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greyling-writes · 10 months ago

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Whumptober Day 5: Sunburn

Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far."

Links: Previous | Next | Masterpost | Ao3

Word count: 2519

Notes:

I'd be lying if I said I didn't love protective Sakura and Sasuke! I just adore when they're are forced to show that they care. x] Enjoy! <3

He jumped through the trees, eyes scanning around quickly. He needed somewhere secluded and untouched. Unfortunately, that probably meant he’d be running for a while.

Pretty much any ninja worth anything trained in the woods, at least, any to Sasuke’s standards did. But it wasn’t really advised to do so anywhere near anywhere important, for obvious reasons, so he had to go far.

Sasuke landed on another branch, quickly scanned the area, then continued. He had to take advantage of this time, because Kakashi-sensei was out on a mission, which meant he had to train as much as he could before he got back. It was a personal challenge of sorts. How much could he improve before Kakashi got back?

Another tree. He didn’t even need to scan to know this area would be useless.

It was totally destroyed. Dozens of trees covered with dozens of attacks of various types, a few fallen over or broken repeatedly. Among the wreckage, his eyes caught a glimpse of a bright, unnatural color. He did a double take. It was a bright…something, half-buried in foliage and branches.

Probably nothing.

The area was a bust anyway. It was probably just something that was left behind by another ninja.

But it wouldn’t hurt to look at.

His curiosity got the better of him. He jumped down from the tree he was standing on, making sure to keep a careful distance. It was bigger than he’d realised. His heart sank slightly. A person?

He activated his Sharingan. Who the hell? He wasn’t sure if he should leave, but something made him keep moving forward. A few more slow steps and…What?

“Naruto?” A quick glance around the area confirmed a lack of any other ninja, and he deactivated his Sharingan. “What the hell are you…”

He trailed off at the realisation that Naruto hadn’t reacted to his presence. At all. “Hey.” He called.

But he still didn’t respond.

Sasuke’s stomach sank, but he pushed it away. He knelt down next to Naruto, reaching a hand out. Naruto’s eyes were open, but barely. Sasuke waved a hand in front of them, but Naruto seemed to stare right through his fingers, “Naruto.” He said, his voice coming out slightly more panicked than he’d care to admit. He put a hand on his forehead, before pulling it back. It was hot.

He glanced up at the sun. Shit. It was way too hot to be laying around on the ground, and from Naruto’s flushed complexion, he had definitely been out there for way too long. Sasuke let out a noise of frustration before turning back to Naruto. Gotta get him out of the sun. He hooked his arms under Naruto’s armpits and dragged him over to the nearest patch of shade.

Okay but now what? He bit his lip, looking at Naruto’s unreactive expression. How did I become responsible for this idiot?

What was he even doing out here?

Training, he supposed.

“We have to go to the hospital,” he said, still unsure of whether Naruto could hear him or not. He sighed. He’d have to carry him there, likely.

A moan.

“No…” Naruto mumbled.

“No, what?” Sasuke pressed impatiently. How am I going to manage this? He fought a groan of frustration.

“No…hospital.”

What?

“What the hell do you mean no hospital? Are you-” He stopped, “I’m not arguing with a delirious idiot.” He pulled Naruto into a seated position against a tree. Carrying him on his back would probably be easier.

“Sa…suke,” Naruto whimpered. It seemed to stab Sasuke’s chest. He froze, “Please.”

His voice was small, almost pathetic. Sasuke would have laughed. But something in Naruto’s tone knocked the breath out of his chest.

“My head…hurts,” Naruto mumbled. He blinked slowly, his eyes managing to focus on Sasuke. Or maybe he was staring though him again, “Sas…uke.”

“Yeah?” Sasuke managed.

“Where…” Naruto winced, “Where are…we?”

Sasuke swallowed, “The forest, idiot.”

“Idiot…” Naruto repeated. He fell back into silence, saying nothing more.

“Hey.” Sasuke’s body snapped back to life, and he grabbed Naruto’s face with his hands and pulled it up to make eye contact, forcing his face into Naruto’s line of sight, “Hey what the hell?”

Naruto’s blank expression didn’t change.

Fuck. “Shit shit shit,” Sasuke couldn’t help but say.

He crouched in front of Naruto and pulled him onto his back, almost falling forward from the way that his weight landed, but managed to stand straight, adjusting his hold to ensure he wouldn’t.

Hospital.

