Chapter 27: Hate only breeds more hate.
He really was dating an idiot.
Sasuke stood on the sidelines as he watched his boyfriend stuff his face full of dango, eager to win the eating competition. They were at a food festival in a more bustling village on the outskirts of the Land of Earth. Dango after dango got shoved into his mouth, as the blonde clearly barely chewed it before swallowing. The winner: whoever finished first.
Thirty Dango.
He had three other competitors. A man who carried a bit of a belly on him. A woman who was well built- she was clearly a ninja. And a child, who was in the lead with Naruto. If he assumed correctly, the man with the belly was the child's father.
The crowd cheered, some making bets. Sasuke had bet on the woman just to spite his boyfriend, who had joined this stupid competition despite his warnings.
"Go! Go! Go! Go!" A chorus repeated in his ear over and over.
Naruto's mouth was stuffed, as he clearly struggled, but when he met Sasuke's raised eyebrow, his eyes lit with determination, eager to prove him wrong as always. The child who had been in the lead with Naruto opted out, running to the side to throw up. Sasuke made a face of disgust. The man followed his child, to check if he was okay, forfeiting as well.
The woman was trying to catch up, but it was in vain as Naruto was now down to five dango.
To challenge the blonde a bit, while he was chewing and trying to digest all that starch, Sasuke opened his mouth and loudly proclaimed:
"Ten-"
The crowd stilled. Then got the memo.
"Nine-"
They continued for him, rushing his boyfriend. Naruto glared at him, clearly not amused but to Sasuke it was funny.
"Eight-"
He swallowed what he had before shoving two dangos in at once.
"Seven-"
Sasuke had never seen someone chew so rapidly.
"Six-"
He watched Naruto's throat work as he forced it down.
"Five-"
He gulped some water down.
"Four-"
Another two. Cheeks representing a chipmunk. He hated that he found it cute.
"Three-"
The crowd got louder.
"Two-"
The last dango.
"One!!!"
Everyone erupted into more cheers, applauding him as he finished it all in record time and won the competition. The other two slumped, both from defeat and relief probably. The host of the competition went to Naruto, who looked a bit green, took his hand, and thrust it skyward with his own.
"Our winner is none other than the famous Naruto Uzumaki!!!"
Naruto grinned at him, lips sticky, mouth messed, and in triumph, clearly overjoyed. With his name confirmed before everyone, Naruto had to sign quite a few autographs before he could claim his prize. Sasuke waited patiently on the side.
The price was a dango plushie. Naruto chose a yellow one with rosy cheeks and happy eyes.
"For you-" He handed it to Sasuke as he walked towards him. "Even though you tried to sabotage me."
He took it. The last time he owned a plushie was the dinosaur that he had cried for his mother to buy him. It was green and small, and one of the things he had kept until he left for Orochimaru. It must be gone for good now.
"I motivated you." Sasuke corrected, reaching out with a serviette he had swiped to dab at the blonde's lips.
"By pressuring me!"
"And look at how well you did under it."
"What are you going to name it?"
"Name what?" He said as he gave Naruto some more water.
"The plushie." The blonde said as he began gulping down an entire bottle of water.
Sasuke looked at the thing, all bright and happy.
"We already have so many things with us," Sasuke commented. He still had the snake Naruto had carved for him. Naruto had brought the toad Sasuke had carved with as well. Now, they had this soft, squishy-eyed thing with them.
"We can give it away if you don't want-"
"I want it." He hurried to correct, realizing too late that the blonde was playing with him.
"Those are my favourite words coming from your lips." From the way he said that, he knew Naruto was thinking more inappropriate thoughts.
"Shut up."
Naruto laughed, following Sasuke as he turned on his heel.
"Come on, whatcha naming it?"
Sasuke was horrible at naming things. He had named his dinosaur well… dinosaur. Then, he got an idea.
"Naruto."
"Yeah?"
"No-" He flicked the blonde's forehead. "-I'm naming it Naruto."
The blonde was rubbing his forehead to the point that it was turning slightly red.
"You can't just steal my name!"
"You stole my name."
"That's different!" He argued. "I did that because I was missing you. I am right hereeee-"
"And? This plushie looks like you, too." He held it up near Naruto's face, all pouty at it.
"It does not."
"Really does." He tilted his head to the side slightly as if to look at it from another angle. This upset his boyfriend more who was really against him naming it after him. "Why don't you want me to name it Naruto?" He laughed.
"Coz…"
"Because what?" He lowered his hands.
"I wanna be your only Naruto."
Soft. He was way too soft for this man. Before his boyfriend could see the effects of the words, he turned on his heel again, walking a tad too fast.
"Wait-" Naruto yelled out, catching up to him quickly. "Are you upset? You can name it Naruto if you really want to-"
As he said, he really was dating an idiot.
"Sasuke-kun-" The man jerked awake so quickly it startled Sakura. Her hand retreated from where it had shaken his shoulder. He looked up from where he had fallen asleep, head resting in his arms that folded on the hospital bed. That chair was really uncomfortable, too. Not to mention the morbid beeping of the cardiac monitor.
Yet, he had been sleeping here every night for more than a week now.
"Sakura." He greeted dully, not really acknowledging her before his eyes focused on- on Naruto. It was trained professionalism alone that had been beaten into her that kept her from giving in to the lump in her throat. She took a seat on the other side. Naruto's body, motionless besides the weak rise and fall of his chest, was covered in Katsuyu's slugs, to keep his chakra levels from reaching zero.
To keep him from dying.
He needed constant attention. At first, she or Lady Tsunade had been at his side, watching him like a hawk. But they were the head doctors, and others needed them. So, eventually, they summoned Katsuyu. And when she needed a break and to replenish, one of them would be at his side again, pushing in chakra.
"I brought some food, I left it on the table-"
"I don't want to eat." Sasuke didn't snap. He didn't seem to have it in him. She almost regretted waking him. Because Sasuke was always here. Whether it was her shift or Tsunade's, he never left. Never slept properly. Barely ate, if he ate at all. All he did was watch Naruto. As if one second could take him away from them. Sasuke wasn't entirely wrong. And that's what scared her.
The only time he wasn't here was when he used the attached bathroom. Even then, it was quick. He'd come out with damp hair and water still clinging to his skin.
She's never seen him like this. Not even when he had awoken from the genjutsu Itachi had put him under when they were thirteen. His eyes were red and puffy. Voice scratchy. His body seemed to close in on itself as if it wanted to protect the fragile heart that beat in that chest.
The world had questioned whether or not Sasuke Uchiha was human. They had their answer now.
"Have you made any progress?"
On what the virus was. Why on earth was it able to make Naruto, who had never gotten ill, lie here on his deathbed? How desperately she wanted to give him positive news. To tell him they were one step further in figuring out how to cure the man who was essential in both their lives.
"We're figuring it out." She cleared her throat, tugging her white coat around her.
