Chapter 3

His body withered in pain, as if he was experiencing something again. As a cough echoed, making his body ache, he wrapped his free arm around his torso to keep the shutter to himself but he knew that Kisame saw it all. It was the same every day.

He just got lucky when he was visiting Naruto that he didn't have a coughing fit.

Looking up at the gold eyes that were also tattooed – he was starting to think that his lover had an obsession for the body art – he saw the worry lace in them. Bowing his head, taking the glass of water that was offered to him, and the medication that were supposed to help him with the illness he was battling.

Pulling his hand away long enough to down what needed to be down, he stared at the crimson that was on it. It just told him that it wasn't working or he needed a stronger dose of it. Reaching for a tissue, he wiped his hand off and closed his eyes.

"You should have told me that you weren't feeling well." Kisame stated finally, breaking the silence that was finally there. Watching the eyes open of his Uchiha, he sighed. It was hard to get through to his lover now because of the fact that he accepted his fate as someone that was going to die of this illness.

"I should have done a lot of things fishie." Itachi replied with his head tilting to the side slowly so he could look at the man that loved him even if he felt like he was dying at times. Biting his lip, he lowered his gaze to the empty glass that was once filled with water.

"That's true."

Getting up, his body still reeling from the sudden cough attack that was on him, he reached down to get the book that was held so close to his brother. Holding it under his arm, scared that he would have another attack and send blood on it, he walked away.

"Where are you going?" Kisame's voice was laced with concern like his eyes were. Following the shorter man with his gaze, he wanted to go after him just so he would be okay but it wouldn't be right. He needed his privacy.

"Study. If Oka-san calls, tell her that I'm busy." The ebony haired man said as he readjusted his glasses so they would fit better instead of when he was going through the coughing.

Nodding, Kisame went back to lounging around on the couch with the soccer game on the television, maybe even catch a nap since he had to be at work early that day.

Closing the door behind him silently, his gaze focusing on the small room that was dedicated to his addiction to reading and it looking like a traditional Japanese room, he walked over to get in a seat that would be comfortable. He wanted to read more about the drama that was going through Sasuke's life that he didn't even know about it.

Looking down at the book that was in his lap, his hand itched to open it once more so he could read the next entry that was in it. He couldn't though. A part of him was afraid to read more of what was going on in the past when he should have been there for his sibling when he clearly wasn't. Pursing his lips at thought, Itachi let his eyelids fall.

Hoping that it would be this small moment of looking at the pictures and memories that he had of his only sibling, it grew longer. Before long it seemed like it was stretching on and his breathing was evening out. It made him feel peaceful and not like he was slowly dying from something that possibly didn't have a cure.

A lot shorter from the first two but I didn't really have anything planned for this. *bows* thank you all for reviewing, please review once more. They really brighten my day. :)