A/N - Angst ahoy! XD This story was inspired by the song "Without You" from the musical Rent. The only intended romantic pairing is SasuNaru, but I know a lot of people like Naruto and Hinata as a pairing, so if you feel like squinting and don't mind Naru-chan being bi, then I guess you NaruHina fans can see this story that way, too. Enjoy!
It was a warm spring day, not a cloud in the sky, and Team Ten was taking advantage of the wonderful weather, training early in the forest. Kiba had just won an intense taijutsu practice match against Shino, and, as he was feeling rather proud of himself, he turned to Hinata, a brag at the tip of his tongue. The poor brag died there, though, because even a glance in her direction was enough to tell anyone that Hinata Hyuga's mind was miles away, and had probably been there since the start of said taijutsu match. A second glance at his teammate's flushed face was enough to tell Kiba that a certain blonde shinobi was most likely at the center focus of these mile-away ruminations. Sighing frustratedly, Kiba called out, "Come on, Hinata, quit thinking about Naruto and start thinking about training! I mean, you totally just missed an awesome taijutsu match!"
The quiet girl gave a start at Kiba's words. Snapping out of her reverie, her blush deepened and she looked at the ground. "I... I'm sorry," she squeaked. She hesitated a few moments and then looked up timidly, the way she always does when she's about to wisely comment on something that's been bothering her. "It's... It's just, I feel so bad for Naruto..."
Shino and Kiba had walked closer in order to be able to hear their teammate better, and at this statement, they looked puzzledly at each other. "What for?" Shino rasped curiously.
"Well," Hinata continued, a look of worry crossing her pale features, "it's just, it must be so hard to lose a teammate like that. Sa-Sasuke, I mean. I-I feel feel bad for Sakura too... It must be horrible."
"Yeah..." Kiba said quietly. "I mean, Sasuke was like a brother to Naruto, right?"
The three of them stood in silence, all feeling sorry for their comrades, and all secretly hoping that nothing like that would ever divide up Team Ten.
Hinata had good reason to be worried.
Naruto lay spread-eagled on his back, unable to find the motivation to get out of bed. It was a weekend, and it was the morning, and Sakura was probably practicing medical ninjutsu, and Kakashi and Jiraiya were away on missions, and Sasuke was... Naruto closed his eyes. Well, no one would be missing him today. So stay in bed he would.
It seemed to be a pretty good plan, in the beginning. The blonde drifted in and out of consciousness for a while, but was always brought back to the World of Those Awake by either children playing under his open window, or a paper bomb going off, or people arguing. Once his mind had resigned itself to the fact that it wasn't going to get any more rest that morning, it began to wander... And, as was always the case when Naruto's mind wandered these days, he began to think. About Sasuke.
Naruto's eyes wearily closed again, and perhaps a few weeks ago, a tear might have slipped out from under one of the lids. But lately, Naruto noticed, those feelings in his chest that used to make him sob into his pillow every night now only left him tired; it was almost as if he had run out of tears. Lately, all Naruto had been doing was sleeping, though it hadn't really helped to ease his sadness. The fatigue he felt was not the kind that could be cured with a coffee, an energy drink, exercise, or even sleep - it ran deeper than that, penetrating the young shinobi's very bones, his very brain...
Naruto liked sleeping. He was most at ease when asleep, because only when he was asleep would Naruto allow himself to pretend that Sasuke was still with him.
Moaning, panting...
Sasuke ran his tongue up Naruto's side and across his chest, pausing to suck and bite at the nipples located there. Naruto tossed his blonde head back, eyes closed, mouth open in a silent scream of ecstasy.
Sasuke's tongue traveled farther down, coming to a stop at the blonde's stomach, on which Naruto's jinchuriki seal was printed. Upon seeing it again, Sasuke growled, and the noise startled Naruto.
"Sasuke, what...?"
But before Naruto could finish his question, Sasuke cut him off by roughly grabbing the blonde's already erect member through his orange shinobi pants. Naruto's back arched, and he gasped as Sasuke's long, pale fingers crept under the material, brushing against his sensitive skin. He moaned when Sasuke's hand wrapped around him, and panted when the black-haired shinobi began to pump. It didn't take long for the blonde to climax, and after he was done he lay, breathing heavily, under Sasuke... who was still practically snarling at Naruto's demon seal. Upon noticing the quizzical look Naruto was giving him, however, Sasuke's normally disdainful face crumpled slightly, and he buried his face in Naruto's stomach. His words were slightly muffled, but Naruto could still just make them out:
"Sorry, it's just... I hate what they've done to you. Without that loser demon inside you, you could've been normal... happy."
