Hey everyone. Thank you for still being here and for commenting. Specially to that one reader who commented on my writing. Thank you for pointing those out. I do tend to switch tenses and use flowery words. Correct tenses are still a challenge to me. I have no excuse for the big words. Maybe I was too lazy to check that time or I didn't know. I can't promise that these will stop but I'll try to do better. Haha.
It makes me happy when some of you comment on Sasuke because I love writing about him. That said, this will always be an NH story.
Just a bit of a warning. This ain't gonna be pretty. Also I suck at writing action and setting.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
CHAPTER 9
That night in the wilderness, the cold air bit and the dark heightened the senses. But the elements could barely do anything to him at this point. His body was starting to shake but his mind was in an almost catatonic state. It was probably shutting down now, unable to handle so many extreme emotions all at once. He was only somewhat conscious of the hands on his shoulders holding him down.
"Y-you should stop. You're hurting him."
He stared at the image in front of him, distrusting its existence. The figure made a sound, he thought. And it was hers. So light and gentle, like chimes tickled by the wind. Her eyes reflected his own. Gazing and wondering and enthralled. Until they caught his attention. Something out of place with the breathtaking view. The pale, almost luminous strands framing her heart-shaped face. That must have kicked his mind back to action.
His hands moved to hold her arms. But she immediately sensed this and quickly jumped away from him. He stood up and she distanced herself warily, looking at him and Sasuke. No one moved for several seconds.
"Naruto." Sasuke finally called out. "She has my coat."
Indeed, she was. She was wearing the exact same clothes she was last seen with. White hospital-issue linen that contrasted with the dark coat, giving her a ghostlier appearance. And she must have misunderstood what she heard because she clutched it to herself possessively.
"Hinata. It's us. It's okay." Naruto said gently.
She looked at him with a mystified face. She seemed to be wracking her mind for recollection and when she found none, she looked away frustrated. She looked so lost that Naruto instinctively moved towards her. But before he could reach her, her arms suddenly shot up defensively. Two lion heads roared to life on both her fists. It was a technique he saw multiple times before. And it was hers and hers alone. But right now it wasn't. Because upon seeing the chakra on her hands, she suddenly started screaming.
"No! No! What's happening?" She cried as she flailed her arms around. The chakra had lost their shape but they still engulfed her hands like a purple flame.
Naruto was immediately in front of her. He held both of her hands and tried to calm her down. "Hey. It's okay. It's okay. It's not gonna hurt you."
She shook his hands off and moved farther away. She was still visibly frightened at the chakra in her hands.
"Hey. Calm down. Look at me." He pleaded.
She looked at him anxiously and he made his chakra manifest around his arms. His kyuubi mode blazed to life, wrapping his hands in a fiery glow as he moved closer to her.
"Look. Look at me. I have it too. Everyone has it." He said trying to sound assuring. He approached her carefully, holding his hands in front of him in a peaceable manner.
"See. There's nothing to be afraid of. Nothing at all."
She was starting to calm down. When he was in front of her, he took a chance and reached for both her hands. She did not resist when he slowly entwined his fingers into hers. She looked at him wonderingly before looking down to where their hands where joined. Their chakra were merging, forming a rose colored whirl of light dancing in the darkness.
"You're safe now. I can help you."
She looked up to meet his gaze. She made a small grateful smile, her eyes lightening with an almost childlike awe. He felt an outpouring of protectiveness and relief that made him shiver.
She's here. He could not deny that fact any more than the air in his lungs. Surging and wakening a chill in his veins like a splash of cold water. He clasped her hands tighter. He wanted to do more than that. But she looked so vulnerable and trusting he knew he had to keep himself in check. Although it took a lot out of him not to pull her close and hold her and never let go.
But his relief was short-lived. He suddenly felt a strange aggression in her chakra. As the swirl of light between them rapidly erupted into an uncontrolled frenzy. He realized alarmingly that her energy was consuming his chakra like a vacuum. Reflexively, he withdrew his hands and made a hasty step back.
She too stumbled backwards. And the hurt on her face was a blow to his gut. The chakra on her hands was now an orange color. Slowly, it started getting absorbed into her hands until there was none. With her seemingly limited understanding, she looked confused with what just happened. She looked at him with bewildered eyes. He immediately reached for her again. She took a step back.
