No own no sue
Sasuke bolted down the stone path to his front door. Today was his fifth birthday. Today, his brother had promised him something special. Naturally, one so young would be excited to find out what. The young Uchiha dropped his shoes and bag next to the front door and slid around a corner to Itachi's room.
"Nii-san! Nii-san!" Sasuke's eyes lit up as the shoji door slid open.
"Easy, Ototou… You don't want to exhaust yourself, ne?" The elder Uchiha smiled slightly. Kneeling to the height of his younger counterpart, he divulged the long awaited information concerning Sasuke's birthday surprise.
"You said you needed some help with fuuma shuriken, ne? Meet me at our training field this afternoon. I'll help you."
Sasuke tackle-hugged his older brother, but Itachi caught him easily, swinging him around before placing him on the floor.
"Arigatou, Nii-san!"
Itachi rounded the same corner that his brother had slid around earlier.
"Oh, and Ototou?"
Sasuke ran up to his brother excitedly. The ANBU captain turned at the last minute, pushing two fingers into Sasuke's forehead, but not enough to hurt too badly.
"Nii-saaaan!" whined Sasuke, rubbing his forehead.
"I have to go; ANBU business. I'll be at the Uchiha training grounds, remember? This afternoon." Sasuke watched his brother shut the shoji door behind him.
0oOo0
"I'm gonna be late!" The young Uchiha bolted down an alleyway as a shortcut. Turning back onto a main street, he was knocked over by a passer-by. "Itai…" He pulled himself up; he would not be late to train with his brother today! Sasuke bolted down another alley.
"Lookit wut we got here. We gots ourselves a shrimp to fry…" A large boy approached Sasuke. Judging from his appearance, he was a Genin. Sasuke was still an academy student. Several more Genins walked in from behind the main boy. The first Genin pulled out a kunai, his eyes gleaming evilly.
"Doushite? Why would you attack an academy student…?"
The boy didn't respond. Instead, he took slow advancing steps towards the frightened Uchiha.
"If you dare touch my brother, I will make you pay." Crimson eyes flashed in the darkness behind the gang. As soon as they caught sight of the glowing Sharingan, the whole group fled.
"Nii-san…"
"Daijoubu, Sasuke?"
Sasuke nodded to his older brother. Itachi's relieved smile calmed Sasuke down.
"Come on, then." He helped his younger brother up. "It's a good thing I came to check on you. You were late…"
"Sumimasen…"
Itachi ruffled his hair affectionately.
"No need for apologies."
0oOo0
"Nii-san?"
Itachi turned to his younger brother.
"Will you always be there to protect me... like today?"
He smiled.
"Itsumo."