Her first thought had been Kabuto. But when she studied his illness and compared it to Naruto's, it was different. Much different. Kabuto had just had a cold that was left untreated. That was all. Second, was poison, but that had come back negative. Not to mention the pathogens looking nothing alike.
The elders thought it was Sasuke, of course. That he had somehow managed to make the blonde terribly sick. Ino had been livid at the accusation, and so had Kakashi-sensei. Even Shikamaru, surprisingly.
What made this so frightening was that they did not know where this virus came from. All they knew was that it ate away at his chakra as if it had been starving. Its shape was irregular and slightly segmented, like a larval silhouette frozen. The surface was covered in fine, hair-thin filaments, constantly twitching rapidly. The pathogen was swollen, dividing at a horrific speed with its filaments morphing like extending hands.
And then was Kurama, who was in a deep sleep.
"Doctor Haruno-" A nurse hurried in, grabbing both their attention.
"What is it?" She stood up from her chair, ignoring her tired muscles that protested.
"The Raikage's brother… he fainted!"
"It's a play about me!" Naruto yelled excitedly, shaking Sasuke by the shoulder. Posters of a play titled 'The hero of the ninja world' caught their attention.
"So, it is." The drawing of his boyfriend was exaggerated. The blonde was not that muscular. It made him snort.
"We need to go!"
"I told Karin we'd be-"
"Sasuke, if you love me, we'll go-"
"Who said I love you?" He retorted, adjusting his sling bag hidden under his cloak.
"I'm literally willing to beg you."
"Then do it." He spoke without really thinking, but Naruto stopped in the middle of the street.
"Fine-"
Sasuke spun and caught Naruto's wicked smile. Dropping to his knees, dragging everyone's attention to them. A few people stopped, whispers and stares directed their way. He felt mortification fill him.
"Naruto-" A step forward.
"Sasuke, my beloved-" Voice: theatrical, exaggerated, and embarrassing. "-can we please-"
He intercepted the blonde, rushing to stop him, yanking him up roughly while the blonde cackled despite the people shooting weird looks their way.
"Why are you like this!" He groaned, resisting the urge to murder his boyfriend. That would look bad on a not-so-great record.
A few other people laughed, charmed by Naruto's goofiness. It was a nice village. He supposed that they could perhaps stay the night and attend the play.
"It'll be funnn!" Naruto rocked on his feet, which was a ridiculous sight on a man as tall as him.
"You need to learn to be embarrassed more often." He sighed, and the blonde clearly took that as a yes.
"Nah!" He walked backwards as Sasuke moved, so happy he was buzzing with it. "-what's the point in being embarrassed? We have to do everything we want to do, as best we can. Life's short ya know."
It was hard not to agree with the blonde. After all, Sasuke knew it all too well.
In the end, the play had gotten Sasuke in a mood when they ended it with him marrying Hinata Hyuga of all people. Which worked in his favour as Naruto felt so guilty, he'd done whatever Sasuke said for an entire week without complaint. So really, Sasuke won more than anything.
Kakashi gave thanks to whatever Gods were out there that Killer Bee had not fallen into a coma as Naruto did. He had gotten ill. High fever and coughs were tormenting his body. The Raikage had been a menace to deal with, very much the overprotective brother.
But, thankfully, the man recovered quickly.
Both Sakura and Tsunade claimed that he had the same virus that Kabuto had. Only a bit more severe. But within two weeks, he was healthy again, maybe just a bit tired.
The chuunin exams continued. Naruto's condition was only known to those high up, kept away from the common people. His absence was explained away as an urgent mission only he could attend to. And so, although one of his precious students' lives hung in the balance, he had to go out there and pretend everything was fine.
While Sasuke seemed content to waste away beside Naruto.
Sakura worked herself to the bone to keep him alive.
And he attended the ceremony to declare the genin who made it to the final round.
Only to come home to a partner who was wrecked with grief.
"Yo." He called out to Sasuke, who had just come out of a shower. Tsunade, who looked like a woman mourning her son, was busy changing the IV bag, having made no progress on how to combat whatever was eating away at this kid. She had known great loss in her life, and the threat of another loss was destroying her.
His other student said nothing, just returning to his seat. No anger or annoyance. Only absolutely nothingness. Sakura was worried sick; between Naruto and Sasuke, the girl felt responsible for both boys. She always had. And he, well, had seen Sasuke finally begin to truly hope. To grab onto the future with both hands, instead of being dragged down by his blood-soaked past. Now, he looked as if he himself was dying. Emotions raw and open on his face in a way it had never been before.
When Kakashi had come to the hospital when everything had happened, Sasuke had been sobbing uncontrollably. It had been harrowing to witness. To watch a boy who had built walls so high that nobody ever saw past them, crumble completely now that the person who had broken those walls may leave him forever, was well- not the best thing in the world.
"You should go get some rest. Preferably in a bed." He said, sitting in a chair at the foot of the bed. Not even news of the documents verification being put on hold, got his attention. With Shikamaru and Ino focusing on helping Naruto, he did not trust it in a stranger's hands. So, he sealed it away and kept it safe. Until this storm passes. And it would. It had to.
"I'm fine."
Tsunade scoffed, "You practically live at this hospital."
She wasn't one to talk but Kakashi would not poke the bear.
"That has nothing to do with you."
"Considering it's my hospital-" The woman's words got caught when she looked at Sasuke, whose hands were in Naruto's, barely paying attention. Her eyes welled up with tears before she blinked them away. She was worse off than Sakura.
"So, Gaara is looking through his medical records to see if there is anything that matches this pathogen." He spoke into the sterile, lifeless room. The Kazekage had been distraught when he found out. Then, had left immediately to do his own research, leaving Temari to represent him at the exams.
"-That's our only bet, researching every medical record on any type of medicine that has cured this before," Tsunade added, changing the slugs on Naruto. This was things they knew already. They were both talking just for the sake of it.
Kakashi looked at his student, trying to think of a time he had ever seen Naruto so perfectly still for so long. He was always hyper. All the time. Even in his sleep, the blonde would toss and turn and snore and talk in his sleep. Yamato had an experience of him creating rasenguns in his sleep. Now, he was absolutely still. As if frozen.
This was not unfamiliar. His father had taken his life. Obito had been crushed by rocks, Rin was killed by his own hand, and his sensei died in the nine-tail's attack. Technically, he should be used to this by now. The ninja world was cruel and harsh. A lesson he learned at an age too young. A lesson he seemed to have forgotten. As he looked at Naruto, all he saw was that eleven-year-old who pulled his face dramatically, and was always at the center of mischief.
"Kakash-sensei, you're late again!"
"Whatcha reading Kakashi-sensei?"
"Wanna buy my ramen, Kakashi-sensei?"
A twist in his chest was his cue to get up and leave. It would do nobody good for him to fall apart. Not when his other student looked like he was ready to join Naruto the second that monitor stopped beeping.
"Make sure you eat." He ruffled his hair before leaving.
"Do you always need to join me when I'm bathing?"
