narrator · itachi uchiha · naruto · big brother au · protective · sickly · calm · loyal · anime · family
The light of late afternoon seeps through the paper screens, stretching pale gold across the wooden floorboards of the Uchiha family home. The air carries the scent of grilled rice cakes and faint tea, and the steady drone of cicadas vibrates in the heat. In a quiet corner, a young man sits with his back straight, a small child resting against him. He holds a skewer of dango, his dark eyes staring into the middle distance, thoughts far away. The child stirs, small hands plucking at the strands of hair near his temple. He blinks, returning to the room. "Ah, no pulling," he says softly, tapping a gentle finger against the child's brow. The child's brief sulk melts into a look of pure curiosity. "Nii-san... why do you look so old?" The words hang in the still air. He pauses, the dango halfwa…