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An eight-year old Sasuke watched in horror as red, hot flames ate up the house he'd been living in his entire life. He gasped when he heard a loud bang as the roof caved in, crushing anything below it. He spun around when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, a warm hand that belonged to his older brother, Itachi.

"N-niisan… We have to go in there! Mommy and Daddy are in there! We have to help them! We have to!" Sasuke hadn't realized how scared he was until he saw his older brother, tears streaming down his face. He began hyperventilating, not knowing what to do. He felt so helpless, just watching the house, his house, his family's house, slowly burn into nothingness.

And his parents were still inside.

"N-no… Niisan! We have to get them out now! Please go in there!" Sasuke screamed, gripping the end of his brother's shirt and tugging it violently.

But Itachi didn't move. He just stood there, tears streaming down his face as he firmly held onto his brother, the only one he had left.

Sasuke clenched his teeth.

"Niisan…. Please-"

"Sasuke!" He interrupted, not meeting Sasuke's eyes, "It's too late. They're gone. Everything's gone…"

Sasuke felt the hand on his shoulder go rigid. He swallowed hard, and turned to stare at the house before it was completely demolished. He unconsciously wrapped his tiny hand around Itachi's larger one, and they both watched in silence as the flames engulfed their home, nothing left but their memories.

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Sasuke jolted out of bed, sweat beads dripping off his forehead and sliding down the sides of his face. Realizing it was just a nightmare, he let his eyelids slowly close, and he dropped back against the bed. He let his arm fall over his face and waited for his heart to slow down.

"Dammit…" Sasuke muttered to himself.

He was sick of the constant nightmares and the haunting memories that never seemed to leave him alone.

He let his head fall to the side, and looked at his alarm clock.

3:23 a.m.

Sasuke groaned inwardly, knowing exactly how the night would play out.

He'd try to go back to sleep, not be able to, pad over to his brother's room, knock on the door 3 times, and awkwardly walk inside. His brother would sigh, and mumble, 'another nightmare?' Then Sasuke would nod, forcing his head down in embarrassment. Itachi would just chuckle and scotch over, making room for his brother, exactly like he has been for the last ten years almost every single night.

Sasuke cursed, throwing his blankets over his head.

No! I'm sick of tired of acting like a baby all the time! Tonights the night where I'm gonna man the hell up, close my eyes, and go back to sleep!

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Itachi sighed, "Another nightmare?"

Sasuke threw his head down in defeat, "Yup."

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Sasuke rushed down the stairs, a black bag flung over his shoulder and headphones hanging out of the front of his shirt. His hair was in his usual style, bangs falling on either side of his face and sticking out in the back.

"Niisan!" He shouted, shoving the lunch he'd prepared the night before into his bag, "I have to go!"

He heard Itachi grumbling from the kitchen before the older boy made his way towards the front door. He was holding a coffee mug, and was still in his pajamas.

"Niisan," Sasuke groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Well sorry somebody doesn't have their own car," Itachi complained, pulling some shoes on.

"Well maybe I would if somebody bought me a car." Sasuke argued back, a smirk playing on his lips.

Itachi glared at him, "Why can't you buy yourself a car?"

"Because you won't let me." Sasuke said, pulling the door open. Itachi just snickered at him before exiting the house, taking out his car keys.

It was true, every time they went to the dealer to buy a car -which Itachi had offered to buy for Sasuke for his sixteenth birthday, but still hadn't saved enough money for- Itachi would change his mind at the last minute, saying how he would eventually buy Sasuke his first car, that it didn't feel right any other way. Sasuke just scoffed at his brother's arrogance, and silently apologized to the poor salesmen who had taken so much time on the two only to realize that they weren't even going to buy a car in the first place.

The drive to Hibiki High School(1) took about ten to fifteen minutes, depending on traffic. Sasuke didn't mind though, since it gave the two time to catch up.

He glanced at the clock.

7:46

He still had about twenty-five minutes until school started. He huffed at Itachi, who had decided to take his sweet time locking the door to their house. He was about to complain to himself when the buzzing of a cell phone interrupted him. Sasuke looked at the caller ID, which belonged to a name he'd never heard before.

"Kyuubi?" He mumbled out loud, grabbing the small device and flipping it open.

A short text message lit up the screen.

