Chapter 45
"Woo what a punch!" Jiraiya says to himself after having watched Sakura clobber Naruto when he had tried to hug her as he had been told. "Ahh yes, young love." Jiraiya shakes his head looking down before finally walking around the corner towards Naruto who was still sprawled out on the ground with a swollen right cheek.
"S. S. Sakura." Naruto whimpers as the sun above him is blocked by a shadow.
I do have to admit. When he said there was someone he likes I had thought it was going to be that girl who showed up at his house a few weeks ago. Jiraiya thought to himself as he places his hands on his hips. "Hmm." He made a sound of thought causing Naruto to look up at him. "Is there another special girl you wish to see?" He decided to ask in order to get the knucklehead to thinking. Naruto's eyes widen just before he scrambles to his feet.
"Well umm... maybe... but..." Naruto stammers as he pokes his two pointer fingers together nervously just before suddenly laughing and rubbing the back of his neck. "She'll kill me."
"Oh come on now. Where is all that bravado you just had? Don't tell me you don't want to find this girl and profess your love for her!" Jiraiya pushes causing Naruto's cheeks to redden before looking away.
"I don't even know where to find her." Naruto puffs out his cheeks as his tone iterates his distaste. "She's probably off training with Kakashi Sensei and Sasuke."
"Well is there anyone you can ask?" Jiraiya coaxes the boy. As the thought comes to mind Naruto's eyes widen before he grins widely up to the pervy old man.
"Yeah! Her cousin!"
"Well then! What are you waiting for?!"
"Right!" Naruto calls out excitedly before laughing and making his way back towards his house.
Jiraiya follows behind him watching the boy walk with a confident gate. Every now and then chuckling to himself as if imagining things going well with this next girl. As they drew closer Jiraiya found himself glancing around noticing they were walking towards Naruto's home. "Umm… Naruto, weren't we going to speak with her cousin?" He questions aloud causing Naruto to laugh almost hysterically.
"They live in the apartment below mine, believe it!" So, they live in the same building. Interesting. Naruto walks up to the second-floor door but found himself hesitating. "What if she's home? What will I say? What if she does kill me?!"
"Better to live and learn than to never live at all!" Jiraiya proclaims causing Naruto to swallow a lump in his throat before finally reaching up and knocking on the door. It didn't seem to take long before the door begins to open showing a head of bright blond hair standing just above Naruto's height.
"Huh? Naruto?" She questions as her blue eyes land upon the blond in front of her just before a hand rests upon her hip. -She's young but already she's turning out to be such a looker!- Jiraiya's mouth nearly fell open before he could catch himself.
"Uhh… yeah… Aphrodite… Is Kira here?" Naruto stammers uncertain if he really should be here. Momentarily Aphrodite's eyes widen before her lips press into a fine line. Her relaxed demeanor changes as she glances away from the knucklehead.
"Well... she's not here?" Why would she pause like that as if uncertain if her cousin is home or not? Jiraiya's confusion is evident as he crosses his arms. What's going on here?
"Awe man! Do you know where she is?!" The blond looks back towards Naruto before nodding.
"She's in the hospital." Her words flowed in barely above a whisper just before she steps out of the doorway and shuts the door in front of the guys leaving them to their own thoughts.
"The hospital?!" Naruto suddenly shouts raising his hands to his hair and ruffling the mass as he drags his fingers over his scalp. "How can Kira be in the hospital?!"
*
"I am sorry but there are no visitors allowed in Kira's room right now." The female nurse speaks from behind the reception desk. Her eyes softening upon the boy in front of her.
"Why not?!" Naruto shouts in irritation. "Ahh! This is just like when Sasuke was here!" He growls turning away from the desk.
"Quiet down Naruto." A female voice meets his ears as she walks from the halls into the waiting room. "This is a hospital." Naruto looks in her direction his eyes momentarily widening as his cheeks flush red. It hasn't even been two hours since he had tried to hug her and her green eyes narrow upon him.
