DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO ===
'Itachi...'
Itachi shifted slightly in his bed, sweat starting to form on his forehead.
'Promise me...you will always take care of Sasuke...'
The Uchiha cringed slightly in his sleep, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself.
'Our pain will only last an instant, unlike yours...'
A cough ripped it's way up Itachi's throat, the familiar sensation of tears prickling his eyes.
'The way we think is different, but we're still proud of you...'
Itachi whimpered softly, tears streaming down his face. "Father...Mother...'
'You really are gentle...'
Kisame practically jumped out of his bed when his smaller partner let out a wail of pure torment, dashing to his side. "Itachi? Hey, kid wake up!"
The poor kid was hyperventilating, sweat and tears mixing on the sheets below him as he bit back sobs. His brow was furrowed and his eyes tightly shut as he tried blocking out the memories of his past, slowly but surely the images flying to his head. His sword inches from his mother's back, his father's once strong and powerful body falling lifelessly, Sasuke's terrified face...
Kisame shook the raven haired boy, finally snapping him out of his nightmare. Itachi looked around wildly, his sharingan activated and swirling in his temporary hysteria.
"Itachi. It's me, Kisame...Take a deep breath...You're ok..." The Uchiha looked up at the blue man, taking a small breath before shakily letting it out.
"Again...Breathe in...Breathe out..."
The younger repeated the simple task a couple of times until his heart rate steadily decreased and the images of horror were pushed to the back of his mind. He looked up at the elder man, happy to see the familiar sharp smile on his face.
"Are you ok?..." Itachi nodded, crawling into Kisame's lap and rest his head on the muscled chest. He closed his eyes, listening to the rhythmic beat coming from his partner.
"You had me scared for a second there...I thought you finally went off your rocker..."
Itachi let out a small noise, something like a chuckle that brought another smile to Kisame's face. The Uchiha relaxed more, slowly getting back to the half dozing state. He was happy that Kisame was his partner instead of someone smaller than him. It felt nice to have a larger body around, someone who you could put faith in that they would always protect you, or try their hardest to.
Kisame was his rock. His anchor to reality. And he would always take that to heart.
===