First off; hey guys, I'm not dead.

Second off; I'm going to pretend most of chapter 699 and all of chapter 700 didn't happen.

Now. Dear Kishimoto. Honestly, I'm past being angry. I'm past being sad. I am disappointed, and that is putting it lightly.

15 years. 15 years of the story of Naruto Uzumaki. 15 years of a story about a boy struggling to achieve his dream, to obtain friends, to be happy. 15 years of queerbaiting the most queer, the most plausible, the most likely couple to occur in this manga. 15 years gone Down. The. Drain. I am so frustrated, so angry, so…I have no words to describe this. This isn't just about SasuNaru. This is about teasing a queer couple for years. And for what? To gain an audience? To gain ratings, money? I am so frustrated. Two of the ships with the least character development became canon; they named their kids fucking Bolt and Salad. Except they added a fucking a to "Salad" (thus, "Salada") to make it sound better. I…have no words. I am so mad.

Why not at least leave the ending open, so people could interpret it however they damn well wanted to? Did you really want money and fame that bad, Kishimoto? Even if you didn't intentionally do this for money or fame or whatever, you completely half-assed an ending to the story that has touched and changed so many people; it has literally saved my life. And you just…ruined it.

I understand it's your life's work. And you can do whatever you want with it. But this…this was a slap in the face. As a queer individual, SasuNaru was more than a ship for me. It was is representation. It was a way for me to live through the two characters I could relate to the most, besides Sakura. I wanted nothing more, if not for them to be canon, that I could interpret them ending up together without having to throw away the canon from my mind. SasuNaru means more to me than most things do in my life, and the fact I've devoted myself so wholly, while slightly worrisome, means I cared. And it felt like my heart was shattered- no, worse than that, I can't even describe the pain when I saw the final canon couples. When I read that completely BS-ed ending. In the words of Naruto himself...

"I just…hurt."

So, dear Kishimoto-sensei, this one's for you.

Edit: here's a link to the sequel if you would like to read it.

-Astridelta 11/6/14

..:|:..

Don't Forget Me

"According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves."

They say love is never easy.

They say good always wins.

They say that you know when you've found the one.

When your heartbeat flutters.

When your face heats up.

When all you can hear in your head is their name.

They say love is like flying above the clouds.

...

They're wrong.

Love isn't just "not easy"; it's damn near impossible.

Good doesn't always win. Darkness can win, too.

Though you do know when you've found the one.

When your heart stops.

When you feel cold all over.

When your mind is silent watching them love someone else.

They say love is like flying above the clouds.

Actually, it's more like falling into the dark below.

...

It's not like I haven't left him before. It was all too easy back then, when I had a goal to focus on.

But what's my goal now?

What is my purpose?

He always seems to have a plan. The idiot, he's the one that has it all figured out.

Please, forgive me. Next time, I promise.

Saying goodbye to her, that wasn't so bad. She knew the answer before she even asked.

Though her green eyes will always linger on my back longingly, she knows I will never return the affection.

However, she doesn't know why.

She doesn't know my mind is filled with visions of blue skies and yellow suns.

My ears hearing the sounds of summer winds and laughing voices.

It's impossible. I can't leave.

I had hoped he wouldn't have the forethought to wait for me. He never was the brightest in the bunch, after all.

I had hoped I wouldn't have to stare into his blue eyes and repeat to myself my reason for leaving.

I almost couldn't take it when I saw him.

My fault. My fault.

Much like my left arm, his right sleeve remained empty whilst his left hand held something lightly in a fist. He stared at me, and I stared back.

It was almost too much to bear.

When he walked over, I wanted nothing more than to take him into my arms- well, arm now; and tell him it would all be alright.

But I didn't. All I could do was think.

All I could do was accept his gift.

Scratched. Just like us. Damaged goods. Impure.

We are supposed to be ninjas for a reason.

Ninjas don't allow themselves to feel.

Ninjas don't allow themselves to care.

Ninjas don't love.

Too late.

I love him.

I love him more than any word could ever capture.

I love him so much it hurts my heart to look at him;

To know I can never have him.

My sins have tainted me. I have made myself into something not worth his affection.

Perhaps my travels will purify me, and I will return.

But until then, Naruto...

Don't forget me.