Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any affiliated characters, places, events, etc...
A/N: My first serious attempt at unrequited love. It's surprisingly hard! Please give it a try? And tell me how I did. This takes place pre-canon, after a fight about money and Tsunade's downward spiral.
[X]
I'm all alone again. They left me behind. Am I...nothing?
She stared at the sky, watching as the clouds got progressively darker and thicker. Her raven-colored hair was drenched from the previous storm's intensity. Onyx-eyes, lifeless in their observation, watched as the rest of the village scattered.
No one will bother. I'm not worth it.
Her black yukata was soaked with rain and blood; the wounds hadn't even begun to scab just yet. But, then again, she hadn't been dead all that long. Granted, they probably wouldn't scab because the blood in her body wasn't flowing with the intention to clot an injury. It simply flowed to escape an empty husk, as it had no more purpose there. People continued to run, leaving the bodies behind.
She isn't going to come. She doesn't care.
When she had been young, she swore that she would find the person that she would gladly give her life for; without a second thought, without a doubt, she was certain that she had found that person. That person, so strong and capable, yet so helpless and broken that it was almost poetic in the tragedy that had composed itself. That was life. Causing love to grow in places it shouldn't.
No one needs me. I'm absolutely useless...
A gentle hand landed on the raven-haired woman's shoulder, making her gasp softly. Cold, onyx-colored eyes moved hazily to look at the intruder. Amber-brown eyes glistened with tears; the newcomer whispered, "...'s ok now...'m here..." She tried replying but her throat burned with the effort. "Don't talk. You're too weak right now. I've got you now...you're gonna be ok." Strong arms picked up the near lifeless body and moved swiftly- but still as smoothly as gliding- towards a nearby safe-haven. "I won't let those thugs near you again. I promise, ok?"
She cares? She said it was gonna be ok...she said she had me...
Finally, finding her last wells of strength, the raven-haired woman managed to croak, "Th..ank..you...Tsu..na...de...sama..." She fell unconscious shortly afterwards, not aware of the tenderness with which the blonde slipped her into the bed or healed her wounds. She was also unaware of the soft kiss that landed upon her brow. She simply slept on, regaining her strength and dreaming away the exhaustion.
Will she still be here? She said last night before the fight that she never wanted to bring me along anyway...
Giving a grunt of discomfort, the dark-haired woman tried to move away from the weight on her chest and dazedly realized that there was someone sleeping with her. She turned coal-black eyes to gaze at the exhausted blonde who slept peacefully; her smaller frame was curled against the tall female's and her head was nestled in the crook of the other woman's neck. "Tsunade...sama...I..." She reconsidered, for the billionth time in her life, actually telling Tsunade how she felt. Then, before her doubts and insecurities could overcome her, she kissed the amber-eyed medic's forehead and whispered, "I love you so, so much..."
I will never have her as more than a mentor. But that's enough for me.
When she finally woke up again, they continued on their journey; not once did they mention the events of that night and they never mentioned the kisses that had been given to one another without the other's knowledge. Never did she confess again. She simply lived for the words, "Thank you, Shizune."
