blank was the young man’s stare as he heard her out. what in ninshu’s name did she think she was going to accomplish? his eyes filled with hatred that seemed to mimic her own --- for what was man without jutsu? someone pathetic like asura. what was man without chakra? weak. indra was far from it and he could tell how much chakra his grandmother possessed yet her era was over. this was HIS time to run things. this was HIS time to take the crown of thorns. she had no business delving within HIS matters no matter how much alike they both maybe. asura was HIS to fight.

3 Day ol’ meme | | | Accepting

the boy closed his eyes — sitting down as if he were meditating. royal short eyebrows becoming more relaxed. there was a restlessness inside his soul that he needed to calm down before doing anything more. asura wasn’t here that was for sure. running into this man was a bit overwhelming but he had been still about the chance meeting. to find out there was someone like him who had the same eyes…

crimson tainted eyes flit towards the inhumane figure in front of him. with impassiveness drawn on otherworldly features, the young man eyed this woman before him --- head tilting to the side. this was the woman of whom that stranger talked about. this was that woman of whom that stranger had told indra long ago when he was just a child: you have her eyes, you do. such a young age and so powerful! imagine what you could do with that power, indra! you could become the successor of ninshu! 

coming back from the memory, a snap, hearing his brother’s name his face became stern. so this was his grandmother? the one who had eaten the fruit of the divine tree --- no his father didn’t tell him or his brother and his brother still did not know. indra was told this information by the one named black zetsu. 

when asura’s girlfriend looks like hinata

hagoromo: im not interested in how fast the job was done

indra: ...

hagoromo: we will wait for asura.

indra: nO. let him DIE  k.

itachi’s brows press down and he tries to hide the nerves as they come, behind the smooth, emotionless mask that had been bred into him. he’d made indra-sensei mad, hadn’t he? for his attempt at broaching the subject diplomatically he should’ve realized that it wouldn’t be welcome. FAMILY was a complicated idea for most of their lineage.

he’ll… he’ll go through kata alone then, until it reaches the time of night where fugaku won’t question why he’s returned. if fugaku —— it’s on the second time he catches himself, flushes with shame, otou-sama, finds out he’s displeased his sensei, there’ll be a lecture, and that quiet disapproval that only recently had crept into his father’s voice.

maybe the expectation of a lecture is why INDRA’S catches him off guard. turning back is a fluid motion, all long limbs and a child’s peculiar grace. itachi is aware of the space he inhabits, every movement and muscle has a purpose. but what indra-sensei says —— it seems OBVIOUS to him. the first lesson that indra-sensei has ever imparted that he… well, that he ALREADY knows. but it worries him regardless, does sensei doubt what he feels for his brother? his loyalty to the house, the clan? itachi settles on both feet, a look of concentration passing his features.

“indra-sensei… i would do anything for sasuke,” his hand settles on his chest, some half motion of fealty for a boy, a toddler, who’s too young to understand the depth of itachi’s devotion to him. “he’s why i have to be the strongest that i can be,” not just that he can be, not really, he wants to be the STRONGEST, full stop. he wants every inch of power that he can afford and more besides. but he doesn’t tell the adults that. that sort of ambition tends to WORRY. “i would give anything for sasuke.”

as quiet of a child as he’s prone to be, he means this. there’s DEVOTION in his voice, reed thin and quick as a whip. he can taste the meaning behind his own words. ONCE he hadn’t been sure what the meaning of life was, why ninja fought, why they died. but he knows the purpose to his own existence, it’d come into clear focus as soon as sasuke had been born.

indra was not upset with itachi nor did he feel as if the boy showed him any disrespect. it was because of he, himself, that he caused such strife for his descendants. maybe he came at the wrong time in the wrong era. lips turn down into a small scowl as his eyes opened --- swirling back to that onyx color they once were. it was easy to disguise his feelings when not having his sharingan activated.

if anything indra knew itachi would train alone and he would watch over him. if he heard so much as fugaku scolding the child he’d get on the father’s case. the god had every right to. how he’d notice that disappointed look pointed towards the younger sibling, it’d made indra’s skin crawl with hate for it had been that same look his own father had given him long ago.

wisdom was a rarity bestowed upon the god. he could only voice the thoughts that an elder brother should for if itachi ever should lose sasuke now would be the time to tell him; protection by any means necessary. what if indra was not here one day and everything went to hell? what would happen if this clan were to be in ruins and sasuke not found the next?

indra looked over his shoulder at itachi, there was a softness in his eyes; that of an older brother who’s lost his way but understood the child’s meaning. if only he hadn’t messed up could he have become a boy like itachi? could he have been as gentle? it was a sad, grief stricken look. the corner of his lips twitch up into a sad grin,

‘ follow through with your words, child. heed my word as well, if it must come down to nothing one day then you must do ANYTHING within your power. i will not begrudge you for actions you might take for they will be of your own righteousness. ’

Uchiha

he has been made to understand very young how LUCKY he was to have indra as a teacher. he’s at two tomoe now, he’d been at one when they’d first begun training and he —— he doesn’t balk anymore, at the look in his sensei’s eyes. he doesn’t glance towards sasuke until he’s given permission and then he’s scooping up the smaller boy with a measured, “Yes, sensei,” to the older sharingan user.

to sasuke though, his tone changes, soft, muttered apologies and a promise that nii-san will make this up to him because… he has no proof but sometimes he thinks indra, or maybe the sharingan, or just the intensity of both, scare his younger brother. the little boy willingly runs when itachi sets him back down on the walk way just outside. he watches sasuke go, only brought back by the clack clack of bamboo hitting stone as water is emptied.

if they were like the hyuuga, sasuke would be training against him even now. —— itachi wouldn’t, didn’t, have the heart for that but he’d beat his brother down if he had to, if only spare sasuke the violence of his life style. ( that second tomoe had been acquired during a mission to kill. )

“otou-sama has told him not to interrupt,” itachi hedged. “but… sensei —— do you dislike sasuke?”

it was said that the sharingan reflected what the users felt most. indra shut his eyes as he waited for itachi to take his younger away from their training session. only at two tomoi, that child, and he was exceptional. such talent for one so young yet so gentle. gentle like he had been towards asura. that gentleness was not going to enough later on in life. one must harden their heart no matter the circumstances. 

how indra’s heart clenched, beat, clenched again. it wanted to beat right out from his chest into a bloody mess. such pain --- short, dark brows furrowed, eyes still shut. to show one’s inner feelings was weakness. weakeness itachi could not see. the uchiha had more sense than the hyuga, if he were to see sasuke and itachi fight against each other, he would have intervened. brother vs brother...it would kill him. hearing the boy’s words, the male turned his back to itachi, voice soft-spoken and cold.

‘ ...we’ll continue training tomorrow. ’

he did not voice what he thought about sasuke because if he did...those feelings would pour out. he knew the role of being an elder brother more than most and it made him miss asura dearly. if indra had to walk a different path to make sure asura lived his life purely, he was willing to do so. he did not leave without saying these last words to itachi,

think bout this.