Even with their rocky start, Hikari was a main fixture at the Clan Head's home. The two children in fierce competition with one another, leaving destruction in their wake, usually to the ire of Fugaku.

Shisui was ecstatic Hikari had found a friend/enemy/rivalry. It allowed him to not worry as much when he had to leave for a mission, knowing she was in good hands. Itachi had taken a liking to the rambunctious blond, not that anyone but Shisui could tell. When he was on missions, his best friend would watch over her and if they both happened to be on missions at the same time, Mikoto volunteered to watch Hikari.

It was humorous, watching Hikari integrate herself into the lives of those around her. Sasuke was still a brat but now he had a goal, a purpose. Everything became a competition between the two kids. Who could run the fastest; who could climb the highest; who could hold their breath the longest; and so on. Mikoto found it extremely endearing that their friendship had taken off so well, remembering a very different friendship between herself and Kushina.

The teenagers often teased the kids about their strange relationship which prompted a scowl and the silent treatment from Sasuke. Hikari on the other hand, would get worked up, which was part of the reason Shisui continued his teasing, he just loved how absolutely adorable she was when she would scrunch up her face and pout, trying to look threatening.

"Why do you always have to fight each other?" he asked, poking her head lightly.

Hikari stuck her tongue out at him, "Because I'm gonna prove I'm better than him!"

Shisui let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't that he was bothered by their fighting, it was that she thought she had to prove herself to everyone. For as long as she could remember, people would only pay attention to her to scorn her. She still thought she had to fight for acknowledgment.

He knew her and Sasuke didn't always fight. He had secretly spied on them when he returned from a mission early and saw Sasuke helping Hikari on her throwing and then go into a deep discussion on the newest litter of kittens the clan had just bred. If there was one thing Shisui knew about Hikari, it was her hatred of cats. So for her to be discussing them with Sasuke meant they had a deeper connection beyond fighting each other. They truly liked and enjoyed each other's company which was all he ever wanted for her.

It relaxed him, to watch the two get along. It gave him hope for his clan, for their future, and for that little girl's happiness.

To get her truly moved in, Shisui and Hikari set a day away to paint her room. It didn't take much thought to get the design right, especially with how well she had integrated into the clan. So when the base colour was dry, he painted both the Uzumaki and Uchiha symbols, the former on the wall and the latter on the ceiling.

He was honouring her history while affirming her place in his life and clan.

She begged to invite Sasuke over to see her new room and Shisui obliged, inviting the whole family over. Mikoto had been making not so subtle inquires into how the two were adjusting to the new arrangments. To alleviate some of those worries, Shisui invited her over to see how comfortably Hikari had settled.

Hikari barely let the trio in before taking the mother and son by their hands, dragging them off to gaze in awe at her amazing room! Mikoto allowed it, hiding her giggles behind her hand at Hikari's excitement. She truly was her mother's daughter.

That left Itachi and Shisui alone to sort out the designs for the rest of the house. It had been years since it had been a family home or anything more than a stop between missions. He set out to rectify that today so that Hikari would have warm memories of this home they were making together.

A majority of it came down to decorations and adding colour and pictures to the walls. Itachi had the decorations while Shisui grabbed the pictures Hikari had drawn over the last few weeks.

Mikoto left the two children to their own devices, the sounds of play ninja becoming muffled as she closed the door. Sometimes, it physically hurt to be in Hikari's presence: she was too much like her mother.

She stepped into the main room, eyebrow raised at the transformation that had taken place. While it wasn't…traditional…it lightened the feeling of the home. It matched the personalities of the two occupants.

Looking around, she was struck with inspiration.

"Clear away that section of wall and you have the perfect spot for a growth chart for Hikari," she spoke softly, gaining the attention of the two boys.

Shisui lit up at the idea, immediately moving to the aforementioned wall and taking a quick measurement before painting a long, black line from floor to ceiling.

Both Itachi and Mikoto flinched at the abruptness and out-of-place design before sighing. What did they expect from Shisui?

Placing the brush down, Shisui took a deep breath and sent a smirk in the duo's direction before yelling, "Hey, Hikari! Come here! I want to show you something!"

