Chapter XXIV

Lightning or Wind?

I hear the chirping of the birds which pull me little by little from my slumber. The rays of the sun come to illuminate my room and thereby dazzle me for a moment. My mind is still numb and it's taking me a while to process everything. I'm surprised I slept so soundly and nothing woke me up. Moreover, I feel suffocated as if I had been tied up in my blankets; it's only when I try to move that I understand why.

I notice Naruto—without his forehead protector—in my bed snoozing … but Naruto is dangerously glued to me, using my chest like a pillow as he's hugging me. His legs intertwined with mine and his tail is wrapped several turns around one of them. That's when I see that he's drooling profusely on me and that he's about to snore. His body too close to mine starts a frantic race in my rib cage and makes me blush with embarrassment. I don't know how he managed to slip into my bed and hug me like this without waking me up, but it almost sends shivers down my spine.

Was I that tired?

At least my arms are free from his unwanted embrace and when I move them they cause hundreds of tingles that make me jump. The veil of static electricity has returned and it not only encompasses Naruto, it does with me as well; the prolonged contact with my pupil completely covered me with it. This is confirmed when I run a hand through my silver hair and can feel nothing but those painless shocks. In addition, the air is heavy and filled with electrical energy. For my greatest misfortune, he is reproducing the same phenomenon here as in his cage… However, something is not right. Why is it so intense all of a sudden? It had taken a few days for the atmosphere to change, though. Is his fury to blame? Does he release lightning chakra voluntarily or not?

All these questions give me a headache. I regret the time when he was hotter than the norm, even boiling hot. He has a normal temperature now, but touching him or being touched is frustrating … not to mention his thick porcupine hair that seems to be carried along by a non-existent wind that makes them look excruciatingly shaggy. I sigh heavily.

For now, I either go back to sleep or free myself from his troublesome grip. Although I'm still tired from my perpetually devoured limited chakra, the urge to push the sapphire-eyed boy away takes over. Cautiously, I first try to get out of his arms, being careful not to wake him. To my surprise, he's sleeping soundly since he offers me no resistance. Nevertheless, he begins to mumble incomprehensible sounds while wincing; I recognize there the typical behaviours before his amnesia. After freeing myself completely from him, I cover him with my blanket to his shoulders. According to his internal clock, he shouldn't wake up before noon.

Wearily, I inspect my room in case Naruto has been digging around or making a mess. At first glance, there is nothing abnormal, except that he put his headband near mine. Since the teenager used to sleep with it during his incarceration, I presume that he imitated me when he saw me doing it… If he really tends to imitate me, I will have to show caution. At the same time, I notice that it is around ten o'clock in the morning and that the light in my entrance is closed; either the light bulb burst, or Naruto turned it off on his own. By activating the switch, I confirm that he turned it off during my sleep. I grab clean clothes before showering in order to chase away the static electricity that tickles me and presses my already tight clothes more against my suffocating skin, not to mention my mane which stings my face.

I don't have time to enter my bathroom when someone knocks on my door. I put my stuff on the counter before opening the door. I recognize Shikamaru who is about to greet me, but he remains silent—rather, he stares at me.

"What's the matter..?" I sigh.

He barely suppresses a laugh.

"Your hair… I have to say, you wear your name beautifully…"

"… I look like a scarecrow, isn't it..?"

The youngster nods lazily. I haven't had a chance to look at myself in the mirror yet, but having spent the night accumulating static electricity, I suspect that I am not a pretty sight. His face speaks for itself.

"Do I need to explain why?"

"I have my own idea about that," he replies with a sneer on his lips, giving me what seems to be the medication promised by Godaime. "How was your night with Naruto?"

"To be honest, it went well," I say, grabbing the said medication. "It wasn't easy, but I managed to get him to take a shower and he's sleeping like a log right now."

I glance behind me.

"You didn't even wake him up."

Shikamaru frowns; he notices my concerns which I hide with difficulty.

"There's something else, right?" he guesses.

"As we've talked about before, his affection for me is starting to become a real problem and it's getting worse every day. Hope it doesn't go any further…"

A silence. I don't need to go into detail; we both share the same fears. Unlike him, I am directly concerned and to say that I am calm would be a lie.

"Anyway… Maybe it will subside if he can bond with the others."

"I hope so," I sigh.

"When you think he's ready to socialize, take him to my house. I'd like to try something with him. Showing him some scenery might benefit him also."

I nod and wave back when he greets me before leaving. I don't know what he has in mind regarding the blond, but I intend to trust Shikamaru's sharp mind. If not tonight, I'll take Naruto tomorrow. In addition, I have to go to his apartment so that he can finally have clothes in his size; for his own comfort and especially mine.

While waiting for Naruto to wake up, I swallow the bitter-tasting liquid in one gulp, which makes me grimace before going to run the water… I freeze when I meet my reflection.

