Chapter 17 - S

They share a meaningful look, the same look of understanding they used to do whenever Kakashi met with Gai for one of the duels and they started acting strange together. Though when Sasuke realizes what he's doing, he scowls while Naruto grins at him. Then the blond opens his mouth, most likely to say something incredibly stupid or perhaps a cheesy speech about friendship. Probably both.

Sasuke's glare stops him. "Not a word."

Naruto moves to give him the 'my lips are sealed' gesture, but Sasuke ignores him and hisses "Zetsu" under his breath as he catches Kaguya's arm flying far away from them. Naruto stops mid-action as he turns around to see that particular shadow trying to escape. Not a second passes before the blond extends his arm and throws him a smirk.

He doesn't need to touch his hand to know what Naruto wants him to do. He grabs the limb and, using all his strength, launches him into the air, making sure there's no portal close Naruto can't avoid with his flying. Not that he uses it. Naruto is quick as he grabs the arm of the almost sealed goddess with Zetsu inside it and throws it towards the rocks that are engulfing Kaguya's body. Naruto screams something Sasuke can't hear, smiling from ear to ear in his characteristic goofy way. He's literally glowing in triumph as he waves at him and Sasuke can't help but answer with his own, smaller and subdued smirk.

However, one moment the idiot is beaming; the next, his bright coat fades into nothingness and he stops levitating, eyes half closing as he leans to the side before he starts to fall.

Sasuke is already forming his Susanoo by the time he notices the portal floating he's sure the blonde is going to fall through. The wings flap once, twice, and the strain in his eyes increases as he flies forwards. Half of Naruto's body is already sucked in but Sasuke keeps going. Panicked shouts of the others come from behind him as the air leaves his lungs. Not that he cares as he's already crossing the portal. He's now close and that's all that currently matters.

The purple energy brushes Naruto's clothes, grazing his skin, and it seems the contact is enough for the blond to gain consciousness, faintly as it is. The problem comes a second later when his whole purple avatar seems to blink briefly out of existence as Naruto absorbs his chakra without realizing it. His already dwelling chakra.

He retreats Susanoo's hand as the purple chakra slowly fades, and screams, "Damn idiot, wake up!"

Azure eyes open slowly and Sasuke feels his heart in his throat as the wind flaps hard on his face. Without his Susanoo to protect him, the consequences of portal hoping are hard to ignore. He's so weak and his eyes want to close, but he still notices the red energy emanating from Naruto's stomach as the blonde looks at him with unfocused eyes.

He doesn't want to glance down and let more air hurt his already sensitive eyes but he needs to. One small peek makes him curse. Sasuke can't even visualize the ground.

There's a tug that makes him once again look up at the blonde. Something makes him freeze with uneasiness as the tug—the yank—increases in its force. Sasuke doesn't know exactly what is but he does know it won't be pretty. It's never pretty. Naruto's yellow glow has returned and Sasuke knows the idiot has woken up and realized the same.

A yellow hand reaches him even as they are separating. His skin prickles as he receives chakra from him, it's faint but still thrown at him hurriedly and without too much care. His tenketsu points feel ready to burst but Sasuke's glad to have some energy back. So glad it takes him a moment to take notice of the Kyuubi's form slowly forming next to them.

His mind doesn't process everything after that. His Sharingan is still active but everything seems to move quickly after Naruto follows his gaze towards the now fox-looking energy.

There's surprise on his face and then blood is coming out of his mouth. A glimpse of a smile and then he's being thrown away, falling towards what he knows will be a painful collision. His eyes bleed as he prepares to use what little chakra Naruto has given him to form a half Susanoo. Just the bones that will serve as a shield to make the impact less painful.

It takes almost a full minute until he's really close to the floor. He sees trees and senses living beings under him. Forming the chest of his Susanoo and a wing to soften the fall, Sasuke is ready to meet the ground.

That doesn't happen though. He just wakes up.

Drenching in sweat and with a sore body, he grunts as his arms flail to the sides of the tub, trying to grab whatever solid thing that will help him ground his panic. However, his arm is still broken and he ends up falling more into the tub with hot agonizing pain shooting through him. He stays that way for long minutes, not moving, just steadying his breath and doing a checkup of his injuries with closed throbbing eyes. Then, when he can ignore the pain in his body, he puts the effort to open his eyes, taking his time to blink and adjust.

He's glad he hasn't stood up yet or he'd have fallen again.

More time passes like that, with him just looking up at the ceiling, trying to right the spinning, swimming world, until his gaze is able to focus enough to discern the small imperfections around him. Sasuke wants to be in that position longer but his stomach tightens and a sound comes from it. He's hungry in a way that makes him know it has been at least two full days since he fell asleep.

Glancing at his side, he can see some of the food he managed to collect from the kitchen. His gut clenches once at the sight more but he ignores it. The food is too far away and he's not sure he'll be able to stand up. Chakra exhaustion sucks like that.

He closes his eyes and sleeps again.

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