The sound of crashing and cursing followed and the two kids came barreling into the main room, wild eyes looking to see why they were called.

Hikari stopped and startled at the changes in the room, running from each new thing to the next, not daring to touch them. Everything was so pretty! And those were her pictures!

Shisui waved her over in excitement, "Look here!" he grabbed her hand to bring her closer to the wall, "This'll be your growth chart. Every month we'll take your height so we can see how big you're getting! How cool is that?!"

Sasuke crossed his arms and stuck out his lip, "I bet I'll grow more than you!"

Mikoto mentally facepalmed at her son's abrasiveness, wondering who he inherited that from…

"Nuh-uh! I'll grow even faster, dattebayo!" Hikari marched up to the recently made line and demanded Shisui measure her. When he finished, she shoved Sasuke over for the same thing. Everyone already knew what the results would be, Sasuke was a few centimetres taller. Rather than sulk, Hikari had another brilliant idea and demanded Shisui and Itachi be measured, looking smugly to Sasuke when Shisui was taller.

So it became a tradition that every month, without fail, all four kids would measure each other.

It carried on for three years until it abruptly stopped that October.

Winter festivities were upon them before anyone knew it. Snow beginning to fall as the temperatures began to plummet.

Mikoto invited Shisui and Hikari over to celebrate the holiday together as she didn't want them to be alone. She had Sasuke and Hikari help her in the kitchen with the meal and desserts.

They were in charge of finishing up the daifuku and the anpan. It was a good thing she had planned ahead and sent her husband to work with the treats she had made earlier that morning; she always made extra to take to the Police Force members that were on duty. Needless to say, the two got into a competition on who was the make the most anpan. The counter was covered in paste, egg wash and seeds as were the two children. Fugaku made to reprimand the kids but one look from his wife had him closing his mouth; just as long as they cleaned up their mess.

While the children were in the kitchen helping, Shisui and Itachi were talking in his room, a rare occasion they weren't discussing clan unrest or missions. For once, they were able to act their age and talk as friends.

Shisui sat in Itachi's chair backwards while Itachi sat neatly on his bed. It wasn't common for the both of them to be this relaxed.

"Sooo…" Shisui trailed off, hoping – and successfully – catching the younger's attention, "Rumour has it, someone has caught your eye!"

There was a slight tilt to his voice one that Itachi knew meant he was planning to mercilessly tease the boy to get his answers. If he was anyone else, he would've given himself away at the out of the blue question…but as it was…

"A shinobi doesn't have time for such distractions."

"Aww, come on," Shisui pouted at the stern face but Itachi remained unmoving. This was one secret he did not want his best friend to uncover.

"Hikari has integrated herself into the clan rather seamlessly. Kushina-sensei would be proud."

The two Uchiha paused to remember the fiery redhead who had been the only person who dared tease the Clan Head. Both of her parents would be proud of the strides she had taken, how much she had grown.

"She has been good for Sasuke as well. I have not seen him so focused in a long while."

Shisui snickers. Focused, more like he wanted to pummel the girl. He fondly remembered the stories his parents used to tell him, "I'm willing to bet 500 ryo Hikari and Sasuke end up married."

Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow at that. He had seen the connection the two children had and he believed there was a strong bond between the two but nothing that would turn romantic, at least not yet.

"Hikari is too outspoken and wild for Sasuke. He is our father's son."

Shisui nodded sagely at that, arms crossed in thought. Sasuke was definitely emulating his father more and more with bits of Mikoto slipping through.

"Just imagine though, with permission from Lord Hokage, in a few years, one of us could become their jōnin sensei! Who's more qualified than us to teach them?!"

Itachi did a very un-Itachi move at that, throwing himself face-first into his pillow, letting out a long-suffering groan. He knew Shisui meant well, but all these future plans were under the assumption that they succeed in calming the tensions between the clan and the village. If they couldn't do that…

He groaned in pain as a heavy weight suddenly jumped on his back, "Stop with those thoughts! We will succeed; Sasuke and Hikari will have an amazing childhood and we'll teach them everything we know! You just need to have a little faith."

Sometimes, in their line of work, faith was all a shinobi could have. But that didn't mean things worked out the way they wanted.

