Um, just so you know, as far as this story is concerned Naruto still hasn't
realized that he heals faster than everyone else. He thinks EVERYONE heals
that fast. In other words... to him it's natural.
Thank you for the incredible reviews! You are all fan-friggin-tastic! I love hearing your opinions! I am surprised at all of the Temari/Naruto supporters out there (not that I blame you... the reason I included Temari in this fiction is because I do like her)! I didn't realize such a thing was so popular. Or do you like the idea just because it is so rare?
I won't say which pairing I like most... other than to say I like Naruto/Hinata, Naruto/Sakura, AND Temari/Naruto pairings. (I actually like Ino/Naruto pairings too... but decided 4 was just WAY too much. Even three is pushing it. ^_^)
And now, on with the show! ^_^
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Chapter 4:
The night forest was still and calm. A few nocturnal animals prowled while the rest slept, resulting in isolated lonely calls at random times. A solitary figure dashed silently above and then below branches, flashing by faster than a normal human could run on the ground, let alone above ground using tree branches.
His passage disturbed nothing but stray leafs. Behind him gaining steadily, two more figures flashed by chasing the first. Behind them all another shape named Haruno Sakura sped, moving the fastest of all.
** Sakura's perspective **
My heart hammered in my chest as I pushed myself to catch up to the two Sand ninja ahead of me, forcing more chakra into my legs for speed. The wind from my passage seemed to freeze the tears on my cheeks before drying them.
Typical Naruto; why did he have to throw himself into harms way like that?! Leaving him behind had to have been one of the hardest things I had ever done. He was always there for me when I needed him; it felt wrong to leave when he might need me.
Unbidden, my earlier conversation with Sasuke-kun before we left on our separate missions came to mind. I'd waited for him while he spoke privately with the Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei, eager to try yet again for him to really notice me. I'll never forget how he'd looked at me when I told him to be careful on his mission. His look was... tolerant: distantly tolerant, as though he was putting up with a door-to-door salesman, too polite to tell the salesman to get lost.
Telling me to be careful as well, in that indifferent way he had, he'd followed Kakashi-sensei down the hall without looking back, uncaring. Staring after him, it'd crashed home all at once that I would never be with Sasuke-kun. As much as I liked him, he just didn't return the feeling, and probably never would. Heart breaking, I had fought tears all the way home to pack; I'd fought more tears while waiting for everyone to arrive; and I'd fought still more as we went on our mission.
I had never known I could be hurt so badly without having a visible wound to show for it. Oddly, it was Naruto I'd looked too for support. I kept expecting him to notice and comfort me; to smile that wide smile of his and tell me it was all going to be ok. What was even stranger was the sense of betrayal I'd felt when he didn't notice. I argued with myself, knowing there was no way he COULD know or comfort me if I didn't tell him, yet still the feeling returned. It was stupid, and selfish, and it made no sense whatsoever.
Now Naruto was hurt badly, and here I was running AWAY from him instead of comforting him. It felt like I'd lost the two most important people in my life in a single day. A lump formed in my throat, as I forced down the urge to scream in frustration. Gritting my teeth instead, I forced even more chakra into my legs, eager to take out my frustration on the Mist ninja, before Gaara could get his murderous hands on him.
Ahead I caught sight of the two Sand brothers, who sensing me looked back in some surprise. I smirked at that. So they didn't think the girl could outpace them huh? I didn't have a special jutsu; I had no special talents at all really. But I had a lot of control; it was the only thing Kakashi- sensei had ever praised me for, so I had a lot of pride in it. It was amazing what you could accomplish with fine control.
Deciding to show them how to REALLY move, I paced them for a bit until the two of them focused ahead of us again. Then I turned on the speed again, zipping past them and taking the lead.
"Damn," I heard Kankuro say to his brother from behind me.
HAH! Feeling better about myself, I left them behind, eager to catch the asshole that'd harmed Naruto. Branches, trees and bush whipped past me, as my eyes started to tear up again, only this time it was because of the wind of my passage. Ahead I spotted movement; I was catching him. At the sight, an anger I'd never felt before took root inside of me, starting in my belly and spreading through me until I was consumed by it.
Suddenly all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart in my ears, and my breath as I grunted each time I leapt to a new branch. Without realizing it, I had drawn a kunai from the holster on my leg, letting it fly in a smooth movement. A cry sounded from ahead, signifying a hit. A part of my mind marveled at myself, amazed I was capable of doing something so dexterous; I'd actually hit a moving target by moonlight in a dense forest.
Abruptly I burst out into a clearing, and the Mist ninja was waiting for me, his arm dangling at his side with my kunai stuck deep in his shoulder. His other hand held a long dagger, as he crouched into a fighting stance. I had lucked out; the fact that his arm was useless probably meant he couldn't form any seals for a jutsu.
I only noticed that in passing; my world had focused into a point, with my enemy in the center. I flipped out of the tree towards him at full speed, landing in a crouch before springing towards him with a kunai appearing in each of my hands. The corner of my mind that was still rational noted that I might have screamed out something, but I couldn't be sure what. All that mattered was putting this shit-face into the ground.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he swept his dagger at me in a somewhat desperate gesture to buy himself some space. It seemed like I had all the time in the world as I ducked under his outstretched arm, twining my arm with his and bracing it, squeezing as I bent the arm at the elbow, the wrong way.
Hearing as much as feeling a deep snap in his arm, I shifted my grip even as he started too scream. Twirling around him like a dancer, I rammed the kunai in my free hand into his lung from behind. He staggered forward a little stunned as I, not finished, dropped down and kicked his legs out from under him, causing him to land full on his back, on top of the weapon I had just stuck into him.
Gasping in agony while blood flew from his mouth, the Mist ninja writhed on the ground, his two arms flopping useless beside him. Quickly straddling him, I held my remaining kunai to his throat, quivering and gasping for breath as I prepared to end his life. I looked into his eyes seeing the terror in them as he watched me draw my arm back for the killing stroke. I paused, my anger starting to drain from me as I realized with a shock what I was about to do. I had never killed before. This ninja was young, I saw; probably only a few years older than I was.
