Author's Notes: I realised my chapters were slightly rushed, so I am in the process of re-writing them into something that makes much more sense and is hopefully a little bit more realistic.
Sasuke tried to open his eyes, smelling blood and the odour of dust settling down. For an instant, he felt disorientated and could not remember where he was. His shifted trying to move and a sharp pain shot through his right hand feeling as if his nerves were literally on fire. There was no sensation in his right arm, none at all!
"Ahh…" he moaned, his eyelids felt so heavy and any attempts at opening them sent a sharp pain to his head, notifying him of his blatant over-use of the Sharingan. Wait the Sharingan…
"So, you've finally regained consciousness…" Naruto's familiar voice whispered from his left sounding just as pained as he felt. At this Sasuke's eyes opened quickly and widened as all his memories of the past few hours returned. He had used the Kagutsuchi to settle the fight once and for all against Naruto, aiming to kill of course. And Naruto had used a similar jutsu to counter it. The resulting explosion had knocked him out.
It took a few moments for Sasuke to come to the undeniable conclusion of his paralysed state when Naruto spoke again, interrupting his thoughts, "It's just as it looks…" Sasuke turned to the left and saw Naruto's eyes, they weren't gloating as he'd expected. "You and I can't move…we've lost too much blood. We will die here." Naruto stated as if having accepted the fact that they were going to die, his voice very dull and lifeless. This was a trait Naruto's voice never possessed in all of their interactions. Naruto's eyes glanced down and Sasuke followed his gaze to the site of gore where their arms should have been. So this is why he couldn't feel anything.
Although he did feel anger and frustration at Naruto's words, this was not Naruto's way, to give up so easily. Although given their current situation it seemed logical. No one around them for miles, at least not anyone he could sense. So, the chances of them receiving help wasn't very high. He'd only felt like this when it came to Naruto, this mix of emotions swirling within him always resulting in a headache. But that could also be from the severe blood loss and the feeling of his life slipping away. Call him melodramatic but that was what this felt like…mind drifting and head in the clouds. Sasuke wished to die not wanting to live the life of a cripple. In fact he expected death when battling Itachi but as luck would have it, he only murdered his brother the one person who had loved him all these years. Sasuke inhaled sharply to concentrate and bring himself to awareness.
He had to know before he died. He had the chance to ask Naruto a final question that had been burning within throughout the whole war. Naruto the dead-last in the academy, he'd become so powerful to save his precious people and now has wasted his life trying to bring Sasuke back. Sasuke just couldn't understand why, why did he keep trying even when Sasuke had cut all ties with him.
He had to know so he asked, "Why would you do that to yourself…just to get in the way of my plans?" When Naruto didn't reply, he continued, "…I…had the power to kill any and everything that had plunged into darkness." He closed his left eye which contained the Rinnegan, as he could feel the tell-tale signs of blood about to appear. "Everyone I'd ever met, or would ever meet…no matter who it was, would always want to kill me…" Sasuke paused finding it difficult to find the correct words, "…But…not you…in the end, you didn't want to kill me…"
He looked at Naruto with his right eye, willing him to answer or say anything, "After everything that happened…" Now Sasuke became frustrated, words were difficult for him to express and Naruto waiting patiently for him to finish didn't help. He could still remember those words Naruto had said a few months ago, 'I'm the only one that can take all your hatred…' Naruto had sounded very determined then, now he waited not saying anything, going against his character.
Sasuke was surprised to feel hurt when Naruto didn't answer, the one time he badly wanted to know and was willing to listen…. nothing.
This was not how he was going to die, with no answers especially after he'd talked himself hoarse, Sasuke raised his voice, "Why did you still concern yourself that much with me?!" The hurt leaked out of his voice making him wince at how weak he sounded.
Sasuke saw Naruto's mouth twitch into a smile and felt annoyance that the bastard was laughing at him.
