Title: Hurt (Please listen to the same titled song from Christina Aguilera)
A/N: I apologize to those who awaits updates for my other Naruto fanfics, I have gotten over the fandom years ago and just can't get inspired enough to continue. Anyway, I just found out Jiraiya's death from a random AMV on youtube and I was quite shocked. Afterall I did have a soft spot for him. This may be my last Naruto drabble, done as a tribute to Jiraiya. R.I.P. Pardon me if it is badly written, I'm out of practice for a long time.
"Come with me. I will make you stronger."
A simple invitation. It had meant everything then – his salvation, his only thread of hope when his heart was wrenched with the anguish of being abandoned by a "brother".
Naruto left Konoha with nothing much on his back, tagging quietly without question. For months and years, they traveled aimlessly without a fixed destination. On the road, he learnt something new from the older man each day and trained feverishly.
Even then, he never seemed serious, always goofing around with that perverse grin. But whenever Naruto looked into those eyes and saw himself reflected wholly back with loving pride, he pushed himself harder. No words were needed anymore, just the gentle existence of a teacher and a parent he never had before to help him along the agonizing times.
Over time, his patience slowly eroded with his growing strength. Naruto felt ready but the other man said he was not. He felt he was being held back unnecessarily by worries of an old man and he grew bitter. So many arguments and days of suppressed emotions later, he finally exploded and left, his wrecked desires to get his "brother" back egging him on.
After that hasty parting, everybody was soon caught up in a war that spread across the country like wildfire. Naruto never saw the man again. Many years went past and with scars mapping every inch of his body and soul, peace was finally returned to their homeland. He became the new leader of Konoha and everybody loved him. He even got his "brother" back at his side again and gained many more dear friends and comrades.
He should be happy now. But someone was missing and the scroll sitting innocently on his table now said that person would not be coming back anymore.
Tears began to slide down his cheeks silently and profusely. It had been a long time since he cried but this time it hurt worse than the last cry. He remembered the last time he saw this man. He remembered the last heated words he spoke to him. He remembered the ugly expression of hatred he wore as he left the man standing wordlessly, a small lonely figure on a dusty road in the middle of nowhere.
Long buried regrets and bittersweet memories rushed his being. Naruto fell to the floor and curled into a fetal position, quite a laughable sight for a grown man of his stature. It was too late to say his apologies, his thanks and his love to the man who had once saved his soul.
"Goodbye, Ero-sennin." He whispered brokenly to an empty room.
End.