Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ -+Breathe+- ❯ One-Shot

It's Christmas, you know.

 

What do you have to say?

 

Nothing.

 

I stood outside in the foot deep snow, looking out into the fog.

 

Is it really so much to ask for you to stop ignoring me?

 

Or am I just not worth the effort?

 

I'm shivering now. I'm not used to the snow. It doesn't come often, and when it does, I'm never prepared. No one would ever expect something like this from such an icy bastard like me.

 

Then again, I don't care what they think.

 

Everybody I know are idiots.

 

Except for you, of course.

 

I felt like cuddling up in a blanket on the ground, but for you, I'll wait like this.

 

I saw everyone else throwing snow at each other, and I leaned back against the wall and sighed shakily.

 

How can you all THROW it at one another when I can barely stand being in it's midst?

 

I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the wood, exhaling again, even shakier than last time. The air was cold, and it was freezing my lungs.

 

It shouldn't be this hard to breathe.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

I lifted my eyelids slowly to him, exhaling harshly. He was looming over me; a pale hand by my head was a barer of his weight as he leaned against me. I exhaled again, and I slowly realized that I was slipping, sliding down the wood.

 

It shouldn't be this hard to breathe...

 

“Little brother, are you having trouble breathing?”

 

Wow. You got that one on the target...

 

He carefully maneuvered his hands to the back of my head and my waist, keeping me from tumbling to the floor. I clutched at my shirt, trying to relieve the pain. I coughed quietly, and he opened my mouth forcefully.

 

“Breathe,” he commanded.

 

It's harder than it looks.

 

I gasped tiredly, trying to sleep through the whole thing.

 

Just let me sleep...That's all I want. Look- my eyes are closing...

 

“Don't fucking sleep, you idiot! You're dying!”

 

Is that what this drowsiness is called? Come on. Let me sleep...

 

“STOP IT,” he ground out through clenched teeth. I would have smiled if I weren't dying from lack of oxygen. I smiled inwardly instead.

 

You know you're never one to yell OR show emotion...Why the sudden change?

 

“YOU FUCKING IDIOT!”

 

...Or curse.

 

You were pushing against my chest, and the warmth was making me giggle.

 

I'm going to sleeeeeeeep, Itachi!

 

Punch.

 

Ouch.

 

I opened an eyelid to the man before me. My brother? No. My lover.

 

“Goddammit, Sasuke, I'll kill you if you don't open your eyes NOW.”

 

Isn't that against the entire point? To NOT kill me?

 

I opened both my eyes and smiled, ignoring both the bruise on my face and the pain in my chest.

 

“...Haaaa, it's hard...”

 

My breath is slipping again.

 

He hugged me tightly, and I found the situation awkward.

 

You never do things so forwardly.

 

“Sasuke, can you breathe yet?”

 

“...Nooo...” I whispered.

 

“What does it feel like?”

 

“...Haaaa, I'd like to sleeeeeeeep...”

 

“No you don't.”

 

“Yes I doooooo...”

 

I started closing them again, but he punched me again. In the same place, none the less, making me scream.

 

I realized my error.

 

I started coughing hysterically, gasping harshly. He let go, and I dropped to my knees and bowed my head as I coughed at the floor. Itachi knelt down beside me, feeling my chest heave as I attempted at throwing up. As I was beginning to die, he picked me up and carried me inside. Our house wasn't much warmer than it was outside, and it slightly eased the pain.

 

Keep going.

 

Is that what you want me to do?

 

My head fell against his arm as I began to choke. My slight breath was fading still, and it was getting worse as time went by.

 

I guess I'll try harder.

 

I was suddenly in the bath room. And I was in the bathtub...With my clothes on?

 

The hot water burned my feet, and I scooted away, choking hysterically.

 

What are you doing, boiling me alive?

 

“Stay still, Sasuke,” I heard him say. I stayed calm, but I was sure my windpipe had shriveled to the size of a flimsy twig that could be blown away in the wind. I kicked my feet unconsciously, and it was met with the boiling water. I cried out quietly, since my breath was reduced drastically.

 

“Breathe, Sasuke.”

 

I tried. I tried harder, gasping and gasping. It wasn't working well, but the pain was almost gone.

 

Where did it go?

 

The steam from the water was getting in my face, and it burned, so I pulled away.

 

“No, Sasuke, put your face in the steam,” Itachi said. I coughed.

 

“It burnssssss.” I hissed out. So, he grabbed my head and forced me into it.

 

I whimpered as it made my face burn, but atleast it wasn't as bad as the actual water.

 

“Breathe, little brother.”

 

I whined at him weakly, inhaling.

 

I coughed as I inhaled again.

 

It hurts, but atleast it's working.

 

“Please! Please stop, it hurts!” I finally cried out. He let go of my head, and I flung it against the ceramic tile wall of the tub as I coughed loudly, gasping for more oxygen. He had turned off the water, and was staring at me from the edge of the tub.

 

I didn't look at him. I just breathed desperately.

 

“...Don't ever do that again.”

 

“...What?” I asked quietly.

 

“Don't wait for me.”

 

“But...”

 

“You want to die?”

 

“No,” I said as I opened my eyes to him.

 

“Then don't go outside anymore. Stay inside until it stops snowing,” he stood up as he said this. I stood weakly, and followed him as he walked out.

 

“But what will I do if I'm not waiting for you?” I asked. I looked over at me.

 

“What do you regularly do while I'm away?”

 

“Wait for you to come home.”

 

Don't you hate those awkward silences?

 

“Sasuke...”

 

“What?”

 

He came up and gave me a soft kiss on my forehead, leaning over me.

 

Why are you always so warm?

 

In the dead of winter, no less.

 

And why are you always there when I need you, but never there when I want you?

 

And why all this now?

 

Logic just doesn't seem to fit anymore.

 

He suddenly picked me up and carried me to our room. And lying me on the bed, he sat in between my legs and began peeling my shirt from my chest.

 

“...It's too cold, Ni-san...” I whispered to him as he pulled his own shirt off and chucked it over his shoulder carelessly.

 

“Then I'll just make you warmer now, won't I?” I looked up at him as he hooked his thumb on my pants, tugging at them lightly. I closed my eyes and spread my arms on the bed.

 

Do whatever you want.

 

I love you, you know.

 

He waited a moment before ghosting a hand over my face.

 

“...Does it hurt?”

 

“Of course it does. And I'm cold,” I opened an eye to him only to see a fleece blanket come over my head. I pulled it away from my face to see him lying beside me.

 

“Well, I don't want your lungs to shut down again. So you better get warm now.”

 

I smiled at him as I scooted under the blanket. Coming up closer to me, I felt the warmth radiate off of him. The urge to be enveloped in that warmth was too much and I put my head against his chest. He immediately embraced me, and I had felt happier than I had ever been.

 

Isn't it funny how love works?