Drabble: How Do You Measure a Year?
She used to count the years against her, remembering how each had carved new lines around her eyes and made the ache in her heart more distant, but still as painful as when it had first been broken. But, she thought, smiling out into the dawning day, I’ve counted this year by a different measure.
It was counted in firsts.
It was measured by the first time a panicky copy-ninja had shown up in her bedroom window with a feverish, colicky baby held tightly to his chest. It was added up in the first time she had seen the man defenseless, all masks gone, as he had sprawled asleep on one end of her couch, his healed son asleep on his chest; his arms curled protectively around the child.
It was counted in a wobbly first step taken without support, and a first toothless grin directed only at her.
It was tallied by a stunned schoolteacher when he had heard the boy shape sounds into something resembling words for the first time.
It was counted in the first time a loudmouthed brat had burst into her office, teary-eyed, loudly proclaiming that he was an older brother now.
It was measured in her being officially named the child’s godmother and invited to take part in what she knew would become a family tradition, as Iruka and Kakashi had each released a firefly to join their brethren in the night.
She smiled down at the infant asleep in her arms. “Happy first birthday, Shimo.”
It was measured in the first year of a life, and somehow, Tsunade had never felt younger.
It was counted in firsts.
It was measured by the first time a panicky copy-ninja had shown up in her bedroom window with a feverish, colicky baby held tightly to his chest. It was added up in the first time she had seen the man defenseless, all masks gone, as he had sprawled asleep on one end of her couch, his healed son asleep on his chest; his arms curled protectively around the child.
It was counted in a wobbly first step taken without support, and a first toothless grin directed only at her.
It was tallied by a stunned schoolteacher when he had heard the boy shape sounds into something resembling words for the first time.
It was counted in the first time a loudmouthed brat had burst into her office, teary-eyed, loudly proclaiming that he was an older brother now.
It was measured in her being officially named the child’s godmother and invited to take part in what she knew would become a family tradition, as Iruka and Kakashi had each released a firefly to join their brethren in the night.
She smiled down at the infant asleep in her arms. “Happy first birthday, Shimo.”
It was measured in the first year of a life, and somehow, Tsunade had never felt younger.