Seven Sins of The Namikaze by R0tatcid

Chapter 21 - Is This Goodbye?

A few days ago

"Hime, wake up hime." the mage's eyes fluttered open at the sight of her favorite blond smiling at her.

"Were you watching me sleep my little dragon?" Merlin asked.

"For a little bit, I went down and grabbed you some breakfast." Naruto said revealing a tray with a lid.

Merlin kissed his cheek, "Did you make this for me or did you steal it from someone else?" she asked.

"I'm the sin of wrath, not greed. Besides, I want to give genuine love to my hime." he said wrapping an arm around her waist.

Merlin laid her head on his shoulder, "I love you Naruto. It's genuine love. I don't want you to mistake it for pity or anything less. You deserve love as much as I do." she said wrapping her arms around him.

"Thank you Merlin, but now I have other people to care for. So I won't be happy unless everyone precious to me is happy as well." he said with a sad smile. This got a sad look from Merlin which he noticed immediately, "You're probably going to old telling your grandkids about the story of a sad kid earning everything he always wanted. Look at me rambling, almost 15 and I'm talking like I'm as old as grandpa." Naruto said with a laugh.

Merlin smiled, "We both have something else in common you didn't point out on the rooftop that night Naruto." she whispered into his ear.

Naruto raised a brow, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"We both don't like our fathers and we've both had lonely childhoods." Merlin answered.

"I think I remember the part about dads, but how was your childhood lonely?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto, it's a long story. I stuck a deal with the Demon King and Supreme Deity when I was a child." Naruto gasped, "I was supposed to choose what power I wanted. From whose side I would take. Instead I tricked them and took both." she sighed for a moment and looked away, "They weren't happy and they punished me. In hopes of killing me, they destroyed Belialuin. I survived of course, but that left me all alone pondering at what I had done. It doesn't look like it, but I do regret causing a genocide." she explained gripping her bed sheets.

"Hime, I don't know what to say." Naruto said reaching for her.

"Monster."

"What?"

"Monster, that's what you should call me, not what to say." Merlin's face was covered by her bangs, but Naruto swears he saw a tear fall down.

"Merlin you aren't a monster." Merlin tried to move away only for him to tighten his grip, "Your just a woman who made a mistake. Some things are just beyond our control. You could never be a monster." he said trying to embrace her only for Merlin to push away still blocking the view of her face.

"Naruto... you wouldn't..."

"Hime touch me." both remained silent and Naruto couldn't see the blush on Merlin's face.

"Naruto this is not a good time to be flirting." she said coldly.

"No Merlin, not like that. My seal specifically. I want you to feel how I've felt since I was a child." Naruto said as he unbuttoned his shirt and placing chakra over his seal.

Merlin revealed her eyes to see the swirl shaped seal on his stomach. Before she could object, Naruto gently grabbed her hand and placed it over the seal. She winced as she felt the heat slowly rising as the negative energy made its way to her system making her breath heavily.

"Naruto this, this chakra, is this what it feels like? It's heavy and makes it difficult to breath." Merlin described still wincing until Naruto removed her hand.