Ficlet: Fire Under Water [Naruto; PG; Gen - Various]
Fandom: Naruto
Title: Fire Under Water
Characters: Sandaime, Jiraiya, Itachi
Words: 300
Warnings: Manga spoilers up to around 404.
A/N: Just a little exercise for myself. It's supposed to sort of be a triptych/character study ...
Fire Under Water
i. Crown of Rain
They say your Will of Fire burns brightest when in your darkest, coldest hour. When it hurts the most. When it’s needed the most.
Underneath his smoke and muscle, Asuma knows his old man had been content to die facing Orochimaru. More than his own progeny - Orochimaru had been his son. Never had he taken so much pride - too much - in a single person than he did in that quiet, brilliant boy he’d watched become a man. Orochimaru set the Sandaime Hokage ablaze.
Asuma tries to light another cigarette, but can’t. He’s fine. It’s just the rain in his eyes.
ii. The Lake's Chambers
Blood runs along the familiar lines down his face as Jiraiya thinks of all he has known, of all he wishes he'd known. It all comes down to faces, words, people. Death tenderly leans close, smiling like a friend who has been at his side since the beginning. Death is the smell of Sarutobi-sensei's tobacco, the sound of Orochimaru's soft laughter, the taste of Tsunade's sake-sweet lips, the sight of Minato's boundless smile, the feel of Naruto's back pressed against his own like a promise.
Hair heavy enough to pull him down, Jiraiya sinks. The water gently takes him in.
iii. A River Round
Shisui’s last words were, “Thank you.”
Walking towards Sasuke, the sluggish, constant weight of the Nakano River circles and tightens around Itachi. It was never the blood of his foolish clan that made him regret, but the cool water lapping over his hands as he held the other half of his heart down for the sake of their dreams, their Home. But as he looks into his beloved brother’s terrified - and still so pure - black eyes, peace finally overtakes him.
Shisui had died smiling, loving and accepting his killer with the entirety of his being. Itachi intends to as well.
Title: Fire Under Water
Characters: Sandaime, Jiraiya, Itachi
Words: 300
Warnings: Manga spoilers up to around 404.
A/N: Just a little exercise for myself. It's supposed to sort of be a triptych/character study ...
Fire Under Water
i. Crown of Rain
They say your Will of Fire burns brightest when in your darkest, coldest hour. When it hurts the most. When it’s needed the most.
Underneath his smoke and muscle, Asuma knows his old man had been content to die facing Orochimaru. More than his own progeny - Orochimaru had been his son. Never had he taken so much pride - too much - in a single person than he did in that quiet, brilliant boy he’d watched become a man. Orochimaru set the Sandaime Hokage ablaze.
Asuma tries to light another cigarette, but can’t. He’s fine. It’s just the rain in his eyes.
ii. The Lake's Chambers
Blood runs along the familiar lines down his face as Jiraiya thinks of all he has known, of all he wishes he'd known. It all comes down to faces, words, people. Death tenderly leans close, smiling like a friend who has been at his side since the beginning. Death is the smell of Sarutobi-sensei's tobacco, the sound of Orochimaru's soft laughter, the taste of Tsunade's sake-sweet lips, the sight of Minato's boundless smile, the feel of Naruto's back pressed against his own like a promise.
Hair heavy enough to pull him down, Jiraiya sinks. The water gently takes him in.
iii. A River Round
Shisui’s last words were, “Thank you.”
Walking towards Sasuke, the sluggish, constant weight of the Nakano River circles and tightens around Itachi. It was never the blood of his foolish clan that made him regret, but the cool water lapping over his hands as he held the other half of his heart down for the sake of their dreams, their Home. But as he looks into his beloved brother’s terrified - and still so pure - black eyes, peace finally overtakes him.
Shisui had died smiling, loving and accepting his killer with the entirety of his being. Itachi intends to as well.