Disclaimer : Kishimoto-san owns them...

Warning : Character death, shonen-ai, angst, grammar...a bit AU.

A/N : Um..I got the idea when I broke up with my boyfriend... English is not my mother language,so if there are mistakes, please bear with it, and I'm really happy to recieve comments, but I will ignore flame.

The Avenger

By Mikagami Tokiya

I laid on the ground, and waited for death to take my life away. I could feel my body becoming weaker and it was getting harder to breath. My vision, too, was becoming blurred. I knew that I was going to die, and I didn't mind it at all. At last I could meet Sasuke again… It had been 4 years since I left Konoha seeking revenge, and never once I could forget his last smile…that bastard…how could he do that to me? He had promised me that he would never leave me again, the liar.

It all began when he returned to Konoha after our fateful battle… I had been waiting for him to come back. I just knew that he would. It was only a matter of time. Our bond couldn't be broken that easily… I always believed that. Back then, I was standing in front of Konoha's gate when I saw a familiar figure approaching. Yeah… It was him. The famous Uchiha Sasuke, the person whom I loved with all my soul. He was in a mess, dried blood, bruises, and scratches everywhere, but other than that, he was fine.

I ran to greet him; he looked so tired and depressed. I felt anger burn inside of me… if it wasn't for Itachi, then he wouldn't have had to leave for that snake bastard. I put my hands on his shoulder and looked into his eyes, then without any warning I yelled at him. I still remember that I faced myself to control the tears which were threatening to fall. Hell, I'm not a cry baby!

"Sasuke, you idiot! Moron! Why didn't you hear my words?He just wants your body! He didn't even care about your goal! You had me worried! Don't you know that?"

"Shut up. Why do you care anyway? I nearly killed you for that goal, yet you're still worried about me? It's you who is an idiot, not me."

"You don't understand! I care because I LOVE YOU! I really really love you for Hokage's sake! I don't ever wanna lose you; just thinking about it makes me insane!"

"Wha-what did you say usuratonkanchi?"

"I said I LOVE YOU, you jerk…"

I hurriedly covered my mouth when I realized that I had just confesed to him…aloud. Baka Naruto! Me and my big mouth! How could I have said something as stupid as that? Now he would hate me forever… I'm such a moron! I dared myself to took a glance at him, and he just stared at me and blinked.

"You…love me? Is that true?"

"Yeah…At first I thought you just an arrogant bastard, but then, little by little my feelings toward you changed. I can no longer see you just as a friend… I want to be the one who can make you smile."

"Baka…" he muttered

To my surprise, he leaned forward and kissed me.

"Sa-sasuke?"

"Arigatou."

Before he could say anything else, he passed out on me.

I smiled a little when I remember how panicked I became back then. I nearly made Tsunade-baachan kill me when I was bragging in her office and asked her to check Sasuke immediately. I couldn't describe how relieved I was when Tsunade-baachan told me that he had just fainted from fatigue, nothing to worry about.

I coughed a few times, and blood started flowing rapidly from my wound, forming a pool under my body. This place was a mess…the wall covered with our blood. It took nearly all my strength to kill that bastard. He was strong…no wonder you thirst for power Sasuke. With my last remaining energy, I grabbed his hitai ate off my pocket. I still had it after all this time, the one that Sasuke threw away after our fight.

"Sasuke, are you mad at me? But now you can rest…I had become an avenger in your place… I've killed him."

We had promised to each other that we would be together no matter what. He told me that he wouldn't leave me again…but he broke that promise. It was not like I don't know the risk of being an ANBU. Being an ANBU meant we must be ready to face death any time. But it was his choice; I couldn't do anything about it. He was an avenger after all…so the only thing I could do for him is to stay by his side and support him.

It was a childish dream… I realized it now… There was no such thing as happiness in our dictionary. How foolish I am wishing to live happily ever after like in the fairy tales. I forgot that there is still a monster sealed within me… and I also forgot the Akatsuki wanted it. I was the cause of his death…if it wasn't for me, then he wouldn't have been that reckless…or maybe…he did it for his pride? I would never know anyway, he had gone from my live forever.

Our battle with Itachi is an unexpected one. He caught us off guard when we were back from our mission. My chakra was useless against him, because of his goddamned partner. Tired and wounded, we still tried our best to fight. But we also knew that we wouldn't last long, they were too strong…

I've learned that if my kyuubi was taken, then me, as his vessel would die as well. Sasuke knew that too, he yelled at me to escape, and that he would catch up later, but I didn't listen to him. Like hell I was going to leave him alone to face them, with his chance of survival at nearly zero. If we had to die, then at least we die together, but fate had another plan.

I was so exhausted that I was unable to move anymore. The same went for Sasuke. He had really drained his chakra for his chidori. Itachi looked at me with his predatory glare. He walked closer to me, and stared at me with his emotionless eyes. So much like Sasuke's… the beautiful red orbs that lust for blood which never failed to make me surrender to him. I gasped in pain when he cruelly broke one of my hands.

"Well now, Naruto-kun, just be cooperative and give us the kyuubi."

