Forgotten Love | SasuNaru

~Chapter 38

Sasuke POV

The loud barking in the distance was quick to get my attention. Following the noise to the meeting spot, I watched as the small red dog stared up with glee. Shino soon appeared behind me, a bit silent as he walked up to the pup. "Why is Kiba's hound here....do you think Kiba might be in trouble" Shino seemed to ask absentmindedly. "If that were true, doubt the pup would look so happy" I responded. "So this is good news then..." Shino stated as the red pup yipped then began to bolt off.

We followed Akemaru until we came across a cave hidden by thick vines. The entrance was small, it was easier to crawl inside then to crouch walk through. Luckily the crawl time was just as short as the entrance and opened up more once you got pass the entry way. It was still a bit cramped with the low ceiling but that wasn't what I was concerned with. There I saw him, Naruto cuddling up against Kiba a bit too closely. I think maybe Kiba could sense his life was in danger as he gently shoved Naruto to the side.

Despite the clear protest from the sleepy Naruto, I lifted my hand up to his forehead, he's running on a high fever. We can't take him back to the village in this condition, "he needs a nights rest, we won't be able to take him back like this" I stated. I looked at the dim sunlight that managed to slip in through a crack, the sun is going down. "I'll take the first watch" I muttered dryly as I was about to exit the cave before feeling a hand on my shoulder. "I'll take the first watch, you need to rest" Shino spoke, "yeah, I agree with Shino, you've been really stressed out lately man....you need the rest more than any of us, I'll take second watch, you don't have to worry Sasuke..we got this covered" Kiba tried to reassure me. I looked towards Naruto who was now laying soundlessly on his side.

It's barely been two days since he vanished from the hospital and he's already made himself so sick. I blankly stared at the tourniquet placed on his leg, the scratch should be all heal up tomorrow. I walked to a corner in the cave, far from the others, far from Naruto. We'll have to talk later when we get back, I want to know why you left. But maybe it's not as simple as that, everyday it seems you drift farther and farther away from me. I stared at Naruto from across the cave for a few minutes, in truth it might have been hours before I decided to take some time and sleep myself.

Naruto POV

My fever seemed to go down a bit, I felt less hot now, I glanced over to my right to see Sasuke. I could hear them in my sleep but I didn't have the energy to wake up or move. Kurama is already doing so much to make sure I don't overdo it. I began to sit up when I felt something small leaning against me, that's when I noticed Akemaru laying his head on my leg. I couldn't help the smile that finally spread across my face, looking further down my leg. I noticed the freshly wrapped tourniquet around my leg.

I faintly wondered who took care of me in my sleep, I'd have to thank them later. It's a shame I have to ruin their hard work, I thought as I pulled out my kunai. Cutting the tourniquet off, revealing the clear skin underneath, Kurama healed it overnight. I can only do so much like this, with everything that has been happening lately. My Chakra control seems to be dwindling with the stress, no no no stop it, don't cry now. You'll wake the others, damn it, I need to leave now.

That's when I heard a huffed laugh and every molecule in my body froze up. That's when I realized where the laugh came from, I looked behind me in that dark, wet room. "What are you laughing about now, Kurama" I asked, my arms crossed as I stared him down. Feeling a bit irritated, I felt a little lighter in this room, saying I was comfortable would be an overstatement. "Oh...it's nothing, I just thought that..isn't this familiar" Kurama asked me, I felt puzzled by the question. "What, you don't realize" Kurama asked mockingly, "doesn't your actions remind you of a certain young shinobi, that just loved running away from his problem" Kurama stated.