Comfort Character

// 008 //

"Well?"

THE question was barely above a whisper to leave Naruto's mouth.

It brushed along her earlobe; wrapped around her numb brain and tightened the rein hiked to her mind, until his voice had become the only thing she could think about. Until it had become the only thing she wanted to think about.

Breathing turning shallow, y/n had long since turned hopeless at remaining calm. The unfamiliar touch running along her shoulder and neck was driving her insane. With every tender swipe, the blonde male that stood behind her relentlessly toyed with the smooth, silken strap of her flimsy nightgown.

With every turn, he pushed it lower. Kept going, until it just barely clung to her shoulder, as if he was waiting for it to fall - by accident or not.

"Naruto," y/n breathed, posture tense. He laughed quietly at the lowly whimper she had laced his name with.

She felt his digits ghost along her collarbone, now. Her eyelids fluttered shut when he gently traced the feeble bone, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip - chewing.
He stopped for a moment when he touched the delicate sun pendant of her necklace. Hesitated. As if he were afraid he'd break her in the same way he'd break the dainty, golden trinket at even the smallest amount of pressure.

And he had good reason for it. Naruto actually could crush her to dust if he ever expressed the wish. Could ruin her bit by bit, until there'd be nothing left of her but atoms.
And not just her.

He could wipe them off the face of the Earth - the humanity she belonged to. Could make them kneel before him, like knights would before a king. Could emerge victorious in every clash he'd face and bathe in triumph like a musing God of War, seeing their erosion as nothing more but an ordeal.

All those years being subjected to battles consisting of never-ending gore, grimness and slaughter, had built Naruto's body, mind and spirit sturdy enough to withstand threats and horrors unequalled to those that humans of this reality endured.
Against him; they stood no chance. Men of this world were made of brass, after all.

And Naruto Uzumaki had been shaped out of iron.

"y/n," he whispered her name now, paying heed to every letter with utmost care. His hand left her skin, making her stiffen at the sudden lack of warmth. She could hear the smile within his voice when he said, "Look at me, please."

She tried to ease the sudden tightness of her chest by sitting straighter at his somewhat courteous demeanor. He had asked nicely, yes. But the tone wasn't right. It had been far too assertive for what appeared to be only a polite request. She had a feeling he'd punish her if she refused it.
y/n's heart - heavy and pounding - felt on the verge of bursting by the time she finally decided to oblige and spin around in her chair.