"Itachi! Shisui!"

Both perked up at the loud voice calling their names. It seems Mikoto had her fill with the little demons who were making a mess of her kitchen.

Two identical, sheepish grins greeted them as they entered the main house, Mikoto standing behind them, hands on her hips.

"Outside, now!" Mikoto didn't have to raise her voice for all four kids to scamper into their winter gear and dart outside into the falling snow.

With gear on and the compound at their disposal, challenging glints appeared in three of the four eyes as snow fell around them.

This was war!

Teams were Itachi and Sasuke vs Hikari and Shisui. Jutsu were allowed which drew the attention of the other children of the compound. It was something to see the forts and fights the two older Uchiha created for their respective siblings. Each tried to outdo the other, using Ice jutsu to make three-story forts and playfully dumping snow on the other side.

Many of the adults smiled at the children. It was rare to see such carefreeness around the compound especially around the Head's house. Soon, other children joined in and it became a free for all. Laughter and joyous screams filled the air as over two dozen Uchiha children pelted each other with snow.

That holiday was one of the best in memory for the Uchiha Clan.

When they trudged back into the warmth of the house, Shisui and Hikari claimed victory over the brothers as Hikari had, at the last second, pelted Sasuke in the face with a snowball just as Shisui encased Itachi in an ice prison. Sasuke vowed retaliation, Itachi having to navigate him to the bathroom to change into the warm, clean clothes their mother had set out, waving his goodbyes to the other duo.

"We got 'em, Shishi!" Hikari danced around, giggling. They were at their own house now, Shisui trying to get Hikari into warm, clean clothes. The excitement of the day would not leave her though as she animatedly reenacted the day's events, specifically when she beat Sasuke.

He couldn't help but laugh with her. It had been entertaining to see her expression when she finally nailed Sasuke in the face. It had to be the largest smile he had ever seen and time had done nothing to diminish it. "Ya, we did! Did you see when I got Itachi in the back of the head!?"

"And when the other kids played too?!" Shisui nodded. That had been the first time he had seen all the Uchiha kids playing together.

This continued as he helped her take her wet and heavy shirt and pants off. A warm set of sweats were quick to find their way on her body as they snuggled under blankets on the couch. He lured her to sleep with stories of their forefathers, of the peace achieved between two warring clans to create the village they live in today.

When he was sure she was asleep, Shisui picked her up and brought her to her room where he tucked her in. He lingered at her bedside for minutes, remembering and admiring at how far they had come. It had only been a few months yet here they were. She was going to do amazing things, he could tell. She would have hardships, more so than normal shinobi, but he knew she would overcome every obstacle, he would make sure of that. He would be her support, her unyielding pillar.

He had a choice to make: if he wanted her to enter the Academy early or with the others her age.

He wasn't sure what to do. He could see the potential oozing off her but he didn't want her to grow up too fast, not like they had too. He knew the peace they were in was fragile, that anything could set it off. She especially had to be prepared for when that happened. Being who she was and a jinchuuriki made her a top target for many.

He had been reckless when he took her in; he hadn't thought everything through but Mikoto had assured him that every parent went through the same thing he was going through now. He sighed, placing his head in his hands, resolving to talk with Itachi about it tomorrow on their mission.

Standing up, Shisui made his way to his room, closing her door quietly.

He left a note on the table, telling her he had a mission and should be home in a few days.

Somewhere in the back of their minds, Itachi and Shisui had hoped that Sasuke and Hikari would be able to change the clan's mind about the coup.

It wasn't often Hikari ventured out into the village by herself anymore. Shisui liked to accompany her and he always made the stares and whispers go away! But they had run out of ramen and Shisui was on a mission and Aunt Mikoto wasn't home. She could go into the village for a few minutes, all she needed was ramen!

If only things had gone that smoothly. Sentiment in the village had been drastically falling since Hikari was taken in by Shisui. The villagers grew worried the longer the demon brat was with the Uchiha. What if they were planning to use it against them? Why else would one of the strongest Uchiha take it in?

Hikari shrunk when all eyes turned to her, hatred permeating the air. She heard the whispers and pushed down the tears. They weren't worth it! What did they matter when she had Shisui!

