Love Is All I Need

I paced the hallway of the waiting room in the hospital. Each second felt like hours waiting for the results to come. I couldn't settle down. That shocking moment, his words, his pained expression...if only I had done something to prevent it all. If only I hadn't fought with Itachi, then things wouldn't have turned out this way.

The simple thought of Itachi made me stop pacing and turn to the person sitting leisurely in a chair. Itachi looked up at me and glared, as I glared right back.

"If it weren't for the situation, I'd surely kill you." I mumbled, sliding my hands into my pants pockets and taking a seat next to him. I really didn't want to sit beside him, but unfortunately all the other seats were taken and I'd look like a fool sitting on the floor.

Why is this hospital so crowded anyway? Do humans get hurt this easily? Glancing over to an elderly man with a frail appearance, parents fretting over their child's broken limb, and many other of these kinds of situations answered my question.

Arghh!! When is that doctor coming back? I ran my fingers through my hair to relieve some tension. That didn't work. Finally, my conscious told me to look at Itachi once again. He didn't look back this time, but I couldn't help but not look away. After that incident, he was quiet as we brought him to the hospital. Actually, he was the one who suggested bringing him to a hospital, which was quite a shock to me seeing as how possessive over Sasuke he is...

No. I can't think of Sasuke now. I can't be too worried.

He noticed me staring at him. I quickly changed my sorrowful gaze to a heated glare. But, I saw something different about Itachi...It was a strange emotion in his eyes. Even though he glared back, I saw remorse of some sort.

My glare lessened and turned back to my previous gaze.

"Stop staring at me."

"You really love him, don't you?" I said unconsciously.

"I won't speak of that right now."

"Why not? How come you're trying to deny it in front of me now, huh? Yet, you so nonchalantly state that you love him and get us in this whole mess in the first place!" I shouted without meaning to.

"It'd be wise if you shut up, considering the place we are."

I would've gotten angrier, but hearing faint whispers around the room about our conversation led me to realize...we are in a crowded hospital.

Embarrassed, I sat back down and said no more.

Stupid Itachi, embarrassing me like that.

Minutes later, a doctor arrived and told us we could visit Sasuke.

"Finally! I though we'd be waiting forever! How is he?"

"He's fine, just a little weak. We've drugged him and stitched up his wound, so be careful."

I gulped. "D-drugged?"

A sweat drop appeared on Itachi's forehead. "They gave him some anesthetic."

"I knew that." I said, annoyed at my own mistake.

Once we entered the room, I immediately ran over to him. His complexion was paler than normal and he looked weak like the doctor said, but I'm glad he's alive. My hand ran across the long scar along his chest.

That's right...he's alive. Tears formed in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away.

"Naruto," He called to me in a whispered tone. I responded by holding his hand tightly.

"I'm right here."

He wiped a stray tear that fell from my eye. "Kiss me."

I smiled and did as I was told.

--

I lay awake in my hospital bed, finding it hard to sleep. Naruto was snoring softly in a chair by my side. I smiled at his sleeping face. I began to think of what brought me here to this hospital. Naruto would've been injured, or worse, if I hadn't interfered. The emotion that I had felt though was so powerful. It just took over me. I didn't think I'd care about someone as much as I cared for Naruto.

I sighed, embracing the silence of the hospital (except for that annoying beeping sound from the heart monitor) and slowly I began to doze off...

I snapped out of my daze when I felt someone gently stroking my hair.

"Did I wake you?" Itachi asked when he noticed that I had woken up.

"No. I can't sleep anyway." I replied, turning away from him. He continued to stroke my hair as I watched Naruto sleep.. To think, he was so upset to see me like this, and now he looks so content...

Suddenly, I felt an uneasy aura from behind me. It was then I realized that Itachi had stopped stroking my hair.

"Ototo, do you love me?"

The aura became even more uncomfortable.

"What kind of question is that? Stop asking things like that."

He forcefully grabbed both of my wrists and turned me around so I'd face him. I didn't see anger in his eyes, but I saw an emotion that wasn't like him to show. It looked like...sorrow.

"Do you love me?" He repeated.

I didn't know how to answer the question. If I had said what he wants to hear, what would he do to me? Then again, he couldn't really do anything. We were in a hospital after all.

"Not the way you want me to. How many times do I have to tell you?" I decided to go with how I felt, seeing as how things probably would've been worse if I had lied.

"You really love that boy, don't you?"

"Yes. I've already told you that, didn't I?" I averted my gaze. He loosened the grip from my wrists and pulled me into an embrace, careful not to put me in any pain from my wound. We stayed like that for a long while.

"Itachi, let go."

"I guess it's time to tell you." He suddenly said.

"Tell me what?" I grew curious.

"After you recover, we need to talk." With that, he got up and left the room. I stared, confused at what had just happened. I didn't know why, but I sensed an emotion in Itachi that I hadn’t seen since I was little.

Yes…the day of my parent’s death.