[IC] Uchiha Reborn

[GambolMuse]

Sasuke felt that he should train, but then why bother? Who was he training for? Even the Academy seemed like a moot effort now, there was no reason to work towards it. He had no family to share his achievements with, no one to ask for advice or to help him in training. Itachi had said before leaving to grow stronger, yet he couldn't even do that much. Everything was still raw for the young boy, and frankly he found it extremely hard to find the motivation for everything. The only reason he hadn't given up entirely and just died is he clung to life, his pathetic, lonely life. There was nothing for him and yet here he was, trying desperately to stay alive. He'd crawl to crumbs like an animal for food, suffer the unbearable silence that night brought on, all to preserve what little he had left. For some unfathomable reason he remained, though he wondered for how long.

Sasuke-san.

What? A woman's voice? Startled and confused by hearing someone speaking to him, Sasuke lifted his eyes ever so slightly, surprised to see a reflection that was not his own in the water. Lifting his head enough to meet the woman's gaze he stared at her silently for a moment, as though in silent shock of what he was seeing. He had never seen her before in his life, and though she bore a Konohagakure headband he couldn't recall seeing her in the village ever before. That might not be such a startling thing if she was an ordinary person, there were plenty of residents he didn't know, but she wasn't ordinary. One look into her eyes and he could see she was anything but ordinary; this woman, whoever she was, was an Uchiha!

But how? His whole clan, save for himself and Itachi, were now dead, slaughtered by the latter's hand. How could there be another member of his clan here then? A genjutsu? That didn't seem likely, yet he had to be sure. Having learned the art of releasing one from his father, Sasuke stood up nervously and placed his hands together, clapping to try and break any genjutsu. When he looked around however the woman was still there, her eyes bearing the sharingan. Frightened that this might be someone in league with Itachi, Sasuke trembled slightly as he took a few steps back, not wanting to die after having endured so much.

"S-Stay away from me!" he stammered, shaking as he tried to stand his ground. Forcing himself to place his feet firmly on the ground he placed his hands together in the tiger seal, showing he was prepared to fight if need be. He barely knew any jutsu, he'd only just begun to get down the Fire Style release technique, but he'd not go down without trying to put up a fight. Again he clung to life, to whatever he had that could be called a life anyways. "I-I don't know who you are, b-but stay away! I'm warning you!" Sasuke shouted, his little voice trembling with fright, "I know f-fire style!"

[writingrin]

Well, what had she expected? Happiness and trust? Nah. And Yura wasn't displeased by the negative reaction. In fact, she smiled a bit at his response. It was childish, but still good. He tried to expel a genjutsu first, very smart.

Her eyes whirled, memorizing everything about this moment. Though her main reason for turning her eyes on was simply so he'd know, without a doubt, who and what she was. An Uchiha like him. And now he believed it. But he didn't know what side she was on. She didn't blame him for that wariness.

She tried not to smile wider at his following threat. She copied the handsign, eyes twinkling now with amusement.

"Oh yeah?" she raised an eyebrow. "Me too, kid." Then she quickly dropped her hands back into an unthreatening pose.

She slowly crouched to get even with his eyes, hoping he wouldn't startle and attack. "Very wise," she said approvingly, warmly. "But unnecessary." She didn't say his weak defense was useless against her or anything condescending and cocky like that. She said it simply was not necessary.

Her face gentled and she slowly held out her hand for a handshake. She was wearing fingerless gloves, covering her palm, but there were tattoo-like lines down the underside of all her fingers ending in a dot on her fingertips. It looked a little weird, perhaps threatening. It wasn't meant to be though and it didn't even occur to her to that they might be.

"We're the last Konohagakure Uchiha, Sasuke-kun. I'll train you, but I won't fight you."

[GambolMuse]

Sasuke knew he was still very inexperienced, but he'd try to fight if push came to shove. Putting up his tiger handsigns in preparation for a fire style jutsu, his heart sank when the woman mimicked his gestures. Who was he kidding? He was so slow and awkward still when it came to weaving in his signs, she'd probably beat him to the punch decades earlier. Like the woman he dropped his hands after that, albeit more in a somber resignation than a show of mercy. For someone who might be his enemy she wasn't coming across as very threatening, yet only that made him all the more wary. Was she trying to earn his trust?

Watching as the woman crouched down, Sasuke kept a distance between them, eyeing her warily. He still didn't know her name, who she was or where she had come from. The fact that she was an Uchiha didn't earn immediate trust, certainly not after his clan had been decimated by one. There was a part of him that longed to just accept her, to have a chance at having some contact again, and that was thrilled his clan wasn't completely ruined. That part of him, however, was stifled by his fear and uncertainty. What if this was some elaborate joke? Could he really let down his guard around her?

"Last of... The Uchiha..." There was no disguising the sadness in his tone, every single word dripped with it. Torn between jubilation and heartbreak, Sasuke could only stare down at the ground for a moment, fighting over how he even should feel. This woman wasn't his mother, nor his aunt, or anyone he knew, she just happened to be someone from his clan. It was better than being completely alone he supposed, yet there was no telling how or if they would get along. None of this made a lick of sense, yet he wasn't going to get anything done sitting here and questioning this. He had a few options, either run or try fighting, or go along with it and see what happens. It wasn't easy, but with the woman right there he had to make a choice.

