Naruto slowly opened his eyes, and looked up at his eternal rival, Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke,

Holding him.

Close.

Close to his heart.

Tears were running down his pale cheeks.

His eyes were shut, and he was clutching Naruto.

It was raining.

Naruto didn't say anything.

His brain hadn't adjusted to the situation yet.

Where was he now?

Where was he then?

How did he get back?

'I … followed the voice.'

He realized...

That the voice.

The smell

The heartbeat

Was Sasuke.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One would think, that Naruto was now going to be mad, and punch Sasuke in the face.

Or blush wildly, murmur an apology, rise up and run away.

Naruto did neither one of these options.

Maybe it was because he felt so tired.

Maybe because the fever was slowing him down.

But he realized something, laying there.

Sasuke had saved him.

Again.

But then why was Sasuke crying?

"…Don't leave me here…"

'Does he think I'm dead?'

Naruto would have smiled if it had not been for him being in this weakened state.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke just sat there, the tears flowing freely now.

The dobe, always babbling on about his dreams.

Was gone.

He just sat there, with an expressionless face, until.

A hand reached up and cupped his cheek.

"Sasuke…. There's no way… I'm ever gonna leave you…. I'm right here."

Sasuke couldn't believe it.

His eyes opened wide, and he slowly turned to look at Naruto.

Naruto was smiling.

It was a weak, small smile, but it was there. Not the "Up on and forward!"-smile, not the usual mask.

No, Naruto was smiling a true, genuine smile.

Sasuke just looked at Naruto while another tear rolled down his cheek.

Naruto's eyes weren't red anymore.

They were now sky-blue as always.

"N… Naruto?"

Sasuke's mind was blank.

He sat there, totally frozen.

Gently, he bent down and embraced Naruto and hugged him tightly.

His body was moving on its own.

He didn't know why Naruto didn't pull away, but he was glad he didn't.

Naruto slowly lifted his arms and placed them on Sasuke's back.

He never knew a hug could feel this warm.

Even though it was raining.

Even though he was still freezing.

He wasn't shaking anymore.

Neither one said a word.

They just appreciated the other one's warmth.

It seemed like an eternity to Sasuke, before Naruto spoke.

But when he did, everything froze.

"Sasuke… I'm…. Gomen ne, Sasuke…"

Naruto's hands slipped off Sasuke's back and fell numb to the ground.

"Wha? Naru…to?"

Sasuke held Naruto out, and discovered that Naruto had fainted again.

'. Fuck... fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!!!'

Sasuke mentally slapped himself for sitting still for so long.

He almost dropped Naruto to the ground, and laid his cheek on his bare chest to feel.

There was a heartbeat.

But it was uncomfortably slow, and his breathing was irregular.

"Stupid dobe."

Was all Sasuke could whisper before a lightning flashed in the sky, and soon after a thunder followed.

"Storm?!"

Sasuke now recalled hearing Iruka talking to someone about a storm or something.

"At a time like this? Nice."

Sasuke picked Naruto up, and ran home with him, hugging him close to his chest, while the weather became worse, and the wind started to pick up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/n: ... the last two lines... i am sure they are somehow wrong " oh well, sorry for the long wait, i've been busy with drawing on my doujinshi ;; ((this story x'3 will post it on deviantart soon i think..)) But anyways, thank Oukoku Hatsu for the update XD please review! O.o" i really want to know if ppl like this story or not... ..