Disclaimer: This was written for fun not for profit.

Warnings: None, just a harmless little Sasuke/Itachi brotherly, non yaoi fic.

Rating: K, pairings none.

Criticism: I have been getting a couple of Itachi/Sasuke ideas in my head and decided to share what I wrote so far. Also, this is probably the most unedited story I have released, so let me know if anything needs to be revised. I just figured that I spend too much time in the editing phase, and if I ever hope to start posting again (/cough/ Things Pile On /cough/) I have to get away from that awful habit. So don't be too harsh with the criticism, else I fear I'll go back to my must-edit-until-my-fingers-fall-off-from-typing self. Anyways: Enjoy!

A Little Faith goes a Long Way

Clank clank, clank clank clank came the footfalls before heavy pants could be heard. Itachi looked up from the pond still rippling from his latest stone to see his younger brother bent over, clutching his knees and panting heavily. Sasuke looked like he had run the entire Uchiha compound. Itachi raised a brow.

It was then that Sasuke looked up at him. His dark eyes were saucer-wide and etched in fear. Itachi couldn't believe the surge of protectiveness that swelled up inside of his chest at the sight of his brother. He wondered why Sasuke was afraid, and instantly knew that his little brother had come to the right place. There was no way Itachi would let anything happen to Sasuke.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

Sasuke let out a couple of more pants before he finally answered.

"They're after me; they said that I was gonna get it for sure today!"

Itachi rose to his feet.

"Who said this to you, Sasuke?"

"Jun and Shou, and it's not just them, all their friends are gonna watch."

Itachi released a breath.

"Jun and Shou, is that all?"

Sasuke looked at his brother as if the older Uchiha had just jumped into a leotard covered in bright, pink polka dots.

"Is that all?!" he almost shrieked. "Maybe you didn't hear me: Jun and Shou are after me and they're gonna beat me up in front of the entire school!"

Sasuke's desperation and fear were making him sound a bit breathless, "The only reason why they haven't followed me in here and completely pounded me into the ground is because you are here!"

It was a common acknowledgement among Sasuke's peers that although Itachi was super cool given his genius status and record he was also someone to steer clear of, which was more than probably the reason why Jun and Shou had not dared to follow Sasuke into his mother's garden where Itachi normally spent his afternoons.

Itachi took a deep breath and went over to his little brother. Placing a hand on his shoulder he looked Sasuke straight in the eye.

"You have to go back there and settle this."

"What?" Sasuke said his fearful eyes searching his older brother's desperately. "But they're bigger than me and older and they'll kill me!"

"There is no way I will allow that to happen, little brother."

For the first time since he came crashing into their mother's garden, Sasuke looked a little relieved.

"Then you'll go out there and tell them to leave me alone?" Sasuke said hopefully. But Itachi shook his head.

"Sasuke, if I go out there, I will be able to get them to leave you alone—" Sasuke's eyes again looked hopeful. "For today," Itachi continued, "But come tomorrow they will be back again (and probably beat you up even harder), and what about the next day, and the one after that?"

"But-but Itachi," Sasuke shook his head, still not able to accept this answer from this brother. Truth be told he was terrified about facing Jun and Shou. He wasn't Itachi; he wasn't a genius that could easily handle anybody in a fight. No, he was just Sasuke; the younger brother who could barely throw a kunai into a target circle, let alone actually hope to fight off a real opponent. No, Sasuke wasn't capable of fending for himself; more than enough times his father had told him that—directly or indirectly.

"Sasuke," Itachi's voice made Sasuke stop fretting over the pebbles on the ground and finally look up into his older brother's eyes. "This is your battle and you have to go out there—"

But Sasuke was shaking his head.

"Even if you do not win, the very fact that you are willing to stand up for yourself will speak more to Jun and Shou then my presence will."

"But-b"

"Sasuke," Itachi's other hand went to rest on Sasuke's other shoulder; now both hands were resting on his younger brother's shoulders in an almost fatherly gesture. "Doing this will prove to them that you respect yourself and thus will give them more of a reason to start respecting you."

"But I'll loose."

"You have to do this because Jun and Shou are not the only ones who need to start respecting you, Sasuke, you also need to start believing in yourself."

"Besides," Here the corners of Itachi's mouth turned in a simple smile, "I told you before that I won't let anything too awful happen to you, little brother."

Itachi's hand moved to cup his brother's cheek. "You can do this Sasuke, you are my little brother, a direct line of the great Uchiha clan, you have the power to defend yourself; you just have to believe it, little brother."

"You promise you won't let them hurt me too much?" The hints of trust in Sasuke's plea made Itachi's heart pang. He loved his little brother, perhaps too much. And for a moment, Itachi wanted to go out there and scare away Sasuke's bullies himself, but he knew that if he did that then Sasuke would never learn to take care of himself. And more than anything else Itachi wanted Sasuke to be strong—mentally, physically, and emotionally. He knew that Sasuke already had a weak self esteem from their father's lack of acknowledgement. Sasuke didn't need anything else hindering his growth. So, with that thought, he slipped his hand through his little brother's and started to head for the exit of the garden out to the street, which no doubt was where Jun and Shou were still waiting.

Sasuke still looked fearful, but let his older brother lead him. Still, he looked up at Itachi with a small trace of desperation contained within his dark eyes.

"Big brother?" Sasuke asked again, still waiting for his brother to answer his question.

"Yes, Sasuke." Itachi answered, "I promise."

Sasuke felt his older brother give his hand a squeeze, before Itachi let go. Sasuke knew why; they were approaching the alleyway and Itachi wanted Sasuke to enter it not clinging to his older brother like a child, but strong and determined and ready to face up his adversary like a man. Still, he didn't know if he could actually beat Jun and Shou but with Itachi at his side, Sasuke felt a surge of confidence. If his brother believed this much in him, then maybe Sasuke could too.

---

Sasuke didn't end up wining the fight. But he did get a couple of hits in, one of which bloodied Jun's nose. And while both boys continued to pick on Sasuke for some time afterward, little by little their bullying started to turn into actual fighting, ones where more and more Sasuke came out the winner. And with that they started to see Sasuke as less and less of a target. And as for Itachi, did he end up keeping his promise to Sasuke after all? Well, yes and no. Yes, because he did eventually get in to break up the fight. But, no, because by then Jun and Shou were already thinking about calling it quits anyway.