Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Colors of Life and Death ❯ Dream Walk ( Chapter 17 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Songbird21 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Romance / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.05.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 1.9K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Romance / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.05.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 1.9K | Status: Work In Progress
Sakura stared through the early morning darkness at Tsunade's estate. In all her planning to 'visit' Naruto's mind she'd forgotten about getting past the guards. "Maybe if I just tell them I'm here for training. It is Saturday, after all." She took a deep breath and walked towards the front entrance, trying as hard as she could to look casual.
A guard dropped his 'rock' henge once Sakura was halfway up the walkway. "Good morning, Sakura-san. What are you doing here before nine?" he asked with a guarded smile, knowing full well she could be an enemy in disguise.
"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd just come over early. Is that okay?" Sakura answered with a winning smile.
"Genma!" called the guard.
The jounin appeared in a cloud of smoke. "What's up Shinji?" Genma asked nonchalantly.
"Can you watch her while I speak with Tsunade-sama?" Shinji asked.
"Nm," Genma replied.
Shinji disappeared, reappearing about ten minutes later looking a bit stressed out. "Tsunade-sama said to ask you what Naruto's favorite ramen is," he said as he turned to Sakura.
Sakura half-rolled her eyes. "Everything."
Shinji nodded in approval. "You may wait in the living room."
Sakura smiled. "Thanks," she said, heading toward the front door. "Damn, that was close."
Sakura entered the house and sat on the couch. After a short while she stood up and headed in the direction of the bathroom. Once she was sure she was out of sight she made a beeline for Naruto's room. She moved silently, realizing that Naruto's room may have been guarded as well.
As she came within sight of Naruto's room she saw Kakashi there, leaning against the wall reading that book of his. "I can use this," she thought.
"Sakura," Kakashi called out without looking up from his book, "do you need something?"
Sakura flinched in irritation. "Dammit. How does he do that?!" She eh-hemmed. "Hai, Kakash-sensei," she answered, walking out from behind the corner. "I need to talk to Naruto. It's kind of important."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well then, don't let me stop you. He needs to get out of bed anyway," he answered as he turned a page in his book.
Sakura smiled and went into the room, mentally breathing a sigh of relief as she went. She had to stop herself from giggling when she saw Naruto. The blond, loud mouthed ninja was sleeping with his head hanging off the foot of the bed. She smiled, then remembering what she was there for, bit her lip. "Naruto...I hope you can forgive me," she thought in regret.
She stared at her sleeping friend for a moment more. "Okay, Sakura. Calm down. Get in, get the information, get out," she thought as a lump formed in her throat. She made the seals. "Ishindenshin no Jutsu!" she whispered. She felt the now familiar whooshing sensation as her second mind moved from her brain to Naruto's.
Sakura stared into the darkness. "Alright, Ino said to visualize doors." Suddenly a long hallway appeared before her. She nearly took a step forward when she heard a drop of water from behind. Whirling around, she saw a wet cement floor and what looked like a giant cage. Sakura walked slowly toward it. "This must be where Kyuubi was sealed," she said, in a shaky voice. She was cold and nearly terrified just being where the demon had once resided. Feeling like she would no longer be able to breath if she stayed, she spun on her right heal and hurried off down the hallway.
As she walked among the doors the knot in Sakura's stomach grew tighter and tighter. "This won't hurt him. This won't hurt him," she chanted in an effort to calm her nerves.
Sakura tried each door she came to. They all opened easily. She was getting frustrated since she knew the memories she was looking for would be behind a locked door. She turned around from trying the latest door and saw something that made her blood run cold. "N...Naruto?"
There, in front of Sakura, was indeed Naruto, but he looked very different. His clothes were black and red, his hair longer and wild looking and his expression...was very similar to Sasuke's. "Just what the fuck are you doing in here?" the Naruto said in a steely voice.
Sakura shivered uncontrollably. "Naruto...I...I...Just...just needed to see...what r...really happened," she stuttered, near tears.
"And what the fuck makes you think you have a right to know, you stupid bitch?"
Now the tears flowed freely down the pink haired girl's cheeks. "Naruto, what's going on? You're not like this. This can't be you," she choked.
"Of course it's me!" the Naruto snapped. "Who the fuck d'you think it is?!"
"But, but your hair...and your clothes...." Sakura's eyes snapped wide. "I get it...this is just a piece of his personality. He doesn't actually know I'm here," she thought with an exhale of relief.
