In Their Shadow

Chapter 48

The sun rose and shone its light onto the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The light Illuminated the room of one Sasuke Uchiha who had forgotten to close his blinds the night before. With a tired yawn, he squinted his eyes as he rose up from his bed.

"Another day, another training session." He muttered allowed to himself as he tiredly stumbled to his bathroom in a sleep deprived stupor.

Having taken a shower and gotten ready for the day, he left his bedroom, stopping to stare at his brothers room. Having not seen him in several days, he was beginning to feel lonesome.

"Miss you're brother huh?" A voice suddenly said to him, catching the embarrassed Uchiha prodigy off guard.

"What are you doing here Shisui?" Sasuke said plainly, trying to hide his embarrassment at having been caught.

"I was invited by your dad. Said he wanted me to train you seeing as I'm one of the fastest Uchiha." Shisui said with a kind smile.

"Huh? That's true. And it would be a great help. I've heard my first opponent, Lee, is pretty fast." Sasuke responded.

"That he is. Especially seeing as he has been trained personally by Gai-Sensei. Say what you want about his fashion sense, but his skill and power are not to be taken lightly." Shisui said, waving his hand in a motion that conveyed to Sasuke the message of 'follow me'.

Sasuke smiled as he followed the older Uchiha. Once they arrived to the main houses dojo area, Sasuke realized something. Something that made his leisurely stroll turn into an apprehensive stride. Shisui, one who could easily read the emotions of others, caught onto this sudden change.

"Is something wrong?" Shisui asked, sparing the younger boy a glance as they entered into the dojo.

"Huh?" Sasuke asked, caught off guard by the question.

"Its just, you seem conflicted about something. Was it something I said?" Shisui asked.

Sasuke shook his head, assuring the older Uchiha it wasn't his fault.

"No, nothing like that...Its just..." Sasuke began, but stopped, not being one to expose his true thoughts so easily.

"Its alright Sasuke, you can tell me." Shisui said, knowing the thing holding Sasuke back was their shared Uchiha pride that coursed through the whole families veins.

"Its just...If I beat Lee...No, when I beat Lee...I'll have to fight my teammate." Sasuke said, a bag of mixed feelings shining through his stoic complexion.

"I see...The boy Danzo has been training..." Shisui said, a flash of anger momentarily shone through his eyes, catching Sasuke off guard.

"How did you-!?"

Before Sasuke could finish, Shisui continued.

"So, let me guess. You're unsure of how to deal with your teammate? Or is it that you don't want to hurt him?" Shisui asked, changing the conversation before Sasuke could question him.

Sasuke sighed, giving his question some thought.

"Its complicated. Me and him aren't exactly the best of friends. Its just..."