Sasuke eventually turned over and lay in his bed properly, falling asleep like that.

He woke up on time the next morning and made it to breakfast before Itachi, picking at his food as he wondered what this day would bring.

Itachi was relieved to be back in his ordinary shirt and jeans suit. He couldn't help but foolishly -for the sake thereof- blame his new attire for the rather unwanted series of events that happened yesterday. The raven chuckled as he stood in front of his vanity, clip between his lips as he brushed his hair into a low ponytail for class.

Orochimaru didn't seem to like being ignored. Then again, he wasn't interested nor would he ever be. Not to mention to him, most criminals were all the same: attention deficit mongrels who had no moral inhibitions... It took an iron fist to govern and keep everyone in check. Apparently the government was either too lax or people were just too gullible. Whichever be the case, it existed and needed to be curbed.
Why the man kept coming to him was a mystery. Or how he even managed to get in the school grounds. It didn't matter. The felon was at the very last of his things of concern anyways.

And all those looks he got for wearing red---something else than black to school. All those looks of appraisal and sudden attention. Gods, Itachi felt so disgusted by it. He didn't need them.

Saturday date... When will Kaasan ever learn?

Then he came to think about Sasuke.

The raven haired teenager frowned. What would he do with Sasuke...

Deciding to put it at the back of his mind, he finished fixing himself up quickly and got out of his room to have some breakfast.

Sasuke briefly looked up as Itachi entered the room, immediately looking back down again once their eyes met.

Itachi was dressed in his normal attire and Sasuke couldn't help but be a little disappointed. His Aniki had looked extremely hot in his clothes from the day before.

At least now it looked like things were back to normal, even if it certainly didn't feel like it.

Breakfast was tense and quiet, but Kaasan didn't seem to notice. She was completely oblivious, as usual, and Sasuke was glad for that... no awkward questions from her.

"Good morning."

The rudimentary go abouts for the day. Greet the people in attendance at the table, regardless if they replied or not. Sit down, grab some breakfast and then say goodbye, leave for school.

Rinse repeat. It was always the same every single day.

The raven exhaled deeply and flexed his fingers, before taking some of the servings and putting some on his own plated. In mid take, his eyes strayed on Sasuke's form and back on the food once more. He returned the plate, taking a little of each and proceeded eating.

Hash browns. Baked meat and a little vegetables. Heavy but satisfying. At least it wasn't as oily as the day before. As he sliced his share with obvious precision, Itachi suddenly paused when his father called his attention.

"Hai, Tousan?"

The chief of police, folded back the daily newspapers and looked at his two sons, "I don't want the both of you to be loitering more than necessary at school today. Sasuke, you'll be riding with your brother from now on. Itachi, not a word."

The latter held on to his emotionless stare and went back to his breakfast. It was not like he was going to protest or anything. Since when did he ever protest or say contradictory anyway?

He nodded, "Of course."

"Either of one must report to me every lunch break. Do I make myself clear?"

"Hai, Tousan." Sasuke answered quietly, returning to eating his food.

That must be a precautionary measure against Orochimaru... To keep them from coming into contact with him again, Sasuke assumed.

The rest of breakfast slipped by before Sasuke could properly prepare himself for the drive to school and the next thing he knew, he was grabbing his backpack and heading out the door. He briefly waved goodbye to his mother, returning the curt nod his father (surprisingly) directed to him.

Apparently, now that Orochimaru was a danger to the family, he would be acknowledged by his father.

After having his breakfast, he made his way to the kitchen and deposited his dirty dishes into the sink. He folded up his sleeves and washed them much to the helper's protests.

"Sir, it's okay!," she spoke in her accented English, trying rather hard to make it roll off her tongue as naturally as possible. The maid smiled at him, taking the dishes and nudging him away from the sink, "I can do it," she continued picking up the sponge and dipping it into the dishwashing paste. "You have school. Go now."

As if on cue, Fugaku called out from the breakfast table.

"The new protocol I explained starts now. Go to school with Sasuke already."

The prodigy shrugged, nodding at the woman and wiped his hands clean with a paper towel as he made his way to the garage, not forgetting to make the necessary goodbye and other polite necessities.

Itachi went passed his brother and went directly to the driver's side then remembered their deal. He paused and looked at his younger brother then handed him the keys.

Sasuke accepted the keys, sliding into the driver's seat. He waited for his older brother to settle into the passanger's side before starting the car, carefully backing out of the driveway and starting down the road.