"OI! You gone deaf?!" Naruto's anger yelled impatiently.
Sakura took a deep breath. "I don't have time for you," she said as she held back her tears and walked away.
Naruto's anger's face creased in anger. He charged Sakura, slammed her against a wall and raised a kunai to her throat. "Just who do you think you are?" he hissed. "You sure as hell had enough time to come in here and screw with my head!"
Sakura was in trouble and she knew it. "No...If Naruto kills me in here, my mind will go into shock," she thought in panic. Remembering her training with Tsunade, she gathered a massive amount of chakra into her fist. She hauled back, slugged him as hard as she could, opened one of the doors, shoved him inside and slammed it shut. She just managed to slap a seal tag on the door before feeling a huge force hit it from the other side.
Again and again the door shuddered from the force of Naruto's Anger's hits. "Just wait till I get out of here you bitch! You are fucking dead!!!" he raged.
Trying desperately to block out the voice of Naruto's anger, Sakura continued down the hall.
A guard dropped his 'rock' henge once Sakura was halfway up the walkway. "Good morning, Sakura-san. What are you doing here before nine?" he asked with a guarded smile, knowing full well she could be an enemy in disguise.
"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd just come over early. Is that okay?" Sakura answered with a winning smile.
"Genma!" called the guard.
The jounin appeared in a cloud of smoke. "What's up Shinji?" Genma asked nonchalantly.
"Can you watch her while I speak with Tsunade-sama?" Shinji asked.
"Nm," Genma replied.
Shinji disappeared, reappearing about ten minutes later looking a bit stressed out. "Tsunade-sama said to ask you what Naruto's favorite ramen is," he said as he turned to Sakura.
Sakura half-rolled her eyes. "Everything."
Shinji nodded in approval. "You may wait in the living room."
Sakura smiled. "Thanks," she said, heading toward the front door. "Damn, that was close."
Sakura entered the house and sat on the couch. After a short while she stood up and headed in the direction of the bathroom. Once she was sure she was out of sight she made a beeline for Naruto's room. She moved silently, realizing that Naruto's room may have been guarded as well.
As she came within sight of Naruto's room she saw Kakashi there, leaning against the wall reading that book of his. "I can use this," she thought.
"Sakura," Kakashi called out without looking up from his book, "do you need something?"
Sakura flinched in irritation. "Dammit. How does he do that?!" She eh-hemmed. "Hai, Kakash-sensei," she answered, walking out from behind the corner. "I need to talk to Naruto. It's kind of important."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well then, don't let me stop you. He needs to get out of bed anyway," he answered as he turned a page in his book.
Sakura smiled and went into the room, mentally breathing a sigh of relief as she went. She had to stop herself from giggling when she saw Naruto. The blond, loud mouthed ninja was sleeping with his head hanging off the foot of the bed. She smiled, then remembering what she was there for, bit her lip. "Naruto...I hope you can forgive me," she thought in regret.
She stared at her sleeping friend for a moment more. "Okay, Sakura. Calm down. Get in, get the information, get out," she thought as a lump formed in her throat. She made the seals. "Ishindenshin no Jutsu!" she whispered. She felt the now familiar whooshing sensation as her second mind moved from her brain to Naruto's.
Sakura stared into the darkness. "Alright, Ino said to visualize doors." Suddenly a long hallway appeared before her. She nearly took a step forward when she heard a drop of water from behind. Whirling around, she saw a wet cement floor and what looked like a giant cage. Sakura walked slowly toward it. "This must be where Kyuubi was sealed," she said, in a shaky voice. She was cold and nearly terrified just being where the demon had once resided. Feeling like she would no longer be able to breath if she stayed, she spun on her right heal and hurried off down the hallway.
As she walked among the doors the knot in Sakura's stomach grew tighter and tighter. "This won't hurt him. This won't hurt him," she chanted in an effort to calm her nerves.
Sakura tried each door she came to. They all opened easily. She was getting frustrated since she knew the memories she was looking for would be behind a locked door. She turned around from trying the latest door and saw something that made her blood run cold. "N...Naruto?"
There, in front of Sakura, was indeed Naruto, but he looked very different. His clothes were black and red, his hair longer and wild looking and his expression...was very similar to Sasuke's. "Just what the fuck are you doing in here?" the Naruto said in a steely voice.