Sprinting to get to the shop faster, she never noticed the shadow following her at a safe distance.

Skidding to a halt, she let out a large exhale as she entered the store, the feeling of the glares finally leaving. Lightening up at the weight being lifted, she bolted to the ramen aisle, mentally calculating how much she could buy. Finger tapping at her bottom lip as her eyes narrowed in concentration, she never saw the man come up behind her.

Panic gripped her as a large hand grabbed her hair with enough force to rip some of it out before dragging her through the store. Kicking out, Hikari tried to free herself, fear racing through her veins at what was happening.

It was over almost faster than it had begun and a second of weightlessness was all the warning she had before she was slamming hard into the ground, body aching no doubt from the bruises that would appear later.

"Stay out of my store, demon!"

Hikari picked her head up from the dirt, glaring at the man spitting insults her way. She knew no help was coming, she could see a crowd forming around them, hear their whispers.

Die

Disappear

Demon

Monster

Murderer

The man stepped forward at her glare, almost challenging. She didn't back down.

Like a saving grace, a pair of familiar uniforms broke into view, shielding Hikari from the villagers. It was the Police Force!

As one bent down to check her for injuries, the other dispersed the crowd on threats of fines.

Hikari didn't recognize the two Uchiha but knew they were there to help her so she let the man with eyes like Shisui patch up her knee and wipe the dirt from her face.

"Is there a reason you assaulted a minor?" the cold voice broke through the soft mutterings between Hikari and the officer. She looked up to witness the man shrink back, thinking twice about his actions now that the Uchiha were there.

"It was stealing food."

She wasn't an It! She was a girl, a human being!

The officer seemed to think the same because he took a threatening step forward, "She is a child."

Hikari thought for sure the officer would attack the man. Instead, to her surprise, he began writing a ticket.

"For the next week, your store is shut down in violation of the non-discrimination policies. Should you wish to refute these charges, you are welcome to make an appointment with our Chief of Police and explain your actions. Uzumaki Hikari's guardian will also be informed to see if he wishes to pursue assault charges as well."

Uchiha Enji watched in pleasure as his partner laid the law bare for the villagers. The little blond menace had grown on all of them in the months since she had come into Shisui's care. She was brilliant and radiant, laughter following wherever she was. She wasn't a demon or monster, those that had thought so quickly changed their minds when she and Sasuke came barreling down the district streets.

The most surprising was the change in their strict, no-nonsense leader who had ordered them to keep an extra eye on the blond when she was in the village. He trusted the village as much as they trusted them, which is to say, very little.

"The Hokage will need to process the paperwork to release the necessary permits back to you before you can reopen," Uchiha Gin sneered at the shop owner.

Hopefully, this warning resonated with the rest of the village that there would be severe repercussions against those who harmed Uzumaki Hikari.

Enji carefully pulled her into his arms, allowing her to hook her arms around his neck.

He knew they were treading dangerous waters with this. Many villagers already held a distrust of the clan after the Kyuubi attack and they would see this as an extension, an alliance with the thing that had attacked their village. They could already hear the whispering and pointing, feel the glares.

Fugaku knew his men were doing their jobs and they were being pushed between a rock and a hard place. At this point, Uzumaki was one of them, part of the clan. While he hadn't supported Shisui when he brought her into the clan knowing this is where it would lead them, he couldn't deny that the little Jinchuuriki had given them more than she knew. Seeing her interact with Sasuke and the rest of the clan, with Itachi who he had felt beginning to slip away…she was a much-needed light in these dark times.

Now more than ever, he couldn't deviate from his course. He had to think about the safety and future of his clan in a village that no longer trusted them.

Sarutobi bristled when he heard what had happened, rejecting the owner's verbal and written request to reopen and press charges against the Police Force. While he couldn't permanently close the store, the law preventing him from going so far, he could force the owner to serve the complete probation to reopen.

His old heart soared at the staunch support the Uchiha Clan was showing their little outsider. She was integrating better than he could have ever hoped. Maybe she could be the missing link to dissuade Fugaku from his foolish ideals, stem the flow of hatred and be the bridge to peace.