Trembling I swallowed, desperately trying to reclaim the anger I had felt only moments ago, so I could finish him off. He had hurt Naruto! He might have killed him for all I knew! Still I hesitated as I felt tears start to form in my eyes. Suddenly there wasn't an enemy ninja below me, but a scared boy around my age.
"Just do it!" my mind screamed at me, trying to will myself to move. With a cry I stabbed down, barely missing the ninja's head, embedding the kunai in soft soil. Panting I stared down at him, wondering what I was going to do. He stared back up at me, eyes wide while sweat glistened on his face.
Abruptly someone shoved me, causing me to fall aside. Looking up into Kankuro's angry eyes, I watched as he bent down to grab the Mist ninjas dagger from his useless hand. Holding it in his fist he reached over, quickly slitting the startled Mist ninja's throat, causing blood to spray. Heels drumming, the Mist ninja gasped feebly, his struggles fading until he lay still.
My stomach turning, I crawled away in horror a little before emptying what I ate for breakfast onto the ground. Breathing hard, I settled back on my knees, taking deep breaths. I had witnessed death many times before... but never so cold, so close to me. I had never been so close to being the one who did the deed.
"What kind of fucking ninja do they raise in the Leaf anyway? Next time, finish what you start!" Kankuro growled behind me in disgust.
Turning a little I glared at him over my shoulder. Gaara was kneeling over the Mist ninja's body, searching pockets. Finding nothing of value, Gaara shook his head, short red hair swaying slightly as he rose. Turning, he started towards where we'd left the rest of our group. And Naruto.
The thought of Naruto brought me to my feet again with renewed energy, as I wiped my mouth free of any remaining puke, with the back of my hand. Praying he was going to be ok, I started to follow Gaara, but stopped as I felt Kankuro grab my arm. Remnants of my earlier rage almost surfaced at being kept from Naruto still longer, before I fought it down again. Taking another deep breath, I glared at the strangely dressed ninja who was scowling at me. I remembered a time when he'd frightened me. But at the moment, all I could see was just a heartless ninja who was standing in my way.
"Did you hear me?! I'm not going to clean up your damn messes again! Next time... FINISH it!" he hissed at me, anger contorting his features while his hand on my arm tightened painfully.
Scowling at him, I wrenched my arm away from him before turning away and following Gaara back. As I walked I started to tremble as all that'd just happened came hammering back home to me. Was I crazy?! I must be to stand up to Kankuro like that! He obviously had no problems killing like I did.
I couldn't help but wonder if when the time came, could I really kill someone? It was expected of me... but could I really do it? Shaking the thought aside I hurried back to camp, praying I would have a chance to talk about that with Naruto. Somehow, I knew he would understand.
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While Sakura and the two Sand brothers where still chasing the Mist ninja, Hinata and Temari rushed to do all they could to help Naruto.
** Hinata's perspective **
I've known terror before. When I realized I would have to face my cousin Neji in battle, and then found that there was no way I could win; and the first time I'd watched as Gaara killed a team of people in the Forest of Death. But somehow, this was worse than anything before it.
Had Temari not been there next to me, I would've broken down and cried on the spot as I watched Naruto-kun's lifeblood glittering in the moonlight. With effort, I kept the wail of grief that threatened to break out contained, as I hurriedly opened my first aid kit.
I wasn't a doctor; I was just a little good at making medicine and stitching wounds. But I was all he had, and I wasn't sure what I would do with myself if he died on me. I wished someone else could do this other than me; Naruto-kun deserved anyone but the Hyuga family fuck-up. My hands started shaking as I watched Temari take off his bloodied coat, quickly cutting the bottom half of his shirt so it wouldn't snag on the kunai still inside of him.
With Temari's help, we wrestled Naruto-kun's black shirt off of him so I could get a better look at his wound. Naruto-kun lay bathed in sweat, and he groaned unconsciously every time we moved him. Despite the situation, I felt my breath hitch in my throat and my cheeks heating a little when we finally got his shirt off; Naruto-kun was in very good shape. I had dreamed of seeing him like this a few times, but the reality was much better. Or would have been if he wasn't so hurt. A strange amulet made from some sort of crystal lay around his neck, gleaming in the faint light.
Temari had removed his headband, and smoothed back his hair saying words of encouragement even though he couldn't hear them. I snapped out of my little trance and focused again on his injury. What was WRONG with me?! Ogling him while he was hurt! The kunai was fairly deep into his stomach area, and blood had pooled around it.
"When w...we pull it out, he's going to start bleeding a lot more," I informed Temari, trying and failing to keep my voice steady.
Frowning, Temari studied Naruto-kun and his wound before she finally turned to me. "I think it's fatal," she pronounced, coming to her own conclusion.
"We don't know that," I argued weakly.
This was Naruto-kun! He'd never given up on anything, and now it was my turn not to give up on him. I looked at the wound again, watching as blood oozed out around the weapon, and I flinched internally.
Shaking her head, Temari looked back down at Naruto-kun, her brow furrowing in thought.
"A gut wound is the most painful way a person can die, Hinata," said Temari in a distant voice. "With this kind of wound, it'll take him hours or even a day to die, and he'll scream the entire way. I would know; I've watched it happen," she finished, her eyes taking on a far away look.
"W...what are you trying to say?" I whispered, not liking where she was going with this.
"I'm saying..." she swallowed, and for a second almost to fast to see, she nearly looked like she wanted to cry until she gained control again, her face hardening. "I'm saying we should put him out of his misery. No one deserves to die like that," she told me firmly, her eyes steady on mine.
I felt as though an icy hand had grabbed onto my heart and squeezed, as a cold shock rushed through my system at the thought. My worst nightmare had arrived before I'd even left the Leaf country. Feeling tears I hadn't known I'd shed sliding down my cheeks, I stared at Naruto-kun numbly. I hadn't even told him that I loved him.
Abruptly a memory of Naruto-kun fighting at the Chuunin exam flashed through my minds-eye. Of the times he'd gotten back up when everyone else had been sure that he wouldn't. Looking down at him, his face seeming even paler in the silver light, I decided to believe in him one more time, just as I had back then. I shook my head at her, making up my mind.
