"So then…" Itachi thought, as his heavy lids began to droop. "It's finally over."

"I never thought I'd see the day when the mighty Itachi Uchiha fell."

The raven's eyes shot open.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"You're so close to death that you can't even recognize my voice? How pathetic."

The blue man jumped down from an upturned piece of cement, and strode towards the dying man.

"Itachi…" he whispered, slowly leaning forward.

His face was now directly above his partner's.

"Oh. It's you, Kisame." He was struggling to keep his eyes open, fighting death. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he sneered, "I'm here to see you die."

Itachi cracked a sarcastic smile. "Well, isn't that reassuring." He chuckled, "First my brother hates me, and now you, too…"

The Mist Ninja broadened his smile, exposing razor-sharp teeth.

"I think you misunderstand." He said, "I'm here because we're partners, Itachi."

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow.

"We're partners," he repeated, "so I'll stick by you 'til the end."

"Hn. How stupid."

The brunette began to let his eyes close again. "I'm dying, Kisame." He continued, "And there's nothing you or I can do about it."

"You're right, there isn't. But it makes no difference to me. EVERYONE dies."

His smile turned into a sincere expression. "Someday," he said, "I'll die too. It's not something that's easily avoided…"

A blinding light began to surround Itachi's vision, blurring what little he could see through those remaining slits of sight.

"However," Kisame continued, "since life is something one only gets to experience once, I don't want to die with regrets. I don't want you to die without knowing my feelings..."

No response.

The raven's mouth moved ever so slightly, but he was too far into the brink of death to even make a sound.

Slowly, Kisame bend down, scooping up his partner into his muscular arms. "I came because I couldn't let you die without this."

He pressed their lips together briefly before breaking apart.

The shark looked down at the weasel, and saw his eyes were now completely closed.

He sighed, and gently lay his friend back down onto the torn up battleground.

Slowly, he turned and walked away. Away from the scene, and away from the unavoidable death his partner had already put off for far too long.

Kisame smiled as the storm clouds blew away and the sun shown through, shining it's warmth onto his gills.

He smiled. "Itachi… I'll see you after death."