Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Blind ❯ Nothing Left ( Chapter 1 )

"Hey, dunce..." Sasuke managed weakly as he kneeled down, bandage on his stomach constricting his movement. This...

"I guess this is it, huh?" He allowed a sad smirk to fall into place as he gazed at what lie before him.

A single hair was lifted from his face by a breath of soundless wind as he held back every possible emotion he held, trying to remain strong. A ninja could only show strength, no matter the situation, but it was difficult, especially when you were doing something for the first time...something you never wanted to have to do.

He gazed down upon Naruto's grave.

"Naruto...why do I feel like...I should be under that soil instead?" That question alone would plague his mind for an eternity; it wasn't meant to be answered. There weren't any words that could describe his feelings at the moment...there never would be.

Uzumaki Naruto was gone.

A child's laugh came from behind him. That sound...it made him so sad for some reason. He'd never gotten the chance to be that carefree, innocent child who had the power to laugh at a time like this. But...that wasn't what made him grieve; it was that Naruto, who had been given a life with even less than what Sasuke had taken away...who had faced more pain than anyone else...had still found the courage to laugh...when Sasuke couldn't even do that much.

An eternity pressed into twelve short years...was not long enough.

"Maybe someday, I can find something that can make me...as strong as you were, Naruto." He murmured, gritting his teeth with what could only be described as suffering. His head dropped suddenly, and even though his bandages held his stomach stiff, he managed to allow himself what seemed to be an unmistakable slump, bringing his hands level with his knees. "Who am I kidding...?" He whispered, tears lining his eyes. "...Naruto was one in a million."

How could he have been so blind?

"I never saw anything that you did, dunce...not even once..." His back shook with imprisoned sobs. "...somehow, even after everything you'd known...contempt...hatred and animosity...loneliness...you still found some way to love life itself and have the strength to live a happy life..."

There was...

Oh, god, he missed him already. Naruto had brought Sasuke's emotions to the surface unlike anyone else...even Itachi. He deserved to have a long, joyful life...to make his dreams come true...and to prove to the world that heroes existed...but...he couldn't.

...nothing left...

"...it's because...you died. Someone...precious...died." His eyes widened. He...had he ever thought of anything as 'precious' before? "You made me realize the meaning of the word courage...you made me realize that I can grow up more than I already have..." Yes...he was just a child bearing a grudge...one that couldn't do anything about his own selfishness or see past the pain to find his own life.

...except the tears...

"God, Naruto...why did someone like you have to die? Can't you get up just long enough to make me angry at you again?! I killed you! Can't you make me stop feeling this ridiculous pain?!" He gripped his hair, closing his eyes tightly as his tears struggled to come forth.

...left by those...

"You...dunce, you could overcome anything...you could shine more brightly than anything or anyone...and grow stronger and stronger...I don't care if you were a damned fox or something! You're Uzumaki Naruto! You...you made...everything so hard on everyone...but at the same time, found a way to make life worth living...you were...so important..."

...who cared enough...

"...Kakashi...was buried next to...him..." He shook his head, ignoring the slight drizzle coming from the sky above him. "...Sakura hasn't found out...Lee's bringing her here...so is Neji...both are clueless...why are Iruka and I the only ones who know?"

...to cry.

The truth of the situation was becoming far too real for Sasuke to handle. He couldn't yell at Naruto for being an idiot again...ever. He wouldn't see him gorging himself with ramen every day when he should have been training or something...he couldn't ever insult him...never see his blue eyes narrow in anger again...

The one who truly mattered...was gone.

"Sasuke!" He didn't turn around; the only people that could be coming were...Sakura, Lee, Neji, Ino's team, and Hinata's team. That was...what Naruto would've wanted...right? "Sasuke! What happened to you?!"

The world couldn't see him...

Slowly, the raven-haired boy turned his tear-streaked face upon them. "Naruto...I killed him..." He whispered, placing a single hand on the fresh soil. "Kakashi...he's gone, too. Naruto...no, the demon fox...slaughtered him..."

...nobody noticed him...

He turned back to the grave, ignoring everything else. Naruto...how could I have ever been so blind? He wondered, finally giving up and crying.

...nobody saw the lonely child behind his mask.

And as Sasuke finally stood to leave, the rain came down harder and harder. His face turned to the sky, Sasuke allowed himself to picture the one he couldn't rescue...not this time, not ever...and repeated something to himself silently.

I was blind to the fact that…only once...can you learn how to grow up...