Blood (Sasu x Naru x Ita, others)

5) 再結合 / Saitōitsu/ Reunion

The blonde nin allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Thanks to the nearly complete merging with the Kyuubi he was able to see everything inside the room as if it was broad daylight within seconds.

He drew in a deep breath and looked around the spacious room. He found what he was searching for sitting on the floor with her head bowed as if she was deeply in thought.

He concentrated his sense of hearing to read her racing heartbeat before he searched the rooms for other possible hidden or invisible inhabitants.

He could hear a faint heartbeat but it was really weak and would probably belong to one of the Teme´s so-called minions outside the room… or someone who was at complete peace.

´… or nearly dead, ` the blonde thought when he felt a warm breath ghost against his neck which sent a shiver down his spine.

He felt someone but it was to faint to decipher who it was… or maybe it was just his imagination that played tricks with his feverish mind… so instead of worrying more about it he decided to turn his attention to Sakura´s rapidly beating heart.

´She seems to be on the verge of a panic attack or something… she´s scared and upset… I can smell her fear and a hint of HIS scent lingers here too… I guess I better make my presence known so I won´t scare the shit out of her when I get closer to her position… Say didn´t Suigetsu say something about the Teme being in here? Has he learned a new jutsu that will help him to hide himself better or has his new strange chakra signature something to do with this? `

“Sakura-chan?” He called out. He knew that Sasuke knew that he was here, so did his minions so why hide it. Everyone still took him for a brainless fool so why not use it to his advantage with the Teme as well.

“N-Naruto?” He could hear that she was crying. “Is that you?”

´She really is scared, but there is something else… she is angry, disappointed… and I sense her pain… but is she angry with me… or is she pissed at Sasuke? ` He wondered while he walked towards her.

There was no scent of blood in the air so there was no need for him to rush and it wouldn´t be wise let the Teme know that he could see in the darkness since Naruto could use that to his advantage if they would get in trouble.

Instead he felt his way towards the girl by following the wall till he reached the trembling medic.

“Sakura-chan are you alright?” He asked her after he knelt down next to her. He placed his hands on her quivering shoulders to comfort her.

“Naruto you came for me?” She sounded relieved and yet worried at the same time.

“Did he hurt you?” He whispered to uphold the illusion of him being less skilled than he really was. No one knew how strong he had become… and only few knew about his illness that kept him from enjoying his newly developed strength and skill.

“It´s Sasuke… he… you already know that it´s Sasuke-kun… and still you came?” She stuttered.

“Of course I came for you Sakura-chan. You´re my friend,” he said while he freed her hands from the robes that restrained her hands.

“Naruto… we need to get out of here… Sasuke, he´s… not right in the head…” She sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as if her life depended on it.

“Shh it´s alright… you can go know. Baa-chan and the others are worried sick about you, they are at the infirmary… ready to take care of you and any possibly injuries you might have,” Naruto told her while he stroke her hair to calm her down.

She was a nice girl and a strong konoichi. He loved her like a sister and would miss her company terribly since he was certain that he would never see her again.

She nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. She began to follow the wall towards the exit when she felt his warm hand slip out of hers.

She turned around and stepped towards him while panic welled up inside of her once more.

“Naruto? Is something wrong? Come with me,” she begged.

“No can do Sakura-chan. He came here to see me… I have to give him a chance to explain himself.”

“No! Naruto, no you have to come with me… let´s leave this place together. I´ll ask Tsunade to tear this place down later… please… you don´t owe the bastard anything.” She begged him repeatingly while she tugged at his hand, tears running down her cheeks.

“Sorry but I just can´t. You know him… he won´t give up till he gets what he wants… this way it´ll be my decision. He kidnapped you and has probably already threatened to destroy Konoha or something really bad if Baa-chan doesn´t give him what he wants. The bastard has no respect for authorities.” He chuckled softly while smiling weakly at her.

“… Neither have you Naruto.” She said with a sad smile. “H-He told me that you were ill… Is that true?”

“… Yes,” Naruto admitted, a bit surprised that the Teme knew about it.

“Don´t leave me Naruto… I need you... I love you. We´ll find a way to cure whatever is wrong with you,” she whispered into his long sleeved shirt while she hugged him. Her desperate tears seeped into his black turtleneck and he wrapped her arms around her shoulders and sighed.

´But there is no cure for this illness of mine nee-chan… I´m going to die soon… and I really wanted to spare you from the pain as long as possible, ` the blonde nin thought sadly.

