Yuzuki sat by the window, arms folded, her sharp crimson gaze locked onto the outside world beyond the compound walls
Sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting warm golden hues across the floor, but her expression remained unimpressed
"Nee-san..."
The voice barely registered
{You've been staring out that window for hours}
'Three years... and I still haven't left this place'
{It's only been a few years, and you've spent most of it training}
'That's not the point!
They won't let me leave the clan compound
Am I not allowed to explore the world beyond these walls?
I'm not a child anymore!'
{I think they still see you as one}
Hmph
Yuzuki sank deeper into her chair, lips pressing into a thin line
"Nee-san..."
Her irritation wavered as a tug at her sleeve drew her attention
She blinked, glancing down to see her younger brother gazing up at her expectantly
Sasuke
"Huh? What is it, Sasuke?"
"You've been squeezing my cheek for the last minute"
His voice was small, slightly confused
Yuzuki frowned
"What?"
Then she noticed, her fingers, pinching his soft cheek absentmindedly
Oh
She quickly withdrew her hand, looking at it as if it had betrayed her
"...Sorry about that"
She muttered
Sasuke rubbed at the spot, puffing out his cheeks in an exaggerated display of wounded pride
But then, as if forgetting all about it, he brightened
"Can you show me that trick again?"
Yuzuki raised an eyebrow, her mood shifting
"What, this?"
She snapped her fingers, and a small flickering flame danced to life atop them, casting warm, golden shadows across the room
Sasuke's eyes widened, wonder shining in them
"Ooohhhhhh!"
Yuzuki smirked
At least something about this world could still entertain her
Yuzuki grinned, twirling the flame between her fingers before drawing small, lazy patterns in the air
The flickering light traced her movements, leaving faint trails that vanished just as quickly as they appeared
Sasuke gasped in delight, his tiny hands clapping together
"Again!"
His excitement was infectious, and for a fleeting moment, Yuzuki almost forgot about the suffocating restrictions placed upon her
Almost
Her gaze flicked toward the door
A figure stood there, watching silently
'And there he is
Always lurking'
It was a shadow of Itachi, just a clone, as usual
Tasked with keeping an eye on them
{You've become quite perceptive}
'It's nothing new'
{Still, your training has sharpened more than just your reflexes
Your yin energy plays a big part in it as you said}
'Did I say that? Maybe you're imagining things'
{Hnn... maybe}
Indra's voice carried a knowing amusement, but Yuzuki ignored it
{That aside, your emotions seem steadier than before
You're learning to manage them}
She huffed, rolling her eyes
'Yeah, yeah, I get it'
It was true, though
Her control over herself had improved, not that she'd ever admit it
She snapped her fingers again, reigniting the flame with a lazy flick
Her thoughts, however, were already elsewhere
'That aside... I need to figure out how to learn that clone technique of Itoshi's...'
{Itachi}
'Yeah, him... If I can learn that, I could finally sneak out of here without anyone noticing'
A mischievous grin tugged at her lips
The idea had merit
And more importantly?
It sounded fun
'Then I could-
wait...'
Yuzuki paused mid thought, her fingers tapping against the arm of her chair
{What now?}
Indra's voice carried mild exasperation
'I just realized something'
{That's never a good sign}
'Oh, shut up'
She leaned back, staring at the ceiling in deep contemplation
'Why am I wasting time plotting sneaky escapes when I could just... ask?'
{Ask?}
'Yeah
I mean, Itoshi's clone is right there-'
{Itachi}
'Him
He clearly knows the technique
Why not get him to show me?'
{You think he'll just... do it?}
Yuzuki's lips curled into a slow, mischievous grin as her gaze drifted toward Itachi's clone by the door
'Surely, he couldn't refuse a simple request'
{...You're really going to ask him, huh?}
'Oh, absolutely'
Indra sighed
She could practically feel him bracing for whatever came next
'What?
It's the perfect plan!
He's always so serious-there's no way he'd turn me down!'
{... And what if he does?}
Yuzuki paused, blinking as doubt crept into her previously flawless plan
'... Then I guess I'll just have to think of something else...'
