note: short. first oneshot I've done and doesn't include much action. R&R pleeze!!! (puppy eyes)

Sasuke walked down the dark corridor. His brother was nowhere in sight. "Nii-san?! Nii-san, where are you?!" he called out into the corridor.

"In here, Sasuke!" a voice called from a room towards his right. Sasuke walked into the room. His brother was lying on his bed, reading. Sasuke walked over and stood by him.

"What are you reading?" Itachi was irritated for a moment. Sometimes Sasuke was so... he didn't know, but it irked him.

"A training book," Itachi answered. Sasuke looked at the page. Itachi noticed after a moment and looked at his little brother. "Don't you have training or homework or something?"

"I finished all my homework. It's Saturday."

As if that makes all the difference, Itachi thought.

"It's raining. There's a storm outside."

Oh, that's why. Itachi looked at the six-year-old. The young boy was afraid of thunder and refused to go outside during storms. "You're bored?" Sasuke nodded. "Has Father said anything to you?" Sasuke nodded again. "Did he scold you?" Sasuke nodded a third time. Sighing, Itachi patted the bed next to him. Sasuke sat next to the older boy and read the book with him. Itachi smiled to himself. Only Sasuke would be able to get him to welcome the younger boy to sit next to him, without actually asking. He was just so damn... innocent. His black eyes had not yet seen the reality of the world they lived in. Itachi hoped he never had to, though he knew his hoping would be futile. Their clan... the villagers didn't say their blood was from that of demons for nothing. During the last great war, the Uchiha, used as mercenaries, were the most feared. Their red eyes; the Sharingan, and their fighting style, they were dubbed as demons for real.

The Uchiha had a taste for blood. Demon was a fit name. Their people were turned into monsters, demons who wreaked havoc in battle. The perfect weapons; mindless tools; perfect shinobi. Itachi almost scoffed aloud. He looked down at his brother, who looked up and asked if he could turn the page. Itachi did as asked, turning to the next section. The 25th principle. A shinobi never shows his feelings, for it only leads to misjudgement, which, in the end, leads to weakness and defeat.

Itachi wanted to rip the book into peices and burn it. He didn't want his brother to become this. The clan would just use him. Use them to get greater achievements, with no consent from him. Just use him. Like a tool. Like a freakin' tool. Mindless. Emotionless. Lifeless. They would take away this boy's innocence; turn him into another one of their demons. Itachi didn't want that to happen. He loved his brother, and wanted him to be a person. The clan would deprive him of normal luxuries and normal things. They would take away the innocence, all too soon. Itachi looked down at the boy next to him again. The kid's ebony hair and pale skin were a trait of the clan. Another reminder of his destiny. Itachi dreaded the day Sasuke attained the Sharingan. Seen as more of a threat than it's cousin, the Byakugan, the all seeing evil eye, the Sharingan, the mirror wheel eye, was red, powered with fury, fiery... and colored like blood. Another symbol of the clan's thirst for death, for destruction; for blood. Itachi turned the page for the boy next to him once again. Sasuke mumbled his thanks in his soft, smooth voice, attention occupied by the words he read. Itachi sighed, making Sasuke look up at him.

"Something wrong?" he asked, concerned. Itachi nodded.

"I don't like the way Father treats you, is all," Itachi answered. Sasuke sat up straight and faced his older.

"He's just to busy to help me, he says. But that's only when he pays attention to me," Sasuke said, looking down. He was lacing his finger together, then unlacing them, and repeating this action. Itachi lifted the boy's face up to look him in the eye.

"Don't worry. He's-" Itachi began, only to be interrupted.

"He values his newspaper more than me," Sasuke muttered, looking away. Itachi became startled. Itachi hated his father for this. Sasuke was six years old, and Fugaku was already turning him into a shinobi. A damn six-year-old! Sasuke must have seen something in his brother's eyes. "Are you ok? Did I speak out of line?" Itachi smiled, something only Sasuke could make him do.

"No, I agree. Let's get back to the book, all right?" Itachi said. Sasuke nodded and returned to his earlier position. They spent the rest of the dreary afternoon reading the texts about the clan's unique fire jutsu style and it's bloodline. Itachi thought of his brother's innocence once again. In order to preserve his brother's humanity... maybe...

That was when Itachi decided to destroy the great Uchiha. The decision that caused Sasuke to lose his young innocence.

note:so, how was it? If it sounded yaoi, I didn't mean for it to. I read it, I'm not someone who writes that kind of stuff. anywhats, I hope you liked it! R&R pleeze!!!

p.s. : if you've read my other stories (I am in the process of posting some) you can see that they all basically include Sasuke. my favorite char' is Gaara, but I don't know enough about him yet to write about him, since my television broke and i've only read to manga #12 and i can't download episodes 'cuz our normal size computer is too damn slow and i haven't tried with my laptop yet