I Want You For Myself (Sasuke/Itachi Romance)

8. I Need You

My eyes slowly opened, my brain catching up to remember where I was. I sat up stiffly, the needles preventing me from moving normally when I froze. My heart literally stopped, or more like the whole world stopped, as I saw a dark figure laying on the ground not even a foot away from me. I almost didn't want to get closer knowing what I would see, yet my feet picked me up and began walking foward.

"Sasuke?" my voice echoed in the silence.

I fell to my knees right by his body feeling sick to my stomach as I looked at the numerous needles sticking out of his body. I whimpered, frantically starting to take the needles out of him, but then stopped realizing it was useless. I touched his face, caressing his cold cheek.

There was blood dripping from his lip and I gently wiped it away. Sasuke. What happened to you?

I could feel it coming...the tears. I tried to hold them back, but as I looked at his gentle face, I kept replaying one specific moment in my head.

"This is the last time I'm saying this Sasuke. I Don't Need You."

"Dammit!" I cried out, hating myself, "Sasuke, I'm so sorry!" I sobbed my tears falling onto my lap and onto his face, "Please don't be dead. Please...Don't leave me here alone..." The thought of never seeing him again racked my heart and it felt like it was literally shattering to pieces.

"The truth is, I do need you Sasuke...You're the only person I have left in this world," I cried, "And now...you're gone and I didn't even get to say goodbye." I took his hand in mine. "You were always there to protect me...and where was I?"

"This is death Akira." Kotaro's voice quietly floated to me as he stood at a distance watching me through the mist, "This is what you signed up for when you became a ninja. You can't blame yourself for what happened."

"I know..." I whispered trying to hold my sobs down, "I know that. And still...it hurts so much. When we were younger, he seemed unstoppable to me. He still did to this day...and that's where I made my mistake. I thought he was going to be around forever. But. He's gone now. He...He's dead."

I smiled through the tears remembering the times we smiled together, "I could act like I hated him all I wanted, but the truth was he was the most important person to me, Kotaro...He was the one who got me through all the pain of losing my brother. Of losing my home. I couldn't have made it without him..." I squeezed my eyes shut, sobbing against his chest, "And he died believing I hated him!"

I probably could have cried for hours there, but I heard Kotaro leave just as Sakura and Tazuna made their way to the scene. I sat up, wiping my face and my sad blue eyes met Sakura's green eyes.

"No," she whispered knowing immediately from the tears in my eyes that Sasuke was gone. Tazuna and I watched sadly as she began to break down just like I had, reciting a clause that said ninja weren't supposed to show any emotion in any situation. Yet how could we not? She finally let go, sobbing on his chest loudly. Seeing her cry made me want to cry even more. This just didn't feel real.

"Sakura...," I felt Sasuke's cold hand stir in my hand, "It's hard to breathe with you on me."

My eyes snapped open and I stared down at Sasuke's body.

"Akira, Tazuna, he's alive!" Sakura cried.

His eyes were open and he grunted underneath Sakura in pain as she hugged him. I quickly wiped my eyes, scared that Sasuke would see, when I felt the squeeze of his now warm hand. When I looked back at him, he was gazing into my blue eyes which only shimmered with more tears at the sight of his face. I mustered a smile at him and then quickly stood back on my feet letting his hand go, my hand tingling from his touch.

"Where's Naruto, and that other ninja Haku?" Sasuke asked weakly.

Sakura sat up wiping her wet cheek smiling, "Naruto is fine and Haku is dead. He jumped in front of an attack to save Zabuza." Sakura said wiping her wet cheek smiling down lovingly at Sasuke. I looked around and noticed that the mist had dissipated that you could actually see. From where we were standing, I could see Naruto, Kakashi, and a dead Haku. There was also a mob of vicious looking ninjas.

"No, Sasuke, you shouldn't get up," Sakura said as Sasuke struggled to get on his feet, but he ignored her. We both helped him up and turned towards the direction of Naruto, "Naruto, look! Sasuke's okay!" she yelled happily.

I could see Naruto's sappy grin as Sasuke put his hand up in sort of half-ass wave. My chest felt like it was going to explode with happiness, but the moment was soured as the rogue ninja who were left threatened to raid the village. It was then that the villagers and Tazuna's daughter and grandson Inari showed up to drive the ninja away. Let's just say, those ninja didn't stick around to see the completion of the bridge.

After having a proper burial for the bodies of Zabuza and Haku, and saying goodbye to the villagers and Tazuna, we were finally on our way home.

It was beautiful out now that the mist had completely disappeared from the island. The breeze was nice and gentle and the seagulls screeched up above. I stared at each of my teammates, my wolf, and my sensei taking in this moment as I watched the light of the sunset dance on each of their faces. Naruto smiled goofily at Sakura and Kakashi...and Sasuke.

My heart beat quickened, and my eyes turned blue as I thought about the fact that I had almost lost him...

I sighed looking off into the sea, embarrassed at my own thoughts. What was I thinking? It's not like he was even mine to begin with.

"Hey." I felt a little tug on the back of my hair.

I looked away from the water startled, to see Sasuke's dark eyes staring back at me, "Sasuke?"

Well. There goes my heart again.

"Are you...ok?" he asked reluctantly, almost embarassed.

"Oh, I'm fine." My brows furrowed a little confused at why he'd ask.

"Well then. Would you stop looking so sad already?" He looked away almost irritated.

My face reddened as I quickly looked away from him trying to keep my cool, "I'm not sad!" I sighed then, knowing I wasn't being honest with him or myself, "You just...worried me is all."

I could hear a soft, barely noticeable chuckle come from him, "I see. So you can worry about me, but I can't worry about you?"

I smiled weakly before I felt that guilty pang in my chest again. Maybe I should apologize? "You know. I am really sorry for-"

"Sasuke-chaaan!" Sakura's pink air head pushed it's way between Sasuke and I, completely shattering our moment. "I was wondering if, once we got back to the village, if we could go out someplace?"

I growled irritated as the girl practically shoved me away. I glanced down at Kotaro and mouthed "can you believe her?" and he kept trotting next to me, snout in the air, as if he could care less.

"Uh, I don't think so," Sasuke said dismissively, the soft gaze he had just moments ago with me completely gone. He then glanced back at me, eyes soft, and I managed a little smile before he turned back around and we continued our long walk home.