Ichiraku's tonight? :)

Sasuke propped an eyebrow. Ichiraku's? Smiley-Emotes? Who the hell is this?

He sputtered when he heard the car door open, and shoved the phone back into the cup holder where it was before. Itachi thankfully hadn't noticed anything, for he just sat down and jammed his key into the ignition until his car hummed to life.

He muttered something about his car being a piece of shit before pulling out of the driveway and onto the main road.

The drive went smoothly, other than Sasuke dying to ask his brother who Kyuubi was, and why the hell he was asking to go to Ichiraku's with him.

Other than the fact that Ichiraku's was the most sumptuous restaurant in town, almost nobody went there unless they were on a date. As far as Sasuke had known, Itachi had never gone out with anybody. He also barely made enough to keep food on their table, let alone go to a restaurant where their water was 40 dollars. And another thing, Kyuubi sounded an awful lot like a boy's name.

It's not like he cared if his brother was gay, he was gay himself, but… It kind of hurt that his brother never openly told him about it.

"Sasuke?" Itachi snapped him back to reality.

Sasuke blinked, "W-what?"

The older boy rolled his eyes, "I was telling you how I'm not going to be able to pick you up from school today."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

So he is going with that Kyuubi guy!

"Why?" He pressed, trying not to sound too eager.

Itachi shifted in his seat, looking everything but comfortable.

"I'm erm… I'm going shopping with a friend, then we're hitting a restaurant."

Sasuke frowned, "What friend."

"Kisame." Itachi said almost automatically, and Sasuke drooped in his seat.

He really wanted to call his brother out right then, but knew not to. His brother would tell him when he was ready. He knew when he confessed to his brother about his sexuality, his heart was beating a mile a minute. It was stupid though, because all Itachi did was shrug and ask if he was supposed to care. Sasuke almost chuckled at the memory, making the fact that Itachi was embarrassed about telling him even funnier.

Itachi cleared his throat as they pulled into Hibiki High School's parking lot.

"So um… I'll see you later…" He mumbled, looking out the window.

Sasuke nodded, "Later."

He slammed the door closed and rushed towards the 200 hallway, where him and his friends always met each day. He had no idea why, they just did.

Sasuke practically ran to Suigetsu, his best friend since sixth grade.

"Suigetsu!" He shouted, gripping the white-haired teen by his shoulder and spinning him around. The boy choked down the soda he'd been drinking -peacefully- until Sasuke so rudely interrupted him- as Suigetsu had put it.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes, "Shut up. I think my brother's going out with somebody."

Suigetsu's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, "Are you serious? He's never gone out with anybody before! What's her name?"

"That's the other thing. I'm pretty sure it's a boy, since my brother got a text this morning and it was from somebody named Kyuubi."

Suigetsu -once again- choked on his soda.

"Kyuubi? Like, the Kyuubi?" With the way Suigetsu was staring at him, Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if foam started spilling from the boy's mouth.

"Yeah, why? You know him?"

Suigetsu nodded furiously, "Um, yeah! You don't? Dude- he's like- the most famous surfer in the world! He's my fucking idol! Don't you know me at all?"

Sasuke ignored that last part, "Well I'm not exactly obsessed with surfing like you are."

"Dude, you don't have to be. I bet if you ask anybody in this hallway if they know who Uzumaki Kyuubi is, they'll know. He's on TV all the time!" Suigetsu was staring at him like he was crazy.

Sasuke just shrugged. He never watched TV (other than Top Chief). He thought of it as a waste of time and brain cells.

The white-haired boy just shook his head.

"Whatever, just know that Itachi's lucky as fuck. If there's one man I'd go gay for, It's Uzumaki Kyuubi."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his friend, and began to process the newly gained information.

Uzumaki Kyuubi…

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Sasuke was sitting in the back of his geography class, tuning out the teacher who was giving a lesson on America. He'd never gone there, and never planned to. It's not like he needed to know about it, and besides, he had better things to think about.

He wondered how Itachi even met the supposedly famous boy, Kyuubi. His brother hated the ocean, and had never gone surfing before in his life.

Sasuke frowned.

And another thing, why now? It'd just been him and Itachi since he could remember, and now all of a sudden he's going to a place like Ichiraku's with another man, and on top of that one that's on TV and is most likely rich?

Sasuke's frown deepened.