Glancing at the woman's hand for a moment he sat down on his rear, sighing as he pulled his legs up to his chest. "Fine, I'll train..." Sasuke mumbled, "I'll do whatever you want, I don't care anymore..." So long as he lived on he didn't care, that was all that mattered. He doubted anything would ever bring him happiness again, or anyone. Whatever this woman was hoping to accomplish by this she was going to end up disappointed, he wasn't going to be a smiling child for her. Sooner or later she'd grow weary of him and she'd leave too, or Itachi would return and kill her as well, leaving him alone again. If that was what she wanted then fine, she could do whatever she pleased, but he was hardly going to get his hopes up at having a family again.

[writingrin]

Watching closely, Yura spotted some positive emotion flicker in his eyes. Happiness... hope? It was a little bit of interest at least. But the ember died a second later. She winced as he repeated his words to her. Maybe she shouldn't have said it that way. Then she sighed, in a way that sounded just as sad as he did.

She closed her eyes, flipping the sharingan off. The boy didn't notice, too busy staring down. Then he sat and curled up. Yura didn't like how pitifully small and lonely he looked....was.

After he glanced at her hand and still didn't take it, Yura dropped the offer without rancor. She didn't know what to do now. She hadn't come here with a plan and she doubted she could even come up with one now. She was just making this up as she went along. How else could she get through... any of it?

But if there was one thing that did rankle her it was his lackluster response even to the offer to train! If he was still going to go to the academy, shouldn't he be a little more interested? Oh well, whatever. At least he wasn't AGAINST training... because what else did they have in common? What were she and this kid going to do together now that they were stuck with each other? And after all, his brother--No, god, no. If he didn't turn out like Itachi in a million years, even if it meant he'd NEVER become a ninja, that was a GOOD thing. And right now, honestly, the foundation of HER desire to be a ninja was shaken too. Alright, let him 'whatever' her for now.

Finally, she stood up, not bothering to move slowly this time.

She looked down at Sasuke.

"My name is Uchiha Yura." She wondered if he would care to remember it. "I'm going home and I'm sure you can find me if you need me," she finished.

She walked across the water in front of him to the shore and just kept going from there.

"Come over later for dinner!" she ordered/offered over her shoulder.

She wondered how he'd take that. Probably be irritated and/or uninterested, she figured. But she also thought it might get to him after a while. And if it didn't, she would just show up at his house and barge in. Technically, she was supposed to be living with him after all. But she didn't want to rush things. She'd guard him tonight though, regardless of whether she was actually moved in there. That was good enough for now.

...The only thing was she didn't have any groceries.

[GambolMuse]

Sasuke couldn't find it in him to care anymore, it just didn't matter. This woman could do whatever she wanted, she'd only end up being killed or leaving anyways, so why did it mean anything? If she wanted to try and take care of him he would let her, but he'd never be like he was before, he couldn't. No one could come back from what he'd experienced, and no stranger was going to change that.

Right, if he needed her. He wasn't going to avoid the woman, he knew he needed food and shelter. Just because he was going to her however didn't mean he was accepting her, it was a matter of survival. Keeping his eyes down on the pier as she spoke he only offered a small nod in affirmation, not having much else to say. Uchiha Yura... Never heard of her, strange that he knew absolutely nothing about one of his own. Would he go to her right from here? Or would he return to his own cold, desolate home? While the answer seemed obvious he really didn't know, it was almost like he wasn't ready to have someone again. The pain of loss, while numb, was still fresh, and having someone come into his life now felt almost wrong.

Finally lifting his head as she shouted back at him, Sasuke nodded his head slightly at the order given to him. Fine, he'd come over and eat, he was pretty sure he didn't have any food left at home anyways. He had no real idea how to keep food from spoiling, and as a result a lot of what the villagers brought by never lasted, leaving him with plenty of inedible food. He wasn't starving in any sense, yet he was far from getting his fill like he used to. The notion of maybe having a full stomach made him salivate shamefully, even making him get to his feet and almost race after Yura. He still needed to get home first though, and he had homework he had to go for class. Maybe later he'd go by, if she was being serious, and see what she had to offer. Worst case scenario it was a joke and she'd have nothing, he'd just return to his life after that, that's all there was to it.

The moon was high up in the sky by the time Sasuke was leaving for Yura's home. It was oddly reminiscent of that night, and though he knew there was nothing here to harm him, his skin still crawled uncomfortably. Walking a little faster than usual he kept his eyes cast down on the ground before him, holding his coat tightly around him as he moved along. It was getting cold, meaning it was later in the year. How was he going to make it through the winter? The home had heating yet he barely knew how it worked, and while someone would surely be by to help he could hardly make it on his own. If Yura was truly here to help, maybe she'd keep him warm...

No, he couldn't think that. The closer he got to this dinner arrangement, the more skeptical he was becoming. There was just no way that an Uchiha had survived Itachi's slaughter, that she somehow escaped him and was just now turning up. It made absolutely no sense, but then nothing in these last few days had. His beloved brother had killed everyone they ever knew, he was living on his own and now a member of his clan appeared, as if by miracle, and offered to care for him. As if things weren't confusing enough, now Yura's appearance was truly making a mess of Sasuke's mind.

Finding Yura's home wasn't terribly difficult, it was the only one aside from his own that would have lights on. The building she was now living in even prior to the slaughter had been out of use, so he was a little surprised to find her occupying it now. Stopping a few feet from the door he stared at the shut door for a few silent moments, deliberating on if he really wanted to do this or not. It could either be the best thing to happen to him as of recent, or an absolute letdown, and he wasn't sure if it was worth the risk of finding out. Still, what was his alternative? Go back home, alone, and eat cold leftovers again? It wasn't an appealing alternative, though if this proved to be a bust he'd be doing that anyways.