He defended the small family against his Council. Homaru and Koharu unyielding in the belief that the Uchiha were brainwashing her against the village, Danzo adamant that Hikari needed to be turned over to Root to be trained as a loyal weapon for the village.

Instead, he funnelled additional funding to the Police Force, hoping it would be view as an extension of good faith to bring all parties to the table for negotiations. Fugaku knew who Hikari was, knew how important she was to the Hokage, so he could understand the faith he had placed in him and his clan with her custody, the power that had been allowed to remain under his guidance. Fugaku had to see reason, if not for the village, than for his son.

When June hits that year, Itachi joins ANBU and he feels himself slipping further from his family. When he sees just how his clan is viewed by the rest of the shinobi force – that his clan has been under surveillance! – he sees just how lost they all are. How did they get here? Was it truly just a misunderstanding about the attack?

He heard the whispers about Hikari, knew some in the ANBU believed she should be trained as a weapon for the village, similar to the other villages. The resentment that the Hokage has left such a dangerous weapon in the care of the clan that could use her to destroy everything. There were more whispers about the danger she posed untrained, the power she could unwillingly unleash (had unleashed).

It was those comments that made him glad for his mask, wondering how Shisui could stand all these months listening to such things said about Hikari, about the bright little girl who had become the light breaking through their cloud-covered lives.

He was torn and he didn't know what was the right decision anymore.

He wanted to protect the village but he couldn't abandon Hikari to the desires of the elders.

He was more lost than ever before as he found himself leaning more and more on Shisui.

The first year Hikari is there to celebrate Sasuke's birthday, it is absolute mayhem. Mikoto had granted her permission to come over early in the morning to surprise Sasuke, not knowing what she was getting herself into.

The Uchiha Main Family was treated to a 5:30 wakeup call of the door being forcibly slid open, Fugaku jumping from bed for the nearest weapon before he recognized the now familiar voice and fell back into the sheets, groaning, demanding Mikoto deal with the girl since she allowed her into their house.

Mikoto could only giggle at the stress the young girl caused her husband. Moving to change, she pressed a light kiss on her husband's lips that was softly returned.

She found the young girl jumping up and down on Sasuke's bed, singing her off-tuned version of happy birthday, the boy in question burying his head under his pillow, trying to tune out his friend at this god awful time. Itachi stood off in the corner, camera in hand and a small smile on his face. He blushed at being caught, disappearing to his room.

Deciding to save her birthday boy, Mikoto finally called out to Hikari, "Honey, why don't we let Sasuke-kun sleep for a few more hours while we go make him a birthday breakfast?"

Hikari was easily agreeable to that, leaping off Sasuke's bed and scrambling to the kitchen. Her youngest son threw her a grateful smile before nestling back into his covers

Despite her personality, Mikoto knew Hikari hadn't done this to be mean (which was shocking, she knew). Shisui had told her how excited Hikari had been the last few days about celebrating a friend's birthday. She had spent hours on his present, constantly worried Sasuke wouldn't like it. So Mikoto knew Hikari was just really excited and happy for today.

Since the first incident months ago, Hikari hadn't dared venture into the village alone any longer. Sasuke was her designated companion as they darted through the streets, playing tag and any other game that took them around the village.

Hikari had come up with their current game, no surprise given what it was. Sasuke had been hesitant at first but those glimmering blue eyes and fox-like smirk knew the right buttons to push to get him to cave.

"Backing out, scaredy-cat?"

Sasuke was quick to fire back, temper always short when it came to Hikari.

"Nu-uh! I'm gonna get it first because I'm going to be Hokage, Kinpōge!"

Yes, the game Hikari came up with was a competition to see who could steal the Hokage's hat. The same hat currently resting on the Hokage's desk, which is in the Hokage's office, with the Hokage and multiple ANBU and jōnin protecting the Hokage Tower…so yes, it was all Hikari's plan.

In a stroke of luck – because Sasuke refused to believe Hikari had planned on the guard change and the old man Hokage stepping out for a smoke – Hikari was able to snatch the hat after an hour of waiting, losing it as she made a mad dash to the Hokage Monument. It took Sasuke a second to process that she had actually done it before he was taking off after her, cursing her, knowing she had cheated somehow.