“I´m sorry but it can´t be helped… I have to hear what he has to say and I don´t believe that Sasuke is crazy. And about my illness… Why don´t you ask Baa-chan about it when you see her… she´ll explain it to you in medical terms.”

“You´re sacrificing yourself for us… aren´t you?” She asked softly. ´No, no I´m losing him to Sasuke´s darkness, I can feel him distancing himself from me already… Of course he would sacrifice himself for the ones he loves… He has always had such a kind and loving heart. `

“Don´t think of it that way. It is my decision and I´ve missed the bastard… besides that, one life is nothing compared to thousands… you know that Sakura-chan. I don´t see it as a sacrifice… not really. Sasuke is my friend… so just go… I´ll see you soon.” He lied and it made him feel like an ass to say that he would see her again soon… but he knew that it was what she needed to hear.

“You´ll meet me when you come back?” she asked with a soft smile.

“Yes. When I come back I will visit you,” he whispered softly.

“A-Alright, I´ll be strong for your sake Naruto… C-Can I have a kiss before I go?”

´This is goodbye for both of us… I guess I could grant her, her wish if it makes her happy,” Naruto thought before his ears picked up a faint noise nearby. It was nearly undetectable but he knew that there was someone passing by him from behind.

“Sure Sakura-chan… you can have a kiss,” He whispered and leaned down to meet her waiting lips in a soft kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her soft, curvy body against him while she moved her lips hungrily against his.

He mentally hit himself for doing this but he still allowed her to deepen the kiss they shared. ´I said A kiss not that she could devour me, ` he thought while silently sighing.

#It´s your own fault kit, she´s in love with you after all, # the Kyuubi chuckled teasingly while Naruto tired to push the pink-haired woman off him as gently as possible.

´I know… but I don´t think that I´ll ever see her again so why shouldn´t I grant her this wish… it´s not like she´s ever gonna kiss me again Kyuu-chan, ` he reasoned.

#Right… and what if you end up living through this… what then? # Kyuubi asked.

´Yeah sure as if we´re gonna make it. `

#There´s a tiny chance that everything will solve itself once we´re completely merged… but it´s only about one percents chance, # the Kitsune told him.

´… One… percent… Yup we´ll make it because I´m such a lucky bastard, ` Naruto thought, his voice thickly laced with sarcasm.

#Suit yourself kit… I was just trying to cheer you up. #

´Yeah thanks Oh Mistress of Know it All, ` Naruto mocked.

#Hmpf Ungrateful brat, # She growled without any real anger. She loved this boy and knew that her effort to cheer him up was a pity-full one… but what else could she do.

“Ouch!” Sakura stepped back with a cry of pain.

“What is it?” Naruto asked when he saw her rub the back of her head in the darkness.

“Something hit me… I guess I´ll better go now. See you outside.”

“Yeah… Say hi to Baa-chan and the others from me… and tell her that I´m sorry for disobeying her orders… again,” He told her before she left the room.

He stared at the floor beneath his feet. He knew that he was doomed ever since he had started to cough up blood a few months ago… so why was saying ´goodbye` still such a painful task?

He had thought that he would have years or at least months left… but right now it looked bad… really bad. Maybe he would have three or four weeks left… if he would get into a bed and relax.

All of this tension, worry and stress only sped things up… If he would go with Sasuke and face Itachi… he would only have a few days left… the angrier and more frustrated he was… the Kyuubi´s chakra became more aggressive and attacked more of his organs.

´Damn… I don´t wanna die. `

´You won´t have to Dobe. ` The man hiding in the darkness thought after he read the blonde´s mind.

“You can show yourself now Teme,” Naruto whispered. “It wasn´t nice to hit her like that… She just wanted to say goodbye.”

“Hn. She´s such a nuisance,” a voice in the darkness hissed. “How did you even know that it was me? And that that I was here in the first place?” Sasuke asked while he stepped out of the shadows.

“…” Naruto just stared into the Uchiha´s blazing red eyes. He recognized the Mangekyou Sharingan immediately and couldn´t help to wonder why Sasuke would use it since it would eventually make him lose his eyesight.

“No I won´t,” the Uchiha said.

“Excuse me?” Naruto barked back.

“I won´t lose my eyesight since my eyes won´t age anymore. This form of the Sharingan isn´t even the strongest one,” he told the blonde. “Why did you allow her to kiss you like that?”

“Why not? Maybe I liked it,” The blonde said coldly.

“Hn… yeah right.”

“So you´re a mind reader now Teme?”

