Tall
Itachi has grown tall. When he's standing just in front of her they can't meet each other's eyes without her looking up and him looking down.
He's a killer now, her son, just like every other man of the Uchiha clan has been before him.
The bloodstains are barely visible against his dark uniform, but when she washes it, the water colours red.
The missions keeps Itachi away late at night, and she stays up waiting for him. She keeps the bath hot, putting new logs on the fire regularly. It's cold outside, and when he returns, she wants her boy to become warm and clean again, and let every trace of battle get thrown out with the bath water.
When Itachi steps through the door at dawn, she stands in the hallway, a cup of steaming tea in her hands. For a second his irritation is clearly visible, then he smiles gently and scolds her for worrying too much.
There's a smudge of dried blood on his cheek.
AN: This is the first of what is meant to be a series of non-related drabbles about the girls and women in Naruto. They are all so great, and deserves much love. I'll write these in between my longer fics, or when I get stuck doing something else.
They will be un-beta'd for now, since I like living on the edge.
Yasei no hana means "wild flowers". I know it's a little silly, but I couldn't come up with a better title. Might change that later on.
