Sasuke watched fro afar as his brother trained tirelessly. Watching as Itachi consumed himself in concentration and lost himself in the patterns of his movements.

Itachi's fists were like lightening, striking with one hundred percent marksmanship. His muscles tightening as his arm reached full extension, executing blows which would leave any opponent crippled and bloodied. His legs were solid yet just as fast as his hands. He executed kicks almost as fast as his punches. His leg reaching heights Sasuke could only dream of obtaining. Itachi's eyes were empty, completely void of distraction, leaving them fixed only on the imaginary opponents which stood before him.

"his speed is staggering" thought Sasuke as he watched from the tree line.

Did Itachi know he was there, or had Sasuke's presence slipped beyond his field of concentration beneath the world he had been lost in. Sasuke asked himself how it was possible for someone to be so skilled, how someone could remove themselves so completely fro the world and obtain such focus. He watched as Itachi's body went from standing to crouched positions in the link of an eye, watched as he moved gracefully across the ground kicking up only the faintest cloud of dust beneath his feet.

Sasuke watched intensely for moments longer before slyly picking up a small pebble from his side. He watched closely, making sure he knew he had not been discovered before cocking his elbow and sending the pebble soaring towards his brother's head.

It would only take two split seconds before the pebble would have collided with Itachi's skull. But in that time he had managed to swiftly and controllably alter his position without unease and catch the pebble between his thumb and index finger a mere centimetre from his face.

"You will have to try better than that in order to catch me off guard...Sasuke" he declared.

Sasuke stood, frozen with fear. He was sure he had him, or at least would have made him flinch.
"Dammit" He muttered as he started to wander towards Itachi.

"You were incredible Itachi. Watching you...it's...it's staggering" complimented Sasuke

Itachi wiped his face with a towel he had taken from his backpack before turning his head.
"I wouldn't call it staggering Sasuke. What you saw there was the results of years upon years of intense and dedicated training. You have that same potential within you as well." he huffed. Could Itachi actually be out of breath...

Sasuke chuckled and perched himself on top of a boulder beside his sibling.

"Will you teach me how to fight like that?" said Sasuke. He had always dreamt of being able to fight as well as Itachi and to have a reason to spend more time with him.

Itachi looked at his younger brother whilst sipping water out of a bottle, panting slightly as he placed it on the grass.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to teach yo a few things...take your hoodie off and we'll get started" Itachi moved into the centre of the area and beckoned Sasuke to join him. Sasuke trudged across the soft, springy undergrowth and joined his brother.

"The first thing I am going to teach you is a simple take-down combination. First off you need to react quickly to your opponent's attack" and as his words ended he struck for Sasuke's nose without warning in a blinding display of speed and agility. Sasuke was barely able to avoid the blow before shouting in panic
"What the hell are you doing that could have broken my nose!" barked Sasuke as he stared shocked at his elder brother.

"I am here to teach you how to defend yourself in a lifelike situation. I am not here to prance around Sasuke, you either learn my way or leave." Spoke Itachi in a calm and collected manner.

Sasuke huffed and prepared himself. Itachi instructed him to strike for his own face this time and assured him that he would walk Sasuke through the combination at a steady pace.

Sasuke struck as he was instructed to do so, Itachi parried his hand sending it downwards across his own body, his right hand soared in an arching upward motion and stopped mere millimetres from Sasuke's throat. He brought his body round to the rear left of Sasuke's, hooked his right leg behind Sasuke's left ankle and tore Sasuke's legs out from underneath him sending him crashing to the ground. Sasuke grunted heavily as he landed on his back, the wind crashing out of his lungs and a wave of pain coursing through his body.

"You weren't kidding about not prancing around...That combo certainly works" he grunted as Itachi brought him to his feet.

Itachi brushed the dirt off of his student in a somewhat uncharacteristic display of affection.
"The key to the take down is speed and precision. If you're not fast enough in the deliverance of your techniques then your opponent will counter, strike in the wrong places and your defence is useless." Itachi stopped cold in realisation of his actions. Took a step back from Sasuke and bowed his head.

"Uh like I, uh, said...Speed and precision...Don't give your opponent an opportunity to advance their attack." He staggered before turning and walking back to his backpack. As Itachi reached his bag and began to pull his bottle of water out of it his focus was distracted.

"Hey...Itachi. I just wanted to say thank you...for um, teaching me that technique. We should do it more often, would be a great way to spend some more quality time together" Called Sasuke in a hesitant yet adoring tone.

Itachi looked behind him and chuckled.

"I think we need to get you checked for a concussion. Come on. Lets head home"

and with that the two men headed along the tree lined path toward their home, both secretly cherishing the moments they had spent together.