FULL Summary: Once, Sasuke had known his older brother better than anyone. So it goes without saying that subconsciously, Sasuke doesn't understand how or why his older brother wiped out their clan and after a significant encounter with him, ends up with more questions than answers. And with his brother's sudden switch of personality after seeing Orochimaru's cursed seal, Sasuke realises that Itachi's hands aren't as blood stained as he'd thought.

NOTE: [Strong Team Seven Friendship, AU, story told in small snippets]

Short chapters. Pairings undecided. May stay gen.

The hallway was bare, save four figures. One was crumpled, lying on the ground in the doorway of a hotel room, bright blond hair and orange jumpsuit like a beacon against the dark carpet. Another stood near him, facing a battered looking younger boy shaking on the floor who looked similar to him, both sharing ink black hair and dark, bottomless eyes. The last was the most unusual, a man with dark blue hair, light blue skin and - were those gills? He leant against the wall, elbow resting on the hilt of a huge sword which was stabbed into the floor and wearing an expression of intense interest at the situation in front of him.

Onyx eyes met sharingan red.

("Foolish little brother."

Everywhere...

Bloodbloodbloodlbloodbloodblood —)

Onyx eyes bled sharingan red.

(—BloodblOOdbloODbLOodBLood—)

"The sharingan..." he said with a searching gaze. His face remained blank but bleak. He'd cut his hair above his shoulders. Sasuke remembered it being long, always tied with a black ribbon at the back of his neck. As a child he'd considered growing his hair long, just like his brother. "–And two tomoe now? Disappointing. I had three tomoe by the time I was your age."

(—"Yes, you remember the Uchiha from the branch family, Shisui, I believe? He and the heir were good friends, Shisui had been ANBU—"

"—I heard that the heir, Itachi, had murdered his friend Shisui to get stronger - whatever that means."

"—Like me, you might be able to use the Mangekyō Sharingan. But there's a catch."

There was blood on his skin - the blood of their family, and he wore it like it was an accomplishment; a victory. "Take the life of your best friend. You must kill them.")

Sasuke's rage burned hot. "Good. I won't be like you." Briefly, he thought of Naruto and his idiotic smile. His eyes narrowed.

("Not enough hatred, little brother.")

"You won't?" For the first time since before the massacre of his clan, he saw that smile. That smile Itachi used to give him when he said something, as if amused, as if he knew something Sasuke didn't. It seemed a little different now - more grim. "I suppose you're right."

Itachi looked down at the limp blond-haired boy in the doorframe. "Your hatred is wavering. Perhaps some motivation will put it back on the right path?" He took a step towards Sasuke's teammate, and then another.

If he'd had the strength, he would've jerked as if slapped. The blood - red, pumping, alive - drained from his face and went straight to his wounds. "I'll kill you," he threatened, but it there was no insurance behind the words when Itachi looked back at him, examining him on the ground, bloody, bruised and unable to move a muscle.

"Hn, foolish little brother. Empty words won't save him." Itachi said. He moved forwards, deliberately slow, to end him - Naruto, his rival, his teammate and grudgingly, his friend. He was going to kill Naruto and Sasuke had already been beaten, already wounded, and already informed that yes, Itachi was much, much stronger than he was.

But - Naruto…!

The mark on his neck flared to life.