Ino: I’mma try something angsty for once. Or at least attempt it.

Sakura: Ino doest own Naruto, or much else, for that matter…

Ino: This is my interpretation of the song.

Sakura: it’s also really short.

Ino & Saku: anyways, enjoy!!!!

Gone Forever

A raven-haired boy stood in the rain, blankly staring at a large stone memorial. He stared a one name etched on it in particular.

“Naruto… Uzumaki…” he whispered in a hollow voice.

Don't know what's going on

Don't know what went wrong

Feels like a hundred years,

I still can’t believe you're gone

Sasuke Uchiha couldn’t believe it. His idiot was gone. It had been two weeks since Naruto went on that dangerous S-class mission; he knew he would have to get over it eventually. He remembered the funeral.

The day had been cloudy and cold, much like the funeral of the third Hokage. By the time it started, it began to rain. Everyone was in as much shock as he was. The whole village had come to say their final goodbyes to the knucklehead ninja turned hero. They all cried silently as the dark day continued. All the teams were the same. In Team 8, Hinata had her face buried in Kiba’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Kiba was also crying, his head also facing down. Shino’s face couldn’t be seen under his hood, but Sasuke was sure he was crying too. In Team 10, Shikamaru had his clenched hands buried in his pockets, determined not to cry. Ino buried her face in her hands, leaning against Chouji for support. He also cried, fat tears falling from his eyes down to his cheeks. In Team Gai, Tenten had her arms wrapped around Neji, her face buried in his neck. Said Hyuuga wiped his tears, his hands clenched at his side. Lee and Gai also cried, sobbing silently in the back. Even the sand ninja had come to pay their respects. Gaara stood silently, resisting the urge to cry, but failing miserably as tears forced their way down is cheeks. Temari and Kankuro leaned against a nearby tree, watching quietly, also crying. Team 7 was no different. Kakashi was his usual self, but he occasionally showed sighs of wanting to cry. Sai had kept his head down the whole time, his bangs covering his eyes. Sakura had continued sobbing on Sasuke’s shoulder all throughout the service. He stared blankly, showing now emotion at all.

“Uchihas must show no emotion,” he told himself fiercely, “emotions make you weak and vulnerable, but still…”

He snapped back to reality. Now here he was, two weeks later, just standing at the memorial stone. He didn’t understand why he came back every single day. He just stood there, alone, until really late. It was strange, ever since the news about Naruto had spread; it was like the sun itself had stopped shining.

So I’ll stay up all night

With these bloodshot eyes

While these walls surround me with the story of our lives…

He stole a glance at the sky. Evening already, though he could barely tell with all the gray clouds. The raven continued to stare at the KIA memorial, as if that would somehow change what had happened. He chuckled in spite of himself.

I feel so much better now that you're gone forever

I tell myself that I don't miss you at all

I'm not lying, denying, that I feel so much better

Now that you're gone forever

“Heh, with that loser gone, I could probably do whatever I want now…” even as the words left his mouth, he felt his heart rip itself open.

He briefly remembered the night before the mission. Rough kisses, passionate touches, loud moans… He shook his head trying to clear it. He chuckled even more, grinning by himself in that empty clearing.

Now things are coming clear that I don't need you here

And in this world around me, I’m glad you disappeared

So I’ll stay out all night, get drunk and fuck and fight

Until the morning comes, I’ll forget about our lives…

“Hmm, now that he's gone I could pick all the fights I want. I could probably drink until the morning if I wanted to. I could also bring home any whore I wanted to, or I could give Sakura a try.” his chuckles turned into sobs as tears rolled down his pale cheeks.

I feel so much better now that you're gone forever

I tell myself that I don't miss you at all

I'm not lying, denying, that I feel so much better

Now that you're gone forever

“I d-don’t need you, I never did. I d-don't need to feel your touch, or you mouth. I don't need to see your smiling face, or your sparkling blue eyes, or…” he began to tremble, half because of the rain, and half because his sobbing was getting out of control. He stopped talking for a second, trying to regain control of himself.

“Why, you moron?! Why did you have to go and die on me?! What am I supposed to do now?!” he continued shaking on the spot, wiping his tears and cursing angrily.

“You fucking moron. You stupid retard. Why the hell did you go? I told you not to go. I fucking hate you!!! I told you, but you ignored me…” he closed his eyes, remembering the morning of the mission.

Sasuke woke up as the sun going through the window hit his face. He cracked his eyes open and smiled at Naruto, who was still sleeping peacefully.

“Hey, wake up, love.” He kissed the blonde lightly on the lips, resulting in Naruto waking up and kissing him back. Sasuke got up and straddled the younger boy, kissing him fiercely. He bit the boy’s bottom lip, gaining entry into his mouth. Sasuke shoved his tongue into the blonde’s mouth, making Naruto suck on his tongue. The Uchiha moaned loudly. He decided to begin attacking the younger boy’s neck, making said boy moan even more.

“S-Sasuke! C’mon, knock it o-off! I have to get up!” Naruto protested, yet not making an effort to push his lover off.

