Scroll 1: The Third Uchiha [Naruto]

Chapter 21: An Uchiha is Born [Naruto]

Itachi

I heard my bedroom door open but didn’t turn from the wall. The sun’s rays hadn’t even poured through my window yet. There should be know one up at this hour.

“Itachi” A soft voice whispered and finally I turned. Rin stood at my door with tired eyes, her skin pale in the moonlight and her hair slightly messy. It’s been a few days but she didn’t seem to be recovering as fast as usual.

“Rin why are you up at this hour?” She glanced to the side slightly and shrugged.

“Couldn’t sleep” She whispered.

“Why?” She shrugged again and I sighed as I sat up.

“Come here Rin” She closed my door then before walking over to my bedside. I lifted her into my lap then and heard her sigh as she rested against my shoulder.  

“Itachi?” She asked softly.

“Hm?”

“Do you love me?” I was taken slightly back by this question as I peered down at her and noticed the tight grip her small fist had on my shirt.

“Of course Rin, I’ll always love you, you’re my baby sister.” I assured her.

“Then you’d never hurt me right?” I sighed lightly. This question, I’ve always hated this type of question. There was never a right way to answer.

“Sometimes you have to hurt the ones you love to keep them safe” Those were the only words I could think of to answer her question. She looked up at me then and I finally noticed the tears glistening down her cheeks.

“I’d rather be in danger all the time then.” I sighed again closing my eyes as I pressed my forehead against hers. Even if she wasn’t aware of it she knew the right way to look at me, the right words to say to tear away at my heart. The heart that I had thought I had hardened through war and years of ninja training. Yet here she was, my baby sister, barely an experienced ninja and she was able to break it apart piece by piece.

“Itachi…” I opened my eyes then when I felt her small hands touch my cheeks wiping away the fallen tears. I smiled slightly.

“You know when you were a baby you had to sleep in my room because I was the only one able to stop you from crying all night. I taught you to walk, and run and read and even to speak but do you know what your first word was?” I asked her as I wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“Itachi?” I shook my head as I took her small hands from my face.

“Sasuke, and I think now I understand why” She looked up meeting my gaze with curious eyes.

“I taught you so many things but Sasuke always taught you the most important things; how to smile, how to laugh, how to be happy. Your first laugh was with him; your first smile was at him. I think that’s why your first word was his name.” She nodded slightly as I pushed aside her bangs.

“We both love you Rin, from the minute you were born. Even if we drift apart and grow older and stronger; you will always be our one weakness.” She raised her eyebrow at me and I chuckled gently.

“Because you are our baby sister and you are the only person that Sasuke and I could ever care so much about.” I kissed her forehead then as she nodded and took my hand putting her small hand in my palm.

“Itachi?”

“What is it Rin?” Her dark eyes met mine then.

“I will always love you, you and Sasuke, no matter what. Were the Uchiha siblings, the three of us and we always will be” I stared at her for a moment longer before pulling her closer and hugging her tight. I released a breath then swallowing the lump in my throat. She wasn’t like Sasuke, her mind was set on those words and I knew the day was coming where she would prove just how much those words meant to her.