Uchiha Shisui was as much of a pacifist as his best friend Itachi was. He, too, abhorred the consequences brought by war.

So how could he possibly sit back and watch as his very clan decided to do a coup d'etat against the village he held dear?

He was worried because not only would it implicate the innocent Uchiha children but also Naruto, the friend he held dear despite knowing him for a very little time.

He went directly to The Lord Third and proposed to cast a genjutsu on Uchiha Fugaku and the clan elders.

His plan was approved by the old man. However, the creater of ANBU ROOT Shimura Danzo decided that it was too much at stake. So, it was better to kill of the entire clan.

Shisui didn't want that.

He did not want a war. But more than that, he wanted his clan, his kinsmen to be happy and have their lost honour back.

Thus, the moment he caught a whiff of Danzo's nefarious scheme, he decided to act.

Uchiha Shisui had ran to the place where he had asked Itachi to meet him with all his might and at the fastest speed he could muster up.

As his heart thundered against his chest, Shisui prayed desperately to not encounter any obstacles on his way.

He had to reach to Itachi before something could go wrong.

He had to do it!

Shisui ran faster and faster than he ever had, the green leaves rushing past him as he zoomed through the forest in the dark.

His own footsteps seemed too loud to his own ears. The odd stillness of the forest drilling through his entire being.

He was feeling unsafe, surrounded by unknown dangers. He was feeling paranoid as he sprinted with all he had.

He had to reach Itachi, he had to let his best friend know what awaited them——

Shisui shouldn't have lowered his gaurds.

He should never have.

His thoughts roamed around Itachi, around his family and around Naruto.

If he were to die, would Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto be able to handle Itachi?

So far, the blond boy had done a phenomenal job in handling both Itachi as well as Sasuke. Maybe he would be able to heal Itachi from what was to happen tonight.

Shisui would have preferred to live through this ordeal and watch his best friend — who was like a brother to him — grow out of his shell.

However, it seemed that he would not be able to fulfill this wish of his.

Shisui was ambushed on his way to the meeting place. He was caught by surprise by the onslaught of merciless attacks from the ROOT members.

Their every attack was aimed to take his life.

And not just his life. But his eyes as well.

Shisui cursed as he fended off the attacks aimed at his eyes, only to leave an opening for another ROOT member to attack him.

And that was it.

A fucking poision was injected into his body. As the poison's effect slowly kicked in, Shisui fought the all he had.

He was desperate. A beast in his own right. A dying beast cornered to his death who wouldn't hesitate to kill.

Shisui slashed one of the ninjas into two as he ran past the ambush only to be brought to his knees by a sword that stabbed right through his midriff.

Blood filled his mouth as Shisui sluggishly glared at the ambitious and traitorous old man who walked up to his sluggish form.

Brought to his knees, the best of the best Uchiha snarled at Shimura Danzo like a feral beast he was.

The beast Danzo should have feared but didn't.

As the ROOT members pressed Uchiha Shisui on the dirt, Danzo knelt on one knee, his feet in front of Shisui's face. 

He felt disgusted and angry. But he didn't feel the fear he was supposed to in face of his doom. Shisui was determined to reach Itachi. No matter the cost.

Even if the cost was his Mangekyo Sharingan or his very eye.

Danzo smiled coldly at him, ruthlessness painted on his features as he dug his fingers into Shisui's eye socket, wanting to dig it out.

So this was what he was after. Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.

He wanted the powerful dojutsu for himself.

Shisui stopped struggling. Feigning powerlessness, as if he had given up on putting up a struggle.

When Danzo finally did dig his right eye out, the eyeball came out with a pop. Shisui shivered, biting his tongue to stop the scream that threatened to spill out of him.

No, he couldn't give this man the satisfaction of his pain. I have to hold on.

He trembled, exhaling shakily as warm sticky blood gushed down his right cheek. The chokehold on him lightened for a fraction of second and Shisui took the chance.

Using his speed to use a teleportation jutsu, Shisui made it to the place he has asked Itachi to meet him.

From the one eye he had left, Shisui saw Itachi's lonely form standing at the cliff with his blurred vision. His only eye felt hot as tears and blood filled his eyes.

His entire body was in tatters as he stumbled his way to his best friend, to his dearest brother.

Hearing the sound of his laboured breaths and of his heavy footsteps, Itachi turned around, his impassive face crumbling to bits as shock overtook his features.

The Uchiha heir ran to his best friend and fell to his knees holding Shisui by his shoulder.

“Sh, shi, Shisui?“ he asked, his voice trembling as he took in Shisui's state, especially his missing eye. “What happened?“ He asked trying to wipe off the blood of his best friend's face.

