naruto (c) masashi kishimoto; no profit gained from this fic
twincest. fem!indra. trade fic. sequel of madang.
#AksaraAgustus - ceracam; reckless act

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A long time ago, after a particularly harsh sparring session between his students, Ootsutsuki Hagoromo called her daughter to talk privately.

"You remind me to my mother."

Indra blinked. "Because I am strong like her?"

He shook his head, graying hair cast strange shadows on his alien features. "Because her love of power breeds cruelty. You're standing on her path. I wish what befell her will never falls on you."

"Fear not, father," Indra turned around, hiding the tears welling up in her eyes out of disappointment, "for I am not my grandmother."

She knew Hagoromo didn't trust her. She would prove him wrong.

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"Who told him?"

Her sharingan swept over a row of her servants and followers; all cast their eyes downwards, too afraid to meet the dojutsu.

Nobody spoke until her elderly head servant answered, "Lord Ashura shows up on his own. He said he'd been searching-"

"Forget it," Indra hissed. "Do not let him in. surely he'll be gone soon." She glanced at the window that opened to the courtyard.

Indra couldn't believe her servants when they said Ashura was here, asking to see her. It's been half a year since he was named as the successor of ninshu. Indra left their father's house with her followers a few days later, relocating themselves to a location undisclosed to anyone that wasn't on their side. From the window, she saw him standing by the front gate, undoubtedly hopeful she would come out.

"My lady, he said he will not leave until he sees you."

"I don't care. Return to your duties at once. Pass my message to the students." She then ordered all the windows facing the front gate to be closed.

Indra wouldn't let him see her, even if just a glimpse.

Ashura mustn't see her.

She told herself that she didn't care; he could stand by the gate ignored by her household until he's tired. Stubborn fool. How dare he showed up on her doorstep after she made it clear that...

No. Nothing was made clear back then. She left him without saying anything. She was too bitter and too angry at him. At their father. At herself.

Oh how low she had sunk.

Her mood darkened at that thought. Despite her maidservant's warning, she spent the rest of her day hacking straw dummies in the courtyard, imagining each of them had the face of her twin. As sweat ran from her scalp to her chin, her eyes dampened. It wasn't tears, she told herself.

Indra hated crying.

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Indra woke up to the sounds of storm and her own hunger. Her sharingan helped her navigating her dark room, finding a candle and walking out towards the servant's quarter. She should've eaten more during dinner, but her appetite came and went without warning.

Before she reached her destination, Indra found her head servant carrying a tray of warm food from the kitchen. A glance was enough to tell that it was too much for one person. She blew off her candle, watching him entered a room that was supposed to be empty. As she tiptoed closer, Indra saw muddy footprints on the floor heading to the same room. Leaving the candle by a pillar, she waited until the elderly man emerged out from the quarter with an empty tray.

"Did you eat all the food yourself?"

The man nearly jumped. "M-my lady..." he stammered, quickly kneeling before Indra. "I... I beg your pardon..."

She glanced at the quarter, then back to him. Stealing food wasn't something she took lightly under her roof. "That's not for another servant," Indra growled, her chakra flared in anger. The lingering scent of food fueled her hunger.

"Lady Indra!" He grabbed her sleeve, panicking. "Let me explain why. Please."

Indra glared at him, but let him continue.

"I found Lo—a man, passed out in the rain. He's starving and recovering inside," he nodded at the quarter. "I will have him leave by dawn. P-please, please let him stay for the night."

She furrowed her eyebrows. Her servants had sheltered people trapped in the summer downpour before. He had no reason to be this afraid, except...

"...Sister?"

Indra froze. A shirtless Ashura stood by the door, his hair dripping rain water. His widened eyes traveled downward, and panic took over Indra's senses. She crossed the space between them as fast as her body could, pushed Ashura inside the quarter and closed the door behind her. It was dimly lit inside, the hearth in the middle was almost died save for some glowing embers.

"Sis—"

"Shut up."

The food was prepared on a low table. She sat down wordlessly and began to eat. Her movements were rigid and stiff as she hadn't gotten over her initial shock. Ashura sat cross legged in front of her, clutching his own stomach. Her sharingan detected the disrupted pattern of his chakra. Not because of genjutsu, but fatigue.

It had been three days since her servants told her of Ashura's arrival. Each morning someone on guard duty from the previous night reported that Ashura hadn't moved an inch from his spot, neither sleeping or eating, only asking about whether she's willing to see him or not. While normal people would faint after one and half a day without sustenance, his abnormal stamina allowed him to survive into the third day. Even then, he was at his limit.

Indra swallowed her rice with a shuddering thought. Ashura would get himself killed just because she didn't want to see him. What a foolish and stubborn little brother. She lifted her face, seeing him longingly stared at the food. She pushed the low table towards him, having eaten only a third of the meal.

"Eat."

That said, Indra rose. Ashura stopped his hand from reaching for the chopstick and stood as well, touching her arm. She slapped his hand away, hissing, "Don't touch me!"

Sadness wasn't enough to describe the look on Ashura's face. His shoulders slumped in devastation. It reminded her to all the times she refused him to play or train together, but worse. Mustering her determination, she shook the memories away.

