Moonlight Embers

Tension Under the Stars

The streets of Konoha seemed quieter as night covered the village in a soft, dark veil. Lanterns flickered softly along the paths, casting dancing shadows across the cobblestone streets. The cool night air smelled faintly of rain, hinting at an approaching storm that seemed to mirror the turmoil swirling between Tobirama and Akari.

They stood beneath the soft glow of a streetlight, facing each other. The village surrounding them became irrelevant—just two souls, struggling with emotions they had no intention of facing. Tobirama's heart was a tight knot of confusion and frustration, but it couldn't match the sadness in Akari's gaze, which made it seem as if the world had stopped turning.

"Do you think it's easy for me to talk about my feelings with you?" Tobirama murmured, his voice hoarse with pent-up emotions. He looked away, unable to meet her eyes for long.

Akari crossed her arms, her brows furrowed in irritation. "Haven't you been dating lately? There's talk that you're going to marry a Hyuuga. Am I just another option for you?" Her voice was full of bitterness, though a hint of vulnerability lurked beneath the surface.

Tobirama's jaw clenched. No, you're not just an option, he thought fiercely. But saying it out loud was harder than he'd expected. His heart was pounding against his ribs, and his mind struggled for the right words.

"Just because people say it doesn't mean I want to marry anyone other than you," he said, his tone sharp, frustration bleeding through. He hated that words failed him when it mattered most. "I would—" He caught himself. "But if we got married, our children would be Uchihas too." Those words tasted so bitter to him, the thought unsettled him a little.

Akari's expression changed—calm, but with a hint of sadness. "That's right," she whispered. "Our children would be Uchihas."

Tobirama hesitated, feeling a weight settle in his chest. He hated how complicated this was. It wasn't just about love—it was about duty, legacy, and politics. "You make it sound like marriage is just about love," he muttered. "But marriage is also a business."

"Sure, some marriages are," Akari replied softly. "But not all. My parents married for love." Her voice was wistful, as if speaking of something sacred. "My brothers and I are made from that love... and that's important to me. I won't be treated like a business deal."

Tobirama's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't meant to steer the conversation into this emotional territory. His grip on his emotions slipped, and for the first time, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Of course she would want what her parents had.

"Princess," he said quietly, "aren't you being a little selfish?"

Akari's eyes sharpened at the word. "Selfish? How?"

"You know how," Tobirama snapped, though guilt began to coil in his chest. "You're putting your happiness first instead of your duty to your family."

She squared her shoulders, meeting his gaze head-on. "My duty is to marry an Uchiha. Trying to find love outside my clan is the only choice I'm giving myself. Is that what you want, Tobirama? Because if I follow my duty..." She took a breath. "...you'll never be an option for me."

Tobirama fell silent, the weight of her words crushing him. He hadn't thought that far ahead—or perhaps he had, and he'd buried it deep inside, unwilling to confront the truth.

"Of course I don't want that," he muttered, voice low. "Why would I want a future where I'd never be an option for you?"

Akari tilted her head slightly, her gaze softening. "So now you do want me to be selfish?"

Tobirama groaned, running a hand through his silver hair in frustration. "No... I just—" He stopped, struggling to find the right words. "I wish you could make the right choice without complicating things with 'love.'"

"What's your problem with love?" Akari whispered, her voice heavy with sadness.

Tobirama gritted his teeth, feeling cornered. "Because love is unpredictable. It's dangerous. The world doesn't work the way your parents' marriage did—they were an exception, not the rule. There's too much at stake to gamble on emotions."

Akari looked down at her feet, her shoulders slumping. Her heart sank, and Tobirama knew he had said too much—again. The sadness in her expression was a knife to his chest. He hadn't meant to hurt her, but his words had done just that.

"Princess..." His voice was softer now, regret threading through each syllable. "I shouldn't have called it stupid. I know how much love means to you. I didn't mean to upset you."

Tears welled in Akari's eyes, and this time, they weren't tears of frustration—they were born of deep, aching sadness. The thought of Tobirama marrying someone else—of him being bound to another woman, even if out of duty—made her heart twist painfully. She tried to hold back the tears, but they slipped down her cheeks, betraying her.

Seeing her cry broke something inside Tobirama. Why did he always ruin things? Why did he always say the wrong thing, hurting the people he cared about the most?

Without thinking, he reached out, gently tilting her chin so that she had to look at him. His fingers brushed her soft skin, and the touch sent a jolt through him.

"Damn it, princess..." His voice cracked with emotion, barely above a whisper. "Please don't cry."

Akari's tear-filled gaze met his, and Tobirama felt a wave of guilt and something deeper—something terrifying. He would rather face a thousand enemies on the battlefield than see her in pain because of him.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered, his thumb brushing away a tear from her cheek. "You mean too much to me... more than you know."

For a moment, the world was still. The tension between them shifted, softening into something fragile and tender. The street lamp above them flickered, casting shadows across their faces as the storm clouds gathered above.

Akari sniffled, her voice barely audible. "Then stop pushing me away, Tobirama."

His breath hitched. Could it really be that simple? Could he let himself have this, even with everything at stake?

"I don't know how," he confessed, his voice raw. "But I'll try... for you."

A small, hesitant smile tugged at the corners of Akari's lips. It was the kind of smile that made his heart skip, the one that always unraveled him.

And for the first time in a long time, Tobirama allowed himself to believe—just for a moment—that maybe, just maybe, love didn't have to be a weakness. Maybe it could be the one thing worth fighting for.