"That's HIS choice to make. WE need to take out that weapon and bandage him up," I told her with all the strength I had left in my voice... which wasn't much.
Taking a breath, she nodded at me in resignation, obviously thinking this was a waste of time. Scooting over she placed her palms on his shoulders, holding him down before turning to me with a nod. I was a little surprised she'd listened to me; in fact, every time I opened my mouth I kept expecting someone to laugh me down.
Nodding to her, I couldn't keep a relieved smile from my face as I grabbed the kunai and tugged it out. Naruto-kun convulsed beneath me, and Temari pressed down with more of her body weight as he cried out, his eyes shooting open at the pain. Tossing the weapon aside I quickly grabbed an absorbent pad I kept in the first aid kit for something like this, pressing down to try and slow the bleeding.
Naruto-kun, awake now, groaned at the pressure but kept from crying out. Probably guessing he wasn't going to thrash around as much, Temari eased off of his shoulders, peering intently at his face. After the pad turned almost completely red, I lifted it up slightly to exchange it for a fresh one, but paused for a second in shock as I realized his bleeding had slowed considerably.
I gasped as I saw that a strange swirling pattern, almost like a tattoo, had appeared on his stomach underneath the smeared blood. I stared transfixed, as the open wound which cut through the tattoo slightly, seemed to pulse a dull red in time to some unknowable beat. Very little blood leaked out now, and I hesitated, unsure what this meant.
"What in the hell is that?" Temari muttered in awe, as she peered down at it.
I shrugged, at a complete loss. "It almost looks like a seal of some kind," I murmured half to myself, studying it.
Naruto-kun grunted in pain again, snapping me out of my daze. That was TWICE I'd lost concentration when it mattered! The bleeding may have slowed, but the real danger had never been bleeding to death; vital organs had been punctured, which would kill him long before loss of blood would.
Gesturing for Temari to lift him up a bit, I hurriedly placed a fresh pad on him, before winding a bandage around him as best I could. After I finished, Temari gently settled Naruto-kun down completely onto his back once more, peering at the spot where the strange pattern on his stomach was, which was now covered from sight by the bandages.
"I've never seen a seal like that," Temari said at last, her brow knit in confusion.
"Don't... don't tell anyone you saw it," Naruto-kun said unexpectedly, startling us. With his eyes still closed, sweat rolled off of him as he panted in pain.
"W...what is it, Naruto-kun?" I asked hesitantly. Slowly he cracked an eyelid open slightly, his piercing blue eyes looking directly into mine. My heart skipped a beat despite myself, unused to his attention. Slowly he smiled at me, which was an amazing feat given how much pain he must have been in.
"It's... ugh... a secret," he told me mischievously, his tone playful even as he convulsed for a moment in pain.
Temari snorted from beside him, giving him a scathing look. "Dead men shouldn't keep secrets, Naruto," she told him callously, crossing her arms.
"Temari!" I cried, aghast. Quickly I checked Naruto-kun's face, to see how he was taking it. Apparently, he hadn't taken the hint; Naruto-kun was staring at Temari in confusion.
"... The hell was that supposed to mean?" he wondered after a moment, his voice seeming to hold less pain in it than a moment before. Finding no answer from Temari, who was pointedly not looking at him, he darted a look at me for an explanation.
Unable to meet his gaze for long, I looked down, biting my lip to keep from crying out. I felt tears start to form again but stopped myself from crying, and hunched in on myself, wishing for perhaps the first time in my life that Naruto-kun would look away from me. How could I lie to him... to Naruto-kun of all people?! Besides, I was about as good at lying as I was at just about everything else I did -- I was terrible. But how could I tell him the truth? How could I tell the only person I really cared about that he was probably going to die?!
Someone had to do it. Then I reminded myself that I was supposed to believe he would pull through, just like always. So steeling myself, I looked at him again, his concerned face a blur through the water that gathered in my eyes despite my best efforts.
There was only one thing to do: give it to him straight.
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** Naruto's perspective **
I tried to stare Hinata in the eye to get the truth from her, but I was interrupted by my own body as a fresh wave of pure agony shot through my belly and seemed to echo inside of me. Losing my breath, I saw spots, and I shook my head to clear it, blinking rapidly. The spots faded after a moment, and when my vision cleared Hinata was bent over me, her face close to mine as she peered down at me in concern.
"I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun," she whispered to me, her eyes liquid.
I'd never seen her quite so close before, and for a moment her gaze seemed to trap mine as I stared up at her. Her eyes were fascinating; I had always thought they were white, but up close I realized they had a pale gray tone to them. After a moment I realized she had been crying at some point; her eyes looked a little puffy and faint tracks where tears had dried where upon her cheeks. It took another shot of pain to break me from my study, and I clenched my teeth to keep from crying out.
"What are you sorry for?" I wondered after a gained my breath back, honestly confused.
Hinata could be so strange sometimes. Although now that I'd seen her so close, I found that she was a lot cuter than I had realized. It seemed the closer you got to her, the better she looked.
I still didn't get what they were talking about. Dead? Me? Temari had said I was a dead man, and Hinata looked like she wanted to cry all over again. But I knew my own body, and I could feel myself healing. In a few hours, I would probably be able to sit up on my own, and by morning I might even be able to walk. I probably wouldn't be able to fight for a little while, but I wasn't worried. So why were they speaking as though I was already a corpse? Had the weapon been poisoned?
For a moment Hinata didn't reply, just biting a full lower lip as I watched tears start to gather in her eyes.
"Your injury is serious, Naruto-kun. You might not last the night," she told me bluntly, looking away as the tears that had built up finally slid down her face.
I was stunned. Not from her announcement, but rather the fact that she was crying for my sake. I could count on one hand the number of times someone has cried for me. Not knowing what to do, I reached over and caught one of her hands, which was coated with my blood, squeezing gently in support.
