Precious
Farewell
By
Silver Dragonfly
He
stood numbly as the autumn breeze whispered past. The name was only one of
several that had been recently added to monument, but it would be one that
he would never forget. He stiffened as he heard soft footsteps and then relaxed
as a familiar presence came up beside him. Her smaller hand reached to wrap
around his, their fingers intertwined. She rested her dark head against his
broad chest, her other hand holding a small bouquet of flowers.
“He
was the first to truly acknowledge me…”
“I know.”
“He
helped raise many of Konoha’s finest shinobi. He truly cared about each and
every one of his students…” His lips lifted in a small grin, “Even the loudest
troublemakers… I think he may have even cared about them more.”
“I
think so to.” She said softly.
“I
never told him…but he was like the big brother I never had.”
“He
knew. He often referred to you as his younger brother to others.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
He
took a shaky breath. “He taught me so much, and I wish he could have taught
our children those things too…” His voice trailed off, strained by the threat
of tears.
“He
will—through you.”
He
smiled. “Where are—?”
“With
Neiji and Tenten.”
“Ah.”
“Your
students are worried about you; Sakura and Sasuke as well. They all know how
close you two were.”
He
wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.
“Tsunade
sent Kakashi after the employer didn’t she.” A brief
shifting of her head against his shoulder was the answer.
“Gai,
Shikamaru, and Lee as well. She would have sent you…”
“But
I have my team and the kids, not to mention the possibility of a trap set
just for the event that I’m the one that goes after him. No I would be best
off remaining in Konoha and protecting those that could yet be targeted here.”
He sighed. “I don’t understand Hinata… they’re only children. Why attack children?”
But he knew the answer. They had been attacked in order to get at their parents
and family. Children of the Hyuga clan and the Rokudaime Hokage were bound
to be powerful. Hinata pulled herself tighter into his arms. Naruto looked
up at the sky for a moment, then back at the memorial. He almost lost them,
the brightest jewels in his life, his children, save for the efforts of one
Chuunin academy teacher.
“Thank
you Iruka-sensei….Iruka-niichan…” he whispered loosening his hold on Hinata long enough
for her to place the flowers on the memorial, then slowly turned towards the
village with Hinata close at his side. Times would be rough, and the loss
of such a great sensei would be felt. But as long as they had hope and a desire
to protect those precious to them Konoha would remain strong.
Write to Silver
Dragonfly
Back to Fanfiction
Main
Back to Short Fics
Japanese Glossary