Things He'll Never Have

—

An elder brother.

The chance to drink sake.

Be silly while drunk.

Vandalize the Hokage Mountain.

Or some random wall belonging to some random clan.

His brother laughing.

They both get paint on their faces.

The sake is hot.

Intoxicating.

.

A conversation.

Probably about the meaning of Life.

Or how to improvise his shuriken jutsu.

Asking his brother

How it is to fall in love.

To distinguish between friendly.

And friendlier.

An encouraging smile.

A pat on the back.

A voice that says,

"Go for it, brother."

.

A quiet afternoon.

After training.

Or a spar.

With ripe tomatoes and cabbages.

Freshly-brewed tea.

Jokes exchanged in the warm afternoon.

Lame puns.

His brother's laughter.

His own voice, mingling.

.

An uncle to his children.

Cousins for his children.

Midnight pigging out,

When they both can't sleep.

The thrill of hiding cabbages or tomatoes.

A private stash.

.

Chances.

To be close,

To understand and be understood.

To have a brother.

To have grown with him.

To have experienced.

Life.

Death.

Ends.