A//N: I, myself, don't actually watch Naruto, but, my friend said it'd be great if I tried writing a one shot without even knowing the characters. I hope you guys like it!!! I'll make sure to do more of the ships on my requests soon. Thank you for reading!

T/W: blood, gore(?)

Sasuke hated the way Naruto laughed, he hated the way he walked, the way he smiled like there wasn't a care in the world even at the slightest moment of peace. Sasuke hated the way his best friend made his heart flutter, the way his shoulders would tense every time Naruto wrapped his arms around them. But most of all, he hated the way he loved it. The way his body aches and begged for the touch, the way the cold air would hit his back and send shivers down his spine at the lack of contact when he would pull away. He hated everything about Naruto Uzumaki, but he loved him anyway.

——

It was early morning when Sasuke woke up, sweat sticking to his skin, his shirt fused against his body. Cold air sent the young ninja wrapping the blanket tighter around his frame. Mornings like this were the worse. That feeling of every temperature being wrong, then the desperate need to shower to reset your body's homeostasis. He shuddered at the thought. Raking his fingers through his tangled, jet black, messy hair, he stretched lazily, back cracking and legs nearly peaking over the edge of his small bed.

It took all his willpower to drag himself fully out of the comfort of his covers, bare feet hitting the cold tile of his bathroom while he reached to turn on the shower. Naruto had always worn socks to bed, something the ravenette would never understand about him. He could never fall asleep with the fabric hugging his feet tightly, the feeling always making his skin crawl with anxiety. Though, his best friend always told him he was the opposite, that wearing socks gave him a feeling of comfort, of safety.

And now before he knew it, Sasuke was slumped limply against the toilet, heaving desperately to rid his body of the crimson-blood covered roses that clawed against his throat. Three petals. Yesterday it had only been two. Soon they'd be full buds, planting themselves in the depths of his lungs, growing up against the walls of his throat until he couldn't find the empty space to breathe. He didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to think about Naruto and his stupid smile that made him giddy, his dammed whiskers and soft golden hair.

The shower felt nice, fast water that was just hot enough to sting his back, but not to the point where his back burned red and pain shot through it, stifling his breath in shock. He combed the shampoo through his greasy hair, foam bubbling against the water. He closed his eyes, fearing the burning sensation the soap would cause if they collided. By the time he had left the warmth of the steam-filled bathroom, it was 7:30, and he knew it'd be a close call to get to training on time.

He rushed to slide on his baggy t-shirt and belted his ninja pants. However, as he flattened his shirt down against his muscled chest, the wooden door to his bedroom opened violently, the one and only Naruto Uzumaki stumbled in, throwing himself down onto Sasuke's messy bed. He sighed, turning around to face his friend and swallowing the tight pressure in his throat. "Can I help you?"

Naruto grinned at his sarcasm, "it's nearly 8, I figured I'd make sure you hadn't died" he shrugged, sitting up swiftly. Sasuke rolled his eyes, gesturing to his body roughly, "Well, unfortunately, looks like I'm still here." It was a lighthearted joke, but suddenly Sasuke felt the knowing tension swell in the back of his mind. The blond laughed, eyes crinkling with a smile that had Sasuke running to the bathroom. "Be right back." He managed, locking the door swiftly behind him while he kneeled over the toilet.

Blood dribbled down his lips, think and crimson while white roses made there way up his tightening throat. Loud hacking sounds wracked and echoed through the bathroom and suddenly Sasuke worried that maybe the walls weren't thick enough.

Six petals and it was only 8 in the morning? Man, he better take action before this gets any worse. Hopefully that would be the load for the day, at least until the evening. But he could never be too sure.

Upon leaving the bathroom, Naruto eyed his questioningly, though, his gaze was soft and concerned. Sasuke scoffed, "I'm fucking fine, just a cough." Lie. His best friend nodded hesitantly, eyes now focused on the loose threads hanging off of his blue comforter. "Now get up, we'll be late."

——

It was getting worse each day now, and each cough felt more and more like nails stabbing harshly against his insides, begging to go deeper and deeper, though there was no where else to go. Sasuke began avoiding Naruto in total, his eyes beginning to fall dully, grey circles forming on the pale skin. He hadn't been sleeping much. He would avoid lunch breaks and burry himself in his training instead, his body always being worked to its limit, while his mind drifted off to the boy who tormented his head and heart.

——

The first full bud left his lips a Friday afternoon, dry and shriveled, white color yet coated deeply in his own blood. A small stem attached itself at the stalk, five pointy thorns peaking against its surface, thick with blood and mucus.

Naruto had thrown himself onto Sasuke's back in an attempt for a piggy back ride right as they had arrived at training that morning, and, lets just say, he didn't accomplish much the ready of the day. His throat burned and his chest felt heavier with each aching breath he took. That night he slept better than he had all week.