“Not really Dobe,” he told the blonde and stepped closer to Naruto.´ it´s just bits and pieces yet… but I´m improving with each passing day.`

“Impressive. So why did you want to talk with me about Sasuke?”

~ # ~

Sakura ran all the way to the hospital at the center of Konoha and nearly knocked over a few medics when she rushed into the infirmary where Kakashi and Tsunade were talking to the injured ANBU.

“Sakura thank god you’re free… are you alright?” Tsunade asked the panting woman.

“I-I´m fine… N-Naru… Naruto… he stayed… behind… we have to… help him… he´s such a… stubborn… thickheaded… fool… sometimes. Give me a minute… to regain my breath… and I´ll lead you straight… to him-”

“… Sakura… I-I can´t do that.”

“What?! Why not? Naruto came to save me.” She cried out loud. “ Sasuke… H-He wants to take Naruto away from here… he will never allow Naruto to come back… I don´t want to lose Naruto to that cold hearted bastard… Hokage-sama you have to save him-”

“Sakura! Calm down… breathe. Didn´t Naruto tell you about his condition?” Kakashi asked her after he grabbed onto her trembling shoulders and forced her to sit down on a chair.

“C-Condition… Y-Yeah he said something about being ill… he wanted me to ask you about the details… and he wanted me to… say hi… and that he was sorry that he disobeyed your orders… again… What is going on here?”

~ # ~

“Dobe… I know what is wrong with you… I might be able to help you,” the raven-haired man told the unhealthy pale blonde nin.

“There is no cure for what is wrong with me Teme… I´m fine… and don´t change the subject. Why do you want to see me?”

“Damnit you´re not fine Usuratonkachi! I know damn well that there´s no known cure for what´s killing you… I know how little time you have left. I´m not as naïve as Sakura… I know that no Hokage, no medic or demon can heal you… but I think I can,” the Uchiha said with a very serious tone.

“… Oh really… you can do the impossible… How? #Sigh# Sasuke… I have accepted my faith… To be a Jinchuuriki doesn´t come without a price. Though I never asked for any of this it´s still my reality Teme. I can´t flee from it… no matter how hard I´ve tried. Death is the only certain thing in our lives… it just comes sooner to me than I expected it…” Naruto stared at the hardwood floor beneath his feet, feeling fear of dying well up inside of him once more.

“Sasuke… would you change anything in your life if you were given the chance to go back in time with the knowledge you have today?”

“… Maybe. Why do you ask?”

“I have asked myself that question ever since Kyuu-chan told me that I was going to die from this illness,” Naruto whispered.

“… What answer did you come up with Dobe?” Sasuke asked and leaned closer till he rested his cold forehead against Naruto´s feverish skin. He already knew the answer since he could read the blonde´s mind like an open book… he just wasn´t sure if he liked the answer that his Dobe came up with.

“Our lives are determined by our actions… and my actions have led me this far. I´ve known a long time that I wasn´t meant to become a Hokage… and I have learned that promises should not be made lightly… My past wasn´t a pleasant one and it was filled with pain, suffering, grief and sorrow for the ones I´ve lost…” the blonde whispered softly. “But there is more to it than that… I like to believe… that I was able to make a difference. I was able to convince Baa-chan to become Hokage…To open Gaara´s heart and help him let people into his life… Y-You weren’t devoured by Orochimaru… and you came back… just to see me.”

The Uchiha could feel the blonde smile when Naruto moved to rest his chin against Sasuke´s shoulder.

“Teme… I know this sounds corny… but I was happy whenever we argued… whenever I fought by your side. It is my final wish to do just that when my time comes. I don´t wanna be chained to a bed or a machine just to be able to live an additional week or two… I want to leave this existence as a true shinobi… as your friend… facing my enemy… proud and courageous in battle if possible…” Naruto leaned heavier against the Uchiha and felt his body grow heavy.

He was losing consciousness… it wasn´t that blackouts were unfamiliar to him… they had happened rather frequently lately… it was just that now wasn´t the best time.

Kyuu had explained it to him… it happened because his brain wasn´t getting enough oxygen from his damaged lungs. It was a sign that he had entered the final stage of his illness. Maybe this was the time when he wouldn´t wake up again.

“I don´t want to lose you, you hear Dobe… I can´t let you leave me… I won´t allow that. I don´t care if I have to force you because I will… since I will have an eternity to make it up to you afterwards.” The Uchiha said softly before he kissed the unconscious blonde´s forehead before scoping him up in his strong arms.

TBC