko’s brows shot up curiously as she mulled over what Kurenai-sensei had said; it wasn’t like Ino— someone incredibly dear to Toshiko —didn’t give Toshiko book recommendations that she took to heart. She did, quite often and always behind Sasuke’s back— Toshiko’s favorite noneducational books all came from her and Ino’s secret stash of romance novels —but even then, to reread them constantly, almost obsessively sounded more like something inside one of the cheesy romance books Ino would offer Toshiko rather than real life.

And then the young girl stopped dead in her tracks. Shikamaru, still holding her hand, stopped with a startle.

“Hey!”

“Kakashi-sensei has a girlfriend!” Kurenai-sensei stopped mid step and turned to Toshiko; the Uchiha girl watched as surprise washed over the jonin-sensei’s features.

“What?” Toshiko moved forward, closer to Kurenai-sensei.

“I mean, that’s who gave him his book right, his girlfriend?” For a moment, no longer than half a second, Kurenai-sensei’s face took on a pinched look, one Toshiko had seen on her own brother a hundred times over since their class murder. And a pit formed in her stomach as sorrow washed over her for her brother sensei.

“No,” Kurenai-sensei said, “He doesn’t, and I ask you-both of you,” she looked at Shikamaru, “Please don’t make that joke in front of him.”

“Was she nice?” Toshiko asked softly. If Kakashi-sensei had to have lost the lady he loved then Toshiko hoped that their time together was magical so to speak. Her not-sensei deserved that.

“She is,” Kurenai said and Toshiko cocked her head to the side as confusion settled over her; from the sideyed look she shot Shikamaru the feeling was mutual. “It’s complicated,” Kurenai said, leaving it at that— leaving Toshiko with a hundred and one questions hanging off the tip of her tongue —before she turned back in the direction they’d been walking in. 

Kakashi-sensei’s not-girlfriend was alive but he was lonely and read cheesy romance books openly, shamelessly and in public. Something had to have happened between him and her. Ideas— plots of cheesy romance books Toshiko had read with Ino —swarmed the young Uchiha mind as they continued on towards their lunch spot.

Toshiko wondered if maybe she was a princess Kakashi-sensei had met on a mission, forced to protect but willingly loved only to marry another for the sake of her country. Or perhaps they’d been in love and she’d lost her memory whilst Kakashi-sensei was on a mission and why he’d come back found her in a new rhythm and just loved her so much that he watched from afar so as to let her have a happy, uncomplicated life. 

She would have to talk to Sakura, Toshiko resolved, and on their runs once Sakura and the others got back from their mission, they could come up with a plan so that their sensei had a happy life. Toshiko didn’t care  if she had to destabilize a small country and had to kidnap a princess, Kakashi-sensei deserved a nice wife. Or at least Toshiko thought so. 

Naruto and Sasuke would help if they had to kidnap a head of state for Kakashi-sensei; even if neither of them were romantic— Sasuke was probably the least romantic person Toshiko knew —Toshiko knew she could count on her brother no matter what and that Naruto wouldn’t want to be left out on whatever plan she and Sakura came up with.

“Kurenai-sensei!” A boy's voice called out loudly, “Hey!”

Toshiko watched as Kurenai’s face brightened at the sight of Sasuke and Shikamaru’s former classmates; Inuzuka Kiba, his ninja hound— though the specialized canine was no more than a puppy —sat happily on the Leaf Village ninjas head,  Aburame Shino and Hyuga Hinata who stood between her two teammates, picking at the skin of her hand.

“Kiba, Hinata, Shino. I'm sure you three know Nara Shikamaru, but this is Uchiha Toshiko.” Kurenai-sensei reached around herself and pulled Toshiko gently by her shoulders until she was in front of the jonin. “She’s my ward until Team Seven comes back.”

“Hey,” Kiba waved, barely looking at either Shikamaru and Toshiko as he cocked his head to the side and questioned his sensei. “That’s Naruto’s team right?” To Inuzuka Kiba’s left, Hyuga Hinata turned a bright, standout shade of pink at. “Come back from where?”

“They got a mission in the Land of Waves,” Toshiko answered as Kurenai let her go and she saddled back up to Shikamaru’s side.

“No way, what D-rank takes you out of the village?”

“Why?” Aburame Shino asked, his voice was low and echoey; despite the rush of the village around them it stood out to Toshiko so much so, that she was sure that this was the first time she'd ever heard the bug-user speak. “Because obviously Team Seven is not on a D-rank. Correct?”

He was wearing dark, tinted glasses. Toshiko couldn't see anything but the reflections against the glasses but she knew the question was laid at her feet rather than Kurenai-sensei or Shikamaru’s. She nodded.

“They’re on a C-rank.”

“What!” Kiba snapped his fingers, “That's no fair, home come Naruto gets a C-rank before us!”

“Well maybe Team Seven was just ready for it.” Hyuga’s were proud, arrogant and snobbish the same way the grass was green, the sky was blue and Toshiko woke up screaming most nights. Hyuga Hinata didn’t speak with her chest or with her chin tipped out so high she had to look down her nose when speaking to other people; she was quiet, looked at the ground and tore at the scabs that surrounded her cuticles. 

“Please if that idiot’s ready for a C-rank before the rest of our class then-then, Shikamaru here’s going to be the next Hokage!” Kiba said with a laugh. He spoke loudly and with his hands; Toshiko’s brows furrowed.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Toshiko snapped. The Aburame heir sighed audibly; it almost sounded like beans in a gourd rattling around.

“What?” Kiba blinked, Shikamaru muttered something under his breath about drags and troublesome mutts.  Toshiko squared her shoulders as she glared at the Inuzuka Clan Head's youngest.

“Shikamaru could totally be Hokage if he wanted to.”

“Yeah right, if he became Hokage he’d be napping while the village fell apart!” 

It was Shikamaru who caught Toshiko when she stepped forward, towards Inuzuka Kiba, not Kurenai-sensei who looked mildly surprised in Toshiko’s direction. Toshiko glared at Kiba’s canine companion as it growled in her direction.

“Leave it,” Shikamaru said quietly.

“You wouldn’t leave it if someone was being rude to me.” Toshiko knew he wouldn't because she had seen him not several times since they'd become friends. It didn’t even matter who was being rude to her, other children, fully grown adults— shinobi or civilians —her brothers, Shikamaru always stood up for her. 

“That’s different.”

“No it’s not,” and then Toshiko turned to face Team Eight and did her best impression of Sasuke, “Keep talking shit about my best friend and I’ll put you in the ground mutt!”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Kurenai-sensei said, “I see what Kakashi was talking about-Toshiko?”

“Yes?”

“Stand down, Kiba didn’t mean any harm. Kiba?”

“Yes sensei?”

“What have I said about speaking before you think?”

Kiba pursed his lips together, "Only do it if I have something cool to say?” Kurenai sighed. 

“Right, Team Eight start heading to training field thirteen, the three of us will meet you there after lunch.”

“Lunch? Come on Kurenai-sensei, can’t we come too?”

“I don’t know Kiba, can you think before you speak?”

“Why?” Shino snipped, “Because that’s an impossible request. Can he just not be quiet instead so that we can all get lunch?”

“Shino!” Kiba growled, “Can’t you just shut up!”

“No. Why? Because I think that is your problem.”

“Boys!” Kurenai-sensei reprimanded and Kiba’s hands that he had raised as if to start choking Shino fell. Shino’s face fell back into the neck of his jacket and Toshiko observed Kurenai-sensei in somewhat astonishment; the annoyance and anger she’d been feeling moments ago disappeared as she blinked up at Yuhi Kurenai. 

“Wow, Kurenai-sensei,” Toshiko said with wide eyes, her brother's team— and subsequently her —never just stopped when Kakashi-sensei used his commanding adult voice. Usually they all only stopped brawling— her and Naruto, Sasuke and Naruto, Sakura and Naruto —when Kakashi-sensei physically made them by pulling them apart. “You’re so cool.”

“Oh,” Kurenai-sensei once again turned pink, “Thank you?”

“Come on sensei, let us come with you, we’ll be good, promise!” Kiba swore. And if to punctuate his promise, the puppy stretched out over the curve of his skull yipped in agreement. Both of their eyes grew pleadingly and Toshiko watched as Team Eights jonin sensei cracked under what Toshiko would dub, the best puppy dog look ever. 

Though that wasn’t really surprising, if anyone in the Village Hidden in the Leaves could pull off a sad eyed puppy dog look it would be a member of the Inuzuka clan.

“Fine,” Kurenai-sensei said, “But—” her voice has changed, it became sterner, “—After what you pulled at Riki-sama’s on our last mission Kiba, you can pay for your own food.”

Kiba let out a huff, “Fine.” And then, with one hand grabbing Hyuga Hinata’s sleeve and the other wrapped around Aburame Shino’s neck, Kiba dragged his two genin teammates to Toshiko and Shikamaru. With the arm that wasn’t trapped in Inuzuka Kiba’s grin, Hyuga Hinata waved at Toshiko and Shikamaru, her smile though beautiful was dim and lackluster, like she thought someone was going to say something about it if she showed it off.

“So why’s Kurenai-sensei watching you?”

“I already told you my brother and his team’s on a mission.”

“Yeah, but last time I checked, the Nara adopted you.”

“My parents didn’t adopt her or Sasuke,” Shikamaru muttered, his arm once more, back over Toshiko’s shoulder. 

“Why would you think that?” Toshiko asked. 

“Why? Possibly because you and Sasuke have called each other brothers before.” Toshiko felt her friend freeze next to her as her head snapped away from the Aburame and to a pinking Shikamaru; a single brow rose. 

Shikamaru and Sasuke bickered more often than not, always picking at each other over her head. Toshiko supposed that was what brothers did, Sasuke and Shisui used to argue like nobody's business when they’d been younger. 

“Hey Shika if you call Sasu-nii your brother—”

“—No,” he said, cutting off her line of thought. The Inzukua snickered into Hyuga Hinata’s hair. Her hair was beautiful and shiny; Ino always said the best way to make friends with another girl was to compliment them and then to ask about the compliment. 

“Bu—”

“It’s different Toshi, you’re my best friend,” Shikamaru said firmly. Toshiko blinked. She liked being Shikamaru’s best friend. He called Ino the sister he never wanted more often than not and they always bickered, just like him and Sasuke and if bickering with Shikamaru was a precursor to being considered family Toshiko was okay with only ever being his best friend. 

“Okay,” Toshiko nodded. She then locked her sites firmly on the puppy, still lazily stretched out across Inzukua Kiba’s skull. “What’s his name?”

“Oh, this is Akamaru.” The nin-puppy let out a yip of agreement, as if affirming his name. Kiba let go  of his teammates and tilted his head so that he could grab his four legged partner and hold him out in front of him. 

“Can I—” Toshiko hesitantly reached out her hand, 

“Oh yeah go for it, Akamaru loves pets from the ladies,” Kiba nodded, he then put the canine down to which the puppy wasted no time before scampering up to Toshiko’s ankles. The puppy’s wagging tail beat a steady thumping . Toshiko couldn't help but giggle as she scratched behind the puppy’s ears.

“Hey Shikamaru!” Toshiko’s head swiveled, her smile brightened— Shikamaru made a sound in the back of his voice —as she popped up from the ground. Akamaru trotted back to Kiba.

“Ino!” Toshiko waved at the blonde. Several feet behind her was Team Ten’s Sensei, Saurtobi Asuma, puffing away on a foul smelling cigarette. 

“Toshiko!” Choji, who had shoved the last of whatever candybar he’d been eating into his mouth, got to Toshiko first. When he hugged her he lifted her off the ground and when he placed her down, before she was fully out of Choji’s arms, Ino had hooked an arm around Toshiko’s neck.

Toshiko’s arms wrapped around the blonde's waist as the Yamanaka kept her tilted to the side, tucking against her side. Toshiko’s dark eyes met Choji’s; the Akimichi heir's eyes were alight with mirth. “Hey Ino can you please let me go.”

“In a minute Toshi-what the hell Shikamaru?” The Nara in question let out a groan as his sensei approached Kurenai-sensei. “You said you’d be right back, it’s been two hours!” Toshiko’s gaze flew to Shikamaru who tucked his hands deep into his pockets and hunched his shoulders forward.

“You ditched training?” Toshiko asked, her eyes flickered once more to Asuma-sensei. She’d met the man several times since Shikamaru, Ino and Choji had been placed on his team; he wasn’t nearly as cool as Kakashi-sensei and constantly smelled of smoke but something about him made Toshiko think of her uncle Tekka. Maybe it was his gruff outside and soft underbelly, maybe it was because he was always trying to barter with his team or maybe it was because he always looked so tired.

Uchiha Tekka had become a new father in the months leading up to the massacre and when Toshiko pictured her godfather in her mind, he always looked so tired. 

“Dont be a drag Ino I didn’t ditch,” Shikamaru grumbled, “I left. I told sensei I wasn’t sure when I’d make it back.”

“Ino,” Toshiko whined, wriggling in Ino’s grip. She was ignored. She met Hyuga Hinata’s gaze and the Hyuga heiress shot Toshiko a small, sympathetic smile. Toshiko shot her back a brighter one. She then looked at Shino, “Hey Shino-san?”

Shino stepped away from his teammates, closer to Toshiko and Ino.

“Like that’s any better, Choji and I are breaking our backs training and you’re here on a group date with our little Toshi-chan.”

“Yes Uchiha-chan?”

“Yeah where’s our invite, Shikamaru?” Choji added with a rare mischievous smirk aimed in Shikamaru’s direction.

“Your clan utilizes bugs in your jutsu’s?” It was rhetorical, Toshiko already knew the answer so before Aubrame could fully nod behind the neck of his jacket she continued on, asking her actual question, "Does that mean you can talk to the bugs?”

“I’m not quite sure what you mean. Why? Because I often speak to my insects but I assume that is not what you mean.”

“It’s not,” Toshiko said, still stuck at an angle in Ino’s arms. “Like the bugs you and your clan take care of, like obviously you can talk to them, you can talk but like can they talk back to you?”

“I hope so. Why? Because I would like to think they really are complex beings.” Toshiko’s eyes went wide.

“Wait, so how do they listen to you? Do you train them-like the way the Inzukua train their nin-kins or is it telepathic like the techniques Ino’s clan uses? If so, I can Ino control your bugs? Ino!” Before the Aburame could respond— perhaps he had and Toshiko’s mind had already left him behind as it started to work itself up —Toshiko poked her friend in the back, right between where the thoracic part of her spine met the lumbar part. The blonde jumped.

“Toshi!”

“Ino!” Toshiko whined back in the same tone, still trapped between her elbow and side, “I need you for an experiment!”

“What no way, no how, not happening! The last time you wanted to try something I spent the night puking my guts up.”

“But now we know your mind transfer jutsu extends to food as well!” They’d been having a sleep over and Ino had only just gotten the hang of her clans mind transfer jutsu and while Ino knew for a fact that any damage the body she was possessing she received transferred back over to her own body once she relinquished control, Toshiko wondered if that meant allergies— and really poison but that couldn't have been tested at eleven o'clock at night in the Yamanaka household —also transferred. So Toshiko, with a somewhat mild allergy to cumin, let Ino take over her brain and eat a handful of spice from her mothers cabinet.

They found out twenty minutes later when they were both sick to their stomachs that allergies— and poisons —did in fact transfer over.

As he finished his cigarette, Asuma and Kureani-sensei broke away from whatever conversations they had been having. Asuma-sensei clapped his hands loudly before placing them on his hips; Toshiko, still being held at an angel by no, turned with the blonde to face the two jonin.

“Okay Teams, “Asuma-sensei started, “And Team Sevens mascot—” he added. Toshiko blushed at the nickname, Kakashi-sensei had been introducing her to people as his team's mascot, “We’ll be doing some group training today after lunch.”

Shikamaru let out a low sounding groan, the same one he'd made when Ino and Choji had come running up. Toshiko, still strapped at Ino’s side— Toshiko wondered if she’d be stuck like this for lunch, for training, until the very day she died —blinked up at her friends’ sensei.

“What kind of training Asuma-sensei?” She asked.

“Capture the flag, only!” He said with his chest puffed out, like he’d had the most amazing stroke of genius, “You Toshiko, will be the flag.”

“Can I take my weights off?”

“No you’re actually going to be adding another five pounds,” Krenai-sensei said and Toshiko let out a very Nara Shikamaru-esque sound from the back of her throat soon enough she was going to have multiple rows of weights going up and down her arms and legs. Ino with the hand not trapping Toshiko to her side, patted the Uchiha on the head. 

“It’s okay Toshi, we’ll catch you quick.”

“Ino?”

“I’m going to make you work for it.”

“I hate you.” Toshiko wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged the blonde tightly; she caught Shikamaru’s eye and beamed. Maybe she’d make Team Ten work for it, maybe she and Shikamaru could find a nice tree to hide out in— and practice the art of camouflage —and she could practice her seals while he napped.

“Comfertble?” Shikamaru smirked.

“Help? Please?”

“Ino—”

“—You’re not official, I don't have to listen to you yet,” Ino said with a pout, though she did let Toshiko out from under her arm. Like a stretched out rubber band Toshiko napped back to Shikamaru’s side. He took a hand out of his pocket and threw his arm over Toshiko's shoulders once more.

With pinched brows Toshiko looked up at Shikamaru, “You’re not officially what?”

Toshiko didn’t think she had ever seen the tips of Shikamaru’s ears turn red so quickly before.

“It’s nothing to ignore her,” Shikamaru muttered. His eyes fluttered closed and Toshiko took a second to marvel at just how long and pretty his eyelashes were. She then wondered what they would look like if he started applying the same kind of eyeliner Ensui-san did. 

Probably even prettier.

He couldn’t help it. Toshiko knew her best friend didn’t do anything to make his eyelashes look nicer, that they were the same eyelashes he always had. Toshiko also knew she didn’t care about pretty, she couldn't afford to care about it the way Sakura and Ino did. Itachi was coming and she had to be ready or he would kill everyone she loved and take her and hurt her, but something twisted— unnamed, a feeling so strange it was unrecognized —in her gut nonetheless.

Toshiko swallowed as she looked away from Shikamaru’s face. And ignored it.

She had onigiri to eat and a flag to keep away from Teams Ten and Eight, she didn’t have time to think about Shikamaru’s eyelashes. And just how pretty they were.

0.0.0.0

Crow could remember the first time he met Uchiha Toshiko; the first time he met her was when his life truly changed. The first time she had been placed into his arms he’d held more like a bag of rice then a baby but she was the first baby anyone had let him hold. Sasuke was such a little shit at that age no one but his mother or Itachi— pain, heartbreak, twisted in Crow's chest —could hold him.

But hot her, not the Uchiha-hime. When she had settled into his arms that day, only hours after being born, Crow had felt his heart implode because her eyes opened, her tongue poked out from behind her tiny lips and though he knew newborns didn't laugh— physically couldn’t smile —Crow was sure she had looked happy and peaceful in a way no one ever looked so happy and peaceful around him anymore.

The only time Crow saw that look on her face anymore— like she didn’t have a thing in the world to worry about —was when she was with the Nara boy. Crow could remember Fugaku bemoaning life whenever Mikoto would make jokes that the Nara boy was sweet on her, that he’d have some trouble in ten years when their contract became more than just something hanging over them like the executioner's blade.

Fugaku would worry something would happen anytime Toshiko wasn’t in his line of sight. Back then, with tensions between the clan and the village rising, it had been a legitimate concern. But now, as Crow watched Toshiko and the Nara boy settled down inside the Uchiha home for the night— Crow could all but hear Fugaku’s voice in his ear losing it over the fact his little Princess was sharing a bed with a boy that wasn’t her brother; Crow was sure the man was tearing his hair out in the Pure Lands, absolutely foaming from the mouth —he knew that even back then that legitimate concern wasn’t really.

Crow had seen the Nara’s paperwork, he had watched enough over the years. Nara Shikamaru would throw himself off Naka falls before he let anything happen to Toshiko.

When Crow had first met Uchiha Toshiko he had sworn to protect her no matter what. Crow was sure Nara Shikamaru had made that same promise the day they met and he smiled, happy for his little sister. 

Chapter Text

 Naruto Series:

“Filler”

Somehow their client's home was both larger and smaller than Uchiha Sasuke had expected. It was a two story house on  what amounted to architectural stilts; the stairs Sasuke and his teammates had to carry Kakashi up wound around the house and yet despite the fact the house was summarily— built up like a castle —in the air, its inside was small. 

The room Team seven had been given by their client's daughter upon their arrival was small but Sasuke didn’t care. He couldn't find it in himself to look at the house they would be staying in until their mission was completed, or meet their clients family because Kakashi was still passed out in the tiny room they’d been allowed to stay in and he had the sharingan.  

Sasuke stared at his unconscious sensei; Naruto had gone with their client to the village and Sakura was with their client's daughter and grandson doing whatever— he didn’t care, couldn't find it in himself to even pretend to —as he wondered where the hell had Kakashi gotten his sharingan.

To give someone your eyes was more than just an act of love, in a clan where the dead couldn't rest until every part of them had been cremated, giving someone your eyes was an act of devotion at the cost of perhaps your own soul. It was intimate and heart breaking— because the person you love most in the world has to die for it to happen —and the most loving gesture someone in his clan could do.

Sasuke could see himself urging his sister to take his eyes. If he was dying at her feet— he had killed Itachi at the expense of his own life — he could imagine using the last of his strength to hand her a knife and telling her to do it. End him, take his eyes, carry him until she could no longer carry herself and let him see her to the end of her days. 

Sasuke scratched at his bicep.

He wondered if Itachi had taken Shisui’s eyes; his body hadn’t been found after all. Sasuke wondered if Itachi had slit Shisui’s throat and gouged out his eyes and taken the first step to becoming a monster as easily as he had handled the massacre because sharing your eyes with someone in the Uchiha clan was an act of devotion but stealing them? Betraying the person you love for power— cutting them down where they stood, ignoring their screams and their pleading —and then desecrating their body so that they would never know peace?

Bile rose in the back of Sasuke’s throat.

Shisui had been loud and annoying and at one point in his life Sasuke had been jealous of Shisui and had just wanted him to go away but even back then when he imagine Shisui disappearing into the background, he had never imagined Itachi killing him because for as loud and annoying as he had been, Uchiha Shisui had been another brother to Sasuke.

Another person Itachi had taken away. Another person he had to avenge.

Sasuke wondered if Kakashi had avenged the person who gave him his sharingan. He wondered how long he had the eye; more than five, the massacre was approaching its five year mark.

Five years without his family. Five years without his father and mother and everyone ese; the bakery at the mouth of his clan's district hadn’t been warm or smelled of bread in five years. The village's police station had moved to under the Fuma Clan, Uchiha Dai’s desk hadn’t been filled with candy in five years.

In four more Sasuke will have been without his family longer than he’d had them. Two for Toshiko. 

