It was a crappy first kiss. First kiss that wasn't an accident, anyway. It was like kissing someone made of stone, only much smoother. Stone wasn't this soft. The kiss itself was hard and firm, but the texture of his lips wasn't.

You'd expect your first kiss to be a little shy, sweet, warm, and long lasting. It may even lead to deeper things. Did killing them count as 'deeper'?

He pulled away, but I still didn't open my eyes. His hand went all the way through me, but I grabbed at it, and he hit my lung instead of straight on. I didn't wait a second before entering my sub-consciousness, and now I had given up my body completely for Kyubbi to use, so there wasn't much pain, just a difficulty in breathing, what with only one lung.

Kyubbi, hurry.


I know, kit. This Uchiha and I are going to have problems if you let him live.

Before my body dies, please.

I know, I'm going. Give me a second, you brat.


I opened my eyes, Kyubbi's chakra curtain starting to form. My wound started to heal, and my chest went numb. Sasuke had one hand wrapped around my neck, so I grabbed it and threw him away. "Guh-" He stumbled back after landing on the water, then watched my metamorphosis.

Problems.

If he thinks he's going to win so easily, he's got something else coming to him.

His eyes widened in the same moment my impalement began closing. "Sasuke," I snarled, my voice coming out strangely. "Even if I have to rip you apart, you aren't going to Orochimaru!" I screamed.

Everything else, well, you know how it goes. I tried convincing him. I tried telling him Orochimaru would take his body, but that didn't stop him. I tried telling him he didn't need Orochimaru's help, and he could get stronger here. He countered with how I was getting better, but he wasn't. I tried to tell him he was betraying his village. That he would be labeled a missing ninja. And that he would be helping Orochimaru in taking over. That didn't even begin to faze him. I even resorted to telling him he shouldn't go after Itachi. That his revenge was vain. It didn't help either. It made his anger and insanity worse. I kept fighting him. I was winning, for awhile. Then his Sharingan evolved, and I began losing again.

Before we started what could have been final blows, I told him how much I needed him. How much I cared about him. Not now, but the real Sasuke. The Sasuke behind all this crap. But in our darkest forms, Kyubbi and the final stage of his curse mark - which was a full bodied demonic thing - we did start those blows. Only one of us would win. He would leave and I would die, or I would win and bring his beaten body back.

He started Chidori and I started Rasengan. We hit each other head on at the same time. At first we just resisted each other, but he suddenly shifted his blow. He hit my arm instead of my chest. I reached up and ripped my nails across his headband.

He had taunted me about how I would never scratch it, earlier. I'd lost, but he sparred my life, and then it poured down rain. That…was the last thing I remember for sure. But I could have sworn somewhere in the depths of my body, in my sub-consciousness with Kyubbi, That I felt his not so cold arms around me.

Kit.

Mmmm…Hmm…

You are with your sensei. Wake up.

Where's-


Relax. I've been healing you for awhile, but you still aren't well enough to move.

That was when I realized it was really over. When I opened my eyes and saw trees instead of rocky cliffs, flying by at high speeds. When the sunlight burned my eyes, and not the cloudy haze, or electric sparks. It must have been the next morning. When I felt I couldn't move any part of my body without hurting. When I noticed I was on Kakashi's back, and we were moving so quickly.

Sasuke was gone.

But I asked anyway. "Kakashi?" I whispered, it was all I could manage. He tilted his head slightly back to look at me.

"Where's Sasuke?"

He closed his eyes and looked ahead again. I could vaguely hear voices around us. "Kakashi! How's Naruto?" One of them asked.

"He's in bad condition, but he'll be alright." He replied calmly. "How is the rest of the retrieval squad?"

"Shikamaru Nara suffered some minor injuries. Kiba Inuzuka suffered bone fractures, but his life isn't in danger. Akamaru as well. Neji Hyugga and Choji Akimichi are in intensive care, and their condition is unknown. What about Sasuke Uchiha?" They explained, ending on a bad note. I buried my face into the back of Kakashi's neck, and he didn't answer the men. We just kept going. I got tired and blacked out again.

Kit?

He's gone. I breathed it, it seemed, even in my mind.

You don't need to put yourself in anymore danger over him. He's not worth it. He obviously doesn't care about you.

No.

Mm?

He does.

Kit…

Even if he doesn't, I do.

But…He wanted to kill you.

I didn't answer.

I assume you aren't giving up?

I shook my head back and forth, incredibly slowly. But even like that, it was a defiant answer.

What about Akatsuki being after us?

Why do you worry? You're a giant monster fox.

I'm trapped inside a brat's body. What can I do? I have no control over who captures YOU.

I sighed sadly.

If I was happy right now, I'd say, 'I'll kill everyone of those accursed Akatsuki members and Orochimaru, help Sasuke take his revenge, and bring him home!' I will either way, but I'm just not in the mood to phrase it like that.

He growled low, like maybe he was yawning.

I'm sleeping. The infirmary can take care of you. I'm tired from fighting that boy.

You aren't so bad Kyubbi.

Shut up brat, I am a bloodthirsty monster.

Of course you are.

I would have laughed if I wasn't on the verge of crying. I didn't have the energy to do either, though. I knew I'd cry eventually, but I was too tired.

I just had to fall in love with him. But I wonder if maintaining my love would be as easy as discovering and admitting it.