When I woke up it was to yelling outside of the tent, slowly approaching. I was in yet another medic tent, I would know counting how long it took me to finally get out of one. The only difference was that there were no painfully dying people around me. My head started to get a stinging feeling as I rose to the sitting position. Looking at my wounds with my own eyes I would say I barely got out of the battle with barely a scratch, lucky me, but not lucky for all of my comrades who didn't.
No other survivors. I kept repeating those words in my head. I should have just stormed out of that tent sooner, and then maybe some would have survived.
Once the stinging subsided, I shook the feeling of guilt out of my system. It doesn't matter. I told myself. What's done is done. Nothing will change that.
Just then Naruto came storming in. Without noticing my wakening he turned to face Kakashi who stormed in after him.
"I will do whatever I want. Tsunada isn't going to keep me cooped up. If she wants me back at headquarters, then she will have to come down here herself and beat me to a pulp."
"Naruto, be a little reasonable. The kages agreed that it would be best for you to not be in the field, or anywhere near it for that matter. You aren't supposed to be here."
"This is war! I should be apart of the fighting!"
I lay back down; this was going to last for awhile.
"And if you just so happen to lose one of lose fights?" Neji stated walking into both the tent and the conversation.
"But I won't."
"Guys, you shouldn't be arguing in here." Tenten stated.
"I won't lose any battle. Believe it!"
"You're too loud! You will wake-"
"They don't want to take the risk, Naruto." I stated bluntly. Everyone turned to face me, but I didn't look at them, just at the ceiling. "They are looking at both sakes, you and the ones around you."
I may have not been looking at Naruto but I could tell he was frowning. "They should look at my strength while they are at it."
"Strength has no say in it."
"But Sakura-"
"It is just a precaution, Naruto." I was looking at him straight in the eyes now, sitting up. "Whether you like it or not this is war. They need to find ways for things to be easier on everyone else. If they were to put you in," I paused reading the expression on his face. He was sad. He knew my words rang true. "Just imagine how many lives would be put at risk." He tried to say something but I cut him off. "It is best to simply not put you in at all."
Silence rung. My head started getting light, a consequence from my long dialogue. I figured if he couldn't, wouldn't, accept it from others then it would be tougher to coming from one of his more personal friends. I was preparing myself for this.
Through the dizziness that soon came to accompany the lightheadedness I kept my eyes on him, reading his expression. I was waiting for a sign that he heard me. It took about a minute or two of silence, for him to give me that sign. He simply nodded, with a frown still apparent on his features. He nodded and walked out. He probably thought my sternness came because he had woken me. Everyone's eyes including my own fallowed him out.
I honestly wasn't trying to hurt his feelings. He simply needed to accept what was going on. Tsunada had already explained this decision to me before hand. I knew that it would be the best way. She is my sensei; we connect and agree with each other often. We think alike, so I knew how she was thinking when she came up with this plan. Naruto needed to see it the way me and Tsunada have been. Now he has. His feelings may have been hurt in the process, but for the sake of everyone we both love and care for; he should understand that it wasn't intentional. It just happened.
I soon as I knew he was gone I collapsed down back onto the bed. I was so exhausted.
Everyone's eyes darted at me. I couldn't tell if they were looking at me because I hurt Naruto's feelings or because I collapsed. Maybe both, but I didn't stick around to find out. I was fast asleep by the time Kakashi was at my side.
*Naruto's point of view*
Kakashi was pushing my buttons. All he kept saying was that it was the kages' choice, and that we should respect that. It didn't seem fair. I kept thinking that. Any other way looked stupid. I started to half listen to his words.
I want to fight in this war. Why couldn't I? Were the kages calling me weak?
I started listening again when we entered the tent. I wasn't paying attention as to who was inside the tent or any such information.
It took me three days to get from the headquarters here. When I heard that Sakura was caught in a battle which ended up being a tie and that pretty much no one survived except for her, I got worried. I started to insist that I should fight, fight along side her as well as protect her.
I didn't know I walked into her tent, the tent she was healing, sleeping in. So I surprised when she spoke. I have wakened her. Tenten was trying to warn me but the damage was done.
I couldn't tell if Sakura was mad at me for wakening her or for being so stupid as to not thinking straight about the whole not-fighting thing. As far as I know it could have been just the fact of her injuries hurting or something. I started believed it was all three, it only made sense, when she looked at me straight in the eyes.
I was most certainly was listening to her. I could hear the pain in her voice when she mentioned about this being a war. She was definitely hurt more mentally at the battle than physically.
Once she was done I felt horrible. It wasn't because of her slightly harsh words but from her. She talking about others, not herself. There she was sitting on a bed obviously in some sort of pain and she wasn't thinking about herself but others. And there was me. I was being a selfish loser, thinking about myself. I thought about it more closely, realizing that yes, it seemed to make more sense. I gave a nod, showing that I understood and walked out. Why was I being so selfish?
A few minutes later Kakashi came out.
"You alright?" He asked me.
"Yeah."
"She seemed to be a little harsh back there."
"She wasn't. From her," I paused, feeling the guilt. "I realized how selfish I was being."
"How so?"
"She was obviously in pain. I could hear it in her voice. She didn't even mention herself, she only talked about others. And I was selfish, wanting to fight. I wasn't thinking things through. She was."
"She was pushing herself."
"Well, she was supposed to be sleeping if wasn't for me."
"She wasn't trying to hurt you."
"No, but I ended up hurting her. She is probably going to feel bad later."
"If that does happen be sure to apologize to her too."
"I just want to fight so I can protect others, I wasn't thinking that by fighting I would be putting even more people at risk."
"It's alright Naruto. Everyone would feel that way if they were in your position. As long as you know better now."
"I do."
"Good. Sakura exhausted herself out, so let her rest for awhile."
"Sure."
