A/N: Hey guys, this is my first story/ one-shot on here so please review! I would really appreciate it. Please don't steal. Thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Naruto. However, I do own Aiko.
This is dedicated to my friend Kassy...
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My Immortal- Sasuke Uchiha
The rain poured in the streets of Kohona, making the usually happy, bright village dark and empty. No one really wanted to go outside today- well, except for one girl… not that she had much of a choice. Aiko sighed, staring as the raindrops splashed upon the pavement. She didn't feel much like using her ninja skills today. She just wanted to sleep the day away, but unfortunately, she couldn't do it. No day was a holiday anymore for the newly appointed seventeen-year old ABNU officer. Tsunade had called her in today for unknown reasons, but she had expected it to be another mission. That was normally how it was. The only problem was that it just HAD to be on this day of all days.
'Way to go, Tsunade-sama.' Aiko thought, her feet angrily splashing through a muddy puddle. She wondered. Why couldn't the Hokage have called Naruto or Sakura? They're always so good about doing difficult missions and challenges. But then she remembered. Naruto was off on a mission to train with the Pervy Sage himself in the Village of the Mist and Sakura… well, she wasn't in a good mood today either. She hadn't been in a good mood for a really long while, years actually. But could you blame her? Today was definitely not a good day. 'But still, she could have chosen Shikamaru or Tenten or someone else. Anybody else.' Honestly, she loved Tsunade like a mother but sometimes that woman had the worst timing ever. Today was not a good day. In fact, it was down right horrible. It just kept getting worse when the rain had blocked out her usual route to get to the Hokage's office. Just great. Now she only had one other option. 'Damn you, Tsunade-sama.'
Aiko cringed softly as she made her way past the oh-so familiar street where the Uchiha clan's household lay. That's right, the Uchiha household. 'Why today out of all days?' she groaned inwardly. She had stopped passing by this way for a very long time. It reminded her of things, things she hated that she could never forget. "Stupid Uchiha." She sighed, turning her head away from that familiar house and fiddling with her special charm bracelet. Yes, she had once been friends with an Uchiha, the younger one… Sasuke. Once. She was the only girl he ever allowed to be close to him and he was the only boy she had ever wanted to be close to, ever since that fateful day at the Academy so many years ago…
"Why do I always have to be 'it'?" the thin, blonde-haired boy pouted, jumping up and down. The other kids laughed.
"Well, because Kiba-kun found you, Naruto!" a pink-haired girl said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The fanged boy smiled from ear to ear, mentioning about how his puppy Akamaru could pick out anybody's scent. Naruto just pouted even more, pleading with Sakura, the pink-haired girl, to change the rules so he wouldn't be picked. He didn't think it was fair really, to use the dog in order for Kiba to find anyone (and unluckily for Naruto, he was closest to Akamaru). He didn't want to admit to anyone that he was bad at playing hide and seek. It would be an embarrassment for people to know that the future Hokage was a terrible player at hide and seek.
"Ano… Naru-kun, I c-can be 'it' instead i-if you r-really w-want to…" Hinata Hyuuga, a pale, sweet girl said shyly, pressing her index fingers together repeatedly. Her cheeks started growing a bright red as the boy pulled her into a big hug, thanking her.
"You're the best, Hina-chan! Arigatou! Arigatou!" the boy grinned happily, jumping up and down as he hugged her thin frame. Aiko laughed as the blissfully happy Hyuuga girl almost fainted because her biggest crush was hugging her. It was a cute sight to see, especially since they were both so small. So, when Hinata regained her composure, she began to count all the way to fifty. Aiko loved this game because she knew this village like the back of her hand. Her father had showed her every corner of it when she was just a toddler. The Leaf Village was the only place she knew. She giggled to herself and sped off, still looking to see if Hinata was finished counting. She didn't watch where she was going, though, and ended up colliding with something soft and falling onto the ground.
"Oh, gomen-nasai." The girl looked up to see a raven-haired young boy who looked to be her age. He was wearing a black, wide-collar shirt and white shorts. He was scratching the back of his head nervously, with a slight pink tinge upon his cheeks. She never noticed this boy around very much. Was he a new student? He never played with her and her friends. Could he be lonely?
