Do you see?

"It's too late to stop the coup d'état by the Uchiha. If civil war breaks out in the Konoha, other nations are sure to attack... which means a full-scale war." Shisui stands just a few meters in front of me. I can see blood tracking down his right cheek and slowly dripping on the cold ground. Something in me wants to scream, but I manage to stay as calm as I'm able to. They hurt him.

"I was going to stop the coup d'état by the Kotoamatsukami, but... Lord Danzo took my right eye." he sounds calm. Very calm.

Beast within me rages, I feel my knees starting to tremble, but I can't afford to let him see. I have to stay strong. I am strong... and together with him... we sure will solve this, somehow.

"He doesn't trust me. He intends to protect the village his own way, no matter what it takes or how it looks. I suspect he'll come after my left eye as well." he partially turns around, so I finally see the full damage Danzo has caused. My vision blurs for a second. It hurts so much to see him like this.

"Itachi." my name resounds. "I want to give it to you before he has a chance." I can't say anything as he reaches his left eye. There's something more into my fear of him hurting, than just physical pain he has borne, and will feel again. Slowly but steadily, the emotions within me start to rage, and I'm losing my control of them.

"Sh..." Shisui.

"You're the only person I can count on, Itachi. Please protect this village and honor the Uchiha name." he stretches his hand toward me, his remaining Sharingan hidden within his palm.

"Shisui." I manage to say his name. Wind blows through my and his hair, ruffling it. It feels cold, but I wouldn't feel any warmer even if it didn't, I suppose. It's this situation, that makes my fingers cold and stiffen and heartbeat quicken. My only, silent wish is to put an end to this all. Although I'm painfully aware of the fact, that I can't do anything now.

A crow flies down from the sky and reaches Shisui's stretched hand, grabbing the eye carefully into his talons and then scatters into millions of black feathers. I feel my own sharingan awaken, barely managing to push enough air from my lungs to reply.

"I accept it... What will you do now?" I already know what he's about to do, but I refuse to believe in it. I hate his choice. I hate his pain. I hate Danzo for doing this. It could've worked if it wasn't for him...!

My eyes begin to ache and my vision turns blurry again. It's tears, that cause it this time though.

"If I die, several circumstances will change." he steps back. Way too far away from me, and way too close to the edge of the cliff we're both standing on. "I've left a note behind already..."

I can't stop my tears anymore. Wind continues on ruffling our clothes and hair, but I don't pay attention to it.

"Wait! Shisui!" I reach toward him. Tears gently caress my cheeks before they drop on the ground and Shisui stops.

"Itachi." instead of tears, blood trails are flowing from his eyes. It continues down his neck and stains his clothes ruby red. "Don't stop me, Itachi."

His voice is harsh and it only makes my sorrow bigger. I step forward and reach one of his blood stained hands.

"Shis-ui." My voice breaks. I know I must sound worthless right now, but I don't mind. I feel worthless. He can't leave me. Not like this. Shisui I-...

"Itachi." I'm pulled into his embrace. All I can do is wrap my arms around his torso and let out partially-muffled sobs into the crook of his neck. "What is it, Itachi?" he's repeating my name softly; as if soothing me was the last thing he truly cared about. His voice is gently shaking as well and his breath is cold as he leans closer to me and exhales above my neck.

"I can't have you leave me." I whisper, hoping that he can understand everything I meant with that simple sentence. I tremble a lot, not caring about keeping my usual cold mask I was taught to hide behind from the very youth of my life.

He brushes his lips against my skin lightly.

"I have to." slowly, he lets go of my body and steps one more step further.

"Don't!" I can't help but to force my body against his one last time. I'm crying desperately and I feel his body trembling too.

Why?

"Itachi..." he lets me grip him tightly and pulls me even closer. "You know I have to. There's no other way. Do you see?" I shake my head as a quiet response and gasp hopelessly. He caresses my tears stained cheeks and I lift my chin to look at his bloody face before he leans closer to me and joins our lips.

It happened so many times before. It happened so many times, without us even realizing how dear we were to each other. How much we meant for each other.

"It's too late to start now." I cry.

"I know." he whispers and kisses me again, longer this time. "And I'm sorry I wasn't able to do it sooner." We both just stand there and cling onto each other. After we separate and gasp for fresh air, he squeezes my hands in his and pushes small kisses on my forehead and each of tear stained cheeks.

"I love you." I can't stop him from falling down the cliff as he makes one last step further from me. "I love you so much, Itachi." all I can do is scream his name and stretch my almost numb hand in his direction. Even though he can't see me, he smiles and I see his lips moving.

"You're beautiful. I love you like I've never loved anyone before. Itachi...!"

His body falls down, enclosing the distance between him and the ground rapidly. My knees crash against the rock as my legs betray me and I scream.

"I love you too! ... Shisui...!" before my voice gives up as well, I manage to add, "I'll find you! I'll make sure that we meet again!"

The last word already sound muffled and I let my forehead hit the ground.

"We will!" is the last thing I hear, before loud bump resounds all around and I jolt. Tears win over the last remains of self-control I've been keeping and let out a loud, frustrated cry.

... Shisui...

"...Remember your words..."

... We've never realized how much, in fact, we loved each other.

And it's too late for it now.