Hot 'N' Dangerous

Chapter 78: A Dying Celebration

I looked at Naruto’s frail, bloodied figure, he was so close to death.

"Liz, you have to help him, he can’t die," I squeezed Liz’s arm.

Liz’s brow creased, "I will try, but I will not offer you any guarantees," she formed several seals and worked around Naruto’s heart, aiding the erratic heartbeat.

It pained me to ask so much of Liz when she was suffering from quite an amount of injuries of her own as well but I couldn't afford to use any more chakra, else I might risk the death of eight people.

By now, Sasuke had already reached the top of the statue of Madara, "Sasuke! Wait! I'm not finished with you yet," I leaped up to meet him, my dulled sword in my hand.

My left arm was still bleeding badly, I had already lost the feeling in that arm. It was a miracle that I was still on my feet and not lying down, unconscious.

"You want to fight again? You're in no condition, all I have to do is push you and you'd be done for," he looked at me with disgust.

"I’ve also promised that I’d bring you back, even if I had to break all four of your limbs and all four of mine doing it," I said determinedly.

"Hmph, big words, but they are all empty," he snarled.

His assumption was true, I had no more fight left in me but I wouldn't let him go as long as I was alive. I had one last plan.

"Fire Technique: Fireball Jutsu!" he roared and blew a giant inferno at me, engulfing my body in flames.

I braved the hot fire licking at my figure, "Burn me. I’ve already been reduced to ashes, what else is there to burn?" I croaked and continued to walk forward, reaching for him, despite the horrid scorch marks I acquired.

He grimaced and stabbed a kunai into my left shoulder, pushing it into my muscle.

I cringed but I kept advancing, "Stab me. I’ve already received a wound serious enough to kill me, what else is there to stab?"

"Tch!" he collected another Lightning Edge in his hand and thrust his hand through my stomach, his hand coming out the other side.

"Ugh!" blood rolled off of my tongue, falling out of my mouth, "Pierce me. You’ve already irrevocably injured the deepest, most vital part of me, what else is there to pierce?" I gave him a small, weak smile, my sword fell out of my hand.

"Don’t you know when to give up?!" he raged, his eyes were cold.

I looked down, "Hurt me. I’ve already felt the worst pain there is to feel in the world, what else is there to hurt?" tears rolled down my cheeks, "When touched by death, we become invincible to any injury, impervious to any pain... do you still think there's a point in trying to push me away using violence?"

I grabbed his shirt and pulled, his arm went further into my wound until his entire forearm was protruding out of my back, coated thickly in my blood.

I looked into his freezing cold eyes, "Come back… please… I'm begging you... I'll do anything... come back for Konoha, for Team Seven, for Naruto… for me," I begged, "It's not too late."

I reached forward and my lips connected with his. I closed my eyes, letting my instincts take over. My still-warm lips searched for some feeling, some emotion, on his. Blood threatened to explode from my lungs, but I suppressed it. He ripped his hand out of my wound, I almost broke contact but I held on, wrapping my arms around his back and keeping him pressed against me. After what seemed like a millennia, I felt a change in the atmosphere. Something burned bright and hot against the back of Sasuke's neck. There was a blinding red flash and everything suddenly felt warmer. I couldn’t hold on anymore, my eyes opened to see that he was kissing me back. I finally let go.