an: I'd like to mention that this small fic was inspired most heavily by the talented orin's work on deviantART. The title of her beautiful picture is ": Naruto - Open Your Eyes :". Please go take a look at it! I'm sure you will fall in love with it just as I did!


Naruto fell with a dull thud that seemed to resonate through Sasuke's very being. His head slammed against the ground with a sickening crunch, rebounding before flopping lifelessly to one side.

Sasuke couldn't move. Finally - finally! - Naruto would no longer chase him across the land, shouting his heart out about bonds and friendship and going home. Finally, it was over. He could continue down his chosen path in peace.

He stared.

He watched as brilliant crimson traced a path down Naruto's cheek, slipping into the crease of his mouth, painting his lips an unnatural red.

A drop of water, then many, hit Sasuke's face, and still he stood, still he stared. The rain poured down, but his body was frozen in a moment of time.

As he watched the yellow hair darken to a wet shade of almost-brown, vivid color spread across the side of his head like the petals of a blooming rose.

Sasuke didn't know what to do. He felt almost lost. Without realizing it, he'd counted on Naruto to always be there, a ready opponent to taunt and tease, to test his growing powers on. Naruto was someone who would never give up on him. Deep down, in a dark crevice in his dusty, unused heart, he'd appreciated knowing he meant so much to someone else that they would track him halfway across the world. And he'd killed him.

He'd killed him!

Suddenly he could move again, and Sasuke threw his katana aside as he darted forward, past the blasted and broken trees, ignoring the ruined terrain underfoot, until he stood over the other's motionless form. Slowly, carefully, he knelt over him. He reached out a hand and placed it on Naruto's chest, hoping for a heartbeat.

There was nothing.

'No!' he thought. 'Won't the Fox keep him alive? It's impossible for him to die, right?'

He moved his hand, placing his fingers instead against Naruto's neck, under his jaw line. Still, there was no pulse. He grabbed the boy's shoulder and shook him.

"Naruto! Come on, Naruto, this isn't funny! Wake up, already!" The blond head moved limply from side to side. Sasuke caught it between both hands, leaning down until their foreheads nearly met. He held his breath, waiting, hoping… but he could not feel the slightest breath of air coming from the other boy.

"Naruto…"

Rain poured from the sky, but Sasuke had forgotten. Thunder rumbled around him, but Sasuke could not hear it. Lightning flashed, but all Sasuke could see was the yellow hair in his hands, the scarred face that was paler than it had any right to be, and red. Blood as red as sin covered Naruto's face and Sasuke's hands, and Sasuke had put it there.

"Open your eyes, Naruto."

Nothing moved as he waited.

"Damn it, Naruto! Open your eyes!" He slammed a fist onto the ground, mud and bloody water splashing them both.

"Open your eyes! Please, just open your eyes!"

'Is he really- Is he really gone?'

Drops of water fell against Naruto's eyes, and Sasuke was startled to realize they were tears from his own. He thought of the old fairytales his mother used to tell him when he was very young, how the tears of the prince would awaken the sleeping princess, or the kiss of love would bring her back to life. In a wild moment of desperation, he considered kissing Naruto - he would do it if it meant the other would just breathe again! - but he was shinobi. He knew better.

And yet, he could not stop the tears.

He closed his own eyes, no longer able to look at the silent boy beneath him, and cried.

"Please! Please open your eyes…"

And the rain fell.