Disclaimer: I. Do. NOT. Own. Naruto. Capish?

Nocturne Bubble

What is life?

Everyday, Sasuke asked himself that question. Too bad he never got answers. Seven days a week, he woke up at 5 in the morning, brushed his teeth, and changed his clothes. Head over to the bridge where he met up with the rest of team 7 and they would then either train or head off for another boring, predictable mission. Really, was there a point in him being alive? After all, it didn't have to be him; someone else could have easily been in his place instead, carrying out the repetitive cycle life so uncreatively demanded. He was expendable.

To the world, you may be one person. To one person, you may be the world.

It was pretty saying, and a comfort to even the coldest, most solitary person in this harsh lonely world. But how true was it?

How certain could he that there was someone out there who Sasuke meant everything to? At that rhetorical question, an image flashed through his mind, unbidden. An image of a blond, blue-eyed boy with a cheeky smile and endearing whisker-like scars on either side of his face. A boy who was always so full of life, always so positive even when the already unfair world treated him even more cruelly than others. Which was why the pale person lying on the bed covered with stark white sheets couldn't be him. It couldn't be.

Not with the eyes that remained closed even when Sasuke screamed and ranted at him to stop pretending, to wake up. Not with the shallow breathing that never changed it's rhythm even when Sasuke had to be restrained by Kakashi-sensei and knocked out before he ended up strangling him.

Naruto.

The boy with a sunny disposition, forever getting on Sasuke's nerves and making him grind his teeth in pure irritation. Sasuke had often wondered if Naruto ran on a high powered motor or something and had, on occasion, been even tempted to actually take him apart just to find out. After all, his mouth never seemed to need a break, abusing Sasuke's ears all the time, even if it was 3am in the morning and Sasuke was trying to sleep.

It had been Sakura's opinion that Naruto's voice was a major factor in contributing to the escalating noise pollution in Konoha. Sasuke whole-heartedly agreed. And damn it, he missed hearing Naruto's annoying, exasperating and hyperactively loud voice. Missed it so bad.

Don't try to fix me; I'm not broken.

Sasuke dearly wished everybody would just get the bloody hint already.

He sincerely prayed they would leave him alone; their faces were not the one he wanted to see. If he discovered Sakura's or Ino's expression scrunched up with worry and concern just one more time he would…he would…damn it. He didn't know what he would do, didn't know anymore. Sasuke snorted derisively, mocking himself. What happened to the person who had always been so sure of what he wanted? Sasuke knew himself well, and he considered his ability to think for himself as one of his finer points.

Just look at how determined he had been to kill his brother. His psycho, self absorbed, cold-blooded brother who had been heartless enough to slaughter his own family. He was probably the only person in the world who was more of a bastard than Sasuke was. And that was saying something.

Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile.

Or so his mother said.

Once, when he was very young and his parents were still alive, his family threw a birthday party for him. He had frowned then, because even though it had been his birthday, his brother, as the genius of the Uchiha clan, had claimed the attention of all the guests. Needless to say, little Sasuke had not been too happy about that and had pouted and sulked the whole night trough. His mother had pulled him aside and with that gentle smile of hers, taught him that saying.

Sasuke snorted. He had managed to prove his mother wrong because somehow, along the way, someone had fallen in love with him. Fallen in love with his frown. Figures it had to be Naruto; he was the only one moronic enough to do so.

I don't want you; I need you.

That had been the exact phrase that left Naruto's mouth as the life in his eyes faded away.

About two months earlier, Sasuke had finally managed to successfully locate Itachi. Back then, he had been filled with grim anticipation; after he had returned back to Konoha after turning his back on Orochimaru, he had continued searching for his brother for another six more years. Finally, he was going to have his revenge. At long last, his brother would pay, pay with the same blood that ran in Sasuke's veins.

Sasuke laughed out loud bitterly, scaring the nearby birds perched on the tree. If he had known what was going to happen, he would have never gone after Itachi. He would have been more than ecstatic to just let sleeping dogs lie. Too bad he wasn't psychic.

Through the hourglass I saw you; in time, you slipped away.

How was he to know Naruto would follow?

Now, as he was staring up at the clear sunny sky though (how he hated those stupid chirping birds,) Sasuke realised he should have known. Should have known Naruto had a suicidal hero complex. Which was why he now lay in the hospital room, in a coma. Sasuke had quietly sneaked out of their house one day, intent on cornering Itachi. Over the past few years, Sasuke's already superb skills had improved drastically and he easily overpowered Itachi, even if he had one hand tied behind his back. His right hand. Blindfolded, even.

Sasuke could remember it all too clearly, the rushing sound of his Chidori crackling as he got ready to deal his final blow. Defeating his brother had been so…anticlimactic; Sasuke wondered why he even bothered wasting so many years obsessing over him.

I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you.

Damn right. Why couldn't he have seen it earlier?

Sasuke had been so immersed into killing Itachi- in a way that would guarantee he stayed dead; he never noticed the blond figure until it darted in front of Itachi, shielding him. Sasuke had tried to stop, of course. But it had been too late. He couldn't stop the blow from hitting Naruto right in between his shoulder blades, and it sent him spiralling forward.

It seemed to happen in slow motion; one moment, he had been beating Itachi up, the next, he was splattered in blood. Naruto's blood. Horrified, he had kicked Itachi aside, him not being of importance anymore, and pulled a barely conscious Naruto into his arms.

He couldn't remember precisely what happened from then on, everything being a hazy blur. He could vaguely recall Anbu arriving to take Itachi away; Kakashi was suddenly there, appearing silently as he always did. Medic nins had tried attending to Naruto but Sasuke had refused to let go. He had stared unblinkingly at Naruto, whispering in an uncharacteristically hoarse voice again and again. Why? Sasuke would never forget the strangely peaceful smile playing on Naruto's lips. Because I don't want you to kill, he had said. Because I don't want you to stain your hands.

Because I love you.

In the end two hearts will meet; will they have found what they seek?

Sasuke was startled out of his reverie as he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly stifled down the flare of irritation; how did Sakura know he was on the rooftop? Turning towards her, he started to ask what was it she wanted but the question was never voiced; her bright relieved smile, a smile he hadn't seen in two months, answered him.

Bursting into Naruto's room through the window, Sasuke hurried to the bed, slowing down as he approached the sleeping figure on it. Naruto showed no sign of noticing him, his eyes were still closed and his breathe, evenly shallow. Eyes fixated on his face, Sasuke held Naruto's right hand in his and was rewarded with the sight of eyelids fluttering open to reveal baby blue eyes. It was the best gift he could ever receive.

Naruto gave him a smile; it was weak, but it had warmth in it. It had life. His endlessly blue eyes seemed tired and slightly out of focus, but they were looking at him. And his voice. Oh, his voice was as irritating as ever; but it was his. "Oi, Sasuke. Use the door next time, will ya?"

It doesn't matter what life expect of us. The question is, what do we expect of life?

The End

There you have it. Another random piece by yours truly. It's sort of depressing since I wrote it according to my mood. I was actually going to make Naruto die in the end but changed it at the last minute so it might have turned out a tad odd. Oh well (shrugs) do want me to write an alternate one where he does die?