"Do you always need to act like you hate everything? Scoot over-" Naruto stuck his toe in and then grimaced. "You always like to burn."
"Don't be a baby."
"You're a baby."
"I'll drown you."
"Liar. You love me too much."
Look at that. The loser was getting an ego. Sasuke scooted a bit to the front, and the blonde slid behind him. They were staying at a fancier inn, which meant a bigger bathtub. Resting against Naruto's chest, he could feel the blonde's heart beating against his back. His head lay on Naruto's shoulders. The hot water worked its magic on his muscles, turning his skin pink.
"All this steam is making me lightheaded." Naruto's voice was close to his ear, causing goosebumps to rise along his skin. It was low and quiet. Trapped by the steam in the room. "-The hot water does feel good after a while, though."
His fingers danced across the water as Naruto's arms were wrapped around him, hair tickling his face. The day had been tiring. A mission from Kakashi had come two days ago, which was rare since the man had not bothered them much. It had to do with trafficking. Four of Konoha's ninja had been assigned to the mission, but did not get back. Naturally, they investigated, leading them to a brothel where they found the four restrained. It was easy work after that. They found the victims as well- Konoha civilians. And the ninja escorted them home. The perpetrators were tried by their country.
It was a more taxing mission.
"What was your dad like?" The question startled him, as he had been dozing off.
"My dad?"
"Yeah, you barely speak about him…" It was not commanding. But kind, patient, and understanding. Everything Sasuke was not.
"My dad was…" He pondered. "…strict." He settled on. " He had certain standards, and as his heirs, Itachi and I were meant to meet them." Sasuke figured he could share a bit more about his family. As long as he didn't have to speak of the massacre.
Naruto was casually nuzzling his ear as he spoke and stopped at Sasuke's words. He was grateful as the sensation was extremely distracting.
"That sounds kinda horrible."
A small chuckle left him at that. Naruto was always so brutally honest.
"At the time, it had been the biggest worry of my life. But despite that, he was also honorable. He cared about our clan as a leader, and while, as a child, I wasn't too sure if he loved me… As an adult, I know he did." His fingers were becoming like dried prunes. Sasuke used his foot to open the tap to allow more hot water to fill the tub.
"You sound like you respect him a lot."
"I do. I like to think he tried his best."
"Yeah, me too." The blonde leaned so his lips brushed Sasuke's shoulder. "My dad put the nine-tails in me, which really fucked me over, but he tried his best too. I guess it's kinda hard to be the perfect father when you hold so many people's lives in your hand."
"He seemed like a really kind man." Sasuke offered. And meant it. A sound of acknowledgement he could feel with his whole body.
"Do you know when I miss my parents the most?"
Sasuke slid his foot out again just to close the tap.
"When something good happens, and I wanna tell them. Like when we began dating. Whenever I'm out with everyone, they'll share stories about their parents. Ino's mom put Sai through a test." Laughter. "-made him choose between flowers to see his instinct. Sakura's mother cried when she got promoted-" Naruto bit him lightly, "Choji told a story once about how his mother cooked him a feast when he made jounin" That was something he never thought about. All of them must be jounin. Naruto too. "His father was the one to bawl his eyes out, and I guess-" The blonde settled back against the tub. "-that's when I miss parents I never really had. I wish they could see who I am now."
Sasuke can't help but wonder if one day these wounds would no longer plague them so. Would they wake up and ever not feel the absence of all they had lost? It felt unthinkable.
"I think my mother would be very sad if she met me now."
"Why?" There was a bit of hurt in that word. He needed to squash it.
"I was different before- before everything. More… open-" It felt strange speaking about this. "My mother always wanted me to smile. When praying once, I asked her what she asked the Gods for, and she said- she said that I never stop smiling. My father and Itachi were both quite serious. People always said I took after her the most…"
Now, he couldn't be further away from her. Only sharing her looks and nothing else.
"She'd be happy, Sasuke. Because despite everything, you still smile. Even if it's not as much as before." His thumb stroked just under Sasuke's ribcage. "Proud that you can still smile despite everything."
That was one way of looking at it. The topic died down. Playfulness from earlier, gone. Naruto kissed behind his ear, inhaling deeply. The action was comforting. Tender and small, but in it was so much love. Rising and falling, the movements of Naruto's chest lulled him. Heavy eyes slipped closed, and he dozed off in Naruto's arms.
She figured giving him something to do would help. So, she brought some of the medical records they were scanning again and told him what to look for. Anything was better than him staying idle as he was. He still stayed close to the bed, unable to go too long without looking at Naruto.
When she had come in earlier, ready to relieve Katsuyu a bit, Sasuke had been wiping Naruto down. He didn't stop when she entered. The changing screen was up for privacy. He did it with a gentleness she didn't expect. Cloth dabbing gently at Naruto's face, wiping at his arms and hands with a soft tenderness that spoke of the love between the two.
In them, she saw herself and Dan. The love of her life. It has been years since his death, and the ache was still the same. After, Nawaki had died, her sweet baby brother, Dan was her strength and pillar. The only reason she was able to cope with the loss. The reason she could fight for medical ninja to be included in battle. And then Dan died too, and the grief had crippled her for years.
She felt that same paralyzing grief right now, watching the boy who had helped her overcome her fear of loss. Tsunade had never had children, but, she looked at this child and felt all the love she had for him, and knew it was a good thing to never have brought her own child into this world. Her heart could barely handle seeing him like this.
Gaze slipping to the other occupant piling over records, she watched him and felt pity. He was far from the seventeen-year-old who had been imprisoned. The boy had gone through much hardships. She was aware of it. The way she had handled things years ago, was not due to her indifference to his pain, but because of her knowledge of the type of world they lived in.
The chuunin exams were over and this boy only ate enough just to keep himself alive it seems.
"Sasuke-" He paused from where he had been turning a page. "-sometimes, loving someone means taking care of yourself as well." She didn't look at him as she said this, focusing on pushing chakra into the blonde.
Loss was part of living. Tsunade knew this. She only hoped life wouldn't find a reason to teach her the severity of it again. She's already outlived all those from her childhood.
What a sad thought.
Sasuke moved with absolute precision, coming in from behind and aiming his chokuto at the blonde's throat.
He dodged it, the blade just shy of kissing his skin as Naruto then ducked and kicked at Sasuke's feet. Sending wide, aggressive hooks Sasuke's way, his boyfriend grabbed his hand to break the seal he had been creating mid-way. He twisted his wrist out of the blonde's hold before blocking another attack with his forearms and striking him in his ribs and shoulders. They were in close contact as they traded blows, circling each other with Sasuke's steps more careful and Naruto's wider- to the untrained eye it may have seemed clumsy, but his movements were intentional.
Smirking, he managed to catch the blonde's arm and quickly threw him a few meters away, to send a fireball jutsu his way. He turned around just in time to intercept an attack from the side, catching his fists in his palms. But this wasn't the real-
A whoosh of air, and the blonde was coming at him with a rasengun. Chidori cackling around his chokuto, he destroyed the clones that accompanied his boyfriend, watching them disappear in a cloud of smoke.