Naruto felt it before he saw it. The sudden unsettling change. Her eyes went dim and her composure lost all its timidity. She stood tall and poised. And then she rushed at him with unbelievable speed. Her hand was in a striking position, aimed directly at his chest.
Kurama reacted faster than he could, shielding him with his chakra cloak. Her hand latched on it and the chakra started disintegrating as it was being absorbed. Naruto quickly jumped away, still in complete shock.
"Naruto. Do you need a knock on the head? Wake up already!" Kurama shouted at him.
"Hinata. Wh-what's going on?"
She only stared at him with those sharp eyes, like a hunter contemplating its prey. Sasuke saw the opening, grabbing her and lifting her off the ground with his Susano'o. Her hands were pinned hard to her sides but she touched his chakra and it was also absorbed. The Susano'o came apart and she broke out. The veins around her eyes strained and the Byakugan appeared. Her attention has shifted to him as if sensing him to be the bigger threat.
Her hand lifted towards his direction. Sasuke felt a surging force and realized he was being pulled to her fast. He couldn't break free from the overwhelming pressure. At just the right distance, she jabbed her right hand to his face and he caught it with his. Simultaneously with her other hand, she quickly drew the sword at his hip and thrusted it to his chest. He would have used his teleportation but he realized he couldn't. The Rinnegan could only do thrice in at least an hour and that had been done with. His Sharingan attacked her mind with a genjutsu but it was met with an impenetrable wall. He had less than a millisecond to anticipate the pain when the sword was struck away from her hand with a loud clink.
Naruto had knocked it from her grip. She jumped away, keeping her eyes locked on the both of them. She looked to be weighing her situation and finding herself at a disadvantage. She then turned to her side and sprinted away. But Naruto was faster. He caught up to her after a short distance.
She threw a punch and he dodged. Her body spun with a powerful kick aimed at his head. He drew back and caught her by the heel. She lost her footing and fell to the ground. Before she could get up, he tackled her back down, pinning both her hands to her sides. He was above her, straining to keep her down. She struggled to escape. She was fighting so hard to free herself from his grip that Naruto was afraid she'd break her arms in the process.
"Stop!"
She did, more startled than anything. Staring up at him with a stranger's eyes.
"Stop. Please stop. Please. Hinata." He pleaded, his voice sad and scared at the same time.
He thought he saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes. But only for a fleeting moment. Where their hands met, he felt her chakra starting to consume his. Her eyes shut and opened with renewed intent. They bore through him, those soulless white eyes that could only belong to someone else. Not her. Never her.
"Forgive me." He closed his eyes. His hands clenched and the sound of bones cracking resounded with a sickening crunch. It was accompanied by a scream that pierced the silence of the night. Her expressionless face crumpled to a look of pain.
She pulled free from his hold and he let go. Her once pale hands were turning to a purplish pulp as they began to swell. Naruto held her down to keep her from injuring herself further.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But you need to stay put. Let me heal you." He said frantically as he activated his Sage Mode.
"Naruto! Don't!" Sasuke quickly caught his arm to stop him.
"Let go. I have to heal her!"
"Don't you see what that does to her? The moment she absorbed your chakra she went killer mode on us."
"She's in pain. Her hands are crushed!"
"I know. But we can't risk another fight. Or worse she'll bolt."
Naruto ignored him as he shrugged his hand off. He held her hands again, covering it with his healing chakra. Several seconds stretched to minutes and her hands stayed the same. He could sense no change. She also did not try absorbing his chakra. Whether that was intentional he couldn't tell.
"It's not working!" Naruto removed his hands from hers and punched the ground in panic and frustration.
"Let me try something."
Sasuke knelt beside her. She was gasping in pain even as she glared at him. He put his hand on her stomach and he felt her chakra. Very carefully, he started absorbing it into himself. She struggled more but the pain did not allow her much movement. With every passing second, her strength was being drained. Sasuke was very careful not to deplete her chakra completely.
His eyes met hers and he saw a flash of fear in them. "Just go to sleep." He said gently.
She finally stopped resisting. Her body went limp as she closed her eyes. Sasuke looked at Naruto. His shattered gaze was fixed on her maimed hands. His face was grey and miserable as if he had his chakra drained close to nothing as well.
"We had to. And she's alive. That's all that matters." Sasuke offered the only comfort he could.