Aiko shook her head at the boy's apology. "Iie, it was not your fault! It was mine. I am Itsumo Aiko. Who are you?" She asked the unfamiliar boy.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke." He said, his voice soft but determined.
"Nice to meet you, Sas-kun. Wanna play hide and seek with us?" she asked, holding her hand out to him.
"Hai, sure, Aiko-chan." He smiled shyly and nodded, taking her hand as she led them away.
"I have the best hiding spot ever." She grinned and he grinned back. From then on she knew they would be good friends. However, she never knew it would turn out to be more.
"Damn it, Sasuke." She sighed as she walked onward to the Hokage's, still fiddling with her bracelet. "Why did everything have to change?" Yes, so much had changed since Aiko had been that small. There were trials even she did not know would come. Those days at the Academy… those were the good old days. She wanted to go back to those days when everyone was just happy and carefree. No one worried about the dark days ahead. Boy, were those days dark. But still, Sasuke was always there with her… She shook her head at the thought. 'No use dwelling on the past.' She said to herself but she still couldn't get the day out of her mind. She always told herself that she should not look at the mistakes of the past but she should always look at the hopes of the future. Yet, how could she do such a thing when everything she stared at would just remind her of him? Everything in this stupid village reminded her of him. That was why she had left before, to get away from it all, but it never worked. She was always empty. 'So what would be the use of going elsewhere when every place I go to, even Kohona itself, does not make me feel whole?' But she knew exactly what made her whole. Aiko groaned when she passed by the familiar sakura tree. It was a special place…
"No peeking." The Uchiha said as he led Aiko down the village. Aiko pouted stubbornly. She absolutely despised being blindfolded. Everything was so dark and suspenseful, like in those movies she and Sasuke would watch together where everything was dark and then suddenly a monster appears out of nowhere. But she felt safe around her best friend anyways. She trusted he wouldn't blindfold her and leave her to die (at least, she hoped not).
"Are we there yet, Sas-kun?" she asked impatiently, tugging at the fabric that kept her in the dark.
He sighed impatiently. "Aiko, how many times do I have to tell you? We're best friends. You can call me Sasuke."
"Just one more time, Sas-kun!" she said just to annoy him. She felt lucky to be his best friend. If it were anybody else, he would have probably hurt that person very badly, especially if it were Naruto. He didn't like Naruto at all, really. Sasuke had grown into a colder person ever since Itachi had wiped out his clan, Aiko noticed. It really scared her. He talked less and showed hardly any emotions to anyone except to her at certain times. It worried her that he was so obsessed over killing Itachi. If he would do anything just to kill him, what would Sasuke Uchiha do? Aiko could still remember that hopelessness in his eyes on the day she found him in the Uchiha compound. She could still remember his cold, sad expression as he looked deep into his reflection. She could still remember holding him to her and just staying with him while he cried. That was when he plotted his revenge. He vowed to obtain everything he needed just to beat his brother.
"OK, we're here, Aiko." Sasuke said and Aiko breathed a huge sigh of relief as she ripped the stupid piece of fabric off her eyes. The sight before her almost made her cry.
"Oh, Sasuke, arigatou! You really didn't have to!" she squealed and threw her arms around the boy's neck happily. In front of her was a huge sakura tree with the amazing pink blossoms in full bloom on every branch. Underneath it was a little picnic full of her favorite foods all made by the Uchiha himself: onigiri and kamameshi. She always said she loved the way he cooked and she wasn't lying. The Uchiha had really learned how to cook ever since Itachi… well, she didn't want to remember it right now. But the thing that made her happy was the little miniature cake that said "Happy 14th birthday, Aiko" in royal purple icing, her favorite color. No one really celebrated her birthday with her since both her parents died a few years ago while on a mission. Orochimaru killed them. Aside from them and Sasuke, no one else really knew much about her.
