Red Butterfly

Chapter 80, Tumbling Under The Weight

"Stop what? Being weak or burdening you?".

"Let's go home...", I extended out my hand again in hopes to reach him.

I then flinch when he abruptly trapped my scarred wrist in his grasp and observed the four vertical lines that run along together.

"What are these scars on your wrist, and don't lie", he looks at me with his tearful eyes.

What do I tell him? I've lied about these scars to him time and again. Will I let him down again? Or do I burden him by telling him the truth? Do I let him harbor resentment towards me? Or do I let him in for once, hoping he'd be the one to bring about the change I dreamed of?

"I...", my eyes trail down to the scars on my wrist as I recall that night again, "it's a token..."

"A token?", he repeated as he sniffed away his nose.

"It helps me remember a certain someone",

Sasuke just blankly stared back into my eyes, before abruptly darting his gaze away.

Does he think I'll ensnare him in a Genjutsu?

"Sasuke are you scared?", I gently place my palm on his cheek to which he quickly recoils away at my touch.

He's still a kid, I can't burden him like that...he can't bear the weight of the truth on his shoulders.

"You put me here...", he whimpers, "I couldn't believe any of the atrocious things that were said. But the thought that you had the heart to slaughter everyone, including children and old people says a lot about you".

I gasp at his remark and stare at him in shock. He's rubbing salt on my wounds.

He suddenly gets up to his feet, faltering a bit. He turns his back on me and begins to walk away in slow and unsteady steps.

"If you're going to hate me then feel free to do that, but don't let resentment cloud your judgement Sasuke".

"Then what clouded your judgement that night?",  he demanded, still not facing me.

I got up to my feet again and replied, "the thought of someone hurting my kid brother".

"I'm not a kid", he growled and clenched his fists.

My head jerked to my right, where a high-pitched voice called out Sasuke's name in concern. The pink-haired skinny girl from the Haruno clan appeared, following by Sakura was Naruto.

My eyes widened a bit when I spotted the striking blonde hair and blue eyes. He really looks like he is Hanabi's kid brother.

"Why'd you run off like that? And why are you trembling?", Sakura asks in concern as she hesitantly extends a hand to touch Sasuke.

"I'm fine, Sakura, please don't cry..."

"Sasuke don't go off like that again.You scared us", Naruto inserted as Sasuke gave him a weak smile.

"Let's go", Sasuke announces just as Naruto and Sakura fix their eyes on me.

Sakura takes Sasuke's arm, placing it over her shoulder as she helps Sasuke walk in more steady steps.