Blue

Chapter X

Naruto's fury flared up when no one moved to help him place Sasuke steadily on Gamabunta's head. They were paralyzed with horror because of the chakra that exploded from Naruto, strong enough to break all of their masks. Hearing this and feeling the large amount of rampaging chakra, Gamabunta had leapt from where they were and started heading for Konoha. If anyone was to restrain Naruto from completely snapping, it would be Naruto's seniors and he just heard someone's badly wounded.

He spared no minute when they reached Konoha. Naruto scooped Sasuke's limp form and hoped that the temporary patch on the frail skin would hold longer.

The following nights were restless for Naruto. Not once did he visit Sasuke because he was too busy with his missions and he didn't really feel like paying a visit. Guilt, perhaps. But it wasn't his fault, right? Sasuke was stupid. Besides, this wouldn't have happened if Sasuke didn't meddle and tried to switch teams.

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"What was that all about?! You had your own team! Why must you sneak in MY team? I can do things myself! I didn't need your help, Uchiha! I did NOT ask for your help!"

"Get OFF me!"

All the while, Sakura stood by Sasuke's bed, watching her two friends fight. At one angle, it was a usual fight, almost a nostalgic image lost in their childhood memories resurfacing. Nonetheless, she caught Sasuke's quick glance to her and nodded. Understanding the silent request, she left the room. Worried as she was, things had changed so much, she felt that she no longer knew the two.

Naruto's grip on Sasuke's shirt tightened, fist high and aimed at the impassive face. "I could've killed you!"

And the reply was flat, something that shouldn't have surprised Naruto. "The mission was a success."

The aimed fist connected with a sharp sound of bone hitting bone.

Sasuke sat up and returned the punch with equal force.

"Why you…"

"Stop it."

"Damn you! What the hell got in your head that you butted in?! I could've taken care of that myself!"

"I wouldn't know."

"What?!"

"My body just moved on its own."

"WHAT?!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto, a flicker of worry gracing his dark eyes before returning to its original apathetic state.

This caught Naruto's attention. Surprised, confused, something he didn't understand. He had never seen that look before. He probably did but that was so long ago, he could not even remember if it actually happened. And the apparition of concern was so short this time, he wasn't sure if he really saw it at all. Maybe.

"Sasuke."

"You weren't worth it."

"Huh?" If face faulting was possible in this situation, he would've had done it.

Sasuke no longer replied. And lay down, pulling the covers with him. Naruto was giving him a headache. He just woke up from a short coma and this was what he got. He wanted to stomp Naruto's face.

"Sasuke! What are you talking about?"

"For once, Naruto, use your head. Idiot."

"DAMN YOU!"

That was the first and last that Naruto paid a visit to Sasuke. Sakura had called him over when Sasuke woke up and he immediately ran to see. But his worry was immediately replaced by annoyed fury upon seeing Sasuke and it didn't go quite well.

This didn't stop Naruto's busy schedule, nonetheless. With the captain of the most demanded anbu team down, Naruto's team immediately took over most of the dangerous missions. There was no taint on the record of Naruto's team; the fastest, the most brutal and the deadliest of all anbu. It was not a particular reputation that someone from Konoha would've usually wanted but Naruto no longer cared for reputation.

Each time he went out to mission, he saw Sasuke. And for all of that had happened, he wanted to kill some more.

A particular mission surprised him. They finished it in a few minutes, disregarding the travel from Konoha to this misty forest. He did not expect it to be easy. His team knew it wasn't easy but their blond teammate came charging in without sparing a single person. They looked at each other, their masks betraying nothing of their surprised expressions. The captain gave the command and they were soon on their way home after the usual clean up.

Along the way, Naruto fell off a tree. Completely uncharacteristic of him to do that, which was why the rest of his team stopped, turned and had their weapons ready for an ambush.

Truthfully, it was nothing. Naruto shook his head and waved them off. He was okay. He just remembered something.

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The hospital room was empty when he got there. Frowning, he had already forgotten how many days had passed since his last visit. One other place and if Sasuke wasn't there also, then, there was a big chance that the Uchiha didn't want to be found. Naruto went straight to Sasuke's house.

Sasuke answered the door, one hand still holding his bandaged waist. "Naruto."

