Trickling stream

Kanae… might have underestimated herself.

Sharingan. Single tomoe sharingan, sure, but sharingan nonetheless.

One of the youngest to open it, at 7. 

So much more talent than her older brother-

Rumors. Right.

No need to care about it.

Fuckers-

“People are bastards.” Kanae grounds out the next time they meet by the riverside. It has barely been 2 days since she made that public confrontation with Hatake, and the people are talking too damn much.

“It is a given, of course.” Kochou agrees easily, already absorbed into the book in front of her.

Kanae feels her own heart jump at the sight. Even after knowing them for a while, Kochou never fails to make her falter. It should make her angry, or fearful. But how could she, when Kochou so readily let her be her.

Hana crackles at her sister’s word-and it must be sister. Hana calls Kochou ‘nee’- her lips twisted in a sardonic grin. “Damn right, nee. People can be real rude sometimes.”

And you can’t blame her if she lets her guard down near these two, with their ever-present charms. Hana might be a little rough around the edge, knowing of social conventions but choosing not to use them around her, respectless of things that should be, but the redhead has never been one to actually follow the rules, for as long as Kanae has known her. Which- isn’t that long, now that she thinks about it.

And how terrifying, that they managed to worm their way into her heart so quickly, made their presence so obviously there that she misses them when there’s too long between a meeting. They so easily inserted themselves in her life, and Kanae can’t help but be smitten.

“What did they do this time?” Kochou draws, not even raising her head.

And how she loves her for it. Kochou doesn’t even think to place the blame on Kanae, her mind immediately jumping the lines to put it at other’s feet. Like she trusts her that much. Most people don’t trust Kanae as far as they can throw an Akimichi, i.e. not so far.

She doesn’t voice her appreciation, knowing these two always have some way of knowing how she feels, and just huffs. “Rumors. Nasty ones about me and Aniki.” It doesn’t matter if she talks about her Aniki, they already know. She spilled on one of their earlier meetings, after all.

“Ah.” The two drawl, in sync, but also with different tones. Hana sounds like she had a revelation. Kochou just seems unsurprised, like she already expected it.

“What’s with the tone?” Kanae can’t help but ask. “You sounded like it’s all expected.”

Kochou hums as Kanae and Hana watch her expectantly. With Kochou’s intelligence, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for her to catch on with all the gossip, of course. But Kochou never appears to care about those things.

“Gossip is easy to predict, sometimes. Your brother gave away something precious, and that had you so frustrated. Of course people will talk. And they won’t have the heart to mince words.” Kochou turns the page, the sound crisp and clean in the midst of the cacophony of nature. “You’re strong. A kunoichi to be. Those tend to be the center of rumors.”

Ah, yes. Kanae is a kunoichi to be, she’s about to graduate- wait.

Wait wait wait-

“How did you know that?”

She’s never told them she is an Academy student.

Kanae stares. Is- Is Kochou a spy? Did she approach Kanae because of her clan? But that’s-Kanae wasn’t dressed like an Uchiha the first time they met. What if she already been noticed then, followed-?

“You act like a shinobi.” Hana says. She’s not scared. Adults had flinched back at her intent before. “Silent steps, quick assessment, calluses on your hands.”

“You smell like one, with iron and billowing smoke.” Kochou whispers, her head tilted. 

“You feel like one, with your ever churning chakra and flash fire.” They echo one another, almost harmonizing. It is as eerie as it is exhilarating to have them stare at her with unveiled fascination and trust. They believe her enough to show such potential, and for that, Kanae knows to appreciate them.

They know her, see her, know what she is, what she is capable of, know the violence that stains her hands and still. Still they show their back to her, show their vulnerability to her, let her see what they don’t let others see.

“I… see.” Kanae sees the trust placed in her and vows not to disappoint.

Kanae doesn’t see, exactly. But the logic behind their words- Kanae knows she works with metal too often, preferring her sharp edges and pointy weapons, her hands lingering over the steel every time. Knows she likes her katon jutsu, like watching the flame burn and flicker before her eyes. She can understand the smell.

Hana is smart. Someone who learned how to hunt from instinct alone. Kanae has seen the way her eyes sharpen as she drops her fool of a cover in irritation. Of course she would notice the way she moves.

Kanae has been too used to being a kunoichi to fake it. She’s never needed to learn to fake the gait of a commoner, the stumbling movement of a civilian, the noisy way they work. 

