Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter, another non-massacre AU. Sasuke is 16 and Itachi is 22.

21. Hope

It was a cold and stormy night, something that Sasuke always had disliked. As a child he would always be scared when he heard the sound of thunder rampaging in the sky outside, seeing the bright flashes of light decorate the sky in beautiful, yet scaring patterns, hearing the wind almost pull the trees from the ground.

But now, at the age of sixteen, he had overcome it. He would just snuggle closer to his brother's arms at night and then he could sleep in peace. But now there was something that wasn't right, since the old fear was creeping up on him even in his dreams tonight.

When Sasuke woke up in their bed in the middle of night, the first thing he realized was the noticeable lack of warmth and comfort. Itachi wasn't lying in the bed beside him, like every other night. Yawning he looked around, confused. The room was completely dark and another loud rumble of thunder outside made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"…Itachi?"

No answer. Sasuke got up from bed, wondering where his brother had gone. Even though he wouldn't admit it, he still felt a bit scared at the thought of being alone in the darkness when the thunder was rampaging outside. He called his brother's name again, feeling a little bit stupid, but shrugging it off.

"Nii-san, are you there?"

He then saw light coming from the living room and went over there. Sasuke stopped at the door and saw Itachi sitting in the couch, staring into nothing.

Sasuke's voice sounded slightly out of balance, a bit affected by the loud rumbles. "What's wrong? Couldn't you sleep?"
Itachi had never ever left their bed in the middle of night without saying anything before.

The lamp on the small table beside the couch was turned on, and his face looked paler than usual. He smiled tiredly, but it was something that felt wrong with it.

Sasuke sat down beside him without a word and snuggled up. Itachi put a blanket over him, still looking so distant. Sasuke was getting more uncomfortable, sensing his lover's mood. After a while, he spoke up.

"Why are you sitting here, nii-san?"

Itachi still stared out through the window and his gaze was very far away. Sasuke wanted to reach him. He flinched slightly when a particularly loud rumble echoed outside.

"Itachi?"

The older boy turned to him without any emotion visible in his dark eyes. "I'm sick, Sasuke."

The younger boy tilted his head to the side, confused.

"My illness has become worse. They don't know how much time I have left."

That was where their world stopped. Sasuke stared at him with wide eyes, refusing to understand at first. His brain just couldn't take the information. Itachi's… illness? But he had said it was going to be fine! And now this?

Taking a deep breath, the raven tried to calm himself without success. "What —- how… It can't be! You said -"

Itachi moved his gaze. "It can."

Sasuke could feel how everything collapsed. Their future suddenly seemed so far away, so dark.

Itachi suddenly started to cough. It was a violent and forced couching attack, and the elder put his hand over his mouth. When he removed it, Sasuke's scared eyes saw that Itachi's hand was covered with blood.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke…" Itachi's voice was quiet.

Sasuke forced all the suffocating emotions aside and put Itachi's head in his lap. Now it was his turn to be strong and comfort his brother. He gently caressed Itachi's forehead until he had fallen asleep. He looked really tired, he looked sick. Sasuke heard his wheezing breaths and his hands that were running through Itachi's hair soothingly started to tremble. Fear gripped his heart and squeezed it hard, making his chest ache.

Nii-san…If you die, I die too. I can't go on without you.

Sasuke sat by his brother's side the whole night, watching him sleep like a small child with his head in his lap. When the dawn's bright light shone into the room, his tired gaze didn't notice. It was too far away.

The next morning Itachi was up, looking paler and even more tired than the night before. He said he was completely fine, but soon Sasuke found him crouched over the sink, coughing violently and coloring it red with blood. The fear was putting a pressure over the younger raven, and he didn't know how long he would be able to stand it.

Itachi turned around from the sink and looked at him with kind, exhausted black eyes that made Sasuke's heart break.

"Even if I… if I wouldn't manage to go through this, I want you to continue living. Do you understand, Sasuke?" Itachi - Manage Storiessounded grave. It wasn't like him to face his brother like this, so must have realized how serious it was.

The teen gritted his teeth angrily. "How can you say that? If you die, Itachi, I'm going to take my life! How can you even fucking think that I will continue living without you?"

Itachi looked at him with his beautiful eyes filled with sorrow.

"If I asked you to live for me, to live for us both, would you do it then? For my sake?"

Sasuke had to remind himself to continue breathing. His other half was about to disappear from him, and he didn't know what to do. "If something happened to me, what would you have done, nii-san?"

"I'd die", Itachi answered without hesitation.