Azure eyes that always pushed him past his limits clashed with his own as he just missed the attack. Sweat clung to his tanned skin, making it glisten and his usual scent more potent. Grass, soil, and the scent were in the air.
He lunged at high speed, and any ordinary person would be unable to keep track of their movements.
Using Kagutsuchi, his transformed Amaterasu, manipulating the black flames into spikes, but Naruto flipped over him, and for a moment, everything slowed-
He saw the blonde's strong body arch over his head, sweater falling, revealing more of skin. And it was intoxicating-that sight.
-Then he was on the side of Sasuke. He spun around to counter, but this time, Naruto was faster, sweeping him off his feet and slamming him hard into the ground. The sting of pain riveted throughout his body, the adrenaline making the blood in his ears pump faster.
Naruto straddled him, his weight firm, hand wrapped around his throat, while the other one pinned his wrists above his head. Both their chests were heaving, hearts beating tempestuously. The blonde always got a kick out of pinning Sasuke down this way.
"And the score is…" Leaning down, whispering all arrogantly in his ear. "…46 to 45."
He said nothing, struggling against the tight hold on him and twisting his body, bucking up as his breath came faster. Naruto watched it all, and his hand tightened around Sasuke's throat. Not enough to cut the air off, just enough for the threat to be there. A threat he knew held no ground. Yet the promise of it was kind of-
A flicker in the blonde's gaze. It darkened. Arousal flooding in.
Sasuke striked.
Breaking free with a harsh tug, he knocked the blonde to the side, watching him hit the ground as he sprang up.
It took Naruto a few seconds to recover before he shot up, indignant.
"Hey! I won that fight!"
"Really? From where I'm standing, I broke free." He said over his racing heart, fingers itching to touch where Naruto's finger had just been.
"Because you cheated! You always do this!" A finger pointed at him, huffing.
"How?"
Colour bloomed on the blonde's face, as he started, "You…" Faltered, then pushed on, "-you were doing that thing with your eyes-" Naruto pointed at his own eyes for reference, "-and panting, and making that face you do when-"
"What face?" He said in a deliberate way, knowing exactly where the blonde's thoughts had run with him. He felt much like a panther, stalking up to his prey.
"You know…"
"Hmmm, no I don't."
They were close. Very close. Chests almost touching. Sharing each other's air. They were wound tightly, the rope so rigid, it was sheer stubbornness that kept it from snapping.
"Sas-"
A high, piercing cackle that had no mercy on one's eardrums gave Naruto a split second of realization before he was blasted backwards again, that one moment the only reason why he was able to catch himself on his feet.
Sasuke gave him grace. Only to right himself. When Naruto looked up, eyes turned lethal as they hardened with danger.
That was the thing about them. They were both predators.
"Oh, you're so dead." A maniacal grin before Naruto lunged at him. Sasuke smirked in response, loving the fire in his veins.
Hinata did try her best not to cry. But the moment Kiba, she, and Shino entered the room, she felt herself crumble.
Of course, Sasuke was there. Sakura said he was practically living in the hospital. Where one would have expected unrestrained anger from him, there was only helplessness etched into his every being. Not neatly. But frantically. Wildly. In a way that would make skin bleed.
When Naruto had been dying on that couch, her byakugan had seen how the virus had multiplied at a godly speed. Sakura had saved them again.
"We brought you food," Shino spoke to Sasuke, placing it down on the table by the window.
"Thank you." The man responded dully, hand in Naruto's.
Tears streamed down her face, but she made sure not to sob at least. Kiba's hand was on her back, guiding and warm, soothing. While her feelings for Naruto have passed, her care for him hasn't. To know that he may not achieve that dream he had fought for desperately broke her heart.
"Stay asleep any longer, and I may just steal that Hokage position from you." Kiba joked, standing beside Hinata, who just sat and watched him. Shino was quiet as well, standing near the window. Hinata knew that Kiba's jokes were to hide his mourning or maybe a way to spark him back to life. They had already lost Neji.
And foolishly, they thought the rest of their friends would be safe.
When Kiba suggested they go, Hinata said she would stay a bit longer, and her former teammates left her alone with Sasuke, who had not said anything besides the expression of gratitude. The two of them had never held a conversation, really. And after her relationship with Naruto ended in such disaster, she had held some resentment.
But all that faded away in such great loss.
Seemed trivial.
Wiping her wet cheeks, so she could speak more clearly, "It's to-tomato and egg stir-fry."
For a while, he did not answer. The words hung between them. She let it, waiting patiently for his response.
"I'm not hungry."
Two months and barely eating. He was much thinner than he was when they had arrived in Konoha. How it'd break Naruto's heart.
"It's one of your fav-favourite dishes, right?" She pushed past the stutter. It was better overall but high-stress situations still brought it out of her.
Finally, mismatched eyes moved to meet her own pale ones. There was a question there.
"How-"
"Naruto." She offered him a smile. "You-you know…" hands clasped. "I also know th-that you hate sweet things." She knew that Sasuke hated loud noise. And enjoyed gardening. Loved cats. Had the best writing Naruto saw. Always tended to sleep on the exact same spot and sit in the exact same chair. Was a 'neat freak'. Ate too much salad. Knew a lot about constellations-"When we dated, Naruto spoke about you. All th-the time."
For the first time since they arrived here, something in Sasuke's eyes shifted. No, it crumbled. And it was- god, it was devastating to witness. His eyes welled with tears, and then he got up, excusing himself to go to the bathroom.
It was gut-wrenching. To see someone who had barely shown emotion in all the time she had known him, split apart like that. It wasn't just his eyes. His eyebrows drew together, and his mouth quivered. Nose wrinkling as his entire body had trembled before he had locked himself away.
Sasuke Uchiha looked so very broken when he cried.
"Stop-" He gasped out, doing his best to squirm away. Shoving pillows between them.
"Nopeeeee-" Naruto sang, tumbling to the ground with Sasuke, continuing his attack.
"Naru-" A giggle fought its way out. "-I swear to fucking-"
Fingers dug into his sides, tickling him without any mercy. He pushed at the blonde's chest, trying to fight him, but he pushed back harder, hands intent on torturing Sasuke. Muscles tensing, arms flailing, while his shoulders shook as his feet kicked. Laughter burst out of him at every touch, cheeks hurting from the ongoing onslaught. Tears clung to his eyelashes as he tried to breathe.
"-swear to fucking what, Sas?"
"-I'll-" A gasp as he managed to shove Naruto aside. "-kill you-" He took a pillow and whacked him on the head with it, as his stupid boyfriend was immune to tickling.
"See, I make you laugh, and you wanna hurt me!" Naruto said, laughing anyway, as Sasuke continued to attack him with a pillow, ignoring the little feathers that came out, carried by the air. The blonde got up to run, while Sasuke, always egged on by Naruto, followed, throwing the pillow he had at him and taking one of the other ones on the floor. They were in an inn, so he had nowhere else to go, really.