How long until he forgot the sound of his mothers voice, the weight of his fathers hand on his shoulders? The flavors of their ancestral dishes didn’t taste right when he and Toshiko tried to make them and even the stitching in their clothing when it needed to be repaired looked wrong. Has Toshiko already started forgetting? Did she notice when the ohwa soup he had tried to make didn’t taste a thing like their mothers or did she only recall his previous failed attempts?

Sasuke didn’t look when the door to the small room opened, not when Sakura— even after battle and two days of travel and helping their client's daughter with household chores she still smelled of citrus and pansies —sat across from him, on Kakashi's other side. She placed a plate of rice and stewed greens next to him. Her own plate was laughably full.

“Are—” Saura paused her question, Sasuke ignored her and instead continued to stare at Kakashi, trying to will man to wake up despite his chakra exhaustion and wounds because he needed answers.

“Sasuke,” she said softly instead, “You should eat.”

“I’m not hungry.” Sasuke didn't need food, he didn't need sleep, he needed answers. 

“I’m sure you think that,” Sakura said and the veins under Sasuke’s forearms jumped at her soft tone. “But you haven’t eaten in days, you need to keep your strength.” There was a note of condensation in her voice; the same know-it-all tone his sister would take whenever he’d get hurt in training after she’d begged him to take a break.

And, just like he always did when his sister would peel him off the ground, bandage his wounds and ask him to just sleep, Sasuke picked up the plate of rice and greens. Silently the two of them ate, Sakura watched him as he watched Kakashi.

“Toshi will freak,” Sakura said suddenly, her plate clean.

“What?” Sasuke looked away from their jonin instructor. 

“Toshiko, when she finds out Kakashi-sensei has the sharingan, she’ll flip. In a good way,” Sakura said, her bright green eyes flickered from Sasuke to Kakashi, back to Sasuke.

Sasuke had already known his sister hadn’t known, that she would have told him about Kakashi if she had but to know— to hear —that she didn’t send a shameful pang of relief though the Uchiha.

At the same time Sasuke felt the corners of lips tip upwards. He could picture it, when they all got back to village and Sasuke told her about Kakashi’s eyes, he could practically see his sister getting to her feet and hanging off their sensei as she demanded answers— who and when; the questions that sat on Sasuke's very own tongue —on top of training.

“Yeah she will.” Sasuke then narrowed his eyes at Sakura, she blushed violently under his gaze. “Why do you like my sister?” 

Sakura’s face shifted from startled, pinched to confused. “I told you, she’s my friend.”

“Why?” His sister was kind and smart and sweet; an absolute delight. She didn’t have more friends because she intimidated people with her wits and fists and at times incredulous sense of justice and Yamanaka Ino. Girls that had tried to Toshiko before in hopes to get close to him— Sasuke was told that the line of thought was if his sister, the only family he had left, like them then they could use her to help curry his favor and then make him fall in love with them —were usually run off by Ino rather quickly.

Sasuke knew that Ino did it in part because she liked him but truly— a much larger part of her did it because — she also genuinely cared for his sister. Ino was a sister to Toshiko, her absolute best friend outside of Shikamaru and even before the Akimichi and like him, wouldn't let a thing happen to her if she could help it.

“She’s sad,” Sakura said softly and Sasuke’s brows shot up. “She tries to hide it but she reminds me of a lot of myself before I met Ino.”

“Ino? Yamanaka Ino?” Maybe it was a stupid question, Sasuke wasn’t sure there was another Ino in their year. Nonetheless, Sakura nodded.

“Before I entered the academy I used to get teased a lot, for a lot of different things-things I couldn’t help. Then I met Ino and she helped me be a lot more confident in myself.”

“Are you saying my sister isn’t confident in herself?” Sasuke asked, frowning. He set his plate to the side. 

“No,” Sasukra shook her head, only to then pause, “I mean yes but not in the way I wasn’t confident in myself. Look don’t get me wrong Sasuke, Toshiko knows she’s amazing, she’s just worried all the time, and that much baggage, it drags you down.”

Sasuke felt his throat tighten. He could imagine what his sister was so worried about all the time.

“She—” Sasuke sucked in a deep breath of air, as rage boiled away in his gut. He knew what his sister was terrified of; who she was scared of. “—She talks to you about that?”

For a moment Sakura looked conflicted, her face pinched and weight shifted. A moment later she shook her head apologetically. 

“I promised I wouldn’t say anything, that what we talk about on our runs would stay between us,” Sakura said firmly and for a second, Sasuke couldn't help but smile, happy his sister's confidence was being guarded. A second later he tampered down the smile. 

“Sakura, she knows I won’t let anything happen to her, right?”

“Of course she does Sasuke,” there was no hesitation. “Toshi adores you.”

“But she’s worried I’m going to fail her?” 

Sakura didn’t answer but her furrowed brows and pinched lips were an answer in it of itself. 

“Right,” Sasuke said bitterly. She was worried Itachi would beat him— and the Nara; Shikaku-sama had assured him well enough after the false alarm that no one in the Nara clan would just let Toshiko get taken —and steal her from the Leaf. Sasuke hoped she didn’t spiral over what would happen after that; his stomach clenched at the thought of thinking about it. 

“Look Sasuke,” Sakura said, “It’s more than just that okay. I keep telling Toshi to talk to you—”

“—About what?” Sasuke snapped sourly. His sinking stomach knotted itself together; his sister thought he’d fail in his quest to avenge their clan.

She thought he was weak and the worst part was that on some level, she was right. He had fought the rough chunin just fine— with his heart in his throat, ready to die —but the jonin, Momochi Zabuza, would have killed them like it was nothing if it hadn’t been for Kakashi.

Itachi would crush him if he came for her and she knew that. She knew he couldn't protect her. 

Something twisted in Sasuke’s chest and for a moment he felt a prickling— the kind of prickling you start to feel when your foot or arm falls asleep under you —in the back of his head. 

“I told you already, I promised her that what we speak about stays between us.”

“I need to know what’s wrong with my sister! How do you expect me to help her if you don’t tell me!” 

“Talk to her-By the Gods you two are more alike than either of you realize, you know that, right?” Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. 

“How can I talk to her if she tells you everything?” Sasuke muttered. His knees pulled themselves to his chest. Sakura’s face softened and she reached over Kakashi’s still unconscious body and wrapped her fingers around his forearm.

“Toshi isn’t trying to hurt your feelings Sasuke by not talking to-it’s the opposite really. She’s scared she’s going to say something you won’t like and you’ll hate her.”

“She’s my sister,” Sasuke said, “I love her.” Sasuke said it so obviously, like he was telling Sakura that the sky was blue, the grass was green and Naruto probably ate enough ramen that his blood was more salt than water. “Nothing’s ever going to change that.”

“She knows that on some level but Sasuke you’re all she has, she’s terrified over the thought of ever losing you.”

“She won’t.” Itachi could strike him down, cut him limb from limb and throw him in the sea but even then Sasuke knew his soul was sutured to his sisters. Even in death he would refuse to leave her behind just like she had done for him that night.

Toshiko had risked everything coming out from where Itachi had stashed her because she had been more worried about him than her own safety. Toshiko had raced after him when he’d tried to chase their brother down for answers. She had thrown herself over him after Itachi had placed him in the tsukuyomi, when she could have run. Hell, she had stayed by his side, amongst their slaughtered kin for hours instead of running because she refused to leave his side. 

Even after, when he’d been in the coma she hadn’t left him. 

Sasuke might have been too proud to say it out loud be he knew it in his bones, he owed his sister his life. He would spend the rest of his life trying to repay her.

“I know that,” Sakura said, “And she knows that but haven't you ever been so scared that logic didn’t make sense?” 

Sasuke didn’t answer Sakura, instead he turned from her, ashamed because of course he had. He woke up terrified, went to be just scared and slept so uneasily that the wind woke him up most nights. Like his sister, the only time Sasuke found himself sleeping through the night anymore was when he and Toshiko were with the Nara, not that he would ever say that out loud.

“Sasuke please,” Sakura said, pleaded really. Hesitantly, Sasuke pulled his gaze from their sensei’s chest— Kakashi breathed weird, up-up-up and then down —and back to her. “When we get back to the village, talk to Toshiko and let her know that there’s nothing she can say to make you hate her.”

Sasuke blinked and then without meaning to chuckled. Sakura’s bright green eyes went wide and her face flushed the same shade of pink that was her hair. No one— not even the Nara —had ever asked him— no one had needed to —treat Toshiko a certain way since their mother had died. 

“Fine,” Sasuke said with a nod. Sakura’s smile was blinding for a moment, it stretched out across her face, showing off her teeth before she quietly dimmed it and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

“Good.” She puffed up her chest, “An honest conversation will do you two some good.” And there was that condescending tone once more. Sasuke deflated, though the ghost of a smirk pulled at the ends of his mouth. 

“Whatever.”

“Hey guys!” Naruto all but kicked open the door, book in hand, over his dead, practically vibrating.

“Naruto!” Sakura lectured, “You can’t surprise us like that, we're on a mission!”

“Okay and?” Naruto’s brows raised as he sat next to Sakura. He shoved the book he’d brought back from whenever he and their client had gone, into Sakura’s lap. “Look what I got!” Though the kanji was upside down Sasuke read out - HISTORY OF THE UZUMAKI: MAN OR MYTH. “One of the workers, the old man and I went to round up for the bridge had this book and he gave it to me when he heard who I was, isn’t that so cool!”

“Yeah it is Naruto,” Sakura nodded. “Have you started reading it yet?” 

Naruto's proud smile dimmed, his hand flew to the back of his head. “Oh well you see, not, uh yet. I figured I could do it later or whatever.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. He’d heard the rumors— the jokes —at the academy. Uzumaki Naruto, idiot, troublemaker, unable to read. Sasuke had never given the rumors much thought mostly because he was above it all— and it had been hard to believe, passing the academy while functionally illiterate sounded like some lie a first year student made up to get out of reading —but now Naruto was his teammate. His very stupid teammate who didn’t know where he came from.

Sasuke didn’t have much anymore but he had his sister, his rage and his name. Naruto had a name but what good was it if he didn't know what Uzumaki meant. 

He met Sakura’s wide— panicked —eyes; she’d obviously come to the same conclusion as him and didn’t know what to do about Naruto and his new book. For a second Sasuke thought to do nothing, to turn away and go back to staring at Kakashi until the man woke up and gave him answers but shinobi didn't just leave their comrades behind, to flounder, even when they were loud mouth idiots.

Sasuke knew what his sister would do. Wordlessly with a huff Sasuke grabbed the book from Sakura and dropped it on his own lap.

“Hey! What are you doing!”

“Shut up idiot,” Sasuke snapped, “I’m going to read this.”

“I-you can't read it before me Sasuke, it’s my book!” Sasuke shot Sakura a flat look and the pink haired girl turned to their idiot and raised her hands placatingly.

“I think Sasuke meant he’s going to read the book out loud Naruto, that way we won’t have to crowd around each other or try to keep pace with each other.”

“Oh.” Relief had washed over the blonde face. His chest then swelled as he puffed it out. “Fine, if you insist.” 

Sasuke felt his brow twitch— he was suddenly more tempted to throw the book at Naruto’s head than read it to him —as he cracked the book open.

“The Uzumaki were a small clan but a mighty people whose start is dated…” Sasuke began to read. Both Naruto and Sakura shuffled closer to Kakashi's unconscious body as they listened to him. 

0.0.0.0

It was dark, the barely visible moon was the only light in the sky; the stars were hidden by the clouds that continuously passed overhead and both Uchiha Toshiko and Nara Shikamaru stood on training grounds forty-six. Both Kurenai and Asuma-sensei sat together somewhere in the trees. 

Probably kissing. It had only been two days and it was glaringly obvious— mostly because Ino and Kiba said so loudly and with no room for argument from with jonins —that both team Eight and Tens sensei’s were in love. 

Shikamaru, sat on the ground next to Toshiko, barely awake. Scrolls were stretched out around them, the journal once belonging to Uchiha Mikoto sat open in Shikamaru’s lap. A fire extinguisher sat next to him, within arms reach.

Delayed touch and place seals. Seals that moved after being placed in one place all the way to another. The Uchiha matriarch and her friends— the further into her mothers journal the more Uchiha Mikoto spoke of her friends and their academic pursuits —had been onto something before they’d died. And Toshiko planned on fishing it, refining it.

“It says you have to think of the seal as its own entity to make it move,” Shikamaru read. “Your mom said like a snake.”

“Dose she explain?”

“Your mom said you have to picture the seal moving like a snake but now how. Like does your mom mean for you to picture the seal like a tag on the back of a snake or is your seal living and almost tangible-like a snake?”

“It’s okay, we can try both ways.” Toshiko had said we even though she was the one who was still in her training clothes, working herself to the bone to figure out a revolutionary sealing technique by visualizing a snake. She was tired, between classes, training with team Eight— which really was just taijutsu training with Hyuuga Hinata —running laps around the village per Kakashi-sensei’s order and this, her unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Toshiko’s limbs felt like lead. 

And yet she pressed her hands against the grassy ground and pictured a snake. She pictured the writing for a fireball that was usually found on premade elemental seals— Shikamaru only agreed to stay out late with her if she didn’t blow him up so they’d agreed to forgo her usual go-to, bomb seals —stamped to the back of a slithering snake. She focused on the chakra in her hands and pushed. 

Toshiko watched as her chakra seeped into the ground, stretched out and then faded before even the hint of an ember could appear. 

“So not a tag on a snake but how do I visualize a living seal?” Her hands traveled to the ends of her hair— her hair had grown out past her chin to just under it, longer than it had been in years —and pulled. Only to let go when Shikamaru pulled her knee out from under herself. “Shika!”

“Don’t be a drag, I'm helping you-you’ll lose it if you pull all your hair out.” Toshiko couldn't help but smile at the image in her mind, her absolutely crashing out and bald. 

“My hair, thank you Shika.”

“It better, it’s a quarter past ten,” Shikamaru grumbled. Toshiko’s smile turned soft, 

“We can go home if you want.”

“And when a stroke of genius hits you at two in the morning you’re going to blow up the house or set the district on fire,” Shikamaru said, “It’s less troublesome if we have your stroke of genius out here.”

“What if I don’t?” Toshiko flopped on the ground next to her best friend. “What if I never figure this out and I grow old and wrinkly and I see my mama again only I have nothing to show for it!” That was the difference between Toshiko and her brother; whereas Sasuke wanted to get strong to fight their brother and protect her, Toshiko wanted to learn— if it was up to her she would learn every jutsu in the world, memorize every seal and master every kata there was in fighting —getting strong was a sidenote. 

She didn’t want to be the Hokage in the slightest but she wanted to be like Asuma-sensei’s father Sarutobi Hurizen, The Professor. She wanted to one day be able to say she was Uchiha Toshiko, someone who knew everything.

Because if she knew everything, if she was smart enough, Sasuke wouldn’t have to fight Itachi— and die or fight Itachi and kill their brother —she’d be able to figure out another way.

Shikamaru set her mother's journal, open but page-down, against her abdomen as he leaned over her. Their fingers brushed between the blades of grass separating them. 

“When we die in a hundred years Toshiko you’re going to have more than just this to show to your parents-I bet by then you’ll revolutionize fuinjutsu.”

“Really?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve said your job between us is to become the spectacular shinobi, while I sail through life with the least amount of resistance and settle into being a no name chunin on guard duty at one of the village's entrances," Shikamaru said. 

Toshiko rolled her eyes as her elbows slipped behind her, pushing her up.

“Shika, you’re never going to be an ordinary ninja, especially not a no name one,” Toshiko told him.

“Yeah?” The scoff was quiet, his brows raised and just like every time they’ve played shoji the hair at the very base of Toshiko’s neck began to raise in excitement.

“Yeah!” Toshiko said confidently, with a nod. “I know your name and you're already a great ninja.”

“Toshi, I’m a genin,” Shikamaru said flatly, “My Team hasn’t even left the village yet.”

“Yeah but you’re my favorite person after Sasu-nii, and I think you’re more than amazing and you’re a ninja so you’re already a great shinobi.” Shikamaru burned at the praise the way he always did when Toshiko complemented him and Toshiko smiled at her— humble —friend.

“Come on,” Shikamaru muttered as he got to his feet, hand outstretched for Toshiko. She took it, her mothers journal was in her other hand until Shikamaru gently took it from her. “We’ll figure this out together.”

Toshiko beamed, she threw her arms around Shikamaru’s waist. His arms settled on her shoulders.

“You’re the best Shika. Thank you.”

“You’re my best friend Toshiko,” Shikamaru said lowly, into her hair, “Thank you.”

“Thanks? For what?” It was quite, Shikamaru just shrugged and when they pulled away from one another and Toshiko looked out at the training grounds around them, still unable to see either Kurenai or Asuma-sensei, Toshiko was pretty sure Ino was right and the two jonin were probably making out somewhere.

Chapter Text

 Naruto Series: 
“The Forest of Chakra” & “The Land Where A Hero Once Lived”

It was a week before Kakashi woke up and when he did, Sasuke who had been standing over him, learning— willing the man with his mind —to wake up, had been right there. Well, technically he had been down the hall, outside their clients house practicing his kata’s with Sakura and Naruto, pretending that Naruto wasn’t copying his every movement— and failing to get the movements down —and Sakura wasn’t taking blushing peaks at him every few minutes. But nonetheless, when their client's snot-nosed, bratty grandson had told them their loser teacher had woken up, Sasuke had nearly blown his knees out by jumping all the way to the deck.

Kakashi had the sharingan and he was finally awake. Sasuke could finally get his answers.

“Kakashi-sensei you’re awake!” Sakura smiled as she followed Sasuke into the tiny room they’d been living out of since arriving at their client's home. Their client's daughter was knelt down next to Kakashi, helping him sit up, slowly and steadily. 

“You should lay down,” the woman said, “You’re just going to make yourself worse by exaggerating yourself,” she worried. Sasuke and Naruto both twitched at the woman's almost motherly tone. 

Sasuke's gut twisted for a moment; he missed his mother. He missed her soft touches and her smile and how warm her skin felt against him when he would hug her good morning and good night and how sometimes he would talk for hours and she would listen like there weren't a million other things that needed to get done. 

“Tsunami-san is right sensei, you shouldn’t be straining yourself after being knocked out for an entire week,” Sakura nodded.

“Right,” Kakashi muttered, “Sorry.” The man then suddenly spasmed under the blankets they’d been keeping him under for the past week and for a moment Sasuke's heart leapt into his throat with worry.

“Kakashi-sensei!”

“Did you say a week!” Kakashi made a move to sit up only for both the daughter of the team's client— Tsunami-san —and Sakura to push the jonin back against the sleeping mat he’d been resting upon. Kakashi groaned as his back hit the mat; it was a sad pathetic sound that had Sasuke raising both brows in the jonin’s direction.

“Uh yeah,” Naruto spoke up hesitantly as he and Sasuke settled on the floor next to Sakura, “You’ve been knocked out for a week sensei. Honestly if that sharigan takes so much out of you it’s probably not worth it?” 

“Shut up,” Sasuke hissed at the blonde. The sharingan was always worth it; it was a dojutsu coveted by nations. 

Kakashi let out a groan and muttered something about paperwork.

“Come on Kakashi-sensei you just woke up you can’t be that worried about paperwork!” Naruto chuckled.

“Oh Naruto,” Kakashi sighed, “Did the academy teach you nothing-half of being a good shinobi is paperwork.” Sasuke watched as his sensei’s mouth twisted under his mask upwards into a smile. 

“What! No way, you’re kidding! Paperwork!” 

Kakashi’s one uncovered eye glimmered almost childishly at the blonde and in that moment Sasuke knew for as amazing as a shinobi his sensei was, the chunin at the mission desk probably hated him. Kakashi then moved. He wiggled his hands out from under the covers, a scroll— the dark blue of the scroll made Sasuke perk up; after years of collecting his clans belonging with his sister he knew a summoning scroll when he saw one —clutched in his left hand.

Both Naruto and the client's daughter leaned forward, both of them eager to watch whatever Kakashi was planning on doing. Sasuke swallowed his own tongue as he bit back his own eagerness. 

Summons weren’t animals, at least not really— or at least from what Sasuke’s parents had explained years ago —they weren’t classified as animals the way a regular stray cat or even a ninkin, specially read dogs the Inzunka clan paired with were. Usually though summons were called upon— summoned, hence the name — typically summoned in order to lend assistance to their summoner, either by carrying out tasks or joining them in combat. 

The summoning scroll his father had kept in his jonin vest had been for a contract with bats, his mothers— a contract passed down in her family from parent to first born; it’s said the Uchiha Madara had been the first signer —had been for crows. 

Sasuke wasn’t sure what contact he would sign when the time came. Toshiko and him would talk about it sometimes, when neither of them could sleep. She said she might go the hound route because while she idolized their father, there was no way she would keep dead insects on her for her contractor, and if either of them were going the crow route it should be him, he was older after all. 

Not that he would; Sasuke had never said but there was something— a deep seated, palatable, kind of anger that rolled through Sasuke —about the thought of unrolling the scroll that had been his mothers, seeing Itachi's name under hers that made the genin’s stomach twist.

“Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura asked, her hands hovering by his shoulders seemingly ready to push him back down. “Maybe you should hold off on doing anything that could require chakra, I mean—” Sakura paused, her bottom lip slipping between her teeth, “—You've only just woken up.”

“That would be nice Sakura but I’m afraid we don’t have that option,” Kakashi said before slipping his thumb under his mask and biting down on it hard enough that when he withdrew the finger, it was bleeding.

Sasuke wondered what his jonin sensei looked like under his mask. He had yet to see the man without the mask; none of them had looked under it while he had been unconscious. Sasuke shared a curious look with Naruto, he could practically see the blonde was thinking the same as him. What were Kakashi's teeth like?. Were they all sharp, or was only his canine sharp enough to draw blood? 

Sasuke, as Kakashi drew his blood on the contract, wondered if his sister had seen Kakashi without his mask. Sakura had said that Kakashi would get her a treat after their— Toshiko and Sakura’s —run. Supposedly Kakashi would always offer to take Sakura but her parents already didn't want her out that late if it could be helped, which to Sasuke was stupid.

But what did he know, Itachi had murdered their parents.

Smoke plumed and Sasuke’s thoughts strayed. He had expected something exciting— large and fearsome —emerging from the smoke. Instead Sasuke’s thoughts stopped short when the chakra dense smoke disappeared and a small pug wearing a village issued headband and a vest of the same blue color.

“A dog?” Their client voiced from his place in the doorway.

The pug sniffed. Sasuke blinked and Naruto, who had leaned forward in anticipation of Kakashi’s summons, fell forward, nearly flat on his face. Sakura’s shoulders didn’t fall though, Sasuke caught them raising as she drew in a breath of air as if she was physically restating herself from saying something. 