He stood up and walked a distance away from the two. He formed a sealing scroll and sealed the chakra he absorbed inside. It would probably be needed later on. He was about to go back when he was halted by a sound. Light, muffled sobs and it was coming from behind him.
He sat down where he stood. He wanted to start planning their next course of action. But it was hard to think of anything else listening to the broken man stifling his own pain.
PAGE BREAK
They didn't have much time for rest. A couple of hours will soon see the sun rise and they had to keep moving.
"She needs a medic. Someone who doesn't have to use chakra." Naruto voiced out. "Granny Tsunade. I can trust her. But I think it'd be better if we bring her to us. I don't want people to know about Hinata just yet."
"I know somewhere we can hide out."
"Where?"
"Orochimaru."
"Are you serious?"
"I know he's a snake. But he knows things. Maybe he can provide us with some answers."
"I don't trust him."
"You shouldn't. You just have to trust me."
More than a statement, it was a question left hanging. Naruto lifted Hinata's hands and placed them on her tummy. And then he slowly picked her up, careful not to stir her any more than necessary.
"We should hurry."
Sasuke sighed inwardly. "My eye is recharged. I can teleport us there."
When they got to the other side, it was the entrance to Orochimaru's lair. The person to greet them first was a familiar face. Captain Yamato. He had been appointed as the watcher of Orochimaru and his activities.
"Naruto. I did not expect to see you here. What's going on?"
"Captain. We need a place to stay. Hinata needs a medic."
Yamato looked at the unconscious girl in his arms, his eyes narrowing confusedly. "Okay. But you have a lot of explaining to do afterwards."
He led them in. Sasuke couldn't help but reminisce when this had been his home. Back then, it was literally an underground maze. Now it was a building with large spaces and lighting. A proper research facility for Orochimaru's genius. Or madness depending on who you ask. After the war, Konoha decided to keep him alive because he had use. But he is on house arrest for the duration of his lifetime.
"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise." A thin and scratchy voice greeted them. No matter how much he's changed, Orochimaru is perpetually a fiendish looking creature. Trusting him is betting on the devil.
"Orochimaru. Where's Karin?" Sasuke asked.
"Sasuke-kun. I'm hurt. Not even a greeting for old times' sake?"
"Where is she?"
Orochimaru smiled. "Your old team is out doing recon for me. You do know there's a disturbance among the shinobi right now. And Konoha, very gracefully of course, allowed me to participate in the investigation."
"Orochimaru. Talk all you want later but could you just heal her hands right now?" Naruto asked calmly.
"Oh. And who do we have here?"
"It's Hinata. Can you heal her hands without using chakra?"
"Naruto-kun. It seems you have some misconceptions about me. I am a scholar of everything worth knowing. But I am not a medic. I leave the menial tasks of patching scrapes to my subordinates. Kabuto and Karin. Both of whom are not here."
"What?" Naruto asked irritated.
"I could try some of my procedures if you don't mind. Full disclosure, they're experimental. As soon as you sign a waiver…"
"No."
"I see. Given your current fugitive status, I presume I am the only recourse you have left. Strays of all kind are welcome here. But I suggest you find a medic soon. Is Tsunade indisposed at the moment?"
Yamato spoke. "Naruto. You do understand I have to report this to the Hokage. Why don't you go instead? You can bring Tsunade-sama here."
"I can't just leave her."
"You have your friend right here." Orochimaru said questioningly.
"Naruto. This was your plan, wasn't it?" Sasuke reminded him.
As if on cue he felt her stir in his arms. His gaze landed once again on her battered hands and his stomach roiled. He nodded in acceptance.
Captain Yamato led Naruto towards the guest rooms. Sasuke lingered behind and faced his former mentor. He took out the sealing scroll from his pocket and handed it to him.
"Something inexplicable is happening to her right now. This is the only thing we have at the moment, her chakra after she came back from her disappearance. Do your thing and find out what's different."
"I might need more detail than that."
"It started out like one of those chakra exhaustion cases. The epidemic. She went blind. We thought she might die. We found a shining lake of sorts and she was transported somewhere, I don't know. She came back after five days. She doesn't remember anything. Her hair turned white. She's considerably more powerful than before. She can absorb chakra. And when she did, she started attacking us. Naruto had to crush her hands to subdue her. He couldn't heal her when he tried." Sasuke related.