The younger teen decided it would be in his best interest to not speak until spoken to with Itachi, considering the awkward situation they were in.

There was nothing to talk about.

At all.

Itachi slipped into the passenger seat, taking out his wallet and checked if he brought his driver's license, ID cards: necessary plastic cards that would identify him in the case of emergency. Not to mention if his brother messed up, he would have to answer for him in the first place. Despite not telling the spiky haired teenager, he did trust him. He trusted that the boy would be responsible enough.

Even without him beside him.

For the last few that he had been driving, Sasuke was becoming more and more competent as a driver.

The older Uchiha was confident that even if he would doze off, he would arrive in one piece---in school, not aboard a stretcher on their way to the nearest hospital with their mom on the way, panicking since he two babies were dying.

He watched, observed him closely like a hawk and was pleased to know that the boy was becoming more attune to what he was doing. Sasuke would definitely be a good successor for this car.

Or if their father decided he should get his own car.

"Tousan should give you your own car when you're eighteen. It would be a good birthday gift. You deserve more than just a hand me down car, Sasuke."

The raven didn't look at him as he spoke, seemingly bored as he spoke---his usual flat monotone as he looked outside the window, watching the familiar scenery passed him by.

Then he saw a familiar flash of yellow that made him blink his eyes. That boy---Naruto...

For a second, Sasuke felt like a little kid again. It was a familiar feeling, yet one he hadn't felt often in recent years. Itachi complimenting him, in a way his father never would, always succeeded in making him feel like a child again.

His eyes caught Naruto as well, and he considered pulling over and giving the blonde a ride... He sighed, pulling over next to the blonde and rolling down his window.

"Naruto!" He called. "You've got three seconds to get in if you want a ride."

Naruto let out a cheer, running for the back seat and hopping in. "Thanks, Sasuke-teme! Hey, Itachi!" He waved to the senior, feeling more than a little uneasy around him.

So you don't end up having to always borrow the one I already have.

He had cut himself from saying the rest of the sentence, having noticed that the boy was taking it rather well and simply left it at that. Seemed so cruel if Itachi chose to continue the statement.

But really. Wouldn't Sasuke want to have his own things than to have hand me down items? Don't most teenagers wish to have things on their own, be recognized and such?

It only made sense as such...

Itachi was not a normal teenager after all. He was quite spartan about his belongings and chose them for their efficiency than for their aesthetics. Did it look easy on the eyes? Well good if it is. If not, like he'd need to have a dashing looking car. A car is a car. Not a fashion accessory.

When his younger pulled over, he almost sighed out loud knowing that the blond would likely---damn, so he was. Sasuke pulled over and immediately admitted the other boy inside the car. Wonderful.

Noise.

The raven haired teenager waved his hand to acknowledge his presence but did not show if he liked that Naruto was riding with them. As always, he was very good with masking his emotions.
There were ways with expressing distaste after all.

From how the prodigy remembered it, he only gave Sasuke driving rights. Not the right to act as if he owned the vehicle.

Turning to the newest passenger, Itachi asked, "So... how has school been for you, Naruto? Are you having difficulty in Math? I've learned you often ask help from my brother in certain subjects."

Sasuke could sense the waves of disapproval radiating from his brother and belatedly realized he had made a bad decision. Damn it... He'd have to make it clear to Naruto later that this was a one-time thing.

Well... Itachi couldn't have been too angry; he was talking to Naruto, after all... If he were furious, he would have just ignored the blonde, or sent him the Uchiha glare to keep him quiet.

"Only because Iruka-sensei made me! I didn't wanna ask Sasuke-teme for help, but if I don't pass Math then Iruka-sensei won't take me out for ramen for a month!" Naruto blurted, causing Sasuke to roll his eyes irritably.

Itachi smiled.

He smiled at Naruto and even turned to look at him than simply keep his bored gaze on the scenery along the road as they went to school. Now with a different focus, the older teenager's black...sometimes red, depending on the situation but altogether always mysterious eyes were on the whining blond.

"Really? Was it the fact you had to ask help from Sasuke or asking help in general that you disliked so much about it, Naruto?"

Now he was even referring to the boy by his first name with no honorifics. Then again the senior was older and didn't subject himself to rules. It wasn't his nature.

"Regardless, if Iruka-sensei won't take you out for ramen... Does that mean you can't go to someone else? You might be surprised that there are other people who might be just as willing without any conditions upon you at all. Unless it's really the fact he's treating you than the ramen you love the most."

Sasuke asked for this.

