Realization.

"I don't want you to get married, Yuki." 

"I-I too don't want to marry him." Yuki replied, hesitant and puzzled about the strange atmosphere.

"No.You don't understand," he grinned, "I don't want you to marry anyone. Ever." 

She just stared at him wide-eyed.

-Silence -

Her grey eyes locked at the future Uchiha leader, mind waving like a whirlpool.Now suddenly, all their past interactions were put to a new perspective.She recalled the moments they'd spent together,and couldn't help but question herself—if she'd been aware of this.

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[𝙵𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔]

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"Stop whining."

*sniff*

"I said stop crying!"

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The boy sobbed even louder.

"You are such a fucking girl!" Izanagi sneered at his weak and pathetic comrade.

Madara sighed. Uchiha Yoshiro, one of his clansmen, was lying coiled up at the corner of the room, sobbing pathetically.

Izanagi, standing beside him, was scowling down and cursing at him.

"What's wrong with him?" Madara asked.

"There was an ambush. Those bloody Senjus killed his younger brother." Izanagi replied, feeling frustrated.

"Oh." Shrugging, the 15-year-old Uchiha heir rose from his spot to change his attire.

"Shut up Yashiro! before I throw you out of this room," Izanagi shouted again.

The poor boy kept weeping.

"Blame your weakness for his death." Indifferent, Madara pulled his shirt over his head, "How many casualties?" he asked, ignoring the sobbing boy.

"Eight. They were lucky this time. We only captured one of them alive. We had to kill the rest of them."

"They dare attack our estate right under our nose. Some guts they've got," Madara sneered.

"It was to distract us. They were trying to damage our camps at the mountain. This could shift our attention."

"What's the damage at the camp?"

"Two injured. No one died. We detected them quickly."

"Hn, what about the one captured? Any information?"

"A woman. Bitch been giving us a hard time. She bit off her tongue. We are trying to read her mind but to no avail. Wait till we take her to the other camp. Our men will fuck her brains out." Izanagi spat.

Madara paused. It took him just a moment to realize that someone was snooping on their exchange.

"You little-" grinning, he turned around, charging towards the door.

"Yuki!"

A young girl with long dark hair sprinted—laughing, causing him to chase after her.

"Catch me, nii san!"

They ran through the wooden corridor till Madara finally seized her by her waist and locked her tight in between his arms. "Caught you."

She shrieked again.

Together they slowly toppled to the ground, giggling like kids.

Once the laughter ceased, the little girl placed herself on his lap, "Were you talking about a girl?" 

"Ah, just forget it."

"Nii? What did Izanagi nii mean by fuck her brains out?" she wondered. 

"You don't need to learn such vulgar words." the boy replied, feeling annoyed at his comrade for letting his 10-year-old sister hear such stuff.

"Oh?"

"Yuki, most boys are fools like him."

Yuki slightly tilted her head, a bit confused, "How about you nii-san?"

He grinned, grabbing few strands of her dark silky hair to play with them.

"I'm smart. You know that.Right?"

"Hmm...Yes! nii san is the smartest."

He pulled her cheeks, upon which she let out a small whine. "I'm leaving for another battle today. So behave yourself, okay?"

"Okay, I'll play with Izuna nii!"

"We are both going for a battle. So you will be on your own. Be careful of your surroundings and try to stay in your room. Okay?"

Her eyes dropped to stare at the ground "Okay."

Watching a slight pout forming on her face, Madara was tempted to pull her cheek again, 

"Will you miss me?" he poked her cheek.

"Yes."

"More than you miss Izuna?"

"mmhm" she mumbled.

Frowning, he pressed her lower lip with his thumb. "You know, I don't want to leave you here. I wish I could keep you close to me."

Her grey eyes twinkled hopefully,"You prefer to take me to your camp?"

"Yes."

"Like you take that woman?" Yuki inquired.

