He looks over the pages then back up at his brother. History? He wrinkles his nose. “Sounds boring,” he comments while leaning back against his brother’s chest. “Do you like it? Who is the Daimyo?”

Ah… that’s why he loves Sasuke. 

Sasuke doesn’t have to trifle himself with learning things like this in great detail. And if Itachi has his way, he never will.

A hand pats Sasuke’s hair, three times in succession.

“The Daimyo is the man who owns our country. The village answers to him and it’s where we shinobi get our funding.” 

Sitting behind his big brother, Sasuke reaches out and plays with the ends of his brother’s ponytail. “Ne ne nii-san, why do you like keeping your hair long?” Sasuke gets on all fours and crawls closer to Itachi. He slips under his arm and claims a seat on his lap. “What are you reading?”

Why does he…?

He never really thought about it before. Itachi reaches up, draws his hands back, from his bangs to the end of his low ponytail. Was there truly a reason behind it? Maybe not.

But he doesn’t need to answer the question it seems, as Sasuke’s found something far more interesting. 

“The history of our country’s Daimyo, Sasuke.”