Shizuka's Pov.
Jūgo's eyes rolled in the back of his head before his eyelids closed.
Relieved, I took a deep breath and deactivated my Sharingan before laying on my back besides the orang-haired, my limbs stretched out, into the grass.
Sasuke's face appeared pretty close to mine. Startled by the unexpected physical closeness, my body tensed up.
»You're ok?« he questioned.
I nodded.
His face was relieved before he sat to my side. My body relaxed and I looked at the dark-haired boy who was opening his mouth.
»What do we do now?« he asked, nodding toward the orange-haired man.
»We wait until he wakes up, I do not want to drag him all the way back,« I said, closing my eyes exhausted.
This fight had cost me significantly more chakra than the previous ones.
I spaced out a little and only became aware again when Jūgo moved next to me. I sat up and leaned over him.
»Calm again?« I asked him.
»How bad was it this time?« he wanted to know and looked guilty.
»Very. It's been a long time since I had such an exhexhausting fight,« I answered smiling.
I couldn't be angry with him. After all, he could not help his unpredictability.
»Did I hurt you badly?« he asked, looking at me after he sat up too.
»A few scratches, nothing more,« I waved and leaned back, sucking in a quiet sharp breath.
The pain in my back, which I had from the encounter with the tree that I had hit, I've completely ignored. Now, when calm came into my body, the pain was present again.
I felt how somebody pulled my shirt up on my back.
»Keep your fingers with you,« I hissed at the Uchiha.
»It's a slight bruise,« Sasuke said, feeling my spine up and down, ignoring my words.
»It's nothing. I am fine,« I growled, slapping his warm hand away and pulled my shirt down.
I do not want Jūgo to blame himself.
I noticed that my shirt was pulled up yet again and shortly after I felt a sting on my back.
I turned to the orang-haired teen, who was healing the bruise he had caused, by transferring some of his body mass.
»Jūgo, you shouldn't use your powers for something like that,« I said, looking at him reproachfully as he began to shrink before my eyes.
»I caused it, now let me fix it,« he replied in his childlike voice.
»Oh, and Jūgo ... Sasuke is not to blame for Kimimaro's death. He sacrificed himself for getting Sasuke to Orochimaru and fought 'til the end,« I told him pointing at the Uchiha.
Jūgo just nodded and his face twisted into a funeral look.
»We talked about it. It would have happened soon, even if he hadn't gone on the mission. In the future you just have to lie down with me,« I said, giving him an encouraging smile.
A slight smile played around Jūgo's lips as he finished healing and left me.
»I'll come over as often as I can, I promise.«
He nodded.
»Then let's go back. Orochimaru probably wonders where we're staying,« Sasuke said.
I got up and offered Jūgo my hand, which he seized.
I released the iron ball from his leg before moving. On the way I felt Jūgo take my right hand and continue to trot next to me while Sasuke walked on his left side. I had no objections. He mourned for his best friend and only had me as a confidante.
»In the hideout you should look for one of the prisoners and grow back to your usual height. Then the wound heals in the shoulder.«
The orange-haired teen nodded.
When we reached the entrance to the hideout, the guards were about to repair it. They backed away when we came and didn't work until we disappeared inside.
There was already a new door attached to Jūgo's cell. While he healed with the help of a prisoner, I waited outside the cell. Jūgo entered, and at his request I put the iron ball around his foot again. I looked up at him again.
»Maybe we should talk to Orochimaru that you're hiding to us. This way, Shizuka would always be around should something happen,« the male Uchiha suggested.
»No, I'd rather stay here,« Jūgo said.
»As you wish. Remember to call me if you need anything,« I said to him.
He nodded.
»Next time I come to visit, I'll bring you something decent to eat,« I said, before leaving the cell and closing the door behind me.
I took one last look at the him.
»Thank you,« said the orang-haired teen smiling, which I commented with a nod, before disappearing with Sasuke towards the exit.
»He's back in his cell. If you notice any changes, should they be so small, call for me,« I said to the guards who had just finished their work.
They nodded.
»Then let's go back,« I said to Sasuke, and we started off.
»Did he hurt you, too?« I asked halfway and remembered that he had also made some acquaintance with something.
»Yes, but not as bad as you,« he said, placing his left hand gently on his right side.
I stopped, pulled up his shirt and took a closer look at the injury. At the level of his ribs, smaller hematomas had formed.
»Do you have pain?« I asked and looked up.
The situation seemed a bit uncomfortable for him, because he avoided eye contact with me.
»Barley ... Damn it, do not press it that way!« the raven hissed as I felt his ribs up with a bit pressure.
I smirked a little and made hand seals before putting my hand on his ribs.
»It doesn't heal, but it relieves the pain. Orochimaru's salvia sucker can look at it afterwards,« I informed him, straightening up after work.
»You can be really nice, you know that? The way you dealt with Jūgo ... well ... it's weird to see you so ... kind,« he said with difficulty, as we returned to the Had made way.
»Jūgo is actually a really nice guy and rather distrustful of others. Because of his outbursts of rage that he has no control over, he didn't have an easy life. Now that Kimimaro is dead, he has only me,« I replied.
»I owe you something, by the way,« I added as we almost reached the hideout.
»What for?« he asked in surprise.
»That I pulled you into the number with Jūgo. Actually, I wanted to keep you out of it, but I needed a little time and a shadow clone is as fast defeated as a fly,« I explained.
»I'll remember it,« Sasuke said and smiled cheekily.
I had the feeling that he was using this owe for something I will not like.
