Let It Burn: Death [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 65

Chapter Inspiration: Let It Burn by RED

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. The fight had been nothing short of intense. When was the last time he fought this hard? The Fourth Shinobi War? This rogue was unlike the others, who all easily went down either with little to some fight or were too arrogant for their own good. Thinking they could go against him only to meet their demise swiftly in the end. This one fell into that last category, but none of this had been easy in the slightest. Team Taka had been caught off guard and ripped into with terrible causalities.

Glancing around the forest, Sasuke surveyed the damage. Karin was gone, her unseeing eyes staring into nothing. She was lying chest first on the ground with a pool of blood under her. Suigetsu... the Uchiha wasn't prepared to find him dead. Covered in burns from lightning jutsus and with his throat slit. Blood covered the lips and chin due to his heart bursting from the strain. He thought at least that the swordsman could've been able to hold off the target. But he was gone, as Jugo was slowly dying further away. Pinned to the ground and fighting with his cursed seal to stay intact to prolong his life. It was only a matter of time though as the Uchiha stood alone. The Earth Jutsus were still holding tight even if the No Face rogue was indisposed of at the moment. The fact that the rogue had yet to pull themselves from the destroyed trees made him realize that the attack had probably rendered them unconscious. That or they were seriously wounded. Good. All the better to kill them without mercy for killing his allies. They were dangerous and couldn't be allowed to continue on. Not after witnessing the elimination of Team Taka and then managing to keep up with him. Even with Susanoo.

His head turned. There was a shift in the forest.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

She sat on the edge of the hospital bed staring out the window in the room. Her feet didn't reach the floor, small body slightly slumped with dull eyes. Outside, everything seemed so happy with its blue skies, chirping birds, and white puffy clouds. But the girl felt anything but that. Inside was dismal and quiet.

The door on the far side of the room opened. She didn't turn to greet the visitor as they walked closer. They came to a stop beside the bed, staring at the girl's profile.

"Mai?"

It was a welcoming voice, but also one filled with a bit of worry. She had been in the hospital for quite some time without much contact between them since that night. First due to a coma. Then being restrained and sedated from terrible nightmares as a result from the ordeal months ago. Finally, the help of a psychiatrist and various doctors ended the long string of setbacks. In the end, Mai felt completely empty as the hospital decided to release her.

Sasuke didn't say anything, watching a few feet away. He was told not to smother her. Wait for the Be Fong to come and open up to him. In reality he was in the same exact boat as her. He would never go into detail to any other person what he experienced and felt in those moments up against his brother. Except with her. Because they understood each other.

"What are we going to do, Sasuke?" she whispered.

Sasuke thought for a moment before stepping forward and lightly taking her hand in his. "I'm going to take care of you, and protect you. I promise that he won't hurt you again."

No one would.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------