𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑪𝒀𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑵 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

Wings ~ Age 13

Minato was chosen to be the next Hokage.

Aizen wasn't surprised when his brother revealed it to him. It would be more surprising for him not to be chosen, since he was the one who was most responsible for the end of the war.

He was proud of him—his brother.

He deserved it, more so than others.

He really did.

_

And then it happened.

Minato told him of his plans to ask Kushina to marry him. He had already got a ring and all, planned everything out, but he was asking for Aizen's... permission? Why would he need something like that?

"You love her, don't you?" He asked, sitting besides him, "If you love her, then there's nothing else that you can do."

His brother nodded, a light smile spreading across his features, "Yes, I love her."

"Then, ask her. She's already family at his point," Aizen placed his hand on the man's shoulder, "I'm happy for you, aniki." He earnestly said, feeling his own lips curl up.

He was happy.

_

That night, when he was left alone in the house—Minato went on a date with Kushina—he couldn't help but feel like things were moving too fast. Of course he was happy about Minato and Kushina, but, somehow, it was as if he was the only one who was still stuck behind.

Hanae and Obito were still fresh in his mind, and he knew that he would never be able to move past the loss of them.

The emptiness he felt couldn't be filled by the happiness of others, no matter how close those people were to him—no matter how much he loved them.

It was painful, the loneliness he felt.

Even as he was surrounded by people who cared about him, he wasn't surrounded by Hanae and Obito.

It may be selfish of him to think about all of that, but he didn't care.

He didn't care at all.

_

The very same night, he dreamt of them.

Blinding grins and melodious laughter was all that he heard. Bright wings of white laid between their shoulder blades, feathers of sheer beauty falling all around them.

They held hands, fingers intertwined, with carefree expressions on their too youthful faces.

One would think that such a scene would bring the watcher joy—to see the people they've lost with happiness on their faces and angelic wings on their backs.

But, no.

As he watched them fly further and further away from him, he extended his arm towards them, but his hand didn't reach.

Aizen wondered if it was Hell he dreamed of.

_

When morning came, and along with it came the smell of breakfast, Aizen couldn't forget his dream. He stumbled out of bed, palm coming up to cover his lips as the unbearable pressure in his stomach surged. The sound of him slamming the door of the bathroom may have brought some attention, but the sound of him emptying his stomach of last nights dinner definitely did.

Two pairs of footsteps drummed against the floorboards and the door of his room was harshly opened, "Aizen?!" Minato yelled, positively concerned, "Are you all right?"