Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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"Itachi," growled Sasuke angrily.

"Hello, little brother," the missing-nin replied to his brother's growl. "I see that you are alive and- dare I say it?- happy."

"Get out of my house," Sasuke hissed hateful. Itachi ignored him and lowered his weapon, walking around the room and inspecting the room's condition. He stopped at the dresser, and picked up the team photo.

"I suppose that you don't learn very well, do you?" Itachi hissed, in something like anger.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke replied, swiftly getting out of bed, not caring that he was only in his boxers.

"When I killed our clan, I told you to live a hateful, angry life and to run. But look at this," Itachi said, holding a framed photo up. "Does this look hateful? No." The picture of Sakura gleamed at Sasuke from his brother's pallid hand.

"So what if I have a picture of a team member? That implies nothing," Sasuke murmured acidly. Suddenly, Itachi entered the closet and came back with something in his hands.

"Yes, but THIS implies something," the older boy said, smirking victoriously. He held up one of Sakura's shirts. It was a gold halter top with spaghetti-straps, with black ties on the sides and black dragons. "Unless you're a cross-dresser, I believe that a girl is staying with you."

"Her parents are out for a week," Sasuke replied. "She is just staying here until they get back."

"Is that all?" Itachi asked haughtily. "I have so much more evidence against you- go get some clothes on." Sasuke blushed as he looked down a his dark blue boxers.

"What are you doing here, you bastard," Sasuke asked as he pulled some pants on.

"Just checking up on my only living relative," Itachi shrugged. "But, then again, at this rate I'll be an uncle,' the teen added icily. Sasuke blanched.

"What are you talking about?" hissed Sasuke, facing his brother with something unreadable on his face.

"Dear brother, first- why would a girl have her clothes in your room? Why would you be sleeping late in your boxers, unless you had a late night?" Itachi interrogated.

"Coincidence," Sasuke replied placidly. "That implies nothing. I was up late training."

"Yes, but tell me, what is that smell?" Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as well as embarrassment.

"Oh crap," he muttered. Itachi chuckled in mirth.

"Cornered you," Itachi smirked. "Now then, what were you asking? Why I was here?" Sasuke's eyes darkened as he nodded. "Well, I was passing by and decided to drop by and see how strong my little brother was doing." The sarcasm as Itachi said 'strong' was unavoidable. "I should hope that you are at least as jounin by now." Sasuke looked away coldly.

"Chuunin," Sasuke replied shortly. He didn't even let Itachi reply before going on. "And I want you out of my house immediately. Sakura doesn't need to see you here, she doesn't need the stress. I don't want you near her."

"And why not? Afraid that I'll actually waste my time on hurting some Genin?" Itachi smirked cruelly. "You seem so protective of her. You think that you are in love."

"We ARE-" Sasuke started, but a cold red glare from his brother silenced him.

"You think you are in love, but you're wrong. You foolishly cling to this girl in hopes of forgetting your past. You think that lust is love. You only pretend you love her, hoping that she'll give out." Itachi's icy voice grew even colder as he spoke. "You only hang on her because you THINK that you can feel emotions like happiness and love, when you only feel hate. You only want to bring her down with you."

"You bastard," Sasuke hissed. "I don't pretend to love her, I do!"

"I don't need to discuss such trivial things as this with you. Your life is worthless- you are only at Chuunin level. I see that, to become strong enough for me to waste my time on, I'll have to push you along."

"What?" Sasuke hissed.

"My partner Kisame and I are staying at an abandoned house in this village. In my- seemingly foolish- beliefs that you will become strong soon, we will be holding your little girlfriend hostage until you are able enough to put up a half-decent fight."

"No!" roared Sasuke, lunging for his brother, but missed as the sage simply brushed past him and slipped out the window.