Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Warnings: Shounen-ai, AU, unbetaed- please forgive the mistakes.
A/N: Something that came to me suddenly, and I wanted to get it out. Please enjoy!
Naruto run down the stairs and walked into the living room where his parents sat silently. There were papers in their hands and both of their gazes were locked on the numbers on them, as if trying to change them by their will.
"Hey!" Naruto smiled at them. "Stop worrying, okay?"
He moved quickly and sat down between Minato and Kushina on the couch.
"Everything will work out, just you see!" Smiling, Naruto wrapped his arms around them, and held them against his chest. They shared a few minutes silently and then Naruto jumped to his feet. "Teme wants to meet up, says he needs to talk to me. Good, now I can talk to him as well."
He grabbed his jacket and then waving them goodbye, he left the house quickly.
As soon as Naruto left, Kushina broke down in tears and Minato hugged her tightly, fighting with his own tears.
"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto shouted loudly as he saw his boyfriend sitting on a bench at the beachside, watching the sea silently.
"Must you be so loud all the time dobe?" Sasuke said, his annoyance visible on his face.
Smiling, Naruto threw himself in Sasuke's arms, they had spent their lives together, so he was used to Sasuke's grumpiness by now, as Sasuke was used to his hyperactivity.
"But, what if you can't recognize me if I don't get your attention?" Naruto asked with wide eyes as he drew back.
Sasuke smiled softly. "You're such a dobe."
"Shut up asshole!" Naruto folded his arms and looked to the side, refusing to meet Sasuke's gaze.
"Come on Naruto, we need to talk," Sasuke said and the seriousness of his voice was enough for Naruto to drop his act and face him.
"What's wrong Sasuke?" Naruto asked worriedly.
"Don't worry," Sasuke gave Naruto a small smile. "You said you need to tell me something, right?"
Naruto nodded quickly.
"What is it?" Sasuke asked.
"No, you go first," Naruto shook his head, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's beautiful face. "It seems like something important."
Sasuke nodded and then started talking slowly, "You know that I don't like it here,"
Naruto nodded.
"And I want to leave here, I want to become someone important," Sasuke kept on.
Naruto nodded again, these were all Sasuke's dreams from childhood.
"And we already finished high school-"
Naruto nodded yet again.
"And, I… I applied to a university out of the prefecture without telling you a few months ago," Sasuke said softly. "And I got accepted… I'm leaving Naruto…"
"When?" Naruto asked softly.
"Tomorrow night," Sasuke said.
Naruto was silent for a few moments and then collecting himself, he smiled at Sasuke. "I'm so proud of you Sasuke! But, you'll come to see us, right?"
"I… don't have a plan to turn back," Sasuke said softly and this time Naruto couldn't help a tear that left one of his eyes.
"Come with me," Sasuke said softly after a while.
Sniffling, Naruto smiled at Sasuke through his tears. "I wouldn't want to be a burden to you."
They were silent for a few minutes and then Sasuke ruined it, "What did you want to tell me?"
"Oh," Naruto looked up, he had already forgotten about it. "It wasn't important."
Again, silence took over them but it was Naruto who ruined it this time. "I should get going. Mom and dad must be waiting for me and I'm sure you need to get ready…"
"Yeah…"
They stood up and faced each other. Seeing their baby, child, and teenage years in each other's eyes. How they become friends, how they played, how they loved, how they fought, how they laughed and cried, how they simply were together always… But not anymore.
Smiling, Naruto hugged Sasuke tightly who returned the gesture.
"I trust you," Naruto said. "I know that if someone is going to leave this town and become someone important, it will be you. Don't ever give up, and chase your dreams no matter what, okay?"
Gulping, Sasuke nodded quickly.
Smiling softly, Naruto got on his tiptoes and kissed Sasuke's forehead softly. "Take care and don't forget that I'll always love you no matter what…"
Naruto let Sasuke go and took a step backwards.
"I... Me too," Sasuke said, looking down.
Naruto nodded. "Goodbye…"
They turned back, and went to their own separate ways, never looking back.
Sasuke sighed as he adjusted his tie. He got his small hand luggage and left the airport. The weather was a littler colder here in his home town. He hailed a taxi and gave the address of his family's house.