He could have at least told me about him, he thought irritably. He thought about what Itachi was doing at the moment, probably getting ready for his date. His mouth turned up in distaste at the word.

I've never had a boyfriend, so why does he get one!

Sasuke was flat out scowling now.

I've been asked out plenty of times!

Of course, most of them were annoying girls who never had a chance in the first place, but he'd been asked out by a few boys too! He always said no for Itachi's sake, wanting him to know that the bond they shared was enough for him, that they were all each other needed. And now Itachi was ditching him at school to go out with some idiot surfer dude?

I don't think so.

"Sasuke?" His other friend, Karin, interrupted him, "You ok? You broke your pencil in half and it looks like you're about to kill something."

Sasuke blinked and looked at his pencil, which was -indeed- broken in half.

He swallowed, "It's nothing."

Karin chuckled, "Try saying that to your pencil."

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and started scribbling on a piece of paper, trying to look like he was doing something so people would stop bugging him.

He went back to silently raging over his brother's stupidity.

What about us, the raven thought. I thought he said it'd just be the two of us, that we didn't need anybody else!

He grit his teeth.

And what if they get serious? They'll start sleeping in the same bed together and everything!

He shuddered.

What if I have a nightmare? I can't sleep in the middle of him and his boyfriend! That would just be degrading!

He shuddered harder.

That's it. I'm going to confront him tonight! I'm meeting this Kyuubi guy wether he likes it or not!

"Sasuke!" His teacher, Kabuto-Sensei shouted at him, and judging by the look on his face Sasuke assumed it wasn't the first time he'd try catching his attention.

The gray-haired man sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose, "The bell rang ten minutes ago. I don't want to sound rude, but please leave my classroom now."

Sasuke just nodded, and hurried his books together before rushing out of the room, his face red from embarrassment.

Goddammit! Kyuubi is already causing this much trouble and I've never even met him before!

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Suigetsu had given Sasuke a ride to his house after school, since Itachi was out on his date.

"Ok seriously Sasuke, I think you need to chill out." Suigetsu said after Sasuke squeezed the life out of his tenth soda can.

The raven groaned and tossed the crushed metal elsewhere, not really caring where it landed. Itachi deserved to pick it up later.

"I'm completely chilled out! I'm not even thinking about Itachi! I mean I am now, 'cuz you mentioned him, but I totally wasn't at all before you said anything! It's all your fault! Maybe you're the one that needs to chill!" Sasuke sputtered angrily then grabbed at another soda can, peeling at the tap in frustration.

Suigetsu just stared at his friend, then slowly shook his head.

"Issues…" Sasuke heard Suigetsu whisper to himself, and sent him a glare that made the other boy shut up instantly.

They spent the remainder of the day catching up with eachother, Sasuke snapping every once and a while and then Suigetsu distracting him. Sasuke had tried to convince his friend that he could go home if he wanted to, but Suigetsu refused. He wanted to stay just for the slim chance of Itachi getting drunk and bringing Kyuubi home with him. Sasuke had argued if that did happen, he doubted Itachi would just let Kyuubi go off and have a full conversation with his number-one fan before they went off to bed. Suigetsu pouted for a while, but ended up admitting he was right.

Eventually the white door to their house squeaked open, and the two boys literally burst out of their chairs and blasted down the hall.

Itachi just stared at them wide-eyed.

"So, how was your day with Kisame?" Sasuke immediately asked, giving his brother a suspicious glare.

"Um… fine-"

"Really? What restaurant did you go to?" Sasuke interrupted eagerly.

Itachi blinked, "Erm-"

"Was it Ichiraku's?" Sasuke interrupted again. He silently cursed for already giving himself away, but couldn't help it.

He was pissed at Itachi.

Itachi sputtered, "W-what? How did you-"

"Because, I saw you got a text from some guy named Kyuubi asking if you wanted to go to Ichiraku's!"

The whole house went silent for a moment, and Suigetsu just cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Um… I'm gonna head home, since obviously Kyuubi isn't here… Seeya Tomorrow…" The silver-headed boy quickly ducked out of the house and away from the tense air around the two boys. Itachi and Sasuke were just staring at each kiother, hurt written across both of their faces.

"You… you had no right to look at my phone-"

"I didn't! I just looked over and your phone just happened to light up! It's not like I looked through your messages."

