I do NOT own Naruto...and Yes, I went through here, added things here and there and did a spell check. I hope this is a better version...
Listen to 'Everything Changes' by Staind while you read this... Enjoy!
Stained By You
The bar was silent and clean, chairs upturned on their respectable tables and a blonde-haired boy bent over the bar counter with an off-white cloth. Wood cleaner was perched on a stool even with his ripped blue jeaned hips.
Soft music played from a small radio beside the numerous bottles of vodka, while he hummed along, arms moving with the slow beat.
The bell from the front door clanged slightly and he turned his head to see a pink-haired woman in black stiletto's and her usual attire of skimpy cloths. She smiled slightly, " Sorry to barge in, Temari forgot her lip gloss in the break room."
" You work here, Sakura-chan." He chuckled.
She gave a weak one back before letting him resume his cleaning and walking towards the back room. Sure, he smiled on the outside, but it never reached his eyes. Temari said, that he used to be the light of their world. A beacon whenever one was down.
It was gone now.
Ever since...
" You're staring."
She jolted slightly, letting out a sheepish laugh. " Sorry. " her heels clicked against the wood of the floor as she hurried into the room, then rushed out again. " Good night Naruto."
He gave her a small wave as she shut the door and climbed into her black car. His eyes lowered to the rag in his hand before tossing it onto the counter and recapping the cleaner. It was way past midnight on a Thursday.
Rasengan closed early on Wednesdays for the workers to get enough rest before the long weekend approached.
So, with the keys jingling in hand, he locked up the bar and started walking to his apartment. He had sold his car four years ago, claiming that he didn't need it anyways. Driving wasn't all it was cracked up to be. But everyone knew the real reason why.
He kicked a stray rock and it landed into a puddle in the road. Blue eyes lifted slighly to stare at the pole it landed by. Tall, green and dented on the right side. The fingers on his right hand touched the dented surface while his left went to finger the pendant around his neck. His fist clenched.
Four years.
Four years and he was still here, mourning his death, when he should be finding someone to settle down with. Someone who was better than...
Liar.
No one would be better.
It was one of the reasons why everyone had given up on trying to hook him up during bar hours. He wasn't interested in a one-night stand, or anything for that matter. He was destined to spend the rest of his life mourning the death of his only love.
" Shouldn't you be going home?"
Naruto blinked, turning his eyes slightly to the relaxed man leaning against the brick of a jewelry store. Sliver-gray hair messy and covering his right eye. An orange book was perched in one hand, the other buried in black slacks.
" Oh. Kakashi. I'm heading that way."
" Of course you were." One black eye looked up from the book, before snapping it shut and standing up straight. The blonde gave him a cautious look.
" What are you doing here anyways?"
" I came to escort Sakura home." Kakashi muttered, " But she called last miniute and said she was half-assed drunk and was driving home with Temari."
Naruto winced, " She's sorta sober now, I she just drove off."
Kakashi patted his head, " Ah."
" You got a thing for her or something?"
The hand in those black pants moved slightly, blue eyes caught it and a blonde eyebrow rose high. " Or something..." the man muttered.
The blonde just shook his head, wishing him good luck and turning to head home. Kakashi watched as the boys back disappeared into the nights foggy weather, then turned to look at the pole. He rapped against it, eyes narrowed.
" You were a fool." He rapped again. " And a bloody coward."
This time, he knuckles hurt from the impact against cold metal. It wasn't his fault, and they knew that. But...if he'd just have know sooner, things may have turned out differently. That smile would still be there...where it was supposed to be.
Where it had always been and would never be again.
His cell rang, the caller ID identifying Sakura's cell number and the picture he took from her birthday last year. " Yea?"
" You coming home soon?"
He closed his eyes slowly, " Yea."
There was a short pause, " He was at the pole again, wasn't he?"
" Yea."
Her sigh was long and heavy. " Four years doesn't change something that was never meant to happen."
" I know."
" Come home. He'll be fine."
--
Safe within his apartments lobby, Naruto began his search for his door key, rummaging around in all his pockets and scowling when they were in neither. It was bad enough his life had sucked for the last few years, didn't he deserve something as trivial as his fucking keys?!
He pressed his head against the wooden door, closing his eyes and took in a deep breath. He wouldn't not cry. He would not cry. He could not cry.
" Hey, kid, You okay?"
His body jerked at the sound of that voice. He spun around, back pressed up against the door, eyes wide and staring at the worried person in front of him. Words failed him and after trying to speak, it came out in a whimper.
Black eyes stared down at him oddly, equally black hair framing a pale face. He was dressed causally in jeans and a Disturbed t-shirt. " Hey, kid,.."
" Naruto." It came out hoarse, like he'd spent years in a desert. Better yet, that's where he had to be anyways, since this was one fucked up mirage. " I'm 23."