They had a not too comfortable confrontation the night previous. The car trip was quiet and would have been a nice time for them to talk or try to settle something.

Now that there was someone else in the car, there was no way that they could talk now.

There was a strange feeling of hurt and betrayal---though the prodigy wasn't quite sure if that was the right word for it... But it was a difficult feeling that swelled and tightened at his chest.

As if wanting to punish the younger Uchiha subconsciously, the raven then poured his attention on the hitch hiking blond. It just happened. Itachi didn't even for a minute think he would---it just...

Yes, letting Naruto ride with them had been a very bad idea. He was wrong, Itachi was furious. He could sense it. This was his way of punishing Sasuke, by completely ignoring him in favor of the blonde. He even said Naruto's name with no honorifics! It was all to make him jealous and angry... he knew that, but that didn't stop it from working.

Naruto seemed surprised by the elder Uchiha's change of focus, but he didn't let that stop him from talking. "I don't like asking anyone for help, especially Sasuke-teme!" Naruto answered the first question, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly.

However, Naruto blushed slightly at the next question, indicating that it was more spending time with Iruka-sensei, who was like an older brother or a father to him, then the ramen itself. "Well, I like ramen and I like Iruka-sensei, so having both at the same time is the best! Besides, no one else would want to pay for how much ramen I eat... At least, that's what Iruka-sensei said!"

Typical teenager.

The answer that Naruto gave to him regarding asking for help was so predictable that the senior couldn't help but smile a little, letting his usually bored expression fade away. The kid was really something indeed. So animated and vibrant---full of life. Never boring. No wonder that he was considered the life of the party in his clique.

Chuckling a little, he nodded and added in to the sophomore's student, "I would prefer asking guidance from my teachers than from my peers actually. It would make more sense to ask from them as they know more. Although I won't discredit the fact that teachers are also students learning from their classes."

He could feel Sasuke seething from the driver's seat. Or was it just his imagination? There was a feeling of temptation that urged him to check...

"Really?"

Itachi was somewhat amused by the turn of events. A smile, a smirk more like it---smug and confident graced his features as he asked the blond the question.

"Iruka-sensei said that? My my... I don't know Naruto. But it sounds like Iruka-sensei is deluding you into thinking that there are no other generous people in the world but he." The raven shook his head, slightly clucking his tongue in his mouth as he turned away and went back to a normal posture. "No offense intended that is."

Once back in his seat, he reached for his neck and massaged it a bit while the other hand went in his back pack. It seemed that he was searching for something. When he found it, Itachi spoke.

"Would you like to join me for lunch later Naruto? I wouldn't mind treating you."

There was something so kind...yet so strange about the offer really. The elder Uchiha rarely offered and when he did, he truly made it count.

Whether it slipped from the prodigy's mind that he was not allowed to stay away from Sasuke's line of sight and otherwise or he was just irking the student driver was left in the gray area. One thing was for sure.

Itachi offered to have lunch with Naruto.

Sasuke's hands tightened their grip as Itachi offered Naruto lunch. Well, that said enough. It looked like he wouldn't be eating lunch with his brother that day.

Their father's rules flew out the window with the offer and as Naruto nodded, it was like Orochimaru didn't exist while the atmosphere between the brothers was tense like this.

Their father's enemy was nothing while his boys were arguing, though a silent, under-handed arguement it was.

As if sensing his younger brother's swelling emotions, Itachi looked over his shoulder and witnessed the very moment that he tightened his grip on the driver's wheel. He would have liked to make a snide comment about damaging his things but decided against it.

"Feel free to invite a friend or two if you wish, Naruto. I wouldn't mind. It would be nice to know what kind of lifeworld my baby brother dwells in when I'm not around..."

And it seemed that the senior had this emphasis on the word 'baby' but it didn't seem intended though...

With that, the raven straightened up and before he could do anything, his cellphone rang. The teenager slipped it out of the front pocket of his back pack and immediately answered it.

"Hello---No. We're not at school yet. In a few minutes we will be. No. I'm not. Sasuke's driving. No no... It's alright..." There was a forming smile on his voice as he tried to use a soothing tone to speak and continued, "He's alright, Kaasan. Don't worry. The driving school people taught him well. We're on our way. We had to make a stop for a while but it's nothing serious. Please relay the message to Tousan that we're alright. I'll be driving on the way back home if it relieves you."

Pause. Itachi was simply listening and nodding. "Hai.... Of course... I'll see what can be done. Thank you for the call. Later. Kaasan."

