A Tale Of True Demons - Book 1: Innocence Begone (Indra Otsutsuki)

Chapter 16: These Two Adorable Dunces

"What?! You're leaving again?!" Whined the little brunette, his small puppy tightly held from within his arms.

Placing a hand atop his younger son's head, Hagoromo reassuringly said "Do not fret my son, I'll only be gone for a day and immediately return home by nightfall."

Letting out a sigh, Ashura replied in a low tone "OK!"

Along with a few young men and his most trusted advisor, there they all stood at the small gates of the large household. As mentioned by the little boy, this depicted that the older man will be going off elsewhere, accompanied by these very men. Afterwards, Hagoromo's purple eyes then turned from his young son to the older one, whom was standing a few meters away from them.

Just by studying the boy's poise, his eyes nervously looking down on the ground whilst awkwardly rubbing his arm, he immediately knew that the brunette was feeling a bit uneasy, and he sort of knew why. Making his way towards said kid, he then knelt down in one knee before him to be in equal level with the older boy and placed both of his hands on the child's two shoulders. Feeling this, Indra then snapped out of his trance and whipped his head to meet gazes with his father, finding him starring at him with the very serious expression he still had problems focusing on.

However, he as well notices that this kind of seriousness surprisingly also had a hint of gentleness to it.

"Indra, listen carefully, this time, I'll be bringing Futami along with me" he explained, his purple eyes never left his son's dark ones. "That means it's just you and Ashura here. Please, take good care and watch over your brother. Can you do that?"

It sounded like an obvious question for the older boy, and indeed, Hagoromo himself knew that before he even asked. But seemingly, he just wanted to make sure whether his eldest son was in the right mind for the task.

Taking in a deep breath, Indra calmly replied as he slightly nodded "Yes, Father!"

Hearing this, the older man then stood back up in his two feet, but not without ruffling a hand on the boy's hair. Afterwards, he then turned away to walk towards the group of men waiting for him from behind. But he then suddenly stopped in his tracks and twisted his head a bit from over his shoulder to look back at his two sons.

"We'll be leaving now!"

With that, the older man then turned his head back in place and began walking further from the two boys, leaving the advisor along with the rest of the men to follow behind him. As they watched their forms ever so slowly disappear from the distance, Indra then slowly made his way to his little brother's side to place a hand on his shoulder. This caused Ashura to jerk a bit and turn his head to his left side, finding his brother standing there, a small and reassuring smile was on his lips.

"Don't worry, Ashura, he'll be back safely, just like always!"

Letting out a huff, the dunce too made a grin of his own and giggled "You're right, Elder Brother, I know he will!"

Turning in order to make them both face each other, the older brunette then placed a hand over his brother's forehead and smiled "It looks a lot like your fever is gone, are you feeling alright?"

"Eeeyup! Feeling better than ever!" Cheered the boy, the little pup in his arms letting out an enthusiastic bark afterwards.

The small smile on the long-haired boy's face suddenly turned into a frown when he said "Look Ashura, I'm very sorry for making you worry like that, I really am. In return, I'll do what you said I would, take a break from all my training and do whatever you want me to do. What do you think?"

Hearing this, of course the younger boy would be ecstatic to hear that his older brother was finally taking a pause from his 'training'.

"Really?! You mean we can play again?!" The boy asked gleefully, his dark eyes now glittering with excitement.