dedication: to all the SasuSaku fans who were just as disappointed as I was…
prompt: chapter 484, which was a total downer.
rating: T

summary: She couldn't think of killing him. But that didn't stop her from making a death wish. "I'd rather it be you than someone else, Sasuke-kun." SasuSaku

note: Lol what even is angst

REVISED 6.30.14

She couldn't do it.

The kunai was a centimeter away from tearing his clothing, piercing his skin, and plunging into his heart.

But she couldn't do it.

Hot tears poured down her face as she cried, her hand gripping the handle of the kunai harder until her bleeding knuckles turned white.

He turned to face her, his eyes red with dark blood pouring from the gash on his forehead.

She stopped crying, only for a second, and stared into the pair of red, reminiscing what memories they had.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun! Can I sit next to you?"

"Sasuke-kun, thank you for saving me."

"Please take me with you! I promise I won't be a bother!"

"Sakura...thank you."

His hand gripped her throat, and she could not breathe. He chuckled darkly, his once-handsome face contorted into something like a horror scene. She had allowed herself to be too caught up in thinking about the past, and now here he was: her past, trying to kill her all over again.

"You're annoying," he muttered, his hand tightening the grip while she thrashed wildly. Her hands tried to pry off his fingers, but he simply held on tighter.

"S-Sasuke-kun," she choked out, her face turning purple with each second.

"Sakura," he growled. He took the kunai from her hands and held it against her throat. "I'm not the one who's going to be dying tonight."

Her purple face paled, and he pressed the cold metal against her neck.

This is it, she thought, tears streaming down her eyes. This is how it all ends.

"Goodbye, Sa-ku-ra," he teased with dark humor, ready to slash the blade across her porcelain throat.

"Wait, Sasuke-kun—!" she said, tears forming again, dripping on his hand.

He paused, but only a second.

It was enough for Naruto to save her, as he carried her in his arms, holding her tight. Naruto held her tight to his body, like a lover would do, and growled. He hated the idea of Sasuke hurting Sakura, and wanted to protect her from anything and everything, even if it meant taking her away from the love of her life.

Sasuke's eyes blazed, and he screamed. His voice roared with an animalistic cry.

Sakura massaged her throat, and said in a hoarse voice, "Naruto, please don't hurt Sasuke-kun."

"Sakura," Naruto said, his eyes softening. "I have to."

"NO!" she screamed, grabbing him from behind and sobbing into his neck. "I won't let you!"

"One of you will die," Sasuke said, his chuckles erupting into full-blown laughter. "And it won't be me!"

He charged at them with Sakura's kunai, his face still in a twisted laugh, and Naruto dragged Sakura out of the way.

"Sasuke-kun, kill me," she begged.

Everyone froze.

Kakashi stared at his students.

And for a second, the world was quiet.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered.

Everyone was caught off-guard. If only she could kill him now.

No, she couldn't. It was only a suicide for herself. She was part of him, and he part of her.

"Why?" his voice was like the old Sasuke-still cold, dark, and mysterious. But the warmth that he showed towards her was still there. The old Sasuke had reappeared, even for a second.

He stood frozen. Now's my chance, Sakura thought. But she had nothing to attack him with.

"Because—" she choked out, the hot tears running over the caked ones. She closed them, not wanting any more liquid to fall out. "I'd rather it be you than someone else."

Silence.

Her eyes shot open.

"Sakura-chan, you want to die?" Naruto's eyes turned misty, and he fought back tears.

"Naruto—"

"Let her." Sasuke's dark voice pierced the air. There was no more warmth. Any trace of care had disappeared, and Sakura knew that her Sasuke was gone, gone, gone.

"You bastard," Naruto whispered, the tears finally pouring down. "You unbelievable bastard!"

"Don't hurt him," Sakura shrieked. Sasuke laughed.

"As if he could."

Sakura said through sobs, "You're not the Sasuke I used to know."

"You never knew me," he said, a frown appearing on his face.

"You're not the Sasuke who cared for me."

"I never cared for you."

"That's a lie!"

He began walking closer and closer to her. She stayed firm, knowing that this was the end, and if this was how she was going to die, it would be so.

"You're not the Sasuke whom I used to love."

"You don't know the meaning of love," he spat. "No one does anymore. I have. Love is a pain. It kills you on the inside, and out."

She ignored him.

"I loved you enough that I wanted to kill you, so you wouldn't stoop down any lower. But I didn't kill you. I couldn't. Does that mean that my words were all mere lies?" Sakura said, waterfalls pouring down her cheeks.

Heavy breathing from Sasuke.

Sniffles from Naruto.

Silence from Kakashi.

"Kill me," she begged. "Please, Sasuke-kun."

He walked towards her slowly, one foot in front of the other.

I'll kill him now, for breaking Sakura-chan's heart, that bastard—

He took her hand in a tight grip and stared into her eyes.

"Stop crying," he ordered.

He whispered something into her ear, and her eyes widened. They closed the distance between each other—with an embrace? With a death sentence? Maybe even...

His lips left hers, and her hands were on his and they plunged the kunai into her heart.

He turned to face Naruto. Naruto saw the fear and sorrow in his irises, and knew that this was the real Sasuke; the Sasuke that he had known so well for so many years.

"I cared about her enough that I wanted her to be safe from me. But I couldn't control myself. I couldn't stop wanting to protect her. Does that mean my love was all for nothing?" Sasuke's eyes were mixed with blood and tears.

"Sasuke—"

"Revenge does things to people. Emotions do."

Naruto did not know why Sasuke was saying all these things at once.

"You killed her," Naruto said, still in shock.

Sasuke smirked through tears. His eyes fired up again, and once more he was the Sasuke who had traveled too far off the path of righteousness.

"Goodbye, dobe."

He threw the kunai down next to Sakura's lifeless body. Before the remainders of Team 7 could do anything, Sasuke left, discarding any traces of hope or love that remained.

Slight changes!