Sakura shivered uncontrollably. "Naruto...I...I...Just...just needed to see...what r...really happened," she stuttered, near tears.
"And what the fuck makes you think you have a right to know, you stupid bitch?"
Now the tears flowed freely down the pink haired girl's cheeks. "Naruto, what's going on? You're not like this. This can't be you," she choked.
"Of course it's me!" the Naruto snapped. "Who the fuck d'you think it is?!"
"But, but your hair...and your clothes...." Sakura's eyes snapped wide. "I get it...this is just a piece of his personality. He doesn't actually know I'm here," she thought with an exhale of relief.
"OI! You gone deaf?!" Naruto's anger yelled impatiently.
Sakura took a deep breath. "I don't have time for you," she said as she held back her tears and walked away.
Naruto's anger's face creased in anger. He charged Sakura, slammed her against a wall and raised a kunai to her throat. "Just who do you think you are?" he hissed. "You sure as hell had enough time to come in here and screw with my head!"
Sakura was in trouble and she knew it. "No...If Naruto kills me in here, my mind will go into shock," she thought in panic. Remembering her training with Tsunade, she gathered a massive amount of chakra into her fist. She hauled back, slugged him as hard as she could, opened one of the doors, shoved him inside and slammed it shut. She just managed to slap a seal tag on the door before feeling a huge force hit it from the other side.
Again and again the door shuddered from the force of Naruto's Anger's hits. "Just wait till I get out of here you bitch! You are fucking dead!!!" he raged.
Trying desperately to block out the voice of Naruto's anger, Sakura continued down the hall.
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If the knot in her stomach had been bad before, now it was positively squeezing the breath out of her. She tried another door, it wouldn't open. "Finally," she breathed. She used her chakra lock pick and opened the door to the memory. When she opened it she saw something she didn't expect.
What appeared to be a four year-old Naruto was running up to a young male Chuunin with a drawing of a rabbit and some flowers. He stood in front of the Chuunin and proudly held up his masterpiece. "Look what I made for you Miroku-nee-san!"
Sakura watched with a sick feeling in her stomach as Miroku slapped the drawing out of Naruto's small hands. "Get away from me you piece of shit! I'm only watching you because Sandaime-sama ordered me to!" he yelled angrily as he stalked over to the window so he could ignore the stunned boy.
Sakura covered her mouth and began to cry as Naruto's expression crumpled. Tears began to flow down his cheeks. After a brief moment the small boy fell to the floor, wailing with as much pain as a human voice could muster.
Sakura rushed through the door and ran to Naruto, but as she tried to hug him her arms passed right through. So all she could do was watch him. Soon she couldn't take it anymore and ran from the 'room'. After shutting the door she slumped to the floor of the hall and sobbed. "Naruto...."
What appeared to be a four year-old Naruto was running up to a young male Chuunin with a drawing of a rabbit and some flowers. He stood in front of the Chuunin and proudly held up his masterpiece. "Look what I made for you Miroku-nee-san!"
Sakura watched with a sick feeling in her stomach as Miroku slapped the drawing out of Naruto's small hands. "Get away from me you piece of shit! I'm only watching you because Sandaime-sama ordered me to!" he yelled angrily as he stalked over to the window so he could ignore the stunned boy.
Sakura covered her mouth and began to cry as Naruto's expression crumpled. Tears began to flow down his cheeks. After a brief moment the small boy fell to the floor, wailing with as much pain as a human voice could muster.
Sakura rushed through the door and ran to Naruto, but as she tried to hug him her arms passed right through. So all she could do was watch him. Soon she couldn't take it anymore and ran from the 'room'. After shutting the door she slumped to the floor of the hall and sobbed. "Naruto...."
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Kakashi glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Hmmm. She's been in there quite a while...And it's awful quiet." His eyes widened. "They wouldn't....!" He shook his head and mentally slapped himself. "You've been reading that book too much Kakashi." After a short pause he looked at the door again. "Still...I should check on them." He eh hemmed. "Sakura, Naruto. Is everything alright?"
"Yes!" Naruto and Sakura said in unison.
Kakashi frowned a little, but shrugged and went back to his reading.
"Yes!" Naruto and Sakura said in unison.
Kakashi frowned a little, but shrugged and went back to his reading.
