You, Always {Uchiha Sasuke}

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        The news were true when Sasuke took his first step into the white room where his parents laid in bed, motionlessly - all covered in bruises, casts, and bandages. They almost looked lifeless, dead.

        With a step closer, he approached the two beds side by side until his knees began to wobble and broke down to the tiled floor. He didn't reach close enough to them, but it was enough for himself to know that he was in Hell.

        In the brink second, a marble-sized tear slipped down his cheek and then he sobbed in fiery, convincing himself that this isn't real - this isn't reality. But once his shaky hands met his mother's cold ones, there's no way of denying that those were the hands of a corpse; Mikoto's corpse.

        Climbing to a chair not far from him, his torturous eyes wondered to his father laying in his own bed, his expression and appearance matched his wife's as the two shown no sign of life.

        This can't be real.

        Right there and then, Sasuke's mind twirled into different worlds as he felt his own dark thoughts consumed him. All that's left was anger, regret, and sorrow - that he can mourn at the moment with many tears and snots.

        And so he did.

        Behind the door of the room, Ayu's hand touched the surface of the hollow door where Sasuke is locked by himself in. With the rest of the gang, they were all there to witness the truth for themselves and feared that it was. While Sakura sobbing beside Naruto who looked angered and distraught, Satoshi held his girlfriend's shoulder in support.

        They were informed during the day about the incident that happened in the afternoon - that Sasuke's parents died in a car accident, driving off road while coming downhill, and unknowingly did they know, a truck was speeding upwards and collided their car into a hot mess.

        The news overwhelmed them, so they sprinted to the hospital where they held captive. And Ayu's heart soared for him as well, almost killing her in the inside but the mere picture of Sasuke crying by himself. It wasn't too long ago that she saw these people alive - smiling, breathing, and talking. In an instant, they were blown away like dust.

        The rest of the day, Sasuke didn't care to reach out to anyone because he was grieving. No matter how much they try to call him, he doesn't answer.

*~*

        Two days after the accident, the Uchiha family arranged a private funeral for Sasuke's parents. The atmosphere was dead, given by a crowd of people who wore black. Their stifling sniffs were contagious, causing Ayu's brave face to fall into pieces as tears easily streamed down her cheeks.

        There was a casket in front of lined chairs and countless of white roses bloomed around the portraits of Mikoto and Fugaku together, and other photographs were framed beside it. It was a beautiful yet sorrowful sight to gawk at.

        Then Ayu's chocolate-filled eyes caught a spec of raven hair walking steadily to the casket. It was Sasuke, standing in one piece but internally broken. He was the center of attention - calling all sympathy and prayers to him.

        He didn't bother to sit with his friends or anyone specifically, but he stood away far away from anyone else. And so the funeral began.

        It was hard. Everyone was crying limitless tears. But Ayu managed not to shed any more than she needs to, not in front of Sasuke who is already hurting. So her swollen, puffy eyes averted to him and his still body and saw that his face didn't change, dead and dark.

        "Anything you like to say, Sasuke? Son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha," the priest asked generously, but nothing came out of him. He didn't move a muscle.

        For some reason, the crowd sobbed even louder when his silent treatment was enough to understand his state. Nodding, the priest went ahead to make an end to the funeral as he announced everyone to rise from their seats and line up to see the open caskets, seeing Sasuke's parents one final time.

        Satoshi held Ayu's hand the entire time, comforting her after each minute passed until the funeral was over, burying the caskets down in their grave. People tried to clean their faces before walking out of the cemetery.

        Everyone was gone, but all except the the usual group. Then there was Sasuke who stood motionlessly in front of two cold tombstones, engraving this last moment of them as a significant memory.

        "Ayu...," Naruto's words chased her after realizing her body was approaching the lonesome boy.

        Maneuvering slowly to his side, his head peeked at her as his unreflective eyes found her glossy ones. Sasuke's face was expressionless, dead in the inside-out that it pained her. Without a second thought, she wrapped him in her arms securely and cradled his upper body with her own.

        Laying her head against his chest, Ayu's hands rubbed his shoulder blades gently as her condolence reached him.

        "I'm sorry... Really."

        He didn't say anything, not even the slightest motion to push her off or return the hug, but it was expected. He couldn't, and that was okay. Hugging him felt like she was embracing a lonely child. If she says any more to him, she was afraid that he might actually break.

        So instead she held Sasuke in her arms longer, assuring him, comforting him, and to feel at ease. Little does she know, it made him feel even more detached and so small like he was crushed.

        But still, no tears were shed from him. By Ayu's caring support, Sasuke can already feel his heart tearing, crying against hers as she was there to console him. Her warmth and empathy touched him deeply, nearly it lost almost of his sane thoughts.