The Descendant of Akata (Naruto fanfiction)

43 ● Aching Hearts ●

Third person's pov.

The night was silent as darkness reigned, only few people wandering in the streets in a search for a relief after a long day of work. In the street that was the busiest at night, giggling women and slurring men stumbled around, having no care in the world as silent shadows patrolled the night life of the peaceful village.

There was, however, one small bar that had but one customer. He wasn't laughing, nor stumbling. He had been sitting there, staring into his full cup of sake for hours with no expression on his face, but eyes full of feelings. Feelings that had built up along the years with questions he had never gotten answers to. Answers, he hoped to find from the depths of that small cup in front of him.

The bartender glanced at the man in concern, like he had done several times during the evening hours. He had known the man in front of him ever since they were kids and he knew that when his friend was acting like this, something was wrong. However, always when he opened his mouth to speak to the man, he either lost the words, for he wasn't much of a speaker, or he was silenced by a raised hand of his friend.

Yami sighed, the thoughts in his head seemed to fumble around, twisting into each other and making it impossible for him to think straight. But, admist all these emotions and thoughts, one rose it's ugly head, pestering him again and again. Now he could remember why he had stopped doing missions years ago.

Yami was slightly startled when someone sat to the stool next to him, as this bar was usually scarce of other customers, but when he saw Jiraiya, who was already ordering a collection of sake, he relaxed a bit. The bartender welcomed Jiraiya happily, glad to see another old face at his bar, knowing that Yami's mouth would soon curve into the smile it usually had. It was inevitable.

The men didn't speak until Jiraiya had downed his first cup with a somber expression. He no doubt knew what was bothering Yami, but also knew that he was the kind not to speak if one tried to pry the information out of him.

Yami refused to look at Jiraiya, who was obviously waiting for him to open his mouth. He wanted to, he really wanted to, but he didn't know how to start.

He groaned in frustration and with angry movement, downed his drink with a grimace, only to have the cup filled by the smirking bartender the moment it touched the counter.

Jiraiya watched his friend from the corner of his eye, but still said nothing. It took patience to get Yami talk of things bothering him.

"Have you ever wished for a different life?"

Jiraiya wasn't surprised by the question, it wasn't the first time Yami had asked him that. He raised a cup from the counter to his lips and let the warm liquid travel over his tongue.

"Sometimes." He answered after swallowing.

"I can't tell how many times I've wished that, to have been born in a completely different world that hasn't been dyed with red or at least get a chance to change the past. So many lives could've been spared..." Yami's eyes were pained as he peered down at his second drink. The faces of his deceased family and friends flashing in his mind.

Jiraiya said nothing and Yami soon continued talking.

"I remember when I got the letter from granny, asking me to visit home. She had never asked that in her letters, because she always respected our choices, but in that letter she asked and it made me return." The image of his smiling grandmother flashed in front of his eyes, like it had been just yesterday that he had last seen her and not over thirteen years ago.

"When I entered Lumen Mountain, I was surprisingly happy. All the smiling faces welcoming me and my sister nearly killing me for taking so long to return." A small, pained smile graced Yami's lips at the memory. Jiraiya smiled also, having witnessed the scene.