"Uh... Excuse me...?" Sasuke called meekly, shuffling up to the door and glancing up at it uncertainly. Should he just go inside? She had invited him over, but it seemed rude to just walk in. Biting his lip he reached up for the doorknob with both hands, managing to pull it open before stepping inside, blinking at the bright light as he passed through the frame. Even just standing here felt so much warmer, and it reminded him rather uncomfortably of coming back to his own home late at night, and he almost expected his mother to come around the corner and greet him any second. Sighing shakily, he knew that wasn't going to happen, Sasuke glanced back at the darkness beyond the door, wondering again if maybe he was making the wrong choice.

[writingrin]

Yura's heart started to race again as she approached her home. She got as far as the door knob before she panicked. She released it, stumbled back, and and flash-stepped away. Then she absolutely bolted out of there. The fact was she wasn't recovered from her own issues yet and it was all too much.

But Yura really wasn't one to dwell on things. She felt things deeply but they didn't often rise to the surface or stay there very long. She eventually calmed down and recognized how silly she was being. From there she sought something useful to do and decided to go grocery shopping. The mundane task was surprisingly soothing, despite the fact that it was tied both to Sasuke and to the thing she'd just run away from--her home. About the time she was buying dessert she began to actually look forward to going to home. Simply recognizing she had that desire dampened her original panic and increased the longing even more.

Yes, a lot of things were different now. MAJOR things. But not everything. She needed to remember that. It was a minor bulwark against giving up completely.

The last thing she bought, from a little blonde girl in her family's shop, was a boxed up flower. A lotus for 'rebirth.' When she got home she put it on the table in a shallow bowl and felt better for having something symbolic and new in the old place.

She put away the shopping and then she went around her house, re-familiarizing herself with it. Entering her room for the first time was the weirdest thing she'd had to do all day. It didn't... fit anymore somehow. But her clothes still did. They fit her perfectly. They were her old familiar clothes. And that, again, was a small thing that made her feel better.

So was the music. She turned it on while she prepared food and she even danced a bit. It lifted her mood considerably.

There was an art to making Sushi and Yura didn't quite have the patience to learn. But anyone with the right tools could do a tasty job. She made two types of rolls, tuna and salmon, then sliced them evenly. She put half on her plate and half on a second. Then she bit her lip, looking at it. "This is probably too much food for a kid, right?" Oh well. It was all going in the fridge for now. But she felt stupid for never having had to feed a kid before. What if he didn't like sushi? She bit her lip again. Absently, she picked up the sake next and then put it down. Then she shook her head and poured herself a cup. Then she hid the bottle from the kid and slumped at the table with a sigh.

She looked out the window and saw that the moon was rising. She hadn't noticed it was that late. Was the kid even coming? She drank her sake. And then, pathetically, she fell asleep right at the table.

But she WAS a jounin after all. So she woke again when the kid entered. She reached for a kunai, knocked over the sake, and jumped to her feet. A second later she realized what was going on though, and put the kunai away. Then she hurried to clean up.

"It's okay, Sasuke-kun. You can come in the kitchen now."

She cleaned up and put in another CD, a calm one on a lower volume. Then she turned and smiled, surprising herself with how happy she actually was that he'd come.

Her short black hair was curled behind each ear and her bangs were parted, revealing more of her face, making her look more open and friendly. She was a petite woman and only about 22 years old. Her black eyes weren't glittering with excitement or anything but they were kind and the smile showed in them.

She was wearing a dark blue kimono tied with a yellow sash and had on black house slippers. The fingerless gloves from earlier were removed, revealing the elaborate looking seals on both hands. Her fingernails were unpainted and she was makeup-less but unblemished.

[GambolMuse]

Sasuke wasn't sure about all of this, it seemed to be empty despite the lights being on. Frowning as he began to turn to leave, the young Uchiha jumped slightly at the sound of a bottle falling over, freezing in the doorway and looking back over his shoulder uncertainly. He did have the right house... Didn't he? There couldn't be anyone else here, it had to be that Yura woman. Waiting for a moment in an awkward silence he listened for any more noises, and was slightly startled yet again when he was called for. Okay, so it was her then, that was of little relief however. Still skeptical yet determined to see this through now, Sasuke took a deep breath and headed for the kitchen, trying his best to be brave.

What had hit him first? Was it the sound of the faint music, or the stench of sake? The latter made him even less enthusiastic about coming here, getting the idea that Yura might be a heavy drinker. She had seemed pleasant enough earlier today, yet he'd seen too what alcohol could do to some people, he wanted no part of that. It was almost bad enough to make him turn away, but instead he wrinkled his nose at the smell and stepped into the room. Compared to her appearance before, Yura was far less imposing than before. Those seals on her arms were curious, particularly now that he was able to completely see them, but he didn't know much of anything concerning seals and so hadn't the faintest idea what they might be for. Other than that, the woman was markedly... Plain. Pretty though, even a boy as young as him was able to appreciate that much. She seemed very simple and earnest like this, and her smile gave an air of pleasantry about her. Even still, Sasuke couldn't smile back, only looking up to her with his dark, almost lifeless eyes.

