A/N: I was listening to Enya's "Boadicea" on repeat while writing this. I think it adds something to the mood.
::
He knew.
He knew, even as he delivered the killing blows to the S-class enemy shinobi that he was fighting, that something was horribly wrong.
He knew because he could feel a hole in his chest. Well, he actually did have a hole in his chest. He was bleeding quite profusely from gaping wound in the left side of his ribcage.
::
He knew.
He knew, as he pushed his way through the crowd of allied shinobi to the new crater in the ground, that his life was going to change irrevocably in the next few minutes.
He knew because the empty feeling in his chest wasn't going away. He couldn't even feel the pain from the wounds in his torso, his most likely fractured leg, and the cut that was pouring blood down the side of his face. If anything, the hole-like emptiness in his chest was expanding.
::
He knew.
He knew, as he walked towards the black-haired, bloodied corpse, the pink-haired medic, and the blond, too-still body that she was leaning over, that they had won the war – but at a price that he wasn't willing to pay.
He knew because, when he kneeled across from Sakura, Naruto pushed away her glowing hands. The damage was too extensive for her to fix.
::
He knew.
He knew, as Naruto smiled at his pink-haired teammate and she started to cry, that he had very few minutes to say what needed to be said – to say goodbye.
He knew because Naruto turned that smile towards him next and calmly said,
"Don't cry."
::
He knew.
He knew, as Naruto weakly attempted to wipe tears from his face – a face that hadn't felt tears since childhood, that he needed to remember everything about this moment. He knew that, once those blue eyes closed, he never see them again. He'd never hear that voice again. He'd never feel those fingers on his skin again. He'd never feel those arms hold him again.
He knew that this was the last time for so many things, because he could feel the ragged breaths coming from Naruto's body as he picked him up to cradle him as gently as he could, ignoring the twinge of pain from his wounds.
::
He knew.
He knew, as the crowd of injured and tired shinobi grew around them, as Sakura weeped nearby, that this was his last chance – his last chance to kiss him, to touch him, to tell him that he loved him.
He knew because, in front of all of those people, for the first time in the presence of others, Naruto said,
"I love you, too, Gaara."
::
He knew.
He knew, as Naruto closed his eyes with a serene smile on his face, that they were safe. Naruto had fulfilled his goal, kept his promise, and saved them all, by killing his best friend. Naruto had saved them by sacrificing himself.
He knew that Naruto was gone because, as his chest stilled, a pain erupted in Gaara the likes of which he'd never felt before. He'd never even imagined that something could hurt so much.
::
He knew.
He knew, as the people of Suna and Konoha watched him start to beg and plead with Naruto, with the gods, to not leave him, that his life was over.
He knew because Naruto was gone. As he felt the anguish wash over him and seep out of him in agonized screams, he felt his chest constrict. His limbs felt heavy and his vision started to fade. He vaguely heard Sakura tell him through her tears that she needed to tend his wounds.
::
He knew.
He knew as he started to lose consciousness, that he'd been losing too much blood, had already lost too much blood. Shukaku wasn't there to save him anymore.
He knew, because he wouldn't let Sakura touch him, because he wouldn't let go of Naruto's body, that he would black-out soon.
He knew, because he was praying to anyone – any god – any thing that would listen, that once his eyes closed, he wouldn't wake back up to the nightmare that was existence without Naruto.
He knew, because he'd lived through it once before, that he couldn't live through that again.