"How's your wound?"

"Healing."

"Can I go in?"

"Don't you have an assignment?"

"I just got back actually."

Sasuke eyed Naruto. He kept his emotionless face on but his mind was whirling. They never talked. They never meet. This was unusual and any unusual things were always dangerous. Despite this, he opened the door to let Naruto in. Closing the door, he looked at Naruto who stood there staring at him.

"How long had it been?" Naruto started.

Showing Naruto a seat, Sasuke pulled a chair and sat across his rival. "Months."

Naruto leaned back, closing his eyes. He had never felt so guilty. To think he taught his students to kill only when necessary. What would they say now? Softly, "I'm such a monster…"

"You're not." Sasuke almost smiled. Now, this Naruto, he knew. He hadn't smiled so long, the effort strained his face.

"I was enjoying it…" but Naruto wasn't listening.

And before Naruto got into his tirade of self-mockery, self-hatred and self-pity, Sasuke placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Softly, as slowly as he could so that Naruto would hear everything and not mistake it for something else, he spoke, "Naruto. Don't make me tell you everything." And he smiled. "Use your brain, idiot."

Naruto slapped Sasuke's hand away and glared. Then, realization dawned on him at last. Sasuke tried to stop him before. And not just once. And Sasuke went as far as intending to die to make him think. Since when had Sasuke been so important to him that his death would affect him? And how did Sasuke know? Far too many questions he couldn't find answers to and here was that man, across him, who could give him answers. Some, at least.

"How'd you know? How did you know that I'd stop if something happened to you?"

Sasuke was taken aback at the question that came out as a statement. He did not assume that, at all. "I could've been anybody."

Almost dryly, "The great Uchiha Sasuke does not know something?"

The hand that was once on Naruto's shoulder knocked on the head with a hard thwap.

Naruto laughed. Forced. Just so that the ice would break between them. "Yea, you could've been anybody."

Sasuke felt something sink. Wait, he didn't know he was hoping. Hoping for what was something he didn't want an answer to. Not really.

"And I'd have killed anybody in that state." Naruto looked at Sasuke. "But you're not just anybody."

Raising an eyebrow, Sasuke didn't know what the hell Naruto was trying to say.

"I hated you."

Taken aback again, he didn't know the exact moment that Naruto was able to surprise him. Twice in one night. What a humiliation. He had always felt proud that he could read Naruto like an open book. And the most disturbing thought of all was why that last comment had stung so much.

Naruto watched at the play of emotions on Sasuke's face. What looked like emotions anyway but one couldn't be too sure, knowing Sasuke. It would be a miracle if he could ever read emotions on that face. "Don't die."

Sasuke blinked. Confused.

At last, Naruto erupted with laughter. "Damn, that was good."

"What… NARUTO!" Now, Sasuke really wanted to kill Naruto.

The blood rush, adrenaline and the erratic emotions that pounded inside him that he didn't know was there made Sasuke cough. His wound felt like tearing. His recovery was really taking too long. They had replaced his liver but that didn't stop the pain. Naruto was on his side immediately, guilt written all over his face.

Naruto felt his heart stop when he felt Sasuke's weight on him. He checked if Sasuke was bleeding and confirmed it with the blood stains. But there wasn't too much blood, at least. Good sign, maybe not. But not bad, definitely not bad.

"Sasuke? Did you faint? Sasuke?! OI!!"

Sasuke closed his eyes, trying to shun out the ringing noise of Naruto's voice. Somehow, he knew that something's changed. The smile crept on his face once again and he bowed his head, hiding that smile.

Naruto held the bleeding gash on Sasuke's side. The stitches had opened but not entirely. Cursing under his breath, he tried to shift to get Sasuke to a hospital. "SASUKE!" This time, on the floor, Sasuke in his arms --- it felt familiar. So familiar that it worried him.

"I'm fine." The words broke into Naruto's frantic mind. For a minute there he thought he had killed Sasuke.

Sasuke breathed against his neck, closing his eyes tiredly. Naruto watched, still worried but didn't move. He kept his hand clamped on Sasuke's side to keep the remaining stitches in place and let Sasuke sleep. This felt warm.

Just once.

Like this.

They needed no reason to hold each other.



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