“Yo.” Sasuke’s brows shot up. The client’s daughter gave a slight shriek, 

“A-a talking dog!” Sasuke eyed the summons, surprised.

“Yes Pakkun here is a talking dog-summons, while somewhat uncommon, not totally unheard of Tsunami-san,” Kakashi chuckled as he laid back, flat against the mattress. Kakashi was right, talking summons weren't totally uncommon but usually the only summons that could were those on the more powerful end, and they usually paired up with equally powerful shinobi.

“Would you like to feel my soft velvety paw?” The summons Pakkun offered their client's daughter. 

Kakashi sighed before the woman could accept the summons offer.  “Pakkun, no one can feel your paws at the moment I have a job I need you to do.”

“A ninja’s work is never done,” Pakkun said, letting out a long, suffering sigh that reminded Sasuke too much of Nara Shikamaru. He couldn't help it but he could practically see the dog summoned sitting under a tree muttering about trouble and drags. 

“I need you to take a message back to the village,” Kakashi instructed, “The first message is to the mission desk. Team Seven’s C-rank has been upgraded to an A-rank. We’re going to have another few weeks before we return back to the village.”

“Wait, if he does that your village will want more money, money I’ve already told you, my people don't have,” their client cut in. Sasuke pressed his lips together. Over the past week he’d seen the village his teams’ client lived in; if anything their client had undersold how impoverished the Land of Waves had become. 

“Pakkun, advise the mission desk something will be worked out here in terms of payment.”

“I just said—”

“—And I heard you Tazuna,” Kakashi said firmly. He looked at his summons.

“Very well, the second?” The dog asked.

“I need you to let Yuhi Kurenai, she’s a jonin, the same.”

“If—” Sasuke paused, though all eyes in the room went to him. The Summons' easy going face seemed to pinch at the sight of him, “—You see my sister Uchiha Toshiko with Kurenai, let her know I’m fine and that I’ll be home soon.”

There was more Sasuke wanted to say, about Kakashi, about the shinobi they had faced, about the Land of Waves, about how much he missed her.

The summons looked at Kakashi, “Will she feel my paws?”

Kakashi’s singular, uncovered eye fluttered shut. His chest rumbled under the blankets. 

“I don't think there's a force in the world that would stop her.”

“Very well then I’ll let the village know-and see the pup,” the summons said standing. He then looked to their client's daughter, “How do I get out of here?”

“Oh,” Tazuna’s daughter said as she stood, her hands folded in front of her, “Please come with me.” Once she and the summons were gone Kakashi seemed to melt against the mattress, his eye fluttered shut and though so someone who didn’t know Kakashi, he might have looked like he was falling back asleep, Sasuke could see how taught the jonin’s muscles were, how tense he looked under the heavy blanket.

“Kakashi-sensei, are you okay?” Naruto asked.

“Yeah I was just thinking of my fight with Zabuza,” Kakashi explained. “The boy, the tracker ninja, he should have dealt with Zabuza’s body on sight so that there’s no room for error.”

“Oh I mean, does that matter?” Sakura cocked her head. 

“Everything is always important Sakura,” Kakashi said, “Ninjas that specialize in hunting down rogue shinobi are part of their village's Anbu Inferno squads. I’m sure you guys know but their job once a rogue ninja is eliminated is to destroy all traces of that rogue shinobi’s corpse so that the secrets-the medicines, the kekki genki of their village doesn't fall into opposing hands. They’re supposed to start that process the moment the enemy is killed but this one didn’t. He took Zabuza away to work on, why?” 

No one spoke, Kakashi then looked at Sasuke, “Do you remember what weapons the tracker used?”

“Throwing needles,” Sasuke responded, his heart leaping in his chest. The academy hadn’t spent much time in throwing needles due to the fact that they were considered a last ditch option as a weapon as they have little killing power even if thrown with great accuracy. Usually the only time senbon were considered deadly was when they were dipped in poison.

“Why does that matter?” their client asked, “You demolished that assassin.”

“Because I didn’t,” Kakashi said, sitting up, “The truth is Zabuza is still alive.”

“But we say his body!” Naruto cried.

“You checked his body yourself kakashi-sensei!” Sakura added on. “You said his heart had stopped!”

“And it did-it was probably just a temporary state to simulate death.”

“Simulate death? I don't get it!” Naruto cried.

“Trackers are trained to know every detail if the human body and throwing needles are modified from the types used in acupuncture.”

“You don't think you’re over thinking this, just a little?” their client wondered.

“No I’m not,” Kakashi told the man, “A tracker would know that a throwing needle can only kill if they hit an extremely vital organ, one not found in the neck so between this and the fact that the Tracker carried Zabuza’s body away after hitting him in a nonfatal part of the body it’s safer to conclude that the ninja was trying to save him, not kill him like I was.” 

“If he’s alive what do we do?” Sakura asked, “You can barely even move sensei.”

“Oh?” Kakashi laughed, “Perhaps but I can still train you.”

“And?” Sakura shot back, “Last minute training won't help us—” she motioned between herself, Sasuke and Naruto, “—Won’t make us strong enough to stop him. You could barely stop him sensei and that was with your sharingan, we should be reasonable about this.”

“But I did stop him,” Kakashi said, “And I was able to do that because you all helped me. You’ve all grown-Naruto.” The blonde sat up straighter, “You’ve grown the most.”

Sasuke agreed, the idiot had learned a lot since the team's formation and yet, Sasuke scowled at Naruto. What did it matter if Naruto grew, he didn't have a sister to protect, a clan to avenge, a monster to put down. Sasuke looked away from the beaming blonde as he spoke to Kakashi— “So you noticed Kakashi-sensei?” —only to turn when their clients grandson spoke from the doorway.

“Who cares if he’s grown. Gato and his men are just going to kill him!”

“Inari!” The boy's mom, their client's daughter snapped as she appeared behind them, “You can't just say that! It’s rude!”

“It's fine Tsunami, I’m rude to them all the time,” their client waved. Sasuke felt his brow twitch.

“Say that again brat!” Naruto got to his feet, finger pointed at the grandson of their client, “Do you know what a super ninja is! It’s me! I’m going to be Hokage so this Gato-guy, whoever he is, is no match for a hero like me, got it!”

The kid scoffed. Sasuke’s brows raised as the young boy looked Naruto straight to the face and sneered at him, “There’s no such thing as heroes. You’re just full of stupid ideas.”

“I swear to—” Sakura caught Naruto around the shoulders before he could take another step towards the boy.

“—Naruto, what have we said about hitting the client!” Sakura snapped.  

“He’s a brat!”

The boy's head tilted forward, the brim of his fisherman's hat casted a shadow over the top of his face. “If you want to stay alive you should go back to where you all came from.” The boy then took a step back from his mother and went around her.

“Inari, wait, where are you going?” Their client asked.

“To look out at the ocean, I want to be alone.” And then he was gone. Sakura let Naruto go and their client sighed.

“I’m sorry about that, I swear my grandson is a sweet boy.” Sasuke let out a doubtful hum.

“Tsunami-san,” Kakashi called out, “Would you happen to have crutches?” The sad looking woman snapped out of whatever thought she’d been having— she’d been looking in the direction her son had disappeared off to —and to Kakashi.

“I think so, I’ll go see and get you them.” And then she too was off. 

0.0.0.0

Uchiha Tohiko sat in class, next to Ino’s cousin Inogami. The blonde would look over at her wearily and then down at the seal she was tracing every so often. After her fight with Yagami Giriko, Inogami had seemingly come up with a rule for their shared desk space, the rule being: no explosives.

Toshiko had thought it a boring rule mostly because she knew she wouldn't blow them and the academy up but Inogami had always been nice and he was Ino’s cousin so she had taken to practicing her sealing seals instead. Sealing seals were used to store food, weapons and in horrible events, bodies.

“Do you ever pay attention?" Inogami whispered.

“Why would I?” Toshiko blinked owlishly, pulling her gaze from her seal-ridden notebook to her seat partner. “I already know this.”

“Usually people who already know what's being taught sleep.”

“But I’m not sleepy.” 

“I didn’t think that mattered to the Nara,” Inogami smirked. His eyes sparkled the way Ino’s did right before she caused trouble. “Pretty sure I saw my dads friend wake up from an afternoon nap, saw how late it was and went right back to sleep for the night.”

Toshiko blinked. 

“I’m not a Nara, Shika’s parents didn't adopt me.” She really didn't understand where people in the village were getting the idea that she was Nara Toshiko, and not Uchiha Toshiko. Sure she spent a lot of time— especially before Kakashi-sensei took guardianship over her —on the Nara’s land, and sure at time she would steal and undershirt or two that Shikamaru had outgrown— that perhaps would have the Nara Clan symbol somewhere on it —but she still wore the Uchiha crest proudly on her back.

Inogami blinked back at her.

“You cannot be a genius.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Yamanaka-kun, Uchiha-chan,” Daikoku-sensei called out without pulling his eyes from the page he’d been reading aloud to the class, “Do either of you have something to share with the class?” 

Both children blinked at their instructor.

“No sensei,” they chorused. Toshiko felt the apples of her cheek pinken, Inogami slumped back in his seat. 

“Thought so, please pay attention. Any more interruptions and you two can stay behind to clean.”

“Yes sir.” Toshiko found herself back in her notebook, burning the seal for storage into her mind so that she could picture it with her eyes closed. She did not mentally repeat the name Nara Toshiko to herself, because she was Uchiha Toshiko, proud of her clan and her parentage.

Even if Nara Toshiko made her smile because she loved her best friend and his family and clan, as if they were an extension of her own. 

0.0.0.0

The four of them— Team Seven, Kakashi on crutches —stood in the wooded area just outside the clients home. Sasuke could hear the sound of the ocean waves kissing the shoreline if she strained his ears. Kakashi had brushed off all his questions about his sharingan, promising answers after training. And though all Sasuke wanted to do was hide the man's crutches until he got his answers— who had loved Hatake Kakashi enough to give him his eye —Sasuke knew Zabuza was out there, waiting to attack and while the answers would still be there, the time before their confrontation with the rouge shinobi would not be.

Just like back in the village Sasuke was living his life on the edge of the execution blade. If it wants Itachi it wasn't someone else. 

“So as I’m sure you all know that every type of jutsu requires different types and amounts of chakra. Up until now you three have more or less just been guessing at those proportions.”

“Okay,” Naruto said, “So what? Why’s it matter how much cattra we use?”

“Chakra,” Sasuke sniped.

“Who cares! Chakra, cattra, it’s all the same thing,” Naruto rebuked with a handwave Sasuke nearly smacked down. Sasuke glared at the blonde as he looked back at Kakashi. “I mean, if we use too much isn’t that whatever Kakashi-sensei, it would just make our jutsu’s more powerful wouldn't it?”

“No Naruto, that's not how  it works,” Kakashi sounded almost tired. “If you can't balance your chakra your jutsu won't work, or it’ll be a joke. Even if you put too much in you won't reap what you sow.”

“Sensei I cant sow,” Naruto said seriously and for a second Sasuke thought the man was going to throw his crutch at Naruto. He didn’t.

“I didn't mean literally, it’s a phrase of speech Naruto. Look you three, by just burning through your chakra you risk ending up like me after my fight with Zabuza, or worse.” Sasuke had heard of people dying from chakra exhaustion, usually incredibly old shinobi taking one last stand or extremely young children left unsupervised for too long. 

“Then what do we do?” Sakura asked, “The academy text books say you can't really expand your chakra reserves, what you're born with is what you have, that's why slime people become ninja and some people don't."

“And they’re right Sakura, you can’t expand your reserves but you can train so hard at controlling your chakra you never waste any of it and it becomes as natural to you as breathing.”

“And—” Sakura swallowed, “—What do we do to do that?”

Kakashi chuckled, “Climb a tree.”

“A tree?”

“Yes but one rule before you three start,” Kakashi held his hands up, tucking the crutches under his arms, “You can't use your hands.”

“What?” Naruto’s head fell to its side as he looked at Kakashi like he had been told a bad jokes even worse punchline.

“Just watch,” Kakashi said. His one uncovered eye closed as he breathed and to Team Seven's suprise— to Sasuke's —the jonin walked up a tree’s trunk just as easily as he had walked over to it.  Sasuke felt the air leave his lunches when Kakashi walked on the underside of the tree's lowest branch.

“Now do you all understand?” Wordlessly Sasuke and his teammates nodded. “To do this you need to focus your chakra at the bottom of your feet when connecting to the tree.”

“And how is this supposed to help us survive Zabuza sensei?” Sakura demanded loudly, her hands on her hips.

“It’s the only way Sakura,” Kakashi responded, still upside down. “First you learn how to draw a precise amount of chakra to a precise point in your body. The bottom of the feet are the most difficult part of the body to do this for so much so most shinobi struggle with this meaning if you can master this, you can master any jutsu.” Kakashi then paused before adding on, “Theoretically speaking.”

“And then second?” Sasuke called out as he breathed.

“Secondly is learning how to maintain your chakra and not blow it all. When a ninja is focused in battle they’re focused on the enemy ahead of them and not on maintaining their chakra levels, a deadly mistake so to avoid this maintaining your chakra must become second nature.”

Kakashi then threw three kuani from his pocket to Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto’s feet. 

“I could talk theory with you three all day but that won't help any of you advance, use these and mark the highest point you can climb without using  your hands. Then get past that mark the next time and the next time get past that mark-and you three get the idea.”  Sasuke and the others, holding Kakashi’s kuani's, all nodded. “At first you’ll need to run at the tree and use your momentum to propel you forward. Once you get used to moving the chakra through your body and to your feet you’ll be able to walk, same as I did.”

“I’m so ready sensei!” Naruto cheered, "Believe it! Remember what you said, I’ve grown the most!” Sasuke almost twitched.

Kakashi muttered something, what Sasuke couldn’t hear. Kakashi sighed, “Look, just focus and do it, okay?” 

Sasuke closed his eyes, he focused on his chakra. Growing up Sasuke’s father had explained chakra as two distinct energies. Shintai enerugī— physical energy —is supposedly the energy collected from one’s body. A ninja’s first weapon before any jutsu or sword is their body. Seishin enerugī— spiritual energy —is derived from the mind, which is also part of the body is different.

The way his father had once put it was, you can eat well and sleep well and train your body to take care of what you can see, to take care of the unseen you studied, meditated and lived life and gathered experiences. 

His mother— Uchiha Mikoto —had liked to joke that Sasuke was the shintai enerugī, with his need to train almost daily, Toshiko was the seishin enerugī because she always had her head in a book she probably should be reading at her age and level, and Itachi— the son that had cut her down where she knelt —was the mix between them. 

Sasuke had to get stronger. He had to stop Zabuza— not because there was some noble intention because he had to live another day to get home to Toshiko— because he  had to stop Itachi.

Sasuke’s eyes opened and he ran at the tree he had been facing. He had only made it three steps up its side before the bark gave way under his feet— under the amount of chakra pulsing through the bottom of his foot —and he was thrown back onto the ground.

Naruto fell back, flat against the grassy ground. The blonde held his head as Sasuke eyed the impression in the bark. 

This, Sasuke thought, Is harder than it looks. The balance has to be perfect. If the chakra is too strong then it smashes the tree and if its too weak you go sliding off like Naruto. 

“Hey this is fun!” Sasuke’s head swiveled right and up; Sakura, sat on the lowest hanging branch of the tree she had picked to practice on, though that didn't mean much as the tree's lowest hanging branch was nearly thirty feet in the air. 

Sasuke felt his face slack in shock. Sakura, who had come from a  civilian family, who didn’t have a metaphorical blade to the neck of the person she loved most in the world, had managed to climb the tree first. If he hadn't been so annoyed— so ashamed —he would have been impressed; because wasn’t that a feat, Sakura, who had come from a civilian family, who didn’t have a metaphorical blade to the neck of the person she loved most in the world, had managed to climb the tree first, before him, an Uchiha. 

“Well, looks like the female member of the squad has the most advanced chakra control,” Kakashi called out, still upside down on his branch. “Well done Sakura.”

“Way to go Sakura!” Naruto cheered, “I always knew you were awesome!” 

“Whatever,” Sasuke muttered, turning to face his tree. He had to do better, he had to be better. For his sister.

For himself. Because before Itachi went for Toshiko, Itachi would have to face Sasuke, cut him down. Kill him where he stood just like he had killed everyone else. 

Sasuke breathed as Kakashi instructed Sakura to start practicing just walking up the tree. He closed his eyes and focused on his chakra as Naruto, to his left, began to cheer himself on. And then, he ran. 

0.0.0.0

Kakashi-sensei and her brother and Naruto and Sakura were all due back within the day and yet because Team Eight had left the village on their very own C-rank Toshiko’s guardianship passed to Lord Third's son, Shikamaru’s jonin-sensei Asuma. Apparently it didn't matter that Team Seven was due back sooner rather than later, she could not be left unsupervised, so before leaving to the Land of Tea, Kurenai-sensei had handed Toshiko over to the burley jonin.

Kurenai-sensei had said that there was no one more in the world she trusted than Asuma and that while she and Team Eight were away— and at least until Kakashi-sensei came back —Toshiko’s training was to focus on creating genjutsu so immersive that the person it was placed under didn't even realize the reality around them was fake.

So Toshiko practiced on Shikamaru mostly because Shikamaru wanted to; he had told her he wanted to basically become immune to genjutsu and if anyone would help him build up his tolerance it was an Uchiha. 

While Choji worked on weight lifting under Asuma-sensei’s watchful eye— Choji had a habit of taking on more than he could chew in more than just the literal sense —all while Ino practiced her clan's mind-body switching technique on moving targets. Asuma-sensei had managed to procure a ninkin from the Inzukua clan and several frogs from a local pond. 

Toshiko closed her eyes, focused her chakra in both her eyes and her chest.

Kurenai-sensei had said that being an Uchiha with sharingan already put her ahead of most genin level shinobi when it came to genjutsu but by only casting her illusions with her sharingan she was limiting herself. 

She weaved several hand signs and imagined the world melting around her and Shikamaru. 

0.0.0.0

Sasuke was exhausted. Naruto fell from his tree again, hard enough about the ground that the blonde was left with a visible goose egg atop his head.

They had been practicing for hours and while Sakura had managed to master her control in that time— she had walked the length of several trees over the past few hours —Sasuke had barely made it half way up to his tree’s lowest branch.

Sasuke watched, as he caught his breath, Naruto practically crawl over to Sakura. He didn’t need to hear the blonde, the look of surprise overtaking Sakura's face told Sasuke well enough that Naruto was asking her for help. Sasuke’s heart leapt in his chest, he could ask for help.

He wouldn’t. He was an Uchiha, his mothers son, Uchiha Madara’s descendant. He shouldn't have to ask Sakura for help. 

Part of Sasuke knew that if his family was alive that he would already know this. That if Itachi hadn’t murdered them all he would've already taught Sasuke how to tree walk, or if he didn’t Shisui would have or one of his parents or someone. 

Sasuke felt his heart twist at what should be at his disposal. 

It wasn’t fair but that was life. If his father had taught him anything before he’d been murdered it was that life— especially a shinobi’s life —was not fair. They played the cards they were dealt, held their head up with pride no matter what, and soldered on.

So Sasuke ran again, and again. As the early afternoon passed by them, and Sakura left to guard their client at the bridge, and Kakashi went to rest some more and the day turned to dusk, Sasuke continued to run. 

As Naruto screamed in frustration he ran. He was climbing the tree with every run at it but he had not managed to get all the way up, the way Sakuura had. And to Sasuke, to make matters worse, just as he managed to inch his way up the tree every time he ran at it, so did Naruto.

Damn it, Sasuke thought as the tree bark broke once more under his foot, pushing him off, He’s catching up to me!

Sasuke hit the ground just as Naruto had started to even out his breathing. Life wasn’t fair, his clan was dead and his parents gone. He was what stood between Itachi and Toshiko; nothing stood between him and his brother except their immense divide in power.

Sasuke bit his tongue nearly hard enough to bleed as he sucked in a deep breath. 

A ninja’s life was never easy, it was never fair. They did what they had to, especially to get missions done. That was a rule every shinobi lived by and the only mission Sasuke cared about— who cared about a bridge builder, or a lost cat or the other dinky D-rank missions they’d taken on —was avenging his clan, stopping his brother. 

“Naruto,” Sasuke called out. The blonde tripped over his own feet.

“What the hell Sasuke!” Naruto snapped from the ground, “I was trying to focus my chakra and you totally interrupted me!” 

“Well, you know, the thing is—” Sasuke cut himself off, embarrassed he was asking the village idiot— his teammate, someone his sister considered a friend, someone Sasuke didn't exactly hate —for advice. 

“The thing is what?” Sasuke felt his brow twitch.

“Well you know you asked Sakura for advice when she was here?” Sasuke felt his cheeks heat up. “What did she tell you?” 

A stupid grin grew across Naruto’s face and the blonde let out a stupid chuckle and the urge to smother Naruto to death overwhelmed it so much so, for a second Sasuke was seven again. It’d been years since he felt the kind of rage only older siblings felt when they were being annoyed by their younger siblings course through him.

“I’m not telling you,” Naruto replied.

Naruto wasn’t even his friend, very much his brother; usually the only time he came close to feeling this type of rage was when Nara Shikamaru spoke of one day marrying his sister and yet here he was, ready to throttle the blonde with his bare hands.

“I hate you.” Naruto just smiled and the sun sank behind the trees just a little bit more.

0.0.0.0

Toshiko sat alone in Lord Naka’s shrine. Asuma and Team Ten had tried to get her to go to dinner with them but as the hours ticked by and Team Seven was still not yet back in the village Toshiko found herself lighting incense and praying for her brother— and Team Sevens —safe return.

“Papa please,” she begged, “Please watch over Sasu-nii and the others and bring them home.” I can’t lose him too. 

Not now, not yet, not when she wasn't ready.

Because Toshiko knew she only had two choices in front of her. As much as she loved her village, as much as she wanted to grow old in her home in a way her parents had never gotten, Toshiko knew she wouldn't have that luxury. 

One day Itachi would come for her and to keep the people she loved most in the world— the remnants of Team Seven because when Itachi came Sasuke would be dead, the Nara, the Akimichi and the Yamanaka —she would have to leave the village one way or another— on her feet or by pyre —and she wasn't ready to do that, not yet. 

“Please mama,” she begged, “I just want a few more years.”

She would have to run or she would have to die. 

“Not a lot but a few, please. Please bring Sasu-nii home, please just give us more time.”

0.0.0.0

They were eating like pigs, Sasuke knew that. He knew that if his mother was watching over him she would be ashamed of his manners but he was famished so like Naruto, they ate more like wild animals than proper men and when dinner was done and nothing was left of the rice and vegetables, Sasuke leaned back in his seat nearly sick. 

As he closed his eyes Sasuke felt more like an Akimichi than a Uchiha. 

