Here is chapter 2!

The next chapter may be the last...

Thanks to kiohates! Warning: More Uchiha retardeness!

Bubbles of red-orange congealed inside the still unconscious shinobi. Sasuke watched them, Itachi's Sharingan trained on the powerful chakra.

So this is what he's after…this is the chakra that started this whole war, Sasuke thought. "Hn." He had to agree that it was, indeed, powerful chakra. If Madara had it under his control this time around, Sasuke mused there were no limits to how much havoc would be unleashed on the world - how much sheer destruction. Konoha would be obliterated; there would be nothing and no one to rebuild it. There would be no more elders, no more hokages, no more clans, no more brothers, no more bonds. All would be ended and then everyone would truly realize how precious these "bonds" really were.

Lazily, Sasuke raked his eyes over the space between his body and that of Naruto's tied to a nearby tree. There was nothing there, even under scrutiny of the Sharingan. This didn't surprise him; it merely confirmed what he already knew. There was no bond. He used to think there was one, or could be one. But that was when he realized there were no "bonds" to make, only chains that weighed you down and trapped you – gave you weaknesses.

The raven's whole body throbbed in disgust the more he looked at Naruto. What a fool he was, believing in bonds. A sudden sense of panic enveloped Sasuke. It was something akin to lament, if that were something an Uchiha was allowed to feel. If only Naruto understood. He led such a wasteful existence. Stupid dobe. It infuriated Sasuke that Naruto was even alive. But that will change, he realized. That demon will come out and Naruto - ! The raven jumped to his feet, his heart writhing in his chest. He was only aware he'd pulled out a kunai when he felt the cool metal in his clenched fist. How dare Madara think he could take Naruto. Naruto was his. If the fool wanted to spout nonsense about bonds, chasing after him like some kind of lovesick puppy, that was one thing. But Sasuke had made a vow, a vow to sever that bond for his former teammate. He wants to bear my burden? He wants my hatred? Then I get his, too. Madara can't have you or your Kyuubi.

He walked silently over to the unconscious body and grabbed a fistful of blonde hair. Holding Naruto's head, he crouched in front of him so their faces were level. "You are mine," he whispered, and the kunai made its way to the tan throat.

Naruto's eyes blinked open when he felt the rough contact on his head. All he could see were spots of orange and he knew the Kyuubi was stirring angrily inside of him. It was bad enough the beast was pissed off about being resealed by Kushina, but whatever it was that had his head seemed to make it angrier. Fighting through the haze, Naruto's gaze fell on dazed red eyes, open and unblinking in terror. He shifted his head ever so slightly to determine the source of this terror, but was made aware of the kunai at his throat when he felt a sharp pain.

Suddenly, what foggy memories he had of the last few hours came back to him. He had been sleeping, dreaming of once again being with Sasuke, when someone attacked him. He could've sworn the shinobi looked like Sasuke. And considering the figured with the knife at his throat also looked like Sasuke, it could only mean one thing. Sasuke had captured him. That, or he was having a really vivid dream.

"So its come to this then, huh?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke's grip on his hair tightened but the kunai never moved. The Sharingan faded and the raven's eyes were onyx again.

"Is this what its come to Sasuke! You're going to kill me now?" Naruto cried.

"I may not see you again…but I warn you: Don't kill Naruto. You'll end up regretting it…"

"We'll leave that fight to Sasuke. It should be entertaining."

"If we fight each other, we'll both die."

"The only person Sasuke is fighting is me!"

The Kyuubi, Madara, Naruto….all their words ran through Sasuke's head. He couldn't take it anymore. Getting a better grip on the kunai, Sasuke raised it over his head. He brought it down through the ropes binding the Jinchuriki to the tree. "Get up." If he was going to end this here, he wouldn't take down a sitting duck.

Naruto got unsteadily to his feet, taking a fighting stance. "I don't want to kill you Sasuke. But if this is what it takes to get us to understand each other, so be it!" He looked at the ground, his cerulean eyes sad. Sasuke wondered what he was thinking, forgetting for a moment this was to be a battle to the death. Their eyes locked, and Sasuke was reminded when he heard "Kage bunshin no Jutsu!"

