A/N: A heartfelt thank you to my amazing Beta Agreste Bug. Her edits make this story shine!

A/N 2: I made small edits, just fixed cosmetic errors.

DISCLAIMER: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto and therefore deserves all the credit for its creation. I do NOT own Naruto! This story was written solely for my amusement and the amusement of others, no money is being made from this.

Chapter One: Itachi

To my dismay, I nearly missed this moment, one of the most important milestones in my brother's life. His graduation from the Ninja Academy. Father, as stern as he ever was, declared that I would attend a mission instead. Nothing was more important to our father than the Uchiha pride, and deemed our family's attendance as inconsequential.

It angered me how often our father callously pushed the achievements of his youngest son aside. In a rare form of disobedience, I declined without waiting to hear the insistences from Father that were sure to follow. Father already dismissed Sasuke's efforts at gaining his attention, and his approval, all because I was the firstborn son with prodigious talents. Attending Sasuke's graduation, it was the least I could do.

So, I watched, proud of Sasuke's achievements thus far. My otouto was to be a genin, the first step in a career as a shinobi. I saw other members from his academy class file away from the large group after having their picture taken, each child going to his or her family who stood off to the side. Sasuke was coming, the typical Uchiha indifferent expression marring his young face. But, I could see the smile in his black eyes.

"Congratulations, Sasuke." I said, poking my brother on the shiny new Leaf headband that adorned his forehead. I nearly chuckled at the annoyed scowl but it soon melted to a pleased smile. Our mother, Mikoto, being the kind woman she was, bent down to pull her youngest into a hug, kissing him on the cheek. Sasuke quickly hugged her back before gently pushing her away with pink tinted cheeks. Mikoto laughs softly but takes no offense. I watched, holding back my rising annoyance, as our father doesn't smile, doesn't say a word, but grunts a "hn," and nods before pulling our mother along so they can leave. They already lingered enough.

I bit back an eye roll, ruffling Sasuke's black hair in affection and guided him along behind our mother and father back to the Uchiha compound. That was when I first saw it.

A flash of pink.

The girl, all pastel coloring and bright green eyes, was with two adults who I could assume to be her mother and father. Like my family, she was going home. Though unlike us, she was chatting amiably in obvious excitement. Both of her parents were smiling warmly, listening intently to what their only child had to say.

The shiny headband like Sasuke's shined against the glare of the yellow sun, tied atop her head like an accessory she would don to keep it pulled back. A slight thing, petite in build, it was a wonder how she would manage the difficult trials of life as a kunoichi. She seemed too delicate for that, instead looking more like a doll.

Her hair, how I suddenly ached to touch it, a feeling I instantly quelled from the forcefulness of such thoughts so suddenly intruding my person. Yet, my fingers burned with the temptation - a foreign longing to see if the coloring was natural or not. Could it possibly be a form of childhood rebellion? I couldn't be sure.

However, I did nothing, said nothing. Looking as impassive as ever, giving nothing away to reveal the intrusive thoughts invading my mind. Besides, she was much too young at the age of thirteen. I shouldn't even be having these thoughts. It was inappropriate. My mother would give me a stern scolding if she knew, her parents would probably hide her away. I wouldn't have blamed them.

Even I, myself, was unsure as to why I was lamenting over something as horrendously simplistic as the color of her hair. In all of my eighteen years, I never gave such insequential thoughts a chance to breed before now. Still, she fascinated me. The reason had to be her hair. Coming from a black-haired, pale skinned, and dark eyed clan, it was something I was unused to seeing, a novelty. Yes, that was it. A novelty, nothing more.

As I watch her round the corner toward the civilian district of the village our eyes meet, but they aren't looking at me. No, starring past me, at Sasuke. Instantly I knew, the way her smile widened and green eyes softened that she was in love with my brother. I sneak a glance at Sasuke, who is glaring at her, seemingly displeased with her attention. Ah, so the feeling wasn't mutual. I wasn't surprised, other than family Sasuke didn't like much of anything. A trait Sasuke and I shared. Still, admittedly intrigued, I had to ask.

I patiently waited until the girl and her family were out of earshot -

"Who is the girl Sauske?" I saw Sasuke stiffen, discreetly looking around. "No one, an annoying classmate," he said with disdain coloring his voice.

While they weren't an emotional lot, rudeness was not acceptable behavior. "Sasuke," I warned lightly. He took the hint, his sneer lessening until it turned into a small frown. Sasuke sighs, but answers in a more informative way, albeit still bitter. "Her name is Sakura Haruno, a highly irritating girl who happens to have a crush on me and is unfortunately my new teammate."

"I see. You should try to be more approachable Sasuke. If you are to be teammates, you need to learn to rely on one another." Sasuke said nothing, but I knew he was listening.

"Besides, I'm sure she will grow out of the infatuation." At that Sasuke snorted, muttering something unkind under his breath while keeping his gaze locked ahead.

I smirked, knowing first hand the nuisance that fangirls tended to be. Thankfully, the majority outgrew their affections, turning to one's who returned their amour. Those who didn't, well, I was really good at avoiding them and missions kept me out of the village most of the time. When it came time for me to marry, I was sure to wed a woman from the clan. This would ensure that the bloodline remained pure, with a greater assurance of powerful heirs. A guarantee of the next generation having the sharingan. I had resigned myself to that fact long ago.

The silence loomed in the air between us as we approached the gates to the compound. Curious, I asked as I already knew one of his teammates. Naturally, as their squad went, he would have one more and a Jonin-Sensei. "So, besides the Haruno girl, who is your other teammate and Sensei?" If possible, his otouto 'looked grumpier, snarling to himself at the mention of the second member of his genin teammate.

"My other teammate is Naruto Uzumaki, and our Sensei is Kakashi Hatake." The latter was said with a sense of relief. At least he had an excellent instructor, the son of the infamous White Fang.

Hmm, there was no need to wonder what the Hokage was thinking at putting that particular team together.

The kyuubi could be controlled by the Sharingan. And, with two people with the Sharingan on the same team, the odds of keeping control of the Nine Tails were high. At least, one could hope anyway. I inwardly gave my approval, as an ANBU Captain it was always best to have as much control over a situation as possible.

"It is essential that you curb the attitude, Sasuke," I chided, his sour mood waning on my patience.

"Hn," Sasuke replied. And, taking it as acknowledgement that he at least heard what I said, I said no more on the subject. My brother would learn one way or another to work with others regardless of his own personal feelings. It was the foundation of everything. It determined whether your team lived or died. Teamwork was a lesson absolutely essential for all shinobi to learn.

As soon as we entered our home and deposited our sandals by the door, father sternly called me away to his study without so much as a glance in my direction.

As I grew older the demands on my shoulders only grew heavier. I wanted to groan aloud in exasperation but couldn't at the ever increasing rate of constant trivialities. It was my duty as heir to the clan, and I was obliged by blood to obey. I'd already tested the boundaries of defiance days prior in order to bring up the importance of Sasuke's graduation. I wouldn't be shown the same clemency again.

While my mother busied herself in the kitchen to prepare dinner, I gave Sasuke one last poke in the forehead and followed after my father in stoic silence, the perfect son.