10 Days Before The Coup D'état!

A/N: Sorry for taking so long, I've been incredibly busy making a future arc and dealing with stuff, but now that I've made this future arc, I hope you'll enjoy it.

At sundown, Ryuu went to visit his uncle at his house.

He slid the door open and entered the meeting room, where Fugaku sat down facing him with his eyes closed.

It didn't take long for Ryuu to convince Fugaku that this was the only way for the clan to be saved.

But it took 2 years for Fugaku to accept it.

"Glad you made it before it got dark," Fugaku said,

"Yeah, I'm also glad I did. I'm not looking forward to seeing Yashiro and Inabi."

"Hmm…" Fugaku was upset by that.

"Yashiro has been a pain in the ass for a while, I'm just being brutally honest, you know."

"Ryuu, Yashiro is one of my closest friends, he was even there when your father was in the Uchiha compound."

Ryuu frowned.

"Then why didn't he stop them with you?"

"Sigh… it's… complicated, but listen.

We'll have a meeting tonight. I'll be assigning everyone there, I only wish Itachi knew what we were doing.

Lately, it seems like he doesn't have an ally in the village.

He's being distant… I just don't know what goes on in that boy's head."

"A lot goes on in Itachi's mind."

Fugaku nodded.

"Listen, the coup d'état will take place in 10 days.

I need you to come tonight for the meeting, the assignment I've given you is to lead us in the coup, you are the most powerful of us there's no doubt about that so it only makes sense for you to be at the top followed by Obito and Itachi."

"I'll be there," Ryuu said as he stood up and opened the door.

"Ryuu." Ryuu looked back while holding the door.

"The other day, a girl came to see Itachi.

I recognized her from when he was in the academy."

"Izumi?"

"Yes, that's her.

I can't tell what goes on in his head, but…

I can be happy knowing he still has allies like the both of you."

Ryuu smiled,

"Yeah, Itachi's lucky to have her, but I'm the one who's lucky to have him as a cousin, you know?" Ryuu closed the door and left.

He walked out of the Uchiha compound and headed towards the village shops.

'I need to pick up some things before I go back. Ichika will kill me if we eat ramen again for dinner.'

"Shadow clone jutsu!"

Ryuu made five clones that carried bags where he kept the groceries he bought.

"Thanks." Ryuu closed the door of the store and left towards his house.

As he was walking back, Ryuu stopped walking after sensing two people he knew.

"Hey! Big brother!! I'm back!" Ryuu looked behind him and saw Naruto and Sasuke running toward him.

"Big brother! Hey!" They both waved at him as they ran, tugging on each other like a race.

They were both matching each other in speed and they both reach Ryuu at the same time.

"Hey, what's up, guys?"

"I beat you again, Sasuke!"

"Are you kidding me? I clearly won this one, Naruto!"

"You're such a liar, let's ask Big bro, he's right here, you know!"

They both looked at Ryuu.

Ryuu nervously scratched his head.

"Well, you see… It's a draw."

"A draw?!"

"Yup, it was a draw, you both arrived at the exact same time."

"Aw man, that's not fair.

I'm sure I beat Sasuke."

Ryuu smiled.

"Naruto, carry this to the house, I'll be there in a second." Naruto nodded and left with the groceries.

"Sasuke, how are things with Itachi these days?"

A small frown appeared on Sasuke's face.

"He's all everyone wants to talk about these days, and here I thought I could escape that topic.

That's not fair, Big brother."

"Hahaha!" Ryuu laughed at Sasuke's disappointed expression.

"It's not funny, Itachi always gets the attention no matter how well I do."

Ryuu smiled.

"Sasuke, don't worry about that.

I'll teach you a new jutsu, ok? Then you can show it off to your old man."

"Really?"

Ryuu nods,

"Yeah and afterward I'll buy you a gift. Is that a deal?" Sasuke nodded.

"Thanks a lot, big brother!" Ryuu smiled.

"Sasuke, do you want to join us for dinner? I'll be cooking tonight, plus I'll take you home while I go there, too."

"You're coming with me?" Ryuu nodded.

"What's at the Uchiha compound, anyway? Except for family and stuff?"

"Adult stuff," Ryuu replied with a simple expression,

"Come on, tell me!"

Ryuu called Sasuke with his hand.

Sasuke excitedly ran towards Ryuu.

He poked Sasuke's head.

"Sorry Sasuke, some other time."

Sasuke frowned and said.

"You're just like big brother, I bet he learned this from you." Ryuu smiled.

"Come on Sasuke, let's go inside." Ryuu walked towards the house and Sasuke followed him.

Ryuu began making dinner, tonight's dinner was special because Sasuke was here too.

Ryuu was cooking with Ichika and his clone to make things faster, while Naruto and Sasuke were outside playing together.

"By the way, Ichika, I'm going to a clan meeting tonight. I just want to inform you just in case you need something.

This meeting is really important, Uncle says this will be our last meeting for a while."

"Oh, really? I won't be on a mission tomorrow, I thought we would go on a date or something."

"Sorry Ichika, maybe some other time.

I have to get ready, the clan needs me and I think I'm onto something new."

"Something new?"

