Whisper: A Deidara Love Story

♣️ Chapter XXXII: An Unbreakable Bond

[(Blank)'s P. O. V.]

All was quiet for Tobi. In Deidara's absence, the only sound was the crackling of the small fire as the embers burned. He felt a small sense of tranquility, but worry ate at him. How long had he been unconscious, as well as the others? He'd long collapsed from using so much chakra; it'd been a long, long time since something like that had happened. If he had gone any farther, he would've killed himself.

But now he was extremely concerned for Aoi's wellbeing. Why hadn't she woken up yet, and what about that strange woman who looked exactly like her? Why didn't Deidara leave her behind for the other Jonin to take? What affiliation did she have to Aoi, especially when Aoi said she'd originated from a different world? What did her existence even mean?

"Aoi," he whispered quietly as he scuttled over, settling beside her body. He set his hand on top of hers, slowly sliding his mask off with the other. "You are the strongest person I know. Even after everything that happened to you, still found the strength to love and protect Deidara. Although you already bear so many of your own burdens, you choose to take on other's as well, and share theirs. I wish... I wish I had the same kind of strength you do.

"You'd jump in front of a kunai heading for Deidara when you already have ten in your chest. You'd embrace him when he is sad even if you were already broken inside. If it assured his life would be safe, you would give up your last breath. How could you do this?"

The image of Rin's smile replayed in his head. "When I tried to protect the people I loved, it did nothing. They betrayed me, and the one I wanted to save died. And so, I believed we were all meant to die—thus, what was the point of living? It would be so much easier to understand and enjoy life if it were to end more quickly. Only then would we really make good use of our time alive."

Tobi reminisced about Rin's death and felt the strong, sharp pain of longing. "You must know this. You must know more than me, more than any person in this world, but you continue to try so hard. Why is that? Why is it that even if you know suffering is inevitable, this pain and this love could cause your own death, you still journey forward? What is it that drives you?"

He laughed dryly, rubbing his eye as he replaced his mask. Releasing Aoi's hand, Tobi leaned back and stared up at the splotchy sky, the night close to coming to an end. "I really envy you. Despite the fact that you haven't even spent a year in this world, you have already found yourself. I have yet to do so." A melancholic sigh escaped past his lips.

Tobi stood, headed toward a spot under a tree on the outside of the clearing.

A bright light suddenly burst forth from behind him, a huge blast of wind shoving him forward. The masked man fell and tumbled until his back slammed against a tree's trunk, but he quickly recovered and rose to his feet. Where the two girls used to lay, a bright ball of blue light swirled endlessly in that spot, releasing crackles of lightning.

"Aoi!" Tobi screamed, running toward the light. But as soon as he neared, he was nearly incinerated by a bolt. He used as many means as he could to somehow get inside, even teleporting within, but every time he tried, he appeared in the exact same spot in which he stood.

Not too long after his fruitless efforts, the light exploded, releasing an extremely concentrated amount of chakra in every direction. The force blew everything outward, leaving Tobi barely clinging to where he stood. When the maelstrom finally died down, the forest around the clearing had blown to the ground; even the clouds above had been parted. The morning had broken the horizon by now and decorated half the world.

At last, there was one woman standing.

It was Emiko.

She looked revitalized, as if someone had instilled life within her cold body once again, flawless and without a single wound. A smug smirk was stuck on those pale lips of hers, her azure eyes more frigid than the waters of Amegakure.