"You asked to see me. Now you already did," Indra snarled at him. "Leave this place tomorrow morning."

"But I missed you."

Indra flinched. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"We're always together, remember?" he continued, pushing himself to talk despite his fatigue. "Then you distanced yourself from everyone—me, father, and our friends. I was lonely! I thought after the succession we could be together again, leading the ninshu together, but..."

You left was said silently.

"What do you want?" she asked, although she knew what he wanted: to come back with him and see the fruit of Hagoromo's lack of trust for her. To see her birthright robbed by her own twin.

"I just want to know if you're well..."

His answer baffled her. "What?"

"You sent no letters, so I got worried, sister." Ashura leaned at the wall, drinking the soup at once. "I searched for a long time, helped by my friends until I found this place." he stared at the now empty bowl, smiling sadly. "There are times I wanted to give up, but I would be a bad brother if I gave up looking for my only family left, right?"

Of course. Indra had forgotten. After their father's death, they only had each other. She could be angered and bitter over his choice, but it was his choice, not Ashura's. Her stupid twin might be easing himself into the leadership role since her departure, but what choice did he have? His friends and supporters thought of her as ruthless. They were weak. Hagoromo feared her for her cruelty, despite his strength.

But she wasn't her grandmother.

"It seems you've settled well here, sister!" Ashura suddenly said, grinning. "You have your own followers who love you. A nice house and a growing village around it. And... And..." the grin faded. "You've found someone and settled down too."

"Ashura." Indra carefully knelt beside her brother, cupping his face gently before she pinched him hard on both cheeks. Ignoring his painful cries, she said, "eat your food or I'll call my servant to return it to the kitchen."

"Okay, okay, I'll eat!" he patted his cheeks after she released him. "Anyway, sister," he forced out another grin. "Congrats for your pregnancy."

Indra truly, truly, hated crying.

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The fire grew larger, spreading more warmth as Indra fed it more wood. The storm hadn't shown any signs of stopping, further freezing the air inside the room. She could tell Ashura kept glancing at her swollen belly every now and then. Thankfully he didn't make any attempt to converse with her, allowing the older twin to gather and sort her thoughts.

She hadn't forgiven their father for choosing Ashura, despite whatever reasons he explained to them. The whole test of saving a bunch of villagers was still a mockery. She knew Hagoromo feared her, afraid of her intense emotions and powers, yet he tried to make her agree with his obvious choice by using the test.

Does it matter anymore now that Hagoromo has gone? Ashura could continue his legacy, his ninshu creed, but she would build something better and stronger. The ninjutsu. Sooner or later he would see that she was worthier after all. His followers too.

Her musings was cut short with movements within her. Indra leaned forward, holding her belly. Within a blink of an eye, Ashura was already by her side.

"What's wrong?" he touched her upper arm; this time she didn't push him away. It was warm.

"The baby just... kicked," Indra mumbled, focusing on her own body instead of him, "It's normal."

"...Oh." Ashura shifted closer. "May I... may I touch?" he asked hesitantly.

Indra merely nodded, and his bigger hands joined hers atop her belly. It seemed that his touch prompted the baby to move even more. A surge of excitement washed over her when Ashura gently rubbed her stomach and placed his ear on her, as if trying to listen.

"How far along are you...?"

"About six months." Her answer was barely louder than a whisper. Indra cursed inwardly, trying to rein her mixed emotions.

"So..." Ashura murmured. There was an edge on his voice, slightly dark. It set her instincts ready. He rarely showed this side, and when he did it usually meant something bad.

Indra slowly lifted her chin, meeting his large, dark brown eyes.

"...Who's the father?"

Kneeling before her was her twin brother, her only family left, her dearest person no matter how often she pushed and punched him. His determination had baffled and mesmerized her. He could be dense, stupid and sickeningly sweet sometimes, but still.

Their blood doesn't lie. If he was no longer in her life, perhaps now she could be further down on their grandmother's path, past the point of no return.

Indra intertwined their fingers, relishing the warmth from his skin. "Ashura."

"Yes?"

Round eyebrows furrowed. "Ashura," she repeated.

His stare grew more intense. "Yes, sister?"

Indra groaned aloud. "You're the father, Ashura."

"Oh." He blinked. Twice, thrice. Then he gaped at her, his eyes brimming with tears. "I'm... I'm going to be a father? Really?"

She rolled her eyes, both annoyed and amused at his antics. "Yes you are, you dense little b—" the rest of her words went unspoken as Ashura leaned forward and kissed her fully on the lips. When they parted, he was so consumed with joy that he couldn't stop smiling so widely.

"I'm going to be a father!" Ashura exclaimed; his voice mingled with the pouring rain and thunder outside.

Indra pinched him again, complaining about the noise while trying not to laugh along with him.

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Ashura pressed himself closer to her until she could feel his heartbeat on her back. They lay side by side under a shared blanket; one of his arms was placed protectively over her womb. Indra stared at the wall, letting her barrier fall and her tears flow freely into the pillow.

She was glad her twin was fast asleep. She hated being seen crying.