"It was nothing." He said in his usual emotionless voice. He was always like this, rubbing things off as if they were nothing. Aiko just smiled lightly to herself. No, this was definitely something. No one had ever done anything like this for her in all her years of living. No one really cared to give her anything except Sasuke. He always gave her something special for her, even if it was just small. Sure he played it off like it was nothing. He always did. But to Aiko, it was more than anything she could ask for. She had a friend, a best friend that was always there for her no matter what. And she knew she'd always be there for him too. So she continued to smile to herself and hug the boy.
"Um, I have one more thing." Sasuke said, fiddling in his pocket until he finally grasped what he was looking for. He held it out to her and her eyes grew wide with surprise. In his hand was a tiny bracelet made of different fabrics with half a heart hanging from it. "Happy birthday, Aiko."
"Sasuke, it's so kawaii!" she squealed, looking at the bright, shiny charm that hung from the blue and purple fabrics, Sasuke's and her favorite colors. "But I was wondering," she said, staring at the bracelet, "why is there only half a heart on it?"
He sighed impatiently, but there was still a hint of a smile on his face. "It's a friendship bracelet, baka. You have one half of it and I have the other half." He showed her his arm where his bracelet was. The other half of the heart glimmered faintly.
"Arigatou, Sas-kun! Arigatou!" Aiko squealed and hugged her friend once more. Then she grabbed the bracelet from his hand and tried to find a way to put it on her arm, but she was stumped. It wouldn't work. "Um, Sas-kun, can you please put it on me?" she asked shyly. She wasn't one who normally would ask for help. Sasuke laughed to himself and nodded, taking the bracelet back from her hand. He walked a bit towards her to put it on her arm but accidentally tripped on one of the baskets, sending him flying right into her. Butterflies floated in her stomach the minute she felt his lips collide onto hers. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and savored the amazing feeling of his lips on hers. She hit the ground with a thud. He was still on top of her kissing but after a moment, Sasuke pulled away.
"Gomen nasai, Aiko. I never meant to- it was an accident- erm, ano… you see-" Aiko was surprised. The Sasuke Uchiha, the one boy she's known for practically half her life was flustered? Was that even possible? Apparently it was because the raven haired boy continued rambling on for a little while until she stopped him.
"Sasuke. You're not making any sense." She said, sitting up from the grass.
The boy took a breath and his head drooped. Okay, not only was the Sasuke Uchiha flustered. Now he was pink from embarrassment. What was going on with him? "Look, Aiko," he began, rubbing his arm nervously, "I know you probably don't like me that way so I'm sorry okay? It was just an accident and-" He never finished his sentence because a pair of lips interrupted him by smashing onto his own. The great Uchiha sat there shocked and wide-eyed at his best friend's actions.
"Kimi o aishiteru, Sasuke. And arigatou for everything." Aiko said, hugging him. Sasuke's face relaxed into a small smile as he wrapped his arms around her. Aiko grinned happily, burying her face into the crook of his neck. 'This has got to be the best birthday I ever had.'
She loved the bracelet entirely and never took it off. It was special to her. It was the only piece she had of him except for memories… Aiko shut her eyes tightly and began to run away from the dampened, flowerless tree. Cherry blossoms never grew in this time of year. The bracelet jingled wildly around her wrist, reminding her of three painful years alone. She hated this, everything about it. But most of all, she hated herself. She hated that even after all these years, she was still reminded of him. From even a stupid blade of grass in the Leaf Village to the Ichikaru Ramen place, she remembered a time she had shared with her friend. The stupid swing reminded her of when she and the Uchiha would take turns swinging and pushing each other until they felt like they were flying. The stupid hospital reminded her of when she stayed by his bedside when he was hurt by the fight against Zabuza and Haku or when he would come visit her after the Chuunin exams. Every stupid thing in this stupid little village just kept reminding her of the fact that she didn't try hard enough, that she had failed in the one thing she had wanted so hard to achieve. Every step she'd take would remind her of the sound of his footsteps as he walked away from the Leaf Village, from everything he had ever experienced there, from every person who cared about him, from her. She kept running, the tears and rain blurring her vision. She didn't care where she was headed right now anyways. Tsunade could wait or get another ABNU officer to help her. She just wasn't in the mood. Suddenly, she ran right into someone, knocking them aside. She opened her eyes, hoping to see the one person she's wanted to talk to for three long years.
