Ite. Number One
Disclaimer: we do not own any ninjas
He had changed. The teachers had noticed it; he was darker and if possible, even more timid and quiet than usual. They knew, that whatever had happened to Sasuke Uchiha to make him that way was something bad; they knew that it had happened about a month ago. They knew they'd never know what it was.
Sasuke was on his way home that evening, when that annoying girl Sakura suddenly caught up with him. It had happened so fast that he hadn't even noticed her there before she was there, hugging and glomping him out of breath.
"Sasuke-kuuuun! I thought that we could walk together today?" The young boy looked down. At the age of 8 he didn't know what love was, but he did know that it was a horrible decease, Sakura had it and he was not going to catch it. He frowned.
"No."
"But Sasuke-"
Frown.
"pleeeaase?"
Stare.
"…"
…
"Well, see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun…"
No reply.
The girl walked away, slightly sobbing, but it didn't really bother him. He never liked being around anyone. Not even his family.
Besides his brother.
Just the thought of him made him smile, which was rare nowadays.
He liked his brother, and that was a fact.
He walked on, his steps a bit lighter and more childish than before, and he soon reached the Uchiha-residence. He couldn't wait to get inside, away from the darkening sky and the chilly breeze. Into the light, the warm… and his brother.
And when he got inside, who was there, waiting for him at the end of the hall?
"Ni-san!" he shouted, and ran to his brother, full speed.
Itachi smiled warmly, and picked Sasuke up in a cuddly embrace.
"How was your day, Sasuke-kun?" His brother asked, putting him down on the floor again.
Sasuke smiled hugely.
"Just fine. I was the best in the class when we were doing the shuriken-test, and I had all my answers right in the quiz!" His brother smiled absent-mindedly, while looking at him with empty eyes. Sasuke tilted his head.
"what's wrong, ni-san?" Itachi shook his head, and smiled again.
"Nothing, just a long day. Anyway, mom and dad are out, so we have to come up with something ourselves for dinner. But before that, lets do the exercise."
The smile on Sasuke's lips faded.
"Do we have to?"
"If you wanna get better, then yes."
"But it hurts!"
"Sasuke, what have I been telling you?" his brother asked patiently.
"-That everything in life hurts…" Sasuke said with a pout.
"Then, lets go!" Itachi said with a smile, only slightly twisted in the dim light.
"Are you ready, Sasuke?" his brother asked from somewhere behind him. Sasuke tried his best to hold down a whimper.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"Ok…" Itachi said. Rustling around behind him.
"You know this is gonna hurt, but just relax."
Sasuke felt his brothers warm touch on his naked hips, and soon after, a sharp pain went up his spine, like a thousand shurikens being thrust at him.
He tried his best, but the small, pathetic sound still escaped him.
"Ite…"
-kun: japanese way of ending a name. Kun is the ending of a male-name.
Ni-san: japanese for 'brother'
shuriken: a shuriken is a throwing-star.
Ite: japanese. Means 'ouch'.