"When you get to know a fellow, know his joys and know his cares,
When you've come to understand him and the burdens that he bears,
When you've learned the fight he's making and the troubles in his way,
Then you find that he is different than you thought him yesterday."
Naruto keeps staring at the man floating over him with a shocked expression glued on his pale face. His eyes narrow even more as shock turns into fear as he realizes this isn´t a nightmare, but reality.
"GET OFF ME!"
He punches the man in the chest and jumps out of his bed. Pain stops him, and Naruto realises that he's still connected to the machine by his side. The needle is visible through his pale skin as Naruto tries to rip it away. He hisses in pain as the sharp edge is pulled out of his forearm violently.
But just as he prepares to run for his life, does two strong arms force him to stand still against the white wall near the window. The grip he is in is very painful and a gasp leaves his lips; a large hand covers his mouth before he gets the chance to scream. His small body is pushed up by the larger man's own and the closeness is maddening. Naruto struggles to break free but he can't move a single finger against the vampire's amazing strength. He feels like a rabit having its neck caught between the fangs of a fox.
"Stay still."
The hot breath on his neck makes Naruto tense and obeys the order.
"And shut up… otherwise I will kill you." The cold tone in his voice tells Naruto that he means what he's saying.
Red glowing eyes stare into Naruto´s soul and he doesn't dare to object. The blue eyed angel nod and the large hand let go of his neck. The blonde falls to the ground as the vampire releases him from the death grip; he steps away and gives the boy some space. The vampire stares through the window and curses as he notices how the sun is slowly rising at the horizon.
The sun start to shine through the curtains and Naruto´s blue eyes widen as the vampire's pale skin starts to melt by the sunlight. A moan of pain leaves the dark creature in front of him. He searches after some kind of protection in the little hospital room but finds nothing. Not a single wardrobe to hide in...or a closet to disappear into.
He falls down on his knees and tries to hide his face from the sunlight. But it's impossible.
He is suddenly saved by the person he least expected to care; the blue eyed angel. The boy throws himself towards the vampire and covers him in white bed sheets. Arms circle round his waist as the boy hugs him shaking; not as a hug but, to keep him still. Red eyes narrow at the unexpected contact and warmth.
"…I'll s-s-ave you from the light…if y-you let me live my life till t-t-the end."
That's when it hits him. The boy doesn't do this of kindness or naivety. The larger, older and calmer male feels how the teen shakes as he holds him under the thin cloth. His uncertain voice shows his fear but a single tone amaze the vampire. His voice tells him about hope, pain and suffering. This blonde boy wants to survive, so badly, and he even helps a vampire to stay in this painful life.
"…It's a deal."
Sakura opens the door slowly while she's talking to somebody. Naruto gives her a glance but doesn't bother to greet her. He glances at the ground and understands that the vampire must have hid under the bed just in time. Her sweet laugh leaves those pink lips and he hears how the man outside complains about the cold weather.
"God morning Naruto. You have a guest today." She starts." But what happened with your arm?"
"I guess it ripped during my sleep…"
Blue eyes narrow at the word guest and Sakura gets his full attention. Who is it? It was ages since someone came to visit.´ A smile grows bigger as Sakura and Naruto´s old friend Shikamaru enters his hospital room.
"Yo Naruto. Long time no see."
"Shikamaru…"
Sakura smiles as she shows the guest a chair and puts it beside the white bed. Shikamaru nods as a thank you and sits down. The black haired man has changed since Naruto last seen him. He looks more mature with his long black hair loose than in that ponytail he often had it in before. He even has a slight beard.
"How do you feel?" He asks.
"Honestly… I feel like shit." Naruto answers with a smile.
Shikamaru smirks but can't hide his concern for the other.
"So how are the others?" Naruto continues.
"Neji and Tenten have finally found each other… Kiba is as crazy as always and he has bought himself another dog. So troublesome… really. Chouji has got a new job, you know in that little meat store near the flower shop? The place Ino´s family owns? There. Ehm… "
"What about Hinata?"
Naruto feels how his heart stops beating as Shikamaru looks away for the first time during his visit. Something is not right. Hinata was the cute and shy girl Naruto had a crush on before he was forced to stay here at the hospital. He didn't have a chance to tell her how he felt. Shikamru sigh loudly.
"I've heard that she and Shino are dating…"
"O..oh.." Naruto stutters. "That's….That's good."
