Chapter Text
The first time Sasuque laid eyes on Sacura, time stopped.
The sun shining through the window illuminated her skin, revealing a light smattering of freckles. Sacura’s jade eyes glinted, and her petal-pink hair was softly feathered around her face, despite them being in an enclosed environment. She laughed at something her friend, la Barbie, told her. Tinkling bells filled the room.
The Uchija was shaken from his observations by someone bumping his shoulder. He was so physically jarred that his hat was nearly dislodged from his head.
He was about to make his way over to la hermosa when he was yanked by his so-called best friend, el idiota .
“Come on, Bastardo, you won’t believe the new trick I taught Curama!” Nardo excitedly pulled Sasuque to his backyard. People were milling about enjoying the get-together.
In the center of the yard was Curama. Sasuque didn’t quite know what animal he was. He looked like a fox, but he was much larger than the wild foxes he had encountered, and he didn’t quite look like a dog either. Curama barely twitched from the relaxed pose he was in: head resting on crossed forelegs and hind legs stretched out behind him.
“Curama, let’s go, buddy! Show Bastardo what we practiced earlier,” the Uzumaqui prompted.
At the Uchija’s approach, Curama sat up on his haunches and seemed to narrow his eyes at the hat-wearing man.
“Why is your dog glaring at me, Idiota?”
“What do you mean? That’s his look of acknowledgment!” Nardo proclaimed proudly with a stance to match.
To which Sasuque responded with a blank look paired with a raised eyebrow.
“Hey,” el rubio started with his arms crossed, “It’s better than him straight up attacking you as he does to the rest of you Uchija,” Nardo turned his nose up and sniffed.
Curama seemed to have a vendetta against any Uchija. Los amigos often theorized what it was that could have caused this outright hatred, but always came up blank.
“If he tries to gnaw on my ankle again, I will punt him to our stables where the horses will trample him,” Sasuque muttered.
“SASUQUE! How could you?!” In his fear and disbelief, Nardo called Sasuque by his given name rather than the silly nicknames they had grown accustomed to. The pet owner put his arms around Curama to protect him from the reprehensible deeds Sasuque threatened. Meanwhile, the fox-beast was looking to break free of his human familiar’s hold to get a piece of the cursed Uchija. “Your just mad because Susanitoo is not nearly as cool as Curama,” he said indignantly.
“Hn. My cat has nothing to do with this,” he intoned blandly.
The lid-lover made his way back into the house. Nardo and Curama trailed behind.
Sasuque stopped abruptly, causing Nardo to run into his back.
“What gives, Bastardo?” Nardo asked while peeking around and rubbing his pained nose.
“Where did she go?” Sasuque muttered.
“Where did who go?”
“There was a woman here. With pink hair--”
“Ah, you mean Sacurita.”
“Sacurita?”
“Yeah, Sacura. We went to school together along with la Barbie y el Blanco. She recently came back from finishing med school.” At Sasuque’s moony look, Nardo was able to put together his amigo’s sudden interest.
Sasuque looked over at Nardo. He was wearing a distrusting gleeful look that sent a shiver down Sasuque’s spine. “What is it?” He asked cautiously.
“Oh nothing,” Nardo sang, “Just the fact that you like Sacurita,” he practically bellowed the last bit.
The Uchija quickly shoved the Uzumaqui to a corner and looked over his shoulder to make sure no one overheard. “What do you think you are doing?” he demanded in a hushed whisper.
Curama stood off to the side, watching with disinterest.
Elation broke out on Nardo’s face, “So I am right!” He was about to holler when Sasuque slapped a hand to cover his mouth. If anything, Nardo’s expression became even more devious.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Sasuque channeled his excellent pedigree in an attempt to reclaim his cool demeanor.
“Yeah, right. Is that why your eyes glossed over, and your ears turned red at her name?” he screeched.
Unable to properly retort, Sasuque defaulted to his defense mechanism, “Your hair looks like it’s been chewed on by a donkey,” was the haughty reply.
Nardo’s hand went up to smooth his locks, a look of concern planted on his face, “Let’s go look for Sacurita,” He led, leaving Sasuque to follow.
Curama perked up, hearing the name of the petal-haired woman. He followed the two with his tail wagging.
The party was lively, and the perfect distraction Sacura needed from the hospital. The medic was enjoying the company of her former mentor, Cacashi. The veterinarian was regaling her with the latest discourse the Uchija have been causing him.
