Theme: #385 - "I'll Be Back"
Warnings: None, really.
He panted heavily as the pain seared through his shoulder. The rain pounding down on them didn't make matters any better, and before he knew it, he was on his knees fighting back the urge to cough up blood.
The blond hair was clinging to his friend's face as the rain fell down heavily. Sasuke stared into the metal of the forehead protector and saw that his own hair was flat, drenched, and in disarray.
Not that it mattered at this point. He had just beaten Naruto in their biggest fight, and the boy was at his mercy.
Kill him.
He stared at the motionless face.
Kill him.
His hand twitched and he shrunk back and clung to his aching shoulder.
"No."
He rose to his knees and kneeled over the boy, shielding his face from the rain.
"Naruto--"
The chest was rising and falling evenly, meaning he was alive. Sasuke let out a breath in relief.
"--if you can hear me, don't worry."
The ache was spreading across his shoulder and into his chest and he felt tears swell in his eyes.
"I'm leaving, Naruto."
The tears fell with the rain as the pain become unbearable and he gritted his teeth. Sasuke rose to his feet with a grunt and staggered.
"I'm leaving, but I promise this," he started into the forest and looked back only once. "I'll be back."
He squeezed his shoulder and continued into the darkness, disappearing as the rain intensified and the night descended.