He was silent through the way. He just watched the streets of the once familiar town. Did he miss it here? Definitely not. He was content with his new life. He had realized all of his dreams and he just kept making them bigger and bigger.
He thanked and paid the driver as he stood in front of his old home. It looked as Sasuke left it, nothing seemed to change. And this was what Sasuke hated the most about here, time seemed to be frozen here; nothing and nobody changed, they were doomed to stay as they were to the end of the time.
Sighing, he climbed the stairs and knocked on the door. He waited for a few moments and then he heard footsteps and then the door was opened, revealing Mikoto whose eyes widened at the sight of his son.
"S-Sasuke?" She asked hesitantly, as if not believing her eyes.
"Yes, mother, it's me," Sasuke smiled softly.
"Sasuke!"
In an instant Sasuke found himself in his mother's embrace. And, surprisingly, he realized that he had missed this. The warmness that only a mother could give you.
"Welcome," She said as her hands touched Sasuke's face.
"Don't cry," Sasuke said softly.
Sniffling, Mikoto nodded. "I'm sorry. It's just-"
"Mikoto, what's happening?" Fugaku's voice reached them before him and the man stopped dead as he saw Sasuke at their doorstep. "What do you think you're doing here?" He hissed.
"I have important news for you," Sasuke said as he looked at his father's angry face.
"You leave us without a second thought and don't ever make contact for six years, and then you come here with something important?" Fugaku shouted. "Do you think I give a damn about your life now?"
"Fugaku please," Mikoto pleaded, stepping between the father and son.
"Itachi, also, left," Sasuke shouted back at his father. "But of course, you would never be angry with him, would you?"
"Unlike you," Fugaku hissed. "Your brother calls every day, visits when he can and stays by our side when we need him."
"Enough please," Mikoto said and put her hands over Fugaku's chest.
Fugaku looked down at his wife's face and then turned back and left to his room.
"Come in," Mikoto said and held Sasuke's hand, guiding him to the kitchen.
She let him sit by the table and gave him a big glass of water.
"How are you mother?" Sasuke asked after a while.
"I'm fine," She smiled at her son. "What brings you here? What you need to tell us?"
"I… I'm getting married mother," Sasuke said.
"You are?" Mikoto blinked. "But… you're still young, don't you think?"
"Yes, but she's the perfect wife I need," Sasuke said, determined.
"Then, I wish you happiness," Mikoto smiled.
"I want you to come to my ceremony. But father…" Sasuke didn't finish his sentence.
"Don't worry," Mikoto leaned over the table and squeezed Sasuke's hand. "I'll talk with your father, I'm sure he'll come to understand."
Smiling, Sasuke nodded.
After a while Sasuke ruined the silence, "How is everyone?"
How is Naruto?
"They are all the same," Mikoto smiled. "They help us, and visit us all the time. Though…" Tears filled her eyes as she looked down.
"What is it mother?" Sasuke asked, frowning.
"N-Naruto, that poor child…" Mikoto wiped her tears quickly.
"What happened to him?" Sasuke asked worriedly.
"Shortly after you left, we lost Kushina and Minato in a car accident," This time Mikoto started crying openly. "My beautiful f-friend Kushina… I- and then N-Naruto's situation…"
Without realizing Sasuke jumped to his feet and turned to the door.
"S-Sasuke where are you going?" Mikoto called out after him.
"Naruto," Sasuke breathed.
"He doesn't live in their old place anymore," Mikoto said. "His grandparents take care of him."
"Where do they live?" Sasuke asked quickly.
"At the end of the main road, just ask for Namikaze's, everybody will show you," Mikoto said.
Nodding, Sasuke walked out quickly.
As his mother said Sasuke found the Namikaze's house easily. He stood in front of the door for a while, gathering his courage, he knocked on the door with a shaky hand.
He was expecting Naruto to open it, Naruto loved opening doors for some strange reason, but a big man with white hair opened the door.
He looked at Sasuke for a moment. "How can I help you?"
"I'm a childhood friend of Naruto's, I would like to see him," Sasuke said and then added quickly. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha."
"Oh," Jiraiya nodded and then stepped aside. "Naruto's friends always welcome."
