Chapter 6
It’s not long now. But time in the hospital is a meaningless thing. So they let her sleep by his bed and she eats bland room service food.
“..Konan..” He calls to her in a broken whisper. He stopped the nurses from giving him morphine drips two days ago.
She holds his hand, frail and bony. Still, he has an iron grip on her.
“I did… the right thing…” Nagato strains. His eyes bore holes into her. If he seeks validation, all she can do is nod her head.
“We’ll put our trust in Naruto now. I’ll help him.” She promises, and leans over to kiss his cheek. She can taste the life leaving him.
Nagato’s breath comes and goes, shuddering. She wants to ease his pain, but this is his choice. It’s the martyr in him that she both curses and loves. He brings a hand up to her face, stroking it lovingly, and brushes a tear away that she didn’t know was forming. He smiles. At last, finding peace.
“Don’t be sad, Konan.” He says. “I’m going to see him.”
And how could she stop him after that?
Uzumaki Nagato passes on a bright morning, with the sun on his cheeks. His rage finally put to rest. Konan doesn’t try to hold a brave face.
Who does she have to hold a brave face for?