"Sorry I'm late, I was busy," he explained, shuffling past Yura and going to the table. Setting down his school bag on the table he clambered up onto the chair, finding it to be slightly too high for him and having to work for it somewhat. Once he was up and settled he unsealed his bag, pulling out his book and flipping to the last page he had been working on. The book itself was meant for children 3 or so years ahead of him, yet he'd been taught well enough to be able to understand the material, at least in some capacity. It was nowhere near the level of his brother, but then he no longer truly cared. Emulating Itachi was the furthest thing from his mind, he was his own person now, even if said person was terribly broken and sad most of the time. He was done chasing Itachi's shadow, the only reason he ever would do so would be to take revenge on the man. That was what his older brother had told him to do, wasn't it? Seek him out and kill him some day?

For anyone else, killing the man responsible for your clan's demise might well be easy, but Sasuke struggled with the very idea. Just who was his brother anyways? Was it the kind, caring young man he'd looked up so fondly to, or was it the cold, calculating killer that had massacred their entire clan? He still didn't have an answer to that, and maybe that was why he couldn't commit one way or another. Duty said to avenge those who had died, but personal feelings held him from that, it was a little too much for a young child like him. It was no wonder then he'd become so cold and detached as of late, it was all he could do from completely collapsing in on himself.

"Oh... Right... Dinner..." Sasuke mumbled, closing his book mechanically and setting it aside. He shouldn't be so rude, his mother would never forgive him if he had just wandered into someone's home and made himself comfortable like this. Putting his hands on the edge of his seat he slid off of the chair, his socked feet dragging along the floor as he went to the restroom to wash up for the meal.

[writingrin]

Sasuke stepped into the room. He was tense at first but after he took everything in he seemed to relax. Or more like deflate? Her smile faded and she turned her head to follow him as he shuffled in.

"That's alright. I'm glad you came," she said sincerely, to his back. Her eyes soft with compassion.

Then she shook her head slightly. Pitying him didn't do him any good. So she just went to the fridge, glancing at his workbook along the way. That stuff seemed a little advanced for him... but it wasn't like she knew what kids were being taught these days. But at least it looked like he was still interested in school, that was one worry she could put to rest now.

Yura opened the fridge, which must have reminded Sasuke what he was there for. She nodded as he shuffled away to find the restroom. Oddly mannerly, she thought. Yura removed the two sushi plates and set them down with the lotus bowl in between. She retrieved two sets of chopsticks, a bottle of soy sauce, and two fresh glasses. She quickly rinsed them in case they were dusty from long disuse. Then she filled them with fresh water. She wasn't actually a heavy drinker, she was done with sake for the night and technically she was on duty. Protecting this kid from now on was her job.

Inviting him to dinner wasn't part of her job though. She just... wanted to try to pull him out of himself for a little while, after she saw his state of mind. And she wanted to give him a chance to ask her questions... if he was so inclined. Hopefully he was. Eventually wouldn't he start wondering about her? Part of her was afraid he wouldn't.

Yura sat back down and looked out the window at the moon, aura turning melancholy, half listening to the soft shamisen music playing from her radio.

[GambolMuse]

Glad he had come? Why? They didn't know each other, and she had nothing to gain from this, not that he could see. Sasuke didn't understand why she was trying to be so nice to him, it seemed so strange after what had happened for someone to show this kind of consideration, he couldn't see it as genuine. Still though... What did he have to lose if this proved to be nothing? There should be someone nearby to protect him if Yura proved to be an enemy, and then he'd just go back to how he had been. On that somber note he decided to go to the restroom and wash up, realizing they were getting ready to eat. Was it that time already? He didn't even know, he'd not glanced at a clock since leaving school earlier in the evening.

Shambling into the restroom he flicked on the light switch, having to search for just a second to find the sink. After fiddling with the handle to get the water running he began scrubbing them beneath the water, shaking them dry once he was satisfied they were clean enough. Everything just felt so mechanical, from waking up to eating, going to school and especially things as mundane as washing one's hands. Sighing to himself he made his way back to the dining room then, pausing at the door when he noticed the sushi on the table, just by the smell alone. He'd had cold leftovers and a lot of noodles as of late, so something like sushi was a refreshing change. Not his favorite of foods, but he'd gladly accept it.

Sasuke pulled himself back up to his chair and moved aside his book, grabbing his chopsticks and placing them between his forefinger and thumb. Closing his eyes then he said thanks for the meal, beginning to dig in silently. Normally dinner would be filled with chatter and recounting a day's events, sharing what one had done and enjoying the company of one another. There was every opportunity to do so now, but he didn't particularly care to try. He didn't have much to say, nor did he have much eh cared to share with Yura. It was none of her business what he had done today, nor was it any of hers what she'd been up to. Sure, he was curious about why she was doing this, or why she was so keen on helping him out, but again he wasn't so sure if he should ask. Still... He should try and show some gratitude, otherwise he was being terribly rude.

"T-This sushi... Is nice..." Sasuke mumbled, not lifting his eyes from his plate as he slipped some more food between his lips. It wasn't overly flavorful and cooked just right, exactly how he liked his sushi in fact. There was a fair lot of it too, he'd certainly not be going to bed hungry tonight. That fact nearly made him smile, though only the corner of his mouth twitched faintly before resuming it's straight line shape. It was far from his usual dinners, but he would be a liar if he said he was upset at having another person around. He'd make the most of this, however fleeting it might be, as there was really nothing to lose from trying.

[writingrin]

Yura smiled at Sasuke again when he came into the room. She said "itadakimasu" with him and then began eating. She saved the salmon for last, it was her favorite. The boys sullen attitude didn't change much, but she did see some slight interest in the food. She let him eat without bothering him, just happy to know he wasn't picky or starving himself. His sudden thank you was so surprising she actually flinched.