" Oh. Sorry.." The man smirked, sticking his hand out, " Sasuke. 24. " He gave the boy a once-over, " You sure you're okay? You look kinda pale..."
" I-i'm fine..." He swallowed thickly, " I..." The burning behind his eyes was unstoppable now. All the emotions rushing through his body. His heart. His body slide down the door and hands covered his face as tears started rushing. " You're supposed to be dead!"
The older man jerked away slightly, eyes narrowed, " Excuse me?"
Naruto pulled at his hair now, eyes clenched shut, tears streaking down his face, " Why can't you just leave me alone? You've haunted me enough!"
Sasuke knelt down in front of him, " Are you okay? Look, I don't have time to deal with stupid, emotional blonde haired..."
" Oh god." The blonde groaned, " you even talk like him. Please go away." he tried to stand, to push the pale hands that were trying to grab him and pull him away. " You're supposed to be DEAD!" Azure eyes narrowed, slapping the hands away this time, startling the man before him.
He stepped forward and the world took a slow, sick spin.
And he barely registered the warm body that caught him.
--
Tsunade was so tired of the night shifts, but it was only fair. Sakura had been working double shifts alot lately and deserved a little time with her...Well. Soon to be fiancee.
The woman chuckled slightly, tucking blonde hair behind her ear and scanning the medical reports before setting them in their ordered files. Hinata was behind the desk, getting ready to switch shifts with Tenten and head home to her husband and daughter.
" You did great today." Tsuande smiled, patting the girls shoulder, " You held Zabuza-san off for a good 20 min while we operated on Haku-kun."
The white-eyed girl smiled back, " It was easy. "
" Now if only we could distract Naruto from those nightmares he's been having." The woman sighed, slipping files into the cabinet.
" Can you hardly blame him for not wanting to solve them?" Hinata whispered, logging off her computer. " It's the only way he can see him anymore."
" He'll never get passed it if he dosen't let go."
Hinata's hand covered Tusnade's shoulder now, squeezing slightly," Maybe, he's not supposed to let go. " She then gathered up her ceramic coffee mug, her purse and started to leave the front desk. " Get some rest on your breaks, k? You work almost as hard as Sakura."
The elder woman gave a short grunt of answer before going back to picking through files. It was not ten seconds later before she heard the crash of glass on hard tile and Hinata's scream. She spun around, dropping files and letting out a chocked sound.
" It can't be..."
" He fainted in front of his door...he was crying..." The frantic young man hurried towards them, a limp blond in his arms. " I don't know what happened..."
" We're all going crazy..." Tsunade muttered, closing her eyes, rubbing them and reopening them. No. No good. He was still standing there, Naruto in his arms and worry etched on his face.
" What's your name boy?" Tsuande snarled, leaving the throwing open the counter door and pulling the blonde into her arms.
" Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha." He gave them a funny look, " Why?"
Hinata let out a strangled sound before diving for the purse she dropped, grabbing her cell and dialing a quick number almost everyone knew by heart. There was a muffled groan in the background before a voice gave a sighed 'what?'.
" Sakura? Sasuke's alive..."
" Alive?" Sasuke snarled, " I was never dead to begin with! What the hell are you people talking about?"
" It's a long story kid." Tsuande stated, " Come with us. Hinata, you're welcome to go ho-...What are you doing?"
" They need to know what the hell is going on." Hianta growled, beginning to dial yet another number. Tusnade nodded, heading for the elevators, Sasuke in tow behind her.
--
She emerged an hour later to a 5th floor lobby full of friends. Hinata had called everyone and no one had felt the need to ignore something as big as this. They were all sprawled across chairs, floors and some even on the coffee tables. Her gloves came off with a snap and she disposed of them in the bio-hazard can by the door.
" So? Is it really him?" Temari asked.
" Prints match, blood, everything. Even personality." Tusnade muttered, " But somethings wrong. I sent Jiriaya to the cemetery. Even the gravestone is gone. The records of his death, it's as if he never died."
" Then why doesn't he remember?" Temari demanded, her fingers clenched tight. " What happened?"
" There is a possibility." Gaara cut in, his arm draped over Neji's shoulders. His lover gave him a look, daring him to say something.
" Go on." Sakura motioned.
" It's far fetched. Really." The red-head muttered, rubbing his chin, " But I read in a book that...in some cases of reincarnation..."
A few of them groaned, but Tusnade silenced them with a sharp lift of her hand. " I want to hear this."
" That he could have been given a second chance at life. But at the cost of losing something vital." His eyes moved to the door of Naruto's hospital room where both boys were locked in. " Something precious."
" His memory of Naruto..." Sakura whispered, lowering her eyes.
" Of all of us." Kakashi sighed.
