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Hopeless Nightmares

Sasuke walked alone down the streets of Konoha. The sun was shining, causing him to overheat under his heavy cloak, while his feet kicked up dust with each solemn step. He raised his chin to look at all the people smiling, enjoying their day, getting their fill of their new land of peace. It lifted him a bit, to know that, even after all of the turmoil he'd faced and chaos he'd caused, the village was able to rebuild and thrive. And even more so, he was alive to be a part of it. Sasuke turned the corner down a shaded alley, in the director of his house. A cloud then covered up the sun as the voices of the villagers faded away into the murky distance. An uneasy feeling creeped up on Sasuke, as he spun around to see an absence of villagers... An abandoned Konoha? Confused, Sasuke picked up the pace. He headed back to where he came from, but there was absolutely no one in sight. He went from street to street, complex to complex in search of someone, anyone...

A slurping noise jolted him as he winced to see a large, flesh like being engulf him completely. Trapping him inside, and reconfiguring his entire setting, Sasuke braced himself. Konoha was no more, now he was in the belly of some beast it seemed. Sasuke's eyes were restless as he racked his brain for an answer to what was going on. Wasn't he just with Naruto? His mind was drawing a blank. And while Sasuke's attention was diverted, his throat was gripped tightly by a hand, whose skin tone was similar to his own, decorated with a purple nail polish.

Itachi.

Sasuke tried to free himself from his brother's death grip, but it was pointless. He was powerless against him. Sasuke could feel his heart beat slow as if he was a few breath's away from his last. Itachi leaned into Sasuke, and just like he remembered... "You don't have enough hatred." Sasuke's eyes widened in utter fear, but also complete sadness, as those words rang in his ear and echoed for, what it felt like, hours. He didn't want to remember his brother this way, and he'd fought for any control he could muster, but his efforts went nowhere. He tried to yell, but couldn't. There was so much he despised himself for, but emphasizing this trauma was the worst.

And just as Sasuke believed that he'd have to accept the fate of this mind play...

Naruto?

Sasuke strained to make sense of this situation, Itachi, or so he thought, had melted away into Naruto. Naruto was choking him... And his grip was different. While Itachi's felt like torture, Naruto's had intent to kill. Sasuke's wide range of emotional trauma hit him in full force, piercing his heart with a swift jab. It felt as though Naruto was trying to suffocate Sasuke's emotions, barring them from ever being let out. He watched as Naruto enjoyed this slow death of his former comrade. Sasuke could even feel himself take one final breath, his tunnel vision sinking...

Is this real?

All he could see, just as his eyes were about to fade to black, was Naruto's grimacing face switch from that familiar rage to utter concern and loss.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, as Sasuke fell into the darkest pit...

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Sasuke jerked himself awake from a cold sweat. His pupils were dilated and the whites of his eyes were straining, blood pooling out of his Sharingan. He couldn't move his head, so he was forced to calm down, while looking at the blank ceiling. Occasionally, he still gasped for air as if it was going to leave him again, but soon enough regained control. He used his hand to feel around him, so he could piece together where he actually was while the rest of his body eased up on the dream's heavy paralysis.

Sheets... Bed...

So, it was a dream, or a nightmare... And this was just the aftershock, an intense one at that. Sasuke sank into the bed's mattress, letting the fear under his skin fade into nothing. He'd finally gained mobility in his neck enough so that he could turn his head to the side. Oh, he remembered now. He'd decided to stay the night... At Naruto's. Just as he was about to question where the blonde was, a loud snore came from the floor beside the bed. Sasuke leaned forward, peering over the edge to see Naruto, sprawled out, like always, and deep in his sleep. Thankfully, Sasuke didn't wake him. He hates having to explain things in detail, which is normally what he'd have to do with Naruto. He wasn't the type to pick up on things so easily.