𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑺 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

The Other Side of Paradise (Bittersweet Ending)

Akashi glanced at him, momentarily shifting on his feet, "I am going to leave." He laid the words out bare and awaited the uproars.

Nothing happened. He waited. Still, nothing happened.

What? Were they expecting him to say that? Were they not surprised?

But, as he watched them all, he could see that it was the total opposite.

Everyone had locked up, their bodies unconsciously declining the mere idea of his words. Unblinkingly, they stared at him. Unblinkingly, they processed his words.

And then, it came, "Leaving...? You're going to leave, again?!" It was none other than Naruto. Of course he was going to be the first. His precious, little brother. The one who gave too much and asked for too little.

"I am."

The small pebbles on the ground were kicked aside as the blond walked up to him. His rough hands gripped onto his shoulders, and there was the clear sight of disbelief in his azure eyes, "Why?! Why are you leaving?!" Ever so slightly, he felt the pressure increase and it soon passed the painful line, but he did not step back nor shake the hands off.

He'll allow him that much.

He had no plans on ever seeing any of them again, after all.

That much was enough.

"Konoha is not my home, otouto. I don't think it ever was," He raised his own arms and gently pressed his palms against Naruto's hands, as if to give him a false sense of comfort. There was nothing else he could give him. No other answer. Nothing, "The only thing I can do is leave and never come back."

Those azure eyes clenched shut, and through grit teeth, Naruto expressed his dissatisfaction with the idea, "Aren't I your home?! Isn't family supposed to stick together?!"

For the briefest of moments, Akashi wanted to throw the words right back at him. He had left for more than two years, and he was talking about family sticking together? In the end, he chose to stay silent about that. Further argument would only prolong his time there, "But I am not yours." Those words were the only thing Naruto needed to hear.

Slowly, the hands slid off his shoulders, and Naruto's defeat was apparent.

"Just like that?" It was not Naruto who spoke, "You're going to leave and never come back?"

The pain in his voice was evident.

Onyx and purple met violet and Akashi answered, "Yes. Just like that. I am going to leave and never come back," Step by step, Akashi drew closer to him. With a foot between them, he forced yet another smile, "You'll never see me again—nobody will."

"Take me with you!" The pure, unadulterated desperation in his tone made Akashi's heart constrict.

He couldn't do that, but he did not answer. It wasn't needed—Sasuke wasn't dumb to not realise what his silence meant. Even though he couldn't deny him with his words, his silence did the job.

"Why did you come back when you're just going to leave again?"

That was a good question, but he did not answer, yet again.

"Akashi!" There it was, back again, the desperation. He stared at him, begging him, pleading him to stay.

But, the choice had already been made, and Sasuke was the only one who didn't make peace with it, "I'm sorry, Sasuke," For the last time, he said his name, "Forget about me. Erase me from your mind," He reached his hand forward and pressed it against his chest, right over his heart, "Erase me from this."