Title: El Bimbo

Author: sky75rk

A/N: okay, the plot is really blank from the beginning, and so the twist comes here. Hey, I'm sorry if the first two chapters are not that exciting, to say the least. But I've been trying to figure out what should happen next, and so, I've come up with this. This is also the longest chapter I've written in my history of writing. Enjoy!

Third Channel: Unexpected Separations

They had a mission to accomplish that very same day. And Naruto regretted the fact that if something goes wrong, he might be responsible for the screw up of the entire team. The mission was only a reconnaissance and to recover an important document, nothing really important. But the uneasiness between him and Sasuke would affect them.

He could feel it; the intense desire of the paler boy to know why he was acting the same. It was as if the words that flowed right out of his mouth were simply words without meaning, without thought. And with Sakura not knowing anything, oblivious to the awkward emotions between her two teammates… Naruto preferred to let it at that. Not let her know a thing so she wouldn't be caught up in the middle of the chaos.

He glanced up, looking ahead at his two teammates. A pink-haired kunoichi clinging to an arm of the dark-haired shinobi. Sakura was telling him something, noticing her moving lips as the taller boy stared blankly ahead, before looking at the girl beside him and nodding. It seemed that Sasuke was interested with what the kunoichi was saying.

Naruto grinned. Yes, he was jealous, but he knew he had nothing to be jealous about, since Sasuke was never his anyway. And being familiar with Sakura liking the taller boy, he didn't really mind. No, he shouldn't really mind. Whoever Sasuke chooses is not his business any longer. He just wished that they would still continue to be best friends even through all this.

At that moment, Sakura decided to turn around and check the blonde youth. "What are you doing way back there Naruto?" she raised her voice slightly so Naruto could hear her clearly. Naruto jogged to cope up with their pace, "Sorry, I saw a colorful bird and got side-tracked, haha" he said, smacking himself in his head for the lame excuse he came up with.

Nonetheless, the girl accepted it with ease. "You should know better, Naruto. What if you got lost?" Sakura demanded and Naruto just shrugged it off with a smile, eyes darting to the paler boy beside her, and their eyes meet. Naruto could see an unusual emotion flicker in his black eyes and after a second it was wiped blank, like rain pouring over the wasted lands, cleansing it until traces of the soiled earth was washed away.

Naruto just grinned as Sasuke looked away, in his mind kept playing the picture of what he wanted it to be, but will never happen.

Just him and Sasuke.

Sasuke glanced away as the bright boy grinned at him. Why is he like that? Why does he act like everything's the same?

Friendship. Bonds. It was what Naruto didn't want to be broken between them. It was what he didn't want to lose. Does he want us to continue being the best friends we used to? Sasuke never want to acknowledge before that Naruto was the closest thing he has for a best friend. But as time passed they really did become the closest, although it didn't really show. Is that still possible? With the knowledge that the blonde liked—love even—him, he couldn't think otherwise.

They have been traveling for almost twelve hours, the forest they were going in to becoming deeper and deeper. Almost blinding them, but it was fine. They were all capable jounins.

A surge of chakra and they all paused. They were already only five minutes away from the hide-out of the thieves that stole the document they were recovering, and they were aware that people would be guarding the area.

A twig snapped and the three put their guard up. Suddenly dozens of paid ninjas and amateur assassins were walking towards them.

"Shit, it was a trap," Sasuke muttered under his breath as he felt Sakura detaching herself from his arm and got ready for battle. Naruto was already holding his kunai at one hand and his shuriken at his left.

A moment of silence. A battle cry heard.

They all engaged in battle.

Sasuke side-stepped as a man with an over-sized stick came charging through. The man lost balance and recovered, but not until realizing that the dark-haired jounin already cut up his weapon into pieces. He ran.

Then dozens came at the same time. Sasuke activated his sharingan and fought.

Naruto was doing the same as was Sakura. Throwing a few punches and kicks, he took out several guys, holding his strength before he killed anybody. He took a short glance at Sakura to make sure she was fine. Then shaking himself of his worry, returning his mind at the battle, thinking that they were all strong and he should trust his friends.

He felt a presence coming towards him and he evaded the attack, threw three shurikens and pinned the attacker at a nearby tree. Seeing as they were outnumbered, Naruto did a couple of hand seals and used his Kage bunshin no jutsu. Ten more Naruto's emerged and charged the enemies. After he knocked a few men down, he turned to look at Sasuke who was also fighting off several men.