Shikamaru nods without answering but you can almost see how the word troublesome is whispered by his thin lips. An uncomfortable silence isn't something the both wants but no one makes a move to break the ice.
"Nice weather, right?" Naruto curses himself over the lame ice breaker.
Shikamaru smiles.
"Naaah. The snow is so cold… and I've some trouble… what can I buy Ino for New Year? She's expecting something big…again. "
Now it's Naruto´s turn to smirk. He had heard about how Shikamaru and Ino got together but he can't believe it. He remembers them as the two friends arguing the most with each other. When did they fall in love with one another? He smiles and thinks back on what he and the others used to do when he was healthy.
You couldn't say that he had many friends but they where a gang, kind of. He loved to party on the week.-ends, drink alcohol, dance… like normal teenagers. But in some kind of way did nearly everyone ignore him…
He loved to play video games with Kiba and his dog Akamaru. He can't believe that he had lost to a dog on their last game marathon.
Ino did often drag him along on useless shopping trips to the larger city some miles away. Of course, he had to pay the taxi to get there.
Tenten was the only girl that he was afraid of. She had, and probably still has, a weird obsession with sharp things like weapons.
Neji, one of his older friends, was known to have a scary style. He could wear white contacts, dress in black but still have his honour and harmony intact. Most people adored him like the hot guy he really was.
Chouji; the fat guy who everybody bullied. One of the closest friends Naruto ever will have in his life. They shared the same interest in food and loved to visit new restaurants every Friday, just to taste new stuff.
He used to stare at the dark sky together with Shikamaru from time to time. They shared their dreams under the stars and swore to be there for each other. And now, he's the only one who visits.
And Hinata… the girl he was so in love with…
Blue eyes darken… But his sad thoughts get interrupted by the door. Sakura enters again with a smile on her lips.
"Time's up! Naruto it's time for your x-rays."
"Oh. I guess I've to go then. I'll catch you later Naruto!" Shikamaru says with a smile on his lips.
"Sure… happy New Year."
The vampire crawls out of his hiding place as the nurse, the guest and Naruto leaves the room. With the bed sheets close around his whole being does he reach after one of the two pillows. His eyes moves over the room before he crawls back into the darkness under the bed. He falls asleep slowly thinking about the conversation he just heard.
Naruto hate x-rays. He understood long time ago that it's no point in hoping that the tumour has disappeared He have been here so many times before and knows that he'll only become disappointed if he have too much faith.
"Naruto; just relax and close your eyes. This will be over in a second."
He does as she says and closes his blue eyes where he lays on a bed-like thing that'll take him into the x-ray. He remembers the first time he done this; he was so afraid to go into the tunnel. To be alone in a such small and narrow place… It's not very pleasant.
He can't feel anything as the electric waves goes through his body. Not a thing. But other thought keeps his mind occupied. ´Why was that vampire in my room? What does he want from me? Will he be gone when I return? Who is he?´
"So it's finished! I'll get you when the results are ready… So let's go back, ok?"
Naruto nods as Sakura leads him out of the room with her arm around his waist. He leans on her as some of his usual dizziness makes him lose some of his balance. He can't remember a day without feeling this dizzy.
"What do you prefer for dinner? Rice or potatoes?"
"Rice."
Naruto can't help it. He feels kind of exited as Sakura leaves him alone in the room, but he is scared at the same time. The blonde decides to find some answers and he kneel down besides his bed and looks under it. Blue eyes widen at the sight.
The vampire is sleeping peacefully with his short hair messy on one of his white pillows. His eyelids are closed and that pink mouth of his is half open and he breaths slowly and deeply through it, but, still no snoring. Naruto can't take his eyes away from the creature.
The dangerous man sleeps like a innocent child.
Those lips that he had only seen drenched in blood looks so soft and nice. That dark hair looks nice and Naruto reaches out to feel the softness there; but he stops himself right before contact. What am I doing?´ He stares at his hand confused but sighs and shakes his head.
The blonde stand up and walks over to his little closet and takes forth a rather thick blanket. He gives it a look but sighs once more before kneeling down and putting it carefully over the vampire's sleeping form. ´Even the most frightening creatures can look this peaceful...´
And the next morning, he was gone just as if he never where there.
But the blanket covers him instead. Naruto looks down at the cloth in his hands and a weak, insecure smile grows on his lips.