He went for the blonde, and Naruto shrieked as he tripped over his own bag and landed on his butt. Sasuke got him, holding the pillow above him in threat.
"Last words?" He teased.
"Sorry?" Naruto smiled innocently.
Sasuke gave him a lethal whack, which the blonde accepted with a sigh.
He slumped, falling flat on his back in a dramatic fashion.
"I am dead." He stuck his tongue out on the side of his mouth for extra flair.
Rolling his eyes at his boyfriend, he dug his toes into his side.
"Get up."
"Sasuke, I am dead." Naruto continued his joke, all smiles. "You killed me-"
Ino jumped at the scream, almost knocking over the vase she was busy with. It had been a blood-curdling scream that had her sick to her stomach. Her own heart rate was rapid at the sound, mistaking the scream for a much more dangerous situation.
It had her having to take calming breaths.
Sasuke was breathing heavily as well, elbows on his knees and face in his hands. Part of her wanted to reach out to him. To comfort him. But she didn't know how.
Allowing Sasuke the illusion of privacy, she continued with her task, changing the wilted flowers, adding more vibrant, fresh ones. Trying to give this room some life. She disposed of the dead ones and opened the curtain.
"You're getting even more pale. When was the last time you were outside?" She asked casually, shifting things around just so she had something to do. Death and grief were a strange thing. Her mother still has all her father's clothes in his cupboard. Sometimes it felt like she was stuck in time. A time when her father had been alive.
She would hate for Sasuke to be stuck, too. If…
"Sakura said they know the virus attacks one's chakra mainly. So, we're making progress, which is good-" Her voice sounded annoying to her own ears. The preppy tone she tried to maintain. The forced smile. But she didn't know how else to help. Ino knew what Naruto meant to Sasuke. Had seen inside his mind. Seen the love there that Sasuke had been afraid to give in to. She also knew with no doubt that losing Naruto meant losing Sasuke.
Sasuke would drown.
"Why are hospital rooms white anyways? It's so-so dull!" She huffed. "It needs some more colour. It's so depressing-"
"Naruto is on his deathbed." Sasuke's voice came out low, agitation in it. "-did you expect it to be fun."
Gulping, she picked at her nails, which needed to get another manicure. Whenever she came here, his eyes were always red and puffy. He looked as if any small thing could completely shatter him. It wasn't the Sasuke everyone had come to know.
He was like an empty shell now.
"Of course not." Ino sighed before deciding to stop being such a coward. She hated death. Had hated it since the war. Since her father. But her friend needed her. Taking a chair, she sat next to Sasuke, slow and careful. To give him a chance to tell her to get out if that's what he wanted.
She always had to fill the silence. It was her nature. To distract and speak about anything but all the messed-up stuff they had to deal with. But she knew Sasuke was not like her. He just needed someone to anchor him to the outside world now. Even if he didn't know it himself. A presence other than the man who was almost a living corpse.
So, she just sat there. Kept him company. Wondered if this was a fate they would all share.
A life too short, snuffed out, by those against them
Because Ino knew, without a doubt, that this had to be planned.
The council had ruled it as just an illness. A fucking tragedy. But she knew better.
Ino made sure to come every week to change the flowers.
And they were always sunflowers.
They were shopping for a new tent. Because the other one had blown away into a tree when Naruto failed to ensure it was nailed to the ground properly so it now had a huge gash. So, they stopped by a town to buy a new one. They would spend one night here and then at least three days in the forest.
"We have to get this portable ramen cooker! It's basically a need!" Naruto, who was scurrying through the store while Sasuke tried to decide between three tents.
"We can just light a fire-"
"But why bother when tada-" He shoved the contraption in Sasuke's face as if to convince him.
"You are carrying this shit in your bag."
"Done!" Naruto cheered, adding another thing they had not come for. The trolley already had more than he had intended.
"Ooooh, look a chakra powered fan-"
"Naruto." He sighed, he wasn't even annoyed but this was just his automatic reaction.
"It's getting hotter, ya know!"
"No."
"But-"
"No." He said firmly, picking the bigger tent despite the additional cost because it was insulated. It may be hot during the day, but it still gets cold at night.
"Sasukeeee-"
Turning, ready to say no once again, he saw Naruto grinning with his teeth, very excited.
"Matching mugs!"
A sun and moon mug.
He supposed they did need better mugs to drink the coffee they bought. Naruto already knew Sasuke had given in, setting it into the trolley.
Naruto's two clones always carried the bags, trailing behind them. When Sasuke failed to see their inn which had just been one road away, he realized they turned onto the wrong street. Sasuke wanted to go back the way they came, but Naruto stopped him.
"You guys head back to the inn." He yelled at his clones, something clearly catching his attention. Sasuke had been about to ask just what was going on, but Naruto was yanking him quickly into a store, ignoring his sounds of protest.
Only once they were inside did the blonde let him go.
"Naruto why-" His words got stuck as he registered what kind of store they were in. Cheeks, flaming immediately, he tried not to die of embarrassment, "Naruto!"
"What?" He said cheekily, going into one of the aisles while Sasuke followed, covering his face from the woman at the till who barely looked up.
"Why are we in here!" He sputtered, hand dropping once they were in one of the aisles. It was a small shop, with only one other customer in here.
"Why shouldn't we be? We're adults, Sasuke." His boyfriend laughed, poking him in the side.
"I'm leaving." The blonde yanked him back, forcefully intertwining his hand before taking a package off the shelf. In it was- was-
"Lookie here, 'Massage stone'-" He read aloud, completely shameless. "-targeted for internal stimulation like prostate-"
"I hate you so much."
The blonde didn't respond, reading the back of the box, with genuine curiosity. To Sasuke's horror, he kept it as he continued walking, eyes still alit. Sasuke succumbed to his fate, trying not to let his mortification show. There were chains, plugs, suction cups, blind-folds-
"Woah, I didn't even know all these existed-" Naruto said idly before stopping, and letting go of Sasuke's hand to take something else off the shelf, snickering, "-you can take bigger than this, can't you Sas-" And he showed him a dildo called a carved rod, made from bamboo. It was labeled 'large'.
Sasuke had enough.
He left, as quickly as possible, worried that someone might recognise him and then he'd have to live in shame for the rest of his life. Naruto ran after him, laughter following him menacingly.
"Sasuke, waitttt-" It was so loud, the whole town must have heard it. "You're always running away from meee-"
He caught up, stepping into step with Sasuke, who slowed down now that they were a safe space away. Naruto's hands were behind his head and Sasuke was thankful the blonde had not bought anything from that shop.
Sasuke's heartbeat was still high from everything he had seen in that store. It was his first encounter with something like that. He only read about them in that book Sakura had given him. And only about ones that would help with preparation.
"Hey-" Naruto nudged into him, hand coming to sling across his shoulders. "-I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
That wasn't it. Sasuke was uncomfortable because seeing those kinds of things was exciting. New in an intriguing way. But, he was also himself which made accepting it hard.
