One last time

Chapter 18

Naruto woke up to the annoying beeps of the heart monitor before his other senses started working. The room didn't smell like disinfectant, Tsunade probably ordered for the room to be cleaned with some fresh lavender smelling product. He cracked his eyes open, aware that they felt like they were glued together. The room was dimly lit so it didn't hurt his eyes but everything else was hurting and he didn't know why. "-Ruto? Naruto can you hear me?" A soft voice reached his ears. Naruto blinked groggily and turned his head weakly towards the direction of the voice. A blurry figure leaned over towards him. "Tsunade?" Naruto breathed out, his eyes half-lidded.
"I'm here. I'm here." Shes whispered, grasping the hand that came up to search for her. She pressed the hand to her lips, as if offering a gesture of comfort and motherly love that Naruto had never felt from his real mother at a age beyond 3. He could barely remember anything about his parents now... They are just distant memories that he is desperately reaching out to try pull them back so that he doesn't forget them. Naruto tried to crack a smile for Tsunade to see through the oxygen mask that fogs up every time he breathes. He spasmed in pain suddenly, causing Tsuande to panic as she tried to reach for the help button to call for back up but Naruto's grip tightened around her hand to tell her not to let go. "Everything hurts." Naruto gasped out.
"Its going to be okay 'Ruto. I'm here. Don't worry." Tsunade whispered soothingly as her foot tried to reach the button. YES. Tsunade cheered mentally in victory when she felt the button move under her foot. Nurses rushed in and Tsunade quickly demanded for painkillers. The last thing Naruto remembered before succumbing to the sweet oblivion was Tsunade kissing him on the forehead. Tsunade pressed her lips into a thin line when Naruto's eyes drifted shut and a tear fell from his eye when she pressed a kiss onto his forehead. He still thinks he is to blame for their deaths...

Sasuke knocked impatiently on Naruto's door. He has been standing there for almost 30 minutes with no reply and no sound from inside the house whatsoever. Where are you dobe? Sasuke thought worriedly as he started tapping his foot on the cement again. "Stop it Sasuke, he might have gone out." Itachi called out when he arrived later to see Sasuke still standing there.
"I have been standing there for almost half an hour! Do you think he is okay?! Why didn't he answer the door? " Sasuke asked in paranoia, panicking about his friend's safety and wellbeing.
"If he was home, I'm sure he would have answered. If he didn't answer even if he was home, it is safe to say he is trying to avoid us all." Itachi said calmly, deep inside he was a maelstrom of emotions. Worry, fear, anxiety, sadness ... (See what I did there lmao. )
Sasuke sighed and went with Itachi to go back to their mansion. "Why is he avoiding us?" Sasuke muttered to himself, nibbling on his fingernail.
"Don't do that Sasuke." Itachi chided lightly, remembering how Naruto always reminded Sasuke patiently not to do it. Sasuke jumped in fright, his hand flying from his mouth when he realised what he was doing. "I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason for sending those letters-"
"And breaking up with you over the letter? Are you going to just sit back and do nothing about it? He may have a valid reason but it isn't clear! He can't just break up with someone over a letter! You love him! Do somethi-"
"I love him. I love him so much, Sasuke. If he wants to leave, the only thing I can do to make him happy is let him go." Sasuke growled at Itachi, getting frustrated by the older man. Sasuke flung a cushion with all his might at Itachi then pounced on him just as the cushion made contact with Itachi's chest. Sasuke straddled him angrily, gripping his shoulders and shaking him. "Can't you tell that he isn't f*ing alright? Naruto would NEVER do that! There is something wrong! He is hiding something serious from us! He may need our support and help! We can't just sit back and wait for things to work itself out!" Sasuke snarled, gritting his teeth at Itachi as he tried to shake some sense into his older brother. Why does he not understand?! What if Naruto really needs our help? Oh god. Whoever that is listening right now, please let Naruto be okay... Please. Sasuke sent a silent prayer for Naruto.