Sakura, who was sitting next to him leaned forward on her elbow as their client's daughter took away the dishes. 

“Excuse me?” she said, “Can I ask why that picture is torn?” She pointed to the only picture on the wall directly across from her and Sasuke, behind Naruto and Kakashi and the seat their client's daughter had been sitting in. 

The jovial air of the room seemed to die just as soon as the question left Sakura. The boy, their client's grandson’s head tipped forward, their client's shoulders dropped and his daughter seemed to still where she stood at the kitchen sink.

“It’s my husband,” the woman said solemnly, her back still to them. A weight settled in Sasuke's stomach. He felt his eyes drop from the picture to the table. He had several dozen torn pictures at home.

“They called him a hero,” their client said and as soon as the old man had spoken his grandson had thrown himself from the tabel— his chair tumbled to the ground —and ran from the room before his mother had even fully set down the dish she’d been mid-wash.

The woman paused at the kitchen door and turned to look at her father, “How many times do I have to say not to talk about him like that in front of Inari, you know how upset he gets!” 

And then like her son, she was gone. 

“I didn’t mean-Inari’s so—” Sakura stumbled.

“Is there a story?” Kakashi asked their team's client. The old man nodded.

“His name was Kaiza,” the man said heavily, “He wasn’t Inzari’s real father-that man died before Inari had been born but Kaiza, he came into our lives and he brought out a happiness in my daughter and grandson I could hardly ever remember seeing. Inari idolised him, back then you couldn't have found a happier boy.” There were tears in the man's eyes, a shakiness to his voice. 

Sasuke’s fist balled the fabric of his pants.

“And then it all changed.”

“You mean Gato?” Sasuke said. 

“Yes.” Their client nodded, the old man's tears hit the table. 

“Tell us,” Kakashi said, his voice kind.

“Kaiza was a good man, a brave man,” their client said, “He taught this island the meaning of the word courage. He was a hero to us. You see he came here three years ago, he was a fisherman who had come to this land looking for opportunity. The first time he met my grandson was when he saved Inari’s life. Bullies had pushed him into the ocean after stealing Inari’s pup, and Inari back then wasn’t yet confident enough to swim in water that deep. After that Inari set out looking for Kazia every day, hoping to join him about on his daily activities.” Their client smiled a wet, sad kind of smile. “He was Inari’s father before Tsunami and he married. He meant everything to Inari and then he became everything to this village when we needed him.”

“Oh?” Kakashi breathed. 

“A hurricane had blown through, not uncommon for our island but for the time of year. It had taken us all by surprise,” their client breathed, “Flood gates were open-at that time of year there was no point in closing them. But because they were open the lower district of our village was at risk of being washed away. A man from the village-a family friend, had come to collect Kaiza.”

“Why?” Naruto asked.

“We needed to close the flood gate, all the men in the village had shown up because that's the force it would take to close the gate amidst the rushing flood. Only it almost didn't get closed. With the gate being open that meant someone had to get a line out to it but to do that someone would have to brave the flood.”

“You mean swim in it?” Sakura gasped. Their client nodded. 

“Kaiza swam, he was the only man brave enough. He’s the reason half of our island’s village is even still standing.  He's the reason this land believed in heroes at one point.”

“So what happened?” Naruto asked quietly, far more quietly than Sasuke had ever heard the blonde be. 

“Gato showed up and took over. He and his men terrorized the village, and before long not even women and children were safe. Kaiza seemed to be the only one willing to face Gato head on but Gato, he couldn't have a local getting in his way.”

“Gato killed him?” Sakue could hear the tremor in his own voice. His throat tightened as their client nodded.

“It took all of Gato’s men but yes, they killed Kazia. They crucified him—” Sasuke felt his dinner make its way back up. The blood in the Uchiha district police station flashed across his mind. Itachi had done the same to Tekka, probably as revenge for trying to arrest him for Shisui’s murder. “—In the village square as a warning to us all. If they could do this to our island's hero then they could do this to any one of us.”

“I assume Inari saw?” Itachi had made him watch his clans murder hundreds of thousands of times over and over until Sasuke could just stand in a part of the district and close his eyes and see the bodies there. 

No matter how much Shikaku-sama helped Sasuke and Toshiko organize D-ranks over the years to clean the district, Sasuke could still see the puddle of blood. He could hear the screams howling through the district's alleyways every time the wind blew hard enough. 

Sasuke was sure Inari could see his fathers body all the same.

“We all did,” their client said, “Gato and his men seemed to have dragged everyone out of thor homes that day to watch as they ended Kaiza’s life. After that the way of life here changed. Inari changed the most.” Naruto stood at that only to collapse. 

“Naruto,” Sakura sighed, “What are you doing?”

“You should probably take the day from training tomorrow. You could really hurt yourself,” Kakashi said.

“No!” Naruto snapped, pushing himself up onto shaky hands, “I have to prove it!”

“Prove what?” Sakura asked. Naruto stood up on shaky legs that could barely hold up upright.

“Inari wrong,” Naruto said, “I have to prove that it’s true-that heroes are real!”

Sasuke couldn't help it, he smiled, though his smile was nowhere near as large as Sakura’s; she smiled proudly at Naruto. Their client leaned back in his chair, the kitchen lights glimmered off of his glasses.

“Very well then,” Kakashi said, Sasuke could hear his smile under his mask. “Off to bed, if you plan on training hard again tomorrow then you need a full night's rest.”

“Right!” And then Naruto fell again. Sakura didn't catch the blonde but she was the one to peel him off their clients kitchen floor. 

“For the Gods sake Naruto, could you be any heavier!” Sakura complained as she helped the blonde to his unsteady feet. Though she smiled as Naruto leaned on her.

“Sure, I can Sakura.” 

“Just come on,” Sakura grumbled as she dragged Naruto out of the kitchen, leaving Kakashi, Sasuke and their client.

“You should be off to bed too Sasuke,” Kakashi said. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and pinned the masked jonin with a defiant look.

“I want to know where you got your sharingan.”

“That’s a long story Sasuke, perhaps another day.”

“What?” Sasuke leaned forward. “No! Kakashi I’ve waited all week!” He needed to know who loved his smut reading sensei enough.

“And I get that but it’s a long story Sasuke and don't you think your sister ought to hear it too?” Kakashi wondered with a singular raised brow. Sasuke clenched his jaw hard enough it ached.

“I—fine but answer me this, what was their name?” Had Sasuke known them? Kakashi’s shoulders raised with a deep, deep breath of air.

“Obito, his name was Obito.” Sasuke had never heard of him and somehow— to Sasuke —that was worse. Another name, another clan member— another piece of his clan's history —erased by Itachi’s massacre. 

“Right,” Sasuke stood up. “Night.” 

Sasuke tried not to think about the bodies of his clan members, where they had aid before being collected for cremation. He tried not to think of death as his eyes closed and he slept between Kakashi’s empty mattress and Naruto’s.

He tried not to think of himself as a failure when he woke up sweaty and terrified later that night, surrounded by the sleeping team. 

Chapter Text

 Naruto Series: 
Part One: “Battle on the Bridge! Zabuza Returns!”

Nearly a week after Kakashi had woken up and with some progress in tree walking under his belt Kakashi’s tired looking pug-summons returned to their clients house. 

“Pakkun,” Kakashi had greeted as the summons took Naruto's seat at the table. The summons dropped a scroll on the table. “Report.”

“The chunin at the mission desk said if you can’t come to an agreement on the mission's new price they’re sending someone called Haru.” Kakashi made a sound of disgust before he could seemingly stop himself. He then blink at Sasuke and Sakura almost apologetically. 

“Haru-san is very paperwork oriented,” Kakashi explained, his voice tight and Sasuke narrowed his eyes in his jonin sensei’s direction. Pink had superseded the hem of Kakashi’s mask. “But, understood.” 

Apparently he and their client had worked out some kind of deal that worked on a payment plan that wouldn’t bankrupt the already poor island nation. Apparently the new deal relied heavily upon the bridge's completion.

Sasuke didn't really care for the details all he knew— and barely even cared about —was that Konoha, and Team Seven would be walking away from the mission not completely empty handed. 

“And my sister?” Sasuke asked as he turned from Kakashi to the jonins summons as he finished his plate. “Did you see her?” The pug-summons nodded.

“Yes, Toshi-hime was very accommodating.” Sasuke’s squinted eyes again, this time at the pug-summons as if to tell it to continue talking. No one called his sister that anymore and he doubted she would have ever introduced herself as Lady Toshiko. He wondered where he had gotten the idea to do so. “She gave me steak and a bed.”

“What bed?” Sasuke asked suspiciously. The pug-summons threw Sasuke a bewildered look. 

“How should I know?” Sasuke scowled dark in the summons direction, though not necessarily at the summons. He knew in his gut his sister had offered the summons to his bed despite the fact that since he was gone, Nara Shikamaru should be sleeping in it and not with her. Now he was going to have to kill Shikamaru and his sister; Shikamaru for being gross and Toshiko because she hated doing laundry and his bed would probably still smell like dog when he returned home.

“Whatever,” Sasuke grumbled as he picked at the last of his breakfast. His appetite suddenly gone. 

Bastard, Sasuke wanted to swear at the Nara heir. Ruining his breakfast from nearly two-thousand clicks from the village was impressive bastard behavior. 

“So,” their client said as Kakashi and his summons continued to speak, “It looks like Naruto was out all night again.”

“He’s gone completely crazy,” Sakura said, “He’s climbing trees in the dark!” She pressed her knuckles against her mouth as she yawned. “Between falling and breaking his neck, and using up all his chakra, he could be dead for all we know!”

After spending what was nearly two full weeks together Sasuke had learned that Sakura seemed to show how much she cared about Naruto by how much she lectured him. 

“Well I hope he’s okay, I mean a kid all alone in the woods by himself,” their client's daughter worried as she ate. 

“I wouldn't worry,” Kakashi said, “Naruto may be young and goofy at times but he’s still a full fledged ninja.”

“I don’t know, Sakura might be right,” Sasuke said flippantly and— mostly —not serious, “Naruto’s such a loser he’s probably lying out there dead somewhere.” Sasuke then got to his feet.

“Sasuke?” Sakura asked, Sasuke slipped his hands into his pockets.

Someone should make sure the idiot isn’t dead, Sasuke wanted to say but he could practically see Kakashi teasing him for caring about Naruto and his wellbeing so, instead he said, “I’m going for a walk,” and shrugged off Sakura’s concern as he left. 

In the weeks they'd spent together Sasuke had learned unlike when it came to Naruto, Sakura didn’t lecture him to show how much she cared she was softer with him and Sasuke didn’t know how he felt about that. 

He didn’t need anyone taking care of him

As he leapt down the stairs of their clients house several at a time, and the morning clouds moved and opened up to let the sun shine through, Sasuke wondered what life would be if his clan hadn’t been slaughtered. 

He would know more, that Sasuke was certain of. Between Itachi, Shisui and his parents Sasuke’s clan dated back centuries. The ancient looking scrolls Toshiko kept around the house to read in her spare time proved that if they had a guiding hand then he wouldn’t still be running up a tree.

Sasuke entered the wood, and thought that his father would probably kill Nara Shikamaru for sleeping in the same bed as Toshi, even if it was innocent. Firstly because— as bitter as he had been about it when they were younger — Toshiko had their father wrapped around her finger. TAnd secondly because Toshiko had already been promised. Sure it had been to Shisui but a betrothal was a betrothal all the same, even if it was to Shisui. 

Their mother would probably encourage it; Nara Shikamaru and Toshiko’s budding romance that is. Yamanaka Ino may have encouraged Toshiko’s love for cheesy romance novels that were only a few rungs down from the soft-core porn Kakashi openly read, but Toshiko's love for those romances had started because of their mother. After her death Sasuke and Toshiko had found that their mother had an entire bookshelf filled with badly written romance novels. 

Shikaku-sama had taken the raunchy R-rated stuff before either Toshiko or Ino could get their hands on it, thankfully. Sasuke assumed the man had burned the affronts to literature. 

Sasuke saw a young woman— probably one of their clients' neighbors —in a pink, sleeveless kimono before he saw Naruto. The blonde was on the ground with his arms crossed muttering about “Weird things”; he didn't even look up as Sasuke approached him. 

Sasuke’s closed fist found its way to the top of Naruto’s head. 

“Hey what the hell!” The blonde cradled his head.

“Dont what the hell me you twerp,” Sasuke sassed, arms crossed over his chest. “Did you just forget about breakfast, loser?” 

Naruto laughed, “My bad!”

“Yeah well are you going to eat?”

“No way!” Naruto got to his feet, hands on his hips, “I’m so close to making it to the top-just watch Sasuke, I’ll be surpassing you by lunch!”

“Like hell!” Sasuke felt his eyes narrow.

“I’ll race you!”

“You’re on Naruto!” And then they were off. Sasuke was running at the tree had picked to practice on nearly a full week ago and Naruto, at the tree he had practically tied himself to.

0.0.0.0

Team Ten had finally been given their first C-rank mission. Thankfully though they had gotten the mission— a simple mission to pick a scroll from a village on the Land of Fires Boarder —just as Team Eight had come back from theirs. 

Toshiko sat with Kurenai-sensei and her team on her lunch break as Kiba regaled her with the mission debrief. Their mission had been a lot like what her brothers was supposed to have been; a simple bodyguarding and much unlike her brothers— according to Kakashi-sensei cute ninja summons Pakkun —nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

No rouge ninja, no evil incorporations, apparently the only thing that had happened were highway men. But with Shino cutting in every time Kiba exaggerated— lied —on what had happened Toshiko couldn't quite tell if ten highway men had appeared looking for Team Eights clients or a thousand. 

Toshiko, as the two boys squabbled, leaned over to the Hyuga Heiress.

“Is the Land of Tea nice?”

“Oh yeah, very. I brought my little sister home some pressed flowers that grow only in the Land of Tea. She didn't really care for it so if you want, you can have them instead,” the Hyugga heiress offered. “I mean if you don't that's okay, I just-I’ll probably throw them out if you say no. Not!” Hinata squeaked, her face flushed pink, “That I’m trying to pass trash onto you—”

Toshiko felt her eyes widen.

“—Really?” She leaned forward, cutting Hinata off. The older girl's quick breaths of air hit Toshiko in the face. “Are you sure?” Toshiko wondered what the flowers might look like, if they could be regrown and made into teas. 

Sakura’s birthday had come and passed but if the flowers could be grown exotic teas would make for a wonderful present.  Toshiko didn't have a green thumb whatsoever but she figured she could ask Shikamaru’s mother Yoshino to help. Or Sasuke, he was the only reason they had a garden. Perhaps it could be a joint gift from the two of them-three if they put Hinata’s name on it as she was the one who sourced the flowers. 

“Yeah.” 

“I do, I do, I do! Thank you!” Toshiko threw her arms around Hinata and giggled at Hyuga Hinata’s embarrassed squeak. 

0.0.0.0

“Naruto!” Sakura’s voice cut through the trees. “Naruto!” Sasuke from the highest point of his tree’s trunk, looked down at the pink haired genin and his sensei as the girl's shoulder slumped forward. “Knowing Naruto he can be anywhere-and Sasuke, he isn’t back either. I hope they're okay.”

Sasuke watched a kuani be thrown at Sakura’s feet. 

“What do you guys think?” Naruto called out from his branch, “High enough for you guys? I mean it’s a long way down, huh?”

Sasuke began to move as Naruto did, leaping from his tree to Naruto’s and using the chakra in the balls of his feet to stick to the bark just as the blonde started to fall. Sakura screamed— Sasuke could never not hear his clans screams, his aunties and cousins and everyone of their terrified shrieks —and Sasuke’s eyes widened only to breathe slightly easier when Naruto caught himself by sticking to the branch’s underside.

“Wow you guys really fell for it!” Naruto laughed, “I can't believe you!”

He’s an idiot, Sasuke thought as he moved towards Naruto, wondering how much trouble he'd get in with Kakashi if he just pushed Naruto off the branch. He’s going to get himself killed. Either by being an idiot or pushing Sasuke far enough that he pushed Naruto. 

“Because we were worried about you Naruto!” Naruto let out a loudly, heart, belly laugh right before his feet visibly became unstuck to the underside of his tree’s branch.

“Oh fuck,” Sasuke heard Kakashi swear loudly.

Sasuke ran forward and modeled the chakra in his feet to allow him to glide over and then under the branch Naruto had been on so that he could— just barely —catch the blonde.

“You are a total loser Naruto,” Sasuke snapped.

“Sasuke-come on!” 

“Way to go Sasuke!” Sakura cheered as the Uchiha continued to hold Naruto midair. 

“Come on what Naruto?” Sasuke asked, “Let you go?”

“No! NoNoNo!” The blonde babbled as he curled himself upwards and grabbed hold of Sasuke’s wrist. “Don’t you dare, Sasuke!”

“I don't know Naruto, most people who don't want to be dropped on their head say please,” Sasuke laughed, smiling. It wasn't a toothy grin or a bright, unbridled smile but it was enough for the blonde to match with a giggle.

“Drop me on my head then!”

“Sasuke!” Kakashi called out, already sounding tired, “Please don’t.”

Sasuke let out an overdramatic huff of air, “Fine,” he said with a sarcastic eye roll as he grabbed hold of Naruto's other hand. Once they were both seated on the branch Naruto had nearly fallen from, the blonde threw Sasuke a— soft, hesitant —look.

“Thanks,” Naruto muttered, the tips of his ears matched the color of the candy apples vendors sold at festivals.

“No problem,” Sasuke shrugged, smirking as he got to his feet, “Twerp.” 

“Sasuke!” Naruto snapped, too slow to catch the Uchiha before he had leapt to another branch, “I’m going to kill you!”

“Before or after you fall again, Naruto?” The blonde let out a strangled growled sound. 

0.0.0.0

It was late, the sun was setting and Toshiko sat on the front porch of her childhood home alone. After classes had let out and training had been called for the night, Kurenai had taken Toshiko out to dinner. They had talked theory on genjutsu, and what Toshiko should work on to make her illusions completely inseparable from reality and then when dinner was done and the tab had been paid— Kurenai-sensei’s treat —Toshiko had walked herself home.

Alone.

She could have gone to the Nara compound, even with Shikamaru out of the village she knew she could have gone there, she’d be around his parents, his uncle, the deer. The Nara had become like a second family to her over the years. Toshiko knew if she had gone to them then she wouldn't be seconds away from tears on her front porch steps because she’d be around people she loved, focused on them; and yet the minute Kurenai-sensei had let her go, her feet had taken her home to an empty house on an empty street, in an empty district.

Because she knew that that was where she belonged. Sure it wasn’t the mountains where Lord Naka had given the Uchiha the sharingan. Maybe it wasn’t the land her clan had settled on during the Warring Period or even the first house her line had lived in after the village foundation. 

But those didn't exist anymore.  The land in the mountains had been lost to time, what had been the start of the Uchiha had been left behind what was probably now, eons ago. Toshiko wouldn't know where to find where it all started if she wanted to.

The land the Uchiha had settled on originally once coming to the Land of Fire centuries ago had been burnt. Maybe a shell of a building still stood but Toshiko had been told as a show of good faith in starting the village that both the Senju and the Uchiha had destroyed their ancestral homesteads. Toshiko’s mother had explained it as a way to show the other side that they were all in on the concept of the village. 

And the homes where they had first settled in Konoha had been destroyed during the Kyuubi attack twelve years before; it was why there was an Uchiha Clan district at all. Before the attack, her clan had lived scattered across the village. Her father said that so many homes had been destroyed and in a time of fear it had just made sense to join together. 

They were a clan— a family —after all. 

The only Uchiha left in the village— one of the only three left in the world —closed her eyes and held her breath, willing the unshead tears in her eyes to go away.

A crow’s caw echoed loudly from somewhere in the district as Toshiko bursted out into loud uninterrupted sobs.

She wanted her family back.

0.0.0.0

The moon had never seemed larger, even on the nights that Sasuke would climb up to his family home's rooftop with his sister, the moon wasn’t nearly as large as it seemed from atop the weakest branch of his practice tree. Naruto clung to the top of his tree panting. 

“We should go back,” Sasuke said.

“Alright,” Naruto grinned. Sasuke couldn't help but compare but Naruto smiled the way his sister did. Like he was bearing his teeth to the world, trying to make his face hurt from just how hard he was splitting it. Sasuke’s gut twisted; his sister only smiled like that because of Shisui. He had always smiled like he was trying to outshine the sun and Toshiko, she had picked up that from him.

Naruto collapsed on the ground when they reached it.

“Help,” Naruto whined, “I can't move.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me Naruto,” Sasuke sighed, though he smiled down at the ground as he stood over the blonde. He grabbed the blonde's orange jacket sleeve and pulled until Naruto was resting a majority of his weight against him. 

Naruto snickered as they walked. 

“What?”

“Nothing, I’m just thinking,” Naruto said.

“You do that?” Sasuke asked as they hobbled past the forest's treeline and in the direction of their clients home Sasuke didn't need to turn his head in the slightest to know Naruto was glaring at him.  

“I hate you,” Naruto grumbled. Sasuke could hear the blonde's poorly concealed laughter as they worked together to climb the stairs that lead up to their client's house. 

“I hate you too,” Sasuke said without any real heat or malice in his voice. Six months ago he probably would have meant those words. Hell before the mission to the Land of Waves Sasuke regularly found himself considering killing the blonde if it meant less trouble but since they had managed to work together and fight Zabuza Sasuke had felt something shift between them and real comradery started to grow.

Sasuke pushed open their client's kitchen door.

“Where have you two been?” Sakura asked, smiling softly at the two of them. If Naruto grinned, smiled like he was trying to overtake the sun, Sakura’s smile tended to be more like the moons. Soft and glowing and always right there. Sasuke’s own smirk— a shadow of a smile —grew.

“We made it, we climbed all the way to the top,” Naruto announced as the door shut behind them. 

“Good job,” Kakashi congratulated. “But now we move on.”

“Oh?”

“Starting tomorrow you two will join Sakura in bodyguarding Tazuna.” Sasuke’s smirk grew into a smile as Narut nodded next to him enthusiastically so much so that the blonde ended up knocking both himself and Sasuke over.

“You are such a loser Naruto!” Sasuke snapped as their client's family, Kakashi and Sakura all erupted into laughter. Sasuke groaned as Sakura stood up and grabbed both his and Naruto's arms, helping them to their feet. She sat Sasuke next to their clients grandson and herself while Naruto sat across from them, between Kakashi and their client's daughter. 

“Alright, dig in everyone!” Their client's daughter cheered, motioning to the vegetables and rice on the table Sasuke didn't hesitate before going straight to the green beans. 

 “So Sasuke,” Kakashi asked, "Since you’ll be going down to the village with Tazuna tomorrow, do you think you’ll get Toshi-chan a souvenir?” 

“Who’s Toshi?” Their client's daughter asked, “Your girlfriend?”