The Uchija were known for two things. Horses and hats. Cowboy hats, to be specific.
The Uchija were renowned throughout all the countries as the best in raising and breaking in horses. If you wanted a purebred, winning horse, you went to them. The Uchija had an innate ancestral talent in controlling horses. It was referred to as the Charingan. For decades, outsiders have speculated as to what precisely allows the Uchija to hold power over horses. Some believe it is because of their skills and training regiments. Others believe it is because of their eyes, that in the right light, catch a gleam of red, contrasting the standard charcoal color they all inherit.
The most promising of them all was Robito Uchija. He could tame the wiliest of beasts.
The most challenging being Piedra. Piedra was an imposing, beautiful, gray mustang. What he lacked in height, he made up for in unbridled power and speed. Everything about this steed was harsh, like crushing waves hitting stone cliffs. He was as unrelenting as a storm current, challenging all those that came in his path. Not even the great Madarasa Uchija could get him to obey. Piedra remained untamed. Until Robito.
While Robito wasn’t remarkable by his family’s standards, he made himself known after making Piedra submit to his command. He earned the nickname La Muerte for being able to come up to death’s door attempting to train the mustang. He was thrown violently off Piedra’s back, and his whole right side was crushed.
It was Cacashi Jatake that came to Robito’s rescue when Piedra was about to run him over after being spooked.
The former rivals became close friends after surviving a close brush with death. It was because Robito that Cacashi went to study medicine.
But one day ten years ago, on a dark and stormy night, Robito and Piedra disappeared. Robito was on a routine call to a village outside of Konoha, and he never returned. His cart was found overturned and broken at the bottom of a cliff. His supplies and possessions were scattered in the mud. The Uchija searched the area for weeks but came up empty-handed.
The equestrian encampment of Uchija mourned his loss gravely, but none more than his best friend, Cacashi.
Before Robito mysteriously disappeared, he imparted a gift to his amigo, the Charingan, for how else can they explain how else Cacashi was able to wrangle horses so well. In honor of his friend, Cacashi became a veterinarian instead of a doctor.
Thus, started the acerbic relationship between Cacashi Jatake and the Uchija.
The rest of the room seems to disappear because all that matters is each other
Cacashi was in the middle of telling Sacura about being overcharged by an Uchija vendor at the market when Curama bound up to Sacura and put his head on her lap. Sacura lovingly scratched the fox-beast behind the ear, and he melted into her caress.
Nardo busted through to where Sacura and Cacashi were seated on the stools by his kitchen counter, “Oi Curama, what did I tell you about manners?” He admonished.
Curama didn’t look nearly apologetic as he nuzzled further into Sacura’s touch.
El rubio coughed loudly.
Sacura’s medic mode switched on, “Nardo, are you ok? Are you coming down with something?” she went to check Nardo’s temperature, brows pinched in concern.
Her friend batted her hand away, “What? No. Actually, I came here to introduce you to my friend,” with gracious gestures, Nardo went on with the introductions, “Sacura meet el bastardo, Sasuque Uchija. Sasuque, meet Dotora Sacura Jaruno,” he finished with a smile as he looked between the two.
Time halted its progress, and everyone else faded away except for Sacura and Sasuque. The chatter of the other party guests was a faraway hum. The sun through the window cast the couple in a spotlight. Warm yellow and burnt orange highlight them. The birds chirping outside became more prevalent. The only thing in their vision was each other.
Sacura marveled at the man in front of her. He was dressed in a button-down shirt, open to his sternum, much like Nardo. His onyx gaze enraptured her. She could swear she could see a glimmer of vermillion. When he removed his hat to bow to her politely, her breath was nearly robbed.
Sasuque was immediately enamored. The quick gaze he had earlier was nothing to seeing her up close. Her hair was a waterfall of soft pink that cascaded down to her waist. Her face was perfectly framed by those locks that enhanced her features and drew attention to seafoam eyes. He had never seen a creature so beautiful. His fingers twitched to play with her hair.
“Hello Sasuque,” Sacura gave him a literal breath-taking smile.
Sasuque barely managed a reply, “H-Hi.”
In the background, one could hear Nardo’s palm coming in contact with his forehead, and Curama lamenting the loss of Sacura to an inept Uchija.