Komorebi |Uchiha Itachi| Kairos Sequel

chapter iv. choking

"So you're coming with us?" Sasuke questioned as he sat at the dining room table.

It was still dark outside when the two woke up for breakfast and to prepare for their mission. Sasuke was still in his pajamas up until five minutes ago and the homely feeling made Aiko's chest warm. She could get used to early morning breakfast and packing with her little Sasuke.

"Yeah silly, that's part of being co-Sensei." Aiko teased the grumbling Uchiha at the table and tapped a strawberry on the tip of his nose. She watched the small amount of flush litter his pale cheeks and her smile grew bright as she sat plates down.

Sitting next to Sasuke at the table, Aiko looked to be almost chirping as she ate. He definitely noticed the bright mood she was in this morning and a small smirk worked it's way to his face. It was almost amusing to see Aiko act like this. He had not seen her this bubbly since before everything happened. Usually when she was caught awake this early in the morning, she was heading out on a mission and was expressionless.

Though deep down he wanted to question why his older sister seemed so happy, he appreciated it with no explanation. Anything was better than seeing Aiko as lifeless as she was a few months ago. So instead he thought to mess with her and inflate her cheerful mood.

"Did you get laid or something?" Sasuke's even tone teased and he watched her choke on food. The scarlet color of her cheeks caused him to crack a smile with a small chuckle. He flicked a piece of egg white into her cheek at the sight of her wide eyed expression and was amused with the annoyed noise she made.

"I'm messing with you, Ai. If anyone thinks they deserve you, they gotta get through me first." Sasuke pointed his thumb to himself arrogantly, his chest puffed with pride.

The playful and protective act brought a warm smile to Aiko's face as she remembered flashes of Sasuke when he was smaller. He had displayed such a strong need to protect her since the night he was left alone. She was sure it was a combination of fear that she would die like everyone he knew with the fact he cared for her quite a bit. But she cared just as much if not more for her Sasuke.

"I don't know, Sasuke. Today is the first time you are leaving the village and doing anything above a D rank mission. Would you truly be able to take anyone I bring home on?" Aiko gave a humored smile as she took a bite of her banana.

Sasuke gave another small smile as he sat silently for a moment. It made Aiko turn to look at him to see if he was chewing. It was unusual for Sasuke to not say something when belittled, even jokingly. The only explanation she could think of was that he was actively chewing but instead she saw a warm look in his onyx eyes that she had not seen in a long time. For a moment, she wished it was three years ago and she was just meeting him as her little ducky. When she was just meeting Shisui and her weasel butt.

It felt like her heart was breaking for a moment at the memories.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly in the dead silent dining room.

"You're getting better. There was a time when the idea of moving on from him made you sob in your room." Sasuke had a proud look on his face while he remarked Aiko's progress.

He wasn't wrong.

The first week or two were spent in denial before she shattered for two months. Anything that remotely reminded her of Itachi caused her mood to drop significantly. After that she pretended to feel nothing at all unless Sasuke was lonely enough to voice his feelings. It was embarrassing to say that Sasuke was probably stronger than her during the first chunk of time. But she paid her price for allowing herself to become hollow. Between the multiple shoutings from Sasuke and her leaving her previous career, Sasuke felt she paid her dues in full.