As he said, my silver mane gives me a ridiculous look.

As with my student, the static electricity doesn't seem to want to leave them anymore.

As my first name suggests, I look like a scarecrow that has been shaken too much in the wind.

After my shower, to change from hospital meals, I cook a mixture of rice and eggs accompanied by a broth, some green vegetables and a black tea. Despite this lump in my stomach which is chasing the hunger away, I force myself to eat even if it's not the usual amount; with the teenager with a voracious appetite, I have to regain the strength he devours me at nightfall. At the end of my meal, I hear the wood creak, tearing me off with a jump that urges me to pull my mask up over my nose. I see Naruto, rubbing his eyes. At his staggering gait, his mind and body are still somewhat numb.

"Good morning, Naruto."

In response, the blond sketches a smile before he comes to sit at my table, sweeping away any trace of fatigue. With curiosity, he observes everything, sniffing the different scents while his black tail wags enthusiastically. After this brief analysis, his bluish irises lock on my glass and he takes it without the slightest scruple. Upset, I sigh and stare at him silently to see his reaction since it's not water. He brings it to his lips to taste it. He arches an eyebrow before pouting. He doesn't seem convinced to me.

"You don't have to drink it," I say before reaching out my arm to take it back—something that immediately arches the teenager.

He lets out a loud growl while glaring at me. His contradictory reaction leaves me speechless. His facial features clearly showed disgust … and yet he's drinking it again with interest. Naruto exhausts me; I can't quite understand his thoughts and his behaviours. It was half empty, sure, but I wanted this drink and it was my drink.

"You truly are annoying," I whisper to myself.

Dejected, I get up to make two, one of which I will offer him since I expect him to beg me for another or steal the next one. I feel his piercing gaze behind me, sending a shiver down my spine. I would have liked to finish my meal in peace and my tea in peace; with his attention focused on me like a moth around a light, I will not be able to remove my mask without worries… I decide to wait until he goes back to sleep to drink my tea quietly while immersing myself in reading. In the meantime, I intend to confirm my doubts about his elemental affinity since he's alert, all while waiting for the hiss of the kettle.

I enter my room to find chakra sheets neatly stored with other scrolls of all kinds. I do not have time to put my hand on it that I perceive on my neck the breath of my student way too close, tearing me a sigh of exasperation. I turn around before offering him one of the sheets that now overwhelm his full attention. I remember that time when I gave him a class on the different types of chakra. At least, since I'm only trying to validate or not my theories, I don't have to explain everything to him once again from scratch, especially with his non-existent focus.

"I'd like you to run your chakra into this piece of paper."

Naruto takes it, feels its texture with his fingertips, but then just stares at me, frowning as his tail twirls uselessly.

"What's wrong?" I sigh impatiently. "Knowing how to mould his chakra for a shinobi becomes innate, so you're not going to make me believe that you don't know how to do it. Stop looking at me with those eyes and do it."

Naruto lets out a complaint and arches his back, avoiding my dark eye; to this, I notice that he makes himself very small before exhibiting anxiety behaviours such as the incessant rubbing of his fingers on the roughness of the paper. I was a little too aggressive with him, for lack of patience. The day has just started and I won't get through it with him if I'm already fuming, not to forget that he doesn't do it on purpose. I take a deep breath to calm myself down, running a hand through my silver hair.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I lack patience…"

These words soothe the blond, but he keeps his head down. He must surely believe that he has upset me somehow without knowing why. I'm obligated to start all over again from the beginning…

"These pieces of paper react differently depending on the nature of our chakra," I explain to him, picking up a sheet myself. "They allow us to know our affinity. Mine being lightning, the paper crinkles."

Saying so, I run a stream of chakra through said paper which, in response, wrinkles—something that chases the dark clouds over the head of an amazed Naruto who is giving me my full attention.

"In your case, the paper should either split in two or crinkle like mine. But to find out, you have to run your chakra like I did. A small amount is enough."

Much more relaxed, my student closes his eyes and froze. Shortly after, he begins to frown more and more before gritting his teeth. I frown myself. Does Naruto struggle to control his chakra? Although it takes longer than the first time, it manages to make the paper react, thus confirming my doubts.

Instead of splitting in two, it crinkled.

His affinity is lightning just like me.

His nature changes depending on the chakra he devours.

Surprised, but not surprised, seeing the sheet similar to mine, Naruto jumps of joy and shows it to me insistently, emitting a silent laugh. The pride and happiness that take hold of him are an obligation to congratulate him with a gentle caress in his hair covered with static electricity. Although I limit contact with him, I find myself doing it unconsciously, without the slightest hesitation.

I don't know why, but a part of me wants it.

In a way, Naruto fills a void while becoming a source of comfort that calms my old demons just as I calm his.