Naruto Littlespace!!!!

Story 3: Itachi and Little Sasuke

A small fire, badly in need of some kindling, burned in the center of a clearing maybe six feet across. Suigetsu lay on the ground on his back, not even bothering to move the sword strapped there. The other two huddled together on a fallen log, the girl just a lump under the boy's cloaks.

"What are you all moping about?" he asked.

Suigetsu craned his head back. "What do you want Kisame?"

"Well, your teammate and my partner are hanging out together, and as soon as you guy gets his bearings again, he'll try to kill my guy. And I don't think either of us want that."

"I'd be happy for Sasuke to kill Itachi," Suigetsu muttered.

"Itachi would kill Sasuke. We don't even know he hasn't yet." Kisame knew he wouldn't, of course, but the look on Suigetsu's face was priceless.

The teen stood, now a mere six inches shorter than Kisame--my, how time flies. He grabbed Kisame by his collar and glared right into his face. "There's no way that would happen."

Kisame leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "Of course not. I'm messing with you. Besides, your girl would feel it if he did, wouldn't she?"

"Damn straight," said the cloak.

Kisame laughed. "But seriously guys. We need a plan to extract Sasuke when he's big again so we can all leave here with our skins intact."

*~*~*~*~*

"Wow, so Kisame has the scariest one?"

"Yes. When he comes back, you do not touch it at all, understand? It has a mind of its own, so Kisame can only do so much to control it."

"I know, Itachi." 

The sun had started setting. Sasuke had started shivering. With some contortion and effort, Itachi unbuttoned his cloak, wrapped it around Sasuke, and buttoned the bottom fastens again. Sasuke snuggled into Itachi's neck.

"Itachi, look over there. That crack between those two boulders?"

The landscape had been riddled with boulders since the moment they entered Ice Country, probably due to glacial activity, but these "two" seemed to have at one point been one. A crack about the width of a thin teenager ran from bottom to top.

"Could there be a cave in there?"

"Let's look." Itachi took them closer, putting Sasuke down so he could squeeze into the crevice. "Oh wow. Come on in, Sasuke."

The little boy followed him. In the center of the boulder's split a tree had grown, strong, thick, and moss-encrusted. It provided just enough space for the two boys to sit down in its shade and huddle together for warmth. "Good find, brother."

Sasuke beamed. Itachi returned his smile, pulling him onto his lap and into his cloak again. For a few moments, he felt at peace. Everything is as it should be. It was beginning to break his heart.

"I miss you, Itachi." 

He froze. "I miss you too, when I go away on missions."

"Yeah. I wish you could spend more time in the village."

Itachi held him tighter. "I wish I could too, brother. I love you. I miss spending time with you."

Sasuke looked up. "Are you okay?"

Before Itachi could answer, Kisame's voice cut through the cold. "Itachi? You in there?"

Itachi set Sasuke down, stood up, and peered through the crack. "How did you find us?"