__________________________________________________________
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God. I thought he was gonna come in here," she said as she tried another door. She unlocked it and saw a memory of herself making fun of Naruto before they became a team. Wincing, she quickly left the 'room'.
She pulled on the next door...no luck. Only two more doors down, she found another lock to pick. "Hmm. There seem to be more locked doors the further I go."
Sakura paused a moment before opening the next locked door. She was beginning to dread what was behind these memory barriers. She sighed and pushed the door open....
"Sakura?"
Tentatively Sakura turned around at the weak sounding voice...and the bottom dropped out of her stomach. In front of her was what appeared to be another aspect of Naruto's personality. This Naruto's hair was the normal length, but had patches cut out of it in several spots. His clothes were ripped and dirty and he had numerous cuts and bruises on the exposed parts of his body. "It's not Naruto, It's not Naruto," she chanted. "You must be his despair," she said as she began to walk away, determined not to get into another conversation with someone who wasn't really Naruto.
Despair Naruto grabbed Sakura's wrist. "Sakura...why are you here? It...it doesn't make sense. Don't you hate me?" he asked.
Sakura closed her eyes in emotional pain. "Of course not," she answered, turning around. "You're my best friend," she said, giving him a hug.
Despair Naruto looked confused. "But...I don't have any friends," he said with a hollow tone.
"Yes you do! Me, Sasuke, Lee, Hinata...."
"No," Despair Naruto said, cutting her off. "That's not right. I'm alone." He smiled in a way that frightened Sakura. "Look what I found," he said, pulling a small silver object from his pocket.
Sakura's eyes widened. "A...a box cutter? Wha...what are you gonna do with that?"
Despair Naruto smiled grimly. With one quick motion, he slashed his left wrist.
Sakura's body trembled and her mouth opened, but her scream wouldn't come out. She could only stare at the blood pouring from the open wound. Her eyes filled with tears as he slashed the other wrist.
Despair Naruto raised his wrists to eye level, staring at the blood. "There's so much...isn't there?" he said sadly.
Sakura's scream found its voice as Despair Naruto raised the box cutter to his throat and ripped it across his jugular. She turned and ran from the scene as fast as her legs would carry her.
As Sakura became smaller and smaller in his vision Despair Naruto sighed, watching his wrists close back up. "It didn't work...it never works...." he said with disappointment.
She pulled on the next door...no luck. Only two more doors down, she found another lock to pick. "Hmm. There seem to be more locked doors the further I go."
Sakura paused a moment before opening the next locked door. She was beginning to dread what was behind these memory barriers. She sighed and pushed the door open....
"Sakura?"
Tentatively Sakura turned around at the weak sounding voice...and the bottom dropped out of her stomach. In front of her was what appeared to be another aspect of Naruto's personality. This Naruto's hair was the normal length, but had patches cut out of it in several spots. His clothes were ripped and dirty and he had numerous cuts and bruises on the exposed parts of his body. "It's not Naruto, It's not Naruto," she chanted. "You must be his despair," she said as she began to walk away, determined not to get into another conversation with someone who wasn't really Naruto.
Despair Naruto grabbed Sakura's wrist. "Sakura...why are you here? It...it doesn't make sense. Don't you hate me?" he asked.
Sakura closed her eyes in emotional pain. "Of course not," she answered, turning around. "You're my best friend," she said, giving him a hug.
Despair Naruto looked confused. "But...I don't have any friends," he said with a hollow tone.
"Yes you do! Me, Sasuke, Lee, Hinata...."
"No," Despair Naruto said, cutting her off. "That's not right. I'm alone." He smiled in a way that frightened Sakura. "Look what I found," he said, pulling a small silver object from his pocket.
Sakura's eyes widened. "A...a box cutter? Wha...what are you gonna do with that?"
Despair Naruto smiled grimly. With one quick motion, he slashed his left wrist.
Sakura's body trembled and her mouth opened, but her scream wouldn't come out. She could only stare at the blood pouring from the open wound. Her eyes filled with tears as he slashed the other wrist.
Despair Naruto raised his wrists to eye level, staring at the blood. "There's so much...isn't there?" he said sadly.
Sakura's scream found its voice as Despair Naruto raised the box cutter to his throat and ripped it across his jugular. She turned and ran from the scene as fast as her legs would carry her.