"Oh, ohayo Aiko-chan." Sakura said softly, pushing one of her pink locks behind her ear and smiling a sad smile. Aiko did not know whether tears or rain had been running down her face, but she guessed it would have been both. She knew Sakura had a huge crush on Sasuke Uchiha (most of the girls did) but Sakura was different. She had become Sasuke's friend as well from being placed on the same team as him. Aiko knew she was hurting, maybe even as much as she was hurting herself.
"Ohayo, Sakura-chan. Gomen nasai. I did not mean to hurt you." The two of them had never forgotten what had happened those years ago. Sakura and Aiko had become close from being teammates as well and Sakura was not a bad person. She was just a little blinded by her Sasuke obsession but overall she was a very good friend. She had told Aiko of what had happened to her on the night Sasuke had left. Both of them had tried to persuade the raven-haired Uchiha to change his ways and continue to stay with them, with all of the Leaf Village.
"How are you holding up?" Aiko asked, trying her best to smile. It wasn't working though.
Sakura mirrored her bittersweet expression. "I've been better, Aiko-chan… It's just that today…" Her eyes grew distant and sorrowful, making Aiko want to cry even more. She didn't even need to finish her sentence. Aiko already knew what she was going to say. "Do you remember this road, Aiko-chan?" the pink-haired girl asked her fellow teammate and friend.
"Hai, Sakura-chan. I do remember." In fact, Aiko remembered this road much more than she'd like. It was the only road taken to leave the village. The same rocky path was under her feet and the same trees and benches were laid out in front of her. Yes, this was the place of so many memories, like the first day of training with Sasuke, Naruto Kakashi, and Sakura. However, more so, it reminded her of a certain event that continued to haunt her. It reminded her of her biggest regret: not being able to stop him from taking this path all the way to Orochimaru...
"Sasuke, what are you doing!" Aiko said. Her breath had run out from trying to catch up to him. She had been trying desperately to find her friend the entire day but he was nowhere in sight. She had searched everywhere she could think of. The only place left to look was outside the village, which she almost began to search in until she found who she was looking for: Sasuke Uchiha. There was just something wrong. She could sense it. She always did ever since she became best friends with him and even closer. She stared shocked at the sight. There he was with a backpack and Sakura fainted on the bench with tears staining her face. Something was terribly wrong.
"It's none of your concern." Her blood froze as his cold voice pierced through the air. He was never like this, not with her. He would always be kind to her and patient. Today he seemed distant and just indifferent. He was treating her just like he would treat someone he hated, like one of his fan girls… or Itachi.
Aiko fought the huge urge to slap him. "What are you talking about, Sasuke? You're my best friend! Of course it's my concern! I mean, I have been looking for you all day and been worried sick and now here you are with your backpack and a fainted Sakura-chan and you don't want me to be concerned!" Aiko snapped. Her fists were clenched. How dare he just blow everything off as if it weren't important! Sasuke had never kept secrets from her and vice versa. It had always been an honest relationship between the two, or at least, that's what she thought.
"Like I said," the cold voice replied, "it's none of your concern." Sasuke still faced the road ahead of him, not looking back at the unconscious girl or his best friend. He had his reasons to keep this all a secret. He didn't need to tell Aiko this one thing. He just couldn't.
"Will you at least look at me, Sasuke Uchiha!" she screamed, her voice echoing throughout the empty pathway. The raven-haired boy turned slowly to face her. His face was emotionless just like Itachi's. It broke her heart just to see him so indifferent, so cold. He waited. "What's going on? Why are you carrying your backpack? Are you going on a mission?" she asked hopefully, although she knew she was only kidding herself. She knew this was anything but another ordinary mission. He would tell her if it was. He wouldn't just leave in the middle of the night with all his belongings for a silly mission.
"I'm leaving." He said simply. The words hurt her like a knife to the heart. Sasuke, her best friend and the one she loved, was leaving. His eyes conveyed no emotions as he said those words. They were empty orbs now, something she wished she hadn't seen in him.
