Thoughts... so unexpected, spontaneous—they appear out of nowhere, then vanish without a trace. They're like living, unruly things. They change quickly; a second ago I noted my feet were a bit cold, now I'm thinking how to tell my friends about Minato. And should I even?
"Later..." I push aside thoughts of fate, work, and the world. I want to rest, lie down, stretch, drink tea. I'm so tired. In all these years, I don't remember ever resting not just my body but my spirit. Endless intense training, fights, missions.
No rest, no days off. I'm so fed up with it all.
I'm young, should have lots of energy. But it's all evaporated somewhere. I'm like a squeezed lemon. Hm... maybe I should treat myself to a holiday? Why not. Then I'll have more strength and motivation. When everyone works to rest, I'll rest to work harder later.
A door opening sound distracts me for a moment; someone enters quickly with light steps, does something by my bed, and leaves just as fast, leaving only the aftertaste of medications.
And I lie just as motionless, feigning sleep, recalling the sequence of past and future events.
When I get discharged, I should visit the dragon world. Check on my baby dragon and ask Aromun something.
So many things to do and so little time; need to get back in shape, invent new techniques. Wonder what happens next? Will Naruto go for Tsunade like in the anime, or someone else? If he goes for someone, he'll be gone three-four weeks. Perfect time for recovery, rest. Hope we get easy D- or C-rank missions. At least for the next month. Or maybe we'll rebuild the village.
I don't know...
I tried to breathe deeper and suddenly felt sharp pain in my chest. Breathing became ragged, my head instantly ached. Damn...
I lay gasping like a fish, breathing shallowly. It felt like I'd vomit from the pain. Suddenly my whole body hurt like it'd been thrown into boiling water. I was about to worry, but a second later someone approached again, and I started drifting off.
"How efficient," was my last thought.
"Will she wake up soon?" I heard Naruto's familiar voice to my right and realized I was somewhere else. The smell was different, and more chakra sources.
"You're asking me the third time, dobe. I don't know..." Sasuke replied a bit roughly from the left, and I wanted to smile. The guys are nearby... So everything's fine...
I didn't feel bad anymore, and my body didn't hurt. Probably painkillers. I was slowly coming to, sensations returning gradually, like emerging from a deep, long sleep I'd been in for ages. Though I'd probably been here less than a day.
When sensations returned to my hands, I felt them squeezed on both sides. Even if Naruto and Sasuke were silent, I'd have known who was where. Left: a smooth palm holding lightly; right: a rough one gripping firmer. Seems... Naruto's worried. Should I stop pretending and talk to my friends?
"No. Later," I immediately reject the thought. I want to sleep, and no desire to report to friends. They'll interrogate me for sure. Better rest, lie down, pretend.
With those thoughts, I planned to lounge more until one phrase from my friends made me snap my eyes open:
"I don't understand... It's the third day she hasn't woken. I asked the doctors, but they know nothing," I heard Sasuke's sad voice, spurring me to stop pretending. I opened my eyes but immediately squeezed them shut against the blinding bright light.
I decided to try talking to my friends. If it eased them that I'd woken, no point pretending. And three days passing shocked me a bit... Was I really in a coma?
I wiggled my fingers faintly, feeling utter exhaustion. No strength to squeeze hands. Or for a full talk.
"Ari!" the guys startled simultaneously, and I regretted my poor fingers, instantly crushed. I barely pried open my stuck eyes and lay still, feeling monstrous fatigue.
"Ariza, you okay! Ari?" Naruto jumped up and leaned over me.
"Everything good?" they kept asking, but I realized I had no strength even to speak. I just stared at one spot, opening and closing my mouth slightly. Like I'd been turned off, like a doll.
"Naruto... Sasuke," I thought. "I feel so bad," and in that second realized I had to say something to my friends. At least one word...
I sighed deeply and exhaled raggedly, gathering strength.
"Lo-ve... you..." I croaked quietly and sank into sleep.
Two days later
All my thoughts were interrupted by a quiet door click. I lifted my head from the pillow and saw Naruto and Sasuke in the doorway: faded, washed-out robes over their shoulders, a transparent bag in Naruto's hand through which I saw a big box of mochi.
"Kh... Hi," my voice came out very hoarse and ragged, even painful, but the smile blooming on my face was genuine, bright. I didn't remember smiling like that in ages.
Two days since I woke; they'd visited multiple times daily, plus Kakashi, Hinata, Jiro, and other classmates. We chatted as long as I had strength. I asked about the village, current issues, and business.
"Ari!" Naruto exclaimed slightly, snapping me from thoughts, and in two steps from door to bed, sat on the chair beside me. "How are you? Awake long? We came fifteen minutes ago; you were sleeping, so we went to get something for you, thought mochi would be great..." Naruto kept talking, and I knew the smile never left his face, though I wasn't looking.
Sasuke stood stunned by the door, one hand still on the knob. He looked at me in disbelief, warmly. A faint smile touched his lips. Not breaking eye contact, he finally released the knob and moved toward the bed slowly, carefully, as if speeding up would cause something bad. Naruto kept talking; I caught "Kakashi-sensei," "important mission," and "you."
Sasuke sat beside Naruto, palms on knees, shoulders slightly raised. He smiled that "smiling with eyes" smile, never taking those smiling eyes off me.
Naruto's words and our stare-down with Sasuke were interrupted by a cry: "Time to end!" A medical ninja arrived.
"Please!" Naruto pleaded. "We haven't seen each other in so long!"
"You've come three times today," the medical ninja cut off. "She needs rest!"
"But, actually, I'm fine now," I tried inserting into their dialogue, propping on forearms, but ignored.
"We'll sit a bit more and go!" Naruto suggested. "Ten more minutes, please!"
The medic didn't object. Thought for fifteen seconds, then softened:
"Fine. You can stay, but if the patient needs anything or worsens, call me immediately!"
Standing at attention and saluting, Naruto cried out, "Yes!" The Medical Ninja smirked at the gesture.
"I'll check on your father for now," she said and left.
The radiant smile that hadn't left Naruto's face since he entered the ward now faded; his lips pressed together tightly, his brows furrowed slightly toward the bridge of his nose. He let out a noisy exhale.
"Naruto," I called, finally mustering the courage to broach the topic. All these days, I'd been afraid not just to learn the answer—I was scared even to ask. "What about the Hokage?"
He was silent. The traces of joy vanished from his face, giving way to anxiety.
"The Hokage… Dad's in a coma," he replied, blinking rapidly "almost at the same time as you. You woke up, but he…"
Naruto clenched his jaw; it was clear he was trying to hold himself together. To hold back the pain and despair. Undoubtedly, my question had hurt him, but he was trying not to show it to us. He was always like that: helping the people around him but hiding his own feelings. Even from Sasuke and me.
"I…" I said, not knowing what to reply. Say "don't worry," "it's fine," "he'll wake up"? But that wasn't true. It wasn't like that. It wouldn't happen. Maybe say "my condolences"? An empty, meaningless, hollow word? What could I say to that? How to comfort him?
"Naruto," Sasuke said quietly, "let's go to him tomorrow. And screw the rules about not being allowed in. We'll get through," after these words, Naruto froze and paled slightly, not knowing what to say.
"I support Sasuke," I replied, nodding.
"Guys, thank you," I couldn't say what was more prominent in his half-smile right now: joy or pain; but the fact was, it held both.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan