𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘉𝘌𝘋𝘌𝘝𝘐𝘓𝘌𝘋 𝘓𝘌𝘎𝘈𝘊𝘠 | ⁿᵃʳᵘᵗᵒ

Sibling for a Sibling

SIBLING FOR A SIBLING

✧

When Asami was a little girl, the thought of becoming a shinobi was something she had dreamed of. To go out and fight for her clan, represent the Uchiha, and protect her loved ones with her skills was something she longed for. It was heavily romanticized by those around her, older men and women talking about how honorable it was to fight in the name of the Uchiha.

Her father had done a good job up until his death of shielding her and Hana from the true horrors of what it meant to be a ninja. He would explain away other kids, adults, and teenagers she would usually see day to day suddenly disappearing.

They just won't be coming back, Daichi would say softly, but not elaborate any more on it. Asami and Hana never asked anything more either, since to them, it was just normal.

The veil concealing what it really meant to be a shinobi was torn to shreds the day she killed that Senju in the forest. She killed him by accident and could recognize that now as an adult. But accident or not, it didn't wipe the blood that had stained her hands at such a young age

The number of people she killed continued to increase as she grew older, kills from various missions, threats near the Uchiha borders—it all became normal to her. The act of taking someone's life became as easy as breathing.

Though sometimes, deep in the night when the compound was fast asleep, the only sound of life being the occasional hoot of an owl or the crickets, she would lay in her bedroll and stare at the wall, the ever consuming guilt catching up to her.

Tonight was one of those nights.

The Fuma were going to arrive tomorrow morning, and as soon as they got a meal in them, they were going to prepare for battle and attack the Senju camps. It was going to be a surprise attack, as currently the Senju, Sarutobi, and Shimura had no idea that they were aware of their planning. They probably suspected that the Uchiha knew of their camps, but nothing else.

What Madara said about Sarutobi Sasuke making her a known target stuck in her mind. She had no doubt that once he saw her, he would make it his mission to cut her down. At least that's what she would want if she was in his place. Hell, she had done that to the Senju who killed Hana. She had squeezed the life out of him with her bare hands.

She could still feel his fingernails digging into the tops of her hands sometimes. The blood, dirt, and grime he dragged across her skin in desperate attempts to save himself. She had won, though, gaining minimal satisfaction from his death. Knowing that she had ended the person who took Hana from her.

Even if it didn't bring her back.

Still not able to sleep, Asami sat up, looking around her room. It was quiet and dark, no other sound giving away that someone else was awake at this time. She let out a deep sigh, rubbing at the side of her face, before dragging a hand through her hair.

Getting out of her bedroll, she slid open her bedroom door to the hallway. She walked down it, passing Madara and Izuna's bedroom, careful to be quiet. She turned the corner and reached a room at the end of the hall. She slid the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind her softly.

A square table was pushed off to the side, a few books sitting on it as though they'd been left there for a while now. There wasn't much in the room at all, similar to the rest of the rooms in the home. What she came in here for, though, was the butsudan placed against the center of the far wall.

She walked over to it and got on her knees, hands placed on her thighs. She closed her eyes for a moment, a heavy feeling in her chest. She felt as if she was going to cry, but no tears came.