Forms of peace

𝟕

[TW] Slight gore, just a little bit (●'◡'●)ﾉ

                                                                ...༻❁🝮❁༺...

Soft fingers laced through his hair as his head lay on her chest. The rhythmic sound of her heartbeat resonated through him, soothing his troubled mind as if she was a balm for his soul's wounds. "How have you been doing?" her smooth voice came out like the whistles of a gentle breeze, invoking a sense of calm and comfort he hadn't experienced in ages.

Madara's eyes slid into half-lidded obscurity, a hint of serenity washing over him. "Are you still having issues with what you yearn for?" she continued softly.

The raven-haired Uchiha didn't reply. The weight of her presence enveloped him, rooting him in place as though he were a leaf turned to ash by the flame of uncertainty. His body felt light, almost weightless, as if he were drifting in and out of reality.

"I guess so," he finally responded, his voice barely above a whisper, "I only appear when you're troubled by something, after all." He felt her fingers weave through his hair, a hypnotic gesture that calmed frayed nerves.

"Madara," she said, cupping his face between the palms of her hands and drawing him closer. Her eyes were intense, sparkling orbs that seemed to radiate warmth and understanding. "Lift your head to the sky and there I will be."

He felt an urgency in her words, a beckoning call that stirred something within him. At her encouragement, Madara's eyes flew open, taking in the world around him before closing them again. Slowly, he sat up; the cover slid from his chest, exposing his bare skin to the chilling air. For a moment, he sat in silence, still processing the weight of her presence, as well as the distance of his own thoughts.

He stayed in that position for what felt like hours, although only mere moments had passed. His gaze traced the ceiling above him, lost in thoughts that had become a tangled web of confusion and longing. The world outside felt different, reality bending and twisting before him.

...🝮༻✽༺🝮...

You sighed, taking a final glance back at Konoha, a place that had been your home for so long. The sun began to rise, casting golden hues across the tranquil village. You couldn't shake the feeling that you were leaving something important behind, yet you needed to go. The mission called for you, and it was an opportunity you couldn't pass up.

What you didn't expect was for a small girl to run towards you, her face flushed with excitement and fear. "Y/N-san!" Koko screamed, her voice slicing through the morning air.

You smiled and opened your arms wide for a hug, a smile blooming on your face. "Y/N-san!" she yelled again, but something in her expression told you she was scared.

Before you could react, Koko threw herself onto you, her small frame colliding with your own as she held onto you tightly. The child's eyes were wide, conveying an urgent message that made your heart race. "Please protect me, Y/N-san!" she cried.