"Shit," he hissed, as a knife cut his upper arm. It was deep. He cursed himself for spacing away from the battle. This is all wrong. I know that I shouldn't worry. But I can't help it… as his mind went back to reality, he saw that only two bunshins were left and grinned despite of the loss. It seems that they're not really all brawns. He did the similar hand seals, but before he can complete, he felt a kunai wedge deep into his body.

Dangerously near his heart.

Naruto was shocked. He wasn't careful enough! Apparently, someone was hiding behind the camouflage of trees, and waited for a chance to take them down. Naruto breathe calmly, taking out the kunai from his body and locating the culprit who did this to him. He was losing blood fast and although the Kyuubi inside him was desperately trying to heal him, it wasn't enough. Naruto's eyes turned dangerously dark, as he charged towards the now terrified missing-nin. He knew he will be going too far with this, but he can't care any longer. He gathered his remaining chakra in his palms and threw a rasengan.

The missing-nin lay dead, covered in blood.

When Naruto came to, he grasp what he had done, he sighed. He didn't want to kill anybody. He has to tell the Hokage about this and explaining it will be rough.

He returned to where Sasuke and Sakura were and was relieved that they defeated their attackers. A sigh escaped his lips as his knees buckled under him and he held his chest. He was still bleeding. Damn.

Sasuke was alarmed. When he turned to his side, he saw the blonde falling to the ground.

"Naruto!" he immediately went to Naruto's side with Sakura behind him. He knelt beside him.

"Oh my god," he heard Sakura gasp. "You're bleeding!" she ran back to her things and fished out a roll of bandage.

The pale boy shakily removed his hand from Naruto's shirt and looked. Blood, but no, that couldn't be, what… what happened? He was dumbstruck. He didn't know what to do!

"Lay him down Sasuke, we have to stop the bleeding," Sakura was also frantic, but she kept herself calm. Sasuke lay Naruto down on the ground and the kunoichi opened up the blonde's shirt.

"Shit," she cursed. "The bleeding won't stop! We have to take him back to Tsunade-sama as soon as possible or he won't make it!" After tying the bandage, she motioned Sasuke to carry Naruto. But Sasuke can't move.

"SASUKE!" she shouted and the raven-haired boy awoke. "WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!"

Sasuke gathered the almost lifeless body into his arms and jumped to the nearest branch and they went back, shuddering as the blue-eyed boy felt cold in his warm body. Don't die on me. Don't leave me alone.

He felt a finger move and he looked down, still not decreasing his speed. He would've just teleported, but they were way too far from the village. Naruto's eyelids opened slightly.

"Sa—sasu—ke," the blonde choked out. He was still bleeding.

"What?" Sasuke whispered. "You shouldn't try to talk. Try to conserve your energy," he ordered the limp boy.

"Are… are you all right?" Naruto still continued to speak, not hearing what the taller boy had ordered him.

Sasuke's eyes widened. He's received a fatal wound and… he's… still worried about…me? Softening his gaze he replied, "Yes,"

Naruto closed his eyes, "That's… good,"

"Dobe, stop worrying about me, you should worry more about yourself. Look at the mess you made on yourself,"

Naruto chuckled hoarsely then coughed out blood, distressing the quiet boy. "I just… I just want you…" another cough.

"Stop talking,"

But Naruto paid no heed. "I just want you… to be safe," then he grinned, wincing slightly as he felt the wound on his chest.

Sasuke didn't know what to say. Then his mind returned to the last night when Naruto confessed to him and then this morning, when he acted like nothing happened. He was wrong. He thought that Naruto was only playing a prank on him. That what he sang to him last night was not true. But it was. And he understood.

Sasuke sped up, determined to make it back to Konoha fast. He was gaining on the kunoichi who went ahead. She was supposed to be the one to tell the Hokage about the situation.

"Sakura! I'll go straight to the hospital, you go and tell Tsunade-sama," Sakura just nodded, while they entered a familiar territory. They were very near to the gates and when they felt that they can use a transportation jutsu, they did. Sasuke hurrying to the hospital, while Sakura, to the tower.

It was a quiet morning for the Hokage, knowing that the loud-mouthed brat was away on a mission. The day passed and it became strangely quiet. A chill went up Tsunade's spine. Something's not right.

She went silent for a few minutes, resuming to her daily duties of separating the missions within their specific ranks when she heard people shouting outside the doors.

"Wait! You can't go in there without permission!" a man shouted, obviously trying to hold back a person from coming in.

"But it's an emergency!" a frantic girl voiced out. A voice she knew well.

Sakura.

Tsunade instantly ran to the door, her heart drumming to her chest. Something's definitely not right.

"Let her go," she ordered the ANBU guards stationed at her door, and the men let the girl go.

It is Sakura.

