My Brothers Love Me More Than They Should [Uchiha fanfic]

The Orange mask [3]

Tiny fingers enlaced desperately around the milky white hand, tugging roughly to pull it closer, scared that it would slip away into the darkness like a ghost never to return. It was a sign, a sign of distress and anxiety that could only be soothed by the interaction of a loved one.

Those tiny fingers belonged to a now four year old Masami as she stared up at her elder brother with slits for eyes and a broken look immanent across her exhausted features. She was tired, scared, and didn't want to be left alone.

"Nii-san, n-no!"

Sasuke sighed at the sorrowful sight of his sister's tear stained face as he squeezed softly onto her hand again in a protective manner, hating her eyes dwell in such despair. Another glistening tear made itself known down Masami's cheek from the gesture, unable to hold it back anymore.

"There's nothing to be scared of, Masami-chan. It's just the dark" He reassured her with a sigh. Tonight was Masami's fist night in a grown up bed which had been handed down to her from previous generations of the clan, it was not a cradle like she was used to. It had no bars surrounding the infant's tiny body much to her displeasure and was far too big for her little legs to get used to in. It made her feel vulnerable, insecure, scared.

She absolutely loathed it.

"I don't like change Nii-chan" She whispered in a scared voice. "P-please stay, Otosan already told me off for crying earlier today about it, saying I should be braver like you and Onii-san." Her voice grew more cracked and sullen as she carried on.

Sasuke bit his lip really wishing Itachi was here, he knew how to handle Masami when she ws like this.

"B-but I can't help if I'm s-scared Nii-chan, my heart just makes me feel that way" She pointed a tiny finger into her chest whilst looking down at the quilts sadly. "I Miss Onii-chan too, he has been gone on a mission for a whole day now, I want him back home to tuck me in again so I can sleep..."

"He'll be home soon, Masami..."

Sasuke crawled into the bed next to his sister, pulling her head softly into the warmth of his arms with a low sigh. Their bodies fit perfectly together like a puzzle piece under the quilts, Masami's chin slotting flawlessly in between the crook of Sasuke's head and neck. She let out a shaky breath of air after a few moments, instantly relaxed from the body heat radiating from her brother's skin.

"Plus I'm here to tuck you in now, so go to sleep"

Masami nodded, but kept her eyes glued open. She still felt scared of this particular room for some reason without her cot, but didn't understand why. Sasuke didn't seem to notice though.

"Masami-chan, who does Otosan often tell you to be like, me or Onii-chan?" He asked suddenly, gazing into the darkness of the room. Masami shivered as her brother let out a hot breath of air into her neck as he spoke those words softly, and instinctively, she latched her body closer towards his liking the warmth.

"Onii-chan" She mumbled tiredly into his skin.

"Does he mention anything about me to you?"

"Only when Nii-san does something wrong"

Sasuke's jaw clenched somewhat.

"Has Otosan told you anything else about my graduation next week?" Masami felt her eyebrows furrow in confusion at the strange questions Sasuke was throwing at her, too drained and tired to understand what he was getting at.