Goodbye, Love
Genres: Romance/Angst
A/N: The song here is from RENT. It's called "Goodbye, Love" and I don't own it. This may not make much sense if you've never seen RENT. Sakura sings Mimi's part, Sasuke sings Roger's. I annotated parts to clear up confusion, M for Mimi, R for Roger.
Oh… I don't own Naruto, either.
Enjoy!
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Sakura walked towards the bridge in the early morning light, to meet her team for the day's practice. But before she got there, she knew something was wrong. Her happiness in the beautiful morning seemed to leak out of her. Naruto was shouting as Sasuke.
He was talking coldly to the blond. About her. As Naruto shouted, Sasuke's voice just became even quieter, more venom-coated. A strange buzzing seemed to fill her ears. Naruto's ranting made no sense. But every waspish word that Sasuke spoke made her heart feel as though it was being squeezed, as if her lungs were shrinking, crushing her.
"She's weak, she's untalented…"
"You uncaring bastard, she loves you! Can't you see that -?"
"Does it really look like a give a damn?"
"I'd give anything to be in your shoes, with all the girls after you! You cold-hearted moron, do you really –"
"Shut up, Naruto. I'll say it once more. I don't care about her."
Before Naruto could respond, Sasuke brushed past him. He was coming straight for her, where she was standing frozen in shock in the shadow of a tree.
She thought he would march right past her, but he suddenly stopped. Looking straight ahead, he asked:
R: You heard?
M: Every word
Sakura shuddered. The dream from her Academy days was shattered. Sasuke didn't want her. He didn't care… She felt as if she were drowning in the anguish that was rising up inside her.
Even after being on his team for so long, and he never once acknowledged her efforts, the tiny flower of hope in her heart had never vanished. It was rooted too deep. Now it was a charred bit of ash.
She couldn't realize that he wanted to protect himself… to protect himself from more pain. She couldn't see that if he lost her, the pain from the massacre – the pain locked deep within his heart - would overwhelm him. She couldn't see that.
M: You don't want baggage without lifetime guarantees
You don't want to watch me die
She could acknowledge that he would be hurt if she died, but it would be at the loss of a friend, nothing more. She would run, run away from this pain, from this onyx-eyed monster who had just ruined her life with a few short sentences.
I just came to say Goodbye, Love
Goodbye Love
Came to say, Goodbye, Love
Goodbye
Just came to say,
Goodbye
R: Glory
M: Goodbye, Love
R: One blaze of glory
M: Goodbye, Love
R: Glory
M: Goodbye
R: I have to find
His voice joined hers, though she had no idea what he was singing about. The glory of what? Death? How was that glory? She couldn't understand…
He turned towards her, slowly, hesitantly. The glory of the Uchiha Clan was gone, murdered by his brother… yet, could it be that he saw hope, happiness, in the Haruno girl with the obnoxious pink hair?
He reached for her arm, almost unconsciously. She recoiled.
M: Please don't touch me, understand,
I'm scared. I need to go away
R: I know a place, clinic –
C: A rehab?
M: Baby, could you -
C: I'll pay
She slowly backed away. She couldn't handle the pain. She would suffocate under its pressure… She turned her back on Uchiha Sasuke, and retraced her steps, still singing:
M: Goodbye, Love
Goodbye, Love
Came to say, Goodbye, Love
Goodbye,
Just came to say,
Goodbye, Love,
Goodbye, Love,
Goodbye, Love,
Hello, Disease…
-- -- -- -- --
Sasuke stared at the black coffin in the front. She was dead. A team had been coming into Konoha from a mission, and had found her body by chance.
She had been missing for almost two months.
He had been the last one to see her, and he knew why she had left… He hadn't told any one, though he supposed he would have to tell someone eventually… Kakashi, perhaps. Naruto knew, too, but he – uncharacteristically – had not said anything, either. It was Sasuke's burden.
He had lost another person who was close to him…
The pain in his heart throbbed. How could he have lost her? After he swore never to lose anyone else dear to him, he had lost her. She was dead. Just like his family. The burden was too great…
The funeral ceremony seemed to stretch on and on as Sasuke struggled. When it was finally over, he walked out, eyes dry.
-- -- -- -- --
Naruto entered his apartment after the funeral, eyes still filled with tears. She was gone, she would never call him annoying again. He flopped down on his bed, putting his head on his arms. A piece of paper on his pillow, however, caught his eye.
Naruto – The Burden is too great. Tell Kakashi why she is dead. Tell him why I am dead. Tell him. The Burden falls to you now.
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A/N: Wow, that idea turned morbid. Please Review!