Sakura ran to the Hokage and pulled her sleeve. "Come on, we've got to hurry Naruto--"

"What happened to Naruto?" she demanded, a nauseating feeling coming up her throat. "Where is he?" she added. No, this can't be happening.

A grief-stricken face was what answered her, "At the hospital, and his bleeding won't stop!" A tear slid down Sakura's face as she dashed towards the hospital building, leaving with the Hokage.

Sasuke was angry. No, he was furious. He couldn't accept the way these doctors and nurses were ignoring Naruto's condition. It was unjust. Definitely unjust. And he won't stand for it.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? CAN'T YOU SEE THAT AN INJURED PERSON NEEDS YOUR HELP?" he shouted at them, and they all flinched, but none of them moved. Behind him, only Shizune was the one helping him, trying to stop the bleeding.

"It's no use," she voiced out. "The Kyuubi struggles to regenerate Naruto's body but the wound just keeps on opening. We need more hands to keep him alive!"

Sasuke glared at the doctors and gave up. It was no use.

"Get out of the way!" someone spoke up. He saw the Hokage and Sakura running towards them.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"In there," Sasuke pointed and Tsunade went inside, closing the door behind her.

Everything was still and silent as the clock went on ticking and time passed. Kakashi arrived moments after hearing the news, together with Iruka. Minutes turned into hours and Tsunade emerged from the room, an expression of relief all over her face.

Sasuke and the others wanted to ask how well Naruto is, but they weren't able to. From time to time, they would notice her go inside the room and check on his condition and they were all wondering why she wouldn't let them in.

Hours turned to days and the relief that Tsunade had on her face before was wiped away and they were all filled with dread. She still didn't want anyone going inside the room.

But Sasuke was fed up.

"Why won't you let us in?" he demanded, his fists tightly clenched as he strived to hold himself down. Sakura didn't make any move to stop the boy since she also wanted to know the reason. Tsunade looked at the Uchiha and the rest who were visiting.

Kiba, Shikamaru, Hinata, Sasuke, Neji, Sakura, Iruka, Kakashi, Chouji, Ino, Tenten… Shino even. Naruto may not realize it, but there are many people caring for him. She smiled despite the situation given, and then returned to her stern look. "Naruto's fine," she said simply.

Sasuke punched the wall near him and made a hole. "Then why are you keeping us out here?"

"He's right Tsunade-sama," Shikamaru agreed. "Shouldn't we be allowed to see him since he's all right?"

Tsunade shook her head. "You can't. If his wound gets infected, there will be a complication," she turned to leave them. "I know you all understand,"

Sasuke sat down. "Damn,"

The rest of their faces fell.

A week already passed and Naruto was only beginning to wake up. The first thing he noticed was the white all around him. I'm alive. That's… good.

He then turned to his side and saw someone checking the content of his IV fluid. "Tsunade-baachan?"

Tsunade looked at him with a warm gaze. "Welcome back Naruto," she greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Naruto gave her a grin. "Groggy as hell,"

"Good. What were you thinking getting wounded like that?" she was angry as she inquired but with a tone of worry in her voice. But she can't help scolding the boy for his carelessness.

Naruto tried to sit up, feeling his bones aching to return to training. "Sorry," he dismissed at the same time, failing to sit up. "Won't happen again. Promise!" he assured her.

A sigh. "I know it won't. Since I'm taking you out from doing missions from now on,"

"WHAT? WHY? YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME BAACHAN!" Naruto wailed then stopped, cringing as the wound on his chest ached.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but you can't fight again,"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"JUST FUCKING TELL ME!" Naruto was already shouting and he knew it, but he didn't care. His missions were his life, his only purpose now that Sasuke was not there.

"DON'T--," Tsunade started to shout back, then unruffled herself. "—use that tone with me. I didn't want to, but I had no choice,"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto whispered, trying to find a reason for this.

"Fine," Tsunade submitted to Naruto's will. After all, he's got the right to know. "You received a fatal heart wound. I already took care of the rest and the wound is all cleaned up but…" Tsunade trailed off. It was going to be hard to break the news to him.

"But… what?"

"But… a blood clot got stuck and blocked half of the passage of your right ventricle, and blood isn't pumping the way it usually does,"

"So?"

"So if you move vigorously for long hours and got stressed, I'm afraid that the blood clot left will block the rest of the artery and you will be paralyzed or worse, dead since the right ventricle is the one responsible pumping blood into your lungs,"

The sun hid behind the clouds as the Hokage desperately tried to break the news to him slowly. Shadows of unexpected emotions flashed through like headlights of a car illuminating the road for a second before it is turned off again. His blue eyes previously vibrant changed to murky depths of navy blue as his mind registered the catastrophe that has befallen upon him.