"I was just trying to see Kira!" He shouts shooting a glare behind him at the lady he had just spoken to. "But they won't let me see her." Sakura's eyes widen hearing that Kira was here in the hospital. Her bottom lip trembling momentarily before she runs up to the reception desk.
"We are members of Kira's team. Can't we see her for a few minutes?" Sakura questions nicely as she folds her hands in front of her. The nurse looks up and exhales a long sigh.
"As I told the other one. She isn't allowed any visitors right now. Only family can see her."
"But we are family!" Naruto pipes up turning around to shoot a glare at the nurse. "Not counting her cousin we are the only family she's got!" The nurse very nearly glares at Naruto before she turns her chair slightly.
"Give me a moment." She speaks irritatedly as she picks up the phone and brings it to her ear. Sakura takes a step back from the counter to be polite and glances at Naruto who was now grinning nervously.
"Well, it's true. We are practically family since we are on the same team." Sakura whispers and she raises her hand to touch her bottom lip as she thinks. Even if she hates us.
The nurse stands with a sigh as she puts down the phone and grabs a clipboard from her desk. "Follow me." She speaks before walking around the desk and leads them into a hallway. "She's in pretty bad condition so don't expect a very long visit. Five minutes at most." Naruto grins from ear to ear as Sakura smiles slightly.
"We understand. Thank you." Sakura speaks kindly before Naruto could start his shouting again.
As the nurse comes to a stop in front of the door she looks towards the two behind her. "Be sure to not disturb her. She needs her rest. Keep her room calm and quiet." She warns before sliding the door open. Upon walking in she doesn't even bother to try and speak to the patient like she usually does to let them know they have visitors. Kira having been brought in four days ago hasn't even woken up yet.
The nurse gasping draws Sakura and Naruto's attention. Nearly filling Sakura with dread that Kira would be missing as well as Sasuke and Rock lee had been. Rushing up to the Nurse's side their eyes widen seeing the bed.
*Kira*
Setting up in my bed I look down at the folds of the scratchy blankets. Memorizing how it rises and falls around my legs even as it's folded upon itself. My head is killing me as it's almost impossible to breathe. I had removed the face mask when I woke up because it was uncomfortable but thinking now, I probably should have left it on. It was meant to help me breathe and it's not doing any good lying on the floor. In the end, does it even matter? What is life without those who love you and those you love? Am I really expected to just return to merely existing? Gasps meet my ears but I refuse to look up in order to see where the sounds had come from as I curl my hands into loose fists.
"You're awake." A female speaks surprised just before I hear her walking up towards me. "How do you feel?" She questions yet I wonder if I should ignore her. My torso feels as if a searing hot blade was shoved into my chest cavity melting my lungs and forcing my heart to struggle just to remain beating. I knew from the bandages wrapped around me that some of my difficulty breathing could be from them, but not all of it. After using so much energy repeatedly healing I doubt my body would even allow me to move much more than I have already. I'm in pain. Every inch of my body is aching not just from what I had to endure but the maddening pain I am still being put through. The nurse's hand brushes against my forehead as I continue looking down at the blanket. "I'm going to run a check-up to make sure you are healing well." She speaks gently almost as if she was trying to coax a reaction from me. "Will you two step out into the hall for a minute while I look at her injuries?" Who is she talking to? Does it even matter?
The door slides shut echoing in the nearly silent room. "I'm going to pull back your covers will you lay down?" She speaks to me as if me knowing what she is going to do will make a difference. When I made no move her hands rest on my shoulders before she gently guides me back to the bed. Forcing my gaze to move up onto the ceiling before the covers are pulled from me. "I'm going to check your wounds." Again she informed me just before I felt her removing the tight wraps upon my legs. I just lay there as they are fully uncovered. "There is no infection but it doesn't seem that you are healing either." She mutters just before I felt her rewrapping my legs probably with some fresh bandages.
