𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘉𝘌𝘋𝘌𝘝𝘐𝘓𝘌𝘋 𝘓𝘌𝘎𝘈𝘊𝘠 | ⁿᵃʳᵘᵗᵒ

The Crows

THE CROWS

✧

Sasuke Sarutobi kept to his word, calling off the fight. The Senju, Shimura, and Sarutobi were already hurting from the ambush so it didn't take much convincing to get the forces to fall back. The Uchiha and Fuma were quick to gather their wounded and dead to return to the compound as well. 

At first, it seemed as though Asami had intimidated Sasuke Sarutobi into retreat again, Izuna and Madara congratulating her for it. Once they found out that was not what actually occurred upon returning to the compound, it was needless to say they were not happy.

"What do you mean you let him get away?"

Madara shut the door to their living room, deciding they needed somewhere more private to have a conversation about this. Izuna stood in front of Asami, already inside. The three were still dressed in their battle yukatas, covered in blood and grime. The conversation was too pressing to even get changed before addressing what had gone on.

Izuna stared at her in disbelief, unable to comprehend what his younger cousin had done. "You had him in your clutches and you just let him get away? Asami, this is serious. If someone were to catch wind of this, they could take it as treason. That maybe you're even allied with the Sarutobi."

Asami recoiled, matching his expression of disbelief. The mere idea that she would be allied with them was ridiculous. She would never do such a thing!

She threw her hand up, taking a defensive step forward. "That's insane! Obviously I'm not allied with the Sarutobi! Sasuke Sarutobi was trying to kill me! Why would we be allies?"

Madara sighed deeply, turning around to face the two of them. Izuna looked at his older brother and threw his hand up in Asami's direction, expression still one of disbelief. "Are you going to say something?!"

"Calm down." Madara bit, shooting Izuna a glare. He turned his gaze to Asami, who looked extremely distressed. He raised a hand to his face, letting out another sigh as he tried to process what was going on. "Asami, I just can't understand why you would let him go. Izuna claiming that you could be looked at as a traitor is a little... extreme... but it doesn't mean this won't be troubling for you if Sasuke decides to let this information loose. How you would explain this away, I don't know. I do want to know though, why you decided to let him go."

Asami's shoulders dropped, a feeling of hot shame overcoming her.

"I..." She frowned, looking away at the floor. She held her midsection, curling into herself for some feeling of security from the scrutinizing gazes her cousins gave her. "I... I figured killing him would do no good. He came at me filled with rage for killing his brother. If I killed him, wouldn't it just make others have the same reaction? Wouldn't it fuel that same feeling of revenge, and the cycle would start all over again? Either I would kill someone else who was grieving, or, Kami forbid, they would end up killing me. I figured... I don't know. I figured that by killing him, I could try to stop that."

There was a heavy silence that settled over the group. Izuna's frustration seemed to ease, his shoulders sagging at her explanation. A deep frown settled over his features, Izuna looking to Madara who also appeared solemn.

"I had no problem killing him if I had to. I made a deal with him, and if he had refused, I would have killed him anyway." She added, still not looking at either of them.

"And who is to say he'll keep his word?" Asked Izuna pointedly, though he was no longer angry with her. He just seemed confused and frustrated at her actions.

Asami flinched, not even taking into account that possibility.

It was true. He may have called off the fight, but there was no way to keep Sasuke Sarutobi in check. Just because she let him live this time did not mean he would spare her life the next time they met. It did not mean he threw away the intention to kill her for revenge for his brother. All she had were meaningless words, and she let him off the hook. He did make the forces retreat, but that was the only proof she had right in front of her that he would keep his word.