Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Drabble #34: Necrophobia
Sasuke's greatest fear.

Sasuke never used to fear death.

Even as a child, before Itachi had killed his entire clan, Sasuke had witnessed many of his relatives' funerals. The Uchiha clan was a large one, after all, and most of its clansmen were shinobis. That some of them would die during missions were inevitable.

By the time he was four years old, Sasuke could look at the mangled bodies – could stare death in the face - without so much as flinching.

The fact that Itachi destroyed their clan - killed every single member of their family - did not make Sasuke fear death either. Yes, he had been terrified that night, but not of something as inconsequential as death.

The thing that had frightened him so badly that night was Itachi. The monster he had become. His brother had always been Sasuke's idol, his inspiration, his everything. That night, Sasuke's world toppled over down on him, bringing despair, hurt, anger.

Death was nothing compared to the terrible feeling of being betrayed by someone you trusted.

- - -

Then Uzumaki Naruto came into his life, and along with the bubbly blonde came something Sasuke had never experienced before: the fear of Death.

Sasuke found himself fearing Death for the first time in his life, but not for himself. He watched Naruto put himself in various life-threatening situations, and every time that happened, Sasuke found himself protecting the smaller boy.

Sasuke began to understand what the fear of Death meant.

It was that fear which prevented Sasuke from killing Naruto at the Valley of the End. He could have done it so easily - just plunge his kunai through Naruto's heart and leave him to bleed to death, what with Naruto unconscious, lying so quietly in the pouring rain.

As if he were already dead.

Sasuke had stared at Naruto's face, a million emotions surging through him, and the fear that had plagued him for months now resurfaced with a vengeance.

He didn't want to kill Naruto. He couldn't.

He had fled, disgusted with himself.

For the next three years, he learnt more about Life and Death as Orochimaru's prodigy. The fear of Death still lingered at the back of his mind, even as he killed countless people to further the greedy ambitions of his master.

Sasuke hated every moment he spent with the Snake Sannin. He had felt nothing but relief the day Orochimaru died – killed by shinobi of the Leaf, and he had gained his freedom once again. The burning urge he had felt as a child to avenge his clan had all but disappeared.

All he wanted to do was to return home. To Naruto.

It had been five years since that day at the Valley of the End, and Sasuke had not gotten rid of his fear. In fact, it had worsened now that he was back at Naruto's side, where he belonged.

If Sasuke had learnt anything at all for the past few years, since he had gotten to know Naruto, Death meant nothing when you were alone. It meant nothing when you cared for no one. Death only mattered when you've found someone you loved, someone you wanted to protect, someone you wanted to be with forever.

Your most precious person.

Death had the ultimate power to take Naruto away from him, and that was what Sasuke feared the most.

Owari.

Author's Notes:
This is the last of the drabbles, because I'm exhausted and half dead...

Thanks to everyone who has read this far! This last drabble is dedicated to you!