AN: Well, this is my next fic… Or I guess my first, since I decided to clean out all my old fics and start over fresh. Trying to turn over a new leaf, ya know. A leaf of actually updating. Can't guarantee anything, though… I'm horrible at updating…
Neway neway, here it is, my Sasuita (Sasuke/Itachi), Itanaru (Itachi/Naruto) and Naruto… somebody… That's still undecided… I've always been a fan of Naruita… but there all so young in this fanfic… like… 6-ish… I haven't decided if I'm ever going to fast forward… but who knows… maybe I'll make a sequel where I use my Naruto joins the Akatsuki plot… yeah, I know, there are tons of those… but I'd like to add my humble NaruIta to the mix…
Disclaimer: I own nothing, dammit.
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Chapter One – Line of Interest
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My Aniki is very important to me. The most important person in my life. Sometimes… sometimes, he looks at me, but his eyes don't focus, and I feel hurt inside, like he just doesn't realize me.
I want nothing more then for my Aniki to stare at me with lively eyes all the time. That would make me very happy.
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Uchiha Sasuke happily trotted into his family's dining room, jumping with childish energy onto his chair and grinning up at his mother. "It looks yummy, Oka-san!"
She smiled and looked as though she was going to respond. And she would have, if she wasn't interrupted by her eldest son and husband entering the room.
"Ah, hello Itachi! Was training good today, you two?" she questioned kindly, folding her arms over the table top.
Itachi shrugged while his father made a noise close to snort before beginning to eat. Sasuke gazed into his tea as his mother continue to regard the two older men with an unwavering smile between bites of her own meal. Was he not there? Did he not have training too that day? Did he not work hard, through his blood and sweat, just to do good?
"How was your training today, Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he eyed his younger brother, his gaze remaining passive and emotionless.
"Aa…" Sasuke started, his eyes growing wide and excited as his brother noticed him. "It was great, Aniki! We had a test on different Justus and I scored the highest! Iruka-sensei says I'm one of the top students in his class! He says I'm sure to be a good Konoha Shinobi one day!"
Sasuke wasn't sure, but he swore he saw a twitch of a smile on his older brother's face.
"Did you hear that, Oto-san, Oka-san, Sasuke is doing while in school."
Sasuke's father looked up for a moment, his eyes passing over Sasuke, before he shrugged, gave a mumbled 'that's good' and took a long sip of his sake.
"That's wonderful, Sasuke." His mother complimented as she affectionately patted his head. "My sons are so talented." She finished, effectively bringing the conversation back to Itachi as her eyes fell back on him. The pride and joy of the family: Itachi.
"Ano… I… I have a term exam tomorrow… one where the parents come to watch… y-you know… do you, ah, do you think you could come…?" Sasuke asked meekly, somehow feeling guilty about bringing the subject back to him. All his life, he'd lived in Itachi's shadow. He didn't enjoy it, but it was how his life was, and change was never easy for little kids such as he.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I'm busy tomorrow." The boys' father answered blankly, not even bothering to elucidate further. Sasuke hadn't been expecting anything more, but it still hurt.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I too am busy… I must help your cousin Miyako to plan for her wedding…" his mother, at least, sounded more apologetic.
"Aa… I see… well… that's okay. I'll work really hard on it, Oka-san, Ot-"
"I'll go, Otouto." Itachi calmly interrupted, not looking up from his plate.
"Aa… h-hai! Thank you, Aniki!" Sasuke replied, trying not to sound too bubbly. His smile pulled at the corners of his lips, threatening to break into a wide grin, and he quickly bowed his head to stare at his hardly touched food, shooting Itachi the odd shy looks.
Aniki… what would I do without you?
- - -
Concentrate. Measure. Tighten. Pull Back. Release!
The crowd cheered politely as Sasuke's shuriken hit the center of the target, earning him a ten for ten score. The young boy smiled, immediately turning to the crowd, eagerly searching for the figure of his brother. His brother was staring right at him, and Sasuke's whole body filled with a warm wave of emotion. Itachi realized him.
He didn't want to move, didn't want to step out of Itachi's line of interest, fearful that if he stepped aside, his brother would forget him completely. But he had to, as Iruka herded all the students to the side, making them line up in class order.
"You've all done well, class." Iruka said as he addressed the whole class. Sasuke felt himself straighten with pride. "You've all passed." Everyone cheered, jumping into the air with raised fists. Sasuke had the urge to cheer, but he wanted to appear cool before his brother. Itachi was always so cool, never showing excitement or fear, and he wanted to be just like Itachi.
"The passing order is, from best to worse, Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, Shino…"
He was first. Like always, really, but now… now, for the first time, he had someone to congratulate him on it. Someone to praise him.
Iruka finished reading off the list of students and, once again, the small crowd broke into polite applause, this time louder. Some children ran towards their parents, jumping into willing arms, while some waited for their parents to reach them.
Itachi was in no rush, Sasuke realized, and he watched as his brother regarded the flurry of activity around him with bored eyes. He was about to go to him when the older boy looked up, staring in his direction again, and slowly made his way forward.
Sasuke grinned. He was going to get recognized now… was going to be told how great he was, and how talented he was…
Itachi came closer and closer, going in his long, steady strides. The parents he passed all took a moment to glance at him, their faces conveying nothing but silent respect for the Uchiha prodigy.
"That was very well done…" Sasuke bit his bottom lip to keep his utter bliss concealed. To be regarded so highly by his brother… it had never happened… "Naruto-chan…"
N-Naruto-chan?
