Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto
Yeah, so... a drabble thing I felt like writing after reading some angsty fics. Not good at all and really no point.
Enjoy!
It could have been different.
Should've been different.
He wanted it to be different.
… It wasn't going to change.
They were all grown up now. Everyone had changed so much, he had found it difficult at first to accept it. After all, he had still been dumb at fifteen.
It wasn't like that anymore. Part of him wished everything could've stayed the same. When life was simple and he still had a dream to chase after.
No… it definitely wasn't like that anymore.
He told himself he wouldn't cry and it was all he could do to keep himself from bawling like a baby. A feeling of déjà vu crept over him, hazy memories of their time in Wave. Of Haku and Zabuza and of a time long lost.
"… Sasuke…"
"When did you become such a woman, dobe?"
Somehow, between the chilling body on his lap, the screaming evidence of war around them, and the cloudy, starless night, Naruto just couldn't find it in him to reply.
He narrowed his eyes in fond exasperation, the tears overflowing and following the curve of his face, dotting the dirty, torn clothing of his adversary and best friend. At that moment he felt incredibly old. Old and tired and somehow defeated and resigned at the same time.
"It could have been different, y'know."
The light in those black eyes was dimming fast and, for the first time in a long time, Sasuke's lips twitched up into a smile. Small and sad though it was.
Naruto's heart clenched.
"… your optimism will kill you one day, Naruto."
The side of the blonde's mouth quirked up into a dry smile, pushing out a half chuckle and rolling his head up towards the dark sky. It was going to rain. Everything would be washed away and renewed. This silly war would be forgotten. The lives that were lost in it... also forgotten.
"… I've been dead for a long time, Sasuke."
Silence passed between them. Sasuke coughed, body jerking painfully, blood spilling over his lips. Naruto didn't look down, didn't care that more blood had been added to the dirt and grime and blood that was already on his clothing. Didn't flinch, or bat a lash, even though his friend was pretty much choking up a lung while lying on his lap, dieing.
It would all be over soon anyway and Naruto had grown out of being exaggerated and over dramatic.
"Next time… will definitely be better." He continued looking up at the sky, not getting a response.
He sighed, looking down and closing Sasuke's eyes.
The rain started to pour.
"… next time."