"You should know by now." Naruto said. But that was it, Sasuke didn't know, simple as that. Naruto must have seen something in his eyes that conveyed his thoughts and suddenly teased dispelling the serious atmosphere, "Now that your body can't move, it seems your mouth is doing a good job of making up for it."
That's it! Sasuke felt indignation rise up within him and couldn't stop himself from blushing. He hoped there were enough bruises and cuts on his face to cover it up. Sasuke replied embarrassed, "Just answer the question!"
"Because we're friends," Naruto said with the uttermost conviction, Sasuke could tell even though Naruto hadn't shouted or raised his voice. He just said it as if he believed with his everything. But Sasuke still wasn't satisfied, how could his former teammate even consider him a friend after all he had done. After all the pain and misery he put Naruto through trying hard to break those ties that just wouldn't go away.
"You've already said that." Sasuke narrowed his eyes, trying to finally understand where Naruto was coming from, "…But what exactly… does friend mean to you?" He said this tonelessly trying to cover up how socially awkward he actually was. But this was something he desperately wanted to know. Itachi had tried to convey the same message by staying loyal to a village that forced his hand to murder his own clan and family. He had talked about "the will of fire" and how as long as there were many that believed it the village was worth protecting. Naruto was doing the same thing. Sasuke remembered the villagers glaring hatefully at Naruto when they called him "monster" or "demon". How could Naruto forgive all of that abuse and yet still want to protect said villagers by becoming their Hokage.
Sasuke was startled out of his thoughts when Naruto finally spoke, "Even if you were to ask me to explain it, I honestly don't think I'd really have an answer." Naruto furrowed his brows in thought, "It's just, when I see you carrying that burden and going on about everything the way you do…somehow…" Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the pause waiting for Naruto to finish.
"…I just hurt…" This shocked Sasuke so much he felt regret and loss in his heart. How could someone feel so much for another…especially him who had done nothing to deserve it.
Naruto continued staring up not realising Sasuke's shock, "So much pain that…I just can't leave you alone!" He shouted the last part causing more knives to pierce Sasuke's heart at his conviction. Sasuke understood somewhat; it wasn't pity or selfishness that Naruto felt but empathy. Sasuke couldn't believe it he had been wrong all this time thinking all they had was rivalry and jealousy that stemmed from whoever was more powerful. He narrowed his eye in sadness, looking at Naruto in detail closely. Them lying horizontally side by side staring at each other, with a strange intensity was surreal. He'd grown so much, whilst Sasuke had been stuck in the past.
He almost teared up when Naruto again alleviated his sadness by joking, "Though it looks like today we did a good job of getting that pain all over the place, heh." Naruto looked at him and grinned so widely that his eyes crinkled then froze as pain shot through him. "Ow…ow…"
'Still a dobe,' Sasuke thought amused. But then he became serious as he thought of all the things he wanted to say to Naruto now that they were dying. He closed his eye, imagining a younger Naruto, not even ten years old looking lonely and dejected. '…Naruto…I knew that long ago, you always used to be alone. Just like me the one survivor of Uchiha…You were shunned by everyone in the village…'
Sasuke's life flashed through his eyes like many said when you were about to die. He remembered watching Naruto once wondering why he was so noisy and loud. 'You did stupid, foolish things to get punished on purpose…just so anyone would notice you…' Sasuke regretted insulting Naruto for how he acted then, 'When I first saw you like that, I thought you were a worthless good-for- nothing jerk. Just some weakling, who only ever wanted to mess around and play games.'
Sasuke remembered Naruto playing a prank on a gardener by hiding his tools and sticking his tongue out. 'But after always seeing you acting out and getting punished time and time again…somehow it just started to get to me.' Sasuke clenched his remaining hand, gasping as pain shot through but he forced himself continue to explain to Naruto in his thoughts. That he could do even though he couldn't say it out loud.
'At the time I thought…that little by little, your weakness was beginning to seep into me.' At the end of the day Sasuke would notice Naruto's sad smile. 'And from that point, every time I would see you, you would start to get to me more and more.' Sasuke imagined his family, his mother proudly holding him and his father with his hands on Itachi's shoulders. 'When I would see how you were desperate to be connected to other people…it would make me think of my family.'