Shisui sheepishly tried to explain to the Hokage what happened when he returned the hat hours later after properly scolding Hikari about her lack of respect.

Sarutobi just chuckled, glad the two were getting along so well. It was also a bonus to see Fugaku's face when Sasuke proclaimed he would be Hokage. No Uchiha had ever proclaimed this since Madara. Well, there was Obito but he was a special case.

His advisors were appalled at the audacity of the children and the unrefined manners they presented to the leader of the village. Sarutobi shoved them off, they were kids, there were worst things they could be doing than stealing his hat.

He would later regret that when his own grandson began his sneak attacks. But that was still a few years down the road.

The incident cemented him in the two children's lives as he made it a point to talk with the rambunctious kids on his daily walks, asking them to join him. It added an extra hour to his schedule but it was something he enjoyed and felt he owed Hikari for all the trouble he had caused her. Hikari was fascinated with all the battles he had been in and the fact that he was the student of the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage. He embellished a few of his stories – he'd share a laugh about it with Enma later – but, overall, they enjoyed their time together. It was one of the things Sarutobi enjoyed, spending time and imparting his knowledge to the younger generation.

It wasn't often he was able to speak with the younger Uchiha's. They rarely departed from their compound, Sasuke and Hikari being the only ones to venture out. They usually found trouble wherever they went through, something the young Uchiha was quick to blame on his blonde-haired rival.

He could tell they truly cared for each other though. Hikari had always been small for her age but it was especially obvious when she ventured into the village and Sasuke took to standing in front of her slightly, daring someone to try something.

In which Shisui learns to braid hair and forces Itachi to be his guinea pig when they are on missions together. Fugaku saw his heir with a messy French braid and walked out, not bothering to ask questions. Shisui laughed for a solid week. In all the years he had known the Uchiha Head, he had never seen him struck speechless or look at Itachi with such disappointment. It didn't bother Itachi in the slightest. He was used to this sort of thing, having Sasuke as a little brother and Shisui as a best friend made one gain a new definition of embarrassment.

The look in Sasuke's eyes, though, when he saw his older brother with a pink ribbon tying off a nice Fish braid caused Itachi to reconsider letting Shisui use him for this. He felt he lost some respect and admiration from Sasuke that day. Shisui waved him off, saying it was Sasuke, he would forget about it by the next day. But Itachi became very careful never to have his hair done when Sasuke was around.

(They didn't see Sasuke struggle at night trying to do his hair the way his big brother had his done and Sasuke didn't see his mother take a picture, barely muffling her giggles.)

Shisui countered, stating he would thank him when he had a little girl of his own and he didn't have to struggle through all this as he did.

Hikari loved it when Shisui braided her hair, especially when he weaved in flowers. It made her feel like a princess – a warrior princess as she was still a shinobi! This was the main reason she continued to grow her hair out. Even though Sasuke teased her, saying it was too girly, Hikari was adamant to have it down when they weren't sparring.

October rolls around quicker than anyone anticipated. This was a special month, being the first year Shisui and Hikari would celebrate their birthdays together.

Hikari chewed at her lip, nervousness and worry taking over. How would this year go? Would it be the same as the previous years? What if Shisui didn't want her anymore? What if the villagers attacked her again or worse, tried attacking the compound?

Itachi and Shisui were all too familiar with October 10 and what the villagers did every year. So this year, they promised it would be different. For one, Hikari wouldn't be leaving the compound to see the celebrations. Itachi told him Sasuke was carefully planning her birthday surprise. So that afternoon, the duo made the familiar trek to the Main Family home with birthday wishes being thrown Hikari's way on the short journey. Hikari was flushed and embarrassed by the time they got there, not used to such positive attention.

Walking into the home, they were met with confetti and streamers and two excited yells of 'Happy Birthday'.

Hikari's eyes were wide in surprise and pure joy before bolting to tackle Sasuke into a hug and moving to Mikoto in a more reserved manner, making sure to bow politely before barreling into her legs with a tight hug.

Itachi and Fugaku stood off to the side, kazoos in hand. Itachi gave his best friend a genuine smile, motioning for him to really read the sign. Looking closely, Shisui felt his heart swell as a soft smile crossed his face.