As my hand closed around hers, Hinata jerked a bit, a small gasp hissing through her teeth. But even so her hand stayed in mine, and her fingers even tightened a bit on mine as she got over her shock. I smiled inside, glad she was willing to overlook her dislike of my touch, at least while I was on my 'death bed'. It saddened me that I scared her so much that she flinched every time I touched her.
She was worried for nothing; they both were I realized, as I glanced over at Temari who looked to be battling emotions of her own. Seeing me looking, her face smoothed quickly before I could guess exactly what emotion she had allowed to show.
As yet another spasm of pain grew in me, I tried my best to keep from reacting to it, for their sakes, and even managed a grin. That was pretty hard, considering that all I wanted to do at the moment was scream bloody murder. Looking between them, I laughed a bit, causing fresh new pain in my stomach.
"What's so funny about you dieing?" Temari demanded a little waspishly, her arms still folded across her chest.
"I'm not dieing. Just give me 'til tomorrow and I'll be good enough to walk," I told them in my most soothing tone. "I promise!" I exclaimed as they both stared at me as though I'd grown antlers.
"Sure Naruto-kun," Hinata said reassuringly patting my hand with her free one, obviously thinking I was delusional.
I gritted my teeth, knowing I would just have to show them by living through their death sentence. I didn't really care if they believed me, as long as their moods brightened, which had a little bit, I noticed. Now instead of just being worried about a teammates death, they could worry about something else; whether I was crazy or not.
"Just promise me you won't tell anyone about my mark. Please? If I'm dying I get a last request, don't I?" I bargained, giving them my best puppy-dog look.
Temari shook her head at me, but finally sighed in defeat. "Whatever," she said standing up and heading towards the edge of the clearing, where we had collectively heard the others return from hunting the Mist ninja; they must have been making noise on purpose. That was fast, I marveled. Sakura-chan appeared out of the bushes, heading straight for me, her face set. Quickly I turned to Hinata, staring at her seriously.
"Ok Hinata?" I asked as much as said, hoping she would do me this one favor.
Slowly she nodded, her eyes intent on me. "Ok," she agreed softly.
Sighing in relief I gave her a grateful smile as I released her hand, figuring she didn't need comforting any longer. As I let go of her, I could have sworn I heard a disappointed sigh from Hinata. For a moment I wondered if Hinata had still wanted to hold my hand for comfort, but I quickly tossed that thought aside; the way she'd reacted earlier made that impossible. Her sigh had probably been one of relief that I'd finally let go. Sakura-chan arrived on the opposite side of Hinata, snapping me out of my thoughts as she grabbed my hand on that side in one of hers, as her other hand felt my forehead.
"How are you feeling?" Sakura-chan asked, her worry plain on her face.
I gave her a cheeky grin, knowing that always pissed her off. "Like I've been stabbed by a kunai," I deadpanned, giving her a playful wink.
I was tired of all of this worry. I wanted another emotion other than pity directed at me, and Sakura-chan almost always delivered it, in the form of anger. Unfortunately, this was one of the rare times she wouldn't rise to the bait. She surprised me with a soft sigh, as she ran a hand through my hair, sending tingles through me. Gripping the side of my face in her hand, she turned me towards her more fully, staring into my eyes.
"Don't do something that stupid again," she told me fiercely, as the hand that gripped mine tightened almost painfully.
It was rare that I saw her this serious, and all I could do was nod slowly, if only to assure her. I knew if someone got into danger again, I would do it again if I had to, and I was pretty sure she knew it too, going by the uncertain frown that had appeared on her face as I nodded.
I looked over as I sensed Hinata stir; she hadn't left when Sakura-chan had come, and she began shifting as she looked everywhere but at the two of us. I opened my mouth to ask her what was wrong, but stopped when I saw Gaara approach. Standing behind Hinata, he looked down at me, a slight frown on his face.
"How bad is it?" he wondered, his voice as cold as always. I was willing to bet his voice would sound that hard on his wedding day... assuming he ever found someone stupid enough to marry him.
"I'll live. I should be ok by tomorrow. Next day at the latest," I assured him quickly, before Hinata could tell him what she thought.
"That's not what Temari told me. She thinks your gonna die," Kankuro said as he walked up behind Sakura-chan to stare at me with harsh black eyes. Temari herself seemed to have disappeared, I realized quickly looking round. Oh well, she was probably just off making sure there were no more hidden spies in the area.
Kankuro and I had never gotten along, and I doubt we ever would. There was just something about him that pissed me off. And it was different from the way Sasuke pissed me off. Sasuke was a good guy deep down, who acted like an asshole most the time; Kankuro was an asshole to the bone. I snorted at him, realizing after a moment that the intense pain had faded, just a little bit. As I'd thought, soon I would be as good as new.
"Well Temari doesn't know me like I do. Trust me; be ready to march sometime tomorrow," I declared firmly, glaring up at him. It was too bad that I grunted in pain and nearly blacked out after I said that; now they wouldn't believe me.
Giving me a snort of his own, Kankuro turned away to do whatever it was that he did when he wasn't picking on people.
"What do you think, Hinata?" Sakura-chan said, as though I wasn't even there. I frowned in annoyance; the one thing I hated was being ignored. Hinata shifted nervously, fidgeting as we all looked at her. A long silence stretched while her cheeks grew redder and redder.
"W... well," she began at last, uncertainly looking around until she looked at me again, "if Naruto-kun thinks he's ok, then he'll probably be ok," she said softly, looking away and blushing even more, if that were possible.
My gratitude that she was backing me up was tempered by my confusion. Why was she so damn embarrassed? She just said her opinion after all. It didn't change the fact that she WAS supporting me, no matter how weirdly she was doing it. Giving her a wide smile, I turned to look at the others triumphantly.
My smile was wiped right off my face as another surge of that now familiar pain flared up, leaving me gasping for breath. Only this time, it was worse than before. I broke out sweating as I fought to stay conscious as the agony not only failed to fade, but also increased.
Distantly, I thought I heard Sakura-chan's voice calling my name frantically, but it faded away as my world turned black. My last thought was frustration that I'd fainted right when I most needed to stay awake: just my luck.