Aiko felt the warm rush of tears fill her eyes. There was this lump in her throat that she just couldn't get rid of. Sasuke… is leaving… "So that's it then?" she spat bitterly. "That's all you're going to say, Sasuke, that you're leaving? So what did you do then, just have a sudden change of mind today and pack up your stuff and just go? Huh? So when were you planning on telling the rest of us, hn? When were you going to tell me, Sasuke?"
"I was not going to tell anyone. This is my concern only." He began.
"Bullshit!" Aiko yelled, the tears stinging her eyes. "That's bullshit. You know how many people care about you? You know how much I care about you, Sasuke? God, Naruto-kun would be crushed if you left and Sakura-chan would lose her mind if you left. I mean, for god sakes, she's probably knocked out on that bench because she tried to stop you! You mean a lot to her, you know! And me, you didn't even care what would happen to me? God seriously, Sasuke, my whole purpose of living would die when you leave. You know this don't you?" He didn't answer. "Answer me!" she screamed. He still didn't respond. Always quiet, this Sasuke was. "You… you weren't even going to say goodbye…"
"There was no need. I made my choice. I've chosen my path. And no one, not even you, Aiko, can change that." He said firmly. "I've chosen revenge."
"So you're just going to throw away your life with us and the village?" Aiko asked, disbelieving her friend's words. "You told me you'd be there for me, you know! You told me you'd always be there! I mean, does this bracelet even mean shit to you then?" she screamed, holding up her charm bracelet from her birthday. "But I guess not since you're just up and leaving! And who are you going to go to then, that Orochimaru snake? Don't you remember he killed my parents?"
"And he's the one that can give me power, don't you understand!" the Uchiha snapped. This was Aiko, his best friend. She should understand why he needed to leave. Out of all people, he thought she would understand. She needed to understand. "With more power I can kill my brother and bring peace to my clan."
Aiko's expression hardened with anger. "So that's it then. It's all about this avenger crap of yours. You're throwing away everything you had with us just so you can go to this wretched snake for some power? And what will you do when you obtain that power and kill your brother then, hn, Sasuke? What would happen then? What will you have left after all you've lived for is finished? Nothing! You will have nothing!" Her face softened suddenly, pleading. "Sasuke, you have to understand. Power and revenge… these things cannot bring you happiness. They only blind you and bring you pain and misery. Having friends and people who care about you, like Kakashi-sensei, Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan… and me, having those people you care about around you, this will bring you happiness. This will keep you from that loneliness you always said you had."
"Don't fucking talk to me about loneliness, Aiko." Sasuke spat, his eyes glaring into hers. "You and I both know that ever since the last of our clans have been annihilated that we've always been alone-"
"No we haven't, Sasuke! Don't you see?" she said desperately. If only he could understand. If only he could see. Why couldn't he see it? Was his avenger side too strong? Did he not even care about those past few years? "I've never felt alone anymore, not when I found you. You have always been there for me and I have always tried to be there for you. So I was never alone, Sasuke, because I always had someone there for me. And that someone was you. And if you could just see that I was always there for you so you wouldn't have to feel this loneliness you speak of, maybe you would understand that you don't have to be alone. You don't have to just abandon everyone and everything just for your power. Having friendship, having love… that brings you the ultimate power and the ultimate strength." She finished. The tears were falling freely from her eyes now. Aiko had never cried, not since her parents had been murdered and not since she found Sasuke after the Uchiha clan had been wiped out. This had only been her third time crying. And she hated the feeling.
The Uchiha stood there, watching as his best friend collapsed on the pavement in sobs. This was hard for her, he could tell. But she had to see it wasn't that easy for him either. In fact, it was the most difficult choice he ever made. But there was no other way out now. He couldn't be saved. "It's too late, Aiko. I must go. I have already chosen my path."
She sniffled desperately as the lump in her throat grew three sizes bigger. "But, Sasuke, at least if that is what you want… then let me go with you. Let me help you… I don't want you to be alone, Sasuke, not anymore. I know how it feels like to be lonely and I know it hurts so please just let me help you… just let me come with you this one time…"
He rushed right up to her angrily, his Sharingan eyes burning through her skin. "No. You cannot. I will not let you."