After the call, he turned to Sasuke and relayed his mother's message for him. "When we get back home, Kaasan wants to go out with you. Just the both of you. She did not explain why so. Do you have any exams or assignments to worry about? I fear you two might go home a little later than nine in the evening. Tell her before hand. And bring your cellphone."

Then he returned the still cracked unit back in his bag and continued to look outside the scenery.

Now that his Kaasan mentioned it... What would Sasuke like for his birthday? Of course he wouldn't tell the boy what his mother's intentions were. It would be so foolish.

He could ask... Naruto. Depends.

((Sasuke's birthday is July 23... I know, 'cause it's my birthday too... >.>;; ))

"Yes, Aniki. No, I don't have any unless I get one today." Sasuke muttered, frowning as his thoughts whirled. What could Kaasan possibly want with him?

His scowl deepened as they neared the school. Orochimaru was standing outside, watching their car as Sasuke passed him to go into the student parking lot.

What a smart mouth you have.

Itachi took that comment straight to the head and was quite determined to show the boy his place. It crossed his mind to backhand him right then and there but realizing the blond hitch hiker would them---Never mind. It wouldn't be too good on Sasuke's part.

Instead the teenager glared at him, giving him one of his trademark deep and piercing glances for a split moment and did not speak.

"I see. No exams that were prior to the day ahead announced or projects to submit tomorrow then. Good." He whipped his gaze off the sophomore and directed it elsewhere. "Kaasan will be glad to know that you're free given you don't get anything for today."

The raven couldn't understand why he had taken it deeply, almost violently as he tried to shrug it off and ignore that---

And of all the days!

"Shit."

Dress impeccably in colors of light cream with black pinstripes and a luscious purple neck tie, the criminal they were told to avoid with everything they had was standing right there at their parking space.

Waiting for them.

Itachi snapped into action and then overlapped his hand over his brother's that was on the driver's wheel and shook his head. "Don't...go to the parking space. Go park on---" The prodigy tried to remember who among his friends had a parking space. "Just go pass it and park on the first spot on the left side."

Sorry, Deidara..., uttered the raven in his mind. I know you're not fond of this man but I have no choice at the moment.

"Naruto... Speak of this to no one. Forget it even happened."

Sasuke nodded and followed his brother's instructions, glancing at Orochimaru anxiously. How were they supposed to avoid him if he kept seeking them out?

Naruto frowned in confusion, pouting at the two brothers. "Why? Who is that guy, anyway?" He questioned, jabbing a finger in Orochimaru's direction. "He's creepy-looking..."

He was almost tempted to let out a sigh as he turned to Naruto and then repeated, "Didn't I just tell you that this didn't happen? Do not test me. You do not want to see me angry."

Stop asking questions. Just do as I say...

Itachi frowned, pursing his lips into a thin line as he watched, feeling relieved that at least his brother seemed to be obedient in this crunch time situation. Thank goodness.

But then it wasn't like the blond would be able to understand the gravity of the situation as he wasn't targeted.

At least not yet.

Orochimaru smiled, leaning against the car beside their parking space---it belonged to Hana Inuzuka, one of the the raven's batch mates. The smartly dressed criminal looked like he was a cat that had his fill of the decadent canary only for shock to replace that face when the car made an awkward turn and did not repeat it's usual every morning fashion. What the hell was going on?!

He whipped his head to follow the car's path and hissed when it parked at some other student's slot.

The man was not pleased at all. Orochimaru took a deep breath and then raised a hand to fix at his box tie. Growling, the illegal contrabands dealer curled his pale fingers into tight fists; his knuckles turning a shade paler than it already was. Even if he ran across the lot, there was no chance he would be able to make it to the teenagers.

Curse that Itachi.

Back at the car, the said teenager felt his nose feel twitchy as he instructed them to leave the vehicle as swift as possible.

"I'll take care of Deidara. He owes me a favor."

Naruto nodded, more than a little freaked out as Itachi's eyes started to turn red. "Okay, I won't tell anyone!"

The blonde hightailed it out of there, shouting loudly that he was never getting a ride from the crazy Uchiha brothers again.

That was perfectly fine with Sasuke, he didn't really plan on pissing his brother off even more.

Sasuke nodded briefly to his brother and headed to class, rather reluctant to speak with his probably borderline-homocidal Aniki.

"There goes my lunch date."