He jumped into the trees, his speed diminished by an embarrassing amount. He definitely needed that training. It would take several minutes to get back to the village, and then only a few to the hospital, where they could handle Naruto.

But..

“Sasuke…please.”

Naruto never asked him for anything like that.

How did I even get in this situation?

He let out a loud groan. What headache.

Naruto mumbled something unintelligible against his neck.

“What?” he asked absentmindedly. What’s the fastest way to get there from here?

“No…hospital.”

Sasuke let out a breath, trying to push the frustration from his tone,“You have heat exhaustion. And I’m no medical ninja, not that I’d want to take care of your dumbass anyway.”

Naruto whimpered again, “Please…” his voice shook, “No…hospital…” His whispered.

Then it was silent again.

Sasuke exhaled another sharp breath. Why’s he so adamant about it? They were only a few minutes from the village now. He’s just delirious. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to deal with the consequences of his own actions. But Sasuke’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding in his chest.

“No…hospital.”

His reason didn’t really matter, though, did it? If the idiot didn’t want to go to a hospital, then even if Sasuke managed to drag him to one, he’d freak out and be untreatable.

He grit his teeth. Kakashi’s on a mission, it’s not like either of us have families I can bring him to. A small pang in his chest, but he ignored it. And I know shit about healing.

There was only one other person who could possibly help.

~~~~~

He nearly broke the doors of the Uchiha compound entrance, tearing down hallways to his bedroom, where he carefully deposited his cargo. Cool him down. Sasuke unzipped the jacket, peeling it off of Naruto’s body. It stuck, likely from sweat, but he managed to get it off without damaging it or injuring him.

Sakura.

He had sent a clone to her house, but he didn’t know if it made it, or if it succeeded in getting her to come. And if it had, how quickly she would arrive.

He groaned. How obnoxious. But he couldn’t get her in person. A certain idiot on his bed needed his attention. “I’ll be right back.” He said, though he wasn’t sure if he was being heard.

He grabbed old towels and rags, and a bucket. He filled the bucket, before dragging it back to the bed. He dipped one into the water, before squeezing out the excess and carefully placing it on Naruto’s forehead.

A faint knock. A chakra signature.

He spared a glance for Naruto before answering the door.

“Sasuke!”

He wasn’t sure if he was glad she was there or pissed, but he wordlessly stepped aside to allow her entry.

Sakura gazed around the room with a look of awe, her eyes sparkling as if he was showing her the cosmos itself, “Wow, Sasuke. Your house is so cool. I can’t believe you live here.”

It’s just a hallway.

“So what’s this thing you need me for, huh?” she twirled a finger around a lock of pink, “Don’t tell me it’s a…” she squealed.

“Come with me.” He knew she would follow. He spun on his heel and marched down towards his room.

With another squeal, her footsteps began to tap after his. She mumbled something about romantic boys and bedrooms, but he wasn’t really listening.

He opened the door entered.

“Wow, Sasuke, I cant believe…” her voice faded as she caught sight of the bed, “Hey, what’s…”

He stood at the other end of the bed, so she could approach, “I found him in the forest, passed out.”

“Then- But- Why-” She faltered, taking a half step forward, “Hospital!” she managed.

He shook his head.

“Bring him to a hospital, why is he…” she gazed around, “Don’t tell me this is your room.”

“Of course it is,” Sasuke said mildly, “What else would it be? And no.”

Sakura blinked. “Why not? “

“We can’t,” he said curtly.

“Well he can’t stay here!” she seemed frantic. Though, he noted, his own heart rate was also quicker than normal. He squatted down, grabbed the now-warm rag from Naruto’s face, and dipped it into the bucket again.

“We can’t go to the hospital. He needs to be treated here,” he squeezed out the excess water, “And I don’t know anything about healing.”

“And what makes you think I do?” Sakura asked breathlessly. Her eyes seemed to be glued to Naruto’s form, “We barely ever talked about it in class, it’s not like-”

“Even if it’s not jutsu, don’t pretend you’ve never read up in healing salves or wound treating.”

Her jaw seemed to tighten, “Yeah I guess, but I still can’t-”

“Sakura,” he said, “You’re his only option.”

She gave him an incredulous look. She looked back at Naruto, still in the same spot she had been when they entered the room. She swallowed.

“You’re sure we can’t…” She took in his expression, “Okay.” She said softly. She took a few steps into the room, “Okay, let me see.”

She walked over and settled on the floor on the opposite side. Her eyes scanned over Naruto’s body while she took a careful hand and placed it against his forehead. Her eyes widened, “How long was he out there?”

“I don’t know,” Sasuke said, the damp rag in his hand, “I just found him there.” He placed it on Naruto’s forehead at Sakura’s gesture.

“He probably has heat exhaustion from the look of it,” her fingers trailed down the sides of his face, “He has a sunburn.”

Sasuke said nothing.

“Kakashi-sensei’s been gone for a while, do you think Naruto’s been out there the entire…” she blinked, “We need to cool him down.” She glanced around the room, “Taking off his clothes was smart, but we need something better. Do you have a bathtub?”

“Should I carry him there?”

“First, start the water. We need it cold. Not freezing, but cold.”

He nodded.

“Then I’m going to need you to come back here to get him. Also, I’m going to need some things, and I didn’t bring anything with me…” She bit her lip, “They’re all expensive or time-consuming. Are you sure we can’t-”

“No hospitals,” he said as he stood, ”Money’s not a problem, but time is, right? So let’s hurry up.”

She held his gaze for a moment, her hand still resting on Naruto’s cheek.

“Write me a list of the things you need, and I’ll get them. You stay here and make sure that he doesn’t die in the meantime.”

She paled slightly, but nodded, “Okay.”