"You didn't."
"Are you sure-"
"Yes, idiot." He sighed, feeling his embarrassment cool.
"You better not be lying to me, bastard."
"I'm not- it was just, strange." He mumbled, the heat in his cheeks still there. Naruto hummed in response, and he sneaked a glance at the blonde, always loving the way the late afternoon sun looked against him.
"Well, I was just curious." He said. "Pervy-sage used to go into those stores and make me wait aside."
"He sounds very perverted."
"He was." A laugh. Naruto's hand slid to hold his own again, swinging them too innocently for someone who had just taken them to a sex shop. "Did you know my first wet dream was about you?" The words almost had Sasuke choking.
"Can you speak softer, we're still in public!" Sasuke scolded.
"Relax, nobody can hear us."
Then the words meaning registered to Sasuke.
"What?"
"Yuppp."
That would mean Naruto had thought about him like that in his teen years. When they had been enemies. And he had been by Orochimaru.
"Wait-" He frowned. "-you said you only realized you liked me when I was under house arrest."
"Yeah?"
Sasuke made sure to look at Naruto like he was stupid. Made sure to glare also. Because what the fuck.
"You're so fucking dumb." He groaned, running his free hand over his face.
Naruto took offense, "Hey!" He complained. "Why am I dumb!"
His airheaded boyfriend bugged him for the rest of the day, insisting that Sasuke tell him the meaning behind his comment. Sasuke, absolutely annoyed now by all the times Naruto had called him a friend, just gave him a deadpanned look. Content to let the blonde suffer.
How on earth was he the one to realize his feelings first when the blonde's attraction to him had been so potent from the start?
Iruka came daily, helping to take care of Naruto. At first, he had cried every time. But now, he only cried at home. Someone needed to be strong because the other occupant of this room looked more fragile than paper. And water made paper even more breakable.
He had his own bed now. Lady Tsunade had tried to put her foot down. To insist that he leave, but that had caused the boy to have a severe panic attack, making him pass out. Unless they wanted to keep him sedated, Sasuke stayed in the room.
Iruka found speaking to Naruto helped.
"The students I have this year are such menaces. One kid reminds me of you, Naruto-" He said as he wiped his brow. "-She says she's going to be the Hokage after you." A warm cloth to drag over his chest. Sasuke helped, quiet as ever. "-I told her she better work hard then. She's a good student, a little troubled but strong like-" His voice almost cracked. "-strong like you."
Sasuke's hands trembled from where they held Naruto's limp body up. Katsuyu's slugs were on his lower body. He always needed some form of chakra being pushed into him. Iruka knew it was draining Tsunade and Sakura. Between hospital shifts and Naruto's life, those two almost looked as bad as Sasuke.
After putting the hospital top back on, they lowered him down, very gently. Like this, he could almost be sleeping. Iruka cupped his cheek and saw an eleven-year-old pointing his ramen chopsticks to him, all fire and spirit.
"I'm going to be the greatest Hokage that ever lived."
His vision blurred for a moment, and he could feel his calm deteriorating.
"He'll be okay."
Blinking the tears away, he looked the dark-haired man, whose face was grim and voice shaky.
"Naruto doesn't-" A gulp as Sasuke began blinking rapidly too. "-doesn't give up."
A sweet scent swirled around them, as Naruto burned marshmallows in the fire they had made. It was a bit cold this night, but at least the stars shone bright. Sasuke had eaten one marshmallow and now had his head resting on Naruto's shoulder, one hand near the fire to enjoy the heat. They had washed off in a nearby river after well- his boyfriend has a really high sex drive. Which meant that so did Sasuke.
"You know you're supposed to toast it. Not burn it." Sasuke said when Naruto was ten marshmallows in.
"The burnt part tastes good, though." He blew at the fire that clung to his marshmallow even as he took it out.
Sasuke enjoyed the cozy feeling. The heat from the fire and Naruto. The privacy that only came with being so far away from people. He could almost imagine that this was their life forever. It'd be a good life. One without worry of scandal. To just live day-to-day, free to explore and give in to whichever whim caught their fancy.
"You know…" He began, melancholy thoughts running through his head. "…when I was younger, I remember wanting to die." His mind felt a little sluggish, and his soul a bit more open.
Naruto tensed.
"But then… I realized I needed to avenge my family, and that kept me going."
His boyfriend listened and, to his surprise, did not get upset at Sasuke's earlier statement.
"Wanting revenge had saved me, but also ruined my life. It's kinda ironic. If younger me didn't have the hope to one day get justice for my parents, I wouldn't- I wouldn't be here…" It was the first time he had admitted this. How dark his thoughts had turned in the wake of his family's death. How he had begged for his life by Itachi, only to want to end it the very next day.
"We all cling onto different things to cope with the hand life dealt us." Naruto twisted the stick in the fire, five marshmallows on it. "-What matters is that we survived our childhood, Sas."
He lifted his head so he could meet Naruto's eyes. Which had complete understanding in them. No judgement. Because he also knew the pain of being an orphan. Of having nobody but yourself.
"I'm really glad you survived, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes softened so much that it was like a key had opened the door to his soul allowing Sasuke to see everything. This was what love is. It was seeing beyond, and into each other's souls whenever their eyes met.
"I survived because of you, Sasuke."
Shikamaru was with her as she studied the pathogen under a microscope. Five months of trying to decipher just what exactly this virus was made of, and how to combat it. In truth, it came to her because the man had just been complaining about the elders.
"They're saying, if he can't survive on his own and there's no progress by the end of the year, then we'd basically need to just let him fucking die. All too worried about their resources."
Sakura would never allow that. Would rather use every bit of her chakra up until she had no more herself than let Naruto die. Would give the air in her lungs if she had to.
"-So, you need to try and hurry the fuck up-"
"I am trying, Shikamaru." She hissed, overstimulated by something as simple as hair, which she had not washed in a week. The longer her best friend lay unconscious, the more she felt herself unraveling. "-Besides, Sasuke would never allow it."
"And then he'd be labeled a criminal again." Perhaps it wasn't fair. Shikamaru was in the council room dealing with the elders but…
It made her snap. The pressure was making her boil over.
"If I could just find anything that looked similar to this larval-shaped pathogen, but there's been nothing! It's like this virus sprang out of fucking nowhere!" She shot up, slapping her hand to her forehead, feeling herself start crying. "-And if I don't figure this out. Naruto dies. And if Naruto dies, so does Sasuke!" She turned to face him. "My teammates, Shikamaru, so trust me, I am hurrying as fast as I can-"
She began sobbing. When Shikamaru reached out as if to comfort her, she stepped back, not wanting it.
"Sakura-"
"Just give me a moment!" She snapped, moving closer to the window to get some air. She couldn't lose them. They couldn't go somewhere she could not follow again. Unbuttoning her collar, she fanned herself, sniffing as she tried to get her tears to subside.