"Oh," she breathed. Her lips quirked. And then his did too! That was nice to see.

Yura ate another roll. Then she asked, "Do you have a favorite food? I'll make it for us next time."

She relaxed her chopsticks and took a sip of water, watching him over the rim but not intently.

[GambolMuse]

This food was nice, certainly better than what he'd had lately. The villagers had tried to be helpful by bringing him food lately, but it was either sweet, which he hated, or far too seasoned. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate their efforts, it just wasn't something that appealed to him. This sushi though, it was plain yet tasty, just how he liked his food. The young Uchiha had to try fair hard not to take to the meal as enthusiastically as he might otherwise, not wanting to seem like he had poor table manners. Trustworthy or not, he had been taught to always be polite during a meal, and he wasn't going to offend Yura by eating sloppily.

"F-Favorite food...?" Sasuke repeated, pausing at the question. Did he have a favorite food? There were a lot of things he liked, but picking a hard one might be a difficult question. His mother often made all kinds of meals, and he just really liked her cooking, nothing in particular. He had to think it over for a few moments, but finally he was able to choose something out. "Well... I really like o-musubi," he answered, his cheeks flushing slightly as he spoke. It felt rude to expect Yura to make something for him, and he was confused that she even cared to ask. Was she a friend or foe? He had no clue, it was impossible to tell still yet it was beginning to seem like she might be genuine.

Throughout the meal Sasuke remained too meek to make much conversation or eye contact, preferring to look down at his food or in his glass. Eventually though he'd finished off the last of his meal, and with the final sip of his tea he had no means of averting his attention. Lifting his eyes reluctantly he met Yura's gaze, curious to find her watching him with a smile. Why was she so interested in him? Okay, so she was an Uchiha, but why did she just appear now? Why hadn't she helped during the attacks? It seemed strange before and now that, after all had happened, she had just appeared randomly. Maybe she wasn't working with Itachi, say that was a given, then how do you explain that? These were thoughts that a young child should never had, yet Sasuke couldn't help but be cynical of everything going on right now. Lowering his gaze to his lap he placed his hands across it, scrunching up the legs of his pants in his little fists.

"Yura... Why weren't you here...?" Sasuke whispered, feeling himself becoming emotional again. He didn't want to cry, he'd done enough of that lately, but the tears felt like they were rushing to the surface. With bottom lip trembling he tried desperately to control himself, sighing shakily before rubbing at his eyes with his forearm. "When mother and father died... And everyone else... Itachi hurt them all..." he continued, unable to stem the flow of tears now. Letting out one choked sob he lifted his head, starting down the woman through blurry eyes as tears began coming down his cheeks, "Why didn't you save anyone?! Why did you wait until now? Why only me?! Why?!" He didn't want to be rude, he didn't want to cry and he didn't want to hurt, but Sasuke couldn't contain it any longer. None of this made sense, and while he'd tried to go along with it he just couldn't any more.

[writingrin]

"Alright then," she replied with a nod. He hadn't specified a flavor so she would have to choose herself. Fortunately she had all the ingredients already. It would make a good picnic food so perhaps she could bring it for lunch on their first training day. She considered for a moment. She wanted to start training him as soon as possible but honestly what was the point of rushing? Everything she had to teach him would simply take time. She almost sighed at the thought. But at least once he got his Sharingan he would be able to copy her much faster.

She picked up her last sushi roll and ate it with slightly less pleasure than the rest. She really should've invested in a side dish, she decided. She washed it down with some more water and then pushed the plate away.

The pleasant smile on her face dissolved when she returned her gaze to Sasuke. Something had happened in those few moments since he answered her. What was going through his mind? Something she'd said? He was looking down, hands in his lap.

She blanched at his question. She'd intended to tell him all the circumstances as soon as it came up, but she hadn't realized the way it would LOOK to him until she did. And until now it didn't seem like it had occurred to him. Maybe she should have headed the question off... But she'd just been trying to tread carefully. She'd failed though because now he was in front of her, crying, and she didn't know what to do. Not at all. Her face constricted with pain.

"Sasuke," she gasped out, through the burning pain in her throat. "I'm sorry."
She would have seized his hands if they weren't out of her reach. Instead she tried to seize his eyes.
"I would have. I couldn't. The only reason I'm alive is because Itachi thought I was..." she quailed at the memories. Her friends. Her injuries. Waking up to discover what had happened. The ardous journey back... There was only one reason she'd even come back instead of hiding like a good little prey animal. "...harmless, I don't know. I was away on a mission for months before. And after...." her voice trailed off. The last two words seemed like part of the previous sentence but they were not. After the massacre... it was complicated. It was more than just the trip back.

Her eyes were nearly as haunted as his at the moment. She quickly looked away and sat back from him, withdrawing in on herself. She had her own baggage. It didn't quite compare to your own brother massacring your clan in front of your eyes though. She swallowed thickly.

Why was HE alive? She didn't know. It couldn't be sentiment. She didn't know if that was better or worse for him.

She shook her head, not looking at him anymore. "I don't know, I don't know!" her voice rose to a keening pitch at the end. "I wish I did," she whispered.