As Sakura became smaller and smaller in his vision Despair Naruto sighed, watching his wrists close back up. "It didn't work...it never works...." he said with disappointment.
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By now, Sakura was extremely jumpy. She almost didn't want to open the next locked door she found, but she used her chakra pick anyway. The sounds of fighting filled her ears as Naruto and Sasuke came into focus. Apparently, Sasuke had just spread the curse seal over himself. She watched the battle in horror, fighting back the urge to make them stop. Suddenly Sasuke's fist was through Naruto's chest. Sakura screamed. Blood rained down on the water like red tears. She noticed Sasuke had a cruel smile on his face and was going on about how he had actually been aiming...for Naruto's heart. "No...." she said as she stumbled backward and fell to the ground. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
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Kakashi jumped at the sound of Naruto and Sakura screaming. He threw the door open. "Sakura! Naruto!" As soon as he saw them he knew what had happened. "But how are they both screaming?" he wondered. Throwing that thought aside he grabbed Sakura from behind and put her hands together in the release seal. "Kai!" Sakura's body relaxed and Kakashi caught her as she fell unconscious.
From the bed, Naruto groaned and opened his eyes. "Sakura?" He noticed Sakura's head leaning to the side as though she'd been knocked out. "Sakura-chan!" he shouted as he rushed to his friend's side. He looked up at Kakashi. "What happened to her!" he said with fear.
More guards came rushing into the room, followed by a tense looking Tsunade. "Naruto!" She turned to Kakashi. "Hatake, what the hell is going on in here?!"
"Apparently, Sakura went into Naruto's mind," Kakashi reported grimly as he laid the girl on Naruto's bed.
"What?!" Tsunade said loudly. She sighed through her teeth and turned around. "Idiot," she said as she looked at Sakura, shaking her head.
"Why would she want to go into my mi....?" Naruto trailed off as he realized the answer to his own question. "The fight...Between Sasuke and me....She wanted to see it for herself."
Tsunade was confused. "Why in the seven hells would she want to see that?"
Naruto sighed and used his pajama sleeve to wipe away some of the sweat that had formed on Sakura's forehead. "I didn't tell you everything about the fight."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Naruto swallowed, the barest hint of his newly-forming adams apple bobbing as he did so. "Sasuke used the Chidori and put a hole through my chest."
Tsunade sucked in a shocked and horrified breath.
"He...he was aiming for my heart." He ignored the look of wide eyed rage on Tsunade's face and continued. "I managed to block it just before it hit and it went through my lung instead. Sakura found out that he put a hole through my chest. I told her it was an accident." He glanced at Sakura. "But I guess she didn't buy it."
"And she decided to go into your mind because she knew you would never tell her the whole truth," Tsunade finished for him. She sighed heavily and slid her palm over her forehead. "I'll take her to the hospital. Naruto, come with me," she commanded as she scooped up the unconscious Sakura.
From the bed, Naruto groaned and opened his eyes. "Sakura?" He noticed Sakura's head leaning to the side as though she'd been knocked out. "Sakura-chan!" he shouted as he rushed to his friend's side. He looked up at Kakashi. "What happened to her!" he said with fear.
More guards came rushing into the room, followed by a tense looking Tsunade. "Naruto!" She turned to Kakashi. "Hatake, what the hell is going on in here?!"
"Apparently, Sakura went into Naruto's mind," Kakashi reported grimly as he laid the girl on Naruto's bed.
"What?!" Tsunade said loudly. She sighed through her teeth and turned around. "Idiot," she said as she looked at Sakura, shaking her head.
"Why would she want to go into my mi....?" Naruto trailed off as he realized the answer to his own question. "The fight...Between Sasuke and me....She wanted to see it for herself."
Tsunade was confused. "Why in the seven hells would she want to see that?"
Naruto sighed and used his pajama sleeve to wipe away some of the sweat that had formed on Sakura's forehead. "I didn't tell you everything about the fight."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Naruto swallowed, the barest hint of his newly-forming adams apple bobbing as he did so. "Sasuke used the Chidori and put a hole through my chest."
Tsunade sucked in a shocked and horrified breath.
"He...he was aiming for my heart." He ignored the look of wide eyed rage on Tsunade's face and continued. "I managed to block it just before it hit and it went through my lung instead. Sakura found out that he put a hole through my chest. I told her it was an accident." He glanced at Sakura. "But I guess she didn't buy it."
