The promised sequel. \o/
.
.
.
.
.
Sleep.
"Go to sleep, Naruto," and he willed himself to believe that his voice did not shake. "I'll wake you up, later."
"No." The reply was firm, yet empty of Naruto's usual liveliness. "I know what you're going to do, sensei. I know."
Kakashi said nothing.
Naruto felt a warm hand patting his hair, slow and careful yet somehow... distant. Lost. Another came up over his eyes, smoothing over his eyelids again and again in gentle, desperate persuasion.
"Sleep," Kakashi murmured, and his hand only shook a little.
"I know you were watching that time when Chiyo-obaachan used her jutsu... to bring Gaara back." Naruto blinked tiredly, and wished he could see the face above. "You were watching with your Sharingan because you knew. You knew what she was going to do, and you knew she was going to die. And you also knew... no, you believed that one day you would want to use such a jutsu as well, didn't you?" He could not move, for he had barely enough strength left to speak, but the hand covering his eyes finally slid lower and long fingers stroked lightly along his cheek.
"Naruto..." And Kakashi hated himself for not being able to protect the owner of that name, even though he had long ago realised how much it truly meant to him. "Naruto. I'm sorry... I was late. You... must be tired, so close your eyes and rest, Naruto." His arms slid lower to wrap around a chest that was completely covered with blood and felt so very, very cold that it terrified him.
It terrified him just as much as the darkdarkdarkness of the brutal wound above Naruto's stomach, from which blood still flowed and seeped into the shreds of their battle-torn clothing.
"Naruto..." he whispered, slowly pulling the boy higher, closer into his embrace, and leaned down so he could still feel the weakening pulse. "Naruto. Naruto. Naruto." He spoke the name against the boy's neck, repeating it again and again almost in time to the too-slow beating of a struggling heart.
"I won't sleep." Cold lips brushed against his ear, followed by a soft sigh. "Everything hurts like hell, but that means I know I'm still alive. I won't sleep, because if I close my eyes for just a second too long – " Sharp teeth nipped gently on his ear and he gasped, startled—
"You won't be here anymore when I open them again."
Kakashi felt a fierce burning pain in his chest and throat and eyes. "Don't die. You promised."
"Sensei," Naruto smiled and began slipping out of his arms. "Kakashi. I'm not too sure if I can... but I'll try my best, since you asked. I'll do it just for you, okay?"
He nodded, blinking away the blurriness in his eyes that came from tiredness and almost-falling tears.
"So promise me..." Naruto slowly raised a hand to his unmasked face as a bright golden chakra surrounded the would-have-been fatal wounds. "That you won't die for me."
Kakashi's own chakra flared a brilliant white as it joined his, in reply and in promise.
"And I will live, for you."
.
.
.
.
.
\o/