Moonlight Embers

Confessions and Frustrations

Akari stopped dead in her tracks, making Tobirama nearly bump into her as the weight of his words settled between them. The streets of Konoha felt unusually silent for a moment, as if the entire world had taken a collective pause to watch the awkward spectacle unfolding. Tobirama could feel the stares around them intensifying, but he didn't care anymore.

"You were RUDE to me for years," Akari said, turning to face him, her expression a mixture of disbelief, frustration, and... was that amusement? "And now you tell me you like me?"

Tobirama rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, a rare sign of unease. His usual cool demeanor seemed to falter in the face of her incredulity. "Yeah... well, I wasn't exactly good at expressing things." His jaw tightened, the frustration bubbling up. "I thought it was obvious."

Akari blinked, processing his words. "Obvious?" She laughed, a short, sharp sound, as if the absurdity of the situation was too much to contain. "You ignored me half the time, argued with me the other half, and now you're telling me this was... your way of flirting?"

Tobirama grunted. "I never said I was good at it." His red eyes narrowed slightly. "But yes, I've liked you for years. And maybe I was rude because... because I didn't know how to deal with it."

Akari folded her arms, arching a brow, clearly enjoying watching him squirm. "That's your excuse? You were rude because you liked me?"

He rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I didn't say it was a good excuse, but it's the truth."

Akari stared at him for a moment, her playful smirk softening into something more thoughtful. "So let me get this straight," she began, voice still laced with amusement. "You've been carrying feelings for me all this time, bottling them up, and the best way you thought to show it was to make my life miserable?"

Tobirama clenched his fists. She was twisting the knife, and she knew it. "Damn it, Akari. Do you have any idea how hard it's been for me?" His voice dropped to a quieter, more vulnerable tone. "I'm the Hokage. I'm responsible for this entire village. I didn't know if I could allow myself to have anything else. But you... you made it impossible to ignore how I felt."

That made Akari pause. Her teasing demeanor faltered for a moment, replaced by something softer. "You should've just said something," she murmured, almost to herself. "It didn't have to be this hard."

Tobirama shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitching in what could almost be a smile. "Not everything is as easy as you think, princess."

Her eyes narrowed at the nickname again, but this time she didn't argue with it. "You're really something else, you know that?" she muttered, cheeks still flushed. "Years of tension... and now this. What am I supposed to do with that?"

"You could start by admitting you like me too," Tobirama said, his voice smooth and confident again, though his heart was pounding. "Unless... you're going to tell me I was imagining all the moments between us?"

Akari opened her mouth to respond, but found herself at a loss for words. She thought back to every argument, every sarcastic remark, every lingering glance they'd shared over the years. Maybe she had been blind to his intentions—or maybe she hadn't wanted to see them because acknowledging them would've complicated things between them and Madara.

Tobirama smirked slightly, taking a step closer. "Come on, Akari. I know you feel something too. You're not that oblivious."

Akari's heart raced as she looked into his silver eyes, now filled with a mix of challenge and something deeper—something that scared her and thrilled her all at once. "And what if I do?" she whispered, almost daring him to make the next move.

Without a word, Tobirama closed the small distance between them, his hand brushing against hers, lingering for just a moment longer than necessary. The simple touch sent sparks down Akari's spine, and she found herself holding her breath.

"Then," he whispered, his voice low, "you won't be able to run from me anymore."

Akari's breath hitched, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't have a witty comeback.