Two shadow clones appeared beside Naruto. "Wind Style: Rasen-shuriken!" A blue orb appeared in the Jinchuriki's hand as the two others pooled their chakra to mold it.

Sharingan back on, Sasuke analyzed it. This is much more powerful than his Rasengan. But wind style? The irony of his chakra nature almost made the Uchiha laugh. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" After rapidly making the signs, Sasuke breathed out a massive fireball straight at Naruto as the blonde was trying to formulate his attack. He took off running out of the fire's path, knowing if it engulfed his wind jutsu, the fight would be over before they exchanged a blow. Making a beeline for the trees, Naruto tried to keep his Rasen-shuriken from fading.

Sasuke watched the Narutos disperse. One of them disappeared on the spot as the flames got closer. Another ran in one direction and the other went the opposite way into the woods.

Hn, he's going to pull his old tricks again. The raven pulled out his katana and waited. One Naruto emerged from the right, kunai raised threateningly as he charged forward. Sasuke swung his sword, slashing Naruto's chest. He smirked as the doppelganger turned into a puff of smoke.

A yell was heard from behind as the Jinchuriki ran into the clearing, a Rasen-shuriken raised over his head this time. Sasuke turned in an instant, so he was standing behind Naruto. He grabbed the wrist holding the Rasen-shuriken and squeezed, cutting off the flow of blood and chakra. The ninjutsu fizzled away. The katana was pressed into Naruto's stomach. Naruto didn't even try to push it away.

"Is that the best you can do, Naruto?" Sasuke whispered in the tan boy's ear.

Unbeknownst to the raven, tears began to flow from Naruto's cerulean eyes. "Can't you tell Sasuke?"

"Can't I tell what, Naruto? What's in your heart?" The Uchiha gave a mocking laugh, and Naruto could tell his face was awfully contorted into the madman sneer he must've learned in his time away from the Leaf. "Is it the sick obsession you have with me or the deluded desire to be hokage you want me to see?"

Naruto huffed. "You think you're such a great shinobi? You've gotten worse since we fought last! I thought we were top-class shinobi. You used to be able to see what was in my heart, didn't you? Or did all the scum you've been hangin' around with make you forget?"

"What are you talking about, usuratonkachi? Do you want to talk about what's in my heart? Hatred. Revenge. Pure and black. Its something you could never understand."

Naruto could feel his control over his nine-tails chakra slipping. Glowing yellow, he slammed his head into the Uchiha's, effectively stunning him into loosening his grip. With his right hand, the Jinchuriki grabbed the hand holding the katana. He spun around to grab Sasuke's other wrist, their arms crossed.

"Then why am I still breathing, huh? Why am I still alive? Why don't you run that sword right through me Sasuke?"

"I will have my revenge Naruto!" Sasuke cried. The hilt of the sword in his shaking palm, his vision went red. All he could see was blood; the blood of his slaughtered parents, the blood of Haku dying for the man he cared about, Itachi carrying on through his last battle despite throwing up his own blood, Naruto stabbing himself with a kunai, Karin and Danzo….so much blood. And all for nothing. But this blood…it was his to shed. Breaking free of Naruto's hold on his wrists, the Uchiha mimicked an earlier encouter, trapping Naruto in a katana hug, the metal pressing into the blonde's back.

The last thing he expected to hear was a whispered: "I have one final request. Will you grant me that?"

"Hn." The raven kept the katana where it was, fairly certain the dobe wasn't laying a trap. Curiosity took root. Maybe he would finally get to hear why the buffoon thought they were friends. "Fine."

"Before I die, I- I- just wanted to tell you that…" Cerulean eyes locked onto onyx ones. "I love you, Sasuke."

The raven remained silent. His whole body tensed and his heart hammered madly in his chest. With a firm grip on the katana handle, he made a decision. With a flick of his wrist, the blade made a resounding thunk as it hit his target.

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