Notes: Procrastination in certain areas promotes an abundance of productivity in others, I've learned tonight. Thank you for reading and responding so fast! I promise, I'll stop for today after this. It's a little strange, but I couldn't get the "bite my tongue" thing out of my head, so I had to put it in here. This drabble's so vague, it can be from Naruto or Sasuke's point of view, so, choose whichever one you'd like. Enjoy.

He could still remember the state the apartment had been in: the broken doorframe, the overturned furniture, the cold, empty feeling lingering in the halls. But the real clue that something was definitely wrong was when his partner didn't welcome him home. Despite the damage, he had figured that the other would have at least come out and grumbled some sort of greeting while complaining about burglars or prankster kids or something to that extent. The fact that he didn't come out at all sent up little alarms and within five minutes of inspecting the place, he had the answer.

Don't do anything stupid, he willed silently, jumping down from the collection of trees and moving seamlessly into a full-out run, head down, leaning over, arms and legs pumping but still aware of his surroundings. He couldn't get caught off guard here; there'd be no hope for either of them if that happened. No one else knew where he had gone, or had an idea where the abductors had taken his partner, and he preferred it that way. No unnecessary involvement--this was all his fault, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to fix it on his own. Besides…

"Being an Anbu… it's dangerous, isn't it?"

"Yeah… But I'll be okay, as long as you're here when I come back."

It wasn't outright, but he had promised: he had promised nothing would happen to either of them. He swore to himself that he'd be strong enough to protect them both, so that they wouldn't have to worry about something like this happening. But he had slipped in his duty, in his job, and now the price was so high, it made him sick to think about. You have to be alright. If you're not, I… I don't know--

He'd die. It was as simple as that. If anything happened to his lover, the person he held most dear, the one he treasured above all and everything, he'd die. From heartbreak or by his own hand, it didn't matter. What did matter is that it did not come to that.

"When you're gone for so long…I get so sad. It's like I'm not alive when you're not around…"

"I promise you, I'll try to be as quick as I can on these missions. But, if I mess up somehow--"

"You won't mess up. I have faith in you--even if something happens, you'll fix it. I know you will."

"But, you know that if I--"

Tears came to his eyes, both from the memory and the sting of the wind that swept his hair back and pressed the cold porcelain mask hard against his face. This damn mask, that had caused him so much trouble. Had caused them so much trouble. He had talked about it with the other; what that mask meant, along with the black and white uniform.

"If I die, I want you to--"

"I'll follow you."

"No, you can't--"

"If I can't welcome you back home, then there's no point in me living, is there?"

"…Don't make me resort to tying you to the bed each time I have to leave."

"I'll bite off my tongue and drown in my own blood."

He saw the hideout, saw the guards coming out to intercept him, and pulled out two swords: his lover's and his own. I'll save you, he swore with the first swing of his weapons, and then we'll go back home together. Even if he died in his efforts, even if he couldn't reach his partner in time, he would keep this promise: dead or alive, they'd go together.