" And what would happen if he remembered?" Hinata asked timidly.
" He'd die instantly."
They all winced at that. It was bad enough that Naruto was cursed with living alone for the rest of his life, but for Sasuke to go off and reincarnate himself, torturing them all...
" But that was the book." Gaara cut in, silencing every thought in their head. " This could be different. "
--
His nose wrinkled at the smell of antiseptic and bleach. He knew this smell, it was another thing that had haunted him for the past four years. There was also another smell. Musky, masculine...woodsy...like...
Worried black eyes and a pale face flashed through his vision as the nights events swept through his brain like a strong current. He sat up in whatever bed he was laid on, panting, eyes trying to adjust to the dimly lite room and the dark head laying by his side.
It wasn't a dream.
Worse. It had to be another nightmare.
His throat tightened. The people up there must really hate him, to treat him this way. To put the one thing back on earth that left him in this sorry state he was in. And to give him no memory...or maybe this was some fucked up dream. Nightmare. Whatever.
The figure groaned slightly, head lifting and blinking bleary black eyes as him. " Whoa. You're awake...let me get the..."
A tan hand snagged a pale wrist. " What are you trying to pull jackass?"
Those eyes grew hostile, " I beg your pardon?" He snatched his wrist back, " I don't have a fucking clue who you think you are, but I just saved your sorry ass..."
" You're supposed to be dead!" Naruto shouted.
" I'm getting tired of hearing that!" Sasuke snapped, standing up and glaring down at the blonde. " I don't know who you are, or who they are, but I'd really appreciate it if someone told me what the..." His voice caught as those blue eyes went from fiery cerulean to hurt pools of ocean blue.
" You really don't know?"
" No. I don't...mind explaining?"
He shook his head, lifting his hands up. " No. I can't..you need to go..."
Pale fingers caught the hand that tried to push him away yet again. " Tell me."
" Y-you died!" Naruto closed his eyes, " Four years ago...in a car accident..." he swallowed what felt to be his heart. " I..we had a fight and...you told me you...l-loved me..but it was too late. You had already hurt me one too many times...I kicked you out and..." He was crying again. Why couldn't he just stop crying? It was bad enough this guy...whoever he was...didn't believe him.
" So it's your fault I died?"
" This isn't a joke!" His eyes were angry again, he put his hands to his neck and ripping the chain and pendant away. It was lifted to Sasuke's eye level, the locket spinning around and the moonlight glinting off it's surface.
Those black eyes grew wide, locked onto the piece of jewelry as if frozen in time. The door flew open and Sakura, Temari and the others scrambled in.
They were shouting something at them, but neither man was listening.
Naruto snatched the locket back and those eyes followed. They started at each for a long while, the room silent...
A shaking pale hand reached out and pressed against a scared cheek. " Naruto?" The other hand joined in, eyes taking in every inch of the blonde's face. " Is it...oh god..." There was no room for words as he pressed a furious kiss to those soft lips. Teasing...tasting...and trying to inhale every memory that was suddenly flooding back into his head.
Naruto was crying again, hands tangled in black hair and wishing, hoping that this was no dream. It couldn't be a dream though...for he only had nightmares of Sasuke...
They broke apart, Sasuke pressing thier forehead together and closing his eyes. " Promise." He muttered.
" What?" Naruto whispered.
Dark eyes opened once again. " Make me promise never to leave you again."
" Don't leave me." The blonde whimpered, grabbing onto Sasuke's shirt, " Please don't leave me."
The dark-haired man gathered the boy into his arms, both seated on the bed. Heads buried in necks and tears wetting fabric. " I promise." Sasuke whispered. " I promise."
Sakura's hand pressed against her heart, eyes closed as tears slipped down slowly. She felt Temari take her other hand and Kakashi kiss the top of her head. Gaara, Neji and Kiba watched in wonder, as tears gathered in Hinata's eyes.
" Remember those words...etched inside the locket?" Temari whispered, looking down at her pink-haired friend.
Sakura nodded.
" May our love transcend death and time."
" And Exist in both this world..."
Temari smiled slowly and nodded, " And the next."
Everything changes if I could
turn back the years if you could
learn to forgive me then I could
learn how to feel, then we could
stay here together and we could
conquer the world if we could
say that forever is more then just a word
Owari
The sequel to 'Bleed For me.'
I did NOT plan on writing this. At all. Never, zippo. Nada. But I could NOT resist it at all. I was in a 'angsty' mood and could not turn the muse away.
Now. I tried out a Kaka/Saku pairing in this. Because I plan on writing a new story after Guardian Bay and The Time Turners are done.
I hope you ALL enjoyed it, because I had an emotional ride writing it. I believed...they needed a happy ending. I made changes. SMALL ones, granted, but changes notheless.
Blessed be,
Angel