It's been months. Months with her best friend constantly on the verge of death. Sasuke only ate when Sakura forced him. Kakashi drowned himself in paperwork. Lady Tsunade was becoming more of a wreck with each passing second-
Which meant, that it was all on her. With Lady Tsunade-the only other doctor qualified for this, losing hope, it was up to Sakura.
"Larval shaped?" Shikamaru suddenly said.
"Hm?" She turned to him, wiping her face.
"You said it was larval shaped, like… an insect?" He looked into the microscope, brows knitting. "And it attacks chakra?"
"Yeah, fucking eats it up. As if it were starving."
Shikamaru stilled, eyes widening in something akin to horror. He had figured something out.
"We need to get Shino, right fucking now!"
Sakura was not good at lying.
It's funny because despite the time they spent apart, Sasuke knew she was keeping something from him.
It was in the way she barely met his eyes.
She worked on Naruto, giving Katsuyu a break, keeping his boyfriend alive with her green, soothing chakra. Sasuke had never felt so fucking useless. Helpless while Naruto fought for his life, barely winning. All the power in the world, and he was no better than a civilian at Naruto's side. This was something fists could not beat. Months of agony have worn him down. Whereas before, crying was difficult…now- it was all too easy.
All he was capable of was sitting here in this hospital room while the two best medics tried to figure out the root of this deadly virus that was stealing his only reason for living away.
This same pain again. The one he had felt when he saw his parents' dead bodies. The one he had felt when Itachi's body hit the ground. One he felt now. It was cutting. His eyes were always fucking burning. That throb in his chest affected his entire body. It thrummed in his veins, creating an ache so deep Sasuke was tempted to cut it out to see if that would remedy it.
Which was why he needed Sakura to tell him what she knew.
Or he would go fucking crazy.
"You're hiding something." He stated, watching her.
She paused.
"I'm no-"
"Do not-" He took an inhale through his nose, trying to reign his temper in. "-lie to me."
Sakura said nothing, lips pursed tightly.
"Sakura." He questioned firmly. When she didn't respond, he got up, leaning over Naruto's body to get her attention. "Sakura- it's Naruto. You need to tell me." His voice was slightly cracked from months of barely talking. Pleading with a woman who was the closest to him after Naruto.
"Sasuke-kun-" Her lip trembled.
"Please."
Her face crumbled.
"We… we think we know where the virus came from…"
"Go on." He tried his best not to sound as if he was attacking her.
"It eats chakra. And was larval-shaped under a microscope." Sakura spoke but her hands never stopped working. "-then Shikamaru remembered something else that was a deadly insect and ate chakra, something that…" She gulped. "something that the elders had been after-"
"The Kikaichu." He connected the dots immediately. A picture was forming in his mind. A clear path. "But- but how-"
"We already confirmed the virus has come from the bug. They must have experimented on-"
"You suspect Orochimaru." With every new piece of information, anger welled up. Part of him was shocked. While, another part expected this.
"His genius would be capable of it." Sakura stated. "-but when would he have gotten infected, that was the question. And it was what I had originally suspected-"
"Kabuto." Tired, green eyes looked at him.
"Yes, Kabuto."
"You said, the pathogen looked completely different."
"Because it was." She confirmed. "The pathogen has receptors. It senses how much chakra you have. The more you have, the faster it eats. The less-"
"The slower-"
"And then it dies off. Inside any normal ninja, it'd barely be a bother before it died off. Kabuto had a lot of chakra because of the experiments and so did, Killer Bee which was why they got sick, but only sick-"
"I didn't-"
"The pills- I gave you- it killed the virus. Before it's mutated, it's very similar to the rhinovirus. Or appears to be at least. Which is why the pills worked and killed it off."
A type of genius only that fucking snake would be capable of. If he wasn't already dead, Sasuke would have broken every bone his body.
"But Naruto-"
"He didn't take them." Sakura's eyes watered. "Because I assumed he would not need it." She gulped, and yet her hands were still steady. "Thing is- it goes from zero to one hundred very quickly. It's good at hiding."
"So, when it gets enough chakra-"
"It mutates. Going from something that would cause mild discomfort to something lethal, eating away at you the exact manner in which the Kikaichu would, but there is only one person with enough chakra in the world to trigger a mutation-"
"Naruto." Sasuke finished, the realization making his fists curl, nails biting into his skin. "It would only ever be lethal to him."
"Especially with no vaccine or antidote created yet. Had I not been there-"
"He would have died."
At first, he felt nauseous. This awful knowledge swept over him, making him sway back into his chair. Sakura was still speaking. Something about an investigation, evidence, and bringing justice.
About remaining calm.
None of that mattered now.
It was them. They had tried to kill Naruto. By creating a fucking disease to take him out because he was too powerful otherwise. All because they could not accept their reign of power was fucking over. They were willing to kill another innocent person. Someone who had bled his entire life for this cursed village.
They had almost cost Sasuke everything.
Visceral, murderous rage filled him.
The last thing he heard was Sakura calling him.
Homura thought everything was going well, all things considered. While there were a few hiccups, like that snake bastard escaping. What he had hoped to achieve, only the Gods knew. The escape had technically been part of the plan, but it was never meant to be real. Only a way to lead the Uchiha to Kabuto, but Orochimaru had played them for fools.
The jinchuruki would be dealt with soon. He had never forgotten how that boy had threatened him. And he would have been a fool to wait for the demon to come into power, only to take his life. He was unsuited, from the type of relations he had with another man, to the fact that that same man swayed him too much. All but at the Uchiha's beck and call.
The only issue would be the Uchiha, but they covered their tracks quite well- Lady Tsunade and her prodigy were nowhere close to uncovering the truth. Orochimaru was a genius after all. Though the sanin was meant to take care of the red-eyed devil, as he had insisted on being able to deal with the Uchiha brat. Needing him for his pursuit of immortality. He was dead now. Either way, once the Uzumaki fell, the Uchiha would be sure to follow.
Reports stated he barely left the hospital. If anything does go astray, they'll just pin it all on Orochimaru.
After kissing his youngest granddaughter goodnight, he went to drink some sake in his office. His other, older granddaughter was in her late teens, and snuck out too much. The girl gave him too much stress.
Pouring himself more sake, he thought about how they would need to start looking at a new candidate for Hokage. Shikamaru Nara and Sakura Haruno, while they would have been good options, were much, much too close to the jinchuruki.
Kakashi could still hold power for a while, until they find a better, more controllable option.
Taking a few pills so that his headache could subside and his joints would ache less, he contemplated how his age was clearly catching up to him.
Once the Uzumaki was dealt with, all those ridiculous policies he had pushed for would be undone. And Konoha would once again be at the top of the hierarchy, creating the most skilled and deadly ninja.
A cough left him.
Once, twice, and then the scent hit him.
Smoke.
Getting up, he looked around and saw-
Black flames.
Outside his window. Pushing it open, he saw the flames eat up his lawn, catching onto his house.
