The Moon is White

Chapter 27

"Izuna?"

"Hn?"

"Just to sate my curiosity, has anyone ever confessed their love to you before?"

Izuna abruptly spewed, covering the entire table - food and all - with watermelon juice and saliva. Takumi and Yakumi immediately shouted their disgust whilst Ryouta leans away from his bowl of now soggy, pink rice. Madara reacted the same way as his second younger brother, quickly pulling away from the table before Izuna's nastiness could cover Kazuha's tiny body.

"How many times have I told you, nii-san, that if you really must spew whatever is inside your mouth, you would do well to look away from the table first?" Ryouta's utterly sarcastic tone did not match his gentle smile, darker now that dinner has been ruined.

Izuna was unresponsive apart from the strangled noise he let out, his pair of onyx eyes wide as they continued to stare at Madara in blatant shock. When Ryouta abruptly turns to Madara, the eldest shuddered at the chilling glare he receives. "And you, anija. What did I say about asking perturbing questions whilst we are feasting? Especially when we've only just started eating?"

"Not to...?" Madara smiles nervously, awkwardly shifting away from Ryouta without seeming too obvious that he was retreating.

"Yes. Not to," The third Uchiha brother throws the two culprits equally dark looks before he pinches the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache. "Takumi, Yakumi, come. Assist me in whipping up something quick for us. As for you, big brothers, I expect this mess to be cleaned right now. If the table remains covered in watermelon juice upon my return... I'll leave that to your imagination."

Izuna and Madara both squeaked an affirmative at Ryouta's sadistic and twisted smile whilst the twins followed after their third older brother like obedient ducklings, wise enough to not attract Ryouta's wrath upon them by whining.

As soon as the three left the living room, Izuna practically jumped at Madara with zealous eyes. "Who's the motherfucker that confessed to you?! Are they a man or a woman?!"

"... Why does their gender matter?" Madara warily responds whilst placing Kazuha on a zabuton and cushioning her between two small pillows.

"So that I can rip their fucking balls off or bitchslap them, depending on their gender, brother mine! Now tell me who!" Izuna all but snarls in protective fury.

Madara gives Izuna a very judgmental look. "You didn't bitchslap Hikari when we got married."

"An error that I've already fixed some time yesterday," Izuna makes a sharp gesture as if swatting away a fly. "Don't try to sidetrack me, aniki! I'm not that easily distracted."

"Could have fooled me," Madara mumbles as he removes his gloves and begins cleaning the table. In a louder voice, he spoke, "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and help me. Or are you really that keen to find out what Ryouta's plans are for disobedient people?"

Izuna's lips part, as if to yell, but when Madara's words fully register, he was quick to snap his mouth shut and move in tandem with the older Uchiha. All the while muttering profanities directed at their third brother. Foolish little brother, always grumpy and irritable, Madara thought fondly.

When they were done, Izuna immediately went back to poking Madara for answers whilst the latter slips on his pair of customary leather gloves.

"It's only a question, Izuna," Madara grits out. "I'm simply curious if you've ever been confessed to before. There is no other purpose than that."