Alchemy

8,2) STAY

[Thanks for being patient....]

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Naruto:

Slowly I started to look forward to the start of a new day. Slowly its influence grew less and less until the haziness clouding my judment had almost completely disappeared.

Something inside myself that I thought had died a long time ago on that day had come back to life. Almost as if it hadn't died in the first place. As if it had only been slumbering deep inside the void of darkness.

I realised over the past month that the Nine Tails had lied to me. I wasn't a monster. I was capable of change and I was capable of love and kindness.

It was all thanks to her. It was her who had dragged out of that eternal pit of darkness and despair.

Like her namesake she was the sun that shone brighter than any sea of constellations. Bright enough to melt the cold frost enlogded in my heart.

She was doing better with every passing day. Her leg had healed to the point that she was able to accompany me on strolls in garden every now and then.

Her confidence had grown too. To the point that she was now unafraid to speak her mind. It ssemed that not only her physical wounds but also whatever emotional ones had driven her all the way here--far away from any civilization--had begun to mend itself too.

I feared what would happen when her leg healed completely and she left.

That's right they always leave.
Everyone who has ever loved you has left you.

Your parents... Your godparents...Your sensei...your friend...

No! That wasn't true. If anyone had left it was me. I had left most of the people on that list behind.

To protect them or to protect myself, I didn't know?

I wondered what had happened to them. If they were alright...if they knew that I was alive...if they cared...

I couldn't allow myself to think about such things.


I couldn't allow myself to grow selfish.
Despite that the fact that I loved our friendship...I had to let Hinata go when the time came.

The world was vast and almost boundless and I wanted her to see it all--because I couldn't.

"Naruto?" a soft voice pulled me out of my tempestuous thoughts.

"Yes?" I asked turning to look at her. A few snowflakes had rested themselves on her head. They sparked in the sunlight like gleaming crystals contrasting with her dark navy hair yet complimenting her light lavender eyes.

"N-nothing....you just looked deep in thought t-that's all..." she muttered.

"I was," I stated bluntly and the subject was dropped. I haven't asked about her past and in return she hadn't asked about mine. It was one of the many unspoken agreements between us.

No matter how curious I was about how that little girl who I had met many years ago had landed up here in the forbidden forest of all places; I kept my questions to myself. If I wasn't willing to share my secrets...I couldn't possibly expect her to share her own.

I started to sink back in the world of my lonely thoughts only to be pulled out by a cold icy feeling travelling down my spine. I jolted.

Looking at Hinata I couldn't help but smile at the uncharacteristic smirk etched onto her face. One of her hands was fixed behind her back.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

A played look danced in her eyes—a look that was now reflected within my own.

A ball of snow floated towards a hand with was also hidden behind my back.

"Are you sure you want to start this Hina-chan?" I teased.

She blushed at the nickname giving me the opportunity to strike.

My snowball crashed onto her neck send snow down her cloak. She jolted before pouting at me.

I was perfectly justified in my attack. Afterall... every action had an equal and opposite reaction.

"When did you even make that snowball? I didn't even see you scoop up any snow?" she questioned.

"It's a secret," I winked.

I wished that time would still and we could stay here...together.

I would miss our conversations under the starry night skies and her comforting smile in the castle's dusty library. I would miss the way the eyes gleamed in delight at the sight of snow.
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