A quiet that stayed for only a few instances seemed like eternity and Tsunade can't do anything to comfort the young boy.

"How long will I still be able to… fight?"

Tsunade did not hesitate and at that, she was bothered by her stern personality. "Only for 30 minutes,"

No. Naruto countered, telling himself that this isn't happening. This can't happen to me.

"Isn't there… a way to fix… me?" I've already got everybody hating me because of this demon inside of me and now, I can't even do the thing that I want? Why is this happening to me?

"There is," Tsunade finally answered after a few minutes of silence. "But…."

Deafening stillness.

"We can perform an operation that would remove the obstruction but it costs a lot,"

"How… much?"

"About half a million, max,"

Naruto fell silent. There was no way he can raise that much money in one day. And if he was taken out of his job as a jounin, he won't be able to raise any money at all. "Is there any possible way I won't be taken out of my job and still raise money to afford the operation before…?"

Another sigh. Tsunade knew that this question is coming up and as much as she wouldn't want him to do this, he knew he needed it. "You can't do any missions that would take too much time and energy. The missions that you can do now are only the assassination missions. No long fights and one of the highest paying jobs,"

Naruto held his head low. He didn't like to kill people. A reason why he only went to retrieving and reconnaissance assignments. But he was left no other options.

Tsunade sat down beside Naruto and hugged him. "I know you don't want it, but you don't want to resign from being a ninja. It's either you quit or raise the money. I wouldn't want you to do it either, but I wouldn't want to take away what means to you most,"

"I'll… do it," the blonde youth finally answered. "Did you… tell anyone else?" he queried, his voice low and deceptively composed.

Tsunade shook her head. "No, not yet," she rose to her feet to get ready to exit the room, feeling his visitors arriving.

"Don't tell them okay?" Naruto said, his lips grinning but his eyes… dead.

Tsunade conceded. "Okay," then she walked towards the door. But she suddenly stopped when she heard Naruto call her name again.

"Since I'm doing a different assignment, I would like to separate from the team,"

Tsunade gave him a pensive smile. "I was going to do that, but I won't let you go alone. Is Neji all right with you?"

Naruto nodded. As long as it's not him, then it's all right. I don't want him to worry about me.and I don't want him to… pity me…

"Good. Take care of yourself now okay? No hard training until the wound fully heals. You know what I mean,"

Naruto nodded again and then smiled at the retreating Hokage. Can't fight until the operation. The world is conspiring against me…

Then he lapsed back to the world of the unconscious.

As Tsunade exited his room, she felt her heart tighten. I wish you wouldn't smile like that, Naruto. Tears do not signify that you're weak after all. She glanced around and saw Sasuke there with Neji. Apparently, it wasn't just Sasuke who was worried sick about the wounded boy.

The Hokage smiled as she told the two that Naruto can accept visitors now. Yet, before she left, she turned her head around and stared at the Hyuuga.

"Neji," she called the long-haired jounin.

Neji stepped forward as the gaze of the Uchiha remained on her skin. "Naruto will now become your partner for your upcoming missions,"

Neji was taken aback, so was Sasuke. But he knew better than to judge the Hokage's decision. "Fine," he accepted. He wasn't really angry to be partnered with the blonde youth. He didn't really mind.

He didn't at all.

But Sasuke did. "No," he opposed. "I won't allow it," he glared at the older woman and with his eyes, he told her.

"And why is that?"

"Because I…" There was no particular reason in Sasuke's mind. Though the verity that his best friend will be separated from him… he felt… alone.

"Then deal with it," was what the Hokage said before she left when the black-eyed boy did not answer.

"Damn," Sasuke glared at the Hyuuga, in his mind cursing him for accepting such arrangements. But the Hyuuga just stared back, as if taunting him.

The raven-haired youth just clenched his fists again as the pale-eyed boy walked past him and went inside the blonde's room.

However, before Neji can go in, Sasuke stopped him. "Why did you accept? I know you didn't like having an idiot as a partner," Sasuke's assertion cold and hard, as if threatening Neji to withdraw.

Instead, Neji did not falter. "Why wouldn't you?" he shot back, staring into Sasuke's eyes with the intensity the same as he has.

"Because I…"

Still, before he can come up with a reaction, Neji already went inside.

Uchiha Sasuke was defeated.

And in his defeat, he felt no use but to walk away.

Because I…

-Continued-

A/N: I think I'm making it a habit to make Sasuke walk away after every chapter. I'm so bad…

Review?