Sasuke clenched his eyes tightly shut forcing back any tears, 'And some-how… it would make me at ease. But at the same time…I also thought it was weak.' He remembered himself training very hard throwing shuriken repeatedly. 'In order to try and escape from that weakness, I trained…so that I could get revenge on my brother…I wanted to become stronger than he was. In spite of that, I ended up in the same team as you…and once again I was facing the image of my family…' All the missions Sasuke did with Team 7 flashed through his mind, 'Going along with you on missions, with you spouting off about wanting to be Hokage…And you truly wanting to become stronger together with me…I also started to feel that someday I wanted to fight you.'
Sasuke felt exhausted and felt as if he was dreaming as he was able to picture team 7 and the other rookie 9 but carried on with his thoughts. 'And then I began to see the shadow of my family in team 7…that's why… when I would see you suffering…that's right…just like you…I would start hurting.' Sasuke's own thoughts weren't making sense now but he felt he had to give Naruto this reason for why he did what he did even though Naruto wouldn't ever know.
'When I understood your pain, that's the first time I thought of you as a friend. That was when I realised you were always alone. With someone like you around, you felt relieved…you would immediately begin to start talking and then somehow get this feeling of happiness!'
Sasuke never understood how Naruto would get back up again and again after everything he'd gone through. He had been jealous of Naruto's determination and ability to keep trying and succeeding in getting stronger. 'I, who had nothing, finally had some kind of connection…some kind of relationship.'
Sasuke remembered Naruto walking ahead of him, 'You had always walked in front of me…just like my older brother once did…today was no different…' Sasuke accepted his loss and his death as he lost all consciousness. The only thing he regretted now was not telling Naruto all this face to face before everything went quiet. What he didn't see was Naruto's shocked face as he listened to Sasuke's delusional rambles until he passed out.
Naruto looked at Sasuke's still face feeling grief at the words his friend couldn't say out loud to him when aware. They can't end like this, everything still unresolved. The shinobi war was the last thing on Naruto's mind as he edged to Sasuke's side and rolled over ignoring the blinding white pain from his body weight falling on his missing arm. Using his right hand, he poked Sasuke. "Oi…teme! Wake up!"
When that didn't work after a few tries he slapped Sasuke's face and instantly those eyes opened and turning to look at Naruto in confusion. "Where…." The Uchiha groaned as pain shot through his very being.
"Ok Sasuke….listen to me…." Naruto placed his available hand on Sasuke's face. "Breathe…you've lost a lot of blood."
One of the perks of being a jinchuuriki, was his quickly regenerating blood cells. So, Naruto never suffered blood loss due to his body's capacity to make more whilst he loses blood. Or something like that, he wasn't really paying attention when Sakura explained it to him.
Sasuke felt warmth on his face and he realised it was coming from Naruto's hand. The strange red chakra emanating from Naruto making him more aware of his surroundings. "Uugh…" Sasuke heard Naruto struggle to maintain whatever it was he was doing.
"We managed to survive this battle…" Sasuke said almost with wonder, unaware that he was repeating himself from earlier.
"Nghk…damn it! I still can't move my body a lot!" Naruto whined in a loud voice, he clearly retained some energy from the Kyuubi's chakra. "I totally wanted to bash you upside the head until I smacked some sense back into you!"
Sasuke couldn't help it, "Ahaa…ahaha…" he chuckled, and looking at Naruto's puzzled expression.
"Wha…What's so funny?" Naruto asked his lips pursed and still in shock at the sight of Sasuke laughing.
Sasuke still smiling fondly glanced at Naruto with his remaining open eye, "Even after ending up like this…you're still ready to fight…"
"Damn fucking straight! I'll take you on anytime...!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke, not actually angry at him. It was nice change seeing Sasuke laugh.