~~~~~

It had taken him way too long to get everything Sakura had asked for. It shouldn’t have taken so long, but his fame as the Uchiha survivor followed him around everywhere, and the crows of ogling strangers and merchants trying to get his attention made being timely with the trip difficult, despite his attempted efficiency with the actual shopping.

He tore through the village, landing rougher than he normally would on top of buildings, ignoring as shingles fell and shinobi squawked at him rushing past.

He tried to be gentle with the doors, but even he knew he’d slammed them way too hard as he slowed to a speedwalk upon entering the house. He carefully opened the door to the bathroom, where Sakura kneeled beside a shivering Naruto.

“Sasuke!” her voice dripped with relief, “Perfect timing, he’s cooled down tons. I think he might even be a bit too cold,” her voice dropped to a whisper as she said it, “Can you help me get him out?”

Normally, Sasuke might’ve thought that Sakura could use the training anyway, but looking at Naruto’s pale face, he set the bag of things down and reached into the cold water. He ignored his it seeped into his clothes, carefully wrapping his arms around Naruto’s torso and legs and lifting him out of the water.

Naruto shivered, leaning into his chest the second contact was made. Sasuke winced at the temperature, but pivoted and walked out the room, careful to avoid slipping.

He set him back on the floor of his bedroom, glancing around for a towel to pat him dry with. Sakura entered, the bag of supplies in her hands, and sat on the other side of the bed again.

“First of all, he has a really nasty sunburn, probably from being outside for too long. For one like this to develop…” she gently traced Naruto’s cheek with a finger, “I’d say it’s not unlikely that he was outside for longer than just a few hours.” She retracted her hand to reach into the pouch, pulling out one of the containers Sasuke had purchased, “This is probably one of the best topical healing salves on the market.” she looked at Sasuke, “How much did it…No, I shouldn’t ask.” She shook her head, opening the container.

Sasuke watched wordlessly as she applied it basically anywhere she could reach. He hadn’t realised Naruto’s skin was that damaged, but he supposed he hadn’t been paying attention.

“The worst of it might be averted, now that he’s cooler, but I’d say the next thing to watch out for is keeping him hydrated,” she said, “I’ve been trying to give him water anytime he woke up, but so far be hasn’t finished more than a single cup.”

“He definitely wasn’t drinking enough water.” Sakura looked up, an expression on her face, as if she was surprised he would speak.

She quickly glanced back at her work, “I believe it.” she paused again, “Hes going to be really hungry when he wakes up, and it’s gonna be our problem.” she groaned.

She recapped the container, “That’s all we can really do for now. If he had been unconscious the entire time, I’d be more concerned, but I’d say currently he’s just sleeping.” She bit her lip, “It’s…kind of tough to tell, but I’m fairly confident he’s fine.”

Sasuke watched her face. She clearly wanted to suggest the same thing again.

“If he’s not fine by tomorrow, I’ll drag his ass to the hospital if I have to.” he said finally.

Some of the tension bled from her face as she nodded, “Okay.”

Sasuke wrung out another towel and placed it on Naruto’s forehead.

“He just needs to stay cool now,” Sakura said softly, “This could take hours.”

Sasuke exhaled, before settling back into his seat, “Alright then. There’s plenty of rooms if you need one.”