Thanking him, Sasuke stepped inside and Jiraiya led him to the living room.
"Naruto was getting ready to go out. He should be here soon," Jiraiya said.
Smiling, Sasuke nodded.
As Jiraiya said, shortly after he had sat down, he heard loud footsteps and people talking, and laughter. He could recognize Naruto's sweet voice and pearly laughter, and it made his heart beat painfully fast.
He stood up as three people came into the room. One was Sakura, their old friend. She had grown up to be a beautiful young woman. Sasuke remembered her with long pink hair, but now she had it short around her shoulders. And there was another woman. She had long blonde hair, and amber eyes, but the most eye-catchy thing about her was the chest she carried, but Sasuke decided not to linger on it.
He turned his attention to the third person, who had Naruto's voice, though there was no chance that he could be Naruto. He was sitting on a wheelchair which was led by Sakura. He was thin, and frail. And he was pale, even paler than Sasuke. He had a medical mask over his mouth, covering half of his face. There was an orange colored bandana over his head, and Sasuke could see that it was covering the hair that that wasn't there. Sasuke could see that, also, there were no eyebrows in their place, but Sasuke took a sharp breath as his eyes met with the breath-taking sky blue ones. The eyes that he loved desperately. The eyes that he loved no matter how far he was. The eyes that he could never forget.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked hesitantly as he saw the love of his life in front of him.
He hadn't changed at all. Maybe he was a little taller and that was all. His skin, his eyes, his hair, they were same as ever.
"N-Naruto?" Sasuke called softly, having difficulty with believing it was the Naruto he knew.
"Yes!" Naruto shouted happily. "Welcome Sasuke! What brings you here?"
"I… ugh, for some p-personal things," Sasuke spoke hardly.
"Wah, it's great to be able to see you again," Naruto said with a wide smile.
It's good to see you again before I go…
Sasuke assumed that Naruto was smiling, because it was impossible to see his lovely smile behind that mask.
"I'm sorry for the mask," Naruto pointed his mask, as if reading Sasuke's thoughts. "But you've come from outside, and outside means virus and microbe!"
They all smiled at Naruto's joke, except Sasuke, who hadn't grasped the reality yet.
"I always watch you on the TV, and read you on the newspapers," Naruto kept on happily. "I knew that you could make it. I'm proud of you!"
Sasuke could only nod as he took a shaky breath.
"I'm, also, proud of Sakura-chan. She has become a doctor!" Naruto said enthusiastically. "Isn't it wonderful?" He kept on without waiting an answer. "Actually, everybody got really cool and successful. And I…" His eyes got glassy for a moment but he pushed it back quickly. "I've become the professor of ramen!"
This time everybody laughed, again except Sasuke who was crying silently without noticing.
"E-Excuse me," He said and left the house running.
Sakura moved to go behind him to give him a piece of her mind, but Naruto stopped her by grabbing her wrist.
"It's okay Sakura-chan, give him some time," Naruto smiled at Sakura. "We know that I'm ill for six years now, but he just learned it, understand him, okay?"
Sakura nodded silently.
"Anyways, I'm hungry, let's go to Ichiraku's now!" Naruto shouted happily.
Sighing, Tsunade placed a fluffy, orange blanket over Naruto's legs.
"Don't stay too long, okay?" She said, kissing Naruto's forehead. "And call us if you get tired, we'll come to get you."
"Okay, okay," Naruto waved a hand. "Let's go!"
Smiling, Sakura pushed Naruto's chair out of the house.
Sasuke run and run. Where to, he didn't know. His tears were blinding him.
Naruto, Naruto…
He stopped when he found himself back at home again. He entered inside quickly, and found his mother at the living room, reading a book.
"M-Mom…"
Mikoto looked up when she heard his son's broken voice.
"Sasuke…"
His usually stoic son was sobbing loudly, his hair was a mess, and tears were leaving his dark eyes without stopping.
Sasuke walked to his mother, and laid down on the couch. He placed his head on her lap and curled up, just like he did when he was a child.
Mikoto started stroking Sasuke's hair slowly, trying to calm him down.
