This was actually done as an assignment for english...which explains why its kind of, well, censored. Hopefully I'll get an uncensored version up soon. YUntil then, this is just a one-shot.

Oh, and as much as I'd LOVE to, I do not own Itachi or Sasuke...cuz if I did...well you guys can probably figure that bit out on your own :D

After Sasuke left his village behind, he slowly realized that he had no way of making money. Unfortunately for him, the only job available for someone like him was on the 44th floor of Akatsuki Inc. The Akatsuki specialized in the exorcism of demons possessing someone, a profession that Sasuke was skeptical about. It was his growling stomach, and his determination to not fail at anything he did, that kept him from quitting.

One morning, Sasuke was running late. He pressed the button and waited for the elevator. The doors opened and he stepped inside pressing button 44. Before he reached his destination, though, the doors opened again and in walked a man not much taller than Sasuke. Sasuke didn't pay much attention to him, frustrated by his late start and simply asked, "What floor?"

"…42," the man answered with a small smile, staring straight ahead.

Sasuke was jerked back to the present, and the past. He knew that voice. He turned his head and for once hoped he was wrong.

He wasn't.

Right there next to him stood the one person he hated and this person was smiling. It was Sasuke's older brother, Itachi. Then it hit him. How could he be so stupid? Sasuke had totally forgotten, Itachi worked for the Akatsuki ever since he betrayed everyone five years before.

"…So what brings you here, little brother?" Itachi asked in his emotionless voice, still staring straight ahead and with the smallest hint of a smile.

Sasuke was speechless. There was so much he wanted to scream at him. He had finally found his voice and screamed, "Don't act all calm like-" but before he could finish the elevator gave a jerk and the lights flickered and went out.

The elevator was stuck.

Sasuke blinked a couple of times, his eye trying to adjust to the dark. Itachi still hadn't moved and was staring ahead of him.

"…W-what…" Sasuke began.

"It seems that the elevator is stuck, Sasuke~kun," Itachi informed Sasuke using the name he called Sasuke when he was little.

"I know that!" Sasuke snapped. "I'm not a moron!"

"…You never answered my question, Sasuke~kun," Itachi said.

"You have no right to call me that!" Sasuke yelled at Itachi.

"…What brings you here, Sasuke?" Itachi asked again, honoring Sasuke's request and just calling him Sasuke.

"It's none of your business!" Sasuke yelled back at him.

They stood in silence for a few minutes, Sasuke remembering everything that Itachi had done. Finally, after five long minutes, Sasuke couldn't take it anymore.

"I hate you, Itachi! I will make sure that you die a slow horrible death and…" Sasuke trailed off when he heard Itachi mutter, "I wonder what's taking so long for them to fix this thing…"

This really pissed Sasuke off. "You're not even listening to me?!" He yelled aiming a punch at the side of Itachi's head.

"There is no need for that, Sasuke," Itachi said, catching Sasuke's fist. "Your aim is off. You haven't adjusted to the lack of light yet, have you? In that case, you are picking a fight that you have no chance of winning at all, no matter how strong you have become since I saw you last."

Itachi had turned to face Sasuke now, his voice still calm and emotionless as usual.

"I can see just fine! And don't tell me what to do!" Sasuke told Itachi who still held his fist.

Itachi was right, though, Sasuke's eyes hadn't adjusted to the lack of light yet and this worried Sasuke just a bit because he knew that somehow, his older brother could see him just fine.

"I never told you to do anything, Sasuke," Itachi continued, loosening his grip on Sasuke's fist. Feeling the loosened grip, Sasuke pulled free and backed into the corner of the elevator.

"He's right though" Sasuke thought, "I have no chance of winning. Even in a bright open space, my chances have never been that great…here though…."

Sasuke's thoughts were interrupted by a deep sigh from Itachi. Sasuke heard a small thump and guess Itachi had sat down.

"When are they going to fix this stupid thing?" Itachi said with the tiniest hint of frustration in his voice. "We don't even know which floor we're near…" he sighed again and closed his eyes. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Why do you care?!"

Itachi thought about that for a moment. Should he tell Sasuke that he did care about him and that the Akatsuki was no place for him to be? Or should he go along with the illusion he created so long ago, protect Sasuke from the truth?

"…hmph," Itachi smirked, "I suppose you're right. I don't care, just curious I guess."

Sasuke scowled, "What, did I really expect him to care?" Sasuke thought, arguing with himself. "He doesn't care…I don't want him to care, I don't need him to care!"

"It's just that, if you wish to defeat me," Itachi continued, but Sasuke cut him off.

"I swear, if you say I have to foster my hatred and hate you and cling to life, I'm-" it was Sasuke's turn to be cut off by Itachi this time.

"I was just going to say that this isn't the best place for you to be, but yes, that too…" Itachi told Sasuke. He had migrated from his corner of the elevator and was looming over Sasuke now.

Sasuke's eyes had adjusted more to the lack of light, but he didn't to see well to know that Itachi was right in front of him, looming over him.

"…W-what are you saying?" Sasuke asked, not sure why he was stammering. "I have nothing to be afraid of…I'm not afraid!" Sasuke thought. Then his stomach growled. He had missed breakfast that morning because he was late. As he was silently cursing his hunger, an unfamiliar noise broke his thoughts. It was Itachi. He was laughing.

"So, that's it, huh?" Itachi chuckled, "You are the new recruit they were talking about? So what, did Orochimaru not treat you the way you planned?" Itachi's voice had a hint of sarcasm in it.

Sasuke was confused. Itachi never laughed. Ever. He rarely showed any emotion at all. Was Sasuke's situation really this amusing to him? He squeezed his fists and eyes closed in frustration. When he opened his eyes, the lights had come back on and the elevator gave another jerk and started moving again.

"Finally…" Itachi sighed, and he held out a hand to his little brother, "Come on, let's get you out of here," Itachi saw the mistrust and confusion written on Sasuke's face and said "I didn't let you live just so you could be killed by the Akatsuki. I wanted you alive for a reason, Sasuke~kun," Itachi smiled.

Even though Sasuke didn't trust Itachi at all, he took his hand. They waited for the elevator to stop at their floors and then headed back down to the first floor. Itachi gave Sasuke some money and told him to find another, safer, way to earn money so that he'd live until the day he waiting for came.

"Fine," Sasuke said bitterly, "But just remember, when that day comes, only one of us will walk away."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, little brother," Itachi replied as Sasuke walked away.