School of Monsters

Chapter 25

We got Sasuke above ground before setting him down at the tunnel entrance, and I watched as Tobi walked away.

Sasuke gazed at me with sad eyes, tears threatening to fall but he wouldn't let them until I smiled and held his cheek in my hand.

Konan came over and pulled a small First Aid kit out of her cloak, treating to Sasuke's wounds as his eyelids drooped, threatening to pass out from pain.

"Don't you dare, Sasuke. Keep your eyes open and look at me, it will be over soon. It will be okay, remember that's what you told me." I told him, watching as he tried to stay awake.

I took his hand in mine, squeezing it and watching him try to smile.

"My love, please, hold on."  I whispered between sobs as his eyes closed, his body losing the little strength it had. I took hold on his wrist feeling for his small heartbeat. Its there, at least.

"Sasuke..." I sobbed, letting tears fall out of my face as Konan finished tending his wounds. She was about to speak, but noticed how distraught I was and kept her mouth shut.

"Sasuke, please. You can't give up now. You're the one who told me to stay strong when you were hurting. You told me to hope when you were giving up hope yourself. If you die here, I won't be able to live with myself. Y-you see these?" I lifted up my hoodie sleeve, "These were caused because some guy I considered an older brother died for me, died for the pathetic life that is me. And he was beautiful, too. Brown hair always in a ponytail and he loved kids, that's why he was a teacher. He always told me to eat healthier and to always be happy despite the way others treated him and he told me the reason behind his nose scar.

His name was Iruka and I liked to call him my older brother because he treated me like a 6 year old when I was 12 but I knew he cared and he cared so much he sacrificed himself for me. Why am I telling you this? Because I don't want you to make the same mistake. Now in this moment I'm noticing how much the people around me have taught me, even if they weren't teachers or they didn't say a word, it was just a look and I should have learned back then never to hate but to always love. Something Jiraiya once told me was that love hurt a lot, but that's okay because you get the best feelings around someone you love and you always feel happy around them and you feel bubbly and you notice the littlest things about them. I never took his words to heart but sitting here now I know what he means because my heart is in pieces and is aching and it hurts so much its suffocating me and it makes me want to die, but maybe this is what love feels like.

You know, I never imagined touching you or defiling you or however you want to put it, I always imagined the stupid little couple things that people do when they're in love because they love they're significant other so much because to them the other person is their life force, their everything. I've always imagined waking up next to you, running my hands through your hair because I can, making you special coffee because you like water based coffee because you're different but I don't care that you're different because its always been the little thing that made my heart beat quicker and my breathe to be stolen from my lungs. And honestly, you do so many little things I bet you don't even realize yourself but I guess that's what I'm here for, huh?

And god have I even said a word about how beautiful you are, inside and out? You're the most beautiful person I've ever laid eyes on, or maybe that's what my brain is telling me but I don't care because everything about you is perfect, and anyone who says otherwise can bite my ass because you're fucking beautiful and gorgeous and perfect it makes me want to beat the shit out of Sakura because she doesn't know shit, she doesn't notice half the things I've noticed. She hasn't got distracted in class trying to count the amount of scales on your tail or trying to dedicate your voice and face to memory so I'll never forget you because I've fallen hard for you.

If I could trade places with you I could because you have an entire life ahead of you and yet I don't even know what I want to be when I grow up because I've been wanting to end with pathetic life of mine for years and yet the people around me won't let me die. Sasuke, you're a fucking angel I hope you know that. I'm just a piece of dirt, so I wish I could trade places with you.

Damnit Sasuke, I love you so much my heart can't handle it. I couldn't handle it if you died right know. I like to think I'm strong, but I'm not. I'm weak, so so weak and you're making me this way and I hate it. I've hated feeling weak ever since I was little and yet around you I feel like its okay to be weal sometimes because you'll be strong for me. A wise man once said that people cry not because they're weak but because they've been strong for too long, and I've been strong for way too long, so I need to let you be strong for a while, Sasuke."

Through my blurry vision I watched tears fall from Sasuke's eyes before he opened them, looking up at me.

"I never thought anyone could live me the way I've always dreamed of being loved..." He whispered.

"You heard all that?"

"Its like you were talking to me in my dream..."

"Sorry you had to listen to all my lovey dovey crap."

"You were saying all those words because you meant them, right?"

"Yeah"

"Then I enjoyed listening"

Sasuke pulled our faces closer nuzzling our noses together, then putting our foreheads together as he breathed in and out softly.

"Naruto..."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"A lot of things. Being a good student, rescuing me and all the other cybrids from Orochimaru, for loving me."

"Of course. I try my best for those I love."

"I get the feeling you don't say I love you very often."

"I don't think I've ever told Jiraiya I've loved him, so guess that answers that for ya."

Sasuke moved to cup my cheek with his hand, looking at me lovingly. I set my hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer and closer until our lips collided.

The kiss was soft, but there was so much emotion in it that it felt like two world's had collided. In a way, I guess they did. Me and Sasuke's worlds collided, exploding into a gorgeous display of color and rock and fire.

"Sasuke, you mean the world to me and I love you."

"I love you too, Naruto."

He smiled, his eyes shining with an unfamiliar warmth. He held my face in his hand, and I lent into it. Closing my eyes for a few seconds, I opened them up and stared straight back into his eyes, love and passion burning within my heart.

I have a feeling we will all be okay now.