Chapter Seventeen.

In The End

Yukimura finds Sasuke laying on a roof, eyes closed and his chest raising and falling slowly.

The Lord assumes that Sasuke came up here for a bit of peace and quiet and to possibly watch the sun set.

It's been nearly two months since Sasuke has been rescued from the Tokuagwa dungeons and most of his injuries have healed. His arms are still bandaged lightly from elbow to finger-tips, but they are slightly stiff as a reminder that he shouldn't move them unless he has to.

A small dressing is over the wound he sustained to his when back in Aokigahara, otherwise the teenager is fine.

The sun slowly begins to warm up the sky with beautiful colours, where-as the moon that is raising higher is stealing the warmth of the day. Yukimura removes his coat when Sasuke trembles slight and lays it over the teenager.

As he watches the sun sink lower and lower, he can feel Saizo's presence below, checking up on his friend. Smiling lightly when the other ninja leaves, Yukimura stops watching the sky and starts watching Sasuke.

Noticing how a few strands of hair are resting on Sasuke's closed eyes, Yukimura gently sweeps the hair to one side, letting his fingers rest on the teenager's brow. Almost absentmindedly, Yukimura taps an elegant finger on the soft skin twice, before drawing the finger down the side of Sasuke's face, stopping when he gets to the lips.

Memories of the teenager surface, trapping the older man inside of them, almost completely oblivious to the outside world.

Only when the lips beneath his fingers start to move does Yukimura snap out of his daze.

"You're staring at me." Sasuke mutters quietly, his voice dulled by the sleepy daze he is in.

Simply smiling, Yukimura leans down and slowly kisses his little ninja.

When Yukimura pulls away, Sasuke sits up, still sleepy and his eyes closed, which means that when Yukimura presses a small bundle into Sasuke's arms, the teenager sends a confused look.

And considering that he can do that with his eyes closed is quite impressive.

"You missed dinner." Yukimura answers, pulling the nodding teenager into his side so that they are sitting as close as possible.

While Sasuke's attention may be on the food, Yukimura is nearly entirely focused on Sasuke. After Sasuke has quickly (and successfully) gotten into the food and started eating, Yukimura speaks.

"It's odd to see you do everything with closed eyes. Especially since your eyesight has healed."

The no-longer-blind boy shrugs. "Used to doing things like this. Also means that my other senses are improved."

Yukimura smiles happily. , ruffling Sasuke's hair. "As long as you look at me - "

"And only you. I haven't forgot that you're a very possessive love - person." Sasuke quickly fixes his slight slip-up.

Smiling almost sadly, Yukimura tightens his grip on Sasuke. "Yeah. I am."

As the night almost completely draws in, Sasuke finally opens his eyes, observing the scenery slowly.

He almost wants to say that his sight is pretty much perfect now. He hasn't been able to see so clearly since the fight -

/ He just dodges a blow that would have been fatal. /

The illness -

/ The pressure that has been building in his head suddenly disappears, leaving him incredibly dizzy and nauseous. /

The pain -

/ With a loud cry, Sasuke's opponent throws himself toward Sasuke, the soldier's shoulder slamming into the youth's sternum, feeling the bone crack under the impact, while the soldier's sword buries itself deep within Sasuke's middle.

The force of the attack sends Sasuke flying backwards, straight into a massive old tree.

Sasuke's head smashes into the trunk, instantly splitting his head open, blood flowing in torrents from the broken boy. /

He closes his eyes again, trying to repress these memories. The overwhelming feeling of being completely isolated without anyone being around him because he is drowning in the darkness, the shadows are clawing up from the Black Forest, calling him back, deep down into the hell -

The soft warm lips against his shock him out of his darkness. When he feels Yukimura's smile against his lips, Sasuke pulls away, glairing.

"I like my new way of distracting you from those sort of thoughts." When Sasuke doesn't protest, Yukimura leans over again. Stopping only a second away from Sasuke's lips, Yukimura murmurs "Whenever those feelings, those thoughts come back, just …open your eyes."

For possibly the first time, Sasuke's eyes are open and he can see Yukimura and what he is doing.

On the other side of the compound, a blind man and a complacent man pause, looking back.

Hotaru idly asks "Are you sure?"

Akira nods, half a smile on his face. "We may see them again." He says noncommittally before starting to walk.

Neither warriors like goodbyes, nor see the need to say them. In the world they exists in, life is something that can be destroyed suddenly and normally without warning. The life style means that forming bonds can be dangerous; betrayal, death, sadness, revenge, anger, love. But then, they are only human after all. No one can completely disregard their emotions.

"I never expected this to happen." Akira says when they have been travelling for a few hours.

Hotaru makes a humming sound in question.

"Somehow we got so entangled within their lives."

Without saying anything, Hotaru agrees. He will never admit it, but the brat actually means something to him now. Something more than just a target for fireballs and entertainment.

Similar thoughts are running through Akira's mind about the mutual respect he had formed with Sasuke. And the intelligent conversations - something he doesn't always get with Hotaru.

Both of the warriors are not-so-secretly sure that sooner or later they will end up back at the Sanada household for an amount of time that can never be properly justified.

But until then, Hotaru will follow the blind man with map, wondering how the hell Akira always manages to read it correctly, when Hotaru can't even tell which way up it goes. And Akira will make sure that Hotaru doesn't do anything too stupid. (But then again, even Akira likes to have fun sometimes.)

-

"I know that I can't always protect you." Yukimura mutters quietly, not looking at the sleeping ninja. "But I can always give you a home to come back to and a family who care about you. I'd even say that we all love you, in our own ways."

When the teenager shifts slightly, Yukimura tightens his grip on Sasuke.

"Don't die." With that quiet command, Yukimura falls silent and simply watches over his ninja.

/ ' Maybe everything will be okay for once. ' /

End Story.

Disclaimer: Don't Own.

Chapter Sixteen, the End of 'Love is For Humans, Not Things.'

Check out the Sequel, 'With Or Without You' Which is a ONESHOT, and sometime later on, once I'm a bit more together, the proper multi-length chapter sequel called 'Zero Night' will be out!

See you soon!