Curly hair shimmered in the sunlight and whipped in the air as Shisui shook his head and regained his footing. Trying to ignore the soggy feeling of his sandals squishing against his feet, he stepped back onto the riverbank, blocking out the feminine giggles that were coming from the sidelines.

"I can't believe I fell for a dirty trick like that." He muttered.

Itachi did his best to ignore the angry pout sent his way. [[MORE]] "It's not my fault, Shisui." He started, adjusting his hold on his sleeping brother, "You deserved it; you tried to wake Sasuke up."

Sworn to silence until they were done playing, Kushina could only smile at the performance before her.

The curly-haired Uchiha crossed his arms and frowned, "I'm telling you, Itachi, it's not healthy for people to sleep that much."

"Yes it is, Shisui. He's just a baby."

"Itachi. Listen. I'm six," Shisui held up six fingers to emphasize his point, "and you're only five. Trust me, okay? I know what I'm talking about; he needs to wake up."

Reaching for Sasuke proved fruitless when Itachi backed away. Shisui tried to follow forward, only to slip on his own wet sandals and fall forward. "Oof!"

"Don't touch him if you're going to wake him up." Itachi had a frown to matched Shisui's, as the taller of the two stood back up from his knees.

Shisui's face lifted into a confused look, "Do you think I'm gonna hurt him?"

At Itachi's silence, he snickered, running a hand through his wet hair to pull it off his face, "Worrywart. I wouldn't hurt Sasuke, Itachi. You're like my brother, so if he's your brother, he's my brother, too."

It was all the distraction Itachi needed. Stunned look and silence was all Itachi could offer, before Shisui snatched the bundle from his arms, "Hey!"

"He's cute too, you know? I can see why you're so selfish with him." A bright grin lit up his face, and, baby in arms, Shisui dodged Itachi's lunge for Sasuke. "For someone like you, that was sloppy."

"Shisui!"

"Calm down, Itachi. I already said I wouldn't hurt him." Shisui danced around Itachi's attempts, occasionally cooing at Sasuke's sleeping face.

There wasn't a doubt that Itachi would soak up his ninja-training like a sponge, once he actually begun. But as it was, Shisui was already in academy, and had started his training with his father when he was five. He was ahead of Itachi, and he planned to milk those moments for all their worth.

They'd surely end soon.

"Shisui, don't wake Sasuke!" Itachi frantically tried to grab at Shisui's shirt, at least, but to no avail.

"Nuh-uh uh, Itachi. For as long as I'm being trained and you're not, there's no way that you'll catch me! I'm training in speed more than anything else, you know." A bright black eye winked at Itachi's angry, 'puffed-out cheeks' expression.

"I'll begin my training soon, and when that happens, you'll never— "

"Ah, Itachi, don't be dramatic." Shisui smiled at his younger cousin—How cute—before gently trying to shake Sasuke awake. And without a chance to think about it, he saw Itachi start lashing out with full blows.

"Calm down— Calm do—!"

With barely a second left free, a leg kicked Shisui in the stomach and sent him tumbling back into the river. Sasuke, who had flew out of his arms, was caught in midair by Itachi.

The six year-old hurriedly emerged from the clear waters, jumping a little as the koi fish brushed his elbows.

"Alright, 'ttebane! You're done playing." Kushina quickly stood up, cradling her round belly in both arms to support it. "Let's get something to eat before I take you home." She suggested, trying to appease the protective look on Itachi's face.

That evening, Mikoto was presented with a soaked nephew, a blank-faced son —both carrying dango sticks — and a snoring baby. But all she needed was the sheepish grin on her best friend's face to start laughing.

"Again?"