.:DEFECTION:.
Disclaimer; I in no way, shape or form own Naruto.
Notes; A short, rather boring oneshot I decided to write on Sasuke's defection from Konoha. Possibly slightly SasuNaru-ish if you squint. Please review and tell me what you think; this had been written as an attempt to once again ward off the demon that is writer's block, so forgive me if my (already bad) writing's a little rusty. Please notify me of any spelling/grammar issues. Sasuke...I think here, should be given a little slack to use some emotion. He's leaving everything he's ever known, and he's only human when it comes down to it. I'm not sure whether I messed up the tenses... .
The fog began to clear from his head and he slowly opened his eyes. His thoughts were scattered as he surveyed the face before him through half-closed lids.
Sasuke was hovering above him, looking down at him as if saddened. The rain clung to his pale skin, running down his face in rivulets. The way the water had travelled made it look as though the other boy had been crying. Perhaps he had.
Pain still laced through his chest as be breathed quietly, trying not to disturb the boy above him. The raven sighed, and stood, still watching the blonde lying on the ground. A bead of rain trickled down his cheek, and he turned to leave.
"Sasuke..." the blonde rasped, voice cracking and throat sore. Sasuke froze and turned back, hesitantly.
"It's over. I won, dobe." His feet remained where they were.
Naruto rolled onto his front, pained as his muscles ached, screaming in protest. Kyuubi seemed to be having difficulty healing him as quickly after their fight. Using his elbows as support, he brought himself onto his knees, head coming to rest against the ground, protesting against his exertion.
"Please..." the boy croaked into the ground, "Please don't go..."
The Uchiha stared down at him still, expression as blank and unreadable as ever before his lids lowered slightly further and his brow creased slightly.
The blonde had crawled forward slightly and was now resting at his feet. Sasuke made a disgusted sound and turned to walk away, but a hand shot out and clung to his ankle.
"Let go, idiot." The other ignored him and dragged himself forward so that he was hugging the raven's ankle. Sasuke scowled and reached down to detach the clinging boy, but froze again as Naruto spoke.
"Please, don't do this. Just...please. You...I..." Naruto cried desperately, tears dripping from his face to the cold ground below.
"Please don't leave me!" the boy cried, voice cracking as he looked up at Sasuke with wild, desperate eyes. His hands had moved as he spoke, and he was now clinging to the front of Sasuke's shirt. Sasuke was stiff, unused to the contact as the other boy lowered his head to cry into his stomach.
His shoulders gradually lowered from their tense position to a less alert one. He raised a thin hand and carefully patted his friend on the head.
"It's okay, idiot." He said, still petting the blonde tentatively. His breath hitched in his throat as he spoke, and his eyes stung as he mentally prepared himself. He reached back behind him and unlaced Naruto's fingertips from where they had moved to hug him, and looked down at the snivelling boy for the last time.
Naruto simply stared up at him, nose running and tears still leaking from his wide eyes. The Uchiha sighed, and looked away.
"There will be others." He said quietly, almost to himself as he turned away, finally.
"Sasuke, please!" Naruto cried desperately as the other boy walked away towards the forest. He clambered clumsily to his feet and tried to run towards the retreating back, but collapsed as his legs gave way beneath his body in its weakened state.
He could see the rips the curse seal had made in the back of Sasuke's shirt slowly getting smaller as his friend travelled ever further away from him.
"SASUKEEE!" he screamed, head falling back forward into the dirt. His breathing became ragged as he sobbed into the mud, tears pooling beneath him.
"Sasuke..." he whimpered, voice hoarse from screaming.
The dark-haired figure in the distance vanished into the forest, legs aching and tired as he walked. The further he walked, the more certain he became that there was no going back. He had severed the final ties between him and Konoha forever.
panda-sensei~