[GambolMuse]

O-musubi, it was a dish his mother rarely made but he adored. If there was any one thing that Yura was going to make for him, then it would be that. Would it even remotely compare to his mother's cooking? He doubted it, but Sasuke wanted to give it a try regardless. Was she actually going to do it though? Try cooking for him? He hated it, but the young Uchiha was being cynical of every movement, every word, and he couldn't bring himself to trust this woman. There were just some things that made no sense about this situation, and until he got his answers he couldn't readily put his life in her hands. How did he even go about asking though? Even just thinking about what he wanted to ask made him choke up, yet if he never got it out, then how'd he know?

Somehow Sasuke had managed to pose the question that had been plaguing him since their meeting: Where was Yura during the attack? She was an Uchiha, and every Uchiha was in the village somewhere, at some point, right? The fact she hadn't been present for the attack left him utterly confused, it was like she'd not existed before now. What else was there? Oh yeah, why was he left alive? Out of everyone else in the clan, he had been the only one to be spared. Itachi claimed it was for some selfish goal, he wanted someone to test his own power against. Right, who would test their power against him? He was weak and just a crybaby, he couldn't ever challenge his older brother. So why? Why was he alive? Why did he have to live alone with this pain? He'd gone a while without it, yet once more Sasuke found himself doubled over, his little frame wracked with sobs as his emotions spilled out effortlessly.

So that was Yura's excuse? That she had been on a mission? It didn't make any sense! He'd at least have seen her before somewhere, he knew every member of their clan for goodness sakes! He didn't know her face, nor her name, nor who she might be related to or what family exactly she was from. If she had truly been away on a mission then she must have been away for all her life, because Sasuke had never heard of her until yesterday. She was basically a ghost, someone who didn't exist; right now, even those who he knew to be gone felt more real than Yura did.

So she couldn't give him any answers, only excuses. It was just like everyone else in the village then, no one could explain what had happened. Not his friends, not other adults, not even the Hokage could offer an explanation. No one knew anything, and that sense of bewilderment and isolation was crushing for the young Sasuke. Whimpering pitifully as he fought to keep himself under control, the Uchiha child grabbed hold of his book and clutched it to his chest securely, sliding off of the chair and nearly falling down while doing so. Without a word to Yura he left the kitchen, wandering through the home to try and find somewhere, anywhere, where he might be alone. He was stupid to think she might be able to give him answers, and he was probably fooling himself into thinking she sincerely wanted to care for him. She'd probably be gone by morning, and frankly with how little she could offer him aside from food, he was okay with that.

[writingrin]

Yura’s face was worried. She watched him collect his things and nearly fall out of his chair. It was a bit too tall for him. Maybe she should have the old style seating… no what was she thinking about? Did she just not want to face this? She stood up and followed him to the doorway of the kitchen and then toward the front door.

“Wait! Sasuke, wait!” she was still dropping the honorific.

But he didn’t. He probably wasn’t even hearing her. She stepped outside and then realized she needed shoes and that he hadn’t put on his back on. She quickly shoved hers on and snatched his up. She left and didn’t shut the door. She didn’t even lock the door. Seriously, if ever there was a place THAT would be pointless…

She followed him easily although she wondered if she should. She was certain there was nothing she could say that would help. She thought about things like hugging him but she didn’t know what would happen. And honestly… she wasn’t that comfortable with physical contact with anyone. She WOULD do it though, if she thought it would help. She didn’t know though. Ugh, more things she didn’t know!

But the way he was whimpering as he left. It struck her straight through the heart. There was no way she was letting him go like that. Somehow she’d gotten him thinking and feeling all over again and if she didn’t do something RIGHT NOW to help…

Her strides smoothed out and she caught up to him again, right in front of his house. She was still carrying his shoes but she dropped them and reached for him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Hopefully that wouldn’t scare him or something.

“Please, please wait. I want to help you. I came here to help you, Sasuke.” She chewed on her lip. “You’re all I have left.”

She sank to her knees, dropping her hand. “This was my clan too…” Tears came to her eyes then and she let them fall.

What was she doing? This was ridiculous. She was crying to a child, a broken one no less, begging him to be her friend? How had she been reduced to this? She shouldn’t be crying at all. She should get a grip on her life and make the best of it. She should cut her emotions off… forever even. Be a ninja and nothing more. She didn’t know how to save herself or Sasuke’s emotions. However she COULD safeguard their bodies. Feed, clothe, train, protect. Those were obvious and easy tasks. Some villages taught their ninja to live like that. Even certain factions here did as well. But to Yura that wasn’t the Will of Fire. That wasn’t the path of a Konoha Ninja. And she loved Konoha and what it stood for. So she didn’t take refuge in the philosophy of ruthless efficiency. She clung to an ideal instead. It gave her a little backbone back. She wiped at her eyes and took a heavy breath to steady herself, brushing her hair away from her face again too.

[GambolMuse]

Was it Yura's fault that she had no answer? Probably not, but Sasuke couldn't differentiate that. To him she was someone who may have been able to stop the massacre, and yet she'd been off on some mission instead. A mission so intensive that it kept her away from him for all of his life, how else could he not know about her? Had she shown up prior to all of this he'd be delighted to have another clan member, someone he might call family one day. Now though he couldn't accept it, or he was having an awful time of doing so. He ought to be elated that there was someone left, and yet at the same time he felt betrayed by the selfsame person.

Did he want to be alone? Did he want to accept Yura? Sasuke had no answer, he was torn between these two ideas and was finding it impossible to pick either side. Maybe it was just too soon for someone to be showing up like this; the loss of his family was still raw, and the idea of forming a new one hurt. Wanting to be rid of all this pain, the young Uchiha did the only thing he could think of and tried to leave, desperate to make the discomfort stop. With his book clutched possessively to his chest, Sasuke left the dining room in a hurry and left the house, wanting to get back to the secure, if lonely, home he'd grown up in.