"That's one strange story if I've ever heard one." Orochimaru pondered.
"Well it happened and it's everything you need to know."
"I said strange, not impossible. And I happen to like strange things."
"We'll talk when you have something new to tell me." Sasuke said curtly as he turned to leave.
"I'll see what I can do. This seems very important to you after all." Orochimaru said with a smile.
Sasuke looked back with a cold stare. "This goes without saying but if you even try doing something to her to get back at me, I will kill you. Horribly and permanently."
"I don't expect any less from you Sasuke-kun. Worry not, I wouldn't want to miss this. Not for the world." Orochimaru said before walking away.
PAGE BREAK
They were provided one small room with the basic necessities. Naruto laid her down on the narrow bed, took off her shoes and covered her with a thin blanket. She looked peaceful in her sleep. But it was the serenity of a cold porcelain doll.
He had to leave again. He can make peace with that. He had to. What grips him with fear is the increasing impossibility of her actually surviving and being here. That fear is constant, threatening to undo him and he is only just managing to keep it together. He sat down on the edge of the bed, already feeling uneasy being separated from her.
His hands unconsciously sought hers until he realized he couldn't. He moved to caress her face but the sight of light-colored strands stilled him again. He felt another stab of uncertainty and self-loathing. But it was just the right push he needed to leave right now. He walked away before he could change his mind and succumb to the churning pit in his stomach.
Sasuke was standing on the doorway. Naruto walked past him and spoke without looking. "Sasuke. Please stay with her."
"I will." He answered simply.
Naruto walked a few steps forward and stopped. Sasuke looked at him expectantly.
"I do trust you. It's me I don't trust right now."
He did not give him time to make a reply. With a light whoosh of wind, he was gone. Konoha was his immediate destination. For someone who can move close to light speed, it was only a matter of minutes before he was there. The gates were competently manned and guarded but not nearly enough for someone of his level. He actually slipped in without raising a single alarm.
He sensed Kakashi's solo presence in the Hokage Tower. Taking a deep breath, Naruto sneaked in through the opened windows behind him. When he slowly walked to the front, Kakashi's eyes followed him without a hint of emotion.
"I have had a million questions for you but now for the life of me, I can't think of a single one." The Hokage greeted him calmly.
"Sensei I know I'm in trouble but-"
"Yes. Yes, you are. But I'm not your biggest problem right now."
"I need help. Hinata is injured. I can explain everything later but she needs immediate care. Granny Tsunade might-"
He was abruptly cut off by the sound of the door forcefully flung open. A very angry looking Tsunade stood on the other side.
"That's your biggest problem." Kakashi said.
"Granny-"
"Naruto. Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in right now?" Tsunade's thunderous voice shook the entire room.
"Granny. Please listen-"
"Shut up! I'm talking and you're listening. In the middle of an ongoing epidemic, of which we still have no cure, you decide to be the bigger problem! You and the Uchiha are now wanted criminals. But I bet you know that already thus the hiding and sneaking around. The accord is in shambles. Everyone is out to get you. Do you know why? Because how can you trust a representative who assaults and kidnaps another representative without any reason. He better be alive Naruto."
"He's alive. I made a mistake but I'll fix it. There's a lot I have to fix but if you could just, please come with me first. A lot has happened and Hinata needs your help."
"Where is she?"
"She's in Orochimaru's place. Sasuke's with her."
"What?!" Tsunade exploded. "Goddammit Naruto! You went to that slimy bastard first before us?"
"I didn't know who to trust then and right now. We just found out that somebody is controlling people." Naruto pleaded.
"So you decided to go rogue and treat us like your enemies."
"I had no choice. Please believe me."
Tsunade sighed heavily. "Naruto. You don't seem to get it still. The extent of what you've done. You have to see for yourself then."
She paused and when she spoke again, they were words without pity. "You will stay here. You will meet with Shikamaru and discuss your situation. You will present yourself in court. You will do everything your Hokage tells you to do. And you will face the consequences of your actions. Those are my terms. If you agree, then I will go help Hinata right this very moment. If you don't, consider yourself a defector and get the hell out of my sight."
A chill fell upon the room with Tsunade's harsh words. Kakashi shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Granny. Please. Hinata needs me- us right now."
"This is an ultimatum Naruto. Decide."
Naruto's begging eyes met Tsunade's unforgiving one's and realized there is no mercy for him today. "I accept."
