In the hushed stillness of the temple, Sasuke waited with a mixture of anger and worry. Naruto, already weakened by the poison, had returned. His breaths were labored, and his movements were sluggish.
Sasuke, bound by the temporary seal observed as his mortal stood before the open door.
"I told you... I'd be back" - He struggled, reaching to touch the chain that bound the god. It broke and disappeared as dust. "You're free now" - As Naruto collapsed onto the floor, the air became tainted with dread and urgency.
Sasuke took Naruto into his arms and rushed to a bed. The mortal boy was panting, sweat running down his forehead. "Don't you die on me, idiot!" - Sasuke undressed the blond, searching for the wound the snake fangs had left. He placed his pale hands on it and whispered ancient words. A pale glow emanated from his hands and enveloped the wound. Blackened blood seeped out of the wound, and the blonde groaned in pain. His veins were slowly turning black.
"It won't work..." - Naruto panted, trying to sit but couldn't. "The door..." - He pointed towards the farthest door of the temple. "Follow the path, Gamakichi will show you, get Tsunade." - Sasuke stood up quickly.
"I won't leave you" - Sasuke called upon a majestic crow that mirrored his divine presence. In a flurry of feathers, it took flight after the frog, both disappearing behind the now open door.
Naruto's consciousness ebbed and flowed between reality and dreams, the boundaries of reality were blurred as shadows danced on the edges of his eyes.
Sasuke placed a damp towel over the blonde's forehead. The latter had been delirious for the last few minutes. He muttered something under his breath and reached out for something or someone. His labored breathing slowed, and his heartbeat became faint. He pressed his forehead against Naruto's and exhaled. His energy flowed to the other.
"Why did you do it?" he asked, seeing the blonde approach him in his mind, his smile radiant.
"What he did to you, i could feel it. he hurt you. Is this why you didn't want to tell me your name?" - Naruto asked in return.
"I was stupid enough to trust that man, and i suffered the consequences of my actions, why would you put yourself in danger for my sake?! This had nothing to do with you"
"Isn't it obvious? It had everything to do with me, i felt your pain even when i was far away, i could feel you" Naruto smiled, his hands reached for Sasuke, cupping his face, slowly reaching for his lips, and Sasuke felt his warmth. A jolt brought him back to reality. Naruto whizzed, and blood came out of his mouth.
In that moment, the magical door burst open, and a blonde-haired pale woman rushed inside. "Out of my way!" she yelled, pushing past Sasuke who was kneeling beside the blond. Gamakichi and the crow came from behind her and moved to Sasuke's side. Tsunade removed the bed sheets to find the once tan skin pale as a ghost, the veins were visibly black and slightly protruding from the skin, and his leg was oozing black blood from the punctured wound. She reached for Naruto's eyes to check his pupils, her slug familiar slid to the wound covering it and remaining still, absorbing the poisonous blood, the old mage assessed the situation and rolled up her sleeves before running to a nearby table. She pulled out some herbs and extracts from her bag and began her work. "Our brother did this, his poisons are too powerful and carry many magical restrictions, you had no chance" - she explained.
As the sage worked, Sasuke maintained a watchful eye over Naruto, his feathers ruffling with a mixture of worry and hope.
"Naruto, i know you can hear me, drink this" - she took his head in her hands and lifted it to press the vial against the pale lips, some of the liquid slid right out but now most of the mystical elixir flowed through his veins, its healing properties combating the poison's effects. "It's up to him now, but knowing him I'm sure everything will be fine" - Tsunade wiped her hands on her apron and turned to the god. "I think the prayer of a god could come in handy now" - she smirked. Sasuke sighed as he kneeled beside the blonde, his dark shiny wings creating a cocoon over the sick boy.
"with me as your guardian, may your light shine from within. Your body and mind under my care will be protected " - a light enveloped them, Naruto breathed in and his expression turned serene.
"We need to administer a second dose in a few hours, his fever should break by tomorrow morning if all goes well"
Naruto stirred, his eyes fluttering open. The sage and the raven exchanged a silent acknowledgment, their collective efforts having brought the mage back from the brink of death. The fever was relentless, and weakness draped over him like a heavy cloak but the mage regained consciousness for a few minutes a day and slowly showed signs of improvement. Tsunade, with her ancient wisdom and skilled hands, brewed remedies and tended to Naruto's every need, while Sasuke whispered incantations to keep him safe.
As the days passed by, the temple echoed with the gentle rustle of movement, the smell of food, the comforting voice of enchantments, and the subtle cadence of Naruto's recovering breaths. As the fever subsided and strength gradually returned to his limbs, Naruto knew it was time for Tsunade to return.
"Thanks for all you've done for us master" - Naruto thanked from the bed, Sasuke was standing by his side always silent.
"You don't have to thank me, just don't do stupid things again" - she grumbled "I left some vials for you over at the working table, for potent venoms in case you ever need them again, and come visit if you have a chance... altough with this companion I'm sure you dont get plenty of free time" - Tsunade winked, making the mortal boy blush profusely.
"door to door, joined as one" - Naruto lifted his staff to the door, it opened and beyond the threshold they could see the sage's home. Tsunade reached down to kiss the boy's forehead before disappearing into the other house, closing the door behind her back.