"Yes." he mumbled, unthinking. But soon the implication of his answer registered him, "No! I mean—not for that purpose!" Face flushing, he pinched her cheek.

With wide eyes she gazed at him, wondering, "What purpose?"

"Yuki! Stop." he hissed, ears turning red.

"Huh? Did I say something wrong?" she wondered,"Why are you getting angry, nii?" 

-Silence-

Watching him sit so still and silent, Yuki felt agitated. She slightly lifted her head to peck him lightly on the lips.

Madara quickly fell back, face flaming red "Yuki...w-why did you do that?"

She giggled, "I saw Hemiko chan use this trick on Maki. She told me that you give one to the people you love a lot!"

His eyes widened, "WHAT? What the hell is that stupid maid teaching you?" He grabbed her face and looked straight into her eyes, "Listen Yuki. You must never do this with anyone ever again! NEVER. Got it?"

Yuki frowned, her gaze dropped once again, sad that this trick that she'd learned doesn't work. This was the first time she'd tried it and she failed so miserably. "Mmn...okay."

She slightly peeked at him, to check his expression. His ears were still red, but he didn't look angry.

"So...not even with you, nii-san?" Yuki questioned, a bit hopeful.

The boy rubbed his forehead, troubled and conflicted. A moment later, he started blushing. 

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"Only with me...Okay?"

─∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗─

Gently holding his face in her hands,she pleaded softly, "Nii san, look at me." 

He looked uncomfortable, but seemed to calm down once he met her gaze.

"I'm not getting married to anyone this easily. I will marry the man I love and I will wait as long as I need to."

Smiling, she pulled him into her warm embrace, "Don't worry Nii, I will not leave you alone. I will be here to annoy you for a long time." she let out a small giggle before pecking him on the cheek, "You know nii? You should seriously work on controlling this temper of yours." 

Madara circled his arms around her waist. She felt his warmth seeping into her, "I'll be mindful of that." 

She missed this feeling—of embracing her brothers. It had always made her feel so comfortable and safe.

"Yuki. This is-" 

"Just a bit longer Nii. You rarely let me hug you now." Yuki complained. Lately, he seemed to avoid her touch or any sort of intimacy, and it bothered her. She feared if he'll become like father and ignore her.

Slowly, she felt his hand moving up and feeling her waist.

Soon, he held her chin up and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. His eyes looked lost, as if he was in a daze.

"Nii san?" 

Yuki was about to move when she felt an arm encircling her waist, stopping her in her movements.

He leaned down, gently caressing her cheek before he placed his lips on hers, his tongue licking her lips. 

Yuki remained frozen on spot. She didn't know how to react. But the moment she felt his tongue pushing into her mouth, her body jolted in surprise,

"Nn! Nii?"

[Flashback ends]

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Many more memories passed by her mind as she realized something.

'I have been leading him on! I have been leading him on the entire time!'

Silence continued, as if some kind of strange spell was looming around them.

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"Nii! Let me go!This..." she felt at loss of word. All of this was too sudden.

"Don't you love me, Yuki?" he cocked his head to the side, staring down at her with an impassive face. 

"I... do." Yuki mumbled, while she tried to struggle free. Quivering slightly as the cold air hit the bared skin of her thighs, which felt weird with the warm feeling building within her.

"Then," Madara smirked, "prove it to me."

"w-what do you mean?"

"Yuki..."His hot breath on her jaw sent shivers down her spine. 

"I Love you." he breathed near her chin.

"I-I L-Love you too, nii!" Her head felt dizzy.

'No Yuki. I don't just love you... I desire you.Your mind, your heart, your body. Everything.'

'I want you to be mine and mine alone.'

"I desire you." he whispered, lips nibbling her neck. His voice brimmed with lust as he licked her neck.

Yuki couldn't believe what she just heard. Even more so, she couldn't believe the way her body was reacting to this situation.She knew this is madness, but couldn't help the strange pleasure spreading throughout her lower body.