Tsunade barely flinched as she turned to the Hokage. "Your move Kakashi."
Kakashi stood up and signaled the guards at the door. He then turned to Naruto. "Uzumaki Naruto, you are hereby placed under arrest for the charges of assault, kidnapping and treason. You hold your rights as a citizen of Konoha but you are temporarily relieved as a shinobi."
Naruto understood what those meant. He took his forehead protector off and set it on Kakashi's desk. Two officers approached him and placed chakra-suppressing cuffs on his wrists.
"Escort him to a detention cell. And get me Sai. Right away." Tsunade ordered as she walked out of the room.
Kakashi spoke to his guards. "Do as she says and get Sai at once. I'll take Naruto myself."
"Yes sir."
When the guards left. Kakashi started walking out of the room. "Come on." He beckoned his former student, who followed him quietly.
"Naruto. I am grateful for your good sense in giving in. We both know you could walk out of here and damn us all to hell but you didn't."
"She hates me. She's never looked at me that way before." Naruto murmured.
"She's angry. So she grounded you. Parents and superiors do that. It's called discipline."
"Yeah well I'm not a kid anymore."
"Because kids don't throw a fit when they don't get their way?"
"I wasn't acting out. Hinata was in real danger. I had to do something." Naruto said insistently.
"You did. In the worst way possible."
"You really can't understand me just a little bit sensei?"
Kakashi turned to look at him and spoke with an intensity not often heard from him. "Naruto, you are so much like Obito. And that terrifies me sometimes."
Naruto was left speechless.
"Do you really not see Tsunade-sama's side in this? You acted on your own, without regard of how it will affect everyone else. You can't just let your emotions dictate everything you do."
"I can't always promise that. But I will remember your words sensei." Naruto said softly.
While walking, Naruto recounted the whole story as Kakashi listened intently, asking his own questions.
"Naruto. Aren't you going to ask if I'm angry too?"
"Eh? W-what? Are you angry too?"
"You bet your sorry ass I am."
"Huh? Sensei, why are you talking like that?"
"Well. You see, I've had people screaming in my ears for the past five days forgive me if I'm a little cranky." Kakashi said with that feigned smile.
"Okay okay. I'm sorry for that. Get angry at me all you want."
Upon reaching the jail cells, Naruto was charted and locked up. It was a standard unit; a single cot, concrete walls and iron bars. Chakra suppression seals were plastered everywhere.
"I know there is no prison in our world that could hold you Naruto. But be a good kid and stay put for now. This'll be over soon." Kakashi said.
"Sensei. Please keep me updated about Hinata."
"Of course. But right now, you have to face one more angry person. Shikamaru's on his way."
Naruto groaned and the unease in his stomach launched to a full-on somersault.
PAGE BREAK
It was almost the break of dawn but the chill in the air never abated. That, the dim light and the silence served a heady onslaught of drowsiness. Sasuke was on the floor at the foot of the bed struggling to stay awake. The only sound he can hear was the brush of wind against the window. So he was shaken awake when he heard the rustle of fabric and a pained moan. He sat on the edge of the bed, peering at her and waiting.
Very slowly, her eyes fluttered open. But they were glassy and unfocused. When she finally saw him, she made a smile that turned to a wince.
"Hinata. Are you back? Do you know who I am?" He asked gently, holding his breath.
"Nii-san." She answered softly.
Whatever he expected, it was definitely not this. He leaned closer so he can hear her better.
"H-hurts."
"What? What hurts?"
"My hands. They're cold and they hurt." She whimpered.
"I know. Just try to bear it for a little while okay? Someone will be here soon."
"Father made me train all day today. Now my hands hurt." Her voice sounded strained. It also sounded somewhat younger.
"I'm gonna get something for the pain. Just wait for a bit. I'll be right back." He stood up. Even if Orochimaru can't heal wounds, for sure he has something that can help manage the pain.
"Stay. Just please stay…" It was a whisper but Sasuke heard it clearly. It didn't seem like she heard him. She was in a totally different time and place of her own.
That effectively halted him and he sat back down. He waited as she seemed to be catching her breath.
"Neji-niisan. Let's go inside. It's cold out here."
She was shivering. She looked to be in a delirious state. And it seems some fragments of her memories were starting to surface. He took the blanket, folded it once to make it thicker and covered her up to her chin. She sighed gratefully, closing her eyes.
