Disclaimer: Naruto and all the characters therein belong to Masashi Kishimoto, not myself.

Summary: Was it wrong, with all the recent deaths, to think of just one? No ghosts, only Genma's memories.

Author's note: I was inspired to write this while listening to the full version of "Gravity," the ending song to Wolf's Rain. Please listen to it if you have time, it's really beautiful.

Warning: SPOILER for Volume 11 of the manga, so it's probably best if you don't read this story if you haven't read vol. 11. Also has to do with a character's death, if you haven't gathered from the summary. Might also be a bit confusing at times, but the point was to make it a little abstract. That's all my warning for you, please enjoy.

Home

By Ichigo Morino (4/30/03)

Genma stood within his dark room, he didn't know how long he'd stood there for, what felt like hours could've minutes. And what felt like minutes could've been hours. His narrowed, weary eyes finally looked up. Outside, through the balcony door, he could see a black figure. A crow, perched upon one thin branch, was preening its feathers.

He pushed away from the wall. Was it wrong, with all the deaths that had come upon Konoha village at once, to think of one? Was it selfish to stop and think about just one? No, no it wasn't.

He sat out there, in the cold, dark evening, looking out at the perched crow. For a moment, his narrowed eyes were finally able to relax. He didn't look so old now, so jaded. The crow looked up from its feathers. It locked its black gaze with Genma's.

He looked back at it, his eyes unchanging, unblinking. In his mind, a raven-haired boy turned to him. And soon, he wasn't standing on his balcony, in the cold evening air. He was in a grassy clearing, a warm summer breeze fluttering around him.

The black-haired boy made a motion for him to follow, looking up at him with equally black eyes. Dark lines were beginning to appear under those eyes, he had started becoming sick lately. But Gekkou Hayate wouldn't let a bit of a cough get in the way of anything.

Genma wanted to follow the boy, wanted to see where he was going to take him. But he remembered, that was all, he was remembering. Hayate had found a crow's nest. He had been really excited. He would go to watch the hatchlings every day until another wave of sickness overtook him.

Genma would stay at his bedside for the greater part of each day. He would watch the crows for Hayate and tell him what it was they were doing, how the hatchlings were faring. He remembered Hayate had really wanted to see them fly for the first time. Genma had wanted him to see, too.

Hayate was so bent on getting better in time to see it, he actually started improving. They came really close. But the night before Genma had realized it wasn't possible, it was too soon. Too early.

It was. Hayate worsened and his coughs had become harsh. When Genma was at his bedside that day, he watched him silently in his feverish sleep. He felt so bad. Then he thought he'd finally felt true sorrow.

So instead of letting it gnaw at him, the young Genma had lifted Hayate from the bed and onto his shoulders. He took Hayate out into the clearing, through the trees, to the nest. And as the black hatchlings flew for their first time, Hayate opened his dark eyes to behold the sight.

Genma remembered how he had clung to his back in utter delight and surprise. That had been true bliss.

He had gone to see Hayate for one last time. Had it been a few days ago? It seemed like a moment. His eyes were closed then too, like so many other times he'd walked up to him. Genma had looked at him with his narrowed eyes; it was like he was sleeping, like so many other times.

Hayate now stood in front of him, and he wasn't a child anymore, he was the Hayate he'd seen a few days—no, just a moment—ago. But he wasn't cut up, he wasn't sickly looking. He smiled, and his black eyes lit up with that smile, no dark lines under them.

"Am I going home?" He asked Genma. There was no cough.

"You are…" Genma spoke back, his eyes still locked with the crow's. "You're already home. You'll always be home."

The crow atop the branch spread its wings and took flight. Genma's narrow, jaded eyes followed it.

~ Owari ~