Because I care // SasuNaru

23. Nothing

Naruto P.o.v

"Naruto, oh my god. what the fuck happened?"

Naruto didn't know. He just knew he didn't want to see anyone right now. He felt so ashamed he wanted to hide his face in every hole on earth, but another part of him just longed for a hug.

The door wouldn't open, no mater how much Sasuke kicked and punched, and the more time passed, the more Naruto thought of how stupid and useless he had become in the last few hours. How useless he would be forever.

"stop Sasuke. Sasuke you're going to hurt yourself!"

"Hold on. Hide, I'm going to use Raikiri"

"No Sasuke! You're going to-"

"I'm going to get you out of there no matter what"

"No. It doesn't matter. I don't matter. Sasuke they-"

But a blue flame of thunder erupted through the door, and while it blew, Naruto quickly hid behind a side table.

When Sasuke went through the door the whole world stopped for them. Naruto saw Sasuke examine him, his clothes were dirty, but not much more, there was a chain around his foot, and he seemed to be totally fine except - for a moment Naruto thought he had gotten away with it, maybe he wouldn't even notice - but he could tell the moment Sasuke's eyes focused on the blood staining his shirt on the abdomen.

He ran up to him at once, broke the chain that bounded him to the wall, and embraced him in a tight hug. But Naruto didn't dare hold him back, he just enjoyed the moment, and let himself fall on the ground, tears staining his eyes once again.

"Naruto what did they do to you?"

Naruto finally returned the hug, and hid his face on Sasuke's shoulder, crying harder than he had ever cried before.

"Naruto what happened?"

"They took it, they took all of it, there isn't anything left, not even a little bit"

"Who's they Naruto? What did they take??"

Naruto just shook his head, holding on to Sasuke tighter.

"It doesn't matter"

Sasuke let go from the hug, and held on to Naruto's face with both hands, making him look straight into his eyes.

"It matters Naruto. You matter more than anything, you hear me? There is nothing more in the world that matters more than you and your well-being."

"No" Naruto cried "I don't matter anymore. I'm not to be the next Hokage, I'm not to be the next anything Sasuke!"

"What do you mean? And that doesn't matter to me Naruto. oOnly you matter to me"

"No, you don't get it. I'm not me anymore, I'm not anything. I don't have- they took my chakra"

"What, can't you charge it back?"

Naruto cried even harder, not knowing how it was even possible.

"They took it all, they took the nine tailed, they took- Sasuke, I can't be a ninja anymore, I can't do a single Jutso, and I feel weak..."

"Of course you feel weak Naruto that's totally-"

"Sasuke ! Listen to me! I'm done for, my career is over, I'm not anything-"

"You're still you" Sasuke rambled on, clearly starting to panic now "We're not defined by being ninjas, and there are other really cool jobs-" 

"I am. Sasuke I grew up alone, only thinking of one thing, being a ninja. It's who I am, and I don't want to be anything else! I don't-"

"No! Listen to me Naruto, don't you give up. Don't you dare give up. You're other things! You're selfless, you're determined, you're a friend, you're the most amazing person I know. I think you're amazing no matter what."

"You're just saying that because you feel bad for me."

"I'm not"

"Well it doesn't matter. It really doesn't fucking matter, because I don't love myself" 

Sasuke seemed to except that, a single tear fell from his eye, and he turned away.

He stood up suddenly, determined. 

"We'll get it back. I'll get it back no matter what. Tell me who did it, I'll do anything to get it back"

"They've probably used it by now. I have to except what I am now..."

"We. You won't go through this alone. And we wont go through it at all if I can help it"

"No. I wont bring you into this"

"Just tell me who did it Naruto!"

Naruto was still seated on the floor, and Sasuke leaned down and grabbed his hands, bringing him up gently, holding on to them softly. He looked at him so intensely, and Naruto knew he wasn't lying, he knew that Sasuke would stand by him. But he loved him, and when you love someone you know when to let go. Now was the time to let go. 

"Sasuke, just let it go. Let me go."

"How can you let it go so easily! You say you need your power, that you can't live without it, but you don't seem to want to get it back." Sasuke spit out, angry.

Naruto took his hands out of his in an instant, incredulous. 

"Of course I do. But there is just no way-"

"We'll find a way! Where's your determination when you need it most??"

"It's dead, along with the rest of me"