Fire & Ice

Fic Rating: M {For slight yaoi that may be inappropriate for younger readers}

Pairing: Naruto/Sasuke

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I am not in any way affiliated with the producers, directors, etc.

A/N: I haven't posted anything in quite a while, and this idea happened to pass my mind. Enjoy! Reviews and flames are welcome.

I place my hand in the fire, but it doesn't burn. It just mingles with the flames, crackling and conversing. I feel slight nausea set ablaze in my gut, but as I inhale the smell of the smoke rising from that captivating fire, a wave of comforting nostalgia flows over me. I remember everything I've done, everything that I've lived for and everything that I regret.

I begin to worry; the mixing of my emotions does not sit well with my stomach and the nausea threatens to crash over me. Just as I am about ready to empty the contents of my stomach, I feel a burst of icy breath ghosting across my heated cheeks.

My eyes dart to every place visible in the tiny room I've been constricted to. I cannot see anything past the dying flicker of the fire against my skin. The glowing red embers swell against the now marred birch wood that we used to embrace under.

I become frantic, as I am now unable to see my surroundings. Where are you? Is my mind playing tricks on me? It's not possible that you're even here...you left me so long ago. In the solemn hour that I've expected your arrival, I realize that I'd rather not have you here. I'm frightened.

I suddenly feel your presence in front of me, even though I cannot see your face. Your breath is cold, lingering, sweet. I reach out to you, unsure if I want to shield myself or gather you into my arms. With a sudden jolt, you grasp my hands with vigor and sigh in contentment. The heat of my flesh and the iciness of yours hiss as they meet.

I can't explain the quickening pace of my passion for you; my eyes can't help but push through the darkness, desperately trying to take one last look at your wonderfully beautiful eyes, your porcelain skin, the hair that I've been longing to touch for years on end.

You let out a small moan of happiness and pain, as do I. As the reaction between our bodies grow, the light increases. I glance at our joined fingers—yours are being consumed by my angry, passionate flame. I know it hurts. I know all too well. You're trying your hardest not to let me know it.

In a moment of quiet desperation, I lean down and press my lips to yours; the kiss is reciprocated almost instantly and my heart jumps in anticipation. When the two of us die, I hope we end up together. I pull you close to me, so that I can feel every part of your body, and you can feel mine.

If we manage to get to heaven with the blood-lust and carnage on our hands, our acceptance will not go unappreciated. If we go to hell, at least we'll know what to expect, because we both know that life without one another is worse.

We both are aware of our own hatred towards each other, but we are just as aware of the love and lust that lies between us. I don't want to be without you for any longer. I slip the fabric of the blue yukata you're wearing off of your lithe shoulder and kiss the skin I see with as much tenderness as I can muster. You straighten at the initial contact but relax into my touch and wind your fingers into my hair. I can feel every part of you...

Your hair, your skin, your breath, your arousal, your soul...

As the steam rises from my skin and the ice melts away on yours, all of the colors seem to dissipate from my vision. I only feel the cold, even though I know I'm boiling hot. I help you out of your yukata and your strong, willing hands strip me of mine. I growl, low in my throat. You muster a laugh at me, and I frown before embracing you and laying you towards the ground.

Our joining is sinful, how our hips meld perfectly together, how your legs can so comfortably wind around my waist, how I can be inside of you and only feel love, not pure, unadulterated lust.

"I'm in love with you," I whisper.

"I know." A smile graces his visage and I know without his words that he loves me, too.

As a result of our doomed joining, our bodies lie still; we're still intimately joined, and we're both trembling. I can barely hold my arms up. Black ashes begin to fall into the clear condensation dripping from your skin, creating smoke, signaling our ominous fate. We both knew this would happen.

My legs refuse to work, and by the look on your face tells me that you're suffering the same thing as I. It is only when I look back that I realize that they're gone. Our torsos begin to slowly obliterate and I have to forcefully bite my tongue to hold back my scream of pain and surprise and longing for you. Your eyes are closed, face twisted in a feeling that I know all too well. Bullets of water begin to leak from your powerful chest and the embers falling from mine burn you; I mouth a silent apology.

Before I can even comprehend it, your face begins to cave in right from under me. My lips press to yours one last time and I can feel your jaw lock; not out of hate, but out of pain and regret. All I feel now is the extinguishing of my heat and my heart. It hurts my soul to know that I've brought you in to this...I cringe at the sounds of the remaining crackles of ice.

Was this the best idea? At this moment, I wish I could take it all back. What if we end up in different places? That would be more than I could bear. What if we are never able to see each other again? I'd much rather be your enemy and see you as a mortal than love you and never have the chance to see you again.

A rush of white comes to my head like a fifty-foot wave. I try to murmur my love to you, and tell you that we are almost there, but I have no mouth to speak from and you're no longer tangible. I look at the puddle that was once what made up your beauty one last time, savoring the moment. I feel everything turning black again, just as it was...

Sasuke...I'm sorry. I had to do this.