The kyuubi child says something else, but Itachi can't hear him properly over the chirping of birds, can't see him through the blue haze of rasengan.
It's then that Itachi, second to last of the famed Uchiha clan, realizes he's going to die. By friendship of all things. Not hate, not revenge, not suicide, mother fucking friendship.
And even through all the pain and confusion and death he can't help but feel a little proud for his otouto.
fin.