"And she decided to go into your mind because she knew you would never tell her the whole truth," Tsunade finished for him. She sighed heavily and slid her palm over her forehead. "I'll take her to the hospital. Naruto, come with me," she commanded as she scooped up the unconscious Sakura.
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As they jumped over the rooftops in the early morning light Naruto's stomach churned as he thought of the many different memories he prayed Sakura hadn't seen. "I wish I'd paid more attention when Iruka-sensei told us about memory blocking jutsus," he thought. "Tsunade-no-baa-chan?"
"Yes?"
"Will she be alright?"
Tsunade sighed. "She should be. As long as she screamed because of the memory you told me about and not something worse."
"What do you mean...worse?"
"Something in your mind may have made her mind think she died...." Tsunade said grimly.
Naruto gasped in horror as the two ninja landed in front of the main doors of the hospital.
"Yes?"
"Will she be alright?"
Tsunade sighed. "She should be. As long as she screamed because of the memory you told me about and not something worse."
"What do you mean...worse?"
"Something in your mind may have made her mind think she died...." Tsunade said grimly.
Naruto gasped in horror as the two ninja landed in front of the main doors of the hospital.
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Naruto was sleeping in a chair, which was balanced on two legs with the back against the wall and dangerously close to falling. On the bed next to him Sakura slept soundly.
There was a knock on the door to the room. Gravity won as Naruto was startled from his light sleep and he unceremoniously fell to the floor in a heap. "Ow!"
The door opened and Hinata walked through. She made a small, distressed gasp at seeing her crush on the floor. "Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed as she ran over to the boy and offered him her hand.
Naruto froze for a second before talking Hinata's small hand in his own. Suddenly the temperature of the room seemed to climb a few degrees. Even though she was in her jacket outfit today, the memory of her in her new clothes was still there. "Hinata-chan, thanks,' he said nervously.
"How is she?" Hinata asked as she removed her jacket and placed it on the nightstand.
Naruto's heart beat a bit faster now that Hinata was in just her shirt and capris. "I don't know," he answered dejectedly. "Baa-chan says if something really bad happened to her in there...that she might not wake up."
A gasp escaped Hinata's lips as her hand flew to her mouth. After a moment of stunned silence she put a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder. "It's not your fault."
Naruto's expression clouded over. "Isn't it?" He put his head in his hands. "If I'd cared about learning how to lock my bad memories she wouldn't have found anything that could do this to her."
"Naruto-kun...." Hinata answered softly. Before she knew what she was doing she wrapped her arms around him.
Naruto was surprised at the sudden close contact, but made no move to break it. He simply relaxed his body and stayed there, letting the world around them melt away, if only for a little while.
.........TO BE CONTINUED
There was a knock on the door to the room. Gravity won as Naruto was startled from his light sleep and he unceremoniously fell to the floor in a heap. "Ow!"
The door opened and Hinata walked through. She made a small, distressed gasp at seeing her crush on the floor. "Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed as she ran over to the boy and offered him her hand.
Naruto froze for a second before talking Hinata's small hand in his own. Suddenly the temperature of the room seemed to climb a few degrees. Even though she was in her jacket outfit today, the memory of her in her new clothes was still there. "Hinata-chan, thanks,' he said nervously.
"How is she?" Hinata asked as she removed her jacket and placed it on the nightstand.
Naruto's heart beat a bit faster now that Hinata was in just her shirt and capris. "I don't know," he answered dejectedly. "Baa-chan says if something really bad happened to her in there...that she might not wake up."
A gasp escaped Hinata's lips as her hand flew to her mouth. After a moment of stunned silence she put a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder. "It's not your fault."
Naruto's expression clouded over. "Isn't it?" He put his head in his hands. "If I'd cared about learning how to lock my bad memories she wouldn't have found anything that could do this to her."
"Naruto-kun...." Hinata answered softly. Before she knew what she was doing she wrapped her arms around him.
Naruto was surprised at the sudden close contact, but made no move to break it. He simply relaxed his body and stayed there, letting the world around them melt away, if only for a little while.
.........TO BE CONTINUED
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I love those two. :) And for those of you who don't know (Heck, I didn't know before I researched it for this story) a boy's adams apple doesn't form until his voice changes. In fact, it's the reason why their voice cracks. Just in case you were wondering why I said 'newly formed' adams apple.