"Tell me you love me." Sasuke's lips gently brushed against his as the boy spoke; his voice soft, yet desperation to hear those words was painfully obvious.

"I love you," he whispered softly, voice almost breaking.

*

Itachi whispered the three words that Sasuke had been waiting his whole life to hear. Sasuke let out a shaky breath.

"I love you, too." He grinned, loving the sound of those words rolling off his tongue, like poetry. "I love you, Aniki!" He laughed. Sasuke felt like jumping around, shouting his joy at the top of his lungs. His brother loved him!

Instead of jumping around and shouting, he captured Itachi in a slow, passionate kiss, filled with the burning fire of their love. Burning fire? What is this, a romance novel? Sasuke let out a chuckle at his random, babbling thoughts. He'd never felt more alive than he did at that moment, kissing his big brother.

"Itachi," he whispered as he pulled away, "You must have so much to say. Why don't you say it to me?"

Why won't he let this drop? Itachi really didn't feel comfortable speaking more than a few words at a time. If I can't talk to Sasuke, then when can I? He took a deep breath, readying himself to take, what was to him, a large step.

"What do you want to know?" At those six words, Sasuke gave a huge grin. He pulled Itachi from his chair, onto the floor with him, sprawling out, getting comfortable for their first real 'heart to heart'.

"Tell me about you. Everything there is to know." Itachi sat with his back to the post of the bed, his legs bent in front of him, Sasuke straddling him, head on his chest, arms around his waist.

*

Two more weeks passed since the Uchiha brothers' heart to heart. Itachi now felt comfortable enough to speak around Sasuke as though they were best friends; joking and laughing as though they'd been doing it all along. They were currently sprawled on the floor of Itachi's room, panting heavily after a rather long make-out session. Sasuke had become frustrated with his math homework, and when Itachi tried to explain it to him, unsuccessfully, he'd thrown a fit, ending in them scuffling around on the floor, until hormones let fly and they became attached at the lips and hips for several minutes.

There was a knock on the door, giving the boys just enough warning to get off each other before Mikoto poked her head through the doorway. She grinned, her eyes closing in little reverse 'u's.

"Boys! Time for bed! Come on, Sasuke... I'll tuck you in!" She pushed the door wide open, revealing her to be in her white-with-pink-sakura-blossoms pyjamas, her hair in plaited piggy-tails.

"Kaa-san! I don't need you to tuck me in!" Sasuke's cheeks turned pink with annoyance and embarrassment. Annoyed that his mother was embarrassing him in front of Itachi.

Mikoto pouted. "But, Sasu-chan! You're my baby! Of course you need me to tuck you in!" She grinned again, holding out her arms for him to come to her for a good night hug, before going to bed to be tucked in.

"I still have homework to do for tomorrow. Itachi said he'd help me... I'll go to bed when we're finished." Sasuke sat back against the bed and crossed his arms, like a child determined to get his way.

"Oh, fine... make sure you aren't up too late... Good night, sweethearts." She came in and gave them each a kiss on the forehead and a hug goodnight before leaving.

"Miki-chan! Where are my boxers!" Fugaku called down the hall, having just gotten out of the shower.

"In the top drawer, Fu-fu!" Mikoto called out as she left the boys to themselves, closing the door on her way out.

The boys looked at each other at the corny pet-names their parents called each other. Sasuke suddenly had an evil-looking smirk on his face.

"What?" Itachi was a little wary of that look.

"Well, I was just thinking... Kaa-san and Tou-san have nicknames for each other..."

"So?" Itachi narrowed his eyes, suspicion written all over his face.

"So... I think I need a pet-name for you!" His smirk turned to a grin, though no less evil-looking. Itachi's eyes remained narrowed, daring Sasuke to even try to come up with something like 'Fu-fu' for him. "And... I think I have one..."

"I have a few good nicknames for you, too..." Itachi mumbled, flicking Sasuke's forehead.

"How about," he continued as though Itachi hadn't interrupted, though he rubbed his forehead. "Ta-chan?"

"No." Sasuke pouted.

"Ita-koi?"

"No."

"Chi-sama?"

"How about... no." Itachi picked Sasuke up, dragging him by the wrists to the bed. He had no intention of finishing Sasuke's homework that night.

"Itachi-Danna?" Sasuke grinned, having thought of a few kinky situations in which he'd like to use that pet-name.

"Hm... that one isn't too bad... Sasu-chan." He kissed Sasuke's cheek as he lay down next to him, his hand rubbing soothingly on the boy's chest, willing him to go to sleep.

"Aniki! Kaa-san calls me that! I don't want you to call me that! It'd be weird!" He rolled over so he was laying on his brother, half glaring, half pouting, wanting a different nickname.

"Go to sleep, Sasu-kohai." Itachi wrapped his arms around Sasuke, holding him close, bringing him in for a kiss.

"That's not so bad... at least it goes with yours..." Sasuke mumbled sleepily. "G'night, Danna." He was already nodding off, his head tucked under Itachi's chin.

"Night..." Itachi whispered, squeezing a little more firmly, not wanting to let go of the one who showed him it was OK to be human.