As a splash of blood hit his face, his heart broke.

They'd been fighting, again. On equal levels, again. No, that's not true. The blonde had always been stronger. He just held back on the raven. He always had. Because he loved him.

But the raven had always held back, as well. Subconsciously or otherwise, the reason didn't matter, but he had always held himself back. Just enough. Just enough so that this situation wouldn't come about.

But in a moment, it was over. Naruto hadn't held back, for a split second. As it happened, that was just the second that Sasuke found a momentary lapse in the blonde's defenses. And in that second, his own killing intent responded to the blonde's. And it was over. A slice to the heart, a precarious spot, just far enough on the side to hit the lungs, as well. Not that Sasuke hadn't risked being hit during his stab in the dark. He had, as it was, received a deep slice in the shoulder. Though, by the time he would've been pained by the cut, all the feeling had been sucked out of his system. All the breath. All the killing intent. Everything.

As soon as his knife hit flesh, he realized what would happen.

The blonde would die.

And his life would end. Forever.

His best friend would be gone forever.

"Naruto, wait!" Sasuke's eyes were opened as wide as they could go, taking in the mess of his friend and the world falling to pieces around him.

Naruto's eyes were opened wide, as well. Shocked Blue eyes met Terrified black ones. A shuddering intake of breath, and "Sasu…ke…"

"Wait, you'll be okay. You'll be okay, okay? The kyuubi will heal you, right? Right? You'll be fine, just hang on, stay with me! Please!"

"No, Sasuke… its…too deep…"

"But-!"

"Teme….remember, ok?" Another shuddering intake of pain, a wince accompanied by a sharp whine. "Remember that I love you, okay? That's why…." A bloody cough. "You could…the village…"

"Naruto… I can't…" Black eyes pleaded silently. Don't die, please don't leave me. You can't leave me. You can't abandon the village, either. They need you, you idiot. Just live, please! What about that fucking fox? Couldn't he do….something?

"Naruto, please…. I love you.. Don't leave me…"

A shaking, tan hand reached up to wipe away a tear from the raven's pale face.

"I'm sorry…" As Naruto gave Sasuke a small smile, the raven couldn't help but let out a small sob. The light was leaving those perpetually sparkling blue eyes. Those eyes that could reflect all the good in the world.

"Naruto! NARUTO!" Sasuke's pained cry reverberated through the destroyed woods that the boys had once been fighting in. He was sure those damn Konoha nin could hear it all those miles away where that dumb ass had told them to wait because he was afraid that they might get hurt from the brawl. They could all go fuck themselves. Couldn't they feel it? The wind that, once roaring furiously, was now calm, and playing gentle caresses across his features. Could they not feel the tremendous, warm, pure energy not draining, leaving the body that they had all once held so dear? Even if they could, Hell if he the raven would let them get near him.

Perhaps he should just set off Amaterasu off around them, and burn away his body and pain…

No, he couldn't do that. Naruto wanted to be buried in the Leaf Village's ninja memorial graveyard. He wanted his name on the stone that team 7's past selves had found on that first day, when Kakashi-sensei had decided to "test" them.

The sun had started to clear. Sasuke would've sworn that Naruto had something to do with it. He loves the sun- loved the sun…. Sasuke's eyes had stopped producing tears, but he felt as if his heart had been viciously ripped out of his chest by a psychopathic nin from the Bingo Book….

And it hurt. So, so bad. It hurt as bad- or worse- than the day his entire clan had been slaughtered by his aniki…

Sasuke felt more hollow than ever before as his forehead rested on Naruto's and his consciousness slipped away from him….