He hadn't made it even out of sight of Yura's home before she came chasing after him, making his pace quicken slightly. If he stopped and talked to her then he might stay, but staying was only going to hurt more. It wasn't until she suddenly grabbed hold of his shoulder and spoke that he stopped, albeit he didn't turn around to face her. He could hear the pain in her voice, and was terribly confused by it. Why was she upset? Her family hadn't died, so what was she crying about?

This was my clan too...

That's right... It had been her clan. Away on a mission or not, Yura must have had some family here. Even if she didn't she must have known someone, or been close to someone. Sasuke hadn't really considered that before, he'd only thought of his own losses without considering hers too. Was she just as sad as he was then? But she was managing to smile, why? Because of him? Again his heart twisted painfully, but for a different reason this time; Yura was able to find happiness in this and yet he couldn't. There was only one way he could feasibly see doing so, yet that meant accepting a woman he was still unfamiliar with, and somehow moving on from what had just happened. Could he move on? There may never be a 'moving on', but maybe he should try living at the very least.

Nervously, Sasuke turned himself around to face Yura, glancing up at her face to meet her gaze. His own eyes were still red around the lids and raw from crying, his cheeks damp with tears and his lips still quivering. She was trying to help him through all of this, and while he may still be reeling, for the first time he had a true sense of support. She was here now, even if she hadn't been then, and in its own way that was just as important. His shell of resilience, however thin it might have been, finally broke at that second, giving way to the ruined child beneath. With a loud, pained wail he dropped his books at his feet, shuffling over to Yura and burying himself against her stomach, clutching to her and desperate for comfort. She was not his mother, nor would she ever be. She couldn't replace his family or undo the tragedy that he had witnessed, none of that was possible. But maybe, just maybe, she could help him start over. Maybe life wasn't so pointless after all.

[writingrin]

The eyes of two Uchiha met, red from crying. Yura looked at him and saw her own expression mirrored back at her. Instinctively she opened her arms and Sasuke collapsed into them. That felt like the right thing to do. She clutched him tightly and bowed her head over the clan symbol on his back. At first she just held onto him. Then she loosened her grip and began stroking his hair. Not running her fingers through it. Just petting him in a soothing way. Her posture still enfolded him and she'd even adjusted the way she was sitting to support his weight.

She didn't speak for a long time and she didn't tell him to quiet down. She let him get it out. But eventually as she saw how he was exhausting himself, she exerted some chakra to climb to her feet. Then she carried him into his house and went to the only room that was still being occupied. She barely noticed kicking off her shoes again.

She left his books and shoes in the yard and his front door open. But she kicked his bedroom door closed. Then she put him to bed. She hesitated and then slowly placed a kiss on his forehead. Then she quickly drew back. "Good night, Sasuke," she whispered, and drowsily settled on the floor with a soft exhalation.

[GambolMuse]

Sasuke wanted to be alone, and yet he wanted Yura to be there too. Everything was just so confusing as of late, he was exhausted and lonely and had no idea whatsoever what it was he wanted. Having been determined to leave the woman be, something about seeing her cry as well prompted the young Uchiha to stay. Maybe it was realizing she felt the same pain, or his having some desire to, despite his own anguish, to help her. More likely than not however it was simply the fact he felt bad that she was upset as well, and for not having considered that before. She was an Uchiha as well, of course she was upset, how couldn't she be? They were the only two left here in Konohagakure, which meant no matter how difficult things might be, and they were difficult, they had to stick together.

To that end, Sasuke embraced Yura for the first time since their meeting. He let all of his heartbreak, his loneliness, his relief at finding another, all the emotions came rushing to the surface and wracked his body with sobs. Desperate for any kind of comfort he shuffled into her arms, grasping on and letting the tears flow shamelessly. He wasn't going to be alone now, there was someone else here who shared his pain and who could take care of him. How could he repay that? He didn't know, he didn't think he ever could, but at this very moment a wave of relief and contentment washed over him, albeit they were well hidden under his sobs and the breakdown.

Sasuke didn't know how long he'd cried for, but after some time the tears had ceased and he only could sniffle pitifully, feeling absolutely exhausted after that. He wanted to sleep now, he had a full stomach and felt marginally better for letting out all that pent up tension. His home was still a bit of a walk though, and he was preparing to make the trek when Yura picked him up. Just earlier tonight he might have protested such a gesture, yet instead he laid his head in the crook of her neck, holding onto her shirt as he allowed himself to be carried. It was... Nice, getting this treatment from someone, so much so that he almost smiled. Almost.

Being set in bed was absolutely heavenly, and it took a very brief period for Sasuke to fall asleep. He could vaguely recall Yura tucking him in and even giving him a kiss, but he'd been so out of it by then he'd not reacted. Darkness had claimed him for the evening, yet for the first time in days it wasn't smothering or frightening, he actually managed to rest somewhat peacefully. Having another's presence, one that wanted to help him, seemed to do an immeasurable amount of good for the boy. By the time his eyes eventually fluttered open, the sun was leaking in from between the blinds in his room, and the faint noise of songbirds outside carried in as well. His eyes still stung slightly, but his breathing felt a little lighter and he was most certainly better rested than the night before.

