This is a short ItaSasu drabble. Requested by and Dedicated to Nimbafuu.

Sasuke is 7-8 years old and Itachi is 13-14

Nightmare

Stars spread over a velvet sky, inside of the dream of a little child. But dreaming was not always easy, when so many things were going on and his mind was confused and worried. Heavy rain and dark streets outside, and he turned and tossed unable to fall asleep again. His bed felt empty and uncomfortable and nothing was like before.

Nii-san was gone. As was the rest of Sasuke's clan and family.

Sasuke's bed used to be warm and he used to sleep safe in his brother's arms, but that was never going to happen again. Nii-san didn't love him anymore, he had disappeared.

Nothing was left but emptiness, and the eternal insomnia his nightmares gave. Nothing was supposed to happen the way it went, but still, when night came Sasuke curled up in his cold bed and tried to forget the pictures burned on his mind.

Without his brother there, Sasuke had nothing to hold on to. He waited anxiously for the sleep to come, like a great painkiller for his bruised heart. But every night was the worst one he had ever experienced. He'd lay awake in the apartment he had gotten to live in for himself, just hoping for the pain inside to disappear. Only eight years old, a child without a family or happiness. And it wasn't the fact that he couldn't live at home anymore, it was the fact that Itachi had abandoned him that left him feeling… homeless. Meaningless, helpless.

How could he turn his love into hatred just like that? Love for someone that always used to be there, helping him with everything. Without his big brother there, Sasuke would always feel incomplete. He was homeless; he had nowhere to go, nowhere to find safety and trust.

Only… his memories. Burning sweet, so clear still.

X

"Nii-san", a seven-year-old Sasuke asked where he stood and shyly peeked inside the room of his older brother, "I can't sleep."

There was a soft chuckle in reply. "Not this night either?"

"Nuh-uh." The child shook his head, clutching his pillow firmly. Itachi was sitting on his bed, reading through some scrolls. His eyes were kind as he looked at his little sibling.

"I had a nightmare." Sasuke looked pleadingly at his brother, hoping that he would understand. Itachi took his time putting his scrolls aside, before he reached out his arms invitingly. With his face lightening up with joy, Sasuke hurried forward and climbed into his brother's lap. Itachi hugged him as he lay down, keeping the younger close to his chest.

They lay together underneath the blankets, tightly together. Sasuke snuggled up to his brother's chest and could feel his calming, soothing presence fill him up completely.

Their noses touched gently and Sasuke couldn't help but giggle softly, despite the horrible dream that was still hovering in the back of his mind. Itachi's eyes found his.

"Sasuke… do you want me to read you a bed-story?"

"Yes…" the child mumbled contently, but was a bit alerted when he saw Itachi's eyes turn red.

"Nii-san?" he asked a bit confused, staring into the Sharingan eyes.

"Hush, wait and see, otouto", the elder said and stroked the child's cheek as he closed his eyes for some moments. Sasuke stared at his brother's face in anticipation and confusion.

Itachi kept his eyes closed for a short while, before he opened them and caught the willing eyes of his brother. Sasuke gave a small start when the Mangekyo Sharingan engulfed his vision completely and the world turned black, red and white in the next moment. But Itachi's calming hand in his soothed him.

Sasuke looked around, wondering. He heard his brother's voice in the next moment: "Don't worry, otouto. I am right here." And in the black-white world he was willingly trapped in, he saw his brother standing before him, smiling. Itachi held out his hand.

"Come with me."

Smiling whole-heartedly Sasuke took it and followed his brother.

Even in this unknown world that he had heard so much bad things about, he felt safe because he knew that his beloved Aniki was with him. The surroundings changed and suddenly he saw a younger Itachi – he seemed to be in his own age or so. Itachi's past self was holding a bundle in his arms ever so gently, mumling: "There, there", when the bundle whined slightly. "Don't cry, Sasuke. No matter what happens, your big brother will definitely protect you."

The surroundings changed a moment later and Sasuke saw a younger version of his brother helping a baby to take his first steps. Wanting to touch that cuddlesome younger version of his brother, he reached out eagerly. But the world changed once again and he saw a memory of the two of them playing hide-and-seek in the woods together. Sasuke couldn't stop himself from smiling as he watched it.