Of course they’d see it.

But the sensing. Kanae feels like churning chakra and flash fire. 

“Don’t tell others you feel chakra.” Kanae warns.

They don’t like attention? Fine. She can work with that. They’re very attractive? Kanae, while very appreciative of beauty, is nothing if not strong willed. She can handle these two. 

But this? Chakra sensing? It’s not something ignorable.

“Natural sensors are rare. Well sought after. Especially strong ones.” It’s precious, their ability. Something Kanae would need to report, obligated to, as a kunoichi of Konoha. But… Kanae isn’t yet a kunoichi of Konoha. 

“Don’t tell me anything about it- not the range, not the extent, not the accuracy.” Kanae doesn’t want to report these two, doesn’t want to betray their trust in her. Because Kanae knows, oh how she knows, that if she ever speaks of these two, they will be packed away to the academy at the speed of light. Or worse - disappear.

The two glances at each other, a hint of alarm in their feature. Maybe they know something, but not the extent that people would go for talents like theirs.

Coercion is the least they can worry about. Sometimes, people don’t ask before they take.

“Of course. However, I feel I must say…You feel lovely, Anka.” Kochou nods after a moment of consideration, a hint of teasing in her smiling eyes.

Kanae can feel herself flush with embarrassment.

“I plan on graduating early.”

Kanae says before they part ways. Normally, the sister will go as soon as the sun seems to set. She only has a few more minutes, at most.

“I’ll take the test soon- maybe in just a few days.” 

She wants- needs independence. People are talking so damn much. The clan is watching her like a hawk. 

People expect so much of her, opening her sharingan so young.

Well, there’s no one to stop her. Kanae is effectively an orphan. Uzume-baa-san might… react a bit, but she wants to. It’s the only way to get stronger.

It’s the only way she can come to where her Aniki died and pay her respect. Take him home, if she can.

“Then, I’ll be a genin. I wouldn’t have much time to come find you two.”

Kanae doesn’t want that, really.

But it’s what she wants done. 

“So… can we… maybe- set up a date or something? Afternoon, this time, next week’s Sunday? Or something like that?”

Kanae hesitates, because she knows these two- or at least she thinks she does. They play the games, not willing to give, not willing to take. Names and schedules and predictability is a shinobi’s death, or so they say.

And despite not being shinobi, these two prefer secrecy as much as another.

But they are civilians. They have established patterns, they have rough lines they follow. A way of redirection? A way of hiding in plain sight? Kanae doesn’t know. 

She wants to keep meeting them though. And she can’t track them down easily, with no name and background and an oath of silence on both ends.

Kanae is rewarded with smiles, and a promise to seek her out whenever they know she’s in the village.

It makes her heart burst with happiness.

You don’t understand - these girls are brilliant, but they are so, so terrified. 

Of what, Kanae doesn’t know, and it scares her too, that such minds, such talents, have cowered in fear of something unseen.

Because they can be great - they are great. Full of life and potential and more. The girls are young - they can grow to be even better.

It bothers Kanae, to see such talents keep being just that: talents. Never growing, never groomed, never cultivated into something better. 

It’s frustrating, to see them, so brilliant, so bright, and so hidden away.

But above all, Kanae understands how much the sisters are trusting her.

If they had acted like this around everybody, showing off their intelligence and logical prowess, their ever analytic mind, their wonderful thinking… the two girls would be snatched up and pushed into the academy faster than they can say no. Pressured and nudged until they can refuse no more.

That they allow her to see- allows her to watch and learn of their talents, to look into her eyes and trust her enough to keep letting her- it’s something phenomenal, to Kanae.

She’s trusted.

Kanae’s 100% sure there’s people dedicated to finding talents within the village, and maybe outside it, that would’ve reported the sisters the moment they show even a hint of the brilliancy she’s watching.

Kanae has always been a little too paranoia, a little too reliant on her instinct. It never leads her astray… but it did lead her places she shouldn’t be.

Logically, Kanae knows that Konoha wouldn’t do something so bad - Konoha prizes itself on collaboration, on being the nice village, on having the best reputation.

But.

But.

She can’t shake the niggling at the back of her head, not letting her utter a word in her people’s presence about these two.

Kanae doesn’t want to lose anyone - not anymore.

If silence is what it takes, so be it.