'Why is my body reacting this way?'

She bit her lip, feeling ashamed.

"You can push me away now." He looked straight into her eyes as he spoke, "But remember, once you push me away, I'll be gone from your life. Forever."

She stared at him in disbelieve, "What?"

Yuki felt her heart tear into million pieces.The thought that her beloved brother would disappear.She couldn't even imagine it.

"why...?"

-silence -

"Why would you leave?"

"....."

"WHY?"she screamed, unable to hold back her shaking voice. His silence was driving her mad.

"What about our clan? What about father? How can you leave me and Izuna nii alone?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"I must." Madara replied.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" She yelled, realizing he'd already made up his mind. 

His somber eyes mirrored her face."I cannot control myself around you. The only other way I can keep my hands off you... Is by staying away from you."

'This can't be happening!'

'Is this a dream? How could he say such things?'

She felt his hand traveling down her shoulders and stop at her belly. She peered at him in confusion.

A seductive smirk spread across his face as he squeezed her belly, 

"mmn!" a barely audible sigh escaped her lips. The heat spread throughout her body.

Horror filled her mind as she realized she was relishing this feeling.

'No!How can we? We are siblings!'  

'He's my brother! '  

'How can we have such a relationship?'

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'No, this is so... Evil.'

Yuki felt like her head could set off at any moment.

'But he will leave. He—'

'No, no no I don't want him to leave!'

'Kami! What is going on?'

Her breathing got erratic. She was horrified.

If Madara, who is deemed to be the clan head, left in such a manner... then there will unrest within the clan to the extent of a massacre.The moment the stability of the clan fell from within, the Senju alliance would charge all at once! She didn't want to imagine the scale of carnage!

But she was driven to the corner by him. Either way, she was ruined.

'I—Is he blackmailing me?'

"Y-You don't need to go away to stay away from me. Once I'm married, we will naturally stay apart...So—Ah! Nii san... Stop this!"

Her back arched when his free hand grabbed her breast. Soon her face heated with indignity. "No! we can't! We are siblings! " she trembled, tears spilling down her face.

"How could you feel this way for me? Have you gone mad?" she wept as she spoke through gritted teeth.

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"I...have." Madara replied. He was tired of rejecting and running away from his feelings. In the past two years, it was this one thing that constantly remained in his mind. He realized there was no running away from what he truly felt. He wanted her to know that this is her Nii san. This is what he has turned into—A monster lusting after her.

If she accepts this monster or not, is a judgment she must make for herself.

Yuki squirmed under him. She looked intoxicated. He noted her breathing hasten. And the way she rubbed her legs to keep them close didn't slip his eyes.Her parted lips, those eyes half-closed in a daze. Her cheeks turned red as she blushed furiously, "I don't want any other men to see you like this." he whispered, restraining himself from kissing her.

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"What have you decided?"

"I N-Need some t-time. I can't think p-properly right now." Yuki stuttered. Her mind felt numb.She deeply regretted drinking that strange wine. She should have known better. Her body never handled alcohol properly, but she'd thought maybe it would aid her to fall asleep.

She felt stupid for not realizing that her brothers consumed that stuff regularly, so it didn't affect them as much as it did to her.

Madara lifted himself, releasing his hold on her to sit on the bed. "Father has announced your engagement to that Hyuuga. I will head to their estate, to settle the documents and arrangements for your engagement."

Yuki felt like she couldn't breathe. She slowly sat up on the bed, her legs felt too weak; she felt a strong burning at the back of her mind and a slight tickling between her legs, forcing her to quickly clamp her thighs close.

He grabbed her chin and lifted it to face him. Dark eyes stared into her grey orbs. He had initially decided to bed her tonight, but he never expected her to get this intoxicated from that wine. Though she looked aroused, he didn't want to bed her when she couldn't even decide properly.

He wanted her to decide in her sound mind. But his patience was withering away.

"You have one week to decide."

─∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗─

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