Something To Live For
He remembered how his mother broke the day the doctor called for them.
"As we previously discussed, it is a motor neuron disease. More specifically, progressive muscular atrophy."
He remembered how his father's hard steady look crumbled into one of pure terror and misery the moment they left the consultation room.
He remembered how Chouji, small and cute at twelve years of age, gave him a confused look and how Ino burst into tears and threw her arms around him as though it were already his funeral.
He remembered how the kids in his class suddenly acted as though he were as delicate as a feather.
The teachers stopped nagging him when he fell asleep in class and the neighbours always asked how he was feeling when he passed on the street.
He remembered Temari's rant when she found out.
What he didn't remember was how he felt about it.
And now, seven years on, he still didn't know how he felt.
"Temari?" He asked, turning his head to the side, looking at the blonde who was half asleep on his shoulder.
"Hm?" She looked up at him with her piercing teal gaze, dull in the soft light of the sitting room.
"Should I be scared of... Dying?"
She sat up a little, taking her hand away from where it was lying across his chest.
Frowning, she answered "I don't know."
So he took that as his answer before she lay back down on his shoulder.
"It depends," she said after a while. "On wether you have something to live for that you don't want to leave behind."
He brought his arm around her shoulder and thought about what she said.
What did he have to lose?
The smell of old books. The feeling of the wind at his hands. The sound of Ino's laughter and Chouji's chuckle. The taste of barbeque fresh from the grill. Clouds in the sky.
His mother's nagging, his father's insistence that he wasn't crazy for marrying her.
Gai's weird green leotard. Well, maybe not.
Asuma's kind voice and Iruka struggling to handle a group of young adults.
The smell of Temari's hair, the strength of her arms a they supported him. The sound of her voice teasing him. Her glare.
Her smile.
Her.
He did have something to live for. And he was terrified to lose it.
A/N : Hiiiiii.
Another short one, I know!
I've had a really shitty day today, so editing this story made me feel a lil better I guess.
Aaanyways, onto the most fabulous reviews from my absolutely fabulous readers!
You guys are like little fireflies, lighting up my day with your support!(it sounds cringy, but also super cute, so imma call y'all my little fireflies :3)
silverMoon6817~ squeee thankyou for the review! I honestly didn't know whether I was taking it a bit too far with that joke, but I'm glad it made you laugh :) I hope your family isn't too concerned about your mental state though o.O
luluxxy~ ah, we must wait and see m'dear, no spoilers ;)
whattadragg~ yes! First plan of attack-spread the love for Ino like a plague through our fanfictions, that way peeps will grow to like her! Step two - ... I haven't thought that far ahead... Repeat step one! Haha, impatience Is a virtue in my eyes, I hope you'll enjoy what happens in the story! You won't have to wait too long, I swear!
Okiedokie, I've been posting every day, and I am ooper tired from editing, but I'll try to keep it up, so this story might be done and dusted before I go back to school, which would be a load off my mind.
Thank you for reading!
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~Lee