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Rated: T
"..."
Calloused hands laid upon pale cheeks and large blue eyes blinked when an impassive expression stared back at her, "It's 'Nii'," Itachi stated, tightening his grip on her face so she could not look away, "Can you say that for me, Kagome?"
His little sister blinked again and attempted to tilt her head in his grasp, but no words spilled forth from her lips, "..."
"Give it up, Itachi," Fugaku's voice was, for the most, stoic, but the young elite could hear the hints of impatience and disgust, "The girl does not speak. She will not for you, for me, or for anyone else."
'That 'girl' is your own flesh and blood,' It took all of Itachi's self-control not to snap at their father for giving up on his youngest child so soon, "Perhaps you give in too soon, Chichi-ue?"
"It matters not," Fugaku sneered, "As long as you obey your training schedule and complete your missions, you are permitted to play house all you wish." And with that, the Uchiha patriarch was out of sight in a hurry; no longer able to tolerate such weakness.
"Chichi-ue is gone now," Itachi said in a patient tone, "You no longer have anything to fear." His lips slightly quirked upwards when Kagome placed her hand over top his own.
The youngest heir smiled at him and it honestly felt like sunshine to him, but her mouth still did not move, "..." Her hands shakily wrapped around his fingers and she moved forward until she was leaning against his vest-covered chest.
"But even so, if you choose never to speak," Itachi allowed her to move backwards again so the six-year-old could look at him curiously and he could not help but to poke her forehead as he always did with Sasuke, "I will always love you."
Kagome's abnormal blue eyes seemed to light up like fireworks at the affectionate words and she giggled in her silent manner, rushing in once again to wrap her clumsy arms around his neck, "..."
Itachi was not surprised to feel her lips move against him with the words that she could not and would out say aloud, yet his chest felt warm despite the fact he could hear no audible words and he was, in his opinion, lucky to be skilled enough to be able to decipher what she said through her lip movement along his skin.
'I love you too, Nii-sama.'