Shisui shook his head and opened his mouth to explain some of the events to the younger Uchiha.

“... Itachi, he took my right eye and he wants the clan, our clan dead,” Shisui rasped out, feeling pained with every breath he took. “Itachi you have to make sure he, never succeeds.“

Itachi's lips quivered, his eyes watered as he whispered. “You mean 'we', right?“ He asked. Shisui remained silent as he stood up, staggering despite Itachi's support.

The twelve years old raven looked absolutely shaken at the sight of the strongest person he knew.

It pained him to see Shisui suffer. Itachi's entire body shook as he forced himself to stay still.

Shock overtook him as he saw Shisui reach out to dig out his other — his only — eye. Grabbing his hand, Itachi asked, his voice shaking with every word he spoke.

“What are you doing, Shisui?“

Shisui freed his hand and pulled out his remaining eye and held it to Itachi, closing his eyelids to cover the sight of empty sockets from the younger boy.

As blood spilled from his eye and lips, Shisui spoke through the pain.

“Itachi,” he rasped out, coughing. “Take this and, and retrieve my other eye. Then, give it to so someone you can trust and know will put my Mangekyo Sharingan to good use. Itachi, restore the Uchiha clans pride and help this, this village remain safe, yeah?“ He grinned at his best friend — or rather the direction he thought Itachi was in.

The first person that came to his mind, who could use his Mangekyo Sharingan was Naruto, but he pushed aside the thought in favour of helping Itachi awaken his.

Staggering to the edge of the cliff, Shisui heard the gurgling of gushing water of the Naka river under them.

Looking down at the river as blood gushed down his cheeks and dropped into the river, Shisui turned back.

To where he heard Itachi's breath hitch.

“Itachi,” he whispered hoarsely, knowing that what he was going to ask him to do was going to haunt the Uchiha heir forever.

But what must be done couldn't be delayed anymore.

“Y, yes?“ Itachi asked. “Get away from there Shisui. You will fall down.“ Shisui shook his head and opened his eyes.

His eyeless sockets staring at Itachi.

“Itachi,” he repeated. “Push me.“

“What?“ Itachi froze. “No- No—!“

“Itachi,” he repeated with more firmness in his voice. “Push me. Kill me and awaken your Mangekyo Sharingan.“

“No— no— I don't want it! I don't want this! Shisui please come back.“

“Itachi,” Shisui spoke again, his trembling voice pierced through the silence. “Push me. Kill me. Kill me now.“ He begged. “It hurts. It hurts so much. Itachi, please, please, please, push me.“

“No—”

“Do it!“

Shisui pressed on until the Uchiha heir stepped closer to him, wanting to pull him back. Shisui made an accurate judgement, grabbed Itachi's hand and made the younger Uchiha push at him instinctively.

Shisui was knocked off-balance as he fell to his death, a smile fleeting on his lips as he heard Itachi's anguished scream.

“Shisui—!!!“

This was perhaps the loudest Itachi had ever been.

What a shame, for this would be the last time Shisui would ever hear his voice.

Itachi fell on his knees, eyes wide as he stared at the river where Shisui fell a moment ago.

He raised his hands to his eye-level, they shook as he looked at Shisui's eye in his palm, the reality not quite kicking in until he left blood streaming down both of his eyes.

Shakily, he reached out to touch his cheek, his heart felt cold as he mutely stared at the blood on his fingers, the back of his eyes was throbbing slightly.

Oh, he realised. He must have awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan.

Itachi, still reeling with shock did what his instincts demanded from him. Shisui's words ringing in his ears as he clutched the eye in his hand.

He should give Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan to someone he trusted?

Itachi all but used teleportation jutsu to his get to his home.

Standing at the dark hallway of his home, a little distance away from his room's door, Itachi tried to drag himself to his room under the feeble glow of moonlight filtering through the window.

With Shisui's eye still clutched in his hand, before the ANBU could take even a single step forward, he whirled around — nerves taught — at the sound of something shattering to the ground.

A soft, familiar voice called out.

“Itachi?“

It was Naruto.

For some reason, relief washed over Itachi as he looked at the boy whose features were hidden by the shadow he stood in.

As the boy drew closer to him, Itachi felt his grief weighing down on his body.

“Itachi?“ Naruto gasped, pressing a hand on his lips as he all but rushed to the older boy. “What happened?“ He asked, taking in Itachi's blood-ridden features.

“You are bleeding,” he whispered and wiped off the blood on Itachi's cheeks using his sleeve. “Where is——”

Before he could finish the sentence, Itachi crushed the blond into a hug. It was as if the ANBU was clinging to Naruto for his very life.