"Then why are you allowed to do such a selfish thing but not I? How do you – how do you expect me to live without you?"

"Sasuke", Itachi stepped closer and gripped his brother's hand. "I don't want you to throw your precious life away. Never. Do you hear me?"

"You can't die, nii-san! You can't do such a thing!" Sasuke was getting more and more upset. He didn't care that he was acting like a kid.

You're the only one I have.

Itachi's tired eyes opened slowly and he pulled Sasuke closer to him. "Don't cry, little one", he soothed.

Sasuke wiped his eyes. "I'm not crying", he wept angrily.

Itachi chuckled and poked his forehead, hoping to distract him, even though his own eyes filled with tears. "Come here."

Sasuke snuggled into his arms, sobbing violently. And now it felt better than ever before to be able to seek comfort and safety at his brother's chest. Even if it was the last time.

Itachi kissed his face softly, mumbling soothing words. But the other teen clung to him, broken. Itachi hugged his otouto tightly and clenched his jaws, wishing that there was away to just get rid of his illness. He had to continue fighting. He had to stand up, despite the pain. For Sasuke's sake.

I will survive this. I will manage to go through this. I must do it.
I will fight this disease. I will defeat it and be able to live my life. I won't let it affect me anymore and hurt the ones I love.

No matter the tears, the anger, the questions 'why me?'.

It's just a disease, after all. And my will is stronger than that. I will fight back, because yet I can take it. There are always those up and downs, but I believe I can get better. On sheer will-power only, if it is required. Even if they never find a cure.

They ended up on the bathroom floor, tightly entangled. Just hugging each other, breathing each other's scents and wondering how much time was left for them. Sasuke clung to his brother as if he never wanted to let go, and Itachi closed his eyes and rested their foreheads together. The younger calmed down when he felt his brother's presence so close, so protecting and comforting. At least their hearts were still beating.

Even if you were to disappear from me, Nii-san, I know that we will be together forever, in our hearts. I know that you will protect me, even in death. You'll be here.

And there's nothing I fear, brother. Because I know that you'll be here for me whatever happens. We will always stay this way.

The phone started ringing in the kitchen, and Itachi sighed and gently started to detangle them. He knew Sasuke didn't care to answer. But his brother still acted like a little kid and clung closer to him. Itachi sighed and put him down on the floor before he went to answer the call. Sasuke took a deep breath when Itachi's warmth had left him, and it all burst. He put his hands over his face and lay down on the floor, shaking with sobs.

"Nii-san…." was the only word he was able to form. Nothing else existed.

He didn't know for how long that hell lasted, and he heard Itachi start coughing again. He just lay like a corpse on the floor, deprived of all meaningfulness. Sasuke felt a warm hand stroking his forehead, but he didn't move. If Nii-san died… he would be lost, forever.

"Otouto…"

With tears streaming down his face, Sasuke finally looked up. Itachi was sitting beside him, his black eyes glistening with something close to… hope.

"Sasuke, don't cry."

"Easy for you to say", he began, you're not the one who is going to be left alone. He silenced when Itachi gently lifted him into his lap.

Itachi smiled a real smile for the first time in months. The words he said next felt so unreal, like a dream.

"I'm going to survive. They've found a medicine, that will at least keep me alive for a long time."

The younger boy's eyes widened and he looked completely perplexed for a moment. Then he pulled away and stared at his brother for a moment, before suddenly slapping his face.
"Never talk … about …. your illness that way again! Do you know how I felt - I was already wondering how to –"

Itachi silenced him by pressing their lips together in a firm, deep kiss. "I know", he said when they pulled apart for breathing. Itachi embraced him and Sasuke leaned his head against his chest.

This was a story
Of a bird without wings
And rose above everything
Never was giving up hope

Not until now he truly believed it, that love could help overcoming anything. Itachi knew, as he gently laid his brother down on the floor and kissed him again, that he could survive even though it was rough now. Feeling his baby brother's face between his hands, their lips together so perfectly, was enough to make him live forever.

I will get better, in the afterlife at least. If I didn't, there would be no point for me to live.

With his love, I will push my disease down and rise. No matter how much pain I'm in right now, no matter how I will struggle, what I cannot do right now, I will defeat the pain.

I will overcome my pain and become stronger. I will not give up until that day comes.

I will believe that I have the strength to heal from anything, deep inside of me. I can do this. No matter the hard and long road I have in front of me. I'll survive.

I will.

.

Dedicated to everyone who is suffering from any kind of disease/illness

Inspired by the song Hope by Idina Menzel.

A/N: This was quite a different theme this time! Please let me know what you think!