Sakura gave him a small smile, her hand settling itself in Naruto’s hair.

“Alright then.”

Links: Previous | Next | Masterpost | Ao3

#Naruto #Whumptober #Whumptober 2024 #Naruto fanfic #Naruto fanfiction #Fanfic #Fanfiction #Writing #Whump #Whumpblr #Grey Writes #No.5

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greyling-writes · 10 months ago

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Whumptober Day 4: Hallucinations (Pt 2)

Hallucinations | Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | “You're still alive in my head.”

Links: Previous | Next | Masterpost | Ao3

Word count: 2266

Notes:

I'm posting this bright and early to try to make up for being late by so many days ahhh- I hope you enjoy! This fic has been so fun to work on, I might expand on it a bit sometime in the future. Anyways! Here is the 3rd chapter in this mini series thing, and Part 2 of Day 4 (that's not confusing at all-)!

Where am I?

It was dark. His hands were gone, or maybe just numb. He couldn’t feel anything past his forearms, which ached, but when he pulled on them…nothing. Were they being held by something?

My hands…

And his legs, too, were bound. By what? Who-

Then it clicked back into place.

The mission. That man. The feudal lord.

Sakura.

He hoped she was okay. His head began to fog again. It fell to his chest.

“You demon.”

He wasn’t a demon. What were they talking about?

Something seemed to swirl around inside of him, a ghostly figure slithering about-

“Naruto Uzumaki, you’re under arrest for the murder of Lord Anzu.”

“You killed Lord Anzu.”

But he hadn’t.

But they thought he did.

Hopefully they just...let her go.

~~~~~

“-ake up, brat.”

Naruto’s eyes were open again. When had they closed? He glanced around widlly. It was still dark. But he could’ve sworn he maybe could make out a shadow-

“Shut up.”

His thoughts seemed to come to a complete stop. Someone was there with him.

“Of course I am, you idiot. I’m always-”

“Hello?” he tried to speak, but his voice came out in a low whisper.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said shut up. They’ll hear you.”

Hear me?

“Yes. I swear, you get dumber every day.”

Naruto’s brain seemed to inch forward like a snail. Who-

“I’m the one that they’re after. Are you understanding?”

The one that…

“What aren’t you understanding?”

Who… Naruto could feel his headache growing, spreading across his skull, Who are you?

His brain pulled, down down down, growing almost fuzzy as the voice said,

“Who the hell do you think I am?”

~~~~~

“-aruto!”

He knew that voice.

Darkness. His hands and feet were gone. A tingling sensation at his forearms and knees replaced them. Like they had dissolved into smoke.

It was quiet. The voice. Like it had been said from somewhere really far away. Far away? That meant that he was somewhere. And the voice was somewhere else.

Somewhere. Where was here? He pulled his head up to gaze around but it was nothing but dark. Pure black.

“Naruto!”

It was every quieter that time, and followed by another noise. But he couldn’t…What is that?

His head hurt. His throat was dry. He reflexively swallowed, wincing at how his throat scraped against itself, like sandpaper against stone.

“-aru-”

Who keeps saying that?

~~~~~

A pain against his face.

He pulled his head up, peeling his eyes open to gaze at the same nothing he’d always seen. Would he always be seeing it? A voice in his ear.

“You killed Lord Anzu.”

I didn’t kill anyone.

“You murdered him in cold blood alongside your evil comrades. You and your people killed him.”

I didn’t…kill…

“You killed him.”

“N…” a cough tore through his chest, scraping against his dry throat, “I didn’t-”

A hand around his throat, squeezing. More coughs strangled him, but the hand prevented him from being able to breathe. His eyes bugged out of his head.

“You killed him.” the same voice said calmly, “And we’re going to wait as long as it takes for you to confess.”

“I…didn’t…kill-” he choked out, nails slowly digging into his neck, before he was thrown back into his slumped position. His head was killing him.

“Just keep saying that.” the voice seemed to get farther away, “Just how long can you keep up the-”

~~~~~

Lie?

He wasn’t a liar.

“Demon.”

Because he…

Killed him.

Naruto wasn’t a liar. Maybe if Sasuke was getting on his nerves, but someone’s life?

Lie.

Liar.

“You’re lying.” they’d said.