——

He began to think who would find his body. He hated that it was a reasonable thing to consider. It was terrible. Morbid even. Who he would tell. Would they know it was his sunny-hued best friend who had stolen his heart and left him alone to claw desperately at the light of life and love that shown so dully at the end of his tunnel? He'd have to tell someone. Someone who just might know the best way to find a solution before the solution found him. So, logically, he went with the medic, and his best friend (other than Naruto, obviously): Sakura.

Class for the day had ended and the sun sat lowly with gold—that distinctly reminded Sasuke of a certain someone's fluffy hair—sun-stricken clouds polluting the clear, evening sky. Sakura wished them all a goodnight and a happy weekend before heading off in the direction of her dormitory. The edgy boy wasted no time throwing himself after her, catching her with a hand against small shoulders. "Hey Sas, what's up?" She asked lightly, her voice soft and silky as always. Sakura had always been that person that you knew would be there for you. That person with the airy voice that could float amongst the clouds yet still had the structure of thunder.

He looked anywhere but her bright blue eyes, sheepishly toeing at loose rocks that littered the ground. "Can uh....do you have a minute?"

~~
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Oh- shit- gosh Sasuke!! This is bad! You just have to tell him. It is Naruto, right? He'd be the only logical explanation. And when I think about it, I have have been noticing you distancing yourself from him. Which would make sense as a strategy to lesson the effects of your disease, though, a stupid decision if overlooked. Sasuke I-" "Okay okay we get it, I'm a idiot, you're a medic, now just— please give me some advice."

Sakura sighed, folding her legs against the soft blankets of her bed. Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose, breathing deeply, slowly, as she thought of a solution, alternative to confessing his feelings. "Sas....I just. I don't know how this will play out. It's not curable unless the feelings change, you confess,.....or...you get the surgery."

A long beat of silence that seemed louder than words rang through the room. "Surgery?" "Well- it's more of an operation. But! I really don't suggest it, they can be risky, and complications are higher than a 1/4 chance." She sighed at the way Sasuke's eyes held hope and light. "The operation will remove the vines from your chest, killing the flowers as well as the cough. But....also your feelings." She paused, wondering how her friend seemed to know everything, yet didn't know this. "The love you have developed will disappear, forever. And it can never be re-bloomed."

——

He didn't know what to do. Getting the surgery seemed like less of a possibility every day. He couldn't risk the damage it could do to his body. And...what if some day Naruto really did return his feelings? Would he have to go through the same thing? It wouldn't be safe. He had training to do, he couldn't risk waisting time in recovery.

Sasuke would have to tell him.

Although, that didn't mean it had to be now....he could...wait a little longer, right?

Full blooming flowers were becoming a common occurrence, and soon he could barely speak, the words ringing against his shredded, aching throat. Naruto began to worry, sometimes offering to walk back to the dorms with him, a feeble attempt to get a moment alone to talk. Sasuke would always deny, telling him he had more training to do, "go on without me...I'll see you later."

He cried himself to sleep that night, despite his will not to let himself accept the reality of his worlds. His feelings. His fate.

White, blood spattered petals lay around him the next morning, dry leaves crunching under his weight each time he would shift. Sleep wasn't even a possibility anymore, in fact, he had begun to lose remembrance of what a restful night felt like. He crawled out of bed, rubbing white cream from his jar onto his chest— supposedly this would help with the aching throbs that never left him be, though, it never seemed to make a difference. His skin was paler than he remembered, even worse than it had been before any of this even started, and he could tell his body was getting weaker with every ounce of blood he lost.

With the rate that everything was going, Sasuke assumed he may only have a few days left.

——

The ravenette had been in the shower when it dawned on him that /Sakura knows/. She knows /everything/, and today would be the first day they'd have to spend training together, face to face after their late night conversation last Friday. /Fuck, how was he gonna do this?/

The thought grazed his mind, /just don't go. Or even better, you could end this all now, take your life before this can take it instead./ But he sharply shook it off, he wasn't a pussy. Or a quitter.

To his surprise, the whole dojo wasn't aware of his....problem, in fact, no one seemed to be any different. Sakura didn't even look up when he made his presence known with a small "hey."

He'd never admit how grateful he was for that.

They met at the bridge down the road that evening. Sakura's pink hair reflected perfectly with the sunset light that danced across her sapphire eyes. She talked quietly, yet with passion while they walked, the sound of Sasuke's sneakers shuffling against the dirt road matching his heart pounding, like a song.

"And then Kiba fell flat on his face h- what's wrong?"

"Huh?"

Sasuke looked up from his lowered eyes, shaking his head lightly. A frown brimmed his face, brows furrowed tightly in concentration and worry. Though, he thought maybe that was a normal thing for him at this point.

"Your face is just...all..." The girl made a face, lips puckered and eyebrows nearly touching while she huffed over- exaggeratedly. Sasuke barely stifled the laugh that left his lips, scratching at his throat as a reminder of what they were really here to talk about.

