AN: This is a small poem that I originally wrote for a contest on dA. I didn't win anything, but I still love this poem, so could you tell me what you think, pretty please?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I never will. That's all I really have to say, right?

Through A Weasel's Eyes

"Sasuke... cling to your miserable life, cling to it and run..."

I say that, yet my heart aches more with every word

"B-big brother I-Itachi, this...this isn't you!"

Sasuke, if only you knew

"Hate me, detest me, grow stronger and try to kill me."

I hate myself more and more for every tear he shed

He charged, I punched,

Looking back, I'm not sure who that hurt more

What possessed me to do that?

I start to run away,

but he chases me,

unlocks the Sharingan, and throws a kunai

As it knocks my hitae-ate off, I can't help but let a tear run down my face...

but...

I had to do everything...

everything to let him grow up...

let him grow up in the village without a war...

I never want him to see that like I did...

"ITACHI!",

Eight years later, he runs at me,

Intent to kill etched on his face

He charges, yet again...

That time his hand crackles with electricity,

He's still no match,

Still not strong enough,

And my God, is that a cursed seal on his neck?

I reach out,

half-way wanting to poke him on the forehead like I used to;

Instead I break his wrist,

And I'm almost sick to my stomach

I pin him to a wall,

and whisper in his ear,

"Your hatred isn't strong enough, Sasuke.

Hate me, detest me, and fight me when you have the same eyes that I do..."

Though I know he won't obtain Mangekyo the same way I did,

or at least not if he turns out the way I hope he will...

The last battle,

Sasuke, this is it...

I love Konoha,

I love peace,

and I love you,

Yet the clan was about to destroy all three,

Konoha,

from the takeover they were planning,

Peace,

from the war that would inevitably result,

and you, Sasuke,

from the strife, and the pain, and the expectations...

Because of that I killed the clan,

because of that, I hurt you time and time again,

Because of that, I could never kill you

Because of that, I could never tell you the truth

I wanted to protect you,

I wanted to make you stronger,

I wanted to make a difference,

Sasuke... there are so many things I wanted to do...

My time is running out, though,

and I won't be able to protect you much longer.

My illness is eating my body,

and you hate me,

which I admit I understand.

So all I can do is free you from Orochimaru,

help you gain the Mangekyo,

and do my best,

which, when it comes to you, Sasuke, I have, and will, always,

to prevent Madara from approaching you...

Walking toward you,

both of us battered and bleeding,

as you try, desperately, to get away.

I get close to you,

poke you on the forehead, like I've wanted to do for years, now,

and die with a smile on my face...

"Sasuke, I'm sorry, but this is the last time..."

Well, I want to talk to you,

but I hope that,

the next time we meet,

to be a long, long time from now...

But for now, the weasel's eyes are closing,

and the last thing that they see,

is my younger brother's shocked face...

~Itachi Uchiha