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Chapter 4 done at last! What did y'all think? I hope you liked it as much as I liked writing it. Until next time! ^_^
Thank you for the incredible reviews! You are all fan-friggin-tastic! I love hearing your opinions! I am surprised at all of the Temari/Naruto supporters out there (not that I blame you... the reason I included Temari in this fiction is because I do like her)! I didn't realize such a thing was so popular. Or do you like the idea just because it is so rare?
I won't say which pairing I like most... other than to say I like Naruto/Hinata, Naruto/Sakura, AND Temari/Naruto pairings. (I actually like Ino/Naruto pairings too... but decided 4 was just WAY too much. Even three is pushing it. ^_^)
And now, on with the show! ^_^
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Chapter 4:
The night forest was still and calm. A few nocturnal animals prowled while the rest slept, resulting in isolated lonely calls at random times. A solitary figure dashed silently above and then below branches, flashing by faster than a normal human could run on the ground, let alone above ground using tree branches.
His passage disturbed nothing but stray leafs. Behind him gaining steadily, two more figures flashed by chasing the first. Behind them all another shape named Haruno Sakura sped, moving the fastest of all.
** Sakura's perspective **
My heart hammered in my chest as I pushed myself to catch up to the two Sand ninja ahead of me, forcing more chakra into my legs for speed. The wind from my passage seemed to freeze the tears on my cheeks before drying them.
Typical Naruto; why did he have to throw himself into harms way like that?! Leaving him behind had to have been one of the hardest things I had ever done. He was always there for me when I needed him; it felt wrong to leave when he might need me.
Unbidden, my earlier conversation with Sasuke-kun before we left on our separate missions came to mind. I'd waited for him while he spoke privately with the Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei, eager to try yet again for him to really notice me. I'll never forget how he'd looked at me when I told him to be careful on his mission. His look was... tolerant: distantly tolerant, as though he was putting up with a door-to-door salesman, too polite to tell the salesman to get lost.
Telling me to be careful as well, in that indifferent way he had, he'd followed Kakashi-sensei down the hall without looking back, uncaring. Staring after him, it'd crashed home all at once that I would never be with Sasuke-kun. As much as I liked him, he just didn't return the feeling, and probably never would. Heart breaking, I had fought tears all the way home to pack; I'd fought more tears while waiting for everyone to arrive; and I'd fought still more as we went on our mission.
I had never known I could be hurt so badly without having a visible wound to show for it. Oddly, it was Naruto I'd looked too for support. I kept expecting him to notice and comfort me; to smile that wide smile of his and tell me it was all going to be ok. What was even stranger was the sense of betrayal I'd felt when he didn't notice. I argued with myself, knowing there was no way he COULD know or comfort me if I didn't tell him, yet still the feeling returned. It was stupid, and selfish, and it made no sense whatsoever.
Now Naruto was hurt badly, and here I was running AWAY from him instead of comforting him. It felt like I'd lost the two most important people in my life in a single day. A lump formed in my throat, as I forced down the urge to scream in frustration. Gritting my teeth instead, I forced even more chakra into my legs, eager to take out my frustration on the Mist ninja, before Gaara could get his murderous hands on him.
Ahead I caught sight of the two Sand brothers, who sensing me looked back in some surprise. I smirked at that. So they didn't think the girl could outpace them huh? I didn't have a special jutsu; I had no special talents at all really. But I had a lot of control; it was the only thing Kakashi- sensei had ever praised me for, so I had a lot of pride in it. It was amazing what you could accomplish with fine control.
Deciding to show them how to REALLY move, I paced them for a bit until the two of them focused ahead of us again. Then I turned on the speed again, zipping past them and taking the lead.
"Damn," I heard Kankuro say to his brother from behind me.
HAH! Feeling better about myself, I left them behind, eager to catch the asshole that'd harmed Naruto. Branches, trees and bush whipped past me, as my eyes started to tear up again, only this time it was because of the wind of my passage. Ahead I spotted movement; I was catching him. At the sight, an anger I'd never felt before took root inside of me, starting in my belly and spreading through me until I was consumed by it.
Suddenly all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart in my ears, and my breath as I grunted each time I leapt to a new branch. Without realizing it, I had drawn a kunai from the holster on my leg, letting it fly in a smooth movement. A cry sounded from ahead, signifying a hit. A part of my mind marveled at myself, amazed I was capable of doing something so dexterous; I'd actually hit a moving target by moonlight in a dense forest.
Abruptly I burst out into a clearing, and the Mist ninja was waiting for me, his arm dangling at his side with my kunai stuck deep in his shoulder. His other hand held a long dagger, as he crouched into a fighting stance. I had lucked out; the fact that his arm was useless probably meant he couldn't form any seals for a jutsu.
I only noticed that in passing; my world had focused into a point, with my enemy in the center. I flipped out of the tree towards him at full speed, landing in a crouch before springing towards him with a kunai appearing in each of my hands. The corner of my mind that was still rational noted that I might have screamed out something, but I couldn't be sure what. All that mattered was putting this shit-face into the ground.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he swept his dagger at me in a somewhat desperate gesture to buy himself some space. It seemed like I had all the time in the world as I ducked under his outstretched arm, twining my arm with his and bracing it, squeezing as I bent the arm at the elbow, the wrong way.
Hearing as much as feeling a deep snap in his arm, I shifted my grip even as he started too scream. Twirling around him like a dancer, I rammed the kunai in my free hand into his lung from behind. He staggered forward a little stunned as I, not finished, dropped down and kicked his legs out from under him, causing him to land full on his back, on top of the weapon I had just stuck into him.
Gasping in agony while blood flew from his mouth, the Mist ninja writhed on the ground, his two arms flopping useless beside him. Quickly straddling him, I held my remaining kunai to his throat, quivering and gasping for breath as I prepared to end his life. I looked into his eyes seeing the terror in them as he watched me draw my arm back for the killing stroke. I paused, my anger starting to drain from me as I realized with a shock what I was about to do. I had never killed before. This ninja was young, I saw; probably only a few years older than I was.
