Summary: Blood makes you related. Loyalty makes you family.

You're laughing
But you're hiding
God I know that trick too well
You forget
That I've been you
And now I'm just the shell
I promise
Everything will work out fine
Don't try to
Grow up yet
Oh just give it some time

Uzumaki Naruto was a pain. Sasuke didn't know why exactly the blonde dobe had singled him out of all people, but he wasn't interested in participating in this one sided rivalry the idiot had tried to force onto him.

For one, he couldn't afford to let his grades slide, and when he attempted to do badly on a history test, scoring 67%, Kiyomi had immediately stopped any sparring sessions and chucked a textbook at him, making him read the chapter that the material covered and two more 'just in case'. Then she quizzed him on the things he'd read while throwing kunai at his feet as he ran through the Uchiha clan's training grounds as fast as he could.

Testing his speed, reflexes, and ability to think under pressure she called it, pfft! He just figured that she was insane. Not quite that man's level of crazy as she was not actively trying to kill him.

...Maybe.

"Teme!"

Shoulders hitching upwards, Sasuke counted to seven mentally, paying for the bouquet that Yamanaka Sayuri made, murmuring his thanks to the woman, before he accepted the flowers and turning on his heel, about to walk away.

"Oi, teme! Don't ignore me!"

He was getting closer.

"My name. Use it, usuratonkachi." Because yes, while it's petty and childish, but if this loser that nobody in school likes, teachers or students, is going to call him an inappropriate 'nickname', then Sasuke isn't going to passively permit that to go on.

"W-W-Wah-?!" Loud footsteps echo behind him. "What did you call me, t-e-m-e~?!"

Instincts have him dodging his head to the left, grab the blonde menace's fist and jerk him forward, only to take out his knees with a kick, flipping him over his shoulder. "Don't touch me." A month ago, he wouldn't have been able to do that move and Sasuke recognized that Kiyomi's lessons (*coughcoughcoughSNEAK ATTACKScoughcough*) were paying off.

Clutching his head, Naruto glared up at him from his position on the ground. "Teme! That hurt!"

"Tch!" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

A civilian wandered over, having been watching the altercation. "Uchiha-san, is the d…" here the man paused. "This brat, is he bothering you?"

"I'm training to be a shinobi." Sasuke stated. "If I can't handle someone trying to attack me, even in such a pitiful and embarrassing way, then that would be a problem in the long run." Picking up the bouquet that he'd dropped, he's glad it's in good condition still.

"Ah, b-but…" It's clear that the civilian wasn't expecting such a well reasoned and mature response. "I-I saw him, he would have hurt you."

Sasuke frowned. "Why are you trying so hard to make me believe he's a bad person? Did he prank you or something?" Even as he said this, the Uchiha felt skeptical. Naruto's pranks were stupid but mostly harmless.

The civilian finally lost his temper. "He's a demon!" he snapped. The man's eyes were so angry, that Sasuke stiffened and without even thinking twice, stepped in front of the blonde boy who was slowly getting up. "You're defending this mon-"

Silent and deadly, an ANBU dropped down from above head. A hand clasped the civilian's shoulder, "The Hokage wants a word." The operative's words were clipped and spoken in a monotone, but when the civilian made the tiniest move to flee, the highly trained killer leaned in, whispering something in too low of a voice. Whatever it was had the civilian pale.

Just before Shunshin'ing away, the ANBU turned to look at the two of them, specifically, at Sasuke.

"Good work coming to the defense of a comrade."

"You...you stood up for me?" There is something rattled, fragile, about Naruto's voice. "Why?"

"Tsk! How should I know?" It had just been instinct, like dodging a punch. He made the mistake of glancing at Naruto only to see the other boy seemed frozen with shock and something resembling gratitude. The latter emotion, directed his way, made Sasuke uncomfortable.

"...Ignore that guy. He's even more of an idiot than you are if he thinks that you're a yōkai."

"T-Teme! Why are you calling the future Hokage an idiot?! O-Oi, where are you going, I'm not done talking to you!"

Without another word, only a vague sort of wave, Sasuke turned on his heel, heading in the direction to his original destination. Naruto tried to follow but the clan heir made a few sharp turns and used the civilians milling about, disappearing into the crowd.

"It's been longer since my last visit. Sorry, kaa-san." He placed the flowers onto the empty space in front of the grave which simply had the deceased woman's name etched onto the slab of concrete. "I wanted to come earlier but Kiyomi's training regime is harsh. I barely get to do anything or any free time but I like that she's so tough on me. To have her complete attention." The half hearted smile slipped off his face, his bangs shadowing his features as the words were whispered, "I miss you…"

Snap.

Instantly alert because this was the Uchiha clan's private burial site, which only living members of the clan and the Hokage were permitted to enter and visit without setting off the privacy and blood seals (Uchiha Madara was freaky paranoid about the thought of someone stealing the clan's dojutsu and grave robbery wasn't uncommon even back then), Sasuke tamped down on the urge to call out into the silence of the area.

'Maybe it was an animal.'

"Oi, bastard! I finally found you!"

