Itachi didn't speak to Sasuke about the matter, considering Kakashi had handled it. Frankly, although he strove to maintain peace in his own home he wasn't taking care of Sasuke to control his whole life. He would still have to make his own choices, and maybe dealing with some natural consequences was the best thing for him.

But when several days had passed and he had only seen the boy at mealtimes, and it seemed like money was going missing in his wallet little by little, he felt like a conversation was needed. Thankfully, Itachi was frugal so the missing amount wasn't going to leave them homeless - nonetheless he wished his brother would just tell him what he needed.

Being that this was the case, it concerned him further when on this day lunch came and went, with no Sasuke to be found. The sandwich he had prepared specially for him, with extra tomatoes and mayonnaise, and three slices of cheese instead of two, looked very sad sitting on the table with nobody to eat it. Before long, it was getting too soggy to eat, and Itachi decided to go out looking for him.

He didn't have to look long, as when he opened the front door a disheveled, out of breath Sasuke was running towards the door.

"Where have you been?" Itachi asks, concerned about his younger brother. He doesn't receive an answer, just a shoulder shrug as the preteen goes to raid the refrigerator. He sits down across from Sasuke, who picks up the now dripping sandwich and scarfs it like it was the best thing he had ever eaten. Soon, he's running back out the door.

"Wait!" Itachi calls out, and grabs Sasuke's arm right as he begins to step out.

"Thanks for the food," he says quickly, and tries to jerk his arm away. When Itachi doesn't let go, he stops and looks back, frustrated. "I said thanks for the food. Let go of my arm." He yanks his arm again, but Itachi just stares at him. "Omg please let go of my arm!"

"We need to talk, Sasuke." Sasuke rolls his eyes, still yanking his arm every few seconds hoping his brother would loosen his grip enough for him to leave.

"Can't we talk some other time?" Sasuke pleads. Now Itachi had to know. What in the world had gotten his brother's attention like this.

"I would like to speak with you now if you would let yourself back inside." With an eye roll, and dramatic breath, and every other dramatic movement an irritated kid his age could make, he steps reluctantly back in.

"What." he says. When Itachi doesn't answer right away, he crosses his arms. "Omg what do you want," he probes further, "I didn't listen to you to be stared at like a damn animal."

"Okay Sasuke I know. But I want to talk with you for more than one second. I feel like you are already out the door and I haven't even told you anything yet."

"But I'm not out the door. I'm right here next to the door."

"Okay I see that but can't you just come in and stay awhile," Itachi pleads.

"Why? Why do I fucking need to do that? What . . . now you're going to tell me where to sit and stand and look while you talk to me?"

These petty arguments really pissed Itachi off. He didn't mind an argument every now and again but there were moments he desperately missed when Sasuke was a toddler and just followed him everywhere.

"Look Sasuke, I don't want to argue with you right now. All I was going to ask was what you've been up to running around everywhere."

"Well I don't know," he says, looking away slightly, "Just checking out the town I guess. Can I leave now?"

"No. Take off your shoes and come sit on the couch. I don't mind arguing with you but I won't tolerate you flat out lying to me."

"Oh. My. Gosh. Itachiii," he pleads, "I am not lying to you. That's literally all I am doing."

"Then come sit on the couch and tell me all about the 'town' you now are so in love with."

Sasuke pinches the bridge of his nose, grimacing. Frankly, he didn't know how long he could push his older brother before something unpleasant would occur, and that's the last thing he wanted. So he dragged his feet to the couch, and just to piss Itachi off a little more, he left his shoes on. "So what have you been doing, Sasuke?"

"Nothing okay?" he responds.

"That is not an answer."

"It's not the answer you want, Itachi," he argues, glaring at his brother. "Fine, I'll tell you what you want to hear. I've been out fucking girls and doing drugs and drinking beer."

Itachi knew this wasn't true. But he went along with it just for the heck of humoring himself.

"Alright, thank you for letting me know. You can leave now."

The look on the young Uchiha's face was priceless.

"You're not going to . . . you know . . . get mad?"

"Well since we are being dramatic, you mean grab you by the ear and beat you to a pulp, right?" Sasuke's face turns a deep red, the memory of their first night still lingering. "Well no, I'm not going to do that, Sasuke Uchiha. Frankly I'm not in the mood. But if you keep this up I'm sure we will be sharing another special moment within the next few days when my patience runs out."

"Okay omg chill," Sasuke says. "It's not like I'm really doing that. I've just been working on a project. And I don't want to talk about it, especially not with you. Is that enough information?"

The comment stung, but he let it go. He didn't blame him. Just because he had cried on his shoulder for forty minutes their first night didn't make them buddies by any means. Sasuke still didn't trust him and didn't share his feelings, and Itachi's efforts to further their relationship mostly led to dead ends. He couldn't blame the boy after what he had done. He takes out his wallet and pulls out forty dollars.

"For the past week you've been taking all my one dollar bills, and even one twenty. You don't have to tell me what you spend it on, but I'm going to need you to communicate if you need money for something. Do you think this will last you for a while?" Sasuke blushes again, embarrassed at being caught.