Trembling I swallowed, desperately trying to reclaim the anger I had felt only moments ago, so I could finish him off. He had hurt Naruto! He might have killed him for all I knew! Still I hesitated as I felt tears start to form in my eyes. Suddenly there wasn't an enemy ninja below me, but a scared boy around my age.
"Just do it!" my mind screamed at me, trying to will myself to move. With a cry I stabbed down, barely missing the ninja's head, embedding the kunai in soft soil. Panting I stared down at him, wondering what I was going to do. He stared back up at me, eyes wide while sweat glistened on his face.
Abruptly someone shoved me, causing me to fall aside. Looking up into Kankuro's angry eyes, I watched as he bent down to grab the Mist ninjas dagger from his useless hand. Holding it in his fist he reached over, quickly slitting the startled Mist ninja's throat, causing blood to spray. Heels drumming, the Mist ninja gasped feebly, his struggles fading until he lay still.
My stomach turning, I crawled away in horror a little before emptying what I ate for breakfast onto the ground. Breathing hard, I settled back on my knees, taking deep breaths. I had witnessed death many times before... but never so cold, so close to me. I had never been so close to being the one who did the deed.
"What kind of fucking ninja do they raise in the Leaf anyway? Next time, finish what you start!" Kankuro growled behind me in disgust.
Turning a little I glared at him over my shoulder. Gaara was kneeling over the Mist ninja's body, searching pockets. Finding nothing of value, Gaara shook his head, short red hair swaying slightly as he rose. Turning, he started towards where we'd left the rest of our group. And Naruto.
The thought of Naruto brought me to my feet again with renewed energy, as I wiped my mouth free of any remaining puke, with the back of my hand. Praying he was going to be ok, I started to follow Gaara, but stopped as I felt Kankuro grab my arm. Remnants of my earlier rage almost surfaced at being kept from Naruto still longer, before I fought it down again. Taking another deep breath, I glared at the strangely dressed ninja who was scowling at me. I remembered a time when he'd frightened me. But at the moment, all I could see was just a heartless ninja who was standing in my way.
"Did you hear me?! I'm not going to clean up your damn messes again! Next time... FINISH it!" he hissed at me, anger contorting his features while his hand on my arm tightened painfully.
Scowling at him, I wrenched my arm away from him before turning away and following Gaara back. As I walked I started to tremble as all that'd just happened came hammering back home to me. Was I crazy?! I must be to stand up to Kankuro like that! He obviously had no problems killing like I did.
I couldn't help but wonder if when the time came, could I really kill someone? It was expected of me... but could I really do it? Shaking the thought aside I hurried back to camp, praying I would have a chance to talk about that with Naruto. Somehow, I knew he would understand.
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While Sakura and the two Sand brothers where still chasing the Mist ninja, Hinata and Temari rushed to do all they could to help Naruto.
** Hinata's perspective **
I've known terror before. When I realized I would have to face my cousin Neji in battle, and then found that there was no way I could win; and the first time I'd watched as Gaara killed a team of people in the Forest of Death. But somehow, this was worse than anything before it.
Had Temari not been there next to me, I would've broken down and cried on the spot as I watched Naruto-kun's lifeblood glittering in the moonlight. With effort, I kept the wail of grief that threatened to break out contained, as I hurriedly opened my first aid kit.
I wasn't a doctor; I was just a little good at making medicine and stitching wounds. But I was all he had, and I wasn't sure what I would do with myself if he died on me. I wished someone else could do this other than me; Naruto-kun deserved anyone but the Hyuga family fuck-up. My hands started shaking as I watched Temari take off his bloodied coat, quickly cutting the bottom half of his shirt so it wouldn't snag on the kunai still inside of him.
With Temari's help, we wrestled Naruto-kun's black shirt off of him so I could get a better look at his wound. Naruto-kun lay bathed in sweat, and he groaned unconsciously every time we moved him. Despite the situation, I felt my breath hitch in my throat and my cheeks heating a little when we finally got his shirt off; Naruto-kun was in very good shape. I had dreamed of seeing him like this a few times, but the reality was much better. Or would have been if he wasn't so hurt. A strange amulet made from some sort of crystal lay around his neck, gleaming in the faint light.
Temari had removed his headband, and smoothed back his hair saying words of encouragement even though he couldn't hear them. I snapped out of my little trance and focused again on his injury. What was WRONG with me?! Ogling him while he was hurt! The kunai was fairly deep into his stomach area, and blood had pooled around it.
"When w...we pull it out, he's going to start bleeding a lot more," I informed Temari, trying and failing to keep my voice steady.
Frowning, Temari studied Naruto-kun and his wound before she finally turned to me. "I think it's fatal," she pronounced, coming to her own conclusion.
"We don't know that," I argued weakly.
This was Naruto-kun! He'd never given up on anything, and now it was my turn not to give up on him. I looked at the wound again, watching as blood oozed out around the weapon, and I flinched internally.
Shaking her head, Temari looked back down at Naruto-kun, her brow furrowing in thought.
"A gut wound is the most painful way a person can die, Hinata," said Temari in a distant voice. "With this kind of wound, it'll take him hours or even a day to die, and he'll scream the entire way. I would know; I've watched it happen," she finished, her eyes taking on a far away look.
"W...what are you trying to say?" I whispered, not liking where she was going with this.
"I'm saying..." she swallowed, and for a second almost to fast to see, she nearly looked like she wanted to cry until she gained control again, her face hardening. "I'm saying we should put him out of his misery. No one deserves to die like that," she told me firmly, her eyes steady on mine.
I felt as though an icy hand had grabbed onto my heart and squeezed, as a cold shock rushed through my system at the thought. My worst nightmare had arrived before I'd even left the Leaf country. Feeling tears I hadn't known I'd shed sliding down my cheeks, I stared at Naruto-kun numbly. I hadn't even told him that I loved him.
Abruptly a memory of Naruto-kun fighting at the Chuunin exam flashed through my minds-eye. Of the times he'd gotten back up when everyone else had been sure that he wouldn't. Looking down at him, his face seeming even paler in the silver light, I decided to believe in him one more time, just as I had back then. I shook my head at her, making up my mind.
