"You've lost weight," Kakashi observed, tracing the outline of Itachi's ribcage with a finger. "You need to eat more."
"I'm not hungry." Itachi closed his eyes in pain. He rubbed his temples. "Just..just be quiet Kakashi." Itachi sighed, his shoulders sloping with weariness.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just a headache."
"That's it. You're going to the doctor today. Go by yourself or I'll drag you myself."
"Okay," Itachi replied, too tired to fight.
Kakashi kissed the back of Itachi's head. "I'm sorry, 'tachi. I don't know how to make this better."
Itachi smiled slightly. "You can't." His smile said thanks for trying.
"What did the doctor say?" Kakashi asked, making his voice loud so Itachi would know he was in the bedroom.
Itachi came through the door. It was weird, Kakashi thought, to see the regal and usually put together Itachi in sweatpants that hung off his thin frame. He really needed to eat something. Itachi had always been slender but now he was bordering on skeletal.
"You don't look so hot," Kakashi blurted before he could stop himself. He almost smacked himself.
Itachi glowered in Kakashi's direction. Then he crossed the room where he basicallly fell onto the bed next to Kakashi.
"It's called temporal arthritis. I have to take corticosteroidsand. Oh and asprin, lots of asprin."
"Stay there. I'll go get you some."
Kakashi got up from the king sized bed. At the door he looked back at Itachi curled up on his bed, black hair fanning around him. He looked so peaceful. But he didn't belong there. Still, Kakashi would treasure every moment. He could sense a turning point was just around the corner. Though when the time came, he wasn't sure he could let the Uchiha go.
When he got back, Itachi was fast asleep. Kakashi chucked and set the water and asprin on the bedside table. Then he got on the bed next to Itachi, lying back to back to the sleeping Uchiha. Listening to Itachi's breathing, Kakashi fell asleep even though it was only five in the afternoon.
A few hours later, Kakashi was awakened when Itachi grabbed his arm.
"Kakashi?" Itachi's voice was strained.
Kakashi rolled over onto his side and propped himself up with an elbow. "Yes?"
"Look into my eyes," Itachi commanded. Kakashi obeyed, cradling Itachi's face with his hands.
He gazed into the bottomless night colored eyes he loved so very much. And to his surprise, the dark orbs stared back. They were no longer lifeless. They sparkled with recognition.
"Itachi! You can see! How in the world…?" Kakashi felt his own vision blur with tears.
"I don't know," Itachi replied quietly. His own eyes were wet. "The doctor said it was temporal arthritis but that's just because my dad had it. I didn't get a biopsy done. I think it's because I was under a lot of stress. That can do it, you know?"
"I don't care. I'm just glad your sight's back. Who else would appreciate all my visits to the gym?" Kakashi kissed him sloppily, giddy with happiness. "You know what this means, don't you?"
Itachi frowned at the tentativeness of Kakashi's voice.
"No. Tell me what it means."
"You and Naruto can be together now. Isn't that great?" Kakashi nearly choked on his own words. There was an acrid taste in his mouth, a burning sensation in his heart.