Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or its characters.

AU

Bring Me to Life

-:-

She was perfect in almost every way possible. Her face was carved with care, no nicks or deterioration, and made of a strong, durable wood. It was almost translucent in color, giving his creation an almost angel-like appearance.

He couldn't say how long it took for him to paint her face. He took his time, knowing that if he rushed he could destroy the hours of hard work he had already put into her. Her lips were full and soft; he'd used a deep shade of red, glossy paint. For her eyes, he left them pupil less, believing it gave her a more innocent quality. They were a pale shade of purple, two individual pearls. Rose color dusted her cheeks in a permanent blush.

Hollow limbs were attached to an equally empty body. There was no heart to fill her chest. Each hand and foot had taken him weeks to carve and her fingers curled slightly at her sides.

The hair was the toughest decision he made. He used real hair, for she was practically human herself. It was long, traveling down her back in a black cascade. The bangs were cut thick and swept across her brow.

He had chosen a simple dress for her to wear, for something too frilly or full would just overpower her small frame. Her dress was made of satin in a shade of royal purple. Black, night-blooming Ceres crept along the bottom and traveled halfway up on her left side. A black bow was tied loosely around her waist.

He traced her jaw and gazed into her eyes. He longed for her to reach out to him, to softly call out his name. "Sasori," she would say. Shivers of delight would travel down his back and he would pull her close to him. He wanted to kiss those lips, her slender neck, her arms.

She would crumble in his grasp before he could. It didn't matter how real she seemed to him, because she would always just be a hollow shell.

Sasori knelt down in front of her as she sat perched on a chair. He watched his creation in all her perfection while she stared ahead. He slowly reached out and grasped her hand, studying her graceful fingers. A sigh passed his lips as he placed her hand over his heart. She slumped forward.

"Hinata," he merely whispered. Sasori's eyes widened slightly. The small hand over his heart had moved slightly, and he watched in silence as her fingers began to grip the front of his shirt. His heart was about to give.

Her jaw began to quiver. Sasori jumped up to his feet and lightly touched her shoulders. He called to her again and she, in response, looked at him with heavy eyes.

"S... S-saso..." Her voice was small, but it cut through the air. It rang like a tiny silver bell; a delicate little thing that must be handled with care, for if it wasn't it would break in your grasp.

Sasori gingerly touched her cheek. He wanted her to speak again, to tell him sweet things that would make his heart pound, to look at him with those pale eyes and to glance down at his lips. That small gesture would send him off the edge.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, careful not to startle her, and pulled her close. At first, her arms hung limply at her sides, but slowly she brought them up to his shoulders. Her grasp was loose. She rested her chin on his shoulder and began to twirl his red locks between her fingers. When she broke their embrace, her wooden hands brushed against his cheek.

Sasori did the same and told her how beautiful she was, how she was perfect. Hinata smiled up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. She froze and the smile faded from her lips.

The light that once shined in her eyes was gone and she fell forward into Sasori's chest. He sank to the ground. The whole world seemed to shift and he couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

From a corner of the room, where the moonlight could not penetrate the darkness, came a soft rustle. Sasori did not move. He called out, but silence was his only response. Thinking it as nothing more than his imagination, he returned his thoughts over to Hinata. He shook her gently, as if to try and wake her up from slumber.

"That won't work," said a voice from behind. It was definitely female. A sense of ill will came over Sasori as she spoke. Her tone was deathly sweet, almost mockingly.

"Who are you?" he asked, not turning around. He cradled the girl in his arms, gently stroking her hair away from her face.

The woman laughed. "It doesn't matter. Are you not more curious as to what I can do for you? For that is what you really meant."

"How could you possibly help me?" He didn't need her, or anybody to help him. All his life he had to do things on his own and he was able to do it. And this, his beautiful creation, was his crowning achievement. He wanted the satisfaction of doing it all on his own.

There was the soft rustle of fabric, but no footsteps could be heard as she appeared in front of him. The woman was tall and lean, and wore a black, hooded robe that ended at her knees. Underneath was a dark blue dress. The bottom appeared to be shredded and grew lighter at the tips. Her hair was left half down and half up, curled in large ringlets. When her eyes met Sasori's, she smiled at him, but not one of comfort.

"I can make her real again. All you have to do is ask it of me." The woman stepped closer, shortening the gap between her and Sasori. She glanced down at his kneeling form, waiting for him to answer.

Sasori shook his head and almost shouted at her, "I was the one who made her alive. Myself alone!" He held Hinata closer to him, as if to shield the girl.

"You are mistaken." A frown replaced the woman's smile and, as every second went by, it grew deeper. "It was I who gave her life, and I can do it again."

Sasori looked away. "At what price?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

The woman chuckled and began to circle the puppet maker. "What would you be willing to give?"
Sasori glanced up at her. He did not trust her. Every part of his being told him to turn her down, except for the small part deep inside him. Let her have something in return for making Hinata real. There was no price too great.

Still kneeling on the cold, wooden floor, Sasori pushed Hinata away from him so that she leaned against the back of the chair. Her head hung to the side, a curtain of hair concealing her face, and her arms remained at her sides. Sasori held both of her hands.

"I would give anything for her to be real."

The room suddenly grew cold. Sasori now felt his head growing lighter and his fingers tingled. The sensation started there before it started to travel up his arms. He jumped to his feet, staring down at his hands. There was nothing different in the pale skin.

Sasori growled out in frustration, "Where are you?" The woman was nowhere in sight.

He was about to turn around when shifting in the chair caught his attention. He looked over, but did not dare move. Hinata's fingers closed into a loose fist and then came undone. Her head slowly raised, her hair falling out of her face, and her mouth opened slightly. A small gasp escaped her lips and her eyes shot open. Her puppet features had now disappeared.

"S-Sasori?" His mind grew blank. He wasn't sure what he should do. What if it was just a dream? What if he reached out to her to only have her disappear in his arms?

He stepped up to her and knelt on one knee. He stared up into her pale eyes and she looked down at him, her surprised expression melting into one of adoration. She reached out to him. Her fingers graced over his cheeks, his jaw, and then his lips. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his, but pulled back when Sasori began to cough.

A sharp pain erupted throughout his chest, blinding him. He tried to steady himself, but when the pain became too much to bear, he collapsed.

"What… what did she do?"

Hinata came to his side and pulled him onto her lap. She told him to hush when he tried to speak and to just lie still. Silent tears streamed down her face, but a smile remained. She told him she loved him and had always. How she was thankful for all that he had done.

Sasori tried to tell her that he felt the same, but the words wouldn't form. Blood bubbled past his lips with another fit of coughing.

The world blurred and he fought to bring her back into focus. He reached up, yearning to feel her skin against his fingertips, but he never made it. The smallest of sobs escaped her throat as she buried her head in his shoulder. Before the world grew dark to him for the last time, Sasori saw the woman grinning down at him.

-:-

A/N: Not much to say about this one... Hope you liked it. Also, my inspiration for this oneshot came from the song "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence.

E/N: ...