A C C E P T A N C E

N I G H T M A R E

Blood... so much blood.

The battlefield was riddled with it, causing the sand and soil to turn a sickly maroon color under my feet. I tried to ignore the stench as I ran through the decapitated bodies, desperately searching for any sign of him anywhere.

Where are you...?

My legs felt as if I'd been running for hours, and yet, time seemed to stop entirely. The crimson moon hung heavily over my head, still positioned in the same spot in the sky as it always was. As I looked on, the shadowy craters on it's surface shifted and became a menacing set of eyes. They stared down at me judgmentally, silently accusing me of not trying hard enough.

Shaking my head in fear, I cursed and backed away from the threatening gaze. In my haste though, I tripped over one of the many corpses covering the ground and landed on my back on the other side of the body. I tried to pick myself up from the soil, but suddenly my muscles felt too incredibly tired to obey.

That was when I noticed that this corpse had a head.

"Sasuke!"

I yelled and forced myself into a sitting position, reaching forward to pull myself closer to him. His skin was cold to the touch as I felt his neck with my fingers, searching for any sign of a pulse.

I'm too late.

He was already dead.

Tears pricked my eyes and my jaw began to tremble.

Why am I always too late?

My vision blurred as I stared down at his perfect face. His skin was completely unmarred by the war, making him appear to simply be sleeping. I choked back a sob as I reached forward to brush his long hair from his eyes, watching as it cascaded down either side of his temple. But then, his lips began to move as if my touch brought life back into his soul.

"Ayuka," his lifeless mouth whispered, calling out to me.

"Sasuke," I answered immediately, leaning closer to hear his reply. "Sasuke, what is it?"

"Why..." his lips moved slowly in a foreign manner, as if he wasn't in control of them anymore. "Why did you let me die, Ayuka?"

I frozen momentarily.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered.

"Why, Ayuka?" He repeated, but as he spoke his voice began to change. I cowered away from him, feeling my stomach churn as his corpse continued to mock me.

"Ayuka..."

"No. No, this isn't real."

"Ayuka!"

I grabbed my head with my hands, shaking myself with enough force to see stars in my vision.

"Ayuka!"

No. That's not Sasuke...

"Ayuka!"

Who... who is that...?

"Ayuka, wake up!"

My eyes shot open, immediately taking in Suigetsu's frightened expression. One of his hands gripped my shoulder tightly while the other rested on my cheek. My hyperventilating began to subside as I registered his touch, calming my nerves enough for me to lay back on my pillow. My tired eyes wandered his form, noticing his messy hair and shirtless torso.

Evidence that my screams had woken him yet again.

"I'm sorry," I choked out hoarsely. "I didn't mean to wake you..."