Sasuke couldn't help but pull a face at the thought. Though it seemed his teammates couldn't help but snicker, “My sister.”

“Is she a loy younger than you?”

“Two years,” Sasuke shrugged. When they had been younger that gap between them had felt more like two hundred years rather than just two. Now though, after everything, it didn’t seem as grand a gap. 

“That was her, wasn’t it?” Their client asked, “That little girl, when I met you all in your village?”

Sasuke nodded.

“She seemed sweet.”

“She is,” Team Seven said in unison. The four of them smiled at each other. Sasuke set his chopsticks down against his plate. 

“I know Sakura’s told us a bit about your village from her trips in but would there happen to be a bookstore?” Sakura had told him and Naruto all about the homeless, starving children. The boarded up shops and the ones still open but with barely anything on its shelves. 

“No,” Tazuna shook his head, “But there’s a friend of mine, collects for a living-may the gods never set the matchbox he lives in aflame," Tazuna said, “I can take you there after the work day. I assume you would like to get your sister a book?”

Sasuke nodded, “She likes reading.” Sasuke was pretty sure his earliest memories of his sister included a book in her hand, or at least if not in hand, at least in reach.

“I’m sure Zei will have something for her. You too probably,” their client motioned to Naruto.

“Me?” Naruto blinked. Their client nodded.

“You don’t think that book I gave you is the only one the Uzumaki’s now, do you?” 

“Really!” Naruto practically stood in his seat as their client nodded.

“We don't have much here, at least until the bridge is finished, to which I have you all to thank for that. So if I can ‘ply you with books, I’m happy too,” their client said. “Ive been meaning to ask though and I haven’t really had the chance until now,” Their client turned to Kakashi, “Why did you all stay and protect me even after you all found out I lied to bring you all here?”

Kakashi looked from their client to Sasuke.

“Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage but under the wing of a strong leader cowardice cannot survive.” Sasuke felt the smile he’d been growing for the better half of the day die on his lips. “That was a quote from the First Hokage,” Kakashi said and Sasuke leaned back in his seat. The Shodai Hokage had said that after Uchiha Madara had left the village, after he had tried to attack the Hokage.

Sasuke knew what people— shallow, close minded people his father had always said not to pay any mind to —had thought of his clan even before their deaths based solely on the actions of Uchiha Madara.

Sasuke didn't jump when his clients grandson's hand came down on the table wet and coerced in his tears. 

“Inari—”

“—It’s stupid grandpa!” The boy got to his feet, “All this training, it's all just a waste of time! Gato’s got an army, they’ll beat them down and destroy them!” He threw his tiny arms out and motioned to Sasuke and his teammates. Somehow Sasuke ended up catching the boy's eyes, facing him. “These cool things you say, they mean nothing because no matter what you do, the strong always win, the weak always lose!” 

Sasuke looked away from the boy, his brothers face flashing to the forefront of his mind. 

“Itachi, why would you do this?”

His ears were ringing with the screams of their clansmen, Itachi hadn’t just shown him their deaths but had forced him to live it. His brother, his hero, the person he loved most in the world had done all of that; had killed everyone they knew and loved.

And he had their sister. Toshiko was forced to move with Itachi as he moved from their parents, pulling her by her hair. Sasuke had never felt the urge to protect Toshiko before; she was smart and there was a long line of people ready to step in before him. He had never wanted to before but as Itachi dragged her forward all Sasuke wanted to do was make sure she— the only person in the whole word he had left —was okay.

“To test the limit of my ability,” Itachi said simply.

“Just speak for yourself,” Naruto grumbled with a sniff, “It won't be like that for me, you got that?” 

“Shut up! Looking at you makes me sick! You don't know anything about this country, you’re all just butting in!” The boy snapped at Naruto. “You don't know anything! What it's like to be treated worse than the dirt on someone's feet just because they have more money or power-you don't get it!”

“Give it a rest!” Naruto snapped, his chin on his forearms, “Quit whining like some sorry little victim we get it, you’re nothing but a coward!” 

“Don’t be an idiot brother, you’re not strong enough to defeat me, not yet-no right now you’re nothing.”

“What?”

“Right now you are nothing more than a wretched welp, still sniveling because I allow it, because you have a unique potential Sasuke, one no one else in this clan had.

“Naruto, he's just a kid!” Sakura snapped.

“Whatever,” Naruto muttered as he got to his feet. Their client's grandson, sobbing hard enough his shoulder shook, was out the door before Naruto had managed to fully storm off to their shared room.

The air in the kitchen was heavy.

“Sasuke,” Kakashi said, Sasuke blinked at his sensei. “You should go talk to Inari.”

“Me?” Kakashi nodded.

“I’ll talk to Naruto but I feel like if any of us should talk to Inari it’s you.” Sasuke heard it, Kakashi’s unsaid You know what he’s gone through. “Especially because out of us three—” Kakashi motioned to himself, Sasuke, and Sakura, “—You probably have the most experience with a crying child.” 

Fair enough, Sasuke supposed. Toshiko was a cry baby.

So he followed the path the young boy had run and saw the boy sitting on the edge of their client’s porch, his feet hanging off into the air and for a moment Sasuke saw his sister, up on their family roof, in the middle of the night, trying not to cry hard enough to wake him.

Wordlessly Sasuke sat down next to the boy and looked out at the uncompleted— nearly done though —bridge.

“What are you doing here!” The boy snapped. 

“Naruto’s an idiot,” Sasuke said. He breathed, he pursed his lips. “But he’s right.” It almost physically hurt to say; Sasuke would probably hurt the kid if he ever repeated it or claimed he'd said that Naruto was right. As far as Sasuke was concerned, once he walked away this had never happened.

“Yeah? So, are you just here to tell me I’m a coward too?”

“No,” Sasuke said, “Because you’re right as well. The strong crush the weak because they can, because the sky is blue, the wind pisses them off that day-because the weaker person can’t stop them. But that doesn't mean that weaker people can't become stronger.” Sasuke flexed his hands against the pants of his thighs.

“You’ll never be stronger than Gato.”

“Gato’s a man,” Sasuke snapped, “I’m a ninja.”

“You’re just a kid too. Gato will kill you.” The kid sounded so terrified Sasuke knew he was less worried about Gato and his men killing him, and more so about Gato killing him and his family— or worse; there were far worse things in life than death —just as they had done to his step-father. 

Sasuke sighed.

“I saw my clan murdered in front of me,” Sasuke said. The boy paused, “My mother, my father-nearly everyone I’ve ever loved I was made to watch them cut down before me. The man who did it, he’s out there, waiting. He says he’s going to come back one day for my sister if I’m not strong enough to stop him. Do you think I should cry and just let him take her when the time comes? If Gato and his men showed up for your mother, would you let them grab her?” Sasuke snapped at the boy.

He jumped. 

“I-I want to say no. My father would never.” But his father was dead, murdered in the streets. 

“Thats why Naruto called you a coward,” Sasuke said sharply, “And he's right, if you would let Gato and his men just take away what little else you have without so much as a fight you are a coward.”

It was quite for a moment, the only sound filling the night was that of the ocean hitting the sand.

“Are you going to fight-the man who killed your family, are you going to fight him?” The boy naked quietly.

“Yes.”

“What if he kills you?” The boy asked and Sasuke closed his eyes. He imagined death so often— saw it every time he closed his eyes —it wasn’t hard to picture him dead at Itachi’s feet, bloody and wrecked having given it his all. Sasuke imagined he would take an arm or a leg of Itachi’s to the grave with him at least.

An eye if the gods were even somewhat kind. They weren't and his sister wasn't lucky because if she was she wouldn't be his sister, she'd be happy and loved in another family without a care in the world. But she isn't, the gods are cruel. Though even in the event he dies— he won't, he can't — Sasuke can't picture failing his sister so thoroughly Itachi just walks away.

“Then I’m dead,” Sasuke said simply. Like he was telling the kid water was wet or the grass was green, like his death would just be another fact of life. 

“Doesn't that scare you?”

“The only thing that scares me is what happens after I die,” Sasuke said earnestly. If he died Itachi would steal Toshiko away, he would cut the Nara and whoever else stood in his way down and then he would ruin their sister in the hopes of starting the Uchiha Clan anew, in his image. 

“If you die will it be worth it? The training, the dreams? They’ll be for nothing.”

“No they won’t,” Sasuke said, “If I die I give my sister more time. My training, if I die, gives her a chance to live.” If he died Itachi would get her sooner or later, it wouldn’t matter. Sasuke’s only hope was that if he died— if he failed his clan; but he couldn't —Toshiko got more time and then when she had none, he hoped Toshiko would slit Itachi's throat in his sleep. 

“I don't know how not to be scared,” the boy said, tears welled back up in his eyes. “How do you do it?”

“I think of my father,” Sasuke said. “Of what he taught me before he was murdered. He’d be disgusted to have a coward for a son.” 

The boy nodded. Sasuke stood up, but the boy didn’t.

“I think I want to look out at the water some more," the boy said softly.

“Alright,” Sasuke shrugged. When he re-entered the bride's builder's house, only Sakura was left in the kitchen. A warm teapot sat in front of her on the otherwise clear table. Her usually bright green eyes were glossy. Sasuke hadn’t needed to ask if she’d heard everything that had been said between him and their client's grandson.  

“Kakashi-sensei is still talking to Naruto, I figured you’d want some tea while we waited for them to be done.”

Sasuke didn’t thank her, he just fell onto the stool across from her as she poured him a cup.

“Sasuke?”

“What?” He looked up from his steaming tea. The Land of Waves was poor and their tea sucked, old Man Shota who collected cats would have thought the drink was an affront to actual tea but it was what the people of the land had.

“I won’t let Itachi come near Toshiko any more than you would.” Sasuke pinned the pinkette with a severe look. “We talk when we run,” she said as if that was an explanation and in a way it was. “She’s scared.”

“Is that why you said she’s sad?”

“Sort of,” Sakura said softly, rubbing her cup. “Look she’s my friend and I don't want to betray her confidence but Sasuke, me, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, we wouldn't let anything happen to her anymore than we would let something happen to you.”

“I don't need someone taking care of me,” Sasuke hissed before he could stop himself. Sakura visibly flinched but she kept his gaze. With a nearly audible gulp Sakura stiffened her shoulders.

“We’re not-I mean I-do you remember what Kakashi-sensei said during the bell test?” Sakura stumbled, “Ninjas who abandon their friends are worse than scum. You’re our-I’d like to assume we’re, I mean—” Sakura cut herself off, squeezed her eyes tightly and blew a hot breath of hair out of her mouth as she wilted in her chair like a sunflower on a cloudy day.

“I get it,” Sasuke said.

“Do you?”

No. Not in the slightest but, lying, Sasuke nodded as he sipped his tea. Several silent moments later Kakashi walked back into the kitchen.

“How was your talk with Inari?”

“Fine. How’s the twerp?”

“Passed out. You two should head up to bed-is Inari in the house?” Kakashi asked. 

“Still outside Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura answered as she stood up. 

“Right I’ll stay up for him and I’ll take care of this—” Kakashi motioned to the tea and the cups. “—Just, good night.”

“Night,” Sasuke said as he got to his feet. He buried his hands in his pockets as he let Sakura lead the way to their shared room.  Naruto was already stretched out on his mattress snoring. 

Sasuke was quite to follow the blonde's suit; passing out starfished out on his mattress, still in his clothes from the day, only getting up to change into his pajamas when he awoke a handful of hours later with a scream— his sister's name, a plea for mercy —on the tip of his tongue. 

Chapter Text

Naruto Series:

Part Two: “Battle on the Bridge! Zabuza Returns!” & “Haku’s Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors” & 

“The Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja Joins the Fight!” & “Zero Visibility: The Sharingan Shatters” & “The Broken Seal”

ANBU’s Crow sometimes sat in Naka Shrine, burning incense he would pocket before leaving trying to feel the ghosts he knew were settled around him. His mask would remain on because that was all he had anymore, no home, no real identity outside the painted ceramic. 

Not even Lord Third— the only person in the whole world who knew him anymore —called him by his name. Crow had lost that too.

He had his memories though, after years of wading though his broken mind he had them back and on the nights he would allow himself to sit in the shrine, he would think back to them. At first it would be to what he could remember most clearly; the sound of laughter, the warm summer sun against his face and the feeling of his family around him. Then to what was fuzzy; his fathers voice, a girl— and old crushes —smile and what it felt like to be kissed by her. Nice and for some reason sad. And then try to bridge the gaps; what did his mother look like, his genin team, what his eyes looked like.

“Lord Naka,” Crow said, his voice graveled. He couldn't remember what it had sounded like before. “Please give me guidance. Give me strength.” Give me a few more fucking years.

The Gods had taken enough from him; Crow didn't have to remember everything to know that. The weight of resentment in his gut— he’d woken up shackled to the feeling; resentment in his gut, anger in his belly and sorrow in his heart —told him that well enough. 

“I just need to see them become strong enough to protect each other,” Crow said. He knew he was speaking to air, that if the gods were real they didn't care. “And if I can’t be please let me take that fucker with me.” 

Crow knew he wasn’t healthy by any means, he knew one day, sooner or later it would all catch up to him. Crow knew that the girl who had pulled him from the river— nursed him back to health —and saved his life would be surprised he had lasted so long.

Crow was surprised; breathing hurt. His body ached that made him want to cry several times a day. 

He didn’t want to die though. Not yet, not when he had a mystery to uncover and a name to cross out. Not when he had a Hime to see grow up.

0.0.0.0

“Okay,” Kakashi said to the daughter of Team Seven’s client, with his hands on his hips, “I leave Naruto in your hands. He’s pushed his body to the limit-as usual—” Kakashi bit fondly. Sasuke could hear the man's smile under his mask, “—So he may not be able to move at all today.”

Though the sun was yet to fully rise, Sasuke stood next to Sakura, behind their jonin-sensei and in front of their client, tired but refusing to show it. He’d been awake for hours; despite his aching body and despite the fact exhaustion nipped at his heels like a stray mutt in the street going after a bone,  Sasuke woke up far before the sun. 

He wished he could be like Naruto, still asleep— having worked himself to the point of unconscious —but he wasn’t. He hadn’t slept a full night in years. Toshiko did sometimes; Sasuke found that whenever his sister was curled up next to someone did she manage to sleep the night away.

He wasn't like that though. Despite being curled in the room with his team, Sasuke woke up before his team had even started to stir or the moon had even begun looking like it was starting to set.

Because he had been brought back to that night. He hadn't been there when it had happened— Toshiko had, Itachi had tucked her away to listen to his crimes, hoping to scare her still —but his brother, nonetheless, hadn't let that stop him. Itachi had shown Sasuke their family— their clan —being murdered hundreds of thousands of times. The way Itachi's blade cut through their parents would stay with him until he died, just like the way their clan screamed would stay with his sister.

“And what about you?” Their client's daughter fussed, “You’re still recovering yourself.”

“Why? Do I look wobbly?” Sasuke heard the rumblings of a chuckle come from Kakashi as he waved their client's daughter off. “I’ll be fine.”

“We should get going,” their client said, “I don’t want to lose too much light, we're almost done with it.”

“Right-Team Seven!” And so they turned, spinning on their heels, Saskue and Sakura moved so that they were in front of their client, boxing him in with Kakashi at the back. 

They’d only just left the wooden footpath that led to their clients home when Sakura turned to Sasuke and handed him a single raw tomato, half the size of her palm. 

“You didn't eat breakfast,” she said when their eyes met and hadn’t that been the truth. On top of not sleeping, Sasuke had missed breakfast because he had decided to— instead of eating and risk being reminded of the horror that woke him up —work right through it. 

“Thanks,” Sasuke said quietly as he took the tomato. He ignored the semi-horrofied look Sakura made when he bit into it like you would an apple. “Tomatoes are my favorite." he said quietly a moment later with half the tomato gone. 

“I know,” Sakura said flippantly. She then paused. “I mean—” she blushed a deep, deep red, as her hands reached up to grip at the ends of her hair, “—I assume so. You eat them a lot.”

“Yeah well I grow them,” Sasuke said simply.

“You do?” Sasuke nodded. He took another bite of the tomato.

“Dose your sister help or do you help her or is that just something you do?” Sakura wondered.

“Just something I do,” Sasuke muttered. He thought of his mother, of their time in their family garden together. Of her on the floor, bleeding out, at his brother's feet and his sword wet with her blood. “Toshi can’t garden for shit.”

Sometimes when he would hover in the door of his home's tea room he could still see where his parents' blood had puddled, even with the rug the Nara had put down. 

“Really?”

“It’s sad,” Sasuke said, nodding. Toshiko had tried gardening with him after everything and Sasuke had seen first handedly, his sister had done everything right and her plants still died. Like they’d done it on purpose, just to spite her. 

Sakura chuckled as Sasuke finished his tomato and threw its rind into the bushes. He could see the bridge when he was stuck with the sudden need to know.

“Sakura?”

“Y-eah?” Her voice cracked and her hands linked between her back.

“You said your fathers a merchant?”

“Oh,” she blinked, “Yeah.”

“What does he sell?”

“Silk and stuff like that, he works with a lot of testilists in or near the village, kind of like a middle man,” Sakura explained. 

“So your fathers a tradesman, eh?” Their client piped up, “I can see how he might have heard of Gato.” 

“What do you mean?” Sasuke asked. “What's a tradesman?” Obviously it was someone involved in trade, Sasuke could figure out that much; but Sasuke turned to Sakura with a blank look on his face so that she could explain.

“A tradesmen is someone who gathers people who make the goods-in my dad’s case its testilists , and offers to sell the goods for them, at a price, that way they don’t have to leave the village or their family behind to trade.”

“Oh. Okay.” And Sasuke turned away with a nod, only to freeze when they got to the bridge because several men in hardhats and toolbelts were laid out on the stone, bloody, groaning and barely alive. Some more than others.

The air was thick with something— chakra, dark, foreboding chakra —so much so the air laid heavy against Sasuke’s chest making it almost hard to breathe. But then maybe that was just him. Maybe he couldn't breathe because he was eight and standing in the alleyway with his sister behind him and a monster in front of him. 

“No!” Tazuna gasped, he stumbled forward and Sasuke went with him, “Etia!” He knelt by a small man with hollowed cheeks and calloused hands and a wound across his neck. The man was dead; there was so much blood underfoot. 

Fog began to roll in, thick and steady the way it had days ago.

The man— Etia’s —eyes were open, mouth locked. He hadn't had the chance to scream before he’d been murdered.

For a second Sasuke saw several faces overlaid with the man next to his client.

“Sasuke! Sakura, get ready!” It was Kakashi’s voice that had snapped Sasuke out of his spiral. Sasuke pulled his client away from the man's body and blocked him in between him, Sakura and Kakashi. 

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura said, her voice steady— Sasuke’s voice was stuck in his throat —as she called out to their sensei, “This is Zabuza, isn’t it? This mist?”

And instead of Kakashi answering, a chuckle broke out through the mist. Sasuke felt his pounding heart drop. “I see you still have those brats with you Kakashi.” Zabuza chuckled again. “I see that one is still trembling. Pitiful.” 

“Right now you are nothing more than a wretched welp, still sniveling because I allow it.”

Sasuke steadied his hand, though his eyes widened as several water clones surrounded them, not because of the fear coursing through him but because he could see it. They were clones. Sasuke couldn’t put his finger on it— he couldn't verbalize how he knew they were different —but from how the clones were centralizing their chakra in a way no real person could or did, Sasuke knew it.

The real Zabuza wasn’t one of the ones in front of them.

“Please,” Sasuke sneered at the clone, “I’m trembling with excitement.”

“Go on Sasuke,” Kakashi said, Sasuke could hear the pride in his sensei’s voice, he could practically feel the smirk under the man's mask as he leapt at the waterclone— meeting it head on with only a kunai and enough arrogance he was glad his sister wasn’t around to see —and tore through it and the other water clones surrounding them. 

“Ooh,” Zabuza’s voice rang out mockingly, he sounded closer. Sasuke’s head swiveled and saw him next to the ninja that had pulled him from their first fight. “You could see they were clones, look who's improving. I guess you have a rival Haku.”

The fake tracker ninja— Haku —had said something that had Zabuzua's shoulders rolling back but whatever he had said Sasuke had missed; the fake trackers voice being so low Sasuke hadn't been able to hear. 

“So I was right,” Kakashi said, “You were alive-it was all an act.”

“Phony!” Sakura spat, and if not for how serious the moment was— if not for the fact they were on the purpose of battle against a powerful rouge ninja and his comrade —Sasuke would've laughed at how offended his teammate sounded. 

“How long have you two been pulling this scam?” Kakashi asked.

“Not nearly as long as you think,” Zabuza responded, “Haku and I don't usually need to resort to it.” And Kakashi let out a prideful hum.

And then the battle began. 

Haku— the fake tracker, Zabuza’s comrad—didn’t shunshin, at least not the way Sasuke was used to seeing. Sasuke had grown up at the heels of Uchiha Shisui, a boy so fast that he was quicker than light and Haku, for as fast he spun— like a whirling tornado —was no Shisui.

Sasuke met Haku’s senbon with the side of his kunai and for a moment the world stood still; Sasuke’s lungs seized as Haku pushed against him and the balls of his feet dug into his sandals as he pushed back. 

Sasuke had imagined death so much he was sure that when it happened he would be ready for it; he woke up most nights thinking of dying. He knew if he were to die that it would be at the hands of Itachi. He knew that when he went out he’d take his brother with him.

Sasuke gritted his teeth; he would not die at the hands  of some masked bastard. 

As they pushed and pulled away from one another, and the sounds of their weapons hitting one another rang out Sasuke half heard Sakura to leave him to handle Zabuza’s comrade and instead focus on their client, the bridge builder while he took on Zabuza. 

“We want the bridge builder, not you,” Haku said. “If you back down I won't have to kill you.”

“Save it,” Sasuke spat. 

“I’m trying to spare you,” Haku’s voice sounded almost pleading. Sorry. “You won't be able to keep up with my speed, I’ve gained two key advantages.”

“Yeah?’ Sasuke scoffed, “And what are they?”

“The first is the water, you’re surrounded by it. And the second—” their weapons met in a stalemate, just pushing against one another, “—Ive blocked one of your hands, therefore you only have one free hand to defend yourself.” And then Haku did something that was so incredibly surprising Sasuke’s weapon almost faltered.

Haku begun forming hand signs for a jutsu with only one hand. 

“Secrete jutsu, one thousand needles of death.” The water around them swirled to life like a living whirlpool before expanding and forming into what Sasuke assumed were a thousand needles. 

Sasuke sucked a deep breath in. 

Remember the training. Focus your chakra, summon it and direct it to my feet, Sasuke told himself and as the needles Haku had formed from the water Haku had formed, flew at him, Sasuke jumped, higher than he ever had before. 