"N-Naruto," Sasuke took a deep breath after a while. "Wh-What's wrong w-with him?"
"He's ill," Mikoto said softly. "Cancer…"
After hearing that, Sasuke started sobbing again, letting out what he had repressed till now.
"Since when?" Sasuke asked, after he was sure that he didn't have any more tears.
"Like… six years," Mikoto said softly.
Sasuke took a deep breath, and then stood up slowly.
"I'm going to my room," Sasuke said. "I'm tired."
Mikoto nodded, and watched his son as he left with worried eyes.
"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am," Sasuke smiled kindly as Tsunade opened the door for him.
"Ah, you again," She let the door open and turned back and walked into the kitchen.
Taking the open door as an invitation, Sasuke got inside and closed the door, following Tsunade into the kitchen.
She put a cup of tea in front of Sasuke immediately, and then walking to the corridor, she shouted loudly,
"Naruto, your friend is here!"
"Coming!"
"That brat," Tsunade murmured and then sat down on a chair across from Sasuke. "I have never seen you before."
"I normally don't live here," Sasuke said. "I've come to pay a visit to my parents and wanted to see Naruto."
Tsunade nodded wordlessly and sipped her tea.
"Ah, Sasuke, welcome!"
Sasuke looked back as Naruto entered the kitchen. He was wearing white from tip to toe, looking like the angel he actually was.
Sasuke's eyes still got clouded after all the crying he had done till morning.
Man up.
"Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke smiled at him as he took some juice from the kitchen.
Naruto smiled at Sasuke and sat down beside him. He covered his mouth with his mask and occasionally, pulled it down to drink his orange juice.
"I thought you would have gone by now," Naruto said, tugging at the sleeves of his white sweatshirt.
"No," Sasuke said slowly. "I decided to stay longer."
"Oh, that's nice," Naruto smiled. "Auntie Mikoto was really upset when you were gone."
Sasuke nodded. "Wanna go out a little?"
"Uhmm, okay. But, Sakura-chan is at her hospital now, she takes me around, we can wait for her maybe?" Naruto suggested and then smiled. "I get tired really quick and I'm no good at guiding the wheelchair by myself."
Sasuke gulped hardly. "It's fine. I'm here, I'll help you."
"Oh," Naruto seemed to be thinking for a moment. "Okay then. I'll get it, you wait here."
Sasuke nodded and sipped his tea under Tsunade's penetrating gaze as he waited for Naruto.
"Okay!" Naruto came, pushing his chair.
"Thanks for the tea," Sasuke bowed to Tsunade and pushed Naruto's chair out of the house.
"Where do you want to go?" Sasuke asked after they walked a little.
"Beachside!" Naruto said happily and put his blanket over his legs tighter. "Did you know that your legs and feet get really cold when you don't walk?" He said and tilted his head, looking at Sasuke. "Then again, I hope you won't need to learn it."
Sasuke could only nod at Naruto.
"There," Naruto pointed a bench at the beachside. "Let's sit over there."
Sasuke nodded again and bit his lip as he realized that it was the same bench where they had parted their ways six years ago.
Naruto lowered his mask and took a deep breath, the scent of the sea filling his weak lungs.
Seeing the smile at the corners of Naruto's lips, Sasuke couldn't hold himself together anymore and fell onto his knees. He wrapped his arms around Naruto's thin waist and started crying silently.
Naruto looked down at Sasuke, and his eyes softened at the sight. Smiling softly, Naruto started stroking Sasuke's unruly hair.
"Shh," He tried to soothe the shattered raven. "It's alright, everything's going to be fine."
Sasuke looked up after a while. Naruto was the one who needed support, not Sasuke, he had to stop acting like a child.
"I'm sorry," Sasuke said softly. "For not being here with you."
Naruto smiled as he cupped Sasuke's cheeks. "It's perfectly fine. I told you, every time I saw you somewhere, heard about your life and success, I got happy like it was me. You made me really happy even from afar."
"I… I'll stay here till you get healthy again," Sasuke said.
"No, okay no?" Naruto smiled at Sasuke, wiping his tears away.
"Why not?" Sasuke asked, hurt that Naruto didn't want him by his side.