It felt like an eternity before she was finally done changing my bandages and checking my vitals. She had even requested I open my mouth. It was only then I turned my head away from her not letting her hands near their goal causing her to sigh. It didn't sound like she was frustrated or even annoyed that I had. Almost as if she was relieved that I had finally shown some recognition that I knew she was there. "That's okay. We will look another time." She says gently before I hear her walking back towards the door of the room, leaving me setting just as I had been before she had even begun. "Remember you don't have long, I'll return in five minutes."
"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you." Sakura's voice echoes just before two sets of feet walk into my room with the door shutting behind them.
"Geeze, what's with the time limit?" Naruto's growl becomes louder as they come closer to my bed. I could then hear chairs being moved and set next to me in the somewhat silence. A silence I knew wasn't going to last. "Say, Kira, what happened?!"
"Sshh Naruto, remember we aren't supposed to be loud!" Sakura whisper yells at the boy.
"Oh, sorry." He whispers back to her before I felt their eyes on me. "What happened?"
Should I try to talk to them? Or if I just sit here will they get bored and leave? Do I want them to leave? "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Sakura speaks up from my silence. Her gentle tone nearly causes me to look at her. I thought she hated me so why is she being so nice? Is this what being in a hospital does to people?
"Speak for yourself, I want to know." Naruto protests as I could imagine him crossing his arms and pouting before he makes a noise as if Sakura had just glared at him.
"She'll tell us when she's ready, Naruto." Sakura's voice flowed with annoyance and irritation. Almost as if she was fighting to keep herself from hitting the poor guy. Even though they aren't like me, I couldn't help but feel as if their presence was alleviating some of the pain.
"Oh ok. Well, Kira, I've been training every day! I'm even learning a new Jutsu!" Again I didn't comment. Even if I could utter a word I'm not even sure if I want to. "Pervy sage is so annoying. He's more into looking at girls than watching me train. It's like he has no faith in my abilities."
A knock sounded on the door just before it slides open. "It's been five minutes." The female from earlier speaks.
"Already?!" Naruto shouts as he and Sakura stand. Without thinking I reach out and grab onto Sakura's wrist keeping her from walking. Gasps echoed through the room as three pairs of eyes were on me. I'm not even sure why I have a hold of Sakura or why I'm not letting go. As if a silent agreement was made two sets of feet make their way back to the door. "I'll be even stronger just you watch! Get better so you don't miss me kicking butt in the exam believe it!"
The door closes sending silence back through the room as Sakura seems to hesitate before she touches my hand. "I'm not leaving." She speaks gently. Raising my other arm sends sparks of lightning through my body as I point towards the foot of my bed in the direction of the wardrobe. "Huh?" She makes a sound of question when I let go of her. Confusion lacing her voice as I hear her walk in the direction I pointed to. Dropping my hand to end the extra pain my gaze was still on my blanket. I can hear as the doors to the wooden case opens. "What is it you want from here?" She asks as I raise my hand up to my chest where my pendant should be. "Necklace?" She questions and I manage a slight nod. I could hear her rummaging momentarily. "I don't see one. Would you like your pouch so you can see if it was put there?" After another motion of my head, I could hear her close the wardrobe as she walks back to my bedside just before she holds my pouch in my line of sight.
Curling my fingers around the accessory I can hear her sit down as I slowly open it. Looking inside I find my scrolls, kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, ninja wire, tripwire, paper bombs, hair tie, and my canteen. Moving the stuff around I search with bated breath for my necklace but it… Was nowhere to be found? My left eye begins to sting as unwanted tears try to break free. Light's pendent is gone! Leaving my pouch on my legs I cover my face with my hands almost as if to hide the silent tears I couldn't keep pent up. They tortured me for answers I had already given to them, they fought to know every secret I have and were angered when I refused to give them up. A piece of me felt that I could or probably already had forgiven them. But now, they've stolen something more important to me than anything else. They took Light's pendent. After the tears ceased their flow I drop my hands onto my pouch glaring down at them as my hair flows past my face. This last act… Is unforgivable.
"Uhh… don't worry… I'm sure it's somewhere. It will turn up soon." Sakura speaks encouraging words as I feel her lightly touch my shoulder attempting to soothe the tears that had already ceased their flow.