Who even…are they?

~~~~~

He couldn’t breathe. A desperate attempt at a breath pulled a strange substance into his nose, and upon opening his mouth, it entered that orifice, too. He choked, but reflexively swallowed, gulping down the substance and then lungsful of air.

“Eat your fill, you fucking demon.”

Demon? His hair was grabbed and his face forcefully shoved into the same substance. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t breathe he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t-

“Open your mouth, you idiot!”

He did, his jaw unhinging almost robotically and the substance entering his mouth again. It tasted terrible, but the flavor was the least of his concern as he gulped it down again desperately until there was space for him to take in a breath, then another.

Breathe.

He had to-

~~~~~

“-just tell us the truth already!”

Another sharp crack and his cheek exploded in pain. He yelped, crashing to the floor.

His hands were still behind him. He couldn’t move them. They were still fuzzy, but now they ached with a strange pain that he couldn’t-

“You killed Lord Anzu.”

No…I wouldn’t-

“You took his head in your hands and stared into his eyes and watched as the life bled out of him.”

“No…” Naruto managed, his face pressed against the ground by his own weight. “I-”

Another crack and something sliced into his neck from the back. He let out another scream.

“Say it! Say that you killed him! We know it’s the truth!” the person with the whip seemed almost frantic, angry. Someone killed their lord…it makes sense that-

Another slice at his body, this time his back. Naruto grit his teeth and ignored the warmth rolling down his cheeks.

“You took your demon claws and sliced into him and watched as he died. And you laughed while you did it.” The man’s voice shook slightly as he spoke.

No…

Another crack. “I can do this all day, you fucking-” Crack. “-demon!”

Why does he keep saying th-

Crack.

~~~~~

A voice. It sounded like a woman. Or maybe it was a girl?

Who…

He knew that voice.

He was against the ground. His jaw hurt. Why was his face-

A noise was echoing in his brain. It had been like a firecracker, like someone snapping a piece of wood, like a-

His face hurt. His body hurt. His hands were behind him, in the air, his legs beneath him, all of his body weight on top and it ached, he knees hurt, but he couldn’t move, how would he-

Sakura?

Where was she? Was she somewhere, too?

It was dark. It was quiet. Except for…

Who’s voice…is that?

~~~~~

“-ow are you going to get out of this one, I wonder?”

Naruto pulled his eyes open. He wasn’t on the floor anymore. Instead, he was sitting, upright, back where he had been the way before.

Before?

Before…what?

A long long time ago, before the pain on his face and on his chest, and-

“I wish you would just stay unconscious. At least it’s quieter that way,”

Who… but his thoughts leaked out of his brain like water through a sieve and…

“Who indeed?”

…then he was gone again.

~~~~~

Silence. Darkness. Did it matter if he opened his eyes?

He did anyway, and just like before, just like all the times, there was nothing. Darkness and silence and an ache in his body.

His throat was less dry than it had been forever ago. Maybe he was given water at some point?

Given. By who? Who….

Where was he?

“Idiot.”

A jolt went through his body, but all he could do was slowly lift his head to try to find the source of it. The voice seemed to echo through his brain.

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.

It wasn’t the same girl’s voice from earlier. It was different. Deeper. But not yet quite like a man.

“We all know that it’s your fault.”

What?

His head slowly came down to rest on his chest again. I’m tired.

Footsteps, the voice getting closer. “Don’t go playing dumb now. We know that you killed him.”

Killed…him…

“That man.” Sasuke’s voice echoed, “Lord Anzu.”

But…

“Quit it already with the innocence crap!” Sasuke’s voice seemed to stab straight through his brain. “We all know the truth already! Just admit it! You’re nothing more than an idiot, a brat, a demon who couldn’t get his way, so he-”

Demon?

A sharp image of clawed hands around a neck, squeezing, squeezing, squee-

“Sas….uke?” he managed, his voice trembling, “Please….I-”

“Just admit it already. At least do us the decency of admitting it.”

~~~~~

Killed him.

“We all know you killed him.”

“You’re under arrest for the murder of Lord Anzu.”

“You grabbed his head with your demon claws and-”

Screaming, grabbing. Scared eyes making contact with his, wide-eyed and-

“-you watched the life bleed right out of them.”

A brightness blinded him, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Before he could reopen them, it was gone, plunged into darkness again. Footsteps tapped a few feet away.. Someone was in the room with him.

“You killed Lord Anzu.”

Killed…him?

Naruto said nothing.

“Answer my question, Naruto Uzumaki.”

Hands around his neck, wide eyes staring into his.

“Did you…”

“Please!” he begged, “Please don’t-”

“...kill Lord Anzu?”

