Kyuubi let Sasuke sleep in the same room as Naruto, but sleep wouldn't come to Sasuke. Kyuubi had explained Naruto's condition. He wasn't supposed to last for more than another month.
Naruto turned over and opened his eyes, and that's when Sasuke realized that it was already daytime.
"Oh, hyung, you're awake," Naruto said with an adorable smile. Sasuke stared at him. This kid was dying and yet he could smile like that.
"G-good morning, Naruto," Sasuke mumbled.
"Did noona ever come home?" Naruto asked. "Do you know?"
"She did. We talked a little bit, but she was kind of drunk."
"Typical noona," Naruto sighed. "She's nice when she's sober."
"Uh, Naruto, do you want to, you know, do you want to do something today?" Sasuke asked nervously. He knew he shouldn't be nervous. Naruto was the world's most gentle teenager, but Sasuke couldn't help it.
"Sure, hyung! Can we go to the park? I really want to ride the merry-go-round."
"Of course we can," Sasuke replied with a smile. Anything for you.
The two strolled through the park, Naruto bouncing around just as much as usual, pointing out trivial things again as he always did. But Minho couldn't help but be guarded. Had he been treating Naruto well enough?
"Wah!" Naruto cried, tripping over a rock and falling on the ground. Sasuke rushed over to him.
"Naruto! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need some ice?" Sasuke asked frantically, his hands gripping Naruto's shoulders.
"I'm fine, hyung," Naruto laughed, getting up and brushing himself off. "It was just a scratch."
"Okay," Sasuke sighed with relief. He put his hand on Naruto's shoulder protectively. Naruto looked at him, seemingly slightly confused.
"Can we go to the merry-go-round first thing?" Naruto asked, jumping up and down.
Sasuke nodded with a smile. He was pleased when he felt Naruto take his hand and lead him over to the merry-go-round.
"Hyung, I want to ride the giraffe one!" Naruto cried as he scrambled over to his chosen steed. He reached up to climb onto it, but he'd have to pull himself up. Sasuke rushed over and helped him get on the giraffe.
"Uh, thanks, hyung, but I can manage, you know," Naruto said.
"I…yeah, I know," Sasuke replied, getting onto the horse next to Naruto as the merry-go-round started to turn. Naruto looked at Sasuke, laughing, and Naruto smiled. Naruto really was beautiful. And how he could smile like that was completely beyond Sasuke.
Once the ride had finished, Sasuke dismounted the horse and hurried to help Naruto off, but Naruto just jumped without any problem. Sasuke took his hand gingerly once again and Naruto smiled, gripping Sasuke's hand tighter.
They saw an old woman carrying what looked to be several heavy boxes. Naruto stepped over.
"Miss, can I help you?" he asked, holding out his arms to carry a box.
"Thank you, young man," she replied graciously, and as she was about to hand Naruto a box, Sasuke came up and took it.
"I should carry this," Sasuke said, glancing at Naruto.
For the first time ever, Naruto looked angry. He didn't say anything until they'd helped the lady put her boxes next to her fruit stand.
"She told you, didn't she? Noona told you! That's why you're acting like this; because you know I'm sick!" Naruto said accusingly once they were out of the lady's earshot.
"No, Naruto, I'm just—" Minho began defensively, but Taemin stopped him.
"Don't lie to me, hyung," Naruto said monotonically. Sasuke gulped. Naruto looked so serious and so…hurt and Sasuke couldn't bear to see him like that.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"I'm trying to live like a normal person while I can," Naruto explained bitterly. "Don't treat me like I'm not normal".
"Naruto, I'm sorry. I…I haven't…I mean," Sasuke stammered. "Agh," he said, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "I don't know what to say."
"Just pretend like noona never told you about my disease. Treat me like you used to."
"I'm always going to be worrying that I'm not treating you as well as you deserve to be treated though," Sasuke told him. Naruto smiled sadly.
"But hyung, I don't deserve to be treated any special way, because I'm not special."
"You're special to me," Sasuke mumbled. Naruto's lips turned up.
"Thank you, hyung." Narutosighed heavily. "Hyung, I guess now that you know, I'd better tell you. I live at the hospital during the week. They let me come home on weekends but…this is the last weekend I'm allowed to be out. They're starting the intense treatments next week, but they say it probably won't save me."
"Naruto…" Sasuke breathed.
"Hyung," Naruto said, looking over at Sasuke with panic in his eyes, "I'm scared."
Naruto opened the door slowly.
"Naru?" she said gingerly. "I brought someone to see you."
Sasuke stepped into the hospital room and took a breath to steady himself.
"Hyung," Naruto said weakly with a slight smile. Sasuke blinked his eyes forcefully. Naruto's entire demeanor had changed. His skin that used to glow was now almost a sickly gray color. His hair and even his eyes had dulled, and his lips were chapped. There were tubes hooked up to his arms and nose and he was thinner than Sasuke had ever seen him.
"Naruto," Sasuke said, taking Naruto's hand gently. Kyuubi left the room quietly to give the two some privacy. "How are you?"
