Gone
xxredemption-love-and-liesxx
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Oneshot
prompt/headcanon written by lili-pearl from tumblr
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As he saw her body fall limply, he launched himself over to her and caught her. She was tiny in his arms, and he kicked on the branch of the tree she had been stuck on, throwing himself backwards. He landed near Kakashi's tracking dog, and laid her down. He watched her for a moment; if it had not been for her, he might have been dead right at this moment.
No…
He would have been dead.
He silently thanked her over and over in his head, and he was about to leave to find his other teammate, and make sure that he was still breathing, only for the brown pug to sit in front of him. The young Uchiha stared at the dog with confusion in his eyes, but his heart stopped beating when he heard the next words from the small creature.
"She's gone."
The raven-haired man paused, his breathing stopped and his eyes widening. He shook lightly as he crumbled to the ground, right in front of her body. She was…
He moved his hand to her neck, feeling for a pulse, but he felt none. His breath caught in his throat, and he felt himself on the edge of a breakdown.
But why her? Why in the hell had she protected him of all people? He did not understand. His hand moved from her neck to her face, he moved away the messy and greasy pink strands, brushing them away. Her eyes were closed, and he noticed that she looked peaceful. That he was grateful for. However, as he played with her pink hair, his fingers clenched in the strands, pulling rather forcefully. It was like he was trying to wake her up from the pain.
The pug on Sasuke's side did not say anything, but he watched on with careful eyes. Though, he knew he had to go and check on Naruto, and for that, he uttered a word of goodbye to find the blond-haired member, and make sure that there was not another deceased member of team seven. But Sasuke did not notice the dog leaving, yet he pulled his fingers free.
He cupped his head, clutching and pulling at his raven hair. As if to punish himself in a way. He pulled tightly, letting out a low scream. Why her? Why not him?
He did not understand!
She was too innocent; too pure to die like this. Maybe, he thought with a sick smirk on his face, that was why there was no blood anywhere, and she did not even look like she was actually dead. But there was no pulse. Nothing. He breathed heavily, flicking his fingers away from his hair. He dropped his head, his bangs falling over his dark eyes.
He had lost his family; he had lost himself, and then came Naruto and Sakura… they both brought something to his life. Naruto brought a rivalry, a friendship—another reason to become stronger. And Sakura, hell, Sakura alone was a reason to become stronger. One promise he had, ever since she cried a top his dead body in Wave, was to protect her. She was like a child; someone who had not experienced hardship, nor loss.
She was a little girl with no physical strength and she always showed her emotions. She was not made to be a shinobi. And she was much, much weaker than he was. Yet, he had practically offered his life up to her… she was someone who deserved to be looked after, to be made sure she was not hurt. Maybe that was why he was so angry and so furious that he nearly killed those who had hurt her when they were in the Forest of Death.
He saw her; with that swollen eye and the scratches all over her body. She did not deserve to be treated, or hit like that. She was too… pure. She was not made for the shinobi life.
Yet, yet he felt himself thinking that he was wrong. Even though she was puny in comparison to those people from Sound and Gaara, she still stood up and fought for both him and Naruto. She also called Sasuke out on being a coward, and even going as far to compare him to Naruto. She woke him up then, gave him a reason to fight. She always has.
She was the one that made him unleash his curse upon the ones that hurt her, and he felt pure rage and animal instinct run through his veins. He wanted them to die for laying one finger on her.
His eyes fell down onto her body, and he shifted his hand so he was able to hold her hand. She was… She was getting colder. He squeezed her hand lightly, as if wishing she would take his life force and live.
He had lost everything before, and he did not want to lose anyone precious to him.
"Hey… Naruto…" Sasuke took a heavy breath, feeling his curse crawl further across his skin, "Sakura… you have to save her no matter what… I know you can save her… Once you've got her… carry her, and run… as far… and as fast… that you can…"
"Sasuke…" Naruto murmured softly, watching his teammate as he talked.
"If it's just for a while… I'll be able to hold him in place…"
"You…"
"Never again," he vowed, "will I lose someone important to me again!"
It was a promise. A promise, and he broke it away again. He lost another important person. It was like the clan, it was like when he lost his elder brother to the darkness… and it happened again. He had been scared to get close to someone; to get close, and then lose them. Yet, he did. It took all of his willpower to not find Gaara and murder him himself. But he needed to be with her, for now.
He needed to.
"Why… did you protect me?" Sasuke asked softly, slowly lifting her into his arms, "You could have lived… and not died like this…"
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He found Naruto minutes later, the blond boy was seemingly passed out, right near the red-haired boy that had killed Sakura. Sasuke gritted his teeth, and gently laid her town. He slipped out a kunai, but the brown dog barked and launched itself right into the young Uchiha.
"Enough," Pakkun said, but Sasuke did not listen.
Naruto looked up, having been awoken by the commotion. His usually bright blue eyes were weary, and he noticed Sasuke first. The Uchiha's eyes were activated, and were spinning crazily, and he was gripping a kunai in hand. The black markings were crossing his skin further, and they were glowing red. He stalked closer and closer to Gaara.
"Wait, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, slowly getting to his feet, and wobbling over to in front of the boy he had fought earlier.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, making him look hauntingly terrifying, "Out of my way, Naruto. He needs to die."
"But everything's okay! You have Sakura-chan—" Naruto stopped when Sasuke stiffened, and he shook lightly.
The Uzumaki glanced to Sakura, and his eyes picked up on the fact that she was not breathing. His blue eyes widened at this, and he looked back to Sasuke. He noticed that the Uchiha's eyes were blank; that he was closing off his emotions.
"Why?" Naruto hissed, shaking his head, "Why didn't you save her?"
Sasuke closed his eyes, reopening them, and all Naruto could see was the lust to kill. Naruto shook his head, not wanting this happen. Gaara was different now, and he was one person Naruto could understand.
"Stop! You need to let it out, Sasuke!" Naruto screamed, "Do you think that she—" he pointed at Sakura's body, "—would want this? Wasn't she scared of you when you became, well, like this!?"
The Uchiha stiffened, and dropped his kunai, falling to his knees. The Uchiha closed his eyes, and let out another scream. His fingers dug into the dirt below, as he screamed again. Naruto sat down, shaking his head and allowing the tears to come—crying for both himself and for Sasuke.
Sasuke moved back over to her body, hovering over her, and he leaned over her, before hugging into her body. He held her close, knowing that this was something he would not normally do, but he did not care. But he felt her body clench, and then hiss out. His eyes widened in pure shock as he pulled her back, and looked her in the eye.
Her seafoam eyes were open, her heavy lashes following over her eyes. She looked weak, and she hacked up a cough, and Sasuke did not pull away. He let out a sigh of relief. How was she alive? He did not care. Not right now.
"Sasuke-kun…?" she coughed out.
His eyes softened slightly, and he pulled her close, pulling her into a hug. She gripped onto his shoulders, closing her eyes. He gathered his hands in her hair, gently massaging her scalp.
"Thank god…" he muttered out, silently promising to become stronger; so he can protect her.
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fin
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Hm, so another thing is done... I'm quite... I guess... alright with this one. I hope you guys enjoyed as always though. Oh, and about Firsts, I might have time to do another one tomorrow, but yeah. I don't know yet, this was very hastily done as it is, and always, sorry for the mistakes.