"The same reason why I didn't come with you six years ago," Naruto said softly.
I wouldn't want to be a burden to you.
Sasuke wanted to say that Naruto would never be a burden to him but he decided not to. "I'm sorry for your father and mother."
"It's alright," Naruto said as he gazed at the sea. "I'll see them soon."
Sasuke frowned and opened his mouth to say something good to Naruto, but his loudly ringing phone stopped him. He took the device from his pocket and looked at the screen. He hesitated for a moment, and the phone kept ringing annoyingly.
"You should answer your girlfriend," Naruto smiled at Sasuke's surprised face. "When you don't have anything to do, you watch every show on the TV. Again, I hope you won't have to experience it."
"It's fine," Sasuke said softly.
Naruto smiled and took of his own phone from his pocket. He dialed a number quickly.
"Oi, pervert, where are you?"
Sasuke watched as Naruto listened silently.
"Yes, I'm at my usual place. Can you get me?"
Naruto looked behind as a man waved at him, approaching them slowly.
Smiling, Naruto ended the call. "See, my old man coming to get me, so it's fine."
"But, Naruto…" Sasuke didn't know what to say.
"We're meeting up tonight at Ichiraku's. You can join us if you want. I'm sure everybody will be happy to see you," Naruto smiled at Sasuke one last time, and then pushed his chair into fastly approaching Jiraiya with his thin arms.
Sasuke watched them as they left. He sat down on the cold ground and faced the sea.
He had left everything behind right here, in this spot six years ago. He had dreams and ambitions and nothing could stop him from getting what he wanted. First he had gone to the most prestigious university of the country, then he had finished it by being the first of his class. And then, he had found a job in the most successful company of the country, and he had climbed the stairs easily and quickly after that. And getting the company owner's only daughter had opened the doors for him to being a CEO.
His whole life was perfectly planned. And everything had occurred according to the plan. No slips. But to be able to get here, Sasuke had to leave something behind. Something small and precious, something that one couldn't be without. His heart. But it was dying. Slowly, melting right in front of his eyes.
Sasuke blinked as his phone started ringing again. He answered it this time, and listened to his fiancé's trail of complaints silently.
Then, he spoke calmly. "Let's take a break."
Sasuke entered Ichiraku's slowly. Last time when he was here, it was just a stand, but now it was a huge restaurant.
He looked around and spotted all of his friends around a big table. He approached them slowly but stopped dead as he took a good look at them. They were all there. Naruto, and Sakura, and Lee, and Neji, and Tenten, and Hinata, and Shikamaru and Ino and Choji, and Kiba, and Shino. They were all beside Naruto, supporting him and you could see it. All of the boys had no hair, some of them were wearing caps and bandanas like Naruto, some had nothing. And the girls got their hair short as well.
Gulping, Sasuke walked up to them.
"Sasuke!" Naruto was the one to notice him first. "Come sit beside me."
Sasuke did as Naruto told him and sat beside the sick, young man.
"Isn't it wonderful to see Sasuke again?" Naruto asked excitedly, and everybody nodded, though Sasuke could see that some of them didn't think as Naruto.
Despite that, none of them behaved ill towards Sasuke and they spent a cheerful night together. And when the time was to leave, Sasuke realized that he had missed this. The bond you have with your friends. In the world Sasuke lived now, friend was a foreign word. Everybody tried to push each other, so that they could step on them to rise.
"Naruto, I came with my car, I'll leave you home, okay?" Neji suggested, a black bandana covering his head, where once he had his long, lovely hair.
"I-I th-think nii-san w-wants to s-show his n-new car to N-Naruto," Hinata said, hair around her ears, and everybody laughed loudly.
"I wanna see too!" Kiba, clearly bald, jumped in.
"Okay, let's go," Bidding goodnight to the others, Neji pushed Naruto's chair, and they left with Tenten, Hinata and Kiba.
Sasuke watched as Naruto left with his friends, chatting happily.
"Sakura, can we talk outside?" He asked after being silent a moment.
Sakura nodded, giving Lee, her boyfriend, a quick kiss, she followed Sasuke out.
"What?" Sakura asked impatiently once they were out. She didn't like Sasuke and she did nothing to hide it.