In the air Sasuke threw shuriken after shurkin at Haku, causing the masked shinobi to jumped back and back until Sasuke managed to shunsin behind him. 

“You’re not as fast as you think,” Sasuke snapped as Haku spun and met his kuani with a senbon. They pushed off against each other and Sasuke threw his right arm out as his kunai was thrown to his left. Haku met Sasuke’s forearm with a sound as the masked shinobi blocked it, only to let out a gasp as he was forced to duck when Sasuke threw his kuani at him.

Sasuke’s leg shot out, clipping Haku in the chin of his mask, sending him flying back.

“You were wrong about being quicker, now let's see what else you were wrong about?” Sasuke demanded as he brandished another kuani.

Haku got to his feet, though he stayed in a crouch. 

“Haku get on with it already,” Zabuza snapped. Zabuza’s masked comrade got to his feet and casper his hands together and Sasuke watched as Haku’s chakra began to become almost tangible; the Uchiha felt the air around him becoming icy against his skin as the temperatures dropped. 

“What the hell?” Sasuke breathed; the air had become so cold, so fast that Sasuke could see his breaths against the fog that engulfed the bridge. 

Ice rose from the water behind Sasuke and then around him. Sasuke watched as the ice flattened and turned into sheets. Before he knew it Sasuke was surrounded— encapsulated —by ice and for a moment the ice glowed bright. So brightly, for a single moment it cut through Zabuza’s fog. 

Uchiha Sasuke watched as Haku stepped closer, and then into the ice. 

Haku’s image showed on every flattened sheet of ice and Sasuke understood, “They’re mirrors." Not ice. “But how?” 

‘Now we can begin, and I can show you what speed really means.” 

Sasuke watched as all the Haku’s surrounding him pulled senbon; he felt the senbon hit him— cut through the fabric of his shirt and the skin of his shoulder —before he saw the next one coming. The third took him by surprise and before he knew it, his kunai had flown from his hands and he was forced to duck his head and protect his neck. 

Senbon weren’t usually deadly weapons but they could be, if they struck something vital enough. 

He couldn't die, not here, not now. 

Uchiha Sasuke imagined his death so much he could see it happening right before him. He knew it wouldn't happen on a poor island in a poor nation at the hands of some bastard who wouldn't even show his face. 

He just had to think. 

Sasuke felt blood running down his shoulders, blooming in his back and waterfalling down his thigh. He could smell it. 

“Sasuke! Catch!” And he saw— when he turned —Sakura in the air, throwing him a kunai. Sasuke moved, reaching to catch it only to freeze when Haku had left the icy mirror and snatched the weapon midair. 

Oh fuck, Sasuke thought only for his brows to raise when Haku— and all of Haku’s mirror images —was struck down by a shuriken that landed inches from Sasuke. Haku hit the bridge hard as a familiar puff of smoke— the feel of the smoke chakra sent a jolt through Sasuke; though that didn't mean Show Off and Idiot did not cross Sasuke’s mind —bloomed between them and where Kakashi and Zabuza were. 

The kuani Haku had caught, hit the bridge with him and slid into the dome with Sasuke.

“I am here!” Naruto sounded off as the smoke cleared. Naruto beamed, ‘And you’re history! Shadow clone—”

“—No!” Sasuke watched as Zabuza threw a barrage of shuriken at Naruto— “Naruto Move!” Kakashi shouted, Sasuke could hear their sensei’s panic, he could feel his own rising as he watched Naruto freeze —before the blonde could complete his jutsu only for Haku, their enemy, to throw several senbon at Zabuza’s weapons, stopping them. They clattered against the bridge. 

“Haku what the fuck are you doing?” Zabuza’s voice was sharp

“Damnit Naruto this is a battle not a talent show!” Kakashi lectured and Sasuke pressed his forehead against the bridge in their moment of reprieve; Haku seemed steadfast on keeping Naruto alive and Zabuza didn’t look like he was going to interrupt the silver haired jonin as he was trying to figure out what was going on with his own comrade. “Shinobi's art is deception, always keeping the enemy guessing. Even when executing a simple jutsu one must distract their opponents attention, catch them off balance and out maneuver them otherwise you turn yourself into a human target. Like when you enter a battle like you just did.” 

“I’m sorry Kakakashi-sensei I was just trying to rescue everyone!” Naruto said loudly.

“Haku!”

“Zabuza let me handle this boy my way.” Naruto flushed cheeks and apologetic look fell fast as he narrowed his eyes at their enemy.

“Bring it on!” Naruto declared, only for Zabuza to chuckle.

“You’re too soft Haku, as usual.” 

Soft? Sasuke wanted to laugh as he saw the masked shinobi’s shoulders fall under Zabuza’s words.

“I’m sorry,” Haku apologized.

He’s right, Sasuke thought as he got to his knees. The blood on him looked worse than what his wounds would actually suggest, because He didn’t hit a vital spot. 

But why? Why toy with him.

“Itachi, why would you do this?”

“To test the limit of my ability,” Itachi said simply.

“One way or another I’m going to rip that mask off your face and feed it to you!” Naruto shouted, finger pointed towards the masked enemy. Sasuke watched as Haku’s weight shifted from foot to foot. 

Was that all life truly was, a game for the powerful? Just one more way to show why they were at the top, better than everyone else. 

“I mean, you were with Zabuza all along-do you really think you can just get away with an act like that!” Sasuke grabbed the kuani Haku had caught and dropped.

“I’m sorry,” Haku said. Sasuke blinked. “But as your sensei said, deceiving your opponent, catching them off guard-that is the act of shinobi. Please don't take it personally.” Haku sounded remorseful, like he meant everything he was apologizing for and somehow that made Sasuke angrier. 

Sasuke threw the kuani and watched Haku effortlessly evaded it; the weapon sailed off the bridges side and probably into the water. 

“Please hold on,” Haku said to Sasuke, though he didn't look at him, “I haven't forgotten about you. Not for an instant.” 

“Good.” 

It wasn't audible but Sasuke— from the way Haku’s shoulders fell and then bunched together —assumed the masked enemy sighed before breathing in deeply. “Some men know when to accept defeat. They do it gracefully. Others do not. So be it, we'll finish our battle to the death.” 

Sasuke lumbered to his feet as Haku turned.

“Hey!”

“It's okay Naruto,” Haku said smoothly, “We’ll have our battle next.” And then the masked ninja stepped back into the ice. Unlike the last time only one image of Haku appeared. Sasuke’s hand twitched for his weapon's pouch only for an echoey voice— Haku’s —to ring out.

“Im behind you.”

Sasuke turned; the Hakur that had been in front of him vanished, and then the one that had been behind him multiplied until once more he was surrounded. Once more Sasuke was met with a barrage of senbon, knocking him back down. 

He could hear his teammates call out for him. For a moment he heard his sister. Her voice overlaid with Naruto and Sakura’s.

He couldn't die. Couldn't fail her.  He needed to think, to understand and then he could fight.

Was Haku cloning himself and hiding those and himself in the mirrors? Could they all be throwing the needles in tandem? Sasuke thought back to the mirror images of Haku, and how they grabbed more needles from their sides, lifted them over their shoulders and threw them.

No, Sasuke concluded. They're too fast for that. So fast he couldn't even see where which needle came from. And they’re not just clones because then he wouldn't need these ice mirrors. So the mirrors were the keys to his attacks. 

But if that was so, what could Sasuke do? What were his next moves? 

“Think!” Kakashi said, voice raised, “There’s two of you and one of him!”

Kakashi was right. The mirrors were important and Haku couldn't maintain an attack inside of them when he was attacked from the outside. 

We’re in the perfect position, Sasuke’s heart rose. Naruto attacks from his position and I’ll attack from mine. 

Only just as Sasuke had gone to cup his mouth, he felt hand on his shoulder. Sasuke did not dare close his eyes but by the gods did he want to. Please for the love of all things holy, let this be a shadow clone. 

“Hey!” Naruto— not a clone but the stupid, original copy —hissed.  “I snuck in here to save you.”

“You are such a loser!” Sasuke snapped, “You’re a ninja, think carefully before you move!”

“What the hell is your problem? You should thank me for coming inside to help you!”

Sasuke felt his right eye twitch and the urge to strangle the blonde rose in him like never before. “Forget it!” There were about a million insults on the tip of Sasuke’s tongue, “I’m doing this myself!”

Quickly Sasuke performed the handsigns— Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger —for a fireball jutsu. He focused his chakra in his lungs, felt the chakra pushing it’s way up his throat spark to life 

"Wait what the hell are you doing!” Naruto cried. Without answering verbally Sasuke showed Naruto just what he was planning; the Uchuha blew a stream of fire from his mouth, hot enough that the ends of his hair singed and curled. But not hot enough to destroy Haku’s ice mirrors.

Sure the edges were melted and there were cracks but the mirrors were still firmly surrounding them. 

“That didn't do anything!” Naruto cried, Sasuke couldn't tell if he too was in shock and just yelling at him or if Sasuke truly needed to hit his teammate for chastising him when he’d ruined his first plan of action.

“You’ll need much more heat than that to melt my ice.” And then, like before, Haku raised his arms, needles in hand and attacked. Both Naruto and Sasuke were thrown to the ground by the sheer force of the attack, though Naruto got back up without so much as a split second of hesitation. 

"We have to find the real one,” Naruto said, “Sasuke, which one do you think it is!”

“You can look into them for as long as you like but you will never learn the secrete,” Haku’s voice rang out. 

“If that's what you think, let's see what you think about this! Multi Shadow clone jutsu!” Nearly two dozen Naruto clones appeared inside the dome, one for every mirror and as they leapt forward the Haku peeled himself out of them and jumped to another, though as the masked enemy leapt to each new mirror, each Naruto clone— and the original  —was cut down.

The original Naruto landed next to Sasuke with a thud. 

“These mirrors only reflect my image. They allow me to transport myself at light speed. Through my eyes you appear to be moving in slow motion."

So it is like a shunsin. Sasuke could remember being six and Shisui being left in charge of him and Toshi and saying something similar; he also remembered that Uchiha Shisui had been so fast that when he’d been alive he had a flee on site order attached to his name.

“Just watch where you think I’m going next, that’s how Itachi catches me,” Shisui had said after Sasuke demanded to know just to beat Shisui. They were in the backyard of their family home, Toshiko was practicing her braiding on Shisui’s short curls. “People only realize I'm gone long after the image of me fades, but if you can track my chakra and understand what I'm going after you can know where I'm going to end up.”

“So what,” Naruto spat, “I'm not giving up just cause I couldn't destroy these mirrors on my first try. I'm not going to lose here-I have a dream and no one is going to take that away from me! You hear me!”

“Dreams? You speak to me of dreams?” Haku’s voice, though echoey, sounded hollow. “It wasn't my dream to be a shinobi. It’s painful. It is not my dream to kill you-either of you but if you advance I will have no choice because even if it is no dream of mine to strike you down to see what is my dream come true I will.”

“Yeah? Well if you don't want to be a ninja but you’re ready to kill us, what the hell is your dream?” Naruto asked with a petulant tone. 

“My dream is not my own. I dream of staying by the side of someone who is precious to me. But I fight by his side, I live for him and face death for him so that he can face his dreams. My dream is that his becomes a reality so for the sake of him and his dream if I must act as a shinobi and take your lives I will.” 

“Right then,” Naruto grinned, it was feral, more teeth than anything, “Lets do this! Multi Shadow clone jutsu!”

Again Sasuke watched Haku slip out of his mirror and destroy Naruto's clones. Though Haku hadn't let him watch for long— hadn't let Sasuke watch long enough to properly catch his trail because for a split second Sasuke had seen their enemy slipping between mirrors —as he attacked Naruto Haku unleashed another barrage of senbon. Naruto fell just as Sasuke’s knees hit the bridge. 

“I won't give up!” Naruto spat, “Multi shadow clone jutsu!” 

“Dont you see this is pointless?”

As Naruto leapt with his clones Sasuke kicked the water at his feet up into the air so that it was easier to track their enemy. And though he was attacked next to Naruto— Haku’s senbons still didn't puncture anything important or cut deep enough for any true damage —Sasuke kept his eyes open and watched Haku end up in the same mirror he had started from.

Sasuke could see Haku’s speed but he couldn’t match, he knew that. He smirked as an idea came to mind. 

“Naruto,” Sasuke said, “Keep going.”

“Wasnt planning on stopping,” Naruto bared his teeth, “Multi Shadow clone jutsu!” And as the dozens of Naruto’s leap Sasuke, once more performed the handsigns— Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger —for a fireball jutsu. He couldn't match Haku’s speed but— as he focused his chakra in his lungs, felt the chakra pushing its way up his throat spark to life —he didn’t need to be as fast as him. 

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he drew another breath of air and performed the handsigns again.  Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. He focused his chakra in his lungs, felt the chakra pushing its way up his throat spark to life for a third time. 

Sasuke saw, as Haku attacked another one of Naruto’s clones, his pants leg caught fire and smirked. 

Naruto landed hard against the ground next to Sasuke; the blonde struggled to his feet. 

“Naruto?” Sasuke asked, “Can you keep going? Can you do that again?”

“Uh-yeah?” Naruto nodded. The blonde's breathing was labored, “Of course! Nothing can stop me, believe it!” It was obvious the blonde was exhausted but Naruto refused to admit it and even if he did Sasuke didn’t care. They had to fight. 

Just like Naruto had his dreams of that stupid Kage hat, Sasuke had his own and they would be worse than over if he died on the nearly-finished bridge.

The icy mirrors glowed. Haku was preparing himself for another attack. 

“Naruto run for it!” Sasuke ordered

“What?”

“Attck from the outside idiot!” Naruto took off.

“You cannot escape!”

Sasuke focused his chakra in his lungs— he performed the hand signs again, Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger —felt the chakra pushing its way up his throat spark to life for a fourth time as Naruto created a band of clones. 

Naruto was knocked back though he didn't stop trying to make a break for the outside of the dome. Sasuke breathed a stream of fire out only to stop when a senbon embedded itself in his shoulder. Sasuke staggered back as Haku— unburnt but slowly —kicked Naruto back to the middle of the dome, next to Sasuke.

“That didn’t work,” Naruto heaved. 

“It was good work,” Sasuke hissed. “One more time?” Sasuke asked the blonde; though Sasuke knew if it didn't work this time he would encourage Naruto to go again and again but just as there was a limit on their chakra, their enemy had their own. 

Naruto took off into a deep sprint and Sasuke went the other way with wide eyes and handsigns prepared. Only it wasn't a barrage of needles that attacked them like the last several times, but four well placed ones. One in his shin, two in his shoulder and one in his stomach. 

Sasuke hit the bridge in a type of pain that had tears dotting the corners of his eyes. Naruto hit the bridge a moment later. And Sakura’s blood curdling scream reverberated through the air.

Sasuke felt his lungs tighten and his heart freeze.  

Where the hell is Kakashi?  He didn't need his sensei, he would save himself and Naruto and beat their masked opponent on his own but something had happened to Sakura, and the thought of her laying out next to the bridge building, bloody, in pain— dying —had Sasuke rolling up and onto his knees despite the pain. 

Naruto let out a painfilled groan. 

“Sakura’s in trouble,” he muttered, bloody silvia dripped from his lips onto the concrete. The blonde— despite the look of agonizing pain that crossed his face —slipped one arm under him and used it to push himself up. “I’m gonna bust us out of here.”

Sasuke watched as Narut closed his eyes and focused his charka— Sasuke could see it, through the fog —encapulating the blonde right before Naruto made a break for it. Only to, as Haku’s image appeared in front of him, to flip backwards and run in the opposite direction.

Sasuke watched as Haku matched Naruto’s sloppy run. “Behind you!” Sasuke called out. Sasuke felt the air leave his body when Naruto was hit with several senbon to the chest. 

A pressure began to build in him, in his head. Behind his eyes. 

Sasuke grit his teeth.

“Your chance of leaving my house of mirrors is zero,” Haku said as Sasuke rushed over to the struggling blonde, “That is absolute.”

“Naruto, are you able to get up?” Naruto answered Sasuke with a grunt and a feeble attempt to his knees. Naruto hit the ground much more softly than he’d been thrown against it. “Dont use any more chakra alright-right now it will only help him.”

“I know Sasuke,” Naruto muttered as he slumped against the floor, “I know.”

Sasuke breathed. Naruto was out for the count, barely able to move and he was running low on chakra himself. The only thing going for him is he had managed to slow Haku down enough that their masked opponent was easier to track.

“Looking for a counter attack?” Haku teased, “Let me help you with that.” And As Haku lifted his throwing needles over his shoulders Sasuke pulled the one from his shoulder and when Haku threw the needles at Sasuke, Sasuke managed to fend them off.

One by one the metal needles hit the ground. 

Sasuke’s injured leg’s knee hit the ground. “Get up loser!” Sasuke snapped at Naruto, his head was hurting. The pressure behind his eyes made it feel like they were going to pop out of his head at any moment. “We have to work together!” 

“I know we do Sasuke,” Naruto snapped as he struggled to sit up. Sasuke pushed himself back up and poorly shifted his weight to defend the blonde as Haku’s attack kept coming.

More needles hit the ground. 

Naruto got up, unsteady on his feet and Sasuke roughly knocked his shoulder into Naruto’s— harder than he’d meant to —pushing the blonde away and catching several senbon to his right arm. Only to watch Haku vanish from sight.

“Damnit,” Sasuke swore. “Naruto you better not pass out again-I can't keep protecting you like this.”

“Well then don’t. I never asked you to,” Naruto hissed.

“You didn't have to,” Sasuke shot back. He couldn't wait until the battle was over and he could smother the blonde only to backtrack the mental image when Naruto fell over sideways. Sasuke moved to grab the blonde, he would drag Naruto by the neck of his jacket if it meant getting them both out alive.

They were teammates. The pressure in the back of Sasuke’s head bloomed as he looked at Naruto, laid out on the bridge, shaking from the pain. Sasuke wasn’t sure if they were friends but he wouldn't just leave Naruto behind. 

“You can't save him,” Haku said simply. He said it the way someone might say the weather was cloudy, like a fact of life. "He's reached his limits.” 

With a growl, petulantly, Sasuke threw the senbon he’d been using to defend himself.

“Youre talented,” Haku continued on. “You have moves.” Sasuke dodged Haku’s attack, nearly rolling an ankle as he did so. “But you’ve reached your limits as well. Motor limit, reflexes, judgement-you’re weakening as well. And now, you're finished.” 

Here he comes. Sasuke bared his teeth, readying himself as Haku slowly appeared in each icy mirror.

Concentrate. Or they would die. Sasuke breathed, his feet shifted apart, steadying him before he moved. Something inside of him clicked as he leapt. He jumped to the left and grabbed Naruto— he could see where Haku’s senbons were heading before the masked enemy had fully thrown them —before leaping once more, backwards. 

Sasuke set Naruto down at his feet.

His sharigan swirled as he glared at Haku. 

It wasn’t a Mangeyko like Itachi’s and he wasn’t used to the power— the force —pulsing in his eyes the way his sister was but— as Sasuke heaved a breath of cold air into his burning lungs —it was enough. Because he could see the enemy’s movements as they were made, quick and in real time, longer just barely keeping up but in pace with.

And he watched as Haku leapt from a mirror but not at him.

At Naruto and despite the blood running down his arm, from the wound n his shoulder, and with it trickling from the wound on his skin and the fact his heart was hurting Sasuke leapt forward and straight into the pathway of Haku’s needles. 

Sasuke didn't stumble as he felt the needle penetrate his chest— it hurt to breathe, something had hit a lung —and instead hit Haku clean enough across the face that while the boy's mask didn’t fly off, he hit the ground, unmovingly.

Sasuke blinked. His head hurt. His entire body did really. He heard Naruto move behind him. 

“You did it Sasuke, you beat him!” Sasuke smiled. There was blood in his mouth. He turned his head, and Naruto’s eyes widened in horror.  Sasuke, with his sharingan swirling, would remember that look until he died; it was forever burning into his brain. 

“You should see your face right, not Naruto,” Sasuke wheezed. “You look like a total loser.” 

“You saved me,” Naruto’s voice was soft. Heartbroken. 

Sasuke thought of his sister; she’d be alone. Itachi would come for her. Sakura’s promise from the night before crossed Sasuke’s mind as his body grew heavy. 

“Why?” 

“Because—” Sasuke paused, the edges of his vision darkening. He couldn't say it, teammates didn't feel like enough and they weren’t friends. “I don't know. My body just moved.” But that was a lie, he had meant to save Naruto, he’d done it on purpose. 

Because the truth was, Sasuke couldn't bear to see anyone else he cared about die even if that meant at the cost of himself. Even if that meant he died before facing Itachi.

Even if that meant letting his sister down. 

A tear slipped down Sasuke's face as he felt his knees give way under him. From the pain. From the knowledge that he had let Toshiko down. His vision turned spotty as he registered Naruto catching him before he could hit the ground. Sasuke blinked up at the blonde.

“Toshi-he’s still out there,” Sasuke said quietly. His head felt as if it had been split open, his eyes were on fire. Toshiko had said her eyes had hurt that night, he hadn’t thought it was that bad. “My brother, Naruto, he'll come for her. I promised to protect her, to stay alive and stop him.” 

Naruto's tears burned hot against Sasuke’s cheek. 

“You will,” Naruto blubbered, sobbing. The blonde’s body shook with Sasuke in his arms.

“Protect her Naruto. Her and your dreams.” Sasuke faded before he could hear Naruto’s promise. 

Chapter Text

Naruto Series: 

“The Demon in the Snow”

When Uchiha Sasuke opened his eyes he was sitting at his dining room table, not laying bloody in the Land of Waves. He could smell food cooking in the kitchen, not the salt of ocean waves and he could hear— without straining his ears —not Naruto’s voice or the sounds of weapons clashing but humming. 

His mother’s humming. 

So he sat frozen, his fingers clenched around the edge of the wooden seat of the chair he was in and his heart— he was dead, his heart shouldn't be beating —thundered loudly in his chest as he listened to a sound he never thought he'd hear again.  His mother had never been partially good at singing but she had always hummed while she cooked or while they gardened together and whenever Sasuke or Toshiko had been sick she would sit them, thread her fingers through their hair and hum to them until they fell asleep.

And then it stopped, before Sasuke could let out the breath of air he’d been building in his chest, the humming stopped and footsteps against the kitchen tiles echoed out loudly. 

Sasuke didn’t look up, away from a scratch in the table Toshiko had accidentally made years ago when she’d dropped a bowl too hard onto it because if he didn't look up it wasn’t real. He hadn't given his life for Naruto, hadn’t betrayed his sister, hadn’t died.

But he couldn't help it, when the footsteps got closer and the seat across from him pulled out and someone— his mother —sat across from him, looking just as beautiful as she had the last time he’d seen her his eyes flew from the table to her. 

“Hi.” Her voice was soft— apologetic —sad.

