Fire and Ice

Neither of us said anything, we didn't move.

We just watch each other.

- Are you real ...? - a whisper that was hidden by his question.

- Are you Naruto, the Guardian of the Forest? - I made a thoughtful face, I turned my back on him as I stared at the water, in silence. After a while, when I managed to stifle the sobs again, I dared to answer.

- It was ... - At no time did I dare to look at her face. - ... I cut ties with the Forest.

- You know there was another way out, why something so extreme? - I turned in disbelief. The rage took over me.

- And what was he supposed to have done? - I looked into his eyes, hit the water hard. - Kill them all?!

- Or have made them forget. - He said calmly. I laughed madly.

- For what? - I directed my sad look to the ground. - Humans learn from experience ... that would only have delayed the events and a war cannot be avoided forever, Kurama.

- How do you know my name? - It couldn't be.

This time I didn't feel my soul being crushed, I just didn't feel anything.

Kurama had forgotten me ...

Was that the price for having returned to Earth?

For not having stayed with the Gods?

- You do not know who I am? He looked at me confused and shook his head.

I was in one of those moments in my life when I didn't know what to do ... But despair seized me. I got up with difficulty feeling the water run down my legs as I slid over the water approaching Kurama.

I took him by the collar of his shirt and made our lips meet.

Instantly I was on the ground, my cheek hurt. I didn't want to look up, through the reflection in the water I could see his gaze ... The ice was a warmer place than his eyes.

- Why did you do that?

Impotence ran through me along with adrenaline.

Kurama ... he didn't feel anything for me anymore, yes ... he could have forgotten me but his heart would remember me ... he promised ...

- Liar ... - A soft whisper gave me strength to raise my head and meet our gazes again; mine kept shedding tears and his was more imperturbable than that of a marble statue. - You're a liar!

His confusion made me continue, with more confidence.

- YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE, THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS BE TOGETHER! YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD NEVER FORGET ME, SAID YOU WOULD COME BACK FOR ME! WHY DID YOU NEVER TURN BACK !? - All unanswered questions were emptied in an instant. - YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS WORLD AS A PLACE FULL OF GOODNESS BUT I HAVE ONLY FOUND LONELINESS AND DARKNESS! WHERE WERE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU LYING TO ME ALL THE TIME !?

"That's impossible," he stated with too much assurance ... so much so that I even put my hand to my neck, confirming that his mark was still there. - It's the first time I've seen you.

That nothing had been a dream.

- So how do you explain this ... - I lowered my shirt, leaving his partner mark visible. - Why have you condemned me, Kurama?

- That brand is not mine. - A psychopathic laugh came from my lips ... I had always been so stubborn ... but I couldn't make him see reason ...

I just wanted him to say it.

- Why did you swear you loved me? - My voice was just a broken thread made up of sounds.

"I've never said that ..." He looked me in the eye. - Your life is ending, I need you to re-establish the link with the Forest, the Gods send me as a new Guardian. You are too troublesome ... - So that was it ... - ... You have little time to live, so do it quickly.

I stayed on the ground for a few moments ...

How...?

Why...?

He has forgotten me.

There was nothing left for me to do in this world, just fix what I had smashed and disappear.

I got up staggering, lost my balance, fell to the ground but tried again under his watchful eye ... my body hurt so much ... there were so many injuries ...

I raised my hands to the sky and all the energy was locked in a small butterfly that returned to my heart.

As if nothing had happened.

It was a sunny day again, without a trace of wind ... the only thing left as proof of my loss of control was that destroyed place ... the house of the Anbu, the Root.

I looked at Kurama and held out my hand, he looked at me almost in disgust.

As if it were a failure as a Guardian ...

But it was, right?

- That way we'll get there faster ... - that whisper convinced him to take my hand, suspiciously. He really could have carried us without that contact but ... just one last time, I wanted to feel his skin.

When he opened his eyes he was almost horrified when he saw the state of the Forest, it was just a shadow of what it had been ... of what it could have been.

- What are you waiting for? - He looked at me impatiently, I didn't like that he treated me like a stranger, after all ... he always said that we were family, that we only had each other.

"I have one last wish ..." he snorted heavily.

- Which? - I whispered my request in his ear, making him so angry

that he threw me abruptly to the ground, hitting my bad shoulder ... those brutes had dislocated it and the blow didn't help, I couldn't bear the weight of my body without killing myself with pain. - I am not going to do it. Now make the damn bond.

I didn't get up, I just lay in the fetal position as I tried to find the broken tie.

In a few seconds my body was shining like a star.

I got up with difficulty again, I wanted to give him one last gift before I left.

A gentle wind lifted the leaves off the ground, I put on my best smile and reached out to him as my body turned to soft golden dust. My last blue butterfly flew to the heart of Kurama, who, distracted by the rebirth of the Forest, did not realize that little being that slipped into his lost memory.

I barely had a few seconds to live, my hand was still extended towards him, waiting for it to work.

That I could hear it one last time.

"Naruto ..." a soft whisper interrupted the peace of my death. Fingers brushed mine before the wind made me disappear into the air.

A Kurama bathed in tears, kneeling on the ground, shouting from the rooftops his love for me ... that was my last new memory.

Thereafter...

I only found peace while my soul wandered in those happy memories of another time, only of good times, my favorite was the one that Kurama in his animal form hugged me while tickling me, under the sun of an autumn sunset ... while I swore eternal love again.

I fulfilled my last wish ...

Hear him say one last time ...

Even if you do not get to hear these words, I left a whisper in the wind just for you ...

<< ... I love you, Kurama ... >>

-END-