Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Quick Tip: In this one-shot, before Sasuke left for Orochimaru, Sasuke and Naruto were already in a relationship. Please be guided accordingly (LOL I sound so formal what the hell). Enjoy, ladies and gents! :)

Wounds and Scars
by tofy

You didn't know?

I could still remember the words people were saying that day.

He already left. I can't believe he'd betray Konoha just for power. I couldn't believe that boy left.

Neither could I.

It's been three years now, I mused. Since…Sasuke left. There weren't even any signs that he'd be leaving the village then…There weren't any signs that he'd be leaving me. The least he could've done was leave me a note. But there was nothing.

Was he even still my lover? I've been asking myself that each and every day. Lover. I cringed at the term. I can't believe I just called him that. Neither of us even confessed that we love each other. Those three simple words – I love you – was never once spoken. We didn't even have a label on our relationship. We were just…well that's just it, wasn't it? Perhaps that's where it all fell apart.

Suddenly, I could hear someone sobbing. It was getting annoying, really. Then I felt tears running down my cheeks. I didn't even realize the person crying was me.

"I'm so pathetic," I said as I wiped the tears off. I won't ever cry again, I used to promise myself. But this was an exception, right? Sasuke was an exception.

I stood up from my couch, and walked over to my kitchen. 11:08pm, my clock displayed. I opened my drawer and took out an unopened cup of instant ramen and sighed. I needed the old lady to give me a mission already so I could take my mind off of this…mess. Even though I just got back from a mission yesterday, I'm going to--

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop eating instant ramen, idiot? That's going to kill you." I froze. I must be imagining things again.

I remember I even transformed my kage bunshin to Sasuke's form on the first year that he was gone. I wasted chakra for that. I just…I just really wanted to hold him again. To feel his presence again. To see him again. Though it wasn't the same. I'm really, really pathetic.

"Well?"

I turned around and loosened my grip on the cup. I could hear it strike the floor and roll as I looked at Sasuke. It was him. It was really him. He's grown even taller. That's the first thing that crossed my mind – that he got taller.

I rushed towards him and punched him in the face. Hard. That bastard.

"Dumbass! What do you think you're doing?!" he exclaimed. He didn't see that coming. Good. I smirked. That felt really good.

I took him by the collar. "You bastard! What, you think you can just barge here in my house and lecture me about instant ramen after disappearing all these years?!" I've been screaming at him at the top of my lungs. Again, it felt good. It really did. I could practically hear my increasing heartbeat. It was like pounding in my ears. "I hate you!"

I saw him extend his arms, and enfold them around me. His scent was surrounding me, engulfing me, suffocating me. It was still familiar, still the same as before. I didn't forget his scent, thank God. I was so afraid I did. I was so afraid that I forgot how it felt to be in his arms, too.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered. My heart was beating even faster. Never in my whole fifteen years of existence have I heard Sasuke apologize. For the past years that we've been together, we'd fight, that's normal. And even though it was his fault, it was always me who apologized.

"I'm really sorry," he whispered again and I felt his embrace tighten. I could feel those stupid tears forming in my eyes again. I was so happy, I was afraid. Because they only let you be happy like this if they're going to take something away from you.

"I-it's…" I tried to reply. What was I to say? That it was okay? That it was okay he left me? I sighed and relaxed in his hold. "I already forgave you the moment you walked in that door." And it was true. I wanted to be the light in his darkness. I needed to be the light in his darkness.

"I'm really, really, really sorry," Sasuke spoke again. There was desperation in his voice. He slowly released me and looked me in the eyes. Those dark gray eyes were staring at me; there was so much depth in them. I always felt like I could be lost in those eyes forever.

"Hey, Sasuke, are you alright?" I asked. I was starting to get worried. "I said I forgive–"

Sasuke crashed his lips into mine. It was urgent, almost pleading. Like he was in a hurry, like we were running out of time. His lips were so cold against my warm ones, I shuddered. I put my arm around him, and held him as tight as I could. I didn't want to let go. I had no plan of letting go. I'd die if he was to leave me again.

Is there even a limit to loving somebody?