This wasn't just a party for Hikari: it was for Hikari and Shisui.

He pulled his best friend into a strong hug despite his protests. Releasing him, Shisui bowed politely to Fugaku and thanked him. For his part, Fugaku nodded, grasping Shisui's shoulder in a meaningful move, declaring him a man his parents would be proud of. This brought a bit of mist to the sharp-eyed Uchiha who again thanked him before moving to his charge.

It went down as the best October 10 ever for Hikari. She had even managed to get a present from Fugaku: a new, polished set of kunai. With hearts in her eyes, she bulldozed into his legs, hugging them as hard as she could, thanking him over and over.

Only Mikoto saw the soft edge enter his eyes before he shook the girl off.

Sasuke and Hikari quickly exited outside to try out her new weapons.

Itachi quietly handed Shisui his own present which was a combination of presents from himself and his parents. Shisui looked at it quizzically before ripping the paper away to reveal a framed picture of Hikari and Shisui on the day she had gotten all her kunai on target. The bright smiles across their face as Shisui put the kid on his shoulders had him smile at the memory, forever framed now. He hadn't even seen Itachi take the picture.

His attention turned to the envelope that had come with the picture. Turning it over, he wasn't sure what to make of it, looking to Itachi who looked pointedly to his father.

Curious, Shisui opened the envelope to find a stack of papers. Leafing through them, he was shocked to find not only Hikari's birth certificate but the wills of Minato and Kushina, full legal adoption papers for one Uzumaki Hikari, and a signed document from the Sandamie detailing that he had permission to tell Hikari about her history when he deemed her ready.

It was honestly the best present he could've gotten and he tried to stay composed in front of his Clan Head but it was difficult. Itachi looked on as his best friend was overcome with emotions, bowing to his parents and thanking them profusely for all their assistance. Fugaku pointedly ignored it, choosing ignorance than acknowledging his part in the present, while Mikoto beamed and pulled the teenager into a hug, congratulating him.

The next week was a quiet affair as Hikari and Shisui celebrated his birthday together; Shisui showing her the official adoption papers after almost a year. She broke down crying as she tackled him and refused to let go.

When she went to bed for the night, Shisui quietly exited the house to meet up with Itachi, where they had their own little celebration.

Sasuke begins the Academy, leaving Hikari desperately alone and sad. And for the first time, she yells at Shisui and locks herself in her room, wanting to go to the Academy with Sasuke.

It wasn't that he didn't think she was ready, but he couldn't send her to the Academy so young. He didn't want her to turn out like him and Itachi, with no childhood. She was skilled, more than she realized but she needed to learn to read and write…maybe it was cruel and selfish of him but he wasn't ready to send her out into the world again.

He makes it a point to spend more time with her, training with her and just doing fun things. He even puts in his formal request to resign from ANBU, taking on normal jōnin duties and missions. The Hokage asked him to reconsider, Danzo forbid it (hah! Let him try and stop it!) and his captain suggested that it was burnout and they needed a shinobi of his calibre in the field.

She does hang out with some of the younger kids at the compound but they are more reserved than Sasuke. There is no other child that can match her energy quite like Sasuke or keep up with her…everyone else was just too boring.

To pass the hours Sasuke is away, Mikoto had taken to sitting down with Hikari and having her read and write. She was lacking the dexterity of holding a writing utensil, having never used one for colouring before coming into Shisui's care.

The Uchiha mother took it upon herself to teach Hikari the proper tools to succeed at the Academy next year. While she may have the potential to be a powerful shinobi, she would never get far if she couldn't read and write and once she explained this to Hikari, she jumped into her new studies with vigour, demanding Shisui let her read a book to him every night. He acquiesced and every night, Hikari had a new book to read to him, asking for help when she would come across an unfamiliar set of kanji. Though she hadn't been taught, she could recognize and identify a handful of kanji from her time with the clan and it's not like Shisui had totally lacked in her education!

It was a nightly ritual they both enjoyed and Shisui made sure to buy a new storybook every week. The better she got, the more advanced books he bought, sneaking in a few shinobi history and jutsu books that would brighten her night.