{See? I knew there was a flaw somewhere}
Yuzuki smirked
'Hey, you didn't think of it either, so maybe I'm not so bad at this whole scheming thing after all'
{... I'm sure you've got it all under control}
She gave herself a silent high five, leaning back in satisfaction
After all, even a former goddess needed to have some fun with her plans
Just as she was about to boast that Indra simply lacked the foresight to appreciate her genius, Itachi's clone flickered out of existence
"Oh... Mikoto's home"
With a sigh, she extinguished the tiny flames she had been idly playing with, watching as the last flickers of light danced away
"Aww... Can't we play a bit more?"
Sasuke pouted
"Sorry, Mikoto doesn't like it when I mess with fire inside the house"
"... Sigh... I get it"
Seeing his downcast expression, Yuzuki decided to change the subject before he could start sulking
"How's your chakra practice going?"
"Ah... I still can't control it that well
Are you sure this is how it's supposed to work?"
"Are you doubting me?"
"No!
It's just...
I've been trying, but I'm not as fast as you were when you learned it..."
"Duh
Do you really think you'll be as fast as me?
I'm one of the best of the best, and even among them, I'm top-tier"
Sasuke frowned slightly, and Yuzuki smirked before ruffling his hair
"Don't compare yourself to me, you're doing great"
"Really?"
"Really"
Sasuke's eyes lit up, his excitement palpable as he dashed off to his room
{Think he's going to practice again?}
"Oh, definitely
I'd recognize that determined face anywhere"
{What face?}
"The face of someone ready to push themselves harder
He's really my brother, huh?"
{I just hope he doesn't forget to eat again...}
"Well, it's not that big of a problem
The cultivation technique I showed him keeps his body nourished, so missing a meal or two won't really affect him"
{Your complete lack of common sense is worrying...
I know it helps with his health, but that's not the point
He might develop bad habits}
"Eh, what can you do?"
{God...}
"Yes?"
{Not you...}
"Huh?"
-=Later=-
The scent of freshly cooked rice and simmering broth filled the Uchiha household as the family gathered around the table
The flickering glow of the lanterns cast warm shadows on the walls, their dim light unable to fully dispel the quiet tension lingering in the air
Mikoto placed a small dish in front of each of her children with practiced ease, her movements graceful despite the weight on her mind
Across from her, Fugaku sat with his usual composed expression, his posture firm and unreadable
Itachi, ever silent, took his place without a word, his sharp gaze subtly flickering to his younger siblings before settling on his meal
"Eat up, everyone"
Mikoto said gently, though her eyes lingered on Yuzuki a moment longer than necessary
Yuzuki, who had been absentmindedly poking at her rice with her chopsticks, sighed
"I still don't see why I'm not allowed outside
It's been years
What, are they afraid I'll set the compound on fire?"
She smirked, flicking a tiny spark from her fingers before extinguishing it with a casual wave
Fugaku exhaled through his nose, setting his chopsticks down with deliberate care
"The clan's best interests come first"
He said, his voice as even as ever
"Your Sharingan awakened from birth
That has never happened before
We cannot risk-"
"Risk what?"
Yuzuki interjected, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly
"I'm a child, not a weapon"
A heavy pause settled over the table
Sasuke, seated beside her, frowned slightly but kept quiet, his small hands gripping his chopsticks a little tighter
Itachi finally spoke, his tone calm yet carrying an unusual softness
"We're only looking out for you, Yuzuki"
Yuzuki turned to him, a flicker of something unreadable passing through her gaze before she scoffed
"Looking out for me, huh?
Is that what we're calling house arrest now?"
Mikoto sighed, reaching over to gently smooth Sasuke's hair as she attempted to lighten the mood
"Yuzuki, I know it's frustrating, but you must understand
The elders are cautious
It's not just about you, it's about the clan"
Yuzuki opened her mouth to argue further but stopped when she caught something in Fugaku's expression
He was as unreadable as ever, but something subtle lay beneath the surface, something she couldn't quite place
Worry? Annoyance? Maybe even... care? The thought made her scowl deeper
"Tch- Whatever..."
Sasuke, sensing the shift, decided now was the best time to change the subject
"Nee-san, show me that trick again! The fire one!"
His voice carried his usual excitement, his face lighting up at the thought
Yuzuki blinked, her frustration momentarily replaced by amusement
"You just saw it earlier, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but it's cool!"