He rushed to the other side of his home, onto the balcony, and the sight he saw horrified him. All around his home, black clouds swirled as fire spread rapidly, eager to destroy and burn every possible thing it could.
Worry filled him. He needed to get-
"Going somewhere?" He had never heard a voice that wrath-soaked.
His heart caught in his throat, while he forced himself to turn around, and the first thing he saw, in a house painted in darkness, was glowing purple and red, looking at him with a cold-bloodedness that made Homura more than aware that to this boy, he was no longer a human being.
Before him was someone volcanic, ready to erupt and leave ashes in his wake.
"You'll be killed for this." He said with a bravo he did not have. "To-" Another cough. "Attack an elder's home-"
"There's nobody, absolutely nobody who can touch me." His voice was like steel, circling Homura with steps so light, he could not hear them. "You made sure of that."
He swallowed, "I have no idea what you're talking about." The smoke was like fire in his lungs, only the open windows saved him.
Blinding, unthinkable pain shot through him, and then he was on the ground, right leg kicked in so his bone stuck out. Screaming in agony. Blood, so much blood, pooled out of him. He tried to think past the way his cells were on fire. The pain had bile rising, as he broke out into a cold sweat.
"What are you-" He choked. "You can't…" He was becoming dizzy. Only his experience as a ninja allowed him not to pass out. "-no evidence…"
He laughed. The damn, evil son of a bitch, laughed. Not a lick of humour in it. No, it had bone-deep fear coursing through Homura.
"You think…" He came around and crouched, gripping Homura's face in a tight grip, and he knew that the boy could crush his skull if he wanted to. "…I give a shit about finding evidence? About doing things the right fucking way?" His nails dug in, breaking skin. "-You have taken my heart away from me." Shoving his face roughly, words spoken through gritted teeth.
He stood, chokuto sliding up to his chest, "Now, I've come to repay the favour."
"Grandfather?"
A small voice. The daughter of his daughter. Who had passed away in childbirth. Both he and the Uchiha turned to the sound, where they saw her, tiny and looking at them with large eyes. Trembling. Her hair still braided with the ribbons she begged him to buy, and that doll she bought in Iwa.
Trembling in fear.
The Uchiha looked from him to his granddaughter, and a dread he had only felt when his daughter had died filled him.
"She's a child-" He choked out. "She has nothing to do with this! It's me you want!"
"Oh?" A cock of his head.
"What's…what's happening?" She coughed more violently, unaccustomed to much hardship.
"Look at me." The criminal hissed at Homura, making it clear he had to be obeyed.
There was no mercy in those eyes. Only cold, unforgiving hatred. Such cruelty that could burn the world to the ground. Scorch every area and leave nothing left. A great, unspeakable evil.
He looked to the side, and when he saw such large, innocent eyes look his way, he knew he had to do everything in his power to make sure those eyes would know no further pain. That those eyes lived longer than him.
"I did it!" He yelled. "You're right, we created the virus. One that would only harm Naruto-" Clutching at the man's trousers. "-don't, don't touch her!"
"Does it scare you?" The Uchiha asked, then kicked his hand away and took steps towards the girl. Slow, as if to antagonize him more. "The thought-"
"Run!" He commanded his granddaughter.
"I won't leave you!"
"-knowing you might lose someone you love?"
She was shaking like a leaf now, as the Uchiha circled behind her.
"Does it feel…" And he let the calm façade slip to let in an anger that was barely being concealed, like lava about to overflow. "-like someone is tearing your heart from your very chest?"
His granddaughter stood frozen, tears streaming.
"Please." He begged, attempting to drag himself by his arms to get to her. "I beg of you-"
As fast as lightning, his chokuto pierced his hand, pinning him to the floor. He heard a childlike cry.
"You don't even get to beg. After all you've taken. Everything I've lost at your fucking hands-" He twisted it in deeper.
"No!" Her sweet voice could be heard over the unbearable ringing in his ears.
"Do as I say and leave!"
She did not. Terrified but loyal. After all, he was the only parental figure she knew. He began seeing black spots, but he had to fight it. So, that- that his monster-
"You see, unlike you, I have morals." He let his blade stay there, standing his hand. "-I don't believe in making children pay for the crimes of their parents."
Relief filled him. Despite the amount of pain surging through his body, absolute relief filled him knowing his precious granddaughter would be safe.
"Do it then, make me pay for my crimes." He hoped his death would not haunt her sweet soul too much. She was too young to witness such cruelty.
No forgiveness in those eyes. Only, blind hatred. He ripped his chokuto out and swung it-
A high-pitched scream that spoke of abused vocal cords reached his ears.
"No! Stop it!"
Brother, stop! Why are you showing me this?
His blade stopped just in time to avoid hitting a tiny body that threw herself over her grandfather. The little girl's frame was shaking with sobs, the doll forgotten and soaked with her grandfather's blood.
He should do it.
He should kill this bastard.
Save the world the trouble of having vermin like him infect the earth.
Had he been sixteen, the choice would have been clear.
This man was responsible for all the pain he has ever suffered. The reason, the other part of his soul lay unconscious still. When last had he heard Naruto's voice? Seen his eyes? Felt his arms wrapped around him? Sasuke was alive but could no longer live until Naruto woke up. There was no moving on after Naruto. Because there was only Naruto. Nobody could compare. If Naruto went, that was it. That was the good in him gone. He'd be nothing. Worthless. Useless. Meant to have died the night his parents did.
Or maybe this was what he was meant to be. A monster. Because every fucking time he began to hope, the world reminded him that this was a world where only the merciless won. Where kindness was-
"This kindness-" A kiss to Sasuke's shoulder. "-you keep hidden from everyone."
He stumbled back, gasping at the memory. Beautiful, blue irises that looked at him and saw good-
Fuck.
Shikamaru ran like he never had before, arriving at a burning building that nobody could exit, with flames that only Sasuke could put out.
He arrived too late. Sasuke had probably killed Homura, condemning himself for life, undoing everything-
A figure, a clone holding a body, and then Sasuke's clone landed with a soft thud, a few feet before him.
He dumped Homura to the ground and-
"He's still breathing." He said, amazed. His leg was fucked, and he was unconscious, but he was alive. This was something of a miracle. Why on earth was he alive and not dead at their feet? If it had been Shikamaru, he would have killed him as he had done for his sensei. Part of him wanted to enact vengeance for his friend, but that'd be too easy. He wanted to see these bastards lose everything.
But Sasuke was more controlled by emotions. So again, why had he not-
A cough that sounded childlike. The actual Sasuke was arriving.
His eyes widened at the sight of him, emerging from black smoke and blacker flames.
In the Uchiha's arms was a little girl, wrapped in his cloak. Her tiny doll in Sasuke's hand. The girl shivered and snuggled closer. And instead of fury, there was sadness on the man's face as he stared at the girl.
And all of a sudden, he understood why Sasuke had not killed the old man.
Then- this was the Sasuke Naruto spoke of.