"I could be better," Naruto replied feebly. He gave a frail chuckle and shook his head slightly. Sasuke swallowed thickly, his eyes burning.
"Naruto," he said again. "I…I…"
"Hyung, do you remember the first time we met?" Naruto asked pensively.
"Y-yes," Sasuke choked.
"Don't cry, hyung, I'm right here. Remember how you came up the stairs and the clock chimed and I surprised you?"
"Yes," Sasuke whispered.
"I was glad you came. I asked if we were friends and you didn't even hesitate; you just said yes and then we were. That meant a lot to me, hyung."
Sasuke just nodded, unable to speak as he tried desperately to hold back his tears.
"Hyung, why are you crying?" Naruto asked tenderly. He lifted his hand slowly and placed his cold, bony fingers on Sasuke 's cheek.
Sasuke couldn't hold back any more. He started to cry openly, tears running down his face and the lump in his throat strangling him uncomfortably.
"Hyung, even Kyuu-noona's not crying yet. The doctors say I still have a few more days. This isn't goodbye," Naruto reassured Sasuke, but it didn't help.
"Naruto," he sobbed, "I need more time. I need more time to love you like you deserve. Naruto, I love you. I love you."
He looked at Naruto with his blurry eyes and saw tears fall on to Naruto's hollow cheeks.
"You've done so much for me already," Naruto replied sweetly.
"I never danced with you when you asked," Sasuke wept. "I want to dance with you now, but it's too late. I should have when I had the chance."
Naruto sniffled and smiled gently at Sasuke.
"It's okay, hyung. Knowing you want to is enough for me."
"Naruto," Sasuke said, "I have to make it up to you. I'll do anything. Anything you want. Tell me what you want and I'll do it."
"I don't need anything," Naruto replied quietly. "Except…hyung, will you…will you kiss me?"
Sasuke didn't need to be asked twice. He leaned towards Naruto and their lips met Sasuke's plump, soft lips against Naruto's thin, rough ones. Tears fell from Sasuke's eyes onto Naruto's sunken cheeks.
He couldn't embrace Naruto, but Sasuke cradled Naruto's head in his hands, and even though they were both crying, Sasuke could feel Naruto smile into the kiss. Naruto was putting all the affection and all the feelings he had left into that kiss and Sasuke responded with equal—or perhaps more—feeling.
They finally broke apart, and Naruto gave Sasuke a tiny smile.
"I can die happy now," Naruto sighed, closing his eyes.
"No, Naruto, please don't say that," Sasuke pleaded, still holding Naruto's head in his hands. "Please don't say that." Naruto's eyes opened again.
"Stay with me," Naruto whispered his fear evident in his dulled eyes. "Don't let me die alone."
"I'll always, always be with you, Naru," Sasuke replied, kissing Naruto's forehead as tears spilled down his cheeks once again.
Sasuke always had his phone on him for the next few days, the ringtone volume turned all the way up so that if something happened, he'd know right away. It practically ripped his heart out of his chest every time that ringtone went off. He found himself dreading finding out who was on the other end, just in case it was the worst.
And then the call came.
"Sasuke," Kyuubi said tearfully through the phone, "Sasuke."
"No…no, noona, no, please no," Sasuke replied, the uncomfortable lump forming in his throat once again.
"It's not that," she said, still sniffling. "But it will be soon. Sasuke, he's asking for you. He needs you here right now."
Sasuke ran.
He entered the hospital room quietly but swiftly and rushed to Naruto's side. He was surrounded by doctors and a weeping Kyuubi.
"Naruto," he said gently, holding Naruto's tiny hand, "I'm here. I'm here." Naruto turned his head slowly towards Sasuke, his eyes barely open.
"I knew…you'd come," he said weakly. "I ha-had…to say…goodbye."
Naruto couldn't help the tears that seeped out of his eyes.
"Naruto, you can't go, please," he begged, crying freely.
"H-hyung, I have to. I'm so…so tired," Sasuke said, in a voice barely above a whisper. He closed his eyes.
"No, Naruto, do not do this to me, open your eyes, open your eyes," Sasuke sobbed frantically, Kyuubi crying in the back.
Naruto opened his eyes slightly again.
"I…I never told you, but…hyung, I love you," Naruto breathed. He opened his mouth, but no more words came out. He realized this and nodded feebly instead.
"I love you so much, Naruto," Sasuke sobbed, holding Naruto's hand tighter.
Suddenly, Naruto convulsed, evoking a cry of terror from Kyuubi and urgent movement from the doctors.
"Hyung," Naruto squeaked, his eyes suddenly flying wide open. He frantically searched for Sasuke's face. "Hyung, l-look at me."
"I am, Naruto, I am," Sasuke bawled.
"Please, h-hyung," Naruto said urgently as he gripped Sasuke's hand, "smile one last time for me."
"N-Naruto," Sasuke cried.
"Smile, hyung," Naruto murmured, letting his own lips turn up in a gentle smile. Sasuke finally, difficultly, did as he was asked, and Naruto locked eyes with Sasuke as he gave a great, relieved sigh.
Sasuke wailed as he felt Naruto's grip slacken.