"That's HIS choice to make. WE need to take out that weapon and bandage him up," I told her with all the strength I had left in my voice... which wasn't much.
Taking a breath, she nodded at me in resignation, obviously thinking this was a waste of time. Scooting over she placed her palms on his shoulders, holding him down before turning to me with a nod. I was a little surprised she'd listened to me; in fact, every time I opened my mouth I kept expecting someone to laugh me down.
Nodding to her, I couldn't keep a relieved smile from my face as I grabbed the kunai and tugged it out. Naruto-kun convulsed beneath me, and Temari pressed down with more of her body weight as he cried out, his eyes shooting open at the pain. Tossing the weapon aside I quickly grabbed an absorbent pad I kept in the first aid kit for something like this, pressing down to try and slow the bleeding.
Naruto-kun, awake now, groaned at the pressure but kept from crying out. Probably guessing he wasn't going to thrash around as much, Temari eased off of his shoulders, peering intently at his face. After the pad turned almost completely red, I lifted it up slightly to exchange it for a fresh one, but paused for a second in shock as I realized his bleeding had slowed considerably.
I gasped as I saw that a strange swirling pattern, almost like a tattoo, had appeared on his stomach underneath the smeared blood. I stared transfixed, as the open wound which cut through the tattoo slightly, seemed to pulse a dull red in time to some unknowable beat. Very little blood leaked out now, and I hesitated, unsure what this meant.
"What in the hell is that?" Temari muttered in awe, as she peered down at it.
I shrugged, at a complete loss. "It almost looks like a seal of some kind," I murmured half to myself, studying it.
Naruto-kun grunted in pain again, snapping me out of my daze. That was TWICE I'd lost concentration when it mattered! The bleeding may have slowed, but the real danger had never been bleeding to death; vital organs had been punctured, which would kill him long before loss of blood would.
Gesturing for Temari to lift him up a bit, I hurriedly placed a fresh pad on him, before winding a bandage around him as best I could. After I finished, Temari gently settled Naruto-kun down completely onto his back once more, peering at the spot where the strange pattern on his stomach was, which was now covered from sight by the bandages.
"I've never seen a seal like that," Temari said at last, her brow knit in confusion.
"Don't... don't tell anyone you saw it," Naruto-kun said unexpectedly, startling us. With his eyes still closed, sweat rolled off of him as he panted in pain.
"W...what is it, Naruto-kun?" I asked hesitantly. Slowly he cracked an eyelid open slightly, his piercing blue eyes looking directly into mine. My heart skipped a beat despite myself, unused to his attention. Slowly he smiled at me, which was an amazing feat given how much pain he must have been in.
"It's... ugh... a secret," he told me mischievously, his tone playful even as he convulsed for a moment in pain.
Temari snorted from beside him, giving him a scathing look. "Dead men shouldn't keep secrets, Naruto," she told him callously, crossing her arms.
"Temari!" I cried, aghast. Quickly I checked Naruto-kun's face, to see how he was taking it. Apparently, he hadn't taken the hint; Naruto-kun was staring at Temari in confusion.
"... The hell was that supposed to mean?" he wondered after a moment, his voice seeming to hold less pain in it than a moment before. Finding no answer from Temari, who was pointedly not looking at him, he darted a look at me for an explanation.
Unable to meet his gaze for long, I looked down, biting my lip to keep from crying out. I felt tears start to form again but stopped myself from crying, and hunched in on myself, wishing for perhaps the first time in my life that Naruto-kun would look away from me. How could I lie to him... to Naruto-kun of all people?! Besides, I was about as good at lying as I was at just about everything else I did -- I was terrible. But how could I tell him the truth? How could I tell the only person I really cared about that he was probably going to die?!
Someone had to do it. Then I reminded myself that I was supposed to believe he would pull through, just like always. So steeling myself, I looked at him again, his concerned face a blur through the water that gathered in my eyes despite my best efforts.
There was only one thing to do: give it to him straight.
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** Naruto's perspective **
I tried to stare Hinata in the eye to get the truth from her, but I was interrupted by my own body as a fresh wave of pure agony shot through my belly and seemed to echo inside of me. Losing my breath, I saw spots, and I shook my head to clear it, blinking rapidly. The spots faded after a moment, and when my vision cleared Hinata was bent over me, her face close to mine as she peered down at me in concern.
"I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun," she whispered to me, her eyes liquid.
I'd never seen her quite so close before, and for a moment her gaze seemed to trap mine as I stared up at her. Her eyes were fascinating; I had always thought they were white, but up close I realized they had a pale gray tone to them. After a moment I realized she had been crying at some point; her eyes looked a little puffy and faint tracks where tears had dried where upon her cheeks. It took another shot of pain to break me from my study, and I clenched my teeth to keep from crying out.
"What are you sorry for?" I wondered after a gained my breath back, honestly confused.
Hinata could be so strange sometimes. Although now that I'd seen her so close, I found that she was a lot cuter than I had realized. It seemed the closer you got to her, the better she looked.
I still didn't get what they were talking about. Dead? Me? Temari had said I was a dead man, and Hinata looked like she wanted to cry all over again. But I knew my own body, and I could feel myself healing. In a few hours, I would probably be able to sit up on my own, and by morning I might even be able to walk. I probably wouldn't be able to fight for a little while, but I wasn't worried. So why were they speaking as though I was already a corpse? Had the weapon been poisoned?
For a moment Hinata didn't reply, just biting a full lower lip as I watched tears start to gather in her eyes.
"Your injury is serious, Naruto-kun. You might not last the night," she told me bluntly, looking away as the tears that had built up finally slid down her face.
I was stunned. Not from her announcement, but rather the fact that she was crying for my sake. I could count on one hand the number of times someone has cried for me. Not knowing what to do, I reached over and caught one of her hands, which was coated with my blood, squeezing gently in support.
As my hand closed around hers, Hinata jerked a bit, a small gasp hissing through her teeth. But even so her hand stayed in mine, and her fingers even tightened a bit on mine as she got over her shock. I smiled inside, glad she was willing to overlook her dislike of my touch, at least while I was on my 'death bed'. It saddened me that I scared her so much that she flinched every time I touched her.
