naruto oneshots

hyperventilation

pairing: sasuke x naruto
type: angst
setting: konoha, the land of iron
era: shippuden

summary: "naruto, what's wrong?" kakashi asks as they all turn to see naruto drop to his knees.

a/n: major spoiler warning for shippuden season 8 and 9

unedited because I usually cry at this scene and didn't feel like crying right now

xxx

The Land of Iron is cold as snow litters the grass with a frosty, white sheet. Naruto Uzumaki watches it fall with a pained expression on his face. His eyes are dark threatening to leak, and his bright, blonde hair is a paler color, reflecting his past mistakes. His hands, cheeks and ears have adapted a rosey tint, though Naruto refuses to go inside. He ditched his cloak, too.

Slowly, his sight blurs as an image of Sasuke pops into his mind. Everything sounds fuzzy.

His eyebrows are furrowed and his nostrils are flaired as he remembers his conversation with Karui and Omoi.

"What the hell do you guys want?" he called to them, Sai ready to contribute if necessary.

"We just overheard the three of you talking about Sasuke Uchiha. We wanna know about him, and you're gonna tell us," Omoi replied. Sakura angrily yelled back, "Why, what does all of this have to do with you Cloud ninja, anyway?"

"A whole lot, 'cause Sasuke Uchiha of the Leaf assaulted the Hidden Cloud Village!" In unison, Naruto and Sakura gasped.

Ferociously, Karui intervened, "You heard him, your rogue shinobi kidnapped our beloved master! We don't even know if he's dead or alive!" Her voice portrayed true pain, fury and desperation.

Sakura looked to the ground and quietly sulked, "That's... a lie! Sasuke... Why would he ever do something like that?"

"How the hell should we know the Akatsuki's motives?"

Naruto's once bright, baby blue eyes transferred to a more translucent, shady color. "The Akatsuki? What are you talking about?"

"Ugh," Karui groaned and pointed to them, "You guys are trying my patience. Of course Sasuke is a member of the Akatsuki!"

"It's because you let your rogue ninja run loose that Lord Raikage dispatched us here! We've already got the Hokage's permission to get rid of him!"

Naruto deadpanned and stared at him with a chill running down his spine. Sasuke... kidnapped their master?

"We will avenge our master," Omoi promised. Karui solemnly added, "We're going to take down Sasuke."

Hazily, everything came back to him, as he blankly stared at the white snow. The promises from his other comrades replaced the depressing memories of Omoi and Karui.

He closes his eyes in attempt to block out the pain. He remembers Madara explaining Itachi's past, and his self-sacrificing motives.

"Sasuke's goal now is to reek vengeance on the Hidden Leaf, for what they did to Itachi, and entire Uchiha clan. Everything he does is for revenge. He's the real thing: a true avenger. That hate, that is Sasuke's ninja way."

Naruto sharply exhales, anger and confusion piling up in his gut. His breathing becomes unstable, and his hand feels tingly as everything shakes. A few tears land on top of his course palm, until he balls it into a fist.

Sai, Sakura, Kiba, Bushybrow, Kakashi-sensei, Gaara...

A thick steam escapes Naruto's mouth and his throat goes dry. He is unable to process anything in the world.

Naruto brings a hand up to his heart and can feel the fast pounding as it gives out. Quickly, Kakashi notices this and asks, "Naruto, what's the matter?"

His knees plummet into the snow, with his arms crossed over his chest. Everything seems to be in slow motion, and it's all cold. He can feel himself slowly becoming unconscious as he tumbles into the plush, white flakes.

He can hear Kakashi yell, "Calm down, Naruto!"

"He's hyperventilating," Yamato frenzies.

"Slow your breathing down!"

Calls of Naruto fill the air as he falls into a deep sleep. "Naruto, can you hear me? Naruto!"

xxx

662 words