Slicing, slicing, slicing his neck. Blood dribbling down as he choked.

He opened his mouth, licking his dry lips.

The light seemed to fade from his eyes as they locked eyes for the last time. He took in a gurgling breath.

“No.”

And then he was gone.

~~~~~

The girl’s voice again. It was loud in his ears. Screaming through his skull.

“Naruto!”

What?

“Jeez, Naruto, get some sense, will you?”

He pulled his eyes open. It was still dark. He closed them again.

“It’s not like it’s a secret, you idiot. Just admit it already.”

Admit it…

“You killed him.” She said, her voice cracking in a way he had only heard a few times before, “You killed that poor, innocent man, and you-”

I…killed him?

“You won’t even confess to it.”

But I…

“You’re letting these poor people live this way. Without closure. Without knowing who really did it.”

I wouldn’t-

“Just tell them.” Sakura echoed in his mind.

Tell them.

Tell-

~~~~~

He was running.

Wind in his ears, trees rushing past his vision. He landed on tree after tree, his heartbeat thrumming in his chest.

A house emerged in the foliage. He grinned.

He landed near-silently, a distance away. His eyes scanned the area, finding no one guarding the exterior. No one.

He brought his hands together to form a sign, clones springing out of the air and landing in the shadows beside him. They watched carefully for his nod, before descending on the building. After the sounds of battle slowed and stopped, he made his way to the entrance, jumping off the tree

The air was cool, almost sweet, as he took in a deep breath and approached his target.

Two clones held the man by the arms in the center of the room, others milling about, inspecting bodies or even sparring with each other. They shoved the man into Naruto’s grasp. He grabbed the man’s head with his left hand before he stumbled to the ground, tracing the man’s neck with a sharp fingernail.

“Please…” the man said, his wide brown eyes coming up to meet Naruto’s, “Please, I’ll give you anything you want…”

Naruto gazed around the room. It was littered with bodies. Some of his clones had taken to poking them. Blood covered every surface, some even splattered on Anzu’s clothing. He said nothing.

“My men…” Anzu sobbed, “They were all killed…”

Naruto took his hand and ripped it across Anzu’s neck, a line of red appearing where his finger had sliced.

Anzu made a choking noise, his blood coming down to soak his clothes. He took in a gurgling breath before his eyes deadened. He stared at nothing.

Naruto’s clones all disappeared in a puff of smoke, and he threw the body to the ground.

~~~~~

Hands. Two around his legs, two on his shoulders.

It was bright, and he winced, a moan escaping him. It scratched at his throat.

“-aruto.”

A voice, close to his ear. Fingers fumbling with something near his wrists, but his hands were long gone. He couldn’t tell where the fluff ended and his arms began.

“Naru-”

His head was almost to his chest. He was sitting up, maybe. His neck ached. How long had he been like this?

A muttered curse, and suddenly his arms were no longer bound. They fell to his sides and he pitched forward, falling against something warm.

Hands, gripping his shoulders, “Naruto!”

He pulled his eyes open. It was bright. Too bright- He squeezed them shut again.

Hands. Touching him in too many places. Hands on his arms, his legs, now his shoulders. He was touching something, what was he touching? His head rested on the warm thing that vibrated with another repeated noise-

Loud. Why were there so many voices? A lower one, right by his ear, a shrill one a few feet away. Had they finally come to kill him?

Hands around his legs finally left again, but with their retreat came another pulsing pain in his ankles. Had they been bound? How had he forgotten?

Warm, red, soaking his clothes.

His breathing started to change, but he couldn’t fix it, couldn’t stop gulping down breath after breath.

His clones disappeared,

He was too weak to move, too weak to avoid being slaughtered.

…and then he was alone.

Killed like that man had been, scared and pathetic and-

With the corpses.

“Naruto.”

Close, loud, too loud-

“Naruto, it’s me.”

He knew that voice.

Kakashi…sensei.

“You’re safe now. Can you hear me?”

Wide brown eyes, piercing his soul.

Safe?

Please…he had begged.

“You’re safe.”

A line of red, a gurgling breath. In a puff of smoke, all his clones disappeared.

Safe.

He was alone.

With the corpses.

Links: Previous | Next | Masterpost | Ao3

#Naruto #Whumptober #Whumptober 2024 #Naruto fanfic #Naruto fanfiction #Fanfic #Fanfiction #Writing #Whump #Whumpblr #No.4 #Grey Writes

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