Sasuke's heart stopped. That wasn't his name. He tilted his head to the left slightly, watching as his brother stopped before the golden haired boy beside him.
He knew that boy… it was Uzumaki Naruto. The dunce of the class. He failed most exams and always acted out during class. For this exam alone he'd insisted on doing seven of the rounds with his eyes closed, stopping only after Iruka-sensei ordered him to after he nearly clipped the ear of a mother. The next three had been pitiful attempts, and the only reason he'd passed was because of his last shot which, miraculously, hit dead center in a fluke of pure luck.
No one had cheered, though. No one ever cheered for the dobe.
But now… now his brother was cheering for him. Cheering for the dobe and not his own brother.
"Aah… th-thank you…" Naruto responded shyly, blushing and childishly wringing his hands together. Sasuke stared on incredulously.
"That last shot was perfectly aimed." The Uchiha prodigy continued.
"It… it was all skill! After all, I am the best ninja in my class!" Naruto replied haughtily, seeming to get passed his shyness as he took a proud pose with his arms crossed over his chest and his chin tilted up.
Itachi smiled. A real smile. Not the ghosts of a smile he graced Sasuke with. This was still a small smile, but Sasuke swore it was the best Itachi had ever given. Sasuke had never felt more betrayed in his life. His young mind couldn't quite comprehend the emotions that were going through him, making his toes twitch in his blue sandals. He just knew he had to do something. Felt the need to do anything. He just had to act out.
"Y-you're not the best! I'm the best!" Sasuke injected, his voice holding a sour note of pleading. He looked up at Itachi helplessly, not sure what he was wishing to see. He hated how he was visibly pleading for his older brother's attention, and he hoped he hadn't realized. And yet, he hoped he had realized at the same time.
But nothing. Not even the slightest shift of interest was visible in his placid brother, his eyes remaining locked on the shorter boy.
"Yeah, well… Um…" Naruto fumbled, not knowing how to reply to Sasuke's truthful accusation. "I'm… I'm still going to be the best ninja one day! And then I'll be the best Hokage! And everyone will recognize me and have to cheer me on when I get perfect shot shurikens!"
"That's a very impressive dream, Naruto-chan." Itachi said softly, seemingly ignoring his younger brother. Sasuke hurriedly shut his gaping mouth, not understanding at all why his brother was talking to the blonde haired dobe and not his own blood sibling.
"Isn't it?! And I'm gonna work really hard to achieve it! And when I'm Hokage, I'll make kids that pick on other kids eat dirt!" The obnoxious boy shouted, ending his sentence with loud laughter that earned glares of distaste from surrounding parents.
"Hn, well, I hope you achieve your goal. We must be going now. Good bye, Naruto-chan." Itachi said, barely waiting a moment before he turned and began walking away.
If it weren't for the 'we' comment, Sasuke would have been sure his brother had forgotten him. As it was, he still wasn't completely sure, but he chased after a parting Itachi none the less, shooting Naruto a hateful glare before he left the small clearing.
The last image he saw of the loud boy was him waving exuberantly to the departing Uchihas.
Trying desperately to get that image out of his head, Sasuke looked up at his older brother. He was much taller then him, and his gaze was set forward, giving Sasuke a view of barely more then his chin. He had to struggle to keep up with Itachi's long stride, and he quickly had to set his gaze back on the ground ahead of him.
When the silence became too much, and Sasuke could no longer contain his frantic emotions inside any more, he finally asked a question.
"A-aniki… why… why did you praise Naruto? He… he missed most of the shuriken shots…" And why didn't you praise me, he added silently to himself, wincing slightly at the needy thought.
"Hn… really? It must have been another boy I saw that got them all, then…" He replied absently.
"That… that was… that was me, Aniki…" Sasuke whispered, still fighting to keep up with Itachi. He was tall for his age, but his legs were still that of a child's.
"Oh? Well done then, Sasuke." Itachi said, though his voice was the same tone as before and his eyes never once met Sasuke's face.
The younger boy cringed. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. Or it was… but something about the hollow way it was said made the words seem worthless. He wanted to prod his brother further. Ask him why he had said all those things to Naruto and why he had ignored him so much, but he couldn't form any words. His mouth was dry and his lips suddenly felt cracked. Some part of him was grateful for this sudden handicap, for he'd never forgive himself if he bled all his pathetic thoughts to Itachi.
And anyway… what were the chances Itachi would respond? Not just to his words, but to him? What were the chances that his older brother would actually see him, for once, for all that he was?
"Thank you, Aniki…" He said, not even trying to hide the disappointment and despair from his voice. What was the point? Itachi probably wouldn't notice either way…
Aniki… why do you ignore me? Why don't you see me? Why do you so easily look away from me?
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E-N-D
AN: I'd really like a beta, if anyone is interested. ; And… I had more to say… Oh… I hope I got the child Sasuke thing down… I was trying to give the whole fic that clumsy kiddy feel… I had something else to say… but I've forgotten it . Oh, yeah! Now I remember! Please excuse the random Japanese… I watch it in subs… hearing the characters say terms like that… and then it just seems to fit them so perfectly… I'm sorry… I know they annoy the hell outta me sometimes, random Japanese words… but as I was thinking up this story, I kept seeing the characters using them…
p.s. I really don't wanna be one of those authors that says review or I won't update, but I'll just say this. When I'm on the computer and all the sudden I randomly see I've gotten a review on this, it does encourage me to update a lot more then not getting a review. I just see the review and my heart fills with warm water and I have the sudden urge to update. So yeah… want more… update.
Cha
Ah! Oh yeah! Anyone know the name of Sasuke's parents? /