"I'll protect you with my life! Believe it!" He laughed, giving her his signature goofy grin.
Naruto told this to Mei as they set out on their first ANBU mission. She had been nervous all day, while getting ready. Sasuke seemed to be a little sick as they departed.
"Are you sure Sasuke-kun?" Mei had asked, "You don't seem alright."
He grunted in reply as usual.
"Don't worry Mei-chan!" Naruto had yelled, "He'll be fine! Even if he is a little sick. It's you that's important. You are our medic-nin!"
She blushed lightly. It crept on her cheeks and spread down her neck in a gentle cloud of pink.
"-I mean who's gunna heal the Teme while I fight the guy who K.O.'ed his butt!"
Mei and Sasuke both rolled their eyes. Of course Naruto had to ruin the moment; even Sasuke had noticed the blush that had risen on Mei's face. Naruto laughed as they made their way to the Village Hidden in the Mist.
"I thought you said no one was following us back there!" Sasuke yelled, exasperated.
Naruto looked over his should at Sasuke as they ran.
"Yeah well I didn't mean to. It was a mistake. Okay, Teme!?" He snapped.
"What ANBU makes a simple 'mistake' like this, Dobe?!" He shot back.
"I DO! ALRIGHT TEME! I MADE THE MISTAKE AND I'M SORRY!" He roared.
"Yeah well because of this 'mistake' Mei got hurt, Naruto." Sasuke growled.
They both glanced over at Mei who was using chakra to slowly heal her shoulder. Blood soaked her shirt and her eyebrows knit together in pain and concentration. Naruto grimaced to himself before turning back around.
"I'm fine!" Mei said quickly, waving her free hand back and forth.
"I'm sorry. " Naruto whispered.
"NO MEI-CHAN!"
The sword came down swiftly, prepared to be thrust into her stomach but the blade never came. Mei opened her eyes to see Naruto standing in front of her. Sword through him, his hand tightly grabbing the blade. Blood slowly spilled around it and collected at their feet.
An eerie silence hugged her tight. She couldn't breath as her mind pulled everything together. Her eyes froze in a fear deeper than her own.
The man finally moved, pushed harder, and Mei could see the tip of the blade emerge through Naruto's back. He began to cough loudly, a drowning sound; it sent shivers down Mei's spine. Naruto grabbed a kunai and with a cry sent it into the man's heart. The man swayed slightly, and then fell back dead.
Naruto dropped to his knees, coughing blood into his hand. Mei and Sasuke, who had both remained still before, moved forward. Sasuke gentle laid Naruto on his back as Mei began to focus her chakra.
"Naru…Naruto-kun?" Mei whispered.
Something prickled in the back of her eyes and her throat clenched.
"Mei-chan? Are y-you okay? You di-didn't get hurt d-did you?" He coughed and it shook his frame.
"No Naruto-kun. I…I'm fine. Hold still okay? And don't talk. Save your energy." She said quietly.
Sasuke bent down to watch.
"Do you need anything?" He asked.
She shook her head 'no' and he nodded. Her hands lowered over Naruto's stomach, lightly touching the skin. She pulled back the tattered cloth to reveal a gaping hole, blood still flowing freely. She concentrated deeply, allowing her chakra to flow over him. After what seemed like eons Naruto grabbed her wrist.
"Mei-chan, stop. You're going to hu-hurt yourself. I-It's not go-going to work. If the Kyuubi's chakra isn't then…" He trailed off.
She looked down at him. His eyes clenched in pain, mouth pulled into a grimace. His free hand was in a tight fist. His clothes, hair, and skin blood stained. It was a painful sight and it turned Mei's insides.
"Heh, don't worry M-Mei-chan! I'm fine," He chuckled harshly, "Y-you should worry over the Teme! He w-was the one who was surprised we were attacked!"
And yet.
Even through the pain Naruto still was being himself. And this was exactly why Mei had felt the way she did. Between the pranks and the promises Naruto had made, Mei had fallen unconditionally and unquestionably in love with him.
A spasm of fear gripped her heart as she watched him. Watched him giving up; she began to cry.
"Naruto Uzumaki don't you dare give up! This is not like you! You are not going to die! So don't even think that way!" Her tears that of equal to a storm cloud.
"Mei…" He whispered, "I can't make-"
"Don't say it, Uzumaki! This isn't like you!" She yelled.
"Mei, this isn't something s-simple. I-I can't-"
"YOU WILL NOT LEAVE ME, UZUMAKI! You can't! I love you!" She shouted.
Sasuke took in a sharp breath. Naruto began to laugh again and it sounded painful.
"It's funny." He said.
"What's funny?!" She snapped, frustrated.
"I've been waiting for you to say that because… I love you too…"
His grip on her wrist loosened and dropped to the ground. The pain left his face and his body relaxed.
"Naruto…Naruto…NARUTO!" Mei yelled.
She latched onto his shirt, tears poured down her face. Her forehead pressed against his gently and tears dripped from her eyes to his. The tears rolled down his cheeks and it looked as if Naruto himself was crying.
Sasuke gently placed a hand on her shoulder, kneeling down. Mei's heart that was once filled with unconditional and unquestionable love was now replaced with greater pain.