"Dobe."
How he'd managed to cover such distance at an unimaginable pace was beyond him. His chakra was still severely depleted. Along with his strength that was gradually returning, the pain that once numbed him started crawling under his skin too. Tearing, burning, stabbing, and crushing. He knew he was broken and scathed all over.
"Kit, he is circling down the drain again, and you will too, if you don't reach Konoha sooner."
Kurama had been keeping Naruto in check. Chakra was no longer too much of a concern since he had the nine-tails in him; however, he had gone too long without food or sleep and he was overexerting himself. The beast also never imagined he would one day be keeping Naruto's rival - who was already slumped unconscious behind the blonde's back barely breathing - in check against possible death.
"To think that he was already too strong,"
"He saved my life, Kurama - again."
"Yes. But he shouldn't have. You had me."
"I know," Naruto gritted his teeth.
Kurama observed the raven-haired man on Naruto's back. He weighed so much lighter than he appeared to be and it still surprised him, although he had always looked leaner and less brawny than Naruto. The tailed-beast, however, was very familiar of how incredibly strong the man was – being the only one who could stand his ground against Naruto.
"Help me, Kurama. I can only keep track of Sasuke's state although I'm trying to be more aware of the surroundings. I just can't right now. Alert me of any presence we come across. I fear another ambush."
The realization that someone might know he and Sasuke were at their weakest, with the other almost knocking at death's door, came like a punch through his gut. Although Naruto was sure that he could still put up a fight, his teammate needed immediate medical attention. Even at his current pace, Naruto feared it would be too late.
Just fight, Sasuke. We're almost there.
.
.
Sasuke eyed the note he'd been handed and Naruto knew he was suspicious. He had his suspicions too, but he couldn't risk it – if Konoha really received a threat, he and Sasuke should be heading back to the village immediately.
"A threat?" Sasuke looked at Naruto in disbelief, while his teammate only nodded in return. "Why would they send a threat before an attack? Pretty stupid if you ask me."
"I know. But it could be blackmail. Or, I don't know. It really doesn't seem logical at all, but we really won't know for sure even if we sit around for a while, will we?" Naruto said, trying to sound convincing, more at an attempt to convince himself than to convince Sasuke.
"No," Sasuke sighed. "I just don't think Kakashi would send for a note like this that's so odd and vague."
"But you do agree it looks so much like his handwriting, right? And that you can read it in his voice easily, as if he was saying it directly at you?" Naruto stood up from his seat and began pacing.
Sasuke read the note again. The dobe was right. It was Kakashi's handwriting and written exactly how he would have said it. He nodded. "Still, Naruto, where we are and what we'd done wasn't exactly a secret. This whole village knows we've expended so much chakra and we shouldn't really be out in the open any time soon."
"I know, but you don't think this village will be doing something against us or sell us or something after all that we've done, do you?" Naruto's question was as sincere as he could put it.
"No. Geez, Naruto. You're just asking me one question after another," Sasuke handed the note over to Naruto and placed his hands inside his pocket. He looked blankly at the ceiling, trying to think.
"Sorry. I just… needed to know what you think and what you would do." Naruto, on the other hand, stared at the floor.
"I would decide to stay," Sasuke said casually, but he felt Naruto freeze and stare at him, as if he'd never said anything as disappointing before. "But knowing you, no matter what I decide on, you will be persistent. Either you will drag me out of here by force or you will leave without me, am I right?"
Naruto just shrugged.
"Okay. We're going then. We're leaving in three hours," Sasuke announced as he removed his hands from his pocket and began to remove his coat.
.
.
Naruto was aware when the sun began its descent thoroughly down the horizon. Although he could still see where he was going, it was proving more difficult to maintain such speed when he couldn't see as far ahead as he used to. And the pouring rain wasn't much of a help either. He was soaked and freezing, while his friend remained unmoving. Dread grew at the pit of his gut.
His eyes left the path when he felt a very slight movement against his back. Naruto reached for Sasuke's hand and squeezed it, hoping for a response. None. But it was quickly followed by a coughing fit as the raven's chest trembled against his back.
Naruto brushed the back of his hand against his own cheek before looking at it. Blood.
"Sasuke," Naruto wrapped his arms tightly around Sasuke's back and tapped him lightly. "Sasuke, are you awake?"
Sasuke let out a tired grunt. "Shit. Thank goodness, Sasuke, you're awake. Damn it, we're almost there but I need you to hold on a little longer for me, will you?"
Another coughing fit met Naruto's request and his own coat was now drenched with blood at the shoulder where Sasuke's head rested.
"Hey, stay with me," Naruto moved his shoulder lightly against Sasuke's chin as his barely conscious friend drew shaky breaths, almost like he was about to choke.
He did not hesitate to stop when they reached a clearing. If his estimate was right, it would still take them about two hours to reach Konoha. It seemed so near but considering his teammate's condition, they were still too far. He slowly moved Sasuke to the ground and laid his head on his lap.
"Cough it out," he rubbed his friend's chest, both at an attempt to wake him up and calm his breathing. Sasuke's eyes opened a little and groaned. "Turn on your side," Naruto supported his back and his head. Blood dripped from Sasuke's mouth and his body was twitching a little. Naruto knew he had fever for quite a while now but when he wiped his bangs off his forehead, that was only time he realized he was burning.
"Naruto, there's nothing you can do. Just bring him back to your village as soon as you can, or else he'd really die,"
"I am sorry, Sasuke. I don't know what to do what else to do except take you back," Naruto felt tears form in his eyes as they began to sting. The rain helped to hide it when they began falling freely down his face. He shook his head and let the locks fall over his eyes as he lifted Sasuke in a bridal fashion.
"Tch," Sasuke managed to open one eye. The arms that supported him were shaking. When he looked at his teammate, he knew why. "Cryin'? 'lready?"
Naruto just shook his head. Sasuke knew it was the wrong time to poke at his friend's vulnerability, but with so little time he could manage to stay conscious he couldn't think of another lame manner to make Naruto lighten up a little.
"Drag me, once in Konoha; not like this. Looks pathetic," Sasuke murmured, but he didn't mean it. Naruto didn't respond. Sasuke felt the tension in Naruto as he was being carried. The blonde's arms were still shaking as he started to pick up his pace, his eyes intent ahead of him.
"Dobe."
"Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "I'll do whatever you want once we're there. Just try not to… sleep," Naruto shuddered at the word.
"Hn. Can't," Sasuke closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath.
"Sasuke, don't." Naruto shook him in his arms. "Hey," he shook him again – nothing. "Hey!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, but Sasuke had already given into darkness where Naruto's voice could no longer reach him.
"Kit, nothing. Nothing you could do. Just go as fast as you can."
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AN: Sorry if it's been a bit slow-paced. I can promise more to happen in the next chapter. I just had to end it here. Feedback, both positive and negative, is appreciated! Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. つづく