Has it always been that hard?
His life was filled with close encounters to death. What's different now?
Ah... that's right. He's not the one fighting anymore.
Their wish, their hopes, their dreams - they inspirited him, nurturing him silently through his hardest times.
He lived for them.
He survived for them.
He fought for them.
He protected them.
And soon, the world acknowledged his tenacity.
With the passing of time, he met her: his red thread, in the forest where cherry blossoms danced. Her words, her mannerisms, her quiet determination - he loved every single thing about her. They had found a comfortable place in his heart.
Like healthy flowers bearing ripe fruit, they conceived two amazing children. Work and work, he did, yet every one of them stayed and latched onto his heart. Problems they solved, and happy they were.
With confidence, he placed upon them the burden of Shinobi.
Grinning to himself, he chuckles.
A blanket of warmth and pride surged within him. They surpassed his expectations. Truly, they were the stars of his life.
A table. A seat. A hat too many. An attacker. A large wound. A massacre-no, a bloodbath. A flicker, and their life faded away.
Is Kurama still here? Can he fix this? Why hasn't he said a word?
Only static.
Focus. A man. Blonde, spiky, fuzzy. Was he..? No, he is his only star left.
Opening his mouth was a struggle.
Is everything going to be alright?
Will they live?
"It's not for you. It's for them."
A mere whisper from a time long gone.
He chuckles, blood staining the already red ground.
He can hear nothing but their despair.
Throat full of bile, eyes clouded with mist, he croaks:
"When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate your path, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew."
The hand upon his frail body,
Shaky and weak.
He can feel it.
No longer his wish, his hopes, his dreams.
Theirs.
Gently, he closes his eyes.
No more needs to be said.
He blows.
He blows no more.
end
AN: Hey! Thanks for reading. I was out of ideas for NW, so I came up with this in less than a day.
Thanks to my grammar fixer who wants to remain anonymous, spending hours fixing my bad grammar.
Hope you enjoy, and see you next time.
Have a great day.