"Home is behind you, the world is ahead."
- Tolkien
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When Kaiya awoke she knew exactly where she was. This wasn't her first time in a hospital, and she knew it wouldn't be her last.
The sterile white walls, the oddly greenish beige curtains that would allow patients privacy, and the bleached white sheets that covered her body calmed her as she laid there. She was safe for now, but no doubt with the injuries she had people would be questioning her as soon as the staff found out she was awake.
Until then, all she could do was relax, wait, and possibly think about what she'll say when the questions do start.
With her right hand, she reached down the side of the bed, feeling around for the buttons and switches that would adjust the bed so she could sit up. With the beating she took, she didn't want to even try to sit up by herself.
But after a few moments of feeling around she found there was no buttons. Not even a leaver.
Odd.
Grimacing, she attempted sitting up on her own, only to find that it was ALOT easier to do so then she thought.
Sure her body hurt, but not the intense ache of bruising or sharp pains of broken bones.
All she got was a dull generalised ache, the kind you got when sit or lay in the same position for too long.
That's weird... I was sure they at least broke my ribs...
Looking down at herself, things got even stranger. Not only did she not have bruises, but she didn't even look injured. Not a single scratch.
She fumbled around touching her arms, face, her thighs, getting more confused with every touch.
She was perfectly fine.
How long was I asleep.
That had to be the explanation. Clearly she just slept through the healing process. But that made things even more confusing.
How long was she asleep for?
Did she fall into a coma?
Was she really so bad that sedation was be necessary?
How much time had she wasted in this bed?
There was only one way to find out, and she was done waiting.
Kaiya began hastily looking around for a 'call nurse' button when she froze.
She was not alone in this hospital room.
In a chair just off to the side of her bed was a very familiar teenage boy, dozing away without a care.
He was sitting upright, slightly slouched, with his head of blond unkept hair leaning against the wall behind him. His jet black t-shirt and this bright orange pants were wrinkled covered in dirt stains, looking like he had gone for a run and then just decided not to bathe or change. His black sandals not looking any better, caked with the same dirt and leaving it's filth on the floor beneath them.
One of his arms was completely bandaged, fingers included, and his trademark jacket was hung over his armrest.
She let out the breath she was holding and tried to calm down.
Everything made sense now.
The lack of injuries, the hospital with no buttons, and the familiar whisker cheeked boy that was asleep at her bedside.
I must be dreaming.
That was it, she was dreaming.
She was having an amazing dream starring Naruto Uzumaki.
A dream where he saved her after her ordeal and then would kiss her followed by her ACTUALLY waking up and wishing it wasn't over so soon.
Yes, that had to be it.
Any minute now, he'll wake up, start gushing about how he saved her and that he deserved a kiss from the damsel in distress because only her dreams would be that corny.
Any minute now.
.
.
Maybe he just needed a nudge.
She stared at him and coughed loudly to get his attention.
Instantly his cobalt blue eyes flung open and he sat up abruptly staring back at her. A small smile escaped his lips.
"Hime-sama, your finally awake," he sighed releved.
She scrunched her brows in confusion.
Hime-sama? That's different...
He stood up and cautiously made stepped toward the bed and sat down next to her knees.
"I'm Naruto, you probably don't remember me, but I found you at the border and you were really hurt so I brought you here," he explained gently, "Will you tell me your name?"
My name? It's my dream he should know my name. Okay brain I'll play along...
"It's Kaiya," she replied.
"Kaiya," he repeated back, "No last name?"
You need my last name too?
"Thomas, Kaiya Thomas," she said warily.
His smile grew to a wide grin.
"I'm glad your okay, Kaiya Thomas."
She blushed slightly.
"Thank you for finding me, Naruto."
"Your welcome," he said sincerely, "Now just sit tight, I'm just going to let the doctor know your awake, I'll be right back."
He then got up, dusted off his shirt a bit and walked out.
...What.
What was that?
He just left?
Some dream this is.
He was supposed to gush about and then kiss me. That's how these Naruto fantasy dreams work.
Why did he leave?
She silently mused to herself while she waited. This dream of hers was not turning out the way she expected, or the way she wanted it to.
Her self esteem must be even lower than normal if guys even ignored her in her dreams. Clearly this dream was not going to be a good one.
Sighing loudly, she brought her thumb to her mouth, closed her mouth over it and bit down hard. That would wake her up so she wouldn't have to see this dream through.
But nothing happened.
She felt the bite, and when she opened her eyes, she was still in the hospital room.
She didn't wake up.
But biting her thumb always woke her up no matter what the circumstances.
Which meant one thing.
She... Wasn't... Dreaming...
Before she could freak out, Naruto waltzed in with a female medic-nin, completely unaware of her anxious self.
"Okay Thomas-San, now that your awake I need to ask you a few questions." She said dryly, but professionally.
"Sure." She answered quickly, trying to keep calm.
She also realised she had neglected to think up what to tell the hospital staff.
"How old are you?" The medic-nin began, staring at her clipboard and writing something.
"Sixteen." Kaiya responded.
"Do you know where you are?"
"In hospital."
"Do you know where this hospital is?"
Kaiya glanced at Naruto, who was now shaking out his jacket.
"...Konoha." She guessed anxiously.
"Good, and do you know how you got here?"
That's what I would like to know.
"He brought me here." Kaiya stated while gesturing toward him.
The medic continued writing.
"And how did you receive your injuries?"
She stilled.
Telling them of how she got her injuries would mean telling them that she's not meant to be here. She didn't know if that was a good idea.
"...I'd rather not say." She said sofly.
Miss medic-nin didn't even flinch, she made it seem like she was very much used to secretive patients.
Naruto however did not let it go unnoticed. He watched her with sad eyes while the medic-non ran some quick tests, checking her temperature and other vitals in silence while he stared. Kaiya didn't notice his gaze, she was to busy internally freaking out over the possibility being stuck in a manga or mulling over whether the narutoverse might actually be real and she's just gone dimension hopping.
Either theory did bode well.
"Well, Thomas-San, just sign these papers and your free to be discharged. Since your new to Konoha, I'll schedule you an visit with the Hokage. Til then I suggest you get some food with Uzumaki-San, after three days of sleep I'm sure your body would appreciate it. An ANBU will fetch you when he's ready to see you."
Once the papers were signed Kaiya was left alone in the room with Naruto, who was now staring at his feet.
"Why didn't you tell the doctor what happened?" He asked sofly.
"I didn't know how to." She responded truthfully, not looking at him while picking at her cuticles.
Barely a moment passed before a calloused hand covered her own. She raised her head to his now a lot closer self and her cheeks heated at the proximity.
"You don't need to be afraid," he reassured, "Konoha is a safe place and no one would hurt you, not while I'm around."
He the brought his bandaged hand to join his and held both her hands gently. Being held by him was nice, she really did feel safe.
"I promise I will keep you safe, and I'm a man of my word." He said while giving her hands a light squeeze.
She gaped at him internally while trying to keep a straight face on the outside.
Naruto Uzumaki just casually decided to place her under his protection. Her.
He didn't know a thing about her, nor did he have any reason to protect her.
And he gave his word.
His nindo.
She didn't know how to respond to this.
He smiled wildly at her and removed his hands. He made his way towards the window and paused to look at her.
"Before we get food, we should clean up a bit. There's a bathroom through that door, go shower while I'm gone, I'll be back soon with clean clothes for both of us."
He then stood on the window ledge and jumped.
She was still gaping at the open window for a few moments before she shook her head abruptly.
Toto, I think we're not in Kansas anymore...
~ ? ~
