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It was Toru's first day at the Academy. How Miharu got Hideaki into that outfit, let alone in front of people, Anko would never know, but she hero-worshiped the woman for managing it.
It involved a black singlet top, a black fishnet shirt with a V-neck and three-quarter sleeves, baggy black cargos barely held over his hips by a black belt and black combat boots. His now butt-length black hair had developed a slight wave and Miharu had tied it up in a high pony-tail but for some locks framing his face. He was still wearing his eleven-beaded necklet.
The truth was that Miharu had threatened the elder Undoh with leaving the 'Birds 'n' the Bees' talk to Toru to him. Hideaki had caved pretty quickly after that.
Toru had grown into a small, delicate child with a cute face and an irresistible pout he used ruthlessly. His big blue eyes were currently darting around curiously, trying to take everything in at once. Hideaki had done what he could about the whisker-marks made by the Kyuubi's sealing, but eventually he had just drugged the kid insensible and tattooed over them with blue ink only two or three shades darker than his eyes, making the thin lines into larger rectangular striped marks. He was currently wearing his favourite sky-blue shirt and emerald green shorts and sandals.
And so it was that Hideaki and Toru walked down the Academy hallway, four minutes late but neither particularly caring. They reached the right room and the elder knocked.
Over the screaming children came a, "Come in."
The blonde looked up at the black-haired youth and the black-haired youth looked back. The elder shrugged and opened the door.
Kids were everywhere; girls were crying, boys were shouting and one kid ran screaming into a wall, sat up, shook his head, got up and ran off screaming again. The teacher, a young chuunin Hideaki recognised as Umino Iruka, looked ready to either kill something or have an emotional breakdown.
"Go find somewhere to sit." The blond kid grinned and went and sat between Ino-nee-chan and some boy with pale skin and dark eyes and hair.
So that must be Sasuke. Hideaki looked the kid up and down and found the similarities between Sasuke and Itachi uncanny.
Shrugging it off, Hideaki took pity upon the poor chuunin.
He took a deep breath and shouted in his 'Shut-Up-And-Listen-To-Me' voice, "Shut up! Sit down! And listen to your teacher! Those who fail to comply will be put in Time Out until home-time! Got it?"
After the first two words, the entire class had fallen silent. Once he finished giving the twerps their orders, he nodded to the thankful teacher and left. As soon as the door closed, the noise picked up again.
Hideaki paused, smirked and shook his head before continuing along the hall.
(space)
It was just luck that Toru befriended his younger brother. Oh, there were others; Shikamaru and Chouji, whom Toru already knew since their fathers were good friends of Inoichi, Rock Lee from the year above, Ino's friends Haruno Sakura and Hyuuga Hinata, an Inuzuka called Kiba and, surprisingly, an enigmatic Aburame named Shino.
Toru's naturally sunny disposition caught everyone in its orbit, though his nature could be quiet and he spent hours watching insects with Shino or pressing and arranging flowers with the three girls or even watching the clouds with Shikamaru. He ate regularly with Chouji and Rock Lee. Kiba and Toru were 'friendly' rivals; read tried to out do each other.
But Sasuke and Toru were attached at the hip. To Sasuke, Toru was right up there with Itachi and Mother. Hideaki remembered the first day Toru brought Sasuke home.
-Flashback-
"Aniki?"
Hideaki was currently in the lounge room, on the couch and reading a Weapons and Tactics magazine.
"Hmmm?"
"This is my friend, Sasuke!"
Hideaki blinked and pulled his attention away from the rather pointy looking ninja-to. The magazine was lowered so black eyes could regard the two five-year-olds.
Sasuke was slightly behind Toru, shyly, and Toru was giving his Aniki his ruthless 'Big-Blue-Puppy-Eyes' and 'I'm-A-Cute-Innocent-Child' smile. The two were also almost totally covered in mud.
He raised the magazine again.
"ANKO!" Rang through the three-bedroom apartment.
-End Flashback-
Anko had bitched at him something fierce, but had cleaned up the two kids, eyes flashing in understanding when Sasuke was introduced.
