OUT OF PATIENCE

Kisame was sitting outside on the steps of an abandoned temple. The place was falling apart, but was perfect for providing temporary shelter for the two Akatsuki members that had been traveling nonstop for the past three days in the cold early winter weather.

Well, that was the intention anyway. But after what had just happened, Kisame had absolutely no desire to go back inside. He gritted his teeth as he remembered their fight. Damn that weasel…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kisame and Itachi were walking along the road. Both were tired from their trip, and eager to find shelter for the night. Kisame looked around and spotted the faint outline of a building, built into the hillside. “Itachi, how about stopping there?”

“That’s a temple, not an inn.”

“So? Shelter is shelter.”

“No.” The shark sighed; why did the weasel have to be so stubborn?

“Look,” he said, trying again, “let’s just go there and see if the monks will let us stay the night. If they say yes, we’re fine, and if they say no, we just kill them.”

“My eyes are in no shape for a fight.”

Kisame snorted. “What? You can’t just use your knives?”

“Such crude weaponry is more suitable for someone like you.” Kisame gritted his teeth as he resisted the urge to smack his partner. “Alright, I’ll deal with anyone that crosses us, will THAT make you happy?”

“Hn.” Kisame took this as a yes and took the lead, heading towards the temple.

When they arrived, they spread out and quickly deemed the area uninhabited. “See? You were worrying for nothing,” the shark grinned as they set their stuff down inside the building. It was dirty but still in good shape, meaning it would keep the cold out.

“I never worry for nothing. There could have been traps or enemies around here, and for all we know ANBU could use this as a meeting place.”

“Itachi, I think the lack of sleep is getting to you.”

“No, you’re just more concerned about sleep than protecting us!” the weasel snapped, sitting down on the ground and pulling off his sandals and cloak.

“What the hell’s shoved up your ass?!” Kisame yelled, patience finally giving out.

“Nothing. Go to sleep.”

“I’m going outside,” the shark growled, exiting the temple without another word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That had only been a little while ago, but Kisame was still pissed at the Uchiha and didn’t trust himself to go back inside yet. “Damn that brat, didn’t his parents ever teach him manners?” he muttered to himself, shivering slightly as the wind suddenly picked up. There was no way it should be this cold this early into winter. Then again, he’d been through worse. But he was now wishing he’d at least have grabbed his cloak before exiting the temple…

His ears perked up as he heard soft footsteps approach him, before stopping beside him. It had to be Itachi, but he really didn’t feel like putting up with his partner right now. His eyes shifted to the side before he could even look at the weasel. He felt his partner stiffen slightly; obviously he hadn’t expected such a cold reception. “I brought this,” Itachi muttered, holding out something. Kisame turned and caught dark colored fabric in his peripheral vision; the weasel had brought his cloak, probably as a peace offering.

“Thanks,” Kisame growled, grabbing the cloak and wrapping it around his body, still refusing to look at his partner. He heard the weasel sit down beside him and sigh. “I’m sorry,” Itachi whispered quietly. Kisame mentally raised a brow; that was a first.

The two sat like that for a while, both on the steps, neither one looking at the other. The wind picked up again, and Kisame wondered how his partner could take the cold. Even with his cloak on, the weasel was very sensitive to cooler weather. Kisame turned to his partner and froze.

Itachi didn’t have his cloak on. In fact, he didn’t even have his sandals on, and he was currently doubled over, looking like he was about to freeze.

“Itachi!” The weasel turned his head to the side and looked at his partner. “Hn?”

“Don’t ‘hn’ me!” Kisame growled, unbuttoning his cloak rapidly. His arms stretched out and picked up the weasel, pulling Itachi into the shark’s lap as Kisame wrapped the cloak around his partner. Dear god, the Uchiha’s body was ice cold, and he was shivering. “Why the hell you decided to go outside without your shoes, much less your cloak, is beyond me.”

“I didn’t think I’d be out here that long. But you needed time to calm down, and then you didn’t want to talk, so…” Kisame gave an exasperated sigh at his partner’s answer and rose to his feet, awkwardly carrying the weasel. “For the record, I’m still pissed at you. But that doesn’t mean I’ll let you freeze.” Itachi remained silent, head resting against Kisame’s chest.

The shark walked into the temple and pushed the door shut with his foot, before walking across the room and stopping in front of Itachi’s things. He kneeled down and put the Uchiha on the floor, wrapping the weasel’s cloak around his shivering frame. “There,” he said, standing to leave.

Itachi curled up into a ball, looking like he’d been kicked. This sent a small stab into the shark’s heart; no matter how pissed he was, he couldn’t see his partner in pain. Sighing as his anger melted away, he sat down on the floor and held out his arms. “Come here.”

Carefully, Itachi moved to his partner, crawling into the larger man’s lap. Kisame inwardly rolled his eyes as he felt how cold Itachi’s body still was. “How someone like you,” he muttered, rubbing the Uchiha’s arms rapidly to generate heat, “can be so stupid is beyond me.”

“Sorry,” Itachi whispered as the shark’s hand moved to his back, desperately trying to get his body to heat up. It seemed to take an eternity, but Itachi finally stopped shivering, and warmth began to return to his body. Kisame’s hands slowed down, and now rubbed Itachi’s back in a soothing motion, instead of just trying to make the smaller man warm up. “You are very lucky that I’m so forgiving,” Kisame growled as he leaned back against the temple wall.

Itachi looked up at his partner with a stoic expression on his face before giving the shark a chaste kiss. “I’m still sorry,” he mumbled quietly, eyelids closing slowly.

“Go to sleep,” Kisame ordered, tucking Itachi’s head underneath his chin. Once the Uchiha’s breathing was slow and even, indicating that he was asleep, Kisame leaned down and whispered, “Apology accepted.”