After a solid month of Mikoto and Shisui teaching Hikari the foundations of writing and reading, something that took a bit of work because she didn't have the attention span to sit and focus of those hours each day, Shisui rewarded her by taking her to the training ground at the back of the compound.

Hikari stood across from Shisui, anticipation dripping in the air. She had her kunai from her birthday strapped to her thigh.

The most essential thing for Hikari to learn, Shisui deemed, was how to fight with and against a Sharingan user. The beast inside her and the fact that no one knows who controlled it all those years ago meant she had to be prepared to fight against his doujutsu.

"If you are going to spar with Sasuke or me or Itachi, you need to learn how to fight against the Sharingan. If you don't, you will always lose." It was a harsh truth but the truth nonetheless.

Hikari nodded, having noticed both Itachi and Shisui having their Sharingan activated a majority of the time when they spar.

The first rule was to never look into their eyes and if she did, be conscious of genjutsu.

"You need to trust your other senses. Fighting the Sharingan means you can no longer trust your eyes. Focus on your hearing, your sense of smell…trust your instincts!"

Hikari nodded, tightening her grip on her kunai in its reverse hold.

"Begin!"

Hikari braced herself, feeling the air displace behind her. Turning rapidly, she isn't fast enough to block the sweeping kick that took her feet out from under her.

"That was good," she was fast, something Shisui was going to focus on later with her.

Hikari pushed herself to her feet, rubbing at her tailbone while glaring at Shisui. Blue met red and she immediately realized her mistake.

"I said don't look into our eyes."

Before her eyes, their surroundings changed, becoming as wavy distortion, making it obvious she was in a genjutsu.

"You're trapped in a genjutsu, what do you do?" Shisui's voice rang out from every direction.

Hikari huffed in frustration, not knowing the answer. She spun around, trying to find any sign of him but the world spun with her.

"I don't know!"

Shisui reappeared in front of her, hands in a familiar sign as their surroundings dispelled to the Uchiha training grounds.

"If you're trapped in a genjutsu, you can use your chakra to disrupt it or someone not in the genjutsu can pull you out. The key is to realize when you are trapped. It won't always be so obvious," Shisui spoke with a soft voice, explaining the basics to her so she could understand.

Hikari pouted, feeling like she failed him by getting caught so easily.

Shisui sighed, crouching down and motioning for her to come closer.

"You can learn any jutsu but instinct like yours…that's what makes a truly powerful shinobi. Always trust your instincts." He smiled when he saw her face brighten at that. "Now, I've set up a little game." Smirking, he whistled, calling three of the Uchiha nin-cats to him. Each looked disgruntled to be here but stepped forward nonetheless. "These three are the fastest nin-cats the clan has at the moment. Your mission for the next hour is to try and catch one."

It was a standoff on the training ground as the winds blew around them, the three felines returning the glare with flicks of their tails.

Shisui sweatdropped at the animosity, he had underestimated Hikari's hatred of all things feline.

"Go!"

Three brown blurs and one yellow blur disappeared, Hikari doing her best to anticipate where the swift creatures would go. It was better than any academy students' attempt. Most would chase a direct line not realizing they would never catch anything with superior speed that way. The only way to catch something faster than yourself was to anticipate where it would go and be there first.

He watched her movements, her agility and dexterity in changing directions astounded even him. The focus and intensity of her gaze told him he was doing the right thing.

At the end of the hour, the three felines smugly waved their tails at the exhausted form of Hikari and she glared spitefully at them.

She may not have caught any of them but Shisui had watched with his Sharingan and had seen the longer the chase went on, Hikari unconsciously sent chakra to her legs to increase her speed. It was fascinating to watch her progress, to see the raw talent being unleashed.

Despite the tiredness in her muscles, Hikari turned and shared a blinding smile with Shisui, jumping up to tackle him to the ground, laughter ringing out as Shisui succumb to her attacks.

So, my arm is still screwed up from a mountain biking accident back in March and I've pretty much worked 13 hour days every day for the last three months... let's just say it was nice to be able to come back and write

I make myself sad writing all this fluff with Shisui knowing what is going to happen :( but hopefully you guys like their relationship as much as I do!