Mikoto smiled faintly as she watched the interaction, her shoulders visibly relaxing at the sight of Yuzuki engaging so naturally with Sasuke
At least she wasn't distancing herself from everyone
Fugaku observed in silence, but for a brief moment, his stern expression seemed to soften, just slightly
As Yuzuki playfully flickered a small flame to entertain Sasuke, Itachi watched, a quiet but present warmth behind his usual composed demeanor
He didn't say anything, but in the way his gaze lingered on his younger sister, there was a trace of something almost imperceptible
Affection
The meal continued, the tension easing bit by bit, though not entirely fading away
And as the night stretched on, the conversations that followed would hold weight beyond what any of them could foresee
The dinner continued, the sounds of chopsticks tapping against bowls and the occasional sip of tea filling the room
Despite the casual atmosphere, a sense of restraint lingered in the air, as if there were unspoken rules no one dared to break
Mikoto, always attuned to the nuances of her family, glanced at Yuzuki
"You barely ate anything"
She observed, her voice soft but firm
"You need to eat more"
Yuzuki, who had been absentmindedly pushing her food around, blinked as if only now registering the concern
"I'm fine"
"You say that, but you've barely touched your rice"
Mikoto pressed, her motherly instincts not allowing her to let it slide
"You won't grow properly if you don't eat"
Yuzuki scoffed
"I don't need to grow
I'm already perfect the way I am"
Sasuke snickered into his bowl, while Itachi merely exhaled through his nose, the closest he would get to a laugh
Even Fugaku's eyebrow twitched slightly in amusement before he masked it with a sip of tea
Mikoto, however, was unimpressed
"Flattery won't get you out of finishing your food"
Yuzuki sighed dramatically but took a bite, chewing slowly as if it were the greatest struggle of her life
Sasuke, emboldened by her theatrics, decided to chime in
"Maybe Nee-san doesn't like vegetables"
He mused, poking at his own greens with his chopsticks
"I like vegetables just fine"
Yuzuki said, rolling her eyes
"I just don't like being told what to do"
Fugaku, who had remained mostly silent throughout dinner, finally spoke
"That attitude is exactly why you're not allowed to leave the compound"
Yuzuki's chopsticks froze midair
Her expression didn't change, but the shift in the air was palpable
"Oh?"
She said, voice light but with an undertone of irritation
"And here I thought it was because of my eyes"
Fugaku set his cup down with deliberate care
"The clan's best interests must be prioritized
Your Sharingan is unprecedented
It is both a gift and a responsibility"
Yuzuki's grip on her chopsticks tightened
"A responsibility, huh?
Funny how that only ever seems to mean restrictions"
"If you understood the weight of your abilities, you wouldn't speak so carelessly"
Fugaku countered
"Oh, I understand just fine"
Yuzuki said, forcing a smile
"I understand that the clan sees me as a spectacle
A curiosity to be locked away and studied"
Mikoto's gaze flickered between the two, concern evident in her expression
"That's not-"
"Enough"
Fugaku cut in, his voice calm but absolute
"This discussion is over"
Yuzuki bristled, but before she could say anything else, Itachi spoke for the first real time since dinner began
"Father"
He said smoothly, drawing everyone's attention
"Will you be attending another meeting with the elders tonight?"
Fugaku gave his eldest son a long look before nodding
"Yes"
Mikoto sighed quietly
"Again? Fugaku, these meetings are becoming more frequent"
"Because they need to be"
He said simply
"The clan must be prepared for what comes next"
Yuzuki exchanged a glance with Indra in her mindscape
{Well, that doesn't sound ominous at all}
Indra mused
'Right? Almost like something big is going to happen soon'
She returned her focus to the conversation as Sasuke looked up at his father
"Is it about the village?"
Fugaku regarded him for a moment before nodding
"Yes"
The table fell into silence after that
No one said it, but the tension was thick enough to cut with a kunai
Eventually, Mikoto cleared her throat
"It's getting late
Sasuke, Yuzuki, you should head to bed soon"
"Aww, but I-"
Sasuke began, but Mikoto's gentle yet firm gaze had him wisely shutting his mouth
Yuzuki pushed her empty bowl forward and stood
"Yeah, yeah
I'm going"
As she turned to leave, Itachi reached out, lightly resting his hand on top of her head for the briefest moment
It was subtle, barely noticeable, but Yuzuki paused
Then, without a word, she walked off, Sasuke following close behind
Indra's voice hummed in her mind
{That was... unexpected}
Yuzuki didn't respond, but her steps were a little slower as she made her way to her room
-=Chapter End=-
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