"Nii-san. Are you there?"
Her hand reached out from beneath the covers, seeking for something. She shuddered at the pain but she continued her searching. He held her just above the wrist, avoiding the damaged area.
"Just go to sleep Hinata."
"Don't leave. Don't ever leave again."
Her words tugged at his heart like a long forgotten memory. "I can't promise you that…"
"No. No. Please..."
Sasuke felt like an intruder. An imposter enacting someone else's role. Saying someone else's words. But he felt he was way in too deep to back out now.
"You have to know. Sometimes, there are some things we can't have. No matter how badly we wish for them."
He paused with her silence. He did not know what to do. Still, the need to bring her some sort of comfort, closure, peace, whatever it is, overcame his misgivings. He clasped her hand tighter. And he gave her a gift that he was fortunate enough to get. Words that will forever be a part of him.
"I'll tell you one thing. Listen carefully." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "No matter what happens from here on out, no matter what you choose to do, know that I love you. I will always love you."
"Always… "
He could see the tears slowly pouring from her closed eyes. And then he watched as sleep once again took her consciousness. But his sleepiness from earlier had now all but vanished. The words echoed in his mind. Itachi had said those words to him in their final moment together. In the midst of all the lies, secrecies, and deceptions between them, it was the only truth that mattered.
And now he had said it to someone in place of another person who couldn't be here. It was meant to be that way. But now that he had spoken them out loud, the lines had never seemed so blurry.
PAGE BREAK
Naruto had dreaded seeing Shikamaru. Until the darkness and silence of the prison cell loomed over him. And then he begged for anything to break the stillness. He had been relatively fine earlier because his mind had been occupied with something. But now, freed from outside noise, his own thoughts started torturing him.
He paced back and forth in the small enclosure. The air was heavy and warm. Breathing was hard work. He felt like retching even when his stomach was empty. Everything was stifling. He grabbed the iron bars tightly, giving them a light shake. One push. And the iron will bend or break. One tiny push and he'll be out of here. He can breathe again. Out there.
And he would have done just that if not for that voice in his head.
"Naruto. There's more than enough air in here. Breathe all you need."
He stopped and dropped on the floor, leaning on the bars. "Kurama?"
"Go on, breathe." With that, Kurama activated the kyuubi mode, wrapping him in a bright glow. In the light, the room didn't seem as small as before.
"See. Plenty of space. And air."
Naruto listened and followed. Taking slow and deep breaths until he finally calmed down.
"Thank you." He muttered.
They both stayed quiet for a long time. Until Naruto found the strength to start a conversation, speaking within their special space.
"Kurama. What do you think love is?"
"You want to know what I think?"
"Yes."
"I think you shouldn't ask a literal beast about this disgustingly human thing."
"Come on. You've been around a long time. You've seen it. With my mom and dad."
"Don't remind me."
"No. Not that you dog. I meant, how they treat each other. I thought I knew what love was. Now I'm not so sure."
"Where are you going with this?
Naruto took a deep breath. "I love Hinata, I want to be with her all the time. I want to make her happy. I want to protect her from any harm. I want to make everything right for her. And I swore I would never hurt her." He paused and made a derisive snort. "I failed. In literally all of that. I always thought I could never ever hurt her. But I did. I was holding her hands and I still did."
Kurama took his time before responding. "I was there Naruto. You were protecting her. From herself. And who's to say you still can't protect her now? The problem is not over."
"What if… I'm not the right one for her. What if she deserves someone better than me?"
"Do you want to know what your problem is? You treat her like some fragile thing you have to save at every turn."
"That's not fair. I know Hinata's strong. I never thought of her as weak." Naruto protested.
"There was a time when you thought she was a tough one. Then she became your girlfriend and now you can't even do a simple sparring with her. "
"It's not that simple."
"Well then believe she can handle two broken hands. She's survived worse. And I have a feeling the worst is yet to come."
Naruto kept quiet for a moment. "You still think I can make things right?' He asked hesitantly.
"Stop thinking of her as your girlfriend. Instead think of her as your friend. A friend who needs your help. I think it'll be easier that way."
"It's not that easy… I can't just forget about that." Naruto muttered quietly.
"Why not? Seemed easy enough for her."
Naruto chuckled despite himself. "That's a low blow."
"I know."