"What's Naruto's condition?" Sasuke asked.
"Oh, you care about him now?" Sakura asked as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Sakura," Sasuke hissed.
"You left him the day he learned he was ill!" Sakura shouted, tears filling her eyes. "You left him when he needed you the most! You never looked back, you never wondered how he was!"
Sasuke could only look down as Sakura yelled at him, for he knew that she was right.
"You weren't there when his family died," Sakura kept on. "You weren't there to see him die again and again every single day!"
Sasuke gulped hardly and pushed back his own tears. "He looks happy."
"Yes, he does," Sakura wiped her tears. "He told me that he was tired of seeing us unhappy all the time, s-said that he w-wants to see us h-happy again be-before he goes, so he looks h-happy and st-strong for us."
Sasuke didn't bother to wipe his silent tears. "Why?" He asked desperately. "There must be a cure or something!"
"Naruto refuses the treatment," Sakura said softly.
"Why?" Sasuke shouted. "Is he an idiot?!"
"You're the idiot!" Sakura shouted back. "Do you know how hard is to take the chemo? Do you know how he hurts? Do you know the pain he feels?" Sakura took a deep breath and then added softly. "He doesn't believe that he'll overcome it. He stopped struggling after every important person in his life left him…"
"Thank you, Sakura, for telling me the truth," Sasuke said after a while and left slowly, he didn't have strength in his legs to carry him.
Sakura watched her friend for a while and then got inside the restaurant.
"You again," Tsunade said after seeing Sasuke at their doorstep again.
Sasuke nodded. "Can I see Naruto?"
"Yeah," She stepped aside. "Upstairs, first room."
Thanking her, Sasuke climbed the stairs quickly. He stood before Naruto's door and took a shaky breath before knocking.
"Come in!"
After hearing Naruto's loud voice, Sasuke stepped in slowly.
The room was a mess, as Sasuke suspected. The walls were orange, as Sasuke suspected. Naruto was in the bed looking at him wide eyed, as Sasuke suspected.
"S-Sasuke?" Naruto dropped the remote he was holding. "Wh-What did you do your hair?"
Sasuke touched his, now, hairless head slowly and then coughed a little, adjusting his mask.
"Y-You look awful," Naruto said, holding his tears back hardly.
"Who said you look g-good?" Sasuke answered as in the old times.
He walked into the room, and dropped onto his knees. "I wanna be with you. You're not alone anymore…"
"S-Sasuke, I told you everything is fine," Naruto said.
"No!" Sasuke shouted. "Nothing is fine when y-you are d-dying!"
"It's destiny, Sasuke," Naruto said, wiping his tears quickly. "Whatever we do, we can't change it."
"No, we can," Sasuke moaned, his tears making it hard to see. "We can change everything together."
"Y-You have a l-life to live Sasuke, it's best if y-you just f-forget me," Naruto said.
Sasuke stood up and sat down beside Naruto, and took him in his arms, holding him as tight as he could. "No, please no. Forgive me for leaving, forgive me for hurting and upsetting you, and promise me, you will kick my ass when you recover."
"Sasuke…" By now, they were holding onto each other tightly as they sobbed together, like in the old times.
"Please, fight for me," Sasuke pleaded. "We'll become a team again and win this battle together."
Taking a few deep breaths, Sasuke drew back and kissed Naruto through both of their masks.
They gazed into each other's eyes for long moments, their eyes showing what they felt for the other clearly.
They looked back as they heard another sob.
Tsunade was crying loudly as Jiraiya held her tightly. His tears were silent.
"Granny," Naruto called out after a while.
"Yes, brat?" She wiped her tears to her sleeve and gave Naruto a small smile.
Naruto smiled back and squeezed Sasuke's warm hands which were wrapped around his tightly.
"Let's start the treatment again," Naruto said, happiness tangible in his voice. "I have an ass to kick."
Tsunade nodded and this time, didn't try to stop her tears of happiness.
The rest is up to you. If you think Naruto will heal, then he will. If you think he will die, then he will. I personally imagine that he'll recover and beat Sasuke up for leaving, and then be with him forever.
Anyway, thanks for reading and if you have time, leave me a review and tell me what you think!