The skies were darkened, they reminded me of the skies back home. However the amount of stars here were far less than the stars I grew up around. The air was hot, something I had gotten used to while living in the Village of Kohana. For months, I could feel the tool on something great on Itachi. He wasn't as happy as he was before. Sometimes he would smile, but it never quite reached his eyes. He always seemed tired.
The least I could do was take Sasuke out for ice cream like he asked.
Sasuke sang quietly as he walked by me. I had picked him up from the academy to take him out for ice cream - which he was more than happy about.
"Hika-chan?" Sasuke questioned from side.
"Hm?" I muttered, staring ahead of me.
"What's wrong with Itachi?"
I paused, turning towards him. I tilted my head to side, "what do you mean?" A fake smile plastered on my face, hopefully someone so young couldn't see past it.
Sasuke's lips turned into a frown, as he turned his head away. "He seems like he's mad at me."
I chuckled, placing a hand on his head. "Don't worry Sasuke, he's not mad at you. Being apart of the ANBU is hard work." I replied.
Sasuke glanced over to me. "Why aren't you in the ANBU?"
Why wasn't I in the ANBU? I glanced up to the sky, there were two reasons. "My parents wouldn't want me to." I answered.
"Do you miss them?"
My eyes shifted back down to Sasuke, who was staring down at me with doe eyes. I smiled, "all of the time. There will be a time when your parents too will not be here, but it'll be okay. Everything happens for a reason."
Sasuke pouted out his bottom lip. "Will it be soon?"
I smiled, shaking my head. "Not all."
"Promise?" Sasuke held out his pinky finger towards me.
"Promise." I replied, wrapping my own around his. Sadly, I broke his promise.
.
I knew it happened before I even saw it. The smell of blood was just to rich for me not to realize what happened. The sadness that crept through my heart, the fact that I had let Sasuke go one before me. I had saw him in the village earlier while I was shopping, Itachi told me that he wanted to get Sasuke some new weapons, but didn't have the time. I knew right then that wasn't the case.
For months, I've realized the burden the Uchiha had put on his shoulders. It was only a matter of time before he snapped. The only questioned I had was why? What burden was possibly so large, this would have to happen? Before I could even ask, he appeared right before me. Our eyes locked as we stared at each other, neither of us said a word.
His clothes were stained with blood, hopefully none of it Sasuke's. He wouldn't harm him, he couldn't. Finally, I gathered up the courage to finally ask him: "Is Sasuke okay?"
Itachi broke eye contact and stared straight ahead. He hummed.
I pursed my lips, tears building up in my eye sockets. "Am I next?" I whispered.
Itachi's chest heaved and in a split second he was next to me. My heart skipped a beat, mostly from fear; however it was always like that around him. He put a hand to my head, pulling me into his chest. Shocked, I couldn't move. Was he hugging me? His hand raked through my hair, holding me close. "I could never kill you," he whispered.
Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded through my stomach. I could feel the substance drip down. Itachi's grip loosened as he pulled away. "But they must think I tried," was his final whisper before he disappeared.
Groaning in pain, I dropped the floor holding my wound. There was kunai knife sticking from my stomach, right above my belly button. Another scar to add to the other, huh? "Hika-chan!" My gut dropped as I realized the voice. Sasuke.
Sasuke dropped down to his knees, grasping me with his hands. "You're alive?!" He exclaimed, looking down at my wound. Tears were falling down his face in rapid pace as he looked up at me with fury. "Did nee-san do this to you?!" He yelled.
"Sasuke," I muttered, my eyes blinking slowly.
He stood up, glancing behind me. "I'm going to get help," He stated, before running off.
I leaned my head against the cool concrete, closing my eyes. "What if I don't want help?" The truth is, I didn't want the help. Who knew if I could get it? Itachi's words had just confirmed my suspicions over the past few weeks - he was ordered to kill everyone. This wasn't Itachi's fault, but Sasuke couldn't know that.