“Hi,” Sasuke whispered back, his voice thick with emotion. He wouldn't cry, not in front of his mother. Even if it was the only thing he wanted to do. “What-is this—”

“—No,” his mother said, cutting him off before he could stumble to the point. “No baby, you’re alive.”

“Then what is this-it’s not real is it?” Sasuke asked, brows furrowed, “This is just a dream then?”

“Just because it's a dream, why can't it be real?” His mother asked in return.  She moved her hands which had been folded neatly in front of her and stretched them across the table. Sasuke looked at his mother’s outstretched hands for a moment, felt his bottom lip quiver and slowly unlatched the grip he had on the curve of his seat before placing his hands in hers and grabbing hold. 

His mothers hands had never been soft; she’d been a jonin before a mother. She was cold though, her skin was so cold against his own it almost burned. Sasuke hadn’t washed the bodies of his clan after the masscure— he’d been under Itachi’s tsukuyomi, Toshiko had done that alone; she had cremated them all alone —but he imagined that this was what they had felt like. 

“Then, if I’m not dead, why-why am I here?” Sasuke stumbled out. Why was she? The pads of Sasuke’s fingers buried themselves into the curve of his mother’s cool palm. 

“Would you rather be somewhere else?” His mother asked instead of answering.

“I’m going to avenge you and father,” Sasuke said because the answer was no, Sasuke didn't want to be anywhere else— he never wanted to leave —other than right there and he felt awful for it. His team was battling a powerful rogue ninja, his sister was waiting to be attacked and instead of helping them—protecting them —Sasuke wanted time to freeze and leave him and his mother at the table for the rest of time.

“I know,” his mother said softly, “You say it enough.”

Sasuke stiffened in his seat. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear sobbing. 

“You watch us?” Sasuke breathed, “Toshiko and me?”

“Oh baby,” Sasuke’s mother cooed, she lifted one hand and brushed a long flyaway hair from his bangs from his face, “The gods themselves couldn't pull me away from you two. I will be with you and your sister until the marrow in your bones turns to ash.”

“What—” Sasuke paused, he paused and licked his lips. “What about father, is he here?” Sasuke’s eyes flickered left towards the kitchen only to flicker back in time to watch as his mothers face fell.

“No,” she said softly, “Only one of us could see you, your father knew it had to be me.”

“Oh.” Sasuke was grateful to see his mother again— grateful to be with her —but part of him wished it was his father. Part of him knew that if Toshiko was in his shoes their father would be sitting across from her.

He ignored the envious burning in his gut at the knowledge. 

“Is there anything you’d like to say to him?” 

A million different things. But it was “I’ll make him proud,” that Sasuke said. The words tumbled before he could stop them and say something else. “I’ll make things right.”

“Sasuke,” his mother said his name in the same kind of voice she would use back when he’d been young and in trouble but not enough to warrant any punishment outside of a lecture. “You don't have to do this, you know.”

“What?” His voice sharp, eyes wide and his heart sputtered in his chest. “What do you mean I don't have to do this?”

“I mean I see the way you train baby, I see the weight you pick up and bear every day because you feel as if you have to. Sasuke, you don’t. Your brother—”

“—Killed you!” Sasuke snapped, he pulled his hands from his mothers grip and got to his feet, and his voice raised. “He murdered you and father and everyone else and you want me to let it go! You’re not real” Sasuke spat. There were tears in his eyes. 

For a second he had believed, he had thought that the gods had given a second chance to see his mother again but no. 

“Sasuke—” his mother tried.

“—No! You don’t really watch us,” Sasuke shouted, “Because if you did you’d know that Itachi’s terror didn’t just stop after he cut you and everyone else down! He made me watch over and over and over again and Toshi!” Sasuke sucked a sharp, deep breath of air through his teeth, “He will take her. He’ll hurt her.”

Piece by piece, Itachi would destroy their sister until whatever was left was no longer her and then until she was in the grave. 

Sasuke’s stomach twisted and pulled into his gut. 

The woman across from his couldn’t be his mother, no when she was asking him to just stop.

“How can you say I have to let it go when I’m the only thing that stands between them?” Sasuke hissed, eyes narrowed and chest heaving. 

“Because you are just as much my child as your sister and brother,” his mother said, her voice shaking. There were tears in her own eyes.

She stood and slowly— as if Sasuke was one of old man Shotas, frightened street cats that would bolt if she moved too fast — moved around the table to approach him.  A foot away she held her hand out once more for him to take.

He did; he couldn’t not. Not when she was reaching out to him.Even if she wasn’t his mother— she couldn’t be, not when she was asking this —she looked like his mother, sounded like her.

“I know your brother's threats, I know what he wants-but revenge is like a fire, it burns the one who lights it just as it burns who it was set upon and I won't trade one child for another, not again!”

“What do you mean not again?”

The sobbing in the back of Sasuke’s mind grew louder. It sounded like Sakura. Sasuke ignored it and focused on his mother.

“I-your father and I,” his mother amended, “You were born just before the Ninetails Attack, and your sister, she was early. So tiny and sick, but Itachi had always had a good head on his shoulders. He was a genius-Minato reborn before he’d even gone, you know?” His mothers voice was thick with emotions but so were her eyes. Tears kept quelling in them, ready to burst through and Sasuke felt his stomach knot at the thought of his mother crying. “Things were hard back then and your father and I let your brother get away from us because we were so focused on keeping you and your sister close. What your brother did, what he felt like he had to do,” his mother said thickly, “That’s on me and your father if we’d been better-to him, then maybe everything would have turned out different.”

“No!” Sasuke snapped in denial, he tightened his grip on his mother’s hand, "Itachi made his choice, he slaughtered everyone-for power! He killed Shisui to-to-to possess Toshi! You and father did what you thought you had to! You two were the best parents we could have asked for, I’m sure of it!”

Sasuke gasped as his mother pulled him close. She wasn't warm like he could remember, but she hugged him tighter than she ever had before, like she was anchoring herself to him.

“I don't want to see you here Sasuke, not again, not for a long time, do you understand me?”

No, Sasuke wanted to say. No he didn’t understand. No, he couldn't promise that. Wouldn’t promise that. 

But he wrapped his own arm around his mothers waist and locked them there because though he was too tall now, she was too cold and her hugs didn't quite match up to what he remembered Sasuke was hugging his mother for the first time in nearly five years and he didn't want to give it up because he didn't know if he would ever get this chance again. 

Because at the end of all of it Sasuke would still kill his brother. Who's to say after an act such as that he wouldn't be chained to Itachi for their immortal afterlives?

But Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. 

“Yes,” he said, “I understand.”

“I love you Sasuke,” his mother said, “You and our sister-be good,” she said into his hair, “Have fun, make friends, have long happy lives or so help me.” 

Sasuke closed his eyes and breathed. “I love you too, mom.” 

0.0.0.0

Uchiha Toshiko was in class with her pencil between her teeth and a pain in her chest and she— for the life of herself —could not figure out why. So she ignored it. 

“Hey Inogami-san?” Toshiko whispered, blinking as she turned away from the window. 

“What?”

“Do you want to eat lunch together today?” Toshiko watched as the Yamanaka boys' lips pursed together. 

“Are you going to be practicing those freaking seals?”

“Yeah,” she said like it was obvious.

“Then no-I’m not going to let you blow me up at lunch,” Inogami hissed. 

“I’m working with sticking seals,” Toshiko offered instead.

“I’m not getting my ass stuck to a lunch seat either Uchiha-san!” The Yamanaka boy hissed. 

“Uchiha Toshiko, Yamakana Inogami!” Daikoku-sensei called out, his back to them. He didn't even pause his writing on the board. “What have I told you two about talking in class!”

“Sorry sensei,” the two students chorused; though they both knew the next time Toshiko got bored enough to talk to the blonde and he got bored enough to answer back, they’d be right back in trouble. 

“What if I didn’t?” Toshiko asked after a moment. 

“Didn’t what?”

“Practice seals. Would you eat lunch with me then?” Toshiko asked Inogami. The blonde was quiet for a moment, the nails of his fingers tapped against their desk. 

“Yeah-I eat on the roof.”

“Why?” Toshiko had been eating her lunch in the library or— when the academy librarians chased her out for practicing seals around the books —behind the weapons shed. 

“I can hear everything up there.” Toshiko raised her brows, as if to urge the boy to continue on because she wasn’t quite sure what that meant.

“Uchiha Toshiko, Yamakana Inogami!” Daikoku-sensei called out again. His back was still to them. He still didn’t pause his writing on the board. “What just say  about talking in class!”

“Uh, technically nothing sensei,” Toshiko said innocently.  Daikoku-sensei paused his writing. He turned and Toshiko felt herself slip down in her seat. 

“Lunch detention Uchiha-Chan.” Inogami snickered in his seat next to Toshiko. 

“Yes sensei.”

Hopefully no one would tell Kurenai-sensei of her detention before she could— Kurenai-sensei would understand she was trying to make friends —mostly because the last time she’d gotten lunch detention for arguing with Suzume-sensei the jonin-sensei had increased her ankle weights and made her run double of what she usually did.

0.0.0.0

When Sasuke opened his eyes he was no longer in his family home's dining room, hugging his long deceased mother, he was in the Land of Waves, smelling the salty sea air, with his teammate Haruno Sakura sobbing on his chest.

His body hurt, his heat felt as if it had been split in too and his heart felt like it had been ripped from behind his ribcage.

“Sakura,” Sasuke wheezed, "It's hard to breathe with you on top of me.” And then he cracked an eye open and the breath flew from his lungs because Sakura’s eyes had never before looked so green. A word whispered in the back of his mind as he brought a heavy hand up— out to Sakura —only for his teammate to catch it. 

Her hands were soft. 

Sasuke thought of his mother. His heart leapt to his throat— his mothers plea to leave the life of avenger at the door, to set down the weight of being his sister's protector —only for those thoughts to stop short as Sakura threw herself onto him, still crying, but this time from joy.

Sasuke started to move, slowly he pushed Sakura off of him. 

“Hey, wait,” the pinkette pleaded, “You shouldn’t move yet!”

“How's Naruto?” Sasuke asked instead. The last thing he had seen before everything had faded black was the blonde. Sasuke wouldn’t admit it but worry ballooned in his gut. “And the guy in the mask?”

Sakura didn't answer right away, as her hand went to his shoulder and back, steading him as he sat up, Sasuke watched her brows furrow. “Narutos fine but the one in the mask, he’s-he died.”  

“What?” Sasuke, despite the pain, jolted forward, “What do you-dead?” he repeated. Sakura nodded. “How?” He then paused. Quieter, with less heat in his voice, “Did Naruto do it?”

“I don't think so,” Sakura answered unsurely before she shook her head, “I was with Tazuna we couldn't see much, all I know is that the boy in the mask was protecting Zabuza.” She then turned and Sasuke followed her line of sight until he was met with a lifeless body that belonged to the boy that’d been behind the mask.

Haku; his name had been Haku and though he had been Sasuke’s enemy— he had nearly killed Sasuke —seeing his body stretched out across the bridge made Sasuke’s throat tighten.

Haku’s face was turned towards them. He looked peaceful, so unlike the faces of his clan members that were burned into his brain. 

Sasuke looked at both Kakashi and Naruto who, in the crowd of civilians that surrounded them, stood out mostly due to Naruto’s bright orange clothing and the copious amount of blood that Kakashi was covered in. 

Sasuke half wondered when they had all shown up; and especially why Inari was holding a crossbow. 

Sasuke didn't twitch when Sakura stood up, his eyes still locked on the bodies only a dozen yards away. They looked peaceful. They had died in battle for one another and they looked nothing like bodies Sasuke could see in the back of his mind without even really trying to.

“Naruto!” Sakura shouted, “Naruto! Kakashi-sensei! Sasuke’s alive!” 

Just as both Kakashi and Naruto had begun to turn, Sasuke got to his unsteady feet, to which Sakura, who’d been bouncing in her place next to him, was quick to grab onto him. One shoulder into his side until his arm was around her shoulders, and a hand to the stomach while the other hovered close enough to his back that he could feel it; all the while careful about  the senbon still protruding out of him. 

Naruto’s eyes widened and then a small, stupid looking smile stretched across his face.  Sasuke could see the blonde's tears gathering in his eyes before they had started to fully form there. 

Sasuke’s shoulder sagged before he raised an arm, as if to signal he was okay. Sasuke could see his sensei’s shoulder drop as he raised his arm back down, Naruto was already bounding over to them when Kakashi turned and moved towards what Sasuke realized was Zabuza Momochi’s body. 

Sasuke had counted seven weapons— swords, tantos, daggers and a singular arrow —before Naruto stopped short in front of him. Sasuke had never seen the blonde smile brighter.

“You’re alive!”

“Yeah.”

“Good!” Naruto set his hands on his hips. 

“Yeah why’s that?” Sasuke couldn't help the smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, he could feel the blonde about to say something stupid the same way he always knew when Nara Shikamaru said stupid enough to go over his sister's head, and make his heckles raise.

“Because then we can both achieve our dreams,” Naruto declared, “Together!” Naruto then lifted his fist and held it out to Sasuke. 

Sasuke blinked at Naruto's fist; a warm— tingly feeling —flooded his chest. And gently he knocked his knuckles into Naruto’s only to look away from the blonde when he saw Kakashi crouch down and pick up the rogue ninja Zabuza. Zabuza’s face wrappings were undone, not that that meant much as his face was covered in blood.

“What's he doing?” Sasuke asked, watching as Kakashi turned and brought the rogue ninja to the previous masked boy's body. And then he blinked; with every step Kakashi took towards Haku’s body more and more snow filled the air.

Quietly villagers murmured to each other.

“All Haku wanted was to be useful to Zabuza, you know?” Naruto whispered, his shoulders had begun to shake under his tears, “That was his dream and in the end he fulfilled it.”

“Sasuke,” his mother said his name in the same kind of voice she would use back when he’d been young and in trouble but not enough to warrant any punishment outside of a lecture. “You don't have to do this, you know.”

But he did because even if he left vengeance behind him, his sister would always be in danger. Only he was strong enough to— one day —kill Itachi. The Nara could by her time and the Yamaka and the Akimichi could give her a way to run, Sasuke knew in his bones it was up to him to make sure his sister never had to face their brother's wrath.

I won't trade one child for another,” His mother had said. “Not again!”

But he would

As Kakashi laid Zabuza out next to his partner Haku; Sasuke nodded to himself— to the ghosts of those that he clung to and cling to him —and the weight in his chest grew heavy, and his knees shook under the weight of the truth because even if his mother would never trade one of them for another, Sasuke would gladly give himself away for his sister. 

Because he loved her. 

“He told me-Haku, he told me that where he came from it was always snowing, all the time,” Naruto cried into the cuff of his jacket.

“The Land of Snow,” Sasuke said, “Their ninja village fell years ago.” Sometime, by the tailend of the Third Great War. The academy had taught them all that the country had faced civil war after that and that the royal family’s Main Branch had been killed amidst the fighting; the emperor sitting on the throne now was the younger brother of the last emperor. “Maybe we’ll go one day.” If they hired other villages in the Land of Waves they probably did it in the Land of Snow as well. 

“That would be nice, to see where Haku came from,” Naruto sniffled.

Sasuke couldn't help the swear that left his lips as his knees gave way under him. Both Sakura and Naruto caught him awkwardly; Sakura got the neck of his shirt and his good arm while Naruto managed to catch hold of his waist and pant’s pocket.

“Maybe you should sit down Sasuke, at least until Kakashi-sensei can look you over,” Sakura said as she began leading Sasuke’s way down. 

“Yeah,” Sasuke breathed, tired, “Maybe.”

‘I’ll go get him,” Sakura said. Sakura set him down— gently pushing his weight into Naruto —and went to get Kakashi, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone. 

“Naruto?” Saskue watched Sakura, he didn’t take his eyes off her as he addressed the blonde. “Do you mean that? Us achieving our dreams together?” Naruto becoming Hokage, helping him stop Itachi?

“Of course,” Naruto had said it so earnestly— voice so full of honest emotion —that Sasuke’s heart twisted. No one could last against Itachi, especially not Naruto but he was willing to. Not because he loved his sister like Nara Shikamaru, or because there were anchors tying him too, like the Akimichi and Yamanaka but because that was just the kind of person Naruto was. 

For a second Sasuke thought about their second in the Academy, of finding Naruto already wailing on his boy bullying his sister. 

“Why?”

“You’re my teammate Sasuke,” Naruto said but he said it like teammate wasn’t quite the word he was looking for. In his gut Sasuke knew what word Naruto wanted to use. Friend.

“Naruto?” Sasuke breathed, his eyes closing as he leaned against Naruto. “You’re my teammate too.” Teammate wasn’t the word he’d meant to use either.

Chapter Text

 Naruto Series: 
“Filler”

April had turned to May, and May was already half over when an already bored out of her mind, Uchiha Toshiko was called out of class by Iruka-sensei. Toshiko’s heart had leapt into her throat, when Iruka-sensei had asked for her. She’d watched as classmates and peers, both older and younger— both born to clans, and those with shinobi as parents —over the years be taken out of class only to see them later on, a day or so later, in tears, with terrible news having befallen upon them. 

Sasuke couldn’t be dead. He can’t, Toshiko told herself as Iruka-sensei led Toshiko to the Academy's administration building. It was really the Villages administrative building more so than just the academy’s. Sure the academy enrollment office was on the building's second floor but as you continued up, there was the mission desk, Shikaku-sama’s and the Hokages office, along with rooms of filing cabinets and such that all help Konohakahugure run smoothly. 

“Iruka-sensei?” Toshiko asked in a quiet voice as they climbed the stars to the mission desk. Iruka-sensei turned to her, browns raised and a kind look shining in his eyes. “My brother, he’s not dead right? No one’s going to tell me Sasuke’s dead, right?” Toshiko asked.

“What?” Iruka-sensei blinked. “No, no—” Iruka-sensei’s voice firmed up, “—Uchiha-chan, I promise if you were about to get news like that I’d give you some kind of a warning. I wouldn’t let you be blindsided.” He sounded so earnest he couldn't be lying; Toshiko didn't believe that even the best shinobi’s out there could fake the kind of sincerity Iruka-sensei often spoke with. Toshiko blinked before she nodded, accepting the instructor's answer.

“Okay,” she nodded. 

Then, Toshiko supposed, she was being called to the mission desk because Team Eight would be going out on another mission almost immediately and their departure couldn’t wait until the end of the school day. Team Eight had been taking C-rank missions like crazy as of late leaving Toshiko to practice— when Team Ten was also out of the village —her genjutsu with a dear friend of Kurenai-sensei, Mitarashi Anko. 

Anko-sempai was kind of crazy but Shisui had liked her once upon a time. Back before Death had seemingly taken hold of Toshiko’s life Shisui would drag her to the dango stall farthest to the Uchiha district— despite there being four between the district and Ms. Gaio’s dango —and pointedly never talk to Mitarashi Anko. He would look at her. He would blush the way Itachi once did when Izumi was nearby.

But they never spoke. 

And Toshiko— kind of —understood why. Anko-sempai was loud in a way that reminded Toshiko of Naruto; she spoke like she wanted all eyes on her, like she didn’t ever want people to look away from her. 

She was also— again —crazy.

But Toshiko supposed that went hand-in-hand when working for the village's interrogation unit. Especially when, unlike the Yamanaka that dominated the unit due to the clan's mind-specific jutsu’s, all you had at your disposal was your imagination, ninja tools, and enough chakra to make a single genjutsu last for days.

Only when Toshiko and Iruka-sensei got to the mission desk, it wasn’t Team Eight waiting for her, it was Team Seven. 

Her brother. 

His back had been turned to her when she and Iruka-sensei had slinked into the room the villages’ mission desk was in; he was speaking quietly to Sakura while Naruto narrated a story about a bunny loudly to the Hokage all the while Kakashi-sensei stood back, one hand in his pocket and the other holding the book someone dear had once given him.

Toshiko didn’t care though, she loved her brothers sensei and Sakura and Naruto but at that moment all Toshiko saw was her brother. 

“Sasu-nii!” There were tears in her eyes as the anxiety that had wrapped around her heart unraveled at their feet. 

Sasuke turned, smiling. Not brightly like Toshiko was— she was beaming as she lunged at her brother —but relieved and earnest; he smiled in a way he hadn’t in years. They met somewhere in the middle of the room. Sasuke’s backpack was at Sakura’s feet as pulled Toshiko tightly against his chest. He smelled like ocean water and pine trees and home. 

Sasuke was home. Her brother was home. 

Toshiko sobbed. She didn't mean to but the loud, ugly, hiccuped sob ripped through her before she could quell it down. She clung tighter to her brother, like he was what was anchoring her down to the earth— like if she let go of him she would fly away into the atmosphere —and in a way he was. The Nara were like a second family to her, and with all the time she was spending around Team Eight she was finding her place here but only Sasuke knew her.

Only they had the same memories, grieved the same losses, shared a heart. Only he could ever understand her in a way that only someone with her blood could.

“You’re crying,” Sasuke sounded like he was trying to sound put off, but his voice was tight and Toshiko looked up from her brother's shirt to see him smiling.

“I missed you!” Toshiko cried; she sniffed loudly as she tried to reign in her tears. “So much!”

Sasuke didn’t respond, at least not verbally. Instead after a long and slow blink Sasuke pulled her back to him, tight, like he was trying to bind her to him and when they pulled away from one another, and Sasuke’s hand rested on Toshiko’s shoulder, the young girl beamed at Sakura and Naruto.

There were tears still in her eyes; her bottom lip quivered as she smiled at her brother's teammates.

“Welcome home!” Toshiko said, “I’m glad you’re all okay.”

“Okay! We’re great!” Naruto boasted, chest puffed out, “We kicked ass and took names Toshi-chan, the Team Seven nindo-and I got a bridge named after me!”

Toshiko’s brows rose as she began to blink her tears away, “Seriously?”

Kakashi-sensei’s ninkin had mentioned rouge ninja and Team Sevens mission expanding to not just deliver the Bridge Builder they’d left with to his village but protect him but what the hell had transpired enough to lead to a bridge being named after Uzumaki Naruto. 

“It was not named after you specifically!” Sakura snapped at the blonde, she then turned to Toshiko, “It’s the Uzumaki Bridge.”

“And who’s the Uzumaki that risked their life for the shitty old man!” Naruto crossed his arms over his chest— Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei both audibly sighed at Naruto’s claim; Kakashi-sensei then seemed to remind Naruto for what Toshiko could only imagine the hundredth time, “Naruto we can’t call our clients shitty.” —and stuck his chin up in the air, “Me! Uzumaki Naruto! And I didn’t Kakashi-sensei, our mission is done.”

“You can’t call former clients shitty either Naruto.”

“Why the hell not!”

“Because we want retention in our clients.” Toshiko watched as Naruto's face turned into a look of confusion.

“What’s retention?” 