This remembered him of those wonderful times when they could play for hours, not having a single thing to worry about. Itachi kept on showing him precious memories from their past childhood, and soon he was creating own memories of their future where they were older. Sasuke could soon see a teenage version of himself sitting beside his brother, watching a sunset, and lying beside Itachi on soft grass while holding his hand.

Itachi always used his eye weapon to hurt his opponents, so it took a great deal of concentration to keep the hurtful images out of his little brother's head, but he still let it tire him out. After a while Sasuke was becoming really sleepy, mostly because of the force of the Tsukiyomi, and it started feeling like a dream.

But even so, this was the best dream he had ever he was together with his beloved brother and no one could ever separate them. It didn't matter what anyone else said, because his heart would always be wide open for him. Sasuke was almost asleep when he saw the final image; both he and his brother were grown-up. He saw Itachi taking his face in his hands ever so gently, and in the beating of a moment their lips met.

"I love you, otouto. More than anything else in the world."

Sasuke was not sure if he had imagined the soft voice or if it was for real, but the world faded away and he was lying beside his brother in the bed again. He yawned widely and saw Itachi's eyes turn back to the original Sharingan again. Sasuke's little hands cupped his brother's soft face in his hands and stroked it gently while staring into his eyes.

"Nii-san…"

"Hm?"

"Your eyes… they are pretty."

Slight surprise was visible in the older brother's eyes for a moment. "You think so?" he asked softly. Sasuke nodded. "When will my eyes be ready?"

"You're still too young", the elder answered tenderly, "About three or four years, maybe."

"But your eyes –"

"That's another case", Itachi said dismissingly and pulled his brother closer to his chest. "Don't think about that. You're still…. so young."

"I am not!" the tomato-lover protested half-heartedly against his chest.

"Hush, otouto. Time to sleep."

Sasuke looked up at the elder and smiled shyly before wrapping his arms around his neck.

"I love you, nii-san."

"I love you too", Itachi reassured. "Far too much."

"What do you mean?"

Itachi sighed softly while burying his face against the younger boy's hair. "It means that you are the only person I will always think about and do everything for. It means…"

Sasuke was now sleeping safely in his arms, happy and warm.

"That I'm in love with you", the elder finished. He closed his eyes, knowing what would happen soon. Little Sasuke was living in a shielded world, unknowing about all bad things. But Itachi would keep his love inside of him, even if his brother never found out or understood. Even if his feelings hurt him, Itachi would be there for his brother time and time again. When Sasuke needed comfort, someone to talk to, a place to go where he couldn't stand himself or just needed help, his older brother would always give him everything he had.

And when Sasuke just needed someone to love, Itachi would always be there.

xxxx

Sasuke's tears soaked his pillow and he clutched it firmly, not knowing what to do with himself.

Nii-san! Come back! I need you! Why did you have to do this to me?

I miss you. I miss you so bad I can't even…

Please. Come back. I don't want to be alone.

The loneliness is scaring me.

I can't sleep, nii-san!

I have been unable to sleep since the day you left. I need you to tell me that everything is going to be alright.

As night was passing by and it became impossible to fight against his sleepiness, Sasuke sank into a restless sleep. Homeless in his locked heart, abandoned, all alone and still… beloved. His heart was beating without reason; he searched, hoping to find just one single thing in life that was worth to hold on to.

He wanted to die, even in his sleep. Because the knowledge that Itachi had never been serious with anything he said was killing Sasuke.

What he didn't know, was that he was not alone. He had never been.

A dark shadow was sitting on the edge of the bed now, watching the child sleep while he despairingly clutched his pillow.

Itachi couldn't ever make up for the pain he had caused his brother, even if he was going to be punished for the sins of his clan. Even if Sasuke would never forgive him, Itachi would still keep on loving him every moment of the day, every year of their existence. Worrying about him, hoping for his safeness.

He bent down and lifted Sasuke's little body up in his arms. So tragic this world was, so sorrowful. So much darkness and pain.

But right here in his arms there was a sparkle of light, a little bit of warmth in the cold times.

Itachi did not have the strength to stay away from him any longer. As he rested their foreheads together, he murmured softly:

"Sleep, little brother, and when you wake up I'll be by your side until the end of all time. I won't leave you again."

May lightning strike me dead if I were to break that promise.

And Itachi would keep him safe; chase all the nightmares away for his little brother. He would be his home.

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