"You…can't…over my death body…"

My eyes widened in shock. That idiot still tried to stand and forced himself to perform another chidori… even when he know the risks. Itachi just sighed and turned to face him with his mask-like face, before he told the shark bastard to watch me…

"Sasuke you fool! Stop it!"

"hmph.I'll be fine."

"Orouka na otouto, if you stay there quietly, then I will spare your life."

"I don't need your pity."

Without any warning, Itachi disappeared from his sight and reappeared again in front of Sasuke, taking him by surprise. I tried to move, but Kisame stepped on my leg to prevent me from doing it. I cried in frustration. It couldn't be happening… I could only watch Sasuke's body fell onto the fround. Blood gushed out from a new wound that inflicted by Itachi…

'It can't be happening!' my mind screamed.

"SASUKE!"

"He is dead Naruto-kun…now, why don't we continue from where we left off."

But before he could do anything with me, the reinforcements had come. It was Neji's team. He, too, had become an ANBU captain like us. But he would need a few more minutes before he arrived here.

"Che… looks like we have to retreat for now. Let's go Kisame."

With that he was gone. I was left alone in there. I managed to stand and started walking towars Sasuke. My head was pounding so hard, but I ignored it. The most important thing now was Sasuke. I kneeled down beside his body and rested his head against my chest. His wound was awful… He hissed in pain when I touched it. Thank God he was still breathing.

"Sasuke…please hang on, the reinforcements have come…"

"Naru…to…gomen and arigatou…you have given me…the happiness…that I didn't know even existed for me … don't blame yourself…for my death. It was my choice…"

"Stop it! You're making your wound worse!"

Tears started to roll down on my cheek…He brushed my bangs and smiled weakly.

"Don't cry, your happy face suits you the best. I love you…"

His body became limp after that. He had gone…Sasuke…he had left me once again, but this time it was for real.

"No!SASUKEEEE!"

"Naruto!"

Neji appeared beside me, but I took no notice of him.

"Naruto…he's dead."

"…don't you dare touch him Neji…I warn you…"

"You know the rules Naruto."

I laid Sasuke's body on the ground and stood to face Neji. Even if he was my friend, I wouldn't let anyone touch Sasuke. I didn't care if I broke the rules. I didn't want his body to be disposed off like trash. He didn't deserve that…why couldn't I give him a proper burial? I wiped my tears from his face with my sleeve.

"neji…"

"Naruto, you must understand. We can't take the risk…it's too dangerous."

"No. Why can't you understand me? He is my lover, what if it was you who was standing in my place? He's the only one I have…Neji, I don't want to hurt you."

"… go. Quick, before my squad arrive. I won't help you again."

"…arigatou."

I took Sasuke's body to our private place. It was a small Japanese garden located near the Uchiha's mansion. Even though it was small, it was beautiful. We often went there when we gotfree time. Usually we drank sake and watched the moon until dusk. We never talked much, because we didn't need words to express our feelings toward each other. We understood each other too well, maybe even better that we understood ourselves.

There was one thing that I could never forget…the day when I vowed that I would be the one who'd be the source of his happiness. His expression after he heard that was priceless, he blushed and muttered something about me being an idiot. I smiled and then he pulled me across his lap, so that my head was resting on his thigh. His fingers played with strands of my hair, making me sigh in bliss. If only I could go back to that time…

I buried his body under the cherry blossom tree. It was his favourite place when he wanted to think or when he wanted to be alone. I never asked about this matter, because I trust him. If he didn't want to tell me about everything, then it was fine for me. I knew he would tell me when he was ready.

I took off my hitai ate, and put it on his grave. In exchange, I took his bloodied ANBU's mask and wore it. It was to remind me that now, he lived inside me. I had devoted my life to being his avenger. I'd do anything to achieve it, even if I had to throw away my humanity. From then on, I was no longer Uzumaki Naruto. I was just a nameless avenger. I had turned my back on Konoha gakure, forever.

I have sought Itachi for this past 4 years…went across the countries to find information about him. I trained myself in an attempt to become the strongest; my power back then wasn't enough to kill him. I've dreamt about Sasuke a lot, but it was more like a nightmare. In my dream, I could see him being killed by Itachi…again…but this time before he fell to the ground, he glared at me with hatred dancing in his ruby eyes. Did you hate me Sasuke? Why? Was that because I was weak? I asked many times, but he never tells me…

In another dream, he was sitting on his grave, with sadness on his face. It hurt my heart… because I knew that I was the cause of his sorrow. I had left him alone in the darkness. If I approached him, all he did was glance at me with eyes that had lost their sparkle…I tried to touch him, but in an instant, he disappeared. Then I'd wake up, feeling the dullness in my heart.

It was ironic…my last battle with Itachi happened in the same place where he killed his own parents. Maybe this place had been cursed, I didn't know for sure…but only bad things happened there. My lids became heavier…I felt tired…so tired, like I had just returned from a very long journey… Before I closed my eyes, I swore I saw Sasuke, standing in front of me with a playful smirk on his face. I smiled back at him.

" Tadaima, Sasuke."

"Took you long enough, Naruto. Let's go."

"Un."

I nodded and took his offered hand. At last, we had been reunited. Now, I would never let go of his hand again.