Smoke Rings in the Dark (Reader x Various)

Suiren

A/N: Hello readers! The art above came from a dear friend! sugarbunbuncake thank you for the beautiful artwork. This exactly how I imagined Y/n's tattoo. ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you!

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The rain pounded down on the dirt road as Y/n's booted feet ran across it. Suiren is what Kenji had called her, so Suiren is who Kenji would get. She was dressed in blues. Her shorts a dark navy, allowing her tattoo to be seen, minus the few inches that were on her hip. The white and pale blue tank top hugged her body, and it was cut short of her bellybutton. Her hair was up, a tight braid spun into a bun.

Y/n hid her face behind her ANBU mask tucked away in the backpack in the cave. The white porcelain was layered in dark blue lines, with no actual meaning to them. Her hip pouch was stocked with paper bombs, kunai, and shuriken. Lastly, Y/n had done something she never thought she would do: a katana was strapped to her back.

The moment she had unsealed the scroll, the wind was knocked out of her. The emotions that filled her chest were almost unbearable. The images that flashed in her mind made tears brim. Sucking up the courage and pushing aside her anger, she picked up the sword. It was a piece of art. Holding it in her hands made her recall the day it was given to her. She cried that day. It was the day she felt accepted by him. A day she felt loved by him. A day she'll never forget, no matter how hard she tries to.

The hilt was wrapped in white, smooth and clean. The underlay was a dark blue, almost black. The water lily charm dangling from the buttcap was alone, though that wasn't always the case. The scabbard was the same blue as the one beneath the white fabric on the hilt. The spacer, guard, and buttcap were all black. The design on the scabbard was that of a dragon, white etching the intricate animal into it. The blade itself was navy blue, a rare find in any sword.

Y/n found it rather fitting that it was raining. The last time she saw the man that gave her the sword, it was pouring. She tried to use the sword against him, but she couldn't take the final swing in the end. He let her take out every ounce of anger on him, never striking back. When he lay before her in the mud, blood and rain mixing, she knelt over him. The katana was held high overhead, ready to pierce his chest. She tossed the blade aside, screaming in rage.

His bloody hands gently guided her beside him. He kissed the top of her head as he stood. A heavy sigh left his lips. The final words Y/n ever heard him say were soft and tender. "You'll always have my heart, Toge." He lifted her chin for her eyes to peer up at him, "Use the rage," he directed her, "harness it, and become who you're supposed to be." His hand left her, and she felt as cold as ice.

His figure began to retreat, Y/n bolting up to her feet. "Who?!" She shouted, making his feet pause, "Who am I to become?" She asked, voice broken and hoarse from the screaming and crying.

A smirk on his lips, though she couldn't see it, he answered, "Suiren of the Mist."

That was the day her heart had been broken. That was the day she became the monster she was. She had shut everyone out after that. Ganju had become her outlet, nothing more, nothing less. Ganju was kind at first, and then he realized she was using him. Ganju wanted more from the woman, but she had refused. Then, she met Asuma.

She was thankful for the man, but her time had come. She was resigned to her fate. She had left a scroll tucked under Asuma's pillow. She knew he would go to the store looking for her. Haruka would wrangle him into staying for dinner. Then, likely around ten at night, he would take his leave. Meaning Asuma would find the scroll before she had met her end.

She debated leaving him the scroll at all, but her love for him was too great. Maybe it was his love for her that was too great. She couldn't leave without saying goodbye. It was vague and left little to the imagination. It being Asuma who was reading the words, Y/n didn't doubt that he would see what she meant. If Asuma thought about it, he'd likely figure out that Kenji was to blame for this.