Commander Kitsune

Forty-Five

GAHHH SO SORRY FOR ANOTHER LATE UPDATE I HAVE TESTS AND STUFF GOING ON AGHAJSNBRYUQJAAQMXYQJA (as you can see, I'm a mess.)

 (Again, I'm bad at fights TvT hopefully I didn't transition too fast but enjoyyyy)

....................................................................................

Sasuke's POV, after Sakura and the rest of Konoha 11 had left the hospital room:

Where... am I? It's dark. I feel quite comfortable. What's happening? Am I dead? No, I don't think so- I think I can hear faint beeping.... a heart monitor? Am I in the hospital? 

Last thing I remember... A collapsed bridge. Naruto's teary-eyed face. Him telling us we had won. Danzo was dead. He's dead? That's good. Wait- why did Naruto look like he wanted to cry back then? Why is it so dark? I can't move.

Was that Sakura and the others a few moments ago? I think so- I heard Sakura's voice, and Kiba, and maybe some others. I can't wake up? Is this a coma? I can still hear, apparently- they say people can hear when in comas, but I've never actually heard of a case like that.

I hear a shift. Someone's next to my hospital bed. I'm assuming I'm in a hospital bed- why else would I feel so warm? Someone takes my hand, pressing my knuckles against their forehead and at once I know it's Naruto. My heart pangs longingly. His hands still feel the same...

"Sasuke... I'm sorry," he says suddenly, his voice so strained and so laced with pain my heart breaks. What is he apologizing for?

"I should've- should've backed you up more. I should've paid more attention." He chuckles dryly. "Look at how cowardly I am- confessing all my wrongdoings to you when you can't even hear me."

I can do nothing but listen as he continues. If I were awake right now I would've embraced him in a hug. Told him I was okay. Told him he didn't need to worry. That I would be fine. Am I fine? 

"You know Sasuke... I've been with Itachi this whole time. These whole 3 years,"  Naruto continues. If I had control over my body, my breath would've hitched. What? Itachi? "He was an old friend. I didn't know where else to go. If you knew all of this, you would kill me, right? You would hate me forever. Don't blame him though- I asked him not to tell. He was actually the person who made me come back. ...He says hi, by the way."

"I want to say sorry. For everything. If I could go back in time and fix every single mistake, every single amount of pain I caused you, I would. But what good would that do? You know where my promises, my apologies led us. You probably won't forgive me anyway. That's fine. I just......" His voice drops to a whisper, the hurt in his voice crisp and clear. "...please come back. I don't know what I would do without you. Please wake up."

My brain can't process what I'm hearing. I don't- what? Is he begging me? He doesn't know what he would do without me? What does that mean? 

Should I be mad at him for leaving me to live with my brother??? I should be, shouldn't I? Why aren't I? Annoyed, sure. But not particularly upset. I find myself not hating him for it. I've always found it very hard to hate him. I guess it makes me feel a bit better knowing he was at least taken care of..... perhaps I'm just glad he's back anyway? I thank Itachi for sending him back. If not for him, I don't know whether Naruto would've came back or not. 

I'm fine, Naruto. Don't worry. I'll wake up. I promise.

Wake up, I scold myself. Wake up.