A drabble fit for my current mood...
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Hero
by EmeraldWolfChild
They called him a hero. And then they forgot.
They called him a monster. And they always remembered.
That is how it was and how it will always be. And Naruto knew it. And yet he tried. He fought, he punched, he bled and he got up again and yet it was always the same. Nothing would change and Naruto knew it even now four years later, standing in his greatest battle yet.
Scratches and bruises were indistinguishable on his body, and yet he was in pain. So much pain.
His lungs hurt: drawing breath was a task. His arms hurt: the kunai was about to slip through his fingers. His legs hurt: he needed to rest. And yet he was there: standing, breathing, holding.
And all for his special person.
All for that bastard.
The same one who was looking at him with indifferent eyes. The same one who had a light smirk on his face. The same one who was about to kill him.
No.
Never.
Not until he fulfilled what he had promised. Not until they called Sasuke a hero.
Yes, not him. Not the loud-mouthed attention seeking monster. But Sasuke. He had to give Sasuke his life back.
"And now you die."
The words rang through the stillness, reverberating around the still valley. The same valley they had fought in four years ago. The Valley of the End.
"Heh. Teme."
The sword stopped in mid-strike, remembering the old familiarity.
"You can go back."
"No." There it was. Cold. Final.
"You killed Itachi." He had to understand. This was his last chance.
Silence.
"You killed Orichimaru." Alone…
No answer.
"You destroyed the Akatsuki." Desperate…
The sword lowered a fraction of an inch. Ah. Maybe…
"I didn't."
Heh. For a genius, he sure was such a dobe…
"According to the village. You did. "
Another inch.
"What the hell are you talking about? You won and everyone knows it!"
"No. No one does." There it was coming out…
"Because you are the one who received the forgiveness of the village for it."
Another inch. It was almost leaning on the ground. Thin eyebrows were furrowed in thought, momentarily forgetting that they were in a battle. Momentarily forgetting that they didn't have time.
Finally…realization.
A small smile.
A weight lifted.
Mind cleared.
A readiness to depart.
But he was too late.
The puddle of crimson liquid warned him.
The Uchiha looked up and gasped. Naruto smiled.
The katana Sasuke wielded was sticking out of the other mans chest. Dangerously deep. Too deep.
"Naruto, I didn't…believe me I didn't…"
"Of course you didn't. You think you can do something like this unconsciously?"
A weak chuckle.
"Naruto. Cut it out! I'm coming with you… take the genjutsu off!"
He wanted to go to sleep. A nap sounded so good… The damn fox was taking one…Why couldn't he?
The teme was so dense…he didn't understand.
"Try."
Sasuke, after all those long years began to worry.
"KAI!"
The shout was practically a hysterical scream.
Nothing. The sword was there. The blood was there. The painful smile was there.
"Stop it. Urusatonkachi. Stop it! I'm coming back with you!"
His legs couldn't take it. Naruto fell.
Gasping, he clinged on. He needed to finish the mission. That was his way of the ninja.
"I want you to be happy so…"
"Dobe. I am happy! I'm coming back! You're with me! I'll see everyone else! God, I was a fool. But come on! Get up!"
"They will shun you until you take the final threat of the village."
A gasp and a formation of a sentence. Joy, for the first time in many years. He knew he could do it. Naruto would be ok…
"Me."
There. It was done. Now he could rest. Now he could finally see everyone happy…But he needed sleep. He wanted to sleep so badly. And Sasuke would understand...
And slowly he closed his eyes.
Naruto never knew the bitter tears Sasuke cried over his corpse, cursing everything in his path and refusing the medical ninja to take the already cooling body from him. Naruto never knew that Sakura had to be locked away in an asylum as her grief was too great. Naruto never knew he was to become Hokage in a year's time.
But most of all he never knew that he had always been a symbol of hope in Konoha.
Naruto never knew that he had always been a hero.
Just a fun-fact. I'm so not satisfied with it!! This is so emberassing. I can't believe I'm posting this...
Please read and review.
EmeraldWolfChild