Sasuke winced slightly at the loud tone before replying, "Alright I accept it…" And these words were worth it as Naruto was rendered speechless for once, "This is…my loss."
And Naruto exploded, moving his hand away from Sasuke's face and regrettably taking away the pleasant warmth "You stupid asshole! This isn't a fight you can win or lose! This is between friends! I said I was going to smack some sense back into you until you woke up! The fight I wanna have comes after that!"
Sasuke winced at the loudness as his eyes were still giving him a massive headache, but he smiled slightly as he closed his eyes. "Hey…Naruto…" Sasuke whispered finding it difficult to take in breaths. He could feel the odd angle of one of his ribs poking uncomfortably giving twinges of pain.
"Yeah?" Naruto's voice quietened as he noticed Sasuke's painful breathing.
Sasuke continued breathlessly, "I've…come to accept you…," he paused to take in a few breaths, "If I die here…then that eternal destiny that the sage of the six paths talked about ends as well, doesn't it…?"
Sasuke didn't notice Naruto's eyes sadden and narrow, "This could also be a kind of revolution. The infinite Tsukuyomi will dispel after I die…then you can take my left eye and transplant it into Kakashi…" Sasuke felt as if his own time was running out, "I…want to settle all my debts with my own body…" It was the least he could do after everything he'd done to Itachi's village and his teammates.
Sasuke opened his right eye again, as Naruto started to argue, "If you die…don't think that by dying anything will ever be settled."
Sasuke let Naruto's concerned and angry voice wash over him. "If you're planning to die, then why don't you work together with me, who's living instead?" A second chance?
Naruto's eyes had that shine of determination again, "What I want to do is going to take the cooperation of all shinobi everywhere. And, of course, that includes you."
Sasuke understood what Naruto wanted so he said, "Even if I think well of you, I won't be able to accept anyone else." And that was the truth; the only person he remotely cared for was Naruto even though he didn't show it.
Naruto erupted with his frustrated tones again, "Damn you! Just go ahead, try and give me more of your babbling bullshit! I'll kick your ass all over the place again!" Naruto's voice was hoarse by the time he finished.
Sasuke asked, "What if I end up opposing you again?" He genuinely wanted to know what Naruto would do.
Naruto replied quickly to that, "Then I'll stop you again. But you wouldn't do that anymore." Naruto said the last part with absolute certainty and paused waiting for Sasuke's rebuff.
But Sasuke asked calmly, his voice trembling and composure finally breaking, "How…can you say that?" Sasuke looked away from Naruto's face and looked up at the blue sky which was the same colour as Naruto's eyes. It was a beautiful colour filled with warmth. He couldn't bear to look at the emotions Naruto's eyes were showing him. Sasuke already knew the answer to that question but he asked anyway, wanting Naruto to say it once more.
Naruto replied loudly, "I'm not gonna keep repeating myself to you!"
And Naruto sighed in fond exasperation, "Jeez! You still don't get it…?" He paused and put on a fake stuck up tone of voice as he replied knowing it'd piss Sasuke off, "Well, I guess it can't be helped …you were always pretty exceptionally stupid, after all…"
Naruto looked a Sasuke wanting to elicit another smile from his joke but Sasuke was looking away up at the sky, his breathing loud. Naruto looked in silence, his eyes narrowed; waiting for Sasuke to reply with an insult when he saw tears drip down from his left eye. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise at the display of Sasuke's uncontrollable emotions, first laughter and now tears. Maybe he'd gone too far…?
But then he heard Sasuke gasp and say with a choked voice, "Shut…it…usuratonkachi." And Naruto smiled.
God knows how many hours later it was but Naruto was worried, no one had shown up. Kakashi-sensei and Sakura were the only ones not in the infinite Tsukuyomi and they would have found them by now, what if something had happened. Oh wait, he remembered Sasuke also putting Sakura-chan in a genjutsu. So only Kakashi-sensei was left, but he had severe chakra exhaustion so Naruto doubted their sensei would be able to get here on time to save their lives. He hoped Sakura-chan was alright.
