colours - a sasunaru story

the ephemerality of life

My automatic reaction was to reach him as fast as I could without a second thought; it's only when I'm outside the door does it sink in that he is here.

Anxiety seeps into my stomach and rises as I start to have an anxiety attack for everything is confusing me. This is the boy I've been searching for, that I've gotten stronger for. This is my friend who was trapped in the dark abyss that awaited him. This is my friend who can be in my arms soon. Will he look any different? Is he okay? Of course he's not - he's at the hospital for God's sake!

Hands pull down mine that had started to claw my head intrinsically and a sea of green fills my mind.

"Naruto - this is the moment we've waited so long for" she speaks softly whilst all I can manage is a pitiful nod.

I didn't expect for him to be wrapped in bandages and I have to wash away any emotion seeping into my face when Sakura runs to him and starts to heal him, for I will never be able to help him the way she can.

"How is he doing?" comes out of my mouth and a puzzled expression appears on my countenance at the repetition of my irrational movements.

"He'll be okay, he just needs to rest for a while" she replies and sighs due to a large portion of her chakra being drained.

I manage to smile at her to try to ease her into this situation but I recognise from her face that she's just as overwhelmed as I am.

"Hey, I promised you I'd bring him back to the village - one way or another" I say which manages to make Sakura crack a smile.

"Yeah, you did"

An hour passes of mainly an uncomfortable silence which is broken by Sakura stating that she's leaving.

"Oh okay" I try to say casually in hopes that she'll realise why I am not getting up.

"Are you staying?" she asks with a scintilla of doubt and a pang of jealousy.

I awkwardly let out the word "yeah..." and hope that she won't stay for any longer.

"Just for a little bit" I add on, however the additional speech spoke through my voice cracking due to the unease of the situation.

"Ah okay, bye then" she says and smiles.

~

"Naruto?" a mellifluous voice guides me out of a sleep I'd drifted into.

My cloudy eyes clear in an instant for I realise who lays ahead of me.

"Sasuke" I try to yell however it comes out as a fast whisper but I have no time to process this for I wrap my arms around him tightly, my head resting on his shoulder. I know my actions have surprised him for I feel his breathing change, rapidly increasing, however the minute he moves his arms to hug me back, any hope of remaining calm is corrupted for after all of this time, I get that feeling of hope, I get the idea of having a purpose.

But of course, everything is ephemeral, especially the joy I could experience with him, and Tsunade rushes in proclaiming news that I naïvely assumed would never reach my ears and leave a bitter taint of disgust on my tongue: "Jiraiya is dead"