"Sasuke," I said after a huff as soon as we parted. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell him everything. "I missed you." His eyes were searching mine, though his face was as passive as ever. "I missed you, God damn it!" I pounded on his chest. He just stood there, unmoving. I wanted him to tell me he missed me too. That he loved me, too. "I…I love you. So much."

He stepped back, with smile across his lips. A smile. A genuine smile. My heart fluttered.

"I love you too, idiot," he said. I felt like I was about to die. I was utterly, utterly happy. I clutched at my chest. I thought my heart was ready to jump out of my chest with the way it's beating like crazy. "You're the most important person to me. More important than my life. I missed you so much; so I did the best that I could to visit you."

It must've been the longest and heartfelt sentence Sasuke ever told me. The words were simple, ever so simple, and yet it affected me like no other.

"So…I guess it paid off. It was worth it," he stepped back again. He was a foot away from me now. I didn't like the distance. "I'll have to…leave now."

"No!" I reached for him, but he evaded me and I fell to the ground. "No! Don't leave me again!"

"I really have to, Naruto. There's nothing we can do about it now." There was certainty in his voice.

"Is it the ANBU?" I'll come with you, Sasuke. Just say the word. I'll leave Konoha too. Just please…stay. I wanted to tell him that, but I felt that it was too much. It might be too much.

He must've seen the desperation in my eyes. "Live your dreams, Naruto. I love you, goodbye," I felt his words besiege me, sweep me away. And then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

"Naruto!" Kiba suddenly barged inside my house frantically. I didn't have the energy to stand. "Did you hear, Naruto?!" I sighed.

"The ANBU caught up with Sasuke near the village." I suddenly got this sinking feeling in my stomach. My heart was beating fast again. But not for the same reason as earlier. "They…they got him." Maybe someone witnessed Sasuke come into the house and told the old lady Hokage?

I looked at him, panicking. "What do you mean 'they got him'?" Please don't let it be the way I'm thinking. Please. Oh, please.

"He's…he's dead, Naruto." The sinking feeling in my stomach plummeted down my feet. I've never felt so helpless and weak in my entire life.

"But he was just here," I cringed at how my voice sounded. "He was just here!" I rushed to Kiba and clutched on his jacket. I needed to get a grip on something. I needed to grip at least on a little bit of reality, or I might go insane. I could feel my sanity slowly slipping away.

"But…that's impossible," Kiba struggled to say. I relaxed my grip. "It must've been already around an hour since the incident happened." I slumped down to the ground. It was like my life and energy just got sucked out of me.

I missed you so much; so I did the best that I could to visit you.

I wanted to give up. I wanted to end my life right then and there. Was that Sasuke's way of properly saying goodbye? I guess… I should be thankful. I got to see him, kiss him, and hug him. For one last time. He should've just stayed with me longer. Just one more minute. I needed another minute with him. Just...a minute. Time ran out of our hands, I didn't even-

I shook my head at my unselfishness. I guess I shouldn't be picky with farewells and goodbyes. I was lucky, more than blessed, that I even got a goodbye at all.

"That's the hardest part," I heard Kiba say. "The hardest part is to let go."

You're the most important person to me. More important than my life.

Is there a limit to loving somebody? I wanted to hate him. But even though he left me eternally, even with how much I hurt him and even though how much he hurt me, I found myself far from hating him – actually hoping that these wounds in our hearts and memories we've inflicted to each other would turn into scars. Like the ones we inflicted in our battles. Because then, he can never forget me. And I can never forget him.

Live your dreams, Naruto. I love you. Goodbye.

Because then, I can never forget his scent, his warmth, his voice. So I could always remember it all. So my memories of him won't fade.

I don't want them to fade.

End.

Ehhhhhh. Shitty and short one-shot is shitty and short. I don't even know what got into my head. While I was writing it, the ending just suddenly introduced itself, wrote itself. It wasn't supposed to end like this. And I'm sorry if Naruto was kind of OOC on this one. As much as I hate OOC, I felt that it was necessary to bring out the sensitive side of Naruto. He can't always be strong, can he? ;)

I'll probably delete this. Should I? Was it a waste of space? What do you guys think? Review, yes? :D