AN: Gosh guys, it's been so long! But now that I've finished my big story BabyAgain, I can focus on my smaller stuff, like this one!
Disclaimer: naruto doesn't belong to me...yet
It didn't go anywhere; it lay before her in a limp pile, just laying there, dead.
The ends were ragged and frilled, looking old and weary. It hung from her tired body, flailing in some nonexistent wind that would follow her for miles. It dragged across the ground, getting dirty and tangling the frazzled ends until it was just a shamble of what it used to be.
She hated looking at it; the thing was such an eyesore.
But only to her.
Others weren't aware of it; they passed her by like nothing was wrong, never looking twice. But she knew it was there, she would always know. It didn't go anywhere, it didn't attach to anything, it lead her to no one. It would tangle her up, trip her and snag her in its web of pain and irony. Violent red would sting her eyes every time she looked down to glare at it.
Her ragged red ribbon was nothing more than undone fiber, wafting detestably behind her with every step she took.
Away from that place.
Where the other ribbon dangled.
Alone.
Waiting for her to come back.
Where they could tie up loose ends.
And love.
Again.
But she wouldn't have it, she'd specifically told him no. And he'd listened, like the obedient dog he was.
He sat.
Waiting.
For her to return to him.
He would wait the rest of his life.
His ragged red ribbon wafted behind him.
Forever mocking in its nonexistent wind.
He would tie it up again.
Once she came back to him.
Never.
But they'd both tell themselves it would happen, one day when they were older, it would happen, but they just didn't want it right now.
Later.
When there was nothing left but scraggly red fibers
Marking the trail they'd taken.
Separately.
Alone.
Forever.
They'd never admit it, but it made them sick.
Those damned red ribbons. They never made anyone happy, especially them. It was like a giant tease of what could have been, and it makes them physically ill.
Now they stand side by side, both red ribbons dangling by their feet, inching ever so slowly towards the other, ragged red fibers tangling into the other.
Knotting.
Strengthening.
Bonding.
And that's when the ax came down.
Tearing them apart once again.
Leaving the ribbons ragged once again.
Forever and always.
A lingering.
Ugly.
Reminder.
Of what could have been.
The tragic love story of Tsunade and Jiraiya. I've always found their relationship somewhat of a Shakespeare kind of thing, all tragic and sappy, but always inconspicuous. My kind of romance!
REVIEW PLEASE!
PEACE :P