As soon as he stepped a foot outside of the burial site's barrier seal, "You idiot! That was you skulking about just now?" Resisting the urge to facepalm, Sasuke settled for glaring at the blond loser. "This is private property. You can't j-"

Snap!

Acting without without for the second time in a row, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the back of his collar, throwing the younger boy to the ground as a barrage of kunai and shuriken sank into the ground where he was just standing.

"Today's just my lucky day. What are the odds of meeting one of the last Uchiha clan brats so far away from the main Konoha areas?"

'This guy. He's either Chunin or Jōnin. This is bad.'

"..."

Deciding against speaking, Sasuke opted to instead assess the situation and decide whether or not it was worth attempting to flee or suicidal. While he was doing that, he noticed that the shinobi was carrying a person underneath his left arm.

It took a second but he recognized her as the Hyūga heir.

'This is a kidnapping.' "Get up, Naruto." Sliding into the traditional Uchiha clan fighting stance, Sasuke narrowed his eyes onto the man in front of him, who only grinned, amused, further proving Sasuke's point that the individual must be strong.

"What's...what's the plan?"

"Get back to the main streets of the village, flare your chakra as high as you can. ANBU will arrive shortly." Sasuke's voice was calm, almost indifferent.

"...Okay."

By some unspoken signal, Sasuke darted forward towards the unmoving enemy nin and Naruto took off running in the opposite direction. This was stupid, it was reckless and others might even call it suicidal, foolishness at worst. If he was lucky, the enemy ninja would kill him, but if his luck was poor, just like the Hyūga heir, he would be sold to the highest bidder.

Hands flew through the signs for the clan's jutsu, breathing in deeply before breathing out, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" A fireball shot out towards the man, forcing down the panic as the realization that he hadn't dropped the girl and she would get burned-

"Ungh!"

The wind is knocked out of him from the force of the kick to his open and unguarded side. Sasuke couldn't get his bearings before he received an uppercut to the face. "Kids. Always distracted by the flashy stuff." The man raised his foot up high, bringing it down and Sasuke only barely blocked it, feeling his body straining.

"If this is what's left of the Uchiha, I almost feel bad." He pushed his foot down harder. "Almost."

"You…" He lets the foot stomp down on his chest, freeing his hand and Sasuke blinks through the pain to pull out the few live steel shurikens he has and throws it at the enemy nin's face. It's only luck that two out of three manage to hit the intended target of the man's face. The guy howls with pain and fury, the sound is scary and he probably would have froze, but it's the fear and adrenaline that keeps him moving forward, pressing the advantage. Scooping up the discarded kunai, Sasuke stabs at his legs and thighs, stays out of reach.

Slice, slice. Block. Dodge. Repeat.

His lungs are burning. He feels like a giant bruise and even though he wants to rest, Sasuke keeps just out of reach of the other shinobi.

But then, of course, he makes a misstep and time slows down as the kidnapper slashes down with his own kunai, aiming for his skull. The world is dyed in red and he moves.

"Sharingan." The word is spat with anger and fear and greed. Too fast for Sasuke to keep up with, the enemy darts towards him, aiming to take his eyes. Nowhere to dodge, all out of tricks, Sasuke's certain that this is it.

And then there's the ANBU from the earlier confrontation, only this time, he brought reinforcements.

"Well done, Uchiha Sasuke." Capturing the man's fist with one hand, the ANBU broke the wrist, lashing out with a foot that hit the guy in the temple. He went sailing across the ground and smashed into a tree. "Sparrow, Cat, secure Hyūga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke. I'll take care of this trash."

Sasuke wanted to protest, to say he didn't need medical attention. But the second he's scooped in an almost protective hold, his eyes slide to half mast and the exhaustion is hitting him hard. "Naruto? What, where is he?"

"He's safe. Now rest."

Against his will, Sasuke obeys that terse order, eyes sliding closed.

The next time he wakes up, Kiyomi is there and his world is turned on it's axis, again, as he gets the honor of being included in the know about Uchiha Saeri, his niece. He wants to be offended by the caution he catches in her eyes whenever he is permitted to hold the kid, but Itachi almost murdered both Kiyomi and their unborn child.

It cemented the realization that his brother really is a monster.

Besides that, Sasuke spends time practicing turning his Sharingan on and off at will. He probably annoys the ANBU guard stationed around the room but this is one accomplishment that he feels the need to gloat a little bit over. Even Kiyomi's promise (threat) that training will be much harder from now on doesn't dull his mood.

"Oi! Bastard! Are you awake yet?"

"N-Naruto, y-y-you can't…"

"Did you say something, Hinata?"

That was another development he hadn't counted on. Somehow, he had become friends with the Hyūga girl and the blonde loudmouth. Or at least that's what everyone else was calling them. Sasuke only became more exhausted when trying to argue about it.

'Kaa-san, my days have become very hectic…'

To the Guest reviewer, inquiring about the Mangekyō Sharingan and if Kiyomi will have it. The answer is: yes. I always thought that certain Uchiha family members getting the Rinnegan was extreme overkill, so I'm saying 'No' for now.

Thanks for the continued support and great questions and comments regarding this fic, everyone! It really helps when I get feedback from y'all and inspires lengthy chapters.

Remember to leave five or more reviews, please!