"Sakura....I can't. I can't get the surgery, you were right." He huffed, groaning, he just wanted this nightmare to be over. She smiled, lips locked but her eyes lighting up bat the resolution.

"I think that's good Sas....you- I think it'll make everything better if you just tell him. Wait-wait, I /know/ it'll get better if you just tell him." She hugged him warmly, her hand cupping the back of his greasy-haired head. Sasuke sighed into the touch, it was comforting, the way a mother's hug would be.

Evening began to creep over the edge of the horizon, light, twinkling stars planting themselves amongst the dusty clouds and darkening sky. A cold breeze blew past them, the sun no longer out for warmth, and Sakura suggested that they begin their walk home. /Just another invitation for a sleepless night./

——

His worst day came a mere three nights later. He held a tissue to his mouth as blood constantly dropped against his lips, staining the white, with drying red. It was only 2 in the afternoon when he crashed against the cold, bathroom tiles outside of the gym. His body sunk limply to the floor, back slumped against the white walls. That was when the feeling came. He knew this was his last day.

They say when you look death in the eyes, your whole body feels cold, and that suddenly, every moment of your life flashes before your eyes. Sasuke just wished that everything he saw hadn't been Naruto. Naruto and his stupid, perfect smile.

His eyes faded from focused to blurry, and panic began to set in. He was going to die on a bathroom floor. Alone. Covered in his own blood and flowers. Limp and broken.

He was going to die weak, and vulnerable under the hold of love for someone who could never love him back.

He clutched desperately at his throat, coughing violently but with weak gasps for air.

Then. Something happened that he had never expected.

The door opened.

Without warning, the strong, grounding hands of Naruto Uzumaki held his shoulders tightly, desperately reaching for his best friends heavy head that had begun to lull back. He was confused—scared—but natural instincts kicked in, and the only thing his mind could focus on was /do not let him die/.

Narutos cold fingers combed desperately through Sasuke's jet black hair, forbidden tears welling up behind his eyes. "No no no, come on, you gotta stay with me on this one. You hear me?! You. Cannot. Die."
He hugged his body close to his chest, red blood staining the tile or the bathroom floor. Sasuke coughed weakly, "You-...you shouldn't be here." He choked, leaning back as more buds made their way to the entrance of his mouth. Naruto cupped the back of his head with his palm, one thumb finding its way to Sasuke's, soft, blood and tear soaked cheek. He rubbed small circles with the rough-calloused pad of his finger, heart racing with anxiety.

/it's now or never./

"Sas....who is it? You gotta tell me. You- you cant die, we still have time." He demanded. I can't. You'll die. /He'll hate me./ (You dont have a choice) /I've held it for this long/ (Any longer will be the end.)

He breathed through his nose, eyes rolling tiredly back into his head. (No.)

"You."

Just like that, the pain in his body stifled, clawing once more at his chest before dissolving completely. His frame laid limp against Naruto, hands shaking and face pale and sticky with sweat. He could breathe. He could finally breathe. But why? Wasn't he supposed to die? Wasn't this supposed to give him time? /Hanahaki disease is an illness born from one-sided love./ He confessed. Was that really all it took? Just one word and this would all be over? Or...what if he really was dead? What if this was his soul detaching from his bloodied body? What if-

"You idiot!!!" Naruto's broken voice sobbed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

So...not dead then.

Before he could even respond, he was pulled into a wet kiss, salty with tears and blood, but a kiss, nonetheless. He held onto it like oxygen, like a drink of water he hadn't tasted in years. He clung to the kiss like life.

Naruto's whole body shook as they pulled apart. "I-" he clasped a hand over his mouth, "I can't lose you again." Muffled, yet clear as day, the words left his lips and had Sasuke pulling him into another desperate kiss.

But...wouldn't none of this have started if Naruto reciprocated his feelings? "Naruto..." he muttered, their foreheads connected with passion, breathing ragged. "Yeah?" "What does this mean? Does this mean you...like me back? I don't understand. How-" "I didn't know."

Silence echoed in the small room, their gazes meeting like a plug, fitting perfectly into an outlet, electricity bounding through the wires, dangerous if played with. "I didn't know I loved you back." His voice was low, whispered like the damage a feather makes on cracking ice, cautious.

Fresh tears built up behind Sasuke's eyes, falling down his cheeks and mixing with the sweat and blood that already rested on them. He smiled weakly, burying his face into the warm crevice between Naruto's neck and shoulder, tears soaking the the fabric.

"Hey....Sasuke?"
"Hmmm...?"
"Why don't we get you to a nurse. I don't think losing this much blood is gonna be good for you. Even if you're getting better."

The boy nodded, sniffling and nuzzling his nose against the nape of Naruto's hair. "Okay.... don't leave though."
"Wouldn't dream of it."