UchiSaku Week 2016: Day 2: First Time Riding the Bullet Train (IzunaSakura, Modern University AU)

Setting his slippers as quietly as possible into their cubby at the front door, Izuna glanced around, collected his polished loafers, and tiptoed to the front door, holding his knapsack to his stomach to prevent it making even the smallest, mousiest sound.

Closer, closer, almost there…

Glancing around the front entry way one last time, Izuna backed out the front door, closing it with a whisper-quiet click before letting out a long, low exhale of relief.

"Made it," he murmured to himself brightly before turning around to put on his shoes.

—only to come face to face with his older brother staring him down with narrowed eyes, folded arms and a cross, somewhat incredulous look on his handsome, aristocratic face.

"Izuna."

It was all his brother, Madara, had to say, really. His name. In that one word Madara was able to convey everything he needed to: what are you doing. What are you playing at. Why are you sneaking around. Did you honestly think you were fooling me. Stop this at once. You're being ridiculous. I expect an explanation, a good one, immediately. And I expect you to comply and improve your behaviour when you're done. And I'm disappointed in you in case that wasn't already obvious. Have you been hanging around your cousin Sasuke again, because this is something he would conceivably do, only more poorly. Also, your shoes don't suit your attire.

Taking a deep breath, Izuna straightened and nodded to Madara.

"Big brother," he greeted.

And waited.

When the sweat began to bead and run down his back, however, Izuna inched into a crouch and slid on his loafers, adjusting them in a subtle bid to waste Madara's time.

He could never out-intimidate his brother.

The devil himself couldn't out-intimidate Uchiha Madara.

"I have class," said Izuna, trying not to sound defensive. He slid on his other shoe and stood, slipping the cross-strap of his backpack over his head and shoulder to buckle it across his torso.

"You ride with a driver to the university," said Madara evenly. "Or, if one is unavailable—including me—, you may drive yourself in a short-notice situation. You don't need to leave for two hours."

Taking a deep breath, Izuna straightened his spine.

He could do this.

"I'm going to ride the train today. Like the other students."

Madara waited.

And waited.

Izuna refused to swallow or twitch, but he knew he had to make it to the stop at the nearest terminal within the next ten minutes or he would risk being late to class and then he would be forced to come back grovelling and THEN ride with a driver.

He couldn't give in. Not this time. It was such a small thing, being able to ride the train in to campus, but to a young man who'd been sheltered by his overprotective older brother his entire life, it was a tantalizing freedom he yearned to taste.

He knew Madara only wanted the best for him and would never harm him, but the way he smothered him with his demands and rules and strict expectations left Izuna feeling like he was incompetent, in a way.

… which suddenly gave him an idea.

"Don't you trust me, Big brother?" he asked.

And there it was.

The slight stiffening of Madara's spine, the deliberate lack of reaction, the tightening of his crossed arms.

"Of course I do."

He was, perhaps, the only person on earth who could play on Madara's guilt complex—

Madara let out a small snort.

—and win.

"You may," said Madara, releasing his arms, his shoulders relaxing back.

Inside, Izuna cheered and pumped his fists.

Outwardly, he nodded and smiled at his brother, grateful.

"Thank you," he said.

Madara nodded.

Izuna set out at a jog down the long drive towards the main road. Their estate was set far back from the road but luckily their area was well-positioned and popular, providing them with a regular train stop not too far away. Once aboard, he could transfer to the express bullet train and still make it to class with loads of time to spare, he knew it.

His grin widening, Izuna imagined how it would feel to ride the train. Would it be like in the dramas? Would he need to stand? Would it be busy or empty? Would he get the opportunity to offer his seat to someone?

His thoughts rushing, Izuna almost didn't notice the sound of an athletic, loping gait following him.

A sinking feeling made itself known in his gut, but he plodded on, speeding up.

… so did his tail.

He grit his teeth and chanced a glance over his shoulder—and wasn't surprised at all to see his brother jogging behind him, shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows, dress shoes on his feet as they pounded the concrete sidewalks, his hair tied up in a perky ponytail that always drove the women in their neighbourhood wild when he decided to 'rough it' and work on his Porsche himself in the driveway…

"I thought you trusted me!" he called over his shoulder.

"This has nothing to do with you," replied Madara calmly, not breaking stride.

"Then why are you following me?"

"To ensure you reach your destination safely."

"That's not trusting me!"

Madara ignored him.

With a huff, Izuna jogged on.

Stupid overprotective brother.

As Izuna swiped his transit pass—Madara narrowing his eyes, as obviously Izuna had put some thought into this if he'd already acquired the pass—at the station, Madara reached out a moment and clasped his elbow.

"Wait," said Madara haltingly, his tone awkward.

"Hn?" asked Izuna, stretching his neck to see if his train had left yet. It was boarding. "I need to go!"

"Be safe," said Madara, his eyes softening. The tendons in his throat were tight, his pulse visibly racing, but he remained on the public side of the barrier, no longer impeding Izuna's progress.

