Theme: 23:00 Coping with drastic change in a positive manner
Title: Pervade
Fandom: Naruto
Character/Pairing: Haruno Sakura x Uzumaki Naruto
Category: Romantic
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Post-manga, somewhat AU. Character death
Disclaimer: Naruto and all things related belong to Kishimoto. Not me.
Summary: What will they do to fill this abyss?
"It's probably been four hours by now…"
"That's certainly a pretty bad omen."
Pale, overwrought faces seemed to tense even more. Silence closed in around them so heavily it defied metaphoric comparison.
The shinobi who didn't ultimately lose their faith in the Great Powers Above eventually became superstitious, if only to reaffirm their grip on life, and thus the small display of weakness was treated comprehensively.
More silence…
Idle whistling suddenly filled the waiting room.
"I don't think I have to remind you why you shouldn't whistle, Shikamaru."
"…if there's any bad luck left to be attracted, believe me, it won't be striking out here." He responded wearily, making Ino's glare all but poisonous. Shikamaru knew that, had a certain someone not been present, she'd probably agree to his remark, but he stopped whistling all the same.
He glanced around at the dismal faces, lingering on one Uzumaki Naruto. A meaningful glance at the operating room door, then back to the only blond who wasn't currently glowering at him…
I don't think even your type of faith will get him through this one.
Naruto didn't have to look at the clock to know how late it was. The now much-hated contraption's ticking was drilled into his skull, into his mind. He'd never been a genius, but with the clock as his only distraction, he'd somehow kept track of the time.
11 something PM.
Twelve hours since Team Hebi had been captured, roaming not a kilometer away from the remains of the (now for the second time) demised Orochimaru.
Eleven and a half since Akatsuki's last surviving member went down at the hands of an infuriated Naruto.
Eight since Uchiha Sasuke had presented the first symptoms of an unknown condition, since he'd been rushed through those doors.
And five from the last time they'd been given an update. A horribly dismal one at that:
By the looks of it, he's been tampering with the Curse seal. Not very professionally though… it's been altered to mess with the flow of chakra and respond to emotional stimuli with a faster flow instead of a faster production…
He was able to enter a powerful berserk state…
I can't quite believe it myself, but it appears Sasuke was attempting to create an artificial Jinchuuriki condition… he was trying to somehow duplicate the effects Kyuubi has on your body, Naruto.
He managed, to some degree, but Orochimaru…he knew, somehow. Any drastic changes to the seal gradually hastened chakra flow. It reached speeds the body shouldn't have to adjust to, but like I said before, gradually, so the user wouldn't notice. Sasuke's tampering only made it worse.
It was a built in malfunction device, a self-destruct button, simply put. And Sasuke activated it…
His attempt to cancel the seal's negative consequences by killing Orochimaru had no effect. The last Uchiha's organs were now too tired to stand normal functioning, let alone chakra-enhanced healing.
Naruto barely registered when Ino and Shikamaru, along with most of his entourage, excused themselves and slowly filtered out. Even if he'd been in need of company, the only one in some position to stay was him.
ANBU was having a field day like nobody had seen since the Great Shinobi Wars. An entire village of missing-nin, some of which had to be eliminated on sight, and some others who had to be immobilized and taken in for questioning was a cleansing task not easily taken care of.
Additionally, with the Hokage struggling to save the last of the Uchihas and despite Shizune's efforts, the village was in a state of vulnerable disorder. Guard shifts had to be filled, missions had to be handled, and patients had to be tended to.
Perhaps the only task running fairly smoothly was the latter: the other best medic-nin of Konoha had attached herself to her shishou's side, and up until that moment refused to leave. By her reasoning, her presence made most of the others' redundant enough to respond to the crisis.
The door was moving. Naruto looked up from a staring contest with the floor.
Sakura-chan…no matter what happens, I'm waiting for you here as well.
But for once Naruto's unyielding faith, Sakura's clever hands, and Tsunade's years of experience were found wanting.
Loss was an emotion Haruno Sakura knew well. It was her Achilles' heel, and she feared it greatly. But she wasn't the little girl with too long hair and weak arms anymore: she knew better than to break down uselessly.
That's the last thing I need right now.
The last thing anybody needs.
Standing in the most brutal of rainstorms with Tsunade and what remained of Team 7 seemed quite a bit like the end of the world. No attempts to comfort were made, no condolences given: the Godaime simply sent Sakura and Naruto home (Kakashi refused to turn in) with a gentle reminder to take it easy for a while.
All the while with a sense of incompletion widening the gap they'd expected to fill.
"Naruto…?"
Fractured blue eyes, rimmed with black, met hers. "We did it, didn't we? We brought him back…" You foolish, foolish little boy, don't look like you've failed.You didn't break your promise. He died here. He didn't die a traitor. You did it. We did it.
We're just not used to getting just half of a happy ending.
"We sure did." Empty, heart-ached smile. A Naruto without joy was a Naruto in pieces: Sakura knew now that she wouldn't be able to let him walk away.
They were a family missing a brother, one that had left a wound that had to be pressed shut before it closed.
Impulsively, her hand shot out to lace through his. His answer came in a tender squeeze
"Stop looking like a kicked puppy already…" Smile for him. Smile for him like he's always done for you.
Sakura had learned the hard way that life involved getting oneself back together quite a number of times. She wasn't as fast as Naruto. But she'd do it: she'd build as fast as she could and as efficiently as she could. Because she needed to, and he needed her just as much. I'm right here. Even if it feels like we went and ruined it all, I won't be anywhere but right here.
His eyes sought hers now. If there was anybody good at piecing themselves together, that was him. Not immediately this time, not as hopefully this time, but he'd do it. And he'd put in thrice the effort for her. I'm here too. We're not whole anymore, and I don't know if we ever will…but I'm here.
Her hands traveled to his shoulders. They won't be taking my idiot without a fight.
We're not alone. At the very least we're not alone.
With the world a mess of gray, cold water, not unlike tears, they held on to one another. And when lifeline hold turned to embrace, and embrace into a forceful, rain-bitten kiss, one for the sake of reminding one that the other was still there, they both managed to put the first few pieces back into the right place.
And though it didn't really seem to make a difference at the moment, the chasm left by the dark-haired boy with the blood-red eyes was just a little less empty.
Author's Note: In Japan, whistling at night was said to be bad luck, as it attracted snakes.