Itachi sighed a little as he watched the little blond run off like his whole life depended on it. Though to some extent the statement was true. On some other day, it would have seemed like a joke or an exaggeration but with their strange stalker following and sniffing at their tracks, it was nothing but the truth now. If the teenager's suspicions were correct, that man probably had some insiders in the school trying to follow them already. Not to mention Orochimaru might even have their schedules for the whole week.

Nothing like a good old information seeking to make everything fall into place and come full circle.

Then again, information in itself was very precious that people were killed and kept alive for just the mere knowledge or lack thereof to allow the stability of things in the underworld.

To keep things quiet.

Bribery... Murder.

Many things...

It was not just the stuff of movies but in real life as well.

And no matter how much their father tried to avoid the situation, they---like his mother, were the perfect plot devices to manipulate the chief of police into silence right now.

Flipping his cellphone close after speedily sending a SMS to his blond classmate regarding the parking lot switch, he turned to Sasuke and asked.

"You think he's frightened of me now? I was truly looking forward to having lunch with someone new today."

And still---the act of irking the spiky haired boy was not left forgotten it seemed.

There was a sly, almost fox like---cunning and cruel-- smile on his face as he continued to inquire, "He reminds me a little of Deidara or...even Hidan minus the foul words though. It would be a fresh change. What do you think?"

In the end, it rested on Sasuke's shoulders after all.

Pausing in his near-escape, Sasuke didn't even turn around to speak, he just stared straight ahead at the door he was mere feet from.

"You can't invite just Naruto alone... He'll drag at least five others with him. Besides, I don't think the people already at your lunch table would like that very much." Not that that would stop Itachi, of course.

"Oh."

He turned to his brother as he slipped the cracked cellphone unit back into his back pack with a hint of regret, a feeling of lost opportunity on his tone as he continued speaking.

"I wouldn't mind. I can quite afford it."

As if to further emphasize but more like check, Itachi reached into his back pocket as he told Sasuke to start moving and then went a little off topic on Naruto.

"Interesting character isn't he? At least we're no longer children so I don't have to warn you not to accept candy from strangers no matter how popular or well sought after his gifts are now do I?"

The Uchiha sorted through his wallet and found his supplementary credit cards and allowance in check. Untouched, barely used and crinkling like brand new bills from the bank---hard earned money from the efforts of their father to keep the city safe.

"At any rate, if I were you, I would be very wary of those I make relations with around these times..."

He paused momentarily when he saw a pair of spectacled eyes greet him cheerfully.

"Good morning, Itachi-kun."

The pony tailed youth nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he held the thick science textbooks to his chest.

Itachi only acknowledged him with a look and then continued to cater to Sasuke.

"As I was saying---Ah yes. Relations. Be careful Sasuke. The panacea we take in so greedily are what will ensnare us in a trap of poison in the end..."

The senior dropped his voice to a silky whisper, hovering over his younger brother as he lead him away from the four eyed senior seeing that his other two friends were starting to make their appearance.

He knew those three.

The helmet, armor and sword---Kabuto Yakushi, Yoroi Akad and Misumi Tsurugi.

If Itachi wasn't wrong these three were linked to the man they were earlier talking about and seeing them together made the warning bells ring so loud in the teenager's mind.

Once they were out of the crimson eyed one's line of sight, he released his sophomore brother and looked behind him.

The fellow prodigy, Kabuto---he was also one who lead the batch by power of grades and great promise. Yet---there was something so difficult to understand about the senior.

...Just why hasn't he graduated if he was just that sterling?

Not that Itachi was concerned.

"And for your information, who said I would let him eat at the table? I was planning to sit with him and who he pleases to bring along. Or if it's possible we could leave the school and have food outside---it's a risk and I dare say I haven't done that in a while."

Why yes. The great Uchiha Itachi was also a miscreant.

But of course he was good enough never to get caught.

For what else reason would Kisame trust the cool headed teenager to keep his porn and H stuff when emergency moments came?

((OOC: The figurative language is in reference to the fact that Yakushi is a name of a plant that if taken on right dosages can be medicinal and helpful---but if otherwise, it can be very well be poison and can kill you. As well as to be careful of who you befriend---blah blah blah. XDDD; ))

Sasuke tried his hardest not to react as his brother easily switched from teasing him to practically fussing over him then back to annoying him on purpose without blinking an eye.

Now he understood why most siblings fought all the time. Itachi was being completely infuriating and it was really hard not to react to the open teasing.

"It's your decision, Aniki." Sasuke replied tonelessly, keeping his expression blank.