When Kisame was a child, his mother had told him something.
"Kisame..." she said to him, her arms around him, "There is someone out there that needs your love."
Kisame had thought his mother was crazy. Love was icky to a five year old after all. But now, in his thirties, he understood what she meant.
At the moment, Kisame and his partner, Itachi, were resting at an inn. Itachi was in the bathroom, doing god knows what.
It was odd. Two other former members of the Seven Shinobi Swords found someone to love in the form of children. Raiga and the sickly Ranmaru, as well as Zabuza and the pure Haku. Raiga and Zabuza needed the love of those boys as much as the boys needed theirs. Both were dead, and only Ranmaru was alive.
Itachi wouldn't truly be considered a child. He was in his teens, and at first Kisame thought that Itachi would not need him and he certainly didn't need Itachi. It was true at first, but Itachi's eyes began to fail him. Soon he would be completely blind, and then Itachi would need Kisame.
When Itachi learned that he would loose his eyes, he showed no signs of depression. In fact, he was the same, but Kisame soon learned that Itachi was planning to do something terrible.
Itachi was planning to kill himself. And Kisame almost realized it too late.
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They were staying in a cheap Bed 'n' Breakfast that day, and Itachi excused himself back to their room.
"I'm feeling tired, Kisame." he had said, "I'm going to bed."
"Itachi-san," Kisame asked, removing his hat, "aren't you going to finish your dango?"
"No..." Itachi answered.
"I thought you liked dango." Kisame retorted.
"I do..." Itachi said back, "But I can't taste it."
Now Kisame wasn't superstitious, but an old wives tale uncovered itself from the depths of his mind.
"They say when that happens," Kisame said with a toothy grin, "it means that some form of guilt or heavy burden is weighted on your shoulders."
Itachi looked at Kisame with a bitter smile.
"Maybe there is." he said quietly. And with that he turned and headed back to the room.
Kisame sat there, dumbfounded. Itachi never refused a chance to eat dango, and he most certainly never smiled. Unnerved, he ordered some sake to calm himself. But it didn't help. Kisame only grew all the more restless and was beginning to develop a feeling of dread. Soon the feeling was overwhelming and he headed to the room.
All of the dread he felt was centered on Itachi.
When he arrived, Itachi was not in bed. But it wasn't hard to find him in the small room. Itachi was in the tiny bathroom, looking at his reflection.
"Itachi-san?"
Itachi was trembling and breathing violently, he was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and thin trails of blood oozed from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth. All were signs that he had trapped himself in the Tsukuyomi.
Kisame grabbed Itachi's shoulders and turned him away from the mirror. Because the eye contact had been broken, Itachi was brought back to reality.
"Kisame…?" was all Itachi muttered.
Relief was soon replaced with anger, and Kisame shook his partner roughly.
"What were you doing?!" he screamed in Itachi's face.
"I'm tired… Kisame… I need… sleep." was all Itachi said before leaning into his partner and falling into unconsciousness.
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After that things began to change, and Kisame soon knew that Itachi needed him, even if he said he didn't.
Kisame opened the door to the bathroom and looked at Itachi, who was looking at himself in the mirror.
"Are you planning to try again?" he asked, his hand squeezing the doorknob.
"No..." Itachi answered.
Kisame stepped behind him and lent forward, wrapping his large arms around Itachi's lightly built chest, pulling the small man to his body. Itachi merely lifted his hands and gripped the mist nin's arms in response.
"That's good." Kisame said, a smile on his face.
"Why?" Itachi asked.
"Why what?" Kisame asked back, blinking his small eyes.
"Why do you care?" Itachi answered.
"Because I was born to care." was Kisame's response.
Kisame soon began to look for others that had someone to love. He was shocked to find such people around him.
He learned that even the Akatsuki had people to love.
Hidan has Kakuzu and Kakuzu has him. They fight and yell, yet they can't fight without the other. Hidan shows he cares by praying for Kakuzu's soul, and Kakuzu shows he cares by telling Hidan to be careful before every battle, even though he knows that Hidan will be fine. They now have someone that is capable of being by their side, for neither can die, or in Kakuzu's case, not very easily.
Deidara has Sasori and Sasori has him. They fight over who's art is better, but they are each others best critics. Deidara shows he cares by respecting his Danna's art, and Sasori shows he cares by putting up with the boy's explosive art. They know that great minds think alike, and because of that, when they're together they are an unbeatable team.
Zetsu has Tobi and Tobi has him. They never fight and Zetsu always praises Tobi. Zetsu shows he cares by taking care of Tobi and praising him instead of eating him, and Tobi shows he cares by showing Zetsu that he admires him, even if Zetsu is a cannibal. They know that when together, only happiness can bloom between them.
Pein has Konan and Konan has him. They have been friends since they were young, and to loose one another would be far too painful. Pein shows he cares by keeping Konan by his side and being there for her in battle, and Konan shows she cares by standing by him no matter what. They know that together, they are a god and angel, two halves that fit together like nothing else in the world.
No one in the Akatsuki was alone.
Kisame knows this now. And he is thankful for his mother. But more so for being by Itachi's side. He knows that he needs the small man.
The end
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Wow this is cheesy. But I love it anyway.