I watched Sasuke play in the sand, building sandcastles as tall as himself until he struggled to reach the top and then relied on Itachi to lift him up in order to finish all the turrets. We spent all day every day on that beach, the two boys becoming rather tanned whilst I remained inexplicably pale. I burned easily, so I walked everywhere with a white lace parasol in order to help protect me from the sunlight, looking somewhat like a doll with my porcelain skin and mostly vacant expression. However, when watching Itachi and Sasuke play together, it brought a serene smile to my face.

Sasuke was far livelier than ever before during the time we spent at that cabin, facing the water and only a step away from silken sands, using all of his energy throughout the day before then usually crashing at sunset, exhausted and ready to recharge himself overnight. When the sunlight faded, I was able to put my parasol away and walked with the two brothers to a spot which had quickly become our favourite place to sit calmly.

It was a peak near the cabin which stretched out over the sands, and when the tide came in frothing waves of ocean water would occasionally break against the rock and rise up like a cloud, spraying us with a refreshing douse of droplets. When the water was calm, however, we would be able to gaze at the glittering ocean as the sun set right before our eyes, looking larger and brighter than ever before. I sat with my arms around Sasuke who had already fallen asleep, holding him in my lap as the reddened sun turned darker and darker, reminding me of a Sharingan's gaze.

Itachi was sat next to me, also watching the sunset as the last rays of light stretched outwards to illuminate the entire sky with colours which filled our eyes with wonder. It was beautiful and peaceful, there was nothing in the world I would want more than moments like this. The salt of the air was strong enough that I could taste it upon my tongue, and as the heat settled into a cool evening, I wanted nothing more than to stay there with Sasuke and Itachi forever.

"Yuki?" Itachi had reached out and curled his fingers into my sleeve, looking up at me with large, winsome orbs. The eyes of a child, yet with an edge of maturity which by rights should not be there. "When we marry, let's build a house just like that cabin by the ocean. I want to live like this for the rest of my life, it's peaceful. I want the whole world to be as peaceful as I feel now." He told me quietly, not wanting to disturb Sasuke.

"Hm. It would be nice if the world was at peace." I agreed softly, taking in a deep breath as I continued to watch the sun sink lower below the bejewelled horizon. "There would be less hate and more happiness."

"Would you do anything to make the world a better place, Yuki?" Itachi now questioned, making me pause and think for a few moments.

"No, there are things I would not do."

"Like what?" Persisting, I pulled my gaze away from the sunset and turned my relaxed expression to Itachi, bathed under the radiant hue of warm colours. Itachi looked very cute in golden light, his onyx eyes shining and his skin glowing healthily with a sun kissed tint to his cheeks, gazing at me with intrigue and curiosity.

"I would not hurt you. Or Sasuke." Keeping my answer simple, I believed it to cover all of the lines I would not be willing to cross in order to secure world peace. There are some sacrifices I could not commit, some duties I would not be able to perform if it meant that these two precious children would suffer. Even if the entire world burned around us, I would protect Itachi and Sasuke. My answer seemed to please Itachi, as he exhaled with relief and smiled at me.

"You really do love us, don't you Yuki-chan?" I found this an odd question, as I believed the answer to be obvious. Surely I had demonstrated already that I felt great fondness towards both Itachi and Sasuke? Was there any reason for them to doubt? Love was still a strange emotion to me, and I could not quite understand all of its intricacies, but I understood its function. I loved my parents, and I cherish these two boys, does that not also equate to love? "I know that sometimes you look at things a little too logically, Yuki-chan, and that some emotions are difficult for you to express the way others do, but I can tell that you love us a lot. I have no memories where you were not there, you have always been with me, like an angel watching over me."

"Angels are not factual creatures, evidence does not support their existence." I murmured thoughtfully, wondering what Itachi meant by all this. He laughed at that, and I was further confused as to why he found my response amusing, however when he took one of my hands and continued to hold onto it, I found myself thinking that the answers to these questions were irrelevant.

"I wish I can stay right here with you, Miyuki, forever and ever. This can be our own personal utopia, just for you, me and little Sasuke. When we're here, there are no outside problems, no one else to disturb us. This can be our escape, okay?"

"Hm." Agreeing with my natural response, I nodded my head then looked down to our linked hands. Itachi was holding mine with both of his, smoothing his thumbs against my skin whilst his eyes wandered into a distant haze, becoming heavy and clouded like something important and painful was weighing against his mind. I did not like seeing him with that expression, so I carefully moved my hand forwards and turned his face towards the sunset, where the last sliver of sunlight was beginning to fade into twilight. "Nothing exists outside of this moment." Wanting him to simply enjoy the moment, Itachi become distracted by the sunset and how I had wrapped my arm around him, drawing him closer to me.

We spent the last night of our vacation staring into the distance, watching the same spot on the horizon as the ocean continued to glitter, trapped in the endless trance of the surreal infinity of its gaze, as if it knew exactly how to enchant us. I never wanted to move, however Sasuke woke some time later and complained he was cold, so I wordlessly took off my cardigan and draped it around him before standing up. I tucked him in carefully, wanting to keep him warm before I then turned around to Itachi who was standing a little behind me. He had picked up my parasol for me but was still distracted with the scenery, so I lifted up my hand and stretched it out towards him as Sasuke slept against my shoulder once more.

"Itachi." He looked at me, gazes meeting instantly as my hand remained outstretched towards him. "Come home."