“Fine,” muttered Sasuke, getting off Naruto and pouting. “But you owe me, dobe”

Naruto glared cutely as he got off the bed, searching for his clothes underneath the mess of Sasuke’s clothes.

“You can’t call me that anymore, teme, I’m Hokage now!!!” he stated proudly and stuck his tongue out at the raven.

“Ninja academy dropout or Hokage, you're still a dobe to me, koi.” Sasuke retorted, throwing Naruto’s boxers and shirt at him.

“Hey, Sasuke, can I borrow some of your clothes? All of mine are at my place.” Naruto asked, ignoring the last comment and grabbing a towel from one of Sasuke’s drawers.

“Sure, whatever,” Sasuke muttered, getting and grabbing some of his clothes from the closet.

“Oh, and Sasuke,” Naruto's face turned from playful to nervous, “I need to tell you something important.”

“About?” Sasuke asked absentmindedly, now trying to find some clothes for Naruto.

“Itachi…” the Hokage said quietly.

Sasuke froze. He dropped everything he held in his hands and turned slowly.

Five minutes later, the tension in the room was palpable. Sasuke glared at Naruto and Naruto glared right back.

“No,” Sasuke stated simply. He slammed his fist on the closet door. “You are not going on that mission. Taking down Itachi is my job.” The Hokage gave an annoyed look.

“You have no right to tell me what to do!!! I’m eighteen and the Hokage, I think I can handle myself!!! If I don’t go, Itachi could leave Tanzaku town and we would have no leads to where he is!!!” Naruto snapped, grabbing the clothes that Sasuke dropped and putting them on. “I have to meet my team in fifteen minutes.”

Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s shoulder and pushed him against the wall.

“You are not gonna face my brother.” He protested

“Sasuke. Let. Me. Go.” The blonde’s voice was reaching a dangerous tone.

“No” the Uchiha continued to be stubborn

“now.”

“no”

“Sasuke, you better let me go or I’ll…”

“you'll what?”

Naruto used his free hand to punch Sasuke across the face. The Uchiha wasn’t expecting that and fell backwards, losing his grip.

“why don’t you want me to face him?” Naruto asked angrily, “you think that just because I’m not an Uchiha I'm not worthy to fight a bastard like him?!”

“no, that’s not why.” Sasuke answered quietly, not moving from the spot on the floor where he sat.

“or is it because I’m too weak?” the Hokage asked. Sasuke remained quiet.

“so, I’m weak, am I? then tell me, how have I taken down so many enemies that you couldn’t?” Sasuke spoke up at that comment.

“Itachi is...”

“what, too strong for me?!”

“yes… I don’t want you to fight him. I’m afraid…”

Naruto just grabbed his hitai-ate and stomped out the room, down the hall, and headed for the door. Sasuke followed him and grabbed him by the hand.

“let me go, you fucking coward” Naruto snapped and pulled his hand free. Sasuke froze again, in disbelief of what his lover had just said.

“just because you're afraid of him, doesn’t mean I am.” The Kyuubi vessel snarled.

“I never said I was afraid of him-” Sasuke started angrily.

“you didn’t have to; I can see it in your eyes. You claim to be brave, but you're just a big chicken”

“take that back!!!”

“no. and I think I know why Itachi didn’t kill you like the rest of the Uchihas. It’s because he was ashamed to call a coward like you an Uchiha!!! Such a coward, that to kill him, you chose to turn like him!!!” And with that, he walked out of the Uchiha mansion and slammed the door in Sasuke’s face…

First time you screamed at me

I should have made you leave

I should have known it could be so much better

Sasuke opened his eyes and grabbed something from his pocket. He opened his hand and stared at the tiny object. A gold ring. It had the words, marry me, etched on it. He clutched it and threw it at the memorial stone.

“you fucking idiot, that’s why I didn’t want you to leave…” he whispered, unconscious of his tears now.

“anyways, you're gone now, so…”

I hope you're missing me

I hope I’ve made you see,

that I’m gone forever…

Sasuke smiled bitterly.

“well dobe, I guess this is it. It’s okay though, I'll be fine on my own, I always have been…”

And now it’s coming clear that I don't need you here

And in this world around me, I’m glad you disappeared…

“Naruto…” he whispered.

I feel so much better now that you're gone forever

I tell myself that I don't miss you at all

I'm not lying, denying, that I feel so much better

Now that you're gone forever

He wiped the last of his tears and scanned the memorial stone for the ring. He couldn’t find it. He continued to search but he couldn’t find it, so he gave up. He said his final goodbye.

“well, bye Naruto…” He muttered the three words that he had never had the courage to say. “I love you…”

And now you're gone forever…

A hand was placed on his shoulder. He moved his head to see the hand. Small and slender, wearing the ring that he had thrown.

And now you're gone forever…

“oh really?”

Sasuke’s eyes opened wide as he heard the voice behind him. He turned around and stared into deep cerulean eyes.

“I love you too…”

Ino: sooo what did ya think? Please tell me, even if it sucked. It probably did because I was up really late when I wrote it.

Sakura: so yeah, R&R

Ino & Saku: OWARI!!!

VI