I blink my eyes open to a warm sunny day. Birds are chirping outside as the sun slowly creeps up in the sky, and my brother is doing blasphemous loud things. For kami's sake, it isn't even eight o'clock!

"Itachi," I groan as I make my way down to his workshop. "What in the hell are you doing so early that's this fucking loud?"

"Language Sasuke. And I'm almost done with my latest invention," Itachi smiles and pokes my lightly in the forehead. "If this wins in the fair, it could mean a lot."

I smile softly. "You know it'll win. You're my big brother after all."

"And you're my adorable little brother! Now, get some breakfast and go out into the town. I'm sure you don't want to be cooped up here with all these loud, obnoxious noises right now."

I grin sheepishly. "No aniki. Ja ne!"

"Ja ne," He kisses my forehead.

I grin and bound right back up the stairs to my bedroom to throw on some clothes, and out into the kitchen. I grab a cereal bar–a non-chocolate one, can't understand how nii-san likes chocolate with cereal, just yuck–grab an old book that I need to return, and rush out the door down to the town.

The town's bustling with life. There's the baker out, the various different butchers, and hey! Even the candlestick maker is out selling his wares. I let a small smile slip on my lips as I walk around town, greeting familiar faces as I pass by them. Before I know it, I'm in front a bookshop I've known for years; Sarutobi Books. The old man that runs it's, Hiruzen Sarutobi, knew my parents before they died in a carriage accident. It's probably my favorite place in the entire world, aside from my bedroom.

I walk in, the familiar bells ringing as the door opens.

"Ah, Sasuke," Oji-san speaks without even turning around. He always seems to know when I come.

"Good morning," I nod my head. "I came to return the book I borrowed?"

"Finished already?" Sarutobi-san turns around, his eyes seem to laugh a little.

"Oh, I couldn't put it down," I laugh slightly as I return the book–'A House Of Many Ways' by Diana Wynne Jones. "Have you got anything new?"

Now he actually chuckles. "Not since yesterday."

"That's alright," I make a beeline over to a specific book shelf. "I'll borrow…" It takes me mere seconds to find it. "This one." Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson...such a wonderful philosophical book.

"That one? But you've read it twice?!" Sarutobi already knows my answer.

"But it's my favorite. Far off places, daring swordfights, a prince in disguise!" I smile as I recount the endless wonders of 'Dragonfly Pool'.

"Well if you like it all that much, it's yours."

I blink. "But sir-"

"I insist!" Sarutobi cuts me off.

"Well thank you, thank you very much," I smile and wave as I walk out of the store, reminding myself that if Sarutobi was ever in any need of something, I would be the first to volunteer to pay him back for this act of kindness.

I stroll down the main street that takes me back to my home with my brother, nose in my all-time-favorite book.

"Hello Sasuke-kun!" A familiar sickly sweet voice greets me.

"Hello Sakura-san," I greet the pinkette, only to have her take my book from me. "Sakura-san, may I have my book please?"

"How can you read this?! There are no pictures!" She flips carelessly through the book.

I hold back a rude remark. "Well some people use their imagination." Unlike you, who's a complete nimrod.

"Sasuke," Sakura gives me what she must think is an award-winning smile. "It's about time you get your head out of those books," My mind explodes when she actually tosses my book and it lands in a puddle. "And paid more attention to important things." I make a grab for the book but she blocks me. "Like me." She flashes that gross smile again.

A group of village boys sigh randomly from the background.

"The whole town's talking about it," She exclaims. "A boy, reading girly books? Soon he starts getting wrong ideas about…certain things, and," She cringes.

"Sakura, you are prime evil," I grab my book and begin to clean it off.

"Why thank you!" The dimwit smiles proudly as if I complimented her.

Idiot. I smirk to myself.

"Why don't we go over to the tavern, and take a look at my trophies?" Sakura is this town's best hunter, and to prove that fact, all of the heads of every animal she's ever killed is hung up in the tavern. Which in my opinion, is totally disgusting, which is why I never go there. She grabs onto my arm and begins to drag me to the tavern.

"Maybe some other time," Let go of my arm, you crazy bitch! No way in hell will I ever like you! Get that into your pea brain, you frigging dumbass! "Please Sakura, I can't. I have to go home to help my brother. Goodbye."

"That crazy old loon!" Lee, a follower of Sakura, begins to laugh. (A/N: This will be my only A/N, but I promise you, I love Lee. I just didn't know who else to be Napho!) "He needs all the help he can get!" Sakura joins in with the laughing.

"Don't talk about my brother that way," I growl.

Sakura stops laughing and punches Lee in the head. "Yeah, don't talk about her brother that way!" Idiot, dumbass, whore!

"My brothers not crazy, he's a genius!" I sneer. Just then I hear something akin to an explosion come from our house. Sakura and Lee burst out laughing, while I sprint back home.

"Itachi! Itachi!" I run into the workshop filled with smoke and through open a window. "Itachi are you alright?!"

"Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine!" He groans. "Some of the gas must have escaped and when I put on the kettle, ka-boom," He chuckles at his intelligent choice of words.

I hug him. "They were calling you crazy again nii-san."

"Ah," Itachi's strong arms wrap around my body. "Well, let them call me crazy otouto. None of that will matter once I win this faire! We'll be a lot more comfortable then."

"Yeah," I smile into the warmth of my brothers body. "But you know I'm fine with the way things are. I love you nii-san. Lot's and lots."

"And I love you too," He hugs me tighter. "Now, I've got everything packed and ready to leave, but I wanted to get a special goodbye from my favorite otouto."

I roll my eyes at the old joke, secretly relishing the small warmth it gives me. "I'm your only otouto, nii-san."

Itachi pokes my forehead. "I know, I know. But I'll still say it as many times as I can so that you'll always know my love for you knows no bounds."

"And apparently no logic," I smirk. I follow him as he heads outside to his horse, Kurai.

"Apparently," He laughs. He elegantly gets up into the carriage, and waves to me. "I'll became in a fortnight Sasuke. Take care of yourself, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will!" I wave back.

"Ja ne otouto!" He flicks the reigns and rides off.

"Ja ne aniki!"