In Death Do We Part -
"Hey, keep your eyes open, okay?" Naruto had his face pressed up against her cheek, his lips touching the side of her quivering mouth.
Hinata gave a strained laugh. "Okay."
"Why are you laughing?" He drew away from her, blue eyes searching her lavender ones that held his entire world. But she couldn't hold them open long.
He was holding her hand, it was soft, cold and fragile. Her entire body was the same, every contour sharp from the lack of nutrients in her body. It was failing her.
She was dying.
Her eyes fluttered briefly, and she took in a sharp breath that she held for too long. "Open your eyes." He squeezed her hand a bit too rough and the crease in her brow deepened.
It had been a year since they had heard the news. She had been told she was dying, an illness was destroying her body and soon she wouldn't be able to do what she wanted. Her body would shut down, rendering her unable. And then eventually it would shut off.
"We'll be fine." She had said, taking Naruto's hand and squeezing. But he felt the uneasiness, the shakiness.
"Lay next to me." Her head tilted towards him, eyes hazy.
His heart clenched. "Of course." And he got up, gently lifting her light body to the edge of the bed, leaving her plenty of room before he slid in. He placed an arm around her neck, letting her rest her head against his bicep.
For a while they laid there, listening to each other breathe in the dense hospital air. His eyes wandered over her body, eventually resting on her stomach. She had wanted a baby, it was the one thing she wished for most. They had tried to conceive even after Sakura had told them her womb was barren. Each time Hinata would curl up on her side of the bed, clutching at her stomach until the fabric of her shirt was taught and her fingers cramped willing a child to grow.
No child ever came.
"Do you remember that time?" Her voice was hoarse sounding and dry. He thought about getting her some water, but she wouldn't be able to keep it down. Eating was the first thing she stopped doing, nothing held in her stomach long enough for her to get anything from it, and then eventually liquids stopped too.
He rested his chin against the crown of her head. "Remember what?"
There was a sharp intake of air before she spoke. "You kissed me on top.."–another gasp of air–"of the Hokage monument."
He had. He had taken her up to see the stars but he hadn't planned on kissing her. He hadn't planned to take her face in his hands and kiss her, locking their lives together. But it had happened and he wouldn't go back to change a thing. He would hold onto that moment even after she was gone.
He had kissed her plenty of times after that, savoring the taste, the texture and the feel of her lips against his. It was fire and passion and love. Nothing else was like it. He wanted to kiss her more, kiss her until he couldn't, kiss her until she melted completely. He wanted to give her so much more but there wasn't enough time. He wanted to turn back the clock and start everything over again and taste their first kiss and see those same fireworks in her eyes.
There was a light pressure on his face. "Are you crying?"
He was. Hot tears ran down his cheeks as his lips quivered and his brows furrowed. Then he placed his hand against hers, swallowing back a sob "I don't want you to leave me."
"I won't." Her words were fading.
"Hinata, please open your eyes." He was in hysterics now as he sat up, taking her cheeks between his hands and pressing his forehead to hers, the tears coming faster.
"Mm..love you."
"Hinata!" He was shaking now, everything was pain and sorrow. She was leaving him. "I love you, don't go! What am I going to do without you?" It was too soon. He hadn't had enough time.
"'Kay."
He cradled her in his arms tightly against his chest. "I love you, I love you, I love you. Don't leave me! I love you."
And then she was gone.