"Um . . . well," he stammers, looking down, "I guess. Could I have it in one's though?"

"Why do you need it in one dollar bills?"

"Because I do," he whines.

"Sasuke, why do you need it in one dollar bills?!" Itachi says, raising his voice. He was getting tired of the arguing. Seriously tired.

"You said you wouldn't ask what I spent it on!" Sasuke cries out in response. "I don't want your money if your going to be asking me all these stupid questions!"

"You know what, Sasuke Uchiha," Itachi seethes. "Fine. Just leave."

"Itachi -"

"No!" he yells, interrupting him. "Go! Now!"

Sasuke leaves without arguing.

It was two o' clock in the morning when Kakashi was woken up by the sound of his front door being quietly opened, and something being dragged in his house. He would've been sure it was one of his dogs, if he didn't look down from the loft and see the dreaded raven haired boy pushing something into the middle of his living room.

"So it's Sasuke Uchiha," Kakashi says loudly. He watches as Sasuke jumps, falling over whatever it was he was pushing.

"Look, I," he begins.

"You what, Sasuke. You sure do have guts coming in here at two o'clock in the morning as if you haven't already ruined my life enough."

The boy stands there, fumbling over his words. This gives Kakashi time to get down from the loft, which he does, and proceeds to violently grab the boy's shirt collar and walk him back towards the front door.

"I'm sick of your antics," he says, "I'm sick of your mouth. Of your attitude. Of your stench in my house." He pushes him out the door.

Sasuke struggles against the stronger man's grip, trying to get loose. But he finds himself on his knees in front of a door that slams in his face.

"Kakashi!" he cries out, "Kakashi-sensei! Please, I need to talk to you!" He pounds on the door, "Kakashi please!"

This goes on for about ten minutes. Kakashi was a hardened man - especially towards Sasuke. He was so hardened, he had previously regretted not killing him at the bridge, and had even voted that he be put on death row. But, through all of those layers, that voice yelling at the door was all too familiar. That voice was the seven year old blood covered boy he had carried into his house that day off of the dead bodies of his parents. That voice was the boy who had hidden all of his porn books (before he burned them) just to get his attention to show him how to use his sharingan. He had thrown away the memories from it, filled with pain at the outcome of the student he felt most resembled himself. So he opened the door.

"What is it, Sasuke." His voice was cold, sharp and to the point. He could swear he saw the kid wipe tears off his face but it was too dark to tell. Frankly, he didn't care.

"I'm sorry I broke your table. But wait!" the boy cries out as Kakashi goes to slam the door in his face again. "I made you a new one."

"So that's what is sitting in my living room right now, at two o' clock in the morning," he says, confused. "You made me . . . a table."

Sasuke nods, and gestures if he can come in. Kakashi lets him. The boy goes straight to the table as Kakashi lights a few candles, curiosity getting the best of him. He then sits in his recliner, looking down at Sasuke's creation.

"See look," Sasuke says, his voice shaking a little. "I made it with some drawers for your weapons or books or something. "And here," He pulls out a few inserts, and several pairs of dog bowls come out from underneath the table, surrounding the whole thing. "I even added some bowls for your dogs so you can all eat together."

Frankly, the table was even better than his last one. Maybe not better looking, as it was a little rough around the edges, but as far as functionality went it was exactly what he needed. He leans down to open one of the drawers on the side. He doesn't realize why Sasuke jumped until he's staring down at the contents of the drawer.

"I was going to sneak it in and leave. But then you caught me," Sasuke says sheepishly. Quietly, the copy-ninja lifts up several photos of him and Sasuke together from their training. The same photos Kakashi had burned in anger when the boy left. But Sasuke - the one who hated him so much . . . he had kept them all this time. He feels tears welling up as the memories flood him of the time they spent together before he went rogue. Sasuke was the closest thing to a son he ever had.

"Sasuke, you little bastard," he says quietly. He sees him look down, ashamed. Kakashi stands up and crouches in front of the tired Uchiha. "Why are you here anyways ?" he asks. "Shouldn't you be sleeping at your brother's place?" Immediately, the Uchiha's facial expression contorts into a painful frown.

"Fuck Itachi," Sasuke mumbles under his breath. "He locked the damn door." Kakashi is silent, urging for more of an explanation. When he doesn't get a response, he takes Sasuke's arm and brings him back to his feet, handing him the pictures.

"I'll take the table," he says, "So I won't hold it against you that you tried to kill me again." Sasuke interrupts but Kakashi holds up his finger. "I don't want your arguments or reasoning. Now that you've completed what you came here to do, I suggest you go beg your brother to give you a place to sleep."

Sasuke sulks to the door. He had hoped somehow Kakashi might let him sleep here, but he had thought his former Sensei too forgiving. As he steps out the door, he hears Kakashi climbing back up the loft.

"Sleep well," the man says sarcastically. This pisses off the Uchiha more, but somehow, his previous encounter through the table with his Sensei had inspired a new level of self control. So he slams the door instead.

Hello Everyone! Thank you so much for reading my story! If yall have any ideas or thoughts for this story or my other one 'Until next time, my little Otouto,' please let me know! I would love some inspiration!