"Nnn... Yura...?" Where was she? Surely she didn't leave, did she? Sliding out of bed, Sasuke let out a soft yawn and rubbed at his eyes, stepping out of his room in search of the woman in question. What time was it? He wondered if they could have breakfast, she was a decent cook and he liked having a hot meal again, if she didn't mind cooking that was.

[writingrin]

When Yura woke she thought there was something wrong. She didn't waste time pretending to be asleep, she merely shot to her feet, ready to act. But there was not threat. The only thing that was off was that she'd slept late. She was long in the habit of waking at dawn and it was already passed that. She forced herself to relax. She looked outside and saw that it was still pretty early. She looked at Sasuke. He probably wouldn't be waking up for a while yet. He looked peaceful now and that eased her somehow. Silently, she left the room.

She didn't intrude on any of the bedrooms. But she found their restroom and then their kitchen. She was only slightly surprised to see that they had an old style dinner table on the floor and no refridgeration. How had Sasuke been getting along? On fast food? Did he have an income? That was another issue did he or she own the clan's property now or what? Surely a boy hadn't been in charge of it, even if they did. It was probably being held for him. So how indeed had he been surviving all this time? Charity? She sighed. In any case there were no groceries. Just some tea that Sasuke's mother must have had.

Yura went outside, retrieved Sasuke's shoes and notebook, then went to her own home. She showered and changed and then returned with groceries. She whipped up a simple breakfast for the two of them that wouldn't go bad even sitting out. Then she had some tea before going out to train in the Uchiha's back yard.

Her body was incredibly stiff from sleeping sitting up on Sasuke's floor all night. But she warmed up and then stretched out the kinks. She was wearing pants and a plain tucked in t-shirt. It would probably be a while before she started dressing like a ninja again. Her only mission for the time being was Sasuke. So she looked like a civilian, not a ninja. But she did have kunai in an unobtrusive pouch on her belt. The red comb she always worn was set aside. Her short hair and bangs were tied back by a red headband. Her hands were gloved again.

She took her body through languid martial arts moves at first, steadily building up the intensity of the work out. Finally she picked up the sword she'd had waiting on the ground and began another session, practicing sword moves this time. It wasn't much to look at but she clearly knew what she was doing.

She noticed Sasuke come awake and wondered what to do. Eventually she decided to let him find her and when the back door slid open she turned and smiled.

"Good morning!" she called out cheerfully. She didn't stop her movements but was facing him now. "There is some breakfast on the table if you're starving. I can join you in a moment." She performed another move then paused and tilted her head. "Unless you would like to join me?"

[GambolMuse]

Sasuke was a bit puzzled, not seeing Yura immediately upon waking. He really hoped she hadn't left, he was a bit hungry again and was looking forward to a warm meal. That, and having to be alone again after just finding another Uchiha would be utterly unbearable for him. He didn't see her immediately, but upon stumbling across two plates of food in the dining room it was safe to say she was still around. His stomach grumbled at the smell of the meal, yet he shuffled on past them for now, wanting to find Yura first. With it being his own home he could find her fairly quickly, he just needed to know where to look. After searching through the rooms first, he made his way out to the back yard, and was surprised to find the woman there, training away.

She was definitely in a good mood, smiling away as she greeted him like that. Managing a slight smile of his own, Sasuke folded his hands in front of him, not sure if he should wave or say hi back. He didn't mean to interrupt her session, maybe he'd head back inside and eat. Or he could be offered to train with Yura, there was an unexpected offer. Blinking slightly in surprise he pointed at himself, as if there was anyone else she might be addressing. "Y-You want to train... With me...?" he asked, not sounding all too certain. She was an adult and probably leagues above him, he'd probably only keep her back if they trained together. Still though... It might be nice to do something to keep himself busy, instead of sitting around.

"Uh... M-Maybe later? I kind of want to eat first..." Sasuke responded, placing one hand on his stomach. He would like it if she joined him though, it would be nice to have some company with his meal. How did he go about asking though? Just come right out and say it? Lowering his eyes for a moment he bit his lip, twisting his fingers together as he tried to sum up the courage to make the request. "I want you to... Um..." he began, mumbling meekly as he shifted his weight on his feet. Finally lifting his head after a moment he forced a little smile again, his eyes almost tearing up as he looked at Yura hopefully. "I'd like to eat with you... Please..."

If she decided to come and join him then fine, he'd more than happily welcome her at the table. After making the request Sasuke promptly turned around, going back to the familiar dining room where he'd spent so many meals before. The food was still there, and a bit of steam still poured off of it, so with luck it would be plenty fresh. Taking a seat on the tatami flooring he folded his legs, placing his hands together per usual before the meal. "Itadakimasu!" Pulling apart his chopsticks then, Sasuke began to slowly eat his meal, a bit too hungry to wait for Yura to join him. He hoped she didn't think this was rude, he just really wanted to eat while it was warm, that was all.

[writingrin]

Yura grinned at him and nodded. But he didn't take her up on her offer. She hid a sigh of disappointment by turning her face away and transitioned into a cool down for her muscles. When she looked back she noted his little internal war and held her breath. Her motions freezing up. She dropped her arms. Well, that was nice. He WANTED her to eat with him. Even though he'd had to push himself to make the request. But as soon as he asked he rushed away. Yura chuckled to herself and let him go. She put away the sword and finished cooling down. Then she joined him in the kitchen.

She took a seat across from him and began serving herself.

"So," she asked, "do you have school today?" She poured tea for herself next. "What are they teaching you these days?"

She itadakimasued quickly under her breath and dug in. She was definitely hungry too!