Keeping the Light
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Note: This struck me when I was in the middle of one of the greatest books ever-Traitor of the Blood from the Noble Dead Saga. Seriously, if you get a chance to read them, please do. They are amazing.
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"I want to remember your face. It keeps me from the dark."-Magiere (Sister of the Dead-Noble Dead Saga)
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The rage was building, constantly simmering under the surface and these days, it was harder than ever to keep it down. The fire spread through his veins, his heart, his lungs, everything about him. He could feel his nails lengthening, sharpening, and his back bent of his own accord, flames licking his skin. His pupils were contracting, hearing honing until he could hear the very life of the ground beneath him. His vision was a mass of reds, golds and oranges, but there, right in front of him, was a shadow.
The shadow was watching him, the familiar dark eyes watching cautiously with not a trace of fear. The shadow held out his hands, a placating gesture, but still keeping a good distance of about three feet. The shadow was saying something, the watchful eyes not moving.
"Naruto." It was his name, or it was supposed to be. What was his name?
"Naruto." The shadow repeated, seeing the halting of his movements.
Sasuke watched as the blazing purple eyes, leaning more and more towards red every time, fixed on him with a hint of recognition.
"It's me, Naruto," Hearing his own name seemed to calm him down, "It's Sasuke."
This time, Naruto stopped moving, the eyes fading a little more towards the familiar bright blue. There was blood on his mouth, in his teeth. Sasuke would bet a pretty penny that Naruto had tried to keep back the fury, biting his lip and the inside of his cheek to concentrate on the physical pain instead of the emotional one. His nails seemed extended beyond his fingertips.
"Naruto…come back."
Shudders began racking the smaller young man's body, The creases of his snarl faded from the tanned skin around his eyes. Sasuke took a small step forward and Naruto flinched and he tensed and swallowed hard.
"It's okay, let it pass."
Naruto choked between unintelligible whimpers as his eyes returned to their cerulean, and he collapsed to his knees before Sasuke could reach him. Rather than covering his head with his hands, he covered them with his forearms. Sasuke dropped next to him, tilting him up by the strong shoulders.
The brunette watched the blonde continue to change back.
Naruto gagged as if trying to clear her mouth between clenching spasms of her jaw muscles trying to rid themselves of the enlarged canines the Kyuubi provided. The blonde heaved dryly a few times and Sasuke couldn't do anything besides steady him and wait for it to pass. The sapphire eyes found Sasuke again and Naruto flinched away from Sasuke's hands on his shoulders. The Uchiha looked at him confusedly.
"If this ever happens again, and I know it will, stay away from me."
Anger at the reply flooded Sasuke. "How can you expect me to do that? Leave you there practically tearing yourself apart? I'm not letting you face that alone."
"I don't want to hurt you. You know I'm not in control of myself then. I don't even want to think about what you see when I'm like that." Naruto's voice was still a little hoarse, but the words were still understandable.
Sasuke didn't answer, couldn't think of one.
"You saw what was inside me! What the hell am I?"
This was a question Sasuke knew he wasn't expected to answer. Ripping a piece of his sleeve off, he grasped the blonde's arms, turning him towards him. Using the ripped piece, he tried to wipe off as much of the blood from his lips as possible. When the Uchiha had done as much as he could, he leaned in and kissed Naruto softly on the mouth. The brunette sat back and looked the blonde right in the astonished eyes.
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Naruto sat against the wall beside his bed, hearing Sasuke talking to Tsunade at the door. He didn't try to hear what they were saying, he didn't need to. Sasuke would probably tell him later.
The terror from the previous day hadn't allowed him to sleep very well, even in the brunette's embrace. It was the same terror that had been there when Naruto first saw the shadow that he always identified as Sasuke. The fear that he had scared Sasuke away had followed, rather than the horror of realizing that he'd lost control again.
Until Sasuke had leaned close and kissed his tainted mouth and Naruto had watched his face and there had been no revulsion there. The same face that had called him back from the Kyuubi.
The door closed and the blankets lifted a few moments later as Sasuke crawled under them. He lay close, still with no fear. Naruto slid a hand up through the ebony locks, always softer than they appeared, letting his palm rest against the pale cheek before letting his forehead lean against the other's collarbone.
"Don't ever leave."
The strong arms wrapped around him in silent reassurance, no more words needed.