Hey, Hi, Hello.
Welcome to the very last chapter of TMK. It's been an adventure writing this, that's for sure. I hope you guys enjoy it <3 love you kiddies! Please comment and vote. Hasn't been edited much, 'cause I'm just too excited to post this ^/.\^ The song is 'River Flows In You' by Yiruma. It's just piano, one of my favorites by him.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.
WARNINGS: Saaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddd! Or maybe more bittersweet? Eh, whatever. Sasuke is OOC. A little bit of cussing.
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To think...it would end like this...
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After everything, and seeing him makes my heart clench.
He turns, black-blue hair fluttering around his neck. He smiles, a smile so soft and endearing... it's been a while since I've seen him smile like that. Since I was eight. He seems so at peace and calm, here in the realm of my nightmare world. I wasn't sure exactly what was going on- this was definitely the strangest dream I've had since going through my training and induction into the Torture and Interrogation Force -but I could gather this form of his was of my mind's own creation, what I most wanted to see him as. The last time I saw him look really, genuinely happy.
"Imouto," he murmurs, his hand extending outwards until he cradled my cheek in his palm. "How's life going for you?"
I can't speak. My lips are frozen, hanging half open. I struggle to form words. Masao just smiles patiently, amiably. I feel something strange in my chest that's dangerously close to falling apart. My composure.
"Take your time," he whispers. My gaze drops from his eyes, traveling down to my feet. What a cruel dream this was. My gaze softens from shock into something softer, more sensitive. My heart felt cracked. And it had been put through so much lately, so much stupid, stressful, preventable shit that I was surprised it hadn't failed me already. Honestly, if it were even my choice, I just might have let it happen.
"I-I...Masao, you killed them all..." I can't easily find the words to express my feelings. What I would give for this to be real, to really be with the older brother I adored so much, and for him to just be like he used to... I smile bitterly, closing my eyes and leaning into his touch. I could let this last for a little bit longer, right? Before I tore myself up again.
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I have changed a lot.
After learning of my brother's plot with the Akatsuki, how it was all planned, I came to the decision that I didn't want to be like Masao. Not emotionless, not so full of contempt and cynicism. That was his nindo, and why should I follow him? I was my own person, someone beyond the little puppet my nii-san controlled. Wasn't I? Being teamed up with Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi taught me that. Even if they didn't mean to do it. Seeing the way Sasuke dealt with his grief, the way Naruto could be so happy and carefree but still so dedicated and serious, and the way Kakashi-sensei cared and was much more thoughtful than he ever let on...that struck me with such power that I couldn't help but want to change.
--
"Wake the fuck up."
My eyes open. Familiar ceiling. The hospital again, how fucking lovely. I was so sick and tired of waking up in the hospital. At least I was getting a little bit of a change of pace, being woken up this time by someone else instead of it just happening like it had been. And, of all people, it was Uchiha Sasuke doing it.
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