Blue eyes softened as Naruto reached down to stroke Sasuke's hair. He lifted Sasuke's face so that he was looking into his black eyes. Naruto grinned, and said, "Don't worry about me, Teme! As long as I'm with you, I'm happy~!"
Naruto woke up, and noticed with detached surprise that he had been crying in his sleep.
It was well past lunchtime, and Team Ten decided to take a break from training and go get some lunch together. Shino suggested that they go to Ichiraku's for a bowl or two of ramen, and Kiba and Akamaru agreed wholeheartedly. Just as they were all about to set off, Hinata squeaked, "Um, guys?" The two boys turned around. "Now what?" Kiba groaned irritatedly.
"Well, I-I just... I think I'm going to check on Na-Naruto. J-just to see how he's doing." A light blush highlighted the kunoichi's cheekbones. "You guys go on without me, I'll catch up!"
"Well, okaaay," Kiba drawled. "Don't be too long, though, or Akamaru might eat your share of ramen!" This statement was accompanied by an affirmative bark from the large dog.
"Good luck, Hinata," Shino said, and the two boys and the dog set off toward the ramen stand.
Hinata watched them go, and then started toward Naruto's apartment.
It didn't take the Hyuga long to reach Naruto's home. It did take a while, however, for Hinata to build up the courage to knock. I'll just ask him if he's okay, ask him how he's doing, and then invite him to Ichiraku's with us, she decided. Now that she had a solid plan in mind, she felt she was ready to proceed. She knocked twice gently, quietly calling, "Naruto?" After about thirty seconds of waiting with no response, Hinata tried again, a little louder. Knock, knock, knock. "Naruto? Naruto, are you there?" When this was met with only silence, Hinata began to worry. She banged on the door as hard as she dared and continued to call, but Naruto never answered. Out of curiosity, she tried the door handle, and to her immense surprise it opened. It's unlocked! she thought. After a moment's hesitation, Hinata decided to peak in and see if Naruto was there. I just want to make sure he's okay... What am I so worried about? He's probably just still asleep, it is a weekend, after all...
Hinata Hyuga gently pushed open the door, and was shocked by what she saw.
Naruto was lying spread-eagled on his bed. At first Hinata thought the blonde was still asleep, but then she heard his breathing; it was irregular, and very fast.
If he's awake, why didn't he answer me before? Is he...? Hinata squeaked, "Na-Naruto?"
At the sound of his name, the blonde turned his head, and Hinata was met with the deadest, most lonely blue eyes she had ever seen. Silent tears fell in torrents down his pale, scarred cheeks, but never once did he make any attempt to wipe them away. He didn't seem to have the will to.
Hinata took a hesitant step foreword and then broke into a run, rushing to Naruto's side, kneeling next to him on the bed. "Naruto!" she practically yelled, "Naruto, what's the matter?"
The blue eyes slowly focused on the concerned face before him. Is that... Sasuke? But then he looked closer, and noticed that the skin was too pale, the hair too long, and the features too feminine. No... it's... "Hinata?" he rasped.
And at that moment, all the hurt he had been feeling since Sasuke left, the disappointment of it being Hinata and not Sasuke kneeling over him in concern, all of it peaked and sent Naruto over the edge. He launched himself forward into Hinata's waiting arms, sobbing anguishedly into her chest, screaming "Sasuke! Sasuke!"
The blonde's despair started a chain reaction, and Hinata found herself crying softly as well. She sat back and let Naruto cry into her, stroking his hair soothingly. "Sh, sh," she whispered, letting him cry it out.
Minutes went by, and still Naruto sobbed with the same intensity. At one point, his breathing hitched, as if he was trying to say something. "What is it, Naruto?" Hinata urged, her panic increasing.
His words were slightly muffled, but she could still just make them out:
"I'm tired, Hinata, so tired..." Naruto whimpered, continuing to sob. And though his words were rather vague, Hinata was intelligent enough to understand his meaning perfectly.
Kneeling there, cradling a broken Naruto in her arms, Hinata had only one thought:
Sasuke, how could you?
A/N - All reviews are appreciated! Arigato!