She didn't understand this. Why was he acting this way? Why was he making everything so hard? "But why, Sasuke? Why do you want to go back into your loneliness? Why won't you let people help you? Why won't you let me go with you?"
'Because if I lose you, I will lose everything that gave me meaning in this village.' The avenger thought sadly, looking at his best friend's face. But he could never say that to her. It will only make things worse. If only things were that simple, it would not have to be this way. "I have chosen my own path and I walk it alone."
The girl cried, throwing her arms around her friend's neck. She buried her head into the crook of his neck, never wanting to let go. "But, Sasuke, kimi o aishiteru…kimi o aishiteru…" She said, pulling him closer to her. So she admitted it again, those words she loved to say to him: I love you. But this time, she could feel the lump in her throat rise and the words come out shakily, as if it would be the last time she would ever say them to him and she didn't want that. She didn't want to lose her best friend, her love, the only boy she really ever cared about.
He always loved hearing those words being said to him. He loved the way she said it, with all the emotion being poured out in three simple words. But this time, it hurt more than any blow he had ever faced, even more than that stupid curse mark or the needles Haku had thrown at him. It hurt so much that it almost made him cry, made him stay. But he knew he couldn't. If he stayed, it would put the entire village in danger. It would put his team, his friends in danger. He could never want Kakashi-sensei or Sakura to be in danger. He didn't even want Naruto to be put in danger (but he didn't need to know that). But if anyone were to hurt his best friend, if anyone were to kill her or harm her in any way because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself. It would eat him up inside. He did not want her hurt. But what he didn't know was that by leaving her, he had hurt her more than anything in the world ever did. "I… I love you too, Aiko, and I thank you for everything you have ever done for me. You helped me to escape my loneliness and gave me a best friend… but I just… I can't." he said softly, rocking her back and forth against him. Those were the hardest words for him to say in his whole life and it just shattered his heart completely. He could feel her sobs increase and she held onto him tighter. He wished things could be different, that they could stay like this forever, but time was a cruel thing. "Trust me, please. Just trust me. I have to go. You might understand someday… but I have to go."
"No, please don't leave me…" Aiko pleaded, shaking her head and grasping onto his shirt tightly. "Please, Sasuke… I don't know what will happen to me if you go… I don't want you to… please. You're my best friend… I love you…"
She felt a warm feeling on her lips and it only made her cry even harder. The amazing feeling of the butterflies fluttered in her stomach but only made her sick, and the warm feeling of his lips on hers only made her remember that it wasn't going to last. This was not going to last. He was still leaving. If only she could just find a way to make him stay… If only he could understand how much he meant to her…"Goodbye, Aiko…" the boy said and before she could say anything, her world turned black.
"Funny…" Sakura said, snapping Aiko out of her thoughts. "It's been three years since that day, Aiko-chan. And not a day goes by that I don't remember what happened here or that I don't remember everything our team went through together… It's like, even if twenty years go by, I'll still miss him and still remember everything that had happened." She smiled sadly to herself. "But you know, he never really loved me. He said I was annoying. But still I can't help but just love him and miss him, you know?" Sakura wiped away tears and rain from her face and just stared at the sky. Sakura had told Aiko everything that had happened to her on the day Sasuke left. Aiko knew that Sakura had confessed her love for him on that day but she had only found herself in darkness, same as Aiko had been.
Aiko nodded, fiddling with the charm on her bracelet. "I know how you feel. I don't think I'll ever forget…because he makes up a part of me, you know? Just by being there for me… he made up a huge part of my life… and then when he left… he took it with him…"
Sakura nodded in understanding. Sasuke took a great part of her as well. "Hai… but maybe one day he'll return… and I know we'll be waiting, won't we, Aiko-chan?" she smiled. Aiko smiled back and hugged her friend tightly. 'Yes, we would.' And she knew that were true. No matter how much she'd try to forget him, no matter how much she wanted to escape, she knew she couldn't escape part of what made her who she is. The Uchiha would always haunt her, no matter what she would try because he had taken a part of her, a huge part of her that she wanted back: her heart.
-Fin-