Sasuke had the moved his new friend's big brother up into the 'Top Five People I Worship'. Hideaki hadn't shown any indication that he had heard the abuse shrieked at him. Anko was also boosted up into the top five because of her extensive vocabulary. Fugaku and Shisui had been ousted.
Hideaki was sooo smug about that.
(space)
Hideaki had undoubtedly heard about the meeting between Toru, Itachi and Michiko. Toru had mistaken Itachi for Hideaki playing a prank on him. It had taken a lot of taking on Michiko's part to smooth things over.
He knew because Inoichi had been acting as a go-between between the two.
The year ended for the now six-year-old Toru and student reports were sent to their guardians, which gave Hideaki an idea of what he needed to work on with the petite blonde.
His Taijutsu was strong, but his Ninjutsu and Genjutsu sucked. His stealth, trap setting and strategy were top of the class, if only he did his written work. He had then tested Toru's charka coils. They were upper chuunin level.
Which explained why he was sucky at Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, which made up most of the marks.
Hideaki knew he was being slack, but he dumped most of the practical stuff on Anko since she was in Konoha most of the time, though he had forbidden Anko from taking him to work after the kid nearly walk in on a full-out torture session.
His missions were usually several days long, though there were the occasional ones that lasted several weeks, but when he was actually home of a night and not dog tired, he would sit Toru down and make him not only do his homework, but also study each aspect of his homework in depth. When he was feeling especially mellow, Hideaki would teach his little disciple the legends and lore of the countries, especially those pertaining to the nine Tailed Demons. When he was irritated by manners and behaviours, Toru cursed the older ninja for the hours of protocol and etiquette he was forced to sit through and learn every so often.
And, since he was around so often, Sasuke often sat in on these lessons. When this happened, Hideaki often cut the lessons short due to the massive migraines that came with the questions that Sasuke was bright enough to answer.
Not that Toru was stupid, just a little…slow…and easily distracted.
(space)
"Hideaki-san?"
Said ninja twisted on his cushion to look at the ANBU kneeling on the windowsill, the two small boys leaning around him to gape at the Elite Special Ninja.
"Hai, ANBU-san?"
"Hokage-sama has an important mission for you. He requires your presence immediately."
"Alright. I'll just put my shoes on and I'll be right there." The ANBU nodded and flickered away. He turned to the boys. "Alright. You're free from learning for this evening. Toru, tell Anko I've gone on a mission when she gets back. Sasuke, it's late. I'll drop you off on the way past."
The two chorused an "Okay!"
And Sasuke went to put his shoes on with Hideaki while Toru put the books and stationary away. Hideaki stood, hooked his unknowing brother around the waist and lifted the giggling boy onto his back.
"Ja ne, Toru-chan. I'll probably be back later to pick up some things. You better be in bed by nine."
Toru grinned. "Okay, Aniki!"
Hideaki leapt out the window and smiled as Sasuke squealed in his ear as they dropped towards the roof of smaller building next door. He allowed his small smile to merge into a grin and he coiled his leg muscles to jump high again as opposed to the usual running and only jumping when he had to.
By the time they reached the Uchiha compound, Sasuke was all but shrieking in his ear in glee.
To add a last moment of excitement to the ride, Hideaki hit the ground and skidded the forty feet to the gateway into the Uchiha District, leaving a large trail of dust.
Sasuke was swung of his brother's shoulders and deposited on his feet.
"See ya, kid!"
"Ja ne, Hideaki-nee-san!"
Sasuke turned and ran down the street to the Main House and Hideaki returned to the roofs, neither looking back. A kunai fell from twelve-year-old Itachi's suddenly nerveless hand and he stared after his beloved but supposably deceased Aniki.
"…Hideaki…?" The word was whispered lovingly and longingly.
He shook his head in denial and backing into the shadows, hugging himself and trying to come to terms with what he had just seen.
…what he had just seen…
His eyes flashed red and narrowed angrily. He growled a word full of hate and jealousy.
"Sasuke."
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