Romeo and Juliet

I glided down the streets of the compound, whistling as I walked. I was heading to the academy to find my brother. He should be out soon. The streets were occupied by my relatives and I smiled at them as I passed by.

"Tsukiko!" I turned to see my friend Ryuu. He ran up to me and smiled showing me a strange object in his hand.

"What is that?" I asked curiously.

"It's called a shuriken!" he said happily. "It's what real ninja's use to fight bad guys."

"S...shuriken?" I questioned as he let me hold it and look at it. "It looks really sharp."

"Well yeah, that's how they kill the bad people."

"Kill?" I said putting my hands over my mouth. "Those are bad Ryuu!" I threw the thing as far as I could. It didn't get far, though.

"Tsukiko!" he said as it landed on a tree by the road. "That was hard to get. I had to wait till after the kids at the academy were done practicing and left it on accident."

"It's not good, Ryuu. We shouldn't hurt people," I said walking again with my head down.

"Look Tsukiko, I'm sorry," he said catching up with me. "Where are you headed?"

"To see my brother after the academy..." I said and looked over at my sad friend. "I'm sorry I threw it, you can ask for one from my brother."

"Thank you, Tsukiko."

"You're welcome," I said smiling at him before running with him to the academy.

"Brother?" I said standing in front of the building as kids rushed out. I watched them all come out smiling and talking with their friends. It hurt to just think about what they were learning to do. They were learning how to become violent criminals. How to kill people with just a move of their finger. "Oof!" Someone ran into me.

"I'm so sorry!" the boy said as he help me up.

"I'm okay, my name's Tsukiko," I said handing out my hand. What surprised me was his eyes. When he looked at me I saw his clear eyes and couldn't help but stare. What unique eyes, I thought to myself.

"I'm Neji," he said shaking it happily. Ryuu was still standing beside me and glaring at Neji for some reason.

"Oh, and this is my friend, Ryuu," I said pointing to Ryuu. The two just stared at each other.

"Why are you here?" Neji asked.

"I'm waiting for my brother," I said.

"What's his name?" Neji questioned.

"Sasuke," I replied still standing on my tippy toes to try to spot him.

"He's your brother?" he asked bitterly. I looked down at my newly found friend.

"Yes...why don't you like him?" I asked innocently.

"Is he your older brother?" Neji asked, his face going back to normal.

"No, we're twins. He always says he older but only by three minutes," I said giggling.

"How come you don't go to the academy?" Neji asked.

"Um, because girls aren't allowed to."

"Yes they are, look over there's my friend TenTen, she's a girl," Neji replied.

"Yeah, but in my clan we're not allowed to."

"Oh," he responded.

"Sasuke!" I said waving as he came out. He walked over to us and glared when he noticed Neji. Neji did the same.

"What do you want, Neji?" Sasuke said bitterly.

"None of your business, Uchiha." With that Neji left us there.

"What were you doing?" my brother practically yelled at me. I took a step back, afraid, for the first time, of my older brother, Sasuke.

"He ran into me and..." Sasuke cut me off.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked.

"No, and he said he was sorry," I said.

"I better go," Ryuu said and I waved to him as he left.

"Don't ever go near him again," Sasuke said as he started to walk back home.

"Why not?" I complained as I walked with him.

"Just don't," he replied.

"I hate it when you tell me to not do something and don't tell me why. You remind me of Daddy," I said and Sasuke shivered.

"I'm not like Daddy," he responded walking again.

"And I hate it when you act like I don't know anything. Dad does the same thing to you."

"Tsukiko!" Sasuke yelled. "Stop budding into my business!" I walked silently with my brother. If only he knew how much he really was like Daddy. Maybe he wouldn't get mad so easily.

"Night Mommy!" I said hugging her.

"Good night, dear, sleep well." She turned off the light and I pulled the blanket over my head. I forgot to ask Sasuke about the shuriken. I'll just ask him tomorrow when I wake up. I'm sure he'll let me borrow one. If he doesn't I'll ask Itachi...but Itachi probably won't give me one. He'd start asking questions or just say something not related to it and change the subject. Yeah, I'll ask Sasuke tomorrow...

I opened my eyes and looked over to the window. It's still dark out. I need to use the bathroom, I thought getting out of my bed and quietly heading to the bathroom. I didn't want to wake up anyone and have them be grumpy. They all need a long night of sleep with plenty of rest so they're read to work in the morning. I went to the bathroom and washed my hands.

"I love the smell of lilacs," I said putting my hands to my face. I loved the new hand soap my mom got. She got it just for me, I thought happily. I walked again tip toeing across the floor.

"She's completely and utterly useless!" my dad raised his voice.

"Fugaku..."

"All she's good for is making children!" I sniffled as I stood out side the door. He's talking with mom...and Itachi and Sasuke aren't shes...so he must be talking about me.

"Fugaku, she's a good kid. She's smart, pretty, and she's better at everything than what you give her credit for," my mom said.

"Mikoto, she doesn't even believe in the war! She thinks it's wrong! She's no daughter of mine!" I didn't even bother covering up my sniffles and cries. I cried quietly and tip toed quickly to my room. I shut the door quietly behind me and looked out the window. Why is Daddy so mean? I opened my door when I heard my dad stop yelling and walked over to my brother's room. I knocked and he opened it.

"Mommy and Daddy...and..." I cried as my older brother put his arms around me comfortingly. "Why does Daddy hate me?"

"Tsukiko, he doesn't hate you," Itachi replied as he stood to his normal height and shut the door behind me.

"He never wants me around and ignores me when I try to talk to him."

"He's just busy." I remained silent and looked around my brother's room. His bed was still made. Had he not been sleeping?

"Can I sleep in here tonight?" I asked him.

"The bed's yours," he replied. I got under the sheets and thanked him.

"Night Tsukiko," he said tucking me in. I closed my eyes but opened them again when Itachi lied down on the floor to sleep.

"I'm sorry I'm so annoying, Itachi," I said quietly.

"You're not annoying, Tsukiko. Get some rest."

"Night." I cuddled into the pillow and sighed at the smell of my brother's sheets. They always had a homey feeling to them. I felt more comfortable in his room than any where else in the world.