But he had another problem to take care of first…Sasuke. The Uchiha was still in tears, shivering and panting his breaths coming out in gasps. Naruto had tried to offer words of comfort and shouted words of anger but Sasuke had shrugged it all off and continued his silence. Then Sasuke suddenly started coughing up blood and Naruto had never felt so helpless, unable to move. He didn't think Sasuke could last much longer after he witnessed the coughing.
"Shit!" Naruto shouted, frustrated at everything, he'd finally redeemed Sasuke only for them to die so soon after. His limbs had some mobility returning to them but only due to Kurama's almost non-existent chakra.
'Think again brat!' Naruto heard in his head.
'Kurama!' Naruto exclaimed happily despite all the pain, 'You're still alive!'
'Of course, gaki, I'm not going out that quickly, although just about…' Naruto listened, 'I have a plan….'
Naruto thought quickly, 'Great! So we can get out of here?'
Kurama paused before explaining, 'I can send you both back, back to a time where there was no war. I don't know if this will work but in theory it should. I am also dying because you are brat. Using the last of my chakra with the Rinnegan should make a crack in the dimensions of space and time.'
It seemed too good to be true, 'You mean like going back in time?' Naruto thought hard…. that means they could prevent this war from ever happening! He could save Jiji, pervy-sage, Neji….and countless others from dying. Naruto knew his thoughts were taking a selfish turn. But this seemed like their only option…who knows…Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan may have died too. 'Ok Kurama lets do this….'
'I need to make contact with the Uchiha brat and his Rinnegan for it to work,' Kurama said with finality.
'Alright! Let's do it!' Naruto felt hopeful, 'You need to talk to Sasuke right?'
'Since you are both out of chakra you need to touch the Uchiha brat and let me take control,' and the Kyuubi went silent after that.
"Yosh!" Naruto shouted out loud out of nowhere imitating Lee, which startled Sasuke so badly that he looked at Naruto.
"What is it?" Sasuke asked his voice cracking still not looking at Naruto.
Naruto looked at Sasuke's face and couldn't help but snicker at the embarrassed blush Sasuke was trying and failing badly to suppress. "Kurama has a plan, but he wants to talk to you."
"Dobe if you haven't noticed I don't have much chakra left to use the Sharingan." Sasuke winced in pain and at the fact he couldn't do anything.
"That doesn't matter! Kurama said we both just need to touch each other and I just need to look at your Rinnegan."
"Naruto…" Sasuke's voice whispered bordering on defeat, "…I can't…" But before he could finish Naruto shouted, "Don't give up now bastard, just when I got you back!" Sasuke felt tears prick his eyes again.
"Kurama is going to send us back in time to when everything was peaceful! We can stop this war from ever happening teme!" Naruto shuffled closer to Sasuke placing his hand on Sasuke's chin and tilting his face towards him.
Sasuke looked up; he was very close to Naruto, their breaths mingling and noses bumping awkwardly. Naruto still had his eyes closed still recovering from the pain of the movement. "What do you mean…? How is that possible?" Sasuke struggled to breathe…. gasping in pain. Naruto explained quick as he could, seeing as they were running out of time quickly. Of course, the Rinnegan's power was hardly explored as it was quite difficult to achieve, who knew what it was capable of. Sasuke was willing to take any chance now so he nodded at Naruto conveying his acceptance of this ridiculous plan.
And with that Naruto's eyes flicked red and it wasn't Naruto but Kyuubi that stared through them.
At the expected look Sasuke opened his Rinnegan eye with difficulty feeling blood drip form his eyes. "Hn…" He grunted and quickly looked at Naruto who had the nine-tailed fox's chakra enveloping them both in the well heard of fox's cloak.
Kurama's chakra rose up like a swirling inferno and everything froze as Sasuke lost all sense of perception as if he was being pulled into a genjutsu. Then everything went black.