Mangekyo's Origin
"We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down…" Itachi whispered softly. He was staring at the Nakano River, his knees pulled up to his chest as he sat on the bank, his mind nearly blank—except for the quote and the prospect of the Mangekyo Sharingan. Shisui was leaning against a tree, staring outwards alongside Itachi.
"What?" Shisui asked with his left eyebrow raised. It wasn't usual for Itachi to whisper something so strange, and it had to have some sort of thought behind it.
Itachi, not giving a sigh of annoyance towards his older brother-like figure—as he would to others, calmly explained, "It's… something I heard a week ago in the village. The full quote is 'We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when they are told they are loved.'"
Shisui sighed and sat down near him before asking, "Are you afraid to be loved?"
"No. I'm not afraid to be 'plucked' or 'cut down'…" Itachi explained vaguely, not giving the older Uchiha much room to continue the interrogation. But, as Itachi knew, Shisui always found a way to get what information or thoughts he wanted out of Itachi.
"Ah, I see. So, are you 'plucking' or 'cutting down' the ones you love?" Shisui asked, turning his head away from the scenery before him and towards Itachi, his cheek in his palm. Shisui only acted so nonchalant and carefree around him—everyone, even Itachi and Shisui knew that.
"Perhaps. It's… in my nature…" Itachi said softly, looking down to avert his gaze from Shisui.
"I don't think so," Shisui said, leaning back and laying on the bank, ignoring the fact that it was getting his clothes dirty.
"You don't?" Itachi asked, surprised.
"No. I don't," Shisui said simply. For some reason Itachi never could manage to get what he wanted out of Shisui—but he didn't mind. Even with knowing the thoughts Itachi usually kept behind steel-locked doors, he still cared and supported him.
"What is my nature, then?" Itachi asked, curious to know what Shisui thought of him.
"Hmm… let's see… You're cautious… dominative… introversive… You'll overly a quiet guy, but a good one. That's your nature," Shisui concluded.
"… Are you… sure?" Itachi asked slowly, not sure how to ask his question, though it was a simple question. Long ago, though Itachi was normally a decisive person and a quick thinker, he realized just how much being around Shisui affected him. It was like he couldn't help that he became shier, more cautious… It was like he was automatically putting up blocks.
"Positive. Hey, let's go for a swim!" Shisui offered, lightening the mood considerably.
Itachi stared at him for a moment before glancing at the village. 'Good—everyone's still asleep…' Itachi noted to himself.
Itachi nodded and began pulled off his shirt and shorts, leaving him only clad in his boxers. Shisui was the first to race in, and Itachi waded out along the bank before finally pushing off against the bank and into the water. Itachi sighed and stared at Shisui for a brief moment. 'Now is the time. Killing him here… killing him in his favorite place would be best. I can make it look like suicide—easily. But… I want to build up to it…' Itachi thought to himself.
"Hey, Shisui?" Itachi asked as he began to float on his back, his head turned slightly towards the other boy.
"Yeah, what's up, Itachi?" Shisui asked before he, too, started floating.
"… You remember the Mangekyo Sharingan thing we read about?" Itachi asked.
Shisui's eyes darkened considerably before saying, "I thought we agreed to never speak of that again, Itachi," in his serious tone. That somewhat stung Itachi, as he was used to the usual, carefree tone—not the tone that he used to deal with people outside of the family.
"I… know. But, there's something I want to ask you…" Itachi said.
"What?" Shisui asked, his tone changing almost instantaneously.
"Are you afraid of me telling you I love you?" Itachi asked.
"What do you mean…?" Shisui asked, becoming increasingly suspicious of the young prodigy.
"Are you afraid of me expressing my feelings? Are you afraid I'll 'pluck' or 'cut down' you? Are…you afraid to be loved by me?" Itachi asked. Without realizing it, the two had drifted to the bank. Itachi flipped so that he was now standing on the bank and turned to Shisui, who did the same, but father down.
"No. I'm not. Are you saying you love me?" Shisui asked, a strange look on his face. Itachi nearly didn't go through with it, but the prospect of power that was just out of his reach seemed so appealing.
"Yes. Yes… I am…" Itachi said before lunging at his friend—his older brother—and the only one he ever truly loved.
And with that, Uchiha Shisui was drowned in the river. And, Itachi's parting words were, "Gomen-nasai... But… you were the one that I most needed to pluck and cut down…"
And, with that sentence, just a half minute after Uchiha Shisui died, Uchiha Itachi died on the inside as well.
A/N: Okay, really weird oneshot. I really doubt it was like this, or even close. But it's a strange idea/POV to see it from. And, anyways, the muse was the quote that's on my profile from Henry Rollins.