Izuna relaxed a moment, turning to look at his brother once more.

"I'll be fine," he sighed, grinning at Madara. The warning chime rang over the intercom, and Izuna waved. "I'll see you when I get in tonight!"

"Call when you arrive to confirm. Call when you leave. If you need a driver—" began Madara, but Izuna was racing to the train.

Madara looked on before his brows rose, his jaw working.

"Wait, Izuna, that's—"

"Bye!"

The door to the train shut, cutting off Madara's words.

"—the wrong train."

Sakura looked up from her phone when she saw the young man ahead of her fidget for the third time in less than two minutes.

His raven hair was a tad unruly, like Sasuke's, and he wore the same style of clothes as her best friend, too. Expensive and trendy, though this stranger's were somewhat more conservative. But the way he kept checking his phone and the map above the exit door, over and over again, his lips unmoving, clued her in to his problem.

"Hey," she said, lowering her phone. "You okay?"

Startled, he jumped, grabbing the overhead bar to steady himself even as Sakura reached for him, wide-eyed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you."

"It's fine," he said in low, cultured tones. "Hn."

Definitely Uchiha, Sakura decided.

"Are you related to Uchiha Sasuke?" she asked, trying to break the ice. "He's a friend of mine. You look very similar."

The man's dark eyes focused on Sakura more readily, then.

"He is my cousin."

Sakura smiled. "Ah…. are you… Obito? Madara? Izuna?"

She listed off the names of relatives Sasuke had mentioned.

He was about to reply when he paused, lips parted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," he said.

"Sorry, I forgot my manners. I'm Haruno Sakura, Sasuke's—"

"Girlfriend!" exclaimed Izuna, countenance flipping entirely as he looked at her with wide, happy eyes. "I should have realized when I saw your hair."

Self-consciously Sakura touched her hair.

"Forgive me. Yes, I am Izuna," he said, nodding to her.

"Pleased to meet you, Izuna. Sasuke and I aren't seeing each other, though," said Sakura, holding on to the bar above her head. She had to stretch to reach it.

"Oh, perhaps I misunderstood," said Izuna. "You do attend the university together, correct?"

"We attend the same university, but different programs. I'm in Pre-Med, he's Engineering. Do you study there, too?"

Izuna nodded.

"Yes, history and literature," he said.

"I'm jealous," said Sakura, smiling. "I took a few history courses as electives. I loved them."

Relaxing further, Izuna couldn't help but return Sakura's smile.

"I enjoy them very much. Especially the Warring States period."

"Oh! That's one of Sasuke's favourites, too! Speaking of university, are you headed there now?"

Izuna swallowed, his ears burning.

"Ah, I was," he hedged. "But I think I miscalculated."

Sakura looked at the map above his head, stepping closer to him to get a better look.

"You should have gotten on the westbound train, not the eastbound," she explained, pointing.

Izuna's shoulders slumped.

"It's okay, though! This works out better. We end up re-doing part of the route, but there's an express stop at the next station with a line that takes us directly to campus instead of transferring. It's worth the double-back, trust me. I ride this train every morning," she said with a wink.

"You do?" asked Izuna.

"Mm-hmm. Sometimes if Sasuke is running late, he'll be on this one, too. You should join us!"

"Ah," said Izuna, turning towards Sakura once more and looking into her eyes.

"I'd like that," he said.

Sakura's smile slipped a bit as she blushed under his regard.

"Is there something stuck in my teeth?" she asked, flustered.

"No," he said, enjoying the colour in her cheeks and the brightness of her eyes.

He stepped closer as other passengers moved into their car from a busier one.

"So, you and Sasuke aren't seeing each other?"

"I didn't say I was looking, either," she said, but tilted her head at him more carefully.

"I didn't say I was looking," he replied, enjoying their game. "However, should I feel like looking, may I look in your direction? Perhaps later this week?"

"Perhaps," she said. "We'll have to get to know each other better first. Maybe we should travel together a bit. Since we're going in the same direction."

"That would suit me," he said.

Above them the public address system announced the next stop and the connecting routes.

"Here we go," said Sakura, turning to face the door. "Stick close, this is a busy station and I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me," assured Izuna, his eyes never leaving Sakura.

First, decided Izuna, he was definitely going to rib Sasuke about his 'cute girlfriend'. The liar.

Second, he was going to text his brother to reassure him he'd found his way to campus safely.

Third, he was never riding to campus by car again.

This was the most fun he'd had in ages.

(Meanwhile, Madara was obsessively checking his Izuna-GPS tracking app on his phone while also on another mobile phone with public transit trying to get them to reverse their routes and return his baby brother to him immediately, or they would be in surgery for years rearranging their spines by the time he finished with them, kami help him…)

AN: Written for the tumblr UchiSaku Week 2016 prompt, 'First Time Riding the Bullet Train'.