Itachi gasped pressing his forehead on Naruto's shoulder. “Naru, Naruto,” he whispered, quiet sobs leaving his lips. “Shisui, Shisui is gone.“

He felt Naruto stiffen in his hold.

“What?“ the boy asked, his voice dropping to a whisper. “How?“

“I—— I killed him.“ Naruto hugged Itachi harder.

“What are you saying Itachi? You would never kill him.“ He whispered softly, his voice quivered as he spoke.

“I did,” Itachi choked out. “Danzo stole Shisui's eyes and he made me push him into the river! I killed him, Naruto.“ He sobbed harder.

Naruto closed his eyes, his hands trembled as he held Itachi against himself tighter, tears streaming down his eyes, gleaming under the moonlight as they remained in the hug.

Grieving the loss of their friend.

Shisui's smiles flashed in front of Naruto's eyes as he answered admonishingly. “You didn't. That's a suicide and——” he choked, sniffling “——that explains your Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi.“

He bit his lips, trying to make the older boy stand up.

“Come, let's go to my room,” he whispered, harshly wiping off the tears on his own face as he opened the door of his room, the shattered porcelain long forgotten.

Itachi's broken sobs echoed through the room as he held the Namikaze heir closer. Naruto pressed his chin on Itachi's head as tears streamed down his face while he casted a silencing seal on the room.

Staggeringly, the two of them somehow made their way to Naruto's bed where a book on sealing lay open.

Carelessly, the blond swept the book aside and made Itachi sit on the bed. The latter being far too distraught at the loss to do anything.

“He— he—” Itachi's gasped, feeling his throat tighten. “He made me push him, I— I killed him.“ Turning to look at Naruto's tear stained face, Itachi whispered more to himself than to the Namikaze. He felt lost.

“Naruto, Shi—Shisui, he— he is gone.“ Itachi whispered, fresh tears filling his eyes as the reality kicked in.

Gone was the once quiet and graceful Uchiha. What was left behind of him was just a broken soul who believed he was the one who killed his own best friend.

Naruto dropped beside Itachi, his trembling hands held Itachi's cold, pale ones. Heaving a shaky sigh, he made the Uchiha look at him.

Itachi's tearful eyes were illuminated by the moonlight spilling into the room through the window as he looked at Naruto with unfocused gaze.

“Itachi,” Naruto whispered, biting his lips to stop his own cries. “Itachi, listen to me—— please.“ He begged.

Itachi hunched over, looking decades older than he was. Unable to meet Naruto's eyes — that were filled with so much pain and gentleness — he covered his face with his hands trying to stifle the coughs that threatened to wreck through him.

“You didn't kill Shi, Shisui,” Naruto clenched his hands into a fist. “He chose to die, die an unnamed death if it meant that you and the Uchiha clan could be safe. He is—— was a hero, a victim. All along.“ Staring at his fists on his lap, Naruto continued, voice thick with grief. “Honour his last wishes, whatever they may be.“

With that, the boy who'd been holding himself together fell apart like a sand castle as he wept into Itachi's arms.

He had know Shisui for a little more than a year and yet — yet his loss weighed so deeply on him. Naruto couldn't imagine how much grief Itachi must be suffering over the death of his — his dearest friend.

For they weren't just friends, they were brother. More of a family than anyone else.

It pained Naruto to see Itachi suffer. He didn't want the ANBU to suffer. He never wanted.

And so, silently, he promised himself to be there for Itachi no matter the circumstances.

Unless he couldn't. He would be there for him.

The heavy, grief-laden silence persisted through the room for more than a few hours as one of the two could even think of sleeping.

“Naruto,” Itachi whispered hoarsely, honorifics long abandoned. “Shisui, he, he wanted me to give his Mangekyo Sharingan to someone I could trust.“ Naruto nodded against his shoulder.

“Itachi, your mind is exhausted. You need to sleep.“ Naruto sighed, laying the older boy on his bed. “Let's talk about this tomorrow, please you need to sleep.“

Itachi fell silent with his head on the soft pillow as he nodded, closing his eyes.

“Stay with me?“ He said — asked — opening his eyes to look at Naruto.

Naruto looked at him, his eyes watering at the sight of the emotionally exhausted Uchiha.

Jerkily nodding, he promised. “I'm here.“ He whispered, watching Itachi fall asleep while holding his hand. “I won't leave.“

Word Count: 2626

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Hate me, for I hate myself too, having killed Shisui here. I feel pained. But he was a tool - I suppose - to bring ItaNaru close. Though he shouldn't have died. Not here, nor in the cannon.

Alas. Such is life.

Perhaps he'll make future appearance even if just as a memory.

Rip Shisui, baby I love you so much.

—— Seamless Sky