"Yeah, it's something uncle Fugaku said about one of the Uchiha members and my dad…" Ryuu stared at the ground and thought of Yashiro.

'The way uncle said that…

It's a long story? That only means there's a story behind it, and I will find out that story. But then, this could be a bunch of stories into one, Yashiro could've been dad's biggest fan… well, that's unlikely considering how he behaves plus...'

"Ryuu?"

"Huh?"

Ryuu snapped out of his thoughts.

"You're doing that thing again."

"What thing?"

"Whenever you get a hunch or discover something, you wander off and start talking to yourself or spouting nonsense," Ichika said, looking at him with a curious expression.

Ryuu chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, I do that sometimes. Sorry about that, Ichika. It's just a habit, I guess."

Ichika smiled and shrugged. "It's okay. I was just wondering why you do that."

"It helps me sort things out and come up with new ideas."

Ichika nodded in understanding.

"That makes sense. I can see how that would be helpful."

Ichika pouts and looks away,

"How unfair, why can't I have you here tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry Ichika, I can't have free time yet, things are too intense, I promise to make it back for you."

"Hmm…

Right." Ichika's voice sounded so unenthusiastic. She sounded low.

Ryuu smiled and wrapped his hands around her, hugging her from the back.

"I've never told you this but, you look cute when you're mad."

Ichika rolled her eyes.

"Flattery won't make me happy."

She says and pushes him away.

"I promise as soon as I finish this mission, I'll be all yours.

I'll even nag dad to let us go for a while, maybe do some missions together.

We can finally go to that place I've told you about, we'll even be alone, you know."

Even though she wasn't in the mood, Ichika's cheeks got red thinking of this,

"I love you Ichika." Ryuu got close and gently pulled Ichika in,

"I won't break my promise to you.

I'll always return."

Ichika's cheeks kept getting redder as she turned her eyes away,

"You're so annoying."

Ichika turned her gaze toward him,

"I love you too, you stupid fool."

Ryuu kissed her in the middle of the kitchen.

"Hey, the food!" Ryuu's clone yelled at him, throwing a chopping board at him.

"Oh… sorry about that."

"Come on, this is the second time you've done that."

Ryuu and Ichika smiled and giggled.

Ryuu pulled away from the kiss and looked at Ichika with a soft expression.

"You know, I have an idea. How about we make this moment even better?"

Ichika tilted her head, intrigued.

"What do you have in mind?"

Ryuu took her hand and led her to the living room, where he sat her down on the couch and rummaged through his pocket.

"I brought something for you," he said, pulling out a small box.

Ichika's eyes widened as Ryuu handed her the box.

"What is it?" she asked, opening the box to reveal a beautiful necklace.

"It's a pendant that I got for you," Ryuu said, taking the necklace out of the box and clasping it around Ichika's neck.

"I wanted you to have something to remind you of me while I'm away on this mission."

Ichika touched the pendant, admiring the intricate design.

"It's beautiful," she said, looking up at Ryuu with a smile and a gush.

Ryuu leaned in and kissed her again, his hands cupping her face.

"I promise I'll make it up to you," he whispered against her lips.

"We'll go to that place I told you about, and we'll have all the time in the world to be together.

After all, this is my final mission as an Anbu of the leaf."

Ichika wrapped her arms around Ryuu's neck, deepening the kiss.

"Okay," she said, pulling away slightly.

"But only if you promise to come back to me."

"I promise," Ryuu said, his eyes full of love and devotion.

"I'll always come back to you."

After a few moments, they finished cooking and called Naruto and Sasuke.

"Wow, all this is for us?!" Naruto asked as he stared at the food prepared for them.

"We have a guest, so I figured I should make a lot of food, you know."

"Man, I wish Sasuke came here every day, we're eating like we're in a hotel or something." Naruto took his seat.

"Thanks for the food!" They all said before eating.

Ryuu had made a cuisine: he made shrimp, fish, rice, ramen, even squid, and multiple other fancy foods.

"Mmm hm, this is amazing big brother!" Naruto said with a mouthful of food.

"Careful you loser, your food is spilling all over mine. At least finish eating before speaking."

"Hmph…" Naruto grunted as he continued to eat.

"But he's right, this food is amazing, thanks a lot, big brother."

"Thanks for all your compliments, but it's only because Ichika helped me make it, you know." Ichika smiled.

"I wouldn't say it's only because of me, but sure, I'll take the compliments."

"Haha, you sure are stuck up, you know?"

"Hn. I know you're not talking, big shot."

Ryuu smiled and continued eating.

They had their dinner, and afterward, it was time for Sasuke to go home.

"See you tomorrow Sasuke!"

"Later, Naruto."

Ryuu took Sasuke home.

"Big brother?" Ryuu looked at Sasuke.

"Can Naruto come with us tomorrow?"

"Of course.

It'll be such a pain if I only teach you.

Naruto will never let me sleep with all that complaining."

They arrived right outside Fugaku's house.

"Well, here we are, tomorrow when I come to get Naruto I'll pick you up too." Sasuke nodded.

"Call Itachi for me." Sasuke ran into the house.

"Big brother! Ryuu's outside waiting for you."

Itachi walked out of the house.

"Follow me, Itachi." Ryuu started walking away while Itachi followed him.