Notes: This is the first fanfic I'm posting here. If it's OOC or something, bare with it I guess... Anyways, enjoy...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Uchiha brothers. Do support Masashi Kishimoto and the official anime/manga releases.

-xxx-

He had always idolised his nii-san. Everyone knew that. The boy would hang off the older's arm. Sometimes the boy would clamber over the older and get a free piggyback. Laughter and smiles would follow the brothers as they roamed the streets. The younger brother always waited for the older one to return from his missions.

Training or playing, the boy always asked his nii-san if he was free at every chance. Sometimes, they spent time together. Nowadays, nii-san was too busy and the boy would pout as he heard his nii-san say,

"Sorry Sasuke, maybe next time."

Still, the boy persisted. Waking up early in the morning, the boy ran out of his room and towards the main door. His brother was in sight, putting on his sandals. As he ran, ready to jump onto the older child, Sasuke was immediately stopped with a jab to his forehead. Rubbing his head, the boy opened his mouth to ask.

"Nii-san, will you train me?"

His brother gave a warm smile but his reply was filled with a tone of regret.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, maybe some other time."

The boy relented and he watched his brother leave for his important mission. Sometimes, Sasuke wished he was an important mission. Maybe then his brother would spend more time with him.

There was someone who could make his nii-san smile like he did. He was his brother's friend, Shisui. Shisui was strong and could spend a lot of time with nii-san by participating the same mission. During those lonely moments when his brother and cousin were on a mission together, Sasuke wished he was strong too so he could go on missions with them. He would imagine himself covering their backs and ending the day by walking home together.

One day, his big brother returned home late. It was the night after the one where his brother and his father had a big quarrel. However, Sasuke knew the sad eyes were unrelated to the events from yesterday. Something had happened but Sasuke knew his brother would never tell him like where his secret stash of sweets was or anything about his confidential missions. Nonetheless, Sasuke could not bear to do nothing but watch his brother's depressed look. The one person who always smiled to him was sitting silently under the moonlight.

"Why aren't you in bed, Sasuke?" his older brother's voice disturbed the silence of the night.

"I was worried about you. You weren't home for dinner."

"I had a mission, Sasuke."

The boy nodded but did not move from where he stood. Instead, Sasuke stared at his brother, taking in the older sibling's beautiful appearance. His long silky black hair hung around him, framing his face. His iconic tear trough gave his young look a mature feel, matching his actual maturity.

"Sasuke…."

Sasuke's attention snapped to his brother's obsidian eyes.

"Let's go to bed."

His hand was taken and the boy was led to his room. Like the times he had nightmares, Sasuke pulled his brother into his little bed. The sad look was lightened up by the small smile that graced his nii-san's face. Sasuke wanted the sad look gone completely so he forced his brother to cuddle with him as they slept. Being the persistent child he was, Sasuke watched his brother crawled into the bed and threw the blanket over their bodies.

The next day, Shisui was announced dead. Sasuke looked at his brother but saw not a tear forming his brother's eyes. Sasuke knew his brother was not as heartless as others had said he was. Did his brother know earlier so he had already mourned for Shisui?

A group of officers accused his big brother of killing Shisui. Sasuke did not believe it. After all, they were best friends. Best friends don't go around killing each other. Plus, to Sasuke, the person he idolised would never do something as atrocious as killing his friends and family.

Then came the fateful day. Blood painted the walls and floors. Corpses covered the streets. The boy ran in worry for his own family as fear gripped his heart. He searched the house and came to the last room. His cold clammy hands cautiously slid the door open. Sasuke was frozen in the spot as he took in the scene.

His parents on the floor with pools of blood forming underneath them. His brother stood over their bodies with a bloodied sword in hand. Everything screamed that his brother had been the killer. Still, the boy had to ask.

"Father Mother are…. Who would do such a thing?"

A shuriken barely missed his head but the boy knew his brother never missed. A chase followed. Sasuke knew his brother was faster than him, easily winning in a game of tag. His brother spoke of testing his capacity. Sasuke wondered why he never tried killing the hokage. Sasuke knew there was a million chances for his brother to kill him that night but was spared for potential that no one else saw in Sasuke. Only when he was told to hate and was shown his parents' deaths repeatedly, Sasuke wondered if he was still facing that kind and loving brother he had grown up with.

Itachi Uchiha. Only his name was the same between the red-eyed killer and the black-eyed brother.