She was worried for nothing; they both were I realized, as I glanced over at Temari who looked to be battling emotions of her own. Seeing me looking, her face smoothed quickly before I could guess exactly what emotion she had allowed to show.
As yet another spasm of pain grew in me, I tried my best to keep from reacting to it, for their sakes, and even managed a grin. That was pretty hard, considering that all I wanted to do at the moment was scream bloody murder. Looking between them, I laughed a bit, causing fresh new pain in my stomach.
"What's so funny about you dieing?" Temari demanded a little waspishly, her arms still folded across her chest.
"I'm not dieing. Just give me 'til tomorrow and I'll be good enough to walk," I told them in my most soothing tone. "I promise!" I exclaimed as they both stared at me as though I'd grown antlers.
"Sure Naruto-kun," Hinata said reassuringly patting my hand with her free one, obviously thinking I was delusional.
I gritted my teeth, knowing I would just have to show them by living through their death sentence. I didn't really care if they believed me, as long as their moods brightened, which had a little bit, I noticed. Now instead of just being worried about a teammates death, they could worry about something else; whether I was crazy or not.
"Just promise me you won't tell anyone about my mark. Please? If I'm dying I get a last request, don't I?" I bargained, giving them my best puppy-dog look.
Temari shook her head at me, but finally sighed in defeat. "Whatever," she said standing up and heading towards the edge of the clearing, where we had collectively heard the others return from hunting the Mist ninja; they must have been making noise on purpose. That was fast, I marveled. Sakura-chan appeared out of the bushes, heading straight for me, her face set. Quickly I turned to Hinata, staring at her seriously.
"Ok Hinata?" I asked as much as said, hoping she would do me this one favor.
Slowly she nodded, her eyes intent on me. "Ok," she agreed softly.
Sighing in relief I gave her a grateful smile as I released her hand, figuring she didn't need comforting any longer. As I let go of her, I could have sworn I heard a disappointed sigh from Hinata. For a moment I wondered if Hinata had still wanted to hold my hand for comfort, but I quickly tossed that thought aside; the way she'd reacted earlier made that impossible. Her sigh had probably been one of relief that I'd finally let go. Sakura-chan arrived on the opposite side of Hinata, snapping me out of my thoughts as she grabbed my hand on that side in one of hers, as her other hand felt my forehead.
"How are you feeling?" Sakura-chan asked, her worry plain on her face.
I gave her a cheeky grin, knowing that always pissed her off. "Like I've been stabbed by a kunai," I deadpanned, giving her a playful wink.
I was tired of all of this worry. I wanted another emotion other than pity directed at me, and Sakura-chan almost always delivered it, in the form of anger. Unfortunately, this was one of the rare times she wouldn't rise to the bait. She surprised me with a soft sigh, as she ran a hand through my hair, sending tingles through me. Gripping the side of my face in her hand, she turned me towards her more fully, staring into my eyes.
"Don't do something that stupid again," she told me fiercely, as the hand that gripped mine tightened almost painfully.
It was rare that I saw her this serious, and all I could do was nod slowly, if only to assure her. I knew if someone got into danger again, I would do it again if I had to, and I was pretty sure she knew it too, going by the uncertain frown that had appeared on her face as I nodded.
I looked over as I sensed Hinata stir; she hadn't left when Sakura-chan had come, and she began shifting as she looked everywhere but at the two of us. I opened my mouth to ask her what was wrong, but stopped when I saw Gaara approach. Standing behind Hinata, he looked down at me, a slight frown on his face.
"How bad is it?" he wondered, his voice as cold as always. I was willing to bet his voice would sound that hard on his wedding day... assuming he ever found someone stupid enough to marry him.
"I'll live. I should be ok by tomorrow. Next day at the latest," I assured him quickly, before Hinata could tell him what she thought.
"That's not what Temari told me. She thinks your gonna die," Kankuro said as he walked up behind Sakura-chan to stare at me with harsh black eyes. Temari herself seemed to have disappeared, I realized quickly looking round. Oh well, she was probably just off making sure there were no more hidden spies in the area.
Kankuro and I had never gotten along, and I doubt we ever would. There was just something about him that pissed me off. And it was different from the way Sasuke pissed me off. Sasuke was a good guy deep down, who acted like an asshole most the time; Kankuro was an asshole to the bone. I snorted at him, realizing after a moment that the intense pain had faded, just a little bit. As I'd thought, soon I would be as good as new.
"Well Temari doesn't know me like I do. Trust me; be ready to march sometime tomorrow," I declared firmly, glaring up at him. It was too bad that I grunted in pain and nearly blacked out after I said that; now they wouldn't believe me.
Giving me a snort of his own, Kankuro turned away to do whatever it was that he did when he wasn't picking on people.
"What do you think, Hinata?" Sakura-chan said, as though I wasn't even there. I frowned in annoyance; the one thing I hated was being ignored. Hinata shifted nervously, fidgeting as we all looked at her. A long silence stretched while her cheeks grew redder and redder.
"W... well," she began at last, uncertainly looking around until she looked at me again, "if Naruto-kun thinks he's ok, then he'll probably be ok," she said softly, looking away and blushing even more, if that were possible.
My gratitude that she was backing me up was tempered by my confusion. Why was she so damn embarrassed? She just said her opinion after all. It didn't change the fact that she WAS supporting me, no matter how weirdly she was doing it. Giving her a wide smile, I turned to look at the others triumphantly.
My smile was wiped right off my face as another surge of that now familiar pain flared up, leaving me gasping for breath. Only this time, it was worse than before. I broke out sweating as I fought to stay conscious as the agony not only failed to fade, but also increased.
Distantly, I thought I heard Sakura-chan's voice calling my name frantically, but it faded away as my world turned black. My last thought was frustration that I'd fainted right when I most needed to stay awake: just my luck.
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Chapter 4 done at last! What did y'all think? I hope you liked it as much as I liked writing it. Until next time! ^_^