Title: Telos
Author: Brook
Disclaimer: Naruto ©
Masashi Kishimoto
Rating: K+
Warning: Vague Drabble
Word Count: 500
Summary: She reminds him of a life he could have had, and part of him hates her for it. (Sasuke & Sakura)
Authors Notes: I like drabbles, and I like SasuSaku - so I simply combined them!
He watches her from the corners of his crimson eyes and hates her because she reminds him that he is human. Humans are flawed.
He hates her because she makes him forget about his duty.
But her tears make her green eyes shine like distant moons from a planet that he can't understand.
Her sympathetic eyes mock him.
He is tempted.
He comes closer that night than ever before to giving in, and taking her hand, because she offers it so freely.
She reminds him of the humanity that he must shed to destroy the monster that haunts him at every bend.
She reminds him of simpler times, and a life that he could have had.
So when he looks at her, he hates his brother more, because he can see the life he has to give up to avenge his clan.
Because avengers can't love.
So power becomes his new obsession.
And he learns to embrace the hate he is taught from the snake who knows nothing of love. Or perhaps, he knows all too well.
Because, just as the scarecrow was the snake and the flame was the scarecrow – so to was he a snake amongst the leaves.
Often he ponders how the scarecrow escaped his fate. But then he remembers the forlorn glances he'd send over his shoulder at dusk and the scar that divided his foreign eye and false heritage. He'd suffered much grief in the wake of his reform.
The flame was a scarecrow and a snake and a boy who lost his brother.
Now he is alone.
He is the recycling of the pattern, and his part is the betrayer. It is a role he was destined to play, and a part that he will keenly depict, if it will end his quest.
She made him want to forget that, so he hates her for making him consider overlooking the pain.
And it becomes easier to hate her in his absence.
Time and distance grant him a reprieve from her presence, but still he can't drive her face from his mind. And on cold, lonely winter nights it becomes her face that haunts him, instead of pale skin and spiraling scarlet eyes.
She confuses him with her soft eyes and putrid empathy.
He wonders why she cares.
He almost envies her because she is free to love.
When he's around her, he can't think clearly. He can't remember why he should fight. But he knows that he should because in his worst nightmares, it's her blood that coats his hands with inadequacy.
He fought for her, and he knew that couldn't last… because he has a mission that no one – not ever her – has a right to take from him.
He mourns her, because he knows that someday he might have to kill her. Then, he will meet her in death when he is no longer honor-bound to avenge his family. Only then will he be free to love.
And this is his telos.
Foot Notes:
For everyone out there who doesn't know what Telos is -
Literally "end". This word is used in philosophy to denote the "end" or "ends" towards which thinking moves, eg for Aristotle, ethics is a matter of achieving the end of happiness.
So basically, it's this is the 'end' that he is moving towards, his true goal is to achieve happiness in death.
Morbid? Yes. Depressing? Hopefully.
Like it? Tell me.