"Happy Birthday, Naruto."

Chapter 24: The other perspective

About a month has already passed after the huge event. I don't know whether to say this result was one that was expected or not...
If I was in Naruto's shoes, I might've done the same... or maybe not take it as well as he did...
So I don't and won't regret what I did...

Sasuke ruffled Naruto's hair one last time, imprinting that slightly embarrassed goofy smirk he gave so radiantly, before they both parted to go their own ways.
Naruto walked blindly towards his operation room as casually as his normal, daily day could be, not knowing that this day was the day that was going to change his life 180 degrees, and never go back upright again.
Dampened echoes of quiet padding footsteps moved towards another operating room, which belonged to Sasuke's, who had contrasting emotions to the blond's.
His heart was ramming and his hands were clammy.
The only thing he could hear vibrating his hear drums was the loud beating of his own heart as if 4 speakers from every corner of the operation room boomed aloud his thumping heart.

He was the one who requested the operation, and he desired this the most, yet it was the most nervous experience he was ever going to have and his body won't hesitate to show that.

He was starting to see illusions created by his mind, betraying him and keeping him locked up in a dimension of utter darkness.
In the centre of the darkness was an enlarged, violently thumping heart that wracked against a silver cage bound with thick chains that rattled each time the heart thumped, syncing along with Sasuke's.
The rattling chains ring lowly, emphasizing how metallically heavy it was, adding weight to Sasuke's heart that was starting to sink, taking his body with him...

A touch to the shoulder threw him right back to Earth in a split second and he whipped round to see a very concerned looking head doctor.

If Doctor Tsunade was there, it meant that Naruto was put to sleep and the double operation was ready to go.

"...are you sure you're okay with this, brat?" Tsunade hesitantly asked.
Previously she had asked this question so many times that Sasuke had threatened never to ask it again.
It wasn't so much that Tsunade was in a position to be threatened or was inferior to the cocky raven in any way, but after agreeing to this preposterous operation he came up with, she had no right to ask him anymore.

"...yeah, I'm fine," Sasuke just muttered with a sigh, moving towards the operating bed.

"But... you don't look too good," Tsunade commented with a dispute look.
Sasuke's eyes rolled at that.

"Well I wouldn't exactly call this an invitation to a funky disco party," Sasuke snidely remarked, "especially with only an old granny around."

"I'll make yo-!" Tsunade closed her mouth sharply stopping herself from saying inappropriate comments in the situation they were in where there were no room for jokes.

She retracted her index finger that pointed towards the raven, to the back of her head to scratch it irritably, still not satisfied with the situation she was put in by this prodigious boy.

"Sensei..." Sasuke murmured.
Shocked to hear the raven formally address her for the first time, Tsunade snapped her eyes towards him.

"...if I die... can you tell Narut-"

"YOU. WILL. NOT. DIE!"
A shocked raven was faced with an extremely infuriated expression of Doctor Tsunade's as she screamed directly at him as if each word pounded square in the face.

"YOU HEAR ME! I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!"

"O-Okay...!" Sasuke managed to gasp, his heart now pounding with a different reason.
His front of his long-sleeved shirt was then released, freeing him from a choking sensation, allowing him to breathe out the oxygen that was trapped in his lungs.

"I won't let this operation fail. So don't talk about stupid things and just trust me!" Tsunade demanded with a firm, but much toned down voice.

Sasuke then showed his rare smile to the doctor, surprising her enough to widen her eyes.

"I will...then."
Those were the last words Sasuke said before he closed his eyes, ready for the coming operation.
Staring at the boy lying down with still a slight curve upon his lips, Tsunade saw that he had fully given his trust to her that his face showed absolutely no distortion and his body wasn't shaking like before.

I will definitely make this operation succeed! You take my word for it brat...

And with that, the operation was done, removing the Uchiha's eyes to have them surgically implanted into Naruto.

When I came to, it seemed that Tsunade was doing the second part of the operation and a nurse was there to watch over me.
She listened to my request and took me to Naruto's room in a wheelchair since I wasn't as well oriented without sight, like the blond he knew.

I then waited alone, waiting for Naruto's return with an extremely nerve breaking emotion.
It was a swirl of nervousness, fear, excitement and whatever else came with this quirky feeling.
I was unconscious for a good few hours so Naruto was bound to finish soon and I just hoped that it will be verysoon, or else I was going to drown again into another dimension.

A huge thump came from the corridor and I somehow knew it was Naruto bumping into a wall, making me smirk.
I then concentrated on my hearing, focusing on Naruto's padding of footsteps, so much that I was able to tell where he was standing and how far from me as he entered the room.
The practice I had done for the past few weeks was really kicking my sense of hearing to such an extent that I was actually quite pleased with the result.

"Okaeri, Naruto," I greeted Naruto with a smile.

"Tadaima!"

My lips slipped into a frown as I heard his tone of voice that didn't seem any different than to usual before realising what the problem was.

Tsunade must've probably put the bandages back on...

I stood up and moved towards Naruto, until I felt the body heat of his that signify where he stood.
Reaching up to the back of his head, I felt the predicted bandages there and started to peel them off, glad that Naruto didn't jerk away.

"W-what are you doing?" he asked me with a startled voice, but he kept still probably thinking that I knew what I was doing.
I felt the bandages fall limply into my hands with ends in a direction that don't defy the gravitational force working upon them.

"Wha...S-Sasuke...?"
A soft laughter escaped my lips hearing myself be identified with such a stupefied voice after a long silence.

You probably thought I didn't know...but...

"Happy Birthday, Naruto," I spoke aloud for the first time, which probably confirmed my identification to him.

Just as I raised a brow from the unfamiliar sound of a thud, I was pounded near my middle with a one whole person, attacking me by surprise.

"SASUKE~~!" Naruto cried as he clung onto my waist so tightly I was struggling to breathe. He seemed to have fallen to his knees by being able to detect the way Naruto was clutching onto me.

"You stupid STUPID PERSON! Waaaaaaahhhh!," Naruto burst into tears and he was just as loud as Tsunade's screaming that my ears were trying to cope with the amplitude of the tone of voice.

"...thank you...," I heard Naruto sob, and felt all my tense, restricting emotions drain away from myself, freeing me.
He kept repeating that simple word of gratitude again and again as I reached to pat his head.

He probably wanted to say a lot more things to me...
How foolish I was, and how equally as much sorrow he felt as he did with happiness because he wouldn't be satisfied with the sacrifice I made for him...

But for this day... he only just showed me his gratitude... for me...

But you know what, Naruto?
I will fall into any deepest darkness with you...
I decided to keep you company and follow you till death does us apart...
So don't worry... you'll never have to feel alone, ever again...
I'll make sure of that.