Disclaimers: Naruto is not mine. In the Moonlight is a song from Gravitation OVA.
A/N: I had two mental images to work on: 1. Naked someone watching the moonlight and 2. Someone with his long black hair fanned out while lying on top of Naruto (of course, not Orochimaru). I still have to decide who this someone is. I worked with those images in mind. Spur of the moment. A 30min thing.
"Naruto!" he gasped, rigid with climax. As he came down from his high, he saw peaceful blue eyes smiling at him. He rested his head on his lover's chest for a moment, catching his breath.
They lay there together, the blond threading his fingers through his long black hair. After a while, the hand stilled; his lover must have fallen asleep. He allowed a small smile to touch his face, to brighten his eyes. They've made love several times tonight, no wonder his blond fox was tired ...
Memory jolted him out of his rather mellow mood. It was time. In spite of the deep languor in his bones, he stood up, shrugging on his discarded robe. He walked towards the sliding doors. He longed to feel fresh air on his face. He wanted to see the night.
But he was wrong - Naruto was awake. He only watched silently as he opened the doors, knowing that his lover had something on his mind, waiting. The blond was not disappointed for long.
"Why am I still here, Naruto?" he asked softly, eyes on the cloudless night sky.
The blond moved towards him, burrowing his nose in the fine sable strands, arms around his lover's waist. "What are you talking about?"
In Naruto's arms, it seemed that his worries were nothing. But he knew better. "Why am I still here?" he repeated. "Uchiha Sasuke -"
"Why do you keep on saying that name as if it should mean something to me?" Naruto cut in. The blush that suddenly flushed his cheeks was both anger and shame. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't ..."
"No." He broke free from Naruto's embrace, facing the blond, taking his face between his cupped palms. "It should mean something to you, Naruto." He smiled. "I should have been gone a long time ago. I'm only chaining you to this place. At a time, my selfishness kept you alive, but now, you don't need me anymore." He tightened the obi that bound his robe shut, and stepped into his geta.
"I ..."
"Naruto," he said, anguished. He closed his eyes against the pain. "It's enough that you remember my words. Live. Be happy." He smiled, not needing to fake it. "You can do that without me. You can do it with Sasuke." His voice became wistful. "I've always known ..."
"Do you have to go?" His arms tightened around his waist. "Please don't leave ..."
"You promised, Naruto." He shook his head slowly, gazing fully into the face that made his heart break. "I would if I could. But that wouldn't help you. Do you understand me when I say that I'm doing this because I love you?"
When the time comes, please let me go, so you can be happy.
He could see that his lover - no, not his anymore - wanted to shake his head, but he only nodded grimly. He blue eyes quivered with unspent tears.
"Thank you." He hardly dared to open his arms or kiss his lips for the last time, afraid that if he would, he would never be able to go. But this was the time for farewell. He had stayed with Naruto too long. He stepped back and tied his hair, but Naruto stopped him.
"Let me," he whispered, as if his normal loud voice would shatter the relative peace of the night. "This last time ..." He stood passive, back towards the blond, as he tied the ribbon, binding his hair.
"Sayonara."
Naruto woke up, his cheeks wet with tears. It was finished. He knew without looking that his most precious possession had turned into ashes. His fingers groped the sheets, and encountered the miniature soul-tablet. The cold marble only made his heart constrict.
It was finished.
His hand tightened around the tile, cold and smooth to touch. That was all that he was left with of the man he loved; that, and his promise to live.
His lips touched the single character that the stone bore. Yes, he had his promise.
Naruto placed the soul-tablet on the table beside him. A single moonbeam shone on the stone. He could see the name engraved on it clearly.
Haku.
It was fitting.
A/N: Please tell me what you think. Should I elaborate on this? Gaaah. I'm not sure whether I like this or not ... TT