𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑺 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

The choice

"Stay with me". Those three words echoed through Akashi's mind. Sasuke wants him to stay? After all that happened? After he even told him he hated him, he still wants him to stay? Is this a trick? Is this some kind of trap? The hand on his neck shifted and a thumb caressed the side of his jaw. "Stay". The boy in front of him repeated, but Akashi didn't know what to do.

"I...". His words got lost in the making and he stumbled backwards, separating from the other boy. "I cannot".

Sasuke furrowed his brows in the darkness, something akin to anger flashing across his features. "You still want to stay there? Even after everything that happened? Even after all the pain they caused you?! You still wish to stay!" His voice became louder and his words were said with such harshness, that Akashi almost flinched back just from the sound of them. "Haven't you had enough of the pain?!" Sasuke's whole stance showed just how angry he was. Fists clenched at his sides, teeth gritting against one another, wide eyes staring at Akashi.

Has he had enough? Was everything too much for him?

"Yes". Was his answer for everything. He wished to stay... Even after all that happened, he wished to stay... The pain was excruciating... It burned him from the inside out. Everything hurt... A blade would be a mercy right now, compared to the amount of pain he felt. But... How could he leave the other part of himself behind? No matter how much he tried to push everything away, Naruto always seemed to find a way to crawl back into his heart. He was his little brother, and as much as he tried to deny it, he couldn't...

A sudden force made him stumble backwards into the cold, cave walls. "I don't understand... After everything... Is your loyalty to the village that strong?" Akashi flinched as a fist slammed next to his head and pieces of the wall crumbled to the ground. He blinked his eyes and looked at the Uchiha in front of him. Why did he care so much? After all of this time, why now?

"My loyalty is not towards the village". He admitted.

Sasuke's eyes widened in realisation and he pulled his fist away from the wall, then, he chose to lower his head onto the redhead's shoulder. "Naruto...". He said after a moment of silence... It wasn't said as a question.

"Yes". Hands slide into his own, and fingers intertwine with his own. He didn't have any will to push the other boy away. The both of them were hurting, but for different reasons, he knew that. But, their pain was different, so, so different. Sasuke's pain was akin to a blizzard, slowly freezing him to the bone, leaving no part of him warm. Akashi's pain was akin to a forest fire, burning him from the inside out, leaving nothing but ash to fill his mind.

They aren't compatible... Not at all... The closer they are to one another, the more do they destroy each other.

"It hurts to be near you". He spoke up, feeling the boy stiffen at his words. "Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of that night...". The grip the other boy had on his hands tightened. It was so quiet, he could hear Sasuke breathe...

His grip loosened and Akashi's hands were released from the hold he had on them. Sasuke shifted, lifting his head from the shoulder it was on, and looked at him with his abyss-dark eyes. "I'm sorry...". The words left his lips before he could think of the consequences. He could only watch as Akashi closed his eyes and released a sigh.

"There they are again... Those forsaken words...". Hearing him say that, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if he made a mistake. Did they just take a step back? A step back from everything? "Why must you say them again?" The boy asked, blank eyes staring at Sasuke.

"Because I mean them". Akashi let out a humourless chuckle at that.

"Oh, do you now?" He pushed off the wall. The fist came flying before Sasuke could do anything. It connected with his jaw and he stumbled backwards, tripping over his feet and landing onto the hard ground. A shadow loomed over him, and as soon as he opened his eyes, a weight settled over him and a hand gripped around his neck, forcing him down.