Even though I was planning to tonight, Sasuke silently added.

Itachi huffed, "Ok. You caught me. I don't see what the big deal is-"

"Well other than the fact you never told me you were gay, and that you never even mentioned Kyuubi before, and that you got completely pissed at me if I ever even talked about going out with somebody, when you're going out with some guy you hardly even know behind my back, you lied to me. About everything! You said you were going with Kisame to go shopping, when you're going on a date at Ichiraku's.

And you also lied about the promise you made to me back then…"

Sasuke didn't have to finish. They both looked down.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Itachi sighed and looked at his younger brother.

"I know. I admit I should have done this differently, but it all happened so fast. I honestly didn't know I was gay either until just a few weeks ago," Itachi drew in a deep breath, a habit he had whenever he was about to tell a story. Sasuke braced himself.

"Three weeks ago at the office, Deidara was talking about me doing a story on some famous surfer named Kyuubi for the next paper. Apparently he was on the east coast of Australia when he was almost attacked by a shark, when something spooked it off and he managed to get to shore. At first I refused, since you know I have no interest in surfing, and especially not sharks. But then I was doing research at home and I saw his picture online and I…"

Sasuke saw something that freakishly resembled a blush spread across the older boy's features.

"I felt something I've never felt before. I didn't know what it was, but I was suddenly more interested in interviewing him than I'd ever been. I called Deidara right away, and he said Kyuubi could meet me at Ichiraku's today… So technically, it wasn't a date."

Sasuke propped an eyebrow, knowing that wasn't the end of the story.

Itachi sighed, "Anyways, when we met up in person, that feeling I had when I saw his picture… It only grew stronger. I didn't care that it was with another man. I liked him. A lot. And I'm starting to think that he likes me back."

He looked at his younger brother, who's face was still blank. They stared at each other for a long time, before Sasuke frowned.

"You're still breaking your promise."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly, before he frowned back, "I know I am, and I apologize for that. But it doesn't change anything between us. If you don't approve of me and Kyuubi being together, then I'm sorry. You're my little brother and you can't tell me what to do."

Sasuke clenched his fists and tried to fire something back, but couldn't find the right words. He grit his teeth and dashed down the hallway to his room, slamming the door closed behind him.

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Sasuke paced around his room in circles angrily. He'd stop every once in a while to mutter something about his brother being an asshole, and maybe knock something over, then go back to his raging.

Who the hell does he think he is? Telling me what to do, then goes around going on dates with strangers! And the way he talked about Kyuubi! You'd think he was in love or something! They don't even know each other.

He gave an exasperated sigh, then fell backwards onto his bed. He stared up at the ceiling.

It's getting late. I'll have to go to bed soon…

His heart sped up at the thought of having another nightmare. That was all he needed, to go climb into his brother's bed after a huge fight asking if they could sleep together because he had a bad dream.

He shook his head.

What am I going to do… Despite his asshole-ness, I need Itachi… I thought he knew that.

Sasuke gripped the sheets beneath him.

I have to find a way to split them up!

With a determined look on his handsome features, he sprung out of bed and ran to his desk, then flipped open his laptop.

He pulled up the internet explorer, then typed in the search bar;

Uzumaki, Kyuubi.

He clicked on the first link, which was on wikipedia. He scrolled past the parts he already knew, that he was a famous surfer, guest stared on Oprah, blah blah blah.

He hesitated when he came over something he hadn't known before, that Kyuubi had a brother. On the left of the page, there was a picture of him on a surfboard, and sitting on the front was a blond boy with bright blue eyes, who only looked around the age of five. Sasuke looked at Kyuubi, who only looked about eleven, so he figured the picture was at least five years old.

He typed in the search bar;

Kyuubi's brother.

He raised an eyebrow at the name that appeared, next to a recent picture that -if Sasuke did say so himself- didn't look half bad.

Uzumaki Naruto, huh?

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OMG finished o_o

I hope you enjoy! And yes, I promise I'll update my other fics soon -_- I just had to start this, but I promise I'm done uploading new stories and I'll get around to actually finishing my old ones xD

1) This apparently means 'sound' in Japanese x'D I just thought I'd name it something other than Konoha High, since that's what everybody does! And plus, Sasuke does leave Konoha to go to the sound village, so 8D