“I’ll explain it over dinner Naruto,” Iruka-sensei; he wore the same tired smile he always wore when watching over detention. “We’ll work on your after-mission report then too.”

“Kakashi-sensei said we don’t have to do those,” Naruto told his former instructor.

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet and several heads snapped in Kakashi-sensei’s direction; chunin, both young and old, glared with a level of hatred that Toshiko had never seen anybody else harness. It was a dark and evil look that made the young girl shuffle closer to her brother because her gut told her that at any moment one of the chunin working the mission desk would leap over their work station and try to attack the silver haired jonin. 

Kakashi-sensei let out a quiet laugh, “I-I didn't say that Naruto.”

“Yeah you did-you said they were stupid and none of us did them it’d be fine.”

“Is that so Hatake-san?” An older woman— a chunin with curly hair and olive skin old enough to be Toshiko and her brother's mother —asked tightly.  With all the time Toshiko had been spending around the villages’ mission desk Toshiko had gathered that the older woman— Sato Fumi — was the chunin in charge and had been long enough everyone seemed to know not to mess with her.

“No, my student is mistaken,” Kakashi said, his voice weak and placating. His single visible eye darted around the room for a moment before landing on Sasuke.

“He doesn't sound mistaken.”

“Sasuke, Toshiko, I’ll be by later tonight,” Kakashi-sensei said before disappearing into a puff of smoke. Sato Fumi glared at the spot Team Seven— and Toshiko’s —sensei shunshined from almost like her glare would bring the jonin back so that she could wrap her thin fingers around the man's neck until he understood the weight of paperwork.

It didn’t and so, when Kakashi-sensei didn’t appear back, the woman sniffed loudly where she sat; “I expect reports-legable, credible, and completed reports from you three or so help me, not even Lord Hashirama born again can help you,” she said to Team Seven. “Is that understood?”

“Uh-yes,” Sakura blinked as Naruto, pale under the chunin’s glare, nodded furiously. “You got it! You’ll have the report-right Iruka-sensei?”

“Yes Ms. Fumi, I’ll make sure Naruto gets his report in.” Again, Iruka-sensei sounded so ernest. Even though he hadn’t promised or sworn anything, it still sounded like he had. 

“Fine,” Sato Fumi breathed, “You three all opted to have money deposited into your accounts, your mission pay will be posted there by the end of the day.”

“Thank you!” Sakura bowed her head at Sato Fumi before spinning on her heel and smiling at Toshiko. Toshiko took that opportunity to embrace her friend as Iruka-sensei ushered Naruto out of the mission room with the promise of ramen and help on his post-mission report.

“I’m glad your back Sakura!” Ino had been in Toshiko’s life as nearly as long as Shikamaru and Choji, and she was— for the longest time —Toshiko’s only female friend, and Toshiko loved Yamanaka Ino the same way she loved Choji; but Ino didn't like talking theory with Toshiko the way Sakura did, and in all the years Ino and Toshiko had been friends they didn’t speak of the shame and worry that had built a home inside Toshiko’s gut.

That was Sakura. Somehow that had become Sakura.

“Glad to be back Toshi,” Sakura smiled back, “I should get home and see my parents but maybe tomorrow we can catch up?”

Toshiko beamed, “Yeah! Shika and I have been practicing touch-and-place seals.”

“Can’t wait to see it!” And then she was leaving, gone before Toshiko had fully turned back to her brother. 

“I don't have to go back to class right?” Toshiko murmured, “I can stay with you, right?”

“Yeah, come on,” Sasuke said, leading her out of the mission room, hand in hand.

“So tell me about it! What was the mission like? Pakkun-sama said that you guys fought rogue ninja and your C-rank was probably going to be reclassified,” Tshiko said.

“You call the dog -sama?” Sasuke asked instead of answering as they walked though the administrative buildings corridors.

“Yeah,” Toshiko nodded, “He said he’s the leader of Kakashi-sensei’s ninkin pack and that if I want he’ll help me come up with ways to create new jutsu’s. He said Kakashi-sensei’s created a few.”

“Right,” Toshiko watched as her brother's lips thinned out before pursuing together, “Did the dog say anything else about Kakashi?”

“No? Why?”

“We need to talk when we get home,” Sasuke said.

“Okay, but about what?” Toshiko asked as they left the building.

“It’s—” Sasuke paused, “—Kakashi’s eye, the one he keeps covered.”

“Okay,” Toshiko blinked, silently compelling her brother to go on, “What about it?” Toshiko had assumed that Kakashi hadn't had an eye to keep covered, that like most shinobi who used their headbands as an eye patch it was because there was no eye there at all. 

Sasuke paused at the mouth of the academy’s gates, his hand slipped from Toshiko’s and to her wrist. His thumb pressed down against her pulse. 

“Do you remember what Ensui-san said to you about Kakashi?” Sasuke asked instead of answering. 

“Uh-yeah,” Toshiko nodded, “Ensui-san said Kakashi’s worked with our clan in the past, what’s that got to do with his eye?” Toshiko asked.

Sasuke blinked at her, slowly, the way he usually blinked at Naruto when the blonde said something stupid. Only no metaphorical lightbulb went off over Toshiko’s head. 

Sasuke sighed, “He has a sharingan, Toshiko.”

Toshiko felt the air in her lungs seize. 

“What?”

You don’t just give your eye to someone you worked with, you have to someone you loved before you died so that they could carry a part of you forever. You risked your own soul to keep yourself tethered to them. 

Sasuke’s lips thinned out, “That’s why he’s coming over later, he’s going to tell us about it-but he has one.”

“Poor sensei,” Toshiko whispered, and though he didn’t reiterate it, the crease between her brother's brow told Toshiko he thought the same. “Papa,” she said before her brother could move, “Papa had to know, right? I mean Kakashi-sensei isn’t that old-he’s like thirty, right?” 

“Thirty?” Sasuke’s brow rose, “I thought he was older.” Toshiko shrugged,

“We could ask Kurenai-sensei, she might answer.”

“You think?”

“She let it slip that the book Kakashi-sensei is always reading is from an ex-girlfriend.” Toshiko hadn’t been able to get anything else out of the woman except a name, Nohara Katori, and the fact that though she was alive, she no longer lived in the village. 

“He has an ex-girlfriend?" Sasuke asked incredulously, like he couldn't believe someone would date his sensei. 

Toshiko shot her brother a look, “You don’t have to say it like that, sensei’s nice! I’m sure he has a bunch of ex-girlfriends.”

Sasuke let out a breathy, doubt filled, laugh. 

“Don’t be mean!” Toshiko scolded, “Sensei’s cool.”

“Right,” Sasuke rolled his eyes, “Whatever, you were saying you were working on tough-and-places,” Sasuke changed the subject as they started walking towards the empty district they called home. Toshiko’s hand circled around the arm fabric of Sasuke’s shirt.

Toshiko nodded. “Shika and I have been working on making them move. So far I can only make them go a few feet.”

“Kakashi taught us to tree walk,” Sasuke said.

“Really?” Toshiko, as they walked, bounced on the balls of her feet.

“It’s about chakra control-we can work it on it tomorrow, maybe that will help move your seals farther.” Toshiko grinned.

“You’re the best Sasu-nii, you know that!” Sasuke’s only reply to that was to tilt his chin upwards, like he already knew he was the best. Toshiko stuck her tongue out at her brother, though that fell short as she grinned at him. “What else?” She then asked, “What else did you learn-oh actually Sasu-nii, what was the Land of Waves like?”

And so it went, as they continued on their way to the Uchiha district— places somewhat out of the way and away from the other districts after the Demon Fox’s attack on the village —chatted about the humidity in the air of the Land of Waves, and though the nation was poor it was beautiful.

The conversation only stopped as they made it to the open gates of the district. Sasuke paused, pulling Toshiko to a stop with him.

Sasuke’s face had seemingly darkened within seconds, his smile had slipped and vanished and the light that had been in his eyes as he’d been recounting his and Naruto’s time training to climb up the tree dimmed and for a second, unfocused from the space in front of him and to something that wasn’t— was no longer —there.

Toshiko’s heart twisted in her chest; she could imagine what her brother was thinking of, where his mind had gone. 

“Sasuke?”

He blinked.

“Yeah, I—” His voice was tight and Toshiko grabbed hold of her brother's hand. “—I thought of something.” He then squeezed her hand.

“It’s okay.” She always thought of it too. The blood, the screaming. The silence of the district was always filled with the echoes of their clan members screaming, at least in Toshiko’s ears.

“Mother, she’d be proud of you,” Sasuke said. Toshiko, who had turned to look at the Uchiha district's gates, snapped her head to face her brother.

“What?”

“Mom, she-I had a dream,” Sasuke said quietly, “I got hurt and I dreamed of her. She’d be proud of you if she were here.”

“What about you?” Toshiko asked in an equally quiet voice, “I bet she’s proud of you. Papa too, you’re a genin and you fought an A-ranked rough ninja, I don’t think they could be proud Sasu-nii.”

“They should be here,” Sasuke said, “Every time Shisui and him came back from a mission they’d carry us through these gates and we’d get a treat and our parents would be home and—” Sasuke cut himself off, grit his teeth and squeezed Toshiko’s hand hard enough for it to ache under her brother's grip.

She didn’t pull back from her brother because nothing compared to the ache in their hearts. There was no pain like the pain in their souls. 

“—I’m going to avenge them all,” Sasuke said. “I’m going to keep you safe.”

“I hope you don’t have to,” Toshiko said, “I hope he dies in a hole in some tiny village, and rots before anyone can find him and we never see him again.”

“Because you think I can’t take him?” Sasuke shot back; the dimmed light in his eyes  was gone and Toshiko felt her throat tighten as the joyful air that had been surrounding them seemed more like a figment of imagination than something that had been cloaking the pair of them only moments before. “I can-I will!”

“I know,” Toshiko said softly. Her eyes drifted from her brother's burning gaze to the ground; to the rocks under their sandals. 

“Do you because Sakura made it seem like you don’t.” 

Toshiko’s head snapped up. “What!”

“You don’t!”

“No!” Toshiko ripped her hand away from her brother, “I didn’t say I didn't think you could beat him!”

“Really, what did you say! You think I’m too weak!”

“I said I’m worried!” Toshiko snapped. She could feel the tears start to dot the corners of her eyes, “I said I’m scared-that-that—”

“—That what!”

“—I don’t want him dead!” Toshiko snapped. 

“What?” Sasuke took a step back, like Toshiko had physically hit him with her declaration. And then he took two steps forward, he grabbed her wrist; Toshiko let him despite his unforgiving grip. “He murdered our clan! He wants to kidnap you—”

“—I know! I know, I know, I know!” Toshiko shouted as the sobs began. Her shoulders shook as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. How could she not know what their brother wanted from her, it was a horror that dogged her every breath. “I know but-but part of me, he's our brother Sasuke. Our big brother, he used to be the best.”

Before their world had fallen apart Itachi used to read her to bed when their father couldn’t. Itachi would place her on his shoulders as they walked Sasuke to school and buy her dango afterwards as an early morning treat as their mother had Shisui’s not-so-secrete candy drawer under lock and key until after dinner. 

“He murdered our parents!”

“I know!” She screamed back, “And I know he’s going to come and I know you guys are going to fight-but I don't want to bury anyone else! You weren’t there Sasuke, you-I lit every pyre! I did it alone!” Shikaku-sama and other Nara had lined the bodies up but Toshiko had let every pyre, had watched every body turn to ash.

She would never forget the smell of a burning body anymore than she would forget the image of her parents splayed out corpses.

“If you fight him and you die I have to do that again and again and I’ll be alone! Don’t you get it!” Toshiko stomped her foot like a petulant child throwing a tantrum because she didn’t know what else to do, “I don't want to be alone again!”

Sasuke let her arm drop as he let go of her wrist. Toshiko, as her arm landed at her side, threw herself at her brother. She buried her face into the column of his neck and Sasuke wrapped his arms around her, locking her to his chest.

“Don’t make me do that again, please!” She begged. 

“I won’t die-I won’t make you go through that again,” Sasuke said into her hair. But that wasn’t a promise Toshiko knew he could keep because when he fought Itachi— Toshiko knew Sasuke was right in his accusations —she wasn’t sure her brother would be strong enough to stop him.

So she cried into her brother's arms. He was going to die and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. And he held her like they weren’t both pretending this wasn’t just some empty promise. 

0.0.0.0

When Hatake Kakashi had arrived at the Uchiha siblings home, he already knew he was going to get pressed into answering about his eye; he had assumed both Sasuke and Toshiko would try to corner him about it before they even sat down to eat, and like most assumptions he made, he had been right.

The questions had come before he was fully in the door. 

“So Kakashi,” Sasuke drawled, “How long have you had the eye?”

“Ah, not even a welcome Sasuke?” Kakashi teased, as he toes off his shoes. Sasuke shot him a dry look and under his mask Kakashi couldn’t help but smile. As much as Uchiha Sasuke looked like his mother, he had his fathers facial expression down to a T.

“Hi sensei!” Toshiko’s voice called out from another room, Kakashi— rightfully —assumed the kitchen.

“Hello Toshi!” Kakashi called out. 

He hadn’t meant to take guardianship of Uchiha Toshiko, the words had come spilling out of his mouth before he had been able to stop them but she was sweet and kind and made his heart ache from the weight in which his beat under a pile of memories.

“So sensei,” Toshiko asked, as he took a single step into the tiled kitchen, “How old are you?”

A huff of laughter escaped Kakashi as Sasuke glided past him and to the stew on the burner next to the chicken katsu Toshiko was cooking.

“And why do you want to know?” Kakashi wondered as he leaned against the kitchen island's countertop. 

“I think you’re thirty, Sasu-nii thinks you're older.” 

“Older!” Kakashi cast a wounded look over to his— official —student who shot a look back at Kakashi, one that all but asked the jonin what he would do about it. Kakashi filed the look away as he would be making the boy run suicides until he dropped.

“So you are thirty?”

“No! I’m twenty-six,” Kakashi wilted as both Uchiha siblings shot his looks of disbelief. Like they didn't believe he could be so young. His comrades— the other jonin-sensei —were older, all twenty-eight and above. Did their students think they were older than they were or was it only his yōkai students? 

“You’re sure?” Sasuke asked and Kakashi shot the younger shinobi a dry look. “Whatever,” the Uchiha muttered. “You eye, how long have you had it?”

Kakashi watched as Toshiko’s elbow shot into her brother's side before he could answer, “I thought we were going to wait until after dinner to ask him questions.”

“I don't want to,” Sasuke replied. He then turned back to Kakashi, “So how long?”

Kakashi’s shoulders both deflated and tensioned, "Twelve years.” 

Both siblings seemed to blink at Kakashi’s answer.

“You were a genin?” Sasuke asked, Kakashi shook his head.

“Things were different back then, with the wars the academy churned out shinobi as fast as they could-I was a jonin by then.” 

“Jonin at twelve!” Sasuke breathed, wide eyed in disbelief. 

Kakashi hummed out a yes. His father had let him enter the academy a year early, he had graduated within that first month. He had become a chunin at seven, shortly after Minato-sensei and him had been placed with Rin and Obito, and then jonin a few years after that.

“Wow Kakashi-sensei, you’re so cool!” Toshiko gushed as he grabbed the katsu from the pan and placed it on a plate with paper towels. 

“Thank you Toshiko.”

“If you got it fourteen years ago then our father knew,” Sasuke said with a look to his side, in his sister's direction. 

“He did, your father was the only one who wanted me to keep the eye,” Kakashi said. The pads of his fingers touted his headband, “Your clan's elders thought it was an affront to the Uchiha name to let me keep it.”

“That’s bullshit!” Toshiko snapped, causing both Kakashi and Sasuke’s gazes to fly in her direction, “You-your friend wanted you to keep it! No wonder mama called them old-stuffy-assholes!” Kakashi moved to his students side as Sasuke seemed to choke on his own spit at his sister's declaration. 

The jonin hit his students back once the twice before Sasuke shooed him away.

“I—” Kakashi said a moment later, “—I believe your father thought the same.” 

“Obito was a good boy,” Uchiha Fugaku said solemnly. Kakashi and Minato sat on the tatami mats of the Naka Shrine across from him. “He was passionate and sometimes leapt before looking but he had a good heart-my wife was good friends with his mother once upon a time. If his last wish was for you to keep that eye Kakashi, keep it and use it well, like he would have.”

“Good,” Toshiko nodded as she turned the stove's burner off. Kakashi watched as his student and team mascot— his ward —moved about the kitchen, grabbing plates and silverware, working quietly in tandem as they shuffled him and the food to  the dining table in the adjacent room.

A quiet thanks for the food went around the table, and as Kakashi went for a cutlet Sasuke asked, “What was his name?”

Kakashi licked his lips under his mask.

“Obito, his name was Obito. He was the one who taught me that a shinobi who abandons their comrades is worse than scum. He was older than me-he’d actually been held back a year in the academy so he was older than our other teammate Rin as well. He didn’t act like it though,” Kakashi said fondly. His heart aches as he remembers all of Obito’s pranks.

“He—” Toshiko paused.

“Yes?”

“What happened-I mean, he doesn't have a grave sensei?” Toshiko said hesitantly, she picked the breading off her cutlet as she refused to meet Kakashi’s eye. 

Kakashi didn’t bother to wonder if she actually had every grave in the village marked Uchiha memorized; he knew his mascot, there was no doubt in his body that she had.

“He doesn’t. It was during the war, on a mission, my first as a jonin leading our team-we were Team Seven once,” Kakashi said thickly, “He saved my life. I'd already lost my own eye and he was dying. He’d been crushed.” Both Sasuke and Toshiko drew in sharp breaths and for a second Kakashi was no longer there, at the table with them but on the battlefield, kneeling in the ruins of what was once Kannabi Bridge.

“He loved you,” Toshiko said softly. 

“I’ve been told,” Kakashi said, his voice tight. 

Itachi had told him as they sat in the ANBU monitor room watching his clan go about their everyday life. Somehow they had gotten onto the topic of Obito— he used to babysit Itachi once upon a time —and his eye. 

“In my clan to give someone your eyes, it’s a show of love Kakashi. Of devotion in some cases.”

“What was he like?” Toshiko asked. “You know, besides being brave.”

If there had been a watery waver in the laughter that escaped Kakashi, neither Uchiha mentioned it. “He was kind,” Kakashi said, “Kinder than I deserved some days back then. Always late mostly because he was helping people around the village and just let the day escape him.”

“So you got his time management and his eye,” Sasuke quipped before freezing. Kakashi watched as his students' eyes fluttered shut and his shoulders squared like he was expecting Kakashi to snap at him, but instead Kakashi found himself chuckling.

“I suppose so.”

“Did-did he have family?” Toshiko asked. There was a beat where Kakashi heard his wards real question; Did Itachi kill his family?

“No,” Kakashi shook his head, “His parents died in the second war and his grandmother only lasted a few months without him. He was close to your mother though.” Kakashi wasn’t sure why he said that but both siblings rocked forward in their seats.

“Really?” Kakashi nodded.

“Your mother and I used to run into each other at the memorial for shinobi killed in action.” Uchiha Mikoto had known his father as well. She had been Minato-sensei’s teammate once upon a time, and apparently, long before he had come along, Hatake Sakumo would— at times —help his childhood friend train his team. 

“If mama liked him he must have been amazing,” Toshiko declared. 

“I think so.” Kakashi knew in his heart, if not— in part —for Obito his life could have been completely different. 

“What was your other teammate's name?” Toshiko asked, “I mean you said Rin but—?”

“Rin, Nohara Rin.” Toshiko sat up straighter in her chair and Kakashi raised a questioning brow. 

“Oh-uh, do you still speak to her sensei?” Kakashi felt his heart twist.

“I’ll be your eye Kakashi, I’ll watch over you and everyone else through it,” Obito’s voice was quiet and grumbled. Blood trickled out of his mouth with every word. “But Kakashi, please.”

“Anything.”

“Watch out for Rin.”

“In a way,” Kakashi said quietly, “She died a year or so after Obito.”

“I can’t go back Kakashi! If I go, I’ll destroy the village-my home! And you can’t let me!”

“I won’t-I’ll get Minato-sensei, we’ll figure something out!” He had sworn to Obito that he would watch over Rin. He had promised Katori he would have her cousins back. 

“And if you can’t! If there’s no hope?” Rin took a step forward, they didn’t have time for this, Kakashi wanted to snap. They had to run before the Kirigakure shinobi closed in on them. “Kakashi you can’t promise me everything will be okay, not now!”

“What do you want me to do! I’m  not just going to let you die!”

“You have to! Damn it Kakashi!” He could hear them— the Mist ninja —catching up to them. “Watch out for Katori, please, when I go she’ll be all alone.” Kakashi wanted to say that of course he would watch out for Team Seven’s tag-a-long; he’d been doing it silently for years now. He wanted to say they didn’t have time for this, that he could fix this. 

Only before he could speak a voice, raspy and malice filled, rang out, “There you kids are!”

“I’m sorry sensei.”

“It’s okay, it’s been years now.” Both Uchiha looked at Kakashi dubiously; if anyone would know that time didn't heal all wounds— Kakashi was sure that when died the throbbing, hemorrhaging wounds that had been inflicted upon his heart all throughout his life would still be open and raw and unhealed —it would be them.  “The katsu is delicious Toshi-chan.”

“Thanks sensei.”

0.0.0.0

Sasuke laid awake as the moonlight streamed into his room through the window. Toshiko laid curled up next to him in a pair of pajama's with the Nara Clan symbol as she’d just stolen whatever was clean of Nara Shikamaru’s.

The bastard had his own little drawer just as Sasuke and Toshiko had at his. Bastard. 

He closed his eyes and thought of his mother, of the dream he’d had on the bridge. She’d been making curry udon, the same food she’d make whenever Shisui or Itachi or his father came home from a mission. If she was alive that 's what she’d had made for him.

But she wasn’t, because Itachi had murdered her. Her blood still stained their family's tea room. 

Sasuke focused on the waning crescent in the sky and closed his eyes as resentment ballooned in his chest because he had heard what Toshiko hadn’t said; she didn’t think he was strong enough to avenge their clan and save her from their monstrous brother. 

“Sasuke,” his mother said his name in the same kind of voice she would use back when he’d been young and in trouble but not enough to warrant any punishment outside of a lecture. “You don't have to do this, you know.”

She didn’t think he could do it either. She thought, just like Toshiko thought, Itachi would kill him where he stood.

Sasuke felt his lungs quiver as he sucked in a deep breath of air and held it there. Even if no one believed in him, Sasuke knew he had to believe in himself; he knew he had to follow through because if he didn’t it wouldn't matter if he wanted the fight or not. Itachi would come, maybe to cut him down nonetheless but without a doubt for their sister.

Please, he prayed because despite the feelings in his chest he loved his sister just as he knew she loved him, Don’t let me let her down.