an: I feel that I should warn you... Sasuke is probably, maybe, just a teensy bit out of character here. But I had fun writing it, so whatever! That being said, enjoy! And please let me know how you think it turned out! XD
Naruto contemplated Fate, Destiny, and Death as he laid on his back, staring up at the clear blue sky.
He had always hoped somehow he'd end up with Sakura-chan, even though he'd promised to bring Sasuke back for her.
He should've realized there'd never be room for anyone else in their lives other than Naruto, and Sasuke, and bloody hands full of Death. Now that Itachi was gone, of course.
Hearing the small crunch of rocks sliding against rocks, Naruto turned his head. Sasuke was there on stomach and elbows, pulling his way toward him. Naruto watched in silence until the other boy collapsed just a few feet away from him. Then he spoke.
"Come on, bastard. Don't you want to kill me?"
"Shut up!" hissed Sasuke.
"Why? Aren't you gonna break this 'bond'?" A broken, hacking laugh tore from his throat, shaking his frame.
"You don't know anything!" rasped the Uchiha.
"Don't I." There was more statement than question in the words. "Well, if you won't do it, then I'll just have to come over there. Ready to go home, bastard?"
Sasuke let out an undignified snort, which set off a coughing fit. He licked blood from his lips before he said, "Yeah. Sure. Just come over here and try it, loser."
Neither boy moved.
Finally, after the longest time, Naruto sighed. He pushed himself up on an elbow facing Sasuke. "You know," he said, "I think I'll do that."
Sasuke's eyes widened. Naruto had been just as exhausted as he, but he hadn't taken into account the recuperative powers of the Nine-Tailed Fox. The blond would be mobile far sooner than he could ever hope to be. Ever so subtly inching backward, he said, "No. No, I'm fine. I'm here and I'm fine right here. You just… stay over there! Yeah! Lay back down! Moving around like that can't be good for your wounds, right?"
Naruto sat up fully. "Ah, I think I'll be alright. Look! Here, where you grazed me with Chidori," he pulled open his jacket, even though there was a big, gaping hole in the front, "is already almost good as new!" Sure enough, the skin was red and shiny, but it looked more like a month old scar than a fresh burn.
The dark-haired boy felt himself begin to panic. This was worse than when he'd worried about Itachi getting to Naruto way back when they'd been genin fresh out of the Chunin Exams. Now he made no effort to remain subtle as he tried to move his injured and aching body away from the blond.
"Well, sure, that one's almost healed. I barely touched you!" Naruto let out his own snort of disbelief, but Sasuke continued. "What about - umm… - What about the Lion Combo?"
"Puh-lease!" Naruto waved a dismissive hand. "As if that even scratched me! Look! Not a mark!" This time, he let his jacket fall from his arms and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing no bruising from the taijutsu attack. It did, however, expose an extraordinarily nasty cut across his ribs that looked as though it needed stitches. Sasuke could see at least three - no, four - ribs through the gash in the other's side. He felt a little green.
Trying to look away without making it obvious he was looking away, Sasuke waved a tired hand in the direction of Naruto's chest. "What about-" He swallowed. "What about… that?" He clenched his teeth, definitely feeling nauseous.
"Wha- Ohhh…" Naruto looked at the wound with interest. It was from a blade, for sure. "Huh. When did that happen?"
Sasuke looked up just in time to see Naruto examining the cut. In depth. The blond idiot was pulling apart the edges and looking inside his body! Was that a lung? Sasuke wasn't what you'd call squeamish, but seriously. Who did that?
"You know what? I don't care. Take me home, lock me up, chain me, eat the freakin' key! But would you STOP DOING THAT!"
Naruto glanced at Sasuke, realizing for the first time how sick the other boy appeared. He froze in his inspection of the cut, the edges pushed together and poking out like lips poised to kiss. "Uhhh…"
Sasuke glared pointedly at Naruto's hands. Feeling a little sheepish, the blond let go suddenly, and the "lips" relaxed, opening back up with a wet, squelching sound.
The unflappable Uchiha's face turned a pasty, pale green as he felt his eyes roll back in his head, and Naruto watched in mild amusement as his long-time rival promptly fainted.
The End